Avery took the pan of dirty water out the back door of the kitchen. She carried it a few feet away from the door and threw it onto the frozen ground. She stared up at the dark sky. The stars were out, shining brightly and the nearly-full moon was large in the sky. She turned around to go back in the house and gave a soft shriek of surprise. Tristan was standing in front of her, staring silently at her.
"My lord?" She hesitated. It had been three days since the party, and she'd hardly seen him and not spoken to him at all. There was something off about him tonight. He looked bigger and stronger, his shirt sleeves were straining at his arms, and his usual dark scruff was almost a full beard.
She took a step toward him. "Tristan?"
She placed her hand on his arm and let out another soft shriek when he whirled her around and shoved her against the side of the house. He put his hands on either side of her head and leaned in until he was almost, but not quite, touching her. He dipped his head and inhaled deeply.
"I can smell how much you want me, Avery." His voice was deeper and rougher than usual, and she shivered a little.
"Tristan, what's wrong?"
"The moon will be full tomorrow," he said hoarsely.
She stared at him. The last full moon had been during his trip to his mother's. She had
questioned Maya about it and Maya had shrugged. "They didn't seem much different to me, honestly. Marshall didn't touch me at all, would not even hold my hand, and both he and lord Tristan seemed more restless but that was all."
Maya had frowned, thinking back. "They kept Sophia away from me all day, I know they were working on teaching her how to control the shift, and that evening they took her and Tristan's mother and went hunting. They did not come back until the morning, and then all of them slept the entire day. Later, Marshall said that although he would never hurt me during the full moon, Lycans who lived with humans always stay away from them during the night of the full moon - just to be on the safe side."
Avery reached out and touched Tristan's shoulder timidly. "Do you – are you feeling all right?"
He grinned at her and she leaned back against the wall, a little alarmed by his grin. "I feel perfectly fine, girl."
He stretched and she heard his spine crack. "You smell so good to me, Avery."
"My lord, should you be out here with me?" She kept her voice calm.
"Probably not." He stared hungrily at her. "Especially since what I really want is to bury my
cock in you."
Her stomach gave a nearly painful throb of desire and she trembled visibly. "Tristan, do not
say that to me."
"What?" He dipped his head and kissed her neck. "Should I not tell you how I lay awake at
night thinking about your breasts? About how perfectly they fit in my hands, and how much I enjoy sucking on your nipples?"
"Tristan," she moaned. Her hands twisted in her skirt as she fought to keep from touching him.
"Should I not tell you how I lie in my bed each night and think of reasons to have you sent to my room so that I can fuck you? How every time I close my eyes all I can see is your tight pussy sliding down my cock?"
He kissed her neck again, growling softly, and then cupped her breast in his hand. She moaned and arched her back. Her hands grabbed his arms and squeezed as he suddenly angled his mouth over hers and kissed her hard. She opened her mouth and let his tongue slide between her lips.
With a sudden groan, he pulled away from her. He stared at her as she leaned against the house, her legs shaking madly.
"I'm sorry, Avery," he rasped. "I should not have done that."
She nodded and took a few deep breaths, trying to slow her racing, thudding pulse. "Tomorrow is the full moon. Go to your room now and do not leave it until we go hunting
tomorrow night. Do you hear me, girl?"
"Mrs. Lanning will not -"
"I will speak with Mrs. Lanning. Stay in your room for the day," he said.
"Tristan, I do not understand why." She gave him a confused look. "You said before that
you could control the shift, even during the full moon."
His nostrils flared and he stepped closer to her again. "That was before you denied me the
pleasure of fucking you."
She swallowed hard as he gripped the back of her neck and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Go to your room and stay there until we have gone hunting." He gave her a pleading look. "Promise me – please, girl."
She nodded and a look of relief crossed his face. "Thank the gods."
He hesitated and then kissed her again, his lips cold but his mouth warm as he licked at the inside of her mouth. He squeezed her breast roughly and then pushed away from her, standing with his back to her. "Go, girl. Now, before I change my mind about fucking you."
Avery turned and bolted into the house.
** *
The wolves had worked together quickly to take down the frightened deer. The smallest one sniffed curiously at the dead deer as the large grey wolf grinned and panted at her. He nudged her toward the throat as the others joined her. They tore into the flesh of the deer, growling and snarling as they fed.
The wolf stepped forward to join them and then hesitated. He turned and lifted his large head to the sky, staring rapturously at the full moon as he inhaled deeply. He caught a scent in the air, one that raised his hackles and forced a low growl from his throat. He turned and slunk into the darkness of the forest, not noticing when the small, cream-coloured wolf left the deer and followed him.
