Forgotten Kisses (SuperNatural Sharing Series Book 1)

by Rena Marks

  “I cannot eat.”

  “I know. Still, it seems rude.”

  “I find it relaxing to take you to dinner. One thing is certain, we won’t run into any other vampires in the city that I’ll be forced to make polite conversation with.”

  “Oh. Good point. I guess they wouldn’t be at dinner…unless they're with a human, right?”

  “Right. And what are the chances of that? So tell me, how’s the gym business coming along?”

  “It’s fine, actually. Sometimes I’d like to play hooky and just not show up for work one day. It would be easy if I had employees, I guess. I just can’t afford any.”

  “Why don’t you let me send one of my employees over? They’ll be paid by me whether they’re at the gym or at the bar.”

  “I can’t accept that.”

  “Why not? You can trade, perhaps. She’ll be paid by me and you can offer her a free membership.”

  “That does sound appealing. But I can’t let you pay wages for me.”

  “Don’t think of it as owing me. You’d be doing me the favor, really. And I have to pay them anyway whether they’re at the bar or at the gym. Vampires pay for servitude and loyalty. Not just employment.”

  It was an interesting offer.

  “Tell me about all your vampire abilities, Julian.”

  “What do you wish to know? The basics? Newer vampires cannot be outside during the daylight hours, of course. A few have the ability to be awake during more daylight hours. Especially an old master vampire, like myself.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Old enough that in my day, a woman would have slapped me if I’d asked her that,” he teased.

  I giggled. “Are you going to slap me, Julian?”

  “I would never raise a hand to you, Anjelia,” he said as he took my hand in his. “You have to know how I feel about you.”

  I pulled my hand away. And I smiled at him gently. “You can’t possibly know how you feel about the real me. You don’t know me. Really know me.”

  “And if I said I do?”

  If he really knew, he would know about how trapped I felt.

  “Then you would know that I enjoy my solitary existence. I’m not looking for a relationship.”

  “What I know about you is that you fear a relationship.”

  “Maybe.”

  I finished eating my meal in silence as I wondered how he knew that.

  I looked up. “If I am interested in having a relationship, you’d be the first to know.”

  “Thank you.” He smiled slowly at me. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

  “Work during the day. And the gym closes early so a facial in the evening with my friend, Connie. Nothing special.”

  Connie and Desiray owned their own business also—a mother-daughter skin care team. We traded services, a gym membership for spa facials.

  “Can I see you?”

  I nodded.

  * * * * *

  At work the next morning I was instructing a woman on a weight machine when she motioned toward the front. I looked up to see Julian at the front desk, watching us.

  A rush of pleasure shot through my stomach and I walked over. “Hello, Julian.”

  “Hello, sweet.” He kissed my cheek, his lips lingering in a warm, soft touch.

  I wanted so very badly to turn my lips to his to be kissed properly.

  “I brought your lunch.”

  “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”

  “I know. I thought you might forget to eat, otherwise.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  I sat at the front desk and he pulled out a chair to sit with me.

  “Is your facial still planned for tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Would you like me to drive you?”

  “Aren’t you getting tired of me?”

  “No.”

  “Well, it would be fun to have company for the drive downtown. And on the drive back.”

  “Your friend Connie is the esthetician?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it Connie Sameo?”

  “Yes. From Connie’s SkinSpa. Do you know her?”

  “I know who she is. I have never been formally introduced. What time shall I come back for you?”

  “Seven. My appointment is at seven-thirty.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Julian arrived right on time for my appointment and whisked me across town. Then he sat and waited in the outer waiting room while I entered the office and smiled at Desiray, my friend’s daughter.

  “Hi, Des. Where’s your mom?”

  “She’s in there, getting ready for you.” She motioned toward the facial room and I made my own way into it.

  “Hi, Anjelia.” Connie smiled at me and as always, I was amazed at how young she looked. I knew she was in her early fifties, since her daughter was in her thirties, yet Connie could easily pass for thirty-five or six. The good skin was attributed to her years as an esthetician.

  Or so everyone thought. I knew better since I’d been friends with her at various times during our lives, despite the difference in our ages. Connie looked good because she would live for a very long time. She had let me in on her greatest secret.

  She was a werewolf.

  I’d known about Connie forever. I knew about her back when I was married to Trevor, although she and I lost touch for a while during my marriage. She helped when Trevor died, flying out east, assisting me with selling the house, and moving back to my hometown where she still lived. She even helped me purchase a new home and with getting my life back together.

  Trevor had wanted to sell me. Sell me, like a prized possession, to pay a debt he owed. That part I never shared with Connie. Especially since I was sold to werewolves and she was one. I’d kept the information from her since I didn’t know what pack I’d been sold to or even what pack Connie belonged to. It just seemed too private to share.

  It didn’t surprise me that Julian had heard of her. The supernatural world ran tight even though the vampires and werewolves had struggled in some sort of inner war for centuries.

  During my facial I could see the moon through a skylight above the facial bed. So far it wasn’t full, yet I could feel the mounting tension in Connie.

