In the Light of the Moon (Dark War Chronicles)

by Kessler, A. L.

  “You thought I was an immortal.” Jax snorted. “Well that’s a new one. Nope, good old kill-able panther here. Now if you wouldn’t mind. I’d like to get back to Kass.”

  “I do mind kitty. You need to stay the hell away from my cat. She needs a clear head to kill and she hasn’t had one since you showed up.” Lucius trapped him against the wall, a hand on each shoulder.

  Jax met the black eyes that stared down at him. “Couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that she was attacked the other night.”

  “She told you about that?” He backed off, his brows drawn together.

  Jax nodded. “Said it was another panther.”

  “She tell you the rest of it?”

  “It was her half brother and she’s explained some of her past with her family and I know the history of the clan, but really why would they hunt her out and kill her?”

  Lucius laughed. “She’s not pure, she’s only half their blood and a female. She isn’t fit in their eyes, and that’s all I’m saying.” He turned. “I mean it about staying away from her though, Jax.”

  Jax leaned his head against the wall. The Black Moon clan was known for their dislikes of unclean and unfit females and their culling of cubs and the weak. He pushed off the wall and walked towards the exit of the mansion. He would have to catch up with Kass when Lucius wasn’t around and apologize for the trouble he caused, though he still believed their one night together had been worth it.

  Kass leaned over the bar and placed a whiskey on the napkin, winking at the customer before pulling away. Her movements confident and her smile never wavering; she felt at peace in her own bar tonight. After making the deal with Lucius her panther remained calm as Kass served the customers around her. A woman walked in and made her way to the bar. The black hair and yellow flashing eyes caused Kass to freeze. “Sarah.”

  “Hey baby girl.” She smiled, her canines just a little more pointed.

  So many questions flooded through Kass’ mind, but only one came out. “How’d you find me?”

  “A little birdie told me that you’ve been working here under a vampire.” She leaned forward. “Cosmo please.”

  Kass turned to make the drink and delivered it to her sister. “Great, didn’t know there were such little nosy birdies that knew I worked here. When did you shift? Seems you’ve spent a lot of time in your new form.”

  “Just after you left us.” Her eyes flickered down and then back to Kass. “Dad’s doing, you know, control training.”

  Kass knew all too well. She took a deep breath. “So you’re still living with them.”

  “He wishes you’d come home, Kass, he’s changed. He understands that he was wrong.” Sarah folded her hands and put her chin on them. “He understands that you’re the most powerful female the clan has ever had.”

  Shaking her head, she tried to calm the fear crawling through her. Her beast paced below the surface and the familiar pain started in her chest. She closed her eyes and focused on Jax. How she felt when he calmed her beast helped the panther retreat. With a deep breath she opened her eyes. “No. I work under Lucius now and I’m protected by him.”

  “Heard you kill for him.” Sarah narrowed her eyes. “That you’ve lost all your control.”

  “Not true.” She looked up as she heard the door, but didn’t see anyone. “Are the others with you?”

  Sarah shook her head and slid into a seat. “They don’t know that I came. I wanted to talk to you alone.”

  Kass saw the subtle hitch in Sarah’s breathing and the small dilation in her eyes that betrayed her lie. “But they know where I am.” Kass made it a statement.

  Sarah met Kass’ eyes. “Of course. We’ve known for a few years.”

  “Impossible.”

  “You think so little sister?” She sipped her drink and leaned back on her stool. “Why don’t you come home Kass, I’ve told you that things have changed.”

  Kass snorted. “You think I would believe that, after years of being force taught control. Just so they could try to kill me by starvation, fights, and whatever the hell else they threw at me?”

  “I thought you had been lying about all that, now I know, now I can protect you.” Sarah begged. “Don’t leave me there alone.”

  Kass searched Sarah’s yellow eyes for something, anything that would tell Kass she spoke the truth. Tears at the corner of her eyes made Kass sigh. “I’m bound here. I can’t.”

