First Moon (The Ternion Order Book 1) Read online

  “So after a few weeks of bad dreams, I’m stronger, faster, and able to heal quickly? That doesn’t sound too bad.”

  His companions exchanged glances with each other, alerting Kyle that there was probably more to be told.

  “So what’s the down side?”

  After a momentary hesitation, the doctor answered. “Most people undergo a significant change in personality because of their new abilities. They sever contact with former friends and family, who often become uncomfortable around them. That is why the Foundation was established—to help others like us who feel out of place among the rest of society. Here we have safety and fellowship.”

  Kyle couldn’t imagine telling Greg that he never wanted to go sailing with him again. Would his personality change so much that he wouldn’t like sailing at all? And what about cutting ties with his entire family? Most of his family still lived in Southern California. They had never been particularly close, but still ….

  He had a feeling there was more. This obsession with wolves had to mean something. What was that all about? There was only one way to find out, but he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer.

  Gathering his courage, he lifted his chin and asked, “How do wolves tie into this?”

  The doctor smiled and looked down at his hands, which were folded over the knee of his crossed leg. Fenris exhaled and sat back against the cushion, folding his arms. Skyler drained the last of her wine and set the glass down on the table before relaxing against the couch with her hands in her lap.

  “Let me answer that,” demanded a deep male voice from the foyer. A tall man with an incredible physique stepped into the living room. He wore blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt that fit him like a second skin and contrasted with his tanned arms and neck. He moved silently on bare feet that were also deeply tanned.

  He went to the buffet and poured the last of the huckleberry wine into a waiting glass, grumbling something about “pussy wine.” He downed it in one gulp and clunked the glass down on the buffet.

  Walking over to the couches, he reached past Skyler, forcing her to huddle deeper into her corner, and held his hand out to Kyle.

  “You must be Kyle. I’m Reginald Clark.”

  Kyle shook the man’s large, warm hand, cringing from a grip that was almost painful. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Clark.”

  “Reggie is fine. No need for formality here.”

  Reggie. Like the wandering wolf outside. It was either an amusing coincidence or a not-so-amusing joke at Kyle’s expense.

  Reggie remained standing with his hands on his hips. He rolled his head around to stretch his neck and then addressed Kyle. “I’d like to ask you something, and I want you to give the question serious thought before you answer.”

  “Uh, sure. Go ahead.”

  “If you had the ability to transform yourself into a wolf and then back into a human, would you do it?”

  The question was everything Kyle had feared. His pulse started pounding in his head. He seriously considered running out to his vehicle, driving away, and never looking back. When he looked into Reggie’s eyes to see if the man was serious or making a joke, his heart nearly stopped. He beheld the same intense amber gaze that had considered him on the front path.

  Oddly, staring into Reggie’s eyes calmed him. He sensed no danger or malice from the man, just extreme confidence and genuine curiosity.

  Reggie’s question echoed in his head. If you could turn into a wolf, would you do it? Kyle loved to hike the area trails and get out into nature as often as possible. How amazing would it be to travel the wilderness as a wolf? He could go anywhere. He’d smell and hear things that no human had ever known.

  Kyle found he was slowly nodding. “Yeah. I think I would. As long as I could transform back.”

  Reggie grinned and threw his hands up. “Well, there you go. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Kyle still couldn’t quite accept what he was hearing. “So Amanda was right,” he said under his breath while he tried to work out how it could be possible.

  Fenris tensed and leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees. Glaring at Kyle, he said, “Amanda? The meddling witch?” He turned the glare to Dr. Rutlinger. “Something needs to be done about her.”

  The doctor waved his hand, dismissing Fenris’s concern. “She is harmless. Kyle’s reaction to her proves it.”

  It was true that Kyle hadn’t believed Amanda before, but now he was learning that he probably should have. He wasn’t sure what Fenris might do about her, but he hoped he hadn’t just gotten her into some kind of trouble. She seemed like a nice girl, other than being a loon. And now it seemed she wasn’t so crazy after all.