  “It won’t be long now,” I murmured with a pumpkin mask slathered on my face.

  “Yeah,” she agreed distractedly.

  “What does it feel like?” I asked.

  “It’s hard to describe. The human side of me dreads the full moon. The change is painful. Your body twists and breaks unnaturally. Yet after you change, it’s pure relief. The animal side welcomes the strength, the freedom. And you know it’ll be hard to wait for another moon. The hunger is insatiable, there are so many hungers rolling through your body.”

  “What do you do?” I whispered, so as to not break her mood.

  “Every full moon your pack meets, welcomes new members and gathers to change together. We run and hunt. We meet a few days before the full moon, get acquainted in our human forms, take care of pack business. And then after the change, we’re acquainted with certain wolves. Wolves mate for life, you know.”

  “I know.” I still whispered, trying not to break her train of thought.

  “My wolf-mate passed away.”

  “You had a wolf-mate? But you’re not married.”

  “As a human, I’ve never married. As a wolf, I’d mated. He’d had an accident in wolf form, several years ago. I haven’t re-mated since.”

  “Did you love him?”

  “No. Not as a human. He wasn’t my type. When we were wolves however, we were well suited. We craved each other. We always ran together. You see, a mate is exactly that, you’re together in your human form, together as wolves also. A wolf-mate, though, is just your mate in wolf form. You may go your separate ways as humans.”

  “Was he Desiray’s father?”

  “Yes. It was hard so many years ago. When you get pregnant in wolf form, Anjelia, you
bear a pup, not a baby. She stayed a pup until puberty and then one full moon she changed into a human form. Suddenly, I had a daughter. A daughter whom I had to teach how to walk and talk and eat as a human. It took a long time, many years. I was grateful to the pack for all their help.”

  “Didn’t her father help?”

  “Sure, when we were wolves. The pup ran with us then. When I changed to human form, she came home with me. She never knew her father as a human. I never had much to do with his human counterpart. In fact, I believe he was married in his human form. I didn’t know his wife.” She shrugged.

  It didn’t seem like a big deal to Connie. It was very confusing to me. “Are some married people pack mates?”

  “Sure. It’s just that we weren’t. He was married to a human woman. I don’t know if she knew what he was or not. I don’t even know if she was aware that he had a pup.”

  “Were you human or wolf during the birth?”

  “I’d hoped to be wolf. Especially since I’d been impregnated in wolf form. It just seemed more natural to follow it through. But it wasn’t to be. I went into labor early, before the full moon, so the wolf king had to expend a lot of energy to force me into a change. Then I bore her. A live, squirmy pup. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”

  “Where was she born? Surely not in a hospital?”

  “No. We could never have that. Our wolf king took me in, helped me with the birth. He’s a doctor. Then, to feed the pup, he kept me in the change until she was weaned and able to eat on her own.”

  “How does he force you into a change?”

  “A wolf king is very powerful. That’s what makes him king. It was difficult for him, though. It left him exhausted to use that tremendous amount of power for me. And…” She paused, as she thought about which words she’d share with me next. “He’s unbalanced, mentally. He was to take a human once. The woman was marked for his bride. Our wolf queen. He put his power into her marking to heal her from an injury. But before she could be changed, she was stolen from him. It changed him. He can no longer control his emotions when we’re close to a full moon. The lack of power makes him go insane. The pack deals with it as best they can. Wolves are very loyal.”

  “That’s so sad.” I meant it.

  My heart bled for the poor wolf king and I didn’t even know him.

  “Yeah, well. I can’t share anything else with you, my human friend. I’ve shared way too much already.”

  “I know. It’ll never go further than this room.”

  She smiled at me, wiping the last of the mask from my face. “I know, Anjelia. You’re a good friend. Such a good friend that I’d like to ask you to come with me to my next meeting. Tomorrow.”

  “What? That sounds like such a private affair, a wolves-only affair.” I was surprised at her asking, though she'd asked in the past.

  She grinned. “Oh, come on. There’s someone there that I’d like to meet. He was recently changed. This will be his first full moon. I’d like to talk to him before some other wolf-slut snatches him up.”

  “You’re interested in his human form?”

  Connie’s face softened. “Yeah. Can you imagine? Me? That’s why I need a friend with me. I’ll chicken out by myself. I know it.”

  “No one will be changing, right?”

  “No, you’ll be fine. It’ll be a few more days ’til the full moon. We’ll meet again to change then. Once in a while, we split up our meetings that way.”

  I rose off the facial bed and gathered my shoes and purse.

  “Would you like to come with me tomorrow night, then?”

  “Sure, I’ll come with you.”

  “Great. I’ll pick you up at nine.”

  “I’ll be at the gym. Pick me up there.”

  We walked out to the waiting room where Julian rose as we approached. I introduced the two of them, and then he and I were on our way.

  I was quiet on the drive home.

  “Is everything okay?” Julian asked.

  “Yes. Connie asked me to come to a party with her tomorrow night. I was just thinking about it.”

  Julian pulled into my driveway. He parked the car and walked me inside. Once in the kitchen, I poured us a glass of wine. We took them out to the living room.

