Taneika: Daughter of the Wolf

by R. Casteel

  “If you two are planning on getting married before the baby is born then I wouldn’t count on a long engagement. It appears healthy but I’ll know more tomorrow morning. At noon, the baby was about what a normal fetus would be at around four months. Now, I’m just guessing, your baby has aged about another month.”

  She slammed a hand on the table bouncing the coffee ups. “Thirty days Taren!—In the last seven damn hours! Babies need time to develop their little brains and bodies, which I might add are a hell of a lot more complicated than wolves.”

  “Will the baby be…?” Taren stumbled for the word.

  “Healthy, normal or is human the word you want?” Jeanie sat heavily in a chair. “I can’t answer any of them.”

  “Go to bed, Taren.” Bill stood and patted him on the back. “Things will look better in the morning.”

  * * * * *

  Clear sky and a brilliant sun announced the morning. Taren woke to find he was sleeping alone. Slipping on one of Bill’s robes, he headed for the kitchen. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted him halfway down the hall.

  “Morning, Taren.” Jeanie smiled and reached for an empty cup. “Did you get enough rest?”

  “I…think so.” Seeing Taneika sitting naked at the table he could appreciate but he was taken back by the near transparent blue pastel gown his sister wore. It had been a number of years since he had seen that much of his sister.

  “Bill had an early morning call. There was an accident south of town.” Jeanie handed him a cup.

  The rising steam sent wake up calls to his dulled senses.

  “We were having girl talk and the time slipped away. I’ve got to get moving, or I will have patients stacked up all day.” Jeanie hurried down the hall to change.

  “Morning, my Little Wolf,” Taren kissed her. “How are you doing? No problems after yesterday?”

  “No,” she laughed. “You sound like your sister. You both worry too much.”

  “Jeanie was saying last night that she thought….”

  “…that we should get married, and the sooner the better.” Taneika smiled and ran her hand up the back of Taren’s leg. “I know. I think I got the same lecture this morning.”

  Taren felt her fingers slide over his butt and between his legs. He leaned down and gave her a warm kiss that turned hot.

  “All right you two,” Jeanie scolded good-naturedly. “This isn’t a hotel. I don’t do laundry every day. The couch is off limits, it has recently been cleaned and I don’t want any cum stains on it. Whenever you’re ready, stop by the clinic for a few minutes. I want to do another sonogram.” Jeanie swallowed the last of her cooling coffee and with a final wave, dashed out the door.

  “Have you thought about her suggestion?” Taren threaded his fingers through her hair. Its soft silky strands sent currents of warm pleasure up his arm.

  “Which suggestion are you referring to, the one about the sheets or the early marriage?” Her hand stroked his hard length.

  Her fingers were sending red-hot sparks of desire through his body, making speech difficult. “Both,” he managed. His body shook as she gently squeezed him.

  “I want to be married in the dress my mother made for me, if it’s okay. Considering my brother’s feelings toward me, I doubt she can make it. Wearing the dress will be like having a part of her there. Yesterday the dress might have still fit.” She looked down at her tummy. “It won’t now.”

  Opening his robe, she urged him to step closer. “As to the other suggestion….”

  He gasped as she kissed the head of his sensitive, inflamed shaft.

  Epilogue

  In the early morning hours of May fifth, a white-hot searing pain in her womb awakened Taneika. Her sharp gasp woke Taren from his sleep.

  “Hon, what is it?”

  “Nothing to get excited over,” she hissed between clinched teeth. “My water broke.”

  “Oh.” Taren started to lie down again. “Your water broke!” He jumped out of bed and picked up the phone while he was trying to put on his pants.

  “Why didn’t you say so?” Dropping the phone, he bent to pick it up. Off balance, having one pants leg on and the other halfway, Taren fell to the floor.

  Reaching up, he turned the light on, and Taneika screamed.

  The bed was soaked in blood.

  Taren felt the panic rise like hot acid ‘til he nearly gagged. Frantically he dialed Jeanie’s number. Thank God, we rented a house near Sis last month.

  “I need Jeanie, now! There’s blood everywhere!” Taren screamed into the phone.

  “Calm down, Taren. She’s on the way over right now.”

  “Thank God.” Taren breathed a sigh of relief. “There’s blood everywhere. I’m afraid she may bleed to death. She’s white as a sheet, Bill. I’m scared to death.”

  “I’ve radioed for the ambulance in case it’s needed.”

  Bill’s calm voice eased some of the tension. He pulled on the phone cord to give some more slack and laughed.

  “What’s so funny, Taren?”

  “I’ve got the phone cord inside my pants and riding up the crack of my ass.”

  “I’m not going to ask how that happened,” Bill’s laughter joined his. “But I’ll be sure to remind you about it every birthday the kid has.”

  The back door opened and he heard Jeanie running through the house. “Sis is here, thanks.”

  “I’ll be over in a few. Try to remain calm. It may not be as bad as you think.”

