As nostalgic as he was now, there was not much he missed about his hometown of Charlotte. Like every other city, Charlotte had its good side and bad. His neighborhood was family oriented, but occasionally had its share of hoodlums. He grimaced. He had been one of those ‘hoodlums’ once.
He ran his hands through his hair. As uncomfortable as this was, he needed answers. It had never occurred to him that the one person he cared about more than anything in this world could possibly be connected to the one person he was trying to forget. But when Layla had uttered that one word, he had to come back here.
The rental car idled at the curb and he turned the heat a bit higher to combat the sudden chill that swept through him. Hania. The word his mother would wake up screaming. The last thing his father had said before he died. All that remained of the man who fathered him. Before he was murdered.
That was all he knew. At the time, he didn’t care about some random word that did not make sense to either of them. Until it had fallen from Layla’s lips. There had to be a connection. Between his father’s murder and Layla’s dreams.
Brett drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Maybe that was why Mai-coh had spared him. Perhaps he had some hidden purpose other than hunting down Suzette. The door to the house opened and the older woman stepped out. Suddenly, he was nervous at this meeting and wiped his hands on his jeans.
The woman hunched her shoulders against the cold and Brett felt a twinge of guilt. In ten years, he had not looked back; he had not visited, not called. He hadn’t meant to be cruel; he was simply…scared. His hands were stuffed deep into his winter jacket as he stepped out of the car. The woman’s eyes grew wide as she stared at him.
He smiled. “Hi mom.”
*
Layla clutched her purse to her chest as she hugged her jacket tighter around her body. The cold seeped in past the lightweight material and she wished her bag was bigger to aid in blocking the wind. Her breath came in harsh gasps as she fought against the wind that threatened to push her into the parked cars. Almost everyone had already sought shelter and she was alone on this stretch of street.
She planted her feet as a particularly strong gust blew her back a few steps and resisted the urge to duck into a nearby store until the wind died down. It was almost dark and she had promised to make it to the house for dinner. He aunt had prepared her favorite dish and she was looking forward to finally having an almost normal night.
Pushing on, she concentrated on keeping her balance and one foot in front of the other; intent on getting home. As she rounded the corner, she turned away from the wind, thankful for a nearby bank of trees. She was still a good ways from the house, but at least she had some shelter. Her breath left a white mist in the air as she exhaled loudly, her arms like ice.
A cold front was on its way. It had taken the already chilly November weather and dropped it another ten degrees. It was too bad that she hadn’t taken a few minutes to check the weather report because she had been totally unprepared for the drastic change. And with her heightened body temperature, she was feeling the impact of the cold all too well.
Her mind became occupied with thoughts of Ray as she trudged along the side of the road. He really was a good looking guy; she thought and immediately felt guilty. Again. Brett. Brett. Brett, she chanted as a reminder but the stubbornness in her head reminded her that she could still look. With the exception of a little comment here and there, Ray hadn’t really given her any kind of signal. Although, it didn’t mean he wasn’t interested.
Whoa. What the hell? Why was he so stuck in her head? They had only talked for a few minutes and yet he was foremost in her mind. Even as she braved death by hypothermia, she was still thinking about him. She took a few calming breaths. It was starting to freak her out a bit. She didn’t care if he was interested or available; she was in a happy relationship.
Yeah right. She couldn’t even talk to Brett and explain what was going on with her and she wanted to pretend that everything was great between them?
The snap of a twig behind her brought her back from her thoughts. She looked around in alarm and calmed as she saw a teenage girl walking behind her. The girl wore a pair of jeans ripped at the knees and a Gulfport College sweatshirt, her hair tucked under a cap and her head down as she focused on walking. Layla smiled briefly and turned away.
Suddenly, her stomach started to churn; a deep gut wrenching feeling that let her know something was wrong. She glanced back at the girl who seemed intent on simply trying to remain upright and moving forward. The girl’s movements were jerky and uncoordinated and Layla stopped to see if she needed some help.
“Hey, you okay?” she called out.
The girl looked up at her with vivid blue eyes. She smiled and then burped.
The girl was simply drunk. Definitely not a threat. Perhaps her gut was warning her to no leave the girl alone. The surrounding area had plenty of woodland and she didn’t want to feel responsible if something happened to her.
Already feeling guilty about the other women who had been killed for simply looking like her, she wanted to help this time. Even as she wanted to believe that perhaps there really was a serial killer, she knew in her heart that a Were was responsible and it was because of her.
The girl wobbled closer and she took a few seconds to breathe in the girl’s scent, just to be sure. Not a Were. She sighed in relief.
“Hey, can I help you get home? It’s not safe walking through these woods alone.”
“Whatever,” the girl slurred as she got closer. “I’m good.”
The girl stumbled and Layla ignored the throbbing in her head that accompanied the churning in her stomach. She moved towards the girl and caught her arm when the girl tripped over a rock.
“Sorry,” she murmured as she leaned heavily against Layla.
Layla smiled and supported the girl’s weight. She never understood people who could get so drunk they couldn’t walk straight. Not that she was a prude when it came to alcohol, but she stopped before she got even close to where this girl was at the moment. The girl leaned away, retching into the grass, but Layla barely noticed. Her stomach was clenched so tightly, she had to stop for breath.
