Under a Darkened Moon

by Jane Hinchey

  "Okay?" Billy asked, waiting on the other side of the door.

  "I told you already," she snapped. "I'm fine." Now that her temper had had a chance to kick in, she was pissed. What she really wanted to do was march upstairs and head-butt the stupid bitch.

  "She's not usually like this."

  "Do I look like I give a shit?"

  "You're going to have to fill out an incident report."

  "Because I dropped a can of sealant?"

  "You didn't drop it and we both know it."

  "I'll tell you what I am dropping. This conversation." This time, she managed to shuffle away from him, moving awkwardly in the navy blue overalls that were drowning her.

  "Come here," Billy sighed. She turned to see him holding out a length of old power cable. She took it from him and tied it around her waist, hiking the overalls up and using the cord to keep everything in place. "Thank you."

  The guys ribbed her at lunchtime, and she'd laughed at the good natured banter. Thankfully, Sophie never joined them in the lunch room. Apparently she either went out for lunch or ate at her desk, and that suited Kasie just fine. Levi was out and Rhys had a shift at the police station, another fact Kasie was thankful for. She knew Rhys was going to ask about her change of attire, and if Billy told him the truth? She could do without the drama. Plus, she didn't need anyone to fight her battles.

  "Billy." She grabbed his arm as they filed out of the lunch room to get back to work. "Do me a solid and don’t tell Rhys what you saw today?" He looked at her doubtfully, clearly torn. "It's bad enough I'm the new kid in school, but if the other kids go squealing to the teacher after a playground mishap, well…you know…I'm not going to build up any credibility with the pack."

  It was a lie. She wasn't worried about the pack. She didn't plan on hanging around long enough to think about the pack one way or the other. But she didn't want to drive any wedges and split loyalties while she was here. Billy nodded, and she flashed him a smile of gratitude.

  At knock-off time, she retrieved her bag, checking her mobile for messages. Not that she expected any. Only a handful of people had her number. She'd left her old phone behind when she'd fled and had picked up a cheap one on the road.

  Rhys’s truck was in the parking lot. Instead of heading upstairs to see if he was ready to leave—and thereby give her a lift—she waited outside, leaning back against the workshop wall and tilting her face up to the late afternoon sun. She was hot in the overalls and couldn't wait to get home, shower, and change. She frowned a little when she realized she'd thought of Rhys’s house as home, and gave herself a stern reminder that he was not home, that her home was not with him.

  She just needed to earn enough money to get a cheap car and be on her way. There would be jobs in Stipton, and she'd be able to bury herself deep enough to stay a few months rather than a few days or weeks. She didn't know how long she'd have to run before Mack gave up on finding her. Maybe she'd have to leave the country, go overseas. Maybe England. Or Australia. Surely he wouldn't follow her that far. But then she'd need to arrange fake ID to get a passport, which required a bucket load of money she simply didn't have.

  Hearing boots thumping down the stairs, she straightened up. Rhys stepped outside a second later, Levi with him, followed by Sophie. The two women eyed each other, Sophie sneering at Kasie's appearance.

  "You make that work," Levi joked, pulling one of the large sliding doors shut while Rhys got the other.

  Kasie curtseyed, holding her arms out from her sides. "Thank you, I do my best."

  Sophie snorted and headed off to her fancy sports car. The two men bade each other goodnight, and then Rhys was helping her into his truck.

  "How was your day?" he asked, the question so mundane, yet it made Kasie's heart ache in her chest. She closed her eyes, swamped by memories, transporting her back to a different time and place.

  Todd closed the caravan door behind him, reeking of oil and fuel, his coveralls filthy, as were his hands.

  "How was your day?" He'd grin, washing up at the tiny sink, scrubbing away the grease from his work as a mechanic at a local garage.

  "I had a good day," she replied, returning his smile. "You?"

  They moved around each other in the cramped quarters as she prepared dinner and he finished washing. He headed to the far end of the caravan, shrugging out of his coveralls. He wore a t-shirt and shorts underneath.

  "Yeah. Today was good. Do I have time for a shower?"

