Tears of the Moon Read online

  Cyn tried not to shiver at the warm, velvet tone in his voice but knew she failed when his lips turned up in a crooked smirk. “A minute amount,” she said, trying to keep her face as blank as possible.

  Thalion took another step then another until he was standing directly in front of her. He ran his thumb along her jawline as he clucked his tongue at her. “My love, I believe you care for me a great deal more than you let on. I see it in the adoration that fills your eyes when you gaze upon me.”

  Cyn couldn’t help the laughter that irrupted from her. He had a way of doing that, making her blank facade break. “I do not gaze on you adoringly, elf prince. That is simply your overinflated ego making your eyes play tricks on you.”

  “If that is what you need to tell yourself in order to cope with your feelings, then I will let it lie.” Thalion dropped his hand, and Cyn nearly snatched it back but refrained from acting on the ridiculous impulse.

  “If you’re done pestering me, move along so that I can finish my task,” Cyn said.

  Thalion chuckled. “I will give you some space. But later you will give me your undivided attention.”

  “Needy?”

  His smile was positively wicked. “When it comes to you, absolutely.”

  Fane waited for his mate while she put Slate in his crib. Whatever it was that she hadn’t wanted him to know about couldn’t be too bad because she seemed fine. There were no tumultuous emotions racing through their bond. She actually seemed quite relaxed. Regardless, he hated having any sort of secret between them, as it made him feel distant from her. Distance was the last thing he or his wolf ever wanted between them and their mate.

  “Is he asleep?” Fane asked Jacquelyn as she walked into the living area of their suite.

  She nodded. “I don’t think we should have any more children. He’s so easy, the next one is bound to be a hellion.”

  Fane didn’t bother to respond. She knew that if it was up to him they’d have a whole litter of pups. “Why did you block your thoughts?” he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

  “Do you remember when I told you about my mom having that weird ability to sense things?” she asked him.

  Fane shook his head. “Don’t try to change the subject, Luna.”

  She rolled her eyes at him and sighed. “I’m not changing the subject. This has to do with what I blocked you from hearing. Do you remember me telling you about her ability?” she asked again.

  He nodded. “She can do more than sense things these days,” he pointed out.

  “Exactly,” Jacquelyn said. “Turns out it isn’t just some weird fluke. She’s been doing research in the warlock archives, and she came across something about the sprites.” She paused and watched him.

  Fane nearly grinned. Jacque watched him closely, trying to gauge his reaction when he heard the word sprite.

  “And?” Fane prompted, knowing it would get her tail in a twist.

  “Fane Lupei.” She practically growled at him.

  Fane chuckled and held his hands up. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, love, but you’re hot when you get irritated.”

  “Keep it up, wolf-man and you’ll see just how hot I can get.”

  Fane’s brow dropped. “Is that supposed to be a threat? It feels more like a promise to me, and I’m really interested in you delivering on that promise.”

  She threw her hands up in the air with an exaggerated sigh and plopped down on the sofa. “You’re impossible. Did you or did you not know about sprites?”

  “I feel like this would be the perfect opportunity for me to shout, ‘You can’t handle the truth!’ But Jen isn’t hear to appreciate my genius movie quote choice.”

  Her lips turned up slightly but dropped back down. She was fighting the grin he knew she felt inside. It really was the perfect opportunity to use that quote. Since he and Jacquelyn had been together, he’d picked up on some of her and her friends’ idiosyncrasies. He was glad it was their penchant for hollering out movie quotes and not one of their more ridiculous ones, and yes, there were some that were more ridiculous.

  His mate stared up at him. She wasn’t going to budge until he satisfied her curiosity. Fane walked over and sat on the sofa next to her. He took one of her hands and laced their fingers together. “Yes, I knew of the sprites, but”—he held up his finger when she opened her mouth—“no one has heard from the sprites in so long, and I’ve never seen them. I’ve only read about them during my studies.”

