Behind him he heard Anna chanting something. Jack looked down and saw the white chalk line. The circle! Something about the circle caused him to change.
“Get the witch,” the creature was saying to him as it threw rocks, sticks and anything else it could get its hands on at Anna. “Push her out here where I can get at her.”
“Jack, I just need a little more time. Keep it occupied,” he heard from behind him.
He knew then what he had to do. He stepped over the line to again engage the little creature. The beast roared inside of him, struggling for control. At that moment just before the beast would have him, Jack again stepped back into the circle. The constant pain of changing was wracking him, but he didn’t give up. Anna said she needed time, and he was going to give it to her.
“Fool! Control the human,” the little red creature screamed.
But the beast was helpless. Though deeply in pain, Jack could feel his claws begin to retract, and the hair on his body begin to recede. His jaw ached from the constant alteration, but he held on until the transformation was almost complete, then attacked the imp again.
It was a dance over the next few minutes, back and forth over the line of the mystical circle. Jack kept the creature busy and the beast at bay as Anna continued whatever she was doing behind him. Suddenly the little creature seemed to know it had lost and attempted to run away.
“Stupid Whargan,” the creature screamed. “You’ve doomed us both.”
Jack heard Anna’s triumphant declaration behind him as the creature evaporated into a puff of smoke. Everything around him was quiet, but the beast inside him was raging as it tried to take control once again.
Breathing heavily, Jack back-stepped into the circle one last time. He could almost feel Anna’s eyes on him as the beast’s form left him. He turned to face her then. He was struck with how desirable she was. Was it adrenalin, her nakedness, instinct, or something else? He didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. He just wanted her. Needed her.
* * *
Jack was stalking her like a wild animal. Though his body had returned to human, Anna wondered who or what was in charge inside. Surely it was Jack’s body. That tanned, muscular frame was totally human, and completely distracting. The demon’s animal instincts were probably slower to fade from Jack’s mind though. He could still pose a threat to her.
Anna saw the crazed look in his eyes. But his aura—that wasn’t bloodlust, it was passion. The Whargan’s alpha drive pulling on Jack’s deepest desires. Her eyes scanned down his lean, totally ripped torso. Oh yeah, definitely desire!
She’d felt the attraction that afternoon and the adrenalin pumping through her system ignited passionate flames within her as well. She knew it was the magic in the air fueling their attraction, but in that moment it didn’t matter.
He approached her, his eyes never leaving hers. She had no fear as he slipped his hands around her neck and ran his fingers up under her hair. Cradling the back of her head, he pulled her toward him. His lips crushed hers and she wrapped her arms around his trim waist, grabbing his tight, muscular backside.
Anna ran her hands up Jack’s back, caressing the ridges of lean muscle she found along the way to his broad shoulders. His tongue parted her lips, questing. His kiss was hot, passionate and urgent. There would be no give and take. Only take. This man meant to have what he desired. Anna could feel that.
Well, she would take all she could from him as well, and she was more than willing to give him exactly what he wanted.
***
As she lay on the forest floor panting beside him, she found she had only enough strength left to reach out and grab at her discarded robe, throwing it over the two of them, escaping into the warmth and closeness.
She knew what Jack was. She’d read numerous texts and heard accounts, but never encountered one herself. Still, here in her protective circle, he’d be safe from the change until the moon set.
What they’d done had been passion fueled by magic. There would be consequences for sure, magic always extracted a price, but she’d face that tomorrow.
For the light of day rarely shines brightly on the aftermath of the darkest of nights. – Speedy Philosophy by Janet Johnson, 2015
Chapter 4
Jack woke slowly, his head groggy, which was not unusual after a night with the beast, but before he could clear his head, he knew something was wrong. He wasn’t lying on cold cement. Instead, a thick carpet of grass was beneath him. And he was warm. Soft cloth covered him—a cloak or robe of some kind.
His head pounded. He reached up to clear the sleep from his eyes. His hand brushed against something warm and soft. Wrenching his eyes open he stared at the body lying next to him.
Oh God! I’ve killed someone!
But the body moved, rolling over to face him.
Anna?
Disjointed scenes from the night before flooded his consciousness. Anna, naked and standing in some kind of pentagon-circle thing that had been drawn on the grass, with candles and incense on a stone altar. What had she been doing?
He remembered a red-skinned imp that threatened to kill her. He recalled changing back and forth into the beast—how he’d struggled to keep control—the adrenalin rush through his veins as he fought with the creature, trying to protect her.
Then they’d been alone, in the circle. The way she’d looked—her naked beauty sparkling in the moonlight. He’d wanted her, needed her, in a way he’d never needed anyone before. And, oh God, he’d taken her, right there. He remembered her pleading, “Jack, please!” And tears, he remembered her tears.
He was a monster. He didn’t deserve to live.
Had he hurt her? Did she despise him? She certainly had every right to hate him. It had been nothing short of rape.
“Good morning handsome,” was not at all what he had expected her to say.
“Anna, I…I’m so sorry…”
She gave him a puzzling look. “For what?” Then she smiled and laughed. “I just had the greatest night of my life!”
