I shrugged as my embarrassment raised another notch, “And my only.”
He frowned as he looked down at me. That intensity burned higher and higher and I shivered, “Are you cold?”
I sighed, feeling another tremble sweep through me, “Yes,” I lied, looking up at him. His face was masked in a look that twisted and turned my insides.
“Mirella, you need to go home,” he said, finally looking away from me. I released the breath I didn‘t even know I had been holding. I listened to him as he spoke to his sister, struggling to compose myself, “And don’t let momma catch you on the way in or you’ll be in trouble for drinking.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, giggling as she saluted him, “I told you he was bossy,” she whispered as she passed by me giggling as she tripped back to her house. Andre watched until she was safely inside, shaking his head.
He turned to me and narrowed his eyes as he shrugged out of his jacket and put it around me, “What were you doing out here?” He asked, frowning. His face darkened for a moment as he looked at the forest and then, back at me.
I bit my bottom lip and shrugged uncomfortably as I formulated an answer. I didn‘t want to blame it on Mirella even though she had told him the answers to the questions she asked.
“I was waiting for you,” I said after a moment and then, peeked up at him, “You were hunting wolves…so I was worried.”
“You were worried about me?” he asked, grinning as he looked down at me. I nearly rolled my eyes at his pleased look.
“Of course,” I said, “Why wouldn’t I be?”
I pulled the jacket tighter around me as a gust of wind hit us. Andre studied me intensely.
“I guess you would be,” he said as my teeth began to chatter. I frowned as I found that I really was cold. Thankfully, our motor home loomed in front of us. We made it to the lot where it was parked before I shivered again. Andre surprised me when he pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me.
“You should have worn a jacket,” he said, rubbing my back, “You’re freezing.”
“I didn’t feel the cold until now,” I said, allowing his warmth to seep into me.
He smiled and looked down at me, “Alcohol does that. It makes you feel warmer than you actually are. It also makes you more truthful,” he said, smiling wider when I blushed, “I didn’t know that you had never been kissed before me,” he said and reached up to caress my cheek, “You really are pure, Aurora. You don’t know how rare that is.”
I bit my bottom lip, feeling suddenly very nervous, “Well, I guess that you can’t say that now. I have been kissed.”
Andre laughed, “I don’t think that counts,”
“Why not?” I asked, pouting. It counted for me.
“There was no passion…no fire in it,” He said as his eyes darkened, “That’s the way a kiss should be.”
I laughed, nervously “Well, I will have to try to have one of those kisses one day.”
Andre pulled me closer, “How about now?”
I gasped struggling to say something…anything but I didn’t have a chance. His lips touched mine…moving over them as I stood motionless and unsure what to do. He pulled me closer as my heart began to pound. I gasped again and he took advantage and pushed his tongue into my mouth. My insides warmed and I moaned.
“Give in, Aurora,” he whispered against my lips, “Kiss me back.”
I reached up tangling my hands in his hair. My lips moved in sync with his as our tongues warred. I trembled as he pulled away wanting something…wanting more His eyes blazed.
“That was a real kiss,” he said in a strangled voice, “Count that as your first…not the one in front of a church full of people.”
I shook my head, feeling weak kneed and slowly began to sink. Andre caught me and chuckled.
“You really shouldn’t drink,” he whispered in my ear right before I passed out.
Chapter Eleven
Too Late
A dull pounding slammed though my head as the light entered my slitted eyes. A searing pain slashed through my brain, turning my stomach and I moaned afraid that I was going to be sick. Why did I feel so ill?
“Aurora,” Andre whispered but even that hurt my head and caused me to moan in pain again. He laughed and I winced. Was he trying to hurt me?
“Aurora,” he whispered right next to my ear, brushing his lips against the lobe. I trembled and opened my eyes wide in alarm. He grinned as he seen me look up at him standing over me fully dressed.
