Shades of the Wolf

by Karen Whiddon

  As soon as he regained his composure, he sat down beside her and read over her shoulder.

  They both saw the section on dragons at the same time. “The Drakkor,” Anabel breathed. “A breed of shape-shifter so rare it’s now believed to be a myth.” Raising her head, she met Tyler’s eyes. “Except they’re not.”

  “I don’t believe this,” Tyler said, eyeing the illustration. “Does that look like what you saw?”

  “Yes. Exactly, except in real life the colors are much more vibrant.”

  Crud. Forcing his gaze back to the page, he continued reading out loud. “‘Drakkors were considered the most powerful of all shape-shifters. In addition to their ability to change into a fearsome, fire-breathing beast with the gift of flight, they also have magical talent. It was this same magic that brought about their downfall.’”

  Anabel picked up where he left off. “‘In medieval times, the Drakkors were as numerous as the Pack. But struggles for power led to war. Two sides were formed—the Drakkor of the Light and the Dark Drakkor. Battles raged, wiping out legions of the beasts. Those few that remained went into hiding. Over the centuries, they began to die out. A sickness attacking only the Drakkors further thinned their numbers.’”

  Tyler shook his head. “Wow.”

  “I know.” Eyes glowing like polished bronze, she practically vibrated with excitement. “This is like reading a fairy tale.”

  “Except for one thing,” Tyler pointed out. “If your dream was correct, apparently the warlock is not only a Drakkor, but a dark one. And he has my sister. How do we fight against something like that?”

  Once they’d flipped through all the other books, finding only one other reference to the Drakkor, Anabel yawned. Tyler hid a smile. A quick glance at the clock on the microwave revealed that only half an hour had passed.

  “You know what?” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I think I am going to go back to bed. Even though I usually get up at four or four thirty when I have to be at work, I’ve been sleeping until six thirty.”

  He nodded, wishing more than anything that he could crawl into bed with her.

  When she stood, she started to turn to leave and then froze. Wrapping her arms around herself, she tilted her head to look up at Tyler. “I wish you could hold me until I go to sleep,” she said, surprising him. “I confess I’m a bit worried I’ll be seeing dragons in my sleep.”

  The image that came to his mind had nothing to do with sleep. He burned, wondering how even as a ghost, he could still ache with desire and need.

  “I can try,” he said, remembering the kiss and how he’d managed to become solid that one time. And then, as if he thought she could read his mind, he had to avert his gaze, afraid she’d read the yearning in his eyes.

  “Would you?” And because she sounded so damn grateful, he knew he would, even if lying next to her unable to touch her would be akin to lying on hot coals.

  Chapter 9

  Though she’d worried at first she wouldn’t be able to keep her apparently sex-crazed libido from acting up, Anabel felt comforted having Tyler lying in bed with her. Just having him there was nice, even if she couldn’t feel the weight of his body on the mattress. When he draped his ghostly arm over hers, she sighed, closing her eyes and pretending to snuggle against him. Aside from a few twinges of lust battling with her exhaustion, she felt better having him close.

  Amazingly, she drifted off to sleep.

  When she opened her eyes, the nightstand clock said 7:10, which meant she’d overslept slightly. Her heart skipped a beat as she contemplated what would happen if she turned and gave Tyler a good-morning kiss. But rolling over, she realized he’d already vacated the room. Her immediate sense of loss made her chest feel heavy, but she shook it off. If she’d had any dreams, she didn’t remember them and woke up remarkably rested.

  More than that, actually. Stretching as she got out of bed, she took note of the exhilaration zinging through her veins and glanced at herself in the mirror, unable to keep from smiling. Finally, she had a lead on Tyler’s sister. He might not recognize the landmarks she’d sketched, but someone, somewhere, would. The dragon—or Drakkor—had thrown an unexpected wrench in things, but for some reason she felt confident they’d figure out a solution.

