Blood Moon (Skye Morrison Vampire Series, #5.5) (10 page)

Crossing my arms over my chest, I assumed my usual position beside Willy as he picked up his wooden tattoo instrument, complete with fish bone and turtle shell needles, dipped it into a bowl of black ink, and set about tapping in the ancient symbol of our kind around the fresh wound.  The frenzied chanting began to even out and quiet down, marking the beginning of the end of the initiation ceremony. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone carefully approaching and took a deep breath in, scenting our visitor.  It was Nikki.  Turning, I met her eyes as she gave me a questioning look, motioning to Willy with her hand.

My brow furrowed, not understanding what she wanted, but I trusted her completely and nodded my head, allowing her to approach the last few steps.

“You mark skin,” Old Willy said, not looking away from his work on Gavin’s side.

“Yes, sir,” Nikki breathed, her eyes wide, “I do.”

“Was not question, young one.” Willy shook his head, his old eyes finally lifting to hers.  “I know.  Many, many moons ago, I saw you come.”

His statement completely surprised me and I felt my mouth open a bit with shock.  Shifting my feet, I turned to him.  “A vision?  How?”

Ignoring me, he motioned for Nikki to come closer before resuming his tattooing.  “You watch.  See?  Knock here?  Drives ink in evenly.  Small movement of hand, very important, young one.”

Primo and I gazed up at each other with matching expressions.  Old Willy was ornery, hard, stubborn, and never spoke to anyone outside of our pack.  He had been raised in the old ways and automatically shunned anyone who was not of the wolf.  The fact that he was talking to Nikki was shocking, yes, but there was more to it than that; he was showing her how to tattoo in the ancient ways, something absolutely unheard of.

I watched in awe as Nikki kneeled beside Willy, completely enraptured, soaking in the impromptu lesson with occasional nods of her head.  When Gavin’s tattoo was almost finished, he handed the instrument over to Nikki and made her complete it.  I could tell she was hesitant, but she wisely chose not to argue with the old man.  Trying not to break out into a grin, my eyes followed along as Willy occasionally grasped Nikki’s elbow, guiding her; the only noises being grunts and the infrequent ‘knock harder’ from him.

After everything was finished, Gavin disappeared into the crowd of people congratulating him and Nikki stayed by Willy’s side as he put away his equipment. 

“Thank you for letting me watch you work,” Nikki said gently, folding up his small wooden table.  “Your methods are so fascinating to me.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“You mark wolf again soon,” Willy nodded as Zephyr took the table from Nikki and carried it away.

“I’m sorry?” Nikki shook her head, not understanding.

“Snow Moon,” he answered, picking up his walking stick.  “We meet again at Snow Moon. You mark again then,
Ko’la acawa
.”

Leaning closer to Primo, my eyes wide in shock, I slowly, discretely whispered to him, “Take her.  I need to talk to Willy alone.”

My second-in-command sluggishly met my eyes and nodded his head.  I don’t think even he could fully grasp what Willy had just said to her.  Making his way over to her, he stepped in her line of sight, and took a deep breath.  “I don’t know about you, but I could use a beer.  Let’s go find Jojo and see if she wants one too.”  Nikki’s eyes slid questioningly to mine, and I nodded my head.  She immediately followed Primo into the crowd.

“You want to tell me what that was all about,
ha 'ako n-timay
?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as I stepped up to him.

“You have
ha atnayewa
?” he asked seriously, in a whisper.

Surprised by his question, I blinked blankly at him.  He was asking if I had feelings for her…if I loved her.  I didn’t know how to answer that.

Shaking his head, he turned away from me.  “You not ready to hear.”

Placing a gentle hand to his shoulder, I stopped him.  “You said you had a vision, Willy.  If it involves me, I have a right to know.”

Meeting my eyes, he raised his chin slightly as he took a deep breath.  “Her name is
Ko’la acawa
.  That tell you everything you need to know.”

Dumbfounded, I watched him hobble slowly toward the other pack members.  I was confused and shocked to my very core, to say the least.  Willy, our medicine man and purveyor of tribal names, just gave Nikki St. James her very own Tonkawan name. 
Ko’la
meant ‘Bird’ and
acawa
meant ‘revived’.  He was essentially naming her ‘bird who is brought back to life’.  But, something like this had never been done before; it was completely unprecedented.  A person not born a werewolf was only given an Indian name after they had been fully accepted by the pack, bitten, and had shifted for the first time.  Nikki was not a werewolf, and would never be as far as I knew.

