Wolf Hills (31 page)

“I didn’t buy the plants. I never bought fully grown plants. All I got were seeds. Like this one here. Now, watch.” Sally bent to place the seed into the soil, then put her hand over the spot, closing her eyes and calling her power.

It was easier than it ever had been before. The magic was closer to the surface of her soul and much more accessible. The seed sprouted in no time at all, then broke through the ground to twine upward, around a small trellis that already held a few other vines like this one. The new plant happily joined its fellows, filling in a small gap with its dark green leaves a few seconds before sprouting flowers that bloomed a moment later. The rich smell of the blossoms filled the garden, blending with the other heavenly scents.

Sally watched her friend’s face, glad she could bring such a beatific smile to it.

“That’s awesome, Sal,” Carly said with surprise and wonder in her tone.

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg, my dear,” Dmitri said, coming up behind his mate. He pulled her back into his embrace as Jason moved to stand next to Sally. Dmitri looked around the new garden and even he seemed to be impressed with its beauty. “I see in this garden your true friendship and love for my mate, and I thank you for its beauty, Sally. I’m glad you are here. Glad your friendship with Carly can continue despite her change. Glad we are allies.”

That was a lot to be glad about and Sally was impressed with the Master Vampire’s formal tone.
 

“And I’m glad,” Carly added, “that you’ve found someone to love, Sal. You deserve happiness.”

“Back at’cha, kiddo.” The tears threatened to start again, so Sally tried to defuse the situation.

If anyone had told her a week ago that she’d be standing in the middle of a vampire’s garden with the man she loved, who also happened to be a werewolf, she would have sent them to a psychiatrist. As it turned out, she’d never been happier in her life, or felt more safe. Or more loved.

Epilogue

The next day, just after sunrise, Sally crept from Jason’s bedroom and found her way onto the wooden porch. It was so peaceful here, yet so full of life. The trees sang their morning song. The wind whispered of many things. And she was beginning to be able to understand so much more than she ever had about her power and the world of the forest.

She knew a werewolf family skirted the edge of the wood, out for an early hunt. Mother, father, and two youngsters—both just learning the ways of their wolf form. The parents were supervising their hunting efforts with great amusement and a whole lot of love. The forest approved and watched their passing as they kept a respectful distance from their Alpha’s home. But the trees knew.

They also knew their new magical friend and guardian was living there now, among the wildwood, where she had always belonged. She was young, the leaves whispered, but powerful. And she would learn how to use the full extent of her power in the fullness of time…to awaken the one the willow kept safe within its heart.

Sally thought about Leonora and how much she missed the woman she’d only just met. They were alike, yet so very different. Leonora’s power seemed to be that of the trees itself. Sally’s was more grounded to the earth that fed their roots and the branches and leaves that reached toward the sun. Leonora was the center. Sally was more above and below, but she could still have an impact on the forest as a whole. She could still help. She was still connected in a way she was only just beginning to understand.

To understand better, she’d need Leonora’s teaching and guidance. And the only way to get that was to free her and heal her by finding the other part-dryads running around out there who were related by blood to Leonora.

It wasn’t such a bad task, really. Sally was good at uncovering secrets and finding people. She’d use her detective skills to find her lost family. And she might just gain a sister and some cousins at the same time. Not to mention rescuing a grandmother she had come to love dearly in only a short amount of time.

“I’ll find them for you, Leonora. I’ll find them and bring them here to help you. I promise,”
she thought hard toward the place where Leonora rested in the willow, but no answer came back to her. Leonora was there. She knew it for a fact. But communication was difficult, she had been warned.

Behind her, the screen door opened and bare feet padded outward from the house, toward her. Jason sat down behind her, pulling her backward into his arms. He was so warm. He felt good on this crisp morning.

“What are you doing out here when you should be snuggled up in my bed?” He kissed her cheek from behind, nuzzling her hair and neck as he rocked her back against him. He was in a playful, cuddly sort of mood.

“I’m having a hard time believing this is really real.” She decided to go with candor over joking.

“I’m real all right. So are you.” He kissed her again.

“I feel so lucky. So blessed. I never thought my life would turn out this way. I never thought I’d find true happiness.”

“So then you’re happy with me?” He seemed almost uncertain.

She turned in his arms. “Are you kidding?”

Relief flooded his features as he drew her in for a kiss that was all the answer she needed. When he let her up for air, the light of passion had flickered to life in his eyes. He let it simmer for a moment when she put one palm on his bare chest. His jeans rubbed against hers as he shifted them into a more comfortable position. She had things she wanted to talk about, plans to make and a morning to enjoy before they resumed their passion play.

“I’ll phone my boss on Monday and tell him I’m quitting.”

“You’ll miss being a cop, won’t you?” Jason’s eyes narrowed. “You could try for the department out here if you want. They might have an opening.”

“You wouldn’t mind?” This was really important to her. She wasn’t sure what was expected of her as the Alpha’s wife, but she’d never been very good at being ornamental.

