Authors: Elizabeth Kelly
Avery listened to the solid beat of Tristan’s heart beneath
her ear. She rubbed her hand back and forth over his abdomen as he traced
lazy circles on her bare back. She wanted to fall asleep, wanted to
pretend that late mornings and hours of pleasure in Tristan’s bed was her life
now but she forced herself back to reality.
“My lord – “
“Tristan.” He interrupted.
She sighed and propped herself up on her elbow. She
stared down at him. “You know I cannot call you Tristan. Please
stop asking me to do so.”
He opened his mouth to argue and she hurried on.
“Sophia was here looking for you before breakfast.”
He pushed a wayward piece of hair from her face. “Oh?”
She hesitated. “Your mother was with her.”
She searched his face anxiously but he just shrugged.
“What did they want?”
“You don’t understand, m’lord. I was – I was naked and
in your bed.” She could feel her face burning at the memory.
“So? My mother is hardly a fragile flower. I
don’t think it would surprise her that her child has sex.”
She rolled her eyes. “With a human? And a Red at
that? You don’t think that she isn’t a little alarmed at your choice of
bedmate?”
“My mother has no say in who warms my bed.” He replied
arrogantly.
“It was humiliating to meet her that way.” She
muttered.
“I’ll introduce you properly later today.” He
promised.
She shook her head. “Gods no – that’s even more
humiliating.”
He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “You worry
too much about what others think, girl. Now, what did they want? I
was not at breakfast and haven’t seen Sophia since last night.”
“She wants you to go for a walk with her and your mother.”
He smiled. “Then I will.”
She slipped out of his embrace and sat on the edge of the
bed, gathering her clothes from the floor. He sat up and kissed her
back. “No more bruises.”
“Aye.” She said softly. “Back to normal.”
She started to dress as he shifted closer.
He caught her hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissing the
palm of it. “Come for a walk with us.”
“I cannot. I have work to do.” She finished
dressing and reached for her leather boots, shoving her feet into them.
He frowned. “You forget that you belong to me.
If I want you to go for a walk, then you will.”
She sighed and turned to face him. “My lord.”
She said gently, cupping his face with her hand. “Why do you
deliberately try and make this difficult? How do you think it will look
if the others see me out for a walk with you while they are forced to slave
away?”
“I don’t care what they think. And you’re different
from them. You’re the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the
new world.” He said angrily.
She smiled sadly. “I was. Now my father is dead,
my mother sold her own flesh and blood for drugs, and I am nothing more than a
slave without a cent to her name. All my life I have been different.
My gift, my hair – it has set me apart from others. My father’s
wealth and status protected me but I no longer have that luxury. All that
matters to me now is keeping Maya safe. In order to do that, I need to
blend in and avoid making enemies. Sleeping with you, receiving special
treatment from you will not help me protect Maya. Do you understand that?
“
“No harm will come to you or your sister in my home.”
He said quietly.
She smiled. “Most of your other slaves already hate or
fear me.”
He scowled. “It was Mrs. Lanning who beat you so
badly, wasn’t it? Tell me why she beat you.”
“It was a misunderstanding, nothing more.”
He grabbed her wrist. “Stop lying to me!”
She glanced down at his hand and feeling slightly ashamed,
he let go of her. “I’m sorry.”
He sighed. “Both you and your sister will be safe
here. I promise. I would not have brought you to my home
otherwise.”
She laughed. “You brought me into your home because
your seven-year-old child wanted me. If it had not been for Sophia, I
would still be back at the slave house.”
“What does it matter?” He said with growing
frustration. “You’re here now.”
“And when your children are grown? What will become of
Maya and I then?” She asked softly.
“Marshall is very fond of Maya. I have a feeling I
will not have a nanny for much longer.” He said dryly.
She frowned a little. “Perhaps you are right.”
“And there will always be a place in my home for you.”
He said earnestly.
“As your gardener?” She arched her eyebrow at
him. “Perhaps now is the time to tell you that Maya was lying through her
teeth about my gardening abilities. I have no luck with plants.”
She patted his arm gently. “The best I can hope for is
that you marry again. Find someone lovely who will bear you many more
children that I can be a nanny to.” Her chest tightened oddly at the
thought of watching Tristan live his life with another woman.
