A few moments later, I’m riding to the house on the hillside, trying hard not to imagine what it might be like to sink my fangs into the soft skin of her neck.Or her feet.I’m partial to sucking both.
Fuck, but I’m already rock hard at the thought of biting her.Keep focused.My priority is to make her safe fromhim.
If anyone is going to give Luna Blackwood a delightful nightmare, it is going to be me.
The second the sky turns red in the west, I’m within smelling distance of Tempest’s house.I’m no psychic, but I can feel something is brewing.I take this as a good sign.We need to get the distillery into production as soon as we can.
And I must try to persuade Luna to come stay at the inn.
I know my way to the house blindfolded.Opening the throttle, my motorcycle climbs from the road to the porch in seconds.
And Luna is waiting for me on that porch.
This is a common Landslide practice.Traffic is close to zero and noise pollution is non-existent.That’s why the locals’ only complaint to me is the “terrible racket” the MC’s bikes make when the crew rides forth.Little do the local folk know that they should be way more upset with us when theycan’thear us coming.
But she’s waiting for me for some other reason.
Her heart-shaped face shows a certain dogged determination.A small smile reveals Luna’s front teeth as she watches Muohta clatter down the steps to lick my hand hello, but she goes back to being serious again straight after.
Not waiting for me to kick the stand out, Luna goes inside, leaving the door open for me behind her.
Muohta licks my hand again and whines.The chill of my skin makes the dog long for the snow.“It’ll be snowing soon enough, Mu.But we have a lot to sort out before the ice locks us all in together.”
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I stomp upstairs and walk into the house with a swagger.“Hello, darlin’.You look all ‘business as usual.’How was your day?”
Running my fingers through my tangled hair, I cock my head to one side and wait for Luna to say her piece.
She starts shooting straight from the hip as she flops down on the couch.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Tempest had a baby?What the fuck!?I asked Ben about my aunt, and he told me.So, Dante Shadow Sylva or whatever the fuck your name is, do you mind telling me the truth?”
“Someone’s been a busy little bee today.”Sarcasm will only hold off Luna’s wrath for so long.Truth is, I don’t know where to begin.Moving to the kitchen, I start filling the kettle.But her scream of frustration halts me in my tracks.
“Oh, for the love of God, can we stop with the fucking masquerade already?Puh-leez?I’ve had supper, so I don’t need you to pretend I need feeding.”
The last of the dim red light from the sunset fades away and leaves us in darkness.
A soft sob puffs out as Luna bites back her tears of terror.
“I know you don’t like the light, Shadow, so I didn’t turn them on.I’m not going to offer you something to drink, either, because… because I don’t think I would like the real answer.”
She knows.
I’ve kicked off my boots, and I’m seated in the high-back armchair before Luna can inhale her next breath.All she would have seen was a blurring shadow before I materialize in front of her.A sharp gasp is followed by silence as she bites back all outer signs of fear.Her eyes have adapted to the darkness.Luna’s pupils have dilated into huge black circles as she stares at me.
“When did you find out?”
Taking a deep breath, she tells me.“Since last night.Since forever.You only come at night.You don’t eat or drink.Nor do you sell drugs or do whatever else my dad always told me biker gangs do.”
“Your dad?”
“He was a cop.But now he climbs mountains and writes about it.Before I came here, I left a voice message on his satellite phone to tell him I was moving to Landslide for a spell.”
It’s a subtle warning:If anything happens to me, my ex-cop dad will be all over you like white on rice.
I take that on board.Luna’s father is a cop, and she told him she was coming here.That could be a problem for us down the line.
Luna continues.“But none of this explains why all the Landslide women get sick, and why no female wants to live here.And when they do live here, they get the same wonderful dreams as I do.But that was until I factored in yourtrue nature, Shadow.”
