Impulse: By Moon or By Blood, #2

By A. M. Ellis

War looms... 

Betrayed by the lycan who promised her shelter, Kira is at the mercy of Kata, who is bent on revenge. To save her father, she must develop her powers, which means she'll be at the mercy of Kata's impulses.

Jace is short on time to save Kira before war between the lycan clans. While on the hunt for Kata, he discovers secrets about his family. He has a choice to make: embrace his lycan heritage or remain a human. Only one will give him the power to save Kira.

This story is part of a series and ends in a satisfying cliffhanger. 

 

By Moon or By Blood Series

Imprint 
Impulse 
Invade 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. M. Ellis
• Release date: Jan 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524297473

Book preview

1

KIDNAPPED

What was that pounding?

Kira Warner touched the tender spot on her forehead—a lump she’d received from a lycanthrope who had slammed her into an alley wall just a few days ago.

Or was it?

How long had she been unconscious? The pain moved from the front of her head to the back. Had she been hit again? Ugh, I wish I had healing powers. Being a seer is lame if I can’t see things like this coming!

She blinked a few times, the luminosity of the sun searing her sensitive eyes. Her vision adjusted to the intensity of the retracting beams of light, and she sucked in a breath at her surroundings. Where am I?

It wasn’t the sun that glowed, but the light of a vision. Another one. Grunts and gnashing teeth were loud in her ear. Intense howls she assumed belonged to lycans. The air was heavy with the stench of wet fur, rot, and other pungent smells she’d remember for the rest of her life.

The walls were a thick grey brick, much like a tunnel of some sort. Was she underground? The Bana clan used a series of tunnels beneath the city to move undetected to their many safe houses.

A few feet in front of her, she recognized Jace Bana’s uncle, Roman, in lycan form, standing tall with raised arms and bloody teeth over—

Jace!

Fully shifted, he lay still at his uncle’s feet. Blood flowed from wounds that were all over him. If dogs could laugh, then Roman was hysterical. His chest rapidly rose and fell with heavy breathing and his grunts were akin to laughter from deep within.

He wasn’t helping his wounded nephew. He was relishing in his demise. When had they fought? Was Jace dead? If she tried to reach him, would Roman attack her?

The elder Bana hadn’t noticed she was so near. Could he not smell her? Jace claimed her scent was intoxicating. Roman’s long snout moved from side to side in the air just over Jace’s body. The only scent he concerned himself with was that of his nephew’s blood. His clawed hands lowered toward Jace.

He’s going to tear him apart!

He was going to be the father of her children. It couldn’t end this way. 

Jace wouldn’t want her to make her presence known. His chief aim was her safety. Subject to the power of imprinting, there wasn’t a thing he obsessed over more than her protection. Couldn't she do the same for him? She fisted her hand against the concrete wall It wasn’t fair that she remained safe in the shadows. Kira impulsively stretched out her hand. Jace!

She blinked and was back in the car, hand stretched out in front of her. Her head still throbbed, but she resisted touching the knot again. She didn’t want to be sucked back into a vision where Jace was lying dead at Roman’s feet.

Could the future change? Were her visions nothing more than shimmers in a mirage?

Who are you reaching for? Jace? He ain’t here, girl. It’s just us. Remember?

Kira moved her gaze from the man beside her to the large, snarling figure in the front passenger seat. Yes, she did remember him. He had put his hand on her in the alley before Jace had fought him off and rescued her. He was the reason her head was aching—or was it the vision?

I remember, she whispered. She fingered the lump and wished for the soothing heat Jace’s fingers could provide. In such a short time she had come to enjoy the gentle, invigorating sensations of their contact. I know he’s coming after me.

The man laughed. Of course you do. Your boyfriend interrupted us. You can blame him for that knot on your head.

I won’t.

If he hadn’t tried to be all chivalrous, we would’ve been more gentle.

I doubt it. Where am I? Where are you taking me?

You're a curious one.

"You kidnapped me. I want to know what’s going on."

He shook his head. Um, not exactly, sweetheart. We didn’t kidnap you at all. You were offered to our clan fair and square.

Offered? The idea took her aback.

A Bana stronghold was supposed to be a safe haven for her. It was the only reason why Jace relented and took her there. His and Kip’s condo had been trashed, she assumed, by the same lycans in this very car. There wasn’t any other place in the city she could hide and be better protected than with the Bana Clan.

