Lost Wolf (Curse of the Moon Book 1)

by Stacy Claflin

  "Yeah," said another. "We're hungry."

  My shoulders slunk. "Sorry."

  The cashier handed the card back. "This one doesn't work, either. Got cash?"

  "Ten dollars." My face and the back of my neck heated.

  He shrugged. "Sorry. Can't help you."

  Professor Foley walked by, carrying a tray with a double cheeseburger and fries.

  My head heated all the more.

  He turned and smiled. "Hi Victoria." Concern washed over his face. "Is everything okay?"

  I straightened my back. "Yeah, I'm just going to have to skip lunch today."

  "You don't have enough to cover it?"

  "Apparently not." I looked away.

  "That's no way to start your first day. I'll cover it."

  I stared at him. "I can't ask you to do that."

  "You're not. I'm offering." He dug into his back pocket and handed the cashier a card. "I've got her meal."

  He shrugged, ran the card, and handed the receipt to Toby—Professor Foley. Why did I keep wanting to call him by his first name? If that was even really his name.

  The cashier turned to me. "Head on in. Trays are straight ahead."

  "Thanks," I mumbled and turned to Professor Foley. "I swear I'll pay you back tomorrow. I don't know what's going on with my cards. Maybe someone hacked into my account."

  "Computers make mistakes all the time. Well, have a nice lunch."

  "Uh, thanks. You, too."

  He held my gaze like he wanted to say more.

  I couldn't pull away from his enchanting eyes. Again, I found myself wanting to throw myself at him.

  He cleared his throat. "Well, I usually sit near the back if… uh, you don't find anywhere else to sit."

  My voice caught. I nodded and hurried over to the trays, nearly running into a guy wearing black skinny jeans and thick eyeliner.

  "Sorry," I muttered.

  "Whatever." He glared at me before taking his silverware.

  My college career was off to a fabulous start. I sighed and grabbed a tray. What would I do if I couldn't sort out my money situation? I didn't even know who was supplying the funds.

  What kind of daughter doesn't even keep her parents' contact info in her phone?

  Suddenly, I felt so small and helpless. Not knowing my past was more than just annoying and embarrassing. It was beginning to look like it might be dangerous.

  I got in line for food and piled on things without paying attention. What if someone stopped paying for my car? How would I get around? Or what if my college payments came to an end?

  The noise around me grew louder. Everyone around me felt closer, like they were pressing into me. I jumped out of line and ran toward the tables. I couldn't breathe.

  All sound merged into a cacophony. The room grew hot. I sat at the nearest empty table and stared at my plate. My stomach rumbled, but I couldn't feel the hunger anymore.

  I ran my hands through the length of my hair and tried to breathe. Still, only shallow breaths came.

  What was I going to do? Who was I leaning on to pay my bills? What if I'd done something wrong, and this was a warning? If only they would have let me know what I'd done to offend them. Or was I supposed to somehow know, but since I couldn't remember anything at all, I didn't know where I'd gone wrong?

  What was I doing? How had I thought I could get through the school year without knowing anything about my past?

  My stomach twisted in tight knots. I probably should have just walked away after the card was declined. My time would have been better spent calling the banks to find out what was going on. Now I would feel guilty if I didn't eat what Toby—Professor Foley—had paid for.

  Wait. Had he asked me to eat at his table?

  I looked around and spotted him at a table near the back of the room. A group of pretty girls sat around him, giggling and talking with him.

  Well, at least he wouldn't miss me. He'd probably already forgotten all about me. I glanced at my plate, but still felt guilty about not eating it. I'd just pay him back, but I didn't even have the means to do that. Plus, I knew I'd be hungry once my emotions calmed down. Since I'd been given the opportunity to eat, I needed to take advantage of that.

  Who knew what would happen once my stash of groceries dwindled? I needed to figure that out along with everything else—my tuition, rent, car payments, and whatever else I could think of when I could think straight.

  Surely, I wouldn't end up on the streets. Or would I?

