Free Dark Light of Mine by John Corwin Page A

snot out of them?"
    Ryland shook his head.  "No.  Because they're dead."
    I sighed long and deep.  I needed a good sigh right about then.  "And yet again, someone hates me for something I have no control over."
    "I hate to say it, but I feel for you."  Then he howled with laughter.
    I slapped my forehead.  I was hopeless as ever.  Trying to take charge of my life seemed to backfire on me no matter what I did.  "Whatever," I said, and walked toward the road, hoping I could find a nice crowded restaurant where I could sit down and recharge.
    Ryland followed.
    I spun on him.  "Don't you have guard duty or a nice big bowl of Kibbles-n-Bits to go munch on?"
    He bared his teeth.  "Don't mock me, spawn."
    "Are you just making sure I clear the premises?"
    "I'm here to escort you home, wherever that may be."
    "Argh!"  I threw my hands up in the air again and tossed in an eye-roll just to be sure the universe understood I was frustrated as hell.  "Fine.  Tag along if you want, but I have a couple of pit stops to make."
    The first place I went was a Waffle House.  I looked like crap with my torn shirt and grass-stained jeans but I figured their clientele wouldn't much care.  After polishing off breakfast for dinner while feeding off the emotions of an animated couple who were discussing their plans to win the lottery, I felt much better—or at least as well as I could considering mine and Elyssa's doomed love.  I really need to lay off the melodrama.
    "Do you think Thomas will keep her from going to school?" I asked Ryland as he tore into a very rare, very bloody steak.
    He finished chewing, wiped his mouth, and shrugged.  "He's an unpredictable man.  Then again, he's been around since this nation was born, so I imagine he knows the value of never broadcasting his intent until it's too late."
    "We're talking high school here, not war."
    "Ah, to Thomas Borathen, everything is tactics and war.  And you might be a war he wasn't prepared to fight."
    I groaned.  "I'm only eighteen and now I have to worry about a lunatic warlord father coming after me?"
    Ryland's fist slammed on the table, shaking the syrup and knocking over the sugar.  The restaurant grew silent as everyone stopped what they were doing and stared.  Ryland didn't seem to care.  He leaned toward me.  "Thomas Borathen is a great man.  Do not dishonor him with such name-calling."
    I held out my hands in surrender.  "Calm down, man.  Jeez, it's not like me calling him names is gonna hurt anyone."
    Ryland shoved another piece of steak in his mouth, though his eyes remained suspicious.  I drank some water and stared out the window, trying to decide what my next move should be.  I didn't want Ryland following me back to Shelton's place.  I might be able to outrun him, but seeing as how he was the first werewolf I'd met, I had no idea if he could sniff out my trail even if I outdistanced him.
    "Why do you think I'm telling the truth about my feelings for Elyssa?"
    Ryland grinned.  "I smell the truth, friend."
    "Are you sure it's not just my deodorant?"
    He finished his steak and sat back in his seat.  "My old pack leader told me I had the best nose of anyone."
    I sat up straight.  "You were in a wolf pack?"
    He nodded.  "For a time."
    "What happened?"
    "What do you think happened?" he said, as though the answer should be obvious.
    I guessed almost immediately.  "A woman."
    "Isn't it always?" he said, laughing softly.  "She was the one our Alpha wanted, but she liked me."  He sighed and jabbed a thumb at his chest.  "Wolf politics and human sensibilities do not make a good mix."
    "Wolves have to beat the crap out of each other for that, right?"
    "I'm afraid so."
    "Did you like the girl too?"
    He shrugged.  "She was very attractive and her scent…it was delicious."  His eyes grew troubled.  "But I didn't think she was worth the cost to our pack.  Unfortunately she chose to push the issue when I rejected her and left me and my Alpha no choice