A Dangerous Moon [Tales of the Werewolf Clan] (5 page)

"Hey, easy there, buddy." Rick shot him a concerned look.

"No worries. I have a designated driver, man." Ernie gestured to Slim behind the bar. "He promised me a ride back…well, unless I get a better offer."

"Oh?" Rhonda's interest was piqued. "Who? Anyone we know?" she grinned.

Don't say a word about Jeni, man…please,
Ernie telepathically conveyed to Rick, who silently agreed with a small nod.

"Oh, come on, guys!" Rhonda protested, glancing back and forth between the two men. "That's
so
not fair!" Her mouth twisted into a playful pout.

"Ronnie, if I told you, then it would be on the front page of the
Gazette
by morning." Ernie grinned, turning his attention to Rick. "Am I right?"

"I'm keeping out of this one…totally." Rick raised his palms and scooted his chair back from the table. "Hey, guys, it's getting a bit too crowded in here for my taste. I'm going to head back and get some rest."

As Rick rose from the table, Ernie glanced up at him. "How's Allison's place? Did you get settled in okay?"

"It's fine. I miss staying at the
Starlight
, but I got a room to myself and a bath, plus my own key too."

"Sweet!" Ernie grinned.

"We'll catch up with you later," Rhonda smiled as Rick leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Besides, I want to hear all about how you landed a room at Doctor Browne's place, okay?"

"You're a nosy Nellie," he teased, then turned to give Ernie a light pat on the shoulder. "See y'all later."

Rick strolled past the bar, giving Slim a nod, then headed toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he recognized Jeni, Allison's co-worker, seated on a bar stool. She was laughing and chatting with a couple of other gals from town.

Poor Ernie!
He shook his head. She was a good looking gal. Not
his
type, but he could see why Ernie was smitten with her. Too bad she didn't seem to notice his buddy across the room, watching her while downing another cold beer.
Maybe soon, Ernie will get up his nerve and approach her. Maybe.

Rick headed out the door into the humid evening and crossed the parking lot to his truck. The almost-full moon glowed in the sky above. Its silvery glow outshone the stars around it. He climbed up into the cab, started the engine and popped another CD into the player. As the heavy trash metal drowned out the world around him, he headed down the road toward Allison's place.

The house was dark as he pulled into the driveway a little while later. Rick gave a heavy sigh as he slammed the truck door and strolled up the walk to the front door. He glanced up at the darkened porch light above the door.
She must've forgotten.
Fortunately, the moon's glow gave him enough light to slide the gold key into the lock.

With a soft click, he swung open the front door and turned on the light. The house was quiet except for the low hum of the goldfish aquarium in the corner and the tick-tock of a clock on the wall. Rick gently closed the door and locked it.

Just as he was about to head toward the kitchen, a female voice drifted down from an upstairs room.

"No! No! Nooo!"

Rick's adrenaline spiked. Without hesitation, he bounded up the stairs two at a time. Waves of panic flooded his empathic senses as he bolted to the room and shoved opened the door.

Chapter Five

Allison was sprawled out in the middle of a queen-size bed. The covers were in a disheveled pile on the floor while she tossed and turned in a fitful sleep. A strangled cry broke from her throat. "No, please, no!" The panic in her voice echoed in the dark room. Rick quickly stepped over to the bedside and turned on a lamp, flooding the room in an amber glow.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm here!" He sat down on the edge of the bed and grasped her shoulders, gently shaking her. "Allison, wake up!"

Her eyes popped open. "What? Huh?" She stared up at him with a wild, disoriented gaze, and then blinked. "Rick?" She drew a deep breath as he helped her slowly sit up. Her hair was wildly tussled and her lip quivered as he released his hold on her.

"Hey, doc, that must've been some dream."

"Dr-dream?" she repeated, wiping her hands over her eyes. "Yeah, it was a dream. Only a dream." It sounded more like she was reassuring herself than talking to him. She swallowed hard, then gazed back at him. He was relieved she was more fully awake.

"I just got in," he explained in a soft, soothing tone. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sounded a bit unsure, despite what she said.

"You don't sound fine." He frowned. "Can I get you something to drink? Water, maybe?"

"No, thanks." She shook her head, then her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. Rick sensed her embarrassment. He reached over and gently rubbed her shoulders.

"Everything's okay. I'm glad I came in when I did. That must've been one helluva dream."

"I guess it was." Allison glanced over to the digital clock beside the bed. "I was napping like I normally do. I really meant to turn on the porch light for you, but…" her voice trailed off, then she turned back to him.

"No worries, doc. I let myself in and was going to grab a bite downstairs and head to bed, but when I heard you up here —"

"Oh! Did I call out?" The rosy hue in her cheeks deepened.

"You certainly did," he nodded. "So, can you remember what you were dreaming about?"

"I was being attacked by…by a werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Rick raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, a big, scary one," she confessed. Her body gave a nervous shudder.

Rick glanced down and then swallowed hard. She wasn't wearing anything but a thin, white nightgown. It clung to every curve of her form, and the circular outline of her nipples was pressed against the sheer material.

