Turning away from the annoying male werewolf, Cassie looked around in dismay, noting the broken coffee table and the blood on the floor—blood she’d drawn from another person! A sick feeling rose in her throat and she looked away focussing elsewhere. Someone—most likely Hugh—had punched a hole in the wall, an overturned plant had spewed dirt across the carpet, and the wooden frame of the front door was broken. The home she’d been so proud of looked a wreck. And what would the landlord say about the damage? The cost of repairs would ruin her budget. She closed her eyes to keep back the tears. Could the day possibly get any worse?
We’re free! Our first transformation was successful and he has come for us. It is a day of celebration, not sadness.
The wolf’s thoughts took control and against her will, she found herself leaning adoringly against Bryan’s leg. His warmth seeped into her and she could feel the strength of muscle and bone. It filled her with a sense of safety, of homecoming. A contented sigh escaped her and she was aware of her tail thumping happily against the floor. Appalled, Cassie struggled to bring her human half to the surface again and shifted away from Bryan’s leg. She hoped he hadn’t noticed the wolf’s behaviour; it had almost grovelled at his feet, for heaven’s sake!
She didn’t think he had. In fact, he seemed more intent on examining the room and gave a low whistle as he took in the damage.
“Looks like it was some fight that took place. Did you—” He started to ask a question, then paused and looked down at her. “Uh...I guess we’d better get you back into your human form before trying to have much of a conversation, right?”
He stared at her expectantly, one eyebrow lifted, but she didn’t know what to do and shifted her weight from foot to foot while whining uncertainly. She had no recollection of how she’d managed to change in the park; vaguely she recalled the feeling of excitement and desire that had consumed her, the need to be with him, to press her body to his... Her face heated as images flashed through her mind and she was almost glad of the fur that hid her response.
“Okay, so I guess you don’t know how to shift back either.” Bryan rubbed his chin and then sat on the arm of the sofa, bending over so they were on eye level. “For centuries shifting was considered magic and often it’s still referred to that way, but actually it’s a question of harnessing energy and directing it into a molecular restructuring of your form.”
Cassie whined and shook her head vigorously, her ears flapping against her skull. Oh great. Physics was always her worst subject. Now she’d be stuck in four-footed purgatory for the rest of her days!
Bryan must have read her body language or understood her whine for he paused and frowned. “I guess that’s a bit deep at the moment. Umm... The way most of us do it is to just think ‘human.’ We make a mental picture of ourselves; our hair colour, height, facial features and such. Of course, don’t forget to include clothing in the picture or you end up naked. That’s a mistake a lot of young werewolves make the first few times.” He coughed and looked uncomfortable as he said the next part, “Unless you’re only half-blooded—not that there’s anything wrong with that of course, but... It has certain disadvantages. Halves usually don’t have enough control of the molecular energy around them to include clothing in the change process. If that’s the case you might want to try this in your bedroom or you could end up nude again.”
Cassie cocked her head to the side having no idea if she was a full-blooded werewolf or half. All she knew was that she didn’t want to chance accidentally flashing Bryan.
He wouldn’t mind, the beast within said slyly.
Unfortunately, Cassie was sure the animal was right. She could recall the feel of his body and the ridge of flesh that had pressed close. The memory caused a warm liquid feeling within and she glanced up sharply at Bryan. He was eyeing her speculatively. Was it possible that he somehow knew...?
She got to her feet, feeling a strategic retreat was in order, and trotted down the hallway to her bedroom. Nudging the door open with her nose, she stepped inside and looked around. Lace curtains hung from the window, a colourful quilt was spread on the bed.
It was familiar yet seemed different when viewed from this angle. She lowered her head slightly and could clearly see a collection of shoes under her bed as well as a few dust bunnies and a forgotten novel. The half packed bag of clothing lay on the floor where she dropped it and dresser drawers were pulled open, their contents spilling over the edge. Lifting her...er...nose she could see the clock on the bedside table. It had only been a little over half an hour ago that she’d been rushing around, trying to get out of the house before Bryan appeared.
