Blood Red (21 page)

Vivi Anna

Especially now, after the ridiculous story he was fabricating about her Grandma. He would say anything to absolve himself from her brutal murder.

Red bent down and retrieved a large tree branch.

She quickly raised her head and searched the surrounding trees. It had gotten quiet. Too quiet. The birds had stopped chirping, and the wind had ceased to blow.

She dropped the wood she was carrying and slowly stood. Her hand was on her knife, slowly sliding it out from its sheath.

“I can help you.”

Red turned around. Behind her stood a woman in a long, slim white dress. She had long wild black hair and big black eyes. Her skin was so pale, she almost glowed.

“Who are you?” Red’s voiced quaked. She had not heard the woman approach. It was as if she had floated in on the wind.

“My name is Morgana. And you are the little Red Riding-Hood. Except you are not so little, now.”

Red raised her knife. “What do you want?”

“I want to help. The Wolf dies even as we speak.

His life force seeps out of him. He will not be alive when you return.”

“What do I care? He is a murderer and a liar. I have no use for him.”

Morgana smiled. She stepped closer to Red. “Oh, but I think you do.”

“Don’t come any closer.” Red’s hand shook. She felt strange. She felt fear for the first time in seven years. It gripped her tightly around her body 40

Blood Red

constricting all her movements.

Morgana stopped right before Red. She reached out and took Red’s knife. She sheathed it back into Red’s leg holder. Her hand lightly brushed Red’s hip as she pulled back. She put a hand gently on Red’s cheek, rubbing her thumb over her lips.

“Please…” Red whimpered. A deep, swelling heat traveled from her lips where Morgana had touched her to the center of her body.

Morgana leaned forward and covered Red’s mouth with her own. She pushed her tongue between her lips. Red moaned lightly as Morgana kissed her. She could feel an intimate throb in her belly. It radiated out to her thighs and caused her legs to quiver.

Morgana pulled back and smiled. “Take me to The Wolf.”

When they entered the cave, Wolf was lying on his side. His breathing was labored.

Red dumped the firewood on the ground as Morgana leaned down next to Wolf. She felt his forehead and ran her hands down over his face to his throat. She felt for his pulse.

“He is stepping into the underworld. Hurry, make a fire.”

Red built a fire. She quickly lit the kindling and blew on it for life. It burned brightly. Warmth spread through the dreary cave.

“Help me remove his clothing.” Morgana stripped him of Red’s cloak.

Red looked down at him concerned. “Is that really necessary?”

“Yes. If you do not do as I say, he will die. It is 41