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Chapter 13
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Luna Diana Chapter 14
Peering out the peephole, Diana found Chrissie standing on her doorstep and figured the questioning would truly begin. Taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open, relieved it wasn’t the police. “Hi, Chrissie.”Her next-door neighbor looked a bit astonished, her blue eyes wide and her blushing lips parted. She was wearing a short chiffon skirt and flowery blouse, a little too spring-like for the weather and a lot too dressy for just dropping by. “Oh, I, well, I wondered if you might like an apple pie. To thank you for taking me to the grocery store this morning.”An apple pie? Chrissie had always been generous to a fault with Diana, relishing their friendship because she had been an only child and was estranged from herparents—they had told her the guy she married was no good and were still mad at her for not listening to them. Now she was raising her two kids on her own and Diana couldn't understand how Chrissie’s parents could be so insensitive. But the kids were the ex’s, to
Luna Diana Chapter 15
She glanced down at the towel and then back at his eyes, ignoring his full-blown erection. “I hope you intend to pick up after yourself.” She turned and headed down the hallway. Following her, he enjoyed the wiggle of her cute little but covered in the tight black denims. “Is that what you're wearing tonight to meet all of your suitors?” “Something a little sexier.” “Don’t see anything unsexy about the jeans.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Did you practice your smooth words on human females for all of those years?” “Did it have the right effect on you?” She gave a half grunt. “No. So what do you think about my plan?” “Sounds like it could be a circus.” Sitting down at the head of the table, he smelled the rich blood of the fresh meat, warm and rare like he preferred. She sat down opposite him. “Yeah, I thought maybe the more possible candidates we could draw out—” “You could draw out.” He still couldn’t curb his anger with the notion of her ac
Luna Diana Chapter 16
Her heart pumping at twice its normal speed, Diana fled the fire. The searing heat singed her fur, the pads of her paws, and choked the breath from her. And then he appeared, the gray wolf, a large, fearless juvenile, intent on only one thing: grabbing her and carrying her across the swollen river. She whimpered and Caleb tightened his hold on her. “Diana, you’re safe.” The nightmare . . . the damnable nightmare that she'd had for years. She ran her hand over Caleb's arm, wrapped securely around her waist. Folded over her like a butterfly's protective cocoon before hatching, he made her feel safe and secure—until he turned her over to Ragnar. “Did you sleep well?” he murmured against her hair. “Yes. And you?” she whispered back, not entirely ready to shrug off the relaxed state she was in despite the vivid nightmare. “I had an ache when you squirmed against me.” She smiled. “You seemed restless and whimpered in your sleep. Are you still having night
Luna Diana Chapter 17
After eating, Caleb and Diana returned to the bedroom to dress so she could face the crowd of female-hungry reds. She frowned at the meager selection in her closet—meager mostly because she worked out of her home or took a run on the wild side on the weekends in the woods sans clothes. “We should arrive early, don’t you think, Caleb?” Diana pulled a slinky emerald-green dress over her head. “I was going to wear black, but I’m not in the mood. What do you think?” When he didn’t answer, she glanced in his direction. “You look good in that, Diana. Too good.” His expression was brooding but mixed with a wolf’s lust. “Do you want me to wear something else?” “Do you have anything ankle length with a high neck and long sleeves? Preferably black . . . and baggy?” “No. How can I catch the killer if I hide?” “I don’t want you exposed to him in the first place.” He buttoned his black shirt with jerky movements. She figured he didn’t want to expose her to the other
Luna Diana Chapter 18
Before Caleb could rush to the parquet floor, the music changed to a fast-paced dance and Alfred released Diana. Curbing his temper, Caleb sat back down at Nicol’s table. “Hell,” Nicol said to Caleb and motioned to another man—about the same shorter stature, around five-ten, with brown hair tinged with red. “Ross is headed this way. Guess he’ll think I couldn’t score again.” Caleb took his eyes off Diana and stared at Nicole. “You said you hadn’t courted any lupus garou.” “No, human females. They’re all right, but nothing like one of our own kind. Too tame.” “Ever thought of changing one?” Nicol’s eyes grew big. “Why would I want to do that?” “To have a mate. I considered it a time or two,” Caleb fabricated—anything to convince Nicol to talk about his relationships with human women. “I thought I might find the one I liked and then, if she were agreeable, change her. Like in your pack, we have a shortage of females who are the right mating age. So . . . yeah
Luna Diana Chapter 19
As soon as Caleb laid Diana on her bed, the email butler on her computer said, “You’ve got mail, Madam.” Caleb growled, not wanting any distraction to keep him from fully claiming his mate. “You didn’t shut your computer down.” “Sorry. By the time you return, I’ll be ready for you.” He kissed her lips with feral possessiveness and then ran his tongue down her neck. “Better be.” Unbuttoning his shirt, he strode out of the bedroom, but when he reached the computer, his fingers poised to turn it off, a message from Argos caught his attention. 'Diana, I haven’t returned to Portland. I found someone had sent a message from my computer saying he’d meet you there, but it wasn’t me'. Argos Caleb cursed under his breath and typed in a reply. 'This is Caleb. Who had access to your computer? We're safe for now, but I need to know who sent the message'. He added: 'Who knows her home address?' C The message came back quickly. 'Thank God, you're all right. I’ve been
