The trees passed in a blur of browns and black. Wind pushed at my ears and I folded them back, legs building speed, muscles contracting and collecting to leap over felled trees in my path. I landed and regrouped easily, climbing the hilly path along the mountain. Smells slipped into my nose, identifiable even though they were foreign and new—wood, grass, water, ice. Nimble legs carried me to the crest of the trees and back down, allowing me to soar past the patches of snow with ease.
An icy creek was just ahead. The frozen water consisted of a slate smell, like stone rocks. I slowed down, lungs and abdominal muscles heaving ever so slightly as I walked over. A thin crust had formed in areas where ripples of water weren’t able to pass through. I nudged a piece of the ice, shuddering and shaking my head at the cold against the warmer wetness of my nose.
Everything should have been surreal or unbelievable, but it wasn’t. This felt right, as if I was always intended for this purpose. I lifted my eyes, seeing past the trees and staring at the sky. The forest was beautiful like this—alive and breathing.
The pounding of feet approaching hard and fast shifted the ground. I spun around, crouching with hind legs bent, front limbs extended and straight. My heart hammered inside my chest as I saw a familiar black shape barreling past the trees. The black wolf easily slid past any obstacles in his path, closing the distance between us.
Caleb leapt, body soaring across the water, and landed across the way. We stood facing each other, the thin stream forming a paltry barrier between us. His dark fur was as thick and luxurious as I remembered, and his deep blue eyes were playful as he lowered his head and studied me.
I stood motionless, my gaze locked with his, as unwilling to look away as he was. He pushed back on his hind legs, preparing to jump. I ran, paws shifting together as I slipped on a patch of ice. A soft nip on my back leg was accompanied by a mischievous growl. I spun around, trying to laugh and experiencing a steady rumbling in my chest instead.
Caleb’s soft muzzle ran along mine, pushing against my ears and neck. I reciprocated the attention, moving close to the soft fur tickling my nose. He sighed as I came closer and bumped against his side. He returned the pressure, keeping his legs in place so his much larger frame didn’t force me aside. He lifted his head and nudged me, moving away and running along the trail created by the icy creek.
I followed him as he led us deeper into the woods, carefully nipping at his heels, and rejoicing in the allure of embracing the wolf within. I wasn’t sure why I had been so terrified, or why I had kept her at bay for so long. Allowing the wolf freedom made me realize we weren’t two separate entities at all. We never were. Divided we were weakened, but together we were strong.
I kept pace with Caleb’s huge strides, running through the trees as we traveled away from the Blackney farm.
I wasn’t afraid—not anymore.
Epilogue
I groaned as I stretched, body and limbs languid and sore but not from shifting the night before. Caleb and I had traveled miles from the farm to Haven’s property, frolicking together in the field of frozen coreopsis that would die only to bloom the following spring. It was a pivotal point for each of us. He could share himself completely with me, and I could be a part of the world he worried I might shy away from.
Caleb had ended our time together before I was ready, leading us back to the cabin and shifting to retrieve the key hidden in the barn. I used the time he was gone to initiate my own return to human form and discovered it was all about manipulating the energy around me, forcing it in instead of out. It wasn’t as painful, but it was equally as fast. I lost the fur in the same instant I became covered in skin.
When Caleb rounded the corner and saw me, a chain reaction occurred. The natural bi-product of two people who were completely enamored with each other but were forced to be apart, or worse still, never allowed the opportunity to be completely alone. We met in the middle, his tanned skin pressing against the paleness of mine, in the same contrast we shared when running on four legs among the ice-covered flowers.
Somehow we managed to make our way into the cabin, up the stairs, and into his bedroom. He was as attentive as I remembered, loving me as only Caleb could. I had fallen asleep in his arms after, listening to his heartbeat as it sang a soothing lullaby that lulled me to sleep, basking in waves of happiness and fulfillment.
As I recalled our private moments together, I realized I didn’t want the time to end. Once I opened my eyes, the real world would come rushing back, complete with all the complications I’d left behind.
Slowly, my lids fluttered, allowing my vision to tell me what I instinctively knew. Caleb wasn’t in the bed with me. I smiled wistfully. One day I would be the early bird who caught the worm.
After I lifted my gratifyingly sore body from the mattress, I shoved aside the comforter Caleb must have covered me with and tiptoed into the closet. The mess was still there, undisturbed, as he probably feared waking me.
I weaved through boxes on the floor and discarded clothing scattered about and reached for one of his long sleeved flannel shirts. When I had the clothing in hand, I pulled it over my body. I quickly fastened a few of the buttons, tucking the too long sleeves back and away from my wrists. My necklace was still dangling between my breasts along with my ring, impervious to the white-hot fire the change produced, nestled safe and sound under the soft cotton.
I stepped out of the bedroom quietly, flaring my nose and scenting the air. I descended the stairs, walked to the door and opened it.
Caleb was on the porch, legs braced on the stairs, arms resting atop his knees. He was wearing his usual blue jeans and black T-shirt. His thick, dark hair continued to grow, the longer pieces on top falling across his forehead. He was facing east, watching the crimson sunrise that created a multitude of colors across the horizon.
He turned his head, gracing me with his profile as his lips curved into a playful grin.
“You’re up awfully early.”
“I missed you,” I murmured, tiptoeing across the porch and over to him.
He opened his arms and I climbed into his lap, tossing my legs over his knees and burrowing against his chest. His hands came around to pull me closer, and he placed a kiss against my temple before he rested his chin on my head.
I sighed, closing my eyes and wrapping a hand around his neck. “I want it to always be like this.”
“Then it will be.” He spoke quietly against my ear, giving me a squeeze. His fingers ran up and down my arm, teasing the skin.
We sat entwined, enjoying the calm before the storm. The sun breached the sky, bringing the world to life all around us. Orange tinted the atmosphere, causing the crimson to recede and disappear inside shades of bright blue. I tried to absorb the moment into myself, saving the memory for a time I might need it. I didn’t know when we would have time alone again.
Just the two of us.
“It’s going to be all right, Emma.” Caleb’s deep voice interrupted my thoughts. He continued caressing my arm in feather light motions. “I promise.”
“I know.” I smiled up at him, meeting his lips as they descended. I released his neck, skimming my fingers along his cheek and jaw, enjoying the feel of the soft shadow that had appeared.
He deepened the kiss, opening his mouth, and gently caressed my lips with his tongue. I released a ragged breath, holding him tight and clutching his shirt. He rose to his feet, carrying me securely in his arms and across the porch. His soft lips never broke away as he carried me back inside and walked up the stairs to his room.
I didn’t know what was to come, and I had no way of knowing what was in store for us, but at that precise moment, I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop what was coming. I couldn’t go back and do things differently. I couldn’t circumvent or escape fate. All I could do was enjoy the life I had, living each and every day to the fullest. If it all fell to pieces tomorrow, Caleb would be beside me to put things back together again.
I was with the person I loved—her
e and now—that was all that mattered.
A word about the author...
J.A. Saare is a multi-published author in varying genres and has written stories featured in horror magazines, zombie romance anthologies, and flash fiction contests. Her work has a notable dark undertone, which she credits to her love of old eighties horror films, tastes in music, and choices in reading, and have been described as “full of sensual promise,” “gritty and sexy,” and “a breath of fresh air.”
Currently she is penning numerous projects within the urban fantasy, erotic and contemporary, and of course, paranormal romance categories.
You can visit her online at
www.jasaare.com.
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J. A. Saare, Crimson Sunrise
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