Page 49 of Broken Moon

The female with him laughed.“He knows you’re here.”

William glanced at her, and Icould see from the surprise in his eyes that she was lying. I slid my cellphone from my pocket and tapped his number, but it went immediately tovoicemail.

“He’s occupied at the moment,” thefemale said, grinning, though I couldn’t see a single thing that was funny.

“Fine. Is it okay for me topark here? I’m going to the woods to do a little hunting.”

They looked at each other.“Yeah,” William said, finally. “Go hunting, human.”

“I’m no more human than youare,” I told him, then went to the back of my car to gather some supplies. I wantedto find my blade, but I might as well do some hunting while I was there. That’swhat Jared was paying me for, after all. No sense slacking. “Tell Jared…” ThenI shrugged. “Never mind.”

I reached for my machete,already in its sheath, the harness ready to be strapped onto my back. Once Igot into the woods, I’d take the machete out and carry it. I was pretty surethe only chance I had at taking out the exsoloup would be to cut his head off.Even if that didn’t really “kill” him, if he were devoid of a head and his bodywas burned and buried far away from the head…well, the asshole wasn’t going tocome back from that, at least not without help.

They didn’t say another word,just watched me as I buckled on my weapons and supplies. A few other wolvesstopped to gawk, and a girl of maybe fifteen or sixteen was the only one tospeak.

“What’s she doing?” she asked.“The alpha—”

“Shut up, pup,” the female guardsnapped, and the girl slunk away. Life wasn’t always easy for young wolves in apack.

I locked up my car and ignoringall of them, I strode away. I crossed the sidewalk and headed toward the backof the admin building, and as though they thought I might try to sneak in theback way, William and the female guard followed me all the way to the tree line.I ignored them and put my mind on the hunt ahead—and finding my blade. After Ientered the woods, the two wolves disappeared. I wasn’t sure if they were goingto discretely follow me to watch, or go back to report to Jared, and I didn’treally care.

I wished I had stopped to eatbefore coming to Shadowfield, but it was too late to worry about that now. Ismiled when I thought about how Lucy would likely have a huge dinner waitingfor me when I got home, and Ash would jump up and beg for belly scritches and treats.

Life was pretty damn good,really.

The joy of the hunt roared upsuddenly, nearly smothering my wolf’s pain, and I loped silently through thewoods, my stare scanning the ground as I neared the spot I’d lost it. It waspeaceful in the cold woods, despite the fact that an exsoloup hid in theshadows, watching for wolves to kill. All wolves loved the woods and usuallyfound it difficult to live in the city. Some did—like me—but there was always alonging to return to the woods to renew ourselves. I seemed just human enoughto like the city, as well.

And finally, I spotted my weapon.I hurried to pluck it off the ground, surprised to see it was completely cleanof blood. It was like the blade had absorbed the blood, and I realized that wasexactly what had happened. The blade now carried the blood of a powerful demon,a hobbled wolf, and an exsoloup.

I ran my thumb over thegleaming blade, lost for a few seconds in the beauty of it. Finally, I slid itinto its sheath, put my cell phone on silent, and began the hunt for theexsoloup. With any luck, he’d sleep during the day like any vampiric creatureshould, and I’d sneak up on him, slice off his head, and be done with theasshole.

My mind calmed and there wasnothing but the woods, then, as I followed his trail. Even though he’d flownaway yesterday, his blood had splattered the ground, black and glistening,falling through barren tree limbs as he’d awkwardly flown his injured body to aplace he could hide and heal.

But not for long. He would haveto come out to eat, and likely, he would do that tonight unless I found himnow.

I followed his trail for miles,sometimes losing it and having to backtrack before picking it up again. Andfinally, I found him.

From the mess on the ground, Icould visualize him tumbling from the sky, unconscious perhaps. He’d landedhard, wounds breaking open and splattering fresh blood and congealed,jellied…parts. He’d finally dragged himself up the hillside to a line of caves,and inside one of those was where’d he’d settled.

I pulled my machete and held itin my right hand and my demon blade in my left. It didn’t occur to me that Ishould call for backup. I rarely had backup when I went after a roguesupernatural, be it a spirit, a demon, a monster, or a vampire. I just did myjob, and used all my energy, frustration, and pain to fight. I was experienced,not human, and honestly, I was good at what I did.

But after I’d quietly climbedthe hill and peered into the mouth of the dark cave, my fear began to overtakemy hunter’s excitement. I’d never taken on anything like this exsoloup, andmaybe it would kill me.

My pain and inability to shiftno longer drove me. There was hope in my future. And if she lost me, my motherwould be devastated. I had a lot to live for. Too much to be taking such arisk.

I stood there, undecided, angryat my own reluctance, when the creature decided for me. He gave a screech thatwasn’t as powerful as the scream he’d blasted us with yesterday—he was too weakfor that.

Still, it hurt my sensitiveears and made my heart stutter. Before I could back up and rush back down thehill, he dashed from the cave, hungry, hurt, and crazed. It was time to fight.

I squeezed the handles of myblades and went to meet him.

Come what may, we were going tofight.

ChapterTwenty-Three

The exsoloup’s mind had gone long,long ago, and there appeared little left to make him wily or thoughtful in anyway. He ran on desperation and self-preservation and was fueled by hunger,rage, and the need to be, for even a little while, his wolf.

My pity was strong, but notnearly strong enough to slow me. It was just enough to make me even moredetermined to kill him. Killing him would not only protect the wolves but wouldput him out of his misery.