Werewolf in Denver

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “Waltzing is no problem.” He moved toward her. “There’s enough room between us in case this starts to happen.” He gestured toward his erect penis. “The tango could be a different story. But I’ve lost all interest in dancing.”

  “Good. So have I.”

  “We have something else we need to do.” He quivered as he thought of what was to happen between them. It was perhaps the most important event of his life. Yet he had no doubt that she was his destiny, his one true love.

  “I know.”

  He searched her expression. “Are you willing, then, to be bound to me?”

  Her gaze didn’t waver as she placed her hand in his. “Yes. You are my soul mate, Duncan MacDowell.”

  “And you are mine, Kate Stillman.” His heart pounded. “We’ll plan a proper mating ceremony when I return, but…”

  “It’s the binding that counts.” She took a shaky breath. “I know, Duncan.”

  He held her hand firmly in his, wanting to make sure there were no doubts. “For life.”

  She didn’t hesitate. “For life.”

  “Come, then.”

  They walked hand in hand to the bed. And there on that firm mattress, as she braced herself on hands and knees, he took her in the traditional way, the position in which Weres had mated since the beginning of time. He took her with murmured promises, with great tenderness, and with love filling his heart. Her body shuddered against his and his climax answered.

  It was done. His body hummed with quiet jubilation. Against all odds they’d found each other. Despite their differences, they’d defied logic to create this perfectly imperfect union. And he knew without a doubt they would love as a mated pair was meant to love…forever.

  Epilogue

  WERECON2012:

  MACDOWELL/STILLMAN NEW POWER COUPLE!

  Exclusive report for Wereworld Celebrity Watch

  by Angela Sapworthy

  DENVER—As conference delegates take planes, trains, and automobiles home to their respective packs, the buzz is all about the match of the century between Woofer leader Duncan MacDowell and Howler leader Kate Stillman! Who would have guessed three days ago that this warring pair, who stand on opposite sides of all the major problems facing Weres today, would fall in love?

  But such are the vagaries of the Were heart, dear readers. Newly elected president of WOW Howard Wallace was more than willing to comment. “By combining forces, Kate and Duncan will help unify the various elements of our fledgling organization without sacrificing its diversity. I couldn’t be happier about their announcement.”

  This reporter was privileged to speak with Kate Stillman as she returned, teary-eyed, from taking her one true love to the Denver airport. “I love him desperately,” she said. “We don’t agree on anything else, but we agree that we can’t live without each other.”

  And there you have it, my friends. No one can predict where Destiny will lead us. When asked what she thought about Jake Hunter’s new organization, Weres Against Random Mating (WARM), she said, “He has to do what he feels is right. We have a big-tent philosophy in WOW, and I would prefer that he align himself with our organization, but he chooses not to.”

  This reporter caught up with Jake as he was loading his duffel bag into a cab. When asked about his future plans, he expressed great faith in his new project. “I’ll work on my presence in cyberspace,” he said, “because WARM needs that visibility, but I’ll also take my message directly to each Were’s doorstep.”

  And how will he do that? one might ask. “I’ll start my campaign in Alaska, where all North American packs originated. I’ll be using a snowmobile to reach the backwoods areas of my home state. There’s strong support for our cause there, and I intend to mobilize that support.”

  With a spokesWere who looks like Jake Hunter, finding WARM recruits should be no trouble at all!

  In other news, Neil Stillman has been placed under house arrest by the Stillman pack while awaiting his trial before the newly formed WOW council. The bullet that was extracted from Kate Stillman’s red leather sofa (a sofa and bullet viewed personally by this reporter, who no doubt will be called to testify due to her personal involvement in the case) has been entered into evidence.

  Rumor has it that Aidan and Roarke Wallace also will be asked to testify, along with Duncan MacDowell. That hunky lineup should pack the courtroom with adoring female Weres! For details, follow me on Sniffer @newshound or #rivetingtrial because this reporter plans to be there, once again, to serve as your eyes, ears, and nose!

