by S Bolanos
“Are you only a wolf at the full moon?”
The questions came so fast, I couldn’t distinguish between who asked what. Many of them were expected, but some I'd never considered. Like what the heck was wolfsbane? Michael, however, refused to be ruffled and took the questions in stride, providing answers almost as fast as they could come up with questions.
“Anything trying to kill you usually will, silver is no exception, but no, we aren’t allergic to it. We turn into a larger version of a wolf. To the untrained eye, we’re indistinguishable from our cousins. We can turn virtually any time, but almost always at the full moon. Call it myth, call it biology, we just do.” He hesitated a moment and glanced briefly toward me. “I have a pack and an Alpha. Yes, our bite can be lethal. Think of it more like if you’re not allergic, then you might turn into a werewolf.”
“Is biting a common practice?” Peter said the word with such disdain that I had to actively try not to shrink into my chair. I could practically see Michael’s hackles rise. Tom reached out a hand and placed it on Peter’s arm. He blinked and shook his head. “I’m sorry, that was out of line.”
“No. I gave my word that I wouldn’t be insulted.” The feel of him betrayed his words. My dad’s words had truly cut him. “Before this whole mess, I couldn’t tell you of the last time I'd heard of anyone being bitten. We weren’t altogether sure if a bite would turn someone. We know better now.” He took a deep breath noticeably calming himself. “As for wolfsbane, I know it’s a poison, but other than that I don’t know if it has any particularly adverse effects on us. We have enhanced senses and strength.” He glanced at me and laughed. “But please don’t ask for a demonstration.” Tom immediately frowned.
“Come on, Daddy, you didn’t really expect us to change right here.” His look said that he’d hoped. “It’s not a pretty sight.” I hesitated then pushed forward with the truth. “It hurts.” Michael reached out a comforting hand. I gave it a light squeeze and met my parents’ sympathetic gazes. “It gets better with practice, but that doesn’t make it fun to do or to watch.”
Michael came to my rescue, sparing me the concerned looks that were now firmly plastered on my dads’ faces. “Typically, when we go out to shift, we find a private spot in the woods to put some clothes and change before joining others in the group.”
Tom cocked his head to the side. “Well, that answers another one of my questions—do your clothes change with you? It’s right up there with whether you indulge in both forms.”
“Daddy!”
“Tom.”
“What? It’s an honest question. And don’t tell me it hadn’t occurred to you, Peter. This is our baby girl we’re talking about. I want to make sure everything is consensual.”
Michael fought a sudden coughing fit, while Peter shook his head in scorn and I wished I was anywhere else.
“We do maintain our senses, logic, and memories,” Michael finally managed. “There’s no reason it shouldn’t always be consensual.”
“Right, I think that’s enough questions for one night,” I said, desperate for an end.
“Not quite,” Peter said.
Anxiety rushed to replace my embarrassment.
“Now that we’ve gotten some of those out of the way,” Tom picked up. Some? How many were there? What more could they possibly ask?
“We have a few about you personally,” Peter finished, spearing Michael to his chair with a look.
He swallowed. “Okay. Like what?”
“Like, what are your intentions with our daughter?” Peter asked, his face deceptively neutral.
“Well…” Michael’s gaze slid towards me.
This is my fault. If I hadn’t made such a scene this morning this wouldn’t be happening.
“Are you experienced?” Peter added before Michael could formulate any kind of response.
“Dad,” I scolded. He ignored me.
“When was the last time you got tested?” Tom asked. My mortification found new depths.
“Tested for what? She’s already a werewolf,” he said defensively.
“We don’t know what else you could give her.” My mouth hung open in shock at Tom’s total lack of shame.
“I’ve had all of my shots, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“How many partners have you had? How many do you have?” Peter asked. I was officially redder than the poppies and Michael didn’t seem to be faring much better.
Once again, before he could answer, Tom spoke up. “Are the rumors true?”
Peter turned a confused look to Tom. “What rumors?”
Tom leaned towards him and whispered, “I don’t know. Just go with it.” They both turned serious expressions back to Michael.
This is not happening.
“How close are you with your family?” Tom asked and all the blood drained from Michael’s face.
“Nope, that’s it for you two. Michael has been more than cooperative with your wild questions. We’re going to bed,” I declared, standing for emphasis.
“I think you’re right,” Michael said as he mirrored me. “But I need a shower first. Those woods are no joke. I would love the opportunity to explore them properly sometime instead of getting lost.”
I choked on air, thankfully my dads seemed to miss it. Tom was clearly sore that Q&A was over and Peter was busy telling Michael where the spare towels were.
I ventured upstairs and milled about my room picking up trinkets that seemed to belong to another life. The music box with its frozen ballerina. The macaroni necklace curled on the dresser. A medal for academic achievement.
“Thinking back to simpler times?” Michael asked from the doorway.
“I’m not even sure I recognize those times anymore. So much has changed. I’ve changed. No pun intended.” He laughed anyway. Judging by the sudden reappearance of his things, I assumed that I would not be spending another miserable night by myself.
“So that was—intense,” he said as the duffel flopped on the bed.
