Fox, Morgan - Tempted by the Moon [Moonlight Shifters 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

Brie stood back in the shadows of the room, watching as Megan and Jonah worked out the simple details. She noticed that he kept a good distance between him and the doctor. Brie wasn’t worried about Jonah, not really. Her mind was too full of other things—things that made her feel inadequate and alone. The emotions of worry and fear churned inside her once again.

Brow furrowed, Jonah glanced around to Brie as if just now realizing he hadn’t seen Reyes in a while. “I’ll find him and I’ll tell him to come introduce himself. He’s been working on the cabin since Sebastian became demolition dude.”

Megan waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. I don’t need him right now anyway. Once I get the tables and supplies, then I’ll ask you to find him.”

Pressing his lips together into a tight frown, he said, “Okay. Get settled, and I’ll grab Dominic and get the rest of your things from the car. Put that list together for me and I’ll get that taken care of as well.” Without waiting for a response, Jonah turned, grabbed Brie’s hand, and led her back down the stairs.

Funny, for the life of her she’d never been the kind of woman to follow around a man like she was currently doing. A puppy on a leash following her master everywhere, that’s what she’d become.

This entire experience was so foreign to her. Everyone had a job to do, responsibilities they were able to manage. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do and didn’t know how she could help. Useless—that’s the best way to describe how she felt.

The only thing she was good at was putting bad guys behind bars, but that was a task that unfortunately put them all in this situation.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Shit.

* * * *

Grunting, Reyes returned the bench-press bar to its cradle. Sweat dripped from his body like he was standing under light sprinkling rain. Reyes must have been down in the weight room for hours. Jonah couldn’t help but wonder what the heck had gotten into the man. He hadn’t seen Reyes so full of pent-up energy in more than a decade—maybe longer. And here he thought Reyes was the most levelheaded of everyone dealing with Sebastian’s situation. Perhaps he’d been wrong to think so.

Stepping deeper into the room to alert Reyes to his presence, Jonah asked, “Working out?” He grinned, knowing the suave man hated it when people stated the obvious.

“Yes,” drawled Reyes, without even a flicker of emotion to his dumb question.

Oops, that wasn’t right.
Jonah frowned. What happened to the “yes, jackass, and you know it” he’d expected to hear Reyes reply?

Concern creased his brow. “You okay, man?”

“Yes,” Reyes said, not meeting Jonah’s gaze.

Jonah grabbed hold of one of the weight benches and pulled it closer to his grumpy friend. “I can tell.” He snickered. “You’re so full of conversation I was just about to tell you to shut up.” That at least got a look from Reyes, one that screamed asshole, but it was still a look. Holding up his hands, Jonah added, “No, please, I just can’t hear another word out of your mouth. Let’s face it Reyes, you talk too damn much.”

Reyes didn’t smile, didn’t even blink his cold, staring eyes. He asked dryly, “What do you want, Jonah?”

Frowning, Jonah told him, “Honestly, I came down here to see if you could help with something.”

Eyes wide, Reyes asked, “What do you need?”

“Dr. Shaw needs an assistant, and since Dominic’s an ass and can’t let bygones be bygones, he can’t, so I thought—”

“Not a fucking chance, kid,” he blurted. “It’s not going to happen.” Rising from the bench to stand, the muscles in his arms flexed under the strain of emotional tension—uneasiness that was printed like a book on his face. A wide vein throbbed in his neck, pulsing like an overworked artery.

“Why not?” Jonah growled, staring up at the six-foot-four wall of strength. “Did Dominic already get to you? What the hell did he tell you? I’m sure half the shit he said was a piss bucket full of lies. Take my word for it, jealousy’s a bitch.”

He shook his head. “Dominic hasn’t spoken to me all day. I don’t even know Dr. Shaw, at least not really.”

Confusion slammed into Jonah’s skull. If it wasn’t Dominic, then what the hell was it? Reyes was acting very strange, out of control maybe, like that of a man trying to escape a dangerous past. His new behaviors didn’t make any sense. Emotionally distant, angry, working out to a degree of pure exhaustion—none of these characteristics Reyes was known for.

“Then please explain to me why you won’t work with her?”

Blowing out a hard rush of breath, Reyes told him, “Kid, you wouldn’t understand, and I don’t have the time to explain it.”

Standing, he grabbed Reyes by his damp shirt, “Then make the time and help me understand. This is for Sebastian, Reyes. Whatever the fuck your issues are with Dr. Shaw, get over it. I’m sure we can figure something out.”

Glaring down at his crumpled shirt, Jonah released him. Reyes could beat the tar out of him, and he knew it, but damn, it didn’t change the urgency behind his need for his friends help.

“I’m sorry man. I’m just desperate. I’m out of options. I can’t ask Brie to help. She’s barely holding it together as it is. She hasn’t said anything to me, but I think she feels what Sebastian’s feeling. It’s killing her, and I can’t be away from her very long, or I start to feel it, too. It’s like the three of us are connected in a way...shit, man, I don’t know. It’s like we’re all the same person.”

Reyes sighed, Jonah’s revelation affected him. He could see it in his friend’s eyes. Jonah continued, “Dominic and Megan, well, that’s a story I don’t have time to get into, but just know that if they’re in the same room for longer than a minute, someone’s going to get killed or maybe even both of them.”

“What about Ryken or Luken? They can’t help either?” Reyes seemed eager to find someone, anyone, to take over the responsibilities of assisting Megan.