“Avery, I – “
He looked at her helplessly and she smiled and patted his
arm again.
“It does not matter, my lord. I am not sharing this
with you to make you feel bad. My future is my own problem and not for
you to worry about. But I can no longer afford to be different and I
require your help with that. Will you help me?”
He sighed and nodded. She leaned forward and kissed
him, not resisting when he cupped her face and deepened it.
After a moment she pulled away. “Thank you, my
lord.” She said breathlessly.
She stood and walked to the door, pausing before she opened
it. “Your mother is sick.” She said quietly.
“Aye. I know.”
“Will her Lycan healing abilities not help her?”
He shook his head. “No. Our healing abilities do
not kick in until we hit puberty, and as we age they start to fade.”
She looked back at him. “I can heal her, if you’d
like.”
“I did not bring her back here with the expectation that you
would heal her. I wanted her to be with her grandchildren.”
“I know.” She slipped out the door.
* * *
Avery knocked softly on the door to the nursery before
opening it. “Maya, are you in here? I need – “ She stopped,
blinking in surprise as Marshall and Maya sprang apart guiltily.
“Avery! Are you feeling better?” Maya’s eyes
were over-bright and her mouth was red and swollen.
“Yes, thank you.” She frowned at the two of them as
Marshall cleared his throat nervously, nodded to her and left the room.
“You two seem close.” Avery raised her eyebrows at
Maya who blushed fiercely.
“Are you having sex with him?”
Maya gaped at her. “Avery!”
Avery shrugged. “If you’re old enough to be sleeping
with him, you’re old enough to admit it.”
“Yes I am. We grew very close on our trip to Mrs.
Williams’ home.”
Avery sighed. “Do you think it’s wise to be sleeping
with the best friend of the man who owns you?”
“No more than sleeping with the lord of the manor himself.”
Maya said defiantly.
“Maya, that’s different.” Avery protested. “I
slept with him only as a means to heal myself.” She thought back to her
earlier romp with Tristan and blushed a little. She had been perfectly
healthy for that one, and both she and Tristan had known it.
Maya rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Avery.”
Avery took her hands. “Maya, I only want what’s best
for you. I don’t want you to get hurt and I’m not sure that Marshall is –
“
“I love him!” Maya blurted out.
“Maya, you hardly know him.” Avery said gently.
Maya pulled her hands free, “I know that he is sweet and
gentle and treats me well. I know that the thought of not being with him
makes me feel sick to my stomach. I know that I am old enough to know what
or who I want.”
“Maya – “
“I’m no longer a child, Avery. Please stop treating me
like one.”
Avery smiled at her. “I suppose you’re right.”
She kissed Maya on the forehead. “I’d better go. Those floors
aren’t going to scrub themselves.”
She hugged her sister once more and left the room.
* * *
“What’s going on?” Avery glanced curiously at Laura as
she lined up with the other slaves in the kitchen. It had been two days
since she had left Tristan’s bed and her body was completely healed. She
was thankful for that. Mrs. Lanning had sent her to the cellar the last
two days to clean and prepare for the massive amounts of canning that would
soon be taking place, and the work had been physical and tiring. Even
feeling as good as she did, she had collapsed each night into the small bed
Tristan had ordered to be put in her room and fallen deeply asleep almost
immediately.
Laura shrugged. “I do not know.”
Maya slipped into the kitchen and stood next to Avery.
“Why are we here?” She breathed into Avery’s ear.
“I have no idea.” Avery smiled at her as Maya took her
hand and squeezed it.
Mrs. Lanning took out a large white envelope from her
pocket. Without saying anything, she pulled a wad of bills from the
envelope and began to hand a few to each person in the room. Avery stared
at the bills in her hand, her brow creased. Beside her, Maya had an
identical expression of confusion.
Mrs. Lanning folded her arms across her non-existent chest
and cleared her throat. “The Lord Tristan has decided to – “ she
hesitated, “pay all of us wages.”
There was a collective gasp of surprise before Renee gave a
small squeal of excitement. She clutched the bills to her chest and
grinned at Laura. “Wages for slaves!”
