Moon Crossed (Werewolf Hunter Series): Season 1 (Episodes 1-6) (Crescent Hunter) (58 page)

“He doesn't
care.” The insistence in my voice hurts me.

“But you do?”

“I wish I
didn't.” I want to kick something.

“But you did,”
he says resolutely. “So now what?”

“Nothing.”
I shrug in defeat.

“Interesting
dilemma you have there.” He gets the bottle of bourbon off the
counter and pours a glass.

I shake my head and sit
back at the table, looking to him for an answer. “There is no
dilemma. There would have had to be love for that.”

He doesn't offer one.
“Free will is a real bitch when it's hindered by fear.”

“Free will?”
I ask an ambiguous question, hoping to get a clear answer.

“There must be a
balance in all things. Hunters were created to balance the
wolf-borne. Night balances day, water balances air.” He looks
into my eyes, taking another sip from his glass.

I think about it. “But
night and day aren't balanced, and neither are water and air.”
I consider the inequities based on the time of the year or whether
it's been raining.

“Hmm, how 'bout
that.” He nods, leaning forward, and puts his hand under my
chin. “Chaotic Claire. Choose well.”

“But –”
He raises his hand to stop me.

“Ask yourself
what kind of balance hybrids might bring.” He pins me down.

“How can
hybrids...” I trail off, thinking about
how I have power without wolves, whereas
other hunters don't. “Ray?”

“That's it for
now; you have to go. It's time.” He nods.

I want to shake the
answers out of him. I'm even more confused than when I got here. He
waves his hand and the door opens. “Come see me again after the
full moon.”

“Okay.” I
don't know what else to say. My feet usher me absently out the door.

I rejoin Dugan, Hayden,
and Mariah in the center of the camp. “I've got some sandwiches
in the house when you're ready.” Mariah's kind smile touches
me.

“How was it?”
Dugan asks.

“I-I-”
There are no words.

“Yeah, he can be
a real trip.” He takes steps away from Hayden. “Walk with
me.”

I look
back at Hayden, who seems hesitant to let
me go. He nods reluctantly. I'm not sure why it would be a problem.
I've spent plenty of time here with Dugan and the pack.

“You know, in my
hundred and twelve years as alpha, I've only seen him grant or
request five audiences.” He lets that sink in. “You must
be very special.”

“I don't feel
special, just confused.” I roll my eyes.

“Did he bestow
gifts upon you?” Dugan asks.

“No.” I
didn't get any gifts.

“Did he offer you
a cigarette?”

“Yes.”

“Did you take
it?”

“Yes.”

“Did he offer you
bourbon?”

“No.”

“Hmm,
interesting.” He stops walking and takes my hand, pushing my
sleeve up. “There you go.”

I look down at my arm.
Smudged on my skin in what looks like ash are the words, “Curious,
Care, Courageous, Clever, Chaos, Cole.”

“When...how?”
I don't understand. “He never touched me.”

Dugan smiles knowingly.
“Those are your gifts.”

The one that stands out
the most is “Cole.” I don't see how he could be a gift.
Someone who never had the decency to care. “Huh, how about
that? How did he do that?”

“Not many people
know this, but he is
the
Rayel.” He looks at me,
impressed with his own words.

“Wait, Rayel of
the original seven elder shamans?” No freakin' way.

“Yes.” He
nods.

“I thought he had
just taken the name, like the pope does.” Shivers run down my
spine.

Dugan smiles knowingly.
“A real trip, huh? We feel very honored to have him here.”

Rayel's words ring in
my head. I look up at Dugan. “Rayel was Faramund's brother,
right?” I'm hoping I remember my lore correctly.

“Yes.” He
smiles proudly.

“Whoa.”

Staying in the compound
for the full moon has been pretty quiet. Most of the wolves that are
here are older and able to control shifting. It's three a.m. I really
want to take a nap, but I know better. It's definitely harder to stay
awake when you aren't on the move. Several times tonight I can't help
but stare at Rayel's cabin. I want to go back in there and demand
answers, or bow down to him. One of the original seven Elder Shamans.
That is huge; he was there when Faramund gave his heart to create the
hunters.

