The Howl and the Pussycat

by Ann Cory

  With only the newly risen moon to see by, she found herself running through a forest that stretched for miles. Old crippled trees surrounded her, looking like they would reach down and swoop her up into their gnarled clutches, a thought she quickly shook from her mind.

  “I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die,” she chanted to herself, trying to ignore her screaming calves and ankles. Not only was it murder to run in high heels, but her stockings scratched against her inner thighs. Talk about chaffing.

  She looked back again and saw the wolf still hot on her trail. God, why was it chasing her? Dumped, desperate and now some wild thing’s prey. Halloween didn’t used to be so dangerous. Her heart nearly beat right out of her chest, thundering loudly as she ran. How had it gotten inside her car in the first place? Did it crawl in when she first went into the costume shop? Someone’s cruel joke at her expense? Fucking Ted. It was all his fault…somehow…in a way that didn’t make any sense, but made her feel better to think.

  As she made it to a clearing in the woods, the rain let up, becoming a light mist. Just in time too, as up ahead she spotted a small cabin. Maybe her luck had changed? She tried to forget about all the scary movies she’d watched where a young woman runs into what looks like a deserted house, only to become dinner and a show for a band of nasty little men. Though, the other alternative, her limbs being torn apart by fangs and devoured, left much to be desired. One way or another she was screwed. And here she’d planned the night to be screwed for pleasure, not pain. Happy Halloween.

  Jacquelyn fought the pain in her calves and ran toward the cabin like a madwoman, jarring her ankle hard in the process. Nothing, not even the grueling pain, would make her stop until she made it safely inside.

  At the door, she stopped a moment to catch her breath and tried to peek in through the window. No lights were on. Should she knock? Waking an angry old man might not be a good idea. Out of good manners or stupidity, she didn’t know which, she knocked. A branch snapped behind her followed by another eerie howl. The sound vibrated and made her queasy. She didn’t dare look back.

  As her hand closed around the doorknob, something grabbed her from behind. She heard herself scream, high pitched and blood curdling. Her knees buckled. Instead of falling to the ground, she felt herself being picked up and propelled over something curiously solid. Whoever or whatever it was couldn’t be good. Finally, the delicious black shrouded her vision, and she let it take her.

  ***

  All attempts to soothe her fears were futile since she wouldn’t understand his wolf language. Baldric hadn’t at all expected her to be a human, but still, her scent was intoxicating. He had to have her. Needed to be with her tonight to make him feel whole. He couldn’t push away the fear of losing her all over again.

  To know she feared him didn’t help the situation. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t understand his words. Damn the differences in language. He’d have to change back into a human form, but he worried she would see and go into shock, if she hadn’t already. He’d hope for the best and wait until a better opportunity arose. For now, he needed to follow her trail and make sure she stayed safe.

  Baldric cursed himself as he ran. He shouldn’t have gone full speed the last few days, but he’d been propelled by anxiety and lust. His body ached from all the changes in terrain, and he felt clumsy as his paws slipped along the muddy earth. But he had little choice, finally picking up her scent after the many decades of searching. The others from his pack argued he’d lost her scent some time ago, and that he was chasing a dream. But he knew better.

  There was no mistaking it this time. The scent had never been stronger. At first glance, he saw she was a beautiful woman with a phenomenal body. He applauded her choice of clothing, and the way it left very little to the imagination. He certainly didn’t mind the view from behind as she ran, her curvy hips swinging as the short cape trailed behind her. Sleek, long legs disappeared into the night. Damn. He couldn’t wait to experience her. To feel her curves. To taste her. If only he could assure the woman no harm would come to her. If only he could tell her he’d come for her out of love, not violence. In his present form, she’d never believe him. When he changed he would speak to her and explain it all.

  As he went further into the forest, he picked up an array of scents. Damp earth, vegetation, fresh rabbit tracks, but through it all her scent remained strong, and overshadowed the others. His woman. His other half. Under any circumstances, she would be his.