  Everyone was staring at Kyle, and it occurred to him that he had been the center of attention since his arrival. “I’m getting the impression that you didn’t really have a party planned for today,” he said to Dr. Rutlinger.

  “On the contrary,” he responded. He tilted his wine glass toward Kyle. “I simply neglected to mention that you are the guest of honor.”

  The doctor’s presumption caused a flash of annoyance. “You must have been pretty sure I’d come.”

  “The odds were in my favor. Your condition compels you to seek answers, and you know I have those answers.”

  The doctor was good at deflecting concern, and Kyle couldn’t argue with the man’s reasoning. He had come for answers, after all.

  Kyle finished the bit of wine left in his glass and stood up. “Thank you for inviting me. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

  Everyone in the room tensed and Reggie shifted his position subtly, putting his intimidating figure in the path between Kyle and the exit. Kyle narrowed his eyes at the doctor.

  The doctor spoke as if nothing unusual were happening. “Leaving so soon? But I haven’t told you the best part.”

  Kyle froze. Dum-de-dum-dum—the dramatic music played in the back of his mind. This was where the doctor would reveal what he really wanted. Kyle slowly sat back down.

  Once Kyle was seated, the doctor went on. “I invited you here today so you could meet some of us and see our facility. Your next couple of weeks will be difficult. If you wish, you may stay here. We know how to keep you comfortable until the worst is past.”

  Relief eased the tension in Kyle’s chest. “Thank you for the offer. But what about my job?”

  Skyler shifted herself closer to Kyle and answered. “If you can’t get time off from work, the commute from here to town isn’t bad. About a half hour. Maybe a little more.”

  Taking more time off work was definitely out of the question. He’d miss his usual ten-minute commute, but half an hour was doable. He could verify that estimate on his drive back to town.

  But was staying here a reasonable option? They knew almost nothing about him. Why would they be willing to put him up for two weeks? He couldn’t help but cynically wonder what they would be getting out of it.

  He decided to play dumb. “I’m not exactly loaded. What would it cost me to stay here for two weeks?”

  The doctor chuckled. “There is no charge. The Foundation was created to help people like us.”

  Kyle shook his head. The facility itself was worth a fortune, and several people seemed to call it home. “Where does all the money come from?” he wondered aloud. He glanced up, hoping the doctor wouldn’t think he was being rude.

  The doctor took the question in stride. “The Foundation is funded by its members. We pool our resources, and in return we want for nothing.”

  Like a commune. That kind of an arrangement didn’t appeal to Kyle at all. He liked his privacy too much and wanted the flexibility to go wherever and whenever he wanted.

  “May I take some time to think about it?” Kyle asked.

  The doctor waved his glass magnanimously and smiled. “Of course. Take as long as you like. The offer does not expire.”

  Kyle got tentatively to his feet again. “Well, I do appreciate the offer and promise to give it serious consideration.
I’m sure it would be interesting to stay here with you, but that’s a big decision.”

  The doctor set down his wine and rose to his feet. Fenris and Skyler followed his example. Everyone shook Kyle’s hand and escorted him to the foyer, exchanging farewell pleasantries.

  When Kyle left the building and walked back to his SUV, the outside world seemed extra bright and harsh, like an overexposed photograph. He started the Explorer and sat staring out the front window. His life had taken such a surreal turn that he had trouble imagining what his future might look like.

  Putting the vehicle into gear, he backed out and then drove toward the main gate. Although the doctor had answered his questions, Kyle was sure he still wasn’t getting the whole story. Maybe Amanda could give him a different perspective.

  Chapter 7

  Butterflies and Rainbows

  On the drive back, Kyle thought about Fenris’s remarks regarding Amanda. His guilt over calling attention to her grew until a sense of urgency made him decide to warn her as soon as possible. Looking at his watch, he figured the shops would still be open, so he headed into Sandpoint.

