by Lynde Lakes
He’d suspected Damon had passed on the curse to his twins. Now, after seeing
Valerie wearing only Brian’s shirt and learning that she’d been out all night romping under the light of the full moon, he was certain. It was a good guess that she had morphed into that beautiful white wolf. To launch Damon’s suffering, he’d start with sweet, vulnerable Valerie. She had no control over her nighttime escapades. And he’d be waiting…
Chapter Six
Brian couldn’t believe his luck at getting invited to the pool for snacks. He’d never seen such a spectacular swimming hole up close, certainly not in his neighborhood of shacks on the edge of Trona. It was good-sized pool, eighteen by forty. Fenced with natural stone columns with wrought iron inserts, it afforded an unobstructed view of the valley below. At the entrance into the pool stood a stature of the Greek sea God Proteus who had the ability to change shape. With a daughter who shifted during the full moon, was this statue an example of his boss’s sense of humor?
Brian couldn’t stop his gaze from zeroing in on Valerie. She glanced in his direction and smiled. Her cascade of long, lemony waves swished across her back. Her red bikini clung to her curves, exposing gorgeous, tanned, and very shapely thighs. The luscious sight stirred memories of her slender, firm body writhing in his arms as they morphed into their human forms. Valerie sent him another smile as though she’d read his thoughts. He strode toward her, unable to ignore the lure. Remember, stay detached, emotions will get me in trouble every time.
Her silver-flecked eyes were gentle, expectant. He didn’t dare speak just yet. If he did the huskiness in his voice would give away his forbidden desire. He had to keep reminding himself she was the boss’s daughter and lusting after her could lose him his job and then he wouldn’t even get to hang around her.
****
Valerie’s heart skipped a beat as Brian strode through the pool gate like a prince, proud, tall in spite of the difficult feral beginnings thrust upon him. His bare chest glistened with sweat. His salt-stained jeans had molded tighter to his flat stomach and lean hips. His work boots were as dusty as the jeans. She smiled thinking of a quote by Marcel Proust. It suggested I should cheer for the people who make me happy. And right now I’m cheering big time for this wolf-man who is definitely the charming gardener who makes my soul blossom and my blood race.
Her parents wouldn’t approve of her getting mixed up with a werewolf like herself, especially if they learned he’d been raised by wolves. And he was just a simple gardener. Correction, she thought. There was nothing simple about her wolf-man. Besides, dangerous or not, she’d already fallen for him and didn’t intend to give him up.
He handed her a small bouquet of irises from the garden. “I thought of you when I saw these. These are named for the Greek goddess of rainbows, Iris. They’re known as symbols of royalty, divine protection, and heroism in many world cultures.”
She laughed. “My, my all that.” She pretended not to know the fable of the flower, while reeling from the fact that this wolfman did. He was such gorgeous hunk of contridictions and she loved that about him. She brought the vibrant purple flowers to her nose. They lacked fragrance. And he’d snatched them from her own garden. Of course, he did tend the garden. He got points for that. Besides, he’d thought of her and that’s what counted. “Finished slaving away in the hot, July sun for today?” she asked.
He nodded, grinning. He met her gaze, his eyes crinkling and his probing scrutiny as intimate as a kiss. Although her heart pounded like crazy from looking into his thickly-lashed eyes, she couldn’t stop herself from wondering what she’d experienced when this alpha wolf possessed her. She’d blacked out most of the memory and maybe that was for the best.
She fought to ignore the heat that ignited between them during their locked gazes.
“You can shower in the pool house and dump your clothes in the washing machine.
There’s new swim trunks hanging on a hook. Dad always keeps a half-dozen available for unexpected guests. ”
“I doubt he considers the hired help a guest.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s bighearted with his staff. You’ve only seen the controlling side of him. He is also caring and generous to a fault.”
Brian grinned again. “I’ll take your word for it.”
He was inside the bathhouse for less than ten minutes. When he came out, he said, “I hope I didn’t take too long. I haven’t had a hot shower since I left Trona.”
