Hunter Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel #2 (10 page)

“You’re so soft. You can’t be one of them.
Are you here to free me, brown Wolf? She said you’d come someday.”
I whined softly. I wanted to. I really did want to free him, but
this was just a dream.

I heard a loud sound like a gun shot and
jumped to the front of the boy’s bed. There was no one in sight. No
gun. No, it was an engine backfiring from outside. The boy pulled
back completely. He flattened himself against the wall. His chest
heaved in and out with his increasingly deep breaths.

“She’s back! Oh no! You have to go.” I
growled, but he shook his head and nudged me towards the door.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You can come back for
me, brown Wolf. Hurry go now! Run! Run, but come back! Don’t you
forget me! Hurry, go now! Run!”

I took off down the hallway and made my way
back to the basement. My journey back was short, but I awoke with
the distinct memory of everything that had passed fresh in my mind.
He wanted my help and he believed I would return for him. What kind
of crazy dream was that anyway? I didn’t know.

I jumped up. I was back in my bedroom. I was
breathing heavy and my pajamas were drenched in sweat. I closed my
eyes only to see the boy’s clear blue ones as he begged me to come
back for him.

After school the next day I sat silent in the
black SUV.

“Can I see your arm when we get back? I want
to change the bandage. Alright?” I nodded. Ronan looked down at my
arm. We listened to Sascha and Dimitri argue about which drive thru
they were going to hit before we got back to the house. It was a
frequent argument.

“McDonald’s isn’t food! It’s pureed feathers
and bones!”

“Fine, we will get KFC. It is real chicken!”
Sascha rubbed his hands together in anticipation, but I could tell
Dimitri wasn’t budging. Good for him. That stuff’ll kill ya.

“No way. That colonel,
pssh
! He makes
genetically altered birds with no heads!”

The discussion continued the entire length of
the drive and no food was bought. Dimitri started chopping onions
and celery. I could hear them arguing only now it was in
Russian.

I headed to the guest bathroom with Ronan and
sat down on the vanity stool. He opened a drawer and pulled out
hydrogen peroxide and clean gauze. He unwrapped my arm carefully
and ran his hand over the wound. I had my head turned. I didn’t
much like looking at wounds and the thought I was permanently
scarred left me a bit panicky.

“Wow. It’s completely healed. Check it out.”
He sounded like he did when he first bit into a triple bacon
cheeseburger down at CyberSodas.
Amazed
.

I looked down and nothing. There was
absolutely no mark or scar where the wound had been. Just smooth
skin. I had completely healed.

“Guess it wasn’t that deep after all.” Ronan
shook his head and put away the bandages.

“You seem distracted, Maria. Is something
wrong?”

“You mean other than the fact that Vampires
are attacking me and I get all furry when the moon comes out?” I
snapped. He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. I felt so stupid
and more than a little embarrassed.

“I’m sorry Ronan. You’re right, there is
something wrong. Last night, I had a bad dream.” I felt like an
idiot. The Werewolf is afraid of a little nightmare.

“Tell me about it.” And I did, down to the
blue eyes of the little boy that had haunted me all day. Worse was
his utter faith in me. He believed I would come back to rescue him.
Weird dream.

“That sounds serious. Have you told anyone
else?”

“No. Why? It was just a dream.”

“I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, nothing is typical when it comes to
you. It’s worth a conversation is all.”

In the sparring room Ronan motioned for me to
talk to Uncle Sean, but I shook my head. I was about to spar with
Cara and I needed to focus. After a few warm ups we began. Her
attack was swift and sudden. I was flat on my back, out of breath,
and more than a little embarrassed. A second and third time, same
result.

“Looks like I found your weakness, princess.
You need time to prepare and study your enemy. Well, you’re out of
time.” She laughed at me.

Her voice grated on my ear. I started to
sweat and my heart began to pound. It was humiliating. She threw me
around like a rag doll. I got up for the twentieth time. My breath
came hard. I could smell my embarrassment. It was sour. She went to
attack me again, this time I jumped back in a somersault. Mid-air I
brought my fist down on her shoulder. I could feel my Wolf howl in
my mind.
Remember our strength, little one. She cannot win when
we work together
.

