Chapter Twelve

Protection

Renewal

Athair turned to look at her, finally realizing that she had reentered the house and closed the door between them. He couldn't blame her. He was putting her life in jeopardy. He needed to leave and lead them away from her. Yet he needed his full strength to do so safely.

"I am sorry that my presence has placed you in danger. I will lead them away from here."Even if he was unable to go far, he could at least leave enough signs to protect her from the Bear Clan hunters.

"I can't let you do that. You are not strong enough to face them. We need another plan."

He was astonished by her giving nature. That she would help him, someone she barely knew. But then, she didn't know what she faced. Her courage to deal with the unknown was even more surprising.

"What do you know about the ones hunting you?" She opened the door but didn't return to the porch. "Can you tell where they are?"

There are four voices passing information. They are quartering a forest farther to the east looking for signs of my passing. How far are we from where you found me?

"Just a few miles. The road where we picked you up is to the east."

"Then they will find my trail soon, but it will take them some time to follow it on a road to here. The rain will have washed away most of the scent."

"Yes, that's convenient."

"If you plan to help me without getting hurt, you must know more about our abilities. The rain was not simply convenient. We can control the weather. Rath most likely brought the storm to add to the confusion and allow the three of us to escape."

She could have gone a lifetime without learning there were people with the power to control the weather like a stupid TV remote. She glared at him for bringing such bizarre knowledge into her peaceful life.

But she understood that what he planned would amount to sacrifice. It would be his way. He was a predator, but also a protector. The problem was that she was a protector, too.

"I need to have control over my magic. As long as my powers continue to fluctuate, they will act like a beacon to the others. It is only a matter of time until they track me to your door. Probably no more than a few days."

She had to help him. It was like an overwhelming urge to ensure his safety, yet she didn't have a single guess as to how to go about it. "What would your family do to help you?"

There was a long hesitation before he answered. "We use healing ceremonies that may be able to help re-balance my magic. There are also many natural remedies that can help."

"Maybe I can help you with the ceremony. What kinds of natural things do you need? Granny has quite a collection of herbs and such." She stepped back into the kitchen and went to a corner cabinet against the far wall, which held candles, incense, and dried herbs of every kind.

He directed her to take out certain candles and herbs. "If we are going to attempt this, we should use a spacious room."

She led him to the sunken den across from the kitchen. "Will this room do?" He stepped past her with a gentle brush against her side. His thick coat tickled her hand and she ached to sink her fingers into his lush pelt.

"It's perfect."He directed her to set the candles around the room, light them, and sprinkle a mixture of specific ingredients over the candles. As she did so with each candle, he whispered a soft chant into her mind. She sensed it was a protective ward for her. After the third candle, she repeated it with him for the remaining ones. As she added her voice, each candle flared brightly and began to issue scented plumes of smoke.

Both were surprised by that. "Why did that happen?" she asked.

"I don't know. You must have some magic about you, besides your empathy."

"Right." She snorted in disbelief. And just maybe she would use her handy remote tomorrow to insure a sunny day.

"I did not expect this either, but you do have power in your voice. Nothing else explains what you see happening. And perhaps because of those powers, this ritual will have more benefit than I expected."

The room slowly became hazy with the healing candle smoke. Athair continued to direct Hope on how to arrange the furniture. Then he positioned himself in the center of the room. "I will need to meditate for a short while. Will you turn off the lights?"

"Do you want me to leave?" She flipped the switch, leaving the room in the shallow glow of the candles.

"No, please stay. I may need you."

Somehow, those simple words warmed her and made all this craziness make more sense. She settled into the deep cushions of a chair in the corner and watched Athair begin his ritual of healing. The flickering light and soothing scent of candles added an aura of peacefulness to the shadowy room. Athair's heavy wolf body sat statue still with his head up and his eyes closed. He began a rhythmic chant that flowed into her mind.

The ceremony went on and on in an endless cycle. Athair never moved so much as an eyelash, yet the strength of his power built. The room seemed to vibrate with his energy.

