Devil Hills: #2 Luna & Lydia

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Very different,” her nose wrinkled at the thought. “Most of the things I had are…old…mature…definitely not fun,” she nodded. “I want color and jeans.”

  “All yours, princess,” Sage promised.

  “Sage,” Luca looked at him from the phone he held. “They’re coming into town now. I think we’d be better off in your office.”

  “That’s what I thought, too.” Sage nodded and took Luna’s hand. “We’ll go out the back and meet you there.”

  Luna went willingly, welcoming the comfort she found in his palm, their fingers holding tightly to one another. But she could feel the trepidation in the room, in the people. But not fear. It was only her she felt the fear from. She looked over at Sage as they walked, his face drawn and determined. She could almost see waves of anger coming off him.

  “Sage, what’s going to happen?”

  The urge to take her to his home and protect her had become overwhelming. But he guided them behind the buildings and into the one he knew like the back of his hand. He dragged in a slow breath. He really didn’t know how to answer her.

  “Lucas will greet them and bring them here,” he took her into his office, closing the door until he heard the warning beep that someone had entered the main entrance. He knew Callie was manning the front desk, as always and more than capable of handling herself.

  “You can’t face him with anger, Sage,” she walked up behind him when he stood in front of the window, shielded by blinds.

  “Luna, right now I don’t know how to stop feeling the anger,” his teeth ground against one another, the canines he swore he could control peeking from beneath his gums and threatening his stability. It would be oh so easy to let the wolf free and exact revenge and not even think twice about it.

  “Each time I ran away, trying to find a place I couldn’t remember clearly, I learned that the more emotion I showed him, the worse I was punished,” her breath caught in her throat, the searing blast of his anger surrounding her. “I learned over time, the more I retreated, the quicker he bored of the punishment and left me alone to my studies.”

  Sage leaned against his desk, his feet spread. He put his hands on her waist and moved her between his thighs. He tried to force himself to leave his hands there, but he’d come to the conclusion he was a lost cause. He touched the feathery ends of champagne at the side of her face, hooking it behind her ear.

  “Your hair is nice. Soft.” He was rewarded with a smile that would have melted a mountain. “Luna…do you understand the anger?”

  “I understand. I understand the strong desire for revenge, even if it isn’t yours to exact,” she said quietly. “You…your friends…you look at me like I’m still ten years old.”

  “I could probably explain why males behave the way we do in a given situation, but I’m not sure you’d like it,” he said with a weak grin.

  “If I didn’t want to be here…if I didn’t want to be with you…” She paused on purpose, watching his face. “I wouldn’t be here. This…” her palm rose and touched the side of his face. “You…are where I want to be. I made that choice. You don’t think I’ve wanted to hurt him as he’s hurt me? On the few clear, open spaces that somehow broke through their control, believe me, I battled with staying and hurting someone or trying to break free.”

  “Revenge is mine to exact, Luna, because you are now mine,” he said simply, the fingers that had been toying with her hair now slid seductively against her scalp until he had a closed fist full and tipped her head to the side, urging her mouth to his. “Mine.”

  He knew the feeling the instant she rubbed herself against him, even unconscious, her submerged cat knew its’ mate. But he’d walked away on purpose. He didn’t believe his own instincts. He’d never been one to trust emotions, no matter what he saw as evidence.

  His tongue surged forward, swiping across her lips and plunging inside when her lips parted, the sweetest of moans caressing his senses.

  Her tongue met his, stroked and ignited the fire that had simmered in them both. She liked this side of him. The strong side that knew what he wanted and was willing to take what she offered. Pulses of heat flooded her body, sending streaks of lightning from the taut peaks of her breasts rubbing against his chest to the wet sex between her thighs now pressing against the hard male staking his claim.

  Her palms went to his chest. She could feel the heat, the strong pounding of his heart, beating to a rhythm that made her move seductively against him. Just the right angle, she realized, moaning into his kiss when his cock stroked the right spot, a surprised spot that fascinated her.

