In the Pale Moonlight

by Sunny Moraine

Moonlight can show a great deal more than sun…

For years, Rhys has lived alone on his isolated patch of land, far from his brothers and sisters, shunning all human company. For years, it has been enough for him to hunt alone, without a pack or mate, and for years he had been sure that it would always be that way.

But certainties can play tricks on a certain mind. One night, Rhys finds a young man, James, huddled in a ruined hut on his land. And when--against his better judgment--he agrees to offer James shelter in his own house, everything begins to change. Haunted by a past he can't escape, Rhys finds himself far too tempted by the presence of young human flesh. James becomes far too curious about his mysterious host. And one fateful night could seal the future for both of them, the moonlight revealing too much to be denied.

Genres: M M Romance, Shapeshifters

47 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2010

About the author

Sunny Moraine is—among many other things—the author of the novella Your Shadow Half Remains, published by Tor Nightfire. Their debut short fiction collection Singing With All My Skin and Bone was released in 2016 and their short stories have been published in Tor.com, Uncanny, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, and Nightmare. An occasional podcaster/narrator/voice actor, they are the writer, producer, and lead actor of the serial horror drama podcast Gone, which wrapped up its first season in January 2018 and released a second season in 2022. For more info, please see their website at sunnymoraine.com.

Reviews

[Elisa Rolle]

A short paranormal/historical novella set in an undefined country, probably England or Scotland or Ireland; actually aside for an epilogue there are only two men in all the story and they have both similar experience in their past: shunned by their parents and families since they prefer the company of men. The only difference is that Rhys, older and stronger, has his own land where he can roam at night and living in a peaceful, but isolated way during the day; James instead, barely eighteen years old, has no mean of substance on him, and when Rhys finds him in his land, the boy is almost freezed to death.

Rhys’s first instinct would be to kill the stranger, but then loneliness makes him take another decision; he brings the kid at home with him, like someone would do with a stray pet. He feeds and shelters him, but when James doesn’t want to share his own story, so Rhys doesn’t reveal his true nature. Day after day they establish a good cohabitation, but there a sexual tension underneath, something neither James or Rhys speaks aloud but that is clear will lead them towards a decision point. In a clear similitude, the sexual tension will cross path with the true nature of Rhys which needs to be freed, and that will be the moment for both James and Rhys to take that decision.

The sex that will come next will be a little awkward, no one of them is experienced and most they go on by instinct, but it will be good; so good that there will be only one logical decision to take, one that will allow James and Rhys to be together forever, so that loneliness will be no more an issue for both of them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D9FXD8/?...

[Lexi Ander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhys is of The People but he lives alone, without family, without out pack. He knows that he should have killed the boy that he found on his land. He didn't need complications. He didn't need anyone else. And yet he takes the boy James home. Rhys knows he should kill the boy but as the days pass he realizes the he didn't want to kill James. You don't break bread with your prey.

When I started this, I didn't think that I was going to like it that much. Don’t get me wrong, it is well written but I am not a huge fan of historicals. If you have to use an outhouse, I avoid it. BUT somewhere around the halfway mark I got pulled in. The darkness in this almost convinced me that there wasn't a good...well, I can't give that away. I do wish there was more, it was just so short.


3.5 rounded up.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning the book was slow going and it took a while to get to the real action and was, at times, boring. The book redeemed itself a bit near the end. It was an okay read but not something I would want to particularly read again. In its favor, it was an unusual werewolf story, which is a plus. However, it was boring, slow, and confusing at times which is why I give it 2.5 stars. If you’re looking for a one time only read, then you might like this, but if you’re looking for something that you’d want to keep and be able to reread in the future, this probably isn’t the book for you.

[LynnMarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angelique’s Review

I had high hopes for “In the Pale Moonlight,” like I have for most werewolf stories. While the book is well written and presents the reader with a curious new world, I found the short novella too dark for my taste. The characters, Rhys and James, were well constructed, but did not get me emotionally involved in the story.

Overall, while Ms. Moraine is a good writer, “In the Pale Moonlight” was just not for me.


2 ½ Tea Cups!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite this story having far more character development than Heiros, I still found it difficult to get into the characters. This is my fault rather than the author's as they just weren't my type of character. I rolled my eyes at the 'we're all gay here' part and the situation was all a little too convenient. The sex was hot though (despite the fact that spit is not lube).

[Autumn Montgomery · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the writing is decent, this short novella was too dark for me.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually gave it 4 and a 1/2 stars. Click here to read my review.