Moonlight and Diamonds & The Vampire's Fall (19 page)

Chapter 22

T
he sun was out. The rain had stopped. The surrounding forest glittered as if it was Faery. Keys in hand, Stryke was prepared to drive Blyss back into Paris when she descended from the upstairs bedroom wearing a sundress and no shoes. Hair darker than the black diamond that had caused him so much trouble spilled loosely over her shoulders and she floated up to kiss him.

“Good morning,
mon amour
.”

“Uh, good morning.” His sight lingered on the rise of her breasts peeking above the cheery yellow fabric. “You're looking so not ready to head back into the city.”

“You want to be rid of me so quickly?”

“Hell no. But I thought... It is afternoon already, Miss Layabed.”

“Do not mock my beauty sleep.”

“Wouldn't dream of it.”

“So...” She sidled up alongside him. She pulled her purse across the counter and sat on a bar stool to sort through whatever it was women kept inside those sacred caches of femininity. “What if I've decided to stay the night with you?”

Stryke couldn't help but gape. The implications should she stay...

“You do understand I'm going to be out running around in the forest tonight? In werewolf form.”

She nodded, then pulled out from her purse the glass vial with the black wax seal and placed it on the counter between them.

Stryke bent to peer into the vial at eye level. The red liquid filled it to the top, which didn't make sense. He averted his gaze to Blyss, who nodded in agreement to his unasked question.

“You didn't drink it?” Standing, he stretched his arms along the counter and again eyed the devil's gift. “But that means...”

“I, uh...” She fluttered her lashes and looked aside sheepishly. “...was thinking maybe we could go out together tonight?”

“You mean as wolves?” He straightened. Smoothed a palm down his abs. Scratched his head. “But, Blyss, you said you only have to shift once a year, and that shift wasn't due for a few more months. You don't need to do it. Drink the potion and you'll stay the way you desire.”

“I want to do this, Stryke. As painful as it will be to shift, I want to race alongside you and know what it's like to be in the presence of another wolf. A wolf that I can trust. Is that okay?”

“Okay?” He swung around the counter and pulled her into a hug. “That's better than okay. But are you sure?”

“Positive. I can drink the stuff tomorrow and get right back to where I prefer. But for tonight...I want to do this for me, but I also want to do it for you. Will you let me?”

“I can't wait until moonrise.”

* * *

Stryke lowered the strap on Blyss's sundress, inhaling her sweet flower perfume as the fabric skimmed her skin. The dress dropped to the summer grass and tickled his bare toes. Naked, she shivered. He sensed it wasn't because she was cold, but rather nervous. The night was sultry and warm, a perfect evening to go skyclad.

That she wanted to shift to be with him as wolves was incredible. But he didn't want to force her to do anything to please him.

He'd already stripped away his clothes in preparation to shift. The summer breeze felt great on his skin, and his erection—unpreventable when standing so close to Blyss.

Now he bent to study her gaze. “You sure?”

“Very sure.” She touched his abs and he hissed at the erotic flutter that shivered through his system. “But I don't want you to watch me shift. I don't want you to see me in pain.”

“Blyss, if it's going to hurt you—”

She kissed him, stopping his protest. Her mouth was a gift he could never refuse. So sweet and soft. Priceless.

“It only hurts until I'm shifted,” she whispered. “Maybe you could go on ahead and wait for me to follow after you?”

“I can do that.” He respected her need to protect herself when likely she felt most vulnerable. “But if at any time this feels wrong to you, shift to
were
shape and we'll head back to the cabin, okay?”

“Your werewolf needs to howl at the moon, and I'm going to howl alongside you. Shift, lover. Let me admire you. Then run along and wait for me.”

He kissed her, tasting the wine they'd imbibed earlier. The afternoon had been spent on the floor before the fireplace making love, lying quietly beside one another, snoozing a bit. It felt great to hold Blyss and think about spending the night together as wolves. And while he didn't want to know how painful the shift was going to be for her, he also wanted to experience her wild if she was willing to show it.

