Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(5)

I knew arguing with him would be a waste of time, so I didn't bother. "Thank you. I have a meeting with the pack tonight and I would feel a lot better if I had the protection of the weapons. There are still a few who haven't warmed up to me yet. I think Chris was mated to one of the other pack members. All I've heard is that they are keeping her away from me for a while."

Worry flashed though his eyes. "I'm going with you."

I laughed, as if he, the High Vampire of the city, suggesting he accompany me into the den of the city's werewolves was an absurd idea. "You can't—"

He snorted. "Yeah, like you telling me I can't is actually going to stop me. We've already been through this once before."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him. "And you still haven't asked forgiveness, like you told me you were going to."

He looked at the timepiece on his wrist and sighed. "What time is the meeting? I doubt I have time."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry takes exactly two seconds, Phoenix, three if you say it slowly."

He grinned mischievously. "I'm going to need more than two seconds to show you how sorry I am, Mena."

My wolf laid her ears back and bared her teeth, and then the heat was back in my face as I realized what he was implying. I suppose that answered the question of whether she liked the handsome vampire or not, but that was a discussion the three of us would have to have at a later time; I had to get ready before Daryn arrived.

"If I asked you not to come, what would you say?"

"That you're going to be mad at me."

"Phoenix, please," I pleaded. "I think they need a little more time to get used to me before they are introduced to you and your clan. Let them get used to the idea of you before you show up in their home uninvited. They will feel threatened and I vowed to protect them. Don't make me your enemy," I finished in a whisper.

Chuffing loudly, he turned to look at the pictures again. "How many men have shown interest in becoming your second in command?"

I waited for him to look at me and, when he didn't, my eyes narrowed. What was he really asking? "I think there are eight, but I was told I had until the next full moon to make a choice—"

His head whipped around on his shoulders so fast I thought he was trying to imitate Linda Blair in The Exorcist. "Eight!" Phoenix shouted, and his hands came up to rub his face in obvious frustration.

I blinked in confusion. What the hell didn't I know? "There may be less, but it's possible there are more. I honestly don't know, Phoenix. I haven't had a chance to sit down and have tea with the pack of werewolves to discuss anything about them, their history or even how long I am expected to live, now that I'm a wolf. Why is it so important to you?"


The burst of laughter that escaped his mouth stunned me even further than his irritation about how many men—Men! That was it! He was jealous!

I almost laughed myself as I watched him bray, his hand clutched at his side as if he had a stitch in it from laughing so hard.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep from smiling. He was so damn cute when he laughed. "Honestly, what is so funny?"

He stood upright, red-faced and out of breath from the heavy laughter, and walked toward me, his features calming as he came. "You are, Mena." He stopped directly in front of me, and his right hand came up to caress my neck with the tips of his fingers, sending shivers throughout my body. "You never stop surprising me."

Those amused eyes of his bore down into mine and I melted. I had been waiting three days to be this close to him again. My wolf snarled, but I ignored her.

He leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over mine, lingering until a soft moan escaped through my parted lips and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"Mena, are you ready to—"

I pushed away from Phoenix at the sound of Daryn's voice, and I turned swiftly to see him standing in my open doorway with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

"—go?" he finished.





Chapter 3



Phoenix





Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest and studied the young werewolf—Daryn, he thought Mena had called him. The poor guy appeared to be nervous, and that only made Phoenix want to intimidate him even more than his presence in the room was already doing. He hoped the guy wasn't in the running to be Mena's second; there was no room at the top for the weak. Then again, Phoenix didn't want her to choose a big, attractive, head-strong male, either, so maybe he should encourage her to pick this little twerp. Well, he isn't exactly little, Phoenix thought as he sized him up, but he is young—young as a human and young as a wolf.

Phoenix cleared his throat, but Daryn's focus was at the top of the stairs, anxiously waiting for Mena to appear. "How long is this meeting going to last?"

Daryn shifted his weight from one foot to the other, but didn't answer or even acknowledge that Phoenix was in the room with him. After nearly a half an hour alone together, he was surprised and entertained that the wolf cub hadn't bolted from the room already.

The edge of Phoenix's mouth twitched in amusement. "How long have you been a member of Montgomery's pack?" Phoenix said, and took a deliberate step toward Daryn, letting his hands fall lax by his sides.