Finally, picking out a pair of skinny black jeans, a white camisole and a chunky woollen jumper the colour of holly berries, Luna quickly dressed. Her favourite black boots were next, followed by the silver necklace Michael had given to her over the holidays. Resting heavily between her breasts, Luna smiled as she fingered it. The pendant featured a wolf howling at the full moon. It had been the best present she had ever received from her brother, and she had quickly grasped its significance. Michael was the wolf, Luna the moon. They would always be connected; they were the last family members left. There would never be any secrets between them again.
Her reflection stared back at her. Her green eyes sparkled, full rosy lips open, her pale golden hair piled back in a messy bun at the base of her neck. For once, she thought she looked good.
Heading downstairs, Michael was waiting at the front door, keys to their mother’s car in his hands. “Be careful on the roads, sis. I’d drive you, but I’m up to my ass in paperwork.”
Giving him a peck on the cheek, she grabbed the keys. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll even text you to let you know when I get there. Okay? Have fun with your paperwork.” Chuckling at the sound of her brother’s light growling, Luna grabbed her thick white coat and headed towards the car and jumped in.
The drive into town was uneventful, but she took extra caution driving. Paris received its fair share of snow but couldn’t compete with the snowfall in Virginia. The ordinarily short trip doubled, but she had a feeling Michael would be happy. As their mother used to say, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Luna pulled into the parking lot where a werewolf had attacked her only a few months ago. Even now, she could still feel the back of her head slammed against the door before being dragged across the ground. Thankfully, Chase had rescued her. For weeks afterwards, every time she drove past it, a shiver would run down her spine. Even now, another caress of nerves flowed down her back, but it was for a different reason tonight she told herself.
Chase stood to one side, leaning against his vehicle. His eyes never left her as she parked a few cars away from him. Opening the door, a blast of cold hit her. The night air licked away any traces of heat, the pitch-black sky thick with just a scattering of faint stars ahead. The harsh bite of the freezing air penetrated the many layers she was wearing, her breath dancing visibly in front of her eyes. As she walked towards Chase, shivers flowed over her skin, her heart racing in her chest.
“Good evening, princess.” Chase’s words flowed through the air, the honeyed tone of his voice piercing through her chest. That thick drawl was unlike the British and other European accents she had grown up with in Paris and always made her smile.
“Salute, Chase,” she replied, watching the corners of his lips tug upwards at the sound of her French. She knew all too well the effect French had on him. She didn’t need a werewolf’s sense of smell to know it stirred his own pheromones. “Been waiting for me long?”
Chase shook his head, his jet-black hair shinning in the fractured light of the restaurant’s neon sign across the road. “Nah, not long. Besides, you’re worth waiting for.”
The words sent a wave of warmth spilling through her soul. “So where are you taking me tonight?” she asked, her voice coming out husky.
Gesturing with his head, Luna followed him out of the parking lot, heading down the road. As soon as they reached the end, Chase guided her across the street and towards the sounds of dozens of excited voices and bright lights.
Despite the snowstorms that kept the town covered in a thick blanket of snow for several weeks, the town’s pond hadn’t frozen over until that week. Luna could feel her face stretching into a smile as Chase moved closer to her body. Thousands of fairy-lights twinkled between the branches of trees and bushes, with portable heaters positioned all around the pond along with chairs and tables. Country music blasted through the air, although it couldn’t drown out the excited squeals of everyone. Teenagers were already skating on the frozen pond, while adults talked and laughed with drinks in hand around the edge. The whole atmosphere was one of fun, one that reminded her of ice skating as a teen back in France.
“Come on,” Chase said, taking her hand, and leading her towards the group. “I’ve got skates for both of us.”
“Marvellous, I can’t wait,” Luna replied, excitement lining every word. Within moments, after saying hello to various people around them, Luna and Chase had discarded their shoes and pulled on their skates. Taking her by the hand, Chase led her onto the ice, one side of his face pulled up into a grin. Several teens skated past in a flurry of dark clothes and giggles, the cold air causing their hair to whip around their faces, but Chase’s hand remained warm in hers. It lit a fire in her stomach, burning away the coldness swirling around her exposed face. The neon fairy-lights hanging from the branches shone on the snow-kissed ground, bathing the entire place in warm tones.
Chase sped her around on the ice. It came as a surprise to for her to see how good a skater he was, his grip never faltering as they weaved in and out of those around them. Finally slowing down and catching her breath, Luna looked up at him with astonishment. “Wow, Chase, I didn’t realise you were so good at skating.”
His grin expanded. “I’m good at a lot of things. Why are you so surprised?”
“Being humble isn’t one of them though,” she laughed. “I just didn’t think this would be your kind of thing.”
Milk chocolate brown eyes stared down into hers. “I like to skate when it’s possible. There aren’t many times I can do it.”
Luna could feel her smile fading. “Especially just lately,” she whispered, hoping that it was soft enough to go undetected, but Chase pulled her to a stop, spinning around to face her. Damn! Werewolf hearing was a pain at times.
Chase placed his finger underneath her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Sssh, Luna. Don’t think of it now. Tonight we’re meant to be having fun, remember?”
