Red Moon (9 page)

“My lord, please.  I need to be with her.”  Maya
began to cry softly as Nicholas woke up.  He stared at Maya’s crying face
and burst into loud wracking sobs.

Tristan stood and picked up Avery with a soft grunt. 
He held her to his chest, being careful not to touch her back and shook his
head again.  “Nicholas needs you.  I will help Avery.  I’ll let
you know how she is in a few hours.”

He turned and left the room before she could argue.

Avery opened her eyes.  It was dark in the bedroom; the
only light came from the glow of the embers in the fireplace across from the
bed.  She moved her upper body experimentally, groaning softly when it
made her back throb and ache. 

There was soft snoring above her but she didn’t need to look
up to know that she was back in Tristan’s bed and plastered against his naked
body.  He was lying on his back and she was sprawled naked across him on
her chest and belly.  His large thigh was wedged between hers, and his
hard hands were resting on the backs of her thighs.

She licked her lips.  Although her back was still
burning, she thought that she might not feel as weary as she did before. 
She stared at the palm of her hand.  The wound from the splinter had
disappeared and she gave a small sigh of relief.  Sleeping on Tristan was
helping; it just hadn’t healed her completely yet.

She put her hands on the bed beside him and lifted herself a
little.  She gasped sharply, tears coming to her eyes as another short but
brutal burst of pain went down her back.  She could feel wetness on her
back and knew that it was bleeding.  She had felt very little pain since
her monthlies had started, and her ability to withstand it had become nearly
non-existent.  Moaning, feeling stupid and weak, she let her head drop
back on to Tristan’s chest.  Tears leaked from her eyes and her body
trembled as her back ached and throbbed miserably. 

An idea came to her and she opened her eyes and stared at
Tristan’s chest.  “You cannot.”  She whispered quietly to
herself.  “You told him never again.  You made him promise.”

She paused as another thought hit her – he didn’t have to
know.

She stared blankly at the wall, her mind racing.  Never
before had she intentionally used another person’s body without their
permission or realization, to heal her own.  Forget that she had told him
she wouldn’t sleep with him again.  If she touched him now, while he slept
and without his consent, she would be no better than the Lycans who purchased
humans for their own breeding benefits.

“Don’t be foolish.”  She scolded herself
fiercely.  “Tristan wants you as much as you want him.  Do you really
think he’s going to object to a little groping while he sleeps?”

She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in her back
as she warred within herself.  She knew perfectly well that Tristan would
sleep with her if she asked him to, but she wasn’t sure she could bring herself
to use him that way.  Besides, her body was starting to heal.  She
would sleep, lie against Tristan for the rest of the night and in the morning
she would find Maya.  Maya would help her heal completely.

Her mind made up, she decided to shift into a more
comfortable position.  She twisted her body to the right so that she could
curl up next to Tristan on her side.  The twisting brought on such a deep,
intense pain between her shoulder blades that she began to cry helplessly, her hands
clenching in the bed sheets.

Panting, trying to stop from crying, she collapsed back
against Tristan.  He slept on, oblivious to her struggles, and after a
moment she moved one shaking hand and began to caress his chest.  Hating
herself for being so weak but unable to stand the pain any longer, she nuzzled
her face into his neck and began to kiss and lick his skin.  She ran her
hand down his abdomen, tracing the hard ropy muscles with one trembling
finger. 

He moaned in his sleep, and moved slightly under her, his
hands tightening on her thighs.  She held her breath but after a moment he
relaxed and she slipped her hand across his flat stomach to his hip.  She
ran her fingers lightly back and forth over his hip bone as she kissed and
nuzzled his neck.  It might have been her imagination but already the pain
in her back felt less. 

Wake him up.  Wake him up and ask him to kiss you,
touch you, make love to you.

She groaned softly, her stomach clenching with pleasure at
the thought of Tristan’s mouth on hers.  No, she wouldn’t – couldn’t – do
that.  It was bad enough she was using him because she was weak.  She
would not humiliate herself further by begging him to fuck her.  She would
touch him for a while longer, just until the pain was not so bad, and then she
would stop.

He shifted under her and she sucked in her breath when she
felt his cock brush against her hip.  He was hard and throbbing.  She
glanced up at him, expecting to see him awake, but his eyes were closed and his
breathing deep and even.

A surge of warmth went through her at the realization that
her touch had aroused him even in his sleep.  The warmth was starting to
blot out the pain and quickly, before she could change her mind, she reached
down and grasped his cock.  She ran her hand lightly up and down the
shaft, remembering the way it had felt when he had entered her.  She could
feel herself growing wet and she rubbed herself gently against his hard
thigh.  It brought a fleeting but delicious feeling of friction, and she
clamped her mouth shut around the moan that wanted to escape.