Without conscious thought, Hope closed her eyes and joined in the chant. Her quiet voice stumbled over the foreign words at first, until she found the pattern and her voice became steady and certain.

She opened her eyes and saw that Athair was barely visible in his central position. The air surrounding him shimmered and crackled. Like the tides, it poured away from him, and then was pulled back. The candle light over these waves of energy made it appear that the air itself was dancing over him. As the wave patterns intensified, she could no longer see his wolf form at all.

She suddenly felt weak. Wondering if perhaps it was her energy that flowed around him, she closed her eyes and relaxed back into her chair.

Hope quieted as the chant changed. The difference was subtle, and she soon found the words again. The ceremony was beautiful. She hoped that later he would tell her the meaning of the soothing words.

Her eyes flew open in surprise when a deep male voice joined the chant. Athair's voice was soft and smooth, with a strong accent. She had never noticed an accent in his ‘mind voice'. This voice was masculine and tingled across her skin in a peculiar, comforting way.

His voice changed the rhythm of the chant again. Hope fell silent, unable to find the new words. She sat and watched as the energy slowed its tidal motion and seemed to withdraw into Athair. As it did, he became more visible.

He was no longer a wolf.

Athair was a man. A large, very attractive man. He was well over six feet tall, and he stood with his back to her.

And what a back! His hair, which was the same varied brown shade of his former pelt, fell neatly over shoulders that were broad and well-muscled. His back and waist were trim and hard. And the man had a rear that made her suck in her breath in appreciation.

She knew she would pass out if he turned around. Unless of course, he had a face like Marmaduke. Surely not. Well, regardless. That beautiful back left her panting.

A sigh of energy spread out from Athair, then drew back. As it retreated, it seemed to sap the essence from other energy sources within the room. Even the candles went out. The last of the vibrations from the ceremony ceased.

Athair fell to his knees, and then sagged to the floor. Hope wanted to go to him, but she was too limp to do more than reach toward him with one hand and her thoughts. "Athair?"

She felt a soothing presence flow through her, wrapping around like two strong, but gentle arms. He was reassuring her. It was her last thought before sleep overcame her.

Several hours later, she awoke to pain throbbing down her leg. She struggled to stretch out the cramps, and then slowly limped over to Athair. He lay on his side on the floor, with dark shadows cutting across his narrow hips. He was breathing, but deeply asleep despite his uncomfortable position.

She knelt beside him and reached out to shake him awake. Maybe she could move him to the couch with his help. She stopped. Heat poured off his naked skin, hot enough to burn even before her hand touched his shoulder. That couldn't be normal. But then, what was normal for an injured, but recovering werewolf?

Pulling her sleeve down over her hand, she gave his shoulder a slight shake. "Athair, wake up." His only response was a small groan. She tried again, "Wake up. I can't move you without your help." A second shoulder shake produced better results.

His eyes blinked a couple times and he rolled onto his back.

"Oh, my." Hope couldn't believe the view. He had a fabulous body. The sight of him stretched out before her in nothing but his birthday suit made her mouth water. "Nope, not Marmaduke." She mumbled. His face was strong and handsome, while he was still relaxed and barely awake. Despite the temptation, she forced her gaze to stay above his waist.

"Are you okay?" She asked the silly question. He was certainly better than okay. He was downright scrumptious.

"Hope." He said her name and met her gaze. Her mind flooded with his gratitude, his vulnerability, and so much more that she couldn't separate the powerful emotions. The connection between them was so incredibly strong it brought tears to her eyes. So strong it scared her. She immediately pulled back and tried to regain control over her mind.

After several calming breaths, she said, "I wanted to move you to the couch, but your skin is too hot and you're far too heavy." Before she had the chance to continue, she saw his concentration as he attempted to make some internal change.

"I should be able to get to the couch." He started to stand up, but stopped when it left him gasping for breath and shimmering in a strange, daunting way. "Perhaps I will need your assistance," he said with a chagrined, half smile.