Bryan. She swung her head around and stared at the door. Not only was he in her home, but he seemed more in control of the beast inside her than she was herself. Said beast growled and she struggled to push it aside. The creature wanted to be heard and kept trying to take over. It had when the thug was attacking Kellen and later, as she’d raced down the road, the animal had rejoiced in the excitement of running and she’d totally lost control of beast until coming to her senses in Bryan’s arms. Naked in Bryan’s arms, no less!
Cassie recalled the deliciously wicked feel of his hands sliding over her body, cupping her buttocks to pull her closer to his arousal. Another wave of desire ran through her and she found herself panting in excitement. No! That wasn’t a road her mind should be heading down. She was here to change back into a person, not lust after some half animal-like creature! Now, what had he said to do? Form a mental image of herself?
Closing her eyes, she thought of the reflection she saw in the mirror each morning. Golden skin, deep green eyes, dark hair... For a moment she considered adding some highlights to the hair, but decided she’d better not chance it. Who knew what kind of a mess she could end up in? Abandoning the thought, she mentally dressed herself and concentrated on being human.
At first there was no response, then a quiver ran over her skin. She held her breath expectantly, waiting for something else to occur, but nothing happened. Harrumphing in exasperation, she hopped onto her bed and lay down, resting her chin on her paws. I’m a human, I’m a human; she chanted the phrase to herself while concentrating intensely on transforming. Another quiver and slight tingling about her nose. Her nostrils twitched and she sneezed which effectively chased the other sensation away.
Disheartened, she let her head flop down and exhaled noisily, venting her frustration. A moment later, a slight knocking on the door drew her attention. She lifted her head and perked up her ears.
Bryan peered into the room. “Any luck?”
She whimpered and lay her head down again. He pushed the door open further and stepped inside. “Want some help?” He shoved his hands in his back pockets and looked down at her. “I can force a transformation if you want. It’s not something I do very often though so I can’t guarantee the clothing.” A soft laugh escaped him. “Not that I’d mind.”
Cassie growled softly and drew her ears back, ignoring how the animal within chastised her. Bryan seemed to take no offense. A crooked grin graced his face.
“Not keen on that part are you? Don’t worry, I was just teasing.” He sat down beside her and rubbed her shoulders. “Damn, but you’re muscles are tight. Little wonder you aren’t changing.” His fingers began to dig into her fur, massaging the tense flesh underneath. At first she stiffened, annoyed at the invasion of her personal space, but the animal in her was ecstatic over the attention. Hmm... It did feel good. She gave a contented sigh and she closed her eyes, relaxing with her chin on her paws.
“That’s it.” Bryan whispered in her ear. “Just relax. Imagine you’re lying on your bed, your arms and legs are stretched out, and the mattress is soft beneath your skin. Think of your fingers and toes, the way your hair is spilling over your shoulders...” His voice was low and soothing, almost hypnotic. Cassie could feel the tightness in her muscles slipping away. It was as if she were falling through space; slowly spinning, the breeze ruffling her hair and clothe
s as she floated downward...
Her whole body suddenly jerked and her eyes flew open. She was on the bed, lying on her stomach, her arms folded, and pillowing her head. Her arms! Pushing herself upright, she gave a happy cry. “I’m a person again!” A wide grin spread over her face and she looked triumphantly at Bryan.
His hands were still on her shoulders. He squeezed gently then stood up and nodded. “There. You did it. Your first unassisted change. And you’re clothed too so you must be a pure-blood.”
“Yeah. My first change.” The elated feeling rapidly faded as the true meaning of what just happened sank in. Melancholy rushed in, filling the void left behind.
It was happening. For years she’d been fighting against it and now it seemed like all her efforts had been in vain. Slowly, against her will, she was becoming that which she most hated and feared; a werewolf. And there didn’t seem to be anything she could do to stop it. The drugs, her constant vigilance, the sleepless nights; it was all for naught. The animal inside her was winning; its presence constantly on the periphery of her mind, always looking for a chance to make itself known.
