Dark Moon Falls: Volume 2

by Bella Roccaforte

  “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.” He waited until she was in the truck before closing the door.

  He got in on his side and cranked the engine up.

  She glanced in his direction and said, “It is okay. I felt it too and I didn’t know what to do, but I liked it.”

  Chapter Four

  Silas sat at the kitchen table pondering his next move. He had to make the forest safe, but every thought he had was about Cierce. He obsessed over the fact that she was up in his bed sleeping. He wanted to be near her, be able to take in her scent. Upstairs was too far.

  “She’s a fairy.” Jeramiah sat at the table clutching his morning coffee.

  “Yeah, but there’s something so different about her.” Silas looked toward the stairs.

  “It’s like she came from nowhere. I’m not sure I believe all this about Salindra or wherever it is she said she was from.” Jeramiah was lecturing Silas. “And you should be more careful.”

  “Silodaria.” Silas corrected him.

  “Either way, with whatever is out there.” He motioned out the window. “We need to figure it all out and I don’t need you distracted. I need you well-rested and ready for anything.”

  “Why do you say that?” Silas took the defensive.

  “Because I see the look in your eye, Silas. You need to focus.” Jeramiah stood from the table. “There’s something not right about her. I just have a feeling.”

  “You spent a sum total of ten minutes with her.” Silas argued.

  “Someone doesn’t just appear in the forest from some unknown land.”

  “Dad,” Silas dropped his voice an octave. “We are men that turn into wolves that protect a forest full of supernatural beings. How is it possible that you think a fairy appearing in the forest is suspicious?”

  Jeramiah hardened his stance. “Because I don’t trust fairies, never have.”

  “I trust and believe her.”

  “You need to consider which head you’re thinking with. My gut says something’s not right.”

  “Maybe you’re the one that needs to get some rest.” Silas shot back defensively.

  “I don’t dispute that. Doesn’t change a thing.” He snatched his jacket off the hook near the back door. “Be mindful son.”

  “Yes, sir.” He acquiesced because he hated arguing with his father.

  Silas glanced toward the stairs again. He had to go out on patrol, but didn’t want to leave her alone. He went up the stairs and tapped lightly on the door.

  “Just a second.” She called from the other side.

  Silas could hear a lot of motion, clamoring and her voice sounded panicked.

  “I just wanted to let you know I have to go out on patrol and meet up with Levi.” Silas said through the closed door.

  A loud thump came from the room. “Are you okay?”

  “I am fine.” She snapped.

  Silas tried the doorknob. It was locked. “Cierce what’s going on?”

  “I am getting dressed.” She sounded like she was in pain.

  Silas was on the verge of breaking the door down before it flew open. She stood there, angelic as ever. Not a hair out of place wearing the same cloak from yesterday.

  “I was worried.” Silas tried to peek past her into the room.

  “About what?” She shrugged.

  “What was going on.”

  “A lady never reveals her beauty secrets.” She smiled and pushed her way out the door closing it behind her. “You are leaving?”

  “I have to. Breakfast is ready. You can help yourself to whatever you need.” He followed her down the hallway to the stairs.

  “Thank you.” She said when she entered the kitchen. “Smells wonderful.”

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

  “Okay.” She said while shoveling food into her mouth. “This is really very good.”

  “Thanks, I usually make breakfast for Dad and me.” He smiled. He wanted to kiss her, embrace her before leaving.

  He felt so awkward. He’d never before had any trouble with dating. He shook his head and told her goodbye one more time before walking out the door.

  He wanted to go back to the ranch to see if there were any leads there. In the rush of having found Cierce, he knew he hadn’t properly looked around the barn and ranch for clues. Jeramiah was right, he wasn’t himself, he wasn’t thinking clearly.

  * * *

  Blake greeted Silas at the barn. Stasia was putting hay in the stalls for the horses. Silas had some questions for her. She was a witch in the coven and had a very powerful father that was a necromancer.

  “Stasia, what can you tell me about the power in Dark Moon Falls.”

  “That seems like a very open-ended question. Do you mean the power of its residents or what power is here?” She asked.

  “The latter. Could someone come here and gain power?”

  “Of course. There are relics and talismans of power all over the place. Some of them are very dangerous and Phaedra keeps them safe and hidden. Others are no more powerful than a mood ring.” She stuffed the hay feeder.

  “Where do we keep all of this?” Silas asked.

  “We don’t know where everything is. For instance, Phaedra took care of the dark power that was in my Dad, Abel and me.” Stasia’s expression fell. “She says she’s put it somewhere safe where it can’t be found, but I feel it still calling to me. It was part of me, so I could find it if I wanted to.”

  “I think I understand.” He tapped his finger to his lips. “Do you think Phaedra would tell me where some of the more dangerous things are? Just to check on them, make sure nothing has happened?”

  “Not likely. But it won’t hurt to let her know your concerns.” She put her hands on hips. “It’s really best for everyone that we don’t know where the power is.”