She inhaled deeply, allowing the soothing scent of trees to wash over her; the woodsy scent calming her nerves for a moment. The girl was dry heaved against a tree and she grimaced as her stomach cramped even harder. Something was definitely wrong; the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. The girl looked up at her through blue eyes that were surprisingly clear and smirked.
Then it hit her. She did not smell any alcohol. For someone who was supposedly too drunk to walk properly, the other girl should have reeked of liquor or beer. Instead, she smelled more like the fruity body spray she had probably used earlier in the day. As understanding dawned, the girl reached over, grabbed her purse and ran.
It had all been a setup. Layla felt a surge of annoyance. The little bitch had taken advantage of her good will to rob her. She hesitated a few seconds, before instinct took over and she followed. The girl’s swift steps sounded ahead of her and she ran even faster to keep up, since the other girl, although not particularly athletic, was younger, smaller and had a significant head start.
She contemplated transforming, but did not think her purse was worth the chance of exposure and she was certain the Were Council would feel the same way. But dammit, she wanted her purse back. All her information was in her purse, including the two credit cards, new ID Martin had made and her paperwork for school. Not to mention her really expensive makeup. And Ray’s phone number.
A flash of grey streaked through the trees. The hoodie of the sweatshirt was clearly visible as the girl rounded a corner. She smiled. It was a dead end. The only way to get across was a deep ravine filled with water and even she didn’t think her purse was worth that much. She sprinted the last few feet and saw the girl standing against the edge.
The girl raised her hand. “Look, I do
n’t want any trouble?” She licked her lips nervously as she stared at Layla.
Layla realized the nagging feeling had not left her; her internal alarm was still in full effect. The girl held her eyes and lowered the purse to the cold ground, her hands outstretched in front of her.
“Look, there it is. Let’s just call this even, okay?”
“Really? No, let’s not call this even.” She cocked her head. No way was this chick in her right mind, she thought, as she pulled out her cellphone, intent on calling Martin.
Suddenly, she noticed the quiet. No birds or squirrels singing or chattering. The hair on her neck tingled and the girl’s eyes shifted to something over her shoulder. Without thinking, she ducked and spun around like Martin had taught her. The air moved in front of her as the Were behind her missed her by inches. The already transformed Were glared at her, his mouth opened wide to reveal long fangs dripping with saliva.
He stood to his full height and growled deep in his throat, licking his lips. Her own lips curled in distaste. She could sense his bloodlust from where she stood and instinctively knew this would not end well. One eye on the girl and the other on the Were, she maneuvered her body to keep him in her line of sight. She had to make sure that the Were did not harm the girl, who was standing still in shock.
The girl looked over at the Were. “Okay. I did what you guys wanted. I brought her here. Can I go now?”
Rage coursed through Layla and she almost transformed on the spot. Only a willpower she didn’t know she had stopped her from shifting and changing into her beast. She had to transform when he was distracted or he could attack her before she was completely Were. And although the little bitch had set her up, she was certain he was not alone.
The girl sounded scared and Layla almost felt sympathy for her. Almost. The Were focused his attention on the girl as she started to sob and Layla used his momentary distraction to transform.
In an instant, hair covered her arms as her bones cracked and rearranged themselves. She stretched, her jacket ripping in the process, the sound bringing the Were’s attention back to her and took a deep breath, gathering priceless information in the simple act.
Two others lurked in the wooded area behind her. She feigned ignorance and kept her eyes on the attacking Were; her sense of hearing and smell would keep her informed of the two at her back.
The Were chuckled as he watched her and suddenly she recognized him. It was the one from her apartment a month ago. The one sent by Kuruk to threaten her before she had learned to control her powers. She smiled at him in recognition and he growled.
“New message?” she asked curtly.
He snarled. “No, this one is just for fun.” He lunged at her and she ducked, whirling at the last moment to swipe at him but he quickly moved out of the way, her claws rending only air.
“It won’t be that easy this time,” he smiled, lips curling back over his overly large teeth.
Layla shrugged. “Maybe not, but I’ve learned a few things since the last time I kicked your ass.”
He snapped at her, his patience at an end and lunged again.
She held her ground, moving at the last possible second and executed a spin her old dance teacher would have been proud of. She sliced the Were across the back, her claws sinking deep into his flesh as he roared in pain and dropped to one knee.
The girl cowered near the ravine, her hands pressed to her ears as tears streamed down her face. Layla had no time to feel sorry for her especially when her own actions had them in this predicament. She could only hope she would be able to get them out of there alive and in one piece.
Before she could move to finish off the Were she was fighting, one of the others leapt out of the trees. She smelled him a mile away and sidestepped, but the Were was agile and managed to land on his feet before he spun to face her. The third Were stepped out of the shadows, while the first one struggled to his feet.
The three Weres fanned out, trying to trap her, but Layla backed up, keeping all three in her line of sight as she assessed the situation. One on one she could hold her own. Even maybe two on one. But three to one were considerably bad odds, especially when dealing with Kuruk’s goons. Kuruk picked his pack for their ruthlessness and their fighting skills and each member lived up to his expectations.
