Page 28 of Touched By Moonlight
Grayson pointed west. “We have more than 100 acres of mountain and forest that way. Private, quiet and lets us roam free without humaninterference.”
“What is that campground we passed? Happytimes?”
Grayson went preternaturally still, as if my question bothered him. “It’s been abandoned for years. I bought the campground to have the property deeded to me. Left itdeserted.”
“I’m not talking about real estate transactions. I mean, what tragedy happened there? You can feel it.” Ishivered.
His dark eyebrows arched. “You can? Even as wepassed?”
Shrugging, I looked for an excuse. “Anyone can. Any sensitive humancan.”
That sage look hinted he didn’t believe me. But for now, he seemed to let it pass. “It was once a vacation spot owned by humans. It lasted only one summer before it closed down. No human wanted to buy it because it seemed…haunted.”
He rubbed his hands on his jeans. “Hundreds of years ago, this land hosted a colony of dark Fionn Fae who turned to practicing evil. They’re long gonenow.”
Seeing my expression, he hastened to add, “Oh, you’ll be safe at our home.” He leaned forward. “Don’t fret, Sienna. I’ll protectyou.”
Right. I needed to know more about this campground. “Have any Fionn lived theresince?”
He gave me a long, thoughtful look I could clearly see in the moon’s glow. “Lived there? No. Any Fionn Fae who did stay would realize the land has energy and use it like gasoline in a car to make themselves more powerful. I purchased the land to watch over it and keep them away. We patrol the campground once in a while to ensure it’s free fromintruders.”
If power lurked in the campground, it was a wonder more Fionn didn’t stream here. Then again, my people don’t like shifters. Usually, they’ll go out of their way to avoid them, because shifters make formidableopponents.
My people prefer to leech power from less challenging sources. Unless there’s an easy way to get it, such as killing someone like me and siphoning it away as Kallan wished todo.
Grayson went to his bike, picked up a Camelbak strapped to his bike and drank. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Fionn Fae can control the weather. Not for long. The magick never lasts. Not unless they have enough magick and they’re not born withit.”
Someare.
He handed me his Camelbak. I drank deeply, glad I didn’t have any alcohol tonight. I needed to stayvigilant.
Though it was pitch black in the canyon, I could see Grayson’s slight smile as I drank. My eyesight, like his, has terrific nightvision.
Uh oh. That was the smile of a wolf who sighted prey, and knew dinner was near. I handed him back theCamelbak.
“Just because I had a drink from your container doesn’t mean anything, big guy. I’m notPersephone.”
“Maybe,” he said softly. “But our rules are different, Sienna. Just as Hades set different rules for the underworld. In the end, he got what he wanted, and so willI.”
I didn’t like the thread of this conversation. I trusted him, but didn’t trust myself, not with this sexual need yammering at me. I wanted to rub against the saddle between my legs to ease the burningdesire.
Or rub against something else equally soft and yet firm as steel. Like hiscock.
Stopit!
“So you’re saying you identify as living in hell?” Iquipped.
Instead of answering, he swung one muscled leg over the bike and stood. Grayson held out his hand. “Let’s walk. I want to show you theriver.”
Common sense urged me to order him back on the bike to take me home. But common sense had been badly shaken by the dark Fae’s appearance at Crossroads. I needed to find out exactly what Grayson knew, andsoon.
Yet the more time I spent with him, the more I risked my heart. I was damn lonely and I’d formed attachments. Grayson and his betas had anchored me to Cheyenne. They gave me something to eagerly anticipate on the weekends instead ofwork.
And now I walked with a wolf who could do more than merely provide me answers as to how Kallan could bedefeated.
Grayson could strip away all my defenses as well, and find out all mysecrets.
If I dropped myguard.
