The Moon Rises (31 page)

“Did you not want a family?”

Anton watched the kitten which stretched in its
sleep. “I wanted to be an Alpha more.”

“Because Declan was an Alpha?”

Anton glanced up at her and frowned. Gigi seemed
about five years old most days, but she wasn’t a child. She paid attention and
retained information and understood much more than her passive expression let
on.

“Yes, some of it was because of Declan. Some of
it was because I forgot why I was fighting so hard back then.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I wanted a family, but being a solider meant I
was more likely to die. Declan’s father died when he was ten and Finn was
seven. I didn’t want to leave my children fatherless, so I fought to be in
charge. Not the Alpha, but high up enough in the pack to have some security for
my family. Then suddenly I was the Alpha and I couldn’t have a family. I
probably should have planned it out better, but things were crazy back then.
You’ll see what I mean when the war starts in a few months.”

“Why in a few months? Why not now?”

“Because the Season is coming. Do you know what
the Season is?” Anton asked and Gigi nodded, her hand grazing his chest lightly
as she pet the cat asleep on him.

“During the Season of Magic, all magical creatures
become more powerful in the Circle. Creatures from other parts of the world
visit too, so they can enjoy the increase of power. It’s a festive time, but
also dangerous. The point is Declan isn’t dumb enough to start a war when
everyone’s amped up or when the Circle is full of outsiders. The war will
probably start some time early next year.”

“Why does Declan get to start the war?”

“Because it’s his war.”

“Why don’t you just start it, so you can surprise
him?”

Anton grinned. “Because I don’t want to go to
war.”

“But you’ll go to war anyway. If you attack him
first, you might win.”

“The likelihood of my pack winning is very
slight.”

“But you have the witches.”

“And that means I’ll be more likely to hold onto
my territory, but taking territory from Declan is unlikely.”

“Because his pack is bigger?”

“Yes.”

“If you and Roger joined forces to attack Declan,
maybe you could win?”

“I thought you liked Declan?” Anton asked with a
smirk.

“I do, but he wants to start a war and I don’t
want you to die.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Do you not want to kill Declan? Is that why you
won’t attack him first or join forces with Roger? Do you not want to win because
to win you’d have to kill Declan?”

Studying Gigi, Anton wondered what she was like
before being dumped in the Circle? Was she brilliant or psychic or powerful?
She was definitely something, but he still couldn’t put his finger on just what
was so special about her.

“No, I don’t want to kill Declan.”

“But he’ll kill you.”

“Yes, he probably will.”

Gigi stepped away from him and leaned against the
desk with the box on it. The kittens noticed her and quieted down again.

“I don’t want you to die,” she said again.

Anton cocked an eyebrow. “But you’re okay with
Declan dying?”

“No, but he’s making the choice to force everyone
to fight. He could just be happy with what he has. He told me he has the best
territory in the Circle, so why does he need more?”

“He told you that, huh?” Anton said with a grin.
“When did he say that?”

“When I was at his gym. I work out there so I can
kick ass like Ella.”

Anton’s grin grew. “Ella’s a bad influence.”

“I like her freckles.”

“Me too.”

Gigi shared his smile. “I will let you have a
kitten, if you want. It could be our secret. You could hide it, so no one
knows.”

“They’d know. Also I’m not at home much and the
kitten would get lonely.”

Gigi’s smile faded. “I don’t want anyone to be
lonely.”

“Me either.”

“I’m glad I’m not a Were, so I can have pets. I
wish you could have them too.”

“It’s fine. Everyone has some problem. As
problems go, not having a pet isn’t such a bad one.”

Sensing his guys returning, Anton stood and moved
towards the box.

“But you can’t have a family either,” Gigi said,
watching him with those haunting eyes.

Setting the kitten into the box, Anton studied
Gigi who was only a few inches from him. Her gaze was so direct he felt weak
under it, hypnotized almost.

“I’m glad I saw you today, Gigi. I know I said we
should avoid each other, but that was because I was feeling stupid and selfish.
You don’t have to hide from me anymore. I promise to behave myself.”

Gigi smiled and his lips were quickly on hers.
Even though he was already breaking his word about behaving, she didn’t
protest, instead leaning closer. The kiss ended soon after it began because
they had visitors.

Anton stepped back and cracked his neck to get
his brain back in control. Watching him, Gigi licked her lips and sighed
wistfully. While he might have convinced himself he couldn’t have Gigi, Anton
knew right then she would go with him back to his apartment. Not because she
was too dumb or naive to know better. She wanted him and those eyes of hers
were watching him with a need he melted under.

Anton told one of the guys to help take Gigi’s
kittens to her apartment. When Gigi thanked him, the hunger in her eyes remained
strong enough to give him the chills.

Those chills clung to him for hours after she left
and he decided to stay in for the night. Anton only wanted Gigi and pretending
otherwise was pointless.

Gigi was happy her window was fixed especially now
that she had the kittens. Walking into the second bedroom which held a computer
she never used and an extra bed she didn’t need, she stared at all the cat
paraphernalia.

Climbing toys and kitty cubbies and litter boxes –
everything her eight cats would need. Yet they followed her around like she was
the best toy in the world. Even when they settled down to eat from their eight
bowls lined up in the kitchen, their eyes watched her.

Having chosen to name them after the planets, except
for Pluto since it was a dog’s name and maybe not even a planet, Gigi felt like
she had things in order for her new little family. If she ever found Sara, the
kittens would have to move out of the second bedroom, but Gigi wasn’t going to
worry about any of that yet.