  She narrowed her eyes on him. “I’ll let it go simply because what I have to tell you is important, and I’m tired. So, my mom found some stuff about the sprites.”

  Once she’d finished telling Fane about her mom and Sally’s parents, Fane decided there was nothing else that could surprise him. Something always topped the last thing, so Fane decided to accept that anything was possible.

  “So, you’re a sprite as well as a Canis lupus,” he said slowly, considering the implications of the new information.

  “Guess so.”

  “And will you be able to do the things your mom can do?”

  “Don’t know. Mom said we’d just have to wait and see.”

  Fane stared at her a few minutes in silence. She simply stared back. After a couple of minutes, he asked, “Why did you block me? That’s not bad news.”

  “Because I know you,” she said with a small smile. “You would have left your meeting to come make sure I was okay.”

  Okay, she had him there. He would have left to check on her. “Fair enough. Next time could you just give me some sort of heads up?”

  She tapped her chin as she thought about it and then nodded. “Okay, if it happens again, I will say, ‘Fane, I’m going to kick you out for a few minutes to get some secret info, and if I feel it’s something you need to know, I will share.’”

  He narrowed his eyes on her, though he couldn’t hide his smile. “Cheeky minx.” He reached out and ran the back of his fingers gently across her cheeks. Her face warmed up in a soft blush. Fane liked that he still had that effect on her. He hoped that never changed.

  “Ready for bed?” Jacquelyn asked him.

  He stood, holding his hand out to her, and then pulled her up from the sofa. Fane captured her face in both of his hands. Her skin was like silk against the roughness of his own. She was warm and growing warmer as he stepped closer to her. Slowly, he leaned down, watching the reaction of her eyes, her pupils dilating and her eyelids getting heavier as her desire for him rose. His own mouth watered at the memory of all their past kisses and, as usual, Fane found himself wanting to make this kiss better than all the others. He moved slowly, wanting to draw the moment out and build the anticipation, but he also liked to see her get flustered when he didn’t give her what she wanted immediately.

  “Fane,” Jacquelyn growled at him.

  He couldn’t help but grin. “What, Luna?” he murmured, his lips mere centimeters from hers.

  “Quit making me wait.”

  “Patience, my love. Good things come to those who wait.”

  When she opened her mouth to give him a good tongue lashing, Fane dipped down and bit her bottom lip, tugging on it gently. Jacquelyn groaned as she pressed closer to him. Fane released her lip and pressed his to hers. He didn’t wait any longer but instead opened his own mouth, inviting her in. She never disappointed, his passionate mate, meeting his own desire with hers.

  Jacquelyn lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

  Fane dropped his hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her impossibly tighter against him. “I love the way you taste,” he whispered into her mind as he increased the pressure of his lips against hers, letting his tongue leisurely explore her mouth, though he knew it as well as he knew his own face.

  “Why is it I never get tired of this?” she asked, the breathiness in her voice coming through, even in his mind. “Why do I want you even more with each kiss?”

  “Because I’m so good at it,” he teased but then said seriously,
“My desire and need for you grows daily, Jacquelyn. Don’t think for a minute you are the only one affected.”

  Without breaking the kiss, Fane changed the position of his arms and leaned down, picking her up and cradling her body against his chest. He walked them unerringly to their room. He finally separated their mouths as he laid her down on the bed. Her skin was a beautiful shade of pink that started on her face and moved down her neck. He knew from experience that the blush didn’t end there.

  “If there is anything lovelier than you, I’ve never seen it,” Fane said, meaning ever word. There was nothing more pleasant to look upon than his mate, and when she was looking up at him like she wanted to devour him, there was nothing more desirable than her either.

  “Mate,” she said, still breathless from their kiss.

  Fane nearly growled as he saw her eyes begin to glow. Apparently, it wasn’t only the human side of her that wanted him. That was a game changer. Jacquelyn had been an arduous lover from the start, but when her wolf’s emotions joined her own, things got even more intense. And no, he wasn’t complaining. “Yes, Luna?”

