Tessa, Vampire/Werewolf Romance, (Standalone) (Shadow Creek Shifters Book 3) (3 page)

“Where exactly are you from if not Creeksboro?”

“I’ve lived in Montana amongst the full-blood werewolves.”

“Full-bloods? I thought all werewolves were the same.”

“No. I’m half wolf and half human. All of the werewolves at Silver Creek have human mates. The full-bloods are nothing like us. They can shift only on the light of the full moon. Wyoming is home to only one full-blood that I know of, Dr. Evans.”

“The doctor Brendan and Chase wanted to deliver their sons?” Tessa seemed astonished at the thought.

“Most likely, since shifters trust him to care for them, but there’s a danger with having a full-blood living so close to humans.”

“Why? I don’t see the doctor as a werewolf at all. I’m sure he’d never cause any problems here.”

“I’m not sure how he’s been able to contain his beast, but full-bloods are unable to control themselves in shifted form. I shift into a four-legged wolf as most of the half-bloods do, but a werewolf like the doctor shifts into a werewolf capable of walking on two or four legs. They are deadly, uncontrollable, and unpredictable,” Raphael informed her.

Tessa gulped at learning this then sat on a bench, admiring the moon overhead. It wasn’t quite full, but would be soon. “Don’t you ever get tempted to shift on the full moon?”

“I do. It doesn’t have to be a full moon for me to shift. What about you? What do you like to do on the full moon?”

She shrugged. “Nothing interesting, but I did want to talk to you about something.”

“Shoot.”

“I appreciate what you did last night, but—”

“I don’t remember doing what I wanted to do last night.” He winked.

“I didn’t mean that part. I was talking about the rabbit.”

“Oh, of course. You looked hungry.”

“Did I?” Tessa asked, intrigued he could tell such a thing.

“Yes. It must be hard to resist wanting to feed.”

“That’s just the thing. I don’t want to be fed by you or anyone. If I decide to feed on an animal, I’ll find my own. I told Katlyn the same thing. I always seem to have some kind of animal outside my door when I wake up. I need to figure out my way and not be fed like I’m someone’s pet.”

“Aren’t you supplied with blood by Paige?”

“I am. It’s not to my liking, but perhaps it time to resign myself to the fact that’s how it will be. I guess I’m trying to figure out who I am now. Being a vampire has changed everything about me, and I’m not sure I like who I’m becoming.”

“I don’t see you as a bad vampire, and you’ll find out that you’re still an amazing woman underneath it all,” Raphael complimented.

Tessa smiled. Seth came out of the saloon at that moment and sat next to her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m so angry that I’d love to rip that Jason Traxler’s throat out, but I wouldn’t even welcome the taste of his blood.”

“Imagine him as a vampire, though,” Seth said.

“He had better stay away from me. If he doesn’t, I can’t promise I won’t end his life.”

Raphael squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t even think that way. You just can’t kill a human without the law getting involved. It would be the end to life as they know it at Shadow Creek. If you’re revealed as a vampire, so would Paige.”

“That’s if I stay at Shadow Creek, you mean. I have no intention of staying there indefinitely. I think it’s time for me to move on,” Tessa stated. “Besides, Katlyn doesn’t need me. She has two mates and her babies to keep her company now.”

“I’m sure she would be heartbroken if you were to leave,” Seth said. “She still needs you.”

“I think she just feels guilty about how I was turned here, like it was her fault when nothing could be further from the truth. I was drunk that night and I felt drawn to Paige, so much so that in a moment of weakness, we embraced. What began as a passionate kiss between us ended up being a taste of my blood for her.”

“I don’t know all that much about Paige,” Raphael said.

“She came to Shadow Creek after Brendan and Chase found her down a crevice at Devil’s Tower. She was trapped under a rock and they brought her back to the surface. I’m not sure who exactly put her there, but one thing is for sure—they wanted her dead,” Tessa explained.

“How was she able to survive?” Seth asked.

“She was in the shadows so the sunlight wasn’t able to kill her. And with no food, she went into a hibernation state until she was awakened by the smell of fresh blood from Brendan and Chase’s recent kill. They brought her back to Shadow Creek and in time, she began to run the ranch for them.”

“And she’s never bitten anyone besides you in Creeksboro?” Raphael asked.

“No, not that I’m aware of.”

“It must have been very upsetting to be suddenly turned like that. How are you handling it?”

“I still carry some anger, but I tried not to express too much of it in Katlyn’s presence. I know she blames herself and that’s the last thing I want. Paige was the one responsible, but she’s done all she can to help me ease into this life. I promised Katlyn that I’d think about it before I left, but I know that’s what I want. I’ll speak to Paige before I make my move. Somehow, I don’t expect her to be surprised, but in some ways, I do rely on her for guidance. And that’s another reason I need to leave.”

Seth stood and stretched. “Do you need a ride home? I, for one, have had enough beer for the night.”

“Should you be driving your ATV tonight?”

“No, I have a room at the boarding house on the other end of town.”

“But I thought you lived at Silver Creek.”

“I do, but I still keep a room here in town for just such an occasion.”

