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ferociously.
 “Take a Red into your bed and you risk having your cock turn black and
rot.  If you manage to fuck one without catching their whore’s disease,
you don’t dare fall asleep while they’re in your bed.”
    “Why not?”
    She wrinkled her nose at him.  “While you sleep, we
wrap our long red locks around your throats, mutter the spells of the ancient
ones and turn our hair into fire.  Humans burn to a crisp while we remain
unharmed.”
    “Bullshit.”  He said loudly.
    “You’re the only human I’ve met who doesn’t believe the
stories.”
    He rolled his eyes.  “Tell me why you were returned to
the slave house.”
    “A truly disgusting man bought me to be his companion. 
Apparently he was willing to risk losing his cock or having his bed set on
fire.”  She paused.  “The first night he took me to his bed, I broke
his nose and bit his right earlobe off before muttering nonsense under my
breath and threatening to set him on fire.”
    “Gods be damned.”  He grunted.
    “He returned me the next day for a full refund.”  She
smiled prettily, her even white teeth flashing at him.
    He shook his head, smiling despite himself, and after a
moment she sobered.  “It’s why I was so desperate to have Maya go with
you.  She is young and – and untouched, and I did not want her to be sold
as a companion.  I deliberately stopped her from bathing and tried to keep
her as undesirable looking as possible.  She’s so beautiful, so pure and
sweet.  Your children will love her – I promise you.”
    “Aye.”  He answered.
    She was silent for a few moments and then glanced up at him.
 “How did Sophia’s mother die?”
    “She, how did you put it?  Fell in with the wrong
crowd?  Only they handed her over to the leeches as payment for their
debt.”
    “I’m sorry.”  She said softly.  “You must miss
your wife.”
    “When Sophia was two her mother left our home and took her
to the city.  I did not see my child again until a week ago.”
    She remained silent and he found himself opening up to her.
 “I knew she hated the country but I thought once Sophia was born she
would change her mind.  Our – our people normally live in the country, we
avoid the cities, but her family were one of the few who found comfort in the
city.  I lived there briefly, met Sophia’s mother, and convinced her to
marry me and move back to the country.  She agreed but was almost
instantly unhappy.  A few months into the marriage she became pregnant
with Sophia.  She did her best to adapt to country living but it was clear
she was miserable.  I was away tending to matters dealing with my father’s
death, and she used that opportunity to take Sophia and leave.”
    He cleared his throat.  “When I returned from my
parent’s home I immediately left for the city.  I searched for months for
them but she had hidden herself and Sophia well.  I did not speak to them
again until just over a month ago when I received word that she had died.”
    “She had obviously spoken about me to Sophia.  She knew
who I was and that I was her father.  But she wants little to do with
me.”  He sighed.
    “So that’s why she calls you Tristan.”  Avery said
softly.
    “Aye.”  He nodded.
    “And Nicholas – he isn’t yours.”
    “No.  I do not know who his father is.”
    “That was kind of you to take him in.”
    He shrugged.  “Sophia loves him very much.  I did
it for her.  Besides, he is a thin and sickly baby.  I doubt he will
see his first birthday.”
    “You might be surprised.  I have a feeling that the
fresh air will suit him well.”
    “Perhaps.”  He agreed.
    They rode for the next half hour in silence.  Avery had
barely slept last night, huddling against the wagon wheel, her entire body
freezing and her bones aching.  The gentle sway of Tristan’s horse, along
with the warmth of his hard body, was lulling her into sleep.  She yawned
repeatedly, trying to force herself to stay