Moonlight Kin 4: Tristan (24 page)

“I will not be leaving without you,” Tristan
said.

Isabel sniffled. “But I betrayed you.”

“That makes us even,” Tristan said, then
shifted his attention back to the Darkling. “This is between you
and I.”

The Darkling laughed. “This has nothing to do
with you, Kin. Leave now, and I might let you live.”

Tristan grinned, flashing sharp, white teeth.
“We know that’s not going to happen.”

“Have it your way.” The Darkling held out a
hand. Power flowed from his body.

Tristan felt the first wave strike him. The
pain nearly knocked him to his knees.

“Come here, beast,” the Darkling said,
crooking a finger.

“No!” Tristan shouted, but it was already too
late. The shift was upon him.

Fur rippled over Tristan’s flesh as his beast
rose to the surface. The enchanted sword dropped to the ground,
useless in his paws. He threw his head back and howled in anguish.
Others nearby mirrored the lonesome sound.

The Darkling’s head rose, and his eyes
scanned the tree line. “Time to go,” he snarled and grabbed Isabel,
pulling her toward the opening.

Tristan felt his strength drain. Being this
close to the Darkling and the opening to the other realm sucked the
life right out of him. He wouldn’t be conscious for much longer.
Tristan leapt, covering the distance between them.

He landed on Isabel, knocking her out of the
Darkling’s hands. Tristan growled and snapped at him, daring him to
try to take her.

Isabel shoved at his fur to try to get
away.

Tristan didn’t move.

The Darkling took a step forward.

Tristan bared his teeth and growled low in
his chest.

The Darkling hesitated then kept coming.

Tristan lowered his head and grabbed Isabel
by the throat. He sank his fangs into her flesh where her shoulder
met her neck. Blood filled his mouth. It was sweeter than anything
he’d ever tasted. He swallowed as much as he could then licked the
spot to seal the wound. When Tristan was sure the bleeding had
slowed, he released Isabel.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she
clutched her throat and scurried away. Tristan couldn’t bear to see
the pain of betrayal in her eyes. It hurt too much. But he held no
regrets.

The Darkling roared in anger. “What have you
done? You can’t! She’s mine!”

Wrong! Isabel was his. And he’d just proven
it. Tristan shook his head to clear it.

The Darkling snarled. “You think biting her
is going to stop me?” He ran toward Isabel, who tried to reach
Everly’s side. The blood flowing from his wound didn’t slow
him.

No!
Tristan shouted inside his mind as
he watched in horror. He tried to cut the Darkling off, but he was
too weak to catch him.

Tristan staggered forward. He wasn’t going to
make it.

The Darkling made a grab for Isabel.

“Remember what I told you!” Everly shouted,
then shoved Isabel out of the way.

Instead of scooping Isabel up, the Darkling
had no choice but to grab Everly or leave empty-handed. The
momentum he’d built as he crossed the clearing carried them through
the portal opening.

Tristan sprinted toward the portal. If he
reached it in time, it would mean his death, but he’d gladly
sacrifice his life if it meant saving Isabel’s friend for her.
After all, she’d saved Isabel for him.

He jumped as the portal snapped shut. The
momentum carried him forward into a tree trunk. Tristan hit
headfirst. He heard a loud crunch, then the world faded to
black.

* * * * *

Izzy stared in horror at Tristan’s lifeless
form. Everly was gone, and Tristan might be dead. They’d both
sacrificed themselves for her. Tears filled her eyes as Izzy
struggled to gain her footing. As soon as she was steady enough to
move, she rushed to his side.

Blood trickled out Tristan’s nose and
muzzle.

She dropped to her knees and gently pulled
his head onto her lap. When she saw his chest rise, the tears
flowed down her cheeks. At least he was alive, but Izzy had no idea
how badly he was hurt. Tristan hadn’t returned to his human
form.

Izzy took off her shirt to put pressure on
his bleeding. She kept her eyes on the woods. Would Stone come back
for her?

Blood seeped through her shirt. If Tristan
didn’t wake up soon, she’d drag him to the road. “Please, come back
to me,” she murmured. “I need you.”