  "Dinner will be ready in ten. Make it quick."

  "That bad, huh?" Rhys's voice interrupted her thoughts, dragging her back to the present.

  "What? No, no, today was good, except for spilling sealant everywhere."

  "Hence the change of outfit?"

  "Indeed. Ruined my clothes."

  "I can add a uniform allowance to your wages. Then you can buy some proper work gear and not wear your everyday clothes," he offered.

  "About my wages. I had a problem with Sophie today."

  Rhys glanced at her, one eyebrow raised.

  Kasie cleared her throat. "She came to see me with all these forms for payroll and taxes and stuff and the thing is, Rhys...I can't do that. Sophie wasn't happy that I wouldn't fill them out. They ended up covered in sealant anyway, but whatever, that's not the point. The point is, I can only work off the record. For cash. I get that you're doing me a favor, and I appreciate it, I really do, but—" She was talking so fast her words were running together.

  "Okay," he cut in.

  "What?"

  "It's okay. I can pay you in cash. Don't worry about Sophie, I'll sort it out with her."

  "Even though you know I'm saving up to get a car and as soon as I do, I'm out of here?"

  "Even though," he agreed.

  "So you don't want me to stay?"

  Rhys laughed out loud. "You want it both ways now? You tell me constantly that you can't stay, and when I finally say I'm okay with that, you want me to want you to stay."

  She was silent for a moment, mulling over what he'd said.

  "Anyway, for the record, I'm going to do everything in my power to convince you to stay. Just want you to know that. Full disclosure and all."

  "You confuse me."

  "I know. I'm not playing with you, Kasie, hence full disclosure. I want you to stay, but I'm not going to keep you prisoner to make that happen. You want your independence, to earn your own money, I get that. I'd never hold anyone back from that. And I'll go along with your need for secrecy for now. I want you to know you're safe here, that you can have a life here."

  She longed to believe him, wished with all her heart that it was true.

  "Why?" she whispered, turning her face away to look out the window. Rhys pulled the truck over, engine idling.

  "Because what we have between us? I've never felt it before. The way your body fits mine so perfectly, the way my brain stops functioning when you touch me, the way you taste, the way you laugh. I want you so damn much, all the damn time, that it drives me crazy. And I love it. I can't get enough."

  Her breath hitched in her throat. She looked at him from across the cab of the truck. He was being open with her, honest. If only she could do the same. She looked down at her hands, clenched in her lap.

  His big hand landed on top of hers. "And this is why we need time. You need to learn to trust me. Something bad happened in your past, something to do with Todd. You're still hurting."

  "What do you know about Todd?" She frowned at him in suspicion. Had he been snooping?

  "Not a damn thing, other than it's his name you cry out in your nightmares."

  She wondered at his patience. If he'd been calling out some other woman’s name in his sleep, she wouldn't have sat around waiting for him to fess up what it was all about. Looking at him now, his gaze boring into hers, she could feel the jealousy wafting from him. But he was tamping it down, pulling back so as not to spook her. He would make someone a wonderful mate. He was so strong, so righteous and fair. He just wouldn’t
be a mate for her. This wasn't her life; she didn't deserve it. It was her fault Todd was dead, and if she stayed, Rhys would face the same fate.

  6

  By Friday, she was itching to let her wolf run. Thank goodness the pack was going out tonight. Her week had fallen into a pattern; Rhys dropped her at work every morning, continued on to the police station, then picked her up on the way home. She'd make dinner, sometimes just for the two of them, but sometimes other pack members joined them. After dinner, she'd watch a documentary on the big screen television in the lounge room.

  Then it was off to bed—in separate bedrooms. And throughout the week, he kept his distance. No more hand holding, no casual kisses. Every now and then, she'd catch him looking at her, his gaze hot, and her pulse would hammer in response, but he never made a move. She was frustrated. Her wolf paced inside her, wanting out.

  Kasie helped Ana in the kitchen, making salads for the barbecue. Naomi joined them, excitedly waving a pamphlet.

