Jacob Michaels Is... The Omnibus Edition: A Point Worth LGBTQ Paranormal Romance Books 1 - 6

by Chase Connor

  “I still love you, Rob.”

  Chapter 2

  “You buried the lead, babe.” Lucas was shaking his head as we stood at the edge of the woods behind Oma’s house. “I mean, I never want to turn down making love with you, but you could have told me about the wolves before.”

  Chewing at my lip, I glanced into the woods before turning my eyes back to Lucas. The sun was barely up, so I didn’t know why we were. Lucas was standing before me, in his pajamas and Carhartt again—the only clothes he had brought when he came over—watching me skeptically. Not that I could blame him for his skepticism, of course. Three wolves the size of…well, really big wolves…with glowing red eyes attacking me in Oma’s backyard was hard to believe. The fact that I didn’t feel like I could tell him about “Teenage Ghost Rob” and Ernst made the whole thing even more difficult. I certainly wasn’t going to explain to him how fire had shot out of my hand and hurt one-and-a-half wolves, either. An abridged version of events was relayed—three enormous wolves tried to attack me, and I ran for the safety of the house.

  “I was…my head wasn’t right after that.” I gave a half shrug and shook my head softly. “I was scared and confused, and I didn’t know what to do, Lucas.”

  He reached out and pulled me into a quick hug. He pressed his lips to mine softly before pulling away again.

  “And I didn’t think you’d believe me.” I sighed, looking towards the woods again. “I still kind of don’t.”

  “Babe.” He frowned at me, though he didn’t put his heart into it. “Of course, I believe you. It’s just…odd, I guess.”

  Nodding down at the ground, I couldn’t help but snort in disbelief at his skepticism for my story. Lucas looked down at the paw print the size of a human hand in the drying mud at our feet.

  “I mean, obviously there was at least one huge wolf.” He stated sheepishly.

  “You don’t believe me, do you?” The frown was unstoppable.

  “Rob,” He sighed, “I’m not going to say it again—I believe you—I’m just processing the whole thing, babe. I mean, this is just crazy, even though there was clearly a wolf here. Three huge wolves wandered up into Mrs. Wagner’s backyard and tried to make you a nummy little treat? I’m wondering if we need to tell Sheriff Dennard so he can notify…I don’t know…wildlife management or something? Who deals with this kind of thing? If wolves are wandering out of the woods—which wolves being around here is crazy enough—but if they’re wandering out trying to attack people so close to their homes, that’s a real problem. I don’t know what to do in a situation like this. That’s all. Okay?”

  “Okay.” A feeling of relief washed over me. “Lucas, I feel like I haven’t seen you in years. Even now, here in front of me, where I can look into your eyes, I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

  Lucas’ brow furrowed as he stared back. He was chewing at his lip.

  “That’s weird, right?”

  “I guess.” He looked towards the woods.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I’m glad you’re here.” He replied. “So much.”

  Swallowing hard, choking back the feeling of loss, like a rock in my gut, I turned to look into the woods with him. There was nothing there but trees and deeper woods peeking through the leafless trees. Spring was coming. Everything felt electric, as though life was excited to push through and make itself known, to announce its presence to the world. I could practically feel the ground and everything around me vibrating with unfulfilled potential. It felt like an energy I hadn’t felt in a long time. It made me feel powerful. But also sad. Something I had no name for was missing. I just knew it.

  “I—and don’t make fun of me—but I think they were werewolves.” I spat it out, knowing that if I hesitated, I would stop myself.

  Lucas turned, aghast.

  I shrugged.

  “I mean, they…look, their eyes looked kind of like Andrew’s…that night,” I explained. “They were glowing red, and they looked, I don’t know, intelligent. Not just like wolves looking for a nummy little treat, okay? They had this look in their eyes that they knew exactly what they were trying to do. They were organized and stealthy, and if…if I hadn’t run so fast, I guess…”

  Lucas wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him, side to side, standing there, looking out into the woods. Why wasn’t I explaining to him about Ernst and Teenage Ghost Rob?

