Red Moon Rising (5 page)

James patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as he tucked the
blankets around her.  “Go to sleep Bree.  You’re safe now.”

“Hello.” 

Bree blinked at the young girl sitting on the end of the
bed.  For a moment she wondered if she was dreaming. 

“What’s your name?”  The girl spoke again.

“Bree.”  Her voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat
roughly as she sat up.  She flinched a little as the girl watched her
carefully.

“Where am I?”  She looked around the large room.

“You’re in my brother’s bed.  You’ve been sleeping almost
all afternoon.”  The girl chirped.

She scooted a little closer and raised her head, inhaling
deeply.  “You’re a human!”  She announced with delight.

“Are you...”  Bree trailed to a stop.

“I’m a Lycan.  Well, a half-breed, but I can shift just as
well as Sophia and Nicholas and papa can.  At first I had a hard time
controlling it but I’m really good at it now.  Look!” 

Bree watched wide-eyed as the little girl stared down at the
bed for a moment.  When she looked up, her formerly dark eyes were glowing
green and a dark layer of hair covered her cheeks and forehead.

Bree moaned quietly and shifted backwards until her back hit
the headboard.  The little girl frowned and shook herself all over. 

“What’s wrong?”  Her eyes had returned to their normal
colour, and the hair on her face had disappeared.

“I – nothing.”  Bree whispered.

The door to the room opened and a woman, her hair the same
shade of red as James’, walked into the room. 

“Leta, my love I asked you to leave her alone.”

“I just wanted to see what she looked like.”  Leta said
cheerfully.  “She’s really skinny.  And she’s dirty and kind of smells bad.”

“Leta.”  The woman chastised gently.  “You’re being rude.”

“Sorry mama.”  Leta looked sufficiently chastised as the
redhead stood next to the bed and smiled down at Bree.

“Hello Bree.  My name is Avery.”

“Hi.”  Bree whispered as Avery sat down on the bed beside
her.

“How do you feel?”

“Fine.”  She felt better than this morning but the constant
pain in her side was still there.  She wondered if it would ever go away. 

Leta squirmed her way onto her mother’s lap.  Avery smiled
down at her.  “Soon you will be too old to sit on my lap.”

“Nu-uh.”  Leta disagreed.  “I’m only ten mama.”

The little girl stared at Bree.  “She’s a human.”

“I know my love.”  Avery kissed the top of Leta’s head. 
“Will you run to the kitchen and ask Marian to make up a plate of food for
Bree?  Have her put lots on it.”

“Okay.”  The girl slid off her mother’s lap and skipped to
the door.  She paused and smiled shyly at Bree.  “Your dog likes me.  She sat
on my lap earlier.”

Before Bree could reply she had slipped out of the room. 
Avery smiled at her and reached for her hand.

Bree snatched it away and Avery frowned.  “I won’t hurt you
my sweet.”

Bree didn’t reply, and Avery stared thoughtfully at her for
a moment before asking, “Would you feel better if I told you that I was as
human as you are?”

Bree visibly relaxed and stared at the woman in front of
her.  She was wearing a plain white blouse and a long dark, green skirt and she
was beautiful.  Her skin was as pale as Bree’s and smooth and unblemished.  A
small smattering of freckles covered the bridge of her nose and her eyes were a
clear green.

“Are you – are you James’ mother?”  Bree whispered, her eyes
traveling over Avery’s red hair.

“I am.”  Avery confirmed.

“But he’s a Lycan.  Was he bitten?”

“No.  His father is a Lycan.”

Bree’s mouth dropped open.  “You are married to a Lycan?”

Avery laughed at her surprise.  “Yes.  His name is Tristan
and you’ll meet him soon.  But first, you need a bath and some food.” 

She held out her hand and after hesitating for a moment,
Bree took it.  Warmth and tingling started in her hand, and Avery smiled at her
as she tugged her to her feet.  “Come my sweet Bree.  The tub awaits you.”

Bree took a step and stumbled, falling against Avery. 
Immediately, the redheaded woman put her arms around her and held her tightly. 
She stroked Bree’s back through the shirt. 

