Under His Spell Ch.02

With her cheek placed against the pillow, she deeply inhaled, allowing the scent to invade her nostrils. His manly scent was embedded in her covers, but his body was no longer there. Her bed felt so cold and empty without him.

Lynn rose up out of bed, kicking the covers back with her feet. He was gone, leaving her with nothing but a feeling of deep-rooted loneliness. She instantly regretted having sex with him. It had all happened too soon, she'd gotten so carried away with his body and his presence that she just didn't know how to resist him. So now here she was, all alone again, left with nothing but a memory. She wasn't ever going to see him again, she was sure of it.

She exhaled slowly, getting out of bed as she headed for the bathroom to empty her bladder. After she finished on the toilet she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Once she was back in the room she sat down at her vanity table and stared at the face which was reflected back at her.

Her hair was messily tousled and her face was glowing, reminding her of the passionate evening that she and Takoda had spent together. Her eyes, however, looked very sad. Picking a comb up off the dresser, Lynn ran it through her hair as she tried to neaten herself up. As she was untangling her hair she noticed something different about her shoulder.

She put the comb down and leaned in closer to the mirror to inspect the skin there. It was small, but she could see that there was a definite mark there, and it was in the shape of a claw. It was more like a scratch mark, no larger than half an inch, red and a little bit itchy.

Her eyebrows knitted together, both in alarm and wonder. Placing a fingertip against it, she gingerly rubbed at the strange spot. She was disturbed and completely puzzled as to how it had gotten there. She didn't have a cat or any other type of pet. So just what was it that had done this to her?

"What the heck is this?" she softly said aloud.

She got up from the vanity table and began to look around the room, eyes peering into corners and around doors. A light gust of wind suddenly blew through the room, fluttering the filmy curtains around her French windows. Both sides were swung wide open, so whatever it was that scratched her had managed to get in this way. What she couldn't understand was why had they been open all night? She didn't remember doing it, so how had it happened? She pulled both sides of the windows closed then pulled the curtains together. Suddenly she felt very exposed, as if someone were watching her from afar.

She picked up a hand mirror from the vanity table, holding it up close to the mark on her skin. As disturbed as she was, she just couldn't stop staring at it. The fact that it was there was just so, well, strange. Unable to resist, she placed her fingertip on it. It felt sore and hot to the touch.

"Ow," she cried out as her fingernail scraped against it.

She put the mirror back down then went into the bathroom. She turned the water on then got into the shower, soaping up her body and hair. As hot water hit the mark on her shoulder she gave a little hiss, biting her lip from the stinging sensation. She needed this, the feel of the hot water and soap upon her skin. What she was trying to do was wash away the disappointment and sadness, and even though she knew it wouldn't happen, that didn't stop her from trying.

She couldn't stop thinking about him and found herself wondering where he was and what he was doing. Why had he just left her in the middle of the night like that? He hadn't even bothered to say good bye, nor had the decency to leave her a note. Yet did any of that really matter?

As she asked herself the question, she realized that he had seen her as nothing more than a one night stand. They'd shared their night of passion, and now he was gone. He was the first man she'd had sex with in over a year, and just as quickly as it began, it had already ended. Releasing a sigh, she placed her palms against the tile walls and let the water spray against her back. Things were screwed up now and there was no undoing it, no matter how badly she wanted to.

* * * *

There was no going back now, matter how hard he tried or how much he struggled to forget it. The truth was that it already happened. Takoda hadn't set out to mark her. He had been pulled into it. He'd gotten so caught up in the passion and sight of her beautiful body that he'd lost control. He hadn't been able to resist marking her. The pull he felt had been too strong. Her body had been so tight and wet and full of sexual heat.

Disappointingly, he'd lost control of that feral side of himself. His hands had been on her neck, stroking along that delicate softness there, and before he knew it, it had been done. After they finished their third session for the night, she'd slept so soundly that she didn't even stir as he'd left her bedroom. He hadn't wanted to leave her like that, stealing away in the middle of the night.

It made him feel like a jerk, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. He found himself unable to control the change. If he hadn't left then, he would have been exposed, and he couldn't let her know who he really was. He didn't know how or when he would tell her, but if he'd allowed himself to be exposed last night then she surely would have freaked out.

He'd managed to open the window before it happened, sensing the oncoming metamorphosis. Then he'd leaned in to kiss her once more, admiring the way her face looked beneath the soft moonlight. And then he had transformed, shape-shifting into a majestic looking gray wolf. He'd taken one last look at her before he'd left, then sprung back on his haunches and out of the window.

