To Crave a Blood Moon (18 page)

He shrugged one of his massive linebacker shoulders. “Perhaps I take cruel, perverse pleasure in keeping you out of Santiago's clutches. I have no great fondness for lycan hunters. Especially the ones that don't discriminate, which are most of them.”

His lips curved slowly, the closest thing to a smile Ruby had seen on him. “I rather relish disappointing him. He wants you. I'm keeping him from having
you. Bloody hybrid. They have it all. The gifts that go with being a lycan—in this case, I'll count you as a gift.”

She stiffened.

He continued, “And none of the negatives. Like loss of soul, and the fact that innocent lives are in peril simply from my ungodly existence.”

Unwilling to lecture him on why he should not begrudge Sebastian for simply being what he was, she strode to where she dropped her money belt, grateful that she had retained it—specifically her passport and visa—through all she had been through.

Securing it around her waist, she faced Darius and told herself she was doing the right thing. “Let's go.”

Sebastian walked the streets, hands buried in his pockets, the myriad of smells and sounds doing nothing to distract him from the thought of Ruby, alone in her room. Alone. Afraid. A lycan.

They'd been through a lot together in a short time. He should turn himself around and march back into that hotel and give her a hard shake for even
thinking
he would destroy her. Destroy her as if she were any lycan he had come across in the course of his life. A depraved, soulless killing machine she was not, and how could she think he saw her that way?

He would not let her become that. Not even if he had to stand guard over her.

Didn't she know that?

She'd saved his soul in that room. He couldn't have continued as long as he had if not for her. With the heavy press of hunger on him, he'd felt a connection to her, and only that had staved off his descent to hell. Anyone else, and he would have broken.

She had given herself to him, deepening the connection so that he did not fall to the darkness that urged him to feed, to fulfill the gnawing ache clawing his insides. As though reminded of that hunger, he stopped and bought a
döner kebab
from a street side vendor. Taking a bite, he pushed on, the savory meat fueling him.

He'd give her the night, then he would sit her down and explain again why they needed to hunt down Gunter. Even if it took years, they would find him. Not that he believed it would take that long. Tracking was what he did. What he knew.

Finishing his last bite, he turned and headed back to the hotel. Conversations buzzed in the lobby, guests and staff alike milling about, speculating over the explosion across town. His keen hearing picked up words like
terrorist
and
insurgents
. Mankind was clueless about the darker forces at work, too busy creating their own conflicts and destroying themselves to notice otherworldly threats closing in.

At least after tonight, one such threat had been disposed. Ivo and his friends wouldn't be furthering their foul plan against humanity anymore.

Upon reaching his floor, he hesitated outside Ruby's room. No sound reached him. She probably slept. He lifted his hand to knock, then let it drop to his side.

Tomorrow would be soon enough. For now, he would let her sleep.

At eleven the following morning, Sebastian's patience came to an end.

He rose from a chair in the sitting area of Rafe's room, where his fingers had been tapping a heavy staccato on the arm. Their luggage sat near the door, waiting for their departure.

Kit and Rafe rose as one from the couch across from him, apparently reading his intention. “You sure you don't want to join us?”

“Ruby and I need to get on the trail before it grows cold.”

Rafe drilled him with a knowing stare. “You have absolutely no idea what you're doing, do you?”

Gideon snorted from where he sat.

Sebastian inhaled deeply. “Yeah, I do. I'm keeping her alive. And making sure she doesn't hurt anyone in the process.”

Rafe shook his head and brought his wife close to his side. He was always doing that. Touching her. Pulling her near him. As if he couldn't breathe without
the feel of her against him. He'd never seen his brother like this. Happy.

“When will you visit us?” he asked. “Fishing's great this time of year.” They lived in the small Texas town of Palacios, keeping a low profile since they had been targeted for elimination by NODEAL.

“Soon,” he promised.

“Keep us informed, Seb.”

Sebastian nodded.

Darius had left sometime in the night. Eager to be in his own home… and closer to his staff and steelenforced room. One look at that hard-faced bastard and Sebastian felt only relief. Hunger brewed inside him. If that lycan ever broke loose, the world was in trouble.

