Louisiana Moon (12 page)

“What word?”

“Trust,” she snarled.

“I’ll have a word with V.”

“You better before I do.”

His nostrils widened then he spun around and strode toward the back of the room. The black robe swishing around his ankles snapped as he placed distance between them. With a deliberate casualness, he sat behind the desk and stared at her.

Movement from her side pulled her attention to Zeke, the vampire Ryant summoned. The bald vamp had a meaty hand gripped around the blond’s bicep. Skin bulged between his fingers. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Damn them.

“What plans do you have for the human, Kris?” Ryant broke into her thoughts, tugging her focus to him. The air was filled with tension. Hers, Ryant’s, Zeke’s and the blond’s. A smorgasbord of emotion-laden scents.

“First, make your
thing
take his hand off the man.”

Ryant looked at Zeke and nodded. When Zeke released his arm, the blond stumbled to the side. Shock turned the skin around his lips white. His limbs trembled.

“Baldy can leave,” she said and ignored the hiss from Zeke.

“No. He stays.” Ryant watched her with narrowed eyes.

“Of course.” He could trust others, but not her. She steadied her breathing. Taking control over her body, she wrestled her mind and emotions into submission. She needed all her faculties if she was to get herself and the blond out of here. Wherever
here
was.

“What’s going through your mind?” Ryant’s voice rolled over her skin like silk.

“A lot, but let’s start with leaving this place and taking this man with me.”

He steepled his fingers as he lowered his chin on the tips then said, “I don’t think so.”

“I’m not really asking, Ryant. I’m leaving and taking him with me.”

He tilted his head. She refused to look away. After a few seconds that felt like hours, he snapped his fingers. Zeke ambled over to the blond, hunger shining behind his gaze. She growled and intercepted him. Zeke snarled.

“Stop.” The command boomed throughout the room.

Chilled air swept over her as Zeke sucked her heat and energy. Bastard was powerful. Lethargy weakened her legs but she tapped into the wolf’s strength and stood strong.

“Zeke.” Ryant purred the vamp’s name, only it didn’t sound sexy or cuddly; his tone was lethal. She shuddered. Just the cold, right? “Last chance. Step away from her. Take the human to a holding cell until I have spoken to V. He is not to be harmed.”

Despite his master’s command, Zeke’s expression dared her to make a move. The tattoos on his bald head rippled, and his nostrils flared. With a final glare at her, he shoved away from her and took the blond’s arm. When the blond winced, Kris took a step forward.

“Zeke,” Ryant snapped.

The tight grip on the blond’s arm relaxed as Zeke pushed the blond to the door. Ryant might not trust her and she might not trust him all the way, but she knew the blond would be safe—for now.

She relaxed, allowing the beast side of her to retreat, but kept her arms close for warmth. As soon as the door closed, her shoulders slumped. With a look of concern mixed with frustration in his eyes, Ryant gestured for her to take the seat in front of his desk.

“No. I’ll stand. I’m fine.” Her body shook as her muscles shrank to normal size.

“You’ve just had a fraction of your life-force removed. Take a seat and rest.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“Fine.” He stood and strode to the bar.

Beautiful chiseled crystal bottles with clear amber liquid littered the top. He retrieved a tumbler and poured the glistening fluid into the glass then slipped his hand inside his pocket and extracted a tiny bottle. Her eyes narrowed as he pinched off the top and dripped red substance into the glass. With a finger, he swirled the mixture until it was mixed.

Lifting the glass to his lips, he took a drink then smiled. “Ah, much better.”

Her chin thrust out. “What’s that?”

“Blood mixed in a formulated liquid to tide me over until I feed.”

She didn’t want to touch that. Instead she blurted, “Why won’t you let the human go? And why are you creating an army to take down my kind? Did you think that would be okay?”

He lifted his brows at her and went back to his desk. Once he was sitting again, he said, “I am creating an army.” He held up a finger when she opened her mouth. “But I’m not going against your kind. The human. What’s so unique about him? Why are you risking everything for him?” Ryant relaxed into his seat.

It killed her to see him so at ease when her insides tumbled like socks in a dryer. “Why I want to save the human is my concern. So is what you are doing. Turning humans against their will is wrong. You’ve never condoned this before.”

“I’m simply taking the next few steps ahead of the game. I told you I would do whatever necessary and to mark my words you wouldn’t approve. I’m preparing for what will come with the Soulscapes.”

“So you’re not trying to start a war with weres?”

He took another drink of his special liquid. “No. I’m trying to protect you and save my people. What happened to your car?”

What? She struggled to keep up with his change of subject. “I was doing my job.”

“By yourself? Is that how you ended up with bruises and a scalded calf? You were hurt because you were not here with me. This is why you should stay.”

Before she could stop him, streams of his mind powers infiltrated hers. Too weak to push him out, she swayed. Flashes of the statues popped into her thoughts. Damn it, she didn’t want him to know about that.

“So, you had an encounter with Soulscapes. I told you there was a war brewing. Now do you believe me?” His mind continued to snake through hers. “This should be another indicator the soul demons are hitting close to home.”

“Just stop. Please...”

Surprise widened his eyes. He sat up straight. “Please, what?”

“Get out of my mind.” She was glad her voice was strong even as her body trembled. She couldn’t take any more of his digging. Her psyche and stomach swirled with the power he weaved. She had to leave.

