Moonlight (15 page)

“You’re so sexy, Lana.” Desire filled his gaze, heating my skin.

I smiled as I tossed my bra across the room.

I moved down his body, tugging his jeans free and dropping them to the floor before wriggling out of my own. The slick silk of my black panties was the only barrier left between us. I knew if I took them off now it’d be too easy to lose control. This time, I wanted to enjoy the passion that burned between us until we were both about to combust.

Okay, so I wanted him to beg me to take him.

Looking down at Adam’s perfectly chiseled body, not to mention his amazing green eyes and dangerous sexy smile, made me hot and anxious to feel him deep inside of me. But right now my attention was being drawn to the fine line of dark hair running down below his navel. I wet my lips.

My pulse raced as I laid back over him, moaning as my breasts met the heat of his chest. His kisses were hot and hard, demanding. Our tongues danced, and I rocked my hips against him until he moaned into the kiss, his teeth pressing against my lips. We couldn’t get close enough.

Breathless, I kissed my way down his neck, nipping at his shoulder as I made my way lower. Adam’s fingers tangled in my hair, and I felt his breath catch as I licked his nipple slowly before kissing my way downward. I looked up at him, and his gaze locked with mine as I slowly took him into my mouth. Adam’s hands clenched my hair as his hips rocked up.

When he groaned my name, I hummed around him, teasing his chest with my fingernails. His hips worked in an urgent rhythm against my mouth until I could feel him pulsing, his fingers tightening in my hair. Slowly, I pulled back. His fingers came free of my hair, and I stood up, peeling my underwear off while he watched.

“You’re driving me crazy.” He sounded breathless.

“Good,” I whispered as I tossed the black silk aside.

I crawled over him, kissing my way back up his chest. When our lips fused together, my hips instinctively tilted toward him. I let out a satisfied moan when he filled me. Our bodies fit so perfectly together that I felt every muscle shiver with pleasure. His strong hands moved down my back, his fingers splayed out until he clasped my hips, pressing me against him as he thrust deeper into me.

Breaking the kiss, I sat up over him, working my hips faster, feeling him reaching sensitive places I didn’t even realize I had. I’d always been comfortable in my own skin, but never in my life had I felt so sexy and powerful as I did right then. Seeing Adam look up at me like I was the most desirable woman in the world made my heart race. I reached for his hands and guided them up from my hips to cup my breasts. His fingers teased my nipples, and my back arched as my muscles clenched around him. Adam’s hips rocked harder and faster until he followed me over the peak.

I collapsed against his chest, completely out of breath and unable to stop smiling. Adam rolled us over without letting our bodies separate. His thumbs caressed my temples and he kissed my lips, tender, soft, lingering kisses.

“I love seeing you smile,” Adam whispered.

“Feels good to smile.” I rested my forehead against his. “Whatever we find out tomorrow, I’m ready.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Adam

I rolled my shoulders back, trying to loosen the tension knotting between my shoulder blades. We’d met the PI for Lana’s file, and now she sat in the reference section of the San Antonio library culling through archives of the newspaper for any mention of a baby wrapped in a sweatshirt with the Nero logo on it.

I wandered the aisles, never straying far from the reference section. My nerves were on edge. We’d been in San Antonio for almost twenty-four hours. Long enough for Sebastian to pick up our trail. Especially if Nero knew about Lana’s records in San Antonio. It wouldn’t be a huge stretch to figure Lana would look for answers about her parents. Once I satisfied myself that the interior of the library was clear of any trace of Sebastian or some other jaguar, I wandered back over to the table where Lana was working.

“Did you find anything?”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “There’s a story from September 1988 about a Baby Doe left on the steps of the San Fernando Cathedral downtown. According to the paper, her parents didn’t come forward.” She looked up at me, and the urge to kiss her welled up inside of me like a dam about to burst. She was sexy even doing research.

“It could be me,” she continued. “There wasn’t a picture with the article so Nero never would have seen the sweatshirt I was wrapped in. Maybe that’s the only reason I vanished from their radar.”

I hated thinking about Lana being abandoned, no idea she was a shifter. No family to teach her. What if someone had stolen her off those church steps? I didn’t realize I was grinding my teeth until she reached up to caress my cheek.

“I’m okay, Adam.”

I shook my head. “You could’ve died.”

“Maybe they thought that’d be better than me being a science experiment.”

I nodded, but I didn’t agree. Family wasn’t something to be tossed aside. The irony that I might need to walk away from my own didn’t escape me. But if Lana’s father really was still alive, wouldn’t he have checked on her at some point? Lana ended up spending her life growing up in foster homes, moving from place to place. She could have been abused or worse. I didn’t want to think of the other outcomes. The fact that she grew up and sent herself to college was very lucky. The odds weren’t in her favor.

