Fur and Fangs #3 Read online

  Other Books by Rae D. Magdon

  Tengoku

  Death Wears Yellow Garters

  Amendyr Series

  The Second Sister

  Wolf’s Eyes

  The Witch’s Daughter

  The Mirror’s Gaze

  And with Michelle Magly

  All The Pretty Things

  Dark Horizons Series

  Dark Horizons

  Starless Nights

  Fur and Fangs

  Book 3

  By Rae D. Magdon

  ©2017 Rae D. Magdon

  ISBN (epub) 978942976462

  ISBN (pdf) 9781942976479

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form other than that which it was purchased and without the express permission of the author or publisher. Please note that piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s right and is illegal.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Desert Palm Press

  1961 Main Street, Suite 220

  Watsonville, California 95076

  Editor: Lee Fitzsimmons

  Cover Design: Gabriela Epstein

  Blurb

  Third in the series of Fur and Fangs. Moving to big, bustling New York City from rural Georgia is already exciting enough for country wolf Riley Evans, but it becomes downright exhilarating when she spots a beautiful woman in a yellow dress on her morning commute. The only problem is, she has no idea what to say to city girls…especially one that happens to be a vampire.

  Dedication

  For my darling Mona

  Riley

  IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MONDAY morning, three words I don’t usually put together, especially in that order. I skip down the steps to the subway turnstiles with my hands in my pockets, a grin plastered on my face. The usual scent of damp garbage and too many bodies crammed into a small space washes over me, but I’m much too happy to let the stink bother me. The sweet smell of Isabeau’s lotion is still lingering in my nose, keeping everything else at bay.

  I’ve just come from her place, the fourth time I’ve been there in the past eight days. That has to be a record, even counting the girls I messed around with before I moved to New York. I can’t get enough of her, and luckily, Isabeau seems just as happy to see me whenever I show up. This has to be the hardest and fastest I’ve ever fallen in…something.

  We’ve only known each other a week and a half. It’s much too soon to use words like love, but I’m definitely lost in a serious case of like, and in danger of much worse if we keep going at this pace. I can’t help it. Isabeau is sweet. She makes me laugh. She wears dresses that brighten every room she steps into, or maybe that’s just her blinding white smile.

  Someone collides with my shoulder—hard.

  “Hey, watch it,” a deep voice grunts. I jerk back, whirling in surprise. A large troll, at least seven feet tall, is towering over me, his lower jaw jutting out angrily beneath his jagged tusks.

  I take a nervous step away, holding up my hands in apology. “’Scuse me, didn’t see you there.”

  He gives me a skeptical look. I shrug sheepishly. A troll that size isn’t exactly easy to miss.

  “Hmmph,” he grunts, and then staggers toward one of the nearby trains, his hairy knuckles dragging over the concrete floor.

  Even that near-miss isn’t enough to dampen my spirits. By the time I reach my own platform, my grin is back, and I almost feel like howling for joy. I refrain, but only because a mummy waiting nearby is side-eyeing me over her newspaper, as if she’s worried my loony smile means I’m crazy.

  I don’t care. I feel like I could walk on air. I spend the entire train ride, all five stops, in a happy haze. I’ve got myself a girl—Sort of? Maybe? Hopefully? And nothing can ruin this for me. Nothing, that is, except for the grumpy face of my boss, Mr. Mrglsptz waiting to greet me when I walk in the door. He has a cup of coffee in his hand and his claws drum impatiently against the heat protector.

  “Evans. You’re late.”

  “Sorry, sir. I thought I was on time? It’s…” I check my watch. Shit. Two minutes late. Not the worst thing in the world, but banks and financial companies live by the clock, and Gragnar, Mrglsptz, & Smith is no exception. “Uh, I thought I was on time.”

  Mrglsptz sighs, shaking his horned head. “Just get on today’s reports as soon as possible.” He waves me away. “I’ve left them on your desk.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  I scurry past him, exhaling in relief once I’m out of his field of vision. Not many people make me nervous. I am a werewolf, after all, so it’s usually the other way around, but Mrglsptz is one of them. He’s a hard ass in addition to being a demon, and the city’s given him a tough edge too. He certainly isn’t like my old boss back at the feed store in Talbot, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. All he cares about is getting a paycheck’s worth of work out of his employees.

  I reach my cubicle and sink into my chair, spinning around a couple of times before I get settled. My smile returns as I remember exactly why I’m late. Isabeau can be quite the cuddler when she wants, and my mornings are her nights. I yawn, feeling my ears pop. The one downside to seeing a vampire is that it can really mess with your sleep schedule.

  “Hey, Riley. Riley? Riiileeey?”

  Something pokes me in the back of the head and I turn in surprise. I’d been so caught up in memories of Isabeau that I hadn’t noticed Colin, my selkie coworker and also my best friend, standing behind me. Judging from the pencil sticking out from between his fingers, that’s what he prodded me with.

  “Did Mrglsptz chew you out for being late?”

  I shrug. “Not too bad. He’s a softie.”

  Colin rolls his big blue eyes. “Yeah, sure. But hey, what kept you?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. “Was it the French vampire? Did you stay over at her place again?”

