Going Nowhere 1 Howling in the Moonlight

by Brenda Bryce

  Shaking off her sudden fright, she cleared her throat and answered him. I’m coming, hold your horses. She decided as she headed out the doggy door that she would have him teach her all pertinent lessons to survive, and then she would go back home.

  Speaking of home, she began when she had a thought.

  Who was speaking of home?

  I was. Did you happen to call the sheriff and let him know your itinerary, or did we just become fugitives?

  I called him en route. He wasn’t happy, but he, unlike you, knows where we are. He expects us back in a few days.

  Kyle was sitting at the edge of a large porch. Lannie could see everything it seemed. Beyond the porch was what might be considered a yard in the civilized world, but here in the boonies, well, she decided it was part of nature. The grass was tall, like it hadn’t been mowed in forever, and beyond the shoulder-high-to-a-wolf grass was forest. Not forest like in her small town, but Amazon jungle forest. If a gorilla jumped out of the surrounding trees, it wouldn’t surprise her at all.

  However, Kyle was headed into that gorilla-teaming forest, and he expected her to follow him into the jaws of death. She contemplated just staying on the porch, but he would probably nag her until she caved and went with him. Lannie jumped off the porch in an attempt to forestall his griping, tripped -- it’s hard to figure out how to land on four feet instead of two even though she had practiced off the couch -- and followed the tail that was just entering the tree line.

  * * * * *

  “She’s not here.” A dark voice muttered. He tried the door. Locked. The scent of the woman was old and stale. “Where is she?”

  Banging on the door in anger, he dragged his elongated nails down the door leaving deep furrows in the wood. Turning, he leapt away from the house and followed the trail towards his enemy’s house. Again, only emptiness and stale scents were there to greet him, not the beings he wanted.

  Angered, he stomped away from the male’s house and stormed back toward the female’s, cussing the whole way. He had left his car there. She had no right to mate with the usurper. She would pay, but until he knew where she was, he could do nothing. Damn the luck. He could use an outlet for the churning feelings. He was too good to throw temper tantrums. No, he got mad, and he got dangerous. A tendril of a scent whispered in his direction from the trail ahead, and he grinned evilly. Lucky for him, there seemed to be a lowly human available for him to vent his frustrations on. Young, male, and in the prime of his life, the victim wouldn’t know what hit him until too late.

  Running, he caught up with the young man and leapt upon his back, knocking him to the ground.

  Kicking and yelling in anger and fright, the younger man fought back, but was no match for him. At first, he only beat the human with hands and fists. The pummeling continued no matter how hard the young man tried to block the blows. The older man breathed heavily and watched with humor as astonishment crossed his victim’s face, at which point he attacked with nails and teeth. He could feel the skin tearing beneath his assault. Just before shock set in on the younger man, he savagely ripped the human’s arm off, and before he passed out from blood loss, he let the dying man look into the face of the monster that was killing him. Oh, the fright he saw on his face.

  The creature stood and looked down at what was left of his victim. He felt immensely better. Much more relaxed. He had blood covering him from head to toe, and he was going to sport some interesting bruises come morning, but they would be gone in less than twenty-four hours. The dead human was in much worse shape. He was taking up a significant section of trail, and a leg was peeking out of the bushes. He might have been young and mortal, but still he had been one hell of a scrapper.

  Giving only a minor thought to his entertaining opponent, he returned his thoughts to his predominant fixation. The woman and the alpha. Where could they have gone? Was the female with the alpha, and if so, how could he separate them? He needed them apart. If he had to kill her, he would. Anything to reach his ultimate goal. He was meant for greatness, and he would achieve it. Not just taking over the pack, but the humans needed a strong leader, too. Nothing and no one was going to stop him from achieving that goal.

  “Oh, well, nothing good ever came easy, did it?” he muttered as he picked up the severed head and headed for a nearby lake to wash the bits and blood of his victim from his body.

