Red Moon Rising Read Online Free PDF Page B

non-threatening as possible.
    “I need to see your side Bree - just for a moment.”
    She kept the blanket wrapped firmly around her hips but
raised his shirt.  He stared at her pale side.  There was no bleeding, and he
was pleased to see that three of the four wounds had disappeared completely. 
The fourth was a healing scab and after sleeping against him tonight, that too
would be gone.
    “It looks much better.”  He gave her a warm smile that she
didn’t return.   She pushed his shirt down and wrapped herself up in the
blanket again, wincing as she did so.
    James frowned.  “Where does it still hurt Bree?”
    “It doesn’t.”  She lied.
    He sighed loudly but didn’t press her.  He stood and walked
over to Nicholas.  “She won’t let me touch her.”  He said quietly.
    He stared at his own hands and grunted with frustration.  “I
don’t understand why it’s taking so long to heal her.”
    “Hmm, let’s see – maybe it’s because when we found her she
was minutes from death.  The gods only know how many internal injuries she was
suffering from.  Then she had a good deal of her blood sucked out of her by a
leech.”
    “I should still – “
    Nicholas held his hand up.  “You’ve been sleeping on the ground
for nearly four nights.  We’ve been traveling for days and it’s been what – six
moons since you had a healthy woman warm your bed?”
    James flushed.  “Why exactly are you keeping track of my
night time activities?”
    Nicholas laughed softly.  “All I’m saying is that you may
have both Lycan healing powers and our mother’s healing gift, but even you get
tired every once in a while.”
    He glanced over at Bree.  “The woman nearly died James.  You’ve
never tried to heal someone that close to death before.  She’s so malnourished I
can’t believe she even survived with your help.  It’s not surprising that she’s
still not fully healed.”
    “She won’t heal if she won’t let me touch her.”  James
muttered darkly.
    “The way she is reacting to us now, touching her is likely to
do more harm than good brother.  Leave her be for the night.  She isn’t dying,
and I’m afraid that knowing we are Lycans means she will never trust us.” 
Nicholas replied.
    He sighed.  “Frankly, I don’t blame her.  What they did to
her...” 
    His face darkened as he remembered the way Bree had looked
when Tia had led them to her.
    “I know.”  James glanced behind him at Bree.  “She needs
food.  I’ll go hunt something for dinner.  Keep an eye on her okay?”  James
said.
    Nicholas nodded as James disappeared into the darkness.
    * * *
     
    “It’s time for bed little one.”  James voice drifted across
the campfire.
    She blinked rapidly.  “I’m not tired.”
    Nicholas smiled gently at her.  “You are Bree.  You’re
practically falling asleep sitting up.”
    “No, I’m fine.”  She said stubbornly.
    James tried not to roll his eyes.  They had finished eating
the rabbit he had caught, and he had been watching her nod off for the last ten
minutes.  Weariness was etched into her thin face.  He had considered just
letting her fall asleep and then carrying her to his tent, but he worried about
her reaction if she woke up to find him touching her.  Still, he was anxious to
try and finish healing her. 
    Everything Nicholas had told him was true, but it frustrated
him that he couldn’t quickly and easily heal the small woman in front of him. 
After dinner he had leaned against Nicholas for awhile.  It made him feel
stronger, and he was positive that one more night of sleeping against him would
help heal Bree completely.
    Kissing her would help. 
    He snorted to himself.  That might be true but she would
never allow it.  She was terrified of both him and Nicholas, despite their
gentleness with her.
    He stood and held his hand out to her.  “Come to my tent
Bree.”
    She shook her head, her nostrils flaring and her eyes wide. 
Tia, sensing