Blood Wolf, page 2
A future without Wade.
“Just look at that moon, Suze,” Isabella said. “There’s incredible lunar energy here. I can’t wait to get to the castle. I want to do my Esbat before midnight.”
“Bell, midnight has no meaning here. I mean, we’re still on Mountain Standard Time. Midnight won’t hit us for about eight hours yet.” Suzanne sniffed away her sobs. “What is midnight, anyway? When you think about it, it’s always midnight somewhere, isn’t it? And what if you go into a different time zone? Does that change your Esbat thingie?”
“You are such a freaking lawyer, Suzanne,” Isabella said. “Do you always have to be so analytical?”
A small giggle escaped Suzanne’s constricted throat.
“Ha! I made you laugh.” Isabella punched Suzanne’s arm. “I’ll tolerate your pontificating if the end result is your laughter.”
Suzanne smiled at her pretty cousin. “We must be nearly there, Bell. How much farther, do you think?”
“Not too much. I need to make a left turn up ahead. In fact, that’s probably the castle over there.” She pointed.
Suzanne squinted. Even in the light of the full moon, the gray granite of the castle was difficult to make out. It looked old and dreary. A bit of light glowed out from the stone, but nothing more indicated that anyone lived there.
“Don’t we have to drive through Padraig?”
Isabella shook her head. “My grandmother left explicit instructions with her attorneys. We’re to take these small roads to the castle. In fact, she was adamant that we not drive through Padraig.”
“Why?”
“Don’t ask me. It’s probably one of those funky little towns where you can’t get there from here, you know what I mean? The roads probably take you thirty miles out of your way.”
“It can’t be any farther out of our way than these tiny roads are.” Suzanne glanced at her watch. Ten thirty. “I feel like we’ve been driving forever.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Isabella agreed, making the final turn. “But there’s the castle, straight ahead.”
“Finally.” Suzanne yawned. “I’m so exhausted. I feel like I’ve been awake for twenty-four hours.”
“You have been.”
“Yeah, I know. You can’t still be thinking about doing your ritual tonight, can you? Don’t you want to just fall into bed?”
“No way. By tomorrow, the moon will be waning, and I may never experience lunar energy of this magnitude again in my lifetime,” Isabella said. “I will be out there under it, skyclad. In fact, I was hoping you would do me the tiniest favor?”
Suzanne groaned. “No, Bell. No way.”
“Please, Suze? I really need your feminine energy if I’m going to draw down the moon tonight.”
“I’m exhausted!”
“I know, but please? You’re the only woman around. I’ll never ask you for another thin. I swear it.”
“Oh, you will too. We both know it, so quit making that promise.”
Isabella giggled. “You know me so well. Come on. I know you don’t believe the way I do, but trust me, I need your presence tonight. It’s nice and warm out. And the moon is amazing. You might even enjoy it.”
Right. “Do I have to be naked?”
“Well, it helps the energy, yeah.”
“Christ.”
As Isabella pulled the VW into the long gravel driveway of the castle, Suzanne made a mental note to have her cousin replace it with concrete or asphalt. This was the twenty-first century after all. They could at least have modern conveniences. She sighed as she imagined the type of plumbing they might encounter.
“Who lives here again?” Suzanne asked as they grabbed their suitcases out of the small trunk.
“Just the caretaker, Dougal something, and his son. The attorneys said they’ve been here for years, taking care of the place for my grandmother.”
“Was there any money in her bequest? Surely she can’t expect you to take care of such an old place without any capital.”
“A little. About fifty thousand pounds.”
“Not a lot, but all in all, not a bad nest egg.”
“No, but…oh, look.”
An older man opened the front door, holding a candle.
“Miss Knight?”
“Yes,” Isabella said. “I’m Isabella Knight, and this is my cousin, Suzanne Wood.”
The man came toward them and took the suitcase from Isabella’s hand. He gave his candle to Isabella and reached for Suzanne’s suitcase. “I’m Dougal MacGowan, the caretaker. I’ll take these for you.”
