Harvest Moon (12 page)

He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to. I got out of the car and followed him to the front door. He knocked, and Jared answered with an easygoing smile. He obviously carried his mother’s optimism.

“Kilani. Good to see you again.” He and Jason clasped forearms before they shared a quick embrace complete with back slap. He lowered his voice. “You look better than I thought you would after getting your face beat last night.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “It was the other guy who got beat.” His soft tone matched his brother’s. “You didn’t say anything to Mom, right?”

Jared shook his head. “No, but you’re going to run out of excuses for those bruises and cuts soon.”

He led us inside, and I did my best to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. The vaulted ceiling of the living room went up two stories, with a floor-to-ceiling natural stone fireplace on the far wall. The open staircase leading upstairs had a red gnarled wood bannister. Stunning, yet not opulent. It still gave off the feel that someone lived here. Welcoming.

Jared brought us down a hallway toward a back bedroom. The artwork lining the walls were of wild animals, not wolves, but the life in their eyes tipped me off. I glanced up at Jason. “Yours?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

I took his hand without thinking. “You’re really talented when you’re not shoving these into boxing gloves.”

He gave my hand a squeeze. “And you’re sweet when you’re not hating me for being a doctor.”

I had to smile. “Touché.”

We stepped into the back bedroom, and a woman with shoulder-length silver hair and bright auburn eyes, Jason’s eyes, set her book aside and stood up. “I was catching Wyatt up on his new James Patterson novel.”

She came to stand before me, and I expected to be judged, but she pulled me into a hug. When she stepped back, a bittersweet smile warmed her features. “Sorry. I’m a hugger when it comes to people who save the lives of my family.”

“Anyone would have done the same.” She wasn’t as tall as her sons, but she had at least six inches over me. “I was a nurse in the right place at the right time.”

She shook her head, a spark of wisdom in her eyes. “I don’t believe in coincidences. You were right where you were supposed to be that day.”

If I hadn’t been there that day, maybe I wouldn’t have ever met Jason. Could that be part of some greater plan? I swallowed the unanswerable questions and shifted my attention to Jason’s dad. I hadn’t seen him since the day we got his heart beating again on the floor of the hallway in the medical offices. His coloring looked good, and there was no sign of muscle contractions in his limbs.

Jason checked his vitals, and I got a familiar flash in my mind of what he’d need next. I grabbed a fresh bag of fluids from the shelf and handed it to him as he turned, ready to speak. He chuckled and almost smiled but didn’t mention my psychic gift out loud. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” I took the empty bag from him and disposed of it while he got the new bag started. Sarah sat beside Wyatt, holding his hand, and my chest tightened painfully. How had Jason been shouldering this bad news all alone? She read to Wyatt and chatted with him like he could regain consciousness at any second. How could Jason tell his mother that her husband was never going to wake up?

“Can I get a closer look at your husband?”

“Of course.” She stepped aside, but I noticed the questioning glance in Jason’s direction.

“She knows, Mom.” His voice rumbled behind me as I took the chair at the head of Wyatt’s bed. “I told her.”

His mother cleared her throat. “That’s a big risk. Does Adam know?”

Jared chuckled. “Only the tip of the iceberg, Ma.”

I looked back at them. “I’m assuming you’re talking about the wolf thing?”

Sarah almost cringed. The hair started to rise on the back of my neck. Before I could say anything, a vision blinded me. Wyatt upright, standing beside Jason. He winked at me. And then it was gone.

I blinked hard, clearing my head. Usually my visions were limited to the very near future within two to five minutes of it happening, like with the IV bag. But even if Wyatt chose now to open his eyes, he wouldn’t be standing up on his own for at least a couple of days.

Just like my earlier vision of Jason in bed with me, I had no clue when this one would come to pass or if it was all wishful thinking.

“Are you all right?” Jason kneeled at my side.

“Yeah.” I looked past him to his mother. “Sarah, how long has it been since you got out of this house? You should go eat.”

“I stay with Wyatt. He’d do the same for me.”

“I have no doubt he would, and I’d still kick him out to get some fresh air and have breakfast with his sons, too. ” I met Jason’s eyes, trying to send him a mental message he’d never hear. “I’m a nurse. He’ll be safe here with me, and you can have some fresh air. I’ll call if there’s any change in his condition.”

