Before the Moon Rises (10 page)

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Before the Moon Rises

by Catherine Bybee

Her resolve started to crumble. Her body wanted to

weaken and slip into his embrace. Not again. She pushed

against his chest and ran from the room.

"Come back!" he yelled as she ran from his home.

Janet slept for the better part of three days following her

nightmare. During all hours of the day Max called, leaving

messages.

She didn't call back. She needed time.

Her life was completely upside down. She dreamt of Max in

and out of his wolf form. Every morning she reminded herself

that it wasn't a dream.

Werewolves did exist. She knew one up close and

personal.

The reality of that little fact made her question all life as

she knew it.

If werewolves were real, than who was to say vampires

were not? What about shape shifters and demons from the

underworld?

Crazy talk, that's what it all was. But who was to say it

was only make believe? Perhaps her crazy patients weren't so

nuts after all.

Her fourth day in bed was interrupted by the phone

ringing. Her caller ID reported her father on the other line.

Rolling over she dragged the receiver to her ear.

"Janet honey, is that you?"

"You called me, dad."

"Oh, yeah. I did, didn't I?" His laughter brought a smile to

her face despite the pain in her heart.

"What do you need, dad?"

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"Can't a father call his child to say hi?"

Janet rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Someone else's dad,

maybe, but not you."

"You know me too well, girl."

"So what's up?"

Philip took a noisy breath that sounded like a groan over

the line. "I'm having a cup of coffee with a friend of yours."

"Really, who?" Janet kicked the sheets off and sat on the

edge of the bed.

"Someone who asked if it would be okay if he married

you."

She paused, digested her fathers words. "Max." she

whispered his name.

Philip let out a hoot. "I'm glad you guessed his name. I

was beginning to worry about this one."

"Is he sitting right there?" Janet asked completely awake.

"Yeah, he's a nice guy, Janet. Did you know he drove a

Ferrari? Nothing wrong with a guy who drives a car like that if

you ask me."

"No one's asking you, dad."

"He did. Kind of old-fashioned of him, but I have to admit I

liked it."

"Put him on the phone," she said.

"He says you're not taking his calls."

She was about to blow her top. "Put him on the phone!"

"Okay, okay...geez."

"Hi, beautiful." Max's voice purred over the line, sending

instant shockwaves over her body. Her heart lunged.

"Hi, Max."

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"Your dad's a nice guy, even if he is making me pay for the

coffee."

"What are you doing?" He sounded so calm, so sure of

himself.

"Having coffee, and asking your father for your hand."

"You're crazy, you know that?" She kept her voice even,

although it threatened to crack.

"I've been called worse." He sighed into the phone. "I need

to see you, Janet. I can't sleep, I can't eat."

His plea pressed on every nerve in her body. She ached for

him, too. "A bit extreme of you to pretend you want to marry

me."

"I'm not pretending, Janet. I am going to marry you. It

might take me years to convince you we belong together, but

I'm in for the long haul. I'm not going anywhere."

The lump in her throat caught, he sounded so sincere.

"How can I trust you? How will I know you won't lie to me

again?"

"I will tell you everything. From the beginning to the

moment we met. Give me a chance, Janet. I need you."

Janet heard her father's chuckle. She imagined his

laughing eyes as Max poured out his soul over the phone.

"Fine. Meet me in Griffith Park in front of the pony rides in

an hour."

Max's breath came in a rush, as if he had been holding it.

"You won't be sorry."

"Goodbye, Max."

"Janet," he stopped her from hanging up. "I love you."

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She choked on a cry before hanging up. She was a goner.

She knew it before she made it to the shower.

It was Saturday and the park was crowded with families

celebrating life in sunny California. Janet found a lone park

bench and watched the children happily climbing on the back

of ponies. Their delightful squeals brought a smile to her face.

She knew when he walked up behind her, even before she

turned his way.

"One day those will be our children," he said in her ear.

Pivoting, she stared into an armload of roses. There must

have been four dozen of all different colors.

"I didn't know which ones you liked, so I bought them all."

His million-dollar smile had the hairs on her arms standing

on end.

"They're beautiful," she said while reaching for them. "You

didn't have to."

