Chapter 10

Luna

Banner's home was absolutely… beautiful.

Despite the moonlight cast overhead, I could see clearly. And I couldn't take my gaze off the sprawling, rolling green hills of the Highlands that seemed gray and covered in shadows or stop looking at the thick and lustrous forests that lined the perimeter and stretched out for as far as the eye could see.

And then there was the massive estate, more like a castle from another time gone by. It sat atop a massive hill in the center of all that land and greenery, all stone and stained-glass windows and all protected by an impenetrable-looking wrought-iron gate all around.

"Do ye like it, lass?"

I didn't—couldn't—stop staring at everything in front of me, not even when I could feel the heavy weight of Banner's gaze on me, not when I could hear the note of breathlessness in his voice, as if he waited with anticipation to hear what I'd say.

When I was finally able to tear my gaze from the sight to look over my shoulder at Banner, I saw how his expression held exactly what his voice had sounded like. Expectation and anticipation. He was hopeful that I would love this place.

"It's magnificent. I've never seen anything so breathtaking." The grin he gave me split across his entire face, morphing his brutal savagery into something softer, less intimidating. He flashed straight white teeth, twin canines sharp points on either side. His dark hair caught glimpses of the silvery moonlight and seemed to glow blue.

God, he was also incredible to look at.

And he's mine.

For a prolonged moment, we just sat there and stared at each other, and I didn't even care that Odhran and Cian were feet from us, their horses huffing out and stomping as if impatient. It was as if nothing else mattered or existed except Banner and me.

But then I saw Banner's body tense, saw his eyes narrow, and looked down to see his hands tighten on the reins.

He slowly turned and looked toward the tree line, the thick, almost oppressing forest surrounded us. And as the foggy haze of desire and attraction for my mate slowly went into the background, I realized why he was now on alert.

"Come out, vampire," Banner growled. "Because this is as close tae my home as ye're getting." Banner's voice was nothing but a husky tenor, and I glanced at Odhran and Cian, seeing their hands equally tight on their reins, their big bodies stiff as they sat atop their horses.

For a second, there was no movement. I didn't think anyone even breathed, not even the wind blowing. But then I heard my brother chuckle low, and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes. He was so dramatic.

Several long seconds passed, and all I could hear was the slow, steady sound of Adryan making his way out of the forest, his boots crunching twigs and leaves on the ground. And then he broke through the tree line, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, a grin already on face.

He stopped right after he cleared the forest and stared at me, his expression easy-going, but I could see the flickering redness in his eyes. He was good at hiding emotions when he wanted to be. If he was letting them be seen, it was because he was teetering on the edge of his sanity.

Adryan didn't respond for long seconds, and I just stared at him, expecting the inevitable explosion to come from him that would bring out that very dark side of him that leveled empires.

I was about to dismount even though I felt Banner's hand tighten on my hip protectively.

"Is this what you want?" Adryan said, and I felt the very air still.

I could hear my heart beating in my ears, knew the answer right away, yet I couldn't say the words, couldn't push them out.

"I know what you said in the cavern," Adryan said in my silence. "I know what I smelled." He said that last part on a growl and curled his upper lip as he looked at Banner.

I felt my face heat at the topic at hand, knowing what he meant when he said what I smelled. The desire, the mating need between Banner and me.

"And you've had several days to let this all sink in. So I need to know now, little sister, if this is truly what you want." For all of Adryan's cool and calm composure right now, I knew, could feel the rage simmering right below the surface. It rippled around him like waves moving away from a pebble thrown in a lake.

I swallowed and glanced over my shoulder at Banner. His expression was now closed off, his focus trained on my brother. But he still had his hand on my waist, his thumb gently brushing over my hip bone.

He glanced at me then, feeling my focus on him, and I gave him a reassuring smile before getting off the horse. I walked toward my brother, and the closer I got to him the more I felt the tension radiating from his body.

I could hear the horses neighing behind me, their hooves stomping on the ground. A little growl also sounded, Banner clearly not liking me getting close to what he perceived as a threat. It didn't matter if Adryan would never hurt me, would even give his life to protect mine.

Banner, being my mate, was now instinctually bonded to me, and any male, any aggression he felt might be directed my way would be perceived as a threat.

