by T. S. Ryder
“You should eat,” he said, ignoring her question as he lifted his fork and devoured some eggs.
“I’m not hungry,” Agatha said.
“Well, I’m starving. Let’s eat and then I’ll explain everything.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
They ate quickly, but it still felt like the longest fifteen minutes of Agatha’s life. Her brain was running around in circles. She had too many questions and no answers. She didn’t taste the food as she ate it. She just mechanically put the food into her mouth and watched Henry as he ate every last bite.
Finally, his meal was done and he drank from his refilled water glass. Agatha stared at him as she tried to control her fidgeting. This was driving her crazy, how long was she expected to just sit here and wait?
“Let’s take a drive,” Henry finally said. “I have something I want to show you.”
They walked to the car in silence, but Henry was never very far from her. His arm kept bumping against hers as he guided her towards his car. This was madness. This was torture. She was caught in the middle of something and no one would give her any answers. She was in danger and the only thing she could do was follow Henry around like some pathetic little duckling. She couldn’t take it. She was going to run or scream or maybe even run away while screaming. They were back at the car. He opened her door and his hand found that place on the small of her back that made her shiver.
“Are you a Werewolf?” She demanded once Henry was seated behind the wheel.
“Yes,” he sighed.
Everything went quiet. Her ears were ringing and that word “yes” kept bounding about in her head. She sat back as Henry pulled out of the parking lot and started on the road up to the bluff. It took her a moment to realize where they were going. The Crane mansion sat atop the bluff. Henry was taking her to his home.
“It’s a curse,” he said as they took the winding road up and up. On the other side of Henry was a shearing cliff side that fell to the ocean. Below them, the white waves were crashing against the shore. The woods to her right were thick, dark and dangerous looking.
“It’s passed down from father to child. My father has it, I have it and Marcus has it. It manifests when puberty hits. At first, the transformation is dangerous and uncontrollable. On my thirteenth birthday, I was pulled from my school and sent to a private home in the Alps owned by my family. It was high up in the mountains, only accessible by dangerous passes and helicopter. It was far away from any people I might accidentally hurt. It took me three years to finally understand and control my ability to shift.
“I learned about Marcus when I turned twenty-five. My father was dead by then and he had never mentioned an illegitimate son. But Marcus had proof of his claims. Not only could he shift, but he had proof that my father had given him money in the past. I thought at first he wanted more money, but it was more complicated than that.”
They were at the Crane mansion. The huge, gothic building loomed in front of them. It was built from a gray stone and styled like a German castle. There was a recessed archway for the entryway and huge windows with bright and detailed stained glass. The east and west wings were defined by two tall towers that speared the sky.
As they pulled up, a butler hurried out of the house and took the keys as Henry stepped out of the car. Another opened Agatha’s door and she avoided eye contact with them as she stood in the shadow of the old house.
Henry’s hand was on the small of her back again and he guided her inside. She only got a glimpse of his house before turning down a dark hallway and hurrying past stone statues that watched them from recessed alcoves. They walked up a stairwell covered in a lush, deep red carpet. They made a left and went up even more stairs. Finally, they were on a landing and Henry stopped at a huge, out-of-place looking steel door. There was an electronic keypad next to it. He entered a long series of numbers and the door slid open.
He stepped through the door first and held his hand out to her. She took it and allowed him to guide her through the doorway before he closed the door behind her. Inside, there was a spiral staircase and he led the way as they walked up it. At the top of the stairs was a thick, wooden door with an electronic panel next to it. He placed his hand on the panel and after a moment, a lock clicked. Giving her a backward glance, he pushed that door open as well.
The circular room at the top of the tower was bare except for a small wooden table. On top of that table was an old and thick book. When she looked at it, Agatha forgot all about Henry standing next to her. She forgot about the wolves and the things she had just learned. The only thing that existed was that book.
Chapter Six
Without meaning to, she took a step towards it and then another. She went to move a third time, but Henry gently took her by the upper arm and held her back.
“It’s the Rauðskinna,” he said, his voice low and hushed. “The Book of Power. It’s an ancient book of black magic. It’s filled with spells and potions recipes, methods to see the future and secret ways to kill your enemies. It’s a thing of dangerous darkness. If it fell into the wrong hands...” Henry Crane shuddered at the mere thought of that scenario. “This is where our power comes from. We can turn into powerful animals, but our curse is that we are saddled with protecting this book.”
She hadn’t even realized she was straining against his hold until he finally took a step forward, which allowed her to get closer to the book. She felt drawn to it like it was her opposing magnet. For a moment, she thought she could hear a low humming come from the book. At first, the words written in an elegant hand in dark ink, were nothing but gibberish, but after a moment, it came into focus.
The Book of Power, Devoted To Controlling The Dark Father Of Sin. Behold, all of the answers to all of your questions are held inside.
“This is what Marcus wants,” Agatha said. Her voice sounded dreamy and far away. She had no idea how she knew this information, but she knew it to be true. “Why now?” She asked turning to face him.
