Eternal Moon
By: Shiloh Darke
All rights reserved
Copyright © August 2009, Shiloh Darke
Cover Art Copyright © 2009, Shiloh Darke And Charlotte Holley
Gypsy Shadow Publishing
Manchaca, TX
www.gypsyshadow.com
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.
No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Gypsy Shadow Publishing.
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Praise for Eternal Moon
. . . Eternal Moon was an excellent book! I was actually sad it had to end. The plot was very original, the Eternals reminded me of Highlander in a way and Lillith was a perfect heroine/damsel in distress. I highly recommend this book and will look for more by Shiloh Darke as soon as I close this review.
Reviewed by Valkyrie's Lady at Manic Readers
. . . Eternal Moon is a devastating story that explores just how much special powers can lead to loss and pain. Everyone assumes blessed people are problem-free, but Shiloh Darke demonstrates how with every blessing, there are sacrifices to be made. Darmetheus is a wonderful hero because he is willing to pay the price for his power with unending strength of character. I loved how the sister’s ghost interferes as much as possible to help the hero and heroine prevail and to save the evil brother from a fate worse than death.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
. . . ETERNAL MOON is a thrilling story of good versus evil. Shiloh Darke has taken all the things that go bump in the night and split them into two very distinct and separate groups—good or evil. We have Eternals—the good guys—who range from werewolves to wizards and vampires to the bad guys—Evil—mostly demon spawn. We have Lilith, a very modern woman who has never been able to have a relationship with a man due to her special talents, finding herself falling for Dar.
All in all, an enjoyable read and one I would recommend to all lovers of supernatural creatures.
Reviewed by Chere Gruver
of Paranormal Romance
Dedication
My daughter insisted that I mention her snake in the dedication of this novel because she liked the character Darmetheus so much, she named the ball python after him. While I smile at that, I think the dedication should go more to her.
Kayli Belle, you are one of the best things that ever happened to me and I thank God every day that I was blessed with both you and your brother.
* Prologue *
“This is your fault!" The younger man screamed angrily in the center of the camp. He pointed accusingly at a somewhat older version of himself, who knelt on the ground beside the funeral pyre. "She would still be alive if you hadn't bit her!"
An older version of both of the young men stepped up to them in front of the gathering audience. "Fallon, please. What happened to your sister was simply an accident." He looked away from the accusation in his youngest son's eyes. "Tessah would not want you to do this. Please, for her sake . . . Let this go."
Fallon shook his head, aghast at his father's words. "She was our sister. Maman trusted us to take care of her." His voice was deadly soft, yet trembled with the excess rage it was obvious he felt.
Swinging back to face his brother, who hadn't moved from the ground beside the ashes of his sister, he ignored the sorrow evident on his brother's face. "She loved you, Darmetheus! How could you do this to her?" Anger laced his words. "I shall never forgive you for this! You are the one who should be dead! Not Tessah!"
Turning back, he leveled a hateful stare at his father. "You are no better than he is." He said, waving in Darmetheus' direction. "Her death is on his head! You call him blessed for this wonderful fortune he has been gifted with to become one with the Eternals."
What could almost be described as resentment seeped through each word Fallon spoke. "But I believe he is cursed. And I shall make sure he pays for his sins!"
The elder man shook his head even as his son covered the ground between them and spat at his feet. "And so will you!" With those words hanging between them, Fallon turned and fled the village, leaving the onlookers staring after him in stunned silence.
With Fallon gone, the Gypsy King moved to kneel beside his elder son and placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "You must not take Fallon's words to heart, my son. He is hurting, just as are you." He sighed shakily, his heart burdened with not being able to properly mourn the loss of his daughter because of his middle child's temper. "It will pass."
Darmetheus swiped at the tears coursing down his cheeks. "He's right," he whispered brokenly. "It is my fault Tessah is dead. I should have done something. Anything. Why did I snap at her during the change?" He turned to meet his father's stare. "I would do anything to be able to take it back."
Steeling himself, the King spoke firmly to his eldest son. "You were in your first transition. The change is painful in itself, and we were warned that until it was complete, none should approach you. Tessah knew this as well as anyone else! She chose to ignore it."
Darmetheus shook his head. "Then why couldn't she handle the transition herself? She's my sister. She had the same blood as I. Why was she unable to survive the transformation as I was?"
The King felt his feet give out from under him as he sank down to stare into the bleak expression of his eldest. "My boy, you were chosen. Your entire life, we knew you had been chosen for this honor. It was your fate. Not Tessah's. She had her own path and it did not involve becoming an Eternal."
Darmetheus groaned and turned from the stare of his father. "I wish it were not my fate. Fallon spoke the truth, father. I should be the one lying in the pyre. Not Tessah."
His father grabbed his shoulder, turning him to face him again. "Do not ever let me hear those words pass your lips again. You were chosen for your fate and for all we know, Tessah has served hers. Do not do your sister the dishonor of wishing it changed." His voice was stern and gave no room for argument.
Turning his head, Darmetheus looked away from the pain in his father's expression. He knew the elder man suffered as deeply, if not more so than either he or his brother. To argue would be to simply cause him more pain.
* * * *
Fallon ran until he could no longer see the lights from the encampment. His tears fell freely. He felt bereft and miserable. He had lost not one, but two siblings this day. His brother had accepted a fate that would take him away from the clan. His sister had suffered and died because of his brother's destiny.
