Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

J ed woke from his sleep with a start. Something was wrong—dreadfully wrong. At first he didn't recognize his surroundings, but as his mind cleared, he realized he was in his room at La Fortezza. His business had been concluded and his father had arranged for the family jet to arrive that afternoon.

He swung his legs off the bed, stood, and walked naked to the window. It was still night, but the pitch black was beginning to lighten. He glanced at the clock on the wall. The sun was just beginning to stir below the horizon—the blue hour of twilight, his mother called it. The sun would creep over the eastern vista in the next twenty minutes or so.

Jed stretched, tilting his head from side to side and bringing one arm across the front of his body level with his shoulders, pulling on his elbow with his other hand. Then he brought each knee up, hugging it to his body. He smiled. One more run in the DeMedici vineyard before heading home would do his body good.

Just before he shifted, he was assailed again with a vague feeling of dread. He stopped his preparations and calculated the time difference; it was nighttime back at Luna de Lobo. He picked up his cell and called his father.

"Jed? Everything okay?" came his father's deep voice.

"I was just going to ask you that."

"What time is it there?"

"It's a little before sunrise. I was going to go for a run, but I have this feeling like something is wrong."

"Wrong? How so?" asked his father.

"I don't know. I woke with a start and then I felt a chill run all through my body. It was kind of spooky, and it happened twice. I wanted to call home and make sure everything was all right there."

"We're all fine. Just finished dinner, and your mother wants me to take her out for a midnight sail."

Jed laughed. "I doubt that sailing is what she has in mind."

"God, I hope you're right," his father agreed in an amused tone. "Do you want me to send the jet tonight? I'm not sure how much earlier it would get there."

"No. If nothing's wrong there, it's probably just the remnants of a bad dream."

"Are you sure? You sound concerned."

"I am, but I have no concrete reason to be. I just woke up with a cold, clammy feeling, and it felt like I need to do something, but I haven't a clue what that could be."

"Has anything happened while you've been there? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, nothing. Well, that's not true. Nothing bad."

"What the hell, Jed?"

"Trust me, Dad. There's nothing bad going on. I'm sorry that I interrupted your plans. I'm happy to be headed home soon. It's beautiful here, but I miss Sonoma. It's kind of weird not being able to hear and smell the ocean."

"You sure you're all right?"

"I am. It was just a bad dream. I'll shift and go for a run to clear the sleep from my brain. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll have everything ready to load soon. I figured I could fly part of the way if the pilot wants to rest."

"Good idea, but why the rush to get home?"

"I told you, I miss the ocean."

"I know you think I'm a doddering old wolf who's getting long in the tooth and whose faculties are decrepit, but I assure you I can still smell a bullshit story from my son."

Jed laughed at his father again. "Yeah, I think the last time I doubted your prowess, you kicked my butt surfing. I promise nothing is wrong, and I'll see you all tomorrow. Give mom my love."

"Will do. I'll also tell her you're hiding something."

Jed groaned. His mother had once been a reporter. Granted, most of her work had been in the areas of food and wine, but she still had a great nose for news. If his mother knew there was something afoot, she'd grill him until she got to the truth. The truth was, he needed to know if Kat had made it Luna de Lobo. If so, there was no reason to go to New Orleans. If not, he could fly to the Crescent City instead. Every instinct in him said to wait to claim her until he had the advantage of being on his home turf—he had a feeling that he'd need every possible advantage to bring Katarina Marino to heel.

K at woke to the sun streaming through the antique glass and ornate ironwork of the French doors that led outside to the balcony. Yesterday had been disquieting, to say the least. Skylar and Travis were focused on the soft opening of Loup de Mer, so Kat had enjoyed some time on her own to explore the city. That evening she had returned to the park where she'd gone for a run the first day and walked the path that she must have run the night before.

As she approached the top of the ridge, a feeling of ice seemed to permeate her system. It was a sunny day—hot and humid—and yet she was chilled to the bone. The closer she got to the top, the more disoriented and nauseous she became. Her heart pounded within her chest.

The snapping of a twig alerted her that something lurked under the bushes. Kat growled low and a swamp rabbit darted out and ran up the path. Kat removed her clothes, shifted, and was after it in an instant. She ran the terrified creature down, hearing the blood pumping through its veins as it tried to escape. She caught it, ripped its throat open, and lapped up its blood. When she finished, she shifted back, her wolf retreating of its own accord in the same way it had rushed to the fore to go after the helpless prey.