Once his paws had touched the ground, he'd made an attempt at transforming back into his human form, but it hadn't worked. It had taken awhile, but finally he was able to change back, and as he drove back home in the middle of the night he couldn't stop thinking of how he'd left his mark on her.

She wasn't ready for his mark yet, so why had he done it? He didn't know what had gotten into him, but now that it was done there was no turning back. They were linked together now, meaning a part of himself would always belong with her and vice versa. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, it was the truth. It wasn't that he didn't want her, because he did. It was just that he was afraid of losing her. The pain and loss of a love he'd had before was still raw in his heart.

He'd never managed to fully heal and struggled with it nearly everyday. The memory of it was what kept him afraid of growing close to another. And this girl was fully human. He hadn't experienced love with someone like that before. Takoda ran his fingers through his hair, pushing out a deep breath as his mind was flooded with thoughts and emotions.

He hadn't meant to do this, to bring another woman into his life and his heart and his mind. He didn't think it was fair of him to do that to her, but what did he expect? He knew what he was getting himself into, so why hadn't he stopped? Since when had a human woman become a serious consideration for him? Had he really grown so weak? The answer was no, he hadn't. He'd felt a strong draw to her, a magnetic pull that neither could resist.

Of course she would want to know how and why the mark was there, wondering where it had come from. He could pretend to know nothing about it, but he didn't want to do that. He couldn't lie to her. That wasn't the type of man he was. So how would he explain it? He knew that once he told her what he really was she would undoubtedly be afraid. Which meant that once he came out with the truth things would never again be the same. So all he could do was just have hope that she would understand and that she wouldn't run away from him.

Takoda stood up from the chair he was sitting in and walked over to the window. He hunched his shoulders as he walked so that his head wouldn't bump against the attic roof, which pitched in above him. There was a small, circular window in the room, allowing him a nice view of the woodsy area which spread out in the back of his house. He could see the town in the distance, with clusters of trees lining the streets.

As he looked out there, all he could think of was her. He could feel her heart aching for him, and it made him feel terrible. The last thing he wanted her to think was that he was a hit it and run type of guy because nothing could be further from the truth. Yet if he didn't tell her he would be hiding a part of himself from her, and if they were to become one, then he would have to come clean. Letting his forehead rest against the dusty windowpane, Takoda closed his eyes and let the sun warm his face.

*You can't ever allow yourself to fall in love again.*

He thought about those words he'd promised himself years ago, and realized that he had to remain faithful to them. He couldn't allow himself to feel any love for her. No matter how badly he wanted to have her as his own, it just wouldn't work out. Focusing his eyes on the trees beyond his window, Takoda made a firm decision to expel her from both his mind and his heart. The anguish in his heart, however, told him he was headed down a path that he wasn't quite prepared for.

*******************

Lynn's work day dragged by so slowly, she thought it would never end. She managed to work steadily on the stack of paperwork which had piled up on her desk, but her mind wasn't really into it. She couldn't stop thinking of him, no matter how much she tried. Her cell phone rang several times throughout the day, but she was too busy working, so she hadn't been able to answer it. Finally she had time for a break, so she dialed into her voice mail to find out who called.

"Hey, It's me," came his voice, so deep and sexy she felt her chest tighten just from the sound of it. "Please call me back. I didn't mean to leave you alone like that this morning. I feel terrible about it. I stopped by your house earlier, but I guess you already took off for work by the time I got there. I need to see you so I can explain what happened. Call me back, baby. Please."

She did think of calling him back, but decided to erase the message instead. She was still upset and embarrassed and didn't feel like talking to him. What could have been so damn important for him to abandon her like that? He must be seeing another woman. That had to be it, of course. She felt like such a fool.

Lynn heavily sighed and buried her head in her hands. Suddenly, there came the sound of a familiar voice from the side of her cubicle. Lynn lifted her head to see her workmate, Gina. She was leaning over the partition which separated her and Lynn's desk.

"Hey, girl, looks like you have a lot on your mind. What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, I just have a little headache, that's all." She gave a dismissive wave of her hand.

"It seems like there's more to it than that. You sure you're okay? You seem so sad."

"I'm just having a bit of a rough time. Guess you could say I'm dealing with a broken heart."

"Oh damn, guy troubles, huh? If you need to talk about it, I'm here. Matter of fact, why don't we go and get a cup of coffee and some pie? My treat." Gina's dimples made an appearance as she smiled.

