Mark of the Wolf

  “So good of you to join us,” the second man said from behind her. She struggled slightly, but not too much – she knew it was better to conserve her energy and wait for the opportune moment. Men were strong, and there was no way she could overpower them both.

  “So how should we do this?” the fat man asked, licking a long tongue across his teeth. She shivered in fear.

  The man behind her laughed in a completely humorless way. “However you want, Gordy,” he said evilly.

  Maddy felt shivers down her spine. Suddenly she wished that she hadn’t been so damned confident about visiting her cabin. She should have asked Gareth to come with her – this was a far worse scenario than running into her dad.

  “Wonderful, hold her still,” the fat man, Gordy, said in a high pitched, excited voice. Maddy stiffened, not sure of what to expect, whether they planned to rape her or just kill her on the spot. But then the man took a step back, and she frowned, confusion crossing her thoughts.

  He took another step back, then suddenly fell to his knees, landing in a strange crouch. It made no sense. Was he bowing to her? Then she saw something impossible — something she could have never imagined.

  Hair sprouted all over his skin like a ripple of gray across his body, and his clothes grew baggy and slumped. No, not his clothes, he was shrinking! Her breath caught, and she stared in horror as the man before her changed, his body twisting and warping, and she could hear the sickening crunch of bones. She would have screamed at the horrifying sight, but the one behind her kept a firm hand over her mouth. His breath tickled her ear.

  “Just a few more moments, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Then it’ll all be over….”

  Somehow she wasn’t comforted.

  Finally Gordy was done shrinking, or changing, or whatever the hell had happened, and in place of the chubby man stood a large, vicious wolf. She stared, unable to believe her eyes, feeling like she might faint – perhaps she was hallucinating all of this, dreaming. Had they slipped her a drug? Hit her on the head? She couldn't think.

  Then the beast shook itself clear of the loose clothing and growled. A snarl twisted its lips up, displaying a sharp row of razor fangs.

  “'Oh no, there was another animal attack,'” the man behind her said, snickering at a mock-news voice. “Sadly, only chunks of the body were found.”

  With a snap of its jaws, the wolf leapt forward, so fast that Maddy barely had time to blink. She couldn’t move – only stare, stunned and shocked, as the beast sailed toward her….

  Wham!

  Maddy flinched, closing her eyes, but nothing hit her – instead, she looked and saw a body fly past, a large, humanoid blur. The third person tackled the beast in mid-air and threw it to the ground. She watched, still stunned, at the whirlwind of movement that ensued, and then suddenly there were two wolves before her, snarling and snapping at one another, each displaying long fangs. The new wolf was bigger than the other one and pitch black in color.

  “Oh my god, oh my god,” she whispered, and put her hand over her mouth. It was only then that she realized she was no longer being held. She looked around. The man who had been holding her was now against the far wall, cowering down, a look of hatred and fear mingled on his face. She didn’t know what to think – she couldn’t move, couldn’t organize her body to run or at least find cover. She just stood stupidly, staring at the two wolves in her living room that were now circling each other, hackles raised, and the tall, skinny man huddling in the corner. “What the fuck?” she muttered.

  The wolves jumped at each other. It was over in the blink of an eye – the smaller gray one flew through the air, letting out a ferocious growl, but the other wolf smoothly sidestepped and dove for the neck, ripping with its teeth in one sure stroke. There was a sharp yowl, a splatter of hot blood against the ground, and a chunk of flesh hit the far wall, most likely a chunk of throat. The stout gray beast collapsed on the ground, wheezing helplessly, blood flowing all of the carpet.

  Great, a dead animal in her house, and all she could think of was that she was not cleaning it up.

  The black wolf turned now on the skinny man, and she saw him begin to shrink as well, transforming into a short, hairy body. Maddy watched the second transformation in awe. Her legs weakened and she found herself sinking slowly to the ground, her back against the wall. Her head was pounding and her eyes were glued open, staring at the impossible sight, hardly able to breathe. It defied reality.

  The black wolf lunged before the man had finished his change, his skin only half covered in dull, tawny fur. The black wolf didn’t hesitate or show any mercy – rather, he grabbed the man by the throat and yanked him down to the ground, blood spurting, a gargling scream ringing around the cabin. But the wolf didn’t stop, and Maddy had to turn away or risk being sick; the stench of blood and the sound of tearing flesh continued for minutes afterward. She pulled her knees up to her face and buried her head in them, trying to suppress the need to throw up. Her shock was over and fear began to consume her – this beast had just killed her two attackers. It was probably the same wolf that had killed the men of last night. She was doubtlessly next in line.

  The noises stopped after a few seconds, and she held her breath, pushing her forehead harder against her knees. She felt like praying, but then again, she doubted it would do any good. She was too much of a coward to look up; she preferred not to see her own death heading for her.

  But more time passed, and nothing happened.

  The silence grew until finally she shifted, glancing around the cabin. Her eyes widened once again.

  “Gareth?”

  Naked?