“It’s not much.” Mrs. Lanning barked at her
immediately. “But you must all make sure to search out and thank Lord
Tristan for being so generous. As long as you do your job and don’t cause
Lord Tristan any trouble, you will continue to receive a weekly wage.”
Maya squeezed her hand and put her mouth to her ear.
“Did you have something to do with this, Avery?”
Avery shook her head. “No.”
Maya stared intently at her. “Are you sure?”
Avery didn’t reply but there was a small, pleased smile on
her lips as she stared at the bills in her hand.
Avery leaned the pitchfork against the stall and stripped
off the sweater she was wearing. The days were cold now but she had
worked up a sweat cleaning out the stable. She was just picking up the
pitchfork again when someone cleared their throat behind her.
She turned around, frowning when she saw Marshall standing
there. It had been just over a week since she had walked in on him and
Maya, and she had a feeling that Marshall had been avoiding her.
“Hello Avery.” Marshall smiled nervously at her.
“Hello m’lord.” She stabbed the pitchfork in the
wheelbarrow of clean hay and used it to transfer some of the hay into the
stall.
“Please, call me Marshall.” He gave her another
nervous smile.
She didn’t answer, grunting softly as she transferred
another pitchfork of sweet-smelling hay into the stall.
“I was hoping we could speak for a moment.”
She sighed and stopped, leaning against the pitchfork and
giving him an irritated look. “What is it?”
He stepped closer, cracking his knuckles nervously. “I
just wanted to tell you that I care for your sister very much. I love her
in fact, and I’ll die before I hurt her.”
She stared silently at him and he blushed a little. “I
love her, I do.”
“I never thanked you for saving Maya’s life.” She said
suddenly.
He blinked. “I – you’re welcome?”
She couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Treat her well,
Marshall. I don’t want to have to cast a spell on you.” She gave him a
mock threatening look and he grinned like a schoolboy.
“I’m sorry I called you a witch. I know you’re not.”
He apologized.
She shrugged. “I’m used to it.”
He moved forward until he was standing directly in front of
her. “Maya is special. I just want you to know that I realize that and
I’ll treat her well. I promise you.”
She smiled. “Good. Because I’m not kidding –
I’ll kill you if you don’t.”
He stared at her thoughtfully. “Aye, I have no doubt
of that.”
He turned to go and then surprised her by turning back and
hugging her tightly. She dropped the pitchfork, wincing as it hit her
foot.
“Thank you.” He said softly and sincerely. “Maya
told me how you saved my life after the faerie attack, and I should have said
thank you long before this.”
She hugged him back. “You’re welcome, Marshall.”
“Am I interrupting something?”
Marshall and Avery broke apart to see Tristan standing
behind them and staring at them furiously.
Marshall shook his head. “Nope. Just talking.”
He nodded to Avery and clapped Tristan on the shoulder as he walked
by. Tristan growled loudly, his eyes flashing green and Marshall stepped
back.
“Gods, Tristan. Relax.” He held his hands up,
rolling his eyes, and left the stable.
Tristan continued to stare at her, his nostrils flaring and
his hands rolled into tight fists at his sides.
Avery nodded to him. “M’lord.” She picked up her
pitchfork and piled the last of the clean hay into the stall. Her stomach
was churning nervously and her palms were sweating. She had barely seen
Tristan at all in the last week, never mind be alone with him. He had
done as she asked and stayed away from her, barely acknowledging her existence
when they were in the same room and spending most of his time with Sophia and
his mother.
She refused to admit to herself how much she missed
him. Every night she crawled into her cold bed and did her best not to
think about Tristan and his warm mouth.
“What are you doing in here?” He asked.
“Cleaning the stalls.” She rolled her eyes.
“Where is Ian? He’s in charge of the stables.”
He snarled.
“I believe he’s helping Leo in the west field. I
accidentally killed Marian’s herb garden she was growing in the window, and
Mrs. Lanning thought it would be best if I took a break from gardening.”
She grinned and winked at him, trying to tease him out of his bad mood.
When he didn’t laugh, she sighed and turned away from him,
starting to spread the pile of hay in the stall across the floor. Tristan
entered the stall and knocked the pitchfork from her hand.
