by Dahlia Rose
Lucas dropped to his knees, and the pain of it gripped him in his gut. He tried to breathe through the pain, until it subsided enough that he could get into the shower. There he stood under almost cold water, hoping to cool the heat of his skin.
Afterward, he slowly climbed back into bed and closed his eyes wearily. If he had to go through this every night for the next twelve days, he would endure it. Anything to keep Sonja safe. My beloved will live!
* * * *
From somewhere beyond this life and before the next, Jonathan Valentino held the hand of his beloved and watched his son fall into a restless slumber.
"He doesn't want to accept his fate, my love,” Jonathan said sadly. “He thinks he can stop it."
"I know, he doesn't understand the extent of it,” Celia said. She had been killed by Jonathan's own hand before she could conceive a child, yet she loved Lucas as if he were her own, watching him from next to her beloved Jonathan.
"He has to understand. If he does not break the curse, we are all lost,” Jonathan replied.
"If it is for him to end this, he will. The path has to be walked by him and him alone. We can only watch and advise if we can."
Jonathan cupped his hand to his beloved's face, wishing he could actually feel her skin. Lucas didn't understand that even in death, they were still cursed. They would be together, but could never really feel each other. Until the curse was broken and they could move on to another realm of life, they were cursed to be there in spirit.
"I know, Celia, this is a fate worse than our death, to be so close but yet so far,” Jonathan murmured.
Celia closed her eyes as if she could feel her lover's touch. “I have faith it will be broken, my love.” She decided that maybe she should help fate along just a little bit. For everyone's sakes, she would have to try.
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Chapter Three
February 4th—Ten days left ...
Sonja drove her car into town. The mechanic named Law had delivered it the day before, and it worked better than ever. She felt on top of the world at the moment. For the last two nights, the nightmares had not come. That alone was good enough for her. When she was awake, the memory was barely held back. She didn't need that in her sleep as well.
She pulled up to the General Store and parked around the corner. The day was severely cold; the first breath she took when she got out of the car hurt her lungs for a minute. Sonja walked in, and General was there behind the counter as usual. This time there were two men approximately the old man's age sitting next to it, looking at a small TV screen.
General looked around as he heard the door chime's tinkle, and a smile spread across his face. “Hi, little miss. I was wondering when I would see you in here again."
"How are you today, Big G?” Sonja said.
One of the other men laughed out loud. “Big G. Is that who you are now, General?"
"Shut up, Marty,” General snapped then turned his attention back to Sonja. “Pay Marty no mind, he's just senile."
"I am not!” Marty said, getting up.
"Sonja, let me introduce these two old fools. The one with his face turning red like a beet is Marty. The other one still stuck to the TV is Joe."
"Hey, guys, I'm Sonja,” Sonja said, introducing herself.
Marty said hello, and Joe's response was to just lift his hand in acknowledgement while he kept watching the news.
"So, Sonja, can I help you with anything?” General said.
"No, not really, just getting some milk, eggs—you know, the usual,” she said.
"Better stock up, ma'am. The weatherman said we're going to get hit with a snow storm the next few days,” Joe said. His eyes never left the TV.
"Uh, thanks, Joe.” Sonja wondered if the TV was attached to his face. She wisely kept that thought to herself.
She went through the list she had written out before leaving the cabin and added a battery-operated lantern and candles just in case the power went out. She hadn't seen Lucas since the night at her house and their kiss. It was like he had become a ghost. Even if she looked out her window to see his truck, she would only see the tracks and never even heard it pass by. Maybe a little inquiry to the General would give her some information on the elusive sheriff.
Sonja came up to the counter with her supplies. “Ready when you are, Big G."
"You find everything okay?” General said.
"Yes, sir, I did,” she replied. “Um, Big G, have you seen the sheriff around?"
"Yup, he came in here yesterday like a bear that got up too early."
"Really?” Sonja said with curiosity.
"Uh-huh. Jeff over at the station and a few of the other deputies said he's been in a mood for days now,” General rambled on as he rang up her groceries. “Then, he up and put Connor in charge for a few days, then said he's sick and he's taking his vacation."
"Connor? Who's Connor?"
"He's second-in-command over there at the station,” General replied. “Yup, he's been holed up there at his cabin all day. Law said when he dropped off the wood, he didn't even come out to shoot the breeze."
Sonja loved small towns. She could hear all the gossip from just one source. “Guess he must be really sick not to shoot the breeze, huh?"
"Must be. He always comes out with a cup of coffee for whoever stops by and a little conversation. That will be forty-one dollars and three cents, little miss."
Sonja paid for her purchases, and General loaded them up into some boxes for her. She thanked the old man and promised to come in just to talk very soon. Back at her car, Sonja wondered how sick Lucas really was. She felt concern, and since she was an EMT, she thought she might just stop by and offer her help. She would make some soup when she got home and take him some. He probably wasn't eating well if he was sick. As she pulled off in her little car, she asked herself if it was only concern that made her want to see Lucas. She shook off that thought and convinced herself that she was only going to see him to make sure he was okay. It had nothing to do with the mind-blowing kiss he had given her.
