Steven had jumped into the van and started the engine. Eleana stationed herself by the side door helping the terrified kids into the van. An older boy of eleven stopped and pointed at the playground. “Megan’s still back there!”
With silent horror Eleana looked back to see the little girl of five hiding behind the slide. The poor thing was frozen in place, watching the Dire Wolves ride ever closer. Oh my God! Time for the child had run out. Even if she were to bolt and make a run for the van now, she’d never cover the distance in time to escape.
“I’ve got to go back for her,” she called in to Steven.
“No, Eleana, don’t! Come around and drive the van, I’ll go,” he said.
“We don’t have time for that!” Eleana grabbed the crowbar and slid the side door closed. “Get the kids to safety and come back for me!”
The three Dire Wolves were bearing down on the van, their bikes churning the air around them with the loud, merciless hammering of their pistons. It was the sound Eleana never thought she’d live to hear: the sound of certain death.
Steven was still waiting for her to take the driver’s seat and Eleana knew he wouldn’t leave her unless he had to, so she was going to have to force his hand. Hoping she could get to the little girl before the wolves did, she took off running for the playground. She was tall for a woman, standing six foot even, and that gave her a distinct advantage. Faster than any average werewolf female, Eleana covered the distance with impressive speed.
As she predicted, her brother realized he had run out of time. He had a blood oath to get the pack’s children to safety and he simply didn’t have the luxury to stay behind and fight. Gunning the engine, Eleana glanced over her shoulder to watch him speed toward the three, hoping to take out at least one of them. But only a few yards from striking them, all three swerved smoothly to avoid him. It had been as effortless to them as avoiding a fallen tree.
Now she was alone.
Eleana reached the hysterical little girl and pulled her into a tight hug. Megan clutched at Eleana, digging her small fingers into flesh. “They’re coming! Please stop them! They’re coming!” she cried.
Eleana knelt down and looked Megan in the eye. “Listen to me, okay? I’m not going to let them hurt you. Do you understand me, Megan? I promise.”
The girl nodded but Eleana knew she didn’t believe a word of it. Eleana wasn’t even sure if she believed it herself. Even with the crowbar, she knew they were as good as dead. But she needed Megan to believe there was hope; she needed them both to believe it so they could face the danger tearing up the grass as it rode hard toward them. Eleana pulled the child behind her and tightened her grip on the tire iron.
At twelve feet from her the Dire Wolves slowed and cut their engines. The world around them filled with deafening silence. The first one to dismount was the biggest one: a dark-haired, grim-faced juggernaut with frosted blue eyes. His hair was just past the shoulders and so dark brown it was almost black. His thick mane was clean and shined with silken strands that complimented his long, smooth beard. The beard was dark and striking, with two small braids down each side both laced with shining locks of silver. The leader’s handsomeness was archaic, primitive, like the appeal of an ancient Viking king or Saxon knight. The only hint that he belonged in this time at all was that he was completely decked out in worn black leather.
The other two were equally tall and fierce but one was a Viking blond and the other dark and brooding like the big one. They stood a few paces back from their leader, their yellow eyes watching both Eleana and Megan with vile, unwholesome interest.
The leader marched toward her, his cold eyes dancing with wicked glee. There was every evil sin in that gait and Eleana was determined to keep him as far back from them as possible. This pig has us and he knows it. Steven will never get back in time with the others to help us. I’m definitely on my own.
“Stop!” Eleana shouted at the top of her voice. To her amazement, the leader slowed his advance, if only for a moment. His eyes narrowed to mean slits. “I mean it,” she repeated through clenched teeth. “Stop or I’ll cave in your skull!”
The leader stopped and stared at her. His nostrils flared taking in her scent. Those evil, cold eyes regarded her with clinical interest. Eleana’s heart was pounding so hard she thought it would jump right out of her throat.
“Your name?” he said. His baritone was harsh, commanding. He was obviously a dominant male who’d been in charge a long time and was used to being obeyed.
