by Wayne Tripp
“Don’t touch me, James! Please.” Lacey recoiled, crumpling as she saw the look on his face, but knowing how weak her resistance was.
“I had hoped you’d forgiven me. I never meant to hurt you, Lace. Even that last horrible night we had together. I never meant to bring you pain.”
“I-I know James. T-there was never really anything to forgive. It was Julie. She’s confessed to pumping me full of lies. Like a fool, I let myself believe her. I’m so sorry.” Escaping tresses of heavy hair swept forward, allowing her to hide. She’d lowered her face, unable to meet his gaze, let him see how deeply she wanted him. “After all I said–all I believed–you must really hate me. I was hoping if we did meet again, we could still be friends.” Keeping her distance, she tried to peek up at him, but seeing his frown, screwed her gaze into the rocky ground.
“Hate you? Of course we’re friends. Lace–Sweetheart, I never stopped loving you. Yeah, I’m finally saying those three words. Took me forever to realize how true they are. I love you, Lacey Rodriguez.”
“You can’t. It’s too late, Jamie!” She turned away, stumbled on a scatter of loose gravel, and lurched away. “I never should have come!” On the verge of tears, she lurched away. Momentarily stunned, Jamie let her get a dozen yards before he reacted.
“Lace, stop! Don’t leave! There’s so much we have to talk about!”
“I’m done talking, James MacLeod! I can’t be near you. I’m such a silly woman!”
He caught her then, and wrenched her around to face him. She would have fallen if he hadn’t caught her in his strong arms. As it was her hair was a wreck, and tears burned down her cheeks.
“You are a foolish woman if you think I’d let you walk out of my life again. I love you Lacey Rodriguez. Do you hear me, I love you.” He embraced her before she could pull away. As her insides turned to jelly, she clenched her eyes shut, feeling as though her heart had stopped. Her resistance on the brink of collapse, she stumbled away and fell, collapsing backwards on to the nearest grassy hummock. Squatting next to her, he moved to kiss her. Suddenly her hands were in his face, fingers tensed like a frightened cat’s wicked daggers. She all but hissed at him, “You bastard! No! I won’t do this! Go away! I said Go away!"
He backed off, hurt and confusion at war on his face. “All right, all right. If you really don’t want this–I’d never force you.”
She looked up at him, pleading for him to understand. “You idiot! Of course I want to. I’ve wanted you from the moment you left me.” She stared at him, her look determined. “We just can’t let it happen.”
“Bull shit. I want you. You want me. End of story.”
"It's not. I know you love me, Jamie. Believe me, my heart dances at that. I love you beyond anything on this earth. But Kat told me—”
“Kat? What’s she got to do with it?” He sat up again, rocking back on his worn boot heels. “It’s you I care about. I thought you hated me; that I’d lost you. Kat was just there. I-I've tried to build a relationship with her . . . she was kind and sweet when I needed someone. But the spark just isn't there anymore. I don't think it ever was. Now, I think she reads too much into our relationship. She wants to tie the knot—like a noose around my neck." Seeming frustrated and horny as hell, he seemed to decide there’d been enough words. As if he’d waited and fantasized about this moment for months. Now she was here, in his arms. There'd been enough talk.
He pushed her backwards into the grass. She started to protest, but then those inviting lips of his smothered hers and she melted into his muscular arms. “Oh damn. Dammit! I want you so much, Jamie.” She pushed him off her a little, and began undoing the buttons closing the front of her spring dress.
He opened her dress, pushed aside her lacy bra and sat there a second, just enjoying. “God, you’re so beautiful. I promise I’ll be gentle.”
As her slender arms circled round his neck, she tugged him toward her, and looked up into his naughty blue eyes, her lower lip pouting. Teasing, she let her teeth sink into her lower lip, only smiling when she heard her lover moan. “Don’t be too gentle, Jamie. I’ve missed you too much.”
