Kiss of Moonlight

by Stephanie Julian

  She shook her head, her eyes huge. “I don’t understand.”

  “You don’t have to. At least not now. Just agree to stay here tonight. Get some sleep. In the morning, we can start looking for some answers. Just stay. Please.”

  Tam stared into Kyle’s eyes and knew she’d agree to anything he asked.

  That kiss had had the power to shut off her brain for the few seconds it’d lasted.

  And that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing right now.

  She’d begun to feel dizzy, a little nauseous and confused. So far she thought she’d held up pretty well.

  This morning for the first time since her attack, she’d been attracted to a man. She’d taken it as a sign that she was finally beginning to come out of the fog she’d been drifting in. A good sign.

  Then she’d kissed Kyle. If you could call that a kiss. More like devoured him.

  And then she’d witnessed actual magic, the kind she never would have believed if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. But she had. And she’d survived without curling into a ball in a corner and whimpering.

  If that wasn’t enough, she’d learned someone had sent men to kidnap her. Someone who’d been able to track her to a house even she hadn’t known about until just a few months ago.

  Any normal person would have been justified in having a slight nervous breakdown, right?

  But she’d managed to hold it together.

  So why had Kyle’s brief press of his lips against hers just now made her nearly swoon?

  Why did she want to wrap her arms around his shoulders and let him take over her life?

  Probably because she was an idiot.

  No. No, that wasn’t acceptable.

  She knew it had more to do with the strength she saw in this man. The love he had for his daughter. The sense she had that he would do whatever it took to keep his loved ones safe.

  And for whatever reason, that list now included her.

  She didn’t fool herself. The man wasn’t in love with her. Yes, he wanted her but more than likely he saw a scared, damaged woman and he was the kind of man who wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself.

  But how do you explain that kiss? And the feeling that he wants you just as much as you want him?

  Wishful thinking?

  His eyes narrowed as the silence stretched on, tiny worry lines radiating from his narrowed eyes.

  God, the man had the ability to make her heart pound just by looking at her.

  “I’ll stay.”

  He closed his eyes for a brief second then released a heavy sigh. From the way he looked at her, she thought he might kiss her again. And when he didn’t, when he took her hand and pulled her after him up the stairs, disappointment made her shake her head.

  Back in the living room, Kyle headed for the couch where Cat sat with the teen she’d called Ty. Still wearing the boy’s t-shirt, Cat had also donned a pair of gray gym shorts. With her legs hugged to her chest, Cat rested her chin on a knee and stared at Tam with those beautiful aquamarine eyes. Then her gaze dipped to her hand still linked to Kyle’s.

  Tam gave an experimental tug but Kyle refused to release her. And she had to admit she liked having his larger hand wrapped around hers.

  Kyle nodded at Cat. “I’m going to call Dan and you’re going back to the boschetta tonight.” He held up his free hand as Cat opened her mouth. “No, it’s not punishment, Cat. Just a precaution. We don’t know what’s going on and I’m not willing to risk your safety. Dan and your mom would agree. Tivr, will you stay with them while I go get some of Tam’s things from her house?”

  Tivr nodded, running a hand through his short hair, scrubbing until it stood on end. It made him look like a rock star. “Of course. Do you want me to call Margorie?”

  “No, I’ll do it.” Kyle sighed and shoved his hand through his own hair, pushing back the dark mass. Tam’s fingers itched to do the same. “She’ll worry if I don’t and, according to Cat, she’s already worried.”

  “And a worried Margorie is a force to be reckoned with, I know.” Ty sighed, sounding much older than he looked. “I’ll cruise the forest tonight, make sure no one else shows up.”

  “Thank you, Lo—” Kyle broke off again, as if he were going to call Ty another name. “Thanks.”

  Then Kyle turned to her again. “I’m gonna make that call and then I’ll go get your stuff. I won’t be gone long. Why don’t you and Cat watch a movie or something?”

  “Sure.” Tam smiled at Cat, who still looked heartsick. “I’m sure we’ll be able to amuse ourselves for a little while.”

