Before the Moon Rises (7 page)

his throat. "I can't hold back much longer," he groaned in her

ear.

"Then don't," she told him.

Max reached over to his nightstand and quickly removed a

small silver packet, making quick work of the condom. He

moved to her side and nestled between her legs. Her hands

guided him to her. "You're huge."

"The more to pleasure you with," he said with a smile.

Keeping her eyes locked to his, he plunged into her with a

moan. Her tight body molded to his, her muscles squeezed

around him and her hips began to move. "Perfect. You are so

perfect," he exclaimed.

Their hearts beat in tandem, their breath merged. Like

him, her body heated and rose higher and higher. Fingers dug

into his back, raking his skin. She was close again, so close to

the edge he held back, praying she would come quickly.

He felt her body shudder; her legs circled his hips. He

caught her cries with his mouth until his body shattered in a

million pieces. He called out her name in his release.

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Before the Moon Rises

by Catherine Bybee

Curled up beside Max, Janet allowed her system to come

down to earth. He had taken her higher than she could ever

remember going. She knew they had chemistry, knew the sex

would be astounding, but this was different. Together they

were nothing short of spectacular.

"Humm," she purred while his hand traveled up and down

her back. "Let me know if I'm alive or dead."

"Alive, most definitely, alive." He kissed the top of her

head, just as content to stay close to her as she was to him.

"I'm surprised there isn't a harem of women in the wings,

waiting for you to service them."

His chest rumbled with laughter.

"I'll bet you have a very full little black book."

"I never understood the little black book theory. If a man

can't remember seven numbers to dial than the woman isn't

worth their time."

"If there is more than one woman, it might get a little

confusing. What happens if you dial Stephanie using Sally's

number?"

"Well, you'd better hope Stephanie and Sally are

roommates."

Janet slapped his chest. "You're terrible."

"I don't know. The possibilities could be fun."

She laughed in spite of his words. She wiggled out from

under his arm and straddled his chest. "Well, I don't have any

roommates, and you better not call me by any other name

than Janet."

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His eyes soaked her in, his playful expression changed. His

hands moved to her waist and ran up her sides cupping her

breasts. "What about, lover?"

"That's okay." Janet held her breath while he pinched her

nipples. Her body responded and heat pooled between her

legs.

"What about, gorgeous?"

"That's fine too." She felt him growing hard beneath her.

"What about, beautiful?"

"Okay, beautiful is good."

He lifted her hips with little effort and placed her over his

shaft. "What about, mine?"

Slowly he lowered her until he'd buried himself deep inside

her once again.

"I like that!" Janet leaned over and started to move in

rhythm with him. "Mine," she called out.

His complete possession of her didn't go un-noticed. As

they rocked together, Max's eyes captured hers. His playful

banter slipped away and he replaced it with more depth and

promise. Max's gaze delivered a profound reaction from both

her body and her heart. As her body clenched and tingled

with building passion, so did her awareness. Their relationship

was moving incredibly fast but Janet wanted nothing to do

with slowing it down.

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Before the Moon Rises

by Catherine Bybee

Gorman crushed the paper with Philip O'Brien's address in

his hand before throwing it to the floor of his car. Waiting for

her to check on the misbegotten cat was proving more than

he could endure.

He knew she stayed with Ritter. Knew there was no way he

could claim her on his property. So, here he would wait.

Taking her out from under Ritter would be exactly what

Gorman needed to claim his position as head of the pack.

Ritter had plagued him and his like for years. Now,

Gorman had a chance of evening the score. Turning the

blonde in front of him would give him the leverage he needed

to take the title which was rightfully his.

His cell phone rang from the seat next to him, after

checking the caller ID, he answered. "Talk!" he ordered.

"They are leaving his place now."

"They?"

"Yeah, Ritter is with her."

Gorman let out a curse then mumbled, "Follow them. If

they come within a mile of here, call me. And don't let them

see you." He hung up and sat back.

All he had to do now was wait.

"What is this?" Max held a piece of paper in his hand and

waved it in front of Janet's face.

"A grocery list," she told him.

"Aren't you going to come in the store with me?"

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"No, I want you to drop me off at my dad's so I can take

care of things there."

"That shouldn't take very long." He glared at the list as if it

were a foreign concept. He had grumbled about the grocery

store stop ever since they left his house.

"You don't know my dad. When he calls and says he needs

me to look after his cat, it's really his code way of asking...

Can you come over and help me pick up around the house?"

"Oh, I see. How long could that take?"

"Long enough for you to pick up a few things at the store."

Janet saw his lip drop into a pout. Damn, it was such a cute

pout. "The store is right around the corner, and the list is

really small. The sooner we're finished, the sooner we can get

back to your place." Janet slid her hand over his upper thigh.

"You don't play fair."

Lightly tracing the outside of his groin with her fingers she

said, "I didn't hear you complaining."

Max lowered his sunglasses and put his car in gear. "Let's

get this done."

Max walked around her father's house, inspected every

room before he deemed it safe for her to enter.

"I'll be fine," Janet tried to convince him while pushing him

out the door.

He glanced around at the busy neighborhood. "I don't

know."

