Haunted (Wolf Lake) (6 page)

It was only when the wolf stood and urged Amelia to start walking that she noticed how cold it was.  If she didn’t know better she’d say there was frost in the air.  She looked up toward the moon to gauge how much time she had left with Jake.  It had disappeared behind one of the dark storm clouds that had built up in the sky.

The wolf tugged at her hand, careful not to break her delicate fair skin.

It was leading her back toward the cabin.

“It’s too dark,” she protested.  “I’ll fall.”

The wolf paid no attention to her.  It simply spurred her along, refusing to take no for an answer.  Amelia was too emotionally spent to argue.  She tucked her long
red hair inside Jake’s hoodie, thankful she’d thought to put it on before leaving the cabin.  Then she put its hood up, shivering in the crisp night air.

Amelia could hardly see where she was going, but the wolf led her fearlessly through the forest.  They walked slowly, the wolf patient as Amelia trailed behind it with her hand on its broad back for guidance.  It paused every so often,
looking over its shoulder as though to check that she was okay.

By the time Amelia and the wolf reached the
back of the cabin, her teeth were chattering.  Thunder was rumbling in the distance and the odd bolt of lightning was illuminating the black, star-less sky.  She fumbled through her pocket for the key to the cabin and when she looked up, the wolf had disappeared.

She looked around and then went around to the front of the cabin.  As she neared the corner, she walked into a tall, muscular man.  “Jake!” she gasped, wrapping her arms around him.

“What the hell?” 

It wasn’t Jake’s voice.

Amelia stumbled backward and tripped over the uneven earth.  She would have crashed to the ground but the shadowed stranger reached out to steady her at the last second. 

He
let go of Amelia’s shoulders and pulled out a flashlight.  “Sorry to scare you,” he said.  “I didn’t get away from the shop until late and then I had to take my dad to the hospital two towns over because he didn’t feel well.” 

It was Chase.

He cleared his throat.  “Anyway, when we got back after a ridiculously long wait in the emergency room I towed your car in for you.”

Amelia took a deep breath, trying to clear her head.  After her encounter with Jake in the forest, it was difficult to concentrate on anything else.  She scanned the surrounding woods for the wolf but it was nowhere to be found. 

“Thank you for towing my car,” she said.  “Is your father alright?” 

Chase nodded.  “Yeah, he was just reacting to a new medication.  He’s resting comfortably at home now.  I should get back.”

Amelia took a closer look at him.  “What about you, are
you
alright?  You look exhausted.”

There were dark circles under Chase’s eyes and even his posture was that of a weary old man.  He waved his hand dismissively.  “It’s been a long day,” he replied.  “It’s been a long year, actually, looking after my dad and trying to keep the shop afloat.  But that’s not your problem.”

“Have you eaten?”  Amelia hated herself for channeling her mother, but she couldn’t help it. 

“Nah, I’ll grab something when I get home.”

“Don’t be silly.  I’ll make you a sandwich.”  She didn’t particularly want the arrogant shopkeeper hanging around – she wanted to search the forest for Jake.  But after all the trouble Chase had gone to on her account despite his own hectic schedule, she felt she owed him.

Amelia unlocked the cabin door.  The paint fumes hit them immediately. 

“Phew!” Chase complained, waving his hand in front of his face to ward off the strong paint smell.  “You’re supposed to open the windows when you paint inside, you know.”

“I know,” Amelia said defensively.  “Are you coming in or not?”

Amelia made a pitcher of lemonade and a bologna sandwich for Chase.  They sat out on the back deck at his insistence; he joked that he’d start hallucinating if he had to breathe in the strong fumes for much longer. 

They sat out there in silence, Chase devouring his sandwich as though it was the best thing he’d ever eaten.  Amelia poured him a second glass of lemonade and topped off her own.

“What do you keep looking for?” he asked, watching her as she stared out into the forest.

“I, uh…nothing,” she replied.  Then to make him stop giving her an incredulous look, she added, “I’ve been seeing a wolf around here lately.  I was just wondering if it’s still around.”

It wasn’t a total lie.

“Damn wolves,” Chase muttered before taking a long gulp of lemonade.  “I thought we were rid of them but I guess they’ve moved back into the area.  They’re getting too close to town for my liking.”

Amelia was sorry she’d brought up the subject.  “It didn’t seem to be hurting anything,” she insisted.  “Besides, I like watching it.”

Chase looked at her like she was crazy but said nothing.  “Thanks for the sandwich,” he said, setting his empty glass down next to his plate.  “Have a good night – well, morning.  Whatever it is…”

“You too – thanks again for your help.”

