By the Pale Moonlight (Book One of the Moonlight Series) Read online

  He reached the bottom, just a few feet away. He moved closer and a sob escaped me, the flashlight slipping from my hands and landing at my feet with a hard thud. With a violent growl, he reared back on his hind legs and approached quickly, pressing his long snout into my face. I bit my lip as silent tears of agony slid down my face. His breath smelled rancid, and I cringed beneath him.

  A low rumble sounded from deep within his throat, reminding me of an idling car. He pressed the tip of his nose near the side of my neck, stirring my hair with each exhalation.

  He sniffed me slowly, moving up and down my body with deliberate speed. Perspiration broke out on my forehead and my clenched hands grew slick. His nose pushed into my sternum through the thickness of my sweater.

  He let loose a loud growl and I thought for sure I was done for. He moved his face close to mine, his teeth so sharp and dangerous. And then he was gone. He moved quickly and my knees gave out. I slid to the floor as he paced the room, eventually curling up at the foot of the stairs.

  With a shaking hand, I patted around until I found the flashlight. The beam fell on his russet colored body and his fierce gaze bored into me. How I had failed to recognize him immediately was beyond me. I'd know those deep green eyes anywhere. He watched me for only a moment before he allowed them to close, his breathing slowing to a steady rhythm.

  I pulled my knees into my chest and watched him through the night. He didn't move and, at some point, sleep took me as well.

  Chapter 6

  I awoke to a rustling noise. Memories of the night before flooded through my mind, and I bolted upright. The room was dark, but faint rays of light poured in through the open cellar door, highlighting the area at the bottom of the stairs. Dust particles floated through the air just above the now empty floor. Panicked, I scoured the musty room. Then I remembered my flashlight. Fumbling around, I at last laid hold of it and bounced the beam across the room.

  "Turn that off, please."

  The sound of Ty's voice just about stalled my heart. I flipped the switch and pressed against the wall. I didn't know what to say. Somehow "What's up?" or "How are you?" seemed inappropriate. I settled for, "Are you okay?"

  I sensed movement to my right and squinted through the darkness. Unable to make out more than a shadow, my fingers itched to turn the flashlight back on. Would he be the same old Ty? Or some half-man half-beast?

  "Cover your eyes," he said. "I'm turning on the light."

  The scraping sound of a metal chain being jerked made me jump. I squinted in discomfort when light flooded the room.

  "You never listen." Ty's deep laugh resonated across the room and the familiar sound relaxed me somewhat. Tension left my shoulders as I blinked to adjust my eyes.

  He knelt in front of me, a wool blanket wrapped around his waist. Unable to help myself, I threw myself into his arms. "It's you," I mumbled into his shoulder. My words sounded completely lame. Of course it was him. Then remembering his injury, I quickly released him. "God, I didn't mean to hur..."

  My eyes scanned his chest. The marks were gone. I ran a shaking hand down the smooth slope of his chest. Not even the slightest sign of the deep gashes remained.

  Then I did what any normal girl would do given my situation. I burst into tears. Too ashamed to look at him, I turned my face away as I tried to compose myself. The more I tried, the more hysterical my sobs became. Ty pulled me into his arms and pressed me tightly against his warm chest. He smelled of the outdoors—pine and dirt.

  Rubbing my back, he whispered softly, "It'll be okay, Mac."

  My crying slowed until only a few stray hiccups bubbled out of me. I brushed my tears away and at last found my voice. "How did this happen?"

  He shook his head. "I don't know."

  My chin trembled. "Why didn't you tell me? How long has it been?"

  Running a hand through his hair, he spoke softly. "This was my second moon cycle."

  His words had a surreal quality to them. Just when had I fallen through the looking glass? "Moon cycle?"

  A grim smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I know it sounds crazy—trust me, I know. I still haven't grown used to it all."

  I licked my lips, my throat closing. "Just so I know we're talking about the same thing—we're in agreement that you've been changing into a we-werewolf?" The word felt foreign on my tongue.

