The Reluctant by Aila Cline Page B

“Everything?”
    “Everything,” I insisted.
    “Okay, how about kiwi bikinis? Bikinis
are pretty serious pieces of clothing,” he said
impishly.
    I snickered. “Like kiwi flavored?
Someone’s boyfriend would definitely be in heaven after the
swimming. What if there were kiwi jock straps?”
    “Then that would make some tight ends
happy, probably.”
    “ You are so seriously
disturbed.”
    That won me a full smile.
    “Yeah, I know,” he said lightly.
“Comes from being a ‘hair’-brained mammal half of the
time.”
    “Oh, you are so pun-ny. And I still
don’t believe you anyway about that whole wolf thing.”
    When he chuckled, the light glinted on
his perfect teeth. “Oh, well I was talking about the human part of
me being harebrained.”
    “But you’re so normal…” My words
trailed off. He was normal until he lost control. That would always
create a gulf between us in my mind. I didn’t want to bleed every
time he wanted to hold me.
    “What, so you want proof?” he asked,
ignoring my sudden hesitation to continue the banter and enjoying
my willingness to speak so carelessly with him. “You want me to
Change in front of you or something? I promise, it’s not pleasant.
Sometimes I even smell.”
    And he might not be a vampire, but I
was instantly intrigued by his relaxed candidness. “Can you Change
whenever you want?”
    He shook his head, bristling a little.
“No. I wish.”
    “Oh.”
    “The Lycanthrope can.”
    “The Lycanthrope?”
    “They’re the pure-blooded clan of
South America. Some still live in Mexico, too.”
    I still couldn’t let go of my first
obsession. “Do vampires live there, too?”
    He rolled his eyes. “No,” he replied,
adding with obvious distaste, “they’re distinctly
American.”
    “Oh. I thought they were British,” I
said.
    “Complete myth. They’re imports from
Europe, but now are now more American than apple pie, and they
always stay away from us.”
    “Why?” I asked immediately, Jacob
versus Edward propaganda from my teen years hitting me
hard.
    He wouldn’t meet my gaze. “They just
do.”
    I had read very little of the
literature out there on men who changed into wolves, but vampires
had always intrigued me.
    “Okay, so vampires are real, but Team
Edward sucks—literally.”
    He seemed a thousand miles away as he
smiled wanly. “Keep going and your puns will be as good as
mine.”
    I shrugged at his detached statement.
What was one more myth coming to life for me? One had already
explored my body intimately, and I his. There was nothing abnormal
about that body and he did not seek to harm me in his animal form.
What more could I ask for?

    Will

    A big party between the dorms caught
my fancy for New Year’s Eve. An upperclassman mixer, I’d need no
date. They’re would be plenty of coeds to choose from.
    Do you remember the girl from the
arcade? Of course you do, my God, Brooke would be unforgettable to
all but the most unobservant of onlookers. I carried the guilt of
her Change for years, even thinking I’d be mated to her because of
it, but she was never the sweetest person. Her fiery temper kept me
interested in her sexually as a human. As a newborn Lycanti, she
found a prime way to release and exploit her passions.
    She showed up at the party a little
before midnight. Deep into the cups by now and giddy because of it,
I knew my bed would most likely not be so cold tonight. As always,
she looked ravishing in her leather pants and white tank top—casual
dress for her. I guess I’ve always had a thing for you punky girls.
In my drunken state, I did not notice the changes in
her.
    Not that I would have noticed any
other time, but now I know that the full moon shone brightly that
night. How incongruous, I later thought—a full moon on the last
night of the year. Mischief abounded. The pull of the moon combined
with the holiday liberated people.
    Brooke kissed me fully on the mouth as
soon as she approached me. “Let’s go,” she said