Cold Moon Rising (31 page)

I SETTLED A paw into the cool water slowly, not making even a tiny splash. Birds of all descriptions were at the water’s edge and I could see them gleam with near phosphorescence under the bright full moon.

Liz was somewhere over the ocean about now, being held in form by her grandfather. He was a right old grouch and I felt sort of sorry for her. His picture would be beside curmudgeon in the dictionary. Still, he had greeted Liz politely and commented that she looked very much like his late wife. His black hair had streaks of white that matched her animal form. She noticed it too and raised her brows at me in a How weird is that? sort of way when he wasn’t looking. I thanked her for her help, not mentioning what help she gave in front of gramps and, on impulse, gave her a quick hug.

I got a hindsight flash that only lasted moments, but confirmed what her father had suspected. I whispered in her ear before I let her go. “You really did take down the tower. It’s good you’re doing this.”

She smiled, shaky. It told me she remembered too, which often happens after a hindsight. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I’ll get this under control. I promise.” She turned to go, but then stopped. “Will I see you again?”

I winked. “You never know, kiddo. There’s a whole new life out there for you. Almost anyone could show up in it.”

Nigel had growled lightly and I decided to take that as a message. I raised my hand and smiled. “Sure. No problem. I’ll send Lucas and Charles your regards, your Lordship.”

He managed a really excellent harrumph but dipped his head in a brief nod after Liz preceded him into the skyway. He said more words then than he had the entire previous ten minutes. He stared after her for a long moment and I thought I might have seen a slip in his grumpy persona. Was that a twinge of affection? But then it was gone. “Thank you for delivering her safely. Having a young lady in my home will take some getting used to after so many years. But tell Charles I’ll do my best.”

I’d gotten a surprise after I watched the London-bound jet take off. Sue called to say she was also on board a plane, headed my way. When I asked why, she said it was a secret, and I couldn’t even drag it out of her in my head.

And speaking of my head, I hadn’t yet heard from Ahmad. It might be he couldn’t find the cave, but I really needed to get some meat in me before anything weird happened. I didn’t need to wake up in a cage somewhere because I passed out in full view of the interstate.

Another slow step into the mud. There were both ducks and geese along the shore, heads tucked under their wings for the night. I don’t really like the taste of Canada goose. Too greasy. But these were their smaller cousins—snow geese, and I was wondering if flying over that ocean on the way to their winter grounds wouldn’t make them taste pretty good. A likely suspect was just on the other side of the reeds and cattails where I was chest deep in water. The cattails had exploded along ago, so with each movement I made through the tall stalks, fluffy seeds rained down on me and tried to go up my nose. I tried not to breathe, so I wouldn’t sneeze.

The thick, succulent scent of bird shut down my higher brain functions and I felt my head go down, ready to pounce. With a sudden burst outward, I threw myself into the nesting birds and grabbed the wing of one goose before it could get away. It honked and squawked, but I soon silenced that. Then I was padding back to the hole under the tree root I’d found to use as a den to feast.

Sweet and warm and the feathers felt soft going down my throat.

Feathers? No, the rat had soft fur, not feathers. But it was soft and smooth as it slid down to my stomach. It wasn’t enough for the night, but it was a start. The undergrowth down here was made for snakes. I was a little surprised I’d never visited before. There were a thousand places to lie in wait for small burrowing creatures, or I could hunt for a larger animal in the trees. Most cobras couldn’t climb trees, but I’d always been able to.

I needed to find the cave to talk to the wolf, but eating had to come first. I wondered where Tuli had gone. She’d disappeared shortly after the incident in the shower.

She’d been talking to Nasil when I arrived back from the temple. I confirmed that the inner chamber was indeed empty and speculated that perhaps someone in their group had betrayed them, believing they could raise Marduc without their help.

They’d answered simultaneously, and anger rose from them in a cloud of choking sweetness. “Paolo.”

Nasil started to storm around the camp, looking for any documents he could find that might say where they’d gone. He suggested that we go to hunt and he’d find gasoline and supplies so we could take off before morning. He just had to find out where the traitors had gone.

