The Wolf You Feed Arc (4 page)

As they reached the city limits, Nea eyed the road into town.
Are we going to stay in Cody?
 

No. I’m aiming for Thermopolis. It’s too close here, Isak will check Cody first. We won’t be safe.
Tore trotted down the side of the road. The girls falling into pace by his side.

How far is that?
Annike had never heard of the place.

About eighty miles.
The girl’s faces dropped. Even in their wolf forms, that was two days travel.

O..okay. So from Cody, we head north to this town and then up through Wyoming and Montana?
Annike tried to envisage the route through the northern Rockies.

No, Thermopolis is southeast. Erik will expect us to go through Yellowstone and follow the mountain range. But we’re going east to Nebraska.
 

Are you sure that’s wise? Wouldn’t we be safer in the mountains? We know the territory there.

Tore shook his head. He didn’t dare stick to the Rockies. If he did, the clan would find them in days. It would be better if they moved out of wolf territory. No one in the clan would expect them to do that.
We need as much distance between us and the commune, as possible. But Dad will expect us to keep to what we know best, if we go cross-country it buys us a few days, maybe a week. By the time anyone figures out we left Yellowstone, we’ll be long gone. We can worry about where we settle, after we lose the clan.

But how will we travel so far in one day, Tore?
Nea looked like she might cry.

When we get to the other side of Cody, we’ll hitch a ride on the I-20,
Tore said.

Is that safe?
 

Yeah, I’ve done it loads of times.

Swallowing their nerves the girls fell silent. Taking their lead from Tore they followed him along the side of the road. They didn’t dare dawdle, time was of the essence. Tore was right, the further they could get from the clan the better.
 

***

After leaving nearby Cody, they hitched a lift on the back of a truck. The driver took them fifty miles to the intersection with the 431. It was more than they’d expected, and their progress gave them renewed energy for their journey.
 

Despite the ride, it was late when they entered Thermopolis. Dark shadows loomed along unfamiliar streets. A loud siren startled them and they hid in a doorway. A car sped past, followed by the police. Tore pulled Annike under his arm and held Nea’s hand.

“It’s okay,” he kissed Annike’s hair. “I know somewhere safe, we can stay.” The noise of the city didn’t seem to bother him and the girls held onto him for comfort.
 

They stopped outside a grand looking dwelling. “This is it,” Tore said.

He left them in the shadows and jogged around to the back of the house. Nea trembled beside her friend. Strange sounds permeated the dark. Annike scented the air, “It’s okay. Just cats and dogs.”

Tore reappeared and beckoned them. “Come on.” He held up a small key. “This way.” Behind the big house was a small cabin by a pool. Tore unlocked the door. “This belongs to a human I know from high school. We can stay the night. His folks are away for the weekend.” There was a light on at the main house. A man around Tore’s age waved. “That’s him. He’s called Andy, he’s cool.”

“What did you tell him?” Annike asked

“That we were going to Denver to a concert.”

“A concert?”

“It’s something humans like to watch. It’s fine, honest. Human kids do this sort of thing all the time and he’s gonna help us in the morning.”

The cabin was small and neat, like the one they lived in at home. The room had a sofa and a couple of chairs with a bathroom leading off to the right. A door led to a small room with a twin bed against one wall and a dresser with a lamp on it.
 

Tore grinned at the bed and winked at Annike. “You get the sofa,” he said to Nea.
 

Embarrassed by his suggestion, Annike glared at him.
Tore!

He pulled her to him.
What? We just ran away to be together and you think I’m gonna sleep on the couch?
He raised an eyebrow and put his lips to hers. His hot mouth melted her resolve. Embarrassment disappeared as nerve endings tingled and her belly lurched in anticipation. When the kiss ended, his blue eyes were even more intense than before.

C’mon Annike. Today we took the first steps into our new lives. We have left the clan to be together. So let us lie together, this night, and every other.

***

Back at the clan, Erik strode moodily through the commune. Banging on David’s door, he scanned the communal areas one more time, hoping that any moment Tore would appear. David yanked open the door, tucking his shirt hastily into his pants.

“What’s up Erik?”

“Tore’s gone and he has taken Annike.”

 
David grabbed his keys from a hook by the door. “How long?”

Erik shook his head. “Who knows? I asked around. No one saw him at the Full Moon celebrations last night and he wasn’t around at breakfast.”

They walked together to the parked cars. “I want that girl back, Isak gave her to me.”

David nodded. “You check with her family? Her friends? She hangs out with that small dark haired girl; the really pretty one you said was Louisa’s cousin.”

“Nea? No one has seen her either.”

“What? You think he took both females with him?”

Erik shrugged. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Taking a long drag he turned back to David. “Anything’s possible. Needless to say, Isak is not pleased. Get a group of your best trackers together and get out to Cody. Tore can’t have got that far, especially if he is dragging two females with him.

 
4

Annike woke naked, wrapped in Tore’s arms, breathing in his dark spicy musk. The morning sun had already climbed into the sky. He opened his eyes; his long lashes blinking at her. They sparkled a brilliant blue as he rubbed the sleep from them. A slow smile crept across his face and he pulled her in tighter. Kissing her forehead, he caressed her skin, trailing his fingers down to her waist. “Morning,” his voice was low and husky.

