Fic: Keep Traveling On: Part Two

[sheryden]

Keep Traveling On, Part Two
Master Post





Eliot bolted awake and blinked his eyes several times. The last thing he remembered was dragging himself through the woods and trying to find a safe place to rest. By that point, he had been running off and on for two days, as hunters armed with guns and knives and rocks tried to run him down for his simple crime of being a werewolf.

How Rucker had even guessed what he was, Eliot didn’t know. Perhaps he and the others had never really known, and Eliot had just been a convenient scapegoat for the rage that tended to grip desperate men in little villages around wintertime. Eliot had come across their kind before-angry men with a low tolerance for anything or anyone different.

Whether they had genuinely discovered what he was or not, they had chased him, yelling “wolf” at the tops of their lungs and promising to put him down. One of his pursuers had hit Eliot in the shoulder with a bullet, grazing his skin but doing little serious damage. As the hours passed, though, Eliot’s shoulder had started to roar with a kind of pain he’d never experienced before. It could only mean one thing-the bullet must have been a silver one.

Finally, his knees had given out, and he had fallen, freezing and trembling, into a heap on the ground. He remembered being flooded with a strange sense of relief that at least his suffering was about over, and he wouldn’t have to wander through the world on his own anymore. He wouldn’t have to feel the gnawing hunger or the isolation or the fear that he carried with him almost every day.

And then… then he was here. But where was here? He was lying in a clean bed with a lumpy mattress. That much was certain. Eliot tried to pull himself into an upright position to get a better look at his surroundings; but sharp, grinding pain rushed from his shoulder to the rest his body, causing him to slip back down with a thud. With the pain came nausea, and he bit his lip and tried to ride the sensation out.

“Ah, you’re awake,” said an unfamiliar voice. “Good.”

Eliot instinctively hugged himself as the stranger approached. In his head, he berated himself for showing such vulnerability and forced his body to relax. The stranger was older than Eliot, and he had kind eyes and a handsome face. He was dressed in modest but clean clothes, and he had his hands at his side as he approached. Eliot felt a strange tingle as the man’s scent drifted toward him-it was familiar yet he couldn’t place it. He didn’t smell like one of his pursuers. No, this man’s scent felt like a pleasant memory. Perhaps he’d met this man briefly at some point and his scent has just lingered in the back of Eliot’s mind.

The man reached out a hand and brushed a stray hair out of Eliot’s eyes. “Would you like some water? It’s drawn from the well outside.”

Wordlessly, Eliot shook his head, even though he was dying for some water. There was something in his benefactor’s presence that made Eliot want to trust him. But then again, he’d been hurt before.

The man nodded, then walked across the room and poured some water into a mug anyway. “Just in case you change your mind,” he said with a smile. “Oh, and if you’re concerned about the moon, you needn’t be. The next full moon is still three days away.”

Eliot opened his mouth just slightly in surprise. If he wasn’t in such pain, he’d consider bolting from the room.

“That’s right,” the man said. “We’re well aware of your condition. But you don’t need to be afraid. You’re in no danger from us. You’re in my home, I’m a doctor, and I’m taking care of you. Now, you have silver poisoning. That’s why you’re in so much pain, and it’s why you feel so sick. Though granted, exposure to the elements didn’t help much either.”

Forgetting his pride, Eliot wrapped his arms around himself for comfort. He had heard stories of wolves injured by silver, and according to his mama, most of those wolves didn’t live long enough to see the next full moon. The thought made him shiver. His life might not be what he had pictured for himself, but it was the only one he had, and he didn’t want to lose it.

The doctor leaned down and patted Eliot on his uninjured shoulder, then glanced his fingers against Eliot’s cheek and forehead. “My name is Nate,” he said. “Dr. Nathan Ford. I’m working on an antidote for the poison, but it takes some time to prepare.” He turned toward the other end of the room. “Alec? Our guest is awake. Could you bring him a blanket? He’s burning up, and I suspect he’s got a chill.”

A few seconds later, another man appeared with a green blanket. He unfolded the weathered material and threw it across Eliot’s body. “Good to see you awake,” he said cheerfully. “You were out cold the first time I saw you.”

Nate laid a hand on Alec’s shoulder. “Alec,” he said. “I’m getting our guest something for the pain,” he said. “Keep him company.”

Alec nodded, then turned his attention back to Eliot. “The doc is trying to make something that will purge the silver from your veins, but he can only do so much for the pain until that happens. I’m really sorry.” He sat down in a chair next to Eliot’s bed. “My name is Alec, by the way.”

Eliot bit down on his lip and gazed up at the ceiling.

Smiling, Alec smoothed out the creases on the blanket. “Not a talker, huh? That’s okay, because I probably talk enough for the both of us. At least, that’s what everyone tells me. I’m an inventor. I’ve been living out here for two years. The doc saved my neck after I had to leave the Royal City. ” He rolled his eyes. “In a hurry.”

Eliot forgot his determination to be silent and sat up. “You used to live in the Royal City? I’ve never been there.”

