Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 38
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
“I will always cherish my life with you, before that fire,” Kate muttered, easing the bouquet down onto the grave. “We had some bad moments, but I knew you loved me. I loved you, too. I choose to forget the tricks you pulled in Paxton. My mom and dad wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone burn an entire town to the ground. Be at peace.”
“Humans never cease to impress me,” Melissa uttered, her gaze locked on Joe. “Kate’s parents, this guy… Why can’t you all be decent?”
“Are all shifters decent?” Monica wondered, a hint of discomfort in her tone.
“Not really,” Melissa answered, returning her attention to Monica. “We don’t keep secrets, though. You know what to expect with us.”
“Ok, hold it with the philosophy there,” Kate grumbled, leaning closer to her mate’s sister. “You’ve been staring at him since we got here. What’s up? Are you interested?”
“I could be,” Melissa shrugged her shoulders, her voice coming out lazy. “He’s young, handsome, obviously in touch with his emotions, and…”
“Broken,” Kate interrupted, intensifying her stare. “That man is in pieces. It’s been a year since he lost her, and he’s still crying his eyes out for her. Now, you may say I was a lot like that when Dean and I met, but I wasn’t. I was hurting, but just because I thought I wouldn’t find love. I wasn’t trying to get over the loss of someone in particular.”
“Whoa! Slow down there!” Melissa exclaimed, raising her hand to her chest. “I just said I liked him. What’s so bad about that?”
“I’m just trying to point out the differences here,” Kate explained, lowering her tone. “Anyway, let’s go. I’m starting to miss being in Paxton already.”
“So am I,” Melissa responded with a smile. But, she had lied. In truth, she wanted to stay there, and observe this human, as much as possible. And, as they made their way back to the entrance, Joe did something that fueled her desire even more. He was holding a picture in front of him, whispering, as he stared down at it. The words that were coming out of his mouth were a secret for everyone else, but not for her. She could hear him, loud and clear:
“Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind”
“Look at him,” she thought to herself. “He’s still declaring his love for her to the world, even though she’s gone. I just hope I can find myself a man like you, Joe.”
Chapter Two
Melissa’s life had been somewhat uneventful so far. She was twenty-four years old, taking care of her brothers’ needs, and not saying “no” to any fling that would come along her way. The relationships she had never lasted longer than a few days. She was still too young to commit to a male of her kind. The males of her kind all shared this strange sense of carefreeness, resembling overgrown boys; they all had one thing in mind, and tended to lose interest after they had taken it: sex. Melissa had yet to think about the qualities of her potential mate, but she knew that she didn’t need any of the males she had been socializing with so far.
Incredibly enough, the trio’s trip to New York had a profound effect on her, one that took her by total surprise. Much to her astonishment, Melissa caught herself making a mental list of her ideal man’s attributes, on the drive back to Paxton. For the first time ever, she included the possibility of him being human. Joe Stanton’s tragic story had given her reason to believe that there were more men like him in this world. She just had to find one.
Darkness had fallen over her birthplace, as Kate’s car rolled to a halt on the driveway. The sight that greeted them put a big smile on Melissa’s face. Ray had his back leaned against the wall, watching as Julia’s wolf loped along in the yard, letting out frenetic yips. She had witnessed this quite a few times lately, but it never failed to amuse her. Plain and simple, her brother’s mate was celebrating the fact that she was alive.
“She hasn’t shifted back to human since lunch,” Ray informed, as Melissa strolled towards him. “She even went up to Warrick’s place and howled half an hour ago.”
“I wish I could do that,” Monica muttered under her breath, broadening Melissa’s smile.
“Seriously, stop doing that,” Kate spoke too fast, casting an angry, sideways glare at her friend.
“What?”
“Stop giving me the creeps!” Frustration sent Kate’s voice two octaves up, as she narrowed her eyes at her. “You like wolves, but wanting to become one? Really?”
