EdgeofMoonlight

by Steph2

Walking along the concrete sidewalks, she felt the power of the ley line that ran through the city calling to her. That was what had drawn the Etruscans to relocate here in Berks County from Tuscany.

  Many Etruscans still lived in the city, hiding in plain sight. The lucani had always lived on the outskirts, in the forests. They needed that connection to the earth, the ability to put their bare feet in the dirt, the space to run when they wore their pelts.

  You couldn’t do that in the city without getting shot.

  But in your skin, you could still walk through the streets, at least in this part of the city, without being accosted. No one had spoken to her all the way here and that suited her just fine. She was still processing, trying to find that path through the information.

  She walked right past the bar and only realized she’d done it when she reached Penn Street. Doubling back, she took note of the sign and the word taberna worked into the design. The Latin word for tavern. A code for Etruscans that they were welcome here. And that if you tried anything stupid, you’d pay for it.

  Kaine felt the power of the wards surrounding the building. Impressive. And comforting. This place reminded her of home.

  Pushing open the front door, she let her gaze sweep the room. A few guys at the bar to the left, their attention glued to the TV in the corner showing the Flyers game.

  A few people at tables, eating, talking, laughing.

  She caught the eye of one of the men, who took her measure in seconds and nodded. Etruscans at that table. She could smell it on the air, the glaze of their magic overlaying the magic woven into the building itself.

  There were a few humans here too but her thoughts were too disjointed, her emotions too jumbled. She dismissed their scents. Hell, she practically put up an invisible wall around her so she couldn’t sense them. Eteri were nothing but trouble.

  Scoping out the darkest corner of the room, she headed for the booth in the farthest corner from the bar. She didn’t want to mingle. She just wanted a few drinks.

  And the illusion that she wasn’t completely alone in the world.

  *

  John exited the bathroom, meaning to pay his tab and head home.

  He’d probably had a few more shots than he needed but the room wasn’t spinning so it was all good.

  Sliding back onto his stool, he nodded to Teo, who turned to the cash register to print out his bill.

  As John reached for his wallet in his back pocket, his gaze caught on the mirror behind the bar. In the far corner, a flash of movement had caught his eye.

  Startled, he froze as part of his dream from last night replayed and he saw the woman with the multicolored hair in his mind’s eye.

  Holy shit.

  His fuzzy brain stuttered to a stop as he stared into the glass.

  He couldn’t see the person’s face but that absolutely stunning mix of brown, black, and gray hair was exactly what he remembered from his dream.

  He stared harder, willing the person to look into the mirror so he could see her face. He knew it was a woman. He just knew. But she was facing away from the bar.

  “Hey,man. You okay? You look a little pale.”

  Teo laid his bill in front of him and John automatically reached for it, pulling his gaze away from the mirror. “Yeah, I’m fine. Hey, you know, I think could use a cup of coffee, if you don’t mind.”

  “You driving?” Teo’s eyes had narrowed down to slits. “I can call you a cab.”

  “No. I actually live just up the street.”

  The worry left Teo’s expression and he reached for a mug under the bar. “Move here recently?”

  With a concerted effort, John kept his gaze from skipping to the mirror. “Couple months ago. Don’t get out much. Long hours at work.”

  “Haven’t seen you around before. My…wife and I live above the bar.” He turned as a woman pushed through the doors from the kitchen. A real looker with a sweet smile and a kiss for her husband. “Speak of the devil. Hey, Lace. Say hi to John. He just moved into the neighborhood.”

  “Hi, John. Nice to meet you.” Then she reached up to pull her husband down for a brief but very hot kiss. One that made John drop his gaze. These two were in love. Hell, he could almost see the glow surrounding them. Then again, he’d had more than enough to drink tonight. He’d probably see flying monkeys in his dreams tonight instead of stunning women with multicolored hair.

  When Teo and Lacey broke apart, she let her fingers run down Teo’s cheek before she waved those same fingers at John. “Gotta get to work. Talk to you later, John.”

  Then she headed straight for the table he’d been staring at.

  And John nearly choked on air as the woman in the booth finally turned so he could see her face.

  Holy fuck. It was the woman from his dreams.

  No. No, that couldn’t be right. He must’ve seen this woman on the street, passed her one day going to work.

  Yeah, that made sense. A brief glance when he’d been rushing to get to his car in the morning. Maybe their eyes had caught and they’d exchanged hurried smiles.

  But…why didn’t he remember her? And why had she made such an impression on him that he dreamed about her but he didn’t remember the first time he’d seen her?

  She looked younger in person than she did in his dreams. Early twenties. Hell, could she really be almost a decade younger than him? He was only thirty. But she had to be at least twenty-one to be in here this late at night. Right?

  Lifting the mug to his lips, he dragged his gaze away as Lacey returned to the bar and began making what looked like a margarita.

  Damn, what the hell should he do?

  His legs twitched with the expectation of movement. He had the almost overpowering urge to go over and introduce himself but wasn’t sure he should.

  Christ, he felt like a kid with a crush. He’d never had a reaction like this to a woman before. Not even the one he’d considered asking to marry him. It just didn’t make any fucking sense.

