Howl At The Moon
MM Shifter Romance
Ella Primrose
Contents
A Vampire’s Love Story : Free Book
Howl At The Moon
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
A Vampire’s Love Story : Free Book
Also by Ella Primrose
About the Author
Howl At The Moon
Welcome to Uta, it’s nothing if not inviting with old cobblestone streets beckoning visitors to explore and become lost in the maze of old stone buildings. The moon glows, tranquil and huge in the sky, casting the entire city in a lovely silver sheen, and the stars burn bright as embers above.
This place is where the teammates of the Rockfort Football League have more than just training, games, and championships to win, they have personal struggles; love, pain, and secrets.
Samuel Clefton was born a werewolf. But it doesn’t stop him from pursuing his career in football and finding love with his fellow teammate, a human named Drew Marshall. They manage to keep their love life a secret and without incidence. But when Sam’s close friend, Cassius, survives a werewolf attack, Sam must share his own secret one more time.
Cassius Michaels discovers there is more lurking in the dark of Blanca Isle and feels the bite of the beast. But there is a full moon coming and soon he will find out what it’s like to share Sam’s secret. But will he share it as Sam did, with Adrian, the man he loves?
There are more secrets among the mates of the Rockfort team and some not-so-secrets which this story shares.
Carson & Ian, Simon & Fabian, you’ll get to know them well. Be they human or werewolf, some secrets can eat a man alive if they aren’t shared with the world.
Preface
There are few, if any, places left on Earth where traces of magic still exist. The unexplained have been driven from the planet, eradicated by humans on the quest for power and enlightenment. As civilizations progressed, rose, fell, then rose again, the original stories of magic and the legends of old were forgotten, dismissed as little more than fairy tales or myths.
But in some places, far flung corners of the globe, faint traces of the distant past still linger in the world. For not everything which seems like magic truly is. Mostly everything can be explained away, but almost everyone is too conceited or busy or tired to listen. Science and magic are not at odds in these places. Instead the forces are intertwined, mingling together and explaining each other in ways that man has forgotten over the centuries. Only a few of these sacred places exist anymore, and most of them have been altered, trampled, and made to conform to the standards of humanity. But in these isolated regions, some elements of the primal still exists.
The Carne Islands seem a magical place indeed. Nowhere else on Earth is there an island chain so lush and green, with forests of laurel and dracaena rising out of the volcanic rocks to form a perfect, prehistoric landscape. The islands rise up from the ocean, some lush as jungles full of fruits, and they sit at the junction of the north-east trade winds, meaning the climate is pleasant and mild, and inviting all year round.
One can stroll through thickets of plantains, becoming lost in the green palm forests just as easily as one can wander along sandy white beaches which slowly turn into a sweeping desert. They are truly unlike any other place else on Earth.
Werewolves come into being in one of two ways—they are either born a werewolf or they are turned at some point in their lives. The children of werewolves have roughly a fifty percent chance of inheriting the condition. And of course, other werewolves are made as the result of surviving an attack. These creatures were the unfortunate victims of a mauling who managed to survive their ordeal, only to find themselves afflicted with the same condition as their lupine attackers.
Those afflicted experience their first transformation sometime during puberty, transforming just before midnight on the night of the full moon into a large, four-legged, bloodthirsty beast.
The transformation is painful, utter agony, lasting until dawn on of the following morning, after which time the afflicted is returned to their human form. Some, if not all, werewolves have no memory of their actions during their transformations. Others report that they can recall glimpses, little short flashes of blood and gore.
It is foolishness to attempt to reason with a werewolf after it has transformed. It is said that there is little, if any, shred of humanity left in them then. And they are nearly impossible to kill. Some report that they are averse to silver, others claim nothing will stop the beasts.
These descendants have only one true defense against the human world: no one really believes they exist. The community has kept the existence of werewolves a secret for hundreds of years, not daring to risk exposure to the outside world. The only humans made aware of their existence were the ones who married into packs, ones who would in all likelihood be turned in order to strengthen their unity and bond. Rarely, if ever, did werewolves willingly involve themselves in romances with humans they had no intention of someday turning.
However, ten years ago one such werewolf was born, and today another was created.
Chapter 1
Silver Falls
As night fell, the men chatted together. Their evening plans were formulating quickly, and their groups were beginning to splinter off for their own wild adventures. Cassius Michaels didn’t have anything concrete in mind, but seeing as they were near Sam’s home turf, he figured it might be fun to let the man dictate where they ought to go to celebrate their win. Jonas readily agreed with this plan and the pair of them flagged Sam down as he was exiting the locker room.
“So,” Jonas grinned, eyebrows raised mischievously. “What’s the plan, Sam? Where are we headed?”