Enough.  Your back is not nearly as painful. 
Stop before he wakes up.

Her lower body was now the part of her that was throbbing, a
slow and exciting aching need, but she forced herself to let go of his cock and
move her mouth away from his skin.

“Don’t stop now, girl.”  Tristan’s deep voice, hoarse
with desire, washed over her and she jerked against him in surprise, letting
out a low moan as the pain in her back flared.  She stared up at him, her
eyes wide as he moved his big hands to her ass and squeezed. 

“I’m sorry.”  She whispered.

He bent his head to kiss her and she twisted her head so his
lips glanced across her cheek.  He growled low in his throat and cupped
the back of her head, forcing her head still.

“Why do you stop?”  He whispered against her mouth
before licking her upper lip lightly.

She hesitated.  “I’m just using you, my lord.  My
back – it hurts and I cannot stand the pain.  I was touching you as a way
to feel better.  I’m sorry.  I should not have done that without your
permission.”

“And did it work?”  He licked her mouth again, his
hands threading through her long hair and she moaned and opened her
mouth.  Instead of kissing her, he took her lower lip into his mouth and
sucked gently. 

She dug her hands into his sides as he tugged her head back
and kissed her throat.  He licked his way down to the hollow of her throat
and across to her collarbone.  He nipped lightly at it and she jerked
again.

“Well, did it?”  He asked again.

“Yes.”  She moaned.

“Then why did you stop?”

She gasped as he reached between them, arching away from his
chest so he could more easily cup her breast.  “Because I’m just using
you.  It’s not right, my lord.”

“Tristan.”  He demanded as he tugged on her nipple,
rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.

“It’s not right, Tristan.”  She moaned again, her
thighs clamping around his when he suddenly pinched her nipple.

“It is.”  He whispered.  “I like making you feel
good, Avery.”

She arched her hips against him and tried one last time.
 “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea that I’m going to – to have sex
with you all the time.  Do you understand?”

He nuzzled her throat.  “I understand perfectly. 
You’re hurting, and fucking me will literally take the pain away.”  He
kissed her mouth.  “I’m willing to let you use my body tonight but you
have to make me dinner later.”

She giggled a little despite herself, and he grinned at her
before falling solemn.  “I want you, Avery.  You have no idea how
badly.  I don’t care if you’re just using me.”  He shifted her until
she was straddling his waist and then sat up, threading his fingers through her
hair and kissing her deeply on the mouth.

“In fact, whenever you’re in the mood to use someone, you
are to come to my bed and no other’s.  You belong to me and I will allow
no other man to touch you.”  He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and
stared at her.

“My bed and only mine – do you understand?”  He raised
one eyebrow at her.

She nodded.  “Yes.”

“Good.”

She could hear the smug satisfaction in his voice, but
before she could protest he was kissing her deeply.  She met his tongue
with her own and they kissed hard for a few moments.  He kissed down her
chest until he could suck one throbbing nipple into his mouth.  She arched
her back, ignoring the brief twinge of pain, and stared up at the ceiling as he
pulled on her nipple.  Each pull of his mouth sent a spasm of pleasure
through her belly and when he took her thighs in his hands and pulled her
further into his lap, she thrust her hips eagerly at him.

He moved his hands to her hips, tilted her up easily, and
entered her with one hard thrust.  She cried out, her hands digging into
the hard muscles of his shoulders as he pulled her flush against his
chest.  He moaned at the feel of her nipples rubbing against his chest and
tugged on her legs.

“Cross your legs around my waist.”  He instructed. She
crossed her legs behind his back and cried out again when it opened her up even
more to him, and he sunk his cock into her completely.

“So warm.”  He whispered, and with a small cry of
excitement she started to rock against him.

He groaned and slid his arms around her.  Being careful
not to touch her back, he cupped her shoulders in his hands and holding her
steady, began to thrust roughly in and out of her.

“Am I hurting your back?”  He asked and she shook her
head.

“No.”  She moaned breathlessly.  “Please don’t
stop.  Please...”

He leaned back and took her wrists, pulling her arms down
straight until they were next to his legs.  Holding her tightly, he leaned
back against the headboard and continued to drive into her.  She rode him
helplessly, her legs squeezing his waist and loud moans of pleasure erupting
from her throat.  Her eyes were squeezed shut and her face flushed with
colour as she bit her lip and panted and moaned.

