Blood for Wolves

chapter 8

When I awoke, Wolf was already up and poking at a fire. He had his coat back on, but beneath it was bare skin. The gum leaves had fallen off and four pale pink scars dragged across his midsection. I blinked, vaguely wondering how I could see so well. The sun was still out. In fact, it didn’t look like it had moved. I groaned, stiff from another night lying on the ground, and pushed myself up.

“How long were we asleep?”

“The rest of yesterday, all night, and most of this morning. I’ve only just been up long enough to start this fire.” He dumped the stick into the flames and hopped over to me.

“We were out for that long?”

“Oh yes. You because, well, I doubt you slept at all in that place, and me…. I didn’t sleep because I didn’t stop looking for you.”

I looked at him sheepishly. “You didn’t?”

“Of course not, Caroline.” He brushed his fingers along my jaw. “You’re my mate. And I promised you. I panicked for a while, of course,” he glanced down, his cheeks growing slightly red, “but eventually I caught the air currents and did what I could. But when you started bleeding,” he huffed, “I wasn’t sure if I should be glad for the extra scent or worried that you were dying. I think it was a lot of both.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “I can’t believe you came after me. I thought you would go straight after Marianne.”

“I may be bound but I am not owned. Besides, I already told you that a wolf never breaks his vow.”

“Yeah.” I shook my head. “It’s just that, when I started flying…”

“Oh yes, that witch did something to you with that necklace. I’m so glad to see you’re not wearing it anymore.”

“Yeah.” My hand went to the place where the wings had touched my skin. They were no longer there.

Wolf started sniffing around me. He touched the scrapes along my inner thighs, and I smacked his hand.

“Excuse me, what are you doing?”

“Checking for poisons and other dangerous things. The last thing you want is a splinter from one of those trees stuck in you for too long.”

“Well, I feel fine. I’m just a little scratched up, that’s all.”

Wolf ignored me and took a close look at my hands, smelling each one very carefully. He licked at one of my palms.

“Okay, getting weird again.”

“Stop fussing.”

I shut my mouth and let him do his wolf thing. I shivered when his fingers touched the inside of my thighs again. He inspected me from top to bottom. His nose winkled at a spot by my ankle, and for a second my breath hitched in my throat, but he moved on. I breathed easy again.

“Why didn’t you put any lavawort on these?” He asked when he came to my arm wounds.

I looked at him like he was insane. “Babe, I have duct tape over all this gauze. That’s just going to open them up again. Do you know how much that would hurt to take off?”

He gave me a sympathetic smile and picked up a stick. “Bite down.”

I let my head drop and slowly shook it. “Oh, Wolf…”

“Just do it. It’s better to suffer a little now so that all the pain will be gone by tomorrow.”

I knew he was right. Just by my experience and seeing his, lavawort would heal my arm in no time. Finally I stomped my foot like a petulant five-year old and put the stick in my mouth. There were puncture wounds on each side of my arm and four pieces of duct tape. I bit down hard, anticipating the pain.

“Try to think about nice things,” he said softly, moving closer so that my forehead rested on his shoulder.

Brown paper packages, tied up with string…

He tore off one of the pieces.

I half-shouted through the stick, pressing my forehead against his shoulder. I reached up to grab the back of his neck. The sharp movement had indeed reopened the barely closed wound. Warm blood trickled down my arm.

Schnitzel with noodles, lots and lots of noodles…

He ripped off another square.

I cried out again, my teeth sinking into the woody flesh of the stick. My eyes watered. The lyrics of the song blurred in my mind.

Something to do with kittens and roses and strudels…

Wolf tore off the last two pieces at once, and I yelled curses through the stick before spitting it onto the ground. My arm burned and my skin was wet with blood again, but all I could do for a moment was rest with my head in the nook of Wolf’s neck and shoulder. I tried to focus on something else, like the scent of him, a delicious mix of earth and mint. He smoothed my hair. A tear of pain escaped my left eye. I heaved a sigh and sat up, looking at him through blurry vision.

“Ouch,” I said.

