I clambered off the picnic table and knelt down to hug Daniel and ruffle his fur. A big wet kiss lapped up the side of my face. That felt weird. And too sloppy. I had to laugh. Everyone was so confused they didn't know what to think, say or do.
I explained, "Chill out, everybody. Daniel sensed and could hear that Dom was questioning me about going back to Illinois. He merely wanted Dom to back off. And Daniel feared losing me. Since he's in wolf form, his reactions to this were that of a wolf, an animal. And so, he took a threatening pose, to get Dom's attention. That's all. I know with our constant watch over your aggression, you jumped to the conclusion that this would turn out bad. But, nothing happened. Daniel reeled in his emotions and we're good now. Back to play time!"
I breathed a sigh of relief as I gave Daniel another hug and shoved him off to play with the pack before he slobbered another wet one on me. And I threw one of the sticks for good measure to get the mood playful again. Daniel went charging after Isaac, stopped short and took off the opposite direction to entice Isaac to chase him. I plopped back down on the picnic table and gave Dom a look that meant 'don't even start talking about me leaving here again'.
After another thirty minutes of hilarious antics watching the wolves at play, we, humans, were getting rather cold. Daniel registered my discomfort by reading my mind and barked at the wolves to wind it down for the day. They made a mad dash, a final all out run, to the thick line of trees where they transformed back to human shape and to get dressed. They emerged all smiles and were very content as they walked up to us. There was so much camaraderie in the air it felt electrified. This was a wonderful idea Daniel had to get the werewolves together, both for their benefit and ours. Even with the little incident Daniel had over Dominic, it was an afternoon I would never forget. The other wolves said their goodbyes, and we headed back into the house for the evening.
The night was uneventful, rather quiet, a somber mood as we lounged around, enjoying each other's company for one last night before Eli, Zac, Tessa and Dom left in the morning.
* * * *
I woke up in Daniel's arms again. He was so protective over me, which I realized was in his nature to be that way. He asked, "This is your last chance to change your mind and leave with the team. Are you definitely staying here, with me?"
I flicked him on the chest, as if he needed to ask. "Of course I'm staying here. That doesn't mean it's going to be easy for me to see them go. Remember that when you watch me saying goodbye to all of them. And don't get all jealous when I give Dom a hug. He will be the hardest to say goodbye to. Even though he's driven me crazy with his persistent attempts to drag me back to Illinois, I understand his concern, as you should, too. Just give me some breathing room to say goodbye. Okay?"
"I love you, baby. And I love the compassion you have towards others and respect the close bonds you have made. I will stay away as you say goodbye to them," Daniel said.
I implored, "No, Daniel, I want you there with me. I don't want you to run off and hide. You need to say goodbye, too. Just give me my moments with them is all I ask."
"I'm there for you."
About an hour or so later, we gathered in the kitchen for Dominic's breakfast bonanza. We had some final discussions, more or less confirming a few things before they left. I was staying with Daniel, and had not changed my mind on that. I would contact my parents over the next few weeks with the next stage of the story we had woven together to tell them. The Liaison would be contacting me if, or when, another incident arose where my psychic powers could be put to good use. And Eli would be making another trip down here in a month or two to check in on Rachel's pregnancy. In the meantime, I had not made any plans, as of yet, to convert into a werewolf. That was an especially touchy subject to talk about with all of them sitting there.
It was time. They packed the van and were prepared to leave. Everyone stood around helplessly, awkwardly, not really wanting the moment to end. Not really wanting to leave, but there was no reason or purpose for them to stay any longer. I knew deep down inside that we would all be together again on another mission before too long. It's just a feeling I had.
Daniel broke the awkward silence as he walked up to Eli and shook his hand, then proceeded on to the next person. He thanked them for all their help and loyalty in dealing with the problems that werewolves were prone to when meshing in with humans. Daniel praised their skills, appreciated their desire to protect the wolves, and to keep their existence hidden.
