Rise of the Moon (A Royal Shifters novel Book 3)

by L. P. Dover

  The place is called Blue Stone, and through the glass windows, I can see inside. From what I can tell, there are thousands of various stones and gems. Their magical properties call to me. It's one of the things I love about earth magic.

  Cedric nods toward the store. "Everyone told me how much you like stones, that you can put your magic in them. I was wondering if you could tell me more about it."

  I stop and look up at him curiously. "Really? That's something you're interested in?"

  He steps closer, and I can tell he's fighting the urge to touch me. At least, I'm not the only one who's feeling it. "I want to know everything about you, Laila. I'm hoping one day you'll show me what you can do."

  "Happy to. I never turn down a chance to use my magic."

  When we get inside the store, it's a magical heaven. There are stones and gems from all over the world, even rare ones I've never actually seen before. If only they had a black carmine. The girl behind the counter comes over and greets us with a smile. She has long, black hair and pale skin with almond-shaped, bright green eyes. "Hi. My name's Meredith. If you need help finding anything, let me know."

  I smile. "Thank you. We will."

  She turns away, and I walk over to the first glass case. Cedric and I circle the room, and he listens to me as I tell him about all the different stones. I half expect to bore him, but he surprises me by asking questions about every single stone. I'm impressed.

  It takes about an hour to get through the store, and when we get to the last case, I stand there amazed. It's full of rare gemstones, ones I've never actually seen in person. I hate I can't touch them, but I don't blame the owners for wanting to keep them locked up. They all come with pretty hefty price tags too. Cedric points at a stone with a rich, solid blue color and a few reflective pieces of gold pyrite mixed in. Lapis Lazuli. I've only seen it in books.

  "What magical properties does that one have?"

  "It's called Lapis Lazuli. It's known for its abilities of celestial energy and psychic vision."

  Cedric nods and smiles at me. "I like it. It reminds me of your eyes."

  Of course, I can't help but smile back. I stare at all the stones, and an idea pops into my head. I look at Cedric and then back to the rocks, curious to see if he'll play along. The earth always has a way of sending us signals.

  "Want to play a game?"

  Cedric's eyes narrow curiously. "What kind of game?"

  I point at the stones. "Pick one you think reminds you of me, and I'll do the same for you."

  He crosses his arms over his chest. "Is this a test?"

  "No," I laugh, "just curious to see what you pick."

  With pursed lips, he scans all the rocks. "Are you sure there are no wrong answers here?"

  I giggle. "Not at all."

  His gaze roams across all the stones, and I watch to see if he hovers over a specific one. The way he studies them makes me smile. I already know which one I'd choose for him and which one I'd choose for myself. Mates can hear each other's thoughts when they share blood, but I'm curious to see what all our bond can do. Closing my eyes, I picture my favorite stone in my head. A few seconds later, Cedric taps the glass case.

  "I got it." When I open my eyes and follow his line of sight, it's directly on the rose quartz. It was my mother's favorite and mine. He looks at me and grins. "How did I do?"

  My heart thumps wildly in my chest. Out of all the hundreds of stones, I honestly didn't think he'd pick the one. "How did you do that?" I ask in awe.

  His brows furrow. "What do you mean?"

  I point at the rose quartz. "Why did you decide on that one? What did you feel?"

  Averting his gaze, he concentrates on the stone, almost as if he's in a trance. "Love," he murmurs. That's precisely what he was supposed to feel. He blinks quickly and turns to me. "It's the first stone I felt a connection to. I looked at all the others, but I kept going back to that one."

  "So, love is what you felt?"

  He stares back at it. "Yeah, but it was different. I don't know how to explain it. It wasn't my feelings, but something else."

  What amazes me is that he didn't even have to touch the stone to experience my thoughts. Unconditional love, compassion, and healing are the magical properties of the rose quartz. It's what I had in my mind when I told him to choose. If our connection starts this strong, it makes me wonder what it'll be like tomorrow or even next week. It all seems so quick, but standing next to Cedric, it's like I've known him my whole life. The thought terrifies me. As long as I withhold the truth from him, I'm putting him in danger. But yet, the inner war within myself keeps me from going to the Land of the Fae. Both my shifter side and fae side are substantial. Neither one is more powerful than the other. I can't seem to make the choice.

