Blue Moon: Blood Moon Trilogy #3 (13 page)

For now, this was all we needed.

“I don’t want to be alone,” I told him, and with a whimper, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his when he leaned forward to meet me halfway. He groaned, encasing my hips in his massive hands and walking me back toward the shower wall. The kiss seemed to last forever. Nick kissed me deeply, his passion and relief almost smothering. My hands slid over his shoulders and down his strong arms until I gripped his wrists, loving that he had come in here after me—like he felt he had to. After everything that had happened—the truth of my attack coming to light, my abduction, and my escape—this was his way of affirming that I was the only thing that mattered to him.

Wanting to keep him close, I thrust my fingers back into his damp hair and held him as I bit his lower lip. He groaned, pulling back just enough to take a breath and kiss his way down my jaw and over the column of my throat. His facial hair tickled more than scratched now that it was longer, opening me up to an entirely new sensation. Slowly, almost torturously, he continued his descent down my body, his hands gliding over my curves—pawing, clutching. Through heavily hooded eyes, I glanced down, watching as he traced each of the scars on my ribs with a fingertip and then kissed them lightly. My skin quivered beneath his lips as he nipped along my hip bones and lingered just below my belly button before standing up again and kissing me deeply.

As the heat between us continued to build, my primal urges took over. My need for Nick consumed me until I pushed against his chest and moved away from the wall with a low growl. My wolf had been forced into submission for weeks, and I could feel her starting to come back from that. She had needs to be met, and those needs just so happened to parallel my own. The loss of control challenged Nick. I sensed his longing to dominate the situation again, but his reservations were noted in the way his hands gently gripped me. He didn’t want to push me beyond whatever limits I might have after everything I’d overcome.

I pushed again, trying to turn us around, but Nick counteracted this with another half step, forcing my back against the wall once more. I interpreted his actions as those of someone who wanted to protect me more than dominate me. He thrust one hand into my hair while the other roughly grabbed my hip, pulling me against him, and I bit his lip. When he pulled back out of shock, his lips slowly curled up into a mischievous grin as he gripped my upper arms and held me in place. His wolf lay just beneath the surface, too; I could see it in his eyes.

“What are you waiting for?” I demanded coyly.

A low growl escaped Nick as he turned my body around and pressed himself against my back. I moaned every time he shifted against my backside. My body ached for him—needed him. I’d been forced into a weakened state for weeks, and I couldn’t continue to live that way. Not now that I was free.

Nick peppered my neck and shoulder with kisses before biting down. The pain shot down the right side of my body before tapering off into pleasure, my entire body tingling. I placed my palms flat against the wall, bracing myself as Nick adjusted my hips slightly and then eased forward. We groaned in unison, our hips moving awkwardly at first given our positioning as Nick’s arm snaked around my body and between my legs. The sensations that tore through me only increased my cravings. I needed more…

To gain a little more leverage, I pushed against the wall a little harder. I misjudged my own strength when combined with my desperation because the tile cracked and bent inward. I felt bad for about a second before bringing my right hand up and over my shoulder to pull Nick’s face to mine for a kiss.

“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled again, but his words were swallowed up in my anxious lips.

Unsatisfied with our uncoordinated rhythm, Nick grabbed my wrist, pulled away from me, and turned me to face him again. It all happened so quickly, I didn’t have time to pout before he reached forward, cupped my ass, and lifted me off the floor. He pressed my back to the wall again and took me so swiftly, I swear I saw stars and felt fireworks exploding in my veins.

The weight of his body pinned me against the wall. He was solid. Strong. I pressed my hand against his chest, reveling in the rhythm of his swift heartbeat.

I broke away from his lips for a breath so I could get out the words I so desperately needed to say, but he quickly captured my mouth again, his hands gliding down my thighs and pulling me against him again.

My chest heaved as I inhaled deeply, pushing against him. I was acutely aware of every inch of him plastered against me, and every time I said his name, it bounced back at me off the walls, the water falling from the showerhead doing little to drown us out. Nick’s legs began to tire as he worked enthusiastically to bring us both to climax. With one hand on my ass, still holding me up, and my legs wrapped tightly around his hips, Nick placed a hand against the wall to brace himself as his hips moved faster…harder. Feeling my pleasure building steadily, I grabbed his hair and pulled his face to mine, kissing him deeply as he moaned my name against my lips.

