Wolf Mountain Peak Complete Series, page 66
part #1 of Wolf Mountain Peak Series
In spite of her decision, however, Helena felt the urge to warn him. A war was coming. Paxton would not be a safe place to be. Still, the witch had to reject that idea as well, much to her disappointment. Why? Because Cliff would definitely ask “why” he and his colleagues would have to leave town and that would put her in an impossible position. She would have to explain and reveal to him everything, including her own identity. More than that, she would have to confess the murder of her niece. Certainly, Helena would try to justify her deeds, as well as the deeds of the pack, hoping he would understand. However, even if he did, Cliff was still a man of the law. The witch would go to prison, and the government would turn her birthplace into the ghost town that Kate had described in her rant.
Nevertheless, Helena had another desire, one that was not as dangerous as warning him. She wanted to see him again, one last time. Sooner or later, the lack of any more evidence would force him to put this case on file, and leave Shandaken, never to return. Clueless about the day of his departure – and unaware if she would be alive in the very near future – Helena decided to pay him a visit at his workplace. However, the Sheriff’s station was in the middle of town. There would be witnesses to her teleportation. So, instead of imagining the wide road outside the station, she chose to picture the sidewalk outside of Monica’s former residence. Located just after the town border, it was guaranteed to be more private.
Helena was greeted by silence and a cold morning drizzle. She didn’t mind either. On the contrary, she loved the gentle rain, and the quietness was precisely what she was seeking. A glance up at Monica’s old house brought a big smile to her face, as she strode past it. It was the place where everything had started between the doctor and the disobedient pack member, who later became Alpha. She could still recall the sparkle in Monica’s eyes, whenever she narrated the story of their first kiss. Even though they went through some tough times later on, the Bradfords all admitted that this meeting was the turning point for them. This coupling set things in motion, bringing into their lives what they all had been missing. It gave Helena a good reason to walk out of the shadows she had been lurking in for years; a great opportunity to get out in the world, like she was doing now. Much to her liking, Shandaken was a small, yet cozy town, characterized by wooden houses, cabins, and mainly, warm people. Used to the shifters’ openness in Paxton, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
A few hundred yards down the street, she came across scenes that confirmed her belief. In spite of the rain, neighbors were talking to one another on the sidewalk, laughing and clearly in high spirits. Drivers honked at one another, smiling, as they headed in and out of town.
“I’m jealous of Sheriff Colby.” She thought to herself. “He’s got the best job in the world. It’s always quiet here. People know each other on a first name basis, and they get along so well.”
Helena continued on the downhill road, noticing a line of five cars. This was as close to a traffic jam as it would ever get in Shandaken. A shot of adrenaline rushed through her veins, as she saw the two FBI SUV’s, parked in front of the sheriff’s patrol car. Apparently, Cliff’s work at the crime scene was done.
Chattering sounds filled her ears, as she strolled into the station. Sheriff Colby and his deputies were all talking on the phone. Helena swept the sizeable hall for Cliff, feeling her pulse rise. He was in the upper left corner, speaking on the phone as well, in the only area that had been separated from the rest of the room with a glass façade. A wave of anger washed over her, as she started off towards his office. His imposing, well-shaped figure sent goose bumps over her skin, instantly reminding her how fantastic he looked, but it also brought the reason she had to stay away from him back into her mind: the threat that the pack was facing.
“Wait till I get my hands on you, you cold, miserable bastards. You will know my wrath.” She thought to herself, halting outside his door. Cliff was still in the middle of a phone call, but he waved her in, and then to the seat in front of his desk. Too busy trying to calm herself down, Helena would not listen to whatever he was saying. Cliff’s business was his, not hers. But, when he referred to the person on the other end of the line as “doctor”, and commended him on his thorough work, she had no choice but to focus on him. Sadly though, the phone call ended just after that.
“Ms. Lockhart, what a nice surprise.” Cliff said, his eyes glinting with excitement, as he offered his hand for a handshake. “How are you doing today?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” Helena nodded, her voice coming out stiff, as she reached to shake his hand. The softness of his palm against her skin felt indescribably good; yet, it was not enough to appease her. She couldn’t wait to get more information.
“I was just about to call you,” he continued, the corners of his eyes tightening, as he seated himself in his executive chair. “The coroner emailed me the results of your niece’s autopsy. I’m sorry, Helena. Donna was murdered. She had a stab wound to her chest.”
“What?” she exclaimed, as her brows popped up in mock surprise. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Well, the coroner is,” Cliff declared, resting his elbows on his desk, as he leaned closer to her. “He didn’t find any carbon monoxide in her lungs, and she had suffered – quote – ‘massive blood loss.’”
“Do you have any suspects?” Helena asked, assuming a businesslike tone.
“Not yet,” he replied, his face contorting into a puzzled expression, as he gazed deep into her eyes. “Excuse me, but…” He faltered, pressing his lips together. “Do you really have red eyes? I didn’t notice in broad daylight. The other night, I was so drunk I thought I was seeing things. I’m sorry about that, by the way.”
