Lacing Shadows

by Tina Smith

  “Jesse! You might as well come out and talk to me! I know your secret!”

  He shifted.

  *

  Following his path with the beam of her flashlight, Asia watched as Jesse’s lanky form sauntered from behind a sign at the top of a short incline. One of his eyes was swollen half shut. Clearly, he was far from suicidal with his arrogant smirk. There had been a fifty-percent chance he had been manipulating her, but those odds hadn’t been enough to gamble on. She was furious with him, but she didn’t want to see him hurt.

  “I knew my girl wouldn’t let me down. Surprising as it is, I’m really glad you know. I wasn’t looking forward to all the…” Jesse shook jazz hands next to his face, and his voice took on a falsetto tone. “‘…oh noes, a werewolf!’ of having to explain what I am.”

  “No drama is my middle name, remember? So the big question I have is where do I fit into your wolfy thing? Were you planning to bite me or something? Make me your mate for life?”

  A minute twitch of his cheek told her she had hit closer to the target than he was comfortable with. Interesting.

  “I can’t believe you hid this from me all this time. Things might have been different if I had known.”

  Jesse froze a few yards away from Asia, watching her through narrowed eyes. Then he scanned the woods surrounding the parking lot. His nose wrinkled a few times, as if he were sniffing for signs of a trap. The only sounds were the rustle of leaves and the chirping of crickets. Asia flinched as a branch snapped.

  “Just a deer. Are you scared?” Jesse’s expression relaxed into his usual smile.

  “It is a little creepy out here, especially being all alone with a werewolf.”

  He closed the distance between them. “The politically correct term is spirit wolf, and I don’t think you’re afraid of me.”

  She shook her head and stuffed her hands into the pouch at the front of her hoodie. “Not of you, just of what’s supposed to happen next. The others—they didn’t tell me too much—just what they are, what you are, and what I could be. If I wanted it.” A shiver wracked Asia’s body. “Isn’t there someplace warmer we could talk?”

  “You’ll warm up soon enough.” Jesse was still holding himself back from her. Asia sensed his suspicion. “Why didn’t they try to recruit you? The female—she wants you. She’s been stalking you at night.”

  Resisting the urge to ask him how he knew that, Asia steered the conversation in a different direction. “They did. I said I had to sleep on it. Then when you called, I knew I had to come to you. Maybe we each saw the wolf spirit in the other, and that’s what brought us together. It was fate.” She stepped closer to him, close enough to touch him if she reached her hand forward.

  Before she could think of what else she could say to convince him she was ready to take their relationship to the next level, he swept her into his arms. His lips crashed into hers, and he crushed her body to his.

  She grabbed his ass and wound one leg around his thigh, sliding it upward. Her arms held his neck in a tight yoke, as she pressed her breasts against his chest.

  Jesse gripped her other leg and hiked her up, wrapping both legs around his waist. He rained frantic kisses over her face and throat, muffling words in between. “Oh God, Asia—I’ve been on my own for so long. I knew you were the right one. You’ll see—everything will be perfect.”

  “Whoa, wait? Right here?” She could feel his eagerness straining against his jeans. One of his hands had slipped into the back of her sweatpants.

  Squeezing her, he nuzzled her neck, panting. “No, you’re right. There’s no rush. We’ve waited this long. First things first. This way will be much more fun. Come on.”

  When Asia was settled back on her feet, Jesse took her hand and led her into the park. At first, they followed the path toward their picnic spot, but then he changed course, off the marked trail.

  “I’m so glad you came around on your own.” While they trekked through tall grasses and ducked under low-hanging branches, he wrapped his arm around Asia’s shoulders. She was glad for the warmth. “I was worried that I’d have to draw the wolf out of you kicking and screaming. I honestly didn’t want that.”

  She didn’t really want an explanation, but understood that it was probably better to know what he had planned if things hadn’t gone the way he wanted. “What do you mean exactly? How does this all work?”

  “They told you about their wolf line?”

  Asia nodded.

