Moon Bound Read online

  In the contemporary world, magic holds no sway.

  But appearances can be deceiving.

  Old gods remain, old ways continue and creatures of myth live among us.

  If you know where to look…

  Steven Castiglione knows the price that comes with being magical. Hunted for his abilities, he’s changed his name and given up his ties to everyone he loves, including the beautiful Arabella. He must constantly fight the seductive nature of the dark power inside of him or risk exposing himself to the evil Malandante who will stop at nothing to have him.

  Arabella Luporeale is comfortable straddling the line between the magical world of wolf shifters she grew up in and the non-magical world where she works. But she still yearns for the soul mate who hid himself away three years ago. It’s time to get him back. And she’ll do whatever it takes - even if it means Steven must give in to the darkness...

  Moon Bound

  Stephanie Julian

  Published by Stephanie Julian

  Copyright 2012. Stephanie Julian.

  Cover by Judi Fennell www.Formatting4U.com

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away. If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon and purchase your own copy.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

  Author’s Note

  MOON BOUND is Book Two in the Darkly Enchanted series. Like the first book, SPELL BOUND, it is part of the Etruscan Magic series of books. These also include the Magical Seduction, Lucani Lovers and Forgotten Goddesses series.

  MOON BOUND takes place after the events in SPELL BOUND.

  www.stephaniejulian.com

  Glossary

  Aitás – Underworld

  Arus – magical power inherent in the races of Etruscan descent

  Attonitum – looks like a cross between a revolver and an inoculation gun and would be useless in the hand of an eteri, a regular human. The iron grip warms to the touch, while the quartz crystal concentration chamber pulses with a pale pink light. The solid copper barrel focuses the magic.

  Blood Bound – An ancient tradition tying two souls and their fates together for all eternity by mingling blood during sex.

  Boschetta – a group of thirteen streghe

  Enu – humans of magical Etruscan descent

  Eteri – Etruscan for foreigner, used to describe regular humans

  Fata – mythical beings of magical Etruscan descent such as folletti (fairies) and linchetti (night elves)

  Goddess Gift – magical abilities including but not restricted to scrying, healing, far-seeing, affinities to herbs and crystals

  Grigorio – a male born with enhanced senses and strength and an affinity to metal; in ancient times, the grigori were warrior priests and guardians of the Etruscan race; they were thought to have died out

  Involuti – Founding gods of the Etruscans, those from whom all other Etruscan deities are descended

  Lucani – Etruscan werewolves; they form the Etruscan army, based on the ancient Roman Legion

  Priestesses of Menrva’s – originally a group of thirteen unmarried women who pledged their lives to the Etruscan Menrva, Goddess of Wisdom, and kept safe her most sacred gift to the Etruscans, the twelve Nails of the Ages; through the centuries, they handed down their duties to their nearest living female relatives

  Strega – (plural streghe) Female of Etruscan descent endowed with Goddess Gifts

  Stregone – Male of Etruscan descent endowed with Goddess Gifts

  Salvanelli – one of the races of the Etruscan Fata, thought to be extinct

  Versipellis – literally “skin shifter,” shapeshifters including Etruscan lucani, Norse berkserkir (bears) and French loup garou (wolves)

  Chapter One

  She ran, blood pounding in her ears, lungs straining, at their limit.

  The rough sound of his breath pushed her to go faster. The huge trunks of pine and oak trees provided cover…just not enough, considering his sense of smell. But she was fast and she had a head start.

  She’d veered off the path immediately, her bare feet cut and bleeding from the forest underbrush. She needed a place to hide, somewhere he couldn’t find her.

  A slim beam of pale gold sunlight caught the tip of a nearby pine. Midsummer air in the southeastern Pennsylvania forest smelled of heat, heavy and wet.

  Spotting a large trunk ahead, she pulled in close, stopped to catch her breath and listen, eliminating noises one by one—birds singing in the branches, deer rustling in the brush, the sound of cars on the nearest highway at least ten miles away.

  She didn’t hear him. She’d run while he’d been turned, gaining the advantage. If he caught her…

  No, she couldn’t think about that. She had to get back to the house, had to—

  The grey wolf jumped out from behind her, sharp teeth bared, awful growling echoing in her ears. Unable to help herself, she screamed, the high-pitched screech reverberating through the trees. Turning, she ran, though she knew she couldn’t outrun him.

  Sure enough, his jaws clamped around her ankle, careful not to break the skin but not letting go, either. Scrambling backward, she grabbed a broken branch and raised it above her head.

  With a snarl, the beast released her and backed away, hazel eyes narrowed, watching her. Then he lifted his snout and howled in pain as his body began to contort. Her eyes widened as his limbs lengthened, the fur rippled and disappeared as the wolf transformed into a chestnut-haired teen boy.

  “That was cheating, Cole.” She threw the stick at her older brother, though not close enough to hit him, and followed it with his backpack. She’d stolen it from his hiding place in the woods, intending to stash it somewhere as a gag. But he’d caught her and the chase had been on. “You’re not allowed to change. That’s not fair.”

