FMR

by SL

  Jessie and get back with me."

  He quickly flipped the cell phone shut and let out a sigh of

  frustration. The full moon's effects were strong. It seemed that

  everyone was getting under his skin and making his nerves itch with

  irritation.

  Everything will be back to normal when the moon starts to wane, he

  reassured himself.

  Familiar voices drew his attention back to the glass doors of the

  center as Jac exited the building with Ernie by her side.

  Ray swung open the door and stepped down into the snow-covered

  parking lot. "Watch your step, guys. The ground's getting slicker

  with ice," he called out as they approached.

  His heart panged watching Jac cross the parking lot with caution.

  He knew it was partly from her bruises and, the other half, his

  warning.

  "I appreciate you checking my laptop, Ernie," Jac said as they

  approached the truck. "It's good to know someone around here has

  some computer expertise."

  "Don't mention, it," he grinned, thumbing in Ray's direction. "It

  was all his idea."

  "Oh?" she angled her head, smiling over at him.

  Her smile made him tingle from head to toe. Ray modestly cleared

  his throat. "Yeah, well, you said your story's important. I didn't want

  you to screw up your deadline."

  He turned his gaze back to Ernie, asking if the young man needed a

  ride back to town.

  "Nope," Ernie declined with a shake of his head. "I'm heading back

  to my place to catch a few Z's. It's getting late, so I'll see y'all later."

  After saying their 'good-byes', Ray tugged open the truck door and

  offered Jac a hand up into the cab.

  As he rounded the truck, Ray's stomach coiled with nerves. Taking

  Jac back to his place was the only sure way to keep her safe from the

  rogue wolf until it was apprehended. But could he keep her safe from

  himself as the 'moon fever' stirred in his own sithech-blood?

  "Thank goodness this laptop case is extra padded," Jac said as he

  slid into the driver's seat, slamming the door behind him. "I was

  worried it might've got damaged in the tumble."

  "It's safe and so are you." Ray flashed a thin smile. "I'm glad you

  weren't severely hurt or worse."

  "Yeah, I know." There was a quiver in her voice. An uneasy

  silence fell between them as Ray put the truck in gear and headed

  slowly out of the parking lot. His heart ached as he detected a

  shimmer of fear in her aura.

  "I'm taking you back to the motel," he said, breaking the silence. "I

  need you to pack your bags, check out and come back to the truck."

  Jac glared over at him, her mouth open, yet she was speechless.

  "I'm taking you home with me," Ray said evenly.

  "Why?" she retorted. "The doctor said my bruises were nothing

  serious and I'd heal. Besides, I can take care of myself."

  Ray cut his gaze over to the passenger seat. He could sense her

  confusion. "Yeah, I'm sure you can. It's nothing like that," he replied,

  keeping his voice neutral. "You're going to have to trust me."

  "Trust you? What's this all about, Ray?" she folded her arms over

  her chest. Her mouth was drawn into a tight line across her face, but

  her cheeks were glowing with color.

  Ray's heart sank at her outburst. He wished he could tell her the

  whole truth, but he couldn't. Even though she was human, every

  instinct in his sithech-nature was going haywire. He had to keep her

  safe. Why? He wasn't sure.

  "I have a gut-feeling you're in danger, Jac."

  * * * *

  Ray had been vague when she tried to question him. It was like

  asking questions to a brick wall. Frustrated, she'd given up ... for the

  time being. They rode in silence back to the Starlight Motel. She

  wanted to protest a bit more, but didn't. It was unexplainable.

  Something deep inside her trusted Ray.

  While she quickly packed her bag, Ray went to the office and

  checked her out of the motel. They walked in silence back out to the

  truck. Yet, her mind was spinning with lots of unanswered questions.

  However, it had been a long day. The attack had left her shaky and

  she was thoroughly exhausted.

  He tossed her suitcase into the back of the truck, then swung open

  the door and helped her climb up into the cab.

  Jac let out a low groan as she shifted in the passenger seat.

  "Are you okay?" Ray gently inquired, concern clouding his eyes.

  "Considering I feel like a PetSmart chew toy, I think I'll be okay."

  She managed a weak smile. Ray gave a soft chuckle, closing the

  door, then rounded the truck.

  Yeah, I'll get to the bottom of this,] she decided, buckling her

  seatbelt. But, only after a hot bath and a good night's sleep.

  "Ray." She cast him a sidelong glance as he settled into his seat. "I

  don't know what this is all about, but I'm gonna trust you."

  "Thanks, Jac." The worried expression on his face softened into a

  smile. He turned the key and the truck rumbled to life.

  Jac gave a heavy sigh, reclining back in the seat and closed her

  eyes.

  Within moments, she was sound asleep.

  * * * *

  She woke up to the hissing of a coffee pot, followed by its

  unmistakable aroma. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she

  hadn't eaten since lunch the day before. Slowly, Jac opened her eyes

  and blinked, attempting to recall where she was. Then, it dawned on

  her. She was at Ray's house.

