Love's Protection (Passion Moon 3): (A Shifter, Supernatural Romance) (4 page)

Five minutes later I was scrubbed clean and smelling fresh. I hopped out and grabbed a pink towel—replacing Forrest's mismatched, ratty towels was one of the first things I did after moving in—and dried myself. I picked up my clothes and walked naked to our bedroom, dumping them into the wicker hamper—another item Forrest had lacked; he just dumped his clothes on the floor.

Forrest was already in bed, softly snoring. Moonlight painted across his naked chest. His barbed wire was black again. I crawled into bed beside him and snuggled up against his side. I stroked the tattoo crisscrossing his chest.

What was my father up to?

As my eyes drifted closed, I remembered the watcher. Who had been spying on me out in the woods? They had to be using magic to hide from my spell. Did that mean another witch had come to Moonrise to claim the power of the spring? I hoped not. The wedding was enough of a distraction.

I fell into my dreams.

Darkness swept around me. I spun about, my heart hammering. There was nothing around me. I couldn't feel, hear, smell, see, or touch anything. I was bodiless. A spirit. I screamed, but no sound issued from my voice.

I tried to feel my flesh, but I had no hands.

I was helpless.

The world changed. A forest sprang up around me, dark trees reaching for a black sky. Dead pine needles and broken branches carpeted the uneven ground. Scraggly brush dotted the land. Rocks jutted out like the broken bones of the earth.

I ran. My white wedding dress torn by reaching branches. My train caught on snags, slowing me down. I left a trail of white silk in my wake, clinging to bushes and trees. A trail for my pursuer to follow.

Green eyes watched me. They floated above, burning with emerald malice. I ran faster. My feet hurt, cut by the uneven ground. I kept running. I ignored the pain. If I stopped, the wolf would get me. He snarled and howled behind me. Larger than a horse, his fur black as night. Red barbed wire wrapped about his flesh, the cruel, metallic thorns digging into his hide. Blood dripped from the myriad of small wounds.

The wolf howled, his golden eyes burning with bloodlust, reflecting the crimson moon—a passion moon.

“Help!” I shouted as I crashed through the brush. My beautiful wedding dress hung on me in tatters. The branches tore at my flesh, leaving bloody scratches on my thighs and arms. “Forrest, I need you! Help me!”

The wolf howled behind me. His snarls were like a whip snapping at my heels, compelling me to run faster and faster. The red moon burned and the green eyes watched. Something glowed to my right, crimson and powerful.

I turned. My heart hammered. I needed that power. I needed to defeat the wolf. I didn't understand why Forrest hadn't come to my rescue. He always came to my rescue. He was my mate. The imprint let him feel when I was in danger. I reached out with my magic, touching that connection between our souls.

“I need you! Please, Forrest!”

The wolf snarled louder. Foam flecked his tooth-filled maw.

The crimson light grew brighter. It flooded out through the woods, painting the world in reds. It glowed with the same light as the moon. It reflected the moon. I knew what I was running towards—the Moon Tear Spring.

I had tapped into its power once when Christian had tried to dominate me. But it hadn't felt this powerful. The pool seemed to drink in the moon's passion. It burned with the fiery heat of the first night of summer. The energy mixed in the pool—Life, Death, and Love—responded.

I could use that power to destroy the wolf.

The green eyes smiled.

I burst out of the woods to the rocky ground that surrounded the hot spring. The waters shimmered crimson. The three ley lines pulsed in the ground as they converged on the Moon Tear Spring, pouring their energy into the water.

I seized the Love ley line. It was my affinity. The energy of the pool poured into me. I turned to face the wolf. Energy washed through me. I was so powerful.

The wolf leaped.

“Kotie!” Forrest's shout was distant, drifting through the world.

I pulled on the Death energy brimming in the pool, using the Love energy to channel it. The green eyes watched with anticipation. I hurled the Death energy at the leaping wolf. The golden eyes widened in pain.

“Kotie!” Forrest's roar destroyed the dream.

My eyes snapped open. I sucked in a huge breath. I shivered. Sweat covered my body, soaking into my pillow and sheets. Forrest's warm arms were wrapped about me. He pulled me to his chest as I shuddered.

“Kotie?”

