Moon of Fire

by Aliyah Burke

His chuckle was decadent. “You may be a Guardian, babe, but I’m not a wet-behind-the-ears rookie here. I see you sitting in that tree up there. You’re good, but I’m better.”

  She narrowed her eyes and stared harder, as if it would allow her to spot him. “Where are you? And how did you find me?”

  “I studied you and I know what it is you like.”

  That statement incurred a rush of moisture to her core. Her body stirred in desire as her nipples tightened to an almost painful state.

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “Sure it is, just not the one you wanted me to give you.”

  She searched again, frustration mounting. Why can’t I see him? Movement had her focusing on the trees, but she scowled at the small bunny that hopped along the crust of the snow.

  “I will say it’s impressive how the black you wear doesn’t stick out. I thought you would be blatant in the snow wearing that, but somehow, you manage to blend in. That’s a secret I would like to know.”

  The bunny moved on and she searched out with her sign but for some reason it wasn’t helping her.

  “You’re frowning. You’re still unable to find me and you won’t. May as well give it up.”

  “Fuck you,” she muttered with half heat.

  “Later, in the tent, I’ll definitely take you up on that. Right now, though, I think you should move to the main tent. Everyone else is occupied and if you go in through the back—”

  She moved, this time her sign lending its speed to her.

  “Or through the front like a fucking blur. Damn, that’s cool.”

  As the flap of the tent settled behind her, she allowed a small smile. Nice to know she could impress him. “I’m in. No one is here but am checking it out now.”

  “I’ve got you covered.”

  “More maps,” she muttered low so only he could hear her. “Bed, and lots of papers that mean bupkis to me.”

  “Bupkis?”

  “Shit.”

  “Bupkis shit, or shit as in oh shit? Because I don’t see anything on this side.”

  “Bupkis shit.” She searched, making sure not to touch anything, unwilling to set off any traps.

  “Tango approaching.”

  “How far?”

  “Thirty feet.”

  She made a decision.

  “Fifteen. Ten. Five. You’d better do something, you’re about to have company.”

  Dracen had moved to the side of the flap when he’d told her thirty feet. When the person entered she waited, eyes narrowed, coiled, for the material to fall back into place, keeping everyone else out. Then she struck.

  She didn’t take long, just incapacitated the person before shoving into their thoughts.

  * * * *

  Luc waited impatiently for her to return. She’d said she’d meet him back at the tent, but he’d been here for nearly an hour and there’d yet to be any sign of Dracen. He switched over to channel seven and clicked it once, thinking she may be on that.

  Nothing.

  “Woman,” he growled.

  “You like to growl a lot, don’t you?”

  She ducked into the tent, snow dotting her hair. Relief filled his body at the sight of her.

  “Only when people frustrate me. Where the fuck have you been? What took you so long?” He narrowed his gaze, focusing on her face. Slightly ashen. “What happened?”

  She sank gracefully to the floor of the tent and rubbed the back of her neck. The exhaustion wasn’t something she could hide from him. He tossed her an MRE and waited while she opened it and dug in.

  “So there are six sites, all at the main points we found on the map with the symbol that they created when connected.”

  He nodded. “Go on.”

  “One of them has a chamber in it and they’re trying to find the artifact in there, but it’s not telling them which section of the chamber specifically it was. I guess they just saw the gold dust but now it’s stopped releasing the signal so they’re not sure which thing in that place it is.”

  “Which hole?”

  “Map?” She ate a few more bites while he spread out the map. Chewing her food, she tapped the surface with the end of the fork. “This one.”

  “We should be able to get there in a few days.”

  “I agree. I’d still like to know what that one hole is for as well.” She touched another spot that wasn’t one of the six.

  “You know that isn’t a hole they’re searching for the artifact?”

  “It’s something more. Not sure what yet, but more.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’d also like to find out who’s been supplying them with all this gear. I know The New Order is well funded, but if we could learn by who, perhaps we could cut off the funding tree and set them back a bit.”

  “It’s a lot of military gear. Let me call my father and ask him.”

  “There’s no signal up here. At least not with the phone I have. Maybe they’ll have a sat phone at one of the encampments.”

  “So you want to skip these other ones and head up to this position?”

  “Yes. The longer I’m not there to claim the artifact, the more chance They have to claim it. I refuse to be the one who turns their artifact over to Them.”

  “When do you want to leave?”

  “As soon as we steal some snowmobiles.”

  “Not walking?”

  “Time’s not on our side. Unless you’re staying behind so I can run my ass up there, we’re going this way.”

  “Two snowmobiles it is then.”

  She rubbed her neck again and he caught the wince. “Turn around.”

  “Huh?”

  He gestured with his finger and she did, putting her back to him. Luc settled his hands on her shoulders, and began massaging her.

  “Oh God,” she groaned in a way that encased his cock in titanium. “That feels divine.”

  “You’re so fucking tense,” he rumbled.

  “A lot on my mind.”

  “I’m thinking the two of us need a vacation somewhere. Warm sand, water, bikinis.”

