Red Moon Rising (16 page)

Early the next morning, he nuzzled his face into her hair
and kissed the side of her neck until she woke.

“James?”

“Were you expecting someone else?”  He arched his eyebrow at
her and she giggled softly.

He smiled at her.  “I have to go honey.  It’s not a good
idea for me to stay in your bed any longer.”

“Are you afraid you’ll bite me?”  She asked bluntly.  She
knew full well that a Lycan’s bite during the full moon would turn a human.

He hesitated.  “I would never hurt you Bree.  But it’s
harder to control certain urges during the full moon.”  His eyes took on a
strange shine as he said the word moon, and she shivered a little.

He hugged her.  “I won’t hurt you.”

“I know.  Do you still want me to stay in my room?”

He traced the curve of her naked hip with one rough finger
and winked at her.  “No.  I think I can control my urge to fuck you now.”

She blushed a little.  He had taken her three more times in
the night, and she wondered if his stamina was always like this or if the cycle
of the moon had something to do with it.

“What are you thinking about little one?”  He asked.

“I – “  She blushed again and he kissed her forehead.

“Tell me.”

“I just wondered if you always had this much um, energy or
if it’s the moon.”

He grinned at her.  “My ego is begging me to tell you it’s
all me, but in honesty the full moon does play a small part.”

She wiggled her eyebrows at him.  “Just a small part?”

He growled playfully.  “Yes, just a small part.  I’ll prove
it to you later.”

The smile fell from her face.  “You will be with Martine
later.”

He shook his head immediately.  “No, I won’t be.”

“You won’t be able to help yourself.  Before you – “

“I told you before Bree – I was young and impulsive.  It was
a mistake and it won’t happen again.”

“Have you been around her during a full moon since then?” 
She asked quietly.

“No.”  He admitted.  “But I want you, not her.  I won’t do
anything but hunt with her tonight.  I promise you.”

He stroked her bare side.  “You don’t need to stay in your
room, but I want you to keep your distance from me today okay?  Don’t get too
close to me or my siblings.”

She nodded.  “Alright.”

He kissed her a final time.  “Go back to sleep honey.”

* * *

“Gods, my thighs hurt.”  Maya groaned as she sat down on the
couch next to Avery.  “I swear, every full moon Marshall comes up with new and
inventive ways to – “

She stopped as Dani entered the room and Avery grinned before
putting her arm around Maya’s slender shoulders. 

“I feel great.”

“Of course you do.”  Maya laughed.  “It’s just one of the
many benefits of being a healer.”

Bree flexed the muscles in her thighs.  Nothing on her body
hurt.  In fact, after sleeping a few more hours she had woken up to start her
chores feeling amazing.  Despite her lack of sleep, she had tons of energy and
her whole body had been tingling pleasantly for the entire day.

She should have been sore.  After what she had done with
James last night, every muscle in her body should have been screaming at her. 
She smiled a little.  The aches and pains that should have plagued her had been
healed by lying against James’ warm body.  Maya was right.  There were benefits
to being a healer – or at least sleeping with one.

“What are you smiling about?”  Dani poked her in a friendly
manner, and Bree gave her a guilty look.

“Nothing.  I was just um, thinking about something.”

Avery and Maya were looking at her with matching grins and
Bree blushed.  She had sought Avery out first thing this morning and, blushing
and stammering like a fool, had blurted out an apology.

Avery had smiled sweetly and patted her shoulder
comfortingly.  “It’s fine little Bree.  Remind me someday to tell you the story
of the first time I met Vivian.”

When Bree had given her a curious look, she had laughed
again before leading her towards the kitchen.  “Let’s just say it involved me
being naked and in her son’s bed.  Not my finest moment.”

Avery had squeezed her arm.  “In all seriousness Bree, we’re
happy that you and James are together.  I know we’ve only known you for a
little while, but you’ve become part of our family and we love you very much.”

Bree had started to cry and Avery had given her a worried
look.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You haven’t.”  Bree had hiccupped.  “I – I love you too
Avery.”