Sam looked perplexed, clearly unaware of his obligations as host. He looked between his two teammates, trying not to pout. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act so dense! We’re here in your old stomping grounds. You know which clubs are worth hitting up!” Jonas waggled a finger at Sam accusingly, though his smile was still firmly in place. “So, let’s go. Get your shit. Where’s Drew? He’s coming too, right?”
Cassius noted that Sam’s face seemed to fall then, and he almost felt bad for letting Jonas pounce on him like that, but then again the kid had to know what to expect. It was Jonas. Tact had never been his strong suit. So he just stood there, arms crossed as he gave Sam a stupid, expectant grin, waiting for some sort of directions on where they were headed.
“He’s right here,” Drew said from behind the two eager men. He looked no more disgruntled than usual, hair perfectly coifed as was his habit. “And no, I’m not going. And neither is Sam.”
“Huh?” Jonas stammered, clearly caught off guard by the man's bold declaration.
“What do you mean?” Cassius frowned, jaw going slack a little, deferring to Sam fully. The two men mig
ht be close, but he knew better than to think Drew made decisions for the pair. Sam always had a mind of his own.
“I mean Sam’s not feeling well. He was just telling me so a minute ago.” Drew said, circling around the pair of them until he was at Sam’s side.
Sam shot Drew an annoyed glare. “I can speak for myself, you know.” Drew put his hands up in apology, though he still managed to look a bit smug. “But yeah, no, sorry guys. I think I’m coming down with something. Nausea. I think it’s a stomach bug, maybe.”
Cassius’s frown turned to a look of sympathy and he gave Sam a sympathetic pat on the forearm. “Aw, man. That sucks. I’m sorry.”
“Sounds like an excuse to me,” Jonas snorted. Drew lifted his chin, as though he was daring the man to press Sam about the validity of his illness. “And what about you? Don’t tell me you’re experiencing morning sickness, too.”
“Hey, don't even start with me. I’m tired. I played my ass off, in case you didn’t notice.” Drew snapped, though malice was noticeably lacking from his voice. They were all tight, they could stand some teasing. “I’m gonna go crash. Maybe I’ll watch some pay-per-view or something. I don’t know.”
Jonas lightly elbowed Cassius in the gut. “You catch that? He’d rather jerk off than go out on the town with us. What a tool.”
“Hey, piss off!” Drew hissed and the pair of them pretended to box for a few seconds. Cassius laughed at that, looking over to Sam who seemed less than amused. His smile faltered a little. They'd been friends for years, for so long that they were practically brothers, and he knew Sam well enough to know when something was bothering him. Maybe he really was sick and it wasn't all an excuse to get out of a night of revelry.
“I really don’t feel well, guys.” Sam said, imploring them to knock it off and act like adults. He turned to look at Cassius then, smiling weakly as the older men teased each other. “Look, I know a couple of places in the city you guys might like. You can at least check them out, okay?”
Cassius smiled and handed Sam his phone so he could type in the addresses. He mussed Sam’s hair playfully, a goofy smile on his face. “Thanks, man. I hope you feel better soon. Take some aspirin and drink as much water as you can.”
“Yes, mother.” Sam gave his friend a warm smile and Cassius laughed cheerfully. “You two kids have fun. And stay away from the side streets. They're not dangerous, per se, but they aren't exactly welcoming to tourists.”
Jonas and Drew finally ceased with their wrestling match and Drew slung an arm around Sam. “Come on, puppy. Let’s get you to bed.”
“Gay!” Jonas snickered under his breath, tossing an arm around Cassius too as they headed out in the opposite direction, yammering in his enthusiastic and uncensored manner. “Come on, Cass, let’s get something to eat. I’m so hungry I could eat a man alive.”
* * *
Sam and Drew arrived back at the hotel and managed to get up to their shared room without any of their other teammates stopping them to invite them out for the night. That was fortunate.
They both had decent poker faces, but neither especially enjoyed practicing the art of deception. Lying didn’t feel good, even when it was completely necessary. Some secrets weren’t meant to be told, they were simply too precious, too dear to disclose. This said nothing of Cassius and Jonas as friends or as people. It was just the way of things.
Drew followed after Sam into the hotel room and bolted the door behind them, looking over his shoulder as Sam dropped his bag near the foot of his neatly made bed. The two were silent as they moved around the room, settling in, preparing for the night.
Drew’s routine had its own intricacies, involving more grooming products than was strictly necessary as he primped and preened in the bathroom. Sam meanwhile sat quietly on the bed and laid out his bed night-clothes, folding them neatly, then stripping down to nothing before folding up his previous outfit and packing it away. He put his phone on the bedside table between the beds, checking the clock before putting it on silent. He sat nude on the bed, elbows on his knees, chin in his hands, waiting patiently for Drew to emerge from the bathroom.
