Song of the Wolf

Song of the Wolf

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Colette Denee

Song of the Wolf By Colette Denee Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com

Published by Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com 8190 W. Deer Valley Road, Peoria, AZ 85382 U.S.A. First e-published by Triskelion Publishing First e-publishing June 2004 ISBN 1-932866-11-6 Copyright © C Bogart 2004 All rights reserved. Cover art by Triskelion Publishing PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Song of the Wolf

Dedications To the MQ Crew, my thanks, for with out them I’d never have a sanity break. To Cyn, with love. Always there to keep my life interesting. Hugs and pashas. To my muse. May he never grow tired of hearing me whine.

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Wolf Credo Respect the elders....Teach the young...Cooperate with the pack Play when you can...Hunt when you must...Rest in between Share your affections...Voice your feelings...Leave your mark.

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Song of the Wolf

Chapter One Amy Michaels lay still and quiet beneath the thick down comforter. Her soft brown curls spread upon the pillow, arms and legs akimbo with a haphazard sprawl. The tell tale rise and fall of her chest was the only indication that life still churned within her mind. The trees held silent, their branches thick and heavy with snow. Her nose wrinkled with the sharp scent of northern pine permeating the air. She sucked in a deep breath of satisfaction. Moving in a lithe body built for power and speed, Amy raced across the fresh white powder. Her legs moved beneath her with synchronous ease, eating up the ground in a blur of rock and ice. A deer jumped a fallen log just ahead, signaling a new adventure. Amy tilted back her head and howled with pleasure. Freedom. Blessed freedom. The body of the timber wolf was as familiar as her own human form. Muscles corded in flexed in her haunches as Amy put on a burst of speed and raced after the deer. The frosted forest floor was cool beneath her feet, but not uncomfortable, as she chased the white tailed doe. The idea of making it a meal wrestled with her human side that respected all life. Exhilaration spurred Amy onward. Something about the chase willed her into this dream. Night after night. Year after year. She yipped and called out, ducking between the trees, leaping over underbrush, her heart pounding. Faster... faster... her blood sang. At last, the doe cleared a bubbling icy creek, and Amy the Wolf slowed to a halt. The creek marked the borders of her land. She could not cross it, for on the other side lay the unknown. Her crisp green eyes followed her prey until it disappeared over the mountainside. Panting, Amy moved in circles, sniffing the ground. A series of quiet noises brought her attention around. Three small wolf cubs stumbled from beneath the brush to her right, vocally belly aching about their hunger. Amy smiled inside and out. What fine pups. Sturdy. Strong. They would survive to see another day. She moved to her children and urged them to the creek for a drink. Standing guard as the little ones splashed and played in the creek, Amy howled with contentment. Nothing could match this feeling. She was whole. She was free. She lay upon the snow, muzzle resting upon her paws and watched the children frolic. Yet something drew her attention. A rustling in the deep of the wood. She lifted her head and peered into the darkness of the forest... Eyes sliding open, Amy Michaels felt the familiar wrench of her heart that always accompanied the end of her dream. It was the same reoccurring dream she’d had since she was sixteen. A dream that held her fast within its heart, countless times. She’d lost track of the number of nights she ran as a wolf years ago. Always, she ran as the wolf, though the size and shape of her prey often changed. She couldn’t recall the exact moment the pups entered her dreams. Although, the rational side of Amy believed it was sometime near her twentieth birthday when she found out she was barren. Shifting from the shadows of the adventure in her mind, Amy pushed back the thick layer of blankets and eased out of her bed. The totem of her necklace was warm against her skin, not cold as silver should be. Absently, her fingers rubbed the amulet. A frown bowed her features down. Moving to her computer in the corner, Amy brought up her instant messenger list. She sighed when she found the person she wanted was online. “Shadows, you there?”

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“Always, little one.” “I had it again. The dream. Why can I not decipher it? Please. I need your help.” The blank message box blinked back at her. She drummed her fingers. Waiting. “Shadow? Shadow?” “I am here. Just thinking.” “Think faster, Shad. I’m desperate now.” “We couldn’t resolve this issue back in college. What makes you suddenly so anxious now? “It’s changed,” Amy typed, “I have… children. And something moved in the trees. Approaching us.” “The wolf is your totem,” Shadow’s words flashed up, “It makes sense that he guides your mate as well.” “Sigh. I don’t have a mate, Shads. You know that.” “You will,” Shadow typed back, his words a bold dark font on her screen, “He comes. You have foreseen it.” Tears swelled in Amy’s eyes. “I don’t want a mate, Shad.” “Of course you do.” “Who would want a barren wife?” “He who loves for heart and soul. Not strength of womb.” Amy blinked at the words, her vision blurred by tears of regret. “Too bad you’re taken, Shad.” The text box sat idle for a moment. Amy frowned when his response popped up. “Actually, I’m not... MoonShadow left.” “What?” Amy conversed with her college friend for a few more minutes. Thoughts of the dream ebbed away under the news of MoonShadow’s desertion. All through college, her friends walked together. Now, Moon was gone. Amy felt Shadow’s pain as if her own. With a sigh, she glanced at the clock in the lower right hand corner of her computer screen. After words of comfort and a promise to talk later, Amy clicked off her computer and moved on bare feet across the thick carpet. Her room housed a large collection of wolf elements. Books, pictures, statues and the like littered her desktop and walls. Even the screen saver on her computer was a wolf. A thick black down comforter covered her queen sized bed, but the throw blanket tossed at the foot depicted a family of wolves standing in the snows of winter. She supposed her fascination was an extension of her dreams. Whatever the reason, the creatures called to her. She found them beautiful, powerful, and free, a symbol of the wildness within all people. The flash of the bathroom light made her wince. Amy hated mornings. Night was her time of choice to be awake. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a kindergarten teacher position with hours from midnight to eight. With a sigh, she slipped out of her t-shirt and sweats, pulling a forest green towel from the cupboard and setting it on the sink. Amy spun the knobs to let the shower heat and set about her morning ritual by rote. Bracing her hands against the cool wall of the shower, Amy stepped in behind the curtain and let the hot water sluice down over her tight muscles. The dream always left her tense, back and shoulders aching to the point of pain. Parts of the scene reverberated in her

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head as she tried yet again to decipher its meaning. Oh, she wasn’t naïve about the pups. Amy knew they represented mental projections of her desire for children. What disturbed her was the new presence of the unknown lurking in the woods. If the approaching unseen thing was indeed her mate, why did it cause such a frisson of fear along her spine? A mate should emanate love, warmth, and security. This thing felt cold, malicious, and unyielding. Her teeth came out to worry her bottom lip. A shutter rattled along Amy’s spine. Even with the heat of the water pounding at her back, she felt cold. Finished bathing, she stepped from the tub and wrapped up in the sheet sized towel. The texture was soft and warm against her skin as she dried off. Standing before the steamed mirror, Amy wiped the mist from the image before her. Her fingers trembled slightly as they touched the multitude of scars dotting her lower abdomen. She had endometriosis, a condition that required several surgeries, leaving her basically barren. Endoscopic surgery saved her from the long, deep gashes of open surgery, but her skin still looked like a child’s connect-the-dot picture. The pups of her dreams were her children. Real life wasn’t that kind. Biting her lip again, Amy turned her back on the mirror and went to get dressed. A few minutes later, dressed and late for work, Amy emerged from her room. The click of the deadbolt as she locked her door rang loud in the empty hall. She passed her landlady on the landing and said a quick hello. Bouncing down the steps, Amy rushed out the front door. Her sleek black Jetta looked out of place out here among the barns and trucks. The frosted grass crunched beneath her feet as she crossed the lawn and climbed in her car. Careful to go slow down the dirt driveway, Amy headed into town. The heater in the car warmed up fast, defroster doing its job within seconds. Gunning the engine, Amy raced to work.

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Chapter Two “I don’t believe this!” Amy watched her friend drop into the chair across the table with all the flourish of a cyclone. Missy Williams sat tall and blonde, the perfect opposite of five-foot-five and brunette crowned Amy. She bubbled with energy, life, and joy. Amy felt drawn to her from day one. Missy represented the perfect small town movie character- a little prom queen hell bent on getting out of town but stuck there all the same. Still, she was the first to welcome Amy, and they became fast friends. Amy couldn’t help but feel a bit dull next to the beauty of the blonde. Now that perfect blonde brow furled down in a frown. She watched with amusement as Missy crossed her legs, her right foot bobbing up and down with agitation. “What happened now?” Amy asked. “This!” The blonde slapped a handful of progress reports on the table. They hit with enough force to rattle Amy’s coffee cup. Missy’s perfume wafted across the table, crinkling Amy’s nose. She’d always been sensitive to strong scents, and Missy’s cologne was no exception. She sneezed. “Oh. Sorry.” Missy waved the air in front of her person, as if that was going to help. Smiling slightly, Amy picked the stack of papers up and quickly thumbed through them. There were quite a few. Amy took her turn to frown when she noticed the names at the top of the reports. “These are all for the same family,” Amy muttered. “Yes, I know.” “Well, did you contact the parent?” Missy snorted, “Of course I did! Everyone else has given up, so they passed the buck to me.” Amy lifted her silver travel mug and took a sip of her instant cappuccino. If she’d learned anything in the two months she’d been in town, it was that Missy Williams had a flair for the dramatic. Her eyebrow arched as Missy rubbed her temples with cotton candy pink nails. “Well, what did the parents say to this?” “That...that...beast of a man,” Missy continued, “He couldn’t care one whiff. Says his kids are just fine.” The top page crinkled as Amy tilted it for easier access and peered at the notes on the top page. “Hmmm... doesn’t look like they’re fine. This one here is a fight that ended with another child in the nurses’ office. Curious that I don’t see expulsion papers here too. How many children does ‘the beast’ have?” “Five.” Amy whistled. Five wasn’t a family. Five was a herd. Amy wished for three children at the most. Of course, she needed to find Mr. Right first. Amy doubted he was lurking in this little rural town. Then again, if she ever found him, she’d need a miracle to get pregnant anyway. Her gaze slanted back to Missy, and she realized her friend was waiting for more

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comment. “And their mother, what does she say?” Amy asked, leaning an elbow on the table as she sipped her coffee. Missy shifted in her seat, her yellow curls bouncing as she looked around the room before speaking. “Nothing,” she whispered as she leaned in, “She’s dead.” “What?” Amy gasped. By habit, she pushed farther back in her seat. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Missy, but did the woman have to get so close to her? It made Amy feel a bit claustrophobic. Obviously, city people like herself had a larger bubble of personal space than their country counterparts. “Yep,” Missy nodded, “Complications giving birth to terror number five.” “That’s so sad. You’d think with today’s medical technology...” “I know.” Amy ran her fingers along the top of the reports. Forehead crinkling, she studied the name listed under parent and promptly choked on her coffee. “What’s the matter?” Missy asked with a frown. “Kellan Wagner.” Amy’s index finger tapped the stack twice as she coughed. The blonde sighed, “Yep.” “Not the famous composer Kellan Wagner?” “One and the same.” “No way!” Amy’s eyes went huge with surprise, “He’s fantastic! I have almost everything he’s ever written. I can’t believe he lives around here. He’s so expressive and passionate in his works. I mean, a real zest for life.” “Yeah, well, not with his kids,” Missy retorted. The period bell rang as Amy was about to argue. It gave her a second to check her biting words. Everyone was entitled to their own opinion. Just because he was a world renowned composer that the entire music community held in company with Mozart and Vivaldi didn’t mean he was also a magnificent father. “Time to start the afternoon,” Amy sighed instead. Missy collected the papers while Amy set the coffee cup in the sink. Together they left the teachers lounge and entered the crowded hallway, weaving their way to the elementary wing. Southerland was a premier private school. The most expensive private school in a five hour radius. Kids came to Southerland because of its reputation for excellence in all things, from the debate team to the football team. You couldn’t tell that from the hallways though. Children, no matter how nicely dressed, were still children. The noise of the students clamoring to get to their next class prevented any further conversation. Lockers banged, heels clicked on the old wood floors, and everywhere kids were laughing and joking. Amy smiled and waved to the other teachers as she and Missy passed. They either waved back or looked right through her, which amused Amy. One would think she brought the crime and filth of the city behind her footsteps. Their barely concealed distain amused her. Thank stars her assignment here was only temporary. That thought alone brought a smile to Amy’s face. “Better hurry along. Bell rings in one minute.”

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Missy paused and scowled at Mr. Rames, the physics teacher who was old enough to know God personally. His sallow eyes glared at Amy and her friend. He didn’t like Amy from day one, though she’d tried very hard to be friendly. “Buzz off, Rames,” Missy growled, “Watch the kids and mind your own business.” Amy snatched Missy’s elbow and tugged her onward. She could feel Mr. Rames’ gaze burning into her back as she hurried farther down the hall. The old man creeped her out. She gave a sigh of relief when they turned from the main hall and headed toward her room. As usual, the elementary wing was quiet. The smell of glue and paint, crayons and pencils, swarmed around her as Amy stepped into the brightly lit kindergarten hall. “Why don’t you like him?” Amy said, voice soft. “Because he’s a crusty old buzzard that looks for ways to get me fired,” Missy huffed. “No!” Amy chuckled, “I meant Kellan Wagner. I mean, besides the obvious fact he doesn’t supervise his children’s scholastic careers very well.” Missy pursed her lips, hugging the stack of reports close to her chest. “I’ve just heard too many things that I don’t like.” Amy frowned, “Like what?” “Oh, this and that,” Missy waved her hand dismissively, “You know, weird things. He’s never set foot outside his mansion, let alone inside this school. Never shown any interest in the community. Hell, they can’t even get him to reprimand his own kids for their beastly behavior. They run wild around his estate, doing as they please. Then they come here, cause trouble among the other students, act out. You know the drill. Every last one of them is headed for prison.” “Says who?” Missy shrugged. “Everybody. I’ve even heard he lets the kids run around naked in the summer. Indulges their every whim. The eldest has a computer system that would make NASA jealous. Cadon, the one in my class, informed me yesterday that his sister Maddie just received a new pony. That’s her fifth one this year!” Amy chuckled. “How old is he? Four? She probably just has toy horses. You can’t believe everything a pre-schooler tells you.” “Yeah, well,” Missy stopped walking and cocked an eyebrow at her, “I can believe my own eyes, and they see a pack of spoiled rich kids who need a good swift-” “Hi, Miss Williams!” Missy flushed and turned toward the small voice. “Cadon. Hello, sweetie.” Amy studied the child from the corner of her eye. Already she could make out the features of her favorite composer in his small face. “Can I have the red mat today? Please, please?” Missy patted his head. “We’ll see. Go on in, and I’ll be there in a second.” The boy skipped into his classroom, grinning from ear to ear. Missy turned and wagged her finger at Amy’s smile. “Mark my words,” she hissed, “That little one is on his way as well. Behind those

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cherub cheeks lay little horns and a pitch fork.” “Missy!” Amy laughed and shook her head. She progressed to the next door, and paused with her hand on the knob. “Hey, are you going to that meeting tonight?” The blonde woman made a face that would turn grapes sour. It tugged another smile to Amy’s lips. “Helping Hands?” “Yes.” “No,” Missy rolled her eyes, “I have enough to do besides hanging out with those dogooders.” Amy rolled her eyes back and waved as she entered her room. Twelve little tots were busy getting their coats on the right hooks, putting up their winter boots and finding their correct desk. One benefit to substitute teaching here in the country was the small class size. She really loved the personal contact time with each student. All of the children were smart, attentive, and eager to learn. Kindergarten was always fun that way. Once kids got to second grade, the teacher wasn’t quite so awe inspiring. By fifth grade, they down right despised school. Amy swept up a piece of white chalk and wrote the day’s letter and number in a large red circle on the board behind her desk. The second hand reached its zenith just as she finished, officially calling the afternoon to commence. She noticed her teacher’s aide setting up the paint easels in the back and grimaced inside. Paint for the kids meant headache for her. It was part of her lesson plan, however, and thus a necessary evil. “OK everyone!” Amy called as she clapped her hands twice. “Time to get started.” The afternoon flew by in a flurry of paint and story time. She finished off the day with the letter and number game. Each of the children sat before the chalkboard and gave Amy a word that contained the letter of the day. It helped develop their reading skills. Then they’d count the number of words together. The children seemed to like it, and their skills were improving each day. By the time the end of day bell rang, Amy was tired. After all the kids were gone, either to carpool or to the little bus, Amy went about cleaning her room. The primary colors were so cheerful. She loved the ABC rug and the large open lay out. Several stations were set up around the room, each with a different activity in mind, and it was her job to get the kids from one to the next. She had two assistants, one for each session. Both were very helpful. In the midst of wiping stray paint from the work table in the Art station, she happened to glance at the clock on the wall. She wanted to attend that meeting! Muttering a curse, Amy threw her sponge in the sink, and rushed down the hall to the auditorium. Rural Pennsylvania wasn’t the easiest place to make friends. Most of the women she’d met were married, or had children, or both. Aside from Missy and her landlady, Amy had no one here. She wasn’t familiar with the area itself, and really wanted to get out in the community. Helping Hands seemed like the group for her. Amy really hoped the group lived up to their reputation. Helping Hands was a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers that involved

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itself with various community activities. They sponsored a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving. Feed a Family and Toy Express for Christmas. Organized the big Easter egg hunt in the spring. Several of the retired volunteers would visit people in need during the weekday. Everywhere Amy turned, the name “Helping Hands” flashed back at her. In fact, she’d heard nothing but great things about them since she started in September. Walking into the darkened auditorium, she slipped into a chair in the back row. She hated being late. Everyone always turned to stare at you. The pitch of the room aided her stealthy arrival. She shivered in the chill of the large room, crossing her arms over her chest and sinking farther down into the seat. Vice Principal John Mustar was the moderator for tonight’s meeting. He stood to the front of the auditorium behind his little podium, the salt and pepper color of his hair accentuated by the spotlight. Amy liked him. He really took an interest in the kids and his staff. She found his voice soothing. John went on for the first fifteen minutes, talking about upcoming events, recent donations, fund raiser proceeds, and volunteer numbers. Amy stifled a yawn. Her thoughts drifted back to Kellan Wagner. She loved his music with something close to obsession. What she wouldn’t give for a chance to meet him, hear his voice in person. Just the idea sent a tremor of excitement through her. A snicker rumbled through the crowd gathered in the auditorium, drawing Amy’s attention back to the front. “Now,” John called, clapping his hands together, “I’ve divided our Christmas activities into two sections. One for Feed a Family to my right, and one for Toy-Express to my left. If you know a family that falls into either, please come up to that table. People wishing to donate time or items for our Turkey Supper, please come up to the middle here.” There was a general clatter as people rose from their seats to go up front. The lights went up a notch, illuminating the aisles. Amy slid from her chair and followed the people up front. She didn’t know any families who were in need. Hell, she didn’t know the families period. So she wandered to the middle and got in line to volunteer. It was a short wait. She stepped beside Vice Principal Mustar. “Hi, John.” “Amy!” He grinned, “So good to see a new face.” She smiled back and nodded, gesturing to the long lines of people giving names of the needy. “Sure looks like you need a little help.” He laughed. “Yes, well, we do have a great support group here. Half those giving names will come over here and donate their time as well. I’m glad you could make it. Now, here’s what we’ve got left.” The brown clipboard turned to her. Amy scanned the lines of positions needed. Fund raising and cooks for the Feed A Family night were about all that was left. Unless John wanted the needy gagging on their food, she’d have to take fund raising. It was better than nothing, she reminded herself. “What’s with fundraising?” John grinned, the evil smile of a fisherman who’d just felt a bite. Amy tried not to wince. “You just go out and try to get some financial support or item donations for our

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projects. Local businesses, private donors, that sort of thing.” Amy could do that. “Sure.” “Great! Uh, here’s a list of our usuals. You could probably just telephone them, identify yourself as a member of Helping Hands, and record what they’re willing to give.” “Can do.” She took the paper, her eyes falling down the list. “I don’t see Kellan Wagner on here.” John’s bark of laughter echoed in the auditorium. A few people turned to glance their way then went back to whatever they were doing. “That’s because he doesn’t donate.” “Are you serious?” Amy shook her head. “Why not?” John shrugged. “Someone needs to talk to this man.” “Amy-” “No,” Amy interrupted. “If anyone were in a position to provide a little financial support for the community, it should be him. And he has five children, all of whom could help in one capacity or another.” “Amy,” John sighed and shook his head; “I can’t even get that man in here for a parentteacher conference. He avoids the public like we’re some kind of plague. You won’t get him within ten miles of this school.” “Then I’ll go to him,” Amy said firmly. John sighed, shaking his head as his arms braced against the podium. “Ok, but don’t get your hopes up!” Amy smirked and turned to go. Night had fallen while she was in the meeting. Tucking the paper into her purse, she crossed the parking lot quickly and climbed into her sporty car. As she pulled out onto the deserted street, her thumb flipped through her CD changer. Kellan Wagner’s Greatest Hits soon filled the confines of the car. Satisfaction curved her lips into a graceful bow. She’d been a fan of his ever since college. There was just something about his music that struck a cord within her. And tomorrow, she was going to meet him. Ten short minutes brought her to the driveway of the old farm house. Amy flicked on her high beams as she rumbled down the dirt drive. Last week a deer had crossed right in front of her. Scared the hell out of her before it scampered off. She parked next to the blue pickup that belonged to her landlady. Mrs. Cannelle was a sweet widow. Sixty five with no children, she’d decided to take on boarders. She lived in the lower half of the house and rented rooms to three people. Amy had the master suite to herself. Mary Fletcher, another widow lived down the hall to the right. Mitchell Marks, a truck driver for Roadway, rented the rooms to the left of Amy. Apparently, he was away a lot. She had yet to meet him. All in all, the set up worked well. Amy had her own bathroom, which was a must, but shared the laundry and kitchen with the rest of the occupants. Using her key, Amy walked in. True to form, the country house was warm and inviting. Her eyes took in the scented candles that perpetually burned, the coiled-rag rugs, and the comfortable furniture. Everything well used and well loved. Homer, Mrs. Cannelle’s

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retriever lifted his golden head and blinked at her from his spot before the fireplace. So much for guard duty. “Hello? Anyone here?” “In the kitchen, dear.” Amy followed the delectable smell in the air to the kitchen. Mrs. Cannelle was at the stove. A bright red apron cinched around her plump middle, pulling out the pinkish tint to her white hair. She turned as Amy walked into the room. “Hello, dear. You’re late tonight.” Amy set her purse on the floor as she slid into one of the heavy wooden chairs at the table. “Yes. I’m sorry. I went to a meeting for Helping Hands.” The older woman’s face broke into a grin. “Oh, how lovely! I do the fried chicken for them at the July picnic. What’s little Johnny roped you into this year?” Amy laughed. Only Mrs. Cannelle would call a man as large and as old as the Vice Principal “Little Johnny.” “Fundraising.” “Sounds good.” She flipped the ham steak over in the frying pan. “I guess you’ll be up early tomorrow then to go in town?” “Yes. Well, actually, I was going to head over to Whisper Hills first. Can you give me directions?” “What?” Mrs. Cannelle spun around with an ease that belied her age. The spatula clanged in the frying pan. “Whisper Hills. I’m going to see Kellan Wagner.” One wrinkled hand lifted to an amble bosom. “Why on Earth would you want to go there?” Amy sighed. “Because the man needs to help his community more.” Her landlady switched off the stove, set the pan down with a clunk and went to the table. Sitting down beside Amy, she grasped her hands. “Dear, you don’t want to go up there.” Amy let the surprise show in her face. “Why not?” Mrs. Cannelle shivered. “Oh my, I’ve heard such things about that man! Why, just the other day Gladys down at the Shop-n-Fresh told me he yelled at Biddy Jenkins for going through his mail! Heavens, that’s her job to sort the mail, you know. And she makes the trip out to his place for delivery twice a week!” “Now, Mrs. Cannelle–” “No!” The older woman slapped the table with her palm. “That man never comes to church. And from what I hear, his children are little heathens, cavorting around that mountain in their birthday suits, coming and going as they please. Mr. Miller- he’s the floristruns three dozen red roses out there on the fifth of each month. Says that Wagner man takes

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them, cuts off all the heads and peels the petals from the bulbs checking each and every one. And heaven help him if there’s a single blemish on one. He’s not a nice man, I tell you. But, oh now, look at me. Running on with gossip.” Amy frowned as Mrs. Cannelle rose and went back to the stove. She didn’t like to imagine her composer as such a bad guy. The poor opinion of the community towards Kellan concerned her. “What does he do with the rose petals?” she asked. “Can’t say as I know.” A plate of ham and potatoes suddenly landed before Amy. She gaped at the portion size. A fork and knife, along with a glass of milk soon followed. “Here, dear. Eat up, now. I’m off to watch my show.” Amy mumbled her thanks as Mrs. Cannelle left. Her thoughts were preoccupied by all that she’d heard of the Wagners. Everyone made Kellan out to be some kind of evil monster. He was probably just eccentric like most artists and liked his privacy. With a shrug, she set about eating her dinner. Mrs. Cannelle was nice to make meals for her, but Amy could already feel her waistline expanding. She was either going to have to start bringing home some salads or buy a new wardrobe. When she was finished, Amy carried her plate and utensils to the sink, washed them and set them in the drain board to dry. She finished her milk, and then washed the glass as well. Mrs. Cannelle didn’t like when she cleaned up after herself, but Amy’s mother had taught her to be a good guest. She passed the family room on her way upstairs. “Thanks for supper, Mrs. Cannelle. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Mmm hmm. ‘Night, dear.” Amy ascended the stairs with a large yawn. By Friday nights her energy reserves sat on empty, and the fullness of her stomach only made her more drowsy. Key in hand, she made her way down the hall and almost bumped into Mrs. Fletcher. “Oh,” Amy said with another yawn, “I’m so sorry Mrs. Fletcher. I didn’t see you there.” “Can’t talk,” Mrs. Fletcher said and waved as she hustled by Amy. “Late for my show.” The two widows downstairs watching game shows pulled Amy’s single status back to the forefront of her mind. It wasn’t that she worried about finding the right guy. She just wanted it to happen. Soon. She was already past the dreaded thirty, and her biological clock wasn’t just ticking. It was starting to squeak. An hour later, washed and tucked into bed, Amy found that for all of her fatigue sleep eluded her. Excitement thrummed through her body, fighting off her need for rest. Tomorrow, she was going to go see a legend. Kellan Wagner’s name appeared in lights in every major city on the world. His music touched the heart and soul of millions, but his face followed Amy deep into her dreams as well.

