Not what Eugene Expects
I liked Eugene the moment her bus pulled into the station in Austin during the in Midnight Bites. She’s an artist, a student, a hacker, and a werewolf. She jumped on the chance to take on a staring role in Midnight Wildes.
Unfortunately, it’s not all she’d hoped for.
“Good spell on you, child,” Ol’ Sassie said, squinting her eyes and staring into Eugene’s eyes. “Not easy. Even hard for Ol’ Sassie to tell you’re no mutt.”
Eugene sat up straight, wrapping her tail around her legs. “What?” she barked at Ol’ Sassie, and then placing a paw on the cot next to CC.
Ol’ Sassie chuckled and pointed to CC. “Ol’ Sassie knows outworlders when she sees them, and she has no love for the witches who’d spell you dead if they found you.”
CC dropped her cup of healing tea. “Why would they want us dead?”
Ol’ Sassie’s lips squeezed into a large pucker. She scratched her chin. “You? Easy. Red head gets you dead. But her,” Ol’Sassie stood, shuffling those feet with the long, long toes forward until bent to pick up the cup. Squatting where she stopped, she said, “There’s the question Ol’ Sassie has no answer for. Why do they want you dead?” She reached a single, long crooked finger and touched Eugene’s head.
Licking her finger, she shook her head. “No witch’s spell on your four-legged friend. Smells wrong for a witch.” Ol’ Sassie leaned forward and sniffed in a long, loud sniff over Eugene. “Goblin? Maybe, but not Goblin. Odd, Sassie doesn’t know, but Ol’ Sassie should. Familiar.”
Eugene stepped away from Ol’ Sassie as the hairs on her spine rose.
CC’s hand, warmed from the spilled tea, stroked her back. “It’ll be okay, Eugene. We’ll get your wolf back.”
“Get it back?” whispered Eugene, though she knew it sounded like a whimper. She backed away from CC and looked at her right leg, sniffing it and following it as far as she could. Then she did the same with her left leg. She twisted to look at her right hind quarter and then her left hind quarter. Finally, she stared at her tail, running her eyes from its tips to her hips. Gray fur ran from dark to light. Standing still, she cast her gaze around the room. CC’s red hair was gray. Her red freckled and pink cheeks were all shades of gray.
“I’m a mutt,” she barked.
Ol’ Sassie and CC stared at her.
CC’s bottom lip frowned and her eyes rounded. “I’m sorry, Eugene, but we’ll find-“
“My tattoos are gone!” Eugene spun around and around. “What happened to my tattoos?” She wanted to cry. She wanted to howl. Only bark, bark, bark came out of her mouth. “My beautiful tattoos are gone. All mum’s work is gone. There’s nothing of me left!”
Saliva dripped from her bottom jaw. She shook her head, commanding her human side to rule her head and heart, but both shook and shattered inside her. CC’s face was gray and filled with fear. She let her bottom fall to the ground and hung her head. Her breaths shortened. Her bladder squeezed. A cross between a bark and a howl erupted from her mouth, and she dashed out of the warm room to the cave entrance. The boulder blocked her way out, but she had to get out. She jumped onto it, but it didn’t move. She paced back and forth in front of the boulder. She scratched the boulder with her claws. She paced again, willing the boulder to move, but it didn’t. She barked, commanding it move, she scratched it until her claws dulled; she paced. And then the fear vanished. She collapsed onto her stomach, limbs spread out. She closed her eyes, letting the smell of earth and damp fill her snout and eased air into her lungs.
Peace,
L.K. Latham
Looking for your next read?
The Pack’s Dragon: Werewolves AND Dragons! What more do I need to say more?Agent Zero: Region Two Series: A strong woman kicking ass, that touch of romance, and creatures that walk the night. On my summer reading list!
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