Blood of a Werewolf (31 page)

Darby wasn’t sure Rowan heard her, but she yelled, “I love you too, Rowan.”
 

Rowan went back to the hotel and crashed.
 
Her body was so out of sync with being up all night and sleeping most of the day, but it was only for one more night. Then it would be all over – all over. These words kept repeating, echoing in her head. She fell asleep.

Chapter 23

Rowan had a sheet in the car and had just picked up a 12 pack. She figured she’d be nervous with Devon around, especially the naked thing, but she was looking forward to sharing the experience with someone.
 

She pulled up to the front of the hospital and he was just walking out of the building.
 
Perfect timing.
 
“Hey, Devon.”

“Hey,” he said as he got in the car.

“When was the last time you got a full night’s sleep?” she asked, looking at him concerned.

“Ummm...the night I met your sister, I think,” he answered, not actually realizing how long it had been until he said it.

“I think you are due. You can cut out early if you like tonight, take the car, and crash in my hotel room. I’ve been crashing at Dean’s.”

“Oh!” he said, surprised.

“Not like that,” she said, then realizing,
well kind of like that, but not really
. “Here’s the key.
 
Just leave the key in the room in the morning when you leave. They’ll charge it to my credit card. Then after you get Darby, you can swing by and pick me up. It’s on the way out of town anyway.”

“Ok, thanks. So what are we going to do tonight?”

“I don’t know. Do you like to run?”

“I do,” he exclaimed with enthusiasm.

“We do a lot of that. We play around, wrestle, and play tag.
 
We hunt too, but I don’t kill. Dean does sometimes.
 
I love running after rabbits.
 
They're fast and they keep you guessing. They change direction on a dime, always keeping you on your toes. Last night we swam and chased frogs.”

“Sounds fun. I guess it wouldn’t be too cool to play fetch with a Frisbee or something?”

She gave him a glare at first, but as she thought about it she thought it might be fun.
 
“Actually, that might be fun. I think too, that you and Dean have more in common than either of you thinks.”

“How’s that?”

“You have many of the same gifts: strength, speed, agility, smell, hearing, and telepathic abilities.”

“I suppose we do.”

“Makes me wonder, too.”

“What?”

“That maybe vampires and werewolves were brothers at one point – siblings even – who took different paths in dietary preference.”

“Interesting concept.”

“I thought so.
 
So here we are. Dean’s grown up hating vampires, and he’s trying very hard to be accommodating here. Please be sensitive to that.”

“I will, Rowan, I promise.
 
I have no qualms with werewolves whatsoever.
 
Please believe me. I have a great respect for the species.”

“Thank you, Devon. It’s important to me.”

“I know, and I understand more than you know.”

They drove up to the house and got out of the car.
 
Rowan carried her sheet and Devon the beer as a peace offering. They were greeted by Dean’s stern presence at the door.
 

Devon offered his hand in friendship as he approached the door. “Dean, nice to meet you officially.
 
Darby and I will forever be in debt to you for helping Rowan through this. You’ve been a Godsend.”
 

“Ummm. Thanks!” Dean said, a little caught off guard.

“Beer?” Devon offered.

“Please,” Dean answered.

“Rowan?” Devon asked

“Definitely.”

Devon raised his open beer and said, “To family and friends, not to mention the beautiful full moon.”

“Cheers!” Dean and Rowan said, clicking beer bottles together.

Devon, Dean, and Rowan talked for about an hour.
 
Dean was reluctant at first and slow to warm up.
 
Devon was his charming self, and though Dean would never admit it, Rowan could see that Devon was growing on him.
 
It was hard not to like Devon.
 
He was charming and funny and, whether Dean wanted to or not, he saw that he was genuine.
 
All his life he had been taught what horrible creatures vampires were, but here was this man, not all that different from him in so many ways; it was frightening to Dean. He tried hard not to like Devon, but he just couldn’t win the battle. By the end of the hour they were all laughing and enjoying one another’s company.
 

Rowan started to feel her skin tingling and looked at Dean; they both nodded.
 
Rowan explained that it was nearly time and that she would have to disrobe and put her sheet on. Devon sat on the couch as Rowan went to the bedroom and Dean to the bathroom. Of course, Dean was the first to return in his towel and then Rowan came out looking like a Greek goddess in her makeshift toga.
 

Rowan told Devon that she wasn’t sure if they would be able to communicate once they were wolves, but asked him to try telepathy with them.
 
She told him that she and Dean spoke to each other that way once they were wolves.
 
Devon asked if he should go outside for the transformation. Although Rowan was hesitant to show this vulnerable side, she figured if he was going to be with Darby, they’d probably run into this eventually.
 
Better now than later when she might really be embarrassed. “No, Devon, stay. That’s why you’re here, after all. I trust you.”

“Thank you, Rowan; it’s an honor that I hold your trust.”

