Bad Moon Rising (Dark-Hunter #18)(21)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

"I have no idea. But they don’t look like happy demons."

No, they didn’t. In fact, they looked like they intended to make nice bear meals out of them.

Aimee manifested her staff. "Any idea how to kill them?"

Dev shrugged with a nonchalance she knew he couldn’t possibly feel. "Beheading works on most things and if it doesn’t work on these, we are seriously screwed. I’d put away the staff and draw a sword."

"Or you could just stand there and stay out of our way."

Aimee scowled as two men flashed in beside them. Not demons, they appeared human, yet they moved with a speed that belied that designation. Before she could even put her weapon away, they had the demons cuffed and on the ground in nice bloody heaps.

She shook her head as she tried to run through the events, but honestly, it’d happened so fast, all she’d seen were streaks in the air. "What was that action?"

Dev flashed a grin at her. "Chuck Norris meets Jet Li."

The demons growled and thrashed while the men beat them down.

"Shut up already." The taller man jerked the female demon up. "Just once, could I get a demon with no vocal cords?"

The other man laughed bitterly. "At least they’re not puking on us this time."

"Small favor that."

And without acknowledging them at all, they were gone.

Aimee exchanged a perplexed stare with her brother. "That is totally out of my realm of experience. And given the freaky stuff we deal with, that says a lot."

"Yeah, I’m trippin’ myself."

Aimee shook her head, trying to make sense of all of it. "Did Tony sneak the special herbs into our food again?"

Dev laughed. "I don’t think so. But we’ll definitely have to ask him when we get back."

"I wouldn’t do that."

They separated to find a woman in the alley, right where the others had vanished. Her dark red hair was braided down her back and she wore a skintight black leather halter and pants. She was absolutely stunning and made Aimee feel rather lacking in comparison.

Dev flashed his most seductive smile. "Hello, gorgeous. Where have you been all my life?"

She rolled her eyes. "You are very handsome, bear. But no. You’re not my type."

Aimee stifled a laugh at her putdown that Dev took in good-natured stride. "And you are?"

"Call me Wynter."

Dev chuckled. "Nothing like a fire on a cold Wynter’s night."

Wynter gave him a droll stare. "Do those cheesy lines work on other women?"

"You’d be amazed."

"If they ever do, then yes, I would be." She walked past him to address Aimee. "Thorn has sent me here to help you find the Daimons who have Fang’s soul."

Aimee frowned at the name she’d never heard before. "Thorn?"

"My boss. We don’t question his orders. We simply obey. He wants the wolf saved, so here I am."

"We?" Dev asked, looking around to see if anyone else was lurking in the shadows.

Wynter gave him a tight-lipped smile as she ignored his question. "So the Daimons vanished while you were chasing them?"

Aimee nodded. "We think they went into a bolt-hole."

"That could be tricky."

Dev shifted his weight to his right leg as he leveled an irritated smirk at Aimee. "I still say we should hand it over to the Dark-Hunters. This is their job, not ours."

Aimee was growing tired of having this argument with him. "They can’t identify the right ones and they can’t go into a bolt-hole to flush them out."

"And neither can we. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re special treats for them and I don’t want to end up like Fang, lying in my bed in a coma . . . or worse, dead."

"Then go home, Dev."

"Go home, Dev," he mocked. "Like Maman wouldn’t skin me alive if I left you out here and you came home in a coma. It gets back to that whole ‘I don’t want to die’ scenario that I’m trying so hard to avoid."

"Then back off me, or I’m going to put you in a coma myself."

Wynter sighed. "Do you two fight like this all the time?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

"But she’s the one who always starts it."

Wynter rolled her eyes and made a sound of supreme disgust. "Thanks, Thorn. I really needed this and I intend to make you pay for it."

Fang?"

Fang opened his eyes to find Aimee leaning over him. It’d been weeks or months since he last saw her. Relief filled him at the sight of her whole and unharmed. Somehow Thorn had actually done what he’d promised. "Hey."

She smiled a smile that radiated through every part of his body and when she spoke, her tone was light and teasing. Most of all, it made him feel almost normal again. "You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you. Maybe I should leave you here after all."

He laughed even though the very thought of it horrified him. "I’d really rather you didn’t. But I don’t want to see you hurt either. I’d rather you be safe and me stay here than for something to happen to you."

She took his hand into hers. The warm gentleness of that touch radiated through him. His body ached for a real taste of her.

Oh, to have one minute in the human realm. . . .

"We got three of them tonight."

Fang nodded. "I know. It’s why my wounds have healed as much as they have." It was also why he was so much stronger now. "Thank you."

She kissed his hand. "You’re welcome. We’ll have you back soon. I promise."

Gods, he hoped so. It was hard to stay here, day after day. He felt so alone and out of touch. But at least she was here with him and for that comfort alone, he’d never be able to repay her. "How’s Vane?"

"We haven’t really heard. He’s staying with one of the Dark-Hunters for now to help protect his mate."

"Which one?"

"Valerius."

Fang cursed at the name. Had that bastard done his job in the swamp, Anya would still be alive. Why in the name of Olympus would Vane have gone to him given that? What was he thinking? "The Roman?"

Aimee grimaced and nodded. "I’m sorry, Fang. I didn’t think that would upset you."

Yet it did. Not just because of the fact that Valerius hadn’t been able to help them protect Anya, but because Fang wasn’t there to help Vane when his brother needed him most. He couldn’t stand the thought of Vane having to turn to someone who’d already let them down.

"Do you know who in our pack is hunting him?"

