Ties to the Blood Moon 2nd Edition by Robin P Waldrop Read Free Book Online Page B

and mine did the same. I wanted him closer to me, which made my heart ache. Somehow, I knew that nothing he did would get him close enough to satisfy me, and he would always leave me wanting more. It was as if a part of me physically needed William, and I had never felt that way about anyone before.
    He inched his way closer, but just before our lips met, his expression turned hard and he quickly sat up.
    “What … what is it?” I quickly sat up.
    He creased his brow and pursed his lips. “Shh,” he said, not unkindly, cocking his head to the side. He paused briefly. “We should go.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Come on,” he said with an urgency in his voice.
    “What’s wrong, William?” I searched his face and my heart fell, not knowing what I had done wrong. I think he realized it too.
    “It’s not safe up here,” he said, his eyes narrowed and turned dark, and then I heard what I thought he might be referring to. An eerie howl echoed somewhere behind us. “Hurry,” he said, tightening his grip on my hand, and dragging me behind him.
    As we neared the bottom I was compelled to look behind us and I saw why William had been so upset. Peering over the edge were three giant wolves revealing their fangs. There was something strange about their eyes. They looked almost human.
    William didn’t waste any time getting us back over to the bonfire, around people, and of course a really big fire. I guess he figured that the wolves wouldn’t venture in too close.
    I noticed Miss Baylor standing off by herself, leaned up against a car. She appeared to be nervously biting at her thumbnail. I told William I’d be right back and walked over to join her.
    “Hey Miss Baylor,” I smiled. Apparently she was in deep thought, because she didn’t answer at first. “Miss Baylor … is everything all right?” I asked after lightly touching her on the arm.
    “Hmm? Oh—yes, Genevieve. I’m sorry. I was a million miles away,” she forced a laugh, but I could tell something was definitely bothering her.
    “Can I ask you a question?” I stood with my hands in my jacket pockets, eyes lowered, pushing around pebbles with the toe of my boot.
    “Of course you can.” I detected a slight tremble in her voice.
    “What was all that about in the cave earlier? I mean … at first I thought you were just telling spooky stories to try and scare us. But after the fire roared back up and I saw your face …” I trailed off.
    “Gen, my great-great-grandfather was an Inuit shaman, highly respected by the tribes in Alaska. All the great leaders came to him for guidance, or prayer, even healing. He was very powerful. He talked of the great war between the Blood Drinkers and the Shape-shifters.”
    “Shape-shifters? Blood Drinkers?” I sort of shook my head, and smiled.
    “Lycan are Werewolf slaves, and Adlet are giant Werewolves. Any creature that ‘transforms’ is known as a Shape-shifter. And Blood Drinkers are vampires. They have all been fighting for many years. Before my grandfather died he told about a vision he had with his spirit guide. A princess would walk among us, and on the night of the blood moon, she would claim her throne and end the war.
    “Do you really believe all this? Because you sound a little … stressed.” Subconsciously, I had taken a few steps backward.
    “I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve seen them!” she snapped, but I don’t think she meant to. I also didn’t think she noticed how I kept glancing past her, looking over the top of the cave.
    “You saw them tonight, didn’t you?” she asked.
    “Saw who?” I furrowed my brow. I was beginning to get a little freaked out.
    “Not who … what. The Lycan were here tonight. They know of the princess too, except they don’t want the war to end. They want to kill her before she rises to take the throne.”
    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was stuff that was only supposed to exist in fiction books, and sci-fi movies.