Chaos is a delicate word to describe what happened next. Jill would describe it later as a scene from a horror movie meant to be a comedy.
From behind the trees, a wolf sprinted to the couple. A wolf wearing LuLaRoe leggings and a crop top jumped on the blonde, knocking her to the ground.
Three other huge, snarling wolves came next, sending the lighting and camera crew into hysterics.
People ran in all directions, screaming. Someone dragged the blonde off into a waiting car. Several people scrambled to other cars and screeched off into the night.
A woman ran into the house and slammed the door.
One guy climbed a tree but only got to a lower branch before passing out and falling into his own puddle of pee.
A squirrel raced in all directions before settling under a bush next to a camera eating what looked to be a donut.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ivan stared them down. He was not at all afraid of the three huge wolves surrounding him.
Jill tried in vain to shift back to human, but her wolf was too pissed off to listen.
A couple of vamps came out of the house and stood beside Ivan. The trio would make a good cover for a romance novel, Jill considered. Then she narrowed her eyes at Ivan. He was about to kiss the blonde. How dare he?
“Fight like men,” one of the vamps snarled at them. “Dogs.”
Clark shifted, followed by Mark and then Gareth. Now was not the time to point out they were butt naked, not that Jill minded her view of taut butts. It was nice. It might make for some interesting fighting.
“I can kick your asses whether in this form or as a wolf,” Clark spoke in a calm, flat tone that made Jill’s fur stand on edge. She’d never seen them so serious.
The man under the tree moaned and Ivan signaled one of the vamps to go over to him, probably to erase his memory of the mess and compel him. Sure enough, moments later, the guy stumbled to a car and drove off.
Since Ivan had dropped the first F-bomb, Jill forced herself to shift. Sure, she was a beautiful, reddish-furred wolf, but given it was dressed, she probably looked stupid anyway.
Pausing just long enough to admire how well her leggings rebounded and once again fit perfectly, she moved to stand with the wolves. Might as well do a united front if the night was about to go into OK Corral mode.
Ivan’s dark gaze met hers. “What are you doing here?”
“Obviously not kissing a blonde.” Jill considered it was a stupid answer once it left her mouth, but by then, it was too late.
Clark did the whole “me Tarzan” routine and stepped in front of them, extending his arms. “We heard you guys were copying us.”
Okay, the stance was good. In fact, with his legs and arms spread, it was perfect. However, the line he’d just spewed sounded like when Jill and her arch-nemesis, Gloria, argued in kindergarten.
“What the hell are you talking about?” One of the vamps, a smaller version of Ivan, asked.
It was Mark’s turn to be Tarzan. “You heard my brother. You heard we were doing a reality show and now you’re doing a more glamorous one with hot babes that we didn’t think of doing yet.”
Despite the circumstances, Jill had to press her lips together not to laugh. “Exactly what were you guys doing?”
Ivan crossed his arms over his chest and let out a long breath. “A commercial for my family’s casinos.”
“Oh.” Yeah, this would be the time for one of those machines that made one go back in time and change the way things went down. Instead of attack of the mutant wolves, it would be more like a truck pulling up, them getting out and watching the filming calmly and then asking one of the crew what was going on before quietly leaving.
There was silence on both sides. She wondered how many of them were considering the time machine scenario.
“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Ivan motioned for her to follow him to stand on the other side of the car.
“Sure.” Jill looked to the twins, who were too busy in a staring competition with the other vamps to notice her.
She walked up to Ivan. “Before you start screaming, let me tell you I was caught up in the moment. The guys brought me here without my consent.”
“Why are you jealous? You broke up with me.”
Well, shit. Now she had to come up with an excuse. Or a reason or act stupid, like she didn’t understand the question. She opted for number three.
“What do you mean?”
“Jill.”
Letting out a breath, she did what came naturally. Bit her bottom lip and twirled her hair, waiting for something else to happen so she didn’t have to say anything. Of course, nothing happened. Well, other than Ivan blinking.
“Okay, fine.” Jill huffed and looked to Mark and Clark who’d become idiots and were now sitting in the fancy car oohing and ahhing while the vamps explained something or other. Gareth was next to the bushes, trying to coax Will out.
“I guess it bugs me when you kiss someone else. Not sure why.” Heat rose to her face. Thankfully, Ivan turned to see what the twins and the vamps were doing.
“Did your boyfriend and his brother really think we are stealing their idea?”
“Who? Oh, Clark. He’s not my...” Jill’s mouth fell open when Will streaked out from under the bush and raced towards the main street. “Oh, shit. He’s naked. A truck might hit him.”
She ran off after Gareth, who chased Will.
Heading back to the compound, Jill stared out the window the entire time. Why did she have so many feelings for Ivan? He never committed and now he was leaving. But seeing him pull the blonde against him had undone her. The thought of him with anyone else made her crazy...or shift.
If she were to be honest, the reason she kept him on a string, sleeping with him on occasion, was to stop him from seeing someone else. But the on and off again thing wasn’t fair to either of them.
“Why’d you two break up anyway?” Clark asked, his eyes on the road. “Seems like there’s still something there.”