He put a hand to my face, tenderly wiping at my right eye with his thumb before leaning in to kiss the tear on my other cheek. I smiled a little.

“Come,” he said, drawing back. “Let’s patch you up again.” He led me over to the small campfire. “You’re going to have a nice little array of scars by the end of this, you know.”

“So are you.”

“Oh I’ll be proud of this one.” He gently patted the fresh scars on his abdomen.

“I can’t believe you killed that thing,” I said as the scent of bacon wafted into my nostrils. “It was so huge.”

“Wolves and kehmets don’t often fight, if ever.” He eyed me sternly. “Mostly because wolves don’t go into those parts of the forest.”

I stared at the fire as he put lavawort pulp on my arm. I know, I know. My fault. And it was. But it was so good to fly. So far away and so high…

“But kehmets are blind,” Wolf continued, “and before I went in I made sure to find a sharp enough stick and I wedged it in between some fallen trees just right. Then I made some noise. Kehmets have good hearing and a good sense of smell, but wolves are better, and of course I can see. So we had a nice little dance together, and if I were any slower, you’d be eaten by harpies. I misstepped and that’s when it caught me. But I managed to get into the right place and convinced it to jump, and jump it did, right onto the nice sharp branch I brought in for it.”

He smoothed on the last gum leaf. Unlike so many manmade wound treatments, the lavawort didn’t sting. I wondered if it had numbing properties…except my arm didn’t feel numb in the least.

“Thanks,” I said. I looked up into his calm hazel eyes. “For saving my life. Again.”

He smirked and rubbed his nose on mine before jumping over to tend to the bacon before it burned. While he shuffled the flat rock the bacon sizzled on, I slipped my fingers under my hiking sock and gently touched the winged necklace there, so glad I’d wrapped it around my ankle.

Once we’d eaten, we got ready to go. I packed what little we had into my poor, ragged daypack while Wolf put out the fire.

“What direction is the trail?” I asked, shouldering my pack.

Wolf stamped dirt on the embers. “That way.” He pointed south. “It shouldn’t be more than a few miles away.”

I could just fly low this time. He could follow me. Or maybe I could carry him.

I pretended to stretch my leg and touched the winged necklace around my ankle. I felt the familiar tingling on my back. I suppressed my excitement and tried to pay attention to Wolf as he talked.

It’s ready to work again. I could fly, have wings and go off into the clouds. No one would miss me. But I don’t want to leave him behind…

“What you doing?” He gave me a funny stare.

“What? Oh, nothing. Just stretching.”

“You’ve been stretching one leg for an awful long time.”

I looked down. “I’ve just been thinking. Distracted. That’s all.”

The tingling grew stronger. Wolf narrowed his eyes at me.

I’ll be careful this time. I won’t fly over any dark places. Or I could stay here with him and we could continue on. The hero and heroine. And he could show me what else he knows how to do besides kiss me. He said we were mates—let him prove it. Or I could go on and on and explore and find out what’s over the ocean—

“Oh no you don’t!” Wolf rushed at me.

I made it about two feet before he grabbed me around the waist and dragged me to the ground.

“No flying! Where is it?”

“Get off,” I yelled, kicking up leaves as I thrashed in his grasp.

“No! That thing is dangerous, Caroline. Give it to me!”

“NO!”

He flipped me onto my stomach and sat down hard on top of me. A small part of my brain shouted, Ooh yay! before I shut it out. I swung my fists backward, but they were useless. I started kicking at him instead. He growled and grunted, managed to grab onto my ankle and tore at the sock until he found the necklace.

“No,” I shouted again. “Please don’t take it! We could use it. I could fly low. We could find Marianne faster that way. It’s all right, I’ve got it.”

“No, you do not.” The necklace chain broke free. “I don’t know why she gave this to you but you are not using it again.”

He climbed off of me. I was on my feet in a moment. Wolf backed away, eyeing me intensely. He tucked the necklace away in one of his inside jacket pockets. I pouted, but didn’t advance. He was a wolf; he could take me down in a second.

“Now we are going to go,” he said, his voice low and even, “and I am going to find someone or some way to dispose of this thing properly. It’s got magic in it, and it’s all over you.”