“Hey!” She protested as he pushed her back against the
wall of the stall and planted his hands on either side of her head.
“I thought you understood.” He growled.
“Understood what?” She stared at him in confusion.
“I thought you understood what I told you.” He spoke
slowly and softly.
“My lord, I have no idea what –“
“If you were in the mood to use someone, you were to come to
my bed and my bed alone.” His eyes flashed angrily. “Yet I come in
here to find you touching Marshall – hugging him.”
She gaped at him. “Are you kidding me? I wasn’t
in the mood to use anyone. Marshall is in love with my sister and you
know that. He hugged me to say thank you for saving his life.”
He appeared not to hear her. “I don’t want you
touching him again.”
Her own temper flared and she poked him hard in the chest.
“Stop telling me who I can and cannot touch. And I told you – he
was only saying thank you for saving his life.”
“You’ve been naked with him before, kissing him, letting him
touch you. Why should I believe you now?” Tristan leaned in until
she could feel his hard chest brushing against her breasts. She stared at
his mouth, feeling the slow heat rising in her belly, and cursed inwardly.
“You asked me to do that.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. “Bullshit.”
“You did.” She insisted. “You asked me to save
his life and I did. How handy it must be for you to decide when I should
and shouldn’t touch your friends.”
When he didn’t respond, her anger got the best of her.
“Ian seems like a nice enough man, and we’ve been spending quite a bit of
time in the stables together. Perhaps we could arrange for him to be
injured so that I’m allowed to touch him.”
He cupped the back of her neck angrily. “Stop
deliberately provoking me, girl.”
“Then stop acting like a spoiled child whose favourite toy
is being played with by another.” She snapped at him.
“You’re mine.” He growled. “You belong to
me.” He kissed her roughly, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth and
shoving her back against the stall.
She shivered, heat running through her stomach and into her
pelvis before she pulled her mouth free and pushed him away with a hard
shove. He staggered back, tripping over the pitchfork and landing on his
back in the pile of fresh hay.
Before he could get up she grabbed the pitchfork from the
ground and pounced on him, sitting on him and holding the tines of the
pitchfork to his throat. She stared down at him, panting harshly, and
realized with a tingle of dismay that she wanted him desperately.
He stared silently at her, no fear in his eyes despite the
pitchfork pressing against his throat, and she pushed her pelvis against the
erection she could feel through his pants. She rubbed back and forth
until a small moan escaped her throat and he gave her a predatory grin.
Still holding the pitchfork to his throat with one hand, she
reached between them and unbuttoned his pants. She was wearing a long
skirt and she tugged the fabric away from her body, letting it billow out
around his hips, before pulling his cock free. His breath hissed between
his teeth when she rubbed his cock against her and he realized she wasn’t
wearing underwear. She was soaking wet, and it took just a small twist of
her hips for his cock to slide deep within her.
He groaned loudly and she tossed the pitchfork aside and
leaned over him, taking his hands and pinning them above his head. She
licked his mouth and then bit his bottom lip, making him cry out and jerk
against her.
“Now you belong to me.” She said before angling her
mouth over his and shoving her tongue deep into his mouth. They kissed
hungrily, their tongues battling against each other for control until they were
both gasping and moaning.
She released his hands but when he reached for her, she
smacked them away. “Don’t move.” She demanded. He let his hands
fall to the side and she yanked hard on his shirt. Buttons popped off as
she ripped it open and leaned down to bite and kiss his chest. He
groaned, his hands twisting into her hair as she licked her way to his flat
nipple. She sucked it into her mouth and he bucked against her. She
bit it, pulling a hoarse cry from his throat before she licked away the sting
of her bite.
She sat up, grinning down at him as she braced her palms
against his chest and began to move her hips. She lifted her hips until
just the head of his cock was in her and then slowly plunged back down on him,
rotating her hips in a clockwise motion as she did.
“The gods be damned, girl.” He moaned, his hands
sliding under her skirt to grip her bare thighs.
She grinned shark-like at him and repeated the movement,
moaning a little herself at the feel of his hard cock rubbing against her soft
walls.
“Please, girl.” He moaned again.