And now Bryan was here. He seemed to be able to command the beast inside her at will and she suspected that getting away from him wasn’t going to be an easy task. It was like a prison door was slamming shut, trapping her in a world she never wanted to be a part of. All she could do was ineffectually rattle the bars and cry out against fate. She was doomed.
Reluctantly, she got up noting that she was wearing the same outfit she’d put on that morning. Her lip curled into a wry smile, her sense of humour surfacing for a moment as she wished she could have imagined herself back into nicer apparel. Being a werewolf sucked enough as it was; there weren’t even any clothing perks. Sighing, she forced herself to look on the bright side; at least she wasn’t naked.
“Are you okay?” Bryan was looking at her with concern.
“Yeah, just a bit shaken up.” Cassie nodded and ran her hands through her hair. This wasn’t the time to bemoan her fate; she had to try and rescue Kellen. He needed her help. There’d be time for grieving the loss of her humanity later on, for planning where she’d run to, how she’d keep the world safe from herself. Maybe a cave with a large boulder...?
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. One problem at a time. “The guy who took Kellen is named Hugh and he works for someone named Eddie. Kellen owes them money and from what I could figure out, Hugh came here to make sure Kellen paid up and didn’t skip town.”
“Skip town, eh?”
Looking over at Bryan, she saw he was holding up her half packed bag. Her lacy underwear was hanging out of it and she wondered why that embarrassed her; he’d seen her naked already. What did a few bits of satin and lace matter? She snatched the small case from his hand anyway and tossed it in the corner, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye. For a moment she’d almost forgotten what he was. “Yeah. Apparently we both had people we needed to avoid.”
“Trust me, Cassandra. You can’t avoid me. I’ll track you down, no matter where you run to.” Bryan spoke calmly, but there was assurance in his deep voice. His eyes seemed to see right inside her and she found she was unable to hold his gaze.
Looking at the floor, she shrugged. “It’s always worth a try.” He muttered something under his breath, but she felt it was prudent to not inquire what. Instead she side-stepped him and headed towards the living room, talking over her shoulder.
“When Hugh realized who I was, he called his boss, Eddie.”
“What do you mean, he realized who you were?”
“That I was Cassandra Greyson, the missing heiress.”
“And he figured this out, how? From what I’ve been able to determine, everyone here knows you as Sandy.”
She nodded. “Sandy Grant. That’s the name I came up with when I first met Kellen. He helped me establish a new identity and I’ve used it ever since.”
“So how did Hugh make the connection between Sandy Grant of Las Vegas and Cassandra Greyson of Chicago?”
“He saw a piece of paper in Kellen’s hand. It was a flyer saying there was a reward for information leading to my whereabouts. I guess Kellen found it somewhere and was going to use the money to pay off his debt.” She was rather proud of how she’d kept her voice steady as she spoke. Kellen’s betrayal cut like a knife into her heart. Never would she have believed he’d do something like that to her. Staring up at the ceiling, she swallowed hard, forcing back the tears that pricked at the back of her eyes. God, she was a mess right now. Everything made her want to cry lately.
“I’m sorry.” Bryan spoke from behind her, his breath softly caressing the side of her neck, the weight of his hands comforting on her shoulders. “It must have been hard to have a friend turn against you.”
A part of her wanted to lean back against him and have his arms enfold her, but she couldn’t give in to such weak thoughts. Despite what the creature inside her might feel, Bryan was a virtual stranger. She knew nothing about him except that he was a werewolf and wanted to lay claim to her because of some legal clause. Well, his laws had no bearing on her; she refused to acknowledge them, just as she refused to give in to the animal within.
Smiling tightly, she stepped away from his comforting hands. “From what I overheard, Kellen was being threatened with bodily harm. I guess he didn’t know what else to do.” Shoving her hands in her pockets, she wondered why she was defending Kellen. Apparently her loyalty ran deeper than his had.
