DARKSIDE OF THE MOON (9 page)

If he wasn’t going to have Skylar tonight, then he damn sure was going to have the fantasy of her instead.

***

“You needed to see me, Barrett?” Damon Trahan ambled into Barrett’s office and gave his Pack Master a nod in greeting. It had been well after midnight when he’d been summoned, and he wasn’t feeling too friendly toward his boss.

“I did.” Barrett shot him a scowl before turning his attention back to his computer screen.

“Look, I get I’m low man on the totem pole and all, but could you maybe next time wait until morning? You know how Ava hates it when I get pulled out of bed.”

“Stop right there.” Barrett‘s fingers froze on the keyboard and he held up a large hand. “Not another word about what I interrupted between you two in bed. That is not an image I need in my head.”

Damon’s lips tilted up ever so slightly. He liked that Barrett wasn’t lusting after his woman. He knew the hard-ass Pack Master saw Ava as a little sister. Good thing, too. He would hate to have to kill his superior for looking at his mate’s fine ass.

“Fine. No play-by-play.” He leaned back in the chair facing Barrett. “But you have to admit this is becoming a habit—you getting me out of bed at all hours of the night.”

“You’re a Guardian. It’s part of the job description,” Barrett deadpanned as the computer screen drew his attention once again.

“Be honest, man. How many times have you called Jayden out at midnight for a meeting? Or Lucien? Hell, any of the other Guardians, for that matter?”

“Jayden doesn’t go to bed at sundown like you do, jackass.”

“I don’t go to bed early.” Damon frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that what that fucker said?”

Barrett cracked a smile. “That’s what Ava said. She told me she needed you home by six.”

“I’ll have a talk with her.” He loved his mate, but she sometimes pushed the line when it came to the Pack Master.

“Speaking of Ava, how’s her remodel coming?”

“Good. I think she wanted it done faster so she can get it on the market while the housing market is hot. She doesn’t want to move back to Jonesboro, which makes everything easier on me.” Ava’s house had been bombed by red wolves as payback after he’d rescued her from their captivity. Forced to go on the run with her, he’d quickly realized he’d fallen in love. In the end, he couldn’t let her go. After judgment was meted out against the kidnapper, Barrett had mated Damon and Ava together.

“She got someone good, I hope. Contractors will fuck you over if you’re not careful. Especially if they are dealing with a woman. They think they can pull one over on them.” Barrett snorted.

“Actually, this contractor is female.”

“No shit.” Barrett nodded in appreciation.

“Yeah. She and Ava seemed to click. Plus, she came in under bid and promised to be on schedule.”

“Just wait. I’m sure some unexpected expense will crop up and you’ll get it up the ass.”

“It’s Ava’s business. I try to stay out of it. I did tell her it was a bad idea to hire someone she’d never met in person. She’s working with the contract via Skype and phone.”

Barrett froze. He turned to give Damon his full attention.

“Well then, I think it’s time for Ava to take a trip over to Jonesboro to check on the progress. I mean, it would only make sense to check in.”

“I’ve tried to get Ava to go, but she doesn’t want to be without me.”

“Which is why you’re going with her.”

***

“Fuck.” Lucien glanced at his ringing phone and grimaced. Even if he answered it, he wouldn’t be able to hear anything over the music in the club. The smoke alone was killing him. After making sure Jayden and Braxton had gotten their tatts, Lucien had sent them on their way back to Little Rock. He and Jaxon had stayed behind to try to find out what was what with Zane.

“What?” Jaxon craned his neck to see the caller ID. “Dude, it’s Barrett. You need to answer it.”

“No shit.” The ringing stopped and Lucien shoved the phone into his back pocket. They’d hoped they could find a lead on Zane at Jonesboro’s only nightclub, but so far they’d come up empty. It was like he’d disappeared off the face of the earth.

“So what’s the plan?” Jaxon glanced at him before turning his back on yet another human female who’d eased onto the bar stool next to him in the crowded club.

“The plan is to avoid Barrett. Find Zane. And get to the bottom of what the hell is going on with him.”

“You don’t think he’s using, do you?” Concern creased Jaxon’s face.

“What?”

“Meth. You don’t think he’s using meth.”

