Runner's Moon Trilogy Megabook Series (6 page)

Her voice gave out, leaving her with another onset of fresh, wracking sobs. Arms like giant oak tree limbs went around her, drawing her tight against his wall of a chest.

Slowly Hannah lifted her arms and twined them around his neck.

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There would be no more hitting. No more bruising. No more nights filled with blinding pain and blood. It was over.

She was free of Carl. Because they had never married, there was no obligation between them. He had no hold whatsoever on her. Especially on her heart.

Yeah, he would probably come after her to try and get her back. But deep inside, Hannah knew he wouldn't succeed. Jeb wouldn't let him, and the thought of this tall, dark man becoming her absolute protector was like a miracle come true.

"Because I could not bear the thought of him hurting you any more."

A deep friendship may lead to deeper discoveries.

Oh, God, she hoped so.

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"What's wrong?"

Jeb rested his back against the side of the phone booth. He knew his brother would be aware of something not being right, which was one of the reasons he had called.

"Your blood line has been pumping like a Synergian sun crystal for the past two days," Simolif spoke in their native tongue. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. But something's happened I need to let you know about."

He heard his older brother sigh on the other end of the line. Simolif, or Simon as he called himself on this world when he was in his human guise, was his only blood tie left alive.

They were as close as siblings could be, which was an extraordinary circumstance considering the Arra took great pains to keep family members apart.

Unconsciously Jeb glanced at the thin skin covering his inner arm. Sunset was a few minutes away. Once darkness fell, he would have the ability to shed this covering and let his own skin breathe. Fortunately for Simolif, the city where he lived was already dark.

"Did someone see the real you?" Simolif questioned.

"No. Umm ... not yet."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm in a little town called Tumbril Harbor. I was promised work here at the lumbermill."

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"You told me your job in Laughlin was coming to an end, but I thought you said you were heading to Clearwater."

"That's ... umm, the reason I didn't is why my blood line has been acting so strangely." Pressing his lips together, Jeb informed him, "I brought a woman with me."

There was a pause, a silence that felt curiously odd, then a single word response.

"Oh?"

Quickly he explained what had occurred, and why he had brought Hannah with him to this town. Simon listened carefully until he was through.

"You're developing feelings for this woman," he sensed.

"Yeah."

"That's impossible."

"Believe it. It took me a while to accept it. But now that I have her with me, and I can touch her and smell her ... I have never been more certain of anything in my life."

"But she's human. How is it possible?"

"I don't know!" Jeb laughed out loud. His confession was liberating. Saying it aloud, and being truthful with both himself and his brother, gave him an overwhelming feeling of lightness. His admission had rendered him light-headed from the realization he had found his one true other self. It was more than a miracle. It was more than either of them had expected.

Simon tsked loudly, chuckling. "I will send up prayers tonight that you have been blessed."

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"Please do," Jeb asked, suddenly sober. "I cannot wait to see what our next step is. There is a major obstacle still facing us, unfortunately."

"Why do you say that?"

"She hasn't seen the real me."

"Yet."

"Yet," Jeb concurred. It was inevitable. Sooner or later, he knew he would either have to reveal himself to her, or she would find out on her own.

"And you think she will turn away from you when she does?" Simon asked.

The remark made Jeb laugh at the irony. "She's just left a man who was a monster to her. What do you think she'll do when she sees the real thing?"

"We're not monsters," Simon said softly but with emphasis. "We just look different."

Jeb disagreed. "You're wrong, my brother. Have you seen the movies? Most of their monsters are horrid-looking creatures with no resemblance to man. And many of them are from space."

There was a sigh of disappointment. "I think you're wrong, Jebaral. And do you know why I think that?"

"You're going to tell me anyway." Jeb chuckled, but felt curious nonetheless.

"Because I hear something different in your voice. You can hide behind that wall of doubt all you want, but I can still hear it, even over this line. Hear it. Smell it. You know she won't turn you away, but you'll have to be careful how you approach her."

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There was another long pause, then Simon asked, "Does she really make you happy?"

Jeb groaned softly, unaware of his response. "In ways I can't begin to explain."