“Thank you,” Isabella said.
“Your grandmother often spoke of you. Damian and I were so sorry when she passed on. She was like a light around here.”
“Spoke of me?”
“Aye.”
“But we never met.”
“I know. But you were her only kin. She had some photos of you when you were a bairn. Your mother must have sent them before she passed on. She used to talk of meeting you. Damian and I never grew tired of her stories.”
“Damian?”
“My son. Come in,” he said. “I’ve fixed up your grandmother’s room for you. And you,” he said to Suzanne, “can use Damian’s room. It’s the nicest next to Merlina’s. He’s out tonight, so he won’t mind.”
“That’s not necessary,” Suzanne said. “Any guest room will be fine.”
“I won’t hear of it. Damian can take a different room when he returns. You’re kin to Miss Knight. The room should be yours.”
“Please. I can’t take his room away. Especially when he isn’t even here.”
“Oh, he’d insist,” the man said. “I cleaned it and changed the bedding today and moved his things to a vacant chamber.”
“But—”
“I won’t take no for an answer, young lady.”
Suzanne, too fatigued to argue, muttered, “Fine, fine. Just lead me to the nearest bed.”
“Suze,” Isabella began.
“Yes, I know, you need me. Don’t worry. I’m just going to lie down for a few minutes.”
When they entered the castle, Dougal lit another candle, and his features became more apparent. He was a handsome older gentleman with grayish blond hair and green eyes. He didn't move toward a light switch.
“Please tell me we have electricity here,” Isabella said.
“I’m afraid not. Merlina never wanted to install it.”
“Well, that’s first on my list. What about indoor plumbing?”
“That we have,” Dougal said. “Damian and I finally convinced her to install running water five years ago. She fought us. Said it would destroy the castle’s character. But in the end, she decided it would be easier for her, and it was.”
“Thank God,” Suzanne said.
“Believe me, we did.” Dougal chuckled. “Each chamber has its own bathroom. In fact, once Merlina decided to do it, she did it pure dead brilliant. I think you’ll both be pleased.”
Suzanne wasn’t able to see much of the interior of the castle. Dougal led her and Isabella up a long narrow staircase and down a hall to several closed doors.
“Here you are, Miss Wood.” He opened the door, set her suitcase by the bed, and lit several lamps, which cast a soft veil of light over what turned out to be a very large chamber. “I hope this will suit you.”
“My, it’s lovely,” Suzanne said. “And so large.”
“That door over there leads to your bathroom,” he said. “I’ll leave you to get settled in. Come, Miss Knight.”
Suzanne walked to the large, canopied bed covered with a silky comforter and sat. Sighing, she swung her legs up, lay down, and allowed the softness to comfort her tired body. Oh, this will work out just fine. Damian be damned. She wasn’t giving up this room, or this bed.
She didn’t realize she had fallen asleep until a knock woke her.
“It’s me, Suze,” Isabella’s voice said. “It’s time.”
“Shit,” Suzanne said to herself. “Coming!”
She opened the door, and there stood Isabella, clad in a satin robe. “You’re not ready.”
“Sorry. I got on the bed, and the rest is history.”
“Well, come on.” Isabella walked into the room, picked up Suzanne’s suitcase, tossed it on the bed, and opened it. “Where’s your robe?”
“Hold on, I’ll find it.” Suzanne pawed around and pulled out a fuzzy pink garment.
“Okay, second thing, after we install electricity, is to get you a new robe.”
“Very funny.”
“All right. Get undressed.”
Suzanne complied quickly, put on her robe, and followed Isabella down the stairs and out a back door of the castle. They stood in an enchanting courtyard flanked by statues of glimmering wolves and fairies illuminated by the light of the full moon. Suzanne drew in a deep breath. The landscaping was beautiful. She could hardly wait to see it in the daylight.
