Among Wolves Read online

  The big wolf made a circle and sat on the driver's seat, panting and creating a steam cloud from its heat.

  Slowly Charlie opened the passenger's door. He held out his hand as if it would stop Roman from knocking him down and bolting. Taking his life in his hands, Charlie sat on the passenger's seat and closed himself inside.

  He and the big canine stared at each other.

  "Calm down." Charlie kept his hand up to stop an attack. He spotted the handgun in its holster on the floor. "Roman, you have got to stop panickin' and think of somethin' to get you back to human form. Ya got that?"

  The big wolf made a noise and licked its chops.

  "How on earth did you make it home?" Charlie began gathering Roman's clothing, moving very slowly so as not to get bit.

  Roman lay down, his paws on Charlie's lap, letting out a deep wolf sigh.

  Charlie caressed him, holding him tight. "Babe, why? Did somethin' happen at work?" He pressed his face into Roman's fur, closing his eyes, remembering…

  Remembering the sensation of abandon and freedom he and Roman had while in wolf form. But— it was so unpredictable, that they ended up naked and freezing in the snowy mountains after changing back. They simply could not control the transformation.

  Not to mention, Charlie thought once the witch's curse had been lifted…this chapter in his life was done. Gone. But deep inside, he and Roman knew it would never leave. Maybe it had gone into some kind of 'remission'.

  He sat up, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand as they grew teary, and kept petting Roman's black thick fur. "I made chili. Butch has a shot of whiskey poured for you."

  Roman began licking Charlie's hand.

  "And…I reckon we'll spend a few days up at Vernon's for Christmas. Don't that sound nice?"

  A loud whine of pain came from the big wolf.

  Charlie knew what was happening. "Okay, baby. Hang in there."

  The wolf backed itself up into the driver's door and Charlie could see him convulse in pain. It was miserable to watch so he covered his eyes and faced the passenger's window, which was now completely steamed up from their heat and the outside cold.

  The noise of whelps changed to "Oh fuck! Oh, God, no!"

  Charlie peeked. Roman, sat limp, slouching naked on the seat, drenched in sweat.

  Blowing out a loud exhale, Charlie held Roman's clothing on his lap, waiting for Roman to be able to function and get dressed. "What the hell happened?"

  Roman ran his hand back through his jet black hair, looking worn out. He reached for his briefs and put them on. "I have no idea. I simply left work, and it hit."

  "How the hell did you drive home?" Charlie held Roman's gun and cell phone as he managed to get dressed in the tight space. The neighbor's dog finally shut up.

  "I fought it. I fought it with everything I had." Roman put on his coat and said, "I need to get the hell out of this car." He opened the driver's door.

  Charlie held the gun and phone, climbing out of the SUV, seeing the snow had accumulated even while they sat. The walkway to the house was covered.

  As they approached Butch opened the front door and his expression was apprehensive. "He goin' to bite me?"

  "Don't start." Charlie nudged him out of the way and brought the gun and phone to the kitchen counter. When he spun back to look, Roman and Butch were staring at each other. "I said, stop it!"

  Roman took off his coat and hung it on the tree stand, brushing the snow from his black hair.

  "What the fuck, Roman?" Butch asked, throwing up his hands. "We gotta go through all this shit again?"

  "Shut up." Roman snarled.

  "Butch, do not get him angry." Charlie tossed his jacket on a chair and washed his hands. "Dinner's done."

  Roman left the room and Butch stood beside Charlie to whisper, "He's done somethin' to bring it back."

  "No. No way." Charlie dried his hands. "He hated it."

  "Yeah? Then why now? Nearly two years to the day?"

  Charlie was about to answer with a snide comment, but he thought about it. Why now?

  ~

  Roman stripped off his work clothing and stood in the bathroom, staring in the mirror.

  He touched his face, his coarse, black five o'clock shadow, and then ran his hand over his thick black hair. With both hands on the sink vanity, Roman leaned closer to his reflection, staring at his green eyes. Why? What happened?

  Full moon? We've had hundreds of full moons over the past two years. It couldn't be that. The anniversary date? Again, two years have gone by, nothing.