  “You’d look pretty interesting in a bikini,” she said, laughter in her tone.

  “Bikini is for you, babe. I get to enjoy it on you.”

  “Oh, you said bikinis, so I assumed we’d both be in one.”

  He tugged her back and kissed her neck before nipping the skin. “I’m up for being nude.”

  “That’s nothing new.”

  “No, it’s not. But can you blame me?”

  “You can be nude all you want, I have no problem with that either.”

  “Let’s break camp.” He kissed her once more.

  It didn’t take them long to erase all signs of them having been there. He stood beside her as they both looked through ’nocs at the encampment.

  “How are you thinking we do this?” He put them back in his coat. “We take them now and the news will be along the wire about us. If they all die, they’ll figure something is up when there’s no check-in.”

  “I was thinking of going straight in and just riding them out. No fuss, no muss.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. “Really? And you think they’re going to just hand them over?”

  “Nope. But you asked me what I was thinking.”

  “I’ll set an explosive near the pit, when that goes off and they’re all distracted by it, we leave with the snowmobiles.”

  “With what explosive?”

  It was his turn to chuckle. “I do have my own ways, babe.”

  She looked up at him. “I really want to know what you did in the service.”

  “Later. Let’s go. I’ll meet you behind that blue tent in ten minutes. Make sure we have extra fuel with us so we don’t run out.”

  She beckoned to him and he blinked. “What?”

  “Your pack with the tent. If you don’t need it for what you’re about to go do, let me take it.”

  He shrugged free of it and handed it over. “Keep your ass safe, babe.”

&nb
sp; “You too.”

  She turned to walk away and he spun her back, slanting his mouth over hers, pouring in all his emotions he wasn’t about to verbalize. Her tongue met his delving one and they danced, stroked and rubbed along each other.

  “See you soon.”

  He waited until she vanished from sight before he made his way around to where he would place the explosive. He didn’t have a lot but then, he never needed a lot. He had to make it look like something it wasn’t.

  I wonder where he is.

  Luc nearly tripped over his own feet when he heard Dracen’s voice in his head. He flattened himself against the trunk and tried to reason out why he was hearing her. It didn’t make sense, but then, neither did the warm heat he got from being close to her. Had she followed him? Was she near?

  He clicked the comm and waited.

  “Something wrong?” Her voice, soft and confident, reached him.

  “Where are you?”

  “By the snowmobiles tying on your gear. Just about to get fuel. Why? Is there a problem?”

  “No.”

  “Okay.”

  She was gone, but he didn’t feel alone. The heat remained with him, keeping the cold at bay. He moved closer, only to stop when desire wracked him. Luc closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear it.

  Hands moving up a hard chest. Nails scoring skin. A tongue flicking over a pointed nipple.

  What the fuck is going on with me?

  A quick rub of his eyes and he focused back on the task at hand.

  Sweaty skin. Entwined limbs. Moans and pants filled his head, such that he would have sworn he was in a room with a couple making love. He could hear it, damn near feel the passion spiraling through them.

  He bit the inside of his cheek and ignored the rock-hard cock inside his cargo pants. Being distracted now was unacceptable. He redoubled his efforts to remain focused and set his charge, taking a peek at the time on his wrist. Checking around him, he pushed to his feet and strolled with confidence through the encampment to the blue tent.

  He slipped inside and stared at the woman who was bent over one of the snowmobiles tying something on the back. He didn’t speak, merely waited for her acknowledge him.

  “Almost done,” she said softly. “Lighter load one is yours.”

  She lifted her head and met his gaze.

  He flexed his hold on the MP5 and flipped up his hood. Her statement made sense—she weighed less so if she carried more on her sled, the fuel would run out at the same rate, it wouldn’t have to compensate for his heavier frame.

  “What about them radioing ahead?”

  “Can’t do anything about that.” She straddled her ride, and as he watched, she called forth her sword and knife before storing them on her body. “Ready?”

  He popped the cocking handle and nodded. “One question, though.”

  She touched her lips then lifted her eyebrows. “And that would be?”

  “Have you been thinking about sex with me lately?”

  He chuckled at her expression, sat on his snowmobile and started it. She followed him out, aware he knew where their destination was.

  Chapter Nine

  Dracen allowed a small smile to turn up her lips as they raced off into the Canadian wilderness. A few moments after they started riding on the sleds, an explosion rang out. She didn’t turn back, just asked the snowmobile for more speed while angling a bit to her left, allowing her to move up alongside Luc.

  She thought about his question. She had been reliving their time in bed and creating some new fantasies of her own. Is he able to see what I do now? She slanted her gaze to him, but he was focused on the path ahead of them.

  They took risks, pushing their transportation. Rising and falling with the terrain, they bounced, zipped and streaked over as well as around nature. The sun set low in the sky and the moon rose, soon becoming the only source of light aside from their headlights.

  Her blood hummed and she hissed as she called forth a sword to her hand. In her periphery she noticed Luc paying attention and adjusting his grip on the weapon he held. Depending on her sign to guide her, she tensed as they continued along the ground. Releasing the handle, she hopped onto the seat then launched herself off. Flipping and striking down with two swords, she cut the demon that appeared before her.

