Dark of Night

by T. F. Walsh

  “You want to know how I became invincible?” He poked a clawed finger at the cringing man. “Huh?”

  More babble.

  “Well, I’ll tell you anyway.” He grinned and the man shrieked.

  “One night, years ago, me and my buddy were driving to … ” he smacked the babbler on the top of his head. “Pay attention.”

  BB cleared his throat. “Anyway, we were in his car, just driving along, getting stoned. We see this bum on the side of the road. He’s all hunched over and dirty and hairy and stuff.

  “I don’t know what we were thinking. He obviously didn’t have any money to steal. Or buy our stuff with, or anything. And God knows we weren’t interested in helping the bastard. But there was something about him that made it impossible for us to just drive by. So we pull over and are just like, ‘Where to?’ ya know?”

  BB got into his story now. Although his captive struggled with the ropes that bound him, BB didn’t pay him much mind, except to poke at one of the brown bare feet.

  “This guy smelled rank. Like he spent days in the sewer. My buddy says, ‘Damn man, you stink. Get the fuck out of my car.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, get out.’ The smell was totally ruining my buzz.

  “But this guy grips the back of my buddy’s seat and tells him to drive. Well, he gets going, and I’m like nervous now. This dude had claws. He says he’s looking for a special type of guy. I’m like ‘No way pal. I like girls, dig?’” He poked at the foot again. “Get it?”

  More incomprehensible babbling.

  “Damn man, you should’ve learned English. Anyway, the dude laughed like a bumper scraping gravel and said he liked me. I’ll admit I was freaked out. Then he dove over the seat and bit me. Just bit my shoulder, just like that,” he said with a snap of his fingers. “And I black out.

  “When I woke up, everything was bright. The full moon was out and I just lay there and stared at it. I stood up and I was powerful. Perfect. And I knew I would always be perfect. I look around and the guy is gone, but there is my buddy, trapped in his car. He’s all stuck behind the wheel, and all I can think is, damn he looks tasty.” BB licked the tan foot.

  His captive shrieked.

  “Just like you, corn chip. You look tasty. You can’t understand me anyway. This isn’t as fulfilling as I’d hoped.” He considered the babbling face. “I was given a gift that night. I’ve passed it on to some because I knew it would destroy them, and to others because, like me, they were worthy. Now I’m home and it’s time I mated.”

  He waggled his bushy eyebrows and grinned. “Already picked out the bitch.” His smile fell. “Gotta get rid of the other one first, but sometimes entertainment can make me hungry.” He gnashed his teeth as he said the last word and the little man fainted.

  With a barking laugh, he set about rousing his dinner. This morsel didn’t deserve the gift. Now wasn’t the time to eat lightly, he’d eat all of this little corn chip.

  • • •

  In his dingy apartment, Detective Kevin Henson closed the bathroom door of his studio apartment to develop his film. He hadn’t been invited on the operation at the clubs the evening before, so instead, he followed covertly.

  Since childhood, Henson always enjoyed playing spy. Cloak-and-dagger games thrilled him to no end. He would carry a notepad and his 35-millimeter camera everywhere, attempting to find and solve mysteries.

  He wore disguises and practiced speaking with foreign accents when his mother brought home her johns. Finally, he grew up and graduated. He’d studied hard, his ticket out of his filthy life.

  He applied to the CIA, his dream. He wanted to be a spy. But after all the tests and interviews, they rejected him. He lacked stability enough to work for them. They said that. Not stable.

  So he tried his hand at private detective work. He did as well as he knew he could. After a while, chasing cheating spouses didn’t thrill him anymore, so he applied for the police force.

  They let him in, and knowing it was as close to his dream as he could get, he worked hard. Everyone had to know how good he was. He wanted notoriety, fame. He wanted everyone in the area to know him as the best.

