by T. F. Walsh
My stomach dropped. The conversation was derailing, and fast.
“We first met at the police station. She was helping us with a case involving slaughtered animals. But she is — ”
I shoved both them off the pathway and stepped in between. “Geez, can we hurry up? Connell, you don’t have time to waste.” I smacked Enre’s arm a few times and grasped his shoulder hard. “Your loss of blood must be making you light-headed. You’re mumbling.”
I felt Connell’s hand on my back. “Daci, you’re hurting him.”
Enre’s face pinched, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. I let go and looked back at Connell. “Can we hurry up?”
“It’s just left on this street. You know that.”
I screamed in desperation and frustration, hoping Enre did not just hear what Connell said. “I want to get there already. Can’t you see?” I nudged at Enre, who had a bemused gaze. “He’s becoming delusional, and you need to catch the wolf.”
“Daci, are you okay? You’re acting really strange,” Connell said.
I ushered them with my hands. “Less talk, more walk.”
I was certain both men considered the idea I might have lost my mind, but better that than allow a conversation about my relationship with Connell to kick off. No doubt, Enre would accuse me of choosing a human man over him, and yes, while that was what I planned, I couldn’t bear for him or my wulfkin family to discover the real reason for my leaving. I’d rather they believe my decision was based on something more heroic or that I emotionally connected with my human family — not that it was for a human lover. In my heart, I couldn’t live without Connell, but I refused to argue this point with the pack every day until I found the elixir recipe.
We fell silent, and I let Connell take the lead. By the time we arrived at his townhouse, my throat was dry and panic had settled in. More blood rolled down Enre’s arm, and the color in his face now resembled a sheet of paper.
The concrete townhouse mirrored others in the district. No plants or trees surrounded the house, only a metal railing for a fence. The inside of his place was minimalistic and neat with white walls and wooden floorboards. Everything from the trimmed potted plants in the corners, to the black leather couch, to the flat television on the wall, to an overflowing antique bookcase was spotless and seeped a bachelor-pad vibe.
Enre banged the front door shut behind him and stood there with arms folded, gritting his teeth.
Connell entered the darkened living room lit by moonlight streaming through the windows. He opened the cupboard beneath the bookshelf and retrieved a bottle. The bitter-honey aroma teased my appetite.
Enre sniffed the air. “What’s that?”
“Rum, the cure for everything.” His British accent strengthened. He stuck the bottle out toward Enre. “It will help with the injury.”
He snatched the neck and gulped several mouthfuls.
“Take it easy.” Connell ripped the bottle out of his grasp. “Get him fixed up. I need to get my stuff.” He strode out of the room.
I snatched the bottle and hauled Enre after me. We made our way through the dark kitchen and flicked the lights on in a bathroom large enough for a small party. Inside the cabinet, I found dressings and bandage tape, along with aftershave, razors and a pack of rubbers. My cheeks warmed as images of Connell and I in his bed flashed in my mind.
“Daci?”
“What?” I slammed the cabinet door shut.
Enre sat on the lid of the toilet. I grabbed a towel and drenched the corner of it in rum.
“How did you know where the bathroom was?”
I fumbled with the bandages and didn’t meet his eyes. “All bathrooms come off the kitchen. That’s how houses in the city are built.” I lied way too easily.
Blood caked the injury. I wiped the wound and not once did Enre wince. His hands gripped my hips and squeezed each time I touched his cut. The once white towel had turned red, and the bleeding continued to trickle from the three gashes. I prepared the bandages and taped short strips to the side of his neck. His shirt was stained, but at least, the wound was clean.
I said, “You’re going to smell like a drunk now.”
“Will it make you want to kiss me?” He squeezed my butt.
I recoiled. “Stop it.” Enre’s leg kicked out and slammed the bathroom door shut. A gleam traveled behind his eyes, and the muscles beneath his skin started to twitch. He cracked his neck. His musky scent poured over me.
“What are you doing?” I backed into the shower door.
