Demon Wolf

by Bonnie Vanak

  “Call me Robyn. My sister had one. She was enslaved in Egypt, but I freed her.”

  “Recently?” Maybe this woman could help her.

  “About 2,500 years ago. Slave to a cruel Egyptian noble.” At Keira’s startled look, she grinned. “I’m much older than I look.”

  “How did you free her?”

  “I used my influence. Cats were worshipped by the Egyptians so I had a little chat with the pharaoh. He freed her.”

  No pharaohs could free Keira from her demons. Despair set in as they reached a closed door with a shiny brass nameplate that read Lieutenant Commander Dale Curtis.

  Robyn squeezed her hand again. “Go on. He can be a bear at times, but he does things for the right reasons. He’s a good, honorable leader. We need him back the way he was. I’ve seen the changes in him because of you. Help him.”

  A tremendous balloon of anger and resentment deflated. This wasn’t merely about her and how he’d mistreated her.

  Mouth wobbling, she nodded. “Thanks.”

  Keira went inside and shut the door behind her.

  The office was large, with a conference table and ten chairs to her left, and an enormous hand-carved wood desk to her right. A matching credenza lined with papers, books and a few photos sat beneath a window behind the desk.

  A long leather sofa and two matching chairs made up a sitting area in the back, with a polished table in front of the furniture. Behind the sitting area was a door.

  Dale was perched on the sofa, a silver tea service and two delicate china cups before him. He stood. “Keira, please join me.”

  So civilized for a brutal beast, she thought. Arms wrapped around her waist, she sat at the sofa’s head, watching him through narrowed eyes.

  “Are you all right?” he quietly asked.

  Nodding, she watched him pour amber liquid into a china cup. Dale handed her a saucer. “Chamomile tea laced with honey. Nothing else, I promise.”

  Keira took it and sipped, feeling the warmth slide down her throat. Silence hung between them for a moment. Gradually the tension squeezing her chest eased.

  He set down his teacup. Legs spread wide, Dale braced his hands on his knees and looked at her straight in the eye.

  “I owe you an explanation.”

  She tensed, and the armband around her biceps gently squeezed, a reminder of her predicament. Can’t leave, as much as I want to. I put myself in this man’s hands and until he releases me from our agreement, I’m trapped, just as I was with the Centurions. Except they didn’t break my heart....

  She glanced at his face and the brief sorrow in his eyes gave her pause.

  “I did not mean for you to get hurt, but what was done was necessary, and I take full blame.”

  “Go on.”

  He picked up his cup and took a sip. “I have nearly two hundred men and women under me, and I’m responsible for their welfare and protection on this base. If one so much as sneezes, I know. It’s my duty as commander to protect the safety of the men and women on this compound.”

  “You thought I was a demon and wanted my blood.”

  “I didn’t know what you were, and that unknown factor risked the lives of my staff.” He set down the cup, his gaze serious. “I felt myself drawing close to you. You’re an integral part of my life and a potential threat to this team because of that relationship.”

  A shadow drew over his expression. “When you pointed out Melissa’s true origins, I realized what kind of threat existed. Melissa was thoroughly checked out because of my position, but not for...dangerous paranormal powers.”

  “She’s a chimp, not a demon.”

  “A moot point. I failed to thoroughly investigate her background and vowed never to fail again. That’s why I brought you here for an examination.”

  “Thanks a lot. Had a real swell time. It was better than a day at Disney.”

  Unsmiling, he regarded her. “If you were a demon, and gained access to this base because of me, you held the power to destroy lives and relay secrets.”

  She rubbed the armband. “Your goons would have stopped me.”

  “SEALs,” he corrected. “They were under my orders to keep you guarded, and prevent you from leaving. I apologize if they acted rough.”

  “I’ve had worse.”

  “So I understand.” Sympathy filled his gaze. Tensing, she wondered what the hell he’d discovered.

  I’m still sitting here, in one piece so he can’t know I’m the demon wolf he wants....