If there was a famous person whom Gina resembled, it would have to be Rosie Perez. She shared quite a few similarities with the famous actress, but the deep dimples were what reminded Lynn of her the most. Although she really didn't feel much like talking, Lynn knew that Gina would continue to press her for information if she refused, so she grabbed her purse from beneath her desk and followed Gina out of the cublicle. They made small talk as they walked to the cafeteria, and once they were there, settled into more serious conversation.

"So, tell me about this new guy of yours." Gina bit into a piece of her pie.

"He's not mine, never really was. I made a big mistake, Gina. I slept with him too soon."

"One-night stand, huh? Oh, honey, I've been there. Try not to feel so bad about it. Eventually the right one will come along, you'll see."

"That's the thing. It really felt like he was the right one. I mean, I know it probably sounds stupid, but from the first day we met, I sensed there was something really special about him."

"What's he look like?" asked Gina.

"He's tall, has waist-length black hair, dark brown eyes, high cheekbones, beautiful smile..." Her voice trailed off as she thought of him.

"Well damn, he definitely sounds like he has it going on." Gina's eyebrows moved upward in appreciation. Then she remembered how heartbroken Lynn was and said, "Sorry, you just painted such a nice picture of him."

"No, it's okay. He is really gorgeous." Lynn played with the pie on her saucer, sticking it full of holes with her fork. Then she said wistfully continued , "I should have known it was too good to be true."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, hon." Gina poured some cream into her coffee and stirred in some sugar. "Besides, you're a good looking woman. Plenty of guys here at work are interested in you. I always hear them talking about how pretty you are."

"I'm really not interested in starting up an office romance. Those never turn out well."

"You have a point there," Gina agreed.

Lynn's cell phone began to vibrate, followed by a melodic ring which filled the air. She dug through her purse to find it, retrieving it from out of her bag. She recognized the number which displayed on the screen of her phone. It was Takoda calling again. Her finger hovered over the answer button, but it stopped ringing before she could push it.

"Was that him?" asked Gina.

Lynn nodded her head. "Yeah. I was about to answer, but I guess he hung up."

"Just as well, he doesn't deserve your time anyway. So, when was the last time you saw him, anyways? Excuse me if I'm getting too personal, but when did you guys have sex? Was it over the weekend?" Gina leaned in, preparing herself for the juicy details.

"Yes, and he was completely amazing in bed. The best I ever had, actually."

She allowed herself a few short moments to indulge in the tingling sensation between her legs before pushing the carnal memory out of her head. Now wasn't the time or place for this and besides, the man had left her heartbroken so what was she fantasizing about him for?

"We met on Saturday but had sex last night. Well, it started yesterday afternoon and went into late last night, but whatever."

Gina nearly choked on her coffee. "Wow, he sounds like the marathon man. Go on."

"Not much else to tell. Just that I woke up this morning all alone. I wouldn't have cared so much, but it seemed like we really connected on a different level." She indulged herself in the memory of his intense eyes for a moment then pushed the image out of her mind. "Silly me, thinking we could turn into a regular thing." Her jaw tightened, and her lips went into a straight line.

As Gina grabbed her hand Lynn offered a weak smile. She felt silly and pathetic feeling this way over a man, and the look in Gina's eyes expressed that she was being pitied.

"So he's just calling you *now*? It's already two in the afternoon."

"Well, he left me a message earlier saying that he wanted to stop by later this evening to explain. Haven't called him back yet, though." She lightly sighed before adding, "I shouldn't have slept with him so quickly. What I was thinking?"

"I wouldn't bother calling him back. If you're feeling this lousy about it, maybe it's just as well that you don't see him again. Although, I do wonder what excuse he has for leaving you to wake up alone like that. Must be pretty damn good."

Shrugging her shoulders, Lynn replied, "I guess. I really don't care to hear it, though. Doesn't matter to me anymore."

But she was lying. It did matter, and she did want to know. She figured it would be a lie, but she still wanted to hear it anyway. She wanted to see what he was going to come up with. Glancing at her watch, Lynn saw that it was half past two.

"Guess we better get back to work." She took a few more sips of coffee before rising to her feet.

As they walked out of the cafeteria, Gina linked her arm though Lynn's and said, "Cheer up, honey. I have the feeling a great surprise is in store for you."

Lynn managed a weak smile, not really believing what Gina had just told her. But little did she know that truer words had never been spoken.