Autumn Moon

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  She pushed her way through the crowd, frantic to see who’d been attacked. Her gaze landed on the victim and her hand flew to her mouth, stifling the scream bubbling in the back of her throat. She shook her head in denial. “No, no, this is not happening.”

  Loann lay still and broken while onlookers watched, dressed in their Chinese costumes of bright colors of red, yellow, and pinks all trimmed in gold, too festive for the morbid scene.

  “What happened?” She didn’t know she spoke out loud until someone answered her.

  “A wild animal attacked her. Look how her throat is ripped out,” the man next to her answered. The gold of his costume glittered in the now surfacing sun.

  “Will someone cover the poor girl?” Officer Fong ordered. Fong was in his early thirties and Asian descent. He grew up here in Chinatown. Autumn knew him as a patient. He’d been in her shop for treatment, suffering from stomach problems. No wonder when he dealt with death.

  “A wild animal in the heart of Chinatown? It has to be someone’s Pit Bull. You hear about these attacks all the time in the news,” someone behind her said.

  “Then why wasn’t there any blood?”

  Autumn wanted to scream. She should have been here. She should have told Loann to wait for her and they could have walked to the booth together.

  Then a sickening thought hit her. Jairec left her side early this morning. Had he fed? Did he finally lose control and attack Loann? She gasped as the dark thoughts surrounded her. She had trusted him.

  She backed away, tears stinging her eyes. She had to get out of here. She had to find Jairec.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Autumn walked at a fast pace away from where the crowd was gathering. Loann was dead. The blood drained from her body as if someone had siphoned it out. Her throat had been ravished and the authorities played with the idea that a wild animal had killed her. They lived in the middle of the city. What wild animal could have gotten her unless the zoo hadn’t done a head count lately and they’re missing a lion or a tiger.

  Autumn had a better idea and he walked on two legs and had fangs. Loann didn’t deserve this. She was supposed to marry George. They even had their astrology charts done. She entered the shop and found Jairec there; leaning against the counter and looking paler than his Irish skin should look. Funny, she thought after he fed, he’d look better. Even the hair, near his temples, was starting to turn white. She didn’t remember the white strands being there yesterday.

  “Why did you do it?”

  His brows dipped over the bridge of his nose. “You told me to meet you here. I know I was late. I should have just met you at—”

  “I don’t mean meeting me. I’m talking about the woman you killed.”

  “What?” He shook his head. “I didn’t kill anyone. I drank pig’s blood, stole it if you must know. For sure, I’m guilty of thievery, not murder.” He took a step toward her and she immediately stepped back. He stilled his movements. “Listen Autumn. A part of you must know I didn’t kill an innocent or else you wouldn’t be here alone with me now.”

  True. If he was a murderer, he could take her down any time. She knew the beast dwelled within him and she’d have no defense against him if he unleashed it. “What if you’re changing? Maybe there’s pockets of time you can’t remember. How do I know you didn’t have a lapse or something?”

  “You don’t, I’m afraid. You only have my word.”

  His brogue thickened reminding her of her father. Her shoulders sagged. He was right. She knew in her heart he hadn’t done it, but she blamed herself.

  “It isn’t your fault either, Autumn.”

  She looked at him, her eyes pooling with unshed tears. “I slept in. I let her go to the booth alone. The fog, I knew something was in the fog.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I sensed something there as if it were stalking me. I heard a voice ...” She covered her face. “I should have told Loann to come back. I let her go out there and I—”

  “Stop.” He had her in his arms. “Stop. You’re not responsible for her death. You didn’t kill her.”

  She looked up at him. “A chiang-shih did. Her throat was ripped out. If you didn’t do it, who? Your brother?”

  He pulled away. “I want to believe he wouldn’t but when he was here last night I smelled human blood on him.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Maybe we should end this now.” His gaze held hers. “Kill me before I gain more strength. I won’t fight you.”