Alec grinned. “So you do have a voice,” he said. “Yeah, I’d lived there my whole life until I found myself in need of a sudden change.”

For a few moments, Eliot gazed into Alec’s eyes and thought he saw a hint of sorrow in them. “It must’ve been amazing there,” he said. “Why’d you leave?” Speaking out loud reminded Eliot of how dry his throat was. He tried vainly to reach for the mug of water, but his arms felt incredibly heavy

Alec picked up the mug and held it as Eliot took a few sips of water. “Yeah, it was an exciting place to grow up. I only left because I was… compelled.”

Eliot winced. “I know the feeling,” he said. “What happened?”

“Well, like I said earlier, I’m an inventor, and… let’s just say there was an incident.”

“An incident?”

With a nervous laugh, Alec picked at a loose thread on his shirt. “I may have made myself a friend. Her name was Lucille.” He leaned back in his chair. “And despite what the royal authorities said, she was not a monster. She was a lady. ”

Eliot wasn’t sure what to say, so he settled on a simple, “Okay.” He glanced around the room and got a good look at his surroundings for the first time. The furniture-what little of it there was-was mismatched, and there were books everywhere. “What do you do here?”

“Well, I live a short walk away, but I spend a lot of time here. I guess you could say I’m kind of the doc’s caretaker. He’s a brilliant man, but he forgets to do little things like eat and sleep.” Grinning, Alec turned and called over his shoulder. “Hey, Doc? Did you eat?”

“I will later,” was the response.

Alec grinned. “See what I mean?”

In spite of himself, Eliot’s lips curved into a smile. Alec’s easygoing nature put him at ease, and he felt himself starting to relax regardless of the pain in his shoulder.

“Hey,” Alec said suddenly. “You never told me your name.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Sure it does. We want to know what to call you. I guess I could make something up, but you’ve been walking around with a name all this time. We might as well use it.”

After a moment, Eliot took a breath and said, “My name’s Eliot.”

Alec patted him on the forearm. “Pleased to meet you, Eliot.”

A couple minutes later, Nate reappeared, this time with another mug. “I have something I want you to drink,” he said to Eliot. “It’ll help with the pain.”

Eliot thought about protesting, but his desire to escape the pain won out and he nodded. A cup was tipped and liquid fell into his mouth. He gagged at first, then gulped it down.

“There now,” he heard Nate say as he felt his eyes grow heavy. “You get some sleep. We’ll be here when you wake up.”

***

Nate stayed up most of the night tending to the remedy for Eliot’s silver poisoning. He finally ate dinner when Alec reminded him for the second time to do so, and he dozed off for about an hour. But otherwise, he’d been hunched over his reading desk, waiting for the antidote to finish brewing, and pouring over every bit of literature he had on werewolves.

When he heard noise coming from the direction of Eliot’s bed, Nate stood up, stretched the kinks out of his back, and wandered in to bid his patient a good morning. “Well,” he said brightly. “How are we doing this morning?”

Eliot gazed up at him, looking more than a little rumpled and cantankerous. Nate supposed he couldn’t blame the young man. He was in a world of pain from the silver coursing through his veins, and he was probably steeling himself for the kind of betrayal that had gotten him a silver bullet in the first place.

Nate sat down on a stool next to the bed. He hoped his patient would open up to them soon. Alec had gotten a name out of him but little else. Nate had to admit that he felt a certain amount of excitement over being in the presence of a werewolf. It had been years since he’d treated one, and he had a list of questions he wanted to ask. But right now, the young man was sick and in need of care and tenderness not questions.

Nate let out a breath and fought the urge to brush a stray hair out of Eliot’s eyes. “Once you’re feeling a little better, well get some food in you. And on that note,” he said cheerfully. “I’ve finished the antidote for the silver poisoning. You should feel better once it gets into your system. Would you like that?”

“No,” Eliot groused. “I want to sit here in blinding pain.”

Nate closed his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was a stupid question.” He walked into the other room to retrieve his supplies, then returned to Eliot’s bed. “I’ll need to introduce antidote into your body as soon as possible, so I’m going to use a special tool.” He pulled out a needle fitted with a syringe and held it up. Eliot’s eyes grew wide as he stared at the instrument. “Alec invented it,” Nate said proudly.

“Her name’s not Lucille, is it?”

“No,” Nate chuckled under his breath. “This invention is much more innocuous. It’s a needle that allows me to introduce medication directly into a muscle. That makes it work faster. I know it’s a bit intimidating, but it will hurt far less than the silver that is battering your body.”

“No offense, Doc, but needles are for sewing clothes.”

“And for sticking in patients,” Nate said with a smirk. “Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks, and it will make you feel better. I’ll need a big muscle. Roll over onto your side.”

Narrowing his eyes, Eliot rolled over. Nate had expected more of a fight, but apparently, the thought that this needle might hold the cure to his current state was enough for him to accept it. Nate reached over and tugged down Eliot’s pajama bottoms, then he dabbed some alcohol on his upper hip.

