Moonlight Mist: A Limited Edition Collection of Fantasy & Paranormal)

by Nicole Morgan

  I headed back to the path, Angus’s words rattling around in my mind. Curse? What does he mean a curse? Warren was from the village. Maybe he knew Angus. Maybe he knew of the curse. Maybe he could tell me what Angus was talking about. I decided to text him.

  My thumbs tapped the buttons, frantically trying to find the right words to explain my interaction with Angus. Then I heard it. Rustling and growling behind me. I stopped walking for a moment, just to be sure I wasn’t hearing things. A flashback from the last time. From the last encounter. But I heard another growl and more rustling and knew.

  Fuck! I thought they said they cleared the woods. I gripped my phone tightly, my heart beating faster in my chest. Just keep walking. The growling was louder and closer. I attempted to move faster, but the sounds simply kept pace.

  I ran. I ran and didn’t look back. I hadn’t gotten far when I dropped my phone. Shit! I can’t lose my phone! I bent to pick it up, lost my balance, and fell chest first to the ground. The strap on my bag snapped and it tumbled a few times and landed several yards in front of me, the contents spilling out onto the dirt and grass.

  More growling. I turned onto my stomach. In front of me was a very large animal with dark brown fur.

  Yep, that’s a fucking wolf. A big, fucking, wolf! Angus was right. It came back. And now it was going to attack me. Crawling slowly, I moved backwards towards my bag, hoping to find something to defend myself. I discovered a pair of scissors in the grass and held them out in front of me. But, as the animal stepped closer, I knew it wouldn’t be enough. I quickly looked again and saw a scalpel in sterile packaging lying next to the bag. I leaned slowly, keeping my eyes on the wolf. Once I had the package, I ripped it open, and pointed it at the wolf, slashing it through the air several times as a warning.

  “Get back,” I yelled. “Stay back.”

  The wolf, snarled, showing its teeth and continued to slowly close the distance between us. I continued to slice the scalpel back and forth. Suddenly, the wolf lunged forward, and the scalpel struck its right front leg, making a clean slice that began bleeding immediately.

  I flinched, clenching every muscle of my body as the wolf yipped, letting out a small growl. After a few seconds, the wolf backed away and limped toward a large area of vegetation, leaving a trail of blood behind. As it reached the brush, it turned back to look at me for a moment, hung its head, and then disappeared into the undergrowth.

  I let out a deep huff of air and tried to catch my breath. Using the back of my hand, I wiped away a tear as it ran down my cheek. Shoving as much of the spilled items back into the bag as I could find, I tucked the bag under my arm and ran. I didn’t stop until I reached my car. I threw the bag onto the passenger seat, jumped inside, and locked the door. I put my hands on the steering wheel and realized I was still holding the scalpel, and there was blood all over my fingers.

  “Fuck!” I shouted. “What the fuck!” My hands trembled. I took a few deep breaths. Nothing helped. “What the fuck was that?”

  I tossed the scalpel onto the floor of the passenger side and reached into my bag, pulling out a wade of gauze, quickly wiping the blood from my skin. I pulled the keys from my pocket, started the car, and turned on the radio hoping it would take my mind off the incident and help me stay calm as I made my way home.

  It didn’t work.

  Getting out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my body and surveyed the mess I made on my way in. Clothes tossed around the room. Bag and purse thrown on the couch with their contents spilled all around. A bloody scalpel on the kitchen counter.

  I looked toward the front door. The handle, the deadbolt, and the chain were all secured. “At least I remembered to lock the door behind me.” I moved to the couch and fumbled about until I found my cell phone and wiped the dirt from the screen.

  Calling Warren, I moved to the bedroom to get dressed. He didn’t answer. So again, I left a voice mail. “Warren, it’s me. I’m, well, I’m kind of freaked out right now, and I could really use some company. So, if you could stop by, anytime, I’ll be home. Or call me. Like I said, I’m kind of freaked out. I’ll explain when I see you. Or when you call. I miss you.”