  “Now.” Her voice had grown guttural, and her eyes were a bright, shining green.

  He grinned, feeling his teeth lengthen. “Soon.”

  Chapter Six

  “If you don’t learn to defeat the monsters that haunt you, they will simply lie in wait, hidden in the dark recesses of your mind. They will remain so quiet that you are drawn into a false sense of security. Then, out of nowhere, they will attack and bring your world crashing down around you.” ~Zara

  * * *

  Two days had passed since Vasile and Rachel used their combined powers to temporarily restrain Zara’s wolf, preventing it from overpowering her human side and forcing the girl to phase uncontrollably. Now, Zara sat in the archives clutching her chest as her heart beat painfully hard. It was pounding out a rhythm brought on by a sudden bout of fear. It was late and the mansion was still. Zara, unable to sleep, had been reading. The fear had given her no warning of its arrival. One second, she was thumbing through the book, the next, her heart was racing. Soon, her breathing followed suit, and it became erratic as well. Try as she might, she could slow neither heart nor lungs. She couldn’t understand the sudden feeling of vulnerability. Zara had been with the werewolves for weeks now and felt safer than she had in nearly a decade. But, in this moment, she felt anything but safe.

  The girl fought the darkness she could feel coming on, but Zara was no match for her memories. The archival room disappeared, and Zara was suddenly chained to a concrete wall. The only light came from a candelabra set in the wall. She looked down at herself. Her nightgown had been replaced with her old familiar rags, soiled and dirty. Ander kept her practically naked. That, along with the loss of blood, caused her to shiver as if she were in a snowstorm. She knew it was just a memory, but it felt so real, too real. Her breathing increased as she realized that he might show up in this memory. She might not simply be in his room, chained to a wall. Zara began praying to any god that would listen. “Please don’t let him come. Don’t let him come.” She didn’t think her mind could handle him touching her … biting her, again and again. Especially now that she’d found Wadim. She already felt dirty and unworthy of him. Now that she knew Wadim’s gentle and adoring touch, the thought of enduring Ander’s touch nauseated her even more than it had been when she’d really been stuck in that hell. Her head jerked up when she heard the all-too-familiar sounds of footsteps. She knew what was coming. Ander was obsessed with her. He just couldn’t leave her to suffer in peace.

  Zara couldn’t stop her stomach from retching though nothing came up. She gagged over and over until her body was just too weak to continue. Then she heard his voice and screamed.

  “Hello little lamb.” Ander’s voice was sickeningly sweet. Zara flailed her body violently in an attempt to get free of the shackles. “You thought you could get away from me. Silly girl, you are mine. You will always be mine. Or did you forget that I wasn’t the only one who drank blood during our time in my bed?”

  Zara’s eyes shot open as she lifted her head to look at the monster who had taken everything from her. She had forgotten that he’d forced his blood in her. She’d forgotten how he’d held her mouth closed so she couldn’t spit it out and how he kissed her afterward, whispering wicked words in her ear, telling her how he was now a part of her. This was the worst thing that happened to her during her captivity, and her mind must have blocked the memory because she was so terrified of the repercussions. Would she never be free of Ander? She was scared to know the truth. He was dead. Wasn’t he? Could you really kill a vampire for good? She had no idea. Couldn’t his spirit reach her even after death because of the blood they’d shared? No, not shared, that implied a mutual exchange. Her blood had been ripped from her body, and his had been forced into hers. It wasn’t the only thing he’d forced on her.

  Now, the vampire started walking toward her, the evil smile, the one she knew as well as the back of her hand, stretched across his face. NO. She growled at herself. This was just a memory, and she wasn’t going to endure this, not again. Wake up! She chanted it over and over, screaming at her unconscious mind to escape from the horrid place. Wake. Up. She kept telling herself, but Zara knew she wasn’t asleep. She was stuck in her own mind, and she didn’t know how to get out. As Ander drew closer, she redoubled her efforts to get free. She wished he would just kill her and be done with it. So many times when they’d been together, she’d thought that very thing, over and over. She just wanted it to be over, and if death was the only way, then she would welcome it with open arms.

