The Wolf Prince

CHAPTER 15

Jennifer breezed into Darcy’s room, plopping down on her bed. “I think Peter might be falling in love with Annette.”

Darcy stepped from the bathroom. “That’s what I’ve thought, but I wasn’t sure.” She sat in an overstuffed maroon chair, curling her feet under her.

“He tried to be subtle, but he mentioned her name more than once. When I asked him if he liked her, he clammed up.”

“He’s afraid.”

“Of Annette?”

Darcy shook her head. “His father.”

Jennifer nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. If Peter falls in love with the wrong woman, his father will cut him off quicker than he can say ‘trust fund baby.’”

“I feel so sorry for him. He’s always been under his father’s thumb. I heard his father telling Peter once that he had no head for business, and that he would have to resign himself to living off his inheritance.”

“He’s an ass.” Jennifer curled her lip.

“And Peter is really smart. He’s just never been given a chance to be anything more than a playboy.”

“Maybe Annette can change all that.”

“I hope so.”

“Peter’s going to the party dressed as a dragon. Annette has to be a princess. Every fairy tale I’ve read with a dragon in it always had a princess who needed saving. Except Peter is the one who needs saving.”

“Then Annette has to be like no princess Peter has ever seen,” Darcy said. “She has to be dark and mysterious.”

“Did you know the guest list is already over two hundred and that isn’t counting people who tag along?”

Great. Surely someone would know Surlock.

Jennifer hugged a pillow. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

“I spoke to my mother.”

Her eyebrows rose. “And?”

“And my parents will be here next week.”

“And you still think Surlock has amnesia?” Jennifer asked.

Darcy squared her shoulders. “I know he does.”

“Then you’d better find out exactly who he is before your mother and father arrive.”

Darcy had been thinking the same thing.

Jennifer yawned. “Okay, I’m outta here. If we’re going to make this party outstanding, then I need my sleep.” She frowned. “I told Peter if he wants me to help him in the future, I need at least two months notice or he’s on his own. No more of these last minute, thrown-together affairs.” She sauntered from the room.

Darcy was tired, too. Lying to her mother had been pretty stressful. What if she suspected her daughter was lying and showed up early? After all, she’d known who’d broken the glass. No, Darcy had covered her tracks by telling her mother that Jennifer was staying here.

It did bother her that she might not know who Surlock was by the time her parents arrived. As much as they loved her, they wouldn’t let Surlock continue to stay in the guest house without knowing more about him. She couldn’t bear it if he wasn’t nearby.

She snuggled down in the bed, but no matter how many times she changed positions, it was still uncomfortable. She tossed and turned until she was afraid she was going to have sheet burns. Finally, she threw back the cover and rolled out of bed.

She went to the French doors and opened them wide, letting the cool night breeze ruffle her hair as she stepped to the balcony. Her gaze moved to the guest house. It took her a few minutes to realize that the shadow beside it moved. Excitement spread through her when Surlock stepped into the open, completely naked. The man had a serious problem with clothes, she thought as she drank in the sight of him. She liked the idea he was a nudist at heart.

Had she sensed he couldn’t sleep, either? When he held out his hand toward her, she didn’t hesitate. She went back inside, slipping out of her room, and down the stairs, then out the back door. She ran across the stones and flung her arms around his neck.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she whispered.

“Nor I when all I could think about is mating with you, feeling your naked body pressed against mine.”

He took her hand, a wicked smile curving his lips, and pulled her along with him, past the bushes and trees that surrounded the outer edges of the pool. He stopped, facing her, then slowly and deliberately, he took the hem of her white satin gown and pulled it over her head.

Darcy glanced around, shielding herself. But it was late, and no one would be up. Tilting her chin rebelliously, she moved her hands away from her body. If he could run around naked, so could she.

He laughed lightly, then grabbed her hand as they ran through the lush green grass. She joined in, laughing as well. She had never felt so free in her life. They raised their hands to the moon. Energy flowed through her. Did he feel it, too?

She inhaled the fragrance of the night—the four o’clocks that bloomed after the sun went down. Their sweet aroma filled the night air. Crickets serenaded them as the wind gently caressed their bodies like a lover’s touch. She felt like a child discovering something for the very first time.

