I didn’t want to dream about dying anymore and didn’t want to spend the rest of this life pressed up against him. Or did I?  It wouldn’t be the worst fate.  But, I truly believed Claiming him would be the key not just to the type of dream I had, but the frequency, too.  I could actually go somewhere without worrying about dropping off.  Besides, if he felt the pull, he shouldn’t have any complaint about me Claiming him.  I should be the only one with an issue with Claiming since it gave him a way to keep tabs on me through the link it would establish between us.

I watched the buildings as we snaked our way through town and wondered if there were other men out there waiting for us.  When we cleared town, the fields and trees didn’t provide any more of a comfort.

The funeral pyre lit the night sky.  My friend’s mother stood beside me sobbing.  The somber faces of neighbors and family, illuminated by the flickering flames, seemed to float in the darkness.  One woman stood out.  She looked at my friend’s mother with compassion as she made her way around the circle of people.  A chord of familiarity struck me, but I couldn’t place her since my family had recently moved here.

Using the lights in my mind, I searched for my little brother and father.  They had remained in our home while my mother accompanied me.  Their life sparks comforted me.  Grief over the loss of my friend swamped me.  She had fallen ill with a sickness that had also taken several others in neighboring homes.  I couldn’t understand why anyone needed to die in such a way.

“Death always serves a purpose,” the woman, who I’d forgotten for a moment, said from just behind us.

My friend’s mother and I turned to look at her.

She reached up and touched the mother’s face gently.  “Often, others die so more may live.  Even the most seemingly random death can have the most profound meaning.  Your daughter’s illness may spark a need in someone’s heart to create a cure for the illness, changing the direction of our society for future generations.  Try not to mourn.  Her death is not meaningless.  Celebrate her life.  Celebrate your life.  To make her memory count, do not squander opportunities.”

The woman turned to me.  “She felt like a sister to you but did not share your blood.  Do not forget her.  Do not forget this feeling of loss.  You can be the one to change the future, to make the lives of those around you better.  Do not squander your chances.”

I glanced at my friend’s mother, confused.  She met my gaze with a stunned tear-filled expression.  When we both looked back, the woman had vanished.

“Come on, Bethi!” Luke said, his voice sounding distant and tinny.

I blinked my eyes open to the familiar sight of him looking down at me.  We were once again pulled over to the shoulder of the road on an idling bike.

“We’re never going to get there at this rate.”

“I’m not doing this on purpose!” I said irritably as I struggled to get off his lap.

He sighed.  “I know.”

I felt his lips brush my hair and stilled.  I knew it!  He did feel the pull.

Tilting my head back, I met his gaze again.  He looked guarded.  “Why?” I said, unable to keep the desperation from my voice.  “Why won’t you let me Claim you?”

“Because you’re afraid and think it’s the only way to help yourself.”

“And?”

“And nothing.  It’s not the way to make that kind of decision.”

“What is the way, then?”

A slight flush crept into his cheeks.  “With affection, not fear.”

My mouth popped open, and he gently hoisted me off his lap.  Woodenly, I took my seat again.  He wanted me to like him?  How in the hell did I end up finding the only damn werewolf who wanted to take it slow and get to know each other?

“You’ve been without decent sleep for too long,” he said changing the subject.  “We need to hole up somewhere so you can get some rest. Then maybe, driving won’t be such a challenge.”

I doubted it.  The ten hours at the last place hadn’t seemed to help much, but I didn’t argue.  I was busy trying to figure out a way to get him to believe I had feelings for him.  I found him physically attractive but knew that wasn’t what he meant.  Actual feelings for one of them?  It would be a stretch.

*    *    *    *

We managed to put several miles of traveling time in that day before calling it quits and stopping at another motel.  Using some of the money he’d given me, he got a room for us for two nights so I knew he meant business about me catching up on sleep.

As soon as we walked into the room, I claimed the bathroom and got ready for bed not caring about the time of day.  Luke didn’t comment when I crawled under the covers other than to assure me he would be there keeping an eye on me.  Not really what I needed, but I’d take it.

Pain radiated from my legs.  My muscles spasmed.  Chained to a wall, I couldn’t move much to relieve any of the aches.  Tears streamed down my face.  A tongue licked them away and a low rumble of laughter followed.

I blinked my eyes.  Faint shadows danced around me.

“She’s nearly useless,” a man commented quietly from very close by.  The soft sound echoed off the walls.

Damp cool air had me shivering occasionally.

A hand stroked my face.

“Nearly, but not completely,” another stated from further away.  “Do not touch her.  Let her walk once an hour.  Whatever ill befalls her, befalls you.”

The sound of fading footsteps let me know I was alone with the man who’d touched me.  I caught sight of a shadow moving.  It was the outline of a person.  I turned toward it, trying to focus.

“Stop moving your eyes like you can see.  Close them if you want to keep them,” he warned with a growl.  I closed my eyes while still turned toward the shadow.  I knew the threat wasn’t idle.  However, closing my eyes didn’t change what I saw.  Even with the lids closed, I watched the shadow approach.

The feeling of a hand on my nonexistent breast distracted me.  “You’ve never lived long enough to Claim,” the man whispered.

My stomach flipped in an unpleasant way, and I started to sweat.

His fingers pinched my tender skin, and new tears fell.  “This is going to be pleasant.”

I sobbed knowing what he intended.

The dream lifted slightly as I was jostled to the side.

“Enough of that,” Luke whispered before settling beside me and kissing my forehead.

I wanted to open my eyes, but another dream pulled me under.

The funeral pyre lit the night sky.  My friend’s mother stood beside me sobbing.

My dream-self looked around at the somber faces of neighbors and family, illuminated by the flickering flames, while my real self grew angry as one woman’s face stood out.

Why would this dream repeat?

The Taupe Lady looked at my friend’s mother with compassion as she made her way around the circle of people.  A chord of familiarity struck my dream-self.

I wanted to yell at her from across the fire.  I willed myself to move but stayed locked in place by my dream-self.

Luke shifted next to me.  His movement pulled me from the dream a bit, but not enough that I opened my eyes.  I felt him move away for a moment as the dream continued to play out.  Then he pulled me back to his side.  As soon as my head rested on his warm bare shoulder, the dream faded; and I sank into real sleep.

*    *    *    *

The pressing need to use the bathroom woke me.  Warm and relaxed, I didn’t immediately move.  I wished the urge would go away because I hadn’t slept so well in longer than I could remember.

Snuggling in, I realized why.  My head lay cushioned on Luke’s chest.  Bare chest.  My left arm lay slung over his waist.  Yep, that was bare too.  And my leg...I cringed not wanting to think about it.  Wait.  If I was draped all over him, it meant his neck was only inches away.  My insides somersaulted.  I opened my eyes and darted forward.