by W. J. May
“I’ll call you.” I turned to go but paused as a smile quirked my lips. “You’re not afraid, are you? To stay here alone?”
If looks could kill, I would have been dead three times over. “Ok, ok. Forget I asked.”
Arys launched into motion as I walked into the room. I gestured for him to join me as I approached the front door and let us out. I stopped at the bottom of the front steps. Nothing was amiss.
“There’s nobody here. I’ve been keeping tabs.” Arys pulled the door closed behind us with a soft click. “He made you cry. I can’t tell you what it took to keep from going in there, but I knew how pissed you’d be if I came riding to your rescue again.”
I took a few steps down the front walkway and turned back to look at him. My eyes must be red and puffy.
“How did you know?”
The vampire fixed me with a dark blue stare. The intensity that burned there sparked a fire low in my core, and my breath caught when he said, “I could feel it.”
His hand went to his still heart, but his eyes never left me. “Right here. I can’t even begin to tell you the last time that I felt anything that didn’t include blood, sex, or death.”
When he descended the last stair and stood before me, I didn’t shrink away. His soft kiss spoke to a side of me that Raoul had long ignored and Shaz just didn’t yet understand. Arys had lived brutality, as both a giver and a receiver, and so had I. I responded to him in full, and our power swirled around us in a dizzying embrace. I drank in his sweet taste and smell hungrily.
With great reluctance, I pulled away, all too aware of the spectacular view of us from Raoul’s big picture window. I really wanted to cast the world aside and enjoy the forbidden pleasures that joined me to this lovely, dark creature. The need to shift was a poignant ache in the pit of my stomach as I turned to lead the way to the Charger.
“So am I correct in assuming this hybrid is your Alpha’s offspring gone wrong?” Arys asked when we were in the quiet confines of the car.
I looked at him sharply. “You could hear us.”
“I’ve merely been putting the pieces together myself. That seemed to be the most logical assumption.”
“He’s completely adamant that nobody kill her unless it’s more than necessary. He’s carrying around a lot of guilt regarding her childhood.”
I started the car and headed for Lucy’s Lounge. I didn’t want to part ways with Arys at his house. I didn’t trust myself to say no to him tonight.
I really wanted to see Shaz. Tomorrow night was our official date, but at this rate, I could see it being postponed. I was a jumble of nerves, and I needed the quiet solace that I only found with my muzzle buried in Shaz’s thick, white fur.
“So, no hybrid fun for the vampire?”
I shot him a scowl, and Arys laughed. A pleasurable thrill tingled in places that simply should not respond so strongly to something so miniscule. Damn him.
“Keep your hands off of her. And, anything else that may come to mind, too. Seriously.” I narrowed my brow in my best no nonsense face. “Grab her if you see her, but don’t do anything but detain her. Capiche?”
“Relax, Alexa. I won’t bleed the half breed, promise.”
When people tell me to relax, it only serves to tick me off more, but I stifled a yawn and blinked through watery vision. I hadn’t been getting enough sleep. The digital clock on the dash read 2:17am, and I knew today would be another long one.
“It’s not you bleeding her that concerns me.”
I smiled upon noticing that the rain had stopped. I already knew how fresh and inviting the forest would smell after a warm summer shower. I wanted so badly to be there with Shaz.
Arys squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. “The heavy presence of your wolf is like a weight inside my head. You need to shift.” The way he said it was so casual, as if our fates were not inextricably entwined, as if his perception of my wolf were perfectly normal.
“I know. That’s my next move. I can’t focus on anything else until I clear my head with a run.”
“Why don’t you let me out at the 7/11?” He said suddenly. “You can go to your wolf pup, and I’ll do a little scouting around before I head home.”
I felt a little strange that he could sense my intentions so clearly.
Before I could form a response, he continued with a grimace. “My fingers are itching. Get your ass out of that skin and turn furry before I lose my mind. I swear I’ll keep a better rein on the bloodlust from now on.”
