‘You’re only the second person I’ve told this story. The first was Wilbur.’
‘Wilbur Longshadow; your father?’
He tilted his head left and right. ‘Yes and no. I’d better start at the beginning.’
I use the name Van Longshadow today, but that’s not the name I was given at birth. I was christened Rueben Graves and I was born in New York on the 5th of May, 1832. That makes me one hundred and fifty-three years old at my last birthday. My parents and brothers are long dead; so are my grandparents and even my great grandparents. My mind is this old, but my body is frozen in time, all because of a fateful event that happened in the thirtieth year of my true body’s life.
It was 1862; the second year of the most bloody period in American history that people now call The American Civil War, as if a mere title could ever sum up the atrocities that those four short years delivered. American against American, cousin against cousin, there was no land to be won, only more and more country-men to kill.
Being a New Yorker, I was a Union man. I believed in the cause but I also had a god-given fear of war. I was a gentle lad, never given to the rough and tumble and cowboys and Indians games of the boys on my street. I preferred books and painting, and my mother nurtured this softer side of me; she’d always longed for a daughter but gave birth to four sons. My brothers – all three – raced to sign up when President Lincoln called for troops to fight for the Union cause. But not me. I was even tempted to join the thousands who fled to Canada when the reality of war dampened the initial rush of enthusiasm and conscription began. I was so tempted that I had my route planned out and a guide organized to take me deep into the Northern wilderness. But I couldn’t bear to leave my mother with the shame of having a cowardly son, even though she encouraged me to run and save myself.
Next thing I knew, I had a blue coat on my back and a sword on my belt, and I was travelling with a vast army of fifty-five thousand men towards Maryland. We were headed for the first battle on Union soil; the Battle of Antietam. It was a long journey and I had plenty of time to think about what was to come. I’d already lost two brothers to the cause and was terrified. I was sick with fear of dying. Maybe the curse of eternal life I was given was my punishment for that cowardice. I don’t know.
One night during that journey, on the edge of a forest, I went into the woods with some other men to gather firewood. I got separated from the group and, without really thinking about it, when I realized I was all alone, I just kept on walking. Before I knew it I was miles away from anyone else, with no idea where I was. I had no supplies, just my sword and the clothes on my back, but I knew I stood a better chance of surviving out there than I did in battle. I also knew that I had to stay hidden. Desertion was by no means unusual, and while execution for desertion was rare, requirement to rejoin the regiment was certain; something that was tantamount to death in my mind anyway.
I survived for three weeks, slowly making my way back East, using my map and the survival skills, and knowledge of the land I’d acquired through my extensive readings back in my study in New York. I had to keep to the forest and away from the main transport lines; a lone soldier was always cause for suspicion.
Then one night, I was collecting water at a stream when I saw a wolf. It was a full moon, I remember that clearly, and this wolf was the most spectacular thing I’d ever seen. He was an enormous grey beast, with eyes that looked almost human. He walked right up to me and I didn’t even tremble. Imagine that; terrified at the prospect of a battlefield, but undaunted standing nose to nose with a giant wolf. The thing is, unlike war, this didn’t seem unnatural. It was almost like I’d expected we’d meet all along.
Even so, I was still taken aback when the wolf stood up on its hind legs and placed his front legs on my shoulders. I buckled under his weight, but held firm. I didn’t resist it; what could I do, anyway? Then, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world, he bent his head and bit my neck, just enough to pierce the skin.
I felt the curse enter me, but it wasn’t until I began to transform that I understood. You can’t even imagine the agony of that first transition. I writhed and screamed under the moonlight as my skin stretched and tore, and my body distorted into shapes it was never supposed to be. I don’t know how I survived it. When it was over, I lay on my side, barely breathing. Then, as the moon made its way across the side, I gathered enough strength to sit up and look around. I took my first look at the world through my new eyes. Wolf’s eyes.
Sophia gasped as everything suddenly fell into place. She’d listened silently to his incredible tale, in disbelief that the man before her was supposedly more than a hundred years old. Was he delusional or was he actually telling her the truth? But now she understood.
‘You’re a werewolf?’
He nodded.
‘The grey wolf cursed me with his bite. Cursed me to the solitary world of lycanthropy and eternal life. Many people think eternal life would be a blessing, but believe me; watching as everyone you love grows old and dies, leaving you alone time and time again, is no miracle.’
Sophia picked up her glass and finished her whiskey in one hit. She placed down her glass and rubbed her forehead in the spot where a headache had just sprung up. She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Are you serious? This is not just some sick joke? You’re really a werewolf?’
‘Yes.’
She caught her breath again. ‘That black wolf I saw tonight… that was you?’
‘That was me. I’m a werewolf. So now you know why I wasn’t injured in the crash tonight. I have strength and speed that’s not human, even when I’m in human form.’
‘What do you mean?’
He stood up. ‘Follow me.’ He led her out of the kitchen and back to the entrance way. ‘Watch this.’
With barely a breath of effort, he sprang from the floor all the way to the landing at the top of the stairs. He balanced on the top of the banister before running down on top of the banister beside the stairs, so quickly that Sophia’s eyes could barely keep up with him.
