Therianthrope: A New Kind of Curse

Lily changed out of her work clothes into more comfortable clothing, a t-shirt, and jeans. She ran her hands through her dark hair, just glad to feel it down and loose again after a long day at work. Grabbing her keys, Lily left her apartment and drove to her adoptive parents' house. They invited her to dinner tonight, and for once, school and work didn't stop her from accepting.

As she pulled into the long driveway, a feeling of home washed over her. Lily smiled as the large, two-story ranch style house came into view. Andrew, her father, ran quite the profitable Architect company. Lily got out of the car and waved to her brother, Tony, once she parked the car and got out. Her brother was most likely the biggest heartthrob in town. He had the suave movie-star good looks, a muscular build, and an easy smile.

"How goes the life of busting crime?" He teased while that easy smile made an appearance.

"Oh you know, a lot of work and long hours," Lily said as she walked up the steps. "We've been getting a lot of other lab's overflow. It's mostly drugs that need to be to verified that they are, in fact, illegal substances."

"You sound so CSI when you talk like that," he replied with a sly smirk.

"I know. It's the glamor of a forensic chemist - pure awesomeness," she teased back. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a quick hug.

"Hey Lily," Elizabeth greeted her. She's Tony's wife or as the werewolves call it- mate. Lily broke the hug and took a step back. Elizabeth took the chance to wrap her arm around Tony's in a clear sign of possession. Her instincts couldn't accept that Lily and Tony were siblings, although they didn't share blood.

Lily gave Elizabeth a warm smile in hopes to disarm the territorial instincts of her sister in law. She couldn't help but feel flattered that the woman saw her as a threat to her claim to Tony. Elisabeth was everything a woman wished she could be. She had thick, dark hair, bright blue eyes, curves in all the right places, a face that would rival any runway model, and lips were made for kissing.

"Long time to see. How are you doing?" Elizabeth asked with an only slightly forced smile.

At least she's trying, Lily thought and returned the smile. "I am doing good, thanks, Liz. I see you're beautiful as always," Lily said, doing her best to disarm with flattery. "Well, I'm going inside. See you two kids later." She gave them a two-fingered salute and went inside. The sight of Andrew, her adoptive father, being kicked out of the kitchen greeted her. No doubt he was sticking his fingers into dinner and got caught by Sandy, his mate.

"Where have you been, young woman?" He said as soon as he saw Lily. "We've missed you!" He leaned down and gave her a fatherly kiss on her forehead. Tony looked a lot like his father with a few subtle differences. Both were blonde, and blue eyed, but Andrew's blonde hair was lighter, now streaked with gray. Also, his good looks went more towards the rugged instead of suave.

A smile spread across her face as she felt at home. Who could ask for a better family, she thought as she hugged him. Her adoptive family tried their best to make her feel like one of them, but she stuck out like a sore thumb. First, Lily was half Native American, though she didn't know which tribe. The Roberts were all blonde with blue eyes. Second and most obvious, the Roberts were actual werewolves. Andrew was their leader or the alpha as they called it.

Werewolves weren't like the legends and the Hollywood monsters one saw on TV. They were only a little bigger than the average wolf and Lily found her family to be like normal people. So they shifted into wolves at that delicate moment of the month but who was she to judge. Lily had a delicate moment of the month too, and hers lasted more than one night. She'd even go so far as to say she was worse pmsing than any werewolf under the full moon.

"I have been so busy," Lily told her dad. "Between school and work, I hardly have time to get a full night's rest."

Andrew's eyes narrowed and hardened as he gave her a stern, disapproving look. "Lily you shouldn't work so hard. It's not good for you!" He began to lecture her.

Lily nodded agreeing with him. "Yes, I know, but one has to do what one has to do right?" She replied.

He kept his stern look for a moment, so she gave him one of her best smiles and his face softened. "What am I going to do with you," he said giving up and she gave him another hug in reply.