  “It’s just all so strange,” Lucas stated neutrally.

  “Yeah.” I agreed. “Why do I feel so…”

  Lucas let go of me and turned to watch me as I stared out at the woods.

  “What is it, babe?”

  “Right now,” My teeth were gnawing at my lip again, “I miss you.”

  Lucas just stared.

  “Why is that?” I asked, turning to him, my eyes pleading for an answer. “You know how someone comes home from a long trip, and you pick them up at the airport, and it feels like days or even a week have to pass before it feels like they’re not still gone? Like you can’t believe that you finally have them back? That’s how I feel right now. I’m settling into the feeling of having you back in my life.”

  The face I was presented with by Lucas was impassive. Not knowing quite what to make of his hesitation to respond to my, admittedly, odd statement, I reached down and took his hand. Lucas’ fingers reflexively laced through mine, though his eyes didn’t meet mine. They stayed focused on the woods beyond us. Lucas’ eyes looked as though they were focused on something that only he could see, that he wasn’t going to share with me. It should have bothered me; it should have made me grab him and shake him and demand that he tell me what was on his mind. Instead, all I could think about was how glad I was that he was there. Only a few days had passed since I wasn’t even sure that I wanted a guy in my life and now I found myself wanting nothing more than to have Lucas by my side.

  All I could think about, besides how good it felt to have Lucas’ hand in mine, to have him standing there with me, was memories. After my encounter with my ghostly teenage self, I had remembered…something. I had remembered a lot of somethings. My subconscious was a niggling voice in the back of my innermost self, telling me that if I could remember them, pieces would fall into place. Something…or somethings…very important had been lost to me, and I needed to remember them. Closing my eyes, I found myself wishing that by touching Lucas’ hand, I might remember something about him like I had when I touched Ernst.

  Nothing.

  “That’s weird, right?” My voice was soft and didn’t match my conviction. “The fact that I’m even explaining how I feel to you—that I feel compelled to share this with you…it’s all just weird.”

  “Rob,” he said, “you’re just rattled from last night.”

  “The sex?” I chuckled.

  He chuckled as well. “Not from the sex. I hope.”

  “No, not the sex.” I agreed. “Lucas, I need to ask you something, and I really want you to be honest with me, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Why do I feel like I just got you back?” The question begged to be asked. “Do you know why that is?”

  He just stared at me.

  “Lucas?”

  “Rob…”

  I waited.

  “…I…look, I don’t know what compelled you to ditch Point Worth and everyone here. But obviously, you did feel compelled to leave ten years ago. Right?”

  My head bobbed up and down before I even thought to do it.

  “Do you know why you left?”

  “To chase fame and fortune.”

  He frowned.

  “I mean,” I chewed at my lip, “I didn’t want to be here anymore.”

  “Did you want to be rich and famous?”

  “I guess?”

  “Babe, I don’t think you’re being totally honest. Like, at all.” He shook his head. “But I don’t think you know you’re being dishonest either. Does that help?”

  “Not in the slightest.”
>
  As if summoned, the backdoor of the house swung open, and Oma appeared in the doorway, still in her nightgown and robe, looking as though she had just woken up. Lucas glanced over at me nervously as I looked across the lawn to Oma standing in the doorway, staring out at us as though she’d never seen us before.

  “Well, what the hell are you idiots doing out there at butt-early-thirty when it’s this cold?” She hollered. “You’re gonna freeze your balls off!”

  Lucas’ hand was in mine again, his fingers lacing through mine. I looked down at his hand as he squeezed mine.

  A warning?

  “We’re just talking, Oma,” I hollered back automatically, jovially even.

  “Damn fine place to do it.” She gave an exaggerated shiver as she pulled her robe tightly around herself. “What the hell are you even doing here this time of morning, Lucas? Not that you ain’t welcome, of course.”

  “I—”

  “I invited him over last night, Oma.” I interjected.

  “I can only imagine why.” She shook her head. “Well, when y’all get done playin’ grab ass out there, come in and I’ll get us some breakfast started.”

  “We’re going to go on a walk first, Oma!” I hollered back.