Maman had died giving birth to Tessah. Tessah had died when her body couldn't survive the same transition Darmetheus had made just a day before. Darmetheus was a stranger to him now. His life was on a course that would take him away forever.
A wistful resentment filled him. His brother had been chosen to be part of something. He wasn't. He was nothing. His sister was dead. He couldn't even be her protector anymore. He was truly alone. He couldn't go back home now. He felt bereft and alone.
From the depths of the darkness around him he heard the voices for the first time. Sing-song voices with a melancholy tone. "Poor boy! All alone. All alone. Nothing for him waiting at home."
The words surrounded him, as he turned in circles searching for the owners of the voices. "Who's there?" He searched the darkness, looking for some sign of the strangers who had to be hiding somewhere in the woods around him.
"Never find us, never see! For that, one of us you must be!"
The voices seemed not to come from any specific location. He panicked as he searched the trees for some sign of them, yet saw nothing. "Where are you? Why can't I see you?"
A cackling giggle answered him. "Oh, he wants to know!" one chanted softly.
"But he has to agree to become one. He can't see us until he agrees," another answered in a similar pouting tone.
Confused, frightened, and intrigued, Fallon questioned, "Become one of what? What are you?"
Suddenly, he was paralyzed as a cold, invisible arm seemed to surround him. A whisper echoed in his ear. "We can give you what you want. You're jealous because your brother is special?" What felt like bony fingers stroked his face in a caress. "You want revenge against your brother for taking your beloved sister from you? We can give you that."
"All you have to do is join us." The other voice chimed in harmoniously. "Join us! We can give you everything you desire."
Swallowing against his fear, he asked, "W-what m-must I do?"
The second he questioned them, the voices began to surround him. More and more voices joined in. Some of them sounded malevolent. Some, excited. All of them chanted in his ear. "Join us! Join us! Become one of us!" They chanted. "All you have to do is say yes. Say yes! Let us be your brothers! Let us give you your revenge!"
Afraid of them, but wanting to belong to something bigger than himself, he agreed. "Yes! I want my revenge. I don't care the price. Take it! Give me my revenge!"
A deep, evil laugh filled the air. This voice was different. "It isn't quite that easy," the voice answered. "First, you must pay the price. If you are truly ready. I will take your payment now."
Almost desperate for what the voices had promised, he hurried to answer. "I don't care the price! I'll gladly pay it! What must I give?"
That same chuckle. "Not much really." Suddenly, a being unlike any he had ever seen stepped into the clearing before him. As he drew closer, Fallon instinctively tried to step back. The invisible arms that held him seemed to tighten, preventing his attempt to flee.
The creature was not a man, but a gross malformation from what looked like a mixture of a man, a bull, and a bird. He had a human face, blood red skin, grotesque black horns sprouting from his forehead, and a forked tongue from his mouth. In place of hands, he had what looked like talons, and the lower half of his body was covered with sleek black feathers.
Terrified, Fallon tried to jerk free. "What do you want from me?" he cried in his fear.
The man/beast closed the remaining distance between them, "Only what you have already promised me. A little thing really. Withered up as it already is, it shouldn't be worth much to you."
Reaching out, the stranger placed a talon to Fallon's chest and he could smell the burning flesh as he realized for the first time he really hadn't meant to give up anything. Before he could even scream, he felt his world going black. Through his fading consciousness he heard the demons closing words. "You'll get your revenge, Fallon. And all just for the price of your soul!"
* One *
The bike vibrated beneath him as he drove. The wheels turned on the pavement, taking him farther and farther from the place he had called home for nigh a century. He had not planned on leaving―but after so much had happened . . . his friends, Shameer, Colin and their chosen mates had just battled for their very lives against something that he personally still had trouble believing could even be real.
At two hundred, ten pounds; six foot, five inches, Darmetheus was not prone to fear. He'd been a Werewolf the better part of his life; had seen things during that time the history books still couldn't remember correctly and had battled his fair share of evil-doers along the way.
But what he had witnessed that night made his blood run cold.
* * * *
Colin's mate Chelsea had spoken first, saying, "We call on the spirit of the intruder to come from this body. Take form before us, as you truly are," she demanded.
When Shameer's mate Jessica had added a forceful command of her own, saying, "Take substance and be real―whole as you are, separate from the body you possess," Darmetheus had clenched his fists to keep from letting the worry he felt show.
Jasmine had fallen to her knees, red in the face with the strain of resisting the orders she found herself forced to obey. Darmetheus had watched in shock as the demon in control of Jasmine's body pinpointed Jessica with a stare meant to frighten. "You will regret this," she promised. "You are nothing but a weak little fool!"
His worry turned to relief as he saw that Jessica and Chelsea seemed unworried by the demon's threats. Instead, they began their chant. "What was once done, we now undo; give possession of the body back to the soul it belongs to." They watched as Jasmine wriggled harder than ever, still trying to fight the command.
Again in unison they continued, "The spirits of nature demand you to be, solid in your form, true to be seen!"
She let out an agonized howl and Jasmine's body appeared to break in two as the parasite which had controlled her so long was forced to move from inside Jasmine and to stand separate from the human it had controlled.
Tenaryn raised his hand and chanted softly, and in that instant Jasmine's limp form flashed from the circle of imprisonment into the circle of protection. Immediately, Darmetheus moved to them as Tenaryn bent and helped Jasmine into a sitting position.
