A Dangerous Moon [Tales of the Werewolf Clan] (4 page)

He climbed out of his truck, grabbed his traveling bag out of the back, and headed for the front door. After he rang the bell, he stepped back and waited. The door swung open.

"Hey! You're right on time," she greeted him with a warm smile.

"Uh, yeah, I made it."

Allison was casually dressed, yet looked absolutely stunning in a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a lavender t-shirt which clung to her luscious curves. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled up in a makeshift bun on top of her head while little wisps of stray curls draped down her swanlike neck.

Rick did his best not to stare, but she was even lovelier than he remembered.

There was a sparkle of amusement in her eyes as she glanced down at the traveling bag in his hand. "Boy, you do travel light, don't you? Well, come on in." Allison stepped aside and Rick crossed the threshold into a cool, air-conditioned living room.

"Wow, you've got a nice place here," he said, taking in every inch of the sunlit room. A large, comfortable sofa dominated one wall, with a generous flat screen plasma television centered across from it on the opposite side. Her diplomas and a few family photos decorated the room, as well as a few bookcases stacked with medical guides and gardening manuals, and a very large fish tank.

Overall, the room radiated with a warm, welcoming energy.

"Thanks! The place still needs a little work here and there, but I got a fair deal on it a couple of years ago," she replied, beaming with pride.

"So, are these your pets?" Rick asked, walking over to the fish tank and watching the two goldfish swimming around in its watery depths.

"Yeah, with my schedule, I prefer the low-maintenance kind." Allison shrugged. "Buffy and Angel are all I can handle."

"Buffy and Angel, huh? I guess you're still a Joss Whedon fan, too." He turned and smiled over at her.

"I sure am! He's my favorite writer and director!" she grinned, raising a hand. "I'm still a big geek. How about you?"

"I am too." He winked. "I still watch my DVDs of
Firefly
and
Dollhouse
. Too bad both of the shows were cancelled."

"Oh, you poor thing," Allison smirked. She placed a hand over her chest. "I feel your pain."

"Say what?" He blinked. The smile slid from his face.

"Not literally, of course." Allison explained with a chuckle. "I only mean that I understand how you feel about the cancellation of such awesome shows."

"Oh, okay." Rick nodded.

"What did you think I meant?" She raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing, really." He shrugged, then cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, where's my room? If you don't mind, I'd like to get settled in."

"Sure. Follow me." Allison turned on her heel and proceeded to give him a brief tour of the kitchen before heading down a narrow hallway, which led to a bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

"This is a really nice place, Allie." Rick said as he placed his bag on the queen-sized bed. "I gotta admit, it sure beats staying at the old
Starlight
." He turned at smiled over at her. "Listen, I really appreciate you letting me stay here while I'm in town."

"Well, it's not a hotel, so you're responsible for washing your clothes, towels and the sheets. But, if you need anything from the grocery store, just put it on the list. It's under the magnet on the refrigerator. I usually go shopping on Thursday mornings before my shift."

"Thanks. I'm sorry if Ray put you on the spot by asking if I could stay here. He can sure be bossy. Honestly, between you and me, that's one of the reasons I can't stay with him."

"No worries. I understand," Allison chuckled and stepped closer, gazing into his eyes. "You two may look alike, somewhat. But, he's a pack leader and you…well, you march to a different drum, Rick." She reached up and brushed aside the gray streak of hair from his forehead. "That's what I've always liked about you…and still do."

The softness of her voice echoed through his senses, along with a compelling swell of emotions. Rick drew a deep breath, attempting to control the sensations he was sensing from her. Or was it him? He wasn't sure.

"Yep, we're different, alright."

"Well, just make yourself at home, okay?" She took a step back from him and dropped her hand to her side. "Well, I need to get busy. My garden needs tending before the full moon consumes my work schedule." Allison glanced back over her shoulder at him. "If you need anything, let me know. Okay?"

"Sure thing," he replied with a nod.

After the door clicked shut, he sat down the edge of the bed. Her lighthearted confession had taken him by surprise. She still liked him. Feelings swirled inside him as he recalled all their good times together.

Two weeks of self-control…oh, man.
He reminded himself with a sigh. The temptation of being around her would be a challenge.
If I make a move on her, it could really screw things up between us…again.