They began with a kiss. Long, drawn out, filled with pent-up passion; their lips fitting together perfectly as though they were never meant to be apart. She began to melt, quickly growing wet as his rough hands skimmed tenderly over her body, touching face, throat, and finally cupping one wildly thumping breast. His tongue brought his hot breath washing against her teeth before cajoling its way inside, and twirling with her own in a slippery dance of desire. “Oooh,” she moaned, knowing there’d be no stopping now. The last of her resistance melted away; she’d fight to the death if someone tried to come between them now.
He kissed her again. Passionate yet sweet. She tore at his clothes, wanting him in her, no longer able to wait. He’d started out gentle, treating her like glass. She missed her old beast, wanted him to play a little rougher. As though his body reacted to her thoughts, her bones melted as his fingers grew naughty. He shoved aside her bra and began kissing her nipples, his other strong fingers probing her lacy panties.
“You sure about this, Lace? You want it too?”
“Yes! Oh god, yes! Don’t talk. Take me, silly!”
He left off tracing the circles around her areola that drove her crazy, and brushing his wayward curl out of his eyes, quickly freed his cock. At a glance, Lacey saw it had grown thick and ready. He flashed that devilishly sexy naughty boy grin at her, and eagerly slipped inside.
“Oh God. Oh Jamie, you feel so good. I’ve missed you so much!”
Their sex was far from gentle. They kissed each other all over, never slowing when teeth or tongues invaded their most intimate spots. In seconds both were drenched in a thin sheen of sweat, each feeling a pounding ache begging to escape. Wrapping her slender hand in his thick hair, she drew his face down to her breasts, gasping as his lips took in her areola and his teeth began to nip. By then she was fighting to hold back the tide as a cascading wave of intensely warm pleasure began to splash through her soul. She sensed him easing back a little, fighting his own losing battle as he struggled to hang on. She bucked upward, wantonly craving more. He smiled at her then, sunlight sparkling on his teeth, devilry dancing in his eyes. He shoved her knees further apart and drove deep inside her. She gasped and raked her nails across his broad naked shoulders, burying her face so deep in his corded flesh she could barely breathe. He pulled her tighter into himself, and thrust deeper, faster, faster. She kissed his chest, and whispered his name like a building mantra, though she could barely breathe.
“Jamie, Sweetheart. Oh God, Jamie!” Within herself a wave of intense pleasure hit her with such force she shuddered, and then struggled for panting breath until the next tsunami hit her. She felt Jamie suddenly stiffen with a shudder of his own, and then a hot flood rushed inside, sweeping them both away.
They collapsed together, limbs and hearts entwined. She felt so right being with Jamie, she’d never let him go, no matter what they had to endure. She wouldn’t question what they’d done, what she’d let happen. Sure she wouldn’t.
* * * *
Rolling apart, they lay staring up at the billowing white clouds, their souls still very much united. Neither seemed to want to talk and shatter the moment. Lacey wept a little for betraying Kat, but most of her tears held joy, and in her heart she knew she’d fight anyone to the death just to continue walking at Jamie’s side.
Knowing she’d have to be the one to speak first, she looked at her partner to see if he slept. Jamie was awake, and watching her. The smile on his face belonged to a kid who’s just eaten a whole pint of his favorite ice cream.
“I’m going to go straight to Hell.”
“What?”
“I said I’m probably going to go straight to Hell for what we just did. I was raised as a strict Catholic, remember?”
“And now? What, you
’re sorry we did this? Lacey–tell me.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Non-believer. Now I’m just another lapsed Catholic–or fallen, if you prefer. More like I ran away. And don’t laugh–this was hard for me,” she punched his shoulder lightly as she teased him, and then brushed his cheek in a passionate kiss that ended up sliding to his lips. “And just so you know, I don’t regret a moment of this.”
For a few minutes there were no more words, just passionate kissing and gentle touching. Coming up for air, with tears in their eyes, they both blurted out at once how much they’d missed each other. They kissed again, and then Lacey pulled away, sitting with her legs curled protectively around her, the determined look in her eyes one of self-loathing and firm resolve. The old MacLeod would have jumped right in with some snide remark about the stiff Catholic being back in residence, but Jamie just sat back against the worn slate ledge and waited in dread.
