Wolfsbane, A Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (The Maurin Kincaide Series) by Rachel Rawlings

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Wolfsbane
     
    Rachel Rawlings
     

    Wolfsbane
A Maurin Kincaide Novel

Written by
Rachel Rawlings

Copyright © 2012 Rachel Rawlings

All rights reserved under the International Copyright Conventions.

Published in the United States by:

R Squared Publishing

http://www.rachelrawlings.com
http://www.hallowread.com

 

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Even a man who is pure in heart
    And says his prayers by night
    May become a wolf
    When the Wolfsbane blooms
    And the moon is full and bright
    ~Gypsy Poem
     
     

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1
     
     
     
     
     
    I woke in a cold sweat to the sound of heavy gun fire. I grabbed the Retaliator from the empty side of the bed and bolted out of my room. My front door was open and I was out in the little stairway that led to my third floor walk up before I was awake enough to realize there was no danger. My first clue should have been Conry- a Cwnn Anfwnn, gift from my father and personal guard "dog"- just rolling over and burying his head beneath his massive paws. The sound of grenades and Dempsey's voice coming up the stairs told me it was just my new neighbor playing COD Zombies with the TV full blast at three o'clock in the morning again. I was still in boy shorts and a tank top but I didn't bother to go back in my apartment to change. He'd seen me in less. I stormed down the flight of stairs to Cash's apartment with my sword in hand.
    "It's going on four in the morning! Turn that shit off or I'll send some real zombies to your apartment!" I yelled while I pounded on the door.
    How the guy on the first floor slept through it I'll never know. But it had been me stomping on my floor and ban ging on Cash's door every night for the last month.
    "What's the big deal? I figured a fanger like you would be used to staying up late." Cash casually replied upon opening the door.
    "You can be such a jerk." I said with more venom than the insult commanded.
    "Jerk? That's the best you could come up with?" Cash said through his laughter.
    "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not at my wittiest when I wake up to the sound of World War III at three in the morning." I said tartly.
    "It's Modern Warfare, not World War III." He smirked.
    I rolled my eyes. "I'm not the only other person who lives here you know. I can only imagine what it sounds like downstairs. The poor guy probably has to sleep with ear plugs in." I scolded.
    "Mike works third shift. He doesn't get home until after seven in the morning. " He was still smirking.
    "He's only lived here for like three weeks and I haven't even talked to him. You two are what, like best friends already?" I asked, irritated.
    "What can I say? People just like me better than you." He was past smirking and into a full grin.
    I probably shouldn't have but I couldn't help myself. I swung the Retaliator around until the tip of the blade pressed against his Adam's apple. "Just turn the TV down or we'll see how good of a gamer you are without your thumbs."
    I stomped away. "And stop staring at my ass." I said as I started up the steps. If the challenge for Alpha of the Salem pack didn't happen soon Roul was going to start getting wake up calls at three in the morning. I didn't know what the holdup was anyway. He was too busy to help us with the Inquisitors and the demon they unleashed a few weeks ago because of his "pack business" and now it's delay, delay, delay. It's been unusually quiet in Salem but I haven't had a decent night's sleep in four weeks because of my new neighbor.
    Well, it wasn't all Cash's fault. Aidan had a little something to do with it - too bad it was just talking. Aidan made his feelings for me clear but was still insisting we take our time. Vampires could be very patient. Having spent most of my life living more like a "norm" than an immortal I found it infuriating. He wanted to be sure the effects of Mahalia's spell were gone. I assured him that any feelings I had for Oberon died the minute I found out he hadn't.