Red Moon Rising(87)
“Aye, I am.”
“You don’t look like her.” The man eyed him up and down before wiping his hand on his pants and holding it out. “I’m Ian. I work for the lord Tristan.”
Kaden sighed with relief. The old man was a human then. The Lycans would never have one of their own kind working for them. He shook the man’s hand. “I’m Kaden.”
“Good to meet you.”
Kaden was pushed forward by the nose of the stallion, and he grinned a little and turned back towards it. He petted its head roughly and the stallion butted him lightly in the chest.
“The others will be eating breakfast soon.” Ian said conversationally.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Well then, make yourself useful and brush Samson. Tristan has so many horses now that I’m having trouble keeping up with the work.”
Kaden took the brush Ian was holding out and began to brush Samson’s shiny coat. “Aye, the lady of the house mentioned that to me.”
“Did she now?” Ian had moved into an empty stall across from him and was shovelling out the old hay and manure. “Tristan has been promising me an extra man for weeks now but he’s been a bit preoccupied as of late.”
Kaden grunted in reply and continued to brush down the stallion. Ian kept up a steady stream of chatter as he worked, and Kaden was surprised to realize that he found the old man’s chattering to be soothing.
“How did you come to work for the Lycans?” He asked when Ian paused to draw breath.
Before Ian could answer, the door to the barn opened and Sophia stepped in and smiled at Ian. “Breakfast is ready Ian.”
Ian leaned his shovel against the side of the stall and wiped his hands again. “Is it?”
“Aye, and Marian said she wasn’t bringing it out to you. She said it was time for your weekly visit to the house.”
Ian laughed. “I guess I’d better go then.”
He nodded to Kaden and stopped to give Sophia a brief hug. “I’m glad you are okay sweet Sophia.”
She smiled and kissed the old man’s cheek. “Thank you Ian. Please tell the others to start without me. I’ll be there in a minute.”
He nodded and gave Kaden a friendly wave before leaving the barn. Kaden stepped out of the stall and latched the door carefully before joining Sophia in the middle of the aisle.
“Hello Kaden.”
“Hello Sophia. How’s your shoulder?”
“Much better.” She frowned when he reached up to put the brush on a shelf on the wall and flinched. His hand rubbed at his side.
“Are you hurt?” She took a step forward and reached out to touch his side, before she thought better of it.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s obviously not nothing.” She replied. “I saw you flinch. Is it from the stabbing?”
“No.”
“Show me.”
“It’s fine, I said.” He glared at her and she glared back at him, her dark eyes flashing fire.
“Let me see your side human.”
“For the love of the gods…” He rolled his eyes and lifted his shirt briefly to show her the dark bruise on his side. “A little gift from your oafish brother.” He rubbed the bruise, his gaze darkening as he remembered how the one named Nicholas had kicked him in the ribs.
“I’m sorry.” To his surprise she actually did look sorry. “My brothers can be… protective.”
“Aye, I’ve seen the way your brother protects my sister.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
He gave her a dry look. “He treats her like she’s his property. Like he owns her.”
“It isn’t like that. James loves Bree and would do anything for her.”
“As long as she does what he tells her, is that it?”
She blew her breath out in a frustrated snort. “No. Perhaps you should not make snap judgements about people until you actually get to know them.”
“You’re not people – you’re Lycans. And apparently, you’ve all fooled my sister into believing that your brother is good for her.”
“He is good for her.” She said steadily. Her cheeks were flushed, and her nostrils were flaring as her anger with him grew. “And perhaps you don’t like my brother’s possessiveness for Bree because it reminds you of yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He glared at her as she stepped closer to him.
“You know exactly what it means.” She said softly. “You’re more similar to my brothers than you care to admit.”
“Now who’s making snap judgements.” He grunted.
She grinned. “I know men like you Kaden. Hell, I live with three of them. You would be just as protective of your woman as my brother is.”