Hunter Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel #2 (31 page)

I could hear Ronan yelling, calling my name.
But I could not answer. I could not move.

“Maria!”

“Form a guard everyone! Protect the,
printzyessa
!” It was Dimitri or his brother. I couldn’t tell
I only knew that my pack was surrounding me. Keeping me safe as I
sunk to the cold hard ground.

I opened my Wolf eyes to find myself in a
cave or cavern of some type. The stone walls smelled of limestone
and earth. Old stale air. The worst kind. It was bitterly cold and
I knew I was far underground. I listened for a noise. Anything to
tell me where I was and what was going on. But I heard nothing save
my own heart and shallow breaths.

There were several openings ahead of me.
Tunnels of some kind. I turned to each one, sniffing and searching
witch my eyes.
Don’t panic, Grazi. Find a way.
Then I
remembered something from a movie I saw once. And I followed my
nose to where the air seemed a bit fresher.

I took the first step. It was the hardest,
surely.
Was I going the right way? Would I die tonight? What
about Nonna? Uncle Vito? Uncle Sean? Angela? Less? That boy with
the blue eyes who believed I would save him? Would I see them
again?

No, no. I’m a failure. A loser. I don’t
deserve happiness. Look what I did to Sebby. He was be-spelled
because of me.

And beautiful Julianna. She was in danger too
because of me. Even though she hates me, she is my blood. She is
right to hate me. I am disgusting. I was never as good as her. I
don’t deserve to be part of her family.

Nonna deserves better than me too. I could
never be good enough. My own parents didn’t want me. My mother
cried when she found out she was pregnant. My father abandoned her.
But he was really leaving me. He knew. What kind of child repulses
her own parents?

Ronan. He is too good for me. His loyalty and
love are two things I could never expect. I’m not pretty enough,
not good enough for him. He has a chance to be with Julianna. He
could never really want me. What could I offer him?

Every step got harder. I was panting with the
effort to keep moving. My mind swam with all these doubts and
insecurities. It was painful to think, but still I kept on. Forcing
myself to march.

Up ahead I saw something. A flicker of light.
Like a flame. Some kind of fire maybe? I staggered on. The weight
of each step immense. A guttural voice sounded up ahead. I think he
was laughing.

“Do you know how exquisite you are,
She-Hound?” A shadow passed along the far wall. It was humanoid,
but for the pointed tail and large bat-like wings protruding from
his back.

“Truly, tis a shame my master bids me destroy
you. But indeed, I am granted a prize. Surely a bride is not too
much to ask. Now change, so we may talk.”

I collapsed to the floor in front of the
fire, my Wolf was exhausted from the strain of the mental attack of
the thing before me.
It is okay
, I told her.
Thank
you.

Be careful, little one. This black sheep is
not to be trusted. I need but a moment. Never let your guard
down.

In an instant I was a girl again. My hair was
loose and covered me, but still I felt my nakedness in front of the
demon’s minion’s unholy stare. He meant to shame me. I remembered
the Creation story I had just read. After the fall Adam and Eve
covered themselves. Hiding their nudity in shame. That was the
Devil’s doing. This minion of his would not shame me. I stood up
tall.

“Yes. You are lovely. A prize indeed. Why not
be mine?”

He stepped into the light and for the first
time I could see his face. He looked to be no older than I. A
teenaged demon? Short spiked black hair and shocking black eyes.
His face was beautiful. Like a model. Angular cheeks and full lips.
His body was thin and tall. Though not tall like Ronan and nowhere
near as muscular.

“There is no point in saying no. My master
will have all he desires. Tis written. You shall fail and all you
love will die because of you. They seek to protect you, but how can
they win? My master’s resources are unlimited. He
shall
have
the world. But I can save you. I can show you the truth,
Grazi.”

Doubts, fears. These were his weapons. He was
sneaky. I suppose that was his nature. The problem was he had hit a
nerve. I didn’t want anyone getting hurt for me.

“What do you know of the truth?”

“Oh, I know much that you seek to discover.
Be with me and I will tell you all. I will tell you how your weak
father broke, how he betrayed your mother. And she who was not
meant for
this
world, for
our
world, was tortured by
the knowledge of it. How you were such a disappointment to her.” He
smiled as he spoke. But it didn’t reach his black eyes.