Well, you’ve met your match with this female. I have a brother and he taught me how to fight. She thought about attacking the leader first but then there was Megan to consider. No, it was best to do as little as possible to antagonize him. “My name is Eleana,” she said, still holding the crowbar ready to strike.
He smiled showing large upper and lower canines. “I am Gregor.”
“Leave us alone.”
“Eleana,” he said as if hearing the name from his own lips might make it more appealing. “What a big, brave girl you are. Why don’t you change and fight me?” The other two Dire Wolves laughed evilly.
“I can’t change,” she said. There was no need in hiding it. He had probably guessed the truth anyway.
“That means you haven’t come into your first season,” he said.
A deep shame burned her cheeks. Yes, I’m a freak. Okay? Do you feel better now that you know my secret? She decided to pretend she didn’t know what he meant. “I’ve had sex before. And as far as changing goes, I’m just a late bloomer.”
“You’ve had sex but you’ve never climaxed,” he countered.
Before she could argue the point, the minivan came back with Steven at the wheel. Its engine groaned in protest as the vehicle raced toward them. So intent was her brother to get to her fast that he drove up over the curb and onto the lawn, rocketing all the way to the playground gate. He stepped out with a Smith & Wesson .45 in hand that Eleana knew contained silver bullets. Five other pack males also exited the minivan and fell in close behind him.
The Dire Wolves knew when they were outmatched and retreated quickly to their bikes. The leader hesitated before starting his machine. “Good-bye, my brave Eleana. I hope we meet again.”
“No offense, Gregor,” she said, lowering the crowbar. “But I sure hope we don’t.”
Then in a primal roar of engines the Dire Wolf shifters were gone and the playground was once again a peaceful urban oasis.
Chapter 4
The second Eleana stepped out of the minivan in front of her house she was met with applause and cheers from everyone in her pack. The cul-de-sac she lived on with her brother was jam-packed with relatives, friends and neighbors, some of whom she’d never met before. It felt good but very overwhelming. Frankly she was just happy that she and Megan, who’d already been returned to her grateful, weeping mother, were still alive. Steven, knowing how frazzled she was from her close encounter, managed to appease the pack by telling them Eleana would meet and talk with them tomorrow. Right now, she just needed to get some rest.
She walked through the front door and was tackled into an embrace by her sister-in-law Pam. “Eleana, my God, are you alright? Everyone’s been so worried. No one can believe you faced down three Dire Wolf shifters armed only with a crowbar! You are so brave! And to think you can’t even shift. You must have been terrified.”
Pam didn’t mean to be cruel, she was just one of those people who always opened her mouth and said the wrong thing. Open mouth and insert foot, just like that. Eleana forced herself to smile. “I’m okay. And as far as me holding the Dire Wolves off, the truth is they just let me go. Megan and I got very lucky.”
“Did they talk to you?” Pam chattered excitedly. “What did they say?”
“Nothing much,” Eleana said, hoping her flat answers would put an end to the conversation. “The leader just asked me a bunch of stupid questions. I think his plan was to toy with me before he pounced. I’m sure he wasn’t figuring Steven would
return so fast with backup.”
Steven walked up looking strained and tense. Eleana guessed the whole ordeal had shaken her unflappable brother up more than she’d thought. “He asked you why you hadn’t shifted when they approached you, didn’t he?” her brother asked. He had just come out of the kitchen with a bologna sandwich in hand. His gaze studied her with a reserved caution. “He knows you haven’t come into your first season.”
Eleana shrugged. “He asked, so what? It doesn’t really matter anyway. I told him I wasn’t a virgin. Maybe he didn’t attack us right away because he didn’t consider me a threat.”
“Maybe,” Steven said. He took a few huge bites out of his sandwich.
There it was again, the big white elephant in the room no one wanted to talk about: her shifting problem, or rather lack thereof. An uncomfortable silence settled over everyone.
“I’m sure I’ll start shifting soon,” Eleana said awkwardly.
