Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel) (12 page)

He held up a hand.
“Whoa, slow down.” He pulled me back against him; my cheek nestled against his
warm skin. I breathed in his scent, taking comfort in the familiarity of it.
“No, we are not in danger. There are not many around the world. Mainly because
they like to keep their existence secret and if there was a lot of them out
there that would make it harder to hide.” He moved his warm hand down to mine
and knotted our fingers together. “I met my friend about twenty years ago. He
sensed what I was and approached me. I never saw him feed and I have never
asked about his eating habits. He is charming, but closed-mouthed. I have
spoken to him once a year since we met, but only on the phone. We share the
need to help others and he has asked for advice over the years. He runs
shelters for battered women.”

I lifted my head,
surprised at his words. “What? Why would a vampire care about a human being
abused?”

He lifted a shoulder.
“He was a human once, just like us. His father was abusive to his mother and he
vowed to protect her. When he became a vampire he used to hunt abusive men and
kill them. He has since evolved. Unlike others he knows, he is opposed to
killing now. That’s all I know.”

“How does he not kill?
Does he just take a little? Why would someone let him do that?”

“Meg, I don’t know.
Like I said he’s never told me. And I don’t ask. I respect him for fighting his
instinct and I leave it at that.”

I laid my head back
down, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. “What’s his name?”

“I’d rather not say.”

I sat up again. “What?
Why?”

He squeezed my fingers.
“I told you, they value their secrecy and if I gave you his name he could get
angry. I don’t want to take that chance with you.”

“You said he doesn’t
kill.” A shiver of fear ran over me. If Nate, the strongest person I knew was
intimidated by vampires, how could I not be?

“He doesn’t. And I
don’t think he would be angry, but I won’t take that chance with your life. Vampires
are much stronger than us.”

“But—” I started to
protest, until he placed his finger on my lips. “Please, let’s not discuss this
any longer. We haven’t been alone since I arrived and before that you were gone
for two days.” His words faded away as his lips found mine.

He was right. It had
been days since we were alone. And it felt much longer since we had been this
close. As he pulled me back down, I pushed my worry to the back of my mind. It
was Nate’s choice who he was friends with, not mine.

A long day

“Meg, your phone is
ringing.” Nate’s muffled voice pulled me out of unconsciousness. As lucidity
spread through my foggy brain, I heard the phone, but chose to ignore it. The
ringing continued. “
Meeeggg
!” The word was a sleepy groan.

“
Ugh!
” was my
only response. Finally, opening my heavy eyelids, I leaned over the bed and dug
through my bag. By the time my hand wrapped around the offensive object it had
stopped ringing. I sighed with relief, until it began again in my hand. “What?”
I grumbled into the phone after hitting the talk button.

I leaned my head back
onto the pillow. Nate snuggled into my shoulder, breathing softly as his hair
tickled my chin, his warmth spreading through my t-shirt and into my skin.

“Is that anyway to
answer your phone?” My mother’s shrill voice asked.

Oh God
,
not
now
. “Mom, why are you calling so early?”

“It’s nine in the
morning, Megan. Aren’t you at the shelter?

Oh crap
, I
forgot to call my mother. “
Oh
…
uh
, I’m not there.” I hated to
utter my next words, but I couldn’t see a way around it. “I’m on my way home
from Sacramento.”

“Sacramento? What in
heaven’s name were you doing there this close to your reception?”

“I went out to meet
Adrian. He was looking for his sister and asked me to help.”

“If you miss this
reception, Megan, I will never speak to you again.”

I wanted to say that if
that was all it took then for sure I wouldn’t be there. But no, despite her
snotty comment, I chose to be the grown up. “I will be there Mom. What do you
want?”

She was silent for a
few seconds before she finally spoke. “I wanted to know what you were planning
on wearing to the event. I could help you choose if you like.”

I rolled my eyes and
resisted the urge to sigh. I didn’t care what I wore. Fashion just didn’t mean
a lot to me like it did her. “I don’t know what I’m wearing yet, Mother. And
right now I have other things to worry about.”
Like getting some more sleep.

“I can help you when
you get back.”

“I...I don’t know what
I’m doing. Can we talk about this later?” I couldn’t help the snippiness in my
voice.

“Well, yes. But you
don’t have to be rude.”

“I’m sorry mom, but I
was sleeping. It’s been a long couple of days. I’ll see you at the reception.”
With that, I hung up. It was way too early to deal with her.

I leaned my head back,
snuggled against Nate’s and started to drift off again listening to my
husband’s even breaths.
Bang Bang.
I jerked at the sound of a knock on
the door. It was Adrian and Marisa. Their scents drifted through the crack
under the door. I tapped Nate on the shoulder and when he drew away, I bent
over and pulled on my yoga pants, since I was already wearing a t-shirt. Nate
jumped up to throw on a pair of jeans and a royal blue polo shirt that brought
out the color in his eyes.