“No trace of Sebastian inside, but I’m going to check around the perimeter. Stretch my legs a little.” I stood up, scanning the room again. “You’ll stay right here, right?”

She glanced up at me. “I’m planning on it.”

“All right.” I bent to kiss her and headed toward the main desk of the library.

When I stepped outside the hot, stale air wrapped around me like a blanket. I could feel my shirt sticking to my skin already. I wiped the sweat from my eyes and started off to my right. The San Antonio library’s modern architecture and bright peach color made it stand out from its surroundings, and without much vegetation around it, any stray jaguars would have a tough time surprising me. I breathed in clues to the people who had already passed by. I picked up the scents of children with fresh wads of bubble gum, old women who smelled faintly of mothballs and hairspray, and even a few dogs. I rounded the second corner and my whole body jolted to attention.

I knew that scent.
Fuck
. Sebastian was close by.

I circled slowly, looking into every shadow, searching for any indication of someone watching me. Not seeing any sign of trouble, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. When I opened my eyes again I gave myself over to my animal instincts.

I walked, sometimes jogged, and finally came to a stop behind the library. The scent was coming from a park across the street. I hustled that direction, adrenaline pumping. Instinctively, I reached down to my belt, brushing my fingers over the hilt of my knife. My gun was at the hotel, but I couldn’t fire on him out here anyway. The last thing we needed was for me to be arrested and leave Lana unprotected in San Antonio while I waited to be bailed out.

As I got closer, blood mixed with Sebastian’s scent. My heart pounded as I made my way over to the slide. The scent of blood and jaguar was getting stronger. The tip of an adult-sized black shoe stuck out of the long shadow cast by the slide.

I moved closer, squinting into the shadows. “Sebastian?”

He leaned out to look at me, and I frowned. His face was all beat-to-hell. His mangled shirt barely covered his bruised ribs, blood oozed from his corner of his mouth.

“Jesus. What the hell happened to you?”

“Where is Lana?” he wheezed through his split lip.

“None of your concern. She’s safe.”

His eyes widened. “You left her alone? You stupid wolf. I warned her that if I didn’t bring her back soon Nero would send another.”

Oh shit
. “I’ve been watching, but your scent is the only jaguar I’ve found.” My blood ran cold and in spite of the Texas heat, I felt a chill.

“Trust me.” He wiped blood from his nose. “Sasha’s here, another assassin. Get Lana and keep her safe.”

I nodded, and then I ran. I ran like I was about to lose the most important thing in my life.

As I rounded the west side of the large library, movement and the metal clanging of trashcans in the alley across the street caught my attention. I glanced over and my heart stuttered.

Aren. Being held at gunpoint.

Dammit
! I wanted to shield my family from Nero, and now Aren was mixed up in it too.

I took a silent step closer. The woman dressed in black with a handgun pointed at my brother’s head must be Sasha. For the first time in my life I wished I was telepathic. I wanted to tell Aren I was there, that I’d take her out. But instead I stayed silent. I crept from a dumpster to a parked car, watching and praying I’d catch her off-guard.

“What kind of jaguar hunts with a gun?” Aren jibed.

“The kind of jaguar who knows she’s smaller than a big dumb wolf. Where is your girlfriend?” Her gloved finger gripped the trigger, and silently I begged my brother to shut the hell up.

“I put her on a plane,” he said. “She’s probably in Reno by now.”

The jaguar slammed her knee into his groin so quick that I winced. Aren’s legs buckled, and he fell to the ground coughing. She squatted down beside him and raised her hand, but before she could clock him with the butt of her pistol she leaned in a little closer taking a deep breath.

Suddenly she straightened up, her brow furrowed. “Her scent is all over this town, but it’s not on you.”

“That’s because
I’m
her boyfriend.” I stepped out from behind the metal trash bin.

The woman pivoted and pointed her gun right at my head. Aren didn’t hesitate. He reached out and grabbed her ankles, yanking her feet out from under her. A gunshot echoed through the alley as Aren wrestled with the jaguar. He slammed her hand against the pavement until the gun skittered across the blacktop. I ran over and tucked the gun in my belt before she could reach for it.

I waited for an opening to help my brother, but the petite woman in head-to-toe black leather was holding her own. The two rolled over so many times it was tough to tell where one ended and the other started. Suddenly she head-butted Aren, stunning him long enough to break free of his grip. She struggled out from under him and scrambled free, leaving my brother dazed. The other end of the alley was a dead end. She only had one exit. Through me.