She sat up. The robe dropped, exposing her exquisite breasts.
Her eyes, idiot, look her in the eyes. It was a task, but he accomplished it…mostly.
“I conjured up and talked with an actual Kolthas demon,” she continued. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about and planned, for years now.”
Jack smiled at her enthusiasm.
“And I talked to it, Jack. Made it talk to me. I learned some things that maybe nobody else knows about demonkind. I kept it here longer than I should have, I know, but it was so exciting. Then you came along and rescued me.” She stroked his cheek, her hazel eyes glistening in the morning sunshine. As her tone deepened, a sexy lilt filled her voice “And then you gave me the most intense, exquisite sexual experience of my life.”
She bent down and kissed him. Just a peck before she sat back, hands at her hips.
“Now,” she said, a comically stern look coming to her face, “what part of that are you sorry for?”
He thought for a moment, staring up into her eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes that made his heart melt. “You were crying. I remember tears in your eyes.”
She snorted. “Tears of joy. The whole experience was a little overwhelming.”
The weight lifted. “Sorry that my mind is so foggy on some of the things that happened last night, I guess. Care to fill me in?”
“First things first, my wolf in no clothing,” she said, rising. Her lovely, naked form gleamed in the morning sunlight. “One robe shared between two naked people presents a problem. But, as I have some clothes in that little house over there, and you have not, I’ll let you keep the robe…for now.”
She arched an eye at him and scanned a look down his robe-draped body. Her leer hinted at lust and pure mischief. It sent an electric charge through his loins, causing a reaction she could not possibly have missed. With a laugh she dashed off, light footed, down the pathway and across her lawn to the back door of her home. Like a wind sprite, a wo
od nymph, a lithe fairy princess, she had him enthralled and enchanted. He stood and shrugged into the soft robe, tightening the belt. He took his time walking to her doorway, waiting for his body to behave.
As Jack walked by her garden, he stopped to look at it. Row upon row of plants filled the garden patch. Flowers bloomed, filling the air with sweet fragrance. Herbs of all kinds added pungency and gave the whole yard a hint of the exotic. The garden was well ordered, properly labeled, and well cared for. Still there was a sense of wildness to it. Something intangible and untamed…just like Anna.
He poked his head through the doorway. Anna was in the process of clearing off her kitchen table. She’d slipped into another robe and was whistling an unfamiliar tune as she whisked around the small kitchen. The smell of freshly brewing coffee mingled with the earthy herbal scents in her house.
“Sit,” she said, pulling one of the chairs away from the table. “Coffee will be ready soon. How do you take it?”
It was surreal. It had taken Jack years to come to grips with being a werewolf. Anna had seen him change back and forth multiple times last night and the only question she had for him this morning was about how he took his coffee?
“Black is fine, thanks.” Hot and strong hopefully.
Again, the scent of all the herbs assailed his senses, rich, earthy and green. There was a feeling of healthiness and wholesomeness here. He filled his lungs with the refreshing air and tried to ignore the pounding in the back of his head.
“I’ll rustle us up some breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I’m famished.”
She was so unaffected. Was she just having problems processing what had happened? Was she in denial? In any case, he really needed to get some things said, before his head exploded and his body turned to mush.
Anna set hot coffee in front of him, but the mug hitting the table felt like a cannon blast.
“Anna, we really need to talk about last night.” Hands trembling, he picked up the mug and took a sip. It helped a bit.
“Oh, you bet we do.” She was still smiling and dancing around the kitchen. Eggs were cooking on the stove, bread was in the toaster, and she was slicing some ham as she spoke. “You have no idea how much we have to talk about.”
He had to just come right out and say it. Lay it on the table and see what she had to say.
“So, you’re okay with me being a werewolf?”
She gave the scrambled eggs a quick stir then turned to face him, waving the wooden spoon she held. “Silly boy, there’s no such thing as werewolves.”
* * *
That old myth. Poor Jack. Not that the truth was any better than the fiction. Anna could hardly contain herself. She’d probably have to call in some help and she’d need a field trip into the city for the proper ritual, but, first things first, and for Anna that was breakfast. She dished up the ham and scrambled eggs, buttered the toast and set the food on the table for them.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m as hungry as a wolf.”
Jack didn’t respond. He sat eyes glazed.
“Oh, come on, Jack, that was funny.”
He put his head in his hands and stared down at his plate of food.
“Is something wrong?” Maybe she was trying too hard to make him feel at ease.
No, that wasn’t it. She saw the pain reflected in Jack’s aura. A deep, dark agony.
“Sorry,” he answered. “Migraines, body aches, the leftover effects of last night. It happens all the time. I’ll be pretty worthless for the next three days or so. Mr. Higgins lets me take the time off work each month without any questions…at least so far.”
Of course. The human body would react to the transformations like that. Anna was up and in her herb cabinet at once.
Valerian, lobelia, and lemon balm for sure. Perhaps a dash of her butterbur tincture.
She had almost grabbed for the belladonna at first, as he looked to be in some real pain, but that would knock him right out, and she needed him awake, at least for the next few hours. After that she’d help him get some much-needed sleep.
