The door to the control room opened and Luna walked in. A sweet-as-fuck smile curled her lips when she saw Gunner, her gorgeous eyes bright and lined with black liner, those pretty little fangs flashing. Jesus, he ached for her.
“Okay, love?” he asked moving toward her. He’d planned on spending eternity moving toward her.
“Yeah, I was just walking, wandering around really. Somehow, I ended up here.” Her gaze darted over his shoulder to the big males behind him.
He knew why she ended up here. She’d spend eternity moving toward him as well, whether she understood it or not, whether she wanted to or not.
“We were just talking about you, actually,” Chaos said.
Luna did that wide-eyed slow blink she often did. “Oh?”
Gunner spun to his brother. “It’s not happening.”
Cool fingers curled around his forearm and squeezed lightly. Her skin was already dropping in temperature. She’d need to feed again soon. “What’s going on?”
Gunner looked down at her. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
She stepped to the side, so he wasn’t shielding her from Chaos anymore. “Why were you talking about me?”
“Chaos, don’t,” he gritted out.
She turned back to him then, her brow furrowed. “Please, I want to know.”
What choice did he have? He hated lying to her. “We haven’t had any luck finding Azel…”
She flinched.
Fuck. He slid his hand around the back of her neck and held her firm, keeping his eyes locked on hers, keeping her right there with him. Letting her know he had her and he wasn’t fucking going anywhere.
“Ronan’s power,” she said. “Whoever got it when Sir…killed my brother is protecting him.”
“We thought that maybe if Gunner took you outside the compound, flew above the city, Azel might sense you, that maybe it would bring him out of hiding?”
Gunner slid his thumb over the silky-smooth skin of her throat, getting her to look at him again. “You don’t need to do it, love. We’ll find him without your help.”
“But it could take a lot longer. And Rocco’s female is still in Hell, and yes, time moves slower down there, but still that’s time we don’t have,” Chaos added.
Alarm filled Luna’s gaze. “Rocco’s female’s in Hell?”
“Yes, but you don’t need to…”
“I’ll do it.”
“Luna…”
“I want to. The things I did for…Azel, were things that hurt you, all of you. I can’t take it back or make it up to you, but I’d like to help you now if I can.”
Gunner’s chest felt too tight, he was breathing heavily, something close to panic taking hold. If he lost her again, he didn’t think he’d survive it this time. As if she sensed his fear, she moved forward, moved toward him.
“It’s okay,” she said for his ears only and pressed into his side, her head going to his chest and breathing deep like she often did, taking in his scent. Comforting him and herself at the same time. Jesus, she broke him in two. But she didn’t stop there, her arms came around his waist and she squeezed tight. “It’s going to be okay, Gunner. You’ll keep me safe.”
Later Luna stood just inside the control room, waiting to leave. It was dark outside and cloudy.
Gloomy.
She hugged herself, brushing her hands over the sweater she had on under her jacket. Gunner told her to dress warmly. He wasn’t here yet, and she took another step back as Gunner’s brothers moved to their mates. Only Grace wasn’t here, since she was already in the city with her crew, ready and waiting should the knights need backup.
But Chaos and his mate would have shared a similar exchange as his brothers and their females when they parted.
Luna tried to look away, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Lazarus and Eve, the way he threaded his fingers in her hair and took her mouth. The way Eve wrapped her arms around her mate as if she didn’t want to be parted from him. It made Luna’s chest feel hot and tight, a strange longing growing there.
What would that be like? To be kissed like that? She’d seen humans kiss plenty of times and had been curious even then. Some kisses had been deep and consuming, like Lazarus and Eve’s, and some quick, a friendly show of affection.
She assumed it had to be pleasurable. But having no concept of pleasure, she’d never really understood why they did it? But watching Gunner’s brothers now, the way Zenon looked at Mia like she was his entire world. The way Kryos curled an arm around