Witch Wolf (Camren) Book 1

Chapter 18

There was a high black fence circling the property. Lauren had to enter the security code on a keypad so that the gate would draw back and let us through. The house was gigantic. Lauren pulled into the circle driveway and parked the car. I stepped out and stared at the giant house. It was a building of dark gray stone. The stone put me in mind of a castle, but it was just a small mansion with a very gothic feel. 

The only lights were two sensory lamps that blinked on when we approached a large wooden door. A gargoyle hung above the stone archway, arms spread out like it was crawling out of the building. Its wings swooped upward, large and impressive. The lips of the gargoyle were drawn back to reveal elongated canines. We walked through the wooden door and I looked up. The ceiling was a good fifty-some feet above our heads. I spotted a casual lounge room to my left. It was covered in soft cream colors and white furniture.

 The carpet leading up a wide staircase was a dark burgundy. There were silver vines painted on the white wood- en rail. Lauren walked past the flight of stairs. We rounded a corner down a large hall- way. The carpet matched the carpet on the stairs. Hugging the wall were Greek statues that were tall enough I had to look up at them. 

I knew enough mythology to know who the statues were. As we passed the Virgin Huntress I lightly trailed the tips of my claws across her arched bow. A deer slept at her feet, sheltered and protected. I lingered at the statue of Venus. A fall of hair tumbled down one side of her body like a veil. The only cloth covering her was the material draped around her womanly hips, trailing across a slightly bent leg. 

There were seashells scattered at her feet. It wasn't until I stopped to gaze at the bust of Medusa that Lauren spoke. "Do you like them?" she asked. "How could I not?" I'd stopped in front of a mirror. My ears swiveled and flattened against the back of my skull. Fingertips brushed the fur on my cheek and I resisted the urge to lean into their gentle touch. 

"You are as beautiful as a painting." The fur on my ears was more lynx than wolf. Eyes the color of burning gold stared back at me. I ran a clawed hand down the length of my body, turning slightly to look at the bend in my knees. On all fours the hip shifted into place and locked higher up on the body than any other dog. 

The femur tilted inward more at the knees, creating that graceful arch that allowed us to transition from all fours to bipedal. It was indeed strange, but I had gotten used to looking at myself this way. If the wolf was not trapped somewhere within me, then I was trapped somewhere within her. 

Lauren stepped behind me, meeting my reflected gaze in the mirror. "You disagree?" she asked, bowing at the waist to place the side of her face against my furred shoulder. Her black curls cascaded down the front of my body, standing out starkly against the white of my fur. Her eyes like storm clouds remained steadily on my features.

 I tilted my head to the side, thoughtfully. I gazed at her reflection in the mirror for a long time. On some level, I did disagree with her. There was a tragic beauty to the wolf. A wild beauty, but when I thought of the wolf as myself, my ears swiveled back, flattening against my skull. 

I opened my maw, speaking very carefully. "Somewhat." She offered a gentle smile, burying her fingers in my fur, sliding her hands up my arms, seeming to ignore the drying blood. "Somewhat?" She chuckled softly, breath tickling my fur. "You disagree because it seems so strange?" I closed my eyes, nodding. "Ah well," she mused.

 "'Tis not so strange to me. Dinah is waiting." She spared a glance down the hall. "You may use my personal bath. Come." I wasn't in the mood to argue so I followed her down the hallway, trying to keep my distraction to a minimum, but with so many nifty things to look at, it was difficult.