“Guess the bracelet is working, then.” I snickered. I climbed into the driver seat of my car and cranked the engine. A new level of hope swelled within me.
We could end this thing with Roman. The piece of shiny metal around my right wrist was the key.
“You ain’t kiddin’,” Benji huffed. “I can’t feel my shoulder.”
“Oh, whatever.” I rolled my eyes and reached for my cell.
I shot a quick text to Eli, letting him know we’d found the bracelet, and I was heading home soon. He replied right away, his excitement apparent.
“I didn’t realize you were such a wimpy human.” Tate chuckled. He climbed into the passenger seat of my car while Benji slipped in the back.
“I wasn’t a wimp. She just has one hell of a punch.”
“Right.” Tate laughed. “Sure.”
I glanced at Benji through my rearview mirror. He was shooting death rays at Tate.
“Calm down,” I said. “I’m sorry I hit you so hard. Did you need me to stop by anywhere else before I drop you at the Montevallos?”
“No. Like I said, I’m feelin’ pretty damn hungry.” Benji glared at the back of Tate’s head, and then shifted to stare out his window.
I forced my car into reverse, trying hard to keep the smirk off my face. Someone was moody when he was hungry—and when he felt his manhood had been tested.
13
After I dropped Benji off at the Montevallo mansion so he could eat, Tate whined he was hungry too. It was nearing eight, so I figured stopping for something was probably best. Besides, there was nothing to eat at home.
We stopped by a sandwich shop I’d eaten at a handful of times. Tate was adamant the place served the best French dip.
I stood next to Tate in line, waiting to order and doing my best to ignore the screaming toddler latched onto his mother’s hip in front of us. I was never having kids. Not if all they did was scream like that one.
My fingers went to my temples. When was the mom going to give in to whatever the kid wanted? I would have ten minutes ago.
The line moved forward, and I realized I’d forgot my wallet in the car.
“I need to get my wallet. I’ll be right back,” I said to Tate. Also, I needed some air. That kid had one hell of a set of lungs. He was giving me a headache.
How was it no one else seemed bothered by him?
“I’ll buy your meal.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll pay for my own meal.” I smirked.
I hustled outside for my wallet, ignoring his smartass comment. Darkness had already fallen. That was one thing I would miss about summer, the way the sun never seemed to want to set. Before I knew it, it would be nightfall by 4:30 in the afternoon.
At least it was quiet out here. That kid had really been grating on my nerves, which was odd because I normally liked kids. Heck, I babysat for Felicia all the time and she had twins. They counted as double trouble.
When I made it to the car, I spotted my wallet on top of the middle console. I popped open the driver’s side door and reached to grab it but couldn’t. Something was wrong with my hand. My stomach churned when I realized what.
It wasn’t a hand at all...it was a paw.
What the? How? I blinked and looked again, but sure enough, my hand was my wolf’s paw.
I curled my paw into my chest to hide it. While it was dark out, I was still bathed in light from the interior of my car. Someone could see if they were watching me close enough.
Moon magic filtered through the air around me. I could smell it. Feel it. It brushed against my skin, coaxing me to change. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut. Why the hell was I about to shift? Right now. In the middle of a freaking parking lot where everyone could see me.
Fur prickled across my skin. My back arched as bones shifted, slipping into place for my wolf. She was there, just on the surface and just as unsure about how this was happening as I was. Neither one of us seemed to want it.
“No. This can’t be happening,” I whispered. “I’m in control. I am.”
With my eyes still closed, I tried to focus on my breathing. To gain control over myself and my wolf. It was the only way I knew I’d be able to keep from shifting.
A conversation a young family was having as they made their way through the parking lot to their vehicle floated to my ears. Knowing I was no longer alone broke my concentration long enough for me to release what little hold on things I had. The family was too close. If I stayed where I was, they’d walk right past me and see something they shouldn’t.
I had to move.
Hunkering down, I rounded to the other side of my car. The couple and their kids continued past me, unaware of my presence. Until a howl pushed past my parted lips all on its own.
“What was that?” the mom asked. Panic reflected in her tone.
“Obviously, an animal,” her husband said with a slight chuckle.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. Daddy and me will protect you,” a little boy said.
“That’s right,” the dad agreed.
“My heroes,” the mom said.
I flattened myself against the side of my car and closed my eyes. My lips pressed together until I was sure no noise would come from between them. Again, I focused on my breathing.
“Umm,” a familiar voice said. “What the hell are you doing?”
I snapped my eyes open to find Tate staring at me with a wide smirk twisted across his face.
“I...can’t you…” My words fumbled as I tried to explain. “I was shifting. I didn’t have control over it.”
“What?”
I licked my dry lips and forced my shaking body into a standing position. No part of me looked like a wolf. I was completely human. My body heat rose. None of this made sense.
What the hell just happened?
“But…” I muttered. “I swear…”
“I think you need some sleep or something,” Tate said. His smirk fell from his face. “I ordered you a turkey club. Hope that’s all right. I paid for it too. You can pay me back whenever.”
“Thanks,” I said. My gaze swept over my body once more. No fur. No claws. Human.