She leaned down and kissed him lightly on the mouth.
“Say my name.” She whispered.
He stared at her and she grinned cheekily at him, lifting
her hips until he slipped out of her. “Say my name.”
“Avery, please.” He groaned.
“Please what?” She reached between them and took his
cock in her hand, holding it steady as she rubbed her clit against the head of
it.
“Please fuck me.” He begged softly.
“Soon.” She panted. He groaned again as she
continued to use his cock to rub her clit. She was panting, sweat
trickling down her back, as she writhed and twisted against him.
She was wearing a low cut blouse, and he reached up and
pulled the neckline of it and her shift down until her breasts popped
free. He kneaded her bare breasts roughly, tugging and pulling on her
hard nipples as she rubbed herself against him.
She leaned over him, guiding her breast to his mouth and he
sucked on her offered nipple eagerly, licking and nipping at it as she moaned
above him. He cupped her breasts, pushing them together and running his
tongue from one nipple to the other. She was incredibly close to coming
and she forced herself to stop rubbing her clit against the smooth head of his
cock.
She leaned back, staring down at him. “Should I fuck
you now, Tristan?”
“Yes.” He muttered.
“Yes what?” She cupped her own breast, running her
thumb over the nipple and smiling when his eyes went from brown to green in an
instant.
“Yes, please. Fuck me, Avery.” He begged again.
“Since you asked so nicely.” She grinned and sunk his
cock deep inside of her.
He cried out, sliding his hands under her skirt to grab her
thighs again. She moved against him in a relentlessly slow rhythm as he
arched his hips up, nearly knocking her off of him.
“Slow.” She whispered, pressing her weight down on
him.
“Slow.” He agreed and forced himself to stop moving as
she rose up and down in a maddeningly slow pace.
“Look at me, Tristan.” She demanded. He opened
his eyes and sucked in his breath. She was cupping both her breasts, her
hand squeezing and rubbing and her fingers tugging lightly on her nipples as
she rode him.
“Faster?” She asked, arching her back and wiggling her
pelvis against him.
“Oh Gods, yes.” He groaned.
She rode him faster, her hips gyrating and thrusting, and he
was about to come when she suddenly stopped.
“Avery!” He gasped.
She went back to the previous slow rhythm she had set before
and he could have shouted in frustration and need.
“Slow…” She moaned. She was so close. The
pleasure was building in her belly, her pelvis throbbed and pulsated with need,
and when Tristan suddenly growled loudly and grabbed her hips, she didn’t object.
With a loud guttural moan he plunged roughly in and out of her, and she was
suddenly and explosively having the best orgasm of her life.
She threw her head back, her back arching and her body
shaking as her orgasm roared through her in a long, continuous bout of pure
pleasure. Below her Tristan, his eyes squeezed shut, was groaning loudly
as he came violently inside of her.
She collapsed against him, breathing harshly, her body still
vibrating from her orgasm. After a few moments, he kissed her lightly on
the top of her head. “That was incredible.”
She sat up, pulling her shirt up and straightening her
skirt. He frowned at the sight of her pale face and trembling lips.
“What’s wrong, girl?”
“I’m sorry, Tristan.” She gave him a look of remorse. “I
should not have done that.”
He sat up, putting his arms around her waist and kissing her
mouth. “Yes, you definitely should have.”
She shook her head and struggled free from his arms.
She stood and began to pace nervously in the stall as Tristan rose gracefully
to his feet.
“No, I shouldn’t have. I tell you to stay away from
me, beg you not to touch me and then I attack you with a pitchfork and force
you to have sex with me the first time we’re alone together.”
“Avery – “
“I’m going crazy.” She moaned, clutching her head.
He grabbed her arms and shook her lightly. “Listen to
me, girl. You did not force me to have sex with you. I’ve been
spending every moment since you left my bed a week ago, trying to figure out
how to get you back into my bed. I swear to you.”
“We can’t go on like this.” She swallowed nervously.
“I think it would be best if I left, Tristan. You could sell me to
another, or return me to the slave house.”
“No!” He shook her again. “You’re not leaving my
home.”
“Please.” She cupped his face. “We’re both
miserable. You know that – “