Charmed by the Werewolf

Charmed by the Werewolf

by

Sandra Sookoo

*****

Kindle Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

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CHARMED BY THE WEREWOLF © 2014 by Sandra Sookoo

Published by New Independence Books and Sandra Sookoo

ISBN-
9781311890115

Contact Information:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Visit me at sandrasookoo.com

Book Cover Design by David Sookoo

Two enamored on the night sky with shining stars, illustration.
.

©
Yevgeniy Il'yin |123rf.com

wolf in silhouette howling to the full moon

©Nattapon Wongwean | 123rf.com

Publishing History

First Digital Edition, 2014

*****

Blurb

A curse, a quest and keeping the paranormal peace? No problem. All in a day’s work.

Sophia Raines has issues beyond being a near-sighted vegetarian. Bound to a power-hungry Portal Master for the next ninety years, she longs for freedom and a halfway normal life. When a sexy, golden-haired werewolf shows up and kisses her in the street, she panics. A romantic liaison isn’t in the cards, since she’ll eventually betray him. Nothing personal, it’s just her job, hormones be damned.

Xavier Leighton is a werewolf on a mission. He wants nothing more than to have the curse on his person lifted, but he needs to cultivate a friendship with stubborn, fearful Sophia first. There’s something about the woman he can’t ignore, and it has more to do than the soul-shattering knowledge she’s his mate. Too bad she’s resistant to his charms—and his kisses.

As a supernatural bargain is struck, the countdown begins. All they need to do is find a gypsy, chat with a rifle-wielding mermaid, de-brief a deadly, dragon lawyer, and outwit a unicorn with Hollywood aspirations. Easy peasy. Somewhere along the way, Sophia and Xavier might just find out that opposites do attract… unless the Eight Realms fall into ruin first.

Note: this title was previously published in 2010 as Vegetarian at Midnight but has since been re-edited.

*****

Excerpt

He’d been alone for too long. She wasn’t his usual style at all, but destiny apparently didn’t operate on the physical alone.

“Then I’ll scream until someone comes.”

“That would also be an unfortunate decision.” No matter that she had the power to destroy him, the sound of her voice wrapped around him like a fleece blanket to mute his senses. “You should practice a bit more caution.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Who
are
you?”

“That information isn’t important at the moment.” He dropped his gaze to her lips.

The bottom was slightly fuller than the top. Xavier’s groin tightened. His mission would be over before it started if he continued down desire’s path.

“What do you mean it’s not important? Of course it is. I demand to know your name!” Her voice raised an octave, tinged with hysteria now. “I’m calling the police. A pretty boy like you will keep the hardened criminals busy in jail.”

Her single-minded determination made him smile and teased his sense of adventure. “I did advise you not to do that. Perhaps this will make you change your mind.”

Xavier settled her more comfortably in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. For whatever reason, the woman released rivers of need into his blood, a sure sign she was his fated mate, and the only thing he could do was answer Nature’s call. He nibbled her lips, savoring their velvety softness. Wanting to taste more, he ran his tongue along their crease. Would she invite him inside? When she didn’t, he grasped her hips and pulled her flush against the hard wall of his body with a low growl. In response, the minx sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, turning his blood to liquid fire and leaving behind rampant arousal.

He wanted her in a primal, earthy way, but a warning crept into his lust-shrouded brain to urge caution. He needed her connection to the Portal Master, more than he needed her warm in his bed—and she would, eventually, join him between the sheets. He just needed to convince her they were life mates. Those thoughts fled in the face of sharp pain when she bit down hard on his bottom lip.

“What did you do that for?” It was no love bite. She did it on purpose, with malicious intent.

*****

Dedication

For everyone who enjoys a little humor on their paranormal quests.

*****

“
Sophia.”

The whispered name went into the night air unheard while his nose continued to twitch from the sharp scent of wood burning stoves. He ignored it and
pushed further into the shadows of a doorway as she passed. No sense letting her see him until it was absolutely necessary. He considered slipping into his wolf form in order to follow her, but just as quickly banished the thought. Better to maintain full control of his human side for this part of the reconnaissance. Xavier Leighton pulled the brim of his fedora               lower then slunk out of his hiding place. He frowned.
This
woman held his fate in her hands?
This
woman had the power to save him?

After watching her for weeks to learn her routine, she didn’t appear capable of handling her own life, let alone anyone else’s. He wanted to scoff, rage at fate for the cruel trick, but he did none of those things. Instead, he studied the woman.

Dull, brown hair hung limply to her shoulders. She tucked a lock of it behind her ear with a pale hand, the nails clipped short. His gaze focused on the slight sway of her hips as she walked. Xavier scowled. What did her body look like beneath the blazer that obscured her figure? Her height was several inches shorter than his six feet, the perfect size to tuck into his arms.