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Chapter Three At eight o’clock the following morning, Amy found herself driving through no man’s land. She knew that the Wagner mansion dwelt on the outskirts of town. She just didn’t know it would take quite so long to get there. The road was long and twisting, forcing her to keep two hands on the wheel. Mrs. Cannelle had grudgingly given her directions that morning. The small slip of crinkled white paper crunched in her right hand. A smile found its way to her mouth as she thought about her friends in New York City. They’d laugh their asses off at directions that contained “turn right at the big blue farm house with the weathervane in the yard” and “Mind the turn by Schwalm’s pasture, his cows are always breaking out.” Amy took the next turn a little too fast and had to jab the brakes. Stars, didn’t these people believe in straight roads? She fought to stay on the tarmac, the broken yellow line barely visible through the dense fog that seeped in with the dawn. Although the mists had started to lift, several pockets appeared here and there along the road, obscuring her vision. What was visible of the scenery on either side of her was naught but a solid wall of trees. Tall, dark, branching pine boughs hid the risen sun. Big sturdy oaks with their bountiful leaves. Brown fields of drying corn stalks. She passed a small farm with a produce stand out front loaded with pumpkins, gourds, and Mums. Amy made a mental note to stop on the way back. Mrs. Cannelle had some lovely garden beds around the house, and Amy knew she’d love the colorful flowers. The houses were few and far between. She wondered what it would be like to live so far from town. There were no street lights, and no other cars. She bet people out here didn’t even lock their doors. After all, who would break in? A bear? Amy snorted to herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the country. It was peaceful and serene. Beautiful. She was simply accustomed to the bright lights and well lit streets of New York City. Where it took twenty minutes to move two blocks in traffic. The stark loneliness of her drive sent goose bumps racing along her arms. For company, Amy switched on the radio, searching through the channels for something a little upbeat. Her mood had become melancholy on the trip when it should be excited. She was going on the trip of a lifetime! How many people would give their right arm for a chance to meet Kellan Wagner, let alone see his home? She still couldn’t believe the vice principal had allowed her to do this. Then again, Amy couldn’t believe she was actually going. She considered herself a shy person. Well, maybe not shy, but reserved. She liked to know a person before joking around with them, and Amy seldom went anywhere alone. Her family was still in awe that she’d come here “to the sticks” by herself. Thoughts of her parents, two brothers, and three sisters brought the cheer back into her drive. They’d thrown her a big going away party back in August. Remembering their tearful farewells made her home sick. She actually tried to call them on her cell phone, but as usual, there was no service. Oh well. She’d call them when she got home after meeting Kellan. Kellan Wagner. The name rolled off her lips into the pale interior of the car. She’d seen pictures of him, headshots on the back of the programs for his concerts. Stars, but he was a

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handsome devil. Amy had attended his Christmas concert at the Met every year for six years. She’d loved every minute of it. His concerts were a big deal. The tickets were astronomical, but to Amy it was well worth the dent in her wallet. Her favorite piece by far was Winter Whispers. She looked forward to it every year. Until his wife died, and Kellan Wagner disappeared from the world of music. Amy’s gaze slid to her right. His face stared at her from the passenger seat where his latest picture lay. The shape of his eyes was entrancing with that sexy heavy-lidded look. He had that classic chiseled face, softened by a thick, unruly mane of blonde hair. His biography didn’t state his age, but Amy placed him somewhere near her own thirty-three. Kellan Wagner was far too good looking for his own good. Just glancing at his picture in the pale morning light sent butterflies dancing around in her abdomen. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to meet him in person. Well, she’d be finding out soon enough. A half an hour later, Amy finally spotted the road that led to the Wagner estate. A three-foot high, thick stone wall graced each side of the entrance. From their depths arose a sweeping black wrought iron arch. The piece must weight a ton, she thought. Amy bit her lip as she slowed at the arch and peered up through her windshield. The pinnacle of the iron twisted in such a way that it formed a shape. She squinted. A wolf with gaping jaws bit down upon the graceful “W.” How strange. Mrs. Cannelle had warned her about coyotes and bear. Not that Amy planned on walking around the farm at night anyway. She never said anything about wolves. Amy wondered if the animal had some familial significance. It sure looked like it belonged on a family crest. A shiver ran along her spine as she passed beneath and drove on. Following the curve of the road, Amy saw nothing but trees. Great gobs, where was this place? If there was ever a forest fire around here, these people were in big trouble. The woods pressed in upon her, making her fingers flex against the steering wheel. They were so...dark and foreboding. No sooner had the thought left her mind, then the trees parted, the mountain crested, and Amy got her first view of Whisper Hills. “Oh my stars...” Her brakes chirped as she stopped in the middle of the road. The fog had lifted completely from this valley. It was gorgeous. Breathtaking. Like a postcard. Amy just sat there for a moment and took the view in. The mountain range in the distance provided the perfect backdrop to the house. The road made a sharp dive before racing across the sweeping lawns and rolling straight to the front door of the house. House? Ha. Castle was more like it. The edifice was a huge, rambling structure. Its cut stone, earthen toned, walls blended well with the landscape. She noted a large pond several yards from the house, as well as three smaller out-buildings. “And this was the man who couldn’t give to the community?” She mumbled to herself. The hairs along Amy’s arms rose with a flush of goose bumps. The scene was so...familiar. Had she seen this place in a movie? Shaking off the odd feeling, Amy turned off the radio and started moving again. Her Jetta rumbled down the hill and up the road to the house. The building was even more intimidating up close. She parked off to the exit side of the circular drive and sat there. A wide set of slate steps led to the front doors, accented on each side by sculpted

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landscape shrubs. Amy sucked in a deep breath as she stared at the steps. Here she was, at the doorstep of an adventure, and her palms were stuck to the steering wheel from sweat. Looking down, she took in her sweater and jeans. Maybe she should have dressed up a little. The butterflies in her belly became bees and her stomach rolled. Stars, she was nervous. Dragging several relaxing breaths into her lungs, Amy closed her eyes and settled her nerves. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this worked up about seeing a guy! Of course, this wasn’t just a guy. This was Kellan Wagner. “Oh, just knock already,” She hissed to herself. Amy opened her door and stepped out. The heels of her boots were sharp on the pavement as she marched up the steps, angry with herself for getting so flustered. The large ornate knocker gave her a moment’s pause. It was a replica of the wolf in the iron gate. Her fingers reached, hesitated, then finally closed over the cool brass ring. Something like static electricity zinged up her arm, and she yelped. With a soft curse, Amy grabbed the brass again and prepared to knock. “Bang! Bang!” Amy snatched her hand away from the door with a cry. The ring hit the door with a solid thunk as she released it and spun toward the voice. A very small dark headed moppet had jumped from the bushes, and was now holding his index finger gun at her chest. She threw up her hands. “Whoa. I surrender.” The little boy frowned, legs spaced apart as he held his aim. “Who’re you?” “I’m Miss Michaels,” Amy said, using her best teacher voice, “I’m looking for your daddy. Is he home?” Her captor moved in front of the door, making Amy back up a step. His mop of fine blonde curls ruffled in the morning breeze, unusually warm for November. “I’m not allowed to let strangers in the house.” Amy smiled as she lowered her hands. “And you’re doing a very good job. What’s your name?” “Cadon.” Her mind shuffled back to the progress reports she’d seen yesterday. This was the Wagner child caught coloring the rug beneath his desk with a large black crayon. She recalled seeing him in the hallway when she was talking to Missy. “Cadon, hmmm. Are you in pre-school? In Miss Williams’ class?” The boy nodded again, his grass green eyes going wide at her knowledge. His hands dropped to his side, forgotten. “I teach kindergarten right next to your class. Miss Williams is my very good friend. She’s told me wonderful things about you.” Cajon’s face broke into a huge grin. “I like Miss Williams. She lets me have a red mat for nap time.” Amy sat down on the step, putting herself at the boy’s eye level. “Is red your favorite color then?” “Yep. When I get bigger, Daddy says I can have a red pony, just like his.” Again, her thoughts flashed back to her conversation with Missy. She vaguely recalled

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seeing an article that said Kellan was involved with horse breeding in his retirement. “Just how many ponies does your Daddy have?” Cadon bit his bottom lip as he pondered the question. “Um, at least a hundred.” Amy’s smile bent to a full grin. “Wow. That’s a lot of horses. Your Daddy must have a pretty big barn.” The little boy nodded with energy. “Yep. Wanna see?” “Well,” Amy sighed, “I really need to see your Daddy first. If that’s OK with you.” Cadon smiled at her and held out his hand. “Daddy’s with the ponies too. Come on!” Amy hopped up from the steps, grabbed his little outstretched fingers and followed the four year old’s lead. As they crossed the well tended lawns and rounded the side of the house, Cadon rambled on about the different horses in his father’s barn. His energy was contagious, and Amy found her unease slipping away. “Do you like ponies too?” The boy asked in the silence. “Uh, I guess so,” Amy replied, “I’m not around ponies much.” “Well, they’re very big,” Cadon informed her, “You must never ever go behind them, because when you’re little, they can’t see you, and then they might kick you.” Amy fought the urge to chuckle. Cadon knew the words by rote, and she wondered how often he heard the lecture. “I’ll keep that in mind.” “Do you know that you can tell how old a pony is by its toofins?” “You mean teeth?” “Oh, yeah, teeth.” “No!” Amy said with appropriate awe, “You’re fibbing!” “Ya-huh!” Cadon insisted and stopped walking again, “Can you tell how old I am by my teeth too?” “I don’t think so.” Cadon bounced on the balls of his feet. “Oh please! Just try.” Amy fought back a smile as she dutifully looked at his pearly whites. She scratched her head, and made a big show of looking from every angle. Cadon giggled, and the sound warmed her heart. “I’d say...about...four?” The shocked expression on the boy’s face made her chuckle. “Holy cow! Wait until I tell Dad!” The pair set off again. Amy figured at this rate, they’d make it by lunchtime. Cadon seemed content to hold her hand again, and she held on tight. Longing stole over her. She wanted her own children in the worst way. Cadon pointed out the barn up ahead, and Amy jerked herself from her thoughts. What would be, would be. There wasn’t anything she could do about it except hope for the best. And given that her romance options were slim to none at the moment, there wasn’t any reason to go worrying over things she couldn’t change.

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Amy sucked in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. The air was clean and clear in the morning sun, rich with the scent of fallen leaves and wood smoke that stirred on the breeze. Fall was always Amy’s favorite time of year. The colors of the trees charmed her. Everyone just seemed happier in the fall. Holiday shopping and pumpkin pies. Turkey dinners and hot apple cider. What wasn’t to like about fall? “Daddy is always playing with the ponies now. He never plays the piano no more.” Amy’s steps paused at the sadness in Cadon’s voice. She stopped walking, knelt down next to the child, and lightly clasped his shoulders. “He doesn’t? Why not?” Cadon’s bottom lip pushed out as he stared at the ground. His dejection was so evident that Amy’s heart flipped over. “Daddy says there’s no more music.” Amy winced. Those softly mumbled words made her ache. How could a man like Kellan Wagner, a truly gifted composer, stand to lose his music? It must be terrible for him. “There’s always music, Cadon.” Amy said gently. He reached out to grab her hand again as he nodded. “Yup. That’s what I said. Daddy said maybe it will come back for me.” She swallowed past the lump that suddenly rose in her throat. Amy knew it was the loss of his wife that made Kellan retire. Obviously, he wasn’t composing anymore. Even for himself. For the sake of his children, she hoped he at least played for them. Kellan had a wonderful gift. “Well, let’s hope it comes back soon, huh?” Cadon’s face broke into a smile as they started walking again. Amy squeezed his hand just a little tighter. She couldn’t imagine growing up without a mother. Someone to fix the boo-boos and scare away the monsters at night. Someone to cuddle and kiss and read you bedtime stories. Amy really hoped Kellan did that for his children. Her gaze fell on Cadon. What a charming child. So well adjusted and friendly. Surely, his father was not the bear everyone made of him.

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Chapter Four “Toes up, Maddie, come on now.” Kellan Wagner snapped the switch against his black riding boot. The noise alone was enough to put a spring in the pony’s step. There was nothing that Kellan enjoyed more than time with his children and horses. Today was no exception. His six year old daughter was doing so much better on her horse that he couldn’t help but feel proud. The white Shetland was a gift for her birthday last month, and Maddie had worked every day to build a solid relationship with the mare. Actually, Kellan took pride in all of his children, especially when their dedication to a subject was obvious. The sun was up, the fog drifting away. He drew in a deep satisfied breath. The crisp November air brought an energy to his family. A hum to his spirit. Matthew was no doubt in the computer room hacking away. He was far too computer-savvy for an eleven year old. Alicia, his eldest daughter, was somewhere in the woods. She’d taken four year old Cadon and Morgan with her. Kellan’s eyes fell again upon Maddie. So different from her twin. Morgan wanted nothing to do with horses. She thought they were terribly smelly creatures and too much work. Her affection lay in books and music. Music. His heart pinched at the thought. It had been ages since he’d had time to create. Years since a new tune sang beneath his fingers. When Sadie died, she took the magic with her. For a long time Kellan thought he’d never be able to compose again. But the years passed, time marching on, and he found the grief in his heart lightened a bit. Of course, he still didn’t have the time to create. Raising five children alone wasn’t exactly conducive to personal time for him. He’d tried hiring a nanny for them, several in fact, but none of the women lasted long. They all seemed to be more interested in him and his money instead of his children. Kellan smiled. Maddie was the child of his heart. He loved horses as much as she did. They were such strong, beautiful, intelligent creatures. His stables were highly praised by the equestrian world. He had nineteen different breeds housed there. All prized for their solid blood lines and sturdy stock. Each of his children had their own special horse. The rest were Kellan’s stock for stud and breeding purposes. Not that they didn’t ride for pleasure as well. After a year in retirement, Kellan knew he needed something else to occupy his time. The music had left him, but his love of horses had not. His gaze fell upon the new mare. This little lady made twenty. A full house, to be sure. Each of his horses were well cared for, and they all got plenty of exercise. Between himself and his children, plus the stable boys, each received plenty of attention. They had a stable master who took general care of the horses, but it was up to the rider to do the before and after care. Kellan demanded that everyone, especially his children, took proper care when riding and that included grooming. Nothing pleasurable in life came without a price. “Daddy, do you think Santa will come this year?” The question pulled a chuckle from Kellan. He was far and away one of the most successful composers of the decade, and even now in his prolonged retirement, his bank

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statement reflected that fact. No doubt all five of his children were dreaming up Christmas lists longer than the Great Wall of China. An image of his wife’s face sprang up for no good reason. It caused the same electric pinch in his heart that his loss of music did. Sadie had always taken charge of the Santa duties. He couldn’t help but feel that he failed miserably in her stead, but the children never complained. “Up, Maddie. Chin up.” Kellan’s eyes never wavered from the girl on the horse, but he’d still seen the car ambling up his driveway five minutes ago. Since no one was approaching on foot, he figured it wasn’t a friend. Plus, he had no appointments scheduled today. Therefore, it was no one of importance and summarily dismissed from his mind. Curiosity snared the six year old though. “Daddy! Someone’s here.” “Eyes front!” Kellan said sharply as Maddie twisted in the saddle. “But Daddy, look! It’s a lady.” Maddie had turned far enough in the saddle that her seat became precarious. Of course, the new mare chose that moment to become skittish and side-stepped. With a little squeak, Maddie lost her balance and started sliding to the ground. “Maddie!” A small cloud of dust rose as the little girl’s rump hit the dirt. Kellan ran to his daughter. Maddie was surprised, and crying, but otherwise unharmed. Still, the racket she made left a big hole in his heart. Bending over, he grabbed her left arm and tried to help Maddie to her feet. “OK, pumpkin. You’re fine.” “No. It hurts,” the child wailed. “Now, honey. It’s just a little sore bottom. You were just surprised, weren’t you? Stop this racket, or your pony will be afraid of you. Come on now.” Maddie resisted his efforts, batting at his hands and wailing louder. Kellan threw up his hands in surrender. “Maddie, I swear-” “What on Earth are you doing to that child?” Maddie’s tears instantly stopped on a hiccup, her eyes widening as she looked beyond her father. Kellan spun around to stare at the stranger invading his privacy and clutching his youngest son’s hand. The intruder was a woman. A damn beautiful one at that. He instantly tensed. Her cheeks flushed, mouth set in a firm line. Shoulder length tendrils of chocolate colored hair dropped beneath a multicolored knit hat, their. The color of chocolate fudge, their silken facade sparkling with golden highlights in the sun. Two short, denim clad legs stuck out beneath the hem of a thick wool sweater that matched the hat. Sliding lower, his gaze took in the black leather boots peaking from the bottom of faded jeans. City, he thought with a grimace. His eyes flew to the person’s face and stuttered to a halt. Lord, but she looked hopping mad. His eyebrow arched at the diamond stud winking at him from the curve of her nose. Oh yeah. City.

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Little white clouds puffed with her breaths as she released Cadon, stalked over to Kellan, and snatched the switch from his hand. Bright cornflower blue eyes snapped shards of ice at him. “You have no right to go around beating innocent children, Mister Wagner!” “Excuse me?” Completely taken off guard by her words, Kellan stared. Who the hell was this waif to come into his home and sling accusations? His hands went to his hips as he frowned back at her. “Beat my children?” The woman broke the switch in two and shoved it at him. He ignored the pieces and let them fall to the ground. “There is absolutely, positively, no excuse for-” “Helping my child up off the ground?” Kellan asked with an amused smirk. “Not if you beat her first.” A flash of annoyance raced along his nerves, drawing his spine up straight. Damn this entire community anyway. What did he ever do to make people to think he was such a monster? This little lady better start walking the other way. Turning his back on her, Kellan picked his daughter up under her arms and set her back upon the mare. “No, Daddy, I don’t want to.” Kellan sighed. “Maddie, what have I told you?” The six year old seemed to shrink in the saddle as she mumbled an apology. Kellan hated when she did that. Ever since his wife died, Maddie shirked from raised voices. He immediately softened his. “One more time, lovie, OK?” Maddie nodded. With her bottom lip pouching out, she took the reins from Kellan and set off at a fast walk, following the rail. He smiled as she corrected her posture on her own. “You shouldn’t make her ride if she doesn’t want to. That takes all of the joy from it.” Kellan’s hands settled on his biceps as he crossed his arms and twisted slightly. One brow raised in congruence with his smirk as he glanced over his shoulder. “You still here then?” “Look, Mister Wagner-” “No, you look, Miss-” “Michaels. Amy Michaels.” “She’s a teacher!” Cadon piped up with a small smile. Kellan expelled a sigh. “Is that so?” “Yep, at my school.” Kellan’s eyes flicked back to the woman. “Look, like I told the lady who called yesterday, I simply don’t have time for this. As you can see, my children are perfectly fine. I keep to myself, Miss Michaels. That’s why we’re way out here in the boonies.” “Mr. Wagner, I’m not here about the behavioral issues of your children.” He snorted.

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“No, you’re here to lecture me on the discipline of my children, it seems. You know what? This whole town is nuts if they think I would ever lay a hand upon my child. And I am sick and tired of defending my actions. So why don’t you just state your business or leave.” Kellan’s back turned to the woman again so he could watch his daughter. He regretted the bite in his tone, but the town’s poor assumptions really got under his skin. Silence hung in the morning, filled only with the steady clip-clop of the horse’s hooves in the dirt. For a second he thought the woman had left. Gone from sight, but not from mind. Her face still hung before him if he closed his eyes. She was the cutest thing he’d come across in a long time. When noises began behind him, Kellan released a heavy breath. He could feel her wavering behind him. Could hear her feet shuffle in the dry autumn leaves. “Maddie. Toes up, now I don’t want to tell you again. Keep that back straight.” “Why are you being so hard on her?” Amy asked quietly. Kellan glanced over at the woman. She’d come very close to him. The autumn breeze toyed with the ends of her hair, dragging the scent of her shampoo to his nose. He stepped back. His anger fled with the wind. The male in him tuned to her nearness with the speed of a hornet. Her choice of soap sucked him in, and he found his pulse pick up a beat. Was it her scent that flipped a switch long dead? Lavender. The scent of enchantment. She licked her lips in a nervous gesture as he stared at her, and his body reacted with a twist of abdominal muscles and a hardening of areas better left alone. Damn, she smelled like heaven. His voice was gruff as he issued his standard answer. “If my children are going to do something, Miss Michaels, then they will do it to perfection or not at all.” Amy blinked back at him, her eyes wide. Clear as the blue sky they were, and just as beautiful. Kellan’s gaze fell to her lips. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, not since Sadie, but he couldn’t ignore the overwhelming urge to kiss that belligerent little mouth. The knowledge unsettled him. “Well, like Cadon said, I am from the school. But I’m...uh...I’m here to ask you to donate to Helping Hands.” All thoughts of kissing the woman fled. Just another money grubber then. Pity. Apparently, his anger hadn’t flown very far. His eyes narrowed as he stepped toward her. “Let me get this straight,” Kellan bit out, “You come in here, to my home, flinging absurd accusations at me, then you turn around and tell me you want money from me?”