“I’m pretty sure she just wants to feel the power,” Melissa said, glancing down at them over her shoulder.
“You don’t know that little weirdo like I do,” Kate groaned, averting her gaze from Monica. “She asked me to put the wolf in her, the night that we saved Julia’s skin. Thank God Helena told her that it would be very dangerous for her and the baby.”
“As much as I would like to hear you ranting, I’m very tired,” Monica stated in a polite tone, as she pulled her keys out of her purse. “Goodnight.”
“I’m pretty beat, too,” Kate sighed. “Goodnight, Dr. Stiff. Goodnight, kids.”
“Hey, Jules!” Melissa’s feminine voice echoed in the wilderness, as she settled her gaze on the white wolf across from her. “I could use a drink right now. What do you say?”
Yet another yip filled the air, as the beast started off towards her. Its fur shone in the moonlight, painting the small patches of gray on her chest and on her right shoulder a shade much closer to the snow on the rest of her body. Finally, Julia’s wolf leaped onto Melissa. Its large paws pushed her back, knocking her off balance. She banged her head against the concrete, as she fell hard on her back, but that was not her biggest problem. In an instant, she felt the lupine’s tongue, being swiped along her jaw.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” She said, thrusting her arms up to the wolf’s neck. “Now, get off of me. Go get dressed.”
“You two seem to be getting along pretty well,” Ray remarked, as Julia’s wolf stepped off his sister.
“She’s a peach,” Melissa murmured, rising up to her 5’8” stature. “Why has she been in wolf form that long?”
“She wanted to go out tonight. I told her I couldn’t; I have to wake up early tomorrow. She doesn’t talk much when she’s upset. She said it would be easier for her to keep her mouth shut in wolf form,” he stated, his voice deepening, as his slow steps led him closer to her.
“Oh, my God!” Melissa lifted her hands to her face in mock panic, as her brows popped up. “You guys have such problems! I feel so badly for you!”
“It’s not funny,” Ray spoke, a touch of anger in his tone.
“It’s just a minor argument,” she voiced her opinion, dropping her arms, as he leaned over her. “Talk things through with her. You guys love each other. You’ll be ok.”
“Yeah, we do,” Julia interjected, striding out of the cabin. “And yeah, we will. I was just messing with you, pretty boy.”
“What?” Ray squeaked, turning to her. “You…”
“You heard me,” she interrupted, halting in front of him, with a wicked smile on her face. “What, you think I’m too selfish to understand my man’s need to rest? I feel so much stronger, and honestly? I just love it that I can run ten miles a day, and not feel tired. Don’t wait up,” she went on, planting a quick kiss on his lips.
“She’s good,” Melissa teased him, nodding in admiration, as her friend brushed by Ray. “She’s very good.”
“Have fun,” he said, smiling down at them.
“Where to, Mel?” Julia asked, as they made their way towards her white Toyota. “I’m sorry about the whole licking thing. I was just surprised. I thought you’d be too tired to go out.”
“I am,” she admitted with a sigh. “I just needed to talk to someone.”
“What about?” Julia snorted in amusement, moving around her car. “I saw you this morning. You seemed fine.”
“We ran into this guy at the cemetery. His name is Joe Stanton,” Melissa declared, reaching down to grab the passenger door handle. “His wife got killed last year. He is still mourning her.”
“That really freaked Mon out when it happened,” Julia affirmed, entering her car. “It sounds perfectly natural to me. He loved her. What is he supposed to do? Pretend it doesn’t bother him anymore?”
“Well…” Melissa croaked as she belted herself in and her friend started the engine. “His whole behavior puzzled me. I mean, there were like three hundred people around him, and he kept looking at her picture, crying, talking to it… Oh, crap.” She cocked her head in frustration. “I forgot to ask Kate about what he was saying. It sounded like a song. He said something like ‘Dust in the wind.’”
