Heart of the Moon (The Night Kind Saga Book 1) Read online

  “Oh, well that explains the pie on the floor.” Her mom laughed. “Wait, no it doesn’t.”

  “He kinda dropped it.” Rose admitted. ‘He baked me a pie.’ She thought to herself, biting her lip in giddiness. The idea that after their first meeting in the diner parking lot, he had gone home, wherever that was, and baked her an apology pie was pleasantly tender, even though he wasn’t physically present, Mikhail was still causing butterflies in her stomach.

  “Why?” Her mother questioned.

  “Oh, uh, cold hands kinda shocked him.” Rose waggled her fingers in front of her parents. Hoping desperately that they bought it, she really didn’t want to explain the real reason for the dearly departed pie. Luckily fate had started to turn itself around for Rose, when her mother let slip a hearty giggle.

  “Gloves. I’ve told ya’ a million times, gloves.” David huffed out a dad laugh as he sipped on his beer.

  “I’ll remember it next time Dad.” Rose sighed in relief.

  “Good cause the boy makes good pie.” Her father continued scoffing his meal.

  “So you guys have had his baking before?” Rose wanted to dig into whatever knowledge her parents had of her puzzling new crush. Okay, Rose knew that it was a little creepy to desperately want any and all information she could get, but she’d accepted that Mikhail had a crushing grasp on her heart and soul, and now all she wanted was more of him.

  “Whose cookie’s do you think they are sweetie.” Her mother motioned to the half eaten plate of cookies still left over on the table. “Neither me nor your dad can really cook, let alone bake.”

  “Oh.” Rose breathed out, she kept making jokes about how magic was clearly behind her meeting and sudden infatuation with Mikhail, but now, it seemed like less of a joke. She was realising how every decision that had been made today had led her straight to Mikhail, like it was truly meant to be. Rose was quickly becoming far too enraptured with thoughts of magic, Mikhail, and the lunacy of it all, that she couldn’t concentrate on the on going conversation at the table. From her best guess her parents were playfully bickering about their cooking skills, or lack there of, but it didn’t matter to her. She was far too invested in her thoughts.

  However a small moment of clarity hit Rose like a train.

  What if she was so quick to pin these new feelings on the supernatural because she’d never felt anything like this before her spiral into depression. She’d always pushed the idea of romance to the furthest recesses of her mind because she’d thought it’d get in the way of her ambitions and plans, she was twenty-five and never even been on a date before, that’s how insignificant love had become to her. But now, after years of ignoring everything but music, Rose was finally moving forward, taking steps to actually live a life, so of course the first gorgeous man she’d met would spark a crush that rivalled any fairytale prose. But did that mean that what she was feeling wasn’t real?

  Truthfully she didn’t know, but she could always try to make it real. She would make good on her promise to get to know Mikhail better, and if after time, she still felt her heart being pulled to his, then she would finally go for it…if he felt the same way of course.

  “Er, Rose?” David waved his hand in front of Rose’s vacant face pulling her from her thoughts.

  “Sorry Dad, I was in a world of my own there.”

  “You okay sweetie?” The troubled tone was evident in her mothers voice.

  “Yeah, mom.” Rose stood cleaning her mess on the table as she did. “I promise, I’m alright.” She kissed her mother gently on the cheek, something she hadn’t done in over a year.

  “Actually, I wanted to thank you.” Rose stood apprehensively before her parents. “I know I should have said it before,” She nervously scratched the back of her head. “I’m not saying I’m…cured or whatever, but I am starting to feel better, and it’s because of you.” Rose could see tears welling in her mothers eyes, and a sad smile across her stoic fathers face at her confession. “You didn’t have to drop everything and bring me home, and you really didn’t have to put up with zombie me, but you did, so really truly thank you, I…” Rose wasn’t able to finish her sentence as her mother took her breath away in a vice like bear hug.

  “Never ever think you have to apologise for what happened.” Mary squeezed Rose harder. Her father quickly joined his family, he wasn’t really a hugger, so it was a sweet side hug for his wife and a head pat for Rose.

  “Don’t be stupid Flower, we love ya’.”

  “Thanks dad.” Rose laughed as she shucked herself from the precious Hallmark moment. “Now if you guys don’t mind, I was gonna continue this overdue teenage cliche and clean my room before hitting the sack.”

  “Planning on having guests in there?” David raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

  “Sorry, can’t hear you.” Rose noped out of there as quickly as she could, taking the stairs two at a time. She could hear her mother scolding her husband, who was chuckling to himself. ‘Maybe I dodged a bullet in high school.’ Rose lamented to herself as she closed the door to her room.

  Though her father wasn’t entirely wrong in that statement. Even if she’d decided to take things slow with Mikhail, she didn’t want him to see her pigsty of a bedroom, or how it hadn’t been updated since she was sixteen. She was afraid some of the decor was going to date her. Though as she looked around her well sized, but humble room, she saw how nothing was really spectacular about it. There were no posters of bands or movies from her teenage years, no abundance of plush stuffed animals covering her bed or cushioned window seat. Hell, even the wall paper was a regular boring striped affair, the same dark shade of plum as her bed covers. The only inkling of personality the room had was the menagerie of musical instruments taking up space, two guitars (one acoustic and one electric) shoved into a corner haphazardly, a full sized keyboard leaning up against her old wardrobe covered in a thick layer of dust and discarded clothes, and finally her violin, something that had once meant the world to her was lying forgotten on the floor, the neck snapped and the bow broken.

