Dark Moon Falls: Volume 2

by Bella Roccaforte

  Nora regarded her warmly, “It’s a hearty soup for cold days, of which we have many. That’s sweet of you, but I made it mainly to thaw him out from the elements, and because he liked it as much as he did.”

  Grimm snorted a laugh. “It did the trick.”

  Lacy said, “Thank you, Nora.”

  They fell silent as they ate. Once Grimm finished his bowl, his mom gave him another helping.

  Later, once they’d finished eating, Lacy insisted on clearing the table. Grimm joined her in the kitchen and offered, “I’ll wash. You dry.”

  After their experience in the wilderness, it was nice performing such a mundane chore, and soon the dishes were clean. Lacy went to place them back in the cupboards, and when she set the last inside, Grimm’s arms wound around her, and he gently pulled her against him.

  “Let’s go home, Lacy. I’m going to start a fire for you, first in the hearth, and then your body.”

  Lacy twisted around in his hold and looked up into his beautiful face.

  “That sounds wonderful, my mate, my Grimm.”

  * * *

  Publisher: Hot Box Publishing

  Website: http://hotboxpublishing.com

  Mailing link: http://hotboxpublishing.com/newsletter

  About the Author

  Elaine Barris is the author of steamy paranormal romances. When she’s not working on her latest book, she sits in an office, working away while sneaking thoughts about plotlines, or she hangs out with her husband of over twenty years.

  And she’s always spoiling her fur babies rotten!

  Website: http://elainebarris.weebly.com/

  Terrance

  Lia Davis

  Chapter One

  Terrance Miles sat inside a coffee shop in a small coastal town several miles west of Dark Moon Falls. Dark, rich notes of coffee mixed with the sweet, buttery scents from an array of pastries hung in the air, reminding him of home—after Levi’s mom adopted him. She loved to cook, but baking cakes, pastries, and other sweet treats were her passion. Of course, Teri, Levi, and Grace enjoyed eating whatever she cooked.

  Those were the happy times of his life. Of course, Nora—Levi and Grace’s mom—did everything she could to make sure the rest of his life was happy and nothing like the hell he went through the first sixteen years of it.

  Frowning, Teri banished all memories from his thoughts. He didn’t need to fall down the rabbit hole of grief and rage. He was on assignment and needed to focus on capturing the rogue he’d tracked to the small seaside town. The one who was currently enjoying a latte and reading a newspaper in the armchair tucked in the corner of the coffee shop.

  Teri glared at the rogue boldly sitting in a public place like the bastard wasn’t holding a human female against her will. At least that was what he was accused of—kidnapping. The human female, Mary, was the niece of one of Teri’s closest friends, Shane.

  Mary was staying with the Shane and his mate for the summer when she went missing a few days ago. She was considering moving to Dark Moon Falls to be closer to her uncle and aunt, who were her only living family. Everyone in town, including the pack, loved her. They considered her theirs by default because her uncle had mated into the pack. Hence why Teri and the hunters were doing all they could to bring her home alive and kill the rogue who took her.

  Witnesses said they saw her with Bill—the rogue currently enjoying his latte—the day she went missing. A number of the residents said Bill and Mary exited the library together and were talking. Mary was smiling and didn’t appear to be distressed. No one thought anything about it because Bill hadn’t shown signs of going rogue. He was respected within the pack.

  So why did Bill kidnap a human female?

  After tracking Mary’s scent to about a block from the library, where it just vanished, like she got in a car or was carried off, Teri picked up on Bill’s scent mixed with her. Suspicions told Teri the SOB had something to do with Mary’s disappearance. So he tracked Bill down to a house about a block from the coffee shop they sat in. However, he didn’t scent Mary there.

  He had to have her hidden somewhere else. Teri still didn’t know why Bill would do it.

  Glancing around the nearly empty restaurant, Teri scanned the café for the third time since being there, taking in the customers coming and going. The coffee shop was connected to a bookstore, so there was more than one way for the rogue to escape, which wasn’t a significant issue since Teri was one of the best trackers in the US.