Her full breasts bounced appealingly as he moved within her
and he watched for a moment, feeling his groin tighten and his cock throb as
her wet, tight core slid up and down him.  With a small groan he looked
down, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of his cock disappearing
inside her warm body. 

“Avery...”  He groaned. “Look at me.”

She opened her eyes and stared at him.  His eyes were
glowing green and she watched as he reached between them and ran his fingers
over her clit.  At the feel of his rough, warm fingers, she cried out and
arched against him, coming immediately. 

The same intense surge of pleasure roared through him and
like before, he was helpless to stop from climaxing with her.  He gave his
own hoarse cry of pleasure, his hips bucking against hers, and his fingers
squeezing around her wrists as he came inside of her.

Gasping and panting, she collapsed against him, listening to
the solid thud of his heartbeat beneath her ear.  He spoke, the sound
vibrating in her head and she forced herself to sit up, staring sleepily at
him.

“What?”

“How’s your back?”  He rubbed her wrists, frowning at
the red marks he had left there.

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Let me look at it.”

She yawned.  “I’m tired.”

He grinned a little.  “I know.  I’ll make it
quick.”

He lifted her off his lap and, muttering under her breath,
she curled up on her side with her back to him.  He scanned her back
anxiously, frowning when he saw the bruises still on her skin.

“Avery, it’s still bruised.”  He ran his hand lightly
over her back.

“Not bleeding.”  She murmured sleepily.

He looked again.  She was right.  The bruising was
still there but where the skin had been torn and split open was now completely
healed.

He curled his body around hers, pulling the covers up around
them before sliding his hand up to cup her breast and resting his chest
carefully against her back.

“Good night Avery.”

Mostly asleep, she made a soft snorting noise in
response.  He sighed and kissed the back of her neck before closing his
eyes and letting sleep overtake him.

“Grandmamma, let’s see if Tristan is awake.”

Vivian smiled down at her granddaughter and squeezed her
hand gently.  “Sophia, Tristan is your father.  You should call him
papa.”

Sophia shrugged, popping the last bit of bread into her
mouth before scurrying ahead of her grandmother.  “His room is down here.”

Vivian sighed and followed Sophia down the hall.

* * *

Avery sat up in the bed.  Bright sunlight flooded
through the window and she looked beside her.  She was alone in the bed
and she sighed with relief.  She didn’t know what she would say to
Tristan, and she was grateful that he had already risen and left.  She
stretched cautiously.  There was no pain in her back, and she felt
well-rested and better than she had in days.  Sex with Tristan had sped up
her healing as she had known it would.

She was just about to throw the covers back when the door to
Tristan’s bedroom popped open and Sophia came bounding in.

“Tristan – are you awake?  Grandmamma and I are going
for a walk.  Will you come with -“

She skidded to a stop, staring at Avery in the bed who
hurriedly tucked the bed sheet around her naked body.

“Hi Avery!”  She ran across the room and climbed up on
to the bed, planting herself in Avery’s lap.

“What are you doing in Tristan’s room?”

“Um,” Avery could feel the blush rising on her face and she
thought quickly. “I was not feeling well and I don’t have a bed in my room so
Tristan let me sleep in his bed.”

“That was nice of him.”  Sophia stroked her long red
hair, rubbing a few strands of it between her fingers. 

“Yes it was.  Your father is very kind.”  Avery
kissed the girl’s forehead.  Sophia leaned against her companionably and
Avery rested her chin on top of the girl’s head.

“It always feels so nice to sit with you.”  The little
girl said happily. 

“Does it?  I’m glad.”  Avery murmured
absently.  The little girl was wearing a dress and she could see a dark
bruise on her lower calf.  She rested her hand on the bruise for a few
seconds and then lifted her hand, smiling with satisfaction as the bruise faded
on Sophia’s leg.

“Do you like my new dress?”  Sophia asked suddenly.

“I do.”  Avery replied.

Sophia smoothed her hand over the fabric.  “My
grandmamma bought it for me.  She said I should wear pretty things. 
Tristan says I’m a country girl now and that I’ll just get it dirty when I’m
riding my new pony.  He’s going to start teaching me to ride soon, I can’t
–“

She paused and looked up at Avery.  “Grandmamma says I
should call Tristan, papa.”

Avery smiled at her.  “Your grandmamma is right. 
He’s your father and he loves you very much.  I bet it would make him very
happy if you called him papa.”

“I could do that.” Sophia said agreeably.  She glanced
towards the door.  “Hi, grandmamma.”

Avery looked up.  Her stomach dropped to her feet and
she could feel her face turning bright red.  There was a woman standing in
the doorway watching them silently, her resemblance to Sophia so strong, she
could only be Tristan’s mother.

