by May, W. J.
“Don’t try to make…” he tried to stop me leaning onto him but wasn’t trying very hard.
“You may not think you’re alive but trust me Michael, you are. You feel love and passion and I know you feel lust. I think you might need a little reminder lesson in that area.”
“A lesson? You think you can teach me something?” he teased, all previous conversation forgotten as I watched his eyes turn to their familiar shade of blue.
“I might be able to teach you a thing or two. After tomorrow’s graduation, you are going to be with a free girl, maybe we can work on making that girl into a lady at some point.”
He chuckled at my choice of words. I lowered my lips towards his neck, and quickly cut off the laughter. It turned it into a groan as his arms came around my body.
I had no intention of working on the Wolf Book tonight and now we wouldn’t be. Caleb would be disappointed but he could wait. That book was my past, my future. It was none of his business unless I choose to share it.
Michael distracted me as his hand roamed over my thin shirt squeezing my breast tenderly. My fleeting thoughts of the book were completely forgotten.
Chapter 5
I woke, and knew it had to early by the lack of light and the birds chirping outside. Without opening my eyes, I knew I was alone. I enjoyed nature’s sounds before finally opening my eyes and rolling over toward Michael’s side of the bed. His spot felt cool. He must have left a while ago. A note and an origami flower sat on the table beside the futon.
Gone to get an oil, lube and filter for the Jeep so it’s ready for travelling tomorrow. I’ll bring you Starbucks.
I checked my watch. Barley six. Michael would probably be an hour. Closing my eyes, I inhaled and rolled onto my back.
Two minutes later I kicked off the sheets, no longer tired. The Wolf Book lay on the table, shifted to the far side and nearly falling off. I might have knocked it last night, I couldn’t quite remember.
I poured myself a glass of orange juice and came back to bed, grabbing the journal and tossing it onto the mattress as I sat on the duvet cross-leg. I drink and stared at the brown worn leather of the cover. “Screw it, just do it,” I mutter.
I leaned over to snatch Michael’s pillows, and then propped them up against mine so I could sit on the bed and be more comfortable. Butterfly wings beat against my stomach. I wiped my palms against my shirt and tried to decide whether it was nerves or excitement going on inside of me.
My fingers curled around the top right corner of the book, and I flipped it open to a random page. Why start at the beginning? It didn’t matter. The flippin’ thing was written in a foreign language, some kind of ancient dialect that nobody seemed to have heard of, like a secret code.
I stared up at the ceiling before finally glancing down to see where I had ended up. The page has a rough drawing of a Grollic in human and shifted form. The diagram focussed on the heart, showing how it moved from the left to the right side of the body as it shifted. A note box on the side of the drawing caught my attention. There was a flower drawn beside the words. “Weird, never noticed that before.” I read it several times before finally reading it out loud slowly. I couldn’t seem to grasp the whole message.
“For Grollics refusing to obey: Carry pen with a pure silver pointed tip. Grind aconite. A knife or any extremely sharp point will suffice. Cloth wet with aconitum, pen wrapped inside is perfect for travelling or in a bind. Must be careful, it is toxic to all in large doses. Stab Grollic and he will drop in pain. Prefer to stab in animal form but it will work on human too. Stab or prick near heart and Grollic will die too soon. Don’t kill immediately – first determine what side they are on.”
I had no idea what aconite was so I grabbed my phone and googled it. I sniggered. Of course – it’s called wolfs bane. The little drawing by the box was an aconite flower. Pictures online showed it clearly. My head popped up as my brain processed the last sentences. “Don’t kill yet? Huh? Wait. There are sides?” Wolves had sides – did Michael know that? Did Caleb?
The rest of the page looked the same to me as it did six months ago. I must have somehow missed the writing by the drawing. Or it magically appeared. With the book, there was no telling.
I began flipping through the pages, going backwards. I wanted to find the Red Riding Hood story again. My thumb caught too many pages or I flipped too fast and ended up right at the beginning, on the second and third page.
I glanced down and my breath stuck in my throat. “Nooo…” I double checked to see if a page might have slipped out while Caleb had the book. Maybe he just stuffed it back in the beginning. Except all the pages lay sewn in with the same antique thread – probably wolf hair – nothing was loose. I blinked several times to try and clear my eyes. It made no difference.
“For Pete’s sake…” Words once written in some unknown language were now in English. On both pages! My heart hammered against my chest. “Impossible,” I whispered. Last January I could only read the middle section of the book, or the ‘heart’ of it as my graduating English teacher would say.
With shaking hands, I slowly turned the page over. More English! My shoulder muscle twitched. It could have come from my hidden mark or maybe my brain unconsciously triggered it. I flipped to the back pages of the book and released a breath I didn’t know I had been holding.
The foreign language was still on those pages.
I slammed the journal shut and tossed it across the bed. Dropping onto my back I shook my legs to relax my muscles as I tried to calm the hysteria building inside me. Why hadn’t I looked at this sooner? For the stupid reason of wanting to feel like a high school kid for a few months? No wonder Caleb wanted me to look and Michael had grown impatient. I’d have done the same. What if there were things in the journal to stop the Weres once and for all?