Darmetheus felt sick at the sight of the demon who had nested inside Jasmine for so long. It bore a resemblance to nothing he had ever seen.
He watched as Jessica glanced from the creature to Jasmine, smiled, and then nodded to Chelsea when they knew Jasmine was alive and safe.
Kneeling beside Jasmine, he put a protective arm around her shoulder as Chelsea stood at the edge of the protective circle and raised her voice, saying, "In the name of the one true Lord, I banish thee from the human realm! You have no more power here! Your victim is freed! Be gone, devil that thee may be! Angels, heed my plea! Take this lost soul far away from humanity!"
He felt anew the fingers of dread close around his heart as the demon had spoken, "You think you have won, and for now that may be true, but only because I am weakened and have not the energy truly to fight you in this battle. Take care, for when you least expect it, we shall meet again, and my brethren shall accompany me."
Darmetheus watched as the demon vanished. He and Tenaryn had sat on either side of Jasmine as she spoke her thanks to the women who had helped to free her. He listened as the gypsy witch spoke to Colin of their son, who had died at the hands of the demon.
When they fell into a kind of awkward silence, Darmetheus had stepped forward then, clearing his throat. "Okay, enough of the sympathies," he scowled. "What she needs is rest." Coming closer to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist, seeing she was still off-balance and weak. "Come, let me show you where you can rest."
* * * *
He'd heard about lower-level demons and their possessing humans. But he had never thought of the actual sway a demon could hold over anyone.
He'd said his good-byes to his friends, watched them drive away in a rental and suddenly felt no desire to remain in the home he had known for so long. It felt somehow dirty to him. Hell, an exorcism had been performed in his lair! Who would want to stay in a place after that?
He had seen Jasmine safely away, with a smile on her face at the excitement of actually being able to have a life to look forward to, free of the demon that had possessed her. He'd offered to stick around and help her get used to the way life was now. But she had sworn that she remembered plenty from what she had been able to see when she had been possessed by the demon.
Tenaryn, the wizard had told her she was now one of them, an Eternal. So she would want for nothing. He had taken her to open an account at the bank, with the understanding that every fifty or so years, she would need to transfer the money into another account, under another name.
Darmetheus rolled his eyes at the idea of a female Eternal. One who existed without a mate. That was a first, one of many he had seen lately.
When his house was completely empty of guests, he'd decided he needed a break. With a sense of resolve, he'd packed a few necessary items in a duffel bag, braided his waist-length blond/brown hair, got on his 1949 Indian Chief Road Master, and driven.
Being a Werewolf, he was not in danger of bursting into flames the way Shameer had been with the onset of the sun. With his black suede jacket and his rather worn blue jeans, he made a rather rough looking character driving down the highway toward a destination as yet unknown to him.
When he left New Mexico, he didn't even spare it a backward glance. The feel of the bike beneath him, he lost himself to the senses of traveling down the highway. He hadn't planned on a specific destination; he wanted only to get away from the harsh reality of his and the other Eternals' existence.
The reality was that even though his friends had found their soul mates, and were happy, trouble would inevitably come along. It always did. One way or another, there was no hope in running. It served no purpose but to delay what would always come.
Yet, here he was, running. Darmetheus grimaced, I'm not running away, he thought smugly. I'm just taking a vacation! Yeah, that was it. A break from the ridiculous situations he continually found himself in. It was the meaning of his existence, wasn't it? Always to be there to fight the things that went bump in the night? It was fitting, he supposed, since he himself was one of the things that bumped.
As he drove, he let his mind wander over all the experiences he'd had in his long, unusual life . . . His memories of his mortal life were few. But to him, they were very precious. He had been the eldest son of the gypsy king's camp. His younger brother Fallon had been his best friend.
But neither of them had ever cared for any as much as they did their baby sister, Tessah. She had always been special to the two of them. Their mother had a difficult labor with her, and had survived only long enough to see her.
Knowing her time was near, she had made her sons swear to keep Tessah safe and happy. Both boys had loved their mother dearly and had taken the promise they made to her seriously. From that moment on, they guarded their new sister protectively. So dedicated were they, she had sometimes even resented the affectionate protection they gave her.
Among the Gypsy people existed an old legend which said every six centuries, a son was chosen. That son would become more than a mere mortal. There had been talk among them all of Darmetheus' life that he would be the next chosen.
The reason for the talk was Darmetheus' unique ability which made him highly valued among his gypsy kin. He was an animal trainer. He worked with the lions and tigers which had adopted his family as their own. The thing which made him special was not what he did, but how he did it. He could talk to them. He heard their thoughts and they in turn could hear and respond to his.
Tessah, as well, had a talent. She had the power to heal the sick and wounded with her hands. Some argued that it was she who would be gifted with the change, not Darmetheus. Sometimes, he wished she had been the one to receive it. She would still be alive if she had.When the change was visited upon him, Tessah tried to take it from him. Their father tried to explain to her what had been given to Darmetheus was not truly a curse, but rather a gift to make him a defender of humans against the dangers they could not see.
Their father tried to make her understand the Lord of man chose certain people with special talents and made them more than average humans. It was an honor to their family for Darmetheus to have been chosen. Tessah refused to listen. Instead, she used her skills to try to take the gift of the Werewolf from her brother when he changed the first time. Confused and afraid, he lost control in his pain and bit her.