“That’s one way to put it. It felt like we were on trial, and none of the questions were even directed at me.” I shook my head.
“I hope they don’t start up again in the morning. I like Peter and Tom, I really do, but there's only so much I can take.” He sounded lighthearted, but I'd seen his face.
“I’m sorry about that, in all fairness, I did try to warn you not to give them free rein. Though I didn’t anticipate how far over the line they’d go,” I added with a wince.
He shrugged. “They’re being parents. It’s their job to look out for you.”
I snorted and snagged my pajamas off the dresser. “I, for one, am in desperate need of hot water and soap. If you need anything, I’ll be in the shower.” He nodded and continued to rifle through his duffel bag.
The steady patter of water hitting the tub echoed in the small space. Steam rolled around the room, curling up the walls in long tendrils and fogging the mirror. The sound and mist wove together to create a quiet that embraced me like a hug. I took a deep breath, inhaling the vapor, and relaxed into the white noise. The perfectly scalding water hit my skin and tight muscles loosened. I closed my eyes and gave my body a good stretch, the exhaustion of the last few days seeping out of me with a relaxed sigh.
The harsh screech of the curtain being pulled back cut through the muffled quiet. My scream stuck in my throat as a surge of adrenaline set my pulse racing. Steam was sucked through the sudden vortex to be replaced with cold rushing in to fill the void. My feet slipped on the tub as I took an involuntary step away from the mist-shrouded figure standing before me.
“G-ghosts aren’t real,” I stuttered.
A hand came up and I shrank against the chill wall behind me. It waved in the air creating swirls of steam in its wake. “Of course they are. But I’m not one. Or at least not yet.” A circle of rapidly closing mist rapidly framed Michael’s smirk.
I sagged against the wall and quickly straightened back up. “You scared me half to dea
th, Michael!”
“You said if I needed anything you’d be in here.”
“Oh? And what do you need?” I couldn’t see much of him due to the curtain and rolling steam, but I fully expected that he was naked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He stepped into the tub. “I need a shower.”
His answer was so unexpected that I barked out a laugh, then immediately clapped my hands over my mouth.
“What? I’m not allowed to bathe? I know I’m an animal, Sara, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to be clean.” He took a step forward, bringing him irresistibly closer to me and to the water.
I scooted back enough to let the water create a partial barrier between us. “And I suppose it was too much to wait your turn?”
“I did say I was taking one first. Besides, what if you used all of the hot water?” He slipped his hand around my waist and tugged me closer so that said water cascaded all around us.
“What else is a possibility?” Being coquettish was new for me, but I was inclined to think I was doing a damn good job if the low rumble that came from his chest was any indication.
High on steam and daring, I spun around so my back was pressed against him and deliberately bent to grab the soap. A strangled moan escaped him and his fingers dug into my hips. I wiggled for good measure before standing straight again.
I turned my head to look at him over my shoulder. “Everything okay? I know it’s tight.”
His only response was to pull me hard against him and capture my mouth. My free hand reached back to caress his head and urge his kisses deeper.
When he finally broke the kiss, we were both breathing heavily. He tipped my nose with his while he glided his hands over my slick sides. “There’s a very real possibility I’ve fallen madly in love with you, Sara Sheppard.”
“That so?”
“Yes,” he growled, spinning me around to face him again.
I held up the bar I’d acquired and had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing, “Would you like me to help wash your back?”
“Oh, you think you’re funny,” he said, his eyebrows raised. “You can definitely help me with something and we won't be needing the soap.”
“No?” I attempted to say, but it came out as more of a gasp when he tweaked my nipple.
“No.”
He cupped my ass and lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and dropped the soap in order to grip his biceps as he pressed me against the wall, then slid his entire length into me in one quick thrust. He buried his face in my neck and my moan ricocheted off the tile as he nipped and sucked at the tender skin. I tangled my fingers in his hair while the wet slaps of our skin competed with the white noise of the water cascading around us.
Electricity danced through my veins and tingled in my fingertips as I met him thrust for thrust. He moved to kiss me again and I hungrily devoured his mouth, sucking on his tongue until he moaned and his pace faltered. We broke apart and exchanged labored breaths for a moment, then he thrust hard into me. I cried out in pleasure as my body tightened and my climax crescendoed like an exploding firework. Michael yelled obscenities as he followed shortly after.
“You’re incredible,” he said, his voice husky as he rested his forehead against mine.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” My cheeky response earned me a chuckle.
“Where have you been my whole life?” he whispered before pressing his lips against mine in a soft kiss that made my insides tingle as much as my orgasm had. A happiness I’d never really believed could be mine, floated through me, warm like a summer breeze and filled with promise. I couldn’t even bring myself to care that we’d made enough noise to raise the dead, not to mention my parents.
Sunday dawned bright, clear, and unforgiving. By the end of the day, we’d be back at Michael’s, once more at the mercy of the horrors that awaited us.
“Awake already?” Michael purred in my ear.
“No.”
He chuckled at my denial.
“I don’t want to be anyway. I’m not ready to leave.”
He let out a sigh. “I know what you mean. But we can’t hide from this, not forever. You lived. The next target might not be as lucky.”