“Now,” he said. “You’re going to feel a pinch. Or if I’m being honest, it’ll be a sudden sharp pain followed by a burn. But it’ll be over soon.”

Before Eliot had a chance to protest, Nate sank the needle into the skin of his hip, and Eliot bit down on his bottom lip. “Dammit, that hurts,” he said. “A little warning.”

“Well, I did warn you. I said it was gonna hurt. All done,” Nate said soothingly. He dabbed at place where he’d shoved the needle in, then patted Eliot’s butt a bit before pulling up the pajama bottoms.

He watched as Eliot rolled miserably over onto his back.

“It’ll burn for a while,” Nate said. “And you’ll probably start to feel a bit warm overall. But that’s good. It means the medication is working as it’s meant to. I can give you something to make you sleep again.”

Eliot averted his eyes and gazed at the wall. “Nah, I’m okay.”

***

When Nate wandered into the bedroom later in the day, he saw that his patient was awake and alert. He still looked ragged and miserable, but there was color in his face now, and he wasn’t trembling from the pain. Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Nate walked over to the bed.

Eliot looked up at him with intense blue eyes, and he braced his body ever so slightly. Nate could tell that he was still on guard. Past experiences had probably taught him that he couldn’t trust the kindness of strangers.

Nate reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of chocolate. Placing it onto the table next to Eliot, he said, “Would you like something to eat?”

Eliot stared suspiciously at the chocolate, keeping his eyes on it as though it were about to attack him.

“It’s just a piece of chocolate,” Nate said. “It’s not poison. After all, I just spent the last two days purging your body of poison.”

After a moment, the young man snatched the chocolate and devoured it as though it were the first thing he’d eaten in days. And then it occurred to Nate that it may well be the first thing he’d eaten in days. He walked across the room to his modest cooking area and cut and buttered enough bread for the two of them. He then poured some water into two mugs and carried everything over to his guest.

He sat the part of the bread and one of the mugs on the table next to the bed, just as he’d done with the chocolate. “Go on,” he said. “You must be hungry. Eat.”

The young man picked up the cup and peered into it. Tentatively, he took a sip. Apparently satisfied that Nate wasn’t trying to kill him, he took a gulp of water, then snatched up the bread and began to eat.

Nate took that as encouragement, so he dragged a chair over to the bed and sat down and began to eat his own bread. “I know you’re probably wondering where you are,” he said. “You’re in my home, which is located in the woods east of a little village.”

“You know anybody named Mason?”

“I can’t say that I do. Alec-my friend who you met yesterday- scouted around, and there’s no chatter of werewolves in our village. Ours is a small village, and a werewolf would be the talk of the town. Whoever did this to you is miles away.”

Eliot licked a bit of butter off his fingers. “I still need to go as soon as I’m able.”

Leaning back in his chair, Nate gazed at his patient. “You don’t need to leave. I’m sure they gave up looking for you. You’re safe here.”

For a moment, Nate thought the young man might argue, but instead, he slumped back against the pillow and gazed intently at Nate. “How’d you know what to do to heal me?”

Nate sat up straight. “I’ve studied the anatomy of werewolves for years,” he said. “You’re hardly the first one I’ve treated.”

Eliot drank the last of his water, then sat the mug on the table next to the bed. “Where’s Alec?”

“Probably inventing some contraption or another. He’s a bit of a mad scientist.” Nate laid a hand on Eliot’s forehead. “Your temperature appears to be back to normal. Where are you from?”

“Nowhere,” Eliot said. “I grew up in a traveling caravan, so we didn’t stay anywhere long. My people were performers. I was a musician.”

Nate nodded. That explained a lot about Eliot. From what Nate had observed, most people chose to live in caravans were misfits who for whatever reason felt more comfortable living a nomadic life. “Do you have family?”

“No,” Eliot shook his head. “Not anymore. It was just me and my mama those last few years. Daddy died a while ago.”

“Did they know you were a werewolf?”

Eliot scrubbed his hand over his face. “My family knew,” he said. “It was my mama that nursed me back to health when I got the bite. I was only seventeen.”

Unable to resist the urge to comfort, Nate placed a hand on Eliot’s forearm and gave him a gentle squeeze. “What about the others in the caravan? Did they know?”

“A fortune teller we were friendly with knew. No one else did for years. I used to go off by myself during the change. Lag behind the others if need be.” He licked his lips. “But they found out eventually.”

“Is that why you’re not with them anymore?”

Eliot closed his eyes. “Yeah, they had themselves a little vote and decided to turn me out. I traveled here and there after that. Did odd jobs.”

“That must have been incredibly lonely.”

“You get used to it.”

Nate leaned back in his chair. “You know, Eliot,” he said. “It’s only a couple of days until the full moon.”

“Yeah, I can already feel the itch.”

“The itch?”