  Her mind was fuzzy as she rose from the bed. She breathed a small

  sigh of relief as she noticed she was still in her clothes ... minus her

  boots and the jacket. Not recalling the ride home, she deduced Ray

  had carried her in and tucked her into the bed.

  She swung her feet over the side of the large bed and got up,

  padding over to the closed door. The house was quiet, except for the

  gurgling of the coffee pot. Opening the door, she made her way down

  a small hallway, following the scent of the coffee.

  Around the corner was a small kitchen area complete with a table

  and two chairs. Jac smiled to herself, opening the cabinet above the

  coffee pot. Bingo! She found a set of hodge-podge mugs with various

  landmarks and states painted on them. Deciding on the one marked

  'Las Vegas' she lifted the carafe from the coffeemaker and began to

  pour herself a cup.

  "Good morning." A familiar voice came from the kitchen entrance.

  "I didn't realize you'd be up so early." Ray pulled a chair out from the

  table and sat down, removing his boots. They were coated with a

  layer of crushed snow and dirt. He placed them beside a crumpled

  sack on the floor.

  "And I see you're up with the birds." She grinned, nodding over to

  the half-empty sack of bird seed.

  "The weather's messy out there. I figured the little ones won't mind

  a hand-out this morning for breakfast." He smiled.

  Jac placed a hand over her stomach. "Yeah, I'm a bit hungry, too."

  "Great! I'll get started making you some breakfast." He grinned.

  "Afterwards, you can get a shower and change into some fresh

  clothes."

  Addi
ng the condiments to her coffee, Jac giggled. "Sometimes,

  Ray, you spook me. It's like you're reading my mind."

  "Really?" he blinked. "I usually only do that with certain people."

  A curious expression clouded his face.

  Seeing his uneasiness, Jac decided to change the subject.

  "Who's the traveler?" she asked, holding up the coffee mug.

  "Someone's been to Vegas, Seattle and Yellowstone State Park."

  "That'd be Ritchie," Ray replied as he rose to his feet. "Like I said,

  he's a bit of a wanderer and travels around a lot."

  "And all you get are the souvenir mugs, right?" She grinned.

  "Something like that." He shrugged, placing a frying pan onto the

  stove. "How do you like your eggs? Scrambled or sunny side up?"

  The thought of food made her stomach rumble again. "Scrambled

  with cheese," she replied, "That is, if you've got cheese. I don't wanna

  be too much trouble."

  "It's no trouble at all." He grinned as she took a seat at the table,

  watching him over the rim of her mug. "Besides," he added. "You're

  my guest."

  Jac shifted in the chair and cleared her throat. "Well, if I'm your

  guest, then why did you say I was in danger last night?"

  "Might," he corrected. "You might be in danger. Trust me, Jac,

  you're just safer here."

  Ray busied himself with cooking. Jac took another big sip of

  coffee. Within a few moments, he placed a steaming plate of

  breakfast before her.

  " Bon appetite."

  "Thanks." She eyed her food then glanced up at him. "But, after

  breakfast and a shower, I expect some answers." She jabbed the fork

  in his direction to accent her point. "If I'm going to trust you, Ray, I'm

  gonna have to know what the Hell's going on."

  Ray straightened, towering over her, but let out an exasperated sigh.

  "All right," he nodded. "Okay, we'll talk later. I promise."

  To his relief, the rest of breakfast had gone relatively smooth ...

  except when Jac asked about the 'doggie' door.

  "What?" He set his empty coffee cup down on the kitchen table.

  "The doggie door." She gestured toward the large plastic flap at the

  bottom of the backdoor. "Do you have a dog?"

  "Uh, no. It was there when I bought the house." He shrugged.

  "Besides, what's the point in replacing a perfectly good door?"

  "Well, this is a rural neighborhood. Don't you worry about animals

  wandering in from the outside?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

  "They wouldn't dare." He flashed a feral grin.

  The sound of Jac's laughter made his heart skip a beat. She was

  beautiful, her face shining with an inner radiance that made him desire

  her even more.

  "So, how's my cooking?" He rose from his chair and took her

  empty plate. "Are my eggs as good as the diner's?"

  "Yes, they're delicious." She nodded, rising to her feet. "Now, let

  me help you with those dirty dishes."

  Jac helped him load the dishwasher then headed to the bathroom to

  take a shower. Her absence would give him time to call Bruce, to see

  what he might have found out about Jac's attacker.

  Standing at the bay window that overlooked the snow-covered

  lawn, Ray punched the buttons of the wireless phone and waited. The

  phone rang a good, full three rings before Bruce answered.

  "Hello?" His voice was groggy with sleep.

  "Hey, it's me. Sorry to wake you," Ray apologized.

  "Shit, sorry I didn't call last night, man. It was too late," Bruce

  mumbled.

  "It's okay. What's the latest?" Ray asked, pacing up and down the

  living room rug.

  "Nothing, man."

  "What? Jessie's clean?"

  "Yep." Bruce seemed more alert. "Jessie White was at the store

  picking a couple of bags of groceries to drop off at the senior citizens'

  center when Ms. Hamilton was attacked. I've got several witnesses,

  plus a video tape and a register receipt if you want proof."