“Good Morning,” he said, brightly and I narrowed my eyes at him, “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts,” I said, frowning up at him. For some reason it angered me that he was so bright and cheerful when I felt so horrible. I pouted as I continued, “And my stomach feels funny. I think I‘m sick.”
“Well, what did you expect would happen when you drank homemade wine?” he asked, laughing. I winced as the sound entered my head and bounced around my skull.
I glanced up at him again, giving him a look that seemed to chasten him. He bit his lip to keep from laughing again. My eyes followed the action and settled on his lips remembering his mouth working over mine. I struggled to sit up, unsure that the memory was real.
“Everything seems fuzzy,” I whispered, blushing and still unsure, “It’s strange.”
He gave me a crooked grin as if he knew exactly why I was blushing, “What’s strange?’
I narrowed my eyes at him as his grin, widened. I shook my head and looked at him, dead in the eyes. He stood above me with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Did you kiss me last night?” I asked, finally pushing away the embarrassment enough to ask.
He pursed his lips and then, shrugged as his eyes darkened, “You needed a real first kiss,” he said, uncrossing his arms and throwing his hands up as if it didn‘t matter, “I gave it to you. You didn‘t seem to mind. You kissed me back.”
I blushed, looking down, “Oh,” I whispered breathlessly. I felt my face rise to a brighter shade of red.
“I can see that you’re silently thanking me,” he said, laughing. I glared at him making a firm decision. I was never ever drinking again.
“Did you find any wolves?” I asked, ready to change the subject.
Andre’s laughter died immediately and his face darkened so much that it was hard to remember the jovial mood that he had been in just seconds before. I was almost sorry that I had asked the question and ruined his good mood. “
No,” he said, swallowing hard as he looked at me. He shifted as if worried about my reaction, “Which means that you don‘t need to be out after dark. No more drinking by the bonfire pit with Mirella, okay? I don‘t want you attacked and I don‘t want her out either.”
I nodded my head as my thoughts turned to the first night I had encountered the wolves. Those had frightened me…They were going to attack me but then, I remembered the wolf that saved me. Somehow, I still viewed it as my protector.
“All wolves aren’t bad,” I whispered without thinking. He looked at me startled, “There was the one that saved me from Garridan the night before our wedding. He was a good wolf.”
Andre’s eyes widened and he shifted again, looking almost vulnerable, “Yes, he was but don’t take your chances, okay? You don‘t know whether a wolf will attack or not.”
I tilted my head as I studied him. He looked at me before caressing my cheek, softly, “Please just stay in tonight, okay?” He asked as he swept the hair from my forehead, “Please, so I don’t have to worry while I’m out.”
I nodded my head and sighed, “Okay.”
“Thank you for not arguing,” He said, and then, grinned before kissing my forehead, “Now, get up. I’ll get you some medicine for your headache.”
I smiled as he walked from the room, giving me time to get dressed. I sighed, more comfortable with him than I had ever thought possible.
********
While Andre worked with his father on the everyday maintanance
of the motor home park, I visited with my mother. Her fever had worsened over night, causing her cheeks to flush and her skin to burn to the touch. Worry gnawed a raw and horrid path through me. It surprised me that Sophia did not seem worried at all. She had even rolled her eyes when I voiced my concerns, making me feel ridiculous.
Instead of giving into my fear, I threw myself into making my mother comfortable. I sat by her bed, reading to her while she was awake and talked with Sophia or Mirella as she slept. It was Sometime, after her dinner, she fell asleep and I found myself alone. I looked out of the window, seeing the darkening sky. As much as I didn’t want to leave my mother, I knew that I needed to go home. I stood and looked at her feeling my heart in my throat. Her cheeks were more flushed than ever and though Sophia said that it was a sign that her fever was about to break, something whispered in my soul, telling me that something was wrong.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached forward to brush her hair from her forehead. Quicker than I had ever seen my mother move, she grasped my wrist, squeezing it almost painfully. Her eyes pulsed, brightly as they met mine.
