Lunacy Read online

  I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes, only a touch miffed. “Just do me a favor? Turn around so I don’t get the full monty when you drop your boxers, please?”

  “Sure thing,” he replied, his jeans hitting the floor with a loud clank from the in his pocket and his belt buckle.

  Being courteous of my squeamishness, he turned around and the boxers came off, revealing two things to me at the same time. Firstly, Conner had an amazing ass. And secondly, he tanned nude. I made a point of staring at the space between his shoulders after that, feeling that it was a much safer place to focus my attention. I ignored the color that rose in my cheeks, more interested by the fact that noises that should not be coming from anything living started to emanate from his body. Cracks, pops, brittle snapping sounds. I heard him exhale loudly through his teeth and his head tilted forward, that ashy blond hair sliding around his face. After the initial crackling, the change happened fairly quickly. A series of ripples rolled through his body under his skin, bare flesh giving way to thick and glossy silver fur. His arms and legs shortened slightly and changed shape, a tail sprouted, and the creature that had been Conner turned around to face me.

  As those large amber eyes met mine, I retracted my last thought. That was very much still Conner in there. I could see his personality shining through. And it was hard to miss, since he was a wolf so massive in size that he was nearly a head taller than I was. He sat back on his haunches and wagged his tail, his tongue lolling out like he was laughing at my astonishment. Then I heard his voice in my head as clearly as if he’d spoken.

  “Neat trick, huh, Kaysh?”

  I had a moment of panic and thought back to him, “You’re reading my mind?!”

  He whined softly and shook that big shaggy head. “You can hear me, and I can hear you if you purposely project to me. But I’m not just all up in your biz, knowing that you secretly wanted to pounce on our Jynxxie last night.”

  I frowned slightly and scratched behind his ears, ruffling all that thick fur with my hands. “That’s not very fair, you know. I wasn’t projecting that at all.”

  He leaned into my affections, nudging me in the ribs with his muzzle. “No, you weren’t. But that was obvious even without me poking around in your brain.” His eyes flicked towards Elomina, then. “She’ll tell you that you can do all sorts of things with our brains, but the link between us is like a computer on an internet connection with a firewall up. You can send things out, and let things in that you want to, but we can’t get through from our end into your system unless you let us.”

  “Good to know,” I said aloud again. I petted him some more. “If I throw a ball, will you fetch it for me?” I asked teasingly.

  He slurped my face, dragging that long dog tongue up my cheek. I grimaced and wiped it off on my sleeve and he gave me that laughing expression again. “If you wanted me to play fetch, Kacea, I’d rather have a prize at the end worth more than a slimy, wet rubber ball. If I chase you and succeed in catching you, what would be my reward?”

  I managed to keep the flush out of my cheeks for the most part, glad that no one else was privy to our mental conversation. Rather than grace him with an answer, I put him in a light headlock that I could barely manage due to his height and gave him dog-noogies. He allowed it, for a few seconds. Then he shifted back without warning, the fur rolling away like beads of water and bare flesh took its place. Within a matter of seconds, I was hanging with my arms around the neck of a very naked, and slightly taller in human than wolf form, Conner.

  Toes dangling inches above the floor, I felt beyond undignified. To cover my freakishly immense embarrassment, I coughed lightly and said, “Well… This just got awkward.”

  “You just watched a werewolf change form, something that drives some people to the brink of insanity, and you’re more worried about seeing me naked.”

  Conner and Elomina laughed wholeheartedly and he leaned down a bit so I could stand on the ground once again. Jynxx looked perplexed, Teigan and Kenshin seemed bored, and Gavin looked… A touch jealous?

  I turned away quickly while Conner put his clothes back on. Some of them, at least. Shirtless I could deal with… Sort of. We both went back to sitting, me taking a more comfy seat on the plush carpet by Jynxx’s feet.

  “You said that what’s happening with Jynxx will become more common. What did you mean?” I asked Elomina directly. Now that I was definitely on board for this whole “werewolves exist” thing, I was ready for some solid answers.

