After the Moon Rises

by Karilyn Bentley

  Hope you fit through. I tried to dig it large enough for you.

  Tom poked the rifle through the space between the bars before lowering himself into the hole. His head poked out the other side of the fence easily, but the rest of him didn’t want to pass through.

  A scream died in his throat, the only sound an escaped grunt.

  Back up and I’ll dig some from this side.

  Tom pulled back and let Vonda work. This time he was able to pull himself through. Picking up the rifle, he followed Vonda as she led him through the woods.

  The road wound between trees for what seemed like miles. Time crept forward, slower than Layla in the winter. Probably because they took the scenic route through the woods instead of trotting on the dirt-packed road. Less chance of being seen. Hopefully.

  At least it gave Tom plenty of time to think, to plan new ways of killing the bastards who took his daughter. Shooting was too clean. So was snapping their necks. He should have brought the axe.

  They’re in the clearing.

  “Huh?”

  Shh! Just think it. Do you really want them to hear you?

  Tom glared at her. She stared back, amber eyes unblinking. Brave women were sexy.

  Canines gleamed in the darkness as Vonda stood a little straighter.

  Damn. He’d projected thoughts he hadn’t meant to. Again. Well, he was new at this telepathy thing. He planned on getting better at it once he had Elizabeth back. Then he could concentrate on Vonda. Until then visions of long legs wrapped around his waist and amber eyes glowing in the moonlight were relegated to the back of his mind.

  Dropping to the ground, Tom crawled toward the clearing, Vonda following.

  Wonder if they can smell me.

  Why...Tom started, remembered why and shut his mental trap. Can’t you mask your scent?

  Her head tilted to the side as she stared at him. See any dead animals around?

  What does that have to do with it?

  Vonda shook her head. In order for me to mask my scent, I need to roll on something dead.

  Before Tom could think a reply to that little pleasantry, they arrived at the clearing. Numerous men, women and wolves—which he assumed to be of the were variety—stood huddled in a circle, staring in the middle of ring. Too many for him to take out, even if Vonda managed to take a couple down.

  Where was Elizabeth? He looked around the clearing, surprised by how light it seemed. The moon was full, but it should be shadowed in the woods, clearing or not. Tom looked to the tops of the trees, searched for lights and saw none. Maybe there was something he couldn’t see that reflected the light, making the shadows disappear.

  Or maybe his eyes had adjusted so well to the dark that the dark now seemed light.

  A person moved, allowing him a glimpse into the circle, a glimpse into what they hid, and a glimpse at his daughter.

  Elizabeth huddled on the ground, knees to her chest, face buried in her knees.

  And then the person moved again and his glimpse vanished.

  Tom felt an almost overwhelming need to kill them all. His heart pounded in his chest, beat in his head, pulsed in his teeth, down his throat.

  An unearthly sound echoed in his ears, turning every head in the clearing to him.

  Like he cared.

  They had his daughter, his only child, and they would die.

  He sprang forward.

  Chapter 5

  Vonda turned to Tom as he howled. Howled. Since when did men howl?

  Okay, maybe in the heat of passion, but nothing like what he let out. Her bones felt like ants crawling through them, small tingles burning deep.

  She took a deep breath and gasped. What the...

  Tom sprang from where he laid, muscles bulging. Vonda tried to reach for him, remembering at the last second she had no hands to pull him back.

  Tom, no! Wait!

  Of course he didn’t. Since when did men listen to a woman? And he’d left his rifle behind. Brilliant. Fight a bunch of werewolves barehanded.

  If what she smelled on him was accurate, and her nose didn’t lie, he might have a better chance than she thought.

  By now the startled werewolves flocked around Tom, while Elizabeth screamed, “Daddy!”

  She should help Tom fight, she really should, but fighting was so not her thing. Sneaking, now that she was good at. She could sneak right around the clearing while Tom distracted them all and try to free Elizabeth. Two women stood by the girl, obviously guarding her.