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Chapter Five Twin streaks of red lit Amy’s cheeks as she blushed. “I...I’m sorry. Really. I just saw the child on the ground crying, and you were standing over her with that switch and then you forced her to get back on when she clearly didn’t want to-” Amy bit her bottom lip, abruptly ending her excuses. She was rambling, something she always did when nervous, and she could tell Kellan didn’t appreciate her verbal display. Tension radiated from his very being, catching the air in her lungs and keeping it there. Her nipples peaked of their own accord in face of such raw power. He was magic. The edges of his mouth dipped in a frown, arms crossed over his chest. And those eyes. Stars, they sparked with an inner light that had her backing against the rail and tugging Cadon with her. The hairs along her arms stood on end as a low growl rumbled from Kellan’s chest. “Do you honestly think I would harm my own children?” “No,” Amy said quickly, heart thumping at the steel in his voice, “Of course not. No, it was a mistake on my part. I’m sorry. Really.” “Look, I suggest you just-” “Dad!” The ear-splitting scream halted Kellan’s words. Both he and Amy turned to the house to see an older boy leaning out the second story window. “Dad! Morgan’s choking!” With a blistering curse, Kellan hauled his daughter from the back of her horse, set her on the ground and took off at a dead run for the house. Amy followed him, hot on his heels, determined to help if she could. Cadon and Maddie chugged behind, holding hands. “Morgan!” Amy heard Kellan bellow as he ran up the steps to the door. She caught the door as Kellan slammed it open and rushed through. Muttering a curse at her aching fingers caught between the storm door and the wall, Amy watched Kellan darting through the kitchen. She shook the ache from her hand and went after him, rounding the corner just in time to see Kellan stop at the foot of the stairs. His boots slid along the tile of the foyer, and he grabbed the staircase railing to stop his fall. With another curse, Kellan spun and met his six year old daughter on her way down the steps. The little girl Morgan was clawing at her throat, her sea green eyes wide with terror. Two thick black braids swung in the air as she shook her head in a panic. Small desperate noises leaked from her mouth, her small hands banging at her father’s chest. The gray pallor of her skin told Amy the child’s air supply was completely out. Kellan swept his daughter into his arms and raced back down the steps. Resting a foot on the stairs, he bent the girl over his knee. The flat of his hand pounded her back as her legs kicked at the floor. Amy’s chest tightened in response to the fear in Kellan’s voice. “Breath, baby, breath! Come on!” he shouted. Pleaded. Morgan’s hand motions became more frantic. She started turning blue. From her position off to the side, Amy saw the child’s wide eyes roll back in her head. “Move!” Amy shouted and jerked the girl from his grasp. Kellan stumbled back, his face stunned. Grabbing the child from behind, Amy knelt down, put a fist under her sternum,

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and shoved. Twice. Suddenly a large round object flew from Morgan’s throat to roll across the floor. Amy gasped with relief, holding the coughing child against her. Cadon stooped and picked up the blue plastic cap to a soda bottle. “Daddy!” The cry croaked from Morgan on a wail that far outdid her twin’s earlier screams. Amy released her and watched helplessly as the girl reduced to sobs and threw herself into her father’s arms. Kellan was breathing hard, eyes shining with unshed tears. He swept Morgan up, lifting her completely from the floor into his embrace. His lips rained kisses upon her head as he rocked her from side to side. “Morgan. Thank heavens. What on Earth were you thinking, honey?” “Matt made me do it.” “Did not!” Everyone turned to look at the older boy standing at the top of the staircase, face red with anger. “Matt-” “You always take her side!” Matt yelled and stormed off. “Matt!” Kellan shouted. Morgan started crying even harder, her little arms clinging to her father’s neck for dear life. Kellan patted her back, mumbling under his breath. Finally, his eyes lifted to Amy who stood there staring at them, shifting from foot to foot as she twisted her hands together. “Thank you. So much.” Amy smiled at the soft warmth in his voice. Gone was the bitterness from the courtyard. “Not a problem. I teach Kindergarten. Little ones are always popping something in their mouths that shouldn’t be there.” Kellan smiled at that and gestured toward the room to their right. “Listen, I’m going to get her settled down a little bit in her room. Why don’t you go on in there and have a seat? I’ll be with you in a few minutes.” “Sure.” Amy watched Kellan go up the stairs with his tear stained daughter, admiring the way he held his child with such tenderness. How could she have ever thought he was abusing these kids? When he’d gained the top of the stairs and turned out of sight, Amy crossed the foyer and went into the room he’d pointed out. Her eyes took in the sitting room with a sweep of feminine appreciation for the finer things. The ten foot ceilings added space, while the soft butter cream walls gave the room warmth. One wall, completely absorbed by rows upon rows of music books caught her attention. The antique furniture was exquisite. What she could see of it, anyway. Toys and empty dishes intermingled with a drooping stack of books and sheet music on the sofa. More sheet music covered the Baby Grand piano in the corner, dribbling down the keys and spilling across the matching bench. What a mess! Unsure if she should move anything, Amy slid a red, wrinkled, button down flannel shirt away from the edge of one of the chairs and perched on its corner. Her gaze fell upon the window. With the curtains drawn, it cast the room in shadows. Five minutes passed. Her back began to hurt from holding such an awkward position

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on the chair. With a wince, she rose to her feet and paced around the room. She needed a little light. Amy went over and tried to tug the drapes open. The draw cord snapped in her hand. Amy stared at the string dangling from her fingers in horror. Oh stars! Not here ten minutes, and she already broke something! Biting her bottom lip, she spun in little circles, searching for somewhere to stash the cord. “Whatchya doin?” A small squeak escaped as Amy shoved her hands behind her back and looked at Cadon. Her cheeks grew warm with a blush. From the corner of her eye, she saw Maddie quietly climbing the stairs. “Na... Nothing.” The little urchin actually smiled at her. “What’s in your hand?” “Nothing,” Amy said wide eyed. Cadon smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. His little four year old foot tapped against the rug. He looked so much like Kellan in that moment that Amy burst out laughing. “OK. Guilty.” She showed the boy the string. “I broke the curtain. It was an accident.” Cadon smiled and walked over, pulling the string away from her. Going to the window, he pushed the curtain aside and toyed with the rope until it hung in place via a make-shift knot. Stepping back, he smiled with pride. “See. He’ll never know.” “Cadon!” The boy shrugged with a devilish grin and wandered over to the piano. His small fingers trailed along the curving wood, leaving little trails of shine in the dust. “This is Daddy’s. I can’t touch the keys ‘cause I’m little, and it’s not a toy.” “Well, I’m sure it was pretty expensive,” Amy said for lack of a better response. Cadon peered over at her, his green eyes dancing. “You’re bigger. Can you play?” She smiled and said, “Can you keep a secret?” Those twinkling eyes rounded out. He looked left and right, searching the area for eves-droppers before nodding. Amy sank back on the cleared corner of her chair and crooked her finger at the boy. He scampered over, eager to be a part of the conspiracy. “I can play the piano pretty well. Not as well as your father, I’m sure. But I like to play his pieces the best.” Cadon giggled.

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Chapter Six Kellan stood at the bottom of the steps. His chest constricted at the site of his son’s blonde curls mixing with the deep brown of the woman’s head. Amy, she’d said her name was Amy. Thick as thieves, the two of them were. He stifled the urge to break them apart. All of his children missed the love of a woman. And for that matter, so did he. His eyes swept the room. His music room. Why on Earth did he let her go in there? The place was a mess! Of course, so was the rest of the house. He cringed. It was time to call in some cleaners again. Cadon’s giggles carried from the room to fill Kellan’s ears. The sound drew a soft smile to his face. His son wasn’t going to let this poor woman go home without a few tears. Kellan walked to the door and leaned a shoulder on the jam. “What’s so funny in here?” The pair jumped apart, a guilty flush burning both sets of cheeks. Oh yes, thick as thieves. Amy rose swiftly to her feet. “Oh nothing. Just talking.” The corner of Kellan’s mouth quirked up. “Not about me, I hope.” “No!” They both exclaimed, a bit too adamantly. He couldn’t help but frown. Kellan hated it when people tried to pry personal information from his children. It was one of the reasons he’d moved them out here from the city. “Cadon,” he said gently, “why don’t you run and get a couple sodas from the fridge.” Soda was a rare treat in their house. Cadon grinned and ran from the room. Kellan stood with his hands clasped behind his back and looked at Amy. “Miss Michaels-” “Oh, please call me Amy.” “Amy,” he started again, “I don’t encourage my children to keep secrets in this house.” She frowned at him, the bridge of her nose crinkling along with her forehead. “I also don’t condone them sharing personal information with strangers.” Now that put a bit of a spark in her eye. “That’s good,” Amy answered, her smile obviously forced, “because we were actually sharing a secret about me.” “Oh.” Great comeback. Kellan gestured around the room. “I’m, er, sorry about the mess.” She smiled for real this time. “Don’t you have a maid or something?” “No. I usually call in a service once a month.” “Well, don’t your children help?” Kellan nodded with a grin. “Yep. They clean their own rooms. But this is my room, so…” Kellan watched as Amy laughed, a warm deep chuckle that wrapped around him like a

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caress. His heart picked up its pace again, and he layered his arms over his chest in self defense. She tugged the knit hat from her head, and waves of silken strands spilled across her shoulders. The action sent a burst of lavender in his direction. Damn, but she was beautiful. “Ah, so this is a dictatorship, not a democracy.” His skin still singing with awareness, Kellan smirked. “Something like that.” Amy walked slowly towards him, and Kellan found he couldn’t move from the doorway. She stopped about a foot away, her eyes darting to the floor. To the wall. Looking anywhere but at him. “I wanted to tell you…” she shifted from foot to foot and licked her lips, “well, I mean, you probably hear it all the time, but I really enjoy your music.” “Thanks.” “I saw you every year at the Met until-” Amy’s voice trailed off. “My wife died and I retired,” he finished for her. She glanced up at him. “Yes.” The scent of her skin was much stronger when she stood this close. Kellan found himself leaning forward to draw it into his lungs. To memorize it. It was a small, perfectly harmless motion, but he noted her response. The air caught in her lungs, and her gaze went immediately to his lips. Desire looked back at him. Ah, so the attraction was mutual. For some reason, the thought pleased him. Kellan hadn’t been with a woman in four years. He didn’t know if it was that fact, or the petite woman before him, that caused the rush of need racing through his blood. He’d had plenty of offers, but he’d never been interested. Until now. “Do you think you’ll ever start composing again?” The words were a light whisper, brushing along his skin, but they grounded him just the same. That and the pitter patter of sneakered feet running the length of the hall. Kellan cleared his throat and leaned back just as his son careened into the room. “Here!” Cadon grinned and handed a can of soda to Amy and one to Kellan. Amy thanked the four year old and popped hers open. Kellan opened his, took a long swig, and then passed the half empty can to Cadon. His son beamed and sat down on the floor, glancing from one adult to the other. Kellan turned his attention back to Amy. “Actually, I’d like to, but it’s hard. Between the horses and the kids, I rarely get any time for myself.” Amy frowned as she went back to her chair and sat down. “Why don’t you hire a nanny?” Kellan was about to respond, but she gasped instead. “Oh, gosh, I’m sorry. I’m being a regular nosy-body aren’t I?” He waved her discomfort away with a hand. “No, no. A perfectly reasonable question.” For the first time in three weeks, Kellan walked all the way into his music room and shoved aside the stack of sheets on his piano bench. The pile teetered precariously for a moment, but didn’t fall. He sat down as well, the fingers of his left hand hovering over the

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ivory keys. “I’ve had several nannies actually. But they just didn’t work out.” “Oh.” “Amy could watch us!” Cadon said. Kellan smiled at his son. “Now Cadon-” “Actually,” Amy said at the same time, “that’s one of the things I came to talk to you about.” His eyes swept to her in surprise. “You want to be a nanny?” “No! No, I came to see if I could enlist your children’s help with a few community activities. After school.” Kellan shifted on the bench. After school was his time with the children. While they were away, he worked with the horses and usually stared at the door of his music room. Kellan usually reserved two hours after supper for personal time. One on one time with each child, a different one each night. He didn’t know if he wanted to give that up. “Oh please, Daddy!” Cadon whined as he jumped to his feet. “It would be lots of fun,” Amy provided, “I’m with Helping Hands, so they could help make baked goods, visit other children in the community, decorate for the holidays downtown and at the school, even help around my classroom after hours. Maybe serve the guests on Feed a Family night. That sort of thing.” “Well, I don’t know. They do have chores here.” Cadon sank back to the floor with a thud. The pout on his face tugged at Kellan’s heart strings. “Three days a week?” Amy offered quietly. “Maybe different children each night? I could even drive them home if your chauffer didn’t want to make another trip.” Kellan thought about it. His hands fisted under his chin. That would give him a little time to work. Plus, it would give the kids something to do with their classmates. The girls would have some quality time with a female adult. And they’d be helping the community. He sighed. “Yes!” Cadon whooped and hopped back up. Amy smiled at the boy as he danced in a circle around her. “I’m gonna go tell everybody!” Cadon flew from the room hollering for his siblings. Kellan was shaking his head as he stood up and moved to the doorway, watching his son scramble up the stairs with the noise level of an elephant. Amy rose as well, clasping her hands in front of her as she approached. “Well, I guess I’d better go now. I’ve got lots of places to hit today.” “Oh. OK.” The idea of her departure left a hollow ache in Kellan. He didn’t want her to leave yet. His attraction was still fresh, and he wanted to linger with her. Talk to her. Listen to her. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for lunch?” He asked quickly, “You know. I mean, you saved my daughter and all. The least I could do is offer you some food.” What the hell was wrong with him? Kellan barely stopped himself from rolling his

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eyes. He was rambling like a teenager. A randy teenager. That was sure to make a good impression. Amy looked a bit undecided about lunch, which was fine with him. It meant he still had a shot. “At least, I think we have some food around here.” She chuckled and tugged her hat on, tucking those locks back under the colorful wool. “Thanks anyway, but I really should get going.” And that was that. With a small sigh, Kellan moved to the front door. Hand on the knob, he paused and glanced over at her. Amy stared at his back with a look of longing. Her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip. Desire hit him fast and hard, knuckles turning white as he gripped the brass knob. He didn’t want her to leave, but he battled the feeling down. There would be plenty of time for this later. It wasn’t like he was never going to see her again.

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Chapter Seven Two weeks passed within the blink of an eye. The children were complete angels. Amy had each kid one day a week. She involved them in food preparations, classroom decorations, and painting props for the school play. They interacted with people their own, each one sliding neatly into a new group of friends. Cadon was by far her most talkative helper. Matthew complained about the cooking the first day, so the next week she had him help Mira Jones in the computer lab. Today was Alicia’s day, and Amy approached it with a heavy heart. The nine year old wanted nothing to do with Amy or the school. She ignored all of the other students helping out. Just bided her time in a chair with a book until the chauffer arrived. Amy had tried everything to get the girl to open up. Nothing worked. At three thirty, a sullen Alicia strolled in. She sank into a desk in the front row, put her book bag beneath the seat, and continued to read. In silence. Amy studied the girl for a moment from her perch at the board. “This isn’t detention, Alicia,” Amy said gently, “I thought we might go down to the cafeteria today and help with cookies for the Turkey Fest.” Alicia shrugged. “There’s going to be a bunch of kids down there today. Could be fun,” Amy continued. With an exaggerated sigh, Alicia rose and moved toward the door. Amy found herself jogging after the girl, catching up with her in the hall. The pair remained silent the entire way to the kitchens. As promised, the cafeteria was swarming with children of all ages. Alicia quickly went to a group of girls in the corner and sat down. She talked. She gestured. She smiled and laughed. It was as if a totally different child existed in that little body. Amy shook her head and went to the table up front where the other teachers were gathered. They smiled politely at her, but the ones on the far end still gave her curious looks. Amy set her chin in her hands and watched the children rolling cookie dough and dropping spoonfuls of chocolate chips on the baking sheets. The afternoon passed in silence for Amy. When five o-clock rolled around, she walked over to Alicia. “Time to go, Alicia.” The girl waved to her friends and rose. She said nothing to Amy as she marched from the cafeteria. Standing at the front doors of the school, Amy looked at the girl. “Alicia… I’d really like to be your friend.” Of course, the limo rolled up at just that moment. Alicia shoved through the door and raced down the steps. Amy watched as the car door opened and Kellan stepped out. He smiled and hugged his daughter, letting her climb in before him. Amy went to turn away, but noticed he was climbing the stairs. She pushed open the door for him. The scent of his cologne reached her before he did. “There you are,.” he said quietly, his body inches from hers, “I thought to never see you again.” She smiled.

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“Well, we’ve been busy.” “So I hear,” he chuckled, “Listen, tomorrow is Saturday. And I always ride on Saturday at noon. Would you… care to join me?” Amy’s breath caught in her lungs, her heart pounding a mile a minute. A date? Was this a date? “I… ummm…” “I won’t take no for an answer,” Kellan whispered, fingers brushing along her cheek. Amy found herself nodding, leaning towards his lips. Just then the horn of the limo blew. Long and loud. Amy flinched back. Kellan rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek. “I will see you. Tomorrow at noon. Promise?” “I’ll be there,” Amy grinned, her voice a bit breathless. ***** “Okay, maybe this was a bad idea.” Amy bit her lip as the horse shifted uneasily beneath her. Kellan shook his head, moving his mount closer so he could snag Amy’s reins. “You’re terrified,” he said softly, his fingers catching hers, “Thundercup can feel that. Just… relax. He’s not going to hurt you.” Amy tried, she really did, but his fingers sliding along her skin were more unnerving than the damn horse. Kellan’s hands moved to rub the muscles at her neck. “Just relax, city girl. This is going to be fun.” Slowly, the warmth of his hands seeped into Amy. She nodded, eyes sliding shut. “Be one with the horse, huh?” she chuckled. “Yes,” Kellan grinned. Amy sighed after a moment, shaking her head. “Ok. I’m ready.” “Good.” Kellan urged his mount forward at a nice slow walk. Thundercup followed him with out direction from her, which was fine by Amy. They headed out of the corral, across the lawns and into the wood. The leaves were already a crisp sweep of color. Reds, orange and yellow. They hung from the branches holding out for winter. The sun was still warm enough to heat her cheeks, and she sighed, drawing in that awesome scent of fall. Eyes sliding shut, she let Thundercup lead the way. She was totally and completely relaxed. “Don’t fall asleep, baby.” Amy jerked upright. Kellan had fallen back, and was riding beside her. She licked her lips and smiled. “You were right,” she said quietly, “This is fun.” He arched a brow at her. “Ready to try a bit more?” “Sure.” Kellan grinned. “OK. We’re going to skip the trot. Its bouncy, and I think the gallop would suit you

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better.” Amy listened to his instructions regarding her hands and legs. The forest gave way to another field, and he smirked. “Ready?” “Yes,” she grinned. “Go.” They both kicked their mounts. Amy quickly adjusted to the faster pace. The air whipped at her cheeks, and she laughed with pure joy. Over head, the clouds drifted in lazy shapes, but beneath her, the ground sped by in a blur. Together she and Kellan crossed the field, pulling up several yards from a creek. “Whoa!” he laughed, reining in. Amy did the same. They sat there grinning at each other. “Now that was fun,” Amy laughed. Kellan’s smile fell as he stared at her. “What?” she asked quietly. “Damn, but you are beautiful.” He whispered. Standing in the stirrups, Kellan leaned toward her. His hands cupped her cheeks, and he kissed her. Liquid fire raced through Amy. It was a kiss of dreams. A kiss of promise. She moaned quietly, her fingers layering over his as he nipped at her mouth. Her breath stuttered in and out. He finally pulled away, forehead dropping against hers. “Do you know how long I have wanted to do that?” Amy couldn’t speak, so she just shook her head. “From the movement you stood there by the barn. Shouting at me to stop beating my daughter.” She grinned and swatted his arm. “Are you hungry?” he whispered, breath warm on her face, “For lunch?” “Ummm…sure,” Amy breathed. Kellan slid from his horse and came to her side. His hands held her waist to help ease her to the ground. Amy leaned into him as her legs got used to standing again. Her hands fisted in the front of his denim jacket. “Amy…” His mouth swooped down to capture hers again when she looked up. Kellan gripped her hips, dragging her body flush against his. Wrapping her waist with one arm, he held her close, and Amy could feel the need in his kiss. She sank into his warmth, body yielding to his touch as he cupped one of her breasts and swept a thumb over a nipple through her cotton shirt. His free hand slid along her back to squeeze her ass while his hips rocked against hers. It left no doubt in Amy’s mind that she was wanted. They stood there locked in a heated embrace until one of the horses nickered and nudged Kellan’s shoulder. He mumbled a curse against her lips. Amy chuckled and drew back reluctantly. Kellan leaned over to kiss the tip of her nose once before turning and reaching into his saddlebag. “I’ll tie the horses over by the creek,” he said quietly, “Here’s the food. Why don’t you pick a nice spot?” “Sure.”

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Amy took the food and thin blanket, moving over to a flat grassy area in the sun. She spread the blanket and dug into the sack. Kellan’s little bundle contained sandwiches, two small bags of chips, two bottles of flavored water, and some strawberries for dessert. By the time she had everything unpacked, he returned. “It’s not much,” he chuckled, sitting down next to her, “but food is food I guess.” “No, its fine,” Amy smiled, biting into her sandwich. They ate in comfortable silence. The rustle of the leaves blowing on a gentle breeze was soothing. Eventually, Amy reclined back on her elbows. Eyes closed, she tilted her face to the sky, drawing the finally warmth of fall sun into her skin. “Its so beautiful here,” she whispered. “Yes. This is one of my favorite spots. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to buy. Even outbid another fellow at the last second.” “That probably pissed him off.” “Indeed.” After lunch, they packed up. Kellan helped Amy mount her horse. She smiled when he gained his own saddle with ease, swinging up in typical cowboy fashion. The ride home was peaceful. Matt met them at the barn, smiling at the sight of his father holding hands with the school teacher. Amy smiled and waved at the boy after Kellan helped her dismount. “Have a nice ride?” he asked. “Yup,” Kellan grinned, “Amy did great.” “Ayden Devona called.” Kellan’s eyes darkened at the name. “Thanks. Um. Help Amy will you?” Kellan walked to the house while Matt helped Amy brush down her horse and stow her tack. She thanked him and turned to see Kellan coming back. His face was set in an angry scowl. “Something wrong?” Amy frowned at him. “No. Nothing more than usual.” Kellan sighed and helped her out of Thundercup’s stall. Amy turned to smile at him. “Well. This was nice. Thanks so much for inviting me.” “My pleasure,” he grinned, “Thank you for coming. I’ll, er, walk you to your car.” He followed her across the yard, their linked hands swinging between their bodies. “So, I guess you’ll want the children on Monday?” Kellan asked as they walked along. Amy’s gaze shot to his. “Oh. Yes. Maybe Cadon again? I think he’d be upset if he didn’t get to go first each week.” Kellan smiled and opened her car door. “Already you know my children well.” She said nothing as she moved past him. The lavender of her skin swirled in her wake, and he knew he’d never smell it again without thinking of her. As it stood now, he didn’t want her to leave. “You could bring Cadon back with you on Monday. Maybe stay for dinner?” Kellan watched the emotions play across her features. Her face was so expressive. His request brought the color into her cheeks, and he noted the freckles across her nose. The

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whiteness of her teeth. “Would the kids be OK with that?” Her gaze was off behind his shoulder, looking up at the house. In a heartbeat, he knew that he could trust her with his children. With his family. She would keep them close, and bring them safely home. “I won’t take no for an answer,” Kellan urged, “Something easy. Sorta break the ice with them.” “Well…” “Look, Amy,” he whispered, fingers sliding along her cheek into her hair, “I don’t know where this is going, but I’d sure like to try and find out. And if I do, my kids come with me.” “I love your kids,” she answered, “Of course they’d come with you.” “So. You’ll come?” “Sure. I’d like that. It would be my pleasure.” He grinned, already planning the night out in his head. Pleasure. Oh, he’d love to give her something more than dinner. “Great. See you Monday.” She went to get into her car, but Kellan was there first, tugging her face forward for a quick, sweet kiss. Pleased surprise put a sparkle in her blue eyes. He swallowed hard, not having realized before that the finite streaks of green in her irises matched those of his children. “See you Monday.” He nodded and closed the door once she pushed the key into the ignition. “Drive safe.” Amy started her car and slowly pulled away. As the dirt swirled behind her wheels, Kellan stood on the driveway and watched her departure. Several things churned in him, all at once. Hunger topped the list. After Sadie died, he’d thought no one could replace her. And he was right. But that didn’t negate the fact that he wanted Amy Michaels. On several levels. Energy surged along his skin, begging him to let go and run free. He battled the need away. Later. Right now, he had children to feed, and a thousand other things to do. He turned on his heels, grinning as a new melody began to slip from his lips. Movement upstairs suddenly caught his attention. Kellan stopped and glanced up. Three sets of curtains moved as five heads darted away from the windows.