  I had to stop thinking so catastrophically. There could be some simple reason for the cards not working. It didn't mean my Jaguar would be repossessed and that Landon would throw me out. I'd gotten those things somehow, and I could find a way to keep them.

  People started getting up from their tables in droves. I glanced at a clock. There was only about fifteen minutes until my next class started. I scarfed down the food on my plate, despite not being hungry. Then I followed the crowd and returned my tray.

  My mouth was parched since I'd forgotten to grab something to drink. I found the soda machine and filled a plastic cup with too-sweet iced tea and drank it.

  I was tempted to skip my next class to figure out my finances, but that could wait an hour. I couldn't miss my first day. At least the building was close. And my heart had stopped racing. Maybe eating had been a good idea after all. It didn't feel like the world was going to crumble around me anymore.

  Once inside, I found the classroom easily enough. It was on the first floor. I walked in and froze.

  Carter sat in the middle of the room. My mind spun back to our first date, and I remembered he was in the same psychology course.

  He glanced up and smiled wide, lighting up his entire face.

  I slid my bag off and walked over to him and sat to his right. "It's nice to see a friendly face."

  His expression darkened. "You're not having a good first day?"

  Part of me wanted to talk about something else, but I found myself spilling my money problems to the one guy who had probably never once had to worry about anything like that. "I nearly didn't get lunch today because I had no money. It was awful—right in front of so many people."

  Carter's brow wrinkled.

  "My cards were declined." I frowned.

  "It happens. System glitches or a new employee pushes a wrong button. One time—"

  "But two different cards?" I asked. "Not even from the same bank."

  He wrinkled his brow. "That is odd. Want me to look into it for you?"

  "Thanks, but it's my problem."

  "Well, I happen to want to help. Did you eat anything?"

  I nodded. "Someone took pity on me and paid for my meal."

  "Tell you what. Make your calls and then send me a text. We'll go study at the Jag, okay? Either to celebrate or commiserate. Sound good?"

  "Do I need a formal dress?"

  "Not for a weekday afternoon. You're fine."

  I breathed a sigh of relief. Even though I hadn't unloaded all my problems, at least I had someone to talk with about some of them.

  The professor walked in. He was a large man with thinning hair and a thick beard. He wore a scowl on his face. "Take your seats, everyone," he ordered and then set his things on the table as everyone scrambled to sit.

  Carter and I exchanged a curious expression.

  "Remember what I said about Massaro?" he whispered. "Grumpy old man."

  Professor Massaro hit his desk, causing several people to jump. "Let me get this out of the way," he said. "If you don't plan on taking this course seriously, I suggest you leave now. Some people think of psychology as an easy elective, but I assure you it's not. It's one of the most important fields out there, and if you're looking for something to breeze through while you focus on Calculus or Thermonuclear Physics—get out!"

  One kid ran from the room.

  A few chuckles sounded around the class.

  "Do you find this funny?" the professor bellowed.

  The room went silent.
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  "Most instructors like to go over the syllabus on the first day. Not me. You can read it on your own. I assume you can read if you made it in here. We're going to start with a paper tonight. Pick a lesser-known psychologist—in other words, skip Freud, Jung, Pavlov, and anyone else you've ever heard of—and write a three-thousand word paper on everything you learned about him or her. Email it to me before the start of class tomorrow. I hate wasting paper, so we're going to do as much online as we can. Any questions?"

  Silence.

  "Good. Get to work." He opened his laptop and started typing. "Three thousand words exactly. No more, no less."

  I turned to Carter. He shrugged and opened his laptop. I did the same. Part of me wondered if I should have run out of the class with the other kid. I took a deep breath and began my search for little-known psychologists.

  The only sounds were exasperated sighs and the clacking of keyboards.

  After a while, Massaro's voice broke the relative quiet. "Class is over. Three thousand words emailed to me before class tomorrow." He left the room.

  "He lives up to his reputation," Carter muttered.

  "Why'd you take the class, then?" I asked.

