Dark Moon (11 page)

His hand began to rub a slow firm circle on her flat stomach and she swallowed nervously.  “Why did James not heal you?”

“He offered.  I declined.”  He dipped his head and buried his nose in her hair.  “Your hair smells good.”

“Thank you.”  She whispered before clearing her throat.  “You should have allowed my brother to heal you.”

“I’m used to pain.”  His hand moved higher and rubbed just below the swell of her breasts.  “If I allow your brother to heal me every time I’m hurt, I fear it will make me weak and,” he nuzzled his face into her neck and inhaled again, “unable to handle any type of pain.”

“That won’t happen.”  She breathed.

“Perhaps not.”

She was trembling and he pulled her closer, his large thigh pressing her legs into the blankets.  “Are you cold, little Lycan?  Maybe you should climb under the quilt with me.”

She shook her head.  “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“You know why.”  She murmured.  “Besides, I am not cold.”

“Aye, the Lycans do seem to run hot.”  He bent his head and pressed his mouth against the soft skin of her throat. 

She moaned quietly when he licked the rapidly-beating pulse he could see fluttering under her warm skin.

“Your pulse is beating so quickly, little Lycan.”  He whispered.  “Are you afraid of me?”

“You know I am not.”  She replied.

“Then why do you tremble so deeply?”

“I should go back to my bed.”  She smiled weakly at him.

“Aye, you should.”  He brushed his mouth against hers, and she inhaled sharply and kissed him back hungrily.

He groaned into her mouth and sucked on her tongue when she thrust it between his lips.  She lost track of how long they kissed for.  He explored her mouth with a lazy kind of need, his tongue stroking and tasting and darting in and out.  When her entire body was shaking and trembling beneath him, and she was gripping his arms so tightly her nails were digging into his skin, he pulled his mouth from hers and stared down at her.

Her mouth was swollen and red and her dark eyes had turned the colour of jade.  Instead of being disgusted by the sight of her Lycan side, he was oddly turned on.  Her eyes turning green meant she was losing control, and there was something deep inside of him that liked it.  Liked it very much, in fact.

His hand tightened on her ribs and then he was quickly unbuttoning the buttons to her nightshirt.  He unbuttoned it to her navel and pushed it open, baring her breasts.

He took a deep breath, his eyes burning with lust, as he stared down at her full breasts with their hardened pink nipples.  He dipped his head and captured one nipple between his lips.  She made a soft moaning sigh, and her hands came up to tug restlessly at his hair.  He sucked hard on her nipple, pulling and tugging on it with his lips and teeth as she arched her back. 

Sophia moaned low in her throat.  Kaden’s firm lips on her breast were driving her crazy with need.  She gasped when he kissed his way to her other breast and licked the tight pink bud with flat strokes of his warm tongue. 

He nipped at it with his teeth, a sharp bite of pain that he quickly soothed with his tongue, before moving his hand up to cup and knead her other breast.  He pulled on her nipple, rolling it between his fingers until it was aching and throbbing with need.

He pulled one last time on her nipple with his mouth and then licked his way to her ear.  “Open your legs, little Lycan.”  He demanded in his low and raspy voice.

She spread her legs and he smiled his approval before sucking on her earlobe.  Her fingers dug into the warm skin of his back as he moved his hand down to her thigh.  He stroked the outside of her thigh with the tips of his fingers, and reached down to trace her kneecap before he ran his fingers up the inside of her leg.  He was almost to her aching, wet pussy when Leta sat straight up in the bed with a loud growl.

They froze and Sophia gave him a wide-eyed look of dismay before glancing at the young girl.  Leta was staring directly at them, and she could feel Kaden pulling her shirt closed as she smiled guiltily at her younger sister.

“Leta, honey it’s late.  Go back – “

“Papa, make the bear stop dancing so I can eat him.”  The little girl said loudly.

Sophia blew her breath out in a relieved rush.  She pushed at Kaden’s broad shoulders and he leaned back as she scrambled to her feet.  She buttoned her nightshirt hurriedly and crossed the room to Leta.

The little girl was staring through her and Sophia pushed her back gently onto the bed.  “You’re dreaming, Leta.  Go back to sleep.”  She said softly.