  The warning alarm sounded, followed by voices and the two jumped apart as if they’d been caught like a couple of teenagers. His palms went to her waist, holding her steady. He could feel the fog of arousal coursing through her; see the hunger flashing in her eyes, her tongue out and swiping across her lips, tasting him again.

  “Stay here, Luna. Please.”

  She didn’t agree.

  She remained silent. She had learned a great deal about dealing with people, information and tactics carefully kept in her arsenal until she’d found a way to be free. But she couldn’t hide the quaking inside her. Not from herself. She could see the concern in his eyes.

  “I’m alright, Sage. Please…be careful.”

  He knew she was lying. He could feel her fear. He didn’t like leaving her alone but stepped out of his office and received his first look at the man who had sired the beautiful woman in his office. The man who instantly had the anger that she’d managed to submerge, shooting right to the top of his emotions.

  His nostrils twitched, his frown deepening when he looked at the two bodyguards and then at Lucas who nodded imperceivably. The man did everything in his power to almost eliminate Luna’s heritage while employing two wolf shifters for his personal use. That explained how he was able to track her each time she tried to run from him. Nothing he could have done would stop the anger from ratcheting up another notch at this man.

  But Luna’s words echoed in the back of his mind.

  Tall, formidable and cold. Sage knew that was a good brief summation of the man standing before him. He wore a heavy gold band on one wrist; a single ring that looked like it might have come from a college and a solid, well cared for build. Flanked by two equally powerful male wolves.

  His palm fell on Callie’s shoulder as he rounded the call desk. His deputy was smart and watching. It was impossible to miss the clues of tension filling the large area.

  “Lucas…Jess…” he looked around, a faint grin on his face at two of the females seated, almost sedately over by one of the desks. All eyes went to the front door when Lily came through and crossed in front of the bodyguards.

  “You should have kept running, human.”

  Green ice chips met the eyes of the man who had spoken, her body so much smaller, so slight by comparison. But the smile she gave him would have refreeze the ice pack.

  “I’m the most dangerous one here,” she informed him with a deceptively sweet smile.

  She pulled one of the old wooden chairs from the side and joined Scarlet with a wink. Eli stood near the women, reclining with deceptive ease near Lexi.

  “Gentlemen,” Sage waited patiently. “Sage Terrence, sheriff. What can I help you with?”

  “Therrin Gaudarville,” he informed Sage with an arrogance in the thick French accented tone, appraising the new addition. “Where is my daughter? I’m sure your…leader…has informed you I’ve come to retrieve her,” his voice was smooth, deep and hard and he did absolutely nothing to disguise the sneer in his tone. He loathed the genetic mistakes that made them what they were. Not human and not animal. Yet he wasn’t above using whatever was provided for him to maintain his control. His hair was clipped short and neat, eyes the shade of the sky, were cold and empty.

  “Do you have a picture of her?” Sage asked curiously, one brow arched when Lucas tried not to laugh. He doubted anything would remove the anger simmering beneat
h the surface with Jess, though. The doctor in him was just as protective as the mate in him when Lily had been threatened a few weeks before.

  “Grant, is my daughter here?” He demanded without looking at the man behind him.

  “Yes sir. I’d guess one of the offices,” he answered flatly, dark eyes sweeping the room to the hall Sage had come from. He leaned closer and whispered to his boss. “She’s changed, sir.”

  “We can hear you,” Lexi offered with a curious look at his glare.

  “Changed? What have you done to her?”

  All heads turned when the outer door opened, a short woman in her late forties moving stiffly into the room, a small black bag in her hand.

  “Doctor Elle Morgan,” her palm was thrust forward at Sage, who ignored it.

  Full human, he thought, watching her closely.

  “Do you have identification?” Jess asked quietly.

  Definitely not a good sign, Lily thought, knowing her mate very well.

  But the woman wasn’t offended, instead, opening her bag and offering the badge on the inside, identifying her not only as a doctor, but as an employee of the drug company, Pure Drugs and Pharmaceuticals. Could they be any more obvious?