I’d still, as Tuli had less-than-affectionately referred to it, stank of challenge, as well as smoke from the brakes and from the village. While the roofs had burned and the buildings were open to the air, the plumbing still functioned. I decided to avail myself of the shower before the hunt.

I found myself enjoying the feeling of the warm water under the night sky, which was how Tuli managed to watch me for so long without my realizing it. I turned with the unscented soap my father favored still in my hair and saw her there, eyes gleaming and body naked under the moon. I let the water run until my hair was clean and then spoke. “You’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”

She didn’t speak, just shook her head. But she didn’t leave either. It was difficult not to respond to the scent and sight of her, so I didn’t bother to try to hide it when my body reacted to her presence. I glanced down at the erection jutting out and gave her a small smile. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to relieve this before I change forms. You might wish to leave if you don’t want to participate.”

Still she didn’t move. Her eyes glowed even brighter until it seemed her body would disappear inside them. There was something extremely erotic about the thought of her watching me take pleasure, so I closed my eyes and began to stroke my length. The soap was slick in my hand and as I let out a small hiss of pleasure, she returned it, only louder. It sent my heart racing and I stroked myself with abandon, back pressed against the wall while water rained down on me. It wasn’t long before a shudder overtook me and I climaxed onto the water-soaked floor. When my breathing slowed after a moment, I opened my eyes. She was gone, the towel she’d been holding discarded on the ground. But the taste of her arousal was heavy on the air, which made it all the more curious that she continued to deny her passion. Yet, it was oddly satisfying, the effect I was having on her.

And she on me.

I slithered through the leaves again, feeling each rock and twig against my belly. Another mouse fell prey to my fangs when I struck out into a hole where I’d seen movement. It was small, not at all like the rat, but added to the meat in my stomach. But now I sought larger prey, so I went on the hunt.

An odd sound found my ears so I went to investigate. It was like a strangled cough, which often means easy food. But when I tasted the air, I found Tuli’s sweet honey and nuts, the exact flavor of baklava on the wind. But it was blended with panic, and that hurried my movements.

She’d found dinner—a large rodent of some sort, with russet fur and a short stubby tail. But something had gone wrong and the beast was upside down in her wide open jaw. She’d also been too anxious to feed and hadn’t waited until it was dead. The prey was still alive, and was kicking frantically upward, trying to free itself from her pulling muscles. One leg was already impaled on her fang, but was continuing to kick. It was going to break off the tooth if she wasn’t careful. But she couldn’t even bite down again to still the frantic motions. I slithered out and her eyes saw the movement. That’s when I noticed the other problem. The animal must have front teeth and it was trying to chew its way out of her from the inside. It could damage her lungs or even worse. She would eventually manage to free herself and feed, but she would be too injured tomorrow to travel.

“Remain still,” I whispered and slithered up alongside her. She needed to roll over so I could bite through her skin to paralyze the rodent. But the beast was wide and fat and she couldn’t turn. The only hope I had was to wrap around her and physically force her over. “Close your eyes and try to relax.”

She did and the scent of both fear and relief blended on my tongue. I worked my way around her tail, then slowly began to travel upward. Around and around I coiled, letting myself enjoy the sensation of her scales on mine. There was no reason this had to be a painful process. When I reached the thinnest part of her throat, the membrane just behind her jaw, I paused. “I’m going to kill it now. Do you want it out of you after, or want to feed?”

Out. The word was clear to my ears, but I couldn’t fathom how she’d said it with her mouth full. Still, if that was her choice, it was easy enough. I slowly pierced her skin with my fangs and felt a little shiver run over her as I did. I pressed forward farther and felt another pierce, followed by thick meat. It was a good meal and would probably have been the only one she’d needed tonight. But some things aren’t meant to be.

I struck forward hard, felt the venom pump into the furred body. The death was sudden, taking no more than a few seconds. Such is Sazi poison. Then I started to convulse my muscles, pushing upward from her stomach to her mouth. I felt her relax under me, so that her jaw teeth that held the animal and firmly pulled it inch by inch to her stomach would release the prey as I pushed. Since it wasn’t very far down, it only took a few slow stroking motions to move the animal up out of her mouth once I’d pulled the leg loose from her fang. After it was disgorged, she could breathe properly again. Somehow her windpipe hadn’t moved forward like it should so she could breathe. A series of misfortunes.

