Unknown Taste: Werewolf Series, #3

By Gina Marie Long

Unknown Taste: Werewolf Series, 3. Approx. 69,000 words.

Gina Marie Long entices readers with her signature blend of paranormal thrillers, urban fantasy and light romance.

Altered abilities, lost lives, saved souls... and Kara's chaos in battling evil never ends.

Kara has one month to gain control over her new abilities and focus her unstable mind before The Liaison’s next mission... she hopes. All of her senses, including psychic powers, are on overdrive and her sanity is at stake. Kara’s werewolf boyfriend, Daniel, and her other friends help her embrace the changes... Evil beware.

At a secret lab in St. Louis, werewolves and vampires undergo horrific experiments. The Liaison's goal: free the captives and shut down the lab... forever. From the moment they step foot on enemy territory, their skills are tested as Kara and her friends encounter traps and hostile opponents. Things never go the way they are planned. Lives are changed forever as explosive situations slam the team from every direction.

Helping others gives Kara's life greater meaning, but will her actions prove heroic or futile as she delves deeper into the unknown?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gina Marie Long
• Release date: Aug 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516346950

Gina Marie Long

AUTHOR'S MESSAGE: Gina's fiction stories are inspired from her interest in the supernatural, science fiction and fantasy world. She enjoys reading, watching evening TV shows, movies and listening to music. Writing indulges her passion for the entertainment arts, giving her active mind a playground of possibilities to explore. She is active on social media sites and blogs, making connections with others who share the same interests.  "It's exhilarating for me to create strong, unusual characters with thrilling story lines, and to have readers who fall in love with them… or want to strangle them! I like writing tense situations with the clock ticking down, making readers wonder, ‘Eeek! What happens next?’ [evil laugh]” ~~Gina She lives in Highland, Illinois, with her husband and Jessie Cat. If you liked the book and have a moment, I’d really appreciate a short review on the page where you bought the book (even one sentence will do!). Your help in spreading the word is greatly valued and reviews make a huge difference in helping new readers find my books. Thank you!! Sign up for my VIP Readers Group. You’ll get Hunt of the Unknown FREE plus: FREE BONUS MATERIAL PDF (Includes:  FAQ on several books, Interviews, Poems, Book Signing Photos, Book Trailer Links, etc.). Once per month: receive an email with sales alerts, giveaways and/or new releases.  Twice per year: drawing for print book of choice.  Once per year: drawing for $20 gift card for ebooks.  Ten (10) randomly chosen readers who leave reviews will receive the next ebook published for FREE. GET STARTED HERE: http://www.ginamarielong.com/freebook/ Connect with Gina online: http://www.ginamarielong.com http://www.facebook.com/ginamarielongfans http://www.twitter.com/ginamarielong

Book preview

PROLOGUE… LET’S REVIEW

I had one month to prepare…

Step 1: Become a werewolf.

By choice. Not from a curse. Not from being born as a werewolf. Not from an intentional bite by an evil troublemaker. Not even from an accidental bite.

Yes, I’d be bitten. But on my terms. Of course, Daniel didn’t plan on chomping down on my arm or anything brutal. Just a good scrape with his werewolf teeth while in his beast or wolf shape would do the trick. The conversion from human into werewolf usually begins within moments after the teeth penetrate the skin.

And in one month, The Liaison team would drive to St. Louis for our next mission. Eli, the scientist who formed and funded The Liaison, already left earlier that morning. He needed to re-establish connections with a government-backed lab he’d previously worked at and infiltrate their organization.

Eli suggested we give him approximately four weeks to find vital information and gain access to all levels of the laboratory; unless, some unforeseen, tragic event forced my team to take action before then.

This lab captured and performed experiments on werewolves. Possibly other supernatural beings, like vampires, too. Originally, Eli had been under the impression that only evil werewolves were brought in for the experiments. The scientists in the lab wanted to create a medication to inject into the werewolves and control their aggression.

But, did they positively verify that the werewolves they captured were evil and executed violent crimes? Or were they nabbing any werewolves they could locate and performing horrific experiments on them? What if this lab sent out hunters to abduct Daniel or any of his pack?

During the next month, Eli would provide us updates on his discoveries. And then we’d make our move. Depending on his reports, we might be shutting down the lab, or at least do some damage and free any innocent captives.

Eli owned a hidden underground facility near Highland, Illinois, which we considered The Liaison’s headquarters or base camp. It was about forty miles from the lab. When our time came to leave the resort here in Hamlin, Kentucky, our team would stay there. Eli rented an apartment in St. Louis, not wanting to compromise our secret facility, and he wanted to prevent the lab from associating it with him.

And so… I had approximately one month to learn how to be a werewolf. A good one, not some deranged, out-of-control creature. Everyone wouldn’t have to worry so much about my well-being once I turned into a werewolf. I appreciated their concerns, but as a mere human, I had become a huge distraction at some incredibly dangerous times, and put their lives at risk, too.