  “You’re not a personal physician?”

  “I’ve retained Dr. Morgan as Luna’s personal physician, which is none of your business. I’ve been about as polite as I’m going to be,” Therrin Gaudarville announced flatly.

  “I’ve been monitoring her growth since she was a child,” the doctor said, hoping a little diplomacy would hasten things along. “She has several health issues that must be monitored closely.”

  “She’s perfectly healthy,” Jess returned, his feet braced a foot apart, his hands in the pockets of his slacks. “Now.”

  “Miss Gaudarville experiences allergies and some issues that, as Mr. Gaudarville has stated, is really none of your concern,” Dr. Morgan informed him.

  “It does concern me since I’m her personal physician now,” Jess informed her easily. “She has no allergies. Did you notice allergies, Sage?”

  “She’s breathing well and ate damn near everything we could find between yesterday morning and today. Even had a snack in the middle of the night when we woke up,” he said smoothly, enjoying the sharp look on the man’s face. Oh, and there was that triggered angry response in the bodyguards. “Haven’t noticed any rashes or any sort of reaction to her food. She does have some smooth, silky skin, so I’d be sure to notice.”

  “You are aware we can sense illness,” Jess commented, watching their faces. “Drugs are a whole lot harder to pinpoint, though. But not impossible.”

  “Luna doesn’t carry your name,” Sage said flatly. “I’ve checked the records.”

  Lucas rubbed his palm along the back of his neck, his head shaking as he leaned into the desk behind him. He knew Sage was baiting them. Any of them.

  “Bring my daughter to me. Now.”

  “Do you have legal guardianship of her? She’s well over eighteen,” Jess commented, the answer in the face of the man whose skin was slowly turning a deeper and darker shade, his eyes narrowed.

  “Legal…she is my daughter. She had been under my protection and care since she was a child and her mother met with an unfortunate hunting accident,” he leveled a glare around the room. “I’m sure you can understand how such a thing could happen.”

  “Since you denied paternity, how would you know what happened to her mother?” Lexi asked from the side, her tone easy and low while the tawny colored ponytail whipped angrily behind her.

  “I’ve never denied my daughter. Her mother took her and ran. Now bring her here or…”

  Luna stepped quietly into the hall.

  Watching.

  Chapter Eleven

  She met the narrowed midnight eyes of the newest bodyguard. Grant. She didn’t know his last name. But she knew his name wasn’t Grant. She could smell the lie now, even though she knew before. He’d only been with her father for two weeks. But he watched her differently than the others had. And he knew she’d seen the subtle differences. He wasn’t like the other guards she’d had through the years.

  “I’m not returning with you.” An assertive, confident woman stood in the doorway, meeting all eyes without flinching.

  All heads turned at the sound, soft and firm. Green eyes studied the man she had lived with for twenty years. She recognized the men he brought with him, but now saw them differently. Now she realized she was seeing them as they really were. She could smell them. She knew the three different scents, her head tipped as she held the memories inside her now. Human, wolf and cougar.

  “Luna, come…get out of my way!”

  Both Lucas and Sage had straightened immediately, stepping between him and Luna. Since they weren’t sure how the drugs had been administered, they weren’t allowing any of them close to her.

  “I said I am not returning,” she looked at Elle Morgan. “I don’t have allergies. I don’t want your shots.”

  “Now, Luna, you know we’ve talked about what you believe you need and what…” the woman had moved closer until she heard the subtle and low sound of a gun trigger. All eyes turned toward the sound to find two guns aimed in their direction.

  “Now. English seems to be our primary language,” Lily began slowly, clearly. “Do not touch Luna St. Germaine. Are we all clear on that? I really haven’t had a chance to seriously cause mayhem in a long time and I’m itchy.”

  Elle Morgan stopped her approach.

  “You have no legal grounds to force Luna to leave, Mr. Gaudarville,” Sage backed up a step and felt her hands capture his. “She isn’t returning with you.”