* * * *
The fever was building inside Lucas. It had been only a matter of days, but already he couldn't control the little changes that were happening to his body. It started with his fingers growing claws then retracting back to normal. This morning he had looked in the mirror, and his eyes had turned into those of a wolf. As he had looked on, the muscles in his shoulders had bunched and morphed. Each change was as painful as the heat in his belly.
The need to claim Sonja was strong. Even though she was a little way up the road from him, he could smell her. When she took a shower, he could smell the soap on her skin. When she lay in bed and played with herself, he knew. The scent of her womanly musk filled the air and drove him crazy. In his frenzy, he had destroyed the table next to his bed, leaving it a mass of splintered wood. Lucas couldn't think past his need for Sonja. He took the vacation days, claiming he was sick, because he knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped at the wrong person. He would isolate himself until this passed, but at least Sonja was safe from him.
Lucas heard the soft knock on the door, and he caught her scent. A low, primitive growl escaped his throat. He slid to the floor and crawled up to the door, pressing his face against the cool wood. He was so close to her, he felt his cock harden at the thought of pulling her inside and fucking her right there on the floor.
"Lucas, are you awake?” Sonja's soft voice came through the solid door, making him whimper from his place on the floor. “Lucas, are you all right?"
"Sonja, go away,” Lucas growled. He slowly moved to the bedroom and lay on the bed, hoping she would go. With his heightened senses, he heard the soft click of his door as Sonja entered. Lucas got up and stood in the doorway leading to his bedroom, watching Sonja close the door to his home. “I locked that door. How did you get in?” Lucas's eyes were narrow slits as he watched her move.
Sonja whirled around. “I picked the lock: a little trick I
learned in Chicago."
"I told you to go away."
"Yeah, I know, but I brought you some soup. I figured you were sick and could use a meal.” Sonja walked into his kitchen and placed the pot on the stove. When she came back out, she collided with his hard chest.
"Hey!” She laughed. “You move quickly for a sick guy."
"You smell good,” Lucas said.
"Thank you; I try. Now, anything I can do to help you? Clean up a little, maybe?” she said, looking around.
"I told you, you should have left,” Lucas said once again, staring at her.
"Well, that's grateful. I wanted to help,” Sonja snapped.
"You wanted to help, hmm?” Lucas grabbed her by her shoulders, and soon she was back up against the wall by the kitchen. “This is what happens to little girls who don't listen.” He took her mouth in a kiss before she could speak. His hands roamed her body savagely, cupping her breasts and bringing the nipples to hardness with his fingers.
Sonja gasped.
"I could smell you even before you came inside. I could smell you while you masturbated in your bed,” Lucas muttered against her neck, nuzzling her there, then he bit it none too gently.
"How did you know...?” But she never got to finish her sentence.
He lifted her sweater and took the smooth globe of her breast in his mouth. Lucas wanted more, needed more of her. Her excitement made him frantic with wanting to have her and fueled the heat inside him. He took her nipple and engorged himself with as much as his mouth would hold of the voluptuous breast. Lucas's hands went to her jeans, unsnapping them quickly even though his mouth was still at her breast. His hand delved into the opening of her jeans to her moist womanhood. He took her lips once again as his fingers slipped beneath the slim barrier of her panties. Without hesitation, he found her core, burying his fingers inside her. Sonja bucked against his hand in ecstasy.
"I want you all over my fingers, wet and hot. This is better than you alone in bed, isn't it? Say you like it, Sonja, say you want this,” Lucas said as he kissed her hard over and over again.
Sonja cried out in pleasure. Hearing her cry out made Lucas growl low in his throat.
"Yes, Lucas, yes, this is what I want.” Her voice was thick with pleasure.
Lucas used his fingers to take her to her peak. Sonja pressed herself against his hand as her orgasm took her. Her little moans of satisfaction made him wild, and Lucas held on to her while her body shook. Every shudder she had ran through him.
Somewhere in the back of his head, he heard her call his name over and over again as she fell from her flight to heaven. You can't do this! his mind screamed, but instinct pushed him to take her. He heard the growl that he made. It was almost animalistic in sound, and that made Lucas stop.
He pushed away from her so quickly he upset the small table next to the wall.
"Why did you stop?” she gasped out.
"Get out, Sonja. You don't want this. You don't want any of this,” he said softly.
"Lucas...” She walked over to him to put her hand on his back.
"Don't touch me!” he shouted, backing away. “You don't understand! You could never understand!"
"Lucas, you're scaring me,” Sonja said, her voice trembling. “What don't I understand?"
"Leave, Sonja; don't come back. It is too dangerous for you to come back."
"Please, Lucas ... tell me...” she stammered. Sonja screamed as he threw a blue, glass paperweight in her direction. It was the first thing that came to his hand. It landed a few feet from her and shattered into a billion blue pieces on the floor.
"Get out now!” he shouted.
She ran out the door with her jeans still unsnapped and her sweater disheveled. She left the door open, and Lucas heard her tires spin in the gravel on the road as her car sped away from his cabin. Lucas stumbled over to the door and closed it, then crumpled to the floor as his body was wracked with the painful consequence of his need.
