The Witch of the Prophecy

by Victoria Jayne

  The wolf hunted down some small game. Squirrels, rabbits, anything he could take down alone. The triumph over the prey and devouring it had aided the wolf in tempering his emotions. By extension, it calmed Aric, as well. Two beings shared a body and emotions.

  Giving the reins to his wolf was the opposite of an out-of-body experience. Aric could see through the wolf’s eyes, smell through the wolf’s snout, and taste what the wolf tasted. All senses were fully functional, but he couldn’t actively do anything else. He had no control over the actions of the beast. Aric could only watch, listen, and experience.

  However, when the time came, the human dominated the beast. Aric pushed forth from wolf form, releasing control, and withdrawing within Aric. A tired wolf had little energy to resist the shift.

  The slow burn spread over his skin as the fur of the wolf receded into Aric’s pores. Joints popped to realign into a humanoid form. Pain jolted through him as each ligament found its new place, the excruciating crack of bones morphed into human position.

  Sweating, gasping, and drained, the human Aric slumped where a wolf once stood. The amount of energy involved to regain control from the wolf was massive. Aric remained on all fours panting afterward. He needed a moment to collect his humanness.

  Typically, Aric’s wolf returned to the original shift spot as soon as Aric initiated the process of regaining control. This time, however, human Aric found himself among unfamiliar scents and on unfamiliar land. A survey of the area led Aric to believe the wolf had taken him to a narrow strip of woods behind a parking lot.

  He shook his head. He assumed the wolf had distracted himself with a rabbit or something. Of course the beast hadn’t meant to get this far out of territory. The thrill of the hunt took him farther than normal.

  With his back against a tree, Aric pressed his hand over his heart, trying to catch his breath. He looked over his shoulder, relying on the superior vision of a supernatural predator to watch the man in the suit walk away from what looked like a gypsy wagon. The breeze allowed Aric to sample the air with an inhale.

  The wolf in him growled. Aric snarled himself. His legs wobbled in protest as he attempted to lift himself. He flopped back to the ground with a groan.

  The suit-clad vampire stormed past him muttering, “Interfering witches need to get dealt with.”

  The rotting scent turned Aric’s stomach, causing the rabbit not to sit well. Perhaps rodents of different kinds weren’t a wise meal when vampires were around. He didn’t want to taste them a second time.

  The wolf preferred fresh, raw animal meat. The human liked a little spice and seasoning with his cooked meal.

  He knew that scent; the vampire, Perci. Aric’s lip curled with the recognition of the undead man. Why was he there? Why did Aric’s wolf bring him there? Was he chasing Perci?

  Aric turned when Perci had left his sight. A completely different aroma delighted his nose. It wafted toward him, carried on the slight breeze of the night. His wolf perked with interest at the earthy tones of moss and the forest after rain. The smells seemed displaced so close to a parking lot and with there not having been rain recently.

  With a furrowed brow he crawled closer to the scent and it got stronger. This further perplexed him as the direction of the scent was closer to the asphalt and father from the trees. The scent called to him. At the edge of the lot, the potency of the smell made absolutely no sense. What was the smell if not the woods his wolf had hunted? The wolf pushed him further to investigate, all thoughts of Perci forgotten as his nose and his wolf delighted in the new scent.

  As if to remind him of his own condition, Aric’s cock twitched as the smell awakened it. He looked left and then right, he needed something to cover himself. He cursed under his breath at his wolf. The filthy mongrel within him must have lured Aric out there out of spite.

  Out in the middle of nowhere, with no clothes, and smelling the equivalent of filet mignon, his wolf had set him up well. Torn between the desire to investigate the fragrance, and maintaining human societal norms of modesty, Aric lingered under the cover of bushes and trees.

  CRACK!

  Metaphorical thunderbolts splintered before his eyes. Pain shot through his skull as he flew forward bracing himself on all fours. Aric’s hand reached to the back of his head protectively and to check for bleeding.

  “What the fuck!?” he rumbled in confusion.

