Page 70 of Under a Wicked Moon
“I’ll let you work out specifics with Nova on that.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Vivi’s stomach fluttered as she entered the rustic kitchen with its mid-century appliances and smooth white tile countertops. Although early for her meeting, she sought answers to so many questions.
She needed to know if this was actually her sister. Only seeing was believing.
At the kitchen table, hands folded on the polished wood surface, sat Nova. Her wavy auburn hair was secured into a single long braid. She’d dressed in all black from her formfitting sweater to the dark skinny jeans. Nova’s light eyes watched her, wary. Not a single hint of recognition lit them.
Her vision blurred as she caught herself against the doorframe. “I thought you were dead.”
“Obviously I’m not, but…” She compressed her lips and sighed. “I might as well be. I don’t remember you. Roman told you the truth. Those humans messed up my head. They used me to go on missions to kill people. I guess on one of my outings, I escaped and decided the only way to be free was to forget everything.”
“You remember nothing? Not me? Not Mom and Dad? Not even Gary?”
Her eyes widened and her face blanched. “Who’s Gary?”
“I can’t believe you don’t remember Gary. You loved him so much.” She compressed her lips against laughing because Nova was freaking out and trying not to show it. A past boyfriend would be terrifying. At least one thing never changed, and thatwas her ability to read her sister, and based on her reaction, she’d found someone she liked a lot. Ah, the pure joy of finding something to rib her about. “He loved you more than anyone else. Even I was jealous.”
“Who the hell is Gary?” she gritted out.
A giggle escaped. “Your cat.”
A shadow of a smile ghosted Nova’s lips as she fell back in her chair and crossed her arms. “A cat? You’re messing with me over a cat?”
“He was a cranky, overweight Siamese. Big butt and cross-eyed. Pet him one time too many, and he’d bite the shit out of you. He probably defected to the neighbors’ place; at least I hope so, since it seems that neither of us has been home for a few…years. You were upset that Gary might’ve been some guy, weren’t you?” She scooted forward and sat in the seat across from her.
Nova traced the wood grain of the table.
“You’re turning red. Who’s the someone you found? Is it a forever thing? Is he killer in bed? After all we’ve been through, he better be.”
“That’s not why we’re supposed to be talking.”
“So it is a long-term thing? Can’t believe I missed it happening to you. That’s amazing, and I’m happy for you. You were always prickly when it came to guys, so who…” She inadvertently reached out with her magic to connect with her sister. Doing so usually produced an image in Vivi’s mind with the answer to her query or an impression of the person’s emotions. Her smile slipped when an image of a complicated and irritable lycan appeared in her brain. “Oh, hell.”
Roman.
She could hardly believe it. That’s why Roman behaved ultra-protectively over her sister. Ky had known, which helped her understand why Ky had promised to protect Nova with his life. At the moment it had seemed extreme, but family had beeneverything to him. Although she tingled with pride over the lycan she’d loved and lost, disbelief rolled in hard. Her life would forever be linked to these brothers through Nova, no matter what happened with her memories. Even if she became amnesic, she’d probably never escape the remnant feelings of loss.
“What?” Nova asked.
“Roman?” She narrowed her eyes and clasped her hands together. “Why him? There are so many other men and lycans…hell, there are billions of other choices, but him?”
Nova glanced upward. “I am not that easy to read. Seriously.”
“Reading people is one of my things. Roman, huh? He’s…” She searched for something diplomatic to say about the guy who irritated her. “Uh, he’s tall.”
“Tall? That’s all you’ve got?”
“Does he take all that grumpy intensity to the bedroom? I hope he checks it at the door. Based on your face going that red, he rocks it when the doors close. He better. You deserve that.”
“He’s…”
“You’re turning red again. I don’t think I’ve made you blush twice in…God, since you were like twelve and had a crush on that neighbor kid who was way too old for you. I caught you kissing him and told Mom. You hated me for a week before you realized humans were fickle and unworthy. If you forgot everything, did you figure out your magic? I can feel it coming off you still.”
“It’s a work in progress.”
Vivi clapped her hands and grinned. “For once in our life, I might actually be better at it than you? You were the queen of everything elemental, the one our parents adored, whereas I could barely manage entry-level stuff. You could do wind and water and fire. I flitted around with fairies and sea nymphs that no one believed existed.”