‘Want to see more?’ he asked.
‘Sure,’ Sophia breathlessly replied.
They moved to the lounge, where the wall of books turned out to be housed on an enormous white bookcase. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of books neatly arranged from top to bottom. Van positioned himself in the middle of the case.
‘Reckon I can lift it?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow.
‘Um, of course I don’t think you should be able to lift it, but I’ve a feeling you’re about to surprise me!’
He dug his fingers underneath the base and lifted the whole collection clear off the floor.
‘Wow!’ Sophia exclaimed. ‘Okay, put it down. I don’t want to tidy all those books up if you trip!’
He placed it back down without incident and they returned to the kitchen.
‘What else?’ Sophia asked. ‘I have to admit that I don’t know much about werewolves; I missed the whole Twilight phenomenon.’
‘Well, I’m resistant to injuries, except if silver is involved. If I touch even a silver spoon, my skin will sizzle and burn. I have intense urges, animal urges, which are difficult to control; hunger, anger, arousal… And once a month, on a full moon, I can transition into my wolf form. It’s incredible, Sophia. While it’s no fun to live forever, there’s no comparison to running through the woods as a wolf. I can’t possibly describe it; I wish you could feel it for yourself. I can transition at other times, too, but it’s excruciatingly painful; much like that first time, and it leaves me weak and bed-ridden for at least a week afterwards. I’ve learned to wait patiently for the full moon.’
Sophia felt the room begin to spin from shock and whiskey. It was late and seemed a very long time since she’d eaten dinner with her parents.
‘Who else knows?’ she asked softly.
‘Only Wilbur. I call him my father, but actually he’s my great great uncle. My real father died in 1861. I found Wilbur ten years ago. He’s a won
derful man; he’s loved me like a son, and accepted me in a way I never thought possible.’
‘Do the rest of the family know?’
He shook his head. ‘Wilbur told Nancy and his sons that I’m his long lost love child.’
‘How did that go down?’
He gave a short laugh. ‘You can imagine. Nancy still hates me to this day.’
‘What about Mark, Timothy and Edward?’
‘They’re not quite so bitter, but still jealous of any time Wilbur spends with me. They’re happiest when I keep to myself out here, play the recluse. So that’s what I tend to do most of the time, in order to keep the peace for Wilbur’s sake.’
‘I guess they’ll have to find out sooner or later,’ Sophia mused. ‘They must be getting suspicious that you haven’t aged in all the time they’ve known you.’
He nodded. ‘It hasn’t come up yet; maybe they think my youthful appearance is down to all the fresh air I get out here.’ He grinned and Sophia found her heart responding once again to his handsome face. ‘It drives me mad with worry, if I’m honest. I don’t want to create any more trouble for Wilbur. I had nothing when I found him, and now I have everything.’ He fixed his gaze on her. ‘Especially now I’ve met you.’
She held his stare. ‘I’m glad you’ve shared this with me. I’m stunned; I don’t really know what to think. I’m also flattered. It took a lot of strength to open up like you just did, when you’ve only told one other person the truth before. But we’ve only just met. You must have known dozens of women over the years. I can’t help but wonder… why share this with me?’
‘I haven’t known dozens of women. I haven’t known any. I’ve avoided people wherever possible, and women especially. I’m too afraid I’ll hurt them when my urges become too strong to control, and besides, what will happen when they find out? Who would want to hang around when they find out the truth?’
‘Why do you think I’m any different?’ Sophia whispered. In truth, am I any different? She hadn’t had time to process the astounding truth yet, and neither had she really considered what this meant for her and Van. How does a werewolf/woman relationship work? She doubted there were any manuals in the self-help department of her local bookstore.
‘I may not have known many women,’ Van softly replied. ‘But I’ve always dreamed of one. A blonde beauty with a beautiful, full body, light green eyes and skin as white as fallen snow. I said that I knew you were special as soon as I saw you. It’s because I’ve met you in my dreams a thousand times before.’ He took her hand. ‘I’m sorry for how I acted tonight. I was shocked to find you out here; I felt exposed and unprepared. When you drove away, I thought I’d ruined everything. It was honestly the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced. You’re more than some girl that’s caught my eye, Sophia. You’re my savior. You’re my Pure Soul.’
Chapter 11
‘What’s a Pure Soul?’ asked Sophia, heart pounding. She wasn’t sure if she could handle too many more surprises tonight.
He bent his head close to hers. ‘There’s a primeval code that’s whispered from werewolf to werewolf. It states that if a werewolf can find his one true love, known as his Pure Soul, then the curse that was placed upon him at the time of the bite will be lifted. The werewolf will be returned to mortal form and allowed to live out the remainder of his days with the one who saved him.’
‘You think I’m your Pure Soul?’ whispered Sophia. ‘I’m the one who’ll save you?’
‘Yes. They say the howl of the werewolf is a call urging his Pure Soul to come and rescue him.’
