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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520

  Macon GA 31201

  Hunter’s Moon

  Book 3 of The Moon Series

  Copyright © 2007 by Rose Marie Wolf

  ISBN: 1-59998-697-3

  www.samhainpublishing.com

  Edited by Sarah Palmero

  Cover by Anne Cain

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: January 2008

  Hunter’s Moon

  Rose Marie Wolf

  Dedication

  To Mari Lynne, for giving me so many ideas when writing this book. Thank you.

  Chapter One

  She slept, draped in moonlight. He watched her silently from the doorway. Normally, Rose was a light sleeper, but he had been lucky enough not to disturb her as he slipped from the bed.

  She shifted her weight just slightly, so she could readjust her dark head on the pillow. Even after several years of being together, Jason Barnett was still amazed at how beautiful she appeared when bathed in moonlight. Her skin glowed silver, the same shade as her fur when she was in her wolf form.

  He sucked in a deep breath, fearful that she would awaken but she snorted in her sleep and that was all. He exhaled slowly and turned from her, as he had on many sleepless nights. His bare feet carried him quietly across the carpet in the hall. He left the lights off. He could see well enough with his adjusted vision.

  He opened the door to the deck slowly, so it would not make a sound, and slipped out into the cool autumn night. High above him, the moon was already full. He stared out over the meadow, toward the dark tree line.

  He'd had the dream again.

  Tonight, it had felt more real than ever. This time of year, October, held no happy memories for him. It was in this month, several years back, that his life had come close to an end. He had been left for dead, surviving only to fight off an insane werewolf, hungry for power, and save his mate. It had been a bad time for all of them.

  Convinced it was over, everyone went about their lives. Glen Cole, Rose’s cousin, had moved up in the ranks within the PRDI. Jason had the newspaper clipping on the table that proved it. Davis Miller was working with him, a redeemed man, his life forever changed by the events three years ago. His half-brother, Aaron Slater, also worked at the Paranormal Research and Development Institute on occasion, between classes at the local college and his job in a TV repair shop. Jason knew things were tense between the two, but with Glen to play mediator, things were all right.

  The orphan werewolves, Rebel and Aurora Mitchell, whom he had so begrudgingly taken in, had just finished high school and were in their first semester of college. They had grown too quickly over the years. Cheyenne Buckler still had her horse farm and Claire Hennessy, the only human in their “pack”, was working at the PRDI as a computer specialist. Things had really turned around for them all it seemed.

  Even he had tried to put it behind himself, marrying Rose and looking for a job. But no matter how many times he looked ahead, the dream always came back to remind him of the past. It unsettled him and turned his blood cold. He could never forget.

  In the dreams, he was the one dying. Instead of Simon, he was the one being forced out the window. The glass shattered around him in a deafening crash. The shards pierced his flesh. And as he fell, he could see Simon’s leering face in the darkness, smirking at him from above.

  He always awoke just before he hit the ground.

  A horrible feeling gripped him. He could never quite put his finger on it.

  Something is not right…Simon is not dead.

  He had seen the body with his own eyes, but unlike the others, he wasn’t so easily convinced. Simon seemed to him the kind of guy that wouldn’t go down like that. It seemed unlikely to the others that he had survived, but Jason couldn’t deny how he felt.

  He gave a faint shake of his head and crossed his arms over his broad chest. He truly didn’t believe Simon was dead. Something deep within him would not allow him the comfort and peace of mind everyone else had.

  As he tried to clear his mind of the dream, the temperature dropped. The brightness of the moon soon became obstructed by clouds that rolled in from the west. He lifted his head and caught the faint scent of rain. Thunder rumbled in the far distance.

  He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. No matter how he tried, the dream would not leave him. It kept him always second-guessing. It kept him afraid and cautious. An obsession had grown from it. He would find Simon. He would prove he was alive and then he’d kill him. He’d make sure this time it was done right…

  But Simon didn't exist anywhere, even while he was alive. He was a shadow on the wall. He had no files in the PRDI’s complex database. There were no records of him anywhere else for that matter. Whenever Jason thought he had found some small connection, it led to a dead end. Always another hunter, but it was never the right one.

  Jason did not let it all go to waste though. He kept his pack safe and he would protect it no matter what. What better way to do that than by killing off the threat before it got to them? To him, it was a good plan.

  He opened his eyes once more and stared out across the meadow. It looked dark and lonely, like some forbidden place. How long had it been since they had run under the full moon? How long had it been since they had last been happy? He couldn’t remember what it felt like to be lighthearted, without a care. That was so long ago. He hadn’t even been happy on his wedding day, but he tried for Rose’s sake.

  Rose…

  She had it tough. After what had happened, he was surprised she held it together for so long. Now, she had to put up with his shit. He did feel sorry for it all, but there was nothing he could do. No amount of explaining could convince Rose that what he was doing was right.

