Blood Moon (Entangled Select Otherworld)

by Lisa Kessler

  “It might be easier for Gareth if he had some closure.”

  “We’ve known him a little longer than you have.” Jason leaned closer again. “Can we talk about something else?”

  I nodded. “Sorry, I was just curious.”

  “That’s okay.” He poured more wine into our glasses. “Gareth needs some space right now. We all try to stay out of his way and leave the past alone.”

  We spent the rest of our dinner lost in awkward small talk. The steak was delicious, but I wished I could enjoy the company more. A single doctor, with the body of a Greek god, sat across from me at a candlelit table, and all I could think about was a greasy-fingered motorcycle mechanic.

  I refrained from smacking my own forehead.

  When we got back to my apartment, Jason walked me to the door and smiled. “I had a nice time tonight.”

  “Me too.” Which was true. Sort of. “Want to come inside?”

  He slid his hand around my waist, and I waited for some kind of tingle or spark of desire to light up my bloodstream. He bent closer to me until his breath caressed my skin. Why didn’t I feel anything? I tilted my chin up, and he kissed me, long and slow.

  I wanted my knees to go weak, my pulse to race, and my skin to ache to be touched. Apparently my body didn’t care what I wanted.

  Jason broke the kiss, resting his forehead against mine. “We should go inside.”

  Nodding, I unlocked the door. As soon as it closed behind us, I ran my hands up his chest and our lips fused together. Nothing was slow or soft. Our tongues swirled in a sensual dance that I wished my body would pick up on while I explored his chiseled torso with my fingers. He growled into the kiss and something inside me fluttered.

  He stroked my hair, crushing my mouth against his. Walking me backward toward the couch, Jason pushed me down onto it without breaking the kiss. He held me tight with one strong arm, moving the other hand up my body possessively until it slid along my ribs and he cupped my breast.

  Another flutter, but that was all.

  What was wrong with me? I wanted this. I’d only had sex with one guy in college and that relationship ended over six months ago before I ever came to Reno. Now my days were numbered, and I didn’t want that to be the last time I ever made love. Jason cared about me.

  Why wouldn’t my body respond?

  His hips pressed hard against mine, making it plain how badly he wanted me. This was so unfair.

  I broke the kiss and shook my head. “I’m sorry.”

  He opened his eyes while I drowned in the passion that flowed off of him in hot waves. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know.” Truth. “I’m probably just tired.” Oh I hoped that was all it was.

  Jason sat up, rolling his shoulders back as if he could push away his desire and save it for another day. But his struggle to rein in his lust and hurt was impossible to hide from my empathic powers.

  I felt like a total ass. “It’s not you, Jason. I just…”

  He shook his head and took my hand. “You shifted into a wolf for the first time in your life last night.” He pressed a kiss to the back of my fingers. “Your body has probably been through enough in the past twenty-four hours.”

  His kindness and understanding made me feel even worse. At least if he’d turned into a raging jerk, I could’ve been angry.

  “I didn’t mean to lead you on.”

  He shrugged. “Sorry I came on so strong.” Jason brought his hand up to cup my cheek. “You’re worth waiting for, Nadya.” He stood and started to leave. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” It looked like he might say something else, but instead he reached for the door. “Sleep well.”

  The door closed and I flopped back onto the couch. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to sleep again.

  Chapter Four

  Gareth

  “Thanks for coming by so late.”

  “I’m a realtor. No regular hours for me.” He added a note into his cell phone. “I’ll set the meeting for five p.m. tomorrow.”

  I tried to look like I cared. “Sounds good, Russ.”

  He leaned against the workbench and put his legal pad aside. “This buyer is motivated. He’s got a bundle to spend before he owes it to capital gains, and on top of that, he loves motorcycles.”

  “I’m not budging on the price.” I looked up from the spokes I was polishing. “And I want a fast escrow.”

  Russ started to smile and picked up his pad again. “You’ll be in Colorado before you know it.”

  “Perfect.” I wiped my hands and stood to walk him out.

