Page 62 of Bad Moon Rising
They moved topside, and both sprawled stomach-down on the bow of the boat. Each picked out what the other should shoot on a nearby uninhabited island for a half hour. As proud as she was of the fact she didn’t miss once she sighted in her target, it kind of freaked her out. How had she learned sniper skills?
To distract herself, she asked, “Are you involved with that mage?”
“Wha…what?” Evie sputtered. Wow, she really was terrible at hiding her feelings.
“Uh, that’s a yes. I’ll grant you he’s hot in his own dark, smoldering, and highly disturbing way. Is he nice to you?”
“Are you volunteering to beat him up for me?” Evie’s cheeks flushed, and she grinned broadly.
Oh, hell no. She didn’t want to get within a few thousand miles of Dom again.
“He’s scared of me. And, just so you know, he kissed me. It had nothing, I mean absolutely nothing, to do with us interested in each other. Far from it. Him and me is a definite no. It was done to power a spell.”
Evie rolled her eyes. “He kissed you? Might need to have words with him about it.” The lack of ire in her tone indicated she was secure enough in whatever relationship she had with the mage not to get too bent out of shape. “You like Roman, don’t you?”
Her chest tightened. “Roman is far different than Dom. He’s principled and loyal, even if his curse is demanding he execute me.” She switched on the safety of the rifle she’d been holding and pushed it away from her. “He has to. The king ordered him to do it, and he can’t say no.”
Evie did the same with her weapon and sat up. Nova followed suit. “He’s got honor etched into his soul and integrity rammed up his ass. And a curse that tries to force him to do things, which sometimes put that honor and integrity at odds. But he didn’t kill you the moment he met you, did he?” Evie’s smile sent chills through her. “I think I know why he hesitated. It has nothing to do with honor or integrity or caring about that you’re innocent. Have you kissed him yet?”
“Jesus.” Nova covered her face as her cheeks scorched at the mere memory of their kiss. “He’s your freaking son. This is so awkward.”
“You haven’t?” She threw her hands in the air, clearly exasperated. “I have no idea where the boy gets his moralistic stubbornness. The fireworks between you two are a bloody miracle. Bet it hit him over the head and made his brain go stupid the moment you entered his sphere. Mark my words, Nova. This thing that the two of you feel is a gift you’d better grab ahold of before regret bites you in the ass. You know how rare it is between two of our kind to have the opportunity to feel the connection you found with Roman? To be able to do something about it and not be forced into a mating you don’t want?” She shook her head. “Rarer than a supernova.” She chuckled at her own joke.
“He doesn’t want me.”
“Bull-fucking-shit. He can’t keep his eyes off you. He would’ve protected you against me to the death. He would’ve died to keep you safe against his own mother.” She picked up her rifle and stood, focusing on the horizon. “I would’ve won, of course.”
Again, Nova mimicked her movements, rising up next to her, rifle in hand. “Don’t be so sure. I’m ten times better than him and could easily kick your ass.”
“Ha!” She laughed loud. “You’re a keeper.” Her voice lowered. “A little push and I think he’d walk on the wild side for you.”
Evie had to be kidding. But she kind of wanted to walk on that wild side with Roman.
“Are you trying to set me up with him? Maybe get some grandkids out of the deal?”
Evie paused for a moment, her wry expression turning thoughtful, and a little sad. “I’m trying to see my son be joyful about something again. Ever since he got cursed, what he’s forced to fight slowly sucks more and more of his soul out of him. I don’t know if you’ve gotten to see what he faces off against, but let me tell you, they’re upper-echelon scary. He rarely smiles or laughs anymore. He never cracks a joke. Ever since Shane…he’s gotten darker over the years. Roman is headed somewhere self-destructive. Focus on his missions keeps him sane, I think. But then, apparently, you came along.” She aimed and shot a bit of bark off a tree. “I haven’t seen him this alive and plugged into life in a long time. I’ve explored every option known to reverse that stupid curse binding him to those fuckers, but nothing works.”
Her throat went dry as she remembered her spell had halted the curse’s effect, even if momentarily. “It’s a bad idea wrapped in futility for us to get involved.”
“Life’s short, Nova. One day you’re playing target practice and the next…” Evie shot. Another bit of bark exploded into bits. “You’re gone.”
…
“Where’s Nova?” Roman asked his mother as he leaned against the railing, blocking her path.
“Target practice. Didn’t want to burst her bubble of fun, so I told her to keep going. She’s a good sniper.” She held up a finger. “Let me rephrase that. She’s atrainedsniper. As in her skills go way beyond a parent who showed their daughter how to handle a weapon. She’s got military or mercenary training, which raises many questions. How did someone as young as she is—and a lycan woman, too—end up with those abilities? Why would someone with her capabilities do trivial work like assassinate FenCor execs? Strikes me someone was pulling her strings, which meant someone had leverage over her.”
He glanced toward the front of the boat—not that he could see Nova, but he wanted confirmation she was okay.
“You like her,” Evie accused softly in a tone he recognized as one indicating a life lesson on its way.
He wasn’t doing this with his mother.
Time for a subject change. “Dom? Couldn’t you have chosen anyone else?” he asked.
His mom put a dramatic hand over her heart. Then she straightened, and her eyebrows rose as she smirked. “I like men who think they’re indomitable. I knocked Dom to his knees and wrapped him around my finger until he ended up in so many knots, he doesn’t think he can survive without me. It’s fun. Makes for some insane sex.”
“Eww. Just ew. You and Dom? I can’t.” He pressed his fingers into his eyeballs in a failed attempt to shove the imagery out of his brain. “He’s too old for you.”
