Blood Moons by Alianne Donnelly Read Free Book Online

cell with her!
    What had set him off like that, she'd had no idea. Her biggest concern at that moment had been whether he would bring all that rage down on her once he got back. She'd been frozen for a long time after the connection broke, overwhelmed, sorting through the flood of information so she 51

    Blood Moons
    by Alianne Donnelly
    could let it dissipate. She'd had to do it, and quickly, so she wouldn't be paralyzed and left to his mercy when he came back.
    Dara had forced herself to wade through the anger, shock, and disbelief to the underlying nuances of what had happened to him, and found something that scared her even more than his rage.
    Fear. What could a man like him fear so much that it would bring him to such a state? What could he have found out that would make this kind of reaction a natural response? In this place, after who knew how long, after whatever he'd done to get in here, what could he possibly have to fear?
    Did she even want to know?
    Don't think about it, she told herself. There's enough for you to worry about already without adding the unknown to it.
    Just close your eyes and sleep.
    Easier said than done.
    Dara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. But after being so tense all day long, she couldn't make herself relax.
    Every time she managed it, she thought about that instant of connection. Her breathing became faster and she had to concentrate to slow it down again. Of course, as soon as she started thinking about breathing, she couldn't relax, because if she did, she'd remember that her breathing had been off-kilter and then she'd be right back to near-hyperventilating again.
    Frustrated and tired, Dara resorted to the one technique that never failed her—her mental happy place. She put everything from her mind and imagined herself sitting on the 52

    Blood Moons
    by Alianne Donnelly
    battlements of a medieval keep. It stood in the middle of a vast open plain, a dirt path cutting its way from the front gate to forever, through a field of tall grass that moved like ocean waves in the breeze. In the north and east, a thick forest framed the plain. In the west, the ocean lay indomitable.
    There were torches lit on the battlements and the whole scene had the feel of calm before a great storm. She could feel a war brewing; that usually wasn't part of her world.
    Somewhere to the south, where she'd never imagined anything beyond what she could see, battle drums rumbled in the night. The drums turned to thunder as clouds gathered; Dara could just make out their dark oppressive outline.
    A wolf howled at the big, round moon. Others joined it and Dara, in her mind, threw her head back and howled with them.
    She smiled as sleep slowly seeped into her, taking her from the cold, dark prison to that place and time where she felt at peace.
    Tristan had to make himself uncurl his fingers. His hands had been fisted ever since he'd returned to his cell. All he remembered from the way back was men looking at him strangely as they stepped out of his way to give him a wide berth. He didn't give a shit about any of them.
    And then Dara had been there, with her wide eyes and her luscious lips parted on a question as he'd barged in. He'd never given her a chance to ask anything, instead closing himself off in the bathroom corner. Only after a long time of splashing cold water on his face had he returned to his bunk.
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    Blood Moons
    by Alianne Donnelly
    That's where he'd been ever since, pretending to sleep.
    Tristan had never been one to prowl and pace restlessly but, by God, this week was about to drive him to it. He opened his mouth wide to relieve some of the soreness in his jaw, then lay perfectly still and simply listened.
    Thump-thump— his heart beat. Thump-thump, thump-thump.
    And then the sound receded and a vision took shape. It was so vivid and sharp that at first he thought he was dreaming. But his mind was too alert to be asleep. Tristan's chest became tight as he looked around.
    He was in a