My eyes spilled forth streams of tears as it was now my turn to say my goodbyes. I hugged Eli and thanked him again for the new car, which I barely had a chance to drive yet. I told him to keep up the research and to be sure to call if they needed my help. I looked forward to seeing him in a few months when he came to see Rachel.
Zac was next, and I thought he was going to squeeze the air out of my lungs when he gave me a hug. He lifted me off the ground and plunked me back down. I razzed him about keeping up his workouts as we didn't want him getting all soft. And to be good to Tessa.
I hugged Tessa and thanked her for all the support she had given me. She was the only human female that I could go to and talk girl stuff with. I thanked her for the clothes she had given me on my birthday as they ended up being much needed. And she had to keep Zac in line and to kick his butt with their target practice.
Dominic stood there next, and last, in line to say goodbye. I put up a mental block against Daniel, which I felt guilty in doing, but this was a private moment I wanted between Dom and myself. It didn't matter that everyone was standing around watching, we spoke mentally as we hugged each other.
I began the mental link, Dom, I have put up a mental block against Daniel, so feel free to say what you want. Let me speak first. I will miss seeing you every day. Thanks for everything you've done. I know you care for me and are concerned, and I appreciate that. You have opened up an entirely new world to me. Be sure to call and email. You are my very best friend, and I love you dearly. Tears were pouring down my face and I started sobbing. Thank God for our mental communication as I don't think I would have been able to speak out loud.
Dom mentally took over the intimate conversation, Kara, I will always be available to you even if I'm not physically here. Remember that. Don't forget me. And if you truly need help, I will drive down instantly. Please keep in mind what we've discussed about you being human and Daniel being a werewolf. I care deeply for you, so much so that my heart aches at times. I do love you, even if it's different than the way you love me. It hurts, but I'll live. I want you to be safe and happy. And we should still be able to communicate mentally even with the distance between us. We'll have to experiment, just like we did before when we practiced our psychic skills. I love you, Kara. They're waiting on me to go now.
We pulled apart, and said the words, "Bye." Eli, Zac, Tessa and Dom piled into the van, and drove off. They were gone. I was crying so hard, I could barely breathe through my nose. Daniel was right there behind me, offering his support, as I turned into his chest and fell into his consoling arms.
Chapter 27
Arrival
After my friends, The Liaison, had driven away, no longer within my sight, the realization of what I had chosen to do, really hit me. I felt such a rush of conflicting emotions, all I could do was stand there and cry. Daniel guided me back into the resort and gestured that I relax on my favorite couch in the lounge. He tended to the fire, making sure there were enough logs in the fireplace to not burn out any time soon. He also knew that the fire comforted me and he wanted to soothe me in any way he could. He placed a soft blanket over my legs and snuggled up next to me on the couch. He turned the TV on to offer some background sound as we sat in silence.
Daniel was completely aware of my chaotic thoughts and feelings. How strange to think I had been the savior in helping the werewolves with their emotions, aggression, violence, and now here I sat, needing behavior modification done to myself. I knew it was just a matter of time and I would get over my sadn
ess, my sense of loss. This wasn't the end of The Liaison, but perhaps, could be considered the beginning. We were just on a break for the moment from saving society from evil beings. Somehow, I truly knew this to be true. I almost questioned myself if I was having premonitions, since that feeling was so strong.
We were alone. Daniel and I. No guests were checked in at the resort anymore. Abigail, who had stayed here for quite a length of time, was now with Stephen at Simon's place. There was no one else at Daniel's resort, just the two of us. I had been living within a group setting for over a month. Day after day, I had been on this mission, this covert operation pulled together by Eli, working with him, Zac, Tessa and Dominic. And now the resort seemed so eerie, so empty, without the hustle and bustle of my team members roaming about.
"Daniel," I asked, "can you understand why I'm so emotional, so sad?"
He instantly replied, "Of course. I've touched at your mind and felt what you're going through right now. I am here for you, Kara. You're not alone. You have me."
