"Sophia, my love, it's time to go in for lunch." Maya shivered in the cold air as Sophia pouted at her.
"Just one more game, Maya. Please."
Marshall grinned. "What game this time, Sophia?"
"Hide and seek!" Sophia clapped her hands delightedly as Maya smiled.
"Close your eyes and count to fifty," Sophia demanded.
Marshall and Maya closed their eyes and began to count as Sophia laughed and ran off.
** *
"Hello, Avery."
Avery groaned inwardly and turned to face Hendrick. She had just entered the barn and was about to start shoveling out a stall when Hendrick's voice had washed over her.
"Hello, Hendrick."
Hendrick stepped closer. "How are you today?"
"Fine."
"Not feeling sick after yesterday?"
"No," she replied.
"Good." He leaned against the wall of one of the stalls. "Tell me, Avery. Do you know – do
you understand - just what a gift you have been blessed with? How valuable you are?"
Avery cupped her elbows nervously. "What is that you want, Hendrick?"
"I want you to join me in my household. I know Tristan is getting rid of you and I want to
give you the chance to make a better life for yourself."
"He has already sold me to another," she replied.
He tipped his head in acknowledgement. "Aye, but in my home, you will not be a slave. You
will be my wife. I will treat you well and you will have everything you want. Pretty dresses, slaves to attend to your every need, you will never want for anything again. I promise you that."
"That is very kind of you, Hendrick," Avery said, "but I'm afraid I will have to decline your offer."
A look of irritation flashed across his face before he smiled again. "You have no choice, Avery. I have already spoken with Tristan and he has agreed to sell you to me."
Avery stared at him in shock. "You lie."
"I do not," Hendrick said. "Your lord Tristan thought you would enjoy being my wife more than you would enjoy the life of a slave."
"No," Avery whispered. She glanced down at the floor in confusion, her stomach churning and her hands trembling. The air in the barn suddenly felt too suffocating, the previously large space too small, and she could hear her pulse thudding loudly in her ears.
"He would not do that," she said. "He knows that I want to be close to my sister. He would not sell me to you."
Hendrick sighed irritably. "I told you, girl, it's done. In fact, my carriage is outside and waiting. We leave for my home now."
He whistled piercingly and two of his men appeared in the open doorway of the barn. Avery backed up as Hendrick walked toward her.
"I want to speak to Tristan right now," she said. "I'm not going anywhere until I hear it from him."
"Sweet girl, he has gone for a ride with my dear sister. You've seen how close they've grown over the last few weeks. Although I have no doubt that he will miss you, I imagine she is right at this very moment helping him to forget all about you."
She slapped him hard across the face and his blue eyes flashed yellow at her, a low growl starting in his throat. "You don't ever want to cross me, Avery. Do you understand?"
She tried to hit him again and his hard fist slammed into her temple. Her knees unhinged and the world turned dark.
Hendrick caught Avery when she slumped forward. He hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her toward the door. He paused, his head cocked to the side, before he handed Avery's prone body to one of his men.
"Put her in the carriage. I'll join you shortly."
The man nodded and he and the other left the barn. Hendrick walked slowly down the middle of the barn, inhaling deeply. He whistled softly under his breath before suddenly darting into the last empty stall.
He dragged Sophia out by her wrist and glared down at her. "What did you see, girl? Tell me now and be quick about it."
She stared at him, her lips trembling as her eyes turned a light green and glowed in the dim light.
He bent down until he was at her eye level and spoke softly. "If you tell anyone what you have seen, I will come back and kill your baby brother and your grandmother while they sleep. Do you understand me?"
She suddenly snarled and bared her teeth at him. Before he could move, she had sunk her small, needle-sharp teeth into his wrist.
He gave a short yelp of pain and shook her loose as she shifted into her wolf form. She backed up, snarling and spitting at him.
He straightened and stared down at her. "Remember what I said, girl." He turned and left the barn.
"It is a beautiful day, is it not?" Victoria smiled up at Tristan. At Victoria's request, they had left their horses tied to a grove of trees and walked toward the lake that was at the edge of his property.
"Aye, it is," he replied.
Victoria squeezed his arm gently. "You've been quite and distant. Are you feeling well today, Tristan?"
"I feel fine." They stood at the edge of the lake and stared at its crystal blue waters. After a moment, he turned to her. "Victoria, I must speak with you."
She smiled up at him. "Of course, my darling."
"I'm afraid I have been dishonest with you about my feelings. I have led you to believe that I -"
She suddenly winced and placed a hand on her side. Tristan studied her. "Are you all right?"
"Aye." She gave him a small, trembling smile. "Have you hurt yourself?"
"Not quite." She grimaced and rubbed at her side. "Let me see."
She pulled her shirt up and he frowned at the small but deep cut he could see on her side. It was starting to heal but it still looked swollen and sore.
"What happened?"
She sighed. "It is nothing, my lord."
"Obviously it isn't nothing," he said impatiently. "Tell me."
She gave him a sorrowful look. "It was the Red, my lord."
His mouth dropped open. "What?"
She sighed again. "Earlier this morning I was chatting with her and our conversation turned
to you. I mentioned how close we had grown and that I would not be surprised if you asked me to stay longer. And that your mother and I had already begun to plan our wedding."