“Thank you, papa.”  The little girl growled again.  Her teeth lengthened and her eyes glowed briefly before she made a soft snorting noise and closed her eyes.

Sophia climbed over her and crawled into the bed beside her.  Her heart was pounding, her cheeks were flushed, and her lower body was throbbing with need.  She glanced at Kaden.  He was sitting up in the blankets, staring hungrily at her, and another throb of lust went through her.

“I – we should probably get some sleep.  We have shopping and then it’s a long ride home.  Plus Leta is um, a light sleeper.”  She said nervously.

“Aye.”  He agreed quickly.

She swallowed down her disappointment and nodded at him before lying down in the bed.  She pulled the covers to her chin, turning her back and staring at the wall.  Leta curled up against her, her small body warm against her back, and flung her arm around her waist.

She stared into the darkness, listening to Leta’s soft snoring and wondering if Kaden was lying awake as well.

* * *

The alley was quiet and dark.  He moved silently down it, blending into the shadows when he thought he heard the noise of humans.  When no humans appeared he moved on, his eyes glowing softly in the dark.

The old woman was huddled in a doorway.  Her frail body was curled up under a ragged blanket, and her face was tucked into her arm.  He stared silently at her before crouching down and closing his eyes.  When he opened them again, they were back to their faded hazel colour.

He reached out to shake her awake but she twitched and sat up before his hand touched her.  She stared at him with wide, frightened eyes, and he gave her a reassuring smile.  His even, white teeth shone faintly in the darkness and she pressed herself back against the door behind her.

“Fear not, old woman.  I will not harm you.”  His voice was low and gravelly and he showed her his empty hands.

“Spare some coins for a starving old woman, my lord?”  She recited automatically.

“Aye, I could do that.”  He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a large coin.  She watched as he flipped it across his knuckles and then reached for it with a trembling hand.

He pulled the coin out of her reach.  “But first, I want to ask you a question.”

She blinked at him and he leaned in, his nose wrinkling at the smell of mud and urine.  “The woman you spoke with earlier.  What do you know of her?”

“She is the lord Williams oldest child.  Sophia is her name.  I used to be their housekeeper many years ago.  Until the witch arrived.”  The old woman licked her lips and stared at the coin.

“How often does she come to town?  Does she ever go alone?”

“The witch is never alone.  The lord Williams knows she would be burned at the stake.”

He sighed irritably, his hand tightening around the coin.  “Not the witch, the dark-haired one.”

Mrs. Lanning frowned.  “Sophia?  What do you want with her?”

“That’s none of your concern.”  He snapped.

She shrank back and he made himself smile at her.  “Have you seen her in the town before?”

“I – I’ve only been here a few days.”  She stared again at the coin.  “I have not seen her for many years.  I did not know that she had fallen so deeply under the witch’s spell.  Are you – do you want to release her from it?”

“Aye, we do.”  The man smiled at her.  He tossed the coin into her lap and she grasped it eagerly. 

“It will be very difficult, my lord.  The Red witch has her completely under her spell.  I – I could help you.”

The man laughed.  “We have no need for the help of an old woman.”

She bristled and straightened.  “I could win my way back into their household.  They would trust me, they would – “

He laughed again.  “You’re a fool if you think they would take you back.  I saw the interaction between you and the woman earlier.  I can smell your madness and so can she.”

The woman’s wrinkled cheeks flushed and she staggered to her feet.  “You have no right to speak to me that way!”

The man looked around warily.  The old woman’s voice was rising and he made a shushing gesture with his hand.  “Quiet, you stupid old cow.”

“I am not mad!  The world needs to be cleansed of the Reds.  They are growing more powerful by the day and if they are not stopped, they will destroy us all!”

The man sighed irritably.  The woman was screaming now and he moved quickly.  His hand clenched around her thin shoulder, and she gave a thin wavering scream as her collarbone snapped under his hand.

He shoved her back against the wall.  His eyes were glowing and his face was covered in a thick layer of hair.  She screamed hoarsely as fangs protruded from his mouth.

“No!  Do not – “ 

Her scream turned into a gurgling moan as he bent his head and tore her throat open.  Her blood, thick and salty, flowed into his mouth and he growled low in his throat as he ripped into her thin flesh.