"Lacy is looking for you, and we have a guest joining us tonight too," he told her as he left towards the living room. Lily froze where she stood. A guest, she repeated in her head. Curiosity made her mind whirl. Who would they have invited while inviting her at the same time? Usually, when they had members of their pack over, she had to keep her distance. Not everyone liked that the Alpha had a human living with him.

She wasn't a big fan of other werewolves either. In fact, she did everything to avoid them. Shrugging, Lily decided there was nothing she could do about it now. She decided to find her sister and see what it was she wanted instead. "Hey Lac-" She called, walking into her sister's bedroom. Lily instantly turned her back and covered her eyes with her hands at the sight before her. Lacy and her boyfriend/mate, Chris, were in a heavy make out session.

"Oh, come on you guys! What are you, rabbits?" She demanded and heard them both laughing, but Lily didn't see anything funny about it. "I am not joking! You're going to scar me for life!"

"You're just jealous you don't have any of this," Lily heard Chris say.

Lily turned and peeked through her fingers. Seeing they were decent, she lowered her hands. Lily gave the smug brunette before her a glare. "Please! You're the sole reason I've sworn never to date a werewolf...like ever! Damn nympho," she shot back.

Chris smug smirk turned into a full-blown smile as he got up from the bed, smoothing out his clothes. Chris wasn't as tall as Tony or Andrew, but he was much broader with his muscled frame. His light brown hair cut short and brown eyes that always seemed to be on the lookout for a chance to cause mischief. "Right keep telling yourself that. Denial is the first sign of jealousy you know," he said then gave Lacy a quick kiss.

As he walked passed Lily he gave her a playful wink, and she rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him. Chris was a horrible flirt. It was a good thing Lacy didn't have the possessive issues Elizabeth had or Lily would've been in little pieces by now. "God, Lacy why do you always fall for the cocky ones," she complained. Her tone a false exasperated disapproval.

Lacy smiled impishly. "Men are much more fun that way, and he's like a god under the sheets!" Lacy expression turned dreamy and dazed off into her fantasies.

Lily shuddered with disgust. That was way too much information than she wanted to know about Chris. "Earth to Lacy, earth to Lacy," Lily called to her friend snapping her fingers in front of Lacy's face.

The daydreaming blond blinked a couple of times. "Oh sorry," she apologized with a smile growing on her face.

Lily shook her head. She's hopeless! Lily thought with another smile. "What did you want to tell me so badly?"

Lacy looked confused for a moment then got all excited. "Oh yeah! You remember that kid that stayed with us for about a year, James Lacrosse?" Lacy asked.

Lily thought for a moment then nodded with a slight frown. They had never met face to face, but Lily knew of him very well. James Lacrosse was almost legendary in the werewolf in the country. Lily had heard more than a few horror stories about him. She also remembered him from her childhood and how much she hated him more than anything when she was twelve. That boy robbed her of the only place Lily could come close to calling home for almost a year.

She felt her anger rise, still holding a grudge against him after all these years. "Yeah I remember him," she started in a cold tone but then smiled an evil smile. "I remember he was your first major crush. Man, you could spend hours doodling his name." Her smile grew as Lacy turned pink.

"Oh God, I had forgotten about that," Lacy replied with a shy smile then added, "Well, he's back finally! He arrived today, and he will be eating dinner with us!"

Lily stared at her in surprise. That was the guest? James Freaking Lacrosse? She tried her best not to scowl at the idea.

"And he is so hot! Oh my, God, if I weren't already mated, I would jump him," Lacy went on, lost again in her own fantasies.

Lily wasn't impressed but shook off the feelings of irritation and laughed.

"Laugh all you want! You haven't seen him yet! In fact, hot doesn't even begin to describe him," Lacy said pointedly.

"Really? I wonder what he would think of Mrs. Lacy Lacrosse?" Lily threatened, grabbing the little book from the drawer of her sister's old desk.

Lacy looked at her with a horrified expression. "You wouldn't," she cried before jumping at Lily. She reached for the little pink journal with Lacy Lacrosse written all over it.

Lily dodged her and then grinned. "I think I just might," she said smugly and raced out of her sister's room and down the stairs.