Izzy heard a twig snap. Her heart slammed
into her ribcage, trying to kick its way out. She glanced around
and spotted Tristan’s sword. She gently laid his head aside and
crawled over to it. Izzy had just wrapped her hand around the
handle when wolves poured out of the woods.

She screamed and scurried back to Tristan.
“Stay back!” she shouted, swinging the sword wildly around her.

One wolf stepped away from the others. He
barked once, and the others grew silent. The air around him
shimmered. One moment a black wolf stood in the middle of the
clearing, the next Pierre La Fontaine stared at her.

It said a lot about Izzy’s state of mind that
she didn’t even care that he was naked. “Stay back.” She kept one
hand on Tristan and the other firmly wrapped around the sword.

“Isabel, it’s me,” Pierre said. “We’re not
here to harm you.”

“I sa—said stay back,” she cried.

Pierre held his hands up and motioned for the
wolves to move back. Once they were far enough away, he dropped
down into a crouch.

“He’s in bad shape,” he said, indicating to
Tristan. “He needs my help.”

Izzy glanced at Tristan. He was still
breathing, but his breaths were shallow and he was still bleeding
badly. “He tried to save me.”

Pierre glanced at the wound on the side of
her neck. “Did Tristan do that to you?”

Izzy’s brow furrowed. “What?”

“Did he bite you?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Stone got really mad after
Tristan bit me.”

“I bet he did,” Pierre said. “Where’s your
friend, Everly?”

Fresh tears filled her eyes until Pierre’s
image wavered. “He took her,” she whispered. “She shoved me out of
the way, and he took her instead.”

Sadness filled Pierre’s amber eyes. “I’m
sorry,” he said softly, then murmured in French.

Izzy didn’t speak the language, but something
about the cadence of his voice made her muscles relax. The sword
seemed heavier than it had been a moment ago. Her arm trembled and
dropped.

“No!” she said, but there was no fighting
Pierre’s steady voice.

“It’s okay.” He slowly moved closer as he
continued to talk to her.

Izzy’s eyes drooped, and the sword fell to
the ground.

Pierre moved with lightning speed. He grabbed
the weapon, then tossed the sword to someone behind him and still
managed to catch her before she fell over.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’ll be okay.”

Izzy had a hard time understanding him. His
words were slurring in her mind.

He turned his head to address the others.
“Someone get over here and get Tristan. I have his mate.”

* * * * *

Izzy awoke in a strange room. The antique
furnishings were ornate and exquisitely chosen. She was in a comfy
bed with plush linens. A vase full of flowers sat on the bedside
table, along with a glass of water.

She tried to recall how she’d gotten there,
but came up blank. The door opened, and Tristan stepped inside.
Everything came crashing back to Izzy in an instant.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, but didn’t
meet her gaze. Instead, he leaned against the doorway.

Izzy sat up. “Okay, I guess,” she said. “How
are you?”

Tristan shrugged. “My head hurts, but I’ll
live.”

“Everly is gone. Isn’t she?”

His jaw clenched, and all warmth left his
expression. “Yes.”

“Can we get her back?” Izzy asked.

Tristan shook his head and winced, then
touched the side of his temple. “No.”

“Stone told me what he had planned for me on
the other side,” she said. “It was horrifying. The thought of
Everly...” Izzy voice cracked.

“I’m sorry,” Tristan said. “I tried to save
her. I just wasn’t fast enough. I thought if I could get to her, I
could toss her back through the opening before it sealed shut.”

Izzy frowned. “You told me you couldn’t
survive in the Darkling world,” she said. “Was that true?”

“Yes,” he bit out.

“So you would’ve died had you leapt into
their world.” The truth punched Izzy in the chest, leaving her
winded.

“I might have been able to save her for you,”
Tristan said, avoiding the truth.

And if he had, it would’ve cost him his
life.

Izzy played with the ends of the comforter.
“Everly pushed me out of the way,” she said quietly.

“I saw her,” he said. “She did it to save
you.”

She closed her eyes. “Why would she do that?
She had to have known what would happen.”

“You were her friend,” he said.

Her eyes flew open, and she glared at him. “I
still am,” Izzy snapped.

Tristan nodded. “I think she knew all along
what was going to occur. We just didn’t listen.”