  “Thad informed me you have traces of powerful demon blood in your system, but you have an equally strong will and have been fighting it. He informed me you attacked him, in self-defense and could have easily killed him. I understand you’ve suffered greatly.”

  The atmosphere grew thick with tension. Keira shrugged to diffuse it.

  “I believe you were infused with this demon blood by the same ones who killed your parents.”

  A huge knot unwound in her stomach. True enough. She nodded.

  “It takes a strong woman to survive a demon attack,” he said softly. “I remember, I met such a female...once...long ago....”

  He pressed fingers to his temple. “Never mind. What I am telling you, Keira, is that I know my actions were hurtful to you. I am sorry for upsetting you, but I won’t apologize for doing it because the safety and welfare of my team will always come first. No matter how important a woman is to me.”

  Dale stared at a small, burnt hole in the wall behind the sofa. “Because of you, I’ve begun to heal. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve broken the trust you put in me, but hope to regain it.”

  Jaw set like granite, he looked as if he’d been carved from ice. Suddenly she realized there was a bigger issue here. Much bigger, one he refused to share.

  “Dale, what aren’t you telling me?”

  He rubbed a hand over his face.

  “You say you want to regain my trust. Then tell me what’s really wrong.”

  His big shoulders turned rigid and he shook his head. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. I’m not one of your staff. You don’t have to pretend or keep up appearances with me. Damn it, I helped you heal, saw the darkness inside you.” Keira struggled with a tangle of emotions. “I would never betray your confidence. I want to help.”

  Silence hovered in the air a moment. She waited.

  When he spoke his voice dropped to a bare whisper. “I’m losing control.”

  “No...”

  “Yes.” The shuttered look dropped from his expression and he looked stark and haunted. “I’ve had doubts about leading my team. Doubts that haven’t left, doubts I never had until my captivity in the basement. I’ve been a SEAL for years. Learned to push past the pain and endure, but the torture in the basement... It left me a damnable, whimpering mess, a shell of a man.”

  Ice coated her veins. She waited.

  “My greatest concern isn’t me, it’s my men and my ability to lead them. Every morning I push my physical limits to show them I’m strong, while inside, I still feel like an empty shell. Weak and ineffective. They know it, too.”

  He glanced at the hole in the wall. “That damage is from my powers. I lost my temper with Ensign Lees and nearly hit her with an energy bolt.”

  Stunned, she looked at the neat, round hole. “Well, you didn’t. And after meeting her in person, I daresay she can take care of herself.”

  “Yes. But my staff continues treating me as if I’m the battered, beaten man Shay and Kelly found in the basement. When they get overly solicitous, it’s frustrating. You’re the only one who doesn’t treat me like a helpless victim, as if I’ll fall apart any moment.” He paused. “Until I find the damn demons who imprisoned me, I’ll never fully be able to move forward and be the man I once was, the commander they respected and need to guide them.”

  Breath caught in her throat. Dale was strong, but it took an even stronger man to admit to vulnerability.

  Maybe she healed the darkness in his soul, b
ut he still needed to heal from the trauma in the basement.

  All along, she’d been selfish, only calculating how she could wrench free from the Centurions and finally gain freedom. Bigger issues were at stake.

  She’d been so imprisoned by her own pain that she’d failed to see the bigger picture. Dale wasn’t self-centered. He worried because everything he did directly impacted others under his command. The man could not even have a relationship without wondering if the woman was going to turn into a chimp...or a demon wolf, and endanger his men.

  Keira chose her words with care. “You’re a good and honorable man, even if your methods are questionable. I don’t like what you did, but I do understand your motives. You’re doing this for your team.”

  Maybe the concept of teamwork had benefits. She’d only seen the negatives.

  She looked him straight in the eye. “You’re not weak. Far from it. You’re enormously strong and courageous. An ordinary man would have surrendered and let the demon darkness defeat him. You didn’t.” She took a deep breath. “I’ll help you continue to recover.”

  Dale did not speak for a moment, only continued to study her. Finally his shoulders eased slightly. “Thank you.”