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Chapter Eight “Could this day go any slower?” Amy dropped into her chair in the teachers’ lounge with a thud. Missy regarded her in silence. A rarity to be sure. Uncomfortable under the blonde’s stare, Amy shifted in her seat. “What?” Missy frowned. “Don’t what me, Miss Michaels!” Amy sighed. “Missy, I told you. Nothing happened.” “Oh yeah? Everyone wants to know how you did it, and I for one want details.” The silver coffee mug twirled in Amy’s hand as she contemplated her answer. By eight o’clock this morning, every last teacher in Southerland knew that she’d been to Whisper Hills on Saturday and done the impossible. The Wagner children were helping the community. Socializing with the other children after school. And Kellan Wagner, the man who would speak with no one, had called the Vice Principal this morning and made a monetary donation to Helping Hands. It wasn’t the stares of the other teachers that poked at her. Nor the awe with which her friend looked at her. What bothered Amy the most was this overwhelming desire she had not to talk about it. Normally, she’d have called her sisters and her mother and jabbered on endlessly. But with Kellan, things were just… different. Of course, she’d done enough talking on Saturday anyway. Mrs. Cannelle had cornered her as soon as she walked in the door, demanding to know if she was unharmed. Laughing at the older woman’s concern, she’d twirled in a circle for inspection and allowed her landlord to lure her into the kitchen for a full recount of the events. Apparently, she shouldn’t have confided in the landlady, because word of mouth in this town was faster than a forest fire. Sunday was a blur in her mind. She’d slept in, much to the horror of church going Mrs. Cannelle. Lounging in her comfortable sweats, Amy did laundry. Wrote out some checks. Answered a few emails. Anything to try and keep her mind off Kellan Wagner. Every time she closed her eyes, his steel blue ones were there to smile at her. And her dreams last night! She blushed at the memory of the erotic images. “I just talked to him,” Amy finally said, “We went horseback riding. He’s actually quite nice.” Missy snorted at that. “The kids have been a real help around here. Cadon is an absolute darling, but Alicia doesn’t seem to like me very much. Kellan has been… well, sweet.” “You like him,” Missy whispered, a spark of mischief in her eyes, “You like Kellan Wagner.” “Well, yeah,” Amy shrugged, “I mean, not like you think.” With a mumble and a nod, Missy reclined in her chair. Her fingernails, purple this week, drummed on the table. “What?” Amy asked, hating the heat stealing into her cheeks. She never could lie well.

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Her parents and siblings had tormented her about that fact from an early age. Why should now be any different? “That’s what I thought.” Missy smiled like the Cheshire cat and swept up her glass of iced tea, watching the ice cubes move in the tan liquid. Amy turned her head, taking in the dull yellow walls of the room and its boring brown furniture. Someone needed to liven this place up. A few plants. Some nice landscapes on the walls, plus a fresh coat of warm colored paint. “So, when are you going to see him again?” The question pulled Amy from her design thoughts. How to answer that one? It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Missy… Amy bit her lip. “Tonight, actually. Cadon is staying after school to help me decorate my classroom for Thanksgiving. Then I’ll be driving him home.” Missy arched an eyebrow. “And… staying for dinner.” “I knew it!” Missy exclaimed, drawing the attention of the entire room. “Shhh…” Amy hissed. When the curious heads turned away again, she reached across the table to grab Missy’s free hand. “Please promise me that goes no further. Please!” Missy smiled, “Sure.” “No, I’m serious,” Amy demanded, “I’m already food for the gossip mills. Please don’t turn me into a banquet for them!” Amy sighed as Missy’s smile drooped. The blonde nodded, set her glass upon the table, and laid her right palm over her heart. “I swear. No telling of the dinner date.” “It’s not a date,” Amy said and released Missy’s hand, “Now, let’s change the subject, shall we?” They spent the rest of their lunch period over idle chit-chat. Amy inquired about Missy’s weekend, and the blonde cheerfully launched into a detailed report of her Saturday night date and all of his short-comings. Amy found herself laughing, pitying the poor man who failed to meet Missy’s high expectations. Missy would fit in well in New York. She had that bubbling, devil-may-care attitude that Amy envied in her friends from home. Missy asked about her vacation plans. “I’m going home.” The blonde’s answering sigh was wistful. “Ah, New York. I’d love to go there. All the hustle and bustle. People running everywhere. All the stores!” “Well, why don’t we pick a day for you to come visit while I’m there? We could make it a shopping date!” Missy immediately warmed to the idea. The bell rang, and the two women walked to their classrooms, making plans about their future excursion. “I can’t wait!” Missy grinned as she swept into her room with a wave. Missy’s enthusiasm detoured Amy’s thoughts for a short time. Walking into her own room, she found her steps were light. As usual, the kids were a bundle of energy. She wrote the letter and number of the day on the board, and set about giving her lesson on the letter

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“L.” As the kids went off for story time, Amy tackled the closet. It was her make-shift store room, and she had every conceivable nook and cranny packed. Rummaging through the closet took up another forty minutes until finally she pulled out a large box of fall decorations. One of her little urchins spilled her milk during the story, and that gave Amy yet another distraction. She kept clean sponges under the sink. Grabbing one, she set about mopping up the milk. Finished with the clean up, she went back to her desk to do paperwork. An hour later, Amy was beside herself. Chewing the hell out of a pencil behind her desk. The hands on the clock seemed to crawl by, making the afternoon feel endlessly long. Staring at the clock, she willed the time to go faster. By three, she was a ball of nerves. Her two assistants were doing a great job keeping the children moving between the stations, and Amy was grateful for their help. Her mind just didn’t want to focus on anything but dinner. For the tenth time in as many minutes, she revised her planned attire, waffling between sexy or relaxed. Leather or denim. Silk or lace. She didn’t want to seem too forward, but she didn’t want to look like a school-marm either. Finally, the bell rang, officially calling the day to a close. Heaving a great sigh of relief, Amy jumped up and helped get the children off to their exits. Missy arrived just moments later, a bouncing Cadon in tow. “I’m here!” The boy cried happily. “So I see.” Missy walked him all the way into the room, her eyes trying to say something. Amy caught the idea, and squatted down next to Cadon. “OK, buddy. There’s a big box of decorations over there by my closet. Why don’t you go decide what to start with?” Cadon ran to the box and happily started digging. “What’s up?” Amy asked when he was a safe distance away. “I just wanted to say good luck,” Missy whispered and wiggled her eyebrows, “What are you wearing?” “I don’t know,” Amy sighed, exasperated, “What do you think?” Missy’s answering grin was enough of an answer. Amy stifled a laugh and shook her head. “You are trouble, you know that? I thought you didn’t even like the guy.” Blonde curls shifting, Missy’s chin went up a notch as she sniffed. “Yes, well, be careful tonight too.” “Miss Amy, can we do the turkey first?” Amy looked at her charge and smiled. “Sure, honey.” Missy gave Amy’s shoulder a squeeze and left. Amy watched her go, then turned back to the boy. The old cardboard turkey looked like it had seen better days. Just as she was about to say so, one of its legs fell off. “Oh no!” Cadon wailed. “Well, so much for the turkey.” She smiled and went over to Cadon who was standing there frowning at the leg on the

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floor. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get some tape and we’ll patch him up.” For another hour, Amy and Cadon set about decorating the small classroom. Typical of a four year old, he kept up his half of the conversation with an endless stream of questions. Amy found herself warming to the child even more. Finally, she called it finished. Cadon stood next to her as she surveyed the end results. “Looks pretty good.” “Yep.” They put their coats on, turned out the lights, and headed out to her car. Amy put him in the back seat, clipping the seat belt around his waist. She didn’t have a car seat for him, and the thought nagged her all the way home. If she was going to be driving Cadon home often, she needed a booster. Once in the house, Amy handed Cadon over to Mrs. Cannelle while she changed. Cadon shook the older woman’s hand with a charming and polite grin. Her landlady beamed at him, the grandmother inside her coming out. She immediately tugged the boy off into the kitchen with promises of cookies and milk. “Oh cool! A dog! Hi puppy! Come here, puppy!” Amy raced up the stairs to her room. Now that the time was actually here, her head settled on a pair of khaki pants and a soft white sweater that showed a little shoulder with its scooping neckline. Spritzing her wrists and neck with her usual perfume, she quickly dug out her dress boots and pulled them on. By force of habit, she put on her good jewelry. Cadon’s laughter carried up the stairs. Amy’s stomach growled as she was putting on her lipstick. Her gaze swung to the clock. She had to hurry. Too preoccupied about being late, she didn’t even blink as she slid the diamond stud back into her nose on the way down the steps. “Cadon, time to go!” She called and slipped back into her coat. Mrs. Cannelle brought the child up to the front door, trying to wipe the chocolate smudges from around his mouth with the corner of her apron. His coat was still buttoned, hat set firmly on his head. “Hold on, honey, you’ve got chocolate here. We have to get rid of the evidence, right?” He resisted her for a few steps, then finally stopped and let the woman clean his face. Cadon got a hug for good behavior. “You come back and see me now, you hear?” Cadon nodded. “OK. Bye!” He scrambled the rest of the way down the hall and grabbed Amy’s hand. They were half way out the door when he suddenly turned and ran back in. “Oh, and thanks for the cookies!” “You’re welcome, dear!” Amy closed the door, smiling as she heard Mrs. Cannelle tell Mrs. Fletcher what an adorable child he was. “Let’s go, kiddo. We’re late.” They got back in the car. Amy waited patiently while he buckled his seat belt, insisting he could do it on his own. The drive was slower than last time. She didn’t want to endanger

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her small passenger. Half way there, she thought he was asleep. Her fingers turned on the radio and flipped to Kellan’s CD. With the volume so low, she didn’t think it would wake him. A few minutes later, she was shocked to hear his voice. “These are my Daddy’s songs.” There was a hollow ache in that quiet tone. A sweet innocent pain that gripped her heart in a squeezing fist. “Yes.” Cadon was silent for a moment. Suddenly his head popped up between the front seats, his small limbs following as he scrambled into the passenger seat beside her. “Honey, you should really be in the back.” The boy ignored her, but he did swivel around and latch on a seatbelt. “Which one is your favorite? The one you said?” Amy bit her lip. They were almost to Whisper Hills. It couldn’t hurt for him to be up front for a few minutes. With a sigh, she reached forward, pulling the strap tighter across his little chest. Then her hand reached out and forwarded the disk to her song. The light, haunting notes of a hushed piano filled the car with their flowing melody. Amy soon began to hum along, a peace settling in her heart as usual. The darkness of the car and the starlight night fell away. Her nervousness fled. This one song was why she loved Kellan’s works. This one song epitomized everything the critics said about the brilliance of his compositions. When the last note faded, her heart wept for the end, willing the song to go on and on. Her glance fell upon the boy beside her. Kellan’s son was fast asleep, a smile curving on his angelic face. With a shaking sigh, Amy looked back at the road. Soon the iron gates of Whisper Hills loomed above. The sense of foreboding that had filled her before was absent. She made the turn, noting the odd hum that sang from under the hood, and made a mental note to have her car checked out before the holidays. As she cruised along the road, her eyes swept the forest around her. The last thing she needed was another deer in her path. No sooner did the thought fly across her mind, then a large figure ran out into her path. Amy cursed and slammed on her brakes. Her tires spun in the gravel of the road, the Jetta fishtailing from left to right. Her arm shot out to brace the boy, jolting him from his sleep. Both she and Cadon yelled, voices echoing in the interior, until her car finally slid to a stop. The knuckles of her hands were white, a perfect match to the shade of her skin, she was sure. Rasping breaths fell from her lips as she sucked in air. Dear heavens, that was close. Her eyes lifted to the road, and she gasped. There in the middle of their path sat a wolf. The white blonde hair of its silken coat was stark against the backdrop of the night. Its eyes reflected a silvery hue, shining with malice in the beams of her headlights. Cadon unsnapped his seatbelt and scrambled up onto his knees for a better view. “Oh. Oh, my.” Amy could think of nothing else to say as her eyes held the steely glare of the wolf. The animal was enormous. Still as a statue, it sat there staring at her. The sound of her blood echoed in her ears. Everything else slipped away in the silver net of those glowing orbs. An

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overwhelming urge to get out of the car fisted her left hand around the door handle. “Get out and run,” a voice whispered in her head, “come see the glory of the hunt. For I shall have you, this I swear.” Amy’s right fingers flexed on the steering wheel. The wolf was gorgeous. Her panting breath created a patch of fog on the windshield. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. The click of her door locking down snapped her from her haze. She blinked at the wolf, confused. Her hand drew away from the handle to rest against the dashboard. What on Earth was she thinking? Cadon made a small sound in his throat, drawing her attention away. Surprise crossed her features as she saw the tracks of tears on his cheeks in direct opposition to the smile on his face. “Cadon?” And then the boy laughed, a pure and light happy sound. Amy reached over to cup his chin, pulling his gaze from the road as well. “Cadon? Are you OK?” The four year old nodded and sank back in his seat. He clipped his seatbelt on, little sneakers bouncing with joy. Her heart still drummed in her chest, adrenaline rushing through her system in waves. “I’m okay,” he grinned, “But we’re late for dinner.” Amy looked out the windshield again. The wolf was gone.

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Chapter Nine Kellan prowled the length of the foyer. They were late. His mind shuffled through various scenarios, none of them good. Finally, he heard two car doors slam outside. Releasing a pent up breath, he yanked the door open. “Daddy!” His son flew into his arms for hugs and kisses. Amy came right behind him, closing the door quickly in her wake. Something was off. After greeting his son, Kellan set Cadon down on the floor and turned to his guest. “What’s wrong?” “Amy saw… uh, a wolf on the road.” Kellan stared at his son for a long moment. “It was huge!” Amy said, her voice holding a note of awe, “And so menacing. Scared me half to death.” Kellan said nothing as he watched the soft smile spread across her face. “But, oh Kellan, he was so beautiful. You should have seen it!” He cleared his throat as his son giggled. “The car was going whoosh and whoosh,” Cadon added, his small body spinning one way and then the next, “and Miss Amy said a bad word.” “Cadon,” Kellan injected before his heart could get out of his chest, “Why don’t you go get the others for supper?” “OK.” When his son had scrambled up the steps, he walked to Amy. Instinctively, his hand swept up to cup her cheek. Kellan’s voice was soft with concern. “Are you OK?” “Yes.” Those crystal blue eyes stared at him, wide and unblinking. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “Why don’t I take your coat?” Amy drew back and pulled her arms from the leather. Kellan took the jacket from her, hanging it on the coat rack by the door. Her perfume clung to the material, and he drew the scent in like a drug. Had it really been just two days since he’d seen her? He turned around to guide her into the dining room and froze. Damn, she took his breath away. The pale curves of her shoulders beckoned him, barely holding up the thin cotton of her sweater. A small square amulet rested against her skin, just above the scooping neckline. It drew his eyes to the valley of her breasts, and he willingly stared. Her hair was down, cascading over her back in a ripple of satin waves. The flush to her cheeks from the cold of the night only served to accent her eyes. And the rose of her lips. “You look beautiful,” he finally managed to breathe. She blushed under his scrutiny, arms crossing over her abdomen. “Thanks. I’m sorry we’re so late. It’s my fault. I wanted to go home and change.”

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“You’re forgiven.” Amy smiled. He moved closer to her, drawn by the necklace. His fingers rose of their own accord to touch the smooth surface. The moment he reached it, a spark shot from the form to race up his arms. “Oh!” Amy gasped. Kellan growled under his breath, foreign words that sent a shaft of hunger racing through her belly. Her eyes shot to his, and for a second, a very brief second, she thought she saw the color in his iris swirl. A rumbling sound drew him away. His attention went to the stairs as his children came down for dinner. They lined up at the bottom of the steps, each and every pair of eyes riveted on the woman in their midst. All except one. Kellan’s hands balled at his side, obviously fighting to tamp down on his emotions. He reached forward, and pulled a book from Morgan’s hands. She made a squeak of protest, but Kellan quelled it with a look. Matthew handed over his Gameboy with silence. “Well, here they are again.” “Hi guys.” Amy eyed the line of kids. Stars, they were all so attractive. She felt like a dull brown mouse compared to them. Matthew, the oldest, was like a miniature of his father. The twins, Morgan and Maddie, were going to be a handful when they grew up. Cadon, of course, was her little cherub. And Alicia… Amy sucked in a breath. Alicia was shooting darts at her with her eyes. Kellan didn’t notice the look that passed between them. “Well, let’s eat!” He clapped his hands together, and everyone made their way to the dining room. Amy looked at the room in disbelief. The walls were a crimson hue, painted in way that reminded her of brushed suede. The towering ceiling held not one, but three medium chandeliers, casting the room in a warm light. A massive cherry table sat in the middle of the hardwood floor, twelve matching chairs aligned along its sides. Seven of the places were set with shining flatware and glistening crystal. The children immediately went to their seats and sat down. Kellan moved to the head of the table, gesturing for Amy to sit at his right. “You’re next to me.” Her feet moved of their own accord. What happened to the easy meal he promised? Her eyes flickered to his a moment. Kellan merely smiled at her. He held the chair while she sat and pushed it in for her. She smiled in response, a bit uncomfortable in such a decadent room. The reigning silence hanging over the table made Amy shift in her seat. Alicia sat directly across from her, looking intently at the silver dome covering her plate. Cadon perched to her right, staring at his lap. The twins discovered a fascination with their napkins, and Matthew studied his fork. What the heck was going on? Kellan moved to his own place, hands lightly resting on the back of his chair. After a moment’s pause, his head bowed. All of the children followed suit, and Amy found herself looking around in confusion. What were they-? “We thank the powers that be for this meal. For the health and safety of our family.

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And for the presence of our lovely guest.” There was a general rumble as Kellan sat down and the kids all swept up their silverware. Grace? The Wagners’ said grace? “Dig in, guys.” The domes lifted off their plates with a clatter. Spaghetti. They were having spaghetti. Amy stared at hers like it was a foreign substance. Wasn’t there, like, some kind of law against eating spaghetti in a white sweater? Still, it smelled divine. Her stomach growled quietly. “Aren’t you going to eat?” Kellan asked quietly. “Oh. No, I-” she frowned at him, “I just… do you always eat in here?” “Where else can you seat seven people?” He chuckled. She turned back to her food. Enough pasta filled her plate to feed an entire family. Amy bit down a groan. Stars, long spaghetti. Bye, bye sweater. She picked up her knife, and began cutting the strands, hoping against hope that she would make it through this meal and not drop sauce all over her lap. Everyone was so quiet. Why wasn’t anyone talking? “It looks delicious,” she said, a bit too loud. No one answered. She tried again. “Cadon was a wonderful help today at school. My classroom looks fantastic. You are all doing such a wonderful time with Helping Hands. Everybody talks about how great you guys are! There’s a lot to be done, and I think if we just take it one day at a time-” Alicia’s fork hit her plate with a clatter, effectively silencing Amy’s rambling. The nine year old looked at her with a coldness that stopped Amy’s breath as sure as her words. “You’re sitting in my mother’s seat.” Amy flinched. “Alicia!” Kellan gasped. “Well, she is.” The nine year old rose and shoved her seat back with her knees. It tilted from the force, the fancy carved wood slamming to the floor with a resounding crack. “Alicia, sit down.” “No!” Amy’s eyes swept the girl’s face. She was furious with her father, her blue eyes snapping like a winter wind. Each of her fists rested on the bones of her slim hips as she openly defied him. “I said sit down!” Kellan growled. His voice was rough as he bit out each word. Kellan was livid, his face a glittering mask of checked rage. When his daughter still stood, his fist slammed on the table top, rattling the china. The rest of the children stilled. An unnatural still, one caused by fear. Even Amy felt it, the hair along her arms rising on end. “She is not my mother!” Alicia seethed, “And I want her gone! I hate her!” Kellan rose so fast that Amy never saw him stand. One second he was seated, the next he had his daughter by the arm and was dragging her from the room. “I hate her!” Alicia screamed, “I hate her!” The door of the dining room slammed shut in their wake. All of the children were staring at that door, their faces in varying degrees of unrest. Amy took in the back of each of

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their heads. This was what came of accepting dinner invitations. Amy’s eyes slid shut, choking off her threatening tears. She had no intention of replacing anyone, let alone Kellan’s beloved wife. Her throat worked as she grappled with the words. She couldn’t honestly say that to them. She did want something from Kellan. He attracted her on every level, and she’d like nothing more than to fall in love with him. But with Kellan, his kids came first. With her as well. Kellan’s children didn’t want her anywhere near their father. She tried not to take it personally. She was a teacher for Pete’s sake; she knew how the minds of children worked. They would have rejected anybody he showed interest in. That’s what her head said, but her heart still ached at the rejection. With careful movements, she refolded her napkin, and set it gently next to her place. The material hit the wood of the table with a soft sound, but still it dragged everyone’s attention back to her. The twins were gripping each other’s hand, blinking at her. Matthew was studying his plate again. Cadon was crying, his cheeks buried in his own napkin. The four year old’s eyes blinked an unvoiced question at her, pushing a lump to the center of her throat. “I… I’m sorry,” she managed to whisper. Amy quietly pushed back her chair. She stood up, kissed Cadon on the top of his curls, and rushed from the room. The door closed behind her with a simple click. “Well, so much for Dad’s first date,” Matt said in the silence that followed, tossing his fork upon the table with a smirk. “Allie was mean,” Maddie wrinkled the napkin in her hand, “The Amy lady was nice.” “It was Mommy’s place,” Morgan said unhappily, “She always sat there.” “Yeah, well she doesn’t any more, Morgie,” Matt snapped and jumped up, “She’s dead. Amy’s your new mother, so get used to it.” “I don’t want a new mother,” Morgan wailed. “She’s not our new mother, Morgie,” Madison said, “Just calm down.” “I’m glad she’s gone,” Matt hissed fiercely. “Well, I like her,” Cadon yelled, standing up on his chair, “and I want her to come back. I think she’d be a good mommy.” “No!” Morgan screamed. “Stop it!” Maddie cried, “Just stop yelling, all of you!” All of them flinched as the door crashed open again. “What the hell is going on here? Cadon Mitchell Wagner, get down from there this instant!” The boys dropped back into their seats at the booming voice of their father. Morgan sucked in her tears, and Maddie slumped in her chair. Kellan stalked into the room, his face red with fury. The very air around him sizzled with unleashed anger. His fists flexed against his side as he marched to the table. “Has this entire house gone insane? Never, ever, have I seen a guest treated so poorly. And now this argument at the dinner table! Your behavior is unacceptable by far! Each and every one of you will go to your rooms right now unless I hear an explanation.” The kids all looked away. Kellan’s steely gaze turned to his eldest son. “Matthew. Answer me.”