  Juliet called a few minutes after Anabel finished her breakfast. “I’m so glad you called,” Anabel began. “I’ve got something I need to ask you—”

  “First, tell me this,” Juliet interrupted. “Who did you piss off now?” She sounded worried and a bit scared.

  “No one that I know of. Why?”

  “Do you know a Doug Polacek?”

  Anabel thought for a minute. “No. I don’t. Why do you ask?”

  “Think,” Juliet insisted, still not answering. “Maybe he was a customer at the diner and didn’t like something you cooked?”

  “Maybe.” Still not too concerned, Anabel sighed. “Those people—who are few and far between, by the way—deal with the waitstaff or the manager. They never make it back to the cook. You still haven’t told me what’s going on.”

  “This Doug Polacek has been talking about you, all around town. He’s a big guy, at least six-four and three hundred pounds. Pretty intimidating. Even so, he claims you’re harassing him. He’s hinting you went psycho on him from a love affair gone bad.”

  Stunned, Anabel gasped. “That’s—”

  But Juliet hadn’t finished. “There’s more. From what I hear, he’s even gone to the police to get a restraining order against you.”

  Dumbfounded, Anabel couldn’t respond at first. When she did find her voice, a few heartbeats later, it came out shaky. “I don’t understand. I don’t even know this person.”

  “Well, for whatever reason, he’s got the entire town stirred up about you again. Almost as bad as last time.”

  Anabel groaned, her stomach roiling. She remembered how that had been. She’d ended up having to head to the next town over to do her shopping. Between the way everyone had either stared her down without speaking or crossed the street to avoid being near her, she’d felt like a pariah in her own town.

  When the harassment started—the eggs on her house and car, the burning bag of poop on her doorstep, her doorbell ringing at all hours of the night and rocks shattering her windows—she’d gotten no help from the police. Though they hadn’t come out and actually said so, she’d gotten the impression that they felt as if she deserved such treatment, kind of like making restitution for her sins.

  And now some guy whose name she didn’t even recognize was starting things up again.

  Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to push away the confusion and fear. Focus. When she opened them again, she felt calmer and more centered, as well as resolute. “Juliet, I have no idea why this total stranger has it in for me, but I have enough on my plate. I don’t have time to deal with him right now.”

  Juliet started to argue, but Anabel cut her off. “Listen,” she said. “This is way more important. I have a question for you. What do you know about the Drakkors?”

  Clearly, she’d stunned her friend into silence.

  “The...what? Drakkors, as in mythical dragons?” Juliet’s tone made it clear she was worried Anabel had finally stepped off the deep end.

  “Not so mythical, as it turns out,” Anabel said. “The warlock who has Tyler’s sister is a Drakkor.”

  “Not possible.”

  The instant denial made Anabel smile. “It is, actually.”

  “And you know this how?” At least Juliet sounded willing to hear her out.

  “I saw the warlock shape-shift. Instead of a wolf, he became a dragon. A huge, monstrous, fire-breathing thing.”

  “You saw?” Juliet practically shouted. “When? Where?”

  Now came the hard part. “In a dream.”

 
Silence. When Juliet spoke again, she sounded much calmer. Relieved, even. Clearly, she chose her words carefully. “Hon, you are aware dreams aren’t real, right?”

  “It’s funny how you and Tyler say the same things,” Anabel responded. “And both of you know better. Of course I am. But this wasn’t an ordinary dream. The warlock had been here. He tried to grab Tyler. Leroy—my cat—sensed him. I think he used a cloaking spell on me.”

  Another silence.

  “You’ve been reading the books I gave you, haven’t you?”

  “Studying them,” Anabel confirmed. “Believe me. Please. If you learn anything about the Drakkors—anything at all—let me know. I—we—need all the help we can get.”

  “Wow. I’ll see what I can find out. But you also need to deal with this Polacek guy. He’s trying really hard to make your life miserable for no reason I can tell. Oh.” Juliet’s voice changed. “My last morning class is here. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” And she ended the call.

