Read Online Moonlight Menage by Stephanie Julian - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stephanie Julian
Tags: Novel, Ellora's Cave
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Tira could touch. Not including eteri , of course, who barely ever bumped against her praenuntio .
“How’s Nic? Is he okay? And Kaine? Mom said they were hurt but they’re going to be fine. Are you sure? Your mom’s been really calm. She slept all night and I gave her breakfast. She seems to be in a pretty good mood this morning. She and Mom are talking about something they didn’t want me to hear so they told me to come wait for you guys.”
Without waiting for Tira to answer any of her rapid-fire questions, Cat turned to Duke, her gaze narrowing directly on the bruise on the side of his head.
“Hey, Duke. Heard you were hurt too. Are you okay? That’s looks really painful.” She grabbed his hand and started to drag him into Tira’s house, leaving Tira to follow along, shaking her head at the girl’s energy. “I can make you a poultice to cut down on the pain and the color. Come on in and sit down and I’ll get the ingredients from the garden.”
“Nice to see you too, kid.” Duke’s slow drawl held only a hint of his amusement. Tira knew he had quite the soft spot for Kyle’s daughter. Hell, they all did. She was the youngest child of the boschetta , and one of the youngest lucani children as well. Her mother, Margorie, was a member of the boschetta , whose Gift for horticulture had been passed on to her daughter. And her fathers, Kyle and his best friend, Danilo Ferrante, had given her the ability to shift into a beautiful black wolf.
Every time she saw Cat, a piece of Tira longed for what she represented. Her mother had, at one point, had a successful relationship with two men, which had resulted in Cat’s birth. And even though Kyle had found his own mate, Margie and Dan remained committed to each other and the three of them reared Cat.
She experienced that same longing whenever she met with her best friend, Nica. Nica was living with two brothers, Tanner and Jensen Miller. They’d made a commitment to each other, the three of them. And they were making it work.
“Tira, is that you?”
Her mother’s voice calling from her bedroom jolted Tira out of her thoughts and she quickly wiped her mind before she hurried to her mother’s room.
She blinked to see her mother sitting up in bed, the restraints undone as her hands moved in a motion Tira hadn’t seen her use in months. She was knitting, a hobby she adored, always had. Until a few months ago, when the psychosis had gotten worse.
“Mamma, are you… You seem well this morning.”
Tira turned a questioning glance at Margie, who merely nodded and smiled. “She had a restful night.”
Slightly stunned at her mother’s mood, she leaned in to kiss Su’s cheek.
“I’m feeling well, sweetheart. How are your boys?”
Before she could answer, Duke stepped into the room. “We’re fine, Su. Nic got his insides scrambled a little but he’ll be good in a few days.”
“That’s nice, dear. Tell him not to worry about that pain in his lower back. It’ll be fine in a few days.” Her mother turned toward her again. “And I’ll be okay so you don’t have to worry about leaving me here while you care for the boys. I already asked Margie to enlist Lais and Ronia to stay with me a few days. They need something to keep them occupied now that their daughters have moved into the city for a while.”
Tira felt tears rise at how much her mom sounded like the woman she’d been before the psychosis had gotten so bad.
Maybe I should go away more often.
Guilt smacked her hard in the heart. How could she even think that? She loved her mom. She would care for her until…
Until the end.
“Su,” Margie said, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to steal Tira away for a few minutes to go over some of the potions we talked about last night.”
“No problem.” Su waved them off with one hand and a knitting needle. “Duke will do just fine to entertain me while Cat goes to see Sera. She’s about to call for you, sweetheart.”
Sure enough, the
“How’s Nic? Is he okay? And Kaine? Mom said they were hurt but they’re going to be fine. Are you sure? Your mom’s been really calm. She slept all night and I gave her breakfast. She seems to be in a pretty good mood this morning. She and Mom are talking about something they didn’t want me to hear so they told me to come wait for you guys.”
Without waiting for Tira to answer any of her rapid-fire questions, Cat turned to Duke, her gaze narrowing directly on the bruise on the side of his head.
“Hey, Duke. Heard you were hurt too. Are you okay? That’s looks really painful.” She grabbed his hand and started to drag him into Tira’s house, leaving Tira to follow along, shaking her head at the girl’s energy. “I can make you a poultice to cut down on the pain and the color. Come on in and sit down and I’ll get the ingredients from the garden.”
“Nice to see you too, kid.” Duke’s slow drawl held only a hint of his amusement. Tira knew he had quite the soft spot for Kyle’s daughter. Hell, they all did. She was the youngest child of the boschetta , and one of the youngest lucani children as well. Her mother, Margorie, was a member of the boschetta , whose Gift for horticulture had been passed on to her daughter. And her fathers, Kyle and his best friend, Danilo Ferrante, had given her the ability to shift into a beautiful black wolf.
Every time she saw Cat, a piece of Tira longed for what she represented. Her mother had, at one point, had a successful relationship with two men, which had resulted in Cat’s birth. And even though Kyle had found his own mate, Margie and Dan remained committed to each other and the three of them reared Cat.
She experienced that same longing whenever she met with her best friend, Nica. Nica was living with two brothers, Tanner and Jensen Miller. They’d made a commitment to each other, the three of them. And they were making it work.
“Tira, is that you?”
Her mother’s voice calling from her bedroom jolted Tira out of her thoughts and she quickly wiped her mind before she hurried to her mother’s room.
She blinked to see her mother sitting up in bed, the restraints undone as her hands moved in a motion Tira hadn’t seen her use in months. She was knitting, a hobby she adored, always had. Until a few months ago, when the psychosis had gotten worse.
“Mamma, are you… You seem well this morning.”
Tira turned a questioning glance at Margie, who merely nodded and smiled. “She had a restful night.”
Slightly stunned at her mother’s mood, she leaned in to kiss Su’s cheek.
“I’m feeling well, sweetheart. How are your boys?”
Before she could answer, Duke stepped into the room. “We’re fine, Su. Nic got his insides scrambled a little but he’ll be good in a few days.”
“That’s nice, dear. Tell him not to worry about that pain in his lower back. It’ll be fine in a few days.” Her mother turned toward her again. “And I’ll be okay so you don’t have to worry about leaving me here while you care for the boys. I already asked Margie to enlist Lais and Ronia to stay with me a few days. They need something to keep them occupied now that their daughters have moved into the city for a while.”
Tira felt tears rise at how much her mom sounded like the woman she’d been before the psychosis had gotten so bad.
Maybe I should go away more often.
Guilt smacked her hard in the heart. How could she even think that? She loved her mom. She would care for her until…
Until the end.
“Su,” Margie said, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to steal Tira away for a few minutes to go over some of the potions we talked about last night.”
“No problem.” Su waved them off with one hand and a knitting needle. “Duke will do just fine to entertain me while Cat goes to see Sera. She’s about to call for you, sweetheart.”
Sure enough, the
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