The ranch was fairly quiet. The remaining guests had been hustled off in the same helicopter that had delivered Gina and Matt. According to Mandenauer, they were being “debriefed.”
Matt figured that was a nice word for being told what to say and do and think in regard to all that had happened to them on Nahua Springs Ranch. He also figured that in about five years there was going to be a brand-new and very popular video game that dealt with Aztec mythology. Sorcerers, werewolves, sacrifice—how could Derek resist? Matt wondered if Edward would take a cut.
Mandenauer had sent his very best engineers with state-of-the art equipment to the tree of life. They would make certain the tomb of the Nahual remained a tomb.
Matt had his doubts. No amount of earth was going to keep that thing buried forever.
Isaac and Fanny seemed to be coming to terms with the loss of Jase. That he’d chosen to become one with the Nahual, would have cheerfully killed or turned anyone, including his own family, in order to further his nefarious plan, seemed to go a long way toward convincing them that even though Jase wasn’t truly dead, he wasn’t exactly alive, either.
Monsters were something in between.
That Jase had tied up his own grandfather and stuffed him into the pantry in order to kidnap Matt and turn Gina into a werewolf had helped them see the truth. The Jase McCord they’d known was gone.
Edward was still furious that he’d allowed the Nahual to take him by surprise. He’d known the thing was smoke, yet when smoke appeared he’d been distracted. The creature had used magic to render him unconscious, no doubt planning to return and finish him off later, once he’d dealt with Matt, or even let Gina do it when she arrived, but she’d been lured below by the smell of blood.
“You will never be able to prove your mother’s theory now,” Edward murmured, drawing Matt’s attention back to the present.
The two men had spent a lot of time talking. Mandenauer had wanted to learn all he could about the Nahual, and it had felt good for Matt to discuss Nora’s theory, which had turned out to be more fact than fiction. He still felt bad about not believing in her, and he wished that he could tell the world how right she had been. But he couldn’t.
Matt shrugged. “Oh well.”
What had been so important when he’d come here meant nothing any longer. All Matt cared about was Gina, this place, and their life together. He’d already called George Enright and resigned. With Matt’s money and Gina’s skill, they’d turn Nahua Springs back into the most respected quarter-horse breeding facility in the country.
“The cavern must remain buried,” Edward continued. “No one can ever know. We cannot have academics swarming the area, digging, searching, perhaps finding.”
“I own this place,” Matt said. “No one’s digging. Ever.”
And he’d be around to make certain of that. Though once he couldn’t imagine a life other than the one he had had—that of teaching, seeking, learning—now he couldn’t imagine a life anywhere but here. Because here was where Gina was and always would be.
Matt had tried to hand the ranch over to Gina. She’d refused. “Fifty-fifty,” she said. “For the rest of our lives.”
She was doing pretty well, considering. Sometimes Matt caught her listening to the wind, staring at the mountains, and waiting for un–wolf howls that were no longer there. But the more time that passed without them, the less she would listen.
“When is the wedding?” Mandenauer asked.
“As soon as we can arrange it.” Gina and Matt had learned well the concept that every day could be their last. They weren’t going to waste a single instant of the rest of their lives. “You … uh … wanna be a witness?”
“My boy, I would like nothing better.”
“Elise is going to stand up for Gina.”
Elise had rented a room in the ranch house. She would be there until she hunted down and cured all the wolves that now howled in the once-wolfless hills.
Matt wasn’t exactly sure what the cure involved. Something to do with that pentagram on her palm and the vials and syringes in her black doctor’s bag. As long as it worked—he cast a glance at Edward, whose sharp gaze remained on the distant mountains—Matt didn’t care if the cure involved Elise doing the hoochie-coochie on the Empire State Building.
“He will be released again,” the old man said softly.
“Maybe not for another five hundred years.”
Edward remained silent for a few seconds, then shrugged. “I should be dead by then.”
And deep in the soon-to-be-buried cavern, the Nahual began to again crave the moon.
ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS TITLES BY LORI HANDELAND
THE NIGHTCREATURE NOVELS
Blue Moon
Hunter’s Moon
Dark Moon
Crescent Moon
Midnight Moon
Rising Moon
Hidden Moon
Thunder Moon
Marked by the Moon
THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES
Any Given Doomsday
Doomsday Can Wait
Apocalypse Happens
Chaos Bites
ANTHOLOGIES
Stroke of Midnight
No Rest for the Witches
PRAISE FOR LORI HANDELAND’S NIGHTCREATURE NOVELS
MARKED BY THE MOON
“Fans are in for a treat in this hard-to-put-down story.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Great reading … plenty of passion, drama, and chills.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Handeland’s supersexy brand of science and fantasy doesn’t disappoint.”
