by Maddie Foxx
“I can’t imagine Raphael ever tying himself down to a woman, and I also can’t see him as the sharing type.”
Tessa hugged her arms as a cool breeze carried over to them. “You’re so sweet, Angus. Just like a big brother I never had.”
“What was your family like?”
“Not like anyone around here. They weren’t all that nurturing, that’s for sure. I’m sure they loved me in their own way. If only they had expressed it like other families do.”
They hopped in the truck and Angus drove into town. Two ATVs were parked alongside the saloon and she wondered if Raphael and Seth were inside.
Angus led the way inside and sat at the bar since all of the tables were full. The bartender strode over and smiled. “Hello there, Tessa. It’s nice to see your pretty face in here again.”
Tessa didn’t know if he was trying to flirt with her or just making small talk—she guessed the latter. “Thanks, Frank, I think.”
“What can I get you two?”
“Pitcher of beer sounds good,” Angus said.
There was a loud boom as two men staggered inside. Tessa narrowed her eyes at the men. The scrawny one was Jason Traxler, who immediately stumbled his way toward her.
“H-Hello. Look – it’s one of those Shadow Creek bitches,” he sneered.
“Why don’t you come over and sit on my lap, honey?” the other drunk, Earl Sharp, taunted. He was still standing, but barely. He was the only man in Creeksboro who seemed to stomach Jason as a friend. He was a much larger man and word had it he was just paroled.
Tessa knew Jason all too well. He was as low as it got, and calling him a man tasted bitter on her tongue. He had a history of abusing women, including Carrie, who was the mother of Melody, Seth’s daughter. Why any hawk shifter would put up with that was beyond Tessa. If she were Carrie, that man’s eyes would be missing by the pointy edge of a beak.
She turned back around, ignoring the men. They continued to hurl insults their way until Tessa heard a loud and booming voice say, “Knock it off, you two, or I’ll lock you in the drunk tank.”
“Lock us up, you old fool. You’re not the law around here, Cl-Clayton,” Jason responded.
“Nope, you’re right about that one,” Clayton agreed.
“But I am,” the sheriff said as he stood up, dressed casually, obviously out for the night. “You two had best head home and you’ll need a head start since you’re both too drunk to drive tonight.”
“But I want a couple shots, first,” Jason whined.
“I’ll give you a few shots,” Angus offered, turning.
“Calm down, boy,” Tessa said with a grin, patting Angus’s arm.
“Bitch, you better not be talking to me,” Jason threatened.
Tessa was off the stool in seconds, taking hold of Jason’s neck. “Now that’s no way to talk to a lady.” She gave him a shove and he slid all the way to the door.
He crawled to his feet. “What the hell are you? Another shifter?”
“I-I’ve never seen a shifter do that before,” Earl said. “We should head home before this gets out of hand.”
Tessa laughed. “It already has, you loser. You’re a waste of oxygen.”
“Did you hear that, Sheriff? She’s threatening me. Do something.”
“I didn’t hear her threaten anyone. You shouldn’t have insulted the lady.”
Angus started laughing in his bear-like tone, which echoed in the room.
“Stop laughing at me, Angus, before I come over there and smack that smile off your ugly mug,” Earl spat.
Angus was off his barstool in a flash. “I’d like to see you try.”
Earl raced for the door while Jason ran at Angus like a bull, but Angus stopped him with a palm on the top of his head. He laughed all the harder as he ushered Jason to the door, kicking him out with a mighty shove by way of the sole of his boot. Applause erupted and Angus was slapped on the back in congratulation for showing up Jason.
“You could have intervened,” Tessa told the sheriff. “That could have gotten out of hand.”
“If I did that every time that man ran his mouth, he’d have a permanent place in a jail cell. He’s harmless for the most part.”
“Except if he’s knocking around women, you mean.”
“I’ve heard that, but nobody has filed charges against him or even called me. I can’t help if nobody calls me and reports him for abusing them,” he explained.
