The Legacy of Kilkenny (43 page)

I scratch my head trying to absorb everything she is telling me.
 
“
I don’t understand something, how could he bite all three of them on Aug 22, 1918 and turn them that fast.
 
It wasn’t the right time to be the fall equinox.”

“True, but it was a blue moon and that has the same effect as a blood moon.”

I really hate vampires.
 
Every single time, I think I may have a grasp on this whole Great Wolf gig, something comes up and makes it sound like a pain in the ass responsibility.
 
I thought the only things the General had to do is police the rogue wolves, then I find out vampires are real but they lived in Louisiana and out of our territory.
 
I have psycho wolves in Ireland that want me as a trophy, and then kill me once I shift, oh and let us not forget to guard our dreams or someone may decide to randomly appear and steal my secrets.
 
I’ve got GPS tracking crap on everything I own so I can’t just run away if I wanted to.
 
Damn wolves.
 
Damn folklore.
 
Damn hot girls, okay maybe that is going too far.

“
Tell me, how do you do it?
 
Have you ever told anyone about your abilities before?”
 
I hear a few dogs barking for the first time since we sat down.

“
To be honest with you, you’re the only person outside of the Council that officially knows, well
Alistar
too but he is an animal and that doesn’t really count.”

“Okay, but one thing I don’t get, is why would you want to be on an airplane being locked up with a vampire?
 
That doesn’t really make sense, are you super strong or anything?”

She laughed a little.
 
“Trust me I’m not strong,” she said out loud.
 
“
Ooops
sorry, I can see what will happen when the decision is made.
 
Vampires are not really spur-of-the moment kind of beings. Nope they make a plan and they stick to it, unless they are being threatened.
 
I knew that Pru would not go on board and cause any threats, not with your parents around.
 
I figured that with me going I’d know if he was planning something, I know a few sleeping charms too, if needed.”
She takes my hand in hers and smiles that bright, beautiful smile.
 

“But you’re not a witch?
 
Okay, whatever, I don’t even want to know, I’ll just take your word for it.”
I laughed nervously (probably looking a little insane to any bystander that happens to be watching us.)
“At least we don’t have to worry about it now, he isn’t going and my parents will stay here.”
 
I take her hand and started writing with my finger in her palm to see if she knew what I was saying.
 
I wrote:
 
‘
I’d really like to kiss you.’
 

She writes back in my palm.
 
‘Me too’
 

I lean in and gently kiss her, I put my hand on the back of her head and pull her closer to me.
 
What I find interesting is…. we aren’t exchanging thoughts, which is probably a good thing.

PRU

It was dark before we headed out to the farm with
Alistar
sprawled out in the truck bed. “Today was too much drama for me.
 
I mean seriously, I’m pretty pissed off that I didn’t have the ability to disagree with Abel.”
 
I check the rear window to make sure
Alistar
is okay, the non-paved roads can be pretty bumpy.

“
I know!
 
I was totally thrown off by it.”
 
Oakley said.

I adjust my seatbelt so I can turn sideways with my left foot up under me so I can face Oakley as he drove.
 
“I’m thinking he is about to shift.
 
The whole almost flight with Arien was pretty crazy too.
 
I wanted to knock Abe out when he suggested Chrissy go with us.
 
I have no idea what he had in mind.”

I kept thinking about the rules of wolves, at those that aren’t rogue. As long as a Pack wolf has vowed loyalty to a Pack, they are unable to disregard a direct order, unless there is a challenge.
 
Abel was neither Alpha nor challenging, so it was clear to us the time had come. Abel was going to shift soon.
 
My dream diaries had warned me that the summer was when it would happen.
 

 
“Oak, I have a question for you.
 
What do you think about not killing Abel?
 
I mean seriously, why can’t we protect his parents or move them in with us or
something.”
 
I take a sip of my Diet Coke.

Oakley sat quietly before finally saying, “Pru, I’ve always had the utmost faith in your dad and you too.
 
When all of this came about and we finally located him and made up this grand plan on training him for his soul to be one with his body and how we were going to have him die so his parents could be protected, I thought it was a little harsh.
 
I do think we can protect them, and the more I get to know them, I think they can handle his destiny.
 
His mother works with an Indian reservation, look at that alone, you know the Indians believe in
weres
and I’m sure she has been told the stories.
 
Josie always told us that our destiny can be rewritten, why can’t this?”

I thought about what he said and he made a valid point, why couldn’t we rewrite it.
 
We have already made sure he has the spiritual guidance, much more so than many
weres
when they shift for the first time.
 
What would have happened if we didn’t find him and he shifted on his own?

We pulled in the long drive to the house, every light was on but it didn’t keep the lightening bugs from doing their summer dance in the humid air.
 
I sensed something was off, the vibe was stressed, great… more drama.
 
Oakley and I turned to each other and said “Oh shit” at the same time

My dad shuffled us into the man cave to tell us the latest news.
 
“There was another attack today; it just came through as a late breaking news story.
 
There was a husband and wife fishing right outside of Norman, just south of here.
 
Their fifteen year old daughter had just run to the car to get more bait, she returned to see a large wolf attacking them.
 
The father died trying to get the wolf off of his wife, she is now in the hospital.
 
I’ve already called the folks down in Dallas, the Alpha is coming up here to help us hunt.
 
Dolly called the coven leaders and asked them to help us locate the wolf that did this.
 
I am tired of rogue wolves becoming disloyal to our kind.
 
Oakley, the IT guys are compiling an e-mail listing of all Pack and rogue wolves in the United States, you are going with us as our photographer.
 