  Panting as he pulled on his jeans, the lanky seventeen-year-old stood, stretching the kinks out of his back.

  “And you know Dad’ll tell you everything’s fair in love and war, brat.” Cole smiled the smart-ass grin that never failed to get him out of trouble. “You didn’t know I was there, did you?”

  She hadn’t, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She stuck out her tongue at him instead. “And Dad’ll tell you not to use me as prey.”

  Cole snorted. “Oh, come on. You’re almost fifteen. It’s not like you don’t know how to take care of yourself.”

  With a huff, she turned away to walk back to the house. “Then why do you and Cal still treat me like a kid?”

  “ ’Cause we’re your older brothers. That’s what we’re supposed to do.” He fell into step beside her. “You’ll have your change soon, brat. Girls usually have their first change before they’re fifteen. Soon, you’ll be—”

  Cole cut off and Bella turned to find her brother frozen, hazel eyes wide, nostrils flared as he scented the air. “Cole? What’s wrong?”

  He lifted a hand to silence her and his eyes narrowed. “Gunsmoke. Blood.”

  It wasn’t hunting season. Goosebumps broke out over her skin. “Where?”

  “Shit. Home.”

  Cole took off like a shot, Bella on his heels, fear close behind.

  Her brother pulled ahead and lost her in seconds. She ran flat out, concentrating on breathing as she tried to catch up to Cole. A half mile from the house, she heard her brother cry out, something in his voice she’d never heard before—fear.

 
She ran faster.

  She’d almost caught up to Cole when she saw a flash of tanned skin through the trees.

  “Cole. Bella. Stop!”

  Her oldest brother, Cal, leaped out of the bushes in front of her and grabbed her around the waist, taking her off her feet. Cole stopped and turned frightened eyes on their brother.

  “Take Bella into the forest and hide,” Cal snapped at Cole. “I’ll go to the house.”

  “Where’s Mom and Dad?” she asked.

  Cal shook his head, not meeting her gaze. “Take her, hide her.” He growled the words. “Now. Right now.”

  She didn’t understand. Why did Cal want her to hide? Where were her parents?

  “Let me go, Cal.” She started to struggle, but she couldn’t break away from his strong arms. With a snarl, Cole grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and took off.

  “No! Cole, let go! What’s going on?”

  “Quiet!” was all Cole said, his tone a nearly silent hiss, dread pouring from him in waves. She shut up and held on.

  He ran flat out and she tried not to let her stomach revolt from hanging upside down as she thumped along on his shoulder.

  She didn’t know how long they ran, but when he stopped, gasping for air, she saw the mound of the cold cellar hidden in the deep woods. He practically threw her on the ground then fell to tear at the leaves and brush hiding the door.

  Sensing Cole’s fear and urgency, terror began to build in her chest, nearly choking her.

  “What’s happening?” She tried to keep the whimper out of her voice but didn’t succeed.

  Cole wouldn’t look at her, just shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

  “Are you going to the house?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why can’t I come with you?”

  Cole shook his head again and this time he did meet her eyes. “You need to stay here. Don’t leave until one of us comes for you.”

  She could barely force the words out of her mouth. “What if no one comes?”

  “Someone will come.” With a grunt, he pulled the old wooden door away to reveal the high-tech steel beneath. Keying in the access code, he flipped the hatch open.

  She could barely breathe out the words. “Don’t leave me, Cole.”

  “I have to. Cal needs me.”

  No way was she going in that dark hole by herself. “Then take me with—”

  Cole slashed a hand through the air. “You can’t protect yourself yet. We can’t look out for you and deal with…whatever’s going on. Get in, Bella. Now.”

  Her teenage brother’s face hardened and she had a glimpse of the man he’d become.

  She went into the shelter.

  * * *

  Bella sat on the cool earth floor, the lantern in the corner providing enough light to see the entire space, which wasn’t much more than three solid concrete walls and ceiling, the dirt floor and that cold steel door.

  The batteries in the clock on the wall had corroded so she had no idea what time it was. She had enough fresh batteries for the lantern to last a few days, but she wouldn’t wait that long. She couldn’t wait that long.

  She had to get out of here. Soon. Her skin tingled, like bugs had crawled under it, and her stomach hurt, though she didn’t feel sick. She realized she was panting and took a deep breath—in through her nose and out through her mouth like her dad had taught her. She couldn’t afford to let the fear to overtake her.

  But, Blessed Goddess, her skin itched.

  She tried to keep her mind off what was going on outside by singing songs, playing tic-tac-toe on the floor.

  But after what seemed like forever, she settled into a corner, arms wrapped around her legs, and watched the door for any sign of movement, ears straining for the slightest sound.

  She willed the door to open, prayed to the Great Goddess Uni for her mom to step through and wrap her in her arms, to tell her everything was okay.

  Nothing happened.

  What was going on out there?

  The first intense pain took her by surprise, making her legs twitch as if she’d been hit by an electric shock. She screamed and grabbed her calves, felt the muscles contort like rubber bands being manipulated by a two-year-old.