  Read on for a look at the next

  Wild About You novel

  by Vicki Lewis Thompson,

  WEREWOLF IN ALASKA

  On sale in July 2013 from Signet Eclipse

  July 15, 2010

  Polecat, Alaska

  Lurking in the grocery aisle of the Polecat General Store, Rachel Miller pretended to shop while she eavesdropped on the conversation between the store’s owner, Ted Haggerty, and the broad-shouldered customer he’d called Jake. She’d recognized the guy the minute he walked in, despite the fact that he was fully clothed.

  Although they’d never met, she knew three things about Jake. He lived across the lake from her grandfather’s cabin, he liked to skinny-dip, and he was built for pleasure. Among other things, Grandpa Ike had left her his high-powered binoculars.

  After opening the screen door of the general store, her neighbor had glanced in her direction but hadn’t seemed to recognize her. Apparently he hadn’t been keeping tabs on her the way she had on him. That was disappointing.

  Then again, she only spent a couple of weeks in Polecat every summer and she wasn’t the type to plunge naked into an alpine lake. Still, she would have taken this opportunity to introduce herself if he hadn’t paused in front of the small display of her wood carvings.

  She’d immediately turned away, grabbed a can of salmon and studied the label with fierce intensity. If she ever intended to move from hobbyist to professional, she’d have to get over being self-conscious about displaying her work for sale, but she was brand-new at it. Asking Ted last week if he’d like to carry her art in his store had required tremendous courage.

  Today when she’d come in and noticed that nothing had sold, she’d been tempted to cart it all back to the cabin. Ted had talked her out of giving up and now her gorgeous neighbor was discussing the carvings with him. She hoped to hell Ted wouldn’t mention that the artist was right there in the grocery aisle. Then the guy might feel obligated to buy something, and how embarrassing would that be?

  “So who’s this Rachel Miller?” Jake had a deep voice, which matched his lumberjack physique. His name fit him, too.

  Rachel held her breath. Now would be the logical time for Ted to call her over and introduce her. She prayed that he wouldn’t.

  Ted hesitated, as if debating whether to reveal her presence. “She’s local.”

  Rachel exhaled slowly. She might not be a skinny dipper, but there were many ways to be naked, and this, she discovered, was one of them. She could leave and spare herself the agony of listening to whatever Jake might say about her work, but then she’d be tormented by curiosity for days.

  Besides, she’d already put several food items in the basket she carried over one arm. Leaving the basket and bolting from the store would make her more conspicuous, not less.

  “I like her stuff.”

  Clapping a hand to her mouth, Rachel closed her eyes and savored the words. He liked it!

  “Especially the wolf.”

  “That’s my personal favorite,” Ted said.

  Validation sent a rush of adrenaline through her system. It was her favorite, too. The other carvings were forest animal figurines, none any bigger than eight inches tall. Her friends back in Fairbanks raved about them, but friends were biased. Their opinions were cherished, but not always believed.

  She’d broken new ground with the wolf, though. After finding a ragged chunk of driftwood about two feet long, she’d left the basic shap
e intact while carving the wolf in bas-relief on the smoothest side. Powerful and majestic, the wolf appeared to be emerging from the piece of wood.

  Ted had praised the carving, but Ted had a natural tendency to encourage people. His comments didn’t pack the same punch as those from someone who didn’t know her and had no reason to protect her feelings. Now her excitement made her giddy.

  A moment of silence followed. She wondered if Jake had wandered away from the display to begin his grocery shopping, but she didn’t dare look to make sure. If he’d finished admiring her work, that was fine. He’d given her a gift simply by commenting favorably.

  “I want to buy it.”

  Her chest tightened. A sale.

  “All righty, then!” Ted sounded pleased.

  Rachel was in shock. A complete stranger was willing to pay money for something she’d created! She stifled the urge to rush over and shower him with thanks. On the heels of that urge came another—to snatch the piece and announce it wasn’t for sale, after all.

  Once Jake bought that carving, she’d never see it again. She hadn’t expected to be upset by that. Apparently the wolf meant far more to her than she’d realized.

  Jake might like what she’d done, but he couldn’t fully appreciate it unless he’d also caught a glimpse of the magnificent black wolf that had inspired her. She’d only seen it once, poised in a clearing. Grandpa Ike had taught her how to get good pictures of wild creatures—stay downwind and seek cover. She’d been in luck that day, perfectly positioned for an awesome shot.