I feel revitalized.
Like I can face life head on again.

A commotion on the
north side of the compound catches my attention. I run in that
direction with my weapons drawn. When I get there, a full battle is
already underway. I can't discern who each wolf is. It's too dark,
and there are too many of them. The only one I can pick out is Pike.

He's going after a
smaller female wolf. I go to her to fight by her side. Pike turns all
of his anger on me lunging at me, but is stopped by Dugan. They
engage in a full on fight. I try to get some licks in on Pike, but
Dugan pushes me back.

Hayden runs in,
dragging me away from the melee. “We have to keep you safe at
all costs. You need to get to Rayel's cabin. He'll keep you safe.”

“No, I'm here to
fight.” I look around at all of the moon-touched wolves.

“Claire, this is
not the time to argue. You're here because Rayel said you had to be
protected. Now get your ass to his cabin.” Hayden juts forward
onto me, having been attacked from behind. I engage the wolf. Her
eyes are dripping red with blood; she's moon-touched. Hayden's been
knocked unconscious. I can't just leave him. The wolf is easily
disabled with my magic. It's very strong here. While she's down, I
draw my sword and plunge it into her heart. “I'm so sorry.”

Another wolf jumps on
me from behind. I throw him off and turn to see if he's moon-touched.
He is. I make quick work of him, too, all the while protecting
Hayden.

Mariah comes to me.
“You need to get to safety.”

“But you need my
help,” I plead with her.

“I'll be fine.
We've dealt with Pike before. Get Hayden into the cabin and start
healing him. We need you to survive this,” she insists, then
shifts back to wolf form.

I carry Hayden to
Rayel's cabin. I don't have to knock; the door opens when I reach the
top step.

“I was expecting
you sooner,” Rayel says with a tight smile.

“I don't
understand, they need me out there.” I'm trying not to yell,
especially since now I know he's one of the original seven.

“No, we need you
in here.” His kind eyes, yellowed by age, convey a message of
confidence. He mumbles, “Courageous Claire.”

I shake my head and
check on Hayden, then start to heal him. The healing is slow; my
powers of healing are so hard to use. He's suffered a head injury,
but he's going to be okay.

When I know that Hayden
is going to be fine, I turn back to Rayel, “If I'm so
courageous, why am I hiding out in here?”

“You aren't
hiding out. Sometimes inaction is the most courageous thing a person
can do.” He nods, taking a sip of his bourbon.

“But it feels so
helpless.” I sit at the table, putting my hands over my ears to
drown out the cacophony of battle happening outside.

“Why must you do
battle in here, where it is peaceful?” He hands me a cigarette.
“Here, you are safe and serving a purpose. Why so anxious to be
out there?”

“Because there
are wolves that need my protection out there.” It really is
that simple.

“There are wolves
that need your protection in here.” He lights my cigarette.

“How so?” I
look around, noting that he's the only wolf.

“I need you to
protect me.” He lifts his head. “I'm too old to be
fighting, and Pike means to do me harm.”

“I wouldn't let
that happen.” My words are as bold as my tone.

“Which is why
you're in here.” He leans forward and looks at me with hooded
eyes. “There are too many battles out there for
you
right now.”

A half smile creeps
across my cheek. “I get the feeling that you mean more than
just melee.”

“Clever Claire.”
He sits back, blowing out smoke. “There's an unseen battle
raging.”

I deflate, knowing he
means my heart. I have to put it out of my mind. “I've made a
choice.”

“Have you?”
He looks at me sideways. “That was fast. What did you choose?”

“I chose not to.”
I give a quick nod.

“Interesting.”
He studies my eyes deeper. “
Not
making a choice.”
He nods with cautioned approval.

“He doesn't love
me, therefore my love would be wasted. I would rather not make room
in my heart for hatred; it would only darken it. So all I can do is
to make no choice at all. He's already made the choice for me,”
I reason, watching Rayel's expression carefully for clues that I'm
doing the right thing.

