Page 46 of Heir of Blood and Moonlight

Gavin watched the two vampires escort Marie and the shifter away, then turned his attention to Ash. He approached the kneeling warrior and placed a hand on the other man’s broad shoulder. “You will lead the retrieval team.” He gripped Ash’s shoulder tightly. “Thane’s sigils are strong. He can survive the blast.”

Ash looked up at Gavin. “But can he survive what they will do to him after?” It was the first time I had heard him speak besides his heart-shattering cry, and his voice had a rich and unexpectedly smooth timbre.

Gavin was quiet for a long moment, and I sensed his mounting worry. “Gather your team now,” he said and withdrew his hand. He headed for me, his steps slow, his gaze assessing. He appeared savage, the front of him bathed in blood and his eyesglowing silver. “Are you all right?” he asked, stopping in front of me.

I shook my head and finally lowered my trembling hand from my mouth. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice hushed. Shivering, I scanned the scene—Ash, the gate, the graveyard. Micah leaned against me, his arm a heavy weight across my shoulders as I supported him. “I don’t know. I—” Again, I shook my head.

Gavin’s features softened with understanding. “You’re in shock.” He looked at Micah. “And the boy needs medical attention. Let’s get you both settled inside.”

“Inside?” I asked, my brow furrowing.

Gavin gestured to something behind me, and I turned to look down the graveyard hillside toward a foreboding Gothic mansion, surrounded by overgrown moonlit grounds.

My breath caught. I recognized the mansion, the graveyard, the grounds. This place haunted my dreams. My worst nightmares.

Gavin’s hand settled on my shoulder. “Welcome home.”

26

“Gavin,” I said, hurryingafter the vampire as he marched down the hillside, weaving purposely between grave markers. I gave a quick glance over my shoulder at the others.

Micah, Bastian, Ash, and a handful of vampire guardians I had yet to officially meet trailed behind us. Bastian walked gingerly across the sanctified burial grounds like he feared the deceased buried below might wake for a third life, if only to ravage the shifter who dared walk across their graves. He supported Micah, who winced with every step and seemed so shell-shocked after the violence and bloodshed that he neither noticed nor cared about Bastian’s nudity.

“Gavin,” I repeated.

Either Gavin was ignoring me, or he was so focused on something else that he truly hadn’t heard me.

I jogged ahead to catch up with him and caught his elbow. “Gavin, wait,” I said, halting his stride. “Just wait a second.”

Gavin gave me a pointed look, tugged his arm free from my hold, and continued down the hill.

Frustration surged up within me, and my hands balled into fists. “Stop,” I commanded, instinctively drawing on mywillto imbue my voice with power.

Gavin stopped abruptly, his spine rigid. He clenched his jaw, tension making his muscles quiver, and he stared stubbornly down the hill toward the Gothic mansion in the valley below. TheMoon Sanctuary, though I had once called this placehome. Blood smears stained Gavin’s face and clothing, and only the faintest rim of silver shone around his swollen pupils. Either he was still hopped up on adrenaline from the fight, or he was hungry. Maybe both.

“Release me,” he practically growled through gritted teeth. “I must feed.”

Again, I rested my hand on his arm. “You can feed on me. I’m right here.”

Gavin closed his eyes, his expression turning pained, his breathing ragged. “Not when I’m like this,” he said and finally looked at me. “The bloodlust…” He dragged in a breath. “I could hurt you.”

The others streamed past us, but at that moment, I only had eyes for Gavin. “You wouldn’t.”

“Care to test that hypothesis?” His lips drew back, baring his elongated fangs. “Because I could dispel you of that notion in a matter of seconds.” Gavin squeezed his eyelids shut, and his throat bobbed. “Tend to your son,” he said, strain in his voice. “And I will tend to my hunger.”

“Fine,” I said, managing to make the single word only somewhat snippy. With a heavy exhale, I trailed my fingers down his forearm and captured his bloody hand, giving his sticky fingers a quick squeeze. “Come find me when you’re done. We need to talk.”

Gavin grunted his assent, but still, he refused to look at me.

I released his hand and stared after him as he continued down the hill, his stride fast and determined. He passed Bastian and Micah first, who were hanging back at the tail end of the group ahead, Micah leaning heavily on Bastian.

I jogged to catch up to them. “I think I remember there being an infirmary on the ground floor,” I said, falling in step beside Micah. “If it’s still there, we should have you patched up in no time.”

“How do you know that?” Micah asked, his voice rough and weak. His pale complexion worried me, and I hoped the pallor was more from the pain than from blood loss.

“This was my home before . . .” I inhaled a steadying breath. “I don’t know what it is now. TheMoon Sanctuaryapparently, but I’m not sure what that means. A haven for my kind, I suppose.”

I glanced at Bastian. Surely the grounds were warded even more heavily than the loft to prevent shifters from entering, and he had required a countersigil to enter there. Perhaps the blood bond we shared allowed him passage.

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