I sat there with Edin in his study. By now, due to my revelations about Fawna, he was extremely despondent.
“Despondent” is not a strong enough word.
He was practically crying into his brandy.
He had downed one drink after another since I told him the truth about the Huntington girls—that they were gold-diggers, that Fawna’s feigned interest in him was mere opportunism, and that I’d even heard their mother plotting with them to catch rich husbands.
That he had to rid himself immediately of Fawna, the lovely girl he’d fallen in love with that very day.
Just as I’d fallen in love with—or thought myself in love with—her sister, Adara.
“It can’t be,” he was saying, his voice laden with disbelief.
Edin is not like me. I’ve been called dark and moody. This was true even before I was bitten and turned into a werewolf. Perhaps that’s why my sire was unable to
The next morning I rose early, packed a spare dress to replace the one that had been ruined by wine stains as the doctor had struggled to cure her, and rushed to see my sister, Fawna.I feared I might encounter Dane Wiltshire at Edin West’s home, Seaview, where I’d left my sister to recover from almost being poisoned. But that thought couldn’t keep me from going.Now, as I walked through the park, of course I passed Chalmer’s Grove. I thought about how I’d made love to Dane in the darkness among the trees the previous evening.I remembered the sweetness of his touch, the delight as he’d pushed inside me, the ecstasy of my shuddering orgasm, and the pleasure of holding him as he’d climaxed, too.Forcing these ideas from my mind was the second memory of my conversation with Lantac Golgor later that night.Had he been speaking of anyone else, I’d not have believed him. But I knew—everyone on the is
I slept late the next morning.I had dreams all night long.In one, a nightmare, I was desperately trying to capture an Enforcement Officer. I chased him to the mainland, where I was terrified of being recognized as a Lupine and being shot for escaping from Vukasin Island. I awoke in a sweat before I caught the Officer and before I myself was caught by the authorities.In another, I had Fawna pinned down, and I was stuffing aconite—the leaves, the roots, and the flowers—into her mouth. I struggled not to do this, but in the dream, it was as if my movements were not my own. I couldn’t control what I did. Then Fawna metamorphed into Adara, and now I was taking off my clothes and preparing to have sex with her. But after my clothes were off, instead of making love to her I began cramming gold coins into her mouth. She struggled against me, shouting, “You’re wrong. You’re wrong.” She begged me to stop hurting her. But I cont
NOTE: This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains sexually explicit scenes that may include multiple partners, same-sex partners, sex in public places, sex in front of others, acts of sadomasochism, spanking, bondage, and so on. These are described with very explicit, sexual, graphic language. If you find such things disturbing, offensive, triggering, etc., this book is not for you, so please do not read further. All sexual activity in this work is consensual, and all sexually active characters are 18 years of age or older. In this book there are no sexual acts between humans and creatures in animal form, and there are no sexual acts between family members or other relatives. You must be at least 18 years of age to read this book. Prologue: Dane I barely recall what happened, but I remember this: She growled. It was the sound not just of an animal. But of an other-worldly animal. And one out to kill. That low throaty growl sent shivers down my spine. Meanwhile, the moon
The moon was waning. Taleeneff, or “Wolf Week”—the week of the full moon when all humans leave and the werewolves run rampant on Vukasin—was over. Fortunately. I despise Taleeneff. I typically lay in a supply of food and cage myself every night. I take care to always be chained and in the cage before sundown. Gauging the exact moment when the change begins, when I morph into a werewolf, can be difficult. I’ve never missed yet, but it’s a constant concern. More than a concern. A worry. A fear. Even a terror. The Zokeery Enforcement Officers, they are heartless beasts. I say "beasts," because they’re werewolves, too, but they’ve been assigned by the mainland humans to keep the peace among Lupines on Vukasin during Taleeneff. Although they are werewolves, however, the Zokeery never run rampant. When Vukasin was established and the Zokeery were first assigned, scientists on the mainland created a rare and special potion to counteract the effects of werewolfism. It uses a rare plant a
After crossing the vast expanse of Dane Wiltshire’s property, I reached the house I’d come to see. . . . Only to be disappointed by a large “SOLD” sign. There'd be no realtor on hand to show me the interior of the fine villa. What a let down. Now I had to make my way back across the wet sand, toward my home beyond the park on the other side of the island. The sun sank on the horizon. The air turned cool. The nights were cold, beginning at dusk. A wind blew off the sea with gusts of salty air. I regretted not bringing a jacket. I trudged through the wet sand. The feeling of the same on my feet was chilling, especially when I failed to dodge the cold waves. I paused and put on my sandals, even though I knew the saltwater would ruin them. I kept walking, rubbing my hands up and down my sides, trying to warm myself. My thin dress had seemed so practical earlier in the bright sunlight. Now, my nipples grew erect and hard from the cool breeze and rubbed painfully against the thin
Enchanting. This was the word in my mind while I watched her walk away across the sand. She was lit by the golden glow of the sun. The wind ruffled her long hair. The hem of her dress swirled around her calves below the long black sweater. “Enchanting.” I said the word aloud. My heart was pounding. I could see it moving under my shirt. I have what my father called “an amorous nature.” But I infrequently felt this kind of excitement. And never for a woman who’d not been turned. I thought of the splendid werewolf Bianca. She'd had a mane of black hair and porcelain skin, and was an Alpine wolf in Lupine form. She was thin and graceful, with a swan-like neck, long well-formed limbs, and a thin waist. And she adored me. With an old, established, wealthy pedigree, her father and mine were distant cousins. Everyone expected a marriage proposal. After just three months together, her mother and aunts were looking at wedding gowns for her. I had strong feelings for her. But I knew i
“What are you wearing?” My sister Fawna smiled and laughed as I stepped through our front door. I laughed, too, looking down at the oversized sweater that had kept me warm during my walk home from Dane Wiltshire’s beach. I struck a model’s pose, hand on my hip, head thrown back. “Don’t I look lovely?” I giggled. My mother spoke up from her place near the front door. Annoyed, her face was pinched into a frown. “You look hideous. I hope no one saw you wearing that monstrosity.” But Father defended me. As always. “Veralee, who cares?” He shrugged. The night air is cold. I’m glad to see Adara in something warm. We don’t want our daughter turning to a block of ice, do we?” He gave a forced chuckle, and Mother shrank into the cushions of our well-worn sofa. Father was the only one on Vukasin Island who could shut her up, and she often needed to be silences. He rose from his easy chair and stepped forward, tilting his head to examine the toggles on the front of Dane’s sweater. “Where d
I thought of her, Miss Adara Huntington, as I watched the sun set over the ocean. I could almost see her form in my mind. I could visualize her stepping barefooted across the wet sand, walking along the beach and away from me. Walking out of my life? Perhaps. We were from different worlds. We didn’t move in the same social circles. Actually, I didn’t move in any social circles. I kept to myself, except for a few close friends—like Edin my boyhood companion, and his sister, and a few family members on the mainland. Edin had long been a mainlander. But now, he’d bought a home on Vukasin. Seaview, the estate next door to mine. I was thrilled. True, he was human, not Lupine. But we were the best of friends. I could trust him. He and his sister were both devoted to me. This was only natural because long ago, I saved him on the night of the wolf attack. That was before Vukasin became an island internment camp—a "sanctuary," the mainlanders called it, not wanting to acknowledge wh