Summer Romance (Harbor Moon)

by Mitchell, Traci

  “I see. Perhaps…another relative? Grandparents, aunts…uncles?” He pursued casually.

  “We don’t know. Deanna knows she was adopted. We know very little of her birth mother only that she died in child birth.”

  If I wasn’t mistaken, I saw a touch of pain in Dr. McCoy’s face. It appeared his whole demeanor changed. He released my bracelet and turned to my mother.

  “You are very good people. It sounds like that was a tragic event with her birth mother.”

  “Well…we don’t even know…”

  He cut my mother short by turning to me. “But, here you are all grown up in your teenage years. I’m sure you’ll be just fine and if anything out of the ordinary happens, cold chills, bad dreams or you remember something unusual you might have seen….please call me.” He handed me his card.

  I nodded graciously, but at the same time I had the feeling we were being rushed out of his office. Once we made it to the car, Mom said as much.

  The more I thought about the charm, the greater the urge to find information on my birth mother. The doctor had said bad dreams. He knew more about the charm than he revealed I promised myself if I did have another one of those dreams about chasing wolves I would call him.

  There were so many questions I had to ask someone. I knew Mom and Dad didn’t know. Somehow or someway, someone had the answers to these bizarre questions.

  Chapter 9

  That night, I had another dream. This time the dream was different. I found myself in a darkened forest at night under a full moon. Pushing my way through the dense foliage, I had one thing on my mind…find the wolves. I clutched tightly to the wooden bow in my right hand, and with arrows in a pack on my back, I hunted.

  It was a revelation of a lifetime. For the first time in my dream, I felt I was meant to hunt wolves. Why? I still didn’t have the answer to that question. Somehow, I had a feeling the answer would soon reveal itself.

  Moving through the gloomy forest, I paused several times to listen to each forest sound. My senses were attuned to my surroundings. The tiniest of noises I heard without strain. Leaves rustled around me, my nerves were like cold steel, and I remained still. I inhaled the air, drinking in the scents of the forest. There was no scent of a wolf. I moved forward.

  A soft breeze stirred around me again, this time my senses drew me to a halt. The hairs on my arms stood on end. My body tingled with an electrifying rush that danger lurked close by. I pulled an arrow from my pack and placed it in the bow, carrying it low, I moved slower and more cautiously.

  Then I smelled it. The wolf scent grew stronger when I came upon an opening in the forest. Carefully, I peered around in the moonlight for any images moving or not. There was an evil hidden in that darkness, and tonight it would meet its end.

  A high pitched howl sang out into the night. I steadied my bow; although I couldn’t see my prey I sensed it. It was close and headed toward me. The silver tipped arrow glistened under the moonlight. It was if it knew the mission at hand and was prepared for battle.

  In the distance something approached. Yes, it was a wolf. The distinct breathing pattern and smell was undeniable. I estimated the distance to be 100 yards when the brush parted before me, allowing me to see the creature in full form. To any normal person, the creature appeared to be a simple wolf, but to me it was demon in disguise.

  Inhaling a deep breath, I drew back the arrow. The wolf stopped. His red eyes glared in my direction. I could hear his heart rate quicken. He knew death waited at his doorstep. A low growl erupted from his throat and he charged.

  I remained in position, aiming carefully to make a clean kill. KILL. Yes, this is what I was meant to do. Kill the evil creature.

  His paws pounded against the ground. His ears flattened on his head as he leaped into the air.

  Without hesitation, I released the arrow. It whizzed through the night. The arrow struck home with incredible speed and power into the heart of the creature. His body hit the ground with a loud thud and slid to a stop before my feet.

  I looked down and watched with curiosity while the wolf changed into human form. Only after the metamorphosis was complete did I turn the victim over to see his face.

  Shock penetrated the steel wall of my protection. I gasped and dropped to my knees. Eric.