When chosen to become one of the Eternals, certain people can give the endowment to another. But many are those who cannot survive such a gift. Tessah was one of the ones who could not survive it. Although her talents of healing were unique and special, it was not in the Father of man's design for her to bear the gift of earthly immortality.
Because of that, Fallon and Darmetheus had watched helpless as Tessah went through the metamorphosis. It drove her mad. Once the change began, he had been helpless to stop her as she began to tear her lycanthrope flesh from her own bones with her newly acquired lupine teeth.
She died before him that night, had bled to death in the shelter of his arms. It was the only time in his Eternal life he had cried. It was also the night he vowed he would never turn another being into what he had become.
His relationship with Fallon had deteriorated after Tessa's death. The younger man grew to hate him with a vengeance. Fallon blamed him for their sister's death. "She would still be alive if not for you! I wish you were the one who had died!"
Fallon fled the village that same night. He and their father had searched for him, but had been unable to find him. Darmetheus hoped to this day wherever his bother had gone, he had found happiness somewhere, even if it had not been with his clan.
As a result of his new Eternal abilities, he lost his ability to communicate with any animal the way he once had. His tigers and lions had withdrawn from him after that. They seemed to sense the predator that grew within him and began to think of him as their enemy. Their rejection of him had been almost as hard for Darmetheus to deal with as the loss of his siblings.
* * * *
Brushing away the unhappy memories when he entered the city limits of Boulder, he focused on his surroundings. It was well past midnight. He felt a strange tingling sensation on the back of his neck. His short hairs were standing on end.
When he stopped at the first traffic light, an eerie sense of foreboding snaked down his spine. This sleepy, not-so-small town felt entirely too quiet. Not a single convenience store was open. Not a single person or animal was in sight. Not a single light burned in any of the stores.
This place was just odd. He had been here before, but he'd never seen anything quite like this. The twenty-four hour Walgreen's was even closed. How was this possible? Why would things be this way here? Something was wrong. Totally wrong. He could smell it.
Pulling his bike over, he turned the engine off and stood. For a moment, he reached with out his senses. He could feel something watching him. Something dark and sinister. Looking around, perplexed, Darmetheus was stunned to recognize the scent of Werewolf. But it wasn't one of his own. This scent was not an Eternal. Instead, it was twisted and malicious.
He sensed more than one of them. And they were bearing down on him. "Oh come on, guys! You don't want to eat on me . . . I'm tough meat. I'll give you indigestion." he muttered, getting ready for a fight.
A split second before they attacked, Darmetheus shifted to his wolf form. Growling, he sprang onto the top of an old beat-up car right before the first creature pounced. Missing him, it turned to glare at him. The wolf sank to his haunches, watching the were-creature with a wary eye.
Darmetheus felt his fur bristle as he was surrounded by at least eight half- human, half-wolf creatures. These things weren't natural. He felt their lust for blood and it made him physically ill. They were demon spawn. And they wanted him dead. He could feel their hatred burning, and it gave him pause. Where did these things come from and what were they all doing here? he wondered as he weighed his chances of winning a fight with them.
He could battle one of them. Maybe, if he was lucky, two, and still stand a chance in hell of surviving. But eight? No way. Time to get the hell out of here! Hesitating only long enough to decide which way to run, he leaped off the top of the car, then took off down the street.
He could feel the beasts gaining on him. His wolf instincts made him run that much faster. Daring a glance behind him, he saw only one beast in pursuit. It was the biggest, ugliest one of all. Great choice of vacation spots, Dar! he thought to himself as he began to turn down streets, moving this way and that.
He hoped to throw the thing off of his scent. No wonder the town is closing up and boarding doors so damn early! He thought as he raced past the edge of town and into the forest that lead into the mountains. . . .
* Two*
"No, Penny. I can't just pick up and leave. I have obligations here." Lilith shifted the phone to her other ear as she finished washing dishes. "Besides, what if what's here follows me there?" She clicked her tongue in reproach.
Her friend wasn't convinced. "Lilith, why would you think kidnappers there would follow you here? I mean this is Texas, for heaven's sake. Unless," Penny paused before speaking again. "Do you think they're targeting you?"
Lilith was silent for a moment as she stood looking out the window into the darkened Colorado forest. How was she supposed to answer that question? Did she think those things were targeting her? She dried her hands on the towel, then reached up to pull her hair out of the haphazard bun she had thrown it into before she'd started dishes. Black hair fell in soft waves down her back.
Chewing her bottom lip, she contemplated how to answer. She didn't dare explain things fully to her friend. Not unless she wanted an irate redhead showing up at her door tomorrow. The less Penny knew about the demon creatures stalking the town, the better.
"No. I don't think they're targeting me," she lied. "I just think that these guys are taking girls that are psychically talented." She shrugged before continuing, "I can easily hide my gift. It isn't very noticeable. I just wouldn't want to lead anyone to you if there were any of them watching me. You know?"
Penny scoffed on the other end. "I don't do my talent openly!"
Lilith chuckled softly at that, "Yeah, but you don't not do it in the privacy of your own home, either." she sighed. "I'm just not willing to take the risk, okay?"
Penny groaned. "Okay, all right. But listen, you have to promise me that you will get your ass out here if matters get worse. Okay? There is safety in numbers. Got it?"
Just as Lilith opened her mouth to answer, she saw a wolf run into the safety of her yard. That wasn't not possible! Surely one of those damn things hadn't found a way through the magical barrier she'd worked so hard to put into place.