When they stopped, both of them were out of breath. She dropped to the grass, and he followed. She lay on her back, Surlock on his side.

“It’s beautiful out here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. As if the night washes everything clean. Do you feel it, too?”

He nodded, tracing his finger around one areola. “I feel as though the moon gives me strength.”

She sucked in a deep breath when he dragged his finger across her nipple. A throbbing ache of need weaved its way down her body, settling at the juncture of her legs. She moved to her side, seeing the desire flare in his eyes when she reached down and touched him, lightly stroking her fingernails over his erection. He sucked air when she wrapped her hand around him and slowly slid down his foreskin, then brought it back up.

He closed his eyes and groaned.

“Are you in pain?” she asked with every pretense of innocence that she could muster.

He opened his eyes and growled.

She laughed.

He suddenly grew serious. “I crave your touch, the way you make me feel,” he said. Then he was reaching for her, stroking his fingers through her curls, slipping a finger inside her wet heat.

She gasped, arching toward him. The stars above her blurred and became one shining orb. When he stopped, she gasped for air, trying to fill her starved lungs.

Surlock rolled to his back, pulling her on top of him. She moved so that he slipped inside her. Exquisite pleasure rolled off her in waves. When her body had adjusted to his size, she slowly raised herself until she looked into his eyes. His eyes looked golden in the light of the moon and the star-filled sky. She doubted she would ever tire of staring at this man, or feeling him inside her, stroking her.

“You’re a temptress,” he said, his hands moving from her hips up to cup her breasts. He squeezed and fondled them until every nerve in her body felt raw with the need for more. She didn’t want any of this to stop. Darcy wanted to continue feeling like this forever.

“I need you now, Darcy,” he whispered. He slid his hands behind her, cupping her bottom, increasing the motion between them, grinding his hips against her.

Her body was on fire. Faster and faster they moved together, each reaching higher and higher. And then the stars exploded all around them. Her body jerked, tightened. He tensed, then growled. She hadn’t thought making love with Surlock could get any better, but it could, and it had. Stardust had glittered down on them, filling her world with everything beautiful. She’d never felt so much peace, so much—

“Darcy,” he suddenly cried.

“Hmm?” She glanced at him. Her heart skipped a beat when she caught his expression of pain. “Ohmygod, we don’t have your eardrops!”

“No,” he gasped. “Different this time. Can’t stop it.” He opened his eyes, holding his head.

Fear swept over her. She slid off him, jumping to her feet. “Surlock, we need to get you back to the house. Take my hand.” She held her hand out to help him up.

He shook his head. “Too late. Run! Leave me! I don’t want to harm you.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Dammit, I won’t run away and leave you to suffer alone. Now let me help you back to the house!” If she had to, she would wake the whole house to help her get him home.

He moved his hands away from his face and she was suddenly staring into the eyes of the wolf again, except this time, Surlock’s face was hairy. He bared his teeth, then growled from deep in his throat. Shivers of fear wracked her, suffocating her.

She stumbled back, almost falling. Surlock growled again, a demonic sound that sent cold chills down her spine. A fog began to roll in, damp cold making her feel even more chilled. Oh God, this wasn’t happening. She was dreaming. She had to be. She’d fallen asleep and this was a really bad nightmare.

“Run, Darcy, run! Don’t look back!”

Surlock’s voice jerked her back to the present. This wasn’t a bad dream. This was real, and happening right now. She turned on her heel and ran for the house. She didn’t stop. She didn’t look back.

Oh God, Surlock had started changing right before her eyes. What had happened? One second they were having the best sex she’d ever had and then he was turning into a … a wolf. She stumbled, caught herself, and kept running.

Her blood suddenly felt as if it were freezing inside her veins. Oh, hell, she knew what he was. It all made sense now. The wolf she’d seen before he appeared. Everything.

Surlock was a werewolf! That’s all it could be. She stopped at the place where she’d taken off her nightgown and jerked it over her head, shoving her arms through the arm holes. She glanced around, but a cloud had drifted across the moon—the full moon!—and it was too dark to see anything.

A lone howl echoed over her parents’ property. Her whole body began to shake as she hurried around the trees and bushes. She had to get inside where it was safe.