  Vonda slunk through the shadows, blending into the night, until she stood about thirty feet from Elizabeth. The girl still screamed for her father, but from the looks of things, Tom had lost. She didn’t have much time left to do what she planned. Thankfully she had learned while running with the wolves how to speak telepathically to one wolf and not the whole pack.

  Elizabeth, I’m behind you in the woods. Vonda projected the thought into the girl’s mind, praying Elizabeth could hear her.

  The girl’s head whipped around, eyes frantically searching.

  Score one for the wolf. Now to convince her.

  I’m a friend of your dad’s and here to help. Start crawling to me. I’ll distract them.

  But Dad—

  Let’s get you out first.

  Vonda picked up a stick with her mouth and pitched it. She heard it hit, but the two guards didn’t. Shit. Quick, Plan B. She howled.

  That got their attention.

  Hey, Bitch. To your right. You wanna piece of this? She turned and stuck her tail into the clearing, waggling it.

  One of the guards gestured for the other one to check it out. The woman trotted right, the other one watching her.

  Elizabeth, change of plans. Run left, quick, go!

  Elizabeth, bless her heart, jumped up and hauled ass. Tom really needed to put the girl in track.

  “Hey, she’s getting away!”

  Elizabeth was to the edge of the clearing before the wolves started moving. Vonda circled around, shocked she could feel the wolves’ surprise and indecision over whether to stay with Tom or chase Elizabeth. Half stayed, half chased.

  Damn.

  Before she made it to Elizabeth, the same giant who had stolen the girl came from behind a tree and grabbed her again. Vonda leapt, slamming into Big G and Elizabeth, taking them both down. Elizabeth scrambled out, and Vonda went for Big G’s throat.

  She never made it.

  A hand grabbed the scruff of her neck, shaking. Vonda knew she should submit because the hand was attached to what smelled like a dominant leader, but submitting meant letting them take Elizabeth and Tom and she couldn’t do it. She snarled, turning her head to bite.

  A wave of power washed over her, power she had never before felt, a power that froze the bite on her lips. Vonda looked up, right into the face of one of the women who had guarded Elizabeth in the clearing.

  Pack leader. Alpha. Submit.

  Vonda snarled. Another wave of power crashed over her and she felt her body start changing. What the hell? The moon was still out. She fought against the power that coursed over her, through her, trying to force the human half of her back into hiding.

  For the first time in her life, she fought to stay in the wolf’s body. With everything she had, she concentrated on maintaining the wolf, until her vision narrowed to the tall, athletic, brown-haired woman holding her scruff. Just the two of them, locked in a battle of wills.

  The woman’s eyes widened, then narrowed as Vonda felt more power slam into her. Vonda imaged a wall between her and the pack leader, a wall that blocked all power, a wall that let her remain a wolf.

  The hand slipped from her neck, allowing Vonda a toe-hold in the struggle.

  Submit, dammit! The words reverberated in her head, willing her to lie on her side, the urge almost overpowering.

  Like hell. She was too far into this fight to back down now.

  I...don’t...think so. I want...Elizabeth...and Tom.

  You don’t understand what you ask fo
r.

  Then...why...don’t...you...explain.

  The woman screamed, throwing her hand toward Big G, who cowered on the ground. The power beating against Vonda’s body suddenly lifted as Big G shrieked, his body exploding into a wolf.

  Holy shit.

  Elizabeth screamed. The wolves and humans dropped to the ground, rolling on their sides. Vonda fought to remain standing, the clash of power and her own struggle against the leader leaving her drained, her legs shaky.

  The last note of Elizabeth’s scream dripped from the trees, coating them with silence. The pack leader’s chest heaved, her frustration evident in her scent.

  “Who the hell are you?” Hands fisted on her waist, she glared at Vonda.

  Who the hell do you think you are, kidnapping a little girl?

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  You’re not answering mine.

  The hands dropped to her sides as she took a breath. “Are you challenging me?”

  Words like ice lanced through Vonda’s veins and the just-returning forest noises went silent. Some deeper meaning to the pack leader’s words existed, but for the life of her, Vonda didn’t know what it was. Time to bluff.

