He covered his face as the tears broke free, streaming down his cheeks and soaking his hands. No! He wouldn’t allow himself to breakdown. He wouldn’t allow himself pity. He was stronger than that. He would see this through to the end. There had to be a way. Jane. Jane was the way.
He pulled himself to his feet and continued into the forest. The sun rose to its peak in the noon sky and slowly descended toward the western mountaintops. He knew he needed to go back to meet the Search and Rescue team that would inevitably arrive.
It took him until dusk to finally cross the creek and climb the fence into the pasture. He didn’t see or hear any indication of Search and Rescue. He walked back to the house, hoping they were talking with Penny in the kitchen about their rescue strategy.
He climbed the opposite fence near the barns and took the path past the garden. Only a few lights twinkled from the house. The hunters lodge was all but dark. He made it to the back door into the kitchen and walked inside to find Patty, Penny, and Joshua eating in the breakfast nook.
“No luck?” asked Patty.
“Where is Search and Rescue?”
“They called to say they can’t dispatch a team until morning. Some hikers have been missing for two weeks, and it’s taking all their resources.”
“Damn it,” he shouted as he pounded his hand on the counter. “Where is Jane?”
“I thought she was with you,” said Joshua.
“We split up to cover more ground.”
His staff looked at each other. No one spoke.
“We can go back out,” offered Joshua.
“It’s a full moon tonight. I want everyone to stay inside. We don’t need everyone getting torn up by those wolves.”
“What about the girls?”asked Patty, nervously.
“I will go out again. I’ll keep searching. I’ll find them.”
“Nate. Let me help,” said Joshua, his face pleading.
“I said no! Everyone stay inside. I’m going back out now.”
Nathanial stormed out of the room and went to his gun cabinet. The only thing that needed a bullet was himself. He pulled the rifle from the cabinet and loaded the chamber with shaking hands. If it came down to it, he would put a bullet through his own skull. That would end it all. He gritted his teeth at the thought and imagined Jane alone with Owen’s ghost. He couldn’t take the easy way out, no matter how appealing it was.
He threw on a warmer coat and paced into the kitchen to stare down his employees. They needed to stay put for their safety. Hopefully, the girls were far enough away it would be alright.
He gave them all one last sharp stare and went back outside. The sun had moved beyond the mountain, and its shadow grew over the land. He forced himself to move toward the settler's cabin where he would wait for the shift.
Chapter 16
Darkness fell, and I knew I was lost beyond finding. A frustrated tear fell down my cheek. How could I let myself get lost? I was supposed to be finding Morgan. Now we were both in danger. I had climbed high into the mountain and couldn’t find a view to gain perspective on my position. I was surrounded by tall thick trunks that towered toward the sky.
I walked through dry pine needles that crunched under my feet sending the sharp scent into my exhausted lungs. I sniffed the air. I smelled smoke. I followed the scent, hoping it was someone’s fireplace, and I could use the phone to get someone to pick me up.
As I pushed through the trees, they thickened and grew lower to the ground. It was difficult to see what was ahead. I pushed through a thick clump of huckleberry bushes. On the other side, I saw a flickering campfire and a little girl.
“Morgan!” I screamed, running to her. I fell to my knees and hugged her to me.
“What’s the matter?”
“Everyone’s been looking for you. Why did you leave like that?”
“Mommy said to get out of the house. The bad man was there.”
“The bad man?”
“Yeah, he came to scare me in my dreams. He said he’d drown me in the water. So Mommy helped me get away.”
“Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
“Yes. I know how to live in the woods. I also brought food and water. I didn’t want to eat crickets.”
I laughed as she handed me a power bar. She might be fine, but I was cold, tired, and starving. I tore into the power bar and washed it down with water from her bottle.
“Do you know the way back?”
“Of course.”
“We should go. Everyone is looking for you. And it’s the full moon tonight.”
Morgan shuddered in the firelight. Her face grew blank and flashed with pain.