  “See you tomorrow.” We shared a firm handshake, and I watched him get in his Mercedes as I locked the front door.

  If anyone had told me a year ago that I’d be selling Takoda Motorcycle Restoration, I never would have believed them. Never. Part of me still couldn’t believe it. This was my baby, my everything.

  But things changed.

  The black Road King gleamed under the track lighting. I didn’t even know if it started anymore. Gabe’s bike. He used to razz me about my ‘65 Electra-Glide. How could I pick up chicks with an antique that only had seating for one?

  I grabbed a dust rag and polished the gas tank, while the knot in my chest tightened until I clenched my teeth to keep from shouting about how unfucking fair the world could be. This was why I needed to get out of Reno. Too many memories. Reminders of my brother lurked around every corner. And guilt wasn’t far behind.

  I should’ve been with him that night.

  He’d been out patrolling. New moon nights were always dangerous. While we got our power from the wolf and shifted during the full moon, jaguar shifters changed during the moonless new moon, opposite of the Pack.

  Over the years, jaguar assassins from Nero had killed humans in Reno just for sport, leaving mutilated bodies in the open. We were left cleaning up the mess in order to keep our existence secret from the human population.

  We grew up learning to defend ourselves and protect our territory from outsiders that might threaten to expose our kind to the human world. The Pack was family. We fought and argued sometimes, but when the chips were down, we always had each other’s backs.

  But I didn’t have Gabe’s. He’d been alone that night.

  Jesus, I need to get out of this place. I pushed my bike out into the garage and popped the door open. Some cool night air, the roar of the engine, and a heavy dose of speed were just what the doctor ordered.

  The automatic door rolled up slowly as I swung my leg over the bike and pulled on my black leather gloves. Outside, I noticed a pair of tennis shoes and as the door rose higher, shapely legs in skinny jeans came into focus, until Nadya stood in plain sight. So much for escape. Damn it.

  “Are you on your way out? I can come back later.” The breeze tugged at her dark hair and she tried to tame it behind her ear. “I shouldn’t have stopped by without calling or something. Sorry about that.” She glanced at her shoes. “I’ll just go.”

  I groaned. No doubt this gorgeous empath sensed my annoyance the second the door opened. Running my gloved hand down my face, I wrestled with what came next. Her personal questions were the last thing I needed right now. I should’ve waited for her to turn around and walk herself back home.

  But it was after ten at night. I couldn’t let her go alone. It didn’t matter that she was a werewolf now and probably very capable of protecting herself. Bottom line, sending her home alone late at night went against every lesson my father instilled in me as a boy.

  I cleared my throat. “Is everything okay?”

  She stopped and met my gaze. I’m no psychic, but I didn’t need to be to recognize the sadness and pain on her face. What happened? This was the girl who knew death had her number and smiled anyway. My gut twisted.

  “I’m fine.” She shrugged, breaking eye contact. “Just couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to worry everyone.”

  Almost forgot I was her go-to, don’t-give-a-shit wolf. I took a slow breath and rolled my shoulders b
ack. “I’m about to go for a ride. Want to come?”

  Oh shit. What was happening here? I couldn’t reel the words back in now that I’d witnessed the smile on her face. That damned dimple in her cheek sent my better judgment out the window.

  “I’d love to! I haven’t been on a motorcycle since I was a little girl riding behind my dad.” She came closer and stared at my Harley. “There’s nowhere to sit.”

  “Can you ride on your own?”

  Was I seriously going to let her anywhere near Gabe’s bike?

  “I’ve never done it before, but I probably could.”

  Probably could after some lessons. Shit.

  I got off my bike and went back inside. Standing in front of Gabe’s Road King, I was grateful my leather gloves were already on, hiding the way my hands trembled. This shouldn’t bother me. My brother was gone. Immortalizing his bike like a museum artifact wouldn’t bring him back.

  In fact, Gabe would probably be pissed that his bike hadn’t roared in almost a year.

  I turned toward Nadya. “Some ground rules for tonight.”

  Wariness shadowed her eyes. “All right.”

