The Violet Hour (The Violet Hour Series) (15 page)

“We could all move to L.A.,” I offered before thinking.  He smiled. 

“I wish we could.  I’ve tried the coastline before, but the ocean doesn’t offer the same hunting amenities.”  He flashed a devilish grin and went on, “Let’s at least do this the traditional way.  Shouldn’t you start calling me your boyfriend and graduate high school before we move across the country together?”  I was equally embarrassed and excited by his words.  As if the option was even possible. 

“Breathe, Logan,” he said as he lightly caressed my thigh with his hand.  I had forgotten he’d set it there.  “Where would you like to go shopping?”

“No idea,” I murmured, trying to mask my shaky voice. 

“Fine, then we’re going to get you something you can’t get in those high scale boutiques on Rodeo Drive.”

I pursed my lips in disbelief as Luke pulled up in front of a western shop in the downtown district.  I would go along with this to an extent, but I wasn’t about to sacrifice my wardrobe to blend in.  Maybe Luke wanted to fit in, but Logan Keller certainly did not.  People were already pointing at my car before Luke cut the engine.  Flashbulbs went off as we made our way into the store and I smiled while Luke held the door open. 

“I see they found you,” Luke joked when we were safe inside. 

“Those pictures will be in magazines next week, I hope you know.”

“I hope you know that too,” Luke countered.  “I’ve read a few of those things and I’m certain the shocking question under the photo will be, ‘Who’s the new guy?’”

“Crap!” I said under my breath, knowing Brody and Lindsey would be wondering the same thing.  Of course, Luke heard and chuckled.  I turned to look at them patiently waiting outside beside my car.  When I turned back around, Luke was standing inches away.  He brushed my long bangs over and pulled my chin up to meet his gaze. 

“What are we going to tell them?” he asked suggestively.  He didn’t let me answer, lowering his face and pressing his lips against mine. 

“What size do you wear?” he asked when he pulled away. 

“What do you mean,
what size do I wear
?  That’s a little personal.” I hissed.

Before he answered, I glanced around and realized we were in a boot store.  A western boot store.  He took my hand and led the way.  I sat down on a bench while Luke picked a few styles.  A shopkeeper our age carried the boots into the back as Luke sat down beside me. 

“What
should
we tell them?” I whispered.

“We
could
tell them that you’re my girlfriend and I’m your boyfriend,” he replied, quietly.

“I like the sound of that,” I smiled.

“I
love
the sound of that,” he agreed.

Andrea Wells – The Violet Hour

Chapter 16

I was busy admiring my new boots on the downstairs patio when Luke took my hand and led me into the backyard.  We made it past the trees before he took off his leather jacket and handed it to me.  His mouth was grimacing, eyes wild like I’d seen so many times before over the past few weeks.  I was getting used to that look and the idea it hinted at something exciting to come.  He was already a few feet in front of me when he took off in a run.  My heartbeat nearly ceased to exist along with my breath.  It happened so quickly that the transformation itself wasn’t visible.  My eyes were wide in amazement as he turned and sauntered towards me on all fours while his clothes fell in shreds around him.  He sat down a few feet away and nodded with his nose. 

I slowly crossed the few steps between us and reached my hand out to his face, pausing before I actually touched him.  He nuzzled his head into my hand and I slowly ran my fingers through his thick coat, brushing off pieces of clothing.

“Your eyes still look exactly the same.  Deep dark-blue,” I whispered. 

He nudged my hand with the side of his face.

“And your hair… I mean …fur… is dark caramel-colored like your hair.”  I’d never been so close to a wild animal and seeing a wolf so close was exhilarating. 

He blinked his eyes and I suddenly realized I was having a one-sided conversation and instantly grew impatient. 

Movement in the trees behind me caused me to jerk my head to follow the sound.  Two more wolves appeared in the opening.  I froze in panic until they also nodded their heads at me and one of them playfully shoved the other.  It was Jack and Jesse.  I relaxed my posture and they began to move slowly toward us, still cautious as to how I’d react.  Luke stood up on all fours and leaned back onto his haunches in a pouncing stance.  His brothers pinned their ears, assuming the same position. 

In the blink of an eye, they were chasing each other loudly through the trees, weaving in and out of sight so quickly that only their shadows occasionally appeared. They disappeared into the forest and the leaves settled back on the ground.  The silence was deafening.

“Luke?” I called.  “Jack?  Jesse?”  I heard nothing. 

My heart began to race, pumping hot blood rapidly through my veins while my breath quickly sharpened.  I heard branches crunching behind me but refused to look, fearing my dream was about to become a nightmare. 

“Logan?”

I turned toward the sound of his voice to find him leaning against a tall pine tree fully clothed. 