“My father left Marcus an inheritance in his will, it should have lasted him a long time. It should have lasted his entire life if he had managed it well. He didn’t. He spent it all and then showed up last week demanding more. He seemed so lost and angry. I thought by telling him about the book it might offer him some sense of purpose or give him some guidance. After all, he is part of my family. It is where our ability to shape-shift comes from.
Once he heard about it, he became obsessed with the power held inside. He thinks it holds the solutions to all of his problems, but he doesn’t understand. The book gives with one hand and takes with the other. Nothing is free, there are always consequences.” He shook his head and crossed his arms. Outside the day was growing long. “He told me that if I didn’t give him the book, he would make the people I care about suffer. He started with you. But after our fight last night and the talk in the diner this afternoon, I think he’s done asking nicely.”
“Why don’t you just destroy it?”
“No one knows how to. Fire doesn’t burn it, water doesn’t obscure it. We can’t get rid of it. I left it on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific. But when I woke up the next morning, there it was, sitting in bed next to me. It is our curse. We are saddled with it. But I can’t let Marcus have it. He’s so angry about everything; about my father abandoning him, about having to figure out what he is and how to control it on his own. He could hurt a lot of people with this book.”
Agatha reached out with her fingers to touch the book. She was sure that Henry was going to stop her. Any moment he was going to reach out and grab her hand before she could make contact. But he didn’t. Her outstretched fingers grazed the cover of the book. The material felt almost like leather, but not quite.
“You never answered my question,” she said as she let her hand fall.
“What question?” He asked.
She turned to face him. “Why me?”
Darkness was falling outside. It was twil
ight now. The sky was a bruised blue and purple. Clouds were gathering above them as a storm was brewing.
“Did you really have no idea?” He asked. Before she knew it, his hand was taking hers. His skin was warm and she let his hands envelope hers. “I thought I was... I thought it was obvious.”
“What was obvious?” She asked. She was looking into his dark eyes. They were suddenly very close, but still not close enough.
“That I liked you.”
“What?” She asked. “When did you ever...”
“That morning we had breakfast with that German company. And we were both getting coffee at the same time. Don’t you remember? I looked over at you and you looked back.”
Agatha’s mouth fell open and then it turned into a smile. “I had no idea,” she said. “I was so nervous just from being near you. I was trying hard not to spill anything on myself. Is that what you think flirting is? Giving someone a look over coffee?” She couldn’t help but tease him. He was so important and powerful. How was it possible he didn’t know how to talk to women?
He shrugged his shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. Then he leaned forward and she closed her eyes as his lips met hers. His kiss was chaste at first. Nothing more than a gentle press of his lips against hers. But she wanted him. She parted her lips and he responded. His arms came up around her and he pulled her flush against him, as their kiss deepened.
She had forgotten where she was and who he was. The two of them were all that existed in that moment. His tongue was dancing with hers and his hands were caressing her back and then daring to go lower.
He grabbed her ass and half lifted her off the ground. She gently bit his lower lip and he growled in response. He spun them around and pushed her against the cold wall. Pinning her arms on either side of her head, Henry pressed his forehead against hers. They were both out of breath, but she wanted more. As she leaned forward, her lips crashed against his.
His body pushed against hers, but it wasn’t enough. Her arms were still held by him so she lifted her legs up off the ground and wrapped them around his waist. She could feel him pressing against her and yes, oh yes. They were going to do this here and now. She had never wanted anything more.
The howl of a wolf ripped them apart. In an instant, her legs were back on the ground and Henry released her arms before spinning around to protect her from what might be coming. She took several deep breaths and tried to recover from the hard right turn they had taken. One moment they had been all over each other and now they were preparing for battle.
Henry grabbed his cell phone and dialed quickly. “Mr. Stevens, has the staff left?” He waited for a moment, listening to the answer. But he wasn’t standing still. He was loosening his tie and then he was unbuttoning his coat and taking it off.
As much as she wished it were, she knew this wasn’t for her. He was getting ready for something else, something she wasn’t sure she was ready to see. “Thank you, and have a good night.”
“Is everyone gone?” Agatha asked and her voice came out a whisper.
“Yes,” Henry responded. “Stevens lives on the property, but I’ve told him to lock himself in for the night.”
The howl came again, closer this time as if it were just outside. Agatha whipped her head to the side as her body began to shake uncontrollably.
“Where is he?” She asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. In front of her, Henry lifted his shirt over his head and threw it to the side. He kicked off his shoes and stripped down to nothing but his black boxer-briefs.
“Can it get in here?” Agatha asked.
“There is little that can stop it,” he said. “Certainly not those doors.”
As if on cue, there was a loud banging from directly below them. The entire tower shuddered and the book on the table jumped. The pounding on the steel door became relentless. Something massive was hitting it over and over again. Finally, there was the horrible sound of metal squealing against metal. He had broken through.
Henry looked at her over his shoulder. He said nothing but gave her a long, sad look. Then he began to change. With a violent yell, he fell forward on all fours.His legs and arms transforming into those of a wild beast. Bright white fur emerged from his back and spread over his body as his jaw jutted out and his teeth grew. Before her eyes, he turned from a handsome man to a terrifying animal.
