by Sky Winters
Of course, it was just as good as it looked and he finished off the meal with a nice slice of cheesecake he had been hiding in the fridge. It was the best dessert she had tasted in a while, with drizzles of caramel crisscrossing delicately across it and a dab of whipped cream on top. She loved the way that Weston didn’t seem to mind that she was a few pounds heavier than she should be. Unlike Cameron, who would say little things like asking whether she should really be eating that slice of cake or suggesting she might prefer a salad instead of a full plate of whatever they were eating.
Instead, Weston seemed to not only accept her just as she was, but honestly seemed to like it. His hands often lingered on her curves, caressing her softly in an appreciative way that a man couldn’t fake. It only made her feel more wanted, more content, to be with someone who accepted her without reservations. He had no desire to see her in a size two, something she had never been and never would be. She was comfortable with her size and it was good to be with someone who was just as pleased with her slightly full figured shape.
“This is incredible. I can’t believe you made it!” she said, pulling herself from her thoughts.
“What? You’re doubting my cooking skills?”
“No, of course not. It’s just so yummy. Where did you find time after work to make something so fabulous?”
“Okay. I confess. Beth made it and had Jacob drop it by as a gift. I didn’t make it at all,” he laughed.
“Ah, Beth. She and Jacob are fabulous cooks. Still, I’m shocked at your deceit!” she laughed.
“I know. I’m a bad, bad man. Want another slice?”
“Oh, no way. I am stuffed!”
“How about a nice glass of wine while we relax on the sofa then?”
“That sounds perfect,” she told him, getting up from the table to help him clear away the dishes. They loaded everything in the dish washer and then retreated to the living room with a bottle of red and two glasses. The night passed quietly after that, with the two of them curled up against one another as they talked about things they wanted to do in the coming year.
“I’d like to travel a bit over the holidays if you’re up for it. Do you have any time off from your work?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ve hardly taken a vacation for years. I have almost six weeks accrued, so plenty of available days to use up however I want.”
“Fantastic. Where do you want to go?”
“Maybe Paris. I’ve never been,” she said hopefully.
“Paris sounds perfect. We’ll start looking at flights and hotels, get a trip planned. I also want to go to Greece and Germany. Hopefully we can squeeze them all in while things are a bit slower. I tend to have more time around the holidays than the rest of the year. People are more focused on family than business.”
“We are pretty steady year round, but I have backups at work. They can fill in for any time that I’m away.”
“Good to know. We’re going to have a fantastic time. We’ll have to make a list of all the things we want to do there and plan it all out. I’m a hopeless planner.”
“I can live with that. There’s nothing worse than going somewhere and ending up missing half of the truly special places because you waste so much time trying to figure out where to go and what to do instead of actually doing it.”
“Exactly! You and I are so in tune with one another that it’s frightening. I’m so glad that I found you. I know it must seem quick how things have happened between us, but I’ve been holding back for days in saying what I really want to say every time I look at you. I love you, Mandy.”
Mandy smiled up at him happily and inched closer to him on the sofa, reaching up to caress his cheek with her hand for a moment before kissing him softly on the lips. She pulled away and looked up at him, fighting back the happy tears that threatened to rise up against her will.
“I love you, too.”
“That’s a relief,” he laughed.
Mandy nodded in agreement. Then the moment had passed and they settled back into conversation about places they’d like to travel together. Things they’d like to see. Finally, their conversation drifted away as they sipped their wine and became lost in one another again. They ended up making love on the sofa, too eager to even make it to the bedroom. Afterwards, they made their way to bed and curled up together, drifting off into a peaceful sleep in one another’s arms. The following morning, they each went off to work without an inkling as to what was to come before they could stop it.
Chapter Ten
“Wow, that looks fantastic on you!” he marveled two nights later, taking in her finished costume.
“Almost as great as yours looks on you,” she told him.
“We are going to nail this contest,” he told her.
“I think so too,” she replied.
The two of them headed out the door, making their way to the haunted park first, enjoying the way people fawned over their outfits. It was like having a review of them done before presenting them to the main judges. So far, everyone that had seen them was bowled over by their creativity. Once they were done there, they began making their way to The Restoration, eager to get signed up for the contest and enjoy their first Halloween night together.
“Little Red Riding Hood and Her Grandma?” the young man at the registration table asked as he looked up at them.
Weston smiled. “Something like that.”
“Okay. Judging will be at midnight on the dot. Just come up to the stage area and wait until we call you.”
“We’ll see you then,” Weston said happily.
They became lost in the crowd, singing and dancing until they were exhausted. Though there were several other Red Riding Hoods about, none were done quite as well as her costume and she and Weston had a little surprise in store for the crowd during their judging time on stage. It was sure to win them the grand prize.
“I have to go find the restroom,” she told him. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Okay sweetheart. I’ll be waiting for you to come back over the river and through the woods,” he laughed.
Mandy laughed and disappeared into the crowd. She made her way through the crowd and into the bathroom, where she had to wait in line for a bit before getting in. On the way out, she bumped into another red-caped party goer and apologized.