Avery had hugged her in the hallway and then wiped the tears
from her face.  “Let’s go to the kitchen.  I believe Vivian and Maya are
waiting for us to have tea with them.”

“Vivian as well?”  Bree had been surprised.  She hadn’t seen
a single one of the Lycans since she had woken up and Dani had said they were
all outside together.

Avery had nodded.  “Yes.  She rarely goes on the hunts
anymore.  She says her bones are too old for that sort of thing.”

She had given Bree a reassuring look.  “Vivian won’t hurt
you.  I promise.  She has excellent control.”

“I’m not afraid of her hurting me.”  Bree had replied.  “But
I’m not so sure she’ll want to be around me after…”

She had blushed again.  “I don’t think Vivian likes me very
much.”

“She likes you just fine.  She hasn’t said a word to me
about you, which is a good sign.  If she didn’t like you, I’d know.”  Avery had
laughed.  “And once she gets to know you better, she’ll love you like the rest
of us do.  I guarantee it.”

Now, she stared out the window into the darkness.  The
Lycans had left half an hour ago, and she was trying hard not to think about
James and Martine hunting together.  He had promised her he wouldn’t mate with Martine
and she trusted him.  Still, it was a small gnawing in her stomach that
wouldn’t go away.  She sighed.  It would be a long night.

She looked up as Vivian, followed by Laura, Nadine, Marian
and Renee, entered the room.  Laura and Marian had trays laden with food, and Renee
and Nadine were carrying trays with delicate glasses and bottles of wine. 
Avery jumped up from the couch.

“Are you ready ladies?”  She asked gleefully.

“What’s going on?”  Bree whispered to Dani.

“It’s tradition.”  Dani replied.  “They have their hunt
every full moon and we have this.”

Bree watched as Avery flipped a switch on the wall.  The
ceiling, which had tiny lights strung across it, lit up in a muted soft glow.  Bree
gasped with delight.  She stared mesmerized at the ceiling as Renee and Nadine
began to hand out glasses of wine. 

Maya was standing next to a bookshelf fiddling with
something, and Bree nearly fell off the chair when music began to play.  Dani
was grinning happily.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”  She whispered to Bree.

“Yes.”  Bree couldn’t stop staring at the lights on the
ceiling.  She had never been in a home that had electricity, and she thought
she would never grow tired of looking at them. 

“Come on Bree.”  Dani was tugging on her hand.  “Dance with
me.”

“I don’t know how to dance.”  Bree protested.

“I’ll teach you.”  Dani dragged her to the middle of the
room and after a few initial moments of self-consciousness, Bree forgot about
the other women and concentrated on learning the steps Dani was teaching her.

At one point she looked up and laughed with delight.  Most
of the women were up and dancing, either with each other or just twirling alone
to the music.  Even Vivian was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine,
tapping her feet to the beat of the music and smiling contently.

* * *

Bree lay in her small bed, shivering a little despite the
blankets.  It was almost dawn and the Lycans would be home soon.  Dani had told
her that they came back around dawn and went to bed for most of the day.  She
squirmed into a more comfortable position.  She had barely slept the entire
night, and she was tired and a little out of sorts.  Although he had spent only
one night in her bed, she missed James’ warmth.  She wondered if he would come
to her when he came home. 

She didn’t want to admit it but she was hoping he would. 
She sighed and turned on her side, staring at her closed door.  He most likely
wouldn’t.  He would be tired from his night of hunting and her bed, although
comfortable, was too small for just him, let alone the two of them.

She bit her lip, her brow furrowing with indecision, before
she suddenly threw back the covers.  She wanted to be with him and once she
rescued Kaden, what was happening between her and James would end.  For now,
she would enjoy it while it lasted.  Shivering in the cold air, she left her
room and crept quietly down the hall.

* * *

James hesitated at the entrance to the kitchen.  He was
tired and cold and he wanted to go to Bree’s room, but they hadn’t spoken about
what would happen when he returned from the hunt.  He paused for a few moments
longer and then, with a heavy sigh, headed to his own room.  As much as he
wanted to join her in her small bed, he didn’t want to frighten her.  He had
taken her multiple times last night; his need for her had been a steadily
beating drum that he couldn’t, nor wanted to, ignore.  Although she had responded
enthusiastically each time, he still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about
him. 