My release came first, wave after wave of contentment pouring over me while Nick worked toward his own. Moments later, his hips stilled against me, his legs trembled from exertion, and he groaned with satisfaction as he slowly lowered us both to the floor.

It didn’t matter that the tile floor was slightly cool, I shifted my weight until I was siting next to Nick. Our backs were against the wall, my legs casually draped over his as we caught our breath.

Tilting his head to the left, he rested it against mine and chuckled lazily, his thumb moving back and forth over my hipbone.

“I’m sorry,” he began, his voice still hoarse with lust. “I hadn’t meant for things to escalate that quickly or become that intense.”

I hummed contentedly, a shiver working its way through my body as I recalled the entire scenario again. “Stop apologizing. It was exactly what I needed.” I lifted my head and met his gaze. “What
we
needed.”

The remorse returned to his expression, and he pushed his long hair out of his face. “I was so scared,” he confessed, his voice fading as he looked away. I studied his profile, noticing the way a muscle feathered his jaw and the amber of his eyes expanded until the blue had been completely overtaken. “After we fought, I wanted to go after you, but figured you just needed some space, so I let you go. After the sun set, and you hadn’t returned, the Pack grew anxious. We tracked you, but only found your clothes and then a pool of your blood around a snare.” His eyes settled on the scar that surrounded my lower leg, and I felt his anger flare.

I shivered at the memory. “You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

“I heard you.” His eyebrows knit together and sorrow registered in his eyes. “I heard you howl, but didn’t think anything of it and just let you go. If I’d have come running…”

I sat up and straddled his thighs. “You couldn’t have known why I was calling out. I get that. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. I shouldn’t have just walked out like that.”

“You left because I lied to you,” he interjected.

“You lied because you didn’t want to put me through any more stress than I’d already been through. I can understand that.” I paused. “I mean, sure, it took me being captured by my brother and tortured to realize it, but I eventually did,” I said, trying my hand at levity.

Nick wasn’t amused. Thankfully, my stomach growling concerned him more than the events that separated us for the last couple weeks. He stood up and offered me a hand before quickly washing his hair and body. I rinsed off one final time before letting him wrap me in a large, fluffy bathrobe that matched his, and followed him out to our room.

“With almost the entire pack out looking for you, Miranda’s been cooking way too much food—likely with the hopes that we’d all return with you in tow. The fridge is about to burst, so maybe we can put a small dent in all the leftovers before any more of it spoils.” He watched as I dropped the robe and reached into my dresser for a pair of yoga pants and tank top; his forehead creased with concern again as he pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. “You’re too thin.”

“I kept myself from eating much,” I admitted. “They dosed the food with silver to keep us docile. Not eating was the only way I could build the strength to escape.” My voice lowered toward the end; we both knew where I’d learned that little trick, and I hated that it made me even remotely grateful for my experience with Karl.

Nick forced a smile, trying to mask his concern the best he could in the wake of all that had happened. “Well then, let’s get you fed.”

While I knew this was far from over with Bobby still out there, I knew I needed to focus on the present. Nick and I could deal with Bobby and the rest of his vampire coven when the rest of the Pack had returned. Until then, I was going to work on getting myself healthy again. Both physically and mentally.

I
stood in front of the open fridge, lifting plastic wrap and tin foil from plates and platters and sampling bites from several different meals. It all tasted so good, and the best part was it was silver-free, so I happily gorged myself on it.

Behind me, Nick chuckled. I looked over my shoulder at him. He was sitting at the island, arms rested on the countertop and hands folded together.

“What?” I asked after swallowing a bite of chicken.

Nick shook his head. “Nothing. I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you this hungry before…not even around the full moon.”

I turned back to the fridge and found some ham. “I’ve never gone this long without eating a full meal before,” I reminded him, piling a few dishes on top of each other and carrying them to the island. I set them down and uncovered each of them. There wasn’t much for vegetables, but cold cooked vegetables didn’t really appeal to me; protein would fill me up and restore my energy.

My body hummed to life as my hunger ebbed, and eventually, I started picking at the food instead of shoveling it into my mouth. Nick was silent, but I could tell he was dying to ask me more about my time away.

“What do you want to know?” I finally asked, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

He shook his head. “It can wait. You don’t need to relive it so soon.”

Sighing, I pushed the almost-empty plate of chicken to the side, a light wave of nausea rolling inside me. Ignoring it, I let my adrenaline flow freely as I grew anxious.