  “No questions about my family. I’m riding to mellow out, not drudge up memories.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I waited for her answer. Maybe I wouldn’t have to touch Gabe’s bike after all.

  “Deal.” She nodded.

  “Fine.” I went into my shop and came back with a modular helmet. I hated the damned things, but it would cover her entire head, face, and chin. Safety first. I also brought her a pair of leather gloves and a leather jacket. “Put these on. It’ll be cold at the lake tonight.”

  “We’re going up to Tahoe?” She pulled the jacket on and started on the gloves.

  “No. Pyramid Lake.”

  Tugging on her second glove, she reached for the helmet. “I’ve never heard of it. Is it far?”

  “Not really.” Holy shit, she looked amazing in leather. Damn. I ground my teeth together to rein in the unwelcome surge of lust. Remembering she was dying turned out to be the cold shower I needed. “It’s on the Paiute Reservation about forty-five minutes away.”

  I tipped the Road King up, knocking the kickstand back while I gauged the weight. I’d only ridden Gabe’s bike once, after I fixed the suspension and replaced the shocks. Never thought I’d be rolling it out again.

  Never thought I’d be taking anyone to Pyramid Lake, either.

  Nadya followed me out of the garage, putting on her helmet. I lowered the door and got on the black Road King. Sitting on the bike, I stared at the key in the ignition. Gabe’s key.

  “Ready?”

  Her voice broke my fixation on the keys. I was ready for plenty, but a ride to the lake with Nadya on my brother’s bike wasn’t high on that list. Probably should’ve thought about that before I invited her along.

  “Yeah, climb on.” I offered my gloved hand to steady her while she swung her leg over the back. She slid into place, and even through the damned leather jacket I could feel her soft curves against my back. “All set?”

  “Yep.” Her voice was clear and closer to my ear than I expected.

  I grabbed my black no-nonsense half helmet and snapped it on. She slid her gloved hands around my waist, and my pulse throbbed below my belt. My body had missed the memo that this wasn’t a date.

  Death had his eye on this girl, and I’d already had more than my share of loss.

  I turned the key and fired up the engine. The Road King roared to life as if it hadn’t been sitting dormant for months. I glanced up toward the stars, toward my brother. The world had lost a bright light when he was murdered.

  And still no justice. No one in the Pack even mentioned Gabe anymore, let alone hunted his killer.

  Not that I asked them to. What if killing Gabe’s murderer didn’t make the pain go away? For now, the thought of justice gave me a flicker of hope. I wasn’t willing to give that up. Moving to Colorado would be a new start. No more ghosts around every curve.

  “Hang on.” I put the bike in gear and we roared into the darkness.

  …

  The lonely two-lane highway leading to Pyramid Lake was deserted at this hour. I let out the throttle, the cool wind stinging my face. I leaned into the turns, surprised to feel my passenger moving with me. Nadya’s dad had taught her well. We rolled through the reservation bathed in the eerie light of the nearly full moon.

  Since I turned fifteen, the lake had always been my personal serenity, the one place that could calm the turbulence inside my soul. After Gabe and I lost our parents, I spent many nights watching the reflection of the moon and stars on the lake’s surface. During the day, I kept a stiff upper lip. As Gabe’s older brother by a half hour or so, it fell to me to look after him. He counted on me to be strong. Child services had come knocking, but Malcolm Sloan, Adam’s dad and our Pack Alpha, offered to “foster” us. He signed documents, and I made sure my brother went to school, turned in homework, and kept his nose clean. Malcolm used to worry I had to grow up too soon, but what could I do? My father was gone. Responsibility fell to the oldest.

  Me.

  Coming over the final rise, my passenger yelled over the howling wind. “It’s beautiful. Even in the dark.”

  I nodded, resisting the urge to shout in reply. Without turning to face her, she probably wouldn’t hear me anyway, even with her new werewolf hearing. I’d have to wait until we got to my turn out off the highway so I could stop.

  My mom used to bring us to Pyramid Lake as boys. And after she died, her presence sparkled on the salt water and up in the sky. This was my solitary refuge.

