Unknown Touch

by Gina Marie Long

  Finally, we were finished stuffing ourselves, and in about five minutes, Rachel and Lydia had the entire mess cleaned up. I wasn't as comfortable here at Simon's as I would have been back at Daniel's resort, but it was an interesting, rustic looking house. I just had never been here before, so I was having a harder time relaxing, but all that food I ate did help. And I was nice and toasty warm.

  Daniel explained to Simon and Lydia the main points of what had happened out in the woods. He briefly passed over the fight scene and focused on Abigail making her surprise appearance, and my telepathic skills helping Stephen overcome his aggression. Eli had acted as the mediator, a counselor, letting Stephen speak freely about his emotions and actions.

  Abigail, with the utmost respect, asked, "I would like to stay here with Stephen tonight. He needs me and I want to keep an eye on him. Do you have any objections, Simon?"

  "Of course not! Please, you are welcome in my home any time," Simon adamantly exclaimed.

  Abigail went on, "Stephen and I want to give our relationship another chance. I do still love him." She smiled and rubbed Stephen's arm. I thought Stephen was going to cry. I, especially, could sense his emotions. I entered his mind and pushed in calm, comforting thoughts. He was feeling as if he didn't deserve Abigail after all he had done. I quickly corrected that thought process, letting him see that she, alone, made this choice to come to him. No one had forced or bribed her to seek him out today. He needed to embrace this love, accept it, roll with it. He glanced sheepishly up at me, knowing full well what I was doing to try to help him understand and to cope with this new way of living.

  Stephen gave me a mental nod and looked directly at Abigail and declared, "I love you, too, Abby. I've missed you so much." He called her by a nickname. How sweet. I could relax again.

  Simon added, "Stephen, if you're feeling any aggression or unease creeping up, would you please keep me in mind to come and talk to? We want to see you happy and want to help as long as you'll let us."

  Stephen was in awe with the fact that so many were reaching out to him. To help him. Before today, he looked at the others as if they were chastising him, punishing him or trying to discipline him. And he was not going to allow anyone to tell him what to do. Especially Daniel. But, in reality, the other werewolves were trying to protect their race, their existence, human lives, and save Stephen's soul from the dark side all at the same time. He could now see that. He had put them all at risk.

  Stephen answered Simon, "Thanks, Simon. I appreciate it. I'm sorry to have put you and your family through hell. And don't be too hard on David. I really put pressure on him to join me in my dangerous pursuits."

  David spoke up for himself and admitted, "Stephen had this exciting, daring, kick-butt attitude that I was drawn to. It pulled me into a different world when I was running with him. I felt some higher levels of aggression, at times, but I don't feel I was engulfed in rage or filled with violence."

  "I have an announcement to make," Rachel began, "Mom, Dad, all the others here already know what I'm about to tell you. I burst forth with this revelation out in the woods to catch David's attention."

  "And, boy, did it ever!" he interrupted her.

  Lydia was nervous. "Rachel, what's wrong?"

  "Well," she tried again to tell her parents, "I am pregnant!"

  Lydia and Simon became visibly pale and shock emanated from them. Lydia asked, "How?"

  "Gee whiz, I think you know how, Mom!" Rachel teased. "I'm just as shocked as you are. David and I have been married for over fifty years. We wanted to have children, but just figured getting pregnant was a very rare thing among werewolves. Suddenly, we got our wish."

  With Eli being a doctor and scientist, this subject matter was right up his alley. He politely asked, "Rachel, I think you're aware I'm a doctor, and if you like, with your permission, it would be a great honor to do what I can to help you with this pregnancy. It's not like you can run to the local hospital. I may not know everything about a werewolf's inner workings and chemistry, but I have done immense research and study on your species. I'm probably your best shot with my devotion to your continued, safe existence. Think about it."

  Rachel looked at David and her parents, hoping they would give their opinions. Lydia spoke first, "Rachel, he is a doctor and he has knowledge of our kind. If we're at all concerned about this surprise pregnancy, it would be a good notion to let him examine you and have him keep an eye on you throughout the entire pregnancy and delivery. Is that what you have in mind, Eli?"