“Don’t push me away, Daciana. Or is it Daci? Not after I’ve waited for you so patiently.” His smirk widened. “I can’t remember the last time we did it in wulfkin form. Let’s do it here. Now.” His hands reached out for me.
“Come near me, and I’ll rip your arm off.”
A thudding at the door made me jump.
“What’re you doing in there?” Connell asked. He entered the bathroom, and stood in the doorframe, all six foot three, broad shouldered, with smoky, jealous eyes that drove me wild.
I snatched the bottle off the basin and pushed past him into the kitchen.
Connell followed. “Gotta go, Daci. Does he need a lift to the hospital?”
“No, it’s just a small scratch. Nothing to worry about.”
The way he looked at me, with his serious glare, parted lips and folded arms knocked the breath out of me. What if he’d had enough of my lies and decided it was over? Enre was just another piece of my life I forgot to mention to Connell, and after today’s confession in the restaurant, would he forgive me so easily? Sometimes I wish I wasn’t born a moonwulf.
His gaze fell to Enre. “Take care, buddy.”
He walked away. The front door banged shut.
My feet refused to move. I had endangered him to the dracwulf.
“What are you, his lover? Why does he look at you that way?”
I shot Enre a snarl and stormed out of Connell’s townhouse.
After a few minutes, Enre joined me outside. We didn’t say a word, but broke into a sprint in the opposite direction Enre gave Connell. My clothes would most likely end up destroyed, yet while running up alongside Enre toward the forest, a new vigor leapt awake in my chest.
I might get the chance to rip something apart after all.
Chapter Nine
Enre and I spent the rest of the night scouring the nearby forests and city with no sign of the dracwulf. The sun rose and we headed to my apartment. I had that sinking feeling in my stomach, the one that said, We’re wasting time. No sign of the dracwulf. No elixir. Everything was crap. I slouched on the sofa and stared out the kitchen window at a white-chested hawk circling the sky. I wondered if hawks faced impossible problems, such as selecting the best tree for nesting, what critter to eat each day, finding a mate. The bird dived out of sight.
My foot rapped on the wooden flooring, and I speculated about Connell’s reaction from the previous night. He looked pretty upset, though how much of that was sighting of the dracwulf or finally meeting a friend of mine I couldn’t tell, but I bet my life the latter played a big part. With his encounter reported to the chief, police would comb the woods and probably shoot any wolf in sight. And if they managed to capture the dracwulf, how would they react? A ferocious, new wolf breed might tip them into panic mode. On the bright side, Connell could no longer suspect my involvement. I hoped.
Enre sat on the couch near me. He wore no shirt, insisting the newly applied antiseptic cream would stick. The blood had coagulated around his neck hours ago, and the flesh around the wound blushed pink.
He nudged my shoulder. “Did you hear me? Sandulf needs to know.” He touched his neck and shifted, causing the cushion to bounce beneath me.
“He already knows the problem is out in the woods.” I folded my arms. “So, why hasn’t he done anyt
hing about it?”
Enre’s nostrils flared. “I’m sure he’s tried.” His words tumbled free, filled with eagerness to satisfy the pack leader.
I slammed a hand into the cushion between us. “The animal attacked us last night, and we didn’t sense Sandulf in the woods once. He wasn’t home either. He’s not going to kill his own kin.”
“He was probably tracking the dracwulf deeper in the forest.”
“You don’t find it strange that Sandulf keeps heading into the woods on his own?” Glancing at the kitchen windows, I spotted the hawk again.
Enre jolted to his feet and marched across the cobalt rug toward the entertainment cabinet displaying my shoes. “Why do you doubt him?”
I leaned over my thighs and avoided staring at his chest. “I’m not doubting him. I’m anxious. Police will be all over the forest. How will the Varlac react to not only having a dracwulf on the loose, but humans finding the animal? And the last three attacks were people I knew. I think the dracwulf is targeting me, somehow.”
He scoffed. “You’re sounding pretty paranoid.”