* * * *
"Jesus! Oh, Jesus, what just happened!?” Sonja muttered to herself as she ran up the steps and into her cabin. She slammed the door behind her as if she was being chased and locked it immediately. First they were in the throes of a sexual heat that was amazing, and then he was throwing things at her and screaming for her to leave. What the hell!
Sonja sat down on the sofa and wrapped her arms around her legs. She tried to control her racing heart by taking slow, deep breaths. Why is it that I always seem to find the damaged ones? The man is obviously unstable, bi-polar probably, she thought with a grimace. Better I find out now than down the road when I find him outside my door leaving me dead bunnies. Sonja finally got her heart to stop racing. Was it racing because of his changing mood or how he had touched her? She didn't want to analyze it anymore; she wanted to forget the moment had ever taken place.
Sonja decided to eat and watch TV for the rest of the evening. She would have some of the soup she had made and try to concentrate on a good movie. The snow had begun to fall outside. The flakes, big and thick, fell like soap suds and stuck to the ground. Everything will be covered in the white substance soon, Sonja thought as she walked away from the window. Her steps hesitated for just a moment when her eyes caught a glimpse of Lucas's cabin. Something was wrong with him, something more than being just sick. She could feel it, but she could not bring herself to go back and find out. She had a feeling that if she did, her life would not be the same.
In the middle of watching Gladiator for the umpteenth time, Sonja fell asleep. Just as the men in the Coliseum were ready to battle, her eyes closed and she began to dream. It started as it always did. She and her partner were racing to a call in one of the worst parts of Chicago. There was an apartment fire, and there were people still trapped inside. The ambulance raced up to the burning building just in time to see a woman hanging out of her window with smoke billowing out around her. In her arms, she held a screaming child in a blanket.
They raced up to the woman, but the fire trucks were still a few blocks away. Her eyes pleaded with Sonja for a moment, just for a split second, before she dropped the child from the fourth floor. Everything moved in slow motion from that point in her dreams. Sonja moved to catch the falling child and barely caught the little boy. As she held the child in her arms, she looked up just in time to see flames shoot out of the window. The woman was on fire. Her screams pierced the air as she was burned alive. They heard her screams even when she reared back from the window into the burning apartment.
Sonja rushed the child to the ambulance, handing him to her partner, and then the dream froze. Everything stopped except her; this wasn't how it usually went. Sonja looked around curiously to the frozen faces around her. She saw a woman in a long, red dress coming toward her. The woman was beautiful and seemed to glow as she drew closer to Sonja. Sonja knew the woman wasn't part of this dream; she hadn't been there that day.
"Why do you relive this in your head when you sleep?” the woman asked, her voice soft, reminding Sonja of her mother's voice.
"I don't want to. It comes when I fall asleep,” Sonja responded.
"You blame yourself for some reason,” the woman stated. “This was not your fault."
"I should have done more.” Sadness filled Sonja's voice.
"How could you? Would you have climbed the building and pulled her out? You did what she wanted you to do; you caught her child."
"She died,” Sonja said.
"Her child lived. That was her ultimate sacrifice,” the woman replied.
"Who are you anyway?"
"I am one like you are now. My name is Celia,” she said.
"That's a cryptic answer, Celia. Why are you here?"
"To help you before it's too late."
Sonja began to get irritable; even if it was a dream, it was getting on her nerves. “Listen, lady, I don't know who you are, but if you don't get to the point—"
Celia laughed. “It's not like you can leave, Sonja. As you said, it is a dream, after all."
"Fine, whatever. Why are you here?” Sonja grumbled.
"You are the beloved of Lucas. You must help him."
"I'm his beloved now, am I? Now I know this dream is wackadoodle."
"Let me tell you a story, and afterward you will see.” Celia began to recount the tale of the curse that held the Valentinos in its grip. She told Sonja of Lucien and Kaleen, how this curse had started with them, and how it went on to this day. Celia told Sonja of her own death and of Lucas's father. She told Sonja what would befall her if the Valentino curse was not broken. Sonja listened to Celia's story, but even though it seemed like a fairy tale, somewhere deep within her, it felt like the truth. How could she believe this legend? It was too ridiculous to believe, especially in 2007.
"So, you're telling me if Lucas gets busy with me on this Valentine's moon, he will turn into a wolf and kill me?” Sonja said skeptically.
"Yes."
"So, even though I am his so-called beloved, he will kill me before I can conceive a child?"
"Yes."
"Lucky for him, I don't want to be knocked up,” Sonja joked.
Celia said sharply, “This is not funny! Regardless of his actions to try to stay away from you, regardless of your jokes, or if you ‘get busy,’ as you say, on the Valentine's moon, his pain will become unbearable and he will turn into a wolf. He will kill you. But you can stop it! You can save us all!"
"How in the fuck am I supposed to do that?” Sonja shouted.
"You don't understand; it doesn't only affect you. It keeps us all from moving on. Lovers and we, their beloved, are doomed to be near each other, but cannot feel each other's touch. We are in a place of eternal limbo if you don't succeed,” Celia explained.
"That doesn't answer my question, Celia. If I did believe you, how would I stop it?” Sonja said wearily. This conversation in her dreams was more tiring than running a marathon.