An Unlucky Moon

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Hell, he could get used to this.

  “Love you,” she whispered.

  “Love you, my Becca.”

  ****

  Fury coursed through Jason’s veins. He couldn’t find his damned study partner, Becca, and it was killing him.

  Okay.

  Not literally but he’d kill her once he found her if he didn’t find her soon.

  “What the hell do you mean you can’t find her?” Jason spat into the phone. He paced his office, knocking gold and bronze coins off his desk. He hated the damn things since they cluttered up his place, but since he had to count them daily before putting them in the vault, he dealt with them.

  Being part of the leprechaun council wasn’t for the weak-minded, but shit, he hated the paperwork.

  And coins.

  He hated coins.

  They were everywhere.

  “She hasn’t been back to her place in over a month. Just that fucking dragon and a few of her weird friends to check up on the dump,” his second-in-command answered on the other end of the line.

  Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. This was fucking ridiculous. He needed to find Becca. He’d chosen her to be his for a reason. She was one of the seven lightning struck, meaning she had power running through her veins. He wasn’t sure what she was or how he could use it, but he wanted that fucking power.

  Plus there weren’t enough women in his realm, and he could always use a good fuck. Becca was all wild and fiery, and he’d have fun fucking that out of her over time.

  He just had to find the bitch first.

  “I want her found, damn it. Don’t call back unless you have the bitch in tow. Understand?”

  “Sure, whatever you say, but why can’t you just use one of the other women?”

  “Because I want that one!” he screamed into the phone before pressing End. Fuck, he missed normal phones where he could slam the receiver down. Pressing End just wasn’t the same.

  Someone knocked on the door, and Jason took a deep breath. He couldn’t kill whoever was on the other side for pissing him off.

  Well, he could, but it was bad for business.

  “What?” he spat.

  “There’s a wolf out here for you, sir,” his secretary…uh he couldn’t think of the little bastard’s name, said.

  “Why the fuck is there a wolf outside my door?”

  “I’m not going to huff and puff if that’s what you’re afraid of,” a tall man drawled as he pushed through the office, an annoying smirk on his face.

  The other man radiated danger, causing Jason to almost take a step back before thinking better of it. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “I’m Dorian Masterson, council member of the Nocturne Pack and your new best friend.”

  “And why are you my new best friend?”

  “Because I have a leprechaun in my midst, and I had a feeling you’d want her.”

  “Her?” Jason’s pulse sped up. There were only a handful of leprechaun women alive. Their race was slowly dying because they weren’t allowed to mate outside the species, not that Jason would ever want to mate with a wolf or human anyway.

  “Yes, her. I think you know her as well if my intel in correct. A certain lightning struck woman named Becca?”

  Jason just about came in his jeans at the glee running through him. Becca? His Becca? A leprechaun. Fuck, this was the best news from fate he’d ever heard.

  “She’s a leprechaun? So I take it she found what her power was.” He tried to keep his voice calm, but he knew the wolf had sensed his excitement.

  “Yes. She found her true half in our Beta. Now that won’t work for me.”

  Jason remembered the fucking wolf who’d dared to threaten him at Becca’s place, and he snarled.

  “Yes, I take it you know of Hunter. I want him dead, but I can’t do it the normal way, so I’m going to do the next best thing.”

  “And what is that?”

  “Take his mate away and force him to kill himself.”

  Jason smiled. And when they took her, they’d have a new Breeder. Because of the lack of women in their societies, they were forced to be with many men at a time, producing child after child until their bodies were eventually spent. The Breeders were a deep secret among the leprechauns. Women and some of the men had tried to rise up against the council for rights and privileges, so Jason had been part of the group to cull the herd. It was easier to rule with an iron fist then deal with naysayers.

  Becca would become a Breeder and save their people…and he’d have her all to himself at night.

  He might have to chain her up for a while, but she’d get used to it.

  “What do you need from me?” Jason asked, his body hard with excitement.

  Dorian smiled.

  Oh yes, this was the beginning of a beautiful alliance.

  Chapter Eleven

  Life as a leprechaun wasn’t all rainbows and gold coins. Okay, Becca thought, it wasn’t really much different from her regular life. Sure, she felt a bit stronger and had more endurance—much to Hunter’s delight—but she couldn’t do much of anything else.

  Apparently she might have some form of magic, but that hadn’t shown up yet.

  She also should have been able to transport her body from place to place, but it wasn’t as if she knew how to do that. Getting struck by lightning and turned into another creature by her other half didn’t come with an instruction manual.

  Maybe she could convince Jamie to write one and sell it to anyone who went through this in the future.

  Not that it would happen, but it couldn’t hurt.

  “What’s going through that head of yours?” Hunter asked as he came up from behind her where they both stood in the kitchen.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and she instinctively leaned back into him. She’d never been a touchy-feely person before, but she couldn’t help her deep need to be touched by this man. Maybe being surrounded by wolves had changed her tune. Everyone in the Pack was constantly hugging, kissing, and leaning into one another. Hunter had explained it was because wolves craved touch to feel centered and whole. She had a feeling some of it, though, was because wolves always seemed to be horny.