“Okay,” she said, “Help me put out the fire.”
We busied ourselves stomping out the fire and packed up her backpack. She had a flashlight stored in one of the compartments. I held her hand and carried the things while she led me with the flashlight. Once again, I felt like I was being tutored by a child.
“Is Mommy here now?” I asked.
“Yes. Mommy is usually with me. She says I have to be strong. Tonight is the final test.”
“Test? What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. But she says I should go home now.”
We walked down the mountain guided by the light of Morgan’s flashlight. We came to the ridge where I’d fallen from the horse and looked out onto the ranch. Below, the house windows were mostly dark. Above the bright, full moon loomed over the lake, illuminating its silver-black waters.
I shuddered, somehow knowing what the “test” would be. I had to defeat Owen. Somehow. It had to be done, now, tonight, or never.
We climbed down the path until we came to the barns. A sharp sickening howl came from the direction of the settler’s cabin.
“Run!” I yelled.
Morgan and I broke into a dead run toward the house. Howling called through the cold air. My legs felt numb as I followed Morgan up the path and through the back door of the house. All but the light over the sink was off. Everyone had already gone to their rooms.
I pulled Morgan up the stairs and into her bedroom.
“I want you to stay here. Lock the door and don’t come out until morning.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to finish this.”
She saw the resolute look on my face and did not object. She closed the door, and I heard the lock click on the other side. I stood with my hand on her door and hung my head. The child was safe. Now it was up to me to deal with this shit.
Thoughts swam through my head. I wished Nathanial was with me. But Nathanial had his own problems to deal with. Last month, Morgan claimed the wolf was her father. Back then, I didn’t believe it. Now, I did.
I ran up the stairs to Nathanial’s bedroom looking for clues. His neat room offered no information. Searching his documents would take too long. I flung open his closet and smelled the fine scent of wool suites and silk shirts. I turned and looked at the particleboard covering the entrance to the turret. From up there, I could see the whole farm.
I grabbed a flashlight from a drawer and pushed the particleboard down the wall, revealing the entrance. I clicked on the flashlight and climbed the stairs to pop open the trap door. I pulled myself up, and stood, looking out on the property.
The howl cut through the night air. It seemed disgusted, angry, longing. It broke my heart to hear it. The moon glowed directly over the lake, shining down on the dark water. My eyes were caught by a flash of light, deep within the depths of the lake. Memories of my dream surfaced.
I squinted into the distance, trying to understand what could glow so brightly from so deep under water. All at once, I knew I needed to retrieve whatever the object was. I knew it like I knew my own name. I ran back down the stairs and all the way out the front door.
I circled the house, toward the lake. The moonlight caught the reflection of the object. And I could still see it, twinkling in the deep black like a star. I ran to the lake’s edge and pulled off my c
lothes. I was in the lilac bustier from the night before.
I dove in the frigid water, ignoring the burning cold on my skin. Pumping with my arms and legs, I swam downward and downward. I opened my eyes in the murky water, and I could make out the shining object at the bottom of the lake.
My lungs compressed, and I had no air. I had to let the last of the oxygen bubble from my mouth as I grabbed the shining object. Frantically, I pushed myself up off the bottom of the lake. I flailed in the water, clawing my way to the surface.
When I reached the top, I sucked air into my ragged lungs. Relief flooded my body even as the wolf’s howl pierced my ears. I pulled myself to the water’s edge and onto land, dripping, shaking.
I looked down at the object in my hand. An antique silver picture frame with an old-fashioned photograph somehow perfectly preserved. In the moonlight, I could just make out the image of my own face.
A scream escaped my lungs. Then a howl answered. I looked up to find the figure of a massive wolf between the house and me. Its yellow eyes stared. Its mouth dripped with craving saliva. I gripped the picture frame, turned, and ran.
I ran toward the forest, knowing I could never outrun the beast. I made it past the barns and over the creek, and into the tree line. The beast trotted after me, enjoying the leisurely chase. I turned to look behind me and stumbled backward on a stone.