Flipping the light switch in the kitchen off, she stood in the darkness weighing her options. A clearing throat on the other end of the phone line reminded her that her friend was still there.
"Penny, I promise, okay? Now let me let you go before we run up the phone bill so much we can't talk again this month! I love you, bye!" As she hung up the phone, she watched the wolf shift into human form before her eyes. When he made for the front door of her cottage, she cursed, running into the hall. Grabbing her shotgun, she prepared herself for whatever was about to take place.
* * * *
Soon he reached what he'd been seeking, an old abandoned cottage. Enough human scents lingered around the old house that maybe it would throw that thing off of his trail. Glancing around, he looked for some sign of the beast. When he found he was indeed alone, he let go of his hold on the wolf's form and became a man.
Moving quickly, he stepped into the cottage he'd known would be here, thankful he'd not forgotten the way. When he closed the door, he heard a shocked intake of breath. He pivoted toward the sound and found a dark-haired woman with startling blue eyes and a rifle aimed at his head. "So, tell me," she spoke slowly. "Did a thief steal your clothes, or did you shed them to become one of those things outside?"
Darmetheus faced her with wide eyes. Raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, he spoke softly. "You are safe, okay? I am not one of those things."
The girl gave an exasperated laugh with a roll of her eyes. "Yeah . . . and I'm Santa Claus' cousin."
Darmetheus couldn't stop himself. "Merry Christmas," he said in a low voice. His eyes never left hers. He could take the gun from her in mere seconds, but that would only alarm her more. So instead, he stood stock still and tried to reason with her. "Come on, think about it. I was riding my bike through town. Those things jumped me and I ran."
The girl stepped out of the shadows and closer to him, giving him a better view of her stunning looks. She was short. No more than five-foot, two with long black hair and eyes that looked like a clear sky in winter. "Really? Then where are your clothes?"
He would have been completely mesmerized by her looks if he hadn't found himself staring down the barrel of her shotgun. Yeah, idiot! Lie your way out of that one! Darmetheus winced at the thought. "I took them off. A piece here, a piece there, trying to scatter my scent."
Indecision seemed to cloud her crystal blue eyes for a moment before she lowered the gun slightly. "You swear to me, you aren't one of those things?"
He nodded. "Yes. I swear. I was just passing through. I would have gone a different way if I'd known there were rabid dogs out and about."
Shivering at the thought, she whispered, "Those things aren't dogs. They aren't even wolves." Lowering her shotgun, she moved to the closet and pulled out a large t-shirt, and a pair of sweats. "This might fit you, I guess."
He caught the clothes she tossed at him and looked at the bright pink t-shirt with disdain. "Do you have anything a little less . . . feminine?"
Snickering, she rolled her eyes for the second time since they'd met. "Not that would fit you, I don't." She said, looking his masculine frame over. "You're huge!" She sat the gun down in the corner and moved to lock the door. "I'm Lilith. My father bought this cottage when I was little. I moved in when all the crazy things started happening in town."
Darmetheus quirked an eyebrow at her. "But, why wouldn't you just stay in town? Isn't it safer there?"
Lilith shook her head. "No. Those things aren't intimidated by locked doors, or silver . . . or much of anything else, for that matter. They'll come right into your home and steal you from your bed. The only people that don't seem to be too bothered are the ones who don't live in town."
He frowned. "Well, that's weird."
She rolled her eyes, "Tell me about it." Walking to the kitchen, she turned the light back on and moved to the sink. She retrieved a kettle and filled it with water before placing it on the stove. "Look, you're welcome to stay the night. In the morning, though, I would get your bike, and get the hell out of here." She shook her head. "You don't want no part of this."
Darmetheus agreed and thanked her. Moving to stand at the window, he peered out. He could feel something malicious, but it was beyond the point of the trees. Almost like it couldn't get through.
"Don't worry." Lilith said softly. "They can't come near the cottage. It's protected."
As he stood there looking out into the night, he noticed the crystal chimes and rune combinations that were hung in specific combinations around the outside of the home. That was odd. No one used that kind of spiritual barrier anymore. It hadn't been used since . . .
Turning to look at her in surprise, he said softly, "You're Druid."
Moving to pour a cup of tea, the woman with ghostly blue eyes raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Now, how would you know that?"
Moving back to the kitchen and taking the tea she offered, Darmetheus said slowly, "Because some of my ancestors were, too. A long time ago."
Lilith shrugged. "I believe once a Druid, always a Druid." She watched him as he moved to sit where she offered, and drank the tea.
"No one practices the old ways anymore." He said softly, shaking his head before drinking the contents of the cup in one swallow.
"My grandmother did," She answered. "And she taught me a lot." The woman shrugged half-heartedly. "I started learning it at such a young age that all my father's protests and insistence that I be raised to be a demure Christian woman that didn't ask questions of the church fell on deaf ears."
Darmetheus opened his mouth to respond to her but instead, closed it again as a wave of dizziness overtook him. His vision blurred, and he shook his head to try to clear it.
"I'm sorry," came the soft voice of the woman that was standing closer to him now. "But I saw you change from the form of the wolf before you approached the cottage. You may not be with them, but you aren't human, either. You'll be okay. You're just going to take a long nap."
He wanted to respond to her. He wanted to assure her she had not needed to drug him in order to protect herself, but he couldn't keep his eyes open, much less form words with a tongue too thick to move. Instead, he felt himself sliding to the floor as everything went black.