Sharing our power was hard, but sharing our weaknesses was a new kind of hell.
“If you kill that puppy you just got for Mrs. Olson, I will personally kick your ass.” I teased. The 7/11 was right on the corner up ahead, near the main thoroughfare.
“Oh God, Alexa, don’t even joke about that. Did you see how damn cute he was?”
I chuckled and shook my head at the big, bad vampire who melted over puppies. “What I did see was that poor old Mrs. Olson didn’t have a clue that you tore the head off of her little Benny,” I tsked, and Arys gave my thigh a playful pinch that had some sting to it.
“Up here is fine.” He pointed to a crosswalk a good block or so before the twenty-four hour convenience store. The crosswalk was flanked by nothing but the darkness and only led to the Brown Street walking path, a ten minute walk from where I’d killed David. I was suddenly stricken with anxiety.
I pulled over. My heart began to pound as I stared out the window into the dark. My chest tightened, and my breath seemed to come short. Somebody had to have found the grisly remains of David by now.
Arys leaned over and drew me close. With a soft kiss at my temple, he whispered, “I took care of it. Nobody’s going to find a thing.”
I had to pull back to look at him. The lights of an approaching vehicle flashed in the rear view mirror, and I flipped my hazard lights on so they would go around.
“You did what?”
“I took care of it,” he repeated as I stared at him stupidly. “There is nothing left to be found. It’s your dirty little secret.”
I swallowed hard as my pulse raced. Did I want to ask what he’d done with the remains? The images of what I’d done to that man flashed again in my mind, images that could never be erased. It hadn’t been pretty.
“I can’t believe you did that.” A long, shuddery breath left me, and I felt both relief and shame. “I can’t believe his girlfriend didn’t send somebody to find him.” My laugh bordered on neurotic.
“You know I’ve got your back.” Arys looked at me gravely, all serious. “It was partly my fault that you lost control. We can only maintain control of this by keeping our hungers sated.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“You’ve been fine since I took blood. Me? I’m starting to itch on the inside. The burning comes next. You need to let the beast out.” He gave my hand a squeeze before adding, with a fang flashing smile, “By the way, you owe me two hundred bucks for half of Mrs. Olson’s puppy.”
I gaped, open-mouthed, at him, and he took advantage of the moment. He pressed his lips hungrily to mine. The distinct taste of pine and wolf almost made my heart stop.
When he pulled back, I said breathlessly, “You taste like wolf.”
With a bitter smile and a pained expression, he nodded. “Hurry. I’ll see you soon.”
He disappeared like vapor into the night, a timely and dramatic exit, and I was flabbergasted by his strange and intoxicating devotion. I wasn’t quite sure what Arys was up to, but I trusted him. And, I sincerely hoped that he would never make a fool of me for doing so.
I turned off the hazard lights and eased down the street. I whipped a U-turn at the 7/11 and went back the way that I’d come. I drove straight to the lounge.
Lucy’s brimmed with people despite the line of patrons that ambled out, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Though the bar was now closed for drinks, many people continued to down their last, content to stay until closing. They finished that last gam
e of pool or sought a potential bed partner before closing time.
Shaz’s platinum hair caught my eye amid a cluster of women who sought his attention. This was a regular occurrence on cheap drink night. These women looked forward to hitting on the bartender all week. As I drew near him, my wolf fought to break free of my restraint. Over the toxic combination of cologne, perfume and alcohol, I honed in on Shaz’s scent and energy. If my wolf had been a separate entity, she would have run ahead to knock Shaz to the ground and shower him with wet wolf kisses.
He felt me, too, and broke away from his adoring fans to come to me, grateful for the escape. No fear or disgust showed in his beautiful jade eyes, even though I expected it. Guilt washed over me in a crashing wave. He knew what I’d done in the shadows of the walking path, and his feelings for me remained. I did not deserve this.
“Lex! My lovely wolf queen.” His grin tickled me right to the bottom of my feet, and I reached for him but stopped short. “How are you doing tonight? Better, I hope.”