  I put on a pair of yoga pants and a baggy t-shirt, not really caring about my appearance. As the adrenaline wore off, exhaustion took over. I laid down on the bed to rest. My body ached all over. I needed a minute to let recover from what happened. I needed a minute to let my body recuperate some of the energy it expended. I just needed a minute.

  I didn’t mean to fall asleep.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Warren pressed his body up against mine and ran his fingers up my thigh. My skin tingled, tightening in a wave as goosebumps followed the path of his touch.

  “Warren, please,” I begged. I wanted him. I needed him. I had to have him. “Please take me. I can’t stand it anymore.”

  “Close your eyes,” he whispered. I stared at him, expectantly. Hoping he’d say more. “Close them.”

  “Why?” I let out a low, sexy giggle. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “Don’t you trust me?” He flipped his knee over my body, straddling over me on all fours.

  “Of course. Yes, I do,” I said. I reached up and touched his face. “I just want you so bad.”

  “And I’m going to give you all of me,” he said. His voice was low and growly. “Just trust me, baby. What I’m going to do to you will make us closer than we’ve ever been and will change your life forever.”

  “Ooh, really?” I ran my fingernails down his back, fully intrigued. “Well, then. What are you waiting for?”

  “For you to close your eyes,” he chuckled. He grabbed my wrists and pushed them over my head, into the pillow. “Keep your arms right here. Don’t move until I tell you to.” I locked my gaze to his, slowly closing my eyes. My heart began beating faster, and my breath was choppy and short, anticipating his touch.

  Instead of hearing the voice that I loved, I heard popping, cracking, snapping. It sounded like the cracking of knuckles, but much louder and larger. I waited; hoping Warren would talk to me, tell me what was going on or at least what the sounds were. I hoped he would tell me to open my eyes. He didn’t.

  “Warren?” I spoke softly. More snapping. “Warren, are you okay?” He groaned in response. “Can I open my eyes?”

  “No!” His response came in a voice that didn’t belong to Warren. My heart continued to beat fast, but it was no longer out of anticipation and desire. It was now out of fear.

  “Warren, please,” I begged again. This time I felt I was begging for my life. The snapping and cracking continued. The bed on either side pushed down, as if hundreds of pounds had been added. I needed to see, to know, to understand what was going on.

  I slowly opened my eyes. Warren was no longer there. In his place was a large animal. I opened my mouth to scream …

  I shot up in the bed, crying out from the vivid visions of my dream. After a few seconds, I reached down to peel off the damp white sheet off. My breathing slowed, and the heartbeat in my ears faded.

  “I am so tired of wolves,” I said, tossing the sheet back. I moved to the bathroom. Grabbing a washcloth from the cupboard, I ran it under the cold water and washed off my face. The images and sounds ran through my mind. “I fucking hate wolves.”

  Over my morning tea and oatmeal, I decided to make an unscheduled visit to the village. I needed to talk to Angus again. Plus, I was a bit eager to see Warren as well.

  This time, I would be prepared. I packed my medical bag, gathered my personal belongings, and strapped my father’s hunting knife to my belt.

  Making my way through the woods, I scanned in all directions, listening carefully. I was almost disappointed when I made it to the bridge without incident. I approached the village and caught sight of Warren coming out of his grandmother’s house. He turned, and I saw his right arm was wrapped in some type of bandage. My interaction with Angus replayed in my head. The scar on his arm, on Matthew’s arm. How he spoke
of a curse. I ducked behind a nearby pickup truck and dialed his phone.

  Warren looked at the screen and ran his hand through his hair. He shifted his weight back and forth several times before he answered the phone.

  “Hello?” he said.

  “Hey! You’re a hard man to get in touch with.” I kept my eyes on him as I spoke. I felt horrible for spying on him, but something was going on. And if he wasn’t going to tell me, I would have to find out for myself.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” he said. While we talked, Warren began to pace the length of Nana Kay’s porch, looking down as his feet with each step. “I just have a lot of shit going on and Nana’s been a bit demanding.”

  “Is there anything I can do? I can help out if you need me to.”