  All I want is Elizabeth and Tom back. If you call that challenging, then I guess so.

  “Does your pack do things so much differently?”

  What do you mean?

  “Does your pack not raise pups from interspecies unions?”

  Interspecies unions? Could she sound any more stupid? What did the woman mean by that one?

  “Surely you can smell it on her. Elizabeth belongs to us, she’s one of us. Tom never changed, he can’t raise her. How would he explain what she’s going through when she changes? It’s in Elizabeth’s best interests to live with the pack.”

  Whoa, Nelly. Elizabeth was a werewolf? Vonda glanced to where the girl stood, mesmerized by the alpha. At least she stood instead of groveling around on the ground like the rest of the pack. That was a good thing, right?

  Tom’s a werewolf?

  “You really didn’t know, did you?” The woman bent closer, sniffing Vonda’s neck. “Who are you? You don’t belong to us.”

  Vonda side-stepped, but the alpha grabbed the scruff of her neck again. Geez, if the pack leader didn’t cease and desist with that scruff-grabbing routine Vonda would have to bite her.

  “She told us she had no leader.”

  Vonda darted her eyes in the direction of the voice. Jace crawled into her line of vision. Uh-oh. Not good. She had the distinct impression not having a leader was a bad thing.

  “Really?” Ms. Pack Leader gave her a curious look. “How did that happen?”

  The fight left Vonda. She’d always wanted to meet another werewolf, but didn’t know how. Chat rooms didn’t cater to the real thing and she didn’t know where else to look. Couldn’t ask anyone either without running the risk of men in little white suits heading her way. She smelled frustration and curiosity from Ms. PL, not hatred. Maybe these wolves knew why she was what she was. But first she had to ensure Tom and Elizabeth’s safety.

  What did you do with Tom?

  “You like to avoid questions. Fine, I’ll answer some of yours but you owe me in return, got it?”

  Vonda nodded.

  “Tom will be fine. I’m not sure why he’s so upset over the matter. He should know that we mean only the best for Elizabeth.”

  But you kidnapped her and knocked him out! How could that be the best for her?

  “Kidnapped? Tom’s mother should have explained all this,” she waggled her fingers back and forth, “to him before she died. He knew we’d be coming for Elizabeth.”

  Um, hate to be the one to tell you, but I think someone dropped the ball on that one.

  The PL dropped Vonda’s scruff and turned on Jace and Big G. “What did you tell Tom when you fetched the girl?”

  Jace dropped on his side. “We was supposed to tell him something?”

  Vonda watched PL practice her deep breathing exercises. Maybe she counted to ten. In four different languages. Vonda would’ve just smacked the werewolf, but obviously this woman ran things another way.

  “Thanks to my enforcers, it seems we owe Tom an apology.”

  She marched over to the clearing, Vonda hot on her heels, Elizabeth staying put like a good submissive. Tom lay on the ground, two wolves lying beside him. Vonda ran over to him, licking his face.

  His eyes opened. The pain in their depths made something twist deep inside Vonda. He hurt and she wanted to kill the cause of it.

  “Daddy!” Elizabeth came running as Tom struggled to sit. Apparently the girl wasn’t as submissive as she’d seemed.

  Throwing her arms around his shoulders, she buried her face in his neck as Tom’s arms surrounded her with the grip of a desperate man.

  Not intending to barge in on their reunion, but in case PL decided to take Elizabeth back, Vonda edged her way closer to Tom, close enough for her fur to brush against his arm. Probably not the best position to take seeing how even that littlest of touches sparked another bout of the mating heat.

  The alpha knelt in front of Tom. “Seems we owe you an apology. We assumed you knew we would come for Elizabeth. But it looks like your mother never told you about herself or about you. Elizabeth belongs with us, the pack. You didn’t change but she will.”

  ****

  Tom looked at the woman, willing breath into his lungs. Change? What the hell did she mean, change? But one glance around the clearing told him what she meant. Even if he didn’t want to believe it, he knew deep down he was different. It didn’t take a genius to realize the sixth sense type of thing he experienced his entire life didn’t happen to everyone. Being a werewolf, and a genetically defective one at that, never crossed his mind.