When I opened the door,
I peeked out into the hallway as they both stepped through the threshold.
“Where’s Sadie?”

“She’s in the shower,”
Marisa answered as she fell into the tiny sofa, the edge of it knocked against
the wall with a
thump
.

“You guys just waking
up?” Adrian asked, taking the chair at the desk.

“Kind of, my mother’s
phone call woke me up, but I was just drifting off again. She called because
she wanted to discuss outfits for the reception.” I sat down on the edge of the
bed, running my fingers over the soft blanket. “Are you coming Marisa?”

“Where?” She pulled a
magazine off the coffee table and flipped through it.

“My mother is having a
reception for Nate and me because we eloped.”

Finished with the
magazine, she tossed it back onto the tabletop with a
SPLAT
. “You don’t
sound very excited.”

“Her mother is the
reason we eloped,” Nate explained, grabbing his backpack off the floor. “I’m
going to hop in the shower.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead and nodded
to our guests before slipping into the other room.

“What did she do?”
Marisa asked when the door to the bathroom closed behind Nate.

“She’s not a very
loving mother to start with and she was making the wedding about her. She cared
more about what the other socialites thought than I did.” I stood up and
wandered to the mirror and cringed when I saw my reflection. A raccoon in a
windstorm gazed back at me. The makeup that I had forgotten to remove was smudged
halfway down my cheeks and my hair was sticking up on the crown of my head. I
turned away, knowing there was nothing I could do to fix my appearance until
Nate finished in the shower. “It just became overwhelming. It was more of a
circus for rich people than my wedding.”

“At least you have a
mother,” Marisa shot back.

“Mari,” Adrian scolded,
taking on the big brother role once again.

“No, it’s okay. And you’re
right Marisa, I do have both my parents. But they are nothing like yours were.
Adrian told me a few things about them and even though your time was short with
them you’re lucky you had such loving people in your life. I am not as lucky.”
I smiled as I gazed at her. “If you come to the reception, you’ll understand.”

Nate emerged from the
bathroom at that moment, ceasing any further conversation. He was wearing cargo
shorts and a black t-shirt. His hair was wet and his arms were damp. His sexy
just-showered look made me want to run my hands all over his damp skin. But
with an audience, it might not be wise. Instead, I took his appearance as a cue
to grab my bag and take my turn.

Sadie appeared at our
door about the same time as I came out of the washroom wearing tights and a
long, short-sleeved mauve top with a tiny ruffle at the collar. I left my hair
down, but since we’d be driving all day didn’t do much styling, what would be
the point with the wind whipping through the windows?

Nate approached me, his
eyes leering at me appreciatively. “You look beautiful,” he whispered before
giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

“Eww. Are they always
like that?” Marisa asked in her fifteen year old whiny voice.

Nate leaned his
forehead on mine and smiled, he chuckled softly at her comment.

Adrian snorted. “The
last time I saw them together they were fighting,” he said as he stood up from
the desk chair.

“Why were you
fighting?” she asked me.

Where was the silent,
mature girl from yesterday when we met her? I was beginning to see that the
more she saw of us the more comfortable she became. At her question, a flash of
sharp teeth and yellow eyes appeared in my mind and I winced at the memory. I
hadn’t thought of the night Nate bit me in months and despite the fact that I
had forgiven him, I couldn’t help react to the image. It was not a good memory.

“Um…” I didn’t want to get
into our emotionally packed breakup right now and with a quick glance at Nate I
was sure he didn’t want to either. His eyes were tortured and his jaw set. He
still felt guilty about what he did even though there was nothing we could do
about it. My heart ached at the sight of his pain.

Adrian must have sensed
our discomfort, because he clapped his hands together. “Let’s get going guys;
I’d like to stop for breakfast. Our things are already in the car.” He reached
for my suitcase.

“Geesh, Adrian, what time
did you get up?” I struggled to smile, fighting the mood Marisa’s questions
provoked.

“Seven. But I let Mari
sleep until eight. And when she woke up I was showered, dressed and packed. I
had to wait for her though.” He was happier than he had been yesterday. He must
have had a good sleep and allowed the events of yesterday sink in.

Marisa grinned at him.
“He’s still a morning person.” Her face brightened; clearly happy she
remembered something about her brother.

“Did he tell you he’s a
great kick boxer?”

“You still do that?”
she asked him, looking up at him with a half-smile.

He nodded to her and
then glanced at me. “Yeah, I was into it before I was bitten. I stopped for a
while, but started again a few years ago.”