“The wolf is trying to scratch his way to the surface.” He tugged on his lip. “It’s hard to explain. It’s just like this restless feeling, and I want to tear my skin off and…” He paused, then quickly added, “I keep my mind.”

“I know,” Nate said with a smile. “It’s okay. You know, other than Alec, who lives a short walk away, we’re pretty isolated. I think you’ll find this to be a good place to transform.”

Eliot ran a hand through his hair. “Doc. Nate. I don’t want to bring you any trouble. You’ve been very kind to me, and it’s best that I’m not around regular people.”

“Well, no worries there. Alec and I aren’t that regular.”



Eliot had relented and had agreed to stay, but he’d told himself that he’d only linger a few days until the effects of the full moon had worn off. After promising Nate that he’d return in the morning and that he’d stay relatively close to the cottage, Eliot had gone off by himself to transform. Nate, as it turned out, was right about the isolation of the surrounding area. Eliot had had plenty of room to wander and explore and never ran into anyone.

The next morning, he stumbled through the front door, wrapped in a blanket he had found on the on a barrel next to the barn. It was still early morning, and the chill outside was enough to take a person’s breath away. When a gust of cold air from the crack under the front door blew in, Eliot shivered and pulled the blanket more tightly over his shoulders. He ached everywhere-his muscles, his joints. For all the joy that he felt exploring the woods in wolf form, the transformations left his human body feeling battered.

Not seeing anyone else in the room, Eliot walked over to his bed and pulled on the soft cotton garments Nate had bought for him when he first arrived. They felt gentle and warm against his chilled skin. Once he was dressed, he wandered into the other room to look for Nate.

The room was filled from floor to ceiling with old books. Eliot closed his eyes and took in the scent. He’d never spent much time around books himself, but Eliot appreciated the smell. It was comforting in its own way.

Nate was busy rummaging through boxes and drawers, but when he noticed Eliot standing a few feet away, he smiled warmly. “Did you find the blanket I left?”

Eliot nodded. “Thanks, Nate. I appreciate it. It’s a cold morning.” He pointed to the boxes. “What’re you doing?”

“I’m looking for a recipe. How was your transformation?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Eliot gazed at the floor. He didn’t generally discuss his transformations with anyone. They were humiliating and private. “Painful,” he said.

“Yes, I imagine so. That’s why I’m searching for the recipe.” He slapped his hands down on the table for emphasis. “It’s really wonderful,” he said. “I got it from an old friend who was actually a werewolf himself.”

Eliot arched an eyebrow. “You trade cooking tips with werewolves?”

Nate smiled and waved a hand through the air. “No, Eliot. It’s for a remedy that eases the pain and exhaustion that accompanies a transformation.”

Eliot bit the inside of his cheek. “Is it a shot?”

Erupting in laughter, Nate reached out and gave Eliot’s good shoulder a squeeze.. “No. It will be in liquid from, so you can drink it. I may not have it for you until your transformation next month, though.”

Next month? He had told Nate that he hadn’t planned to stay long. Usually, he tried to move on a soon as possible so he wouldn’t be tempted to form attachments that he would only lose down the road. And as his experience in the last village had proven, traveling on was just good sense.

“Nate,” he said. “The last time I stayed in one place too long, I wound up with silver poisoning.”

“Well, the townspeople rarely come out here,” he said. “Apparently, they think I’m a little batty. And I only go the village for supplies. I doubt you’ll suffer the same fate here.”

Eliot leaned against a table and traced patterns in the dust. “So you’re not the town doctor?”

Nate scoffed. “No.”

“How do you make money?”

“Well, my father was a man of some resources, and he left me with an inheritance. Also, I sometimes sell potions to people who prefer alternate medical treatments.” Nate let out a breath and sank into a chair. “Tell me something. Other than the pain, how was the transformation? Did you have fun last night?”

Eliot raised an eyebrow. It was an unexpected question that one no one had ever asked him before. He cocked his head to think a moment. “I guess I did actually. I spent the night running through the woods, then I curled up and fell asleep out by the barn.”

“That’s good to hear,” Nate said. “My friend-the one who left me with the recipe-he told me that he felt an unimaginable freedom in his wolf form.”

“Well… yeah. That’s a good way to put it.” Eliot shoved his hands into his pockets.

“You’re uncomfortable discussing your transformations.”

“A little,” Eliot confessed. “I guess nobody’s ever asked before. I’m not used to people knowing.”

“That’s a shame.” Nate stood up and patted Eliot on the back. “Let’s go into town,” he said suddenly. “We need a few supplies.”

Eliot wasn’t particularly excited about the idea of exposing himself to more people. But Nate had been good to him, and he imagined that he might need help gathering and carrying things. So they bundled themselves up and climbed into the wagon to head to the village.

“How many other werewolves do you know?” Eliot asked as they moved toward the village.

“Only a few,” Nate said. “Do you know any?”

“Only the one who turned me.”

“Can you tell me about him?”

