Bound to Moonlight (9 page)

“I’m glad I didn’t shoot you,” she murmured.

Disappointment flickered in his eyes, followed by understanding. “So am I.”

He kissed her then, and slowly pushed inside her, filling her completely. This time, they made love with a slow delicious eroticism that left her shaking against him.

Wrapping her in his arms, he pulled her close and together they drifted into sleep.

***

Sebastian didn’t know how long he had slept, and he cursed. He didn’t want to waste any of their precious time together. Rolling onto his side, he reached for Anya.

She lay at the edge of the bed, far away from him. He shook her lightly, but she didn’t wake. Her skin was scorching to the touch, and a sheen of sweat coated her pale face. Panic flared to life. He shook her, harder this time. She moaned but her eyes remained closed.

Sebastian threw back his head and screamed into the night. “No!”

Chapter Twelve

He’d run through the dark city streets, careless of who might see him. Run until his wolf was exhausted then slunk back, the need to be close to Anya driving him on.

He knew what he had to do, and the fear tore at his insides.

He shifted in the alley at the rear of the building, picked up his clothes where he’d dropped them, and let himself in. He found Tasha waiting for him in the foyer. Sebastian made to walk past her, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“You know it’s the only way,” Tasha said.

He shook off her hand. “Why don’t you do it, then?” he snarled.

“You’re the strongest of us. You’ll give her the best chance. Please, Sebastian.”

He paced the foyer, fighting down the nausea that churned in his gut.

“Why are you so scared?” Tasha asked.

He realized he was still naked and pulled his pants on, more to give himself a moment to think than from any sense of modesty. He dropped the rest of his clothes on the floor and came to stand in front of her. “Do you know how many humans survive the bite?”

She nodded. “Not many, but there’s more to it than that. I know there is. Anya is dying—this might be her one chance.” She studied him for a moment, and Sebastian winced at the compassion in her eyes. “The other wolves told me you’ve never turned anybody,” she said. “Why? What happened, Sebastian?”

Sebastian sighed. He knew he was going to attempt it. He couldn’t stand by, watch Anya die, however much he feared the consequences. But Tasha deserved to know the risks.

“I was twenty-eight when I was bitten, and I’d been married less than a year.” He paused, remembering back; it was over fifty years ago now. “We were in love. I wanted her with me in every way. So I bit her.”

“She died?”

“No, she didn’t die. She went insane.” He forced himself to go on. “I hadn’t asked her if she wanted it, I thought—” He broke off. What had he thought? That she loved him enough to take any risk? He shook his head. “In her lucid moments, she cursed me, said I’d turned her into a monster. She was pregnant, I didn’t know, but when she lost the baby, it tipped her over the edge. She became uncontrollable, dangerous.”

“What happened?”

“I killed her. I put her down like a rabid dog, and I swore I would never do that to anyone again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”

“Anya isn’t your wife. I survived and genetically we’re the same. She’ll survive. I know she will.”

“Let’s hope so.” He turned away and headed up the stairs.

Tasha followed him into the room and hurried to the bedside. Anya lay where he had left her, still unconscious, but tremors ran through her body.

Guilt rose bitter and dark. “I should have asked her.”

Then he shook his head. He knew why he hadn’t asked her. He’d feared she would say no. That deep down, she saw him as some sort of monster just as his wife had done. And what difference would it have made? It would have come to this anyway. He could not have stood by and let her leave him without trying this last resort.

He had to do this now, before the last of her strength drained away. It might already be too late, only the strongest survived.

He turned to Tasha. “You need to leave.”

She nodded mutely then leaned down and kissed Anya’s pale cheek. “Be strong,” she whispered.

When the door closed behind her, Sebastian sank down on the edge of the bed. He cupped Anya’s cheek then pulled her into his arms. The fever had left her, and shivers racked her slender frame. For a moment, she snuggled against him, seeking his warmth, and a flicker of hope rose inside him. But she didn’t awaken, and Sebastian laid her gently back on the mattress.

