Beckoned (The Brazil Werewolf Series)

by Amanda K. Dudley-Penn

  I nodded and he opened the door. Not even a second later, I burst out of his house, looking around as I did. I could feel Garridan close behind me. My heart hammered as I broke through the entrance to the forest, stopping when I was fully covered by the trees. Garridan stopped beside me. We looked back toward his house, seeing no one and sighed in relief and then, we turned and walked deeper into the forest.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The Forest

  The deeper we walked into the forest the worse I felt. My head pounded with every noise and a pain had begun deep in my stomach, twisting and turning it until I thought that I‘d be sick. For a while, I wondered if I’d eaten too quickly and then, I thought that maybe I had been poisoned. Thankfully, I pushed the thought away and forced myself to continue forward.

  As another pain hit, I looked up, feeling a pull there that I had never felt before. It beckoned for me to do something that I did not understand. For one frightening moment, I thought that I would turn but I seen that the moon wasn’t full. Instead it shown only a little over half of its brilliance in the sky.

  A searing hot pain slashed through me and I stumbled and fell, catching myself by grabbing a low hanging branch on a tree. I tried to blink the pain away but couldn’t. It kept getting worse and worse. Garridan’s hand on my arm made me look up.

  He studied my face, panicked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I think…maybe…I ate too quickly,” I whispered, hoping that was the reason and I wasn’t dying, “My stomach hurts.”

  His eyes widened as he tilted his head and stared deep into my eyes, “Let’s hope that’s all it is,” he said, suddenly sounding very frightened.

  “Why?” I asked, feeling his fear, running deep in my bones.

  “Because the other possibility is that you’re transitioning,” he said, looking pained.

  My mouth opened working to argue against the suggestion but shock and pain kept me from speaking. I swallowed a couple of times and then, looked up at Garridan, shaking my head as I finally found my voice.

  “It‘s not possible” I argued, looking up at the moon again and still, seeing it a little over half-full, “The moon-”

  Garridan sighed as he pinched the bridge his nose between his forefinger and thumb before looking at me pained, “They really didn’t teach you anything, did they?”

  I looked down, suddenly embarrassed, “My mother never told me,” I whispered and then, looked up at him shifting uncomfortably, “Three days ago I found out what Andre was and that was because I seen him in werewolf form. He didn‘t tell me what I was until the day after.”

  He stood, blinking at me in shock for a few moments and then, groaned, “Well, just know that every animal on this earth is more aggressive during the full moon,” he said, “However, werewolves change at will. The whole full moon thing is a myth.”

  “Oh,” I whispered, shifting uncomfortably causing another pain to ripple through my stomach. I groaned, crossing my arms around my middle. I took a deep breath and straightened as Garridan continued.

  “By the way, the silver bullets thing is a myth too,” he said, shrugging, “The only way to kill us is to bleed us out or decapitate us.”

  I blinked, horrified as I released the branch and stood as the pains passed, “As in chop off your head.”

  He nodded when he seen that I felt better and began to walk again. I walked behind him quietly as I thought of decapitating someone. This time when I felt my stomach turn I was sure that it was more than just sickness. I didn’t know if I could ever chop off someone‘s head. The problem was I was pretty sure that I would eventually have to.

  **********

  The pain changed from just a horrible ache in my head and stomach to needles of pure torture, slamming through every single part of my body. Tears blurred my vision as a red hot rod of pure agony reached up my spine. I nearly screamed out but bit my lip so hard that blood pooled in my mouth. Still, I walked on with the picture of Andre in my mind but eventually even that wasn’t enough to keep the pain away as I began to trip over the roots and vines of the forest.

  Garridan walked briskly in front of me, oblivious to my pain until I stumbled, crying out as I caught myself on my hands and knees. Still, the fall jarred my whole body. Tears swam in my eyes as I looked up at the blurry outline of Garridan. I leaned against a tree tired and afraid from the pain. My scalp prickled in awareness, telling me that others of our kind were coming from the direction of my father’s home. I knew that we would have to move because they were coming for us and on some instinctive level I knew that Garridan would die if they caught us. I could not slow us down.

