Moon Thrall (17 page)

He glanced at Skye and saw her knife inches from her hand. Court acted as if he was too weak to sit up and fell sideways. As soon as his hand closed around the hilt of the weapon, he slowly climbed to his feet.

“Are you ready to die?” the Djinn asked, his black tattoos covering his bald head so thickly that there was barely an inch of skin not marked.

Court pushed back the pain from his many injuries. “Are you?”

“I’m not the one weakened to such a state,” the Djinn stated. His gaze was contemptuous as he looked Court up and down. “Look at you. A LaRue werewolf taken to protecting a human who would expose us.”

“She’s my woman.”

The Djinn’s smile was slow and evil. “In that case, I’ll make sure she suffers even more. Perhaps I won’t kill you. I’ll take you with us and make you watch what I do to her.”

“Do you really think you can?”

“The LaRues are no longer as strong as they once were. Your time in the Quarter is finished.”

Court tightened his grip on the knife. “Then come and get me.”

The noise of the battle faded as Court focused on the Djinn. He knew exactly what the Djinn would do to Skye, and it was worse than the vampires turning her.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

Court waited for the Djinn to get closer. He swung the dagger up into the Djinn’s mouth through his chin the same instant a shot rang out and slammed into the Djinn’s head.

He pulled the blade from the Djinn and turned to Skye. He gathered her in his arms and held her while gently stroking her face.

“It’s over,” Riley said as she came to stand beside him. “The remaining vampires and Djinn are leaving.”

Court looked up to find his brothers surrounding him still in wolf form. The Moonstone wolves slowly made their way to them.

“Thank you all,” Court said to everyone. “We couldn’t have done this without you. The werewolves have been absent from New Orleans for too long. This is your home. Our home. We showed the factions that tonight.”

Minka squatted down beside him and touched Skye’s head. “She was given a heavy dose of magic, but she’ll wake up soon.”

“Thank you,” Court told her.

Minka smiled. “It’s my pleasure.”

“The others know you’re not dead now.”

She shrugged. “It was bound to happen eventually. I’ll deal with it.”

“We’ll deal with it,” he corrected her. “You’re not alone in this.”

Minka stood and moved away, but Court noticed that Solomon walked so that he was near her. Court gathered Skye in his arms and got to his feet. Addison, Riley, and Minka were careful to keep their gazes away from him since he was nude.

He was about to turn to go into the house when Kane issued a growl. Court watched as Scott rolled a vampire off him and got on his hands and knees before he stood. Scott looked around until he saw Court.

That’s when Court saw the gun in Scott’s hand. So that’s who had shot the Djinn he’d been fighting. He should thank Scott for that, but then again, none of them would be here if Scott hadn’t betrayed him.

“You should leave,” Court told Scott. “You’re not welcome here.”

Scott holstered his gun and ran a hand through his hair. “All because I couldn’t handle my best friend being a werewolf?”

Kane growled again, Myles joining in when Scott tried to walk near. Scott stopped, his hands up.

Court shook his head. “You betrayed us.”

“Betrayed you?”

Was it Court’s imagination, or was Scott genuinely confused. “You were the only one who knew we were going to use Skye as bait at the Viper’s Nest.”

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Scott stated in an angry tone. “Who would I tell? Those in the precinct who don’t believe? Or the ones who do who would use it against you.”

“You were the only one who knew,” Court repeated. “You nearly got Skye killed. I didn’t realize your hatred of me went so deep.”

Court turned and walked to the steps of the porch. He walking through the front door when Scott yelled, “I didn’t betray you!”

But Court knew it was a lie, even if he did want to believe him. It always hurt to lose a friend. Yet that was life. People came in and out of your life all the time. Scott was one that was on his way out for good.

C
HAPTER
N
INETEEN

Court laid Skye on the couch and was hit in the back with something that fell to the floor. He glanced behind him to see a pair of jeans.

He put on the jeans. As he was buttoning them, he said, “Y’all can come in now.”

“Is it safe?” Riley asked. “Because I don’t care to be blinded.”

Court chuckled as he put a blanket over Skye. He had no idea how long she would sleep. The situation was over. Hopefully for good. But if he had to, he would fight the vampires and Djinn every day of his life to keep Skye safe.

“I think your brothers want you,” Minka said from the doorway.

Court sighed as he stared down at Skye.

Minka came to stand behind him. “I’ll stay with her.”

“Thanks,” he said and turned on his heel.

Court walked back outside to see his brothers standing naked around Scott, who was arguing with Kane. Court stalked to them.

“Enough!” Court yelled as he reached the group. He glared at Scott. “You had your chance to leave. That’s gone now.”

Scott returned his scowl with one of his own. “I chose not to leave.”

“Then it’s your funeral,” Kane stated.

Scott shot him a dirty look before his gaze returned to Court. “I didn’t betray you.”

“You keep saying that, but that doesn’t make it true. You’re the only one who knew,” Court said.

“You expect me to believe that everyone who works for you is to be trusted?”

“Damn straight,” Solomon said.

Scott ran a hand down his face. His gaze was beseeching. “Court, man, I didn’t do it. As soon as I heard what happened I’ve been staking out the Viper’s Nest. It’s how I knew what was going down here.”

Court wanted to believe him, but the past was difficult to forget. “You turned your back on me.”

“I know.” Scott sighed loudly. “I didn’t know what to think, and I was young and stupid. That doesn’t make what I did right. So many times I wanted to drop by the bar.”

Court frowned. “Then why didn’t you?”

