Blood Moon (8 page)

“Just how would a virgin know anything about that?” he asked, setting his hands on his hips.

“I’m a virgin, not innocent. I read, you know, and watch TV. I might need some help, but I’m a fast learner.”

His breath came out in a loud whoosh. “You are too damn tempting. I’m mad, and I want you so bad, I can’t think straight, and if you try that, I won’t be able to control myself.”

She batted her lashes, smiling sweetly. “I believe in you?”

“Nice try. I’m going to go double check…things with Aaron and Thaddeus. Feel free to dig through my clothes, and there are towels on the rack if you want to shower.”

She shook her head at the speed of his retreat. “Chicken.”

When he didn’t return, she blew out a breath. Her entire body still vibrated with need. But the whole conversation had gone better than she’d expected. She’d known she’d have to tell him when she decided to stay, but hoped it would wait awhile.

Padding to the bathroom, she opened the cabinets under the sink. She pulled out towels and a washcloth and stripped her remaining clothes, tossing them into a pile. The hot water cascaded over her skin, helping her relax.

After her shower and a brief fit of giggles over her appearance in Lukas’ oversized clothing, she waited for him, curled up on the bed. By the time she heard him come in, midnight had come and gone.

A little while later, Lukas’ arm slid around her waist, and she caught a whiff of woods and night air from his skin. Apparently, he’d gone out to run off some of his frustration. She rolled over, curling closer to his warmth, pretending to sleep. His arm tightened and he brushed a kiss to her hair and was asleep a few moments later.

Basking in the sense of security his arms provided, she allowed her body to relax and she offered a silent prayer her nightmares would leave her in peace.

Chapter Eight

Haemon stood in the clearing, bare-chested and glowing in the moonlight. Any normal, hot-blooded woman would have swooned at the manly physique and chiseled features. Aria’s heart pounded, but it had nothing to do with being overwhelmed by the blond Adonis. She sprinted across the clearing, away from him as he lifted his head to the wind and sought her scent. He'd find her in the end, but she refused to submit.

Before her, the woods grew hazy and faint, and his presence made the skin between her shoulder blades itch. He was just behind her. A tree root seemed to appear from nowhere and she tripped, crashing to the ground. Her palms scrabbled in the dirt, searching for something, anything she could use as a weapon. Her fingers met only leaf mold and broken bits of bark. Bare feet appeared in her field of vision and hands closed over her wrists, tighter and more final than handcuffs.

“Are you finished?”

She writhed against his hold, flipping to her back. His face loomed over hers, an amused smirk dancing over thin lips. She was not a child to be humored. He bent closer, and she spit in his face. “Not even close.”

“You are beginning to try my patience.” He wiped away the spit with slow, deliberate movements.

He jerked her to her feet, keeping her hands shackled with his own. He drew them apart and forced her arms behind her back, bringing her inside his arms, against his muscular chest. Their faces were so close, their breath mingled as she struggled to get away from him and she gagged at the scent of blood and wine.

“Beginning? I’m not doing a good job then.” Each move she made only pressed her closer to his body. Her stomach heaved, and bile rose to the back of her throat. Each place their flesh touched throbbed as if she were being burned. “I’m getting tired of your bullshit, Haemon. Attacking me in dreams is low, even for you. Scared I’ll be more than you can handle in person?”

His quiet laugh rolled through his chest. “I know you, Aria. Better than you think. Your bravado will only help you so much.” She jerked her head as far away as she could when his lips moved toward hers, but his hold tightened, and she whimpered. Cold lips pressed against her mouth.

Her snarl seemed to ricochet around them. Haemon smiled, again. Around her, the scenery grew dimmer, turning black at the edges, leaving only his harsh, cold face. His grip tightened until tears threatened.

“Keep struggling, Aria. It makes the winning so much sweeter.”

His laugh echoed in the darkness as it swallowed everything but those cold, calculating eyes.

Aria sat up, sweating and breathing heavily. Bright sunlight filtered through the curtains drawn over the windows. She looked down at her wrists, rubbing them, as purple bruises formed where Haemon’s hands had held her in the dream. Touching the sheets where Lukas should have lain, she calmed, taking in her surroundings. Safety and comfort pushed away the remnants of her nightmare.