I fell down on my backside as the wolf walked over me, growling low and rhythmically in the back of its throat. It bared its fangs, as if smiling with wicked glee.
I pulled myself back on my elbows, still clutching the photograph. The beast pounced onto me, sinking its teeth into fabric of my corset. It tore at the garment until my breasts fell out. I felt its hot breath on my skin. Its saliva dripped over my nipples. I knew I had to act. My love bared his teeth.
“Nathanial,” I screamed. “Take me now if you want me. Devour me. I’m yours no matter the price. No matter how vicious your beast. I love you. Only you.”
His teeth gripped the crook of my neck. I felt the sharp pressure on my jugular.
“I’ve taken the curse from the water. I’ve taken me away from him. I’m giving it to you. It’s always been for you. Nathanial.”
The last words were spoken in a whisper as I knew I was about to die. All I could do was tell him— tell him my love and my body and my soul always belonged to him and only him. No matter what Owen had done to me. No matter what disagreements we’d had. I was always his, his Melody. His Jane.
The body over me slowly contorted. Writhing. Twitching and jerking as his body morphed. Wolf forelegs lost their fur, shrinking and filling out into human arms. The face of the wolf contracted. He moaned from the sickening pain.
The transformation stunned me into silence. I couldn’t look away, didn’t run. I watched him as the beast in him slowly melted away, leaving only the man. The man I loved.
He straddled me still, panting, looking down at my exposed flesh, my stunned expression. I reached up to touch his cheek. His lips pressed against the palm of my hand.
“Oh Nathanial.”
“Jane, my love,” he breathed as he leaned into me and put his lips where his fangs had just been. He kissed the tender flesh of my neck and moved across my cheek to my mouth. His tongue flicked against mine. “Oh Jane,” he said, pulling my wet form into his naked chest.
His hand ran over my breast and squeezed. “I’ve been waiting so long for this,” he said. “Too long.”
I could feel his cock hard and sure, pressed against the thin fabric of my g-string. I wrapped my legs around his hips and ran my hands down his taut, muscled back.
I heard him whimper softly as his head sank into by breasts. He cupped my nipple with his mouth, sucking, biting, licking.
He pulled himself down, and my legs spread open. He broke the tiny string on my panties, letting them fall away around my hips. Cool air blew over the hot moisture seeping from inside me. His fervent tongue pressed through my red curls and deep inside my soft folds.
He lapped at me, like the beast he had been. I whimpered, panting, moving my body with the force of his mouth upon me. Rivulets of sensation streamed from my core. Moisture ran between my legs, leaving me dripping wet.
He grunted and kissed his way up my body, squeezing my nipples and breasts. His tongue pressed inside my mouth. I tasted the bittersweet tang of my sex as his cock pressed inside me. His hand ran down my cheek, over my breast, and up my thigh to raise my leg over his waist. He pushed deep and hard in the final inches.
I gasped as I took the rest of his cock inside me. My eyes bulged as if I’d learned a great secret. I moaned and pulled his face to me, sinking my tongue in his mouth again.
He pushed into me, and we moved in unison, in a slow, entwined dance. My passion grew like a wild longing. I held his face in my hands, kissing him deeply as his cock thrust with ever-increasing force. His hands ran over my skin, leaving a path of fire and desire in their wake.
The flood of orgasm screamed to break through, and I pushed my hips up into him, asking for more. He answered my request with increased ferocity. He groaned into my neck as his hips smacked against my thighs. I threw my arms back and accepted the onslaught of his hard, pounding body.
My nipples pricked like hard pink stones, rubbing against his tight chest. His mouth on my neck bit and sucked as his hand squeezed at my swollen breast.
I called out into the cold night as my orgasm erupted deep within. It trickled down and gripped my clit crawling over my ass. My body vibrated. My mind expanded in the white-hot moment. I panted, moaning. His hips continued to push his cock deep and hard, until my body convulsed and went limp.