“Are you all right?” I relaxed my coils, but left myself wrapped around her until the trembling of her muscles ceased.

She moved her jaw up and down and flicked her tongue against her fang. “I will be in a moment. That wasn’t the way I’d planned the meal.”

I let out a hissing chuckle. “It never is. That’s why they call it hunting, and not catching.”

We remained like that for long moments, until I felt the warmth of her body start to heat mine too. I’m fully capable of sex in either form, but she’d already said no twice. I nuzzled my mouth against hers, enjoying the slick feel of her scales. “Shall I leave you to your dinner now, or are you enjoying this as much as I?”

She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she just slipped her tail around mine and tightened the coil. I hadn’t realized quite where my coil was, but my erection was abruptly inside her. The same muscles that pulled her dinner in worked on me and I couldn’t resist the contractions that dragged me in. There were no words, just our bodies twisting and turning around each other on the soft leaves. At some unspoken signal, we shifted forms simultaneously and then my mouth was on hers and my hands were caressing her breasts while her fingers dug into my back. She moved against me hungrily and it was difficult to imagine that I’d only relieved this need an hour ago.

“I’ve never gotten over the desire to feel you under me.” The whispered words came out of me unbidden, but they were the truth. Every other lover had been compared to Tuli, and all had been found lacking.

She bit my neck as I felt her muscles start to contract around me. Another venom-filled bite punctured my skin and then a word filled my ears. “Ahmad.” It was a whisper and a hiss and I let her revel in her climax while I flooded her body with tickling, stinging magic and traced my tongue down her frantic pulse.

I followed her into the abyss moments later and then collapsed on top of her while she laughed lightly.

I stroked my fingers through her long hair, removing some of the leaves clinging to the strands. “There. Was that so terrible?”

She sighed. “It probably will be later. But let’s not think about that now. Just hold me for a few more minutes. Then I’ll need to find a new dinner.” She glanced down at the rodent that had caused her so much trouble. “This one has lost its appeal.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

WOLF. CAN YOU hear me, wolf?

I shook my head and realized it was still furry. Feathers, a wing, and one leg ending with a webbed foot was all that was left of the snow goose. It was good. Much better than the other kind. I’d have to keep in mind.

Ahmad called again and I shook my head to get the stinging of his magic from my brain. Whatever he was doing was different than the visions I’d been getting. Wolf!

The name’s Tony, Ahmad. I’d appreciate you deigning to either call me Agent or by name.

A pause. Very well. Tony. Have you been in contact with Lucas or Charles recently?

I didn’t want to get into a long recitation of what had been a really weird day, so I just said, Yes.

I have information that absolutely must reach them. Will you deliver the message, or must I kill you when I return?

Oh, for God’s sake. I picked up the rest of the leg and started to chew on it, pretending it was his snakey head my fangs were sinking into. Look, snake boy. I don’t like you. You don’t like me. But let’s be civil here, huh? It’s bad enough I have to go along for your little sex romps with your main squeeze—which takes on a whole new meaning in your case, but—

What did you say? I could hear the panic note in his voice.

I sighed, as much as I could and rested my muzzle on my paws. It had been a long day and it wasn’t getting any better. Look. I’ve been inside your head since you were chained down in Boulder this morning. You can’t hear me, but I can hear you. I presume you found the cave so it works both ways for the moment. Oh, and I’ve also been able to smell through your tongue—which is freaky weird, and get fired up enough to have to have sex every few hours. I was there for the breakout, and for the flight where you got cozy with Tuli and talked about your whole sad history. Then when you landed and found the camp and just now when you had steamy snake sex. But we’re not going to discuss that. Ever. ‘Kay?

Just tell me what I don’t know yet. I saw the temple and heard you thinking out loud about the legends. What else you got for me to pass on when I call?