“Friends don’t sell each other out, no matter what. You’d never find a werewolf betraying a pack member like your friend is doing to you. Pack sticks together.” He tilted his head towards the front door. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“Back to my motel room. I just need to grab my things and we can head to the airport. If we’re lucky we’ll be able to get some stand-by seats back to Canada.”
“Canada? I’m not going to Canada with you.”
“Oh yes you are. Lycan law clearly states—”
“I don’t give a damn about Lycan law!” She stared at him in amazement. “Kellen’s just been abducted by some goon and you think I’m going to just fly off to Canada with you? You’re crazy. Hell, I don’t even know you and even if I did, I wouldn’t abandon a friend.” She paused, breathing heavily from the force of her emotion.
“He’s willing to trade you for money. Why waste your time on him?” Bryan stood before her, arms folded, looking and sounding annoyingly calm and logical. It irritated her no end.
“Because he’s my friend. F-r-i-e-n-d. Friend. Haven’t you ever come across the word before?”
He narrowed his eyes, seeming displeased. “I have, but I think we have different definitions.”
She rolled her eyes, not wanting to debate the matter further. “Whatever. The thing is, I need to help him, no matter what he may or may not have been planning on doing and nothing you say is going to make me change my mind. Now as I see it, Hugh told his boss about me and they decided to take Kellen, thinking I’ll trade myself in for his safety.”
Bryan cocked his head and looked at her quizzically. “And will you?”
“I...” Cassie hesitated, biting her lip. Turning herself in meant going back to Chicago, to her old way of life. Everyone she had cared about back there was gone now, but then again, she had nothing here either. Her relationship with Kellen was severely damaged by this incident; staying with him as they were now didn’t seem possible. And she’d bit Hugh—had he connected her sudden disappearance to the animal that attacked him? He might, and that made remaining too dangerous. She turned to stare blindly out the window. Where would she go? An empty, lonely pit opened up inside her as, once again, she realized she was all alone with no real home. There was just her, a big empty house in Chicago and the hated creature inside her.
“Cassandra?”
“Hmm?” She glanced behind her and saw Bryan watching her expectantly. What had the question been? Would s
he turn herself over to save Kellen? “If I have to, but if there’s another way, I’ll take it. Chicago has no appeal to me anymore.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Bryan seemed pleased by her answer and she idly wondered why he cared. He rubbed his neck and looked around the room. “Um... Do you have any idea where they might have taken your friend?”
“No...” She started to shake her head, then paused. “Oh, wait! Hugh—the thug—mentioned taking me to someplace called Dollar Niche. I think it’s where the boss, Eddie, might be.”
“Dollar Niche? Okay. That’s a start. And I have the license plate number from the van. Do you have internet?” She nodded. “Good, show me where it is. I have a friend, Daniel—he’s a member of the pack—and he’s a major computer geek. He’ll be able to find out who owns the van and where Dollar Niche is located a lot faster than we’d be able to on our own.”
“Why are you doing this? Helping me find Kellen, that is. You don’t know him.”
Bryan studied her for a moment before speaking. “I’m not helping Kellen; he’s not my concern. I’m helping you and as for why... You’re pack and like I said before, pack sticks together.”
She bristled at what he was implying. “I’m not ‘pack’”
His face was expressionless. “So you say.” His eyes seemed to bore into her and she shifted uncomfortably, finally looking down at the ground.
“If you help me, do I have to promise to go with you once we have Kellen back?”
“That’s not how I operate. When your friend is free, you and I will sit down and discuss your future.”
He looked at her unwaveringly and a funny feeling rose inside her. As much as she wanted to continue arguing with him, she couldn’t seem to find to the will to do so. Instead she changed topics.
“I’ll show you the computer.” She led him to him to the little alcove off from the living room and then left him to IM his friend while she began to pick up the pieces of the coffee table.