Dark Moon (12 page)

Nicky shrugged.  “He just said he had one last thing to buy and that he wouldn’t be long.”

Sophia shifted on her horse and tried not to let her nerves show.  Kaden was probably fine.  She was more concerned that he had decided not to stay for the wedding after all.  She hoped not.  It would break Bree’s heart.

Just Bree’s?

She ignored the small voice in her head as Leta piped up.  “Maybe he decided not to stay for the wedding.”

Bree shook her head.  “He would not leave without saying goodbye to me.”  She bit her lip nervously and then looked at James.  “Would you go and look for him, my lord?”

He nodded.  “Yes.”

“I’ll come with you.”  Nicky swung down from his horse as Bree gave him a grateful look.

“Thank you, Nicky.”

Before he could hand the reins to Sophia, Dani sighed with relief.  “There he is.”

Kaden was walking quickly towards them and Bree waved at him.  He waved back and, holding the pockets of his coat, jogged the rest of the way.

“Where have you been?”  Bree asked curiously.

“I had one last thing to buy.”  He puffed.

“What?”  Leta asked.

“Something for you.”  Kaden winked at her.

Leta stared at him.  “What is it?”  She looked at his empty hands and he grinned and stood next to the wagon. 

“Perhaps you can guess.”

Leta stared at him for a moment, her eyes dropping to the pocket of his jacket when it twitched.

“Your pocket just moved!”

“Did it?”  Kaden said innocently.

“Aye, it – “

She gave a loud gasp when a kitten poked its tiny head out of the pocket and meowed loudly.

“It’s a kitten!  A kitten!!”  Leta shouted.  She reached out eagerly as Kaden pulled the kitten out of his pocket and handed it to her.

She held it carefully and rubbed her face against its soft grey fur.  “It’s so cute.”

“Aye.  I thought it could live in the barn and eat those rats that scare you so badly.”  Kaden grinned at her.

She giggled when the kitten batted at her long hair.  “Is it a boy or a girl?”

“It’s a boy.” 

She handed the kitten to Dani who took it with a small smile and placed it in her lap.  Leta stared solemnly at Kaden for a moment, and then leaned over the side of the wagon and hugged him.

“Thank you, Kaden.  I like him very much.”

Kaden patted her back.  “You’re welcome, Leta.”

He untied Bandit from the back of the wagon and swung into the saddle.  He nudged him over to where Sophia sat on her horse as James clucked to the horses and the wagon began to move.

“That was very nice of you.”  She smiled at him as they followed the wagon.

He grinned at her and arranged his coat carefully around him.  “I have something for you as well.”

There was another soft mew and he reached into his other pocket and pulled out a second kitten.  This one was a light orange with dark orange stripes, and it hissed loudly when Sophia reached for it.

“This one has a temper.”  He grinned.  “It reminded me of you.”

She gave him a mock glare and plucked the kitten from his hand.  She held it in front of her, eyeing it carefully, and it hissed again.  She tucked it into her jacket, wincing a little when it dug its claws into the skin above her shirt, and Kaden snickered.

“He likes you.”

“Aye.”  She pulled the kitten’s claws from her skin and tucked it further down.  It curled into a ball against her stomach and stared balefully at her, its eyes glowing in the dimness of her jacket.

“He’ll make an excellent hunter.”  Kaden said.

She smiled at him.  “Thank you so much, Kaden.”

“You’re welcome, Sophia.”

A small, sweet shiver went through her when he said her name and her smile widened.  He flushed a little and said gruffly, “There were only two left.  I thought this one might be lonely if I took its brother away.”

“That was thoughtful of you.”

He glanced at her again.  “And I – I thought you might like him.”

“I do - very much.”  Her cheeks reddened when she realized Dani staring at them.

The young girl had a look of misery on her face and she quickly glanced down at her lap before Sophia could say anything.  Sophia sighed.  There was yet another reason she couldn’t let what was happening with Kaden continue.  Dani had fallen for Kaden and she had no wish to hurt her cousin’s feelings.  She and Kaden had no future but her cousin was human.  Kaden would be better off with Dani.

The kitten dug its tiny claws into her abdomen and she reached inside her jacket and rubbed its soft head.  It retracted its claws and purred loudly, and she sighed before urging her horse to move faster.