“Come on.” Isabella pulled her arm. “I’m going to cast my circle here.” She gestured to an open area surrounded by young trees and gardens. “I feel lots of positive energy.”
“What do I do?”
“Just stand here, inside the circle, until it’s cast. Then I’ll show you how to draw down the moon.”
Suzanne started walking, but Isabella shook her head.
“Lose the robe, Suze.”
“Oh, right.” She untied the sash. “What if Dougal can see us?”
“So what?”
“Bell—”
“He already went to bed, Suze.”
“God.”
“Just do it. You promised.”
Dear God. Suzanne ripped her robe from her body and tossed it onto the soft grass. “Now what?”
“Step inside the circle, where I showed you.”
Suzanne stood still as Isabella walked in a circle, naked, and poured salt from a glass container while she chanted. Then she moved to the center of the circle, next to Suzanne.
“I want you to visualize the energy of the Goddess coming from the moon. Think of the color white, for the maiden aspect, because you and I are maidens. Imagine a veil of white energy radiating from the moon and into your body.”
Suzanne closed her eyes.
“Feel the warmth of the Goddess enter your body, your spirit.” Isabella took Suzanne’s hands into hers.
Suzanne kept her eyes closed as the warm energy from Isabella’s fingers seeped into her own. Slowly, she and Isabella walked in a circle and raised their arms toward the moon. Suzanne saw the white energy in her mind, but she didn’t expect to feel anything. So she was more than a little surprised when the jolt of power entered her body, warming her and sending tingles through her veins.
As she danced to the moon goddess, Suzanne’s heart sang. The sounds of the night enshrouded her—crickets chirping, the night breeze blowing gently, and somewhere nearby, a wolf howling.
2
The wolf, his body battered and weak, roared within the stone dungeon. He looked toward the barred window above him and scented two females on the ground, moving in time with the midsummer wind. Their musky aroma drifted upward.
His cock hardened. He yelped and howled, flinging himself against the rocky wall once more. The bloody scabs on his pelt opened and oozed, leaving sticky red streaks on the gray stone. He had but one primal thought in his animal mind—to escape this prison and mate, to spill his seed into a warm female body.
He forced his wails across the winds, down into the courtyard below.
3
Suzanne awoke after ten p.m. She hadn’t meant to sleep so long. She would never conquer her jet lag if she didn’t force herself to wake after eight hours. Isabella hadn’t awakened her, nor had Dougal. And now, darkness clouded the night.
She lit several lamps and went to her bathroom to take a shower. Finally clean and fresh after three days, she dressed in a pair of jeans and a turquoise tank top. She grabbed a candle and headed downstairs to find something to eat. She pawed through the large pantry, but found only crackers, carrots, and onions.
Hadn’t Dougal thought to lay in supplies before she and Isabella arrived? Then again, what could she expect from a medieval castle that lacked refrigeration?
She walked briskly back to her room and found her map of Padraig and the surrounding area, along with her set of keys to the rented car. She needed some real food. Surely there would be a fast food place somewhere in town. She’d seen them all over London and Edinburgh. Even a scone from a coffee shop sounded good.
She blew out the candle, left it on a table beside the main door, and stepped into the warm summer night. How very strange to emerge into total darkness. Such was the case with no outdoor lighting. Only the waning moon cast a gossamer curtain against the castle grounds. Tomorrow, she’d talk to Dougal about lighting some flaming torches or something, at least until everyone was in bed. She felt her way to the small vehicle and let herself in. She turned the ignition and flicked on the headlights.
Sight! A marvelous invention.
She clicked on the reading lamp and studied the map. The castle didn’t seem too far away from the little village after all. Maybe ten miles or so. A couple of turns and she’d be there.
She expected a quaint little Highland town.