Instantly, she was there to help him, pulling his arm over her shoulders so she could support some of his weight. She had expected his skin to burn her even through her light shirt, but he was only warm now. What was burning her was the hard masculine length of his body as Athair leaned against her. She helped him to the couch where he sank into it without a sound. For her own sanity, she gently pushed him horizontal and quickly pulled the afghan from the back of the couch to cover him.

With his most interesting, and obviously interested, parts out of sight, she asked, "Can I get you anything? Maybe a drink?"

She was relieved when he refused with a subtle shake of his head. Now she could escape to bed without worrying about him.

"I will be going to bed then." Alone. That had never bothered her in the past, but now the idea of lying in bed all by herself seemed empty and lonely.

"Good night, Hope." Athair watched her with a tired expression. He seemed to want to say more, but his exhaustion kept him silent.

She felt like she was betraying him by wanting to leave, which was ridiculous. She started to explain, "I need to put ice on my leg and get some rest before morning."

"Come here, closer to me. I can help your leg. You'll need no ice."

She went to the side of the couch, without knowing why. He was too weak to do anything for her. He couldn't even stand up on his own. "I'm okay. You should just rest."

"I can do this. I want to." He placed his hand on her knee. The heat in his hand would have made her pull away, but he wouldn't let her. He held her still with a gentle iron grip. The heat didn't burn but filled her knee and spread through her calf and thigh. After a moment, he dropped his hand and closed his eyes.

Hope suddenly realized he had used the last of his precious healing energy to heal her battered leg. He should have used it to heal himself. Why had he done this?

"What did you do?" Hope whispered. He was very weak now. Maybe he'd already drifted back to sleep.

"I healed your leg… some. I am sorry I could not heal it properly."

"You shouldn't have done that much. You can't see yourself. You're too weak to even use your voice." His beautiful voice.

He did not disagree with her, but he did explain, "I can heal others much more easily than I can heal myself. Don't worry about my health. I only need to rest." He sighed softly and his gray eyes slowly drifted shut.

She felt part of her mind relax with his sigh and realized that part of him was still within her. They were joined in some special way, allowing her to reach out and sense his presence even while he slept. She opened up to the sensation and felt him there, relaxed and content.

His healing heat didn't leave her leg as she had expected. Instead, it spread and evened out to warm her entire body. With the warmth came a tingling sensation that was at the same time relaxing and rather sensual.

Was that Athair's doing? He could do this to her body while he slept? What would he be like awake? Empathic. He had admitted to being able to control emotions. And the weather.

What else could he control?

She needed to put some space between them, to regain control over herself. She turned away from him and started for the door but made it no farther than the hall before she needed to go back to him. To watch over him.

Was this her need, or his? Or maybe both? What had happened to her independent nature?

It was gone, and she didn't miss it all that much.

Athair might need her tonight so she would stay, but not without comfort. First, she locked up the house. Then she went to her bedroom, changed into a long nightshirt, and returned to the living room with a blanket and a pillow. She would spend the rest of the night on the loveseat across from him.

Restlessly, Hope thought about everything that had happened in the last two days. It had been Friday evening when she and Steve had found Athair. He had not awakened until Sunday morning. In a few more hours, she would have to leave him here while she went to work.

How was she going to deal with Steve? He had called her this afternoon about ‘her wolf.' He wanted to come and take a picture of him to see if he had escaped from a zoo or sanctuary. Steve had done some checking around and found that there shouldn't be wolves in west central Pennsylvania. A few coyotes, but no confirmed sightings of wolves. She had put him off by saying she remembered hearing about a wolf release into the Allegheny National forest. Maybe she could convince Steve the wolf was gone. That he had escaped from her.

But then she would have to explain Athair, the man. Maybe Athair would at least show Steve that she didn't need help looking for a man. Then again, what was she going to tell Granny?

On that train of thought, she needed to find Athair some clothes. She had some old sweat-pants that might fit him. And one of her nightshirts, which were mostly just extra-large T-shirts, might work. Anything to cover that body. The thought of that body led her mind in a much naughtier direction, like how she wanted to cross the room and touch him, to feel his strong muscles and run her fingers through his hair. Eventually her thoughts led to wild, exotic dreams.