His mouth watered—not from lust but from hunger. He hadn’t eaten since the day before, and the meal of venison did not satisfy him—would never satisfy him again. Perhaps if the woman did not answer to the title of Gatekeeper, he would devour her. The soft parts he could see would keep him busy for a while. He could almost feel the bones snap in his jaws, taste the sweetness of her flesh…

All the old admonitions from Hannah warning him not to eat humans came rushing back. He thrust them away yet, the primal urges would not be ignored so easily—neither could his curse.

The shrill ring of her cell phone yanked him out of his culinary reflections. Her attention seemed to be occupied with her enormous bag
, yet she continued to rush over the darkened sidewalk. He stifled an impatient growl. Women these days had no sense of personal safety. If she had been just an ordinary human citizen, he would have pounced on her right then. He needed proof of her identity before he either disposed of her or saved her.

“
Mona? What happened? You didn’t burn the apartment down, did you?” Her voice was low, melodious, but tinged with fear. “What happened?” The woman paused under a street light. A flash occurred as she turned her head. She wore glasses. An intellectual female. His interest in her rose. However, her next comment chilled his blood. “Mona, tell me again what it means when my birthmark glows.”

A birthmark?

Xavier narrowed his eyes. Would she actually give him confirmation without him needing to reveal his presence? His pulse thundered in his ears as she drew her left sleeve up to reveal her wrist. A crown-shaped birthmark glowed eerie red in the darkness. He licked his lips, tasting success.

A Gatekeeper!

Cold dread mingled with hot excitement at the prospect of his quest being over for The One—his mate and his salvation. He breathed a soft sigh and skulked out of the shadows when she hurried down the deserted street once more. The woman threw her phone into her bag and held the oversized monstrosity close to her side. Xavier wanted to laugh at her poor security clutch.

Fate had chosen, and it was his responsibility to carry the plan through. Finally, freedom was within his reach.

A crackle of dried autumn leaves nearly gave him away. The woman glanced over her shoulder, but Xavier quickly ducked behind a large oak tree, his chest tight.

Should he reveal his presence now? She was almost at her apartment building. Once she gained the safety of her home and her protection wards, he
couldn’t approach her.

A chilly October wind ruffled his hair. Xavier buttoned his trench coat against the onslaught. He had a matter of days to lift the curse. His lifetime of struggle had come down to this one moment. If he didn’t accomplish this goal, he’d be doomed to spend the rest of his life as a werewolf—and that was definitely not on his agenda.

It was time.

Using his limited magic, he coaxed the bulb in the next streetlight to shatter.

After a loud pop, murky darkness claimed the street, and the air stilled. Her face showed in profile now, reflecting sudden fear. He smiled. His stomach clenched with anticipation as he circled her with the silent movements of a consummate predator. She started off once more, seeming to search the shadows moments before she smacked into his chest. He grunted.

“Pardon me.
” She looked up into his face. Her blue eyes were round and reflected a mixture of fear and resignation.

E
nergy crackled, tensed in her muscles. She would run. He wrapped his arms around her, preventing her flight. “The darkness is full of unexpected obstacles, Miss Raines, and we must try to ascertain which of them should be avoided at any cost.” Xavier couldn’t resist tucking her against himself. Her head did indeed fit neatly under his chin. For one brief moment, a wave of calm engulfed him, but then she struggled, and the peace succumbed to the thrill of the chase.

“Who are you, and how do you know my name?
” She attempted to jerk out of his grasp but he merely tightened his hold.

As if I
’ll tell her
. Xavier smiled. “It’s of no consequence at the moment.”

“If you don’t let me go, I
will
call nine-one-one.” She fumbled in her bag.

“That would be unwise.
” He easily ignored her protest and explored her curves with his fingers. Too bad her heavy blazer prevented most things.

“And that’s supposed to make me not do it?
”

A soft chuckle escaped him. “No. Besides, you
’re in no danger from me.”
Much
. Her scent teased his nostrils, and thanks to his being part wolf, he discerned every subtly; vanilla, honeysuckle, and the sweet womanly smell that was hers alone.

Enchanting
? He’d been alone for too long. She wasn’t his usual style at all, but destiny apparently didn’t operate on the physical alone.

“Then I’ll scream until someone comes.
”

“That would also be an unfortunate decision.
” No matter that she had the power to destroy him, the sound of her voice wrapped around him like a fleece blanket to mute his senses. “You should practice a bit more caution.”

She
narrowed her eyes. “Who
are
you?”

“That information
isn’t important at the moment.” He dropped his gaze to her lips.

The bottom was slightly fuller than the top. Xavier’s groin tightened. His mission would be over before it started if he continued down
desire’s path.

“What do you mean it’s not important? Of course it is. I demand to know your name!
” Her voice raised an octave, tinged with hysteria now. “I’m calling the police. A pretty boy like you will keep the hardened criminals busy in jail.”

