Fire in The Moon (The Bound Series Book 3)

by JF Holland

  “He was dressing?” Jaden asked. “Had he been dancing again?” he frowned and Lana shook her head. “So what had he been doing that required him to remove his clothin…?” he stopped mid-sentence and sniffed, nostrils flaring as his brow rose. He looked towards Sam who himself sniffed the air, his own brow rising, and then both amber and green eyes turned as one – settling on Lara.

  “Fine, we’d been having sex, okay. I’m an adult. I can screw whoever the hell I like, it’s no one’s business but mine,” she snapped. Then picking her drink up mumbled under her breath. “Bloody cats and their sense of smell,” she hissed. Jaden coughed and looked down until he could wipe the smirk off his face, Maya squeezed his shaking shoulders.

  “Yeah,” he coughed again, still amused. “So you went from wild sex to storming off, how come, or not?” he laughed and Maya smacked his head and hissed.

  “Child.”

  “Or come on honey, it was funny,” he laughed and Sam put a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter - but his amused eyes gave him away.

  “He put his hands on you. I knew I couldn’t trust him,” hissed Lara. Both Jaden and Sam sobered as they looked towards Lana at her mother’s accusation, her shoulder’s drooping.

  “My doing mum,” she responded quietly.

  “You forced him? Overpowered him, what exactly did you do that would make him break his promise?” Lara snapped.

  “I was… well…” she blew out a breath. “Damn it, I just needed the memories to stop, I wanted to get out of my own head for a little while,” Lana admitted eyes lowering.

  “You seduced him?” her mother squeaked and Lana’s hands tangled together around her cup.

  “Kind of.”

  “Kind of?” Lara asked.

  “Fine, I told him if he didn’t put out then I’d find someone who would,” she snapped and both Jaden and Sam sucked in a breath.

  “What?” Lana snapped.

  “You never threaten a mate with that, not ever. A mate does not cheat,” Jaden spat at her, disgust written all over his taught features, as Sam agreed with a bob of his head. Lara snorted in disbelief at them both as she picked up her own coffee and took a drink, staring at them over her cup. Swallowing she put it back down on the table, an arm raising and fluttering in the air as her mouth twisted bitterly.

  “Please, cats don’t know how to be faithful,” she told them with a harrumph of disbelief.

  “Yours may not have, but we do not cheat, not possible,” Jaden fumed, beyond angry at the slur.

  “Why would a mate cheat Lara? You’d know as you’d see and hear his thoughts,” Helena spoke up as Jaden positively vibrated in his seat.

  “But,” Lara stammered.

  “Honey, our mates were not right, trust me on this,” Helena told her and Lara frowned.

  “What do you mean?” she asked Helena.

  “I can hear Sam’s thoughts as Maya can hear Jaden’s.”

  “You can hear them, both of you?” Maya and Helena nodded but Lana did also.

  “Lana, you can hear Balin in your head too?” she asked her daughter and Lana nodded but then frowned.

  “Well, yes as he can me - but only when I allow him.”

  “You can block him?” Sam asked and she nodded again.

  “I’ve never heard of that before,” Sam said to Jaden who shrugged.

  “Balin can block me also, but only to a degree,” Lara explained.

  “Then why would he cheat on you?” Maya asked and Lana’s brow wrinkled then she released the cup she’d been nervously turning and threw her hands in the air.

  “Look, the Nymph was waiting for him, and he was washing away my scent. Now tell me, if their little rendezvous was so innocent why would he need to do that before coming out of the club?” Lana hissed as she angrily pushed her chair back and got up from the table. “I’ve done all the explaining I’m going to, now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to my room.”

  With that she flounced from the kitchen, back rigid.

  “Oh and Jaden, thank you for paying for my taxi,” she mumbled over her shoulder as she stomped up the stairs - slamming her bedroom door.

  Chapter Eleven

  B alin had dropped the nymph off and ridden home, extremely pissed off as Lana still wasn’t responding. Parking his bike in the garage next to Jaden and Sam’s Harley’s, he came through the kitchen door to find both Jaden and Maya sat talking at the table as he walked in.

