Broken Melody (Luna's Children) Read online

  Reaching her porch, she stopped spying 4 feet resting on the step. Looking up, she groaned inwardly when she saw their owners sitting on the top step, one with deep black hair and the other with flaming red.

  “There you are!”

  “Afternoon Carson,” she mumbled. If this was Cayson's sister, then the red topped blob sitting next to her had to be Rachel, her best friend. Great. She just wanted to go to bed and sleep, forgetting everything for a while. Exhaling a long weary sigh she put a smile on her face. “What's up?”

  Carson stood up and dusted her hands on her thighs, then walked down the steps until she stood right in front of Zandria. “Rach and I decided that it was time to get you out of the village for a while. We're taking you shopping.”

  Fear seized her heart. “I.. I can't go,” she mumbled and took a step back. “I have to be up at five to go bake bread.” It was the truth, she did have to get up early, but the thought of leaving the security of their tiny village made her palms sweat and her head pound.

  “Not a problem. We'll have you home in plenty of time to get a good night's sleep. Come on, I need a fresh prospective. Rach has insisted the baby is going to be a girl and won't let me buy anything that isn't pink. I need your help please.” Carson put a hand on Zandria's arm, who pulled it back like she had been burned.

  “I'm really tired, Carson, maybe some other time.” Zandria rubbed her arm as she frantically searched for a good excuse. “I was up most of the night.”

  Carson nodded. “Yes, I know. Cay told me.”

  With a heavy sigh, Zandria shouldered past the two women and opened the door to her house. “Not today, thanks for asking.” She threw over her shoulder and walked in, slapping at the door to close it.

  “I'm not taking no as an answer.” She whirled around and saw Carson standing in the doorway, her foot between the door and the jamb.

  “Why don't you just go away? I told you I didn't want to go.”

  “You may as well give in, honey.” Rachel chimed in from behind Carson. “Car is stubborn and she won’t let it go. It's easier to just surrender to the dark side because she's not gonna back down. Trust me, I've had years of experience.”

  Zandria chewed her inner cheek a moment then huffed heavily realizing this was a lost cause. “Well alright,” she mumbled then added, “but I don't see what good it will do. I can't really see anything but colors and shapes so my opinion is basically worthless. Shopping isn't exactly my thing.”

  Carson clapped her hands together. “Not a problem. You can see colors and that's my main worry. Besides, we are going to be sisters one day and I'd love to get to know you a bit better.”

  “We're not...”

  Carson chuckled. “Of course we will. Remember I have a way of knowing these things.” She grinned at her, then reaching in she grabbed her hand and pulled her out. “Come on let's go.”

  With Zandria sandwiched between the two women, they walked across the commons and into the forest. Carson and Rachel talked incisively about baby themes. Zandria kept her head down and wondered what had come over her at agreeing to this. Almost tripping over a fallen branch, she stumbled but both women instinctually grabbed her, steadying her. "Careful, girlfriend, you could twist an ankle if you don't watch out," Rachel said.

  "I'm fine," she mumbled and brushed them off, her face flaming brightly. Little upset her more than to be incisively reminded how helplessly human she was. "I've changed my mind," she whispered and turned to return to the commons.

  "Oh, no you don't!" Both of them chimed in together and stopped her. Spinning her around they locked their arms with hers and practically carried her along with them. They continued through the trees until they came to a clearing containing a rustic cabin. It was lovely, made of rough peeled logs and roofed in pale gray slate. Twin windows peeked out from the front under a long wrap-around porch. On one side, an addition was being built that would almost double the size of the living space. The clearing it was tucked into was sunny and bright, the landscape dotted with bunches of multicolored flowers and a cobblestone walkway snaking around the side to where a large black pickup truck waited. Zandria had been told that it was once an old dilapidated building, long forgotten and abandoned by its previous owners, but there was no evidence of it now. Chase had turned it into a warm and welcoming home.

  “Hey Doc!” Rachel raised a hand and waved at the person standing on the top step of the porch. “Mission accomplished!”