I blinked slowly for a few minutes before heaving a sigh. “You’re right. When I was in the tree, I kept wanting it to work. It’s just…it’s so good to fly. To fly and fly—”

“Forever?”

I paused again.

“Look my love, as much as I find being near you irresistible, if you touch me I’ll have to tie you up and carry you the entire way.”

After another moment I nodded and we headed out.

We didn’t talk at all as we traveled. Wolf kept sneaking glances at me, as if expecting me to go for his throat at any moment. All that paranoia was kind of nice, actually. A satisfying change after what I’d experienced so far in this place. But he had good reason to suspect me. I was conspiring to get the necklace away from him. I could feel it tugging at me. I silently tugged back. The old woman had said it would help keep me grounded. Hah. With that necklace I would grow wings again and sail away into the clouds. But first I had to figure out a way to make Wolf part with it. I was glad he didn’t want to wear it. The idea of him sprouting wings and flying off to leave me all alone was unbearable.

It didn’t take too long to reach the trail, and we hiked on it the rest of the day. Once the sun began to set Wolf said we should move off path, mumbling something about the full moon only three days away and a strange scent.

I dumped the pack, and within moments he had a good fire going. He sat with his back against a tree, occasionally glancing my way. I sighed and walked over to him, stopping a few feet away.

“I’m not going to try and take it,” I said, rolling my eyes.

He snorted.

“You’d kick my ass ten ways from Sunday. Besides,” I moved closer and leaned against the tree, “I’ve felt a lot better ever since you took that thing away from me.”

He looked up, eyes narrowed. “Really?”

I nodded. “I have no idea why she gave that thing to me. We ought to dump it in a lake or something.”

“Hmm. I guess maybe it is wearing off. She wasn’t a bad witch. That was easy to see. I just don’t know why she handed over something so dangerous.”

“Maybe she’s old and senile. I mean, I almost got eaten by harpies because of that stupid necklace.”

I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair. In a second he jerked away, glaring up at me with blazing eyes.

“Geez, will you chill out? I don’t want the damn thing anymore.”

He huffed and his nostrils flared, but eventually he sat back again. I resumed gently stroking his head. Strange—though his hair looked human enough, it felt almost exactly like a wolf’s fur. This time he didn’t stop me. Instead he let his head drop forward a little, clearly indulging in the sensation. I grinned. He began to make short, faint howling noises. I combed my fingers through his hair, slowly, and then gently ran my fingernails down the back of his neck. He let out a long contented sigh coupled with an appreciative growl. I knelt down beside him. His eyes were closed.

“There. Feel better?”

“Mmm.”

“More relaxed?”

“Mmm.”

“I’m glad. You deserve it.” I rested my head on his shoulder, continuing to stroke his hair. “I’m sorry I’ve gotten you into so much trouble.”

He turned to rub his cheek against my forehead. I settled my other hand on his face and ran my thumb over his cheek the same way he’d touched my face earlier. His eyes opened slightly to stare into mine. I stared back for just a few moments before moving closer, pressing my lips to his. His arms went around me at once, pulling me closer. A raw, animal noise escaped him. The stubble on his face scratched my skin, and his hands gripped at my clothes. I slipped one hand to the back of his neck, the other down his bare chest.

Suddenly he jerked back, his eyes wide and awake. “No, Caroline. I know what you’re doing.”

“I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do.” I made my voice low and husky to hit him just in the right spot. It worked; he growled.

“No. As much as I would love,” he inhaled deeply and then refocused, “to…all of this, I know you’re only trying to get the necklace.”

“Forget the necklace.” I worked my hand lower, ran my fingertips over the newly formed scars on his abdomen.

He grunted and snatched my hand away, linking my fingers with his in a tight grip. “You are not yourself.” He seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment. “Stupid, annoying, interfering old sorceress.”

“It’ll make finding Marianne so much easier,” I cooed, “and when we’re done, I can throw it away. Easy.”

“No. Get off.”

I grinned and ran my fingers along the edge of his belt. “Make me.”

