Before the sound of the slamming van door had a chance to fade, Tommy had turned the ignition key. The engine roared to life. As he released the handbrake, something hit the back of the van and it jolted forward with a thud.
“Fuck!” Tommy cried out.
He threw the gear stick into first and stamped on the accelerator. The van lurched forward and a deafening, metallic screech ricocheted around Tommy. He hunched his shoulders and tensed his arms against the steering wheel as if his adrenaline-soaked strength would help the engine. The rusty van shot down the dark lane. Its wheels thundered as it veered onto the overgrown verge. Tommy banged on the lights and jerked the wheel to the right. Back in control of the van, he took deep juddering breaths.
As the distance between him and house grew, his nerves started to settle. He eased off the accelerator and grabbed his phone from the dashboard. He had to call Paul and hope that his brother has switched his phone back on despite the phones are always off rule.
His eyes darted to his wing mirror. The breath froze in his chest and his phone slipped from his hand. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator.
The van rattled and whined its way down the country roads and shrieked around corners until finally bursting onto the dual carriageway ten minutes later. Only then did Tommy’s white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel loosen, and he mustered up the courage to look in his wing mirror again.
The well-lit road was empty, but the tension remained in Tommy’s body. He knew the image illuminated in the red glow of his brake lights would haunt his thoughts and stalk his nightmares for the rest of his life.
“Werewolves don’t exist,” he whispered over and over in the hope that eventually he would believe his own words.
Thursday, 28th January
Moon Visibility: 98%
Chapter Two
Liam looked up at the information board and searched for the train from Penrith. A faint smile flitted across his face before he glanced down at his watch. Beccy’s train was running only seven minutes late. With nearly twenty minutes to spare, he scanned the concourse. Among all the travellers staring zombie-like up at the board he spotted a coffee shop and sauntered towards it, smoothing the sleeves of his suit as he weaved through the crowd.
While he waited in the queue, he took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. The smooth aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled his nose, but its usual soothing effect did little to ease the tension pulling at his stomach. He had to be in control when he met Beccy. Afterall, she was expecting Master Winters to meet her from the train. Master Winters was confident and in charge and not a bag of nerves and insecurities.
The cute barista handed his Americano over and twirled the end of her ponytail with a coy smile.
“Love the ponytail.” Liam winked.
He loved girls with sleek, high hairdos—something to grab hold of during sex play when the leash wasn’t at hand. The barista’s cheeks turned pink, and she looked down at her feet, but her curiosity was stronger than her shyness, and she quickly peeked back at him between her lashes.
“Thank you,” he added and turned away, feeling her inquisitive and hungry gaze follow him.
He wasn’t thanking her for the coffee but for the much-needed ego boost. Liam was a natural and confident leader, qualities openly envied by his colleagues and friends, but that day he’d been doubting himself, worrying his nerves were showing through and tarnishing his charm. The gentle flirting had pumped up his confidence.
As he strolled back across the concourse, he glanced over his shoulder at the coffee shop. The barista was still looking his way. With a smirk playing across his lips, he made his way to the platform where the 14:14 train from Penrith would be arriving shortly. Six months ago, he would have been chatting up the cute coffee girl, judging her potential—her body language screamed submissive to him—but, after meeting Beccy online, he was happy to admit the fact that he was completely fascinated and perhaps a little obsessed by the reclusive woman from the Lake District.
Now all he prayed for was for her to be everything in the flesh that she had been online. He guessed she was thinking the same. She’d been very adamant about no racy pictures or webcam sessions, most of their interactions had been though chat rooms or texts. Liam still had a faint, lurking sense of dread that he was about to meet a big, burly, bearded Yorkshireman out to beat up people with unusual sexual lifestyles. He had been duped before, but his gut told him Beccy was the real deal. Nevertheless, he would be an idiot if he wasn’t prepared for disappointment.
At the same time, Liam understood how much more of a risk it was for a young woman to travel to London to meet a man she’d never met in real life. Of course, Liam had done everything he could to alleviate her concerns, and he’d been nothing but open and honest with her.
He approached the ticket barrier. Although they had arranged to meet by the information point in the main concourse, Liam wanted to be on the platform. That was one of his jobs as Dom after all—to surprise her, catch her off guard and hopefully delight her. It also meant he would get a chance to observe her unaware.
Liam flashed one of his charming smiles at the female ticket collector.
“I don’t suppose you’d see your way as to letting me onto the platform. I’d like to surprise my girlfriend.”
The stony-faced woman nodded and lifted the barrier.
Liam winked at her determined to get a smile onto her stony face before he left the station. “Thank you, beautiful.”
A slight crack appeared in the woman’s weary armour.
“I know where to come if it doesn’t work out with my lady.” Liam grinned. “Uniforms really do it for me.”
“Lucky girl,” he heard the woman mumble as he walked past her onto the platform. He looked back over his shoulder and was pleased to see a faint smile on her lips as she helped someone with his ticket.
Liam looked around for a suitable spot to wait and finally chose to lean against a curved, tiled pillar decorated with hanging plants. Although the platform was bright and clean, the smell of decades of dirty engines and old dust filled his nose. He smoothed out the creases in his jacket, folded his arms and crossed one foot over the other. His cool casualness disguised his racing heart and churning stomach.
He took a deep breath and checked his watch—14:21. Beccy was only minutes away. He wondered if she was fidgeting in her seat and having second thoughts about their meeting. He’d done his best to put her mind at ease. They had agreed he would take her to her hotel, and he would wait for her in the lobby while she freshened up. If she instantly took a dislike to him, she could stay in her room. She wouldn’t have to endure an awkward this-isn’t-for-me exchange. However, if she felt comfortable with him, he would take her out for a meal and then see how things went from there.
The air around him became charged and people started shuffling towards the edge of the platform. Liam looked down the track. He couldn’t see anything, but a sudden rush of stale air set his skin tingling. His fists clenched. The anticipation was killing him. He let out a slow, controlled breath.
Stay calm. You’re in control.
The ground vibrated and a train rumbled into view. Liam pulled back his shoulders and waited.
The train juddered along the track and finally came to a stop. Its doors immediately slid open and people oozed onto the platform. Liam’s eyes darted up and down the train, jumping between the selection of blank, bored, and excited faces. If he knew Beccy at all, she would be taking her time, composing herself, and be one of the last passengers off the train.