Wolf's Bane (10 page)

“I’ve come to tell you that things are almost ready.  Tomorrow morning will be your last.  Then, I’ll get what I need,” Violet said.

“I appreciate it,” I replied sarcastically.  Violet’s smile disappeared for the first time and it was replaced with a sneer that seemed to fit the woman better than that phony smile ever did.

“Confident and defiant to the end.  You know, I lied.  You’re not special.  You’re not even the first.  I find a girl like you every year or so.  Like you, they are born to a human mother.  Most come willingly to me, eager to be a part of something bigger than themselves and fooled by my promises.  They want to believe they are special but not you.  You required much more work and still you’ve managed to resist,” Violet explained.

“Yeah, I’m good like that,” I said not wanting her to see my shock as she revealed what I knew was the truth.

“Yes, well, I’ve come to realize you’re not like the other girls.  You’re...different.  Still, I like to get my way.   I’ve failed every time, however, to coax from those other girls what I need.  We were so close with the last one.  I’m positive you will be the one with which I finally succeed,” Violet said.

“You’re pathological.  Why not just kidnap me and be done with it?” I wondered.

“I was being genuine when I told you that if you cooperated you would be revered.  It’s just that I don’t like you.  You would challenge me and I can’t have that,” Violet told me.  She was right.  If I could, I’d have done it right then and there.

“So what happens now?” I wondered.  I was getting sick of all the lies and the games.

“You will wait here until tomorrow morning.  Then we strap you down to a table in Philip’s laboratory, cut you open and withdraw your essence.  We could keep you alive during the procedure, but we won’t.  I can’t have a girl like you run around causing trouble,” Violet said.  My essence?  Despite the fact Violet intended to kill me, I couldn’t help but wonder what she meant.

“What is my essence?” I pressed her.

“You needn’t worry about that.  All you need to know is that I need it and I’m going to take it.  In fact, maybe you are the one.  Maybe I’ve failed because none of the other girls were as strong willed as you are.  No matter.  I’m close to getting what I want and whether it’s you or the next girl, I’ll get it and this world will be changed forever,” Violet said.

“You are truly insane,” I replied, taking a seat on the bed.

“I’m a visionary.  Soon we will be the dominant species and the few humans we allow to live will serve us as slaves in retribution for all the sins they have visited on our kind,” Violet told me.  Then she turned and went to the door.  Violet knocked and as the guard opened the door for her, she turned and said, “By the way, your breakfast is here.  We must keep your strength up.  You’re going to need it.”

I didn’t feel like eating but I was going to anyway.  Violet was right, I needed my strength.  I was still bent on finding a way to get myself out of this situation.  I should have never allowed myself to be influenced by Lady Violet.  When she first told me I was special, one of a kind, I wanted to believe that.  I was a fool, however.  There were probably hundreds of female shifters here at the ranch and apparently, I wasn’t the only one born to a human mother either.  It was all a lie.

Lady Violet only wanted me for my essence, whatever that was.  I had no idea and it didn’t matter.  She plied me with false promises and I was all too eager to believe them.  I wanted to be special.  I wanted to be revered.  Who wouldn’t?  I’d spent my whole life being just another girl working in a diner.  I should have been satisfied that I’d found Yeager and that I was fortunate enough to be his mate and a shifter.  But I let my feelings cloud my judgment and unless I could find a way out of this, I was going to pay the ultimate price.

Agnes brought me a tray of food, eggs, bacon, toast and juice.  When she set it down, she glared at me and then once she had my attention, she glanced at the tray meaningfully.  She turned and left after that, the door closing and the lock clicking closed behind her.  I waited a moment and then looked the tray over.  Under the plate, I found a folded slip of paper.  I took it, opened it and read the note.  It was short and to the point, hurriedly written:

Yeager comes

Tomorrow at dawn

Be ready and be naked

I read it again.  I got most of it.  Yeager was coming tomorrow at dawn and I should be ready.  Why I needed to be naked, I wasn’t sure.  But as I read it again, my heart soared.  My mate was coming to my aid.  I read it a fourth time trying to discern something else but I got no more out of the short note.  I stood and went to the bathroom, crumpled the note up and flushed it.

