Bound by the Moon (The Ancients Series Book 4)

by Christine M. Butler

  “Wait, the sister who Natalia and Evan worked with in Romania?”

  “The very one.” Serena confirmed

  “Serena, did you do what I said to make certain you weren’t followed?” Avery asked.

  “Evan was already on top of all that business before I could even suggest it.” I could hear the humor in her voice then. “I have not felt the presence of a dark one for some time already, but we will continue to be vigilant as we travel the rest of our route, I promise.”

  “So, you’re taking Evan and Natalia to see your sister, Gwyn; and you have another sister, Layla who knows about the portals and where to find them?” My mother was trying to confirm.

  “That is correct, Eileen.”

  “You certainly have a busy family, Serena.” Leave it to my mother to bring up the fact that Serena’s sisters seem to be involved in all the mishaps that surrounded the local packs.

  “Well, there were seven us altogether. I suppose when you have that many witches from a family hanging about for so many years, they’re bound to make ripples here and there.”

  “I do wish they had directed their ripples elsewhere,” I mumbled.

  “As do I, child.” Serena offered.

  I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, but I didn’t need to look to see that it was Mikael standing behind me. I noticed when he, Sierra, and her son came in. One look around the table, and Sierra took the babies upstairs to my old room, so they wouldn’t make a fuss in the middle of our impromptu meeting. The squeeze from Mikael’s hand on my shoulder brought my attention back to focus on the room around me. One thing in particular drew my attention, and that was the fact that Gabriel was still staring at me like I was the greatest thing since sliced bread, or maybe like I was lunch. It was odd, and as much as I didn’t like it, Mikael’s vice-like grip on my shoulder proved I wasn’t the only one to notice.

  “Can I help you?” He asked the hunter, but Gabriel just smiled before turning away. “There’s something off about him.” Mikael tucked me further into his arms as he spoke softly. “I don’t want you around him alone, you hear me?”

  “You’ll get no arguments from me on that one.”

  “Good.”

  The front door opened then, and Asi walked in looking a little worse for the wear. It appeared he had news to share too, as he found my father and tipped his head toward the office. Jameson and Avery both followed Asi in, but I was too tired. If they meant for me to hear the news they would bring it back out to the room the rest of us were in, or they would call me back. Until one of those things happened, I was just going to sit still, and hope that some good news actually made it down the pipeline at some point today. I was growing tired of the constant intrigue, worry, and hope that another devastating kidnapping, maiming, or worse would happen again.

  I realized, a little late, that Avery had hung up the phone, so Serena was absent from the conversation now. Actually, I was okay with that, because it was one less person to have to worry about upsetting when I closed my eyes momentarily.

  When the men finally emerged from the kitchen again my father was white as a sheet. He nodded to Mikael, and even that slight gesture caught everyone’s attention. “Dad, can you just spit it out, here?”

  “Jess, I really didn’t want to add to what you already have to worry about with all this…” he indicated everyone sitting around the living room.

  “Listen, I know there’s a point when things pile up and it becomes too much, but I promise, I’m not there yet. So, let me have it. What else happened? Is it another girl? Did the patrols find something?”

  It wasn’t my dad who spoke up. Instead Asi came forward, “the patrols found something all right. It seems that those who were confined in the Locks may have had help getting out recently.”

  “How in the hell is that even possible?” I questioned.

  “Freedman’s pack. Well, what’s left of them, aided in the breech. We have men there now investigating things, but I think Mikael and I should be on site as soon as possible to help track down any of the escapees. We’re not even sure how many there may be yet.” Asi answered.

  “When do you leave?”

  “We should be gone at first light. We have a lot of ground to cover, but we don’t want to start running off on wild goose chases all night. Our men are searching the locks and the rest of the area, trying to get an accurate body count.”

  “Fantastic.” I turned back to Mikael then, and pulled on him to get him to walk outside with me. “Is it selfish of me to say I don’t want you to go?” I asked once we were out on the porch by ourselves.