  Chapter Seven

  Lannie followed Kyle further and deeper into the forest. They were on the path that led to his favorite spot on this mountain, but it first meandered around trees, shrubs, and everywhere else. It didn’t have a straight section at all, as far as he knew, and it never had. Small animals made chittering, chirping, and scuffling sounds all around them, and he could hear her muttering quietly, speaking sternly with herself to keep from leaping and barking at every sound. He would have smiled if he could. He knew how she felt. Each noise caused her heart to jump and her tail to stick straight out and her ears to twitch. He still fought those urges.

  Hey, Kyle.

  Yes?

  It’s actually kind of fun being a wolf ... so far. I’m guessing I am a werewolf now, right?

  That’s right.

  She tilted her head to the side, thinking it over for a second or two. So, am I going to have to lock myself up every full moon so I don’t change and run around harassing villagers and eating their livestock?

  You watch too much television, Lannie, Kyle grumbled, shaking his wolfen head.

  Well, I have to ask questions, don’t I? I mean, I need to know if I’m going to need special things now that I’m this way, so I don’t get run out of town by hunters with silver bullets on my tail. Lannie laughed. My tail, get it?

  She was becoming hysterical. He could sense it building within her, and the need to do something about it swept over him in waves. Her understanding and happiness was paramount.

  Kyle glanced back at her -- she really did make a gorgeous wolf, so blond she looked winter-white, with brown edging just the tips of her ears -- and noticed her wild eyes. He stopped and waited for her to catch up with him, then rubbed his muzzle across her face and over her head.

  She took the comfort he offered, and leaned into his larger wolf body. I just want everything to be normal again. Every time I turn around anymore, something strange is happening.

  He wanted to hold her, but that was impossible in their present forms. Doing the best he could by rubbing his chin across her head and back, he waited patiently until she pulled away from him. I’ll teach you all you need to know, but you have to be patient. It’ll take time to learn everything. Can you hold out until we get to where we’re going?

  Lannie nodded. Where are we going?

  That’s a surprise. Come along now. He nudged her shoulder with his snout and they continued down the path.

  The sound of a waterfall reached them, and when they turned a bend in the path, they came upon a grassy area that was filled with a profusion of colorful flowers and a small waterfall that spilled into a blue pool.

  Oh, Kyle! It’s beautiful.

  He followed her into the glade and watched indulgently as she sniffed the flowers and lapped clumsily at the water.

  Be careful you don’t fall in. You haven’t learned to swim in this form yet.

  I’ll be careful.

  He let her play for several minutes, then called out to her. Lannie, you have been in this form long enough for the first time. Almost twelve hours have passed since you shifted, and you need to shift back now.

  She nodded. How?

  Kyle had been dreading this explanation. With good reason, too. You must accept me as your alpha and your mate.

  Staring at him, she spoke slowly. What do you mean?

  I mean that you have to submit to me.

  Submit how, exactly?

  Sexually, he stated firmly.

  Sexually? Kyle, I don’t acknowledge you as my mate in human form. Why would I do it in wolfen? And having sex for the first time as a wolf? Nope, don’t think s
o. Ain’t happening.

  I am your mate, Lannie. Everything about you tells me it is so. Not only the fact that your scent was right, but that you were turned at all. When we had the misunderstanding, I broke your skin with my teeth. I told you, the bite of a werewolf can initiate the beginning of the genetic change. You have had the genetic code change since you left me, but since you didn’t change until last night, that proves without a doubt we are mated. It was my pheromones that completed the transformation. When Lannie would have argued, Kyle interrupted. Let me finish, please. I’m not happy about the situation myself.

  If you don’t want me, that’s fine, but how do I change back? She looked so hurt by his words, but he wasn’t sure why.

  I never said I didn’t want you. I want you more than I want air to breathe.

  In an exasperated tone, Lannie growled, But you just said that you didn’t like this, either. I heard you say it. She lay down, tail tucked under her, and curled into a ball.

