Shades of the Wolf

by Karen Whiddon

  “So I’ve been told.”

  “How do I know you don’t plan to keep Denise in case I don’t work out? How do I know you don’t intend to hurt her the same way you hurt Dena?”

  His smile spread across his face. “That’s just it. You don’t. Now take off your clothes.”

  She froze. Slowly shook her head. “No. I will not. I still haven’t made up my mind.”

  Moving fast, he came at her, using the full weight of his body to knock her onto his bed. He pinned her, with a savage grin on his face. “Time’s up. But no worries on the clothes. I’ll rip them off myself. Actually, I’ll find that more enjoyable anyway.”

  His heavy body pinning her down made it difficult to breathe. Through a haze of pain and fear, Anabel registered the door opening.

  “Stop.” Tammy’s voice. “Doug, stop. Don’t do this.”

  Numb, Anabel wiped away the stray tears that kept sliding from her eyes. Swiveling her head, she saw the other woman silhouetted in the doorway.

  “Not. Now,” Polacek snarled, his jaw tight. “Get out.”

  “No.” Tammy stood her ground. Tall and regal, she looked decades older and wiser than the young woman Anabel had met originally. “Get away from her.”

  “How dare you intrude?” he roared. “You know better. You know this is the only hope we have. Leave. Right now.”

  “There’s no longer any need for you to do this. Our line will go on. I’m pregnant.” Though Tammy spoke quietly, the words carried as much impact as if she’d blared them through a megaphone.

  For the first time since pinning Anabel to the bed, Polacek faltered. “What?”

  “I said, I’m pregnant.” Though smiling, Tammy began to cry. “And I’ve already had this verified, not just through the at-home kit, but at a doctor. I’ve made it past the first trimester, so it’s safe to say I will carry the child to term.”

  Slowly, Polacek pushed himself up, rolling away from Anabel to climb shakily to his feet. He dragged his hand through his already mussed hair, his expression telling them he still struggled to believe it. “How? When? Who?”

  Still weeping as she tried to wipe her eyes with the backs of her hands, Tammy grinned. “The usual way, dummy.”

  “Is the father a...Drakkor?”

  Now Tammy’s grin wavered. “No, he’s not. Of course not. You males aren’t the only ones who’ve been working at keeping our species in existence. The other two females have been trying, as well.”

  Afraid to move, Anabel made a sound, low in her throat, enough to draw Tammy’s attention.

  The other woman moved closer, still wiping at her streaming eyes. “I’m sorry, Anabel. We were trying to save our species any way possible. It’s generally been thought the women are sterile. For whatever reason, when we mate with our males, we can’t conceive.”

  Anabel couldn’t help wondering if it had ever been even considered that the men were at fault, rather than the women, though she kept this to herself.

  When Anabel didn’t respond, Tammy turned her attention back to Polacek. “We need to notify the others.”

  Though he nodded, he didn’t appear entirely convinced. Anabel guessed the possibility that he was the one shooting blanks might be a hard pill for him to swallow.

  “Who is the father?” he asked, his stony expression matching his flat tone. “You still haven’t said.”

  Cocking her head, Tammy eyed him. “What’s wrong with you? This is what we’ve all been hoping for. The Drakkor line will not die out.”

  “I want to know what species of being is the father of our next generation. Will the halfling dragon also be wolf or bear? Panther or cougar?”

  Tammy laughed. “You’ll just have to wait until I tell the others. I can promise you one thing. My child will be very special indeed.”

  Some dark emotion flared in Polacek’s gaze, but he only nodded. “All right,” he finally said. “And congratulations. You have the honor of being mother to the savior of the Drakkors.”

  Dipping her chin, still smiling, Tammy turned to go.

  “Wait,” Anabel said, struggling to mask her desperation. “Don’t leave me here with him.”

  Tammy’s gaze flicked from one to the other. “He has no need for you now,” she said.

