Jax picked up his Mustang convertible from the dealership and decided to take it for a spin out in the desert. He still had his Harley, but not all of the women he dated liked riding everywhere with him on the back of it. There was an hour until sunset. Jax’ idea was to watch the sunset over the desert, with the saguaros silhouetted against oranges, yellows, and reds.

The Mustang took the curves like a racecar. As the sun began its quick descent over the horizon, Jax pulled over to enjoy it. Just as he turned the car off, a text came through for him. He didn’t recognize the number. It was a photo of a beautiful honey blond woman with brown skin and sparkling amber eyes. Underneath, it said, “Go south on 31 for 10 miles. You’ll see me sitting on the patio of Maria’s Cantina. I’m waiting for you.” xxoo Loba

Jax was a smart man, and his first thought was, this is a scam of some kind. Then Jax saw the full moon rising over the hills, and his lunar radar started tingling. He knew right then that this woman had something to do with tonight’s full moon. He revved the engine and continued south on 31.

She was sitting at a table on the patio, just as she said she would be. In front of her was a large globed glass with a red liquid in it. She heard the engine pull up and turned her head. Her eyes glowed even from 50 feet away. Jax felt the moonlight coursing through his veins.

He turned off the ignition, exited the car, and made a casual stroll over to the woman with honey blonde hair and amber eyes. She smiled with a brilliance that took all of his attention. He noticed her canine teeth were sharpened to a dull point.

“You must be Loba,” said Jax.

“You must be right,” said Loba.

“Am I supposed to know you?”

“No, Jax. But I have a feeling we will get to know each other real soon. Join me for a drink?”

Jax sat opposite Loba and ordered a draft beer, then headed to the rest room. By the time he returned the beer was sitting on their table.

Loba told Jax she was in town for the night and had dreamed his name, his car, his phone number, and then saw them in her dream sitting just as they were at that moment.

“Oh really? You know I’ll be real with you. That sounds shady at best and strange at worst. Did someone hire you to do this?”

“No, Jax, it is just as I told you. Also in my dream we took a ride into the hills in your new car and talked all night until tequila sunrise.”

“Loba, I don’t know what’s going on, but the moon agrees with you.” Jax chugged the rest of his beer and they were on the road, guided by the yellow light illuminating the dark highway.

Jax headed to his favorite lookout hill, where from the top you could see the city in the distance. As the vehicle rolled to a stop, Jax began to feel a little woozy. He looked at the giant butterball in the sky, as did Loba. He felt Loba’s hand rest on his knee and looked over at her. They kissed and it was the most ecstatic feeling Jax ever had. That’s the last thing Jax remembered before passing out.

Jax woke up shivering, as mornings on the desert are cold. The moon was gone, the tequila sunrise in its glory.

Jax looked around and realized that Loba was gone. As he scanned the horizon, he saw a wolf standing on a hill, the sunrise behind her. She was staring back at him with sparkling amber eyes. Then she turned and walked into the desert.

Jax never saw Loba again, but every full moon, he has an overwhelming urge to howl in the desert.

The End.

Paula is the host of Thursday Inspiration.  Paula says:
This week’s theme is desert and the picture is [above]. Here is the song snippet from “Peaceful Easy Feeling” recorded by the Eagles in 1972:

I like the way your sparkling earrings lay
Against your skin so brown
And I want to sleep with you in the desert night
With a billion stars all around