“Wade told me what he had you do. Finding their blueprints of their territory has been very helpful.”
I’d forgotten I never told Adam what he wanted to know. I was so worried over his news that mine slipped my notice.
“We ready?” Elle said, coming to stand by me.
I glanced up at Adam and then at the leaders as they strategized. All of it was out of my control and I hated it. I hated not knowing what would happen.
With a deep breath I said, “I’m ready.”
“Adam’s a tough cookie, he’ll be fine,” Elle said.
I’d been staring out the window for twenty minutes, too zoned out to hear half of what she said. Elle didn’t share my disappointment with missing the fight. She talked about what stores she wanted to go into.
“Anna, are you even listening?”
I looked over at my optimistic friend, my eyes swollen from the tears that hadn’t stopped since I got in the car and watched Adam disappear in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, shopping…fun fun!” My mock enthusiasm got me a nasty look from Elle.
“No, I said your phone beeped.”
I opened my purse and rummaged through gum wrappers, pens, and all the other junk that shouldn’t have been there to find my phone. Pressing the ON button, the LCD screen lit up and read: 1 new message.
If you want to save Chelsea, meet me at Crazy Woman Canyon.
Come alone or she becomes wolfy chow.
“What’s wrong? Who’s it from?” Elle asked panicky.
I stared at the screen, rereading the message three times. I didn’t recognize the number, but I didn’t have to. It was from either Eve or Anthony.
“We have to turn around,” I told Elle, dread overthrowing any logical thoughts.
“What? What for? Who was it from?”
In that moment I was angry with my friend: angry that I had to waste the time explaining and angry that she kept driving when she needed to head back to Buffalo. Taking a moment to rein in my anger, I said, “They’ve got my friend Chelsea. I saw her at Wal-Mart when Wade was doing his experiment to build up my tolerance to humans. They must have had spies watching us.”
Elle pulled onto the shoulder of the road instead of trying to talk me out of rescuing my friend. “Eve has her? What did she say?”
I handed the phone to Elle and she grimaced. “Call Adam. He’ll send someone to get her.”
“Did you not read the part about ‘coming alone’?”
“That’s bad guy 101. Of course they want you to come alone. The mistake people make in the movies is listening.”
“This isn’t a movie, Elle!”
Elle held up a finger in the universal sign to “hold on” while she punched a number into her cell phone. Elle relayed the message to whoever was on the other end. She’d just sealed the coffin for Chelsea. The only hope I had at saving her was if I got there before the cavalry. Elle looked out the window, too focused on her conversation to watch what I was doing. Curling my fingers around the door handle, I pushed it open and leaped out. Elle cursed, but I didn’t stop. I took off in a sprint, calling my wolf forward. My skin prickled and my muscles stretched as she took over. One minute I was running on two legs and then I was on four. Normal wolves can run up to 45mph. Werewolves can run at least 65mph. In this form, it’d take me about twenty minutes to reach Crazy Woman Canyon.
My claws dug into the asphalt as I fled as far away from Elle’s car as my legs would carry me. I pushed my wolf hard, urging her faster, ignoring the car honking behind me. I knew it was Elle, and there was no way she was going to talk me out of what I had to do. Adam’s orders be damned.
*
There were many legends about how Crazy Woman Canyon got its name. The one I heard was of an Indian woman who’d been left behind after her village was pillaged. Driven to insanity, she lived out her life alone in the canyon. The setting was fitting—Eve was one crazy woman.
Mountains rose up from the earth on either side of the dirt road. A roaring creek traveled through the rocky place, echoing against the large boulders that’d fallen against the road. It used to be my favorite area. I’d gone there countless times to hike and jog, but the day Eve attacked me ruined its beauty. It would not be Chelsea’s final resting place.
