Chapter Five

"You're very good with him."

Maya blushed. "Thank you, m'lord."

He sat down beside her with an easy grace. "Call me Marshall. And you are?"

"Maya." She looked back down at the baby in her lap, smiling and kissing his forehead as he

giggled up at her.

Marshall watched as Nicholas kicked his feet and giggled again. The boy's normally pale

skin was flush with colour, and at supper he had drunk two bottles of milk without throwing up. "He's like a different baby."

Maya shrugged. "The fresh air must agree with him."

"Indeed." Marshall smiled at her. "How old are you, Maya?"

"Twenty, m'lord - I mean Marshall."

"You're very pretty. Did you know that?" He brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face and Maya blushed bright red.

"Thank you, Marshall," she whispered.

"Would you care to go for a walk with me?"

She shook her head, glancing down at the baby. "I cannot leave Sophia and Nicholas." "I'm sure one of the other women would be happy to watch them for a while." He smiled

encouragingly at her.

"I'd better not. I'm sorry." She gave him a look of regret.

"Do not be sorry, little Maya. I can visit with you just as easily here."

"Maya!" Avery was sitting on a fallen log and Sophia was standing behind her, running a

comb through her long, red hair. Avery patted the spot next to her. "Come sit with me for a bit." She stared distrustfully at Marshall as Maya obediently circled around the campfire and sat

next to her. Maya handed her the baby as Sophia crawled over the log and into Maya's lap. "Sing to me," she demanded, curling up against Maya's thin body. Maya sang softly as Avery placed Nicholas on his back on her lap and lifted his shirt. She leaned over and blew

raspberries on his belly, grinning when he screamed delightedly and kicked his feet against her sternum.

"Does Nicky like that? Hmm?" She crooned before leaning down and blowing another raspberry on his bare skin. He giggled and shrieked before snatching a hank of her long red hair and yanking on it.

"Ouch, baby!" Avery winced and tried to unclench his tiny fist. "No hair pulling."

"Here." A familiar voice came from above her and she groaned silently when Tristan sat next to her and began to untangle her hair from Nicholas' fingers.

He pulled the last of her hair free and then brushed it back and over her shoulder, out of the reach of Nicholas' waving hands.

"Thank you," she murmured. Her stomach was in knots and she prayed to the gods that he couldn't see the way his presence was affecting her.

He frowned and stared down at the baby, and she took the opportunity to study him. His dark hair was long, and he kept it tied back from his face in a low ponytail. His face was tanned from the sun and he had high, wide cheekbones. His eyes were so dark they looked nearly black, and he had a generous mouth and straight, white teeth. She had always admired tall men with broad shoulders, and his shoulders were so wide both she and Maya could have easily hidden behind them.

He was attractive. Avery could admit that to herself. She could also admit that she was attracted to him. But it didn't mean that she could allow herself the luxury of taking him into her bed. Her first priority had to be Maya and ensuring her safety. Mrs. Lanning's almost immediate hatred of both her and Maya meant she needed to be careful about what she said and did. She had a feeling that sleeping with the lord of the house would not help her worm her way into Mrs. Lanning's good graces.

"You were right," Tristan murmured.

"Hmm?"

"About your sister having a way with babies. I think this is the first time I've seen Nicholas

happy." He tickled the boy under his chin and smiled when he giggled.

He plucked the thin baby from her lap and held him up in the air, looking him over critically.

"He seems healthier as well."

Avery smiled. "The fresh air is good for him."

"I guess." He tossed the baby into the air, catching him gently, and Nicholas laughed and

squealed.

Maya leaned over Avery. "My lord, Sophia has fallen asleep. Would you help me carry her

to our tent?"

"Of course." He handed the baby to Avery and stood, reaching for Sophia. He picked her

limp body up and cradled her against his shoulder, burying his nose in her cloud of fine hair and inhaling deeply. She snuggled into him and he rubbed her back as he carried her toward the tent. Maya smiled at Avery and took the baby from her.

"Good night, Avery. I love you."

"Good night, baby sister. I love you too."

** *

Tristan was just crawling between the blankets when he heard Marshall's voice outside the tent.

"Enter," he called, and Marshall ducked inside. The storm had started just shortly after they had retired to their tents and after only a few hours on watch, Marshall was soaked through.

"What's wrong?" Tristan frowned at him. "Where's Leo?"

"Nothing's wrong. Leo just took over for me and I'm headed to the tent to dry off and get some sleep, even with Jeffrey's awful snoring. I'll thank the gods when we're finally home and I can sleep in my own bed."

