Moon Bound

by Stephanie Julian

  He sighed as she spun on her heel and walked away, her perfect ass a perfect torment in those tight denim shorts.

  How the hell could he fuck this up even worse?

  His gaze fell on Marco, still contemplating trees.

  Well, hell. There was a good start.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Steven sat in the lobby, watching the lucani go out of their way to avoid him.

  It shouldn’t matter. He’d been an outcast for so long, the opinions of these people shouldn’t matter.

  They didn’t matter.

  Only Bella and Cole mattered. And they were nowhere to be found.

  Before he’d come down, he’d knocked on their doors but got no answer. Not seeing anyone he cared to talk to in the lobby, he’d asked at the front desk and been told, by a female desk clerk who let her gaze wander just over his shoulder, that Cole and Bella were in a meeting and couldn’t be disturbed.

  So he sat in the lobby and waited. And watched.

  And wondered.

  Who were they meeting? Why? And why hadn’t they told him?

  He tried not to let that last one bother him too much. Bella and Cole were the sole remaining royalty of the lucani. Cole was legatus not to mention king. Logically Steven knew Cole had responsibilities that didn’t—couldn’t—include him.

  Still, it sucked to be an outsider. Which was mostly his fault. And he couldn’t see a way to fix it.

  He was what he was.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement.

  Quinn Kennett approached. The few men in the lobby saluted him with their right fist to left chest, and he acknowledged them with a nod before sliding into the chair facing Steven, his expression calm. He watched Steven with steady eyes and no smile, something the guy was barely ever without.

  “It sucks, doesn’t it?” Quinn’s voice held no emotion, a perfectly modulated tone that held the slightest hint of a drawl.

  He didn’t have a clue what he was asking. “What?”

  “Being on the outside.”

  His back went stiff and straight. Quinn didn’t like him. Never had and he’d made no bones about it.

  Damn it, he didn’t need this shit. He made a move to stand but Quinn held up one hand to stop his motion.

  “I’m not yanking your chain, Steven. Don’t run.” He paused, watching him. “Cole missed you.”

  His mouth opened and closed. Quinn had shocked the shit out of him, even as his words eased something tight inside his chest. But he didn’t have a clue what the hell to say. His face must have been easy to read because now Quinn smiled.

  “He hasn’t been the same since you left. He’ll never admit it but, for some reason, he needs you. They both do.” He shrugged. “I don’t have the faintest idea why. I won’t lie to you, Steven. You’re not my favorite person but then, I don’t know you that well. I do know you’re dangerous.”

  Quinn shifted forward in his seat, getting closer, as if he could see into Steven’s mind. “Cole and Bella are about to get hit with a lot of shit. They don’t have time to worry about you. About whether you’re going to leave them again.”

  His gut twisted into painful knots but he refused to give Quinn the satisfaction of showing it. His chin lifted. “Are you telling me to leave now to spare them later?”

  Quinn shook his head and his expression firmed. “I’m telling you to get your shit together. Cole believes you can conquer the Mal influence and come back to the fold.”

  Steven cocked his head to the side, trying to determine what Quinn thought. “But you’re not convinced.”

  Quinn didn’t answer right away and Steven knew it shouldn’t matter what he thought. Last week, it wouldn’t have mattered. Today…

  Quinn leaned back, settling into the chair. “You don’t know me that well either, so… You’re wrong. Cole believes you can and I believe in Cole.”

  “And does Cole ever tell you how I’m supposed to pull off this miraculous feat? ’Cause I gotta tell ya, I don’t have a fucking clue.”

  The bitterness that ate at his gut gave his words a sharp edge that wasn’t directed at Quinn. His mother, his father, Cole, Bella. They’d all told him at some time that he could overcome the Mal influence. That he could rise above it.

  They just couldn’t tell him how.

  Quinn didn’t say anything right away. He seemed to be thinking. “I have a few thoughts, yes.”

  His eyebrows rose in shock. “You’re kidding.”

