Dark MoonChapter OneI have always l

Dark Moon

Chapter One

I have always loved the dark of the moon, when the night is still and serene, when all that can be seen are the stars.
There are those who term the dark moon a new moon, but there is nothing new about the moon. It has been here from time forgotten and will be here long after we are dead.
I spend my days, and most of my nights, inside a stone fortress in the wilds of Montana. I'm a doctor by trade, though not the kind who gives out lollipops after dispensing vaccines and pills. Instead I mix a little of this and a little of that, over and over again.
My degree reads "virologist." In English, that means I have a Ph.D. in the study of viruses. Don't worry, I won't let the excitement kill me. The boredom might, though, if the loneliness doesn't do it first.
Of course, I'm not completely alone. There's a guard at the door and my test subjects, but none of them are great conversationalists. Lately I've started to feel watched, which is pretty funny considering I'm the one in charge of the surveillance cameras.
Paranoia is one of the first signs of dementia; except I don't feel crazy. Does anyone? I've come to the conclusion I need to get out more. But where would I go?
Most days I don't mind being locked tight inside the safest place in the West. The world is pretty scary.
Scarier than most people realize.
You think the monsters aren't real? That they're merely the figment of childish imaginations or delusional psychosis? You're wrong.
There are things walking the earth worse than anything in Grimm's Fairy Tales. Unsolved Mysteries would have a stroke if they got a look at my X-files. But since lycanthropy is a virus, werewolves are my specialty. I've devoted my life to finding a cure.
I have a personal interest. You see, I'm one of them.
The powers that be say a life is formed by changes— decisions made, roads not taken, people we've left behind. I'm inclined to agree.
On the day my whole world changed—again—a single decision, that fork in the road and the one I left behind walked into my office without warning.
I was at my desk updating files, when the scuff of a shoe against concrete made me glance up. The man in the doorway made my heart go ba-boom. He always had.
"Nic," I murmured, and in my voice I heard more than I wanted to.
The strong nose, full lips, wide forehead were as I remembered. But the lines around his mouth and eyes, the darker shade of his skin, hinted at a life spent exposed to the elements. The flicker of silver in his short hair was as shocking as him being here in first place.

He didn't smile, didn't return my greeting. I couldn't blame him. I'd professed love, then disappeared. I hadn't spoken to him since.
Seven years. How had he found me? And why?
Concern replaced curiosity, and my hand inched toward the drawer where I kept my gun. The guard hadn't called to clear a visitor, so I should shoot first, ask questions later. In my world, an enemy could lurk behind every face. But I'd always had a tough time shooting people. One of the many reasons the boss kept me isolated in the forest.
I'd learned long ago how to gauge a suit for a shoulder holster. Nic had one. A disturbing change in a man who'd once been both studious and dreamy, in love with the law and me, not necessarily in that order. Why was he carrying a gun?
Since he hadn't drawn his, I drew mine, then pointed the weapon at Nic's chest. Loaded with silver, I was ready for anything. Except the punch of his deep blue eyes and the familiar timbre of his voice. "Hey, sweetheart."
In college that endearment had made me all warm and stupid. I'd promised things I had no right to promise. Now the same word, uttered with cool sarcasm, annoyed me.
I'd left for his own good. However, he didn't know that.
I got to my feet, stepped around the desk, came a little too close. "What are you doing here?"
"I didn't think you'd be thrilled to see me, but this isn't exactly the welcome I expected."
His gaze lowered to the gun, and I was distracted by the scent of him. Fresh snow, mountain air, my past.
He grabbed the weapon, twisted it away, then tucked me against his body with an elbow across my throat. I was no good with firearms. Never had been.
I choked, and Nic released the stranglehold on my windpipe, though he didn't release me. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of metal on the desk. He'd put my gun aside. One less thing to worry about.
"What do you want?" I managed.
Instead of answering, he nuzzled my hair and his breath brushed my ear. My knees quivered; my eyes burned. Having Nic so close was making me remember things I'd spent years trying to forget. And the memories hurt. Hell, I still loved him.
An uncommon rush of emotion caused my muscles to clench, my stomach to roil. I wasn't used to feeling anything. I prided myself on being cool, patrician, in charge: Dr. Elise Hanover, ice queen. When I let my anger loose, bad things happened.
But no one had ever affected me like Nic. No one had ever made me as happy or as sad. No one could make me more furious.
I slammed my spike heel onto his shiny black shoe and ground down with all my weight. Nic flinched, and I jabbed my elbow into his stomach. I forgot to pull my punch, and he flew into the wall. Spinning around, I watched him slide to the floor, eyes closed.

