Howl of the Wolf (13 page)

She desperately wanted to call Tilly or Jessica, but it was too early. Besides, what exactly would she tell them that wouldn’t sound like she was totally off her rocker?

She grabbed her brush from the vanity and attacked the tangles in her hair. When it was smooth, she braided the fiery mass to keep it out of the way. She longed for a shower but had no idea how long Arand would wait before knocking. And then there was the whole Devil and demon thing. If any of them showed up the last place she wanted to be was the shower.

She ran the water in the sink, got a clean cloth from the cabinet and got a quick wash. When she was done, she pulled her jeans on. Shoes, she needed shoes. And information.

Leaving the bathroom, Sabrina hurried back to the living room. It was time to make plans. No way in Hell was she waiting around for some demon to attack her. Okay, maybe she should scratch the word Hell from her vocabulary for the near future. No need to tempt fate.

She didn’t see Arand at first. He was standing in the shadows, looking out through her living-room window. She’d had enough darkness and turned on a standing lamp. A snarling wolf stared back at her, and she gasped.

Arand whirled around so fast he was nothing more than a blur. There was a reddish tinge to his eyes and his mouth was parted on a silent snarl. His gaze snapped around the room before returning to her. “What’s wrong?” He raised his head and sniffed at the air. “Do you sense something?”

She shook her head and walked toward him as if pulled by an invisible cord. “The tattoo on your back.”

He stilled as she got closer, his dark, fathomless eyes tracking her every movement. “You know I am the wolf and he is me. You saw me change.”

Yeah, but she hadn’t believed it was real then. “Your tattoo is a lot like mine.” Both wolves were black and gray in color. Hers was friendlier, more a guardian. His was more primal strength and cunning.

“You belong to the wolf.”

She could tell from the way he said it that he believed it. And she wasn’t sure she could refute him at this point. Everything in her life, every moment, every choice, had led her to this moment.

“Can I see him?” She wanted a better look.

Slowly, Arand turned his back on her.

It went against every instinct he had as a warrior to turn his back on Sabrina, but if he couldn’t trust her he might as well be dead. He kept his hands loose by his sides and tried to relax, but it was impossible with Sabrina standing behind him.

He could smell her, the perfume of the soap she used mixed with the pure essence of the woman herself. And he could still smell himself on her. It was barely there, mostly having been washed away. His wolf snarled within him, wanting to mark her with his scent once again.

Her red hair was pulled away from her face in a braid, emphasizing her large green eyes and high cheekbones. Her lips were full and kissable. He licked his lips, still able to taste her.

Even her ears were beautiful—the seductive curve and the trio of silver hoops in each lobe. Her body was slender, but her breasts were full. A low growl escaped him and he sensed her trepidation.

“Touch my back.” He wanted her hands on him, on his wolf, wanted her to come to depend on him in both his forms. He almost snorted aloud. Fat chance of that happening. He hadn’t known her long, but he sensed a wide streak of independence in Sabrina.

His skin tingled as the air around him was displaced and then her hands were on him. She touched the wolf’s head and he felt her touch on his scalp. Sabrina traced her fingers over the wolf’s flanks and Arand’s skin tingled. His cock was already standing tall, but now his balls ached uncontrollably. Goose bumps rose on his flesh wherever she touched the wolf.

“He’s really incredible.” The wistful tone of her voice made him turn around.

“Would you like to see him again?”

Her eyes widened with wonder. “You’d do that?”

Did she not realize he would do anything for her? She belonged to him, was his to protect and care for. In answer to her question, he took a step away and willed his pants to be gone.

She gasped and he caught a light whiff of her arousal. His shoulders straightened and his cock flexed with pride. She liked what she saw and there was no denying she wanted him.

Sabrina swallowed hard and took a step back. “Ah, you said you were going to shift.”

What he really wanted to do was pounce on her, drag her to the floor and fuck her until she screamed his name as she came over and over. He snarled with anger, knowing he couldn’t do it, not now. But when the curse was done—

Arand embraced his wolf and allowed the shift to overtake him. His wolf, ever eager, jumped to the fore, craving freedom as much as the man did. Both of them had been imprisoned for fifty centuries.

