Among Wolves Read Free Page B

onset of the 'curse' once more.
    Roman used a wet washcloth to scrub up. "I
say I hate it but the sex is unreal."
    Charlie chuckled, washing up as well, and
looking at himself in the mirror over the sink. He caught his own
blue eyes, stopping short. Yes. He could see the animal once again
inside him.
    Why?
    "What did ya do, Roman?" Charlie began
dressing. "What did ya do at work to bring this back?"
    Roman shook his head. "Nothing. I can't think
of one fucking thing."
    "You two havin' sex?" Butch asked through the
door.
    Charlie waited for Roman's nod, and opened
the door. "Go start eatin'. We'll be right there."
    Butch took a look at Roman's naked chest, the
towel wrapped around Roman's hips, and then walked off.
    Charlie glanced back at Roman and kissed him.
"I'll serve us up some food."
    "Great. I'm as hungry as a wolf." Roman
winked and entered their bedroom to get dressed.
    "That ain't funny!" Charlie yelled after him,
then shook his head. Maybe it was.
    ~
    Roman slipped on a pair of worn out jeans and
a T-shirt. He brushed his hair and headed to the kitchen. He could
hear Charlie and Butch talking clearly even from the far side of
the house. All his senses had sharpened. He remembered the
experience well, and had strong mixed emotions about it
resurfacing. He and Charlie had tried to maintain a normal life.
Butch was a loyal friend, and always eager for sex, but he and
Charlie didn't have three-way intercourse. They played around with
Butch, but Roman wasn't interested in a strong sexual bond with
Butch Crowell. Not after the mess in Heber. Charlie tried to
convince Roman that Butch had changed, matured from a loud-mouthed
self-absorbed nineteen year old, to a level headed twenty-one year
old. Butch had been a strong ally to him and Charlie in their time
of need. But sharing Charlie, loving as a trio? Roman still was
undecided on that option.
    The two men stopped talking when Roman
approached the dining room table. The scent of chili permeated
everything.
    "Why, Roman?" Butch asked, joining him at the
table as Charlie placed bowls of food in front of them. "I can't
take y'all doin' that again. I can't. The animals go mad, and I
can't be worried about findin' you two naked and freezin' yer balls
off up the mountains."
    "Butch," Charlie admonished as he sat beside
Roman in their dining area. It was separated from the kitchen by a
bar counter, with high stools on one side. The house was one level,
a three bedroom ranch with several outbuildings: a barn, a shed,
and a detached two car garage. "Don't start on the man."
    "Start? Me?" Butch took a chunk of the
cornbread which was sliced up in large squares. "I'm not the one
who's gonna howl at the moon tonight."
    Roman felt the hair stand on his neck and
snarled at Butch.
    "Uh oh." Butch ate the cornbread and shut
up.
    Charlie reached for Roman's wrist. "Calm
down, buddy. 'K?"
    "If y'all are goin' to get all hairy on me, I
should head over to Vernon's ranch tomorrow and not wait for
Christmas."
    "Go." Roman sniffed his food and then ate it,
liking the flavor of the meat.
    "Calm down." Charlie appeared miffed. "Will
you two jus' stop? I swear, I cannot handle this again. I am not
dealin' with y'all at it when there's horses to be tended, and
winter is hittin' us hard…"
    "Sorry." Butch lowered his head and kept
eating.
    Roman forced himself to relax and sipped the
whiskey that was poured for him. The liquor tasted sour and very
strong. Roman recoiled from it and caught Charlie and Butch
staring.
    "What?" Charlie asked, wiping his mouth with
a paper napkin. "Somethin' wrong?"
    Seeing Butch's curious stare, Roman threw the
booze down and winced at the taste, usually liking it. Not tonight.
He continued eating the meat to kill the flavor.
    "Anyway…" Butch rolled his eyes and said,
"So, I'll call Vernon in the mornin' and see when they want us up
there. You got Christmas off, Roman?"
    He nodded, finishing his food and picking up
the plate to lick.
    Charlie grabbed the dish and