Undead Uprising Chapter 21
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This week’s Wicked Wednesday brings you another installment of my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.
In the prior chapters, Catalina had battled two vampires, including a vampire elder. She had killed them both and survived the battle, but not without injury. As she stared at the bodies of the two dead vampires, she paused to consider how it is that her family came to bear the burden of hunting the undead. In the last chapter, you learn about how a vampire comes to Catalina’s ancestral home and how his actions at feeding from some nearby wolves begin the transformations of those wolves. Those transformations will ultimately lead to the birth of the Villalobos werewolf clan.
In this chapter, Caterina finishes recollecting about the burden of being a Villalobos and heads home to the man whom she loves, but who refuses to love her . . . until this night.
For those of you who may have missed the first chapters, you can read them here:
Chapter 21
**For those over 13 years of age only**
The healing heat in Catalina’s body brought a sickly sweat much as it had her ancestor before her. Miguel Losada had been bitten by one of those tainted wolves as had many of the villagers when the wolves had grown bold with their attacks.
Those that had not succumbed to the plague or the wolf’s onslaughts had soon found themselves turning into werewolves when the full moon rose above their small Spanish village. A village they had renamed Villalobos as a way to warn of their affliction.
The Villalobos legacy that had been passed down over many generations and now ran in her veins. Which now healed her broken body.
She released the bone and it held. Barely knit, but in a few hours time her recovery would be complete.
Sagging back against the wall, she sucked in a deeper breath, maintained her position for long minutes until some of the pain and nausea had passed. Weakness still wobbled her knees when she finally stood, but she had to get home.
Only there would she be safe. Only there would she find any comfort.
After Ramon had tended to her, she took the coward’s way out and phoned her father to let him know she had returned.
“Are you okay?” he asked, paternal concern coloring his voice.
“I’m fine, papi, only . . . There were three of them tonight. An elder with two younger undead. Another newly turned vampire,” she advised and eased into Ramon’s side, seeking the solace of his arms.
“I had similar reports from others after the hunt. They encountered at least two groups where the vampires were not alone. Where there were new vampires, as if they’ve increased the pace at which they are turning humans.”
“This is so not good. We need to discuss it with the pack,” she said and glanced at Ramon uneasily.
Ramon slipped his arm around her and cradled her close as her father replied, “In the morning. Rest. Let your wounds heal. Although you haven’t said it, I know you were hurt.”
“I’m fine. Buenas noches.” She hung up the phone.
Easing fully into Ramon’s embrace, she laid her hand over his chest, needing the reassurance that came from being close to his solid presence. “There’s no fooling him.”
“It’s why he’s the leader.” Ramon covered her hand with his and scooted them down in the bed until they were lying side by side, she on her uninjured right side. “How do you feel?”
“Better.” She ran her hand back and forth against the planes of his chest.
He bent his head, kissed her forehead. “I worry so,” he admitted and stroked her back.
Catalina ran her hands across his bare shoulders, brought herself near, needing the warmth of his body even if that was all that they would share tonight. “I’ll be fine.”
Ramon knew she believed that and yet in the past week, she had been injured twice. What would happen the next time she went on patrol? Or the time after that? How many more times would she be hurt now that the undead seemed to be gathering together?
How would he handle seeing her hurt again or something even worse?
His stomach knotted at the thought. At the possibility that she would be gone long before her time should come. He couldn’t let it end between them in this thoroughly unfulfilled way.
“Catalina?” He tipped her chin up with one free hand.
When she met his gaze, she clearly understood. She would risk what would happen with the pack in order to share this. To share what they were feeling for one another. Dare he risk it? Was he strong enough to deal with the pack’s displeasure?
“You will always be the only one for me. The other two . . . they never had a piece of my heart.”
“Daniel — ” he began, recalling the young wolf who had been her first guard during her monthly change.
“Was my best friend. Like a brother. But he knew how I hated it. Hated not being myself once the wolf took over. That was why he did it. The other one . . .”
Ramon understood and stopped pressing. Easing his hand between their bodies, he cupped her breast and touched her. Not to keep away the beast but to love the woman.
She sighed with pleasure as he caressed her, as they kissed again and again.
Catalina strained toward him. Toward his touch. Between her legs, the throb of desire reared up. Mortal desire. Needing appeasement.
She pressed on his shoulders, rolled him to his back and straddled his body.
His erection pressed up into her and she dragged herself along the length of it, seeking fulfillment. Wanting more and yet uncertain that he would dare until . . .
She looked down at him. Determination filled his gaze and realization awoke that this time, he would not stop. That he would bring them together as they were meant to be.
He flexed his body and rolled her beneath him, slipped between her legs and trailed a line of kisses down her body. Stopping between her legs for only a second before kissing her intimately.
She arched her hips upward and thought, Finally.
Thanks! I love it when you post the Undead Uprising chapters!
very disappointed that you ended the chapter this way. better never to have started the love scene than to abruptly end it
Looking forwards to the next chapter.
Found your website just browsing the web, started reading this – now have Sins Of The Flesh on order. Thanks for a fun read and some interesting ‘talks’ from your guest bloggers.