Lilith stared at the breathtakingly handsome features of the unconscious man on her floor. She felt bad for tricking him the way she had, but she wasn't about to play games with these things. Her cousin was missing. She knew one of those beasts had taken her, and she wasn't about to take any chances with them.
He might not have looked like they did, but that didn't mean anything. Perhaps some of them had discovered a way to change their mutation?
Moving closer to him, she leaned down and watched him closely. If he was one of them, then he would start to choke soon. She'd made the tea with holy water. Those things couldn't stand it.
She'd noticed the only safety most of the women could find at night if one of those things were after her was in the churches. So, she had collected a few Coca Cola bottles of holy water. She didn't use much of it. Just added a capful of it to the water she'd put on to boil while he had been dressing.
For a few more minutes, she simply watched him, heaving a sigh of relief when nothing happened. "Okay . . . So maybe you weren't lying," she said as she opened her hall closet and pulled out a blanket and pillow.
As she started to close the door, her eyes rested on a set of ankle cuffs she'd gotten from her friend at the sheriff's office. Glancing in his direction, she let a smile come to her lips. Well, it wasn't like he could really blame her, could he? He was all but a stranger in her house.
* * * *
Standing in the clearing, the two men observed the house in silence. One was an older man with deep scars that crisscrossed over every visible inch of his body.
The other appeared younger, and healthy, with an almost animalistic expression on his face and long claw-like nails that were sharp as razors.
The scarred one leaned heavily on his cane in an angry kind of anticipation. When his voice finally broke the silence, it was gruff with bitterness. "You're sure he bore resemblance to me as I once was?"
The other man nodded. "He even had your eyes. Looked just as I remembered you to be when we first met." He looked from the house, back to the other, who was scarred so thoroughly over most of his body. "So, you want us to lure him out?"
The scarred man bowed his head, whispering, "I've waited centuries for this." He chuckled cruelly. "There's no harm in waiting a while longer." With a last look at the cabin, he shrunk back into the darkness. "We will bide our time. For now."
* * * *
When Darmetheus came to, he smelled the scent of fresh coffee and bacon. Closing his eyes, he pressed a hand to his forehead and moaned. Whatever she had dosed him with had knocked him for a loop.
"Ah . . . Sleeping Beauty has awakened." Came the feminine voice from the evening before.
Scowling, Darmetheus pulled the pillow out from under his head and tossed the blanket aside. But when he tried to rise from the floor, he found his leg bound by a set of ankle cuffs attached to a chain about two feet long and connected to a hook in the wall with a combination lock. "What the? . . . Oh Man! You have got to be joking."
She turned to look at him with wide eyes. "When it comes to my life, buddy . . . I never joke!" She shrugged. "I don't even know you. Tell me, would you feel safe sleeping with a stranger in the house with you?"
He narrowed his eyes on her. "I wouldn't have worried too much. Whatever that was you slipped in my tea sent me straight to la-la land." When she turned her back to him, he continued to glare at her backside, which was scantily clad in nothing but a pair of hip hugging shorts.
His jaw slackened after a moment when he realized he was staring at the voluptuous derrière before clearing his throat. "Great!" He muttered, "I'm being held prisoner by Daisy Duke!"
Turning, Lilith raised an eyebrow in his direction. "That wasn't very polite!" She said with feigned innocence. "I happen to like the Dukes of Hazard!"
Darmetheus' green glare turned smoldering. "Polite? Polite!" He growled angrily. "What in the hell do you think you are doing?" His voice died back down to a calmer note at the last. "I've done nothing to you. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I only wanted to get away from those things. For that, you're punishing me?"
Lilith filled two plates with bacon, eggs, and toast, then filled two cups with coffee. All without answering him. He stared after her, growing more confused.
When she came to stand over him, she pulled a key from her pocket. "Here, free yourself. I had no intention of keeping you imprisoned. I only didn't want you murdering me in my sleep, okay?"
Taking the key from her, he used it to free himself before turning back to scowl at her. "You know . . ." he said slowly. "I am not some weakling. If I had really wanted to assault you, what the hell makes you think I would wait 'til you slept? For that matter, what made you think these would protect you?"
Just to prove his point, he turned and yanked the heavy iron chain from the wall, snapping the iron as if it were nothing more than a thin, flimsy necklace.
Lilith's eyes widened and she took a defensive step away from him. She opened her mouth to say something, but he waved off her comment with a flip of his hand. "I have no choice but to take your sweat pants for now, but . . ." He pulled the large t-shirt off and tossed it at her. "I won't be caught dead in that!"
When he turned to stride toward the door, Lilith's mouth went dry as she caught herself staring at his well-muscled torso. Truth was, she had been so afraid at the time, she'd failed to notice just how fantastic a specimen was in her presence. Too bad she wasn't a woman of loose morals. Otherwise, she'd have offered him more than just a place to sleep, she thought to herself before racing to stop him from going out the door.
"Wait! I―" she called almost desperately before she caught herself. "I-I fixed breakfast. Surely, you can stay long enough to have something to eat?" Her eyes held his. Her long black hair fell in waves around her shoulders. It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse her, but something about the way she looked at him stilled his ire.
Turning from her, to the table where the hot coffee sat beckoning, he asked warily, "You aren't drugging me again, are you?"
Lilith laughed. "No." At his questioning look, she added, "I promise." When he still hesitated, she gave him her brightest smile. "Come on. Look, you stay for breakfast and after we eat, I'll go into town and recover your bike, and bring you some clothes too."
