Page 99 of Bad Moon Rising
“We have to be careful. Not that we know the trigger words or that I’m worried about us, but I worry someone near me might know them and use you. The person who knows those words is probably behind alerting the A.W.L. I bet it’s someone associated with FenCor.”
“I thought you said I assassinated several of their top people. Why would they go after their own?”
Roman shrugged. “I don’t know. A power play, perhaps.”
“I’m concerned about your brother not showing up yet.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “They must’ve captured him. If that was a legit breeding facility and they took him, could they force him to have sex? To father a child?”
“You’re asking me this after full moon night? I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you in the club, and that was while I am on the suppression serum and then I still wanted you even after I was ordered to take you out. If I was off serum and someone put me in a cell with you with the full moon in the sky? There’s not a force on the planet that would keep us from getting naked.”
“They might’ve lured him in on purpose,” Flynn said. “Maybe they want his child.”
“If he’s anything like you two, it’d be an incredible child.” She didn’t release Roman’s hand as she sat next to him. “We have to stop them. This is terrifying, not just on a species level or for your brother, but also to think of them raising lycan kids and brainwashing them from the time they’re little. That’s horrific.”
“We’ll stop it. We always do.” He wrapped an arm around her to pull her close and kiss her forehead. “You were brave to erase your memories in order to stop them. You put all this into play. You knew to find me and my brothers. Somehow you knew we are the right ones to stop this.”
Chapter Thirty-one
Nova stood at the side of the breakfast table wringing her hands. “I can’t do this, Roman. I’m putting you at too much risk. I’ve got to leave. I can’t be here with your family who have all been so kind to me.” She looked to Evie and then to Flynn who opened his mouth to speak, but paused and then said nothing. She waved at them. “See? They agree.”
“Sit. Eat with us.” He reached out and took her hand in his. His eyes trained on hers, he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I’m sorry for anything I said that might’ve been hurtful.” He shook his head. “So fucking sorry. I know why you died. We all do. It was the right move even if it destroyed me. I won’t lie that if that happens for real a second time, I’m not going to make it.”
Flynn said, “Roman—”
“I’m stating the fact so everyone understands how important she is to me.” His focus returned to her. “It’s also not okay for you to try to disappear out of the misguided notion it’ll keep me safe from the curse. That’s what this is about.”
“I will not be the reason that curse punishes you again,” she said as she sat. Her heart pounded so fast she felt like she might have a heart attack.
Roman loaded her plate with fruits and a pastries and put it in front of her. “Eat. You’re special, Nova. Not just to me. Not just because you can use magic, but because you helped me find my way out of the darkness that was pulling me under. I don’t know how I lucked into you being the one put into my life, but you being here was intentional on several levels.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“The angel didn’t show up to recruit us to help with the demon. That was an excuse to get us together. He could’ve nixed that asshole in about two seconds on his own. He was there to fix me…us. God sent you to me.”
“God? As intheChristian God?”
He nodded.
“Do you think God put me in that car and sent the texts?”
Roman’s face scrunched up. “No. I think you were headed my way, and he decided to push us to have a deeper connection.” After a pause, he continued, “I’ve lost a lot in my life—friends, my father, and Shane. Now possibly Ky. There’s only so much anyone can take. When I had you and lost you…that was the tipping point. Flynn and I are blood cursed to answer to a selfish monarch and our human handler. The things we’ve dealt with for decades eroded all optimism and drew me into a dark place. But then you appeared and gave me purpose. You helped me remember goodness. I have nothing to give you in return other than my pledge to be true to you and protect you. To love you.”
“Roman—”
“I’ve never done a relationship,” he interrupted her. “I’m afraid it’ll all fall apart between us even if we try to make a go of it. It seems almost too good to be true, but I don’t want to sabotage it before it gets a chance. We have to give ourselves this chance. That’s all I’m trying to say.”
“But the risk? One screw up and me on camera…they’ll send you after me again. This time they’ll make you kill me in front of them.”
“The angel says your magic can make you invisible to the cameras and whomever you don’t want to be seen by.”
“Damned useful skill,” Flynn said. “If you can teach it to me, that’d be cool.”
Roman frowned at him. “If you don’t remember how to do it, Nova, then Dom can show you. He’s a grumpy asshole, but I’ll make him, or Mom will.”
Evie busied herself with cutting fruit. “I can make him train you.”
Tears slipped over the edge. “The angel said we could be together?”
“It was his sole purpose for forcing us out last night. Not the stupid demon, which we could’ve dealt with tomorrow or the next day. His purpose was us. Seems that I have some sort of higher purpose for God. Probably in order to protect his sheep. Looks like even if I get free of one master, there’s another waiting to pull my strings.”
