A Dangerous Moon [Tales of the Werewolf Clan] Read online

  The she-wolf inside her could sense his sithech-nature. His dark, wavy hair was long and unkempt with a streak of white hair which brushed his forehead. Yet his features were still well-defined and chiseled like the rest of his body. But what drew her attention the most were his lips. They were good for two things – sweet talking and kissing.

  Allie shook off the strange sensations which stirred inside her and turned to Bruce, the police officer, waiting by the window.

  "Have you contacted Rick's family yet?"

  "Yes, ma'am." Bruce nodded. "I called Ray on the way over here. He should be out in the waiting room by now. Do you want me to get him?"

  "Yes, please do." Allison nodded. As Bruce and the unit assistant exited the room, she leaned in a bit closer. "Richard? Rick? Can you hear me?" she asked in a gentle tone and placed a hand to his stubbled cheek.

  A low groan escaped from his lips, and then his eyes fluttered open. He blinked, his lips curling at the corners into a thin smile. "Hey, what's up, doc?"

  "I'd like to ask you the same question." She straightened to her full height and slid her hand into her jacket pocket.

  "I'm not sure, really. Guess I was on the wrong end of a sucker punch."

  "I'll say," Allison agreed with a thin smile.

  Richard tried to sit up, but she laid a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

  "Whoa, now," she cautioned. "You might want to stay there while I finish my examination." She reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a pen light. "I have to check a few more things, so just relax."

  "Oh, alright," he grumbled and lay back on the table, allowing her to continue. After a few moments, he met her gaze. "So, how are you doing, Allie?"

  "I'm fine. Busy, as usual. This place certainly keeps me on my toes, but I can't complain." She flashed him a quick smile then changed the topic. "I didn't know you were back in town. How long have you been back?"

  "A couple of hours, I think," Richard replied with a grin. "I stopped off at The Red Lion for a cold beer after being on the road all day. I chatted with Slim for a while, and then got knocked out by one of the patrons."

  "Yeah, if I remember correctly, that sounds like you." Allison couldn't help but chuckle. "You're back in Heather Grove for only a few hours and wind up in the urgent care unit."

  He gave a low groan in response. Allison could've sworn he'd blushed, then he met her gaze once more and reached over to take hold of her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "Believe me, doc, getting cold cocked isn't my idea of a warm 'welcome home'. But, I must say, it's nice to see a friendly, familiar face."

  Allison felt her cheeks tingle with color. She cleared her throat, then replied, "You're going to have a nasty bruise on the side of your face and maybe swelling, but, thank goodness, nothing's broken and no signs of a concussion either." Then she leaned in and added in a low voice, "Now, why don't you close your eyes and relax while I try to speed up the healing process, okay?"

  An uncertain expression crossed his face. Rick frowned, but Allison patted his hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

  "There's nothing to worry about, trust me. I use my healing gifts on most of our wolf clan and with good results. It's quite harmless. It just helps your wolf DNA to accelerate your overall healing process," she explained.

  He sighed. "Okay, if you insist, doc."

  "Shhh," she hushed him. "You'll thank me later. Now, let's do this before anyone comes in."

  Allison straightened and gently placed her hands on his chest and closed her eyes. At first, it was hard to concentrate, feeling his heart beat beneath her hands. It seemed to echo her own, making her insides quiver.

  She took another breath, trying again to focus. Finally, the sounds from outside the room began to fade and she sharpened her focus as a bright ball of energy twinkled like a star in her inner vision. Her hands begin to tingle with healing energy which was the birthright of the females in her sithech family. Allison relaxed into the warm, familiar sensation, one which she'd experienced often with each healing session.

  Rick appeared to relax too. She sensed he was breathing along with her, softly inhaling and exhaling in a gentle, steady pace, his chest rising and falling beneath her hands. The energy inside her expanded, the twinkling ball growing larger and brighter in her inner vision.

  Finally, with an exhale of breath, she allowed the energy to flow from her hands to Rick's prone body. A bright flash of rainbow hues filled her senses as the connection was made. Oh my! Allison was surprised by the intense burst of energy as warmth spread through her body and her heart began to thump wildly in her chest.