  Kyle wrapped himself around her and ignored when she shivered. I never said I didn’t want you. I don’t like that you’ve been forced into the decision. You’ve had to deal with so much that you haven’t chosen, and I know this. I was hoping for time to make amends and reestablish our relationship back to what it should be before we completed the mating. Now that’s impossible because you must be returned to human form, and there is only one way to do that.

  If we do this, she started to say, then stopped to gather her thoughts. Have sex, I mean, what then? I’m not even sure that I can honestly consider you my husband. Even if only in my own mind. To me, I’m not married. Heck, I don’t even have a boyfriend.

  With an audible sniff, Kyle nudged her shoulder with his snout. It’s good to know that you don’t have a boyfriend, but we are mated. Essentially, I’m your boyfriend, if you need to label me, and we will be married legally just as soon as possible. As for returning to human, you have to take me into your body in a submissive position, stating without words that I’m your alpha, and in your mind believe that I’ll be the only one you shall ever be with. Know it, for it is truth. Never will you be with another. He waited until she looked into his eyes. I would kill any who tried to take you from me.

  Oh, great! Talk about King Butthead. I’m forced into a shotgun wedding without a wedding. Then skipping to the wedding night, I have to put out and swear that I’m stuck with you forever just to be human again. And on top of everything else, you threaten any future prospects I might have which might lead to my happiness.

  I am the only prospect that will lead to your happiness. Get used to it, he stated firmly.

  Even in the wolf body, Lannie was able to express her disbelief at his attitude. Get used to it? Get used to it? Get used to this! Talk about chauvinistic. Sheesh! She leapt to her multiple feet after a tiny stumble, lunged at him, bit him hard on the side, then strode away. I have decided being a dog isn’t that bad.

  Damn it, you bit me! Lannie, come back here. Kyle leapt to his own feet, without the stumble.

  Turning, Lannie glared at him. Why should I? What would it get me but sex I don’t wish for and a husband I don’t want? Would you agree to this scenario if it were put to you?

  I don’t know. I do know that you must return to human form.

  Or else what?

  Or else it will begin to hurt.

  Hurt? What will hurt? Lannie asked frantically. She hated pain, with a passion.

  Sighing, Kyle slowly approached her. This form isn’t your normal form. Genetically and mentally, you’re human, and your biology will try to return to its rightful physiology. But unless you complete the mating, your human genetic code and your wolfen genetic code will battle it out in your system and kill you.

  KILL ME?

  Yes. Kill you. Your body won’t be able to handle the internal struggle you’ll face.

  THAT SUCKS! Either put out or die! What the hell kind of choice is that? I should bite your ass again. Harder!

  Before Kyle could formulate a comment, she fired a real question at him.

  What does sex have to do with genetic coding? I don’t see how they correlate.

  Sperm affects the genes. But only a mate’s sperm will work. It’s the same thing that attracts me to you that enables my sperm to create the ability for you to shift forms.

  She breathed deeply, trying to calm down. I see. So what you’re saying is that we only have to do it once, and I’ll turn human again, and then I won’t have to see you anymore.

  Theoretically, I suppose. However, you would have to avoid any extreme emotions. Emoting is what changes you.

  Really? Then why didn’t I change when I was so mad at you in Nowhere? Hmm?

  Because it was me you were angry at.

  Lannie growled. What kind of man-thinking is that?

  You were angry with me, which caused me to become emotionally excited. I was near you, so my need for you and your anger caused my pheromones to kick in. Your system took in the pheromones and kept you from changing. At least, that is what our biologists have told us. Mates cannot change during an argument because they’re both excited. I think it has to do with a safety factor. You can’t hurt your mate accidentally because you changed.

  Circular thinking at its finest. You just said that to change, I had to be near your pheromones in the first place. Now you tell me that to not change I have to be near your pheromones. Make up your mind.

  Both are true. Until you are subjected to them, you won’t change. It is how my species has validated that they have their own mate and not another’s for millennia. Bride-stealing has been rendered worthless.

  She quit arguing. He had an answer for everything. Either he was full of it, or he was telling the truth.