He gave Rafe a quick hug before departing. He even hugged his sister-in-law. The little firecracker made Rafe happy. For that alone, he loved her.

As he shook March's hand, his thoughts drifted to Ruby. Several rooms over. His blood thickened in his veins, body tensing with eagerness.

Soon he was striding down the corridor. Rounding the corner, he paused. A housekeeping cart sat parked outside her room's door. Dread churned in his stomach. Shoving the cart aside, he stalked into the room. The maid squeaked and clutched a cleaning rag to her chest.

“Where is she?” he barked.

The woman shook her head wildly, and he cursed. Sweeping the empty room another look, he cursed again. He didn't need to interrogate the maid to learn the truth. The truth glared him straight in the face. Ruby was gone.

Sebastian inhaled. Only a faint whiff of her remained. She had left some time ago. Probably last night. Damn her.

He charged from the room and headed back down the hall. After several pounds of his fist on the door, Rafe opened it. Kit peered around her husband, her carry-on bag slung over her shoulder and sunglasses pushed back on her head.

“She's gone.” He drove a hard line into the room, slamming the door behind him. “Left in the middle of the night. Can you believe it?” But the thing was…
he could
. When that building exploded and she hadn't reverted back, he'd seen the desolation in her face… her despair.

“What?” Rafe shook his head, clearly sharing his frustration. “Doesn't she want to hunt the alpha so she can break her curse—”

He snorted. “Apparently she doesn't put a lot of faith in that plan. Or me.”

“Maybe you didn't give her a reason to stay,” Kit suggested.

He glared at her. “What's that supposed to mean?”

Kit rolled her eyes. “C'mon, Sebastian. Anyone with eyes could see there's something between you two.”

“So what?” Rafe snapped. “The woman shouldn't let her emotions get the best of her.” Kit snorted, but he continued, waving a hand. “The moon's coming. She can't hide from it.” He looked at Sebastian. “Where do you think she went?”

“I know where she went.” Home. Where she usually hid from the world. He grimaced. She was accustomed to hiding what she was. This was only another reason for her to bury herself away.

Only Sebastian wouldn't let her.

“I know where she went. And I'm going to get her.”

“She might not have gone home, if that's what you're thinking,” March murmured.

Sebastian's head snapped in his direction, a dangerous churning starting in his gut. “What do you mean?”

“Darius left last night. Remember?”

He stared for a long moment at Gideon March, understanding sinking in. Rage erupted in his chest, spreading outward in a feral heat. The sensation grew, only burning hotter when he recalled Darius's interested gaze on Ruby time and time again last night. The beast clawed up from deep inside him.

“Get a hold of yourself,” Rafe warned, watching
his face closely, no doubt seeing the evidence of his rage.

“She went with him,” he muttered, her betrayal a hot knife to his flesh.

“You don't know that.” Kit shot her brother a fuming
look-what-you-did
glare.

March shrugged. “He tried it with Claire when she was infected.”

“Tried what?” Sebastian's fists flexed at his sides, bones stretching, bending, edging toward the beast. He took a deep breath, trying to regain control.

“When my wife was a newly turned lycan, Darius stole her from me. Tried to make her his mate—”

“I'll kill him,” he announced.

March held a hand up in the air. “Now hold on. Claire wanted no part of him, so he let her go. He offered her the protection of himself… and his resources.” He paused. “To someone scared and newly turned, that kind of guarantee of safety is tempting.”

“You're saying she went with him to Houston? Willingly.”

“
If
she even went with him,” Rafe inserted, staring intently at Sebastian, trying to reach that part of him that threatened to spill over and consume him in a blistering burn. “This is all just speculation.”

He clenched his jaw and gave a tight nod. “Well, let's make it fact, then.”

Rafe settled back on his heels. “You'll go to the States.”

“First Louisiana, then Houston.” He hoped he found her at her home, but either way he was beyond pissed. And he was going to let her know it.