  "I understand what you're saying," I whisper.

  "It's your turn now. Although I have a feeling, I know which one you'd choose."

  I stare up into his eyes. "Which one?"

  He points at the black tourmaline, my exact choice. "That one. I don't exactly see myself in any of the other girly colored stones in this case."

  A laugh escapes my lips. He's right. Cedric is strong and powerful, an alpha wolf in his own right. "You picked correct. The black tourmaline is a stone of strength, protection, and security." If only I could use it to protect me from Dorian. It's not used for protection against magical creatures. The black carmine is.

  "And why did you pick that one for me?" he asks, his eyes searching mine.

  Every time I look into his eyes, I find myself getting lost in them like I could stare into them for hours. "I feel safe with you," I confess truthfully.

  He takes my hand and pulls me closer. "I'm glad. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

  The breath hitches in my lungs. "Looks like we're off to a good start then."

  "Seems so," he murmurs. He nods toward the door. "Want to grab something to eat? We can talk more if you want."

  My stomach growls, and we both laugh. "Sounds good to me," I say. "We spent the past hour talking about me. It's time I learn more about you."

  The way he smiles is genuine, but I can tell there's a sadness to it. "Hopefully, you won't be disappointed."

  Holding his hand, I squeeze it reassuringly. "I don't think that's possible."

  We walk out the door, and Meredith waves, wishing for us to have a good night. I take one step away from the store, but something tells me to go back inside—Cedric's brows furrow with concern. "You okay?" he asks.

  Letting his hand go, I glance back into the shop. "Do you mind giving me a minute? There's a stone I'm looking for. It won't take long." Explaining to him why I'm looking for it is the problem. It's a good thing we haven't shared blood yet, or he'd be able to read my mind.

  Cedric nods and opens the door for me. "I'll wait for you out here."

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I hurry up to the counter, and Meredith smiles. "Back already?"

  "I'm curious," I say as I look around at all the different cases filled with stones. "I noticed you had some rare stones here. You wouldn't, by any chance, have a black carmine, would you?"

  Her eyes widen. "I do. No one has ever asked for it."

  My mouth drops, and I suck in a breath. "Did I just hear you, right?"

  Meredith giggles. "Yes. I keep it in the safe. It's costly."

  "Last I heard, no one has come across it in centuries. How did you get it?"

  She beams. "My dad dug it up years ago in Thailand. He couldn't believe his eyes." Her gaze turns sad. "Now that he's gone, I opened up this shop to make some money. Don't get me wrong, I love these stones, and they remind me of my dad, but I don't have a use for them."

  Heart racing, I grab my checkbook out of my purse, and Meredith stares at me as if I've lost my mind. I said I would never use the Sierra pack's money, but this is an exception. It's being used for something good.

  "I want to buy it," I say, ready to write the check.

  Meredith clears her throat. "It's thr
ee hundred thousand dollars."

  A slow smile spreads across my face. "Done." I scribble everything out on the check and hand it to her. "I'll be more than happy to wait while you verify the funds."

  She picks up the phone and dials the number for the bank. By the look on her face, she's skeptical. Then again, I would be too if someone handed me a three hundred-thousand-dollar check. A few seconds later, she gets the approval and smiles at me before disappearing into a back room. When she comes back, she hands me a small, black velvet bag. I open it and let the stone fall into my hand. The beauty of it takes my breath away. It's smooth and black with red swirls, almost like a fire is coursing through it. I can already feel its power protecting me.

  "Thank you," I breathe. "This is exactly what I need."

  It feels like a huge weight has lifted off my shoulders. If Cedric hadn't taken me to the stone shop, I never would've found the black carmine. What are the odds of that? What's even better is that I can feel the stone working its magic, like an invisible shield surrounds me. If I concentrate on it, I can see it. It's like a mist of sorts, swirling around me. I showed the stone to Cedric and told him it's something I've always wanted. When the time is right, I'll let him know the truth, but not tonight. Everything is going so well.