But, he had to admit, Allison wasn't like any of the other gals he'd known. She was, always had been, special. And from the moment he'd opened his eyes in the urgent care center, seeing her again tugged at his heart, as well as his groin.

Rick wasn't sure staying under her roof would be a good idea, but he was sure about one thing. He needed a shower…a cold one.

Chapter Four

Allison stepped out into the hall, gentling closing the bedroom door behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
What's got into me?
she chided herself, shaking her head. Heading down the hallway into the kitchen, she picked up her cell phone and slipped it into the pocket of her denim shorts, then grabbed her floppy straw hat from the kitchen counter.

It was only noon, but the sun was already beating down on her little garden next to the house. She unlatched the side door and stepped out into the afternoon heat. Grabbing her stool and garden tools, she headed out to the serenity of her little patch of
terra firma
– her garden.

It had taken her a couple of years to get the little garden to grow properly. Most of the women in her family were naturally born with a 'green thumb', but Allison had begun to worry she'd missed out on the family gift for gardening. But, this summer, everything she'd planted had begun to sprout and grow…for a change.

Sitting in her garden, enjoying her little bounty of fresh strawberries and herbs, she delighted in the simple pleasures of Mother Nature. The warm scent of the lush plants soothed her nerves, and gave her a much needed break from her duties as a doctor and wolf clan healer.

As she busied herself with her daily gardening chores, her mind wandered back to Rick. She'd heard his truck pull into the driveway, but hadn't wanted to appear overly eager to meet him at the door, so she had waited until he'd knocked. When he did, her heart began to race.

Damn it all!
For a brief moment, she felt like an awkward teenager. Allison sat back on the stool and swiped the back of her hand over her brow. The day was getting stickier with humidity, but the weeds wouldn't dig themselves up and the strawberries were ripe enough to pick, so she decided to just get it done. Later, she could go inside and enjoy the air-conditioned house.

"Hey, doc!"

She glanced over to the side door and blinked, unable to believe her eyes. Rick stood in the open doorway, shirtless and looking like one of those models her gal-pals would post on their Facebook pages. "Yes?"

"Where are the extra towels?"

"Uh, in the hallway closet on the second shelf," she replied, attempting to keep a neutral expression on her face. Yet just the mere sight of his well-toned chest was enough to make her insides feel like Jell-o, all wiggly and quivery.

"Thanks." He started to close the door back, but stopped. "Aren't you hot out there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Would you like me to bring you a bottled water?"

"No, thanks. I'll be done soon, and then I'm coming back indoors. I'll be making sandwiches for a late lunch. So, if you'd like to join me, that'd be cool." She shrugged.

"I'm heading for a quick shower, but I'll take you up on the sandwiches." Rick winked, flashing a wicked grin, then stepped back inside and closed the door.

Allison exhaled a breath and shook her head.
This is going to be the longest two weeks
ever!
She quickly turned back to her garden and continued weeding and plucking the ripened strawberries when her cellphone chirped its familiar ring tone.

She dug into her pocket and pulled it out. Allison was relieved to see on the display that it wasn't work calling, but her Aunt Jean.
Great! I need to ask her about those visions I had during Rick's healing season,
she reminded herself, and then flipped the phone open.

* * *

The brisk stream of water felt good as it flowed over his body. His muscles still ached from his fall, but the bruises were already fading quite fast. Rick was glad he'd allowed Allison to place her healing hands on him. Growing up as a
sithech,
he'd experienced a lot of things most regular folks would consider 'magick'. Everything from his family and friends shape-shifting into wolf form to his siblings' psychic and aura-sensing abilities, but he had never experienced a healing session before.

The women in Allison's family were well-known for their healing abilities on those with wolf-blood. Rick had always wondered if it was a placebo effect, brought about by just the belief that they were being healed. But, yet, her hands had been unusually warm on his chest. And when he had closed his eyes and given in to what she was attempting to do, Allison's emotions had broken through his psychic barrier. He empathically picked up on what she was feeling.