My psychic abilities of mind reading, mental manipulation, and behavior modification should improve with the conversion, I hoped. I didn’t want to lose what I only recently discovered I could do. About three months had passed since I even learned I possessed psychic gifts. Up to that point, my abilities had proved to be helpful and quite impressive.

The lighted clock on the bedroom dresser glowed 5:00 A.M. The previous night I informed Daniel I wanted him to turn me into a werewolf the next day. It was now that day.

I climbed out of bed and turned to look at Daniel. He slept peacefully with only a light blanket covering his lower body. Cold weather doesn’t affect werewolves very much. I looked forward to that benefit, since I hated winter and feeling chilled.

I flipped on the bathroom light and quietly closed the door behind me. Smiling at myself in the mirror, I also looked forward to my future with Daniel. Another benefit in becoming a werewolf meant he wouldn’t need to worry about injuring me or unintentionally turning me into a werewolf. We could safely move forward with our relationship… No more putting on the brakes while messing around, leaving us both frustrated.

Dominic, my best friend, stayed in one of the cabins at Daniel’s resort. He seriously wished I’d change my mind and instead turn my gaze towards him, sprinting into his loving, open arms. I had tested my feelings for Dom several times. I loved him, but not in the same way I loved Daniel.

Lexy, our newest Liaison member, had a crush on Dom. I liked her. I kept my fingers crossed something could develop between her and Dom, and then he wouldn’t be so uptight about me anymore. He could focus more of his affections on her. Plus, she was human, which he preferred. Lexy practiced witchcraft, had slight psychic abilities, and occasionally could speak with the dead. With Dom’s telepathic and telekinetic powers, they’d get along just fine.

I left the bathroom to find clothes for the day. I’d have to remember not to wear any of my good clothes during the conversion. I didn’t want to shred or burst through them when I transformed. According to Daniel, I’d take the shape of a large wolf.

Our little team witnessed Zac’s frightening and accidental conversion about a month ago. He skipped the initial, expected transformation into a wolf and went directly to the beast shape. Not normal. But his situation had been entirely different.

During our battle against an evil witch coven, Zac’s fist encountered Daniel’s beastly teeth, and then Zac fell through the ghostly apparition of a partially resurrected demon. He absorbed a bit of the demon’s essence AND turned into a werewolf. Complete chaos for a while. Thankfully, Zac pulled it together and became one badass, monstrous werewolf who happened to be an ex-Navy SEAL, too. Can you say, super skills?

Daniel yawned and asked, Hey, you’re awake early. Are you still planning on going through with it?

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stared at me. His dark eyes didn’t blink as he waited for my answer. He could simply read my mind and know what I thought. But I sensed he didn’t even attempt to telepathically connect to my mind. He needed to hear the words spill from my lips.

I smirked and said, Definitely.

Daniel stood and walked towards me, drawing me into his arms. He rubbed his chin on the top of my head, then nestled his nose into my hair, inhaling my scent. I pressed the side of my face on his chest and listened to the beating of his heart, which had quickened. I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, breathing in his woodsy aroma. His body tensed, filled with excitement, but he maintained his self control.

I rubbed against him and teased, You really think I can keep walking away from this?

He groaned and said, No. And I don’t want you to. But let’s concentrate on getting you through the conversion first. We need to tell everyone here at the resort what our intentions are for today. I’ll also contact the rest of the wolves in my pack, so they’re aware of your decision. Of course, you know they’ll all be deliriously happy with you becoming one of us.

Dom will be mad, I said. Fuming and ranting would better describe his reaction. But we already knew what his thoughts were on this, with his frequent pestering and pleading with me not to convert into a werewolf.

Daniel added, And your parents probably won’t be pleased.

I winced. Yeah, that will be a problem. But once I turn into a werewolf, it’s not like I can reverse it. So, they’ll have to learn to accept the new me. Hopefully Dad won’t try to shoot you. And if he does, he’ll go for non-fatal wounds.

Daniel gulped, frowning.

It wasn’t easy, but werewolves could be killed. They were virtually immortal, unless dealt specific (yet obvious) injuries.

Speaking of immortal beings, three immensely powerful vampires agreed to help us discover the mysteries of the lab and stop the malicious experiments done on innocent werewolves or on anyone else. They temporarily stayed in cabins at Daniel’s resort.

Josiah arrived on our doorstep for a visit a few months ago, with the inside tip about the evil witch coven. He played an important part in aiding us in defeating the witches.

Once we made initial plans to go up against this secret government lab, he immediately contacted his old vampire friends, Mizar and Serena. Daniel and his pack knew them from many years ago, and greatly respected them.