  One look at his broad, tan back, rippling with muscle, and she turned her face away, cheeks flaming. She had seen the top of his firm butt from where he was crouched on the other side of the couch. She couldn’t get the damned vision out of her head even though her eyes were closed. She had seen the tattoo on his upper arms too, stretching along the top of his back, an intricate design over his shoulders. Her fingers itched – she wanted to trace the patterns.

  “You were late,” he said.

  She bit her lip; thank god he was on time. Her relief was immense. She had half expected him to leave, despite his promises. Why should she expect anything more from a stranger?

  “Uh… can I look now?” she said, still blushing like mad.

  “If you want,” he murmured.

  She peeked open an eye and glanced in his direction, then clamped her eyes shut again. “Oh my god, Gareth!”

  He chuckled. It was the sexiest sound on earth.

  She couldn’t help it; she cracked a smile too, thinking of the entire situation. Her destroyed cabin, her missing stepfather, two dead half-wolf creatures in her living room, and now her rescuer standing naked behind the couch. Not to mention her throbbing head wound. All of a sudden the whole thing seemed rather funny. A hysterical giggle fought its way up her throat and escaped her lips, high-pitched to her own ears. She giggled again. Then all of a sudden she started laughing, and she couldn’t stop, couldn’t control it. She didn’t know if she was about to cry or what.

  “Shh,” Gareth’s voice again. She could feel his heat before he even knelt next to her, and she buried her head against her knees, She couldn't look at him, even though she wished he would come closer. His leg brushed hers, and she felt the familiar roughness of jeans.

  “You’re okay,” he said quietly, his hand going to her head, running through her hair and then gently over the area where her bandage was. “Everything’s fine.”

  “Everything is not fine!” she shrieked, startling herself with her own voice. “There are two dead – dead – things in my living room, and if my dad comes home and sees this… oh god, he’s going to kill me.” He really would kill her, she knew it. “And you – you – what the fuck?” Her eyes opened and she looked at him, a light going on in her head. “Was that you?”

  He was still shirtless, his tattoos stretching down his muscular, broad shoulders, swir
ling over one side, above his heart. She ignored it now and stared at him, his jade-green eyes and black hair, which fell wild and free around his face in loose waves. It had a slightly damp look, like he had just ran very hard and was sweating. His face looked somehow strained. Her gaze caught as she stared at his hair and suddenly she felt her stomach clench, her belly squirm and her crotch grow warm. Her nipples hardened. He looked incredible.

  But there was blood all over him.

  He didn’t answer her question, just continued to watch her carefully, which was answer enough. Maddy’s eyes widened and she scooted away, fear mingling with her inexplicable arousal.

  “Oh my god… it was you! But how – what – what were those things? What the hell? Wait, and then last night, with the wolf… oh my god….”

  He reached forward with one hand as though to stroke her arm, but she flinched away, scooting even farther from his grasp. “Stay away from me!” she shrieked.

  His eyes darkened. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling, only that it made her stomach twist. It was a dangerous look, one that left her heart pounding and her lips dry. Mmm lips. Suddenly she couldn’t stop looking at his. She couldn’t tell what she wanted – her mind was screaming at her to run, but her body was so turned on that she wasn’t even sure if she could stand up. She felt weak and shivery all over.

  “W-what are you?” she whispered.

  “Do you really want to know?” he asked back, his voice dark and soft, a low growl in his throat. Maddy’s eyes dropped down to the blood that painted his chest, then to the floor behind the couch where the pool of blood had been growing steadily larger. She knew there was a dead body behind that couch, just out of sight – a body that was mutilated and ripped and still warm. The thought made her stomach churn sickeningly.

  Her body moved on its own accord. Panic seized her and she leapt to her feet, throwing herself towards the back door before she could look too closely at the rest of the carnage. He moved faster, though. He hit the door just as she was tugging it open, slamming it with his hand and leaning his weight against it. She was between him and the wall now, her back to him, his chest hovering right behind her – he was so tall that he was leaning over her, his shoulders blocking out the light from the window, his body heat intense. She could feel it burning against her back. The hair rose on her neck.

  “Bad idea,” he said softly. Terror ripped through her even as she grew wet between her legs.

  She tried to duck to one side, to get around him and run to the other door, or make a leap for the window, or maybe the kitchen where she could get a knife and… he caught her arm before she had moved even a foot away, easily swinging her around. His grip was rough, and she flinched again, expecting the blow to land across her face, or in her stomach, or for him to grab her hair next….

  He released her.

  She stumbled backwards, slipping in the blood on the floor and catching herself against the couch. It took her a moment to realize she was free, then she continued to stumble towards the opposite door, walking backwards with her eyes wide, holding the couch for balance. She stared at him. He prowled slowly towards her, matching her step for step. He moved like a wild animal, muscles rippling, face dangerous. He looked feral and vicious and utterly masculine.

  “Don’t come near me,” she whispered again, unable to make her voice work – it trembled in her throat.

  “I won’t hurt you,” he murmured.

  “Bullshit.” She kept inching back. She could make out a limp hand out of the corner of her eye and focused desperately on his face instead. His intense green eyes made her shiver. She licked her lips nervously. “What the hell were those people, and what the hell are you?”

  “Werewolves,” he said the word seriously.

