Six Times a Charm

by Deanna Chase

  “Hey,” he said as I trudged by, “why you look so glum? Things can’t be all that bad.”

  “Hi.” I felt a little leery talking to strangers after my awful ordeal.

  “Looks like man troubles.” Why did everyone assume I had man troubles? Did I have a sign on my forehead? Although, he was right, my problem was man troubles—and the fact I was hungry. I stopped walking for a second to enjoy the smell wafting from the restaurant’s kitchen. I inhaled the rich aroma of steak, mixed with veggies and cheeses. Oh, I really was starving.

  “Looks as if you’ve had a rough night,” he said. Wonder if it was it the matted fur that gave it away or my stinky smell?

  “It has been a long night. I’m just hanging out waiting for the sun to come out so I can go home.”

  “Someone doesn’t know you’re a werewolf,” he stated. Was he psychic or what?

  I nodded. “Yeah, I usually lock myself in the bedroom on full moon nights. I don’t like to get involved in the crazy antics on evenings like these.”

  “It’s not all bad. You just have to watch where you go. Say, are you hungry? You look hungry,” he said.

  My stomach rumbled when he mentioned food. I didn’t have money, though, which really sucked. I wished I had one of those ugly fanny packs to carry around my waist.

  I shook my head and said, “Yeah, but I didn’t exactly bring my purse along, no money.” I held my paws out to show him they were empty.

  “I’m the chef here…well, on nights that I’m not a werewolf. Too much hair to cook tonight.” He chuckled. “They don’t make full body hairnets.”

  I laughed. I’d never thought of that. “I guess not.”

  “I can get the chef on duty to whip something up for you. My treat.” He gave me a lopsided smile.

  “I wouldn’t feel right doing that.” I shifted my paws. I really was hungry, but my pride stood in the way.

  “Why not? Can’t a guy do a good deed once in a while?” For a split second I wondered why he was being so nice to me, and then I remembered there were still a few nice werewolves in the world.

  “I guess so. Please don’t go to any trouble, though. Just a little something will be fine.” He didn’t need to twist my arm much to get me to say yes. My mouth salivated thinking about it, and my pride vanished.

  “I think the special of the evening was roast beef with a side of vegetables. Would that work for you?” he offered with a smile.

  Anything would work for me. At any moment, my stomach would eat itself. “That would be great,” I said.

  “Have a seat on the step here. I’ll tell him.” He jumped up and poked his head in the back screen door.

  As he spoke with the man in the kitchen, I took a spot on the steps and waited. After a couple of minutes, he returned with a wonderful-smelling plate of food. A heaping helping too. I could hardly wait to sink my teeth in.

  “Here you go. I hope you like peas and carrots.” He handed me the plate and fork as he sat beside me on the step.

  “Thank you so much. I really was starving.” I awkwardly took the plate.

  “I could tell. Your nose twitched like crazy as you walked by.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks. “Oh gosh, that is embarrassing. I don’t hide things very well.”

  He laughed. His hazel eyes twinkled when he smiled. “Don’t worry about it. It happens to all of us. Every time I get near chocolate cake my sniffer goes nuts. My name is Dave Fuentes, by the way.”

  “I’m Rylie Cruz. It’s nice to meet you, Dave.” I stuck out my paw and he padded mine with his. It’s kind of hard to shake hands with paws. Likewise eat with the fork. Hard to hold it with no thumbs. I’m sure Dave forgot when he handed it to me. How he held it, I had no idea.

  As I took my paws and munched on the beef, Dave began chatting away. Everything from the weather, his job to ex-girlfriend, a no-good werecat—his words, not mine. He was a chatterbox.

  I cut in, trying to add to the one-sided conversation. I didn’t want to appear rude. “So how long have you been working here?”

  “About two years. I came here from Mississippi.”

  “That’s cool. Do you have family here?” I asked, wiping my muzzle with my paw.

  A sad look drifted across his face. “No.”

  I didn’t ask for further details. By the expression on his face, I knew it wasn’t something he cared to discuss.