Suddenly, I was hungry.  I ate the meal but afterwards, I felt pensive.  I needed to change and run.  I needed release.  There was nothing I could do, however, but sit and wait.  I wondered what Yeager had in mind.  Obviously, Agnes was helping him in some way but anything beyond that was pure conjecture.  I judged anything Violet had told me about Yeager to be untrue so I could garner little from her story that would be of use.

I waited throughout the day, anxious and excited.  Violet didn’t appear again and neither did Agnes except to deliver meals.  I found no other notes and the girl made no effort to communicate with me.  The hours wore on and finally after the sun was down and it had been dark for several hours, I tried to sleep.  I found it difficult to relax, however.  My mind raced and for hours, I imagined all sorts of things, good and bad.  But I was tired and I finally fell asleep.

I woke and found my room filled with a pale blue light.  Dawn was coming.  I climbed from bed and made ready.  To kill time, I showered but I didn’t dress afterward though I still couldn’t imagine why I had to be nude.  I stood by the window, ignoring the cold.  I peered out and the sky to the east was painted with shades of orange and pink and purple.  The minutes dragged by as I waited and I had an odd thought.  What if this another of Violet’s tricks?

Had she ordered Agnes to deliver the note to further torment me?  I couldn’t believe that.  I had to believe Yeager was coming but nevertheless, my confidence waned.  If he didn’t come, Violet had promised this would be my last morning.  She would harvest my essence, whatever that was, and leave me dead.  I felt sick at the thought.  My heart ached for the girls Violet had already subjected to her twisted plans and for the others that might follow if she failed today.

I wouldn’t let that happen.  I couldn’t.  I would take control of the situation and when she opened that door to take me away, I would escape or die trying.  I felt little emotion.  Instead, a stoic resolve came over me.  I hoped Agnes’ note was legitimate.  I hoped that Yeager was in fact coming, but if he didn’t I would not allow myself to be violated.

I looked out the window, my mind quiet now.  I simply waited for one eventuality or another.  In any case, I had come to terms with my fate and my time as a wolf allowed me to find some manner of peace.  Then, suddenly I heard a scuffle outside of my door.  I turned to face whatever was coming.  A moment later, the lock clicked and the door opened slowly.  I was sure Yeager had come to save me but Agnes stood there instead, naked and wiping blood from her mouth.  I saw the guards lying dead at her feet.  Then I heard the rumble.  At first, I couldn’t tell from where it came but then it grew louder.

I turned to look out the window and a cloud of dust rose from behind the hill outside the entrance to Wolfsbane Ranch.  Then, as the sun’s light spilled over the landscape, a single motorcycle came roaring down the road and crested the hill.  I leaned forward and smiled.  I recognized that man.  I recognized my mate.  Then a moment later, our motorhome crested the hill followed by more motorcycles, Jeeps, trucks and several more motorhomes.

Yeager had come and behind him was an army.  An army of shifters, I assumed.  I turned to Agnes and she smiled at me. “We need to go, Cassie,” Agnes urged.  I looked out the window one last time as Yeager rode towards the gate of 
Wo
lfsbane Ranch.  He rode under the metal wolf’s head and then I turned and followed Agnes out of the room.  I might be able to make good on the promise I made to Lady Violet after all if only I could free myself from the evil bitches grasp.

~~O~~

Thank you for reading Wolf’s Bane.  I hope you enjoyed it.  If so, please consider leaving a positive review where you purchased this book.  I’d appreciate it as will the other readers you help find my work.  Thanks!

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 If you enjoy more traditional or historical romances, my novel 
Havana Curves
 is a satisfying and exciting story set in 1950s Cuba during the revolution.  It features heart-warming romance and exciting action set against one of the most significant events of the late 20
th
 century.  Please enjoy this excerpt:

We had just enough time to maybe share an intimate moment, get our belongings and drive to meet the charter boat to America. However, we never made it to Marco’s home. As we approached the row houses in Marco’s Cadillac, we saw men waiting outside. There was no doubt why they were there. Marco took a side street before they could identify us and we drove away towards the docks. “We will buy clothes in Florida,” he said and squeezed my knee to reassure me.