“If we’re going to stop them, now is exactly the right time. Everything is still so fresh. Hell, we could be out there right now, retracing my footsteps until we find the compound.” I paused for a moment before pointedly adding, “Which, by the way,
is
inside a fricken’ mountain.”

With a smirk, Nick stood from his stool and rounded the island. “We’re going to wait,” he told me softly. “Not because I want to, believe me. After seeing what they did to you, I want to rip each and every one of their miserable heads off. We’re waiting because Marcus hasn’t given the order, and I refuse to interrupt him tonight. They
just
got Cordy back. We need to give them at least tonight.” He lifted a hand and guided a wet strand of hair behind my shoulder, letting his finger trail down my arm. “Besides, Jax hasn’t returned yet. My guess is he’s followed your scent back to the compound, meaning all he’s going to have to do is lead us there as soon as Marcus says so.”

The sensation of his fingers trailing over the skin of my arm caused a fog to form in my head, but that fog cleared the instant I registered what Nick said.

“Wait.” I took a step back to clear my head further. “Jax isn’t home yet?”

Nick shook his head. “I haven’t heard him come home yet, and his scent is only lingering faintly from when we were last home over a week ago.”

“And you’re not freaking the hell out?” I demanded, my voice a little more shrill than I’d intended.

“Brooke, relax,” he said calmly. “We tracked his scent back to where you last saw him. There was nothing there that told us he was in trouble. He does this sort of thing all the time. He’s used to going off on his own to investigate, and he’s more than capable of handling a few vampires. You know that. You’ve seen him in action.”

I believed what Nick was telling me, but there was still this feeling in the pit of my stomach that made me uneasy. It didn’t matter what I told myself, the feeling wouldn’t go away. Only, instead of remaining steady, the feeling swelled until I was covered in a light sheen of sweat and rushing toward the sink to get sick.

Nick was by my side in a flash, rubbing my back. Rinsing the sink, my body trembled as the nausea ebbed, and I struggled to push myself upright, my energy depleted. Nick wrapped an arm around my waist and used the other to take me by the hand and lead me toward the stool while I wiped my mouth on a hand towel.

“Are you okay?” He knelt before me, resting his hands on my knees.

I shook my head and then nodded. “Yeah,” I replied, my voice hoarse. “Just embarrassed. I should have expected a reaction like that after not having eaten more than a few bites for so long and then gorging myself so carelessly.” I held my hands to my cheeks to hide the blush that had crept into them. “I’m just sorry you had to see that.”

Nick chuckled. “Brooke, I’ve seen far worse things…” Another light laugh. “Hell, I’ve been guilty of worse when I drink too much.” His expression turned serious. “You’ve just been through hell. Your body is stressed and likely in shock still. You’ve denied yourself food in order to escape, so you’ve distressed your body further by eating so quickly. Add to that, your worry for a fellow packmate. It’s no wonder you got sick.”

Everything he said made sense, so I nodded in agreement. “Yeah. You’re absolutely right.”

Patting the sides of my thighs, Nick stood and cleaned off the counter. After wiping it down, he held his hand out for me. “Come on. You’re exhausted. Let’s get you to bed so you can catch up on sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. The entire Pack is going to be at breakfast, and you’re a hero.”

Nausea bubbled in my stomach again, but I managed to keep myself from giving in to it.

I followed Nick happily, through the kitchen, dining room, and then up the stairs. “Sleep sounds really good right now, actually.”

Nick pulled the comforter back on my side of the bed and waited for me to lie down before covering me up and joining me. I sighed in contentment when Nick rolled over and wrapped his arm around me, holding me close. Inhaling shakily as my happiness overwhelmed me, I turned in his arms and buried my face into his neck, breathing him in greedily.

Being back here with him, wrapped in his arms, still felt a little surreal after everything I’d been through. Yet, here I was. I still had a long way to go, and nothing could ease my suffering more than avenging what had been done to Cordelia and me, but this was a start. Being with Nick again gave me a renewed sense of strength and the confidence I would need to succeed.

Nick’s fingers moved through the length of my hair and down my spine lightly, relaxing me until I yawned and let my body melt against his. Soon, my eyes closed, and Nick kissed me lightly.

“Sleep well,” he whispered. “I love you.”

I hummed, trying to get closer before realizing it was impossible without going through him. “I love you, too,” I murmured. “Never let me go.”