  “No, I’m not.” Quinn leaned forward, looking him straight in the eyes. “Look, you’ve been fighting a huge part of yourself for years and it hasn’t mattered a damn, right? You’re miserable. You’re worried about losing control. And I know you have a good reason to worry about that. But…have you ever considered just letting the magic have you? Surrendering to it and learning how to work with it instead of against it? Making it work for you instead of the other way around?”

  No. It went against everything he’d been taught, against everything he’d learned from his mom’s death. He couldn’t handle his magic, couldn’t control it. It controlled him. And his magic was tainted.

  He shook his head, ready to dismiss Quinn’s suggestion but Quinn spoke before Steven could.

  “Don’t,” Quinn said. “Don’t dismiss it out of hand. You’re older and smarter than you were when your mom died but you’ve repressed that part of you for so long I think…maybe you need a release. Like a pressure valve. Vent some of it and maybe it’ll take the pressure off.”

  Damn Quinn. He sounded so rational.

  But…it couldn’t be that easy. Nothing in his life ever had.

  You managed to control the storm.

  Quinn continued to stare at him, gaze steady, no condemnation.

  Could he risk it?

  Should he even try?

  * * *

  By the time they reached New Orleans, Amy Jo would’ve cheerfully clawed her way out of the car.

  The last miles had been deadly silent. And the only thing that saved Diego and Marco from one of her full-fledged hormone attacks was the beauty of the city.

  She’d never been here before and the architecture astounded her. Some areas of the city still showed effects of the devastating flooding after Hurricane Katrina, but everywhere she looked, something caught her eye. Buildings, gardens, even the cemetery was cool.

  At some point during the mostly silent trip, Amy Jo had asked where they were going to stay in the city. Marco had told her the lucani had rented the entire Hotel Nuit sans Lune in the Garden District.

  Diego hadn’t said a word. And when they pulled up to the curb outside the hotel, he slammed the car into park and almost ripped off the door handle getting out of the car. He disappeared around the back and seconds later the trunk door opened.

  She heard Marco sigh in the back seat then his hand settled on her shoulder. Warm, comforting.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  She took a deep breath before answering. “I’ll live. Is he always this intense?”

  Marco’s snort was answer enough. “Unfortunately yes. It’s a bad habit he picked up from our father.”

  She turned to look into his dark eyes, so much like Diego’s. “Do you think you two will ever have a normal relationship?”

  Marco laughed out loud, his mouth not as rounded as Diego’s but just as beautiful when he smiled. She yanked her gaze back up to his eyes before she decided to let her gaze go even lower.

  “Define normal, babe,” he said. “Did you forget where you are and who you’re with?”

  How could she forget when the two most gorgeous men she’d ever met had the same beautiful eyes and completely different, panty-dropping smiles? Damn, she needed to get a grip.

  Blinking, she dropped her gaze but still felt Marco’s on her. “Amy Jo.” He paused. “Shit. The calvary’s arrived.”

  The passenger door opened, making her jump in her seat.

  “Oh, thank the gods. I was afraid you guys would never get here.”r />
  Bella stood there, hands on her hips, exasperation all over her face. Amy Jo couldn’t help but grin. She nearly fell in her haste to get out of the car but Bella caught her before she could and hugged her.

  “I am so freaking happy to see you,” Bella gushed. “Is everything okay? How was the trip? Are you tired? Hungry? Want to get something to eat?” Her smile popped up, wicked and a little rueful. “Please come in and save me from my brother and Steven. I so need someone to talk to who isn’t male or 500 years old.”

  Amy Jo smiled. “It’s nice to see you, too.”

  Bella started pulling her toward the entrance, turning to give her another smile. “You have no idea.”

  Bella waved a hand at the young, dark-haired man standing at the door, watching her like a hawk. “We’re going back to my room, Luca. We don’t want to be disturbed. If Steven, Cole, Diego or Marco even think about knocking on my door, you have my authority to shoot them. I’m not kidding. No one.”

  Then they ran through the hotel’s small foyer like teenagers. Bella made for the stairs instead of the elevators, which didn’t matter to Amy Jo. Since her transformation, she didn’t tire as easily as she used to.

