Dark Moon Falls: Abel Read online

  Dark Moon Falls: Abel

  Bella Roccaforte

  Hot Box Publishing, LLC

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Untitled

  Also by Bella Roccaforte

  Chapter 1

  I thought leaving her was the hardest thing I’d ever have to do. I was wrong. Coming back is even harder. I’m terrified at the prospect of having to face her. How do I explain my actions while keeping her father’s secret?

  Abel’s motorcycle labored up the mountain. Even the engine was apprehensive with its deep groaning. Familiar terrain unfolded, leaving a light mist on Abel’s skin. The feeling brought him back to every beautiful and every painful memory he had with Ayry.

  He thought about her smile, her laugh, the way she always looked at life as though it were beautiful and not the dark place it really was. He remembered the gleam in her eye when she’d call him on his bullshit and how she would stare at him for long moments, lost in him. She was so hopeless and never saw the bad in him that everyone else did. He missed that, missed her. Is she still the same starry-eyed girl he left behind?

  His thoughts continued to race with doubts and fears. Does she hate me? Will she want to see me?

  He couldn’t shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He tried to catch a hint of her scent on the air, but it wasn’t there.

  Before making this journey home, he thought long and hard about whether he should. He couldn’t let her go through this alone. Annabelle would be there for her, but no one knew her like he did. All of her quirks, her expressions, the slightest movements he would notice. She could never hide her pain from him.

  He took the last hairpin turn before reaching the town and swallowed the ball of nerves taking residence in his throat. First stop Elias Grant, the Alpha. As Abel pulled up to the Alpha’s house, he knew there was a good chance he wouldn’t allow Abel to come back. After what he had done, after being banished, all he could do was pray for mercy and an exception.

  The wooden steps groaned quietly under his weight, more weathered than he remembered. Everything on the surface looked the same but looking a little closer revealed the passage of time.

  “Abel Parker. I was afraid we were going to have to have this conversation,” Elias’ deep voice sounded from the dark section of the porch. The orange glow from his cigarette betrayed his position.

  “Hello Elias.” Abel stopped. He drew a pack of cigarettes from the front breast pocket of his leather jacket.

  “You shouldn’t be here.” Elias stepped into the dim yellow light of the porch.

  “There’s a lot of things that shouldn’t be, but some of those we have to accept.” Abel lit his cigarette and flipped his zippo closed with a clank.

  Elias remained silent, true to his character. He was a stern but fair Alpha.

  “How could I not have come?” Abel posed the question leaning on the railing of the porch, blowing out a long breath of smoke.

  “Because you’re banished, that’s how.”

  “You know that’s bullshit.” Abel stared straight into the darkness of the woods.

  “Bullshit or not, you’re banished and can’t be here.” Elias’ tone waivered.

  “She needs me, Elias. I’m her mate and I can’t let her go through this alone,” Abel argued. “Amon would want me here.”

  “Amon doesn’t have wants anymore.” Elias pulled his lips into a tight line. There was something more he wanted to say but he thought better of it.

  “Exactly. That’s why I need to be here, at least for the funeral and to make sure she’s okay.”

  “You’ll leave after the funeral?”

  “After I know she’s okay.”

  “Not acceptable. I won’t allow this. We already made an exception, went against a peace accord and kept you out of jail, kept you alive. You’ve got a lot of balls asking for this.” Elias shook his head.

  “You know all of that is bullshit too.” Abel squared off with Elias setting his stance in front of him.

  “It doesn’t matter what I know. It matters how this effects my pack.”

  “I saved this pack,” Abel snapped defiantly. “Sacrificed everything I love for you, for The Dark Moon Falls Pack…” He lowered his head, choking back the pain of his next statement. “For her.”

  “Part of the deal was you never coming back. That’s what kept the peace. This isn’t right.” Elias stood his ground.

  “It isn’t right that a healthy magus died at such a young age. What are you doing about that?”

  “Amon died of natural causes.” Elias couldn’t look Abel in the eye.

  “You know that’s bullshit too.” Abel raised his voice and threw his hands up in frustration, his aggression was getting out of hand.

  “Back off, Abel. Amon’s death is police business. Neither of us have any authority.”

  “Amon was a member of your pack. How could this not be pack business?” Abel challenged.

  “Honorary member,” Elias corrected.

  “It meant nothing?” Abel shot back.

  “That’s not what I’m saying. Amon being gone means that all of it is dead and buried. I want to keep it that way for the town, for the pack, for the coven and the girls. It’s the only way to keep them safe.” Elias blew out a frustrated breath. “You being here complicates things far more than they need to be. You’re banished. You can’t be here and that’s final.”

  Abel speared Elias with an angry stare. “She’s in danger and you know it. What are you going to do to protect her?”

  “Keep you out of Dark Moon Falls,” Elias shot back. “You are the only danger.”

  “No, I’m telling you there is another necromancer and he killed Amon. How are you going to protect her?” Abel demanded.