  “So much for family, dad always said you cared more for yourself. Clan means loyalty, and here you are bound to a fucking vampire.” Sara threw the Cosmo at Kass.

  Kass knocked the drink out of the air. The glass shattered as it hit the floor and the bar went silent. “Security,” she called.

  Two of Lucius’ vampires came up and each grabbed on of Sarah’s arms. “We’ll take care of her.”

  Kass watched Sarah be dragged out, but the woman smiled at Kass. Taking deep breaths, she went to get the broom to sweep up the glass. Mae came over and looked down at her. “Not like you to piss off customers.”

  “Yeah, well she wasn’t welcomed here.” Kass swept up the little pieces of glass. “And I need to go.”

  “Your shifts not over.” Mae raised a brow, “and we’re swamped.”

  “Well then I need to call Lucius because that,” Kassity pointed to the door, “is something that puts me in danger.”

  Mae snorted. “Something that scares the big bad panther?”

  “Remember the attack the other night? Same group, fuck me.” Kass ran her hand through her hair trying not to panic. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Her beast stirred and she put a hand to her chest. “Not now cat, we have to figure this out. Lucius, need to talk to him.”

  “Why?”

  “Because despite how much we both hate him he can actually protect me.” Kass sighed. “Just gonna call him and let him know what’s going on.”

  Mae let out a deep sigh. “Go, I’ll cover for you.”

  “Thanks.” Kass slipped into the back room and pulled out her phone. The vampire hated phones, but would pick up knowing it was an emergency. When it clicked to voicemail she growled.

  “You must be desperate to call me.” Lucius said from the corner. “Didn’t think it was going to be something you really wanted to tell me over the phone.”

  Kass tried not to jump when he appeared. “I need you to free my beast. Sarah showed up here and you know it’s only a matter of time before the others show up.”

  “I can’t free her right now, you’ll have to relearn some of the control and I can’t have a rampant panther in my territory. Strange that Sarah would be the one to show up, don’t you think?”

  Kass nodded and sat down. “Yes, I thought that. But she’s…changed, you can tell that she’s been forced to be in cat form too much when she didn’t have control. Her hair, her eyes, even her teeth have changed.”

  “You spend a lot of time in cat form, and none of your features have changed like that.”

  “Because I still have some control, I’m stronger than she is. I’ve always had better control over my cat than the boys, even as a cub. They’re weaker, because their mother wasn’t a strong shifter. Sarah hadn’t even shown a second form until I left.”

  Lucius nodded. “So your mother must have had stronger blood.”

  “Yes, but that’s neither here nor there. They are coming for me, they want me to come home. Sarah said that my father has changed and that she can protect me there.” She fidgeted with her fingers and looked down. “Part of me wants to believe it, because clan is everything.”

  Lucius shook his head. “Not to you though, clan only means pain and fear. Remember those days Kass, remember how they tried to kill you on hunts, how your food was limited, the cages, the collars, the forced shifts.”

  “And you’re much better?” She growled, looked up at him. “You’ve put me cages and forced me to wear collars. You’ve stripped me of my control and limit my hunts.”

  Lucius raised a
brow, a crackle of power forming around him. “You really want to bring that up right now? Because you know you are better off with me. Think about the agreement we just made. You wouldn’t be allowed that with your father. You are also still alive, remember that Kassity. I took you in and yes I used you to control Josh and I control you with things such as the cage and the collar, but only because I am the leader of this territory and you are one of my people. I cannot be weak. I discipline my own human on lines that are just as harsh. I remind you of where you have been, but also bring you to your full potential. I’ve stripped you of your control, yes, but you are stronger for it.”

  Kass shivered at his power. “Josh never would have done that to me.”

  “Josh was weak and the only reason he rescued you was so he had a way into my territory and something that I needed. I had no use for a weak vampire like him, which is why I killed him. He couldn’t protect you, but he had a weak spot for you after, and only after, he realized that you had a human side.”

  She swallowed. “You lie, I was just like a sister to him, regardless of my beast.”

