“I need a bath.” Loupe’s voice sounded hollow even to her own ears. That was good though, better than the hysteria that swirled inside her. It was more than a little pointless to bathe since she had more skinning to do, but in that moment she had a desperate need to be clean. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand it. How much longer the threat of physical violence would keep her in that dungeon, surrounded by dead wolves, covered in their blood. It was sick, especially considering what Loupe had become…
It took only a few minutes to gather her bathing things and lock the house behind her. Her stepmother never allowed her to draw fresh water for her own bath, leaving her to wait until one of her stepsisters had finished with their bathwater and use what was left behind. Loupe preferred to just go deep into the forest and bathe in the lake there. Surely it was cleaner than the water that ran off her bloodthirsty relatives.
Loupe started down the path from the kitchen door in the back of the house toward the woods that surrounded her home. The trees stretched up to the sky, looming over her like ancient giants. Their trunks sucked the light out of the air, absorbing it into the dark brown bark covered here and there with thick green moss. There had been a time Loupe had been afraid to wander into the woods alone, but not now. No animals would dare to bother her. Not anymore.
Her mind drifted ahead to her secret place in the woods and she froze.
“Stupid girl,” she muttered to herself. She quickly turned and walked back up the path. She let herself back into the house and strode into the kitchen to gather a few sausages, taking only the smallest ones that were less likely to be missed. She wrapped them up and took them with her as she once again locked the door behind her before leaving the yard.
About thirty yards into the forest, Loupe passed a stretch of ground that gave her pause. It didn’t look any different from the surrounding forest floor, but in her mind’s eye she saw a mound of freshly turned dirt, a screaming beacon of what lay beneath in a shallow grave. She’d buried it over a year ago, but she could still see the corpse in her mind.
For the second time that day, Loupe’s mind drifted back to the fateful evening when her life had changed forever. The wolf carcass that hadn’t been dead, the last lunge of a dying beast…and the human woman it had turned into after the last death rattle had passed.
Loupe didn’t know who the woman had been, or how she’d come to be cursed as a loup garou. All she knew was the woman had infected her with the same curse, turned her life into a string of terrified full moons. She looked up at the sky, even though it was far too bright out to see the moon. The waxing moon would reach its zenith in four days. In four days she would once again be forced to sneak out of her house, plunging deep into the woods to the place where the chains waited for her. The place where the beast would take over. It was torture and it was consistent.
The walk to the lake didn’t take long, but the surrounding trees were still thick enough to give Loupe the illusion that she was in a world separate from her old life. The trees grew close together and one portion of the lake’s edge was thick with reeds.
She smiled as tiny yips spilled from a cropping of bushes behind the reeds. Getting down on her hands and knees, Loupe peeked inside the branches. A small pile of brown fur shifted and rippled before bursting into three distinct forms. She laughed as the wolf pups ran out to her, barking and nosing around her skirts. There was no doubt in her mind that the little beasties could smell the sausage.
“All right now, all right, settle down,” she chastised them affectionately. She unwrapped the sausage and broke it into pieces. “Don’t fight, I brought plenty for everyone.”
The pups growled at one another, but calmed as soon as they each got their own meal. She petted them as they ate, pleased that they were growing nicely. When she’d first found them, they’d been so tiny, she’d feared they would never make it. Loupe’s heart ached. Her stepmother had killed their mother, she was certain of it. She remembered how one of the female wolf carcasses had shown signs of a nursing mother. Loupe had wasted no time plunging into the woods to find the abandoned pups.
“How about a nice bath, eh?” she cooed. She unbound her hair, stripped off her clothing, and stepped into the lake. She hissed at the shock of the cool water, only barely warmed by the day. It was summer, but the lake was well-shaded and didn’t benefit from the full heat of the sun. She fought to keep her teeth from chattering as she tried to wave the wolf pups into the water.
The rustle of bushes snared her attention.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re here.” She smiled at the larger wolf approaching the water. “The pups aren’t the least bit interested in a bath and they’re terribly dirty from burrowing in the mud.”
The wolf tilted its head as if it understood her. Then it took a few graceful strides and leapt into the air before landing in the lake with a splash. Loupe shrieked with laughter as she raised her arms against the barrage of water droplets. She raised an eyebrow at the wolf as it dog-paddled around her.
“You splashed me on purpose, didn’t you,” she said dryly, wrapping her arms around herself in a vain attempt to ward off the chill.
The wolf ignored her and barked at the pups.
Loupe left the wolf to try and coax the young ones into the lake and tried to adjust to the water. She inhaled sharply as she lowered herself into the lake up to her neck.
“Are you all right?”
