Lunaria (A Soulmark Series Finale), page 32
"Adrian, I—I—!"
The noise which escapes me is nothing I am familiar with. It lies somewhere between a sob and a mewl as my soaked center clenches and spasms against the hard swell of Adrian's member.
My cries are not alone for long. Adrian releases his own, his body curling atop my own as his thrusting turns frantic.
"Lunaria."
He collapses atop me. The breath rushes from my lungs, and yet we stay like this, our harried breath mingling. Adrian moves only when he softens and slips from me. His release trailing down my thighs immediately after.
"Come," he says in a husky voice and rights us both. We dress, our gazes filled with mutual desire. "There's time yet before you must go, and I train this pack in the art of war." Adrian pauses, his admiration bursting through his dark eyes as he brushes snowy locks from my face. My smile lights up the room.
++
"Thanks again for all your help," Kimberly Moon's eyes remain glued to the road as she expresses her gratitude for the third time. We are headed back to the Adolphus manor after a full day of work. I cannot wait for the warmth of the house.
"Yeah! It was really neat," her younger sister, Bella, chimes from the backseat. The pair have driven me from garden to garden all day.
"I'm happy I could help. At home, it is my job to ensure the well-being and growth of the flora."
Kimberly spares me a smile that is quick to turn into a grimace. She pinches the bridge of her nose after completing a turn and entering the subdivision that houses most of the pack. I eye her with worry. With each passing hour together, Kimberly's fatigue deepens. I lay a hand on her forearm. The muscles there are taut.
"Are you all right?"
Kimberly sighs, her silky black hair swaying as she shakes her head. "The final battle will take place soon," she says, her features growing grim. "There are hundreds of possibilities and outcomes. Hundreds. I'm bombarded with visions of them all. There are so many deaths... I'm perpetually on the verge of a migraine."
I frown, "Is there no tea you can take to abate the headaches caused by your powers?" Both girls are highly gifted seers, and on more than one occasion, directed the coven and pack toward success with their divine sight. In the Hollow Woods, we read the stars to glimpse our futures.
"Aunt Mo is making something for her," Bella announces. "I think Kimmy is just being a baby."
The elder sister swivels in her seat after a quick review of the road and deals a blow to her sister's thigh. "Shut it, Bella."
"I'm telling mom!"
"Fine," Kimberly grouches, already righted in her seat. "Sorry about that," she apologizes, angling her gaze to me briefly.
"Please, do not apologize. I find your dynamic both intriguing and amusing." A smile sneaks on to Kimberly's face at my comment, and the remainder of the ride is silent, save the gentle lull of the radio.
"Don't forget," Bella calls out as I exit their small car, "your heart is your greatest weapon! Trust your instincts!"
"Bella! What did Diana say about—"
"I know, I know," Bella huffs, her arms crossing over her chest and lips mashing together in a frustrated line. "No unsupervised divination. Bye, Luna. See you soon. Maybe."
I hesitate but close the door. The weather is refreshingly mild, though with the twilight comes a crisp nip to the air. This is far more tolerable than the howling winds that have passed through the town each night and rattled the windows. The Moons drive off. I watch until they are out of sight, basking in the winter solitude for a minute more.
Inside, the dry heat billowing from the vents draws an immediate sweat to my brow, but I don't mind and leisurely strip off my coat. Just as I finish, Quinn comes barreling down the stairs. She's outfitted in her winter-wear and carries a medical basket.
"You’re here!" Quinn smiles. "Everyone is out back. Your boyfriend is laying the smackdown on the pack. It's hilarious and almost as entertaining as the time Callie kicked Keenan's ass."
I barely have time to snatch back my coat before Quinn grabs me and pulls me along after her.
"Have they been training for long?"
"Since you left." Quinn leads me straight down the hallway that hugs the staircase and to the back where a door leads outside. "Not everyone in the pack, just those who could take the afternoon off. More should be coming though since the workday is over. Zoelle is in the kitchen cooking up a massive batch of chili and cornbread to appease the masses and their bruised behinds."
