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  Whispering, Regan stepped closer to the door. “I’ve come all this way, can’t we at least talk?”

  Lily shook her head again, but Regan was encouraged by the fact the woman hadn’t closed the curtain.

  “Please.” Regan wasn’t going to beg, but she was a firm believer if first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

  Lily’s shoulders sagged, and she slowly reached for the deadbolt. A click later, and the woman was sliding the door open.

  “You can’t be here.”

  “Because you don’t want me to be, or because you’re afraid?”

  “What difference does that make?” Lily’s voice was strained as she struggled to maintain hushed tones.

  Regan frowned. “It makes all the difference.”

  The two women looked at each other for several seconds. Just when Regan was about to step back and resign herself to failure, Lily stepped back and gestured for her to enter the house.

  “You can’t stay long.” Lily shut the backdoor and glanced toward the front of the house. “Trent is coming over any minute.”

  Regan nodded. “I won’t stay long, and I don’t want to make more trouble for you. I just want you to know you have choices.”

  Lily crossed the small kitchenette area, and leaned against the rose granite countertop. “I know it seems like that to you, but I promise - I, I really don’t.”

  “Why do you think that?” Regan stepped toward the woman, wanting desperately to will the confidence and assuredness she needed into her.

  “If I leave, then I’m responsible for the end of my clan.”

  Regan shook her head and took Lily’s hand. “No. Decisions were made, and events took place, long before you were born that caused this. You can’t believe you’re responsible for reshaping an entire history?”

  Lily’s eyes lightened, and Regan thought something she had said must have resonated with the woman. Before either could speak again, the front door creaked and Trent stood in the entryway. “Well, goddamn, you’re a persistent little bitch.”

  Lily immediately shifted, placing herself between her brother and Regan. “Don’t.”

  Barely had the word left her mouth than Trent had pulled his thin white t-shirt over his head, and kicking off his boots, unbuckled his jeans. A second later, the man’s skin was a bright red as the muscle and bone beneath it shifted, cracked and expanded.

  The shift happened so quickly Regan barely had a chance to process what she had seen. In place of Trent was a large gray wolf. Its hair was coarse and shimmered in the light of the living room, as its yellow eyes fixated on Regan.

  A popping sound to her left focused Regan’s attention to where Lily had been standing. Now, in the beautiful woman’s place was a slightly smaller wolf. Its hair was black with flecks of gray. Its eyes yellow too, and glaring at the larger wolf.

  The gray wolf lunged toward Regan. Its intent to kill the woman was clear as its teeth were bared and its eyes enraged. The smaller black wolf sprung forward, and tackled the larger animal to the floor, shattering one of the oak end tables into pieces with the force of both animals hitting it.

  Trent rebounded first, and sunk his teeth into the scruff of Lily’s neck. A loud yelp filled the room as he flung his sister to the side. Regan watched as the animal crouched, preparing to leap at her. Regan found her way through the cloud of fear that engulfed her. She reached into her front pocket and pulled the small metal canister free, pointed it at the wolf, and emptied the can of pepper spray into the animal’s face and mouth.

  Howling, yelping, and what almost sounded like human cries erupted from Trent as he twisted his head awkwardly toward the floor, trying to wipe the offending liquid off.

  Regan ran toward the back door. Glancing back, she saw Lily stalking toward her still dazed brother. Yellow eyes softened, and the black wolf looked directly at Regan. Tears filled the woman’s eyes as she reached for the back door.

  Lily nodded, and then glanced toward the door. Unable to manage her fear any longer, Regan slid the door open, and looking one last time at Lily, turned and ran as fast as she could toward the van and the world beyond Howell.

  ***

  “I can’t believe you’re going to be gone an entire year.” Regan’s friend Jenny lamented.

  Regan, pressed the speaker icon on her iPhone, and laid the device on her cluttered dining room table. She had been back in College Station for over three months. Her dissertation had been accepted, and she was officially Doctor Regan Andrews.

  “There are worse places to be for a year than the Canary Islands.”

  “Yeah, like BFE West Texas.” Jenny chuckled, but the reminder of Regan’s two months at Addison left her feeling more confused than jovial.

  “Ah, yeah. Way better.” Regan’s heart had pounded for nearly an hour after she had fled the chaos of Lily’s house. She had made the decision during the nine hour drive home that she would keep her original promise and never tell anyone about Howell or the wolves. It seemed the very least she could do for Lily.

  “So drinks tonight at O’Bannon’s? Eight o’clock.” Jenny and Regan had known each other since they were both sophomores, and most of the friends either woman had were mutual. With Regan’s impending departure, her friend had arranged a sendoff sure to be riddled with plenty of reminiscence and ruckus.

  “You do remember I’m not much of a drinker, friend?” Regan taped a box marked kitchen closed and glanced at her watch. The movers were going to be there to pick up her belongings for storage within the hour, and she was nowhere near done packing.

  “I know. Why do you think we all hang out with you? Best designated driver ever.”