"Is that what you came in here to tell me?" Tristan said irritably.

"I thought you should know the Red is huddled next to the wagon."

"What?" Tristan stared at him. "What do you mean she's huddled next to the wagon?" Marshall waved his hand impatiently. "I mean she's huddled next to the wagon. I was

heading to my own tent and that damn red hair caught my attention."

"Why is she not in the tent?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know." Marshall gave him another look of impatience. "Perhaps she's doing some

sort of spell, or perhaps she finds the rain refreshing. I just thought you should know."

He stretched, his back cracking loudly. "Good night, Tristan." He slipped out of the tent and

into the darkness.

Tristan cursed and dressed quickly before throwing on his cloak and heading out into the

dark. It was black out and the rain was pouring down but he could see nearly as well in the dark as a cat. He had no trouble finding Avery curled up in a small ball next to the front left wheel of the wagon.

He strode toward her, crouching and touching her shoulder. She had a thin blanket wrapped around her body and her head was bowed against the steady downpour. The blanket was soaked through and her hair was clinging limply to her skull.

"Girl, wake up!" He shouted to be heard over the sudden crash of thunder. She looked up, her face pale and dark circles under her eyes.

"What, my lord?" She asked wearily.

"Why are you out here?" He shook her. "Have you gone mad?"

"There is no room in the tent." She curled up into herself again, her body shaking violently.

He cursed and grabbed her arm. He pulled away the blanket and tried to yank her to her feet, but she cried out and fell back against the wheel. He stared in disbelief at the metal cuff around her wrist.

"What in the gods name is going on here?" He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "Who chained you to the wheel?"

Her mouth set in a thin line. "Please, my lord. I'm very cold. May I have my blanket back?" She reached with trembling fingers and he threw the sopping wet fabric angrily onto the ground.

"Hold still." He held the chain next to the cuff on her wrist with his right hand and grabbed the other end of the chain with his left. He pulled, the cords standing out in his neck and the muscles in his arms bulging, and Avery's mouth dropped open when the chain snapped in half.

He picked her up and carried her to his tent. He dropped her to her feet, and she stood dripping water on to the floor of the tent as her entire body shook violently. He cursed again and turned around, digging through his bag to find a dry shirt and a towel.

"Here, girl. Put this on." He handed them to her, and she nodded gratefully. He turned around to give her some privacy When she tapped him on the back, he turned back to face her. His shirt fell past her knees and despite drying off with the towel, it was already starting to stick to her damp skin.

She handed him his towel. "Thank you, my lord."

He stared at her. Her lips were blue, and her face was so pale the freckles on her nose stood out in stark relief.

"Turn around," he demanded. She turned and flinched a little when he rubbed her hair dry with the damp towel. He squeezed the water out quickly and efficiently as her teeth chattered, and she wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to warm herself. The cuff around her wrist jingled softly as she shook.

He threw the towel into the corner and picked up the top blanket from his bed. He wrapped it around her, and then pushed the rest of the blankets back before picking her up and placing her on his bed. He took off his cloak and shrugged out of his clothing before climbing into the bed behind her. and pulling up the blankets.

He pulled her blanket-wrapped body back against his and wrapped one arm around her waist. He rubbed her body roughly through the blanket as she shook and shivered. After almost half an hour, her trembling finally began to subside.

He leaned over her, inspecting her face closely. Her lips had returned to their normal pink colour, but her skin was still pale, and she looked exhausted.

"Warmer?" he asked.

"Aye," she whispered.

"Who chained you to the wheel?"

She sighed. "Please, my lord. I am very tired, and it will be morning soon. Could I sleep for a few hours?"

He nodded. "Go to sleep. We will speak in the morning." ** *

Avery sighed and stretched languidly. She could hear Maya snoring softly behind her and she frowned a little, not understanding why her normally soft bed was so hard. She was much too warm. Maya was wrapped around her like a vine and she was positively radiating with heat.

She tried to wriggle away but Maya snorted softly and buried her face against the back of her neck. Her stubble scraped – stubble?

Avery opened her eyes in a hurry. She stared upward, expecting to see the familiar ceiling of her bedroom, and frowned in confusion at the ceiling of the tent. After a few seconds, reality flooded through her. She had been dreaming of home. It was early morning. The rain had stopped, and the tent was washed in cool sunlight. She looked under the blankets. When she had fallen asleep last night, she had been wrapped in a blanket cocoon. At some point in the night she had wiggled her way free and now her body was pressed intimately against Tristan's. She blushed when she realized he was naked, and she tugged nervously at the shirt which had risen up in her sleep and was just barely covering her ass.

