by Ann Cory
Figures a man this deceptively handsome existed only in the Amazon.
He stopped just past her comfort zone. She’d have taken a step back if it weren’t for the way she melted in his commanding presence. Sure his face was set in a scowl and his brows were two dark slants. But his deep-set eyes, velvety brown like wet sand, mesmerized her. He had a squared face with defined cheekbones and a firm jaw. Her fingers longed to reach out and run through the long chocolate brown hair that draped his shoulders and chest.
When she’d sufficiently drunk him in and the dreamy haze faded, she realized his scowl had deepened. What she could have done to anger this man already, she had no idea. Eye-catching as he was, the silence grated on her nerves.
Then it occurred to her that he might be foreign.
Before she had a chance to ask, he spoke. “You have something of mine, mortal, and I demand you return it.”
Caught off-guard by his harsh tone, she struggled to find words.
“I—I’m fairly certain I don’t have anything of yours.”
His gaze shifted from her eyes to her chest. “The necklace you wear. Is it yours?”
She brought her hand up to the moonstone and stroked it with her fingertips. “Yes.”
“Liar.”
The bold accusation drew a gasp from her. “Pardon?”
“I said you’re a liar,” he repeated. “Unless you can tell me the moonstone’s true origin, I won’t be lenient on you.”
“You won’t be lenient? I’m not following.” What the hell did he mean?
“I won’t take it easy on you just because you’re a woman, mortal,” he said gruffly.
Had she missed a sign posted somewhere? Warning—cold-blooded male up ahead. Liable to chew you up and spit you out.
“Hang on. If we could back up one second it might help me to understand,” she proposed. “Is that possible?”
He shrugged.
“And real quick, my name’s Ember. I’d prefer that than being called mortal.”
“Fine,” he thundered. “Ember, I’ll give you one more chance to confess to stealing the moonstone.”
While she liked the sound of her name from his lips, it was the “one more chance” part that concerned her. She swallowed down the lump of fear rising in her throat and tried to steady her voice.
“Honest. I didn’t steal it.”
His eyes darkened. “That lie will cost you.”
Chapter Two
Rook cursed under his breath.
Stupid woman. Didn’t she know better than to be this far out in the Amazon? No wonder he’d lost Slade’s trail. Her strong scent permeated the air. Fresh and sweet. Enough to disorient him from his intended mission.
He hadn’t traveled all this way to deal with the likes of a mortal. Let alone a woman who lied through her teeth. He’d expected to battle Slade for the stone and be on his way back home. He loathed distractions, yet one existed.
His gaze skimmed the snug fit of her top and the creamy white of her skin. Strands of long, inky black hair cascaded down her shoulders. He liked the way she looked. Not a thing like the females from his clan. They coated themselves in make-up and dressed to reveal. Overstated and far from his type. She had a nice figure and the shorts she wore showed off her shapely legs. It was a shame he’d have to kill her. The natural glow that surrounded her appealed to his senses. It had been ages since he’d seen a woman of such innocence and purity. She’d taste sweeter than wine.
“Look, I’m not trying to be difficult,” she started in a shaky voice, “but you’re accusing me of something I didn’t do. Something I’d never do. I didn’t steal the stone. I found it.”
Rook eyed the moonstone. He needed to keep focus. She was a potent beauty, but she stood in the way of healing his leader and protecting his clan.
To stay motivated he pictured Faolan wasting away.
“You’re a liar and a thief,” he growled.
Her eyes narrowed. “Do you talk this way to everyone you meet? Or am I getting special treatment?”
“This is how I talk to my enemies,” he corrected, with added emphasis. “I don’t have time to go back and forth with you. Stop wasting time and hand over the moonstone.”
Concern reflected from her ocean-green eyes framed with ebony lashes.
“And if I don’t, you’re going to hurt me?” she asked in a soft-spoken voice.
Worded that way, it made him pause.
“I’ll do what I need to do,” he stated. “The moonstone belongs to me.”
She rested a hand on her hip. “Why do you need this particular stone? Can’t you find another one?”
His muscles tensed. He’d never let an enemy live long enough to ask questions.
Rook gestured toward her with his chin. “The one you wear is sacred and belongs to my clan leader.”
“Do you mean a moonstone in general is sacred, or this exact one?” she asked, her finger tapping the stone.
Impatience gnawed at him. “The exact one you wear. Hand it over willingly or I’ll take it by force.”
Fear sparked in her eyes. Maybe now she’d cooperate.
“I can’t,” she said flatly and wrapped her hand around the stone.
Beautiful didn’t realize the trouble she stirred up.
“You females and your need for pretty trinkets,” he muttered.
Her eyes widened. “It’s not just a trinket to me. The stone has come to mean more.”
Rook wanted to rip it from her neck and hated that he couldn’t. Her peaceful demeanor kept him from lashing out. He hoped verbal warnings would scare her into doing the right thing.
“It’s to your detriment that you anger me.”
A smirk passed her heart-shaped lips. “If the stone is so sacred, then why would you leave it in the open for anyone to find?”