I padded up the road with caution. She didn’t tell me where to meet her, and she wouldn’t be waiting in the middle of the street. Eve liked theatrics. I didn’t see any of our wolves present, and I didn’t hear any type of fighting which meant they weren’t here yet. The road got steeper the longer I traveled it. Thunder rumbled in the distance, the night darker with the clouds blocking out the stars and moon. It was like the weather mimicked my mood—angry and ready to let loose.
A branch snapped five feet away, followed by the sounds of whimpering. My ears perked up trying to catch any other telling sounds. My hackles raised, my lip curled over my sharp canine teeth as Eve stepped out of the tree line with Chelsea in tow. Her wavy brown hair was soaking wet, hanging against her slumped shoulders. Her almond-shaped blue eyes shot wider at seeing a large white wolf. She didn’t know I was her savor and the real monster was the one holding her wrist.
“I knew you’d come,” Eve said with a sardonic smile.
I growled in response, and Chelsea’s entire body shook. If I remembered right, she’d been attacked by a dog when she was twelve and hated canines ever since. The poor girl was frightened beyond belief.
“How about we end this once and for all?”
I stepped forward, snapping and growling in agreement. Eve was the first person I’d ever wanted to kill, literally kill. I didn’t worry about her being an alpha or purebred. My hatred was so strong all I saw was red.
“But first,” Eve said cheerfully. “How about we have some fun?”
A man I didn’t recognize stepped out of the brush. He stood around five-foot-eleven and had jet black hair and golden eyes. Eve shoved Chelsea into his arms and he tied her against a tree, wrapping rope around her abdomen. Chelsea sobbed, tears flowing freely against her red cheeks as the man restrained her. Eve kept eye contact with me the entire time, her smile never faltering. Once Chelsea was secure, the man stepped off to the side and transformed into a large brown wolf. Chelsea screamed, her pleas bouncing off of the canyon walls and haunting my ears.
“I told you we would have it out one way or another,” Eve said. “For every blow I give you, Jeremy here will bite the human. I wonder how many it’ll take before she dies.”
Anna, don’t do it. Adam’s voice penetrated my red haze. I needed to ignore him as best as I could. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate if he was speaking to me through telepathy. There was no way I was backing down.
Eve shifted and sauntered over to Chelsea. She growled, snapping just inches from her legs. Chelsea screamed as she tried to kick at Eve to no avail. I couldn’t watch Eve’s games anymore. Charging forward, I leaped for Eve’s back, but was thrown back when Jeremy jumped into the air, his body crashing with mine and knocking the wind out of my lungs. I should’ve known Eve wouldn’t play fair.
Getting to my feet, I was hit again, this time by Eve. We rolled a few feet before she jumped off and skittered backwards. I lunged forward, gnashing my teeth and looking for my opening. As Eve sprang at me, I stepped to the side, burying my teeth into her shoulder. She let out a deep growl and shook her body from side to side to break the hold. Rolling on her back, she took me down with her and I released my bite.
Jumping up quicker than me, Eve stood over me ready to strike. As her canines sunk into my hind leg, I yelped, kicking out violently. Releasing her grip, Eve took a few steps backward and looked to Jeremy. Leaning his head forward, he clasped Chelsea’s leg and bit down. A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the mountain. Blood seeped through Chelsea’s jeans, trailing down her leg and dripping onto the ground. She cried so hard that she coughed to catch her breath. I couldn’t allow this to happen again.
I’m coming for you, Anna. Adam’s voice soun
ded again. He’d tried talking to me multiple times, but I’d been so focused on Eve I couldn’t remember what he’d said. Panic mixed with anger rushed through my veins. Charging forward again, I caught Eve by surprise and sunk my teeth into the back of her neck. Thrashing my head back and forth, I tore a chunk of skin away from her body, spitting it out. Eve roared and she and Jeremy rushed me. One of them, I couldn’t be sure which, sprang onto my back, while the other gripped my leg between their teeth, causing me to lose my balance. My body fell to the road, the weight of the wolf on my back slammed me down that much harder.