Loupe stiffened at the sound of a decidedly masculine voice. The deep tone rumbled down her spine, followed by a wave of heat that chased away some of the cold. A similar heat filled her cheeks and she cursed herself for not paying better attention to her surroundings. For a split second, her embarrassment overwhelmed her, but bit by bit a touch of fear joined it. She was alone and naked in the middle of the woods. Animals may recognize the wolf inside her, but a human wouldn’t. Her heart pounded.
Just breathe, she told herself. He asked if you are all right. There’s probably nothing to worry about.
Grateful that her naked body was almost completely submerged, she turned in the water without rising to reveal any more flesh. She raised her attention to the figure standing across the lake, her brain whirring to think of some excuse for why she was bathing in the forest surrounded by wolf pups.
Her jaw dropped. The most gorgeous man she’d ever seen was standing at the edge of the lake. From her angle, she couldn’t tell how tall he was, but he radiated strength. His soft brown hair and clear grey eyes, paired with a lean, muscled body, conspired to heat her blood. She wondered that the lake wasn’t boiling around her.
The smooth cut of his snug trousers revealed thick muscles and the jacket he wore cradled his broad shoulders nicely before fastening firmly down his stomach. The wind was so soft here in the middle of the trees that there was hardly a breeze to stir the tails of his coat. Sunlight pierced the trees just enough to reflect off the sword he held at the ready. He tracked the wolf swimming around her, his body tense as if prepared to leap in and defend her.
An irrational surge of anger rose inside Loupe. She squashed it immediately. Anger was not an emotion she could afford to have, not when the wolf inside her constantly waited for an opportunity to escape. Thus far, Loupe had been able to hold it inside except during the full moon, but she was certain that too much of the wrong emotion could tip the scales in the monster’s favor.
“Not all wolves are dangerous,” she said, finally managing to get herself under control. “It’s only when they’ve been mistreated, or threatened, that they are forced to defend themselves.” The irony of her words was not lost on her.
The man’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at her with renewed interest. He glanced back at the wolf swimming around her, seeming to contemplate the beast for a moment. Finally, he sheathed the sword at his side. “You’re right,” he agreed. “Wolves are not dangerous by nature. Forgive my assumption.” His gaze moved to something behind her and Loupe couldn’t help but grin as she heard three splashes. Ap
parently the pups had decided to join her after all.
“You have quite a family going here,” the man commented.
Loupe started to nod, but the poke of a tiny claw in the middle of her back startled her. She yelped and almost stood up. Remembering her nudity just in time to keep from baring herself to the stranger, she stayed low in the water.
“Um, if you wouldn’t mind turning around?” she asked lightly, trying to ignore the increasing heat in her cheeks.
Her embarrassment was mollified as the man’s cheeks also flushed.
“Oh! My apologies, yes, of course.” He gave her his back.
After only a second of hesitation, Loupe climbed out of the lake and went to where her clean clothes were bundled. Drying herself quickly with the small towel she’d brought, she kept her eyes firmly on the ground. Only when she was dressed did she raise her gaze to the stranger.
“Thank you, monsieur…?”
The man turned around. “Mon dieu, forgive my manners.” He strode over to her. “I am Etienne. Etienne Philippe.”
Loupe’s lips parted in a little ‘O’ of surprise, her eyes widening. “Y-you…you’re Prince Etienne.”
Smiling in what was likely meant to be a reassuring manner, he took her hand in his and bent to kiss it. “At your service, mademoiselle.”
She nearly fainted. The prince of Sanguenay had caught her bathing in the woods, swimming with wolves. She struggled to think of something intelligent to say.
“And your name, mon belle?”
“Loupe,” she answered immediately. She blushed, mentally kicking herself. He raised his eyebrows.
“Loupe?” She straightened her spine, prepared to defend herself, but he quickly added, “What a beautiful name.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled. She started to back away. “I must be going home now. My stepmother will worry.”
“Allow me to walk you home.”
“No!”
Etienne’s eyebrows shot up. Loupe shuffled around, her gaze looking anywhere but at his face. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Forgive me, your highness.”
She turned, trying to force her heart to slow its racing. She eyed the wolf pups still swimming around in the lake then walked around to the part of the bank closest to them.
Trying to ignore the way Etienne was staring at her, she leaned over and patted her thighs.
“All right, that’s enough bathtime. Come on, let’s get you tucked in.”
The larger wolf once again took her hint, herding the pups out of the water. Loupe smiled and ruffled their fur as they trotted past her. Even as she pet the little furballs, she couldn’t help but be aware of the prince watching her every move. She was so distracted by Etienne’s presence that she forgot what came next.
“Oh!”
She raised her hands as all four wolves shook their fur dry. Water flew through the air, soaking her skirts. Loupe sighed as they finished, staring down at her wet garments in resignation.
“I suppose I deserved that.”
A chuckle drew her attention and she was surprised when she looked up to find Etienne standing right next to her.
“How long have you been caring for these pups? They are quite fond of you.”