Or I could be completely wrong and reading the opening chapters would turn me into a Grollic. My mouth went instantly dry. “That can’t happen,” I told myself unconvincingly
Maybe the middle section of the book had given me the power to keep the shifting at bay. “Like some voodoo witch spell.” If werewolves existed, why not witches?
I grabbed the book and held it tight in both hands. “Please, please… just let it be back to normal.”
I opened the book again to the first page and sighed. English. I scanned the first page and realized what it was. I had just bought one of these and decided to try and write one.
A damn journal.
My annoyance spurred a degree higher when I noticed the signature at the bottom. Bentos. I banged the book closed a second time, this time throwing it against the wall as hard as I could.
I stood. “Damn it! Why? Why me?!” I hollered.
A millisecond later the door swung open and Michael burst through. “Rouge! What’s wrong?” Half crouched, ready to attack, his eyes darted around the room trying to access the situation.
Surprised by his sudden appearance, I jumped back, lost my footing and fell onto the bed. I lay muttering a string of obscenities while I pummelled my fists against the mattress.
“Rouge, what’s wrong?” Michael rushed to my side, touching me to make sure I was alright.
I pushed his hands away and sat up feeling guilty to cause the concern etched on his face. “Check the book. You’ll see the problem.”
He paused before walking across the room and picked the journal off the floor. “Did Caleb do something to it? I told him if he did…”
“It’s not Caleb’s fault. At least I don’t think so.” He couldn’t have changed the words, could he? “Hey,” I said pointing to his hands. “Where’s my latte?”
Michael rolled his eyes as he glanced quickly up from the book before returning ha bewildered gaze to me. “By the front door currently being enjoyed by the grass. I was more concerned about your safety than your latte.”
“Darn.” Totally my fault.
“So what was the screaming about?” He held the book open and came back to the futon.
“I wasn’t screaming.”
“Stop stalling and answer the bloody question.”
The irritation in his voice annoyed me. I knew it wasn’t his fault but I had to blame someone… or take my frustration out on someone. “Look at the beginning of the freakin’ book!” I snarled.
His face softened. “You can’t read anything can you? Nothing’s changed? It’s alright, Rouge. It doesn’t matter.”
I didn’t need his sympathy. It just aggravated me more. “I wish! Look at the damn first page!” He was going to freak when he saw it was from Bentos.
He looked down and then finally at my face. Eyebrows raised, he glanced down at the book again. “What do you see, Rouge?”
Double crap. The words changed only for me. An odd thought crossed my mind: If I spoke French, would the words have converted to French? Or any other language?
I pressed my lips tight together. I should’ve checked the stupid thing months ago.
Michael looked up, waiting for me to answer his question.
I let out an exasperated huff. “The first part. It’s in freakin’ English. I can read it!” I shook my head. “The middle and now the front.” I collapsed back so my head hits the pillow. “I don’t know what I did.”
“Why are you disappointed? This is exactly what Caleb was hoping for.”
“I’m glad Caleb’s so happy.” I snapped and then instantly regretted the words. It wasn’t Michael’s fault that I could read the book. “I’m sorry. I’ve been avoiding the book and had really hoped nothing would change. I thought my reading the middle section was a fluke and the incident back in January maybe a one-off.” It was all too real and concrete now. I was mad because I had known it all along, I just hadn’t wanted to admit it. Daman had wanted me dead, how many more were lining up? I’d wasted so much time.
“What does it say?”
“I haven’t read it yet.” Suddenly I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him whose book it was.
“Oh.” He sounded disappointed. It broke my heart.
I had to tell him. “I know what it is.”
“Pardon?” He scratched his head.
“The first part of the book is a… journal.”
“So?” He shrugged, not understanding what I was getting at.
“Written by Bentos.”
“So wh—what?!” His eyebrows furrowed together. He dropped the book like it burned him. It landed on the bed beside me with a soft thump.
It was all too much. I was graduating that day. I didn’t want this kind of weight on my shoulders now. I let my head drop against my knees. The diary by Bentos confirmed what I didn’t want to admit. If Bentos wrote the book and only I could read it, then Damon had told the truth. I was a direct descendent of Bentos. Michael would hate me. This book found its way into my hands by fate, or destiny, or whatever. That fateful day back in January when I spoke the ancient language and controlled the wolves was not a fluke – it was in my blood.
I’m supposed to be able to read it. My eyes filled and I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears. I didn’t want this book or this ability.
Michael kneeled beside me. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Rouge, it’s going to be fine. It’s a rare gift. It doesn’t mean you are Bentos.” He placed a warm hand against my shoulder.
I swallowed hard. Images of Grollics, markings, pictures from the journal swamped my vision. “What happens if reading this book changes me?” I was on the verge of tears, desperately trying to fight them back. I pushed the worry of Michael to the back of my mind, unable to handle it at the moment. “What if it turns me into a werewolf?” I whispered. Suddenly I didn’t want to know anything about my past. Going to Niagara Falls seemed like the biggest mistake in the world.
“It won’t. It can’t. Maybe the journal part of the book will help you understand what not to do. It might teach you how Bentos was able to control the Groll—wolves.”