“Don’t apologize, Mandy. It was fate seeing you here,” Cameron replied, taking a step toward her.
Her head jerked up, taking in the way he glared at her from beneath the large red cape that was nearly identical to her own. Of course, she thought, he had bought it at the costume shop; she had seen it draped across his arm. Only his lacked the special touches she’d put on it. For the first time, she wondered if he had been watching her. Had he decided to wear a matching costume for some particular reason?
“What are you doing, Cameron? I have nothing to say to you,” she said, angry that he was even there and even more so if he had planned to be, though she wasn’t sure how he would have known.
“You wouldn’t answer my messages, so you left me no choice but to follow you here so we could talk.”
“Talk? We have nothing to talk about. There was a time when I wanted to talk to you, but you couldn’t be found anywhere. And you know what? I’m glad I couldn’t find you. I’ve moved on and now I know you were just a huge mistake. Now, leave me alone!”
“I’ll leave you alone when I decide I’m done with you, Mandy. You’re mine and always will be. How dare you come here with someone else,” he said angrily, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her toward a nearby exit.
“Stop it! Let me go, Cameron!” she hissed at him, trying to tear herself away from him, but he ignored her, dragging her toward the exit as she continued to protest. When he didn’t let her go, she screamed loudly, but the sound was lost in the middle of the crowded club full of people and the blaring of the loud music all around.
“You need to shut your ungrateful mouth,” he snapped at her as they stepped into the alley behi
nd the club.
Mandy looked around hopefully for someone who had stepped out for fresh air or to smoke, but it was completely deserted. She continued to struggle to get free of him, but he wouldn’t let go. He yanked and pulled, dragging her down the alley toward his car and shoving her into it. She tried to scream, but he clamped a hand down over her mouth and shut the door behind them. Inside, he quickly strapped duct tape over her mouth and around her wrists and ankles.
“Now, you stay here and be a good little girl,” he told her. “I’m going to go back inside and give your boyfriend a nasty little surprise and then I’ll be back to take you home where you belong.”
Her eyes widened, realizing that Kellye had been right. He was completely off his rocker. She struggled violently, trying to free herself as he left the car and returned to the club. His windows were tinted black, so there was no way anyone could see her in here. Her only hope of escaping whatever he had planned was to get free and get to Weston before he did. It was almost midnight and she had no doubt he’d be looking for her. She could only hope he didn’t venture out of the safety of the club and into the dark alley where things could get ugly really fast.
Time seemed to move so slowly as she tried to get the metal of the door handle between her wrists. It was too dull to cut the tape, but she was hoping she might loosen it by twisting it sideways. Instead, it only seemed to make it tighter, cutting off her circulation. She grimaced, but kept trying, hoping to loosen it and get it off. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she worried more about what might happen to Weston even more than her own fate. She knew Cameron was fucked up, but she never considered that he was this far gone.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She had forgotten it was tucked into the black pants beneath her cape and wondered if it was Weston trying to find her. How could she get to it to call for help? She kept working at loosening her wrists. It was her only hope of getting out of this mess. Whether he just intended to scare her or do something far worse, she wasn’t sure, but she would prefer not to find out.
Her thoughts were disrupted by a ruckus coming from outside the car. She looked up to see Cameron, in wolf form, running toward the car. The large white stripe down the side of his face was unmistakable. Behind him was a large jet black wolf with huge yellow eyes bearing down on him fast. Was it Weston? She didn’t know what his wolf form looked like.
She watched as the two large wolves tore into one another viciously, tumbling around in circles in the middle of the alley directly in front of the car. It was hard to tell who would be victorious with the way they twisted back and forth, awful howls and growling filling the air around them. Looking beyond the dog fight unfolding in front of her, she noted that a large crowd had gathered behind them, watching and cheering them on.
Then, she watched as Cameron tore into Weston’s throat, slinging him back and forth with a horrible cracking sound before throwing him to the ground. The large black wolf lay there, not moving, as Cameron turned and began limping toward the car, his menacing green eyes seeming to pierce her even through the dark windows of the car.
“Oh, God. Get up, Weston. Please don’t be dead. Please get up,” she tried to say, her voice muffled by the tape, but he didn’t move. Instead, he jumped onto the hood of the car and howled loudly. The crowd behind him, having no idea that the animal they were dealing with was more than just tonight’s entertainment, cheered loudly and began filing back into the club.
Mandy closed her eyes, resigning herself to whatever horrors Cameron intended to bestow on her, and mourning the loss of Weston. Tears rolled down her face as she waited for him to change and get into the car, taking her away with him. Then, the air around her was shattered by what sounded like the scream of a woman. Her head snapped up just in time to see the large black wolf twist his head mightily to one side, tossing the limp carcass of what used to be Cameron down beside the car.
She watched as he quickly converted back to human form and opened her car door, pulling her out to one side of the seat. He slowly peeled the duct tape from her mouth and she couldn’t help but sob.
“Oh Weston!”
