THE LAKE OF WOLVES (Erotica/Sequel)
Introduction: A woman’s studies suddenly turn into reality.
The full moon cast an eerie glow over the still waters of Shadow Lake, its reflection shimmering like a silken sheet. Samantha’s heart raced as she stepped onto the dock, the cool night air teasing her skin. She had always heard the legends-whispers of mysterious men who appeared under the moonlight, their desires as wild and untamed as the beasts they were rumored to be.
As she peered into the dark woods, a low growl echoed through the trees. Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, his piercing eyes locked onto hers. His presence was overwhelming, a mix of danger and raw, animalistic allure.
“You shouldn’t be here,” his deep voice rumbled, sending a shiver down her spine.
But the hunger in his gaze told her he wanted her here-wanted her more than anything else that lurked in the night.
(Author’s Note: This is a new story submission and I hope you enjoy this one.)
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Samantha heaved a sigh of relief as she crested the last mountain ridge. It was all down hill from here, literally. Taking out her bottle of water she tipped her head back and drank greedily, allowing the water to fill her mouth and over flow down her long neck. Despite the noticeable chill in the air she had worked up quite a sweat and the cool water was refreshing.
Looking around she found it hard to believe that the locals refused to come up here. Granted it was a three-day hike in and out but it was well worth it. The scenery was beautiful with Wolf Lake surrounded on all sides by rugged snow capped mountains. The only way in or out was on foot and that was through dense forests using old grown over trails. The lake itself wasn’t huge but it was big enough that one would think before trying to swim across. Here and there along the shore she could see small inlets and beaches. Thinking that one of those might provide a perfect spot to camp, Sam started down the hill.
Working her way down to the lake was nearly as hard as working her way up the mountain. The trail was nearly completely grown over from lack of use. She had to tread carefully making sure to step over exposed roots that sought to tangle and trap her. She’d already fallen once; her right knee was still scraped and swollen and she couldn’t risk a broken bone. She was up here alone and even though she had her cell phone with her it would take three days for someone to respond to her call for help. A person could die during that time.
Sam felt her excitement start to grow the closer she got to the lake. At twenty-five she was preparing to graduate from the state college. Her major had been in literature but with a focus on mythological writings. It was her fascination with mythological creatures that drew her to Wolf Lake. The locals swore that this was the watering hole for a pack of werewolves. There were stories dating back to the mid 1800s of wolf sights followed by the disappearance of men, women, and children. While it was true that wolf sightings in the Pacific Northwest were not all that uncommon the stories in these parts were unique. It was said that the local wolves were unusually large and often seen walking on their hind legs.
Personally, Sam didn’t believe in the existence of such creatures. Her fascination was with how such legends were started. She believed that all myths contained an element of truth to them. For example, the local legends could easily have been started after a large, garden-variety wolf attacked a child. The wolf may have been uncommonly big or had reared up on his hind legs in a show of dominance. All very logical explanations but it was easy to see how as the story was retold it was expounded upon until it reached mythological proportions.
While Sam didn’t believe in these mythological creatures she did like spending her spare time hunting up local legends and exploring the area from which they sprang. Wolf Lake was just the latest in a long series of explorations. She often used her academic breaks to tour the country looking for local legends as well as traveling abroad. Last year she spent a week in a castle in Transylvania supposedly once occupied by a descendent of Count Dracula. For Christmas she had spent her time in a house supposedly haunted by the ghost of a girl killed when her husband found her in bed with her lover. This year she found herself camping out it what was supposed to be werewolf-infested mountains.
An hour later Sam stood with her hands resting on her slender hips staring out over the lake. She had managed to beat the bush back enough to allow her access to a small beach on the western side of the water. From here she would be able to watch the morning sun rise up over the mountains. She had planned to spend a total of seven days at the lake. Her vacation was only fourteen days; it would take her six days to hike in and out plus seven spent at the water. That left one day to relax when she got back before once again diving into her studies.
Pushing all thoughts of her thesis waiting patiently back home aside Sam turned and unloaded her pack. Within forty-five she had her tent set up and a pot of water boiling over a small fire. Not knowing what she would encounter up here she had packed several things of dehydrated food and tonight she would dine on Yankee pot roast and potatoes. Tomorrow she told herself she would take the time to try and fish as well as hunt around for some wild berries. She knew enough about plants that she was reasonably sure she could feed herself without getting sick.
After rinsing her plate at the side of the lake Sam stretched and watched as the last of the sun slipped behind the mountains. She allowed herself a very unladylike yawn and decided to turn in. She had been walking almost nonstop for three days and she was well over due for a rest. Thinking that she wanted to be up early to investigate the area surrounding the lake Sam crawled into her sleeping bag and was fast asleep before the full moon had reached its peak.
Sam woke up shivering but not from the cold. Something had scared her right out of her sleep. Sitting up she strained her ears and listened. Her first thought was that a bear had found her small camp and was scavenging for food. The night had gone unnaturally quiet. Nocturnal animals that usually called to each other were silent and even the wind seemed to have lost its voice. It was unnerving but at the same time she was able to reassure herself that the local Yogi bear hadn’t come looking for a picnic.
Unzipping her sleeping bag she slid her feet into her shoes and grabbed her flashlight. Lifting the flap of her tent it was obvious that she wasn’t going to need it. The full moon was directly over the lake, illuminating it in all its glory. The water was so still that the moon was reflected back towards the sky while the mountains and trees appeared as black silhouettes.