  He parked his rig in the central lot downtown. Locking the door to the Explorer, he chuckled to himself, remembering how quickly he’d adopted the local term “rig” to describe any SUV or truck. Walking the side streets to the main drag, he dodged tourists, dogs, strollers, and skateboarders to reach the front door of Butterflies and Rainbows. He glanced up and down the street, hoping that no one who knew him would see him entering the shop.

  Tiny bells hanging above the doorway chimed as he went inside. Strong incense immediately assaulted his nose, and he blinked a few times to clear the itch from his eyes. He stood near the entrance waiting for his vision to adjust to the interior gloom.

  A tall portly woman with long white hair and a no-nonsense expression pushed aside a rainbow-patterned wall hanging that covered a door at the back of the shop. When her eyes locked on him, he nearly turned and fled. He felt like an intruder who had been caught trespassing. After a quick assessment of her new customer, the woman’s eyes widened and she rushed forward, the wide sleeves of her long white cotton dress flapping as if she were taking flight.

  Startled, Kyle took a step backward as she approached, but her hand reached out and gently took his arm, arresting his escape. She craned her neck looking him over as if he were a horse she was inspecting for purchase.

  “Hello, young man. I see you are having difficulties. Come with me and we’ll see what we can do about your aura.”

  Kyle held his ground as she tugged on his arm. “I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not here because of … my aura. I was hoping to leave a message for Amanda. Sorry, but I don’t remember her last name.”

  The woman released his arm and patted it. “That’s fine, dear. I know who Amanda is.”

  Kyle’s eyes had adjusted and he glanced around. The shop was decorated with hanging dream catchers and wind chimes. Book shelves bowed under the weight of books on every occult and arcane subject imaginable. A glass display case featured crystals in many shapes and colors, and a barrister bookshelf behind the counter held dozens of tarot decks and several other kinds of cards.

  Butterflies and Rainbows really was crystal-hugger central.

  He turned his attention back to the woman. “I stopped by to warn Amanda about something. Do you have a piece of paper so I could leave her a note?”

  The woman nodded sagely. “Ah, a warning. Very ominous. You should not trust such an important message to a hastily scribbled note. Share the warning with me so I can report it to her with the proper urgency.”

  Was she serious or was she was mocking him? He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again, unable to decide if he should confide in her.

  She shook her head impatiently and took his arm again. “Well, come on then. You don’t have time to waste standing around looking confused.” She reached around Kyle and flipped over a sign that read, “Back in 15 minutes,” and locked the deadbolt on the door. Of course, no one would know when the fifteen minutes had started, but he imagined the sign was typical of the woman who had him in her grip.

  Kyle reluctantly let her pull him through the central aisle of the store to the back left corner, where a short counter was draped with black velvet cloth. She released Kyle and waved him toward a bar stool on the near side of the counter while she went behind it and reached underneath.

  By the time he had settled on the stool, the woman had a deck of tarot cards in her hands and had started shuffling them. “Tell me your name, dear.”

  “Kyle.”

  “Thank you, Kyle. I’m Lucille, and Amanda is a good friend of mine. Now tell me what you wanted to warn her about.”

  Kyle relaxed as he watched the woman smoothly work the cards with practiced hands. Even if he did leave a note, Lucille would probably read it. Besides, Amanda wouldn’t have suggested he leave the message here if she didn’t trust the proprietor, right?

  Kyle sighed. “Okay.” He wasn’t sure where to begin. “It’s hard to explain. Amanda tried to warn me about something last week, but I didn’t listen to her. It turns out she was right. And when her name came up in conversation, a certain lawyer was unhappy with her meddling, as he put it. I think he might be planning to make trouble for her.”

  Lucille shook her head and pursed her lips, still shuffling the cards. “Amanda does like to meddle. And lawyers do like to make trouble.” She gathered the cards into a neat stack and placed them in front of Kyle. “Cut those once, please, while I make a quick call.” She leaned over, picked up a phone receiver, and punched in a phone number.

