A Shade of Vampire 10: A Spell of Time (8 page)

He walked to the water and washed his hands in the waves.

Although I was disturbed by Griff’s behavior, I couldn’t deny that I was glad to have more time with Micah. I was curious to know more about werewolves and discover what other myths about them were untrue.

“What’s it like to turn every time the sun goes down? Does it hurt?”

He took a seat back down on the sand, removing his wet shirt and spreading it out on Griff’s empty slab before replying. “No. I’m so used to it, I don’t even think about it.”

“I see,” I said, drawing my eyes away from his tan chest. “I’ve never seen a werewolf turn before.”

“You should watch me tonight,” he said.

“I’d like that.”

He stood up and reached his hand down to help me up. I took it and he pulled me to my feet. He flashed me a smile, revealing a set of perfect teeth—a little too sharp for a human’s. “I’ll come to fetch you just before sundown, if you like. But be ready, because once it happens I have no control over it.”

“Okay,” I said, returning his smile. “It’s a date.”

I
wasn’t
sure what we had, Ben and I.

For the past few days, he’d shown up at my doorstep each afternoon to accompany me in taking Shadow for a walk. We strolled around the island, mostly sticking to the beaches because that was where Shadow liked it most.

It was a strange feeling. We’d grown up together, spent most of our lives together on the same island, yet it felt like we’d only just been acquainted. The conversations we had were those of strangers getting to know each other.

But I didn’t know if it was anything more than that. In the submarine I’d told Ben he didn’t need to be timid around me. And he wasn’t. He was true to his word in treating me like he would any other person. But I wasn’t sure if it was just an obligation he felt, or some kind of morbid curiosity, rather than spending time with me because he genuinely enjoyed my company.

There wasn’t really a way for me to know. But since he kept calling on my door and insisting on accompanying me for several days in a row, I guessed he got something out of hanging with me.

I felt embarrassed about my feelings toward him, especially while we were out together. It was hard to relax. I felt on edge, self-conscious, not sure where I stood with him. Or how I should relate to him. I was afraid to hope. After all, that was how my own brother had gotten his heart broken.

Expectations. Assumptions. I was careful to harbor none.

The most I held was a light optimism that Ben might want to keep joining Shadow and me on walks.

Because whatever it was we had, or were beginning to have, I was glad for his company.

I
’d been avoiding
Adelle like the plague and she was beginning to notice it. The fact that my daughter and son-in-law had almost died gave me some excuse for my reclusiveness, but even that was beginning to wear thin for the witch. She’d visited my penthouse twice in the past twelve hours. I’d ignored her. But when she knocked a third time, I decided to answer the door.

She stood on my porch, clutching a pile of papers in one arm. Her long fiery hair was tied up in a bun and she wore her signature summer dress, showing just enough of her long smooth legs to make my breath hitch.

“Aiden!” she gasped, reaching an arm around me and drawing me in for a hug.

I hugged her back awkwardly and stepped away as soon as she released me.

“I haven’t seen you around. How are you?”

“Fine.”

I stepped aside to allow her entrance into my apartment. She set her papers down on the dining table and drew up a chair.

“I’ll put some tea on,” I said, turning my back on her and busying myself brewing the chamomile tea I knew she was fond of. It was all I could do to avoid looking at her.

“So you’ve recovered?”

“Just about.”

“I knocked twice already. I guess you were sleeping.”

“Yeah…”

An awkward silence fell between us as we both listened to the electric kettle heat up. I reached into a cupboard and started rubbing a kitchen towel against an already bone-dry cup and saucer.

“I just, um, finished work at school. I stayed late today.”

More silence.

Eventually I could find no more excuses to keep my back to her. Once the water had boiled, I poured it into a teapot and placed it down on the wooden table along with the teacup and saucer.

Then I drew up a seat opposite her. I looked up. She was frowning.

“Are you sure you’re all right, Aiden?”

“Of course. Why do you ask?”

“You just seem a bit… uptight.”

“Ah, well, I’ve been through a lot recently. I guess it’s still taking its toll.”

I drummed my fingers on the table, desperately racking my brain for something to change the subject, help me forget the pain that consumed me at having her sit so close to me, our knees almost touching beneath the table.
So close, yet so far…

She sipped her tea.

“Mmm,” she said, smiling. “You know how I like it.”