The cold air envelops us as we tread outside. Dozens of wolves are gathered in a semi-circle, watching Adrian demonstrate a move that puts his opponent on his back.
"I told Ryatt he couldn't participate, but did he listen to me? No. Now he has a busted nose, hence—" she holds up the medical kit and shakes it. "What would he do without me?" She muses.
I hum in reply, my focus on the gathering that stays in the vicinity of the house's backlights. Adrian barks his latest instruction, but I'm too distracted by what I see venturing out of the forest to hear it.
"What are they doing here?"
"Winter came over today with them. She said Xander asked her to speak with your friend, Deval. Callie ended up dropping by as well to see what Adrian was teaching—not that she participated." Quinn rolls her eyes, but there is a falsehood to the wry grin she sports. "She's been glued to her phone checking in on Keenan and relaying everything going on to him. At some point, she ended up showing your fairy friends some self-defense moves. They were out in the forest, scouting for a tree earlier."
"Oh." My forehead wrinkles down. "I thought we would search together for the gateway.”
"No," Quinn corrects as we stop. She spots Ryatt and brandishes the medical kit. "They went looking for a tree, not a gateway."
"That is both correct and not," I reply absentmindedly. "They are searching for the right tree to host a gateway—a door—back to the Hollow Woods."
"Oh." Quinn blinks back at me. "I had no idea, so much is going on." I smile at her in reassurance when her cheery demeanor slips.
"Lunaria!" Celosia waves as she approaches us a step ahead of the others. She and Alekos wear happy expressions, and even Callie's features display some amusement. "We think we have found the perfect tree to make our way back home.” She does a quick twirl, almost losing her balance, and lets loose a breathless laugh. “It rests directly to the north, where the crystal used to be hosted! We can go home!"
"That's amazing!" My wings quiver behind me, constrained by the bulky coat.
"We were just showing Calliope, as a thanks for her teaching us many moves of self-defense," Alekos adds. "She is a very able teacher."
I cannot tell whether the cold or the compliment is the reason for Callie's tender, rosy cheeks. I choose to believe it is solely from the latter and smile widely in the warrior's direction.
"Everyone should know basic self-defense," Callie articulates the reasoning with a shrug of one shoulder. "We came up with a few ways to integrate the techniques with their natural talents."
"Calliope says if we faced danger, we could survive long enough against an opponent until a more experienced fighter came to aid us—isn't that exciting? To think, when we return, we may call ourselves warriors!" Celosia claps her hands. The tips of her luminous wings quiver in excitement as they peek out the end of her coat and glittering golden particles fall gently from their ends to the ground.
Callie opens her mouth, a look of well-practiced patience softening her face. She sighs, her brown eyes rolling upward and a puff of white clouding in her face. "Yeah, something like that."
Whatever more there is to be said on the matter is interrupted by the sound of the back door slamming closed. It's Winter. She carries a jumbo-sized red thermos, and several mugs hang perilously from her fingers. Though she shrinks back from the scrutiny of everyone, she nevertheless strides forward.
"I have tea. Zoelle said it will dull aches and pains, and warm you up." Winter wears only a long, quilted coat that brushes the tops of her knees. She goes without a hat, scarf, and gloves. It is no wonder her cheeks and nose swiftly turn scarlet from the cold. Yet, despite it, she plasters on a tentative smile and scans the group of lycans. "Jeremy? Could you go inside now? Xander mentioned you would donate blood."
Jeremy steps forward from the crowd. His face is solemn as he treads across the icy ground to the house. Many wolves smirk at his retreat, and as my gaze roams over them, I cannot help but be drawn to my heart's content. My heart skips a beat as I meet Adrian's smoldering gaze. I swipe my tongue across my chapped lips. The heat pouring from his expression could melt the snow from under my feet and me along with it.
Winter coughs and catches my eye.
"Luna? Tea?" Winter asks.
I refocus my attention on our small group, blushing furiously at having been caught staring. Everyone holds mugs filled with fragrant tea. Alekos and Celosia hold theirs near the bottom of their faces, soaking up the steam that rises in wisps.
