“So, you only have me,” Sophia said with a smile, “I transitioned naturally and it was the only thing that was on my mind then. I was terrified but hopefully, it won’t be so bad for you.”
I met her eyes, “But I am frightened,” I admitted as a tremble shook through me, “My father told me what happened during his first transition and Lilly killed someone during hers. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Sophia nodded as her eyes softened in understanding, “I suppose your father’s experience is why you went into marriage so willingly?”
I nodded, “It was but Luc was wonderful too,” I said, blushing.
Sophia gave a short laugh, “I had wondered why you put up no fight against the betrothal,” she said with a grin, “I did and Aurora did too. Lilly had a horrible life before marriage so, I think she was looking forward to it and she became friends with Marco within the first day. So, she was okay. You had every reason to fight the betrothal but didn’t.”
I raised my brows, “I’m surprised that my father told you what happened,” I said as I licked my lips.
Sophia nodded, “He didn’t at first. He told Gavriel,” she said, sadly, “He only told me later when he was having a hard time facing it. He never got over the guilt.”
“So, you understand why I’m so frightened of my first transition,” I said, biting my bottom lip, “I don’t want to kill anyone.”
Sophia smiled, “Yes, I do understand” she said as she reached forward and caressed my cheek, “But we will make sure that will not happen. So let’s continue with the test. Let’s test your senses.”
“Alright,” I said as Sophia stepped away from me. She went to a cabinet and retrieved some herbs. She sprinkled several from each bottle into her hand and held it out.
“Smell,” she said with a raised brow, “If you can identify the five herbs in this then that means that your sense of smell has improved.”
I inhaled and immediately identified the herbs, “Garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano and dill,” I said, lifting my eyes to Sophia’s. She nodded.
“Alright, we’ll test your sense of touch,” she said, pursing her lips, “Close your eyes.”
I obeyed and a moment later, a single hair moved on my head. I turned toward it, “You can open your eyes,” she said, shaking her head, “You are definitely sensitive to touch. No one else would have felt that.”
“Taste is next,” she said, raising her chin as she held a bit of green herb out to me, “Put it on your tongue.”
I obeyed but as soon as it touched me, I opened my eyes and began to spit because it burned so badly that it caused my eyes to tear, “What was that?”
“Just wolf’s bane,” she said with a raised brow, “It wouldn’t burn if you weren’t close. It had to be injected into Lilly to prevent that feeling.”
I shook my head as the burn subsided and blinked my eyes clear. Finally, I was able to see clearly and gazed at Sophia expectantly.
“Now, close your eyes. We’re going to do the final test,” she said, gently, “We are going to test your hearing. We will stand at different parts of the house and you will find us by listening for our heartbeats. Do not use your sense of smell. I’ll need for you to track us by hearing only. If you do that, we’ll know that you will transition any moment.”
I nodded and closed my eyes as Sophia had told me to do. Mirella clapped her hands and called out excited, “Time to play hide and seek,” she said as she ran through the house.
I stood as my eyes prickled, tempting me to open them. Instead, I squeezed them shut tighter as I took slow, steady breaths. It took a moment but eventually I began to pick up the faint thump of a heart. I cocked my head in the direction it was coming from and moved cautiously forward, trying not to bump into furniture. I tilted my head and turned, taking two steps until my hands brushed an arm.
“I guess I don’t play this well,” Sophia said, amused, “At least now I can help you maneuver around objects.”
I nodded relieved but my head jerked. I was already picking up the next steady thump, I moved toward it, turning quickly only to bump directly into the person before me.
“Well, I’m out,” Mirella said, patting my face gently before leaving my presence for the kitchen.
I frowned as I turned again and moved toward what I believed was my bathroom. This time two sets of heartbeats had reached my ears. I bumped into the door before reaching down and finding the knob. As soon as I opened the door, I reached forward and connected with Ruby’s chubby little hand. The little girl giggled and I couldn’t help but to laugh.