“Good morning.” She snuggled into his warmth, relishing the feel of his skin on hers.

“You look beautiful with your hair all mussed.” He ran his fingers through, messing it up some more, and sending shivers down her spine. Tore groaned. “I waited so long for this. Now that we’re mated, we’ll wake up every morning together.” He wrapped his strong arms around Annike and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe. “When we live as humans, people will call you my wife. I’ll give you my name and everyone will know you’re mine.”

“Wife?”

“Hmm.” He took hold of her left hand and lifted it to his lips. “Humans get married instead of mating. The man puts a plain gold band on this finger here.” Tore kissed her ring finger. “I’m not sure of the details, but they ask one another if they will love each other and stay together forever.”

“That’s nice…do you love me, Tore? Will you stay with me forever?”

“I do Annike and I will… do you love me? Will you be mine for the rest of our lives?”

“I love you with all my heart and I want to be with you for eternity.”

“I don’t have one of those rings but as soon as I can get one, it’s going on your finger.”

“What about my name? Is it now Tore’s wife?”

He brushed the hair from Annike’s cheeks and cupped her face. “No. You get my clan name. They will call you Mrs. Annike Vargr.”

“That sounds nice,” she whispered.

A purr slipped from her throat as Tore’s fingers wandered over her smooth skin, brushing the curve of her breast. “I like that sound even better, Mrs. Vargr.” He slid his leg between her thighs and leaned in for another kiss.

“Tore, Annike!” Nea’s shouts broke their moment.
 

Her voice sounded so flustered it bordered on panic. She pounded the door.

I do not believe that girl!
Tore leaped off the bed, pulling on his shorts in an attempt to cover his arousal.
I’m already regretting bringing her, damn it.

Annike giggled.

Hurry up,
Nea’s inner voice trembled. Something was wrong. Tore’s face turned serious.

“Just a second, Nea, I’m coming.” He threw Annike her dress.
You’d better put your clothes on, in case it’s the clan.

She scrambled out of bed, yanking it over her head. “Could they have caught up with us so soon?” Tore pulled her to him. “Hey, don’t worry. Nea jumps at her own shadow. It’s probably nothing” He sighed and kissed her. “I so want to take you back to bed.” But there was no time for that. He grabbed her hand and opened the door.

Nea stood behind the couch fiddling with the hem of her dress. She was staring across the room, pale and wide-eyed. As Annike and Tore appeared, her eyes darted to them then back to a young man standing by the door. The guy was smiling, his eyes amused by Nea’s reaction. When he saw Tore, he called out and walked over. They high-fived and he stuck his hand out to Annike. Tore winked at her and squeezed her shoulder. “This is Andy.”

Annike’s heart pounded against her chest. It surprised her that the humans hand felt warm. His skin was no different from hers. From the tales at the clan, she’d expected them to be cold blooded. Managing a smile, she steadied her nerves. “Nice to meet you, I’m Annike.”
 

Andy smiled back then waved at Nea. She nodded at him but didn’t move from behind the couch, her eyes still wide and terrified.

Tore jumped to her rescue. “Thanks for letting us stay,”

“No problem.” Andy winked at Tore and cocked his head towards Annike. They appeared to share a silent conversation. She wondered if humans used different thought frequencies to Lycans. She made a note to ask Tore how to tune into them, later.

“Thought you might like some breakfast before we head out,” Andy said. “Just come over to the house when you’re ready.” He gave another friendly smile to the girls.
 

“Cheers,” Tore said. “We’ll be over in a few minutes.”

Andy went back to the house.
 

“He seemed nice,” Annike said.

Nea was still trembling behind the sofa, “D…d…do we have to go?”
 

Tore went to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Yeah, we do. Look Nea you’re gonna have to get used to being around people. We’ll be living with them and you’ll have to blend in. If you’re gonna have a panic attack whenever one comes near you, then you should go back to the clan.”

Nea mumbled an apology and disappeared into the bathroom. After she’d finished, Annike went to bathe and Tore snuck in behind her.

What’s up with Nea? She looked like Andy was going to eat her?
Tore looked bemused.

I know it’s weird but you have to remember, she rarely left the commune. Your Dad discouraged us girls from mixing with humans.

Tore furrowed his brow. Putting his arms around Annike, he kissed her.
Both of you are going to have to get used to things being different. Out here, the human women are…

Are what Tore?

I dunno, braver. They do things by themselves. They have jobs and do what ever they want. I want you girls to be like that.
 

Annike reached up and kissed him. She loved this man so much.
 

Nea banged on the door again, “I’m hungry.” Now that her stomach had woken up, she didn’t seem to mind braving human contact. Either that or she was intent on keeping Tore and Annike apart.

Human houses were different from those at the commune. The girls were more familiar with cabins like the one they’d just spent the night in. Small, just a couple of rooms with only basic furniture; except clan homes didn’t have inside plumbing. They only used them for sleeping and shelter. Most of the time they spent outdoors, or in the social areas like the communal kitchen.
 

Annike gazed around Andy’s house. There was huge furniture everywhere and all sorts of unusual things displayed on every surface. Most of which she couldn’t see a use for.