Willy’s words came flooding back to me. 
That tell you everything you need to know
.  “Fuck. Me,” I breathed out in a whisper.  He was telling me that Nikki would be a wolf someday, and by the way he was training her to tattoo in our ways, she was going to be tattooing our pack when his spirit was finally set free. More so, she would be mated to one of our wolves; as we would never bite a human female unless a male wolf had declared them to be mated for life. 

Holy fucking shit
.  The revelation hit me hard and I suddenly needed to sit down. Stumbling over to the picnic table, I plopped atop it and rested my forearms on my knees.   Nikki was going to be mated to a male in my pack.  Willy’s visions were never wrong, so I knew the day would definitely be coming.  Fierce resolve came over me all at once and I sat up straight, my eyes immediately zeroing in on her in the vast crowd.  I wanted her.  Nikki St. James was mine, dammit, and I was going to do whatever it took to capture her heart.

Nikki

“Well, how exciting was that?”  DeeDee beamed as she came up to Primo, Jojo, and me.  “You got to tattoo an initiate!”

“I know,” I smiled and clinked beer bottles with her.  “Very exciting.  I was a bit of a nervous wreck, to tell you the truth, but I couldn’t say no and pass up an opportunity like that.  I’ve never seen someone tattoo with fish bones and turtle shell before.  It was amazing.  The lines they produced were very clean, too, which surprised me for such an archaic method.  It was perfect, honestly.  I really hope I get a chance to do it again someday.”

“The fact that you were allowed to do it at all is shocking,” Primo tilted his head at me, looking thoughtful.  “No one but our pack’s appointed tattooist is supposed to pick up those tools…not unless you’re actually being trained in the art.  You’re not pack, so I’m a bit at a loss.”

Everyone in the group glanced back and forth at each other, their faces pensive.  A man then joined our small group, breaking the silence.

“Awesome job you did finishing my tattoo,” Gavin said with a smile, offering up a friendly fist bump which I promptly returned.

Eyeing the fresh, gaping wound under his new tattoo, I winced.  “That looks so painful.  Does it hurt?”

“Naw,” Gavin answered, shaking his head, before pointing to something packed into the side of his cheek.  “Doc’s making me chew some shit.  Herbs and whatnot.  Takes the edge off and promotes healing, at least that’s what I’ve been told.  Tend to agree, though.  I’m feeling pretty great considering.”

“You’re hardcore, man,” I chuckled, shaking my head.  “You didn’t even make a sound.”

I noticed then that DeeDee, Jojo, and Primo had shuffled a few feet away, seemingly deep in hushed conversation.  I briefly wondered what they were talking about before Gavin’s voice caught my attention again.

“So how’d you end up with this bunch?  You’re the only other human here.”

“You haven’t heard?”

“Well, I mean, I heard some,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.  “Vampires kidnapped you and Dean’s pack rescued you.”

“Yeah, well, as fun as that wasn’t,” I sighed, shifting my feet, “I just lost my house as well.  It burned down the night before they got me back.  Dean’s been kind enough to let me stay here.”

“Oh, man,” Gavin shook his head.  “That sucks.  I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.  Everything I had was in there.”

“A house down the street from mine burned a few weeks ago, too.  It was a total loss.”

“Do you live around here?” I asked, curious.

“About thirty minutes away,” he answered, motioning to the side with his head, “in East Wind Estates.  North central Austin.”

“You’re kidding me,” I breathed out, incredulous.  “I live in East Wind…on Comanche cove.”  I watched as Gavin’s mouth opened and closed.  My revelation had taken him off guard.

“You don’t…happen to share a townhome with a chick named Skye, do you?”

“Yeah,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.  “I do.  That’s my house.  You know her?”

“Yeah.  Fucking hell,” he sighed, running one hand over his buzzed scalp.  “Small world, man.  Listen, I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but you look really familiar to me.  Have we met somewhere before?”

I shrugged a shoulder.  “You may have seen me around.  I work full-time at Drop Kick Dan’s and moonlight at Cherry Bomb Tattoo Parlor some weekends.  I also used to skate for the Hardcore Hunnies.”

“Drop Kick’s,” Gavin smiled as he snapped his fingers, “that’s where I’ve seen you before.  You’re the bartender, right?”

“One of them,” I smirked.

“I go for the Manky Langer shows.”