Rising to his feet, he stepped back, stripped off his pants, and called to his wolf. Wolf had been waiting, and the change came over him swiftly, the power and strength flowing through him. He stood for a moment scenting the air, sensing the wrongness.

He padded to the bed and leapt lightly up, sinking down on his belly beside the unconscious woman.

He licked her face then nuzzled her neck, the tender spot where her throat met her collarbone. His lips drew back, and he sank his fangs into the soft flesh.

Epilogue

They left the pack far behind, her pads making no sound as she raced through the shadowy forest under a yellow full moon. Effortlessly, she weaved through the ghostly pines, reveling in the stretch of muscle and sinew.

All the fears and betrayals of the past fell from her as she ran, replaced by a wild exhilaration, until she was aware of nothing but the wind flowing past, and the huge silver wolf that kept pace by her side.

It was her first time, and she knew he watched her, worried about her.

Anya woke, back in her own body, wolf only a lingering memory. Dawn hovered to the east, tinting the sky orange and crimson. She lay on a bed of leaves on the soft forest floor, curled around Sebastian’s naked body. She didn’t want to move. She could stay here forever, in this moment.

Sebastian stirred, his eyes opening. He rolled onto his back and stretched his long body. Her breath lodged in her throat at the sight of him as it always did. He caught her staring and smiled sleepily, his eyes darkening with passion. Reaching out, he stroked her cheek, and she turned her head to kiss his fingertips.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She nodded. More than all right and there was something she needed to tell him. It was safe to say the words now. “I love you.”

“I know. “ And he dragged her into his arms and kissed her.

The End

Preview Book 3

Sisters of the Moon Series

(Book Three)

Bound to Secrets

by

Nina Croft

Chapter 1

It was a bloody good place to die.

The thought flickered across his mind as Dr. Connor McNair stared out across the bleak landscape of Rannoch Moor. Somehow, he doubted that had been the reaction Sebastian had hoped for when he’d ordered Connor to come here.

“You’re half Scottish aren’t you?” Sebastian had said. “You should be right at home. Get the hell over there and find out whether there’s any truth in the rumors. If there’s a tie in to the Agency, we want to know.”

It hadn’t been a request, but an order. For a brief moment, Connor had considered ignoring it, bringing this farce to a head. The problem was he no longer knew what Sebastian’s reaction would be. Once he would have been certain; Sebastian didn’t allow any dissent from his people and would strike down anyone who disobeyed.

Now, Connor wasn’t sure. He hated to admit it, but Sebastian was a good leader. He’d seen that Connor teetered on the edge and he’d sent him here in the hope of distracting him. But Jesus, this place was enough to turn anyone suicidal.

Thick mist wreathed a flat heather strewn landscape, dotted with grey lakes and bisected by the distant line of the railway.

The air felt damp against his skin, and even this early in the year, a swarm of midges hovered around his face. He batted them away with one hand while he scanned the horizon. Apart from the flies, nothing moved. He was pretty sure anything capable of moving would have packed up and left this godforsaken place long ago.

On the other hand, it suited his grim mood.

He could have gone straight to the hotel. Instead, he’d left Rannoch station, hefted his rucksack over his shoulder, and set off across the moor. He wasn’t expecting to find anything straight away. Hell, he wasn’t actually expecting to find anything ever—this was a waste of time—but after being in the crowded train, so close to so many people, he’d needed fresh air. These days, people made him uncomfortable, put him on edge, made him…hungry.

For a second, the mist burned off, the sun shone down and the whole world changed. Light sparkled off the water and the fresh green grass waved in the gentle breeze.

He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and whirled around, searching the flat expanse. Nothing. But as he turned away, something shifted again at the edge of his vision.

Far in the distance, a shapeless black mass streaked across the moor. Connor squinted, trying to make out what it could be.

A wolf?

