Blood Moon: Book Three of the Everealm Series Read online

  Blood Moon

  By: J.D. Wright

  Book Three of the Everealm Series

  Copyright © 2016 by J.D. Wright

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Map

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Aurora – Chapter One

  About Me

  Connect With Everealm

  Preface

  This is the third book of the Everealm Series.

  To get the full effect of the series, it is intended to be read in the following order:

  Everealm (Book One)

  Wildfire (Book Two)

  Blood Moon (Book Three)

  Aurora (Book Four) – Coming soon!

  Map

  Larger map can be found on the Everealm Series Blog:

  everealmseries.blogspot.com

  Prologue

  Zander,

  I hope this message arrives swiftly and safely. There is no easy way to say this. It’s exactly what we feared would happen. Your mother has died at the hands of your step-father. I wish I was able to deliver this message in person, but I can’t.

  I’ve been tracking Henry across the southern half of the realm. He fled Hosselly once I discovered he had killed my sister. I tracked him to Fairkeep, but I lost him there. I believe he may be headed to Hallowood, the city south of Labara. He has family there.

  I will continue to follow Henry and keep you updated as much as I can. I will find him. Stay in Vale and do not attempt to find him, yourself. I mean it Zander. You are only eighteen years old and I swore to Alma that if anything ever happened to her, that I would watch over you. I am so sorry about your mother. I wish I had done something sooner. Maybe I could have saved her.

  Please give my regards to Leitis. I know he still cared for your mother, in his own way. Be strong for each other. I love you.

  Uncle Everett

  Chapter One

  He was glad his crotch was hidden under the table, but he was sure his face was giving him away as he watched her. Her voice was tantalizing and her large perky breasts were barely contained in her blouse from being cinched so tightly by her corset. He watched the way her hips swayed as she sang and danced around the room. That beautiful blonde hair was partially pinned back, revealing the front of her neck and the tops of her shoulders. He wanted that neck and those shoulders. He wanted to taste those pink lips that were singing that sweet tune.

  And he wasn’t the only one.

  The entire room was fixated on her. Every other man there was captivated by her. Every one of them wanted to bed her. He accepted the challenge. He had to have her.

  The tavern had more people in it than he could ever remember seeing. And he had spent a lot of time in this tavern. The barkeep knew him well and always made sure his table in the corner was empty or became empty when he arrived. And the drinks were always complimentary. Tonight, however, he wasn’t drinking. He had made an idiotic promise that he wouldn’t drink for a while. It was a feeble attempt to regain his focus. Focus which had been blurred by too many drunken nights as of late.

  Tonight would be different. Tonight, he would soothe himself with something other than a drink. He would regain his focus by placing it on her.

  When she finished the song, she was met with applause. She glanced at him in the corner. He wasn’t applauding, but he was watching her. He had been watching her all evening. And she was beginning to like it. His gaze was strong and sensual. She couldn’t tell what color his eyes were from this distance, but she was sure they were dazzling.

  Even though he was dressed in clothing a commoner would wear, she knew he wasn’t one. His shirt was clean and starched. His leather boots that she could see under the table would have cost almost an entire year’s coin for a peasant to afford. The way he was leaning back so casually with his arm propped up on the window ledge behind him, she knew he was a confident man. And probably great in bed.

  His thick brown hair hung down to the corner of his eyes and put a shadow over them. Adding in the way he bit his lip when she looked in his direction, his entire aura spoke of danger. And she hadn’t had enough danger recently.

  This should have been her last song, but she decided that one more wouldn’t hurt. This time, she would really turn up the heat on her performance and guarantee the gorgeous man in the corner would be eating out of the palm of her hand when she was finished.

  When the song was over, she knew she couldn’t stay in the room any longer than necessary. If there was one thing she learned from traveling and singing in taverns, it was that intoxicated men were not to be trusted. Thankfully, she had rented a spare room above the tavern and could slip upstairs without having to chance walking outside alone in the dark.

  The crowd was still applauding so she gave a quick bow, signifying that her performance was finished. Then she stepped over to the counter and took a key from the barkeep. She didn’t need to look back at the man in the corner. She knew he was watching her. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked up the stairs.

  The wait was incredibly annoying. She knew he would come, but she wasn’t sure when. When she heard a short rap on the door, she took her time in opening it. But once the door was open, she wasted no time in grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulling him inside.

  Immediately, his mouth was on hers. Her stomach burned from the nerves and excitement. He was a stranger, but they had been toying with each other all evening in the tavern. There was no denying their attraction. It was fierce and explosive.