"Lily Nawassa, get your butt back here now," Lacy screamed, running after her.

"Sorry, I don't think so," she yelled back and ducked into the kitchen. Lily hid behind Sandy using her as a human or better-said werewolf shield.

"Lily what in the world are you doing?" Sandy demanded as she held onto the older woman's shoulders while keeping her adoptive mom between Lacy and her.

"I am a werewolf, Lily. There is no way you can outrun me," Lacy warned her, trying to paw around her mother to grab Lily.

Lily knew all her sister's moves and knew how to anticipate them so Lacy would only grab air. "I may not be able to outrun you, but I can outsmart you any day Lace," Lily replied as she pulled Sandy around the kitchen.

"Stop acting like little girls and let me go," Sandy demanded as she attempted to free herself from Lily's clutches.

"Sorry Sandy, no can do. At least not yet," Lily apologized, continuing to pull her around the kitchen.

"I am going to burn the food thanks to you two! I will call your father!"

Lacy leaped for her again, but Lily let Sandy go to crawl up on the kitchen island and jumped to the table. She dropped to the floor and ran out of the kitchen. "Lily!" Sandy exclaimed in horror as she watched Lily's escape.Lily knew she'd pay for it later, but she couldn't stop to apologize. Lacy was hot on her heels. She ran into the living room.

Everyone ducked out of her way accustomed to Lacy and her silly races. Lily may be twenty-seven, but sometimes she just had to let the six-year-old girl, who was still very much alive in her, out. Lily put the sofa between her and Lacy. She eyed the patio door. "I am going to kill you for this. You know that," Lacy continued to threaten her.

"Oh, I am not worried Mrs. Lacy La..."

Lacy almost screamed in horror, making Lily double with laughter. "Don't you dare finish that phrase," she shouted after Lily who ran out onto the patio. "Someone stop that horrible, nasty thief!"

Lily cheered with the surge of victory. No one would ever help Lacy, and she started to tell her that as she felt a pair of strong arms grab her and lift her up in the air. Lily cried out in surprise as she tried to free herself, but whoever caught her was like Superman. "Dude you just ruined my exit," Lily complained to whoever was holding her.

Lacy came up to her with a smug expression on her face, and Lily glared at her. "Why, thank you, James," she chirped as Lily was set down on the ground.

Man, out of all the luck. I had to run into James Lacrosse, she thought as her feet returned to the ground. Lily looked up at James who still held her arm with an iron grip. Oh holy hotness, she thought, looking all the way up at the man standing before her. Lacy wasn't exaggerating when she said hot didn't even begin to describe him.

His hair was dark brown almost black with hazel eyes. He must have been well over six feet, which allowed him to tower over her easily. He was broad with a muscled build that made her feel small. At the same time, James had a friendly, small town country boy look that clashed with the badass reputation.

Lacy tried to take advantage of Lily's distraction to grab the book from her. The movement broke Lily from her mental drooling, and she pulled the journal away just in time. "Give me the book, Lily!"

"Nope," she refused and smiled a nasty smile. "Maybe I should give it to James here?"

"No, you don't," Lacy said with a look of utter horror as she tried to grab the book from Lily's grasp.

"What is going on?" James asked, letting go of Lily's arm and looking at them with confusion.

"It's best not to get involved James," Andrew told him coming up to them. He looked Lily and Lacy both with disapproval. "How many times have I told you both to stop these silly races in and around the house?"

Lily and Lacy gave him a sheepish apology. Lily handed her sister the journal, and they tried to hide their laughter. The older man just shook his head. "James, as much as I regret the manner in which you have met. This is my adopted daughter, Lily Nawassa," he said. He gave her another disapproving look. "Lily this is James Lacrosse."

James held out his hand, and his large hand swallowed her much smaller one. Like all werewolves, his body temperature ran warm, and she could feel that heat run up her arm. Lily swallowed nervously, her mind going over all the things she heard about him. "Nice to meet you," he said, still giving her odd looks.