  She got the urge to laugh all of a sudden. “What?” she asked instead, unable to think of anything better. There was a long, drawn out silence.

  “Werewolves, shape-shifters, wolf men… you know the stories, right Maddy? Haven’t you ever celebrated Halloween?”

  She didn’t know what to say, her mouth was dry, her head throbbing and dizzy. She had to get out of there – had to run to where it was safe, into the woods or out to the street. Maybe he had left his keys in his car… she could take it and drive back to town, alert the police, or maybe just find a phone booth and call 911….

  Shit, her phone!

  It was only a few feet away on the kitchen wall. She hesitated only for a moment, then lunged to the side, grasping for the phone piece and knocking it clumsily off the receiver. She pounded 9-1-1 into the number pad before pressing the phone to her ear. Her heart pounded.

  The phone was silent.

  It took her a moment to remember that the city had shut off her power. She remembered the message from the night before. Wide-eyed, she looked up at Gareth, who was now standing with his arms crossed, right where she had last seen him. He hadn’t moved to stop her. Somehow he had known the phone wasn’t working. Or... was he going to let her call the police?

  He was watching her carefully, his expression patient. Maddy wasn’t going to take this anymore. She dropped the phone and made a run for the front door, knocking around the couch. She moved as fast as she could, hoping that her sudden stunt had taken him off-guard.

  She never made it halfway there – his arms grabbed her first, wrapping around her waist and pulling her backwards. He was so fast! He must have jumped the couch to grab her so quickly — how could a man of his size cross such a cluttered room? His arms went around her and dragged her back against him, locking her to his chest, his warmth flooding her senses. His smell enveloped her. His chest was naked. She could feel his skin burning against her, his muscles powerful and rock hard.

  “Let me go!” she yelled, abandoning her previous control and struggling wildly, twisting and kicking at the air. He only held her tighter, his one arm under her breasts while the other was locked against her hips, and she could feel his heartbeat. It was steady, consistent, and somehow so normal that it caused her to calm.

  Then he turned her in his arms, pressed her back against the wall and started kissing her. She couldn’t breathe. When his lips met hers, they were soft and demanding, skilled, claiming her ruthlessly. She was sucked into the kiss and tried to push away, but her body melted. A wave of heat moved through her belly and her nipples grew sensitive, rubbing against his chest through her clothes; he reached a hand up and started rubbing her right nipple through her shirt. It seemed to know naturally where to go. A streak of sensual pleasure shot from her nipples down to her crotch. She gasped. He pressed her shoulders back, holding her pinned as his mouth took hers. His tongue forced its way past her lips, and she tasted him, heavy and intoxicating. She just wanted to melt into him, surrender, let him do whatever he wanted just as long as she didn't have to think.

  Her whole world became focused in on him, his large hands, his strong biceps and flexing muscles, the hard breath against her neck as his lips left hers and trailed up to her ear, swirling around the shell. Somehow he knew every spot to hit. She whimpered, her neck sensitive to the extreme. His touch was magic, tickling just enough to drive her crazy, making her pant and gasp and moan – sounds that she refused to believe were coming from her own throat.

  Suddenly he pressed his hips between her legs. The incredible hardness of his erection rested fully against her clit. He rubbed himself against her in a slow, circular motion. Maddy had never felt an erection so clearly. She thought she was going to explode....

  She couldn’t stop herself. She moved against him, dripping wet, and he continued to move against her, repetitive, consistent. His pressure was firm and she felt herself moving higher and higher. She was reaching for something, searching for it, arching against him, desperate to have it....

  Then he broke off the kiss and pulled away, letting her slip back to the ground. She was wobbly on her feet and kept a firm grip on his arms. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, his face hovering just above her own.

&n
bsp; “Better?” he asked.

  She smiled a little awkwardly. “Yeah,” she said stupidly. She couldn’t think straight.

  “Let’s get back to the car before anyone else shows up, then I’ll explain everything,” he murmured. He took her small hand in one of his large warm ones. She nodded wordlessly, knowing that she didn’t have any other choice, and she didn’t really care. Amazing what a kiss could do to a girl. She wasn’t afraid anymore – just curious… and perhaps a little cautious as well.

  Still shaky on her feet, she picked up the grocery bag full of her things and followed him to the door. He didn’t let go of her hand.

  Chapter 5

  “So you’re a... werewolf?” It still sounded strange on her tongue. If he had told her this yesterday, she never would have believed him – probably would have thought he was insane. But she had seen the transformation with her own eyes and the half-wolf corpses that littered her cabin. It was hard to deny the truth.

  “The legends have been changed over the years, deviating from the truth. There are many of us out there.”

  “What about... you know, changing into a wolf on a full moon?”

  “The full moon is important... but we can change at will any time. But lot of our traditions revolve around the moon.”

  “Uh-huh,” she nodded, though it still sounded crazy, like a strange fantasy story or a roleplay game, with laws and rules that shouldn’t exist in reality. “So like, what, are there vampires and stuff too? Fairies? Elves?”

  He grinned slightly, amused. “I’ve never met any… but I’ve seen a lot of strange things. Anything is possible.”