  "Exactly my intentions," Eli responded. "Plus, I would like to do some more research on the reason why pregnancies are so uncommon in your race."

  Rachel had made a decision, "Eli, yes, I would like you to be my doctor. I think it will make me feel more comfortable knowing I have you, a real live physician, who is looking out for my well being and the health of my baby. And it would be wonderful if you made some discovery about our rare pregnancies and I would be thrilled if I can help with that in some way, as long as it doesn't jeopardize the baby."

  Eli was so excited, I could see the beads of sweat on his forehead. He said, "Absolutely, Rachel. We've got a deal. We'll set up something here, in a room of your choice, where you feel the most at ease. Perhaps over the next few days, we'll get the exam taken care of and I'll ask a series of questions so I can ponder your answers. I would like David present during these visits. I think it will help you stay relaxed and comforted having him with you. And it will be good for him, too." He nodded at David.

  "Can Kara be in the room with me or nearby where she can link with my mind? I know she can help with my nerves...I've never had a doctor look at me for anything before..." Rachel was a little embarrassed to be discussing all this with so many people in the room listening to every word.

  I immediately jumped in, "Rachel, don't even think twice about asking me. I will be wherever you want me. Now that we've already mentally connected several times over the day, and physically being around you, I bet I could link to your mind from Daniel's resort. We need to experiment with that. And that reminds me of something else. As long as I've had enough contact both physically and mentally with anyone here, I have discovered that if you think and concentrate very firmly for me in your mind, scream my name in your brain, then I will sense or hear your need, your call for help. I can initiate the telepathy with you and we can talk – in our minds at that time. So remember that, guys."

  Eli made a strong suggestion. "I would like myself, Kara and Dominic to hold some behavioral sessions over the next week. Daniel, you should be around, as we are all humans, and we want to keep a balance that doesn't make any werewolf feel threatened or awkward. Call it counseling, guidance, whatever you choose to consider it to be. Obviously, Stephen will be the main focus, but David is important in this, too. And, actually, I believe every single werewolf in both Stephen and Daniel's packs should sit in on a session, whether it is an individual or group session. Hmm, I guess you could even call this anger management classes."

  Daniel gave his thoughts, "That is a good idea. I'm sure some of the wolves will feel a bit odd getting together, but it all makes sense in the big scheme of things. Hopefully, if they are very aware of their emotions, it could prevent any devious behavior down the line. I'll let the rest of the pack members know what's going on."

  Isaac had walked to a window and gazed out, checking the weather. He warned, "It's going to snow. I can feel it. And the temperature has dropped outside. Maybe we better head back to the resorts, as long as we've got things wrapped up here for the day."

  I suspected everyone wanted me to touch at Stephen's mind, just to make sure we were leaving him in a solid, calm state. I did so easily and asked, Stephen, if I leave for what remains of this day and night, are you under your own control?

  Yes, Stephen seemed fairly confident. I'm a little shaky, tired, and still confused, but Abigail will be with me and that makes a huge difference. I can reach your mind if I need help, right?

  I
was very proud of Stephen, he was using his surrounding resources to aid him, which included me. Yes, if you focus very strongly on linking to my mind and think my name loudly, I should hear you. You need to keep your mind open to me, too, as you're doing now. I may check in on you myself. I promise I won't be nosy or intrude in your privacy. I am proud of you, Stephen. Keep thinking good thoughts. Okay?

  Okay, Stephen smiled, gave me a thumbs up sign, and lastly said, Thank you.

  Everyone was completely aware of the psychic conversation Stephen and I had from the looks on our faces. A sigh of relief rippled through the room when Stephen's expression revealed that he still retained his emotional control and would be fine throughout the night. Daniel motioned for everyone to get ready to leave. I thought it only polite and respectful to walk over to Abigail before I left and briefly chat with her.