But not as well as Eli…
As much as I mocked myself for it, I couldn’t stop the childish thought from flitting through my head. I was sure now that any innocent statement she made would cause my mind to start comparing myself with Eli.

“How’s, uh, everything at school? Is everything back to normal now?”

“Pretty much…”

“Good.”

More silence followed. I hated how stilted things had become between us. Even though it hurt, I realized that the only way to dissipate the awkwardness was to tackle it outright.

“Yuri tells me that you and Eli are going out. Congratulations.”

Blood rose to her cheeks, giving them a rosy glow.

“Uh, yes, actually.” She frowned. “I just wonder, how did Yuri know? Neither Eli or myself have told anyone yet.”

I cursed myself. In my hurry to make things right, I’d forgotten that I was the one who told Yuri about them.

“I’m not sure,” I said. “Perhaps he or Claudia caught sight of you somewhere.”

I made a mental note to talk to Yuri and Claudia to make sure we kept this story straight.

“Ah, okay…” Adelle’s voice trailed off and she busied herself sipping tea again.

I cleared my throat, picking up a pen and fiddling with it. I felt like snapping it.

“So, uh, how did it happen? He asked you out?” I asked, throwing her a casual glance.

“He did. Soon after we both returned from Caleb’s island.” She paused, smiling fondly. “There’s a side to Eli that you wouldn’t expect. He’s got a great sense of humor once he comes out of his shell.”

I recalled the way she’d been laughing that fateful day I’d discovered the two of them in each other’s arms in the boathouse by the lake.

“I’m sure,” I said, my jaw tensing. “Unfortunately, I’ve never had the privilege of seeing that side of him before.”

“Maybe you need to get to know him better.”

“Clearly.”

She swallowed the last of her tea.

“Do you want some more?” I asked.

“No, thank you. It was lovely though. I really have to get going. I just stopped by to check you were all right.”

We both got up from the table and she picked up her papers, replacing them beneath her arm. I led her back to the front door.

She gave me another hug, her perfume tantalizing my senses.

“I’ll see you around, okay?” she said, squeezing my arm.

“Yeah. Bye.”

She threw me another smile and vanished from the spot.

Late for a date with Eli, no doubt…

T
here was
a sharp rapping at our door just before sundown. I hurried to answer it, but my father got to the door before me.

Micah stood in the doorway, dressed in a shirt and jeans. My mother had arranged for clothing for our guests, since they’d arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“Yes?”

“I’m here for—” Micah began.

I reached the door and placed a hand on my father’s shoulder.

“He’s here for me.”

My father raised his eyebrows, looking from me to the werewolf, before stepping aside and allowing me to exit.

“Watch your step with my daughter, wolf,” he said.

“Of course,” Micah said.

“And Rose.” My father’s eyes bored into mine. “Don’t stay out later than nine-thirty.”

“Okay,” I said, hurrying toward the elevator with Micah before he could impose more restrictions on me.

“Don’t mind my dad,” I muttered as we descended to the forest ground.

“I think it’s hard for anyone to not mind your father considering he’s the king of this place.”

I let out a dry chuckle.

As we hit the forest path, I looked around. “So where do you plan to turn?”

“Wherever it starts to happen. It won’t be long now. We may as well keep walking.”

We continued walking in silence. I kept shooting glances at him, expecting to see fur start sprouting through his skin. It wasn’t until we reached the beach that he grunted and stopped short.

“It’s time,” he said, his voice constricted.

I took a few steps back and stared as he sank to the floor, on his knees and hands. His body began to shake. His clothes burst beneath his expanding form and lay strewn on the ground. His head expanded. Thick fur grew over his skin. His teeth lengthened and became razor-sharp. His hands and feet balled up as his legs took shape. His whole body rippled with muscle as the transformation completed and he lifted himself up onto all fours.

“Normally, I’d try to be undressed during this time to avoid this.” His voice gravelly, he jerked his head toward the shreds of clothes on the ground. “But present company precluded that…”

I gave him a weak smile.

He shook his thick brown coat and stretched out his limbs.

“Well, you’ve seen it. What did you think?”

“Um, it was faster than I thought it would be.”

“Want a ride?”

“A-a ride?”

“Yes.”

I bit my lip, eyeing his broad back. Of course I wanted a ride. How many girls could say they’d ridden a werewolf before? But I felt shy to admit it. I’d only just met Micah.

“No?” he said.

“Okay. Just a short ride.”

