Blood Moon - Dixie Carnley (learn to read books txt) 📗

I admit, wondering how we are going to get him from point A to point B. Images of his mouth to scarily close to my throat runs through my mind, freezing me up. I want to help him, I truly do, but…
“Princess Lucian.” Kaiden uses my formal last name this time, his voice sure and wise. “I don’t know how much the word of a vampire means to you, but if you will take it, I promise that no harm will come to you or yours until you once again cross the border of our territories.”
I close my eyes, trying to figure out what to do. Footsteps sound behind me just seconds before a warm hand falls on my shoulder. I cover it with my own, pivoting to meet my best friends worried eyes.
“You don’t have to do this.” He says, moving his hand to the base of my neck. I shake my head, my hair falling over my shoulders.
“I have to, Tristan.” I look towards the ground, feeling weak that I cannot let one of my enemies die. I should be ecstatic, that is suffering after all he did not my people, but when I look at him, I picture my mother after my brother and father died. Tears begin to pool in my eyes.
Tristan’s war calloused hand cups my chin, lifting my face, “I know, Aiya.” He whispers, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. “You are so strong. A good leader. It’s why I love you.”
I smile, leaning into his embrace and laying my head on his chest while he dutifully looks over me for danger. The relationship we have is a strange one. We both love each other to death, but for some reason or another, we have never actually gotten together. I don’t know if I love him as I would a close brother, and if there is something more. I want there to be, but it seems as if my heart is always telling me something different. Who else could there be out there for me?
The darkness is thickening, the bright moon lazily making its way across the star spotted sky. “We are going to need our horses.”
Tristan steps back, gently caressing my cheek with his fingertips before reaching for his dagger. “I will get them. Take this, and if the need emerges, use it.”
I nod, hugging the weapon to my chest as I watch him take one more look at Kaiden and then saunter off into the shadows. Breathing in a deep breath of cool night air, I kneel back down to the vampire. His wounds are starting to knit themselves back together, but it is painfully slow. I take the end of my cloak, ripping it to pieces and, as gently as virtually possible, bandage his arm and his leg. By the time Tristan gets back, both Prince Kaiden and I have a thin sheen of sweat across our brows and tears in our eyes. I absolutely loathed moving his injured limbs, but they had to be wrapped.
When I stand, my legs are numb and tingling, having fallen asleep. I bend them at the knee, stomp them in the dirt, and even jump up in place. Eventually the feeling comes back, and it is then that I notice the moon’s position in the sky: in the middle, signaling midnight.
“We must hurry,” I say, turning to Tristan. In his hands are the reins to two of the best bred equine in wolf country. Incredibly fast, steady, and extraordinary stamina; they were born for racing but used for war horses.
Belle, my dapple gray mare, whickers, stepping towards me and searching be for treats, coming back with no luck and a blue smudge on her muzzle. Her black tack gleams in the moonlight, the silver buckles clinking merrily. Without word, I mount up, sitting the way you are supposed to ride, with one leg on each side. My mother, bless her heart, only rides one way: sidesaddle.
Now it is Tristan’s turn for loyalty and truth, and I wonder if he will stab the prince now that I am not very mobile. He looks at me, and my hand instinctually moves to his dagger in my belt, but I do not need it. He smoothly bends down and picks the vampire up, walking towards me and lifting him higher. I pull him up into my lap, wrapping my right arm around his shoulder and leaving my left across his lap where I can hold the reins. Kaiden moves his injured arm into the crook of my shoulder, attempting to get somewhat comfortable. His ripped thigh rests on the saddle horn, and I beg that something does not happen where we are going to need it.
Tristan mounts his bay gelding, Oak, turning him into the direction of the enemies territory. We are directly on the edge of the border, and I know it will not take long before we are there. I walk Belle parallel to Oak, my leg brushing Tristans’.
“Tristan, I,” I begin, but my voice chokes in my throat. “In case we don’t come out of this, alive, I want you to know that… That I…”
I cannot finish, closing my eyes, which was a horrid idea. Visions on him with is throat torn out flood my consciousness. When I open my eyes, I find him leaning to the side of his horse, his face a breaths away from my own. The moonlight plays across the planes of his face, highlighting the light tones in his eyes.
“I will not let anything happen to you. We are going to be alright.” He says, closing the distance between us. The kiss is awkward, giving that we are both on horses and I have a wounded man in my lap, but it is sweet either way. I sigh when he pulls back, his eyes glowing. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”
I laugh quietly, taking note of the sleeping prince against my throat. “Let’s get going,” I reply, nudging the mare in the sides and setting the pace at a brisk trot.


Imprint

Text: This novel, Blood Moon,is copywrited to Dixie Carnley.
Publication Date: 08-15-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
This is dedicated to my mom, who is as much of a werewolf/vampire fan as I am. Love you, momma.