  Kyle cut the deck while the line rang. A click followed by an answering voice came through the receiver.

  “Come down to the shop, Amanda. Your friend Kyle is here and you should hear what he has to say in person.”

  Kyle started to wave at Lucille and tell her not to interrupt whatever Amanda was doing, but she had already hung up.

  Kyle let out an exasperated sigh. “You didn’t need to do that. It’s not a big deal. I probably shouldn’t have said anything.”

  Lucille picked up the deck and split it into four piles. “Don’t fight the Universe. Your conscience guided you here and you must learn to trust those feelings. Now, let’s see what this is all about.”

  Kyle frowned at the cards with trepidation. All of this hocus-pocus spiritual stuff gave him the willies. Even if the world was full of unseen forces and spirits, it was probably better to leave them alone.

  Ignoring his discomfort, Lucille pulled the top card off each pile. She placed the second, third, and fourth cards in a row, centered under the first one. Kyle couldn’t help being fascinated by the detailed drawings on each card. At least the artwork was nice to look at, even if tarot was a bunch of nonsense.

  Lucille’s hand trembled over the last card she’d placed. “Oh my,” she mumbled. She looked up at Kyle and cleared her throat.

  “The three cards in the bottom row represent the major influences on your life.” She pointed to them from left to right. “Past, present, and future. They reinforce the top card, which shows you what’s immediately at hand.”

  The cards meant nothing to Kyle, so he had no idea what surprised her when she laid them out. In spite of his skepticism, his curiosity prompted him to ask, “What do they say?”

  “They say quite a bit,” she said in a musing tone. “Every card is from the Major Arcana, which is rare and tells me significant things are afoot with you.”

  “How much did Amanda tell you about me?” he asked, suspicion tinging his voice.

  Lucille narrowed her eyes at him and tapped her index finger rapidly on the counter. “She told me a little about what happened to you and said you refused to listen to her.” She waved her hand over the cards. “But I’m not making this up. If you doubt me, feel free to research the card meanings yourself.”

  Kyle sighed and slumped in his seat. “No, that’s fine. Go ahead.�
� None of this mattered anyway. He’d let her do the reading, for what it was worth.

  Lucille seemed to recognize that he was humoring her and gave him a disapproving frown. She pointed to the top center card and her next words seemed almost vindictive.

  “The Tower is the card of destruction. It represents the tearing down of illusions and plans that must be abandoned. Many people fear the Death card, but I’ll take Death over The Tower any day.”

  Next, she pointed to the first card in the bottom row. “The Wheel of Fortune as a past influence says you have taken risks and must now face the consequences. It’s reversed, which indicates negative consequences and suggests you should seek help from others to deal with them.”

  Kyle did take a risk by going home with Clarissa, and he was certainly facing the consequences of that decision. As for getting outside help, he had no shortage of volunteers between Dr. Rutlinger and Amanda.

  Lucille moved on to the center card on the bottom row. “This card shows present influences. When it’s upright like this, The Moon refers to strong dreams and emotional upheaval. Your intuition is at its peak, which is why you were moved to come here today, but your emotions make you vulnerable to deception. Coupled with The Tower, I would say that you are faced with serious and unpleasant life events, and that you lack the emotional stability to deal with them. You will have to rely on others for help, but you won’t know whom to trust.”

  As she spoke, the hairs on the back of Kyle’s neck stood up. Her assessment was eerie and frightening. As much as he didn’t believe that cards could control his life, she had interpreted his current dilemma in the way he feared most.

  The trick was figuring out who was trying to deceive him and who wasn’t. He was indeed irritable and jumpy from the stress after his night with Clarissa and the nightmares that had been ruining his sleep. Whatever intuition he might have didn’t seem to be working properly. Kyle started to wonder how much of this reading was being customized for his particular circumstances. She could say the cards meant anything and he wouldn’t know any better.