  But that woman, Lydia Davis, got the good cases. So what if she got it because of seniority? Reporters had already interviewed her on the case more than once. Bitch. Those fifteen minutes belonged to him. She didn’t deserve it. He hung up wet photos to dry.

  Just look at her, rubbing all over that reporter. She wants fame; all she has to do is sleep with some horny reporter. Slut.

  He worked himself up, but if he intended to oust that bitch from her favored position, he’d need to play it smart. Play it cool. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply. He smoothed his hair, and studied the drying photographs.

  Chapter 17

  Waking several hours later alone on the couch with a blanket tucked around her, Lydia called for Ryan and received silence in response.

  She stretched, pointing her toes and lifting her arms over her head. Relaxed as she hadn’t been in months, she gazed around, possessive about her new home. After a moment, she realized that though she had no hand in the decorating, she wouldn’t change a thing.

  She liked the natural, warm, and inviting colors and furniture. The scent, a mixture of soap from their showers, leftovers from dinner, and the musk of their passionate lovemaking pieced into a comforting quilt, making her safe and warm.

  Hungry, she raided the fridge. Eating cold Chinese leftovers at the counter, she jerked at the scrape of a key in the lock. By instinct, she reversed the fork and stepped toward the door. Then tendrils of Ryan’s thoughts met hers. She couldn’t extract details, but like her, he focused on food. Relaxing, she went back to her meal.

  A pizza box topped with two Styrofoam containers preceded Ryan through the door. Grinning, he eyed her as he set the box on an empty section of counter. A canvas bag he’d slung over his shoulder sagged with books and papers, and he leaned it against the wall by the door.

  “Thought you’d be hungry.” He chuckled as he tossed empty takeout cartons in the garbage.

  “Ravished,” she replied, dumping the remaining contents of the last carton into her mouth in an unladylike manner. Didn’t matter though. He understood, and she sensed his amusement.

  “This could be cool.” She grinned and handed him a soda.

  “The mind reading or the uncontrollable eating?”

  “Both, I guess. As long as I don’t gain weight from the eating.” She moved the Styrofoam containers and lifted the pizza box lid, grabbing a slice loaded with everything. “And being a couple has to be easier when you have a mental link with your partner.” She laughed. “I never thought I’d say something like that.”

  “You seem relaxed.” He leaned a shoulder against the wall.

  “Like I haven’t been for ages.”

  “Euphoria?”

  “I guess you could say that,” she answered around a mouthful.

  “Have you thought of work yet?”

  “Why should I?” She tossed the crust in the garbage and reached for another. Before her fingertips cleared the edge of the box, Ryan caught her wrist. “Hey!” she yelled, trying to pull away.

  “You, darling, are getting too comfortable.” He kissed the palm of her hand. “A reaction to mating.”

  “What? How would you know?” She glared at him. “Like a woman gets married and lets herself go? It’s only been six hours, for crying out loud.” She tugged her hand free. “I thought you understood me. What I’m going through.”

  “I do. The problem is, you don’t.”

  Dumbfounded, she gaped. How dare he! She stepped, teeth and fists clenched to contain instant inflaming rage at his impertinence. A flash of an idea occurred to her that she reacted irrationally, but she shoved it impatiently aside and glowered at Ryan.

  “So much for avoiding
misunderstandings,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. Gripping both her wrists, he braced them behind her back.

  Aroused by his show of dominance, the rage dissipated. She leaned into him, ignoring the pressure it put on her shoulders. She nuzzled and nipped his neck.

  He continued to talk, but she only half listened while reaching for his earlobe with her tongue.

  “Since I met you, I’ve looked into what could happen if we … ” He groaned as she nibbled his ear. “This isn’t you.”

  “Oh, I think it is.” She ground her hips against him and raised a knee to rub the inside of his thigh. So damned sexy. Arching her back, she licked her lips and tried to project the image of her hard nipples and the warm wetness between her legs into his mind.

