Haunted Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

Author:Moira Rogers [Rogers, Moira]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781619212206
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2013-01-22T00:00:00+00:00

They buried Quinn in a small clearing surrounded by trees near the center of the farm. Stella laid protective wards around its perimeter while Fletcher and Colin dug the grave deep into the loamy soil.

The magic tickled over Jay’s senses as they crossed the barrier, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. It had been too long since he’d been involved in the harsh reality of being a wolf in human society, too long since he’d dealt with anything but his own practical matters. And, since reaching adulthood, those were few—he had good control, never had to worry about hurting anyone or blowing his cover.

Never had to worry about much of anything until now.

Horrible, to be burying someone in the middle of the night by the light of the moon. No preachers, no funeral service or sleek caskets, none of the sterile niceties that allowed you to remove yourself from the proceedings. With the mounds of dirt excavated from the grave covered by bright green plastic carpeting, it was easy to see only the steel box being lowered into the cold ground.

All they had was a body sewn into a sheet from the attic.

But as he looked at the somber, sometimes tear-streaked faces around him, the truth hit him. They didn’t need tact. They needed the visceral candor of this moment—no music, no flowers, no sonorous prayer offered by a religious official.

Just them and their dead friend.

Someone had to say something, but a wind warmer than the chilly night breeze rushed past him, odd enough to draw his attention. It felt like breath, and Jay turned instinctively, looking for its source.

Nothing. No one behind him, just the quiet of the night.

The whole damn thing was making him paranoid.

The wolves gathered in a ragged circle around the grave. Mae, Kaley and Lorelei huddled together, a quiet knot of pain echoed in the tight set of Zack’s shoulders as he stood stiffly beside them.

No one spoke. No one seemed able to.

Jay cleared his throat and squeezed Eden’s hand. “I didn’t know Quinn, but I wish… Well, I wish the things he’d been through hadn’t seemed so insurmountable.”

Mae sniffled and turned her face to Lorelei’s shoulder. Fletcher looked away from the women, as if their obvious pain was too much—or too naked—to bear.

A hand brushed Jay’s right shoulder. He glanced back again. There was no one behind him, and Eden stood close to his left side, her right hand tucked into both of his.

Paranoid.

Kaley wiped her red eyes and stepped forward. Shane tried to stop her, but Zack growled a low warning. She shook her head and wrapped her hands around the pitted wooden handle of a shovel. “I need to do this.”

Fletcher retrieved a second shovel. “We can do it together. Anyone who wants to.”

Mae looked like she wanted to be doing anything else. Eden and Lorelei led her away from the open grave as Jay picked up a shovel.

When the first clump of dirt hit the wrapped bundle at the bottom of the grave, a sob tore through the night.

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