Chapter 10

“Happy Birthday, Kaden!”  Leta sang out as she ran into the barn.  She jumped at him and he caught her, throwing her up in the air and grinning when she squealed with delight.

“Thank you, Leta.”  He held her gently and she kissed him on the cheek.  His gift of the kitten had completely won over the little girl, and in the week since they had returned from town she had become increasingly friendly with him. 

“Where is Hogan?”  She looked around the barn for the grey kitten.

“I believe he’s in the hayloft with Piper.  They’re sleeping on my bed.”

Leta made a face.  “Piper’s mean.  He’s always scratching me.”

Kaden grinned.  While Hogan was friendly and sweet, the orange kitten was very particular about whom he liked and didn’t like.  So far, he would only allow Sophia and himself to hold him.  He hissed and scratched at anyone else who came near him.

His grin faltered.  Sophia had been avoiding him since they had returned from town, and he was more hurt by it then he wanted to admit.  Each night when he closed his eyes, he was tormented by visions of Sophia’s breasts.  He couldn’t stop remembering the way her nipples had hardened in his mouth, and the sound of her voice moaning so sweetly.  He pushed it from his mind and smiled at the little girl in his arms.

“Be brave, Leta.”  He kissed her soft cheek and set her down.  “Go on and see if you can make friends with Piper.”

She scurried up the ladder to the loft as the door opened and Doran, followed by Maya, came into the barn.

“Happy Birthday.”  Doran said as they stopped in front of Kaden.

“Thanks.”  Kaden smiled at the two of them.

“Have you seen Nicky?”  Doran asked.

“Aye, I believe he is in the other barn with Evan and Ian.”  Kaden replied.

“Thanks.  We’re on watch in a few minutes.”  Doran kissed his mother on the cheek and left.  Maya smiled at Kaden.

“How is your birthday, Kaden?”

“Fine, so far.  I’m looking forward to dinner tonight.” 

Maya grinned.  “Marian has been in a state all morning.  She always gets herself worked up when she’s cooking a special dinner.  I don’t know how many times Avery has told her that it doesn’t matter, whatever she cooks always turns out delicious, but Marian worries anyway.”

“She really has nothing to worry about.”  Kaden laughed.  “I like everything she cooks.”

Maya smiled and then gave him an oddly nervous look.  “I have a birthday present for you, Kaden.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to.”  She gave him a kind look.  “It’s a bit of an unusual gift.”

He stared curiously at her as she straightened her jacket nervously.  “I wondered if you would allow me to teach you to read and write.”

He flushed and looked at the floor uncomfortably.  “How do you know I cannot read or write?”

“Sophia mentioned it to me.  No one else knows, and we don’t have to tell them.  I can come to the barn to teach you.”

He didn’t reply and she hurried on.  “I’m a good teacher, and I’ve taught adults before.  I taught Renee and Nadine, as well as Laura, to read and write.”

“Maya, I – “

“If you rather I didn’t, that’s fine too.”  She interrupted.  “I just thought I would offer.  I enjoy it and with the wedding coming up, we’ll be staying with Avery and Tristan for a while longer.  It’s more than enough time to start teaching you the basics.”

He finally looked at her and she smiled tentatively at him.  He cleared his throat.  “I – I would very much like to learn.  Thank you, Maya.  It’s very kind of you to offer.”

She smiled.  “Good.  We can start tomorrow if you’d like?  I’ll come by the barn after breakfast.”

“Thank you.”  He repeated as there was a loud shriek from the loft.

“Piper!  Owch!  Stop that right now!” 

Leta stuck her head over the side and stared down at Kaden.  “Kaden, Piper is biting me!  Will you come up and get him for me please?  I want to play with Hogan.”

“Aye, I’m coming.”  He grinned at Maya before he started up the ladder of the loft.

* * *

Sophia smoothed her dress down nervously and took another gulp of wine.  She’d already had three glasses, and she had a feeling she’d need at least another two to get through the evening.  Marian’s birthday dinner for Kaden had been impressive.  Roasted duck, smoked venison, and heaping piles of potatoes and vegetables had filled the large table they had brought into the common room. 

They had spent the last few hours eating and drinking in celebration of Kaden’s birthday and, glancing around the room, she could see she wasn’t the only one who’d had too much to drink.  Bree, her cheeks flushed with colour, was laughing at something Nicky was saying to her.  In the far corner, James and Doran were having a contest to see who could drink a glass of beer the fastest. 