“We can keep our ATVs in Dr. Evans’s garage like I usually do,” Raphael said.

“What about you, Raphael?”

“The moon sure is bright tonight,” Raphael said with a wink. “I’ll do what I do best: run by the light of the moon.”

Raphael waited until Angus ambled outside and Tessa left after saying her goodbyes. Only then did Seth and Raphael take their ATVs over to the good doctor’s house.

Dr. Evans had given Raphael a key to his house since he had lived amongst the full-bloods for years. He was trusted. Raphael had met the doctor once back in Montana, before he left. On occasion, he still journeyed back there to administer medical attention to the werewolves. It was hard not to respect the doctor for still maintaining contact with his own kind.

Raphael opened the door and they both drove in the ATVs.

Once they parked and back outside, Seth said, “I need to get going now. It’s getting late and I’d like to get some sleep. I’ll be back in the morning to take Maxwell and Melody to school.”

“You don’t need to do that. I can take them in the pickup.”

“Thanks, Raphael. I’m sure glad to have a friend like you.”

Raphael nodded, dodging to the rear of the house while the sound of Seth’s footsteps trailed off in the opposite direction. Only then did he rear back his head, his neck bones extending, limbs shortening into the legs of a wolf, shedding his skin for thick fur beneath. He rolled on the ground, rubbing his fur in the dirt to rid himself of the presence of his former shell.

He jumped up and raced into the night. The wind was crisp and it rustled his fur, invigorating his entire being. There was no better way to travel, and no better time to race through the forest in wolf form.

Howls echoed through the woods as he passed the mighty aspen trees, which were in this area. He came to a halt when the howls stopped and the forest was silent. The only sound was that of the wind, rustling the leaves of the trees.

Raphael froze. Something was racing through the trees at a high rate of speed. He leapt out of the way just as a bear burst through the underbrush. When Raphael stared at the bear, it raised and lowered his head as if in laughter, alerting him that it was a werebear. He relaxed and continued along his way back to Silver Creek.

He was thankful that it was an uneventful night and he didn’t have to get involved in taking care of Jason, but it sure seemed that Tessa was indeed quite capable of defending herself. Angus was also on hand, and he was used to being a protector. It came with the territory of being a llama and guarding cattle all day at Shadow Creek.

Palina stood from her rocking chair when Raphael came into the large cabin he shared with Seth and their children. He shifted and grabbed a robe by the door, covering himself. Only then did he turn to greet Palina. “Thank you for watching the children.”

“Did you meet up with that vampire and bed her tonight?”

Raphael smiled. “And why would that be of any interest to you, Grandmother?”

“I was hoping you’d get her out of your system and finally take your true place as alpha of this pack by taking a mate for yourself.”

“I
am
the alpha and it’s not written that I need to find a mate. Bearing children is not part of my plans.”

“And why is that when you’re already acting as a father to Maxwell?”

“I’m not doing a great job of that. I don’t think that boy considers me suitable as a father.”

“Not next to his father, but your brother is dead and Maxwell is your responsibility. You might not know this, but that boy is important to us all. He’ll take his rightful place one day as alpha and take us home.”

“Home? I thought you considered Silver Creek home.”

“You know as well as I do that is simply not the case. Even you know our days are limited here in Creeksboro if what I’ve heard is true, that the full-bloods are on their way.”

“That’s a rumor among the werewolves who talk too much. I assure you, if they come anywhere near Creeksboro, they’ll have a fight on their hands.

* * *

Tessa stared out the window on the way home.

“So, what’s going on with you and Raphael and Seth?” Angus asked.

“Nothing. We were just talking. I’m not about to get into anything physical with anyone just yet. I have more important things to worry about right now.”

“I hope you’re not worrying about what happened in the saloon with Jason. He’s a complete lowlife. It was nice to see a woman showing him up for a change. If he ever hurts another woman, I’ll be a whole lot less civil than you were.”

“I hardly think knocking the man across the room is civil, but he shouldn’t have called me a bitch. That sets me off whenever anyone calls me that. You might say I’ve been in a relationship with something less than a gentleman, once. Luckily, I didn’t stay with him long enough to permanently mar me.”

“It really angers me to hear any woman being abused, even verbally.”

“That’s what will make you a keeper when you meet the right woman. I can imagine you’d cherish her with your last breath.”

Angus made the turn into Shadow Creek. “Well, we both know that won’t ever happen. I’m satisfied with just protecting everyone who lives at Shadow Creek.”

Tessa held her tongue. The last thing she needed was to tell him she was planning on leaving. Angus was really like a big brother to her since she had arrived. At first, she felt that he liked her more than that, but with how things had gone since she was turned, she couldn’t make promises. The truth was she just didn’t feel that way about him, which she knew he was aware of at that point. He was one of the nicest shifters she’d ever met. Brendan and Chase treated Katlyn like she was made of glass. For her, though, she wasn’t all that sure what would happen if and when she left, but she was excited about the possibilities.

Angus stopped the truck, dropping her off. She didn’t feel like heading inside so she walked over to the swing, which was attached to a tree. Tessa sat down and began to swing just as Chase drew closer.