  “Zara!”

  She heard her name, but the voice did not belong to her captor.

  “Zara, come back to me, baby.”

  She knew that voice. “Wadim?”

  “Open your eyes for me, beautiful. I’m right here. You’re not with him anymore.”

  Hearing Wadim in her mind gave Zara something to grab onto, an anchor in the storm of memories that were trying to drown her. She felt his love through the bond, felt his concern and his need to protect her. Zara felt Wadim’s arms around her and his lips on hers, his breath filling her starving lungs. Finally, her eyes opened, and the memories were shoved down deep inside of her.

  When Zara’s eyes met his, they were glowing bright with the presence of his wolf, and everything in his stiff posture screamed that he was on the verge of losing control.

  “What happened?” he asked, his voice a low growl.

  Zara tried to drop her head, but Wadim wouldn’t let her. He held her face in both of his hands, forcing her to look at him.

  “Talk to me, Z. You don’t have to deal with this alone.”

  Zara wanted to sound strong and capable, despite feeling weak and vulnerable. But her voice betrayed her true emotions. “I was reading,” she finally said. “And then suddenly I was back in that hell … with him. It felt so real.”

  “Is this the first time this has happened?” he asked.

  She shook her head. It had happened before, but only while Wadim had been asleep and never this vivid. It had taken all her will but, somehow, up to this point, she’d managed to keep the memories from her mate. She knew she was tainted, dirty. She didn’t want Wadim to have to bear that burden.

  “You could never be a burden to me,” he said, having picked up on her thoughts. “You’re mine. My mate, my love, and it is a privilege to get to care for you.” He paused, searching her eyes before he continued. “I could feel your terror, but I couldn’t see what you saw. What did he do to you, my love?”

  Zara felt so much shame. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Wadim, this beautiful creature that claimed to love her, what she’d done. Her body began to tremble. Wadim placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

  “It’s okay, love. Whatever it is, we will get through it. I told you. I’m here, right by your side. There is nothing you can tell me that will make me leave you.”

  Zara took a de
ep breath. She knew that couldn’t be true. She knew he’d leave once he found out what she’d done … what she was. But Zara knew she couldn’t hide the memories from Wadim any longer. Eventually, he’d see them through their bond. Then it would all be over. Best to rip the bandage off now and get it over with, before this went any further. Before she fell even more for him and the pain of his inevitable leaving got even worse.

  “Ander didn’t just drink my blood,” she said. She glanced up at Wadim’s blue eyes. There was no judgment there, but still she looked quickly back at the ground. “He did other things…”

  “That’s okay,” Wadim began. “I’ve already told you—”

  “No, that’s not it,” interrupted Zara. “He … he … forced me to drink his blood too. He claimed it made him a part of me.” Zara closed her eyes as she spoke. “He said I would never be rid of him, that he would always be a part of me.” She began to sob.

  Wadim pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She cried into his chest, speaking through the tears. “Is that true?” Her voice was muffled. “Even though he’s dead, I still feel him. It’s like he’s still right here with me. Like he’s still putting his hands on me. It is true, Wadim? Is he really a part of me?”

  Wadim’s wolf growled, but the man stifled it. “I wish I could say with absolute certainty, no. There’s no kind of magic that could bind your spirits. But I cannot lie to you. I honestly don’t know. But I can promise you this.” Wadim pulled her back and held her by both shoulders. He looked into her eyes. Zara wanted to wrench away. She wanted to run and hide. She looked everywhere but at Wadim’s face. “Look at me, love.”

  Finally, she forced herself to meet his gaze.

  “I promise you,” he said, “I will find out. I’ll find an answer for you. I don’t care if I have to read every single page of every single book in this entire archive. I don’t care if I have to travel to the djinn realm and break into their archives. I will find an answer.”