In the Light of the Moon (Dark War Chronicles) (17 page)

Her tail twitched as she waited for him to approach. She knew that he
weighed more than her and a straight on attack wouldn’t help. She needed to be
patient as she watched him starting to circle around her, but she mirrored his
movements to keep him in her view. She and her panther wanted the same thing.
Him dead. Lunging forward he went at her with his front paws, balanced on his
hind legs. She rose to meet him, their paws clashing with each other. Backing
away from the useless locking blows, Kass changed her attack. Her claws caught
him across the face, knocking him down on all fours and away from her.

Kass crouched low waiting for him to try again. She just needed a
couple good shots and then she could tears his throat out. The animal in her
pushed against her human mind. It wanted the kill now. Snorting at her brother
she lunged at him, only to be tackled from the side. Kass rolled towards the
forest and jumped back to her paws. She didn’t look back as she took off into
the forest needing to separate the boys again. She bounded through her old
pathway, breaking through the bushes and fallen branches covering it. Her
animal instinct said stay and fight, but she knew she couldn’t win two on one.
Garret caught up to her. He came up next to her and snapped his jaw at her
paws. She lost her footing a little and slid to the side. He grabbed her neck,
pulling at the tuff of skin, trying to get her to submit. Rolling, she took out
his legs and they tumbled down a hill together. She landed on top and pinned
him to the ground. Blood trickled from him as her claws bit into his skin. His
teeth snapping at her throat, Kass reared backwards to avoid his teeth, causing
her to lose her grip on him. She let out a roar as his claws swiped across her
jaw. Red in her vision told her he’s attack did damage. She pounced at him and
they locked in the air again. Batting fruitlessly at each other until she
struck downwards, her claws catching one of his eyes. He stumbled backwards
with a roar, scrubbing at his wound with the back of a paw.

Kass took a deep breath and let her animal instinct take over. Her panther
gladly took control as she lunged forward and her teeth locked on Garrett’s
exposed neck, with a jerk of her head a chunk tore out of his throat, blood
staining the ground and his massive body falling.

She licked her lips to clear the blood off her muzzle. With a sniff of
the air she knew that Stephan was close. Crunching of branches told her it was
time to move. She could still survive if she could take him out. She climbed a
tree and laid on a branch. The wind brought his scent closer to her and she
reminded herself to wait. Steadying her breathing, she watched as her half
brother padded under the branch. He sniffed the ground and looked around. She
launched herself off the branch and fell on top of him. They tumbled with their
paws flying in a poor attempt to push the other off.

His claws caught her across the stomach, tearing her flesh and fur. She
roared at the pain, but caught his paw in her mouth. With a jerk of her head
she tore into it. He shoved her away and they both landed on their feet. Taking
advantage of his unbalance she tackled him. He shoved her face away with his
good paw, but she swiped at his throat with her claws and struggled to keep him
pinned. Teeth poised to bite, her brother snarled up at her and went for her
throat.

Kass met him so their jaws clashed together and she kept him at bay. He
flipped her over and his weight slammed her against the ground. Panic started
to fill her as his bigger form held her. He snarled, baring teeth. As he went
to strike he was taken out from the side.

Kass flipped back over to see Jax in panther form tearing out Stephan’s
throat. She laid low as he approached her. Her was panther hesitant with the
understanding that Jax was the reason they were here. Instinct said to attack
him, but the mating said to submit. Jax lowered himself onto his belly and kept
his head low as he crawled to her. When she didn’t run he rose and nuzzled her
neck. His tongue lapped at the wound on her face to clean it. Her human mind
came to the surface and she rubbed against him.

Jax’s human form took over his panther form
almost like liquid. Kass envied the ease and control he had over his panther.
He looked her over, examining her wounds. “Shift back.”

Kass tried to shake the fuzziness from her mind at his words, she still
sensed danger and knew there were two panthers still out there. He had betrayed
her, smelt of both of them. She snarled until he touched her head. “I killed
your father.”

Her beast calmed and she was able to pull it back in. She groaned in
pain as her body shifted and she fell to a heap in the ground.

“Smell like him and Sarah.” She whispered and pushed herself up with
her arms. She studied the ground for a moment waiting for it to stop spinning
and for the blurriness to go away. “Feel like I had a forced shift.”

He touched her chin, urging her to look up. “That’s normally how a new
shifter feels. What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing, dear god nothing. I just want to go…home.” She frowned at how
foreign but right the word sounded. “What happened with Sarah, did you see
her?”

He nodded and tried to steady her by pulling her to his chest. She
placed her head against him. “She shifted and ran. She was more…animal than
human.”

“She won’t shift back.”

“Is there any reason to? She knew that I could take your father, and
knew that you’d kill your brothers. She’ll be happier that way.” He kissed her
head and picked her up. “I have clothes for us in my truck. I’ll take you back
to my place for the night.”

“Lucius. Need to get back to him.” She could feel her eyes closing and
she jolted to keep them open.

He looked down at her. “Lucius knows that I came for you. He would
expect you to stay.”

The reminder hit her hard and she struggled with the idea of Lucius
being all right with her staying. She curled up, laying her ear against his chest
and listening to his heartbeat. Her panther was curled up inside her content at
the safe feeling that Jax gave off.

“He said that we can mate…if you want.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and darkness claimed her before she could
answer.

Kass woke with something soft underneath her and something warm pulled
over her body. She pulled it closer and snuggled into the padding she was
laying on. The scent caught her off guard. Jaxon. She sat up and flinched as
wounds pulled in different spots. Her skin stretched over her stiff bones as
she moved, trying to stretch her muscles. Leaning against the wall, Jaxon met
her eyes when she finally looked up.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.” He cracked a smirk at her as he pushed off
the wall and went to her. “How do you feel?”

