Page 20 of Luna Rising

“How long does that take?” I asked.

He nipped at my jaw with his fangs before dragging the points down my throat. Cold tingles crept up my spine. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him closer. Ewan’s cell buzzed against me. He groaned, but I pressed into him. He let the caller wait several beats before digging the phone from his pocket.

Winter’s name flashed on the screen. Ewan hit accept and put her on speakerphone.

“Is everything okay?” I demanded.

“The lone wolf isn’t safe,” she whispered. “Despite what my mom said, it’s not true. We have to do something.”

“No, you need to stay here. This is the safest place for an unrisen eternal right now. You’re not leaving,” I insisted.

“I know where she is.” Winter paused, lowering her voice even further. “Her name is Tish, and she’s a bartender in a supernatural town in Arizona.”

My head swam. This was a bad idea. I knew it. Ewan knew it. Deep down, Winter probably did too. But she was so insistent, something within me stirred to protect her at all costs.

“I could open a portal straight to her,” Winter continued, when neither of us responded.

Ewan took one look at my face and didn’t bother to argue. “How fast can you be here?”

“Guess I’m leaving our bed unsatisfied after all,” I muttered, so only Ewan heard. To Winter, I called, “Bring me something to wear. Anything except AU sweatpants.”

NSFW Wedding Gift

“I think that’s her.” Ewan pointed through the front window of a bar called Tails, at a woman with magenta hair serving drinks.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, tugging on the sleeves of the sweater I’d borrowed from Winter. “There are so many of them, packed like little sardines. Except, more tempting because, you know, I don’t like sardines normally.”

Ewan raised an eyebrow, amused. “You’re the one who insisted on coming. I could have managed this on my own.”

Which, I supposed, was fair because it had been my idea, but I didn’t appreciate him reminding me. Besides, Winter had been so upset, and I hated seeing her that way. Still, warning Tish that she was in trouble had seemed like a much better and nobler idea before we arrived in Tucson. Now, it felt risky.

“Okay, well, I’m a baby vampire with no impulse control. Maybe you should have used your alpha voice to talk me out of it.”

He rested his hand on the small of my back, expression serious. “You will be fine, Zara. Consider it a test.”

My eyebrows shot to my hairline. “Excuse me?”

“I need you to be okay around large gatherings of supes.” He gestured to the crowded bar. “That’s nothing compared to the number of wolves in our pack. You did well earlier. What happened with Kilbi wasn’t bloodlust.”

Our pack, I thought. Not his. Even my father referred to the Geminis as his wolves. My mother was simply his mate. I liked that Ewan thought me his equal.

“You can do this, Zara.” Ewan’s hand slid beneath my hair.

“Earlier you had fae standing by.” I turned to him, tipping my head back. “Where’s that abundance of caution now?”

Ewan leaned down and lowered his voice. “It’s different. Those were my friends. I don’t care what happens to the people in that bar.”

“If I lose my shit in there and make some asshole my dinner, you’re okay with that?” I asked, only sort of kidding because he was very serious.

His lips captured mine. “You could make a buffet out of everyone inside and I’ll sleep like a baby,” he murmured. “Good girls get rewarded, though.”

I pushed on his chest. “I won’t hold my breath, buddy, talk is cheap. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

Ewan grabbed my hand and slid his fingers between mine as I opened the front door of Tails. Winter had hidden our crimson eyes with glamor, making them appear as they did pre-turning. She’d assured us it worked, since we couldn’t see the alteration on each other. With fae glamor, once you knew someone had it on, you saw them as they truly appeared.

A few people noticed our arrival. Most had no interest beyond an initial glance. One man, however, tracked our path from the door to the bar. Chin-length dark blond hung around a chiseled face that grew colder as he watched us. Many of the patrons wore clothes that suggested they came from work and stopped by for drinks or dinner with friends before heading home. This guy had on a bespoke suit jacket with monogrammed cufflinks that were too fancy for the establishment.

My hackles rose and my gums itched, and I had the urge to sink my fangs into the man’s throat. “Six o’clock. It’s Walter’s mini-me,” I muttered, just loud enough for Ewan to hear.

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