Hunter Moon

by Joanne Mallory

  Sweat broke out on his forehead as he squinted at her. Fighting to concentrate, he gave a brief nod, his hand clenching and unclenching within hers. “My car?”

  The mumbled words had her brows raising. Of course, he had a car, here in the city. “Do you have the keys?” She mentally kept everything crossed as he processed her words, and then he pitched forward, trying to move.

  Catching his weight, she gasped, “Wait, wait. What do you need?”

  “My pocket, check…pocket.”

  Holding her breath she couldn’t believe it would be that easy. Feeling through the rough denim she made out the distinct outline of a fob key. Resting her forehead lightly against his, she let out a small laugh. “You’re amazing. Where’s it parked?”

  He rubbed weakly at her hand, his breathing coming in rough pants, high color flagged his cheekbones, and all she wanted was to get him somewhere safe.

  “Behind the hotel—near you. Street parking.”

  His words were so husky, as if it was taking great effort to form them.

  Leaning into him, she lightly stroked his chest, as much to offer him comfort as to be sure that he was okay. “I’m going to get us there, you just have to trust me. Seb, did you hear me?”

  His rough nod was her only answer, and she figured it would have to do. She backed up between his splayed thighs, taking his wrists she wrapped them around her shoulders and held on. Another shot of energy buzzed her system as he nuzzled against the side of her neck, and she consciously put her barriers up, figuring that his feelings would likely change as they left the ground.

  Pushing away from the floor of the warm pool, she lifted them into the bitter night air. The rain was briefly abating, and she continued to whisper soft, meaningless words as they approached the edge of the rooftop.

  The first building was relatively close, and she hoped he’d continue to lapse in and out of awareness as she moved them back towards the museum. Towards the hotel.

  The towers that framed the entrance rose above the roofline of the Rembrandt to greet them, and she gladly made the last crossing, landing lightly on the hotel roof.

  She looked down to the road below.

  The North Terrace, turned onto Alexander Square, and she could see the nose of his Nissan from their viewpoint. She waited…waited to see if anything hit her senses, if anything felt off.

  As they waited, he took more of his own weight. She didn’t know whether to curse or cry. It would be so much easier to get him off this roof if he’d still been out of it.

  Keeping his arm braced on her shoulder, she turned in his embrace to face him. He may be taking his own weight, but he was weaving on his feet, with shudders rippling across his chest and down his thighs.

  “Seb, we’re nearly there. Seb?”

  The shudders intensified, as he huffed low in his throat. “Hear you, don’t worry ‘bout me.”

  Jess sunk her teeth into her lip as looked at him. “I need to get us off this roof. It’ll be a bit of a…jerk, okay?” With her face pensive as she looked at him, she could only hope he had some idea of what was to come. “And when we get down there, we need to get in the car. Quickly.” She nodded encouragingly at him as she spoke.

  His focus on her was intense; he was trying with everything he had to process her words. “Do trust you.”

  She knew that the watery smile she offered him was beaming, as she clenched his hands tightly in hers and drew him towards the lip of the roof. Sliding her hand into his pocket, she grabbed the key and hoped for the best.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, she clenched him to her, and stepped up onto the flat, stone cornice, drawing him with her. Rising to her tiptoes she placed her lips against his, and gripping the fob in her palm, stepped from the roof.

  The wind rushed up to meet them, and she felt him go rigid in her embrace, as a shout left his lips.

  She pressed the fob as they fell sixty feet towards the flagstone street.

  Hearing the alarm disengage, she jerked them to a halt inches from the pavement. Seb crumpled in her embrace, and she tried, with as much gentleness as she could, to ease him to ground as she whirled and opened the door to the Pathfinder.

  Jerking back, she grabbed him and, wrenching him to his feet, she all but dragged him, pushing and heaving to get him into the interior.

  She had no idea if there was any danger, but she’d feel a hell of a lot safer once they were locked in.