Luna Diana Chapter 20
He pulled her onto the dance floor and held her close. “I’ll protect you, Diana. He can’t hurt you here. Just play along with me on this and then we’ll go home.” Ragnar would never return to hurt anyone again. Caleb would take over the pack. End of worry. But she couldn’t shake the fear of getting caught. Not by the police, but by the one she cared for more than anyone else in the world, her true love who would hate her for what she’d done. But he’d be alive, she reminded herself. He’d be alive even if he couldn’t love her anymore. The crowd shimmied to the heavy rock beat. Red, blue, yellow, and green lights swirled overhead and across the waxed dance floor. Women’s flowery perfumes and men’s spicy colognes couldn’t disguise the perspiration covering the humans’ skin while they worked their bodies to the music. But then the faint sound of a siren wailed in the distance. Diana's heartbeat kicked up a notch. She caught sight of Alfred again, dancing with a blond. Ross d
Luna Diana Chapter 21
Trying not to catch the policemen's attention, Caleb eased his way across the dance floor and reached for Diana's wrist. He attempted not to make a scene and quickly said to Alfred and Diana, “The policemen from the hospital incident are here. Got to go.” Diana's peach skin blanched and her eyes turned nearly black. Alfred motioned for Ross and Nicol to watch their backs. “Tomorrow, the ice cream shop,” Caleb said to Alfred; then he pulled Diana toward the rear of the establishment, not waiting for him to respond. When they reached the back door, Alfred followed on their heels. “Tomorrow night.” He looked at Diana with such longing—his dark eyes clouded over as if he were totally moonstruck—Caleb could have slugged him. Caleb yanked Diana out of the building, ran down a street parallel to their vehicle, and then dashed in front of the shops lining the street. Once at the SUV, Diana finally took a breath. He hurried her into the car, jumped into the driver's
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Luna Diana Epilogue
Five months later, Caleb cradled Diana in his arms while they nestled on a new redwood porch swing he had crafted for her. She gazed at the beautiful greenhouse situated nearby—twice as big as her old one and already filled with rhododendrons and azaleas from Oregon, now her second home. “Chrissie wants us to come to her wedding in two months. She and Henry moved the date up, afraid I couldn’t travel if they waited too long or, if they delayed it until after the babies are born, it would be harder for me to take them with us.” She smiled up at Caleb. He grunted. “I knock Thompson out during my rescuing you at the hospital, and he wants me to be his best man at his wedding? Humans. No figuring them.” “Hmm, maybe it’s the wolf in you he really likes.” Caleb shook his head, his hand caressing her belly, swelling with triplets. She sighed heavily against his chest. A wolf’s howl in the distance brought a smile to her lips. “The Sinapu sure have made strides to reintrod
Luna Diana Chapter 41
Despite loving her wolf form, Diana thought she could live without it forever if it meant she and Caleb would not have to face Ragnar’s wrath; after all, keeping her wolf form meant that she could possibly lose the gray she dearly loved. As before, she would be the dutiful mate and sit on the sidelines, relaxed and quiet, giving the illusion that she didn’t worry about Caleb’s strength. But as soon as the grays gathered for the evening spectacle, her heart sank. Crickets sounded their raucous tunes, frogs riveted from near the stream, and a breeze stirred pine needles with a whooshing sound. Cold and crisp, the smell of an expected snow touched the air. She wished the whisper of frost would harden Ragnar’s joints and make him unable to dodge Caleb’s lunges. That Ragnar’s teeth would fall out from disrepair. That his eyes and hearing were not so keen and he would make fatal mistakes, giving Caleb the advantage. But he was not an old wolf, only in his mid-thirties, and he wa
Luna Diana Chapter 40
On the way home, Diana tapped her thumbs on the steering wheel and then finally glanced at Caleb, his eyes drowsy, as he leaned his head against the passenger's window. He must have seen the upturned rug. “Ragnar slept in my bed,” she growled low. “Yeah.” He stared out the window. Did he find Ragnar’s note or not? Oh hell, no sense in keeping the situation secret. She squeezed the steering wheel and then loosened her hold. “He left a note.” Caleb looked at her. “Underneath the floorboard.” He didn’t say a word, just watched her with a stern look. “I . . . I had another gun; the bullets were meant for him.” “I know, Diana honey.” “You did?” Tears pricked her eyes. “Yeah.” “But you didn’t say anything.” “I didn’t want to worry you that he’d found the gun.” “Would you have let me keep it?” He ground his teeth and looked away. “Yeah. Even though I didn’t ever intend for you to have to use it.” She took a steadying breath. “Thanks
Luna Diana Chapter 39
Before long, warm water filled the tub, and Caleb reclined on his back as she climbed on top of him. He kissed her lips and ran his hands over her breasts,heating her deep inside. “I have to say, Diana, you made me proud.” “I was afraid you’d be angry with me because I tried to help you.” He leisurely licked the bathwater off her cheek. “You love me and wanted to protect me. You didn’t do it because you felt I couldn’t handle him. It was just instinctive. An alpha female quality.” She washed his bloodied neck with care. Referring to her as having alpha qualities was the greatest compliment he could ever give. “I was so proud of you to submit to another red, to allow him to fight Simon for the right to be the leader of the pack.” Knowing how difficult it was not only to pretend to cower before a red, but in front of his mate—it had to have been the hardest thing he’d ever done. Her chest swelled with pride to think such a great gray wanted her for his very own.