  “My former pack was linked to the line of Cain. Hunters, predators, athletes, warriors. While the Anubites rely on tricks and sneaking, we’re more straightforward.” Jesse stopped walking and pulled Asia to him, kissing her deeply. “I can’t wait to see you as my wolf mate.” He ran his hands up from her hips, over her breasts, until he cupped her face. “But don’t worry. When we make love, it will be as humans.” With a last kiss on her nose, he helped her over a log and continued up the mountain.

  “To bring out a Cain wolf, you need to embrace physical sensation. For Cainites, that usually means combat or the hunt. Intense physical pleasure can often do the trick. On the other hand, pain and extreme fear have the same effect. Like I said, glad we didn’t have to go there. Trust me when I tell you, the last way sucks.”

  That explained why Jesse had been so persistent in trying to get in Asia’s pants lately. “Is that how your wolf spirit came out? Someone hurt you?”

  “Yeah. Mainly my dad and brothers. My wolf spirit was more or less forced out of me. I only barely fit in with my pack, and that was because I’m a strong runner. But they never had much use for an artist in the family.”

  Asia’s mind was spinning. “Wait. Pain, pleasure, combat, or hunting. Are you planning… to hunt me?” She jerked to a stop.

  Jesse chuckled. “Come on, Asia. How would that bring out your wolf? It’s just the opposite. You’re going to hunt me.” He gazed at her with a glint in his eye that sent chills under her skin. “But, if you take too long to catch me, then I get to hunt you.”

  7.

  Worse than I thought.

  The thought played on a loop through Asia’s mind like a twisted mantra. But she had committed herself this far, so she had no choice but to let the situation play out to the end.

  He had gone on about his plans for how they would build a new pack and eventually force the jackals out of the area. Asia nodded and made non-committal noises of agreement as she took it all in.

  Eventually, they reached a plateau with a small clearing among the maples, birches, and aspens. The half-moon provided enough light to reveal what looked like a small mud hut at the far end of the clearing. With a hand on her lower back, he guided her to it.

  It was actually a small, canvas tent camouflaged with dirt and leaves. Jesse reached in and turned on a lantern. A couple of blankets and pillows, a large hiking pack, muddy boots, and some dirty clothes were shoved into one corner. In the center of the structure, a black pot contained a charcoal disk the diameter of a half dollar.

  Jesse must have seen the shock and confusion on Asia’s face. “After I left my former pack, I hitchhiked across country until I stopped here. I camped out in the park during the spring and summer. I had to keep moving the shelter to avoid the park rangers. But I realized I needed something more permanent before the cold weather set in. So I transferred to Chinook and between financial aid, loans, and some design work I do online, I’m bouncing back.”

  “That sounds… rough. And lonely.”

  “At first, I welcomed it. I was sick of always being bossed around by the higher-ranking members, which was literally everyone else in the pack. But after a while, yeah. There’s only so much solitude a guy can stand.”

  Trying to ignore the damp, musty odor thickening the air in the small space, Asia clasped Jesse’s hand. “You don’t have to worry about that now. Tell me what to do and then we can be together.”

  After releasing her hand, he dug in his pocket. Out came a lighter and a little baggie of dried leaves. />
  The scent of the leaves hit her before he opened the bag. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to get you high so I can take advantage of you.” He grinned. “Different lines use different herbs to decrease inhibitions, but I had to improvise. This was pretty much all I could get on short notice. It’ll help you relax.” He gestured for her to sit across from him, and then he joined her on the ground.

  Asia dropped clumsily to hide the trembling that had moved into her legs. She had thought she had things under control, but her hold on them slipped little by little. Be strong, girl. You can do this.

  He lit the disk and blew on the tiny flame that reduced to red and orange embers, which flickered through its core. Once he couldn’t hold it any longer, he placed it in the pot and emptied the baggie on top. Pungent smoke filled the tent.

  “Here’s where it gets exciting. I’m going to leave you for a while. As you breathe in the smoke, you’ll start to feel restless, like you have to run. Go with it. Give in to your senses and let the wolf take over. It will naturally want to track me. This will help.” Jesse plunged his fingers into his back pocket and withdrew a folded knife. He didn’t hesitate to slice across his palm.

