Unleash The Moon (The Preternaturals Book 6) (19 page)

Sydney hoped with every fiber of her being that Noah
would make the right call on this one.

“
Nothing will
happen to Oscar. Do you guys not understand when I tell you I was
their captive for years? I’ve watched them torture. I’ve watched
them kill. I escaped most of it by being quiet and not looking
threatening. The only thing they wanted from me was my blood. But
when they want anything else from someone, it’s much worse. Oscar
can choose just like the rest of you. No grudges. No punishments.
No killing.”

Sydney moved through the group of wounded werewolves
and fed them each her blood until they began to heal.

As the wolves healed, Noah moved to one side of the
room. “Sydney and I will commit fully to you if you commit fully to
us. If you’re going with us, join me on this side of the
lobby.”

One by one the wolves came to stand with Noah until
the only wolves not standing with him were the ones that were
dead.

***

Noah watched as the wolves joined
him on his side of the room. He’d half-believed they would reject
him now that they knew the truth of things. He’d been a fool to
ever think it would remain a secret forever. When he’d been ready
to run, it didn’t seem to matter that they knew. It felt like the
last word in an argument.
Look how
stupid you were to follow me. You don’t even know anything about
me.

The beta stepped forward. “Noah, sir, You want that
motorcycle lesson now?”

He glanced at the other wolves to see if any were
laughing at him, but they were all deadly solemn.

“
Yeah, that
would be good.” He turned back to the pack. When he’d seen the
motorcycles the previous night, he’d noticed they all had
saddlebags on the sides. “Guys, pack whatever is necessary that you
can fit on or inside your bike. We’ll scout out a place tonight and
get Sydney settled before sunrise, you can follow the scent when
the sun comes up.”

This time the wolves scattered to carry out the
order. Some of them looked distraught. He didn’t blame them. In the
space of twenty-four hours they’d lost their leader, several other
wolves, and now their home. He had no idea why they would follow
him after all of that, but if the vampire alliance had broken down
now and the humans knew the location of the den, it wouldn’t be
long until a lot more danger was on their doorstep. They had to
move fast.

Sydney didn’t say anything as they went to their
room. Milo followed.

“
Saddlebags for
Shira’s bike are in her closet. Sydney can use that. I’ll get you
some others from one of the fallen wolves”

“
Thanks.”

The beta started to leave.

“
Hey, Milo. Tell
them after they pack, they can bury those that
died.”

“
They’ll
appreciate that.”

Noah sat on the edge of the bed
and watched while Sydney went through the clothes to find the few
she could take. Possibly the only good thing about this was that
they could all travel light. They had weapons already: fangs,
claws, brute strength. They
were
weapons. Even Sydney,
now.

They hunted, so they didn’t need to pack food. Just
clothing. And in truth, in a worst case situation they could simply
live as wolves in the woods. It wouldn’t be the first pack that had
tried to blend as animals in that way to avoid the humans, but it
didn’t always work. Some of Noah’s fellow prisoners had come from
packs using that strategy. Their magical signature followed them
wherever they went. Too close to a city or a strong magic user, and
it was only a matter of time before they were found out.

Milo returned with saddlebags for Noah. “I’ll wait
downstairs for you guys.”

When the door shut, Noah went through the clothing
the pack had brought him and tried everything on to determine what
would fit best, what he could move and fight in if necessary and
then put the chosen items into the bags.

“
You’re awfully
quiet,” he said. Sydney hadn’t spoken a word since they’d left the
lobby.

“
I’m just
thinking. I feel bad about everything they’re leaving
behind.”

“
They’re taking
their lives. It’s leave and live or stay and
die.”

“
We don’t know
they’ll live. We don’t know we will.”

“
I know we
will.” Fate couldn’t be that cruel to bring her to him against all
odds only to take her away again. He wouldn’t allow it to
happen.

When they were packed, Sydney gave the room one last
look. “I kind of liked this place. Even though I knew we were never
staying.”

Noah led her down through the lobby one more time.
The metal was playing again. Milo had been kind enough to explain
immediately after the fighting why that music played and why it had
been so loud.

He would have been angry when the music had gone up
to piercing decibels, but the beat had energized him, made him
faster, caused him to fight harder.

“
Someone pack
that music,” he shouted as they headed toward the back
door.

“
On it!” Rafe
shouted.

Milo stood beside outside next to the bikes.

The beta got on one of them and tossed a set of keys
to Noah for the one beside him.

“
And what about
me?” Sydney asked.

“
I thought you’d
just want to ride with Noah.”

“
You thought
wrong.”

Noah laughed and shrugged. “You may as well teach us
both at the same time.” In truth, he was grateful she wanted to
learn. It would make him feel less awkward learning something he
should have been able to do when he was fourteen��and would have
been able to do if not for being imprisoned.

Milo turned to Sydney, “Would they have any idea
where you might be going? Where home is?”

She looked like a spooked animal. “I was betrayed by
someone, and they knew where we were from. What if they’re waiting
for us when we get home? They’ll know we can’t travel during the
day. What if they attack our families?”

“
Don’t they have
wards and protections?” Milo asked.

“
Yes, but they
tried to keep magic and technology usage to a minimum to stay off
the grid so as not to attract the humans. I don’t know how heavy
their security is, how many people the city would send, and if they
can defend against it. Stupid sunlight! I wish I wasn’t a
vampire.”