  “Freeze your asses off if ya’ want!” Came her reply. “Breakfast will be waiting!”

  Then she disappeared into the house once again, the door swinging shut behind her. Lucas let out a sigh at my side that seemed to come from the very soles of his feet.

  “A walk?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded, not looking at him.

  “You don’t want to go inside?”

  “Not right now.”

  Lucas had no response for that, but, instead, held my hand as I pulled him towards the woods. Together, watching everything in the periphery as we walked, Lucas and I walked side by side through the woods towards Lake Erie. Silence was the music of our march, though it was not uncomfortable, as we made our way through the skeletal woods. Spring was coming, but in the meantime, the woods were stuck in that fitful sleep between death and life. Lucas’ fingers squeezed mine as we walked hand-in-hand through the woods, stealing glances at each other, both of us wondering what was on the other’s mind. Why did I suddenly feel the way I did about Lucas…and why was he so cautious in speaking about it?

  The woods that created a barrier between Oma’s house and Lake Erie were not incredibly dense, yet they were thick enough that we had to be careful on our journey. All of the trees were clear of snow and ice, yet there were still patches of snow scattered throughout the woods where the sun had not quite reached. Spring would fully announce its presence soon, and any trace of winter would be gone within days, but winter was still clinging to the woods with bony fingers, refusing to give up until forced. When we broke through the woods, the shore of the lake was before us; I felt relaxed and free. My body didn’t feel electric; every hair on my body didn’t feel like a live wire, I could breathe. I gave a wide smile as I looked out at Lake Erie’s—surely freezing—crystal clear waters and breathed deeply, squeezing Lucas’ hand in mine.

  When I turned to look at him, he was smiling back, but I could also see the concern in his eyes.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m worried.” He said. “For you.”

  “I’m not crazy, Lucas.” I let go of his hand.

  He quickly grabbed my hand again, his fingers lacing through mine again, frowning at my yanking my hand away from him.

  “That is not what I meant. I’m worried for you because of the wolves.” He explained. “Andrew was one thing—I mean shit happens, right?”

  “To say the absolute least.”

  “But to have three wolves—werewolves or not—wander up and try to attack you in the middle of the night…I mean, if they were werewolves, what if…”

  I waited, but Lucas simply trailed off and did not finish his thought.

  “Maybe Andrew and some of his buddies came to exact their revenge?” I prodded him.

  “I mean, maybe?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Could you tell if one of them was Andrew?”

  “They were wolves.” I reminded him. “How would I know?”

  “Not all werewolves look the same.” He said. “Just like regular wolves.”

  “Well, I’m on a learning curve here.” I snorted.

  Lucas smiled sheepishly at me.

  “Do you remember what Andrew looked like in wolf form?” He asked softly, as though he didn’t want to keep asking about Andrew.

  The reasons for that were obvious.

  Andrew and I had been on a date.

  Lucas and I were now dating.

  Andrew was the other man.

  The fact that I had nothing but contempt for Andrew didn’t factor into Lucas’ reasoning in the matter.

  “I, um,” I chewed at my lip as I thought, “I honestly can’t say. It was all so quick and confusing. Not to mention terrifying. Maybe I was in shock during the whole thing, but I don’t remember much except that he turned into a wolf and I didn’t even know werewolves were real, Lucas. I just remember how angry and feral he looked. And his eyes. These wolves last night had the same kind of eyes. Not like some wild animal with a hunger for dinner, but something intelligent. These wolves knew what they were doing. They hadn’t just happened upon Oma’s yard and—”

  “What were you doing out in the backyard so late anyway?”

  “I thought I saw people out there, and—”

  “Real smart, babe.” He teased.

  Shrugging, I gave him a half-smile.

  “People or wolves, there was obvious danger in the backyard.” His brow furrowed. “Why did you think there were people out there? Did you hear voices or something?”

  “Hey.” I glowered.

  “Not in that way.” He snickered. “Please stop implying that I’m calling you crazy for two seconds, Rob. I mean, did you hear people talking or calling out, or…something?”

