Red Moon by Elizabeth Kelly Page A

could feel her soft breath stirring
the hairs on his chest and it comforted him.
    “Will I feel anything?  How will I know it’s working?”
    She shook her head.  “No.  If you do feel
something, warmth or tingling, it means she’s trying to heal you.  Let go
of her immediately.”
    He nodded.  “I will.”
    Maya hesitated and then glanced at the door of the bedroom.
“I should be with Sophia and Nicholas.  Will you stay with her for the
night?”
    “Yes.  She’ll be fine by morning.”  He wasn’t sure
if he was trying to convince himself or Maya.  “Go and get some
rest.  I will send for you if anything happens.”
    “Thank you, m’lord.”  She slipped out of his bedroom.
    Tristan stared up at the ceiling.  He was tense,
waiting anxiously for any sign that Avery was trying to heal him, but when
nothing happened he let himself relax.  He closed his eyes, listening to
Avery’s soft and steady breathing, and drifted into sleep.

Chapter
8
     
    Tristan woke in the darkness.  Avery was stirring
against him and he stared anxiously at her. 
    “Hi.”  She smiled faintly at him.
    “Hi.  Do you feel better?”
    She moved cautiously. “Yes.  How is Marshall?”
    “He’ll live, thanks to you.”
    She turned her head slowly, groaning a little, and he sat
up.  “Should I get Maya?”
    “No.  Please - lie back down with me.  It helps.”
    He relaxed back against the pillow and she curled up against
him, staring up at him.
    He cupped her face, stroking her pale cheek with his thumb,
and then dipped his head and placed a gentle kiss on her mouth.
    She returned the kiss, smiling a little, and he kissed her
again.  When she didn’t resist, he turned until he was facing her and
tugged gently on her braid until she tilted her head back.  He kissed her
neck, sucking and licking at the soft skin until she was moving restlessly
against him.
    “Tristan.”  She sighed and he captured her mouth with
his, kissing her until her lips parted and he could push his tongue between
them.
    “Tristan, what are you doing?”  She whispered when he
trailed a path of hot kisses across her jawline.
    “Maya said this would help.”  He murmured into her ear
before tracing the curve of it with the tip of his tongue.
    She moaned quietly and clutched at his shoulders.
    “Is it?”  He asked.  He sucked lightly on her
earlobe, making her shiver.
    “Aye.”
    “Good.”  He kissed her again, and she opened her mouth
immediately and slipped her tongue into his mouth.  He sucked hard on it
until she was thrusting her hips against him, and then released her.
    He cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple and
pinching it lightly.  She arched her back as he bent his head and placed a
gentle kiss on her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.  He traced her
smooth hip, running his fingers along her leg before slipping them across the
top of her legs and tracing circles in the soft hair between her thighs.
    “Tristan, wait…” She panted lightly.
    He stopped.  “I want to make you feel better, Avery.
 Let me help you.”
    “I know, but the others…” She trailed off, looking at him
miserably.
    He kissed her cheeks and then the tip of her nose.
    “Just for tonight, Avery.”  He whispered.  “Let me
touch you tonight.  Let me make you feel good, and I promise I won’t touch
you again after this.  No one needs to know about it.”
    She stared doubtfully at him and he picked up her hand and
placed a gentle kiss in the palm of it.  She shivered lightly and cupped
his face.  “Do you promise?”
    “I promise.”
    She hesitated and then nodded. “Okay.”
    He smiled and immediately slipped his hand back between her
legs, cupping her warm sex and parting her lips so he could rub her clit.
    She gasped at the sudden intimacy, her hips jerking against
his hand as he rubbed and pressed her small pink nub.  It swelled and
hardened against his fingers, and she moaned in pleasure before sliding