“For fuck’s sake. It’s Zane we’re talking about. He’s the most in-control guy I know. He hardly ever drinks.” Lucien slammed down the shot of tequila and motioned for the bartender to give him another.

“Yeah, then what the hell is up with him?” Jaxon dragged his eyes away from a passing female with skinny jeans that hugged every curve. He met Lucien’s gaze with a worried frown.

“I don’t know, man. All I know is he’s not been right since the drug takedown. Were you in the house after it was over? Did you see him do anything? Take anything?”

Jaxon shook his head. “I barely left his side for two seconds. Besides, they were still cooking the shit. The product wasn’t even ready for distribution.” He glanced around, making sure no one else was listening in to their conversation. “Hell, it was still liquid. Or it was until Zane bumped into it and it destroyed what was left.”

“It doesn’t make sense. All I know is something is going on with Zane and if we don’t find out what it is before Barrett does, he’s going to be out of the Guardians.” Lucien sucked back the rest of the bitter beer.

“At best.”

“What do you mean?” Lucien narrowed his gaze.

“Getting kicked out is going to be the best outcome. I know Barrett, and he’s a stickler for upholding the Lupine Law. If Zane doesn’t stop shifting in public or if he’s on drugs, he’s going to be facing a Tribunal. And we both know what that means. He’s going to get taken out. Permanently.”

***

“Where the hell are you going?” Zane thundered.

Shoving down her anger, she maneuvered around Zane’s large body and snatched her keys and backpack off the kitchen counter.

“I need to go check on something.” She spun around and faced him, not ready for her body’s reaction to seeing him standing there wearing nothing but a sheet wrapped around his lean waist, intensity sparking from his eyes.

After their argument, she’d shown him some sheets and a blanket so he could sleep on the couch while she tossed and turned in her own bed.

He didn’t understand what she’d been through—hell, most people wouldn’t. But once he found out what she was—damaged—then he’d leave her alone soon enough. A Were of his status demanded a pure female, unblemished and perfect in every way.

She didn’t want to ruin him too.

“It’s fucking one o’clock in the morning. You’re not going anywhere this late.” His eyes blazed as he stared her down.

He probably meant to intimidate her and frighten her into submission. What he didn’t realize was that it was turning her on instead.

Stupid girly hormones.

She shifted her weight, thankful his sense of smell was on the blink. Otherwise, he’d know how attracted she was to him right now.

“I have a business to run. And that involves checking on my work sites to make sure some crackhead isn’t stealing my shit.” She stormed toward the door and turned. She waved her hand up and down his body. “And you can’t come because you’re naked. The last thing I need is to be driving around Jonesboro with a naked man. Or wolf.”

It was definitely the last thing she needed. How could she concentrate with his male scent filling up her truck like an aphrodisiac?

“The last thing you need is to take on a thief by yourself. You could get hurt or worse.”

Her gaze drifted south to where his fingers clenched the sheet. She swallowed back the lust that was currently warming her stomach and threatening to take control of her senses.

She shook her head. “I’ve got a gun. I’m not running into danger like you think. I do have a brain, you know.”

“Skylar, don’t you think about opening that door.” His growl sent a delicious shiver across her heated skin.

A smirk played on her lips as she turned the doorknob and flung open the door.

“Don’t wait up.” She slammed the door behind her just as he let out a growl.

Tightening her grip on her backpack, she hurried to her truck before he could follow.

***

“Damn it.” Zane started for the door just as his sheet fell to the floor.

She’d done it. She’d actually disobeyed him and left.

He glanced down at the erection he was sporting and shook his head.

She disobeyed him and it made him hard. Again.

How fucked in the head was that? His body surged to life as the urge to shift took over. His skin prickled and his gut clenched as rage fueled his body. He sucked in a deep breath to control his breathing and force his body to stop the shift.

His gaze landed on the door. Once he shifted, there was no way he was going to be able to open the door and go after Skylar. But if he left now, someone in the apartment complex might see him once he shifted into wolf.

Both fucking choices sucked.

“Fuck it.” He opened the door and sprinted for the back of the complex. If he was going to shift, it was better to do it away from the security lights that surrounded the front of the building.

He made it down the back steps and raced to the tree line just as he heard Skylar’s nosy old neighbor call out her name.