“I’m not paranoid. Sandulf broke two rules that can get the entire pack killed. Aren’t you worried?”
He let out a long sigh, and then punched his fist into the wall, tearing a great hole through the plasterboard. “Of course I am, but I can’t tell Sandulf what to do, that would be challenging him.”
“Why’d you have to do that? This isn’t the pack house. I’ve probably lost my damage deposit now.”
“You tell this Connell guy to hold off the cops, and we’ll get rid of the dracwulf.”
I massaged my temples, certain I’d used up all my excuses, and after the incident on the previous night, Connell would not back down until he knew the truth.
“And what were you and the bloke doing last night anyway?”
My hand fidgeted with the zipper on my boot. “Walking.”
“Really.”
“I’ve helped the police with some cases, and we’re friends.” I lowered my voice, even if the words stung. Fatigued, I resisted the urge to close my eyes and never open them again. I missed Connell already. He felt too far away.
The wulfkin’s pupils drifted upward, and he folded his arms.
I didn’t want to argue. “We’re both exhausted. Go home and sleep. I’ll do the same.”
“Daciana.” He inched closer. “Give me a chance. Let me take you to dinner and show you I have changed.” He threw himself onto the couch beside me and searched my face for a response.
My lips pinched. “This isn’t the time to talk about this. There are more important things going on.”
He frowned and tilted his head forward, lost in thought, and when he finally looked at me, a cheery smile spread over his lips. “Once this is done and you’ve become a full wulfkin, we’ll go on a date. Like the humans do.” Satisfied, Enre nodded to himself. His eyes gleamed.
Glad someone was jolly, though I doubted the date thing would ever happen. I didn’t want to burst his bubble, so I said nothing. I jumped up and headed to the front door. “The dracwulf seems to only hunt in the early morning hours before dawn, and I want to catch it. Also if you see Sandulf, tell him about the attack last night and that he has to stop the beast.” I opened the door, and the new day’s chilliness wrapped around me. “I’m tired now.”
He snatched his shirt off the couch, strolled outside mouthing the word bye, and disappeared down the stairs.
I smacked the door shut and half-slumped against the wall. Too many people were involved: Connell, the police, my work, the pack, and I had no idea how to smooth it out and keep everyone happy. The simple fact that Sandulf didn’t tell the pack to hunt down the dracwulf made him guilty. Maybe I should lead the police to the monster, tell them what I know and help them catch it, even if it got me killed. At least then, no one else would die. Though such a sacrifice would mean sending the whole wulfkin pack to their deaths, and I doubt I’d have that in me.
My life was spiraling out of control. I marched into the bathroom for a hot shower. Afterward, as I dried myself off, the phone rang. I leapt into the living room and snatched the receiver. “Hello.”
“Daci?”
I recognized the stricken voice right away and had no idea how to approach the previous night’s topic with Connell. No excuses came to mind, only trepidation, which inched along my skin. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“We need to talk. How did your friend survive the attack? I think it was a bear. No, the animal growled like a dog. Maybe a rabid wolf?”
“Maybe the cops should hold off hunting it until we know for certain what it is?” It sounded lame even to me, but I had to try.
His voice was breathless. “We can’t afford for another person to be attacked. I spent all night in the woods, and found nothing. We were going in circles.”
At least Enre’s distraction worked, though the situation exhausted me. “What did you say to the chief?”
“That an overgrown wolf was in the city, but I didn’t mention you or your friend.” He paused and just the soft inhale and exhale of his breath filled the void.
He lied for me again, and I felt sick to my stomach.
“They already suspect you’re somehow involved, Daci, so I had to cover you. Plus, the chief needs the institute to sign off the hunting release forms today. Apparently the council is involved now and hesitant to allow a wolf hunt. It’s a mess.”
The rapid movement of events scared me more than facing off the dracwulf. Once the police found the beast, all hell could break lose. The Varlac would find out through the media that a monster roamed in our woods and piece it together. Then our heads would roll. At least Sandulf did one good thing and encouraged the council to protest against the wolf hunt.