  Leaning across the pot, he kissed Asia on the cheek. “Once you catch me, then you can do what you want with me.” Waggling his eyebrows, he slipped out of the tent.

  Asia listened to the sounds of his feet crunching through the brush outside until they receded to a deathly silence. Jesse’s blasé admission about his living conditions unsettled her, as she suspected it was supposed to. He was manipulating her, making her feel sorry for him. Still, it didn’t change the fact that he had a pitiful history. Guilt niggled at the base of her skull, but there was no turning back.

  She hugged herself, rocking forward and back, afraid not for the first time tonight. “Please, let this work the way it’s supposed to.”

  She closed her eyes and inhaled.

  *

  It shouldn’t be long now before the chase began. Jesse envisioned her swaying side to side as the cannabis loosened her muscles and silenced the human inhibitions that kept the wolf spirit at bay. The scent of blood would propel her toward him.

  It would be unfair of him to shift forms, so he remained on two legs. Heightened senses of hearing and smell, along with improved vision, would allow him to give her a satisfying chase. He wished he could watch—she was so graceful when she ran. For a brief second, Jesse worried that her injury from a couple of weeks ago might hinder her.

  To the east, light footsteps thumped along the path in the familiar rhythm of Asia’s gait.

  Jesse broke into a jog. The breeze picked up the scent of her nervous sweat and adrenaline. The footsteps slowed. She must be sniffing him out. He stifled a chuckle at how much of a natural she was. He’d made the perfect choice for once in his life.

  *

  Once Asia was ready to go after Jesse, she moved slowly, unsteady on her feet while still in the tent. She took the pot outside and scooped handfuls of dirt into it to smother the coal. Leaving her hoodie behind, she started weaving in the direction she thought she heard Jesse go.

  Each step made the trees spin around her until she finally closed her eyes. Bending to rest her hands on her knees, she sucked in lungfuls of air, hoping to clear the static from her mind. Instead, scents joined the mental din, something earthy and salty. A mineral tang wafted on the wind, but different from that of the lake water. Jesse’s blood.

  Tuning in, she could hear his feet trodding the earth. His breath was steady, but hard, as if he were climbing a hill. Asia trotted along the sensory trail he left behind.

  Although she wore only a thermal running shirt, her body warmed quickly. A layer of sweat coated her sides. As she dropped one foot in front of the other, she sensed the muscles tightening with each contraction and pulling with each stretch. Her own blood pumped fiercely, so loud she could hear the fluid rushing through her veins and arteries. The forest was suddenly brighter, and she could see obstacles in her path—shrubs, glowing eyes observing her from overhead, and the depressions in the ground where Jesse’s feet had passed moments before.

  After a few minutes, she realized he was zigzagging. Instinctively, she understood that he was trying to slow her down, tire her out. Instead of trailing directly behind him, she ran straight forward, to intercept him when he next veered left.

  She crouched behind a thick tree trunk. Jesse was close enough to see now. His hair was plastered to his head, yet he was grinning like a fool, thinking he was getting everything he wanted.

  When he was within twenty feet, she leaped from her hiding place. “Hah!”

  Jesse skidded and swerved, changing course and sprinting to get away from her.

  She pursued for a few minutes at her top speed, darting between trees, vaulting over rocks and stumps.

  Asia would not—could not—catch him, and they both knew it.

  She slowed and came to a stop, doubled over, panting, and heaving. Asia heard Jesse slow, stop, and laugh.

  “Good try. I bet you feel it now—the heightened senses, the exhilaration of racing through the night, and the rush of the hunt. You have about two seconds to catch your breath, and then I’ll show you how a real predator does it.”

  She shot a quick glance at him and then ran for all she was worth down toward the trail to the lake. Using her smaller, nimbler frame, she weaved and ducked under low branches to keep her lead. Once she reached the trail, Asia relinquished control of her muscles, letting gravity and instinct guide her over the familiar terrain. She hurtled down the hill with abandon, her stride lengthening until it seemed she was gliding over the earth, barely making contact with the ground.