Then it hit her. What if she were a werewolf, too, and just hadn’t gone through the change, or whatever it took to become a full-fledged werewolf? Jennifer was in the house. Would her best friend be in danger if Darcy went inside?

Peter would give her sanctuary. He was always there when she needed him. He would take her in. But she didn’t want to eat Peter.

She frowned, then shook her head.

She quickly examined her arms. They weren’t covered in long hair. She felt her face. It still felt smooth. Maybe there was some ritual that she had to go through before she made the change. Oh, hell, she hoped that was it as she hurried inside. She tiptoed up the steps, then slipped back inside her bedroom. For a moment, she leaned against the door and breathed in deep gulps of air. She was safe.

But what about Surlock? Was he safe?

Darcy went to the French doors and opened them, slipping out onto the balcony. She heard another mournful howl. Surlock was out there somewhere. She hoped he’d retained enough of himself not to eat her neighbors, or anyone for that matter.

“Please let him be okay,” she whispered to the night and prayed somehow her words would carry to him.

She went back inside and slowly closed the doors, then locked them just to be on the safe side. If Surlock had turned into a werewolf, she wasn’t sure how he would react to her. He might not recognize her.

Tomorrow everything would be back to normal, she was certain. Surlock would be in his bed, and then he would explain what the fuck had happened, because she really needed to know.

She froze.

Oh, no, her parents were probably werewolves. Her biological parents, not her adoptive ones.

She frowned. It was damned inconvenient that her biological parents had left her at an orphanage to fend for herself. What if she had changed? Would the people who ran the orphanage have sent her to the dog pound or something?

Great, her adoptive mother and father would have heart attacks when they found out what she was. How the hell did she even explain something like this to them? Guess what, Mom and Dad, I know where I come from now. Mom, how do you feel about getting a dog? I know you’re allergic to them, but you can take allergy pills, right?

Darcy pulled the cover back and crawled beneath it, curling into a tight ball. She really didn’t relish the idea of running around the countryside howling at the moon. Or eating people. Even as she yawned, she doubted she would get any sleep tonight.

Darcy opened her eyes, then blinked against the bright light that burst into her room from the curtains as they were flung open. Oh, Lord, someone was torturing her. What had she done to deserve this?

“Wake up, sleepy head,” Jennifer called out in a bright cheery voice.

Darcy sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She felt like death warmed over. Had she partied last night? Maybe drunk a little too much? She had to admit to a fondness for pomegranate martinis.

Then it hit her. “Ohmygod,” she said.

“Yes, I know,” Jennifer said. “It’s after eight. I thought maybe you’d died in your sleep or something. This is like seriously late for you.”

“I’m a werewolf,” she said.

Jennifer stared at her. “Wow, you have lots better dreams than I do.”

“No, it’s true. I couldn’t sleep last night so I walked out onto the balcony. Surlock was standing beside the guest house.”

“He does look kind of dark and dangerous with that black-as-night hair brushing his shoulders.” She sauntered over to one of the maroon upholstered chairs and curled up on it. “If you ever get tired of him, I would certainly let him howl at my moon.”

Darcy frowned. “I thought you didn’t trust him.”

“I don’t want to marry the guy, only have sex with him. That is, if you ever get tired of him.”

Darcy shook her head to try to clear it. It was way too early to have this conversation. “I’m serious.” Jennifer didn’t believe a word Darcy was telling her. “I went downstairs and slipped outside last night.”

Jennifer leaned forward in the chair. “Tell me more. I’ll live vicariously through you since I’m not getting any while I’m in the country.”

“We went running through the park behind the house. Then we made love.”

“It always takes you so long to get to the good stuff.”

“And then he grabbed his head,” Darcy continued as if Jennifer hadn’t interrupted her. “But this time the humming didn’t stop. He told me to run away. I think he was afraid he might hurt me.”

Jennifer’s expression turned serious. “I told you he was strange and couldn’t be trusted. It’s better if you forget all about him.”

Darcy shook her head. “No, there’s more. When I looked at him, the eyes of a wolf stared back at me, and his arms and face got all hairy.”