“It was fine.” And he was super fine. His impressive chest and tall stature gave him an overall triangular, lean look. As he moved, his muscles expanded and contracted in a wild rhythm that took her breath away.
She patted the edge of the pool beside her and handed him a fourteen-ounce plastic mug of cranberry iced-tea.
He accepted it and took a small sip. “Hey, this is good,” he said and then drank the rest down with an unquenchable thirst. She’d done the same with her first mug. It wasn’t just the heat of the day. The wolves within them craved lots of liquid and loved to romp in water.
While they dangled their feet into the glittering pool waters, she stirred it with a pointed toe. “Did Dad give you a hard time after I went upstairs?”
Brian shook his head. “Is your dad really going to lock you away tonight?”
“No. I straightened him out on that matter and a few others. He’s really a wonderful dad, but this curse has had us all tied in knots for years. When a person is stressed-out and feels helpless, they tend to strike out.”
“Yeah, I get it. Tai Chi helps.”
She laughed. “Dad’s a pro at it. Imagine how he’d be without it.”
Brian looked thoughtful. “He has a point. You shouldn’t go prowling while that crazed wolf is in the area.”
“Perhaps I shouldn’t but— Hey, have you ever tried moon poppies? My sister swears by them. While eating them alone is not a cure, she says it helps to control the urges.”
His eyes glinted with mischief. “Hmmm. Which urges? And I’m not sure tight control is always a good thing.” Before she could shoot down his playful comment, he added, “Wait a minute, you have a sister?”
“A twin.”
“Are you identical?
“Not at all. She’s the quick-witted, dark, onyx beauty in the family. And until people get to know me, they think I’m the dumb blonde.”
“Not all people. I knew the moment I met you that you were a sharp cookie.”
“You think I’m a sharp cookie?” Her insides felt warm and she felt a little giddy.
“Definitely. Is your sister cursed, too?”
Before she could stop herself, she nodded. What am I doing? A little flattery and I spill my guts? Wow, I gotta watch that. To change the subject, she said, “Hey, let’s do what we came for.” She shoved him into the water and dived in after him.
They came up face to face, only inches apart. Their gazes met and a hot surge rushed through her. He must have felt something similar, because he caught her face between his hands and covered her mouth with his, stealing her breath, her sanity. She smoothed his moist, steel-like abs to calm him…and herself. His heart was pounding almost as hard as hers. Love and lust exploded inside her as he increased the delicious pressure. His tongue probed and played sensual havoc with her nerve endings. Her erect nipples begged for attention as his bare chest pressed tighter against her skimpy Bikini top.
Treading water with his body pressed close to hers ignited the same kind of fires she’d felt upon awakening in his arms this morning. She inhaled his male scent mingled with chlorine and remembered clinging to his bare torso. Feeling his heat and power, fiery lust rose in her so quickly that it stole her breath away. Her wolf soul craved sex with him and she wanted it now.
“Valerie!” Hugh said, his face reddening from the neck up. He held a tray of sandwiches. “Kyle sent me to see if you’re ready for these yet. Or maybe you’d like to come inside? It’s really heating up out here, don’t you agree?”
Va
lerie laughed, feeling like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. “You’re right, Uncle Hugh. But we’ll eat out here. Just put the tray on the umbrella table. It’s cooler there.”
“Maybe not cool enough,” Hugh said.
“Don’t worry about it, Unky Wunky. Let me grab a couple of robes and throw some clothes in the dryer. The activity and some food will help me change gears.”
He looked doubtful and stood there as though chained to the spot.
“Honestly, Uncle Hugh. It’ll be okay, now. I promise.” She wanted to stay in the pool and let this escalating heated interlude play out, but going at it hot and heavy in the full view of the house made her question her judgment.
She pushed away from Brian, noting his amused expression, and swam toward the edge. Uncle Hugh shook his head and disappeared through the gate. Over her shoulder she asked, “Want to go moon poppy picking tonight, Brian?”
He wrinkled his brow. “Is that wise?”
“After what just transpired here, I’d say it’s a necessity.”