  "I prefer to call it 'humanly-challenged.'"

  Momentarily stunned, I couldn't help the hysterical laugh that escaped me.

  He smiled at my response. "That's more like it."

  I sobered as the reality of the past few days came rushing back. "Did you kill Kim?" I regretted my words as soon as they popped out—blunt and to the point. No finesse.

  He inhaled deeply. I chanced a peek up at him. His eyes were hooded. Deep circles lined his eyes and he seemed aged somehow. I'd never seen him so exhausted.

  "I don't know," he said softly. "I want to believe I wouldn't be capable of such a thing, but the wolf side of me is so strong during the full moon. In all truth, I lose myself completely. So yeah, I'm afraid it's possible."

  He stared at the ground, guilt slumping his shoulders.

  "But you don't know either way—not for sure?"

  "No. All I know is that I restrained myself that night, and well, you saw where I woke up."

  "You didn't hurt me last night, so it's still possible you didn't do it." I spoke the words firmly—in an attempt to reassure myself just as much as him. Despite having only learned of all this within the last twelve hours, I knew in my heart Ty wouldn't be capable of such a thing. It simply wasn't within my realm of beliefs. "But that means someone or something else did."

  His eyes at last met mine. The guilt that must have been weighing him down the past couple of days showed in their depths. No wonder he'd been so abrupt and impatient with my constant questions.

  "I want you to tell me everything, Ty. We'll figure this out—together."

  Placing a hand in his, I squeezed softly.

  A surge of relief went through me when his fingers at last closed over mine.

  o0o

  I was in full stealth mode when I went home later that morning. Closing the front door behind me, I tiptoed across the hardwood floor of the living room. Over the years I'd memorized every squeaky board in our rickety Victorian. I knew them well and didn't make a sound as I slowly crept upstairs. With a relieved breath, I entered my room unnoticed.

  My bed screamed out my name as I rushed over to my closet to change for the day. There was no time for sleeping, even though my aching muscles demanded it.

  Once dressed, I went downstairs and guzzled half a pot of coffee. In a way, I'd grown numb to the previous night's events, but every now and then, a slight tremor shook the cup in my hands, forcing me to set it down lest I spill hot liquid on myself.

  Ty and I had made plans to meet at lunch. I hoped I could keep it together long enough to do so. Ty was a werewolf. How the heck did that happen? There had to be some way of helping him—and hopefully, finding a cure.

  Not one for horror movies, I'd only seen one or two centered around werewolves. From what I could remember, it seemed killing the "head werewolf" was always the path to redemption. I shuddered at the thought. There had to be another way. Maybe that was for vampires, anyway. God, what if they existed, too?

  Figuring David wouldn't be in any rush to offer me his usual ride to school, I hitched one with my mom. She raised an eyebrow when I climbed in beside her, but thankfully said nothing. I could've ridden with Ty, but I wanted some time and distance to mull things over.

  When I entered the main hallway at school, I felt like a million eyes watched my every move. People seemed hesitant to speak with me—despite my murmured "hellos." After numerous failed attempts, I put my head down and quietly rushed through the building.

  Before the first bell sounded, I caught a glimpse of David as he stood talking to a group of his buddies near his locker. His eyes narrowed as he returned my curious gaze.r />
  "Enjoy the ride last night?" he said, loud enough for half the school to hear. His friends snickered in such a way that I knew he wasn't talking about the car. Without another word, he turned on his heel and went the other way.

  My face burned with humiliation as I rushed through the halls, several onlookers pointing and laughing as I passed.

  I found myself unable to focus, especially in English when Ty sat to my left. How had I not known sooner that something was wrong? He looked so tired—had for weeks.

  "Ms. Wilhelm and Mr. O'Neill, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Mrs. Kahler asked.

  With my eyes locked with Ty's at the time, I sat back abruptly and knocked my book to the floor.