  “Remember back and really think about it.” He held up a hand. “When you have a chance to actually think on it. Right now you have to worry about the other panthers. I will release some of my control on your panther, so that you may shift at will because I know you can control that without my help, but I want your word.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “On?”

  “That you will not run. You will not run away from this, or me.”

  “My word. I’m done running.”

  A cruel smile formed on Lucius face. “How do you end a sentence like that?”

  “Master.” She whispered and he placed a hand on her head. She gasped as she felt something pull deep inside her, suddenly she and her cat could think together again instead of separately. She took a few deep breaths as she was trying to get ahold of it again. There was one thing that came through clearly that her and her panther agreed on: fight. They must fight.

  Chapter Nine

  Jax walked into the hotel room that Garrett had invited him to. He looked around at the torn up carpet and shredded bed. Splinters of wood littered the floor from what once was a chair…possibly a desk or both. “Trashing hotels for fun?”

  “Our sister doesn’t quite have the control we wish she did. She got upset over a situation at a bar and kind of lost it. You said you wanted to talk to us?” Garrett motioned to the man from before, sitting in the ruined chair in the corner. “You remember Stephan.”

  Jax nodded to him. “Nice to have a name to go with the face. Yes, I’m here to return the half of the money you gave me. I’m done. She ain’t coming back by my hand.” He pulled a backpack off his shoulder filled with the cash he’d taken from them.

  “You think you can just walk away from this? You were hired to locate her and bring her to us. We know where she is, but Lucius makes it hard for us to get to her. She’s well protected from us.” Stephan stood. “You’re making a mistake.”

  Jax raised a brow. “I’m refusing the rest of the job. Don’t want the money, don’t want her hurt.” He threw the bag at their feet.

  Garret laughed. “Oh, you like her, do you? Think you can mate the bitch?”

  “Garret,” Stephen snapped. “Calm, certainly he hasn’t bowed to her charms. You know that she can’t mate, right?”

  “That’s a lie,” Jax chuckled and shook his head. He eyed Stephan. He was a bit taller than Garrett, but wouldn’t be hard to take down first, if need be.

  Garrett raised a brow. “Holy shit, your panther recognized her.” It was a statement. “You slept with her already.”

  “Not really your business.” Jax uncrossed his arms. Letting his hands fall to his side, he tried to take a non-threatening stance.

  “He’s right, and it doesn’t matter. You need to finish the job.” Stephan flexed his hands. “We need her, she’s the last powerful female of our clan.”

  Jax shifted so his feet were further apart. “And if I refuse?”

  “Then we’re going to have problems. You can’t protect her.” Stephan flicked his hands and claws replaced the fingers.

  Jax laughed. “Nice trick, but guess what,” he mirrored the motions with the same results. “I can do it too.” He dropped to a fighting stance. “You can’t take me.”

  Garret grinned stepping out from behind Stephan. “You think that you can take both of us?”

  Jax crouched and took a deep breath. Centering his thoughts he channeled his panther. The beast inside him snarled at the idea of someone wanting to hurt his mate. He’d do anything to protect her. “Try me.”

  Stephan launched himself forward and swiped at Jaxon’s stomach. Catching his claws with his own, Jax pushed Stephan back into Garret. The panther inside him told Jax to run, that he couldn’t win this fight, but when he turned to leave the hotel room he found a fully shifted panther was blocking his way. “You must be Sarah.”

  He backed up, and cried out as claws pierced his stomach. He looked down at the blood and his panther lost it. He pulled away from the claws and spun around to see which brother they belonged to.

  Garret stood there examining the blood dripping down the claws. “Smells normal, means you’re not an immortal. Goodie, means we can kill you.”

  Stephan snarled. “No, let him suffer.” He rushed Jax who stumbled back and over Sarah. Shifting as he landed, he let out a roar and Sarah backed away. He turned his gaze to the brothers and bounded towards the closest one. Stephan caught him, but stumbled back. Jax used his momentum to take the male to the ground and went to tear out Stephan’s throat, but was pulled away and thrown into the wall.

