Free Red Moon Rising by Elizabeth Kelly

push her for details; she linked her arm
through Bree’s and tugged her to her feet.  “That’s fine.  You can let us know
when you decide.”
    * * *
     
    Bree smiled uncertainly at Tristan.  It was her fourth day
here and every morning when she tried to sneak out of the house, she had stumbled
across a different family member.  The second morning it had been Avery.  She
had caught Bree as she was sneaking past the kitchen, and asked her to join her
for a cup of tea.  Afraid of hurting the redhead’s feelings, she had sat
agreed.  By the time Avery had made the tea, both Tristan and Sophia had joined
them in the kitchen. 
    Yesterday morning it was Nicholas.  She had actually made it
out the front door that time.  Before she could close it quietly behind her,
Nicholas, yawning hugely and pulling a jacket over his thin shirt, had staggered
out behind her.
    “Lovely morning for a walk!”  He had said cheerfully,
rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  “Do you mind if I join you?”
    She had shaken her head no, and then spent an hour wandering
Tristan and Avery’s rather large and impressive estate as Nicholas chatted to
her.
    This morning, Tristan had been waiting in the common room
when she had slipped quietly down the hallway.  She sighed.  Her plan to sneak
away was obviously not going to work.  She would just have to gather her courage,
thank them for their hospitality and tell them she had to leave.
    “Have you been given a tour of the barn yet Bree?”  Tristan
asked.
    She shook her head no and he offered her his arm.  “I’m
heading there now.  Why don’t you come with me?”
    She took his arm, not registering that even three days ago
she would not have touched him unless forced to, and he led her outside and
towards the barn.  They entered the warm and steamy building, and she stared
around in surprise.  It was a large barn but there were more horses than she
had expected.
    “Good morning Tristan.”
    A man was walking down the wide aisle in the center of the
barn.  Bree thought his name was Jeffrey, but she couldn’t remember if he was
human or Lycan.  As he approached, she shrank back against Tristan and he
patted her arm gently.
    “You’re fine little one.”  He sounded so much like James
that she smiled a little.  They really were very similar.
    “Good morning Jeffrey.”  Tristan nodded to the man.
    “Going for a ride?”  Jeffrey gave Bree a friendly smile and
she looked away shyly.
    “No, just showing Bree the barn.  She hasn’t been in here
yet.”
    “I’m heading to the smaller barn.  Ian says that Bella
should be ready to give birth any day now.”
    “Alright.  Let me know when she goes into labour.”
    Jeffrey nodded and, whistling under his breath, left the
barn. 
    “Who is Bella?”  Bree asked timidly.
    “One of our mares.  We bred her with Samson and she’ll be
giving birth soon.”
    “Oh.”
    Tristan led her down the aisle of the barn, telling her the
names of the different horses they passed.  When they were halfway to the end
of the barn, she cleared her throat nervously.
    “May I ask you something my lord?”
    “Call me Tristan, and yes you may.”
    “Why do you have so many horses?  It seems strange for
Lycans.  Where I – where I was before they didn’t use horses at all.  Do you
not move faster than horses when in your Lycan form?”
    Tristan laughed.  “Aye, that is true Bree.  We do move
faster than horses.”  He stopped in front of a stall, and reached in to pet the
small grey horse that was standing in it.  The horse snorted quietly and nudged
at his hand with its broad nose.
    “I have loved horses since I was a boy.  My father had no
use for them, but he indulged my love and allowed me to have a few when I was
growing up.  About fifteen years ago, Avery convinced me to do what I had
always wanted to do and breed them.  I’ve been breeding and selling horses for
nearly ten years now.”
    “Is that why you are so