  “Maybe not,” Polacek growled. “But I am still entitled to have a little recreation. Leave us.”

  For half a second, Anabel thought the other woman might refuse, might stand her ground and save her. But Tammy glanced at Polacek and sighed. “Have fun,” she said, her voice full of disgust. Leaving the room, she closed the door behind her.

  When Polacek turned back to face Anabel, she saw the rage in his expression and shivered. He might say he wanted the Drakkor to go on, might even mean it, but damned if he hadn’t wanted it to be because of something he himself had done, not Tammy. Not a woman.

  That instant she realized that if she wanted to survive this, she’d have to fight. She needed Tyler, she wanted Tyler, but if she had to, she’d manage to do this alone. She was strong, a powerful if yet untrained witch, and a shape-shifter to boot.

  Holding her physical body perfectly still, she dug deep inside herself, reaching out for the spark of creation that resided in everything. This, the source of all, would fuel her magic and give her strength.

  Briefly, she closed her eyes, aware he would take that as a sign of surrender.

  After counting to five, she opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him. “I’m ready,” she said. “I would also like a chance to have a child who would be revered and considered a savior.”

  Surprise flashed across his face, making her see he’d been motivated by only his own lust, not of any other potential outcomes. “I like the way you think. Plus, we’ll have a lot of fun.” His leering smile disgusted her. “I knew you’d come around eventually. Most women can’t resist a chance at enjoying my body.”

  Insane and vain. A dangerous combination. She kept a smile fixed on her face. At least she’d have the element of surprise on her side. Because if he thought she was going to let him lay one hand on her, he had another thought coming.

  Since she hadn’t been able to get up off the bed, she used her spot to its full advantage. Scooting over closer toward the edge, she pasted what she hoped was a welcoming smile on her face. “Kiss me,” she ordered, trying not to gag on the words.

  Eagerly, he rushed to comply.

  Her fist met his stomach first.

  “Oof.” He doubled over, the desire in his eyes changing to shock and then rage.

  She didn’t hesitate, but came at him again, praying the element of surprise would compensate for her lack of strength. Pummeling him with everything she had, she kicked and clawed and punched. She went for his eyes, his man parts, anything she could think of to cause the maximum damage.

  At first, he only defended himself, trying to fight her off. When he finally went on the offensive, she knew she was in big trouble. One swipe of his arm as he backhanded her sent her flying into the wall.

  Dazed, she didn’t move. She tried to figure out an escape route, but first she needed to gather her strength.

  Massive legs spread in a warrior stance, he appeared ready to come at her again if she so much as twitched a muscle.

  Again her wolf tried to break free. Unsure, not trusting, Anabel barely managed to hold back the beast.

  Eyeing the doorway, and noting that he stood between it and her, she wondered nevertheless if she could make a run for it. But even as she began to move to try exactly that, the air around Polacek began to shimmer.

  Which meant the man was about to change into the dragon.

  She’d had enough difficulty fighting him in his human form. She didn’t stand a chance against a Drakkor.

  * * *

  In a few seconds, the flashing
light show ended. The Drakkor, now solidified, appeared, his mouth blazing orange and yellow fire, his reptilian eyes glowing red. Despite herself, she noted and marveled at his beauty. He looked like a realistic stained-glass dragon with huge wings spread. Except he was real—and extremely pissed off.

  If the intention was to frighten and impress, then he’d succeeded. At least with the impressed part. Despite his fury and his evil intent, the dragon was like nothing she’d ever seen. For whatever reason, she was not the least bit frightened. Instead she felt strong. Righteous, even.

  Maybe because she’d finally had enough.

  As the huge beast circled her, scales gleaming and glittering in an incandescent rainbow, she drew down deep, gathering strength, before beginning her own change into a she-wolf. She had no idea whether or not now was the right time, but since she needed to have faith in herself, she’d decided to trust her instincts. And her instincts told her she needed to let her wolf break free.