What she got surprised her. As she approached the small village of Padraig, surreal neon lights nearly blinded her. Was this freaking Vegas in Scotland? Okay, it wasn’t exactly the strip—Padraig was a tiny village, after all—but she didn’t expect the carousing nightlife she found. Thrilled at the prospect of finding something better than a fast food burger to eat, she parked at a cute little café and walked inside.
“Hello there,” a plump waitress called. “Welcome to Café Oxter. Just sit anywhere you want. I’ll be right with you.”
Suzanne smiled and settled into a corner booth, out of the way.
“I’m Gwennie,” the waitress said and handed her a menu. “You new around here?”
“Yeah. I just got in yesterday.”
“American, are you?”
“My accent give me away?” Suzanne smiled.
“That and the way you’re dressed. Hey—” She lowered her voice. “Are you out here alone?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.”
“Is there a problem?”
“No. No.” Gwennie’s voice sounded edgy. It cracked a little, and her gaze darted toward the door. “Not yet, anyway.”
“Look, I’m famished, so—”
“Of course, dearie. What’ll it be?”
“I would absolutely love a cup of cock-a-leekie, and a cheeseburger, medium rare, with fries.”
Gwennie laughed. “You’re American, all right. No one but a yank would order cock-a-leekie with a burger.”
“Hey, it sounds good. I haven’t had a decent meal in over twenty-four hours.”
“I understand. What to drink?”
“What the hell,” Suzanne said. “Bring me a pint of Guinness.”
“You’re in Scotland, not Ireland, dearie.”
“Does that mean you don’t have Guinness?”
Gwennie let out a gutsy laugh. “Aye, we have Guinness. I’ll fetch it for you.”
The café was oddly busy for eleven on a Wednesday evening. When Gwennie arrived with her Guinness, Suzanne asked, “Is it always this hopping during the week?”
“Hopping?”
“You know, busy?”
“We have quite a night life here in Padraig. What brings you here, anyway?”
“My cousin inherited the little stone castle to the north.”
“Merlina O’Day’s place?”
Suzanne nodded. “Isabella hardly knew her. We just got in late last night. I woke up and there was nothing to eat in the kitchen, so I got in the car, and here I am.”
“Dearie, there’s something you should know about Padraig—”
Gwennie stopped in mid-sentence as several men entered the café. A large blond man caught Suzanne’s eye.
“Christ a’mighty. Your meal’ll be out in a minute. Excuse me.” Gwennie walked away briskly and turned to the new arrivals. “Sit down and behave yourselves, or by God, I’ll throw you out of here.”
Suzanne shifted in her seat. The blond man eyed her. Her pulse quickened, and shivers rippled up her arms. Get out of here. Every instinct inside her screamed at her to leave. She lifted her purse and prepared to stand, when Gwennie came back carrying her bowl of soup and plate of food. Hell, she was starving.
She finished her soup and had taken three bites of her burger, when a striking black-haired man sat down across from her. “Medium rare, eh? Me, I prefer them bloody.”
“Excuse me?” Suzanne stared into the man’s icy blue eyes. Her stomach lurched. Something was not right here. I should have left when I had the chance.
“Bloody rare. That’s the only way to eat beef of any kind.”
“That’s an E. coli nightmare.”
“You’re new here.”
“Yes, and I don’t recall asking for company.”
The man laughed, exposing very white, straight teeth. “I’m Rex. Rex Donnelly.”
“Fascinating.”
“Not a friendly sort, are you?”
“I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.” Suzanne rose and covered her unfinished meal with her napkin. She reached into her purse, pulled out a few notes, and laid them on the table. “Tell Gwennie to keep the change.”
She stomped out of the café into the warm summer night. She checked her watch. Nearly midnight. What had she been thinking, coming out after dark in an unfamiliar town?
“A fine lass like yourself shouldn’t be wandering around at night.”
Her arm jerked backward as her neck prickled. She turned to face Rex Donnelly.
“Let me walk you to your ride.”
“No thank you. I’m perfectly capable—”
“I insist.” He pulled her into the shadows and behind the building.