Looking down at the lifeless rabbit, she staggered over to the bushes and vomited, her stomach rejecting the offering. Offering? She wiped her mouth with her hand and retrieved the carcass, flinging it over the side of the cliff, hoping some other animal would derive sustenance from its senseless death. She stumbled back down to where she'd left her clothes, redressed, and barely made it back to the garbage can by the SUV before having to empty her belly a second time.

What the hell had happened? She'd never run down an animal that way in her entire life. Drinking its blood? Allowing the meat to rot? If the wolf in her had not receded, the poor thing might have died for no reason. She'd never eaten raw meat, but then she'd never hunted as a wolf either. She got in the vehicle, turned over the engine and kicked the air conditioning up to its highest setting. Try as she might, Kat couldn't seem to forget the smell and taste of blood and the feeling of elation as she'd torn the rabbit's throat out and its life drained away.

Trying to shake off the memory of the day before, Kat went into the bath to shower. She stood under the warm water longer than necessary, but still couldn't seem to cleanse or soothe her itchy, irritated skin. When she got out, she examined herself in the mirror but found no red patches, scratches, or anything amiss. Nonetheless, the feeling that something was off remained.

Mariah, the daughter of Oliver and Roz Halsey, was flying in today. Mariah was an artist, a free spirit. She worked in iron and other metals and her favorite sculping tool was a blow torch. It would be good to see her again.

Skylar had taken the day off work and was going to pick Mariah up and then head back to the loft. Travis was in the last throes of preparing for the soft opening tonight. Kat was to meet them at the loft for lunch and she and Mariah would either pitch in at the restaurant or get kicked out until the actual opening. There was to be a jazz quartet playing live, and employees would be put through their paces with pack members from Galveston and New Orleans as their first customers.

Kat looked at her watch. She might just have time to see MawMaw Chantal before meeting everyone at the loft. She was fairly sure if she could get to the Tremé neighborhood, she would be able to find the house. Luckily, directions from the French Quarter to Tremé were easily available and Kat left the townhouse to visit the old woman. If she'd had MawMaw's number, she would have called, instead Kat decided to see just how true the tales of Southern hospitality were.

She found her way easily and stood at the gate to the yard telling herself she was being foolish. Did she truly believe the old woman had some sort of gift? Could see into the future? Could discern evil? Kat knew something was happening to her, she could feel it; but if the old woman confirmed it, then what?

The door opened and a woman who was most likely Chantal's daughter stepped out onto the front porch. "You're Katarina, Skylar's friend, aren't you?"

Kat nodded. "I am. I'm so sorry to show up without calling, but I didn't have your number."

"That's all right. My mother's been expecting you. Come on up to the porch. You can sit for a bit and have some sweet tea."

Kat stood outside the gate, trying to suppress an overpowering compulsion to retreat… to run… to escape.

"I… I think I've made a mistake. Please forgive my intrusion," said Kat as she turned and fled.

" W ho was that?" asked Chantal as she walked out on the front porch.

"It was the wolf-child's friend."

Chantal laughed softly. "She too is a wolf-child. One who has come a long way and one who has, I fear, a dark journey ahead."

"She said she came to see you and then when I invited her in, she turned and fled."

Chantal shook her head. "It knew better than to enter here."

"It?"

"I fear the Darkness has risen and found its new host."

"Shouldn't you tell them?"

"They will find out soon enough. It is not for me to meddle in the affairs of wolves. That's a good way to bring the evil of the Darkness down upon us. I must protect those of our family first. The wolves are far better equipped to deal with this. Besides, if they need my help or counsel, all they have to do is ask."

"I thought Calista was your friend," said Chantal's daughter.

"She was, but she is gone. Jean-Michel is a benevolent soul and respects the ways and traditions of our people, but that is not always the case with wolves or humans. It is best not to reveal all we know if it exposes our vulnerability."

"But she came here for help."

"And was not ready to acknowledge what had happened or that one not of her kind might be able to help. Even if she had been, I'm not sure I could have driven the Darkness from her body. If I was successful, it would have sought another host. I was not about to offer up myself or those I hold dear to its evil."