  "I found a class!" she told Kasie, hopping up onto a bar stool and pulling an avocado and chopping board toward her.

  "Cool. When is it?"

  "Wednesday night at six-thirty. We could go straight from work, grab a bite to eat, and then do the class."

  "What's all this?" Ana picked up the flyer.

  "A beginner yoga class. Kasie said she'd come with me to a few classes and then maybe take over teaching me." Naomi grinned.

  "I didn't know you were interested in yoga."

  "I wasn't. Not until I saw her out on the back lawn last week. It was amazing."

  "Just remember, you're not going to get those results straight away," Kasie warned, "I'm flexible because I've been doing yoga since I was a teenager."

  "Maybe I'll come along," Ana murmured, putting the flyer back on the counter.

  "The more the merrier."

  "What's this?" The three women turned when Sophie sauntered into the kitchen, glass of wine in hand. Kasie ignored her, but Ana gave her a smile.

  "Kasie and Naomi are going to a yoga class in town on Wednesday. I'm thinking of joining them. Want to come?"

  Sophie turned up her nose and walked out without answering. Kasie watched her departing back for a moment, then shrugged. She knew Sophie was angry that she’d stayed on, was living with Rhys. After their altercation at the workshop, the other woman had totally ignored her, as if she were invisible. What she didn’t realize was that Kasie was used to such treatment. Half the women in her old pack had treated her the same way. She was a threat, an unmated female, and until the Alpha arranged a mating for her, none of the other females had wanted anything to do with her.

  After the evenings barbecue, Kasie joined the women in the barn. Keeping her distance from Sophie, she stripped in seconds and shifted. Her wolf was small, which was no big surprise, considering her petite size in human form. Her fur was silver, almost white, darkening into shades of charcoal at the tips. Her eyes had lightened from gray to such a bright silver they were almost white. Ana and Naomi shifted beside her, and the three wolves whined and rubbed snouts, getting acquainted.

  The run was everything Kasie had hoped it would be. She ran through the woods under the cover of moonlight, the breeze in her fur, comforted by the earthy scents all around her.

  While Ana and Naomi ran with her, Rhys wasn’t far away, keeping a watchful eye. She ran steadily for an hour before slowing to explore. The pack had drifted further apart, but Rhys and the girls stayed with her, keeping things light-hearted, pouncing and playing, racing each other, before dropping to the ground, panting. By the time they returned to the house, most of the pack had already returned and left to do their own thing.

  Kasie returned to the barn with Naomi and Ana, relieved to find her clothes where she'd left them. She'd half expected Sophie to hide them just to be spiteful.

  “What do you think?” Ana asked, wriggling into her clothes.

  “It was…incredible! The woods are breathtaking. And your wolves—so gorgeous.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Ana smiled. “Ready to hit the town?”

  “Oh. I can’t.”

  “Pfft. If it’s money you’re worried about, don’t be. Check your pocket,” Naomi chimed in.

  Frowning, Kasie dug her fingers into her jeans pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar note.

  “Score!” Ana laughed. Uneasy, Kasie shoved the money back into her pocket.

  “Who did that? And how did you know?”

  Naomi wiggled the mobile phone in her hand. “Rhys sent me a text. Told us to have fun, he’ll catch up with you later.”

  Unsure, Kasie hesitated, until Ana came up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “When was the last time you had fun?”

  “Um…”

  “Exactly. So quit worrying and let’s go. We don’t have to stay long if you don’t want.”

  Buoyed by the run and basking in the warmth of friendship the two women showed her, she relented. “Oh, okay. Let’s do it.”

  Kasie hesitated in the doorway of the bar, unsure of the noisy crowd inside. The bodies were a mixture of wolves, humans, and something else she couldn’t put her finger on. Following Naomi and Ana to the bar, she squeezed herself into the narrow space between the end of the bar and the wall. Eventually, the bartender made his way over and they all ordered beers.

  The juke box across the room was cranking out a pop rock tune and a trio of young girls was dancing in front of it. Beyond them, a pool table held the rapt attention of several men. Kasie spotted Rhys talking to a dark-haired couple, his head bent close to theirs so he could be heard over the noise.

