glimpses of flesh. She was talking to the man Neva had seen Duncan with last night. Even as Neva watched, the man made a chopping motion with his hand then walked away. What Neva could see of Betise's expression was savage, to say the least.
If that look was anything to go by, it probably wasn't the best time to be asking Betise about the
Sinclairs and that man, but right now, Neva had little choice. She might not get a second chance.
She took a deep breath, then headed back into the crowd. The sensual beat of the music was accompanied by sighs of pleasure and the slap of flesh against flesh. Revulsion stirred, yet the fever rose in her blood, and the deep-down ache Duncan had started only minutes ago became fiercer. She might hate this sort of wanton, exhibitionist behavior, but the wildness within hungered to join them. Hungered to become part of this lusty, sweating crowd.
She definitely wasn't that different from any of those here tonight, no matter what her parents might have taught her over the years. High ideals meant little in the heat of the moon, it seemed.
She finally broke free of the crowd and saw Betise heading for a side exit. She followed, breathing deeply the crisp night air before she called out to the other wolf. Betise swung around, and surprise flitted across her hard features as she took off her mask. 'Neva. I didn't expect to find you here tonight.'
Neva shrugged and stopped several feet away from the other woman. 'If I had any choice, I wouldn't be.' Though perhaps sense would have been a better word to use than choice.
Betise frowned. 'Why not?'
'Apparently I agreed to some form of ancient binding without even realizing it, and now I'm stuck here for the remainder of this moon phase.'
Betise's pale eyebrows rose. 'Duncan did a moon binding with you?'
'Yeah. What a bitch, huh?'
'I guess it is if you don't want it.' The slight edge in Betise's voice suggested a binding was something she certainly wouldn't have minded.
'Well, I don't, believe me.'
Betise smiled. It never reached her silvery green eyes, and the thick sensation of envy briefly stung the air. ' Being bonded to Duncan the rest of this phase will be a pretty amazing experience.'
Amazing was certainly one word that could be used to describe what they'd shared so far. Harrowing was another . So was life-destroying. And it was all self-inflicted. No one had forced her into this situation. She'd stepped into it with her eyes wide open.
She raised an eyebrow. 'I take it you've danced with Duncan?'
'In times past.' Betise waved a hand toward the distant fountain. 'I need to cool down. You want to walk with me?'
Neva nodded and fell into step beside the older wolf. 'When was this?' She kept her voice carefully neutral, even though she was desperate to know.
The moon and this place were making her insane, for sure.
'Before he left to go to Denver. He and I were an item for the last year he was here.' Betise sighed again. 'We were planning to per form the moon ceremony. We wanted to start a family.'
Something twisted deep inside Neva. The moon ceremony was a life-bonding ritual that was performed the night before the full moon--and one that was only ever performed between soul mates. But if Betise and Duncan were soul mates, why was he with her rather than Betise? 'So what happened?'
'I don't know. He disappeared for several weeks, then ended up in jail down in Denver. By the time I got down there, he'd been released and I lost track of him again.'
'And you never tried to find him?' If her soul mate had disappeared, she would have moved Heaven and
Earth to find him again.
Betise's glance was dark. 'Of course I did. But by the time I did, a couple of years had passed, and he wanted nothing more to do with me. I still don't know why.' Neva frowned. That made no sense--not if they were soul mates. 'You've talked to him recently?'
'No.' Betise hesitated and raised a sculptured eyebrow. 'But I might try this phase, if you don't mind.'
'Go ahead,' she said. Even though the insane part of her did mind. Very much.
The older wolf stopped next to the three-tiered fountain and scooped up a handful of water. She took a sip then splashed the remainder across her breasts. 'How's your sister?' she asked, after a moment.
'Slowly recovering. I think she'll probably wake in the next day or so.'
Betise nodded. 'Must have been a big wolf who attacked her.'
Memories rose--quick snapshots of broad shoulders, long legs, big teeth. Teeth that had torn so very deep. Neva shuddered and forced them away. She didn't want to relive Savannah's assault. Not ever.
'Extremely big,' she somehow managed to say. 'I was surprised you decided to come here to the mansion when your sister is so ill in the hospital.' Neva scooped up some cool water, sipping at it slowly as she tried to think of a plausible answer. 'The day before she was attacked, Sav and I were discussing the things we wanted to do before we die.' She hesitated. 'I guess her accident brought home just how close death really is, and how little I've done with my life.'
'And a moon dance was on top of your list of things to experience?'
Right alongside sprouting wings and flying to the moon. 'Yeah, but one night, not five.'
Betise chuckled. 'At least you're with Duncan. He's one of the best lovers you'll find here at the mansion.' But only when he wanted to be, Neva thought sourly. She forced a smile. 'Sounds like you've had a dance or two with a few of the Sinclairs.'
Betise's smile was almost wistful. 'You could say that.'
'And that gorgeous specimen I saw you dancing with a few minutes ago?'
The older wolf's smile faded, and her face became hard again. 'That was Rene, one of Duncan's older brothers.'
'I take it things aren't going well between you?' And why was she dancing with Rene if Duncan was her soul mate? None of this was making any sense. 'No.' Betise's reply was short. Sharp. 'He's just as bad as the rest of them. They all make promises in the heat of the moment but never--' She bit off the words and took a deep breath. 'Sorry. I don't mean to go on.' Neva wished she would. She had a feeling she'd learn a whole lot more that way. 'I totally understand, believe me. Duncan hasn't exactly been a picture of politeness in the day I've known him.'
Betise grunted softly. 'It's a wonder someone isn't killing Zeke's get, rather than just their lovers.'
Bingo, Neva thought. Nothing in any of Savannah's reports had indicated the victims had been anything more than casual dancers. She ducked her gaze away, taking another sip of water as she tried to calm her racing heart. 'So it's their mates being targeted?'
Betise hesitated. 'So rumor has it.'
At least it gave her a lead she could follow. While she couldn't risk talking to Duncan's brothers, she could certainly track down their mates and talk to them. 'Did you know any of them?'
Betise shook her head. 'Though I may have met them here, the masks make it difficult to say.' Neither of them seemed to have had any trouble recognizing each other, even with the masks on. But Betise had always been a loner at heart and tended to keep to herself. It was probably why her hair salon wasn't doing as well as it should. Most women went to a hairdresser's to relax and chat. Betise wasn't inclined to allow either. 'Aren't you worried that you might be in danger?' The older wolf's smile was bleak.
'No. From what I've heard, the victims were more permanent mates rather than casual dancers.'
'Why haven't you gone to the rangers with this information?'
'With little more than a rumor? I doubt it would be appreciated--by the rangers or the Sinclairs.' The
Sinclairs might not appreciate it, but the rangers sure would. Right now, they were desperate for the slightest scrap that could lead them toward the killer. 'So make an anonymous phone call.'
'Not from the mansion, you can't. The phones are tapped.'
Thanks for the warning, Neva thought. 'Who by?'
'Zeke ordered it, apparently.'
'Why?'
'Who knows? Maybe he just wants to be sure none of his get have murderous intents.'