  We end up eating dinner at the Snake River Grill. My barbecue chicken pizza was amazing, and I ate the entire thing. Hence, the reason why I suggested we take a long walk through the town square. It's even more beautiful at night with all the Christmas lights twinkling everywhere. Cedric told me stories about him and Ryker growing up and how Seraphina was like a mother to them both. I stayed away from the topics of his parents. The pain of their loss went deep with him. I never knew my mother, but I feel close to her having her journals. It's like she's right here with me. He doesn't have anything like that.

  "Think you can drink some hot chocolate after all that pizza?" Cedric teases.

  I smack his arm, loving how playful he can be. "Hey, you ate your whole pizza too. I don't want to hear it."

  He chuckles. "I only did it to keep up with you."

  I'm proud of myself for eating the entire pizza. The look on the waiter's face every time he came to refill our drinks was priceless. "What can I say? I love to eat," I tease back.

  Cedric peers down at me and smiles. "It's sexy."

  Not only does the heat rise to my cheeks, but I feel it in other parts of my body as well. Damn the bond. It's going to have me going crazy before the night's up. No wonder mates can't stay away from each other. It's almost an addicting feeling.

  Clearing my throat, I look toward the café where two ladies are out front, handing out the hot chocolate. "Didn't you say something about hot chocolate?" I ask, nodding toward the line of people waiting for their chocolatey drinks.

  Cedric smirks, no doubt sensing what he's doing to me. "That I did. Lead the way."

  We stand in line, and we both get large cups of hot chocolate with mounds of whipped cream on top. I take a sip of mine and moan; it's heaven. Cedric laughs under his breath and watches me. "This isn't the first time you've had hot chocolate, is it?"

  I shake my head. "I used to make my own. The Sierra pack kept me under lock and key most of the time, but I never went without. They gave me anything I wanted."

  Cedric's gaze darkens. "Except freedom."

  "Exactly," I murmur.

  We walk a little more through the town square until we finish our hot chocolate. I can sense the turmoil inside of Cedric, like a battle he's torn between. Sometimes I wish I could hear his thoughts, but then we'd have to share blood to get to that point. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. My body is, but I don't know if my heart is, however. There's still the threat of Dorian, but I'm hoping the black carmine will keep him from finding me. If it does, then I don't have to run away to the Land of the Fae. I can stay with my family and friends. The only problem now is deciding what I'm willing to sacrifice. If I mate with Cedric, I could lose my magic, but we'll both suffer if I don't mate with him. It's a gamble, and I really wish I had the answers. No full-blooded shifter has ever been mated to a half-shifter, half-fae mixed breed. No one knows what's going to happen to us.

  Cedric pulls out his phone and looks at the time. "It's getting late. I should probably get you home." We walk slowly back to his truck, and he reaches down to hold my hand. His skin is warm, and I love the current that flows through his body to mine. "What are you doing tomorrow?" he asks as he glances down at me, grinning mischievously, "other than beating the shit out of Sebastian and Micah when you train with them in the morning."

  Tilting my head back, I laugh. "Yeah, that'll be fun." Even though they are fifty times stronger than me physically. "Afterwards," I continue, "I have nothing planned. I just have a couple more drawings to finish for my dad's client, but we don't meet with him for another few days." We stop at his truck, and he opens the passenger's side door for me. "Why do you ask?" I add.

  Cedric waits for me to hop inside, so I let his hand go, and he moves closer. I love how he smells, and I breathe him in, wishing I was still touching him. "You can say no if you want, but I was wondering if you'd like to come to work with me? I know you like to hike, and this way, we can be together."

  I don't have to think twice. "I'd love to. You can show me what all you do for work."

  The smile that lights up his face, warms my heart. "All right, I'll pick you up in the morning after your training." He shuts my door and goes around the front of the truck to his side. I wish the ride back to my cabin was longer, but it only takes us a few minutes. Amelie and Faith's cars are in the driveway when we pull up, and I can see them inside at the kitchen table, playing cards. I get out of the truck, and Cedric walks with me to the front porch.

  We stop at the door and face each other, the desire to be closer stronger than ever. Cedric puts his hands in his pockets and stares down at me, his eyes searching mine. "I'll be close if you need me tonight."