  He gave me an admonishing look then. “I would stay if I could, baby, but I have selfish reasons for wanting to go.”

  “What? So you can be the hero?”

  “Kind of, but not for the reasons you’re thinking. I haven’t forgotten who we locked away in that place. If either of those women get out, you know they’ll be hell bent on revenge for a slew of reasons, and maybe they found a way to make friends down there who could help them. I’m not willing to risk that. I’m not willing to risk you being a target for yet another person. It’s killing me that I can’t take you somewhere and lock you and Willow away with me a safe little bubble somewhere. I just need to know you’ll be okay, and part of that, is going to look for the escapees.”

  “I get it.” I whispered, voice too full of emotion to get much more out. “I love you for it, even though I don’t’ want you gone.”

  “I know, babe. I promise to be careful though.”

  DARKNESS COMES

  “So, did we manage to find out if anyone actually escaped or who it might have been?” I asked after Mikael went back in to check on things.

  “No, we aren’t certain of who got out. We know someone did though, there was evidence of both paw and foot prints at the site. Clearly, a couple of them shifted, and walked out of the area in their wolf form. We’re not sure if the foot prints are from people who aided them, from the hunter that was there, or what. That’s why we need to go check for ourselves.”

  “Does Ashley know that Asi’s going?”

  “He’s on his way to go tell her, Jess.”

  “Okay, well, I’m going to head over there to see her once you guys leave then. I don’t think there’s anything else that I can do right now anyway.”

  My father walked up about that time too. “I just came to see you and Asi off this morning,” he said to Mikael.

  “Thanks, I appreciate it, Jameson.”

  “I also wanted to let Jess know that I’m putting a security detail on her and Willow.” He turned to address me directly then. “The detail is to go wherever you go.”

  One look at Mikael’s face told me he was in complete agreement with my father. “Fine. Everywhere, but in my house then.”

  “Jess..” My father started.

  “No. I have to draw the line somewhere. I won’t have a constant invasive presence in our lives. I won’t have my daughter growing up feeling like a prisoner, and I certainly don’t want that for myself either. It gives me the creeps to know someone is watching us, even if it is for our own good. I’ve been caged up one too many times before to want to live with guards surrounding my house inside and out. No. Just no.”

  “Fine. They will sweep the house prior to you entering, then. Knowing what we know, we have to take every possible precaution we can.”

  Mikael stepped in at that point. “They can sweep the house, just until I get back. When I’m here, they don’t enter for any reason, other than sounds of duress.”

  “Need I remind the two of you that Clarissa and Annabelle were both in the locks, and you’re the reason they were put there?” My father questioned. He didn’t stop there though. “Or do you need reminding of the fact that the dark ones are hunting for a woman who looks just like you to drain her on a specific site, possibly to open a gateway between the world of the living and the dead. Hell, the possibilities in that scenario alone are frightening enough.”

&nbs
p; “I understand all of that, and still, I’ve been held captive enough times to know I don’t want to do it again. Not even if it is for my own good. Having invited guests in my home is one thing, but a security detail following Mikael, Willow, and I about our daily duties is far too intrusive. We’ve lived through that before, and I won’t stand for it now.”

  “Jess,” Mikael began as he walked toward me. “I won’t push you to have them in our home, because I completely understand, but in a way… this isn’t just about you or even me. It’s about the rest of the people we look after, and their safety if you are captured.”

  “Uggh, Fine!” I relented. “They can do a sweep before I enter, but then I want them out.” I watched as wordless war was waged between the looks on my father’s face and those of Mikael’s. After a while, they both backed down a bit.

  “Jess, you can have it your way, for now. If we feel the need to step up security later, I won’t hesitate.” My father dictated before stomping back into his house.

  Mikael and I went back in, and upstairs to grab Willow from Sierra. “I wish you would reconsider allowing the security team to stay closer to you guys while I am away.”