  "I thought I was done with this." He opened his mouth to look at his teeth. Normal. Nothing appeared odd.

  Starting the shower, Roman held his hand under the spray as it warmed. The house was heated but the furnace had its work cut out for it during these cold months. He wondered why a fire wasn't lit in the hearth in the living room.

  Stepping under the spray, Roman wet down, closing his eyes.

  When he did, an image flash of being a wolf on the ranch in Heber, Utah swept over him. Dizzy, Roman placed his hands on the tile wall to steady himself.

  Running in the snow on all fours at the Deer Creek reservoir, bounding over the deep silky drifts, chasing Charlie around, two crazy wolves frolicking in the winter wonderland.

  And flying…

  Changing into crows…soaring through the sky.

  Did he hate it?

  He thought he did. But maybe it was the unpredictability that he hated. Wasn't it? Not able to control it. Turning when he was upset, when he and Charlie made love, when he was angry…

  Emotion ruled that madness.

  It didn't take long for him and Charlie to realize that.

  And Charlie…he bit the poor man. So his lover was inflicted too. Inflicted? Infected? What did he give Charlie?

  Roman opened his eyes and looked at his hands. Clean fingernails, manicured. He gazed down at his body. Black chest hair, narrowing to a treasure trail and his groomed pubic bush, jet black.

  Roman forced himself to keep functioning, shampooing his hair and scrubbing up. Charlie had made dinner. He had to be normal. He had to keep calm.

  Shutting the water after he rinsed, Roman stood still, thinking. Something had brought this back to him. Why?

  And how would he rid himself of this curse again? Could he find the witch who had done this? After two years?

  Roman looked up. Charlie was standing in the steamy room, worry written all over him.

  Chapter 2

  Charlie stared at his man.

  Roman, dripping wet, gazed back.

  There was something different. Not only did Charlie see it, he…smelled it. His own senses were changing, and that was not good. The hairs rose on Charlie's arms. He tried to shake the spell of Roman's luminous green eyes and handed him a towel.

  Roman took it, stepping out of the tub and rubbing it over his hair.

  Charlie's gaze lowered down Roman's amazing physique. A man, thirty-one, and in his prime. Fit and spectacular. Yes, dinner was waiting, Butch was in the kitchen, hungry, trying to be patient.

  Charlie touched Roman's nipple, pinching it.

  The act made Roman stop drying himself with the towel.

  One thing being a wolf did to both he and Roman. It made them animals in the bedroom as well.

  Not that they had become passive in the last two years. The sex was always good…but…

  Not as good as it was when…

  With one finger Charlie ran down the muscular line dividing Roman's abdomen to his treasure trail.

  Roman dropped the towel and his arms fell limp at his sides.

  Seeing the wolf in Roman's eyes, Charlie couldn't help but tingle and become hungry for him. As he massaged Roman's soft cock, feeling it harden, Charlie leaned for a kiss.

  At first it was just the press of their mouths together, then Roman showed Charlie just how dominant he could be.

  Roman lunged at Charlie, slamming Charlie against the bathroom door, and open
ed his mouth for hot kisses.

  Hearing the growling coming from Roman's chest, Charlie began taking off his clothing, craving them rubbing against each other, needing penetration and release.

  Roman backed off long enough to wait for Charlie to get naked, then began forcing Charlie to the floor of the bathroom.

  Lips locked, they kissed and held onto each other, Charlie was overwhelmed by a sensation that he had not felt in years. Wolf-lust. A hunger for Roman's body and scent that was so powerful he would kill for it.

  Pinned to the bath mat, Charlie spread his legs in submission and Roman whimpered as he chewed Charlie's neck and shoulder.

  "Take it, ya bastard!" Charlie shivered under this powerful ATF agent and reached between them to get at Roman's cock.

  Roman knelt upright and glanced at the sink vanity. He grabbed lotion and used it as lubrication, since their lubricating gel was in their nightstand drawer.

  Charlie would have been happy with saliva he was so horny. Roman pushed his finger inside Charlie and Charlie closed his eyes and grabbed his own cock, feeling it rock hard and pulsating.

  Once Roman had placed the head of his cock on target, he braced himself, an arm on either side of Charlie's body, and pushed in.