"Stefan is the only one we’ve seen. He’s come into Sanctuary a couple more times-no doubt trying to get a shot at you."

Fang cursed. "I’ve got to get out of here. Vane can’t stand alone."

"He’s not."

Fang froze at her unexpected contradiction. "What do you mean?"

"Fury’s with him."

"Fury?" He gaped in indignation. Obviously Vane had snapped a serious wheel since Fang had been injured. What the hell was his brother thinking? "That guttersnipe? What’s Vane doing with him?"

Aimee pulled back as she realized the mistake she was making. What was it with Fang that every time she drew near him, she stuck her foot into something? It was like she couldn’t say or do anything right where he was concerned. "I should be going."

He refused to let go of her hand. "You know something." His tone was one of complete accusation.

She hesitated. This wasn’t her place. "Fang, I shouldn’t be the one telling you this."

"Telling me what?"

Aimee couldn’t do it. Vane should be the one to tell him. Or Fury. But not her. "I have to go."

"Aimee," he said in an agonized tone that tore through her. "Please. I need to know what’s going on with him. He’s the only family I have left. Don’t leave me here not knowing."

He was right. That would be even more cruel and he’d already suffered enough.

Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for his reaction. "Fury is your brother."

His handsome face went white. "What?"

She nodded. "It’s true. Like Vane, he changed forms at puberty and became Katagaria. As your father did with you and Vane, your mother called her pack out against him and they beat him down, then left him for dead. Now he’s teamed up with Vane to fight against them and to protect Bride, Vane’s mate."

Fang shook his head in disbelief. But it was the torment in his dark eyes that tore her apart. She hated hurting him more.

"Fury is my brother? Gah, what’s next? Is Mama Lo going to end up being my long-lost sister?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "That’s a little far-fetched."

Lying back on the bed, he covered his eyes with his hand. "I feel sick."

Aimee popped playfully at his belly. "Oh, stop the dramatics, Fang. You have another brother. You should be grateful."

Fang was stunned that she’d touched him like that. Anyone else would be missing an arm. But her warm tone actually succeeded in lessening his anger and feeling of betrayal. "And if I said that to you?"

"In case you haven’t noticed, my cup is running over with brothers. But you . . . you should be glad to have more family."

Maybe.

"Yeah, but it’s Fury." The last creature on earth he’d want to be related to. He couldn’t stand that SOB.

Aimee laughed at his dire tone. "We all have a Remi in the bunch. Deal with it, you crybaby."

Fang gaped at her insult. No one ever dared to insult him. Not even Vane. "Crybaby?"

She nodded. "If the term fits . . ."

He reached to tickle her.

She squealed and tried to escape, but he tackled her to the bed and held her under him. She squirmed playfully, her eyes dancing in humor as she reached to return every tickle to him.

Fury went completely still as he realized what was happening. He was locked in hell and Aimee was making him laugh. . . .

Sobering, he looked down into those celestial eyes that seared him to the core of his soul. To that tantalizing dimple that haunted his dreams. How could she make him feel like this? His entire life had fallen apart and yet she made him laugh. Made him forget that he was trapped in a realm with demons who tortured him every chance they got. That he had sold his soul to keep her safe.

How was this even a little possible?

Aimee shivered at the look on Fang’s handsome face. His hair fell forward into his eyes while he looked at her with an expression that was hot and deadly.

What was he thinking?

Then slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. She groaned at the taste of him as she wrapped her arms around his body and held him close. She closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent of his tawny skin and let his tongue dance with hers.

This was so wrong. She had no business here. With him. Yet she couldn’t imagine anyplace else she’d rather be.

It’s not real.

This was a dream. She was only here in spirit. Did that count?

Maybe.

Reluctantly, she pulled back. "I have to go, Fang."

"I know." He nuzzled her neck, sending even more chills through her as his whiskers tickled her skin. "I just needed to feel warm for a minute."

Those words broke her heart. He was still grieving and he was lost in this nether place with no one to trust.

"Here," she said, taking off the locket she never went without. She fastened it around his neck.

Fang scowled at the heart-shaped locket that was engraved with interlocking vines and swirls around a skull. There was nothing masculine about it at all. He should be horrified by its presence.

Yet he wasn’t.

Aimee placed her hand over his as he held it. "I’m just a shout away if you need me."

I need you now. . . .

But he couldn’t bring himself to say those words out loud. Instead, he leaned in to breathe her lilac scent in one more time. "Be safe."

"You too."

And then she was gone. It was almost enough to make him whimper. But at least her scent lingered on his skin like a phantom whisper. If only he could hold on to her warmth the same way.

Sighing, he pulled her necklace off and opened it. Inside was a picture of her as a cub with two men he’d never seen before. They were holding the small black bear between them and smiling with pride. These must be her brothers who’d died and that made him think of Anya. It felt like a knife was twisting deep inside his gut.

Even now that pain was raw and biting. Worse was the fact that he knew it would never ebb. He would miss his sister for the rest of his life.

Running his finger over the picture, he realized there was a poem hidden inside as well.

Where I am always thou art. Thy image lives within my heart.

He choked back a rush of emotions that left his eyes cloudy at words that touched him. Blinking fiercely, he cursed the sensation. He was a warrior. A wolf with a capital W. He wasn’t some old woman to cry at Hallmark commercials.

And yet this one tiny bearswan made him feel like he’d never felt before.

Like he was human.

More to the point, she made him feel wanted.

How stupid was that? His brother and sister had always wanted him . . . well, maybe Vane didn’t want him right now because he was useless in the human realm, but Vane and Anya had always been his shelter. They loved him and he loved them.