  “No, but thank you. I really appreciate you offering.” There was a pause. I watched as he covered his face with his hand. “I’m sorry, but can I call you back later? I’m in the middle of a job and can’t really talk right now. I promise. I’ll call you as soon as I’m done.”

  “Sure, no problem.” My heart sank. Why is he lying to me? What is going on with him? “And tell Nana to call if she needs anything. Maybe we can do dinner soon. I miss you.” Warren leaned against the house and put his head back against the wood. Whatever it was, it was really getting to him.

  “I miss you, too, babe. We’ll do something very soon. Promise.”

  I hung up the call and watched as Warren moved to the edge of the porch and sat down. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to run to him and hold him. I wanted to run to him and tell him that whatever it was he was going through, I could help. But clearly whatever it was, he didn’t want to share it. At least not yet. And not with me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Plopping down onto the couch, I drank in the quiet of the house. A low hum from the fridge. The soft ticking of grandmother’s old mantel clock. The dripping water from the kitchen faucet. I really should fix that. Using my toes, I popped my feet out of my tennis shoes and wiggled my toes to bring them back to life. I let out a long, deep sigh. I sank deeper into the cushions, hoping that my day was at an end. It wasn’t.

  A loud knock on the door broke me from sinking any deeper into my state of relaxation. I turned my head and looked toward the noise. Another knock. “Really?”

  “Fuck! Fine,” I said. I grumbled and stood from the couch. Realizing I was still holding my keys, I tossed them onto the table. I walked to the door, quickly pulling it open to greet my extremely unexpected, unwelcomed, and unwanted visitor.

  My hair swooshed off my shoulders as the breeze from the opening door blew past my face. Standing in front of me was on the porch was Warren, looking even more dapper than usual. He smiled at me. That fucking smile. He smiled at me and my mood changed. I was no longer angry about my unexpected visitor, as he was definitely wanted and welcomed.

  “Hey,” I said, returning his smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.” Warren leaned in to kiss my cheek. I realized he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, so I couldn’t tell if his arm was still bandaged.

  “I wanted to surprise you,” he said. “Is that okay?”

  “Of course, it is.” I stepped out of the doorway and motioned for him to come inside. “Come on in.” I shut the door and walked inside, glancing down at my shirt. “Can you give me a minute? I need to change.”

  “Yeah, go ahead.” Warren took my spot on the couch as I made my way to the bedroom. I started thinking about the bandage which may or may not be hiding under the sleeve of his shirt, which made me think about our last phone conversation, which rekindled my curiosity about what he was keeping from me, which started the engine of my mind and sent it spinning.

  Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at myself wearing nothing but my bra and panties. What am I doing?

  “Yes,” Warren said. “You’re still beautiful.” I heard his voice from the doorway to my left, closed my eyes for a moment, and turned toward him. I gave him a half-hearted smile. “You okay?” He slowly walked toward me. “You’ve been in here a while.”

  “Have I?” I said. “I didn’t realize.” I did realize that I’m being an idiot and over thinking everything. Anything you can do about that?

  “It’s okay.” He continued making his way toward me. “It gave me a reason to come in and check on you. And see you like this.” His gaze skated down my body and back up again. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  I leaned into his hand as Warren touched my cheek. “Rose,” he spoke softly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me.” I reached up and held onto his hand. “I should have been there. And I’m sorry if it seems that I’ve been avoiding you.”

  “It’s okay,” I didn’t need to hear anymore. The fact that Warren brought up the topic told me that he had been thinking about what happened. The fact that he apologized told me that he understood how much he had hurt me. That’s all I needed. I leaned in and kissed him. Gently at first, then harder, deeper, more passionately. My hands made their way to the front of his shirt, thumbing the buttons one after another until the material parted, exposing his chest.

  He moved his lips around my jawline to my neck. My breathing quickened at the touch of his lips on my skin. I pushed his shirt off his shoulders, running my hand down his skin, tracing the shape of his muscles with my fingertips. His hands explored my body, touching me over my panties, my bra, making me want him to rip them off.