Her single-minded determination made him smile and teased his sense of adventure. “I did advise you not to do that. Perhaps this will make you change your mind.
”

Xavier settled her more comfortably in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. For whatever reason, the woman released rivers of need into his blood
, a sure sign she was his fated mate, and the only thing he could do was answer Nature’s call. He nibbled her lips, savoring their velvety softness. Wanting to taste more, he ran his tongue along their crease. Would she invite him inside? When she didn’t, he grasped her hips and pulled her flush against the hard wall of his body with a low growl. In response, the minx sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, turning his blood to liquid fire and leaving behind rampant arousal.

He wanted her in a primal, earthy way, but a warning crept into his lust-shrouded brain to urge caution.
He needed her connection to the Portal Master, more than he needed her warm in his bed—and she would, eventually, join him between the sheets. He just needed to convince her they were life mates. Those thoughts fled in the face of sharp pain when she bit down hard on his bottom lip.

“What did you do that for?
” It was no love bite. She did it on purpose, with malicious intent. He set her at arm’s length then put a hand to his mouth. “Enough. You need to come with me.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?
” She grasped the lapels of his trench coat until she could stand upright then shoved her wire-framed glasses up the bridge of her nose as a satisfied smile played about her lips. “What was the point? You kiss me then when it starts to get interesting you stop?” Her eyes spat blue fire as she planted her fists on her hips. “You can think again, buddy. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

His soft laughter rang through the quiet streets. She would be a challenge, and one he looked forward to meeting. “If you
’d like to see how interesting we can make it, I’m willing to continue.” When she blew out a breath, he grinned, feeling very much like the wolf he was. “Hurry home, Sophia. The things that walk the darkness are oftentimes not benevolent creatures. You have my word on that.”

Xavier gazed after her as she ran down the sidewalk. Regardless of how the woman made him react, he had the proof he needed. The birthmark confirmed her as a Gatekeeper and her reaction to his kiss cemented the fact she was his mate. Now, how to convince her to bring him to Elias Realm?

*****

Sophia whimpered. Her hand shook as she attempted to jam her house key into the lock.
Is he still behind me?

She wasn’t necessarily afraid, just anxious and creeped out that some random guy on the street would come up and kiss her. Finally tumbling over the threshold, she shut and locked the door behind her.
But what a kiss it was.
Annoyed when her cheeks heated, she dropped the keys in the basket on a low table nearby.

Even in her strange life, that sort of event was weird.

A nice comforting evening of home-sweet-home relaxation wasn’t on Sophia’s agenda. No sooner had she slung her bag on the floor than a glob of flying mashed potatoes slapped her in the face. That was the least of the food offerings stuck in random streaks and piles around the kitchen. “Mona? You’ve got a lot of explaining to do!” She snickered when the exclamation brought back flashes of
I Love Lucy
reruns.

The semblance of comedy shook the last vestiges of the kiss from her mind. Yes, she
’d been assaulted by an unknown man on the street, but he didn’t give off an overly threatening vibe, and Sophia was in tune enough with the subtle nuances of the paranormal to know the difference. Just another weird occurrence in her already bizarre life.

Gee thanks, Fate, I was running low.

She zipped through the kitchen then into the living room, yanked two yellow imps from their hiding place in a large potted fern, and held them in mid-air by their possum-like tails. “How did you two get out?” It was more of a rhetorical question since in her association with imps; she found they really didn’t communicate with words. One look at the identical evil smiles on their waxy, brown-spotted faces assured her they weren’t going to educate themselves in the English language any time soon. “Mona?”

“Sophia, is that you? I’m locked in the pantry again.
” The woebegone sound was muffled and distant. “Please hurry.”

Thrusting the two renegade imps into the liquor cabinet-turned-holding-unit, Sophia secured a feather duster through the handles, effectively blocking another break out attempt. “How did you get into the pantry this time?
” Her patience ran thin at the regular chaos that reigned in the household, especially after the run-in with the mystery man.
Who the hell was he, anyway?
She unhooked the latch of the panty door and her roommate stumbled out.

“Frieda said she was hungry, so I came in here looking for something to cook.

She shoved me in here and locked the door.” Mona shrugged delicate shoulders then wiped at the mass of cooked spaghetti tangled in her dark curls. “She was the one who let the imps out.”

“You know better than to let your guard down around Frieda. What happened to the wards I put around the door?
” Sophia glanced around the small kitchen warily for any movement of the pixie. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know.
” Her voice wobbled again. “I’m really sorry. I try to take care of the things you tell me but sometimes I can’t handle the chores plus the daily care of the magical beings we’ve got stashed throughout the house.” She sniffed. “I think I accidentally unworked the wards…”

“It’s okay.
” Her anger melted away as her friend’s big lavender eyes filled with tears.

Mona’s lack of grace was often a source of contention and embarrassment. Being the illegitimate great great great—too many greats to count—granddaughter of a Muse was bad enough
, but Mona had been disowned from her illustrious heritage simply for her inadequacies. At least that was the story she told. She couldn’t dance without hurting herself or others, she couldn’t sing without shattering glass, and she most certainly had never inspired anyone, human or otherwise, into doing any feat of wonder. Sophia had come upon the girl in a low moment of her life three years ago and they had been best friends ever since.