He shut his eyes and whimpered slightly like a dog that had been staring at a treat for too long, a sad, deeply desirous sound. I kissed his forehead, his nose, and left a feather light touch on his lips. He smiled, losing himself again. I shifted over until I straddled him and inched the coat off his shoulders, sliding my hands down his back until the fabric lay in a crumpled arc behind him. I could feel him under me. Hard. Ready. Ideal.

He flung the coat sleeves off his arms to free his hands and slid them under my t-shirt. He sat up and buried his face into the side of my neck, inhaling deeply, grazing his teeth against my skin. Every part of me was hot. The fire at my back, the wolf at my front.

“I shouldn’t,” he breathed heavily on my neck. “I really shouldn’t.”

I ground down hard on him, drawing an aching, hungry groan from him.

“Quit crying about it,” I breathed in his ear. I wanted more. I wanted more of him. I snatched up his coat and flung it away into the dying sunlight. “That make you feel better?”

In a flurry of movement, I became as naked from the waist up as he was and his mouth closed over one of my breasts, sucking gently. A shuddering moan escaped me and I clutched at his hair, writhing against him. He ran his tongue up from my breast to my neck, a hot trail that ended as he fastened his mouth against mine. My heart hammered in my chest. I knew he could feel it. Hear it. He ran his hands up my thighs, his fingers inching under the fabric.

“So soft,” he panted against me, “so rich. A heart so strong. Full of life. Like a doe under the hunt. Running so fast under the trees. If I weren’t a good wolf and you weren’t my mate, I just might have to devour you just so I could taste it.”

Something like that ought to have scared me, worried me, but instead I unfastened his belt buckle and reached inside to touch him. He growled, long and ravenous, and I let go to hold his face in both my hands.

“Are you going to leave me alone?” I whispered, staring down into his eyes. “Leave me alone in the dark?”

His golden eyes burned into mine. “Never.”

I stood. Wolf quickly followed. I slipped out of the rest of my clothing and he from his. I pushed him back against the tree, running my fingertips over his chest. He grinned at me hungrily, his sharp canines glinting in the firelight. I walked around him, around the tree, his gold eyes following me with every step. I stopped in front of him to give him a long kiss, running my hands down to stroke him. He groaned into my mouth and licked at my lips. Then I let go again. A primal growl escaped him as I teased, turning around to rub my entire backside against him. He pressed his face against my hair and inhaled deeply. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me against him. I could feel him, the most animal part, against my lower back, hot and pulsing.

I tilted my head back, exposing my neck to him, and reached up to brush my fingers though his hair again. He alternately kissed and nibbled the spot just above my shoulder, one of his hands resting over my heart, the other dipping lower with every moment.

Then he touched me, parting the folds and dipping deep. I cried out, arching against him, and that seemed to be the last straw.

He dragged me to the ground with him, dropping to his knees and keeping my back to his chest. He guided me down and slid inside of me and suddenly the whole world was alive. His arms went around me again, holding me close. He held my breast in one hand, his thumb stroking my nipple, the other hand cupping me, firmly caressing that single sweet spot while he glided in and out. I threw my head back on his shoulder, whimpering in bliss with each thrust. Every movement, every touch of his fingers, every breath on my neck brought me closer and closer to the edge of that glimmering precipice. That spot so high, I could spread my wings.

I put my hands over Wolf’s, took what he gave and pushed back. He grunted and drove harder, more. I was consumed by his heat, the friction of our skin, the flames of the fire, the sun dying on the horizon. If I didn’t fly I would fall, and both were just as good. Faster now, more, harder.

“Wolf!”

I came hard, linking my fingers with his and holding on tight as if I might collapse into pieces. I didn’t fly. I fell, and he caught me. He let out a breathless stream of strange words and shuddered against me, gently stroking a few times more before leaning against me, panting. We held each other up, me weakly smoothing his hair and Wolf licking my shoulder with the tip of his tongue.

Then he shifted, and together we lay on the ground beside the dying fire. Surprised at how exhausted I was again, I fell asleep with Wolf’s arms around me as the stars came out.