“I’ll go sit in the kitchen,” Aurora said, patting my shoulder before she left.
I tilted my head. Only Sophia remained with me and Ruby, Aurora and Mirella were in the kitchen. Still, three more distinct thumps sounded in my ears.
“Is someone else here?” I asked confused.
“No,” Sophia said, alarmed, “Why?”
“Because there is more than one,” I said, desperate to find Lilly. I opened my eyes and rushed through my bedroom door. She sat on the bed. Her eyes widened when I glanced around the room.
“What’s wrong?” Lilly asked alarmed as she gazed into my face.
I stepped toward her, “I hear three heartbeats,” I tilted my head downwards as I stood in front of her. My eyes widened as I suddenly understood what I was hearing. I gave a relieved chuckle, “They’re all coming from you.”
Lilly clasped her hand over her stomach. She frowned as she gazed up at Sophia who suddenly, grinned as she placed her hand over her heart, “I’d advise you to find Marco and take a pregnancy test,” she said with a laugh, “If it comes out positive, make Marco sit down before you tell him you’re having twins. I wouldn’t want him to fall and get hurt.”
Lilly nodded before she hugged me tightly, “Thank you,” she said, quickly before she ran from the room. A moment later, the sound of the door closing reached my ears as she left my house. Sophia turned back to me and stepped forward.
“Well, I think you know what this means,” she said with a raised brow. She gave me a sympathetic smile as she took my hand.
I nodded as my heart dropped into my stomach, “I’m going through transition,” I said, swallowing nervously. I trembled as nausea slammed through me causing me to release Sophia’s hand to cross my arms over my abdomen.
Sophia smiled as she patted my shoulder, “Don’t worry,” she said as I raised my head to look at her, “We’ll help you through it. You won’t hurt anyone. I promise.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I took in her words. My father’s story drifted through my head. He had killed and it had been someone who he had loved. What would make me any different? I bit my lip as I shifted hoping that Sophia could keep her promise and I wouldn’t harm or kill anyone. I took a deep breath as I thought of the Brazil family. If anyone could stop me from following in my father’s footsteps and creating a lifetime full of guilt for myself, they could. I would put my trust in them.
Chapter Twelve
Strike When It’s Right
I paced in the living room for a long time after Sophia had ushered the other women home. She would be checking on me every few hours until Luc arrived but for the most part, it was good for me to be alone because the less people who were around, the less chance there was of me hurting someone.
I glanced outside as the sun began to dip behind the trees. Luc would be home soon but I couldn’t focus on that as my skin crawled and I began to wonder if he would find me as a wolf when he arrived.
A tremble shook me and I stopped pacing and cocked my head to the right. The hair on the back of my neck rose in warning as a chilling certainty that Luc would not be home swept through me. I closed my eyes against the thought as ice cold fear ran through my veins.
My head rose as I stared at the door, hearing the pounding of someone’s heart on the other side. I whispered to myself, “Someone is coming.”
A sharp intake of breath rushed past my li
ps as a knock sounded at the door. My chest rose as my breaths quickened. I was suddenly terrified by the news on the other side. I forced my foot to move toward it as the second loud knock reverberated through the door causing it to jump with the force of the fist against the entrance’s face.
“Mary Jane, it’s Tamas,” he called through the door obviously desperate to reach me. I was finally able to make my feet move faster toward the entrance of my home. I swallowed hard before I threw open the door.
Luc’s eyes widened as he gazed up at me with one side of his face hidden. My lips trembled as I took in the horror on his face. I blinked as he turned fully and saw blood running slowly down one side of his face. His skin was abnormally pale with pain and worry.
“What happened?” I asked pushing the words from between my lips. Tears burned my eyes and my skin began to tingle more and more. My stomach which had cramped mild but steady for the last four hours began to shoot pain throughout my body. I crossed my arms over my abdomen and groaned as I gritted my teeth. Only then, did I glance down at my hands as they began to elongate.