  Okay, fine, she was horny as hell around Hunter, but still…

  She’d already seen the effects of the moon on their hunts. Sure, wolves didn’t have to turn on the full moon, but there was a crazed feeling on those nights. She’d stayed at home with Leslie on that night while Hunter went hunting with Liam and Alec. She still remembered the feel of the Pack, as if everyone was on edge and knew something glorious was coming. Most of the wolves hunted for prey. Liam and Alec had found a rabbit to eat while Hunter came home to her.

  She blushed, remembering the knowing look on Leslie’s face as she went back home. Hunter had taken Becca hard that night, as if his wolf was calling the shots. She didn’t care about that though. She just cared that he’d made love to her with a fierce passion that had made her fall for the man.

  Yes, she knew there was a difference between love and lust, but without the latter, the former would be boring. At least to her.

  Plus he’d cared for her afterward, soothing every love bite and taking a long bath with her, as if he’d been aware he’d been rough. She’d liked it all, though, and had told him so.

  She couldn’t wait for the next full moon.

  Hunter’s lips trailed up her neck, and she turned to give him more access. She couldn’t seem to get enough of this man—not like that was a bad thing.

  They were actually talking about who they were beyond what fate had decreed for them. They’d also declared their love for one another—something she’d never thought she’d do.

  This was a real relationship, not something that would fade with time.

  At least she hoped not.

  “You just sighed, Becca dear, but it wasn’t a good sigh,” Hunter whispered. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing,” she lied.

  He bit her neck,
and she gasped. “Don’t lie to me, my mate. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

  “Aren’t you afraid we’ll lose everything?” she blurted out. “This all happened so fast, and I don’t want to rely on it too much.”

  He twisted her around so she could see the love in his gaze. “I’m always afraid someone will try to take you away from me. We’re not safe, not yet, but I will always protect you. As for relying on it? I will always love you, Becca. You have to believe in that.”

  “I think I’m just feeling out of sorts.”

  “It’s because you haven’t set roots here yet, nor have you found your place in the human realm. I know you feel isolated out here, and I think, once we get through the meeting today, we can go back to the human realm and find a way to make both lives work. I don’t want you to give up everything, and I’m not planning on forcing you. I’m also not planning on letting you go there alone, so you’re going to have to find a way to make room for me in your life in both places.”

  A deep, fulfilling love filled her at his words. “You’ve been thinking about this.”

  “Of course I have. I might be dominating, but that doesn’t mean I want to dominate you. We’ll find a way to make it work in both places.”

  She let out a breath. “That means, I guess, we have to deal with the meeting first.”

  He nodded, his jaw clenched. “I’m sorry you have to deal with this, but it could be a good thing.”

  She raised a brow.

  The leprechaun council had summoned her.

  Summoned.

  That couldn’t be a good thing.

  It wasn’t as though they’d invited her to tea or something. No, they’d demanded her presence in front of their council that afternoon for some form of questioning.

  So far, acceptance among her friends’ new councils was fifty percent. Lily had been enveloped in the warm arms of the brownie world. They wanted to show her what it meant to be a brownie and told her she always had a home there. They’d even adopted Shade into their fold.

  Jamie, on the other hand, had had a completely different experience. The djinn council at the time had not wanted Jamie. At. All. The old leader had wanted to kill Jamie for being an “abomination”. He’d even struck up a deal with Balin’s demon father, Pyro. Needless to say, that hadn’t ended too well. The new djinn leader had a different approach and had cautiously warmed to Jamie, but Becca had a feeling it wouldn’t be that easy. Even if Jamie forgave and forgot, her two mates wouldn’t be so lenient.

  Not that Becca blamed them.

  After all, she’d almost died because of the old djinn leader. It wasn’t as if she could just forget that feeling or the look on Hunter’s face when she’d let out what she thought was her last breath.

  She blinked as Hunter’s lips captured her own, and then she sank into him. When he pulled back, she whimpered, needing more.

  “That got the sadness out of your eyes,” he whispered.

  Was it any wonder she loved this wolf?

  “I’m scared they’ll reject me,” she said.

  He tucked a curl behind her ear then kissed her brow. “I can’t predict what they will say, but know this, you will always have a place by my side and by your friends’ sides. If the leprechauns act like idiots, you’ll never be alone. If they do welcome you with open arms, well, it looks like we’ll have three realms to deal with on a daily basis.”

  She grinned then kissed his jaw. He’d shaved for the occasion, but she still missed that soft rasp against her lips when he let his beard grow.

  “Ready to go?” she asked, keeping her voice light.

  “I’ll go anywhere with you.”

  And that is why she loved this wolf. Just saying.

  She looked down at her outfit and let out a little sigh. There really wasn’t an etiquette for what to wear when one found out they were a new supernatural being and had to meet people like them…or at least like a part of them. She’d worn a cute sundress and shrug so she’d be covered but still look nice. Her legs were bare, but she wasn’t showing too much skin.

  Maybe she should have worn pants.