  ***

  The sunlight painfully pierced my eyes when they flew open. I inhaled a deep breath as if it were my last. I sat straight up in my bed. My heart pounded rapidly as I remembered the images of Eric lying at my feet. My fingers combed through my hair while I looked down at my bracelet. Was I something Eric feared?

  My purpose clearly identified itself in the dream. Fear swallowed my heart. There was no way I was a cold blooded killer. I shook my head and tried to reason the dream’s images from my mind. Something like this needed careful research. Ever since I’d met Eric, my life changed. I needed to know more.

  “Deanna?” Mom popped through the bedroom door.

  I looked up.

  “I’m running into town to do some grocery shopping. Did you want to go?”

  “Yeah I guess so.”

  “Okay dear, can you be ready in an hour?”

  I nodded and watched as Mom started to close the door. I almost missed my opportunity. “Mom?”

  She opened the door. “Yes?”

  “Can you drop me off at the library while you’re grocery shopping? I really want to do some research on a project.”

  Her eyebrows shot up, but she was great about not prying too much. “Sure.” She smiled and closed the door.

  I wanted to research werewolves and their legends. Maybe I could find some information to help me figure out what all these dreams meant, and why I had them. Discussing these things with the local Dr. McCoy wasn’t on my first list of priorities. I had the feeling he would probably be the one to assist my parents in a full lock down due to my mental instability. But I knew these things were real. I knew Eric was real, but who would believe me? Absolutely no one.

  Again, my morning rush started with making my bed, a shower and dressing. Barely having enough time to comb through my hair, my mother knocked on my door announcing I had to eat something for breakfast first. I rushed through a bowl of cereal and cleaned up my dishes while my Mom grabbed her purse and waited for me at the door.

  “Deanna?” Her impatient voice rang out.

  “Coming Mom,” I dried my hands, grabbed my purse and followed her out to the car.

  The drive into town wasn’t bad, it was a sunny day. Low humidity and hot. Mom dropped me off at the local library and then left on her way to the adventures of grocery shopping. How one woman could manage to spend an entire hour in the grocery store amazed me. But she always loved to shop.

  The big brick library stood in its ancient glory, two stories tall and very old. After a quick inquiry and filling out the proper paperwork, I had a library card. The Liberian, an older lady probably in her sixties, directed me to the books on werewolves and folklore.

  It didn’t take me long to find several books and a nice place to spread out with my notepad. Burying myself in the search for more knowledge, I found myself lost in time.

  “Deanna?” a male voice called and I looked up.

  “Dr. McCoy?”

  His face broadened into a smile. “Yes. How are you?”

  “Good, I suppose.” I noticed he had a few books in his hand.

  “Doing some research?” He nodded toward the books scattered out before me on the wooden table.

  I felt my face turn red. “Yeah, I just became fascinated in…” He picked up one of the books before I could finish.

  “Werewolves?” He flipped the book cover over.

  The heat on my face intensified. “Yes.” I shyly admitted.

  “So what brought about this new found interest in werewolves?” His eyebrow rose.

  I shrugged my shoulders and shifted nervously in my chair. I didn’t want to tell him what I had witnessed with Eric, nor did I want to explain my horrid nig
htmares where I chased wolves.

  “I see,” he replied and set the book back down on the table. He then handed me an old leather bound book, complete with a leather string wrapped around a button on the front. “I think this will answer all your questions. If you need to know anything more just stop by my office. It was nice to see you again.” He turned and walked away.

  Staring at the book, I sat in shock. I could smell the aging leather, and sour smell of the pages. I didn’t think this was a book he picked up in this library. My fingers grasped the leather string when my cell phone buzzed.

  “Hello Mom.”

  “Deanna, I’ll be over to pick you up in about 15 minutes. I’m in the checkout line. Meet me in the front?”

  “Okay Mom, I’ll be there.” I clicked the phone off.

  I grabbed up the books on the table and quickly rushed upstairs to check out the titles I needed. I kept a close eye on my watch while waiting on the librarian. After she finished, I turned and left through the big front doors to wait on my mother.