“Shh, shh, it’s okay, I’m here now.” He used his car keys to tear open the duct tape and peel it from her hands and feet. It hurt like hell. He stayed there with her, consoling her as she cried, while they waited for the police to arrive.
“I thought you were dead,” she told him.
“Not by a long shot,” he told her with a smile.
It took hours to explain what had happened to the police, who took statements from witnesses that had watched as Grandma had met Little Red Riding Hood on stage. At first, they had thought it was just part of the costume competition as Grandma morphed into a Big Bad Wolf right before their eyes, but then Little Red Riding Hood had done the same. It quickly escalated into a horrible fight before the two large beasts had gone running outside, chasing one another.
The crowd had abandoned the contest, chasing the two of them outside to see what happened next, thinking the fight was something that had been put on by the club for entertainment purposes. When it ended, they all filed back inside to continue their night of fun. Cameron had apparently not been aware that Weston was also a shifter when he had decided to take him on and refused to back down once he learned that he was. His demise was his own doing.
Chapter Eleven
It took months to clear Weston of any wrong doing, but in the end, it was ruled self-defense. Though they had missed their planned holiday vacation, the two of them had only gotten closer since the night that Cameron had attempted to abduct her and kill Weston. Follow up interviews by the cops had revealed a man that was much sicker than she had ever realized. He was a classic sociopath, hiding it well until he finally crossed a line. She was lucky to be alive and probably wouldn’t be if not for Weston.
“I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to go anywhere with all my legal troubles,” Weston told her one night as they sat curled up listening to music.
“Oh, Weston. You don’t seriously think I’m worried about that do you? I wouldn’t even be here if not for you.”
“I was just looking forward to it and I know you were too. Instead, we’ve been stuck here until everything was over. Plus, there’s all the scrutiny now that everyone knows what I am.”
“I know. It’s been hard, but we’re getting through it. People seem to be more accepting of it than you expected.”
“Yes. There is that. It’s a relief really not to have to hide it anymore.”
“So, we’ll go to Paris some other time.”
“Well, I hear it is beautiful in the spring. I will find a way to squeeze in some time for us to go anyway.”
“That would be nice, but I completely understand if we can’t.”
“I know you do, but I really think we deserve a vacation after all of this.”
As it turned out, they did make it. On a warm spring day in April, the two of them boarded a plane bound for France, spending a week just taking in the city and enjoying the sites. Stepping into a small sweet shop as they walked down the street, the couple sat at a small table in back and ordered a small plate of mixed petit fours and wine.
“Look at the size of that French Poodle,” he marveled.
Mandy turned her head but saw nothing. Turning back to him, she found that he was kneeling beside the table, holding up what appeared to be a small cake toward her. He reached up and flipped open the top of the faux petit fours to display a large diamond ring.
“Will you marry me?” he asked, looking a little nervous as several onlookers watched with smiles on their faces.
“Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you!” she said happily as he pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger.
They kissed as the crowd around them cheered loudly. Moments later, they stepped out into the sunlight again, a newly engaged couple. It was only the beginning for them as they began to plan the rest of their lives together. Though neither of them knew it at the tim
e, they were already well on their way. A tiny seed inside Mandy was already growing into a baby who would become one of the most powerful wolf shifters in the history of the world.
THE END
Under Fire
Chapter 1
Corinne jumped back as the sauce splattered on the counter.
“Shit!”
She couldn’t afford to speckle her new white dress with red Bolognese spaghetti sauce. She was determined to make everything perfect. Tonight was the night she was going to fix her marriage.
Having averted near disaster, she wiped up the spill and turned off the burner. The clock on the microwave blinked 7:53, which gave her exactly seven minutes to put the finishing touches on the table. Her new heels clicked as she hurried to the apartment’s tiny dining room –just a square of the great room, delineated by the back of the sofa. The tiny table was set with the best plates she had and the tall silver candlesticks, one of the only things she had left of her mother, gleamed brightly and newly polished. She’d worked on this moment all day. For a week, really.
She had to do something. It had been almost five years since the wedding, a day she’d thought was the happiest in her life. But lately, Marcus barely paid attention to her. It was worse than when his hot temper flared and they argued for hours. That meant he was at least engaged, plus it usually ended in hot sex, and with a wolf-shifter like Marcus, it was worth the yelling.
But he hadn’t touched her in weeks.
She knew why, and she was ashamed. He wanted pups, and she was happy to give them to him. After all, she’d always dreamed of being a mother. But for some reason, her voluptuous body that looked perfect for bearing children seemed to be a dud. It wasn’t something she could argue either. If only she could show Marcus that it was as disappointing to her as it was to him.
Corinne brushed a tear from her cheek as she set the matches down on the table. The tiny flames seemed to blur. She checked her watch – two minutes!
Corinne rushed to the bathroom and checked the mirror for the fiftieth time. Marcus wouldn’t be happy about her blowing so much money on the designer dress, but he would appreciate the final look. Innocent, white, and flirty with tantalizingly sheer layers that billowed out as she moved, yet hugged her in all the right places. And she hadn’t worn anything beneath, anticipating it being ripped to shreds in seconds.