  Ty and I both reached for it, and he quietly whispered, "Keep it together, Mac."

  His hand brushed mine and my lip trembled. "I'm trying." I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear and murmured a quick apology to our teacher.

  With a disapproving glance down the tip of her nose, Mrs. Kahler continued her lesson. My mind was a million miles away and occasionally I felt the weight of Ty's eyes studying me. The few times I returned his stare, I saw concern on his face. How ironic to have him worrying about me.

  Lunch couldn't have come soon enough. With tray in hand, I scoured the room for a glimpse of Ty's dark head. I didn't see him and stood casting nervous glances over at my usual table. Most of my friends were already seated. From the murmured conversations and over the shoulder glances in my direction, it was pretty apparent who was the topic of their conversation. If there's one thing to be said for them—they were of like minds. Cross one, cross them all.

  Feeling stupid and self-conscious, I dropped into the nearest empty seat. Too distracted by the animosity aimed at me, I was surprised to look up and see I'd sat down directly across from Melanie Hoffs. The wary expression on her face hit me hard. Could I have really inspired such a reaction in someone?

  Kim's funeral had been that morning. Melanie had been out earlier, so I knew she must have gone. I, however, hadn't been able to bring myself to attend—as far as I knew, no one had.

  "Hi," I said, my face burning with shame.

  I'd never really stopped to think about it, but Melanie was actually quite pretty. Thick lashes framed her hazel eyes and her dark hair fell in soft waves around her face. Usually a wide smile complimented her features, but now her lips turned downward.

  Several loud snickers came from behind me, and they only increased when Melanie stood and moved away. I felt the urge to crawl under the table as people's stares bored into the back of my head. Through my peripheral vision, I saw several faces pointed in my direction. I focused on the tray in front of me, my food left uneaten as I pushed it around with my fork. Tears drenched the edges of my lashes, and I hastily brushed away a stray drop when it slipped down my cheek. The laughter only increased.

  No longer able to withstand the scrutiny, I stood and rushed out of the room with the voices of my former friends echoing in my ears. I heard Jenna above the crowd. "Aw, someone's upset!"

  A strong hand gripped my arm, and I let out a relieved breath when I turned to see Ty. Collapsing against him, I buried my face in his shoulder.

  "Are you okay?" Anger simmered in his voice, and he started toward David's table.

  I put a stilling hand to his chest. "Let's just get out of here."

  He shook away from me. "No."

  With a deliberate stride, he walked over to the table where David waited, fists clenched tightly at his sides. The two stood face-to-face, their postures tense.

  David raised his hands expectantly. "What? You gonna fight me?" His voice raised in volume, guaranteeing everyone in the cafeteria heard him. "Take her, man. I've hit that and trust me, it ain't nothing worth fighting over."

  His table exploded into hysterics. Without so much as laying a hand on him, Ty's glance had the affect of silencing the laughter. Watching his back, I could only imagine what it was they saw.

  When he spoke, Ty's voice was calm. "You so much as look at her again, and you're going to deal with me." He paused, letting his words sink in. "And we both know you don't do well under fire."

  "What the hell do you mean by that?" David spat the words out.

  Without a backward glance, Ty gathered my things and returned to where I stood. Over his shoulder, he spoke loudly. "Do you always piss yourself when you're scared? Must've been hard to hide that reeking stench."

  With that, he pulled me out of the room. The last glimpse I got of David, he was red-faced and mad as all get out.

  "What did you mean?" I struggled to keep up with Ty's long strides.

  "One of the side effects of...my condition...is an increased sense of smell."

  I tried to digest this, concern over whether I'd put on enough deodorant that morning suddenly at the top of my list. "But wait—when did he pee his pants?"

  "When I came across you two out at the drive-in last night."

  I pulled back. "Wait, you remember that?" I could've died on the spot. Had he witnessed everything?

  He wasn't able to meet my gaze and that confirmed my fears before he even spoke. "Yes."