  Although she was quite experienced with transferring healing energies, this was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. Brilliant streams of vivid colors swirled in her inner vision while Rick's heart pounded beneath her palms. A wave of heat rippled up her spine and, when it reached the top of her head, images flooded her mind's eye.

  Allison gasped. Her eyes snapped open and broke her connection to the visions. The healing heat which had been wavering up her spine went cold. Ice cold with fear. Bewildered, she gripped the side of the examination table and drew a shaky breath.

  "Allie! Are you okay?" Rick's voice sounded distant. She shook her head, attempting to clear her head. He must have leapt off the table, because Rick now stood beside her and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders. He held her tight so she wouldn't fall to the floor.

  "Uh, yeah, I think so." Inside, however, she felt like Jell-o. It was certainly an unusual experience for her to get visions during a healing session. Especially one like this one. Allison made a quick mental note to contact her aunt and ask about the visions, then returned her attention to Rick. "How about you? How do you feel?"

  "I'm fine. Why don't you sit down?" he suggested, walking her over to a stool beside the table. Allison sat down and took another breath. "Wow, I've never experienced a healing session quite like that. It was pretty intense."

  Rick nodded. "Yes, it was. Are you sure you're alright? Should I get someone?"

  "No!" She cut him off, shaking her head. "There are only a few on the staff that know I'm a sithech healer. The rest wouldn't understand. Besides, I'm feeling better now. Really, I am." She reassured him with a tiny smile.

  "You had me worried there for a moment. One minute I'm feeling amazing, the next minute, something happened. I don't know what, but I sensed something, Allie."

  "You sensed?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mean your empathic abilities, right?" She recalled how he could sense others' feelings. It had been like a thorn in his side for years. "I thought, by now, you'd learned how to control it."

  "No, not quite." Rick sighed and took a step back from her. From the expression on his face, he seemed uncomfortable about the subject, so she decided not to ask any more questions.

  She rose from the stool while he slid back onto the examination table. His attention was still on her, a concerned expression on his face.

  "Don't worry about me. I'm okay now." She reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

  The examination room doors swung open. She pulled her hand from Rick's and glanced up as Bruce walked into the room, with Ray McShaw close on his heels.

  "Hey, buddy, I'm glad you're conscious," Bruce said. "If your doctor doesn't mind, I still need to ask you a few questions about what happened for my police report."

  "That's fine with me. I'm done here," Allison replied. "I'll leave for now, but I'll be back in with his paperwork and release him tonight."

  "You're not going to keep him for observation?" Ray McShaw raised an eyebrow. It always amazed Allison that Rick and Ray were each their own unique person, despite their brotherly bond. They were as opposite as night and day.

  "He may be sore for a few days, but nothing's broken, just bruised, and I'm pleased to say there's no sign of a concession. I have a feeling he'll make a quick recovery," she smiled. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, there's paperwork for me to fill out."


  "That's good news." She overheard Bruce say as she turned for the door. "Because we want to know why Teresa Owens attacked you tonight at The Red Lion."

  Teresa Owens? Allison stomach twisted into a knot as she pushed open the door and stepped out into the hallway. Somehow, that revelation didn't surprise her. She'd heard a rumor he and Teresa were lovers for a short while after she and Rick had broke up. I should've known better.

  * * *

  Rick's gut tightened as he watched Allison leave the examination door. It was another strong, empathic sensation – bitter with a hint of disappointment. Before he could contemplate what he was sensing, Ray cleared his throat.

  "Hey, stud-muffin, Bruce is asking you a question."

  "Oh, sorry," he apologized, turning his attention back to his brother and Bruce who were waiting, somewhat impatiently, for him to reply. "I guess I'm still fuzzy-headed. What was the question?"

  Bruce rolled his eyes, and then poised his pen over his notepad. "I was just asking you to tell us why Teresa took a swing at you in the bar."