“You don’t have to ask Kate,” Julia assured her, driving off. “It’s a song; a very old, kind of melancholy song. The song is a monologue that talks about the fleetingness of life and the certainty of death. It says we’re all very fragile. About a minute before the end is the line that is my favorite quote: ‘Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and sky.’”
“It’s beautiful,” Melissa spoke in a cracking voice, her jaw stiffening as she sat back in her seat. “But, it just confirms my suspicion.”
“Girl, you were in a cemetery, what did you expect him to sing, ‘I’m So Excited’?” Julia squeaked, turning her face to the right to face her.
“No: of course not,” Melissa countered, staring into the void of night. “It’s just that I didn’t think humans could do that, you know? Display their feelings in public in that way. You should have seen him, Jules. He acted like he didn’t care who saw him grieving.”
“If I was still human, I’d be seriously pissed right now,” Julia joked, returning her attention to the road ahead. “Are you sure it’s just his behavior that intrigued you?”
“Yeah,” Melissa gave a quick nod. “Why are you asking?”
“Because you seem a little too upset over someone you’ll probably never see again,” Julia explained in her usual, teasing manner. “Face it, puppy. You’ve got the hots for ‘Mr. Big Shot Lawyer.’”
“Oh, man…” Melissa let out an exasperated huff, tilting her head back, as she banged her hand against her forehead. “Jules, I just said I admired his behavior, and you think I have a crush on him? Seriously? And ‘Big Shot lawyer’? What are you talking about?”
“I’ve been following his career, ever since Monica told me about his wife’s death,” Julia answered in a more serious tone, as her smile vanished. “Joe Stanton was not much of a lawyer prior to his wife’s death; but, today, he is one of the most prominent lawyers in New York. He’s the star of ‘Cross and Associates’, a major law firm. He’s been on the cover of ‘Forbes.’ He has also been interviewed by ‘USA Today.’ I’m sorry to break it to you honey, but a career freak like him doesn’t have much time for a personal life. Even if you did get into a relationship with him, you wouldn’t be dating him. You’d have to compete against his job. There’s also the matter of your…” she paused… “nature. What would he do, if he found about you?”
“It didn’t discourage you or your friends from dating my brothers, did it?” Melissa answered her question with a question of her own, tossing a sarcastic glance down at her.
“Not all New Yorkers are as open-minded as us, honey,” Julia said, a smile of bitterness bursting upon her lips, as she slowly put on the brakes. “You didn’t say where you wanted to go, so I took the liberty of deciding for you. ‘Red Maple’ is probably the best bar in Shandaken. Come on.”
Chapter Three
Loud, beating music rang in Melissa’s ears, as she stepped out of her friend’s car. However, beneath that violent mash, lingered something much calmer. Its source was no loudspeaker. It was too faint and too melodic to come from the bar. For a moment, Melissa wished it was just a notch louder, so that she could hear it better. However, when she did discover its origin, disappointment unfurled in her chest. The sound came from a house, more than fifty yards across from her. Luckily for her, there were no other properties in the way. A single building could have easily blocked that melody. Three people were in the front yard, playing music under the moonlight. One of them was playing the violin, the other was singing, while the third held the instrument that would torment her ears, should she get closer: a guitar.
“Oh, man, what are the chances?” One more of Julia’s squeaky remarks forced her to tear her gaze away from the musicians. “Remember ‘Dust in the wind’? They’re playing it.”
“That’s ‘Dust in the wind’?” Surprise crept into Melissa’s voice, pitching it higher, as she pointed down at the yard. “Are you kidding me?”
“Listen,” Julia urged, leaning her elbows on the roof of her car. “It’s just before the first chorus.”