As Amelia watched Chase walk away his words echoed in her head.  It was, she realized, morning.  The sun was just rising, peeking through the thick trees to the east.  It was turning the sky brilliant shades of orange, pink and mauve. 

She’d never been so disappointed to see a sunrise in her life.  It meant that Jake was gone.

She walked into the forest calling his name just to be sure.  As she’d feared, she received no response. 
It seemed Jake was gone until the night fell again. 

Time had never dragged on so slowly. 

Amelia thought she might go crazy as she sat in the cabin staring at the cuckoo clock on the wall.  She willed the hands to move faster but the clock paid her no heed, instead mocking her with two miniature Dutch figurines who popped out and danced precisely every thirty minutes. 

She tried to nap but she couldn’t sleep.

It was getting warm in the cabin, even with all the windows open and the fans blowing.  Amelia stripped off her clothes and spread out on the couch.  Her skin was clammy and cool and her red hair clung to her face.

She stared up at the ceiling and wondered if Jake was with her right now, watching. 

The thought sent a thrill through her.

Feeling
naughty, Amelia let her hand trail across her bare stomach until it reached her bare breast.  She ran her fingertip lightly across her left nipple, causing the delicate pink nub to instantly harden.  She did the same to the right one until they were both rock hard and standing at full attention.

Jake had loved to watch her play with herself.  He’d always beg her to masturbate for him, claiming it was the hottest thing in the world to watch his sexy wife pleasure herself.  Amelia had always been shy about it. 

She’d occasionally agree to do it under the blankets or with the lights off, but she’d been too self-conscious to do it in broad daylight with nothing to hide her naked body from her husband’s lustful gaze.  He’d tease her, saying that she truly was his “blushing bride” but the arousal on his face would be plain to see.

She wished she’d taken more chances.  She wished she’d given him everything that he’d fantasized about.

Amelia spread her legs wide and slid her finger across her plump vulval mound, arching her hips as she did so.  She picked a random corner of the cabin and pretended Jake was
right there
watching her, seeing everything. 

She didn’t let herself hide
, even as her cheeks reddened.  Instead, she reached down and spread her slick folds open with her hands, giving her invisible dead lover a good show.  She knew everything was fully exposed – her tight, wet orifice, her hard little pearl…everything.

That’s what she wanted.  It’s what
Jake
would have wanted.

Amelia’s fingertip delved into her moist folds.  She was already so wet, turned on at the thought of Jake watching her lewd performance.  She slid her fingers in and out of her snug orifice over and over, pretending they were her husband’s
erection. 

God, she missed making love to him.

She could imagine the way he’d be looking at her right now, a stunned, aroused expression on his broad handsome face.  He’d look at her as though she was the most beautiful woman on the planet and he was the luckiest guy alive.  He’d watch her as though it was taking every ounce of self-control he had to refrain from jumping on her and ravaging her right then and there.

Amelia’s slender hips were moving in time with her fingers now.  It was as though her body had a mind of its own
, engaging in a slow, sensual dance with an invisible partner.  Her nipples were tight and stiff, the pink nubs wobbling in all directions as she writhed around on the couch like a woman possessed.

Her fingers stroked her sex enthusiastically.  She pretended it was Jake who was touching her, caressing her tender clitoris while he whispered sweet, sinful things in her ear. 

“Oh God, Jake,” she moaned as her climax rapidly approached.  Her fingers strummed her hard pearl with increasing speed, playing her body like an instrument.  Her hips bucked up and down and her head dropped back as her belly tightened.  Her muscles rippled with desire and her toes curled of their own accord.

Every cell in Amelia’s body was alight with arousal.  Her face was flushed and her gaze was unfocused.  Her lips were slightly parted and her breathing was labored.  She gasped and sputtered as her fingertips coaxed an intense orgasm from her body, groaning in satisfaction as wave after wave of pleasure crashed down on her.

She hadn’t had an orgasm like that since before Jake had died.

H
er entire body felt drained but deeply satisfied. 

After her orgasm, Amelia lay there on the couch for some time, unmoving.  It was nice to just bask in the afterglow of her climax and not think about anything at all.  For once, her mind was totally, wonderfully blank.

But that didn’t last for long – it never did. 

A comment Chase had made
began to nag at Amelia.  He’d joked about hallucinating due to the strong paint fumes in the cabin.  The more time that passed since her dead husband had whispered to her from the forest, the more Amelia doubted what she’d experienced at the lake.

Had she been hallucinating?

Had she imagined she was talking to Jake?

Had there ever really been a wolf?

Doubt was a terrible, poisonous thing.  As Amelia grappled with a thousand questions, she realized all she could do was wait for night to fall and hope that Jake would make his presence known to her again.  Then she’d know for sure whether he was truly there.