  The rain was relentless and clung heavy to his fur. His paws slid into a thick puddle of mud and stopped him up a moment. When he glanced up, he thought he’d lost her. Panic stole over him briefly.

  Baldric picked up speed and breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted her standing in front of a cabin. He had a split second to decide what to do. She feared him as a wolf, so he needed to shift.

  He let out a howl as his bones stretched. Slowly he approached her from behind and slid his hands around her waist, nearly jumping out of his skin when she screamed. Her body relaxed as she fell against him.

  Baldric hoisted her up over his shoulder and tried the doorknob, hoping it would provide them with some shelter. The door slowly creaked open. With a quick check, he made sure they were alone, and gently set her down on the bed in the corner. Now came the tricky part.

  Chapter Two

  Jacquelyn blinked several times before her vision cleared. She took a sharp breath in and couldn’t help but smile at the handsome illusion before her. Some sort of to-die-for male angel. Translucent blue eyes, with lashes long and dark, gazed into hers. What a fantastic dream, or death. She cocked her head a little to the right and took in his entire face. Chiseled lines. Firm and masculine. Nice cheekbones. She focused on his strong chin and kill-her-softly full lips. If this was the result of death, then why had she feared it before? She moistened her lips and spoke.

  “Who are you?”

  His lop-sided grin made her head reel. “My name’s Baldric.”

  She tested out his unique name a couple times to herself, trying to ignore the way her body heated up after saying it. Then came the searing pain in her ankle, and she realized she might not be dead after all.

  Out of politeness, she introduced herself. “I’m Jacquelyn.”

  He cocked a considering brow. “It’s a beautiful name. Suits you well.”

  Flattered, she stretched her arms languorously above her head. “Are you real? Or are you a sexy figment of my imagination?”

  A smirk shaped his full, kissable lips. “Last time I checked I was real.”

  “So you aren’t an angel?”

  He smiled, but not in a condescending way. “No, I’m not.”

  She liked to watch his lips move. “I see.” Actually, she didn’t see, but thought it rude to argue.

  Jacquelyn gazed at her surroundings. A copper lantern above the door gave off considerable light. In the corner sat a rusted stove, a small cooler, a table and a couple of chairs. She wiggled her legs against the mattress she lay on and felt the pain again in her ankle. At least the bed was comfortable, the flannel sheets soft against her flesh. Speaking of flesh, she couldn’t help but notice the man moved around shirtless. Long, black hair framed his face and hung around his powerful shoulders. Droplets of water dripped from the ends of his hair and cascaded down his muscular chest.

  Afraid to eye him further down, she concentrated on his face. She couldn’t get over the lucidity of his eyes. Transparent, almost. His sensual gaze drew the moisture from between her thighs and she felt her inhibitions dissolve. The thought of tracing her nipples went through her mind. It didn’t make any sense, but right then she felt an overwhelming sense to do so. Maybe he hypnotized her. Maybe he drugged her. She turned her attention away from him and tried to pick a spot on the wall while she thought of more questions. Everything still seemed hazy.

  “Is this your cabin?”

  He pressed a damp cloth to her forehead and shook his head. “No, it’s n
ot.”

  Jacquelyn wondered if he’d found her somewhere and carried her to the cabin, her body draped erotically in his arms. “Were you the one who brought me here?”

  The silence before his answer was almost deafening. “No, I…followed you here.”

  Her breath hitched. Like a light had just been turned back on in her head, the haziness disappeared. What the hell was she doing making idle chitchat with this…this stranger? She took inventory of the current situation and knew it didn’t look too good from where she lay. Trapped. In a rundown cabin. With a man who could be a crazed lunatic. Not good at all.

  She grabbed the cloth out of his hands and scooted to a sitting position on the bed, looking toward the door.

  “If I got up right now, would you let me walk out of here?”

  He rested his hands on his hips, making the muscles ripple along his pecs. “No, I’m afraid not. I can’t let you leave.”