“Are you alright my love?”

Bree’s entire body was tingling now, and she couldn’t stop
herself from putting her arms around the woman’s waist.  She leaned against her
and rested her head against her shoulder.

Avery rocked her back and forth gently.  She stroked Bree’s
hair, picking out bits of leaves and twigs as Bree fought to keep from crying. 
The last two days she had been touched and held more often than she had in her
entire life.  Before James and now Avery, the only person she had really ever
hugged or been close to was her brother.

It felt strange and uncomfortable, but it also felt
unbelievably wonderful.  Avery’s body was soft and warm, and Bree thought she
could hug the woman forever and still not tire of it.  Tears began to leak from
her tightly-closed eyes, and a soft sob escaped her throat.

“There, there sweet Bree.”  Avery murmured.  “You’re safe
with us.  I promise you.”

The door opened and Nicholas stuck his head into the room. 
“Mom, have you – “

He stopped as Bree pushed away from Avery and stared at him.

“Hello Bree.”  He waved at her.

“Have I what Nicky?”  Avery asked.

“Have you seen dad and James?”

“I believe they’re at the barn.”  She smiled at Nicholas, and
he blew her a kiss before closing the door.

She held her hand out to Bree.  “Follow me my love.”

Bree followed her down the hallway.  Avery opened a door and
ushered her into the room.  Bree stared in amazement.  The room was small but
it had an indoor toilet and a large tub.  It was already filled with water, and
steam rose lazily from its depths.

“We have both electricity and running water.”  Avery smiled
at her as she lit some candles.  “Although my husband does like to conserve so
we use candles for everyday use.  Do you need to use the bathroom?”

Bree nodded and Avery left the room.  “I’ll be in the
hallway if you need me.”

“Thank you.”  Bree closed the door gently and rubbed
absently at her aching side.

* * *

“Bree?”  Avery knocked on the bathroom door.  “May I come
in?”

At Bree’s soft yes, she opened the door and smiled at the
woman in the tub.  “Shall I wash your hair for you?”

Bree nodded gratefully.  She had tried to wash her hair, but
lifting her arms over her head made her side hurt too much.

Avery knelt next to the tub and using a metal jug, poured
water over Bree’s hair until it was soaking wet.  She lathered her hands with
soap and then began to massage Bree’s scalp, working the lather through the
long wet strands.

Leta popped her head into the room.  “I put the food in
James’ room mama.”

“Thank you Leta.”

Leta leaned against the sink and stared at Bree.  “How old
are you?”

“Nineteen.”  Bree murmured. 

“Oh.  I’m ten.  I’m big for my age aren’t I mama?”

“Yes, you are my love.”

“I’m almost as big as Evan and he’s fifteen.”  Leta said
proudly.

As Avery rinsed Bree’s hair, Leta leaned forward.  “You’re
not very big at all.”

“Leta.”  Avery said warningly.

“What?  I’m only telling the truth.  She isn’t very big.”

Bree blushed and Avery turned to Leta.  “Go and find your
sister and ask her to help you look through the spare closet for some of her
clothes.  They’ll be too big, but Bree needs something to wear other than your
brother’s shirt.”

“Yes mama.”  Leta kissed her mother’s cheek and left the room.

“How many children do you have?”  Bree asked timidly as
Avery finished rinsing her hair.

“Tristan and I have five children.” 

“Are they all Lycan?”

Avery nodded.  “Yes.  We weren’t sure about Leta at first. 
Lycan’s usually start shifting around two years of age, but she was nearly
seven before she shifted for the first time.  I’m still not convinced she
didn’t do it from sheer willpower alone.  She was terribly jealous of her
sibling’s abilities.”

“You look much too young to have five children.”  Bree said.

“Why thank you sweet Bree.”  Avery stroked her wet hair.  “I
do seem to be aging well but in fairness our two oldest, Sophia and Nicky, are
not my birth children.”

