Chapter 1: Now
f**k, this is the best I've felt in 2 years.
My short black hair twittered in my face as the cool air hit me through my drivers side window. I hear the pitter-patter of rain on the windshield and roof as the thunderstorm takes a serious turn for the worst. I take a deep breath and ease my white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, allowing myself to enjoy the buzz of a fresh start.
I'm never going back. It's just you and me from now on Tanga.
My wolf howls in ecstacy, she knows as well as I do, we both need this. A new me, her old self and an open road. No more dwelling and no more killing. I give my rearview mirror one last lingering glance as I take another deep breath.
Hey!
Tanga yiped at me, but it was too late. The steering wheel jerked out of my hands and I slammed on the breaks.
What the hell was that?!
I hop out of my Ford Bronco to investigate and realize my front drivers side tire is blown out. I check my watch, it would be way too dark for me to read it if not for Tanga. It's a little after 2am, if I hurry I can still be out of the state in time for breakfast. I open my tailgate and grab the spare, jack and tire iron. I may not be a mechanic, but I can change a tire. I get the jack in position, crack the first lugnut loose, this might be quicker than I thought.
Someones watching.
It's fine Tanga, noone can recognize us or our scent. We are too soaked with rain. I just need to get this last one loose, jack it up and switch out the tire. 20 minutes tops.
I start to push on the last lugnut. It's not budging. I know I have the strength, as a blessed wolf I have more than enough. It's the tire iron I'm worried about.
"Come on you bitch." I groan through gritted teeth. "I can change this tire and be out of here."
Hurry.
Not helping Tanga.
The rain picks up, of course now of all times it has to be a bad ass thunderstorm right? The sky lights up before a deafening roar of thunder reverbrates my skeleton.
Let me run.
Tanga I am trying to get us to a place where you can run as fast as you want. as long as you want, whenever you want so just bare with me will ya?!
"I can do this" I say for the hundreth time, annoyed by my bangs being plastered to my face from this unexpected down pour.
"10% chance of rain my ass, try severe thunderstorms as you head out of town!"
This can't be f*****g happening. Not now. The high I had from deciding to start a new is as dampered down as this flat tire.
"COME OFF!!" I scream at the damn lugnut as I use all my strength to crack it loose without breaking the tire iron. I can see it clear as day for .02 of a second when the entire world seems to be lit up by a viscous bolt of lightening. The thunder rumbled my gut and gave me the courage I needed to push the tire iron hard enough to crack the lugnut loose, a little too much strength. "FU" SPLASH. I didn't have time to finish my swear or put my hands out to catch myself from landing face first in the giant, flooded pothole that caused this mess. I sat up, gasping for air and sputtering grime out of my mouth. I threw the broken tire iron as hard as I could down the barren back road. My nose feels like I shouldv've been knocked unconscious and left to drown in that damn puddle, it's got to be bleeding but I don't care. I check to see if my watch is still working. 3am?! It really took me 45 minutes to get a lugnut off? Who the hell put this tire on?
What's that smell?
My innerwolf, Tanga was on high alert. My eyes flash red before turning her natural bright orange as I give her control. I feel a growl emmit from my chest as she spins us around.
"Easy buttercup, dont get your tail in a knot."
We don't know that voice Tanga, be ready to shift.
"Who are you? How did you find me?"
Tanga growls at the mysterious man. It's impossible to see his figure with human eyesight, thankfully we have that nifty, supernatural, werewolf night vision. I can see he is wearing a trenchcoat, balding, and...smiling? What does he want of us?
"Please, allow me." He snaps his fingers. "You can thank me later. Now be a good doggie and let mommy back out so we can talk."
Mommy? DOGGIE?? How dare he insult Tanga like that! We are equals, 2 spirits sharing a body, both blessed by the goddess herself! Let me at him Tanga. My eyes switch back to their dull brown as Tanga waits, ready to shift at any second. I can no longer see his figure, I stare daggers at where he stands.
"No offense of course, I come baring gifts." He points at the tire, brand spanking new. Oh great, he's not human nor wolf. "What's your name, demon?"
"All work and no play makes wolfie a dull girl, eh? Oh well, small talk later maybe a little pleasure if we have the time. I will get straight to the point, I need a new partner."
"I'm married." I say irritated as I load the spare back into the trunk.
"You were before... but doesnt matter, I meant work partner."