  And the last thing he needed in his life right now was a woman. He had enough on his plate with this new job and his sister.

  He must be drunker than he thought. So he’d have a couple cups of coffee.

  And maybe he’d go over and introduce himself in a few minutes.

  What could it hurt?

  *

  Kaine had a double margarita and was feeling no pain.

  For the short time the tequila in her drink affected her, since a lucani’s increased metabolism worked alcohol out of the system faster than an eteri’s, everything seemed to settle.

  And wasn’t that one huge, fucking relief. She could shut all thoughts of John, her mother, the loss of her shifting ability and the growth of her new powers out of her mind and simply sit here and stare at nothing.

  With her back to everyone else in the bar, the only person she’d talked to had been the owner, Lacey. A pretty, feminine Fata with kind blue eyes and a sweet smile, Lacey had taken her order and addressed her by name.

  Sal must’ve called ahead. The guy was worse than her dad. Then again, she probably hadn’t looked all that steady when she’d walked out of his house. Maybe he thought she’d throw herself under a bus or something.

  Not that she’d ever think of doing anything like that. She wasn’t a coward.

  She had problems? She fixed them. She’d figure this out.

  Tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow sounded good.

  With a sigh, she closed her eyes and let her head rest against the high back of the padded booth. Taking a deep breath, she—

  Holy shit.

  Her eyes flew open as she caught the hint of a too-familiar scent.

  Heart pounding at attack pace, her gaze fixed on the worn leather of the booth seat across from her.

  It couldn’t be. What were the odds that John Simmons was here?

  She hadn’t seen him since the day he’d chosen to forget all about her. Kyle had expressly forbidden her from tracking him and his sister, Evie.

  After the lu
cani had saved John and his sister from the red-haired woman, John had told them he didn’t want the lucani’s protection. He wanted to forget their existence. He’d protect his sister. He’d make them disappear.

  Of course, Kaine hadn’t listened to Kyle. She’d gone to Evie’s apartment a few days later, but it’d been empty. She’d struggled with the decision to let it go. To let him go.

  And finally, she’d returned home to face the other problems in her life. Her inability to shift. The arrival of these new, unwelcome powers.

  How cruel would fate be to throw him back in her path now?

  Pretty fucking cruel. She’d met the Etruscan Goddess of Fate. Nortia had a mean streak.

  Taking another deep breath, she knew absolutely that John was here in the bar.

  How had she missed his scent the first time around?

  Blessed Goddess, she must be further gone than she’d thought. To have missed someone’s scent like that… It was unthinkable for a lucani.

  But you aren’t just lucani, are you?

  Shit. Shit.

  She needed to leave. Now. She couldn’t see him.

  Just one look.

  She wanted to see him again. How the hell could someone she’d spent so little time with, and who was horrified by her very existence… How could he make her heart race like this? Make her fingers ache to touch him, her arms to hold him? To be held by him?

  Tinia’s teat, she had to get out of here. If he saw her and she didn’t see a spark of recognition in his eyes, she might just crawl into a hole and not emerge. Not ever.

  No. No, this pity shit wasn’t her. Her back stiffened.

  Gods damn it, she wasn’t some weak-kneed, pansy assed girl. She was sicari. Her king trusted her to handle whatever mess he threw at her. Her commanding officer trusted her to watch his back and the backs of her partners.

  She just needed to get the hell out of here. Now.

  Away from him. Away—

  “Hi.”

  She froze, like a rabbit in sight of a larger predator. His voice, deep and raspy like one of Duke’s favorite metal singers, stroked against her alcohol-loosened libido and made her go wet.

  Barely able to breathe, she couldn’t believe he was standing next to her. For two months, she’d dreamed about him, longed for him.

  “Hey, I don’t mean to bother you, and I know this is gonna sound like a bad pick-up line but… Have we met?”

  Forcing a polite smile, Kaine lifted her gaze to his, bracing herself for impact.

  And had to bite her tongue to force back tears.

  Gods, he was just as handsome as she remembered.

  His brown hair was a little longer than it had been. He actually had to comb it now where before it’d been military short. His sharp green eyes watched her every move but it was his smile that nearly made her lose her grip on the tears.

  She’d never seen him smile. It made his usually solemn expression lighten in ways that urged her to get closer. To put her hands on his face and draw him down so she could taste him, run her tongue across his lips and tempt him to invade her mouth with his tongue.

  She felt her will literally tremble. She wanted to press herself against him, feel the firm muscles she knew he possessed beneath the white button-down. He wasn’t made to wear dress shirts and silky dark pants, no matter how well they fit him. He was meant for worn jeans or tactical pants and tight tshirts.

  He wasn’t made to be confined in a corporate job. He’d been a soldier. Like her.

  Now… What was he doing now?

  Do you really want to know?

  “No, sorry. I don’t think so.”

  She nodded then, as if dismissing him. Or giving him permission to leave.

  Why the hell had he approached her in the first place?

  Her brain locked as the implications of that thought worked through.

  Had the streghe spell to wipe his memories not worked? Did he remember something, anything from the few days he’d spent with the lucani? Did he remember her?

