Moon Lust Read Free

firewood for the long evening ahead. Brianna’s heavy coat—borrowed from Ivan’s closet—covered her from head to foot, but the wind was still cold and biting. When she’d fallen down the ravine, her backpack had contained two changes of clothing, though none of the articles were warm enough for this snowy weather. She was glad he was such a large man, and that his coat kept most of the wind at bay.
    “Where do you get your kindling? Isn’t this forest protected because of its age?”
    Ivan growled, “Not this part of the forest. The government has no desire to save all of the Old Forest. They only conserve the areas that are home to endangered species.”
    “But most of these trees are hundreds, even thousands of years old. You and those villagers don’t cut them down for firewood do you?” Her voice was appalled. She and her uncle had spent their whole lives trying to prevent such things with their conservation efforts.
    “No! I use the younger trees, the saplings and diseased wood. I am not a butcher to take the lives of the great trees.” He sliced his hand through the air, a wholly passionate and Russian expression . “Such a thing would be a crime in every way. These trees cannot be replaced, not for lifetimes, and the creatures that live here deserve the shelter of the living forest.”
    There was a moment of silence. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” She smiled and threw a snowball at his head.
    Ivan sputtered as the snowball made contact. With a growl he tossed down the armload of kindling he’d gathered and reached to make a snowball of his own. Brianna laughed and turned to run, slipping on the loose snow.
    After only two steps Ivan tackled her. She felt like she’d been hit by a freight train as she stumbled to the ground.
    Sputtering around a mouthful of snow she looked up into his deep, forest eyes. “Why did you do that? I thought we were having a snowball fight, not playing football!”
    He cocked his head to the side, an endearing trait she’d noticed he affected when he was playful or curious. “ B ut you ran.”
    “Of course I ran, you big jerk—I’m not going to just stand still and wait for your snowball to hit me!”
    “I thought you ran because you wanted me to chase you. Do you not like to play chase?”
    “Well, I—I don’t think I’ve every really thought about it.” What an odd question. She was suddenly very aware of his weight pressing down on her in the snow. His warm breath played over her face, and she found herself surprised by the long length of his black eyelashes.
    “Well I do…so long as I catch my prey.” With those words still sounding on the air between them, he swooped down and kissed her.
    It was the first intimate touch between them since the night she’d awaken ed from her fever. Remembering and dreaming of those first kisses had consumed her every waking thought and the reality was even better. He tasted like wild forest air and dark desire.
    The kiss grew heated and impassioned. Their breaths shuddered into each other’s mouths as their tongues dueled in a dance as old as time. Ivan’s hair tickled her face, its softness like that of an exotic fur.
    The snow and cold were forgotten as Brianna’s arms came around him to hold him closer. Ivan’s hips ground against hers. He growled into her mouth—an animalistic sound of need.
    Pulling away from her, he looked deep into her eyes—that sudden stillness he possessed coming over him. Several heartbeats passed as they panted into each other’s face, breath steaming the air between them.
    “I want you.” His voice was a guttural growl.
    “I—I want you too,” she admitted.
    “Then I will take you.” His eyes glowed with the words, and he flew to his feet with her already secured in his arms.
    He was very, very strong. She wasn’t a featherweight, but he bore her as though she were. It made her heart race with excitement. Swift and sure he carried her through the door of his log home, slamming