  I looked up at him apologetic but unable to hide the pain. He cursed and then, grabbed my face and looked down into my eyes. Worry clouded his features as he cursed again, hitting the tree in front of him and causing leaves to scatter around him.

  “We’ve got less than a mile,” he whispered, studying me intently. His mouth pressed into a hard line and he swallowed hard, “But I don’t know if you’ll make it. I don‘t know at all.”

  I clenched my teeth, determined not to seem weak, “Why not?” But even as I said it, I could feel the energy seeping out of me and I trembled with the force of the pain.

  “You’re turning,” he whispered, and then, straightened with one more look at my face. He began to pace in front of me and then, stopped, straightening his spine determined, “It’s okay. I’ll carry you the rest of the way if I have to. I won‘t let your father take you again. I promise. I‘ll get you back to Andre.”

  I stood, shakily, determined to move on my own for as far as I could, “I can walk for a little while longer,” I whispered as a tear fell down my face. He looked at me doubtful but didn’t argue as he straightened and began to pace.

  “Good,” he said, cocking his head to the side and nodding his head once before looking at me again sternly,“Tell me when you can’t anymore,” he whispered, “Don’t be stubborn about it. It will only slow us down.”

  “Okay,” I said as he began walking in front of me again. I took a deep breath and began to take the most agonizing steps in my whole life.

  **********

  One…Two…Three…I counted the most painful steps I had ever taken, hoping that it would help me to walk further. Tears blurred my vision as I continued to move. Four…Five…Six. Finally, I stopped, panting and hoping that I would be able to go a bit further. Fire coursed through my veins, hot as lava as I followed Garridan, stumbling again. I panted as I grasped the trunk of a tree. Sweat beaded my brow as I leaned against it.

  “How…far do we…have left?” I panted as I looked up at him, feeling dizzy.

  Garridan looked at me, alarmed, taking a step toward me, “About a quarter of a mile,” he said as he tilted his head, studying me.

  I blinked as his image blurred and closed my eyes tightly only to open them again. Tears coursed down my cheeks, leaving burning hot trails down my face. I opened my eyes but everything blurred worse and I began to sob as I grasped the trunk of the tree in desperation, allowing it to cut into my hands. I licked my parched lips, pausing in horror. Fangs were protruding from my gums. I trembled unable to see and turning into a monster. I reached forward, terrified that Garridan had left me alone.

  He grabbed my hand instantly calming my fear of being left by myself and lifted me easily in his strong arms, “It’s okay, Aurora,” he whispered, hoarsely, “I’ll get you home. I promise.”

  I wanted to say thank you but I couldn’t. Pain sliced through me causing me to thrash and then, I screamed louder than I ever thought I could as I bowed back in Garridan’s arms. It felt as if my bones were twisting and breaking. The blood in my veins pumped red hot fire. I screamed again as Garridan pulled me tighter to him and ran quicker than any human could. Moments later, I heard the voices of my family. Garridan’s arms tensed around me.

  “Put her down,” I heard Andre‘s voice angrier than I ever had before but it was that tone that told me that he was really th
ere…I was not hallucinating. My heart jumped in relief, alleviating some of the pain.

  “I’m trying to help her,” Garridan said, angrily. I twisted in his arms, trying to speak…to keep my promise to him by telling my family that he had helped me, “I was bringing her back to you.”

  “And why would you do that? You were the one who took her,” Andre said, spitting out the words. I felt him step closer and felt his eyes on me, “We‘ve been to your kindred. They told me what you had planned to do. Have you done blood mating with her? Because if you have, I will kill you where you stand.”

  “No,” Garridan said, horrified at the suggestion, “I wouldn’t do that to her. Emilian wanted me to but I wouldn’t. She freed me from him. Besides, why would I want a mate who is partly bonded to someone else?”

  A few minutes passed and I felt another of my family approach. A cool hand caressed my forehead and I leaned into it. I heard Andre again even closer now. I could almost feel his heat, “What did you do to her?” He asked, angrily.