  “I will protect my pack,” Elias snapped back.

  “I need more than that.”

  “No one in this pack would ever hurt her,” Elias said with earnest.

  “They won’t protect her either.”

  “Abel, you have to trust that it’s going to be okay. I hate that Amon’s gone, but maybe this is the best thing for both of the girls.”

  “No, losing their father is not the best thing. He shouldn’t be dead and certainly not have died from ‘natural causes.’” Abel flicked his cigarette out into the yard. “He was magus for Christ’s sake and a wol –"

  “Stop,” Elias interrupted. “We’re the only ones that knew that and it has to stay that way.” Elias’ tone was laced with warning.

  “That’s exactly my point. Whoever did this assumes that no one is going to investigate a seventy-year-old dying in his sleep. What if they come after the pack now?”

  “They won’t. It’s done. With him gone the only secret we have to keep is the one he’s taking to the grave,” Elias snapped. “I’m not arguing with you. My word is final.”

  “But I am the only one who can protect the girls and the pack,” Abel challenged.

  Elias carefully considered Abel’s words. Tension was building in his stance. “Are you saying I can’t protect my pack?”

  “No, I’m saying you need my help. My particular type of power could be the only thing that keeps the necromancer from destroying everything.”

  A truck roared up the road and screeched to a halt in front of Elias’ house. Silas Rains jumped out. “Abel?”

  Abel stepped down off the porch and hugged his cous
in. “Hey Silas.”

  “I’m so damned happy you’re here. We’re going to need you.” Silas pinned him with a serious look and then shot Elias a look over Abel’s shoulder. “It’s happening again.”

  He motioned for the men to follow him to his truck.

  “What do you mean?” Elias took the lead toward the truck.

  “The rituals, the dark rituals. This one took Simmons.”

  “Mike Simmons? The loner?” Abel asked.

  “Yeah,” Silas answered.

  Elias hesitated to look in the back of the truck. “Just like before?”

  “Yeah.” Silas pulled the tarp back to reveal the body. “Carefully cut open, judging from the residue, molten silver poured over the heart before they extracted it.”

  The three men studied the body, Abel’s stare unmoving. “Still think I’m leaving?”

  Elias pulled his lips into a tight line. “I don’t like it, but you’re right. They are going to need more protection than we can give, especially if this is starting up again.”

  “Thank you.” Abel lowered his head in reverence.

  “Stay away from Phaedra, you hear me?” Elias warned.

  “Yes sir.” Abel saluted like a soldier.

  “I’ll meet with her, let her know we found a body.” Elias headed back toward the house. “Mike didn’t have any family. Let’s give him a proper burial, but keep it quiet. We don’t need this getting out if we can nip it in the bud.”

  “You got it.” Silas covered the body with the tarp. “Jeramiah is doing a sweep of the forest to make sure there aren’t anymore.”

  “Good. Keep in touch please. Let me know if you find anything.” Elias reached the top step of the porch.

  “What about Levi and Barnett? Should I let them know?” Silas asked.

  “No, I’ll handle that. The fewer people that know the better. Let’s wait until we find out more. No need to start any kind of panic just yet.”

  “You got it.” Silas acknowledged and looked at Abel. “Are you back for good?”

  “I wouldn’t be back at all if you hadn’t pulled up. Good timing.” Abel leaned against the truck.

  “Yeah, well I wish I didn’t have to. I’m not up for this shit again.” Silas went around toward the front of the truck. “Where are you staying?” Silas questioned hesitantly.

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” Abel admitted with a smile. “I wasn’t sure Elias would let me stay.”

  “She’s gone you know.” Silas winced at having to break the news to Abel.

  “What do you mean gone?”

  “She left a few weeks after you did. We haven’t seen her since. When I ask Annabelle about her, she says she’s doing well, finished college…” He trailed off.

  “Do you think she’ll be back for the funeral?”

  “Not sure. She and Amon weren’t exactly on the best of terms when she left.”

  “I wish he had let me talk to her before I left,” Abel lamented.

  “You know he couldn’t do that. It had to be the way it was.” Silas looked at his phone. “Shit! Dad’s texting me. I gotta run.”

  Silas got into the truck and opened the passenger window. “It will be cramped but you can stay with us.”

  “You’re still living with your Dad?”

  “Yeah. No reason not to.” He laughed, “Seriously though, most comfortable couch in Dark Moon Falls.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Abel waved as Silas pulled down the driveway.

  Chapter 2

  Annabelle sat on the front porch of her Bed and Breakfast. The last of the guests had left earlier in the day and she was thankful for an empty house. She pushed herself up from the rocking chair and started inside. The wake would be small, but she’d still need to provide food. The cooking might take her mind off the task at hand, burying her father.

  She walked into the house and the screen door creaked and slapped against the wood behind her.

  “Anabelle.” The deep voice was vaguely familiar but sent a shiver up her spine.