If it was, it was a huge one. But as he stared, the creature paused in its headlong dash and reared up on its hind legs. A pony, with a small figure clinging to its back. A pale face peered at him, but they were too far away to see clearly. Then they were off again.

“Hey, wait,” Connor called out with little expectation of being heard.

He swore loudly, shrugged off his rucksack, and dropped it to the grass. Then he took chase. It was wonderful to be moving. The strength flowed through his muscles. He felt alive, and for a brief time the heaviness of spirit dropped away as he leapt over tussocks of heather and the scent of crushed herbs rose up from under his feet.

Moving with inhuman speed, he was catching up quickly. The rider turned to look. A girl, and Connor could make out the horror on her features as she realized he was so close.

The black pony stopped abruptly, and they whirled around to face him. The girl held up a hand, palm facing him, and shook her head fiercely.

Connor came to a halt ten feet away.

“No,” she whispered, her voice hoarse as though from lack of use. “I can’t…you must go. Please.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Connor kept his tone soothing as he took a step closer.

“Not me. You.”

For a moment, he had no idea what she meant. Then she threw back her head and screamed. Pain flooded his mind. He tried to focus, but a red hot poker drilled into his head, molten metal seeping into his brain. His control slipped away and he fell to his knees. He tried to fight, but the agony was unbearable as though his brain boiled in his skull. He collapsed to all fours, his back spasmed, his head lifted, and he howled.

***

Beneath her, Dubh screamed in terror. The pony reared up, tossing Keira onto the ground, then sped away. Keira landed hard, rolled, and came up on her knees, still trying to control the outflow from her mind. But the power held her in a vice-like grip.

She dragged herself through the damp bracken, knowing that only distance could save him now.

How had he gotten so close?

This was her fault. She’d spied him across the moor and the ever present loneliness had welled up inside her. Without thinking, she’d nudged Dubh nearer, but she’d never meant to get close enough to harm him.

Just to look.

She was pathetic.

But he’d been so beautiful, and as she had gotten closer, she had sensed the waves of anger and pain crashing off him. She’d wanted to help him. Fool—she couldn’t help anyone, only cause pain.

She’d kept to a safe distance. Even so, she should have gone before he’d spotted her. But how could she have known he’d give chase, and that he’d be faster than anything she’d ever seen?

The howls cut-off abruptly, and the grip on her mind relaxed its fierce hold. She was on her feet and running in seconds. But something stopped her. A shiver in the air, like she'd never sensed before. She came to a halt as though some invisible force called to her. Turning slowly, she swallowed her fear. He couldn't be dead. Not this quickly.

A gasp escaped her throat.

He crouched on his hands and knees, his spine arched, head thrown back. As she watched, a change came over him and his form shimmered and shifted in the bright clear afternoon light. A moment later, he vanished, and a huge black wolf stood in his place. For long seconds, the animal stood, neck drooping toward the ground, his sides heaving.

He raised his head and dark eyes, flecked with gold, gazed toward her. He blinked a couple of times as though to clear his mind and stared at her some more. Then he took a step forward.

Keira had lost the ability to move. She stood, her feet fixed to the ground as the wolf padded across the distance between them. This couldn't be real. That was why she wasn’t running.

But he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, and he held her in thrall. He must have reached her shoulder, much bigger than a true wolf—further proof he couldn’t be real. Maybe her sad, pathetic mind had finally broken completely.

She probed his brain, sensing the man still there beneath the much simpler animal brainwaves. But he felt hazy, cut off from her.

Werewolf.

The word flashed into her brain and she saw it for truth.

He stopped only inches from her and studied her, head cocked to one side, eyes wary. She could see the understanding and caution in them. But no pain.

Whatever he was, he was immune to her mind, and her lips tugged upward in a brief smile. Then she reached out a trembling hand and laid it on his head. The fur was silky soft beneath her palm.

The wolf showed no fear. He took a final step toward her and nuzzled her with his cold nose, poking her in the belly, sniffing her fingers. A warm velvety tongue came out and licked her palm.