“Don’t you dare talk about my parents! You
don’t know anything about them!”

“Of course I do, silly princess. I was there
you see. I was there when your father lost himself to his Wolf and
ripped your mother’s sweet throat out!”

“Shut up! Shut up!” I screamed at him, but he
continued.

“Everyone you love has lied to you, Grazi.
Your mother, your father, your grandmother, your uncles, all of
them.”

“Oh yeah, what about the prophecy! You’re
master is afraid of me!”

“Ha ha ha. Now that is laughable. Afraid of
you? Puny dog! You are nothing and Moloch is strong! So very
strong.” He reached out his clawed hand and stroked my hair. I
cringed.

“You are not the savior they seek, Grazi. The
Hounds will all die. But
you
can be spared. Let me help
you.”

“How do you know this? How do you know my
friends will die?”

“Isn’t it obvious? My master is too powerful.
Soon he will cross over and there will be nothing left for you to
fight for. I offer you life, with me. Maybe I could see to it my
master spares some of your friends too.”

I watched him circle me. His black eyes
glittering in the darkness of the cave. Betraying his lust, his
greed. They clashed with his boyish face. Another place, another
time I might have thought him handsome.

His voice was like silk as he tried to
persuade me. My stomach turned. He was not human. I had to remember
that. He was a demon and demons lie.

“Well, do you choose death or life
She-Hound?” He wrapped a good eight inches of my hair around his
hand and sniffed me. I cringed as far back as I could then I met
hos gaze.

“I would rather die than be with you!”

He snarled, reached back his massive clawed
hand and slapped me. Hard. Right across my face. I fell, almost to
the floor but his grip on my hair held me up.

“And you shall!” He raked his claws across
his arm. I didn’t feel anything at first then a sharp tug and I
fell to the floor.
No! My hair! He cut my hair!
I grabbed
and found a at least a foot of hair missing. I rolled over trying
to get away.

He yowled and crouched down, sticking his
hand into the flames. He brought it back out and released embers
and flames onto my face and body. He spoke some kind of demonic
language as he did so. His face red and his eyes blazing.

I worked furiously to beat out the flames on
my skin. The pain is not something I could describe. Like
blistering heat. A furious angry burn that was consuming me from
the outside in.

I looked down and saw my skin boiling on my
left hand and wrist. I grabbed at it and the skin there just peeled
right off. Like wax. There was a sound. A scream, no a howl. It was
coming from my throat. I could feel my Wolf furiously trying to
take over, to relieve my pain. But my body burned. I could feel
only pain. It was too much to try to concentrate on changing.

I looked up in my agony as the boy demon
dropped his stance. Horror seemed to show in his face, but I turned
my back on compassion. I reached for him as he crouched down then
leapt into the air. He took off down the tunnel. I raked a path
down his bare torso with my outstretched hand. He flew in a fury of
screams and wicked laughter.

Fire and rock seemed to explode from the
small campfire he had made. I covered my eyes and ran from the
tunnels, my skin still burning. My human feet cut and bleeding from
the sharp rocks I forced myself onward. I fell to the forest floor,
gasping and shuddering.
Help! Help me!
My mind screamed, but
my lips made no sound.

“She is coming to. Get water.” I recognized
the voice. SilverWolf was hovering over me. He said a blessing over
the water then poured it down my throat. It was cool and
refreshing.

“This will hurt, Grazi. Close your eyes,
think of something else. Something nice.”

The liquid turned from cool and refreshing to
bitterly frigid. My insides were freezing I was too numb to move.
To blink. My eyes were open. I saw Ronan, frantic, screaming at
SilverWolf. The older Wolf shook him off and poured more holy water
down my throat.

“It must be holy water, to quench the demon
fire or she will continue to burn until there is nothing left. Now
help me, pup. Hold her down or by God get out of my way.”
SilverWolf’s threat was low, but I knew he meant it. I could hear
Ronan whine. He was worried.