Staring back at him, she nodded. Behind him, the star-freckled night stretched into eternity, the transitory moonlight illuminating the rich tone of his skin. His lips looked fuller than ever, and the temptation to reach up and take the bottom lip between her teeth pulled at her. Chase pulled her closer to him, and just when she thought he was going to close the gap between them and kiss her, he turned his head away and sniffed.
“What’s wrong, Chase?” Luna asked, concern filling her voice as she stared in the direction Chase was sniffing in.
“Nothing,” he told her, but she could tell something had caught his attention. Even when he turned back and smiled at her, she wasn’t convinced. “Come on, let’s skate some more.”
Luna smiled and was careful to keep her tone light. “Oui. Try to keep up with me this time,” she told him before speeding off to his surprise, his chuckles soft on the breeze that was stirring. Within seconds, however, she felt his warm hands on her hips, his touch feather-light but still guiding her over the ice. They glided in unison, weaving around elderly couples and groups of giggling girls, ignoring everyone, enjoying the feel of the breeze on their faces. Luna couldn’t remember the last time she had had this much fun.
Eventually, Chase pulled them off the ice for drinks. Sauntering off after bringing them back to their seats, Luna tugged the heavy skates off her feet, rubbing her ankles. When was the last time she had gone ice skating? After pulling her boots on, she drew her coat closer around her body against the chill that had started to trickle through her skin, sending a river of goose-bumps coursing over her skin.
The tingles of the goose-bumps continued to flow as she spied Chase walking towards the dark corner of the woods that fringed around the western side of the park. Confusion seeped through her. What is he doing? Luna asked herself.
Getting to her feet, Luna made her way through the crowd, barely acknowledging those who smiled and said hello as she passed them. It only took a few minutes to reach the other side of the pond, where the trees blended into the inky darkness. Chase stepped int
o the shadows, merging with them entirely. Luna hurried to reach him but stopped at their edge. There was something claustrophobic about these woods, unlike the one on her family’s land, even though the trees and underbrush continued for miles. The black trunks perched against an even blacker backdrop produced a shiver of trepidation down her spine.
The urge to call out to Chase was there, but Luna pushed it down. Instead, she slowly stepped into the darkness, the shadows seeming to envelop her. Snow crunched underneath her feet, the naked branches swaying in the cold breeze. Shivering, Luna continued forward, looking around for any trace of Chase but all she could see were layers of darkness.
A snap to her left caused Luna to twist around, her heart racing within the confines of her chest until she realised it was only a branch falling off a nearby tree. Only a sliver of moonlight permeated through the shadows, allowing Luna to see bare branches against the sky. The darkness was so thick she could barely see anything in front of her. Desperately, Luna tried to push down the sense of fear that her imagination was quickly stirring inside her.
“Chase,” she called softly, knowing that he would be able to hear her. She whipped her head around, using the limited amount of moonlight to try and see if she could spot him. Taking a cautious step forward, Luna made her way deeper into the woods. The paths, illuminated earlier, were lost in an ocean of inky shadows that not even the moonlight could penetrate. Each step submerged her in shadows until she couldn’t see anything. Deciding to return to wait for him, Luna turned around.
A snap resonated from the left and somehow Luna’s body reacted. She dropped to the ground, twisting forward just before a body impacted with hers. Adrenaline surged through her when she heard a deep growl.
It wasn’t Chase’s.
Inhaling deeply, Luna sprung to her feet and started running towards the edge of the woods. She could feel someone behind her, chasing her, but she continued to run.
Until she slammed head-first into a tree.
Falling backwards, the thick carpet of snow broke the fall, but a cry still tore from her mouth. Seconds later, a body jumped on top of her. “That was too easy,” came a deep voice through the stars that were blocking her vision. “I thought I would’ve had a bit more of a challenge considering the reports we’ve had.”
As soon as Luna heard his words, her blood ran as cold as the snow melting underneath her body. Another werewolf. They’ve come for me. Where is Chase? Remembering what her brother had told her when he had started her training months ago – not to rely on anyone in a fight – her body kicked into gear.
She brought her right knee up sharply, making contact with his groin as hard as she could. The stars disappeared from her eyes, and his hands automatically went to cup his delicate area, Luna pushed at his chest, twisting her body away from him. Those few seconds were all she needed to jump to her feet. Growls filled the air. Luna, turning back, pulled her leg back and then kicked out, the heel of her boot striking him in the forehead. The crack of bone flowed through the woods, following her as she began to run once more towards the safety of the town.
She dodged him as he lunged at her. On the third attempt, though, his fingers caught hold of her coat, pulling her down to the ground. Twisting to the side as her brother had always instructed her to do, those fingers gripped tighter, pulling her back. Luna watched as the man, cloaked in shadows, drew back his arm. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the impact, to possibly be knocked out, but the contact never came.
Out of the shadows lunged another dark figure, menacing growls filtering through the trees, knocking the werewolf away from her body.
“Chase,” she whispered, recognising the growling. Chase ignored her and concentrated on landing blows after blow on the attacker. They were nothing but a blur of dark fists, kicks and grunts.
