Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (44 page)

Book
4
– WAKING UP DEAD

Waking Up Dead

(The Western Werewolf
Legend Book 2)

By Catherine Wolffe

Copyright 2013 Catherine
Wolffe

All rights reserved

Discover
other titles by Catherine Wolffe at
www.catherinewolffe.com
.

Cover design by Ally Thomas

Adult Content

In order to protect minors from
viewing inappropriate material, please know that this book may
contain language, situations or images inappropriate for children
under 18 years of age.

Other Books by Catherine
Wolffe

Comanche Haven – Free
Sample

Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: #
1)

The Lady in the Mist (A Werewolf’s
Tale) – Free Sample

The Lady in the Mist (The Western
Werewolf Legend #1)

A Dance in Time (J.T. Leighton, Time
Traveler #1)

Table of
Contents

Chapter 1
The
Yankees

Chapter
2
Belief

Chapter 3
For the Sake of
Brothers in Arms

Chapter
4
The Journey
Begins

Chapter 5
Challenges

Chapter 6
Responsibilities

Chapter
7
Control

Chapter 8
Close
Quarters

Chapter
9
The Dead
Live

Chapter
10
Rescue

Chapter 11
Celebration

Waking Up Dead

(The Western Werewolf
Legend Book 2)

Chapter 1

The Yankees

“
You’ll be fine. The old witch, Hortence is with
you,” Ty said. The devil may care twinkle danced in his eyes as he
searched Sonja’s face. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be careful.” He
paused, taking her face in his hands.

The warm blue of his eyes always
mesmerized her.

“
This is something I have
to do, Nymph. Do you understand?” He traced the dimple in her
cheek.

She’d nodded. Lying to the man she
loved seemed wrong, but how could she tell him of her fears when
his own determination was so strong?

The moon glowed through the window
bathing the room in a ureteral light. His face lay in shadowy
planes on the pillow next to hers. With one strong hand, Ty pulled
her close and tugged at the hem of her gown. “I told you I liked
you naked when you come to bed. Why do you insist on wearing
anything?”

“
It’s cold. I’m cold. Hold
me, Ty.” The truth remained that the entire world stopped when he
held her. His heart beating inside his chest gave her strength
despite her woes.

“
Then let me warm you as I
want to do.” With a wicked wolf’s gleam in his eyes, Ty pulled her
close fitting her near his arousal. “You do this to me. I can’t
help the need that blocks everything else in its path when you’re
close to me. Push reality’s concerns out of your mind and let me
make love to you, Nymph. Time is short and I would have you spend
it on more lusty pursuits than concerning yourself with my
leaving.” The low growl in his throat spoke of heat and
craving.

Sonja closed her eyes and breathed in
his scent, all male and fervid wolf. The vaguely musty aroma of
male passion wrapped around her shutting out all else except the
hunger for Ty to fill her and give her what she craved.

His hands traced her breasts before
centering their attention on her rosy peaks. Dropping to suck one
areola into a hard crest of desire, Ty moaned sending a delicious
shiver up her spine as her core tightened with each tug of his
mouth.

She arched her hips to meet his, her
sex rubbing provocatively against his erection. “Please Ty, make
love to me. Now, I want you in me,” she pleaded. Impatience rippled
along her nerve endings and played havoc with her emotions. The
battle to remain in control wavered with each assault of his mouth
on her flesh. His tongue traveled to her belly making the muscles
in her center spasm. No amount of concentration on her part could
keep the desire from rising in her. Wrapping her arms around the
wide expanse of his shoulders, Sonja gripped his slim hips with her
legs drawing him further down between her thighs. Her head fell
back on a soft exhale of breath. Ty wasted no time in driving
deeper.

“
You’re the most beautiful
woman I’ve ever known. Your desire is unlike anything I’ve ever
experienced. I want to stay right here with you wrapped in your
arms and buried deep in you forever. Don’t ever consider leaving
me. I couldn’t take the pain.” His words were a husky
threat.

“
Don’t even consider the
possibility. I love you, Ty. I’m not going anywhere.” She feathered
wet kisses over his face, marking every spot with love. “I never
thought I’d find someone like you, especially,,,”

“
Shuuu, don’t speak of it.
Just kiss me and let me show you what you mean to me.” With his
simple words, he warmed her from the inside out. The stroke of his
male pride grew forceful and urgent as he claimed her for his
own.

She’d never felt the kind of bliss she
found in his touch. Sonja moved in rhythm with him urging him to
forge their bodies into one. Her body was on fire and he held the
torch of her desire.

“
Your need shows in your
eyes, when you make love. I watch your mind relax and feel your
body take over. How can I hold back when you look at me that way,
Nymph?” Ahhh! Ty threw his head back as the sensation raced through
him.

Like a Greek god, he rose up and
thrust himself once more into her, filling her to the
hilt.

Sonja bowed up and wrapped her arms
tightly around his neck as she rode passion’s completion with her
mate.