"You're trying to get out of going to the store."

"Well... I tell you what, I'll help you here, and you help me

at the store."

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Shaking her head, Janet gave up and put Max to work

cleaning out the litter box. If he wasn't going to cooperate

she would give him the dirty work.

She hated to admit it, but cleaning up her widowed

father's house did go faster with help.

Within a half an hour, they were pushing a cart around the

market. The store was an anomaly Max didn't understand.

The produce department had him picking up every vegetable

and looking at it as if it came from the moon. Having pity on

him, Janet gave him a job. "I'll pick out the vegetables. You

take a look at the meat department and find some steaks."

"Now we're talking." Happily, he scurried off to much safer

territory.

He rushed away, past a very attractive brunette, who

made a point of smiling his way and flipping her hair. A smile

brushed Janet's lips when Max ignored the other women's

flirtatious gestures.

Surrendering to the happiness that bubbled inside her, she

continued to shop with a spring in her step.

After fondling a few apples and bagging three pounds of

grapes, Janet worked her way to the back of the store where

the organic vegetables were kept.

An employee barged through the swinging doors, which

lead to the stock room almost knocking Janet over in his

haste. Frightened eyes stared her way with a rushed apology.

"I'm sorry, oh God. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Janet told him, straightening her shirt.

"Oh, shit!" The kid turned back to the employee only area,

then back to her again. Janet noticed the shake in his hands.

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Before the Moon Rises

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"Are you okay?"

"Yes, no. Listen, can you please run to the front of the

store and tell someone to call 911. There's a guy back here

who isn't breathing." The kid's eyes bugged out their sockets.

Janet dropped her handful of vegetables. "I'm a nurse.

Show me where he is." Her heart rate jumped as it always did

when she knew time was critical.

He walked her in a few feet and pointed to an open door.

"He's in there."

"You go call the paramedics," she ordered while she ran in

the direction he pointed.

The door was open, but no one was on the floor of the

room. There was another door, which she ran to and opened.

Empty.

Frantic, knowing time for the patient was ticking away.

Janet scanned the first room again. Boxes were stacked high

with very little room for a person to be behind. She searched

anyway but found no one. "Where is he?"

Walking back the way she came, Janet heard the creak of

a hinge. The weight of someone's stare burrowed into the

back of her head. Hair on her neck stood as the cold bristle of

tension wove along her spine. She stopped mid step and

swirled around. A cloth covered hand clamped over her mouth

and nose in a firm grip. The last thing she remembered before

blackness came was the distinct smell of ether.

The first thing Max thought when he rounded to corner and

saw their cart abandoned with Janet's purse in the basket

was;
she thinks I'm the one who doesn't know anything about

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grocery stores. Everyone knows not to leave your purse in the

cart.

The closer to the cart he moved however, the stronger the

smell became. He spun in a complete circle then called her

name. He tossed the packages of meat on the russet potatoes

and followed her scent. Each step brought his fear for her

safety closer.

Her scent mixed with Gorman's when he passed through

the swinging doors. He ran around yanking open doors and

calling her name, his search frantic.

Gone.

He ran his hand through his hair searching for clues.

There, on the floor outside a small room was a matchbook.

On it was an address and the words. "Before the moon rises."

He snatched the small paper and placed it under his nose.

Bile rose in his throat.

Jaw clenched, Max cursed Gorman's name.

He retrieved her purse, pushed through the crowded store

and hopped into his car.

Alone, he flipped open his cell phone and dialed. He

started with his parents, and then moved on to the rest.

The pounding behind her eyelids woke her. She murmured

a protest and tried to turn on her side, but the task proved

impossible.

Janet's eyes shot open when the memory of her abduction

hit her. She attempted to shift her weight but pain shot

through her arms which dangled above her. Panic-stricken

eyes traveled the length of her bound arms. Shock bolted her

upright when she realized she'd been shackled to the wall.

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Before the Moon Rises

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Her body screamed in protest with her sudden change of

position from slouched on the stone and dirt floor.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim light that peeked through the

small window above her.

She was in a basement, of that she was certain. Her

clothes were intact, and her body felt more normal than not.

The fact she had no recollection of how she had gotten to

where she was scared the hell out of her, and had her

worrying about whether or not she'd been raped. Her memory

flashed to a past patient who had been violated during a drug

induced stupor. The lady woke with a distinct feeling of the

violation, but couldn't remember the act.

Trying her best to keep her wits about her, Janet closed

her eyes and forced her breathing to slow down.

"Freaking out isn't going to help," she told herself.

She wanted to panic. God knew she was on the edge. But

doing so would decrease her chances of survival.

How many times had she stood by a patient's side,

listening to the cop's applauding a victim's strong sense of

calm, which kept the person alive? Or the opposite when,

under whispered words around a grieving family, the police

told the ER staff of what could have been to make the

outcome more favorable.

Janet opened her eyes again, shaking loose the images of

dead patients from her mind.

Assess first.

The basement was large, probably under a house of at

least two thousand square feet. Pivoting, she noticed a set of

stairs, wooden and broken down. The pipes above her head

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