What the hell, she may as well spill the truth. “Because he wouldn’t commit.”
“Yeah, he did. I mean, the guy moved across the country. What more did you want?”
Mark gave her an incredible look. “Seriously, who can understand women?
Jill looked to the back of the pickup truck to avoid letting them see her shiny eyes as tears gathered. She’d made a huge mistake. Now Ivan was moving and she was a confirmed idiot. Well, not so much as her best friend. “We should cover up Will. He’s still naked and getting an erection.”
“Squirrels are always horny,” Gareth said, laughing. “Gimme your shirt, Mark.”
“Hell, no! My shirt is not touching that.”
So they drove back with a sleeping squirrel in the truck bed, no doubt, dreaming all the jostling was a wild sex scene.
Chapter Seven
Filming at the Howlin’ shop turned out to be fun on the evenings Jill and Will were there. The initial episode was already gathering an audience on YouTube. Since the demand increased for more, she’d taken to uploading snippets of the guys working.
If it kept up, it wouldn’t be long before they reached ten thousand followers. Jill moved into frame to begin commentary.
“Today, I came to Howlin’ to talk to the guys about a new project they’ve just started. The customer is entrusting his rare nineteen forty-five truck to them to make over.”
She walked around as the guys discussed what changes the customer requested and paint colors. Gareth showed a sketch and then she called it a cut.
The entire day, her mind kept going back to Ivan.
Maybe she could call him. Or perhaps stop by and talk with him. But he’d already decided to move and, if that was the case, there was nothing to be done. It wasn’t as if he’d asked her to go with him.
“Hey boys, time for dinner.” Scootie poked her head in the shop, nose scrunched. “It stinks in here. How can you stand it?” She pinned Jill with a lifted-brow look. “Come
on, I need help feeding the wild things.”
Before Jill could protest that she had something else to do, Scootie was dragging her across the yard. “You’re not going to believe this.” The woman could walk fast for only five feet tall or less.
Today, Scootie wore zebra leggings and a tight black shirt with the word “Babe” in hot pink across her chest. Her hair was piled high into what looked like a misshapen beehive. Weres lived two times longer than humans. It was easy to get lost in the ever-changing styles. Scootie’s was a mix of fifties, sixties and current.
“Is someone else foaming and naked at your house?” Jill asked, attempting to slow her down. “I am not sure I can stand any more craziness this week.”
“Oh no, nothing like that. We are in charge of decorating for the upcoming full moon run.”
“Who’s we?”
“You, Jane, Charlene and I.” Scootie hurried to the kitchen and pulled an enormous pot roast out of the oven. In the living room, there was a pile of shopping bags, rolls of streamers and what looked to be a helium tank.
“Since when do we decorate for runs?”
As if on cue Charlene, Scootie’s sister, ambled in. The sisters clashed worse than the Titans. Today, Charlene wore what could only be described as a go-go girl gone gothic. She wore shorts, knee-high boots, a black top with a skull and crossbones in silver and from her ears hung long black feathers. Her lips were a surprisingly flattering shade of purple.
The sisters never ceased to surprise people. Although eccentric, they were pretty and nice.
Scootie took a long look at Charlene. “Well, look what the mortician dragged in.” She put her hands on both hips. “Aren’t you married? Shouldn’t you be spending more time with your biker?”
“He’s gone to Sturgis with a bunch of friends.”
“Since when does he do surgery?” Scootie asked, frowning.
“Ugh,” Charlene sniffed at the roast. “It’s a biker’s gathering in North Dakota or Wyoming or somewhere.” She waved it away as if it were completely normal not to know where one’s husband went. “He invited me, but I still am not ready for all that rumbling. It still makes me pee my pants.”
“Ewww.” The twins stood in the doorway, looking from their mother to their aunt.
“Get in here and close the door before we get a fly invasion.” Scootie waved her arms in the air. “Jill, toss that salad. Clark, set the table. Mark, pour drinks. Charlene, move your big-boobed self out of my way.”
Dinner, it seemed, could not be avoided.
Her house was quiet when Jill got home. On the kitchen counter there was a note from Will with her spare key.
Thanks for the hospitality.
Will
Although it was good he’d moved in with his brother, she was a bit lonely and almost called him to come share some ice cream or something.
She debated calling Jane, but it would be a bit of a drive. Pity she’d not gotten to know her neighbors.
On the couch were two bags filled with streamers and instructions on how to braid them into long chains of sorts for the run party.
According to Scootie, there were several matings expected and the families decided it would be fun to have a party. Personally, she hoped the festivities would take place prior to the run since afterwards, most were rushing around trying to find their clothes.
Ding. Ding.
There was text from Ivan.
Are you home?
Need to talk.
Jill stared at the display. “Oh, no. What now? If he plans to ask me again how I feel, I will start crying.” She grabbed a bottle of wine, uncorked it with her teeth and poured a tall glass. Maybe it was a booty call. That could be good. It had been a while since he’d come over.
Ding. Ding.
After a long drink, she peered at her phone.
I know you’re in there.