Bree blinked in surprise as Avery began to squeeze the water
from the ends of her hair.  “Sophia was seven and Nicholas nearly a year when I
married their father.  Sophia and Nicky are full blooded Lycans like Tristan,
but Nicky is not Tristan’s child.”

“He isn’t?”

Avery shook her head.  “No.  We do not know who his father
is.  But in our hearts he belongs to us, and that’s really what’s important
isn’t it?”

She finished squeezing the water from Bree’s hair and stood
up, reaching for a towel that was on a shelf on the wall.  “Stand up Bree.  The
water is cooling.” 

Bree stood and Avery wrapped the towel around her slender
body.  She used a smaller towel to bundle up Bree’s hair and then led her back
to the same bedroom.  A woman, short and chubby, was just changing the sheets
on the bed.

“Thank you Laura.”  Avery replied.

“You’re welcome Avery.”  The woman plumped the pillow and
set it on the bed with a flourish.  “It’s going to be a cold night tonight.”

“Aye, I believe you’re right.  How is Leo feeling?”

“Oh fine, fine.  The cut healed up overnight without any
trouble.”  Laura replied.  “He was grumbling that in his youth the cut would
have healed in hours, but he’s not a young Lycan anymore is he?”

Avery laughed as she led Bree to a chair in front of the
fireplace.  “No, I suppose none of us are young anymore.”

Laura left the room as Avery took a comb and began to carefully
detangle Bree’s hair.

“Who was that woman?”

“That’s Laura.  She’s a human who works for us.”

Bree stiffened.  “You mean she is a slave?”

Avery shook her head and rested a gentle hand on Bree’s
shoulder.  “No, my love.  We have no slaves here.  Everyone who works for us
earns a wage, and they are free to leave at any time.”

Bree mulled this over as Avery combed the tangles from her
hair.  After a few moments she glanced up at the redhead.  “Are you – do you
need more workers?  I am looking for a job.  I am very good at cleaning and I’m
stronger than I look.  I could do outside work if necessary.”

“I thought you were going to Vanden to visit your aunt?” 
Avery said gently.  “James and Nicky said you were.”

Bree flushed.  “I am.  I just – I could use some extra
money.”

Avery smiled at her.  “We do not need any more help around
the house and besides, you are a guest of my son’s.  You will not work while
you’re visiting us.”

She brought the tray of food over and placed it carefully on
Bree’s lap.  “Eat some food Bree.  Leta is right – you are too thin.”

Bree tried to eat politely, but after only a few minutes she
was eating ravenously.  Avery pulled a chair up beside her, and watched
silently as Bree chewed and swallowed the meat, cheese, and fruit that Maria
had piled on the plate.

When the plate was empty, the blonde woman set the tray on
the ground in front of her and leaned back in the chair.  She rubbed her belly
and sighed contently.  Avery handed her a glass of water.

“Drink this up my love.”

She drank obediently and Avery took the empty glass back as
Bree sat up straight.  She flinched and grabbed at her side.  At Avery’s
sympathetic look, she dropped her hand and looked around the room.

“Whose room is this?”

“This is James’ room.”

Bree tensed and gave Avery a cautious look.  Her initial
fear that she would be raped and forced into slavery had subsided, but she was
uncomfortable at the thought of sleeping in his bed.  What if he decided to
join her in the night?

Avery patted her knee.  “James will be sleeping in the guest
room down the hall.”

Bree flushed.  “I can take the guest room.  He shouldn’t
give up his room.”

“Nonsense.  The guest room does not have a fireplace, and is
much cooler than this room.”  She smiled a little.  “Lycans run hot.  My son
has no need for a fireplace.”

Bree thought back to the heat that had radiated from James
when she was lying against him in his tent.  He had been as warm as an oven.

“Bree, may I ask a favour of you?”  Avery said softly.

Bree nodded.  The woman had fed her, washed her hair, and
been extremely kind to her.  She owed her.

“Will you tell me what happened in the forest?”

“Do I have to?”  Bree whispered.

“No my love, you do not.”  Avery said kindly.  She reached
out and took Bree’s hand, squeezing it gently before releasing it.  “But I
believe you would feel better if you did.”