  Oh God. My face burst into flames. "Did you follow me?"

  "Yes." His eyes at last met mine.

  I didn't know what to make of this new revelation, and couldn't address the implications of it all with the previous night's events playing on fast forward in my mind. "I thought you said you couldn't remember anything..."

  He ran a hand through his hair. "It's a long story." He motioned to an empty classroom. "Come on, I'll try to explain as best I can."

  We turned two desks and sat down facing each other. I ran my hands over the smooth surface, willing my fiery cheeks to cool. "So, explain."

  "First—I'm sorry. I wanted to keep you from all this and I behaved like a complete jerk in the process. You deserved better than that."

  "It must've been really tough on you."

  The corner of his mouth lifted. "You're too nice for your own good."

  "And you're stalling."

  "You're right." Taking a deep breath, he began. "I mentioned my moon cycle this morning. It's hard to put this into words, but basically my ability to remember or control myself changes with the fullness of the moon."

  "I'm not sure I understand."

  "I think of it as a continuum. The wolf part of me strengthens with the full moon. The stronger the wolf, the less there is of me." He shifted in his seat, his fingers tapping nervously on the desktop. "In the beginning and end of the cycle, I have a lot of control. I can go and do what I want. I remember everything."

  "And as you grow closer to the full moon?" I dreaded his response.

  "Like I said, it's hard to describe. At first it's as though I'm watching my actions from outside myself. I'm there, but unable to maintain complete control. But I've always been able to hold myself back from...the urges I feel."

  That didn't sound good. I tried numerous times to form the words before I at last managed to speak them aloud. "What kind of urges?"

  "Trust me, you don't want to know."

  "And what happens on the full moon?" My voice came out as a hoarse rasp.

  "There's the million dollar question." His shoulders tensed. "I never remember anything." He paused and glanced out the window. Several students tramped through the leaves outside, playfully tossing handfuls over each other's heads. Ty looked like he carried the weight of the world. "I wake up and it's like there's this void in my mind. More than any other time, I feel the wolf in me. I don't know if this makes sense, but during those times I want to be the wolf—to lose myself to it."

  I grasped his hand in mine, hating to hear the misery in his voice. "We're going to figure this out."

  "I hope you're right." He moved to stand near the windows. "It's growing stronger, Mac." He turned, a solemn expression on his face. "Truth is, I may have killed Kim. The urges I spoke of—they make me believe it's possible."

  "I don't believe
that for a minute."

  The corner of his mouth lifted into a wry grin. "I'm glad you're sure."

  Shaking my head, I struggled to find words. "I just can't believe what you've been going through all this time."

  He shrugged, his eyes still on the students outside. "I didn't even know what happened at first. I didn't change right away—I could feel changes happening inside of me, but I didn't change change until the next cycle. I just thought..." He leaned against the window frame. "I don't know what I thought. I woke up with these cuts and thought I'd been attacked and blocked it out or something. Then when they disappeared..."

  "Why do you think that is?" It eerily reminded me of religious stigmata.

  He rubbed his hands roughly over his face. "My theory is that they're a mark of what I am. They come and go with the cycle—a sort of reminder." He snorted softly. "As if I could forget."

  "So that means this cycle is over?"

  He nodded and sat down again. "The cycle is seven days—three days before and after the full moon."

  I tried to digest all of this information. "When is the next full moon? How long do we have?"

  "November fifth, which means we have exactly twenty-two days before I start crawling around on all fours and taking on every flea in the free world." He said this last with a soft laugh, but I failed to see the humor in it all. We didn't have much time.

  I felt like crying, but I couldn't fall apart now. "Moon cycle—seven days. It's the male version of a period."

  He laughed for real this time. "Lucky me."

  I sat with the real question I wanted to ask on the tip of my tongue. Why had he followed me? I shuddered to think about what might have happened had he not, but still, I needed to know. He said he remembered everything during that time of the cycle. That meant he saw me about to have sex with David.