  He crashed to the ground. Struggling to his feet he shook his head to fight off the exploding pain there. He let out a growl as Garret’s claws caught him in the side. Jax snapped at Garret as he laughed. Jax crouched but was taken out from the side by Sarah. Her weak attempt to pin him was easily recovered from, but her jaw locked around his foot. The pain shot up his leg and he bit the top of her neck, tearing her away from him. He crouched in the corner. Favoring the front left paw, he snarled as Garret closed in.

  “Hope you said goodbye to Kass.” He laughed and went to swipe at the downed panther, and then the phone rang.

  The entire room froze. Stephan picked up the phone, “Yes? Oh, no, I’m sorry for that. No, no, it was just the TV.” He paused. “Why would there be a fight in our room? No reason the get the authorities involved. Oh, fuck, you’re kidding me.” Another pause and Steven slammed the receiver down. “Clear out. Now, leave him. One of the other customers called the police because of the noise.”

  Jax watched as they gathered a few things and then turned to Sarah. Stephan knelt by her. “This is going to hurt sister, I promise that I’ll take care of you after.” He put a hand on her head and closed his eyes. Jax watched as the panther whined and the bones started shifting under the fur. The familiar cracks and pops told him that she was being forced back into human form, as the fur retreated he could see that her hair remained the same black color of her cat. She passed out in Stephan’s arms. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped her up in it as Garret led the way out.

  Jax closed his own eyes, calling on the human inside him. His human form swallowed his panther, but left him shaking from the pain of the injuries. Stumbling to his feet, he knew he’d attract unwanted attention stumbling naked and through the hotel, so he grabbed some discarded clothes and dressed. He searched the ruins of his clothes and found his phone. He slid open the balcony door and stepped out into the cold night air. and jumping to the street below him. Jax landed with a grunt, cradling his wrist to his chest he started to stumble down the alley, ignoring the trail of blood he left.

  A shadow appeared in front of him making Jax look up. “Lucius?”

  The vampire stepped out of the shadows and looked down at him. “Look what I found, a kitty.” He snarled down at him. “What have you been up to?”

  “Can we talk ab
out this later? I’m bleeding out.” He leaned against the alley wall. “And the cops are coming. I’d hate to have to explain all this to humans.”

  Lucius grabbed him by the shirt and flashed them back to the manor. Throwing him to the ground once they materialized, Lucius snarled down at him. “Explain. The scent of Kass’ family are all over you. What the hell have you been up to?”

  “I went to see them.”

  “Why?”

  Jax leaned his head on the floor. The cold tile against his skin helped clear his head. He calmed his breathing, trying to work through the pain. “To get them to leave Kass alone.”

  “You’ve been working for them?” Lucius knelt in front of him. After a beat of silence he grabbed a hand full of Jax’s hair and pulled his head up. “Answer me.”

  “Yes, I went back to tell them I didn’t want the job any longer. I hadn’t known that they were out to hurt Kass. I thought they just wanted their family back and you were keeping that from happening.” He glanced at the vampire. “I need help, please, I can’t heal all these wounds.”

  Lucius gave a wicked grin. “And give me a reason that I shouldn’t drain the rest of your blood.”

  “Because I didn’t know and I won’t let them hurt her. I don’t want anything to hurt her.” His cat stirred inside him, trying to hold on. “Please.”

  “You will stay away from her.” Lucius straightened and backed away. “Agreed?”

  Jax closed his eyes. The thought of staying away from Kass made a different pain spread in his chest. “Agreed.”

  The vampire disappeared and then reappeared with bandages, water and a cloth. “Stupid to go up against two shifters of that clan.”

  “Three.”

  “Three?” Lucius asked as he started with the stomach wound, cleaning the blood off and bandaging it. “Sarah was there as well then.”

  Jax tried not to arch at the pain. “Yes, she didn’t have control though, it’s almost like she was a new shifter.”

  “She’s apparently being taught control, but has spent too much time in kitty form, according to Kass.” He moved to the wound on Jax’s wrist. “Took a bite out of you, did she?”