Bree stared down at her lap, opened her mouth to say she
would be fine, and found herself sharing the truth instead.

They quieted when she walked into the kitchen.  Tristan
stood and hurried forward.  “Avery?  What’s wrong?”

Avery gave him a trembling smile and leaned against him.  “I
am alright my lord.”

She sat down at the table, folding her hand into Tristan’s
as he sat beside her and cupped the back of her neck gently.  She stared
gravely at Sophia, Nicholas and James. 

“Did she let you heal her?”  James asked.

Avery shook her head.  “No.  She let me hug her for a bit
but I did not tell her I share your healing powers.  We were interrupted before
I could heal her fully.”

“Sorry mama.”  Nicholas muttered.

Avery smiled at him. “It’s fine my sweet Nicky.  But we will
have to convince her to let one of us heal her James.  Although I don’t believe
her injuries will kill her in the next day or so, they will kill her
eventually.  The marks on her skin have faded which means the injuries are to
her organs.”

James swore under his breath as Sophia leaned forward.  “Did
she tell you what happened to her mama?”

Avery nodded.  “Aye, she did.”

She was starting to tremble and without speaking, Tristan
pulled her from the chair and drew her on to his lap.  His large hand rubbed
her back soothingly, and she kissed him on the mouth before turning back to
their children.

“She was a slave in the home of a Lycan named Draken.  She
had been there for nearly two years.  Apparently this Draken has many human
slaves.  He collects them and keeps them like cattle.”

Avery’s face was pale and she took Tristan’s hand.  “Draken
and his pack, they – they hunt humans.  It’s why they have so many of them. 
Once a month, they release one or two of them into the woods and hunt them.”

“The gods be damned.”  Nicholas said faintly as Sophia gave
her mother a horrified look.

“You haven’t heard the worst of it.”  Avery shuddered. 
“Bree said she knew she had been chosen for the next hunt because they deny
their chosen prey meat for the month before.  Two days before the actual hunt,
they stop giving them food all together.  It makes them weaker, she said. 
Makes it easier for the Lycan’s to hunt them.”

James slammed his fist down on the table.  “Have they gone
mad?  What would make them do such a thing?”

Tristan sighed.  “It used to happen all the time James. 
Twenty years ago it was not uncommon for packs of Lycans to release ten to
twenty humans deep into the woods, and then spend the next few weeks hunting
them down systematically one by one.  It has gotten better, but I am not
surprised that there are still a few of our kind who participate in such
hunts.”

“I can’t believe she survived.”  Nicholas said softly,
staring down at his tightly-clenched fists.

“She got lucky.”  Avery replied.  “Three Lycans hunt one human. 
They give the human a three hour head start, and then the first Lycan goes
after them.  If, after another three hours the Lycan has not returned with the
human’s head, they send the next one.  Three hours later, the third one goes on
the hunt.  They bring the head back and hang it on a pole for the other slaves
to see.”

She sighed and leaned against Tristan.  “The first Lycan
caught up to her quickly.  It taunted her for a bit and then when she fought
back, beat her badly.  She doesn’t remember everything that happened, but she
knows that it ripped her side open and threw her against a tree and broke her
ribs.  She was lying on her stomach on the ground and there was a fallen branch
beside her.  She picked it up and rolled on to her back just as the Lycan was
leaping on to her.”

She shivered a little.  “She was extremely lucky.  The
branch pierced the Lycan’s heart and killed it instantly.  She staggered to her
feet and kept going.  She told me that she knew she was dying.  She believed walking
would kill her faster than lying on the ground would.  She wanted to be dead
before the other two Lycans found her.”

The others were staring at her, their faces pale and sick
looking, and she rubbed at her forehead.  “She’s only nineteen years old.”

James cursed again and stood up, moving jerkily back and
forth in the kitchen.  “Gods, no wonder she is terrified of us.”

“When she found out that we had no slaves, that we paid humans
for working, she asked me if she could have a job with us.  She told me that
she was good at cleaning or could work outside.”  Avery shook her head.  “She said
she was stronger than she looks.”