Tamas was so grief stricken that he didn’t notice and had begun to speak, “Eli took Luc while we were out in the field,” he said, shaking, “We didn’t see it coming. We have to hurry. Eli has sent word that he’s going to kill him unless you go to him.”
I gritted my teeth as fangs broke free from my gums. A low rumble worked its way past my chest.
“Then, I’ll go,” I growled as the wolf within me finally broke free. Tamas fell backwards with a surprised humph as I jumped over him. He cursed on a breath as he scrambled to his feet.
In an instant, he changed joining me in wolf form. I lifted my nose in the air and howled as I found Luc’s scent. A moment later, I was running toward him, determined to kill anyone who would hurt him.
***********
The scent which reached my nose was like fire in my veins, causing me to howl in pain. I narrowed my eyes as I was reminded of the fire from the taste of wolf’s bane. It had burned as intensely as this. I shook my head and continued through the brush. Tamas had stopped shaking his head from the pain. I moved forward because beneath that scent was the scent of someone I would go through hell for. I raised my snout as I ran because Luc was here…in this neighborhood somewhere.
I stepped cautiously forward as I glanced around. Even in the haze of my first change, I could sense dozens of werewolves near. The neighborhood was full of them though none were visible.
I took a step into the street, bracing myself for the burn before inhaling again as I opened my mind. My heart pounded hard as I took in everything with new eyes. I blinked as the colors pulsed around me. Even the sounds echoed and seemed to have their own colors. Details in the asphalt beneath my feet or the light post beside me would have been distracting if it were not for the familiar scent of my husband floating on the air.
I closed my eyes as I focused on Luc’s smell. Slowly, I began to hear Luc’s voice echoing within my head, “She won’t come, Eli,” he whispered, “She’ll know it’s a trap.”
I frowned as I took a cautious step toward the voice. Didn’t Luc realize that it didn’t matter that it was a trap? I would have to come. I would have to save him. I couldn’t live without him and not just because of the bond. I opened my eyes as my heart ached.
“You should have let him die,” I heard someone say behind me. I stiffened and then, turned slowly unable to answer him back because of my wolf form. My eyes narrowed as I took in the unfamiliar man. Hair black as raven’s feathers brushed his collar. His silver eyes were cold and cruel.
“You don’t know who I am,” he said, giving me a wry smile as he stepped forward.
I shook my head once and he rolled his eyes, “Of course, my ungrateful daughters wouldn’t have told you,” he said with a sneer, “They always find ways to disappoint me.”
I frowned as I took a step toward him. He shrugged, “My name is Emilian Grey,” he said, raising his chin in defiance, “I am Lilly and Aurora’s father.”
Anger slid through me and a low growl broke from my throat. He stepped back with a grin, “Now, you don’t want to hurt me, do you?” He asked and then, licked his teeth, “After all, if I die, so will Aurora’s mother.”
I stopped abruptly at that realization. My lips trembled as his eyebrows raised, “I suppose that you want to know where Luc is,” he said and then, shook his head. He pointed beyond me to a house at the end of the road. I turned on instinct but the moment I did, a sharp pain slammed through my buttocks.
I turned and looked down the length of my body. A howl of grief escaped me as I gazed down at the dart imbedded deeply into my skin. My world began to tilt and nausea slammed through me.
“Don’t worry,” Emilian said, putting a dart gun I had not seen until now into his belt, “It won’t kill you. It just knocks you out until you are in human form again. Then, you will be a bit more manageable.”
I sank to the ground as the knowledge that I couldn’t beat them without being the beast sank into my mind. Darkness began to flood my vision and I sank further and further to the ground. I fought to stay awake until I couldn’t hold my eyes open anymore.
The last thing I heard before falling completely into darkness was Luc’s voice screaming my name.