“
We’ve got about
five hours until sunrise. We need to get on the road and travel as
far as we can,” Milo said. “Then I’ll go back and meet the others
halfway to make sure they followed the trail. Where we
heading?”

“
Do you know
where Cary Town is?” Sydney asked.

The beta laughed. “Do I know where Cary Town is?
Everybody knows about Cary Town.

“
Yes, but do you
know
where
it is?”

“
General
vicinity. From there I’m sure you can tell me.”

Sydney looked doubtful. “I only left once. I was
running away. My dad can be overbearing and overprotective.”

“
You mean your
sire?”

“
No, my dad. I
was born, not turned.”

Milo’s eyes widened. “Your dad isn’t Anthony Burgess
is he?”

“
That’s
him.”

“
We had the
vampire princess with us this whole time, and we didn’t know it.
The pack probably wouldn’t have complained about a vampire alpha if
they knew your lineage. Vampire or not, royalty is still royalty.
It wouldn’t feel shameful, at least.”

“
It’s not as
regal as you might think these days. Cary Town has broken down.
There’s just him, my mom, and a few other vampires and human mates
they’ve captured over the years. Noah’s old pack is there. There’s
a cranky old sorcerer and a werecat in the woods. And some vampire
that doesn’t talk much to my dad, but he lives with a guardian in
the abandoned church. And that’s Cary Town now. Otherwise it’s a
ghost town. Hardly worth visiting.”

“
Are there lots
of wild places to run?”

“
Yeah, I guess.
I haven’t been out very much.”

Her description made Noah miss home. He still
remembered the smell of the woods. He’d been too young to realize
yet how much the world was changing for the worst and all the
things he was about to lose. But no matter how deserted Cary Town
had become, he couldn’t imagine the caves his dad’s pack lived in
had changed much. Or the woods for that matter. The more deserted
it was, the better, in his opinion.

“
We need to get
on the road,” Noah said. “I’m sure when we get close I’ll pick up a
familiar scent.”

Milo gave them a crash course in motorcycles. After
a few false starts and one minor crash, they took off and rode for
hours. Noah followed Milo until he was more confident with the
bike. Then he took the lead. With one long stretch of deserted
highway it was no great mystery which direction to go.

After a considerable time on the road, Sydney pulled
out ahead and over to the shoulder. Noah and the beta came to a
stop beside her.

“
Is something
wrong?” Noah asked.

“
I can feel the
sun coming soon. It’s hard to explain. I didn’t feel this way
before because I was always too tired to notice. We need to start
looking for a place for me to sleep for the day. There was a
deserted farmhouse we stayed in on the trip down, I don’t think
it’s very far from here.”

“
We’ll follow if
you want to try to look for it,” Noah said.

Sydney nodded and started her bike back up. They
followed her several miles until she took an exit and went down
more deserted road. And then, looming in front of them, was the
farmhouse surrounded by acres and acres of land with some woods
behind it. Great, he could hunt something before they had to get
back on the road again.

They pulled their bikes into a dilapidated barn.

“
I’m going to
head back to meet the others,” Milo said.

“
Okay.” Noah
watched Milo disappear down the road, then he followed Sydney into
the farmhouse, his senses on high alert for any other squatters.
But it was deserted just like she’d said.

Chapter Ten

Sydney was beginning to question her own judgment.
What madness had overtaken her to make her think this was a good
idea after the last time she’d been here?

But she knew the place. It was secure enough. And if
Noah slept on the bed, he had a view outside the large picture
window. No one could sneak up on them here.

“
Sydney? You
okay?”

“
It’s hard to be
here.”

“
Did you know he
planned to turn you over to them when you were here the last
time?”

She nodded, staring at the closet as if it might
come to life and devour her. “It’s just… not good memories. And it
makes me think about him, and then I remember killing him. I wish
there had been another place, but I knew this was safe.”

Noah pulled her to him and held her close. “You’re
safe with me.”

Of course she was safe with him. She’d never once
doubted it. Not since she’d known who he was, at least. Before that
it had been iffy.

Given his captivity, maybe someone else would have
doubted him, worried that place had changed him and made him
dangerous. But the way he looked at her and protected her now was
the same as when they’d been kids. Whatever had changed in him,
that was one thing that remained constant.

The red glow of the sun started to peek over the
horizon. She’d felt dawn screaming inside her brain louder and
louder, but she’d ignored it while trying to deal with the
farmhouse. She had to tell herself repeatedly that she wasn’t
crazy. This place was a known element, and they hadn’t had time to
be picky with sunrise breathing down their necks.

She jumped into the closet before the first ray of
light could touch her skin.

“
Sydney?”

“
Yeah?”

“
Is this going
to be a safety risk every day? You leaping out of the way of the
sun at the last minute?”

She managed a weak laugh. “No. I felt it coming for
a while. I was just being a spaz. I’ll listen to the yelling in my
brain more next time.”

“
Good to
hear.”

The springs of the bed depressed as Noah sat down.
His boots hit the floor, and then she heard the whisper of clothing
that followed. When the sun got higher, she’d have no choice but to
sleep, but she wished she could be out there snuggled with him. A
couple of minutes later, a furry wolf body curled up next to
her.

“
Do you think
we’ll ever sleep with you in your human form?”

Not that she was complaining. It felt safe and
peaceful and made her nostalgic for simpler times when she hadn’t
yet understood how dangerous the world was. As a child she’d woken
many times with the wolf beside her.