Dark Moon Falls: Volume 2

by Bella Roccaforte

  He knelt beside her, looking up with worry written all over his face. It tore at her because nobody, not a single person, had ever looked at her like that in her entire life. Then he took the napkin from her and wiped gently beneath her eyes. When she saw the pristine white material, it was caked in black. Shoot. Her mascara had run, and he’d just cleaned it for her with no words or jokes about how she must’ve looked like a dang Panda.

  Her heart opened a little more, but worse, fresh tears sprang forth, a hiccup broke free, too. What a great dinner this was turning out to be.

  “I’ll get you a drink of water, baby, and then you’re going to tell me why you’re so scared … of us.”

  Silently, he rose, pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then went to do as he’d said. She noted he went slowly, obviously giving her time to think. He took his time in the kitchen, her eyes glued to his back while he looked for a glass, then when he poured water, adding ice from the freezer, and returning just as unhurriedly. His movements graceful for a man of his size, but not once did he say a word. He did everything in silence until he returned, holding the water out to her.

  “Drink this.”

  She did. Not all of it, but several gulps, and it helped. It wasn’t the water per se, just the entire actions of him. The taking care of her and his obvious concern. It was alien to her, but she liked it. Liked the feelings it gave her, small but growing inside her. Like a blossoming flower in the wild … ones she helped to nurture and grow, but she’d never encountered it in relation to herself. Witnessing it like this brought something new to life in her own core. In her own heart. In her very soul.

  You can’t walk away now. It’s there. It’s taken seed. It’ll grow and you can’t stop it. Not now. Not ever.

  Oh fuck. She was doomed.

  Instead of taking his seat again, Asher dropped down beside her, removed the glass to place it on the table, then took a hand in his. His warmth against her cold, heating her and spreading to fill her up. The feeling was peculiar, but not one she wanted to go away, in fact, she wanted more. She wanted him to encircle her with his body. She wanted to feel his heat all around her. She’d like to know what it felt like to have his shifter hotness encompass her.

  But to do it would be to surrender to him. Reveal herself and to give up her secrets. She’d never trusted anyone. She couldn’t trust anyone. Could she?

  Chapter Fifteen

  She looks so sad. So broken. So lost. She has secrets. That much is obvious, but what? She must tell me, or I can’t help her. And I have to help her … or she’ll leave and be lost to me forever.

  Taking her hand in his, Asher looked up into her face. “Baby, I know you’re scared of something, but you must know I’m here and I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. If you’re running from someone, tell me. I’ll fix it. Whatever it is, please, talk to me. You must be able to feel whatever’s growing between us. It’s real and it’s not going away, Savannah. We’re grown-ups, and grown-ups talk.”

  Her lips pursed together, then her chest heaved when she took a deep breath. Her eyes looking into his deeply before they flitted away, then back. “I know. Don’t you think I know?”

  She hiccupped again, then closed her eyes, her heels clicking on the floor. Although he wanted to press her. He didn’t. It was obvious she was trying to make a decision and she didn’t want to. He wanted to shout and yell. He wanted to roar at her, tell her she must talk to him, and if she didn’t, he’d throw her over his shoulder and lock her up until she did.

  Yeah, that’d go down well. She wasn’t a prisoner. She wasn’t a criminal. Was she? No. Of course not. He’d know if she was. He had a sixth sense about shit like that. Savannah was scared, but she was no criminal. No other option, he did what he did best. Waited her out.

  Seconds ticked by, her heart beating way too fast, and he tried not to react when an errant tear slipped out of her left eye to slip down her cheek, but that was too much to ask. He reached up and wiped it gently away without saying a word. Her eyes dropping to his with such a tortured look it caused his insides to twist and churn painfully.

  Finally, she sighed, then opened her mouth, and closed it. Then opened it again. “I’m not ready to give you everything, but I might give you some if you’re okay with what I’m prepared to give and what I’m not?”