Mizar and Serena would leave in a few days for St. Louis and do their own reconnaissance, reporting back to Josiah. I think they intended to eliminate any legitimate threats to their existence or to other beings, then move on. I doubted they would join The Liaison, but who knew?

We had an incredible, powerful team. I was the weakest, though. True, I could mentally manipulate others, but it didn’t always have instantaneous results. Lexy probably came in second. Her witchcraft could save her butt, except she needed seconds to conjure the spells or have concoctions readily available. One gigantic difference between Lexy and me, she wasn’t dating a werewolf.

The fact that I was human and Daniel was a werewolf, created friction and distractions. I wanted to be on an equal playing field with the major players. Things changed all the time. And this was my choice.

I pulled a thick sweatshirt over my head. I desperately needed more clothes. Most of my belongings were still at my parents’ house. We’d have to pack and move things soon. Just not sure when.

It was the beginning of February. My last winter as a human. My last day as a human. And I would look 21 years old forever, with Daniel by my side, eternally the age of 26. I was nervous, but ready.

Let the games begin!

Chapter 1

Unveiled

Daniel ran his hand through my hair. He suggested I wear my hair down and not pulled back in a ponytail. I had undressed and loosely wrapped a large bath towel around my torso. The necklace Daniel gave me on my 21st birthday and my pierced earrings sat on the bedroom dresser.

We had prepared as best as we could, trying to think of everything I might need. We thought of different scenarios… items Daniel or my friends might want on hand to help me.

During the day, we had driven to a shopping center in Murray. Daniel had bought me extra clothes. In fact, several bags full. He pointed out the non-constricting, soft, and lightweight items which would be most suitable for me over the upcoming weeks. We didn’t want to take any chances I’d ruin the few pieces I had at the resort, forcing someone to make an emergency trip to the store to buy me more clothes.

Once Dominic knew the plans for that day, he refused to participate. He sulked in his cabin, ticked off with my final decision. He did make supper for everyone, since he loved cooking, then wandered into the lounge and sat in front of the fireplace. Although when the time came, I knew he’d be there for me, which would be soon.

Thankfully, Dom had slipped off to the grocery store the day before and replenished our supplies, making sure to stock up on meat. Zac had intense cravings for meat, but that didn’t mean I would have the same issues. In fact, I shouldn’t. Zac was an anomaly - different.

Daniel gently asked, Are you ready?

I nodded and whispered, Yes.

We decided to keep my conversion low-key and without an audience. Only Daniel and I were in the bedroom, but with my telepathy, I knew the location of everyone on the property. And they lingered close by. Some inside, some outside.

Daniel removed his clothes and flawlessly shape shifted into a beautiful, black wolf. We discussed how it would be much less traumatic for me to have him graze my skin with his werewolf teeth while in the shape of a wolf, not the terrifying form of a beast.

He padded over to where I sat on the edge of the bed. He rested his huge head on my knee and gazed into my eyes, remaining completely calm. I stroked his silky fur and rubbed behind his ears. And I started giggling.

Daniel cocked his head a little and mentally asked, What’s so funny?

I explained, "I realized you’ll be scratching behind my ears pretty soon. How… weird. But exciting!"

I kept expecting Dominic to peck at my brain and telepathically plead with me one final time not to convert into a werewolf. But he didn’t. Maybe Josiah or Zac had warned him to back off, because they respected my wishes.

Daniel lowered himself to the floor, lying down next to my feet. His cold nose bumped affectionately against my calf.

I smiled at him and forced myself to swallow. I prompted him, Do it.

In my mind, he said, I love you, Kara.

I used the same method to respond, I love you, too.

He opened his huge wolf jaws and gently placed his mouth on my calf. I felt his teeth barely touch my skin, then he applied more pressure and moved his mouth about an inch. The sharp tips of his teeth scratched my leg. And that’s all it was - a scratch.

It didn’t really hurt; similar to when a puppy playfully nips or mouths you and his sharp little teeth rake against your skin, causing red marks and maybe a tiny bit of blood.

But it was enough to just break the surface and pass on the werewolf DNA.

Daniel immediately shifted back to human form. He remained crouched on the floor and inspected my leg, confirming he did his job properly.

Hardly any blood, he said, pleased.

He stood and grabbed his robe which hung on the doorknob, putting it on instead of his clothes. We knew he’d likely shape shift again, possibly within minutes, depending on what I did during my conversion into a werewolf. So, no point in him getting dressed yet.

Daniel sat next to me on the bed and held my hand. My left foot bounced up and down. Our anxiety skyrocketed as we waited for the first signs of my conversion.

I asked, This won’t be an instant replay of what Zac went through, right? Because that was horrible.

He shook his head, No, you don’t need to worry. It’ll be fast when it starts. The biggest problem is aggression, as you know.

Suddenly, I doubled over, clenching my stomach. Psychically, I asked, Is throwing up normal? I might have to.