  The line went dead as the bedroom door was flung open.

  “God, Sis! Am I glad to see you.”

  “Taren, get the phone cord out of your ass, I’ll need some help here.” Jeanie went to the bed to check on Taneika.

  “Taren, get some clean sheets.” Jeanie put her fingers on Taneika’s wrist as she listened to her heart rate and then the baby’s. “Slightly elevated which is normal at this time. How far apart are the pains?” She put the blood pressure cuff on check Taneika’s pressure.

  “About three minutes, maybe four,” she answered.

  Taren had never seen her sweat before, but as another contraction seized her, beads of perspiration popped out on her brow.

  “Whatever you do, you have to keep control of the wolf.” Jeanie finished stripping the bed and helped Taren spread a clean sheet under Taneika.

  “Do you understand me?” She looked into Taneika’s pain-glazed eyes. “You have to stay in control.”

  “Maintain control. Yes…I understand.” The contraction passed and she fell back on the bed.

  A siren broke the silence of the night and grew louder.

  “Tell the ambulance crew to stand by outside for now.” Jeanie instructed.

  Jeanie slipped on the latex gloves and began a closer inspection. “Well I have some good news. There doesn’t appear to be any fresh bleeding.”

  “Where…” Another contraction gripped her; she latched onto Jeanie’s arm with one hand and a fist full of sheet in the other. “Where did all the blood come from?”

  “In your case, Taneika. I’d have to say from the baby.” Jeanie saw the concern and fear in her eyes.

  “I don’t think there is any cause to worry. It has never hurt you and I don’t think the baby has been effected either. I believe you passed on the wolf genes to the baby. Every time you changed, the baby did too. The only way you have of getting rid of the wolf enzymes is through the skin. It would be the same with the baby.”

  “So,” Taneika said thoughtfully. “The baby is like me.”

  The pain from another contraction washed over her. The agonizing cry of labor escaped from her throat.

  Jeanie checked the time from the last one and checked her progress. “You don’t do anything slow, do you?”

  “What do you mean?” she hissed through gritted teeth as the wave crashed and she could breath again.

  “Remember try to breath. Focus through the pain. You’re less than two minutes apart and almost fully dilated. You’re going to ha
ve your baby real soon.” She wiped Taneika’s brow with a damp cloth.

  “Taren, get the hell in here!” Jeanie checked the blood pressure and began to worry. Knowing the baby was due, she had reviewed the charts from the test they had run such a short time earlier. Taneika was near the edge.

  “Taneika, control. Focus on your control. I know you can do it.”

  “Taren!”

  “I’m right here, Sis. No need to scream.” He saw the worry in her face. Jeanie’s eyes were large, like a deer’s when caught in the headlights of an approaching car. Some of the fear that Bill had displaced outside returned.

  “Sis, pull yourself together, ‘cause I sure as hell can’t do this.” Taren picked up Taneika’s hand.

  “I’m here, love. I won’t leave.” He felt her plus racing against his fingers. “You have to focus, dear. Be in control of the wolf.”

  “It wants to…”

  Her hand clamped down on his like a vise, grinding bones together.

  “Come out.”

  “Taneika,” Jeanie bathed her forehead and the cloth came away with a slight pinkish color. “You are on the edge. Please don’t slip over.”

  “I,” she was breathing heavily now. “Won’t…just get the…damn thing out of me.”

  “Squeeze my hand, love, when the pain hits you.” Taren took over the wiping of her brow.

  “You did this to me. I’ll squeeze it all right, I hope I fucking break it.”

  “What are you going to break?” Jeanie asked in laughter. “His hand or his dick.”

  “Bothhhh!”

  “The baby’s coming. Breathe, Taneika, maintain control. The head is almost there.”

  Wave after excruciating wave of pain swept through her. She felt the wolf raise its head. “Damn you!” she cried. “Back on your chain.”

  Taren exchanged a worried glance with Jeanie.

  “Okay, Taneika, the head is clear.” Jeanie rotated the baby’s shoulders. “Push! That’s it. Just a little more.”

  With one final push, she screamed and her baby was clear.

  “Congratulations, you have a baby girl.” Jeanie felt Taneika’s brow.

  Taneika’s smile was brilliant through the pain. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks.

  “Taren, grab some wet towels. I’m afraid she crossed over.” Even as she spoke, Taneika’s skin started oozing blood. Jeanie looked down at the baby in her hands and watched in awe as her skin began to bleed also. There was a difference. The baby didn’t feel any warmer than a normal newborn would feel.

  Wrapping the baby in a soft damp blanket, she handed her to Taneika.

  “Taren, give me those towels. Do you have any fresh meat? Never mind, of course you do. Bring Taneika a roast or something. I won’t sever the cord ‘til she gets her strength back.”

  He hurried from the room and ran to the fridge. Bill was in the kitchen helping himself from the pot of coffee he had made.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “It’s a girl.”