“I have suffered loss, too, agent Daniels. There’s no need to apologize,” she continued, as she remembered the tragic fate of her parents. “You weren’t seeing things. My eyes are red. They used to be brown, once. They picked up this color, on the night I lost my folks.”
“Is that even possible?” He squinted at her, his voice filled with suspicion.
“The doctors couldn’t explain it any other way,” Helena sighed, slowly shrugging her shoulders. “They used to work at a munitions factory in upstate New York. I was just nine years old at the time. That summer, they both put in long hours at work. I hardly saw them. One night, my brother and I decided to surprise them. He was ten years older than me. He borrowed his friend David’s car. I was so excited…” She heaved one more sigh, dropping her gaze from him, as she bit her lower lip. “Anyway, we pulled over into the parking lot. The company was housed in a glass building. I saw them; they were on the second floor. I tried to wave at them, but, the moment I raised my hand, this…” she paused. “Very bright, red flare shot across the building. The shockwave was so powerful that my brother and I were blasted thirty feet away. The authorities said an antitank weapon was accidentally fired.”
“I’m sorry,” Cliff murmured, lowering his tone, as he leaned back. “Your story is a little wild, but it’s nothing compared to all the rumors surrounding Sutton Valley and Paxton. You see, I’ve been doing a lot of research lately. I’ve found more than twenty books about these places, all of them describing strange things, like the existence of humans changing into wolves: witches; vampires. Those books are very old, they were published in the early 1900’s, but still, they’re quite fascinating.”
“Those are myths,” Helena grumbled, struggling to keep the surprise out of her voice, as her gaze shot up to meet his. “My parents’ death was real.”
“Then how do you explain the existence of those books?” He asked, folding his arms across his chest, as he intensified his stare.
“I don’t know how people lived in the 1900’s, but I’m more than certain that they had a lot of time on their hands,” she stated in an emphatic tone, narrowing her eyes up at him. “I guess some of them chose to get creative.”
“Some of them are way too detailed. Like this one, for example.” Cliff stated, abruptly taking his left arm off his desk. Reaching down, he opened the top drawer, and then tossed a thick book across his desk, maintaining eye contact with her. It featured a white cover, with a gray wolf, howling on the top of a lush hill. The black, faded letters read:
Henry P. Masters
Majestic – The union of wolf and man
Inspired by a true story
Unwilling to dignify his allegations, Helena chose to ignore the book. She wouldn’t even glance at it, feeling her frustration grow more and more by the second.
“Humans, changing into wolves, huh?” she smirked. “And they’ve been around for more than a hundred years, keeping their nature secret, without the federal government knowing a thing about them – nothing? Not even a clue? That must be the most ridiculous conspiracy theory I’ve ever heard.”
“Oh, crap,” Cliff sighed, shaking his head sideways in regret. “I hadn’t realized how stupid it sounded, right until the moment you said it. I’m sorry, Helena. I’m just trying to make some sense out of this.”
“Call me if you have any news about my niece’s case,” she urged, rising from her seat. “Have a good day.”
The witch didn’t really want to leave. She liked being around him, even though his curiosity was annoying her. Still, there was no point in being there anymore. She had no problem lying to him, over and over again. Mocking him about his theory was easy; but, Helena knew that lingering there could eventually work against her. Sooner or later, one of Cliff’s questions would put her in a difficult position. Within seconds, she was out of his office, deep down knowing that this was probably the last time she would lay eyes on him. The last time she would be tempted by him.
Chapter Nine
Helena might have skillfully evaded Cliff’s questions that morning, but she had to admit that he was getting much too inquisitive. Humans tended to dismiss supernatural stories as “nonsense” or “fairytales”; yet that was not the case with him. Strangely enough, Cliff Daniels seemed more than willing to believe in shifters, witches, and vampires. He was becoming a liability, a threat to the well-being of her loved ones.
Several hours later, as she wondered about his next move, Helena considered looking into his future. She had his full name and his exact location; everything she needed to pry into the next twenty-four hours of his life. For a moment, she hesitated, fearing that whatever she would see in her orb would involve her. The witch could tell by his tone, as well as the warm look in his eyes that there was a spark between them. Catching a glimpse of anything inappropriate would tempt her. However, she quickly put aside that hesitation. Why? Because Helena firmly believed that running into him once more was highly unlikely. Even if she did, she had already resisted temptation once. She had all the faith needed inside her that she could do it again.
The witch set her sphere on the desk in Roman’s hall, feeling her heart ready to burst right out of her chest. The orb began to spin, sparkling a soft, brown color, as she lightly tapped the top end of her staff on it. It brought the view of a most familiar place: Ray’s cabin, in particular, his kitchen. Julia was standing beside the sink, as her mate and Cliff had a conversation. But, this was no ordinary discussion. There was hardness in the young Bradford’s face. His brows were furrowed, as the FBI agent shouted at him. Suddenly, Ray made a fatal mistake, one that sent slivers of fear slicing through her. A gray glow spread across his eyes. Obviously, his wolf was aching to be released. It was in that moment that Kate’s words flashed into Helena’s mind:
“None of the Bradford’s can go anywhere near those feds. They all glare, and when they do, their eyes change color.”