Eliot closed his eyes. “His father was a charlatan who traveled with our caravan for a while and sold magic seeds that would supposedly grow in all weathers. It’s a good thing they weren’t with us long. Playing on people’s emotions like that would’ve gotten us run out of every village in the kingdom. Anyway, this salesman, he had a son named Damien about my age.”

“How did he come to turn you?”

“Well…” Eliot cleared his throat. “We were both teenagers, and he was handsome and charming.”

“I see,” Nate said. “Young love.”

“I thought so at the time,” Eliot said. “I had no idea he was a werewolf when we met. He was my… first. And I thought he loved me. So he asked me to meet him one night-he was still in human form when I got there, but he was about to change. And then he did. Right in front of me.” He closed his eyes. “And then he bit me.”

“What happened to him?”

“He and his father were gone by morning. I never saw them again. Sometimes, though, Damien haunts my dreams. I see his face, hear his voice. When I first left the caravan, part of me thought that maybe I should look for him.”

“That’s a natural impulse. He’s the one who turned you, and for better or worse, you feel a connection to him.”

“Well, I never had the nerve to look, and he never turned up.” Eliot spat over the side of the wagon. “Whatever connection I may’ve had with him, I guess it’s gone. And now I’m here.”

“Yes, you are.” Nate nudged Eliot with his knee. “And you’re more than welcome to stay. There’s plenty of room.”

Eliot shook his head. “It’s best I’m gone after the full moon cycle.”

“This wasn’t done by the people in our village, Eliot.”

Letting out a breath, Eliot shook his head. “But if they knew about me, they’d do the same.”

“Maybe. But I won’t tell them if you won’t.”

Eliot smiled in spite of his dark mood. Then he turned to Nate and said, “I’m going to keep changing. Every full moon, and I can’t stop that. I’ll only bring trouble.”

“Well, of course you’ll change. The wolf is part of who you are. But we can adapt. It went perfectly fine this time, right? I think it would be better for you to have someone to look after you, a home.”

A home. Eliot had given up on ever having a proper home long ago. The caravan had been a home of a sort, but that had been taken from him. He liked Nate-possibly more than he wanted to admit-and he liked Alec, too. They seemed like genuinely good people, and best of all, they seemed to like having him around. He hadn’t experienced kindness like he found in them in so long.

***

When they finally reached the village, Eliot took in the sights and sounds and smells. It was a quaint and comfortable-looking place. Despite the winter cold, people were bustling around and chatting with each other. And enticing smells were coming from the nearby bakery and candy shop.

One of the first things Eliot had had to get used to when he first got the bite was the flood of new senses. He learned that not only could he see much better, he could also hear and smell with a kind of superhuman ability. The sense of smell was particularly potent around a full moon. Everyone, Eliot had soon learned, had a unique scent all their own. Some scents stayed with him years after he and the person in question had parted ways.

Standing there in the village square with Nate for the first time, he was surprised when he picked up a familiar scent. He tended to link smells to emotions and places. This was a smell of sweet innocence and wonder and the untamed woods. Sometimes when he recognized a scent, it would be a memory that nipped at the back of his mind-like Nate-a fleeting notion he couldn’t quite grasp. But this time, he knew precisely who the scent belonged to.

After whispering to Nate that he was going to go explore, Eliot wandered off and followed the scent until he found the owner, a young woman a couple of years younger than him. Parker. She was standing in the bakery, and she was as blonde and pretty as she had been when he’d last seen her. She was older of course; their last meeting had been years before in the woods. But seeing her now filled Eliot with a swell of excitement and affection. Parker had shown him kindness instead of anger and fear, and he had treasured her memory these many years.

Eliot had never gotten up the nerve to speak to her in human form more than once, and he knew there was no chance she’d remember him. But that didn’t stop him from walking up to her and smiling brightly. “Hello,” he said. “Everything smells really good.”

She made a face, then smiled pleasantly at him. “Well, it’s a bakery. We try to make things smell good so people will buy them.”

Eliot narrowed his eyes. “I guess that makes sense.”

“Do you want to buy something.”

“Um…” It occurred to him that he didn’t have any money of his own. Any money he’d earned at the stables was long gone. “I’m just looking for later,” he said.

“Okay.” She gazed at him for a long moment, then she cocked her head at him. “You seem familiar.”

“I do?”

“I’ve lived here my whole life, but you haven’t. Why do you seem familiar?”

Eliot glanced over his shoulder at the door. “Um…”

Parker leaned into his personal space and stared at his face. “It’s your eyes,” she said with a nod. “I’ve seen your eyes before.”

He felt his breath hitch. Could she remember him? The idea filled Eliot with excitement. As he was pondering the possibility, Nate walked into the shop.

“Eliot,” he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “When you’re finished here, I’d like to take you to the tailor and get you some more clothes.”

Eliot felt a blush creep into his cheeks. He knew he should be grateful, but Nate had already done so much for him. He nodded. “Thank you.”

Nate moved his hand off his shoulder, placing it instead on the small of Eliot’s back. The movement felt natural and right to Eliot, and he leaned back into the touch.