  “Congratulations, Taren.” Bill slapped him on the back. His smile was wide and genuine, but his eyes held a question.

  “She’s normal.”

  “Thank God for that.” Bill sighed.

  “Well, as normal as her mother is anyway.” Taren picked up a couple of large portions of meat and carried them back to the bedroom.

  A few minutes later Bill knocked on the door. “What shall I tell the ambulance crew? Do you need them?”

  “No,” Jeanie answered. “Tell them thanks but the situation is under control.”

  “Okay. There’s a couple here waiting. They claim to be the grandparents of the baby.”

  Taren looked at Taneika and then Jeanie. He received a blank stare from each. Taneika’s eyes opened wide. “Oh my…!” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Remember, I’m adopted.”

  “Yes, but I thought your mother….”

  “Yeah, me too.” Taneika interrupted Taren and looked towards the door.

  “First, I need to cut the cord and clean you up.” Jeanie finished the task and helped Taneika into a gown.

  “Show them in…please.”

  Taren walked hesitantly to the door. With his hand on the knob, he looked at her. “You sure?”

  Afraid to trust her voice, she nodded. Taren opened the door and motioned the couple to come in.

  With their hands clasped in warm affection, they walked towards him.

  The woman was beautiful, young, too damn young to be a grandmother of anyone. With a long face and graceful neck, her skin shone like polished alabaster and her hair was as black as a raven’s wing in the sun. Her stride was smooth and confident like that of a queen.

  The man claiming to be the grandfather couldn’t have been much older than Taren. Strong, broad shouldered with a narrow waist, he would command attention wherever he went. His hair was the color of wet sand and lay like the waves of the ocean. Set inside his rugged face with a solid square cut jaw, penetrating eyes of crystal blue mirrored the happy smile he wore.

  Taren stepped cautiously aside and let them enter.

  “Taren, Taneika, we just had to stop in and see our granddaughter.”

  “If you will excuse me.” Taren stepped between the couple and the bed. “You seem to have us at a disadvantage. We don’t know who you are. What right do you have coming in here and making this claim?”

  “If you will allow me the opportunity, I will try to explain. My name is Artemis, this is my beloved Orion. I am Taneika’s birth mother.”

  “I—don’t understand.” Taneika paused. “I was told my mother was a wolf.”

  Artemis smiled. “In body, yes. That is true. Tell me, my child, did you not encounter and old Indian fortuneteller? Taren, is there a scar on your leg where you were shot? Were you not also aided in your fight against evil by a hawk?”

  “Artemis and Orion?” Taneika questioned. “As in Greek mythology?”

  Artemis laughed. “My child, it is only a myth as far as Orion dying. Having only wounded my beloved, I acted as if he were dead. Knowing my brother, Apollo would never allow us to be together. Afraid my brother would take matters into his own hands and kill him, I placed Orion out of my evil brother’s devious hands and nurtured him back to health.”

  “But what, I mean that doesn’t…I’m confused.” Taneika confessed.

  “Every twenty years, Orion is allowed to return. We have one day where we are allowed to meet and share each other’s love. Fortunately for Orion, today he was allowed to be present for a child’s birth. This is the first birth of a child or grandchild he has been able to attend since that tragic day when I was tricked into shooting him.

  “Now, my child, if we could but give our daughter a hug and hold the dear child for a moment…? We must be leaving.”

  “My dear Taneika.” Orion moved around the bed. “It does my spirit good to be here today.” He leaned over and gave Taneika a kiss on each cheek. “May I? Please?

  Taneika felt confused and disoriented as she looked into Orion’s face.

  “Relax, my daughter. For I would rather be confined to the heavens for eternity than see hurt come to one hair on this precious head.”

  Hesitantly, she handed the baby to Orion.

  “Have you thought of a name for the child, my dear?”

  “Let her be named after one of your stars in the heavens,” she looked to Taren for approval.

  “You do me great honor. Let her be called Mintika.

  “Oh, what a beautiful girl you are, Mintika. My heart swells with pride to hold you. I am the mighty hunter and yet, my little one, you have captured my heart. Look, Artemis. Isn’t she the most beautiful baby you’ve ever seen?”

  “Yes, dear, and if you don’t let me hold her, all I’ll get to do is look at her,” she scolded good-naturedly.

  Artemis took the child and held her to her breast. Kissing the top of her head, she softly spoke. “Mintika, granddaughter of the gods, be filled with wisdom and grace. Let love and mercy rule y
our life. Kill only what you shall eat. Be careful of life, for it is precious and soon lost.” She held the baby close to her face and kissed her on both cheeks before handing her back to Taneika.

  “Now, we must leave you.” Orion smiled sadly. “You have only to look to the sky at night to know you are loved.”

  Orion and Artemis kissed them good-bye and left as quietly as they had arrived.

  Coming soon…

  the story of Mintika, Wolf Princess

  Also by R. Casteel:

  Ellora’s Cave

  www.ellorascave.com