For some it is, Daniel said. Come on, let’s go.

He scooped me up and ran to the bathroom, depositing me in front of the toilet. Just in time. He grabbed my hair to keep it out of the way. Everything I ate for supper spewed out of me. I slumped on the floor with my back against the bathtub. I thought to myself, Sorry Dom, it had been a great meal.

Daniel read my mind and gave me a half smirk. He commented, You’ll definitely need to eat once you transform. You’ve got nothing left in your body now.

A jolt of energy shot through me. I needed to leave the cramped quarters of the bathroom. I started to crawl across the floor, but Daniel quickly picked me up and moved me back into the bedroom.

I curled into the fetal position on the carpet and closed my eyes… just for a few seconds. Another wave of pent up anxiety rocked my system causing me to shudder violently, bringing me back to my knees. It felt like someone cranked up all of my senses to maximum intensity.

Daniel softly said, Open your eyes.

I felt different. I wasn’t in pain or sick to my stomach. All of my senses blared, though. I stared at the floor and didn’t move, but the urge to run began to grow. I forced myself to look around and saw my paws. PAWS!

I reminded myself I asked for this. I wanted this. But that didn’t mean I’d simply bypass the initial shock of turning into a wolf! Panic and fear gripped me. I didn’t know what to do next!

Daniel slowly and cautiously approached me. I jumped up on all four paws and the bath towel fell off me. I backed away from him, unsure of myself and my surroundings. A whimper escaped my mouth… my jaws. I went to touch my mouth with my hand, but I didn’t have a hand anymore. When I lifted my front leg, I wobbled standing on the remaining three.

Kara, it’s okay. You’re fine. And beautiful, Daniel said, comforting me.

He squatted in front of me and ran his hand over my back. I liked it. He rubbed my head and behind my ears. I pressed into his hand, taking joy in the moment, sensing his love and concern for me. I walked around him, gaining confidence in my new form.

With my sense of smell greatly enhanced, I inhaled Daniel’s scent and found it exhilarating. Then I remembered something he often did to me when he took the shape of a wolf. I appropriately returned the favor and plastered several slobbery licks across his face. And I sat on my rump, staring at him with delight.

He scrunched his eyes and mouth, and wiped away the saliva. I started to laugh, but a bark emerged in its place. I tried again and barked several times. He started laughing, too.

Yeah, I guess that is kind of gross, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll stop the sloppy kisses from now on, Daniel said, chuckling. Try to use your telepathy.

I concentrated on Daniel’s thoughts. He asked, Do you want to go outside?

Ow! Hurts my brain. You’re too loud, I told him.

He switched back to a verbal conversation and said, Don’t push so hard using your psychic ability right now.

The telepathy overwhelmed my mind. His words seemed to scream in my head. Regular speech didn’t bother me, at least. But I hoped this problem would go away.

I just read your thoughts. I’m sure it’s temporary. I’ll try not to communicate telepathically, Daniel said, and sighed loudly. This could get interesting… We’re so accustomed to mind reading and sending messages to one another. But if it’s painful for you, everyone will have to restrain from speaking to you in that method until the issue resolves itself. We’ll need to warn them. Do you still want to go outside?

I did and nodded my head. I chose to dump my worries into a box for the time being and set it aside to deal with later. Daniel wanted to take me on my first run as a wolf and I was determined to enjoy the experience.

My appetite returned and I felt hungry, which made me slightly aggressive and frisky. I jumped at Daniel, knocking him over on the floor. In a flash, he transformed into a wolf in order to play fair with me.

His front legs were still stuck in the arms of the robe and he rolled on the floor to free himself. I snatched the robe in my teeth and tossed it on the bed. For a few minutes, we wrestled and bounded through the room, simply having fun. We no longer worried about him accidentally scratching me with his teeth or hurting me with his supernatural strength. We were the same now.

We ran to the door, ready to go outside. Daniel placed his mouth on the doorknob and started turning it. He obviously wanted to show off, because he could’ve shifted to human form and easily opened the door that way.

Just as I heard the mechanism in the knob release, Dominic abruptly entered my mind.

Dom asked, How are you doing, Kara? Everyone heard you barking… so we assumed things are okay in there?

His voice - all those words - it felt like he pierced my skull over and over with a knife. I cowered on the floor with my front paws covering my ears.

I managed to respond, Hurts to use psychic ability. Please, no talking.

I whimpered from the pain and shifted back to human form.

Chapter 2

Unleashed

When Daniel saw me collapse and revert to human shape, he immediately shifted, too. He caught the tail end of my plea to Dominic to stop talking in my mind and he understood what had happened to me… the incredible pain ricocheting through my brain.

I urgently requested, "Daniel, tell everyone what’s wrong. Now. Before someone else decides to link to