  Unjust killing, she called it. He would much rather be the killer than the killed. He only wanted them safe and he would do whatever was needed of him to keep it that way. He knew it sounded bitter and angry, but that’s how he was. Simon had changed him. Simon had changed them all.

  And somehow, Jason knew it wasn’t over yet.

  He unfolded his arms and rested his hand on the deck railing, flexing his knuckles until they turned white and hurt from the sustained grip. He stared down at them and became lost in his thoughts, something he did more and more lately as time went by and Simon remained unfound.

  * * *

  She heard the rumble of thunder as she slept. It was faint, but enough to make her open her eyes and sit up in the darkness. The sheet that covered her naked body slid down to her waist. She listened, allowing her mind a few moments to wake up.

  Her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room, cutting through shadows easily enough. The bed beside her was empty but still warm. His scent lingered on the pillow. Slowly, she turned her head to the door. She didn’t need her sensitive hearing or sense of smell to tell her where he was. He was on the deck, the same place he went every night when he awoke from a bad dream.

  Trying her best to remain silent, Rose slid out of bed and crossed the bedroom floor. The moon was round and full, shining through the window an
d casting light over her as she reached for her robe. She slipped it on over her naked body. She stood there a moment, staring out the window toward the horizon as she fingered the rings on the chain around her neck. Town lights blinked far away. She sighed softly. She could not prolong it much longer. She needed to talk to him.

  Treading softly, she left the bedroom and entered the short narrow hall. A shadow moved across the glass door leading to the porch and she paused, watching Jason as he turned and leaned against the deck railing.

  It broke her heart to see him like this. After what had happened, Jason had turned distant and cold. He rarely smiled and never laughed. It was as if Simon had taken his life and left him with just the shell.

  Maybe that was what happened, Rose thought as she watched him. Her hand touched the wall and she leaned against it, tightening the robe around her chest. Maybe Simon, in a way, did kill him…

  She dismissed the thought as soon as it entered her mind. That was over and done with. Simon was gone. She wished Jason would realize that and stop with his foolish chase.

  Jason wouldn’t listen to reason: not from her, not from Glen, not from Cheyenne. He was stubborn, hard-headed, and Rose wondered sometimes why she'd married such a man.

  She had thought settling down would change everything, but it had only made things worse. Their short marriage already seemed doomed and Rose felt trapped. What could she do?

  Supporting him was the only option she had, but she had reached the breaking point. She was tired of him returning home, smelling of blood and gun smoke, covered in wounds that on a normal man would be fatal. She was tired of crying herself to sleep at night, fearing that each time he left the house he may never come back. She was tired of him avoiding her when he was troubled, just like now. But most of all she was just tired. Tired of everything.

  She took a deep breath and stepped out of the hall and into the living room. Jason, with his back turned to her, would not see her approach, but he would hear or smell her. She wasn’t sure any more just what he could pick up on. His half-blood abilities were stronger than any she had seen before and sometimes she wondered if they surpassed even her own full-blood strengths. He was different. Maybe that was what made him so distant.

  She stopped just short of the door, hesitating. What could she say to him that she hadn’t already said? He would just ignore her, like always. Rose knew she had to try. She gathered what little courage she could and opened the glass door.

  Jason didn’t turn to face her, but she saw his back and shoulders stiffen. He knew she was there. She exhaled softly and approached him.

  “I woke up and the bed was empty,” she began. It sounded stupid to her, stating the obvious, but she wasn’t sure how to start. She stopped a few feet from him and waited for him to speak.

  Jason merely grunted in response. She watched his shoulders as they lifted and fell with his deep breathing.

  “It’s too quiet with the kids gone.” She wrapped her arms around herself. The robe was thin and the autumn air cold. She stepped up beside him and turned to gaze at his profile.

  He had changed very little over the past few years, physically speaking. There were a few more lines around his face, especially his mouth, from excessive frowning. His jaw was just as square and strong as ever. His long hair had been cut short for convenience; she still wasn’t used to it. It was his stare that seemed the most drastically changed, however. His deep blue eyes now held something horrible in them. It was so unnerving that at times, Rose could not look into them. That was how bad Simon had changed him.

  She tried not to think about it. She sighed and turned away from his moonlit face. “Everyone will be here later tonight for the gathering. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  He said nothing and Rose couldn’t tell one way or another if he was or not. It was the first time Rebel and Aurora would be home since having left for college in the late summer. She had to admit, after taking them in when their parents died, she had gotten used to their arguing and their company. The cabin was empty without them.

  “Jason,” she tried again and reached for his arm. His muscles felt tense and she rubbed his arm softly. “Rebel and Aurora have been looking forward to this for weeks. It’s all they talk about when they call. Can you at least pretend to be happy? It would mean so much to them, and to Glen. It’s his promotion we are celebrating after all.”