“Jamie? I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Not happening. I meant what I said.”
“That you love me…yes, I got that. But what about Kat? You love her too.”
“Kat? We’re back to that?” His brow scrunched, and his face darkened. For the first time, she thought she saw some of the beast lurking behind his eyes. “You drive me crazy! I’ll admit to caring about Kat, but like I said, the magic just isn't there. Not like it is with you. Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to deal with her.”
“Like you’ve dealt with her before, James? When you thought I was lost?” Her large brown eyes blinked back tears. “You think you might care about her! I just had sex with you. Oh god, I’m such a fool.”
“I love you, Lace. I’m sure of that.”
“Kat, too? Maybe? That’s just great. She’s pregnant, James. She told me herself three weeks ago when she saw me in town. Couldn’t wait to track me down and brag about it.” Tears filled her dark eyes and anger burned from her throat. “You slept with her and you made her pregnant!” Jamie was not the only one capable of feeling the wrath of a beast.
“Pregnant! Dammit—no!”
“Believe me, she’s is. And now you just want to abandon her! Are you saying you didn't know? She never told you?"
"No. Not a word. Must've decided to hold it over me like a sword. Stupid little fool."
"I once hoped it’d be me carrying your child!”
“You don’t understand! She can’t have a baby!”
“"Well newsflash—she is! She flaunted the test results in front of me, Jamie. She’s going to have your baby.”
“She can’t! I won’t allow it!”
“Allow it? Why James? Because you’re a werewolf? Yes, I know your dirty little secret. It was the only thing made sense: your watching the phases of the moon all the time. Those injections I sometimes glimpsed you sneaking. Some of those books on lycanthropy and shape-shifting I saw you totting around. I figured it out as I lay in my bed in the dark, crying my eyes out for you. I know what you are.” And still, the first thing I do when I see you is fall at your feet and spread my legs. Father Malachi Paine was right. I’m a slut.
“A werewolf, huh? And knowing what I am, you still love me?”
“I love the man you are. Whatever your curse, I'd fight it by your side. I just don't have the right. What about Kat? You can’t just abandon her. What is it–is Kat’s baby going to be a werewolf too?”
“No. I’ll kill it first. I was serious. She mustn’t have this child.” He stopped talking, the anger in his voice fading to concern. He looked right at her, making sure she knew who she was inviting back into her bed. “I could’ve killed you that night, you know.”
“Bondage night? "Believing you'd grown tired of me hurt almost as much, you thick-headed beast." They’d gotten up, brushed off and started walking towards the parking lot. She’d snared his arm, and leaned into him as they walked. Looking down into her dancing brown eyes he realized part of him was the happiest he’d ever been.
“Where’s your Camry? Oh, I see it. Mine is here.” Without turning, he pointed to the mud-spattered Ford she’d somehow missed. “Get in. I’ll drive you to your car.” As she moved to obey, he added, “I would have done far worse than I did. That’s why I left.”
“So you wouldn’t hurt me anymore? Because of the moon?”
“Yes. One little glimpse when I closed your curtains. That’s all it took. Brought out the meanness in me. Lacey, I need to be very clear on this. You need to understand this. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. But when the change comes on me, I would kill you without a single thought or regret.” They reached her car, yet both of them stayed in his Escape, reluctant to pull apart. “There’s a special potion I take. It temporarily keeps the beast at bay.” He started his Escape, but let it idle, making no move to shift into gear. “The tooth I always wear works that way too, though that’s partly for my protection as well. Otherwise, I have to feed the rage. I’m almost out of the drug. It’s pretty expensive, and I can’t get it in a pharmacy. To make matters worse, my supplier seems to have disappeared.” He hesitated a few moments, staring into her eyes before he continued. “I’ll show you how to defend yourself. Just in case.”
“No way! I could never hurt you! There’s got to be another way!” She threw herself across the console, and wrapped her arms around his neck. The elderly couple just exiting from the RV turned their way and smiled as one.
“You may have no choice. I’m hoping I have the potion before that.”
