Page 54 of Under a Wicked Moon
“This is my sister. She’s the only person related to me who wasn’t executed by the psychopathic Lycan Council. She’s the reason I didn’t fight staying inside. I kept thinking I’d find out what happened to her or where she was or some small tidbit about her. To find out she’s been outside while I was in there kills me on multiple levels. I deserve the truth.”
He put down the empty beer can and leaned with both hands on the kitchen counter, dropping his head. Torn between the need to protect his brother’s mate, which made her family, and his loyalty to Vivi, he agonized.
“Please. I need to know. Tell me.” She moved close.
He nodded his head. Decision made. “She’s alive.”
“Oh, thank you, Jesus. She’s not…” Vivi swiped at the tears pouring down her face. She slid to the floor with her back against the kitchen island. “Where is she?”
“She’s safe.”
“Where? Do you know?”
“I’ve told you too much already. Roman’s going to kill me. We’re putting her at risk by even talking about it, which is unacceptable. You have to understand this. If they find out from you that she’s not dead and put the order out again for us to go after her… Because she’s lycan, it means we have to follow the order. We’re no longer under a kill order, since she died andwas resuscitated.” He held out a hand to her when she jolted at the news that her sister had died for a few minutes. “I promise, it wasn’t us. A friend of ours saved her. But if they realize she’s alive, they’ll reinstate the order to execute her.”
“Would you kill her if ordered to do so again?”
“I can’t…wouldn’t.” He knelt next to her and lifted her face. With his thumb, he swiped away the track of tears from one of her eyes. “It’s the same for you, if they order I assassinate you. I’d never be able to kill you. I’d die first. Your sister found someone to love and is safe from those who wanted her dead. She’s safe as long as everyone believes her dead. None of us will kill either of you unless that’s your choice.”Unlikely any of us could do it even if you asked it of us.
Since she was Roman’s mate, if something happened to Nova, then Roman would go insane. Some lycans, like his mother, survived the loss of their mate, but Roman’s fidelity and loyalty ran so deep that even though Ky had never met Nova, he understood if she died, they’d lose Roman.
“What does that mean?” Her brows wrinkled inward.
He almost said too much. He’d never give away she was Roman’s mate. That was one step too far. “She’s one of us now, protected and no longer alone. And she’s found herself a mate.”
“My sister bonded with someone? A lycan?”
“Does that imply you thought she’d bond with someone not lycan?”
“I don’t know. I always envisioned her with someone magical. She’s so much better at magic than me, and you know how anti-magic lycans are. I need to talk to her. Where is she?”
“Somewhere not here.”
“Call her.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I can’t risk you talking to her. But, after tomorrow, when we figure out who sent me into the prison and who’s in charge of all this, then you can talk to her.”
“I can’t believe she’s alive. You should’ve told me.”
“I’ll protect her… All of us will protect her against…”
“Me,” she whispered.
“Everything,” he added. “Come on, you should get some sleep.” He held out his hand, which she took. He led her back to the bedroom.
She glared at the bed as if it was the perpetrator of her inability to sleep.
“You prefer the floor?” he asked.
“Not really. I just…” She turned to him and buried her face against his chest. She looked up. “I don’t want to be alone. Everything’s so dark. The walls close in. When I close my eyes, I’m back in there. I fear sleeping because that’s when they’d knock me out. I’d wake up somewhere else.”
“You’re safe,” he whispered while smoothing the hair around her face. He couldn’t resist; he had to kiss her, but he moved slowly, giving her the chance to refuse. She met him, lips ready, and hands burying into his hair. Her lips, so soft, drugged him with lust…with the want of much more.
Chapter Twenty
Her hands ran over his chest and abdomen. He groaned at her touch, the sensations pushing him to do this fast. He angled her mouth a little more, demanded a little more from her with the swipe of his tongue. She parted her lips, and their tongues clashed.
“I need you,” he whispered as his mouth left hers. He touched her ass, bunching up the silky nightgown until he could trace her panties.