  A deep pain swept through Rose as she recalled the day she’d returned with her violin, her dreams shattered and mind broken. Rose had screamed and cried when she entered her old room, thrown her suitcase aside not caring where it landed. She remembered her mother crying, trying to calm her down, her father unable to understand the pain his daughter was going through stayed back, trying instead to console his wife. Then finally, like a nightmare Rose remembered ripping her Grandmothers violin from its case and throwing it with a spite reserved for the worst of humanity into the wall, knocking down an old shelf which held all her old music sheet books.

  The rest of that day was a blur, actually she was positive that the last six months she hadn’t actually been conscious, her body moving on its own, keeping basic motor functions going, but Rose had been floating above, witnessing it all but not actually being present. Now she was finally back home in herself, she regretted all the time she had lost.

  Solemnly she gathered the fallen books and papers, placing them back on the shelf where they belonged. David had fixed the shelf a while ago, its new wood standing out like a sore thumb against the other antique furniture, but Rose hadn’t cared then. Letting out a sigh she continued, taking haphazardly thrown clothes and putting them away or in the laundry. The trash wasn’t too bad all things considered, nothing that couldn’t have been swiftly dealt with before, but that hadn’t occurred to Rose during her time away from herself. It felt like a mini catharsis, and quite nice to have her feet once again meet carpet.

  Finally Rose knelt down at her broken violin, it was in far worse shape then she’d realised. The neck was snapped in several different places, the strings had followed suit. The bow was in pieces, horse hair strewn about the place with little regard, finally the lower bout was caved in on itself, clearly she’d stepped on it at some point. The violin was massacred, and far beyond any repair Rose could attempt. Regret swirled heavily around her, this had been the last gift Nana Crowley had given her and Rose had destroyed it.

  ‘It destroyed me first.’ Rose thought bitterly, as she swept up the remains of her once beloved instrument, though like an addict she wasn’t quite ready to relinquish it just yet. Carefully she placed the pieces into the velvet lined case it came in, humorously she let out a short laugh. ‘Into the coffin you go.’

  With meticulous care she placed the case and remains on the shelf with the books. Satisfied with the state of the room, Rose slumped into the cushioned window seat and stared up at the shrine of shattered ambitions. The case loomed high above, it almost looked as if it was observing the room, judging it, judging Rose.

  “Quoth the violin, ‘Nevermore.’” Rose sarcastically mused aloud. Suddenly there came a light tapping at her door, the shock of which almost sent Rose to an early grave. Her mother poked her head around the bedroom door.

  “Shit Mom, you gave me a heart attack.” Rose clutched her chest.

  “Sorry sweetie, I just wanted to say goodnight.” Mary laughed, as she eyed the newly cleaned room around her. “Good job.” She smiled at her daughter.

  “Thanks, didn’t realise how late it had gotten though,” She chewed nervously on her bottom lip “I was thinking, uh, if it’s not too much trouble, if uh, when you have a free day off, if we could drive down to the city to, uh, get some stuff for my room.”

  “Oh!” Her mom exclaimed. “Uh, what did you have in mind.” The older woman sat down on her daughters bed.

  “Um, nothing big or anything,” Rose played with her hands awkwardly, “I was just thinking of getting some stuff to give it more…character. Like, uh, fairy lights, or a picture to hang on the wall. I dunno.”

  Rose looked at her mom, anxiety starting to fill her veins. Wa
s she right to ask anything of her parents? Was this selfish behaviour? Would this help her feel like more of a person? All questions Rose had, but could not answer. Luckily her worries were squashed quickly as Mary had a smile filled with more pride than Rose had ever seen across her face.

  “Of course honey!” She practically jumped at Rose, taking her daughters hands swiftly into her own. “Oh we can make this room so amazing! It might take some time though, I’d have to sort some stuff out at the hospital, but we can make the day of it!” The excitement her mother exuded was palpable, Rose had never seen her act like this before. She was always kind and gentle, but she’d always had a soft reserve about her. Rose wondered if her mother was just putting on an act, to help boost her upward momentum, or maybe this was how she’d had always been, and Rose simply hadn’t noticed?

  “Your dad’s going to be thrilled.” She said with glee, as she started leave Rose to herself once more. “He’s been wanting an excuse to go fishing with Derek for months. Night night sweetie.”

  “Night Mom.” Rose chuckled shaking her head at the ridiculousness of her mothers mood. The door closed, leaving Rose alone with her increasingly sleepy thoughts. It had been a hell of a day for Rose, she didn’t know if she could really handle anymore excitement. With tired eyes Rose decided to retire for the night, however one last surprise was in store for the woman as she drew the curtains.

