by Liz Davis
Stroking her hair softly, he asked, “So why were you afraid to tell me?”
Giving a shrug, she responded, “I don’t know. I was trying to avoid bad memories, I guess.”
Embracing her tighter, Takoda grabbed her hand so that their fingers laced together.
“Sorry I pressed you about it.”
“It’s okay.”
“So were you driving, or was it somebody else?”
“My ex-boyfriend was driving. He got drunk and ended up driving off of the road and slamming into a tree.”
His voice was laced with concern as he said, “I’m sorry that happened to you. You didn’t have any other major injuries, did you?”
“No other injuries, but I ended up having a miscarriage.”
Takoda stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. Now I feel bad about asking.”
“No need to feel bad about it, I needed to tell you. I don’t like keeping secrets from you, so I feel better now that I’ve told you.”
Lifting her hand up to his mouth, Takoda placed a soft kiss upon it. “Well thank you for telling me. I know it wasn’t easy for you to share, so I appreciate it.”
Grasping the sponge in his free hand, he rubbed it across her shoulders and down her back, making sure that every area of her skin was covered. Releasing a sigh of contentment, Lynn relaxed her body against his, feeling blissfully content beneath his pampering touch.
As her head rested against his strong chest, the memory of the dream she’d had last night suddenly came back to her. She didn’t know why she’d chosen to recall it now, but began to wonder if she’d somehow managed to tap into his dream. He’d told her that unusual things could happen as a result of him marking her, so she had to find out the importance and the meaning behind it.
“Takoda?”
“Yeah?”
“Who’s Ehawee?”
As the name passed her lips, she felt Takoda’s body shift uncomfortably against her.
“Where did you hear that name?”
“I had a dream last night, and you were in it.”
“Go on.”
“Well, in the dream you were kneeling over this dead wolf. Apparently something had attacked it, and I remember you crying because it was dead. Then you started calling out the name ‘Ehawee,’ so I guess that was the name of the wolf.”
Remaining quiet, he continued to rub the sponge against her back.
Lynn’s voice continued to fill the silence as she asked, “So I was just wondering, since you said we’re so closely connected now, and since I bear your mark, did I somehow manage to enter one of your dreams? Because it was really unusual, unlike any other dream I’ve ever had before.”
Takoda leaned his head back against the tile surrounding the bathtub, then gave a dry swallow.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” His voice was so low that she barely heard him.
Expelling a heavy sigh, he began to once again speak.
“Ehawee used to be my mate. She died five years ago.”
As he grew quiet behind her, she felt a sharp pang of sadness sweep through her heart. It was so strong it nearly felt like it was piercing her, and she suddenly realized that this emotion she was experiencing wasn’t coming from her, but from Takoda.
The mark he’d given her was allowing her to feel everything that he felt. The sadness he felt went deep, and it was obviously something he’d been carrying in his heart for a very long time. She strongly sensed how much love he’d had for Ehawee and the tender closeness that they had shared.
On one hand it made her feel more connected to him, being able to feel what he did, but the feelings he was holding inside of himself were also torturous. By bringing the dream up, she’d managed to unbury these strong feeling inside of him, and she suddenly regretted bringing the subject up at all.
“I’m sorry. Now I feel weird about sharing that dream with you.”
“No need to feel weird about it. It will happen from time to time, so don’t be worried.”
“Do you know what attacked her?”
“Two wolves that travelled in the pack we were in. They turned against us, and I tried to protect her, but they teamed up against me and pinned me down. Eventually I ended up killing the both of them, but as I was fighting them off, a third wolf joined in and attacked Ehawee.”
“What made them do such a thing?” she asked.
Giving a shrug, Takoda answered, “I’m not sure exactly, but I think a few of the other wolves were jealous that I had Ehawee. There was also a rumor going around that they didn’t like me being alpha wolf. They didn’t seem to turn against any of the other wolves in the pack, though, only me. It all happened in the blink of an eye. One minute she was there by my side, and then she was gone. By the time I found her, she was already dead. I made a grave mistake in not watching over her as closely as I should have. I’ll always regret that.”
Holding his hand tightly in hers she gave it a firm squeeze, silently expressing her sympathy.
As Takoda began to speak once again, she noticed that his voice had taken on a dangerous edge. “If anyone were to ever threaten your life, I’d go after them without a moment’s hesitation. I hope you know that you’ll always be protected.”
“Of course,” she softly replied.
“I also want you to know that you are everything I need and all that I want. I’ll always have a place in my heart for Ehawee, but you are the one with whom I share my life. You’re my mate, Lynn.”
Placing his hand beneath her chin, he tilted her head upwards so they could share a deep, passionate kiss. Once their lips parted, she turned her body around so that she was facing him and shifted into a kneeling position.
Grabbing the sponge from his hands she slid it along his wide shoulders and strong chest, moving it further down until it reached his groin. As it bumped against the space between his legs, his penis instantly grew hard, eagerly awaiting the bare touch of her hand.
