by Dena Christy
“You going to be okay?”
She didn’t think anything could be more soothing for her nerves than his deep, gravely voice. She leaned forward and put her forehead on his chest for a minute.
“Kate you’re starting to scare me,” he said as concern edged into his voice.
“I’m fine, I just need a minute,” she said as she stayed where she was. She slipped her arms around his waist, and turned her face so her ear was over his heart. The steady beat soothed her, taking away the sick feeling in her stomach. She didn’t know how long she stood there, listening to his heart as he ran his hands up and down her back. Once she had her nerves under control she stepped back.
“Is it time to go?” she asked as she looked up at him.
“Yeah,” he replied as he reached down to grasp her hand. “I wish I could say you didn’t have to do this but I can’t. Just remember that I will be with you every second.”
Kate nodded, still not confident enough about what was to happen to be able to speak. Continuing to hold her hand, he led her from the house. The drive to Nick’s didn’t last nearly long enough to suit Kate. For the whole drive her left leg jiggled up and down.
At one point Rowan put his hand on it, to still her. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” he said. He kept his hand there for the duration of the drive, and his touch did take the edge off.
Rowan pulled the truck onto a gravel driveway, and they pulled up in front of a large, rustic log house. Kate could see Nick standing out front, in the company of a beautiful blond woman. Rowan got out of the truck, and Kate got as far as undoing her seat belt, but could go no further. She was beginning to realize how badly she wanted to run away, which was what she did when faced with something she didn’t want to go through. Rowan came around the side and opened her door. He gently guided her out of the truck.
“It’s okay sweetheart,” he said as he held her hand and guided her towards his brother. “You already know Nick, and this is his mate Hadria.”
Hadria held out her hand and Kate shook it. She didn’t get the same feeling from Hadria that she’d gotten from the other wolves she touched. A frown knotted her forehead, and her confusion must have shown because Hadria laughed softly.
“The reason I don’t seem like a wolf is because I’m not. I’m a valkyrie,” Hadria said quietly as she slid her arm around Nick’s waist. She looked up at him, and Kate could see clearly how much they both loved each other. She almost felt like she was intruding on a private moment.
“We won’t keep you,” Nick said as he tore his eyes away from his woman, and looked at Kate, and then his brother. “If you need me just howl.”
The couple turned and walked back into the house.
“Come on,” Rowan said as he tugged her hand gently and led her around to the back of the house where a huge wooded area loomed. He drew her into the woods, and she looked up in a break in the trees and saw the moon reveal itself. She let go of Rowan’s hand, as an urge she couldn’t explain unfurled inside her.
“You feel it, don’t you,” he asked, his voice deeper than she’d ever heard it before. She looked over at him, and his eyes glowed topaz as he looked at her.
“What do I do now?” she asked, as she pulled off her shirt and undid her pants. She noticed that he focused on her eyes, keeping his gaze from her body as more of it was revealed.
“Close your eyes and imagine yourself turning into a wolf. Focus on your limbs turning into a wolf’s, your face turning into a wolf’s. It will hurt, but ride through the pain. Keep your focus on the wolf, no matter what happens. Don’t be afraid, I will be right here beside you and I won’t turn until you do. When you want to turn back into your human form, you do the same thing, only in reverse.”
Kate swallowed hard as she stripped off the remainder of her clothes. She could feel the pull of the moon, and the nervousness she’d felt all day ebbed away. A different feeling took over, a fierce exhilaration as she closed her eyes, and pictured the wolf. She imagined her limbs shortening into that of a wolf, her jaw and face elongating. She kept her eyes closed, even as she cried out as the first wave of pain hit her and she dropped to the ground onto her hands and knees. The pain wasn’t as bad as she expected, but it was there as she felt her arms and legs transforming to that of a wolfs. Her back arched, with her head tilted toward the moon. She felt an itching in her mouth, as if there were bees swarming inside as she felt her face stretching, elongating to accommodate the new teeth she was sprouting. It felt like forever, but she assumed it was only a few moments. Her head hung down as the pain stopped, and she panted, feeling both the exertion of the change and the relief. She opened her eyes, and for a moment she thought it hadn’t worked, despite the pain. As she looked around she noticed how different the world seemed. The scent of the woods was so sharp, and she turned her head and let out a startled yip when she saw the massive grey wolf standing beside her. He approached her and licked the side of her face, and she knew it was Rowan.