  Zandria hesitated. “What mission?” she asked sharply.

  “To get you out of here before your feet take roots and you grow bark and leaves,” laughed Rachel. She looped her arm with Zandria's and pulled her forward.

  Chase walked down the steps and tugged his mate into his arms. “Good job ladies,” he chuckled then nuzzled against Carson's head, breathing in her scent. Carson sighed happily and wound her arms around his waist as their lips met in a passionate kiss. After several somewhat awkward moments, Rachel cleared her throat, “Now that you're sure her tongue and tonsils haven't disappeared, how about let's get on the road?”

  Chase sputtered, raising from her lips and smirked. “Can you blame me? I mean, look at this lovely woman, and she's mine.” He kissed her forehead, “All mine.”

  Rachel rolled her eyes. “Thank goodness you're coming with us, Zandria. I don't think I could take a full day alone with those two pawing over each other. Disgusting, I say!” She shivered in emphasis.

  Carson's cheeks had blazed into a bright red for a moment. “Just you wait, Rach. One day we'll be watching you check some wolf's tonsils and then you'll understand.”

  “Nope, it'll never happen, I'm a confirmed single lady. There's way too many males out there that deserve a moment with all this,” she waved her hand towards herself, “to settle on just one.”

  Zandria choked on a small laugh. She loved the way they bantered back and forth, so easy in each other's company. She relaxed marginally. Maybe a day out would be just what she needed.

  Chase shook his head sadly. Placing one hand protectively on Carson's belly, he rubbed it tenderly. “Promise you won't pick up any of your Auntie Rachel's bad habits. Or your mother's either for that matter.,” he mumbled towards the fetus tucked safely in his mate's body. With a wink at Zandria, he said, “I'm so outnumbered.”

  Carson pushed his hand away. “You think you're outnumbered now?” She teased him gently. “It's a good thing I need your credit card and your muscles. I foresee a long afternoon of spending ahead of us.”

  He feigned a groan, staggering slightly. “My poor wallet,” then winked and pointed towards a large black truck parked beside the house. “Your carriage awaits ladies. Shall we?”

  Zandria stopped again. “I… I didn't know he was coming with us,” she whispered to Rachel.

  “He’s just the designated chauffeur, honey. I promise he won't interfere while we get our shopping itch scratched.” Rachel grinned at her and tugged her towards the truck.

  Zandria groaned softly. She hated being noticed, much less being a bother. Tugging her tee down over her plump hips she chewed on her inner cheek a moment, indecision making her fidget. She really didn't want to leave the safety of their village and the mere thought of her last 'shopping trip' almost made her stop breathing. She knew she would have to get over these anxieties, so why not start now. Finally, she steeled herself and walked the rest of the way to the truck.

  Chase opened the door for them and pulled the seat forward. Rachel and Zandria climbed into the back seats and settled in, buckling themselves securely. After helping Carson to her seat, he kissed her, closed the door and went to the driver’s side. Climbing in, he buckled up and then cranked the truck, put it in gear and pulled into the faint driveway towards the highway.

  The lands that made up Sapphire Lake were situated in the midst of an old forest in the interior of Virginia. The nearest settlement was a small town called Rocky Bluff, populated almost entirely by humans. Zandria had never been there so was not sure
what to expect as the buildings became somewhat thicker thirty minutes later. There were small boutiques lining the narrow street and the cobbled sidewalks were stuffed with shoppers. Zandria watched out the window, as the shapes and colors flew by until the shops thinned again.

  “Aren't we stopping?” she asked above the song that was playing through the speakers.

  Chase turned the radio down and looked at her through the mirror. “Oh, I thought they told you. Carson has managed to empty every shop in town so we're going to Roanoke today. It'll take about another hour to get there.”

  “Oh,” she whispered and settled back. She came close to asking him to turn around, but they were already well away from the village. Twisting her fingers in her lap she mumbled, “I can do this” to herself and settled in for the ride. The radio inched back up in volume and Rachel resumed talking with her best friend. Zandria stared out the window, ignoring their attempts to pull her into their conversations. Between the hushed murmur of the radio and the gentle sway of the truck, her eyes closed and her tired body gave in to its need to sleep.