  “It will cost you.” The ghost of a smile touched her mouth. “More sessions with the crystals and two entire nights of watching any chick flick I want.”

  “Deal. I’m a SEAL. I can take such torment.” He smiled and walked over to her, dropping beside her on the sofa.

  The tantalizing scent of him wound around her senses. So close. She leaned away.

  “Don’t be afraid of me, Keira. I won’t harm you.”

  I’m not afraid of what you’ll do. More scared of what I’ll do.

  “I’ve begun to care for you, Keira. Not as a patient for a healer, but as a man cares for a woman.” He took her hand. “You’re beginning to mean a great deal to me. That’s one reason why I needed you thoroughly checked out by Thad.”

  He stroked a thumb over the tips of her fingers. “You had claws.”

  Her stomach roiled. “They come out when I feel threatened. I shift sometimes.”

  Dale frowned. “Into a wolf?”

  She looked at him and shrugged, hoping he couldn’t hear her pounding heart. “Not a wolf like you think. I’ll tell you more later.”

  He frowned and pressed a finger to his temple.

  “You okay?”

  “Damn headaches. I get them when a memory starts to return.”

  “Then don’t think about the past,” she told him, clutching his hand. “You’re strong. We will find those Centurions and you’ll be able to move on.”

  A tremor raced down her spine as he slowly stroked a thumb across her knuckles. Erudite Dale enjoyed classical music, but also commanded an equally powerful military force. Never had she encountered such strength.

  She’d wanted to siphon that strength and use it to break the chains of her captivity. How utterly selfish. Keira thought of the shining hope in Robyn’s eyes, the solemn pride of Dale’s SEALs and the trust they put in him.

  You will heal from the trauma, she silently promised. If it takes the last ounce of my white light, you’ll become the man your team needs.

  “Oh, he thoroughly checked me out,” she added when she remembered what he’d said earlier. “Must admit, when he came toward me with that probe thingie, I thought I was being abducted by aliens for secret experiments. But then you hit me in the butt with that needle and everything turned nice and dark and forgetful.”

  A rueful look crossed his face. “It was a regrettable choice. I’ve been wanting close contact with your pretty little bottom for a while, but not with a dart gun.”

  Flushing at the implication she lowered her gaze. Dale tipped her chin up with a finger. “Look at me, Keira. From now on, no more secrets between us. Nothing but honesty.”

  So close. His full mouth hovered near hers. Slowly, she closed her eyes and felt his lips soft upon hers. Such a gentle, sweet kiss. Her mouth parted and he pressed closer, not pressuring, a subtle invitation to a closer dance.

  So patient. SEALs were quite patient, she remembered reading. And persistent.

  Dale waited for a cue.

  She needed to touch him, needed this connection, a physical touch to anchor her to a future filled with possibilities instead of a bleak past. Keira’s tongue darted out and traced his lower lip.

  Groaning, he cupped the back of her head and drew her closer. His mouth moved over hers, teasing and coaxing. Oh, she never guessed the sweet power of a kiss, how it could turn her into a melting puddle of sheer want.

  When they pulled apart, her ragged pants filled the air. His pupils darkened, nearly overcoming the slate-gray irises. His hot, hungry look equaled the frantic racing of her heart.

  That look promised they would be lovers....

  “We’d better stop before the admiral gets here and accuses me of testing out a new kind of therapy.”

  Keira touched her flushed cheeks. “Oh, damn. Is there a way I can cool down? Have a bucket of ice handy, or a walk-in freezer?”

  Dale looked amused. “The bathroom’s through that door. Go freshen up.”

  As she started off the sofa, he pulled her down for another, lingering kiss. But this time, his hand reached around and gave a gentle squeeze to her bottom.

  She playfully slapped his hand away. “Not so fast, sailor.”

  “Just checking to make sure I didn’t hurt you too badly with the dart gun.” His sheepish grin melted her all over again, making him look adorably contrite, like a boy caught stealing cookies from the jar.