I let out a groan. “Don’t remind me. Besides, that’s not what I was referring to.”
“Oh? Then what?” His hand slid warmly across my middle, the touch both comforting and a bit possessive. “I’ve missed my parents and this place.”
“We can always come back after. I’m serious about exploring those woods. Can you imagine how much fun it would be during a full moon?”
“We’ll have to live long enough first.”
“We will,” Michael reassured me, his arm tightening.
“How are you feeling? I know last night—well, yesterday in general—wasn’t really conducive to healing.”
“I wouldn’t trade yesterday for anything.” His fingers trailed up my side until they could trace my cheek.
I stared into his eyes wondering for the millionth time how I'd gotten here. “You didn’t answer the question.”
“You're insufferable.”
“And you’re evading.”
“What would it take to convince you I’m fine?”
“For starters,” I began, but he silenced the pending argument with a kiss thorough enough to steal my breath. “Michael, I’m serious,” I tried again.
“So am I,” he replied, not dissuaded.
“My parents are probably awake.”
“Mhm,” he mumbled as he trailed kisses across my jaw.
“Peter at the very least, if not Tom too.”
“Speak of the devil,” he murmured into my neck before giving it a playful nip.
My confusion only lasted a moment, then I made out footsteps making their way to our door. I waited until they should have been close enough to allow their owner to knock.
“Good morning,” I said clearly and was rewarded with a soft thud, most likely from a jump of surprise. Michael and I giggled quietly.
“I see how it is. You get fancy new hearing and now you want to use it for evil, scaring your poor old dad.” Tom’s voice was notably affronted. I didn’t have a chance to respond before he went on. “Breakfast is hot, and please dress before you come down. I see pajamas are apparently out of the question, due to the total disregard for which they are strewn about the bathroom.” With that, he made his way back towards the stairs.
I turned to look at Michael, my eyes undoubtedly the size of saucers and he laughed. A whopping ten minutes later, we took our seats at the breakfast table. I ate in sullen silence, thoroughly miserable about having to leave.
“What’s the matter, Sara?” Peter asked.
I sighed, my gaze searching both my parents’ faces, and admitted to myself how much I’d missed them. “I’m not ready to go.”
“Do you really have to? You could stay here for a while longer.” Tom’s words, while optimistic, were unrealistic.
“I’m out of sick time. And besides, hiding here won’t make our problem go away,” I said, echoing Michael’s earlier statement. “Plus, what if he tracks us here?” I shook my head at the horrible image of that monster tearing through my family. “I couldn’t do that to you.”
“We’re not exactly defenseless, little one.” Peter’s words rang true, but paled in my mind compared to what I knew would be coming. Tom gave Peter a look and he didn’t pursue it. I had no delusions. This broken creature would never quit until he’d finished what he’d started or was stopped—permanently.
“We understand that this is something you need to face. You know your dad and I will be here for you no matter what. I mean it, if you need anything, anything at all, you better call," Tom said, his tone both stern and supportive. "As for you, Michael, you seem like a decent person. You hurt my baby girl though and you’ll find out the hard way that I am not the gentle one in this pair.” Tom’s not so veiled threat visibly shook Michael.
I gave my dad a bes
eeching look. Peter’s only response to the plea was a gesture that very much suggested I was on my own.
Time continued to slip through my fingers with blatant disregard for my own desire that it remain frozen. I looked first into Peter’s light green eyes and then Tom’s speckled blue ones. I hadn’t even left yet and I was already homesick.
“I promise not to be such a stranger anymore. We’ll definitely be back. That is, if it’s okay?”
“You’re both welcome anytime,” Tom said to me. Out of the corner of my eye, Peter leaned closer as if to say something to Michael. I strained to hear what it was, but Tom was still talking. “Now, promise to call when you get back. And I want regular updates this time.” He waved an admonishing finger while I nodded dutifully.
“Yes, Daddy.”
He smiled and produced a rock candy as if by magic. I gave a squeal of delight. Michael turned to face us as I clutched my prize with the exact same enthusiasm I had since I was three. “Don’t worry I’ve got one for you too,” Tom said. “I would ask you which color you would prefer, but I’m afraid you’re stuck with red.”
“Why is that?” Michael asked.
“Because the blue is my favorite,” I said, waving the stick of crystalline candy. “I haven’t had one of these in ages.” Michael laughed at my childish exuberance. “What?” I asked through a mouthful of sugar.
“Nothing,” he said, turning back to my dads. “I want to assure you both that I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. We do have a little help. I don’t think we mentioned it before. I have a friend in town that I’ve called to give us a hand. His name is David. I’ve trusted him to have my back since we were kids and Sara has proven several times now that she’s not some damsel in distress. Your daughter has turned into quite the fighter.” My face heated at the unexpected praise from Michael. Pushing for a more pleasant line of goodbyes I spoke up.
“When everything settles down, I’d really like y’all to come visit. I think it’s about time you see where I live and where I work. And you have to meet Charline, you're going to adore her.”
“We would love to, sweetie,” Peter said as he wrapped an arm around Tom.