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  “Cay? Hey, wake up! Son!”

  Cayson blinked his eyes and looked up. “Sorry Father, what did you say?” He asked sheepishly.

  Jeff dropped his hammer on top of the roof they were repairing. Climbing down off the ladder, he grabbed a bottle of water from the little red cooler on the porch and sat with his back against one of the posts. Quickly he cracked the top open. Taking a long drink, he sighed happily and wiped his brow with the cold condensation. “Grab a bottle and come sit.”

  “What about the roof?” Cay asked hesitantly.

  His father laughed. “Oh, now you remember it? I was standing there for five minutes trying to get you to hand me up more shingles.” He chuckled. “No matter now, it'll wait. Come sit down for a bit.” He pointed to the floor beside him.

  Cay nodded and grabbed his own bottle, opened it and gulping the icy water before tossing the empty in the trash. Hopping up on the porch, he slid down and sat next to his father, long beefy legs pulled up and arms propped on top. Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back against the wall and let out a long breath.

  His father watched him for a few moments. “Zandria?”

  Cay nodded. “How did you know?”

  Jeff chuckled. “It's not hard to figure out, son. When she’s around, your eyes don't leave her and when she's not, you mope like you've lost your last friend.”

  Cayson closed his eyes and slowly hit the wall with the back of his head. The bumps were soft, more in frustration than in anger. “She makes me crazy. She admitted she knew we were mates that day she told us where Carson was, but since then she has denied it. The marks are there, the feelings are there. But she won't let me be with her, she barely will talk to me. Every night she has nightmares and it scares her so bad I feel it all the way across the commons, waking up from a dead sleep. But, she won't tell me what they are about. I have tried so hard but I don't know what else to do, and I won't even start on how it's affecting my wolf. Poor thing is going insane with want; it's all I can do to keep a leash on him.” He sighed heavily. “Maybe I'm just having another one-sided crush, like Amanda.”

  Jeff picked a bent roofing nail up off the porch and studied it, turning it over and over in his blunt fingers. “Do you really think that, Cay?” he asked quietly.

  The thumping stopped as he opened his eyes. “I … I don't know. I mean it's not like Amanda was. I thought she was my mate but now, I don't know why I ever believed it. She's nothing like Zan.” Cayson’s eyes glazed over and a wistful smile graced his handsome face. “Zan is so beautiful, big pale blue eyes, cute little button nose, full lips, all that blonde hair that I just want to run my fingers through.” He sighed, “And she has all those gorgeous soft curves in all the right places. Every time she says something it takes my breath. Every time she looks at me, I want to strut like a peacock.”

  His father nodded. “And did you feel that way about Amanda?”

  Cayson looked at him, shaking his head slowly. “No. I mean I wanted to spend time with her and she was pretty and everything but nothing like Zan.”

  Jeff poked his son's arm with his finger. “There's your answer then. Of course, you have the mating marks as well. She can deny it all she wants, but she knows she's your mate. I think that girl has a lot of baggage and maybe, in her own mind, she's saving you from being exposed to it. I don't know what has happened to her in the past, but it is obviously something significant enough to leave some pretty deep emotional scars. Best thing you can do is just keep letting her know you care, try to support her and when she's ready, she'll let you in, just don't go all 'Amanda Stalker' on her.”

  Cay cringed. For three years he thought he had been in love with Amanda Thistle, a girl from Sapphire Lake. They had been childhood sweethearts, but on the night of his sixteenth birthday, he had received his gift of empathy. She had been caught up in the backlash of emotions, putting her into a coma for several days. The experience had so traumatized her; she refused to have anything to do with Cayson. He had sworn to never give up and spent every moment he could trying to convince her. That was all before Zandria had arrived, bloody and almost dead, in a clearing on pack lands. He, had actually helped save her life, keeping her stable and drawing off the excruciating pain through his gift until she could be healed. It seemed a lifetime ago rather than less than a year. When he closed his eyes, he could still see her blood soaked body sprawled on the ground, covered in deep cuts. To this day, she still carried the pale white scars, but he thought she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

  “Father, what do you think happened to her? We all thought she had been attacked by Micah, but she denied it. I think even then, when she was laying there on the ground dying, that I just knew she was something special.” Cay let his legs go flat and tipped his head back against the wall again. “I just didn't know how special. A fatavoce? I didn't even know there was such a thing.”

