by Jo Ellen
“Is it a demon?” Lisa whispered, clutching Rafe’s arm as she hid behind him.
“Hell if I know, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Rafe replied. “Hey Olivia, I think you’d better do something now before this thing gets any bigger.”
Olivia was horrified by the monster forming in front of her. She was not sure if she could handle this abomination.
“What the fuck?” Ian walked around the barrier, trying to see if this creature had a weakness. He decided the Achilles tendon would be his target if this thing got loose.
Olivia fixated on Willie and Devlin could hear her muttering. “This isn’t real, it’s a hallucination.”
“Oh, I’m real baby. I’m your worst nightmare,” Willie snarled.
Olivia had the urge to snigger at his words, and not wanting to look away from him, she was sure she heard Lisa’s nervous giggle in the background.
“Focus Olivia! Take him out, now!” Devlin was shouting over the gruesome screaming and snarling Willie was making.
Willie marched up to the barrier once again, standing a few inches from the salt circle. Placing his hands over his head, he made a fist and slammed into the barrier. He grunted as he was forced back a few steps and went to try again.
They all felt the room shake as Willie continued his attack on their shield. He would be knocked back only to push forward and keep trying over and over again.
“Elnen!” Olivia shouted her guide’s name. Willie was beyond her own capabilities, she was sure.
Thankfully, Elnen appeared instantly beside her, and Olivia heard a gasp of surprise when she spotted Willie.
By now Willie was throwing himself at the barrier constantly, being thrown back each time.
“He’s morphing into his alter ego. We need his guide to control him.” Elnen stared deeply into Olivia’s eyes. “Use your power to hold him, I’ll be right back.” And she disappeared.
Devlin was furious. “You promised me she wouldn’t be hurt! Get back here and take care of this fucker!” He was shouting at the ceiling in vein.
Olivia quickly went back to work, using the light to surround the circle and squeezing the beams of light into a woven pattern like a plaid blanket. She felt a force pushing against her hold and wondered if she could contain him.
A clawed hand punched through, its nails long and sharp as it scratched at the air. She saw Rafe reach out and use his own claws to scrape the beast, which caused Willie to hiss and pull back.
Olivia was surprised to see blood drip from its hand; she had assumed it would not have any substance, like Jack.
“He should not be real; he shouldn’t have any substance,” Olivia screamed.
Devlin had a working hypothesis flashing through his head. “I think when we brought him to our world, we gave him substance, or maybe it’s the magic from the pond. Could be a combination of the two.” He had to shout to be heard above the mayhem.
Olivia was happy to see Lisa and Melanie were back in the corner, huddled together with their arms wrapped around one another. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold on and she wanted them safely back from what she was afraid would be a massive detonation of power.
A strobe light suddenly flashed inside the circle and Willie roared in pain with each strike of the light.
Olivia felt someone else take over the containment and she visibly and loudly sighed with relief.
“North, South, East, West, open the door for eternal rest.”
They all heard the stranger’s words and gasped as they realized Willie was being released.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Hands on hips, Olivia confronted the newcomer. “You’re just going to release him? Are you crazy?”
“No Olivia, he is not free to roam this world or any other.” The man spoke softly, his eyes kind and understanding.
Elnen stood beside the stranger as if waiting for instructions. “Olivia, this is Bryan, Willie’s spirit guide.”
Ian stood next to Rafe and Devlin as they all glared at the man.
“What took you so long? Huh? Why wasn’t Willie already burning in Hell for his crimes?” Ian asked.
Bryan sighed and waved an arm. The spirits of the women Willie had killed stood in the background, their bodies glowing lightly.
“Everyone has free choice, it is not our job to interfere…” Bryan started.
“Fuck that!” Devlin yelled.
Bryan held up his palm, stopping him. “We all have free will and will atone for our choices. Under normal circumstances, Willie would already be making reparations. By using the magic he stole from you, he managed to hide from his karma.” Bryan looked to Ian. “To answer your question, Hell is not an actual place. Your own mind decides what Hell will be for you, or Heaven for that matter. You make your own reality.”
Olivia stood in shock, her mouth dropping open. “So he doesn’t face any punishment?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I was simply answering Ian’s question. Willie will face his victims, and they will decide his lessons.” Bryan turned to the women waiting in the background.
The five women slowly came forward, with Marie, the motherly spirit stepping forward to speak to Bryan. “Can his soul be fixed, or is he too corrupted to be allowed to live again?”
“He gets to reincarnate? That is just wrong,” Melanie whispered.
“What would you like to see happen to him?” Bryan asked the women.
Willie was lying frozen on the floor, in a period of stasis. Unblinking, his eyes stared at nothing as they debated his fate.
“Willie should have to live each of our lives and see what it feels like to be the victim. Only, don’t make him live our entire life, just the moment of abduction until death. I do not want him to have any of the enjoyment my life entailed. Just the fear and horror I felt from him,” Karen snarled.
The others nodded, feeling it was a fitting punishment.
“So be it.” Bryan waved his arm again and Willie disappeared.
“I don’t understand. Not to belittle their choice, but I don’t see how this makes up for him shortening their lives,” Olivia said.