  Eyes narrowed, she fought the trembling of her lips. “Wh-why not?”

  He took a deep breath in, his chest strong, reminding her of armor. “Because I’ve waited thirty years to find you, and I’ll be damned if I let you go so soon.”

  Thirty years? Yep, confirmed, he was a crazed lunatic. She’d have to choose her words carefully. “Um, sir, I think you’ve got me mixed up with some other woman.”

  His mouth curved in a carnal smile. “No. I’m very sure of who you are, just as I’m sure of myself.”

  Typically, she’d think a man who spoke that way was arrogant, but his tone suggested otherwise. In fact, the low timbre of his voice helped belay an all-out panic. While he didn’t have her physically tied up, his predatory gaze held her fiercely. In a normal situation she’d throw herself at a man built like him, but this wasn’t a normal situation. She needed to stay strong. Show him she wasn’t a damsel in distress, and would fight him with everything she had.

  Against her better judgment, she glimpsed below his belt. He looked powerful beneath a pair of tight, black pants that hugged thick thighs. His belt managed to draw her attention to his cock. It looked hard and strong, just like the rest of him. Oh mercy, she couldn’t ignore the spasm low in her belly or the light moisture against the satin teddy. She felt her lips part, as if offering to take him in and suck him dry without question.

  He cleared his throat and she snapped out of the sexual reverie. Again, she busied herself with holes in the walls.

  “See something you like?”

  Jacquelyn didn’t know if he meant his cock or the wall. Only one would have an emphatic yes attached to it.

  “Not at all.”

  Humor wrinkled the corner of his spectacular eyes. “You want to pretend away your natural attraction to me, don’t you?”

  Brow raised, she studied his perfect nose. “Are you kidding? Where did you come up with that idea?”

  “The longing in your eyes. The way your body reacts to the sound of my voice. The scent you give off between your thighs. We have a connection.”

  She’d have to work on that scent thing. “You don’t even know me. We’re complete strangers. I’m sorry you think that I’m someone else, but I really should go now. Please don’t try and stop me.”

  Jacquelyn stood, her legs shaky from the heels, and nearly toppled over the minute she put weight on her right foot. The excruciating pain took her breath away. Instinctively she grabbed for the stranger’s arm and held on until she recovered her balance.

  “Easy, easy. I think it’s best you lie down and stay off that foot.”

  Jacquelyn eyed the door again, but realized her idea of a quick getaway would have to be put on hold.

  She gave the guy credit for acting like a gentleman. Nothing about his movements or words threatened her. Only his looks threatened to make her body melt into a puddle. The man exuded power, and against her better judgment, it excited her.

  Gently, he helped her back onto the bed and straightened the pillow behind her head. “Maybe I should have a look at that ankle?”

  She hesitated. If he touched her, she might like it. “No, I’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

  “Okay, if you say so. You’re wrong about being strangers, though. We have met before.”

  Damn the guy was adamant. How could she forget a man so devastatingly handsome with eyes that caressed her soul? She wouldn’t, not in a million years.

  Jacquelyn shook her head. “I’d remember someone like you.”

  He shrugged. “Not necessarily. There could be plenty of reasons why you don’t remember.”

  Heat flushed her cheeks. “Then tell me where we first met, and I’ll tell you if it was me.”

  He tapped his finger against his chin as she admired the size of his hands. Everything looked big on him. Her eyes lowered briefly. Yep, everything.

  His forehead creased. “I can’t place where, exactly. Too much time has passed. But I promise we’ve met. It’s why I’ve never given up searching for you.”

  She reached up and massaged her temples, trying to alleviate her bunched nerves.

  His expression quickly turned to concern. “Are you okay? Are you hurting?”

  Jacquelyn sighed. “No, I’m confused. Tonight hasn’t gone at all as planned. I was supposed to go to a party. There’s a wolf out there that chased me here, so even if I were to run away from you, I’m still a prime candidate for dog chow. And then I wake up in this cabin and you act like I should be grateful by throwing myself at your feet.”

