Red Moon (23 page)

Authors: Elizabeth Kelly

She frowned. Lying in the redhead’s bed she had felt
tired but there had been only a dull ache in her side and her face. Now,
sharp pain was radiating from her side into her back and her face was throbbing
dully. She touched her face gingerly, noticing for the first time that
she could see out of both eyes. The one that had been puffed shut was
tender and sore, but not swollen the way it had been before. She pressed
her tongue against her front teeth. They didn’t move and she frowned a
little. They had been loose last night, she was sure of it.

The evening came flooding back to her. Her fight with
the beast, the agonizing pain in her side and back when he had thrown her
against the tree. She paled and reached for the hem of the shirt, lifting
it up and studying her side carefully.

It was swollen and bruised and she could see four
barely-scabbed over cuts where the beast had swiped her with his long
claws. She blinked in astonishment. Last night they had been wide,
gaping slashes with blood pouring from them.

She looked down at her dog. “What’s happening to me,
Tia?” She whispered fearfully as she dropped the shirt.

She decided that for the moment she didn’t care. What
mattered was getting out of here before he woke up. Her side was burning
and throbbing, and she would have to move slowly. She needed to put as
much space between her and the stranger as possible.

“Come, Tia.” She whispered. Her eye fell on the
sword lying next to his pants. She hesitated and then picked it up.
It was heavy and it hurt her side to hold it, but she would take it anyway.

“Good morning.”

She screamed breathlessly and whirled around. The cuts
on her side split open and she could feel blood dripping down her side as she
lifted the man’s sword and held it in front of her.

The redhead was sitting up in his nest of blankets. He
yawned and suddenly stood and her eyes dropped automatically. She flushed
scarlet at the sight of his penis. It was partially erect and as big as
the rest of him.

He walked towards her and she stumbled back, holding the
handle of the sword tightly in her hand and giving him a warning look. He
ignored it and reached for his pants, slipping into them and smiling a little
at the redness of her cheeks.

“Do you know how to use that?” He pointed to the sword
in her hand.

“Yes.” She lied.

He reached out with terrifying quickness and knocked the
sword from her hand. It clattered to the ground, barely missing her bare
toes, and he picked it up quickly. He held it out to her, handle-first
and grinned at her.

“Try again.”

She glared at him and snatched it from him. Her sudden
movement ripped open the barely-healed cuts on her side even more, and she
fought back the wave of nausea that went through her as she felt the blood
soaking into his shirt. She swayed a little and he frowned.

“You’re not fully healed yet.” He held out his hand.
“Come to me.”

She scowled and backed away towards the opening of the
tent.

“Do not be frightened of me, little one. I only wish
to help you.”

“Stay away from me!” She spat at him.

“Tia - that is your name is it not?”

She frowned in confusion at him as the dog at her feet
perked its ears up and then ran to the man. She stopped in front of him.
Her tail wagged happily and she rolled on to her back when the man
reached down.

He rubbed the dog’s belly and the woman made a low moan of
dismay. She whistled softly and the dog, after licking the redhead’s
hand, bounced to her feet and ran back to her.

“We’re leaving. If you try and stop me, I’ll kill
you.” She whispered.

She backed out of the tent. The man made no attempt to
follow her as she stepped into the cold morning air. She trembled
violently and pressed her hand against her side. It was getting hard to
breathe again, and she felt weak and faint.

She took a deep breath and turned to flee into the
forest. A blonde man, his expression amused, was standing behind her.

“Good morning.” He stared at the sword in her
hand. “Are you planning on hunting for our breakfast?”

She lunged at him, lifting the sword and jabbing it at him
weakly. He sidestepped her easily and she tumbled to the ground, crying
out at the bolt of pain that went through her side. Dimly she could hear
Tia barking and the blonde man cursing, and then the redhead’s face was over
hers and he was staring at her gravely.

“Stay away from me.” She whispered weakly as he
plucked the sword from her limp hand.

“We won’t harm you, little one.” The man said as she
fainted again.

* * * *

“Red Moon Rising”, the newest novel by Elizabeth Kelly, will
be available in January of 2014. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook for
updates and release date information.

If you
would like more information about Elizabeth Kelly, please visit her at:

http://www.elizabethkellybooks.blogspot.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/elizabethkellybooks

https://twitter.com/ElizabethKBooks

Write to
her at:

mailto:[email protected]

Other books
by Elizabeth Kelly:

Tempted

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYAU0YE

Twice
Tempted

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3G29QY

Red Moon
Rising (Red Moon Second Generation Series)