Pam and Steven exchanged a tense look and Eleana could read their thoughts right off their faces. No one takes thirty-two years to start shifting. You’re as good as human.
It was really hard to live in this pack because everyone, even the paperboy, knew everyone else’s business. Being in limbo between human and werewolf was torture to Eleana and everyone knew it. It was also the main reason she lived in this house with her brother and sister-in-law, because Steven, being the pack alpha, feared for her safety if she lived alone. It was no minor thing to be a human in a neighborhood full of werewolves.
Despite her brother’s assurances that everything would be okay and someday she’d shift, Eleana knew better. The fact that she couldn’t shift like everyone else pegged her as a pack outsider, a human. It limited her in every way. She’d even stopped going to the frequent lycanthropic ceremonies and festivals. Worse yet, she couldn’t go out for a walk most nights and she couldn’t find a mate, because none of the werewolf males wanted a female whom they considered to be frigid. Yeah, that was the word they’d used: frigid. Nice. So that left her living, at thirty-two, with relatives burdened with a problem that no one could solve.
Eleana hadn’t told her brother, but she’d been giving serious thought to moving to a human neighborhood and just giving up this life all together. “I’m a little tired,” she said. “I think I’ll go up to bed.”
“Eleana,” Pam said, taking a cautious step forward. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to…”
“Pam,” Steven growled with a slight shake of his head. “Not tonight. You heard her. She’s tired and had a jarring afternoon. Let her be so she can get some sleep.”
Pam hesitated then nodded. “Sure. Right. Good night then, honey. We’ll talk in the morning.”
Eleana searched her brother’s face but it was unreadable. “Yeah, let’s talk in the morning. Thanks for the rescue, Steven. Good night all.”
Chapter 5
The satisfying aroma of roasting beef filled the house making Gregor’s mouth water and distracted him from thoughts of the female they’d encountered this afternoon. Nick, his great-grandson, had always been an excellent cook so Gregor made sure to supply him with the finest cuts of meat he could acquire. His diligence was always rewarded with a tremendous feast of juicy, succulent meat and roasted vegetables. Of course all their meals were purchased from the local supermarket, despite the reputation he and his pack had of being werewolf eaters.
He shuddered at the thought.
Yes, it was true in the past they’d often killed werewolves, but that was due to battles over territory, not to devour them as many of the local werewolf packs believed. And now? Recently Gregor killed them out of pure revenge. But as the years rolled on he grew wearier of the fight.
The scent from the kitchen grew stronger, more tempting. Gregor got up from the couch and walked in. He leaned in the doorway running his fingers through his dark brown hair. Nick was speedily peeling potatoes and carrots to add to an already cooking dish. His long brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and he wore a dark orange apron with the logo from a local BBQ rib house embroidered on the front. Unlike Gregor, he had no facial hair.
“How long until dinner is ready?” Gregor asked.
Nick opened the oven and glanced inside. A ribbon of melting fat hissed as it struck the hot coils beneath the roasting pan and the perfume of meat grew stronger. Gregor’s stomach sounded an eager growl.
“About another half-hour,” Nick said. He closed the oven again and went back to work.
“Good. I’ll be right back,” Gregor said.
“Just out of curiosity,” Nick asked. “Where are you going?”
“I have a few things to work out.”
Nick stopped peeling and gave him a curious look. “You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” There was a hopeful note to his voice, one Gregor hadn’t heard in over two hundred years.
“Of course I am.”
“Do you think she’s Dire Wolf?” Nick asked, putting the carving knife down.
Gregor hated to get Nick’s hopes up. It had been a long time since Gregor had been in a pack with an alpha female. These young males, Nick and Boris, had never known that life, and Gregor could see how heavily it weighed on them. Without an alpha female all of them were not only emotionally lost but doomed to extinction.
“Eleana’s a tall girl and aggressive. She also hasn’t been truly mated. I don’t know. She could be Dire Wolf.” Gregor folded his arms across his chest. “But don’t get too excited, because even if she is, she may still refuse to leave her home pack to be with us.”