She shrugged and found even that hurt. “I’m exhausted and I feel like a
young shifter again. My body protested against both shifts.”

“You sure nothing is wrong with you?” He asked and studied her eyes.
Cupping his hands behind her head he pulled her in for a chaste kiss.

“Fine. I think it’s the control that Lucius gave back that’s messing
with me. I have to relearn every stinking thing.” She groaned. “Good thing I
took the fast track before.”

Jax’s eyebrows drew together. “How are you going to handle the full
moon?”

“I’ve got it covered. Don’t worry.” She didn’t want to talk to him
about that. She rubbed her eyes and stood. “Where are we?”

“My place, I didn’t want to take you back to Lucius in the shape you
were in.”

He didn’t have to say it, she knew that he thought she had been too
weak to face Lucius. “Thank you.” He stood and took her hand, stopping her from
walking out the door. “Kass?”

She turned to him, waiting for him to continue.

“Please, just stay a little longer, let me hold you without having to
share you with him. Just for a little while?”

She saw the plea in his eyes and it melted her heart. Her mate. The man
who killed to keep her safe. Sure he betrayed her, but he proved himself the
night before. She entwined her fingers with his and let him draw her back onto
the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her into his body.

Kass took a deep breath before she walked
into Derrik’s office. Sitting at his desk he didn’t budge when she walked
in.
 

“I’m surprised you showed.” He shuffled a couple of papers. “Heard you
went AWOL.”

She snorted. “I didn’t go AWOL, I got kidnapped, there’s a difference.”

“You know you’re going to be locked up for the night?”

Flashes of the government place came to her mind, but she bit her lip
and nodded. “Yes. Lucius doesn’t know I’m here.”

“You just like to make my life hell, don’t you, kitty?” He chuckled and
stood from his desk. “Come on, let’s get you prepared for tonight.” He led her
through the empty club to that back door that he had skipped during the tour.
Taking out a key card he swiped it and the door opened. He waved a hand.
“Ladies first.”

Kass took a deep breath and descended the stairs. The door clicked
behind them, but she forced herself to keep going down. The darkness pressed
against her and her breath shortened. She felt panic rise in her and her
panther started to stir. Shakes started to rack her body and her stomach
started to churn as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

A strong hand clasped her shoulder. “It’s okay, relax. The room you’ll
be in tonight is built of iron and concrete, you’ll shift, be in the room all
night, and shift back. This isn’t the government place.” He followed it up with
a laugh. “I’m not going to leave you here for days.”

She cringed. “Right.”

“Oh shit. You spent time there?”

“Don’t want to talk about it. You promise you’ll come in the morning?”
She tried to shake off the fear of going in there. The idea that Lucius
wouldn’t agree with this stuck in the back of her mind and the fact that she
hadn’t told Jax where she would be tonight all made her nerves stand on edge.

He nodded. “I won’t leave you in here Kitty.” He went and took the pad
lock off the door and opened it. “I’ll even bring you breakfast. We have a
recovery room too, for the morning after.” He swung the door open.

There she faced the empty room and took a deep breath before she walked
in. When the door shut the chaos began. Pain tore through her body as her
panther panicked and she shifted in an explosion of fur and skin, her human
consciousness dragged down to the dark depth.

Jax came storming into the main room at
Lucius’ until his petite human stepped in front of him. He had searched all
over the woods for Kass. He never caught scent of her and now his panther was
panicking.

“Lucius isn’t seeing anyone-“ He shoved her aside.

She growled at him and caught his wrist. “He’s really in a mood.”

“I don’t give a shit. Kass is missing.” He snapped at her. “So go tell
your master that I demand to see him. I’ll be waiting here.” He threw himself
into a chair by the fire. He could tell by her hesitation that she debated on
arguing or going to get Lucius. In the end she spun on her heels and walked out
of the room.

It wasn’t long before Lucius came in. His eyes had bled to black.
“She’s not here.”

“She is safe though?” Jax asked. “She was in my arms and now she
disappeared. I was hoping she was here and would give me an answer.”

Lucius laughed. “She’s probably out trying to fulfill her part of the
bargain she made with me.”

“You’re a bastard. What did you promise her?” He shot out of his
chair.
 

“That you two could be mated as long as she remained my killer. I sent
her on a job.” He shrugged. “So that’s probably where she is. She didn’t return
from the full moon.”

Jax rolled his eyes. “Who did you have her go after?”

“Not who, what. The stone that Tegan set away.”

Jax looked at the human who glanced down and shuffled her feet. “Great,
that could be anywhere.”

“Yes, but if she locates it it means that you two can be together.” He
shrugged. “So take it or leave it Jax.”

“Fine.” Jax turned to Tegan. “So where did you send it?”

She turned her head towards Lucius, her black sunglasses obscuring her
eyes. “Sent it away.” She whispered and her body slouched. Her confidence
melted away as she fidgeted with her hands.

Lucius put a hand on her shoulder. “You won’t get much from her, her
mind has been fucked with, remember?”

Jax snickered. “Sucks for you, pet. You never told me what the stone
was, you took me off the job and stuck Kass on it without explanation”

Lucius raised a brow. “It’s a soul stone.”

“The legendary one?”

“Yes. Tegan was entrusted with its protection and someone forced her
hand. Now we have to figure out where it is.”

“You know who did it?”

“No.”

“Shame, I’d like to see the punishment you have plan for them.” Jax
laughed and turned to leave. He gave the two a little wave. “See ya around. I’m
off to find Kass.”