His mention of Skye’s ex-boyfriend Jameson Doyle, the lead singer of the band, brought back a rush of memories for me.  Before they’d gotten together, Skye used to go gaga whenever Jameson would come in to the bar to play.  I momentarily wondered what she was up to and if she was okay.  This was the longest I’d gone without talking to her, my best friend.  Part of me really missed her…even though I was still kind of pissed.

“Their shows are always popular,” I nodded my head.  “The bar’s a complete madhouse when they play; not that I’m complaining.  The tips are always stellar.”

“How is Skye doing?  I haven’t seen her around in a while.”

I opened my mouth to answer, but found that I couldn’t.  I didn’t know how she was doing.  The last time I’d seen her, I punched her.  I’d punched my best friend, and three weeks later, I wasn’t feeling very good about it.

A howl sounded behind me, ripping me out of my inner turmoil.  Turning, my eyes sought out Dean and I immediately blanched when I saw who was standing next to him.  Excitement in the pack picked up as Lyric was brought out for judgment.  Every hair on my body stood on end as I looked into his eyes; he was panicked, but still ultimately defiant. 

“Why am I here?  You have no right!” he shouted.

The pack shifted closer to the action, circling Dean, Zephyr, Lyric, and Dylan.  I was swept up in the crowd and forced to follow them, but everything in me was telling me to turn and run.  I needed to get as far away from Lyric as I could, and I needed to immediately.  My fight or flight instincts had kicked in and flight was most definitely winning.

“Oh, I have every right,” Dean growled loudly and I lifted my eyes once again to the scene before me.  “Believe me, you piece of shit, you’re lucky you’re still alive.  I would have killed you sooner than brought you here, but I made a promise to someone.”

“And who do I have to thank for my reprieve?” he sneered, struggling against Zephyr and Dylan’s hold.  It was no use, though; he wasn’t given an inch.

Something about his taunting voice and defiance hit me wrong just then.  This asshole, the man who’d said he loved me, the man I almost loved, had handed me over to monsters who then put me through absolute hell for the next five days.  The muscles in my body tensed and sudden fury coursed through me. 
Fuck what he did to me and fuck him!

“Fuck you!” I shouted in rage as I bulldozed my way to the front of the crowd.  “Fuck you, you spineless piece of lying trash!”

Once I was clear, I began running.  Lyric’s eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, but I didn’t dare stop.  I was too pissed; I was fucking nuclear.  Zephyr and Dylan immediately let go of his arms a second before I tackled my ex-boyfriend to the ground.

“Fuck you,” I screamed in rage, my fists crazed as I wildly laid into him.  I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to cry. I wanted him to feel a fraction of the shame I’d felt at the hands of those sick bastards.  I wanted to kill him.  “Fuck you!”

Lyric cried out as his hands tried desperately to protect his face.  I knew in that moment he’d never been in a fight in his life, for sport or otherwise.  He was entirely inept at defending himself.  Some part of me deep down inside was loving every minute of this, even though my subconscious was whispering for me to stop.  I wasn’t a violent person by nature, but today I just didn’t have any fucks left to give.  I wanted to hurt him…badly.

“How could you?” I screamed, hitting him over and over again in the face.  “Why?  Why?” 

No matter how many strikes I landed, it just wasn’t enough.  It would never be enough.  There simply wasn’t enough I could do to him that would equal the torture I’d been through. 

Without thought, I stood and began kicking him in the ribs; my five inch heels delivered the retribution remarkably well.

Hands gently wrapped themselves around my waist and dragged me a couple feet from Lyric’s prone, moaning body.  “Shh,” Dean whispered in my ear.  “Shh.  That’s enough, babe.”

My body instantly lost its fight at the sound of his voice and I sagged into him. 

Turning me around to face him, Dean cupped my cheeks and glanced back and forth between my eyes.  “Are you okay?”

Sniffing, I shook my head as I wiped my nose with the back of my forearm.  I realized then that I’d been crying.  My face felt like a sopping wet mess, but I was too angry to care.

“Are you having second thoughts about his sentence?” Dean asked softly.  “Do you want us to execute him?”

I felt the color drain from my face.  The word execution was like a cold bucket of ice water to it.  Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and slowly blew it out.  “No.  Nothing has changed.  I…I just lost it for a second.  Seeing his face brought it all rushing back. I think I’m okay now, though.”