“I keep thinking about it, and I think the animal is following you, Daci. Have you seen it before, or been in contact with it?”
“No.”
“And who exactly was that Enre guy? He seemed unhappy about my presence around you. And don’t tell me I’m imagining things. How can we build a relationship if you keep things from me, and why haven’t I met this guy before if he’s your family friend?”
He spoke the truth. I could feed him more lies, but nothing came to mind. Emptiness. “I don’t want to talk about this over the phone.”
The phone on his side fell silent.
“Connell, are you still there?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“The truth is I love you above anything else, and would do anything to make this work between us. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I have to go. I’ll call you later.” The phone clicked.
My legs wobbled, and I leaned into the wall. Despite everything, he still lied for me. The urge to confess the truth — unload my burden and come clean — was overwhelming. I planned to leave my family for Connell, break pack law, and yet I kept driving him away with secrets. By the time I’d become human, Connell might change his mind about me. Perhaps revealing a small truth might buy me time. I put the receiver down.
I needed to visit Radu, or rip apart the pack house until I found the book, regardless of who saw me. My head spun from a lack of sleep, so I stumbled into my room. Kneeling on the double bed, I drew the blinds shut, threw the towel on the floor and slipped underneath the covers for a quick nap. My mind drifted to Connell, and soon the dream world captured me.
• • •
My eyelids fluttered open to darkness as if a nightmare startled me awake. Climbing free from the tangle of bed sheets, I staggered into the shadowy kitchen and ate a large, cold steak. The oven clock read 7:52 P.M., and I almost choked. I’d slept the entire day. I washed my hands and checked the phone machine, which blinked the number six.
I hit the message button.
“Hi Daci, it’s Connell.”
The machine clicked onto the next one. “Daci, I’m trying to get hold of you.”
I bit my lower lip. The next message started. “It’s two P.M. Where are you? Your cell’s going straight to voicemail. I came over and you weren’t there.”
I gasped. The following three messages grew more frantic and desperate. How heavy had I slept to not hear the front doorbell and phone ringing? The right thing to do was call Connell straight back. I dialed his number, my hand quivering. It went to voicemail.
“Hi Connell, it’s Daci. Sorry I missed your call. I fell asleep at home. I’m heading out to work. Give me a call when you get a chance.” A part of me was relieved he didn’t answer. Perhaps a bit of distance would give me time to work on my excuses.
Taking a deep, pained breath, and closing my eyes for a few seconds, I redirected my guilt to the real problem. Finding the elixir to ensure I kept Connell, and stopping the dracwulf before I turned. Nothing else mattered.
Dressed in gray tartan pants, joggers, and a black sweater, I headed out.
I abandoned civilization and drove toward the forest, swerving into the trekkers’ parking lot. Once in the woodland, I picked up a bear’s scent, which reminded me of dried clover. Backtracking, I inched around a few trees and shrubs to avoid the animal that might be with cubs. A few steps ahead of me a huge, brown bear rose on its hind legs, its wild eyes locked on mine for a few seconds. The animal looked around as if scared, then turned and ran. Strange.
Quick to find the majestic tree Botolf and I termed “old man” as kids, I scattered the blanket of dried pine needles with my foot to uncover a timber door and unlocked it. I dragged the panel open. A warm glow emanated within the shadowy burrow. I scrambled down the stairs, shutting the door behind me.
The underground post was Radu’s research area, plus a confinement for moonwulf during the full moon. Sandulf preferred not to hold them at the pack house in case any unexpected visitors arrived. After all, he was the head park ranger.
A battery-operated lamp illuminated the space. Two prison booths, each the size of a horse’s stall, sat against the cement wall. A wooden desk and crammed bookshelf lined the other side. Modern was not a word used to describe the den, nor was rustic or cozy. A rug, the color of a moonless night, extended the length of the room, and I suspected it provided Radu comfort more than décor.