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Matt stood back up, head slightly bowed. “Maddie and Cadon liked Amy. Morgie and I don’t.” “I didn’t say that!” Morgan whined, “I didn’t!” Kellan didn’t know what to say. How could they be fighting over Amy? As far as they knew, she was just a dinner guest. “Miss Michaels is just a friend.” “Oh yeah?” Matt asked, “Then why are you acting all stupid around her?” “What?” Kellan frowned. “Pulling out her chair, and smiling at her, and pacing around the house because she’s a few minutes late? We never eat in here, with all this fancy stuff.” “We had a guest for dinner,” Kellan said carefully, “I though we all might enjoy a nice meal in the dining room instead of the kitchen.” “You mean you wanted to impress her,” Matt scoffed. “No, I don’t mean that at all.” “Oh give it up, Dad!” Matt snapped, “We know you like her! You’re practically drooling after her! I saw you kissing her goodbye on Saturday!” “That’s enough!” Kellan growled. “Why, it’s the truth! We have a right to know! Does she even know about us, Dad? Huh?” “I said that’s enough!” Matt leaned back on one foot, crossing his arms over his chest. “So. Is Amy to be our new mother then?” “That is none of your business right now, son,” Kellan bit out. “We don’t want a new mother,” Morgan cried. “I don’t believe this!” Kellan threw his hands in the air, mumbling curses under his breath as he paced. Finally, he came to his place at the table. His hands resting on the back of the chair, Kellan leaned forward and drew several settled breaths. When he addressed the children, his voice was normal. Calm. “I loved your mother. Very, very much. And no one will ever replace her in our hearts. But she has gone on, to a better place. For a long time now. She wouldn’t want us to be alone forever, guys. I don’t want to be alone forever.” “I like Amy,” Cadon whispered, his bottom lip trembling as he tried not to cry. “I like her too,” Kellan said with a small smile, “But this was just dinner, guys, not a wedding party. We all need to be a little understanding here, and give this some time.” “Fine,” Matthew snapped and ran from the room. Kellan sighed. His gaze flickered to the side, staring at the empty chair to his right. He straightened. “Which way did Amy go?” “I don’t know. She left,” Cadon said quietly. The sound of the front door closing reached Kellan’s ears. It had a ring of finality to it that frightened him. “Eat your supper,” he said gently, “I’ll be right back.”

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Chapter Ten Amy rushed into the cold night, the heels of her boots crunching in the gravel of the driveway. Quick, angry motions swiped the tears from her cheeks. A thousand times a fool. Of course, the kids hated her. She sat in their mother’s chair! She cursed her self for her dreams. Kellan Wagner was beyond her reach. Her chest compressed with the thought of never seeing him again. Of never seeing little Cadon again. The headlights of the Jetta blinked in the dark as Amy disengaged the alarm with her remote. Her hand fumbled with the keys as she heard the front door of the house swing open. “Amy!” With a curse, she shoved the key home and opened her car door, tossing her purse onto the seat. Kellan’s footsteps sounded behind her. Eyes shining, she turned and watched him run to her. Stars, he was handsome. The black dress pants and cerulean blue shirt seemed made for his body. Strands of his golden hair whipped against the constraint of his pony tail, a perfect frame for those snapping eyes. “Wait. Where are you going?” She snorted. “Home.” “Don’t go. Walk with me a moment. Please.” Amy moved to get in the car before she broke down and wept, but his body suddenly blocked her path. Head bent, she studied the ground and blinked back tears. It was never going to work between them. But how to say no to the man of her dreams? “Please,” Kellan whispered. The warmth of his breath brushed her ear. His arm barricaded the door. She looked up at him and sucked in a breath. Kellan’s face was mere inches from hers. Her gaze fell to his parted lips and stayed. The scent of his cologne swirled around her, fresh and clean in the autumn air. Stars, but she wanted this man. “Kellan-” His hands shot up to thread in her hair, tugging her face forward. Her eyes shifted half way down. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea. “Amy…” She moved into him with a sigh, and his lips brushed hers. “Please.” Silently, Amy nodded. Kellan took her hand and led her out into the deep dark of the night. She knew her direction by the pale light of the barn in the distance. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “About the kids.” “It’s OK.” Amy sighed, “I really wanted this to work between us. You attract me in so many ways, and I… I wanted to be with you so much…” The rest of her words fell away as Kellan growled and backed her up against a tree. His eyes sparked in the moonlight, making Amy shiver. “Say it. Say it again,” he entreated, lips moving over the soft skin of her neck. “I want to be with you,” she barely breathed.

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“Yes.” Kellan groaned and captured her mouth with his. Amy enjoyed kisses before, but never like this. Kellan’s assault on her lips blew all the others from the water. Soft yet demanding, he plundered her mouth, his tongue sweeping inside to taste her. She grappled with the silk of his shirt beneath her fingers, trying to hold on as her world tilted. Magic. It was magic. Amy’s fingers moved of their own accord, pressing against the rowed muscles of his abdomen. The thin silk should have been cold, but it wasn’t. It burned with the heat of his skin. His lips turned to sweep along her jaw, one hand moving from her hair to tilt her jaw, the other unzipping her jacket with ease. Her body hummed with a longing so deep it made her stomach flip. She groaned in reaction. Kellan used his weight to press her back against the side of the tree. She grunted with the impact of his chest against hers, the coolness of the bark easily seeping through her clothes. His hands swept across her body, tugging at the hem of her sweater, and the chill receded beneath the heat of his touch. “Off…” he murmured against her lips. She said nothing as the cotton slid up to reveal her bare stomach. Fisting her hands in the length of his ponytail, her right leg hooked behind his knee. The feel of his body pressing down upon hers was exquisite. Kellan slid lower, leaving hot wet kisses along the flat of her abdomen. She whimpered against him, clawing at the muscles in his back trying to pull him in closer. His mouth moved to the left, just below the under wire of her bra, settling with careful precision over her heart. He began to lick her skin, pulling a bit of flesh into his hot mouth. Amy cried out, her spine bowing. Her heart began to race in tempo with the movements of his lips. She could feel the long hard shaft of his groin pressing against her leg, making her mouth go dry. Shifting her body, she rocked against him with a wordless plea. The place beneath his lips began to ache, a slow spreading warmth that soon consumed her. Amy’s fingers tangled in his hair, ripping the ponytail apart until the silken waves spilled across his shoulders. Kellan groaned against her, his breath harsh in the quiet of the night. Her eyes turned blindly to the puffs of mists leaking from her mouth. All around them the temperature dropped. Inside, she was a raging inferno of need. Kellan’s legs spread, his feet scuffing in the frosted grass as he balanced and started unbuttoning his shirt. The absence of his chest let a frigid breeze touch her bare skin. Gasping, her mind shocked back to reality. Her hands immediately went to stop him from undressing. “Kellan.” He dropped down to his knees, licking her abdomen in a way that stilled her breath. His face caressed her chilled skin, bringing it to back to the warmth of his touch. Closing her eyes, Amy tried to remember what she wanted to say. “Your belly button is pierced,” he growled, the rumble of his voice tickling her belly. “Yes.” “Your ears, your nose, and your belly.” His fingers found the button of her pants. “I wonder what else…” The coldness of his fingertips brought her thoughts back with a snap. She bit her lip. “Kellan, stop.” He stilled instantly, raising his head to look at her. Desire burned in the depths of his

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eyes, turning them a liquid silver. Pent up aggression deepened the lines of his face with a pale flush of white. “Kellan, I want you, but-” His fingers flexed in her sweater as he rasped in a breath. “Now,” he growled. The fierceness of his voice sent chills up and down Amy’s spine. Goose bumps erupted along her arms, and she shrank back against the tree. The sensation of predator versus prey swamped her. He could take her by force if he wished, and there was nothing Amy could do to stop it. Panic sent her heart skittering away like an out of control skater across the ice. Something must have shown in her face, for his eyes lost their lustful glow. Kellan backed up with careful steps, his chest heaving with unspent passion. Those silver orbs focused on her, his face falling in a wave of regret. Pulling Amy from the bark with a shaking hand, he tugged her trembling body into his arms and simply held her. “I’m sorry,” Kellan whispered into her hair, “Amy, I’m sorry.” “It’s okay,” Amy assured him, “I’m just cold. I mean, we’re in the woods. In November. We barely know each other.” “I lost control, and I… with you, I do nothing in half measures. You ignite something in me that I can’t explain. I only know that once with you will never be enough.” She sighed against the crook of his neck. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, it’s just…” “I rushed you,” Kellan finished for her. “Your children hate me,” she mumbled, shivering as the heat of their passion left her. Kellan stepped back farther, enough so his hands could rub briskly up and down her arms. He laid a gentle kiss on her nose and zipped her coat closed again. “They don’t hate you. I just, well, you are the first since their mother, and it will take some getting used to. For all of us, I think.” “Easier said than done,” Amy smiled faintly. “Yes. But I am willing to try.” When she didn’t say anything, his fingers found her chin, tilting her face up to his. Amy searched his features for a long moment. He waited patiently for her to answer. “As am I.” Kellan grinned and kissed her, laughing at the cold temperature of her nose. “Come on. You’re freezing.” It was a short walk back to the car, but his hand was warm around her fingers. Kellan shook his head and opened her door. “Would that I could make you stay.” “I wish I could.” Kellan’s hand tightened on hers before he kissed her gently on the lips. Amy slid back into the driver seat, knowing she would never be the same again. The magic of Kellan’s heat seared her soul. A mark that would never leave. “Another night…” he whispered, voice husky. He leaned in to kiss her one long, lasting, time. “Dinner, tomorrow?” Amy shook her head as she started the car.

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“Just you and me,” Kellan added, “We’ll go anywhere you want. I’ll pick you up after work.” Despite her reservations, Amy found herself nodding at him in agreement. He grinned and closed her door for her. She was halfway down the road when she glanced in her rearview mirror. Kellan was still standing in the same spot, watching her leave. Amy blinked her tail lights at him and continued over the hill. Thoughts of Kellan drove her home. She licked her lips, still swollen from his kiss, and brushed the tender reminder of his foreplay under her breast. He’d be an aggressive lover, and she occupied her mind imagining different scenarios. It made her hunger for him even stronger. She could easily imagine herself part of that family. If only the children would grow to like her. Arriving at home, Amy smiled at the dull yellow light in the foyer. No doubt her landlady was eagerly awaiting news of tonight’s date. Well, she’d get nothing from Amy. The feelings swarming in her heart were still too raw and fresh for retelling. Besides, as dear as the older woman was, Amy didn’t want this thing with Kellan to go around the gossip mills. Her steps were light upon the walk. By habit, she clicked on her car alarm. When she walked in, Mrs. Cannelle was flipping through the channels, searching for something to watch on TV. She turned and smiled at Amy. “Have a good time, dear?” “Yes,” Amy called and waved, taking the steps two at a time. Cheeks aching from a smile she couldn’t seem to shed, Amy entered her rooms and dropped backwards onto the bed with a small laugh. She couldn’t believe it. Kellan Wagner. With her eyes closed, she relived every second of their heated exchange. Maybe there truly was such a thing as love at first sight. With a final sigh, she stood back up and pulled her clothes off. Her pajamas lay at the foot of the bed. She quickly pulled the sweatpants on, humming one of Kellan’s songs under her breath. As the T-shirt was sliding over her head, she happened to glance in the mirror and froze. What the heck? Arms still tangled in the sleeves, Amy moved closer to the mirror and stared at her chest. Her fingers probed the tender spot near her heart. Kellan’s love bite reflected back at her, a thin line of dried blood trailing from its center.

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Chapter Eleven Kellan watched Amy until she disappeared over the hill. Then his spine flexed, his head fell back, and he howled at the moon. The timber of his voice was purely inhuman, an explosion of joy and pent up need, and the woodland creatures answered in a chorus of affirmation. Kellan wanted to run. Growling out a breath, his eyes slid shut. Bones shifted under skin as the silk of his shirt faded away, replaced by a mass of snow white fur. His pants and shoes disappeared; absorbed into the magic that was Lukoi. The beautiful face of the full moon shone down upon him, bathing him in her bountiful grace. His body folded in upon itself in a single fluid moment of change. Blinking rapidly, Kellan adjusted to his brother form of Lukoi. Four years. Four long years since he’d last changed. And now he’d done so twice in one night. Joy surged through his veins as the night air pulled into his lungs. Loping down the drive, Kellan cut out across the lawns, heading for the barn. His horses were quiet, each stabled for the night. A glance at the house assured him that the children had indeed followed his orders. One by one, the lights in their bedroom went out. His eyes narrowed on the futuristic blue glow emanating from Matthew’s room, but for once, he didn’t press the matter. No doubt his eldest son was online chatting with his friends. Discussing what a horrible, unyielding man he had for a father. With a sigh, Kellan turned and threaded through the woods. The forest floor was cool beneath his paws. Wolves had a special fat in their paws that thickened and hardened in cold temperatures, protecting the soft pads of their feet. It was a sensation that Kellan disliked, but thankfully, the weather was warm enough yet to forego such a need. The muscles of his haunches bunched and released as he sprang forward in a burst of speed. Gusts of wind ruffled his coat as he ran, shifting past his muzzle, dragging along sharp scents and the threat of snow. With a single leap, Kellan jumped the crick that severed his property in two. Amy weighed heavily upon his mind. He was a fool to bite her, and cursed himself soundly for such lack of control. She had no idea what the bite meant. What he was. What they all were. Each of his children had the gift, but only Matthew was old enough to change at will. Alicia was perilously close to her own ability to shift, and the thought terrified Kellan. Alicia was by far his wild child. Quick to love and quick to hate, indulging her passions regardless of the consequences. Her words to Amy this evening were not a lie. The nine year old truly felt that Amy was replacing her lost mother. Like a fortress, Alicia locked her heart deep inside. It would not be an easy barrier to breech, even for him. Kellan shifted his gait, falling into an easy lope. It was times like these that he longed for his dead wife. Sadie would know just what to say to their daughter to make things right. Alicia would need a mother’s guidance within the next year as she came into her gift, and Kellan was at a loss how to handle that swiftly approaching day. He didn’t know if things were different for the girls. He’d never even met a female he could ask. Though there were others of his kind out there, the packs never interacted. Each had their own lands and boundaries with a wide swath of common ground between like a

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buffer. In fact, Kellan had only met one other Lukoi, and it was an experience he never wanted to repeat. Sadie was already a woman when they met in college. She steadfastly refused his offer to change her. He walked her to her dorm one night after their mutual biology class, kissed her, and claimed her. It was an instant love, an instant bond, and sweet in its intensity. To this day, Kellan had no idea how they’d managed to live together, all those years, without a single bite between them. His heart squeezed as memories of her death flashed before him. She’d been so small and pale upon the stark white sheets of the hospital bed. At the far side of the room, Cadon lay bawling, his little newborn fists beating at the air above his incubator. So small. So early. Just minutes old, Cadon knew there was something wrong with his mother. “My job here is done, Kellan,” Sadie whispered, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, “It comes to you now to raise them. I brought them life, and you will bring them love. “ “We’ll love them together,” Kellan had answered back, his heart lodged in his throat. Sadie had smiled, that secret angelic smile that he loved. “No. You will find another.” Then her eyes fluttered closed for the last time. Kellan remembered every detail of that moment. His heightened senses heard her heart stop, and he slid to his knees upon the hard tile. He could still see the look of peace crossing her features. The limp feel of her hand in his, and the faint smile that remained upon her lips as she slipped from this world into the next. Forehead dropping to the mattress, he’d brushed a kiss upon her lifeless knuckles and let the tears come. They’d married because she was pregnant with Matthew. Yet through the years, a love had grown. It wasn’t the hot passionate love affair of a soul mate, but a love of friendship. Joy. Respect. Adoration. Kellan always wanted a big family, and making love with Sadie wasn’t a hardship. Still, he felt guilty for not giving the whole of his heart. All around him, the room spun in a flurry of activity. Like watching a dream, Kellan heard the alarms going wild, saw the nurses scrambling, and felt the shock of the doctors. None of it mattered. Sadie was gone, and they couldn’t save her. He’d moved from her side to allow them to work on her. Staring down at his premature son, Kellan felt the music within slip away. Later he learned that Sadie had a rare condition that thickened her blood, causing a clot to form in her lungs. The force of labor sent that clot straight into her heart, effectively clogging her system. He didn’t know if his Lukoi blood would have saved her or not. The doctors had been so polite and pragmatic as they told him about her death. His wife had so many blood clots in her body and placenta, it was a miracle that she and Cadon lasted as long as they did. Had he taken her to a specialist like he’d wanted, they may have been able to save her life with preventative medicine during the course of her pregnancy. It was a regret that he still harbored, but had finally come to terms with. The hospital managed to keep as much of the details of her death from the press as he requested. Kellan was eternally grateful for their privacy and compassion. Each year on Cadon’s birthday he sent in a large anonymous donation to the maternity ward. A small token of his gratitude for their care of Sadie and his thriving son. Movement in the underbrush cut into his memories. His attention lit upon the sound,

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feet coming to a dead stop. Kellan stood, motionless, searching the night. Suddenly a deer cut across the path not ten yards away. Yipping with delight, Kellan poured himself into the chase. For several minutes he pursued the doe until finally, laughing, he watched it leap into the state game-lands that bordered his property. Although physically capable, Kellan never took sustenance from the creatures that inhabited his woods. He respected their right to live, and satisfied himself with the thrill of the hunt. Heart pounding a mile a minute, Kellan turned and jogged back toward home. It when then that it felt it- the unmistakable scent of another alpha beast lurking in the woods. The hair along his back and tail rose as he growled. The tangy scent of another male rushed through the trees, filling Kellan with a rage. He knew just who carried that scent. Sure enough, a large black wolf soon loped into view. Kellan squared off with the beast, teeth bared and dripping with saliva. The black wolf appeared equally ruffled. Kellan leapt upon him, catching the enemy at its nape. They rolled in the leaves, biting and growling, as they fought for dominance. In the end, the black wolf yelped and ran from the site. Ayden… Kellan thought with a satisfied smirk. The bastard wanted his land, and there was no way Kellan was giving it up. Any of it. Especially not to another Lukoi with an eye for logging. By the time Ayden accomplished his goal, the lands stripped bare of trees. Never, Kellan swore inwardly, not while I still draw breath. Kellan licked at the cut on his right forepaw while he waited to see if Ayden would return. He moved to the creek and drank deeply. There was a small rustling in the underbrush, and he stared at the source intently. Nothing. After a few minutes, he turned and started for home again. While he padded along, his head swam with thoughts of Amy. How would she react to his family secret? With a pang, he realized that her breathless statement proclaiming the wolf’s beauty would surely change. Though their relationship was far from reaching that point, Kellan knew eventually that he would have to tell her. ***** Tonight the dream shifted again. Amy padded along the creek bed. There was blood in the cool water rushing by. Blood with a horrifying familiar scent. Whatever stalked her through the trees had claimed a victim. The children whimpered from their hiding spot. She clucked to them in reassurance, and then headed out to investigate. Moving silently through the trees, she followed her ears and her nose. Then she saw them. The huge silver gray wolf from Kellan’s driveway and an equally large black wolf. Engaged in battle. Amy’s eyes widened, her hackles rising, as she stood under the cover of the brush. Please don’t let them come this way, Amy whispered in her head. This place was secret. Her haven. Her dream. The safety of her children depended on her. And she would guard this sanctuary with her life if need be. As the brief scuffle came to an end, the black wolf loped off through the trees. The gray stayed for a bit, and Amy watched him warily. Her foot hit a branch, and she froze as those chrome eyes swiveled in her direction. After an interminable amount of staring, the Gray finally drank from the creek and turned to leave. Amy crouched, low to the ground, and held her breath as the gray wolf grew farther and farther away from her pups. The urge to run after the gray and call him back was strong, and she shook her

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head to ease away the feeling. She didn’t need him here. She didn’t need anyone beside her pups… Amy rolled over in her bed, her palm laying over Kellan’s bite on her rib cage. Still asleep, she moaned quietly. Her dream faded, as they all do in time, and quiet sleep found her once again.

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Chapter Twelve The silent house loomed into view. Kellan shifted as he gained the steps, his hind legs lengthening with ease. Back in human form, he pushed open the front door and walked to the dining room. Working quickly, he removed the remains of their ill-fated meal. As he loaded the dishwasher, a tune came to his heart. Kellan hummed under his breath, stretching the tune into a song with depth. Once there, the melody refused to leave. Well into the night, he cleaned the music room. Tomorrow while the kids were at school, he would commit the notes to paper. For now, they would follow him to bed. His palm slid along the now polished wood of his piano, reveling in the smooth curves beneath his hand. The keys were no doubt off from such prolonged lack of use. He would spend the morning tuning it. Kellan had absolute pitch, the ability to recognize the pitch of a musical tone without an external reference pitch. Still humming, Kellan made his way upstairs. He checked on Cadon first. Spaceships and alien creatures littered the floor, but Kellan managed to avoid stepping on them. Neon green stars on the ceiling glowed in the dark. Bending down, Kellan pressed a kiss to the unruly mop of blonde curls poking out from the space-themed comforter. Maddie and Morgan were next. The twins shared a room, but you could easily imagine the line drawn along the floor. Morgan took after her mother, perpetually neat and clean. Her side of the room was straight as a pin, all of her books lined in alphabetical order along the shelves. Maddie’s side was a plethora of miniature horses and dirty clothes. He made a mental note to make her clean it tomorrow. He kissed Morgan and moved to Mattie. Smiling to himself, he tucked her sprawling legs back under the blankets and kissed her too. On to Alicia’s room. The nine year old lay on top of her quilt, hands shoved beneath her pillow. Going closer, Kellan could still make out the tracks of her tears. She’d cried herself to sleep. Brushing a lock of raven hair from her cheek, he eased her under the quilt and tucked her in with her favorite bear. She made a few small sounds of protest but didn’t wake up. At last, Kellan arrived at the closed door of Matthew’s room. Knocking softly, he turned the knob and entered. Hand built little robot toys roamed the thick carpet. Kellan agilely side stepped over them and went to stand behind his eldest. “Matt.” “Yeah?” Matt asked quietly, not turning his gaze from the computer screen. “It’s after two, buddy. Time to log off. You have school in the morning.” “Yeah, just a few more minutes.” Kellan smiled at the back of Matt’s sandy blonde head, admiring the way his son navigated the windows on the screen. Matt truly was a computer wiz. “You say that, but if I leave, you and I both know you’ll be up all night.” Matt said nothing, just a non-committal snort under his breath. “Listen, Matt. Alicia is supposed to help Amy on Friday. I’d prefer you to go instead.” “No.” Kellan sighed and sank down onto the edge of Matt’s bed. “Look, I know you are more mature than this. I know you’d like Amy if you could just give her a chance.”

