Isabel and the Werewolf Beast (Vampire Tales #1)

14. Dante

Chapter fourteen

Dante

I ’d almost forced myself on a woman. In this disgusting werewolf form too. It was the second time I’d almost done that to Isabel. What was wrong with me? I’d maintained a distance from women ever since I’d turned, but the vampire excited me in a way no woman ever had.

Her fangs sliding into my skin had made my cock so hard. The texture of her tongue on my flesh made me want it in other places. Every place. Even her fangs too. And what was that euphoric sensation? I’d read about the way vampires made a bite pleasurable but no amount of reading could have prepared me for the experience.

How would I ever get my rock-hard cock to go down?

I slowed to a walk. Isabel’s scent no longer inflamed my aroused state. The further I got away from her the better, except we were trapped in this cursed bubble together. Alone. I’d have to talk to her. Be near her, but how would I control myself? The first few months after Asher bit me I’d struggled like this, and I’d thought I’d achieved some semblance of control over my animalistic urges. Obviously not.

A small pond approached into my view. I strolled toward it. Moonbeams glinted off the water making it appear like glass. The closer I stepped, the more the pond appeared like a mirror. More magic? Should I be scared or excited? I’d read a few books about magic while Isabel was in her coma-like state. Witches, wizards, warlocks. They all existed too. How narrow-minded of me to not open my mind to all the things that might be real. I’d never thought I was the type of person to not believe. After all my most treasured reads were fantasy novels.

I paused at the edge of the pond. It wasn’t large. The size of about an acre. My legs brushed through the tall grass surrounding the water as I made my way to the small wooden dock that edged over the water. This close the water appeared even more magical. Luminescent with a blue shimmer. Very magical. I kneeled on the timber planks and dipped my fingertips into the water. What was Isabel doing right now?

Her image glistened across the surface of the pond. I sat back on my haunches. What had happened? The water shone with the blue shimmer once more. I leaned forward again and dipped my fingertips in the pond. Nothing happened. I lifted my hand and watched the blue droplets of water drip from my fingertips back into the pond creating ripples in the surface.

Had I imagined seeing Isabel ?

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my dry hand. That must be it. She was on my mind too much. I needed to stop thinking of her. One. I counted. Two. I kept counting in my head turning my focus on the numbers. I normally used this trick when trying to get to sleep. Eventually at a thousand my mind wandered to other things. Where was Asher? Was he okay? Had he found Silas yet? I dipped my fingers back into the water. Asher’s form sparkled across the water. I almost ripped my hand away, but I kept the connection.

The pond was magical.

Asher walked through a forest in his human form. Not our forest near home. The trees were different, with taller, greener leaves. The full moon must have passed where he was. Time progressed and inside this curse, we didn’t realize. The path he was on was barely there. I watched from behind him as he walked deeper into the forest. He glanced back over his shoulder as though he sensed me watching him.

“Asher!”

His brows puckered into a frown. He stopped walking and turned a circle to look around him. Asher started walking again.

I sighed. I could see him but he couldn’t see me. What was the point? Was the pond another form of torture for Isabel’s curse? Did she recognize its magical ability to see outside the castle and grounds? If she didn’t, I should tell her.

As I lifted my hand from the water, I broke the magical connection of watching Asher. It was good to see he was okay, but if I couldn’t talk to him what use was it? There had to be a way to send a communication through the pond. I rose.

“Dante,” Isabel yelled.

I turned to watch her sprint across the grass. Her white dress splattered with red splotches flew about her like she was a ghost. Ghost? That’s what happened when she drifted into the castle. She turned incorporeal.

“Get away from there,” she yelled.

I took a step. A sudden splash of water emanated from behind me. Something wrapped around my legs and yanked. I landed face-first on the dock. What? I lifted my chin and saw Isabel’s horrified expression. I turned and looked at what tripped me. Purple tentacles wrapped around my ankles. They tightened until I thought my feet would fall off from lack of blood supply. I rolled over, twisting the tentacles, and tried tugging them off. The suction cups wouldn’t budge from my skin. Now what nightmare was in this curse?