Truth be told, I needed all of them out so I could relax and trust my gift, but there was no reason not to use the chance for Sarah to get away for a meal.

Jason straightened. “She’s right. Get your coat, Mom. We’re taking you to breakfast.”

“I don’t think I can…”

I smiled. “He’d want you to get out, right? He’d make you go eat if he could.”

“You’re probably right.” She sighed, glancing at each of her sons. Finally she went to the other side of the bed and pressed a tender kiss to her husband’s forehead. “But just for breakfast and we’ll come right back.”

“You got it.” Jared nodded to Jason and me as he walked his mother out.

Jason sat on the edge of the bed and waited until I looked up at him. “Did you see something?”

I could barely manage a whisper. “Something, but I need more time to figure it out.”

He kept his voice low. “I can’t leave you here alone with Nero out there someplace. Jared can take my mom out, but I’ll stay here in the living room if you need me.”

I studied his eyes, the window to his soul. He made no move to shield himself. “You really are a werewolf, aren’t you? You all are.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah.” He took my hand. “That’s the only reason my dad isn’t in a facility.” He leaned closer and whispered against my ear, “It’s also why, unless we whisper like this, my brother and mom can hear every word.”

My lips brushed the soft skin below his ear. “Good to know.”

“I’ve got more to tell you.” His grip on my hand tightened a little. “Later.” He got up, his fingers sliding free from mine. “I’ll be out there if you need me.”

I watched him go, my pulse still thrumming. I wasn’t sure if it was having his body so close to me or the fact that I was starting to believe werewolves might be real. Maybe both. Either way, I needed to clear my head.

Wyatt Ayers had the same rugged features as his sons, with a masculine, strong jawline and a wise brow. Other than the brief flash in my vision, I’d never seen him with his eyes open, but I imagined they’d shine with life. If he still possessed any. I reached for his wrist, counting his pulse. His heartbeat seemed steady.

Down the hall, the front door opened and clunked shut. I stared down at Jason’s dad. “I sent your beautiful wife out to get some breakfast. Hope you don’t mind. I figured you’d want her to get some sunshine.”

A small CD player sat on the bookshelf across from the bed. Music. I got up to investigate. I had no clue what he listened to, but anything would be better than the silence for me to relax. If I couldn’t clear my thoughts, I’d never get another vision.

I pressed play and a single guitar plucked a few notes that flooded my eyes with unexpected tears. Neil Diamond’s warm baritone sent me right back to the island, sitting on Grandma Nani’s knee while she rocked me and sang along to “I Am…I Said.”

A secret stash of Neil Diamond songs was on my playlist whenever I needed to feel close to her. And here she was.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took my seat at Wyatt’s bedside. “My grandma Nani is the biggest Neil Diamond fan in Hawaii.” I took his hand, trying not to focus. Forcing a psychic vision meant I’d get nothing. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a switch to turn it on and off. “I’m Kilani. I helped Jason the day you were attacked.”

I closed my eyes, shifting my attention to the music, to happy memories with my grandmother. Gradually the scene shifted. Wyatt stood beside Jason, both of them smiling in my direction. And then I heard a voice.
I need a little more time. Trying to find my way back. Tell them I’m still here.

He squeezed my hand, hard, and the connection was broken. “Jason!”

Chapter Eleven

J
ASON

I
sprang from the sofa, racing for the back room. The remote for the television crashed to the floor, exploding batteries behind me. I hardly noticed.

Kilani looked up with tears in her eyes and a tender smile. “He needs more time.”

“More time?” I sat on the edge of the bed. “I don’t understand.”

She patted my thigh with her free hand, the simple touch soothing the adrenaline pumping through my body. “I can’t explain it exactly, but he’s in there. I think there’s some damage from the lack of oxygen, but he’s trying to find new pathways. He wanted me to tell you he’s still here.”

Relief, hope, and joy swelled inside me like a tidal wave. A tsunami of relief. Without thinking, I bent down and scooped her up into my arms, embracing her and laughing. She squeaked at first, but she didn’t wriggle free. A tear slid down my cheek as I buried my face in her hair, breathing her into my lungs. My mate was a freaking miracle. A gift I would never deserve.