  “I barely felt it,” she told him, and then went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

  But as she splashed her face with cold water and then stared at the mirror, she had the sinking feeling Dale could hurt her much worse if he accidentally discovered the truth.

  She would tell him tonight.

  No matter what.

  Chapter 19

  All during dinner, Keira wrestled with one burning question. How could she confess her secret to this man?

  The lamb chops were tender and succulent, the vegetables tasty and crisp. With his help, she’d prepared a perfect meal. They’d laughed and talked about everything that didn’t matter, from reality television shows to her weakness for chocolate.

  They’d talked about everything except her origins and his torture.

  Together, they cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. Then Keira glanced into the dark backyard.

  “Let’s go outside. I need to tell you something.”

  An inscrutable look crossed his face. “I need to show you something.”

  A cool breeze caressed her neck and teased her dress hem as they stood on the deck. Keira looked up at the cloudless night sky studded with tiny stars. Fairy lights, she thought dimly, and a pang of sharp sorrow pierced her.

  Gripping the railing she stared at the grassy yard, the forest stretching beyond the wood fence protecting his property. “You asked about my origins. I’m a Celestial Hunter. A wolf.”

  She felt him join her, felt his intense focus upon her. “I’ve never heard of that type of wolf.”

  “My people are...” Extinct. “Quite rare. We live in packs that rove from country to country, seeking privacy so we can shift and run wild.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before, sweetheart?”

  Gentleness laced his voice, the endearment causing her throat to clog with emotion. “Because I am a wolf, but not any wolf.”

  Hands clammy, she rubbed them against her skirt. Sweat beaded her forehead, trickled down her back, gathering in the waistband of the pretty mint-green panties she’d chosen out of pure desperation, a feminine defense for this night.

  The night when he’d surely take his revenge.

  Images flashed before her... Dale, chained to the platform, begging her to stop, screaming at her to stop. But she could not, her claws gouging into flesh, cutting deep into muscle and sinew...the stench o
f his blood making her beast grow wilder and more feral....

  Keira squeezed her eyes shut and dug her nails into her palms. “I’m the woman who hurt you so badly.”

  A heartbeat of silence. Another. Breathe, just breathe.

  She opened her eyes, only to see confusion clouding his eyes. He winced, and pressed a hand to his forehead. “Damn. Another headache. Where the hell are these coming from?”

  From the mind spell the Centurions implanted deep inside your brain. Somehow, she must cajole him into pushing past the pain and remembering.

  “When you were tortured by a demon wolf who shifted into a woman...” She choked back a sob. “That woman was me.”

  Would he remember and react? Or was the memory too deeply buried? Torn between wanting his memory to return and keeping her secret, she reached out and ran her nails down his strong left biceps.

  The biceps she’d carved into ribbons...

  But he didn’t even flinch. Dale simply kept studying her, as if she were a long-lost acquaintance he couldn’t quite place.

  Frowning, he pressed his fingers to his head. “There was a woman, a tall blonde woman, thin, she wore bright red lipstick.” Dale’s mouth flattened. “That’s the woman who tortured me.”

  Stricken, she stared. He’d just described Melissa, his ex-girlfriend. The memory spell planted in his mind by the Centurions was extrapolating the image of his girlfriend and substituting it for whatever memories Dale had of Keira in the basement.

  For nearly three weeks she’d worked up the courage for this moment. And it proved fruitless.

  The only way he’d remember was the Celestial pendant. Back in the basement when she’d been in human form after torturing him as a wolf, when the demons left Dale alone to regain consciousness, she had sewn it into his flesh as protection, the sacred pendant among her people being the only item capable of avoiding her killing bite.

  Once Dale touched the pendant, it would trigger all lost memories, demon spell or not.

  “You’re not the demon wolf who hurt me, Keira. You’re the woman who saved me,” he said quietly.

  She opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed a finger against her lips. “Please. Let me speak now. I have something to show you. And damn, it’s taking all my nerve to do this.”