“You won’t be able to leave.”

Had he just read her thoughts? At least, he’d let her go. She stared at him and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you going to keep me a prisoner, Ryant?”

“Give me a few days. Stay here, safe, and let me determine what’s going on first.” He waved a hand over the desk in a pleading gesture.

She wanted to stay. Her body swayed toward him but she forced herself back. So many things were not right, who could she trust? Ryant? Did he have her best interests in mind? Or was he protecting himself?

“I want the human to leave with me now.” She clenched her fists.

“Not yet. You still haven’t answered me as to why you have an interest in the human.”

“Because he didn’t want to be turned like the others did. He has a soul which strums and strives. I would hate for him to be soulless.” She wanted to say
like you
to hurt Ryant’s pride, but bit her tongue to save the wasted words, disregarding the fact he could hear her. Instead, she thought of her parents.

“I’m sorry for the loss of your parents.” His voice was gentle.

Tears welled in her eyes. “I miss them.”

Ryant’s gaze dropped to her stomach. “You’re hurt, bleeding.” The skin between his eyes furrowed. “Let me clean it for you.”

She smiled and laughed with regret. “No.” With the back of her hand, she wiped away the tear sliding down her cheek. “I’m fine. Just weak.”

“Soon, the adrenaline will run out of your system. You will hurt.” He stood, glided toward her and circled her. A hiss escaped his lips. “You have nasty slashes on your back. Let me help you, please.”

Kris was taken aback. He demanded, dominated and controlled. He never asked. She glanced at her stomach. The claw marks glistened with sticky blood.

“I have more desire to help you than I do to taste you. I will not stoop so low as a new blood. I can control my hunger. I won’t do anything that will upset you. Who do you think doctored all of your wounds while you slept?”

“You?”

Ryant filled her personal space. “I promise not to hurt you. You are not immune to infection. We need to clean and dress these before they fester.”

Cool waves radiated off his skin through the robe. He stepped closer, staring with sincere distress, his smile polite and warm as he offered his hand. “I would like to help your healing process.”

“What does my health really mean to you? My overall existence?”

His hand dropped. “My sweet, I care deeply for you.”

“Maybe you do. I don’t know.”

His full lips turned thin. She read his exasperation. “Kris, I only want to help.”

Heat overwhelmed her. Was he using tricks? Or could the warmth be her body responding to his? Her knees buckled. She almost collapsed onto the floor but managed to steady herself. Feelings she couldn’t name caused her to tremble. Her mind dipped into a foggy state as warm waves of something wrapped her core, pulling her in his direction. She sank to the carpet.

He knelt beside her. “I won’t hurt you. This is for your own good.” He got to his feet and went to his desk. Reappearing quicker than normal human eyes could detect, he held a first-aid kit in his hands.

While extracting peroxide and bandages, he stopped to look her in the eyes. “I only want these scratches to heal.”

He doused the rag and placed it on her skin. The cuts foamed. Bloody bubbles ran coolly over the flat skin of her abdomen. Drowsiness kept her from feeling any sting from the medicine. He concentrated on the business at hand as he applied antibiotic ointment to torn flesh with dry gauze. As soon as he covered the wounds with a large adhesive bandage, with gentle firmness, he smoothed the edges into place.

After a few moments, he met her gaze again. “I need to look at the wounds on your back. May I?”

The question was simple enough. She eyed him, looking for an ounce of disinguity. Nothing showed but worry. Rolling onto her stomach, she set her sight on the desk and waited for his hands. His fingers were light when he lifted her shirt.

“This does not look good, Kris. Not good at all.”

“How bad is it?”

“You’ll need stitches. I could call for my medic to come stitch you.”

“Well, why don’t you?”

Ryant cleared his throat. “Right now, he’s missing part of his cheek.”

Oops. She swallowed. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“I have another member who might help, but I don’t know if Zeke will since you two almost had it out a couple of times.”

“Are the cuts really that bad?”

“Yes. I can see bone.”

The two men who might be able to help her would want to tear out her throat. “How good are you with a needle and thread?”

“Patch work.” He paused. “I could heal you. My saliva…you remember,” he finished awkwardly.

Kris envisioned her back like a quilt of many colors if he stitched her and she didn’t want Zeke or Shade near her. She inhaled. “Do what you must.”

His cold tongue traced the wound from her armpit up, turning warmer the longer he lingered. As he lapped at the wound, his fingers fluttered against her ribs then grazed along the outer edges of her breasts. Contentment swept and rapture flared, making her core pulse with pleasure.

“Stop using your powers on me.”

He lifted his mouth. “I’m not. Why would you say that?”

“Because you’re making me feel tingly.” She lay there with her eyes half-open and fought the urge to roll over and thread her fingers through his hair to drag him down for a kiss.

He laughed. “I’m not using my powers. What you feel is natural. It is to me, anyway.”

His tongue slid along the long lines of claw marks. The gashes stretched and closed near the nape of her neck. Each prickle cut dissipated with every loving sweep. His fingertips glided up her arm, disappearing down her spine, sending more heat to penetrate between her thighs.

With his lips close to her ear, he whispered, “There is no use in fighting the natural attraction we have for one another, Kristina. Your yearning sings to me. As mine does to you, love.” As much as she wanted to protest, she slipped into a deep sleep with his whisper filling her mind.