  Kyle hesitated, his hand tightening on hers for a few brief seconds before releasing. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Then he turned and disappeared into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. To make the call to Cat’s mom, she assumed.

  “Tam, do you want to sit down?”

  With a guilty start, Tam realized she was staring at Kyle’s door. Turning, she walked over to the couch and dropped onto the cushion next to Cat’s, letting her head fall back. Trying to think of something to say.

  She felt the couch shift as Ty rose. Turning her head, Tam watched Cat track the boy through the house to the front door and out of the house.

  “Is he your boyfriend?”

  Cat’s short laugh accompanied the shaking of her head. “No, he’s not.”

  “But you like him?”

  Cat turned to stare back at Tam. “It’s complicated.”

  “Complicated by you being a werewolf?”

  Cat’s gaze narrowed. “We call ourselves lucani versipelli.”

  Tam thought for a second. “Wolf skin-shifters.”

  Cat smiled, her expression easing just a bit. “That’s right. Not many people would know that.”

  “Six semesters of Latin turned out to be good for something.”

  “Are you…afraid of me?”

  Tam shook her head. “I’m amazed. I never imagined seeing anything like that in my life. But I’m not scared. I’m actually a little more worried about what I told you the past few nights. Cat…”

  What could she say? She’d given the girl such graphic details because she’d thought talking about it would help purge the ordeal. She’d probably given Cat nightmares.

  Tears popped into the girl’s eyes. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

  The very real sorrow in the girl’s voice made tears threaten Tam’s eyes as well. But she’d shed enough of them and she blinked them back. “Me too. But I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. Just like you don’t want me to be afraid of you. Okay? I’m still here. I lived through it and I’m still here so that’s a win for me. Do you understand?”

  Cat nodded. “Yes. Okay.” She took a deep breath. “So you’re going to let Dad help you?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “He’s good.” Her voice dropped until it was almost inaudible. “He doesn’t think I know what he does. What he is. But I’ve known for years.”

  Tam frowned, confused. “What do you mean? I know he’s a…a werewolf. Like you.” What could be weirder than that?

  Cat’s teeth lodged in her bottom lip before she sighed. And was saved from answering by Kyle’s bedroom door opening.

  “Cat, Dan and your mom’ll be here in about half an hour.” Kyle walked out, those topaz eyes glowing. “I should be back before they get here but if I’m not…” He switched his attention to Tam. “Hell, if I’m not, I’m gonna apologize for Margie now. And don’t feel like you have to answer any questions you don’t want to, Tam.”

  Cat snorted. “Yeah, when did that ever stop Mom? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she behaves. But you know Mom.” Cat slid an apologetic smile at Tam. “She doesn’t know the meaning of the word boundaries.”

  Tam suddenly realized she was about to meet the woman who’d been involved with Kyle, was still involved with him because of Cat. She was obviously in a relationship with someone else, this Dan whom Cat also referred to as her father.


  Shit.

  Did Kyle still have feelings for Cat’s mom? Well, that was stupid. Of course he did. They had to get along. Cat was too well-adjusted for them to be at each other’s throats.

  Jesus, there was just so much she didn’t know about this man. A man she’d taken one look at and decided she wanted. And who seemed to return her feelings.

  “Tamra.” Kyle bent at the knees until his eyes were on a level with hers. “Do you want me to wait?”

  She looked into his eyes, saw his uncertainty at leaving her, his uncertainty in her. And wondered if he’d always think of her as damaged?

  No. She’d make sure he didn’t. She shook her head. “I’ve been living out of my bags so they’re pretty much packed. The duffel bag has my dirty laundry. I’ll need my toiletries from the bathroom. The bag for those is on the vanity. I need that bag, please.” It held her sleeping pills. And if she couldn’t sleep, she’d take one tonight.

  But she hoped, after everyone left, that she wouldn’t be sleeping alone.

  Yeah, like you’re in any shape for that.