“Hello Sophia.”  The woman walked slowly but steadily
into the room.  She stood next to the bed and looked Avery up and down,
silently taking in her wild hair and obvious nudity under the sheet. 
Avery’s face was so red she was starting to sweat but she smiled wanly at the
woman.

“And you are?” The woman said not unkindly.

Avery cleared her throat but before she could answer, Sophia
piped up.  “This is Avery.  She’s Maya’s sister.  Tristan,” She
paused looking at Avery, “I mean,
papa
, bought her for me.  She’s a
slave and I wanted her so papa bought her for me.”  She announced this
with the casual cruelty only capable by the very young and the very old. 

She patted Avery’s face and smiled happily at her
grandmother.  “She’s very nice and she kissed my owie away.”

Vivian paused, her eyes dark and unreadable, before she held
a slightly trembling hand out to Avery.  “It’s nice to meet you,
Avery.  I’m Tristan’s mother, Vivian Williams.”

Avery reached out and took her hand.  “It’s nice to
meet you as well, Mrs. Williams.”

Vivian frowned, staring down at their clasped hands.  A
peculiar feeling was starting in her hand, a warmth that was quickly becoming a
tingling, and she pulled her hand free of Avery’s grip.  She flexed her
hand gingerly and glanced up at Avery.

Avery was staring at her, biting her lower lip
worriedly.  There was a look in her light green eyes that Vivian didn’t
understand.  Sophia was stroking Avery’s hair again and she smiled at her
grandmother.  “Doesn’t Avery have the most beautiful hair?  I wish my
hair was red.”

Avery made a small choking noise in the back of her throat
as Vivian smiled kindly at her granddaughter.  “Yes, my darling.  Her
hair is very lovely.”

“Do you know where papa is?”  Sophia asked Avery.

Avery shook her head.  “I do not.  Perhaps he is
already at breakfast?”

“I’m going to check.”  She kissed Avery’s cheek and
then slid off her lap.  “Will you come for a walk with us after breakfast,
Avery?”

Avery smiled.  “That’s very kind of you Sophia, but I
have work to do.  But thank you for asking me.”

Sophia nodded and held her hand out to Vivian.  “Come
with me, grandmamma.”

Vivian took her hand and nodded to Avery.  They left the
room, Sophia leading her grandmother by the hand, and once the door had closed
behind them Avery groaned loudly and flopped back on the bed.

* * *

Tristan opened the door of his bedroom and stepped silently
into the room.  Avery was standing beside the bed, humming softly to
herself as she gathered her clothes from where he had dropped them.  She
had obviously just finished having a bath.  She was wrapped in his towel
and her long red hair was wet.

He walked up behind her.  “Feeling better this
morning?”

Avery let out a soft scream and whirled around with her hand
to her throat.  “Gods, you scared me!”

“Sorry.”  He let his eyes drift down her body, grinning
to himself when she flushed and turned away.

“Do you feel better?”

“Yes.  Thank you for – for last night.”  She said
softly.

“You’re welcome.”  He stepped closer and she shivered
when she felt his breath on her bare shoulder.  She tightened the towel
around her body. 

“I should go.  I have work to do.”  She whispered.

“Let me check your back first.”  He gathered her hair
and draped it over her shoulder.

“It’s fine, my lord.”  She replied.

“Let me check.”  He insisted.  He pulled on the
towel and after a moment, she let it loosen a bit so that he could peer at her
back.

He stared at the smooth expanse of her back.  It was
perfectly healed, the skin returned to its milky colour, and he couldn’t see a
single blemish or bruise.

“See, it’s fine.  It doesn’t hurt at all.”  She
turned her head to look at her back and he gently pushed her head forward.

“Actually,” he lied smoothly, “there’s still some bruising.”

“There is not!”  She protested.

“There is.”  He bent and kissed between her shoulder
blades.  “There’s one right here.”  He kissed the back of her left
shoulder.  “And right here.”

He bent and kissed the curve of her spine.  “Another
here.”

She shivered prettily.  “It doesn’t hurt.”

He reached around her and cupped her breasts through the
towel.  “I think you’d better use me one more time - just to be on the
safe side.”

He kissed her neck, licking the droplets of water from her
skin as she moaned and pressed her ass against his erection.  He tugged on
her hands until she let go of the towel and he unwrapped it quickly, pulling it
free from her body.  He dropped it to the floor and cupped her bare
breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples.

She moaned again, her hands coming up to grip the back of
his head so that more of her breasts pushed into his hands.  He grinned
and plucked on her hardened nipples as he kissed the top of her shoulder with
an open mouth and roving tongue.