Rick shuddered, recalling, at first, a marvelous sensation. A feeling which was warm and comforting like a blanket on a cold night. His body also responded under her touch. It made his heart race with deep emotions. Not just horny wolf-hound feelings, but feelings of being truly loved and cared for. Emotions he had buried deep had bubbled to the surface. Allison Browne's healing touch was truly amazing, and a little spooky at the same time.

Yet, everything had changed. It was so sudden, so quick that he'd opened his eyes. Allison had turned pale as a ghost. Whatever she was experiencing had shaken her. He remembered how he'd leaped from the table and held her while she came out of her altered state. And, even though she said she was fine, he
knew
better.

Whatever it was, it couldn't be good...and he was curious to know what had spooked her.

He stuck his head under the flowing shower, then cut off the water and stepped out of the tub. Not only did he feel he owed her one, for healing him, but he also sensed an overwhelming desire to be close to her.

A while later, after he changed into a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Rick made his way down the hallway toward the kitchen. He stopped just as he reached the threshold and quietly watched Allison. She was seated in her little breakfast nook, gazing out the window while spooning another scoop of ice cream from a pint-sized container into her mouth.

"Hey, I thought you were going to fix sandwiches for lunch," he said, strolling across the sunlit tile and sliding into the seat opposite her.

"Huh?" She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, and then glanced down at the half-empty pint on the kitchen table in front of her. "Oh, I'm sorry." She blushed. "If you still want a sandwich, I can make you one."

"No, I've got it." He rose from the table while she told him where the bread and sandwich fixings were. "I don't mean to pry, but when I walked in just now, you seemed to be miles away. Is anything bothering you, doc?"

"Well, if you must know, my aunt called while I was finishing up in the garden. I asked her about…well, about those visions I had during your healing session."

"Oh, really?" Rick stopped his sandwich making and turned to face her. "And what did she say?"

"She had an idea or two, but she wasn't one hundred percent sure either," Allison frowned, the shrugged. "I figure maybe I was tired. I was ending my shift when you were brought in, so maybe that might have something to do with it. Know what I mean?"

Rick placed his finished sandwich on a plate, then walked over and sat down again at the table across from her. "Well, being
sithech,
we've both seen and experienced things that most folks would never even dream of…like shapeshifting, psychic abilities and sensing auras. So, maybe, our wolf-blood may have had something to do with your visions."

"You might have something there," Allison agreed. "So, what are your plans for the afternoon?" she asked, pointing her empty spoon at him for emphasis. "My guess is that you're going out for a while. Am I right?"

"Yeah, I caught a few winks of sleep at my sister's this morning, so I thought I'd head back over to
The Red Lion
for a game of pool, and to catch up with a few folks while I'm there. Would you like to come along?"

Allison blinked. She seemed surprised he'd asked her. But, to his disappointment, she shook her head.

"No, thanks. I'm going to get some rest before the full moon hits. We tend to get busy at the urgent care center every full moon," she explained. "But, maybe after this moon cycle is over, okay?"

"Sure," he smiled back at her over the table. "I'd like that, doc." And he meant it. He wanted her to go with him, but didn't want to push his luck. "Well, I'd better get going," he said, then excused himself from the table, took his empty plate over to the dishwasher and placed it inside.

"Alright. There's a spare house key over there." She pointed to the key rack beside the kitchen door. "It's the gold one with the 'x' marked on it in red marker. My old roommate kept getting it confused with her work key and would jam the wrong key in the door, so I marked it for her," Allison explained with a chuckle.

"Thanks," he grinned and pulled out his truck keys, adding them to the metal ring. "Look, I don't know how late I may be out, so just leave the porch light on, okay?"

"Sure. No problem. Tell Rhonda and all I said 'hello' and have fun!" Allison replied with a smile.

Yeah, maybe next time,
he reassured himself, then stepped out and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Allison breathed a deep sigh of relief as she heard his truck pull out of the driveway. Her mind had been spinning since her conversation with her Aunt Jean. The older healer had an idea of what might have caused her visions. But Allison decided to keep it to herself. She wasn't sure if she should share what she'd learned with Rick.

That's crazy! Rick McShaw is
not
my mate, Aunt Jean!
she recalled with a shudder of disbelief. But her aunt had only chuckled and said it was possible from what Allison had experienced during her healing session with him.

