Wolf Of The Past: Family Lost - A Werewolf Romance (Spirit Of The Wolf Book 1)

by A. D. McLain

  “Not too much longer,” a woman answered.

  “Nicole?” David’s voice broke through her thoughts. The room returned to normal, and she had to blink back some dizziness from the abrupt change. “Nicole, did you hear me?”

  “Uh, no. I guess I drifted off somewhere else.”

  “Where to?”

  She shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing important. What did you say?”

  David didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t persist. “I asked if you wanted to go into the den.”

  “Sure.”

  David blew out the candles and led her through to the den. Soft music was playing on the stereo . He took a deep breath. Get to know her. Mark had told him to get to know her.

  David watched her, standing across the room. She was a vision. Her hair was full and sexy, the ends reaching just above her breasts, and that dress gave him a great view of her sensational legs. He was getting harder with every second he stood gazing at her.

  Mark’s words flew right out of his head. He walked across to her, taking her drink and setting it on the end table with his own.

  Before she knew what he was doing, he’d slipped her glasses off. “Oh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. My eyes are pretty bad,” she protested.

  He put her glasses on the table beside their drinks. “They look good to me.”

  She inhaled a shaky breath. His voice was filled with what sounded suspiciously like desire. “You know what I mean.”

  “What do you see?”

  “You, only you’re blurry.”

  “How close would I have to be for you to see me clearly?” he asked. He took a step toward her. “This close?”

  She forced herself to keep breathing. There was no mistaking the desire in his voice now. “A little closer.”

  He took another step toward her. Now they were almost touching. She could see him perfectly clearly. Regardless, she found herself saying, “A little closer.”

  He took another step toward her. Their faces were mere inches apart now. This time when she opened her mouth to speak, she wasn’t alone. They spoke simultaneously. “A little closer.”

  David started to close the remaining distance, but an instant before his lips would have met hers, she ducked away. “I love this song. Let’s dance.”

  Nicole reached for her glasses and slipped them back on. “Come on.” She took his hands and led him to the center of the room. “You can dance, can’t you?”

  “Can I dance? Of course I can dance.” He proceeded to do some dance moves which were throwbacks from the seventies.

  She tried unsuccessfully to keep from laughing.

  He stopped and offered her the most innocent look she’d ever seen. “No?” He shrugged. “Okay.” He grabbed her hand and spun her around a couple of times before lowering her into a dip. “Better?”

  Still draped over his arm, she responded. “Better.”

  He lifted her up and pulled her close to him, close enough to feel her breath on his neck. He held her so tightly, he could feel her heart beating. Every inch of her was pressed against him, leaving little question about how turned on he was. He lowered his head, brushing his lips lightly across hers. Nicole’s eyes closed and he could feel her trembling.

  The shrill ring of the telephone stopped his movements. With a growl, he stepped away and answered the phone. “What?” he demanded abruptly. “No, I’m sorry. She’s right here.” He handed the phone to Nicole. “It’s Mar— er… Officer Stevenson.”

  She took the phone from him. “Hello,” she answered distractedly, her voice sounding a little shaky.

  “Hello, Miss Cameron. I called to let you know we have the results from the tests on your car. Your brake line was cut, and the lug nuts had been loosened. If you’d driven the car much longer, the tires would have come off.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. Miss Cameron, you need to be very careful. Someone is going to a lot of trouble to get rid of you.”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll remember that. Thank you for calling.” She hung up the phone with a soft click and tried to clear the buzzing from her head. “I should go. This was a lovely evening.”

  He blocked her movements. “Whoa, wait a second. What’s the matter? What did he say?” He’d heard every word the two had said, but he wanted to hear it directly from her.

  “Oh, it’s nothing. My brake line was cut, and my lug nuts were loose. Said my tires could have fallen off at any minute. Could happen to anyone.” She walked past him towards the door.

  “Ah, Nicky, don’t go,” he begged softly.

  She stopped walking. “What did you call me?”

  David walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I called you Nicky; you know, it’s a nickname for Nicole, generally used by close friends. It’s like when you call Meghan, Meg, or me, Coverton. Same concept. Now please, don’t go.”

  She didn’t say anything, didn’t turn around. She just stood there. Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Is it so difficult for you to let someone get close to you?”

  A shudder rippled through her limbs. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “Everything’s so confusing right now. It’s all happening so fast.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “I really think you should stay here tonight. It’s not safe for you anywhere else, and I’ve got plenty of room.”

  It felt so right to be wrapped in his arms. She inhaled deeply and smiled smiled when she recognized his familiar scent. She hadn’t intended to agree to his request, but just then, there was a loud clap of thunder outside and the sound of pouring rain. She tightened her hold on him. Why did it have to storm tonight? She hated storms, they always made the nightmares worse. After her heartbeat slow down a bit, she pulled back just enough to look up at him. “I think I could be convinced to stay the night.”

  “And what would it take to convince you?”

  “Well… have you got cable?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I’ve got cable.”