  Puzzled, Anabel relayed the information about Doug Polacek to Tyler. “I have no idea who he is or why he’s trying to turn the town against me.” She took a shaky breath. “I’m pretty sure this has something to do with that warlock. I wonder if he’s just revealed his identity.”

  “It wouldn’t be that easy.”

  “Maybe not. Or he might be upping the stakes.”

  “I hadn’t considered that.” As the realization dawned on him, horror spread across his face. “You’re saying you think it’s all a game to him? He’s having fun?”

  She thought of her dream and the way the warlock had thrown himself into the air after he changed. “Of course he’s enjoying himself. What other reason would he have for doing this?”

  Ignoring Tyler’s frown, she took a deep breath, aware he wouldn’t like the next question, but knowing she had to ask it anyway. “Yesterday, I think you showed you have some latent magic ability. Is there any possibility that your sister might have some, as well?”

  He frowned, his form once again flickering in and out. “I honestly couldn’t tell you that. I’m still trying to figure out if that’s really what happened with me. The only thing I can say is if she did she never told me about it. Why?”

  “A theory I’m beginning to have. Remember the legends about dragons? They feed off energy. And magic generates a lot of energy.”

  Hazel eyes dark, he stared at her, so handsome it almost hurt her to look at him. She pushed that thought away, reminding herself that she had to focus if she wanted to continue to learn and grow.

  “So you’re saying...?”

  “He captures those with untapped magic, in order to feed off them.”

  Expression like a stone mask, he considered. “I don’t know. That’s a bit far-fetched, don’t you think?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “If he’s capturing people with untapped magic,” he said, the concern in his voice telling her he’d realized what this could mean, “then you’re also at risk from him.”

  “True.” She knew she sounded unconcerned, but all she could think about was she might have finally found a way to locate his sister. “Think about it, though. If I can draw him to me, I can reach your sister before it’s too late.”

  “No.” Clearly horrified, he began to flicker in and out more rapidly, the way he always did when agitated. His eyes flashed. “That’s too dangerous. I don’t want you to risk your own life. Then where would we be? Dena would still be his prisoner, and you’d be there along with her. There’s no one else I can communicate with except Juliet. I couldn’t assist you.”

  “Juliet knows people who could. She belongs to a pretty tight-knit coven.”

  He spread his hands. “What does that even mean? How could she—they—help?”

  With a shrug, she tried to downplay his concern. “I’m not sure. But surely they could.”

  “Well, if they can—and we don’t have to put you in danger—let’s enlist their aid right now.”

  Though for some reason all her nervousness threatened to come back and grip her, she managed a smile. “She’s teaching a yoga class now. I’ll call her later. I wish I’d thought of it sooner.”

  “Me too.” He paused, his expression going serious as his form became more solid. “Though I have to say, if Juliet and her coven really can assist us, why didn’t Juliet herself mention it sooner?”

  He had her there.

  “We might not have to stress about that anyway. I can’t help feeling as if he’s going to continue to attack us to keep us off balance.”

  Looking decidedly not ghostly, with his muscular legs spread in a warrior’s stance, Tyler considered her statement. “He’d only do that if he considered us dangerous.”

  Though just looking at him made her mouth go dry, she managed a nod. “You know, I think we just might be. And though I’m just learning, it doesn’t seem to matter on the magic thing that you’re a ghost and I’m not.”

  Something flickered in his eyes, reminding her of the amazingly real kiss they’d shared. Her entire body heated at the memory.

  It was when she caught herself actually swaying toward him that she snapped out of it. Rushing over to the stack of books, she grabbed one randomly and carried it over to the table. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to try and learn more. Knowledge is power.”

  To his credit, he met her dramatic—and rather prim, if she did say so herself—proclamation with only a nod.