Tears pricked in Sophia’s eyes at the mention of that howl. ‘I can’t even explain the feeling I had when you howled tonight. It was like an angel had entered my body and erased every trace of emotion other than pure joy.’
He nodded knowingly. ‘Only a Pure Soul could feel that,’ he said.
She processed this for a few moments. ‘How does the Pure Soul save the werewolf?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know. I was fixated on finding you; I never thought too much about what would happen if I ever did. It’s very rare that a werewolf finds his Pure Soul. I’m truly blessed.’ He held her face tenderly in his hands and grazed his lips over hers. ‘I wanted so badly to tell you last night,’ he whispered. ‘Sooner even. As soon as I met you beside the oak tree painting. But I didn’t want to frighten you away. I wanted to wait until we knew each other a little better. But perhaps it’s better this way. Now you know everything; you can make your decision.’
‘My decision?’
‘Whether you want to stay or go. I won’t blame you if you want to walk away. I don’t know what the future holds. Nothing in this werewolf life has been easy; I have a feeling that there’ll be danger ahead before I’ll be allowed to live happily ever after.’
Suddenly, Sophia felt a tremendous burden fall on her shoulders. Van was essentially asking her to decide whether to save his life or not; it wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly. But who knew what dangers lay ahead? It was true that she felt an incredible connection with him, but what if they were wrong? What if they discovered that she wasn’t his Pure Soul and he then cast her aside in order to search for the next blonde, green-eyed girl that matched his dreams?
The thought occurred to her that perhaps he didn’t love her at all. Maybe he only wanted to be with her because he thought she could save him. But wait, Pure Soul means true love. He’s not looking for a savior... he’s looking for his true love, and the saving will follow. He thinks I’m it. Don’t over-think it. Follow your heart and the rest will follow.
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ she said. ‘We’re in this together.’
The look on his face was pure elation. He stuck out his hand and helped her to her feet. ‘Come with me. It is a full moon, after all.’
Sophia hesitated. Part of her was dying to see this incredible phenomenon with her own eyes, to make real something that had always been firmly in the pages of paranormal novels. Fiction. But the other part was utterly terrified. If it was true – if he really was a werewolf – then the rest of the story was probably true, too, not just some outrageous tale. She would be his Pure Soul. While she loved a fairytale ending, she wasn’t sure she was prepared to become the heroine in this tale. Wasn’t the princess supposed to be the one being rescued?
Outside, it felt natural that they return to the flat rock beside the lake. It seemed dark when they first left the lodge, but it didn’t take long for their eyes to adjust and for the moonlight to seem bright once more. The night was completely still, with not a breath of wind. There were no nighttime animal sounds; even the nocturnal creatures appeared to be waiting with baited breath.
Van held Sophia’s hands and gave them a squeeze. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘I’m nervous,’ she admitted.
‘There’s nothing to be afraid of once I’m in wolf form,’ he assured her. ‘It’s still me. Well, kind of.’
‘Do you have…’ Sophia wasn’t sure how to phrase her question. Are you likely to tear me to pieces? ‘Do you have hunting urges?’
He chuckled. ‘I do hunt, but don’t worry; Pure Souls aren’t on the menu tonight.’
She slapped him playfully on the arm. ‘Don’t tease! I need to know these things and you did say that you have animalistic urges.’
‘Alright, alright. It’s true; the desire to hunt is strong, but I absolutely have control over my choice of target.’ He gave her a wicked look. ‘I could’ve already taken you down earlier tonight, but I prefer a faster, more challenging kill.’
She shook her head in mock horror. ‘I don’t even know what to say. I can’t believe you’re joking right now!’
He pulled her close. ‘Hey, we can’t always be deadly serious, right?’
‘So, do you have a choice about when the transition happens?’ she asked once they pulled apart.
‘I can’t really explain it. It’s both a conscious decision and it’s not. I’m not forced to transition merely by the
presence of the full moon, but I want to so badly that I can’t remember a month in which I haven’t. It’s irresistible, an addiction, like heroin must be to a junkie. But, like an addict, the compulsion feels dirty somehow. Sinful. As if the universe is watching and judging me for being a freak of nature.’
Sophia held his face in her hands and kissed him hard on the lips. ‘You’re not a freak. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’ She stepped back and readied herself. ‘Let’s do this.’
Van gave a short nod then hesitated.
‘I tend to transition naked. I learned after destroying my clothes the first few times.’
‘Seems practical.’
‘Thought I’d better warn you.’
‘You can get naked in front of me anytime.’
He grinned, then stripped off his shorts and t shirt, and climbed up onto the rock. Naked in the moonlight, he looked absolutely gorgeous, and Sophia felt a strong stirring between her legs. He crouched down and turned his face up to the moon. Then he waited. Sophia, who was expecting an instant transformation, waited impatiently as the seconds ticked by. A seed of doubt sowed itself in her mind. Sure, his naked body was an attractive diversion, but maybe he really had been fibbing all along. Was this some kind of elaborate hoax? Was he a complete basket-case?
Curves & Alphas: A Paranormal Box Set: (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) Page 19
