Hunter Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel #2

by C. D. Gorri

  “No problem.” His voice was deep and gravelly. I looked into his eyes and noted they were glowing. His Wolf looked at me and I saw approval and something else in his gaze. It made me blush.

  “Wow. Your eyes glow! Pretty.” Julianna hiccupped and pointed at Ronan. Then she went back to concentrating on her breathing.

  “I don’t feel so good.” She hung her head out the window her perfectly groomed hair blowing in the breeze in a million shades of gold. She was turning a little green though. Serves her right.

  “I think I’m gonna puke.”

  “No kidding. Just wait till we’re home.” I told her.

  We arrived in twenty minutes. That was the beauty of living in the suburbs. Everything was twenty minutes away. Whether you wanted to get to NYC, walk on the waterfront in Hoboken, do some snowboarding in Vernon, ride horses in Sussex or whatever. It was twenty minutes away, give or take.

  Ronan carried Julianna to our back porch. I figured it would be easier to sneak her in that way. He stood her up, but held onto her weaving form as she leaned against the door. I unlocked it and turned to thank Ronan.

  He was closer than I had anticipated. He reached up to brush back a strand of my hair. I found myself drowning in his eyes.

  “Wish someone looked at me like that.” Julianna murmured and then flash. She was still taking selfies. Totally in love with yourself, aren’t you, cuz?

  “Goodnight, Maria. I’ll text you when Dimitri gets back with word of Sebastian.”

  “Thank you.”

  I tiptoed with Julianna up the stairs. I was strong enough to carry her, but that didn’t make it easy. She was dead weight. It was no use though. Aunt Theresa was waiting on the landing to her room.

  “Oh my God! What did you do to her? Vito, Vito!” She grabbed Julianna from my hands. I guess she didn’t realize Julianna was all but passed out because my cousin slid to the floor and hit her head.

  “Oww!” I closed my eyes at her slurred speech. She sounded so drunk. And me? Well, I was standing there in an itty bitty costume with the one person in the world who seriously hated me. Julianna’s mom, my Aunt Theresa.

  “You did this! Vito! Vito!” My aunt waved her finger in my face and I bent down to help Julianna.

  “You just get away from her! Vito!”

  “What is it, Resa? Julianna, you okay? Grazi, what happened? What the hell do you girls have on? Oh never mind, come on baby, upsy daisy.” Uncle Vito lifted his daughter up and started towards her bedroom.

  “Oh my God, Vito! What did she do to my baby? What did you do?” Aunt Theresa was yelling again and pointing at me.

  “I didn’t do anything to her. She showed up at the cosplay party. We weren’t together except for when she got sick and needed a ride home-”

  “Liar! You did this! You must have given her something!” Aunt Theresa was hysterical trying to get Julianna to talk when all the poor girl wanted to do was pass out. Uncle Vito rubbed his sleepy face and tried to reason with my aunt.

  “Theresa, she’s drunk. Grazi didn’t pour the booze down her throat, now come on. She’ll be fine in the morning and we’ll talk then okay?”

  “No, it’s not okay!”

  “Shhh! Zitto! You’ll wake ma!”

  “Too late,” Nonna walked in with a cup of tea and a damp washcloth in her hands.

  “Theresa, get her to take some of this.” My aunt may not like me, or Nonna for that matter, but she knew better than to refuse one of my grandmother’s homemade medicinal teas.

  She took the cup and started ministering to her daughter. I actually pitied Julianna right then. I had my head down. I tried to back out of the room, but Nonna stopped me.

  “Maria Graziana, where do you think you are going? I think you have some explaining to do, si?”

  “Yes, Nonna.”

  “Go take off that costume, si, then meet me in the kitchen.” I hurried to change in my room. I was surprised to see Ronan sitting on my window ledge.

  “Oy, did you get caught then?”

  “Yeah. My grandma’s angry. I have to go downstairs. Will you wait for me?”

  “Of course.”

  I grabbed a robe and pajamas and headed for the bathroom. I took a few minutes to change and when I came out Ronan was flipping through a paperback on the window seat. Stephen King. Hmm. Good choice. He’d be fine.

