Dark of Night

  Contents

  Cloaked in Fur

  Creatures of the Moon

  Arsonists Anonymous

  Love’s Prey

  Midnight Sun, Inc.

  Into the Woods

  Daman’s Angel

  Seal of Destiny

  Secrets of the Fog

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  Cloaked in Fur

  T.F. Walsh

  Avon, Massachusetts

  This edition published by

  Crimson Romance

  an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

  10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

  Blue Ash, Ohio 45242

  www.crimsonromance.com

  Copyright © 2013 by T.F. Walsh

  ISBN 10: 1-4405-7160-0

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-7160-2

  eISBN 10: 1-4405-7161-9

  eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-7161-9

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art © 123rf.com

  Acknowledgments

  To my critique partners and writing friends, a huge thank you for all your support and helping me make this story what it is today. I couldn’t have done this without you. To Crimson Romance for welcoming me into their family. And to the most wonderful man in the world, my husband. He never let me give up. Love you.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  About the Author

  A Sneak Peek from Crimson Romance

  Chapter One

  The door to the underground bunker rattled, sending twitches down my spine. I threw the books back onto the shelf, blew out the candle, and froze in the darkness. It might be Radu, coming to help with the research. Or it might be Sandulf, who’d be less than impressed with my presence. That’d be just my luck for the alpha to bust in on me.

  Thedoor clattered again. My hands fisted as I silently prayed it wasn’t Sandulf. If he found me here, I’d never be able to explain it away. He’d see right through any excuse I made for being in the pack’s library. I was the outdoors kind of girl, not the studious type. If he guessed I was researching the lupul elixir, I was dead. Or as good as dead.

  For the third time, the door shook on its hinges. The smell of rain teased my nostrils, along with the earthy fragrance of trees, but no Sandulf. I released a long breath. A storm was coming, and the gale continued to pummel the entrance.

  I hurried up the stairs and slipped outside into the cold morning. With the door locked, I brushed foliage over the entrance with my foot. Lofty trees crowded the forest around me with minimal sunlight breaking through the canopy above. I inhaled the crisp, pine scents and took off. The wind tore through the area, tugging my blouse and pants, tossing brown hair over my face. Another night spent alone where I’d lost track of time searching for secrets of the potion. Later that night I’d be back doing more research, though Radu’s help would make it a lot easier. He’d missed our catch-ups three days running. That wasn’t like him. He was never late. Maybe he’d given up on helping me?

  I pushed the trepidation down, knowing it wouldn’t do me any good to think about it, and Connell Lonescu came to mind: his strong arms wrapped around me, loving whispers in my ears, and kisses that melted my insides. If I didn’t find the potion before the next full moon, everything with Connell was over.

  A loud footfall on the forest floor iced me over.

  I held my breath. Darkness filled the gaps between trees where the sun didn’t reach. A shadow flitted behind the broad trunks. I sniffed the downwind: timber, car fumes from the city of Braşov, and a barnyard scent.

  The woods fell silent.

  Stop freaking out.

  I rubbed the chill out of my arms and kept moving. The crunch of foliage beneath my boots echoed.

  I had just forced my legs into a jog when a prickling sensation slithered down my back. I wasn’t alone.

  The moment I whirled around, something massive and dark struck, hitting my chest. I screamed. It knocked me to the ground. I threw my arms up in defense, expecting to be bitten, and scrambled backward. My body pinched with pain. My heart thumped against my ribcage. The foul stench of wet sheep and dung smothered my senses.

  A black wolf the size of a sedan crouched several feet from me — ears flat against its head and lips peeled back over pointy fangs. Rumbling growled from the animal’s chest. Hot air steamed from its mouth, and it eyed me as if I were a free meal.

  I couldn’t breathe. A man-eating dracwulf, the same unstoppable animal said to eat entire villages, was in the Carpathian woods. The urge to transform into a moonwulf wriggled over my skin. But it wasn’t my time of the month, yet I swore I sensed my inner wolf rising inside me.

  In slow motion, I climbed to my feet.

  The beast lunged.

  I threw myself sideways into a roll, leapt to my feet and ran. The dracwulf was on my heels, swift and heavy, crashing through the underbrush. Each tree offered an obstacle to dodge around and stop the creature from jumping me from behind. Low-hanging branches snagged on my clothes and hair.

  We were too far from the pack house.

  Too close to the city.

  The forest floor flew under me.

  The pack’s bunker, perhaps? If I wanted to trap myself. Terrible idea. A hint of panic crawled forward. What if I couldn’t shake it? What if it caught me? What if … No more stupid fear.