  Damn that little voice in her head. The doubt demon she couldn’t seem to vanquish.

  “All right.” Standing, Kyle reached out and ran one finger along her jaw before tilting her head up. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then he sighed and rubbed his thumb over her lips in a brief caress before he tugged a strand of Cat’s hair and headed out the front door.

  Her lips tingled where he’d touched her and she pressed her own fingers against them before she realized Cat was probably watching her.

  But when she turned, Cat was staring at the door.

  “He likes you, but I guess you already figured that out, huh?”

  Cat’s voice was barely above a whisper but Tam heard her clearly enough to question the inflection. Did that bother her?

  “Cat, we just met—”

  “But you like him too, right?” The girl turned back to her, her gaze intense.

  Yeah, she did. More than she should based on the time they’d known each other.

  If she allowed herself to really think about it, she’d actually believe he was the kind of man she’d been searching for all her life. Strong, passionate, caring. Gorgeous.

  But how much did she say to his teenage daughter? She couldn’t exactly tell Cat she’d lusted after the man from the first time she’d seen him. That she wanted him like she’d never wanted another man in her entire life. That she wasn’t sure she’d be able to have sex with him because of her attack. That she wanted to throw herself at him and let him protect her from whatever dangers the world threw at her.

  What the hell did she say?

  As if Cat had read her mind, the girl smiled and grabbed her hand. “All right then. Here’s what you need to know about my family before my mom and dad get here. My dads have been best friends forever, and when they met my mom, well, let’s just say they all, uh, played well together.”

  Tam’s mouth dropped open but Cat didn’t even blush. “The place I grew up is really liberal, so this has never been an issue. The streghe don’t—”

  “Wait, streghe? What’s a streghe?”

  Cat shook her head. “Jeez, I keep forgetting you don’t have a clue about all this. My mom’s a strega, a witch. I am too, at least half. The streghe have our own village, which is where my mom and Daddy Dan live.

  “So when my mom got pregnant, she decided I’d have two dads even after Daddy Dan and my mom decided they were getting mated. You’d call it married but anyway I’ve always had two dads and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love them both and would never choose between them.

  “But Dad doesn’t love my mom the way Daddy Dan does. I mean, I know he cares about her and I know he loves me, but Dad doesn’t…trust easily. You’re actually the first woman I’ve ever seen him touch like that.”

  Tam didn’t have a clue how to respond to anything Cat had said. Now in addition to werewolves, there were witches too, and probably so much more she didn’t know about. And even though the family dynamics were interesting, that last bit about Kyle not touching a woman made her heart beat a little faster.

  “My mom and Daddy Dan are really in love, so much so it’s a little overwhelming at times, but they both love my dad. And my mom’s going to take one look at you and want to know if you’re good enough for Dad. I apologize for that now because she doesn’t mean any harm.”

  Cat finally paused for a breath, looking at Tam as if she expected questions.

  And Tam had only one. “So Kyle and your mom, they aren’t a couple anymore?”

  Cat’s smile nearly split her face. “Haven’t been since before I was born. And Dad’s never had a woman here that I know about. I mean, I’m sure—”

  “Uh, Cat,” Tam held up one hand. “Let’s not go there.”

  “Oh. Okay, but I do have a point. Part of the reason I don’t think Dad’s ever really dated has been his job.”

  “He told me he works for a private security company.”

  Cat’s nose scrunched. “Yeah, not really. The lucani, we have our own army. Dad’s a soldier, but he’s a special kind.” Cat’s expression turned serious, her bright eyes intense. “You have to ask him about that, Tam. Make him tell you. Mom and Dad have been worried about him. They don’t really talk to me about it, I guess because they don’t want me to worry. But I’ve noticed he’s been…different lately. Like he doesn’t really know what to do with himself anymore.

  “But he’s different with you. And that’s a good thing.” Cat smiled. “A really good thing.”

  Chapter Four

  Kyle wanted to be back before Dan and Margie got to the house but as soon as he saw the mess at Tam’s, he knew he wasn’t going to make it.