  Anabelle turned toward the door and peered out into the darkness. “I’m sorry, we’re not receiving guests this week.”

  He stepped into the light of the back porch. “The trees aren’t lit.”

  Anabelle squinted in disbelief. “Abel?”

  Abel glanced down at the wooden planks on the porch. “I’d ask how you’re doing, but I can only imagine.”

  Anabelle pushed the door open. She hesitated and then opened her arms. “Come here.”

  Abel wrapped his arms around her, choking back his own tears. “I’m so sorry.”

  Anabelle felt as though she could let go in the safety of a man she considered family. She sobbed quietly into his shoulder. “Thank you.”

  “Can I come inside and make you some tea?” He asked when he was certain she had released all the grief she would allow in that moment.

  “That would be a nice change.” Anabelle wiped the tears from her cheek and went back into the house.

  He put the kettle on.

  “I’m surprised to see you, but not really,” she said, sitting at the head of the farm table in the kitchen. “Does Elias know you’re here?”

  “He does. It was my first stop.” He knew where everything was, the teacups, the canister of special tea that Anabelle kept hidden for herself.

  “Wow, I can’t believe he was okay with you being here.” She folded her hands in front of her. “There are going to be quite a few people who aren’t.”

  “I’m going to keep a low profile.” He poured the boiling water into the cup and dipped the tea ball infuser in the water.

  Anabelle let out a tiny laugh. “Are you capable?”

  “I’ve matured over the last five years.” He placed Anabelle’s cup on the table and sat with her.

  “Thank you.” She wrapped her fingers around the warm cup and starred down into it pensively. “I think we all have.”

  They sat in uncomfortable silence for a long moment. He had questions he needed to ask but didn’t know how.

  Anabelle inhaled a preparatory breath. “Where are you staying?”

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Getting Elias to agree to let me stay was the only thing I was focused on.”

  “Sounds about right.” Anabelle smiled. “You can stay here if you like. I’ve shut down for the week so we can have the wake and such.”

  Abel tapped the table with his spoon absently. “Are you expecting a lot of folks from out of town?”

  “Some,” she answered. “Some I’m hoping stay away.”

  “I can understand that.” He pulled the corner of his mouth to the side.

  Silence fell upon the open kitchen again and they were careful to avoid direct eye contact. Abel couldn’t stuff down his questions any longer. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” Anabelle teared up again, shaking her head. “One day he was fine, working in the garden at his house. I went the next morning to pick up some fresh flowers and he was gone.”

  “Gone?”

  “Yes. Gone.”

  “Any idea what happened?” Abel hated to press her for information.

  “No. It looked like he died peacefully in his sleep.” Anabelle raised her head defiantly.

  “And you don’t believe that’s what happened?” Abel pressed.

  “Not a chance.” She nodded one time with certainty. “I can’t get Barnett to do anything and Ralph is useless.”

  “The police won’t help?” He asked with surprise.

  “Nope. No one wants to be involved because –”

  “He was a magus.” Abel said with disappointment.

  “Exactly.” Anabelle slammed her hand on the table. “It doesn’t matter what he was. He was a part of this community. It pisses me off that no one wants to do anything about this except for cry in their beer.” She pushed herself up from the table. “You can bet they’re drinking to him at The Wolf Inn, but will one person raise a finger to catch whoever did this?�
� She lifted a finger in the air. “Nope, not one person.”

  “That may change now.” Abel was hesitant to continue. He didn’t want to frighten her. “It’s happening again.”

  “What do you mean?” She already knew what he was talking about, but didn’t want to believe it.

  “Silas found a loner in the national forest...” He trailed off, unwilling to say the words out loud.

  Anabelle held her breath before speaking. “nothing but silver residue left in the chest cavity?”

  Abel nodded.

  “Not now. This can’t be happening now.” Anabelle put her head in her hands. “She’ll never stay away now.”

  “Ayry?” her name was barely a whisper on his lips.

  Anabelle only offered a look of confirmation. The silence in the kitchen was heavy on both of their chests like air that was too thick to breathe.

  Abel hung his head. “I just found out, I didn’t know she left.”

  “She did.” Anabelle was dismissive specifically not making eye contact. She braced herself with both hands on the table. “If you want to stay, we’re empty, but you’re going to have to make your own breakfast.” She turned and headed toward the stairs.

  Abel needed more from her. He wanted to know more about Ayry and where she’d been, how she’d been doing, what she’d been doing. “Anabelle.”

  She stopped at the foot of the stairs without turning around. “What,” she said as a demand, not a question.

  “Is she okay?” he said with a quiet and tentative voice.

  “Are any of us?” She continued up the stairs.

  Abel sat at the kitchen table for a long moment, considering everything that had happened, was happening. He dragged his fingers through his hair and went outside for a cigarette before another sleepless night without her.

  The sound of cast iron hitting the stove pulled Abel out of his thoughts. Light streamed through the window and he felt a moment of amazement that he had slept, if only for an hour or two.