In the Light of the Moon (Dark War Chronicles) by A.L. Kessler Page B

the
back?”
    “Yeah,” to his surprise she brushed passed him and led him up to the
next raised platform.
    He pulled out his chair and sat down. The beat of the music faded away
and the floor steadied under their feet.   He watched as she sat down and took a hesitant drink. “What’s on your
mind?”
    “I don’t like this.”
    His panther shot up at the thought of an unhappy female. “What? Having
a drink with me? Have you never had a guy buy you anything?” He leaned back in
his chair.
    She shook her head. “You showing up, me working here, the attack last
night-“ She paused, paling as the words bubbled out of her mouth.
    He leaned forward, trying to conceal his panic. The panther inside him
longed to jump across the table and comfort her. “Attack? What the hell
happened? You were unharmed when I left you in the alley.”
    “There was a panther there that attacked me, it was nothing.” She shook
her head.
    Every muscle in his body tensed. His instincts ran wild as his panther
moved in him. The need to protect the woman, his mate- But she’s not my mate. “Sounds like it might have been a big deal.”
    “I’m just on edge after it. Earlier I thought I smelt another one of
us.”
    He wanted to reassure her, he wanted to make sure that she felt safe.
“Why are you so scared if there is another one of our kind around? Why would
they even attack you?”
    “I don’t want to get into that.” She sipped her drink and sighed. Her
sleeve slipped down her arm and he saw a scar that ran up the entire length.
    “Brutal scar, looks like it was done by a claw.”
    “A birthday present from my father.” She whispered, closing her eyes.
“Right before I left home.”
    His fist clenched and he tried to keep his emotions in check. Rage
flowed through him at the though of her father harming her. Of anyone harming
her. “When’s you’re birthday?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
    “Early next month. After the full moon.” She smiled slightly. “I’ll be
twenty five.”
    Twenty five. He frowned, thinking as he watched her. “So you left home,
obviously your father wasn’t happy about it, what about your mother?”
    “Dead.” Her face went blank.
    Time to back away from that subject.“I’m sorry to hear that. You said you’re on edge still, from the attack
last night?” His mind drifted back to his meeting with the panther last night;
he had mentioned that a Garret went to talk to her. He shifted as he realized
what must have happened.
    “Clubs make me uneasy, this many people make me uneasy….a lot of shit
right now makes me uneasy.”
    He held his hands up, “Okay, got it. Don’t see why you’re working
here.” Not that he cared at this point, he would now be able to see her away
from Lucius.
    She rolled her eyes. “Lucius makes the rules, I follow them. What don’t
you get about that?”
    “Why do you choose to stay with him?” He leaned forward. His eyes
searched her face to see what she truly believed.
    Her gaze dropped. “I don’t have a choice. He keeps me safe and that’s
what I need.”
    “Keeps you safe? He stripped you of all control, which allowed you to
be attacked, and he loans you out like some type of-“
    “Say it and I will smash your face in.” She hissed.
    What he wouldn’t give to know what she was thinking. “Okay fine, but
you know I’m right.”
    “He protects me. He’s an asshole, but he’s nothing compared to what I
have dealt with.” She downed the rest of her drink and he raised a brow. She
shook her head. “That scar is one of many.” She slammed her glass back down, stood
and wandered back to the bar.
    Jax leaned back in his chair, thinking on what she had said. ‘A gift
from my father.’ It didn’t make any sense, no mention of the siblings and the
math didn’t add up. He shook his head and sighed trying to figure out what he
had gotten himself into.

 
    Kass dumped dirty glasses into the sink
behind the bar. “I like my bar