“A strong wind would blow her over.”  Sophia muttered.  She
glanced at her brothers.  “I thought you said she was going to Vanden to see
her aunt.”

Nicholas shrugged.  “That’s what she said.”

“I don’t believe she has an aunt in the city.”  Avery said. 
“She is young and afraid, and she believes that we will treat her like the
other Lycans have.”

James grunted with frustration.  “I don’t know how to change
her mind.”

“I think our biggest concern right now is healing her.” 
Tristan said quietly.  “Is she frightened of you Avery?”

Avery shook her head.  “No.  When she found out I was a
human she was obviously relieved.  Although she thinks it is strange that I am
married to a Lycan and bore his children.”  She smiled at Tristan who squeezed
her thigh gently.

“Aye, but there are many humans who think that way.  We will
stay away from her, and let her spend time with you this evening.”

“Actually my lord, I think it might be better for her to see
us interacting as a family.  If she sees that you and the children are nothing
like the Lycans she has always known, perhaps it will help her to not be
afraid.”

Tristan thought carefully and then nodded.  “Aye, you are
probably right.”  He gave his children an affectionate look.  “Be on your best
behaviour.  I want none of your usual squabbling at the dinner table.”

* * *

Bree closed the door to James’ bedroom and leaned against
it.  Her side was throbbing and burning, but her stomach was full and she was
more relaxed then she had been in months.  The door had no lock on it, but even
that didn’t bother her.  After watching James with his family, she was sure he
would not come to his room without her permission.

“Come Tia.”  She murmured to the little dog.  The dog
followed her eagerly to the bed and she bent, her face tightening with pain,
and picked up the dog.  She plopped her on the bed, and Tia circled three times
before curling up into a ball.

“It’s nice here isn’t it Tia?”  She whispered as she took
off the dress that Sophia and Leta had found for her.  She slipped into James’
shirt.  She didn’t need to wear it any longer.  The Lycans had found several
pairs of pants and shirts, as well as underclothes and a few dresses, that were
a little big but weren’t falling off her.  Leta had even found a long white
nightdress for her to wear to bed.  Wearing James’ shirt comforted her in a way
that she didn’t understand, and she rubbed her hands along the soft fabric as
she curled up in the bed.

Avery had encouraged her to nap for an hour or so before
bringing her downstairs to the large common room.  There she had met Avery’s
husband Tristan and their youngest son Evan.  He was fifteen, and tall and
lanky with his mother’s eyes and his father’s dark hair.  He was the shyest of
the siblings, and he gave her a small nod before immersing himself in a book by
the fireplace.

She had joined them at the dinner table, sitting between
Avery and Leta.  She wasn’t sure she would be able to eat at first, but the
smell of the roasted duck and the heaping piles of potatoes and vegetables on
the table changed her mind quickly.

She had kept her head down and eaten hugely; she felt guilty
for eating their food but was unable to stop herself from eating a second
plateful.  The Lycans hadn’t seemed to notice.  They had an easy dynamic
between them, and a few times she found herself smiling as Nicholas teased all
of his siblings mercilessly. 

Sophia and James were the quietest of the siblings.  She
thought Sophia to be beautiful with her dark hair and eyes, and her straight
white teeth.  Although Avery was not her birth mother, it was obvious there was
great affection between the two of them and it made Bree’s chest ache.  She barely
remembered her mother, and she was deeply envious of the love Avery had for
Sophia and the rest of her children. 

Other than the red hair, James was the spitting image of his
father.  He was a little taller and a little broader than his father, and he
kept his hair short instead of long like Tristan did.  She found her gaze
returning repeatedly to his hands, remembering the way they had stroked her back
and examined her injuries. 

Evan and Leta favoured Avery in looks although neither had
her red hair.  Leta chattered nonstop through the dinner, and more than once
Avery or Tristan had to remind her gently to stop talking and eat her dinner.

Bree had listened closely when James and Nicholas had spoken
at length to Evan about his sword training.  Apparently they were teaching him
to fight, and although she wondered inwardly what need a Lycan had for a sword,
she did not ask.