A wry twist of a smile formed on her lips. Lukas must have left early to allow her sleep. A nice thought, anyway. Taking a better look around the room, she realized Lukas did not sleep here on a regular basis. It was devoid of the normal flotsam of a life—no pictures, no papers. Her clothes were folded and stacked on the edge of the dresser. A note was tented on the nightstand, with her name written across in Lukas’ bold hand.

Aria,

I didn’t want to wake you. You need to sleep more than you needed to see me. I’m checking the borders with Aaron to make sure everything is secure. I will be gone for a few days. Ella has offered to take you shopping for some clothes. While I can live with you wearing my shirts, you’d probably like to have something else. Make sure you take Thaddeus with you. Please be careful and don’t be gone long.

I love you.

Lukas

She refolded the paper, sighing. Pushing the covers aside, she dressed quickly. Her stomach gurgled loudly. At the same time, she became aware of the sound of conversations, doors opening and closing, and the clatter of pans and cups downstairs. Heading towards the stairs, she took a deep breath and her mouth watered at the smell of hot dogs and vegetables curling into her nose. She followed the scent downstairs into organized chaos.

Thaddeus stood behind a folding table, a giant pot of macaroni and cheese steaming in front of him, and a huge line of teenagers and children waiting with paper plates. He caught sight of her in the doorway and grinned, handing his spoon to Lawrence, who was dishing out hot dogs next to him. He edged his way around the table and through the crowd.

“You’re awake! I hope we didn’t make too much noise.”

“No, it was time to get up. How long have I been asleep, anyway?”

“A little over twenty hours. Lukas wanted to stay until you were up, but he and Aaron needed to get started with their safety precautions and left yesterday evening to start running the borders. You hungry?”

Nodding, she reached up to brush an escaped strand of hair from her face. Thaddeus froze, his grin fading into a frown.

“What happened to you? Those weren’t there before.”

Confused, she shrugged.

Thaddeus grabbed her wrist then fitted his fingers lightly over the marks. “This wasn’t Lukas. Who did this?”

Aria winced and drew away, crossing her arms so the bruises couldn’t be seen. “All you need to know right now is that it wasn’t anyone here.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is a conversation best kept for later.” Her eyes flicked to the curious wolves watching them. “There are far too many people around.”

Thaddeus’ lips pulled into a tight line. “I’m asking you now.”

“I would prefer not having to explain this a million times. So can we please wait until Lukas and Aaron are back?”

He studied her for so long; she didn’t think he’d let it pass. Finally, he shook his head and blew out a long breath. “You are going to give Lukas a run for his money, aren’t you?”

“I’m certainly going to give it my best shot.”

Thaddeus grunted. He disappeared for a moment and returned with a long sleeved sweater. “Put this on until we can get something to cover those up.”

She yanked it on over her head, secretly grateful. She did not want to explain or answer any questions.

Thaddeus cleared his throat. “Everyone, this is Aria, Lukas’ Mate.”

She tossed Thaddeus a disgruntled glance. Not the way she wanted to be introduced to everyone. Slapping on a smile, she waved her fingers, trying not to be conscious of her wrists. The adults and older children, who knew what was expected, brushed hair and bandanas off their napes, baring their necks in submission. The younger children squealed excitedly and ran back into the living room to talk among themselves. One very small girl pushed her way through the teenagers and studied Aria closely, standing very still before wrapping her arms around Aria’s legs and burying her face into Aria’s knees. She looked back up with a wide grin. “You smell good. I like you.”

Aria laughed and picked up the child, settling her against her hip. Around her, the bubble of quiet passed and the noise resumed.

“What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Hannah. My mama’s the one passing out buns over there.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Hannah.” Aria allowed Thaddeus to herd her towards the end of the buffet line where the mother of the girl stood, passing out buns and paper plates. When Aria reached her, Hannah slid into her mother’s arms.

“I’m really sorry. She slipped past me when I wasn’t looking.”

Aria waved away her apology. “Don’t worry about it.”

Behind the table, a small plate with food sat, obviously Hannah’s lunch. Hannah’s mom nuzzled her daughter’s neck and then sat her down with strict orders to eat her lunch.