  She stared at him for a blink of a second. How could she have thought he’d killed Loann? The demon fought to control him but he kept it at bay. He was strong, but perhaps his soul had been pure to begin with and this was his strength. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. “You’re so damn dramatic, Jairec.”

  He shrugged, giving her half a smile.

  He was too attractive for his own good. His gaze locked onto hers and he didn’t bother hiding the naked desire warming the depths of his eyes.

  “You think me dramatic. It must be the Irish in me. The Irish stories never end well.”

  “You’re in Chinatown now buster and we’ll see what we can do.”

  “The girl, Loann, the one who was killed, was she the one I met yesterday?”

  “Yes. She’s worked with me for the last three years. She was my friend, Jairec.”

  “I’m sorry. This will be harder on you then. You do realize we need to stop her from rising.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You see what happened to me. Whoever is orchestrating these attacks, isn’t taking precautions to make sure his victims don’t rise. My brother and I are proof of that, don’t you think? Do you really want Loann to suffer our fate?”

  “Better than being dead.”

  “Autumn, I am dead. This isn’t living. I’m dangerous.”

  “Not to me, you aren’t.”

  He let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know why but you keep me grounded so to speak.”

  “Yin-yang.”

  “Aye. Good and evil.”

  “No, I bring out the good in you—balance your existence, stop you from teetering to the dark side and you stop me from suppressing all my feelings.”

  His mouth curved into a grin and she caught a glimpse of his fangs. “I make you a bad girl.”

  Heat surged to her cheeks and she knew she blushed. “You’ve made me appreciate living and … being a woman.”

  “Wow, all that from a dead man. Seriously, I think you need to see someone about that.”

  “I wish you would stop saying that.”

  “Autumn, it’s true. I’d like to say there’s a future for us, but how can there be when you’re living and I’m destined for hell.”

  “We’ll figure this out. Don’t give up hope yet.” She walked into his arms and leaned against him. “There must be something I’m missing. Something that will help us break the curse.”

  “Autumn, what is going on?” Chin’s voice boomed from the door, the chime overhead, warning Jairec and Autumn a moment too late that they were no longer alone.

  Autumn and Jairec pulled apart and faced him.

  “Grandfather,” Autumn squeaked.

  Who is this man?” He eyed Jairec suspiciously before his eyes widened.

  “Grandfather, this is—”

  “Shush.” He waved his hand at her, silencing her. “He’s the one you spoke of, the chiang-shih. Step away from him.”

  “No.” She had never defied her grandfather so blatantly before, but the murderous glint in his eyes had her fearing for Jairec’s safety.

  Her grandfather narrowed his eyes. His face turned a shade of red. He had always prided himself in how well he spoke English and refused to speak anything else, but now he broke into Putonghua, the mainland language of China or better known to the Western world as Mandarin. She had angered her grandfather big time.

  She answered him back, hoping she remembered the translation. Her grandfather eyed Jairec again.

&nbs
p; Jairec lifted his chin and stood tall. “I mean her no harm, sir.”

  Chin mumbled a curse under his breath. “Fool. You endanger her by being here. Loann is dead, isn’t that proof enough you cannot control who you are.”

  “He didn’t do it, Grandfather.”

  “No? Then who?”

  “We don’t know.” Autumn looked away.

  “But you suspect,” Chin insisted.

  Jairec spoke up. “My brother started all of this or at least he had something to do with unleashing another being, a stronger chiang-shih who controls him. I will find my brother. I promise.”

  Chin eyed Jairec as if deciding his worth. “You fight the change well, boy, but in the end you will lose. Your two souls cannot be separated for long. If not reunited, you will succumb to the nature of the chiang-shih.”

  “I’ll leave before then. I need to stop my brother and whoever he’s working with.”

  He glared for a half a second longer, his gaze traveling over Jairec, judging him. Finally, he nodded. “Okay then. I will help to keep that promise.”

  “Grandfather?” Autumn questioned.

