by Mary Abshire
Marcel backed away to look at the object on the ground again. Squatting, he picked up the metal strip. Small spikes ran along it and they looked sharp enough to do some serious damage. Careful not to cut himself, he tugged on the chain. It ran into the water in the ditch and stopped at her flat tire in the front. Anger began to swell within him as he stared at the chain connected to her wheel.
“Where’s my dress?” she asked. “I don’t believe it.”
He dropped the spiked chain and straightened.
She leaned between the seats. “Where the hell is my dress?”
He opened the back door. Lynn was reaching down from between the seats and picking up clothes. “It’s not here, and my clothes are wet.” She curled her lip as she held several items including some that looked like underwear.
He leaned one hand on the roof. “There’s a spiked chain attached to your tire.”
“A what?” She tossed the clothes in her luggage.
“A spiked chain. If I had to guess, it was on the road and you ran over it, which would’ve caused your tires to blow out.”
She looked up at him. “Someone put a spiked chain on the road? Why would someone do that?”
“To force a driver off the road.”
“But why? To steal from the person?”
“I’d guess the person would’ve been dinner.” He hated to say it, but it made sense. He’d never heard of the feral werewolves taking such measures for food, but they were wild. They didn’t follow any rules.
“They wanted to eat me?” She gave him a pitiful look, and then lowered her gaze. “But an animal didn’t do this.” She resumed gathering clothes. “And my dress is gone.”
“You’re right, an animal didn’t do this.” He picked up a couple articles of clothing and noticed they were in fact wet.
“Why would someone dig through my stuff? Why not just take everything?” She shook her head. “Why take my bridesmaid dress and not the other clothes?”
Marcel leaned forward and placed the clothes in the open luggage. “My guess is the werewolves changed to see if you had anything of value. I don’t know why they took your dress and not the other clothes. The dress wouldn’t have any value in the woods.”
He thought of another potential reason why the wolves rummaged through her belongings. They could’ve been trying to obtain her scent. When he’d saved her, it had been raining and he’d lifted her in the air. They couldn’t have picked up on her scent. But by going through her clothes, they could attain her scent. If they wanted to track her, they could now.
She collected her purse and sank into the driver’s seat. The deflated airbag covered the steering wheel. With the purse in her lap, she dug into it. “My license is here.” She held it up. “My credit cards…” She held them up. “They were removed from my wallet, but they’re still here. Why didn’t they take my credit cards?”
“They’re not of any value here,” he said. “Clothes, maybe. Food, definitely.”
He found it strange someone removed her cards and license from her wallet. The person must have wanted to know what she looked like. The fact this person knew what to look for also spelled trouble.
More ire began to fill him. Whoever forced her off the road now had her name, address, and a photo of her. The person also had her scent. While Marcel didn’t believe the wolves could find her so far from her car, or would leave the reserve to find her, he felt the need to protect her now more than ever. The wolves could be looking for her on the reserve.
“My phone,” she said in a panicky voice. She leaned over the passenger seat again and searched under it. “I think they took my phone.”
“A phone wouldn’t have been of any value to them. They live on the reserve. They’re not…civilized.”
She sat up and then got out of the car. “It was on the passenger seat when I left. I remember, I’d just gotten off the phone with Connie. It would’ve fallen forward when I crashed. My purse and everything else was on the floor, but my cell isn’t here.” She felt around under the driver’s seat.
As she searched, he did the same on the passenger side in case she might have missed it. She seemed more distressed now.
Hearing a snap from the woods, he paused and peered past her, out the open door.
“What? What is it?” she asked.
Through the open door, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it was a deer in the woods, or maybe it was a werewolf coming back.
“Grab your belongings. We should head back.” He straightened and then closed the door.
As he walked around the car, he scanned the nearby woods. The breeze picked up, forcing the trees to rustle against each other.
“I’m so pissed they took my phone and my dress.” She zipped up the luggage and then lifted it from the backseat.
He reached for the bag. “I’ll take that. And don’t worry, you can use my phone at the house.”
She held the keys in her hand while she shut both doors.
Carrying her luggage by the handle, he headed up the road while he searched for any signs of trouble moving in the woods.
“What about my car? How am I going to get it out of the ditch?” she asked from a few feet behind him.
He paused on the pavement for her to catch up with him. “Do you want the good news or bad news about your car?” He scanned the woods. For the first time, he wished he had the superior sense of smell vampires and wolves had. In his human form, he could hear better than regular humans and he was stronger, but he was still weak compared to the werewolves.
Reaching him, she asked. “Is there any good news?”
“Well, I can get your car out, but I’ll have to change.” Seeing nothing dangerous lurking nearby, he started walking toward the Jeep.
“Change? What do you mean?” She walked beside him.
He opened the back passenger side of the Jeep, and then set her luggage on the seat.
“Wait, do you mean change into a dragon?” she asked.