“Thank you isn’t big enough for what you just gave me.”

“Your dad is a tough guy.” She held me tight, her breath warming my ear. “I have no idea how long he’ll be like this.”

“Knowing he’s still alive…really alive. That’s enough.”

I kissed her, hard and needy. I didn’t have words for the feelings roiling inside of me like a tempest. Her lips parted, and I growled at the sweet taste of her mouth. Her fingers slid through my hair as she tilted her head and our kiss deepened. I never wanted to let her go. This amazing woman, my mate.

Her soft lips met mine over and over, scorching my soul as she gradually pulled back. “If I had known werewolves were such great kissers, I would’ve found one much sooner.”

Just the thought of her lips touching another man had my inner wolf snarling. “I want to do more than kiss.” I placed her feet back on the ground. “But first we’ve got to get Nero out of Reno.”

She straightened her shirt and nodded. “When are you going to tell me the crazier thing?”

“Crazier thing?”

“Yeah. You wanted me to get used to the werewolf idea first.”

Mates. Shit, I wanted her to love me before I dropped that bomb. She didn’t hate me right now, and she seemed to want me physically, but we’d barely scratched the surface of her heart. I practically had to force her to admit she was psychic. If I told her she was my mate…

All of this was insane. There was no scientific explanation. No way a single touch could determine who I would love. Did I love her? I hardly knew her.

But the instinctive connection through my wolf grew stronger by the second. As impossible as it seemed, I had no doubt I’d die to keep this woman safe. Give up my life in a heartbeat.

Was that love? Maybe. Probably.

She stared at me. “Well?”

My brother’s truck pulled up the driveway. “They’re back.”

“They are?” She frowned. “How do you know that?”

“Some of my senses, like my hearing, are enhanced even while I’m not in wolf form.”

“To go with your fast healing.”

I shrugged. “We might heal a little faster than you, but not much. Hearing and our sense of smell are definitely the most noticeable. We’re stronger than humans, too.”

Her smile warmed her features, shining in her eyes. “Okay, it’s really weird to hear you call me a mere human.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” She had me grinning now, too. “Werewolves have a different genetic makeup, that’s all.”

“Honey, we’re home,” Jared called as he opened the front door.

I turned toward the hallway. “We’re back here with Dad.”

Mom brushed past me to sit in the chair by my dad’s head. She kissed his forehead and took his hand. “Missed you, Wyatt. I had an extra piece of bacon for you.”

She gasped and smiled up at me. “He squeezed my hand. Did you see that?”

“I think he missed you, too.” Kilani walked around and turned off the music.

I hadn’t even noticed it was on. How was I going to keep her safe when anytime I was near her she became all that mattered?

My mom beamed. “I’ll be right here when you’re ready to open your eyes.”

“Thanks for kicking Mom out for a little while.” Jared came behind our mother and rubbed her shoulders. “She needed a little break.”

“No problem.” Kilani returned to my side. “I’m happy to come by and sit with him whenever I can.”

“You’re an angel.” My mom’s gaze shifted between us and finally landed square on me. “She’s your… That’s why you told her about…”

Oh shit
. I shook my head, interrupting her realization. “Kilani is a friend in trouble, Mom. I’m helping her out.”

Kilani’s posture stiffened beside me.
Damn it
. But there was nothing I could do right now. There was no way to fix whatever I’d just broken if my mom started planning a wedding. I’d just gotten Kilani past thinking werewolves were fictional and that I was nuts. I couldn’t have my mom babbling about mates for life.

“She’s got a shift at the hospital, so we’d better get going. Keep me posted on Dad’s condition, okay?”

My mom nodded and went back to talking to my dad. With that bullet dodged, I gave my brother’s shoulder a squeeze. “Talk to you soon, bro.”

He smiled at Kilani. “Be careful out there.”

“We will. Thanks.” She walked out without a second look in my direction.

“You’ve got your hands full with that one.” Jared tipped his head toward the door. “I like her.”

“Me, too.” I grinned like an idiot in spite of the current situation. Couldn’t help it.

Kilani waited at the front door. Silent. At least she remembered there was danger out there looking for her and stayed inside.