The old bat was probably up late doing some TV shopping for some cat figurines or some shit like that.

His body trembled as the shift washed over him. He stayed in the shadows of the trees, hoping the old woman wouldn’t walk out her door. If she saw him, she would probably call animal control—or worse, the local news channel—with reports of a bear.

Finally the door shut, and he relaxed. The old woman was smart enough not to come looking out into the dark. Good for her. Never knew what might be lurking in the shadows.

Zane lifted his head at the star-speckled night sky. The balmy Arkansas air did nothing to cool his overheated body.

No wonder so many wolves preferred the cooler climates like Colorado and Montana.

He cut his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t scent Skylar to get a trace on her. And it didn’t matter that he’d been covered up with a tarp while being transferred here. He didn’t need any of that to find his way back to the house that she was working on. When his sense of smell had failed him, his hearing had been amplified. He’d been doing more than just hiding under that tarp while being driven down Arkansas roads. He’d been listening to his surroundings and learning how to get back to where he’d been.

His ears perked up as the shrill of a train whistle cut into the black of the night. His mind quickly retraced the direction toward Skylar’s destination.

He sprang off his feet and raced along the tree line out of sight of humans.

His gut told him that something was off where Skylar was concerned.

He didn’t know what it was, but he damn well intended to find out.

“I want to go too.” Granny propped her hands on her skinny hips, making her yellow and green muumuu crinkle up a bit, and frowned.

“Granny, this is not a vacation. It’s just a quick trip to go check on the progress of Ava’s house.” Once they got that house fixed and on the market, he’d feel relieved. It had nothing to do with money. Hell, as a Guardian, he did pretty fucking well. All Guardians did. He just didn’t want Ava to have a house or a place she might run off to if she got pissed at him.

Getting rid of the house would be just one more step in healing his feelings of abandonment from his past.

“I didn’t say it was. I’m just bored.”

“What about running your”—he cringed as he forced the words out—“business?”

“I need a little break from all that selling. Why, the only time people come up to me anymore is to find out what flavor edible underwear I have. I feel used.” Granny pursed her lips into a thin white line.

Damon felt nauseated.

“Besides, I need a little time away to refresh. And I want to check out what Jonesboro has to offer. Heard they have a cute little farmers’ market on Saturday and a street festival every Thursday night.”

“First of all, I’m not going to just hang out. I have things I need to get done. Besides, I’m taking my Harley, and Ava’s going too, so there’s no room for you.”

“We can put the sidecar on it and there will be room for me.” Granny’s weathered face brightened.

“Oh, hell no. No one is putting that monstrosity on my Harley.” Damon fought back a shiver. The Guardians were still giving Jayden hell about how he’d discovered the sidecar on his beloved Harley Davidson Breakout with Granny in the passenger’s seat. It just wasn’t a good look.

“What are you guys talking about?” Ava walked into the living room, pushing a rolling suitcase.

“Wait. Hold up. What’s with the suitcase? You know there’s no room for it in my saddlebags. Just take one set of clothes.” He shifted his weight as the estrogen in the room doubled.

“I can’t travel with just one change of clothes. What if the weather changes? Or it rains? Or I spill something? Or we find a nice restaurant? Not to mention my shoes. I need my shoes, Damon.” Her eyes widened frantically.

“What are y’all discussing?” Jayden strolled in with Haley snuggled under his arm. Jayden planted a kiss on her lips when she gazed up at him.

“Damon won’t let me go to Jonesboro with him and Ava.” Granny pouted and gave Jayden puppy eyes.

“Damon, stop being a dick and take Granny.” Jayden glared at him.

“Jayden, language,” Granny quickly corrected.

“Why don’t Granny and I take my SUV and you ride your Harley?” Ava said. “That way we can pack whatever. Plus, I’ve been dying to check out this new Arkansas artist, Ande Allison. I’ve seen her artwork online, and I want to buy some before she gets expensive.”

“Good idea, dear. Get her on her way up.” Granny smiled and patted her hand. “I hope she’s better than that artist who did that canvas for me in Little Rock. I asked for an abstract garden. I got a picture of a vagina.” Damon’s stomach clenched as he shook his head, trying to dislodge that mental image.