I closed my eyes and sighed.

“When… where did you get those clothes?” I asked, glancing at his clothes still in shreds on the ground.

“I ran back to the house and grabbed an outfit from the patio.  Kate keeps clothes in a storage shed outside the house for occasions like this.”

“Occasions like this?  Oh, so you lied to me again?”

“Lied?  Lied about what?” he asked nervously.

“Lying that you’d never met a girl like me before.”

“What do you mean, Logan?”

“You said ‘occasions like this’ – bringing girls for a walk in the woods to show off.  I think you’ve done this before?”

“No,” he laughed.  “I haven’t shown off to another
girl
before, just another
werewolf
,” he said suggestively. 

My heart slowed painfully.

“I’m kidding, Logan,” he apologized, pushing off the tree toward me.  “I didn’t lie to you… I’ve never been with a girl like you before.”  He stopped in front of me, eyes glistening wildly.  “Kate keeps clothes outside so we’re not running around naked.  Jesse probably would if she let him.”

He wrapped his warm arms around my eager shoulders, locking me in his embrace.  I couldn’t have budged an inch if my life depended on it.  I felt the coolness of his breath and the dragging of his lips in my hair. 

“I believe you,” I managed to push out of my lungs.  “Though, if Kate didn’t keep spare clothes that could have been an interesting scene,” I kidded.

He released his hold and motioned for me to follow him further into the woods.  I hesitated, not wanting to risk going any further from the house and have him take off again.

“It’s fine, Logan.  I won’t leave you alone out here.  Besides, Jack and Jesse are out running.  If there’s any danger, we’ll be the first to know.”

He stepped back to me and offered his hand.  It was getting darker and darker and I knew before long we wouldn’t be able to see a foot in front of us.  Or, at least
I
wouldn’t be able to.  I wondered what it would be like to see so clearly and hear so well.  I wondered what the world looked like through Luke’s eyes.

The tall aspens turned into fragrant pines as he led me through a maze of trees.  They seemed to be only a foot apart from each other and so tall they nearly hid the sky.  In a couple of spots, I had to put my hands on the ground to steady myself on rocks and boulders.  I was certain this was a trip he normally made on four legs.

He released my hand when the trees began to thin.  The ground beneath my feet had turned from soft earth to smooth stone. When I looked up, the tree line had opened and the horizon stretched as far as the eye could see.  The sky was breathtakingly gorgeous, offering a view like nothing I’d seen before.  I’d embraced a fair share of sunsets on the beaches of California, and travelled to world wonders most people only read about in books and magazines, but it didn’t compare to this view.  It was perfect.  Part of me wondered if it was
only
the scenery.  I inhaled the sun's fading warmth as it hit my face.

“I thought you would enjoy this,” Luke said, interrupting my gaze with his soft, low voice.

“Thank you,” I affirmed, matching his tone.

“This is my favorite time of day,” he whispered, looking onward.  I followed his gaze.  Five wolves walked out to the edge of another cliff ahead of us.  As they sat down, all but one looked over at us in acknowledgement, and then turned back to the sunset.  I sat down on a rock far enough from the ledge that I wouldn’t be distracted by the sharp drop-off below.  Luke sat beside me and laced his fingers into mine without hesitation.  I looked at him and smiled, glad he was with me.  He took a confessing breath and I focused on the view, waiting for his words.

“It’s the violet hour; when the day stands at the threshold of night taking a deep breath before crossing over into the darkness.  It’s the hour to reflect on the day’s journey and rejoice in what tomorrow may bring.  As the sun leisurely makes its way toward the edge of earth, it lets us know it’s not saying ‘goodbye’ just merely saying ‘see you soon.’  Casting shades of reds and oranges, yellows and pinks, and that elusive violet purple that assures us tomorrow is going to be even better than today.  The silence of the hour leaves us in hushed wonderment as the shadows of life blur into our surroundings until the cloak of darkness wins its battle with the sun.  The violet hour doesn’t mean the end of daylight; it means the beginning of night and the promise of tomorrow.”

His way with words surprised me and rendered me speechless.  I had never heard him say so much before.  He must have sensed my awkwardness because he chuckled quietly and leaned in to kiss my cheek.  I smiled at his gesture and watched the sun disappear.  Cold chills ran down the back of my neck.  Luke stood up with my hand still in his and we walked back in the impending darkness while I pondered his words.  It had been too long since I’d looked forward to the next day, but with Luke, that was changing.

When we finally arrived, I was shocked to see Jack, Jesse and Rachel already sitting in lounge chairs on the patio around a fire.  Rachel kept her focus on the flames, offering me the chance to give her a once over.  She was gorgeous, as usual.  No makeup, flawless skin, nice outfit but surely not designer and that beautiful long, thick, black hair she never did anything with.  She was someone I would’ve befriended in my California socialite past simply for the task of turning her into one of us.  Now, I genuinely just wanted her to drop the snobby attitude. 