“We need her, Gregor,” Nick said. His tone was fragile, distant.
“I know Nick, I know. Perhaps if I can get some time alone with her, she will awaken. Don’t worry, son. I’ll do everything I can.”
* * * *
The breezy night wind flew past Gregor as he rode through the local neighborhoods, caressing his face and running its chilly fingers through his beard. Every time he came around a corner, he could see all the lights inside the homes go off. He couldn’t help it, it made him smile. It was as if the original big bad wolf had come to town and all the neighborhoods wanted to discourage this dangerous and unwanted visitor from stopping by. As if I would.
With each winding street and cul-de-sac he’d raise his head high, pulling the evening air into his nose, hoping beyond reason to catch a hint of Eleana’s beguiling scent. Then, just as he was about to give up and go home, he found her.
From an open window in a white two-story colonial, he found her scent. Like a magic carpet it brought with it memories of the decadent orgies he’d had when the females of his kind were as abundant as the werewolf bitches of today. A fire roared to life inside him, stroking the flames of a passion he hadn’t felt in thousands of years. Spotting an alley running along the back of the houses, Gregor rode to the rear of the house, turned off the engine and settled in to wait. If she was indeed of the blood of the ancient Dire Wolves, she should respond to his pheromones and come down to investigate. All he had to do was be patient and wait.
* * * *
Eleana started from sleep perspiring like a small pox victim. At first, her gaze darted around the room trying to remember where she was. Then she recognized a few items: a picture of her and some friends white water rafting; a plush toy she won at the spring fair; a black satin bra hanging over a chair—a gift from an old boyfriend who’d long since found someone less frigid to marry. The last memory caused her stomach to clench with a longing of what might have been.
Something profound in her world was suddenly different.
From her open window a gentle breeze danced with the lace curtain. The delicate white fabric flickered at her, beckoning her to come outside and play. Suddenly there were so many scents from outside she’d never really been aware of. The meadowy bouquet of freshly cut grass, the heady perfume of someone’s fastidiously tended rose garden, the delicate seduction of lavender and sage. There was another smell too, a hardy musk that awakened her sleepy mi
nd and bombarded her senses.
Could it be after all this time? Could she finally be coming into her first season? Just thinking the words made it seem all the more fantastic. She had to find the male giving off that wonderful mating scent.
Jumping from her bed, Eleana rushed around the room getting dressed. She found a clean but torn pair of jeans in her closet and threw on a plain white t-shirt without bothering to put on a bra. She didn’t bother with her shoes either. If things got wild tonight, she probably wouldn’t need a bra or her shoes.
Eleana crept down the stairs certain Steven, with his perfect wolf hearing was going to come out of his room at any moment, but he didn’t. Out on the front lawn in her bare feet, she took a big whiff and suppressed a giddy laugh. Finally, after all these years, I feel like the werewolf I am! Pure bliss rushed into her heart filling her with a new sense of power and purpose.
She had to find the source of that musk!
Cautiously, she padded out onto the cul-de-sac but everything looked quiet and tranquil, just as it did most nights. Clearing her mind, she closed her eyes and tried to let her instinct guide her. A charge of lust filled her so unexpectedly she gave a tiny gasp. Like a demon possessing her body, the instinct took hold, guiding her footsteps to the rear of the house and the alley beyond. Tiny gravel pebbles stabbed into her bare feet as if trying to warn her she was in danger. And just as a pleasant dream can turn abruptly into a nightmare, every step Eleana took closer to that alley filled her with a shocking sense of foreboding.
Then she spotted the source of the beguiling scent. Eleana stopped and put a hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t cry out in fright.
There before her, mounted on his large black motorcycle, was the man who only a few short hours ago was to be her murderer.
“Hello, Eleana,” he said in a voice as smooth as melted chocolate.
“You.” Ice froze her blood, stripping away all her enchanting awareness leaving her a shaken husk. She took a terrified step back. “This is a vicious trick. You bewitched me.”
Big Bad Wolf Page 2
