Claiming Ana (8 page)

“They were gone the next morning, weren’t they?”

“I woke the next morning and was human again. The door gave easily when I tried to open it. I looked through the house, but they were gone. I guess she had blocked it with the china cabinet and then moved it again once the sun rose. Yes. I ran. I didn’t know if I’d killed her, just hurt her or what, but I knew I couldn’t take the chance of hurting someone else I loved. I did love them. They raised me from a baby. They were the only family I had. She was a distant cousin of my mother’s.”

“Did you ever try to find them and explain? If they loved you, maybe they would understand.”

“No. Maybe if the curse can be broken, I will try. Until then, I won’t risk hurting them. The man hunting me is my blood cousin. From what I’ve been able to find out about my bloodline, there are two males born with the curse each generation. One is wolf, one is bane, and destined to kill each other. He found me that morning, announcing himself like a cheesy cartoon villain. I’m smart and fast. I’ve been running from place to place because I don’t want to kill my own blood.”

“That’s part of the curse, fated to destroy each other. Will you change tonight? The moon wasn’t completely full last night and it won’t be tonight.”

“I don’t want to take any chances with you. If it happened once, it might again, I think. I haven’t shifted out of phase before.”

“I need to call my granny. She may be able to hold it off ’til the moon is full. She’s a powerful woman.”

* * * *

They lay snuggled under the quilt. Both of them loathed facing any reality outside the walls of her bedroom. “A vet in love with a werewolf. It’s almost surreal.”

“Yeah, I love you right back.” Ana heard the self-satisfied smirk in his voice.

“Much as I hate to, we have to get dressed and figure out what comes next.”

“I need to get some clothes from the house.”

“Sorry, I’d offer you something to wear, but I don’t keep men’s clothes on hand. I don’t entertain on a regular basis, if you know what I mean.” Her words lost their teasing tone and turned serious. “Will Van still be after you?”

“No, he’ll assume I died before sunrise. My blood’s bound to be all over those woods. We have all the time in the world. At least until nightfall, that is.” Howl turned to her. His body made it clear just how he wanted to spend that time.

“I need you, Ana. Right now. While there’s light enough to chase away the dark.”

She knew they would have to leave the cocoon of her cabin sooner or later, but right now she was content to lie under the old quilt with Howl’s body covering hers. She liked the breathless feeling of being crushed into the mattress by her lover’s weight. The slow, sweet glide of him as they made love with each other. He could be discovered alive, and she might never know the feeling again.

* * * *

Howl lay spent, shuddering in Ana’s bed with the rain blowing in through the open window, cooling his hot skin.

She trembled beneath him and pulled the old quilt up to cover them. He would have to move soon or he’d squish his new love, but right now he was content to lay across her body. Her heart thundered beneath his.

It amazed him that she’d given herself to him so freely. He would have to leave her soon, before the change came. He sensed his wolf wouldn’t wait for the full moon. It was far from sated. Howl could feel it fighting to get out and wanted to be chained in the old farmhouse cellar long before the transformation.

“When?” she asked quietly, hearing her thoughts with his own.

“We have a little time. The first hint of twilight will bring the change. I won’t put you at risk, Ana. I need to be secured well before them. If I get free, I’ll come after you.”

“Your wolf craves me, his mate.” She slid her leg around his waist, pinning him to her.

He didn’t care if he ever got free. His weight pressed her deeper into the mattress. “Yes.” He growled.

“I’m going to find a way to break this curse, Howl.”

He shook his head. “We will. I have to go. If I get free, I might kill you.” He rolled over, turned her into his side.

“What if your cousin is already at the house? He might be waiting for you just to make sure.” Ana snuggled her head into his shoulder.

“I know, but it’s necessary for me to go back there.” He kissed her gently.

“I can help keep you safe from him. You’d have to trust me.” She placed her hands on either side of his face. “A glamour to hide you should do the trick until we can figure another way out of this mess.”

“You can do that?”

“Mmm-hmm. My mother was gypsy with strong magic, like my granny. Her parents wouldn’t let her marry someone not of her kind, but she met an Irishman during her travels. He was fey. The result you get is me. And I,” Ana said, smiling wickedly, “can do all manner of things.”

“I’ll just bet you can. The green eyes are his?”

“Yes. Faerie eyes, but I have the magic from both parents. Like I said, there are ways. The curse was put on your line with old magic. Irish blood. I heard her say the spell, and I think I can figure out the way to break it. Maybe I was meant to?”

“And if there isn’t a way to break the curse?”

“Oh, there always is. Call it a circle of sorts. Magic is about circles, patterns. What you send out always comes back to you. Or so my granny says. First rule is do no harm. Now then, for the glamour.”

Howl stared as she rose from the bed, naked and at ease with him. He watched her walk to the window, lithe as a wolf, and felt his blood heat from simmer to boil, again. Just watching her was such a pleasure. Standing there letting the rain blow in on her, Ana mumbled something, but he couldn’t hear what. The rain encircled her, a liquid snake caressing her skin, and wind whipped violently into the room.

“Howl, come and stand with me.” Ana moved away from the window.

He slid out of bed and stood before her.

She held out her hands for him.

He went willingly into his witch’s arms.