“I'll wait for you up on that rise in the forest about half a mile north.” He pointed in the direction. And then he turned his focus inward and allowed his wolf to take control.

The shift was an exquisite exercise in muscle control and internal command. His bones shifted and shortened. His musculature stretched and snapped to conform to the smaller wolf shape. Fur grew out from his pores and his head changed the most, the maw growing long and his canines lengthening.

When finally he stood on four legs, Stryke was aware of the human female who stood before him. She smelled familiar and a little like a wolf. He knew she was his, but in his wolf mind he had no name for her. What he did know was that he should move along and wait for her elsewhere.

As she bent to stroke her fingers through his fur, he bowed his head and licked at her knee, her leg, the tips of her fingers. Tasted familiar. Tasted safe, like his own.

“I'll be right there” was what the sounds coming from her mouth formed, though he didn't understand them.

Stryke scented a rabbit not far off and his ears swiveled, picking up the movement of dozens of smaller creatures scampering about the earth and within the thick forest undergrowth.

He yipped and dashed off in pursuit of the adventure that could result in a tasty meal.

* * *

“That is one gorgeous wolf,” Blyss whispered as Stryke loped off into the forest.

His fur was variegated in shades of brown, black and blond. He'd stood high to her waist, and he carried his thick tail proudly upright. A natural pack leader, if there was one.

Blyss had always considered the wolf as repellent as dogs and other animals she didn't want to get too close to. Yes, she had grown up among wolves. Had been accustomed to her parents wandering outside in wolf form, besides having some friends who had already come into their werewolf. Her disgust hadn't developed until her own shift had so awkwardly and devastatingly introduced her to ridicule.

But she was safe here with Stryke. And a giddy hum within her core urged her to crouch on the ground beside her discarded sundress. She wanted this. She needed this.

Closing her eyes and summoning the inner ability to shift, the first painful reactions crackled in her bones. She gasped, her fingers digging into the wet grass and dirt. It wasn't too late to stop.
Keep going. You want to be with him.
Her spine curved unnaturally upward, burning the pain along her length.

She cried out, yet continued. Bowing her head to the ground, she tensed her jaws as every muscle seemed to snap in on itself and tug her skeletal system into a bunch. Flipping onto her back, she released all human thoughts, and as fur covered her body and her legs kicked at air, the wolf whined at the horrible pain.

Finally, the shift was complete and the wolf shakily stood on all fours. The pain had ceased. No one around to fear. To point fingers. She was safe.

She sniffed the air, taking in the lingering scent of what she knew was her partner. And of a sudden, her tail wagged.

The moon was high and full.

The night called to her wild.

* * *

The wolves found one another, bumping noses and licking one another's maws in greeting and respect. They nudged their noses against ears, head and body, scenting one another, showing love and care.

Then Stryke dashed off through the forest and Blyss followed close behind.

They chased a rabbit and then a red fox. A few mice were sacrificed in playful dally. The wolves paused near a rocky outcrop and basked in the moonlight, Stryke's head resting upon Blyss's furry flank. And they were taken by the need to mate, and did so, howling their connection to the moon.

* * *

They woke on the porch before the cabin, both naked in human
were
form. Moonlight glanced through the oak and maple leaf canopy, dazzling across their skin. Stryke plucked a strand of grass from Blyss's hair and kissed her deeply. She curled up against his body, not being able to recall the pain of the shift, but remembering clearly the freedom and joy she had felt with her lover in their four-legged forms.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For making it so easy to trust you.”

“You make a great wolf, glamour girl. I'm pretty sure we had sex.”

“I think it was awesome. But you didn't let your werewolf out.”

“The night's not over yet. I'll have to give the werewolf reign or it'll be on me all month to do so.”

“I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“Really? You going to wolf out with me again?”

“Think you can handle my werewolf, big boy?”

“Bring it.”

“Will I...? Will we...?”

He guessed what she couldn't quite put into words. He shouldn't be surprised no one had ever taught her the ways of their breed.