  “I know a thing or two about the chiang-shih. Jin and I fought to bring down one of the fiends, imprisoning his spirit in a jar. He went by the name of Heng. If what you say is true, I fear Heng’s been released from his captivity.”

  “You fought with Uncle Jin? When? How?” She shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “Our family is from a long line of sorcerers. We were to teach your mother, but she wanted no part of it. She ran away with that Irish bast …” He cleared his throat. “Your father. Then when you came to live with us, we thought we would teach you our ways, so you would know how to keep the otherworldly at bay. We thought there would be time. Then Jin died and I didn’t have the heart.” He took a ragged breath. “A grave mistake, I see. I will have to give you a crash course.”

  “My brother said something would happen during the Dragon parade,” Jairec offered.

  Her grandfather nodded. “Then this is why the fireworks were stolen.”

  Autumn and Jairec exchanged looks. Jairec lifted his shoulders in a shrug and she shook her head not knowing what her grandfather was talking about either.

  Her grandfather clicked his tongue. “Thunder can kill a chiang-shih. The sound radiates through the body, setting off a chain reaction. Boom!” He clapped his hands together, making Autumn jump. “The fireworks may not do the trick, but it would hamper their abilities. Don’t you know this chiang-shih?” His gaze landed on Jairec.

  “His name is Jairec, Grandfather.”

  “Is it now?”

  “I’m afraid that I’m limited in the knowledge of what I can and cannot do.” Jairec told Chin.

  “Interesting, an innocent chiang-shih. A first I am sure.”

  “It wasn’t my choice to be one, but I believe my brother embraced the change. He’s never chosen his friends wisely. Perhaps he is the one who released this Heng, you’ve mentioned.”

  “You’ve protected your brother, in the past haven’t you?”

  “Aye.”

  “Only this time you are in over your head. You can’t save him.”

  “Grandfather, please.”

  “What?” He looked at Autumn. “You don’t want me to speak the truth. He is up against the first preternatural being, a born chiang-shih. If his brother went willingly, he is already lost to Heng and will do his bidding.” He turned his attention back to Jairec. “He is already doomed. Do you understand?”

  “Aye.” He nodded. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “I understand.”

  Chin eyed Autumn. She fidgeted with the collar on her turtleneck. Even sleeveless it was too warm to wear and it prickled her neck. Chin’s narrowed gaze sharpened and she let her hand drop. He walked over to her and yanked down the collar.

  He then whirled on Jairec who had the decency to look abashed. “You want me to trust you but you nibble on my granddaughter’s neck?”

  “I … didn’t mean …”

  Autumn pulled away. ”Grandfather, it isn’t what you think.”

  He cursed again and pointed a finger at Jairec. “You not only sneak into my granddaughter’s life when you have no right, but you steal her innocence as well. You have no honor.”

  “Grandfather, stop. I asked him to stay,” Autumn defended him.

  “He’s right,” Jairec spoke up.

  “What did you say?” Chin looked at him.

  “You’re right, sir. I should have walked away, but I let my feelings for her override caution. But know this: I would never hurt her.”

  Chin stood there, his nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. Then he released his breath in a whoosh. “Follow me,” he ordered

  Autumn followed too, but her grandfather turned around, halting her. “Just the chiang-shih.”

  Autumn didn’t understand why her grandfather wanted Jairec, but she knew by his stance that she should not question him.

  She bowed. “As you wish, Grandfather.”

  Jairec followed the old man to the back room where they had found the book. Chin eyed Jairec, making him feel like a bug under a microscope. “Why did you come here?”

  “The Seer.”

  “The Seer? Gladys, the old bat is still giving advice?”

  “Aye.”

  “And what did she tell you?”

  “She told me Autumn Moon was my destiny and the end of the festival would be my demise if I didn’t drink from the elixir. She told me Jin would have …” He shook his head. “No, she said I would find the elixir of life at Moon’s Acupuncture. I assumed I would need to speak with Jin.”