“Damn it, Ray…” she whispered, unable to believe her eyes. Helena glanced at the clock, above the front door. The time was 9:12. The darkness outside the kitchen window told her that Cliff had visited them during the night. A look up at her own clock informed her that the incident was only fifteen minutes away. She wouldn’t watch any more of that scene. The outcome was of no importance at all; the damage had already been done. A subsequent tap of her index finger on the sphere made it spin faster. Darkness quickly faded into daylight. Still, the next image on the glass surface shattered her heart to a million pieces. The four FBI agents she had run into at the science facility were lined up in the Bradford’s yard. They wore body armor, and, shockingly, they were not alone. A fully armed, tactical team had joined them. All of them were pointing their weapons up at Ray’s front door.
Once again, Helena had to step in. In essence, she had to protect Ray from himself. Of course, she had no idea as to why Cliff had visited the Bradford’s estate in the first place, but that didn’t matter. Something led him there; yet, discovering what, was secondary. Now, she had to prevent another disaster, perhaps the biggest one yet, from happening.
With a snap of her fingers, Helena found herself in the Bradford’s yard, right in front of Ray’s cabin. The lights in it were on, unlike the other three cabins. The gentle rain that had welcomed her in Shandaken that morning had shifted into a powerful torrent, drenching everything in its path. Judging by the high beams on the driveway to her right, she had arrived there not a moment too soon. One black SUV was there. Cliff turned off the lights and then the engine, before stepping out of the vehicle.
“Helena?” his deep voice echoed in the wilderness, as their eyes met. Understanding that she had to find a way to lure him off of their property, the witch kept her mouth shut. She turned to the left, and turned her back on him, as she shuffled off towards the forest. Helena exhaled hard, in the hope that her presence would distract him, as her slow footfalls brought her closer to the woods. In a matter of seconds, she realized that her simple plan had worked to perfection. The sound of Cliff’s shoes on the soaked cement of the driveway ripped through the atmosphere, as he jogged towards her.
“Helena, wait!” he cried, as he closed in on her.
“What are you doing here, agent Daniels?” she sullenly asked, stopping beside the outer wall of Ray’s cabin, her gaze locked on the trees up ahead. “You want to share those stories with the Bradford’s?”
“I just wanted to ask them a few, routine questions,” Cliff retorted, as he halted behind her. “Are you still mad at me about this morning?”
“Of course I’m mad at you!” Helena grumbled, her heartbeat escalating, as she spun around to face him. “I told you how my parents died, and all you wound up doing was asking me about some…” she cringed at what she was about to say, “…ancient books. You know what the funny part is?” She asked, her voice losing volume, as she leaned closer to him.
“What?”
“After what happened back at your hotel, I thought you and I had a connection,” she said, her tone of voice softening, as she watched raindrops flowing down his cheeks. “This morning, you smiled at me. I know a flirting sign when I see one. But then, you were just…” she paused, “…disrespectful to me. You ruined everything.”
A bitter smile formed on Cliff’s face, as he looked down deep into her eyes. Helena waited for his rebuttal; yet he did not part his lips to speak. Instead, he leaned down, slowly lifting his hands up to her face. Hot sparks of electrical current coursed through her, as his fingertips made contact with the skin on her jaw. The witch closed her eyes against how good it felt to have a handsome man’s touch after such a long time. Her temptation was barely half an inch away from her. This time though, her limbs were paralyzed. She couldn’t find the strength to resist him.
“We do have a connection,” he admitted, his baritone lowering to a tender whisper, as the tip of his nose brushed hers. “Forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”
Circling her arms around his waist, Helena felt her heart pounding in her chest, as his lips surrounded hers. Cliff’s fingers slowly slid up her face, at the same time pulling her closer to him, as a brilliant fork of lightning crackled through the atmosphere. The ground rumbled beneath her feet, as she surrendered to his soft, warm kiss. His right hand did not stop at her cheek. Instead, it continued upwards, caressing her, as she sensed the smoothness of his clean-shaven chin on her skin. Cliff threaded his fingers through her wet hair, as she slid her hand up his side. A long sigh of pleasure escaped her, as she cupped the back of his head. She felt moisture and tension in her palm, as he trailed his fingers across her cheek. Helena’s temptation was proving to be much sweeter than she had dared to anticipate. There was no awkwardness or hesitation in Cliff’s kiss. On the contrary, it was filled with tenderness and care, as if the two of them had known each other for a while. With one more, gentle brush of his lips on her mouth, Cliff swept his thumb along her forehead, as his eyelids slid open.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes,’” he breathed out, as the corners of his lips quirked up in a small smile.
“Ok,” she whispered, giving him a quick nod, as a broad smile spread across her face. “You do that.”
“I should go,” Cliff murmured, stroking her cheek. “I’m tired, and we’re getting soaked out here.”
“What about those ‘routine questions’ you mentioned?” Helena wondered, putting a little force in her voice.
“Nah, they can wait,” he responded, his eyes filled with a calmness she had yet to witness up to this point. “Just tell the Bradford’s to stop by the station one of these days. Listen, are you free tomorrow night?”