“What if we’d been home?” I asked but Marco only looked at me. His eyes told me what I suspected already. We’d have been arrested. Marco took us out of Havana, choosing side streets instead of the wide boulevards to avoid being seen. We drove in silence. Every car we passed I was sure would turn and chase us down. I had never wanted to be somewhere else as much as I did right then. When Tony threatened me, it was only I that would suffer. Now Marco would suffer too if we were caught. I couldn’t bear the thought.

Finally, we arrived at the docks after what seemed like hours. The docks served fishermen mostly and the boat Marco had charted seemed far too big next to the small dock. It wasn’t a large boat but it dwarfed the fishing skiffs that would normally use the wooden docks. Many of the other refugees were already there and waiting including Enrico.

“Ah, Marco. I was worried,” Enrico greeted us.

“With good reason, my friend. Castro’s thugs were waiting for us at my home. If we wouldn’t have left to get dinner, we wouldn’t have been able to join you,” Marco explained. Enrico didn’t look surprised.

“I have heard rumors. I am sure I am on their lists too,” Enrico told us.

“We must leave right away,” Marco said.

“Some of the others haven’t arrived,” Enrico told us. Marco looked at his watch. It was nearing midnight.

“We will wait for a little longer. Take Nancy to the boat and I will wait for the stragglers and keep watch,” Marco told Enrico. I looked at Marco, taking his hand and squeezing. “We will leave as soon as they arrive,” he assured me. Enrico led me to the boat and I took a seat near the stern. It was a charter fishing boat and lacked any real comforts but it was only ninety miles or so to Florida.

“I will go to wait with Marco,” Enrico told me. I was nervous but not for myself. I was worried about Marco and until he was on the boat and we had departed I couldn’t relax. Only a little while more.

“Thank you,” I said but as soon as I had, Marco began shouting.

“Salir, salir!” he yelled. Enrico went to the side and then turned to the passengers and told them to get down in Spanish. I rose and pushed my way to the rail on the opposite side from the dock. Two cars skid to a stop as Marco ran towards the boat but before he could get to the dock, men emerged from the cars and shouted for him to stop. Marco didn’t halt immediately but when the men fired their guns into the air, Marco stopped just short of the dock.

“Marco!” I yelled as the boat’s engines roared to life. Enrico hesitated to order the boat to leave but Marco told him to go.

“Tell Nancy that I love her,” Marco shouted. I tried to climb from the boat as it drifted away from the dock but Enrico grabbed me and held me.

“No! Marco! Marco!” I shouted as the boat turned. The men seized Marco and more pointed rifles at the boat and yelled for the captain to stop. The captain shook his head and once he had the room, he turned the boat and threw the throttle all the way forward. The boat lurched forward and began to gain speed. The men fired on us and Enrico shouted for the passengers to get down once again as he pulled me to the deck. I struggled but he was too strong. “Marco!” I yelled.

Soon the boat was out of range of the gunfire but when Enrico let me go I forgot about Marco for a moment. The woman I’d been siting next too was dead from bullet to the chest and lay lifeless next to me. I looked at her in horror and then back at the shore as I got to my feet. Marco was gone, only his Cadillac remained behind. I fell to my knees and began to sob. Enrico consoled me as he lifted me to my feet again.

“We will get him back,” he assured me.

“They will kill him. We need to go back,” I wailed.

“We cannot,” Enrico told me. I knew he was right but right then I didn’t care. He took me into the cabin where I collapsed crying. Enrico sat next to me and held me as I sobbed. Marco was gone and there was nothing I could do to get him back. I was sure he would be tried and executed like so many others and I was helpless to save him. My world was as dark as the night that swallowed the fishing charter as it sailed for Florida. The engines droned on as I wept.

>>O<<

About the Author

D. H. Cameron enjoys writing stories with a heart and a little, or a lot, of erotic sizzle.  Ms. Cameron also writes fantasy under another pen name.  Besides writing, Ms. Cameron enjoys music, specifically hard rock and heavy metal, cooking, clothes and photography.  Ms. Cameron is happily married with two wonderful children.  Home, where Ms. Cameron writes full time, is in Nevada.