Riley's Curse, A Moon's Glow Prequel Read Online Free PDF Page B

counter.
    “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean.”
    “I did create you after all. So we are bonded
forever.”
    A sudden dread thudded in the pit of my
stomach. Even though I didn’t know what she meant, a part of me,
deep inside, was afraid to ask the next question. “What do you
mean?” I whispered.
    Charlotte glanced around the store and seeing
that it was empty, sauntered over to the door, turning the open
sign to closed.
    She walked back, and once again stood in
front of me, placing her gloved hands on the wooden counter. “You
are a very handsome young man. I could not have chosen better even
if I had planned it. You see, it was a mistake.” There was a cool
glint in her eye, along with a coy grin. She was playing with me, I
just couldn't comprehend why.
    “What was a mistake?” I asked
reluctantly.
    “Creating you of course,” she said with a
soft chuckle. She looked around the store and wandered over to a
shelf where our figurines were laid out. She picked up a carved
wooden wolf glancing carelessly at it before setting it back onto
the shelf. “So tell me, are you feeling different lately? Any new
abilities you can’t explain?”
    Since I had not told anyone what was
happening to me, --not even my family-- I was suddenly very wary of
the conversation and didn’t want to continue. I chose not to answer
her afraid of what she would say.
    “I’ll take that as a yes,” she said with a
smirk. “Don’t you want me to tell you how I know about your
changes?” She continued to wander around the store picking items up
and glancing at them, then returning them to their proper place. “I
am sorry about your girlfriend though. I was so hungry, and humans
are such easy prey.” She turned around to face me grinning
widely.
    “Wh… What did you just say?” I asked
terrified now, looking around for a weapon.
    “I said I’m sorry about your girl. I will say
one thing about her, she tasted so good.” She stalked slowly toward
me again, her movements almost animalistic. “Although not as good
as you, and all I had was one little bite before you ran off,” she
pouted.
    As I stared at her, frozen with fear, she
gazed into my eyes. Her piercing grey ones held mine, and I watched
as they turned color, from grey, to yellow. The eyes of a wolf.
    I was startled, falling back into the shelf
behind me; boxes fell to the floor with a clatter. I ran to the
door, but she got there first, blocking my path. “Don’t worry I’m
not going to hurt you.” Her voice was sticky sweet. “I just came to
explain those changes you have been going through, and the big one
that will happen tonight. It’s going to be a full moon you
know.”
    “What are you saying?” I whispered, afraid of
the answer.
    “Oh you poor thing, I’m sure you already know
what I mean. But I guess I have to spell it out for you." She gave
an exasperated sigh, and then grinned. "It was not a wolf that
attacked you that night. It was me. I am a werewolf. You can smell
my scent, can’t you? You know that I am different from humans. I
bit your leg. My saliva entered your bloodstream and triggered the
change. So now, you are a werewolf too, and once a month when the
full moon's glow touches your skin, you will change into a wolf.
And guess how long it’s been since your friend died?”
    I stayed silent, unable to utter a word.
    “Oh, you don’t want to guess. Fine, you’re no
fun,” she pouted. “It’s been one month. Tonight you will change for
the first time.”
    “No,” I said with my teeth clenched. “I don’t
want to be like you. I don’t want to be a killer.” I closed my
hands tightly into fists at my sides. For the first time in my
life, I had the urge to hit a woman.
    “I’m sorry, but you don’t have a choice. I
didn’t mean to change you, my intent was to kill. Isn’t this better
than dying?”
    “No. I’d rather die.”
    “Well it’s not that easy now. We heal very
quickly. But, don’t worry, it won’t be so