  They reached the fourth floor in minutes and Bella had her hotel room door open in seconds. They fell into plush chairs fronting a working fireplace.

  Amy Jo let her gaze travel the room. “Nice digs.” Then she took a deep breath and let herself relax. “You don’t know how happy I am to be out of that car.”

  “Yeah, I can tell. You looked like you were at the end of your rope when you pulled up. Wanna talk about it?”

  It’d been so long since she’d had a confidante that Amy Jo wasn’t quite how to start. So she just blurted out everything.

  Sex with Diego, the car ride, Diego and Marco’s discussion. She talked until Bella went to the minibar to get her a soda, which she gulped down while Bella stared at her with a bemused expression.

  “And here I thought my day was screwed up.”

  “So what happened with you?”

  Bella paused, as if considering what to say, and Amy Jo knew something major had taken place. Something that made Bella think twice about confiding in her.

  Well, sure, they’d only known each other a few days and Amy Jo had tried to kill her—

  “I’ve been asked to join the boschetta.”

  Amy Jo’s eyebrows lifted. “Okay, that’s sounds painful.”

  Bella laughed, so natural and unguarded that it lifted Amy Jo’s flagging spirits.

  Until Bella proceeded to tell her what it meant. And Amy Jo figured she’d finally slipped into the twilight zone.

  “They want you to be a priestess to an Etruscan goddess?”

  “The Goddess Menrva, yes. It’s one of the greatest honors an Etruscan woman can receive. It’s also one that’s never been offered to a lucani before. All of the former priestesses have been streghe.”

  “And that means witch, right?”

  Bella nodded, her expression slightly dazed.

  “That sounds like a major deal,” Amy Jo said.

  “It is. It’s almost...too big.” Bella’s mouth twisted. “I mean, besides my ability to shift, I don’t have a Goddess Gift, a special magical ability like divination—” Bella paused, her expression going thoughtful. “Well, maybe that’s not true. Maybe I do have a Gift. Maybe healing is my gift and I just never—” She shook her head. “Anyway, I don’t know why they chose me. What if I can’t do it? What if I screw it up? This is a lifetime commitment. I can’t just give it up if I don’t—if I can’t handle it.”

  “What’s to handle?”

  “There are certain responsibilities that go along with being a priestess. Together, they perform the rituals that fuel the Great Goddess’s power. I mean, I know she’s been gone for thousands of years—”

  “Wait. What do you mean, she’s been gone?” Amy Jo’s brain stuttered to a stop at the implication in Bella’s tone. “Gone? Where?”

  Bella blinked. “Yeah, I really do forget that you haven’t been part of my world for very long.”

  “Are you… Do you really…” Amy Jo huffed. “Are you honestly going to tell me that your gods and goddesses are real?”

  Bella looked her straight in the eyes. “Yes, I am. You might actually get to meet Tivr, the Moon God. He’s the favored god of the lucani and I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up sometime this week.”

  Amy Jo’s mouth fell open. “Moon God. And Menrva is…?”

  Bella waved a hand in front of her, as if they weren’t talking about real live deities. “I’ll make sure you get a book. It’ll be easier than trying to explain everything. And according to Cole—that’s my brother—the strega who’s going to, ah, read your mind, will be here first thing in the morning.”

  Yeah, reminding her about what was coming tomorrow was a great way to take her mind off of living, breathing gods. “Read my mind, huh? Now there’s a comforting thought.”

  “Don’t worry. She’s very discreet.” Bella’s smile turned wicked. “Of course, if I’d had Diego in my bed, I’d be bragging to anyone who’d listen.”

  Amy Jo felt her cheeks heat. Curiously, though, she didn’t take offense. She knew Bella would never betray her confidence. Not about this.

  “I’m still not sure it wasn’t the stupidest thing I could have done. Yeah, it was great, and yeah, I wish it was going to happen again. But, he seemed even more tense afterward. For me, it was stress relief. And a little… I don’t know… I just needed to know I could still enjoy sex. But Diego’s wound so tight now, I’m afraid he’s going to crack under the strain.”

