“I know you’re capable of wonderful things because you’ve already achieved the impossible. We’ve had our bumps and our fights, but we always come out on top, don’t we?”He nodded. “I just…don’t know why I can’t shake this.”The uncertainty on his face tugged at my heart. I hated seeing him so upset. “It’s okay. I’m here to help you. If you’ll let me.”I pulled his face down to mine and placed kisses on his forehead, the tip of his nose, and finally his mouth. He stirred under my insistent kisses, and hungry hands clutched at my waist and my ass. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth, biting down just hard enough to make him growl.“I’m here, baby,” I said into his mouth. “Be here with me.”I deepened the kiss, letting the tip of my tongue brush over his lips. His breathing hitched, his hold on me becoming more insistent. Somehow, I guided him toward our bed, even with our lips locked. The taste of him was so deep, so masculine, I wouldn’t have minded spending the day in his arms just
I smiled, relief filling my chest with warmth. “Of course. I’m here for you, baby.”“I know you are.” He rubbed my back in slow, tantalizing circles. “We should head back. We should talk to Samuel and his family.”I propped myself up on my elbow and looked down at him. “Yeah?”“Yeah.” He moved his hand to my shoulder and continued to caress me. “If you still feel that Samuel has information to give us, then we should get what we can from him now. Troy’s only going to get more aggressive in his future attacks because he’s searching for something he’ll never find: the key that’ll open that portal.”I started to tear up. This was the Night I’d been missing, this brilliant, intelligent, thoughtful man. The man who made me feel precious and loved. I was so glad to have him back again.I sniffled and nodded. “I agree. And I was thinking it might be good to bring Tavi along to help Samuel through it.”Night was confused for a second, but then he understood. “You’re thinking she would be able
I shook my head and smiled. “Don’t worry, Cathy, we don’t expect anything like that. Do you mind if we come in?”“Not at all. Come in, come in.” She stepped aside for us to enter her living room, shutting the door behind us. “Adam, we have guests! You three take the couch, Adam and I will stand.”I shot a subtle look at Night and raised my eyebrows as Tavi and I sat down. He gave a brief nod back and leaned against the wall beside me. So, we’d both noticed it: Cathy was more open to this impromptu visit than she’d been the first time. What had put her in such a good mood? Not that I was complaining about such a warm reception.“Who made this?” Tavi asked as she patted the white-and-gray knitted blanket draped across the back of the couch.“I did,” Cathy said. “I haven’t felt much like knitting lately, but I’ve been trying to get back into it. I’m even thinking of getting a stall in the marketplace.”“We’d be happy to have your work there,” Night said.“Hello,” Adam said as he stepped
Though I’d expected this answer, it filled me with a sense of relief that followed me through the day and into the night. The next day, the day of the ritual, that relief slowly shifted into prickly nervousness.I believed in the ritual’s effectiveness, but I had no doubt that I’d be seeing some disturbing stuff in Samuel's memories. When I’d looked into my mother’s memories, it had been to learn more about my parents. Though her life ended tragically, seeing things through her eyes had given me closure and strength. Because of that experience, I felt like I could be a better woman, a better mate, and a better mother.But Samuel would be different. When Night and I had spoken to him months ago, he’d mentioned a shadow monster. There was no telling what he had actually seen, but it had been enough to cause deep hurt and fear that had lasted a decade.Adam and Cathy told us it would be better to do it in the daytime because Samuel was at his most calm, so Tavi, Night, Violet, and I were
“Yeah, I thought you’d remember me.” I reached for his head, and he winced, his ears flattening, his eyes closing, but when I touched his soft fur, he opened his eyes again. He looked up at me as I stroked his head. “I know you’re scared. And I know that it’s because you probably realized the same thing I did earlier today—you’re going to see things you’ve tried very hard to forget.”Another soft whine, and he wrapped his tail tightly around him.“It won’t be a fun experience, and it might be frightening, but I want you to know that your memories can’t hurt you more than you’ve already been hurt. Today will be the start of the rest of your life, and you’ll be able to look forward instead of back. Understand?”One of his ears lifted. He stared at me, waiting for more.“I also want you to know I will be there with you the entire time.” I scratched him under his chin. “And that’s very lucky. You know why? Because I’ve already done this. I know the ropes. You’ll be okay.”His other ear li
“Oh.” Suddenly, Trevor didn’t look so dazzling up there; he looked like a little kid. “Maybe we should go home after all. I…I don’t want to end up like them.”“Okay. Do you need help getting down?”Trevor shook his head, then both boys jumped as the leaves rustled. Samuel stared with wide eyes as a dark figure stepped out from between the trees. Trevor yelped and fell off the trunk in his haste to get away. But all Samuel could do was stare as the figure got closer and closer. Finally, the figure started to look less like something dragging itself out of the shadows and more like a person.“Hey, what are you two doing out here?” The figure pulled back its hood, revealing Troy’s face.Seeing Troy as a young teenager punched me in the chest. I recoiled from the memories of him yanking my hair and pushing me down. The gray film over the vision grew thicker as the shock rolled over me.Get it together, Bryn, I coached myself. Just get through it. You can’t lose it now. It took a couple of
What was equally alarming was how unreasonable Gregor was being. Troy was right; there was no way to increase the number of boys he could kidnap other than sneaking them from their homes. What did Gregor expect?“Let’s begin.” He held out his hand toward his son. “Bring me the knife.”Troy nodded and went to a duffle bag in the corner of the room. He pulled out a surprisingly plain-looking dagger and brought it back. Gregor took the blade and raised it, chanting in a language I didn’t understand. The cavern filled with static electricity, like a storm was about to touch down.He flourished the blade as he slowly moved behind the boys, still chanting. They were all trembling; some had even wet themselves. If either Troy or Gregor noticed, they didn’t care, but the pungent stench heightened the horror of what was about to happen.Gregor stood behind a boy whose red hair glowed orange in the firelight. After speaking a few more words, his hand lashed out, gripping the boy by his chin. He
“Trevor,” he whispered, “they’re gone, let’s go.”Trevor didn’t respond. In fact, he gave no indication that he was still living. Samuel moved closer, and I wished I could tell him not to get too close, to avoid whatever the boys had been turned into. But of course, I had no control over the past.The stench of blood was overwhelming, but Samuel reached for his friend’s shoulder. “Trevor, please.”The minute Samuel touched him, Trevor whipped around, snapping jaws that were full of small, sharp teeth. He was stuck somehow between both forms. Gasping, Samuel stumbled back, and Trevor got to his feet. He stalked forward, and with each step, his skin rippled as he transformed some more. Soon, the boy was gone, and the wolf took his place.In the darkness, Trevor’s eyes glowed amber, and his claws dug into the soil, ready to pounce.Samuel whirled around and ran as fast as he could. Behind him, he heard the small, crazed howl of the feral pup his friend had become. He slapped his hands ov