In the Wicked Wild fierce creatures dwelled and the most dangerous forms of magic were practiced without restraint. To survive there, one had to be either tough or cunning. Fortunately for her, Magda was both.
Today she made her way back to her pack's territory after completing a solitary hunt. It had been an exhilarating experience, but not nearly as exciting as what she had planned for tonight.
Earlier she had injured her shoulder. Nothing serious. Just a sprain. Under normal circumstances, she would ignore such an insignificant injury. A time or two of shifting shape would heal it, but tonight she had a better method.
Dusk fell, but the dimness didn't hinder her keen vision as she made her way to Eagle Talon Inn. The place was run by Stephan, a disgusting warlock of limited magical talents. If not for a particular barmaid, Magda wouldn't waste her time stopping there.
A year ago she had come across the inn after suffering a rather serious injury while hunting. She'd needed a place to rest and gather her strength. Stephan had introduced her to one of his workers, a barmaid named Cassia, who gave healing massages. For a fee, she could cure just about anything, and if one wasn't sick or injured, she had other skills to offer. When she wasn't healing or waiting tables, she sold her flesh, for she was in demand among the inn's regular visitors.
At first Magda had nearly refused to allow the barmaid to touch her. Then she had set eyes on Cassia, a tall, slender young woman with dark eyes and long chestnut hair, and was lost. She wasn't sure if the attraction was mutual. Cassia, hardened emotionally by a difficult life, was almost impossible to read.
To heal, Cassia required her patients to strip naked and she massaged them from head to toe. The massage expelled illness, injury, and even the effects of evil magic. By the time she'd finished with that first massage, Magda was healed of her wound but suffering from a fierce case of desire. Making love with Cassia had been the natural thing to do. Paying her afterward wasn't so natural, but worst of all was watching Cassia deposit the money into Stephan's grubby hand.
She told herself she wanted nothing to do with these people again, but memories of Cassia's beautiful eyes, her gentle hands on Magda's body, and the sound of her soft voice in her ear drove the wolf woman back to the inn as often as possible.
Though Cassia seemed to enjoy their encounters, something about her remained distant, as if she feared friendship or love. But Magda hoped if she kept showing Cassia how she felt, the woman would eventually respond emotionally with the same fervor as she gave her lush body.
As Magda walked down a well-trodden path toward the two-story inn made of stone and wood, her clit ached and her nipples stiffened with desire. She had already changed from her wolf form and dressed in trousers, a shirt and boots. Werewolves usually stayed nude, but Eagle Talon Inn had so many seedy characters she was less apt to end up in a hassle if she wore clothes.
Nearing the inn, she glanced through the picture window and noted it was a busy night. Men and women of various magical species mingled at the bar or sat at the tables. Some were involved in a card game and others watched a half-naked dancing girl who was rather pretty, but Magda had no interest in anyone except Cassia.
She opened the door, stepped inside and strode to the bar, where Stephan stood. Tall and skinny, though with a slight potbelly, thin reddish hair and fish-like blue eyes, he smiled, exposing uneven, discolored teeth. Apparently the full house made him quite happy. Magda longed to slap that greedy grin off his ugly face.
Seeing her, he curled his lip. "What do you want, Magda? Or should I say who do you want?"
"Where's Cassia? I need her healing skills."
He snorted. "Sure you do."
"No bull, Stephan." Magda took several golden elfin coins from her pocket and tossed them on the counter. "Where is she?"
Reaching out with his tapered fingers, he collected the coins and shouted, "Cassia! You've got a customer!"
)
Magda, the powerful new werewolf queen, can handle just about anything, except witnessing the abuse suffered by her lover. Cassia has spent her life using her magical massages as well as her body to serve the greedy warlock who has enslaved her. Returning from a solitary hunt, Magda meets her lover at the inn where she works, and after another night of passion is determined not to leave alone. This time she will do whatever it takes to free Cassia from Stephan, even if it means risking their lives.