  “What?” Balin snapped as Jaden turned to him. Maya brushed Jaden’s mouth with her own, then got up and left the room. Jaden’s eyes followed her progress until she was out of sight - then turned to his brother - golden eyes sparking.

  “The nymph?” Jaden enquired, and Balin growled.

  “She’s a complete pain in my arse. Every time I seem to be getting somewhere with Lana she turns up like a bad penny. She’s ruining my life,” Balin groused as he grabbed the milk carton out of the fridge and poured some into a glass off the draining board.

  “You need to sort this mess out,” Jaden growled.

  “What do you think I’ve been trying to do?” Balin told him, dropping into a seat at the table and slouching. “She doesn’t listen to anything I say. I’ve explained it’s not going to happen, but she just keeps coming back. I don’t know what else to do,” he told him sullenly - taking a gulp of his milk.

  “Why did you wash Lana’s scent of yourself?” Jaden asked.

  “What?” Balin spoke incredulously, putting his glass down and swiping the back of his hand over his mouth.

  “After you had sex with Lana, why did you wash her scent from you?”

  “How the hell do you…? Shit, she told you. Great, now I’m going to have Lara crawling all over my arse too,” Balin’s head dropped back on his shoulders.

  “Why?” Jaden insisted.

  “Because my cat was going crazy, he wants out and at his mate too. I can’t run, I can’t take the edge off.”

  “And?” Jaden waited brow raised.

  “I also thought it would help to stop you lot from finding out.”

  “Just us?”

  “Shit, you’d have smelt her on me and it’s got fuck all to do with anyone but me and Lana.”

  “And?”

  “Fine, I didn’t want Lara knowing I’d broken my promise. I told her I’d keep my hands to myself. Happy,” Balin snapped and Jaden’s brow rose again, before he smirked.

  “What’s so fucking funny,” Balin snapped eyeing up his brother.

  “It wasn’t using your hands on her that caused the problem.”

  “Oh bite me,” Balin snarled as Jaden laughed.

  “Hang on, Lana knows?” Balin asked.

  “Lana knows what? Ermm…, I’m pretty sure she was there,” Jaden said around a laugh.”

  “Not that, about me washing off her scent.”

  “Yes. She thought you were removing her scent so you didn’t go to the nymph smelling of another female.”

  “Oh, for fuck sake. Why didn’t she just read my mind.”

  “She did, that’s how she knew you were washing.”

  “You’re telling me this shit is due to me washing and trying to keep private what happened between us?” Balin asked incredulously his voice raising.

  “Look Balin,” Jaden told him seriously, elbows on the table. “Between you washing and the nymph being there, you’re basically back to square one with her. Lana’s pissed that you washed off her scent and Lara’s pissed that you touched her daughter – ergo -broke your promise. You’re screwed.”

  “Great,” Balin threw his hands up in the air.

  The back door opened and Jaden looked up as Sam came through the back door and took a seat at the table.

  “Balin, you have to stay out of the café.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Until Lara and Lana calm, you have to stay out of the café. It’s where I need them during the day to keep them safe.

  “I can keep my mate safe myself,” Balin snarled, incensed
.

  “No, Lara won’t have it. I’ve been informed that unless I can assure them that you will stay away they will not go there.”

  “Fine, I’ll stay out of the god damn way. Anything else?” Balin spat at them pushing up from the table.

  “Balin, son, this isn’t personal…” Sam sighed, reaching for his arm but he shook him off.

  “Well, it feels very fucking personal from where I’m standing. Now excuse me, I’m going to my room as I’ve had enough for one day.”

  “Balin…”

  “No,” he snarled turning to face them. “Do you know what, I was chuffed when I knew my mate had been born, I was. I was ready to settle down, had prayed for it. Have you any idea how much of a relief it was to me? Yes, I knew I had to wait for her to mature but so what. I thought, If I’m patient, I’ll finally get what I’ve wanted for so long - a family.”

  “Son…” Sam swallowed, but he was cut off from speaking.