"Yes, thank you," I answer.
I pluck a mug from her hand, and Winter serves me. Her grey eyes continually glancing at the assembly. Not a single one makes eye contact with her as she inclines the offer to them. Twice. Her shoulders drop.
"Hey, don't sweat it," Callie says to Winter. "They'll come back around eventually."
Winter shrugs, her smile following the drooping slant of her shoulders. "They're entitled to their feelings," she replies, pausing to rearrange the remaining mugs in her hand and recap the thermos. "How is Keenan?"
Tight lines appear around Callie's eyes. "He's hurting, but every day, pack mates come to visit and give their support. It hasn't been too overwhelming for him yet. I think it's good for him. This is what pack life should be about, being able to come together and lift one of our own back to their feet."
"What about his wounds?"
Callie inhales and exhales slowly. The warrior owns an air of candor and humbleness as she straightens, feet shifting to shoulder-width apart.
"They're healing extremely well,” she says, a small but sincere smile gracing her lips. “Though, it will take some more time for all of them to heal properly." Callie's toe digs into the ice-packed snow, a frown beginning to slant her brows. "Xander ordered him not to fight, and then Atticus did too for good measure. He isn't taking that so well."
"He desires retribution," Alekos states, his head bobbing solemnly along with his words. Callie squints at Alekos but nods reluctantly. He straightens under her assessment. "Tell him we will garner it for him."
Celosia shines at the statement. "Yes! Tell him we will fight in his name... but from here." She glances at Alekos for confirmation, his wide eyes affirming her suspicions. "Not in the forest," she tacks on pleasantly.
"I will." The warrior gives them a warm smile. "It will mean a lot to him—"
"Fuck that!"
Our outdoor assembly wrenches their attention to the back door where Jeremy storms out. He cradles his forearm against his stomach, a thunderous expression clouding his face. Before the door can slam closed, a hand catches it. Nova walks out, her lips a glossy red like her eyes.
Clearly unimpressed, she stares blankly at Jeremy's back while his lips race with heated mutterings I can't hear.
"What happened?" Winter's features are struck with concern as he passes. "Are you all right?"
Jeremy stops in his tracks and levels a menacing glower at Winter, his top lip curling back. She stands her ground and continues to frown at him in concern.
"Am I all right? That leech—" he juts an accusing finger back at Nova, "—made me—she—!" Jeremy cuts himself short, the beet-red splotches on his face deepening to garnet.
"Got you all hot and bothered?" Nova queries loudly. The two supernaturals glare at one another somehow making the temperature outside even colder. Nova uses her vampyric speed to cross the distance between them. "Or are you just upset because it only took two measly sips for you to make a complete fool out of yourself?"
She drops her eyes pointedly to his groin, and Jeremy snarls.
"Fuck you."
"You’re not my type, minute man."
Laughter rumbles from the pack, but the sound is squashed by a fierce growl from Adrian. He crosses his arms over his massive chest and stares down Jeremy.
"Enough. If you’re too weak to endure giving blood without its carnal rapture ensnaring you, then you’re too weak for combat." Adrian's harsh declaration is both patronizing and scornful. "Clearly you need more practice. Get over here. Now."
Jeremy marches to Adrian, and the demonstration begins again. He lasts all of ten seconds against my heart’s content, and the crowd grimaces in unison at the brutal takedown. One soul is brave enough to volunteer to go next. The she-wolf fairs better than Jeremy, but her rear end still lands on the ground with an audible thump.
"Hey, do you know if there’s any more blood from the butcher lying around the house?" Nova inquires as she saddles up to our group.
"Hmm," Winter's face pulls together thoughtfully. "I'm not certain, but I can check with Zoelle. Are you out already?"
She nods. "A fledgling vampyré's appetite is one thing, a hybrid is on a completely different level.” Nova rubs a hand down her face before continuing, a fang peeking through the wry smirk she puts on. “Of course, if you could find me another volunteer, that would tide me over. I'm not sure if the butcher will be ready with a new supply of pig's blood so late in the day."