“Just a nightmare,” I groaned, holding him tight. Forrest would never abandon me. He would always come to save me. He loved me. It was just a nightmare.

“Are you okay?”

“It's just the stress of the wedding.” I let out a nervous titter. The dream was so foolish. “I was being chased through the woods in my wedding dress. And you weren't coming to save me.”

“I would never abandon you,” he said, his arms tightening. “Never.”

“I know.” I sighed, the dream fading out of my mind they way they always do. But fragments lingered. Green eyes watching. Passion moon burning. I frowned. “And...I think my father was watching me.”

“Like out in the mountains last night?”

I blinked. Was the dream a warning that my father was in town? “I think someone was watching me. A witch. Maybe it was my father.” My insides twisted. Who was my father? What did he want? Why did Burt have to die before he could tell me anything useful? “I don't know.” I shook my head. “It was probably just stupid dreams. I bet every bride has a nightmare about being abandoned by her groom before the wedding.”

“You said you were being chased?”

“In my wedding dress,” I sighed, my trembling fading. I squirmed on the sheets. I didn't like how wet they were, my sweat had drenched them. I glanced at our window. The sun was already rising, peaking yellow through the pine trees. “I guess there goes sleeping in,” I muttered.

Forrest yawned. “We can go back to bed. Unless you're afraid of more nightmares.”

“Feel the sheets. I soaked them with sweat. They have to be changed and washed. And I need a shower. I'm all sticky now.”

Forrest groaned.

“I know. I'm exhausted, too.” I gave him a kiss before rolling out of bed. “But we'll be on our honeymoon in a week. We'll have plenty of time to lounge in bed then.”

A hungry grin crossed Forrest's face.

“No.” I told him, putting my foot down. “We have a lot to do today. The wedding's less than a week away.” 

Forrest stood up, his body so strong as he walked around the bed.

“It's not happening, mister,” I told him, folding my arms beneath my breasts. Damn, why did he have to be so sexy?

His arms swept me up, holding me against his chest covered in barbed wire. I frowned, snatches of the dream coming back to me. Why would Forrest chase me? He would never hurt me. Stupid nightmares.

“Let's go shower,” Forrest grinned. “We'll get you all nice and clean.”

The shower was pure delight. Between the warm water washing over my body and Forrest's skilled hands soaping my body, I had forgotten all about my nightmare. The hot water held out long enough for us to enjoy each other and wash. Forrest took me hard. It was a quick fuck. Pure passion. We both gasped and moaned as we held each other's soapy, slippery bodies.

I was buzzing when I stepped out of the shower. Cleaned and loved, wonderful. The nightmare banished.

We spent the morning readying the napkins and the seating cards for the reception. Forrest cursed as his thick fingers learned to fold napkins in the clever, fancy way. We had little money, so we had to do as much of the wedding prep on our own as possible. While he did that, I had a silver fountain pen and was writing down all the names of our guests on little cards that would mark their seats. It took me an hour just to get the hang of writing with the fountain pen and making the curly calligraphy before I was ready to start on the actual cards. Next, I set about making the pink and white bows that would decorate the ends of the pews at the church for the wedding ceremony itself. Forrest, by then, had mastered napkin folding like a pro.

At one, we left for our meeting with the Reverend. It was our final counseling before the wedding. Reverend Marshal insisted on it for couples he married. It was a little tedious—Forrest and I were made for each other—but some of the questions the Reverend asked us were insightful and made us think about our future—children, finances, and household chores.

The church was a lovely, white rectangle with a white spire over the entrance. It was like all those quaint churches built across the west during the pioneer times. We met the Reverend at his house next door where he had his office. His wife, Donna May, let us inside their lovely house. She was a bubbly woman, her hair going iron gray. Their children were grown and moved out, starting their own families.

Our meeting with the Reverend lasted fifteen minutes. I think the Reverend was more than confident that we were ready to be married. He and Forrest spent more time talking about fishing than on our upcoming union.

“Okay, I'll see you all Friday for the rehearsal,” the Reverend said, shaking both our hands. “And don't be strangers. We have a lovely bible study on Wednesday.”

I gave him a polite smile. Wayne had never been a church guy. I vaguely remember going to Sunday School before my momma got ovarian cancer. Once she was sick, Wayne wasn't about to waste the time to take me.