  "I was minding my own business, having a beer and chatting with Slim. He left to take care of some rowdy patrons when I sensed someone come up behind me. I turned around, saw it was Teresa, and before I could say anything, she reared back and decked me. That's all I remember. Well, until I heard you and Allison talking, then I came to."

  "So you didn't do or say anything in the bar to provoke Teresa?" Bruce asked.

  "Nothing, honest. In fact, I'd only been in town for maybe an hour or so. Like I said, I was just minding my own business." Rick shrugged.

  "Come on, off the record, bro, level with us," Ray folded his arms over his chest and squared his jaw. "Do you think Teresa's holding a grudge?"

  Rick slowly sat up on the table and rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe. I hadn't spoken to her since I left town last time. I don't know. She might've been pissed, but I did talk to her before I hit the road. I told her…" his voice trailed off as he recalled the anger he'd sensed radiating off the petite blonde.

  "You told her what?" Bruce coaxed in a low voice.

  "I told her I was heading out alone. She'd wanted to come with me, but I prefer to hit the road by myself. I got a job in Denver for a few months and didn't know when I'd be back."

  "So you called off your relationship, huh?" Ray sighed.

  "Well, it was more like a 'friends with benefits' deal." Rick flashed his brother a sly smile. Ray groaned and Bruce shook his head. "Hey, I'm not proud of it. To be honest, it was a big mistake after what happened between me and Allison. You know what I mean?" Rick glanced back and forth at the two men.

  "Live and learn, little brother," Ray replied. "But, remember, it can be dangerous messing around with women. Especially with our pack's she-wolves."

  Both brothers glanced over at Bruce who merely shrugged, then jotted down something on his notepad before he looked up. "Well, that explains a lot. Being both a sithech and a police officer, it doesn't surprise me when a she-wolf gets her fur all riled up when the moon phases change. And, Ray's right, it can be dangerous."

  "True. So true," Ray agreed. "But, the moon affects us all. It sounds to me like Teresa was holding a grudge, and when she saw Ritchie was back in town, she snapped."

  Rick sighed. "Well, it's not exactly what I expected in my first few hours of being back in town, that's for sure."

  Ray reached out and gave him a light squeeze on the shoulder. "You just be careful from now on, bro. Take it from me, she-wolves can be dangerous when crossed."

  The serious expression on his twin brother's face reminded Rick that his brother spoke from experience. He recalled that, not too long ago, Mary Lynn, a waitress and sithech, had attacked his brother's fiancée in the woods during a winter snowstorm. A dark thickness filled the room as tense emotions emanated from both his brother and Bruce.

  "Well, I'm not pressing charges, Bruce." Rick changed topics, trying to steer their conversation back on course. "I think Teresa should be let off with a warning too…if she agrees to leave me alone and doesn't try to attack me again."

  "That's fine by me," Bruce nodded, putting away his notepad and pen. "We have another full moon coming soon and, from what I've heard, it's a strong one. You just play it safe, okay? I don't want to have to scrape you off the ground again."

  Rick gave a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. "Yes, sir, officer."

  * * *

  "What are you still doing here?" Doctor Michael Cary asked as he walked up to Allison's desk.

  She glanced up and smiled at the older man. "I'm almost finished with the paperwork on Rick…I mean, Richard McShaw. He'll be fine, so I'm releasing him. How's the other patient?"

  "Nothing broken, but she was in a foul mood. Her brother's come to pick her up, but I think Officer Taylor just went in to see her now."

  Allison let out a long sigh and shook her head. "This is going to be a strong full moon."

  The older man chuckled. "Aren't they always around here? Now, I want you to go home and get some rest after you're finished. Okay?"

  "Alright. I'll be out of here after I release McShaw."

  "Good. See you soon!" He flashed a smile, and then left the office.

  Allison sat back in her chair and glanced over at the telephone on her desk, then over to the clock on the wall. She wanted to call her Aunt Jean to ask her about what she'd experienced during her healing session with Rick. The visions had been so clear and vivid, yet the women in her family had never mentioned anything about such a phenomenon.