  “No Sam, you’ve always been family to me, but it wasn’t the same. I knew some day you’d find a mate, which you have and trust me, I’m really pleased for you. Hell, you deserve happiness and more after the way you’ve taken care of me for all these years. I just… I wanted my own mate… Just for once… I wanted to belong to someone.”

  With that he turned on his heel and headed up the stairs, just wanting the day to be over.

  Sam sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

  “What are we going to do?”

  “I don’t know, just give it some time - he’ll come around.”

  “I hope so, because seeing him like this is killing me,” Sam said as he got up from the table and left again via the backdoor.

  “It’ll work out, honestly. Lana just needs a little time to think that’s all,” Maya said from the doorway.

  “You think?” Jaden asked, not convinced as he ran a hand over his face.

  “If Balin gives her a little space, in a day or so she’ll finally realise that she’s overreacted. Then your brother and you can get to know each other properly all over again,” Maya told him as she approached.

  Jaden nodded but looked a little lost.

  Maya sat in his lap and put her arms around his neck.

  “It’ll all work out, you’ll see. Lana’s quiet, but can also be a hot head, although she is fair. You’ll see, eventually she will come around and see sense.”

  “God, I hope so as anything else is unthinkable. I’ve only just found him again… I don’t want to lose him.”

  “You won’t.”

  “I will if she won’t accept him, you know what will happen to him then.”

  “I know, but it won’t come to that. I’ll give her some thinking time and then I’ll explain a few things.”

  “You can’t, we’re not allowed,” Jaden said pulling back.

  “No, you can’t, but I bloody well can,” she said as she kissed the corner of his downcast mouth.

  “God, I love you.”

  “I know, it’s because of my sweet, sunny disposition, isn’t it?” Maya laughed, then squealed as Jaden stood, swinging her up, and over his shoulder.

  “No, it’s because you have a brain and always know how to use it to make me feel better.”

  “How’s that?”

  “By keeping me too busy to worry over my brother,” Jaden told with a growl as he held her fireman style - an arm around her thighs while he locked up the house and then carried her upstairs.

  Chapter Twelve

  B alin had left early this morning, before Maya and Jaden had come downstairs. He’d gone to pay Agatha and Douglas a visit. After a long night of tossing and turning, unable to sleep, he wanted to know if Agatha had any tips on winning over his mate. He’d tried talking to Lana several times over the course of the night, hoping she’d calmed down, but she was still blocking him. He’d given up after his third attempt when she’d called him a dick – no change there. Obviously, she was still pissed at him. After another hour, he’d tried again - hoping to catch her asleep - but called it a night when she’d flashed him a do not disturb sign.

  After picking their brains and talking to Douglas alone for a while, he’d left as they both had work to do. Now he was at a loose end and needed something to occupy himself to help get his mind away from his problems. The café was out of bounds as he was persona-non-grata over there for the time being. Obviously, Lana’s safety trumped his hurt feelings, but he had nothing to do as he had no jobs waiting on his attention. Searching for psycho dad and the evil bitch would help - but doing so alone would be tantamount to suicide. They still had the buddy system in operation so no one was meant to be out alone. He felt like a child again, needing to be chaperoned everywhere he went.

  Maybe he’d nip around and spend some time with John and Edwin again? He’d enjoyed their evening setting Leonard up for the fall after they’d come across his mother’s dating website. Childish? Possibly, but he could not wait until Leonard finally got his comeuppance, especially after all the piss taking he’d been doing recently. The vamp could be a right arrogant prick at times, although he did like his don’t give a shit attitude. Now, if only he could adopt it himself he’d be fan-fucking-tastic right about now, but instead he was wallowing like a teenage girl with her first crush on the unattainable school jock. He knew the mess he now found himself in was his own fault, but damn it, he’d had a taste of being with a mate and now wanted more, much, much more. Then he remembered that John and Edwin were an item - and as he was trying to steer clear of the loved-up couples for the time being it wouldn’t help his mood. Seeing couples together, interacting and getting along just made his own messed up situation that much more depressing. I mean, Lana wouldn’t listen to him and it pissed him off, although he probably deserved some of it as he’d fucked up with her. He was man enough to admit that he had brought it on himself - and it was also possibly a little karma, due to how he himself had thought Jaden’s situation with Maya funny. Maybe he’d enjoyed Jaden’s confusion as he’d tried to push his way into a relationship with Maya like a bull in a china shop a little too amusing. Especially when she’d stood up to him and put him in his place. Unfortunately, now the shoe was on the other foot he wasn’t finding it quite so funny.

