Arkadia (Halfway House Series Book 1)

by Dzintra Sullivan

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw a movement, low and fast, most likely a raccoon, and continued to walk. Again she saw a movement, and every hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Being a witch, Arkadia wasn’t used to feeling threatened. Hell she was the most popular girl in school. Wait … scratch that. As of a few days ago, everything had changed. Arkadia knew she was far from popular; those she thought were friends turned and ran like mice caught in a cattery. Arkadia was quickly learning the only person she could rely on was herself, and that all the pretty clothes and fabulous shoes didn’t make her worthwhile, or valuable as a person. Arkadia felt a soft glow radiate from her heart as she reconnected with herself. SNAP. A twig broke just a few feet in front of her. It was darker than usual due to the new moon phase. It was like walking with your eyes shut with visibility only about four feet, and that was being generous, but what she saw next, stopped her dead in her tracks. Only a couple of feet away from her was a set of glowing yellow eyes, and attached to those eyes was the biggest brown wolf she had ever seen. His fur was the color of deep rich honey, and if fear wasn’t threatening to stop her heart immediately, she may have taken the time to admire how it almost floated in the breeze.

  The wolf in all its glory growled at Arkadia, taking two steps forward low to the ground in a striking stalk. “Good puppy,” said Arkadia in a light and friendly voice that hid the pure terror presently running through her veins. She knew enough about wolves not to run, but she couldn’t help herself from taking a step backward. As Arkadia’s foot hit the pavement in a backward movement, a growl was released from behind her. She promptly spun around, her eyes widening by the second, as she focused upon the second largest wolf she had ever seen.

  Standing sideways trying to keep both of the large beasts in her view, Arkadia said nervously, “Nice puppies, pretttttyyyy puppies, goooood puppies.” Her hands were extended trying to keep them calm as to not attack her.

  Arkadia’s breath was suddenly expelled from her body in a whoosh as her mouth dropped open. “Holy Shit!!” Arkadia whispered as the first of the wolves shimmered and wavered as he took human form. A fully-naked human form was revealed, which this werewolf didn’t seem to mind sharing. Arkadia was a few seconds away from needing new underwear to make any references to how well the wolf was hung.

  “You’re a wolf?” Arkadia asked softly, still not sure what was happening. Her body screamed at her to stay alert; this was far from a friendly visit.

  “And you’re a witch that is drawing far too much attention to our kind,” the werewolf said, his voice low and powerful, a rumbling that she could feel in her bones. “

  “Our??” Arkadia questioned.

  “Once questions are asked about the existence of witches, we all are in jeopardy of being exposed,” he answered. A deep frown ran across his face as Arkadia still didn’t seem to get what he was saying, so he decided to dumb it down for her. “My name is Butch. I am an Alpha male werewolf, and this is my pack.” As Butch waved his hand back in a smooth gesture, another twelve wolves appeared to come out of the darkness, waiting in wolf form for orders from Butch. Their soft growls and whines made Arkadia very nervous.

  “What do you want with me?” Arkadia asked, her eyes darting from wolf to wolf, becoming aware that she might never make it home. These wolves looked pissed and hungry.

  “What do we want, boys? What do we want?” Butch turned to the wolves and asked them, striding back and forth as an uproar of howls and growls reached her ears. It was almost deafening for a few seconds as they all apparently had an opinion on Arkadia. “They,” Butch swept his arm to include the entire pack of wolves lining the edge of the trees, “want your blood.” Arkadia gasped and frantically looked for an impossible escape route. “I, however, firstly want you to stop bringing the attention to the paras. We wolves have no intention of outing you, but you in turn can’t out us,” Butch spoke clearly as Arkadia took another step back and bumped into a very large and very naked man who she guessed was the second wolf she saw.

  “That’s Cris, and he will be your restrainer this evening.” As Butch spoke, Cris grabbed Arkadia from behind, holding her to his chest in a very tight bear hug. Even in this time of grave peril, the irony of getting a bear hug from a wolf was not lost on Arkadia. Cris’s huge, muscular arms tightened painfully around her torso. To prevent her from casting any spells, at least for a few more minutes, he squeezed her tightly, making sure the air had escaped her lungs. “No one questions a wolf attack; think about it. YOU kill a bitch and drain her of oxygen, BEEP BEEP BEEP, sending warning bells to the authorities, STUPID!!! A wolf bites some random chick’s throat out on a cold dark night, no one says anything. It’s called a food chain, and you’re about to become the latest link.” Butch stepped forward showing Arkadia that he had partially shifted his muzzle back to wolf form, flashing an evil grin full of shiny wolf teeth in his mouth. “This will only hurt for a second.”