  He knew her lips would be soft because he had watched them all night, singing and teasing him. But he didn’t expect her to taste so amazing, like a fine wine. And he certainly knew something about wine. She pushed him backward, against the door and pressed her body against him.

  When her hands flew to his hair, he grabbed her waist and spun her around, pinning her to the door this time. She had already found his weakness. He loved feeling a woman’s hands in his hair. She had managed to remove her corset before he arrived, which made things much easier. He pulled her blouse up and over her head while she yanked her skirts down. They stopped kissing just long enough for him to remove his own s
hirt. Then their lips were back together again, their tongues taking turns teasing each other.

  He was already aroused before he came up the stairs, so it took almost nothing to make him completely stiff again. And she was definitely able to feel it against her thigh. She moved her hands down and unbuttoned his trousers, freeing him. Even though the room was cool, the heat from their bodies made it impossible for either of them to notice.

  He stopped kissing her mouth and moved to her neck and shoulders. The same neck and shoulders that he had been fantasizing about all evening. Her smooth skin was warm and smelled like wildflowers. When he kissed the base of her neck, she groaned and squeezed his bare bottom, pulling him closer. It seemed that he may have found her weakness, as well. It was a huge boost to his ego. He put his hands under her rear and gripped her, lifting her up. She put her hands around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist just as he slipped inside her. This time, he was the one who groaned.

  They moved together as if they had done this hundreds of times. She could barely see him in the candlelit room, so she used her hands to explore his body. She ran them over his back, shoulders, neck, and anywhere else she could reach, enjoying the feel of his skin under her fingertips. He seemed to enjoy her touch because it made him tighten his grip on her legs and thrust even harder. Her hairpin had fallen out from rubbing against the door behind her, causing her blonde hair to drop to her shoulder. He buried his face in it.

  He would have loved to stay there longer, but his legs were shaking too much to continue standing. He glanced behind him and spotted the bed to his right. Carrying her, he walked over to it and collapsed with her. His mouth found hers again and he rolled onto his back with her straddling him. She broke the kiss, sat up, and shook her hair back. He could really see her body now from the candles next to the bed. He watched as her curls swung and her breasts bounced as she rocked back and forth. He wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer, but he knew better than to leave her empty handed. It just wasn’t his style.

  He reached a hand down between them and started to rub her. She moaned and bit her lip but continued to move. His fingers were driving her wild. She opened her eyes and looked down to see him watching her. From his expression, she could tell that he knew exactly what he was causing her body to feel. This wasn’t the first time he had pleased a woman. She had been right when she assumed he would be great in bed.

  As much as she liked watching him while he watched her, she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer once she felt it. A tickle started to form inside her and grew stronger. Her heartbeat quickened and she started taking short breaths, moaning loudly each time she exhaled as the tickle turned into heat. Suddenly, it exploded and rushed through her body like steam escaping a kettle.

  He was so incredibly aroused from hearing her sweet voice moaning from his touch. He took pride in being the only man to hear her sing this particular tune tonight.

  She couldn’t believe how amazing it felt. It wasn’t her first, but it certainly was the best. The entire evening of toying with each other downstairs had set up for the best night of sex she had ever had. Coming to this place was entirely worth it. But it wasn’t over yet.

  She kept her hips moving, leaned back down on top of his chest, and kissed him. He welcomed her lips, opening so she could slip her tongue inside as she ran a hand over the side of his head. His hair was soft and smooth between her fingers. The combination of her lips, hands, and breasts pressed against his chest made it impossible to hold on any longer. He took a deep breath and groaned, releasing everything he had been holding back. Emptying himself had never felt better.

  Exhausted, she fell onto the bed beside him. They were silent, but it wasn’t awkward, at all. It felt amazing. He started to think of something to say. Some way to show his appreciation for her company and excuse himself from staying at the same time. But his thoughts faded away.

  Dahlia woke and yawned, then realized that she was laying on his chest. She had fallen asleep. She never fell asleep. Not when a stranger was in her bed. For the first time since she pulled him into her room, she didn’t know what to do. Should she wake him? Pretend to sleep until he left on his own?

  The sun was just starting to peek through the window. Whatever she was going to do, she needed to do it now before he woke. She gently pulled away from his warm body and tiptoed across the room to where her skirts and blouse lay on the floor. She quickly pulled them on and slipped her shoes over her feet. Then she grabbed the key from the table beside the bed and walked to the door. Turning her head, Dahlia gave the handsome stranger one last glance to remember him by. Then she smiled and slipped out of the room.