Grabbing hold of the sponge, he tossed it aside and placed her hand upon him.
“Stroke me.” He spoke in a voice which was deepened by arousal.
Giving a seductive smile, she responded, “My pleasure.”
* * * *
The sound of Lynn’s heels echoed as she made her way through the lobby. She waved good-bye to the security guard at the front desk and then exited the building. As she swung the glass doors open, she was greeted by the pleasant evening air. After spending a whole day cooped up in the office, it felt nice to be out in the fresh air once again. The clouds were tinted pink from the setting sun, and a light breeze was blowing through the air.
As she approached her car, she pushed the button on her keyless remote and unlocked the doors. Once she was inside the car she turned the key in the ignition and started the car up, driving out of the parking lot and onto the main road which would take her home. As she was approaching the first stoplight, she decided to take an alternate route and turn off of the street she was currently travelling on.
As her car turned onto a less-used back road, she found herself admiring the tree-lined road. She preferred taking this quiet stretch of highway and found it to be far less stressful than driving along the busy streets with all of their stoplights. It gave her time to think and just enjoy the beauty of nature. As she drove along the road, Lynn found that her thoughts were constantly drawn to Takoda.
She’d received cute little text messages from him throughout the day, and while some of them were funny and sweet, others were deliciously erotic. With a smile on her face she recalled what her friend Gina had said to her as they ate their lunch in the company cafeteria.
“Girl, your skin is glowing. You must be getting that good stuff.”
She had, indeed, been getting some very good stuff. It wasn’t just their physical connection that she loved, it was also the conversations that they had. She felt like she could talk to Takoda about anything, and he was always sensitive to her needs and desires.
As a melodic ringtone filled the air, Lynn’s eyes were drawn to her cell phone. She’d just lifted her eyes to look back at the road when
she saw a man suddenly appear in the road. He appeared so suddenly that she didn’t even have time to slow down, so all she could was swerve sharply to the right so that she would avoid him.
Her tires made a screeching noise as she drove off the road and straight into a ditch. As the bumper of her car connected with an unyielding object, a loud bang sounded through the air. Her body pitched forward from the force of the abrupt stop and she released a cry of fear.
She sat frozen in place for a few moments, and then finally she turned the key in the ignition to see if the car would start up. As the engine came to life, she put her car into reverse and then slammed her foot on the gas. The tires spun a few times, kicking mud up around her windows, but the car itself refused to move.
Releasing a frustrated breath, she turned off the ignition. Then she reached for her purse, which was lying on the floor in front of the passenger seat. She had the number of a towing company plugged into her phone for emergencies, so after finding it in the address book she pressed the call button and waited for it to connect. It only rang once before the call dropped off, prompting her to call once again. The phone rang a few times and then she heard a click, followed by dead silence.
Furrowing her brow in confusion, she loudly spoke into the receiver, “Hello? If anyone is there, please say something. I’m in trouble. I need help.”
Receiving no response from the other end, Lynn pressed the call end button and then tried dialing Takoda. The phone only rang once before she the line clicked and then she heard the terrible silence again, causing her to end the call and throw the phone back into her purse. Beginning to panic, she wondered why her phone was getting such a lousy signal. She’d driven many times along this road before, and not once had her phone reception been so terrible.
She made one last effort to dial the towing company, but it still proved to be unsuccessful, so she flipped the phone closed and put it back into her purse.
Rubbing the soreness in the back of her neck, she began to wonder about who the man was that had been standing out in the middle of the road. He had to be some sort of crazy maniac, or perhaps he was suicidal, because who else would do such a thing?
She hadn’t gotten that good a look at his face, but she did manage to notice that he’d had a creepy smile on his face. The memory of it caused the little hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end, and her eyes suddenly darted to the rearview mirror. Peering into the growing darkness, she tried to see if she could spot the strange man anywhere out there, but the nose of her car was tilted downward so there really wasn’t much she could see from this angle.
Taking a few moments to think things over, she contemplated getting out of the car to try and flag down some help. Yet the more she thought about it, she realized that probably wasn’t the best idea. What if she got into the car with some nutcase, what would she do then? Her only other choice was to walk down the road. She’d noticed a number of dinky little stores along the way and figured she could at least use the phone at one of them. She’d have to move fast though, because dusk was quickly retreating. That freak who’d been standing in the road was probably out there somewhere, and she didn’t know who he was, but she was certain he was dangerous. A person crazy enough to stand in front of a moving car had to be, no doubt about it.
Apprehension filled her body as she opened the door and stepped out of the car. After grabbing the keys from the ignition, she slipped the strap of her purse over her shoulder and closed the door behind her. Luckily the ditch was fairly shallow, so she was able to scramble up out of it without too much trouble. As she reached the top of the ditch, she stepped onto the pavement, turning her head to the left to see if she could spot any cars coming. Seeing none, she began to walk down the lonely road.