"Have you tried to—"

"No," Jeb hastily replied. It was already torture having her touch him, and touching her back, without dwelling on the possibility of making love to her. Besides, neither he nor Simon had any idea if they could manage to perform such an intimate act while still in their human forms. Much less to a non-Ruinos female.

"Why not?"

He laughed aloud. "I want to, Simolif. Oh, dearest heavens, I feel like there's a planetary rift tearing me apart inside."

This time it was Simon who groaned. "I envy you. What I wouldn't give to find a female who would accept me. Tell me more about her. About this Hannah."

Readjusting his position, Jeb leaned his head back against the glass enclosure. "Her beauty is unsurpassed because of her inner strength. I feel as if she can see right inside me.

Not only that, she has all the qualities of a true woman of our kind. She hates but forgives. She's smart but continues to question. She is a survivor of the first caliber. Most of all, she is willing to give of herself. Give, and give freely. I know if she can accept me, there will be no limits between us."

The sun was below the tree line in the distance. Already he could feel his body tugging on the pseudo-skin encasing his body.

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"Jebaral, you know I have to ask this," Simon said.

A fist inside his chest began beating against his ribs. It was the one question he dreaded hearing. But it was the one he had to eventually face.

"What will you do if you take her ... and there is no consummation? There is no blood line formed?"

Stars were brightening in the eastern sky. A coolness spread over him. It was his body telling him he was finally free of the sun's restraints. If he wanted to, he could shapeshift now. Or he could keep the façade on for a few more hours if he chose. For the time being, Jeb chose to remain human.

"Jeb?"

"Then I will have no choice but to let her go," he replied. A bolt of pain shot through him so intense he hissed. Simon would force him to face the reality of his situation. His brother would make him face the truth that maybe Hannah was not the woman he was meant to have.

The pain went through him again, just as hurtful as it had been the first time.

"Jeb?"

"Yeah?"

"How can I ease the hurt?"

Slowly Jeb shook his head. Simon would be able to see how strongly he was reacting to his probing questions. The blood line in his brother's arm was as telling as seeing Jeb himself face-to-face.

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"She has to be the one, Simon. I know it. She has to be.

Why else would I feel this kind of agony? Or this strong a pull?"

For once, surprisingly, Simon agreed with him. All his life he and his brother had disagreed on practically everything.

Their arguments had been forceful but congenial, harboring no hatred or ill will. That was the way it was between them.

Jeb couldn't remember the last time when Simon had acquiesced to one of his decisions.

"For the sake of your happiness, I pray she is. Like I said before, I am envious." There was a shifting in the background. "The sun is down," Simon remarked. He had sensed the deepening twilight on Jeb's end.

"Yeah. I need to go back. I got some painkillers with a sleeping agent in them to help her rest."

"You mean to keep her unconscious while you rest," Simon teased him. Jeb chuckled. "How long do you plan to stay there in Tumbril Harbor? Tumbril ... hmm, tumbril ... My memory says that name is a death object."

"It was a cart used to haul prisoners to their death. When the town was first settled, a lot of the lumber the mill produced was shipped overseas to Europe. The townspeople say no one really knows why this place was stuck with such a grisly name when the bulk of its lumber went to build sailing vessels."

Simon laughed aloud. "Only you, brother, would find such a place to settle. Very well, I have the number of the lodge where you are staying. I will let you go so you can revive yourself. One last thing, though."

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Jeb smiled. "What?"

"When you finally reveal yourself to her, and you explain why we are here, be sure to let her know that I am the handsome one."

Jeb laughed loudly at the notion, knowing what had made Simon make such a request. "I will promise nothing, brother, until I am certain her body and spirit are mine and mine alone. Then I will let her know of your existence."

The laughter on the other end was his answer. "If that is your decision—"

"It is, Simolif. Accept it or refuse it, but that is my final word."

More laughter followed. The two bid each other a restful night, and Jeb hung up feeling better than he had in the past couple of days.

Without saying as much, Simolif had given him his blessings.

Jeb knew he had found his life's partner. The vessel where his spirit could take refuge, to revive and take comfort in.

But because she was human, he had to be careful how he would approach her with the truth.