  *

  Jesse was awestruck as his eyes tracked Asia’s descent. She couldn’t maintain that pace, especially downhill, for long, not without killing herself. Either she would slow down, afraid of losing control, or she would fall. He kept the pressure on, less than ten yards behind her.

  And then she tripped.

  *

  Asia felt herself go airborne.

  Automatically, she curled into a ball and rolled into the grass. Several years of cross-country training had taught her how to fall with minimal damage.

  Behind her, she heard Jesse’s sharp hiss of breath and could imagine his wince.

  Half a beat later the exclamation she was waiting for came. “Shit!”

  Panting, Asia got up and climbed back to where Jesse had run right into the snare Asim had set. Jesse sprawled on the ground, one ankle bound by a rope and the opposite wrist bound by another one.

  “Sorry to do that to you, Jess, but I wasn’t going to sit around while you mind controlled and manipulated me into being stuck with you for the rest of my life when I wasn’t even sure I wanted to date you anymore.”

  Asim bound Jesse’s hands and feet, and then hoisted him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “If you don’t keep still, I can just as easily drag you to where we’re going.”

  Jesse quit thrashing and bucking but continued a steady stream of malice that made it clear to Asia that she had done the right thing.

  8.

  As brilliant as it was, when Asia concocted her plan, Nati’s stomach had knotted. So many things could have gone wrong. Following Asia’s flight down the path, she cringed each time Jesse closed the gap between them. Then, when Asia faked her fall, Nati’s fingernails dug into her brother’s arm. Now that Jesse was restrained, her palms stopped sweating, and her shoulders relaxed.

  Asim carried Jesse to a small cave buried in the woods, in an off-trail part of the park. Tiki torches lit four corners of the space. Seated around a small fire, five jackals flanked Jiddo like statues. The petite elder wore a dark robe and a mask of Anubis. Next to him, a golden scale held a single hawk feather.

  Jesse was set down and forced to his knees across from Jiddo, the stone ring enclosing the fire between them. Nati’s grandfather sprinkled blue powder
over the flames until they flared. Blue smoke, smelling of pine and flowers, swirled through the cave. “Blue Lotus to invite the spirit of Anubis to join us.” Jiddo brushed the last specks of dust into the fire.

  “Young wolf, when you came to this territory, you were aware of our presence?”

  Jesse scowled.

  “And you must have known, as a former pack wolf, that the line of Anubis acts as arbiters of wolf law, yes?”

  Jesse glared at the dancing flames, tight-lipped.

  With the toe of his boot, Asim nudged their captive. “Answer and be respectful, loner.”

  Straining against his bonds, Jesse snapped at Asim. When the ropes held, he snarled an answer. “I knew all about you. Maybe you should pay closer attention to who’s living under your noses.”

  Nati, standing behind Jiddo, glanced at Asia and frowned. She was a few feet outside the circle to Nati’s right. How was she taking all this? Jiddo had explained the judgment ritual to her, but the reality might prove to be more disturbing. One of Asia’s hands pressed against her lips, while her other arm gripped her belly as if she might vomit. Her expression was stricken, and her eyes bulged. Had she known how deep Jesse’s potential for rage went?

  Jiddo was unfazed by Jesse’s venom. “Ah. Then you are also aware of the laws you have broken: using your telepathic ability to force your will in an unwitting victim and trespassing on another pack’s territory. Do you have any words in your own defense, or are you prepared to submit to the ritual?”

  “Screw you and your ritual.” The fight seemed to drain out of Jesse then. He sat back on his heels and hung his head.

  Jiddo’s tone softened. “You understand that we would be within our rights to execute you, young one?”

  With a shrug, Jesse nodded. “Not the worst thing that could happen to me.”

  “Jesse!” Asia lurched toward him, but she halted when the wolves around Jiddo growled. “Sorry! But execution can’t be the only solution. Can’t you take away his telepathy, or isn’t there another Cain pack he can join?” She wrung her hands restlessly. “Or, I don’t know, does he have to stay a Cain wolf? Can he change lines?”