Luna rose to shaky feet, wondering if she should intervene. Her hands began shaking. It could have been from the cold, but she was feeling too numb to feel the low temperature. Instead, she tried to determine which blur was Chase and which blur was the new werewolf.
She watched as Chase pulled back his arm and smashed it into the other man’s face, sending him hurtling through the air twenty feet away. Landing in a twisted position on the ground, he grunted as he pulled himself up, scurrying away into the inky darkness.
“Chase,” Luna called towards the shadowy figure. Her voice held a note of quiet panic. Turning around, a sliver of moonlight landed on his face, allowing her to see him staring back at her. Relief flooded through her. “What were you doing out here?”
Swallowing, Chase moved towards her. “I smelled something, so I came to check it out. You should have stayed at the park where it was safe, Luna.”
Now he was standing before her, Luna could see a hint of his wolf peeking out behind his eyes. “You should never have gone to check things out by yourself. What if there had been more of them?” She fought to remain calm, but there was an undercurrent of panic in her voice.
Chase shook his head. “Only smelled the one.” His eyes scanned her face. “How’s your head?”
Luna gently touched her forehead and winced when her fingers made contact. “Hurts a little,” she said, her words coming out with an edge of surprise, as though the pain was unexpected.
Gently, Chase brushed away loose strands of hair. “Let’s get you home, princess, and report this back to the boss. Michael will want to know.”
A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. “Oui. He won’t be happy.”
Taking her by the hand, Chase led her out of the woods. “I can’t imagine that he will.” The lights from the party soon came into view, a beckon of safety from the nightmarish woods behind them. Sounds of merriment floated over to them, soft at first, but louder with each hurried step. They made their way to the far side, taking care not to venture too close to the others. Luna swore there was already a bruise on her forehead and she wanted to avoid any questions about it.
As they were crossing the road towards the parking lot, Chase’s grip tight on her arm, Luna could feel a pair of eyes watching them in the distance. Turning her head, she peered over her shoulder to see stony grey eyes burning in their direction.
Sherriff Briggs stood on the other side of the road, the party in full swing behind him, hands on his ample hips, his jaw locked tight. His stare was penetratingly cold. Luna shivered as he stood staring at her. Chase turned his head back in the direction Luna was staring at so intently.
“Home, princess,” he ordered, guiding her back to where their cars were waiting.
Home sounded fantastic. Home sounded safe.
But nowhere was safe these days.
Three
“Well, we all knew it was coming,” Michael sighed, closing his eyes in resignation. “This was just the calm before the storm.”
“And the wind is picking up,” Chase replied, pouring several fingers of whiskey into three glasses before handing them out. “The shit is really going to start flying now.”
Sitting at the kitchen table, Luna took the whiskey eagerly. It wasn’t her favourite tipple of choice, but after the events of the night, she didn’t care. Bringing the glass up to her lips, Luna took a sip, the liquid burning as it slid down her throat. The potent flavour was bittersweet, stronger than she usually cared for, but she didn’t care. Biting back the urge to splutter, Luna swirled the remaining liquid around in the glass, the gentle vortex hypnotising by itself. She released a sigh she hadn’t realised had been building up inside, her shoulders sagging as it escaped.
Arriving home, Chase had reported to Michael what had happened. Starting from the smell on the ice right up to when they had emerged from the woods. Michael had not been pleased when he learned how Luna had crept into the woods after Chase.
Or while his baby sister was supposed to be looked after by Chase, she had been attacked by an unknown werewolf in his own territory.
Chase’s explanations of wanting to draw out the werewolf hadn’t gone down well
. Even Luna wasn’t impressed with his actions at using her for bait. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t seriously hurt; it was that he hadn’t warned her. She could feel a bubble of resentment rising in her chest.
Michael swallowed the contents of his glass in one go before handing it back to Chase for a refill. “Right, let’s get things organised. Tomorrow, I’ll get your dhampir to come over and help reinforce the house. You’ve got training with him in the morning anyway, sis. I’ve put the word out that I’m looking for a sorcerer or a wizard, so just waiting on hearing from someone.” Taking another glass, Michael echoed his sister’s movements, swirling the amber nectar around, breathing in the flavour.
Setting her glass down, Luna looked at her brother. “What’s the difference between a sorcerer and a wizard?”
Baby blue eyes glanced upwards to meet her own, a small smile forming on his face. “Price, mainly. Wizards and sorcerers both practice magic but they gain their powers through different methods. Wizards gain their abilities through long hours of studying and meditation, whereas sorcerers tend to be able to pull out magical energy that surrounds us, or something to that effect. There’s quite a class distinction between the two, with sorcerers snubbing wizards because they’re not natural magic users like they are. Frankly, it’s a pain in the ass listening to them bitch when you get two in a room.”
Luna groaned and threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “For crying out loud, Michael, I seriously need to learn more about this world. How am I supposed to live in it if no one teaches me?”
Michael’s face softened, sadness creeping in on the edges of his face. “You were never meant to live in this world. We thought you’d be safer if you didn’t know and no one was expecting for you to come back here.”
Temptation Of The Moon: A Silver Moon Novel Page 2