“No. I sent them out to get Megan’s supplies, and then they’re going back out to track Mason. We have to get him contained. Once we find the cure for Sebastian, we’ll have to either kill or cure Mason. Makes sense to have him here as well as Sebastian.”

Reyes nodded, but Jonah could sense his reluctance. “You know, kid, I think your brother’s leadership skills are rubbing off on you. I’d have done the same thing.”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Hearing Reyes compliment him was a huge honor. The man didn’t discharge compliments easily. Reyes was revered by so many high-ranking leaders in the were-community.

The statement meant a great deal to Jonah. “Thanks. Reyes, you haven’t called me ‘kid’ in a long time. You sure you’re okay? As you can see, I’m not a kid anymore, and I’ll help you work through any troubles you’ve got. You can trust me like you would Sebastian.”

“I know, ki—” Smiling, he corrected, “Jonah. As much as I think it’s a mistake, I’ll help the doc, but don’t expect anything more from me than that.” Reyes turned away from Jonah. Grabbing his towel, he wiped the sweat from his face and neck, and murmured, “At least where she’s concerned.”

Narrowing his eyes, Jonah didn’t understand what he meant. Regardless, Reyes was going to help him, and that was all he needed. And for the moment, that was all that mattered.

* * * *

Brie was lying on the bed, curled up into a tight ball when she heard Jonah return. Her body shook as if she were freezing. He approached her, his hand sliding over her hip. She whimpered, shocked to feel his touch.

“Shhhh, baby, it just me. Are you feeling okay?”

She gasped for breath. “No, Jonah. I need you. I need Sebastian. I feel...different. I feel—” She turned to the side and lay flat on her back, her hand trailed over her breast and down the flat of her stomach to the apex of her sex, and she cupped her panty-covered pussy. “I feel a yearning, a need for you both. I feel so empty, alone. I can’t explain it. I need you and Sebastian. Now, Jonah.”

How do I explain to him that I’m dying? How do I get him to believe me? How do I tell him about the strange power that is thriving inside me?

He smiled, stroking her hair. “But Sebastian’s out cold, honey. He’s been sedated.”

“No, he’s not, Jonah. He’s been awake for a while. He and I have been talking.” His brow furrowed, and before he could get angry with her, she said, “I know, I should have told you sooner, but it’s not what you think.” She chewed her bottom lip nervously. “I’ve been getting new powers since Sebastian’s return. I can hear really well, and I can read—” Her throat moved up and down vigorously as she swallowed, struggling to finish her thought. “I can hear yours and Sebastian’s thoughts. Jonah, I can hear what you hear.”

Sitting up straight, he stared at her, his lips slightly parted. His eyes drifted over her face as if he were trying to put each detail to memory while putting the pieces of her words into coherent thoughts. “You’re not kidding, are you?”

“No. I was afraid to tell you. I was worried that if I told you I could read your mind you would think I was nuts.” He frowned at her. “I liked this new power. It allowed me access to your thoughts and conversations, but when Sebastian started intruding into my own mind...well, as you can imagine that was a little freaky.” She sniffled. “He’s been lying awake up there, begging for me to come to him.” She rolled to her side to face Jonah, gripping his shirt in her small hands. She buried her face in his shirt.

“That’s not possible, Brie. Dominic has been checking on him every thirty minutes.”

Inhaling Jonah’s woodsy scent, she eased back to look up at him. “He’s faking it. He closes his eyes and pretends he’s asleep.” Her eyes screamed for him to believe her, and she prayed that he’d hear the truth in her voice. “I swear, Jonah. I’m not making this up.”

“I didn’t think that, honey. I just think that the stress of everything is getting to you. You need some rest.”

Damn it, he’s not listening.
“No, Jonah,” she yelled, with more passion in her voice than she meant to demonstrate. Calming, she expounded, “I need to get to Sebastian. Jonah, you must let me be with him, with you. I need you both now...together.” Tears filled her eyes, and her voice trembled with emotional cries. “Please, I don’t understand what’s happening to me, but it has something to do with the connection I share with you and Sebastian. I know it.”

“Brie, it’s not safe,” His eyes held fear. The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened.

“I don’t care, Jonah. Sebastian needs me. He needs us.” Reaching for his hand, she begged, “I need us. Figure something out, please. I swear if you don’t, I’ll find a way by myself no matter how stupid and dangerous that might be.”

“Brie, you’re acting crazy, irrational. You know what you’re asking of me is just too dangerous. Please, don’t make me have to sedate you as well.”

A deep, frustrated growl thundered from deep in her chest as she moved into a sitting position. Her face hot with anger, she snapped, “I expected you to understand. I expected you to be different. I expected my mate and father of my child to do whatever I needed, but you’ve only managed to disappoint me.”

Eyes wide, the registration of her words moving from behind his eyes, he gasped. “Wait, what did you say?”

Oh, shit.
She’d told him, and she hadn’t meant to. Damn it, her emotions had let that little detail she’d been hiding slip. Her chest felt so tight she couldn’t breathe.

Shaking her head, she told him, “Nothing, Jonah. It’s not important.”

“The fuck it’s not.” He grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her towards him and dragging her back over the bed. “You just told me you’re pregnant. I think that’s very important.”

Stiffening, she growled through clenched teeth. “No, I didn’t. I said ‘I expected my mate and father of my child to do whatever I needed.’ It doesn’t surprise me that you only heard what affects you directly.”

“Brie—”