“Shame. Embarrassment. Worry you might hold a grudge. Take your pick.”

Myles crossed his arms over his chest. “It was Scott who reached out to me about a year ago.”

“The fact is someone betrayed me,” Court said.

“I think I know who it was.”

Court whirled around as soon as he heard Skye’s voice. He was so glad to see her awake that all he could do was smile. Until her words penetrated his mind. “Who?”

“Helen.” Skye walked down the steps and came to stand before Court as she held out jeans for his brothers to take. “I told her what I was going to do.”

Kane grunted loudly. “Well, hell.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Myles replied.

Skye shook her head. “I believe Scott. If he betrayed you, why would he risk his life by being here now?”

“I don’t know.” Court pulled her against him and held her tight. It felt so good to just hold her.

“You’re wounded.”

“They’ll heal.” His heart wouldn’t if something had happened to her.

“They better.”

He smiled down at her as he ran his hand down her silky length of black hair. Then she pulled away from him and turned them toward Scott.

“Thank you for your help tonight,” Skye said. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask for your help again.”

Scott glanced at Court, then nodded. “Name it.”

Court looked at Skye, wondering what she was up to. He didn’t want to stand amid the dead vampires and Djinn or talk anymore. He wanted her up in his bed, naked so he could make love to her all night.

“I want you to help me get Helen,” Skye announced.

Court blinked. “Skye.”

She shook her head and stepped out of his arms, holding up a hand. “Don’t, Court. Remember that anger a moment ago when you felt that Scott had betrayed you? Well, that’s what I’m feeling. Helen wasn’t a friend, but she was my boss and a mentor of sorts. She was the one who urged me to write those articles after I pitched them to her.”

“So she put Skye in danger,” Kane said.

Court hadn’t looked at it that way until that moment. Now he wanted to get his hands on Helen. He reined in his fury – barely.

“How do you want to handle this?” he asked.

Skye smiled and looked around. “With this bunch, it should be easy enough.”

“When?”

“No better time than the present.”

~

Skye had woken to shouts. Despite Minka trying to keep her lying down, Skye had gone outside to listen. That’s when she came to the conclusion that it was Helen who’d betrayed her.

It wasn’t nervousness that filled Skye. How could there be any after she’d faced vampires and Djinn earlier? No, there was only anger and the need for some kind of revenge.

Skye had failed theatre in high school, but this was different. This was her life. And she wanted it back. She had trusted the wrong person, and she’d nearly paid the ultimate price for it.

“Are you sure?” Court asked as they stood in the shadows of the building across the street from the paper’s offices.

His concern warmed her heart. She leaned her cheek into the hand he held against her face. “Yes.”

“I’d rather go in with you.”

“If this is going to work, then you need to remain out here.”

“It sucks,” he grumbled.

She kissed his palm. “Now you know how I felt earlier. I’ll be back soon.”

As soon as she tried to turn away, he pulled her back. “Skye, I need to tell you something. I should’ve told you before the battle.”

“What is it?” His anxiousness was worrying her. Was he wanting to end whatever was getting started between them? The mere thought made her clutch the bricks to remain on her feet. She loved him.

He shifted his feet, swallowing loudly. Then he spoke in a rush. “I love you. I know we haven’t been together long, but I know what I feel. I don’t expect you to return the feeling yet, but I hope you will in time.”

Skye threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, too.”

“What?” He grew still, his hands barely holding her.

“I love you, too.”

There was a moment where he didn’t move, didn’t utter a sound. And then his arms were around her, holding her so tight she could barely breathe.

His face was buried in her neck. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

Skye laughed as he placed kisses all over her face. Then he suddenly drew back, a frown upon his face. “What is it?”

“Don’t go in there,” he urged. “Forget Helen.”

Skye was shaking her head before he’d finished. “She could do this to someone else, Court. I couldn’t live with myself if I allowed that.”

“Then let me be with you when you confront her.”

Skye was about to refuse him again when she had an idea. She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and dialed Helen. As soon as her editor picked up the phone Skye put her acting face on. “Oh, Helen, thank God you answered.”

“Skye? What’s wrong?” her editor asked with just the right amount of concern.

“I’m in trouble. The vampires are after me. I’ve managed to elude them so far, but I need a place to go.”

“Come to the office.”

Skye rolled her eyes as Court stood close enough to hear the conversation. “I’m nearly there. Can you take me out of the city?”

“Um...sure. I’ll meet you at my car.”

Skye ended the call. “I should’ve thought of that sooner. It’s better this way instead of confronting her in her office where there are cameras.”

“Come on,” Court said as he held out his hand. “Let’s get the others and let them know things have changed.”

It took only a few minutes to fill Scott and the LaRue brothers in on the new plan as they walked to the parking garage where Helen had her car.

“Are you sure she’ll call the vampires?” Scott asked.

Skye shrugged. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

“I’ll hide,” Court said. He kissed Skye before he ducked behind a car.

Skye began to pace as if she were nervous and scared. It seemed to take forever for the sound of Helen’s heels to be heard on the concrete.

“Skye?”

She came around the back of a tall SUV at the sound of Helen’s voice. “Thank you,” she said and wiped at her eyes as if she had been crying. “It’s been a horrible night.”

Helen dug in her purse for her keys. “What happened? Where have you been?”

“Hiding anywhere I could for the last week. That night I went to the Viper’s Nest they were expecting me.”

Helen’s head jerked up. She pushed her graying head of blond hair away from her face. “How?”