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Matt’s head bent as he switched off the computer. The chair creaked as he turned and met Kellan’s gaze. “I don’t know, Dad.” “Then can you at least tell me why don’t you like her?” Kellan asked. “It’s not that,” Matt said, getting to his feet and pulling his T-shirt off over his head, “I just… I dunno.” Kellan stood up so his son could climb in bed. Helping him pull the thick down comforter up, Kellan resumed his perch on the edge of the mattress. “Listen. We all miss your Mom. Amy isn’t trying to take her place in our hearts. I like her, Matt. And I don’t know where this may lead, if anywhere. But I have to try. I’m counting on you to support me on this.” Matt searched Kellan’s face for a solid minute in silence. “Please,” Kellan added, “Please, give her a chance. For me?” His son sighed. “Alright. I’ll go on Friday.” Kellan ruffled the boy’s hair and grinned as Matt protested with a laugh. “Thanks, buddy. That means a lot to me.” “She better not make me do anything stupid,” Matt grumbled as Kellan moved to the door, “No girlie stuff.” “No girlie stuff,” Kellan promised, “I’ll tell her tomorrow.” “She coming for dinner again?” “No. I’m taking her out. Pizza for you guys, okay?” Matt smiled. “If I say it’s okay, can I get a new game?” Kellan chuckled, shaking his head as he closed the door. Finally tired, his feet shuffled down the hall to the master suite. While he waited for the shower to heat up, Kellan tended to the cut on his hand. A nice set of jagged teeth marks marred his palm, but the bleeding stopped with the change. Still, he dowsed the small wounds with peroxide and wrapped it for good measure. The cut would heal by morning. Standing there staring into the mirror, his thought fell on Amy’s necklace. It was an ancient piece, one he could swear he’d seen before. He just couldn’t remember where. Shaving took about ten more minutes, and in that time, he still couldn’t remember where he’d seen it. With a shrug, he stepped into the spray of water. Steam rose as he upped the temperature to a biting hot. It eased the tension from his muscles. As thought of Amy swam in his head, his erection grew to a throbbing ache. Looking down, he actually laughed. If he felt this way after a few kisses, what would it be like to have her completely sheathing him? Closing his eyes, he envisioned the feel of her, and groaned. It was going to be a hard wait. Literally. He showered quickly and after drying off, climbed into his own bed. The silk sheets slid beneath his skin in a cool embrace. One arm thrown over his eyes, Kellan lay in the dark. How he wished not to be lying here alone. His mind shuffled through various scenarios with Amy, each ending the same. He told her about the Lukoi. She walked away.

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Chapter Thirteen Tuesday dawned with an anxious tone. Amy was late to get up, racing through her shower and flying along the country roads to work. She was barely in the front door for five minutes when John Mustar reprimanded her for the nose ring, which she’d forgotten to take out. Slipping the stud from her nostril, she tucked it into her purse and headed for her classroom. All day long, things continued to go wrong. Kelly Shiner spilled an entire cup of black paint on the carpet. Mica Mullins decided her clothes needed a new marker design, then cried when the blue smears wouldn’t wash off. Toby Burns complained of a stomach ache roughly three seconds before he threw up all over the story books. The cafeteria was out of salads by the time Amy made it there for lunch. She had to settle for the day’s special. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Missy was out sick, and the other teachers appeared otherwise engaged, so she ate by herself. Needless to say, Amy took two bites of meat loaf, gagged, and threw it away. She went hungry to her afternoon class. Apparently, Toby was not the only one with the stomach flu, because two more tots didn’t make it to the bathroom in time either. Ashley Whipple had a small accident in her tights, and Amy spent a good half hour trying to calm the bawling child. By the time the twins were due to arrive, Amy was in a frightfully foul mood. Though the day was terrible, she had to admit that her melancholy started the night before. Neither Kellan nor his car had shown up after work. Like a star struck idiot, she’d lurked around the abandoned halls. Two hours later, she left with the last janitor locking up, and went home in defeat. Mrs. Cannelle, oblivious to her mood, chatted about her day and served Amy fried chicken and green beans for dinner. After another twenty minutes of biting her nails and aimlessly shoving food around her plate, Amy had called Kellan’s house. Alicia answered and promptly hung up on her. Matthew answered her next call and informed her that Kellan was working in the music room. He wasn’t answering the children’s knocks at the door, and Matt supposed he wouldn’t be attending dinner. The thought that Kellan was working again lightened the pain of being stood-up, but Amy was still disappointed. She’d been looking forward to spending the evening alone with Kellan, and truthfully, wanted to continue what they started Monday night. When the phone rang around seven, she was pleasantly surprised to hear his voice. “Sorry I got delayed,” Kellan said quietly, “Would you want to catch a movie instead of dinner?” “Sure,” Amy grinned at the phone. “Great! I’ll be there around eight.” “Okay.” While she waited, Amy hunkered down at her computer. She checked her email, replied to her family, and did a little Christmas shopping. Her buddy list showed that Shadow wasn’t there, but she messaged him anyway. Shadow, why can I not confide in this man? My dreams have changed yet again… Amy stared at the blank text box waiting for an answer. It never came, for Shadow

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wasn’t online. With a depressed sigh, she shut the computer down for the night. Changing quickly into comfortable clothes, she went downstairs to wait for Kellan. Mrs. Cannelle was thankfully absent when Kellan’s sleek sports car rolled up the drive. Butterflies danced in Amy’s stomach when his headlights went out and the engine shut off. Kellan slid from the driver’s seat to bound up the steps and pull her into a fiery kiss. “Well… hello to you too,” she whispered when she could finally draw breath. “I missed you,” he shrugged with a wolfish grin. “The movie doesn’t start for another hour,” Amy said quietly with a blush, “And the house is empty tonight until ten.” He growled and nibbled on her neck. “You could… come in for a bit.” Kellan opened the door for her. He followed her upstairs in silence, but his hand gripped hers, thumb caressing the inside of her wrist. His touch sent little electric currents along her arm, snatching at her breath. She wanted Kellan, that fact was obvious. Her heart tripped along, sending blood stuttering through her veins. Amy was a bundle of nerves unlocking her door. The keys shook in her hand. The urge to turn and rip off his clothes grew overwhelming. With a small gasp, she finally rammed the key home and turned. The door swung open with her shove. If not for Kellan’s balancing hand on her wrist, she’d be eating carpet. “It’s not much,” she said, showing him inside, “but its home for now.” Kellan waited until she stood steady once more. Then he caught her about the waist, whirled her around and pressed her into the closed door. His mouth took hers in a feasting, drawing a small moan from her throat. She arched into his palm that rose to cup her breast and breathed his name in protest. “Kellan… we shouldn’t…” “I want you,” Kellan growled, “with an intensity that borders on insanity.” Amy whimpered, her mouth drawing in his tongue, tasting the roof of his mouth with her own tongue. “Damn,” Kellan hissed, his fingers flexing into her hip bones, “I want to take you. Right here. Right now. Up against this door. My body slamming into yours…” “And if my landlady decides to come home soon?” Kellan’s fist slammed against the door jam with an oath of frustration. His forehead dropped against hers. “Sorry,” Kellan said, voice husky, “You’re right. I’m sorry.” “Don’t be,” Amy grinned, catching his hand to kiss his palm. “Just… not here. Not now.” He nodded and turned with a heavy sigh. Amy bit her lip as she watched him survey her room. “I take it you like wolves?” “Sure do,” Amy smiled, “Gran said they are my spirit animal.” He grunted at that. “She also said that my necklace here unlocked the power of the wolf.” That got his attention. Kellan came over to her, fingers reaching out to hover over the amulet.

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“What power?” he asked quietly. As before, his fingers twitched over the amulet in response to its magic. The amulet grew warm against her skin, and Amy blinked at the sensation. She gasped, her palm flattening over the silver. Drawing in a audible breath, Kellan curled his fingers and dropped his hand. “What power, Amy?” he asked again. “I don’t know.” He brushed her lips quickly with a light kiss. “Perhaps we will someday find out, hm?” Amy nodded and went to sit in her computer chair. Kellan moved around the room like he was meant to be in it, pausing to study a picture or statue as he went. “This your family?” he asked, picking up the frame by her bed. “Yes.” She pointed out each person by name and age. “Big family,” he said and carefully set the picture down. “Yeah, they’re a trip.” Amy launched into tales of holiday dinners, which more often than not ended up in disaster. She noticed how his eyes never left her face, and for some reason that warmed her heart. They spent the better part of an hour getting to know one another. He talked about his departed wife and his kids. Amy told him about her family and her friend Shadow. Before she knew it, it was time to go. Once in town, they ignored the stares of the town folk and quickly found their seats. The lights dimmed. Amy figured they spent more time necking than actually watching the film. She laughed when Kellan asked her the point of the movie, and neither one could remember it. Back in the driveway, they sat in his car. Kellan reached for her, taking her lips again with fierce possession. “Come home with me, Amy.” She shook her head and chuckled softly. “You know I can’t. I have work tomorrow.” He growled in response to her fingers sliding along his jaw and playfully nipped at her fingertips. “Tomorrow is Wednesday, right?” “Yes,” she breathed as he kissed her fingertips. “I give Dave off the night before Thanksgiving. Think you could drive the girls out?” “Sure,” Amy nodded, “I’m bringing them out here anyway to bake with Mrs. Cannelle.” “Good.” Kellan tugged her forward to kiss her again. She melted into his lips, her soft sighs and whimpers seeping into his mouth. At long last, they came up for air. The windows steamed with fog from their combined heat, making her chuckle. “You better go before I change my mind about letting you.” Amy grinned at him and climbed out. Leaning back in she kissed him again until he groaned.

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“See you tomorrow. And thanks for the date.” “Bye!” Kellan growled with a roll of his eyes. Amy closed the door and went inside, waving to him as she turned off the porch light. He flicked his headlights in farewell, and headed off towards home. “Late night, dear?” Amy jumped in surprise, hand flying to her throat. “Stars, Mrs. Cannelle! You scared me half to death.” “Sorry,” the older woman patted her glass of milk, “I couldn’t sleep, so I came down for a drink.” “Oh,” Amy said, shrugging out of her coat and setting it on the hall hook, “Bad dreams?” “No,” Mrs. Cannelle smiled, “Spicy tacos.” Amy laughed and shook her head as she waved good night. She climbed the stairs, her legs almost leaden. It has been a long night, and the decision not to go home with Kellan had been a difficult one. They hardly knew each other. Yet talking to him tonight was like talking to an old friend. Like they’d known each other forever. After changing, Amy slid into her bed, nestling into the pillows. She tucked the comforter up under her chin and sighed. Tomorrow she would go to his house after dinner. What happened beyond that, she simply couldn’t foresee.

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Chapter Fourteen Wednesday dawned, clear and crisp. Snow was in the forecast, but the storm wasn’t due until later that night. Amy packed when she got up and loaded her trunk. She planned on leaving straight from Kellan’s after dropping off the girls. Thankfully, she and the twins were heading for Mrs. Cannelle’s to bake for the Turkey-Kitchen night tomorrow, the Thanksgiving dinner supplied by Helping Hands. The classroom hummed with excitement as it always did before a holiday break. Amy and her helpers were hard pressed to keep the kids centered, so the lesson turned into an easy free time for all. She was just getting the room straightened up around three when the twins came in the door. “Hi, Miss Michaels,” they said in unison. Amy turned and stared at them. The pair were identically dressed, right down to the ribbons in their hair. “Uh, hi guys. You ready to go cook?” The girls nodded. Amy went around the room, checking to make sure everything was in the right spot. With today marking the beginning of Thanksgiving break, she wanted the room perfect for her return. Coming back to her desk, she tugged on her coat and glanced at the girls. One of them, she thought it was Morgan, was tugging a hat on her head. “Maddie, don’t you have a hat?” “I’m Morgan,” the child in question pouted. “Oh, sorry.” Amy shook her head, and swept up her purse. “Ok, let’s go.” The girls followed her out to the Jetta holding hands. Amy opened the back door for them. “Morgan, you first.” “I’m Maddie,” the one in the hat said. Amy frowned down at them. “But inside you said-” “I gave her the hat,” the other child injected, “So she wouldn’t get cold. I’m Morgan.” Amy blinked. And blinked again. Stars, she was tired. “Well, then, Maddie in first. Both of you get your seatbelts on.” The girls complied with identical smirks. Amy closed the door behind them, rolling her eyes in the process. It hadn’t been this hard to tell them apart on Monday. Climbing in behind the wheel, Amy started the car and pulled from the parking lot. She offered to turn on the radio, but Maddie declined and the twins played some clapping hand game all the way home. Mrs. Cannelle stood waiting at the door, her face a wreath of smiles. The girls held hands again, hanging back behind Amy’s leg. Once in the parlor, Amy made the introductions. “Ladies, this is Mrs. Cannelle, our resident chef. Mrs. Cannelle, this is Maddie and Morgan.” Tugging the hat from her head, the one girl smiled and said, “I’m Morgan.”

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Amy scowled at the top of the little girl’s head. “Well, come along then. We’ve got quite a few pies to bake.” Pumpkin innards and apple slices spilled across the countertops. Mrs. Cannelle made quick work of getting the girls involved, and soon the trio was happily up to the elbows in flour. Amy hunkered down at the kitchen table, wincing at the racket they were making. Elbows on the clean surface, her fingertips tried to rub the dull throb from her temples. She was prone to migraines. An ache that would not be pleasant during her future two hour drive to New York. “Tough day, dear?” Mrs. Cannelle whispered. Amy faked a smile at the cup of tea and two round white pills of aspirin that suddenly slid under her nose. “Just a slight headache.” “Well, drink up,” Mrs. Cannelle said and patted her shoulder, “The Chamomile will do you good.” The aspirin went down in one scalding gulp. Gasping for air, Amy fanned her mouth. After a moment, the burning went away. Tentatively sipping the warm brew again, Amy watched the twins interact with her landlady. Both of the girls were friendly, curious, and having a great time. Her stomach tipped at the feeling of isolation, but with her head pounding so ferociously, she could do little more than watch. Two hours later, a chorus of whines filled the kitchen as Amy announced it was time to go. Morgan and Maddie washed up at the sink while Mrs. Cannelle put the pies in the oven. Amy took the dirty aprons from the girls and carried them to the laundry room, happy that her headache was down to a nagging whisper. Gathered at the front door, Amy handed out coats. “Here’s your hat, Morgan,” Amy smiled, holding out the hat to the nearest girl. “I’m Maddie. Sheesh!” The other twin snatched the hat away and rammed it on her head. “You think you would know who’s who by now!” Morgan grumbled. Amy stood at the doorway, watching the girls make their way to the car. She sighed and scrubbed her face with her hands. “Don’t worry, dear, you had them right.” “What?” “I do believe they’re playing tricks on you,” Mrs. Cannelle smiled, pushing the car keys into Amy’s hand. Amy sputtered a reply as she was shooed out the door. The girls seemed to know that their secret was out. Neither twin said much on the ride home. Amy flipped on her radio and pushed in her favorite CD, but she got no reaction from her passengers. When the car passed beneath the arch, Amy let out a pent up breath. Her eyes swept up and down the road, but the beautiful beast from Monday night was nowhere in sight. The twins scrambled from the car as soon as she stopped, the door hanging open their wake. Amy shuffled around the hood and closed their door just as Kellan’s voice carried out into the falling night. “Hey, guys! Did you have a good time? Maddie, where’s your hat?”

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Amy turned and walked toward the house, a smirk on her face as both girls glanced at her with a guilty flush staining their cheeks. “I...uh… left it at school.” When Amy raised an eyebrow, the twins made a hasty retreat to their bedroom. Amy walked up the steps to confront Kellan’s perplexed smile. “What was that all about?” “Oh, nothing.” Amy held Kellan’s arm as he led her into the foyer. His swath of hair was out of the usual ponytail tonight, and his thermal shirt and jeans hugged every curve. She’d missed him, Amy admitted to herself. “Did the girl’s behave for you today?” Amy nodded, fingers rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her headache was swiftly returning. Kellan noted the gesture. Eyes filling with concern, he palmed her cheek with his warm hand. “Are you OK?” “The girls were great, although they confused their identities on me a few times. And I have a headache.” Kellan sighed. “I’m sorry. I should’ve warned you. They do that to everybody new.” Amy shrugged, closing her eyes. The light of the foyer chandelier was killing her. Kellan suddenly arrived behind her. He took her coat, sliding the leather from her arms. Hanging it on the hook to his right without even looking, Kellan pulled her backwards against his chest and kissed the nape of her neck. “I’m sorry about last night too.” Amy shivered under the caress of his lips, her hands automatically sliding over his. Stars, but he smelled good. Leaning against him, her heart sped up. She felt like she was coming home herself, not just dropping off the kids. “I wanted to come home with you.” “Mmm…” he answered, mouth moving on to her ear. “Listen,” Amy said quietly, “maybe I should go before this headache gets any worse. I have a long drive tonight.” Kellan abruptly stopped kissing her neck and turned her gently in his arms. “What do you mean? Where are you going?” “Home. For break. To see my family.” She teetered precariously on her feet. Kellan grabbed Amy by her biceps and tugged her against him before she fell. “Amy?” “Oh yeah,” she mumbled, “full blown migraine now.” Shaking his head, Kellan lifted her up into his arms and started up the stairs. “What’re you doing?” Amy whispered, even as her cheek fell against his shoulder. “You are in no condition to drive anywhere,” he said softly and brushed a kiss across her temple, “You’re going to stay here tonight.” Amy immediately started to protest, but he silenced her with another kiss. “Shhh. You can stay in the guest room. I’ll help get you there, and leave you alone.

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Swear.” She would have argued more, but the stairwell was already spinning off-axis. Amy’s arms wound around his neck, clinging limply to the material of his shirt. ***** Kellan laid Amy down on the un-made bed. Her eyes were pinched shut, and he quickly moved to close the door. The guestroom had a private bathroom and walk in closet. Deciding that the closet light was the least harsh, he switched it on and cracked the door a bit. Amy was barely visible in the dim glow filtering across the floor. Going to the bed, he brushed a quick kiss on her cheek and bent to pull off her shoes. They fell to the floor with a soft thunk, but that was enough to make her cringe. Tugging gently, he started to unbutton her jeans. “Just so you’re comfortable, honey,” he whispered when she batted at his hand. She relaxed again. Kellan tried not to move her too much as he slid the denim down, leaving her in her thin cotton shirt and underwear. His hands gently lifted her legs, tucking her body under the silk sheets and down comforter. Her face turned into one of the thick pillows with a small moan. His lips frowning, Kellan went down the hall to his bathroom and retrieved some aspirin and a small glass of water. He tip-toed needlessly back to her bed. The carpet in his house was so plush that his feet wouldn’t make a sound even if he were jumping in combat boots. Easing down next to Amy, he rubbed the tense muscles in her shoulders. “Here, baby, drink this.” Amy lifted her head just enough to take the aspirin from his hand and swallow a gulp of water. The feel of her mouth against his palm sent sparks shooting up his arm, but Kellan quickly squelched them. She was in no condition for him to think that way. Still, his body tightened in a dangerous way, and he shifted on the bed, ready to leave. “Don’t… don’t go,” Amy whispered, her voice feather light. Kellan sat there, debating the wisdom of sliding into bed with her. With a sigh, he realized that he didn’t want to leave her anyway. What would it harm to spend the night holding her? Rising to his feet, Kellan moved to the dresser. He took off his watch and emptied his pockets as quietly as possible. Amy never moved. He went to the bathroom again to change. A single thought kept rushing through his head. Amy was lying half-naked in the bed not six feet from the door. For a moment, Kellan leaned on the sink and drew several steadying breaths. The need to go in and claim her swept over him in waves. Damn, he was acting like a randy teenager again. Cursing between his lips, Kellan undressed. His clothes hit the floor in a quiet heap. He slid the boxers back up over his obvious erection and padded back into the room. Amy was a soft abstract form beneath the blanket. He moved to the far side of the bed and slid in beside her. She immediately turned into his arms, her face nestling in the crook of his neck. Kellan sucked in a breath as her leg wound over his waist and froze. Her skin was like warm velvet, brushing against his groin with sweet torture. His arm curved around her shoulders, fingers absently running up and down her back. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

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Kellan had to swallow twice before answering her. “No problem. Just go to sleep, baby. You’ll feel better in a bit.” Now, if only he could follow his own advice.

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Chapter Fifteen Amy awoke through a haze of warmth, not really sure when she’d bought new pillows. Then she realized that her pillow was a moving, breathing slab of rippled muscle. Her eye popped wide open. She sucked in a sharp breath, the scent of Kellan’s cologne filling her senses. Kellan was fast asleep. She could see his features in the dim light coming from the closet. He looked so peaceful that she hated to disturb him. Her gaze dropped to his abdomen where her hand splayed against the warm satin of his skin, thumb resting just above the band of his boxers. With a guilty flush, she shifted a little and blinked at her watch. Stars, it was after midnight! Slipping out from under his arm, Amy walked to the window and looked out. “Oh, no.” Half a foot of snow covered the grounds. The fluffy white flakes were falling steadily, latching on to the bushes and branches. She could barely see beyond the curve of the road. Her car was a simple white mound in the driveway. She groaned. The Jetta was never going to make it up the hill at the end of the driveway, let alone to New York. Her forehead fell upon the cool glass as her eyes slid shut. So much for going home. At least her headache was gone. “Amy?” Amy spun around with a gasp, hand flying to her throat. Kellan sat upon the center of the bed, his sexy eyes heavy with sleep. His hair was unbound, falling along his shoulders. Very bare shoulders. “Stars, you scared me,” she whispered, “I thought you were asleep.” He frowned. “What are you doing, baby?” “Looking at the snow.” Kellan swung his legs over the side of the mattress, tugging the comforter from his limbs. On bare feet, he shuffled over to her. Arms closing around her waist, he hugged her from behind and glanced out the window. “Hmm. They said we were in for a storm. How are you feeling?” “Much better. I’m sorry to put you out like that.” His nose nuzzled into the crook of her neck, laying a gentle kiss there at her pulse. “It was my pleasure.” Amy felt her limbs relaxing into his body. She was suddenly all too aware that her pants were missing and his boxers hid nothing. Leaning away from him, she swept a shaking hand through her tangled hair. “I really should get going before this gets any worse.” Kellan turned her in his arms. “Stay.” One word filled with such a multitude of meanings. “I have to go to my parents tonight, and-” “You car is buried. It’s too late to drive tonight,” Kellan interrupted her, “Stay with

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me.” “We barely know each other.” “I’m attempting to remedy that.” Amy hesitated. Her stomach flipped at the smirk stealing across his face. Fingers entwining with hers, he tugged her along the carpet. “Come back to bed.” The huskiness of his voice rasped along her skin, hardening her nipples as sure as his touch. She licked her lips over a mouth suddenly gone dry. All debate flew out the window when she saw the fire dancing in his eyes. She nodded. Kellan groaned and jerked her against him. His mouth latched onto hers. Their fingers still interlocked, he pushed into her hair, effectively keeping her hands at bay. With her arms above her head, Amy was helpless to stop Kellan’s chest from rubbing her breasts, and the friction was agonizing. “Amy…” Her name from his lips was a seductive whisper. Amy stopped breathing. Stopped thinking. Desire assaulted her in a single sweeping wave. His tongue sought places within her mouth that sent a rope of heat coiling in her belly. Her legs folded beneath her just as Kellan’s knees hit the bed. They tumbled together onto the mattress. Kellan immediately rolled her beneath him. His body was warm and hard against her, sending heat skittering along her skin. Pushing at the cotton of her shirt, his lips began tracing patterns on her abdomen. Amy’s leg wound around his knee. His erection pressed against her thigh, the weight of his body a pleasant push into the comforter. There was a rightness to this that she couldn’t deny. Kellan shifted away enough to slip his finger into the top of her panties. She lifted her hips, allowing him to slide the thin material down. With a grunt of approval, he nuzzled into the apex of her thighs, tongue lashing out to sweep along the sensitive nub there. Amy cried out at the pleasure, her spine bowing up from the mattress. Gasping in the dark, she let the sensations wash over her. A rippling tide of burning need. Kellan feasted at her mound like a starved man. Her hips rose to meet his mouth of their own accord. Mindless phrases fell from her lips as her fingers tangled in his hair. He moaned against her, sending the sound deep within her core with his tongue. Amy bucked and called his name. Her climax hit with an unexpected rush, leaving her breathless and more than a little embarrassed. “Mmm, so sweet…” Kellan murmured. He pushed two fingers into her as his face slid up the flat of her belly. Amy wanted to kiss him. Her fingers combed through his hair, grabbing fistfuls of the golden locks. He growled but rose above her. “What, honey?” “Kiss me,” she entreated, “long and deep.” Amy could taste her own juices on his lips as he answered her request, and that excited her. Her nails raked little furrows in his broad shoulders as his fingers moved in cadence with his tongue. Tipping his chin to the side, Amy kissed along the solid length of his jaw to his ear. She latched on to the delicate lobe there, drawing a hissing breath from his chest.