Loupe looked away, not wanting Etienne to see the guilt in her eyes. “Since they lost their mother a few months ago.”
If Etienne noticed the dull tone in her voice, he didn’t show it. “It pleases me to see such care. Unfortunately, there are those among my subjects who disagree with my family’s protection of wolves. It’s refreshing to see someone who not only brings them no harm, but actively cares for them as well.”
Loupe couldn’t meet his eyes. She scratched at her arms, trying to rid herself of the lingering sensation of dried blood. The water had washed it away, but she swore she could still feel it. The prince would not be treating her so kindly if he knew what she’d been doing this morning.
Shaking off that unpleasant thought, Loupe concentrated on herding the pups back under the bushes. Etienne’s arm brushed hers as he helped her hide their den with leaves and branches. The simple touch of his body against hers sent a jolt of heat up her arm and Loupe jerked away.
“I’m sorry,” Etienne said softly, his brow furrowed. “I was only trying to help.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Loupe murmured. “I just…I guess I’m just a little jumpy.”
“Please let me walk you home,” Etienne coaxed. “I would be remiss if I did not give a kind maiden like yourself a proper escort through the woods.”
Loupe had never wanted to say yes more in her life. Any woman in the kingdom would have sacrificed her right arm to have the prince walk her home. To perhaps curry his favor, garner more attention. Loupe closed her eyes. But then, she wasn’t like most women.
You can’t have a relationship like that, she scolded herself. How would you explain to your husband that you had to vanish for an entire night once a month? Her skin grew cold. Worse, what if you changed while in bed with your husband? You could kill him. Or he could discover your secret and kill you.
And then there was her stepfamily. She daren’t bring Etienne anywhere near her conniving stepmother, to say nothing of the evidence of their crimes—all hidden in Loupe’s room.
As if the prince would have reason to enter my room…
“Loupe?”
The prince’s voice ripped her out of her thoughts. Loupe offered him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I really can’t impose. Goodbye.”
She dashed off before he could stop her.
Chapter 2
“Is everything all right, Your Grace?”
Etienne raised his head to face his coachman. “Everything is just fine, Maurice,” he assured his driver. “The sound was just a bird.”
“You were gone a long time.” Maurice lifted his cap and rubbed a hand over his balding head. “It sure sounded like a woman, sire.”
Gesturing at his muddied trousers, Etienne offered his coachmen a smooth, rueful grin. “You don’t have to tell me, Maurice. But take it from the man who traipsed into the woods in defense of a bird—there was no woman.”
Maurice chuckled. “Would you like me to take you back to the palace, sire?”
“No,” Etienne said, waving him off. “I’m sure the shopkeeper won’t mind a slightly disheveled prince. After all, if her shop were any more remote, she would be in the midst of the forest instead of merely at its edge. She must be used to her customers being somewhat less than tidy. Wait here, I’m sure I won’t be long.”
As he turned away from his coachman, Etienne couldn’t help thinking about Loupe. There wasn’t any real reason for him to lie to Maurice about the woman, but something inside him had pushed him to do it. Obviously that lake was private to the young woman. Not only did she feel safe bathing there, she had a small family of wolf pups she was keeping hidden. It would have been wrong to betray her confidence.
And, perhaps, you wanted to keep her spot a secret in case you decide to pay her a return visit.
Etienne’s mind drifted back to the moment he’d first seen her. For a second, he’d been certain he was imagining it. Surely no woman could be that beautiful? Her hair had trailed into the water behind her in a heavenly flow of golden yellow. Her skin had seemed so pale as to be made of ivory. With that golden blonde hair and those sparkling green eyes, she easily could have passed for a fey. Though, she wasn’t really tall enough for a member of the high court. He’d studied her after she’d gotten dressed and noted that she stood a good half a foot lower than his own five foot ten frame. So small, with such a delicate body.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he remembered the way the blood in his body had turned to molten lava as it flowed south below his belt. He should have averted his eyes as soon as he’d realized she was naked in the lake, should have allowed her the privacy to dress instead of carrying on a conversation with her while she huddled, nude, in the water. Though she had been even more beautiful when she blushed…
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br /> Someone bumped into him and Etienne turned. “Pardon me, monsieur,” he said politely.
The villager turned his face up and Etienne muffled a smile at the look of shock that passed over his face. Most of the village knew that the prince often came into town, but that didn’t appear to lessen their surprise if they actually ran into him. The man glanced from Etienne to the plain wooden coach beside them. The coach Etienne took into the village when he wished to be among his people was polished, but plain. Unlike some royal families, Etienne and his father believed that a fancy coach only presented a more appealing target for thieves and assassins. The same logic applied to the coachman, and Etienne knew that the older man was happier wearing his plain brown pants and shirt instead of the bright red uniforms of other royal coachmen.
Before Midnight (Book 1) (Blood Prince Series) Page 3