I tried to smile. He was trying so hard to make everything be okay, even referring to the Grollics as wolves. He still didn’t have a clue about the mark on my back. “I don’t want to control them.” I clenched my teeth tight, my jaw muscle twitching.
“It could be useful, in the right hands – your hands.” He reached for mine and held them in his. “You were destined to find this book.”
He was right. I could do something useful with the journal. I could destroy it so no one would be able to use it again. I just couldn’t tell Michael. Another thought occurred to me. I was the last of the line – I couldn’t have kids. This book and its ability would end with me.
“Wait till Caleb finds out.”
I laughed. It started out as a giggle but turned into a fit of hysterics.
“What’s so funny?”
I could barely get the words out, “…I think… he’s going… to… want to be my… best friend!” I held my belly. It hurt from the laughter.
Michael shook his head. “You’re crazy.”
“You’re just figuring that out now?” I threw a pillow at him, which he easily ducked away from. I leaned forward and gave him a fierce hug. It sobered me up. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He hugged me back.
We lay on the bed a moment, cuddled together. The wall clock chimed.
I untangled my arms from around him. “Let’s go make Caleb’s morning and tell him I can read more of the book. The freak-of-nature has a new talent.”
Michael grinned, probably beyond pleased I’m acting semi-normal again. “Freak? You fit right in with this family now.” He sat up. “Do you want to see what the pages say? You know, before we head over to the house?”
I shook my head. “Nope,” I said with more conviction than I felt. “I want to graduate today. I want to do it with a clear head, not full of werewolf mumbo-jumbo.” I don’t know why I had been so scared to read it, but I had, and another day of avoiding it wouldn’t change a thing.
“Tonight… or tomorrow then… whenever, I don’t care right now.” Michael shrugged. “I’m just happy you opened it and saw it had changed.”
“Thanks.” He understood my hesitation, but I didn’t understand his new eagerness in my looking at the book ‘finally’. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Probably be a normal eighteen year old human girl.” He smiled ruefully as he pulled me up from the bed. We headed to the front door of the pool house. I squeezed his hand, realizing that he somehow felt responsible for what happened to me – like being with him caused me to be able to control the Grollics.
We walked into the house through the back door, and into the kitchen. No one was there, so we headed straight to Caleb’s office off of the living room. Michael didn’t even bother to knock, he just opened the door and stepped in.
Chapter 6
Michael barged in. “Rouge looked at the book. She can read more.” Straight to the point, no pleasantries.
Caleb’s head shot up from the paper he sat reading. One moment he was behind his massive desk and the next he stood in front of me, before I could even realize he had moved. “What does it say?”
I hated how Caleb always made me nervous. It made it hard to focus when he was uber intense. I didn’t know if it was because I feared him or if it was something else, but suffice to say, it never leant itself to great communication between the two of us. “The first part of the book’s in English now.”
“Same as before?” He looked at Michael for confirmation.
“Yup,” I said loudly, my nervousness giving way to irritation. I hated it when he did that, like I wasn’t capable of answering a simple question. “Still written in the ancient stuff but it’s English to me. Same as the middle section.”
“What did it say?” He repeated
“Caleb,” Michael answered for me, “Rouge just realized it. We came over here to tell you. She hasn’t read it.”
I appreciated that Michael made it sound like I wanted Caleb to know immediately. Caleb turned to smile at me
. The smile sent chills down my back, but I made an effort to smile back. It was obvious he didn’t believe I hadn’t read it. Either that or he couldn’t fathom why in the world I wouldn’t and he took me for an idiot.
He walked back around his desk. “Then have a seat and start reading it out loud. Let’s all hear what it has to say.”
“The book’s still in the pool house.”
“Go get it then.”
Michael shook his head. “No.”
Caleb rose his eyebrows and looked at Michael incredibly. “Excuse me?”
“Rouge graduates today. Let her do it with a clear head. We’ll start the book tomorrow. There’s more to read, that’s all you need to know. Now leave it alone.”
“What?” Caleb roared.
“Tomorrow.” Michael said firmly. “I’ve done what you asked. Leave her alone today about it… and don’t hound me.” He took my hand and led me, mouth hanging open, out of the office.
I had no idea what just happened. I leaned toward him, about to whisper why he didn’t just tell Caleb the first part of the book was the journal written by Bentos, but Michael put a finger to my lips and shook his head.
“Michael!” Caleb hollered. “Get back in here!”
I paused but Michael tugged my hand to keep me walking. “Let’s just go.”
Caleb barged out of his office. I could hear him stomping behind us and I cringed as the sound got closer. “What the hell is the matter with you?”
I felt Michael’s hand tense in mine. I had a feeling being the middle of the two of them was not a good place to be.
Michael swung around, pulling me to the side as he marched inches away from Caleb. He stood half a foot shorter and Caleb looked down on him as Michael glared up. “Nothing’s wrong with me.
“Do you forget whose side you are on?”
“I know exactly where I stand.” Michael’s hands moved emphatically as he spoke. “I’ve known it all along. Nothing’s changed.”