He nodded. “When a werewolf comes upon another of his breed, like a gorgeous female werewolf, he'll feel compelled to mate with her.”

“And mating in werewolf form will bond us?”

He clasped her hand. “I don't think either of us is ready for that. Especially not when you've that vial of red stuff sitting inside on the counter. Why don't I head out on my own?”

She nodded. And Stryke exhaled in relief.

Disappointed? Hell yes. He'd love to bond with her. But no, he wasn't prepared to commit to a woman in werewolf form and then forever lose her to the humanity she craved.

He kissed her. “Go inside and snuggle before the fireplace. I won't be more than an hour.”

“I'm sorry—”

He kissed her again. “There is nothing to apologize for. I know you. I accept you as you are. Okay?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

* * *

Morning woke them on the rug before the fire. Stryke had gone out and when he'd returned to the cabin had found Blyss sleeping. They showered together and made love.

Now he turned off the lights in the cabin and checked the fireplace one last time. “All hatches are battened down. You got your purse?”

“Yes.”

“Don't forget that vial. It's sitting by the sink.”

“Thanks. I'll drink it when I get home. I'm enjoying being able to smell everything turned up to eleven, and I never realized how improved my sight is when I let the wolf out.”

“You still think I'm sexy now that you can see better?”

“You're even sexier.” She kissed him quickly but took a moment to rub her cheek against his stubble. “Mmm... You're a combination of handsome, sensual and sexy eye candy.”

“I don't know what to say to that.”

“I'm crazy about you, Stryke. Take it for what you will. Let's stop and pick up some breakfast along the way, yes?”

“Way ahead of you. I'm craving eggs and bacon. Do they make that here in France?”

“A Croque Madame would be delicious.”

“A crock of what?”

Blyss giggled. “I did see a McDonald's when we were passing through the suburbs.”

“Sausage McMuffin, I'm coming for you!”

The drive-through McDonald's gave Stryke hope that the Europeans had a bit of redneck in them, after all. If he could park the car and shove down some processed food and a tall Coke he was happy. Blyss even took a bite of his sausage-and-egg sandwich and declared it tasty—but now sipped orange juice. Ah well, one did require a certain palate to appreciate the greasy goodness of fast food.

Stryke's thoughts wandered beyond the buzz of traffic zipping by on the ring road. He'd encountered danger in Paris, as he'd hoped for, and had defeated all threats to Blyss. But the thing with Tor and the wraiths the other day wouldn't leave his brain.

“This diversion thing is gnawing at me.”

“Diversion?”

He confessed, “The night I showed up at your door with demon blood on me, ready to go on the boat cruise? I'd just killed a demon outside your door.”

“What?”

“Earlier, when I met with Tor to pick up some faery dust, we were hijacked by a couple of demons. Only they said they were the diversion. Which is how I guessed you might be in trouble and headed immediately to your place. Caught a demon outside your door.”

“Why didn't you tell me that?”

“Wasn't necessary.” He balled up the food wrapper and tossed it in the open paper bag on the backseat. “I took care of it. But now that I think of it, if they weren't after me, but instead you, why? Why are demons still after you even knowing you no longer have
Le Diabolique
? What do you have that they want?”

Blyss shrugged. “I have no idea. I've sold all my jewels to pay for the pills. I have nothing of value save this diamond pendant.” She tapped the necklace. “Well, and my shoes. But I don't think...”

No, the glamour girl could never part with those precious beauties.

“Think, Blyss. Do you have any friendships or business deals, anything, with demons beyond Edamite?”

“No. Not that I know of. I mean, I could be standing right next to one and I'd never know.”

“Right. The pills.” He tilted his head against the seat. “Who works with you? Who have you dealt with that might have something against you?”

“No one that I can think of. I'm a socialite. I don't make enemies. I, well, I make love. Except...”

“Yeah?”

“I haven't seen Lorcan in days. You met my assistant. I hired him six months ago. He's always been very attentive and suddenly he's gone. And I was going to tell you about the missing paperwork, but then when you found
Le Diabolique
, I figured it no longer mattered.”