  Pushing him firmly inside, she slammed the door and raced to the driver’s side, clambering into her seat.

  Slamming her door, she clicked the central locking. Turning the ignition, the engine roared to life on the silent street.

  Reaching across him, she grabbed the seatbelt, strapping him in and then herself, before shoving the beast of a car into gear.

  As they pulled onto the main road she fiddled about with the satnav, until finally managing to deactivate the GPS. She had no idea if they could be tracked, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

  She glanced furtively over at him. He looked to be sleeping. Peacefully relaxed—maybe he felt safe in his own car, she had no idea. But for now, she weaved in and out of the side roads. The orange street lights bouncing off the slick streets made her wince, as she crisscrossed London until they reached the A3.

  The roads were empty in these wee small hours, and she did her best to avoid the street cams and speed traps, as they raced back to the bay, heading for home, where she was strongest.

  Where they were safest.

  Chapter Nine

  She stood in her lounge with Seb laid carefully at her feet, and breathed deeply, trying to replenish her lungs after virtually dragging him into the house.

  Kneeling beside him, she closed her eyes and raised her palms. Taking a deep breath, she stilled, reaching out into the ether to seek her sister, and her brother.

  She found Thea exactly where she was supposed to be; hours away in York. Adam was on his boat, by the feel of it. Probably nursing a large Scotch.

  Remaining wholly still, she let the peace of the bay flood her, and reached out to the spirits that had been with her since she was a child.

  “Protect us from outside eyes

  See nothing, dim the lights

  Keep us safe tonight

  As I will it

  So mote it be”

  Her words drifted up and hazed, as if filled with heat. She felt the peace of confirmation settle within her. The spirits had come to her aid. They were safe. For now.

  Reaching down to him, she felt his pulse and breathing were steady, and yet he still rolled in and out of consciousness, delirious ramblings falling from his lips. Unsure if she had the energy left to get him to the bed, she went to fetch blankets and pillows. Exhaustion pulled at her and she knew there was nothing left to do now, but let him fight the poisonous blood that roiled through him.

  His skin was hot; burning. And his breaths came fast and heated against her.

  She had lain on the sofa to sleep, and at some point he’d clearly moved. He was wrapped around her, his body heat searing against her back, and the sudden tightening of his grip snapped her from sleep.

  She gasped as fangs scraped her skin. He groaned against her, his moist tongue working her neck in soft laps, and she moaned in return, unable to move as shivers raced up her spine, curling behind her ears.

  Each brush of his teeth had her nipples tightening, and she felt herself become wet in a rush. For a few short seconds, she whimpered in his grasp, until he became still, settling his lips as if to make a bite.

  Gasping for breath, she wrenched away, coming to her senses. Pushing at him, she rolled, pulling them both from the sofa. They landed on the floor in a heap.

  He’s eyes didn’t open, he just rolled onto his back, and slept on. She lurched to her feet in a rush, dizzy from exhaustion.

  “Oh, by the gods.” Jess stared down at him, her hand touching her neck. It was still damp from his tongue.

  She looked around, struggling to
get her bearings.

  Cuffs—she needed cuffs for just such an occasion.

  She raced to her bedroom, feeling the pull of old power. She sat at the ornate wooden dresser and opened the center drawer. Phials of herbs, crystals and magical items lay before her.

  Jess reached for the small wooden chest, a doorway to a stash of items that she could always access if she needed them…

  Holding her palm above the open casket, she drew an image of the shackles to mind, before reaching in, and pulling them out.

  She’d been so grateful to Thea for showing her how to set this up, it reminded her anew of how much she loved her crazy siblings—although this probably wasn’t what Thea thought she’d be using a location spell for. Lurching from the dresser, she threw thanks to the spirits, making rash promises of endless mint humbugs.

  The cuffs hummed with power, and kneeling beside him, she carefully locked the ornate shackles on each wrist, surprised by the urge to be gentle, considering how he’d been about to bite her.