  Xavier opened his eyes just a sliver and shut them again. The morning sunlight was in his eyes. Morning sunlight? His eyes flew open and he shot up out of the bed. It was morning. He had fallen asleep. He shouldn’t have fallen asleep. Panic was his first emotion. It was soon replaced with confusion. The room was empty. He was alone. She was gone.

  ~*~

  Xavier had never done this before. Returning home once the sun rose in the sky was new to him. He didn’t realize just how many people were up and about this early in the morning, readying the castle for the day. He tried to slip in unnoticed, but that idea quickly disappeared when his brother spotted him heading up the stairs.

  “Do I really want to know why you are just returning home?”

  Xavier stopped and shook his head. Then he turned to face his brother who was standing at the bottom of the stairs in his usual royal attire. Xavier found it far too formal for everyday wear, but Tristan would never be caught in clothing similar to what Xavier was wearing. He found it beneath a prince to dress as a commoner.

  “How do you know I’m just returning home?”

  “Because I’ve already been to your room. Your bed was untouched and there was a lack of naked women on top of it.” Tristan wished he were joking, but that was exactly what he had expected to find. “Did you pass out drunk in the town square?”

  “I slept in a bed,” Xavier said. “And I didn’t drink last night.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Xavier crossed his arms. “I don’t expect you would. But I promised you I wouldn’t drink and I didn’t.”

  Tristan narrowed his eyes at his brother, trying to decide if he should believe him. Xavier’s eyes were clear, with no dark circles around them. He looked like he may have actually gotten a good night’s rest. For once.

  “Then where were you?”

  “That isn’t any of your business…”

  “You were with someone. Please tell me it wasn’t Ingrid. She is married now, Xavier. You can’t—“

  “It wasn’t Ingrid.” He could honestly say that for the first time in many months, he hadn’t even thought of Ingrid for the entire night. He was surprised to admit it, even to himself. He had, though, thought about the blonde bard during the long walk back to the castle. He replayed the evening in his mind, smiling to himself when he remembered the best parts. But even though he enjoyed every bit of it, he couldn’t help but dwell on the moment he realized he woke alone.

  Tristan was confused. “Then who was it?”

  Xavier sighed. He knew his brother would continue to pester him until he relented. So he gestured toward the door and they walked outside onto the terrace. Then Xavier told him about his night in the tavern and the beautiful bard with a voice like honey. He shared the majority of the story, but he kept a few intimate morsels for himself.

  “I don’t understand how you can treat women that way. Using them to get what you want and tossing them aside. You didn’t even learn her name.”

  “I get the feeling she used me every bit as much as I used her.”

  “Good. You deserve it.”

  “Regardless,” he said, shaking his head. He couldn’t believe he was about to say this, “I want to see her again.”

  “Of course, you do.”

  Xavier squinted at Tristan. “What does that mean?”<
br />
  “Isn’t it obvious? She’s you, only female. And the fact that she’s the one who snuck out and left you all alone is eating away at you isn’t it? She bested you and you can’t stand it.”

  Xavier scowled. Tristan was right, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to tell him that.

  ~*~

  Tristan could hear his sister shouting when he walked back into the castle. He was fairly certain he knew what she was angry about. Her betrothal to King Carneath. When their father, King Nolan, made the announcement, Princess Rianne had done everything she could to convince him to change his mind. However, her pleas fell on deaf ears as the king had already agreed to Carneath’s proposal. Carneath would marry Rianne and the kingdom of Labara would receive a large plot of land just to the north of them.

  The wildfire that destroyed a quarter of their famed mulberry orchard had left the ground scorched and unsuitable for anything to grow, naturally. Eon, the Royal Mage, had done everything in his power to restore the land, to no avail. The only thing that could heal the land would be magic from the fairies and that was not a possibility. The fae had refused to aid men for several decades now.

  Nolan was left with little choice but to accept Carneath’s offer. They would need to plant seedlings as soon as possible, so the wedding between the Princess of Labara and King Carneath would need to take place in early spring, which was only one month from now.

  Every day since Rianne learned of her fate, she had come downstairs at breakfast and begged her father to end the betrothal. It usually led to shouting, followed by crying. King Nolan was a tough man when it came to matters of the kingdom. In regards to his only daughter, who was still seventeen for three more months, he couldn’t bring himself to punish her for her outbursts. He couldn’t entirely blame her for being upset. King Carneath was quite a bit older than she was, with three daughters of his own, already. The oldest daughter was only two years younger than Rianne. And she made it a point to remind her father of this fact every morning. She was almost to the point of tears when Tristan walked in.