  “What do you do for a living, Rylie?”

  “I own Get a Mate dating service,” I mumbled between bites of food. He probably thought I hadn’t eaten in days. Running burns a ton of calories.

  “Really. Oh. My. God. Can you fix me up? The last girl I went out with was such a drama queen.”

  “Oh no, that’s not good. I’m sick of drama.” I laughed with my mouth full of food. “I can fix you up, no problem. Give me a call in a couple of days.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “I’ll find the perfect girl for you.” I stuffed the last bite of food in my mouth. “I can’t thank you enough for the food. I’ll repay you for your hospitality. I’ll find you the best date ever, and I’ll even pay for the two of you to have dinner. As long as it’s any restaurant other than this one.” I inclined my head toward the building. “You need a break from this place. I mean, for heaven’s sake, you’re sitting here tonight even when you don’t have to.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Oh, but I want to. You were so kind to give me the food. It was delicious, by the way. Please give my approval to the chef. You’re a nice guy. You didn’t have to help me, but you did. Now, take my offer.”

  “All right, if you insist.”

  “I do.” I giggled.

  “And I’ll make sure and give the chef your message. But my cooking is better, by the way.” He winked.

  “I’d better get going.” I glanced at the clock visible in the kitchen behind us. “It’s after one. I’m going to make my way back to the office and hang out there until daybreak. I’ll just hide somewhere. My neighbors have a nice dark patio with a comfy-looking lounge chair.”

  “Are you sure you’ll be all right? You’re welcome to hang out here with me.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m a pretty tough cookie when I have to be. I really need to get some sleep. And like I said, I’ll find you the most awesome date you’ve ever had.”

  After the recent mess, I probably shouldn’t have been so confident, but he seemed like such a nice guy, he deserved a great woman.

  “I’ll talk to you soon?”

  “Yes, you will.” He nodded. “And take care, Rylie. Be safe.”

  “I will.” I waved my paw as I ambled off.

  This time I stayed on the back streets and alleys to avoid the stares from humans. They were always shocked at my size, since they thought I was a dog. A couple of werewolves approached me from the opposite direction. If they attacked me, I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to fight them after everything else I’d been through. Their eyes focused on me and I tried to move as far to the other side of the alley as I could. I tried to avoid eye contact. But despite not wanting to acknowledge them, sheer habit made me look over at them.

  “Hola, mamasita.” The fawn-colored werewolf licked his lips.

  “Looking good tonight.” Both of them leered at me.

  Was he kidding me? I was dirty and all hairy. How could he even know what I looked like when in human form? I tried to give them the one finger salute, but it didn’t quite work as well with a paw. Luckily, they passed me by and didn’t harass me any further.

  After passing a handful of wild folks, I finally made my way back to the neighbors’ place. I knew they were out of town. I’d rest on their patio until morning, and then I’d be safe to head back inside, I hoped. I needed time to rest and think about what I was going to say to Jack, anyway. I slipped into the courtyard and crawled onto the lounge chair. The cushion felt so good to my aching muscles. I stared up at the stars and wondered if I’d be able to fall asleep outside withou
t a blanket or even a sheet to curl up under. I’d never been much for roughing it. I was definitely getting back to nature tonight. I shut my eyelids and drifted off.

  ***

  “Hey there, sexy. Looking good. Yay, mama.”

  The next thing I knew, I was roused from sleep by someone yelling at me. It was Creepy

  Neighbor, Phil.

  What the hell? Why was he talking to me like that? Oh. My. God. I forgot I was nude. He was ogling me. I covered my chest with my arms and jumped up from the lounger where I’d fallen asleep.

  “Stop staring at me, you pervert. I’m going to come up there and gouge your eyes out.” Not being a morning person, I didn’t allow him any leeway in his behavior. I scanned the area and spotted a newspaper on the ground, so I held the pages in front of me.

  “Leave my man alone, you bitch. Isn’t it enough you ruined my last relationship? I want you to stay out of this one. If I have to, I’ll make you.”

