Free Blood Moon by Ellen Keener Page A

being burned. “I’m getting tired of your bullshit, Haemon. Attacking me in dreams is low, even for you. Scared I’ll be more than you can handle in person?”
    His quiet laugh rolled through his chest. “I know you, Aria. Better than you think. Your bravado will only help you so much.” She jerked her head as far away as she could when his lips moved toward hers, but his hold tightened, and she whimpered. Cold lips pressed against her mouth.
    Her snarl seemed to ricochet around them. Haemon smiled, again. Around her, the scenery grew dimmer, turning black at the edges, leaving only his harsh, cold face. His grip tightened until tears threatened.
    “Keep struggling, Aria. It makes the winning so much sweeter.”
    His laugh echoed in the darkness as it swallowed everything but those cold, calculating eyes.
    Aria sat up, sweating and breathing heavily. Bright sunlight filtered through the curtains drawn over the windows. She looked down at her wrists, rubbing them, as purple bruises formed where Haemon’s hands had held her in the dream. Touching the sheets where Lukas should have lain, she calmed, taking in her surroundings. Safety and comfort pushed away the remnants of her nightmare.
    A wry twist of a smile formed on her lips. Lukas must have left early to allow her sleep. A nice thought, anyway. Taking a better look around the room, she realized Lukas did not sleep here on a regular basis. It was devoid of the normal flotsam of a life—no pictures, no papers. Her clothes were folded and stacked on the edge of the dresser. A note was tented on the nightstand, with her name written across in Lukas’ bold hand.
    Aria,
    I didn’t want to wake you. You need to sleep more than you needed to see me. I’m checking the borders with Aaron to make sure everything is secure. I will be gone for a few days. Ella has offered to take you shopping for some clothes. While I can live with you wearing my shirts, you’d probably like to have something else. Make sure you take Thaddeus with you. Please be careful and don’t be gone long.
    I love you.
    Lukas
    She refolded the paper, sighing. Pushing the covers aside, she dressed quickly. Her stomach gurgled loudly. At the same time, she became aware of the sound of conversations, doors opening and closing, and the clatter of pans and cups downstairs. Heading towards the stairs, she took a deep breath and her mouth watered at the smell of hot dogs and vegetables curling into her nose. She followed the scent downstairs into organized chaos.
    Thaddeus stood behind a folding table, a giant pot of macaroni and cheese steaming in front of him, and a huge line of teenagers and children waiting with paper plates. He caught sight of her in the doorway and grinned, handing his spoon to Lawrence, who was dishing out hot dogs next to him. He edged his way around the table and through the crowd.
    “You’re awake! I hope we didn’t make too much noise.”
    “No, it was time to get up. How long have I been asleep, anyway?”
    “A little over twenty hours. Lukas wanted to stay until you were up, but he and Aaron needed to get started with their safety precautions and left yesterday evening to start running the borders. You hungry?”
    Nodding, she reached up to brush an escaped strand of hair from her face. Thaddeus froze, his grin fading into a frown.
    “What happened to you? Those weren’t there before.”
    Confused, she shrugged.
    Thaddeus grabbed her wrist then fitted his fingers lightly over the marks. “This wasn’t Lukas. Who did this?”
    Aria winced and drew away, crossing her arms so the bruises couldn’t be seen. “All you need to know right now is that it wasn’t anyone here.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “This is a conversation best kept for later.” Her eyes flicked to the curious wolves watching them. “There are far too many people around.”
    Thaddeus’ lips pulled into a tight line. “I’m asking you now.”
    “I would prefer not having to explain this a million