“He would never have an understanding of what being a victim feels like without living it himself. Willie will live several lifetimes in miserable situations until he learns his lessons. Until he learns that love is the only thing that matters in any world, he will never evolve into an enlightened soul. I expect thousands of years and thousands of lifetimes before he moves on to the next level,” Bryan informed them.
“And if he never learns?” Melanie asked, saddened to think of anyone living so many lifetimes and not learning their lessons.
Bryan had a profoundly sad look on his face. “Rarely are there souls that are so corrupted that they cannot be repaired, but there have been some. Their essence is then absorbed back into the Universe to be reworked in the hope of placing them back into a world of learning and love.”
“We’ll leave you now and you will never again have to worry about Willie harming anyone,” Bryan said.
“Wait!” Olivia yelled urgently. “What about Jack? Where’s his soul guide?”
Bryan looked back at Jack and smiled. “He doesn’t need his soul guide, he’s on the right track.” Bryan, Elnen, and the women disappeared, along with Willie.
Olivia was pissed. “On the right track,” she mimicked Bryan’s deep tones. “That’s a lot of help!”
“It’s okay Olivia, I’ll figure things out eventually,” Jack said.
“I’m sorry Jack,” Olivia watched as Jack’s body became more and more transparent. “Jack? What’s happening?” She was afraid of losing him and never finding him again, or him finding her. She saw and heard him once more right before he disappeared.
Laughing, “I know who I am.” He winked. “Don’t worry, I’ll come by for a visit.” And he was gone.
* * *
“Come on baby, let’s go for a run,” Devlin pulled her along behind him, entering the woo
ds behind their home. Going the short distance to the gazebo, they stripped and left their clothes on one of the seat cushions.
Devlin had scented some of his pack mates nearby and even though he was quite comfortable in his nudity, having others see his mate did not sit well with him. He knew Olivia was wondering why they didn’t just strip at home and take off from there.
“Our pack doesn’t need to see you nude unnecessarily,” he growled and heard her snort.
“That begs the question, when is it necessary?” Her voice in his head sounded annoyingly smug.
He gave a short bark and took off with her following closely behind. Devlin took her on a long tour of their property, showing her some of his favorite places along the way. By the time they arrived at the creek, they were panting and wasted no time in lapping up the cool, crystal water.
Devlin waded further into the water and looked back to make sure she was following. He splashed through the water until they arrived at a small cove, which was dug out to form a small pool. Shifting to stand on two feet in the deeper water, he waited for Olivia to do the same.
She glanced around at the tree branches hanging over the area giving a small measure of relief from the noonday sun. Seeing a huge, flat rock at the back of the cove, she swam over and pulled herself up to lie back and stare through the canopy of leaves. Using her hand to shade her eyes from the beams flashing through the leaves, she smiled when a larger shadow blocked the light.
Devlin crouched over her, holding his weight off of her with his forearms resting on the rock on either side of her body. He did not want to crush her into the rock with his weight. Leaning his head close, he gently rubbed his nose against hers.
Olivia giggled like a schoolgirl at his playfulness. “Is this where you took all your girlfriends in high school?”
He relaxed beside her flat on his back, squinting at the sun. “I plead the fifth.”
She swatted his stomach, grimacing when her palm stung and he barely moved.
He rolled to his side, resting his head on his palm. “Olivia, I will never ask you about old flames and I will never tell you about mine.”
“Chill Devlin, I was kidding. Trust me, I do not want to know about your man whore days.” She smirked as she knew he’d take the bait.
He sat up abruptly. “Man whore? I treated every woman I’ve ever known with respect,” he said, indignantly.
Olivia laughed as she stroked his face. “You are so easy,” she teased him.
She watched a slow grin appear as he shook his head. “Only with you baby, only with you.”
He lay back down and tugged her over him until she was lying on him with her arms resting on his chest for support.
Grinning, she said, “I’m on top, which means I’m the Dom.”
He shook his head at her. “No baby, the Dom is the one in control. And technically, that would be Dominatrix.” He took hold of her wrist while locking his legs around hers. Quirking his brow, he waited patiently while she struggled.
Huffing out a breath, she finally relaxed and lay her head down on his chest. “Okay, you big bad Dom, me sub,” she murmured. “For the moment.”
He laughed as he heard her mental declaration. “No my love, always.”
* * *
Gathering at Charlie’s, everyone was enjoying the lighter atmosphere now that Willie was gone. Mack and Liz had shown up also to celebrate with Devlin and to welcome their new daughter-in-law into the pack.
With a catered barbecue dinner open to friends and pack, the bar was packed pretty tight. The family had several tables pushed together and were laughing at something Devlin said when the saloon doors were pushed open and a man paused in the entry.
With the evening sun lowering in the sky, the man was cast in shadow, leaving his face dark. They could see another man standing behind the first, waiting to enter.
He stepped into the room and Olivia saw a Texas Rangers badge clipped to his belt. With blue jeans, a button down shirt and a dark jacket, the man looked intimidating as hell.
The men in the bar turned to watch the newcomer, tense as they waited to see his intentions.