  Oh, jeez. Okay, sex or die. I get it. So, let’s get on with it.

  The passion in your soul astounds me. With a deep sigh that Lannie suspected she was supposed to hear, Kyle approached her.

  Well, shoot! What do you expect? This whole situation stinks to high heaven. I can’t express my sheer gratitude at ever having met you. Let me tell you, that was the greatest day of my life. Lannie felt like crying, but in her present form was unable to.

  I do understand, and I vow to make it right, just as soon as you are in your human form again. I can’t allow you to procrastinate any longer. It’s too dangerous for you to continue to stall. The longest a newly changed female has lived without accepting her mate is seven days. First, though, she lived through agonizing pain. I would never allow you to even get that close to the pain I saw that female endure. The longer you wait, the worse it will get.

  Lannie was scared and confused. She had heard all the excuses, explanations, and dire warnings that she could handle for the time being. Having several more questions roiling around in her head, she knew that they would have to get back to them eventually, but for now, she wanted to be human again. Since there was only one way to do that, according to Kyle, she was going to have to submit sexually to him.

  How are we to go about this? I mean, I’ve watched the Discovery Channel and know some things about animal sex, but this is a little different. Is this going to hurt? I haven’t ever done this before, and doing it the first time like this is so not what I wanted. Lannie had never been so embarrassed. Talking about it was exceedingly difficult.

  Relax. Just relax, and I’ll do the rest. Remember, you have to know that I’ll be the only one. Ever.

  To be perfectly honest, that was the easiest thing for her to do out of this whole freaky situation. No matter how much she had tried to convince herself that she didn’t love, need, and want Kyle, she had never truly succeeded. She’d even tried going on a date, but she’d been so uncomfortable sitting next to the man in a dark theater. He had tried to hold her hand and flinching on a first date tends to eliminate any chance of a second.

  He nudged Lannie into a standing position and rubbed his muzzle on hers. She knew that he was trying to reassure her, but she was extremely nervous. She’d never gone any furthe
r than petting before, and her gynecologist had assured her that her hymen was still intact. She had been worried about having sex in the normal human way, because she hated pain. Doing it for the first time in this form, well, that was enough to shake her right out of her fur.

  She responded to the gentle touches and nudges that Kyle was giving her, and her beastly body seemed to know what to do instinctively. Lannie closed her eyes and thought about how her life was going to change, again, because of this one man. Sure, she had wanted to spend her life with him, loving him, and having his children. But he was too forceful, too demanding. Heck, he was too everything, and trust was still an issue.

  She tried to ignore what he was doing, but the nip he gave her ear and the scrape of his paw against her back caused her to shiver in anticipation and a little bit of fear. She tried thinking soothing thoughts and felt him slowly filling her body, and her breath caught. He pressed deeper and deeper, and she forced herself to stay very still through the tingling itchy sensation that encompassed her entire body, then the slight pinch. The fullness and pressure actually caused her body to tingle. When he pulled from her, she gasped. The sensation was electric. He pressed in, and the air left her lungs. It felt so good, she could feel her eyes crossing. Lannie felt him bite her on the shoulder. He had always gone for her neck; this time the sharpness of his teeth made all the previous kisses seem like child’s play. This -- this was erotic. Her entire body tightened, and she fought for breath. Waves of heat caressed her skin, and her stomach clenched. The tide washed over her and a groan slipped from her lips.

  Being on hands and knees, she could feel but not see him as he held her hips tightly and continued to press into her over and over. Deeper and deeper, until she could feel him in her very heart. Heat radiated from where they joined and spread throughout her entire body. It was too much. Unprepared for the white-hot light that exploded in her mind, she fell to the ground in a semi-swoon, dragging Kyle with her.

  When the world ceased spinning and her breathing returned to almost normal, she felt Kyle lying over her back. He had his weight on his forearms, so he wasn’t crushing her into the soft grass. She could see the dark hair that covered the strong arm of the man above her, and she thought that it was a sexy arm indeed.