—Booklist
“Marked by the Moon is a sly, sultry tale with twists and turns that will have you holding on tight as you anticipate what’s around the next corner while immersing you into a secretive world of sizzling-hot desire.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews (5 Angels)
“I enjoyed it so much I couldn’t put it down till the end. The attraction between Alexandra and Julian was in turns humorous and heart-wrenching … a really good love story about werewolves. Enjoy. Thanks again, Lori Handeland.”
—Night Owl Romance Reviews
THUNDER MOON
“Will absolutely rivet you to your chair. Murder, mayhem, humor, and horror from a tale that keeps the reader on edge to the very end. Thunder Moon is a well-crafted story that will leave the reader longing to dig into the next Nightcreature book as soon as possible.”
—Night Owl Romance Reviews
“Handeland is at the top of her game in this taut thriller. Part detective tale, part supernatural chiller, this is a full-on exciting read.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Provocative, intense, and rife with creepy beings. The romance is sultry, solid, and very intense.”
—Romance Junkies
“Handeland has a gift for creating and sustaining a mood throughout her stories that keeps the reader eagerly turning the pages.”
—Fresh Fiction
RISING MOON
“Eerie atmospherics and dark passion intertwine, making this a truly gripping and suspenseful read.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“What makes the latest in her Nightcreature series stand out is how Handeland paints such a vivid portrait of the Big Easy and its inhabitants. The city itself is a character, not unlike its real-life counterpart … her gift to skillfully repel and attract commands the reader’s attention to the very end and will lure genre readers enamored of paranormal romance or mysteries.”
—Booklist
“Phenomenal … the story, characters and dialogue, and descriptive setting are perfect.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“Keeps you guessing until the very end … I was awed.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews
“A great plot, wonderful characters and a setting to die for. You gotta pick this one up.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Mm
m … mmm … mmm! Get ready for the ride of your life … an intriguing eye-opener … Twists and turns, secrets and shadows, captivating characters, a well-written, well-developed plot, and a romance.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Rising Moon is suspenseful, passionate, and edgy, but it’s also a true feel-good read with a message of hope and redemption.”
—Eternal Night Reviews
CRESCENT MOON
“Strong heroines are a hallmark of Handeland’s enormously popular werewolf series, and Diana is no exception. Crescent Moon delivers plenty of creepy danger and sensual thrills, which makes it a most satisfying treat.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
“Handeland knows how to keep her novels fresh and scary, while keeping the heroes some of the best … pretty much perfect.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“An enchanting and romantic love story … compelling characters and a gripping plot … This captivating tale is wrought with mystery, mayhem, and an electrifying passion hot enough to singe your fingers.”
—Romance Junkies
“Enticing, provocative, and danger-filled.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Will appeal to readers on the most primal level. It effectively centers on the dark side of life, the forbidden temptations.”
—Curled Up With a Good Book
DARK MOON
“A riveting continuation to Handeland’s werewolf series … Handeland displays a talent for creating characters that are original and identifiable to the reader … her styling and creativity ensure that Dark Moon, though third in the series, can be read as a stand-alone work … Handeland has once again delivered a remarkable werewolf tale that is a superb addition to the genre. Fans of this genre won’t want to miss out on this paranormal treat.”
—Fallen Angel
“The end is a surprising, yet satisfying, conclusion to this series … another terrific story.”
—Fresh Fiction
“The characters are intriguing and the romance is sexy and fun while at times heart-wrenching. The action is well written and thrilling especially at the end … Dark Moon is another powerful tale with a strong heroine who is sure to please readers and a hero who is worth fighting for. Handeland has proven with this trilogy that she has a bright future in the paranormal genre.”
—Romance Readers Connection
“Elise is Handeland’s most appealing heroine yet … this tense, banter-filled tale provides a few hours of solid entertainment.”
—Publishers Weekly
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
CRAVE THE MOON
Copyright © 2011 by Lori Handeland.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0-312-38936-9
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2011
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 978-1-4299-8641-0
First St. Martin’s Paperbacks eBook Edition: June 2011
Don’t miss the previous two Nightcreature novels from New York Times bestselling author
LORI HANDELAND
MARKED BY THE MOON
ISBN: 978-0-312-38934-5
“Sly, sultry … sizzling hot desire.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews (5 Angels)
MOON CURSED
ISBN: 978-0-312-38935-2
“Riveting!”
—RT Book Reviews
Both novels—and all the others in this sensational series!—are available from St. Martin’s Press.
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