“Mind?” Jason looked surprised. “Sally, you have a profession that you seem to enjoy. As your mate, I won’t keep you from it if you want to continue. I could wish you were a professional basket weaver or something else that would keep you away from guns and violence, but you’re my mate. You’re also a dedicated police officer. I respect that.”

Relief surged through her. “I’m not sure yet, but I’m glad to hear you say that. When I came out here, I was completely burnt out on police work, but working with you and helping Colleen and Jimmy—that reminded me why I became a cop in the first place. We made a difference and I was glad to be a part of it. For now though, I’ll just take this one step at a time. First, I need to settle things in San Francisco. I’ve got to quit my job there, pack up my things and make the move out here.”

“I’m glad you’re willing to move. I do want you to know that I’d have given up the Pack to be with you wherever you wanted to live, but it’s not something I’d do lightly. It’s a relief to know you want to be part of it.”

“I wouldn’t ask that of you, Jason. I have no particular attachment to San Francisco, other than my friends and a fondness for sourdough bread. But Carly’s here and the others are tied up in their own adjustment to their new lives right now. I only see them once a month and for the past few, they’ve been keeping their changes from me. It’ll be good to have it all out in the open and it’ll be good to be near Carly. She was marooned out here when she married Dmitri. I’ve missed her. And I can be a cop anywhere. I might look into joining the local force after I’ve settled in. I like this house.” She looked around at the magnificent wood structure that was so much a part of its surroundings. It really was beautiful.

“I’m glad. I had a mate in mind when I built it, but I never dreamed she’d be part human and part nymph.” He looked at the log home with pride. “It’s a fitting place for someone of your background.”

“It’s perfect,” she agreed. “And if, in the future, you want an addition or any improvements, I can work with the living trees to help out. At least, I think I can. Leonora can teach me the right way to go about it, once we free her.”

“Then that will be our first order of business,” he said with finality. “I miss her already and the forest feels different without her in it.” He looked around, seeming a tad uncomfortable. “It’s like the trees miss her.”

“They do. I’m a poor substitute—a newcomer and not nearly as powerful as a full-blood dryad. Plus, my energy is on a different spectrum than hers. Mine is more brown and olive green. Hers is the purest green-gold I’ve ever seen.”

“You can see that kind of thing?” Jason seemed impressed.

“Well, I couldn’t before, but I did for a few minutes there when Leonora got shot and I had to call on magic I didn’t even know I had, to do something for her. Dmitri helped. His—aura, I guess you would call it—is blood red, by the way. No big surprise there.”

“Really? And do I have one of these auras?”

“I’d have to see you shift, but I’d lay odds the color of your magic is more golden brown. We have that in common at least, the brown part.”

“Oh, we have a lot more than that in common, sweetheart.” He stood with her in his arms. He really was incredibly strong. Turning her, he bent for a quick kiss as he kicked the screen door open and carried her inside. Talk would wait. For now.

They’d settled the most important issues and the rest would come in time.

As he took her into the wooden house she heard the song of the trees change and turn joyous. The daughter of the dryad had found her mate and in time, there would be more daughters of her line to carry on the magic of the trees and plants, and protect the forest. The wildwood rejoiced.

About the Author

Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of lower Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci fi romance.

You can learn more about Bianca and her work by visiting her website at:
www.biancadarc.com
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Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc

Now Available:

Brotherhood of Blood

One & Only

Rare Vintage
 

Phantom Desires

Sweeter Than Wine

Forever Valentine

Tales of the Were

Lords of the Were

Inferno

Dragon Knights

Maiden Flight
 

Border Lair
 

The Ice Dragon

Prince of Spies

Wings of Change
 

FireDrake

Dragon Storm

Resonance Mates

Hara’s Legacy

Davin’s Quest

Jaci’s Experiment

Grady’s Awakening

Gifts of the Ancients

Warrior’s Heart

String of Fate

Cat’s Cradle

StarLords

Hidden Talent

Print Anthologies

Ladies of the Lair

I Dream of Dragons Vol. 1

Brotherhood of Blood

Caught by Cupid

A forbidden union forged in love—and tempered in hellfire.

Inferno

© 2009 Bianca D’Arc

Tales of the Were, Book 2

One last task and Megan will be free of the debt of honor owed by her family. Spying on Dante, a powerful vampire with questionable friends, sounds simple enough. But her mission is complicated by the fact she’s got something every vampire wants—tangy, powerful, werewolf blood.

It’s easy to capture his attention. The hard part will be getting out with her heart—and soul—intact. Not to mention her life, thanks to a crazed bomber.

Dante isn’t the kind to forgive or forget easily, especially the grudge he holds against werewolves. Still, he is instantly drawn to the injured lone wolf in his care. When he and his friend Duncan treat her wounds, they discover something that marks her as much more than she seems.

That mark is a neon sign warning to be careful, but Dante can’t help himself. He wants her and nothing will stand in his way. Not her species. Not his. Not the strange woman who keeps trying to kill him.

Not even the magical poison in Megan’s blood…