"How did you get cut?" he asked.
"She attacked me, Tristan," Victoria said. "She drew a knife from her skirt and went after me."
"She would not do that," Tristan said.
"She did," Victoria insisted. "Hendrick was there and saw the whole thing. If it had not been for him, I don't know what would have happened."
He stared at her. "You're a Lycan, Victoria. You're saying you cannot protect yourself against a human?"
"I had no wish to hurt her, Tristan. I know how grateful you are that she saved Sophia's life." "I will speak with her immediately."
Victoria rested her hand on his arm. "My lord, Hendrick was understandably upset and
worried for my safety. He received word yesterday that he was needed at home and he decided to take the Red with him."
"He did what?" Tristan stared at her.
"You cannot blame him, my lord. She attacked me. He thought it would be best for all concerned if he took the Red with him. He left you a handsome sum of money for her."
Tristan turned and strode back towards the horses. Victoria hurried after him.
"Tristan, where are you going?"
"Back to the house. I must speak with Avery and your brother."
"It is too late, my lord. He spoke with me before we went on our ride and said that he would
be leaving immediately."
"Then I will go after them."
Victoria placed her hand on his arm. "Tristan, I know you are upset but Avery agreed to go
with Hendrick."
Tristan stared at her and she nodded. "Aye, it is true. I swear to you."
"I don't believe you."
"Really? She is in love with you and you made it perfectly clear that you wanted her for your
bed and only your bed. When she did not agree to that, you turned cold and distant to her. Once she had calmed down, she jumped at the chance to leave with Hendrick."
"Her sister..." Tristan said. "She would not live so far from her sister."
"I don't know what to tell you. I believe your cruel treatment of her has overshadowed her desire to be close to her sister."
They had reached the horses and Tristan, his face a mask of anger and shock, silently helped her into her saddle before swinging his body onto his horse.
"My lord, I am sorry, but you know this is for the best," Victoria said as they rode back to the house.
Tristan didn't respond. His mind was whirling with the realization that Avery had left him. ** *
"Sophia? You're worrying me, dearest." Maya sat on the edge of the little girl's bed. "Will you tell me what's bothering you?"
She frowned when the little girl huddled deeper under the covers and didn't respond. "Sophia, do you feel sick?"
"No," the little girl said. "I am tired, and I wish to be left alone."
Maya placed her hand against the girl's forehead. It was cool to the touch and Sophia's
cheeks were still flushed with colour.
"Tell me what's wrong, my love," she said.
"There's nothing wrong. I am tired," Sophia said.
"Sophia, you must tell me what's -"
The little girl suddenly sat up and growled at her, her eyes glowing with a fierce light. Maya
stood and backed away, holding her hands up. "All right, dearest, everything's fine." "Leave me alone, Maya!" Sophia shouted. "I want to rest!"
Her heart pounding, Maya left the nursery and went to the kitchen where she had left
Marshall.
Maya sat down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. She stared at Marshall as tears dripped down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, my sweet." Marshall crouched next to her and rubbed her knee.
"She would not leave me without saying goodbye," she whispered.
"She was unhappy, Maya. She told you that herself. Perhaps she looked at the chance to
leave with Hendrick as a fresh start."
"But she was going to the Bartons in a day or so. Why would she leave with Hendrick? He
lives so far away," she said. "I do not believe she left with him of her own will. Will you speak to lord Tristan for me? Tell him that Avery would never leave me like that. They only left a few hours ago. We could saddle horses and catch up to them. Convince him to let me go after them so that I may speak with my sister."
Marshall nodded. "Of course, my sweet Maya." ** *
Tristan sat in the armchair next to the fire and stared blankly into the fire. He still couldn't believe that Avery had left with Hendrick. His hand tightened around the glass he was holding. Victoria had been right. He'd been cold and distant with Avery. He thought it was for the best, believed that if he closed himself off from her it would hurt less when he took her to the Bartons.
He was a fool and now he was paying the price. He would never see her again and it -
There was a knock at the door of his bedroom and Marshall stepped into the room. "Tristan, I must speak with you."
"This is not a good time, Marshall," he said.
"Maya sent me here," Marshall said. "She does not believe her sister would leave without even saying goodbye to her, and I agree. She wants to go after them. Do we have your permission to go?"
"No," Tristan said.
"Tristan – give Maya the chance to see her sister. Surely you don't believe that Avery would leave you or Maya to go with Hendrick. The night of the party, Hendrick tried to -"
"Enough!" Tristan roared at him. He stood and threw his glass into the fire. It shattered into tiny pieces, and Marshall stepped back as Tristan turned and glared at him, his eyes glowing green fire and his body swelling.
"She is gone! There is nothing we can do about it. Now leave me!" ** *
A half-hour later, Tristan sighed irritably when he heard the door of his bedroom open. "Marshall, I told you to leave me alone."
"Papa?"
He twisted in his chair to see Sophia, looking very small and pale, standing in the doorway of his bedroom.
"Sophia, my love, come here." He held out his arms to her and she ran across the room and climbed into his lap. She snuggled into him and he buried his face in her dark hair and breathed deeply. Her entire body was trembling, and he frowned. "Sophia, what is wrong?"
She stared up at him, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I have something to tell you, Pap