“Hello, Tessa. Anything exciting happening in town tonight?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Jason Traxler and one of his idiot friends showed up. I guess where he went wrong was calling me a Shadow Creek bitch.”

Chase sighed. “What did Angus do to him?”

“Nothing, I wouldn’t let him. I, on the other hand, knocked the fool to the door. I didn’t think he’d slide all the way there. I don’t know my own strength.”

“Th-That’s funny, if I didn’t worry that people might figure out who you really are. Brendan would throw a fit if he knew.”

A voice came from behind them. “Throw a fit if I knew
what
, exactly?”

Tessa put her feet down, stopping the swing. “You really shouldn’t sneak up on anyone like that. It might one day cause a person to have a heart attack, if I wasn’t already dead.”

“You’re not dead, Tessa. You’re very much alive, if only you’d allow yourself to live that way,” Brendan said with a smile visible beneath the outside light. “And sneaking up on someone helps me find out what’s going on around this ranch, but I suspect that’s not what you two are talking about here.”

“She had an altercation with Jason Traxler and shoved him across the saloon.”

“This story is getting bigger all the time,” Tessa said, frowning. “I gave him a shove, but he slid on his back all the way to the door. He suspects I might be a shifter now, I think.”

“That would be better than for him to think you’re a vampire. Nobody outside the shifter population in the area even knows Paige is a vampire besides Clayton. It would be much better if it remains our little secret. The truth would have ramifications that I don’t want to even think about,” Brendan said.

“I didn’t mean to do that. I guess I lost my temper after he called me a bitch. That always makes me see red.”

“He’s a menace, that I’ll admit, and in time he’ll have to be dealt with, but I don’t want for you to be the one to handle him. I’ve been waiting until he gets out of line with Carrie again. She might have abandoned her daughter Melody to be with him, but so far, I have no evidence to suggest he’s been abusing Carrie.”

“Oh, and when was the last time you have seen Carrie?”

“Actually, just yesterday. She was flying in the back field.”

“So you only saw her in shifted form, then?”

“Yes, but I saw that as a promising sign since she hasn’t shifted to the red-tailed hawk form in quite a while.”

“And you’re sure it was really her?”

“Why all these questions, Tessa?”

How could she tell Brendan that she suspected Jason was still abusing Carrie? She couldn’t just yet until she had proof, but if she did find out he continued to beat Carrie, she’d take care of Jason for good.

“I’m just concerned, is all.” Tessa gazed at the moon, listening to the howls of wolves in the distance. She wondered if one of them was Raphael. She then changed subjects. “I’m sure Katlyn must have told you that I plan to leave Shadow Creek.”

“What?” Chase asked. “You can’t be seriously planning to leave?”

“That’s out of the question. You’ve barely been turned and you think you can leave our fold this soon? I won’t hear of it,” Brendan said.

Tessa had expected Brendan to act like this, and she wasn’t about to allow him to dictate to her how she’d lead her life as a vampire.

“Try like ten months ago. I knew you’d feel that way, but Brendan, I need to leave. Otherwise, how will I ever figure out things for myself? You’ve never allowed me to even find food for myself.”

“You can’t feed, you know that.”

“I have the blood Paige gets for me and the animals you all leave at my door. I won’t be treated this way and I’m leaving, no matter what you think.”

Brendan swept a hand through his dark hair. “I never meant it in a bad way. We were just trying to help.”

“Well, it’s no help at all. I’ll speak to Paige tomorrow and I’ll be leaving once I figure out where I should go.”

“We can’t protect you if you go,” Chase said with a sigh.

“I don’t need protecting. I’m a vampire, remember?”

“I know, but you can’t just bite a human to protect yourself, unless you plan on turning them.”

“There are other ways. I know how to make sure nobody ever comes back as a vampire. Paige has taught me that much.”

“If you plan to go on a murder rampage,” Brendan said. “They’ll be on the hunt for you for sure then.”

“Look, I’m not planning to go on any kind of rampage, but know this—if trouble comes to me, I’ll do whatever I can to protect myself.”

“I can see we’re at an impasse, so let’s not talk about this now. Tomorrow evening, meet us at the main house when you speak to Paige. I just hope she plans to talk you out of this,” Brendan said.

Tessa hopped off the swing and said, “Until tomorrow night.”

She walked to her cabin, more rattled than she wanted to let on. Brendan reacted exactly how she’d expected him to, but she hoped Paige would be on her side. Only she could explain to them how she might feel. Even mountain lion shifters like them had limitations when it came to knowing exactly how she felt.

Tessa opened the refrigerator and took out a bag of blood, pouring a glassful. She put the remainder away and slugged the cold blood back. It wasn’t all that bad when it came to blood. It was just the temperature she had a problem with.

She climbed the stairs after washing her glass when she finished her beverage. What else could she do but sleep? It was pitch black when she felt her way to the bed, pulling off her clothes and slipping between the sheets, loving how the coolness felt against her skin. Tessa tried not thinking about Raphael as she hugged her naked body. Had she made a mistake the other night when she left Raphael and Seth so soon? That night, she’d thought she was ready to experiment, but the thing was she wasn’t all that sure she wanted both of them.