  “While you do that,” he said, “I’m going back to the world of the spirit to see what I can find out about the Drakkors.”

  “Good idea,” she began, but he had already gone.

  “Whew.” Leaning back in the chair, she closed her eyes. Battling an attraction to a ghost. She swore she could feel the sexual magnetism rolling off him in waves—intense and compelling, at times confusing. She didn’t understand how she could want him so much.

  She stood, alone in her house once more, turning a slow circle. Finally, alone. Even with the urgency of the need to find his sister hanging over her, right now she should have been relishing her time alone. This was how she’d always lived, by herself. At least since David had been deployed. While she’d missed him, especially at night when lying in her empty bed, she was used to it and appreciated the space and the knowledge she could do whatever she wanted, eat whatever she liked and make her own schedule.

  Over time, even her bed had come to feel less empty. She’d become accustomed to widowhood. Yes, she often found herself lonely, but she mostly dealt with it by keeping busy. This had worked pretty well. Until now.

  Now she missed Tyler. Tyler. A man—no, a ghost—she’d known only a few days. Not such a long time in the scale of things. Yet she ached for him, craved him as though he were a drug and she an addict. She took comfort in the fact that he didn’t know about her constant battle to keep from touching him, caressing him, kissing him. Which, when you considered that their bodies wouldn’t be able to actually make contact, felt pretty darn nutty.

  Had loneliness driven her to this? Maybe, since his presence was like a bright beacon in thick gray fog, she’d been more lonesome than she’d realized.

  Once all this was done, she knew he’d be gone. He couldn’t stay. But what he’d given her seemed immeasurable. In a way, a ghost had brought her back to life. Because of him, she now had a purpose. Saving his sister, whose plight had become all too real. Freeing Dena would be more than a way to make retribution to the universe for what she’d almost done to Lilly McGraw. She wanted to save her because no one deserved to suffer like that.

  The warlock had to be stopped. She might be new at this magic stuff, but even a novice could sense the breadth of the darkness that consumed this man. Or correction—this dragon.

  Her naturally curious mind couldn’t help wondering if there were more of his kind o
ut there somewhere. He couldn’t be the last one, could he? Maybe there were other Drakkors who’d pledged themselves to the light, who could use their magic to counteract the evil darkness of his. Allies.

  As for this Doug Polacek, whoever he was, Anabel decided she had much more important things to do than worry about him and whatever mischief he was trying to cause, though she still needed to investigate whether or not he had any potential ties to the warlock/Drakkor.

  Juliet phoned back thirty minutes later, which must have been a few minutes after she got her last client out the door.

  “I’ve called an emergency meeting of my coven,” Juliet said, sounding breathless from excitement.

  Her coven. For a second, Anabel had forgotten that Juliet was Wiccan. “Do you think they can help?”

  “Everyone has magic. Some just have more than others,” Juliet said, her positive energy practically crackling across the phone line. “At this point, we might as well try. What have we got to lose?”

  “Good point.” Anabel sighed. “I hate that I supposedly have so much magic, yet I haven’t been able to do much to find Tyler’s sister.”

  “I’m hopeful we can help you with that. We’re meeting in the woods near the hill with the changing tree. I’d really like it if you and Tyler could come.”

  The changing tree. The place where the Pack often met to shape-shift and hunt in small groups. Anabel hadn’t been there since David died. Too many memories.

  She took a deep breath, pushing away her thoughts. “I don’t know. We’re not changing or anything, right?”

  “No, no. Just meeting.” Juliet paused. “Maybe a ritual or two, if it’s needed.”

  “Then why there?”

  “It’s a place of power and we need all the help we can get. Will you come?”

  Willing her heartbeat to slow, Anabel considered. Eighteen months had passed. She’d been gradually trying to move on, to let go of the past. Maybe seeing the changing tree would be another step.

  “I can do that,” Anabel finally agreed. “We can, I mean. But will the others be able to interact with Tyler like you and I do?”