Dean’s thumbs gently wiped the tears from my face as I tried to pull myself together.  Once it was clear I was calmer, he spoke again.  “Do you want to stay or go?  You don’t have to be here for this if you don’t want to, Nik.  I know you’re still raw.  I don’t want to cause you any more pain.”

“No,” I shook my head, “I want to be here.  I need to be here, Dean.  This is the only justice I’m going to get and I want to see it through.”

Dean motioned behind me and a few seconds later, Holly and DeeDee came to stand beside me.  Carefully, their arms went around my back and I was sandwiched side-by-side between them.  “We’ve got her, boss,” Holly whispered as she pushed the hair off my forehead with her free hand.

Dean’s eyes bore into mine.  He seemed hesitant to leave my side, but I knew he needed to.  There was still the matter of Lyric’s fate.

“Go,” I said firmly, my eyes becoming determined.  “Finish this for me.”

Nodding slowly, Dean reluctantly looked away as he turned back to Lyric.  As his body moved closer to him, I could now see that Zephyr and Dylan had picked Lyric up from the ground and resumed their hold on his arms.

“Well, she kicked your ass pretty good there, didn’t she?” Dean chuckled as he slowly circled his bloodied, bruised prisoner.

Lyric just groaned, coughed, and then spit out a mouthful of blood onto the grass before him.

“Can’t say I blame her.  If you’d done that to me, I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you just now.  How does it feel to be on the receiving end?”

Lyric’s still defiant eyes slid up to Dean’s and he raised his chin a bit.  “Fuck you, man.”

Sighing, Dean came to a stop in front of him.  “Very well.  We won’t waste any more of your precious time.  Lyric, you’ve been judged and sentenced by Miss. St. James and myself for the crimes you committed against her.”

“Don’t do this, Nikki,” Lyric pleaded as his swollen blue eyes found mine.  “Please, let me explain.”

Holly and DeeDee’s arms tightened around me, giving me strength, as I shook my head at him.  I didn’t want to hear a damn thing he had to say.  There was no justifying what he did.

“It has been decided that your fate shall be left in your own hands.”  Lyric’s head turned to Dean as he continued.  “You will run for your life.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Lyric asked, somewhat in a whine.

“It means you will run as fast as your feet can carry you and we’ll take chase.  If you make it across the barbed wire fence surrounding my property, you win and may live.”

“What happens if I don’t?” he asked, his face deadly serious.  I think the gravity of the situation was finally sinking in for him.

“Well,” Dean said matter-of-factly, cocking his head, “you die.  Most likely slowly and in a pool of your own blood and viscera.”

Lyric visibly shivered as his wide eyes went to mine again.  “You can’t let them do this to me.  Please, Nikki.  They’re going to murder me!  Isn’t there some part of you that still cares about what happens to me?  Please, I’m begging you!”

“You didn’t care about my life when you handed me over to your friends.  Why should I care about yours now that you’re in the hands of mine?” I asked, frowning.  Like I said earlier, no fucks to give.

“Because,” he pleaded, “you’re a better person than I am. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

My back straightened as anger once again took hold of me.  “The only mistake I made was letting you into my life in the first place.  You completely played me.  For all I care, you can just go to hell, Lyric.”

An angry wail ripped itself from his throat as he struggled against Zephyr and Dylan’s hold.  “No. No!”

“You left her to die,” Dean said evenly, crossing his bulging arms over his chest.  “You knew what they were doing to her and you didn’t care.  Can’t fault a girl for not giving a shit about you now.”

Lyric’s angry cry was his only answer.

“Now, given your current state,” Dean said, motioning to Lyric’s battered form, “I’ll allow you a head start.  You’ll have fifteen minutes before my pack comes after you.  But you’d better run fast, human.  You are right smack in the middle of over one hundred acres of land.  It’s a long way to that fence.”

After motioning with his head to Dylan and Zephyr, they released his arms and Lyric immediately stumbled backward, his wide eyes looking like a deer in headlights.

“You’d better go,” Dean warned.  “You now have fourteen minutes and fifty-five seconds.”

Without a word or look to spare, Lyric pivoted on his heel and took off into the woods toward the back of the property.

A few in the crowd howled in excitement as Lyric’s darting form disappeared.

“Let’s get ready!” Dean called out loudly to the pack before turning back to me.  He stopped in front of me as Holly and DeeDee back away.  “You’ll stay here by the bonfire.  A couple of the pregnant women and Gavin will keep you company.  You’ll be safe, so you don’t have to worry.”