  Charlie raised his hips up to meet the thrust and they both let out a low howl, in harmony.

  "Oh fuck!" Roman amped up the rhythm, his muscular arms tensing.

  Under him Charlie jerked himself off, coated in sweat and inhaling the scent of sex off his lover. The pheromones filled Charlie's acute senses and he came, throwing his head back and growling.

  "Charlie! Oh, fuck, yeah." Roman hammered into him and came, showing his teeth in a sensual snarl.

  Once they both had climaxed, panting loudly, they met eyes.

  Charlie could see Roman's green eyes dilate and glow. It was closing in on both of them. The transformation.

  A knock came at the bathroom door. "You guys eatin' dinner? It's getting burnt, Charlie!"

  Instantly the heat and sensation of the change, slowed and vanished.

  Roman pulled out, hanging his head and staring at Charlie's body.

  "Hang on, Butch. Jus' you hang on."

  "What on earth you two doin' in there? If y'all come out wolves, I swear, I'll get the gun."

  Roman didn't answer, slowly standing and reaching for Charlie. Once Charlie was on his feet they met gazes. Roman said, "It's back."

  "I know." Charlie had no idea what to make of the sudden onset of the 'curse' once more.

  Roman used a wet washcloth to scrub up. "I say I hate it but the sex is unreal."

  Charlie chuckled, washing up as well, and looking at himself in the mirror over the sink. He caught his own blue eyes, stopping short. Yes. He could see the animal once again inside him.

  Why?

  "What did ya do, Roman?" Charlie began dressing. "What did ya do at work to bring this back?"

  Roman shook his head. "Nothing. I can't think of one fucking thing."

  "You two havin' sex?" Butch asked through the door.

  Charlie waited for Roman's nod, and opened the door. "Go start eatin'. We'll be right there."

  Butch took a look at Roman's naked chest, the towel wrapped around Roman's hips, and then walked off.

  Charlie glanced back at Roman and kissed him. "I'll serve us up some food."

  "Great. I'm as hungry as a wolf." Roman winked and entered their bedroom to get dressed.

  "That ain't funny!" Charlie yelled after him, then shook his head. Maybe it was.

  ~

  Roman slipped on a pair of worn out jeans and a T-shirt. He brushed his hair and headed to the kitchen. He could hear Charlie and Butch talking clearly even from the far side of the house. All his senses had sharpened. He remembered the experience well, and had strong mixed emotions about it resurfacing. He and Charlie had tried to maintain a normal life. Butch was a loyal friend, and always eager for sex, but he and Charlie didn't have three-way intercourse. They played around with Butch, but Roman wasn't interested in a strong sexual bond with Butch Crowell. Not after the mess in Heber. Charlie tried to convince Roman that Butch had changed, matured from a loud-mouthed self-absorbed nineteen year old, to a level headed twenty-one year old. Butch had been a strong ally to him and Charlie in their time of need. But sharing Charlie, loving as a trio? Roman still was undecided on that option.

  The two men stopped talking when Roman approached the dining room table. The scent of chili permeated everything.

  "Why, Roman?" Butch asked, joining him at the table as Charlie placed bowls of food in front of them. "I can't take y'all doin' that again. I can't. The animals go mad, and I can't be worried about findin' you two naked and freezin' yer balls off up the mountains."

  "Butch," Charlie admonished as he sat beside Roman in their dining area. It was separated from the kitchen by a bar counter, with high stools on one side. The house was one level, a three bedroom ranch with several outbuildings: a barn, a shed, and a detached two car garage. "Don't start on the man."

  "Start? Me?" Butch took a chunk of the cornbread which was sliced up in large squares. "I'm not the one who's gonna howl at the moon tonight."

  Roman felt the hair stand on his neck and snarled at Butch.

  "Uh oh." Butch ate the cornbread and shut up.

  Charlie reached for Roman's wrist. "Calm down, buddy. 'K?"

  "If y'all are goin' to get all hairy on me, I should head over to Vernon's ranch tomorrow and not wait for Christmas."

  "Go." Roman sniffed his food and then ate it, liking the flavor of the meat.