  “Anjelia, you enjoy spending time with me, do you not?”

  “I do.”

  “I enjoy you, too. You help me view the world differently.”

  “Your world is very different from mine,” I agreed.

  “And, it's been a long time since I've been human.” He clinked his glass to mine. “Here is to a lasting friendship.”

  * * * * *

  After work the next evening, I changed in the dressing room and left my workout clothes there. Connie was waiting for me out front and I grabbed my keys to lock up. The minute we walked outside, you could hear laughter and voices. The action was already starting at Bang’s.

  We got into her car and drove off.

  “Will I be the only human there?” I asked.

  I had to admit I was nervous.

  “Probably. It doesn’t matter.”

  “It matters to me.”

  “Yes, you’ll be the only human there but I got permission for you to attend. It’ll be so exciting, Anjelia. Usually we mingle, get to know each other. Then our wolf king shares any pack business and if we’re lucky, we get to watch a mating. Not tonight, though. This meeting is a split meeting, which means that we couldn’t get the whole thing together next week during the full moon, so we do the mingling and pack business tonight. When the moon is full, we do the changing and mating. That’s one reason why I was allowed permission to bring you.”

  “Yeah, not sure I want to watch anyone change into a wolf in front of me. No offense.”

  “None taken,” she grinned. “How do you feel about watching a mating?”

  “No, thanks.”

  The meeting place was a huge mansion with massive front gates. Men stood at the door, acting as bodyguards. They eyed us appreciatively and nodded to Connie as we entered. There were groups of people inside mingling. A buffet table was set up in the center of the room along with a bar for wine.

  As we stood near a winding staircase I eyed the place in awe. Connie watched me. “It’s a magnificent place, isn’t it?”

  “Absolutely beautiful,” I agreed reverently. “Do you always meet here?”

  She nodded. “It’s our wolf king’s home. Or at least one of them. This one has lots of land. It’s one of the places we use to hunt when we change. Oh, look, Anjelia. That’s him. The new guy I was telling you about.”

  I looked to see where she pointed. He was a handsome man, blond hair with tanned skin, standing near the bar with the bottles of wine. He smiled at something that was said to him and dimples appeared.

  “Well, are we going to go talk to him or what?”

  “Oh, I don’t know if I can.” She chewed on a fingernail. “I’ve never done this before.”

  I smiled. She was as nervous as a schoolgirl. This, from a strong woman who had been single all her life and raised her child all on her own.

  “Come on. I need a glass.”

  I didn’t give her a chance to respond before walking toward her hunk. Connie followed me and I paused before getting to the table.

  “Excuse me. We’re just after the wine.”

  “Oh, well, allow me. I shouldn’t be standing in the way of the wine, anyway.” The handsome man smiled charmingly. “What are you drinking?”

  I gestured to the bottle near his right and reached for my own glass. He tipped the wine bottle to my glass and I halted him at half.

  “That’s plenty for me. I’m human. I can’t metabolize the alcohol as well as all of you can.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re human?”

  “Yes, I’m here with my friend.”

  Connie had been quiet up to this point. I glared at her, silently trying to get her to talk.

  “I’m Anjelia. This is Connie.”<
br />
  He nodded at me. “I’m Ajay.” He turned toward Connie. “You’re a werewolf then?”

  She nodded and finally spoke. “You’ll be able to tell on your own, soon. After your first real change.”

  “You can tell I’m brand new?”

  She nodded, silent once more.

  I tried to break the silence. “No doubt she can sniff you. You must smell like a virgin.”

  We all laughed.

  “It’s been years since I’ve been told that,” he still chuckled. “I do have lots of questions, though. The wolf king was supposed to answer them but this meeting was scheduled too close to the full moon. I guess he’s not at his best.”

  Connie nodded. “I’ll help you. What questions are you wondering about?”

  “Some of it’s a little embarrassing, probably.”

  She smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Been there, done that. I wasn’t a born werewolf, I was made also.”

  “We have a lot in common, then.”

  “Yes, you do,” I cut in. “And I’m going to save you both a little embarrassment and take myself off so you can have some privacy.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to leave,” Ajay protested, but his face was slightly flushed.

  “I’m sure this is going to be bad enough for you, without discussing it in front of a human. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I’ll give you two a little time and I’ll be back when you have the really embarrassing stuff out of the way.” I winked.

  I didn’t give either one a chance to respond before walking away and soon Connie was engaged in a conversation with her handsome man. Her face glowed and she stood with one leg slightly forward, curving her hips in a very feminine fashion.

  I sauntered over to the buffet table, which looked odd. Then the realization hit. There were no veggies, no cheeses, no fruit. There was meat on the table, just meat. Rare meat, past pink-looking. Into the bloody stage.

  Werewolves seemed a little cliquish. A group of more mature women was huddled in a corner. A younger set of girls was huddled in another corner, directly opposite a group of men which comprised the largest group in the room. Instead of the young girls being primped and in party mode, the males seemed to be. Biceps were bulging and the men gaped boldly at the giggling younger girls.