“Why don’t we go while it’s still daylight? I think your family would rest better.”
“Victoria said they only bloom at night. She told me that devouring the poppies in the right quantity, while in the werewolf state, could possibly end the affliction forever. In any event, Victoria believes that the poppies have temporary powers to reverse lycanthropy symptoms.”
“What if they’re poisonous?”
“It didn’t kill Victoria. She said they tasted like raw spinach drizzled with poppy oil. And there’s a ritual we need to perform after eating them. It’s a reversing mind-over-matter skill where you mentally process your morphing backwards. It’s never worked for me before, but maybe that’s because, up until now, I’ve been unwilling to try the poppies. And Victoria insists that for success, the methods must be combined.”
“You really put a lot of trust in your sister’s advice, don’t you?”
“Why wouldn’t I? We’re family and stuck in this curse thing together. Just like you and I are.”
****
Hours later, under the cloak of moonlit darkness, Valerie escaped the towered mansion with no interference from family. It wasn’t like Dad to stay away, especially after her last escapade. She doubted she was alone, but so far there was no sign of Uncle Hugh, nor even a hint of his scent. Perhaps he’d been injured by the wolf attack more than he’d been willing to admit and wouldn’t be joining her tonight.
The round, bright moon and its power, along with Brian’s scent, drew her deeper into the hills. He’d been ahead of her since she’d sailed over the terrace railing, but she didn’t know when he’d let her catch up with him. Is he enjoying keeping me at bay and guessing? It would serve him right if I veered off and lost him. It would leave me free to embrace the night and drink in the feral sensations, she thought, enjoying the damp earth beneath her paws. Until her internal voice cried out that none of it would be good without him.
Then, there he was in his proud, furry Alpha armor. He growled, as if to ask, were you worried?
She gave him her lupine, sidelong glance, hoping he got her go-to-hell message. Unfortunately, her wagging tail betrayed her real feelings of relief and joy.
They covered several acres but the scarce night-blooming flower was nowhere to be seen. When she was about to give up, she spied a large growth. With a clawed paw, she jammed some into her mouth and chewed quickly. Victoria was right. It tasted like raw spinach drizzled with poppy oil.
She pointed her muzzle to another large clump to encourage Brian to try some.
He tentatively chewed off a slender stem.
She clawed the ground to remind him they had to combine the promising temporary cure with the reversing, mind-over-matter skill. Valerie concentrated and processed each step in reverse. She curled her lips and counted backwards as agonizing pain radiated through her body. With all of her strength, she fought the pain and the pull of the full moon. Then all hell broke loose inside her. It was as though she were trapped in an anticyclone with its high-pressure center with winds rotating and spiraling in the opposite direction. Chilled and terrified, she let out a long howl. Her eyes pooled with tears as the attacks of pain came in waves, each surge sharper than the last. She curled into a fetal position, convulsed and writhed upon the carpet of dried grass while she fought to hold back sobs.
Her Alpha wolf lay down beside her and nuzzled her gently, as though to help her through her agony. She prayed for God’s help, his mercy. Then, slowly, like Victoria said, the throbbing muscles throughout her body began to relax and the pain lessoned. Valerie raked her fingers through her wild, lemony mane. The swirling fog lifted from her mind and her brain strained to gather its humanness. When her feral instincts eased, she wanted to do a happy dance.
Brian growled as if going through his own hell.
She couldn’t help but wonder what the ability to control desires would be like between them. He was already better at holding back emotions than she was. Maybe he was right that tight control wasn’t always a good thing. But until that killer wolf was caught and dealt with, she needed to stay in control.
Suddenly she caught the acrid scent of evil and knew it was the killer wolf. An eerie feeling sent a prickle through the roots of her hair. Nude, half morphed and womanly, she trembled as she watched the huge black wolf skulking in on them, his belly low to the ground, his eyes glowing like hot coals. He moved closer, silent as the night that pressed down on her. No, no, not now. While caught in a vulnerable state of morphing they didn’t have a chance. The chill that shot through Valerie had nothing to do with the breeze coming from the north-east. She could scarcely breathe. She struggled to get up.