  But, if I call her before sunrise, she'll be cranky. I'll just wait until I get home and call her…after she's had her coffee. Allison concluded with a smile, recalling her favorite aunt's mild caffeine addiction.

  She rose from her desk and picked up the paperwork, placed it neatly on a clipboard and headed for the door. As she strolled down the hallway, she couldn't help but notice a petite blonde with her arm bandaged heading for the exit door with a tall, darker blonde man. It was Teresa Owens and her brother, Sam. Neither one of them looked too happy.

  Bruce Taylor stepped out from another one of the unit's examination rooms and smiled over at her. "Are you releasing McShaw too?"

  Allison nodded. "Yes. He's good to go. Well, after I get him to finish these." She tapped the clipboard with her pen.

  "I'll go with you, if you don't mind." Bruce fell into step beside her. They walked down the short hallway to the door of the next examination room and stopped. A muffled voice could be heard from behind the closed door.

  She gave a light rap on the door, then pushed it open and walked in. Rick was seated on the edge of the examination table with a cell phone pressed to his ear while his brother, Ray, paced the floor behind him.

  "Yeah, but, come on, Ernie, just one room. That's all I need." Rick was speaking into the thin receiver with an exasperated look on his face. He paused, holding up a finger to her and Bruce. "I know, but I didn't think –"

  Bruce leaned closer to her, speaking in a low tone. "This doesn't sound good."

  "Fine. No, no problem. We'll work out something." Rick spoke again into the phone. "See ya around." He flipped the cell phone shut and handed it back to his brother with a heavy sigh.

  "What's wrong?" Allison asked, glancing back and forth between the two men.

  "It seems I lost my room at the Starlight because of a burst of tourism here in Heather Grove," Rick grumbled.

  "Well, these renovation tours have really helped the town's economy and it means more business for everyone," Ray explained with a shrug. "You should've made a reservation with Mr. Campbell for a room."

  "Hey, how was I supposed to know that a senior citizen's group was coming to town for the next couple of weeks? I've been on the road for a while, bro, remember?" Rick shot his brother a sharp glance.

  "Hey guys, let's discuss this later," Bruce chimed in. "Like Rick said, we'll figure something out. Okay?"

  The two men both turned to face them, but her attention was drawn e
ntirely to Rick. Allison's heart skipped a beat as her eyes swept over him. Despite looking a bit tussled and bruised, he was still a very good looking man. Too good. She smiled over at him and handed him the clipboard. "I need you to fill out a few things here, and then we can release you."

  "Thanks, doc." His frustration had dissipated and the warm timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. His eyes sparkled beneath the florescent lights and his mouth curled up into one of the sexiest smiles she'd seen in a long time. After a few moments, he handed the clipboard back to her and rose from the table. Allison pulled her gaze away from his and glanced down at the form. Her cheeks felt warm again, but she was doing her best to stay calm and professional.

  "Now, if you have any dizziness or disorientation, please don't hesitate to come back in, Rick. I don't think you'll have any problems besides a few bodily aches or pains, but I think you'll heal up fairly quick." She raised her eyes again and smiled up at him.

  "Hey, Allison," Bruce spoke up. "Didn't I hear that your roommate recently moved out?"

  "Um, yes, she did." She turned her gaze to him. "I was going to place an ad in the Gazette soon, but really haven't got around to it. Why?" Allison raised an eyebrow.

  Suddenly there was a shimmer in the air. The hair on the back of her neck rose as her sithech senses detected that the male alphas were mind-talking, a special gift between closely bonded members of their wolf clan. Yet her mind was blocked from their conversation.

  Ray was the first to speak up. "Ritchie needs a place to stay since the Starlight is all booked. And, since you have a vacant room, could he stay with you while he's in town?"

  Rick's eyes cut over to his twin brother as a low growl escaped from his throat. "I don't think I should impose. I can find somewhere to stay on my own."

  "Don't be so difficult," Ray cut him off. "You could stay in Allison's vacant room and pay her instead of driving all the way back toward the highway."

  "Yeah," Bruce added. "The only other hotel is not in town. Besides, her house is close by. Periwinkle Drive, right?"