  Arkadia’s blood turned to ice as she let out a heart-stopping scream.

  Time seemed to slow down to a snail’s pace when she felt Butch sink his teeth into her shoulder. She could hear her flesh being invaded and torn as he ripped a section of her skin away. Arkadia watched in disbelief. There’s no pain? Obviously, shock had well and truly set in, and the pain would kick in very soon. Arkadia’s green eyes widened in horror as she gazed upon Butch’s face, her blood dripping from his chin, and a sparkle of pleasure in his eyes. Butch lifted his chin and howled to his pack that immediately returned the wolf cry. He looked at Cris over her shoulder, and gave him a nod and a wink.

  Cris leaned in to whisper in Arkadia’s ear. “Ready, sugar lips?” His hot breath on her neck was bringing back some sensation, and she was starting to feel the pain of a gaping wound bleeding openly from her shoulder. Holy Shit, I think I am going to die tonight. As Arkadia made this realization, the wind began to pick up, hitting her face in waves, getting harder and harder. The sound of a deep whoop, whoop, whoop accompanied the waves, and her hair flicked from side to side. It was like a mini tornado was about drop from the sky. Cris, Butch, and Arkadia all looked up at the same time, expecting to see a massive wind storm. Well, it was massive, alright, but it wasn’t a storm. The sound was from the beating wings of a ginormous black dragon descending from the sky, and from the look on his face, he was mighty pissed off.

  Landing behind her and Cris, Arkadia felt the thump of the dragon’s weight on the pavement. The werewolf that had been holding her released her without warning, letting her body slump suddenly to her knees. Her lungs desperate for breath, she braced her body with her one good arm, and hung her head down, waiting for enough oxygen to re-enter her bloodstream so she could see straight again.

  A muffled yell behind her made Arkadia look up a little, wishing she hadn’t as Cris’s head rolled along the road. It had been ripped clean off his shoulders and tossed to the side like a half-eaten apple core. Not knowing how much more her mind and body was going to be able to take, Arkadia scrambled back on her hands and knees, wincing at the pain radiating through her shoulder; her only thought was to get away from the fight that was happening all around her.

  Arkadia settled her back against a tree and peered up, holding her one now limp arm with the good arm for support; she was breathing heavy, and in disbelief of what her eyes were showing her. Only a few feet from where she sat was Cris’s dead body, slumped in an awkward pose, where the dragon had tossed it, minus the head, of course; it was last seen rolling south along Cragmire street. A small shiver ran up her spine, not because the werewolf had gone and lost his head, but because she was realizing how close she had come to losing her own.

  A massive flash caught her eye, then she heard a bloodcurdling howl as two of the werewolves took off for the forest, flames lighting up their fur. Who ordered the hotdogs to go? Arkadia chuckled softly. She was watching a dragon, YES, a dragon, fight a pack of wolves.

  With her hand pressed hard against her shoulder trying to stem the flow of blood,
she knew she needed to do something to stop the bleeding. Her brain struggled to find the right healing spell as she watched the ongoing fight; there was only one wolf left, Butch. He was standing his ground while the rest of his furry crew had tucked tail and headed for the woods. The dragon stood a glorious ten feet tall, Arkadia guessed, and his wingspan would be that again. His scales looked to be made of polished onyx, glittering and catching the light. He looked spectacular. A few white scales on his chest were the only variation to his black as night appearance. Lifting his massive jaw, the dragon roared at Butch so deeply Arkadia could feel it rumble through her butt on the ground. His wings were at full width, and he appeared to almost shimmer with pure power. Butch looked over to Arkadia and yelled, “Keep your mouth shut, bitch, or next time we will make sure your PET won’t be there to save you.” Butch shivered as he returned to his wolf form and loped off into the woods to find the rest of his pack.

