The Moon Rises (9 page)

“Help him how? I don’t know how to fight.”

Ainsley shook her head. “You two fought every day
of your lives. I’m sure you learned some moves from Dec while he was kicking
your ass.”

Finn laughed. “I don’t want to go to war. I help
the pack by making good money and giving them a sizable chunk.”

“What do you need money for anyway?” Ainsley said
as she eyed Declan who was again hovering near the pot of stew. “You have no
wife. Not even a girlfriend. When you marry and have a child, your brother will
take less of your profits. Until then, you should give him even more. It might
make you hurry along and find a suitable mate.”

“Suitable? You mean someone you like.”

“A mother knows, Finn.”

“Why can’t Declan get married and give you
grandchildren?”

“He is the Alpha, stupid boy. Alphas shouldn’t
marry and they should never have children. You will give me grandchildren who
will grow up to run the pack when Declan gets old.”

“Yah for me,” Declan said quietly.

Sitting in a chair, Finn sighed. “When I meet
someone suitable, I will marry her and give you grandchildren and Declan heirs
to the throne.”

“You should marry Ella.”

Declan snorted. “She’d eat him alive.”

“Good. Finn needs a strong wife to push him
harder. He’s too lazy.”

“I’m sitting right here.”

“You’re always sitting right there, but you never
listen to me.”

“I can’t date Ella. She feels like a member of
the family. It’d be like marrying my sister.”

Ainsley rolled her eyes and tossed back her thick
blonde hair. “Who will she marry?”

“Who are you trying to marry off, her or me?”

Declan grinned. “Anton likes her. We could convince
her to seduce him and I could steal his territory while he’s away on his honeymoon.”

Finn laughed as Ainsley grinned knowingly. “Anton
is weak. He wants to marry and have children. You would be wise to let him have
Ella.”

“Sure, I’ll just gift wrap Ella and drop her off
at Anton’s place.”

“You laugh all you want, but he has witches aligned
with him. Witches bring plagues to their enemies. You would do best to have a
plan to deal with them. Roger being gone means he knows the war is coming. You
should know it too.”

Finn eyed Declan who sighed in the quiet way he
did whenever the stress was building inside him. Being Alpha had its perks, but
there were definite downsides - such as giving up having a family and becoming
enemies with his best friend.

Or just having to spend his birthday listening to
his beloved mother comment on a war that could lead to the deaths of those who
looked to him for leadership and that best friend he could no longer trust.

Sara was actually the nicest person Gigi had met
so far with the exception of maybe Finn. Sara taught her to drive which turned
out Gigi actually knew how to do. She then showed her how to buy a cell phone and
how to shop for clothes. The two women walked through the mall, carrying a bag
of new clothes for Gigi and a phone she wasn’t sure what do to with, but was
happy to have. Everyone had a cell phone apparently.

They were soon ordering lunch which was good
practice for when Gigi went to dinner the next day with Finn. After sitting
down at a table in the food court, she smiled at Sara who smiled back.

“I met someone at the grocery store,” Gigi said.

Sara’s smile faded. “A guy?”

“His name is Finn and he helped me find English
muffins. We’re having dinner tomorrow.”

“Tall, blond, gray eyed Finn? Declan’s brother,
Finn?”

“Oh, I don’t know whose brother he is, but yes
that’s what he looks like. He’s very handsome and he was nice to me. I like
him,” she said, sensing Sara wasn’t happy.

“You like everyone, Gigi.”

“No. I don’t like the witches who were mean to me
and I’m not sure I like Dahlia. Simon said she’s territorial.”

“Simon lies.”

“About what?”

“About everything. He’s a Vamp. Lying means
nothing to him. He kills humans after all.”

Gigi felt a stab of fear to realize she had
enjoyed Simon’s company. “He’s a killer?”

“He claims he’s never killed anyone and swears
everyone he bites gives him the green light. He tends to say what he thinks you
want to hear though. Maybe the people he’s changed are always willing, but
maybe he lies to them to make them willing? Dahlia doesn’t seem very happy being
a Vamp.”

“Don’t trust Simon then, but what about Finn?”

“I don’t really know him. He doesn’t come to the
club much, but he’s Declan’s little brother. Declan wants you and I’m surprised
he would let his brother date you. Maybe he doesn’t know yet.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Declan is an Alpha. They take what they want.
They get first dibs on stuff and females are included under stuff. Weres are
sexist pigs. I think they have more testosterone than human males which makes
them more aggressive. They show off a lot for each other and women are tools
they use to mess with each other.”

“I’m still confused. Is Finn bad?”

“I don’t know, but he’s a Were.”

“Anton is a Were.”

“So? Has he made a move on you?”

“A move?”

“Flirted or asked you out? I thought he and
Declan didn’t date the waitresses at the club. Has Anton made a move?”

“No.”

“Then why mention him?” Sara asked with a slight
smile.

Gigi sighed, feeling embarrassed like she did
when she fell on the witch floor. “He’s very handsome.”

“Yes, he is.”

“Declan’s handsome too. They’re all handsome.
It’s very confusing.”

“Declan and Anton shouldn’t make a move because
of their policy. Neither of them can have mates either, but I don’t know why
you’d want to be a mate for a Were anyway. Your kids wouldn’t be human and
you’d be married to someone who’d probably have a few chicks on the side.
Alphas don’t live long either. Weres are supposed to live a really long time,
but in the Circle most Weres never make it past sixty. Most die in their
twenties and thirties because of the constant turf wars.”

Gigi felt like Sara was speaking in another
language, but she understood enough to grasp how Anton and Declan were off limits.
Maybe Finn too.

“Should I not go on my date then?”