Bones cracked as his limbs reshaped and reformed. Fur pushed through his skin to cover it. His jaw lengthened and his teeth grew. Arand stared at her through the wolf’s eyes, seeing her wonder and excitement, sensing her fear.

“Wow. You’re amazing.”

He padded over to her and sat, hoping to ease some of her trepidation. Even then he could almost look her in the eyes, as he was much larger than any normal wolf.

“Can I touch you?”

He dipped his head in silent assent and she slowly reached, her fingers trembling slightly. She touched his head and pulled back slightly before doing it again. He patiently waited, allowing her to become accustomed to his wolf form.

“You’re so strong, so powerful. You look exactly like the carousel wolf I bought.” She tentatively stroked her hand over his left front flank. “Of course, you look like him. You are him.” She shook her head. “Do you realize how crazy that sounds?”

As much as he enjoyed her touch, time was of the essence. Plus, the more she touched him the more aroused he grew. If she didn’t stop rubbing his neck and back soon, he wasn’t going to be responsible for his actions. After so many years in captivity, he was starved for a gentle touch, her touch.

He was about to shift when there was a disturbance in the air, a more rancid smell slipping into the atmosphere. His wolf scented evil. Arand leapt at the front door, knocking Sabrina to the ground where she would be safer. She cried out, but he ignored it for now, focusing all his attention on the threat. He’d kill whatever came through that door. Nothing and no one would take Sabrina from him. He was alpha male and she belonged to him.

Sabrina scrambled back to her feet and stared at the front door. For a brief second, when he sprang at her, she’d thought she was about to become the wolf’s dinner. It had happened so fast she’d had no chance to defend herself. But she hadn’t needed to. As always, it seemed the wolf was determined to protect her.

If she hadn’t already believed in the paranormal, if she hadn’t been dealing with the dreams and visions and fighting back the evil that threatened her, she might have been calling 911 and checking herself into a psych ward for evaluation.

Her entire life was turned upside down. She had a wolf in her living room, for Heaven’s sake, and not just a wolf, but one that turned into a man. Not quite a
Loup Garou
, but something even more astonishing—a shapeshifting immortal warrior. If she were a drinking woman, she’d need a big one right about now.

Arand’s dark gaze was fixed on her front door, a menacing growl rumbling up from deep in his chest. Something was coming. Even she could sense it now. She glanced down and noticed the slightly scuffed layer of salt. Marcel and Jules must have disturbed it when they brought her the wolf earlier this evening.

Sabrina sprang for the door, shoving the wolf aside. The large beast grabbed her top and started dragging her backward. “No,” she cried. “I have to fix the salt.”

The wolf released her and she rushed to the entryway, falling on her knees. She frantically swept the salt back into an unbroken line. Something hit the wooden panel. Hard. Sabrina scrambled away, her butt sliding on the floor, but she kept her gaze on the door, terrified of what was waiting outside. She needed help.

Coming to her feet in a flash, she tried to remember where she’d left her phone. She’d tossed it on the coffee table after she’d talked to Jessica. It wasn’t there. It had probably gotten knocked off in all the commotion. Sabrina only hoped it wasn’t broken.

There it was, lying in front of the unfinished paintings in front of the shelf. She dove for it and hit the second button on her speed dial. “Come on. Come on. Answer.”

Arand was still blocking the front door with his massive body. She could hear something moving outside, and then a low growling sound that had all the short hairs on her body standing on end. This was so not good.

“Hello.” The groggy greeting reminded Sabrina that it was really early, or late depending on how you looked at it.

“Jessica. Wake up. I need help.”

There was another growl. This one morphed into a blood-curdling howl.

“Sabrina?” There was a sound of bedclothes rustling and she knew her friend was awake now.

“Yeah. I need help. That carousel wolf I bought is really an immortal shapeshifting warrior. Oh, and I released him from his five-thousand-year-old curse and now we have twenty-four hours to evade the devil or he kills us and gets our souls.” She was sobbing for breath by the time she finished.