  Arkadia took this as a moment of self-preservation to cast a quick healing spell; she was not one for hospitals, and this was the next best thing. Closing her eyes she whispered to herself.

  “Spirit … Earth … Air … Wind …Fire …

  By the power of all five,

  Knit and weave and fix my wound,

  I just need to stay alive.”

  Arkadia could feel a heat beginning to radiate from her shoulder. She hoped she had cast the right spell and it wasn’t a searing heat to warn her that her arm was about to drop off. Opening one eye to peer at her shoulder, she could see the skin beginning to close. Arkadia smiled. It was working; a spell she actually cast was working. It was burning like a Boy Scout campfire, but as long as it was working, she knew she could handle it.

  Lifting her head, she gasped. Not a foot away from her stood the dragon, watching her with his deep brown eyes. He had tucked in his wings, and seemed to be waiting for Arkadia to say something to him.

  The only dragon Arkadia knew was Bohdan, but she had never seen him in dragon form. She didn’t know if this particular dragon was Bohdan, or some other random dragon that just happened to jump to rescue a damsel in distress. Arkadia was also unsure that IF this was in fact Bohdan, he might not know her in dragon form. Meanwhile, the dragon sat and waited while she pondered the situation. He almost seemed to have a wry grin on his face, and Arkadia didn’t know dragons could smile, but this one was certainly grinning.

  Pushing herself up to a standing position against the tree, her shoulder burning as it healed, she took a tentative step toward the dragon that was almost twice her height. “Bohdan?” she softly asked. The dragon snorted with a nod. “Do you recognize me?” she asked as she took another step forward. Again, the dragon snorted with a nod. Getting closer to the dragon, Arkadia reached out her hand, feeling somewhat confident that she was safe, and that this was in fact her Bohdan. The dragon leaned out with his muzzle and put it under her hand, letting her feel the top of his head. Arkadia rubbed his muzzle softly. Walking closer to him now, she watched his eyes close in pleasure as she laid her head against his, wrapping her good arm around his neck and whispering, “Thank you for saving my life, Bohdan.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Bohdan, still in his glorious dragon form, whimpered and nudged her shoulder gently. Arkadia didn’t need words to understand he was concerned about her injury. “It’s healing, Bohdan, I did my witchy thang.” She smiled at him, her hand rubbing the scales down his long black neck. Arkadia was surprised at how soft his scales were, having expected them to be hard and ridged like a pineapple skin, and was intoxicated with the softness as she let her fingers run lightly across his neck. Bohdan leaned into her touch, a low soft rumble emanating from his belly. Arkadia laughed. “You’re like a big old cat, give you a nice pat and you’re anyone’s.” With a snort and a nudge, Bohdan pushed Arkadia toward his back. “What is it, Lassie? Timmy stuck down a well?” As Arkadia chuckled, Bohdan raised his dragon eyebrow and snorted, playfully raising his head as if not talking to her anymore.

  “Oh, I am sorry, you big, dangerous, ferocious beast. Better?” Arkadia teased, running her fingers across the tip of his wing. Bohdan shivered with the pleasure of her touch, but still his head remained raised. Arkadia stepped closer. Her body now leaned against his shoulder, her arms rubbing his chest. She looked up and fluttered her eyelashes at him, and spoke with a soft and sultry tone to her voice, low and sexy, “Would you rather I call you My Sexy Beast?”

  Quick as a heartbeat, Bohdan lowered his head under Arkadia’s butt and lifted her to his back. A squeal of excitement was all he heard as he extended his wings and took off. Arkadia held on for dear life, trying to get her head around the fact that she was on a dragon’s back. She was riding a dragon; she was riding BOHDAN!!!! Feeling the wind whip around her hair, she tried not to choke him as she had her arms tightly wrapped around his strong neck. Arkadia had no idea where he was headed, but if truth was told, she didn’t care as long as she was with him.