  I walked quickly to the kitchen careful not to make any noise. I could hear my aunt and uncle still arguing about what had happened in their bedroom. Rebecca was still asleep and Julianna was snoring away. Completely oblivious to the drama she had caused. She probably wouldn’t care anyway.

  “Nonna?”

  “Si, viene qua.” I entered the kitchen and saw my grandma sitting down with her own cup of tea. She had another poured for me.

  “Maria, what is happening to you, it is scary for me, si, very scary. I am old now, my children, one is grown and one is gone. I know I have not been here for you lately, but please, if you are getting in trouble I want you to come to me. Is it drinking, drugs? Che cosa?”

  The look on my grandmother’s face made me cringe. I was overwhelmed with guilt and anger. How could she think I did drugs? What did I do to make her think that?

  “Nonna, no! I was really at a costume party! Julianna was with her friends and I was with mine. I went to get some air and when I came back she was like that and her friends were gone. Uncle Sean sent his car for us. We should thank him.”

  “Hmm, your Uncle Sean, maybe so. Okay, it’s late and I’m too old for this. Go to bed.”

  “Okay. I am sorry, Nonna. I tried to help her, really I did.”

  “I know. Buona notte, cara.”

  “Goodnight, Nonna.” I kissed her on her springy white curls and she patted my arm. I took the stairs two at a time and hurried back to my room.

  I didn’t see him at first. He was no longer sitting up by the window sill, book in hand. He was sprawled out on my bed on top of my comforter. He breathed softly. I just stood there dumbfounded for a moment or two. There’s a boy in my room. On my bed. Okay, he’s sleeping, but still.

  I wasn’t sure what to do so I simply stared. The soft moonlight poured in from the window and highlighted his hair. It went from dark auburn, to red, to gold. It had gotten so much longer in his few months here. I liked it.

  He looked so peaceful. Not the anxious, always on the move, and sometimes irritable Ronan that I was familiar with. This Ronan was different. Maybe even a little bit more approachable.

  I realized with a yawn that I was tired too. I sat on the bed, careful not to disturb him. I got under the covers and closed my eyes. He turned and put an arm around me. It was warm and safe.

  I snuggled closer. I thought it would feel strange, but it was as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Lying next to him. When I was with Sebby I was always so self-conscious, but with Ronan there was no need to hide who I was. Interesting.

  I inhaled. Mmmm. I liked his scent. That unique combination that was all Ronan. Like a forest of evergreens. Tall, strong, dependable, eternal. I must have drifted off just breathing him in, listening to his soft exhales.

  The dream came again.

  It was dark. There was no light coming from the floorboards above me. I was there again. In the damp basement. No tunnels this time. It reeked of murder. The cold room was ripe with it.

  A newer corpse lay on the ground facedown drained of blood. I could sense the fear and pain the poor man had suffered. I crept towards the stairs and listened. Silence. I pushed opened the door with my muzzle and ignored the filth that greeted me.

  There was more than last time. I hadn’t thought it possible to fit any more garbage in one place. The stench of the rotten food, waste, and debris permeated the air. I vowed to take shallow breaths.

  Not easy for a Werewolf. Panting is kind of a thing with us. Makes you taste the air too. The better to smell you with. It was gross sometimes. Like now.

  I hurried down the hall until I came to a fami
liar door. An additional lock was placed on the outside of the door. I growled low. They were expecting company maybe. Just not a Werewolf.

  I extended my razor sharp claws and swiped at the lock. Once, then twice. I cut the metal lock to shreds and caught it in my mouth before it hit the floor. I spit it out gently as I could.

  When I entered I had to stop myself from howling. The poor boy was sprawled face down on the bare mattress. He had been fed on and recently too. Death surrounded him. I could smell it. Oh Lord, I could see it too.

  A dark cloud hovering way to close for it to be good. I growled at it but it did no good. The cloud stayed. Maybe he was already dead? I prayed to God that I was wrong.

  Please God, please let him be alive. Please I have to help him.

  He moved suddenly. A stiff jerk of his body. I hurried towards him. He wasn’t able to get very far his ankles were tied to the bed frame with heavy nylon cords. I swiped my claws against the nylon and it gave way easily. Like tissue paper.