I frowned as I looked down at her hand wrapped around my wrist. It was strange for her to have such strength when she was so very sick.
“Momma!” I cried, becoming frightened as her too bright eyes found mine.
“You’ll be like me soon,” She whispered, harshly. I pulled at my arm to try to release it from my mother’s grip. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as her grip tightened even more.
“Momma, what are you talking about?’ I asked as her nails dug into my flesh, making indentions in the shapes of half moons, “Momma, you’re hurting me! Please, let go!”
“You’ll be a monster!” She screamed with hot tears rolling down her cheeks, “A monster! A monster!”
My eyes widened as true terror entered my mind and I shook my head. My mother’s grip tightened even further grinding the bones in my wrist together making me begin to wonder if she was going to snap my it into.
Finally, I heard Sophia enter and a moment later she pulled my wrist firmly from my mother’s grip. My eyes widened as I looked at my mother more terrified than ever.
“It’s the fever. It‘s making her hallucinate,” Sophia explained as she quickly and efficiently placed rags on my mother’s forehead, soothing her. She looked back at me, “You must go now. Her fevers breaking and I need to be here. She’ll be better tomorrow.”
Tears burned my eyes. I wanted to argue but I knew that I would be of no help here. I nodded as I suppressed a sob and ran out of Sophia‘s home.
**********
I was halfway across the motor home park when I stopped running. My heart pounded hard and I could hear the blood flowing through my body. My breaths came in short, rasping breaths, causing my chest to ache. I closed my eyes and grabbed my knees until I caught my breath.
Finally, I stood and looked around shocked. I had not realized my stupidity until I was too far away to do anything about it. Everything around me was cast in shadows, darkening by the moment. I closed my eyes as a chill slid down my spine. I had not realized how long my mother had held me in her grip and now the night wrapped around me as my promise to Andre whispered in my ears.
A prickle of warning shot up my neck and I began to walk faster. The reason for that promise made itself known in every part of my body. My heart pounded as I walked beneath the moon. A tremble shook me and my muscles readied to run.
My name was spoken floating to me across the air and I stiffened as I tried to place the voice but it was muffled by the wind.
“Aurora,” the person said again, closer now. Familiarity swamped me and I turned, feeling relief when I seen Andre coming toward me. His face was darkened with worry.
“I thought you said that you would stay inside after dark,” he said, frowning.
I shifted uneasily, feeling guilty, “I’m sorry,” I whispered, “I stayed too long with my mother and I had to leave because she…isn’t herself because of the fever.”
His eyes softened at my look of torture and he nodded his head, “I’ll walk you home, okay?” he said reaching out and grasping my hand, “At least I’ll know that you made it home safe that way.”
I nodded my head, feeling safer with him. Our walk home was silent as we, listened for any sign of the wolves. His hand tightened around mine as our home came into view. I sighed in relief as we reached the door to our house but almost as soon as the final bit of breath left my lungs, a growl ripped through the air. Fur and teeth flew toward Andre and I shouted a warning. A moment later, Andre pushed me, and I slammed into the side of the motor home so hard that the breath was knocked from me. I blinked dazed and tried to gain my footing. A cry of agony broke through the air and I turned, hoping that Andre was okay.
My mouth widened in horror as I seen Andre standing before me…but it wasn’t him…It was something else. Course, thick black and brown fur covered his once smooth skin as he stood there. His nose elongated as did his ears. He rose his mouth to the sky and let out a horrid howl. He lifted his hands in front of his face as they thickened and became claws. An agonized growl broke from his throat as he turned to his attacker…I blinked seeing that I had been mistaken. What I had seen before wasn’t a wolf but another one like Andre, only the fur that covered this monster was black. It’s silver eyes flashed at Andre. The intent to kill clear in his eyes.
My knees trembled and were no longer able to hold me as I sank heavily to the ground. My back rested against our motor home unable to move as I watched in horror. Andre fought the other creature but I could not seem to pay attention to the fight. My mind just kept screaming at me over and over again…werewolf.