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Damn, but he wanted her. Kellan slowed her frantic movements with his hands. He reached up to cup one beautiful globe in his hand. Her nipple hardened and he drew it into his mouth. She purred for him, and the sound was like music to his ears. He wanted this. Wanted her wet and wild and aching just for him. Kellan moved her pelvis beneath his, withdrawing his fingers. His rock hard erection took their place. The thin silk of his boxers did nothing to keep him at bay, and the tip of his penis slid into her. Even through the silk, he could feel the promise of her moist heat. He purposely stopped there, just inside her entrance, savoring the feel of her soaking his shorts. Amy moaned and pushed against him, hands tugging at his waist. He stood up, tugging her from the bed so he could lift her shirt above her head. Amy blushed as his eyes swept over her breasts. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing the swell of one breast and then the other. Kellan leaned in and kissed her throat as his hands wound around her back and unlatched her bra. The peaks of her nipples were hard as he threw the bra to the floor and quickly shed his boxers. Amy sucked in a deep breath. Stars, he was magnificent. A towering mass of etched muscle. Far too buff for a musician. The evidence of his desire sprang from a nest of deep golden curls. She knew he was large, but this… this was a dream. Her hands reached for the flat of his abdomen, nails scraping lightly across the surface. Kellan stared down at her. “I want to feel me in your mouth, baby,” he whispered, even as he grabbed his jeans from the floor and dug in the pockets for a condom. Amy grabbed his hips and tugged him forward. She’d never gone down on a guy before, but tonight was a definite night for firsts. Cupping his sack gently, her fingers looped over his base and she took him into her eager mouth. Kellan moaned, his fingers dropping the condom to flex in her hair as she laved him with her tongue. His breath sharpened into a wicked rasp, assuring her that she was doing something right. It gave her the courage to be a bit bolder. Soon she was licking and sucking his shaft in wild abandon, her lips sliding up and down in a rhythm all their own. Amy could hear him panting, his breath loud above her, filling her ears. It gave her a sense of power to see him enjoying her actions. Her nails slid along his thighs while she loved him with her lips. When her hands slid around to flex in his ass, Kellan groaned. Turning her eyes up, her gaze met his. Kellan’s pupils were wide in the dark of the room but the swirling depths of silver encircling them were as hot as liquid chrome. “I’m going to come if you keep that up,” he hissed. His body started to shake, and she quickly released him. Tonight, she wanted all of him. Hard and fast and pounding inside her. Tonight, for the first time ever, Amy felt greedy. Grumbling beneath his breath, Kellan swept the fallen foil package from the floor and ripped it open with his teeth. Amy grinned as he rolled the latex on and pushed her back against the sheets. Within seconds, Kellan had her body beneath his, lifting her legs around his waist. He entered her in one quick deep stroke. They both moaned at the exquisite feel of their bodies joined together. “Mmm…yes…” Amy purred, “Take me, Kellan. Bring me among the stars.” Kellan nodded against her shoulder, teeth scraping along the bone there. Amy shivered beneath the rough feel, arching as his pace quickened. He drove into her with a fury, fast and

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deep, until she felt he was touching the core of her. “Kellan!” She cried out, feeling her muscles pulsing around him in waves. A fire burned within her belly, ripping along her skin like whiskey. The harsh rasp of his breath in her ear sent Amy over the edge of pleasure and beyond. Never had it been like this before. This was pure magic. The amulet at her throat began to warm against her skin. It sent a frizzle of fear through her, but then Kellan pulled one turgid nipple into his mouth and sucked. All fear fled as she whimpered beneath him. It was painfully sweet, this need to have Kellan go on. Higher and higher she climbed, until all that remained was gasps of ecstasy in time with his thrusts. Her nails cut into the skin of his shoulders drawing a rumble from his lips. “Kellan…” she moaned, her eyes sliding shut as the rapture ensnared her. Her feminine core wrapped around him in a single unified spasm. She was so hot, and tight and wet. Kellan knew nothing but the feel of her. Her scent reached out to him, settling in his memory. He could feel the magic of the amulet drawing him in. Sealing his fate. “Damn, baby! You feel so good…” Kellan’s words slipped away as she bucked beneath his hands. A strangled cry wrenched from her heart. He caught the sound in his mouth, a sweeter song he never heard before. This was destiny. She was his. All his. Forever. His body tensed, the raw joy of his shout reverberating through the room. And then his weight toppled upon her as they climaxed together. “I think I’m dead,” Amy whispered moments later as she gasped for air. Kellan chuckled and rolled to side, body still deeply imbedded in her warmth. “If so, I am there beyond the stars with you,” he answered, nuzzling kisses into the nape of her neck. “Good thing I have a will then.” “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “that was fast. I couldn’t wait. It’s been so long. Next time” “Next time, I’ll die for real,” Amy chuckled, fingers gripping his shoulder, “It was perfect.” Kellan pushed up on an elbow so he could kiss her, his tongue sweeping in to taste their combined passion. A soft moan echoed in her throat, her hands sliding up and around his neck. He broke the kiss, forehead dropping against hers. “I want you. Again. And again.” “Yes.” Amy nodded, “Sounds like a plan.” Kellan shifted his hips, rocking against her with a groan. “So, you’ll stay for the holidays?” Amy gasped as he took a charged nipple into his mouth and teased it. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

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Chapter Sixteen Kellan chuckled as he scooped Amy up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. The light was harsh in their eyes, making them both blink rapidly. Kellan tugged a guest towel off the rack inside the door and set it on the toilet with one hand. Then he gently set Amy down and went to turn on the water. Amy shivered while she waited. Her arms wrapped around her rib cage, dragging a small gasp from her lips. The sound brought Kellan instantly to her side. “What is it?” Amy hissed as he pealed her hand away from the mark on her ribcage. “It’s okay,” she protested when she saw the regret in his eyes. “No,” he breathed, “It’s not.” Kellan knelt there on the cold tiles, his fingers grazing the spot beneath her breast. Even that light touch drew a small wince from her. “Damn! I’m sorry, baby.” “It’s okay,” Amy smiled, “Just a little tender.” His eyes stared deep into hers. “Amy, I-” She silenced him with another kiss that drowned all thought. Kellan moaned into her mouth, drawing her slowly to her feet. He backed them toward the shower, and Amy willingly followed. She smiled as he opened the door with one hand and started kissing her neck. The warm spray sluiced over her body. Pulling away, Kellan turned her around. His lathered hands soon kneaded her back, filling the room with the crisp clean scent of soap. Amy sighed and relaxed into the massage. His fingers worked magic upon the muscles at her neck, willing away any last trace of her migraine. “That feels nice,” Amy said softly. He chuckled softly into her ear and turned her to face him. The lather between them slid along their skin as they touched each other. And kissed. And loved. Amy wrapped her legs around his waist as he leaned into the wall and entered her. Her name became a chant upon his lips, mingling with words she couldn’t understand. Amy groaned and rode him in the warm confines of the shower, until once again he took her to the stars. The water was turning cold by the time they finished, and Kellan quickly reached to turn the knob off. Amy wrapped up in a towel, and they took turns gently drying each other off. Kellan chuckled when he kissed her and she moaned. The towel slid from her numb fingers as she melted into his body, deepening the kiss with a sweep of her tongue. “Amy, sweets, you need to rest. Don’t kiss me like that…” She grinned at him and cupped his cheek with her palm. “But I like to kiss you...everywhere.” Kellan groaned, the sound rumbling from his chest. Amy squeaked and made a dash for the bed. He caught her half way there, lifting her by her waist to toss her upon the rumpled comforter.

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“Mine,” was all he whispered. “Yes,” Amy answered breathlessly. Kellan grinned and then he proceeded to show her just how much he wanted her. Another hour later, Amy finally drifted off to sleep. She was happy and felt safe in the circle of his arms. When she awoke once more, the morning sun was just cresting the horizon of snow. “Mmmm…” Amy sighed, nestled in his arms and still half asleep, “After a night like this, I think I can forgive you anything.” Kellan squeezed her and kissed her brow. “I will remember that.” She sighed, tracing lazy circles onto his chest. When her fingers drifted lower, he caught them and kissed them. “Good morning,” he mumbled, nibbling on her ear, “And as much as I want you again… I hear the patter of little feet.” Amy chuckled and slid from the sheets. She dressed, smiling at the pleasant ache in her limbs. Kellan tugged on his jeans and shirt from the previous night. He moved behind her, placing a soft kiss on her neck. “Hungry?” he asked. Amy smiled and nodded. They held hands and walked together out into the hallway. Then the screaming started. Amy jumped and grabbed Kellan’s arm, swinging around with him. Alicia stood alone in the hall, her face a solid sheet of white surprise. “Allie-” Kellan started. “I hate you!” Alicia screamed and ran down the hall for her room. “Well, that sucks,” Kellan whispered, expelling a heavy breath. “Maybe I should go,” Amy whispered. “No.” She stared down at her hands, unsure what to do next. Amy didn’t know if she’d ever felt more uncomfortable. Under the circumstances, she wanted to leave immediately. Then Kellan sighed and reached out to cup her cheek. “I don’t want you to leave,” Kellan said gently, “Not now, when I’ve just found you. I’ll be right back.” She nodded. Kellan went after Alicia. Amy heard the girl screaming from three doors down. Apparently, Kellan’s quick fix was fated to be a heated debate in the girl’s bedroom. The commotion woke the entire family. Amy turned and went back in the bedroom. She started making the bed. Thankfully, she had dressed quickly, for no sooner did the last pillow fall into place than Cadon ran in. The four year old made a beeline for the bed. Blinking with his usual innocence, he smiled and hopped up onto the comforter next to her. “Is Allie in trouble?” Amy opened her mouth to reply, silenced by a large resounding crash down the hall. “That’s it!” They heard Kellan shout, “You are grounded for a week, young lady. Maybe more, if that attitude doesn’t improve.” “I hate you!” Alicia’s voice shrieked back, “Get out! Get out of my room!”

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A door slammed. Kellan strode back into the bedroom, his eyes snapping fire. Then his gaze lit upon his son, and he sighed. “Morning, buddy.” Cadon swung his bare feet, bouncing them over the edge of the mattress. “Can I have pancakes?” he asked. The question brought a smile to Kellan’s face as he pushed a hand through his son’s unruly locks. “I don’t think we even have the mix. Sorry.” Kellan turned to Amy. “In fact, we have very little by way of supplies. I was going to take the snowmobile into town and get some stuff. Can you stay here with them?” “Um, sure,” Amy nodded, “Can I use the phone to call my family?” He grinned at her and brushed a kiss over her lips, ignoring Cadon’s giggle. “Anything you want, so long as you stay.” “Pancakes!” Cadon squealed as his father turned to leave. Amy stood up and helped the boy off the bed. “Let’s just go see what we have, OK?” Holding Cadon’s hand, she went down the hall. Pop culture music was blaring on the other side of Alicia’s door, and Amy hurried past it. At the top of the steps, she paused and waved to Kellan who was bundled up and heading out the door. “Be right back!” he called. “Take your time,” Amy smiled.

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Chapter Seventeen The door closed in his wake, and Amy turned to face the hall with a frown. She could do instant oatmeal or cereal. That about covered her culinary skills. Cadon led her by the hand down the steps and into the brightly lit kitchen. Sun streamed in the large sliding glass door by the oak table. A myriad of apple themed items spread around the room adorning curtains, towels, and cabinets. The soft blue walls were faux finished in rag style, creating a cool back drop for the bright pine cabinets. A small window hung above the double sink to her right, its ledge holding three pots of dead flowers. Sun catchers sparkled in the windows, an assortment of dishes overflowed in the sink, and a white stove that looked untouched matched the huge refrigerator beside side. Amy smiled faintly at the chore list hanging there that appeared brand new stuck between colorful crayon drawings. Matt, Morgan and Maddie already sat at the table. Morgan’s nose dipped behind the pages of a book, the cover depicting two small toads on a lily pad. Maddie was coloring on a sheet of orange construction paper. She looked up at Amy, smiled, and went back to her picture. The electronic clinks and whistles from Matt’s game boy punctuated Amy’s rummage through the cabinets. She muttered to herself as her fingers slid over the rows of barren shelves. “There’s stuff in the pantry,” Matt rumbled, not looking up. Cadon smacked his forehead. “Duh. Come on, over here.” Amy followed the four year old to the door at the far end of the kitchen. Indeed, there was more in this pantry that was larger than Amy’s bedroom at home. Her eyes swept the interior, heart dropping as she examined each section. She snorted at an entire shelf dedicated to soda just below a few bag of chips and pretzels. Several rows of spaghetti in different shapes and lengths sat next to an equally long row of spaghetti sauce. A case of canned coffee grounds, filters, and dry creamer were next to jars of pickles, olives, and condiments. Flour, sugar, salt and pepper all lined up facing two full shelves of soups. Dinner for an eternity, but no breakfast stuff in sight. “Here’s some cereal!” Cadon said and picked up the yellow box from the floor. Then he frowned and turned it over. Empty. “Okay,” Amy sighed, “Let’s hit the fridge. I can’t promise anything though.” The perusal of the fridge was a bit more fruitful, producing eggs, chocolate syrup, milk, and bacon. Amy quickly made up several glasses of chocolate milk and passed them out. Conversation was non-existent while she cooked. Or, well, tried to cook. The eggs were runny and the bacon burnt, but no one seemed to mind. As Amy settled into a seat at the table, her eyes snagged on Matt’s. “Thanks for breakfast,” the boy said and went back to his game. Amy felt like she should say something to the kids. Yet how does one say, “Hey, kids.

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I know I’ve only known your Dad for a few days but I’m madly in love with him” with out sounding foolish? She didn’t want to take their mother’s place. She wanted a place of her own. “Matt, listen-” “It’s cool,” Matt said, not looking up as a blush stained his cheeks, “I just… don’t want to know, OK?” Fair enough. Amy started eating again, then almost choked on her eggs as Maddie spoke. “Are you gonna marry Daddy now?” “Er-” Amy managed. “Only Daddies and Mommies can kiss,” Morgan said and bit into her bacon. The phone rang. Amy thanked the stars for the timely rescue and quickly snatched up the phone. “Hello?” “Amy? It’s Kellan.” “Hi.” Amy listened to Kellan for a few minutes, her face deflating with each passing sentence. Hanging up, she turned to find four pairs of eyes staring at her. “Well,” she sighed, “your Dad’s had a bit of trouble with the snowmobile. The garage in town is going to look at it, so he may be a while. I guess we’re on our own.” “Movie marathon?” Matt smiled, arching an eyebrow. “Sounds good,” Amy smiled back, grateful to have one more child on her side. “I pick first!” Cadon squealed and raced from the table. The girls rose and ran after him, hollering their own choices. Matt went to put his dish in the sink, but Amy took it from him. “Thanks. I’ve got this. You go ahead.” “You sure?” “Yep,” Amy reached out and squeezed his shoulder, “Thanks for the help.” “No problem.” While the kids occupied themselves with Cadon’s movie as Amy set about cleaning the kitchen. She unloaded the dishwasher, still chock full of plates from their disaster dinner on Monday, and figured out the cabinet layout as she put things away. Reloading the machine with the breakfast mess, her gaze drifted out the window. Snow drifted from the trees with a passing breeze, and she grinned when she saw a few doe lope across the back lawn. A man was out by the horse barn filling the troughs with water and feed. Several horses were milling about the corral, vying for position at the feed tubs. With a heart felt sigh, Amy moved to the phone. Drying her wet hands on the apron she snagged from the storeroom, she swept up the receiver. Holiday meals started around one in the afternoon for her family. Amy called her mother and explained that she was unable to come home due to the weather. She gave them Kellan’s phone number, saying only that she was staying with a friend. The phone in New York passed from family member to family member, and Amy soon found herself missing them all terribly. She hung up with a promise to call them again later when the entire extended family would be there for the Thanksgiving feast.

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It was several hours later when she decided to go up and speak to Alicia. The nine year old still hadn’t come down from her room. Amy sighed, her stomach a bundle of nerves as she approached the closed door of her bedroom. Her mind shuffled through various ways to approach the girl. Music still blared from inside, and Amy knocked but didn’t get an answer. “Alicia?” she called and rapped again louder. When she still didn’t get an answer, even a smart one, Amy tried the knob. It turned easily in her hand. As the door swing open, a blast of cold air hit her in the face. The window hung wide open, curtains billowing in with the snow that had started falling again. Amy’s heart clenched as she raced into the room. “Alicia?” She ran from the door to the window, and spun around again, checking under the bed and in the closet. Empty. Alicia was gone. Cursing, Amy wrung her hands. Leaning out the window, she screamed. “Alicia! Alicia!” “Ma’am?” Amy’s eyes latched on the man who’d been working by the barn. “Have you seen Alicia?” she asked, fighting the tears in her eyes. “No, ma’am.” She cursed again and turned from the window. The snow had started again, and she had no idea where the girl would go. Thoughts of Alicia lying somewhere freezing to death swamped Amy. She headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Matt soon entered behind her, watching as she snapped up the phone. “Amy?” Amy panicked, pushing the button on the phone. There was no dial tone. “Shit!” Slamming down the receiver, she blinked at Matt, hands twisting in front of her. “Okay. Allie is gone.” Matt’s eyes widened. “I’ll check the garage. You check upstairs again. Maybe she is hiding.” Matt ran off to do as she asked. Amy went into the garage. Kellan’s cars were empty. She was just about to break down and cry when her eyes fell on a large sheet covered lump in the corner. Amy jerked the cover away in one jerk. It was a snow mobile. She bit her lip in indecision. Did she dare go out after Amy on her own? Matthew arrived at the door behind her. “She’s not in the house,” he said grimly. Amy made her choice. “Help me get this out into the snow.”

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Chapter Eighteen “Allie! Allie!” Amy blinked against the blinding snow. Snow, hell, it was a blizzard, and she was most definitely freezing to death. Sputtering curses, she huddled deeper into her hood and kicked the dead snowmobile at her feet. No gas. Of all the rotten luck. Glancing around, she realized she had no idea where she was or how long she’d driven through the woods. Long enough for the daylight to wane. The heel of her left boot slid in the snow as she dismounted the traitorous machine. Her stance wavered in the face of the strong winds. She shivered from deep within the layers of clothing Matt insisted she wear. The thick mixture of ice and snow had already accumulated to a level half way up her calf. Rooting through the pack attached to the back of the seat, Amy produced a frozen granola bar, a length of rope, and a small flashlight. Tucking the bar into the chest pocket of her coveralls, she switched on the light and squinted into the storm. Her tiny flashlight barely illuminated three square feet. An image of Allie, frightened or hurt, lost in the storm flashed before her eyes. It was Amy’s fault the child was out in this. She was never going to find the little girl just standing there. With a deep sigh, she started out on foot. “Allie! Please answer me.” The wind continued to wail through the forest. Amy fought tears as she trudged through the snow. It was useless to continue yelling. The bitter gusts just carried the words away. Chips of ice from the trees flew with each burst of air, slapping Amy’s cheeks with merciless force. Looking over her shoulder, she stifled a cry of dismay. The outline of the snowmobile was lost in a swirl of freezing flakes. Still, she moved forward. She couldn’t turn back. Not with out Allie by her side. Each footstep became harder than the last. The snow grew deeper fast. It sucked at her boots, resisting her efforts to move. Amy could see her breath beyond the layer of her scarf, crystallized puffs of air that came faster as she labored across the uneven terrain. A chant rumbled through her head. “Keep going... keep going…,” her mind whispered. A flash of movement dragged Amy’s attention to the right. Something waved from the trees. She raised a gloved hand to shield her eyes and stared, flinching as the skin of ice covering her gloves touched her brow. There was definitely something tied in the trees. Hope flared for just a moment, giving her a small spurt of energy. What the hell, it couldn’t hurt to look. Amy turned that way and ran. Well, tried to run. Time passed with slow sodden steps. The wind was at her back, but that didn’t keep the flakes from stinging her cheeks. The snow seemed to come from all directions. She couldn’t ever remember such a violent storm, and the thought that Kellan’s daughter was lost in it frightened Amy to no end. Finally, she reached the source of the movement. In front of her rose a great corpse of pines. Their long branches swept the ground, heavily laden with the wet mixture of snow and ice. A bright red scarf hung from one of the branches, its long knitted ends whipping around in the wind like a flag. Allie’s scarf was red. “Oh please,” Amy prayed through chattering teeth, “Please let it be her.”

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The branches weighed more than she thought and were difficult to move, but Amy managed to force her way through to the center of the tree. The effect of the limbs was spectacular. The bite of the wind disappeared. It was still cold, but the needles of the pine buffeted the stinging ice and snow. Without the wind, she could make believe it was warm. Creaking under the onslaught of the storm, the tree swayed and shifted. Tiny bits of falling snow reflected in the small flash light beam as Amy swept the dark interior, hoping to find Alicia. There was nothing. A combination of guilt and exhaustion swept over Amy like a blanket, dropping her to her knees in the soft bed of pine needles. This was all her fault. She never should have stayed with Kellan. Biting her bottom lip with chattering teeth, she thought of Kellan. Would he come in search of them both upon his return home? She was sure the ferocity of the storm precluded repair of the phone lines. Amy shivered and hugged herself tightly. She only wanted one more chance to let Alicia know she wasn’t trying to take her mother’s place. That she was Alicia’s friend. Big tears started forming in her eyes, but Amy blinked them away with great gulps of air. The last thing she needed was a bunch of tears freezing trails down her cheeks. Sinking back, she closed her eyes and reclined against the tree trunk. Her gloved hand dropped to the ground and brushed against a small ball of something that growled at her touch. Her eyes snapped back open. Swinging the beam down, Amy discovered she was indeed not alone. With a grimace, she lifted the pine covered ball of fur, but could only get it onto her lap. She never got to brush it off. Her eyes were so heavy. Too heavy. They slid shut on their own. Amy yawned as her arms wrapped around her chest. She was shivering uncontrollably. The only sound was the fury of the storm and the clinking of her teeth- a macabre lullaby that sent her plummeting into the warm dark world of sleep. ***** “I’ve got you, honey.” Amy the Wolf cuddled her pup closer to her body, licking at the wounded animal’s ears in comfort. All around them the storm raged, beating upon the shelter of their small haven. The scent of pine assaulted her senses, strong enough to make her nauseous. Where was her mate? Hours passed as she sat there, waiting in the dark for his return. He needed to hurry. Somehow, she knew the other pups were safe. This one needed help more than she. She needed him to take this child and run. The dark unseen thing grew closer, searching out her position in the forest. When it found her, Amy the Wolf was going to die. In this condition, she’d never be able to protect herself. The small frightened ball lying within the circle of her paws yipped pitifully. “Hush... I know you are scared,” Amy the Wolf whispered in her canine head, “But he will come for you. He will find you, and bring you home. You’ll see.” The pup licked Amy’s muzzle and burrowed deeper against her fur. Closing her eyes, Amy bent her neck over the pup and stared at the entrance to their hidden cave. Her ears pricked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Whether the noise was friend or foe, she didn’t know. Her hackles went up and she growled into the dark... *****

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Amy woke with a start. She didn’t know how long she sat there. It felt like she’d only dosed for a minute. Her limbs felt so heavy. She winced as she ran a tongue over her dry, cracked lips. What was she doing? She had to find Allie. “Get up,” Amy mumbled to herself, “Time to get up.” She pushed herself to a kneeling position, the movement causing something to tumble off her lap. With a start, her eyes dropped to the floor, and she gasped. “What the-” A small gray and white bundle of fluff rose on four trembling legs to stare at her. A puppy! Now where on Earth did that come from? Amy scooped up the tiny bundle of fur. It growled in protest and nipped her glove. “Ow!” Amy cried and shook her hand. Tiny little beads of red welled on the offended digit of her pink glove. “You little stinker.” Faint whining noises came from the animal’s throat as Amy sucked on her injured thumb. Its little body seemed chilled, shaking from the loss of her body heat. Two bright green eyes blinked at her, and Amy found herself helpless to put the dog down. He was just as lost and alone as she. “Oh, you poor thing,” Amy cooed, cuddling the puppy to her cheek. She promptly unzipped her coverall, tucked the pup inside, and zipped it in. The wind still rocked against the branches. With a shiver, Amy pushed her way out to survey the landscape. She was asleep longer than she thought. The sun had risen. Instead of a blinding black fury, a solid bright white wall stung her eyes. The cold wind smacked her in the face once again. At least the snow and ice had stopped. Amy took a step away from the tree and cursed. She was mid-thigh deep in snow. The trail of her footsteps that she planned to follow home, now completely obliterated. Either the snow had accumulated very fast, or she was a sleep for far too long. Behind the scarf, Amy bit her lip in indecision. Did she want to set out into this or stay where she was? It could be days before someone found her tucked inside this tree. She had no food. No water. No heat. Her eyes swept for landmarks. There! That ridge looked familiar from her daily rides. The house shouldn’t be much farther. Say, an hour or so on foot. She could make it. With a resigned sigh, Amy trudged her way toward the ridge. Kellan’s face swam in her thoughts. The fear and panic marring his features when Morgan said Allie was gone. Kellan loved his children so much. Amy knew the pain he must be feeling, for the same emotion stabbed at her heart now. Allie had to be fine. She just had to be. Amy swallowed a dry lump as she pictured herself telling Kellan the reason his daughter had run away. He was never going to forgive her if something happened to Alicia. She’d never forgive herself for that matter. “Dear god, please let someone have found her,” Amy whispered, “Please let her be safe.” It took forever to reach the ridge, far longer than Amy had planned. She was panting by the time she got there, sweat pouring down her brow to freeze upon her cheeks and scarf. Trembling with fatigue, she slouched against a boulder. Scooping some snow off the top, she ate it. Freezing cold and tasteless, but at least it

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helped ease the burning in her throat. In fact, her throat wasn’t the only thing burning. Amy tugged off a glove to feel her forehead with a chilled hand. Her fingers were like ice against the fire raging in her skin. She had a fever as well. With a few choice words, she tugged the glove back on and started walking again. She lost track of her direction. Lost track of time and distance. It started snowing again. The wind beat upon her like a hundred fists, some of the gusts actually forcing her to step back. Vision wavering, Amy stumbled. Her hand reached for a branch. Missed. Sprawled on her side in the snow, she managed to turn her head and look away from the storm. The puppy crawled to the V of her coat and licked the underside of her chin. “Sorry,” Amy whispered, “Can’t.” Her eyes drifted shut. The pup suddenly came to life. It pushed out of her coat, nosing around her jaw, pushing against the bone there. When she didn’t respond, the animal lay across her neck and began to howl. The noise popped Amy’s eyes open for just a second. Just long enough to see him. Through the white ran a figure. A tall male figure swathed in black. Even the full ski mask was black. The snow swirled around his torso, like some sort of force-field sent the winds from his path. Her eyes locked on his for a moment. A glowing chromatic silver that penetrated her thoughts. “Hold on, baby, hold on,” someone whispered. Her eyes closed. And then there was nothing.