I felt for my wolf. She seemed to be as frazzled as I was. Something had happened. We both knew it had. I hadn’t imagined it. And neither of us were crazy.
Roman.
His name popped in my head, and I knew what happened had everything to do with him.
I glanced around the parking lot, knowing he had to be here somewhere. How had he been able to get into my mind like that? I was wearing the bracelet from Gretchen. It had worked on Benji. Shouldn’t it have worked on him? Was it possible he’d been out of reach?
“That place has the best damn French dips ever. Their milkshakes are good too,” Tate said. He popped the passenger side door open, nailing the trick to it on the first try, and slurped his shake. “If that was all they sold here, I bet they’d still make a killin’.”
I nodded but didn’t speak. All I could think about was how Roman was somewhere close by, watching me. Was he waiting to get into my head again? Or was he still in there? Would I freak out again any second?
My hand shook as I reached for the handle to the driver’s side door. I climbed behind the wheel and cranked the engine, wondering if it was safe for me to be driving. I skimmed the parking lot. My heart pounded as my wolf paced. Neither one of us would be able to relax until we knew for sure we were out of Roman’s reach.
I shifted into reverse as Tate continued to cram his face with food. In my head I replayed what happened, searching for a reason why Roman would have screwed with me like that. Had he wanted to show me he was capable of doing something so sinister? Was it a show of power? Or was he planning on capturing me once I was in full-out panic mode, but Tate botched his plan?
I’d never been more thankful for Tate’s annoying presence than I was right then.
I shifted into drive and started toward home. My wolf calmed down as more distance between us and the
sandwich shop grew. I calmed down when I realized there were no cars behind me. It at least meant Roman wasn’t following with enough distance placed between us for the damn bracelet to not work.
How close to me did a vampire have to be before this thing’s powers kicked in anyway? Hadn’t Ridley said within a few feet?
“Want a chip? I’m sure it tastes better than your bottom lip,” Tate teased. I stopped chewing my lip, not having realized I had been. “What are you so freaked about?”
Was he serious?
“Maybe the fact that my mind was just screwed with. Did you not catch the part where I said I thought I was shifting in the parking lot?”
“Well, yeah. But you weren’t. Not really.” He crammed a few more chips into his mouth. “Oh. Wait. You think this was Roman?”
“Duh.”
“But, you’re wearing the bracelet.”
I sighed. “I know. He must have been out of reach or something.”
“It works. I mean, it seemed to on Benji. There’s no way he’s that big of a wuss. Are you thinking it doesn’t work on Roman? Because that would suck.”
“I know. And—” I paused. A car had turned onto the road behind me. My heart kicked into overdrive as I worried it could be Roman. I wasn’t sure if I should speed up to put distance between us so Roman wouldn’t be able to reach me with his mind tricks, or if I should slow down and let the bracelet do its thing. “I’m not sure what happened back there.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
I wasn’t, but he didn’t need to know that.
Tate unwrapped the second portion of his sandwich without another word and ate it noisily in the passenger seat. I turned up the radio but didn’t pay attention to the song. I was still lost in thoughts of what happened in the parking lot. Shifting in public had been a fear of mine since I was a kid. I used to have nightmares about it. I guess it was equivalent to the being naked at school dream most humans had at least once in their life.
Before long we were at the trailer park. I pulled into my driveway and noticed right away Eli wasn’t home. He’d said he would be home soon. I wasn’t sure when soon would be though.
Tate watched me as I grabbed my stuff and crept out of my car. I started to the front door of my trailer and he followed.
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I said. “You go home. I have the bracelet. I don’t need a babysitter anymore.”
“You sure about that? Didn’t seem like that bracelet worked so well for you back at the sandwich shop.” He took a swig of his shake. “Besides, I think Eli would want me here. At least until he gets home.”
“I’m fine. Honestly. Eli will be home soon. He said he would.”
“Okay,” Tate said. His tone was skeptical. “But after you tell him what happened in the parking lot and he gets all pissed, you better tell him I tried to stay with you and you told me to leave. I don’t want to be on his bad side.” He backed away from me, sipping his milkshake.
“I’ll be sure to tell him I told you to leave. Don’t worry.” I headed up the steps to my place.
“Oh, wait,” Tate called out. “Your sandwich.”
He jogged to where I was and held the bag out to me.
“Thanks, but why don’t you eat it. I’m not hungry anymore.”
“No way. I can’t let you starve tonight too. Eat. It’ll give me some bonus points with Eli. Trust me. Your well-being is all he cares about. If I at least got you to eat tonight, then I sort of watched out for you in his eyes.”
I licked my lips and took the bag from him. “Fine. I’ll appease you this once. Just don’t think I always need someone to look out for me, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Mina. We all know you’re a tough chick.” He winked.
I slipped inside the trailer and deposited my stuff on the kitchen counter. Moonshine whimpered inside her cage. I headed over, knowing she probably hadn’t been outside in a while.