  With an effort, she gave him one more, brief polite smile and dropped her gaze back to her drink, willing him to go away.

  He didn’t take the hint.

  “Yeah, look,” he said with a sigh. “I know you’re trying to get rid of me, but can I tell you something before you send me packing?”

  She should tell him to get lost, blow him off or freeze him out. She’d been told she was good at the freeze-out. She’d been told that several times, as a matter of fact. Actually, most guys just told her she was a frigid bitch.

  She couldn’t do it to John.

  Taking a healthy sip of her drink, she prepared to torture herself.

  She let her gaze connect with his again. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. It’s been a long day. Why don’t you have a seat?”

  He didn’t rush to slide into the opposite booth but he didn’t take his time either. “Thanks.” He stuck his hand across the table. “I’m John.”

  She hesitated for a second before taking his hand. She hadn’t touched him for two months and even when she’d been close enough the last time, she’d been too afraid he’d reject her to even try.

  Now, as their palms met, she knew he felt the jolt of electricity that traveled between them. Her thighs tightened and her lungs stopped working.

  With an effort, she forced herself to release him, to hide any reaction. She wasn’t a teenager with no control of her hormones. Except, he seemed to be the only one who made her hormones behave like this.

  “Kaine. Nice to meet you.” I’ve missed you.

  He released her as soon as she started to pull away and she wondered how fricking bipolar she had to be because she wanted him to not release her.

  “Unusual name.” His gaze sharpened, as if he recognized it. Or if he was trying to remember why it sounded familiar.

  Or maybe she was reading too much into this. Maybe he was simply attracted to her.

  It’d been known to happen.

  “It’s a family name.” A very ancient one, though he didn’t need to know that.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  A real smile slipped past her guard and pleasure lit her from the inside like a candle flame. She must be out of her mind. But she’d be damned if she cared at the moment.

  “Thank you.”

  He didn’t say anything else as his gaze slipped down to her lips. She swore she felt his desire for her like a physical caress.

  He wanted her.

  Oh, gods. That candle flame burst into a bonfire.

  She wanted him with a passion unlike any she’d known before.

  “Sorry.” He finally lifted his gaze back to hers with a rueful smile. “I don’t mean to stare or make you uncomfortable. And I know this is going to sound unbelievable but…I swear I had a dream about you last night.”

  She couldn’t hide her immediate first reaction—shock. It rocketed through her body like adrenaline, making her heart pound and her lungs constrict. Followed closely by the urge to crawl across the table and into his lap so she could kiss him.

  And you could have him. He wants you.

  She saw his desire for her in the heat of his gaze, in the way he stared at her.

  And Blessed Goddess, she wanted him so badly.

  She wanted just one night with him. What harm could come from it?

  They were both a little drunk. If she was gone when he woke in the morning, he’d never be able to find her. Hell, maybe he wouldn’t even look.

  But she’d have the memory of his touch. And maybe this would allow her to sleep at night without dreaming of him.

  She looked into his eyes again, feeling the pull of his attraction, the drop in her stomach. The emotion that threatened to choke her.

  No, that wasn’t going to happen.

  “I hope it was a good dream.”

  His smile slowly faded but his desire became a palpable force. She felt it rub against her senses, as if he was stroking her pelt.

  And she re
ally didn’t want to think about that now.

  Their gazes locked, John nodded slowly. “Yeah, it was.”

  She could barely breathe but forced the words out of her mouth. “I could use a good dream.”

  She’d never been one to flirt and tease. She’d been a tomboy all her life, and a loner at that.

  Before John, she hadn’t found a man she wanted to flirt with. She’d had sex, yes, but that had been more about curiosity and scratching an itch.

  John had been the first man to make her want…something more. An emotional attachment. Even if it could only be for one night.

  And if all she had was this night, then she damn well didn’t want to waste time trading longing glances in a bar.

  She needed to cut to the chase. “Do you live close, John?”

  He blinked, the only sign that her question might have startled him. “Yeah, I do. Would you like to come back to my place for a drink, Kaine?”

  She opened her mouth to agree but caught herself just before she did. What would he think of her if she followed him back to his apartment? Would he think she was a slut? Or just plain crazy?

  Did eteri women blindly follow men they’d only just met back to their homes for sex? Especially big, strong ones?

  She could protect herself from pretty much anything an eteri dished out, even John. But he didn’t know that.

  As she considered her options, he leaned away from her, as if trying to give her some space. The problem was, she didn’t want space. She wanted him to crowd against her, to tear her clothes off and ravage her. To make her scream out his name while he pounded into her.

  The image stole her breath.

  John backed off a little farther. “Or you could let me buy you a—”

  “Yes, I’d love to go back to your place.”

  If John had second thoughts, he never showed them as he slid out of the booth then waited for her to follow. He held out his hand to help her to her feet but released her immediately so she could grab her hoodie.

  Both of them threw money on the table to cover their bills and, without another word, walked out into the spring night.

  Chapter Three

  The cool night air seeped into John’s clothing as he and Kaine walked at a steady pace toward his apartment.