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Chapter Nineteen

Kellan cursed as he slid to his knees in the snow. The puppy ran behind Amy’s head and wailed at him. His gaze narrowed on the small ball of fur and stayed there a moment before turning to the inert woman in his arms. “Damn, baby. Hold on, baby, hold on.” He pushed the hair from Amy’s face. She was so warm. His heart pounded with real fear as he assessed Amy’s condition. Bending low, he laid his face just over her mouth and breathed a sigh of relief to feel her breath upon his cheek. She was still alive. The air crackled with a small electric shift, and soon his daughter was standing there in place of the wolf cub. She sank to the ground in tears. “I’m so sorry, Daddy.” “Shh…” Kellan pulled her into his arms for a quick hug, then set her down, “We’ll deal with that later.” “She’s sick,” Alicia mumbled. “So I see,” Kellan said as he lifted Amy’s body in his arms and stood. He headed for the snowmobile not six yards away. His booted feet cut a swath through the snow. Alicia bounced behind him, hopping from one footprint into the other. “Daddy?” “Yes?” “I... there’s something I gotta tell you.” Kellan didn’t like his daughter’s tone any more than he liked the gnawing sense of urgency in his gut. Something was terribly wrong. He stopped walking and turned to face his child. She trembled under his intense stare, and Kellan felt his gut twist in raw apprehension. “Allie?” The nine year old looked at the ground and shuffled from foot to foot. “I...I bit her, Daddy.” The blood drained from Kellan’s face. “You what?” “I bit her. I’m sorry!” Alicia yelled. His hands gripped the woman in his arms tighter. Bit? So that was the reason for the inferno within Amy’s fevered form. His fingers flexed in the material of her coveralls. The night in the woods with Amy rushed through his memory. His mark made one. This made two. Gods, what had he done? “Alicia-” “I didn’t mean it!” The tears flowed like a river down Allie’s face. “I was asleep, and she stood up, and I fell off her lap, and then she tried to pick me up, and-” “Enough!” Kellan snapped. His daughter bit her bottom lip, and he was instantly contrite. “Sorry, baby. Daddy’s just a little scared right now, okay?” “‘Cause you love her?” He looked at Amy for a long minute, then back at Alicia. “Yeah, baby, I do.” Alicia nodded and threw herself against his leg. Hugging the black clad thigh with all

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her might, she rested her cheek against Amy’s shoulder. “With one bite, she’s okay, right Daddy?” He said nothing, just nodded and started walking again. Alicia’s hand gripped his elbow as they approached his snowmobile. Amy’s abandoned one sat cold and covered in snow, and Allie made quick work of brushing it off. She grabbed the spare gas can from her father’s machine and dumped the contents into the tank. The wind was picking up again, sending tiny bursts of snow drifting off the trees. After several tries, Amy’s snowmobile roared to life. Allie snapped on the helmet Kellan handed her. He sat on his own machine and pulled the goggles down over his eyes. “We could keep her, Daddy. If you love her. You could just bite her again, Daddy.” Kellan was quiet for a moment as he settled his weight over the snowmobile seat. Amy’s body draped in front of him. He checked that her arms and legs were free from the runners. His heart drummed at the slackness in her face as he tucked her head against the crook of his neck. What could he say to his daughter? That they’d be lucky if Amy survived long enough to reach the house. Even if she did make it, there was no telling how long he could keep her alive. Time was running out. The storm swelled in earnest again, echoing the anger vibrating along his spine. Kellan had a very big decision to make. The snowmobile rumbled, gunning acrid exhaust into the pristine snow behind him. With Amy in his arms, and his daughter behind him, Kellan started for home. The journey was a long one. Amy wandered far from the house, well beyond his property and into the state game lands. As he followed the remnants of his own trail home, his mind churned. Amy wasn’t showing any signs of regaining consciousness, and that was possibly a blessing. If she were to die, he wanted her to never wake and feel the terror of imminent death. And if she lived...Kellan knew he couldn’t find the words to tell her what would happen to her. His daughter had bit her. One bite marked the person as a carrier. It took a second bite to activate the gene. And a third to turn her forever. Kellan’s bite, so very long ago it seemed, had started the process of change. Alicia’s innocent bite had just tied Amy to their family for the duration of her life. With the gene activated, she would have many of the wolf traits. Their heightened hearing. Their excellent sense of smell. She’d be able to sense people’s emotions, especially anger and fear. And she would guard his children with a ferocity that was certain to scare her. More importantly, the gene linked her to the entire family, so this kind of thing would never happen again. Kellan was the Alpha male, the pack leader. Like a homing beacon, the gene made him aware of the activities of the pack. Their locations. Their health. Their fears. Even the pain of their death was to be his. He knew Amy loved the children like they were her own. She would protect them with her life, and they would respect her for that. Kellan knew the children would be happy with Amy. They would want him to make her theirs forever. But it would be Kellan’s choice alone to turn her. Kellan’s bite that sealed her fate. The trees flashed in his peripheral vision as he fed the throttle. With startling clarity, the decision settled in his heart and mind. He wanted her as a wife and a mate. But first, he had to keep her alive. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he nearly missed the shadow running through the trees beside them. As it was, he just managed to bring the snow machine to a halt before

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he was hit broad side by a great black mass of fur. “Dad!” Allie shouted, swerving to miss her father as he toppled from the bike. Amy went flying from his arms, landing in a pile in the snow. Kellan scrambled to his feet. The black wolf growled, pacing about ten yards away. Kellan slowly lifted Amy from the ground, settling her in front of his daughter. “Ride hard,” he whispered to Allie, “You know the way?” Allie looked around and nodded. Her eyes were huge, but her jaw was set in determination, and Kellan felt a flare of pride for his daughter. “Get home as fast as you can,” Kellan said, “I’ll meet you there soon.” “Promise?” Allie asked quietly, her eyes following the pacing black wolf. “Yes, baby. I swear.” Kellan kissed her forehead. Allie gunned the throttle and raced off through the trees. He watched her go for a moment, smiling grimly when the black wolf didn’t follow her. He crossed his arms and glared at the beast. “If you wish to fight me, Ayden, face me like a man.” The wolf grinned; there was no other word for it. With a howl, it charged. Kellan spaced his feet in the snow, balancing to take the brunt of the hit. The impact of the beast still knocked him from his feet. Over and over they rolled in the snow, Kellan fighting to keep Ayden’s muzzle closed with a fist. The superior strength of the wolf won out. Ayden tore his face from Kellan’s grasp and his teeth sank deep into human flesh. Kellan screamed with pain, wrenching the muzzle from around his shoulder. The air in the wood sizzled with magic, and soon Kellan was shifting beneath his skin. He decked the wolf in the throat, knocking Ayden to the side. The black wolf whimpered, gasping for air. Rolling to all fours, Kellan’s spine arched. A growl rumbled from his lips as his body shifted and expanded. Fur exploded along his hands and back, his organs rearranging into this new façade. When the change was complete, he threw back his head and howled. Ayden answered the call with one of his own, and the fight was on. Like rabid dogs, the pair attacked each other. Ripping, slashing, biting. Tails tucked in and fur raised, they gnashed their teeth and growled out threats. When thin trails of both their blood marked the ground, they paced away from each other, panting hard. Eyeing each other for a moment, Kellan finally sighed and shifted back to his human form. Ayden did not. Hands on his hips, Kellan paced a bit. His heart raced within his breast, catching his breath in his throat. “This is useless, Ayden,” Kellan growled, holding the gash in his left bicep. The black wolf shifted. Kellan watched a bit fascinated with the change. He wondered if his own transformation looked just as smooth and seamless. Ayden finally stood as a man, blood seeping from four long nail slashes across his chest. His spiked blonde hair rose over eyes the color of ice, blending as one into the albino white of his skin. “Kellan.” “Ayden.” “I’ve tried to reach you several times over the phone.” “Yes, and I ignored you. For a reason.” “Sell,” Ayden growled, “I want those forty acres. The parcel is far enough away that

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you and your family need never see me again.” Kellan crossed his arms and glared at the tall, thin man before him. He arched a brow, tired of repeating himself. “My answer remains no.” Ayden smirked. “You say that now, but there are ways to make you sell.” “I wouldn’t try them. You would not like my response to your threats. My answer is no, and it will stay no.” “You don’t need all this land,” Ayden hissed. “No,” Kellan snapped, “but neither do I wish to live beside a land stripped of its trees to get to what lies beneath.” Ayden thought about that for a second. “I wouldn’t do that.” Kellan laughed. “Oh yes, you would. I did my research, Ayden. You care little for people. You care even less for nature. Money is your god, and greed is your blood.” Ayden growled and stepped toward Kellan with menace in his black eyes. Kellan caught him by the throat and slammed him into a tree. “I called the council, Ayden. I know you’re on their blackout list.” “The council is a bunch of weak, simpering fools. Our kind belong together, bound in packs. Instead, the council has us living alone, spread thinner than dust.” “There are reasons for our solitude, Ayden,” Kellan answered, letting him go and stepping back a bit, “Think about it.” “I don’t want to think about it.” Ayden shouted, “I know I’m right. Wolves exist in the wild, the bravest and the strongest dominant male their pack leader. That’s how it should be! The strongest rules by might! Not by some group of ancients that have no idea how to live in this time! In the real world!” Kellan’s eyes narrowed. Ayden was just rogue enough to bring the entire Lukoi race down with him. What he wanted was primitive domination. A dictatorship. Kellan lived by the rules the council set because those rules kept him alive. They kept him free. Humans now were just as crazy as they’d been long ago. He had no desire to end up under some butcher’s knife, tested and dissected until the medical world knew the secrets of his blood. “Ayden, you need to go before the council and voice your concerns. Before you do something we all will regret.” “I don’t need to do shit!” Ayden sneered, “Except take this land and maybe your pretty little girlfriend!” Kellan howled and slammed the surprised man back into the tree again. Ayden’s back hit the trunk with enough force to send a shutter through the tree. “I tried to be nice,” Kellan hissed, his face mere millimeters from Ayden’s nose, “and yet you force me into this position. If you don’t leave off… I will kill you.” “You wouldn’t dare,” Ayden snarled, “That’s against your precious council policies.” Kellan increased the pressure of his fingers until Ayden’s eyes grew large and his air ran out. “Yes. I would.”

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The wind began to pick up in strength as Ayden struggled. A resounding crack split the silent forest. Kellan looked up just in time to see a huge limb tear from the tree and race down towards them. “Move!” Kellan shouted, throwing himself to one side and Ayden to the other. The branch struck the ground hard, sending snow and ice into the air in a cloud on impact. Kellan swore, coughing and wiping the powder and wood chips from his eyes. When he rose to his feet, Ayden was gone.

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Chapter Twenty Amy knelt beside the creek in her human form, sipping water from her cupped hands. Her cupped shaking hands. She drank quickly, aware that something was coming. The trees rustled to her left, and she slowly stood up. A figure moved from within the deep pines, stepping out into the open. His raven hair was cinched back in a ponytail, the crisp clean lines of his face accenting the compassion in his smoke gray eyes. “Shadow?” She grinned and rushed into his open arms. “Hello, little one.” “I don’t understand. Why are you here?” Shadow pulled back a bit, setting Amy away from him. He held her by the shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. “Because you are lost, my friend.” Amy frowned at him. He turned her gently to face the wood again. This time, two paths snaked out from the clearing. She blinked up at him. “But… I don’t…” “You must chose, little one. For time grows short.” Amy stood, wringing her hands in indecision. Her eyes swept left and right, eyeing the two paths as she chewed upon her bottom lip. “But… how do I chose, Shadow?” When he didn’t answer, Amy turned to look at him. Her friend was gone. Calling his name a few times, she turned in circles. “Great, what do I do now?” Amy muttered, staring into the woods, “Choose, I guess.” “My darling girl, is it really such a hard decision?” Amy whirled to face the river again. An old woman sat at the water’s edge, dipping her bare feet in the stream and tossing pebbles. “Nanna?” Her hand automatically went to her amulet as the old woman stood up. “Sure enough.” “But…” Nanna frowned. “No buts, young miss. I taught you better than that.” Wise old eyes settled on Amy’s closed fist and stayed there with pointed importance. Amy’s chest tightened in response. Butterflies danced in her abdomen. “Nanna… what have you done?” The older woman grinned even as her visage faded into the air. “My darling girl. I have given you the choice.” Amy watched her grandmother go, tears filling her eyes. Her feet felt glued to their spot, and sweat broke out upon her brow. What to do? Which way to go? Her fingers flexed around the amulet. Silently willing it to give her an answer, Amy bounced on the balls on her feet. It was soft at first, the haunting melody drifting up the left path. She frowned, concentrating on the song. It sounded like Kellan’s style, but for the life of her, she couldn’t place it among her memory. Was he composing again? Finally, with a deep breath, she stepped onto the left path. And then she was

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falling through the air. ****** Kellan raced into the house leaving snow and debris in his wake. His boots squeaked as he slid around the bottom of the steps. Shouting for Amy, he took the stairs two at a time. “Dad!” He stopped on the landing and stared at his son. Matthew stood in front of the master suite door, arms crossed and face grim. There was so much sorrow in his eyes that Kellan fought for breath. Oh gods, she was dead. “Am… Amy?” “In here,” Matt said, moving from the doorway. Amy lay like an ivory statue upon his bed. Kellan moved to her side, his feet barely touching the floor. He reached for her face, then realized his gloves were still on. Cursing, he bit the tips with his teeth and tugged the leather off. Tugging the blankets down, he saw that his kids had removed her coveralls and left her in her clothes. “Matt, call 911.” “I already tried. The phone is dead.” “What about my cell phone?” “Nope. No signal.” “Damn it!” Kellan punched the headboard, slamming it against the wall so hard that the picture above the bed rattled. “I… I could go for help.” “No,” Kellan sighed, running a hand through his hair with a sigh, “Allie and I used the last of the gas getting here.” He stared at Amy, cursing himself a thousand times for leaving her. He’d known that Allie was upset. She’d never run away before, but he should have thought of it. Hadn’t Matt run away just before his first change? Change. The word reverberated in his head, over and over until it became one continuous chant. He’d offered to convert his wife those long years ago. Biting Amy might just be her only chance. Still… he preferred to give her the choice. As if in answer, Amy’s right hand moved to grip her necklace. The talisman from her grandmother glowed in the depths of her closed fist. “Amy?” Kellan whispered and cupped her cheek, “Amy, can you hear me?” “She’s not talking,” Allie said from his left. Kellan glanced up. He hadn’t even noticed the girls standing on the other side of the bed. Nor Cadon, curled in a ball at the foot of the bed sobbing. “Is she...is she gonna die?” Cadon whimpered. “No, buddy. She’s not. Daddy is going to fix her.” Blinking rapidly, Kellan looked toward Matt. “Matt… could you…” “Sure, Dad. No problem.” Matt leaned away from the door jam and motioned to his siblings. “Come on guys, let’s go make some dinner.” Allie picked Cadon up, and the kids all filed from the room. Matt was the last. He

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paused in the doorway and turned to his father. “Good luck, Dad.” Kellan looked at his oldest son and forced a smile for reassurance. “Thanks, Matt.” He watched the door close with a loud click of finality. Amy murmured behind him, drawing his attention down to her face. “Sh… Shadow… Nanna…” “Amy, I’m here,” Kellan whispered, “Baby, wake up and look at me. I… need you to make a choice.” Her lashes fluttered, but her eyes didn’t open. The minuet he’d composed for her swelled in his head and spilled over. Humming the melody softly, Kellan blinked back tears. The notes lifted higher and higher until the song became a symphony in the clouds, Amy suddenly gasped and reached for Kellan. Her eyes flew wide, the cord around her neck snapping since she didn’t let the amulet go. Kellan grabbed her by the shoulders, steadying her. “I have chosen,” Amy whispered. Kellan watched as she dropped the amulet to the comforter between them. Light, the palest of blues, snaked from the broken necklace, swirling around them both. Kellan inhaled sharply as the magic sang along his skin. The urge to make her his became a consuming need. He grit his teeth to keep from shifting and stared hard into her eyes. “You are sure?” She bit her lip and nodded. “Then… forgive me…,” he whispered, tilting her head to bare her neck. Before he could change his mind, Kellan sank his teeth deep. Amy cried out and jerked against him, but it was too late. The taste of her flesh was filling his senses, obliterating all thought. Laying her back against the pillows, he settled his chest over hers, his mouth still locked upon her skin. The words he’d uttered so very long ago spilled from Amy’s mouth on a sigh. The pledge of the Lukoi… from one mate to another. Kellan growled as the vow bound them together- flesh, heart and soul united. Her body trembled beneath his as the change rushed upon her in waves. “Kellan!” Amy cried out, her voice filled with pain, spine bowing. “Easy, easy,” he whispered, cradling her close, “It’ll just take a minute. I swear it, love. Hold on to me.”

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Chapter Twenty-One Amy blinked at the pain racking through her body. It hurt so much she could barely breathe. Her knuckles were bone white in the dark of Kellan’s sweater as she gripped him for dear life. Her insides were tearing themselves apart. Nanna’s magic was light a living flame beneath her skin, searing her nerves to an unbearable height. Stars but she just wanted to die. To let it go. To be at peace. “Kell...” she gasped, eyes slamming shut on a moan, “Let me go…” “No! Amy, hang in there!” After what seemed like hours, the agony began to recede. Amy came back into herself, whimpering with relief. “That’s it, baby. Breathe, just breathe.” Amy’s eyes opened, her lashes wet with tears. Kellan was deathly pale, his handsome face pinched with worry. The silver of his eyes stood out like stars in the darkened room. She blinked at him in surprise. She felt… so strange. Turning her head slightly, Amy realized she could hear his heart beat. Frowning, she concentrated on the buzzing noise in her ears, and realized it wasn’t noise. Her eyes flared wide as she sat up. “Stars! I can hear the kids downstairs!” Kellan smiled faintly. “Yes.” “And… the snow falling…” He grinned as Amy tumbled from the bed, raced to the window and wrenched it open. Cold, crisp autumn night seeped into the room. She could smell the trees, the earth, the snow. Laughing like a child, Amy threw her arms wide and spun in circles. Kellan came to stand before her, arms catching her waist to pull her close with an equally large grin. “You aren’t… mad are you?” “Stars, no! This is like… a dream,” she struggled to catch her breath and stared at him, “What have you done to me?” “Well…” He sat her down on the chair by the window and took a few steps back. Amy watched his face, wondering what he was doing. Then her mouth fell open in a perfect “O.” The Kellan she knew slipped away. In his place stood the wolf from the road. The one she’d seen that night with Cadon. She sat, frozen in her chair, as he padded up to her side. Her fingers reached as if in slow motion to slide into the fur between his ears. The beast—no, Kellan–growled out a purr and shoved his entire head beneath her palms. Tears rose, unbidden, to slide along her cheekbones as he shifted once more for her, his thick blonde hair tossed from her touch. “That… I…” Amy bit her lip, at a loss for words. Kellan waited quietly, grabbing her hands and

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holding them tightly. “I asked you…” She cupped his cheeks, forcing his eyes back to hers. “And I accepted.” “Without knowing the price.” Amy studied him, memorizing the lines of his face, the scent of the woods covering his skin. “I have dreamed this my whole life. Do you honestly think I don’t want it? I… I love you, Kellan. All of you.” Kellan leaned up with a groan and captured Amy’s mouth with a searing kiss, dragging her body forward in the chair. Amy kissed him back, her mouth just as hungry as his. “I love you,” Kellan whispered, voice tight as he moved to rake his teeth along her jaw and neck, “Always. Forever.” Amy hugged him hard, biting his neck a bit in return. “The kids are coming up. I can hear them on the stairs.” “One doesn’t need Lukoi ears to hear that, love.” She blinked at him. “Lukoi?” Kellan chuckled. He opened his mouth to answer her, but the bedroom door opened and his children all rushed in. “Amy! Amy!” Cadon took one look at her and raced into her arms. The others followed him. Alicia hung back by the door, her eyes trained on the floor. “Easy, guys, easy,” Kellan chuckled, gently tugging Amy out from under the pile of his kids. “Well?” Matt asked, his lips bowing into a grin, “Yes or no?” Kellan smiled. “She stays.” Commotion reigned as the kids hammered their father with questions and cheers. Kellan noticed Alicia was absent. His eyes met hers across the distance. Her bottom lip quivered with unshed tears. Kellan held out his hand, and Alicia silently walked forward to take it in hers. “Are you okay?” Amy asked the girl. “Yes,” Alicia nodded, “You?” “More than fine,” Amy answered. Kellan expelled a held breath as Alicia sniffled and went into Amy’s waiting arms. His latest song played in his head, tugging a grin to his lips. Amy brought the music back into his life. She brought life back to his children. Laughing with his children, he piled onto Amy too and kissed her cheek. “One big happy family,” he whispered.