***

The morning song of the birds, the
woods’ sounds as the forest awoke to a new day all disappeared with
his embrace. Even the bite of the early spring chill waned and her
blood warmed with his touch. He did that and so much more to her
and yet, she couldn’t share her fears with him.

Everything in her world was perfect
when she’d awoke a little over an hour before. The light filtering
through the leaded glass window of her small bedroom had danced in
a jagged pattern across the quilt. She’d lain resting on his
shoulder, his warmth enveloping her as he slumbered. Remembering
their lovemaking the night before, she shifted to an elbow and
watched him sleep. His features always softened with rest and he
looked younger, more innocent as he lay with one arm flung out, his
face turned toward her. Those long, thick lashes splayed over
sun-kissed skin. Heavens, the man was something to look at, all
that dark hair mussed with sleep, his chin so strong and those
eyes, as blue as the sky, could open at any moment and heat with
the slightest touch from her. The memory stirred the slow simmering
fire she enjoyed deep in her core whenever her lover was near. She
wanted him to stay with her. The Confederate lieutenant wouldn’t,
couldn’t stay. She leaned close and brushed a fingertip across the
swell of his cheekbone. His Choctaw blood, so evident in his
profile called to her in a primitive way. She whispered a prayer to
the gods for his safe return and with her fingers shifted his jaw
to face her.

His eyes fluttered open. The groggy
smile he gave her filled her for a moment. Only he could do that to
her and she tucked the sight of him stirring from sleep to her
memory for safekeeping. Kissing him softly, she laid her head next
to his as she watched him.

“
What time is it?” His
voice was thick with the dregs of rest.

“
Five o’clock.” Unable to
ask the question she wanted to ask, Sonja nuzzled his neck and
breathed him in. “Did you sleep well?”

“
Yes, I always sleep well
with you beside me, Nymph.” He pushed back and looked into her
face. How are you this morning?”

Sonja understood the meaning of his
question. “Somewhat resolved.”

Ty’s face broke into a wicked grin.
“Perhaps, I can convince you of my plan with more than words,
hum?”

She shoved playfully at his shoulder.
“Don’t tease me so, Tyler. This is serious. Something could happen
to you, alone, out there.” Sonja didn’t want to spend the last bit
of time she had arguing with him so she pulled him close and
burrowed into his neck. Giving his collarbone her undivided
attention, she smiled when he growled low in his chest and
reciprocated with nips along her shoulder and upper arm. He threw
his long, lean leg over her thigh drawing her close. His erection
strained against her stomach as she moved to meld their bodies
together. He wasted no time in clamping his large hand across her
ass and urging her to focus on his cock, warm and hard against her
stomach.

Sonja’s thoughts disappeared with the
feel of him against her, stiff and wanting her so badly. “My man
wants me, I wager. You’re going to miss me when you leave. All the
more reason, I should go along.”

“
Shhh. Don’t talk, Nymph,
just let me pleasure you.” He rose up and hovered over her for a
moment before spreading her legs with his knee. Slipping two
fingers into her wet heat, she stroked her slowly at first and then
with more force as she went liquid under his touch. “I can never
imagine being without you for long. Never worry that I won’t return
as soon as possible.” With the vow, he lowered himself to her and
slid inside, gliding and filling her completely with his fiery
need.

***

Sonja lingered in the kitchen as Ty
prepared to depart. After defeating the vampires in a battle to end
all others, she and Tyler had made plans to leave Pennsylvania and
travel to his father’s place in Texas. Of course, the discovery of
his men changed their plans. They’d been taken as prisoners of war
in a nearby compound. Sonja had pleaded with him to let her go
along. He’d refused. She hated the ever present worry that crept up
between them.

“
One so newly turned needs
time to hone his skills,” she told him and cringed with the
words.

“
We don’t have the luxury
of time.” Ty’s face was a mask of duty and dedication to his fallen
comrades.

Without
pausing, he continued by pointing out an obvious responsibility she
hadn’t wanted to consider. “
One
doesn’t desert his friends without at least
attempting to save them from the evil in these woods. You of all
people should understand, Sonja.”

His words stung. She fisted her hands
together. How dare he remind her of the werewolf he’d become
because of her actions. Hadn’t she saved him without consideration
of her own discovery that night in the swamp? Of course, she
wouldn’t have left him to die in the mist shrouded battlefield that
dreadful night anyway, but being reminded of his sacrifice, his
becoming a werewolf because she was the one to help him, weighed
heavily on her heart.

Resolute, she laid a hand on his arm
and tried for peace. After all, those men were his friends. “Please
be careful.” Her words had been simply stated but held such
emotion.

***

The cold air of March, 1864 whipped
around the corner of the cabin and tugged at Sonja’s long robe. She
gritted her teeth not only against the cold but against Ty’s
decision.

“
Are we ready to go?” Tyler
glanced at Abram Clemons and got a nod in response. The Confederate
private who’d appeared on Hortence’s front steps had shared
information Ty found useful. With Abram as a scout, they’d leave to
seek out a Union prisoner-of-war camp, not far from Spotsylvania
where his men were being held.