Every woman turned to see the intruder that so easily captured the attention of their bartender. I flashed them a fake smile before dismissing them completely.
“I’m fine, Shaz, but boy, do I have a story for you.” I tucked a stray chunk of dyed gold hair behind my ear and cast a glance around the bar. I stayed on full alert. Zoey could be anywhere. “Are you up for a run? I really need to unwind. And then, I can fill you in on everything. I just came from Raoul’s. It’s not good.”
He searched my eyes briefly and then nodded. “I’d love to go for a run. Just give me a minute to finish up here and grab my things.”
He gave my arm a gentle squeeze before disappearing behind the bar. On his way back, he was intercepted by a large, older lady. Though I couldn’t hear their exchange, the look on Shaz’s face spoke volumes. The lady produced a card from between her heaving breasts and pressed it into his hand, and I couldn’t hide my laughter. She blew him a kiss and sauntered away, while he looked on, dumbfounded.
“That was strange.” Shaz said as he rejoined me. He fished in his jacket pocket for car keys. He really had no idea how good he looked in that leather jacket and blue jeans. He could pass for art. “She told me to call her if and when I’m looking for a sugar mama.”
“Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow in question and smiled. “Sounds like somebody’s moving up in the world. When’s your first date?”
“Ha ha, funny.” He rolled his eyes, but I caught his sudden blush. “So, I’ll just meet you at your place?”
“Yeah. I’m going straight to the backyard. I’ll meet you there.”
I turned toward the exit, and I could have sworn I heard Shaz say, “Right behind you, sweet thing,” but when I turned back to him, he just winked.
Chapter Seventeen
I needed the release of that run. When I ditched my clothing in the backyard and dropped to all fours, the shift had never felt so right. I wondered if Arys shared my relief as my body reformed itself into an ashen wolf. I felt the gentlest touch on my mind, and for just a moment, I heard the vampire’s soothing laughter.
As Shaz and I raced through the trees, the magical scent of fresh rain swept me away. We rolled amid the wet leaves and moss. I felt a greater joy than any human experience. In this form, I felt my connection to nature so much stronger. Rich soil streaked my fur and filled my nostrils with fertility, while my sixth sense reveled in powerful earth energy. Nothing competes with what I feel as wolf.
We ran. We chased each other and wrestled amidst the underbrush. We lifted our voices to the sky, howled together in a crescendo of harmony that haunted my rapidly shrinking human side. Miles away, a farm dog took up the howl in acknowledgement of our mighty declaration.
Dawn streaked Shaz’s white fur with a colorful glow as he ran ahead. I loped along behind him and watched as he gave chase to two ravens that dared to settle too close to his path. We had run so far out of town that we needed the better part of an hour to trot back to the field behind my house. A brilliant golden glow crept over the town with the promise of another hot summer day.
I wondered if Arys could sense the magnificence of the sunrise, which he would never again experience himself. His presence returned, heavy in my mind. He’d been there before my change to wolf. Our connection crossed physical limitations. I felt I could call out to him, and he would hear me.
As we crossed the field to my house, I felt eyes on me, not from my house or even my street but from the street that ran perpendicular to mine. Shaz’s startled expression indicated that he felt it, too. A scan of every backyard on that street showed nothing. We were a good distance off though.
I stopped where I was. I just stared in the direction of our watcher. I could feel Zoey. No way in hell was I going to lead her to my house if she didn’t already know where it was. Unfortunately, five in the morning was not a good time to give chase through the streets of Stony Plain. I maintained my stare across the field, until I felt her go.
Why she was following me? I didn’t know, but if for one minute she thought that she was going to take me out for stealing Raoul’s warped affections from her, she had another thing coming. Of course, my nagging human side pitied her. The sight of Shaz and I together as wolf must hurt her more than I would ever know.
Shaz’s furry eyebrows raised in question, and I nuzzled him briefly before breaking into a run. I wasn’t too keen on having the neighbors witness our approach in the early morning light.