She stared me down for a second before she sprinted toward me, throwing a nasty elbow into my ribs. I caught her arm and jerked her in close. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“To finish my mission.”

“Your mission is over.”

I could see the goose egg forming on her forehead. She might think twice before head-butting a thickheaded werewolf again. Aren stood up, wiping the blood off of his face with the bottom of his shirt as he made his way over to us.

“Her mission is aborted.” Aren kept his gaze squarely on her face, but he still looked dazed and maybe a little confused.

She glared at him. “Wolves aren’t my mission.”

Before I realized it, the jaguar spun to the right, breaking free of my grip on her arm. Aren started to chase after her, but I called him back.

“Aren, let her go. We’ve gotta get to Lana.”

“What?” He was still looking in the direction the jaguar ran. Finally he turned toward me, his nostrils flaring. “You’re not serious. You still trust her after this? Come on, Adam, that jaguar thought I was you, and she attacked me.”

“Because she wants
Lana
. I don’t have time to explain right now. Just help me protect her.”

Aren cast one more glance in the direction his attacker went and then shook his head, muttering under his breath, “It’s you I’m worried about protecting.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lana

I finished with the newspaper archives and started reexamining what was left of my foster care records. I entered a couple of notes on my laptop, but before I could digest the information I caught the scent of blood wafting around me. My entire body went on full alert. When Adam rounded the corner with his twin, I frowned. Aren’s nose was bruised and swollen, and he had blood all over his shirt.

“What happened?” I looked Adam up and down, relieved to see he didn’t look injured. I glanced at Aren. “What’s he doing here? Have you been following us?”

“We’ve gotta get out of here. Now.”

He had me by the arm so quickly that I almost didn’t get a chance to grab the envelope and my laptop from the table. “What’s going on? Did you see Sebastian?”

“Yes,” he said, scanning the library.

We headed for the doors. Adam was in front, I hustled up behind him, and Aren was right after me. If I hadn’t been terrified, I would’ve laughed to find myself in the center of a werewolf sandwich.

When Adam opened the door to our floor, his shirt rose up and caught on something. I didn’t realize what it was until I walked past him.

“When did you get a gun? What’s going on?”

“Let’s get to the hotel first. Then I’ll explain”

We got outside and Adam frowned. “Dammit. We took a cab here. Who knows how long it’ll take to get one.”

Aren yanked keys from his pocket. “I have a rental in the lot straight ahead.”

Adam grabbed the keys, and we all ran toward the lot. Aren took the lead with Adam and I close behind. The automatic locks popped open as we neared a white Lexus. “I’m driving. You could have a concussion.”

“I don’t have a damn concussion.” Aren grunted, but he climbed in the back seat just the same.

Once we were in, Adam pulled out and got us back to the Fairmount without incident. “Stay together,” he commanded. Adam made sure I was directly behind him in the parking structure, and I rolled my eyes.

“We know what Sebastian looks like. It’s not like we wouldn’t see him coming.”

Aren nudged me forward to follow Adam to the elevator. Ugh. Men.

Safely inside our hotel room, I set my laptop and file on the table and turned. “Okay, one of you start talking. Did Sebastian do this? And where did you get a gun? I thought you left it here in your bag.”

They looked at each other. Aren shook his head, stalking over to the window. I guess he still didn’t want to be anywhere near me. Great.

Adam pulled the gun out and laid it on top of my envelope. “This wasn’t Sebastian. Nero sent another jaguar. Sebastian’s pretty beat up, too.”

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Did you get a good look at him? Do we know who we’re watching out for?”

“It’s a woman, Lana. She’s the one who cracked Aren’s nose.”

My eyebrows rose, and I looked over at the back of Aren’s head. I was pretty proud of myself for biting back the comment I wanted to make.

Something struck me, and I looked up at Adam. “Wait…it was a woman? I know they were trying to breed female jaguars, but Sebastian told me they still weren’t being born into their powers.”

Aren finally turned around. “She wasn’t born into her power. Someone converted her.”

I glanced over his way. “How do you know that?”

He pointed to his shoulder just above his collarbone. “She had a scar right here. I saw it while we were scuffling on the ground.”

I shook my head. “So why would they send her out on missions? Sebastian made it sound like they capture females and convert them for breeding.” My gut twisted at the thought. Knowing I was a product of one of their sick breeding experiments didn’t help. “From the records we read and Sebastian’s cryptic comments, it doesn’t sound like the women who go inside Nero ever come out again.”

His voice echoed in my mind telling me my mother was “eliminated.”

