Dark Guardian - Moonlight Part 23

"I so swear."

I wasn't sure how I knew those were the words I needed to say, but the old man's eyes lit up and Lucas squeezed my hand.

"Then you are welcomed into the ranks of the Dark Guardians," he said somberly.

I heard applause as Lucas rose and pulled me to my feet. Then, one by one, the remaining elders introduced themselves. Afterward, each Dark Guardian approached and Lucas handled the introductions. Rafe was there, of course, and Connor. There were six others whom I didn't know: four guys and two girls. When Lindsey and Brittany finished their apprenticeship, there would be twelve Dark Guardians. I supposed in time that I'd get to know the others better.

When everyone had been introduced, we took our places at the table, as did the elders.

Lucas's grandfather, Elder Wilde, then spoke to the group. "It is with great sadness that we must report that Devlin did a lot of damage with his mischief. These scientists will not give up easily. We must prepare for what is to come."

Lucas stood. "Much of the danger we now face is my fault because I hesitated to kill my brother when I had the opportunity-when I should have. I know there is some doubt about my ability to be an effective leader. If anyone wishes to challenge my right to lead, I am ready to face that challenge."

"What? No!" I came to my feet so fast that I nearly knocked over the chair. "If anyone challenges you, they'll have to get through me first."

"Kayla-"

"It wouldn't be fair. Not until your wound is completely healed. And I don't see how it's your fault that Devlin went bad."

Several throats were cleared, and I realized that I'd probably broken some protocol.

"She has a point," Elder Wilde said. "But I don't think you'll find anyone willing to challenge you."

The elder was right. No one challenged him. Which was a good thing, because I'd been serious about kicking b.u.t.t if someone did. I'd just found Lucas. I wasn't going to let anyone take him away from me.

Discussion continued for a while, but the majority wanted to take a wait-and-see approach. Maybe the scientists wouldn't return. But I thought that was just wishful thinking. After a while, we were dismissed.

Later that night, after dinner, Lucas and I sat on a love seat in a grand room with a huge fireplace. His parents sat across from us.

"You can't believe how relieved we were when your adoptive parents brought you here last summer," Mrs. Wilde said. "When you and Lindsey became such good friends, we knew she'd be able to convince you to return this summer."

"Why didn't everyone just tell me everything last summer?" I asked.

"To be honest," Mr. Wilde said, "we weren't sure what to do. You were a unique case, Kayla. We'd never had one of our own raised by outsiders. There were several other people in the woods the day your parents died. They immediately called the police, and the authorities got to you before we could. We'd never had a situation like this. We were at a loss. We did what we could to find you, but records were sealed. We have only so much influence."

I hated to think what might have happened if I hadn't come back to the woods last summer. It had been scary enough going through my first transformation with some idea of what might happen. But to have gone through it knowing nothing at all?

And my poor adoptive parents . . .

"So, my adoptive parents-I just return to them at the end of the summer and act like nothing has happened?"

"Can you do that?" Mrs. Wilde asked. "Or we could talk with them, claim to be lost relatives, arrange for you to move up here."

I shook my head. "They love me. I don't want to leave them until it's time to go to college." I squeezed Lucas's hand. "It wouldn't be fair to them. I want to let them have this last year with me that they were expecting." My adoptive mom had already made all kinds of graduation plans. I was their daughter, after all.

"They'll understand me falling in love over the summer and wanting to go to the same college you do next year. Besides, you'll need my dad's seal of approval."

He grimaced.

"It won't be that bad," I a.s.sured him. "You both serve and protect, so you'll have that in common."

"Except I can't tell him that," Lucas said.

"But he'll sense it." My dad was good at judging people.

I turned my attention back to Lucas's parents. "Do you know the place where my parents died?"

Mr. Wilde nodded. "I'll give Lucas directions."

Before bed, Lucas and I took a walk around outside. Being in a house, even one as large as this one,

had me feeling on edge. I'd always liked the outdoors, but now it meant much more to me. It was where I wanted to be.

"Are you overwhelmed?" Lucas asked quietly.

"No, your parents are nice. What if Lindsey hadn't convinced me to come?"

"I would have gone to you, Kayla."

I put my arm around him and snuggled in against him. "I thought things would change when I turned seventeen. I didn't expect them to change this much." I peered up at him. "I didn't expect to get a boyfriend."

"You've got more than that." He stopped walking and turned me to face him. He put his hand over his chest. "My heart, my soul, my life . . . they're all yours."

I felt tears sting my eyes. "I love you, Lucas."

