Blood by Moonlight Read online

  "Does she know?"

  Jack's question snapped my attention back to where he was still standing against the wall. "Know what?"

  "How crazy you are about her?"

  I flashed him an embarrassed smirk, dropping my hand back to my side. "Geez, I hope not. Can't think of a better way to scare a girl away."

  "I promise my pack will protect her, and not because you threatened me. She seems like a good person."

  "The best. Thanks."

  Jack waved off my thanks as he pushed away from the wall and left the apartment.

  The werewolf was right. I was crazy about Trixie, and I had more than enough power to make me dangerous if something should happen to her. Heaven help the world if she ever came to harm because there would be no stopping me.

  Chapter Two

  IT WAS LESS than an hour after sunset when I arrived in the forest area outside of Low Town. A scream tore through the quiet forestland before I had taken two steps. I never saw who spotted me, but I could hear the person running through the forest in the opposite direction. Well, that at least answered my question of whether anyone would find me convincing as a warlock. Unfortunately, I wasn't willing to bank on the elves finding me as intimidating.

  I started walking through the forest to where I could sense Trixie was standing, when several massive wolves charged through the trees. They circled me, teeth bared, while low growls rumbled from their chests.

  "Jack!" I shouted, holding my hands out in front of me as I prepared to call up a protective barrier. No one in their right mind would attack a warlock or witch, but shifters weren't always in their right mind under a full moon. To them, I looked like an easy, solo target. "Call off your people, Jack, or you're on your own against the Winter Court."

  There was only a faint whisper of sound as Jack emerged from the brush beside two large, brownish-gray wolves. His hands swept over their heads, soothing them. The growling stopped, but long, sharp teeth were still bared, daring me to move.

  "He's a friend. Go back to the clearing with the others," Jack ordered, his yellow-brown eyes never wavering from me. It took several seconds, but the wolves melted back into the dark shadows of the forest and I was alone with Jack. I lowered my hands to my sides, but I didn't relax. Jack's expression wasn't exactly welcoming.

  "Problem?" I asked when he still didn't move or speak.

  "I've seen you do stuff. Trixie even told me a story or two on the way over here. But I guess some part of me didn't believe it until . . . until I saw you dressed like that. Hell, I know you and I still feel the need to kill you."

  "Because of the suit?"

  "Yeah," he breathed. He shook his head a couple times, as if to break the angry trance he'd been in. "Sorry."

  I shrugged. "It's not as if the Towers haven't earned your hatred. Everyone reacts the same as you. Though, it'd be great if you can keep your people from attacking me while we do this."

  "Yeah, I've got them." Jack motioned for me to follow as he turned and started walking toward the clearing. I walked silently behind him, a part of me sick to my stomach to be wearing this suit and cloak again. I tried to tell myself that it was Halloween and I was wearing a scary costume, but it was a lie and I knew it. The suit wasn't a costume; it was a uniform. The same uniform that had seen thousands slaughtered over the years.

  The trees gave way to a wide clearing that stretched several acres in all directions. The grasses were about knee-high but the ground was flat, making it a good area for a fight if it came down to it. It was lighter in the open, as the sky became a dark gray around the large yellow moon.

  It took only a couple seconds to spot Trixie standing in the middle of the field, talking to several men and women. I smiled as I watched the animated movements of her hands. Whenever she was nervous or upset, her hands took on a life of their own, as if they were trying to escape her wrists.

  Someone said something to her because she turned toward Jack and me. A horrible gasp escaped her when her eyes fell on me. Her hands clapped over her mouth to smother any additional sound, but it did nothing to block the fear that filled her wide eyes. I faltered a step as pain slashed through my heart at that look. Not once in my life had I knowingly harmed her. I had kissed her, held her, and made love to her, and yet she still looked at me with terror.

  I tried to tell myself that Trixie and her people had been hunted and tortured by the Towers for years. I reminded myself that the elves were hovering near extinction because of the Towers. It was that history and fear I was planning to play on tonight, but I had also told myself that Trixie wouldn't see me like that. She wouldn't fear me because she loved me.

  Closing the distance between us, I reached out for her, but she lurched backward a step, moving out of my reach. I clenched my teeth and roughly grabbed her shoulders, resisting the urge to give her a little shake. "Trixie, it's me."

  "I--I know. It's just . . . you look like them." Her soft voice sounded fragile, as if she was barely holding hysteria at bay. "You've never looked like them before. You've always just been Gage."

  My hands slid up to cup her face, forcing her to look only at my face. "I'm still Gage. Look at my face. That hasn't changed. You know I would never do anything to hurt you."

  "I know," she said with a slight waver. "It's just . . ."

  "It's Halloween. Think of it as a scary costume."

  "Scary costume?" she repeated, as if I was spouting nonsense.

  "Yeah, just a costume. Besides, do you think any warlock could kiss like this?" I leaned in and captured her mouth in a gentle kiss as she started to speak. She was stiff at first, but I kept kissing her, slow and thorough, until I could feel her starting to melt against me. As Trixie wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed close, I broke off the kiss and looked into her eyes to see that the fear was gone. "Better?"

  "Much, but I think we've got an audience."

