Page 132 of Lunar Desires
Chapter 41
DRAKE
Despite some reservations, and the horrified shock over the dead man in my arms, everyone in the mansion agreed to do this.
What choice did we have? The Moon had to live. He couldn’t be dead.
I put Riley down on the hallway floor, still averting my eyes from his face.
He’s not dead. He’s just… He’s just sleeping…
Aaron arrived with the stones and a sturdy grater. He fished out the purple stone, dragging the grater across it directly above my boyfriend.
I sent a million prayers into the heavens as flecks of purple fell across him.
Please…
“It’s working,” Isaac said. “By Hecate!”
The wound closed within seconds, Riley’s alabaster complexion chasing the deathly gray away. He shot upward, reaching out, gasping for air.
“Little brother.” Isaac fell to his knees. “You’re okay.”
Relief burned its way through me, reality smacking me upside the head.
I’d almost lost you…
Riley blinked, looking around himself. “What happened?” His eyes widened. “Oh my God! Dad! Dad…did he attack me? I can’t remember?”
I broke, throwing myself forward, my face in his chest. I howled into his jumper, wrapping my arms around him. So relieved, so frightened, my mind in attack mode. It wanted to know what I’d have done if he’d really died.
Riley held me. “It’s okay, Drake. It’s okay.”
It wasn’t.
It really fucking wasn’t.
I heard Erin cough gently. “I think… Goodness me. I think I’ll put the kettle on.”
Chapter 42
RILEY
Ididn’t sleep much that night.
Although the events of what happened when Dad attacked were blurry, they still kept me up until four in the morning. I mean, I’d died. I’d died and come back because of a Rainbow Stone.
Aaron canceled the quarry burial for the time being.
Okay, so the fae woman had helped, but there would be a price for this at some point. Probably my blood or some crap. After all, she wanted me alive.
Ugh. Damn these villains.
Dad killed me. He’d been resisting the conditions of his curse, only to give in. It stung like bees and wasps teaming up to launch an attack against me, stinger after stinger sticking me in an endless assault.
He’d fled the house in Broomstick Gardens, as had Mum and Peter. When Drake searched for them, he found Mum and my stepdad in Great Yarmouth, holed up in a hotel.
As for Dad, he kept moving away from the city. Drake’s last search found him in New Forest. There wasn’t a plan in for placehow we’d deal with him yet, or Mum and Peter. But I wanted to see him again. As him. To see if he harbored any regret.