  She nodded slowly. “Being that you are the Ulven Elskerinne, you will bring out the animal nature in those who have not yet awakened. With a bit of practice, you can even force a wolf to shift one way or the other. It can be painful, but may save their life someday.” Those shimmering silver eyes went from me to Jynxx. “And you, Jynxx, are the Kongen Ulven. The Wolf King of this particular clan.”

  Chapter 11

  “King?” Jynxx asked, seeming more upset and confused than before. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Conner shrugged his bare shoulders. “It means that you’re meant to be our leader by right of birth, you putz.”

  Gavin nodded, those red eyes of his not seeming pleased about it. “There’s been a lot of dissension among the clan lately, with everyone wondering who will lead until you’ve fully awakened. Some were starting to think the genes had skipped you entirely.”

  He leaned forward. “You mean that my parents were…”

  “Are, Jynxx, are. You parents are werewolves. And they’re not dead.” Teigan put in.

  “Tell me you’re joking,” he countered immediately.

  “I am as serious as a heart attack, my friend. Your mom and dad left a few years back because there were some families in the local clan threatening to remove their young –you and Jimmy-- before they even had a chance to ascend to the throne. They felt it was in your best interest to be as far away as possible until they knew the threat had faded.” He ran fingers through his long, chocolaty curls, looking tired. “It’s been hard on all of us, defending your honor and what is rightfully yours.” He sent a pointed glare in Gavin’s direction.

  Kenshin spoke up for the first time. “But now we won’t have a problem with that! Not only do we have Jynxx about to wolf out, but now we’ve got Kacea with whatever nifty old Viking powers she’s got! The others who want to usurp the throne will have to acknowledge our strengthened power base and back down.”

  Elomina shook her head, a small and sad smile on her lips. “If only it were that easy, Kenshin. Unfortunately for all of us, it will more likely mean that they will want to fight. To test our new strength and see if we are truly worthy of their respect, and fit to rule them.”

  "Well, damn." I murmured, looking downward.

  Jynxx had his head in his hands, the silky curtain of his hair falling forward around his face. I put my hand on his knee and rubbed it comfortingly, not knowing what else to do for him. He looked down at me from his seat on the couch, and there were unshed tears in his eyes. He covered it by closing them and pinching the bridge of his nose instead. "Sorry, guys..." He sighed. "This is just a bit much to take in all at once."

  Elomina nodded sympathetically. "Perfectly understandable, Jynxx. But unfortunately, today will be filled with things that are hard to take in. For instance, the next samling, gathering, is next Saturday. That is the next eve when the full moon begins. Seeing how you react to Skadhi's presence, it's only a matter of days before your first transformation happens all on its own. With that being the case, we must present you to the entirety of the Clan as their leader in one week's time."

  Jynxx and I were both dumbstruck to silence. She nodded at the horrified expressions on our faces. "You both have much you need to learn. And I may well make your first lesson how to force a change, Kacea. It will be painful, for both of you, but it is a useful skill and we can monitor Jynxx without fearing for anyone's safety. Since Conner spends more time in ulv form than any of the others, he shall assist you."
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br />   "Thanks for volunteering me, Mina." He stuck out his tongue at her.

  Something had been bothering me the last few minutes. "Um, guys... Did Jimmy know about this already?"

  Everyone froze, telling me without words that they hadn't told him, and hadn't intended for him to know. Not just yet, anyway. We all looked to where he sat on the couch beside Gavin, and I say "sat" loosely. He was more slumped over to the side, passed out with his head on the arm of the couch. His lips were parted and he was drooling slightly, and I couldn't resist a small chuckle at how adorable he looked.

  We all breathed a sigh of relief, followed by Jynxx voicing what we were all thinking. "When can we tell him? If he never changes, do we never let him know?"

  Elomina gave a very Gallic shrug. "The likelihood of the genes passing him by is very slim. There is a small possibility, but then it would be up to you whether to inform him or not. He could be in danger either way."

  If he’d been my brother, I would have told him. He had much more of a fighting chance if he knew what he was dealing with, especially in a combat situation. But Jimmy wasn’t my brother, so it wasn’t my place to say anything. Jynxx speaking again took me away from my troubled thoughts.

