Page 99 of Marked By Moonlight

Cooper stood at the top of the stairs, face grim, gun aimed at Darius.

Darius staggered several steps before dropping to his knees with a great thud. His face smacked the concrete floor in a loud crunch of bone.

“What are you doing here?” Gideon demanded, anger bubbling inside him as Cooper started down the stairs. Cooper had made it perfectly clear Gideon could expect no help. If he had changed his mind, he could have done it sooner, before he nearly lost Claire.

“Thought you could use a little help.” Cooper shrugged.

“Too little, too late.” Gideon waved his gun at Darius’s body. “I could have handled him.”

Cooper assessed the bodies littering the basement with mild interest. “You’ve been busy.” His gaze cut to Claire peeking from behind Gideon. “Guess you found her alpha.”

“No thanks to you,” Gideon snapped.

“I did my part,” Cooper said, defending himself and motioning to where Darius lay fallen. “Not that I should have.”

“Yeah, big help. You shot the lycan I already had in my sights.” Shaking his head in disgust, Gideon turned to Claire. He ran his hands over her arms, relishing the feel of her.

“What about him?” Cooper’s voice broke in, ringing like a drill sergeant.

Gideon looked over his shoulder. Cooper pointed at Darius. Irritated, he started to ask what he meant, then stopped, realizing that Darius hadn’t shifted back to his human form yet.

Curious, he left Claire’s side and stepped nearer. A thick pelt of black hair still covered Darius’s body. Lycans always returned to their human form in death. Darius’s chest rose and fell with deep, silent breaths. He wasn’t dead. Gideon’s bewildered gaze shot to Cooper.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Turning the gun side to side, he said, “Don’t know how strong these tranquilizers are. Gave him enough to put out an elephant. Still, you might want to get him wherever he’s supposed to be.”

Claire demanded, “He’s not dead?”

“No.” The way Cooper’s mouth tightened, Gideon knew he didn’t exactly understand why he hadn’t killed Darius, but Gideon did. He’d done it for him. Trusted him enough to believe that Darius might be worth saving.

“Yeah, and if this ever gets out my career’s over.”

“My lips are sealed.” Gideon pretended to zip his lips.

“Just get the hell out of here.” He nodded to Darius. “And take pretty boy with you.”

“What about Nina?” Claire asked, motioning to the unconscious girl.

“Oh yeah,” Gideon said, suddenly remembering. “And there are some kids upstairs in a pantry—”

Cooper waved a hand and sighed deeply. “I’ll take care of the kids. Know just which cops to call.”

Gideon had a good idea, too.

Cooper shooed at them with his hands. “Leave it to me. You get out of here. I don’t want to explain your presence.”

Gideon nodded, recalling the night of his own parents’ death. He and Kit hadn’t opened their mouths once. Cooper handled itall. Just as he would undoubtedly handle this. He was an expert at covering up the truth. Then and now. Gideon would probably read a story in theChronicletomorrow about a police raid on a cult in North Houston and the rescue of several abducted teenagers by law enforcement officers.

Conceal and cover up. Keep the knowledge of lycans hidden from the rest of the world. It’s what Cooper did best.

Suddenly weary from it all, desiring a little peace and normalcy in his life, Gideon would gladly leave him to it.

Grabbing Claire’s hand, his eyes met hers, startled by the pools of brown staring back at him. The knowledge that she was safe, free of the curse, hit him hard then.

It was too dark in the basement to study the exact color and nuance of those eyes. But he would. Later. A leisurely inspection. He had all the time in the world to study them. He had plenty of time to discover the real Claire Morgan, assuming she gave him the chance.

The cold, hard truth revealed itself in the unearthing of her wide brown eyes, and Gideon couldn’t ignore it.

It was over. Claire no longer needed him. The question remaining was whether she wanted him.

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