** *
"Gods be damned. I hate that woman. This is ridiculous." Avery grumbled to herself as she picked her way carefully through the trees. Once the Lycans had left to hunt, she had left her room to help the others with dinner. Mrs. Lanning had sent her out after dinner to pick berries. She had heard that Victoria favoured the berries, which were ready to be picked only when the weather had turned cold, and she had chosen Avery to leave the warmth of the house and search for them. She hadn't even bothered to protest and ask to wait for the morning. Mrs. Lanning had been in a mood for days and a part of her was glad to leave the house. The night was cold, and she could see her breath as she walked deeper into the forest that surrounded Tristan's home. The full moon was huge in the sky, so bright that even through the trees it provided enough light for her to see easily. She glanced up at it, wondered briefly if Tristan was still hunting, and then shook her head with disgust. Of course he was still hunting. They wouldn't be back until the morning. She stumbled over a root, nearly falling flat on her face, and forced herself to pay attention to her surroundings. The sooner she could find the berries, the sooner she would be back in the warm house. She squinted through the trees, searching for the bushes that Laura had described to her. Concentrating, she didn't notice the man until she was almost upon him.
"Good evening, child."
She looked up, stumbling back and screaming breathlessly. He held up his hands and smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to frighten you."
She took a deep breath, waiting for her runaway heartbeat to slow down as the man took a
step towards her.
"Tell me, child. Do you live in the house that sits just on the edge of the forest?"
She took a step back, her brow furrowing. There was something off about the man. He was
dressed in a suit with his long hair braided neatly. She stared curiously at his hands. They were pale and his fingers were slender with long nails.
"Why do you ask?" She took a second step back as he moved closer.
He shrugged, smiling easily at her. "I am lost and hungry and seek shelter for the evening. Perhaps you could take me to your home and offer me solace?"
"It is not my home to offer," she said.
The hairs on the back of her neck were standing and her pulse, which had returned to a normal pace after her scare, was speeding up again sending the blood pulsing through her veins.
"That is sorry news indeed. I am very, very hungry." He suddenly grinned at her and she reeled back at the sight of his long, sharp fangs shining in the moonlight.
"Stay away from me, leech!" She cried and turned to run. Before she had taken more than two steps, he was on her, pushing her back against a tree and pinning her there with a terrible, inhuman strength.
He sniffed her neck delicately and frowned. "I smell Lycan on you, child. It is offensive."
"Get off of me!" She pushed at his body, fear threading through her when it was like pushing against a rock.
"Of course, it is not so offensive that I won't drain you." He grinned. "I am so terribly hungry."
She opened her mouth to scream as he lowered his face to her neck, but he clapped one strong, cold hand over her mouth. She screamed against his palm as he sunk his fangs into her throat and drank. He suckled loudly at her neck as she kicked and struggled. He released her neck with a loud pop, and she stared terrified at him as he licked her blood from his lips. "You taste delicious, my child. Perhaps it's because you're a Red?"
He leaned in but before he could latch on to her neck once more, there was a loud snarling and the vampire was torn away from her. She sunk to the ground, staring with wide eyes at the large grey wolf that was standing protectively in front of her.
The vampire climbed unsteadily to his feet and hissed at the wolf. "Lycan! Leave now and no harm will come to you."
The wolf howled loudly, and Avery clapped her hands over her ears, wincing. The vampire licked his lips, glancing quickly at Avery, before turning back to the Lycan.
"It is only one human," he said plaintively. "Give her to me and I'll feed quickly and leave your land. Do we have a deal?"
The wolf crouched low to the ground and bared its teeth in response. Avery watched in horror as Tristan launched his body at the vampire. The vampire flew across the ground and grabbed the wolf's rough pelt. He threw Tristan into a tree, and she screamed as he collapsed on the ground in front of it. The wolf howled with pain and anger and leaped to his feet. With a loud snarl he dove on the vampire and pinned him to the ground. The vampire screeched as Tristan bit deep into its throat. With another loud snarl, he ripped the head of the vampire from its body. As the vampire's body and head burst into ash, Tristan raised his snout to the sky and howled piercingly.
Avery closed her eyes as tears slipped down her cheeks. There was a soft popping sound Tristan's warm hand cupped her face. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him.
"Shh, my love. You're safe now." He tugged her to her feet, and she rested against the tree, staring silently at him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned her head to the right and then to the left. He frowned at the blood-ringed holes in her neck and surprised her by dipping his head and licking the blood away.