  Silas nodded and continued to look around the barn. There wasn’t much there other than a few tracks outside the barn door. The same tracks from the kill sites. He wanted to know how it was in the barn in broad daylight and no one saw it go in or out. But the tracks show it did.

  He bent down and traced one of the tracks with his finger noting how it looked. How it resembled a wolf’s track, but also a man’s.

  Silas walked in the direction the tracks were going. He followed them to the tree line and continued. The tracks dug deep into the dirt. It was running. How close was he to catching it and how did it get away?

  He got to the clearing where he found Cierce and Powder the day before. There were no signs of the monster but Cierce’s scent still lingered.

  Levi called on the cell, “Silas, we’ve got another one. Back up by the old cabin.”

  “Shit!” He hissed out loud and let Levi know he’d be up there.

  He started at a jog back to the ranch and let Jeramiah know about the kill site. He was thinking the whole time that he hoped that Cierce had stayed at his house. Panic gnawed at the edge of thoughts that she could be in the woods right now, completely defenseless.

  He called his house but there was no answer. He wasn’t sure she would know how to use a phone. Worried that he might have frightened her with the noise.

  The need to find her and protect her swirled in his mind. He made the decision that the pack hunters could handle the kill site. He called Jeramiah, told him they needed him at the old cabin.

  He was going to find Cierce.

  When he got back to the ranch he stopped at the barn before going to his truck. He asked Stasia to send Phaedra up to the kill site.

  “I’ll be happy to but what good do you think it will do?” Stasia asked.

  “I want to know what magic may be surrounding the cabin.” He said and hurried toward his truck. “Tell her I’ll be up there after I find Cierce.”

  He threw his things in the truck and made the shift. He didn’t know where to start but knew he could follow his instinct and she would be there.

  He ran through the forest listening and sniffing at the air for an
y signs of her. He ran up to the falls, then down to the river caves. There was still no sign of her.

  Thoughts raced in his mind that something could happen to her. He never should’ve left her alone.

  As he ran up the embankment on the north side of the falls the air was heavy with the scent of blood. He pushed harder up the hill and chased down the metallic odor. He recognized it as Cierce’s scent. He frantically searched for the source until he came upon a stain on the rocks. It was fresh and pungent but there were no other signs of her. No tracks in the dirt.

  He reached out with the pack link and alerted Samira as to what he found. He paced in place trying to calm himself and figure out how to find her. He ran to the north until the scent dissipated in the air. Silas did the same to the south.

  He ran to the top of the hill desperate to find any sign of Cierce. It was her blood, where was she?

  Silas scanned the area and movement caught his eye. He bolted down the hill so fast he nearly tumbled over the rocks where they were steepest.

  He got to the tree line and her scent was strong but more importantly, she was alive. He sprinted through the trees. He wasn’t going to lose her trail.

  He skidded to a stop when he saw her propped up against a tree, blood gushing from her head and arms. Her cloak was tattered and covered in something that looked like soot.

  He shifted to human form and went to her wrapping his arms around her. “What happened?” He held her tight and unyielding. He wasn’t going to let her go.

  “Something attacked me.” She said in a broken whisper.

  “Did you see it?” He asked.

  “No, it was unseen.”

  “We need to get you to a healer, right now. How does this work with fairies, do you need a doctor? Are you okay?” He fired off questions as he took one step back from her to examine her.

  “I will be okay. I do not need a healer.” She insisted.

  He brushed the blood-crusted hair away from the wound on her forehead. The wound was healing. “Fairies heal?”

  She nodded.

  “Let’s get you back home. We need to clean you up and make sure you’re okay. Then I’m going to find the creature that did this and end it.” He said through gritted teeth.

  “I really will be fine.”

  Silas scooped her up in his arms and leaned his forehead against hers. “I know you will, because I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Cierce wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her head on his chest. Silas carried her to the ranch. His body hummed with excitement and some sort of feeling he couldn’t quite place but didn’t want it to stop.

  Her scent was overpowering in the most pleasant ways.

  “Why are we here?” She asked untucking her head from the warmth of his body.

  “This was the closest place and my truck is here. I want to get you cleaned up and I know that Ayry won’t mind.” He answered. He didn’t mention that he was going to ask Stasia to have a look at Cierce.

  They came up from the forest and Silas cried out while jogging past the barn, “Stasia, I need you at the house.”

  Silas brought her inside and placed her on the couch. “Sit tight. I’m going to get some things to get you cleaned up.”

  Stasia burst through the door. “What happened?”

  “She was attacked.” Silas said from the kitchen, “You’ve been trained in healing, right?”

  “I have, but I –” She stopped midsentence and held her ground looking at Cierce. “What attacked you?”

  “I do not know. It happened so fast I was unable to see it.” She said with her eyes cast to the floor.

  Stasia squinted one eye and approached her slowly lifting her hands to her head.

  “Is she okay?” Silas was full of worry.

  “I’m just going to see what I can feel.” Stasia was annoyed. “Go outside, give me some space.”

  Silas wasn’t willing to leave the room. He took a few steps back and watched carefully.