"You're right," Winter mulls over the news with her lip caught between her teeth. "Tomorrow, I'll make sure we restock you, but as far as tonight..." Her words trail off suggestively.
"I'm well aware that you're off limits,” Nova says blandly. As Winter prepares to protest, Nova holds up a hand. "Your husband's words, not mine. Ruby is going to snack on him later."
"Snack?" Celosia whispers in mild horror. Nova seems to contemplate an apology, her smirk dipping and rising before shrugging half-heartedly.
"Snack. Refreshment. Dessert. Call it whatever you like," she offers, her smirk winning out. Nova ducks her head to hide her chuckle at Celosia’s expression and kicks idly at the snow. "Anyway, you'll check with Zoelle?" Nova asks Winter.
"Yes—"
"I can do it," Callie offers, shuffling forward. I glance between the old friends; happy Nova’s needs will be taken care of until I see the vampyrés face. Nova's features set themselves to stone as she stares down Callie. "I've done it before. I can—"
"No."
Callie reels back, her eyes flitting around our numbers to gauge our reactions before settling her astonishment on Nova. "Excuse me?"
"N-O. No."
The warrior goes rigid, though her throat bobs traitorously. "What? Is my blood not good enough for you anymore or something?" A certain amount of hostility rides Callie's words, but it withers away toward the end, leaving her words to sound unsure and defensive.
Nova’s strict expression doesn’t change. "It just can't be you. And you know exactly why that is, so don't act so offended." Callie flushes, and the faintest hint of color plays out across the tops of Nova's cheekbones.
I look back and forth between the two, unsure of the strange hostility between them. A quick scan of our party reveals only Winter might be keen to the underlying source of their tension.
"I can do it," I say. Nova looks at me sharply, then whips her head to Adrian, who is helping someone off the ground.
"I thought your boyfriend took your place this morning? Ruby said you would need your energy for the war effort and other tasks."
I chew on my bottom lip. "He did... but I do not believe giving blood tonight will affect my ability to bend the flora and forest to my will, if needed, tomorrow. Besides, you will not need to take too much from me having gotten some blood from Jeremy already. Right?"
Nova considers me, the crimson in her irises darkening. "All right, you can donate. So long as your beau doesn't cause a fuss. I'd hate to have to embarrass him in front of his groupies."
Some wolves growl, but when I look to Adrian, he passes me the slightest of nods. I grin back shyly and follow after Nova as she retreats to the house. Waving farewell to my friends, they watch me go with equal parts trepidation and curiosity—at least, Celosia and Alekos do. Callie won't meet my gaze, and Winter is back to sporting her false smile.
A cascade of nerves flows over me as we enter the quiet house. Nova's pace, though slow and steady, holds a rigid quality to it as I trail her. My nerves double when we reach the lounge. Seconds later, an impression of comfort reaches out to me through my heart's content. It acts as a balm to my racing pulse.
"You don't have to be so nervous," Nova reassures me. She gestures to the chair Adrian and I occupied early this morning. My face floods with calceolas.
"I'm not nervous." I squeak. Nova arches a brow and crosses her arms over her chest. She smirks, the tips of her fangs showing, clearly aware of my lie. "Chill out, my control is getting better each day—"
I make another squeaking sound. "What do you mean, 'getting better?'"
This time it is Nova who dons a splash of embarrassment on her face. "I'm still considered a fledgling vampyré, okay? In vampyré terms, I’m basically a toddler. We're irritable, constantly hungry, and extra passionate about things. The only bonus is that we have the potential to gain a lot of strength during this toddler phase.” Nova’s eyes roll backward at her choice of words but forges on with her explanation. “Anyway, a good sire helps you capitalize on that and guides you through the worst of your growing pains."
"Jakob Vrana, is your sire? Is he good?"
Nova considers my question seriously and I don't rush her response, finding myself calming the longer we simply converse. There isn't anything for me to be afraid of, I remind myself, and once more feel the comfort of Adrian’s presence in our bond. Besides, I knew what to expect. I witnessed firsthand what desires are provoked from the process and that the pain of the bite would be brief.