Peering at the shelves lined with bread and treats, Nate said, “Would you like some things here?”

“No,” Eliot said. “I don’t need anything.”

“You can want something without needing it,” Nate said.

Eliot glanced up and saw Parker nod slowly as if Nate had just uttered the most profound words she’d ever heard. “I want a fairy,” she said.

Nate cocked his head at her. “Fairies are not pets, Parker. I think we should get some baked goods. Bread is a definite. We’ll need two loaves of fresh bread. What else would you like, Eliot?”

They left the bakery with an armload of bread and cakes and tarts. As they walked down the path toward the tailor, something occurred to Eliot. If Parker had lived here her whole life, then this was in the woods near this village where he’d killed her assailant. And Nate might well smell familiar if… and then it struck him. Nate did smell familiar, because Eliot had met him before. Nate had been the man who had bumped into him, and he’d been the man who Sophie had said was his destiny.

***

Despite Eliot’s earlier reluctance to stay with Nate and Alec, he found himself sleeping in the same bed three weeks later with no plans to leave. He blamed his curiosity about Sophie’s claim that Nate was his destiny as much as his own desire to have a home. Either way, it surprised him how quickly he became comfortable in the little cottage in the woods. How accustomed to Nate’s and Alec’s presences he had become.

As the days passed, he kept getting a little braver and started to visit the village itself more and more often. He didn’t talk to many people, but the ones he did speak to seemed like genuinely nice folk. But it was Parker he usually went to see in the village. To Eliot’s delight, they had struck up a friendship and often took strolls in the woods together. Sometimes he brought Alec along, and they all had lunch together in a little clearing, while Alec complained about the cold. Parker continued to poke him-sometimes literally-for some clue to who he might be and how she might know him. Thus far, he’d resisted telling her anything.

And then there was Nate.

Eliot would be lying if he said he wasn’t attracted to Nate. He had kept himself bottled up for so long, had resisted allowing himself to want, to love. But with Nate, he felt like he could start to pull down his walls and feel things he’d never let himself consider before. He didn’t know if Nate felt even remotely the same way. Thus far, he’d been compassionate and kind. But love… or lust. Nate had never given him any reason to believe he felt either of those things.

Eliot didn’t even know how to pursue a relationship anyway. Friendship was still new for him. He couldn’t imagine now having to add something more intimate and intense to the mix. And who would want a werewolf anyway?

He would stay, but he would have to forget the nonsense that he could have more than simple kindness from Nate.



By the next full moon, Nate had concocted the potion he’d spoken of earlier, and Eliot drank some of it just before the transformation ripped through his body. To his surprise and relief, the potion did its work, and the pain he usually felt was dimmed considerably.

Once in wolf form, he bolted toward the woods for a run. He knew he should probably exercise a bit more caution than he did, but one of the few joys of being a werewolf was the feeling of being completely unshackled from his human concerns.

After a while, a familiar scent tickled his nose, and he bounded through the woods in search of the bearer of the scent. As he grew closer to her, he could smell sweet cakes and butter and bread, as well. Finally, he found her in a clearing in the woods.

Parker sat propped up against a tree, bundled up in a warm cloak and scarf and hat. She seemed completely unsurprised to see a wolf standing a few feet away. “So it was you, Eliot,” she said with a grin. “I thought so. Your eyes are hard to forget.”

At Parker’s words, Eliot felt a burden lift off his shoulders. He’d often thought about that night and had wondered what Parker thought of him. Part of him had worried that once she’d had time to process what had happened in the woods, she might fear him or be repulsed by him. But now…

Eliot pawed at the ground, uncertain what to do. It struck him that the area seemed very familiar, and suddenly it dawned on him. This was the very part of the woods where years ago, he had killed a man to defend Parker.

Parker laid a piece of cake on the ground in front of her, much the same way she had that night. Eliot crept closer and gobbled it up, then walked over and sat down next to her.

Tentatively, she reached out a hand and began to pet his fur. “I never got a chance to thank you,” she said. “You saved me. I used to wonder what happened to you. You must have only been a boy at the time.”

As she continued to pet him, Eliot leaned his head forward and rubbed his nose against Parker’s cheek. When he’d first met her all those years ago, he’d known there was something special about the way she saw the world. And right now, he felt an incredible burst of affection and gratitude for her.

She kept talking. “I come out here a lot. My grandmother used to live in a cottage down the path, but I live there now. I come out here to draw and watch the fairies dance at night.”

Eliot gazed at her. If he was in human form, he might have told her there was something wrong with her. But then again, she was sitting in the woods at night petting a werewolf like he was a puppy. He supposed that if there were something wrong with her, it was an ailment that more people should have.

Parker continued to smooth his fur, and she even reached up to scratch him behind the ear. On impulse, Eliot flung himself onto his back, and wriggled around on the ground. Parker grinned at him and leaned down to scratch his tummy. He might be mortified about this come the morning, but for right now, he couldn’t care less. It felt amazing.