As she was making her way along the pavement, an old, beat-up Cadillac began to slow beside her. Turning her head to look at the car, she saw that a man was driving. He had on a black leather jacket and a cowboy hat. The brim of it was drawn down low across his eyes, and as she stared into his face she instantly got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Hey pretty lady. You need a ride?” His lips pulled back into a wide grin.
With a shake of her head she replied, “No thanks.”
The stranger’s car continued to follow her for a few moments and then it finally took off, leaving behind a cloud of smoke in its wake.
Once his car was down the road she felt an immediate sense of relief. There’d been something very strange about him, and although he was out of her sight, she still felt unsettled by the memory of his presence.
After walking for what seemed like forever, she finally reached a seedy little establishment located by the side of the road. The neon sign announced that she’d reached Joe’s Place.
“Good eats and great drinks,” it said in a smaller script beneath the name. She put her heels back on before entering the bar and then opened the door. As she walked in, she was accosted by smoke and the strong smell of cigarettes. Walking over to the bar area, she approached a waitress with cherry-red hair and a sleeve of tattoos.
“Excuse me, but do you guys have a phone I can use? My car is stuck in a ditch and I need to call for help.”
The waitress gave her such a prolonged stare that Lynn didn’t think she was going to answer. Finally, the woman managed to mumble a few words.
“You can make a call over there.” She gestured toward a pay phone in the back of the bar, located next to the restrooms.
“Thanks.” As Lynn headed to the back of the bar, she was keenly aware of the numerous pairs of eyes which followed her path.
She dug some change out of her purse and then picked up the receiver to dial the towing company. After giving them the location of the bar, the man on the other end of the line told her it would take 40 minutes for them to arrive. After hanging up, she slipped another quarter into the pay phone slot and called Takoda. The phone rang twice before he picked up.
“Hello?”
As the sound of his voice floated through the receiver, she instantly began to feel better.
“Hey sweetie, it’s Lynn.”
“Lynn, where are you? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for the past hour, but every time I call, your phone just rings and rings. What’s going on?”
“I had a little accident. I lost control of my car and drove it into a ditch. I’m okay, though.”
“Are you sure?” Takoda’s voice was laced with anxiety.
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
“I knew something was wrong. I could feel it. Where are you right now? I hear loud music in the background.”
“I’m in a bar.”
“What’s the name of it? I’m driving out there right now.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. It’s okay.”
“I do have to. You’ve been in an accident, and I can tell you’re shaken up. I’m not going to leave you out there all alone at some bar along the road. Now what’s the location?”
“It’s called Joe’s Place.”
“Okay, I know that spot. I’ve passed by it a few times. Just sit tight and don’t leave, okay? I was just finishing up a painting job, so it shouldn’t take longer than half an hour to drive out there, maybe twenty minutes if I really gun it. Wait for me, all right?”
“Okay, I will.”
“Wait, what if I need to call you? I can ring you back at this pay phone, right?”
Glancing at the slip of white paper above the keypad she read the numbers off to him. “You got that?” she asked, as she finished calling out the numbers.
“Yep, I just plugged it into my phone. I’m on my way right now. See you soo
n, okay?”
“’Okay, see you.” She placed the phone into its cradle and then headed over to the bar.
Still feeling unsettled, Lynn decided to order a carbonated drink in hopes that it would settle her stomach. As the tattooed waitress approached her, she took out her pad and asked, “What can I get ya?” Her eyes were green and lined thickly in kohl.
“A ginger ale, please.”
As the barmaid prepared her drink, Lynn kept her eyes peeled upon the TV. She wasn’t particularly interested in what was on the screen, but she could sense that several of the men sitting in the bar were staring at her. It was making her feel very uncomfortable and she needed to something to focus on, so she pretended to be engrossed by what was showing on TV. Once the barmaid was finished fixing her drink she brought it over to Lynn and set it down in front of her. She’d just barely taken a sip when she heard the sound of somebody approaching.
“Mind if I take this seat?” came a man’s voice from behind her.
“Go ahead,” she answered without making any eye contact.
Ice cubes clinked as he sat his glass down on the bar, and she could feel his eyes intently scanning her face.
“My name is Dex, what’s yours?”
Lynn remained quiet and took a large sip of her drink.
Discouraged by her silence, he asked, “Come here often?”
“Nope.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t need to. You’re probably too good to hang out in places like this.”
She gave a shrug and then mumbled, “I guess.”
“Looks like you’re on your way home from work.”
“Yep.” She used the little red straw in her glass to stir around the ice cubes.
Her eyes remained fixed upon the TV, hoping to send the message that she wasn’t interested in talking with him.
“You need a ride or something? I saw you walking along the road out there. A pretty lady like you don’t need to be walking anywhere.”
Turning her gaze toward him, she realized it was the same man who’d tried to pick her up as she walked along the road. As she stared into the stranger’s eyes, his lips pulled into a grin, and she felt the hairs along the back of her neck stand on end.