“You’re ready then?” The older man poked his head out, toothbrush still in his mouth.
Sam nodded.
“Good.” Drew stepped back into the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth, returning a moment later, unfazed by Sam’s nakedness. “What time is it?”
“11:45.”
“You should go then.” Drew said.
“Mm.”
Drew disappeared into the bathroom again, bringing Sam a fluffy white bathrobe. He offered it to Sam, trying to smile or look hopeful or at least not look as miserable as Sam did. “Put this on. You don’t want to flash anyone. God forbid you come across a photographer. Or some innocent kid. Jesus, can you imagine?”
He took the bathrobe, looking up at Drew with a resigned yet grateful familiarity. He stood slowly and tugged the robe on, tying it loosely at the waist. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
Drew grinned then, full out and cheeky, and he lightly punched Sam’s shoulder for show. “Anytime, puppy. Now get out there and howl your little heart out. I’ll hold down the fort. It’ll be okay.”
Sam didn’t head for the door. Instead he lingered a moment, eyes meeting Drew’s just as he took in a deep breath. As he breathed in, something flashed within him, something dark, needy, and wild. As he inhaled, he could swear he was breathing in Drew’s scent in a way that no human ever could. He could practically taste the salt of Drew’s sweat on his tongue, detect the individual fragrant notes of his aftershave, feel the particles of the soap he’d used in the showers earlier that evening. Sam recognized that sensation all too well. He only had a few minutes left.
There was so much wrong with this situation, this awful set of choreography they’d been playing out every month. There were a million reasons why this shouldn’t work out, why this conversation should never have had the chance to happen. And yet, here they were, staring each other down, predatory amber eyes meeting the chocolate eyes of the prey. It never should have come to this. He never should have let himself get so exposed. He felt so vulnerable, even after all this time.
“It’ll be fine. Just come back. That’s all you have to do.” Drew still managed to smile, though it slowly began to fade. It left his eyes last, like he didn’t quite want to let the moment go.
Sam just shook his head, inhaling again before quickly throwing his arms around Drew’s neck. He rolled up on his toes, pressing his lips to Drew’s greedily. Drew returned the kiss, murmuring something soothing into Sam’s mouth as he pulled him close. The kiss was brief and needy, necessitated by the limitations of the moon. No sooner had Sam slipped his tongue into Drew’s mouth than his phone vibrated menacingly from the nightstand. The pair broke apart, both gasping a little as they stared at the phone.
“It’s 11:50.” Sam said. “I have to go.”
It was Drew’s turn to nod. “Get out of here, then. I’ll be waiting when it’s over.”
Sam bit his lip. There was nothing more he could say, nothing to do besides offer up his most apologetic smile as he slipped toward the door and headed outside. He had to get someplace secluded, someplace private and without prying eyes.
The poolside garden, perhaps? Or one of the cabanas, closed for the evening? Yes, that would do nicely. So long as no one witnessed his transformation, everything would be fine. He’d be back at dawn, Drew would be waiting for him, and no one would be the wiser. He’d run around Blanca for a few hours, hunt rats and squirrels, maybe chase a cat or two. It would be just fine.
As he stepped out into the cool November evening, he felt a wave of serenity wash over him. The night was calm and beautiful, the moon was clear and bright, and of all the places in the world he might be, he was at home. Silver Falls, tranquil isle, Blanca, enchanting old city. There was no place on Earth he'd rather be for his coming ordeal. It was just your ordinary, run of the mill night of the full moon and Sam was just your or
dinary, run of the mill werewolf. What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 2
Lost
“This music is crap. It’s garbage,” Jonas announced as he downed another shot. Cassius blinked at him, not understanding what he was saying over the throbbing sounds of music. He furrowed his brows, tilting his head so he could better hear his teammate. “Cass, are you even listening to me?”
“Huh?” Cassius called out over the music.
The blonde laughed and shook his head, flagging over the nearest waitress and ordering another round.
The club wasn’t so bad, packed with tourists ready to dance and take in the balmy island night. Having just won their match earlier in the night, the whole city seemed to want to join in the festivities despite it being a weekday, and Cassius found it difficult to resist the temptation. He wasn’t the hardest of partiers, but with that sort of atmosphere it was hard to say no.
He and Jonas had grabbed a bite to eat at the first place Sam had suggested before hitting the streets of Blanca, roaming from club to club, drinking, dancing, posing for photos with eager fans, and generally enjoying life. It was refreshing. It was fun. And it would be back to work in the morning. They had a match in Santander on Sunday so they’d have to leave their isle of paradise in a few scant hours. As such, it was best to live it up while they still could. The night was young, and so were they.
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