  "It sounded like a nice break from my other courses."

  "Don't let him hear you say that." I put my computer back into my bag.

  He chuckled. "I didn't say I thought it would be easy. I knew it would be a challenge."

  "When do you want me to text you?"

  "I've got another class, so give me at least an hour."

  "Sounds good. Thanks so much, Carter."

  He took my hand and gave a little squeeze. "Glad to help. Sorry to run, but my biology course is a few blocks away."

  "No problem."

  Carter held my gaze before hurrying out of the room.

  I took a deep breath and thought about what I should do. My best bet was probably to call the banks before starting in on my homework, but I didn't want to do that at home. I didn't want anyone overhearing me and knowing I was having money issues.

  Outside, I wandered toward my car and saw a shady area under some spruce trees. That seemed like a pleasant place to make my calls. I sat at the base of a tree and pulled out my phone and cards.

  Not far away, a group of guys played a game of what looked like tackle Frisbee. Just past them, a group of girls were sunbathing. Other various people sat texting or studying. And best of all, no one paid a bit of attention to me.

  I called the first number, and finally managed to talk to a person after about five minutes of pressing numbers.

  "This is Sheri," said a bored-sounding woman. "What can I help you with?"

  "I need to find out why I can't use my card."

  "And you're Victoria?"

  "Yes."

  "Let me verify that." She asked a bunch of questions that luckily I could answer between the information on my driver's license and student papers.

  "So, what's the problem?" she asked.

  "My card won't work!"

  I could hear her typing in the background. "It's been frozen."

  "What does that mean? Why?"

  "It was issued by the main card holder. You'll have to ask him."

  How was I going to do that? "Who is that?"

  "I can't give out that information."

  "But it's my card! My name's on the account."

  "Yes, but it's been frozen."

  "I know that! That's why I called you."

  "You'll need to speak with the main account holder. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

  "You can't tell me anything about my money?"

  "Not beyond what I've already said."

  "Why can't you at least give me his name?" I exclaimed.

  "Because I have a note on the account not to."

  I threw my head back and dug the tree bark into my scalp. "Thanks for your help." I ended the call.

  After a few deep breaths, I called the next company, but didn't have any better luck.

  Whoever controlled my finances didn't want to be found.

  Chapter 11

  Toby

  I took another swig of my drink and slammed the glass on the bar.

  "Easy there." Tap mixed a drink, sprinkled in some faerie dust, and then dumped in ice. "What's eating you up?"

  "Nothing I feel like talking about."

  "I suppose that's why you're here in the afternoon without any of your pack mates." He added the drink to a round tray with some others and stepped out from behind the bar. Tap went from eye level to four feet as he stepped from his platform behind the bar.

  "Want some help?" I asked.

  The troll shook his head. "I'm fine. It's just not usually so busy around here in the afternoons. Maybe I'll hire one of your college pups."

  "Just don't call them pups to their faces."

  "Noted." He went to the next room and handed the drinks to a group of witches.

  I took another sip and became aware of the loud buzz of conversation around the Faeble. It wasn't often I came in the afternoon, but when I had, it'd never been this busy.

  Perhaps I wasn't the only supernatural creature having a bad first day. It was a college town, and the number of inhabitants had tripled, if not quadrupled, in the last several days.

  Someone sat next to me, but I didn't turn to them. I had no interest in talking about Victoria or my overwhelming disappointment concerning her memory loss or complete lack of interest in me. Even providing her lunch hadn't phased her.

  "What has you tied in knots, sugar-cup?"

  I held in a groan and turned. My eyes nearly popped from my head and the glass shook in my hands. I set my glass down and scooted away.

  The tall, slender blonde smiled. "Don't worry, handsome. I'm not here for you."

  "I-I… you're a valkyrie." My heart thundered against my ribcage.

  Her grin turned crooked. "Like I said, I'm not here for you."

  My mouth dropped.

  "You… you…"

  "I take souls. Yes, I know." She leaned against the bar and yawned.