He let me recover, holding me, kissing my shoulders, my mouth, my breasts. He lifted me up as he sat back on his knees so that I straddled him. He held my ass while my feet anchored me on the ground. His face was buried in my inflamed breasts to suck and bite at my nipples as he pulled me up and down on his cock.
My body bounced as he thrust me into outer space. The stars above sparked through the treetops, so close I could drink in their glow. I let my voice call out over the mountains. I let it ring and echo with my pleasure. I clung to him, never wanting the moment to end. I felt that I could never experience greater pleasure. But I was wrong.
He pulled me off and pushed me onto all fours. I quivered in the cold, waiting for what he might do. His hands ran over my body, fondling, flicking. I heard him growl behind me. He slapped my ass, making my flesh jiggle. It sent shockwaves of pleasure and pain through my whole being.
My pussy dripped wet, waiting for his cock. He gathered my hair in his hand and slid inside. My back arched, my ass tilted back. He ran his hands down my sides and took a firm grip of my hips. His thrusts landed painfully true, directly into the apex of me.
Orgasms exploded like land mines. I was so overcome by fulfilled desire I could not even moan but sucked in air. I let the waves of sex fall on me like lapping hot lava. Finally, a long moan broke through my gaping mouth.
Nathanial grunted behind me. His cock grew wider and harder, throbbing. The intensity of his thrusts launched me into the dream world. I could hear myself moaning and screaming as he shot his hot cum into my pulsating climax.
He drew me back on my knees against his chest, still inside me. His hands ran over my breasts and stomach as he kissed the back of my neck and my tilted face. He slid away, and we fell to the ground in each other’s arms.
He pulled me into his chest and held me in a tight embrace. I leaned up and kissed his stubble covered chin. Slowly, the cold inched up my legs, and I began to shake.
Nathanial helped me to my feet. I grabbed the picture frame from the ground, and he led me through the darkness to the settler’s cabin. Inside, the fire still burned. I took the frame and put it on the mantle.
He threw a warm blanket around our shoulders, and we sat together in the bed, kissing gently as our bodies warmed.
“You are magnificent,” he said into my cheek.
I put my arms around his waist and leaned my head against his shoulder. A tear trickled down my face and landed on his chest.
“You saved me,” he said. “You saved us all.”
“We saved each other.”
In the morning, I found my clothes draped over a chair, a burning fire, and Nathanial standing near the hearth. He gazed at the photograph, wonder in his eyes.
“That was the source of the curse,” I said, sitting up. I gathered my clothes from the chair and pulled them on. “He came to me in a dream the night after the party, demanding I come to him, to die for him. He dragged me into the water, and I saw something shining on the bottom of the lake. I didn’t have time to tell you yesterday morning. We ran out to find Morgan, and I got lost. I finally found her, but she wasn’t lost at all. She said her mommy told her to get out of the house, so she left. She even knew the way home. When I got her to her room, I told her to stay inside and lock the door.
“I knew you were the wolf. Morgan knew, and I finally believed. I went to your room to look for answers. I couldn’t find anything. I suddenly thought I should look around on the turret. From up there, I could see something shining in deep in the water, caught by the light of the moon. It came to me all at once, and I ran down to the lake to dive inside. I didn’t see what it was until I got out of the water.
“That picture frame was beside his bed the day he raped me. He stole it from my house. He must have put some kind of enchantment on me through it.
“In the dream, he told me he’d killed himself to be with me after I died. He must have used this same picture to cast his curse on the ranch, and on you, trying to keep us apart forever.”
“Why a werewolf?”
“I don’t know. But when we were together in the past, you did everything in your power to suppress your animal instincts. He knew I wanted to make love, but you refused. I don’t know if the curse of the beast was intentional or a product of some evil kind of universal karma, but I’m sure the haunting and the werewolf curse originate and end with Owen.”