Tangled Moon

by Stocum, Olivia

  “Last time you take me to lunch, Darling,” he said. He was still in the van, but she could hear him just fine. “Now I keep you home. With me.”

  She blew out a breath. “You told Nick he can go hunting with us.”

  “I did,” he said. “But was his choice.”

  She came to her feet. “Did you give him the idea?”

  “Of course not.” He seemed offended. “He came to me. He wants to kill them.”

  She walked back to the van, Lothar coming around to open the door. Before she got in he stopped her, reaching out to smooth her hair off her face.

  Even though she was mad at him, she found herself leaning into his hand. “The two of you had a little talk?” she said.

  “I give him answers he needs.”

  “So now we’ll have a nice dysfunctional hunting pack. The three of us. Two males, both determined to be alpha, and me in between. Can you be around him?”

  “I was alone with him yesterday.” He bared his teeth.

  “You guys got lucky.”

  “Is not luck. We are better when you are not with us.”

  Well, that was interesting. It didn’t make sense though. “How is that?” she asked.

  “Your presence makes us fight harder.”

  “Stupid pheromones,” she muttered. So much for protecting Nick from Lothar then. That was a lost cause. “Perfect,” she said as he closed the door behind her. “Just perfect.” She watched his lean body as he came around front, fighting the impulse to get out and jump into his arms. “Stupid hormones.”

  Having his scent next to her didn’t help things any. She tried breathing through her mouth.

  “You missed phone call from uncle,” he said, pulling onto the road.

  Fear tightened her already irritated stomach. Good thing there was nothing left in it. “What happened?”

  “Council is demanding an accounting. Some believe I influence you, that I am why you have not found Carrier. Uncle is behind, of course.”

  Perfect timing. “You influencing me?” She shook her head. “I’m the one ruining everything.”

  “You do not ruin . . .” He stopped, seemed a little frustrated by her.

  “They know about Nick?” she asked more quietly, as if someone could somehow be listening in. “Have the other werewolves been in town?”

  “That is need to know. It seems I do not need to know.” He smiled blandly. “Uncle expects me to take place on Council with him.”

  “What will you do?”

  “What I need to.” He shrugged, focusing on the road. “Unless you run with me.”

  “You know we can’t. Let me go to Lithuania with you. Maybe it won’t be that bad.”

  “Ne.”

  “I will anyway.”

  “And leave Nick to hunt his monsters?”

  He was right. They couldn’t exactly bring Nick with them. Or could they?

  But that meant submitting openly to the Council’s will. It would make them more lenient on Lothar. Once they saw her with Nick they might be fine if the two of them left. There was no law stating she absolutely had to live at the castle with her Carrier. Lothar could stay and be a Council member. She and Nick would go someplace far away.

  Fear gripped her. Leave Lothar? Never.

  Ruin his life? No, she couldn’t do that either.

  It was time she did something about this mess. She had to save them all.

  He pulled up to the cabin, hitting the breaks harder than necessary. They both sat there for a time before he finally opened the door and got out. When she didn’t move, he opened it for her.

  “Go on,” she said. “I need a minute.”

  Rain started drumming on the van roof. He stood there stubbornly in it.

  “Lothar, please.”

  Sighing, he turned and crossed the yard to the cabin.

  She watched his back as he walked away. Yeah, she wanted him, even when he drove her crazy. But her need to protect him was stronger than her need to be with him. Danielle went around and slid into the driver’s seat.

  She had to fix this.

  A few minutes later she pulled up to the diner and went inside. Kendra was talking to the cook so there was no problem avoiding her. Danielle was glad she hadn’t stayed with Nick. That made this all so much easier.

  She would take Nick and run. She’d contact Vesper and find out how to access her money—Lothar’s money—and then they would go somewhere to raise their children while Lothar went home and did what he was born to do.

  Danielle climbed the stairs and lifted her hand to knock. He opened the door before her knuckles met wood.

  “You’re getting really good at that,” she said.

  He was just as sexy as ever, with his crazy hair, and biceps straining against his t-shirt. “Back already?” he said.

  Her heart pounded in her throat. Just tell him. She made no attempt to control the part of her that needed to bond with her genetic match.

  “You said I knew where to find you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “This is me finding you.”

  Nick’s eyes widened, then his brows narrowed and he touched her neck, feeling her pulse. “Why are you so scared?”

  She jerked away from his hand. “B-because I want you so bad it’s scary?”

  “Come in.”

  She ignored his pile of weapons; it was too much to think about, turned to face him instead. His control was newfound. He was weak and she knew she could break through his defenses. He’d choose her over hunting monsters. She was sure of it. Danielle twined her arms around his neck, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him.

  He gave in easily. It took so little. She continued her assault, letting his scent be her guide.

  Nick stiffened, loosening her arms from around him. “What are you doing?” he said, out of breath.

  “Making a decision. Isn’t that what you wanted?” She came back into his arms, kissing his neck and jaw, heard his heart pounding. She ran her hands down his stomach, reaching for the button on his jeans.

  Nick caught her wrists. “This isn’t you.”