  “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “It’s what I said. I’m not ready to tell you everything. Not yet. But I will tell you some, but, and this is a dealbreaker, I still don’t want you to say anything to anyone. Not until I’m certain this is right.”

  “When you say, until you’re certain this is right, I assume you mean us? That we’re going somewhere and…”

  “Exactly,” she cut him off. “I know all about shifters and I also know … other things, which I won’t go into at this moment, but I’m not willing to divulge anything to anyone other than you at this point in time. I’ve worked hard to keep things private, and it’s how I want it to remain.”

  Asher frowned, confused and baffled at her words. “You’re being vague and more than a little ambiguous, Savannah. However, as long as it’s nothing to do with being a master criminal, then it’s fine.”

  Sighing, she shook her head at him. He saw utter turmoil hiding in those emerald eyes at the same time as a flash of annoyance as she snapped back. “I’ve told you it’s nothing like that.”

  “Fine, you’re not on the run from the feds, so tell me. I’m dying here, baby.”

  “Not half as much as I am,” she gasped out. “I’ve hidden for so long it’s second nature to me. Storm doesn’t even know, nobody does. If I tell you, even the part I’m willing to share. I’ll be putting my trust in you, Ash. Will I regret it?”

  “Never,” he returned immediately. “I promise you. I won’t betray your trust. I’d never do that to you. Not unless your very life was in danger and I had to ask for help to save you. It’s the only scenario I’d break it and only then. I’d go to Jag, and he’d keep any secret I’d ask of him. How does that sound?”

  A deep frown appeared, her toe started tapping and he thought he’d blown it. But it was the truth. His mind thought of all angles and there was never a hundred percent answer to anything. There was always something that could go wrong, and if her life was in peril, he’d do anything, including breaking a confidence.

  She remained silent, with her dang foot tapping. The sound echoing around them until he could stand it no longer. On the brink of telling her he’d have no choice if he had to choose between her life or keeping a secret, she made a soft sound deep in her throat. Like she was clearing it but deeper, similar to a soft growl.

  “If you break your vow, you need to know I’ll cut your balls off. Unless, of course, in the scenario you just quoted.” She arched a brow. “Now, do we have a deal?”

  “Ouch,” he quipped back. “I guess we do, although I still have no clue what I’m agreeing to, as you said, you’re not telling me everything.”

  “No, I’m not. What I will do is explain some things first.” She motioned to the chair. “Sit down and buckle up. This might not go as you expect, Detective.”

  The way she said detective made his nerves sit up on end. What had he missed? Something important. Big, fucking big. But what? He’d sensed something different about Savannah from the start. She was gorgeous, tempting, and out of this world. His inner beast whined when she was near, wanting her like he’d never wanted another woman. Hell, he’d never felt like this before about anyone. His body came alive whenever he even thought of her. His skin warmed up, his heart beat faster, and he wanted to take her to bed and … well, the things he wanted to do to her were enough to make anyone blush. Even him.

  But it was more than that. He felt something deeper inside, pulling him to her. A connection between them, like an invisible string weaving a bond between them somehow, and it grew stronger every passing hour. When he thought of her, his heart leaped like a kid at Christmas, hoping to catch Santa coming down the chimney
. If he saw her face in his mind, he couldn’t stop himself smiling, and his heart picked up speed at an alarming rate and he wanted to rush straight to her. It felt like she was a siren calling to him with magic powers, but he knew she wasn’t, it was … it was … oh fuck.

  It struck him in the gut right there, right then. Sitting at her table when she was on the verge of spilling her secret. The reason he felt like he did … but he couldn’t say it aloud. Not now. If he did, Savannah might bolt out the door and run. Truth be told, the enormity of it scared the living daylights out of him. If it was true. If he’d arrived at the right answer. If, if, if.

  He needed to get a grip on himself. Had to control his reaction to the revelation and focus on Savannah before she noticed…

  “Detective isn’t a dirty word.” He canted his head. “I’m proud of what I do.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.” She sighed again. So many sighs. She was obviously finding this difficult and he wasn’t helping. Shit. He needed to up his game.