Suddenly the weight on my back was gone. Scrambling to my feet, limping from two strikes to my hind legs, Adam had taken over with Jeremy. Adam was two times the size of his opponent, but that didn’t stop the naïve wolf from thinking he could best an alpha. Eve’s citrine eyes widened, not expecting Adam to show up. Her panic changed her demeanor. Before, she’d been playing with me, having some fun. Now her murderous intent was as clear as day, and I was her sole focus.
Racing toward me, Eve was all growls, snarled teeth, and focus. She barreled into me like a freight train. Our bodies were intertwined in paws kicking forward and mouths snapping. I bit any semblance of gray fur I could reach. Eve yelped but bit me back.
I got my teeth around her muzzle when her body was torn away from my grasp. I was in a fury of vengeance, sprinting after her. It wasn’t until I was yanked back that I realized there were more than ten of our wolves in the middle of the road. Looking over my shoulder, Joe held me by the tail. I bobbed my head up and down, and he released me. Some of my fiery anger died and I searched for Adam. He had Jeremy by the scruff and with one powerful tug, Jeremy’s body was slammed against the road and his throat was ripped out.
My eyes traveled to the left. Asher held Eve by the throat, waiting for Adam’s command. As Adam walked over to them, he flicked his eyes toward me, staring until he had to look away. Clasping Eve’s throat, Adam yanked his head to the side and Eve’s body collapsed. It was amazing how quick he’d ended their lives when I’d had trouble just keeping up with them. I guess that’s why he was an alpha.
Shifting, I rushed toward Chelsea. I examined her legs. There were three bites, two on one leg and the third on her hip.
“Chelsea…Che lsea wake up.” I tapped my friend’s face. Worrying when she didn’t respond, I checked her pulse. It was steady and strong. I released a relieved breath that she passed out. Untying the rope, I lay her body down, hating that she went through this because of me.
“It’s not your fault,” Adam said from behind me.
I couldn’t turn around, ashamed he had to rescue me and abandon the wolves who’d volunteered their time to fight on his behalf.
“Look at me, Anna.”
When I didn’t turn, Adam stepped in front of me, tipping my chin up. He studied me for a while, emotions running wild across his face. I expected him to yell, scream, and tell me how stupid I’d been to disobey his orders. I braced myself for his wrath, fully intending to tuck my tail between my legs and accept his verbal lashing.
No harsh words came though; Adam’s arms encompassed my waist as he lifted me up and kissed me until I forgot who I was and what had just happened. The surrounding wolves released celebratory howls, their excitement piercing through the night and filling my heart with pride. For the first time in my life, I didn’t fear the future or the man I planned to share it with.
Four days passed after the battle. Eve and Anthony had ambushed the main house not thirty minutes after Elle and I left for the airport. They found out we had their blueprints and decided a surprise attack was their best option. Adam thought the fight at the house was a distraction so that Eve could trick me into meeting her and finally kill me. Adam and the other wolves had their hands full which is why I made it to Chelsea before they did. I’m sure Eve thought that once I was dead the Everwood’s alpha would be defeated, making taking over the pack easier.
When I’d complained that I had Eve and could have killed her myself, if for no other reason than to save face, Joe happily reminded me I had to walk before I could run with the big dogs, or wolves rather. I may not have liked it, but I agreed with him. As much as I would’ve loved to be the one to kill Eve, the important thing was she was now dead and wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else.
The main house suffered some damage from the battle. A couple fights had broken out inside and ruined some furniture, walls, and electronics. Adam had one of his construction crews working on it non-stop. The leaders all apologized, even Nicholas, about almost shipping me off to Idaho and convicting me of murder. It’d take me awhile to put my trust in that group again, leaders or not. All but Wade left a couple days ago.
Anthony fled and though Adam didn’t seem worried about him coming back, I wasn’t so sure. He did love Eve after all and his brother had killed her.