“That might just be because they’re too afraid to.”
“I’m Sheriff Barnes. I don’t think I met you when I went out to Shadow Creek to introduce myself yesterday morning.”
Tessa laughed. “I don’t do mornings. I’m more of a night owl.”
“You got that one right,” Angus whispered in her ear.
She turned and gave Angus a look before turning back to the sheriff. “I’m Tessa Clark.”
The sheriff nodded. “Would you care to sit with me and Clayton?”
Tessa noticed Raphael and Seth out of the corner of her eye and wanted to refuse, but since neither of them had said anything to her since they arrived, she didn’t want it to look like she was expecting to sit with them. If they were truly interested in her, they’d have to act like it.
Angus carried their drinks as they sat opposite the sheriff and Clayton.
Once they were seated, Clayton asked, “How is Paige doing these days?”
“Why don’t you come out to Shadow Creek and ask her yourself?” Tessa responded with a bit of snark.
“I would if I wasn’t so busy. There’s been a run of missing livestock that I’m investigating.”
“Really? I hadn’t heard that.”
“It’s not something we need in this area, as you can understand.” Clayton smiled before adding, “If you know anything about it, let me know.”
“Why would I know anything about it? This is the first I’ve heard.” Tessa fumed inside. She knew exactly what he meant. He thought she was behind it since he was the only human in town who knew Paige and Tessa were vampires.
“What he’s trying to say is we take such losses seriously,” Sheriff Barnes said. “I know this area has plenty of shifters living close by, which is why we just can’t afford for livestock to be killed. Otherwise, we might have government people heading here to investigate.”
“Killed? I thought you said they were just missing.”
“I did, but I was just speculating is all. Missing livestock often winds up being quite dead.”
Tessa stood up at that point. “Good to know.”
She headed out the door with Raphael shouting for her to stop. He caught her outside before she had gotten far. “What happened over at the sheriff’s table?”
“That Clayton had the nerve to tell me about some missing livestock, like I’m the one responsible.”
“I heard about that. Is it possible that you’re taking this too seriously? That he was simply sharing information and that was all?”
Tessa smiled. “I suppose. It’s just that I’m not harebrained. I know I can’t risk an investigation from outsiders. Sure, Creeksboro might be tolerant of shifters, but what would happen if it’s known that vampires also live here?”
“Tolerant is a strong word. There are plenty of folks in town worried about shifters, but since the government has given us rights, there are still people who rather we would be gone.”
“I can’t even imagine what might happen if they find out Paige and I are vampires.”
“You can’t keep a secret like being a vampire under wraps forever. Especially if you pull another stunt like you just did in there. It doesn’t take a genius to know a woman doesn’t have that kind of strength.”
That really made her mad. “Women are not dainty little things in need of protection from men, or even shifters. We’re quite capable of fending for ourselves if need be. Look at Katlyn. She gave birth to two babies. If that isn’t strength, I don’t know what is.”
Raphael nodded in response. “
I’m certainly not going to argue with you there, but you’re used to living in civilization. Where I came from, it’s quite another story. Women are in need of protection for many reasons. Some male shifters have been known to be territorial when it comes to their mates. And there are dangers lurking in the shadow that you wouldn’t even want to know about.”
“Where exactly are you from if not Creeksboro?”
“I’ve lived in Montana amongst the full-blood werewolves.”
“Full-bloods? I thought all werewolves were the same.”
“No. I’m half wolf and half human. All of the werewolves at Silver Creek have human mates. The full-bloods are nothing like us. They can shift only on the light of the full moon. Wyoming is home to only one full-blood that I know of, Dr. Evans.”
“The doctor Brendan and Chase wanted to deliver their sons?” Tessa seemed astonished at the thought.
“Most likely, since shifters trust him to care for them, but there’s a danger with having a full-blood living so close to humans.”
“Why? I don’t see the doctor as a werewolf at all. I’m sure he’d never cause any problems here.”
