aboard the next bus, eyed the other passengers, and wished I knew what to look for. Werewolves looked just like everyone else until they started transforming.
I sat near the window, looked out with a sigh, and thought of the Taupe Lady. If she had the ability to carry six of us within her and send us into different mothers, why couldn’t she help us? Why did I have to die over and over? I thought back to the very first dream of her. She’d sent each of us to our mothers with a word: Strength, Wisdom, Hope, Peace, Prosperity, and Courage. From the way some of those things had talked to each of us in past lives, I knew I was Wisdom. So which sister had Luke and his people already found?
Shifting in my seat, I pulled up my hood so I could block out the world as I thought. My damn dreams. They had shown me that the werewolves would come and that I needed to run. And I had. I’d run from my home, my friends...my mom. But the dreams weren’t stopping. They had, however, changed. A little. I wasn’t stupid...maybe just a little slow, but hey I was sleep deprived. Twice Baen had helped me...or tried to, anyway. Two dreams showing me that not all werewolves were bad. It gave me a tiny spark of hope, and I knew what I needed to do. West, I thought.
The faint smell of soap tickled my noise. The dreams had just pointed out what I was too afraid to believe; someone had already been helping me. I unzipped the hoodie, pulled it off and studied it. It wasn’t mine as I’d thought when I’d pulled it out of the duffle in the back of the truck. Holding it to my nose, I inhaled deeply. It smelled like Luke. He’d also given me money. Several times. Granted, he’d also snuck into my hotel room—several times—and seemed to be following me like a creeper. It would take more than cash and a hoodie to earn my trust, but I would listen to the dreams. I sighed and shrugged back into the hoodie.
My head ached from the need to sleep. After a few torturous hours, the bus stopped for a refuel. Stepping off the bus into the increasingly frigid air, I chose a road heading out of town and started walking.
Chapter Five
Several hours later, I heard the loud roar of a motorcycle behind me. I looked back, saw it was Luke, and I suppressed the urge to run. It wouldn’t do any good. He would just chase me. Besides, I’d already decided to talk to him...to see if he really was like Baen. So I stopped walking and waited.
My stomach tugged and twirled as I watched the bike slow. I forced down my physical reaction—it had been used against me in the past—but that didn’t stop me from appreciating how good he looked.
He pulled up beside me and cut the engine. His hair was slightly messed from the ride, and his eyes sparked with annoyance.
“Are you mental?” He dismounted with grace and pulled off his leather jacket.
Too stunned by the sudden display of beautifully defined pectorals beneath his t-shirt, I couldn’t answer. Sure, I’d remembered a few mates from past lives, but none attracted me like this. He was even more dangerous to me because of it.
He stalked toward me, and I didn’t even have a chance to squeak in protest when he pulled the duffle off my shoulder.
“You’ll freeze out here.” He set the still warm jacket on my shoulders and zipped me in without waiting for me to put my arms in the sleeves.
Every time he found me, he helped me. I tipped my head back and stared into his eyes. He watched me intently. Tiny flecks of green and gold peeked through the soft brown of his eyes. Inside, I gave a little sigh of appreciation. How stupid was I to want to trust this man? I needed to be practical. Squashing my tingling awareness, I recalled what happened in my last dream. Even my help had set me up to die. Wasn’t there a way to live that didn’t involve torture or forced servitude?
“Tell me about my sister,” I said as I shoved
I sat near the window, looked out with a sigh, and thought of the Taupe Lady. If she had the ability to carry six of us within her and send us into different mothers, why couldn’t she help us? Why did I have to die over and over? I thought back to the very first dream of her. She’d sent each of us to our mothers with a word: Strength, Wisdom, Hope, Peace, Prosperity, and Courage. From the way some of those things had talked to each of us in past lives, I knew I was Wisdom. So which sister had Luke and his people already found?
Shifting in my seat, I pulled up my hood so I could block out the world as I thought. My damn dreams. They had shown me that the werewolves would come and that I needed to run. And I had. I’d run from my home, my friends...my mom. But the dreams weren’t stopping. They had, however, changed. A little. I wasn’t stupid...maybe just a little slow, but hey I was sleep deprived. Twice Baen had helped me...or tried to, anyway. Two dreams showing me that not all werewolves were bad. It gave me a tiny spark of hope, and I knew what I needed to do. West, I thought.
The faint smell of soap tickled my noise. The dreams had just pointed out what I was too afraid to believe; someone had already been helping me. I unzipped the hoodie, pulled it off and studied it. It wasn’t mine as I’d thought when I’d pulled it out of the duffle in the back of the truck. Holding it to my nose, I inhaled deeply. It smelled like Luke. He’d also given me money. Several times. Granted, he’d also snuck into my hotel room—several times—and seemed to be following me like a creeper. It would take more than cash and a hoodie to earn my trust, but I would listen to the dreams. I sighed and shrugged back into the hoodie.
My head ached from the need to sleep. After a few torturous hours, the bus stopped for a refuel. Stepping off the bus into the increasingly frigid air, I chose a road heading out of town and started walking.
Chapter Five
Several hours later, I heard the loud roar of a motorcycle behind me. I looked back, saw it was Luke, and I suppressed the urge to run. It wouldn’t do any good. He would just chase me. Besides, I’d already decided to talk to him...to see if he really was like Baen. So I stopped walking and waited.
My stomach tugged and twirled as I watched the bike slow. I forced down my physical reaction—it had been used against me in the past—but that didn’t stop me from appreciating how good he looked.
He pulled up beside me and cut the engine. His hair was slightly messed from the ride, and his eyes sparked with annoyance.
“Are you mental?” He dismounted with grace and pulled off his leather jacket.
Too stunned by the sudden display of beautifully defined pectorals beneath his t-shirt, I couldn’t answer. Sure, I’d remembered a few mates from past lives, but none attracted me like this. He was even more dangerous to me because of it.
He stalked toward me, and I didn’t even have a chance to squeak in protest when he pulled the duffle off my shoulder.
“You’ll freeze out here.” He set the still warm jacket on my shoulders and zipped me in without waiting for me to put my arms in the sleeves.
Every time he found me, he helped me. I tipped my head back and stared into his eyes. He watched me intently. Tiny flecks of green and gold peeked through the soft brown of his eyes. Inside, I gave a little sigh of appreciation. How stupid was I to want to trust this man? I needed to be practical. Squashing my tingling awareness, I recalled what happened in my last dream. Even my help had set me up to die. Wasn’t there a way to live that didn’t involve torture or forced servitude?
“Tell me about my sister,” I said as I shoved
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