After I let her out, I secured her in her harness and headed for the door so she could do her business. A cool breeze filtered through the air as I waited on Moonshine to do what she needed. I’d barely been outside two minutes before the fine hairs along the back of my neck stood on end, sending my wolf on high alert.
Someone was watching me. I could feel it.
Was it Tate? If so I was going to give him a piece of my mind. I’d said I didn’t need a babysitter; that also meant I didn’t need someone watching me like a creeper.
My wolf bristled. The eyes on me were definitely not Tate’s. They were too cold to be his. I glanced around but didn’t see anyone.
Until my gaze touched the woods.
Someone was there. The person wore white and seemed small and frail as they hid in the shadows.
It took me all of two seconds to realize who I was looking at.
“Gracie? What are you doing out there?” My voice cracked when I spoke. I was still freaked out by everything that had happened tonight and seeing her standing in the woods like a damn ghost wasn’t helping. “Gracie?”
What was she doing? Why was she standing there? Was she sleepwalking?
When she was little, she used to when she was stressed about end of grade testing or something else she thought of as major. Gran had always said she’d grow out of it. For a long time I thought she had. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time she’d sleepwalked.
What I did know was that the woods weren’t safe, and she damn sure didn’t need to be out there right now.
I grabbed Moonshine and headed back to the trailer. My eyes left Gracie long enough to unhook Moonshine and toss her leash inside the door. My wolf snarled as I started toward the woods. She was uneasy with the entire situation and so was I. Especially after the night I’d had, but what was I supposed to do? Grab Tate to come with me? My sister was right there. Staring at me. Besides, I’d just told him I didn’t need a babysitter and I could take care of myself.
Placing one foot in front of the other and ignoring the unease pulsing from my wolf, I headed toward my little sister and the woods.
“Gracie,” I said when I passed the edge of my trailer. She was still a good distance away. Too far for me to see her face through the shadows surrounding her. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
Her mouth opened, but she didn’t speak. One minute she was standing there, and the next she was being hauled through the woods away from me faster than possible.
14
Gracie’s screams pierced my ears.
“Mina! Mina, help! He’s got me!” she shouted. Gracie thrashed against whatever or whoever had a hold of her, but it did no good.
I bolted toward her as a blood curdling scream flew past her lips.
Adrenaline spiked through my system as I crashed through the woods, hot on her trial but not able to catch up. My wolf wanted out. A strong desire to tear into whomever had thought to touch Gracie bubbled through her.
I would have let her take over. The problem was I didn’t have time to stop and shift. Whatever it was that had a hold of Gracie was moving too fast. So fast, when I rounded a large tree following after her, she was already gone.
“Gracie? Gracie, where are you?” I shouted. Panic laced my words as horrible, scary thoughts of who might have her clogged my mind.
Where was she? I’d watched her round the tree.
No broken branches marked the way she’d been taken. No shuffling of the ground. No scraps of clothing snagged by twigs. It was almost as though Gracie hadn’t been here at all.
She had though. I’d heard her. I’d seen her.
Hadn’t I? Was this all another trick of the mind? Was Roman close?
My hands flew to my head. I squeezed my eyes shut. What the hell was happening to me? Was I going crazy? I couldn’t tell what was real from what wasn’t.
A loud noise sounded from somewhere to my right.
“Gracie!” I shouted before heading in that direction.
“Mina! Please help me! Oh God, Mina!” Th
e fear in her voice was palpable. It had my feet moving faster. My heartrate kicking up. All I could think about was getting to her.
Another scream from her filled the night air. My wolf snapped and snarled. She fought me, pushing to be released. I didn’t give into her. I couldn’t. I needed to get to Gracie. Time was of the essence.
“Mina!” Gracie shouted again. This time she sounded as though she was behind me.
I came to a standstill. Listening. It was important I was going the right way.
“Gracie?” I called into the night.
No response.
Again, I found myself questioning if she’d actually been here at all.
Clapping sounded from behind me. My nails dug into my palms nearly piercing the skin. I’d been screwed with. Again. Gracie hadn’t been here at all.
“Bravo,” Roman said. “You were so determined to save your little sister. It was touching really.”
I spun to face him as my wolf snarled. Not just at him, but at me as well. She was reprehending me for not setting her free. For not heeding her warning something wasn’t right. For stepping into the woods to begin with.
“Did you like my little trick?” he asked. “It’s one of my favorites—making someone believe their loved one is in trouble. People fall for it every single time, even when what they see doesn’t quite make sense. Even when they know it’s dangerous to follow after their loved one into a secluded place. They always do. It boggles my mind really.”
The reality of the situation I’d placed myself in settled over me like a heavy fog. Shit. I’d placed myself in a thick forest with a monstrous vampire who wanted to kill me. How was I going to get out of this?
The bracelet.
If it worked on him, it would be my only hope. Could he feel it syphoning his power? Would I feel it working? I tried to think back to when I’d been around Benji earlier. Had I felt anything then? I couldn’t think.
Warmth! It had felt warm when Ridley put it on me. Had that been because it was already sucking Benji dry? Or was it from the objects it had been stored with?
Moon Captured (Mirror Lake Wolves Book 7) Page 9