It left very little to his all-male imagination.

"Um, why don't you, uh, put on a robe and let's go downstairs for a cup of hot tea?" he suggested, averting his gaze because the lusciousness of her body in the thin gown was making him downright horny.

"Oh, yeah, right." Allison caught his drift as she glanced down at her nightgown and nodded. "You head on down and put on a kettle. I'll be with you in a moment, okay?"

He agreed and, somewhat reluctantly, rose from the side of the bed. Conflicting feelings swarmed through him as he headed down the stairs to the kitchen. He was curious about the werewolf she'd dreamed about.
A werewolf?
Rick shook his head in disbelief as he located the tea kettle on the stove and filled it with water from the sink. Setting it on the stove, he switched on the burner, and then drew a deep breath.

His cock was uneasily pressed tight against the fly of his jeans. But he knew if his blood supply was below his waistline, he wouldn't have enough blood in his brains to think. However, seeing her dressed in so little had certainly given his libido a swift jumpstart.

Down boy!
he reminded himself, and began a slow, mental countdown from one to a hundred until he heard her coming down the steps.

* * *

She managed to pull herself together before heading downstairs for a cup of hot tea with Rick. Allison slid into her pink fuzzy bathrobe and matching slippers and pulled back her hair, attempting to not look like she'd just had a disturbing dream. She was lucky that, after a few sips of chamomile tea, she was already feeling better. And the dream had already begun to fade in intensity.

"Good tea," she smiled over the table at Rick. "Thanks for making me a cup. It's just what I needed."

"Glad you like it," he nodded, but his expression was still quite serious. "So, why don't you tell me more about this werewolf in your dream?"

Allison gave a heavy sigh and set down her mug. "Nothing much to tell, I'm afraid. It was like something out of a horror movie. I was being chased by a big, scary werewolf." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Say, do you remember when your sister and her boyfriend were attacked around Halloween a few years ago?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah, I was ready to catch the first plane back home and kick Jerry MacDonald's ass," he recalled, his fingers tightening on the mug he was holding. "Luckily, Ray and Bruce had already shipped Mac off before I got my hands on him."

"Actually, you and the whole wolf clan," she shook her head. "Believe me, we were all upset. Remember back in the day, it was easy to keep humans from knowing about our
sithech
abilities. Now, everyone has a phone with a camera or other mobile device." Allison shrugged. "It's harder for our wolf clan to be incognito."

Rick rubbed the back of his neck. "So, did you find out what caused his change? What made Mac more like a werewolf, rather than just shape-shifting into a regular wolf form?"

"I didn't get a chance. I wanted to, but he was sent away before I could examine him. Besides, he was too dangerous to keep in town," she recalled with a shrug, and then took another sip of tea. "Maybe it was a delayed effect of one of his gifts. Our genetic wolf-blood might do that. What do you think?"

Rick smiled over the table at her. "I honestly don't know. You're the doctor, not me. All I know is that sometimes our wolf-blood gives us gifts which only cause us trouble."

"That reminds me, Rick." She set down her tea cup and met his gaze over the table. "Have you learned to control your empathy yet?"

The smile on Rick's face dissipated. "No, I haven't, I'm afraid. I still find it very difficult to be around those I care about. But I can now control it sometimes, at least. Other times, it can drive me crazy."

"I'm really sorry to hear that." She reached across the table and took his hand.

"Thanks. I'm so glad you understand." He sighed, closing his fingers around hers. "You're one of the few who really do, you know?" The tenderness in his voice and the warmth of his callused hands made her tingle all over. Allison was doing her best to keep her focus on him. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and released it, steepling his fingers in front of him.

"It's really strange being an empath. I can sense the emotions of others. That's why I charged into your room tonight. I was sensing your distress. I could feel your heart beating fast and the panic swelling up from deep inside you."

"Really? You sensed my feelings?" Allison blinked, taking it all in. "I think it's quite remarkable! I…" Her voice trailed off. So if Rick sensed her earlier panic, then she wondered if he knew how she still felt about him, too. Allison blushed. She hoped not.

She dropped her gaze down to her hands, her stomach fluttering nervously, and then glanced back up at him. "That's quite a unique gift, Rick."

"Yeah, it can be, but not always," he shrugged. "That's why I decided to leave town and never stay too long when I visit. It can be very overwhelming."

"Well, that certainly explains a lot," she replied, recalling their breakup two years earlier. "I'm sorry you're picking up on my bad dreams and all."

"No, don't be sorry. I'm just glad I came in when I did. You were having a nightmare, Allie."

"Yeah, it was pretty bad, I guess." Allison shrugged, and then rose from her seat. "Thanks again for the tea. It's already made me feel better. Sorry to have bothered you," she apologized again.

"No, doc, you're
not
bothering me. Believe me, it's quite the opposite." Rick had risen from his chair and now stood close to her. So close, she could've sworn she heard the thumping of his heart.

Or was it hers?

She gazed deep into his eyes. Allison swallowed hard, attempting to control an overwhelming surge of emotions swirling inside her. "Well, uh, thanks again for uh, looking after me tonight."