  Standing at the bottom of the steps with an arm full of books I watched the road carefully for my mother’s blue minivan. My arms began to ache from the weight and when I tried to shift them, one slipped out and fell to the ground. I bent down to pick it up and the rest of the books slid out of my arms, scattering across the concrete walkway. Immediately I reached for the books, trying to collect them when a voice caught my attention.

  “Here, let me help you.”

  My eyes lifted to the figure crouching down in front of me, assisting me with my scattered mess. My heart suddenly froze.

  “Eric?”

  He looked up and his eyes locked with mine. We didn’t say a word for a long moment, but just stared at one another. I don’t think either of us knew what to say.

  “Deanna.” He finally broke the silence, his eyes filled with remorse. “I’m sorry for the way I acted at the camp post. I…”

  “Eric, I tried to explain and you…”

  “I know…I was wrong and I….”

  We found ourselves talking over one another.

  “It was a shock to my system…”

  “I know you didn’t understand and I should have tried harder to…”

  “Maybe if you would have let me explain…”

  “We should get together and talk.”

  “I could tell you….wait, what?”

  His handsome face broadened into a smile when he stood to his feet, securely holding the books in his arms. “I said let’s get together and talk. How about I pick you up this evening?”

  A bashful smiled crossed my lips. “Sure.”

  Just then I saw my mother pulling the minivan to the curb. Moving toward the van, Eric held the books tightly in his arms and opened the door for me.

  “Hello Mrs. Lansford.” He was such a suck up to my parents.

  Mom’s face brightened. “Hello, Eric. Nice of you to run into Deanna.”

  He grinned and nodded toward the books. “Rescuing her again.”

  Mom laughed while I climbed into the front seat. Eric handed me the remaining books.

  “Mrs. Lansford, would you mind if I take Deanna to a little coffee shop here in town this evening?”

  I don’t think my mother could have been more elated. “Why Eric, I think that is very nice. “ She was already scrambling through her purse for a pen and paper. Scribbling down the address, she handed it across my lap to Eric.

  “Thank you Mrs. Lansford. I’ll see you both this evening around seven.” Eric looked down at my hands and noticed the tatty leather book. When his eyes lifted to mine, I almost choked.

  His eyes had changed from black to gold and the painful expression brought a certain pain to my heart. I knew then that Eric and I had a lot to discuss.

  Chapter 10

  After we arrived back home, I helped my mom unload all the groceries from her shopping expedition. It always amazed me how one woman could buy so many groceries for just three people. After I lugged the last few bags into the kitchen, I helped her put them away. When we finally finished with stocking the last of the groceries, it was time for some investigative reading. Maybe I could prepare myself with questions to ask Eric this evening.

  With one last glance over my shoulder to my mother I said, “Mom are you okay for now?”

  “Yes dear. I’ll start on dinner a little early, you know, to make sure you are free for your date.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Mom. It’s not a date.”

  “Oh? This is new. When I was sixteen anytime a boy asked a girl out that was considered a date.”

  “We’re just going to a coffee shop.”

  “Okay.” She turned around. “He’s picking you up at seven.”

  “Yes.”

  I turned and headed to my room. She was right. I did have a date with Eric. I smiled. I liked the way that sounded. He was so adorable and dreamy. I plopped down on the bed and began to sort through the books until I saw the tatty leather book Dr. McCoy gave me. Carefully I unwrapped the leather tie and opened the book. The first thing I noticed was the old and very smelly yellowish brown paper. Noticing the way the ink bled out onto the paper, I guessed the author must have used one of those old ink pens that you dip in an ink well. The first page I turned to had a picture which was identical to the charm on my bracelet. I was beginning to feel creepy. How did he know? Who was Dr. McCoy? He knew something about the charm and me. Maybe he had an answer for the unexplained things that happened to me.

