Moonbound (Moonfate Serial Book 1) (10 page)

His words paralyze me, for the first time not conjuring images of him pinning me down, but just holding me, kissing me. Gently, so gently. And for a price.

My own embarrassingly loud breathing statics into the tiny phone’s receiver. He must be able to hear it, too.

For one long moment neither of us speaks.

“Orion?”

I hear a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line. “Artemis?”

My heart double-times. “I…uh.” This is hard to say after my whole speech back in the alley. Leaving him. I can’t do this. But I have to. For Lawrence.

“Having second thoughts?” I can tell he’s trying to keep his voice light, but a deep undercurrent threatens to sweep me away.

“No. I—” A sob catapults up my throat and out my lips. “Something’s happened.”

“Artemis,” he soothes. “Slow down.”

His command shouldn’t work—it doesn’t sound like his growly werecall from earlier—but it does. My heart beat slows from hyper-speed to just fast. “I don’t even know what to say. This is all just insane.”

I press my hand to my chest to steady myself, expecting him to interrupt in the silence, but he doesn’t.

Finally, I spit it out. “Cooper’s dead.”

“Who is Cooper?” he asks with utter patience, like a parent talking to kid who has lost their stuffed animal.

He doesn’t get it.

“He’s this werebeast I met tonight at the bar, and he said that I couldn’t fight destiny, and that he had had sex with Lawrence and that gay werebeasts aren’t allowed by his psycho boss, and now he’s in my house and he’s dead, and I don’t have any clue what to do so now I’m talking to you, even though I know that I said I never would again, but he’s d-dead.” The words heave out of me, but even after I’m done I still want to throw up.

The silence on the line is even longer than the space between the rings was. Finally, he asks, “Are you in danger?”

I consider his words carefully. “I don’t think so.”

“Artemis.” His growl brooks no disagreement. “Don’t lie to me. Are you in danger?”

“Maybe.”

“It was a mistake letting you go.”

“No—wait.” How quickly my tenuous freedom is being revoked. “I’m not staying with you.”

He growls again and my core heats in response.

“I like your bravery and your fire, but I will not have you hurt,” he promises.

“You don’t understand. It’s not me I’m worried about, it’s my roommate, Lawrence.”

“You live with another male?”

“No, no,” I backtrack. “I mean yes, but he’s gay.”

“And he’s in trouble.” His voice softens again.

I swallow. “Kidnapped. I think.” But the terror still finds its way up. “I hope. Oh, God, what if he’s dead?” My fear has broken all the barriers between us, and I can’t stop all my thoughts from pouring out.

“He might be. There are some nasty members of our species, Artemis.”

“H-he might be?” I sniffle. “Aren’t you supposed to make me feel better?”

“I will never lie to you.”

“I think I’ve had enough of the truth for one night.” I wipe away the stinging tears on my cheeks. My whole body feels drunk, unsteady. “I don’t even get why you’d help me, besides some stupid matemark. I’m not brave or passionate or whatever.”

“Artemis.” His low voice shocks me out of my stupor, clearing away everything. “Close your eyes.”

I almost do. I imagine his strong arms holding me, keeping me up, sheltering me from the storm and the evils of the world. But I also think of all that I can’t control, and know that I can’t give up the one thing I
can
. Myself.

I keep my eyes open.

“There.” I can almost hear him smirk over the phone.

“What?”

“You didn’t close your eyes.”

How did he know? Was he waiting there for me on the other side of our shared connection? I shiver. “So?”

“If you’re strong enough to resist the power of our bond, silly girl, you’re strong enough to triumph over anything.” His voice vibrates the speaker of the phone against my cheek. “I just have to teach you that there are worthier causes than fighting me. Perhaps fighting for your friend can be one of them.”

I put the phone on speaker and set it down, needing some distance. “You’ll help me? You won’t try to kidnap me and bring me back to your cave to protect me?”

“I don’t live in a cave,” he says lightly. “And of course I’ll help you.”

“You will?” I fidget with one of my curls, wrapping it so tightly around my finger I cut off circulation.

“But I’ll need answers.”

“What?” My mind runs through all the possible things he might ask for, my body, my heart, and my submission. Answers are not on that list.

“I won’t be kept in the dark,” he says. “I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to, but you say that I don’t know you. That you don’t know me. If I help you, that will change.” His voice drops a half-octave. “In every way.”

He still wants to consume me. And there’s still some part of me that wants to let him. But I can see it. I can handle it. I can tiptoe across this high wire between desire and destruction. No—more than that. I can use the pull I have over Orion to save Lawrence. And then I can walk away.

“I swear I’m not going to submit to you,” I say, more for myself than for him.

“I won’t hold you to that promise,” he says in that way he has of making it seem like his voice is right next to me. As if he’s touching me. “But I will hold you to this one. Let me know you, see you as you truly are. And I will help you. Do we have a deal?”

I pause, listening to the rush of blood through my ears, feeling the embers of need awakening in my stomach. It’s a familiar sensation now. Like looking over the edge of a cliff I’ve already jumped off of—scary and exciting in a whole new way, because I know exactly what jumping really means.

And it’s not like I really have a choice anyway. This is the best way to find Lawrence.

I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the feeling that I’m signing away my soul. “Yes, I accept.”

“Then I will see you soon, Little Mate.” I can hear his grin.

The line goes dead. Unlike a traditional phone, there is no dial tone, just silence. I stare at it a moment, just letting the reality of everything sink into me. Memories drift through me.

My mother whispering that she’d love me forever. Lawrence and me dodging reporters and investigators to make our way in the world. My dad telling me how proud of me he was when I got the lead in the school play. And most of all I remember that night, being stuck in the tent, unable to get out. Hearing them die.

I think I’ve lived my whole life stuck in that tent. But it’s time to come out.

I stand up and shove the phone in my pocket. The metal of the gun glints at me from the dresser, tempting me. I hate it and I need it at the same time. Power’s like that, I guess. Dangerous, enticing and sometimes, whether I like it or not, necessary. My hand trembles as I flick the safety of the gun back on and grab it. The shaking only gets worse as I turn toward the door and rest my hand on the knob.

Yes, I’m afraid.

Terrified, actually.

But feeling that and going out to face my fears anyway?

That’s what makes me brave.

* * * * * * * *

Artemis’s and Orion’s search for Lawrence will continue in
Moonhunt
, the second installment in the Moonfate serial, coming October 30th. You can even read it
for free
when it comes out by leaving a review and signing up for my mailing list
here
.
Make sure you put the link to your review in the “other” box so I know it’s you.

A lot of people have read Moonbound, my beta-readers, my author friends, my editors, strangers on the street I kidnapped, your grandmother, former US president Bill Clinton 
—
okay, okay. So
some
of those people have read Moonbound, but none of their opinions are as important to me as yours.

If you've done all that and still want tell me you liked it or ask me why on earth I put a werepufferfish in a romance novel (there's a great story there) you can find me on
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Twitter
, and my website,
sylviafrost.com

Even if you never want to interact with me at all, my website has cool little Easter eggs like pictures of half-naked men and even a
trailer
(again, half-naked Orion!).

All in all, thanks for reading. I'll see you on October 30th when the witching hour breaks. Buckle up. The ride only gets wilder from here.