As for me and my dislike for humans, Wade had taken me to town to test a theory of his. I’m happy to say that I didn’t growl or bite one person that day. The humans didn’t even bother me anymore. When I asked Wade why, he’d replied, “It was Eve’s hatred bleeding through your link the entire time.” Since Eve had turned me we were bonded. Somehow I felt her emotions and thought of them as my own. Yet another reason to celebrate her death.
Chelsea received some nasty bites, but she survived and now shared the same affinity for the moon as the rest of us. I suspected she was the reason Wade hung back. He’d been pretty affected by her at their first meeting. I still felt horrible that I was the reason for her turning hairy every full moon, but she took it a lot better than I expected. In time she’d come to love being part of our pack just as much as I had.
Craved – Book 1 in the Gwen Sparks Series
Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she read about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace was abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.
Available through: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Deceived –Book 2 in the Gwen Sparks Series
The vampire drug, brew, nearly ruined Gwen Sparks’ life. Just when things started to get back to normal between her and Aiden, she is summoned by the North American Witches Council to their central city of Moon. A war is imminent between vampires and witches, and Gwen’s experiences with brew are being used to fuel the fire. She is about to discover just how powerful she is with the help of the ruggedly handsome Angel of Death and just how far some people will go to get what they want. Gwen is going to learn exactly what it means to be deceived.
Available through: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Cupid Painted Blind — A collection of paranormal romance stories
A collection of six short stories, featuring authors: Liz Schulte, Lisa Rayns, Olivia Hardin, C.g. Powell, Cait Lavender and Stephanie Nelson.
Features a Dorian Hade Short story, When Opportunity Haunts!
Available through: Amazon
I never dreamed of becoming an author. I first wanted to be a photographer, then a graphics designer, then a shop owner. I think it’s safe to say I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I’d never been a big reader, though when I couldn’t escape the hype of the sparkly vampires, I decided to give into my curiosity. I connected with the story on a level where I quickly became obsessed with finding more Paranormal Romance books. My obsession introduced me to new worlds where vampires and werewolves prowled. I found these worlds fascinating and the more I read, the idea of my own story popped into my head.
I began writing four years ago and published my first book, Craved, in 2011. It has been an exciting ride and I’m happy to say that I now know what I want to do
with the rest of my life.
Connect with me
Website: http://www.stephanie-nelson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorStephanieNelson
Twitter: @stephnel1
Books by C.G. Powell
Spell Checked – Book 1 No Uncertain Logic Series
Maelin wanted nothing more than solitude, but her best friend thought otherwise when she booked them on a tour of Ireland. Mae soon finds herself unexplainably attracted to the very man who brought her to Ireland under false pretenses and learns that witches and vampires not only live among them, but that she herself is one.
Beck and Helen’s love for one another spans across a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck’s own immortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannot be eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himself tormented by Helen’s inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
Available: Amazon
Immortal Voyage – A Terra Stellar Novel
Before the time of the great pyramids, there was a place like none other. A city of glass and metal rising from the depths of the ocean—Atlantis, home to a race of long lived interstellar nomads. Can humanity survive the havoc that will rain down on them when secrets, lies, and love are involved and their two worlds collide?
Available: Amazon
Find C.G. Powell on Facebook
Bound to Remember, Book One of the Spellbound Series
Toni is a young doctor with a past she can’t remember and a deadly reason for forgetting it. Ben is a nurse who has his own tragic past and transfers hospitals after an act of heroism forces his secluded life public. Ben can’t believe his eyes when he meets Toni, she has an uncanny resemblance to an old friend of his, and Toni can’t help but find Ben irresistible. Enter Kevin, Toni’s sexy but arrogant Ex. Kevin’s jealousy of Ben blinds him from his main objective, Toni. A dangerous secret is revealed and a magic spell seems to be a quick remedy, but the witch that helps has a little more than magic up her sleeve.
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