Another agonized scream broke through the air and I seen the other werewolf holding its blood soaked arm as it ran into the forest. I whimpered as Andre turned and stepped closer to me. I covered my eyes with my hands, willing the monsters to go away…willing my sanity to return as I broke into crazed sobs.
Chapter Twelve
Monsters
I trembled as I stared at Andre. This was too much like the dream that I had the night of our wedding. Tears of fear fell down my face as I watched Andre shifting back into a man. My mind whispered to me that this could not be real but Andre stood before me naked. His clothes lay in pieces around him as evidence and blood was splattered here and there on the ground. As much as I tried, my mind could conjure no other explanations to what I had seen.
He turned his back to me, avoiding my eyes as he did and grabbed clean clothes from the line that I had just washed. He put them on quickly before taking a deep breath and turning to me again. Reluctantly, his eyes met mine. Sadness was clearly marked there causing a memory to come to me so clearly that I gasped.
The wolf…the one who had attacked Garridan the night before our wedding…It had eyes that were the same as Andre‘s. I frowned confused. What I had just seen had been a mixture between wolf and man. I had seen him as a man and that creature but was it possible that Andre could turn fully into a wolf? Had he protected me then? I stared at him, beginning to believe that he had. I blinked as my fear began to fade and I seen him as he was…Andre.
“Aurora,” he whispered warily as he took one cautious step toward me.
I took another deep breath and said the first thing that I could think of that would confirm that he was safe, “Promise me that you won’t hurt me.”
His eyes reflected hurt for a moment and then, pity as he nodded his head, “I would never hurt you,” he whispered, brokenly, “I’m still the same person that you know. I swear I am.”
I straightened, pushing my fear fully away. I forced myself to see him…to really see him. As the werewolf and as a man, he protected me. He had never hurt me. He was Andre in any form…His heart and soul were still in tact.
I looked into his eyes, shocked that I could see everything that he was feeling clearly written there. The fear…the sadness…the confusion…all were clearly marked on his face. It was alm
ost like I could see his soul…his very good soul.
I sighed and he tensed as my breathing returned to normal,“I believe you.”
His face twisted and I seen the vulnerability there as tears rose into his eyes. My heart lurched as he looked at me warily, “You’re sure?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding without hesitation. I had not realized how tense he had been until his whole body relaxed..
“Thank God,” He whispered relieved. A tear fell down his cheek and my heart twisted. Slowly, I rose and took the two steps to stand in front of him. I stared at him for a few moments before slowly, reaching up and wiping the tear from his face with the pad of my thumb. He covered my hand with his, pulling it to his mouth and kissing the palm. Silence stretched between us as we stood there in the midst of his tattered clothes and the blood. He placed my hand over his heart and then, sighed.
“Thank you for believing me,” he whispered, softly.
“How could I not believe you? You’ve always protected me. You were doing it again just now. For some reason, I do not believe that it’s the first time. You protected me before like that but as a full wolf, right?” I asked and he gave me a half smile as I continued, “You attacked Garridan the night before our wedding?”
He hesitated for a moment and then, nodded, “I did,” he said, looking down into my face and then, shrugged, “I’ve protected you a lot that way. It‘s just that was the first time that I couldn‘t hide from you in that form.”
I smiled nodding my head. Tears suddenly fell down my cheeks and I sobbed and sobbed. Andre pulled me into his arms, lifting me. He didn’t ask me why I cried. The truth was I wasn’t even sure. He simply took me inside and held me as he allowed me to cry out all of the fear, the confusion and possibly the rest of my sanity.
***********
I don’t know when I quit crying but I knew that I fell asleep in Andre’s arms. He had rocked me like a baby, kissing my hair and telling me that everything would be okay. His warmth had comforted me as I cried and while I slept because no nightmares entered my dreams.
Beckoned (The Brazil Werewolf Series) Page 10