“I have to go to work,” she told them.

The kittens stared at her and meowed. She didn’t
know what their meows meant, but they seemed anxious. The kittens understood
her, but she didn’t understand them. She did understand how they didn’t want
her to leave.

“I will be back later. You should eat your food
then go play with your toys.”

The kittens looked towards the bedroom filled
with their toys then back at Gigi. Just in case they missed her, she left Nina
Simone playing on repeat. Listening to Nina as a child relaxed her, so she
hoped it relaxed the kittens.

Admiring the kittens, Gigi thought they were so
pretty – orange and white stripped, gray and white stripped, brown and gray
stripped. Her favorite Earth was orange, black, brown, and gray wrapped into
one little ball of fur. The kittens were a pretty mix of colors with blue and
gray eyes. The gray eyed ones made Gigi think of Finn.

With the kittens staring at her as she closed her
front door, she immediately worried they would tear up her apartment. Opening the
door, Gigi wagged a finger at them.

“Don’t mess up the apartment. Just play with your
toys like good kitties.”

The kittens glanced at one another as if in
disbelief that Gigi would accuse them of impending destruction. Closing the
door, Gigi headed to work.

Ever since her date with Simon, Gigi found
herself growing lonelier. Finn had given up on them ever being together. Anton
was very Anton-like, running hot and cold. Simon had talked about making Gigi
his bride and spending a hundred years with her. She enjoyed his company and
thought he was very handsome and really liked the sex things he did to her on
their date. Yet Gigi hadn’t seen him since the date and worried he might have
lost interest. The other males always found reasons to tell her no and maybe
Simon would too.

Gigi arrived on the Vamp floor and noticed Simon studying
paperwork at his booth. Unsure what to do, Gigi started to head to another Vamp’s
table when Simon glanced up and gestured for her to join him. Without a single
thought, Gigi immediately went to him.

“Lovely Gigi, I hope you weren’t planning on
ignoring me this evening.”

“You look sexy in blue,” Gigi said like she had
no control over what emerged from her mouth.

Simon flinched, seeming startled, before smiling
a lazy grin. “Someone is flirting.”

“What you did to me in my apartment felt really
good,” Gigi said, slipping into the booth.

“Of course it did. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”

Gigi frowned at his response, causing Simon to
throw his head back and laugh. He took her hand from the tabletop and pressed
it against his lips - at first kissing it before sucking the flesh softly. Gigi
squirmed in her seat, instantly overheated like she was in her apartment.
Simon’s too green eyes found her and he grinned.

“I plan to do much more to you when we are alone
and away from prying doggie eyes.”

“Can we go right now?” Gigi asked, shifting
closer.

“There is a place in the building for trysts, but
I would rather wait until I can have you all to myself for an extended period
of time.”

Gigi said nothing, just stared at Simon, wanting
him even though she knew she shouldn’t. She tried to remember what Sara told
her and how being bitten meant losing her humanity, but Gigi wasn’t really
human anyway. Being bitten also meant she could be with Simon, instead of being
alone.

Simon’s gaze held hers, entrancing her in a way
which felt like a hot shower easing away a long day of aches and pains. Gigi
was ready to tell him how she wanted for them to go to his home where he could
do anything he wanted to her. Yet suddenly his gaze left hers.

“You shouldn’t be here, Lawrence,” Simon said
quietly, leaning back into the booth and sipping his drink.

Simon’s gaze never fell on the Vamp, but Gigi’s
did. She noticed a tall, dark haired, and vaguely handsome male as he stood
very stiffly. The Vamps in the club usually had too much swagger, but Lawrence was without any.

“I have come to ask you to reconsider.”

“I’d prefer not to.”

Lawrence’s eyes fell on Gigi and his gaze tried
to hold hers, maybe hoping to enthrall her, but she turned towards Simon.

“Should I go?”

“No, Lawrence is leaving.”

Lawrence shifted backwards a step. “It is not
fair for you to betray your own kind for the lives of a few children.”

Simon showed no reaction to Lawrence, looking rather
bored. Gigi wished Lawrence would leave so she could tell Simon she wanted to
be changed.  The Vamp continued standing awkwardly next to the booth.

“I could give you a gift in exchange for mercy,” Lawrence suggested.

Simon sighed. “You have nothing I want.”

Gigi was no longer looking at Lawrence. Instead
her eyes were on Simon who must have known she was watching him because he
reached for her hand. Before he touched her, Gigi was yanked from the booth.

The Vamp floor came to a halt. While the music
still played, no one moved. Simon was suddenly on his feet, seeming casual as
he stared at Lawrence.

“Let her go.”

Gigi’s boots barely skimmed the ground as Lawrence used her body as a shield. His arm was wrapped around her neck and his nails were
digging at her throat.

“You want her,” Lawrence said, lowering his gaze
to avoid being enthralled. “Once I change her, you’ll have to allow me to live
or else she’ll die too. A young Vamp will perish without her sire. You wouldn’t
want that.”

“If you change her, I will allow you to live only
to ensure you soon beg for death. Are you willing to live a very long painful
life or shall you embrace the quick death I offer you now?”

“If you torture me, I’ll make her suffer. I know
how to torment my slaves. You taught me how.”

Gigi looked to Simon, uncertain as she tried to
breathe with the pressure on her throat. She was afraid, but then Simon’s eyes
found hers and the warm sensation of safety flooded her senses.

“Give me the girl,” Simon said and Gigi felt
someone approaching her from the side.

“Back off,” Lawrence growled, “or I’ll tear the
bitch apart.”