The phone booth was a block away from the motel. From where he had been standing, he had watched the neon sign come on and start flashing when dusk had settled. He couldn't see the truck or the bungalow, but the tall pines flanking the rear of the motel were dark and inviting.

It was their first night together. By all the suns in the universe, he prayed it wouldn't be the last.

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"Well?" Hannah greeted him when he walked into the bungalow.

Jeb flashed her a smile. She was propped up in bed with her pillow behind her back, and the sheet and blanket in her lap. In the lamp's pale glow her face appeared eerily like a mask. The black and dark purple bruises, plus the swelling, made one side of her face contrast sharply with the other.

"Well, what? Did you take those capsules I gave you?"

She had been watching television when he came in.

Clicking it off, she laid the remote on the table beside her.

"Yeah. Did you call the mill?"

"Yes, I did. I left a message on their answering machine to let them know I was in town, and that I would be coming by Monday morning to apply for a job there."

An expression he couldn't identify glistened in her eyes.

The scent of worry drifted around her with its apple aroma.

Trying to put her at ease, Jeb added, "You know, if this place doesn't work out for us, we can always move on. But not until next Sunday."

"Sunday? Why next Sunday?"

"Because that's when the next week's rent is due. So until then, you're stuck with me here in this place."

The remark got the kind of response he wanted. Hannah's worry disappeared with a careful giggle. He didn't miss the hand that suddenly flew to her damaged cheek. "Give the 80

medicine time to work. You know, if you had let me take you to the hospital, the doctor would have given you a prescription for something stronger."

"I know." She nodded slowly. "But I couldn't take the risk they would try to blame you for this, and I would be out cold or something and unable to tell them differently."

* * * *

She watched as he locked and latched the door. That done, he strolled over to the opposite side of the bed and stared out the big window. It was a large one, with two vertical panes and a toggle in the center. Earlier she had opened it and let the two glass panels swing outward. The evening air smelled wonderful. Even now the scent of fresh pine filled the little room. "Tell me what you're thinking."

The moon hadn't risen yet. The only light on in the lodge was the one on the nightstand near her elbow. Staring at him, Hannah once again marveled at the sight of his strong profile. The thick, black, slightly curly hair. The impossibly wide shoulders with long, strong arms. And his hands. Large hands that had seen a lot of manual labor, but were kept clean. Hannah believed that the true measure of a man could be seen in his hands. How clean they were. Whether or not the nails were kept trim and neat. Jeb Morr took pride in his appearance, she could tell. But not in the prissy way some men did. Mr. Morr cared less about what brand of clothing he wore, and more about his general appearance.

"Jeb?" she nudged. A yawn suddenly caught her unaware.

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"You need to tuck yourself in, Hannah." He smiled at her.

"It's been a long day for both of us."

"Not until you answer my question."

He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I'm thinking I'd like to take a walk through those trees."

"Tonight?" Her eyes widened. "In the dark?"

"The moon'll be up in a little while. There should be enough light to see by. Besides, I'm feeling restless."

She made a little motion with her hands. She understood the meaning of feeling restless. There were plenty of nights when she had either been too scared or too worried to get to sleep, especially when it was after two in the morning and Carl wasn't home yet from the bars. Involuntarily her eyes went to the brown bag still sitting on the floor between the bed and the nightstand.

The sound of movement drew her attention back to where Jeb was heading for the door. "You're really going back out, aren't you?"

"You'll be safe. I won't go far. Just to stretch my legs and give myself some room to think."

She saw his eyes jump to the empty side of the bed before he turned away. All at once she knew why he was being reticent. "Jeb?"

"Go ahead and get to sleep. The more you rest, the quicker you'll heal." Flashing her another quick grin, he exited the lodge, closing the door firmly behind him. Hannah stared at the door.

"Just to stretch my legs and give myself some room to think."

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No. He had to get away, if only for a short while. He was escaping being with her. Being ... in bed with her.

Sliding under the covers, she pulled on her pillow until it was beneath her head. The room was quiet except for the gentle chirping of crickets. Every now and then the wind would caress the trees, sending another wave of pine-scented air through the window into the cabin.

She turned off the lamp. He would return. His word was good. And he would eventually lie down beside her. She refused to believe it was her face making him reluctant to join her in bed. There had to be other reasons. Maybe he was ashamed of the fact he had practically kidnapped her. Or maybe he liked her, just not in that way. Romantically.