  Flipping to the next page, I stared at the date, December 14, 1900. Dr. Malcolm Van Helsing. Van Helsing? Was this any relation to Van Helsing the vampire hunter? The entry wasn’t a journal, but notes and symbols scribbled down. A hand drawn picture describing the moon’s phases and a picture of a wolf was located in the center of the page. Near the bottom of the page there were several items listed which included, silver, wood and wolfs bane.

  “Deanna?” Mom called when she opened my door.

  I looked up from the book.

  “Eric is here. He’s early, but wanted to know if you wanted to go to a movie then the coffee shop.”

  “Oh. Yeah, that’s sounds good. I’ll be out in a minute. Thanks Mom.”

  I put the book aside and grabbed my purse. I was glad Eric was early. I wanted to spend more time talking about all this stuff so I would have some real answers. I needed more than dreams and some old tatty book that gave me symbols and signs. I bolted out the room and found Eric waiting in the living room.

  “Okay.” I announced.

  “Okay.” He looked me over carefully and then turned to my mother. “I’ll have her back by nine. We’ll grab something to eat at one of the restaurants.”

  “You’re such a thoughtful young man, Eric. I’m glad Deanna met you. Don’t let her clumsiness scare you off.” Mom replied with a warm smile.

  “Mom!” I snorted.

  Eric just laughed and headed toward the front door. I couldn’t believe my mother. Parents can be so embarrassing at times when they are trying to be funny.

  Eric and I climbed into his jeep and we headed off to the main road into town. It didn’t take long for Eric to start the conversation.

  “Deanna, you know what I am.” Eric went straight for the kill.

  “Yes, you’re a werewolf.”

  “Well, not really. I’m a wolf shape-shifter.”

  “Same thing…right?”

  “No. Werewolves are evil. Shape-shifters aren’t.”

  I followed. “Okay, I get that part.”

  “Good. I’m not evil, Deanna. No one in my family has ever been evil or done anything to harm anyone. But there are some people out there who don’t see our kind as being anything more than werewolves. There are people who believe we need to be killed because we’re different. Do you understand where I’m going?”

  “Eric, I follow you. It’s like a witch hunt.”

  “Exactly. But the witch hunters are real. They will stop at nothing to kill us. The pain that started
this whole feud began years ago and still burns in the veins of each generation. Eventually, they won’t stop until the last of our line is gone.”

  “What are these people called? I mean the ones that want to kill you?”

  “They are called The Hunter’s. And they wear a symbol like the one on your charm.”

  “Eric, you don’t think…”

  His black eyes locked with mine for a long second. “Yes, I do. When I first saw the charm, I knew. You know very little about your real family. Apparently someone in your family knows who you are and where to find you.”

  “I’m a what?” I breathed out.

  “You’re a Hunter. The Hunters are a generation of people who kill my kind. So to put it bluntly, my family is hunted by your family.”

  “But why? I mean I don’t feel any hatred towards you.”

  “No, you don’t. But I’m sure you’ve had the dreams. The transformation begins with the dreams. “

  “Whoa! Stop. Transformation….I’m going to transform into something?”

  I turned sideways in the passenger seat.

  “Yes. You will transform into the Hunter.”

  I felt sick. “Are you’re telling me I’m going to turn into some type of creature or what?”

  “You will still be human, or at least in human form. But your body will become stronger, faster and you’re senses will be fine-tuned.”

  “Are you saying I’m going to turn into some type of super human?”

  He shot me a humorous expression, eyeing me from head to toe. “Yes.”

  My eyes widened with surprise. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This couldn’t be true. In some small way I knew he was telling me the truth. I shook my head and turned to look out the front of the jeep. There was nothing more I could say, I couldn’t rationalize my thoughts into words.

  He turned the jeep left and headed down a dirt road. I didn’t even pay attention to the sign I was so lost in my own thoughts. As we neared the clearing I saw a huge lake. There were a few other people there, most fishing on the wooden docks. He pulled the jeep beside a white truck and turned off the engine.