  By the time she hit the snowpack, she was surrounded. Focused on the battle before her, the short bursts of his semi-automatic as he killed didn’t register at first. She grimaced when one taloned claw raked along her calf. Flipping her knife, she stabbed the demon in the head.

  As the last of her opponents fell, she looked for Luc. He battled one demon with the kama. Above him, the moon had that burning appearance she’d noticed once before. As she moved her gaze back to the man battling, she paused as a large shadow skated along the sky.

  Lian?

  It looked like a dragon. She nearly took down her shields to ask him if he was there. But she kept them in place at the last second. Eyes back on Luc, she stared as he blocked a high attack then used the second weapon to slice off one wing. While the creature howled in pain, he took its head.

  The blood moon shone on him and silver mist surrounded him. It hit her. He was hers. She might not have her artifact, but this man was her mate. He glanced over his shoulder at her. With a singular motion, he put the kama back and strode toward her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, nearing her.

  She reached out, gripped his coat and yanked him to her, covering his lips with hers. If he was shocked by her move, it didn’t last long. Their tongues dueled, teeth mashing against one another.

  He slipped his arms around her, palming her ass and bringing her as tight as she could be against him. She stared into his eyes, noting again the way more gray had snuck into his irises.

  “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

  Like with everything else, Dracen gave him the blunt answer. “You’re my mate.”

  “About time you figured that out.” He kissed her again. “Let’s go get to that nearby cabin.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “How did you know there was a cabin near? It’s not on the map.”

  “I don’t know, I just do.” He released her. “How do you know?”

  “My sign.”

  He didn’t respond, just pivoted and returned to his snowmobile. “Come on.”

  Moments later they were weaving through the trees until they came upon a small copse that had a cabin smack in the middle of it. They parked a bit off to the side, utilizing the cover from the trees and she checked the area, beckoning him when she was content it was safe. She started a fire inside while he covered their rides and brought in their gear.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you got injured?”

  Dracen checked the flames. “Not much to do about it out there. I’ll fix it up now. My sign’s pretty much done most of the work.”

  He dropped the bags on the lone table. “How does that work?”

  She glanced at him over her shoulder. “How does what work?”

  “Your sign healing you?”

  “Not really sure. Feels all tingly, and I guess it works from the inside out. Eliminates poison. If it’s really bad, we need Cale to fix us up.”

  “Let me look at it.”

  Keeping her argument inside, she gave him a small nod. “Sure.” She went to her bag and pulled out another pair of leather pants then got out of the ones she currently wore.

  “Christ, I meant once it warmed up in here.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Definitely won’t get any argument from me on that, babe.” He neared and crouched by her side. “What do you want on this?”

  She yawned. “Green bag of dried herbs in my pack.”

  “Stay here.” He strode to her stuff and dug it out. “Does it need water?”

  “I’ll use saliva.”

  He shoved a pinch in his mouth before she could say another word. His grimace had her smiling. Soon he was bac
k by her side and put some of it on the three-taloned strike.

  “That shit is nasty,” he said once it was out of his mouth.

  “Not supposed to taste nice, it’s supposed to heal.”

  “God,” he complained, “I need a drink.”

  She drew on her new pants while he got himself some water and rinsed the first bit out then drank. Then, as she tied back on her boots, he returned to her side and helped her back to her feet.

  “Hungry?”

  “No.”

  “Tough shit. You have to eat.”

  “Why ask then, if you’re just going to demand?” She arched an eyebrow at him.

  “Wanted to give you the chance to say yes.”

  “Sure you did.”

  He dug for MREs while she spread out the sleeping bags on the small bed in the cabin. There were no chairs, so they ate side by side on the bed.

  “You know your eyes are changing color?”

  He paused at her question and had confusion in his gaze when she looked at him.

  “What?”

  “Your eyes. When we first met, they were forest green.”

  He touched the corner of one. “And now?”

  “Still green, but with some gray in them.”

  “I’ve had gray flecks occasionally in them.”

  She shook her head. “Not flecks. Streaks. Almost tiger-stripe like.”

  “Do you have a mirror?”

  “Bag.”

  She finished up her chicken à la king while he checked out his eyes.

  “Well, fuck me. I had no idea.”

  “You don’t sound too worried.”

  “I’m not. If anything, I can see better than I could. I told you I wasn’t as tired and had increased my speed. Well, my eyesight is improving as well.” He returned the mirror and grinned at her. “You’re good for me, babe.”

  She brushed off his comment. “We can get about three hours then we need to press on.”

  “Let’s get to it, then.” He neared and together they got on the bed, the narrowness pretty much having her lie atop him. “I could get used to you sleeping on me like this, Dray.”

  “Sleep, Luc.” I could get used to it as well.

  This was the only man who allowed her to feel small, feminine and even delicate, despite what she did. It wasn’t anything she longed to lose. She closed her eyes against the flames in the cabin which were warding off the freezing temperatures. Exhaustion won within moments.