“She was well trained and fast.” Aren glanced over at Adam from the window. “And that pistol is police issue.”

“You think she’s a cop?” Adam looked as surprised as I felt.

“I think she used to be.”

“Before someone bit her?” I shook my head. “Why would a police officer start working for a covert corporation? Are you sure she was from Nero? Why would she beat up Sebastian if she’s on his side?”

“Who knows?” Adam replied. “But she had that same tattoo—that lion with the ‘N’ on the forehead. I saw it on her wrist when she elbowed me.”

“It doesn’t make sense. She’s got to know they kill people.” I still couldn’t wrap my brain around a police officer working for Nero.

“They could have threatened her family.” Adam shrugged. “Maybe she was in love, and after she got bitten she still wanted to work? It doesn’t really matter right now. We’ve gotta get back to Reno.”

Aren looked out the window again. “I’ll stay behind and slow her down.”

Adam shook his head. “No way. We go together.”

Aren shifted his gaze my way, before he looked at his brother. “Look, Adam, maybe I was wrong. Maybe Lana isn’t trying to set you up, but now you’re mixed up in this too. I can help you get out of it. I’ve got the jaguar’s scent and you’ve got her gun. I’ll keep her here and keep her busy while you get back to the Pack.”

Adam ground his teeth together, his gaze moving between his brother and me. “You’ll be right behind us?”

Aren nodded. “I’ll be on a flight in the morning.”

Adam stepped up and embraced his twin. I watched them hold each other tight before they stepped back, and my heart clenched in my chest. They were brothers. And now, once again, I was coming between them.

“Ready?” Adam handed the gun to Aren.

He shook his head. “I don’t need a gun.”

“Take it just in case,” Adam said.

“She was just as dangerous without the gun.” Aren rubbed the knot on his forehead.

“There’s another jaguar here, too.”

“What?” Aren dropped his hand, looking over at Adam. “Besides Lana?”

Adam nodded. “Yeah. His name’s Sebastian. I don’t know which team he’s really playing for, so stay alert. Don’t trust him.”

“Like I would ever trust a cat.” Aren smirked, then he seemed to remember I was in the room because his expression faltered. But he didn’t bother to apologize. Instead he clasped Adam’s forearm. “See you back home.”

“Be careful,” I said, but Aren only nodded as he headed out the door. He didn’t even look at me.

There wasn’t time to think about what a racist jerk he was, though. Adam grabbed the duffel bag, and we hurried out of the room. We hopped in a cab at the back entrance and made it to the airport without any incidents. Inside the ticketing area, Adam seemed to relax a little. He took my hand and smiled at me, but I couldn’t muster much of a smile back.

“Everything’s going to be okay.” He lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “What’d I miss when I left the library? Find anything new?”

“I double checked dates against the Nero documents, and I’m almost positive I was the Baby Doe on the steps of the San Fernando Cathedral. And I think the sweatshirt they returned to me when I got older is pretty solid proof I was the missing baby from the Nero report.”

“That means you definitely have a twin brother somewhere.”

I nodded. “Sebastian seemed a little shaken when I asked him about it. He said my father is still with Nero.” The phrase “my father” felt foreign on my tongue.

We went through security and waited at the terminal for our flight. I lost track of the time, my mind wandering over the information I’d gathered on the trip. It was pretty easy to guess why Nero wanted me now. I was a female born as a shifter with a male twin. An anomaly. No doubt they wanted to study my DNA. My initiation into the “breeding program” probably wouldn’t be far behind. They’d want to know if I could reproduce female shifters.

Just thinking about it made me want a shower. I couldn’t let them get their hooks in me. Ever.

Forcing the thoughts from my mind, I looked over at Adam. His green eyes were still scanning the airport terminal. His muscles were taut like he was ready to spring into action at any moment. It was hard to believe just last night I fell asleep in those same arms.

He caught me looking at him and his lips curved up just a little. “We’ll sort everything out when we get home. You’ll see.”

Home. I nodded, but the word settled like sand in my stomach. Reno was Adam’s home, not mine. I didn’t have a home. I’d never had one.

Now that I understood what I was, and why Nero might want me, it was pretty obvious they weren’t going to give up until they had me. And after spending time with Aren, it was pretty clear the Pack would never accept me as Adam’s mate either. The best thing for everyone would be for me to disappear. I leaned my head against Adam’s shoulder, grateful for the comfort of his arm when he pulled me closer. I closed my eyes and breathed him in.

God, it would hurt to leave him.

We had a quiet plane ride back to Reno. It was dark when we landed, but the night air felt good on my face as Adam drove the Jeep back from the hotel toward his ranch.