He reached out and gently touched her cheek. The warmth of his fingers sent a shiver down her spine and straight to her sex.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you, Allie." His voice was deep and sincere.

"Yeah, I kno—"

Rick wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close. His lips pressed against hers. His lips were as soft as she remembered. He tasted of a delicious combination of
sithech
and all-male need, with a hint of chamomile tea. A split second later, the only thing Allison was aware of was the delicious intensity of his kiss.

His body pressed against hers. Rick's firm muscles flexed beneath his t-shirt as he drew her even closer. It was a heady, wild sensation – one she didn't have the willpower to resist.

Rick must have sensed it too. He reached down and effortlessly scooped her up into his arms. He was carrying her to the stairs which led up to her bedroom. Allison gazed up into his eyes. They shimmered with desire and pure white-hot heat for her.

All for her.

In that moment, she was willing to believe in those old stories of the
sithech
and their soul mates as Rick carried her up the stairs to her room.

* * *

The warmth of her body felt good in his cradled arms. She was soft in all the right places and firm in the rest. And the scent rolling off of her was intoxicating his senses. It was a sensual musk which mingled with a hint of green, moist earth. A scent so familiar to his inner wolf that his libido was responding to its primal call.

He laid her down gently on the bed, and then stepped back as white-hot desire coursed through his body and straight to his cock.

"I want you, Allie," he confessed, while she unfastened her ponytail and sprawled out on the mattress. Her dark hair formed a shimmering halo around her entire head. She smiled up at him in a warm, inviting way, and nodded.

"I want you too," she replied. Lusty approval shone in her eyes while she watched him strip. He discarded one article of clothing at a time, until he stood, naked, before her bed.

Allison scooted over, making room for him beside her on the queen-size bed, and patted the vacant spot. "Come here." Her voice was smooth as silk and tugged at his heart as he climbed onto the mattress and pulled her into his arms again.

The softness of her clothing sent waves of desire over his bared flesh. Rick ran his hands over the sheer material and slid it from her body. Never did he dream that, one day, he'd have the chance to make love to her again

Now, here he was.

Slowly, with her help, he undressed her. He glided the nightgown over her head and dropped it to the floor alongside his discarded clothes. Within a matter of moments, she lay naked on the bed beside him. The scent of her arousal filled his senses, making his cock grow even harder between his legs.

Allison flashed him a knowing smile and reached down between his legs. He drew in a sharp intake of breath as she took his cock and slowly began to stroke him.

"Oh God, you feel good," she purred. Her touch was delicate and warm, sending ripples of lust up his spine. He was doing his best to control his inner wolf. Rick desperately wanted this tender moment to last despite the animalistic lust coursing through every inch of his cock.

"Take it easy, doc," he playfully warned her. "If you keep that up…" his voice trailed off as another heated ripple overcame him. He moaned, closing his eyes and allowing her fingers to continue to caress his stiffened member.

"I haven't done this in a long time." Her voice was soft, yet filled with tenderness.

Rick's eyes popped open. "You mean you haven't…?"

"Nope." She gazed into his eyes. "Not since we broke up."

"Should I…uh, we stop?"

But a smile curled over her kiss-swollen lips and she simply shook her head.

Rick exhaled a sigh of relief and leaned close to kiss her again. Allie opened her mouth and accepted him. His tongue swirled playfully around hers. Hot passion simmered once more in his veins. He wanted her. He desperately wanted her.

* * *

Allison had enjoyed running her hand over his cock while they kissed. Every inch of him responded to her touch, while his dark masculine scent filled her senses.

She moaned into his mouth as a warm hand cupped her breast. The gentleness of his caresses made her insides melt. He played with her breasts, every touch stirring the desire deep inside her. Warmth flowed from her breasts straight to her pussy. And his hands followed the trail, down over her breasts, then tracing over her belly before moving straight down to her moist center.

Allison let out a gasp of delight as his fingers deftly explored the soft, slick folds of her pussy. He continued to explore in slow, gentle strokes until she was panting harder with desire. God, he certainly knew how to turn her on, from his wicked kisses to the gentle caresses of his fingers. Rick knew how to stir every sensitive part of her body.

She spread her legs further and slid her arms around his broad shoulders. She was torn between dragging out their foreplay or just getting down to it. As his fingers continued to stroke her wet slickness, her belly tightened with heated need. Her inner she-wolf began to stir. She wanted him inside her.

"Fuck me, Rick."

* * *

Allison's soft yet ragged plea tugged at Rick's primal instincts. His cock, stiff and ready, gave an involuntary twitch as he positioned himself between her legs. The room hummed with their combined sexual energies.

Deep emotions flooded his senses. Desire. Passion. Lust. He drew a deep breath, then moved his hand from her wet stickiness to his cock and guided it into her. He gave a low, feral growl. Tonight, she was his. All his. His hands clamped down on her hips and he dove into her hot, wet pussy.

Allison rolled her hips up to meet his thrusts, driving him deeper into her body, their mutual heat swelling as their bodies began to move together.