“It’s either that, or I ask my vampire friend to come out tonight. Right now, I think we’re the only ones strong enough to get your car out of that ditch. I can pull it out. It wouldn’t take long.” If there were a wolf in the woods, it would see his true form and know to stay away.
“But I thought you weren’t supposed to be seen during the day. What if someone comes by?”
He inhaled a deep breath as he looked in both directions. “It’s a risk.”
“You’d be breaking the rules, Marcel. You could get into trouble.”
“A tow truck from the nearest town outside the reserve is your other option, and it might take a few days.”
She shook her head and hid her face in her hands briefly. “Was that the bad news?”
“Not all of it.”
She grunted and dropped her arms to her sides. “What would happen if you broke the rule and got caught?”
He quietly shut the passenger door. “They could kick me out or something worse. But if I hurry, the risk of getting caught—“
“No.” She shook her head again. “We’re going back to your place and I’ll figure this out. You’re not breaking the rules.”
While he admired her concern and was turned on by her firm, demanding tone, he was confident he could change, retrieve her car, and change back within five minutes. Plus, in his true form, he could see into the forest better. He’d see heat coming from any living creature. If any wolf was watching, he wanted to know.
“It won’t take long,” he said.
She stepped closer, placing her curvy body a foot away from him. “I don’t want you to do it. Please, don’t.”
She’d captured his full attention. He couldn’t resist staring into her caramel eyes. And her lips… They looked so soft and kissable.
“Let’s go back to your place and work on a plan. There’s nothing more to do here,” she said in a calm voice.
He wanted to make a good impression, and this was a good opportunity to do it. Gripping th
e edges of his shirt, he started lifting it. “Five minutes and I’ll be done.”
“Wait, Marcel! Wait!” She grabbed his wrists, stopping him from raising his shirt any higher. “Think about this, even if you did get my car out of the ditch without being seen, there’s no way to get it to your place.”
His Mrs. Right was smart. She’d thought the process through, and she was right. They couldn’t get her car back to his place. He’d completely forgotten to bring rope to tow the car. He was such an idiot.
“You’re right. I forgot to bring supplies.” He lowered his gaze and his shirt. Maybe it was for the best for them to leave. She would be safer with him at his house.
“We’ll figure this out later.”
Nodding, he said, “Yeah, I’ll work on it.” He backed up and opened the door for her.
As she settled into her seat, he recalled the rain forecast for the night. He could ask Demetri to meet him to help get the car back. Since he would have to change to move it, he could also get some flying time in before returning to the house. One way or another, he’d figure out a way to get her car to his place so he could work on it.
After he shut the door, he headed around the Jeep. He considered his list of things to do. He needed to get her car back, see if he could fix it, look for information on the surname Winslow, and figure out how to find the feral werewolves. The latter concerned him the most, and he wanted to deal with them before they hurt anyone. He had every right to seek justice now that he’d confirmed they purposely ran her car off the road. His list seemed long, but at least he could enjoy more time with his potential Mrs. Right for a while longer. Sensing he had a shot at winning her heart, he couldn’t let her go without trying.
Chapter Nine
“Do you really think you can fix it?” she asked as he steered the Jeep along the curvy road.
She rolled the handle on the door, raising the window in case the rain fell heavier. The current sprinkle didn’t bother her and the air smelled refreshing, so she kept the glass a quarter of the way down. Marcel left his window wide open with his elbow resting on the edge. He didn’t seem to mind the rain either.
“I can’t guarantee it, but I’ll try,” he said. “If the engine is shot, we’ll have to get a new one from a shop outside the reserve. I can install it for you. It’s not difficult, but it takes a little time because there are so many parts connected to the engine.”
The man was a genius and expert repairman, among other wonderful things. She’d spent the last twenty minutes complaining, or venting, about her car and the dress. He’d listened and offered to help her in several ways. His generosity continued to impress her. She didn’t want to take advantage of him, though.
“I’ll pay you for your time,” she said.
“No, I won’t accept any money. I accept hugs. Remember our deal?”
Grinning, she shook her head. She could supply a wealth of hugs, but she still would feel as if she owed him more. “I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but I can’t thank you enough for all your help.”
He took his attention off the road briefly. “I don’t mind. I want to help you. Besides, it allows me to spend more time with you.”
Spending more time with him appealed to her, too. Looking ahead, after she returned home, she could plan vacations to visit him if he wanted to continue their friendship. For now, she welcomed spending as much time with him as she could.
“If you let me help, I will. I don’t want you to think I’m not capable,” she said. “I’m a quick learner.”
He smiled as he glanced at her. “You’re so different from any other woman I’ve met.”
“Well, I believe in equality. But I also realize I’m not as strong as a man and there are some things I’m not good at. I can make up for that in other areas.”
“Love should work the same way. Don’t you agree?”
“Absolutely. My parents did it and there are others who do, too. But the world has changed. People have changed.”
“Actually, I don’t think people have change that much. There are plenty of liars and cheaters. Greed and lust thrive. Time hasn’t changed that.”