Chapter Thirteen
A Bond Unbreakable
Everything tilted as I opened my eyes. Cool breeze touched my skin and I shivered. Gone was the complete awareness of everything. Only my human senses remained. Nausea caused my stomach to clench as I sat up and heaved up the remains of my stomach into a small trash can that was thrust beneath my mouth the moment I started to gag.
A woman’s voice reached me, cooing softly as she smoothed my hair, “It’s okay,” she said, touching my forehead as if checking for a fever, “You’ll be alright.”
I forced my gaze upward to find a woman who was petite with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was obviously a werewolf and one from the Grey family but there was a kindness in her eyes that I did not associate with them. Still, I sensed that there was something that wasn’t right about her.
“Who are you?” I choked out, trying to breathe through the sickness.
The woman’s face stretched into a smile that caused chills to slide down my back, “My name is Fiona Anderson Grey,” she said as my eyes widened in recognition.
“Aurora’s mother?” I asked in awe.
Fiona’s eyebrows raised in surprise and her hand fluttered to her chest, “She’s told you about me?”
My eyes narrowed as I tilted my head studying the woman, “She told me that your brain has been high-jacked by her psycho father,” I said, raising my chin away from the trash can.
“That’s not true,” she said, quickly but her voice was strained as she took the trash can and sat it down on the other side of the room, “I came here of my own free will. I left the Brazil family because I love Emilian. They just don’t want to accept that.”
“No,” I said with a sarcastic lilt, “He forced you to blood bond with him. What else would happen? You couldn’t live without him. You left because of the bond…not love.”
She stared at me and for a second, I thought she would agree but then, she blinked and her eyes hardened, “It was a misunderstanding,” she whispered as she shook her head.
I scoffed, “I suppose when he raped you it was accident,” I said, rolling my eyes. I straightened as my stomach calmed and the tingling of the wolf just beneath the surface rippled my skin. I bit my lip oddly comforted by the very thing that had frightened me before.
“It was an accident,” she said, brokenly, “Why won’t anyone believe me?”
“Because rape isn’t an accident,” I said, frowning, “It’s a malicious act of control.”
She winced, “That’s not what happened.”
I rolled my eyes again, tired from the conversation with her, “Where’s Luc?” I asked.
She went to the closet and pulled out a simple white dress, “I’l
l take you to him, once you are decent enough to be seen.”
I nodded taking the dress from her, “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said to me so far,” I said, slipping the dress on.
“Why is that?” She asked, frowning.
I pursed my lips deciding whether I should answer and then, shrugged, “Because everything else you’ve said has been insane.”
Her mouth popped open but she straightened her back and went to the closet again to retrieve shoes, “Put these on,” she said through clenched teeth. The muscles in her jaw were tight against her skin.
I smiled because I realized I was pushing her toward a place, she could come up with no excuse for and even though there was a part of me warning that I shouldn’t have because she was Aurora’s mother and she was bound to a man who raped her, there was also part of me that wondered if I could push her out of the haze of the bond.
So far I had not been able to. I winced as she shoved a brush in my hand and pointed to a mirror. I raised my eyebrow and she let out a pent up breath, “Don’t you want to look your best for your husband?” She asked with raised brows.
I narrowed my eyes as I took the brush and began to run it through my hair. When the tangles were gone, she smiled, “Eli will be pleased,” she said, raising her chin.
“Eli?” I asked shaking my head, “Why the hell would I care what he thought?”
“Because he’s your husband,” she said so simply put that I blinked. As I gazed at her, I could see that she actually believed what she said.
“Luc is my husband,” I said as stern as my voice would allow, “I would never marry Eli. He killed my parents.”
“We shall see,” She said with a grin that sent a shiver down my spine. I narrowed my eyes at her. The woman was seriously unhinged.
“You said that you would take me to see Luc,” I said, forcing my eyes to remain steady on her as I tried to control my frustration.
“Of course I am,” she said and then, smiled brightly, “I wouldn’t lie to you. I can promise that.”
Enticed (The Brazil Werewolf Series Book 3) Page 9