This made Dean smile that tiny incidental smile he owned. Tiny though it was, it was genuine.

Rowan said, “Okay,” looking at Dean for affirmation and then to Devon, “Here we go.”

Devon watched the two transform.
 
There was absolutely nothing grotesque about it in any way.
 
In Devon’s mind, he compared it to a beautiful dance, like watching a butterfly open its wings for the first time displaying such beauty to anyone who was lucky enough to be watching. Rowan was just as beautiful in her wolf form as she was in human form.
 
Her pretty blonde hair transformed to a reddish brown, tan colored wolf.
 
She was graceful and mesmerizing.
 
Her beautiful blue eyes were the icing on the cake, contrasting brilliantly with her fur. Dean was a handsome beast too, brawny and strong with scruffy brown fur and hazel eyes.

Devon focused his thoughts on Rowan to see if he could hear her voice and, like a radio tuning into a channel, he found it loud and clear along with Dean’s. They both looked at him as they trotted for the front door, only Rowan stopped and pushed Devon with her muzzle.
 
Come on, lets go run.

Okay!
Devon said and they went out into the moonlight and ran.
 
Devon had forgotten how much he enjoyed this.
 
This was something that he and his brother used to like to do when no one was around so they could go as fast as they wanted.
 

The two wolves took off after one another and Devon kept up with them.
 
Rowan loved this.
 
Being able to share this with him meant so much to her.
 
If only she could do this with her sister, she thought to herself.
 
But now was not the time to think about that; now was the time to enjoy what they had - the pleasure of the company of friends and family.
 

They ran for miles under the beautiful moon, enjoying the rush of the wind in their faces.
 
Rowan nipped at Devon’s heel, getting the cuff of his pants and tangling his feet, throwing him to the ground where she wrestled with him. She mouthed him as they rolled on the ground, like a dog and his master playing together, and Dean was so intrigued by this that he joined in. Devon was enjoying the roughhousing like he used to with Blake.
 

They wrestled and played tag.
 
Devon tried fetch and Rowan loved it, but Dean was hesitant.
 
In the end, though, he indulged himself in a few fetches just to out-race Rowan, and he found that it was just as fun as tag.
 
After several hours running and playing with Rowan and Dean, he told Rowan that he was exhausted, as she had guessed earlier that day.
 
Do you mind if I head out? We’ve got another long day tomorrow on the plane.

Not at all. Thank you for everything, Devon
.
 

Devon stroked her on the head between her ears, and then turned to Dean.
 
Dean, I hold a great debt to you for all that you’ve done for Darby and Rowan. If you ever need me for anything, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Dean nodded in gratitude.
 
Devon continued,
but I hope more that you would call on me as a friend.
 
I think Rowan is right; we have more in common than I ever thought two different species could have and I would be very honored to call you a friend.

Dean pawed at him as if wanting to shake hands, and Devon put his hand out.
 
Dean put his paw in Devon’s hand and thought to him one word – ‘
friend
’.

Thanks, Dean. I’ll bid both of you a goodnight. Rowan, I will see you in the morning.

Bye, Devon
, Rowan thought to him.

As Devon was about to get in the car, he heard from the distance two howling wolves, wishing him goodnight.
 
Devon smiled as he got in the car and headed for Rowan’s hotel room.
 
He thought about his adventures that evening with the wolves and how amazingly perfect it had all been. He had felt a oneness with nature and an appreciation for how perfect and simple life could be.
 
He wished that he and Darby could experience this amazing feeling, but as he thought he realized though their bliss was not the same as this feeling tonight, it was perfection in a different way - a way that was their very own. He was very lucky indeed.
 
His love for Darby was all he could ever hope for and this closeness with her sister was like that which he and his brother had shared as boys. Now he had a friend where an enemy had been.
 
Lucky wasn’t good enough to define all the compassion he had found these last few weeks. Blessed was the only word that covered it all accurately.
 
Truly blessed.

Chapter 24

Devon slept well.
 
He felt he could have slept another two days, but maybe he could do that once they were all home safe.
 
He got up, showered, and dressed.
 
He left the key in the room, as Rowan had requested, and headed for the hospital.

Darby was a vision.
 
The color in her face was back and her eyes twinkled.
 
She was ready to go home.
 
She had told Devon if she never got on a plane again, it would be just fine with her.
 
Devon had to agree with her. With all the craziness of the last few weeks, he was ready for some relaxation himself.

Devon signed all the discharge papers and helped the beautiful, healing, witch to the car.
 
He was so happy to have her next to him outside of the hospital.
 
The way Darby felt about planes, well, that was how Devon was feeling about hospitals. He was glad to be heading home, his home with Darby - their home.
 

They headed away from the hospital and to the outskirts of Longmont to 1414 Old Oak Hollow Road, an address that had held terrifying expectations just a few days ago. This place now felt safe, friendly, and good.
 
He looked forward to seeing his new friend in the flesh – literally.