Mmm-hmm. Roman Bana himself authorized your transfer from his clan to ours.

Roman! The last thing she remembered was her growling stomach and being guided to the kitchen by a young man she didn’t recognize. He was tall and lanky, but spoke with an air of confidence and assurance. The trip to the kitchen was a long one, and now she remembered she’d never made it there.

That’s what I get for trusting a lycan! He can’t do that!

A feigned look of shock registered on his face. Oh, no? You were under his protection and he removed it. As the Alpha, he can do whatever he wants.

Kira fell silent. If she hadn’t met Jace and Kip, she’d believe all lycans were just mangy beasts bent on causing her and her father harm. She lowered her gaze from the darkly tinted windows to the rough, straw-like carpet underneath her feet. Her left foot was bare. She only had on one shoe. Had it been lost in her struggle to free herself from her kidnappers?

She closed her eyes and the scene replayed in her mind. Her guide wasn’t a trustworthy man. Loger! That was his name. He’d led her to a group of shifters who had proceeded to haul her out of the compound to a waiting car. She’d kicked and clawed against the strength of the men, but only managed to tire herself when her efforts failed. Then something hard hit her head and the world went dark.

Now you’re under Kata’s protection.

Kata! Her head snapped up. Like my father? she hissed.

Dr. Malcolm Warner has been very well treated. Besides, it was you we wanted.

"So you kidnapped my father to get to me?"

A shadow descended over his eyes. "That’s not how it happened at all. We told him we needed you. All he had to do was agree to let us meet with you and all of this could’ve been avoided."

You told him?

That’s right. And he refused. This could’ve all been avoided had he been more cooperative. The man paused, his gaze slanting upward as if in thought. Actually, we wanted your mother, but when we couldn’t find her, you were the next obvious choice.

Frank! the driver called out in a disapproving tone.

Frank. Her attacker’s name was Frank. A nice, common name for a filthy lycan. Frank’s lips slammed together and he twisted back around in his seat.

When we couldn’t find your mother…

Her mother? Her mother was dead! Didn’t they know that? Did you try the cemetery? Kira sneered.

What? Frank looked over his shoulder.

For my mother. Did you try looking for her in the cemetery? She’s been dead for years. Or didn’t you know that?

Kira suppressed the painful memory of screams waking her from her sleep. Darkness had made it difficult to see, but her mother’s cries were deafening. An animal had stalked into their camp near the dig site, clawed its way into the tent she shared with her parents, and that was all she could remember.

A torn tent, her mother’s screams, and nothing else.

Kira remembered crawling out of the hole left by the animal. Pieces of shredded tent material were all over the ground. No blood. She had yelled for her mother but her cries had returned empty. How could they have disappeared into the forest so quickly? Why wasn’t her mother screaming for help? Her father had rushed forward from somewhere else, a look of anguish in his eyes, and the sound of defeat as he called out her mother’s name.

It was a night her father never spoke of and one Kira could only return to in the deepest of dreams.

A slow grin spread Frank’s thin cheeks. Did your daddy tell you that lie?

Kira’s mouth hung open. Her body went cold. Her mother was alive?

2

SECRETS AND LIES

Y ou don’t need my daughter, Malcolm Warner insisted. He continued to rub the thick rope against his raw wrists, the blood from his ragged flesh easing the tightness of his bonds. If he could just get one arm free, he could escape.

On the contrary, Doctor, I do, Kata responded from his seat across the dimly-lit room.

Malcolm shifted his weight to one side as his opposite leg and buttocks were numb again. The dirt from beneath him formed a small dust cloud with every movement. He sucked in a breath as the gritty dirt scratched his throat and stung his eyes.

How long had he been down here?

The room was nothing more than what appeared to be a square with a pole in the center. Kata visited him daily to remark about the success of his clan and to casually inquire about Malcolm’s well-being. Malcolm was half-starved and shivering with a growing fever.

He’d known many lycans in his life as a historian for their breed. Most were pleasant beings, balancing the precarious choice of blending into society and remaining true to their animalistic nature and ancient pack traditions.

Few were cruel like Kata.

With a jagged-edged knife, Kata cut into his steak. The blood ran down the piece of meat and dripped from Kata’s lips as he put the thick chunk into his mouth. You see, this is all out of my control. But it was the only one I could make, Kata claimed in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Kidnapping a well-known lycan historian?