  “Hormones,” he panted, releasing her wrists. He struggled, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “You can’t think past your own immediate needs. We shouldn’t.”

  She could see the fight within him and she licked her lips, rubbing her hands down his body to turn the tide of the war. “I want you,” she growled into his ear. “Take me, hard and fast. Now.”

  They both heard the snap of his control. As she ripped at his pants, his hands had already found their way inside her clothing. One rubbed a nipple between thumb and forefinger; the other caressed the curve of her hip.

  Impatient, she wanted him inside her. She stepped and wriggled out of her pants, wanting nothing in his way. Then gripping his shoulders, she lifted herself onto the counter, pushing the containers to the edge where they threatened to topple onto the floor.

  He stepped forward, spreading her thighs wide. He started to crouch, lowering his head for a taste.

  No! She clutched at his shirt. At his hair. Her head fell back, her eyes closed. Even the spectacular sensations tested her patience.

  “No.” She managed to gasp. “Now!” She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him to her. Finally, he entered her with untamed abandon.

  “Yes!” She wanted this. Savage passion. Convulsive completion. “Yes!”

  The pace still quickened. All thought gone. Nothing existed but the two of them and the friction, the ultimate sensations that coursed through her. Their rhythm keeping pace with their racing heartbeats. Until, with an explosive conclusion, they finished together.

  She clung to him, holding on while the world righted itself. As she started to regain her senses, she kissed his chest and delighted in smelling the combination of his cologne, sweat, and sex.

  “Wow,” he said, wearing only a goofy grin.

  Her appetite sated for a moment, she slid off the counter and delivered him a heady kiss before dressing. “Okay,” she said, caressing his chest, feeling a smile spread across her face as wide as the Cheshire Cat’s. “I’m listening now.”

  Moving aside so she could pass, he said, “Just a minute to remember what I was saying.” He tugged his clothes into position.

  Still smiling, she listened to him rattle around in the kitchen while she moved to the large living room window to peer through a crack in the drapes. She needed to focus on something, but like a freshly caught fish, the thought slipped from her grasp the harder she tried to hold on.

  “You were talking about the research you’ve done,” she prompted.

  “Yes, well. You’ve heard that some animals mate for life?” He paused, so she nodded. “Once they do, their life functions change and they instinctively fall into another role.”

  She nodded again and said, “I saw something on the nature channel once that talked about how male lions travel in packs, but once they mate, the male protects the home and the female hunts, or something.”

  Outside, rush hour began. The coffee shop placed dinner specials on the board outside.

  Behind her, the clank of plates made her turn. “Okay, so you’re telling me I’m behaving this way because I’m a, you know, and my new instincts say I need to stay home and be a breeding machine who protects the den from invaders.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Insane. This whole thing is insane.”

  She turned as he set a tray on the coffee table. Arranged in two layers, the first held assorted sushi and bite–sized servings of steak tartare topped with onions and capers on small squares of lettuce.

  The top tray held another assortment. This one of pastries filled with chocolates, jellies, and a variety of creams she could see from little holes in the sides. Her mouth watered and the barely quenched hunger flared at the scent.

  She went to the couch and sank onto it. Then she slipped to the floor, kneeling reverently in front of the fragrant delicacies.

  “Marry me,” she whispered. Realizing Ryan surely heard, she glanced up and stammered, “Ah. Um. Ah … ”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “Is that something you want to do? A ceremony?”

  She shook her head. Where had that come from? Good God, get a grip.

  She could accept their bond. They would be together forever. But a ceremony with flowers, music, and a caterer was something she couldn’t handle. Not at the moment. She shook her head again.

  “Then I’m content.” He knelt beside her and lifted a sushi roll to her lips. “For now.” At her hum of pleasure, he smiled. “I picked this up from a catering shop around the corner. Appetizers ready to order.”

  The rice and fish practically melted on her tongue. While the beast in her longed to gobble it, she fought the urge. She’d lost control too often already today.