  Most of it he could leave until tomorrow but he didn’t want to leave the blood trail from the living room to the front door. It would draw animals and bugs. And possibly human predators.

  After he’d gotten rid of that, he packed her stuff. The two bags combined didn’t weigh as much as his gear bag. And that just fucking pissed him off.

  Almost as much as the half-empty bottle of sleeping pills in her toiletry bag made him want to hit something. By the time he’d gotten within visual distance of his house, he knew he had to calm down before he stormed inside and wrapped himself around her like a blanket. Or a bullet-proof vest.

  So he headed for the back porch and a little bit of sanity before he went to her.

  “She’s eteri.”

  Dan’s voice came from the dark shadows of the garden and the double swing under the weeping birch. He’d built the swing for Cat years ago. Dan sat there now, still and almost invisible, which was a pretty good trick because in the light, the guy drew attention like magnets drew steel. Movie stars had nothing on him, with his curly brown hair, dark eyes and perpetual smile.

  But anyone who knew him learned fast that he was just as much a hard-ass as Kyle. Dan just hid it better.

  Kyle set Tam’s too-light bags on the patio and headed for the swing. “Don’t you think I fucking know that?”

  “She’s a beauty.”

  Kyle bit back a string of obscenities that had nothing to do with Tam’s looks. Sinking onto the swing, he reached out for the bottle of Jim Beam in Dan’s hand.

  He took a swig before answering. “I know that too.”

  “She’s been hurt.”

  Another swig. “Uh huh.”

  “Recently.”

  And another. “Yeah.”

  “Bad.”

  “Yeah.”

  Dan sighed. “If we’re going to play this game, we’re gonna need another bottle.”

  “It’s not a game.”

  “Not the end of the world either.”

  Kyle snorted. And drank.

  “Wanna tell me what happened to her?”

  He took another healthy swig. “Six months ago, she was raped, beaten and imprisoned before she got free and kicked the shit out of the guy. He’s in a coma, never expected to r
egain consciousness.”

  Dan fell silent for a few seconds. “Shit. Give me the bottle.”

  Kyle took another swallow before passing it over. “The men Tivr and I caught tonight were paid to retrieve Tamra. They didn’t know why or by whom.”

  “Vaffanculo. That’s scary.”

  Yeah, it was. He held out his hand for the bottle. Too bad versipelli metabolism worked alcohol out of the system so fast. The buzz was good but didn’t last nearly long enough. “Cat knows everything. She’s pretty attached to the girl.”

  “I don’t think calling her a girl’s gonna work, buddy.”

  “Yeah, ya think?”

  Dan didn’t rise to his sarcasm. He knew Kyle was itching to hit something and Dan wasn’t in the mood to play punching bag. Which meant at least one of them was thinking clearly.

  “You want me to stay?” Dan asked. “I know Tivr’s out in the forest but I can send Margie and Cat home, patrol with Ty. That help any?”

  Kyle finally turned to look at the man who’d been his best friend his entire life. They were closer than brothers, didn’t need to speak to know what the other was thinking and, before he’d taken a training position, Dan had been the only partner Kyle had ever trusted with his back.

  They’d shared a woman many years ago and now they shared a daughter they both loved. Kyle would give his life for Margie, not because he loved her like Dan did but because she was Dan’s mate.

  Dan was offering the same.

  “Thanks. No, but thanks.”

  Dan nodded. “Then I’m going to get two of the women out of your hair. What you do with the third, that’s up to you. Bottle’s all yours. But I don’t think it’s gonna give you any answers.”

  * * * * *

  Cat’s mother, Margie, must have been a carbon copy of her daughter at the same age.

  Today, Margie’s hair was dark auburn instead of strawberry gold and she carried a few more pounds in all the right places. But otherwise, the resemblance was amazing. Right down to the aquamarine eyes brimming with compassion.

  When they’d arrived, Margie had hugged her daughter, introduced herself to Tam with a firm handshake and proceeded to make Tam feel like she’d been a lifelong friend.