Jill went to the front window of her condo and peered out. Sure enough, Ivan was in his car, looking straight at her.
“Shit.” She replied for him to come in and raced to the bathroom to check her makeup.
When the door opened, he stood in the doorway waiting to be invited in. Not because he was a vampire, but because he was polite.
“Come in.” She watched him with caution. Not because she was afraid he’d do something, more because she wanted to climb him like a tree.
Ivan seemed taller, broader and even more handsome every time she saw him.
“Hi.”
Really, that’s what he had to say?
“Hey. Wanna help me make decorations?”
His gaze slid to the couch. “Only if you pour me some of that wine.”
Heat seemed to radiate from his body as he followed her to the kitchen. Silly, of course, since he was a vampire and it was probably her heat bouncing off of him and hitting her. At the thought of anything bouncing off of him, Jill gasped.
“What’s wrong?”
“I ummm...I stubbed my toe.” She picked up the wine bottle and turned to face him. “It’s good.”
“I bet.” The corner of his lips curved. “Why are you acting nervous?”
Couldn’t a girl have any secrets? Sometimes, Jill dreamed she was pure human with human boyfriends. Human males were clueless and noticed very little. They didn’t smell arousal, nor did they discern a lie. Damned vampires and weres could tell both arousal and nerves or mostly anything a mile away.
Thankfully or maybe not, she didn’t have to come up with an answer because before she knew it, his mouth was on hers. Her legs were around his waist, her boobs hung out. Both of them were rolling on the floor all over each other, banging against cabinets and chairs. It turned out that her kitchen rug was the perfect size for sex with a huge vampire. And the bottom cabinet doors were perfect to hang on to when one was doing it rough.
Ivan was breathtaking as he moved over her, his dark tresses falling over his brow and his muscles bunching with exertion. Jill became lost in his eyes and wanted to scream she loved him.
“Did you just say you loved me?” Ivan stopped moving right at the worst possible moment.
“No.”
“No?”
“Don’t stop. No!”
“Oh.”
He moved. Boy did he move, until she not only screamed how much she loved him, but possibly her social security number and bank account password.
After what seemed like hours, Jill floated down to her body during which Ivan cried out, finishing his own climax. Unlike her, he didn’t scream out any secrets, not unless grunts counted.
“We need to talk.”
“Okay.”
Jill considered pretending to pass out. However it would be silly to pass out with a man’s junk in her vagina.
“Can you move?”
“In or out?”
Okay, so they did a bit more moving before talking. The way Jill saw it, it was the perfect way to put him off for a few more minutes.
Chapter Eight
Still shirtless, Ivan sat back and watched her with the hooded look of a satisfied man. “So, we had to delay the filming for a couple weeks.”
He would be staying for another month. That gave her time to plot something.
“Oh really? Is it because the twins ruined the last take?”
“Right. About what you said?”
Although she'd screamed out her feelings, it didn't mean Ivan could hold her to it. Everyone knew that whatever was spilled during sex didn't count afterwards. At least, that's what Jill hoped.
"So, you want to talk about it?" There was smugness in his tone. Yes, his face was without expression, but she knew he knew she knew.
"About what? We had sex. We do that all the time. Well, not all the time, especially lately. Actually, it’s been a while, huh?" Jill sipped her wine, not sure what she'd just said.
"What you said while we were making love." He emphasized the last two words. "Did you mean it?"
There was no way in hell she was about to admit loving a man who pla
nned to leave and who planned to film the commercial with a blonde woman slapped against him. Now that she thought about it, the woman had a smug look of someone who knew someone personally. Very personally.
"Who's the blonde?” Jill was rather proud of the deflection.
Ivan stood and stretched. Damn, his yummy body. It was hard not to let out a long breath.
"I better go. My brother is calling me early in the morning for a meeting." He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm not letting you off the hook. We'll talk, Jill."
"Okay." Jill followed him, cursing the fabric as his shirt covered all the lovely bareness. "I mean, really, we don't have anything to talk about. Well, except you never answered my question.” She trailed after him, yanking a robe over the sleep shirt she'd thrown on after their marathon sex session.
He stopped and turned. "You repeat what you said and explain it and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about Sheila."
Sheila? Who the hell named their child Sheila? Probably the same kind of mother who named their child Jill.
While her mind whirled, Ivan kissed her jaw and left.
Bing. Bing. Bing.
She really needed to change the ring tone on her phone. The damned binging was annoying as all get out.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Jill. This is Will."
"I know. I saw the display. Please don't tell me you got hit by a truck again."
There was silence, which didn't bode well for the early morning call. Jill stretched and immediately thought of Ivan.
Naked.
Between her thighs.
"Oh my God."
"What?" Will squeaked.
"Nothing."
"You slept with Ivan."
"Nope we didn't sleep." Shit. She covered her mouth even though he couldn't see her.
"I knew it," Will said then groaned.
"You did get hit." Jill let out a sigh. "Are you at Zelda's?”
"I didn't get hit by a car. I got hit by a guy."
"Who?"
Magic and Mayhem: Reality Shift (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Southern Shift Book 2) Page 4