She moved his arm off her waist and eased her body away from his. He snorted in his sleep, threw his arm back around her, and yanked her against him. She could feel his erection pushing against her ass, and she was helpless to stop the small moan from escaping her lips when he slipped his hand inside the neckline of her shirt and cupped her bare breast. He sighed and buried his face into her hair, inhaling deeply as her nipple hardened against the palm of his hand. Still asleep, he plucked gently at her nipple and she moaned again, covering her mouth to dampen the sound as he shifted against her. He moved his hand to her other breast, cupping and kneading it before pinching her nipple. Against her will, her back arched, pushing more of her breast into his hand and making her ass press against him. He groaned and thrust his erection against her in response.

He was awake now. She could feel it in the way his breathing had quickened against her skin, and she wasn't surprised when he pushed her hair away from her neck and trailed a path of hot kisses down her soft skin.

"Please, m'lord," she moaned. "We should not be doing this."

"I think we should," he whispered against her skin before kissing the spot behind her ear. He squeezed her breast, rolling her nipple between his finger and thumb, and she cried out with pleasure as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth.

He reached down and quickly tugged her shirt up around her waist. She inhaled sharply and tried to wrench her lower body away from his, but he was too quick and too strong. He pressed his hand against her flat abdomen and pushed her back against his body.

He groaned loudly into her ear at the first feel of her naked ass against his hard cock.

Get out of his bed, right now, her mind screamed at her. Instead, to her horror, her body rubbed against him shamelessly.

He kissed the curve of her shoulder, running his tongue along the soft skin before nipping lightly with his teeth. His hand stroked and rubbed one pale thigh until her tightly-closed legs loosened and relaxed. He moved his hand back under her shirt and cupped her breast again, his fingers rubbing and pulling on her nipple until she was gasping. Her head spinning and her body aching and throbbing with need, she didn't notice he was moving his hand between her legs until it was too late. He was cupping her warmth, his finger sliding through the soft red curls and into her with shocking intimacy, before she could stop him.

She clamped her legs shut around his hand and grabbed his wrist with trembling fingers. "My lord – stop!"

He stopped, holding his hand perfectly still against her, but continued to place soft kisses on the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Are you sure you want me to stop? Your wetness would suggest differently." There was more than a hint of arrogance in his voice.

She hesitated and then nodded. When he made no effort to move his hand, she blew out her breath in a shuddering sigh.

"My lord," she prompted.

When he spoke, his voice was tinged with amusement. "You'll need to loosen your legs then, girl."

She realized her thighs were still clamped tightly around his hand and heat flooded her face. She relaxed her thighs but kept her fingers wrapped around his wrist and, with an agonizing slowness that had her moaning softly, he slid his finger out of her. He let his thumb brush against her clit, and she gave a loud cry and squeezed her thighs around his hand, trapping it against her again.

He chuckled, a warm sound that she felt more than heard, and sucked on her earlobe again. "I'm starting to think you don't want me to stop, girl."

He circled her clit with the pad of this thumb before rubbing it firmly. "Should I stop?" "No! I mean aye. I mean - I - I don't know," she whimpered helplessly.

"Take your time to decide," he breathed into her ear and stroked and rubbed her clit once

more.

With a soft moan of need she opened her legs wide and released his wrist. He chuckled

again. She knew she should have been embarrassed but his fingers were rubbing and exploring her with a rough and exciting urgency. Every touch of his fingers against her clit was sending bolts of pure pleasure through her pelvis and legs.

She was panting and moving restlessly against him when he stopped and grabbed the shirt that was bunched around her waist. He pulled it up and over her head and then pushed her onto her back. He pressed his upper body against hers and kissed her slowly, pushing his tongue at her closed lips until she opened her mouth and allowed him access. He stroked her tongue with his own and they kissed hungrily for a few moments, before he pulled his head back and stared at her naked body. He made a low murmur of appreciation at the sight of her naked breasts before dipping his head and sucking her nipple into his mouth. She arched her back, her fingers threading through his long hair as he sucked gently. He rolled her nipple between his teeth before laving it with his tongue. He kissed his way to her other breast and tugged lightly on her nipple with his teeth. She could feel his cock hard against her hip, and she reached down and took him into her hand. He groaned before suddenly pushing her thighs apart and lowering his body between them.