  The photo was still tacked to a bulletin board in the cabin so she could use it to carve another likeness. Yet she couldn’t guarantee the next attempt would capture the wolf’s essence in quite the same way. She’d known this piece was special the moment it was completed.

  Finishing it had given her the confidence to approach Ted in the first place. Not surprisingly, it had become her first sale. If people bought her work, maybe she could give up her veterinarian internship and carve full-time.

  She’d thought she would love being a vet, but the surgery and death that were inevitable parts of the job drained her. Wood carving gave her nothing but joy. Still, it might not bring in enough to support her. One sale was hardly a guarantee that she could make a living as an artist.

  It was a positive sign, though, and thanks to what she’d inherited from Grandpa Ike, she had a place to live and a little money to tide her over if she decided to switch gears. The prospect was scary, but exciting, too. She had Jake the skinny-dipper to thank for jump-starting her dreams.

  From the corner of her eye she could see him rounding the aisle where she stood, a basket over his arm. Walking in the opposite direction, she ducked down a parallel aisle and carried her basket to the counter, where Ted was wrapping her carving.

  He glanced up and smiled. “Do you want to tell—”

  “No.” She kept her voice down. “Thanks for not saying anything.”

  Ted spoke softly, obviously sensing her nervousness. “Decided that was up to you.” He finished taping the end of the parcel and set it aside. “Congratulations, though. He lives across the lake from you.”

  “Thought I recognized him. What’s his name, again?”

  “Jake Hunter. He’s a wilderness guide. Earns good money doing it. Quite well-off.”

  “I see.” Judging people’s financial status was tough in a place like Polecat, where everyone kept a low profile, dressed casually, and drove dusty trucks and SUVs. She was flattered that a successful wilderness guide found value in her work.

  Ted rang up her groceries and bagged them in the canvas tote she’d given him. She hadn’t bought much because she’d been so distracted, so Ted finished quickly. Fine with her. She would have prefered to be out the door before Jake returned to the counter.

  She almost made it. She was tucking her change back into her purse when he walked up, his basket stuffed with everything from canned goods to paper products. He must have been a fast shopper.

  Not wanting to appear antisocial, she met his gaze while keeping her expression friendly but neutral. “Hi.”

  “Hello.” He glanced at her with the same carefully neutral expression. But then a spark of interest lit his green eyes.

  Her breath caught. She’d never looked into those eyes before. Grandpa Ike’s binoculars were good, but not that good. Yet she felt as if she’d met his gaze before, and seeing it again brought back a half-remembered thrill. Crazy.

  Even crazier, she flashed on the image of the black wolf in the clearing—a green-eyed wolf with dark, luxurious fur the same color as Jake’s collar-length hair. Clearly his purchase of the carving was messing with her mind.

  The interest reflected in Jake’s eyes slowly changed to speculation. Maybe something in her expression had given her away, or maybe he’d picked up enough of her quiet conversation with Ted to figure out who she was. In any case, she needed to vamoose before he started asking questions.

  Quickly breaking eye contact, she grabbed her canvas bag from the counter. Her smile probably looked more like a grimace, but it was the best she could do. “You two have a nice day!” She headed for the screen door.

  As exits go, it wasn’t her best. Heart pounding, she climbed into the old truck Grandpa Ike had willed to her, started the ancient engine, and pulled out onto the two-lane road that skirted the lake. She’d escaped, but the adrenaline rush of making her first sale stayed with her.

  Logic, the tool that her lawyer father embraced, told her that Jake buying the wolf carving wasn’t reason enough to change her life. Intuition, the tool that her photographer mother preferred, whispered that she’d reached a major turning point and shouldn’t ignore it. Grandpa Ike, who had been more intuitive than anyone else on her mother’s side of the family, would have told her to listen to her instincts.

  Rachel wondered what Jake Hunter would have said if she’d had the courage to admit she’d carved that wolf. Or maybe, judging from the quiet assessment in those green eyes, he already knew.