“I didn’t leave it here.”
“So it appeared all by itself?”
Exasperated, he clenched his fists. “It was stolen by a member of my clan. I’ve come to retrieve it.”
When she didn’t comply he thought he’d explode. He’d have to find a way to get through to her. Very soon things were going to turn ugly, and she’d be at the center of it.
“Look,” he reasoned. “You aren’t safe here.”
Her lips turned down. “I was fine until you showed up.”
“I’m not the only one seeking the stone. Am I in any way being unclear?”
She jutted out her chin. “I refuse to be chased away by veiled threats.”
Anger swirled in his gut. Veiled? She had no idea the severity of her situation. “Your stubbornness will get you killed.”
“Killed?” Her lips twitched. “Why would someone kill me?”
“Few mortals would dare set foot among the Blood Mountains.”
Confusion streaked her delicate features. “Where are the Blood Mountains?”
“It’s the name given to this area and the mountains surrounding it.”
The woman bent over her pack and pulled out a folded pamphlet. After turning it over and around she waved it in front of his face. “Not according to my map.”
Rook snatched it and tore it in two. “There’s good reason for that. It used to be dumping grounds for humans bled dry. Not exactly something to lure tourists with if you get what I mean.” He could see she was visibly shaken. “Give me the moonstone and it will increase your chance for survival.”
She chewed at her lower lip. “Who exactly is trying to kill me?”
“It’s not who you should worry about. It’s what,” he said with a sly smile.
A shiver ran up her spine. “Okay. What is trying to kill me?”
“Vampires.”
***
Blood drained from her face. And here she’d left home to get away from vampires. Though she had a feeling he meant real ones. In which case his threats held more merit.
“Then I take it you’re a vampire?”
“I am,” he answered with a wicked gleam in his eyes
.
Ember took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. She’d always believed vampires existed, though she never expected to come into contact with one. As a healer she’d seen many things through the eyes of others. Those visions taught her to be open-minded and non-judgmental. But her belief in vampires didn’t help to put her at ease. Instead, it frightened her more. A handsome stranger with an attitude she could handle. A vampire? Not so much. So far he hadn’t attacked her. She could run…and end up lost in the rainforest. Come nightfall that would pose a problem. Her options were limited. Maybe she could still find a way to get herself out of this mess?
“I must look real tasty to you right now.”
He folded his arms. “I’m able to control myself when I want to.”
“And do you want to?” Her pulse beat loudly in her ears while she awaited his answer.
“For the moment.”
Hindsight was twenty-twenty. If she could go back to when she’d first discovered the moonstone, knowing what she knew now, she’d have left it alone. Her current situation didn’t allow much in the way of alternatives. Give him the stone, or anger him to the point of no return. The choice should be simple, but it wasn’t.
How could she explain to him that she craved the energy force flowing through her since putting on the moonstone? Or that she couldn’t give it to him even if she wanted to because of her attachment to it. Either way she was screwed. How had a single stone become so damn important?
Ember knew one thing for certain. She didn’t dare let her guard down with this guy, this…vampire. Distracting him with questions seemed to work to her advantage.
“Since it appears you’re going to let me live a little longer, would it hurt to tell me your name?”
“It’s Rook.”
The name sounded strong to her. It suited him.
She decided to brave some more questions. “Can I ask the importance of the stone? Why would someone want to steal it?”
His lips pursed. “I’m not inclined to tell you.”
Did he think that would shut her up? “Why not?”
“You don’t need to know,” he replied with a nod as if that were the end of the discussion.
Ember had one more trick up her sleeve to get him to talk.
“That’s too bad. If I knew the story behind it, I might be more inclined to let you have it back.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is that so?”
She nodded. “Mm hmm.”
After a quiet moment, he stroked his chin and let out a heavy breath. “Fine, I’ll tell you. The moonstone was a token of love from a witch to our clan leader, Faolan. It’s to remember the beauty of their love, and his solemn promise to uphold peace. So long as Faolan protects the stone, balance remains. Without it his health will deteriorate and the balance among clans shifts. That is what we are faced with now.”
She studied the well-defined lines of his body while processing his words.
“What happened to the witch?”
“Faolan couldn’t break a curse in time to save her.”
“Oh.” She always hated unhappy endings. “If the people of your clan know what will happen without the moonstone, then why would one of them steal it?”
“A female from my clan was seeing an outsider. Faolan punished her and banned all contact with him. I believe she took the moonstone to punish him without realizing the impact it would have. She gave it to her lover, Slade, to bring here—to the Blood Mountains and destroy it.” He paused and gave her a hard look. “What I don’t understand is how you came to have it.”
“I told you. I found it. I don’t know this Slade person. There’s only been you and a wolf to cross my path.”
His eyes widened. “A wolf?”
“Yes. White as snow with one green eye and one brown one. I rescued it from a trap and healed it.”
She wasn’t sure if he heard with the way he looked about and sniffed the air.