Oops.
I resisted the urge to run to him, touch his face, kiss his brow. For both our sakes, we couldn't go back to the way things had been.
Nic's eyelids fluttered, and he mumbled something foul. I let out the breath I'd been holding. He'd be all right.
I doubted he was often on the losing end of a fight. Since I'd seen him last he'd bulked up—the combination of age and a few thousand hours with a weight machine.
What else had he been doing in the years we'd been apart? He'd planned to become a lawyer, except he didn't resemble any lawyer I'd ever seen. The suit, yes, but beneath the crisp charcoal material he was something more than a paper-pushing fast talker. Perhaps a soldier decked out in his Sunday best.
My gaze wandered over him, catching on the dark sunglasses hooked into his pocket.
Suit. Muscles. Men in Black glasses.
"FBI," I muttered.
Now I was really ticked off.
Nic's eyes snapped open, crossing once before focusing on my face. "You always were smarter than you looked."
I'd been the victim of enough dumb-blonde jokes to last me several lifetimes. The moronic jabs and riddles had bothered me, until I realized I could use the speaker's attitude to my advantage. If people thought I was stupid, they weren't expecting anything else.
So I didn't rise to Nic's bait. He'd been sent here by the big boys, without warning, and that meant trouble.
"I suppose you want me to hand over my gun?" he grumbled.
I shrugged. "Keep it."
A weapon filled with lead was the least of my worries.
He struggled to his feet, and I experienced an instant of concern when he wobbled. I'd hit him way too hard.
"Let me give you some advice," he said. "I've always found that the people we least expect to shoot us usually do."
Funny, I'd found that, too.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded.
His brows lifted. "No hugs, no kisses? You aren't glad to see me? If I remember correctly I should be the one who's angry."
He sat on a chair without being invited.
"Oh, wait." His eyes met mine. "I am."

Nic had every reason to be furious. I'd snuck out in the night as if I had something to hide.
Oh, wait. I did.
Nevertheless, being near him hurt. I couldn't tell Nic why I'd left. I couldn't apologize, because I wasn't really sorry. I couldn't touch him the way I wanted to. I couldn't ever touch anyone that way.
"You didn't come here to talk about our past," I snapped. "What does the FBI want with the Jüger-Suchers?"
I wasn't the only one fighting monsters. I was merely the geeky member of a select group—"hunter-searchers" for those a little rusty on their German.
Though financed by the government, the Jüger-Suchers were a secret from all but those who needed to know. If it got out that there were monsters running all over the place, people would panic.
Not only that, but heads would roll. Unlimited cash for a Special Forces monster-hunting unit? Someone would definitely lose their job, and we'd lose our funding. So we pretended to be things we weren't.
For instance, I was a research scientist investigating a new form of rabies in the animal population. Most of our field agents carried documentation identifying them as wardens for various natural resource departments.
Until today, the precautions had worked. No one had ever come snooping before.
The question was: Why now?
And why him?

Kết quả (Việt) 1:

Mặt Trăng tốiChương mộtTôi đã luôn luôn yêu thương bóng tối của mặt trăng, khi đêm là vẫn còn và thanh thản, khi tất cả những gì có thể được xem là những ngôi sao.Có những người hạn tối mặt trăng trăng mới, nhưng không có gì mới về mặt trăng. Nó đã được ở đây từ thời gian quên và sẽ được ở đây lâu sau khi chúng tôi là chết.Tôi chi tiêu ngày của tôi, và phần lớn của đêm của tôi, bên trong một pháo đài bằng đá trong wilds của Montana. Tôi là một bác sĩ của thương mại, mặc dù không phải là loại người đưa ra lollipops sau khi lời vắc xin và thuốc. Thay vào đó tôi pha trộn một chút về điều này và một chút của đó, hơn và hơn nữa.Bằng cấp của tôi đọc "nhà virus học." Trong tiếng Anh, mà có nghĩa là tôi có bằng tiến sĩ trong nghiên cứu của virus. Đừng lo lắng, tôi sẽ không cho phép sự phấn khích giết tôi. Sự nhàm chán có thể, Tuy nhiên, nếu sự cô đơn không làm nó đầu tiên.Tất nhiên, tôi không hoàn toàn một mình. Có một người bảo vệ tại cửa và đối tượng thử nghiệm của tôi, nhưng không ai trong số họ là tuyệt vời conversationalists. Gần đây tôi đã bắt đầu cảm thấy theo dõi, đó là khá funny xem xét tôi mới là người phụ trách các camera giám sát.Hoang tưởng là một trong những dấu hiệu đầu tiên của chứng mất trí; Ngoại trừ việc tôi không cảm thấy điên. Có ai? Tôi đã đi đến kết luận tôi cần để hiểu thêm. Nhưng tôi đi đâu?Hầu hết các ngày tôi không nhớ bị khóa chặt chẽ bên trong là nơi an toàn nhất ở phía tây. Thế giới là khá đáng sợ.Scarier hơn hầu hết mọi người nhận ra.Bạn nghĩ rằng những con quái vật không thực tế? Rằng họ đang chỉ đơn thuần là figment của trí tưởng tượng trẻ con hoặc rối loạn tâm thần ảo tưởng? Bạn đang sai.Có những thứ đi bộ trái đất tồi tệ hơn bất cứ điều gì trong truyện cổ tích Grimm's. Chưa giải được bí ẩn sẽ có một cơn đột quỵ nếu họ có một cái nhìn của tôi X-files. Nhưng kể từ khi lycanthropy là một loại virus, người sói là đặc sản của tôi. Tôi đã dành cuộc sống của tôi để tìm một chữa bệnh.Tôi có một quan tâm cá nhân. Bạn thấy, tôi là một trong số họ.Các quyền hạn đó được nói một cuộc sống được hình thành bởi những thay đổi-quyết định, con đường không thực hiện, những người chúng tôi đã để lại đằng sau. Tôi nghiêng để đồng ý.Vào ngày thế giới toàn bộ của tôi thay đổi-một lần nữa-một quyết định duy nhất, mà ngã ba đường và một tôi lại đi vào văn phòng của tôi mà không có cảnh báo.Tôi đã ở bàn của tôi cập nhật các file, khi chà một đôi giày với bê tông làm cho tôi lướt lên. Người đàn ông ở cửa vào làm trái tim của tôi đi ba-bùng nổ. Ông luôn luôn có."Nic," tôi murmured, và trong giọng nói của tôi tôi nghe nhiều hơn tôi muốn.Đôi môi đầy đủ, mạnh mẽ mũi, trán rộng đã như tôi nhớ. Nhưng các đường xung quanh miệng và đôi mắt của mình, bóng tối của làn da của mình, ám chỉ một cuộc sống chi tiêu tiếp xúc với các yếu tố. Nhấp nháy bạc trong mái tóc ngắn của mình là sốc như anh ta ở đây tại địa điểm đầu tiên.Ông không mỉm cười, không trả lại lời chào của tôi. Tôi không thể đổ lỗi cho anh ta. Tôi đã công khai tình yêu, sau đó biến mất. Tôi đã không nói chuyện với anh ta từ.Bảy năm. Làm thế nào ông đã tìm thấy tôi? Và lý do tại sao?Concern replaced curiosity, and my hand inched toward the drawer where I kept my gun. The guard hadn't called to clear a visitor, so I should shoot first, ask questions later. In my world, an enemy could lurk behind every face. But I'd always had a tough time shooting people. One of the many reasons the boss kept me isolated in the forest.I'd learned long ago how to gauge a suit for a shoulder holster. Nic had one. A disturbing change in a man who'd once been both studious and dreamy, in love with the law and me, not necessarily in that order. Why was he carrying a gun?Since he hadn't drawn his, I drew mine, then pointed the weapon at Nic's chest. Loaded with silver, I was ready for anything. Except the punch of his deep blue eyes and the familiar timbre of his voice. "Hey, sweetheart."In college that endearment had made me all warm and stupid. I'd promised things I had no right to promise. Now the same word, uttered with cool sarcasm, annoyed me.I'd left for his own good. However, he didn't know that.I got to my feet, stepped around the desk, came a little too close. "What are you doing here?""I didn't think you'd be thrilled to see me, but this isn't exactly the welcome I expected."His gaze lowered to the gun, and I was distracted by the scent of him. Fresh snow, mountain air, my past.He grabbed the weapon, twisted it away, then tucked me against his body with an elbow across my throat. I was no good with firearms. Never had been.I choked, and Nic released the stranglehold on my windpipe, though he didn't release me. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of metal on the desk. He'd put my gun aside. One less thing to worry about."What do you want?" I managed.Instead of answering, he nuzzled my hair and his breath brushed my ear. My knees quivered; my eyes burned. Having Nic so close was making me remember things I'd spent years trying to forget. And the memories hurt. Hell, I still loved him.An uncommon rush of emotion caused my muscles to clench, my stomach to roil. I wasn't used to feeling anything. I prided myself on being cool, patrician, in charge: Dr. Elise Hanover, ice queen. When I let my anger loose, bad things happened.But no one had ever affected me like Nic. No one had ever made me as happy or as sad. No one could make me more furious.I slammed my spike heel onto his shiny black shoe and ground down with all my weight. Nic flinched, and I jabbed my elbow into his stomach. I forgot to pull my punch, and he flew into the wall. Spinning around, I watched him slide to the floor, eyes closed.Oops.I resisted the urge to run to him, touch his face, kiss his brow. For both our sakes, we couldn't go back to the way things had been.Nic's eyelids fluttered, and he mumbled something foul. I let out the breath I'd been holding. He'd be all right.I doubted he was often on the losing end of a fight. Since I'd seen him last he'd bulked up—the combination of age and a few thousand hours with a weight machine.Tất cả những gì khác ông đã được làm trong những năm qua chúng tôi đã được apart? Ông đã có kế hoạch để trở thành một luật sư, ngoại trừ việc ông không giống như bất kỳ luật sư mà tôi đã từng gặp. Phù hợp với, có, nhưng bên dưới các vật liệu than sắc nét, ông là một cái gì đó nhiều hơn một giấy-đẩy nhanh talker. Có lẽ là một người lính decked ra trong chủ nhật tốt nhất của mình.Chiêm ngưỡng của tôi lang thang trên anh ta, đánh bắt trên kính mát tối nối vào túi của mình.Phù hợp với. Cơ bắp. Người đàn ông trong màu đen mắt kính."FBI," Tôi muttered.Bây giờ tôi đã thực sự chọn.NIC của mắt bị gãy mở, qua một lần trước khi tập trung vào khuôn mặt của tôi. "Anh luôn là thông minh hơn bạn xem xét."Tôi đã là nạn nhân của truyện cười câm vàng đủ để cuối cùng tôi nhiều kiếp sống. Moronic jabs và câu đố có bực tôi, cho đến khi tôi nhận ra rằng tôi có thể sử dụng Thái độ của người nói cho lợi ích của tôi. Nếu mọi người nghĩ rằng tôi đã ngu ngốc, họ không mong đợi bất cứ điều gì khác.Vì vậy, tôi đã không tăng lên của Nic mồi. Ông đã được gửi ở đây bởi các bé trai lớn, mà không có cảnh báo, và đó có nghĩa là rắc rối."Tôi giả sử bạn muốn tôi bàn giao súng?", ông grumbled.Tôi shrugged. "Giữ cho nó."Một vũ khí đầy với dẫn là ít nhất lo lắng của tôi.Ông đấu tranh để bàn chân của mình, và tôi có kinh nghiệm ngay lập tức của mối quan tâm khi ông wobbled. Tôi sẽ đánh anh ta cách quá khó khăn."Hãy để tôi cung cấp cho bạn một số lời khuyên," ông nói. "Tôi đã luôn luôn thấy rằng người dân chúng tôi ít nhất là mong đợi để bắn chúng tôi thường làm."Hài hước, tôi sẽ thấy rằng, quá."Bạn đang làm gì ở đây?" Tôi yêu cầu.Lông mày của mình nâng lên. "Không có những cái ôm, hôn không? Bạn không phải là vui mừng khi thấy tôi? Nếu tôi nhớ chính xác tôi nên là một trong những người là tức giận."He sat on a chair without being invited."Oh, wait." His eyes met mine. "I am."Nic had every reason to be furious. I'd snuck out in the night as if I had something to hide.Oh, wait. I did.Nevertheless, being near him hurt. I couldn't tell Nic why I'd left. I couldn't apologize, because I wasn't really sorry. I couldn't touch him the way I wanted to. I couldn't ever touch anyone that way."You didn't come here to talk about our past," I snapped. "What does the FBI want with the Jüger-Suchers?"I wasn't the only one fighting monsters. I was merely the geeky member of a select group—"hunter-searchers" for those a little rusty on their German.Though financed by the government, the Jüger-Suchers were a secret from all but those who needed to know. If it got out that there were monsters running all over the place, people would panic.Not only that, but heads would roll. Unlimited cash for a Special Forces monster-hunting unit? Someone would definitely lose their job, and we'd lose our funding. So we pretended to be things we weren't.For instance, I was a research scientist investigating a new form of rabies in the animal population. Most of our field agents carried documentation identifying them as wardens for various natural resource departments.Until today, the precautions had worked. No one had ever come snooping before.The question was: Why now?And why him?