He strode into the bar as if he owned it, casually glancing around until his gaze landed on Olivia. A huge grin spread over his face and he marched over to her table.
Rafe, Mack, Ian and Devlin immediately stood to confront the man before he could get close to their women.
Olivia had to stand to get a glimpse of the man. She was quickly becoming tired of them always blocking her view when anything interesting happened. She got a quick peek between their shoulders and squealed with glee when she saw his face.
“Jack!” She yelled and ran around the men, stopping just short of touching him, as was her habit.
The men relaxed once they recognized him and watched Olivia as she reached out to touch him.
She tentatively laid a hand on his chest and felt the hard surface of his chest. Her mouth fell open in shock when her hand did not pass through him.
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him, questioningly.
Jack laid his hand over hers, clutching it to his chest. “I’m not dead Olivia.” He smiled at her and looked over at Devlin when he heard a light growl. He released her hand to wrap his arms around her and hug her close.
Devlin knew this was an emotional event for Olivia and did his best to lock down his jealous reaction.
Olivia looked up into Jack’s eyes. “How Jack?” She said simply and waited.
“Let’s sit down, I really don’t want the entire bar to know about my, umm, ghostliness.” He grinned, sheepishly.
“Everyone, this is my brother, Josiah.” They greeted his brother with a nod but were more interested in Jack’s story. Shaking Jack’s hand, Devlin kicked a chair out for him next to Olivia, which earned him a quick kiss.
“My name is Jack McDonald and I’m a Texas Ranger. I’d been working on Willie’s case before Olivia got involved.”
Olivia interrupted his story. “Did Willie put you in a coma and you came to us from that state?”
Jack shook his head left to right and thanked the waitress as a cold mug was set in front of him. “I’d been working this case for months, chasing down leads, talking to the FBI, running around revisiting every crime scene for the smallest clue. I lived and breathed this case on a daily basis.” He took his cowboy hat off and placed it on the table, pushing his hair back.
Josiah spoke up, “It was his doppelganger.”
The look of confusion around the table caused Jack to give a small snort as he chuckled.
“Olivia, all those times I was with you? Well, I was actually asleep,” Jack said.
Olivia gasped, “So you were never dead or injured?”
“No, just sleeping,” Jack dropped his head, feeling stupid.
“Hey man, no shame there. Obviously you’re dedicated to your work,” Rafe assured him.
Jack shrugged, “When I woke, I’d get small bits and pieces of my visits with Olivia. I thought it was all a dream and pretty much ignored it. The problem was that even after Willie had been killed, I kept dreaming about the case. I finally dug into what info I could remember and started learning that the people I’d met in my dreams actually existed.” He shook his head again. “Imagine my shock. There really was a town named Wolf Creek with all these people I’d only dreamed about living here.”
“Wow, you’re a traveller and didn’t know it,” Melanie said.
Rafe sat staring at Jack, wondering if he realized he was in a room full of shifters and they did not want that secret to get out.
“Jack? I need to talk to you, alone,” Rafe said, nodding toward the back.
Jack waved him off. “My brother knows, Rafe.” He barked out a laugh. “He knows more about shifters than I do, he’s in enforcement also. Fish and game, wildlife protection, he goes after the poachers and protects shifters.”
Josiah nodded to Rafe. “I learned about shifters several years ago when I helped a woman
get out of an illegal trap. We’re married, and trust me when I say, I’d never tell anyone. The thought of someone dissecting my wife or experimenting on her makes me sick.”
Jack lightened the air with his laugh. “I never knew and I’m his brother. Not until I started telling him about these weird dreams I’d been having about werewolves.”
They all chuckled at that.
“He’s the one that convinced me my dreams were real,” Jack said.
They sat in silence for a moment before Olivia spoke and squeezed Jack’s hand. “I’m so glad you looked us up and that you’re not dead.”
Jack snorted, “Me too.”
“I don’t understand something,” Olivia said. “You hung out with me during the daytime, a lot. So you were actually asleep all those times?”
“Yup, I don’t have normal hours like a nine to five job. I try and catch a nap during the day whenever I can since I do a lot of my investigating at all hours of the day and night. So whenever I would just disappear on you, that was when I’d woken up. I have to say it was really strange trying to put the fragments of my dreams together to make any sense.”
“You know, I’ve heard of people leaving their bodies and going to different places. It’s called astral projection,” Melanie said.
“Well, I don’t know if it was because this case had left me exhausted or something else, but it sure has been interesting,” Jack said.
Devlin snorted as he slapped Jack on the back. “Welcome to our world.”
Olivia was moving the droplets of water around with her finger on the wooden table where her glass had left a wet circle. She stared down at the design she made as she asked, “Is it true that Willie was killed by an animal? The newspapers didn’t give a lot of the details, but I remember hearing about his unusual death.”
The table was silent for a moment.
“I didn’t follow the story closely while it was happening, but I can tell you that it wasn’t us,” Rafe informed her. “My wolves had no reason to go after him while he was alive.”
“But my cougars did.” Olivia looked to the tall man that had silently moved to stand at their table. He had to be a friend, she thought, since she knew the men would not have allowed him to get so close otherwise.