Memories of the way he had touched her face, with his fingertips stroking her swollen lips with undeniable tenderness, brought a tingling to her toes. Hannah wriggled her feet under the cool sheet. She thought he was going to kiss her right then and there, and she would have let him.

Even with the blistering pain in her face, she would have welcomed his soft lips. Soft and comforting.

But he hadn't. He had held her. Wrapped himself around her like a big blanket and let her cry until there were no more tears. The man cared for her. She would bet her life on it. Jeb truly cared about her, so what was holding him back from tucking himself in next to her? Good grief, it wasn't as if I want sex from him!

The tingling shot up her legs and crashed headlong into the juncture between her thighs. Heat fluttered there, teasing 83

and burning, and creating a moistness that seemed to seep into the sheets. The jolt made her jerk in response.

Oh, God, who am I trying to kid? She wanted to make love to him. She wanted his big warm body on top of hers because she knew he would make her feel protected. There was no way she could explain what she knew, but deep inside her soul the act of making love with him would be nothing like it had been with Carl. Which was one of many reasons why she yearned to have him. The simple knowledge that Jeb would never hurt her was enough to win her heart. And the thought she could spend the next eighty years of her life in his company would fill her nights with countless dreams. So why was he acting almost scared? Hannah could understand if the man was married, but he was a loner going from town to town, from job to job, like a true nomad. No way was there a Mrs. Jeb Morr—

Hannah gasped as a cold hand swiped over her body, and the chill sank deep inside her chest.

What if Jeb Morr was acting this way because he was gay?

Tears welled into her eyes. Hannah turned and pressed her face into the pillow. That would explain everything—his devotion, his slightly standoffish reluctance, and the fact he treated her more like a little sister than a woman he wanted a future with.

It all made sense to her now. If she was to remain with him, it would be as a companion and no more. No sex. No deep kisses. No passionate entanglements.

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He had promised to take care of her until she was well, and then she was free to go her own way. Neat. Simple.

Without any promises given so they could be broken.

She curled her legs up against her belly and tucked her arms against her chest. Before she was aware of it, she was asleep, as outside the moon peeked through the trees and into the room.

* * * *

The woods were less than twenty feet from the rear of the motel. Sliding between the trees, Jeb waited until he found a tiny clearing. Once he knew there was no one else about, he shed his clothes and dropped them on the ground. Naked, he lifted his arms until they were away from his body, and he sighed as the false skin slowly sank into his pores.

The air was cool on his freshly-revealed true self. In a minute or two, after the moist residue of the recede evaporated, Jebaral began running. Pushing himself to go faster, pumping his legs until he was almost a blur, he sprinted through the surrounding forest. Leaves and branches slapped against his impervious hide where his natural covering acted as body armor.

There was nothing on this world, outside of their most fearsome weapons, that could hurt him. He had taken some of the worst torture the Arra could devise and he had survived. Now he was free from the horrors he and the others had faced when the Arra had landed on his world and 85

captured them. To force them into a life of servitude with whatever race paid the greatest price.

Servitude. Or perhaps worse. There were many races out there for whom the Arra provided flesh for the banquet tables. It was a well-known fact Ruinos had some of the tenderest meat beneath their tough, protective hides, which was why Barandat Vor had been plundered with gusto for the past ten or so generations.

Jebaral shook his head, hoping to clear away the worst of the memories. His people's history was vague now. As a race, they were nearly extinct. He would not be surprised to learn the thirty-one escapees to this planet were the last of their species.

The land dipped drastically, opening up to a small valley.

He stopped to survey the beauty spread before him. He loved the way the moon bathed its milky glow over the land. The Earth gave up its secrets to him in ways the inhabitants of this world couldn't begin to understand or appreciate. A big lungful of the night air told him many things. It spoke of creatures large and small scurrying among the foliage and above the trees. There were other humans in the aromatic stream, but they were far away, most of them tucked inside their homes.

Other humans.

Hannah.

He turned to glance over his shoulder. Several miles separated them, but he could still feel her. Hear her breathing slow. Smell her sorrow. Sense her worry and unhappiness.