  “Sorry, what were you going to say?”

  Savannah clasped her hands on the table, nibbling her lip. He felt her nerves washing over him and reached for her. He couldn’t help himself. She needed support and he was going to give it, if she wanted him to or not. His hand landed on hers, forcing his fingers to lace with one of her hands and pulling it closer to him. She didn’t resist, instead, she held onto him as if he were a lifeline, then she took a deep breath, nodding as if she’d made the decision to talk.

  “As I said, I’m not going to tell you everything. Not now. I will if this is what I think it is. But I can’t risk everything until I know for certain.”

  “Fine, I agree.”

  “I’ll start with the main thing, and please, please, don’t freak out. As I said, Storm doesn’t know, and I don’t want her to. Not yet. Not unless … well, you know.”

  “I do.” His heart picked up at what she was about to say. What the hell could be so big she’d think he’d freak out? She knew his background and some of the things he’d done in his job, so what on earth could it be?

  “I have power, a special kind, and it hides me, sort of. Well, it hides what I am. The real me, and…”

  “Wait, what? Back up, Savannah. What power? Hides you how? I’m lost here. I’m a shifter and I can’t sense anything different about you. You’ve worked with Storm for a long time now … and Jagger hasn’t either. He would’ve said something. What’s going on?”

  Her eyes flashed with anger and she tried to tug her hand away, but he held it firmly, refusing to allow her to pull it free. She snapped her head to look at their entwined fingers briefly before returning to look at him with a fierce glare. If she wanted to pierce him with a death stare, then she was doing a damn fine job of it.

  “If you’d shut the hell up, maybe I’d be able to answer your questions.” She paused, still glaring over at him. “Can I continue? Or are you going to interrupt me every two seconds?”

  He gave a sharp nod but kept his mouth firmly closed.

  “You can’t sense anything because I’ve hidden my true self so well. It takes a lot of my power to do so, and it’s very tiring. It’s why I remain in the city most of the time. I don’t have to use as much there. Humans are easier to fool than other supernaturals, especially shifters. Your sense of smell is far better than others, and you can pick up on it more, which means I have to work harder to hide the real me.”

  When she stopped, he leaned in, frowning. “Why? Why do you feel the need to hide? I’m certain Storm would understand if you explained whatever your situation is. So would Jag, and the pack. You know they’d protect you from anyone who’s a threat to you.”

  She shook her head, a sad look in her eyes. It tore at him so much he felt a pain tearing inside him. A physical pain. Deep, aching, ripping up his guts and causing him to want to ease whatever was happening with her. He knew there must be a way. He just had to find it.

  “It’s my business. I’ve lived like this for a long time, Ash. It’s second nature to me now. It’s the way it is, and I don’t want Storm to know. Not yet anyway. I love my job and I don’t want to risk losing it if…”

  “If we don’t work out. That’s what you’re worried about.”

  Her head bobbed once.

  He had his answer. She was scared and he didn’t blame her. Not really. She’d be putting everything on the line for him and they’d barely met.

  “I understand your reservations, but I don’t have them.” He squeezed her hand. “Would you care to introduce yourself?”

  She was gorgeous. With emerald eyes he could fall into. Her long, ebony hair, her curves that would put a siren to shame, and her ass … shit, he adored her ass. Then it hit him. She could be nothing like that. He had no clue what she looked like. If she wasn’t human, then what was she? She could be anything at all. Did it matter if she was a two-foot goblin? Or a demon from hell?

  What if she was a fallen angel, thrown out of heaven because of some horrific deed she’d done? Would it matter to him? The possibilities were endless, and some caused unpleasant ripples coursing up his spine. Savannah took a deep breath, opened her mouth and he knew the moment was here. Now he’d find out just who she was. Or rather, what she was…

  Chapter Sixteen

  The anticipation was killing him, as well as the worry which had started to seep in. He pushed it away, focusing on one thing: his feelings for Savannah. Nothing else mattered. They could overcome anything, including whatever she was about to reveal to him.

