Ties To The Blood Moon

by Robin P. Waldrop

  Chapter 33

  I bolted toward the camp. I hoped William was behind, but wasn’t about to stop to find out. I had to see why Luna was crying. I couldn’t even think about any of the brothers being hurt, especially not Joseph. I didn’t actually realize just how fond of him I had grown until the threat of him being hurt or killed was entered into the equation. The closer I got the more my heartbeat quickened and the unbearable ache inside my chest grew.

  I rushed toward an opening in the trees where I saw a small fire burning through the branches. Luna’s sobs echoed inside my head. When I broke from the trees I stopped dead in my tracks.

  “Genevieve!” Luna shouted when she turned and saw me, a huge smile immediately covered her face. She jumped to her feet and ran to greet me. The force of her weight almost knocked me to the ground.

  I silently counted heads. All three of her brothers were there, and I quickly realized Luna had been crying for me. Joshua and James were even smiling when I looked at them. There was something more in Joseph’s expression than just a smile, like, relief mixed with a sadness, maybe.

  “How did you get away from Zane?”She asked, squealing and squeezing me way too tightly. Suddenly, she went stiff and the brothers’ smiles disappeared.

  I didn’t realize what it could be at first, but then I remembered...William had stepped out from inside the tree line.

  Luna released me and stepped to the side. “What are you doing here?” She asked, not entirely unkindly.

  I felt the tension quickly forming, and decided I better say something. “William rescued me.”

  “Sure he did.” Joseph said, glaring at him. He stepped extremely close to William, and eyed him up severely. William didn’t cower one bit even though he knew he was outnumbered. Instead, he leaned in close to Joseph, and appeared to say something to him, but I couldn’t hear what.

  Joshua spoke up, and broke their testosterone filled stare down. “So, tell us William, how did you find Gen? I mean… who told you where we were?” Joshua shot William a dubious glance.

  “Genevieve’s aunt told me where you guys were headed,” William answered dryly. Once I got down here I tracked you guys to the cave, but when I got there, you were already gone. I was headed back down the mountain when I overheard voices, and that’s how I found her.”

  William was still staring at me oddly with a hint of that crooked grin of his as he walked up next to me and put his arm around the small of my back. I figured he was still trying to get used to my new look. My heart rate instantly climbed, and I felt tingly on the inside. I couldn’t explain it, but every time I was around him I got the excited feeling of a first kiss or a first date. Joseph glanced at me with a heartbroken expression, his big eyes seemed so sad, and then he turned his attention to his brothers, and mumbled something as he disappeared behind the rocks.

  Not wanting William to see the guilt I felt over Joseph. I lowered my eyes and slid my hands into my front pockets. I suddenly felt the necklace. With all the commotion, I had temporarily forgotten what Zane had said. I quickly pulled it out and held it by the chain. “We have to get back to Alaska!” I spoke with an urgency in my voice.

  William stood next to me and ran his finger down the chain, stopping the locket from spinning. “Where did you get this?”

  “Um, I got it from Zane, but it belongs to my mom,” I replied all panicky, and briefly turned to face William. “My mom wasn’t killed in a fire. Zane took her.”

  “What are you talking about?” William peered into my eyes and seemed genuinely shocked at what I’d told him.

  “I can’t explain it, but I can see things sometimes. Zane is holding my mom somewhere.” I glanced around at everybody. They were all looking at me like I had lost my mind. “Look, damn it! My-mom-is-alive. When Zane handed me her locket I had a vision…or something. Anyway, I saw her in this, like, dungeon place. And she was calling out to me. I need to get home and tell my aunt.”

  “I believe you,” Luna said, with that happy-faced grin she always seemed to be able to put on in a moment’s notice.

  “No you don’t, Luna. None of you do.” I trailed off, dropping my shoulders.

  William hugged me tightly, and I sobbed into his chest. “I came to take you home,” he said softly. “I came to take all you guys home.” He glanced at Luna, and the two brothers. “I’ve got a truck not far from here, and my dad’s company plane is waiting at an air strip just south of town.”

  I know my face must have glowed with happiness, because William smiled and gave me a gentle squeeze.