“Hi Rachel,” I said, deciding to give her a chance to redeem herself.

She didn’t flinch or make a sound while Luke and I walked past her and sat in the only open lounge chair.

“Rachel, don’t be like that,” Jack said in an undertone that made me think he was picking up on more than just the obvious vibe she was giving off.  “Luke and Logan are together.  You can deal with it and be decent or you can leave.” 

Without hesitation, Rachel rose from her chair and took off toward the front yard silently, looking at no one.  I had no idea what Rachel drove, but I heard the engine roar to life and my experience around luxurious cars told me she didn’t mind taking advantage of what her lifestyle had to offer in terms of material possessions.

“Don’t mind her, Logan, she’ll come around,” Jack said kindly.

“Someday,” Jesse joked.

“It’s okay.  As much as I don’t like it, I’m used to that type of treatment.”

“Really?  Because of the whole celebrity thing you had going on?” Jesse asked.

“You could say that, I guess.  I didn’t choose my life, but other girls have always resented me for it.  It was a challenge to make real friends, meet real guys.”

“Until now,” Luke said as he squeezed my hand.  My heart pattered steadily against my chest.

“Well,” I said slowly, “this hasn’t exactly been any easier.”

My thoughts still lingered on Rachel’s departure.  I still wanted to be on good terms with her.  It felt like the right thing to do.  I had no idea what her story was or how she became a werewolf and I hesitated to ask in front of Jack.  Luke squeezed my fingers as if encouraging me. 

“How did Rachel become a werewolf?” I asked under my breath to Luke.  As soon as I said the word…
the
word, I realized they all could hear me from five miles away.  I didn’t look at them, not wanting to see their expressions.

“It’s a long story,” Jack exclaimed, as if that was where the long story was going to begin and end.

“Rachel’s been a werewolf a lot longer than any of us, but only recently became part of our pack,” Luke said.  “She’s been a loner so she struggles with our lifestyle.  I’ll tell you more about it some other time.  It really
is
a long story.”

I was so lost in his eyes that I hadn’t noticed Jack and Jesse depart without a word.

“Where did they go?” I asked, looking at the surrounding darkness.

“Jack most likely went after Rachel and Jesse has plans this evening with a girl who’s on her way to pick him up.”

“You can tell all of that without anyone speaking a word?” I questioned.

“Well, don’t give me too much credit.  As soon as Rachel stormed off, Jack was on edge.  He shifted his weight slightly in the direction she was heading before she made it off the patio.  Jesse, on the other hand, told me earlier that his date tonight was picking him up here.  She wants to meet Kevin, er, your dad and Kate.”

“I see.  So, you’re sure you can’t read minds?”

Luke chuckled and put his hands to my face.  He pulled me close and stared deeply into my eyes – as if he had something profound to say or a secret to share. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of that,” I said after he reluctantly pulled his lips away from mine.

“Of what?” he asked.

“The way you kiss me.  My heart skips a beat every time.  I hope it always does.”

“Me too.”

*****

I woke up fully clothed and tangled in my covers to the sound of the clock chiming midnight downstairs.  I turned my head slowly, searching the dimly-lit room.

“I’m right here, Logan,” Luke whispered.

He climbed through the window and walked over before I could blink my eyes clear.  I pulled my hand out from under the covers just in time for him to grab hold.  He kissed the back of my hand and then my forehead.

“Did I fall asleep outside?” I asked, confused.  Seemed like this was becoming somewhat of a norm for me to doze off in random places and be carried to bed.

“You did.  I brought you up here after Jesse and his date left.”

“I missed his date meeting my dad?  Who was she?  Do I know her?” I mumbled.

“I don’t think you know her, but she knew who you were even if you were passed out drooling next to the fire.”

“WHAT!?” I screeched, mortified.

“Shhh… I’m kidding, just kidding.  Well, kidding about the drooling anyhow.  She did walk outside, but only because Jesse didn’t realize you were sleeping and she wanted to meet you.”

“You should’ve woken me up!  And how come Jesse couldn’t tell I was asleep?  He could tell some girl was on her way to get him from across town but couldn’t sense I was sleeping?”

“We may seem young to your eyes, but our souls have been around for a very long time.  We’ve gotten very good at fooling the human mind and eye.  He had to fake not knowing for his date – keeping up his image of being a
normal
human being.”

“Fine, but you should’ve woken me up.  Who was she?” I asked.

“Melanie Harris.  She’s a junior.  It’s nothing; I think Jesse is more of a serial dater compared to the rest of us.”