He released her and she collapsed to the ground.  Her blood pooled below her body and he wiped his mouth and walked quickly out of the alley.  He looked around carefully, saw no one, and shed his clothing before shifting into his wolf form.  He loped through the streets and disappeared into the forest that surrounded the town, as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

* * *

“It’s gorgeous.”  Sophia spoke softly as Bree stood nervously in front of her.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.”  Sophia smiled at her as Dani squealed loudly and ran to Bree.  She took Bree’s hands and made her twirl around.

“Okay, I’ll admit I was wrong.”  Dani said breathlessly.  “This one is the better one.”

Bree smiled and ran her hands down the soft fabric.  The dress was ivory in colour and clung to her slender body.  It was strapless and the bodice was covered in small white beads that had been sewn into the silk fabric.  The dress fell in soft folds to her ankles, and she gathered the material up in her hands and stared at the dark blue shoes on her feet.

“Do you really think I should wear these shoes?”  She asked.

“Something blue remember?”  Dani grinned.

“I already have something blue.”  Bree stared at the ring on her finger.

“That doesn’t count.”  Dani said dismissively. 

“I’m not sure I can walk in these.”  Bree protested.  “They’re so high.”  She took a few wobbling steps forward and Dani giggled.

“You have some time to practice before the wedding.  Now, what do you think of this dress?”  Dani stared critically at herself.

“I think they’re perfect.  What do you think?”  Bree turned to Sophia.

“I like it.”  Sophia was wearing a long-sleeve dark blue dress with an empire waist cut.  The dress stopped just below her knees and a wide ivory ribbon was sewn into the material beneath her breasts.  Dani stepped forward and tied the ribbon into a bow at her back, and then turned so Sophia could do the same to her dress.

The curtain to the small changing room at the back of the store was drawn back and Leta came skipping out.  Sophia had to press her lips together to stop from laughing.  The young girl was wearing a white satin dress.  It was covered from collar to hem in small and shiny stones.  Based on the price of the dress, Sophia knew they couldn’t be real, but they sparkled and shone in the dim light and she understood why Leta had been so taken with the dress when she found it among the others.

“It’s so pretty!”  Leta crowed as she ran her hands over the small stones.  “Please Bree; can I wear this for the wedding?  Please, please, please!”

Dani was staring horrified at the bright and garish dress and she cleared her throat quickly.  “Leta, I think that dress might be um, a bit too much for the wedding.”

Leta’s face fell.  “But I love it.”  She said hopefully.  “I sparkle when I twirl.”  She twirled in a circle, and the dress glittered so brightly that Sophia squinted.

Leta gave Bree an eager look.  “It’s so pretty, Bree.  Don’t you think?”

Before she could reply, Dani handed another dress to Leta.  “It’s too flashy for the wedding, Leta.  Try this one on instead please.”

Leta stared sadly at the plain blue dress in Dani’s hands.  “It doesn’t sparkle.”

“It’s not supposed to.”  Dani said firmly.  “This is Bree’s day.  If you wear that dress, everyone will be looking at you.  We want them to be looking at Bree.”

Leta, her bottom lip trembling, gave Sophia a quick look.  Sophia nodded at her and the little girl gave a disappointed sigh and reached for the dress.  “Alright.”

“Hold on.”  Bree crouched in front of the little girl and took her hands.  “If this is the dress you like best, then this is the one we’ll buy.”

The little girl gasped.  “Truly?”

“Aye.  You look beautiful in it.”  Bree smiled.

Leta squealed with delight and threw her arms around Bree.  “Thank you, Bree!”

“You’re welcome.”  Bree kissed the little girl’s cheek and patted her gently on the bottom.  “Go and change.  The boys will be getting impatient for us to finish.”

Leta nodded and ran back into the change room.   Dani gave a small moan of dismay.  “Bree, what are you thinking?  That dress is hideous.”

Bree laughed.  “Leta loves it and I like making her happy.”

Dani sighed as she reached behind her and undid the bow at her back.  “Maybe I can peel some of those awful stones off without her noticing.”

* * *

“Where is he?”  Bree gave James a worried look and he kissed her forehead gently.

“He said he wouldn’t be long.”

Dani stood in the back of the wagon and peered down the long road that led into the town.  They had met the others at the edge of town but Kaden wasn’t with the two brothers.  “Where did he go anyway?”