  He just had to figure out what it would take to get her to open-up a line of communication with him so they could get past the bullshit misunderstandings. Not fair for him to have to do the grovelling - and to be honest it chapped his arse to an extent - but out of the two of them he knew he was the one that had the most to lose if he didn’t. Unfair? Possibly, but fate had dealt him his deck, now it was up to him how he used the hand he’d been given.

  Luc would have been next on his visit list as he himself had not been dealt with fairly by fate, so may offer some insight. Maybe even just a little sympathy or he’d commiserate with him due to his own problems, he’d take either. Luc was stoic and a little reserved, but he was also intelligent and knew how to take a joke. He’d especially liked how he’d set Leonard up - pure genius, something he himself would have done if he were in his shoes. Unfortunately, once the sun rose Luc became frozen into his cursed state and to be honest there were only so many times you could put women’s underwear on a gargoyle statue and find it amusing. He even thought about going over to the grizzly twins for a chat, but to be honest the men were very close and did everything together – even women sometimes - which was a little freaky for his tastes to say the least.

  His options were now limited to well, none. He hung around until he knew the coast was clear and everyone would have left to go to the café. He then headed back to the house that Sam was now sharing with Helena, Lana and Lara. There, he’d possibly get a little peace and quiet, a place to make some plans on his next course of action. Okay, he was lying, he wanted in there as Lana was now in the room he’d been using. Which meant he could feel close to her by being surrounded by her scent and at the same time pick the books up he’d left behind when he’d made his impromptu move next door.
Around about now he could do with a little escapism into a mystery or suspense - it would help calm his racing thoughts.

  Putting the key in the lock, Balin pushed the door open and poked his head around sighing with relief when he was met with silence. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him and headed for the kitchen to grab some milk. He’d just filled his glass and closed the fridge when a noise from upstairs registered. It sounded as if something had fallen or had been knocked over. Putting down his glass, he left the kitchen and stealthily made his way up the stairs - making sure to bypass the third step from the bottom which squeaked. The noise came again and he froze - stood on the landing - ears pricking up as he tried to figure out what or who it was? He could make out heavy breathing but nothing more as the sound seemed to be muffled. Tiptoeing, he edged towards Sam and Helena’s room just as another sound registered and he was met with a breeze on the landing – as if a window was open. Eyes slitting - he pushed the door open and froze - mouth dropping open.

  “Jesus Christ, I’m sorry,” he mumbled as he snapped his mouth shut and turned as Helena head swung towards him from her perch on Sam’s lap. She was dressed in white lace underwear, stockings and heels as she straddled a very fucking naked Sam - who was presently tied to the bed. “As you were,” he rushed out, fumbling as he tried to pull the door shut again without looking. He could hear laughter as he shuddered and hurried back downstairs.

  So much for peace and quiet, he grumbled as he bypassed the kitchen - and his milk – heading straight out of the front door and locking it behind him. There was no way he was hanging around to get his books, not if he had to listen to what was going on up there. His books he’d get another time, and again shuddered at the thought of what he’d walked in on. I mean, it was like walking in on your parents; especially where Sam was concerned as the man had rescued, saved his life with Agatha’s help - and then raised him from being five-years-old. He was the only father he could truly remember. His own parents had been murdered over one-hundred-and-ninety-years ago. They were more shadowy figures of his imagination now than solid flesh and blood people. All he remembered of them was in the odd flashback about the night they’d been murdered - the same night that Jaden had also vanished from his life - also presumed dead. Over the long years, Sam had been his friend, mentor and father figure – and he’d desperately like to scrub away the vision of him tied up and getting his jiggy on.