With a shrug, Darmetheus nodded. "Okay. I'll stay for breakfast. But I can buy my own clothes, thanks." He went to the table and pulled out a chair.
She thought he was going to sit, but when he looked at her expectantly, she realized he was being a gentleman and holding her chair out for her to join him. With a bemused smile, she moved to sit and whispered, "Thank you."
He inclined his head and smiled. "You're welcome." Sitting down across from her, he added, "Thank you, for fixing me breakfast."
After a few moments of eating in silence, his curiosity got the best of him. "When did those things . . . When did they first start attacking?"
Lilith didn't even look up from her plate. "No one is really certain. They were very quiet-like at first." She sighed. "People just disappeared once every couple of months. Later, the first man's body was found at the edge of the woods." She cast a glance in his direction. "But only men's bodies would turn up. Any of the women that go missing, stay missing."
Darmetheus considered this as he drank the last of his coffee. "And these women . . . what's special about them?"
Lilith gave him a confused stare. "Excuse me?"
He explained, "Demon-wolves only attack people with special talents. They don't want the ones that are normal. "Except maybe for food."
Her fork clattered to the table as she suddenly scooted away from it. "I need to go get you some clothes, so you can be on your way before sunset." She said hurriedly.
Darmetheus arched an eyebrow in her direction, but simply stayed where he was. "Lilith, you know that I'm not what I appear. Although, I will assure you, you have no need to be afraid of. I won't lie about what I am either." He shook his head. "Not when you've seen it with your own eyes."
Turning back to face him, she spoke in a trembling voice, when at last she found the strength to speak. "And what are you?" Her eyes spoke volumes of the fear she was holding inside. He knew she had quite a story to tell him, if she'd only let herself.
Standing, he moved slowly to her side. "Someone who might be able to help. If you can find it inside yourself to trust me."
For a moment, she looked at him and he thought she might be going to tell him everything. Instead, she lowered her head, as if ashamed, stepping away from him. "I can't. I've lost too much already. I have no more trust to offer anyone."
Opening the door, she left him staring after her. "I'll return with some clothes for you. Then, I suggest you get yourself out of town before nightfall. You won't be safe here tonight."
* * * *
Lilith pulled her Dodge extended cab truck up beside the only motorcycle on Main Street. This one had to be his. She could smell his scent on it. Images of the panic he had felt as the beasts had attacked visited her now as she walked up to it.
"I don't know, Lilith. How do you know this guy? What if he stole the bike?" Her friend, Jacob, from the Sheriff's office looked at the bike and whistled low. "It's a beauty! A 1949 Road Master . . . Whew! These suckers are expensive! I mean, they only made―"
Lilith gave Jacob an exasperated look and rolled her eyes. "Look, he didn't steal the bike, okay? I would know if he did."
Jacob nodded. The two had been friends since pre-school. He knew her better than anyone else. He knew she had special senses that others didn't have. Well, the whole town knew that she was . . . different. She could see things other people didn't see. And there was no arguing that she knew things that no one could possibly know.
"Well, if you're sure, Lilly." he spoke the pet name he had called her since they were young. "I guess you can just tow it back to your place." He gave her a sideways glance. "That's where he is, huh?" The crestfallen expression on his face made Jacob look almost miserable.
Sighing, Lilith turned to her old friend and reached out to him. "It's not like that, Jacob. He just got stuck out and when those things came . . . Well, I couldn't very well turn him away, now could I?" She smiled an apologetic smile before adding, "You know I care a lot about you, but I . . . well, we . . ." she stopped when he nodded.
"I know, Lilly. You just don't feel that way about me." He shrugged. He had loved her since tenth grade in high school. But she had never seen him as anything more than a close friend. "Can't blame a guy for wishing, can you?"
Lilith stepped closer to Jacob, giving him a big hug. "You are one of my only friends, Jacob. There will never be anyone to replace you. But, I am not going to run the risk of losing that friendship when you found out I sucked in bed!" She chuckled, and Jacob couldn't help but return her smile.
"Ha, ha! Very funny, Miss smart-ass! Let's hurry up and get this bike out of here." He laughed. "The sooner you get Mr. . . . what was that you called him? Sexier-than-Brad-Pitt-as-Achilles guy out of here, the sooner I can rest easy!"
Lilith returned his smile, but felt sorry for the friend she continually hurt. He had it bad. She knew that. But she just couldn't make herself feel something that wasn't there. After the Motorcycle was loaded into the trailer behind the truck, she moved to the driver side of the car. Jacob followed her, and was grinning until he saw the bag from Wal-Mart.
"Uh . . . Lilly? What did you get at Wal-Mart? That don't look like nothing I want to know about. Did he get his clothes torn off of him, or something?"
Fighting back a laugh, Lilith nodded. "Yes, Jacob." she said as she started the truck, "or something." Before he could comment, she began pulling out onto the street to head back to her house.
Jacob stared after her before yelling in a raised voice, "Well, you didn't see nothin' did ya?" A worried expression came to his face as she just shook her head at him, smiling as she pulled away. "Did ya, Lilly?"
* Three *
A kind of nervous anticipation came over her. She hadn't had the heart to tell Jacob, but Brad Pitt had nothing on this guy. His muscles were bigger, his face was nicer, and his eyes were far more intense. And he had the nicest ass she had ever seen.