She wanted him with her in that bed. It would mean his 86

downfall if he gave in to his urges. To this need flooding every cell in his body. Bowing his head, Jebaral groaned at the impact she had on him.

Of the thirty-one Ruinos who had escaped, eleven were female. They were the sum of a civilization that had once numbered over twenty million.

Of the eleven females, three had been mated and were past child-bearing ages. Four were children, not yet old enough to seek, much less take, a life partner.

That left four females. Four, on whom the fate of an entire race rested. And their future looked even more bleak. A Ruinos female would not be able to conceive until she found her true life partner, and their blood had merged.

On the ship he and all the other males had approached the four females, wondering if they were bonded to one of them.

To everyone's disappointment, nothing had developed. And now with the survivors scattered all over the continent—

perhaps all over the world by now—it would be a miracle if any of his race managed to reproduce.

Jebaral sniffed as a large, warm-blooded creature ambled by. It also paused and tested the air to see if the strange creature was worth getting alarmed over. A silent war waged.

Tensing, Jebaral prepared himself to run again, when the animal huffed irritably and went on its way.

A smile came over his lips. The lesser intelligent creatures of this world were of no danger to him. Only the natives who walked on two legs would ever prove to be worthy opponents.

Soft rain began to fall. Jebaral lifted his face and reveled in the cold mist. It felt good on his true skin.

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His thoughts went back to Hannah and of the moment he realized he was bonding to her. His fork had been dirty, and she had reached over to pluck it from his hand so she could get him a clean one. Their fingers had brushed, and he had nearly fallen onto the floor when the emotion slammed into him with the force of a runaway truck. It had been the first time they had touched. The shock had lasted all day and all night, leaving him stupefied and in denial until he had gone back to the diner the next morning to see if those same feelings came back. They did, and they were stronger.

There was no way he could deny that Hannah was attracted to him. That tangy, lemonade smell surrounded her every time she came over to him. He could hear her heart literally running when she caught sight of him. Or whenever she sat down in the booth across from him to chat for a moment.

She was innocent. Totally trusting. And miserable beyond all description.

Her life essence was pure, which had shocked him.

Although she had lived with a man for a couple of years, and they had performed sex numerous times, there was no awakening in her. To Hannah, the act itself was meaningless.

Instead, she thrived on the closeness afterwards, on the feeling of being cared for and belonging. Of being held and cuddled, and nurtured.

She had never orgasmed, or else her woman scent would be different from what enveloped her. That fact had driven him to her. It sank into his blood, tainting him forever, and leaving him hungering for her like a starved man.

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Jebaral knew that when he took Hannah—

Shock like a surge of lightning exploded inside him. When I take her.

He dropped his chin to his chest. He would take her. It was inevitable. The one act would clear up so many things. One night, one joining, and one of two things would happen.

Either there would be no blood mating, cleansing his mind and body of his need for her. Or he would never be able to leave her for the rest of his life.

The nerves running up the insides of his thighs began to quiver with anticipation. He felt his manpipe rise and stiffen in the wet, chilly air. It was not uncommon for a Ruinos man to take a female when they both believed theirs was a true joining, only to find out it was a misconception. Simolif believed his brother's attention toward the woman was one of those false feelings. Yet, for the sake of Jeb's emotions, and their species, they both hoped it wasn't.

He turned and began to race back toward town and the lodge motel. Hannah was asleep now. Her body had finally succumbed to the medication she'd taken. When he returned, he would slip back into the cabin through the window he'd left open and crawl under the covers with her.

They wouldn't attempt a joining tonight. But it would have to be soon. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his secret from her. Or how much longer he could abstain from claiming the sweet promise of her body.

Above the treetops, the moon had risen like a bright coin.

It would be full in another couple of nights. A harvest moon, nearly blood-red and pulsing like an imitation sun. Jebaral 89

could feel his blood coursing throughout his body. These next few days would be crucial. By this time next week, either he and Hannah would still be sharing the tiny bungalow, adrift within the sensations of their bodies reawakening, or she would be there alone. Without him. Because if theirs was not meant to be a true bonding, he would not be able to remain with her. Ever.

The thought was enough to make him flinch in pain.

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