  No, no, no. Goddess, please, not now.

  The second agonizing jolt made it perfectly clear the Goddess wasn’t going to answer her prayer.

  It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Alone. Afraid. Her mother was supposed to be here, helping her through this first time. Her dad needed to teach her how to run on four legs.

  She howled, the sound a guttural cry of agony as her shoulders and backbone began their transformation. Cartilage twisted and bones reshaped, making her body hunch.

  Now her stomach began to heave as the change took her to all fours in the dirt. Brown fur began to sprout from her skin, an agonizing itch she couldn’t scratch. Her clothes shredded as her body reformed, seams bursting and buttons flying.

  Terror wanted to consume her but she knew she had to keep it under control. She was all alone. If something went wrong—

  No, she couldn’t think about that. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she concentrated instead on riding out the pain, on not letting it overpower her. She was hyperventilating and she knew it, so she made an effort to rein it in, taking long, deep breaths even as the bones in her face reconfigured in terrifying ways.

  No, not terrifying. Get a grip, Arabella. You’ve seen your family do this a hundred times.

  She clung to the thought like it was a lifeline and she was drowning as her ribs restructured and the joints in her arms bent backwards.

  She had no sense of time as her body made its first change, just that the agony never seemed to end.

  Until finally, it did.

  For several minutes, she lay on the ground, just breathing. When she thought she’d be able to stand, she rose on her paws, unsteady in her new form. Her joints ached, her bones hurt—her snout, especially.

  She wanted her mother. Whining, she made her way to the door, stumbling on wobbly legs. She sniffed the air around the door, her sense of smell ten times more powerful in this form than in her human body.

  She caught Cole’s scent, Cal’s, and, beyond that, her parents. She began to claw at the door, though it hurt her still-tender paws. She had to get out. She was trapped in here and she couldn’t stand— No, the wolf couldn’t stand it. Cover was good but not without an exit, an escape.

  Suddenly, she caught a scent she didn’t recognize, a human. But not human. Someone with power, though it was different from hers. It came from within, instead of being drawn from nature.

  He was running, fast, straight for her, until he was right outside. Backing into the corner farthest from the door, she bared her teeth, trying to look fearsome though she shook like a leaf in the wind.

  It seemed to take forever for the door to open and when it did, she growled, surprised that she still sounded vaguely like herself.

  She didn’t expect a boy to open the door, a dark-haired teenager who looked to be Cole’s age.

  He drew in a deep breath at the sight of her and froze, though she didn’t smell fear. Confusion, doubt, then shocked realization crossed his expression and he slowly lowered himself onto his knees, one hand outstretched.

  “Arabella, I’m Steven Castiglione. I’m here to help. You have to come with me now.”

  She growled again. Who was this boy to tell her what she had to do? Cole had said he would come for her. Or Cal or her parents. She wasn’t going anywhere with this stranger.

  As if he’d read her mind, Steven grimaced and his eyes shadowed. “Your parents can’t come for you, Arabella. You must come with me. I won’t hurt you.”

  He backed away until he stood outside the shelter, far enough away from the door that she had enough room to escape. Sniffing, she didn’t smell anyone else. He’d come alone.

  She growled, unable to speak in this form. She needed to speak, needed to ask questions. But h
ow was she supposed to change back?

  She tried to think even as she snapped at the boy, who continued to talk to her. What had her mom told her when she’d asked how you changed back? How had she explained it?

  Concentrate on reshaping the body, on calling back the pelt and the snout and the paws.

  Blessed Goddess, she didn’t know if she could do this, not with the uncertainty and the fear and the realization that something was very wrong.

  No. No, she could do this. She had to do this.

  Pushing everything out of her mind, she found the strength of will to call back the animal, to conquer nature and return to human form. It wasn’t as painful this way. Her bones and muscles knew the wolf was only a temporary state, that this was her true form.

  It took her longer than it should have, but it would get easier. Her mom had told her that, too.

  When she recovered, drained and naked on the ground that had absorbed her energy back into it, she raised her head to find the boy standing with his back to her.

  When he turned and moved toward her, his expression held an overwhelming sadness that chilled her to the bone. He towered over her, his too-long hair shadowing a lean face. Then he pulled his t-shirt over his head and kneeled beside her. He helped her sit, helped her into his shirt, averting his eyes as if embarrassed by her nudity.

  Must not be versipellis.

  The random thought flitted through her mind. He didn’t smell like one, either, though his blood carried arus, the magic inherent in all descendents of the Etruscan magical races.

  “I’m sorry, Arabella, but we have to go.”

  She shook her head. “Where’s my mom and dad?”

  His mouth firmed but he looked her straight in the eyes. “They can’t help you now. You have to come with me.”

  No. She refused to hear what he wasn’t saying. With a burst of strength, she broke away from the startled teen and ran out the door.

  Through the forest, her legs still wobbly, her stomach knotted tight in fear, she ran toward the house. She could smell blood and, though it made her want to curl into a tight little ball and cry, she forced herself to run faster.