  The change came too swiftly, just as it always did when she felt threatened. Her bones lengthened, her clothing shredded and she clenched her teeth against the sharp and sudden pain.

  Momentarily, the sparkling lights that always accompanied shape-shifting blocked the circling dragon from her sight, a small blessing for which she felt grateful. She’d need every second she could gather to collect her strength and plan her course of attack.

  Plan. She drew her lips back and sneered at the thought. As if she could even attempt to formulate a plan against a monster like Polacek. No, this bitch was acting on instinct. Nothing less.

  She tipped her head back and howled. Her battle cry, if she ever had one. She was fighting not only for her honor, but for everything else. Everyone else. Especially for the ones the Drakkor had abused and tortured. She had to win to avenge all of the women who’d come before her and any Polacek might be thinking would come after.

  He must be stopped. If the Drakkors wanted to try to keep their species from extinction, they’d need to find another way.

  She’d fight for her life and her town, for Juliet and the coven, Denise and for Dena, and especially for Tyler. In a nutshell, she’d fight for everything that mattered.

  A wolf, she told herself, could trump a reptile anytime.

  When her vision cleared, she saw the Drakkor had stopped circling and had reared back, eyeing her the way a hungry predator watched a fatted calf.

  Except she wasn’t. Nor would she ever be. She’d always been a hunter, never prey.

  In her wolf shape, the magic residing inside her had become centralized and more accessible. Teeth bared at her enemy, she probed it carefully, understanding her magic had become a tight core of power, waiting for her to use as she saw fit.

  She’d have to use magic if she wanted to stand a chance at winning with the fire-breathing monster.

  To her right, something else moved. Registering the blur of motion, she noticed another wolf. Her heart leaped as she recognized Tyler. She didn’t have any idea how he’d found her, but she was sure glad he had.

  * * *

  Tracking Anabel’s scent, Tyler raced out of the apartment and down the steps to the parking lot. He stopped, sniffing the air, praying Polacek hadn’t hustled her into a car.

  To his shocked disbelief, the scent continued. Out past the edge of the pavement, through a narrow alleyway behind a convenience store and a fence, and to the open woods.

  Something about this forest, this land tickled the edge of his memory. It didn’t matter now. Polacek had taken Anabel here. He raced into the trees, following his nose.

  A howl echoed in the forest. Not a mournful sound, but more like a battle cry.

  He burst into the clearing, stopping short at the metal windmill. One of Anabel’s landmarks.

  Heart pounding, he spun a circle, scenting the air. Anabel’s scent was too faint, though still drifting in the slight breeze.

  Trust in yourself.

  As he remembered, he went absolutely still, listening. A faint sound came from the west, and he plunged into the undergrowth, heading toward it.

  When he came upon the edge of the concrete structure, mostly submerged in the ground, he realized it was much larger than Anabel’s drawing had shown. Then he spied the huge metal door, now open, and knew he’d found the Drakkor’s lair. Rushing ahead, he ran down the steps into the massive underground room. Just in time to see wolf-Anabel confronted by a massive, fire-breathing dragon. A quick glance around showed neither Tammy nor Dena anywhere in sight.

  Tyler didn’t think, didn’t hesitate. He just acted. Taking a running leap, he planted himself in between the Drakkor and Anabel.

  Trust in yourself.

  As he snarled a warning, Anabel moved up beside him, her shoulder bumping his. At the touch, energy flowed, as sharp as electricity, making his entire body tighten. Next to him, Anabel did the same.

  They glanced at each other, and then Anabel’s mouth curled in a wolfish grin. Just like that, he knew what they had to do.

  Side by side, careful that they were still touching, they ran at the Drakkor. The beast only watched them come, a reptilian amusement glimmering in his exotic eyes. Apparently, he believed two wolves were insignificant against his monstrous might.

  Normally, he’d be right. But he didn’t know they’d read up on him and his kind. They knew his weak spots, where he was most vulnerable.