  "Abigail, stay close to him. I'm sure you were planning to do that anyway. Like I said before, you can connect to my mind, too, if something is an emergency. Then again, we do have phones. I almost forget about those things!" I reached out to give her a hug and with sincere gratitude and thankfulness, she hugged me back.

  She said, "Kara, we owe you big time. You are a miracle worker. Thank you so much. Now, maybe you can have a nice, relaxing evening with Uncle Daniel. I need to call my parents and tell them what's going on. Mom will be so relieved about Stephen. Tell Daniel he doesn't have to call them since I will, okay?"

  "No problem. I'm sure we'll be seeing you again tomorrow, unless the weather is bad," I said.

  Daniel was waiting at the door for me. Everyone said their "goodbyes" and we walked out to the truck. It was snowing and like Isaac sensed earlier, the temperature had dropped. I felt like I could sleep for a week, but I knew my job wasn't completely done. As Eli had mentioned, over the next week, we'd be conducting meetings with all the werewolves to discuss anger management techniques and basically to determine if we had any other wild cards on our hands. I was tired but my spirits were soaring. I leaned against Daniel in the truck, snuggling up to his warmth, as we drove back to his resort. Isaac had his own truck with a few passengers that needed to be dropped off at Daniel's before heading to his resort for the evening.

  It was odd arriving at the resort without having Abigail standing at the door, as she usually did, arms crossed, waiting for the latest report. And her meals that were always ready for us to devour. So delicious. Dominic realized that he had full reign of the kitchen, and was almost beside himself with excitement. Daniel told Dom to make himself at home, the kitchen was his since Abigail was now with Stephen. I was very happy to see Daniel treating Dom so kindly. We had an idea that Abigail might not be returning to work for Daniel, but nothing was set in stone yet. She would most likely stay with Stephen at Simon's place, but this was one of the things that needed to be worked out over the next week.

  Daniel and I walked to his personal room, exhausted. What a day. Most of us were still full from the mountains of food Lydia and Rachel had prepared, so we didn't plan to eat again. I had a feeling Dom was whipping up a snack for himself and Zac, though. It was now mid-evening. Daniel and I stood looking out his window as the snow silently, softly fell to the ground. He stood behind me and had his strong, muscular arms wrapped around the front of my body.

  "How are your 'ouchies' doing from the fight today?" I teased him. "Can I see?"

  He peeled off his shirt and miraculously whatever wounds he had received earlier in the day from Stephen's claws and teeth were almost nonexistent. I would be forever amazed at how fast the werewolves healed. And I would be forever captivated by Daniel's gorgeous, sexy chest. I ran my fingers across what appeared to be the remnants of his wounds. His chest and stomach muscles rippled from my touch.

  "Let me take a shower to rid myself of the grunge from today's fighting match," he bent to kiss my lips, as my hands refused to move off his chest.

  I let him go, finally, and flopped on his bed to wait for his return. I flipped on the TV and within two minutes, drifted off to sleep from pure exhaustion. But, I dreamed quite vividly about Daniel and what I would like to do to that bare chest of his...among other things.

  Chapter 25

  Sessions

  I woke up peacefully, letting my mind replay the last thing I remembered. I was still in Daniel's room, on his bed, blankets tucked up under my chin. I had fallen asleep waiting for Daniel to return from taking a shower. He couldn't have been in the bathroom for very long. I must have been totally worn out from the day's events. I glanced around the room trying to find an illuminated clock to see what time it was. 1:00 A.M. We had entered his room at about 8:00. I couldn't believe I had been sleeping for just under five hours. I wondered what the rest of the team thought about me spending the night with Daniel. Oh well.

  And there he was, in all his glory, laying flat on his back, right next to me. He only had one, thin blanket covering his body. He must have come out of the bathroom, saw that I was out like a light sleeping, and dug out extra blankets to cover me up so I could get some much needed rest. I suppose he carefully slid onto the bed, attempting to not wake me, and fell asleep himself.