He took me in his arms and kissed me. As always, it was wonderful and warm, and so Lucas.

As we walked back to the house, he asked, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

He'd gotten the directions from his father, and we were going to go to the place where my parents had died.

"A little," I admitted. "I wish you could sleep with me tonight."

Arrangements had been made for me to share a room with Lindsey and Brittany. After all we'd been through together, it seemed odd that we wouldn't be together tonight-but we were around parents and

apparently Shifter parents weren't any different from Static parents when it came to how they felt about girls and guys sleeping together.

"The guardians are all here because of what happened with Mason and his group. They'll all be leaving

tomorrow to head back to the park entrance. We have other groups to lead. So tomorrow, you and I won't come back here. We'll sleep beneath the stars."

"Can't wait. But we'll return for the summer solstice?"

"Yeah. In a couple of weeks."

I glanced around. "What if Mason and his group find this place?"

"We'll deal with it."

We walked back to the house. I had high hopes that tomorrow would truly unlock my past.

The next morning, Lucas and I left before dawn. We shifted so we could travel more quickly. I had to admit that I enjoyed several aspects of my wolf form. My senses were heightened, and after each transformation they remained a little more sensitive when I was in human form. I was surprised by how natural it all seemed to shift from human to wolf and back again-with little more than a thought.

I lost track of time, and yet I somehow knew when we were nearing our destination. I couldn't explain it. I slowed from a racing run to a walk-and then I halted completely. I was breathing unusually heavily and I knew it was nerves. I wasn't afraid of what I would discover.

I knew all the secrets now. But everything was going to seem more intense. My parents had died here.

Lucas noticed I was no longer keeping pace with him. Still in wolf form, he returned to my side and dropped the backpack at my feet. After he casually padded out of sight behind a thicket, I shifted and changed into shorts and a tank. I tossed the backpack his way.

It was only a few minutes before he rejoined me, in human form and dressed in jeans and T-shirt.

"It's over here," he said, taking my hand.

"I know."

He gave me a surprised look. "Do you recognize the place?"

"No, not really, and yet it's familiar."

"Dad drew me a little map of the place. He said the police reports indicated everything happened over here."

I began to get chilled as we neared a place where the brush was thick. I knew that in all these years, things would have changed. Trees would have died. Others would have grown. But there was a wall of rock with thick scrub brush along its base.

Kneeling down I parted the brush to reveal a small cavern. Images bombarded me.

Hiding.

"Be quiet, Kayla."

My parents- Breathing heavily, I stood up quickly and glanced around.

"What is it?" Lucas asked.

"I remember. They brought me here. They wanted-" I dropped to the ground and buried my face in my hands. "They transformed. They were so beautiful. Then we heard the hunters yelling about seeing wolves . . . There were gunshots. So loud."

I fought to remember everything. Lucas knelt beside me and placed his hand on my knee.

"Don't force it," he said.

I shook my head. "No, I . . . Mommy pushed me inside that little cave. Then she changed to human form and got dressed. The hunters were drunk. They kept shooting where they'd seen wolves. It was chaos." I shook my head. I couldn't see it clearly. All I know is that my parents had been in human form when they died-because they were dressed. They'd each taken a bullet through the heart.

"I remember waiting, terrified and quiet." I looked at the small cave, now hidden. "I heard footsteps. It was one of the hunters. He found me and took me away. I guess I'll never have all the answers." I twisted around and faced Lucas. "I think they wanted to show me what we were so I wouldn't be afraid. But because of what happened, I was always afraid-because I didn't understand what they didn't want me to be afraid of."

"Are you still afraid?" he asked.

"No." I touched his cheek. "I have you."

"Always," he said.

That night we made camp near a series of small waterfalls.

Standing beneath the great black sky, I leaned my back against his chest. He brought his arms around me and dipped his head to nuzzle my neck. He was my mate. Forever. Or at least as long as we were both breathing. I glanced up at the moon. Already it was waning toward darkness. By the time the summer solstice arrived, it would be a tiny sliver. There were still dangers out there. I could feel them threatening. When they arrived, I'd face them with the Dark Guardians, because now I was one of them.

But for tonight, we were safe.

I turned within Lucas's arms. He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me pa.s.sionately. The taste of him, the scent of him reaffirmed that we were alive. For now, it was enough. For now, it was everything.

About the Author.

is the author of many books for teens, including carribean cruising, island girls (and boys), love on the lifts, the boyfriend league, and snowed in. She lives in Plano, Texas, with her husband and two dogs. You can visit her online at www.rachelhawthorne.net.

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