After raiding the outhouse that was in the opposite direction from the one I took when searching for it and placing the contents they’d removed from it in a hefty pile over the spot where I’d urinated, Oscar and Noah said their good-byes. Kenzie had been given last minute instructions and had audibly vowed to start out first thing with the intention of getting the job done in record time. Oscar vowed the same.
That night, I slept very little. Every sound in the night made me jump. With the moon on the verge of being full, it was bright enough for me to see the cabin’s surroundings without the aid of a light. I periodically peered out of the window to search the tree line for a man who was really a werewolf come to steal me away.
I was still awake when I heard Kenzie clambering about the kitchen in an effort to get going for the day. It was obvious that she wasn’t a morning person. I’d neglected to bring a robe. So, when I climbed out of bed, I pulled on a cardigan to help ward off the early morning chill before joining my friend in the kitchen.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Kenzie apologized. “I’m not used to using a French press for my coffee. I dropped the kettle in the sink while filling it. My damned eyes always fight me when they first wake up.”
“Your eyes or your hands?” I asked as I took the French press from her and measured the appropriate amount of coffee into it.
“I have poor depth perception when I first wake up. If that’s not enough, my ever faithful arthritis likes to say good-morning,” Kenzie lamented. “I slammed the kettle into the faucet and then my fingers gave out.”
“I had no idea,” I said with concern.
“I take meds to keep it under control,” she explained. “By the time you see me, they’ve taken effect and I’m good to go.”
“I don’t usually see you until the afternoon,” I said with concern. “It doesn’t take that long, does it?”
She shook her head and murmured, “It takes about an hour,” as she popped a few pills into her mouth and forced them down with a tall glass of water.
I watched her throat work at moving the pills and the water down into her esophagus until the glass was empty.
“Geez,” I said in a voice just above a whisper.
“Yep,” she said as she caught her breath after holding it long enough to guzzle the water. “Every morning.” Bending over the sink, she splashed water on her face several times before adding, “I don’t need glasses. My vision is good. It’s just that my eyes are lazy in the morning. Once I wake them up, I can see just fine.”
“That’s good,” I said as I pulled the kettle off the stove and carefully poured the steaming liquid over the coffee grounds at the bottom of the French press. “This smells delicious.”
“There’s nothing better than a fresh cup of java in the morning,” she said as she held her cup out for me to fill.
“We have to give it just a minute to brew,” I explained. At the look of disappointment on her face, I said with assurance, “It will be well worth the wait. I promise.”
“I want to get going within the next fifteen minutes,” she nervously said. “I slept very little last night. I can’t explain it, but my gut is telling me that we should get out of here before the full moon.”
“You really believe what they said about the werewolves?” I asked.
She looked at me with concern as she said, “Normally, I’d say no, but I’ve never known Oscar to fabricate stories. Especially stories of such a nature. I was going to ask you what you think. I mean, what does your psychic think?”
“My psychic isn’t alive to think,” I said with irritation.
For some reason, it bothered me when people referred to my abilities as if they were independent entities. It happened more than I cared to admit, but it had never happened with Kenzie. I was a bit disappointed when it did.
“You know what I’m saying,” she said with irritation. “It’s morning and I’m waiting for coffee. Cut me some slack.”
Feeling a bit better for that response, I smiled and said, “I don’t really know. When the matter involves me, I have trouble deciphering. I will tell you that there is an energy coming from both brothers that is different and strong.”
“Werewolf energy, maybe,” she mused as she held her cup out for me to fill with the freshly brewed, aromatic liquid.
“Since I’m still debating about the existence of werewolves, I couldn’t say,” I replied. I could have told her that I’d also spent a night of hell worrying about werewolf men, but I didn’t. Looking around the room I added, “Speaking of wolves, where’s Snow?”
“He took off as soon as I went out to use the outhouse this morning,” she replied as she lovingly cradled her coffee cup. “Damn, I love this stuff.”
I poured coffee into a mug for myself and nodded. “I can’t imagine starting the day without it.” Feeling my bodily urges coming alive from the caffeine as I sipped my coffee, I added, “I need to use the outhouse. Seeing as Snow didn’t feel the need to guard me, I’m assuming it’s safe.”
“It’s beautiful out there already,” Kenzie said with a nod. “You’ll be shedding that sweater fast enough.”
“Good,” I said over my shoulder as I stepped out onto the porch. “I want to wash up in the lake. Warmth is good when you’re using Mother Nature’s supplies for cleaning up.”
Her voice trickled out to me as I stepped off the porch as she chuckled and said, “So true. So true.”