He nudged her with this muzzle, as if signaling her to get moving. Some spark of playfulness ignited inside her as she took a small nip at him, and took off deep into the woods. She could hear his paws hitting the earth as he took off after her. They ran together until they came to a clearing at the crest of a hill. They stopped and she took in her surroundings. The moon revealed itself in it’s full glory, and she tilted her head to the sky. She let out a long howl of joy, and Rowan joined her in a chorus of worship. In the distance another wolf howled, and she assumed it was Nick out there somewhere enjoying his own run. They called back to him and he replied, closer than he was before.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a movement, and Rowan moved to stand protectively in front of her. They watched as a tawny colored wolf, along with a white one entered the clearing. She sniffed the air, and recognized Nick and Hadria. Rowan raced forward to greet his brother, and the two tussled for a minute, before they separated. With a final yip, Nick and Hadria took off in the direction they’d come. Rowan turned toward her and placed his head on the back of her neck, in what she only imagined was the wolf equivalent of a hug.
Kate felt a peacefulness come over her, the likes of which she’d never felt. She didn’t feel worry, or sadness, or anger, she operated on pure instinct and it felt wonderful. Rowan turned and led the way back to the clearing where they’d left their clothing. She followed him, feeling a slight disappointment that their run was ending. Once she changed back into her human form she would no longer feel the pull towards Rowan that she had before.
When they got back to their clothes, she remembered his words on how to change back. She closed her eyes and imagined herself as a human. The change back took just as long, and the pain was on par with what she’d felt when she’d turned into a wolf. The pain was worth it, as she’d seen the world from a completely different perspective.
She collapsed onto the ground, the chill of the evening air raising goosebumps on her flesh. She felt the press of pine needles and dirt against her skin, and knew she’d successfully turned back. She rolled over onto her back, completely at ease with her own nudity. She looked over at Rowan, who lay beside her in his human form. He made no move to touch her, although she could see the affect their mutual nudity had on his body.
“Well,” he asked. “What did you think?”
“I think that was the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced. When can we do it again?”
Rowan barked out a laugh as he pressed a swift kiss on her lips. “We can go for another run tomorrow night. For now, we should get dressed and head back home.”
He stood and held his hand out to her, she grasped it and let him pull her to her feet. When he moved to let her go, she retained her grip on his hand. He looked at her in question, and she took a step towards him.
“I have an answer to one of the questions I had about all this,” she said as she pressed her body against his. She closed her eyes at how good his warm, bare skin felt against hers. She turned her head and kiss
ed the side of his neck. His arms banded around her as she heard him suck in his breath. “I still want you.”
She could feel his heart pounding against hers as he tilted her face up towards his. He kissed her with a gentleness she wasn’t expecting.
“Good, because I want you too. Let’s go home,” he said as he stepped away and reached for his clothes. Once they dressed, he took her hand and pulled her towards his truck. She saw Nick and Hadria standing on the porch and she threw a wave over her shoulder. She didn’t want to stop and chat. She only wanted to get back to Rowan’s house, where she would have him all to herself, all night long.
* * *
The trip back to Rowan’s house took less time than the trip to Nick’s house earlier in the evening. At least it seemed to Kate that it had. She did notice that Rowan had developed a lead foot during the drive back. Could it be eagerness to get her back to his place? She certainly hoped so, since now that she knew the desire she felt for him was not a side affect of the wolf bite, she couldn’t wait to be with him physically.
