Page 11 of Bad Moon Rising
“The last thing I’m going to do is faint while in a car with a guy who kills for trinkets at techno clubs.”
He knelt next to her, not touching. “Trinkets? You mean the vial? That’s cute. Nova, that’s your name, right?”
She nodded. Then shrugged. “I don’t really know.”
“Nova, can you make it fifteen more minutes until I get us away from here? Then we’ll deal with your gunshot wound and the others, if needed.”
The legitimate concern in his face warmed her, knowing he meant it. She wasn’t alone, at least for now. But he wasn’t asking it as a question. It was more a command she wait.
He stood and leaned into the car over her. His gaze landed on her chest, which at his angle gave him an eyeful. He swallowed hard before his dilated eyes snapped back to hers.
“Good view?” she asked.
His cheeks flushed. Gruffly, he said, “There’s a first aid kit in the black duffle on the back seat if you need it.”
“Where are we going?”
He hadn’t heard—or pretended not to—as he jogged around the car. Before she clicked her seat belt into place, which hurt—oh, Jesus, the movement to pull it across her shoulder almost made her black out—he had the car in reverse.
“Is someone following?” she asked after several sharp turns that seemed unnecessary.
“Doesn’t look like it.” He examined the rearview. “Antonio Dulanto and his people are tricky. We have to move fast.”
She should get the duffle bag with the medical supplies for a quick patch up. A test turn…the miniscule motion caused the ribbing from the bustier to ground into the wound on her side. Nope. She’d rather bleed out than get a bandage.
She asked, “What city is this?”
He did a double take. “Berlin.”
“Just confirming.” She massaged her forehead against the pain behind her eyes. “What’s the date?”
“December 4th.”
Once out of the city, he pulled the car onto a side road in a small neighborhood with barren trees and freshly plowed snow, and parked.
He cocked his head, which threw a lock of dark brown hair across his arched brow, and stared at her, unmoving. Light blue eyes watched with an unnerving almost predatory absorption. In that moment, he changed. He’d already been big. So big everywhere, but now he ultra-filled the space, wild and raw. A warning flashed in her brain: danger.
“You’re staring,” she rasped out in an effort distract him, and get him to take the threat down a notch. A part of her recognized she should be frightened, but his new aura kicked up her fascination with him. What did that say about her?
“You’ve got to remember something about yourself,” he said. “Maybe a reason that you were told to find me and get me out of the club?”
“Subbasement. I was ordered to get you out of the subbasement only, not the club. I don’t know who I am or where I’m from or anything about myself.” Her brain whirled, pushing and pushing, but came up with a blank.Remember…come on.Pain slashed through her skull. She gripped her head and swallowed hard. Her stomach threatened an explosion.
“Easy, Nova.” His hand was on her back, rubbing circles, but the moment she turned to look his way, he moved away fast.
She blinked and swallowed hard, finding her hands resting on the glove box. “Why were you… What happened?”
“You almost passed out.”
“My head…” She shielded her eyes against the streetlight above the car. “When I try to remember, it hurts.”
His fingers reached for her.
She ducked away.
He held up his large hands, palms flat to her. “I swear I wasn’t going to hurt you.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth? A few minutes ago, you were somehow less threatening. Now you’re different. Supercharged?”
