Sanctuary Killer: Home

Chapter Fourteen – Fear of the Water

I decide since I can’t call the club to see if any of the staff knows who I was mugging down with last night, maybe I should go for a run to clear my head. I start jogging down the pathway, when suddenly I feel as though someone has punched me in my solar plexus, knocking the wind out of me. I drop to my knees and look up just in time to see a woman with red hair tied-up on top of her head, fleeing the pack-house. I watch as an explosion of cloth flies outward and watch as she shifts into wolf form mid-stride. I’ve seen transformations on more than several occasions but never anything as quickly as that. It was basically one big poof. I can only hope that once I’m turned, I will learn to transform that quickly. I know the transformation has something to do with the amount of magic an individual may carry. Whoever that girl is… she is loaded with it.

Like some ancient call, before I even know what has hit me, I take off running after her. I can’t explain why but I feel this pull to follow her. It’s like she’s a magnet drawing me to her. My speed is being fueled by this unnatural desire to catch her. I must be going crazy running after a she-wolf. Riese and the others have told me how dangerous it can be if the wolf male or female isn’t familiar with the human.

I watch her run faster and faster. She is built strong but lean, not heavy and over muscular like some she-wolves I’ve seen. Not that I’ve seen that many. Her coat is the color of a pennies with a hint of black at the tips and her underbelly looks like it has a white patch. I only caught a glimpse of her eyes but they looked like two deep blue aquamarines flashing in the sunlight. Just for a moment, the she-wolf reminded me of the woman I haven’t stopped thinking about all day. I can feel my heart skip-a-beat thinking maybe they are one in the same, but I quickly tell myself that’s impossible.

I am amazed at how fast and agile she is, jumping over downed tree limbs and logs, bounding through bramble bushes with ease. I find it hard to keep up with her and I soon lose her, but continued to follow her trail for quite some distance.

Suddenly the trail stops at a fork in the pathway. One fork leads up a large hill and the other leads downwards, through a grove of trees. I look at the ground for her tracks but don’t find any. I head towards the trees and rest before heading back towards the pack-house. I walk for several minutes before I find a stream. I can tell it’s from a natural spring by the look and smell of the water. I know the mouth isn’t too far away. I bend down and take a few sips letting the cool water quench my thirst.

I decide to follow the small stream to the main water source, hoping maybe the she-wolf would be there as well. Not that I know what I would say to her in the first place. Hi. Um. Sorry, I know you don’t know me but I saw you take off from the pack-house and for some reason decided to follow you. Yeah. That will most likely get me head ripped off. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to be chasing this wolf after all. Besides, really the only woman I want is the sweet angel I met last night.

I continue walking on the path through the trees aimlessly as I keep replaying the events from last night over and over in my head. I probably ruined any chance of ever being with her by not even saying goodbye.

Suddenly the trees open into a clearing with a large pond flanked by tall grass. At the other end of the clearing is a man-made waterfall that pours into the pond. I realize this must be where the natural spring starts.

I sit down under a tree and watch the water fall into the pond. The sound of the water soothing my nerves. A few minutes later, I see the she-wolf jump off the waterfall, shifting into human form midway in the air. My breath is taken away by the mere beauty and grace of it.

At this point I don’t know what to do. I’m almost embarrassed to admit I followed her and as much as I like the idea of watching her I feel like some sort of peeping tom and that doesn’t sit well with me.

Just as I am about to leave, she emerges from the depths of the water She swims to were the water is shallower and starts walking out of the water. Instantly I can’t breathe. I can’t believe it’s her.

She is the most exquisite creature I have ever seen. She is perfect. Her waist length hair looks like fire cascading down her body. Her eyes flashing silver in the sunlight. Her body breathtaking. Her lips I just tasted last night, begging me to come kiss them again. I watch as rivulets of water roll off her shoulders and onto her two perfect breasts. Her nipples like two little candy prizes waiting to be licked. I close my eyes and groan just thinking about how she tasted last night. I notice that there is a large hickey-like bruise on her shoulder. Did I do that to her?