  He sighed heavily and pulled his arm just out of her reach. “If they want to come, let them. I don’t care.”

  “I think you do care,” Rose said, surprised by the sudden icy tone in her voice. “You just have a difficult time showing it. Actually, you’re having a difficult time showing any emotion other than anger or hatred.” She stopped there, knowing if she said any more she would be treading dangerous ground. The last thing she wanted was another argument.

  Jason walked away a few paces and turned his back to her. Again, he said nothing. Rose could sense that he was angry. She didn’t want to push that any further.

  “I’m sorry. I’m being a bitch. I just want you to talk to me sometime, let me know what’s wrong.”

  “It’s nothing.” His voice was gruff, as if he hadn’t used it in quite a while. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. “It’s nothing, Rose.”

  “It’s something. I know you’re bothered. Please, just talk to me about it.”

  “I can’t.” He slightly shook his head. “I can’t talk about it because there is nothing to talk about.”

  Rose held down her own temper by counting to ten. When she felt ready, she responded. “This can’t go on much longer. I know you are having nightmares and I know it has to do with Simon. It always has to do with him—”

  “No!” He suddenly exploded. He spun around to face her. His eyes were yellow and his face a mask of fury. “You don't understand. It's about the people I love. Hunters are still out there and I have to stop them before it’s too late.”

  “Stop them from what?” she asked. She tried not to seem afraid in his presence but inwardly she trembled. “There hasn’t been any hunter activity for more than two years. The only ones you find are the ones you actively search for. The hunters have gone into hiding.”

  “Because they're planning something. They are still out there, Rose, and they will bring harm to all of us if I don’t stop them. Simon is planning something.”

  She stared at him and shook her head. “Don’t you hear what you are saying? Simon is dead,” she said in a soft voice. “Even if that were true, you can’t do it on your own. You sound like a madman.”

  “Maybe I am mad, but someone has to do something, goddamn it. Simon caught us with our pants down before. I’m not letting him do it again.”

  “Simon is dead,” she said again, slowly. She watched as Jason curled his hand into a fist. He looked away from her and closed his eyes. He appeared to be trying to control his anger, but his nostrils flared and Rose knew the argument wasn’t over yet.

  “Simon is dead,” she repeated. “He’s not coming back. Jason.” She took a step toward him and reached out a hand to touch him. He didn't draw away but his flesh was taut and tense. Rose could sense that a rage shift wasn’t far off. She hesitated before speaking again.

  “He’s not coming back. It’s over. We both saw the body. No one could’ve survived that. You need to move on. Forget this obsession. Forget Simon—”

  “I can’t forget him.” He interrupted but she pretended not to notice.

  “We have a new life ahead of us. We have a pack, a family. We have each other. Things couldn’t be better, love.”

  She stopped. A heavy silence grew between them. Jason released his balled fist and took a deep breath. Rose watched him carefully. He could be unpredictable at times. She didn’t want to be caught off guard.

  When he finally spoke, his voice was rough, barely a growl. “You’re wrong, Rose, dead wrong. Simon is still alive. I can feel it. I don’t know how, or why, but I know it. I can’t rest while he’s alive. He’s just w
aiting for the right moment to strike.” His gaze drifted to stare across the horizon, lifting to the moon above. “I won’t give him that satisfaction. I will find him before he finds us, you can count on that.”

  Rose sighed heavily. There was no reasoning with him. She was weary of arguing. She threw up her arms in surrender. “Fine. I’m going back to bed.” She turned from him and started for the glass doors, but she paused and looked back. “Will you come back to bed soon?”

  “No,” he said, lowering his head. “I think I’ll stay up for a little while longer.”

  Again, she hesitated before leaving. “Promise me you won’t leave the property.” She knew she would lay awake thinking about him out there, hunting, getting shot at, getting hurt.

  The answer was inevitable. “I can’t make that promise, Rose. You know that.”

  She knew. She closed her eyes to keep back the fresh tears. She only nodded, though he couldn’t see it, and turned from him once again. She shut the door quietly behind her and returned to the bedroom.

  His side of the bed was soft and still smelled of him. She lay there, curling her arms around his pillow and clutching it close. She didn’t know how much longer she could bear this torment, this pain.

  He wouldn’t come back to bed. He would stay up the rest of the day, brooding, or else he would leave to do whatever he felt he needed to do. It had been wrong for her to think she could change his mind. It had been foolish to even hope.

  Quietly, she sobbed against the pillow until sleep finally began to overtake her.

  Chapter Two

  He waited until he was sure she was asleep before he dressed and left the house. The roar of the black Camaro’s engine was loud in the silence surrounding his cabin, but he would be out of the driveway before Rose was out of bed and wondering where he had gone. He didn’t want that. There was so much he had to do and Rose was only getting in the way, like always.