  “Don’t tell me who I am.”

  “Fine, then I’ll tell you who I am.” He turned her to face his weapons. “I finally know why I’m here. Why I exist.”

  He wasn’t going to fall for it.

  He wasn’t going to fall for it?

  Now what? “Then you don’t want me?” she said, trying to sound devastated by his refusal. She turned her head to look up at him and blinked a couple times.

  He let go of her and ran his hands through his hair. “Yes, I want you.”

  “Then?”

  “Look at you. You were throwing up.”

  “I can brush my teeth.”

  Nick peeled back his lips and growled. It was impressive, considering he was only a Carrier.

  “Don’t you see? I’m trying to save you both. I need this to end.” Danielle pressed her palm against her aching stomach. “You’re making me miserable.”

  “I am?”

  “Kind of. You’re a part of it.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “I was willing to accept Lothar in your life, even if you wanted a family, as long as I knew he would be there for you once I’m gone.”

  He knew about their decelerated aging? “What did he tell you?”

  “The truth. That even if you choose a family over him, you’d still be his.”

  She couldn’t deny it. Danielle nodded.

  “But if he’s what you really need, then that’s completely different. I won’t stand in the way.”

  “I don’t want him at all. I was wrong. I got confused. Please believe me, Nick.”

  “I want the truth.”

  Darn you, Lothar. You just had to make him sane when I needed him crazy.

  Danielle turned away. She went to the counter, carefully touching an arrowhead.

  “Lothar has been called before the Council because of me,” she said. “It’ll be bad. He’s already serv
ed probation and lost his Mentor status. He can never take on another student. And now, well, I can’t be sure what they will do to him.”

  “Because of you?” It wasn’t accusatory. It was incredulous.

  “Think of it this way.” She turned to Nick. “What would happen if a high school teacher had an affair with his student?”

  “Prison, assuming she was under age. If she was legal, he’d lose his job.”

  “Yeah, forever.”

  He nodded. “They shouldn’t force you to be with anyone.”

  “They will. And then I’ll be useless for a while. I won’t be able to shift at all during the pregnancy. I’ll be dependent on you to protect me.”

  “Now that makes sense.” He was looking frighteningly thoughtful.

  “Nick?”

  “I mean, that’s part of this, of what I am. Maybe I can’t shapeshift, but I don’t get sick, and I have accelerated healing.”

  “There’s a lot we don’t know.”

  “My job is to keep you alive. Which means I’m supposed to be killing vampires.”

  He just didn’t get it. She tried to derail him. “Hey, you get me in your bed, if that still counts for anything.”

  He ducked his face closer to hers. “It counts, baby, but not if your heart’s not in it.”

  “It will be. Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

  He grinned. “Thanks. But I want more than your hormones.”

  “You’ll have it. I promise.”

  “Where would Lothar go during all this?”

  “He’ll stay in Lithuania without me. We’ll go far away from him. We’ll have to.”

  He could sense there was more; he was studying her. “Why?”

  “You know how you want to fight with him?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What you feel is normal. It’s just your instinct to protect me. What Lothar feels isn’t. He has Territorial Aggression. It’s like taking that instinct and making it a hundred times worse and then shoving it all inside a wild animal.”

  She saw his face change, his eyes widening as he got it.

  “He said he wanted to kill me,” Nick said.

  “He’s hanging on by a thread as it is.” Dang but this was embarrassing to say out loud. She steeled herself. “My . . . virginity is keeping you alive.”

  He straightened, then shook his head and laughed. “How’d he manage that?”

  “Yeah, it’s really funny.” She took a breath. “He knew the other wolves would be forced to kill him once they found out. His condition is lethal. If the other wolves know, they will hunt him down and destroy him before he becomes a threat.”

  “Something else to think about.” Nick went to his weapons, filling his quiver with arrows.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You took your time getting around to me today. Nightfall soon.” He strapped on a baldric and tucked the knives into it.

  “Stay here with me instead.”

  He smiled over his shoulder. “Nice try, but we’re going out tonight.” He pulled on a leather jacket. The vampire marks on his neck were scarred over and his splint was gone, his arm wrapped. “I’m bait.”

  “No, you’re not. Is your arm even up to this?”

  He settled the quiver over his back. “I’m up to it.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nick pretended he was an unsuspecting huntsman as he walked through the forest by himself in the dark. He limped a little, hoping he looked like a nice, vulnerable snack.

  An hour passed, then two, and three. He stopped checking his new phone. His mind wandered. There was something unique between Danielle and Lothar. Lothar had not only developed a werewolf disorder over her, but he’d somehow managed to keep her a virgin for fifteen years. Talk about control. It was enough to make Nick rethink everything.

  On the other hand, there were the children to consider—a bigger picture than himself. Long after he was gone, his children would live on, securing a legacy.

  It was nearly dawn. He leaned against a tree, disillusioned. He’d wandered out there for hours with no sign of vampires. Maybe they were trying too hard. Lothar had told him vampires could survive on animals if they needed to. If they knew they were being picked off one by one, why would they even bother with humans? Nick realized there were a lot of things he still didn’t know.