  “He’s mated her,” one of the guards announced softly. “You can smell it.”

  “Even in Canada, the rights of a mate are recognized,” Lucas informed them quietly, the color on the man’s face heightening. “She is over the age of consent and has made her choice.”

  “You’ve gone and mated with this…you’ve allowed him to put his hands on you?”

  “Why do you care?” Honest curiosity filled her voice, pale lashes blinking much the same as a scientist would while studying a subject.

  “I had a perfect human male selected for you.”

  “No, thank you,” Luna shook her head, laughing. “Even drugged, the males you selected were insipid and cruel. They were too much like you. You thought you controlled them but there was a side to them you had no idea existed,” she met the dark eyes of the new guard. “Now I know how you found me so easily all those times before.”

  “Grant told me you struck your head,” Therrin Gaudarville kept his voice low, level. “You should allow Dr. Morgan to examine you.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you,” she met the pale brown eyes of the newest guard. “I really am sorry.”

  “Luna, you know you don’t belong here.”

  Luna stared at him, her head shaking slightly. His voice was soft, enticing. The voice he used when others were watching. But she knew differently now. She knew he was lying. She knew he was cold and furious with her.

  “You never loved my mother, did you? When I would ask her about you, she only sighed and looked sad.” Her head tilted slightly. “Then she would say the oddest thing. That the only good thing she ever knew because of you, was me.”

  “This is not about your mother, Luna. Your health is my primary concern and always has been,” he held his palm out to her.

  “You took me from my grandmother and refused to allow me to see her. I was a child. I needed her,” she whispered sadly. “You didn’t care about my health or my needs then.”

  “I provided you with everything you could possibly…”

  “Please leave,” she shook her head. “I’m not returning. My place is here. You used me, Dr. Morgan. You broke your oath to do harm.”

  The older woman’s eyes narrowed, her lips thin with anger that shot from her. Anger and immense distaste.

  “You don’t belong here, Luna,” her fath
er said softly, watching her closely. “I’ve done nothing but try and keep you from this…this genetic abomination of a life.”

  “My mother loved me,” she answered, her head up and eyes challenging. “I can see in your eyes, you know. I can smell your anger and fear. I can smell the power you believe is yours when you punish me,” her gaze shifted to the bodyguards. “I can smell the lust on them for me. You contributed the sperm it took to make me, but you aren’t a father.”

  His palm clenched into a tight fist, his feet taking a step forward that had the room sparking with tension. But Luna didn’t move a muscle. Her hands were wrapped around Sage’s arm. She didn’t tense, didn’t flinch when her father moved closer.

  “You belong with me.”

  “I belong where I want to be,” she countered, her head shaking. “You should go now. I’m not your child. You’ve made a serious mistake. I’ve not only chosen to deny your paternity, but to revoke whatever rights you believe are yours.”

  “You’ve been asked to leave, Mr. Gaurdarville,” Lucas spoke quietly. “No level of government in your country has authority over a mated pair. It’s international law. If you attempt to return to our territory, we won’t be so polite when it comes to protecting our own.”

  “With Luna’s statement regarding her treatment and the doctor’s statement about what he found in her blood, I would strongly suggest you return to your life,” Sage was amazed at her calm, proud of her strength. Something that had been forced deeply inside for far too long.

  “You cannot leave her here! My life’s work is tied up in…” Dr. Morgan’s voice came an abrupt halt when Therrin Gaudarville spun on her furiously, silencing her with a look.

  “If you come near me ever again, I will kill you,” Luna stared at her coldly, staring until the woman lowered her gaze, the color fading from her face. “I don’t know what you were using me for, but it’s over.”

  “I’ve tried to cure you!” She shouted, reaching for Luna and finding air.

  Sage had seen a wildness in the woman’s eyes, a frantic desperation that made him uneasy. The air was filled with tension, seething anger and barely contained fury. His hands went to her waist, turning her from them. He glanced at Lexi.