LOVE IN THE DARK CHARMED LOVE

Lupa searched for a way to escape, but it was no use.

Then he emerged from the shadows. Beneath the light of the moon, he appeared ethereal - almost divine.

Her knees grew weak and she felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her. No matter what she did, she could not pull enough oxygen into her lungs.

Reaching behind her, Lupa's hand searched for something to hold onto to – anything that would keep her on her feet. It was impossible to tear her eyes from the tall - powerful figure steadily moving in her direction.

A soft breeze teased at the long black hair that fell across his wide shoulders, making him seem even more feral than he already did. He stood before her - his natural splendor illuminated by the pale moonlight.

The magnetic allure of his eyes drew her in – coaxing her to surrender her will.

A familiar feeling of warmth stirred deep within her. She could not still the trembling as heat coursed through her body like liquid fire.

Now he was in front of her - so close she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Her eyes were drawn to the sight of muscle moving beneath the smooth skin of his chest.

Air rushed from her lungs when she felt his firm thigh forcing her legs apart. There was no time for thought or protest.

His mouth was on her throat and she could feel his sharp teeth scraping against her tender flesh.

She felt no fear, only an intense - all consuming heat. Her need for him erupted into something beyond anything she could comprehend.

Fear clawed at her consciousness. She was afraid of what he was - of what he could do to her, but her body betrayed her. Like an animal, instinct took over. Her hands went to his shoulders and she pulled him closer.

His mouth claimed hers and she found herself being pulled into an inferno that threatened to overwhelm her entire being. It was only the pain of his teeth nipping at her kiss-swollen lips that kept her from slipping away to that point of no return.

Suddenly she was being ripped from her dream world. No matter how hard she tried, she could not hold on to him. The vision evaporated like puffs of smoke rising into an endless sky.

Lupa's eyes fluttered open.

She still trembled with the need her dream had invoked.

But something had awakened her?

The stiff muscles in her back and shoulders screamed in protest as she tried to get into a sitting position. Sleeping in the front seat of her car was probably not one of the wisest things she'd ever done, but she'd been too tired to keep driving.

Lupa looked around the empty rest stop. She was in the middle of nowhere - someplace between Wolfmoon and Howlingwater.

It wasn't really a rest stop, but more of a pull off with a small table and an outhouse.

Her eyes strayed to the half moon suspended high above the rocky cliffs to the east. Lupa noted that it had moved little since she'd pulled over and closed her eyes.

She probably hadn't slept longer than an hour, but maybe it was enough that she could make it the rest of the way to Howlingwater. The last thing she needed was to end up driving her car off the side of the road because she was too sleepy to drive.

She'd only meant to rest her eyes for a few minutes, but had quickly fallen into a deep sleep. Like most nights, her dreams were haunted by visions of Caleb. It had been months since she'd left the Navajo Reservation. She'd hoped to hear from him, but there hadn't been a word. According to Uncle Donny, no one had seen him since she'd been gone.

The fact that he was keeping a low profile didn't surprise her, considering the threat of the Shapechangers.

But still, why hadn't he at least sent word that he was okay?

The low - ominous growl sent shards of fear into her heart.

It was coming from just outside her car.

Lupa's eyes flew to the window. At first all she could see were shadows, but suddenly one of those shadows moved.

Her heart jumped into her throat.

Nightmarish visions scrambled to the front of her mind. Once again the memories were crowding in on her - memories that she'd spent the last several months trying to forget. Her time in Arizona would be forever tainted by the murders of her parents and best friend.

Caleb had warned her to stay away.

The Shapechangers would do anything to bring the alpha wolf do his knees, even if that meant killing the one they'd created to destroy him.

Is he were to die, she would still serve her purpose. Killing her would distract Caleb and prevent the Changing.

It had taken all her strength to keep from returning to the reservation to find him, but then Trent Metzger had called and asked for her help. He'd been arrested for the murder of a young Navajo woman.

Trent claimed he had nothing to do with it, and though she might be a little crazy, Lupa believed him.

Trent's family was deeply involved with the Navajo witches more commonly known as Shapechangers. In fact, most people on the reservation believed Trent Metzger himself was a Shapechangers.

Unlike the Sinapu, who were true shifters, the Shapechangers were evil practitioners of the dark arts. According to legend, the Tchin'dih were demons that possessed the bodies of the Shapechangers. It was these demons that gave them their power.

Trent's people were Shapechangers, but he hadn't embraced the Tchin'dih.

Because Trent had once saved her life, Lupa decided to make the trip back to Arizona to see what she could do to help.

Returning to the reservation brought back all her old fears and anxieties.

Was it possible that anxiety was causing her mind to play tricks on her?

Maybe there wasn't really anything out there in the dark.

Forcing herself to breathe, Lupa tried to remain calm.

It was nothing.

There was no way they could have tracked her already.

Lupa froze.