She wondered how far she could run before one of them caught up to her. If she could make it the half mile or so to the house, at least she would have some help if Martin or Brett were there. On the other hand, if they weren’t, then she would have led them directly to the safe house and to her aunt and Nali, which made her question how long they had been following her.
They seemed to have some familiarity with the area but they still hadn’t found the house. If they had, they would have simply waited until she got home and ambushed her there. Still, it was damn unfortunate that she had chosen not to take Brett’s car. Instead, she had opted to walk home, thinking it would allow her to blend in better with the other students.
The Weres continued to try to circle her. Layla remained vigilant, her eyes darting between the three as they started to move away from each other, forcing her to turn her head to keep them in focus. She tensed as one slipped behind a tree. Dammit. She lost him. She listened intently and barely had time to move out of the way before he landed six inches from where she had been standing.
She swiped at him and he ducked. The other two took advantage of her situation and rushed in as she swiped and clawed and ducked at the multitude of claws, jaws and teeth that thrust at her. A vicious swipe caught one of the Weres, digging deep into his flesh as she removed a good chuck of meat and then shook it off as he turned away with a howl.
The other two Weres lunged for her at the same time and a searing pain ripped through her shoulder as one of the Weres connected with her arm. Blood ran down her hands and she caught the cry of pain before it exited her lips. She grit her teeth and grabbed his arm as he came at her a second time and wrenched it hard, smiling in satisfaction as the bone crunched and snapped under her strength. She tossed away the dangling appendage as the Were howled even louder than his companion.
Panting, she turned back to the other two. Her strength was ebbing fast and her shoulder felt as if it were on fire. She glanced down, grimacing as she saw the white of her bone through the rending in her flesh. Her stomach churned again and she whipped her head around as she heard clapping. She saw his scent trail before she saw him physically.
Kuruk.
“Well, hello again little Layla,” Kuruk said, continuing to clap as he emerged from the tree line. He brushed at his suit and smiled at her.
Layla’s face fell as four more Weres emerged from the trees behind him.
~*~
Chapter 4
Layla’s hand trembled as the dark Were walked towards her. Kuruk tilted his head to the side as he approached.
“Nervous?” he smiled arrogantly.
She held herself perfectly still as he neared. This was it; she would not live to see another day. Kuruk wanted her dead and he wanted her afraid. But she would be damned if she gave into her fear, even if it killed her.
“I’m not going to kill you, Layla,” he said, almost as if he were reading her mind. He smiled again. “At least not yet. You have something I want.”
Layla snorted, mustering up false bravado. “Yeah right. I bet you say that to all the ladies.”
Kuruk laughed. “I must admit, I am surprised at your tenacity. You were really ready to take on three of my best.” He looked around at the Were holding the stump of his arm. “Well, two of my best.”
He flicked a hand and the Weres surrounding him pounced on their injured friend. Layla kept her eyes on Kuruk even as she listened to the snarl, snap and crunch of the Weres as they disposed of the inferior warrior. She flinched and closed her eyes briefly as his howl was cut short with a gurgle when his throat was ripped out.
Kuruk waved a hand absently toward Layla. “Come on,” he said with a grin. “He deserved it
. I cannot have someone in my organization so obviously…impaired.”
The harsh breathing of the girl near the ravine changed her focus and panic and fear clouded the girl’s eyes. She looked back at Kuruk and raised her head defiantly as one of the Weres dragged the girl kicking and screaming towards the group, her fingers clawing at the werewolf who pulled her along the cold ground.
Subconsciously, Layla moved toward her, only to stop when Kuruk wagged a finger.
“Now, Layla. You don’t want to get involved in this messy business. She knew the risks when she agreed to help us.” He waved a hand towards the pair.
Layla clenched her fists as the Were pushed the girl to Kuruk. He grabbed the struggling human by the hair and lowered his lips to her neck, transforming impossibly fast and dragged his fangs across her throat. She was dead before the scream could leave her lips, the arterial spray shooting across the open space.
He transformed back just as quickly and Layla weighed her options. Kuruk was fast, but she was fighting for her life. She could take him even if it meant her death. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to take on all of them, but she could take that asshole out with her. She curled her lips as her fangs descended.
Kuruk chuckled. “Think you could take me, Layla?” he asked, smiling through the blood staining his teeth.
“That would be fun. But unfortunately, you can’t beat me.” He laughed again, mania in his eyes. “You’re not strong enough.”
She looked around her quickly. He was right; she couldn’t beat him, not alone. He had also been thorough and had blocked off every possible means of escape, which confirmed that they had been scouting. Even as fear flooded her heart, she prayed they had been near the house. If they had, then it was a possibility that Martin may have picked up on their scent and followed them here.
It was a long shot, but Martin was just as thorough as Kuruk was. He would follow up on every lead—and he knew Layla was on her way home. Her cellphone vibrated. Already her aunt was calling. It was just a matter of time before Martin showed up looking for her.
Maikoda: Power of the Moon (Blue Moon Trilogy Book 2) Page 7