  “Stop overthinking it,” Hunter ordered as he pulled her toward the backyard.

  Hunter’s place was at the edge of the forest where they could still see the tall trees and sink into the darkness if needed, but there was some open space to run and enjoy the sunshine.

  He held the summons in his hand that would, when ready, open a portal for them to enter the leprechaun realm. She still wasn’t exactly sure how it all worked, but she was pretty sure most realms were locked to outsiders without special requests. The summons, which had arrived by mail of all things, acted like a connection between the two realms.

  Becca didn’t think she’d ever get used to how things worked now that they weren’t human. At least she had a long time to learn more about it.

  The portal opened in front of them, a swirling vortex of gold and green lights. She braced herself then took a step through with Hunter by her side. Cool tendrils of smoke wrapped around her arms and legs, pulling her through the stream until she found herself on the other end.

  The forest was long gone.

  No, now she stood at the end of the yellow brick road, or, at least, a demented version of that road. Large emerald buildings formed a city with zigzag streets paved with gold. There was an odd forest surrounding the city, with short squat trees.

  The sky held her interest more than anything else though.

  Rainbows.

  Hundreds of rainbows.

  They were woven into an interlocking web with strong bursts of light sparkles shooting through them as if someone was sending magic or messages through them.

  Apparently the laws of physics and light didn’t matter to leprechauns.

  Good to know.

  “It’s like the Wizard of Oz on acid,” she whispered.

  Hunter snorted, and his frown remained. She knew he didn’t like being alone without backup in a strange place, but the summons had strictly forbade it.

  “What? No joking?” she tried keep her tone light, but it wasn’t working.

  “I don’t know the area or the people.”

  “And we shouldn’t antagonize. Got it.” She squared her shoulders then took Hunter’s hand.

  As soon as she did that, a group of people stepped out of the closest building.

  All were men.

  All were redheaded.

  Interesting.

  The one in the front crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her before letting his gaze roam over her body. The others followed suit, and Becca resisted the urge to hide behind Hunter. They’d discussed before they’d left that she would do her best to stand on her own. She didn’t want to appear fearful or weak in front of people she didn’t know.

  Not only would she have to find the courage not to run from people stronger than her—something she hadn’t done in a while honestly—but Hunter would also have to swallow the urge to protect her at all costs.

  The leering looks, however, creeped her out.

  It was as if they didn’t care she totally knew they were picturing her naked and other…things. She held back a shudder at the thought.

  Gods, she just wanted to go home.

  “The council is waiting for you both inside,” the first man who had stared at her said.

  She raised her chin and passed the group of men, Hunter by her side, and tried not to let any of them brush against her.

  She couldn’t be responsible for their safety if they acted on their thoughts with Hunter around. Hell, she had to hold herself back from slapping a few of them herself.

  Where were all the women?

  They walked into the large room with high walls and vaulted ceilings, and Becca knew this had been a mistake. She shouldn’t have come. She should have just ignored the summons and stayed within the den walls with Hunter.

  Yes, that would have been the cowardly way out and might have started a war, but hell, she had a bad f
eeling about this.

  Okay, fine, she wouldn’t have stayed away, but the thought was nice.

  Five men sat on emerald-green chairs that looked to actually be made of emerald. Four of the men glared at her but didn’t look any more dangerous than the men she’d passed.

  The fifth, however, made her stop in her tracks.

  “Jason.”

  He sneered at her, all semblance of the nice guy he’d tried to be before gone. Not that he’d ever been too nice before as he’d always creeped her the hell out. She’d only studied with him out of habit and her inability to say no. In his place was a man who leered at her like the rest.

  “It’s good to see you, my Becca.”

  “I’m not your Becca,” she spat. Was nothing like it seemed? Her study partner who used to be bane of her existence was a leprechaun?

  What else didn’t she know?

  “I see, Hunter, that you never told your so-called mate what I was,” Jason teased.

  Becca stiffened. That’s right. Hunter had met Jason once before. He must have sniffed him our or something. Why hadn’t he said anything?

  Her mate leaned toward her, his lips brushing her ear. “I honestly forgot. He didn’t mean much to me, and we’ve had other things to worry over.”

  She nodded, relief filling her. Hunter had told her when Dorian had tried to pry them apart. There was no reason not to trust him now. Jason had been a pest before. Now he seemed to be a pest with power.

  Oh hell.

  “Are you done mooning over each other so we can begin?” Jason asked.

  Becca narrowed her eyes at the skinny little man who’d only annoyed her before. Now he pissed her off.

  “Good,” Jason said. “Congratulations on becoming something better than the little human you were.”

  Becca blinked. Seriously? What was it with other species thinking they were better than others? Sure, humans had their own issues with thinking they were better than other humans, but hell, why couldn’t people just get over it?

  “What is it you wanted?” she asked, sidestepping his taunt. She winced as she heard her own words. Not exactly the most gracious of things to say, but it had already been a long day, and things didn’t look as though they’d get better any time soon. Sure, she’d wanted to act demure—okay, at least sociable—when meeting the people who apparently shared her genes on some basic level, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen any time soon.