Within half an hour, we both lay sprawled across my bed, sipping coffee and watching the morning news. I’d slipped into a plain black tank top and wrapped my favorite silky leopard print robe around me. I thought of Jez every time I put it on. Shaz reclined beside me clad in just his blue jeans. His slender body was well muscled and firm, inviting me to touch.
“Now, let me get this straight,” he said in between mouthfuls of refreshing java. “Raoul’s estranged half-breed daughter is running amok, murdering his lovers out of jealousy. He expects your help but refuses to believe she’s too far gone to ever come back.”
I picked a fluff off my fuzzy bedspread and watched it float down to the grey carpet. “Yeah, that more or less sums it up.”
“I wonder why she was watching us,” he mused, staring thoughtfully into his cup. “She’s a complete idiot if she’s jealous of you.”
“Thanks for that.” I sneered sarcastically as I punched him in the arm.
“No, I mean that you and Raoul can barely stand each other. It’s not like he’s pouring a whole lot of love on you.”
“True. Who knows what’s left of her mind now? I’d just as soon not be involved in this mess. But, she killed Belle, so now it’s personal.” My grip began to tighten on my coffee mug. I took a sip and frowned when it burnt my tongue.
“I can’t believe she’s gone. It doesn’t seem real.” Shaz’s voice grew soft.
I tried to hide my disgust. Belle had been a lady that every male werewolf in this town had gotten to know very well at some point. Shaz was no exception.
“Yeah, well, it looked pretty real to me.” I pictured the bright red splatters in her bleached blonde hair and grimaced. I don’t care how rotten your existence is, serial killing isn’t the answer.
Who are you to talk? A little voice taunted me. You murdered David in cold blood. And it wasn’t even personal. So what’s your excuse? Getting your kicks from sating your vampire lover’s borrowed lust?
I shuddered, and Shaz asked if I was cold. I shook my head and said, “I don’t think we can make our date tonight. We have to find this crazy chick. Can we reschedule?”
He beamed a grin that set a butterfly to flutter in my stomach and reached for my hand. “No problem. Let me know what you want me to do. I’m at your service.”
“You’re too good to me.” I felt silly, but the words were out. Before he could reply, the news lady began to talk about the missing man from Stony Plain.
We both sat up straighter, instantly alert. The police currently ha
d no leads or clues. The man’s girlfriend had told police that she’d parted ways with him earlier in the evening, that they had each taken the path that led to their respective homes. Anyone with information was asked to call local authorities.
“Holy shit.” My heart raced a mile a minute, and I had to take a deep breath. “She didn’t tell the cops anything. That is so fucked up. She knows damn well something got him, and she’s not talking.”
“Maybe she’s afraid you’ll come and eat her, too,” Shaz laughed, and I gave him a look. “Sorry. Still too fresh, huh?”
Fatigue began to set in as the night’s events caught up with me. I emptied my mug and set it on the night table, and then I got comfy on the bed beside Shaz. His scent was easily among my favorites, and it lulled me quickly.
I remembered the days when we would fall asleep together after a run, entangled in one another’s naked limbs. Thinking back on it, I couldn’t quite recall when or how it had come to an end.
“If you’re ready to get into bed, I can head home. I probably should anyway.” He made as if to rise, and I stopped him with a firm hand flat on his bare chest.
“No, you don’t have to. I want you to stay.” That came out a little more forward than I’d intended. “I mean, you’re tired, too. Why don’t you crash here? Like you used to.”
He looked at me so long and hard that I began to regret my choice of words. I was getting ready to back track, but my tongue turned heavy and hard to manipulate.
“I’m not trying to suggest anything … I just need you here.”
I was feeling successfully foolish and more than a little vulnerable. I hadn’t really meant to blurt out that last part.
Instead of responding and adding to my moment of awkwardness, he simply got comfortable beside me. He pulled my silky black sheet over us and drew me against him so that my back pressed against his chest. The comfort was so surreal that I made a point of taking note of every sensation.