Luna Diana Chapter 38
The sound of Ragnar's howl nearly made Diana's heart stop. Caleb’s ears pulled back and he narrowed his eyes. His tail pointed straight out, parallel to the ground. Undoubtedly, he sensed the added danger when he caught the sound, too. It just couldn’t be Ragnar. Not when Caleb had so many reds to fight. Diana continued to recline on the ground, pretending not to be bothered, to show Caleb that she believed in him with all of her heart. But she couldn't smooth down the hair standing erect on the nape of her neck or tail. She couldn’t relax her tail, fixed straight as a spear, her body on full alert, ready to react if Ragnar made a sudden appearance. Then she reminded herself that she had her gun and it could give him a lot of heartburn for a while. Ross ran toward Caleb with his teeth bared. Fire burned in the depths of his brown eyes. Caleb responded , his leg and back muscles moving like a waterfall, fluid and powerful. Grabbing Ross by the throat, he snapped his nec
Luna Diana Chapter 37
Four SUVs barreled up, scattering the gravel on the shoulder. Two parked in front of them, two behind, as if wedging them in, allowing them no chance of escape. The sun had nearly faded from the sky, and already the reds were ditching their clothes in the vehicles. Diana and Caleb waited. Despite the old man’s words, the gray was not likely a welcome sight among the reds, and the notion that Caleb—instead of a red—would kill their leader most likely didn’t bode well with many of them. As the old man said, there were many who probably felt that Diana could solve their problems by mating with one of the reds and thereby end the killings. What was done was done, and it wouldn't be repeated, but the problem was that, if Alfred won the prize, Ross, Nicol, and Simon would still be without mates. And they would continue their killing spree. The urge to mate ran in their blood. Desiring a mate who would race in the wild with them proved tantamount. Sexual relations with a woman in
Luna Diana Chapter 36
The rental Suburban pulled out of Diana's driveway and headed through the development, an older couple from the red lupus garou pack driving it. After a moment's hesitation, the unmarked police car followed. “Now what, Caleb?” Diana asked. Her voice was tight and worried. Her cheeks flushed faintly. He hated to see her so concerned, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Now we wait for—” A different Suburban, this one black, pulled in front of the house. “Is it a red escort? The police wouldn’t send someone else, would they?” “I don’t think so.” Caleb started to walk outside. Diana tugged at his arm. “Wait for me. I’ve got to do something.” He couldn’t help looking at her in disbelief. “My mother always said to use the bathroom before I went anywhere,” she hastily explained. “Just don’t leave without me.” He tilted his chin down. “I won’t be leaving without you, honey, that’s for certain.” Her eyes held a wealth of worry; then she no
Luna Diana Chapter 35
Early the next morning, even though it was dark, with threatening storm clouds hovering overhead like a permanent menace, Caleb reached out for Diana in bed, but he found her gone. He listened, hoping to hear her butler announcing new email or the sound of her cooking in the kitchen. Nothing. And then the rain, pitter pattering at first, followed by a roar as it drowned the area, filled his ears. He was sure if he didn’t leave here soon, his skin would start wearing a coat of green moss or mold. Shoving the covers aside, he headed out of the bedroom. She wasn’t in her office. She couldn’t be in the greenhouse now. The thought of the ruined greenhouse sickened him. When he returned her to Colorado, he'd build her one twice as big. He strode through the living room, but then he saw her standing in the green velvet robe on the back porch,staring at the burned wreckage. Growling at the insidiousness of whoever torched her building, he pulled the door open and stalked outside.
Luna Diana Chapter 34
Caleb noticed Diana checking out the sideview mirror again and saw the tension in her stiffened spine. “See anything?” “I thought I saw a black Humvee. Twice now. But when I look back, it’s gone, vanished in the rain.” “I’ve seen it before.” Diana looked at Caleb. “When?” “When we were at the dance club. I saw it parked there and then again when I took a look in the Cascades for any evidence of the murdering red’s complicity; it followed me for a while and then disappeared.” “A red? Or Ragnar?” “Ragnar would have confronted me. The windows were too dark; I couldn’t see the driver, but I gathered he was a red—wary, questioning, but something more. I can't pinpoint the gut feeling I have about it, except that, even though he’s hostile—a red not liking a gray in the red's territory and has his sights set on the only female red wolf who’s young enough to be pursued—he doesn't seem to have any evil purpose.” “Like reporting our actions to Alfred.” “Right
