by Sy Walker
They had the exit blocked off. Raven knew that there was no escape. Even if Jordan got back, there wasn’t much that he could do about it. He was only one man. Raven laid back on the bed and got ready to kick the first man who stepped into range.
“You got this all wrong sweetie,” the short man seemed to be the leader. He looked as if he thought he was going to convince Raven that she was going to enjoy this experience. The other two men didn’t make a sound. They were each about a head taller than the talker. One had short mouse-brown hair, he had a hugely distended abdomen, but his arms solid muscle. The other man had red hair, and was built a lot more like Jordan, his biggest lump was what looked like a giant mole, the size of a softball, popping off of his arm.
Where are you Jordan? Raven thought as the men got closer. She started to think about things that she could tell the intruders. Like that the place was owned by a biker gang and they would be back any minute. She was still thinking as the two taller men lunged at her. Missing the brown haired man entirely, Raven donkey kicked the red head. He went flying backwards grabbing his nose. The fat man had been expecting his buddy to grab the other arm, but the skinnier man was trying to put pressure on his bleeding nose.
Raven used her free hand to smack and punch at the fat man. The short man was laughing too hard to be of much use. “I told you guys this would be fun,” the short man laughed. His sickening voice was really starting to grate on Raven’s nerves. As she rained down blows on the intruders head, Raven kept focusing Jordan. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she was really communicating with Jordan.
“Will somebody grab her other arm!” The fat man shouted. The short man laughed as he climbed on top of Raven and put a knee onto her arm. As the short man started to undo his pants a familiar low rumbling growl came from behind.
“Uh, guys,” The red head sounded frightened as he tried to get someone’s attention. The fat man turned around first.
“Whoa,” he yelled as he let go of Raven and backed away. “Who left the door open?” The brown haired seemed more annoyed than scared, but his face gave away the fear that he felt.
“Okay, so we are all going to move forward.” The short man said. “If we stick together everything will be fine.”
“Awwwoooooo!” The wolf let out its baleful wail. The short man was the only one who seemed committed to the idea of sticking together. As soon as the wolf cried out the taller men ran. The short man was left to deal with the snarling wolf. Fur standing on end the wolf looked much bigger than the first time Raven had seen it. The shorter man was looking all over the room for something to help him deal with the wolf. He saw a broom near the end of the bed and he stood up to grab it.
In the confusion the short man had forgotten to do his pants back up. As the belt dragged the jeans down to the floor, the short man found himself falling and rolling. The wolf just continued to snarl. The man had forgotten all about the broom and was just trying to run as fast as he could out the door. The wolf followed him to the door snapping at his heels.
As they reached the door the wolf started to stand on his hind legs and his fur started to recede. Raven found herself staring at a naked Jordan. He was watching the thieves run away through the tiny window in the door. Jordan watched to make sure that they all left, and then he turned to check on Raven, but she was already right beside him.
He wasn’t sure how she was going to react. He had never shifted in front of someone before. He was about to try and explain everything to her when she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him. It was overwhelming for Jordan. He was ready to face many different reactions, but this one he had not anticipated.
Raven led Jordan to the bed and threw him down on the low mattress. Raven got on top of Jordan and started to kiss her way down his body. She stopped to bite at his nipples until they got hard. Raven could feel another area getting hard as well. She kissed down Jordan’s stomach and his waist. Raven licked at his inner thighs. She could feel Jordan positioning himself. Trying to move her to where he wanted more attention, but Raven was only kissing around the aching appendage.
“I need you,” Jordan whispered, “You will be mine.”
Jordan took off her pants with one hand. He stood up with Raven in his arms and her legs wrapped around him. Jordan felt even bigger than he looked as Raven felt him push past her lower lips, deep inside of her.
“Ahhh!” She moaned as she ground herself against her lover. Jordan was holding her effortlessly in midair with his face buried in her chest. Raven had a fist full of Jordan’s black hair as she felt herself nearing completion. Their cries filled the room. She could feel Jordan starting to twitch as well.
The lovers collapsed on the bed. Exhausted and out of breath, they stayed locked together just enjoying the feeling of being with each other. Raven ran her fingers through Jordan’s hair. Jordan was running his finger along the curve of her hips. They didn’t talk for what seemed like hours, but in the very best way. Raven didn’t want it to stop, but she had too many questions.
“So eating a wolf made you a werewolf?” Raven asked when she couldn’t keep things together any longer.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Jordan shrugged. “As soon as I got over the virus I started to feel different, but I didn’t know what was going on. I was along the dock trying to catch some fish. I hadn’t been well enough to fish in a while so I was pretty much out of food. I walking between my lines trying to keep up with the number of fish that were biting that day when I all of a sudden I was in the water.
The worst part was that I wasn’t ever human anymore. I was doing a real doggy paddle. I got to the shore and it took me over a day to figure out how to shift back.” Jordan was staring up at the ceiling. “I have been getting better at it, but I am not really able to control it one hundred percent. Yesterday I shifted on the porch twice, in fact almost every time I left the house yesterday I turned into the wolf.”