  “Leave it to Gladys to be so cryptic,” he mumbled under his breath. He looked at Jairec again. “There is gray in your hair. Is this new?”

  “Aye, I noticed it this morning.”

  “It’s one of the signs. How do you keep the hunger at bay?”

  Jairec narrowed his eyes. “Am I one of your science projects?”

  “I want to know if my granddaughter is safe with you,” Chin snapped.

  “I told you, I would never hurt her.”

  “You seem awfully sure of yourself.” He opened a draw, his hand curling around a knife.

  Jairec held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t want any trouble.”

  Chin held Jairec’s gaze as he sliced his own palm.

  “What the hell.” Jairec backed up. His fangs lowered and his eyes glowed red. “You need to get out of here old man.”

  Chin let the blood drip down his hand.

  Jairec’s throat rumbled and a growl left his lips. He swiped away the sweat that dripped down his face. “Why are you doing this?”

  “What if my granddaughter is injured in your quest to stop your brother? Can you resist taking her and draining her? You’ve already nibbled on her neck. Who’s to say you won’t take a little more next time?”

  “I told you, I wouldn’t harm her.” The blood teased, rousing the tantalizing scent of prey. He wanted to rip the old man’s throat out and feast. He leaned down, gripping his knees and forcing himself not to react.

  “Look at you. You’re pathetic. You can barely hold back.”

  “Please stop.”

  “No. You have to face what you’ve become. You aren’t human anymore.” With a wave of his other hand, he pinned Jairec to the wall.

  Jairec wondered what other powers Chin possessed. He was stronger than The Seer. The way he pinned him as if he was a bug on a corkboard, forcing him to meet his gaze proved he was no match for Chin.

  “Smell the blood,” Chin teased letting the precious droplets drip down his arm.

  Jairec growled again. His fangs lengthened even more. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to fight the urge to sink his fangs into the old man.

  “You’re a beast.”

  “You don’t think I know this?” Jairec bit out.

  “No, I don’t. I see the way you look at my granddaughter. I know you’ve slept wi
th her and I don’t like it.”

  He met the old man’s gaze. “Tell me what you dislike more: That I’m a chiang-shih or that I remind you of Autumn’s father?” He heard the way Chin sneered at the mention of Autumn’s father. Chin had not forgiven Quinn Moon for taking his daughter away. He most likely blamed the man for her death, too.

  Chin’s face slacked in surprise that he had read him so easily, but then his lips thinned in a frown. “This has nothing to do with Quinn Moon. I want the best for Autumn.”

  “Then we are in agreement. I love her.” He cleared his throat.

  Chin stared at him for a blink of second. Then he released him.

  Jairec slid to the floor.

  Chin took a cloth out of one of the drawers and wrapped his hand. The smell of blood still filled Jairec’s nostrils, but it was tolerable. The urge to kill was not so pronounced now.

  “Holy, holy …” Chin tapped his lip. “You love her.”

  Jairec stood, a smile tugging at his lips at Chin’s choice of words.

  “Do you find something amusing?”

  “I just realized where Autumn gets her spunk.”

  “Flattery will get you nowhere, chiang-shih.”

  “It was worth a try. Aye?” He smiled but Chin’s face remained stoic.

  “You do realize you cannot be with her.”

  He sighed and nodded. “I’m aware. I will see her safe and then … I will rely on you to end my life.”

  “With pleasure.”

  Jairec would have preferred if he hadn’t seemed so pleased with the prospect.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Autumn wondered what her grandfather wished to tell Jairec. Why did he want her to wait out here when he said he needed to teach her how to ward off Heng?

  “That’s it. I want to know what is going on.” She marched over to the door, as it swung open. Jairec’s right eyebrow rose as if he suspected she’d been eavesdropping. She wished she’d thought of it sooner. Her eyes caught sight of her grandfather’s wrapped hand.

  “What happened?” She eyed Jairec then her grandfather.

  “It is nothing, Autumn. I cut myself is all.”

  She didn’t believe him. She looked at Jairec, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.