“I’m not sure how he’s been able to contain his beast, but full-bloods are unable to control themselves in shifted form. I shift into a four-legged wolf as most of the half-bloods do, but a werewolf like the doctor shifts into a werewolf capable of walking on two or four legs. They are deadly, uncontrollable, and unpredictable,” Raphael informed her.
Tessa gulped at learning this then sat on a bench, admiring the moon overhead. It wasn’t quite full, but would be soon. “Don’t you ever get tempted to shift on the full moon?”
“I do. It doesn’t have to be a full moon for me to shift. What about you? What do you like to do on the full moon?”
She shrugged. “Nothing interesting, but I did want to talk to you about something.”
“Shoot.”
“I appreciate what you did last night, but—”
“I don’t remember doing what I wanted to do last night.” He winked.
“I didn’t mean that part. I was talking about the rabbit.”
“Oh, of course. You looked hungry.”
“Did I?” Tessa asked, intrigued he could tell such a thing.
“Yes. It must be hard to resist wanting to feed.”
“That’s just the thing. I don’t want to be fed by you or anyone. If I decide to feed on an animal, I’ll find my own. I told Katlyn the same thing. I always seem to have some kind of animal outside my door when I wake up. I need to figure out my way and not be fed like I’m someone’s pet.”
“Aren’t you supplied with blood by Paige?”
“I am. It’s not to my liking, but perhaps it time to resign myself to the fact that’s how it will be. I guess I’m trying to figure out who I am now. Being a vampire has changed everything about me, and I’m not sure I like who I’m becoming.”
“I don’t see you as a bad vampire, and you’ll find out that you’re still an amazing woman underneath it all,” Raphael complimented.
Tessa smiled. Seth came out of the saloon at that moment and sat next to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so angry that I’d love to rip that Jason Traxler’s throat out, but I wouldn’t even welcome the taste of his blood.”
“Imagine him as a vampire, though,” Seth said.
“He had better stay away from me. If he doesn’t, I can’t promise I won’t end his life.”
Raphael squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t even think that way. You just can’t kill a human without the law getting involved. It would be the end to life as they know it at Shadow Creek. If you’re revealed as a vampire, so would Paige.”
“That’s if I stay at Shadow Creek, you mean. I have no intention of staying there indefinitely. I think it’s time for me to move on,” Tessa stated. “Besides, Katlyn doesn’t need me. She has two mates and her babies to keep her company now.”
“I’m sure she would be heartbroken if you were to leave,” Seth said. “She still needs you.”
“I think she just feels guilty about how I was turned here, like it was her fault when nothing could be further from the truth. I was drunk that night and I felt drawn to Paige, so much so that in a moment of weakness, we embraced. What began as a passionate kiss between us ended up being a taste of my blood for her.”
“I don’t know all that much about Paige,” Raphael said.
“She came to Shadow Creek after Brendan and Chase found her down a crevice at Devil’s Tower. She was trapped under a rock and they brought her back to the surface. I’m not sure who exactly put her there, but one thing is for sure—they wanted her dead,” Tessa explained.
“How was she able to survive?” Seth asked.
“She was in the shadows so the sunlight wasn’t able to kill her. And with no food, she went into a hibernation state until she was awakened by the smell of fresh blood from Brendan and Chase’s recent kill. They brought her back to Shadow Creek and in time, she began to run the ranch for them.”
“And she’s never bitten anyone besides you in Creeksboro?” Raphael asked.
“No, not that I’m aware of.”
“It must have been very upsetting to be suddenly turned like that. How are you handling it?”
“I still carry some anger, but I tried not to express too much of it in Katlyn’s presence. I know she blames herself and that’s the last thing I want. Paige was the one responsible, but she’s done all she can to help me ease into this life. I promised Katlyn that I’d think about it before I left, but I know that’s what I want. I’ll speak to Paige before I make my move. Somehow, I don’t expect her to be surprised, but in some ways, I do rely on her for guidance. And that’s another reason I need to leave.”