  A wicked grin spread across my lips while ignoring the gathering crowd. "Are you into having an audience?"

  Trixie rolled her eyes and gave me a playful shove, but still kept one arm locked around my neck as if she wasn't ready to let me go. "You're no warlock. You're just some sick pervert."

  "Maybe, but you still want me." I leaned in to kiss her again when Jack cleared his throat behind me, quickly dousing my fun. We had work to do and the sooner we got it done, the sooner I could get Trixie naked somewhere without spectators.

  Releasing Trixie, I turned toward Jack while keeping her close at hand. A quick glance around the area revealed that the rest of the pack had backed off. The few that had already shifted into wolves were standing the closest with fangs bared and hackles raised. Warlocks and witches were not welcome in their world and I couldn't blame them. The Towers had spent lifetimes destroying the various peoples of this planet.

  "Listen to me!" I said to the gathered werewolves. "I'm not going to hurt anyone. I'm here to help you with the Winter Court, but you have to listen to me. You have to remain in the clearing when they arrive. If you run, they will catch you and I won't be able to help. Their strength is in the chase. They won't fight you if you stand your ground here."

  At least, I hoped that the Wild Hunt wouldn't fight an entire pack of werewolves under a full moon.

  "What's your plan?" Jack demanded, drawing my gaze back to the alpha.

  "Being as it is Halloween, I thought I'd give them a good scare," I said with a grin. "Get all your people shifted and standing together in the center of the field around me. I plan to give the Winter Court a little show to scare them away. When the fey run, the pack will chase, but they are to follow no farther than the edge of the clearing. Don't go into the trees."

  As Jack turned to his people to give instructions, I looked at Trixie again. "You still have that spoon?"

  She reached into her back pocket and pulled it out with a smile. I took it from her and drew a quick symbol on the back of the spoon bowl before holding it out to her. "Kiss it."

  "What?"

  "Kiss t
he spoon, please," I repeated. She arched one eyebrow at me, but leaned forward and kissed the back of the spoon. I turned the side of my head toward her as I pulled the spoon back. "Now blow in my ear."

  "Gage," she said on a sigh. She was trying to sound exasperated, but her smile was ruining the effect. She leaned close and blew lightly in my right ear. Her warm breath tickled my ear and it was a struggle not to rub it.

  I straightened and finished the spell I had been working on the spoon before handing it back to her. "Since I don't have a walkie-talkie, this will have to fill in. I want you to hide, preferably up in a tree where they won't see you but you can see everything that's happening. Talk into the spoon and I'll be able to hear you."

  "Will you be able to talk to me with this?"

  "Sorry, no. It only goes one way and I'm out of spoons. Just keep it on you and I'll be able to find you."

  "I feel ridiculous."

  "But you look so damn sexy." I gave her another quick kiss, bringing a smile back to her lips. "Now go hide."

  Trixie tucked the spoon in her back pocket again and took off across the field at a quick jog toward the closest line of trees. I watched her for a few seconds, trying to push down the worry knotting in my stomach. She was going to be fine. She was hidden from the Winter Court and no one would find her. She would be an extra set of eyes for me and would be able to give me tips on how to handle the Wild Hunt. There would be no problems.

  I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye and found a gray wolf sitting on the ground beside me, watching Trixie run across the field. The animal was enormous, roughly twice the size of a normal wolf. "Jack?" The wolf nodded once, watching me with large yellow eyes. "I'm guessing that everything is ready." He nodded again.

  Looking around the field, I discovered that I was the only human standing in the clearing, surrounded by more than twenty wolves of different size and coloring. Their eyes caught and reflected the light as they sat watching me with a frightening stillness. The only sound was a faint breeze stirring the remaining leaves in the trees.

  "Can you communicate with your people in that form?" I asked in a low voice. The wolf nodded and then suddenly jerked his head to the south. The wind had shifted and he had apparently caught the scent of something approaching.

  It was only a minute later before I heard a low thunder as horses charged through the thinning brush of the surrounding forest. The Wild Hunt was drawing close and it was time for me to get this show under way.

  Drawing in a slow breath, I closed my eyes and dug through the piles of spells I had memorized over the nine years I lived in the Towers. Some were a combination of words and symbols, while others were a series of hand and body movements used to conjure up specific energies. This spell was different because it required me to call up specific memories and breathe life into them. And these were not happy memories.

  I scoured my memories of my time within the Towers, focusing on the face of each witch or warlock I encountered. There weren't many of them, since my mentor, Simon, had preferred to keep me locked in my chamber, but every once in a while I was trotted out for some special torment. As my mind picked out each one, I called forth a small burst of energy.

  When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer the only human standing in the field. Spread about the clearing were seven other witches and warlocks, staring toward the noise of the approaching hunting party. But they weren't really there. It was an illusion. A damn good illusion, as the wind appeared to stir their hair and cloaks. They even looked like they were breathing and blinking. The only catch was that they couldn't speak and would only move if I directed each one individually.