  “You came back. I knew you would.” His voice was weak. I nudged him to a sitting position. He was sitting in his own waste for what must have been at least a day and I didn’t see any food or water about. He was close to dehydrated and so exhausted he could barely hold up his head. This wouldn’t be easy, but I had to try.

  “I don’t think I can stand up. I’m sorry, brown Wolf. You have to bring more help. Sorry.” I couldn’t leave him there. Not this time. I tried pulling him gently by the mouth, but it was no use. He collapsed onto the floor. I didn’t know what to do. I whined and his eyes fluttered. He was dying. I could smell it on him. No,no, no.

  I bent my head and licked his face. I licked the gashes on his poor abused body. I willed for something anything to happen. To save the boy with the beautiful blue eyes.

  A door slammed and I snapped back to my senses. I smelled her, the Witch. The stench was of something rotting and sickeningly sweet.

  I remembered a day from my childhood, it was a summer party in our yard. Maybe the Fourth of July? There was pitcher of grape Kool Aid. My cousin was supposed to bring it inside. We shared clean up duty back then. Anyway, she didn’t do it.

  Surprising, I know. It was left outside in the heat. By the time I remembered it, a few days later the smell was disgusting. There were loads of dead flies and mosquitos floating on top. It made my stomach turn.

  This was the same smell. I scrunched my nose and waited under the bed. A feat since I was so big I could barely fit. I watched the door as the Witch came in. Her shuffling step strangely familiar.

  “Stupid bloodsuckers! I told them not to drain you! They dumped you on the floor too. The oafs! Up now my boy, I still need you to lead me to her. Ripped your cords too, that’s just great! Another trip to Home Depot, just what I need! Up, up!” She hobbled more than walked and when she pointed at the boy on the floor I could see three of her fingers were missing. I wanted to see her face. I tried, but I couldn’t from my vantage point.

  She snapped her fingers and the boy floated off the floor and landed on the bed with a careless thud. She spoke an unfamiliar language. It was guttural and not like anything I had ever heard. She waved her disfigured hand in a counter clockwise motion. The smell of urine and feces slowly vanished. I heard a gasp.

  “There we are. Better now, boy? I told you, you cooperate or they will finish you.”

  Silence.

  “We’ll see just how stubborn you are when we have her. I’d let them have you now. How would you like that? My pets would love to finish you for their dinner. But my masters, they say we need you alive. Disgusting thing. You’ll be better off when you’re dead” Still silence. I wanted to rip her throat out.

  “Fine. I’ll have water and bread brought. Then I’ll need another vial from you! Oh yes.” She cackled and hobbled out of the room. The mattress vibrated with the boys shudders as he whimpered.

  I crawled out from under the bed. It was now clean and the boy’s rags were in slightly better shape than before. His neck wounds were scabbed over, but he still reeked of death. He had been too close to dying. He looked at me and his blue eyes filled with sadness.

  “I can’t go with you brown Wolf. She’ll come for me. I’m afraid. Bring more with you next time. I know you didn’t forget me. Good girl. Bring more, you must bring more!” The room started to spin and the next thing I knew blue eyes were replaced by green ones.

  “Maria, are you okay?” My face felt damp and I reached up to find tears had spilled from my eyes.

  Guilty and powerless. What use was I? It should be me tied up! My Wolf snarled in my head. No, we weren’t altogether powerless, but still. I could have done something, couldn’t I? I looked around trying to get my bearings. I was in my room. Ronan was on my bed with me. And the moon was still out.

  “I, um I had the dream again. About the boy.”

  “You were whimpering and crying. I tried to wake you, but I couldn’t.” He ran his hands along my face as if to assure himself I was okay. His concern touched me.

  “You want to tell me about it, then?”

  So I told him. I told him everything. He stayed with me and listened. A deep furrow formed between his dark red brows as I spoke.

  He looked cute like that. Like he was thinking too hard. I was going to tell him not to hurt himself, but I was too upset for teasing.

  “Maria, you know how everyone calls you princess and says you’re special?”