“What happens now?” she asked.

He stared at a spot on the wall. Izzy got the
distinct impression that he did it so he wouldn’t have to look at
her. The thought hurt.

“You’ll return to your life with your
sister,” he said. “And I’ll return to mine.”

Pain blossomed inside her, but she refused to
show it. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised. After all, they’d
been forced to work together. No sense drawing the situation out.
It was already uncomfortable enough.

“I’m...” She cleared her throat. “I’m going
to need a ride.”

Tristan glanced at her. “It’s already been
arranged.”

“Are you going to take me back?” she asked,
knowing the answer before he replied.

“No,” Tristan said. “I have... I have things
I need to do.”

“Of course,” she said, unable to keep the
bitterness from her voice. “Well, thanks for stopping by. I’m glad
you’re okay.”

Tristan opened his mouth to say something
more, then closed it and left the room.

Izzy stayed strong until the door clicked
then she let herself fall apart. When she was done wallowing in the
pity pool, she threw the covers off and jumped into the shower.
Izzy was surprised to find fresh clothes waiting for her when she
got out.

They must really want to get rid of her. Or
maybe Tristan did.

Well she’d never been one to overstay her
welcome. She looked around the room one last time. Nothing of hers
was there, so she left.

Pierre La Fontaine waited for her at the
bottom of the stairs. Tristan was nowhere in sight. She guessed
they’d said their goodbyes earlier. Izzy painted a smile on her
face as she approached the Alpha.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” he
said.

Izzy rubbed her arms. “Thanks for putting me
up. I—uh, guess I’d better be going. Thank you again
for—everything.”

“Take care of yourself, Ms. MacDougal,” he
said. Pierre’s expression remained pleasant, but he didn’t bother
to hide the concern in his amber eyes.

Izzy nodded and walked out of the house. A
car idled near the curb to take her to the airport. She glanced
back one last time at the house, hoping to spot Tristan, but he was
nowhere in sight. Her heart broke as she slipped into the car and
it drove away.

* * * * *

Tristan pulled the curtains back and watched
the black sedan take Isabel away. He had to let her go. It was the
right thing to do. She hadn’t asked for his bite. Hadn’t wanted it.
He wouldn’t force himself upon her. He’d already done enough
damage.

“Are you going to stand there all night?”
Pierre asked, coming up beside him.

“Perhaps,” Tristan said.

“She’s your mate,” Pierre said gently.

Tristan’s lip curled. “No,” he said. “She
isn’t. I bit her to protect her.”

Pierre had the audacity to laugh in his face.
“Is that what you think happened? I was wondering what load of bull
you were telling yourself.”

He scowled. “I know that’s what happened. I
was there. You weren’t.”

Pierre shook his head and walked over to an
antique cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of port. “Want a
glass?”

Tristan shrugged. “Sure.”

Pierre poured two glasses and handed him one.
Tristan started to take a sip but stopped short when the Alpha
raised his glass.

“Here’s to beautiful women,” he said. “The
ones in our lives and the ones we let get away.”

Tristan glared at him.

Pierre clinked his glass then took a sip.
“Funny thing about wolves,” he said, “they don’t do anything they
don’t want to do.”

“She’s not my bondmate,” Tristan said then
tossed the contents of the glass back. The port burned his throat
but did little to ease his tension.

“That bite tells a different story,” Pierre
said, taking another dainty sip. “You really should savor rare
things.” He glanced at his glass, but Tristan wasn’t sure he
discussed the port.

Tristan set his glass down on the side table.
“The bite didn’t happen during sex, so she’s not going to become
Kin.”

Pierre nodded. “Perhaps not,” he said.
“You’re probably in the clear. You can go back to doing what you do
without having to worry about your...Isabel.” He finished his port
and set his glass down beside Tristan’s.

Tristan turned back to the window as Pierre
wandered toward the door. The Alpha’s footsteps halted. Tristan
knew his leaving was too good to be true.

“I do wonder though,” Pierre said.

He sighed and turned to face the Alpha once
more. “About what?”

“About what did happen during sex,” he
said.

“That is none of your business,” Tristan
snarled. He opened his mouth to deliver another scathing response,
but Pierre held up his hand to stop him.