  Bella shook her head. “Won’t happen. I’ve never seen that man flustered. Then again, I’ve never met a woman who’s actually been in his bed. I mean, I’m sure there have been other women, but he never talks about his private life. Not ever.”

  “Oh, he definitely has experience.” Amy Jo felt her temperature rise just thinking about him. “And it’s not like I’m in love with the guy.” She definitely was not. “I’m just…worried about him.”

  Actually, she was worried about Diego and Marco. Yes, she’d slept with Diego but she cared about both brothers. She felt a connection with them, one she couldn’t put into words. Not even to Bella. Not now, anyway.

  Bella’s eyes narrowed, as if she knew Amy Jo wasn’t telling her everything. But the other woman didn’t push. “I’m sure Diego’s just as worried about you.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, as a job. Anyway,” she’d had enough of this line of questioning, “what’s on the agenda until the mind reader gets here?”

  Bella waved her hand around the gorgeous room. “Girl’s night in. Food, drink, movies. And no guys.”

  “Sounds like heaven.”

  * * *

  “What the hell do you mean they don’t want to be disturbed?”

  Steven just shook his head, knowing exactly what that meant. Bella had had enough—of him, of Cole, of secret meetings and headaches. Basically, she’d had enough of everything.

  Because the siblings were so different, Cole had never understood Bella’s need for space, especially when she was thinking things through. Cole loved to talk. Steven wondered who Cole had talked to for the three years he’d been gone.

  After his conversation with Quinn, he’d sat in the lobby, thinking. Trying to make sense of or, at least, try to sort through what they’d talked about. He hadn’t been making much headway when Cole and Bella had entered the lobby from a door marked employees only. Her expression was thoughtful and he could tell she wasn’t paying attention to Cole, who was talking to her.

  Then she’d stopped, looked straight at him and sighed. Hell, he heard it from across the room. Cole looked up as well and they veered toward him but Quinn reached them first, saying something to Cole. Then Dorian had come up behind Bella and pointed toward the front door.

  Bella had made a beeline for the entrance. Steven hadn’t even crossed the lobby by the time Bella had returned with
Amy Jo in tow, Luca close on their heels, as they headed for the stairs.

  A few seconds after that, Diego and Marco had entered, their faces set in identical expressions of grim determination. They had all trooped up the stairs because Cole had insisted he needed to talk to Bella, but obviously she had a different opinion.

  “Cole.” Steven placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Give it up. You’re not going to win this one. Let’s go to the bar. I need a drink.”

  Diego sighed, and Steven thought he heard relief in the sound.

  “I could use a bottle of alcohol.” Diego slid a look at Marco, who stared back. “Maybe a couple.”

  Something had happened on their way down here. Something to do with Amy Jo. Something between the brothers, as well. Diego looked…rattled. Which was surprising. Diego didn’t do rattled. Pissed off was more his general speed.

  “Fine.” Cole turned away from Bella’s door with a disgusted look on his face. “We need to talk anyway and it’ll be easier without them.”

  Luca’s sudden cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

  Cole glared at him but the kid stared right back. Luca might be young, but Steven had spoken to him earlier. He knew what he was doing and he knew the consequences should he fail. He took his duties seriously. That didn’t mean Steven wasn’t any less worried. But here, in this hotel, he didn’t think any harm would come to her.

  The hotel was owned by two streghe, members of the cursed thirteen that his father had been sworn by sacred birthright to protect. Madrona and Furia had made this hotel a safe haven in a world that was becoming more dangerous every day.

  As they made their way to the darkest corner of the surprisingly large bar on the first floor, Steven watched Cole nod to people as they passed. A few of the women gave him sexy grins that offered more than a greeting. He didn’t acknowledge them any differently than he did the men.

  “Still haven’t taken tribuni advice and found a wife, huh?” Steven asked Cole as he pulled out a padded leather chair at a table in the far corner and sat down.

  Cole shook his head. “No time.”

  “And you don’t like being a piece of meat any more than I do,” Diego added as he sat. “Sometimes, this life sucks.”