  Several square tables were scattered in the middle of the café while the corners had sitting areas with armchairs surrounding a small coffee table. Along the front window were tables only big enough for two people. Teri sat in one of the two-seaters a few tables from the armchair Bill sat in.

  The door leading to outside the building opened, and the scent of honey drifted in, making Teri’s eyes snap to the female he hadn’t expected to find in the seaside town. Victoria Kensington.

  Fuck. What was she doing there?

  She moved with the grace of a royal and the beauty of a goddess. The two things weren’t far from what she was. She was the only daughter of one of the oldest living vampires, and she was a Gifted—a rare breed of vampire that had god-like powers. Each Gifted had a unique ability. Victoria’s was pyrokinesis.

  Another thing Gifted could do that an average vamp couldn’t was walk in daylight. Which explained how she was there but didn’t answer why.

  He watched her move to the counter, drinking in the way her jeans hugged her modest curves. Her T-shirt fit perfectly, accenting her full breasts and narrow waist. Her long black hair cascading down her back and over her shoulders, contrasting against her pale skin.

  Fuck, she was hot. Add in her fangs…

  Teri involuntarily touched his throat, where she once had bitten him at the end of an orgasm. It’d been months since they, in a moment of drunken weakness, slept together. He woke up the next morning, and Vicky was gone. They hadn’t spoken about it since.

  One thing he was afraid of was that sex would drive a wedge between them. She was his friend, and he respected her too much for it to be a meaningless fuck. Teri also suspected for a long time that Vicky was his mate. The fact the sex between them only fueled the need to claim her didn’t go unnoticed. Every time he was near her, he wanted to push his body against hers, kiss her, and to make her his. The problem was he wasn’t sure she wanted that. And he’d never do anything without her consent.

  He'd tried to talk to her about their one night, but she wouldn’t let him feel like he used her. In fact, she admitted to taking advantage of him. Which surprised him, but it didn’t piss him off. Vicky could use him for his body and blood any time she wanted.

  He even told her that, which she declined. But he saw and scented her desire for him when they were around each other.

  After she placed her order, she turned and walked straight for him. The corners of his mouth tugged into a smirk, and he lifted a brow at her.

  Teri waited until she sat in the chair across from him before speaking in a low tone only she could hear. “Why are you here?”

  A pleasant, yet beautiful smiled lifted her sensual, kissable lips. “Looking for you.”

  That didn’t answer his question. Then again, Vicky was just as stubborn as he was. “I’m on assignment, so you need to leave.”

  “I’m not leaving. I’m on my own mission, which brought me looking for you.” She leaned forward and placed her hand over his. Heat flooded his insides. “Bill is guilty, and he knows you’re on to him. Why do you think he’s still here?”

  Teri narrowed his gaze, studying her. Forcing a smile, he turned his hand over and opened it to take hers. Then he lifted her hand to his lips. To anyone watching them, they looked like a mated couple. Plus, he loved teasing her. “Just how long have you been watching me?”

  The bigger question was, how did he not sense her?

  She took her hand from his, and he had to fight the urge to grab it again. The barista calle
d out, “Vicky,” and the vamp in front of him held her hand up. Vicky, as her family called her, answered his question. “Long enough to get bored.”

  The cashier brought Vicky her latte and a cheese Danish. “Thank you.”

  After they were alone again, he said, “Whatever you want can wait until I get back in a few days. If it even takes that long.”

  “I can help. Besides, my research brought me here.”

  He worked his jaw at the stubborn female. The research she referenced dealt with a demon lord name El’gan who wanted the stones the Gifted were looking for to gain some greater power by controlling the four natural elements. Vicky was looking for the sunstone—fire element stone.

  “The stone is here?” He raised a brow.

  After taking a sip from her latte, she shook her head. “Not here, but a few miles south of here.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yep.”