Nick’s laugh vibrated through him and into me. “Never,” he promised. “If it’s the last thing I do.”

Safely tucked into Nick’s embrace, I finally allowed myself to succumb to sleep. I knew it wouldn’t be peaceful, but if there was one thing I had learned over the last couple months, it was that Nick had this way of keeping me grounded through anything.

I woke with a start, my brain still so fogged with sleep I had trouble registering where I was at as I flung myself against the wall. Breathing heavily, heart pounding painfully, my eyes darted around the room, taking it all in. Two dressers. Closet. Bathroom. Fireplace. Bed.

I was in the manor. The darkness I’d just pulled myself from was only a dream.

As I took several deep breaths to calm down, Nick sat up, eyes wide with concern. “Brooke? What’s wrong?”

Clenching my eyes, I ran my fingers through my hair and walked back toward the bed and climbed in. “Nothing. Bad dream.” My adrenaline was running so high, I doubted I would be able to relax, so I sat with my back against the wooden headboard and brought my knees to my chest.

Nick pushed himself up and sidled up next to me. “You’re sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“I’ve already told you the worst of it,” I reminded him. “It’s just living with the memory of that place that’s going to take some time to get over. It was so dark and disorienting in the cells. That coupled with the abuse and sexual advances…”

Nick balked before pulling away from the headboard and facing me. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing happened,” I assured him. “Bobby killed the one who attempted anything.”

“He did?”

I nodded, looking down at my fingers as I fidgeted. “Yeah, but I got the impression it was because
he
…” I shuddered, unable to even finish telling him. “God, he’s repulsive. You were right. He’s nothing like the Bobby I remember.”

Reaching out, Nick grabbed my calves and draped my legs over his. “I know it’s not what you wanted to believe,” he told me, kissing my bare shoulder and running his hand up and down my back.

I leaned into Nick, resting my head on his shoulder. “Do you think he can do it?” I asked, earning a confused hum from Nick. “Merge the bloodlines? I mean, let’s say, hypothetically, that it’s possible, and he’s able to turn me or himself into one of these hybrids—”

“He won’t turn you into one,” Nick interrupted. “He won’t even get the chance to get near you again.”

“Let’s say he can,” I repeated. “What then? He said that Gianna had figured out the key to success was that we shared DNA. It’s not like we could turn any more of his team, and we most certainly wouldn’t be able to turn the Pack.”

Nick contemplated my query for a moment, the silence indicating that he was seriously considering my questions. When he exhaled a big breath and straightened his posture a little more, I looked up at him.

“Maybe—and I think we need to be up-front with Marcus about all of this hybrid talk—but maybe if a hybrid bites someone who has yet to be turned—”

“You mean a human?”

Nick nodded. “Maybe that’s how he plans to create this new army.

“And his current lackeys?”

“Mean nothing to him. They’ve always been expendable to the coven. Bobby and Gianna often used them as diversions so they could escape, knowing we’d be too preoccupied with destroying them.”

It made sense, and I thought Nick’s theory might actually hold up. While I wasn’t excited about Bobby’s plans, I was looking forward to taking it to Marcus in an effort to develop a plan to take the coven down before they could succeed. Vampires running around at night was dangerous enough. Imagine not having the restriction of the sun?

“Come on,” Nick said, slipping his legs out from under me and hopping off the bed. “Let’s get ready and head downstairs. If they haven’t started breakfast yet, we can and then we can go and talk to Marcus together.”

I made the bed quickly before joining Nick in the washroom. While I brushed my hair, I glanced at the reflection in the mirror and noticed the shower wall directly behind me. The memory of the day before brought a smile to my face, and the cracked tile wall made me laugh.

Nick turned around, obviously knowing what had caught my attention. “Guess we got a little carried away yesterday.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve broken something together,” I reminded him coyly. “It’s just been a while.”

Nick held my eyes through our reflection in the mirror before reaching over and grabbing me around the waist. He pulled me to him, pressing my chest against his body as he cradled my jaw with his free hand. “Let’s make a promise to not wait as long next time.”

I laughed as Nick leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. “Whatever you say,” I murmured when he pulled back. “Now, come on. Let’s head downstairs.”

Nobody was in the kitchen when Nick and I arrived, so we pulled out all the ingredients to make breakfast. Nick handled the pancakes and waffles while I cooked the eggs and bacon, and by the time we were placing it all on the island counter, Colby entered the kitchen, looking exhausted.