“If you want to eat with her in the other room, I can take over,” Aria offered.

Thaddeus materialized at her elbow with a paper plate loaded with food and shook his head. “Sorry, but I have strict orders to make sure she has eaten.”

The blonde woman smiled and patted Aria’s arm. Her gaze lingered over the bruises, but she said nothing. “I’ve already eaten, and we’re nearly done as it is. Go eat something. It was lovely to meet you.”

Aria waved at Hannah, who waved back as she happily munched on a hot dog. Thaddeus snagged a second plate for himself and then followed her to the den, crowded with kids eating lunch. Thaddeus glared at a few kids, who scrambled off the couch to make room. Aria threw them an apologetic glance as the kids moved to whisper with their friends in a crowded corner.

“I look like I crawled out from under a rock. I should have stayed upstairs.” Aria sat down, balancing her plate on her lap.

“I think you look hot whatever you’re wearing. But if you tell Lukas I said that, I’ll deny everything. I’d like to be able to reproduce someday.” Thaddeus grinned, popping a spoonful of macaroni in his mouth.

“You have no shame, you know that? You shouldn’t be flirting with a married woman.”

Thaddeus spoke around the food in his mouth. “Nonsense. Married women are the safest ones to flirt with. They are never going to ask me for a date.”

Aria chuckled and shook her head, turning her attention to her plate. Making an effort not to inhale her meal, she tried to chew slowly. “How many cubs does the Pack have?”

“There are about fifteen at the moment. Half those are older teenagers, many of whom came to us because they were orphaned.”

“How big is the Pack?”

He swallowed his food before answering. “There are fifty-four of us all together, including the children. Fifteen are mated pairs, and the rest are like me. There are a few unmated females, but not many. As you know, most of us live here, but there are some exceptions. There are ten cottages on this side of the property, and another twelve spread out through the rest. Most of them are homes for the families, but there are a few shared by some of those who aren’t mated. The Pack Guards sleep here in the house, which is where you and Lukas will live.”

“There are more of you than I thought then. How big is the property?” Aria couldn’t help but compare them to her father’s Pack. There’d been over four hundred members when she left. The size made them more like a corporation than a family. Lukas’ Pack was the opposite: small, close knit, and loyal. Everything she’d always dreamed of when she allowed herself the luxury.

“About four thousand acres. Lukas inherited it from his grandfather and then bought up a little extra. It gives us a very comfortable cushion from the world outside, and on top of that, most of it shares a border with Caynor National Forest.”

She was impressed. It was larger than anything she’d ever seen. “No wonder it takes two days to check the borders.”

“Exactly.” He finished his meal by stuffing half of the hot dog in his mouth.

The teenager sitting next to him wrinkled her nose. “Gross, Uncle Thaddeus. You’re supposed to chew and then swallow.”

He swallowed and winked. “There was a time when you thought that was an awesome trick.” She snorted and turned around, ignoring him. He sighed, pretending to wipe a tear from his cheek. “It’s so sad when they grow up and no longer find me amusing.”

Aria laughed and finished the last of the macaroni on her plate. “You make a mean pot of macaroni, Thaddeus.”

“Thank you. It’s one of my more useful skills.” He leaned back, eyeing the clothes she wore. “As much as I hate to admit it, your clothes look they’re going to fall off. While I wouldn’t mind watching, I think Lukas will take issue with it. Did you have a bag or anything? We looked through the car, but didn’t find anything.”

Aria blushed. “I carried everything important with me all the time and left everything at the motel. By now, Haemon has found all that.” She shrugged. “I know it’s not a good idea, but I really do need to get some clothes.”

Thaddeus’ face lost the boyish gleam as he stared past her. “Wally World is the closest place. It’s not designer, but it isn’t in town, and it’s easier to keep track of who goes in or out.”

Aria laughed and motioned to her outfit. “Do I look like a designer kind of chick? I don’t really care where the stuff comes from as long as it doesn’t moonlight as a tent.”

Thaddeus snorted. “Go grab anything you want with you, and I’ll go round up reinforcements. Ella will have my head if we leave without her, and right now, she’s helping with the little ones outside. Meet me on the porch in a few minutes.”