  “Who’s that?” Kasie nodded her head in their direction. Ana swiveled around, following her gaze.

  “Oh, that’s Zak Goodwin and Georgia Pearce. Zak’s a famous author who moved to Redmeadows about a year ago. Georgia is local.”

  “Zak’s a vampire,” Naomi leaned over to whisper.

  “Vampire?” Well, hell. She’d never met a vampire before. Zak was tall, dark, and handsome, and clearly only had eyes for the woman by his side. Kasie shifted her attention to the dark-haired beauty who was talking animatedly to Rhys. Georgia was stunning. Her skin had an almost luminous quality and her long brown hair shone beneath the fluorescent lights. As if sensing she was being watched, Georgia’s gaze shifted, landing on Kasie. Bold. Challenging.

  Kasie took a swig of beer and continued watching for another minute before her gaze shifted to Rhys. He raised his hand and indicated she should join them. Pushing away from the bar, Kasie sauntered across the room, her eyes never leaving his.

  As soon as she was within touching distance, Rhys wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close to his side.

  “Kasie, I’d like you to meet my good friend Georgia and her husband Zak. Zak and Georgia, this is Kasie.”

  Before she could protest, Georgia had wrapped her in a warm hug, squeezing tight and whispering in her ear, “I’m so pleased to meet you! Rhys needs someone like you in his life.”

  “Hi,” She managed to sputter once Georgia had released her.

  “You’re right.” Georgia smiled at Rhys. “She’s gorgeous. Come on, let’s do shots!”

  Grabbing her hand, Georgia dragged her back across the room to the bar, nudging people aside to make room for them. Kasie cast a glance at Rhys over her shoulder, only to see him laughing with Zak at Georgia’s antics.

  Around the third shot in, Kasie finally started to relax. Georgia was funny and crass and down-to-earth, and she couldn’t help but like her.

  “Are you a vampire too?”

  “Nope. Used to be. It’s a long story, but now I’m a witch. And this is the first time we’ve been out in ages. Now that we have a baby, life has changed considerably.”

  “You guys had a baby? How?”

  “The usual way!” Georgia laughed. “My turn to ask some questions. Tell me about yourself.”

  “Nothing much to tell.” Kasie shrugged, swigging from her beer while the bar
tender set up another round of shots.

  “Bullshit.” Georgia laughed. “I can see I’m going to have to drag it out of you. Let’s start with this: what brings you to Redmeadows?”

  “I was driving out on the highway when I had a car accident. Totaled my Jeep. Rhys found me. I’m stuck here until I have enough money to get a new car, then I’m gone.”

  “Why not stay? I’m pretty sure Rhys would be on board with that.”

  “I can’t stay.”

  “Why not?”

  Kasie shrugged, refusing to answer. Something told her that whatever she said to Georgia would go straight back to Rhys. Best he not know.

  “Have you known him long?” she asked instead.

  “Yeah, since we were kids. Rhys worked with my dad when he first joined the police force. He’s dragged my sorry ass home from this pub on more than one occasion. He’s always looking out for me and Skye.”

  “Skye?”

  “My sister.”

  “So have you and Rhys ever, you know, hooked up?”

  “Nope.” Georgia slammed down another shooter, grinning at Kasie. “But the thought sure did cross my mind a time or two.”

  “I heard that!” Zak suddenly appeared behind Georgia, his arm curving around her waist and pulling her back against him.

  “You were meant to, sugar.” Georgia purred, twisting her head and pulling Zak’s mouth down to hers. Their kiss was long and Kasie muffled a laugh, sliding off her barstool to move away, not wanting to be a third wheel.

  The room was hot and stuffy and the floor was moving beneath her feet. The alcohol she’d consumed with Georgia was hitting hard, and suddenly everything was amplified tenfold—the noise, the bodies bumping into her. Sweat prickled her skin, and she could feel panic at the edges of her consciousness. She’d let her guard down. There would be a price to pay. There always was.