  Of course, I was praying that just the sight of the gathered magic users would be enough to scare off the fey, because I was already treading on thin ice. I wasn't supposed to be using magic, except in self-defense. And though my warden, Gideon, and I had come to the tentative agreement that illusionary magic could be used in self-defense, I doubted that this was what he had in mind. So far tonight, my use of magic had been extremely light and small, so I was unlikely to catch his attention or anyone else's from the Towers. Because this looked fucking bad if someone happened to pop in.

  Gage? Trixie's soft voice whispered in my ear, sounding as if she were standing right next to me. I know you can't answer, but I really hope you're doing this because if you're not, please get out of there now. Her lovely voice trembled in my ear as fear threatened to choke her words. I longed to wrap my arms around her or at least shout across the distance that everything was fine. Something, anything, to reassure her, but I couldn't risk it. I was having enough trouble concentrating on maintaining the current glamour spell.

  They're coming, she whispered again. Most should come out right in front of you, but there are more on your left and right. If the pack breaks apart and starts to run, they're going to try to corral you to the north.

  I nodded, not sure if she could actually see it. If I remembered correctly, there was a steep drop-off to the north that would neatly trap anyone who attempted to run.

  A moment later, a dozen white horses broke through the tree line and came to a sharp halt at the edge of the clearing, several yards away from the nearest wolf. Some of the horses reared at the abrupt stop, but the elves easily held their seats as they fought to control their mounts. There was a quick rush of frantic whispers as they took in the gathering of wolves and magic users.

  "The Wild Hunt is not welcome here," I shouted. The forest had grown so still and quiet that my voice echoed through the area.

  A large male elf with dark hair and a gold circlet directed his horse forward a couple feet, moving away from the rest of his people. The king of the Winter Court had perfect snowy white skin and narrowed icy blue eyes.

  "The Winter Court has always conducted its hunt on Samhain and the Towers have had no disagreement with it."

  I stepped forward as well, positioning myself ahead of Jack. "I have no complaint with your tradition. You may conduct your hunt this evening. I only suggest that you leave the Low Town werewolf pack in peace."

  "What is the Towers' interest in the wolves?"

  A cold smile spread across my face as I reached inside the sleeve of my jacket and pulled out my wand. With a quick flick, one of the white stallions screamed for a split second and disappeared, sending the rider crashing to the ground. I didn't kill the horse, only sent it to the opposite end of the forest around Low Town.

  The king jerked on the back of his horse, tightening his fists on the reins. Several of the elves screamed and shouted, but no one bolted back for the woods as I had hoped.

  "The pack is mine and no one shall torment them but me!" I shouted, drawing his eyes back to me. "And that was the price for questioning me. For each question, you will lose a member of your hunting party. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

  The king glared at me, his lips pressed into a hard line. I had a feeling that he was weighing his options. No member of royalty liked being threatened, and he was trying to find a way to save a little face in front of his people.

  "Do you have any more limitations you wish to press upon us?" he demanded between clenched teeth.

  I smiled again, letting my eyes travel over the gathering. With a wave of my wand, a young male seated next to a lovely woman whom I guessed was the queen disappeared. She gasped and opened her mouth for a second, looking as if she wanted to curse me, but she didn't speak. I was praying the male's closeness to the queen would be enough shake the king. The young man would find his way back to his people eventually, but the king didn't know that.

  Don't attack the royal family, Gage, Trixie hissed in my ear. You don't need to start a war.

  "The hunting party will not trouble the werewolves. You will also travel no farther north or west of Low Town this evening," I replied, narrowing my eyes on the king. "Now leave, if you don't wish to lose any more of your people."

  I stepped backward until I was standing next to Jack again. "Give chase
when they leave but stop at the edge of the clearing," I said in a low voice, praying that the elves couldn't overhear me. The wolf growled low and deep in his chest as he rose to stand on all four paws.

  The king of the Winter Court glared at me for several seconds before wheeling his horse around to face his people. He snapped something in quick, angry elvish before charging back into the woods. The wolves lurched forward at once, keying on the retreat of their would-be attackers. Looking around, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief as I saw the wolves race off in every direction, making sure that all the elves left their section of the woods.

  They're leaving from the area nearest to me. I--ah, shit, Trixie cursed and abruptly broke off from what she was saying. I turned, staring in the direction she had jogged into the woods not long ago. My body was painfully tensed as I stared into the growing darkness, willing Trixie to appear from the trees, walking toward me safe and sound, but it didn't happen.

  Frustrated, I waved my hand and dismissed the glamour spell that had created the vision of the witches and warlocks. The Winter Court was gone and I didn't need the spell any longer. I tested the tracking spell I had put on the spoon and found that it was still where I had last sensed it. Trixie wasn't moving. I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

  Fuck! I should never have brought her, I thought. I should have sent her straight to my apartment with the pizza. With the Winter Court gone, I could have zipped back to my apartment, happy to find Trixie safe.

  A wolf howled long and high to my right, and I turned back to find another lifting its muzzle to the moon and joining in the growing chorus. I wanted this to be the signal that the elves had left the area, but I had my doubts when I spotted Jack running back toward me.

  He stopped a few feet away and shifted back to human form amid the rising sound of cracking bones and the tearing of flesh. Panting and glistening with what I hoped was sweat, Jack the human stood completely naked in the moonlight.