  Breathe, Tom. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

  Now that air managed to flood his lungs, he wanted nothing more than to laugh. Wild, hysterical laughter that meant craziness knocked at his door.

  Well, hell, laughter was the best medicine, right?

  The writer of that cliché obviously didn’t have his problem.

  “Huh?” squeaked out. Embarrassing. So much for sounding coherent.

  The woman sighed. “Werewolves, Tom. You should have changed, but didn’t. Sometimes it happens. Usually one that does not change doesn’t have a child that does, but Elizabeth will change.”

  “How do you know that?” Goody for him, his voice didn’t sound like a pubescent boy.

  “We can smell it on her. You have a similar scent. Rather surprising since you don’t change.” She shrugged. “But the point is that Elizabeth needs to be raised by us. How else will she know how to be a wolf?”

  Tom’s arms tightened around Elizabeth. They’d pretty much proved he’d lose the fight, but that wouldn’t stop him from trying again.

  Um, excuse me. Vonda interjected. But why can’t she just live with Tom and you can check in on her? Wouldn’t that be better for her? To, like, live with her father?

  Tom and the alpha stared at her. Why hadn’t he thought of that? His first reaction had been to fight, not talk it out. God, he loved that wolf, um, woman.

  The alpha blinked a couple of times, clearly mulling over Vonda’s suggestion. She looked at Elizabeth held in Tom’s white-knuckled grasp.

  The damn bitch best go for the idea. Tom held his breath seeing as it wasn’t doing much good going in and out of his mouth.

  He watched as her head tilted to the side. Emotions played across her face as her eyes drifted to various pack members.

  Tom heard what sounded like thousands of bees buzzing in his skull. He shook his head, but the sound didn’t go away. Vonda’s head turned as she looked around the pack with the alpha.

  No way. But after everything else that happened tonight, why not? He focused on the noise in his head, turning the cacophony into a single strand of conversation. Check him out, eavesdropping on a private conversation.

  He should have remai
ned ignorant. Because who wants to know what the gossip is saying about you?

  Seems like there was some debate on who the lucky wolf that got to visit Elizabeth was. More debate on if Vonda’s idea should even happen, which took longer than he’d like. Back to the wolf who got to visit Elizabeth—of course it was the brown-haired woman. And, whoa Nelly, were they now deciding who he slept with?

  Like hell if they thought they could decide that. The only one he wanted was Vonda.

  The buzzing stopped as most of the pack, including Vonda, turned to stare at him.

  Oh shit. Looked like telepathy wasn’t his thing. They all heard who he’d like to sleep with.

  The pack leader smiled. “That can be arranged.”

  Excuse me?

  “Huh?” Wasn’t he full of intelligent remarks tonight?

  The pack leader tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You,” she pointed at Tom, “can mate with her,” the finger turned to Vonda, “and we can let you keep Elizabeth. Of course, that’s dependent on the bitch there,” the finger returned to Vonda, “joining our pack. You have five minutes to decide.”

  With that declaration, she marched to the other side of the clearing, the pack following. Tom felt the wolves’ eyes on him, staring, watching, daring him to make a run for it. If he hadn’t seen one of the creatures change before his eyes, he’d think it was all a nightmare from the blow to the head.

  But small things in his life, little things he had stuck in the back of his mind over the years, whispered to him, made him know that what the alpha said was true. Werewolves existed and he carried their genetics.

  Made him wonder what other secrets Mom had neglected to mention.

  “Daddy, if I’m a wolf and they wanted me to join them, why didn’t they just ask?” Elizabeth’s amber eyes turned toward him, her head resting on his arm.

  “Um...”

  Because their momma never taught them any manners. I swear, thinking there’s nothing wrong with kidnapping little girls, these folks are nuts.

  ****

  But she’d still like to get to know them. And with the mating heat upon her, sleeping with Tom sounded like a wonderful idea. Best idea she’d heard all night.

  Of course, she’d have to wait until morning when her human body returned to engage in any of the fun.