  “I guess?” I chewed at my lip. “We—I—woke up because of some noise or something and then I heard it again, and it was coming from outside. I looked out of my window and there was a person in…”

  Lucas just watched me.

  “I swear if you call me crazy…”

  “I won’t.”

  “Some person in like a hooded…cloak? Or robe?...was standing in the backyard. Kind of looking up towards my window.” I cringed at letting such a statement come out of my mouth. “Kind of like, I don’t know, ritual robes or something?”

  Lucas was frowning deeply.

  “Like a witch?”

  I gestured with my hand, validating the suggestion.

  “It wasn’t, ya’ know…?”

  “It wasn’t Oma.” I shook my head. “Too tall. Way too tall.”

  “But you were looking down from the window, Rob.” He shrugged. “And you had just woken up out of a dead sleep, right? Maybe…”

  “Look,” I shook my head softly, “I’ve been no big fan of my grandmother’s lately. I’ll give you that. But don’t try to implicate her in this. It wasn’t Oma.”

  “Okay.”

  “Oh, stop that.”

  “Stop what?”

  “That was sharp.”

  “I was just saying ‘okay.’” He squeezed my hand. “Promise.”

  “Okay.” I relented. “But I just know it wasn’t Oma, okay?”

  “I believe you, Rob.”

  “She’s crazy as hell, mean as shit, and she definitely hasn’t done much for me to want to like her a lot lately, but she wouldn’t lure me out into the backyard for any good reason, let alone so wolves—or werewolves—could attack me. If she wanted to hurt me, she’d do it herself.”

  Lucas squeezed my hand. “I’m not lying to you. I believe you that it wasn’t Oma. I’m just trying to come up with—”

  “What was that?” I whipped my head to the side.

  “What?”

  “Did you hear a scream?”

  “Um, no
.”

  Lucas was looking at me like I was crazy again. I ignored his facial expressions and listened quietly, still holding his hand. No sounds, other than the water and the breeze and the crackling of the trees filled the air around us. Had there been a scream—or was I crazy? Unexplainably, I felt a tug in my gut again, something pulling at me, telling me to pay attention. A sudden urge to check on Oma came over me, overwhelming my senses.

  “Oma.” I gasped.

  Lucas looked shocked as I let go of his hand and whipped around, my feet moving of their own accord as I dashed towards the woods again. I was already past the tree line, running like crazy when Lucas finally managed to holler after me. Seconds later, I heard him running to catch up. My heart was pounding in my chest again, and I was gasping as I ran faster than I ever knew possible, trying to get back to Oma’s house as quickly as possible. By the time I reached the other side of the woods, I felt like I might pass out from the sudden exertion. My body still wasn’t back to one-hundred percent yet, so running through the cold woods through damp and muck wasn’t something it was prepared to do. Lucas had to be far behind me in the woods, unable to keep up with such a pace.

  As soon as I broke through the tree line into the backyard, my eyes landed on Oma. She had fallen back onto the steps, facing the woods. One of the Kobolds—my guess was Lena—was by her side, trying to get her back up onto her feet. The fact that Oma looked like she had fallen wasn’t my main concern. The fact that a lady, completely nude, was stumbling through the backyards towards my grandmother was what had my focus. The strange woman’s back was to me, so I was treated to an eyeful of asscrack as I dashed across the backyard, trying to get myself between my grandmother and some weirdo.

  Had I heard Oma scream for me from the other side of the woods?

  “Hey!” I screamed as I got closer, though I had no idea where I found the breath to do so.

  The woman kept stumbling towards Oma as she laid back against the steps, looking at the approaching woman in horror. The Kobold was pulling at Oma, looking both terrified and annoyed somehow. The strange, completely nude woman came into focus better as I approached and I could see that she only had hair on one half of her head. One side of her body looked nearly melted, covered in scar tissue. Grimacing, I ran even faster, wanting to make sure that the woman got nowhere near my grandmother. I watched as Lena pulled at Oma and Oma’s face changed from a look of astonishment to anger. Her hand slowly raised, pointing at the woman approaching her.