  “Okay, so what should I do about this instinct?” she asked around a taste of steak.

  Peering at the top tray, he replied, “Tonight is the last night of the full moon. I think everything will calm down for you tomorrow.” He popped a pink powdered pastry into his mouth. “Oh, these are good.” He picked another and held it out to feed her. “My rage faded after my first full moon. It comes back, but it’s controllable. I haven’t lost control like that in a very long time.”

  She lifted a bright pink piece of sushi and considered his words. “It’s not like a bad temper. It’s more like being taken over by a monster.”

  “Yes,” he agreed, caressing her thigh while selecting his own morsel.

  “I can’t risk leaving the apartment by myself. Until this is done, I’m a danger to everyone I come in contact with.”

  “You can take it out on me.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  The weight of her worry lifted briefly as she laughed and smacked his arm playfully. “Seriously, though, I have to think of something to tell the chief. I certainly can’t tell him the truth.” She tapped her long beautiful nails on the coffee table, struck once again by their perfection. She spread her fingers wide. “At least my nails are stronger now.” She made a clawing motion.

  “There are several benefits to our situation. At least I’ve noticed several.” At her raised eyebrow he explained, “The ability to see in the dark, for example. Our kind appears to be mostly nocturnal.”

  She tried not to shudder at the words our kind.

  “We also have a heightened sense of smell.”

  She lifted a sushi roll and sniffed. “Yum.” Then she tucked her tongue into her cheek. “Can’t be good on the subway.”

  The corner of his mouth quirked. “It’s worse in a port-a-john.”

  Covering her mouth, she giggled around the sushi.

  “Increased strength.” He grinned at her raised eyebrow. “Not like we’ve turned into the Hulk or anything, but you should be careful. Instead of giving someone a black eye, you could crack their skull.”

  Nodding, she polished off the last of the steak. “Our appearance isn’t what I expected. I thought there would be more hair and longer teeth.”

  He caressed her cheek. “You get it at night.”

  “What?” She pressed her hands to her face. “At the clubs last night
? Oh, God, I had a beard?” Mortified, she rubbed her skin. Was she going to have to shave now? Everything felt normal.

  Ryan gripped her hands. “It’s lighter than your hair and made you look tanned. It feels like satin, and in the lights of the club, it glittered like body paint.”

  She wanted to enjoy the compliments, but the idea of fur repulsed her. “It will be over tomorrow,” she whispered.

  “Shame.” His deep green eyes darkened as he leaned to kiss her cheek. “You looked very sexy last night.” She didn’t believe him. How could a furry woman be sexy? She shook her head.

  His mind reached out for hers.

  She saw herself in last night’s outfit, moving to a rhythmic beat. Her body glowed as she danced in roving multicolored lights. She did look good. But better than that was the reaction she felt in him while he watched her. More than love. Possession, passion. An all-encompassing desire overwhelmed him as he approached her.

  Breathless, she removed her mind from his and opened her eyes. She hadn’t realized she’d closed them. “Oh,” she moaned slightly, kissing him. “Thank you.” She moved her lips softly against his.

  He nipped her lip. “As for your teeth, they erupt when you get irritated.” He moved his collar for her to see a swiftly fading bruise. “Or aroused.”

  She gasped at the mark she’d obviously given him in the kitchen only moments ago.

  “We also seem to be fast healers.”

  “Thank God for that.” She ran fingertips over his neck.

  “I’m fine.” He laid his hand over her trembling one. “You should call in and tell them you’re sick.”

  “No.” Her laugh sounded lighter than her actual mood. “It’s not like I work retail. I can’t just call in sick.”

  He nodded and handed her the phone.

  She decided to call Adams.

  Slightly panicked, she listened to the ringing. What could she say? Not the truth. I’m too moody to come in because I’m turning into a werewolf, and if someone pisses me off I’m likely to rip off their head. No, that wouldn’t work.