But I was thankful he didn't instigate anything, that he stayed atop his steed and let me handle this.

I stared at my brother and gave him a gentle smile, hoping it would ease some of the tension from him. And after a few seconds, it did, as his shoulders loosened, his expression a little less unforgiving. And the longer he stared at me, the more the red bled out of his eyes. He finally exhaled slowly, and I felt myself ease marginally as well.

"Is this truly what you want, Luna?" he asked again.

I let his question play through my mind although I knew the answer already. "I know I want to find my own path, make my own story, Adryan. I know that I want an experience, an adventure." I looked over my shoulder at Banner and saw he still watched me, white-knuckling those reins, his body still tight and ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"You're young, Luna. So young."

I looked back at Adryan and wanted to point out the same thing. He was only a few years older than I was.

"And he's…"Adryan growled low and looked at Banner. "Not."

"I want this." I took another step toward him. "I'm sure I want this, Adryan," I said instead of responding to his last part. I waited until he looked back at me, until he started to relax once more. "I'm sure I want to see how this goes with my mate. I'm sure I want to make my own decisions, figure out my own mistakes and learn from them." I shrugged. "I know everything won't be perfect and harmonious all the time. But I also know I want to figure it out, and I want to do that with Banner."

When he didn't respond for long moments, I figured he'd scoff at what I said, tell me he couldn't let this go, that his overprotectiveness was just so paramount he'd never give me the space I craved and yearned for.

But he surprised me by taking a step back, and I sensed the tension and aggression leaving him, although maybe "leaving" wasn't the right word. He'd mastered being able to mask his emotions, what little he had.

He slowly looked over my shoulder at Banner and said, "I'm going to stay close for the time being, to watch out for you, little sister." Although he still stared at Banner, he focused on me as he spoke. "I'm going to make sure that you don't change your mind."

I didn't bother telling him that I wouldn't change my mind, that being mated was something that felt wholly perfect and right. Because Adryan would never understand. He didn't have the capacity to follow the logic of wanting to see if you could fall in love. The way his mind worked was logical, rational.

It was never emotional.

But I hoped one day that would change, when he found a mate, when he realized that what he'd share with another soul was an intimate, unique bond that could only grow into the most beautiful union imaginable. I hoped that for him. I prayed to whatever gods would listen that he could experience what I currently was with Banner.

"Thank you," I whispered and gave him another smile. He let out a low exhale once more and gave me as much of a smile as he could muster, one that was more of an arrogant smirk. "I love you, big brother."

He huffed out a chuckle and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm really letting you do this." It sounded like he spoke to himself, so I didn't bother replying that I was doing this whether he "let" me or not.

I knew although he'd never fully give me the independence and space I needed, at least not for the foreseeable future, he would let me walk this path alone, or at least stay in the shadows and be there in case I needed help.

"I'll fall," I said. "But I'll get up, brush myself off, and keep going. And I'll have Banner at my side." It was the only kind of reassurance I could muster, the only kind that he might be able to comprehend and understand. And he did. I saw that truth in his eyes and the way he inclined his head in my direction.

With one last glower toward Banner that had me shaking my head, Adryan turned and laughed, then he walked back into the woods and disappeared amongst the shadowy overgrowth.

I let out a low, long exhale and ran my hands up and down my skirts, realizing right then how nervous I was.

When I turned around and faced Banner, I was surprised to see he was off his steed and standing only a foot from me. I tipped my head back to look into his shadowy face, loving the masculine cut of his face and being turned on by the scruff that covered his cheeks and chin. His dark hair was a little too long, but I loved it anyway, and my fingers itched to touch it, to tug on it as I brought his mouth closer.

I could see Odhran and Cian leading their horses up the long path that led to the manor, the gates now open mysteriously, and Banner and I once more alone again. He held his hand out to me, and I instantly, eagerly slipped my palm against his warm, callused one.

"Let me show ye my home—yer home—in the Highlands, lass."

He immediately pulled me into the hardness of his body, and my head barely reached his chest as I pressed my cheek against it. I heard the steady beat of his heart and could feel his warmth surrounding me. And I knew everything was going to be okay.