  “Now, what do I do with you?” She rested her palms on her thighs and stared down at him, stroking his forearm.

  As if in answer, his eyes flicked open, fastening on her. She jerked back in shock, before giving herself an internal shake. Dammit, she was also a creature of bitchass power, and she was not about to start jumping at shadows. “You’re awake, then? Hungry, I suppose?” The sarcasm in her voice was lost on him as he frowned in confusion at her.

  “Jess?”

  “Dammit, Seb.” Her anger spiked, to protect her from the very real fear that she might’ve already lost him “Why didn’t you warn me?!”

  “You filled my dreams.” His quietly spoken words floored her.

  “You dreamed of me?” She found she had unknowingly clutched his hand, leaning closer to draw in his lush scent.

  “I did. I dreamed of you in the rain, watching me. I dreamed…” His words died, as his eyes clouded then went wide. “NO! No.” He sprang to his feet, the speed knocking her flat.

  As he loomed over her, his eyes pooled black. He jerked confusedly at the shackles on his wrists, shaking his bound hands at her. “What is this? What?” He came down over her, straddling her thighs, much as the female had done to him hours earlier.

  Stunned by the speed of his movements, she had no time before he came down on her hips, his jean-clad thighs trapping her against the floor, his bare chest covered with a sheen of sweat.

  She kept her hands flat against the carpet, trying to stay calm and still, so as not to push his rage, not wanting him to lose control. “Seb, listen to me.” She kept her voice slow and soft. “I was looking for you, and I did come for you, as soon as I knew something was wrong—”

  “No! These…why these?” He shook the shackles at her, his eyes were dazed. Lost. “What happened?” His voice broke on the last, and his form crumpled over her; his chin touched his chest as a raw wounded sound reverberated through him.

  Jess lay still beneath him, her elbows lifting her a little from the floor, as yet another wave of tears flooded her vision.

  “Seb.” Her breath caught on his name, as the tears tracked into her hair. “I can try and explain. I can be here with you.” She came to an awkward sitting position, all thought of danger lost in the face of his pain. She pushed inside the loop of his cuffed wrists and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can help… I can.”

  He rested his cheek against her hair, heaving in great breaths… Breathing?

  “You’re breathing?” She raised her face to look up at his, and watched with a mix of horror and anticipation as his eyes changed, filling with an inky blackness.

  His arms tightened around her, pinning hers around his body. His lips parted, and she watched his fangs lengthen. She began to pant in reaction, the soft bruise at her neck burned and the shivery sensation returned. She had to fight the all-consuming need to drop back and offer herself up to him. What the hell was happening?

  “Sebastian.” She stayed rigid in his grasp, unable to sense anything other than his hunger, she struggled to keep her voice clear and precise. “Seb. I don’t want to hurt you. But I will. You have let me go.” His head tilted to the side in confusion, and she knew she had no choice left. She could feel the metal of his cuffs digging into her spine, and cursed herself for being in this unbelievably stupid position.

  Knowing this was going to sting like a bitch, she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, feeling the charge emanating from her core she willed a pulse to the surface.

  The electric jolt surged from her and stunned him. The veins corded in his throat as the current raced through his body, hitting the metal of the cuffs and re-entering her. She groaned at the pain, but still managed to shove him back and pull out from the loop of his arms, moving away in a rush.

  The second the contact between them was broken, he was recovering, pushing to his feet and coming towards her.

  She allowed him to back her across the room until she rested against the cool wooden door, where she raised her hands towards him; palms up, fingers splayed. “Seb, it’s been a while since I’ve been tazed—and never by my own bolts—which aggravates me no end. But believe me when I tell you, I will shoot you across this room if you don’t stand down.”

  He came to a standstill before her, his eyes shimmering from brown to black. It was like watching a poltergeist possessing a new host.

  Jess waited, watching him, keeping her hands charged to issue a bolt. She hoped that a couple of shots would be enough, extended use of energy like this drained her very quickly, and she had little left as it was.