As she patted and scratched Eliot’s furry form, Parker, in what could only be described as baby talk, said, “Who’s the big bad wolf, huh? Yes, it you!”

Eliot growled and tried his best to make it sound menacing, but Parker seemed completely unfazed and continued to fuss over him. They went on like this for almost an hour, until Eliot decided he needed to run back to Nate’s place before the sun rose, and he found himself naked in the middle of the woods. He licked Parker on the hand, then bolted off into the night.

***

When the transformation wore off, Eliot woke up next to the barn and stretched the kinks out of his back. He grabbed the blanket Nate had left for him and hurried into the house. He felt good, and he didn’t know whether to thank the potion or the fact that he’d spent part of the evening with someone who seemed to accept him unconditionally.

“Nate,” he called. “Nate!”

Nate poked his head in from the other room. “Eliot, do you need something?”

Eliot grinned. “No,” he said. “Your potion worked. Another cold morning, but I don’t care. Your potion worked.”

“That’s wonderful!” Nate said with a smile. He took a few steps toward Eliot. “You know, I was thinking. I’m up most of the night, and while I know you like to explore, you really don’t need to stay outside the whole night. I could let you in, and you could sleep by the fire. You wouldn’t have to face cold mornings.”

Tugging the blanket more tightly around his shoulder, Eliot shook his head. “I don’t… I don’t usually let people see…”

“No,” Nate said with a thin smile. “It’s fine. It was just a thought.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Eliot said. In fact, Eliot trusted Nate completely. More than that, he thought he might even love Nate. Or at least strongly like. The thought of letting Nate see him as an animal terrified him. Part of Eliot still held onto the ridiculous hope that Nate might feel some affection for him someday, and if he were to see Eliot’s other nature… he couldn’t imagine being desired by someone after that.

Nate gazed at him for a moment, then flashed what Eliot recognized as a forced smile. “So tell me about your night.”

“Well.” He cleared his throat and gazed down at the floor. “Um. I’ve discovered that Parker knows about me. She knows I’m a werewolf.”

Alec wandered in from behind Eliot. “Wait. Did you say that Parker knows about you?”

“Yeah,” Eliot said with a nod. “Look, I didn’t tell her. And she won’t say anything. She was waiting for me in the woods. It turns out that she started suspecting my true nature after I first went to see her in the bakery.”

Nate cleared his throat. “Well, you should definitely make sure you visit her today. If she tells anyone, it could be disastrous.”

“She won’t say anything, Nate. Trust me.” He pulled the blanket a little tighter. “She stayed with me for a while last night, and she didn’t seem afraid at all. She even petted me, and… oh great.” He felt the heat of embarrassment creep into his cheeks.

“Eliot, what’s happened?” Nate reached out a hand of comfort.

“It’s nothing. It’s just… I seem to remember letting her scratch my stomach.”

Alec doubled over with laughter. “Aw, this is best thing I’ve heard all morning.”

Eliot glared in Alec’s direction. “Stop,” he said. “In wolf form, my inhibitions are lowered.”

Nate took a breath. “So you allowed Parker to see you in your transformed state,” he said. “You once told me that only one person has ever had the privilege.”

“Well, yeah,” Eliot said. “It was Parker. It’s kind of a long story, but I was in this village once before, and I kind of met Parker back then. She was kind to me.”

“I see,” said Nate. Suddenly, he seemed a bit frosty. “That’s interesting. Well, I have some work to do. Don’t forget to go and see her.”

“She won’t say anything.”

“Of course she won’t,” Nate said. “I need to research a potion, so I’ll be doing that now.”

Eliot stared after Nate. He turned to Alec, who was still grinning over the idea of Parker scratching Eliot’s belly. “Did I do something wrong?”

Alec shook his head. “The doc’s just moody. You’re fine.”

***

True to his word, Eliot got dressed and went into the village to see Parker. She assured him-after making a cute remark about his “nice belly”-that she wouldn’t say anything to anyone. He’d puttered around in the other shops for a while, then he’d gone back home to see if Nate was in a better mood. While he wasn’t rude to Eliot, he was a bit stand-offish the whole day. And to make matters worse, Alec had gone home to work on a project.

“Nate,” Eliot said after they sat down for dinner. “Did I do something to upset you?”

“What?” Nate gave him a puzzled look. “No. No, absolutely not.”

“Well, ever since I told you about Parker…”

“I’m sorry.” He smiled. “I’ve been a bit off today. I think it’s wonderful that Parker has accepted you.” Nate passed Eliot a bowl of potatoes. “You know, I was thinking that you could invite Parker to join us some evening. I’d like to get to know her better.”

“I’m sure she’d enjoy the company. I don’t think she has many friends.”

Nate nodded and took a sip of water. “You’ve been spending quite a bit of time together,” he said. “You’ve gotten serious very quickly.”

Eliot mouth opened slightly. “Do you mean… No,” he said. “We’re not. She and I, we’re not…” He could feel a blush starting to rise in his cheeks.