  “Then you’ve got yourself a boarder, but only for one night, okay?”

  He smiled and hugged her tight. “Okay.”

  They stayed up, watching several old movies. It was after midnight before they finally headed to bed. David gave Nicole one of his t-shirts to change into and showed her to one of the guest suites. It was the room right next to his, she noted. The surroundings were sumptuous; each guest suite had a sitting room, bedroom, and bath, fully stocked, so she had everything she could possibly need for the night.

  She stepped out onto the balcony and gasped. To her right, a staircase curled downwards to a grassy meadow which led to an expansive garden, but just to the left of the stairs was a substantial drop off. The ground there was rocky and slanted down to the shoreline of a small lake. It was truly the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.

  Nicole slipped beneath the covers of the bed, loving the sensation of the silk sheets against her bare skin. She heard David getting ready for bed and imagined what he must be doing. She could discern when he slipped into his bed, and she imagined him lying there, beneath his own silk sheets.

  She considered how easy it would be to walk into his room right now. Would he stop her if she did? She had to stop herself from acting on her thoughts. Images of what she would do if she had the courage to go in there played through her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

  “No!” Nicole shrieked, sitting up in the bed. A loud crash of thunder was followed immediately by a bright flash of lightning which filled the room with light.

  She could still feel the vibrations from the thunder, as the room was again left in darkness. Her breathing started to slow, the momentary rush of adrenaline dissipating. The nightmare was still sharp in her memory. It seemed almost as though she was still stuck in it, but she could probably thank the ongoing storm for the sensation. The nightmare was pretty much the same as always, with flashes of light and sound and the sensation of being jolt
ed around, but this time there’d been something different. She’d heard a man laughing and she could remember it clearly. A man had been laughing. She didn’t remember ever hearing it before, but was that the only difference? She searched her memory for any other changes. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but they proved too elusive. It was right there, at the edge of her memory, but she was too far removed from the nightmare now to hold onto the details.

  She sighed and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She could still hear the rain coming down hard outside. She made her way downstairs as quietly as possible and searched around for the kitchen. She needed coffee and some time to think. Luckily, her memory of the house tour proved better than that of her dream. She turned the radio on low and put some coffee on. The storm and the nightmare had left her on edge. She hadn’t been this on edge in a while. She knew it was a mistake to let herself get used to having the wolf around. Now, she was forced to deal with the nightmare on her own, during a storm, in a strange new house. Was it any wonder it was affecting her so much?

  She could go to David, but she didn’t want to wake him, not for this. It was just a nightmare after all, a nightmare which had plagued her all her life. She poured a steaming mug of coffee and took a grateful sip, enjoying the aroma.

  David walked soundlessly to the door of the kitchen and leaned against the jamb, watching Nicole take several sips of coffee. He almost stopped breathing right then and there. She was a sight. Her hair was all tousled, and she was gently swinging her leg as she sat at the counter. And his shirt definitely looked better on her than it did on him. “You look damn sexy wearing my shirt.” he heard himself say. Yesterday he would have chided himself for saying something like that, but it was too early in the morning, and he was past the point of caring.

  Nicole looked up in surprise. She hadn’t heard him approach, but then she never did. His words registered in her brain and she admitted to herself it felt good to hear them. Her eyes ran over him, starting at his bare, muscular chest and moving down to the green drawstring pants he was wearing. “I’ll keep wearing your shirts if you keep not wearing them.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

  A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Personally, I think it’s a fair deal.”

  Nicole smiled back. She’d never been this outspoken with anyone.

  In the background she heard the radio, a news piece momentarily catching her attention. “Family of four died in the late night plane crash,” the newsman’s voice said. She went cold, the man’s voice fading away. A loud clap of thunder boomed and the room was lit up by a flash of lightning. A different room replaced the room she was sitting in.

  No, not a room, not really. There were seats in front of her and others beside her. Something clicked in her mind, and she suddenly knew where she was. This was an airplane. She was in an airplane. As fast as the vision appeared, it was gone, and she found herself back in the present.

  Warmth from the coffee cup heated her hands, and she could sense a presence beside her. Her eyes blinked open and she found David standing beside her.

  “What happened?” His eyes conveyed his concern.

  “I was in a plane. In my nightmare, I was in a plane.” It was all starting to make sense now. She reached out and clutched his arm, her excitement growing by the second. “Don’t you see? I’m starting to figure it out.” She put the coffee cup down on the counter and jumped off the stool, throwing her arms around David’s neck. “I’m starting to remember. Maybe now I can finally get rid of these horrible nightmares once and for all. I can figure out why I was having them in the first place.” She pulled back and gazed into his eyes, and, in her excitement, she finally had the courage to do what she’d been too afraid to do up until now. She kissed him.

  17

  David’s mouth dropped open in surprise when Nicole pressed her lips to his and she tentatively ran her tongue over his lips and teeth, quickly gaining confidence when David wrapped his arms around her back and groaned.. Recovering from his initial shock he met her tongue with his own, matching her desire completely.