  “No. Damn it, Mikael, you know how I feel about that. I might as well be back in Sophia’s cage with Zach leering at me through the bars.” Mikael winced at that, but I didn’t need to make him feel better in that moment, I needed him to understand why I couldn’t be under that close watchful eye. “I won’t be able to breathe like that.”

  “I know.” He sighed into my hair as he pulled me into a hug. “I just don’t know what else to do to make sure you’re safe while I’m gone.”

  “I’ll have Ashley, Sierra, and little Jack come stay with us if it will make you feel better. I’m sure Ashley will be going stir-crazy without Asi nearby anyway.”

  “Okay, that works, and I’m sure Asi will feel better about that situation too.”

  “Good, it’s settled. Let’s get our daughter home and to bed, so we can enjoy the rest of our time together before you have to go.”

  ~*~

  “We rock this parenting thing.” Mikael whispered to me as he closed the door to Willow’s room almost all the way shut. “I don’t know what all these parents are talking about when they complain about lack of sleep. She’s awesome!”

  “Maybe, Willow knows her mom and dad are stressed enough.” I untied my robe, so that it hung loose on me as we entered our bedroom. Mikael noticed right away, and gave a little tug so that the robe fell down my arms, and clung to my body for a moment before I straightened and let it slip the rest of the way off.

  “So, I was thinking…” Mikael came up behind me in one smooth motion, and leaned in to kiss my shoulder. “About that security detail.”

  “What about it?” My answer must have sounded too serious for him because he immediately re-doubled his efforts, nibbling at my neck until he elicited a moan from me.

  “I worry when I have to be away from you.” He kissed his way up to my ear, stubble scraping across the sensitive skin around the areas he kissed. “I hate to worry,” he whispered into my ear before he tugged my earlobe playfully with his teeth.

  “Is this supposed to be you seducing me into heavier security while you’re gone?”

  “No, this…” he kissed along my jaw, until he finally came up just to my lips. “is me starting negotiations.” He planted the tiniest of kisses on my lips before he pulled back and started to walk away.

  “Oh no you don’t! You don’t get to start something like that, and just walk away!” I hissed at him as I turned to see him disappear into our bathroom.

  “Technically, I think you started it, disrobing the way you did.” His voice sent chills all over my body, even though he was being nonchalant with his ‘hard to get’ routine.

  “You’re a horrible man!” I sat on the bed naked as the day I was born, bottom lip poked out, and pouted. He stuck his head around the corner and laughed. Meanwhile, I managed to toss a pretty nasty glare his way before he sauntered over to me, his lack of clothing now matching my own. The wonderful thing about a naked man was that they couldn’t hide their attraction. He was definitely just as affected by what had already been started as I was. “Oh, this just became too easy,” I mumbled to myself.

  “What was that, love?”

  “Nothing.” I slithered off the bed, and trailed my fingers around on his chest as I walked right past Mikael to stand in front of the bedroom window.

  “What are you doing?” There was an edge to his voice now.

  “Well, I figured you might as well get used to me being watched all the time if I am going to have to get used to it too.” I lifted my hair up off my shoulders, basically posing with my back to him, and hiding as much of the window as I possibly could with my body.

  “Damn it, Jess, get away from that window! You’re not wearing anything, and you know there are guards down there.” He was behind me, spinning me to face him when he noticed the window. The shade was all pulled all the way down. “You little minx!” He picked me up over his shoulder then and took me back to the bed, tossing me down none to gently. “So, you want to play dirty, huh?”

  “I was just proving a point, my sweet!”

  “Point taken, now, it’s my turn.” He climbed on top of me then, and grabbed my hips to pull me to him. We had already had all the foreplay we were going to get, apparently, because he lined his hips up with mine, and one thrust later he had buried himself deep inside me. “You are mine. This,” he leaned off of me and trailed his hands down the curves of my body from my neck to where we were joined, “is mine alone to enjoy.”

