Marked by the Moon (Nightcreature 9)

“I didn’t have to plan anything,” Julian said. “I’m magic, remember?”

“You use that as an answer to everything.”

“It’s a pretty good answer.”

Julian waited for Cade to call him a liar, but he didn’t. He couldn’t prove anything, and when it came right down to it, why would Julian lie?

“This woman,” Julian said. “I didn’t plan to make her.”

Liar!

“So I didn’t have any of your serum to give her.” Julian spoke more loudly, trying to drown out the accusing voice in his head. Cade frowned. “Yet when we came into town just now, everyone welcomed her, and no one got a headache.”

“That’s impossible,” his brother insisted.

“Since it happened, guess not.”

“Who is this woman?”

&n

bsp; “Name is Alexandra Trevalyn. Other than that…” Julian shrugged. “You’ve never heard of this happening before?”

“Never.” Cade turned back to his computer, hit a few more commands, then began to type. “Bring her here. I’ll need a sample of her blood.”

Julian sighed. He’d hoped Cade would have a scientific explanation that would set Julian’s mind at ease, or that his brother would at least say that while he didn’t know the cause, he had heard of the phenomenon a hundred times before.

No such luck.

Ella took Alex’s arm, ignoring her start of surprise. No one seemed to find it odd that they could touch, and since she’d been able to touch Julian, too, Alex guessed that this was just another of the many ways that Barlow’s wolves were different.

Alex wasn’t used to being touched so often and so easily. She’d lived alone for eight years. On the move. No friends, no family. Few reasons to touch anyone at all. Especially not a stark-naked woman she’d only just met.

“Welcome,” Ella said. “We don’t often have new arrivals.”

As the others dispersed every which way, the woman led Alex across the square to a side street opposite the one down which Julian had disappeared. Had he chosen Ella simply because her home was the farthest from his?

“No?” Alex extricated her arm. “Why’s that?”

Ella glanced at her. “Hasn’t Julian explained about Barlowsville?”

“Barlowsville?” Alex repeated with a derisive snort. “What an ego.”

Ella frowned, her dark eyes confused. “You sound like you hate him.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Alex muttered.

“He is our leader, our maker.”

Alex stopped walking. “He made all of you?”

“Yes.”

Edward had been right. Barlow was amassing a werewolf army. Although…the army didn’t appear to be very big or very vicious. But give them time.

Ella beckoned. “I have clothes for you. We seem about the same size.”

And it was pretty easy to tell.