He shivered with delight at the taste of her blood before staring solemnly at her. "How do you feel?"
"All right. Are you hurt?" She tried to smile at him, but it came out more as a grimace.
He shook his head and then kissed her, softly at first, but it quickly turned into something else. She returned his kiss, wrapping her arms around him and stroking his naked back as he pressed her up against the tree. He pulled his mouth away and checked her neck, frowning when he saw that the holes from the vampire's fangs were still there.
"You're not healing."
"I will," she murmured. Tristan was staring at her with that same hungry look from last night and despite the fear still running through her from the leech attack, she could feel the slow cycle of heat starting in her belly.
"My lord, I should not be around you right now," she whispered.
"Perhaps not," he replied.
He ran his hand down her body and grasped her dress in his hand. He pulled the edge of it
up, pushing his hand underneath it and trailing his fingers along her smooth thigh. She stared wide-eyed at him as he stroked the front of her thighs.
"Open your legs," he demanded.
"Tristan, you told me to stay away from you," she said.
"Open them." He worked his fingers between her thighs and pushed. She opened her legs
and moaned when he immediately rubbed her clit.
He kissed her hard on the mouth, his tongue pushing between her lips and stroking hers while
he shoved one hard thigh between hers and forced her legs open further.
"You taste so good, my love," he whispered against her mouth. "You smell good, you feel
good." He wound his fingers through her hair and yanked her head back. He kissed her throat, licking and sucking gently before he moved his hand and easily slid two fingers into her warm wetness. She cried out, her hands digging into his back, and he grinned at her.
"I love how quickly I can make you ready for my cock," he whispered as he buried his face in her throat and inhaled. He pushed her dress up around her waist, and she whimpered as the cold air washed over her naked skin. Before she could start to shiver, his body was covering hers and he was raising her thigh around his hip.
He entered her with one smooth motion, both of them groaning in unison as he filled her completely. He fucked her with long, slow movements, watching her face as she panted and moaned. She opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat at the fierce green light radiating from his eyes. He dipped his head and nuzzled her neck. She could feel his teeth against her throat, and she held her breath as he licked a slow path from her jaw to her collarbone.
He looked at her throat, smiling with satisfaction when there was no trace of the vampire's bite. He nuzzled her neck again.
"Are you frightened of me, girl?" He withdrew and pushed into her slowly.
"No," she moaned, thrusting her hips at him.
"If I bit you would you turn? Or would your body heal you from the Lycan virus?" he asked. "I do not know," she whispered.
He kissed her throat again, nipping lightly without breaking the skin.
"I confess that I would very much like to find out," he growled against her throat. He was
still moving within her, his hard cock rubbing against her wet walls, and she stared mesmerized at him as he looked up at her and gave her a predatory grin.
Avery's body was filled with a weird and fascinating combination of fear and pleasure. She stared into his eyes as he thrust harder within her, feeling the hard bite of the bark against her back and the cool air on her naked thighs.
She was so close to coming. Every nerve in her body was singing with pleasure as he moved within her. He inhaled sharply when she suddenly kissed him hard and then lifted her chin, tilting her head and baring her throat to him.
She realized with wonderment that she wanted him to bite her. She wanted to feel his teeth sinking into her as she came against him and as a low rumbling growl started in his chest, she whispered, "Bite me, Tristan."
He bent his head towards her neck, his teeth bared, and she dug her nails into his back and waited breathlessly for his bite.
Before he could bite her, before his cock could give her the release she was looking for, he was staggering away from her. He turned away, his hands in fists at his side and his entire body shaking violently. She pushed her dress down and approached him, laying a hesitant hand on his back. "Tristan?"
He twitched away from her. "Do not touch me, Avery."
She recoiled, jerking her hand back as if he had burned her. "Tristan, I am sorry."
He looked back at her, his entire body was shaking and shuddering as he started to shift. "Go
back to the house – now."
She shook her head. "No, Tristan, please I -"
"For the love of the gods – go!" He suddenly roared at her and she turned and fled. Behind
her, his roar became a long, torturous howl and she stumbled to a stop and turned to look. Tristan
had shifted to a wolf and he was looking at her with a human-like look of misery. He barked once sharply, and she ran for the house again as he turned and disappeared into the trees.
Victoria stepped out from the trees. The air was cold against her naked body, but she took no notice of it. She approached the tree that Tristan had pushed Avery against, and she inhaled, her nostrils flaring with anger at the combined scent of their bodies. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Avery's retreating back before she suddenly shifted back to her wolf form and slipped silently into the woods.