  Around the next tree, I swiped a hefty branch off the ground and spun to face the dracwulf, ready to finish it my way.

  The animal collided with me, headfirst into my hip. I was thrown backward and crumpled to the ground like a broken tree, muscles and bones in shock from the impact. A horrid suffocating sound gushed from my lips. The beast came at me in a blur of speed, giving me just enough time to swing the branch out in front of my face. It was on me. Teeth latched onto the weapon and ripped it out of my grip.

  Two things happened at once. I threw my fist into the side of its head as a shrill whistle sounded from a distance. The huge wolf jerked up, muzzle creased. Unfazed by my punch, the animal bounded over me and dashed into the woods like it had caught sight of better prey.

  That was my chance to escape.

  I pushed myself up, but my body seemed to weigh a ton. My hip flared in pain each time I put weight on it. Where
had the dracwulf come from, and where had it gone? Dracwulves were not meant to exist and this one damn sure wasn’t scared of me.

  With clenched teeth and stumbling steps, I hurried toward my Jeep.

  I took deep breaths and shoved my fists into the pockets of my pants, touching the coolness of the key to the bunker.

  Connell.

  Five days until the Lunar Eutine, the next full moon — the pivotal moment when a moonwulf like myself would transform into a full-blown wulfkin forever. Except I had other plans: to become human with a little help from the elixir I still hadn’t found and stay that way.

  My palms stung. I glanced at the red, crescent shapes indented into the flesh from my nails. The chill had returned to my bones by the time I reached the vehicle. I was surprised my body didn’t ache worse. Instead, it just felt bruised.

  The pack needed to know a monster lived in our woods, so I’d pay them a visit. I climbed into the Jeep and drove along the curving track toward the pack house.

  My cell phone rang.

  I snatched it from the passenger seat. Connell. Something tingled in my chest. I wanted to answer and hear his voice, listen to the way he said my name, but not right then. I’d call him back after I visited the pack house. I let it go to voice mail. The phone revealed he’d already called six times.

  The cell rang in my hand. Connell again. I answered this time. “Hi there.”

  “Daci, are you okay?” Fear threaded his words, and that scared me.

  “I’m fine. What’s going on?”

  “I called you all morning and no response. You’re not at home or work. Where are you? I’ve been so worried.”

  I swallowed the dryness in my throat. “Out in the woods tracking deer for work.” I hated lying. “Sorry, I missed your calls. Did something happen?”

  He let out a loud sigh, and my stomach clenched. “This morning, a jogger found a dead girl in an alley behind your apartment. And the investigation team has been waiting for you before they clean up the scene. That’s why I was trying to get hold of you.”

  My insides turned to mush. “That’s awful. But why do you need me?”

  “Your boss said you’d help us with identifying the animal, since we may need to issue a hunting permit to track and kill it. Please hurry back. I’ll meet you in front of your apartment, okay? Drive carefully.” He hung up.

  The day was growing worse by the second.

  A strange sensation flared inside me. I’d assisted police in the past on multiple animal attacks, since I specialized in animal behaviors — but on domestic livestock, never humans … unless … The dracwulf attack poured through my mind. My next breath caught in my throat.

  I slammed on the brakes and did a quick five-point turn on the dirt track. Soon, I left the woods behind and sped into the city. Renaissance-style houses lined the thoroughfare, showcasing fashionable clothing boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. People wandered along the footpaths, oblivious of the monster stalking the Carpathian woods.

  I arrived on my street in no time and slid out of the Jeep, rubbing my sore hip. Potted plants adorned the balconies of the concrete apartments along the road. Despite the bright flowers twirling around the metal railings, the rusted drains running down the cold white walls reminded me of the stories about families losing farms and livestock to the government in Communist times, then being forced to live in tiny apartments. I took hasty strides up the footpath and grimaced at the pain lacing through my side.

  In front of my place, Connell leaned against the wall, staring at his cell. Despite the circumstances, the excitement of seeing him made me giddy. Blond hair fell over his sun-bronzed face. Those broad shoulders filled out a tailored pinstriped suit, and his well-muscled physique would make anyone think twice before taking him on.

  Connell glanced up with chocolate eyes that made me forget what I was thinking. He pushed off the wall.

  I ran up to him and threw my arms around his neck. My body molded into his perfectly. This was what I had never experienced whilst hidden in the woods with the pack — tenderness and love with a man.

  “I missed you so much.” Connell’s arms swept along my back and pulled me tight. “Daci, I was so worried something had happened to you.” There it was again, the terror in his tone.

  I took a sharp breath and pulled back, unable to stop my defenses from rising. “I’m fine.”

  He scanned me head to toe. “Your blouse. It’s ripped.”