“Your brother trained
me to defend myself against Charlotte. He knew I would need to be able to
protect myself.” I couldn’t help the awe that laced my words. He had introduced
me to a world that I loved and still practiced whenever I could. Despite his
deception of his true identity at first, he helped me learn to protect myself
and at a low point in my life, I appreciated that so much. That was why I felt
the need to help him find his sister. I wanted to pay him back in some way. And
besides, I was glad that I made the trip. Nate would never have found Sadie and
Adrian might still be looking. And Marisa needed Adrian in her life just as bad
as he needed her. They were family and to them that meant everything to them. I
was just beginning to understand that feeling, but with me it was my married family
that I treasured.

“Really?” Marisa gazed
at Adrian. “Can you train me?”

He smiled, his eyes
lighting with emotion. “I’d loved to.”

I couldn’t help but
sneak a look at Sadie. There was sadness in her eyes that she was trying to
hide with a small smile. She had kept her brown hair down as well; the braid
was nowhere to be seen. She was wearing a white peasant top with black shorts.
She didn’t wear a lot of makeup, but she didn’t need it.

“Great. Well, we should
get going. Don’t want to miss the party my mother’s having for us.” I grabbed
my bag and followed Adrian out, who was still dragging my suitcase behind him.

Sadie glanced at Nate
raising a brow in question. “I’ll explain on the way,” he said.

Nate and I separated
again. I think he wanted to be with his friend, who I could tell was feeling
left out. I hated the tiny twinge of satisfaction that burned inside me. Adrian
was my friend and she had hurt him. I couldn’t help feeling protective of
people I cared for.

Adrian and I were
bombarded with questions from Marisa about her new home. There were more for me
than him though, since they mostly consisted of queries about the high schools
and kids in town. I didn’t know many teens her age, but I described the school
and clubs. It turned out she had always wanted to be a cheerleader, but just
when tryouts started Sadie removed her, just after she smelled Adrian.

She seemed excited as I
described where they would live and about the Riley family all of whom knew
about the secret of werewolves.

“Actually,” I said over
my shoulder. “Nathan doesn’t. So, make sure to keep quiet around him.”

“Who’s Nathan and why
doesn’t he know?” Her hands appeared on our seats and then her head popped
between us, long black strands of her hair fluttered in the wind, blowing in both
of our faces.

I leaned back. “He is
my best friend’s brother and Nate’s nephew.” I pushed at a lock of hair that
the wind blew into my eyes. “And in his family they always tell the kids around
seventeen or eighteen, or whenever they are ready.”

“How old is he?”

I could hear the
curiosity in her tone and I was a little nervous to answer. “Fifteen.” I
mumbled.

Adrian glared at me and
all I could do was shrug. I could see the interest peek in her expression, but
her only response was an indifferent, “Cool.” Then she went silent as she sat
back in her seat staring out the window and watching the scenery pass by. The
sky was darker today. The sun was hidden under clouds, but it was still hot.
The humidity was high and since Adrian’s air-conditioner was on the blink we
had the windows open. The wind whipped our hair into our faces, but it felt
better than the sticky heat.

Adrian and I exchanged
glances when Marisa remained silent. This was an unexpected turn of events. Now
Adrian would have to worry about hormonal teenagers living on the same estate.
I couldn’t help the smile that played at my lips. Adrian was in for a lot of
drama and he may need Sadie’s help whether he liked it or not.

I felt so much older
than my nineteen years. Marisa wasn’t that much younger than me, but I felt
that I had aged ten years since I met Nate. I was now married and helping to
run a charity. When I took the time to really think about it, I felt a little
overwhelmed.

We drove all day and
again stopped for the night. This time Marisa asked to stay with Sadie. Sadie’s
face brightened. I was expecting Adrian to get upset, but he said it was fine
as long as there was a connecting door between them. He still didn’t trust
Sadie and why would he? She had proven to be a runner.

Once the girls were
settled in their room, I motioned for Adrian to come into ours. Nate set our
bags down near the closet and Adrian settled on the sofa, lying out
comfortably, his sandaled feet sticking out over the arm of the couch.

“Why did you let her
stay with Sadie?” I asked softly, knowing that if Sadie was in the hall, she’d
hear.

“Because it’s been a
long time since I spent any time with Marisa and I forgot how much she talked.”
He laid his head back in the cushion and covered his face with his arm. “She
talks as much as she did when she was five. I was used to it then, but now I’ll
need to take it in small doses.”

It was true. Her
silence after her questions about Nathan didn’t last long. She got excited when
a song came on the radio and she began to sing. Then asked me questions about
who I thought were the hottest singers, which moved to the hottest actors and
then asked if there was anyone in Creekford that resembled any actors. Then she
talked about clothes and asked to see mine when I described all the clothes my
mother used to buy me. Adrian was quiet most of the time, while we discussed
girly things. I tried to steer her to a subject he could join by telling her
that I had managed to stop a werewolf from killing Lauren’s father. But after
her initial excitement and a few questions on where we train, or how often we
worked out, she lost interest. It was indeed a long day.