Page 91 of A Hunter for Luna

But with each step, the remembered chill of the graveyard seemed to sink deeper into my bones, a grim reminder of the fact Benedetto knew no boundaries.

Shadows of the past threatened to swallow any chance of happiness we might have had.

I wasn't sure if the man beside me was my salvation...or my downfall.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

BENEDETTO

We’d hadthree weeks of travel without any real incidents, and I was feeling more and more nervous. The ghouls had said there would be opposition. I’d hoped it would be scattered rather than concentrated near the pass.

We’d made good time and only had a few days left of hard travel to get to the pass. Which meant these next few days were going to be very dangerous.

The flickering light of the dying campfire cast dancing shadows over Luna’s hair and face as she kept watch.

Pip had vanished into the branches above us. He’d proved a decent hunter over the past weeks, and willing enough to share his catch so we often had fresh meat for the pot.

Biter and Dawn chewed, their occasion snorts a comfortable background.

I closed my eyes, willing sleep to come, and found myself standing outside Francesco's door in the d’Alvarez manor in Legnali, a room I hadn't seen in years. My chest tightened with a sense of dread.

Francesco's muffled words drifted through the wooden door. I pushed it open and stepped inside. My brother sat on the floor, knees pulled to his chest, eyes wide and haunted. Blood stained his fingertips and streaked his arms and face where he’d clawed at himself.

"Bene," he said urgently. "You're being used."

"Francesco, it's me. What are you talking about?"

"Her." He rocked back and forth. "She only wants your ruin. She'll destroy everything, she already has."

“Who?” I tried to keep my voice soothing, though blood drummed in my ears.

His dark eyes suddenly locked onto mine with terrifying lucidity. "She'll bind you with a child. That's her plan."

A jolt of pain lanced through my chest. He was talking about Luna. But it couldn't be true, could it?

"You think she loves you. But it's all a lie. She's doing this for her own gain. For power."

I shook my head and backed away. "No, you're wrong. She was ordered to share my bed, yes, but she's been honest about that. She seems to care about me."

Harsh, mocking laughter burst from Francesco's throat. "Care for you? She'll be the end of you. Mark my words."

I jerked awake with a gasp. The ghostly echoes of Francesco's laughter still rang in my ears. Cold sweat coated my skin as the first pale light of dawn filtered through the trees.

Luna turned to the sudden movement, then away as I nodded at her to signal I was fine.

Running a hand over my face, I tried to calm my racing thoughts. It was just a dream. But it felt so real. What if it wasn't just a dream? What if it was a prophecy?

But I had none of my brother’s gifts. He was a true son of the moon, where I sourced from starlight and could only predict night following day accurately.

The sun crept higher as Luna and I sat by the campfire, the morning chill still clinging. She hummed softly while pouring steaming tea into our tin cups. But I couldn't shake the unease that had settled like a stone in my chest or the headache that drummed in my temples.

"You're quiet this morning." Luna glanced at me curiously. "Bad dreams?"

I grunted and took a sip of the scalding liquid. "Something like that."

"If you're going to sulk all morning, maybe I should take the lead today." She tried to sound as though she were teasing me, but there was an undercurrent of truth to it.

"And maybe you shouldn't assume you know what's on my mind." Why was I like this? A pang of guilt twisted in my gut. She hadn't done anything wrong.

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