Kit shook her head. “Looking at you right now—” She broke off with a sigh and dragged a hand through her hair, ruffling the dark blond strands. “Hell, I feel sorry for her.”

“Yeah?” he bit out. “Well, don't. She chose her path.”

And he would make certain she regretted it.

“Thanks for picking me up,” Ruby said as she slid inside the front passenger seat to a welcome blast of air conditioning. Relieved to be home, she couldn't help smiling. Buckling her seat belt, several moments passed before she realized the car hadn't pulled away from the curb.

As jets swooshed overhead, she turned to face Adele and felt her smile falter. Never had she seen her friend look so furious. Her gray eyes glittered, and her knuckles clenched white where they gripped the steering wheel.

“I thought you were dead,” she bit out.

A shuttle van honked behind them and Ruby motioned weakly for them to drive. “Shouldn't you go?”

Adele yanked the car into drive. Ruby winced.

“I oughta kick your ass to the curb, Ruby Deveraux! The nerve of you calling me an hour ago with an
I'm back! Can you pick me up?
” Her thumb began a furious beat on the steering wheel as they left the Lafayette airport behind.

“
Dead
. Do you hear me? That's what Rosemary told me to expect when you left the hotel looking for some girls who ran off. That was over a week ago!” She stopped at a red light, shaking her head. Her abundance of russet-brown hair tossed against her shoulders. Truly wild hair. Some strands curly, some just wavy, some frizz. Even a few pieces fell straight. “Do you know what I've been through?”

Ruby's voice fell soft, regretful. “No.” She'd been too busy surviving to consider how her disappearance may have affected Adele.

The light turned green, and Adele gunned her hatchback as fast as it could go. Ruby's head slammed back on the headrest.

“Take it easy.”

“Easy? Easy? Where the hell have you been? Rosemary has been no help whatsoever. I started to wonder if she had something to do with it. Maybe she sold you into a white slave ring or something.”

Ruby laughed. She couldn't help it. Then the thought of all she had been through hit her and her
laughter died an abrupt death. The reality of the last weeks seemed even less probable than being sold into white slavery. And she needed to explain the truth to Adele. Every incredible, implausible detail. When she could hardly believe it all herself.

Back on American soil, Istanbul—
Sebastian
—seemed a lifetime ago. By now he would have woken, would have realized she'd left during the night. And likely with whom. The thought made her stomach knot.

Darius had been true to his word. He kept to his seat on his side of the plane, never even engaging her in conversation. Except when they landed. Then the dark-haired lycan had shoved his card into her hand and told her she could count on him should she change her mind. Strangely, it gave her some comfort. Until she remembered that taking his protection meant taking him as a mate. She was certain that caveat hadn't changed.

“I understand your anger. Let's just wait until we're home and then I'll explain everything.” She would hate for Adele to run off the road. She'd always been an emotional driver—she had always been emotional—and this would likely send her into a ditch.

“Fine,” Adele grumbled. “I didn't let Rosemary know you're home, but you're going to have to call her. She's in a real temper. Her supervisor is expected
home any day. He flew over there to work with the local police as they investigated the girls' disappearance.” Adele lifted a hand and made quotation marks with her fingers at the word investigation.

That Adele did not include her in the mention of an investigation did not surprise her. The girls were minors. More focus would fall on them than a missing adult. Not that Ruby expected much of a search to continue for the girls either. Not without parents pressuring from home. Her throat tightened. Soon they would be forgotten. Two files in some foreign office. Lives lost, histories never told, never known. Bleakness filled her heart.

“I'll call tomorrow and let them know I'm back.”

Adele sent her a sly glance before looking out the front windshield again. Ruby knew she sounded ambivalent, which she wasn't. Far from it. She simply knew the girls were dead. What good would it do to call Rosemary and have her rush over with a barrage of questions that would serve no purpose now?

Almost an hour later, they pulled up in front of Ruby's old farmhouse. Her Corolla sat beneath the two-vehicle carport she'd put up last year. Two-vehicle. As if she had been holding out hope for another soul to take up residence with her.