"What man asks a woman to marry him without flowers?"

He slid in beside her and captured her hand before bringing it

to his lips.

"I don't know." Her train of thought fled. His soft lips

caressed her hand. Without missing a beat, he slid a ring on

her finger. "Max!"

"Say yes, Janet. Put me out of my misery and tell me

you'll marry me."

"We hardly know each other," she argued.

"We fit and you know it." He moved in and placed a soft

kiss to her lips. She trembled. He placed her hand against his

heart. "Feel this. It beats in time with yours. The moment my

lips met yours I knew you were for me."

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"That's sweet but..."

"No buts. You have to believe me. We're meant to be

together. My kind has only one mate in their lifetime, and you

are mine."

Her gaze searched his, his eyes drew in. "Your kind... You

mean werewolves?"

"Yes, werewolves. We have one mate in our life," he

repeated.

"You've been with other women."

Max stroked the side of her face. "But I have only one

mate, Janet."

"I don't know."

"Ask me anything. Let me earn back your trust."

Janet chewed her bottom lip. So many questions rose to

the surface she didn't know where to start. "Did you choose

this life?"

"Yes," he said without blinking. "Every month those like

Gorman hunt, kill and turn others into monsters like them.

The only way to track and remove them is by being one of

them."

Janet remembered his family, their dedication to each

other when they returned from their hunt.

Their love.

"Are you immortal?"

He laughed. "No. I age, like you."

"Gorman and you argued about the harm of the gun."

"A silver bullet can kill me during the change and after but

not before. They hurt like hell, but their not fatal."

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"I don't understand. Gorman came armed. Ready to kill

you."

Max's gaze focused on the children who played alongside

the ponies. "Gorman could have shot me before the change,

weakened me. After he would have done his best to take me

out. We're most vulnerable during the change. The folklore

about silver bullets holds some truth. Your aim must have hit

his black heart dead center."

"You would recover from a bullet wound? Even if you were

shot right now?"

"I heal quickly. We all do."

The nurse in her struggled with his explanations, then

again she had seen him morph into an animal. What could be

harder to explain than that? "If we... if I were to be with you,

would I have to change?"

"No. Is that what has you worried?"

"It has crossed my mind."

Max lifted her chin and met her eyes. "I won't lie to you. If

another like Gorman came our way, you might choose my

life. Gorman wanted you as his. He would have turned you. If

I hadn't been there to protect you, you would've found

yourself howling on the next full moon."

"Would I have been evil, like him?"

"Yes."

Her hands clutched the stems of the roses. Small thorns

pricked her skin. If what he said was true, and she believed it

was, she owed him her life. He had saved her; he loved her.

She couldn't lie to herself anymore. Max already had her

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heart. She gave it to him long before Gorman had kidnapped

her.

"I can protect you. I will guard you with my life."

Janet pushed the roses off her lap and wrapped her arms

around him. He pulled her close and gave a fierce hug. The

relief of being in his arms renewed the tears that plagued her

day and night since she left him. Wolf or not, she loved him,

couldn't imagine her life without him.

"Let me protect you."

"What am I going to do with you?" She laughed against his

chest. "I'm allergic to dogs."

"Good thing I'm not one."

"What if I start sneezing when were fifty and can't stop?"

He took her in with hopeful eyes. "I'll shave."

Her laugh continued. "I suppose allergy medications will be

better by then."

"Or they will still make you sleepy. In that case we can

stay in bed." His lips caught hers, sealing his feelings and

hers in a passionate kiss.

He protested when she pulled away. "I can think of worse

things than staying in bed," she said against his lips.

His hands caught her hair. His blue eyes pierced her soul.

"I love you, Janet O'Brien. Marry me."

"This is crazy!"

"Marry me."

"I'm in love with a dog."

He smiled, not missing her words. "I'm a wolf."

"I'm going to be Mrs. Wolf."

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His lips tugged, his dimples flashed. "You're going to be

Mrs. Ritter."

Plastered against him, Janet did indeed feel his heart beat

with hers. With their mixing of breath and passion, he vowed

words of love. "I will show you my love everyday."

"And on the nights of the full moon?" she asked.

"I will make love to you early, before the moon rises."

* * * *

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