Cara cried out and dropped to her knees. I
should have hit her again, but I assumed the match was over. My
mistake. She pulled a wooden short staff from her back and went to
strike me while my back was turned.

Ronan leapt from the wall and knocked the
staff from her hand. All hell broke loose then as the dominant Wolf
that was Cara butted heads with Ronan’s protective one.

“That’s the last time you get in my way,
pup!”

“Fight fair, Cara. You’re here to teach not
to hurt!”

“There is no fair when you fight Witches.
Even princesses need to learn that. Looks like you do too.” She
kneed Ronan in between his legs. He doubled over and fell to his
knees. Gasping breaths came out of his mouth as he groaned on the
floor.

My Wolf snarled. I was all over Cara in a
flash. We struggled in a tangle of arms and legs. She held nothing
back as blow after blow her fists connected with my midsection. I
got my hands around her throat and squeezed. Soon I had her off the
floor and against the wall. She kicked and grasped at my hands, but
I was immovable. Everything in my sight turned a shade of red. Like
the entire room was illuminated by a neon sign from a storefront or
something.

“Grazi! Grazi let her go.” I cocked my head
to the side. It was Uncle Sean. Behind him were Dimitri and Sascha.
One of them went to help Ronan and the other stood in the doorway
and gasped. I threw her down and turned to face my uncle. I was
still enraged. Cara held her throat and pointed at me.

“She, she’s lost it, Sean.” Her voice sounded
hoarse, barely audible. But her finger was pointing at me and her
eyes were accusing me of wrong. That was the last straw. I Wolfed
out completely.

“Holy crap!”

It was instantaneous. One minute I was on two
legs the next I was on four. Uncle Sean held his hands up and took
a step backwards. Cara was pale and fell back. Her head completely
down and her throat bared to me.

Ronan was still on the ground, but seemed to
notice my transformation. He reached for me as Cara moved and I
jumped in front of him.
Mine
. My Wolf said and growled
loudly. Cara did not move again and she did not dare look at me.
Good choice.

“I’m alright, Maria. It’s okay.” I turned
around and faced him. He did not look in my eyes and that bothered
me. I wanted him to. He seemed to sense it and he raised his. His
green eyes glowed and I could see his proud Wolf in them. I nuzzled
his face with my nose and he put a hand on my neck.

“Cara, go to your room and wait for me there.
Everyone leave now!” Uncle Sean stood by the doorway. He didn’t
move. His shock and awe was tangible. I could smell them and his
indecision.

“You don’t need to do whatever you’re
thinking, Sean. It is Maria who is in control. I can hear her. In
here.” Ronan patted his temple and continued stroking my fur with
his other hand.

Are you okay? I was scared.

“Aye. I’m fine. She wouldn’t have hurt me
permanently.” I growled and he laughed a little.

I am so not her fan.

“I know. How’d you go all Wolf then? You know
it’s not a full moon. They’ll all be talking about you now.”

Great. More reason to be called a freak.

“You’re no freak, Maria. And I thank
you.”

You have my back so I have yours. That’s our
deal right?

“Yes. Always.”

I nuzzled his face with mine. His breathing
was getting back to normal, but he still needed a moment or two. I
sat my long wolf body down in front of him. He made to move his arm
and I growled. He laughed and put it back around my neck.

After I changed back I met Dimitri on my way
from the shower. He did not look in my eyes, but he seemed happy to
see me. He gave me a slight bow and smiled.

“It is you. I knew it would be.” I asked him
what he meant, but he shook his giant head and continued on his
way.

“Sean is waiting for you,
printzyessa
.” He called back and I walked down the short
hallway to the study. The door was open and Uncle Sean was pacing
and running his fingers through his hair.

“Get in here and close the door.” He looked
like he aged ten years in the last few moments.
Oops.

“Now I have been patient with you and I have
tried to make you see your place in the pack, but you cannot have
your boyfriend in there attacking dominant pack members.”

“He didn’t attack her! She came at me when my
back was turned. Ronan defended me. He didn’t deserve to get
hurt!”