  “Want to move this to the bed?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he replied, his face still buried in my neck. He stood up and quickly kissed me on the lips. “Yes, I do. Very much.” He pulled his shirt off his arms and tossed it on the dresser. I caught sight of the large plastic bandage on his arm, the same area that I had previously seen wrapped in bloody gauze. My mind started spinning again.

  What is he hiding? What’s wrong with his arm? I wish he would talk to me.

  “What’s the matter with your arm?” I asked.

  He lifted his arm, looked at the bandage, and paused. “Nothing,” he said. “Just sliced it on a piece of metal.”

  “Oh, shit babe,” I reached for his arm. “Let me see it.” Warren withdrew his arm, pulling back slightly. “Warren,” I said, using my official doctor voice. “Let me take a look.” He reluctantly held his arm out. I gently pulled back one edge of the bandage to reveal his wound and he winced. “What?” I stopped. “Does it hurt?”

  “You’re pulling the hair out of my arm,” he laughed. “It hurts.”

  “Oh. Sorry about that,” I chuckled. Once half the bandage was released, I could clearly see the wound. It was a four-inch laceration, with very crisp edges. It resembled a surgical cut. As if it had been made with a scalpel.

  It’s just a coincidence. It must be a coincidence. I don’t believe in coincidences. But I don’t believe in werewolves either. My mind spun faster, with even more outlandish thoughts and scenarios.

  I tried to compare the anatomy of the wolf, and the location of the wound I inflicted to the location of the bandage on Warren’s arm. What if the wolf is Warren? Like in my dream?

  I scoffed at myself. What the hell am I thinking? I’ve watched too many movies. Read too many books. There’s no such thing as werewolves. I let that old man get in my head. No matter what I did, or what I told myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling. Then I had an idea. An idea that would help me determine if the wounds were similar or if I was just being crazy.

  I started taking my jewelry off. I placed it on the side table, accidentally dropping one of my rings on the floor, kicking it under the bed.

  “Shit!” I shouted, fully committing to playing it off as accidental. “Oh, no. No, no, no, no!” I bent over and pretend to be looking for something. I felt a pang of guilt in my chest for deceiving him. But I didn’t see another option.

  “What?” Warren turned to me with concern. “What’s wrong?” His chiseled chest created a
distraction, making me want to forget the whole plan, climb into bed with him, and fuck him until my legs started shaking.

  “Um, my …” I looked down. I had to look away before I lost my nerve. “My ring went under the bed.” I gotta look at him or he won’t believe me. Focus on his eyes. I carefully met Warren’s gaze. “I can’t lose my ring.” Warren smirked, took a few steps, and kissed me on the forehead.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll tussle with the monster under the bed and get your ring back.” I chuckled. Warren bent down, got down on all fours, and looked back and forth under the bed. He reached back, and pulling his arm out, reached up to hand me my ring.

  As Warren looked up at me, still on all fours, resembling the wolf’s position, I realized that the bandage on his arm was in the same location as where I had cut the brown wolf with the scalpel. I slowly reached down and took the ring from his fingers and then took a step back, glancing down at his arm.

  Warren didn’t get up right away. I met his eyes and realized he caught me looking at his arm. He looked down at his bandage, back up at me and then slowly stood to his feet. My chest hurt, as if my heart were literally breaking inside my body.

  “You know what?” Warren said. “I totally forgot that I gotta get some stuff for Nana.”

  “Warren …” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what he was thinking. I didn’t know what was happening.

  “It’s stuff she needs for the morning,” Warren said. He grabbed his shirt off the dresser and quickly put it on, leaving it unbuttoned. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he slipped his shoes on without untying them. “How about we try this again tomorrow? We can order pizza from that place you love – the one that loads it with mushrooms.”

  I didn’t say anything, just folded my arms over my chest and nodded. He walked toward me, and I concentrated on staying still, on not flinching, on not pulling away as he placed his hand on my shoulder and kissed my cheek. I looked up at him and placed a soft kiss on his lips.