"Maybe Abigail can come over today and show me what she did to keep this place running so smoothly. It would be easier to learn when there's no one here to disrupt us. And it would keep my mind busy instead of laying around, drowning in emotions all day."
Daniel agreed that would be a solid idea for the afternoon. He grabbed his cell phone and gave Abigail a quick call. She wholeheartedly agreed to come over, and Stephen had absolutely no problem with her visit since he knew I would be taught Abigail's job, that way she could remain with him.
She arrived in the early part of the afternoon and dove into explaining and showing me everything she did. It was a bit overwhelming, but when I opened my mind to the big picture, and used some common sense, I could easily understand the flow of things.
She asked, "So, you are seriously considering converting into a werewolf?" Abigail always said what was on her mind. Except, of course, when she held back about dating Stephen. She had kept that a secret for a while.
"Yes, but I haven't made up my mind yet. And I don't see a huge need to rush in and make a decision."
She nodded, but I knew she was extremely excited with the possibility of a conversion on my part. Abigail's heart and soul were very pure, even if she was a werewolf. Stephen did need her. She was his light, she kept him grounded. I knew she would be there for me if I needed help with anything. Whether it was issues at the resort, or a friend to talk to about changing into a werewolf. She didn't insist or suggest that I convert, but I'm positive she hoped I would choose to do so. She was a great listener, and filled with compassion for others.
That night, as Daniel and I settled down to go to sleep, he asked me, "Are you glad you stayed?" He was very worried that I would end up regretting my decision and leave. He didn't want me to go, he feared losing me. He hadn't experienced love in so many long years and rejoiced in the fact we had discovered each other.
"Yes, yes!" I insisted. "Just because I'm missing my friends, doesn't mean I want to leave you. It's just a transition I've got to deal with. And I'm feeling stressed with learning Abigail's job and not making any mistakes. And I'm still monitoring Stephen and occasionally David's behaviors. What else? Oh, I still need to figure out what to do about my parents and their suspicions that I've flipped out by running off to California, as I lie next to you here in Kentucky. Hmm...and I'm reviewing advantages and disadvantages of converting into a werewolf. But no worries, right? There's just a lot on my mind, Daniel. But, in answer to your question, yes, I'm very glad I chose to stay with you. Don't forget that."
I was exhausted as Daniel brought me closer under his shoulder as we cuddled next to each other on the bed. That closeness was another reason I toyed with having Daniel turn me into a werewolf. We knew we had to be cautious of getting too passionate, as Daniel had some control issues when he got excited. If I wasn't ready to be changed into a werewolf yet, or had chosen not to ever be changed, then we couldn't let Daniel's animal side break through. If his own body changed to that of the beast or the wolf, then he would have the ability to bite, or nip, or scratch me with his teeth, and at that point a conversion on my part was likely to occur. It was a delicate balance that I felt we teetered on during those times when we were all alone. I wanted to explore his body, to be able to kiss him for longer than a minute without him having to break away because he feared transforming. Sometimes, he explained, he didn't always feel that he would physically change form, but was afraid he might get too rough with me, too aggressive, too forceful, because of his wild, animal side. At times, I did push him to his limits. I couldn't help myself, and yet I knew better. But how would we know how far those limits stretched unless we kept testing them.
"Well," Daniel mused, "I don't care if it seems selfish for wanting to keep you here with me forever, but it's the truth. Kara, you are the world to me. Before I knew anything of you, my existence had become bleak, boring, no excitement, and I just went through the motions of living day to day."
I slid out from under his arm, and sat on top of him, gazing deeply into his dark eyes. I think he got a kick out of me being in a dominant position, since he was the Alpha male type, and here he was flat on his back, submissive, at this point. I leaned down to kiss him as passionately as possible. My mouth moved to his neck and then his chest, covering him with soft, loving kisses, as one arm kept me propped up and the other hand massaged his upper body.