  “Who are you?” a feminine voice demanded.

  Lifting his chest, getting to his knees, Aric turned toward the sound of crunching leaves beneath shuffling feet. Blinking a few times did nothing to cure his double vision. He assumed he had a concussion. If he had been human, he’d be unconscious. The pain in his head throbbed while Aric struggled to see properly.

  “W-wh-why are you naked?” the female voice questioned him.

  Rising to his feet, Aric shifted his position, in an attempt to both hide the chubby semi-erection and to offer some modesty. It must have been interpreted as a sign of aggression.

  Aric heard the whoosh and put his arm up to block the giant branch the female wielded as a weapon. The vibration of pain ricocheted up his forearm when it collided with the impromptu weapon. Aric howled and his eyes watered.

  Aric twisted his wrist, wrapped his fingers around the branch, and yanked. It came loose from her hands quickly. He tossed the stick away and thanked his supernatural genes and the strength given to him by his wolf, who, oddly, pranced about within him with elation rather than recognizing the aggression the woman showed toward them.

  “Wha—” she gasped.

  Still unable to see her clearly, the blurry female form stepped back from him. Aric wobbled slightly and fell to his knees again for stability.

  Once his vision slowly returned to normal, and in the glow of the moon, he gasped when he finally laid focused eyes on her visage. Her high cheekbones, plump lips, golden skin tone stunned him. His mouth fell open. The mass of dark waves pulled into a messy pony shimmered in the moonlight giving her a halo effect. Aric felt as if he knelt at the feet of a goddess.

  She wore an extremely large, faded, hooded sweatshirt and tight jeans. Aric lifted himself to a standing position on shaky knees. He stood several inches over her at his full height. His wolf howled within him while he fought the wolf’s urge to grab the woman. It did nothing to ease the pounding pain in his head from her attack.

  “You’re magnificent,” he murmured.

  The unknown female took another step away from him.

  “Uh, thanks?” she said.

  Her pale blue eyes darted left and right, as though she searched for an escape route.

  The throbbing pain in the back of his head dulled as he studied her. He absentmindedly raised a hand and rubbed at the place where she had struck him. The semi was now a full-on raging erection and proudly protruded from his pelvis as if to salute her.

  Aric’s face heated when her eyes dipped to it. Her cheeks reddened. She held a hand over her mouth.

  “Oh my God!” she gasped.

  Her expression reflected panic. She bent her knees prepared to run. Her eyes sought the best escape route.

  “No. Don’t,” Aric protested, surprising himself.

  She paused. The female stared at him, bewildered.

  He brought both his hands over his crotch. “Sorry.”

  “Why are you naked?” she demanded a second time.

  “Uh,” Aric stalled. For some reason, he didn’t think telling her he had just shifted from wolf to human form would be a good idea. Humans tended to freak out when confronted with creatures they thought were mythical. Plus, there was the whole death thing, if the council found out about a supernatural being outing himself to humans. They took that shit super serious. Aric liked his life. He liked it even more, having met this female.

  While the woman was wary of him, she didn’t seem particularly freaked out. Sure, she hit him with a stick but that was self-defense. She must not encounter naked men in the woods often.

  A grin g
rew on Aric’s face at the thought. That would be good for Aric. No wolves sniffing around her. She’d be all his. Aric stiffened at the possessive idea. Where had that come from?

  Lost in his own thoughts, he didn’t realize she had done it until he heard the tones. She pushed buttons. Those were phone buttons. He sprung toward her, fast as lightning and snatched the phone, sure to keep one hand covering his crotch.

  Again, she flew back, on guard against him. With her arms raised, the leaves around them swirled and the bushes shook with a sudden strong breeze. “Give it back.” She growled at him.

  His wolf swiped at his insides to indicate his displeasure with her reaction to human Aric’s movements. The wolf growled in warning, sending the message that Aric shouldn’t scare the female again.

  “I’ll give it back if you don’t call anyone,” he said.