  “We’ll worry about that when it comes to it. As for this whole shifting thing…” he trailed off, saying it with a snarl like it was a dirty word.

  Elomina sighed. “I suppose it is the best place to start.” She got up and Conner, Jynxx, and I followed suit. “Teigan, tend to the birthday boy, please.”

  “Of course,” was his simple yet cultured response.

  “The back yard will be the best place,” she was saying as she led the way. “Although there are no neighbors nearby, it will be safest to not worry about someone driving by and accidentally seeing something they should not.”

  “Or something that’ll drive them nuts.” Conner murmured back, sounding bitter. It piqued my interest, but the time for questions about his past would come later.

  The back yard, which may as well have been considered part of the forest, was heavily shielded by trees and greenery. The leaves on everything not coniferous were a beautiful myriad of colors that made it seem as if someone had set the woods ablaze. It was gorgeous out here, a lot like back at my place, but even more secluded and full of the quiet serenity of nature. We could have committed a mass genocide out here and no one would have heard the screams.

  That thought was disconcerting as Elomina closed the door behind all of us, trapping us outside in the wild. There was something ominous and final about the way it shut, like it was sealing our pasts away. Pasts we could never return to as we were thrust into this new future where the world was full of more monsters and weirdness than we ever could have imagined, even in our worst nightmares.

  "Let us begin, then." Elomina said, rubbing her hands together against the slight autumn chill. "We shall have you begin the process with Conner, as he has shifted more than two of the other wolves in that room combined. You're much less likely to hurt him, and we wouldn't want you to accidentally rearrange Jynxx's insides for him when he has no way of knowing how to right himself."

  I somehow kept from having my jaw fall off at that last statement. I stammered out a few incoherent words that didn't make a lot of sense together. "Rearrange..? How in the..? What- Why would I..?"

  Conner rolled his eyes and looked to the older woman in exasperation. "Oh, for fuck's sake... Did you have to scare her with that, Mina?" He came over to me and took my hands in his and it startled me from the very vivid mental image I suddenly had of an inside out quivering blob of flesh that was once Jynxx Davison. I physically jumped and he rubbed his very warm hands over mine. Those amber eyes looked down into mine and I felt a little better just from being near him.

  "She's older than dirt, but she has absolutely zero tact sometimes, Kaysh. I'll be fine. I can get shot, or hit by a car, and I'll survive it and be perfectly healthy and whole once I shift. So don't worry about anything. You're not going to hurt me; she's just trying to inform you of what could possibly happen." He gave me a wink and that sly little grin of his. "And besides, I like a little pain now and then."

  That snapped me out of it, and I was suddenly much more aware of the crisp fall air around us as my cheeks filled with so much heat that I half expected steam to be coming off my face. I shook my finger at him. "Why do you DO that?!"

  He laughed whole heartedly, nearly doubled over at my reaction. Sobering up a moment later, he straightened and replied, "Because it always snaps you out of whatever's running through your brain, Kaysh. If it'll get you back to being yourself and not being lost in your worries, I'll flirt with you as much as is needed."

  He was so different when surrounded by familiarity. The nervous and twitchy guy with stage fright was gone, and there was a sort of serenity that oozed from him here, so near to the woods. He was definitely in his element here.

  I made a wordless noise of frustration and crossed my arms under my breasts. "Dick," I said simply, sticking my tongue out at him. I looked to Elomina. "What do I need to do?"

  My eyes were still glowing, so I assumed the potential for easier access to whatever magick lived inside of me was much more easily attained in this state than having to raise the energy and then shove him into a puppy body. I'd also discovered that I could feel it now, when my eyes were whited out like a bird of prey.

  She motioned for me to come closer with one hand, Conner with the other. "The easiest way will be for you to begin by using touch to make it happen. With practice, you can make it much less - or more - painful, as well as being able to force a shift without the aid of physical contact." I nodded, my brain starting to go to that quiet place where I focused when I was studying my ass off for a test. Everything important that she said would be absorbed and committed to memory. And as far as I could tell, with the samling only being in a week, every single damn thing she said was of the utmost importance.