  “He didn’t do anything to her,” Sophia said, from somewhere above me, “She’s transitioning. She becoming one of us.”

  Sophia’s cool hands continued to caress my forehead, calming some of the pain there. Tears coursed down my face as she cooed softly to me.

  “You should have told her what this would do to her,” Garridan said, angrily. I could hear Andre growl.

  “I was. You shouldn’t have taken her,” he said and finally, I could feel his touch as he grasped my hand.

  “Are you two going to continue arguing or are you going to help her?” Sophia asked, exasperated. I relaxed as the pain eased for a moment. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with as much oxygen as as they could hold.

  I stiffened because at that moment, I felt them…heard them…all around me. My father and his family…they were coming. I screamed again as the pain shot through me even hotter than before. I gritted my teeth against the pain as I forced the warning from my lips.

  “They’re coming!” I cried as tears coursed down my cheeks, “They’re coming!”

  “Aurora, what are you talking about?” I heard Andre ask, frightened.

  I felt Garridan stiffen around me and then, I felt him hand me to Andre, “Take her!” He yelled, “My old family is coming for us! You take care of her. The rest of us will have to fight.”

  At that moment the pain was too much to bear and I screamed one more time before my body finally shifted into the change.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The Change

  My life had never been so vivid or alive until the moment I opened my eyes. The black fur covering my skin was warm against me, feeling strange and comfortable. No pain pulsed from me. No fire ran through my veins.

  I looked around, mesmerized by all of the colors that seemed to bleed off of everything, finally finding Andre. He stood with his back to me, protecting me in his human form. The fact that he guarded me told me that he knew I was vulnerable and he would give his life to protect me. My eyes narrowed as a growl erupted from my throat. I wasn’t vulnerable anymore. I didn’t need his protection. I felt stronger than I ever had.

  I raised my hands in front of my face, knowing that I could rip limbs from bodies or lift cars over my head. I was strong…so strong that I could knock down one of the one hundred year old trees growing around me with my bare hands. I could rip it from it’s thick, gnarling roots.

  I inhaled, smelling every smell in the forest. The smell of raw, wet earth and moss surrounded me reminding me of the tomato plants that my mother once grew in five gallon buckets. Then, others…the smell of animals and wildflowers mixing in an intoxicating aroma. Then, there were the smells of my family. I narrowed my eyes as I sniffed again because closer now was the smell of my father’s family which both repelled and beckoned me to them.

  I blinked allowing my eyes to roam around the forest, waiting for the arrival of my father and his people. Everything was so bright and colorful that it mesmerized…It held me in its thrall. Even the air around me seemed alive.

  Slowly, I raised my head, looking at my husband. I had never thought that he could be even more beautiful but he was. I could see his beast just below the surface, ready to spring. It fought for control in the colors beneath his skin and I knew that at any moment, he would give in.

  Slowly, I rose behind him more powerful than I had ever been. Andre stiffened as he felt my presence and turned. His eyes widened and then, shadowed in pain as he reached forward and touched my face softly. I leaned into him and he sighed relieved.

  “I came for you but you weren’t with your father,” he whispered, closing his eyes, “Then, one of the women had said that Garridan had mated with you and was going to do the blood mating. I was so afraid…I thought I would lose you.”

  I closed my eyes finding that I was unable to speak. A single tear fell down my cheek. I wanted to tell him that I was alright…that Garridan had done nothing but help me but couldn’t.

  I breathed in and out slowly as my scalp began to tighten, screaming that there was danger. I narrowed my eyes turning as my father stood dangerously near with a gun pointed at Andre’s head. A growl of warning ripped through my throat but it was too late as my father fired the gun. There was no time for Andre to react as I threw him behind me, taking the bullet in the arm. Blood spurted from me and I felt myself fall as once again, fire spread through me.

  Andre looked at me in horror as my father raised his gun once again to Andre‘s head. A growl erupted in the air as Garridan attacked, turning in an instant from man to wolf. The gun flew from my father’s hand and the smell of blood entered my nostrils smelling tangy and sweet.