"M'lord," she moaned.

He stared down at her. "Tristan. Say it."

"Tristan," she whispered, and he shuddered against her. He took her hands, linking their

fingers and pinning her arms above her head, admiring the way it lifted her full breasts. He nudged her thighs farther apart and she moaned when his cock rubbed against her clit.

"Tristan, I -"

She cried out, her body arching against his when he entered her fully with one smooth thrust.

He groaned with pleasure, releasing her hands so he could prop himself up above her. He stared down at her and she blinked in surprise. His dark brown eyes were now green and glowing with a fierce light.

Tristan studied Avery's face in the cool sunlight. "Kiss me, girl."

She obeyed him immediately, kissing him hard on the mouth. He withdrew, staring down at her as he pushed slowly back into her. From the moment he entered her, his entire body had been filled with a strange and powerful warmth. Avery's walls clung wetly to him, and he gritted his teeth and ignored his almost immediate need to both climax and to shift. He took several deep breaths as she wiggled and arched beneath him.

"Please, Tristan," she panted softly.

He slid in and out of her in a slow, deep rhythm as she moaned his name repeatedly. He was just reaching between them to rub her clit when a scream pierced the silence. She stiffened underneath him.

"What was that?"

"Stay here," he ordered.

He pulled out of her and stood, throwing his pants on before leaving the tent. He squinted in

the sunlight. Mrs. Lanning was standing next to the wagon, her face white and her body trembling. She held the broken end of the chain in one shaking hand and she stared wildly at the group who had gathered around her.

"The Red is gone!" She stared down at the broken chain and then held it out to the others. "She is a witch! We need to find her and burn her before she kills us all."

"Mrs. Lanning, calm down!" Tristan scowled and pushed his way through the crowd of women who had gathered around her. From the corner of his eye he could see Maya emerging from her tent, Sophia clinging to her leg and Nicholas still asleep in her arms.

"She's a witch, my lord!" Mrs. Lanning grabbed his arm and squeezed it anxiously. "She has disappeared into thin air and we must hunt her down and burn her."

"Avery?" Maya appeared next to him. She shifted the sleeping Nicholas against her. "Where is Avery? What's going on?" He could hear the panic in her voice, and he rubbed his forehead.

"She's fine, Maya. She's -"

"Your sister is a witch!" Mrs. Lanning shouted, spittle flying from between her lips. "We should use this one to lure her back into the open."

She reached for Maya and Marshall stepped in front of her. "Don't touch her, you old bag."

"Marshall – enough," Tristan barked at him. "Mrs. Lanning, calm down. Avery is not a witch. She hasn't disappeared. She's -"

"Maya?" Avery's soft voice called out worriedly, and Maya breathed a sigh of relief as everyone turned to see Avery standing in the opening of his tent.

She tugged nervously at his shirt as Maya hurried over to her. "Avery, are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly at her younger sister as Sophia joined them.

"Hi, Avery. Why are you wearing Tristan's shirt? Were you sleeping in his tent?" she asked. "Um..."

He could see Avery's blush from across the clearing as Mrs. Lanning moved toward her.

"Whore!" She hissed, pointing a trembling finger at her. "You seduce our lord with your whoring ways."

"Hold your tongue, Mrs. Lanning." He pulled the older woman around to face him. "Was it you who chained her to the wagon last night?"

The woman hesitated. "She was being insolent, my lord. She threatened me and the others, and I chained her out there for our own safety."

He looked at Avery. She stared calmly back at him, and he had a quick memory of her voice moaning his name as he fucked her.

He cleared his throat roughly and looked at the other women. "Is that true?"

They hesitated, and Mrs. Lanning gave them a threatening look before her gaze narrowed in on Laura. "Laura – tell him."

Laura swallowed. "It's true, m'lord. She was – was threatening us."

"How?" Tristan arched his eyebrow at her.

"She was chanting spells and...." Laura trailed off.

"What does it matter how?" Mrs. Lanning spat. "She was threatening us. You need to either

burn her now or dump her at the outskirts."

"I trust you're not trying to tell me how to run my household." His voice was soft but Mrs.

Lanning shrank back.

"Of course not, m'lord," she whispered.

He stared at the group. "We need to get back on the road. I have every intention of being in

my own bed tonight."

"But what about her?" Mrs. Lanning pointed at Avery.

"We'll deal with her at home. Bring me the key so I can unlock the cuff around her wrist."

He turned to the others. "Get moving, people. I want to be on the road in an hour."