  Winging it here. Flash out of other options.

  His cuffed hands hung in front of him and what was left of his shirt revealed the mess they had made of his chest. The wounds from the fangs that had pierced his body had closed, leaving marks in their wake, and her own bombarded senses wanted to touch him. Wanted to calm him.

  Despite the danger, his change seemed to have amplified her reaction to him.

  The emotion between them pulled at her, but now she was at a loss. Did this mean that he needed her only to feed?

  Her heart clenched at the thought of all they’d missed out on. He’d been right; life really was too short not to just go for it.

  “Jessica.” His voice was mesmeric as he whispered her name. “Jess help me, I don’t know… I need… I ache… What? What do I need, Jess?”

  “I don’t know.” She yearned to ease him. “I think that your eyes changing is a sign that you need to feed—but you shouldn’t be breathing. You—a turned vampire—are a scourge…” Repeating Jason’s words filled her with sadness as she looked at Seb. They had gone from friends to enemies in mere moments.

  “A vampire. Me?”

  “What do you remember, Seb?” She reached out gently and took his hands, using his exhausted confusion to steer him, leading him back to the dim lounge. “Come, sit with me. We’ll work it through from when you left—”

  “Jason! I hadn’t even thought. Will he… Can he do anything?”

  The sudden look of relief on his face nearly broke her, and as she slowly shook her head she watched his hope race away like autumn leaves in the breeze. “No.” She shook her head, her own sadness at the loss of her best friend nearly flooring her. She’d drawn a line and chosen her side. Her loyalty had been tested…

  “There is nothing he can do now, nothing anyone can do. It’s more than rules, it’s ingrained in him. You’re a vampire and he’s…”

  ***

  Seb watched her search for the words, distracted by her teeth capturing her bottom lip as she struggled with an explanation.

  He wanted to lick where her teeth had been. Her words were hard to decipher over the silky tone of her voice as it rubbed across his skin, and the heavy weight of his sack in his jeans was a stark reminder that even though everything had gone to hell, his shaft still remained hard—for her.

  She’d been in his dreams, her skin close to his, soft and warm. The taste of her
sat on the back of his tongue. Her hands had felt soft on his skin, the water warm around them. Water?

  “Seb?”

  He snapped his gaze back to hers, feeling that same mindless need to have her—the closer she got the worse it became.

  “Seb!” She pushed away from him, rising to her feet, static crackling in her palms as she held them up at him. “When that happens you’re going to have to try and warn me. You can’t just tune out and think that you’ll be tapping me up for a snack. I am not, nor have I ever been, a food source.”

  He came to his feet, towering over her. He could feel her power, scent her skin, her hair…

  “Food? What? Food is the last thing on my mind. I can feel you. I can smell you. I want to touch you. My skin is burning.” He clenched his head, scraping his hands back through his hair.

  His blood pounded through him, the beat of his heart reverberated like a bass drum. He stared at her, her long dark hair, pearlescent skin, the swell of her breast and curve of her hip. “I’m so tired, but when I close my eyes you’re there; something is urging me to seize you, to touch you.” His face came close and the heat of his breath and body nigh-on overwhelmed her. The way he drew her scent into him was like a physical pull.

  His lashes lifted to reveal the swirling interchangeable depths of his eyes. “I need to taste you.”

  ***

  The power in her palms faded away as her body softened at his words. Desire coursed through her and she was too tired to think. She just didn’t want to fight it.

  She’d expected a rage of hunger, violent and uncontrollable, but his lips cushioned against hers.

  His breath was ragged, in direct opposite to the gentle pressure of his mouth.

  Easing her lips apart, the sweep of his tongue and scrape of teeth and fangs made her catch her breath, passion and a hint of fear rolling together in a heady mix. It had been so long, it seemed so long since she’d been held against him—there had never been another like him.

  He gripped her wrists between them, holding her against the door, using his body to cage her in.