  He extended his arm, holding the phone out to her, then snapped it back when she reached for it. The gusts around them intensified, and Aric fought the sudden wind as it seemed to be pushing him back from the woman.

  “Or text. Or snappy gram, whatever,” he added with an arched brow.

  She groaned and rolled her eyes. The female’s hand shot forward, and she took the phone from his fingers with a huff. She stuffed the phone back in her pocket.

  Aric chortled in amusement at the fire within the female. He agreed with his wolf in that they both enjoyed the passion the female displayed. Glancing about, he realized the wind had stopped just as suddenly as it had started. When his attention turned back to the female, he found she narrowed her eyes at him.

  Aric puffed his chest and couldn’t stop himself from flexing. Was he posturing? What was he doing? He moved his hands back to cover his genitals.

  “I’m a nudist?” he said unconvincingly, in a weak attempt to explain his current state.

  “Are you asking me or telling me?” she asked.

  Her gaze swept over him again. The warmth of her attention on him sent a shiver up his spine. His wolf panted within him.

  “Telling you?”

  Her brow rose. “You don’t seem so sure.”

  He sighed. “Do you have something I can cover myself with?”

  Chapter 23

  Divina cursed silently. Standing in the woods with a predator, unarmed, wasn’t her idea of a good time. Especially with one who could not only out run her, overpower her, and pretty much do whatever he wanted. She assumed Perci left some sort of vampire guard to intimidate her or whatever, and it was a dick move.

  If only she had studied some sort of war magic, she would have a better defense than harnessing the wind. Sure, it was better than nothing, but shooting electric bolts out of her fingers or palm, could do a lot more damage. She had no defenses against a naked vampire.

  “What do you want?” she asked the naked man, while trying to keep her eyes north of his erection.

  “You mean, aside from not having my dick out in public?” he asked with an arched brow.

  In the light of the moon she noted a scar split his eyebrow. The only flaw in his perfect features Divina could see in such poor lighting. The street lights from the parking lot and the glow of the moon didn’t offer much where he hid in the trees and bushes.

  “I don’t really have an agenda,” he said interrupting her attempt to ogle at him in the dark.

  Divina chewed her bottom lip, debating her response.

  He shifted his position, entering into the cone of light casted from the streetlamp behind her.

  She gasped. Scars littered his broad body. They weaved a tapestry of near misses. Eagerness weaved with desire to know the origin of the line across his chest that wasn’t meant to be there. An unexplained urge to trace the pale puckered flesh zig zagging over his skin confused her. Her fingers twitched and lifted of their own accord to touch him.

  He snorted and brought her attention back to his face and away from his body.

  She cleared her throat and stepped back.

  “Okay,” she said.

  She didn’t really indicate what she had okayed, but she felt the need to say something.

  She turned away from him, hoping it would hide her reddening cheeks. Internally berating herself for the urge to touch and ogle him as she led him out of the woods and into the parking lot. He’s a naked vampire in the woods beside a parking lot!

  Facing her vardo, she remembered he’d asked for a covering. She could do that; she had to have something in his size. Maybe not a piece of clothing, but something he could wrap around him. A sock perhaps.

  Climbing up the stairs of her wagon, she couldn’t fight the urge to look over her shoulder. His amused grin spread on his face. The man could have been sculpted from marble. He had muscles bulging where Divina didn’t even know there were muscles. To add insult to injury, his pectorals danced. Divina’s throat went dry.

  She turned back. Caught gawking at him, her entire body felt ablaze. Parts of her tingled with sensual heat unfamiliar to her. Never had just the vision of someone sparked such a visceral response in her.

  Once inside, she took a moment to regroup. She took deep breaths trying to calm herself, then closed her eyes and engaged in a self pep talk.

  Yes, the man was gorgeous.

  Yes, he knew it.

  Yes, he was a vampire.

  Divina had enough vampire problems. She didn’t need another.

  “Vampires are bad, Divina,” she whispered to herself, “no matter how hot they are.”