He pulled the truck into the driveway, and undid his belt. She wanted to do one last test to make certain there were no lingering effects of the wolf bite, so she turned to him as soon as her belt was undone.
“I want you to go into the house without me,” she said, and he looked at her in surprise.
“I thought you wanted this. Where do you want to go?” he asked as he made no move to leave the truck.
“Don’t worry Rowan. I just want to test a theory. Go in the house, and let me do what I need to. If what I think is correct, it will be to your benefit.”
He hesitated for a moment before opening his door. Once he was outside he peeked his head through the door. “Are you sure this is a good idea? You do have a history of car theft, and I’d hate to throw temptation at you.”
His mouth kicked up in that cheeky grin she’d grown to enjoy, and she laughed.
“Just shut up and go in the house,” she said as she waved him away. He shut the truck door, and made his way to the house without turning to look back at her. She smiled when she realized it meant that he trusted her to come back.
She got out of the truck, and walked down the street to the corner. Closing her eyes, focusing on the night air, she felt no pull towards him. She could leave him at any time. Turning around she made her way back to his house, pleased that she was going back because it was her choice, not because the bite compelled her. Her little test finally settled the other question they had about if her attraction to him was real, or a result of the bite. She still felt as drawn to him now as she had this morning, and that was answer enough for her.
She opened the front door and saw Rowan leaning against the wall, his muscular arms folded across his chest.
“Well, what was that about?” he asked as he lifted an eyebrow.
“I can leave here anytime I want. The effect of the bite is gone,” she said as she walked toward him. She reached up to caress his cheek, and he pushed himself away from the wall. “And since I can go anywhere I want, I’ve decided that tonight I want to be here.”
“And tomorrow?” he asked as he looked into her eyes. She knew what he was asking, but something inside her hesitated. Old habits and fears rose up inside her, and he must have read it on her face, because he put his hand up to hers where it rested on his cheek. He drew her hand down, and pressed a kiss to the centre of her palm. “Why don’t we let tomorrow worry about itself. You can stay here for as long or as little as you want.”
“Kiss me,” she whispered as she tilted her head back. He pulled her toward him, and lowered his mouth. His lips brushed hers, and she twined her arms around his neck. His hands slid around her waist to the small of her back, and he pressed her closer. He made no move to rush her as his lips coaxed hers open and his tongue slid inside.
A small moan escaped her, and she pressed her breast flush against his muscular chest. He felt so solid and strong against her, and she felt like she couldn’t get close enough to him. Their clothes were a frustrating barrier for her, and she reached down to the hem of his shirt as he continued to kiss her. She tugged and he pulled his mouth away from hers. He took the hem of his shirt from her hands, and pulled it off over his head. She put her hands up to explore the skin he’d just revealed. He felt warm, his skin firm under her hand as her palms glided over his pectoral muscles and down the ridges of his abdomen. She looked up at him through lowered lashes, and watched the skin tighten on his face. He made no move to direct her, letting her do what she wanted, and she wanted to taste him, to see if he was as good as he looked. She leaned forward, and she caught the fresh clean scent of his skin, and a smell unique to him, one she would recognize anywhere as being him. Her tongue darted out as she licked the skin on his neck.
Emboldened by his shiver, she used her lips to explore his skin more fully. Her mouth glided down his chest, until she found his tight nipple and flicked it with her tongue. She heard his breath hiss in through his teeth as he set her away from him.
“Sweetheart,” he said, his arousal evident in his voice. “I’m on a hair trigger here, and I don’t want it to be over before we start.” He scooped her up in his arms, and carried her in the direction of the bedroom. She nuzzled her face in his neck, and nibbled on his earlobe. He growled low in his throat, and lowered her onto her feet once he’d cleared the threshold of his bedroom. He grasped her face between her hand, and kissed her with a fierceness that set her blood on fire. She gripped his heavily muscled biceps and held on as her legs weakened. He pulled back from her, grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. He reached behind her, and the clasp of her bra was no match for his nimble fingers. She let her bra slide down her arms, grasped his hands and put them to her breasts.