  “Yeah?” I sat up. What did that have to do with anything? Was I finally going to get some answers?

  “I think it’s about time we knew why.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Ronan got off of my bed and went to my ancient lap top on the corner desk. He unplugged it and sat back down next to me. With little effort he guessed my password and opened up a new web browser. He logged into Wolf Moon using the avatar Chaney’sRevenge. I stifled a laugh.

  “Alright. WM7809. Here we go. Got it. That’s it, now we wait.” He was half talking to himself and half to me. I didn’t quite know what he was doing. His hands flew across the keyboard making it near impossible for me to follow.

  ”For what?”

  “For him to make contact. You remember the code Randall gave us? Anyway, this SilverWolf, If he is who I think he is, you’ll get your answers and so will I.”

  I studied Ronan’s profile. He seemed determined and focused, even with his hair sticking up every which way. Chatting with SilverWolf did seem like a good idea. I just didn’t like the idea of sitting around waiting. Ronan got up, stretched and headed towards the bathroom. While he was in there I slipped on a pair of jeans and a hoodie. I was just slipping on my sneakers when he came out.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I’ll show you.”

  We took my short cut and leapt out of the window. We landed on our feet easily and Ronan smirked because he made it a foot farther than me. I shoved him.

  “I am taller you know, and stronger.” I rolled my eyes and shoved him again.

  “You also eat like a horse and you snore.”

  “That’s offensive, that is. I don’t eat hay and I do not snore!” We joked back and forth as we half-jogged, half-walked through the woods behind the house. I had a destination in mind, but I had no desire to share it with him.

  No doubt he would object. After a few minutes I started running in earnest. Ronan kept up easily. There was no need for further discussion and we both settled into an easy rhythm.

  I could feel the chill in the air trying to seep into my bones, but my inner furnace or whatever you want to call it held it at bay. I was comfortable. Not cold like I would have been before my change. That was how I thought of my life nowadays. Before and after my change. It was like I was two different people. I wondered if I would ever be able to reconcile them in my mind.

  The run was too short, but it felt good. The sky was lightening now. Sunrise would soon come. Frost clung to most of the trees and bushes. Late fall was unpredictable in Northern New Jersey, but I knew t
his extreme cold was the work of dark magic. I was now positive that there was dark magic in the world. I’d seen it in Ms. Vorax and in my dreams.

  I just had to put my faith in the fact that where there is bad there must also be good. There had to be some kind of balance, right? I wasn’t sure, but I knew someone who might be.

  I just hoped she would let us in. She helped us earlier so maybe that was a good sign. I was starting to get nervous. Ronan looked at me intently.

  “I’m right here.” His soft spoken reassurance made me feel better.

  We slowed down to a walk once we got to the main part of town. It was too early for shoppers and store owners to be up and about. But I had a feeling we would find Sherry in her salon.

  When I had first gone there with Angela I noticed an upstairs apartment. I didn’t think much about it then, but now I hoped my hunch was right.

  We came to the Nature’s Beauty Salon and Spa and I walked around the side with Ronan on my heels. The sage green building was short and square and sat on a small lot with a few parking spaces in front. There was a lemon yellow Fiat in the space marked owner. Cute.

  The entire downstairs had floor to ceiling windows and neat shelves of eco-friendly, homemade beauty and hair care products on display. The front doors was locked and the faint red blinking light told me there was a security system in place. Around the side was another door. It was bright red and had wind chimes hanging in the front.

  “What are we doing here?” Ronan’s anxiety was tangible. I knew he would be upset, that’s why I hadn’t told him where we were going.

  “I’m going to talk to Sherry.”

  “You cannot be serious. You want to have dealings with a Witch? Maybe we should call your uncle Sean.”

  “No! Look, if you want to leave go ahead, but don’t rat me out. I’ll be fine. Sherry has had plenty of opportunities to hurt me and she hasn’t. I trust her.”

  “She’s a Witch, Maria. She’s probably be-spelled you to think that!”

  “You don’t have to come.”

  “I’ll not leave you. Besides contacting SilverWolf was my idea. Either way Sean’ll have my hide.”