He closed the door of his room and slipped out of his shirt. 
Someone had thoughtfully built up the fire in the fireplace and he stood close
to the dancing flames, holding his hands out to warm them up.  He didn’t get
chilled very often but it had been an especially cold night, and all the Lycans
had been feeling the bite of the wind as they had loped back home. 

He inhaled deeply.  Oddly enough, he could smell Bree’s
scent in the room and it made his chest ache with loneliness.  Perhaps he
should have gone to her room.  He pushed the thought out of his head. 

He stretched, his spine cracking, and smiled a little as he
remembered the hunt.  The thrill of the chase, the way the pack had worked
together, always made him feel happy and content.  It had been a good night and
he –

He turned as his door opened and Martine slipped into the
room.

“Hello James.”

He sighed.  “Hello Martine.”

“It was a good hunt, was it not?”  She was wearing a thin
white shift and she crossed her arms over her waist, pulling the material
tightly against her ample breasts.  She lifted her head and inhaled, wrinkling
her nose a little as she stared suspiciously around the room.

“Aye, it was.”  He gave her a guarded look.  “Why are you
here?”

“I was cold.”  She pouted prettily at him.  “I thought you
could warm me up.”

He shook his head.  “No.  You need to go back to your own
room.  I told you last night before the hunt started that I wouldn’t mate with
you.”

She pouted again and moved a little closer to him.  “It’s
because of Bree isn’t it?”

When he didn’t reply, she gave him a wounded look.  “What
does she have that I do not James?  We had a pleasant time together three years
ago.”

“I’ve told you before, that was a mistake.  I’m sorry, I
don’t mean to hurt your feelings but – “

“Just give me a chance.”  Martine whined.  “The human is too
small and fragile.  You’ll break her bones just trying to take her to your
bed.”

“Martine.”  James tried to keep the impatience out of his
voice.  “You’re not listening to me.  I have no – “

“My lord?”

Both he and Martine jumped at the sound of the soft voice
coming from his bed.  Bree had apparently been burrowed deep under the covers,
and he couldn’t stop the smile of delight from crossing his face when she stuck
her blonde head out from under them.

“Are you coming to bed soon?  It is lonely without you.” 
She said sweetly.

“Aye, little one.  I’ll be there in a minute.”  He replied.

Martine, her mouth open and her gaze shocked, stared at Bree
for a full minute before closing her mouth with a snap.

“Unbelievable.”  She huffed and stomped from the room,
slamming the door behind her.

 Bree flushed prettily at the look James was giving her. 
“What?”

“Nothing.”  He smiled.  “I am glad you’re here.”

He shed his pants quickly and climbed into the bed, molding
his body against hers.  Her skin was warm and fragrant, and she shivered
lightly at his cold touch.

“You are cold my lord.”

“It is cold outside.”

“Aye, but you’ve never felt cold to me before.”  She
replied.

“Perhaps you should help me warm up.”  He whispered as he
cupped her breast in his hand.

“I don’t know.  I’m so little – you might break my bones.” 
She said cheekily.

He laughed loudly and pinched her nipple, making her gasp. 
“Luckily for you, I have a talent for healing.”

Boldly, she reached down and grasped his cock.  It was
already half-hard, and it stiffened and grew in her hand as she stroked him
lightly.

She gave him a questioning look.  “Tell me my lord; are you
bigger than most men?”

She watched as his cheeks reddened a little.  “You’re
blushing!”

“No, I’m not.”  He protested.

“You are.”  She argued. 

He groaned when her small hand squeezed him firmly.  “Tell
me the truth.  Are you considered bigger than most?”

“Bree – “

“Tell me.  Or will I be forced to find another to make my
own comparison?”  She teased lightly.

His face darkened immediately, and she gave a small squeak
of alarm at the anger in his face.  He pushed her on to her back and hovered
over her.  “I will kill any man who touches you.  You belong to me.  Do you
understand that?”

“James, I – “