He knelt down so I could mount him. I gripped the fur nearest his head and hauled myself up, one leg over either side of his back.

“Holding tight?”

“Uh, not yet,” I said, burying my hands into the fur at the back of his neck and gripping tight. “Does this hurt?”

His back shook as he laughed. “No.”

I gripped harder—just in time. He lurched forward, knocking the breath right out of me. We hurtled along the beach, spray and sand flying everywhere. I dug my heels into his sides, holding on for dear life. Werewolves seemed to be as fast as vampires. We raced around the island and soon enough my nerves cooled and I started to enjoy myself.

He ran once around the island, and then he left the beach and started whipping through the woods. I ducked down and closed my eyes on his order to avoid the low-hanging branches. We reached the door of the Black Heights and he began scrambling up the mountain. This was a level of daring I hadn’t been prepared for. We were almost at a sixty-degree angle as he scampered up.

“Micah,” I gasped, the blood draining from my knuckles. “I’m slipping.”

Either he didn’t hear me or he deliberately ignored me as he continued racing up the mountain. I fought to hold on, and in the end ended up locking my arms around his neck in an attempt to secure myself.

After a particularly bumpy patch in which I was sure I would finally lose my grip, we arrived at the top of the mountain. I let go of him and collapsed on the ground.

Christ. This wolf is insane.

Micah cocked his head to one side. “You didn’t slip.”

I sat up and glared at him. “I almost did.” I dared peek over the edge of the cliff and gasped at how high up we were. Strong gusts of cold wind swirled around us. I was afraid to stand up lest I lose balance. He’d brought us to a particularly narrow peak, and with Micah already hogging most of the space with his giant frame, I stayed where I was, flat against the ground.

“I wouldn’t have let you fall,” he replied.

My eyes narrowed on him.

“Life is more fun with risks,” he said.

“That wasn’t fun. That was just stupid. And now we have to make our way all the way down again…”

“I’ll go gentler with you on the way down,” he said. “I promise.”

He fell silent as we both set our eyes on the magnificent view. I should have been terrified to be all the way up here, away from everyone with a giant wolf. But somehow I trusted Micah. Even though I barely knew him. But perhaps that was just my naiveté again.

I’d lost all track of time. It was only now that I was no longer preoccupied holding on to the werewolf’s back for dear life that I glanced at my watch. Ten o’clock.

“Crap. I need to get home now. It’s past nine-thirty.”

He looked disappointed, but said, “If that’s what you want…”

I climbed on to his back and held my breath as Micah jumped from the cliff and began making his way down.
So much for going easy on the way down.

I could have sworn his fur was thinner behind his neck by the time we arrived back at my penthouse. I slid off him, holding on to his head for support as I steadied my weak knees. As I approached the elevator, Micah motioned to follow me. I turned to him and shook my head.

“It’s best you stay here,” I said. Although I was still annoyed with him, I wasn’t keen on him getting an earful from my father. I’d rather take the brunt of it myself.

“Good night then,” Micah said.

“Good night,” I said.

It was hard to be angry with Micah. There was something refreshing about him. Something wild and raw. I liked the fact that he wasn’t inhibited by social norms.

He was about to turn, as was I, but before we parted, I walked over to him and stroked his fur.

“Thanks. Tonight was fun. I’d like to do this again some time.”

“You know where to find me?”

“Which house number?”

“Sixteen.”

“Okay. I’ll see you around.”

He went running off into the dark woods while I ascended the elevator back to the apartment. I held my breath as I stood outside the front door. I knocked.

Ben answered the door.

“You’re in trouble,” he muttered, stepping back and allowing me entrance.

“What’s new?” I said.

My father emerged from his study, glowering at me.

“Do you know what time it is?”

I looked down at my feet. “Sorry, Dad,” I mumbled. “I lost track of time.”

I moved to walk past him and lock myself in my bedroom but he was having none of it. He stood in front of my bedroom door, blocking my way.

“You’re grounded.”

“What?”

“For the whole weekend.”

I huffed and puffed, but there was no budging my father. I pushed past him and entered my room, slamming the door shut behind me.

I couldn’t have expected my father to act any differently. I’d gotten myself into enough trouble recently. It was only to be expected that my parents’ discipline would tighten now.

As I collapsed in bed, I found myself worrying about Micah. When I didn’t reappear, he might think that it was something he’d done or said. And despite him almost dropping me from the Black Heights, I wanted him to know that it really wasn’t.