  Regan smiled. “At least you’re honest.” There was a knock at the door. “Shit, Jen, I have to go. The movers are here early.”

  “Check. See you tonight.” The phone went silent, and Regan laid the roll of tape down on the dining room table, trying not to be annoyed with the movers for being early when she was running late.

  Unlocking the deadbolt, Regan opened the door. “Lily?”

  Regan had no hope of stifling the utter shock in her voice. Her mouth hung open as she looked at the beautiful, dark haired woman standing in her doorway. Lily was dressed in a pair of faded fitted jeans, brown leather flip flops, and a lavender color V-neck t-shirt.

  “Hi.” The woman nervously chewed the inside of her cheek. “I’m hoping you invite me in, or I have really overestimated my position.”

  “What?” For all of her education and intelligence, Regan had suddenly gone dumb. “I mean - sure, of course.” Stepping back, she watched in amazement as Lily walked through her door and back into her life.

  Looking around, the dark haired woman nodded. “I like your apartment.” Seeing the boxes, the corners of her mouth turned down. “You’re moving?”

  Regan realized she was still standing in the open doorway, and nodding, closed the door. “Yes. I’ve been accepted for a residency at an observatory in the Canary Islands for a year.”

  “Wow. That’s - that’s great.” Lily managed a weak smile as she shifted nervously from foot to foot.

  The tension in the room was suffocating, and Regan had no idea what to do about it. “Ah, can I get you something to drink?” Shaking her head, the woman rubbed the back of her neck. “Strike that. What are you doing here?”

  Lily sighed deeply. “I left Howell. You were right. I didn’t owe the past my future. I couldn’t go through with any of it, and once I made that decision I couldn’t stay.”

  Regan smiled. “That’s wonderful.”

  Nodding, Lily put her brown leather bag down on Regan’s couch. “I found you on the internet, and wanted to thank you for talking me through that craziness.”

  Regan walked toward the couch, and gestured for Lily to sit next to her. “What about Trent?”

  A slight shudder shook the dark haired woman. “The night you left was awful. He was out of control, and nearly rabid with rage and blood lust.” Regan took Lily’s han
d in hers, reassuringly stroking it with her thumb.

  “Did he hurt you?” Regan braced herself for the response.

  “No, but only because he couldn’t see and could barely breathe after his run in with your pepper spray.” A mischievous glint flashed across the woman’s blue eyes.

  “When did you leave?”

  “Nearly two months ago.” Sighing, Lily sat back on the couch. “I took my half of everything, and left.” Shrugging, she stared at the floor. “Maybe he’ll find me someday. Who knows? He has some things to hold against me, that’s for sure.”

  Regan couldn’t help but ask the obvious question. “How are you managing the full moon these days?” Remembering the cell in Lily’s basement, Regan couldn’t imagine what the equivalent would be while the woman travelled.

  Lily grinned. “It’s not very respectable, but I travel with a large dog carrier. The hotel staff is always perplexed when I arrive with the cage, but no dog.”

  Regan laughed. “Effective.”

  Lily moved closer, her knee touching Regan’s. “I’ve missed you.”

  Regan’s chest felt tight, and her mouth was suddenly dry. She had spent the last few months not trying to forget Lily, but hoping she was safe and happy. Now, seeing the woman was clearly thriving, Regan felt her choice to help Lily had not been in vain.

  “I’ve thought about you a lot, too. I had hoped you would leave, and be happy somewhere.” Regan cupped the woman’s warm cheek in her palm.

  Turning her face, Lily’s lips found Regan’s hand. “Thank you.”

  Pulling Lily to her, the two women embraced. Being near Lily again sent a wave of joy and delight through Regan. Leaning back, Regan wiped at an errant tear as it rolled down her cheek. Mustering her courage, she cleared her throat. “How do you feel about islands off the coast of Africa?”

  Lily grinned as a short laugh escaped her, tears filling her eyes. “I’m up for most anything these days.”

  A smile overtook Regan’s face as she looked affectionately at the woman in front of her. She didn’t know if they would last forever after, but she was going to enjoy the journey regardless of the destination.

  ###

  Also by Heather McVea:

  Waking Forever Series

  Waking Forever #1 - April 2013

  Ela: Forever #1.1 - December 2013

  Becoming Forever #2 - January 2014

  Dying Forever #3 - August 2014

  About the author:

  Heather McVea was raised in a small town south of San Antonio, Texas. Prior to escaping to the big city, she raised Hampshire pigs, rode motorcycles at entirely too young an age, and once snow boarded behind a Ford pickup truck. She relishes a strong gin and tonic, but leans after three. Shiny twinkly things make her cringe, up to and including Hollywood vampires.

  Heather and her wife have three fur babies, and are drinking their way through all of the distillery tours in Texas. In between pints and the occasional Tanqueray Ten on the rocks, Heather is working on a standalone novel slated for release in February 2015 set in Baltimore.

  Follow Heather on Twitter @HMcVea