  Then she bolted upright, her head spinning all around. “Wait. I can’t. Not yet.”

  Was she fucking kidding? He couldn’t allow her to back out. Not now, not when he was on the verge of losing his damn mind. “What? Not a chance, Savannah. You can’t drop a bombshell like that, then say you’re not carrying through with it.”

  Normally, he’d be calm under duress. He was known for it. Had a reputation and was sent in to deal with jobs requiring just this sort of expertise, keeping calm under the most extreme circumstances. But here and now, he felt out of control. As if he were about to lose his damn shit if Savannah didn’t tell him, show him, who she really was. He fought to control himself, to stop a snarl breaking free, because he knew it wouldn’t ease the rising tension between them.

  “I need you to check we’re alone first,” she snapped. “Don’t you understand? What if there’s wolves out there? Sent by Elias to keep me safe. If I reveal myself now, they’d sense it, too, and I am not doing it if there’s a chance of them being nearby. So, can you reach out and sense them? Or call and find out?” She paused, breathing deeply for a few seconds. “Normally, I’d check myself, but I’m so worked up right now. I don’t trust my own powers. Please, Ash, I have to know before I do this.”

  Damn it. She’d picked up on something he should’ve. He was so focused on her. On finding out for himself he hadn’t thought of Levi, or his team, being in the vicinity. He felt a fool for overlooking something so damn obvious, but for putting her in danger? There was no excuse for it.

  “I apologize. It’s something I should’ve thought of. I’m worked up myself, so I’ll call and see if there’s any news. Give me a moment.”

  Snatching his phone free, he rose to pace while he placed a call to Elias. It rang for only a second before his Alpha picked up, and before he had the chance to say anything, Elias cut him off.

  “Asher, I was just about to call you with the news.”

  “What news?”

  “You sound upset, but there’s no need, it’s good. Levi and a couple of the others went back to the school and spent hours backtracking Nash’s trail. They eventually found it…”

  Ash couldn’t stop himself interrupting. “Did they catch him?”

  “Not exactly, but they tracked him all the way out of Dark Moon Falls. They carried on for another hour or so, and he didn’t turn back, or do anything to suggest he was doing anything other than running. He’s gone, Asher, Nash is gone, and Savannah i
s safe. If you can let her know, I’d appreciate it.”

  “They’re sure? He didn’t deviate, or circle back?” Asher pressed.

  “Nope, as I said, they continued to follow him all the way to Summermire, and then some. He showed no signs of coming back this way. I think he’s spooked, after he realized the entire pack was after him, he knew he didn’t have a chance.”

  “That’s great news. I’ll let her know. So, there’s no guards on her now?”

  “No, we pulled them an hour ago. No need, but if she’s still feeling scared, I can put a couple of the boys on her for another day or two. Just let me know.”

  “It’s okay. I’m sure she’ll be fine. I’m nearby and so is Jagger.”

  “Fine, and I’m glad we could help. Bye.”

  The line went dead and Asher turned to Savannah. “Did you get any of that?”

  “He’s gone and there’s no need for guards now. Right?”

  “Yeah, but I’m still wondering why he was after you in the first place. Do you have any idea?”

  A rosy red started to creep up her throat, then appeared on her cheeks, causing them to flush. Her hand rising to her mouth, where she nibbled on the skin at the side of her thumb. Her brow raised but she shook her head. “Hmm, no, not entirely sure about that.”

  Liar. She’d just lied to him. Why? Did she fear his reaction to the answer, or was she scared? Either way, he wouldn’t press her on it. Not yet. The time would come when he would. But it wasn’t now. There were other, more pressing matters to attend to.

  “No wolves in the vicinity.” He stepped toward her, hearing her heart skittering in her chest like a hundred mice running from a foe.

  “I know.”

  “No reason for you not to show me who you are now.”

  “I know.”

  “Well?”

  “I’m scared.”

  “I get that, but you have to do this. Now.”

  Savannah inhaled deeply, her eyes glistening with tears. “Don’t hate me.”