Chasing Shadows

Chapter 3 Ready, set, run

My name hung heavy in the air between us like candle smoke, thick and heavy, staining the air, Dante’s eyes never left my face, holding on to my gaze as if daring me to look away. I felt as if I could barely breath, my neck stiff and the urge to growl low in my throat, fear and challenge warring for dominance in that moment, the challenge in his eyes needled me, “Dante.” I responded watching his eyes flare and feeling a savage pleasure in that. There was something very appealing in challenging him.

“So you do remember me.” He remarked a smirk curling his firm sculpted lips as he leaned across the desk, the smell of leather, coffee, rain and tempest swept over me as he leaned in taunting me “People are looking for you puppy, you and your mother.” He remarked in a teasing tone, looking highly amused with himself.

A low growl rumbled in my throat and I felt like leaping across the desk at him, nails cutting into my palm as I tried to rein in my temper. I wasn’t usually so volatile but then again I usually wasn’t facing down a guy who could intimidate a biker in dingy bar. Dante chuckled as if he could see my pique and tossed his long dark hair over his shoulders as he stood up strait, settled his hands on his hips, “I bet I’d be well rewarded for bringing you back, come along puppy. Time to go.” He remarked with a chuckle as he reached for me across the desk as if to grab me.

I’m not sure if it was adrenaline or reflexes that let me elude his grasp but I managed to dodge his hand and dart out from behind the desk before making a break for the door. I could hear his heavy foot steps behind me as I recklessly pushed open the door and ran into the cool embrace of the night air. I could hear my heart beat in my ears and my skin vibrates with awareness. I could hear my shoes crunched in the gravel and the cool air made my breath steam in front of my face, hair fluttering behind me like a crimson wave.

I cleared the parking lot before looking back to see him standing there, framed by the doorway and backlit by the lobby lights. I could see nothing but the imposing outline of his body blocking the door. He was staring at me, even unable to see his face I could feel the weight of his gaze on me and I trembled softly, highly aware of him. The wind tugged at my curls and shifted the clouds bathing the parking lot in silver moon light. I saw Dante’s eyes gleam.

“You can run puppy but I’ve got your scent now.” He remarked, his chuckling voice carrying easily across the empty parking lot. I felt my body tense at his teasing words and growled lowly in response, feeling my blood pump hot and thick through my veins.

“But you still have to catch me.” I breathed into the cold air, just above a whisper but even so I could see him stiffen as he heard me. His angry growl cut the silence and I saw him toss his head up into a high pitched howl that broke the serene quiet of the night.

That sound had filled my dreams. A sound I closely associated with home and family and feeling safe. I could remember it filling the night air at ever celebration, every birth, every party, it was as much a part of me as the wolf itself. But as that high note broke the relative silence of the night I felt my skin go cold and real fear gripped me for the first time since seeing Dante across the desk. That feeling only intensifying as several more calls answered his cry. Maybe he saw the look on my face of the the way I flinched when the sound cut the night but when he looked back at me, he looked confused, hurt even, a moment before I dug my toes into the gravel and took off towards the creek that weaved it’s way through town.

~Dante~

It took walking down the dimly lit breezeway before it hit me, Madeline. I didn’t remember even making the decision to walk back before I was standing in the empty lobby again. I could hear her, talking to someone on the phone, the blurry electronic voice too distorted to hear but it wasn’t hard to guess who she was talking to, Diana.

Maddie has been just a child when Diana had taken her from the clan. For a long time people has looked for them, trying to bring them home but time had dulled those efforts, no one was actively looking anymore. Gone was the curly haired child who was often up to mischief, in her place a stunning young woman with haunting green eyes.

She reappeared a moment later and I could tell I’d startled her. I spoke her name and holding her gaze, curious at her reaction. Her eyes flared hotly and I could see her jaw and neck tense, the lines of her body, relaxed a moment ago were tight and she looked a bit like a doe ready to bolt at the slightest sound.

But she didn’t flee, instead speaking my own name back holding her ground. If the circumstances had been different I might have smiled. It was difficult not to in that moment. “So you remember me.” I remarked smirking, playing with her. I couldn’t seem to help myself as I leaned across the desk toward her, the smell of jasmines and cloves filled my nose and it was a real struggle not to breath deeply. I couldn’t remember a time a woman had smelled so good.

“People are looking for you puppy, you and your mother.” I remarked trying to picture her as the little girl I’d last seen and not the beauty in front of me. The scent of her was thick in my head and I wasn’t feeling quite right. It’s been a while since being with a woman but damn, she smelled good.

She growled at me then and I couldn’t help chuckling as I stood up and tossed my head hoping to clear my senses. “I bet I’ll be well rewarded for bring you back, come along puppy. Time to go.” I remarked mirthfully as I reached for her. But I misjudged her speed, before I could grab her she slipped from my grasp and dashed out the door. I followed her at first, you chase prey after all, but paused at the door way, watching her run. She flew with fluid grace across the parking lot, hair steaming out behind her, she look fierce and wild and guarded. Even in human form she had such lithe grace i couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to see her run in her true form. She stopped at the edge of the lit area of the parking lot, staring back me. I could see the wind shift her hair and the tight pose of her body. She may have stopped for the moment but she was running, “You can run Puppy, but I’ve got your scent now.” I remarked with a chuckle, knowing hers would be a scent that long haunted my nights.

“But you still have to catch me” she said so softly had I not been a wolf or so focused I would have missed it entirely. Piqued by her words I tossed my head back and howled, calling the other, watch those two bitches out run us all.