  He delivered a penetrating gaze. “You already did that when you collapsed into my arms.”

  Perfect. Witty and good-looking. “Ah, so now you’re my hero, is that it? You’d like to collect your reward for rescuing me?”

  His voice turned serious. “No, I’m your mate. Your love is reward enough.”

  She nearly choked on her spit. “Before you start in on any kind of soul-mate speech, let me tell you right now that I don’t believe in that fated shi— Stuff. It implies things that I’ve already proven aren’t true. Once I thought I’d met my soul mate, and two days later the guy dumped me. I have an amazing record of picking the wrong men, and where signs are concerned, mine reads ‘closed’. So don’t start throwing around words like mate, life mate, soul mate or anything related to those. It’s not my style.”

  He lowered himself closer to her, his eyes stripping away layers of her vulnerability in the process. Muscles crested in his arms as he rested them on either side of her. Again, she watched his lips and how they moved.

  “You are mine and I’m used to getting what I want.”

  Jacquelyn narrowed her eyes, a smirk playing at her lips. Part of her liked the whole possessive thing, but part of her found it borderline barbaric. She enjoyed listening to his rich, baritone voice. He spoke like a master storyteller, his cadence rising and falling every few words. Maybe his soothing voice kept the underlying fear at bay. Well, that and his close proximity. For all his talk of her scent, he didn’t smell too bad himself. A natural scent, musk and outdoors. Danger and intrigue.

  To keep him on his toes, she threw him an impish response. “Maybe I’m used to getting my way, too.”

  A half-smile bowed his lips. “Then it’s settled. I’m all yours.”

  ***

  Baldric studied her. To know she was safe eased his mind, even if she did suffer a small injury. He’d protect her under any circumstances, even if it meant his death. If she knew how much stronger he’d be with her by his side, maybe she would trust him.

  Her eyes were deep and expressive. She was intelligent, a trait he greatly admired. Instead of playing a victim, she played a worthy adversary. Smart move. It made her all the sexier.

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “Sorry to disappoint or bruise your ego, mister, but I don’t want you.”

  Nothing in her tone sounded convincing.

  “Oh, you’ll change your mind.”

  Her lips puckered into a pout. Irresistible.

  The closer he got to her, the more difficult he found it to resist hi
s urges. She evoked a desire in him that he’d never known existed. He loved the way her damp, barely-there clothing stuck to her skin, cradling every curve. Outlining her nipples. Making his pulse race. He followed the length of her leg, encased in sultry red material. Eyed her delicate ankles. The one appeared slightly swollen.

  “Looks like you might have a sprain. If you let me take off your stocking, I can inspect it better.”

  Baldric went to reach for her ankle but she shooed his hand away.

  “No. I said I’ll be fine.”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. Stubborn, but positively adorable. “Do you realize that your words betray what the rest of you knows to be true?”

  She folded her arms, blocking his view of her nipples. “You’re a piece of work. Save it for some Amazon woman out there who at least understands what the hell you’re going on about.”

  “I am meant for you. It doesn’t matter which form I take, either, my attraction for you won’t change.”

  He saw the flicker in her eyes and knew he couldn’t put anything past her.

  “Any form you take? Care to explain?”

  Baldric looked away, hoping the right words would come to him. Sadly, they didn’t. The truth would have to suffice.

  “My ancestors have passed along a very rare bloodline of wolf. When I’m injured, I bleed both human and wolf blood.”

  She started to comment but then clamped her mouth shut and motioned for him to continue.

  “I’m the fifth generation to carry a human and wolf gene. It affects every part of me. My mind, my body and my spirit. I can’t hide from it or imagine it away. You might as well know right now that my being can change from wolf to man at will.”

  Her beautiful brown eyes sparked. “Wolf? You can actually turn into a wolf?”