  “She ain’t…she’s not French.” I correct myself. Sometimes the Southernisms are hard to drop at work. “Her parents are Creole.”

  “And? Does she speak either language?” From his tone, I know exactly what he’s getting at.

  “It’s a whole unique culture. Not just some kind of bedroom language, you pervert.” But I have to admit, I’ve thought about it. Maybe Ma made me and my sisters watch too many bad romance movies with her while we were growing up. It doesn’t matter. The things Isabeau whispers in plain English are more than enough to raise my hair. She could probably recite a recipe and it wouldn’t make a lick of difference.

  “You still didn’t answer my question,” Colin drawls. It seems he’s determined to tease today. “Did you stay the night again? If it wasn’t Monday, I bet I would have seen those same wrinkled clothes yesterday.”

  I smooth down my vest. “Uh…”

  “I’ll take that as a yes. You’d better let me meet her soon, okay? I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”

  “Sorry, Colin,” I chuckle, “but that dog won’t hunt. Gentleman my ass.”

  Colin isn’t offended. “Speaking of hunting, isn’t it your
time soon? Shouldn’t be more than a couple of days now, right? Are you feeling the itch yet?”

  I blink in surprise. Colin is right. I’ve been so wrapped up in Isabeau that I didn’t even remember the full moon. That might explain some of my extra energy, looking back I always get a little squirmy a couple days before my shift, but this time, the buzz is more pleasant than annoying.

  “Yeah, guess so.”

  “And? What does Isabeau think of it?”

  In all honesty, I don’t have a clue what Isabeau thinks of it. We haven’t been together, if that’s even what we are, long enough for her to go through one of my monthlies. Now that Colin’s mentioned it, my stomach lurches with nervous butterflies. The one time I tried to show a girl my wolf form—not just going feral, but my actual wolf form—she ended up jumping from my pick-up and running for the hills not a few seconds after. Literally. Cindy Lou Castle and I never spoke again after that.

  I doubt the same thing will happen with Isabeau. She’s a vampire, after all, not a seventeen-year-old human. Some of them can even change into animals too, or so I’ve heard. But even so, the bad memories cast a cloud over my cheerful mood. What if she can’t handle it? What if she thinks it’s weird?

  “If you’re worried about it, just talk to her. She’s been accepting of your wolf side so far. I bet she won’t bat an eye.”

  I can only hope so. Before I can thank Colin for the bit of comfort, I hear familiar footsteps headed toward my cubicle. “It’s Mrglsptz,” I hiss, whirling my chair back to face my desk. “Better scram.”

  Colin takes me on my advice. He leaps—actually leaps—over the barrier between our cubicles, and I can hear Ssydra, the dragonborn who works next to me, croak in surprise. Serves her right. She’s the nosey type and probably heard our whole conversation.

  Still, she doesn’t rat us out. By the time Mrglsptz arrives, I’m doing a fair impression of being busy. He snorts a little, but he must buy it, because he only says, “Get those reports finished, Evans,” before he continues down the hall.

  I sigh in relief. At least that’s one problem solved. As for how to talk to Isabeau about the upcoming full moon, I’ll have to figure that one out later.

  ***

  “Where are you headed in such a hurry, baby?”

  Isabeau loops an arm around my waist before I can slip quietly out of bed, pulling me back onto the mattress and into her embrace. It’s only a gentle tug, but I can’t resist. The covers are still warm, mostly from me, and her naked body is much too soft to abandon.

  “Just need to pee,” I whisper, but my bladder can wait. She’s sapped my willpower to move.

  “Sure, you weren’t running out on me?” she murmurs, placing a soft kiss to the back of my shoulder.

  I know she doesn’t mean it. Isabeau and I have an understanding. It’s not rude of me to leave for work in the mornings while she’s asleep, but I always make sure to text her later so she can read my messages when she wakes up. Sometimes, though, she rouses herself enough to see me off. My stirring doesn’t seem to bother her. In fact, she seems grateful for the chance to say goodbye.

  “Never,” I say, but then I realize that sounds a little too serious. I try my best to cover it with, “Are y’all awake-awake, or goin’ back to sleep?”

  “Awake,” Isabeau mumbles, but from the way her nose wrinkles and her back arches as she yawns, I doubt that very much. She’ll probably drift back off as soon as I leave the bed.

  That’s what makes me think this might be a good time to bring up my problem. It feels a bit sneaky, slipping it in while she’s nice and cozy, but seeing her at ease puts me at ease too. I’m not sure whether I’ll get the courage again.

  “Uh, Izzy?” I turn around in her arms until we’re facing each other, nearly brushing noses.

  Isabeau cracks one cat’s eye open to look at me. “Mm?”

  “Um…” My words dry up. So much for the big bad wolf. I’m mostly a big chicken.

  She opens her other eye, her brow wrinkling in concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t see you the middle of this week. I’ve got something going on.”

  I could be reading into things, but I think I catch a hint of hurt on Isabeau’s face. It disappears quickly, however. She’s the type who always looks for the most positive explanation. “Oh. Do you want to tell me about it?”