  "What are you doing here?" I wasn't sure I could take any more bad news—and a valkyrie couldn't mean anything good.

  Tap sauntered back over to the bar. He grinned when he saw the angel of death. "Soleil."

  She leaned her chin against her palm. "Tap, my old friend. How are you?"

  "Much happier now that I'm running the Faeble. I got tired of fighting the ogres for my lake. You want your usual?"

  "Yeah, but go easy on the unicorn horn flakes. I don't like my drinks too sweet."

  Tap muttered something about picky valkyries.

  Soleil turned to me. "Isn't he adorable?"

  I stared at the tough-as-nails tattooed troll mixing the drink at hyper speed. "Uh, if you say so."

  The valkyrie shoved me, and I struggled to stay on the barstool. "Well, I find him cute as can be."

  Tap turned around and handed her a tall rainbow-colored drink. "Light on the flakes."

  She sipped it and closed her eyes. "Perfect."

  I eyed Tap. "How do you two know each other?"

  He gave a slight nod, seeming to understand my unasked question—why was an angel of death sitting next to me?

  Tap leaned against the bar. "Soleil and I met centuries ago during a particularly bloody revolution against my people. We quickly became friends."

  "I helped him defeat the ogres he mentioned earlier."

  "Until they came back with their cousins." Tap grimaced.

  "That was practically fifty years later." Soleil shook her head.

  "I suppose, but like I said, I'm much happier running this place." He turned and mixed more drinks.

  Soleil and I sipped our drinks in silence. I hoped to sneak out unnoticed once mine was gone, or better yet, that she'd leave.

  "So, what has a gorgeous wolf such as yourself so upset?" she asked.

  "Girl trouble," Tap answered for me as he poured yellow alcohol into a cup.

  "Ah." The valk
yrie nodded as though that explained everything. "Maybe I can help."

  "I'd like to keep her alive, actually."

  "You know, I don't take the souls of everyone I come in contact with. Tap will tell you."

  "She doesn't," he assured me. "I'm living proof."

  "Great."

  "What's the problem?" Soleil asked.

  "She can't remember him," Tap said.

  I glared at him. "Thanks."

  "Give her a chance, she could get to the bottom of this quicker than anyone else in here."

  "Really?" I turned to her, suddenly curious.

  Soleil nodded, her expression an odd mixture of knowing and boredom. "Care to hear more?"

  "You should," Tap said.

  Why had I told him anything at all?

  The valkyrie shrugged and sipped the rainbow concoction. "Whatevs."

  I took a deep breath. "What does it involve?"

  Her face lit up. "You want my help?"

  "I'll hear you out."

  Tap gave me an encouraging nod before taking another tray to patrons.

  Soleil put her glass down. "All I have to do is drink a little of someone's essence. I can learn a lot that way."

  I stared at her. "Drink her essence?" I exclaimed. "What does that even mean?"

  "Let me show you."

  Tap walked by, his tray empty.

  Soleil stared at him.

  "What?" he asked, stepping back up to his platform.

  "I need to show wolfy, here, that drinking someone's essence isn't the kiss of death. I save that for the ones I have to kill."

  "Of course," I said.

  "It's close, though." Tap mixed another concoction.

  "Wait, what?" I exclaimed.

  "I can show you." Soleil leaned close.

  I shook my head. "No way."

  "Tap?" she asked. "It was your idea."

  "Mine?"

  "Come on." She batted her eyelashes.

  "Fine. Just a little, okay?"

  She clapped her hands.

  My stomach twisted. What had I just gotten my friend into?

  He leaned over the bar, across from the valkyrie. She stretched toward him, and as she did, wings pressed through her shirt. They spread out, one nearly knocking me over. I jumped out of the way just in time.

  Soleil put her hands on Tap's cheeks and closed her eyes. He closed his, also. She opened her mouth, but didn't kiss him. His mouth opened, seemingly in response to hers. A couple inches remained between them.