“I hate hairy men,” Jennifer said. “He could always do laser hair removal.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

Jennifer untucked her legs and got to her feet. “No, you think I’m as gullible as you and you’re trying to pull a fast one.”

“It really did happen. Don’t you see, if Surlock is a werewolf, then I’m probably one, too.”

“Or you could be just losing your mind.” Jennifer crossed her arms.

“I’m not crazy.” At least Darcy didn’t think so. Maybe Surlock could help her sort everything out. Surlock! “I have to make sure he’s okay.”

She hurried to her closet and flung open the door, then quickly pulled on underclothes, shorts and a T-shirt. She pushed her feet into a pair of sandals and rushed from the room.

“Will Surlock be joining you for breakfast?” Ms. Abernathy asked as Darcy flew down the stairs.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

Ms. Abernathy raised an eyebrow as if she expected Surlock to follow Darcy down the stairs.

“He’s not upstairs if you’re implying anything.” Darcy slowed her steps to a fast walk as she went past the housekeeper.

“One of the maids took fresh towels out to the guest house this morning and said it looked as if his bed hadn’t been slept in all night. I thought maybe he’d slept elsewhere.”

Darcy skidded to a stop halfway across the room and turned to look at the housekeeper. “He’s not in the guest house?”

Ms. Abernathy studied Darcy. “You look a little pale. Maybe you should sit for a bit.”

“I’m fine.” Surlock hadn’t changed back. He was still roaming the countryside as a werewolf. Could he come out in the daylight? She mentally shook her head. She was pretty sure vampires were the ones who couldn’t walk in the sunlight. She had to find him before some hunter came along and shot him.

Her parents had problems with hunters sometimes. Some redneck would see a big buck and want to shoot it for sport. Her father usually made sure the no-trespassing signs were in place, but the hunters didn’t always pay attention. She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she pictured Surlock’s beautiful head mounted on someone’s wall.

“I’m going for a walk,” she said as she continued out the door.

“Darcy, wait for me,” Jennifer called down to her.

Darcy hesitated. She didn’t want to put Jennifer in danger, but right now she really needed her friend, even if Jennifer didn’t believe her.

They went to the guest house first. Darcy prayed the whole time that the maid had been wrong, or that maybe Surlock had only been out for an early morning stroll.

The guest house was empty, and worse, his bed looked as though it hadn’t been slept in. The maid had been right.

“Where do we look now?” Jennifer asked.

“Are you sure you want to go with me? I don’t want to risk your life.”

“I don’t believe in werewolves,” Jennifer reminded her. “I don’t know what you saw, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a wolf.”

“You might change your mind. Just remember I tried to warn you.”

They made their way past the bushes and trees. Darcy stopped and looked around.

“Why are we stopping here?”

“This is where I took off my nightgown.”

Jennifer raised her eyebrows. “You were running around outside naked? Was he naked, too?”

“Yes. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Oh, I’m not judging you. I’m just surprised I never thought of doing it. Of course, it would be a little more difficult to run around naked in the city. Maybe having a country home wouldn’t be so bad after all.”

Jennifer didn’t realize how serious the situation was. They walked down the trail that led through the park. Darcy scanned the area, but didn’t see or hear anything unusual.

“No werewolves,” Jennifer said. “Darn, and I was hoping Surlock might have a brother. Some big strapping … German shepherd.” She snickered, then bit her lip when Darcy cast accusing eyes her way.

Darcy should have known Jennifer was just playing along and didn’t really believe anything Darcy had told her. Not that she could blame her friend. When she thought about it, the whole story did sound crazy.

“I’m sorry,” Jennifer said. “I couldn’t help it, but you don’t really think Surlock is a werewolf, do you? If you do, then that means your fashion wardrobe this fall might include a strait-jacket. This is all a prank you and Peter set up, right?”

Darcy shook her head.

Jennifer drew in a sharp breath. “You’re telling the truth.”

Darcy nodded.

Her friend threw her arms around Darcy. “Don’t worry sweetie, we’ll find help for you. I won’t let them stick you in any cold institution.”

“I’m not crazy.”

Jennifer stepped back and looked Darcy square in the eyes. “There are no such things as werewolves.”

A low growl came from the woods, followed by rustling in the underbrush. Both girls froze in their tracks.