  “Lily? What are you doing up there?” Lily stood, hands on her hips, perched on the balcony with scumbag Phil. Color me befuddled.

  She laced her arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. “We’re a couple now. I don’t need your help finding a mate. I have one. You are the worst matchmaker who ever walked the face of the earth.” She glowered at me.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. I opened my mouth to respond, but I didn’t know what to say.

  Actually, though, now that I thought about it, they were a match made in heaven. I missed my match-up calling with those two. I was slipping in my work—my fear was true.

  “And stay away from my Philly Bear,” Lily declared.

  All right, I was officially in the Twilight Zone.

  “Don’t worry, honey, I don’t want your man. I don’t intend to try and fix you up with anyone else, either.” I yelled, forgetting the neighborhood might hear me and I stood in my birthday suit.

  “Then why are you standing there with nothing but newspaper covering you, letting him ogle you?”

  Ugh. I couldn’t stand her. She irritated me more than fingernails on a chalkboard.

  Not saying another word to Lily, I slipped through the wrought-iron gate and into my courtyard while Lily pulled her new man away out of view. The main problem I had was: how was I going to get back into my office? The window wasn’t terribly high, I could pull a chair up next to it, but considering Jack, Jennifer and other various authorities were in my office last night, they had probably locked the window upon their departure. There was no way I could walk around to the front of the street and go through the main door, not newspaper as clothing. I

  dragged the chair over under the window and stepped up. It was so embarrassing to not have a stitch on while doing this. I stood up and prayed no one watched me. Thankfully, it was early and people were still sleeping. I wondered where Jack and Jennifer were. Out looking for me? Maybe they were waiting for me in my office? Or even worse, the police were there waiting with them. I seriously didn’t want to be cuffed and arrested.

  With every ounce of my upper body strength, I heaved the window open. Thank God, they hadn’t thought to lock it. I hoisted myself up into the window, my ass sticking up for the entire world to see. Moon over New Orleans, talk about a full moon. Another whistle glided across from Phil’s apartment. It made my stomach turn to know he saw me without my clothes, but nothing could be done. I wasn’t sure why I had been so stupid that I didn’t leave the clothing outside. Although Jack and the police would probably have found the stash.

  I shimmied the rest of the way through my office and landed on the floor with a thud. I jumped up, made a dive for the cabinet and pulled my clothes out from the bottom drawer. Thank God, my belongings were still there. Never in all my life was I happier to see my clothes. I slipped into my skirt and yanked the top over my head, then eased across the office floor, tiptoeing so as not to alert anyone of my presence. I poked my head out the door and gazed up the narrow staircase. Not a soul was out there, and I couldn’t tell if the voices I heard were coming from Jack’s or my apartment. More than likely, I figured, Jennifer and Jack were chatting again. Padding along the hardwood in my bare feet, I climbed the stairs. Soft whispers floated down from upstairs. My heart raced—it was now or never. I looked like hell, and it would only get worse.

  Chapter 21

  How to Date a Werewolf Rule # 21:

  Follow rules 1 through 20 and you can’t go wrong. Almost.

  When I reached the top of the stairs, my question was answered. The voices came from my apartment. I paused to listen. They were clearer now.

  “We have to find her, Jack. I’m worried about her safety. Where could she be?” Jennifer’s voice was edged with alarm.

  “I think she’ll come back soon.”

  Jack. The two of them were ganging up on me once again.

  “I tried her parents’ house but didn’t get an answer. I wonder if she’s somewhere with them?” She sure did love to rat me out to my parents. “I even tried to call her brother and didn’t get an answer there, either.” I seriously needed to delete the contact info in her phone.

  “Maybe. If not, where else could she be? She has to come back sooner or later. You said she left her purse, so I’m assuming she has no money. It’s hard to get around the city with no cash.”

  “I wish the police could do more,” Jennifer said.

  “Considering she wasn’t kidnapped, all we can do is wait for her to come back.”

  “What if she doesn’t come back?” At least Jennifer did seem somewhat upset by my absence.