  “Then we’re agreed that there won’t be any men in the house, securing it, while you’re gone?”

  Mikael growled at me and continued to thrust roughly in and out of me. “There won’t be any other men in here,” he hissed through gritted teeth as he thrust himself into me once more. I laughed at his not so subtle meaning, and he smiled down at me then. “If you don’t want them inside the house, then they won’t be.” He leaned in to kiss me, deeply, and when he finally pulled back he said, “you always get what you want from me. You’re spoiled like that.”

  “No, I’m loved like that.” I spoke in a sultry voice before locking my legs around him, and pulling him into me once more. “Now, shut up, and love me some more!” I couldn’t even hold a straight face as I spoke those words. Mikael laughed with me, but obeyed the order just the same.

  ~*~

  At some point when the lovemaking was over we actually both managed to drift off to sleep for a time. In fact, it was someone knocking at the front door that finally woke us just before dawn.

  “You?” I questioned as I opened my front door to the last person I thought I’d see on its doorstep. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Aww, what? You didn’t miss me sweetheart?” The gruff voice laughed as he spoke. Mikael came charging up behind me to see who had the audacity to address me that way.

  “I should have known.” He said grudgingly. “What do you want?” Mikael asked as he threw the door open wider, only to see that Nicholi wasn’t standing there alone. “Oh, hey Tessa, I didn’t see you standing there. What’s up with the hair?”

  “That’s okay, I doubt anyone could have seen me past Nicholi’s ego anyway.” She plucked at a few strands of her formerly golden locks to show that they were now more of a cholate brown. “It’s only temporary, thankfully.”

  I laughed before I remembered my manners and invited them inside. Avery Daniels had been standing behind them both, enjoying the little exchange we were having. It quickly became obvious why Avery was at the rear of the group. He was hanging onto someone. “We definitely need to get inside before that sun rises, preferably to an interior room without windows.”

  “Holy shit!” Mikael was shouting now. “Is that a dark one? Did you just bring one of those vile creatures to our doorstep? Seriously, Avery?”

  “What the hell?” I picked up where Mikael l
eft off.

  “We did a little sting operation last night.” Nicholi’s smug voice and expression really only added to my need to punch something or someone. “We dressed Tessa here up like one of the victims, and sent her out and about to look clueless. Sure enough, this idiot took the bait, and then we took him.”

  “I figured you would both want a crack at him before we feed him to the sun,” Avery added.

  “I want a front row seat for that. My hair demands it!” Tessa looked at me then, “no offense.”

  “None taken. I couldn’t imagine dying mine blond. Thanks for the sacrifice.”

  “Yeah, sure.” She shrugged in the most non-committal way possible.

  “Let’s get this over with then.” Mikael and I led them to the office area we had built into the house. The house was an open floor pan on the lower level, but the office was smack in the middle of everything. I had asked for it to be like that on purpose, that way no matter where I was in the house, if I needed to meet someone for business the office was accessible. All we would have to do was close all the doors to block out any residual sunlight now.

  It occurred to me, after we all piled into the office and shut the doors, that I had forgotten to ask the all-important question. “Where were you?”

  The dark one just stared at me like I had grown two heads, but I wasn’t speaking to him yet. I turned to look at Tessa then, to make sure everyone knew who I was speaking too. “Where were you when he tried to attack?”

  “Oh. I was just on the outskirts of our pack lands.” She shrugged, knocking her newly darkened locks back behind her shoulder.

  “Were you near the caves and tunnel that connect our lands?”

  “I wasn’t far from there. Why?”

  “I figured with girls being snatched from both packs that they had to be using a tunnel system or something for quick travel.” I hedged a bit. I was actually thinking that maybe the portal Serena had mentioned was somewhere inside the caverns themselves. I turned back to the dark one, and commenced with my questions for him. Not that he answered a single one of them. I tried. Mikael tried. Avery and Nicholi both took a good crack at him. I would give the dark ones this, they could handle pain like champs.