But she'd protested, reminding her aunt how she didn't believe in the whole concept of 'mates' like most of their wolf clan.
I think it's just a romantic notion dreamed up by our ancestors to keep our clan together,
she explained to the older healer.
Besides, we've already done the whole 'couples' thing and it didn't work out.

So, finally, her aunt dropped the subject, to Allison's relief.

Sunlight filled the room as she returned from a few more hours of working in the garden and straightened up the kitchen. She felt a twinge of regret that she hadn't accepted Rick's invite to
The Red Lion
, but maybe it was for the best.

Sure, she'd always been attracted to Rick. She still was, even after these past few years. But they'd gone their separate ways. His life was so different from hers now. It seemed he liked his freedom and would never settle down. And she was dedicated to her job and her house with its little garden.
Different lives, entirely.

Allison gave a deep sigh, then headed up the stairs to her bedroom. After a relaxing shower, she slid into a lightweight nightie and crawled into her bed. Heavy blinds covered the windows, blocking out the late afternoon sun. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift. And, gradually, before long, she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Geez, Ritchie! You're either getting better at pool or I'm losing my touch." Rhonda Morrison grinned at him over the pool table.

He smiled back, rubbing his knuckles over the front of his t-shirt, and winked. "I'm getting better, huh, champ?" Rick placed his pool cue back on the rack behind the table, and then turned back to her. "You owe me another beer."

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear you've been practicing your game, mister smarty pants." Rhonda smirked, and then called over to Slim at the bar. "Hey, a beer for this pool shark, on me!"

Rick took a seat at a table near the pool table as Slim brought over another frosty cold beer and set it down. "I've kept telling her someone's gonna beat the pants off of her one of these days." Slim chuckled. "Maybe she'll believe me now, huh?"

Rick wrapped his fingers around the mug and took a sip, then glanced up at the bartender. "Luckily, that guy isn't me."

"You're a funny guy, McShaw!" Rhonda sat down in the chair opposite him. After Slim headed back to the bar, she turned to face him. "Seriously, I'm glad you're back in town for a while, Rick. It's been boring around here without you to stir up trouble."

"Me? Trouble? No, not me."

Rhonda leaned in close, still grinning. "That's not what I heard. You weren't in town a few hours and the Owens gal knocked you to the floor. If that's not trouble, I don't know what is."

"Hey, it was all a big misunderstanding," he protested, then took another sip of his beer. "But as long as she keeps her distance, I'm cool with that."

"Yeah, Bruce told me." Rhonda's smile slid a notch. "So, how long are you home for this time?"

"A couple of weeks…maybe." He shrugged. "I'm not really sure."

Rick glanced around the bar. Folks from around town were coming in to beat the humidity with cold drinks, ready to enjoy the summer evening at their favorite local watering hole.

Some things never changed.

"Tell me, what's new with you?" he asked, briskly changing the subject.

"Same stuff, different day." She rolled her eyes, and then sighed. "I envy you, Ritchie. Wish I could just take off. You know, get out of town and travel the states, finding work here and there. No cares. No worries."

"It's not as easy as all that, Ronnie. I worry about things, but it's difficult being so damn empathic. Sensing others folks' feelings can sometimes be a real pain in the —"

"Hey! There you guys are!" Ernie Campbell strolled up to the table with a beer bottle in his hand. "Man, I've had the day from Hell."

"Take a load off, Ern." Rhonda gestured to an empty chair nearby. Ernie pulled up the chair and sat down at the table.

"So how did things go with Mr. White's computer?" Rick asked.

"The usual, I guess." Ernie shrugged, and then took a big swig of his beer. "But he was telling me he saw the strangest thing the other night. The old man saw a big wolf hanging out behind
Jewel's
the other night near the dumpster."

"A
sithech
in town?" Rhonda raised an eyebrow. "That's highly unlikely. Remember, we're forbidden to be in town where regular townfolk can see us. If Ray and the pack council finds out…"

"Oh, he swears it wasn't a
sithech
, but I told him to contact Ray. At least the council has a right to know if there's another wolf hanging around, especially this close to town." Ernie frowned, and then downed the rest of his beer in a long draw.