“All my dreams
Pass before my eyes a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind”
A passionate, feminine voice raised every fine hair on Melissa’s body, as the melodious lyrics proved Julia’s point. Before she knew it, a sweet, violin solo inspired her to close her eyes. Never in her life had she immersed herself into music; yet, that night, Melissa Bradford was doing precisely that. The fine tune stole her will and her ability to speak or to even move a muscle. She was savoring each and every second of this experience, losing all of her in the power of melody and lyrics alike. At the same time, however, the words that were sending her heart through this emotional journey made Joe’s pain all the more clear to her. Melissa could feel agony and angst, as it drove through her bones. Tears rose up in her eyes, as the ballad reached Julia’s favorite quote. A massive wave of chills swept over her, leaving her body shivering in its wake. One last, downward strum concluded the song, along with her trip in this uncharted realm of emotion and sensation.
“Are you still with me over there?” Julia’s teasing tone acted like a call to reality. Melissa slid her eyelids open, her pulse racing, as she noticed her friend standing on her left out of the corner of her eye.
“I’ve never felt like this in my whole life,” Melissa whispered, her breath coming out heavy, as she gazed out at the yard.
“Wait; because of a song?” Julia asked, reaching her hand up to Melissa’s shoulder. “You weren’t kidding. You’re shaking,” Julia continued in a surprised tone, squeezing Melissa’s skin in her hand. “Ok, let’s go get drunk,” Julia’s words passed by her unheard. Melissa was just not listening. Instead, all of her concentration had locked her gaze on the property. It was a little dark for her to make out figures, but she could tell by the voices that there were two women and a man in that yard. Spirits were not at all high. As a matter of fact, they all seemed to be whispering, rather than talking. “Girl, are you coming?”
“I, um…” Melissa faltered, biting her lower lip. “I don’t know about that.”
Julia glanced out at the building, parting her lips, and then back up at her.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she replied in an emphatic tone, furrowing her brow, as she leaned over her. “This is probably the only reason I regret being turned. I tried to listen to Paco De Lucia the other day. He was a world-famous guitarist. Ray warned me about it, but I thought he was exaggerating. It felt like needles piercing my skull. Also, what the hell are we going to tell those people? ‘Hi, we like your music. Can we stay and enjoy the show?’”
“I just want to get a little closer,” Melissa lazily shrugged her shoulders, her voice picking up volume. “If it’s too much, we’ll leave.”
“Closer…” Julia huffed in exasperation. “Look around you, Mel. It’s wide open.”
“You can come along, if you like,” Melissa calmly responded, trotting off towards the house in question. “If they ask, I’ll just pretend to be lost.”
“You’re unbelievable,” Julia grumbled, following right behind her. Of course, Melissa knew about the pain that guitar strings could inflict upon her. She had experienced it a number of times in the past; yet, it was not going to deter her. She desired to hear some more of that music; if possible, to hear that beautiful song again. But, a few paces later, she froze to her spot. The only man in the yard was standing, holding an acoustic guitar in his left hand, as he stared down at a piece of paper in the other. He was tall, at least 6’3”. His white tee was leaving his long, masculine arms exposed. The moonlight was bouncing off his tanned skin. He eased the paper down on the music stand in front of him, and raised his eyes. A tremendous shockwave shot through her, taking her breath away, as their eyes met. For a second, Melissa believed she was hallucinating. Still, the strong, pointy face, the chiseled jaw, and his high cheekbones could leave her no doubt. It was none other than Joe Stanton, the man who had captured her imagination that afternoon in the cemetery.
“Oh, my God…” she whispered, her features twisting into an expression of confusion and disbelief, as she turned to face her friend. “It’s him: the guy from the cemetery.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Julia snorted in derision, dragging her gaze away from him to look out at the yard. “Oh, crap!” she exclaimed, opening her eyes wide. “It is him!”
“What is he doing here?” Melissa was unable to keep panic from storming into her voice, as she swallowed hard. “Why did he come here?”
“I don’t know,” Julia shrugged her shoulders, a smile of mischief spreading across her face, as she turned to face her friend. “But, what I do know is that you’re going there. Talk to him.”