He slid his hand down her flat abdomen, pausing at the curls
between her legs, and smiling again when she immediately spread her legs. 
He kissed her neck while his left hand continued to rub and knead her breast.

“I love touching you.  I love how soft and warm you
are.  I love the way you moan my name.”  He whispered into her ear.

“Please, my lord.”  She whispered.  She reached
down and tried to push his hand between her legs. 

He brought his left hand up and turned her head to face
him.  He placed a warm kiss on her mouth as her hands squeezed the back of
his head.  “Say my name.”  He demanded.

“Tristan.”  She breathed immediately.

He kissed her again as he slid his hand between her legs,
swallowing her loud cry when he rubbed her clit roughly.

Avery shuddered and moaned as Tristan explored her mouth
with his tongue.  His fingers were dancing over her clit and the pleasure
was radiating through her entire body.  She knew he was lying about the
bruises, but the moment he had placed the first gentle kiss on her back she had
been lost.

He kissed his way up her jaw and then nipped her
earlobe.  She sighed at the feel of his hot breath and thrust her hips
against his hand.  He rubbed and circled her clit, pressing hard against
the small pink nub and then circling gently around it again.

“Oh please…” She cried.

“Say my name, girl.”  He whispered into her ear.

“Tristan.”  She moaned.

“Again.”  He demanded.

“Tristan.”

“Again.”  He rubbed her clit furiously as she panted
and moaned.  He could feel her body starting to tense, signalling her
orgasm and he stopped touching her.

“Tristan, please, oh please.”  She begged.

“Avery.”  He whispered.  He used the pad of his
finger to rub her clit once again and then lightly pinched it between his thumb
and finger.

“Tristan!”  She cried loudly and he felt a surge of
wetness in his hand as she arched her back and came wildly.

He slipped his hand around her waist, holding her up as her
knees buckled and she collapsed weakly against him.

She stared up at him, her pupils large and her cheeks pink
with colour.  He kissed her urgently, his hands stroking her breasts and
stomach and she reached down and took his cock in her hand.  She stroked
him firmly, watching his face as she stroked and rubbed and squeezed. 

It was his turn to moan now, his hands squeezing her ass
when she ran her thumb over the head of his cock.  His nostrils flared and
he stared down at her before roughly turning her around.

“Tristan, what – “

He lifted her and set her on the bed on her hands and
knees.  Before she could turn, he was standing against the edge of the
bed, his hands around her hips and his cock pushing between her thighs.

His hands shaking, he pulled her legs apart until he could
see her warm pink slit.  He put his cock against her and pushed hard,
groaning as he watched his cock slide deep inside of her.

She gasped, her back arching and her ass slapping against
his pelvis.  He gritted his teeth and holding her hips steady, plunged in
and out of her.  He leaned over her, sweeping her hair up in one hand and
tugging gently on it.  She moaned low in her throat, and he placed a trail
of hot kisses down her spine.

“Tristan, it feels so good.”  Avery moaned.

He kissed her spine again and then pushed gently on it.
 “Lift your hips, girl.”  He whispered.

She buried her face in the bed and pushed her ass higher in
the air, spreading her legs so that he could thrust more deeply into her. 
She could feel his hard hands rubbing her ass and hear his harsh panting as he
pushed in and out of her.

She squeezed her muscles around him experimentally, smiling
into the bed when he inhaled sharply and bucked his hips against her.

“Stop, girl.  Don’t do that.”  He muttered.

She lifted her head and looked over her shoulder at him.
 “Don’t do what?”  She asked innocently.  “This?”  She
squeezed again as hard as she could and he cried out loudly.

“Avery, please.”  He moaned.

“You don’t like that?”  She asked.  “Maybe I’m
doing it wrong.”  This time when she tightened her inner muscles, she
pushed her hips back against him.

His fingers dug into her hips and she gasped a little.

“Avery, I – “ He trailed off into a long, low moan as she
rocked her hips back and forth, pushing his cock in and out of her in a rapidly
quickening rhythm.

“Oh God.”  He groaned.

Avery could feel her body tensing as the pleasure grew in
her pelvis.  She was so close.  She pushed her hips at Tristan
frantically, his groans of pleasure drowning out her own until with a loud cry
she threw her head back and came violently.  Vaguely she was aware of
Tristan pumping frantically into her, of his own loud cry and then the warmth
was flooding through her.  She collapsed against the bed as Tristan lay
down beside her and put his arm around her.

“You’re mine.”  He whispered, kissing her temple.