  Peering down, I found gashes in the white fabric over my shoulders and arms. I poked a finger through one of the holes. Another favorite shirt destroyed. Great. “I fell over in the woods, but it’s all good.” In that moment, a flare of sharp pain throbbed down my leg, and I smiled through the ache.

  Connell raked fingers through his hair and tucked his cell into the inside pocket of his jacket, revealing the gun holster at the side of his belt. “Are you sure?” His hand caressed the length of my arm before stroking my cheek.

  I nodded, leaning into his touch, and wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms. No more talking.

  “I love you so much.” He plucked a twig from my hair. “But I don’t want secrets between us.”

  Something hitched in my throat. I’d told Connell so many lies to conceal my identity as a moonwulf, I had lost track of them. “What do you mean?”

  Only the wind swept past. Connell’s gaze flickered around the place — everywhere but on me. “For over a week I’ve been calling you, and you never bothered to call back. Not even a text message to say you’re busy. Nothing.” He searched my face for an answer. “Then today I needed you for work, and you weren’t anywhere. This whole time I thought I was giving you space because you were going to be busy at work for a while, but what if something had happened to you? I would never forgive myself.”

  A shudder ran through me and heat crawled through my chest. Had I really let days pass by without calling Connell? I was certain we’d spoken just yesterday. Or was it the day before? “I’m so sorry I didn’t call you right away. Time got away from me.”

  He dug his hands into the pockets of his tailored pants. It was obvious they were fisted into knots. “All I ask is that you let me know you’re okay, where you are sometimes, and that you’re still alive.”

  My response came pouring out. “Why do you need to know where I am all the time?”

  “That’s not what I mean.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shit, Daci. I thought you wanted to be with me forever. I don’t get what’s been going on with you lately.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. Everything I did was for Connell. For us. I’d never felt this way about anyone, and I was ready to leave my pack for him. Even if it was unheard of. That was why I needed the elixir. “Of course I want us to be together, and I love you.”

  “Are you sure?” His voice shook.

  “I can’t believe you just asked me that.”

  The front door of the building creaked open, and an elderly woman with a bag on wheels shuffled outside. With pursed lips, she shook her head before hurrying down the street. Great, my whole neighborhood probably knew about my love life.

  Connell glanced up to my apartment and back before loosening his tie from around his neck. “I know you haven’t been spending the nights at home.”

  My breath quickened. “And you know this because … ”

  “I’ve driven past your place the last few nights, hoping to catch up with you. To see you. But you’re never home. Where do you go every night?” His incredulous stare pinned me on the spot, and right then I was certain my legs would give out.

  “Are you stalking my place?”

  I couldn’t tell him that I spent my time in an underground bunker searching for a potion that might turn me into a human for good. Or that if I turned into a wulfkin, I’d be forced to live with the pack, mate wit
h one of them, and lose him forever. It would make me sound like a crazy person because, in his world, moonwulf and wulfkin didn’t exist.

  He drew in a quick breath of air. “Of course not. We haven’t caught up for weeks, and I missed you. Daci, tell me what you want from me, or am I an idiot for believing something serious was happening with us?”

  I reached out for him and took his hand in mine. “It’s only you I want. Nothing else is going on. I’ve been working extra hours for a huge project at work. That’s all.”

  His hand slipped out of my grasp. “Part of the problem with being an inspector is that it lets me know when someone is lying.” His voice held a ragged edge. “After my ex-wife, I never thought I’d be able to love again. Then I met you. But now I’m getting that same feeling I got when I realized she wasn’t telling me the truth.” His gaze held onto me. “I don’t want to go through that again.”

  He might as well have pulled the ring from a hand grenade because my heart stopped beating. “I’m nothing like — ”

  “Why can’t you — ”

  “Let me finish,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m not like your ex-wife. I would never cheat on you, so don’t compare me to her, ever. How could you even suggest it?” Pain squeezed my throat. “What do you want me to tell you? Something that isn’t true so you can say all females are liars?” I struggled to hold my composure and hugged myself. “That’s not going to happen.”

  Connell shut his eyes, his lips pressed tight together.

  “All I ask is for one week to finish a project at work. Then you won’t be able to get rid of me. I love you so much.” I couldn’t think of anything else around my trembling limbs and numb brain.

  He opened his eyes slightly, and a shade of brown flashed, reminding me of his sexy look just before he had his way with me. My body tingled. I’d never wanted a man as much as I did Connell.

  He pushed his shoulders back, and a hard expression slid over his face. “I don’t want to talk about this now. We have to go to the crime scene.” An edge of bossiness crept into his voice. He turned his back to me. “Ready?”