He kneaded her flesh, and she moaned at how good his hands felt on her. He lowered his head and took one nipple in his mouth, suckling her.
“Oh God, Rowan,” she groaned as her head tilted back and her eyes closed. She could feel him maneuvering her towards the bed, as he continued to torture her with his tender ministrations. The mattress pressed against her calves, and she pulled away from him. She eased back on the bed, and looked up at him as he came down beside her. She threaded her hand through his hair as he kissed her once more.
She ran her hands over his chest, trailing down his stomach until she reached the waistband of his jeans. She undid the snap and released the zipper, sliding her hand down inside his briefs, to encircle his engorged cock. His flesh felt smooth, and hard as he thrust against her hand. He ripped his lips away from her.
“Christ, that feels good,” he said as he levered himself up off the bed. He pushed his jeans and underwear down his lean, muscled flanks, but before she could admire the view, he was beside her, his hands on the waist band of her jeans.
She felt the snap give way, along with the zipper, and he eased them off her. She lie before him, wearing only white lace panties, and in less time then it took to blink he whisked those off her too. He joined her back on the bed, looming over her. She reached for him, but he clasped her wrist and placed them on the bed above her head. He slid his hands down her body, and clasped her waist, moving her further up the bed as he pressed his mouth on her stomach. Her muscles tightened beneath his lips, and she felt the whisper of his breath as he moved lower. He kissed her and caressed her with his mouth, as he made his way to the apex of her thighs. He grazed his teeth against the tender skin on the inside of her thighs, and she thought she would go insane if he didn’t put his mouth where she wanted it soon. She undulated her hips, trying to signal to him what she wanted, but he seemed to be in no hurry to take the hint. She grasped his hair, and he looked up at her, that cheeky grin telling that he was enjoying the hell out of teasing her.
“Was there something you especially wanted?” he asked, his voice buttery smooth.
“Go down on me,” she said, and was rewarded for her bluntness when a light flared in his eyes, and he lowered his head. Her h
ead fell back on the mattress, as an agonized groan escaped her. What he was doing was torture, but she never wanted it to stop. The pressure built faster than she expected, and her orgasm exploded inside her. She cried out his name with her release as spasm of intense pleasure slammed through her. Her release drained her, and she melted into the mattress. She felt him pull away, and mustered the energy to open her eyes. She looked over as he opened the bedside table drawer and retrieved a condom, and sheathed himself.
He came back to her, but appeared to be in no hurry to finish. He brushed the hair away from her face, and kissed her softly on her lips. He cupped his hand between her legs, and slid a finger inside of her. She arched her hips, rubbing herself on his hand.
“Please Rowan,” she whispered. “I need you inside me.”
He laid on the bed beside her and pulled her on top of him. Her legs straddled his hips and he reached between them to guide himself inside. She pushed her hips down, until he was fully seated. He filled her completely, and his body matched hers perfectly. His hands went to her hips and he guided her in the movements that he liked.
She moved her hips on top of him, her movements picking up speed as he thrust his hips up to meet hers. He pulled her forward so he could kiss her, and whisper encouragement to her. She could feel her climax building, her movements became more frantic and less controlled. He rolled them both over, still buried deep inside her, and hooked her right leg over his arm, pushing it back. He pulled back and pushed back inside her, harder than before. He grew stronger and more powerful with each thrust, taking command of both their pleasure, so all she had to do was let go.
Her release had her crying out his name, and she clung to him, her only anchor in this world of gratification he’d built around her. It didn’t take long for him to join her in release, and lie fully on top of her, his face buried in her neck, and his hearing pounding out the same frantic rhythm as hers. She reached her arms up to encircle him, and wished for a fleeting second that they could stay like this forever.