As she ground the dried herbs with her mortar and pestle, her mind raced. She rarely had a chance to actually practice her herbalism. She’d need an alcohol carrier for the elixir. Vodka would work for that, but she doubted Jack would want to take a shot of herb-laced vodka this early in the morning.
She looked at him. Jack sat at the table, now rubbing the back of his neck. She knew just the trick. The ground herbs went into the bottom of a juice glass. Just a splash of vodka to dissolve them, then fill to the top with orange juice. A quick stir combined the ingredients.
“Here, drink this,” she said handing him the glass. “It should help.”
He took a drink. “It’s good, but not just orange juice. What is it?”
“It’s kind of a super screwdriver. It should help with the head and body aches.”
As he drank the concoction down, Anna put a touch of spearmint and lavender essential oils on her fingertips then stood behind him and rubbed his neck and temples. She found the pressure points and concentrated on easing the stresses in his neck, head, and shoulders. She could feel the tension leave his body. Slowly he began to eat.
“Wow,” Jack said as she went to sit across from him. “That stuff is great. You should go into business.”
Anna had to laugh. “Herbalism is my business.”
Jack blushed. “Oh yeah, I forgot.”
She might as well get this all out. “I also practice magic. I used an arcane ritual to call that demon last night from another dimension.”
He paused, as if measuring his next words. “So, it’s not just hocus-pocus, mumbo-jumbo?”
Hopefully he’d be able to handle it. “It’s real. Believe it.”
He looked away from her, his eyes scanning around the kitchen. “And you’re some kind of witch?”
That would be the easiest perception for Jack to accept, and not entirely false. Throughout the centuries they had been called witches and warlocks. “We call ourselves Arcanists, but yeah, same concept.”
He took a drink of his coffee, swallowed, then drew in one slow breath. His eyes were intense as he exhaled, staring at Anna as if seeing her for the first time. “You can really do magic stuff?”
It was the point of no return. He’d either believe or not.
“It’s as true a science as the geology we studied together in middle school. There are rules and formulas that have to be followed for things to work, but when it all comes together, it can look like magic, yes.”
Jack lowered his eyes and took another bite of the food. Slowly he chewed it, keeping his eyes down. He was mulling everything over. Anna could see that. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen an unbeliever convert, but somehow, this time, it seemed more important. It meant a lot to her that Jack seemed to be accepting it all. At least he wasn’t bolting on her.
“You said that I wasn’t a werewolf…”
Anna wondered when he would get around to that. She hoped Jack was ready for the truth.
“Yes,” she said, “because there’s no such thing as a werewolf.”
Jack nodded and Anna continued. “What you are…is possessed—possessed by a demon, known as a Whargan.”
Anna took a bite of her breakfast to give Jack time to process that.
He eventually nodded. “Okay, but…full moon, hairy, wolf-like creature, werewolf, Whargan. What’s the difference?”
“On the surface they are very similar, except, as I said before werewolves don’t actually exist. In the werewolf legends the victim was always bitten by another werewolf. Do you ever recall being bitten by anything that resembled a werewolf?”
He shook his head. “Well, no.”
“Demons come from this other place. World. Dimension,” she continued. “There’s a couple of different ways they can get here physically. Like with that ritual I cast last night. That little Kolthas was actually here on Earth. The Whargan that possess you still lives in that other place,
but when conditions are right, like under a full moon, some demon spirits can bridge the gap and take over a human or animal host.”
Jack nodded. His eyes were on hers again. “You seem to know a lot about this stuff.”
She smiled. “I’ve been studying demons for years. What I’ve discovered is that demons like being here a lot better than they like their own dimension. Their world is a horrible place. So, they will do just about anything they can, to come here and stay here. Like that little Kolthas demon I summoned last night. If I had failed to send him back, he would have gladly stayed and probably caused all manner of evil.”
Jack finished his breakfast and pushed his plate away.
Anna grabbed up the coffee pot. “More?”
“Please,” he answered. “What can you tell me about what’s happening to me. I’ve been putting up with this werewolf thing since I was a kid. It’s why I was pulled out of school.”
She’d figured it was something like that. Possession and puberty sometimes went hand-in-hand.
Refilling his cup, she continued. “With a possession, the demon physically stays in that other dimension, but its spirit takes over a body here. There are different types of possession. Some are temporary, where you see people acting in ways that are totally out of character for them. Crimes of passion, temporary insanity, and the like, are many times the result of a possession by a demon. It’s kind of like a demon vacation. They come here, take over a human body, do some mischief, then go back leaving the human host to deal with the chaos.
“At times conditions are such that the possession can become more or less permanent, like in your case. The demon moves in and shares the existence for most or all of the host’s life, until the host either dies or becomes useless to the demon. Its body is still in the other dimension, but it rarely uses it.”
Jack’s attention was fully on her. “So, is there any way for me to get rid of this thing?”
She smiled. That was the right question. She’d seen people in Jack’s position go into denial or blame those who were trying to help them. So many of the possessed continued to live with the evil inside them, when exorcism could lift the curse for good.
Awakening Page 3