Seth stood and stretched. “Do you need a ride home? I, for one, have had enough beer for the night.”
“Should you be driving your ATV tonight?”
“No, I have a room at the boarding house on the other end of town.”
“But I thought you lived at Silver Creek.”
“I do, but I still keep a room here in town for just such an occasion.”
“We can keep our ATVs in Dr. Evans’s garage like I usually do,” Raphael said.
“What about you, Raphael?”
“The moon sure is bright tonight,” Raphael said with a wink. “I’ll do what I do best: run by the light of the moon.”
CHAPTER THREE
Raphael waited until Angus ambled outside and Tessa left after saying her goodbyes. Only then did Seth and Raphael take their ATVs over to the good doctor’s house.
Dr. Evans had given Raphael a key to his house since he had lived amongst the full-bloods for years. He was trusted. Raphael had met the doctor once back in Montana, before he left. On occasion, he still journeyed back there to administer medical attention to the werewolves. It was hard not to respect the doctor for still maintaining contact with his own kind.
Raphael opened the door and they both drove in the ATVs.
Once they parked and back outside, Seth said, “I need to get going now. It’s getting late and I’d like to get some sleep. I’ll be back in the morning to take Maxwell and Melody to school.”
“You don’t need to do that. I can take them in the pickup.”
“Thanks, Raphael. I’m sure glad to have a friend like you.”
Raphael nodded, dodging to the rear of the house while the sound of Seth’s footsteps trailed off in the opposite direction. Only then did he rear back his head, his neck bones extending, limbs shortening into the legs of a wolf, shedding his skin for thick fur beneath. He rolled on the ground, rubbing his fur in the dirt to rid himself of the presence of his former shell.
He jumped up and raced into the night. The wind was crisp and it rustled his fur, invigorating his entire being. There was no better way to travel, and no better time to race through the forest in wolf form.
Howls echoed through the woods as he passed the mighty aspen trees, which were in thi
s area. He came to a halt when the howls stopped and the forest was silent. The only sound was that of the wind, rustling the leaves of the trees.
Raphael froze. Something was racing through the trees at a high rate of speed. He leapt out of the way just as a bear burst through the underbrush. When Raphael stared at the bear, it raised and lowered his head as if in laughter, alerting him that it was a werebear. He relaxed and continued along his way back to Silver Creek.
He was thankful that it was an uneventful night and he didn’t have to get involved in taking care of Jason, but it sure seemed that Tessa was indeed quite capable of defending herself. Angus was also on hand, and he was used to being a protector. It came with the territory of being a llama and guarding cattle all day at Shadow Creek.
Palina stood from her rocking chair when Raphael came into the large cabin he shared with Seth and their children. He shifted and grabbed a robe by the door, covering himself. Only then did he turn to greet Palina. “Thank you for watching the children.”
“Did you meet up with that vampire and bed her tonight?”
Raphael smiled. “And why would that be of any interest to you, Grandmother?”
“I was hoping you’d get her out of your system and finally take your true place as alpha of this pack by taking a mate for yourself.”
“I am the alpha and it’s not written that I need to find a mate. Bearing children is not part of my plans.”
“And why is that when you’re already acting as a father to Maxwell?”
“I’m not doing a great job of that. I don’t think that boy considers me suitable as a father.”
“Not next to his father, but your brother is dead and Maxwell is your responsibility. You might not know this, but that boy is important to us all. He’ll take his rightful place one day as alpha and take us home.”
“Home? I thought you considered Silver Creek home.”
“You know as well as I do that is simply not the case. Even you know our days are limited here in Creeksboro if what I’ve heard is true, that the full-bloods are on their way.”
“That’s a rumor among the werewolves who talk too much. I assure you, if they come anywhere near Creeksboro, they’ll have a fight on their hands.