  Getting the stone was important, something Teri and the other Hunters agreed to help locate before El’gan got them. “I can’t abandon this assignment.”

  “I know that, and I haven’t asked you to.” Vicky tore off a piece of her Danish. “I said I could help. Then we can call in one of the other hunters to escort Mary home while we go get the stone.”

  Just that simple. Teri thought not. Nothing was ever that easy. However, he humored the female vamp. “How can you help?”

  “I know where Bill is keeping Mary.”

  Every part of Teri’s body tensed. “How would you know that?”

  He’d spent the last two days following Bill around and trying to pick up Mary’s scent with no luck on her whereabouts.

  “I read it from his mind,” she stated as if it was no big deal.

  “I thought your gift was pyrokinesis?”

  She shrugged. “That’s my elemental magic. Most Gifted have more than one power. But telepathy is a common ability among vampires in general.”

  Teri grunted. The experience with vampires he knew was with the Gifted. But they were a different breed of vampire. They could walk in the daylight, eat food like a human, didn’t need blood as often—a few times a week maybe—and they could have children. All things vampires couldn’t do. Or so he believed.

  Before he could reply to her or change the subject, Bill stood from his seat, placed the newspaper on the coffee table, then walked in the opposite direction from them. He exited through the bookstore.

  When Teri went to stand, Vicky said, “He’s going to check on Mary. He knows who you are.”

  Teri caught amusement in her tone. It was like she’d expected Bill’s sudden departure. Suspicion crawled up his spine, Vicky wasn’t a seer or clairvoyant, yet she seemed to know more about the case than Teri did at the moment. She’d done something. He was sure of it because Vicky wasn’t the type to wait. When she wanted something or was on a mission, she was stubborn—more so than normal—and determined. “What did you do?”

  “I sent Levi the location of the female. They should be on their way to her now.”

  Just then, his phone went off. Glancing at the screen he saw Levi’s name flash on the screen. “Yeah.”

  “We’re on our way. Tell Vicky hi.” Teri worked his jaw. “You don’t sound surprised that she’s here or that she found Mary.”

  Instead of answering, Levi said, “Go take care of Bill. I’ll talk to you in a few days.”

  Then Levi hung up, and Teri locked eyes with Vicky, who smiled at him. “You asked Levi where I was?”

  “I did but after I went looking for you.” She popped the last bite of the Danish in her mouth and chewed before adding, “The stone is nearby, and I told Levi where it was, so he told me where you were.”

  Plus, Levi had known Vicky for years—just as long or longer than Teri had known her. She was best friends with Levi’s first mate, whom died shortly after giving birth to their daughter. So Levi would know that Vicky would use her powers to find Mary to speed the assignment along.

  Well, Teri didn’t need help to speed things along. “I still have to take care of Bill.”

  Vicky stood, picking up her plate and cup. “Then let’s get it over with.”

  “Oh, no. You aren’t going.” He threw his trash away and exited the coffee shop, ending the conversation. Or so he thought. There was no way he was going to let Vicky see him kill. Period.

  Funny how he never felt remorse for taking down rogues. They were rogues, after all. Insane, ruthless bastards that hurt others. It’d become a sixth sense to him, something he needed to do. Taking out the bastards made up for all those who died or were hurt by his rogue mother, whom he failed to take out until too much blood had spilled.

  But the idea of having Vicky stand by and watch him kill with ease didn’t settle well with him.

  Her honey scent wrapped around him as she stepped out of the café. When she stopped next to him, she held out her hand. He stared at her with a raised brow, making her roll her eyes. “Teleportation is faster. That way we can beat the hunters and Bill there.”

  “I said—”

  She placed a finger over his lips, halting him from speaking. “It’s no use arguing with me. I’m a vampire. I’ve seen people killed before.”

  He brushed her hand away and stepped into her. His body responded instantly. Need uncurled inside him, sending a blast of heat throughout his body. Then he narrowed his eyes and growled, “You ever kill anyone?”