Her father and Ian roared with laughter when Doran, in desperation, tipped his glass over his head and opened his mouth wide.  Sputtering and gasping, he allowed his grandmother to pound him firmly on the back.

She sighed and stared into the fire.  She had spent the last week avoiding Kaden.  At the time she thought it had been the right thing to do.  Now, watching as her cousin giggled and flirted with Kaden, she wished bitterly that she had claimed him for herself.

Her coldness to him had first puzzled and then hurt him.  She could see it in his eyes.  After a day or so, he had avoided her as studiously as she avoided him.  She took another drink of wine as Dani’s voice drifted to her.

“You don’t know how to dance, Kaden?  I’d be happy to teach you.  Why don’t we start right now?”

There was the quieter sound of Kaden’s voice but she couldn’t tell if he was agreeing to the dance lesson or not.  She straightened her back and told herself not to turn around.  She didn’t need to see Kaden pressed up against her cousin.

“Hello, my sweet Sophia.”

“Hello, mama.”  Sophia smiled faintly at her mother as Avery stood next to her and put her arm around her waist.

“Why are you standing by the fire all by yourself?”

Sophia shrugged.  “Just tired I guess.”

“Are you still having nightmares?”  Avery brushed a strand of Sophia’s hair back that had come loose from her braid.

“Not every night.”  Sophia replied.  “I’m fine mama, really.”

Avery squeezed her waist gently.  “You’re looking lovely tonight.  It’s been so long since I’ve seen you in a dress.”

Sophia glanced down at herself.  “It’s a special occasion.”

“Indeed, it is.”  Avery glanced behind them.  “I’m so happy for Bree that Kaden seems to be starting to trust us.”

“Aye, it’s good for Bree.”  Sophia agreed.

“Not just Bree perhaps?”  Avery arched her eyebrow at her and Sophia sighed.

“There’s nothing going on between the human and me.” 

“No?  Because you have the same look on your face when you watch your cousin touch Kaden, that I did when I watched Victoria touch your father.”

Sophia grimaced at the mention of Victoria.  “It’s not the same, mama.  Victoria was a terrible person and Dani is not.  She deserves to be happy with someone like Kaden.”

“Aye, perhaps she does.  But I do not think that Kaden would be happy with her.”

Sophia shrugged.  “He might be.  She is a human, she’s kind and pretty, and she’s obviously very fond of him.  Why wouldn’t he be happy with her?”

“Because she is not you, sweet Sophia.”  Avery said gently.

“Mama,” Sophia gave her a look of exasperation, “what Kaden wants from me is something that Dani is more than willing to give him.”

“And yet he has not taken it from her.”  Avery replied.  “In fact, he does what he can to discourage her.  Dani is young and very…determined.  She sees what she wants to when it comes to Kaden.”

Sophia drained her glass of wine and gave her mother a miserable look.  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, mama.  I’ve never even been attracted to a human before, and now I want a human who hates Lycans.”

“I don’t believe he hates us.”  Avery said quietly.  “He may still not trust us fully, but he doesn’t hate us.”

“I don’t want to hurt Dani.”

Avery took Sophia’s chin in her hand and gave her a stern look.  “Do not use Dani as an excuse.”

“I – I’m not.”

“You are.”  Avery replied firmly.  “Kaden has no interest in your cousin and you know that.”

Her gaze softened and she stroked Sophia’s cheek.  “As a child you were so very much like Leta.  Did you know that?  You were brave and headstrong and so full of joy.  You are still brave and strong and I’m proud of the woman that you have become, but I believe that it would serve you well if you could capture back some of the joy you had as a child.  You are too serious, my love.  Life is meant to be enjoyed.  You are too worried about your family and their happiness, to take your own.”

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Sophia’s forehead.  “Your father and I love you very much and we want you to be happy.  If being with Kaden makes you happy, then you can’t let that slip away without giving it a chance.”

“And when Kaden leaves after the wedding?”  Sophia asked softly.  “When he leaves and breaks not only Bree’s heart, but mine, what then?”

Avery smiled at her.  “Kaden will not leave after the wedding.”

“You’re wrong, mama.”  Sophia replied.  “He will leave and I’ll be alone.”

Before Avery could reply, Tristan joined them.  “What are you two talking so seriously about?”

Avery smiled at him.  “Nothing, my lord.”