  Danielle padded out from behind a spruce tree, whining.

  “Big letdown, huh?” Nick checked his phone. “Five AM.”

  Lothar joined them, his jet black fur reflecting the moonlight. He growled at Nick, then sat down next to Danielle. Old habits died hard it seemed.

  “We calling it quits then?”

  She came forward, bumping him with her head. Nick worked his fingers into her dense fur. As he walked through the forest with the big bad wolves, he knew his life couldn’t possibly be more bizarre.

  Or more complete.

  This was exactly what he’d been waiting for.

  All along, he’d known there was more, but had been unable to access it. Even if he couldn’t have Danielle, there was no chance of him returning to a purely mortal existence now.

  As they neared the cabin, Danielle ducked under a tree to change. Lothar growled until Nick lifted his hands in surrender and went inside. He set his bow aside and took off the quiver and baldric. Nick had to admit, he felt for Lothar. Even with Danielle’s devotion, he had to live with the reality that he couldn’t give her the children he wanted to have with her.

  Lothar came into the cabin first. “You are no good as bait,” he said.

  “Hey, I tried.”

  Danielle was next, looking better than any woman had a right with her hair a mess and circles under her eyes. He smiled, aware he was staring.

  “I need some sleep,” she told him.

  Was she dismissing him?

  “You go on.” She nodded. “I’ll be there when you wake up.”

  Yup, she was dismissing him.

  “Yeah, all right.” He walked by her without looking back—it was just better that way—drove straight into town, and went to bed.

  Sleep came fast, heavy, and filled with visions of shadow-men with hungry eyes. He dreamed the wolves had left him to fight the shadows alone. There were too many vampires. They were too strong. He had to stand and fight, because he had to protect the children.

  “Nick?”

  He jerked awake, saw Danielle sitting on the bed next to him.

  “It was really hard to wake you,” she said. “You were having some kind of nightmare.”

  “No kidding,” he said, sitting up.

  “What was it about?”

  You left me.

  “I can’t remember,” he lied.

  “Hungry? Want some lunch?”

  “Lunch already?” He rubbed his face with his hands. “No more breakfast for me, then.”

  “You don’t have to hunt with us.”

  He stood and pulled off his shirt. “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

  “Just trying to keep your hide in one piece.”

  “Careful, baby, I might think you actually want me.”

  She frowned.

  “Never mind. I’m grumpy in the morning.” Nick went into the bathroom. “Afternoon, I mean.”

  * * *

  Danielle went downstairs to the diner for lunch with Nick. They sat across from each other at a booth and moments later Greg slid in next to him.

  “Hey, whatcha up to today?” Greg asked.

  Nick glanced at Danielle. “Well, I had plans. Why? You want to work on the car?”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I was thinking we might. I have some free time later.”

  “Go ahead,” Danielle said. “I’ll see you tonight anyway.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” She figured at this point there wasn’t much choice but to take him to Lithuania with them. What would happen after that, she didn’t know. “Enjoy it while you can,” she finished pointedly.

&n
bsp; “Great,” Greg said, missing the point of the exchange, which was a good thing, really. He looked at Danielle and smiled stupidly.

  Nick poked him under the ribs. “You eating with us, or what?”

  Greg tore his gaze off her. “No, I’ll catch you later.”

  He left, sliding onto a stool at the counter instead. Steph left another patron to check on him.

  “I wish he’d get around to asking her out,” Nick said. “Poor girl.”

  “Why?” Danielle took a second look. She watched Steph smile at Greg like he was the only man in the room. “I hadn’t noticed before.”

  “You’ve been busy.”

  Well, yes, she had.

  “You don’t mind if I work on the Mustang today?” he asked.

  “No, of course not. Spend time with your family while you can.”

  Everything Nick knew about himself had changed, and would change again soon. He was taking it very well. He’d practically stalked her since they’d first met, and now he was choosing Greg over her. She felt the scales balancing. Lothar had decided the age gap between them had grown quite enough, so he was spending more time as a wolf to decelerate it. She knew what he was thinking, that he wanted to extend his youth as long as possible, so he could continue on as her protector.

  Her guilty conscience had always been her nemesis. And what a guilt inducing mess this was.

  “You’re welcome to join us.” Nick said. “I’m sure I can find something for you to do. Then again, your being there will render Greg useless.”

  “Maybe it’s better I stay away then.”

  Steph came and took their order. Danielle got her attention before she left. “Where’s Kendra?”

  “The vet’s. Her dog got in a fight with a wild animal last night.”

  “One more loss like that will send her over the edge,” Nick said.

  The hairs on Danielle’s arms prickled. “Do you know what attacked her dog?”

  “Not sure,” Steph said. “He was in bad shape when Kendra found him.”

  Steph walked off and Danielle looked at Nick. “Where’s the vet’s office?”

  “Other end of town.”

  “I need to go.”

  “Wait.” He caught her arm. “To check on Kendra?”

  She leaned closer. “Paranoia maybe, but I just have this feeling. If it was a vampire, then I need to make sure that dog dies.”