  "Calm down." Charlie appeared miffed. "Will you two jus' stop? I swear, I cannot handle this again. I am not dealin' with y'all at it when there's horses to be tended, and winter is hittin' us hard…"

  "Sorry." Butch lowered his head and kept eating.

  Roman forced himself to relax and sipped the whiskey that was poured for him. The liquor tasted sour and very strong. Roman recoiled from it and caught Charlie and Butch staring.

  "What?" Charlie asked, wiping his mouth with a paper napkin. "Somethin' wrong?"

  Seeing Butch's curious stare, Roman threw the booze down and winced at the taste, usually liking it. Not tonight. He continued eating the meat to kill the flavor.

  "Anyway…" Butch rolled his eyes and said, "So, I'll call Vernon in the mornin' and see when they want us up there. You got Christmas off, Roman?"

  He nodded, finishing his food and picking up the plate to lick.

  Charlie grabbed the dish and slapped it back to the table. "Jus' ask for more. Don't do that."

  "Huh?" Roman tasted the sauce off his lips. "Don't do what?"

  "Oh, crap," Butch said, shaking his head. "Yer lickin' the plate like a hound again, Roman!"

  Roman blinked in surprise and stood from the table, stumbling back, nearly knocking over his chair. "No. This is not happening again. No!"

  "Calm the fuck down!" Charlie jumped to his feet.

  Roman began trembling, feeling the forces inside him trying to get out and knowing how hard the battle was to contain it. He staggered to the living room, standing before the hearth.

  "Roman?" Charlie asked.

  "I'm fine." He reached for the dry cut logs and crouched before the fireplace to light a fire, distracting himself. Behind him he could hear the other two still eating, being silent.

  Roman set a few logs on the grate and crushed newspaper under it. He reached for the stick matches and struck one, lighting it. Seeing the flame, Roman grew afraid and threw it into the hearth. He stepped back and stared at the match as it caught the newspaper, quickly burning the paper and catching the dry wood on fire.

  As the flames grew, Roman backed up, feeling dread at the sight and confused by his reaction. He hit a wall with his back and closed his eyes.

  ~

  Charlie knew exactly what was happening. He blew out a sigh of frustration. Standing, leaving his empty plate, Charlie crossed the room to Roman and touched his shoulder. There was sauc
e on Roman's chin. With his thumb, Charlie wiped it off. "It's back. What are we goin' to do?"

  Roman, appearing teary-eyed said, "I don't know."

  Charlie urged Roman into his arms, holding him, feeling his heart beat. He kissed Roman's neck and whispered into his ear, "Maybe it's jus' the full moon. It'll be gone by mornin'."

  Roman leaned back so they could see eye to eye. "I don't think so."

  Charlie felt his skin prickle. "Why? What happened? Roman, ya hafta' tell me."

  Roman glanced back to see where Butch was. He was placing dishes into the dishwasher, tidying up the kitchen. With his attention back on Charlie, Roman said, "Things have been happening."

  Tightness formed in Charlie's gut but he didn't express his fear.

  Lowering his voice, Roman continued, "I've been seeing dogs…wolfs…" It appeared Roman was struggling to reveal what he knew. "…I mean, they just appear. Tonight. On my way home, right out of the parking lot of the office building a large dog darted out in front of my car."

  "So?" Charlie hoped there was no significance.

  "It's not the first time this has happened. Always at night. And now, it's begun to invade my dreams. More than usual."

  Hearing Butch start the dishwasher and seeing him wiping the counters, Charlie gazed back at Roman. "It could be nothin'."

  "Nothing?" Roman smirked. "I changed. Charlie, I barely made it home."

  "But…" Charlie did not want to believe this could be happening again.

  "But?" Roman tried to smile but failed.

  "How…how do we deal with this? Do you still have the names of the…" Charlie noticed Butch staring at them from the kitchen.

  "The? The witch? The cult? Yeah, probably in a file at the office. Christ, I can't believe we may have to go through that cleansing ritual again. And who knows where the hell those people are." As if he felt Butch's stare, Roman spun around to look at him.

  Butch said, "Do I need to sleep with my shotgun?"

  Charlie broke his and Roman's embrace and approached Butch. "We don't kill people. Don't get crazy on me."