"You are so awesome," I murmured as I continued to arouse him. "Am I making things more exciting for you now?"
I could hear him moan as he was attempting to keep that delicate balance with his emotions. So easily I knew I could push him over that edge into the land of the wild. The power I wielded over him was intoxicating. Not to be outdone, he reached up, grabbed my waist, and slung me down on the bed, and that put me in the submissive position. He smiled with that male smugness and his eyes danced with amusement. With his incredible strength, I obviously wasn't going anywhere. And that was just fine with me.
Daniel answered my teasing question, "Baby, you always make things exciting for me." He supported some of his body weight by leaning into the bed with his elbows, while framing my face with his hands. "And you were testing me, I know you were. I think I'm doing rather well with my urges, if I do say so myself."
He leaned down to kiss me, very seductively, and yet very in control. I whispered, "Impressive. What else can you do?"
Daniel's right hand slid away from my face, his strong fingers feather light as they traced a path down my neck, glancing off my collarbone, and straight down the center of my night shirt, and landed with a twitch on my stomach. I knew that was the extent of our experiment that night as he then flopped over on his back, breathing, panting heavily.
I couldn't help but snicker at him as I again resumed a spot under his shoulder. I placed my hand solidly on his chest. I knew it would be torture for him if I made any further advances with our make-out session. I would behave and just snuggle up against him.
"No laughing," he pleaded.
I praised him, "Daniel, I love you so much. I'm not trying to be mean by laughing. I think it's cute. And I applaud you for the effort. You did great with your control and I didn't enter your mind at all to try and help your emotions. You knew when to pull back. I left it in your hands."
"Well," he reminded me, "don't just assume all is perfectly tame in my mind every time we play around like this. I am proud of myself, but the things you do to me, the ideas that go through my head, makes the beast want to surface. As long as you are human, we must be very careful."
I seriously asked him, "Do you want me to convert, to become a werewolf, Daniel?" I linked to his mind in order to read his thoughts on this issue, and was surprised he had a mental block up against me. With such a direct question, he must have been afraid to let me read his mind, to hear his raw feelings on such a life changing decision.
He tried to remain neutral and replied, "Kara, it is your choice. It's your life that will be altered. I have tol
d you before; there is no rush on making this decision. Whatever you decide, I will stand by it and honor your wishes."
I swear those last few words of his made me think he probably wanted me to become a werewolf. But, I'm sure he didn't want to carry the blame, or the guilt, for pushing me into converting and then I turn around and hate him for it, hate what I had become. He could never forgive himself for that. I would have to decide all by my lonesome on this one.
We drifted off to sleep. I had a lot on my mind, many things to toss around, but in general, I felt happy. I was glad to be with Daniel at the resort. I found the other werewolves intriguing and many of them I greatly cared for. And above all else, I loved Daniel with all my heart. And he loved me.
* * * *
Over the next week, life for me fell more into a routine. I was very thankful for that, as it offered my recently overactive mind some much needed peace. The werewolves were all on their best behavior, not to say there wasn't normal aggravation or boredom with their day to day lives. All the emotions humans experience, the wolves did, too. We just wanted to make sure their emotions didn't erupt into rage or turn into some violent act. When one did get upset about something, I would either sense it or maybe I'd get a phone call at about the same time, and establish a mental connection with them. I would aid them with behavior modification, implanting positive thoughts and images, and always flooded their minds with relaxing, soothing emotions. It wasn't often I had to do this, which was a good thing. I felt pride and honor in helping them. It gave me such a wonderful, unique purpose in life.
One evening, sometime well after dark, an alarm wired to the main entrance door of the resort, went off. It was installed to alert us if someone walked in to the front reception area while we were elsewhere in the building. Usually after 10:00 p.m., Daniel locked that door, but it wasn't that late yet. We were in the lounge area, watching TV, at the time the visitor arrived. Both of us walked out front to see who was there.
Unknown Touch Page 27