  “She’ll be back, Jennifer. Try not to worry.” How could he be so sure? Maybe I’d been kidnapped or murdered. He didn’t know.

  “What do we do when she returns?” Jennifer sounded on the verge of tears.

  “Try and convince her to get help.”

  Just hearing the words made my blood boil. My blood pressure spiked, and at that moment I had no idea what came over me. I couldn’t control myself. Usually I could hold back my temper with my nifty breathing techniques. Tiny gasps of air weren’t cutting it this time. My eyes were changing, fur was sprouting. The tingling sensation crawled up my back. My thoughts moved so quickly they seemed to be stumbling over each other. In that instant, I decided to do

  something that I wasn’t sure if I would regret or not. I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but I did it anyway. No amount of force could keep my impulse under control. Pushing forward, I burst through the door with determination. The stunned looks on their faces were priceless. I knew I looked the worse for wear and I didn’t care.

  “Rylie, are you all right?” Jennifer squealed. Her eyes appeared as if they might pop out of their sockets.

  “No. I’m not all right. I’m sick of listening to the two of you plan my trip to the funny farm,” I said with a steady voice. I felt the blood pounding through my body.

  “We weren’t—”

  “Stop, Jennifer. I’ve heard the two of you discussing my illness, and don’t try to pretend you weren’t. I can’t handle it anymore. I spent last night roaming the streets because of you two.”

  Jack didn’t say a word. He stood motionless. Without a doubt, his feelings for me were squelched.

  Jennifer’s eyes grew even wider as she stared at me. “You…you’re…you’re growing fur.” She stuttered in freaked-out-ed-ness. Her face blanched, I assumed from the shock of seeing my transformation.

  “No shit. I told you I was a werewolf. That’s what happens when someone is a werewolf. They grow hair and fangs.” I straightened my back and stood up tall.

  She shivered slightly. I knew when she saw me it would freak her out, but she left me no choice. I’d hidden it for years, but I couldn’t do it any longer.

  “Your face has hair. Seriously, no wonder you carry those razors around.” Jennifer had never been subtle. “Your eyes have this creepy color glow to them. And your teeth are all pointy. I have to tell you, Rylie, it’s not a good look for you.”

&
nbsp; I ignored her and directed my next statement to Jack. “By the way, Martin sent the bullets to us, not me. He’s the one who destroyed my office. He confessed to me last night. He told me what he said to you.”

  Jack remained quiet. Instead, he continued to stare at me, I guess in disbelief. Torment twisted his features. Then without uttering a word, he walked past me and left the apartment. It hurt to see him go, I couldn’t lie. But what I did was necessary. Once and for all, he saw I wasn’t crazy and what I said was the truth. I rubbed my face, trying to ease my stress.

  “Um. Can I get something for you? A washcloth? A glass of water? A razor perhaps?” Jennifer stared at me in astonishment. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of me. She followed my every move.

  With the adrenaline fading, my hair began to fade, my fangs and claws too. It surprised me at how fast it faded this time. I felt an unusual calm and relief wash over me.

  “They just go away, huh?”

  “Yeah, as soon as I calm down. Except for last night, of course, during the full moon. Then there’s nothing I can do. I just let nature take over. Surprisingly, I’m actually feeling calm. I mean, I feel relieved. Although now, of course, Jack knows about the little paranormal secret, and losing him makes me incredibly sad.” My heart sank a little just saying the words aloud. “There was no way around it, unless I left the country. I like my life, in spite of this little thing that happens. I don’t want to leave. This is my home. We’ll just have to make the best of things. Jack lives right next door, and I can’t avoid him forever. Although this thing with Lily has all but ruined Get a Mate. How will I pay my parents back? Or pay rent here? How will I live?”

  “Calm down. We’ll think of something. Do you think it’s really over between you and Jack?”

  “Probably. I mean, I’m a werewolf and I’m cursed.” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “I’m sorry. I sorry I didn’t believe you. I let his psychobabble influence me.”