Raven was smiling as she watched Jordan’s face going through its tortured motions. “I don’t care about that,” Raven traced the side of the werewolf’s face with her finger. He was stunning in the dim light of the cabin, and most importantly he really cared about her. “You’re still human, even as a wolf, you didn’t hurt me.”
Raven wrapped Jordan’s arm over her as she snuggled up with her back against his chest. She could tell that Jordan was still worried, but now that she knew what he was worried about, Raven knew that they could get passed this. There was a good chance that there was no place on Earth to escape this sickness, but she felt like she was already where she needed to be. She could feel Jordan’s heart beating and she could feel him breathing. For the first time in months Raven felt safe, she felt like she was home.
The sun crept through the cabin window and it crawled across the floor. Raven was already up. Her leg was feeling much better. It didn’t even bother her as she set the table. Raven had made breakfast, she felt like she was getting the hang of using the small, testy gas range. Jordan rolled over, “What are you doing up?” He asked as he put his feet on the floor and started looking for pants. “I don’t mind doing some of the cooking,” Jordan was pulling on a pair of baggy sweats.
“I know,” Raven smiled as she moved toward him. Raven kissed Jordan before handing him a mug of what she hoped was coffee. Raven had never made it without a coffee maker. Jordan made a horrible face, but he forced himself to swallow it.
“Chewy,” he said as he stuck his tongue out and wiped it off. His tongue was covered in loose grounds. The rest of the breakfast went much smoother. Pancakes and pan fried fish were easy enough. “Well what should we do now?” Jordan asked.
“I thought we could take a walk by the river,” Raven said as she watched Jordan trying to strain his coffee. Raven got up and started moving things around like she was looking for something.
“What are you doing?” Jordan was giving Raven a cock-eyed glance.
“I’m just trying to remember where I put your leash.” Raven started to l
augh as she ran for the door. Jordan was hot on her heels.
“Woof woof,” Jordan barked as he wrapped both arms around Raven and started walking her toward the river.
“Don’t do it!” Were the last words she yelled before she hit the water.
THE END Return To The Table of Contents
Wild Bear
Chapter One
Three years ago, if someone would have told Amber that she'd be living in an isolated cabin near the tiny mountain town of Oakridge, Colorado, she would have laughed long and hard. All of her life Amber had been a city girl, the kind of girl who detested camping, the kind of girl who liked to do nothing more than curl up with some Chinese takeout and binge watch television shows in her pajamas. The comforts of the city had always seemed so important to her, but after a trip to a Colorado ski resort to celebrate the completion of her degree, Amber had fallen in love — not with a man, but with a place. The time she'd spent at Oakridge was one of the most peaceful periods of her life, and when Amber left to go back home, she knew it wouldn't be for long.
Now here she was. Amber Chase, the city girl who'd lost her heart to the mountains. The cabin she bought was nestled amongst the trees, a beautiful two story house built against the gentle slope of the mountain. The cabin was made of wood, as were all the others in the area, but its construction was sturdy and skillful. This was no shack hastily thrown together — the cabin offered the comforts of a city house, but in a rustic setting. It was as if it had been made just for her.
But what Amber liked the best about where she lived wasn't the house or the easily accessible ski slopes, but rather the night sky. Out here, distanced from light pollution and carbon emissions, the night sky looked like a painting. The stars were bright and plentiful, the specks of light like flecks of paint shaken from a paintbrush against a dark canvas. Amber had never realized how many stars there were until she'd come to Colorado, and sometimes at night she climbed out onto her roof to gaze at the universe above and day dream. On the clearest nights she could see the bright arms of the galaxy against the stars, and if she was lucky the Northern lights streaked across the sky in colors she'd only dreamed.
It was her love of the sky that brought her to him.
Amber had moved into her cabin four months back, and was at last starting to get settled. Summer had hit hard, and the temperatures were sweltering. The secluded cabin she lived in was miles away from the nearest house, and on nights like these Amber enjoyed her solitude. Isolation meant that nights spent stretched out across her roof, staring at the sky, could be spent as naked as she liked. With no one around to see, there was no need to think of modesty. And so Amber laid out in her panties and a loose hanging tank top and nothing more. The forest around her was abuzz with the noises of nature. But tonight, for as usual as the night sounded and felt, something was strange about the sky. The stars did not burn as brightly as they always had.
On the horizon, Amber found the cause of her problem. The sky was a muddy red color she'd never seen before, odd for this time of night. The sun had long ago set, and she was sure it wasn't a lingering sunset. There was something angry about the color, something malicious.
It was the first time Amber had ever seen the sky during a forest fire.
Each night that followed more and more of the sky was consumed with the fire's rage, and the reports started to pour in. Amber's cabin was equipped with an internet connection — a city necessity she absolutely could not live without as an author and editor — but she had no television. The radio broadcasts she tuned into from time to time to check up on the weather told her the news. Forest fires were spreading across the mountain and they'd begun to encroach upon Oakridge. Residents were not yet asked to evacuate, but were asked to keep alert in case an emergency had to be declared.
That night, with the sky soaked in rusty browns and the smell of burning on the air, Amber met him.