  I hadn't made any real movements since waking up. Only my eyes and head had slightly surveyed my surroundings. I ever so gently propped myself up on my elbow, and stared at Daniel as he slept. He was so masculine, so sexy, it made my insides flip flop and my heart race. He didn't have any type of shirt on and had the blanket pulled up onto his stomach, which exposed his entire upper body. One arm was tucked behind his head, the other rested just below his rib cage. His long, dark hair flowed back onto the pillow, with a few wisps that had slipped down around his neck.

  I could not stop myself. I placed my hand tenderly on his chest, and hoped I wouldn't startle him. My touch immediately brought a grin to his face as his eyes opened and he turned his head to look at me. He pulled me over to him with his arm holding me snugly against his body. It felt wonderful being there with him. So protected and loved. And he was so hot. Literally. He was putting out so much body heat, I actually shoved a blanket off myself. He chuckled.

  Daniel joked, "Yep, I'm sooo hot, aren't I?"

  I rolled my eyes and admitted, "You are hot. In both ways. Which I immensely love about you. Daniel, I know we have to be very careful when we're alone and fooling around. You have to stay in control and not let the wild animal loose on me since I'm still human. Well, you appear to be very relaxed, and I'm about to explode, so let's see if you can handle me now."

  I caught Daniel off guard as I climbed on top of him. I was at a better angle to see his face and capture his mouth. My hands were slowly traveling all over his chest, tracing intricate patterns with my fingertips. I leaned over to kiss him, letting one hand slide into his beautiful hair. The kiss was passionate, deep, our tongues played with each other. His body was building with power, tension. I bent my head to kiss his chest. Daniel moaned with pleasure. But I sensed it would not be wise to push this act much farther.

  I pulled up and seductively smiled down at him. "See, you're doing pretty well. But it looks like I'll be having my own one-on-one sessions with you, which I take it you won't mind a bit. Although it's not anger management you need, but more along the lines of "make-out management to keep from ripping your human girlfriend apart" sessions. I'll have to check my schedule, but I think I'll be able to fit you in here and there. Especially these late night get-togethers seem to work out rather well for me. How about you?" I was having so much fun with this.

  Daniel yanked me back down to his mouth for one last, hungry kiss. His voice and body were filled with need, but he maintained control and said, "I love you, Kara. And, yes, please give me as many sessions as you can possibly fit in to your busy schedule this week. Ha-ha. Practice makes perfect, you know. I'm sure you did the right thing stopping when you did tonight. Now, let's see if we can manage to fall back to sleep. But I want you right here next to me, baby. You're not going to escape me. I want to feel your touch against me, hear you br
eathe, smell your scent, see your face, taste your skin and to know in my soul that you're mine."

  I exclaimed with tears in my eyes, "Oh, Daniel, you are amazing and say just the right things. I love you, too. But do you think I could go to the bathroom first?" We both burst out laughing.

  * * * *

  Daniel woke me at 6:00. I got cleaned up and we walked over to the kitchen where the team was assembled. Dominic was the acting chef on duty and had proved his worth with a fantastic breakfast layout. No one gave me a hard time about spending the night with Daniel. I suppose everyone had been observing this relationship develop over time. They could tell it was inevitable that something like this was bound to happen. Although, nothing had really happened. I just spent the night. I wanted to clear the air on the topic of Daniel and myself with the group as a whole.

  "Okay, guys," I began, "Enough speculation on your part about Daniel and me. Dominic knows pretty well everything, but I want to make things clear. First, Daniel and I are in love. I know, it probably freaks you out and you're worried. I have also decided to stay here in Kentucky with Daniel. Hopefully, you don't try to abduct me again. Just ask if you want anything this time. I'd hate to have the new car from Eli end up in some lake like my last car did. I want everyone to remain friends and in contact with each other, too. And, if you have more covert, soul-saving missions to go on, please give me a call. I want to continue helping. I feel very satisfied using my psychic skills in the way you taught me. Lastly, and I'm sure everyone's holding their breath, I have not decided on whether I will go through a conversion and become a werewolf. But I'm definitely keeping my mind open to that possibility. So, there you go."