Secrets of the Willow

Chapter 36 - More than a coincidence

“Sorry”. Conall whispered breathlessly as he suddenly halted our sensual and amorous kissing.

“Sorry for what?” I asked, still feeling the warmth and taste of him on my lips.

“For kissing you and getting carried away”. He replied sheepishly.

“Oh”. I muttered awkwardly. “Did you not want to?”

“What? Of course I did!” He answered instantly. “I just don’t want to rush you, and this is new for both of us. I’ve never felt this way for a human before and I’m betting this is a first for you when it comes to my kind”.

“True” I agreed as I then giggled at his sweetness. “Well let me assure you, you’re not rushing me. I want this!”. I told him with a wide girlish smile as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and brought him closer to me again as I placed a lingering soft kiss on his lips and groaned from how pleasurable it felt to have his half naked body pressed on top of mine. “I know this is something we have to learn, but we can do that together, because this just feels…” I paused trying to explain how I felt with him.

“Right?” He added and I nodded in agreement. “It does, doesn’t it! I’ve never wanted anything more than I want this”. He stated as he placed another sweet kiss on my lips making my heart warm and flutter.

“So…” I murmured between kisses. “You’ve really never been this way with another human before?” I asked with curiosity.

“No, never. I never even used to have any interest when I it came to humans. I always knew my pack would always help someone that was in danger, and I never gave it anymore thought than that, but then I met Darius and the rest of the boys, and then I met you. I cared about them straight away, but with you it was different right from the start”.

“It was?” I quizzed trying to hide my eagerness to hear how he’s felt about me all this time.

“Yea it confused the hell out of me”. He smiled as his thumb feathered along my cheek. “I was only supposed to come into this town to figure out if that monster really was a human and who it was, but it quickly became about you too. I just always had to see you”.

“Wow”. I responded as I gazed lovingly at him. “So why did you never tell me that’s how you felt?”

“Well, my alpha warned me not to get too close to you”.

“Why?”

“Because we knew the monster was after you, so if you got… you know… killed, my alpha knew it could severely affect me. Us werewolves don’t deal with grief too well”.

“Oh, I can understand that”. I said thoughtfully. “But after many attempts, I’m still here, and I’m here with you”. I reminded him as my hand ran through his hair as I gave him another kiss.

“Mmm, that’ true”. He moaned against my lips with pleasure.

“I just wish Kate was still here”. I sighed as I broke away our kiss when a flood of guilt swarmed my stomach.

“I know. I’m sorry we couldn’t help her. We didn’t even know she was out there. We heard your voice and thought he was only after you”.

“It’s not your fault. I should have kept him chasing me. If I did then she would have had enough time to get back into the dorm”.

“You can’t blame yourself Eva. Both of you were in danger that night. Although Josh said she’d been at the community library, and it tried to attack her there. I checked it out and about six of the windows were boarded up”.

“Yea that’s right. That’s why I left campus to go and get her. I was on the phone to her when I heard all the windows being smashed”.

“But that’s what’s so curious about it. Me and my pack know for a fact it doesn’t like to go anywhere near any lighting that’s why it always sticks to the shadows and comes out at night. So why would it put itself at risk just to draw her outside”. He rambled on as he looked deep in thought.

“Well because he wanted to kill her”. I stated with a shrug, like it was already obvious as to why.

“But that night there was small gathering in the town hall. Me and some of my pack were waiting by the trees. We honestly assumed something would happen to them, and three of them even walked home together, then we heard you calling for help and left them vulnerable. So why wouldn’t it go for them instead? It’s just odd. Unless it just got a kick out of risking it’s own life”. Conall explained as that night with Kate started running through my mind.

“Kate”. I breathed out in a thoughtful whisper as I moved Conall off of me and sat up straight on the bed.

“Eva?” He asked with concern.

“It’s Kate”. I said as my heart began to thud.

“What do you mean?” He responded with confusion as he sat up next to me and put his arm around me.

“She was trying to say something to me”.

“When?”

“When…” I gulped as my eyes watered. “Just before she died. She could barely speak because of all the…. The blood”. I tried to explain as my voice shook. “She said she was at the library doing research, but…. But what kind of research and what was she trying to tell me!” I pondered as I rambled it out to him.

“Do you remember what she was trying to tell you?”

“No, but she was really trying to say something, but I kept telling her not to speak”. I replied as I looked at him with alarmed eyes. “We need to find out what it was”.

“Ok”. He nodded. “Should we go to her parents?”

“No”. I rebuffed. Not only did I still not want to see them, but I doubt they’d even know anything. “We need to look in her bag. She took it everywhere with her and I know she had several journals”.

“Ok, where is it?”

“At campus in my room, but the whole place is still locked”.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll get us in”. He assured me with confidence. “But we can’t go there while it’s still light out, there’ll be too many people out and about that will see us”.

“So we’re going to risk going when it’s dark?” I asked with scepticism.

“I don’t think we have a choice. If I’m seen by the Sheriff or any of his men they’ll come after me, and if they see you’re with me, you know they’ll only end up being suspicious of you too”.

“s**t”. I whispered knowing we didn’t have much of a choice, either way was risky.

“We don’t have to go. For all we know we’re just getting ahead of ourselves”.

“Well, if we go and that’s true, then at least I’ll know. I have to know”. I responded adamantly.

“Then I guess we’re waiting until it gets dark”. He said as we both looked at one another with the same wary apprehension.

Once again we were taking another risk, but if it led us to more answers, then it was worth it.