Taking a deep breath, she blew it out as a sigh. She never paid much attention to the real life men of the world. She found it far safer to keep a distance from them. That aloofness spared her heart and protected their sanity. Not many men could accept the idea of having a psychic animal whisperer who knew things about people just by looking at them as a girlfriend.
Hell, the truth was that if she could, she wouldn't have anything to do with herself, either. The worst part was that by the time she realized not everyone in the world had the same abilities as her, half of the town already knew all about her special talents.
Indeed, some of them had labeled her a freak for her uncanny abilities. Others wanted to use it for their own purposes. The result had meant a very lonely childhood spent alone with little to no companionship besides that of Jacob and Penny.
* * * *
When she pulled up in front of the cottage she'd come to know as home sweet home, she felt a sadness for the loss of her childhood she had suffered at the hands of the townspeople. Even though she did have friends, there were still those who liked to taunt and be cruel, which was the true reason she'd moved out into the woods.
The peace that permeated everything here helped her to forget the cruelties of those who didn't understand her gifts. She had friends here in the forest who were far kinder than those of the human race.
As though beckoned by her thoughts, the doe and her fawn stepped into the clearing and looked at her expectantly. With a soft smile, Lilith grabbed her bags and got out of the truck.
"Hello, Bethany," she greeted the young mother softly. "How are you and your moppet today?"
The two graceful animals stepped closer to her. Bethany moved to nudge the hand that held the bags, anticipating some special treat. "Okay, okay . . ." Lilith laughed. "Geez, I guess I know what I'm wanted for . . ."
Reaching into the Wal-Mart bag, she pulled out a bag with fresh cut apple and pear slices. The deer took her offering and began eating while resting her head against Lilith's arm in affection. "You're very welcome, Bethany." she said gently while reaching a fresh handful of treats out for the young fawn. He sniffed cautiously at her offering for a moment before beginning to feast greedily on the fresh fruit.
Darmetheus had been standing at the window when Lilith pulled up. When he saw her being greeted by the deer, he did a double take. Exiting the house to stand on the porch, he watched in awe and amazement at the connection she obviously had with the animals.
As though drawn by some invisible force, he found himself closing the gap between them. He knew Lilith was sharing more than a simple connection. "This is amazing . . ." He jumped back as the deer immediately shied away and bolted into the forest away from the newcomer.
Lilith turned from the direction her furry friends had run to where Darmetheus stood and glared at him. "Do you make a habit of sneaking up on wild animals?"
Darmetheus gaze moved from her to where the deer had fled. "I'm sorry. . . I thought . . . Well, but they . . ."
Lilith shook her head. "They accept me only because they recognize that I'm harmless to them." She stepped around him and started into the house, "However, they can smell the predator in you a mile away, I am sure."
Darmetheus straightened his shoulders. "I hardly ever eat deer," he muttered defensively, adding under his breath, "it gives me indigestion. Besides, I used to . . ." He let the words die as he pushed his thoughts of his own past ability to communicate with animals out of his mind.
Looking from her to the bag in her hands, he asked, "Is that for me?"
Lilith looked at the bag, then back at him with a raised eyebrow. "I had to guess what might fit you. I think this'll work."
As he took the bag from her, their fingers brushed slightly and she jerked away as if his touch burned her. He searched her face, curious. "Thank you."
She couldn't help the smile that found its way to her lips. "Think nothing of it. I just hope it fits."
"I'm sure what you chose will be fine," he answered softly before turning and making his way back to the house. She followed behind him, wondering if the wrangler jeans would fit as well as she had imagined they would.
* * * *
It watched them enter the cottage from a secluded spot. Malevolence ruled it's thoughts. Frustration, anger and worse still . . . hunger. The hunger to have the mortal, psychic woman was almost more than it could abide. The natural magic surrounding her called out to it. The smell of her intoxicated it.
But the other was with her. The natural Werewolf was guarding her. It would protect her. It had attacked the natural the night before with its brethren. They'd each known they lacked the strength to kill him alone. But as a group . . .
As a group they could kill him. Destroy the enemy before he had a chance to mate with the female, thus ruining her value to them. They needed her virgin energy before it matured from being mated to one such as this newly arrived enemy.
The beast curled its massive claws into fists, drawing blood from its nearly human hands. It would bide its time and wait. The natural wolf couldn't stay with her forever. It would only be a matter of time.
Of course, the Master had forbidden any interference at this point. He had let his precious fledgling take the chore of trying to secure the woman. The beast growled. Master had forbidden any others to even try for the woman.
Instead, they were to find ways to kill the natural wolf. But it could care less. It wanted the woman. It would have her. One way or another! Perhaps if he could best the wolf, then he'd be gifted the woman?
It looked from where the mortal and her guardian had been, to the direction the deer and its fawn had run. His belly rumbled with hunger as it turned and made its way from the hiding place. Venison wasn't his meat of choice, but it would suffice. . . .
* * * *
When Darmetheus returned from the bathroom wearing the clothes she had bought him, Lilith found herself impressed with how nice he looked. The faded denim jeans were loose fit, but tight enough to show the shape of his posterior. A smile curved her lips as her eyes took in the snug fit of the sleeveless t-shirt she had gotten him.
The logo on it had just been too perfect to resist. Big black letters read, "Too Sexy for just ANY Shirt!" As though he could read her thoughts, he gestured at the shirt and tilted his head. "I suppose there weren't any other shirts available?"