We had time to meet with the baker before I had to be over at Penny's. She was throwing me a bachelorette party. The baker had our cake finished. Three layers perched on little columns, plastic bride and groom perched on top. Pink flowers dotted the cake. It was perfect. My excitement grew for Saturday.

“Try to stay out of trouble,” Forrest said when he pulled up at Penny's house. She had a small, blue house on the outskirts of town, the yard overgrown.

“Don't you trust me?” I asked.

“I should have said, try to keep Penny out of trouble,” Forrest grinned.

I giggled. “I'll do my best.” I leaned over and kissed him on the mouth. “And you, hands off the strippers.”

“There's not going to be strippers,” Forrest protested. His pack, minus Vanessa, was throwing him a bachelor party tonight. It was convenient to hold our parties at the same time.

I arched an eyebrow.

“Okay, there will probably be strippers. I promise only to look, not to touch.”

“Good.” I leaned over and gave him a hot kiss. “Save all that excitement for me tonight.”

I hopped out of his SUV and waved as he pulled away.

“Kotie!” Penny squealed from the doorway.

Penny was my best friend. She was a curvy blonde. She was on the plump side, but she made it work with her tight jeans and low-cut tops that showed off her impressive bosom. Penny strutted towards me, flashing her big grin, and gave me a hug.

“We're gonna have so much fun tonight!” she laughed. “Ooh, I can't believe the wedding's so close. Where does the time go?”

I smiled. She was infectious. Penny seemed like an airhead, but she was actually a rather skilled witch. Like many of us, she was drawn to Moonrise by the call of the Moon Tear Spring. But she never tried to tap into the power, so she hadn't butted heads against Forrest and his pack. Instead, she ended up working as a waitress at the Moon Tear Roadhouse. Miss Maggie, the werebear owner of the bar, was fond of taking in strays.

“God put us on the earth to help each other out. Least, that's what I think. So let me help you. Someday, when you come across a young woman that's hurting, I expect you to do the same,” Miss Maggie had said the first day I had wandered into Moonrise. I had been broke. I had spent my last dollar on the bus ride to town. I walked into her bar to answer the help wanted sign, and she had fed me and given me a job on the spot.

“So, what have you got planned for tonight?” I asked, giving Penny a suspicious look.

Her grin only broadened.

The inside of her house was neat. She had her living room set up, a white-wrapped box with a pink bow sat on her coffee table and penis-shaped balloons floated about the room. I blushed and shook my head at the sight.

“It's a bachelorette party!” Penny giggled, batting one of the balloons.

A delicious scent wafted through the air. “I didn't know you could cook.”

“There is a lot about me you don't know,” Penny winked. “But I learned how to cook from the best. My grandmother. So we'll—”

The doorbell rang.

Vanessa was at the door, dressed in a pair of jeans and a tight blouse. The blonde werewolf had a hungry look on her face as she strode into the room. “No strippers, Penny? I was looking for some hot flesh to feast on tonight.”

“They're coming,” Penny promised.

“What?” I gasped.

“Now, honey, it's your bachelorette party.” Penny moved over to me. “We need to have a few hot guys stripping. How else can you know Forrest is the one for you?”

“He imprinted on me,” I countered.

“Still,” Penny grinned. “Can't hurt to look and make sure.”

“No, it can't,” Vanessa purred.

Connie, the friendly girl that worked at Evelyn's Treasures, arrived. She was a mousy thing, but so sweet. I spent far too much money at her mother's store. But it was the only clothing store in town and they always had such cute tops. I couldn't resist. Connie's mother, Evelyn, was taking care of the alterations of my wedding dress.

A few more women arrived, friends of Penny that I sort of knew. They seemed a wild bunch, the type of girls that were out partying at the bars every night, but they seemed friendly enough. And they did all bring gifts.

Penny had the music pumping. Her hips shaking to the beat, Penny brought out the delicious scones she had baked, along with fruity wine coolers. We gossiped and laughed. Penny told one of her many dating tales—she led quite the adventurous life—before we got to the presents.

“Me first,” Penny grinned, handing me her rectangular box.

I shook it. Something rattled back and forth. Vanessa gave a wicked laugh and shot Penny a look. I frowned. “What is it?”

“Open it.” Penny arched her eyebrows.