"Same here," she replied, glad she sounded normal. Lily wondered just how much of the twisted tale of James Lacrosse was true.

"Later we have some matters to discuss Lily," Andrew told her, and she nodded. Lily knew when Andrew Roberts said the words matters to discuss that meant to they were to be discussed privately.

"Okay, sure thing," she stated and grabbed Lacy's arm and dragged her back into the house.

"Hey, hey, easy on the goods there, sister," Lacy scolded her.

Lily exhaled the breath she had been holding. "Now that was embarrassing," Lily whispered to her friend.

Lacy gave her a smug smile. "That's what you get, journal thief," she teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You were right, that man is hot beyond belief," she whispered to Lacy. She couldn't help but wonder if all of him was big.

Lacy chuckled and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively earning another eye roll from Lily. In a sing-song voice, she said, "I told you so!"

"Talking about me again," Chris asked, walking over to give Lacy a kiss on her temple.

"You wish Playboy," Lily told him with a scoff. Seeing he was in a perfect position, she gave him a little push causing him to trip over the couch. She burst out laughing as he fell over back on it and bounced off, hitting the floor. "Point one for Lily! Power to the human!"

He shot her an irritated look. "One day, you'll get yours," Chris warned her in a playful tone.

Lily was about to reply when Andrew and James entered from the back porch. James gaze turned to her and felt a shiver run down her spine. She had no idea why but his gaze made her feel tiny and prey-ish, like a deer in headlights. Lily closed her open mouth and instead gave Chris a threatening point of her finger. She got out of the room as quick as possible. She didn't like the way he made her feel at all.

Lily went into the bathroom and splashed her face with cool water. Chill woman, she told herself. She grabbed a towel as she chastised herself for being so silly and heard Sandy call out that dinner was ready. A smile crossed her face as her stomach rumbled and she left the bathroom. Lily looked at the large oak table filled with several different dishes. She couldn't help but wonder how Sandy had managed to make such a varied meal all by herself.

"You know some of us are hungry. Mind moving or at least taking a picture," Tony shot at her.

"Well you can eat my socks, Rex," Lily shot using her pet name for him. He couldn't stand it, so she used it as often as she could. She turned to face her brother with a smug smirk, but it only lasted a second. She noticed James was behind him, and she got that whole small furry forest animal in danger feeling. So she quickly took her usual spot at the table.

Lily shrugged off the feelings the new wolf's presence gave her. She preferred to load her plate with everything within her reach and some that weren't. Lily tuned out the conversation that didn't involve her. She preferred to keep her nose out of werewolf affairs. It was a world that she didn't belong to, and she didn't feel the need to belong to. Right now Lily preferred to keep her attention on her food and food alone.

She wanted to savor every last morsel and was quite content to ignore and be ignored. "Do you always eat like a pig or is this just a special occasion," Chris whispered in her ear.

She smiled impishly and answered him with a swift kick in the shin that caused him to jump and hit his knee on the table. "Everything okay, Chris?" Andrew asked with a concerned look that had Lily trying hard not to laugh.

"Uh...yes sir," Chris replied shooting Lily a nasty look.

She smiled at him with all the sweetness she could muster. After dinner, Lily helped pick up the plates until Andrew called her into his office. Let the fun begin, she thought as she walked down the long hallway. Lily was already feeling herself grow nervous as she got closer to the room. Lily didn't worry about what Andrew had to talk to her about. It was the mere fact of entering into his office that made her nervous. There was nothing menacing about the room.

Bookcases lined the left wall from floor to ceiling. On the right wall were several old photographs of her dad, his friends, and family. He even had a few pictures of her up there. In the center of the room sat a large oak desk. Andrew always sat behind that made him seem so much more intimidating. As well she only entered that room when she and Lacy had gotten into big time trouble. Which was more often than Lily cared to admit.

It was in that very room Andrew told Lily her biological parents had picked up and left town, abandoning her. Lily frowned, remembering that day, but pushed the memories deep down inside her. Those memories were to cry for another day because today was not that day. "What's up chief," she asked entering the office then noticed James was also there. "I mean what do you need Mr. Roberts," she corrected with a more formal tone.