  "No, that's not necessary." Ray sighed. "I don't know if I'm

  relieved or disappointed."

  "I know," Bruce consoled him. "It seemed like a logical conclusion

  at the time, but you know how the moon affects everything. It makes

  us hyper-sensitive, easily agitated and, well, horny."

  Ray chuckled into the phone. "You can say that again."

  "You got it bad for your new friend, don't you?"

  "I told you, it's not like that. I just think she'll be safer here until we

  track down her attacker."

  "And what if we don't?" Bruce inquired. "How are you going to

  explain this to her, Ray? She's a smart woman. Don't underestimate

  her."

  Ray knew better. He loved the sharpness of her mind as well as the

  curves of her body. Even just being around her a short time, there was

  something special about Jac that he found infectious.

  "Believe me, I don't. I just wonder who sent her to Heather Grove

  in search of werewolves. The whole thing sounds strange to me."

  "Yep, pretty strange," Bruce agreed. "Well, if you need me, give

  me a buzz. I'll be on patrol at 1800 hours."

  Ray hung up the phone feeling more frustrated than ever. If J.T.

  was innocent, then anyone in town with sithech-blood could possibly

  be her attacker.

  He flopped down on the end of the sofa and gazed out the window.

  Watching the small birds gathering at the feeders out in the snowy

  yard, Ray sank deep into thought. He didn't register Jac was finished

  with her shower until she spoke from the doorway.

  "Wow, I can't believe it snowed even more overnight," Jac

  exclaimed as she crossed the room.

  Newly showered, she wore her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail,

  away from her face. She'd also changed into a fresh pair of fuzzy

  socks, jeans and a form-fitting knit sweater. Her fresh-scrubbed

  youthful appearance made his groin twinge with longing. Ray shifted

  uncomfortably on his end of the sofa as she sank down on its opposite

  side. To his relief, she appeared more relaxed and less sore.

  "Well, there was another inch of snow last night after we got in, but

  it's mixed with sleet," he informed her. "The weather man's saying

  school and businesses will be closed for at least another day."

  "Good." Jac smirked, folding her arms over her chest. "Since we

  can't seem to go anywhere, we have plenty of time for you to explain

  to me why I might be in danger."

  "I can think of other things we can do with our time." He flashed

  her a flirtatious grin.

  Her cheeks turned rosy pink, but she seemed immune to his

  attempted charm. "Nope, not now." Jac shook her head. "Let's talk,

  Ray."

  With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet and began to pace back and

  forth in front of the bay window.

  "Ernie found the article you were working on in your computer

  files the other night," he stated simply. "The article about wolves in

  Heather Grove."

  "Well, the story's a dead end. Mr. White firmly denied there were

  any wolves in Heather Grove. But now ... now, I'm not so sure." A

  worried expression dissolved her composure. "But, after last night, I'd

  swear the man was lying through his teeth."

  "
Jessie's a nice man, Jac. He wasn't lying. He was protecting," Ray

  slowly explained.

  "Protecting what? The wolves?" she raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes." Ray nodded. "It goes back a long time ago ... back to

  Scotland at the end of the eighteenth century."

  "Whoa, wait a minute." Jac held up her hand. "What do wolves in

  Heather Grove now have to do with eighteenth century Scotland?"

  "Most of Heather Grove's ancestors are from Scotland. They came

  to the United States for many reasons, but, mostly to escape the

  slaughter of wolves throughout the Highlands."

  "You mean the killing of wolves like I've seen on those websites

  like Defenders.org?" Jac's face went pale. "It's disgusting! I can't

  believe, in this modern age, some people are still killing other

  creatures so terribly and so brutally just because they're ... they're

  wolves."

  Ray nodded, recalling the photographs Jac mentioned. He, too, was

  mortified by the cruelty of the senseless slaughter. He stopped pacing

  and speared a hand through his hair, then glanced over at Jac.

  Tears moistened her eyes. "Crying about it won't do them any

  good, Jac. Only action can save those poor creatures. But here in

  Heather Grove, the sithech is kept guarded and safe."

  "The sithech?"

  "Yes, it's an ancient Scot-Gaelic word for 'wolf'," he explained.

  She knitted her brow, as if deep in thought, then glanced up at him.

  "So, Heather Grove is a wolf sanctuary, right?"

  "Something like that." He shrugged, then sank down beside her on

  the sofa. "Only a few of us know. It's an important secret, Jac. If

  anyone outside of Heather Grove ever found out ... "

  His voice trailed off, choked with emotion. He lowered his head as

  the unfinished thought sent a chill down his spine.

  "It would be like the eighteenth century slaughter all over again,"

  Jac said in a low voice, finishing his exact thought.

  Ray raised his head, gazing into her eyes. "I think I've just had one

  of those 'spooky' moments you were talking about earlier."

  An amused smile spread across Jac's face. It was a smile that

  warmed his heart and heated his blood. He took her hand and sensed

  something stirring in the space between them.

  In a bold move, he leaned close and gently touched his forehead to

  hers. Jac's rich and luscious scent surrounded him. It teased his

  sithech-senses as the full moon fever began to surge within him.