****
Back at the mansion, Damon paced Valerie’s room while Angela stood on the terrace, staring out into the night. As usual, he identified with his wife’s dread, took it on, and added it to his own. And as much as he hated to admit it, she was right. They couldn’t lock Valerie up no matter how much they wanted to. He glanced at the clothes on the floor. Clearly, the curse had hit his baby once again full-bore. He worried about her white coat and hunters. But not as much as he feared Reeves showing up disguised as a friend—or perhaps pulling a sneak attack as a wolf. Even the knowledge that Hugh was tailing her failed to give him comfort. He thought about gathering a search party, but those he trusted weren’t readily available. Rick with his Indian blood and ability to track swiftly was still on honeymoon with Victoria, and Deeto was in Mexico chasing an escapee for the bounty.
“I’m going after Valerie,” Damon said.
“She could be anywhere in the hills. And then I’d have to worry about you, too.”
He strode to the gun cabinet. “I can’t just do nothing.”
Angela’s eyes widened. “What’s the gun for?”
“I’m going into the hills—who knows the trouble that might crop up.”
Fear flickered in her eyes. “Even if you locate Valerie, in her wolf form, she can outrun you and get away again.”
“I still have to try.”
“I’m going with you.”
Damon wanted to say no, but she might be in more danger if he left her home with only Kyle to watch after her. “You’ll have to keep up,” he said, gruffly.
Chapter Seven
Valerie watched Brian leap to his feet, growling and baring his incisors. The hackles around his neck and shoulders resembled porcupine quills. He crouched low, splayed his ears sideways, and issued a low, throaty growl. His eyes glowed like hot coals. His ferocious look should have frightened off the antagonistic wolf, but it only seemed to fuel his anger. Valerie shifted her gaze back and forth between her alpha protector and their slobbering foe. Trembling and unsteady, she struggled to her feet. With a gripping sense of rising panic, she growled and mimicked her alpha wolf’s defense posture.
The threatening wolf curled his lips and leapt from the rock. He sailed through the air and pounced on them like a two-hundred pound sack
of hardened cement, his gleaming incisors bared. Both she and Brian thrashed about to stop the crazed wolf from closing his jaws on their throats. Brian rolled, taking her with him, then he shoved her out of the way. He leapt to his feet and the two wolves circled, squared off, gazes focused on each other, piercing, deadly.
While they circled, she noticed the crazed wolf’s slimy coat had a bald spot indicating a recent battle. Was this the killer wolf that had attacked Uncle Hugh?
Brian would want her to run and save herself, but this time she would not run—would not leave him alone to fight her battles. She vowed not to give up on him or herself.
While Brian fought the wolf, muzzle to muzzle and blocked bite for bite, she jumped up on the wolf’s back and dug her incisors into his neck near the other recent bite. The deafening rumble of the three of them growling echoed for miles. The big wolf thrust himself against a boulder and knocked her off his back. The forceful slam resulted in her coming loose with a mouth full of acrid skin and slimy fur. She spit out the nasty stuff and watched for a chance to get back into the action.
A cloud eclipsed the moon and under the waning light, the bodies of both male wolves morphed to werewolves. Their faces remained wolfish but their hairy, muscular bodies stood upright, slightly bent and leaning forward like apes. Her alpha wolf held his arms a foot away from his hairy body, feet somewhat apart. Although he was the smaller, leaner werewolf of the two, the span of his shoulders appeared at least an inch wider.
He crouched into a karate stance, and his beautiful muscles flexed in readiness for battle. The bigger werewolf went into a clunkier crouch. Valerie, half-morphed now, knew very little karate and felt totally out of her element. She backed out of the way to give them room to whirl, kick, and thrust while watching for a window of opportunity to help. Her alpha werewolf moved smoothly and effectively while looking cool and collected. She struggled to find her own calm place, but failed. The shadows over the moon darkened and added to her near panicky state of mind. She breathed in and out, trying to fight the anxious emotions swamping her. I have the responsibility to appear invincible and intimidating.