  Her violet irises darkened. “Yes, a few times.” She linked their fingers together. “Now, if you are done wasting time, we have a stone to collect before that demon gets it.”

  She didn’t give him time to respond before she ported them to a rundown shack in the forest outside of town.

  Chapter Two

  Victoria studied the old shack of a house. There were missing shingles from the roof, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the thing had holes in it. Aged wood made up the exterior. It was a wonder the small building didn’t cave it.

  From the outside, it appeared that no one was there. An abandoned, rotting cabin in the woods. Perfect for hiding people or bodies. Fortunately, the person inside was very much alive. Her vampire senses picked up on the female’s scent and heartbeat the moment Vicky materialized with Teri at her side.

  The male she desperately craved like an addict craves her next hit moved closer. His warmth enveloped her, caressing her skin. Teasing her. “If I didn’t scent her, I wouldn’t believe she was in there.”

  “Yeah, for a rogue he’s gone out of his way to hide her. Are rogue wolves usually so resourceful?” She stretched out her senses again, searching for signs of Bill. However, the cabin was at least a twenty-minute drive from the café.

  “Not all of them go crazy with bloodlust like a vampire rogue does. There are various reasons they go rogue. Some are simply lone wolves, which can make them desperate for their next meal. Others go insane from the lack of a healthy pack or the loss of a mate.” Teri reached out and grabbed her arm at the sound of a vehicle approaching.

  Vicky waved her hand out in front of them to create a spell that shielded them from view. Within moments a black SUV pulled into the overgrown driveway and rolled to stop in front of the cabin. The scent of wolves rolled out of the SUV as the driver door opened.

  “Luca and Samira.” Teri nudged her to follow him.

  Vicky lowered the spell and followed him. As they approached, the two hunters, who were twins, turned their attention to them and waited.

  In their human forms, one wouldn’t guess they were twins. Brother and sister, yes. They both had jet black hair. Luca’s was straight and a little shaggy, like he got up and ran his hands through it, not bothering to style it. On other men it’d look sloppy, but Luca worked it. Samira’s hair was curly and fell past her shoulder blades.

  Their eyes, even though they were both green, were different. Luca’s were so pale they looked almost white. Rumors whispered that the male was blind, which he wasn’t. At least Vicky didn’t think he was. Luca never confi
rmed or denied the rumors. Samira’s were darker, the color of the birthstone peridot.

  The hair and eyes were the only differences in the twins. Luca made it his mission to cover as much skin as he could with tattoos. He always had fresh ink. As far as Vicky knew, Samira only had a few tats on one of her arms and her ankle.

  Vicky had only met Luca a handful of times because she didn’t leave the mansion other than to volunteer at a local hospital. One of those times was when their team lead, Levi brought a half-witch, half-demon to the Kensington mansion for protection. Zoe was being hunted down by the demon who was after the five elemental stones.

  Samira was Levi’s sister’s best friend and often came to the mansion with Grace when they brought Britney over to visit with the Gifted and for magical training.

  Luca gave Teri a short nod in greeting then flicked his gaze to Vicky before returning his attention to Teri. “I smell the female.”

  “She’s inside. We just got here ourselves. Bill is on his way.” Teri moved to the cabin.

  Vicky moved in beside him, climbing the wide set of stairs to the wraparound porch. “Samira and I should go in. Mary might freak seeing you two.”

  Luca grunted as he climbed the stairs behind them, but Samira said, “Vicky’s right. You two can stand guard.”

  Samira reached for the door, then paused and sniffed the air. The act made Vicky do the same thing. The only scents she picked up on was Mary’s and Bill’s. Only Bill’s was faded like he was there the day before. However, Vicky did feel the low hum of magic coming from the door.

  “Magic.” Vicky held out her hand with her palm facing the wood. The pulse of a protection spell tingled her skin. But it was darker than anything she’d expected. “Wolves don’t perform spells.”

  And a witch wouldn’t put a protection spell over a shack that houses a kidnapped victim.