  Without being bidden, Conner knelt before me, all that silvery ash blond hair of his looking as soft as Jynxx's did. Resisting the urge to touch his hair, I placed my hands on his bare shoulders, still shocked by how hot his skin felt against mine. Not only did I feel the chill in the air, but my skin was radiating a cold all of its own now that I wasn't blushing like a thirteen year old.

  Both of us had a lot to learn and absorb, and I had every intention of treating it like studying for a test. If doing your damnedest could alter the course of your survival and future, then failing and being lazy could only spell disaster.

  I felt a slight electric jolt when my hands touched to his skin. It was odd, almost like part of me that I wasn't aware of was calling to him. I was drawn out of the implications of that by Elomina speaking again, her voice much closer to me this time. I nearly jumped when I saw that she was standing a few feet away. Shaking it off, I listened intently. Her odd accent made it immensely easier to focus.

  "You said a friend of yours is a pagan, yes?" I nodded. "Then perhaps you are familiar with the technique of visualization. It will help you the most in this situation, until you have become more accustomed to the process."

  "You mean closing my eyes and focusing on the idea of something happening? Actually seeing it in my mind's eye rather than needing to see it manifest in front of me?"

  "Yes," was her simple response, seeming glad that she wouldn't have to teach me every single thing along the way. "But in this case, what you see in your mind's eye shall physically manifest. Close your eyes and do your best to see into Conner's heart. You've already discovered that you can be connected to him mentally. Reach deep inside of him and find the Beast that dwells within him. You've already seen what his ulven form looks like, so it should be fairly easy for you to do. If it helps, visualize a forest where his wolf is waiting, content and curled up in the shade of an evergreen. Perhaps a spruce, since they smell absolutely amazing..."

  I quirked a brow at her and she smirked, shaking her head. "Close your eyes, girl! Focus! The sooner we can g
et this show going, the better off we'll be. Practicing on Conner will mean that the same must be done on Jynxx soon enough, since he hasn't shifted fully yet. Granted, you could likely sit on his lap and he'd wolf out, as they say."

  "Mina!" Jynxx said in exasperation, embarrassed like she was actually his mother.

  She shrugged and I closed my eyes, smirking a bit myself at his reaction. He did feel something for me. Good to know I wasn't the only one with a major crush.

  I cleared my thoughts and the forest clearing Elomina'd been talking about swam into my mental vision. Shady, soothing, full of peace and the wild all at the same time. I saw myself walking, and for some reason I wasn't wholly me. I was Skadhi, with long blonde hair flowing behind me. I was dressed in a jacket of pelts and a flowing ice blue dress that swirled about me just above my knees. Wraps of fur covered my shins and my forearms and I was carrying a bow with a quiver full of arrows slung over my shoulder. That was odd, because I've never hunted a day in my life, much less with a long bow. I shrugged that part off and my glowing white eyes searched the shadows for Ulven Conner.

  I called to him in my mind, my voice not my own, but something of a deeper timbre and full of chill that should have turned the air before my lips frosty with the temperature of it. He emerged finally, beautiful and nearly as tall as me, all of that silver fur slightly thicker due to the wintery setting of the forest glade I was seeing inside of him. He came to me, walking slowly and hesitant at first, as if his wolf self didn't recognize me while I was in the mien of Skadhi. Ulven Conner sat before me as he had for real and sniffed my hand, dragging that long warm and wet wolf tongue across my palm.

  Elomina's voice came to me across what seemed to be oceans of distance, asking me to run. "Run and he will chase you, Kacea. For you are the Beloved of the Wolf, and he now has your scent and the taste of you on his tongue. You are their Master, and they cannot resist your call."

  I did exactly as Elomina had asked me to. I ran. Faster than I ever would have been able to do if I were fully human. I dashed off into the forest, acting as though I was getting lost so Conner would think he had the drop on me. The chase became a game, but it was one that I had no intentions of losing. My footfalls were silent on the hard and frosted ground, my breath coming in pants that raised small clouds into the air before me. But none of that mattered, because I felt free here. Unbridled, no longer tied down by any earthly thoughts or urges other than the desire to take in lungs full of cold air and allow the world to fall away beneath the sound of my own heart beat thundering in my ears.