“Are you sure it’s safe to take me to your place?”

“It’ll be fine.” He reached over to rest his hand on my thigh. “I called Luke and let him know I was on my way back so he could go home.”

I nodded, but it stung. Being reminded I was a big secret emphasized the fact that they were his family and I could never be a part of it. I closed my eyes and tried to bottle up my feelings as best I could.

We pulled in the driveway and got out to grab the bags. Adam slung the duffel bag over his shoulder before catching my hand in his. He pulled me close for a kiss and grinned. “Good to be back home.”

I smiled up at him. I couldn’t help it. “It’s good to see you smile.”

He opened the front door of the house and his smile vanished instantly. “Luke. I thought you were going home.”

A young guy, maybe eighteen or twenty, stood up and started walking toward us. He had dark brown hair like Adam’s, but it was longer, past his shoulders, and his eyes were light blue, piercing, wolf eyes. His skin was tanned too, which only made his eyes stand out even more.

He smiled at Adam, but it faded away as he got closer to the door.

Oh shit. It’s because of me
.

He had to be catching my scent. I spun around and jogged back to the Jeep.

“Lana, wait.” I heard Adam call to me.

I hopped in the front seat and scooped the keys off the floor. I jerked the handle and pulled the seat forward, then fired up the engine. I wasn’t going to
steal
Chaney, just take it for a drive. Alone.

It took me a minute to get the feel of the clutch. I hadn’t driven a stick shift in a couple of years, but it all came back and I drove right by Adam and his friend. Brother? Could Adam have a younger brother he didn’t tell me about?

It didn’t matter. I had no idea who Luke might be, and although Adam liked to think I was his mate, he kept me at arm’s distance. Even if I couldn’t meet his family, I would’ve hoped he’d at least confide in me about them. I only knew about Aren because his twin had hunted me down. For all I knew, Adam had a bunch of brothers, aunts, uncles—all the family I didn’t have.

I wiped at the tears that rolled down my cheeks, letting the night air dry my skin. I didn’t know where I was going, but it didn’t really matter. I needed to get away. Adam claimed to love me, but how could I accept it when it meant he’d have to leave his family? Not to mention the danger I’d brought to his hometown. Danger seemed to follow me everywhere I went these days.

I drove back to Circus Circus, grateful now that I hadn’t checked out when we left for San Antonio. I pulled into the parking lot and collapsed against the steering wheel. After a few good heaving sobs, I took a deep breath. Feeling sorry for myself wasn’t going to solve anything. I needed a hot shower, some time to think, and a plan.

My brow furrowed, and I sniffed. How could I possibly be smelling Sebastian? I peered out into the dim light, grateful for my keen feline vision. I got out of the Jeep quietly and wandered through the parked cars, following the scent that shouldn’t be here. “Sebastian?”

I kept my voice low, but he would be able to hear. I slipped my hand in my pocket, relieved to feel my cell phone there. If Sebastian was really going to take me back to Nero I was pretty sure he would’ve already taken me, but I also didn’t feel like he was going to help me escape them either. Until I knew whose side he was really on, knowing I could dial 911 gave me a little piece of mind.

I turned back to the Jeep and gasped.

Leaning against the spare tire on the back was a very beaten up Sebastian.

“What happened to you?”

“No questions now.” He looked straight ahead. “We’re not safe here. You still have your room, right?”

“Yes, I didn’t check out.”

He nodded. “Take me inside. We can talk there.”

I wasn’t excited about being alone in a hotel room with Sebastian again, but he had information I needed. And although I couldn’t put my finger on the moment that our relationship shifted, something had changed. I couldn’t be sure of Sebastian’s motives, but taking me to Nero seemed to have fallen lower on his list. For now.

Safely in my room, he peered out the window, checking the parking area below. Finally he closed the drapes and headed into the bathroom. He came out with a damp washcloth. His face looked bad, but I didn’t feel comfortable offering to help him. Since he attacked me the first time we met, my relationship with Sebastian was tenuous at best.

“How did you get here so fast?” I asked.

He pressed the washcloth to his nose. “When I told the wolf to protect you, I knew he would bring you back to his Pack. I am in no condition to wander into a wolf pack at the moment, so I came here to wait.” He glanced at the blood on the washcloth and refolded it. “Where is the wolf?”

“He should be here soon.” No sense letting Sebastian feel like he could stay. “Adam told me Nero sent another jaguar to San Antonio.” I watched him cleaning up. “She really messed you up.”

Sebastian winced as he wiped at the dried blood on his lip. “These are scratches. No real damage.” He stopped, and his head snapped in my direction. “How did you know it was a female? Did you see her?”