I relaxed on the porch and enjoyed the cabin’s natural surroundings for an easy hour after watching Kenzie adjust her backpack as she hiked off into the woods to begin tagging duty. She was right about the weather. I’d shed my sweater almost immediately upon returning from using the outhouse. Sitting on the porch while reveling in the sensation of the faint warm breeze that caressed my flesh and feeling the heat of the morning sun on my face as it climbed higher over the treetops was so fantastic that I’d actually forgotten about Oscar and Noah’s outrageous werewolf claims.I’d also forgotten about Snow.It wasn’t until I was floating on my back in the clear lake water and spotted him sitting on shore near my clothes that I remembered the wolf. He looked so majestic as he sat watching my every move that it was almost breathtaking. Seeing how proud and tall he held himself also made me feel more at ease a
With both of us lost in our own thoughts, the silence during Noah’s and my trip off the mountain was acute. With my mind tortured by what had happened to me, I paid little attention to the drive or the time that it took.When he pulled down a long, narrow drive that was lined by ancient and massive looking oak trees that mingled with balsom fir and white pine trees, I forced myself back to reality.Positioned in the middle of a clearing that was circled by a thick mass of the same species of trees that lined the drive, his cedar sided house looked lonely, but majestic. The lawn was well manicured, but void of any shrubs or flowers. Since he was a busy man, it didn’t surprise me that he’d kept the landscaping simple to care for.Having met him at his rustic cabin and noticing the weathered cedar siding on the house, I was surprised to see how technically advanced his furnishings were. Being a fan of antiques and old homes, the d&eacu
Dr. Mitchell Blake was a small, wiry man in his mid-fifties who looked like a perfectly normal man. Had I not known that he was one of Noah’s pack, I’d never have guessed it. Then, I never would have thought Noah to be a werewolf either. The good doctor’s appearance helped to lessen the trauma that I experienced at having to expose myself to a stranger for an intimate examination. His mild mannered politeness also didn’t hurt.“You’re torn in two places,” he informed me after completing my internal exam. “They aren’t excessive, but I’m going to give you a cream to insert for the next few days. It will help to accelerate the healing process.” As he turned his back to me and searched the cupboards for the medication that he wanted to supply me with, he added, “No sex until I’ve examined you again in two weeks.”“No worries there,” I said with a tr
It was dark when I felt someone’s weight lowering onto the mattress beside me. Still groggy, I was only vaguely aware of the fact that Noah was now sharing the king sized bed with me.“You’re in my bed,” I drowsily slurred.“Actually,” he said with a low, soft tone, “you’re in mine.”Forced into a slightly more coherent state from the surprise of discovering that I’d been sleeping in his bed for the better part of the day, I said with dismay, “This is your bed? I’m in your bed?”“There’s no need to panic,” he assured me. “I want to keep you close. It makes sense to put you next to me during the night. This is the most vulnerable time.”Hearing his words, I moved a little closer to him. My body was still trembling. I wasn’t sure if it was still the remnants from the attack or from the reality of
Inserting the cream that the doctor sent home with me proved to be more difficult than I’d expected. The pain in my ribs and my fear of making matters worse prohibited me from being as flexible as I needed to be in order to do it properly. I was still struggling with maneuvering my body to better accept the applicator when Kenzie knocked on the bathroom door.“Are you okay in there?” she asked with a concerned tone. “Noah tells me that you’ve been in here for some time.”“He noticed I went to the bathroom?” I cried with disbelief. “Is there no privacy in this house?”“Not if you want to stay safe, there isn’t,” she replied. “What’s going on. Do you need help?”I hesitated for a moment before giving in and telling her that I did indeed need help. When she entered the room and I explained why her assistance was required,
When I awoke the following morning, there was no sign of Noah. Since he’d risen before me the day before, I didn’t think much of it. Instead, I settled back into the pillows while I waited for him to arrive with coffee and a bagel, as he’d done the morning before. To my surprise, he didn’t come.I waited for half an hour before I climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom to relieve myself. I was surprised at how comfortable I was wandering about in the bra and panties that I’d slept in. I couldn’t explain it even to myself, but Noah’s house felt like home to me.After taking the time to brush my teeth, wash the sleep from my face, and eliminate my bedhead hairdo, I pulled on my shorts and a tee shirt and headed out of the bedroom in search of him.Although I felt more alert from the hours of sleep that I’d had, I was still feeling the effects of the sedative. The world had a touch of surre
We sat on the front porch of Noah’s cedar sided house and watched as the sun slowly slid behind the treetops that bordered his property.“How much longer before you turn?” I asked as I looked directly at Oscar.I couldn’t explain why, but I was avoiding looking at Noah. I inwardly thought that it was because I didn’t want to witness his handsome face turning beastly. Since I had no feelings for Oscar, other than the fact that he seemed like a nice person, I assumed that it wouldn’t affect me as much.“It won’t be long now,” Oscar replied as he moved next to Kenzie and asked, “Do you want to go inside before it happens?”She looked from Oscar, to Noah, and then to me before saying, “I believe I would.”“Kenzie?” I said with surprise.Oscar raised his hand and shook his head.“It’s okay,” he said with a soft voice.&nbs
We spent the next few hours drinking wine and playing cards. I’d never played rummy, but I found myself to be quite good at it. I enjoyed Kenzie’s frustration over what she called ‘beginner’s luck’ so much that I actually forgot where I was or that the moon was full and I was technically in danger. It wasn’t until Snow stood at attention and snarled that it all came rushing back to me.I froze in dumb terror as I watched Kenzie slam her cards on the kitchen table where we’d been playing and push herself off of the chair. Moving with rapid stealth, she went to the window and peered out from behind the closed curtains.“I don’t see anyone,” she said in a hushed tone.Finally regaining my wits, I raced to Noah’s bedroom to get a view of the back part of the house. The bright moonlight made visibility easy as I scoped the landscape through the bedroom window. I was