I open my eyes to see her looking in my direction. I hold my breath hoping she hasn’t caught me watching her. She continues walking towards me. I don’t think she realizes I’m here or she would have said something by now. I know I should leave but I can’t move. She has me completely captivated and under her spell.

I gaze at her flat stomach and curvy hips, just imagining what she would look like with our child growing inside of her. Her mound covered in the same fiery hair only slightly darker. I can’t help but wonder what treasure is hidden beneath.

Wait. Did I just imagine her carrying my child? I did. I know she’s a werewolf but would she even except me once I turn? Does she even feel the same way about me? Oh my god… I can’t breathe. How is it that she is even here? Maybe Riese or Sophie will know who she is.

I watch as she turns her back to me as if she is showing me her perfect ass. She bends over as she squeezes water out of her long hair and picks up something. The sight undoes me completely. For once I'm thankful I’m still human. Because I know if I had a wolf, I wouldn’t be able to restrain him. I can barely handle myself. My body is making it very clear what my intentions are.

My mind wonders as I think about taking her in my arms and making love to her right here on the grass. I can still taste her sweet lips and feel the weight of her body pressed against mine. No one has ever turned me on as much as she does. As soon as I saw her last night, alone of the dance floor, I was drawn to her. She had already slipped inside my heart and mind.

I watch her as she sits down on the sand, part of my view now blocked by tall grass. The wind is blowing in my direction so every so often it sounds like she is talking to herself. Only now do I realize she is speaking to some unseen spirit and I can hear her crying with tears running down her cheeks, as they did last night. I want nothing more than to comfort her and make her pain go away. What haunts her so, that makes her so sad. My heart aches thinking about her being unhappy.

Suddenly she lets out a blood curdling scream. Just as I am about to jump up and run to her, I catch the flash of a silver blade balanced in her hand. I watch her stand there shouting at me, “Don’t you realize how much I hate you. You left me without saying goodbye. We’ll never be together again no matter what. Just stop haunting me and leave me the fuck alone already.”

I feel completely and utterly crushed. Just then the silver knife flies past my head, embedding into the tree behind me. I sit there and watch as she jumps and shifts into her wolf form so gracefully. She quickly runs through the trees in the direction of the pack-house leaving me reeling from her declaration of hating me. I haven’t cried since I was a little boy when my father told me it was my fault my mother was dead. But now, I can’t hold back the tears.

After several minutes, I compose myself. As I stand-up, I remove the knife from the tree, noticing it missed my head my by mere inches. There is no doubt in my mind that she meant to miss me. I quickly slide it into my boot. I turn to leave and catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I look and see the wind is blowing a piece of paper across the grass. I quickly run to retrieve it, thinking she dropped it by mistake. I notice small teeth marks in the paper, where she must have carried it in her mouth all the way here.

I know I shouldn’t but I unfold the crumbled paper and being to read it. I get no farther than the first sentence and realize, I am in love with Lady Raelynne Wallace, daughter of Kieran Wallace, sister of Fenris Wallace my former commander. The same woman whose father I just yesterday swore an oath to that once I am turned, I will dedicate my life to protecting her. The same woman I want to spend the rest of my life trying to make happy. The same woman I haven’t been able to get out of my head since I met her. The same woman whose thigh Winston licked.

I can’t believe that jackass hit her. I picture him holding her down and licking her thigh, violating her like that. He shouldn’t touch what’s mine. All I can feel is anger. I want to tear his heart out for hurting her.

I start running back to the pack-house so I can put him in his place and then hopefully explain to Raelynne why I left last night without saying goodbye, without even getting her name. I have to try and make her understand. Raelynne. God her name even her name is beautiful and Riese is right, she is the most beautiful creature the goddess ever made.