  “Aurora!” Andre called, panicked as he placed his hand over my shoulder, trying to staunch the blood, “Oh God! No! Please No!”

  Sophia’s hand caressed me a moment later. Her eyes were wide and frenzied above me. She looked from me to Andre quickly with tears falling from her eyes and onto her cheeks, “You must do the blood mating,” she whispered, “If you don’t she’ll die.”

  “We’ll be bound forever in every way possible,” he said, looking at me, “She’ll feel everything that I do. She’ll die when I do,” he looked at me, distressed, “What if she doesn’t want that?”

  I opened my mouth to tell him that I did but I was only beginning to turn back into a human. Sophia looked down at me, understanding and gripped my hand in comfort.

  “Of course, she does,” Sophia said, frowning at her son, “She loves you…so much that she just walked through a forest during transition to get back to you.”

  “She doesn’t know what it means,” he said, pained, “Not really.”

  “She doesn’t need to right now, Andre,” she said, calmly and then, looked directly into her son‘s eyes, “She simply needs you to save her life…the way your father saved mine. She needs for you to love her that much.”

  Something broke in Andre’s face and he looked down at me with tears in his eyes, “I do…Oh God…I do,” Andre shook his head and then kissed my forehead, “I love you, Aurora. I hope you want this because you‘re getting it reguardless,” he said as he grabbed my wrist and kissed it, “After this, we will be bonded forever.”

  My eyes widened as my throat loosened and I was able to say my first few strangled words, “Do…it.”

  Then, blessedly, everything went black for while.

  *********

  . The metallic smell of blood reached me rousing me from the darkness that I had willingly submitted to. It smelled rich and sweet to me, making my mouth water with want…with need. I kept telling myself that it should make me sick but it seemed to be everywhere, pulsing through the hearts and veins of those around me and spilled upon flesh and earth. It was that smell that kept from falling into the darkness, enticing me into the light.

  Slowly, I opened my eyes, wondering when I had closed them. The brilliancy was gone from the world and I knew that I had changed back to my human form. Weakness drenched my bo
dy dimming my sight with grey darkness.

  “Andre,” I whispered, feeling him so close that I could reach out to touch him but my hand would not move one inch.

  “Shhh, Aurora,” Andre said, kissing my forehead. The smell of blood was closer and closer. I licked my lips and breathed in quickly, hoping to inhale the substance. Andre‘s voice broke the spell for a moment, “I will help you, Aurora. I promise.”

  Scalding hot tears fell down my cheeks as I struggled to see Andre, hoping that one sight of him would push away the insane lust for blood…for life. Gentle hands held me still and I began to sob. From somewhere behind them, I could hear the pained cries of the others and the smell of blood became thicker. I thrashed as the need for the essence rose to maddening heights.

  I felt Andre’s hands on my face and I leaned into them, feeling the coolness of his hands and the comfort of his protection. He would keep me from ripping into the muscles, meat and bones of everyone near. He wouldn’t allow me to truly become a monster and feed upon those that I loved.

  The aroma of the blood reached me again and I paused in my thrashing. This time, I knew whose blood had been spilled…Andre. Shame pierced me because I even wanted his blood…his essence. Pain seared me across my wrist, stopping the vile thoughts from continuing to rot my mind and sanity. My tears fell hot and scalding down my cheeks as I began to feel darkness surround me again.

  “Drink, Aurora,” Andre whispered gently, “Truly become my mate.”

  I squeezed my eyes closed in ecstasy as his wrist was pressed to my lips and the liquid of life slipped down my throat. I fought the urge to drink but couldn’t. I moaned as I suckled the liquid from the wound at his wrist becoming stronger with each drink. Shock filled me as I felt his lips on my wrist then, drinking from me as I drank from him. My eyes burst open wide as my body took in his life. I felt our souls twist and turn in a dark dance, finally becoming one.

  I looked at Andre as he removed his wrist from my mouth and placed my wrist gently on my chest. I blinked feeling him, as I had never felt him before. Every emotion, Every thought, every pain was there mingling with mine and becoming my own.