Beasthood (The Hidden Blood Series) by A.Z. Green Read Free Book Online

expanse of lush green and yellow fields, sweeping up and down across steep hills. “I guess,” she replied, adding a little shrug. Her voice was low and her throat felt phlegmy from keeping her mouth closed for so long. She cleared it almost inaudibly, not knowing what else to say. She could see her aunt waiting for her to continue.
                  When she didn’t, her aunt threw her a line. “There’s a lot of farming land around here. You also see a lot of horses, not just cows and sheep. You like horses don’t you? You’ve got a painting of one in your room right?”
                  Jaz nodded. She was surprised by her comment. Her aunt had only been in her room once not long after they’d met and yet she’d still remembered the painting. “Yeah, it’s an Arabian black horse.”
    “ Beautiful animals,” her uncle agreed.
    “ Yes,” she replied in a soft voice. She self-consciously gazed down at the floor.
    “ Have you ever been horse riding?” her uncle asked. She looked up and found him with his body turned her way; his light brown eyes beaming. It was a topic he clearly enjoyed talking about.
    “ A few times. I’m no jockey but I enjoyed it a lot.”
                  He nodded in agreement. Her aunt was gazing at her with a look of intrigue in her expression. The driver was listening intently though his poker-face revealed nothing.
    “ Oh it’s a wonderful pastime. I’ve not ridden in several years mind you. Not since I did my back in.” She didn’t ask him how, expecting him to tell her. But instead he moved on and asked, “When was the last time you went riding?”
    “ When I was fifteen. I went to a local riding school for my work experience. It was for two weeks and is pretty much the only experience I’ve ever had with horses,” she explained with regret.
    “ Oh dear, you must have gotten all the dirty jobs I bet?” her aunt inquired, smiling apologetically.
                  Jaz pressed her lips together to contain a grin as she half-nodded half-cocked her head side to side, speculating. “It wasn’t that bad. I had to clean out the stables of course, clean and polish tack, groom and feed the horses. But the best part was collecting them from the fields for the lessons. I’d never ridden one before then and I had to ride them down narrow country roads bareback.”
                  The driver tried not to look her way as she said that. He was a man; he couldn’t help it when a word like that caused explicit images to overpower his mind. And it had been so long since… He bit down on his teeth, nearly cracking them to pieces.
    Down boy , he ordered, eyeing his crotch. It obeyed. He hated how weak his body could be.
                  Jaz also became uneasy by the word the moment she said it. She didn’t know where the feeling came from but she speedily smothered it, adding, “I mean -we couldn’t carry all the saddles there. We sometimes had to collect nine or more horses at a time between four people.”
                  Her aunt nodded in understanding, seemingly unaware that Jaz had stumbled over her words. “Yes, well I’m not a great horse riding fan myself. I wouldn’t have been able to do what you did. Your uncle was always much better than me. He has a way with horses. I’m more of a dog person,” her aunt replied with a smile.
                  Jaz tried not to pull a face. “Really?” It wasn’t an actual question but Jaz only said it because it seemed the polite thing to do.
                  The driver detected the false note in her voice and flashed a momentary glance at her reflection.
    “ Oh yes. I used to breed them actually, when I was much younger. And sell them. Pedigree of course.” Jaz smiled weakly. “Your father never mentioned you ever having a dog. Or a cat even. That surprised me.”
    “ Why?”
    “ It seems the norm in a household to have a