  A lone wolf was outside inside the forest outside her window. Even in the dark of the night Rose could tell that this was not just any wolf. It’s fur was an inky blackness that rivalled the sky above, yet somehow it stood out amongst the dense foliage around it. There was also the size, it was clearly much too large for any normal wolf, Rose thought that it would easily meet her own height if she were to stand in front of it. However what got to Rose the most was the creatures eyes, they were the most brilliant blue she’d ever seen, from their distance they looked almost human, and quite disturbingly they were really, really familiar.

  Chapter Three

  Rose stood alone on the single cracked road into Lunar Hills. The moon was full and shining, illuminating the dense, thick forests surrounding her on both sides. She couldn’t remember how she had gotten there, or why she had even come in the first place. Rose scoured her brain for any clues or ideas about what was going on, retracing her steps in her mind didn’t provide any answers, all she could remember the giant wolf outside her window, and then…nothing. Had she been sleepwalking? That would explain her being barefoot. It didn’t exactly explain the dress she was wearing though.

  Rose scrunched her nose at the outfit, she hadn’t worn a formal dress since her graduation, and this was definitely not something she owned. It was vintage ivory silk gown, flowing elegantly in the wind, with chiffon cap sleeves and cleavage all the way. The dress coupled with her cascading golden locks convinced Rose that she looked like the classic victim in a black and white monster movie. Now all she had to do was figure out whether it was Dracula or the Wolf-Man coming after her.

  As she ambled down the road not really knowing where she was going, a soulful howl sounded out from the woods, instantly drawing Rose’s complete attention. The howl rang out again, causing goosebumps to burst to life over her porcelain skin. Rose lamented the sound, the howl sounded so lonely, so desperate, and very much in need. Without thinking Rose took off at the sound, quickly leaving the smooth but rough asphalt beneath her cold feet, replacing it with the uneven, dew riddled forest floor.

  Running as fast as she could through thick underbrush, Rose chased the howl, ignoring the squish of the moss between her toes, and the snaps of twigs biting at her feet. She knew she needed to find that lonely wolf, yet no matter how deep into the woods she ran, the howling never got any closer. Each echoing whimper of sadness that evaded her crushed Rose’s heart a little more. Every piece of media that involved wolves in some capacity had taught the her that wolves lived in packs, so why was this wolf so very lonely?

  ‘He’s waiting for me.’ Rose thought as she picked up the pace, never stopping to contemplate the implications of that thought or what she would do if she actually caught up to the wolf. Without noticing, the trees were getting denser, their size seemingly multiplying exponentially making her stumble and slow to a crawl. The leaves suddenly felt like fingers clawing at her flesh, grabbing harshly at her silken gown. Rose couldn’t shake the feeling that the forest was trying to stop her from moving forward, from finding the lone wolf, but she didn’t care, the wolf needed her and maybe she needed it too, consequences be damned. With a final push she broke through the tree line and fell hard into a cold, damp, and garbage coved alleyway.

  “Urgh!” Rose pushed herself up on wet dirty hands, her toes curled in on themselves disgust, she would most definitely have to ask her mother for a tetanus shot when she got home. She padded forward cautiously, the moon still hung high in the night sky adding to her uneasiness. The dirty brick walls of the far too long alley were covered in graffiti, newspapers littered the floor along with piles of trash overflowing from the industrial looking dumpsters. Rose hadn’t seen such filth since she lived in New York City…

  “No!” She wailed as she ran out of the nonsensical alleyway. The life left her eyes as she stared up blankly at the elevated train lines towering above, the screeching of metal and honking of far off cars was to much for Rose to bare. Vertigo ripped through her shaking form, slamming her down to her knees once more. Rose couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight, she was sure she was in hell. Losing all control of her body she vomited violently on the filthy New York side walk. It didn’t make any sense, she was in Lunar Hills, she was safe and at home, how could she be back here? Back in the haunting destroyer of her dreams, and why was it somehow worse than before?!

  With the initial shock and fear seeping away, Rose wiped her mouth haphazardly with the train of her dress. Dumbfounded she looked around, trying to find any recognisable landmarks or stores, anything that would lead her to a police station and a way back home. Except nothing around her was familiar. The area she’d found herself in was dirty, grim, and only one step away from dilapidation. Trash piled high in the almost crumbling streets, graffiti it seemed was not just reserved for the back alleys, as every conceivable surface was tagged in some way or another. The cars were straight out of an old 80s movie, all angles and bulk, with several windows smashed in, and even one turned over onto it’s roof. Store fronts were humble and small, butcher shops and convenience stores with foreign words mixed in with the names, it looked like Russian to Rose, though she couldn’t be sure.

  Rose looked around for another soul, anyone who could explain this seemingly un-gentrified piece of New York. Though she did wonder if she should really talk to anyone out this late, especially in this kind of neighbourhood. As if on cue on the other side of the road, a figure appeared in the shadows of the train lines above, their head down obscured by the night. It was hard for Rose to tell what the figure looked like, they were tall, burly and desperately clutching a ready to burst backpack.

  “Excuse me.” Rose yelled without thinking, causing the figures head to snap up in shock.

  “Rose!?” Mikhail yelled as he fully emerged from the shadows, absolute bewilderment painted across his pained face, he looked as if he’d been crying.