  And now I was sharing it.

  What the hell was wrong with me?

  I rode south near the lake’s edge toward the tribal museum building, breathing in the clean, cool air, but clearing my head proved impossible with Nadya’s arms around me. My heightened sense of smell wasn’t helping. Each time I inhaled, her scent teased me. The woman smelled like sunshine and cinnamon. How was that even possible?

  On some level it made sense. There wasn’t a simple way to describe Nadya. I’d never met another woman like her.

  I slowed and pulled off the highway. The gravelly dirt road made it tricky to navigate with the added weight of a passenger behind me. With the bike in neutral, I put my feet down on either side, rolling us closer to the water’s edge before popping the kickstand and cutting the engine. Nadya got off first and then I swung my leg over. She pulled her helmet free, letting her long, dark hair fall loose around her face as she stared out at the water. For a second, I forgot to breathe. Her profile in the moonlight, the wind gently pulling at her hair, it all called to me.

  She wasn’t anything like the women I usually dated.

  Not that I dated much.

  Not at all since that night.

  I ground my teeth together and hung my helmet on the handlebars. “Nice spot, huh?”

  She nodded, sliding the leather gloves off and stowing them inside her helmet. “Nice is an understatement. It’s almost…otherworldly.”

  I took her helmet and set it on the seat of the bike. “That’s a good description for it. This is a sacred place for my mother’s tribe. My tribe.” I pointed toward the white pyramid, gleaming in the moonlight. “That’s the Stone Mother down there. She created this lake with her tears.”

  I watched her face for any sign of judgment. Some people were quick to roll their eyes at the stories of our old ones. Those people pissed me off.

  Nadya tucked her hair behind her ear. “Your mother was Paiute?” She cringed and shook her head. “Sorry. I forgot. No questions about your family.”

  She almost made me smile. Dangerous territory. But after my meeting tomorrow with the potential buyers for my garage, I’d be making a run for Colorado. Between my impending move and her health situation, there was a better than average chance I’d never see Nadya again after tonight.

  I could handle one night.

  A flashlight beam cut t
hrough the darkness. I spun on my heel, alert and ready. Light blinded me, shining directly in my face. A deep growl rumbled from my throat.

  “Gareth?”

  Relief washed over my tense shoulders. “Chloe. It’s me.”

  She stood all of five feet tall with wiry silver hair and a smile that warmed you all the way to your toes. Her dark eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she wrapped me in a tiny bear hug I had to bend over to receive.

  “My little Osa!” She pulled back, clutching my arms. Good grip for a woman in her seventies, and probably the only person left on earth who got away with calling me “little.” “It has been way too long. Where have you been hiding?”

  “Not hiding.” I shrugged. “Just busy.” I tipped my head toward Nadya. “Chloe, this is my friend, Nadya.”

  Chloe grinned and took Nadya’s hand in both of hers. “Nice to meet you.” Her eyes darted between us. “My Osa has never brought a woman to meet the Stone Mother.”

  I groaned. “I’ve never brought anyone out here, Chloe.”

  “Actually…” Nadya smiled, her gaze meeting mine over the top of Chloe’s head. “I invited myself along tonight.”

  Chloe shook her head. “I am Gareth’s godmother. My little wolf has a nasty habit of keeping everyone at a distance. If he didn’t want your company tonight, you wouldn’t be here.”

  I wasn’t sure how true that was. Chloe hadn’t seen the sadness in Nadya’s eyes earlier. Even I wasn’t heartless enough to leave her behind.

  Nadya stepped back, glancing toward the pyramid. “Since you’re here, I’d love to hear the story of the Stone Mother. Gareth told me her tears made the lake.”

  Chloe practically beamed. I sighed and stared up at the stars. We were going to be here for a while.

  Chapter Five

  Nadya

  Gareth stepped closer to the water’s edge, excusing himself from the story. He’d probably heard it a million times anyway. I tried to keep in mind that he’d only brought me here tonight because I showed up on his doorstep like a lost puppy.

  At least this way, he’d get some of the peace he’d been yearning for.