  Nicole was overwhelmed the emotions coursing through her body. She was aware of every touch, every kiss, every heartbeat – yet everything seemed surreal at the same time. She couldn’t quite believe she was kissing David.

  She lifted her hand rubbing experimentally over his arm and shoulder, gently clasping the back of his neck before she slipped her fingers upwards and ran them through his hair. David’s hands were on her back, holding her tightly against him and creating a protective circle of warmth and strength. He drew her even closer, and her bare leg rubbed against his pants, and her arm rubbed across his bare chest, reminding her of how they were dressed. All that separated them currently was a thin layer of clothing.

  Anxiety rushed through her limbs. She wanted him so much it scared her. How could one person make her feel so much?

  He slowly ended the kiss, and pulled her even closer to him. He held her tight, allowing their breathing to slow. “Wow,” she heard him whisper.

  She thought that pretty much summed things up.

  David felt her trembling and pulled back just enough to gaze down at her. Her eyes were filled with passion, but he could see something else there. She was nervous and perhaps a little confused, and she was trying not to show it. Remarkably similar to his own emotions, as a matter of fact. He still couldn’t get a clear fix on what she was thinking, but he was past the first barrier. He could feel her emotions.

  He raised a hand and gently traced the side of her face. She trembled even more, her eyelids fluttering closed. “I left sweat-pants and a shirt in you room. They’re probably going to be a little big on you, but they should work. Why don’t you go change while I cook some breakfast?”

  She nodded, but rather than letting him go, they came together for another kiss. Nicole suspected their very souls were melding together. She kissed from his mouth across to his face and neck. His flesh was so warm to the touch and she moaned softly when his lips trailed down over her neck. Their kisses became more frantic, their lips moving from place to place until their mouths found each other again. She shuddered, breathless and emotional.

  Their kisses slowed, their lips barely touching, their breathing heavy. David held her tightly, his hands clenching as he let out a ragged breath. “Can you make it to you room?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” Her legs were like rubber. She wasn’t even sure she could stand on her own.

  He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your room.”

  They’d only taken a couple of steps before they stopped and started kissing again. They continued this way, kissing, taking a few steps, then kissing again, all the way up to Nicole’s room.

  By the time they made it to her door, she knew her legs weren’t going to hold her for long. David kissed her hand just before she slipped into the room. She pushed the door shut and leaned against it with a sigh. “Wow,” she mouthed to the empty room. She stumbled across and collapsed onto the bed with a laugh. She could get used to staying at David’s.

  Nicole sighed and touched a finger to her lip, closing her eyes.

  An enthusiastic Meg leaned in closer. “So? What happened next?” she demanded.

  Nicole smiled her eyes still closed. “We ate breakfast and he dropped me off at my apartment, so I could get changed before class.” She opened her eyes and looked across at her friend. “He wants me to keep staying at his place. I told him I’d think about it.”

  “Is that what you want to do?”

  “I don’t know. Staying at his place would probably be the wise choice considering all that’s going on, but I don’t know if I should. It’s strange, I felt so comfortable in that house,” she mused. “It seemed as if I’d been there before. A few times when David was showing me around, I had the strangest impression that I knew where we were going, as if I almost knew which room would be next. Then, during dinner, I thought I hear
d voices, and the room seemed to look a little different to how it actually was.”

  Meg’s eyebrows pulled together. “Maybe you were picking up on vibrations left by the previous owner.”

  “Maybe, but that doesn’t explain why I would feel as though I’d been there before.”

  Meg shrugged. “I don’t know. I think you’re right about it being the smarter choice to stay there, what with the trial in less than a week and all, but you’ve got to do what’s right for you.”

  “There’s another thing to consider. If I stay there, what will happen to the wolf? It seemed so strange not having him there beside me last night, but it’s not as though I can tell a wild wolf where I’m at.”

  “I’m sure he can take care of himself, and maybe he’ll find you again. After all, he did it the first time. I think you need to focus on you, on what’s good for you.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Nicole studied her hands while she thought, then her eyes glanced at her watch out of habit. Her eyes widened. Had that much time really passed since she’d sat down to talk with Meg? She’d obviously been talking for a lot longer than she’d intended. She still had a ton of things to get done today. “Jeez, look at the time, I guess I’d better go.”

  They stood up and Meg wrapped Nicole in a big hug. “Call me if you need anything.” She followed Nicole out of the diner and reached absentmindedly into her pocket for her keys. Meg quickly patted the rest of her pockets and fished around in her purse. “I think I left my keys in the booth. I’ll be right back.”

  “Oh, I’ll just go on ahead. I’ll see you later,” Nicole said.

  “Okay, I’ll see you later.”

  Nicole watched Meg disappear back into the diner before she turned and started across the street.

  Tires squealed loudly on the pavement, drawing her attention. She turned just in time to see a car flying down the street, headed directly towards her. Nicole knew instantly that there was no way she could get out of the way in time.