Read Online Ice Moon by Lisa Kessler - Free Book Online Page A

so.”
    “You guess?”
    He looked up at me. “I wish every night could be like last night. I wish Mom could…” He sighed. “I get lonely sometimes.”
    “But you’ve got friends at school, right?”
    “Yeah. And at soccer, too, but they never get to come over or spend the night. My Mom can’t have them around.” He kicked at a rock. “But last night she seemed fine. I thought things might be different.”
    I squeezed his shoulder, my chest tight. “Give her some time.” I cleared my throat, glancing at the moon. “I’m not giving up on her, and you shouldn’t either.”
    “I knew it!” Charlie laughed and nudged me. “You do like my Mom.”
    I rolled my eyes and mussed his hair. “She’s okay.”
    “You think she’s pretty.”
    “She is pretty. Beautiful in fact.”
    Charlie’s laughter faded, his eyes shining with hope. “You should tell her that.”
    “I’d have to get her to talk to me again first.”
    He sighed. “But you said you won’t give up.”
    “Yep.” I nodded and started up for my truck. “She’s about to find out how stubborn I can be.”
    Charlie jogged beside me, with Tank close behind. “Jared, can I tell you a secret?”
    I stopped at the truck and faced him. “What is it?”
    He checked around and lowered his voice. “It’s gonna sound crazy.”
    “Your secrets are safe with me.”
    “You won’t laugh?”
    I crossed my heart. “Not a chance.”
    “I hear you talking to Tank when you’re outside and I’m inside doing homework. Mom says I exaggerate, but I don’t.”
    I ground my teeth together, biting back what I really wanted to tell him. “Why are you telling me this?”
    “Because…” His big green eyes searched mine. “…You’re the first grown up I’ve ever met that smells like me.”
    The vulnerability in Charlie’s eyes tore a hole in me. This boy needed to know what he was, what I was, but I couldn’t tell him. Not yet. Instead, I hugged him. He clung to me like a lifeline while I stared at the darkening sky above, trying to figure out what in the hell to do.
    He sniffled a little and stepped back. “You don’t think I’m nuts?”
    “Nope.” I chucked his chin. “I think you’re one amazing boy.”
    “Why do we smell different?”
    Because we’re werewolves, kid. “There’s not a simple answer, and for now, it’s really important that we keep it between us. Your mom is already upset with me. I don’t want to give her any more ammunition.”
    Charlie nodded, his expression serious beyond his years. “I won’t say anything.” He lifted his left arm and slid his sleeve up to expose a severely scarred forearm. “I keep my scar to myself, too. It upsets my mom when she sees it, and she told me other people would ask questions.”
    A burn. My throat went tight. “How’d you get that?”
    He shrugged and pulled his shirt back down. “I don’t remember, but Mom does, and she doesn’t like to look at it.”
    I raked my fingers back through my hair, staring at the sky again while I struggled to gather my emotions. This burn was why she kept her distance from everyone, even her own son. Maybe she couldn’t control it.
    And how could I help her?
    I grabbed Charlie around the waist and boosted him onto the tailgate of my truck so we were almost at eye level. “I’ve got to get Tank home, but I need to know you can stay quiet about this until I get your mom to talk to me again.”
    “She’s not talking to you?”
    I shook my head. “Hasn’t returned my calls either. But I won’t give up.”
    He nodded. “Will you be back tomorrow?”
    “Yeah. We’ve got a deck to finish right?”
    His face brightened.
    The door opened and Sherri poked her head out. “Dinner’s ready, Charlie.”
    He hopped off the tailgate and grinned. “See you, Jared.”
    “Night, Charlie.”
    He raced inside, and I helped Tank into the cab of the truck. Once we were on the road, I glanced at my passenger. “If you’ve got any ideas about how I can