Arand glanced over his shoulder and snarled his disapproval. She ignored him. He might not like her contacting someone else for help, but that was his problem. At a time like this, she needed someone she knew was on her side and didn’t have any hidden agenda. She wanted to trust Arand, but he had his own priorities. After all, the guy worked for a goddess. Surely getting to her and his fellow warriors was on the top of his to-do list. Hers was simply staying alive until this nightmare was over.

“Were you dreaming again?” Now Jessica sounded really concerned.

“No, I’m not dreaming or having a vision of any kind.” She held out the phone as a demonic scream ripped through the air. Sabrina had no idea why one of her neighbors hadn’t called the cops to complain about the noise. “You hear that? It’s outside my front door. And a gigantic frigging wolf is in my living room.” She could hear the growing hysteria in her voice and took a deep breath to bring it under control. Losing it wouldn’t help her now. If she lived through this she’d have a nervous breakdown.

“Is the salt still in front of the doorway?” She could hear Jessica moving around her apartment as they talked.

“Yes. It got scuffed, but I fixed it.” Or at least she hoped she had. Sabrina prayed it would keep out whatever was outside the door.

“As soon as whatever is out there goes away you need to get out of town.”

“What?” That was the last thing she expected her friend to tell her.

“You can’t stay in the city. There are too many innocent people who might get hurt. I’m also not sure the wards around your apartment will hold for very long. That’s some powerful evil after you.”

Jessica was right. “I’ll head out to Granny’s place.” The small house on the edge of the bayou was the only place she could think to go.

“I’ll join you there as soon as I can.”

“No.” Sabrina was adamant. “I don’t want you or Tilly there.” It made her blood run cold to think of either of her friends getting hurt by whatever was out there.

“You need help or you won’t make it.” Her friend sounded so certain, but Sabrina still wasn’t taking any chances.

“No. Arand and I will manage.”

“Arand?”

“The name of the warrior.”

“Who does he belong to?” A sense of urgency filled Jessica’s voice.

“The Lady of the Beasts. That’s what he said. Do you recognize the name?” Jessica was more up on the gods and goddesses of various pantheons.

“Yes.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “You need to get out of town fast. Take Tilly’s car.” Of the three of them, only Tilly owned a vehicle, but she was generous with it, loaning it to her friends whenever they needed it. “I’ll call her and tell her you’re coming.”

Before she could respond, the line went dead. “Crap.” She scrambled for the closet and grabbed her tote bag, dumping her phone in the outside pocket. There were probably a dozen things she should take with her, but she couldn’t think of a single one.

Shoes, she needed shoes. She’d forgotten all about them earlier the moment she’d seen Arand’s tattoo. She tugged on a pair of sneakers, figuring if she had to run they were the best things to be wearing. It was going to be cool outside, so she grabbed a brown sweater and slipped it on over her tank top.

The noise outside the door suddenly stopped and the silence was deafening. Sabrina crept over to stand beside Arand. “Are they gone?” she whispered.

He waited several long minutes before his body started to change. She stepped back, watching in total awe as the wolf disappeared and the man reappeared. Fur was replaced by skin, paws by hands and feet. His jaw shortened and his teeth became normal until Arand was frowning down at her.

“Who did you call?”

“A friend.”

“No one should know about what is happening.”

“Tough. I’ve been having dreams for a couple of weeks now and strange things have been happening to me.” An understatement if there was one. Her entire life had been crazy lately.

“What things?” He grabbed her shoulders and lightly shook her. He was also still totally naked, and all that exposed male skin was making it difficult for her to focus.

“Could you put on some pants?”

He gave an exasperated growl and a heartbeat later was covered in the same tight leather pants he wore earlier. Leather moccasins covered his feet, and he wore a vest that left his arms and chest bare. “Answer me.”

“I will, but we have to leave.”

He frowned at her. “Why?”

“Because it’s not safe here, and it’s not fair to my neighbors and friends. They didn’t ask for this.” She couldn’t bear being responsible for anyone being hurt.

“Where will we go?” Arand followed her when she went to the front door but placed his large hand on the wooden panel to keep her from opening it.

She met his gaze and wanted to fall into his bottomless black eyes. She wished they’d met under different circumstances, which was crazy. The man was an immortal warrior, and she was an artist who read tarot cards. Plus, she was human. He was only here until the curse was broken.