  Stasia’s hands hovered over blood stains on Cierce’s head and arms.

  Silas stood by impatiently with a washcloth and basin waiting for Stasia to finish.

  Stasia’s tone was flat when she gave her diagnosis that nothing was wrong. “She’s fine, nary a scrape.”

  Silas smiled. “Fairies heal fast, certainly faster than wolves.”

  “We do have formidable healing powers.” She said quietly.

  With tender hands he dabbed at the dried blood on her head. “I’m glad for that.”

  He picked up her hands and wiped the dirt and blood away from each of her fingers. He rinsed out the washcloth and rung it nearly dry before cleaning her arms.

  A faint smile lit Cierce’s features being taken care of with such tenderness. “Thank you.” She said in barely a whisper.

  “This will do until we can get you home and showered.” He said standing up straight. “Or we could run you a hot bath.”

  “I’m fine, really.” She protested.

  “I’ll bet Ayry has something you could wear.” He turned to the pile of folded laundry.

  “Really, Silas, I will be fine. I do not want to be an imposition.” Cierce shifted on the couch uncomfortably.

  “You are not an imposition.” He said with resolve.

  “I’m really okay and would like to go.” She stood from the couch eyeing Stasia uncomfortably.

  Silas caught a cautious glance from Stasia. He ignored her. Witches are always suspicious of anything that may have more power than them.

  Silas rushed to her side to steady her even though she was fine. “I really am okay.” Cierce was amused by his attentiveness.

  He scooped her up again in his arms. “You may be alright but I’m going to be sure.”

  He thanked Stasia and ignored her guarded expression as he carried her out the door to his truck.

  Chapter Five

  Silas pulled up to his house relieved his father wasn’t there. He had all but forgotten about what was happening in the forest. His only focus now was Cierce and making sure she was okay.

  She wanted to walk, not be carried. Her independence was strong and almost maddening to Silas. He only wanted to take care of her.

  They walked up the few steps and she stammered a moment and steadied herself on the doorframe.

  “That’s it.” Silas swept her up into his arms with ease and carried her up to his room.

  “I am fine really.” She smiled.

  “I’m going to be sure.” He put her on the bed and went in to start the bath water. He looked around for something he could put in the water to make it sweet or at least give her some soothing properties. He remembered a healing mixture one of the healers had given him once. He opened the medicine cabinet and took out the pouch that looked like a large teabag. He sniffed it and knew it would be perfect. It smelled of roses and eucalyptus. He dropped it into the water and it exploded into a purplish-pink swirl.

  Silas leaned over and moved the water around in the large tub testing the temperature. It was perfect, warm but not scolding.

  He inhaled a breath to call out to her and turned toward the door and was startled by her standing in the doorway, nude.

  He was frozen in place and couldn’t help his eyes from following the lines of her curves. She was beautiful. Her skin was rose-pink with an iridescent quality.

  Silas turned away when he realized he was staring at her.

  She closed the distance between them and reached up to place her hands on his shoulders. She gently urged him to turn around. “What is wrong?”

  “Nothing, I wanted to be respectful.” He didn’t turn completely around.

  She placed herself directly in front of him. “I do not understand what you mean?”

  His eyes darted everywhere but on her.

  Cierce cupped his face in her hand and slid down to his chin capturing his gaze. “There is nothing to hide. I want you to see all of me.” Her eyes flashed hot with desire.

  Silas steeled
himself against his urge to take her into his arms and touch every inch of her body. He wanted to feel her skin. Was it as soft as it looked? He needed to know but wanted to remain a gentleman. His wolf paced in his mind demanding that he take her.

  “It’s . . . I . . . You’re beautiful.” A shock of wonder spiraled through him. Her skin was softer than he had imagined. “Let’s get you in the tub.”

  She looked down at the water and then back to Silas. Her violet eyes dancing in the natural light offered by the window.

  Silas took her hand to help her in. She slid down and settled into the water. The tone of her skin changed giving off a slight lilac glow.

  He kneeled beside the tub with a washcloth. Then picked up her hand and washed the rest of the grime away from where she caught her fall on the rocks. The wounds were gone, not even a scratch remained. He did the same with her other hand in awe that there wasn’t even discoloration like when a wolf healed.

  He moved to the end of the tub and washed the bottom of her foot and massaged it.

  A soft moan escaped her lips.

  Silas barely suppressed a smile. He loved the sound she made when he pleased her. He didn’t have to ask if she liked it. He already knew. She lifted her other foot out of the water. He washed her foot, then traveled up her calf basking in the feeling of being in contact with her.

  He felt exhilarated, bewildered and humbled.

  Her skin lit up where his fingers touched her, sparkling at the feeling.

  Silas put her leg back in the water and motioned for her to lean up. He wet the cloth and squeezed the water down her back. The water trailed down along strange lines that crossed her back and intersected with her spine.

  He ran his fingers lightly over the raised lines.

  Cierce’s skin turned a pale shade of blue.

  He snatched his hand away afraid of what he may have done. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”