Henry bared his teeth. He was on his haunches facing the door, growling and snapping his jaw. She could hear her own desperate gasps, tears slipping from her eyes. She pressed her back against the wall, trying to put more distance between herself and the stairs. She was so weak and powerless compared to these strange, magical beings. She wished she had a sword or a weapon or something to protect herself with.
Without warning, Marcus came bounding up the stairs and launched himself at Henry. The white wolf fought back, but Marcus, in his shaggy brown wolf form, was scrappy and fast. Before she was ready for it, they were nothing more than a fury of fur, teeth and claws. They were attacking each other and she could hear painful cries coming from both of them.
The animals separated, but continued to growl at each other. Marcus had blood trickling down his hind legs. Henry looked worse. There was blood pumping from his side and he was limping. They were circling and nipping at each other, searching for weaknesses. The room reeked of animal and blood.
She needed to help Henry, but how? How could she possibly help him? Then she heard it. Whispers, too quiet to be understood. They flowed just underneath the sounds of the fighting animals. They were calling to her, but from where? Suddenly, she saw the cover of the book open on its own.
Agatha gave one last look at the two animals who were circling and growling at each other. It was only a moment before they were at it again, biting and clawing. Using their fury as a distraction, she raced towards the book. It was huge, the pages were a thick tan parchment. How would she find what she needed? There were at least a thousand pages in front of her.
“How do I stop him?” She asked and the book responded. It opened in front of her, quickly flipping through hundreds of pages, somehow knowing to stop at the page she needed. Again the words first appeared as strange, unreadable symbols. But as she stared at them, they transferred to letters she understood.
She began to read. At first, her voice was halting as she struggled to speak the strange sounds of this ancient language. As she read, a wind picked up in the tower whipping her hair around her head like a deranged halo. And then the words weren’t bizarre or foreign. Somehow she knew them, it was as if she had spoken this ancient language every day of her life. Everything in front of her began to shimmer and shine. And then it wasn’t her reading the words, it was more like the words were using her voice to come out.
The wolves pulled away from each other and looked at Agatha. Marcus growled and lunged at her, but Henry was ready and he clamped his jaws on Marcus’ back leg, holding him in place as the words poured from Agatha’s mouth. She was speaking louder and louder, faster and faster. Marcus was desperate, his paws scrabbling on the floor as he struggled to free himself from Henry’s hold.
There was a wrenching, cracking sound as Marcus’ body began to seize up. He was fighting against it, but it was a losing battle. His limbs were locking and inch by inch the spell overtook his body. His legs locked, his gaping mouth was frozen mid-howl and then he stopped moving altogether. The spell worked, he was inert, a taxidermy wolf trapped forever in mid-lunge.
Henry finally opened his jaw and released Marcus’ leg. The wind stopped whipping, calmness fell over them and the spell was over. Agatha slumped down on the table, feeling suddenly more tired than she had ever felt in her life. She was drained and empty and very, very thirsty. Her eyes were closed and she did not see Henry change back into a man. From somewhere far away, she felt him lift her up and carry her past the frozen Marcus and down the spiral stairs.
“It’s alright,” he whispered to her. “It’s ok. You did it. You saved us. Just rest now.” She felt herself l
owered into a soft and warm bed. Henry was pulling away from her, but she couldn’t be separated from him. She needed his touch. She tugged on his arm and managed to open her eyes so she could look into his.
“Come and lie down with me,” she whispered. He nodded and slid between the sheets. He wrapped her up in his strong arms and Agatha rested against his warm chest. It felt so right being next to him. It felt perfect, it was where she belonged. Slowly she was coming back to earth. She still felt tired, but not as exhausted as she had. She was at least managing to keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds. She could feel his heart beating in his chest. Tilting her head up, she saw that he was looking down at her with his dark eyes. Henry leaned down and kissed her forehead. Smiling at him, she leaned in for a real kiss.
Their lips met like old friends. His kisses started light and teasing, but as they continued to touch each other those kisses grew in intensity. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on top of him. Agatha leaned forward and laid delicate kisses along his chest, touching his scars with her lips.
He groaned and held her tightly against him. She could feel how eager and ready he was. His hands slipped under her shirt and he pulled it off her, before unsnapping her bra in one smooth movement. The cold air of the night danced across her skin as his hands caressed her bare back.
She felt like she was falling into him. She was lost in his touch and his kiss. Henry easily flipped her over, so she was on her back. His hands unzipped her jeans, sliding them off of her. She grabbed at his shoulders, his chest and any part of him she could touch. She wanted him, she had never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him.
Agatha gasped and arched her back when he entered her. Rocking together, their bodies moved in a perfect rhythm. Closing her eyes, Agatha let herself go. She only existed in the moment, focusing on his touch and the way his breath caught in her ear when she whispered the word yes. She reached orgasm first, yelling out his name as she did. An excited Henry followed a few seconds later.