  Polacek sat upright, on his hind legs, leaving his unscaled belly unprotected. From what Anabel had told him, according to the books, the Drakkors could only be killed by being stabbed in the gut or in the eyes, or with poison. Since he and Anabel didn’t have any poison, he figured their razor-sharp teeth and claws would have to be enough.

  That and their magic.

  One more quick glance at Anabel and he knew she understood what they needed to do. Moving as one, they leaped forward and up, avoiding the giant, three-clawed feet, clearly taking Polacek by surprise.

  When Tyler connected with the Drakkor’s soft underbelly, he slashed and ripped. Next to him, Anabel snarled and growled as she did the same.

  Polacek let out a howl of pain, swiping at them with his front talons, knocking them away and sending them flying.

  The instant Tyler hit the ground, he rolled and launched himself back up again. From the corner of his vision, he saw Anabel replicate his move.

  Great rivers of blood streamed down the dragon’s massive body. He shook his monstrous head, swaying as if dizzy. He roared fire at the two wolves, no doubt well aware that only fire or silver could kill them.

  Though the flames singed the fur on his back, somehow Tyler miraculously escaped serious harm. Anabel yelped, and he spun to check on her.

  Polacek’s claw caught Tyler right in the stomach, knocking the breath from him. He felt his insides tear, aware the damage wouldn’t kill him, as long as he avoided the dragon’s fiery breath. He’d suffer, but he’d heal. What happened to him didn’t matter anyway. No matter the cost, he had to protect Anabel and keep her safe.

  He landed on top of her as Polacek fell. Pushing her, he rolled her aside just in time to avoid the dragon’s last blast of flame.

  Tyler tried to push himself off her, to nudge her with his nose and urge her to run, but he’d lost too much blood. As his vision grayed, he prayed the Drakkor would stay down until he healed, at least enough to run. Which, since Tyler was a full-blooded shape-shifter, wouldn’t take too long.

  That was his last thought before he blacked out.

  * * *

  When he came to, he wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Anabel lay in the same spot, clearly still unconscious. The Drakkor also hadn’t moved. But the air had filled with smoke, and as he turned his head to discover the source, he saw the forest was on fire.

  If he didn’t get Anabel out of here, that would mean certain death. He had
to save her.

  Dragging Anabel by the scruff of the neck, he pulled her as far into the underbrush as he could. Though he hated to leave her, he had no choice. He needed to summon help and he couldn’t do that as wolf.

  Anabel moaned, drawing his attention. He nudged her with his nose, willing her to wake. As he did, energy surged through him, like a sizzling in his veins, transferring to her. She whined and opened her eyes. The instant she did, she climbed to her feet.

  He took a step away, indicating with his paw that she should follow. Once he was certain she could, he took off running with Anabel close behind.

  Praying no one saw them, he raced toward the apartment building and up the stairs. He’d left the door open, and the instant they were both inside, he nudged it closed with his shoulder.

  And then, side by side, they both began the change back to human.

  As soon as he was man, and ignoring his own arousal, Tyler yanked on his clothes and went for the cell phone. He didn’t have to look up the number; every shifter had committed the Society of Pack Protectors number to memory.

  When the woman answered, he told her everything, including his location. No doubt used to receiving strange phone calls, she didn’t even question him. She promised to send Protectors right away.

  Relieved and spent, he turned to find Anabel watching him, wearing a too-large T-shirt she must have gotten from the closet, her copper-colored eyes shuttered, exhaustion carving out new hollows on her cheeks.

  She looked so fragile he wondered if she’d break if he took her in his arms. Plus, there was his still-obvious arousal, and if there’d ever been a worse time for that, he couldn’t think of it.

  “Are you all right?” he asked softly.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “I think so. Is that my cell phone?”

  “Yep.” Tossing it to her, he waited while she eyed the screen, where the last number called was still on display.

  “You called them?” she asked, not needing to explain since they both knew whom she meant.

  “I had to. They need to know about this. They can help us. We can’t contact the human police.”