“How long have you got before you can’t control the change?”
“Just a few more days. Look, we’d better get going. If Kat really is pregnant, she’s placed herself in great danger.”
* * * *
“Follow me into town. Kat stayed home sick today. Oh God, it must have been morning sickness. How stupid can I be? Look, follow me to the tenement and come inside. I’m going to need you to be very brave, okay?” In so many ways.
“You’re not going to hurt her? Jamie, tell me you’re won’t.”
“I won’t lie, Lace. There’ll be some pain. I’m trying to save her life. You’ve got to understand, this child can’t be born.”
“Because it'll be born a werewolf . . . like you?”
“Something like that.”
“Why can’t she just give birth, and we’ll deal with the kid afterwards?”
“You don’t understand. You’re like Eric. You’ve seen too many Hollywood movies–learned too many false myths. It won’t be like that. When this kid is born, Kat will die. He couldn’t tell her that his son would chew his way out, devouring bits of mom as he emerged. God help them if there was a brood.
“Jamie, I could never have your children either, could I? You’re saying I would die too, aren’t you?”
“No, you wouldn’t. I wouldn't let that happen.”
“How could you stop it? Why didn’t you stop it with Kat?”
“I told Kat I wasn’t ready. I told her what to do to prevent a child. She swore she had. Obviously, she lied. There is a way. A reasonably safe choice. Look, we’re running out of time. Let’s roll!”
Chapter 34
Jamie had known since childhood he was different. Unable to sleep late one wintry night, he’d snuck through the dark house to peer out the window and see if the snow was going to deliver on its promise of no school. Satisfied it would, he turned to tip-toe back to bed, and walked right into his mountain of a father. His father had been looking over his shoulder, leering out the same window. They talked a few minutes about the howling winds and drifting snow before his dad scooted Jamie off to bed. Jamie didn’t seem to mind the feral gleam in his father’s eyes or the line of thick spittle that flew from his lips. Jamie worshipped his dad.
In the morning, Jamie’s father was gone. There were booted footprints leading down the snowy back stairs, prints that somehow changed to the tracks of a beast, but no sign of his father. His
aunt came up behind him, tousling his blond hair, and told her nephew his breakfast was getting cold. As his aunt droned on about playing after he shoveled the walk, he noticed the foot prints had been covered by fresh snow. He mentioned seeing his dad go out at night; had he come back yet? His aunt got a queer look on her normally pleasant face, and told young Jamie, “Stop that now. You know your father’s been dead these past five years.”
* * * *
Now as he rushed to his girlfriend’s house with his lover in tow, it all came back like vomit spewed in his face. He’d never fit in. He’d gone to Wolf Head to drive the chaos from his mind, and in waltzed Lacey to stir it up worse. What was he going to do? He knew he loved Lacey–truth be told, he’d never stopped. But what did he feel about Kat–did he love her too? They’d spent many a night together in her bed. And now, she was planning on becoming the mother of his child. A kid he and his reclaimed lover were racing to murder. If there was a God, he was a pretty twisted bastard!
* * * *
“Lacey, give me the knife.”
They’d found Kat with her head half in the toilet bowl. She’d given them a cold stare when they’d burst into the apartment, waging a losing fight at retaining her civility and last meal. Her words had been brief and generally slurred, but Lacey got the message that her presence was far from welcome. She quickly noticed that Jamie cared for the pregnant woman a lot more than he’d said. She felt the first gnawing of doubt, quickly devoured by shame, and wondered again if she wouldn’t have been wiser to have turned away and run when she first saw him. But she wasn’t wise. She was deeply in love and a fool for sure.
“Lace–the knife? Now!”
Without thinking, she thrust the fillet knife forward, almost stabbing Jamie’s palm.
“Jeez, Lace. Go get–listen to me!” He sounded angry with her until she realized he was just far more upset by Kat’s condition than he’d let on. “Go get a pan of hot water. Go!”
She’d risen and was half way to the tiny kitchen when she heard the bathroom door slam behind her. As she stopped and turned, she heard Jamie throw the lock.