Lily tried her best never to be too casual about him when other werewolves were around. Their pack hierarchy was strict when it came to respecting those positioned above you. The alpha was above everyone. Andrew smiled at her and asked her to sit in the empty chair next to James. Part of her wanted to scream, thanks but no thanks, but she sat down. "You are familiar with James's story right?" Andrew asked her once she sat down.

"More or less but honestly I don't know how much of it is true. What I've heard he seems like the werewolf version of the boogie man," she said bluntly. It was only after she said it, Lily realized her bluntness may not be well received. The rumors were if you pissed James Lacrosse off you ended up in intensive care...if you were lucky. To her surprise, James started laughing a loud hearty laugh.

I suppose that's true," he said with a shrug.

She wasn't sure if she should be glad he was laughing or not. Lily shifted in her seat, still feeling nervous and a little turned on. I need to get laid and soon, Lily decided.

"I will go over it the key points to make sure you have the right information," Andrew stated.

Lily nodded to let him know she was listening though she wasn't sure why they were telling her his history. She couldn't care less, to be honest. "When James was thirteen he was kidnapped. No one knew what happened. Two years later he appeared on our doorstep. He couldn't remember what happened or who had taken him. We quickly discovered his shifts weren't...normal anymore," Andrew explained.

"I'm told I'm a hybrid of a man and a wolf. Think Hollywood version of a werewolf," James stated with a smile that chilled her. Great, she thought and shifted in her seat again, so she was sitting as far away from him as possible. That helped cool some of the carnal attraction she was feeling.

"He also had difficulty controlling himself when he suffered strong emotions," Andrew resumed.

"It's still hard. At least now I'm not trying to rip out every idiot's throat when they start to irritate me," James said. His tone made it sound like he was discussing the weather, not brutal murder.

"Fascinating, but how exactly does this involve me?"

"I am sure you have heard about the kids from last week," Andrew asked back, tossing her an orange pill bottle.

Lily nodded, looking at the bottle for a moment before opening it. A week ago two kids were found dead in the forest. No one knows what killed them, not even the pack doctor and Beta, Xavier Thompson. She'd heard the scene hadn't been pretty. Lily shuddered slightly, not wanting to imagine what their last moments were like. "That bottle was found near the boys. Beta Thompson has no idea what those pills are. No one else in the pack can even attempt to guess," he explained.

Now Lily knew why he was telling her this. She looked at the pills again as her dad continued to speak. "That's not all, a day later someone tried to kidnap another kid around the same place the teens bodies were. James is going to investigate the deaths and the near-kidnapping. He wants to see if they're connected with what happened to him almost twenty years ago. I want you to help him in any way you can Lily. Starting with those pills."

Lily groaned inwardly. She did so not want to play Nancy Drew with the local Wolfman and her childhood enemy. Andrew didn't seem to pick up on her hesitance as he turned to James. "Lily is a forensic chemist. Her job is to identify drugs and other substances for the police around the country," Andrew told him.

She tried not to smile when she heard pride laced in his voice. Lily poured six pills into her hand and looked them over. "Well, they aren't common club drugs that you usually find with teens. I can tell you that much," she said after looking them over and slipped them back into the bottle.

"How do you know?" James asked, and she smiled a smug smile at him. The familiarity of her job eliminating the feeling of a rabbit trapped by the wolf.

"Club drugs are all marked with a particular symbol of some sort. Most of the times they are the same drug just marked with a different symbol and given a new name," she explained. Lily snapped the cap back onto the bottle and turned her attention to Andrew. "I will take these to the lab tomorrow and see what I can find. Anything else I can do for you?"

"No Lily that will be all. Enjoy the rest of the evening," he told her then looked at her with his stern stony face. "Take it easy. Don't over exert yourself!"

A bored sigh escaped before she could stop it. She, at least, managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes as she wanted. She got up from the chair. "I will do my best." Then left the office.