I closed my eyes. I could not bear to think
of Ronan angry or hurt. Was that blood on his clothing? Was it his?
No I couldn’t afford the thought that he may be seriously
injured.

I thought of him smiling instead. Or serious
faced and lying next to me. Holding me as if he’d never let me go.
Loyal and honorable. Ronan with his fire kissed hair and emerald
eyes. He said he’d never leave me.

The pain was all in my skin now. As if the
burning from my throat and belly had somehow transferred to my arms
and leg. Especially my shoulder. I closed my eyes tighter. Sweat
clung to my brow and tears ran down my face. I had never been much
of a fan of pain, but this was something I don’t think I’d wish on
my worst enemy.

Holy water was poured on my arms and hands
and I was blind and deaf to all, but the pain. My body started
trembling. As if I was experiencing my own personal earthquake. And
then it stopped.
I stopped.
The itching, burning, freezing,
scratching sensation started to fade. My temporary paralysis
too.

I took in great big gulps of air. I was able
to move my arms and my hands I found them gripping something. A
hand. Ronan’s hand. His mouth was moving too. Worry shone from his
eyes. What was he saying? The same word over and over again.
Maria.
He was calling me. My name. Calling me home.

“Maria! You’re back. You’re okay. You’re
going to be okay.”

“Get her inside. Now.” SilverWolf stood next
to him. His expression unreadable.

“Maria, look at me. I’m going to lift you up.
It’ll hurt, but I’ll try to be gentle.” I nodded and readied myself
for the pain of being moved. Ronan covered me with a something. A
shirt. His. It smelled good. Like pine trees and his Wolf.

He lifted me surely in his arms. Careful not
to be too rough. He walked steadily and smoothly. I barely jostled
in his grip.

I must have passed out again because when I
came to I was bandaged and in a room I had never seen before. It
was four in the morning. I knew because of the digital clock on the
bedside table. Ronan was at my side. Slumped over in an arm chair.
His breathing steady and even. Like just about everything else
about him. I guess I was just beginning to see the pattern
there.

“You look like crap.” My voice sounded
hoarse. Unfamiliar. His head popped up. Green eyes looked me over
from head to toe.

“You look beautiful.”

I laughed, but that hurt so I stopped too
soon.

“Here. Drink this.” He offered me a straw. I
looked warily at the cup.

“It’s just water. We put the demon fire out.
I promise.” He held it to my lips and I took a sip. A very long
sip.

He just smiled and refilled the cup from the
pitcher on the table. I stopped his hand with my bandaged one as he
held it to my lips. Sure I was thirsty, but this couldn’t wait
another minute.

“They told me to close my eyes, think of
something nice. There was only one thing I could think of,
you
. It’s always been you.” That last part came out a
whisper. He bent his head to mine and I trembled, but in a good
way. I breathed him in and felt at peace for the first time in a
long time.

We arrived back home the next day, a little
worse for wear but still, we were whole. And I wasn’t complaining.
I was healing, a little more slowly than I would have liked, but my
skin had mostly repaired itself. My hair, not so much.

Cara took a scissor to it and managed to
straighten it out. It no longer reached my waist. I lost a good ten
inches she said. It was now in the middle of my back. I am
embarrassed to say I cried about it. For a full hour.

Around my neck was a smaller version of a
dreamcatcher. Alessio had made it for me special and made me
promise not to take it off until we learned more about my gift or
curse or whatever it was.

“Call it a birthday gift.” He said when we
stopped at his grandmother’s house with a message from SilverWolf.
It was in a closed envelope. I have no idea what it said.

I was glad to see Less so I accepted the gift
and put it on. It was rather pretty with tiny little beads hanging
from it. That’s when I realized they were from Ronan’s own
necklace.

“Nice job.” Ronan said and slapped Less on
the back before we left.

“What does this mean?” I asked fingering one
of the beads.

“I’ll tell ya later.” Was all he said before
dropping a quick kiss on my brow.

“Maria Graziana! What happened?” Nonna rushed
towards me in the driveway. Her apron stained with sauce and what
smelled like stuffing and gravy. Then I realized it was
Thanksgiving. My
birthday
. I must have been unconscious for
longer than I thought.