  Despite it being late at night, Arkadia could see she was being taken into Algonquin Park; it seemed to be only seconds as the dragon flies, and they landed in a small clearing. Catching her breath, she slid off Bohdan’s back. Playfully smacking his butt, Arkadia said, “Little warning next time, please. It’s not like I am an experienced dragon rider.” As she looked around, she noticed Bohdan had brought her to the base of a waterfall. The soft sound of cascading water was beautiful and calming, and the small lake at its base was peaceful and inviting. The magical mist the waterfall tossed up fell like snow to the waiting moss-covered rocks and ferns. Crickets and frogs sang in search of their mates. Arkadia raised her head swiftly as a large brown owl hooted loudly, locking his large, piercing yellow eyes on her.

  “Oh, Bohdan, this is beautiful,” she sighed and turned to look at him. “OH …You’re back … I mean the dragon is gone … You’re dressed … well, jeans at least … oh crap …” Feeling a deep blush rise up her cheeks, she took a deep breath to relax, and she smiled and tried again. “Hi, Bohdan.” He chuckled low and rumbly.

  “This is my special place.” He swept his hand outward to encompass the cleared area. “I cleared it out, and I come here when I need some space, or I need to think. There is a cave behind the waterfall. I keep some spare clothes in there just in case, but no one has ever been here, ever, until now.” He walked toward her, his dark eyes taking on a hooded look of seduction.

  “I felt your fear, Arkadia, that’s yet another sign of you being mine. I FELT your fear. I had to find you. I was so afraid of what I might have …” he trailed off, lowering his eyes as he swallowed hard. Arkadia wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his rock-hard chest. She could hear his heart pounding like a steam train, wondering if that was a dragon thing.

  “I am okay, Bohdan, a bit shaken, but I am okay, thanks to you,” she whispered into his chest.

  “I am sorry if my dragon scared you. He will never hurt you; he feels the same about you as I do.” Bohdan rested his chin on the top of her head, his arms engulfing her small frame, every instinct of his screaming MINE! MINE! MINE!

  “I wasn’t scared, surprised sure, a little concerned that your dragon wouldn’t recognize me, but not scared,” she replied.

  “I am glad, Arkadia, because I am as much the dragon as I am the man,” Bohdan said.

  Pulling slightly back so she could look into his eyes, a cheeky wry grin crept across her face. “Bohdan? Can I ask you a question?”

  He warily nodded. “Anything.”

  Arkadia nervously swallowed before she asked, “How is it EXACTLY you and the dragon feel about me?”

  Bohdan smiled. “That’s easy, Arkadia; we both are wholeheartedly in love with you.”

  With those words still dancing around Arkadia’s head, Bohdan raised his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb lightly rubbing her cheek, and his fingertips winding back into her soft silky mane. Bohdan tilted her head up as he lowered his lips to hers, first a soft brush across them. A moment of pure energy sparked between
their connected lips, making Arkadia tingle and squirm with pleasure. Bohdan pulled back slightly to make sure this is what Arkadia wanted. She smiled and slipped her hand into his dark curls, pulling him back down for a deeper kiss. Pressing her body hard against his, her nipples pebbling as they rubbed on his chest, it was easy to feel she had woken up more than his dragon.

  Arkadia couldn’t get close enough to Bohdan. When he reached around to cup her buttocks, their tongues dancing together, he let out a low growl deep from his chest that resonated through her very soul. It was at this precise moment she knew she was lost to him. The low belly rumble woke her up inside, a light came on in the deepest, darkest corners of her mind, and a sudden feeling of completeness enveloped her. It was an alien feeling, something she never knew existed, but now having found it with Bohdan, she knew without it she would surely die.

  Placing her hands on his bare chest, his nipples were hard against her palms. Arkadia pulled back from the kiss. Her breath was raspy as she slowly ran her hands across his abs. His skin was so smooth and soft, yet only slightly beneath the surface it felt like rock. The tip of her finger ran the defined line from his hip bone down to where it disappeared into his jeans, a soft murmur escaping her lips at where it ended. His chest was inhaling large amounts of air at a time.

  “Your touch sets me on fire, Arkadia,” he growled as he pulled her hard against him. “Be careful how much gasoline you throw on it as a raging forest fire is hard to control once lit.” Arkadia looked up at him, his eyes filled with intensity.

  “Have you ever had someone make you lose control yet?” She knew she was snooping, but if she was going to fall in love with him, she had to know how many there were before her. Bohdan growled again, and again, it made Arkadia squirm with small electric shocks.