“What? Your back was turned and she went to
hit you? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. We weren’t even using weapons
today! Why did she even have that short staff strapped to her
back?”

“Hmm. I see.”

“And Ronan isn’t my boyfriend!”

“Yeah, well I wouldn’t go shouting that about
either.”

“What?”

“Listen Grazi, I’ll handle Cara. Let’s talk
about the bigger thing here.”

“What did Dimitri mean I’m ‘the one’?”

“Don’t go listening to that one now. Bigger
things, Grazi!”

“Like what?”

“Your Wolf, Grazi. How did she come out on a
night when the moon is not full?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? That’s not good enough. We
have operated for hundreds of years under the strict belief that we
only change at full moons and Holy days. You changed not only on a
night other than those I described, but you did it in the bat of an
eyelash! Look, just go. You go home for the evening, alright? I’ll
have to sort this out before it becomes public knowledge.”

“Fine.”

“Oh, and what are your plans this
weekend?”

“Angela and I are going to get together,
why?”

“Tell Ronan where you will be. I don’t want
you out alone.” I gave him my version of a scathing look and left
for home. He laughed so I guess I still needed to work on it.

On Friday I went to watch Sebby and his team
practice at the indoor turf arena after school. Indoor soccer was a
little loud and confusing. So many bodies packed together in such a
small room. There was so much noise. It took me a few minutes to
train my Werewolf ears to tune some of it out.

Not only was it too loud, but it smelled like
sweat. It was horrible for my sensitive nostrils. It stunk. Like a
lot of nasty teenage boy sweaty socks. That corn chip kind of
stink.
Yuck
.

The arena was warm, too warm, despite the
chill outside. I really wanted out of there. I looked up to see
Sebby jogging over to me.
Great. Can’t leave now.
His
perfect smile in place.

He was so boyishly handsome. I just wished it
moved me a little more. I guess that’s just another thing wrong
with me. The school star was interested in me and I couldn’t even
fake it back.
I’m such a freak.

“Hey Grazi, you made it!”

“Yeah, I just wanted to say hi, I’m going to
leave soon though. I’m going with Angela to get ready.”

“For the party, yeah. I’ll see you there,
ok?”

“Sure.”

“I’d kiss you, but I’m a sweaty mess.” He
grinned and squeezed my hand. I could feel my cheeks blush. It
embarrassed me when he talked out loud about kissing. I mean we had
kissed, but nothing huge. I stood and tucked a strand of hair
behind my ear.

Julianna and the cheer team were sitting a
few bleachers away. I could feel their eyes on me and Sebastian. I
ignored them and walked out of the building. She was so not going
to bother me on my first-ever party day.

“Angela I can’t wear this!”

“But Grazi, it’s a cosplay party! You have
to.”

“But not everyone going plays
Wolf
Moon
.”

“Yeah, so what? Most of them do play. Besides
the others, they’ll be in, like,
other
costumes. It looks
great.” She said the last bit in a sing song voice. I turned around
in the mirror.

OMG
. I couldn’t believe it. The outfit
she got me was very similar to my
WolfGirl2014
avatar. I
should have paid more attention when she was designing her! I had
hardly looked at the game in the last couple of days.

I completely forgot about
WolfGirl’s
risqué apparel, which consisted of black fishnet stockings, a pair
of super short high-waisted shorts, knee high boots with three inch
heels and steel toes, a skin tight turtle neck that was more like a
sports bra with sleeves and a wide black belt. Angela kept pulling
my arms to my sides as I tried to cover my bare midriff.

As for my hair, now
that
I approved
of. It was in a side French braid and hung over my right shoulder
in a thick rope. There was a pleather looking rubber band with
metal studs on it holding my braid together. It reached down to my
waist. The platinum streak glistened throughout and was actually
kind of cool.

“Angela I look too, too-”

“What? Hot? Sexy? What are you complaining
about? If I had your body I’d dress like that all the time!”

“What? You are nuts. Besides you look great.”
She did too. Her hair was in soft loose curls around her face. She
wore a pair of black leggings and a baby doll type top in swirling
patterns. The fabric was shimmery and clung in all the right
places. It was open low on her back and tied with crisscrossed
ribbons.