She couldn’t argue with him. She’d seen plenty of couples who’d lied and cheated. She’d met plenty of men who were interested in one thing. Maybe people hadn’t changed much over the years. He would certainly know, having survived over one hundred years.
“You’re right.” She sighed. “I guess I grew up with a good family who believed in loving each other, caring until death, and doing the right thing. My parents were always honest with each other and respectful. Those qualities are important in any relationship.”
“Without a doubt, you have to be honest and respectful to your partner.”
“Growing up, I saw the father of one of my friends make vulgar comments and complain about his wife. I heard a few mothers do the same. Then there are the selfish parents who put their interest above their child’s. I had a friend, Lacy, whose mother went partying every weekend and didn’t care what Lacy did. She was thirteen at the time. Do you know what kind of trouble she could’ve gotten into?” She paused and took in a breath. “My parents were nothing like that. They loved each other, and shared their love with me. I guess that’s why I have such high expectations for my dream man.”
“I wouldn’t say they’re high. I think you know what you want, and that’s great. Most people haven’t figured that part out.”
“It’s really nice to talk to a man about stuff like this.”
He grinned. “I like talking to you about it. I can tell you’re honest.”
“I am, and you seem like you are, too. I appreciate that.”
“I was raised by very loving parents as well. I know it might seem like you and I are strangers, but we’re not so different. We had parents who cared and taught us right from wrong. We have good morals, and we’ve learned from our experiences. We know what we want and—“ He braked hard.
Lynn braced her hand on the dashboard while her seatbelt kept her from jerking forward. Two giant birds ran across the road several feet ahead. The Jeep didn’t skid, but something behind her seat thudded. She presumed it was her luggage falling on the floorboard.
“Sorry, I guess I should pay attention to driving,” he said as the car accelerated.
Lynn watched the big birds disappear into the woods. “What were those?”
“Turkeys.”
She’d never actually seen one so close before. Now that she had, she wasn’t sure she could eat one for Thanksgiving.
She turned back to face him. “You mentioned earlier there were shape shifters that live here. How can you tell them apart from the regular animals?”
“Shifters wouldn’t run in front of a moving car.”
“So shifters are intelligent?”
“Yeah, and most of them live as humans. They change when they want to. I know a variety of shape shifters on the reserve, and they live similarly in the way you do. They have a job, but instead of earning money, they earn food, clothes, and a place to sleep.”
“Interesting. I guess the big difference is that they can change into some kind of animal.”
“Is that such a big deal?”
“No, I’m not prejudiced or anything. I don’t have a problem with you, or the others. I’ll admit, I didn’t think supernatural creatures existed, so I was very shocked at first. But I love that you do and you live here in a peaceful environment. That’s so awesome.”
He glanced at her. “I hate to bring this up, but…you can’t say anything about us. It would put our lives in danger if you did.”
She shook her head. “I won’t let that happen.”
At first, she’d thought she might need to talk to someone so she didn’t go crazy. Now that she understood the way of life on the reserve, and had seen how civilized Marcel was, she had to believe others on the reserve were the same. Sure, they were unique and the world would love to know about them, but society wasn’t very accepting of different peo
ple. Gay people were still fighting for rights. She’d hate to see what would happen to supernatural creatures if the world found out about their existence.
“I won’t say a word about anyone. You can trust me,” she said.
“That’s good to know.” He breathed deeply.
“Were you worried I would say something?”
He hesitated, and then said, “I was initially concerned. You were very shaken. To be honest, I had considered having my vampire friend erase your memories of me as a dragon.”
The news made her widen her eyes. “Really?”
“If it would’ve calmed you and helped you return to your normal life, then yes.”
She appreciated his candor, loyalty, and concern for her. She would’ve considered the same option had she been in his shoes.
“I definitely was shocked to learn about you and other creatures, but you’ve explained a lot. I don’t know everything, and don’t need to know, but from what you’ve told me…you and others are trying to survive like the rest of us. I get it. You don’t have to worry. I won’t say a word about any of the creatures. People aren’t ready, or capable of accepting…differences or things that can’t be explained, sort of like UFOs and aliens. Fear and lack of knowledge can cause people to act irrationally.”
He nodded. “Yeah, seeing a dragon breathe fire might cause some to want to shoot me down. I hope you’ve noticed, I’m a good guy regardless of my true form.”
She chuckled. “Oh, I’ve noticed. Can you imagine how people would freak out? My response would be tame compared to what others would probably do.” She could visualize the chaos and panic. Without a doubt, people would call for his death, which saddened her. He was truly a decent man. “Thank you for telling me the truth. Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you.” He put both hands on the wheel as he steered around a sharp curve. “I trust you, Lynn. I think you’re a special woman, and I mean that. I would never let anyone, or anything, harm you.”
His soft and calm voice indicated he genuinely cared about her, not that she needed more proof. But she wondered…was he interested in her because he hadn’t been around a woman in such a long time?