The insects had stopped chirping and humming, and there wasn't a nocturnal bird to be heard. Although there were no stars to see beneath the billowing smoke, Amber found the empty canvas that was the sky fascinating. Dressed in her panties and loose tank top as usual, she contemplated the encroaching fires and the evacuation they might bring. If she had to leave her home, what would become of her things? What did she want to save, and what could she realistically bring with her out of those things? And if her cabin did burn to the ground, where would she live? To leave Oakridge felt like turning her back on her heart, but what other options would she have? Until matters were settled, she'd have no choice but to move back home with her parents. The thought stung.
As caught up in her thoughts as she'd been, Amber almost hadn't heard the crashing impact of heavy footsteps nor the snap of brittle branches as a solid figure lumbered through the forest. When the sound did register, she lifted her head and sat up. There were bears in this part of the woods, she knew, and it wouldn't be the first time that some of the bolder ones had wandered right up to her cabin. Up on the roof as she was there was little danger, but Amber rarely had a chance to look at the ferocious creatures up close, and she was excited to be able to sneak a peek.
But it wasn't a bear that had crashed through the woods to approach her cabin. Amber scooted across the roof to get a better look. As the figure approached, the red Colorado night exposed her visitor more clearly. Even against the smoky night sky there was no mistaking the outline of a man. He stumbled out from the forest, each step uneven. From what she could see he was limping, bent over just slightly as he made his way towards the lights of her home. Every now and then the light from her windows would catch on his clothing, and by it she realized that he wasn't dressed like a civilian; this man, whoever he was, wore the heavy vestments of a firefighter. The reflective stripes across his shirt caught even the dimmest lights to draw attention to his location.
"Hey!" Amber called out, her heart racing. It was clear that he was hurt and lost; there was nothing around for miles. That he'd stumbled across her house at all was a miracle. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"
The man stopped in his tracks, and she thought she saw his head lift. As far as he was away it was hard to tell.
"Hello?" Amber asked again. Still, no reply. The man stood where he was.
Was she hallucinating? Maybe all the smoke on the air had finally taken its toll. But as Amber squinted and tried to decide if she was crazy or not, the man lost all strength and crumpled to the ground.
"Oh shit," it was a gasp. Amber scrambled to her feet and climbed back into the house through her bedroom window, realizing on her way to the door that she was near naked. Not willing to waste time, she grabbed her fluffy pink bathrobe and slung it on, then scooped her cellphone up from her bedside table. A pair of flats waited by the upstairs door, and she slipped into them on the run, still securing her robe in place. Moments later a click broke the silence in the house, and Amber had opened the upstairs door and broke out into the night at a run.
"Hey!" she called as she sprinted. Already she was winded, and running up the side of a mountain slope was as much cardio as she'd had in a long time, but burning lungs would not stop her from helping another person. "Hey, can you hear me? Please answer!"
In the distance she saw him. Since she'd left the roof he hadn't moved, and she figured he was incapable of moving at all. The closer she drew, the more Amber could see the details. The uniform he wore was charred and smeared black in places with ash. He'd lost his helmet, exposing his unruly brown hair soaked through with sweat. There was a pack strapped to his back, but it looked empty. When Amber dropped to her knees beside him she could see how his skin was smeared with ash, almost entirely covered with the black chalky stuff.
"Hey," she breathed, putting a hand on his shoulder. Beneath the loose material it was hard to make out much, but she assumed he was a young man, probably no older than thirty. "Hey, can you hear me? Please answer me. Let me know you're with me..."
How did you check for life? Amber didn't know how to take a puls
e, and she couldn't see if his chest was moving beneath the thick layers he wore. Instead, she put her hand before his nose to check for breath. It was there. At least he hadn't died.
A moment passed, but before she could take her hand away the firefighter grabbed her by the wrist. The gloves he wore felt gritty against her skin, and his grip was firm. Amber gasped and struggled, but he proved too strong. Her hand remained before his nose as his nostrils flared as though to breathe her in. Then, slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Water," he rasped. The words were dry and brittle, and Amber knew he had to have gone on for a long time without anything to drink. It sounded like he'd just made it through the desert.
"Can you stand?" One way or the other she had to get him to the house. Either she'd drive him to the hospital, or she'd care for him until an ambulance arrived. As distanced as she was from Oakridge, Amber knew it would take time.
"I think," he replied, the words strained. The hand around her wrist loosened, then fell away. Amber hooked an arm around his shoulders, finding his body to be surprisingly sturdy. He hooked an arm around her neck and accepted her help, and together they rose on shaky legs.
The firefighter was heavy. Part of it was due to his fire resistant uniform, but Amber also knew that much of it was from the muscle hidden beneath. Together they made their way back towards her house, Amber supporting much of his weight. By the time they'd arrived she was exhausted and trembling from trying to keep him upright, and she was happy to have him lie down on the nearest available piece of furniture — her bed.
"Stay," she told him as if there was an option. He'd dropped down upon the bed like dead weight, and the frame had groaned and creaked like it was near death. When she uttered the word he opened an eye to peer up at her, and Amber was treated to its unique color. A russet brown, muddy red like the night skies during a fire, stared up at her and ingrained itself in her memory.