  I don’t. I really don’t. But I know I have to. Even someone as optimistic as Isabeau is bound to draw some sour conclusions once in a while. “It’s a full moon,” I explain, trying to sound casual. “So I’ve got a date with some Central Park trees and probably a few mud puddles.”

  Isabeau relaxes. “That’s a relief. I thought you might have a date with someone besides me.”

  My face heats up. Yet again, that’s something I hadn’t even thought of. “Uh, no…” My mind jumps to the next car on the train. What if Isabeau asked that because she’s seeing other people? I want to ask, and I think I know the answer, but I’m afraid, just in case I’m wrong.

  “It would be okay if you did. Have a date with someone else, I mean. We’re not exclusive yet.”

  I swallow. Isabeau has managed to raise my hopes and also dash them with just four words. ‘We’re not exclusive’ hurts, more than it should since we haven’t known each other more than two weeks, but the ‘yet’ is promising. Does that mean she wants to be, maybe?

  My head’s all fuzzy, and it’s not half as confused as my heart, but Isabeau knows what to do. She rolls on top of me, kissing me softly and sliding her thigh between my legs. The rest of her body is cool, but her mouth is always warm enough for me.

  “I’ll see you after the full moon, right?” Isabeau asks, gazing down at me hopefully. “Once you get bored of chasing your tail?”

  I laugh. Somehow, she knows just how to make me feel better. “Try and stop me.”

  She laughs too, but her brow furrows with worry after a moment. “I’ve heard a werewolf’s change isn’t easy. Not like a vampire’s.”

  “Not like…”

  “You know we can change too, right?” I blink in confusion. “Bats, Riley. Some of us can turn into bats.”

  “Yup. I get it.”

  I did know that, somewhere in the back of my mind, but I’d forgotten. I never got the chance to see many vampires before my move to the city, and Georgia public schools don’t always do the best job of covering this stuff. It’s comforting, though. Maybe Isabeau might understand after all.

  “So, is there anything I can do to help? If there’s any way I can make you more comfortable…”

  “There’s somethin’ you can do for me right now.” I slide my hands down her back to grip her ass, squeezing to show what I mean. I’ve always loved a girl with some decent padding on her, and Isabeau’s curves fit just right with every angle I’ve got.

  “Something?” Isabeau kisses me again, sliding her tongue slowly against my bottom lip. “Can you elaborate?”

  “Sure can.” I roll Isabeau onto her back, bracing myself on my elbows above her. Hopefully this won’t make me late for work again, but if it does, I don’t care.

  ***

  Works more unbearable than usual the next two days. Even though it’s the beginning of October, it’s hotter than all hell and half of Georgia. I’m crawling with cold sweat, but my skin won’t stop burning. By five o’ clock, my sweater vest is gone, there are no buttons left on my shirt to unbutton, and my sleeves are rolled up past my elbows. I’m sure I must look a mess, mopping my brow with my arm to keep strands of damp hair from clinging.

  It’s not always this bad. My monthlies are, well, monthly, and I’m mostly used to the hot flashes and the jitters. But something about this full moon has me on edge. It just feels different, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with a certain vampire.

  Isabeau’s been keeping a bit of distance—at my insistence, probably—but she still texts. A lot. Mostly it’s about work, a picture of some pretty outfit she’s seen, light stuff. But one question keeps cropp
ing up, a question I’m having more and more trouble deflecting: ‘Can I get you anything?’

  I know she doesn’t mean for right now. She means for tomorrow, when the full moon hits. She wants to help, to be a part of this. It’s sweet, but also terrifying. Neither of us is much good at this dating thing, if that’s what we’re doing. I can’t help remembering what she said the other day in bed, ‘We’re not exclusive yet.’ Isabeau isn’t my girlfriend yet. Pretending she is could just set me up for more disappointment.

  “Riley?”

  I slam my phone down on my desk and swivel my chair around. It’s only Colin, but I must look guilty, because his handsome face splits in a grin.

  “Texting your vampire again?”

  “Shh,” I hiss. “Phones ai…aren’t allowed at work. Are you tryin’ to get me in trouble?”

  Colin doesn’t seem to be listening as he leans against one wall of my cubicle. “You’re not denying it, though.”

  I sigh. This is what happens when you have friends at work. “Maybe…”

  “Still worried about what she’ll think when she sees the furrier you?”

  It’s annoying how Colin always gets right to the heart of things. He’s too perceptive for his own good. “I dunno, she’s seen a lot of fur so far,” I say, but it falls flat. I’m even too nervous for dumb jokes.

  “I bet she has.” Colin waggles his eyebrows, but his expression quickly turns serious.

  Uh-oh. I know that look. He’s about to give me dating advice. One thing I don’t need from a playboy selkie.

  “You’re overthinking this. She knew you were a werewolf when she met you. What does she think you turn into every month, a chipmunk?”

  “If only…”

  “If this wolf thing is bothering you so much, why don’t you get it over with? Give her a chance to run for the hills. At least that way, you’ll know whether you’re wasting your time…and I can say I told you so.”