“That would be Slade,” he said dryly. “Did you see which direction he went?”
Ember glanced behind her. “I don’t even know which direction I came from. I planned to go a little ways farther and set up camp. Come morning I’d head back using that map you tore in two. Anyhow, I thought you were looking for a man.”
“He’s a werewolf. You sure he didn’t have the moonstone on him?”
“No, I found it before I saw the wolf.” She frowned. A vampire and a werewolf in the same day? What were the odds?
“He must have dropped it and you got to it first. Count yourself lucky. He could have torn you to shreds.”
Ember circled the toe of her shoe along the grass. “He seemed harmless to me.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
He had that right. She glanced around. “Why was the stone brought here to be destroyed and not somewhere else?”
“It’s not a place vampires come to anymore. They’re urged to stay away.”
“Why?”
“The scent of mortal blood is thick here. Those who haven’t learned to control cravings might find it too much to handle. And a vampire’s presence here breaks the peace pact agreed to between clans. I figure one of the rogues overheard the stone would be brought here and knew one or more vampires would come look for it. They’d go back to the other clans with news that the peace pact had been broken and war would break out. For you to be here is dangerous.”
A chill went through her. “And of all of this because of a moonstone.”
“Yes. And once they catch wind of you, they’ll consider you a bonus.”
“Maybe they won’t hurt me,” she projected. “The wolf didn’t.”
He gave her a dark, warning look. “As I said, you got lucky. The rogues are ruthless.”
“In other words, I don’t stand a chance against them.”
“No mortal does.”
She had to think there was some sort of loophole. “But if I hold the moonstone, won’t I be safe?”
His jaw clenched. “It’s not a bargaining chip.”
“I know.”
The vampire leered. “Do you think you can put your hands on them and draw their evil out with your healing powers?”
“Don’t be rude,” she snapped. “You haven’t a clue what I can do.”
His gaze turned smug. “What the hell would possess you to heal a werewolf?”
“To me it was a regular wolf, and it was hurt. I don’t judge those I heal.”
“What do you care about the pain of others anyhow?”
Ember’s pulse quickened. She wasn’t used to defending her healing abilities.
“If I can ease their pain and bring them comfort then they can get on with their lives. Everyone deserves happiness.”
“What do you get back in return?”
She’d never had anyone ask her that question before. Hell, she’d never even asked herself that. After a pause the answer became clear.
“To remove someone’s pain gives me comfort.”
He shook his head. “Sounds like a waste of time to me.”
The guy was insufferable. What didn’t he understand? That just because he thrived on a daily regimen of anger everyone else should too? She felt her blood pressure rise.
“Without all the pain and suffering in life, people can take better care of themselves and their families,” she explained. “People who come to me aren’t able to manage their pain. They want to be rid of it. They aren’t looking to be driven by the pain. When you ignore your pain you become a coldhearted person.”
“Ah. Like myself,” he said and took a step toward her.
“Well, you are filled with a lot of rage.”
He reached forward and her muscles tensed. To her surprise he stroked her cheek.
“Not all pain is bad, beautiful. It can fuel one’s actions. It can motivate. It’s part of the experience of life.”
The sight of two black figures in the sky ruined the moment. She hated that her first instinct was to scream.
Rook dre
w her near and covered her mouth. “Rule number one around here, beautiful, is don’t make it so easy for them to find you.”
He removed his hand from her mouth but kept his arm around her.
The figures circled again and then disappeared into the clouds.
Her heart pounded. “What were those things?”
“Rogue spies. They’ll go back and report what they saw. I expect Curran and Silbas will want to make their appearance.”
“Who are they?”
“The leaders of the rogues. Ruthless vampires you don’t want to tangle with.”
In Rook’s embrace her fears of vampires and rogue spies dimmed. It was like he tripped a switch that made her sit up and take notice of how attracted she was to him. She couldn’t explain it, but for the moment she didn’t feel like analyzing it.
Ember let her head rest in the crook of his neck. Where the moonstone lay against her chest, it burned.
Chapter Three
Rook had a very real and complicated problem right now, and her name was Ember. On the one hand, he wanted his hands to explore every nook and cranny on her scintillating body. On the other hand, she was heading past her expiration date. She’d never make it out of the Amazon alive. She’d sealed her fate the moment she’d touched the moonstone. So far she hadn’t budged. In a way he found her stubbornness sexy. But that notion stopped once he realized she’d be dead before nightfall.
He had to try a new tactic. While he could easily overtake her, there was something about her that kept him from lashing out. For all her hard headedness, she had a gentle demeanor, a trait that reminded him of Faolan. If she wasn’t going to willfully give him the stone, he’d acquire it by other means. And take pleasure in doing so.
Rook took advantage of the situation and brought her in close. When she didn’t scream or resist, he knew his plan would work.
He put his thumb beneath her chin and tilted her face upward. She locked her eyes on him. Eyes that reflected trust. It made what he had to do that much easier.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” he said in a hushed tone. “I’ll protect you against the rogue vampires.”