A cryptic gaze fell over Nate’s face, and he leaned back in his chair. “It would be perfectly fine if you were,” he said. “You would be a good match.”

Eliot shifted in his chair. “Nate, I knew her when we were kids. Look,” he said. “There’s something I didn’t tell you. Years ago, the caravan my family traveled with was parked outside the village. I went into the woods to transform, and some guy came at Parker with a knife. I… killed him to save her, and she showed no fear or revulsion when she looked at me. We’re bonded to each other in a special way because of that event. But we’re not and never plan to be lovers.”

“I see,” Nate said. He seemed to relax. “Well, then, I’m pleased to see that you have a good friendship.” He nodded as if that settled the matter, but Eliot found the whole exchange to be rather odd.

“You trying to marry me off?” Eliot asked with a nervous smile.

“Certainly not,” Nate said. “You know, I remember the incident you’re talking about. He was a fugitive who had killed a local man in this village and wreaked havoc in another.”

Eliot ran a hand through his hair. “So he was a really bad man?”

“Yes, Eliot. He was the definition of a monster.”

They ate in silence for several minutes. It was a comfortable silence, but it gave Eliot time to think. Once he’d popped the last piece of bread into his mouth, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Nate?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you been acting weird because you thought Parker and I were a couple?”

Nate licked his lips. “Don’t be silly. Your love life is your business.”

“Then what is it?”

***

Nate gazed down at his nearly empty plate, unwilling to look up and meet Eliot’s gaze. His question was a reasonable one. If Nate was being honest, he’d have to admit that he was finding himself more and more drawn to Eliot. He was used to being alone, but the pull of this young man was magnetic. Even though he’d only been living with him for a short while, Nate couldn’t imagine his life without Eliot.

Taking a breath, he said, “It’s just… you’ve never let me see you in your transformed state.”

“I’ve explained that to you,” Eliot said. “It’s not something I share with anyone. I try to keep my human life and my time as a wolf separate.”

“You’ve shared it with Parker.”

“Not willingly.”

“But she’s seen you, and the world has not exploded into a pile of ash.”

Eliot scrubbed his face with his hands. Then he flashed a grin. “You are jealous.”

“Maybe a little,” Nate admitted. “Eliot, I just want to know that part of you. Since I don’t, I feel like a big part of my knowledge of you is missing.”

“You’re afraid I like her better.”

“No.” Nate shook his head. He stared down at the table, because he didn’t want to meet Eliot’s gaze. He felt exposed, and it was a terrifying feeling.

Eliot leaned forward and took Nate’s hand. “Look,” he said. “There’s something else that happened when I was in this village. I told you I had a friend who was a fortune teller?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, earlier in the day before my transformation-the day Parker saw me in the woods-my friend and I were in the village. And you bumped into me. I didn’t realize it was you until that first day you took me to the village. I mean, there was something familiar about your scent, but…”

“Wait.” Nate stared at him. “I met you?”

Eliot nodded. “Yeah. Fifteen years ago. And Sophie-that’s my friend-she had a flash that you were my destiny. And whose house do I wake up in last month? Yours.”

Before Nate knew it, he was standing to lean over the table and press his lips to Eliot’s. When Eliot didn’t push him away-and in fact, stood to make the contact easier-Nate deepened the kiss, losing himself in the flood of sensations. If he were being honest, he’d have to admit that he was a little out of practice. It had been so long since he had touched another person like this that it felt unfamiliar, strange.

But at the same time, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

***

As they stood there, awkwardly kissing over the table, Eliot wasn’t sure what to do. The kiss took his breath away, and he felt like he should reciprocate, but his experience of late was limited at best. Anything he’d done with another person had been quick and furtive. The idea of letting someone see him with his clothes off meant that they would see the bite mark, and they would know what he was. He had never been willing to risk that.

His last sexual experience had been a hand job from another young man when he stopped to spend the night at a roadside tavern. The young man had been the son the tavern’s owner, and he’d smelled like soap and spices. For Eliot, it had been thrilling and had provided him with much-needed release. But there had been a certain amount of safety involved, too. Eliot had known he’d never have to see him again, and he’d never have to let himself be vulnerable.

Here, now, in Nate’s little cottage, Eliot felt exposed, vulnerable in a way that terrified him. If anything went wrong between him and Nate, he knew he might lose the home he’d started to build here, and he couldn’t imagine going back out into the cold, lonely world and having to face life alone the way he had before.

As the reality of his tentative situation gripped him, he pushed Nate away. “Wait,” he said, breathless. He gazed at the floor, not wanting to look into Nate’s puzzled eyes.

Nate took a moment to catch his breath, then he lifted a hand to tenderly caress Eliot’s face. “It’s all right. No pressure.”

Eliot bit his lip, unsure of how to explain his nerves. “It’s just-”

“Eliot,” Nate said, placing a firm hand on each of his shoulders. “No pressure. It’s all right.”

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