“I don’t know. He might be nice, but I worry
about you. You’re like an infant and these guys don’t see that. Or maybe they
look at you and see a sexy chick they can take advantage of. I just don’t know,
but I don’t want you to hide away, I guess.”

Sara said nothing and her big blue eyes were
almost angry as she sighed.

“I think it should be fine. The Alphas dig you
and you work for Silas. I don’t think Finn would take advantage of you. Just be
careful though and never forget what he is. He looks like you and me, but he’s
a beast. He’s an animal inside, but it’s easy to forget when you look at his
handsome face.”

“I don’t want to go now,” Gigi said, feeling a
weird emotion in her stomach.

“Look I’ve dated Weres. Not on purpose, but you
can’t really know unless they tell you what they are. Like Finn, did he tell you
he was a Were?”

Gigi shook her head.

“Of course not. He could smell you were human, so
he kept his origin a secret, figuring in bed all the parts are the same.”

“What parts?”

Sara sighed. “I’m not giving you the sex talk
today. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I feel like you should at least have the
emotional capability of a sixteen year old before you have sex. Just go on your
date and say goodnight to him at your door. Don’t invite him in and it should
be fine.”

“Okay,” Gigi said, feeling heavy in her chest. “I
thought I knew who to like, but now I’m really confused. I feel stupid for
trusting them all.”

“Don’t feel bad. I fell for shit when I first
moved here too. Like with Simon. He’s gorgeous and charming and I bought into
all the lies. I wasn’t innocent like you are when I came here. I was just
charmed by the males. They’re good looking and powerful and it’s normal to want
them especially when they focus a lot of attention on you. You shouldn’t feel
stupid for liking how they like you. Just be careful.”

Nodding, Gigi ate her food. Sara watched her then
tapped her hand.

“Don’t be sad.”

“It’s hard not knowing anything.”

“You know stuff. Just not as much as you should. You
seem to remember the stuff you learn though. You just need to learn fast, so
you can catch up to the rest of us.”

“How can I learn fast?”

“I don’t know. Read a dictionary, so you’ll know
what words mean. The rest you can figure out just by being out in the world,
watching people.”

“Simon said I should ask a witch to read me, so I
can know who I am. I don’t think I can trust him or the witches though.”

“No, don’t trust the witches. They’re tricky.
Justine swears Nolan is sweet as pie, but he comes from a powerful family. They
didn’t get all that magic from being sweet. I wouldn’t let the witches know
about your missing memoires.”

“Simon knows though.”

“He won’t tell the witches. Simon likes secrets
and he hates the witches. He hates everyone actually.”

“Do you think he hates me?”

“No, but he will eventually. You’ll bore him or
annoy him and then he’ll view you as forgettable like an ant crawling around,
just waiting to die.”

“The Circle is a scary place.”

“Yes, it is, but you’re beautiful and that’s a
commodity. You have value right now, so don’t get scared and start blowing off
these males. Simon is full of shit and the Weres are sexist pigs and the
witches, including Nolan, would use you as a science experiment if they could. Right
now though, you’re new and exciting and they want to keep you around. Silas
wants to keep you around. As annoying as the Alphas are with their rules and
ass ogling, as long as they keep ogling you, your life has more value. That’s
why Katia’s disappearance is so strange. Sure no one cares, but whoever took
her opened themselves up to payback from Silas. I guess whoever did this knew
Katia’s worth better than she did.  They knew no one would care.”

“We care and Michael is looking for her.”

“Yes, but only because of you. There’s something
special about you, Gigi, which makes these males want to help. So while you
should be very, very careful with them, don’t be scared to the point of pushing
them away. I know it sounds like I’m telling you two different things, but it’s
because you have power and yet you’re vulnerable at the same time. I guess I’m
saying to just be you with all your staring and innocence, but also be aware of
how everyone is full of shit.”

“Are you full of shit?”

Sara grinned, showing her bright white teeth.
“Yeah, probably. I really fell for Simon’s crap and I got all blushing teenager
around the Weres in the beginning.  Still I think them hurting me doesn’t
matter as much as if they hurt you. I have a lifetime of experience to help me
deal with rejection and heartbreak. You don’t have that so I want you to be
safe.”

“I’m glad you want to be my friend.”

“And I’m glad Silas hired you instead of some
dumb bitch who only cared about tips. I was really depressed about Katia
because it seemed like I was surrounded by people who didn’t give a shit about
her life being taken away, but then you came along and gave me hope.”

Gigi watched Sara and thought about what Ella and
Michael said about finding Katia. Sara reached across the table and patted her
hand.

“I know she’s dead. Everyone knows which is why
they think it doesn’t matter, but someone needs to care. Katia had no one in
her life. She grew up in foster care, didn’t speak to her birth parents, was
trying to make a life for herself, but she was essentially alone. Someone needs
to care and we do care so that’s something. In the Circle, sometimes all anyone
gets is to be remembered. Because of you and me, at least someone remembers
Katia was here.”

Gigi smiled. “I wish I knew her.”

“She was really serious most of the time, but at
work, she acted all silly to get good tips. Sometimes we’d hang out at her
place and she would make fun of how she acted and it was hilarious because she
knew how stupid she seemed with all the giggling. I miss her and I wish you
could have met her too.”

Gigi liked hearing Sara talk about Katia even
though it caused the heavy sensation in her chest to deepen. Katia was just
gone and the finality unnerved Gigi.

“Be careful with Simon,” Sara said suddenly. “He
can enthrall you in very subtle ways. Do you know what enthrall means?” Gigi nodded.
“Well he’s not one of those Vamps who entrances his prey and controls them. He
relaxes you so you’ll tell him things you normally wouldn’t. Once you tell him
things and he reacts in such a nice way, you trust him and tell him more.