A mass e-mailing will go out with the pictures attached letting all
weres
know that we aren’t allowing anymore human deaths.”
 

Oakley scratched his head.
 
“You want me to go out with you and the other Alpha?”

“Yes I do.
 
I’d take Prudence with us but she needs to stay here with Abel.
 
I think he will be changing soon and I don’t want him left alone.
 
We’ll probably be gone for a couple of weeks.
 
What that means to everyone is this; I’ll still be in
charge
but Dolly will take care of any issues that don’t need my attention.
 
I expect everyone will treat her orders as if they are my own.” He stopped and looked around the room, emphasizing his order.
 
“We’ll be taking the RV and doing some camping to set up some traps.
 
Our interviewing skills can be very persuasive, I’m sure the rogues that are located will cooperate.
 
You’ll be documenting the interview via your camera.
 
The photographs will be e-mailed out, this should ensure cooperation.”
 
He rubbed his chin and gave a short laugh.
 
“I’ve got a man out gathering those rogues right now.”
 
He reached over and patted
Alistar
on the head and said, “
Alistar
here will be traveling with us too, his special skills will come in handy.”

Everyone in the room howled, a practice I’d always enjoyed.
 
Energy flowed through the room as the meeting adjourned.
 
All of us gathered outside to wrestle and jump around like lunatics, another one of those endearing traits of wolves.

The windows open, the humidity down, and stereo full blast equals one happy gal.
 
Except for one little problem… Oakley’s not so secret obsession with 80’s rap songs.
 
I caught him practicing the moonwalk one time.
 
Honestly, after a day like today, some fun rap songs are okay with me.
 
Five Minutes of Funk was blaring, peddle to the metal and wind whipping through the cab of the truck.

 
We arrived home just as Shaynie and Bryon pulled up in my mom’s BMW.
 
Bryon is such a nice guy, I still couldn’t see what he saw in her… probably just a pair of
boobs
.
 
I mentally prayed they would go inside so I could have some alone time with Oakley.
 
No such luck.

Bryon walked over to meet us at the truck, I guess my alone time was dwindling away.
 
“Hey Oak, I just got a call from the boss, he told me you’ll be leaving in a couple of days.
 
I just wanted to tell you man that I’ll keep an eye on everything.
 
Abel is fine and I think between Shaynie and Pru we’ll be able to keep him protected.”
 
They did some secret man handshake that I didn’t get,
at all
.

“Thanks man, I appreciate that.”
 
Oakley leaned him in for the one arm man hug.

“Okay, all the male bonding needs to come to an end, Oak and I have some
talkin
’ to do.”
 
I hooked my arm through Oakley’s and slightly tugged him towards the house. I inhaled deeply smelling his essence…. And oh how I loved his essence.
 
I reminded him that my mom was staying at the farm to spend some sexy time with my dad.
 

“You did not just say your parents are going to have
sexy time
.”
 
His hand smacked my butt.

“
Yes
!
 
Just because they’re old, doesn’t mean they don’t do the deed.
 
Okay, okay I can’t talk about it anymore.”
 
I shook my head trying to shake the images out of my mind.
 
“Food!
 
We must eat.
 
I think there is some kind of casserole and an apple pie.”
 

We raced to the kitchen.
 
It was really nice, just the two of us in the house eating and cleaning up, just like regular people.
 
Regular people that just so happen to turn into wolves, and one that dabbles in witchcraft.
  
We lounged out in the family room watching
Love at First Bite
on vampire TV.

“Are you worried about your hunt with my dad?”
 
I snuggled up to his chest feeling him flex just a little under my head.
 
“I mean, you know the big mystery of everything that is going on.”

“Actually, I’m not.
 
I am worried about you here with that damned Arien lurking about.” He kissed the top of my head.
 
Melting, ah my heart pitter pattered just a little.

“True.
 
Everything will go fine though, I just know it.”

We both rolled onto our side facing each other.
 
His hand stroking my hair, I could see his eyes were slightly closed and I heard his breath deepen until his hand started going down my side until he rested it in the small of my back looking lost in another world.
 
Licking his lips he asked if we could go into my bedroom.
 
My
heart felt
all fluttery and my tingly body came alive.
 
The way he was looking at me was making me feel like there was nothing else in the world, just us.

It felt like a mile from the family room to my bedroom, but one I was gladly walking.
 
He sat down on the chaise; I stood in front of him looking down.
 
His hands pulled me close, he lifted my shirt and kissed my belly button, heat instantly shot through me.
 
I pulled away from him, deciding to give him a little show.
 
“Sit back, and relax.”
 
I whispered as provocatively as I could.
 
I saunter across the room (I’ve never sauntered before) lighting some candles for ambience.
 
I flip my IPod to my jazz playlist, my body swaying to the beat.
 
My hands rubbing up and down my shirt having it ‘accidently’ rise up and down, finally pulling it over my head.
 
His eyes wolf-like, hungry with passion… a desire for his prey.
 
I know that look.
 
I’ve seen it when we hunt and now I’m the hunted.
 
I moved my hips while slowly pulling off my jeans.
 
I stood in front of him in my new black lace panties and matching bra that wasn’t so secret.
 
I danced for him a few more minutes, enjoying the way he watched me.
  
My body tingled, I inhale deeply absorbing the scent of him.
 
I walked over, taking his hand to stand up with me; I slowly unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his magnificent chest. In that moment everything was clear to me, Oakley and I together, just as it is meant to be.