He nods with a chuckle.
“So you're choosing love.”

“No, I'm not
choosing love.” He didn't get it.

“You are. By not
choosing hate, you choose love.” His cigarette billows
unnaturally with smoke, forming a single person.

“No, I'm not
going to love him,” I insist.

“Let me know how
that works out.” He sips his bourbon. “It's just the same
as Cole thinking that he can stop loving you by staying away.”

I look Rayel hard in
the eye and carefully consider my words. Yes, he's one of the oldest
living wolf-borne, an original elder shaman, but he's got this one
wrong.

“I see those
wheels turning.” He tilts his head back, studying me. “Better
figure it out fast, because it's time.”

“Time for what?”
The door bursts open and I jump up from the chair, drawing my sais.

Mariah stands in the
doorway, covered in blood. “Rayel, we need healing.”

Rayel sits back in his
chair. “Sorry, Mariah, I am unable to help.”

I turn and look at him,
taken aback. “What?”

“It's Dugan, he's
going to bleed out.” She's hysterical.

“Caring Claire?”
He looks at me with an eerie calm.

My whole spirit
shrinks, wanting to disappear. “I can't, my healing powers have
been failing.” I turn to Hayden, who's still unconscious. “Look
at him. If my healing fully worked, he'd be awake.”

“You have the
power.” He sips his bourbon calmly, then shifts his gaze to
Mariah. “Bring him in.”

Panic streaks through
me. My worried eyes watch the door, waiting for them to carry Dugan
in. Two wolves carry him in and lay him on the cot against the wall.
I go to him and try to channel my healing power. It feels like the
only thing flowing through me is fear.
Dugan's wounds are bad; it looks like he's been cut with a silver
blade, and he isn't healing.

I have to keep telling
myself not to cry. I look at Hayden, then turn and shake him.
“Hayden, wake up. I need you.”

He remains still. Rayel
clears his throat. “Claire, you'd better get busy.”

Mariah looks at me with
pleading eyes. “Please help him.”

“I need your
help.” I go back to Dugan and look up at Mariah. “Put
your hands on my shoulders and focus your energy.”

She lays her shaking
hands on me; her energy is flowing through me. My concentration is
broken when a frantic young wolf comes in . “Mariah, we need
you.” He's covered in blood. His chest has been slashed, but it
isn't life threatening.

She looks at me, then
Dugan. “You have to heal him; he cannot fall.”

I nod and try to
channel my power from Rayel. My focus is hard won, but it's working,
slowly.

“You'd better
hurry, an even bigger challenge is coming your way.” Rayel
blows out a puff of smoke that looks like some kind of shadow
monster.

I suck back my tears
and hopelessness. It's so hot in here that I can barely concentrate,
and sweat drips from my brow as I try again to channel my energy. I
push my sleeves up, revealing the ash smudges representing the gifts.

“Which will you
use?” Rayel asks, his voice still placid.

This has to be some
sort of test, but if I fail, Dugan dies. Failure is not an option. In
my mind, I run through each of the gifts and think of which has
helped me heal before. Care is obvious; I try to channel my caring
nature. I think of how fond I am of Dugan, but it doesn't work any
faster than it was.

More commotion draws my
attention to the door. Tor appears in the doorway, carrying Locke. My
jaw drops in anguish and I can't hold back the tears. “No!”
I go to them. Blood is flowing freely down Locke's arm, pooling on
the floor, and his heartbeat is waning.

This is all too much.
I'm trying to draw on my power. I look at my arm again. Courage?
Care? “Which do I use?” I cry out.

“You'll figure it
out,” Rayel whispers, still stoic in his chair. Anger grows in
the pit of my stomach, which isn't helping my focus.

“Put him next to
Dugan,” I order Tor, and kneel back down with a hand on each of
them. I focus my healing energy, chanting the gifts over in my head.
Courage, Care, Chaos...