  I look out at the woods and then back to him, hating the idea of him being out there all night. When you're a protector, I know it's what you do, but I don't like it. Micah is always around for Faith, but he lives so close he can be here at the drop of a hat if something were to happen. Cedric's house is a little further away.

  With a heavy sigh, I shake my head. "Cedric, I don't feel right with you staying out here all night. It's not fair to you."

  His lips pull up in a wolfy grin. "I'm a wolf, Laila. Being outside doesn't bother me."

  "Yeah, well, it bothers me. I hated the thought of my dad being out here, and I don't like it with you. Why don't you just stay here and sleep on the couch? It'll make me feel better, at least."

  Cedric looks away. "I can't do that."

  "Yes, you can," Faith yells from inside. "You and I both know you want to." Cedric jerks his attention to Faith, who is now at the window, batting her eyelashes innocently. Faith gives him a smug grin and nods at me. It takes all I have to hide my smile.

  "Laila can make you stay with that magic of hers. I'm surprised she hasn't used it on you yet."

  Cedric lifts his brows at me and crosses his arms over his chest, almost as if he's daring me. "Seriously? I'd like to see you try," he replies, grinning slyly.

  Looking over at Faith, her mouth drops. "Oh my God, I can't believe you just said that." She meets my gaze and winks. "What are you thinking, Laila? Maybe a little snow action?"

  Now it's my turn to grin wickedly. I focus back on Cedric, who stands his ground on my front porch. "If you want to run, that's fine with me," I say, goading him. "I can catch you."

  Cedric snorts. "I don't run away from anything."

  Lifting my hands, I summon the earth's magic all around me. "Just figured I'd give you time to get away." In a quick gust of wind, the snow circulates all around Cedric. It looks like a tornado.

  Cedric doesn't even have time to move before the snow starts to build up on his body and freeze. "What … the … hell," he shouts, trying to move. The lower half of his
body is frozen, and the ice is quickly moving up to his chest. Faith opens the front door, clearly astonished by the look on her face. She hurries out onto the front porch, followed by Amelie. Now, the ice is all the way up to Cedric's neck.

  Amelie covers her mouth with her hand. "Wow."

  Once the ice goes up Cedric's neck, I stand back and smile. "Go ahead. Try to break free."

  The muscles in his jaw clench, and he grunts a few times, clearly trying to get loose and failing. The ice will hold firm for as long as I will it to. Cedric looks down at me and huffs. "Damn, woman. You got me. It looks like I'm staying."

  Amelie moves over to me, her voice just a whisper in my ear. "Don't let him fool you. We all know he wanted to stay." Even I could sense the desire in him when I asked him to. Who am I kidding? I feel the same way.

  Faith and Amelie snicker and walk back inside together while I keep Cedric frozen. I walk up to him, curious as to why he refused to stay. "Why did you say no?" I ask in all seriousness.

  Cedric looks down at me and sighs. "Because I'm trying to respect you, Laila. I don't know how the bond affects you with you only being half shifter, but to me, it's stronger than anything I've ever felt. The need to touch you is almost unbearable. It's taken every ounce of control I have not to kiss you tonight. The more I'm around you, the harder it is to keep my hands to myself. Why do you think I kept them in my pockets when I wasn't holding your hand?"

  With a snap of my fingers, the ice breaks apart and turns back into the snow. It swirls around Cedric and then whooshes back to the ground in front of the house. He watches it all in utter fascination. It feels good showing him what I can do.

  Closing the distance between us, I take his hands in mine. His eyes flash with need, and he looks away. "The bond is strong with me too, Cedric. It's not one-sided."

  He breathes a sigh of relief and follows me inside the house. I can hear the words thank God mumbled under his breath. I'm so close to telling him the truth, but I can't bring myself to do it. I don't think there will ever be a right time to say to him that another man wants me, that he wants to take me away to the Land of the Fae, which is in another realm, and also, that a dark fae by the name of Dorian is searching for people like me to start a fae war. Cedric is a wolf, and there's only one way a shifter knows how to deal with things like that, especially when it has to do with their mate. Bloodshed. I've seen too much of it, and I'm not ready to see any more.