  Opening a trunk, she sifted through its contents. Exactly how many sheer scarves with tassels did one woman need?

  Holding one up, she dismissed it, too short. Tossing it over her shoulder, she continued. She held up another, too narrow. That one, she flung over her head.

  Peering down at the crochet nap blanket she cocked her head to the side contemplating it. It held no sentimental value. She couldn’t even remember where she had gotten it, so it seemed the best option to offer to the naked man.

  “I think that’s just my color,” his voice came from behind her.

  Divina startled, using the blanket to cover herself. She whirled around seeing the naked man leaning in her doorframe. The familiar heat bloomed in her chest and spread up her neck to fill her cheeks. It wasn’t like she was the naked one. Yet, there she was, clutching a blanket to her neck.

  He covered himself with two hands.

  Divina’s mouth watered at the idea he required two hands to keep himself hidden. As the warmth spread downward, it pooled between her thighs.

  She never in a million years would have thought her type would be vampires. Vampires are bad, Divina, she scolded herself internally.

  Divina tossed him the blanket. “Here.”

  She tried to sound mad, but wasn’t sure she pulled it off. Hard to do when her entire body was the color of a tomato and she couldn’t stop drooling.

  He caught the blanket and wrapped it around his waist.

  “Thank you.” He bowed slightly.

  Lifting herself from a crouched position, Divina crossed her arms over her chest. The heat in her face dissipated with the application of the blanket. Though, the disappointment that replaced it surprised Divina. She pushed that thought out of her mind.

  “Are you here to threaten me too?” she asked.

  His head snapped up from tucking the blanket.

  “Who threatened you?” he demanded in a husky baritone which almost sounded like a growl.

  She stepped back, eyeing him unsurely. “Peeeeeerci?” She drew it out wondering if she had said too much.

  “Fucking leech.” Another rumble came from his chest as if it disconnected from his voice.

  Divina’s heart quickened at the sound, though she couldn’t be sure if it was in fear or in arousal. She licked her bottom lip with her eyes intently trained on the assumed vampire wrapped in an afghan. Somehow, he had her tied in knots.

  Pacing in the small space of her home, he mumbled to himself.

  Divina took another step back watc
hing as he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly.

  “Did he bite you?” he asked coming toward her with his large calloused hands out.

  Divina’s eyes widened, and she stepped back. Completely unaware of the length of her wagon, the back of her legs hit the couch which doubled as a bed. She flew back and flopped onto the pillowed seat.

  He stalked toward her. His body found its way between her splayed legs. His hands cupped her face and turned her head one way and then the other.

  She couldn’t bring herself to speak. The warmth running through her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Warmth was an understatement. It was pure, unadulterated heat. Heat transferred from his rough hands and billowed out until her whole body caught fire.

  The hazel eyes with a flash of gold narrowed as he studied her neck. He ran a thumb over the vein.

  “It’s fresh,” he commented.

  She fought the urge to moan under his tender touch. She placed her hands on his wrist and found her voice.

  “It’s fine.” It didn’t sound as assertive as she intended. Surely he had left similar marks on his victims before. Divina cringed internally at the idea of being a victim. She wasn’t Rori’s victim, and she had no intention of being the naked vampire’s victim. “Perci didn’t bite me, now let me go,” she added without conviction. She didn’t want him to let her go. She wanted to touch him too. She wanted to kiss him, to straddle him, to ride him into the dawn. The erotic thoughts jarred her, and she shook her head slightly as if to shake them loose from her brain.

  He furrowed his brows at her and canted his head. Her gaze shifted to his hands and his brows lifted.

  “Oh!” he gasped, removing his hands from her face. He stepped back, and she caught the flash of pink on his cheeks. She couldn’t help but grin. He awkwardly dangled his arms at his sides. As if rethinking it, he shifted them to his hips. He must have thought better of it because he crossed them over his chest. He cleared his throat. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled.

  Surprised at how her skin cooled when he let her go, Divina pushed herself upward.