By the time dinner was over and they had retired back to the
common room, her nervousness had disappeared.  She curled up in the chair next
to the fireplace and watched as Nicholas got down on all fours, and stalked a
shrieking, giggling Leta around the room. 

Tia, barking excitedly, had bounced around them, nipping a
little at Nicholas’ arms until he had pinned the small dog down and rubbed her
belly roughly.

Bree sighed and curled up into a smaller ball in the middle
of the bed.  Avery had offered to stay with her in James’ room tonight.  She
had been shocked by the offer, and had almost said yes before her brain caught
up to her mouth.  She had only hugged Avery for a few moments, but she could
still remember how nice it had felt. 

She wasn’t surprised at how often Leta had stopped her play
to crawl into Avery’s lap for a while.  She’d had to stifle the urge to crawl
into Avery’s lap herself.  All of the siblings had been affectionate and
friendly with each other and their parents. 

After a moment’s hesitation, she had turned down Avery’s
offer with a weak smile.  It would be hard for her to sneak out of the house
with Avery in the same bed.  She stared at the flickering candle beside the
bed. 

As nice as the Lycans were, she couldn’t stay with them. 
Forgetting that they were Lycans, she needed to go back and rescue her
brother.  It would be faster and easier if she took a horse but she had never
ridden a horse by herself, and the thought of trying to control it made her
nervous.

Her side throbbed and she rubbed at it.  She would sleep for
a few hours and then sneak out just before dawn.  She would be gone for hours
before the Lycans realized she had left.  She glanced at Tia and choked back a
sob.  She would leave the dog here.  It was too dangerous for her and she would
have a good home here.  Leta was already in love with her.

* * *

Bree, dressed in pants and a long-sleeved shirt, crept
quietly through the common room.  The Lycans did not have shoes that would fit
her, but she had torn up one of the shirts and bound her feet with them.  She
slipped a little on the floor and grabbed at her side.  It was hurting even worse
this morning.  It was a constant deep and aching throb that made her feel sick
to her stomach.  She had almost abandoned her plan to leave, but she thought of
her brother and forced herself out of the warm bed.

The large house was quiet and still, and she squinted as she
crossed the room.  The fire was low in the hearth and, afraid of tripping over
furniture in the semi-darkness, she moved slowly.

“Going somewhere little one?”

She gasped and whirled around, slipping on the floor again and
nearly landing on her ass.  A bolt of agony ran up her side and tears came to
her eyes.  She held her side and tried not to moan as James rose from the large
armchair beside the fireplace.

“I – I told you that I am going to see my aunt in the
city.”  She stuttered.

“Aye, you did.  I thought you might stay with us for a few
days.”  He said quietly.

“I cannot.  She is expecting me.”

“Fair enough.  Goodbye little Bree.  Best of luck.”  He
replied.

She blinked.  She thought he would try and prevent her from
leaving, or at the very least argue with her, and a strange ripple of
disappointment went through the pit of her stomach when he didn’t.

“Um, goodbye.  Thank you again and please, will you thank
your mother for being so kind?”

“Yes.”

She smiled weakly at him and turned away.  Before she could
leave, he called her name softly.

“Will you give me something before you leave?”  He smiled at
her.

“What?”  She asked apprehensively.

“A kiss.”

She turned red and backed up a step.  “I – I don’t…”

“Just one kiss Bree.  As payment for everything I have done
for you.”

Shame rushed through her.  He had been very kind to her; he
had saved her life and the life of her dog, and welcomed her into his home.  A
kiss was a small price to pay.  He was right - she did owe him.

Liar.  You want to kiss him because you’ve never kissed a
man before.

True.  Mind you he was not really a man - he was a Lycan.  Of
course, considering she was headed towards what was most likely a slow and
agonizing death, what difference did it make?  It would be her last chance to
kiss anyone – human or Lycan.

She swallowed and took a few steps towards him.  He stayed
where he was, his hands folded behind his back, and smiled encouragingly at
her.  She dropped her bag to the floor and approached him gingerly.

“Where is Tia?”  He asked suddenly.