"I'm retired." I open my driver side door and it slams out of my hand. This f*****g guy just torched my last nerve. My eyes flashed red and turned orange, by the time I needed to blink he was lifted in the air by his throat and slammed onto the ground. "You will let us leave or we shred you to the bone ." He...smiled? WHY IS HE SMILING?!
"Thatta girl! I heard the stories but it's nothing compared to up close and personal! He's still alive you know! He's coming after you."
"That's not possible! We made sure of it!"
"Anything is possible! There is an entire world full of civilizations that don't believe people like you and me exist! Trust me, he is back and he is making a mess looking for you."
"Did he hire you?!" my eyes turned back, sorry Tanga this is serious.
"If he hired me, why would I want to hire you to help finish what you and your wolf started? Tanga, is it?"
"How do I know your not lying?"
"By letting go of me so I can show you proof."
"If you run, I kill you. If you hide, I will find you and I will kill you. Understand?!"
"Yes, if I do anything you don't want I die, aye aye captain.."I let go of his throat and stand up. He stands, reaches in his pocket and my eyes tear up. I can't believe what I see, it just can't be...
"HOW DID YOU GET THIS?!" Tanga roars at him. I'm so stressed I just let her do her thing.
We may need him if he's telling the truth so dont kill him until he talks.
"I said I wanted to talk to your human side, or I can take this information elsewhere."
Ugh, fine. My eyes calm and I run my wet, rough hand through my hair as I blow out my cheeks. I thought this was finally over. All the orders, the deaths...my husband...our pup...
"Where did you get this?" I ask again, patience out the window and frustration on my face. I was so close to finally starting new and never looking back, dead men aren't supposed to tell tales.
"I have my ways. Now you know he's still alive which means you didn't do your job."
"Like i said I'm retired,"
if he can get us to him then do it, we need justice
"but if you know me and my story..." I let myself trail off.
Our story should be over. No mate, no pup, no pack, only a curse and each other. Our justice was not provided as we thought, just another broken promise.
Damn, Tanga really is heart broken. She wants to just forget and move on but that's easier said then done. My entire pack is gone and he still gets to breathe. How can we live with that?
He's lying.
"Then you know I don't give trust as freely as some would hope. What is your name, demon?"
"The name is Dagon, as I said, I need a partner. If you want to take him down, you are going to have to trust me."
I looked at my engagement ring and in his outstretched hand. I haven't seen it since that horrible day. Did Dagon have it this whole time somehow? Or was it that murderous, traitorous, weakling of a wolf that kept it from me all these months?
Maybe we can still smell Randy on it.
I doubt it Tanga, it had to have been in the fire.
I think about his words carefully as I snatch my ring from him and check it for the engraving. Sure enough, there it was
Forever My Moon, Always My Luna
I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry, vomit or both. All that time I spent trying to heal and this just ripped my scab wide open.
"I can't trust he whom I do not know. I ask you again demon, how did you find me?"
"Let's just say I got lucky. You drove right passed me."
"Did you yank the weel out of my hands?!"
"No, I blew out your tire then I fixed it, so we are even."
"Don't ever do anything to my ride again!"
"Ahh so those stories are true too, the only things you car about now are your wolf and that Ford." The lightening struck close by and I was able to see his face clearly. The receding hairline was his only sign of aging. He had a strong jaw line with slight stubble. His nose was sharp but fit his face well. His eyes looked brown in the flash of light, yet when I choke slammed him they flashed bright yellow.
Dagon.
As in THE Dagon?!
"You're a prince of hell?"
"Titles are so pointless. I could ask you if your the werewolf mercenary that failed her entire pack and her family but we already know the answer to THAT."
My eyes flashed red and Tanga snapped.
"What happened wasn't our fault, it was his!"
"I don't care who's at fault, I care about my petty humans that are dropping like flies in his quest to find you!" His voice was like the thunder rumbling above us and his eyes were glowing a mucky yellow that put my wolf into an even bigger rage. I can't put my finger on why he irked Tanga so much. I told Tanga to take a rest, she is going to need all the energy she can get.
"How is that my problem? Humans are worthless not only to a wolf like me but in my past career. He is never going to find me and you won't either."
I put my ring on my keychain quick and jump in my Bronco. I turn the engine over and floor it, screeching my tires and leaving the past behind me once and for all. I feel my eyes burning as tears begin to flow down my face. I can't stop thinking about Randy. What would our pup look like now? How can I be so blessed yet so cursed? Is this really what the moon goddess wants for me? I don't want to stay stuck in my own story.