Ana smiled and allowed her power to shimmer over and around him, enveloping him in the magic she’d created.

“I love that I can share this with you without fear. Magic is a beautiful, special gift. I’ve never shared the workings of it with another.”

“Not even Jace?”

“No. Only you.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me, for trusting me with this part of you,” he whispered and rested his forehead against hers. The rain and wind now wrapped them in a giant unbroken circle. “How could this be anything but treasured? You’re wonderful.” The pleasure of it nearly orgasmic, he wrapped her around him, lifting her off her feet.

She laughed and threw her head back in rapture. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“You like it. Continue, sweet witch. Pay me no mind.”

“Yeah, right.”

Howl moved inside her heat, feeling in return the slightest tremor of her body around him. “Ummm. Sight unseen, place un-shown, be he wolf, be he man. To me alone shall he be known.” The wind whipped harder. Howl and Ana became enclosed in a sheath of water. “To me alone shall he be shown.”

Howl slid his hands lower, lifting until he was buried deep inside her warmth. Enraptured and enthralled, he took her standing in the circle of magic that was their love and her power.

9

Dishes remained unwashed in the sink. He had left the back porch light on. Raven hadn’t come home last night, or the night before.
I searched the woods. No body. There should have been at least the shell of his body and there is no blood in the house.
“Where the hell is that damn wolf!”

Wait. Did he hear footsteps on the porch? A key rattling in the doorknob alerted him. He quickly slipped into the pantry and held his breath.
If it’s Raven...
He watched from his hiding place in the pantry closet, where he’d dove when he heard footsteps on the old porch. The knob on the kitchen door of the old farmhouse turned.

A woman, tall, curvy, dusky-skinned and sexy as hell, walked into the house.

Nice legs, I wonder if she’s Howl’s new tart.

Legs held the door wide, waited a minute, then closed it tight. She surveyed the kitchen, seemed to talk to herself and then walked down to the cellar.

He had found chains and shackles fixed to the basement wall when he had toured the house looking for the wolf. Van waited in the darkness, hoping Howl would show. Only moments passed before he heard her heels clicking down the hall and upstairs.

He’d considered following her up, just to sooth his curiosity. What was the woman doing alone in the house Raven was renting? Several minutes passed. Legs came back and left as quietly as she’d come, alone and carrying a bundle.
What had been important enough for Howl to risk exposure? Damn, him. He should be dead by now!

Van walked upstairs. The already-tossed bedroom was no less messy, but there was a shaving kit missing, clothes, socks, and shoes.
Why didn’t the woman scream or call the cops when she saw the trashed room?
The answer was simple and left only one conclusion in his mind.
She was expecting it. Raven is alive.

Raven had sent his hot little slut to gather his things.
Going on the run again.
He’d bet Howl wouldn’t leave town until he’d settled things with Legs. Who was she? No time like the present to find out.
Get to the bitch and Raven will come around soon enough.
Van shoved his pistol into the back waistband of his jeans and slipped out into the night after her.

* * * *

Ana jumped at the shrill pealing throughout the cabin. Unnerved, she’d forgotten about the outage.
The phone company must have finally gotten the lines working again
. She picked up the cordless handset off the kitchen counter where she’d left it while tending Howl. A wave of sadness washed over her. She’d barely left him, was still warm from his body.

Will I ever see you again? Hold you?
She’d asked him those questions only an hour ago.

You’ll find a way. If anyone can, it is you.
Howl had pulled her into his embrace and kissed her.
I’d never forgive myself if I…

You wouldn’t. I love you.
Ana had fastened the iron shackles around his wrists and ankles, pressed one more kiss to his lips and watched the pain of the change cloud his eyes.

Love you too
.
Now
g
o! I’ll come to you in the morning.

Her heart cried out for him now. To find love and lose it in a day was cruelly ironic.

“Hello?” She took the phone with her to the sofa, sat and curled her legs under her. Circe took the opportunity to resume her place in Ana’s lap.

“Ana, tell me you are okay.” Her gran’s heavy accent drifted over the connection. Her heart ached to be a child again. She would snuggle into Gran’s side and no matter what had been wrong, her gran would make everything okay again.
Except Gran can’t fix this. Only I can, but how? How do I change him back?

“I’m fine, Gran. There are trees down, and the phone’s been out. My Jeep is squished.”

“That I know. What kind of seer you take me for? I speak of the strange man with gold eyes. Did I not tell you he would come? Still, I sense you are sad. Love does not make my Ana happy? Then very sexy man should work harder to please my baby girl.”

“Howl is wonderful.”

“Good name for sexy wolf.”

Ana laughed. It didn’t surprise her. Her gran would have seen that too. “We share the mate link, Gran.” She stated it as the fact it was, knew her gran would believe her no matter what.

“Did he change you?” The old voice was grave.

Hadn’t he? Deep inside, she felt different. “In some ways, yes, but not in that way. He has a blood curse on him. I dreamt of it.”

“Can he will the shift to happen? Or hold it back?”

“No. It’s entirely out of his control.”

“Where is he now?”

“Chained in the basement of the old Parker farmhouse. There’s something else I should tell you. He changed outside of the full moon phase.”