  Jeff used the bent nail to gently follow the grain of the wood, mentally adding sealing the porch to his insanely long list of things to do. He sighed. They really needed a full time carpenter or a handyman in the pack. Maybe he could petition the council to find a wolf that wanted a new home. It was rare, but sometimes it did happen. Returning his attention to his son, he spoke. “Neither did I and I don't think many had heard of it. Councilor Gretchen said it was thought to be a myth, but we have all seen and heard what she can do with that voice of hers.”

  Cayson chuckled softly. “Tell me about it. You've not heard her sing to get you to leave. She did that to me one time and it made my teeth ache and my brain hurt.” The smile vanished from his face as he sobered and turned to look at his father. “What if she never accepts me? Every time she denies us or rejects me, I feel like she's reaching in my chest and tearing my heart out. My poor wolf doesn't understand why and just curls up in a ball inside me.”

  Jeff stood up and reached a hand down to his son. Cayson took it and pulled himself to his feet, stretching, making his joints pop. “Just have patience. She is a wolf no matter how bitterly she denies it, and a wolf cannot stand to be without their mate once found. Even without an inner beast, she has the genetics and instincts. Give her time and she'll come around. Eventually.”

  Jeff hopped off the porch. Picking up a bundle of shingles he threw them casually onto his broad shoulder and started to climb the ladder. Cay picked up a bundle as well and followed him, wondering if his mate would ever come around and if so, would it be too late to save his sanity.

  THREE

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  Zandria hated to admit it but the afternoon was a lot of fun.

  Shortly after arriving in Roanoke, they had found a decent parking place in the downtown shopping area. Carson kissed her mate gently before he excused himself, saying he wanted to go visit an old friend from medical school that had an o
ffice nearby. He would meet up with them afterward. Two hours later, they were sitting at a tiny bistro sipping lattes and talking about the Mi Bebe store they had just left.

  “I still think you should have gotten the pink crib set.” Rachel pouted between sips of her cappuccino. “The little teddy bears are so much cuter than that pale green ones you got with the rocking horses on it.”

  “I told you, pink is out until we know the baby's sex.” Carson poked her best friend in the arm. “And that means when he or she is born. You know we want it to be a surprise.”

  “Not sure you know, Car, but it's not going to be much of a surprise. People are going to know that you and Dr. Scrumptious have been doing more than shopping. They do understand what causes pregnancy you know.”

  Carson laughed. “I was talking about the sex.”

  “So was I. As soon as I'm proved right, we're going to come back and exchange every bit of that yellow and green stuff for pink.” Rachel crossed her arms over her chest grumpily.

  “And if it's a boy?” Carson arched an eyebrow at her.

  “Sorry, Chica, she's a girl, despite Chase 'putting his so-called order in'. If it's a boy, we're taking it back because they messed up in the nursery. That or I can just dress him in pink, your choice.”

  Zandria couldn't help but giggle softly at their joking. Taking a sip of the expensive coffee, she sighed softly. It was heavenly and she knew it would be difficult to go back to the plain stuff they served in the village. “Maybe one of each?” she offered helpfully.

  “Bite your tongue!” Carson shook her head in horror then glanced at her watch. “Oh crap! Speaking of Chase, it's already six and we're late.” She jumped up and grabbed the bags sitting on the table. “Come on ladies, one more stop and we're done for the day.” She winked at Rachel who grinned back at her.

  Zandria missed the exchange – she was too absorbed in downing the last of her drink, not wanting to waste even one drop of the delicious brew. Rachel grabbed her hand and tugged her out of the courtyard as they hurried into the building next door.