Isabel’s footsteps sounded on the dock.

The tentacles wrenched me forward, and I fell into the pond. Down and down, they drew me. Wasn’t this a pond? Not some deep ocean? I glanced up. Isabel’s form wavered above the water and then she dove in and swam toward me. Stunned, I shook my head. I’d just saved her. I didn’t want her risking her life again especially to save me.

Her hands wrapped around my wrists, and she twitched back toward the surface. Each tug from both ends hurt. Stretched my body to the limits until I thought I might rip in half. One of them had to stop or it might happen. I tapped my hand on Isabel’s hand hoping she’d let go. Instead, she swam down my body. Her breasts brushed over my face, then her stomach, her thighs, then her feet were in my face. I couldn’t see what she was doing, but suddenly the strangling sensation on my ankles released.

Isabel spun placed her arms under my shoulders and kicked us to the surface of the pond. My feet wouldn’t move. They were numb. Would I get the sensation back? Or would I never walk again? She hauled me over to the dock. I latched onto the timber with my arms and hauled myself onto the platform. She launched herself out of the water grabbed my hands and dragged me onto the grass.

She puffed out a breath sending water droplets over my face.

“Be careful here. The curse has warped everything.”

“So I’m finding out.” I sat up and stared at my fur-covered legs now marked with suction circles around my ankles. “I can’t feel my feet.”

“The sensation will come back in a few minutes.”

“Good to know.” I laid back on the grass. “I saw Asher in the water.”

She lay beside me. “Was he okay?”

“Yes. He was walking through a forest. Did you realize the pond can show you the outside world?”

She rolled her head to the side. “Yes.”

I rolled mine to the side to look her in the eyes. She looked relieved I was fine. I enjoyed seeing her concern for me.

“Did the tentacles grab you too?”

Her lips twitched. “Yes.”

“What other things should you warn me about?”

She grinned. “Besides me. A lot.”

I lifted a hand and brushed her damp hair from her face. “I need a warning for you? You seem like the least plausible thing here to kill me.”

She laughed. “You’re a werewolf remember. Vampires kill werewolves.”

“About that, why can’t I find a reason in any of the books?”

I’d read so many books trying to find a way to help her, but I hadn’t found a reason for werewolves and vampires to be enemies which seemed the most bizarre thing in this situation and that was saying something after all I’d seen inside this curse .

She sat up and hugged her knees. “I don’t even remember the reason the teacher gave us at the academy.”

“I smell a conspiracy.”

“In what way?” She glanced down at me, the moisture from the pond making her eyes even more beautiful.

“Why would they keep it a secret?”

She shook her head, wet strands slapping against the side of her slender neck. “It’s not a secret. I was told, but I can’t remember.”

I sat up and faced her so I’d stop thinking about running my lips over the delicate skin on her neck. “Seems like it should be something you’d remember, doesn’t it? Especially since you’re meant to kill us.”

“It might be the curse.”

My turn to shake my head sending water droplets everywhere from my fur. “I suspect a magical amnesia spell.”

“A what?” Her pretty brows furrowed into a frown.

“I read a few books while you were…”

“In stasis. A vampire’s way to shut down so we don’t die.”

“Are you finally telling me answers to a question?”

“You didn’t ask a question.” She stood and brushed her hands down her damp gown.

The red blood stains were now long drips of smeared red on the white dress. She was beautiful, and she deserved to be clean, dry, and in a dress that wasn’t dripping with blood and water.

“If I go into the castle and get you a clean and dry dress, would you be able to change into it?”

Her eyes widened. “You’d do that for me?”

“If it would work, yes.” I tried to wriggle my feet and was happy when they worked .

She bit her lip with a fang. “I don’t know. I can’t touch anything inside the castle to test the theory. You’d have to fetch the gown outside so I can try to touch it.”

“Theoretically it should work.”

“Yes, but—”

I groaned sensing there was more about trying to kill me as I rose to my feet I let out an exasperated huff. “Now what?”

“You can’t go in my bedroom.”

“Dare I ask why?”