Here is another free excerpt from my new novella!
The Wolfen Lover Excerpt
With a sigh, Laina rose to her feet. She crossed the floor of her bedroom to throw open the window, watching the pale crescent moon in the sky. She gathered a bundle that contained another dress and cloak about her waist, and she went to the window. She stepped onto the windowpane, crouched, and pushed herself out into the crisp, dark air. The familiar joy of flight filled every corner of her lonely heart. I cannot stay, she told herself. I am one of them, but I feel like a stranger, and I would rather be alone forever than be here among the destroyers.
Laina loved to fly, as high as she could. She circled the great forest and found her target, the caves where the wolves made their lair. She started at the edge of the forest, determined to find the Wolfen kind who were men and women by day and to feel their magic.
She knew it was dangerous, but she did not care, for what could immortality bring but a lack of fear and discretion? She landed gently on the cold forest floor, her robes swirling around her slim body, and she went to the first cave she saw, moving as silently as a ghost.
Laina would grow hungry and need shelter from the sun in just a few hours, but for now, she was free. She peeked into caves, and she listened, and she tried to sense the wolves where they lay in slumber. She found a few empty caves that seemed to carry an animal scent, but she saw no signs of their pack. Wandering free, she wondered if her mother and father had watched her flight and if they would let her be or seek vengeance.
She found the cave in the early morning, when it was still dark, and she tiptoed in, watching flames dance against the walls. A great wolf, all alone, slept by the fire, his body moving restlessly. She knew he was Wolfen because his silvery color was pure and distinct and set him apart from other wolves.
Fear and excitement filled her heart as she watched him sleep, so fitfully, with his head hidden from her view. She knew his eyes would be beautiful, and she longed to stroke his pelt in the warmth of the dancing flames.
He is so large and beautiful, she thought, moving closer to his body. If he woke, he would attack her, but she did not worry. She could simply rise into the air and out of the cave like a great bird. She went to him, until she was very close, so close she could touch him. She marveled at the softness of him.
She felt some joy in her heart because she had always dreamed of touching a Wolfen creature, and although she could not say for sure, this wolf seemed to be male. She wondered with rapt curiosity how he would look in the growing daylight when she must hide. What would he do if he woke as a man and discovered her in his private lair? She imagined his eyes, his animal eyes, running all along the length of her body, appraising her. What would it feel like to be the subject of his Wolfen gaze? Would I be frightened, or excited?
She sat close to him and wondered if the other young ones were dead, if he was the only one left now. She was certain he was one of the young ones, now almost grown. Wolves grew fast, and she knew he must have witnessed the terrible attack her parents had waged. Staring down at him, she focused her thoughts on him, almost willing him to awaken. She could feel the strong energy of his body as it rose and fell with each breath.
As dawn neared, she grew indecisive, watching him stir a little. She could still find other shelter if she left now, but she did not want to leave him. She felt certain he would change soon. How could she deprive herself of this, her only dream! I must see him as a man, she thought wildly. I want to see another magical being who is not one of the clan, like me!
Dawn came and knew her answer—she would rather risk his attack than leave this place, which made her feel so alive, so . . . human. She began to murmur to him, so gently. She made sure her voice was alluring and comforting. The wolf stirred, small noises of pain echoing in the large cave, and he began to writhe under her hands. She stepped away, just a little, and waited, excitement churning in her belly.
As she backed into the shadows, he changed, writhing on the pelts he slept upon, groaning in a voice rich with pain and suffering. His body seemed to blur as the magic took hold, and it seemed only seconds until the limbs of a man emerged, and the silver-grey of his fur turned to smooth, bronzed skin.
Even the cave smelled different now, a human smell she knew so well, the smell of warm, fragrant human blood, the most delicious of all. She watched his eyes open, feeling joy she had never before experienced. The sky was lightening, but it was dark here in the corner, and she would be able to observe him until he chose to attack her. He would notice her scent soon, the alluring mixture of flowers and warm skin that mimicked the human. It helped her to entice her victims, especially the men, but it would also alarm him, and there was no way he would not sense her presence.
He stood, stretching his long limbs in the cave, his body naked and perfect. His smooth shoulders seemed to be carved as perfectly as those of a statue created by a master sculptor. His hair was dark, like hers, but his skin looked so warm, so . . . succulent. His eyes were silver-grey, with flashes of blue, and her own eyes widened at his beauty, for she had never, even among her own beautiful kind, seen such perfection of coloring and feature. His chiseled face was a study in angular, masculine beauty, and his soft, reddened lips seemed to cry out to be kissed.
She looked down, staring at his strong, muscled legs, so much longer than hers, for she was petite, and he must be a foot taller than she. She could not help but notice the hardened cock that stood out from his body, and she felt her thoughts grow hot. She had not been with a human, but she knew what they did. She had seen them, when she was out hunting for prey. She had come upon couples of all sorts, men thrusting into women, moaning in pleasure.
She felt her own body grow warm in the cold cave, where the fire was turning to ash as he reached for some rough clothes that hung upon a branch. He looked around him, moving with animal grace as he pulled on a tunic and pants and rough brown boots. He is like a prince, she thought, sighing, running her hands over her body, feeling her nipples harden. I want him to touch me, to love me . . .
