Nyx had been running the perimeter with Shiloh and Cinjin when they picked up a strange sound. Since the Chupas had been defeated and those that hadn't were on their way back down to where it was they came from, Shiloh's clan would soon leave or that was what Nyx thought. Shiloh was a strange one who didn't say much but Nyx had grown up with four sisters, he appreciated silence. As they reached the Wahpeton lands, the strange noise got louder and louder. It was Dakota and Caleb that met them at the tree line.
"You don't want to come any further. You might not be able to save your hearing." Caleb chuckled, before Dakota took a playful nip at his foreleg.
"What Caleb means to say is, the Chupas were the least of our problems. The females have decided tonight is Karaoke Night. I'm heading to New Hope for the night. I want to save what is left of my sanity." Dakota, who was almost as serious as Shiloh but less rigid, cringed before beating paws across the small creek to the tree line in the direction of the reservation. Shiloh, Nyx, and Cinjin looked at each other and approached the main Wahpeton house carefully. They stood on their hind legs and shared a window where they could see their father drinking his usual cup of coffee and talking to his father, oblivious to what was going on. In the living room there sat Khloe, Ivy, Lahni, Mai, and Karma. Standing holding a microphone in a killer grip caterwauling an ABBA song. All three wolves whimpered and lowered their heads to drown out the painful noise. Ari and Karma were good at so many things but singing was not one of Ari's talents.
Ivy giggled as Ari sung "Dancing Queen" while Khloe flat out belly rolled. Lahni tried to cover her mouth at her baby sister who was more than slightly off key, and Mai who kept elbowing Karma who was laughing so hard she was snorting. Ari didn't care that they were laughing at her. She hopped up onto the coffee table and pointed at each of them while singing, "You can dance, you can jive...having the time of your life....ooooo see that girl, watch and see, she is the Dancing Queen..."
"How is it that your father and grandfather can just sit and their ears not bleed?" Shiloh thought towards Nyx. Nyx cold have sworn that there was a hint of humor there.
"Shut up the both of you! My Khloe Bear is going to sing. She has the voice of an angel."
Nyx and Shiloh both turned their furry heads towards the big pup eye wolf that was supposed to be known for his ferocity. Right now he looked like Rin Tin Tin with a steak being waved in front of him and the thoughts he was broadcasting was enough to make Nyx want to file a report for Animal Cruelty.
Khloe was still giggling when she punched in her choice of song and narrowed her eyes at her sisters and mother. "If any of you throw anything at me, I want you to know I am a doctor and I know how to bump you off without anyone else finding out."
Lahni tossed a pillow at her and laughed, "Shame on you, using your job for evil."
Khloe kicked it back, "You got that right! I am mated to a man too arrogant for words and who has a head bigger than a football stadium. I use what I got."
Nyx and Shiloh almost snickered. Almost. The killing glare and menacing growl coming from Cinjin almost made them laugh out loud.
"I'm not arrogant and my head is just right. I'm going to have a long talk with my mate after this is over."
"What was it that his mate calls him Nyx? Cinnie Bear or is it Cinnamon Bear?" Shiloh ribbed.
Nyx did bark with laughter then. Three heads turned towards the window just then and all three of the wolves ducked just in the nick of time. Music started and so did the cheering. Khloe began to move her hips and let loose. She even pulled her hair out of its usual pony tail and tossed it at Ari. Then the words came on the screen and Khloe began to sing.
"Honey honey, how you thrill me, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, nearly kill me, ah-hah, honey honey
I'd heard about you before
I wanted to know some more
And now I know what they mean, you're a love machine
Oh, you make me dizzy
Honey honey, let me feel it, ah-hah, honey honey
Honey honey, don't conceal it, ah-hah, honey honey
The way that you kiss goodnight
(The way that you kiss me goodnight)
The way that you hold me tight
(The way that you're holding me tight)
I feel like I wanna sing when you do your thing yeah.."
Khloe didn't have the best voice but it was better than Ari's; which didn't stop Nyx and Shiloh from rolling on the ground laughing. Ari and Karma both jumped up and pulled Ivy along and all four were singing along and dancing. Khloe turned around swung her hips, shaking her ass which sent Cinjin into overdrive. His tongue was hanging all the way out and Nyx and Shiloh debated whether or not to shift and either tranq his ass or drown him in the creek for the thoughts that were going through his head. When Cinjin let loose a howl, he nearly blew their cover. There was laughter in the house but when all three wolves looked up at the window, Nyx's grandfather, Night Horse was standing in the window shaking his head at all three of them. The wolves looked up at the old man with sheepish wolfy smiles. Night Horse waved his hand at them and went back to drink coffee with his son at the table.
Lahni and Karma were next. The music queued up and Shiloh was front and center on the window this time. She stood there holding the microphone as if she were born to it wearing nothing but a pair of denim shorts that were much too short and a tight G-N-R t-shirt that complemented her curves. Both Lahni and Ari had chosen Waterloo, and each time they came to the chorus, Lahni's long white and pink braids swung in perfect harmony with her body. Cinjin and Nyx couldn't believe their eyes watching Shiloh. Mr. Stone Cold Control was fighting hard to muffle his howls, wagging his tail, and prancing on both his back paws as if he was trying to dance with Lahni. So much for not having any interest in any females. If Nyx had to guess, Shiloh had it pretty bad for his older sister, Lahni. Too bad Lahni couldn't stand Shiloh. Nyx wished he had his iPhone on him because this would have went viral!
Lahni saw something silver as the song was finishing up. She walked over to the window with a scowl on her face. She leaned over and looked Shiloh right in the face and arched an eyebrow with a scowl on her face. Shiloh just stood there panting with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Lahni smirked as she grabbed the window shade and pulled it down. All three wolves cursed and nipped at one another. What was there to do now? Shifting, they all three took their human form and after a trip around back where clothes were kept in one of the out buildings, they entered the house just as Nyx's mother had just finished singing, My Love, My Life, as Nyx's father, Dyami stood with that in love look as he gazed upon his mate. When the song was over, he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms and whispered something into her ear before kissing her. Nyx's brothers who were in the house along with his sisters all made gagging noises. Then it was Ivy's turn.
Ivy hadn't planned on singing. She was pretty sure she was about as off key as Ari had been. However, when she looked and saw Nyx looking at her with such love and pride in his eyes, all her fears and insecurities fled. She chose the song and began singing, never taking her eyes off of him.
Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar
They were closer now Fernando
Every hour every minute seemed to last eternity
We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die
And I'm not ashamed to say
The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry
There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
Though I never thought that we could lose
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando...
After Ivy had finished the song, everyone clapped but the loudest was Nyx. She went to her mate and soon would be her husband, and wrapped her arms around his neck as he encircled her waist. She looked up into those blue eyes of his and in one kiss, she let him know just how much she loved him and he returned the sentiment. Later that night, they sat cuddled up in a blanket looking up at the stars. Nyx nuzzled her neck with his arms wrapped around her protectively. He began to sing softly to her. It was a song he'd heard his grandfather sing many times to his grandmother when she had been alive. Ivy didn't know his language yet, but she felt every single word. His voice was a beautiful rich baritone. When he finished, she laid her head on his shoulder. Whatever was going to come, would come but at least one thing was for sure-she loved him and one day when they were no longer part of this earth, they would reunite in the stars where they would forever be looking down on the Wahpeton generations and still holding as much love between them as they had now.
I hope you enjoyed this little deleted scene from Cursed Awakening.
You can purchase your own copy of the full novel at:
