Return to Paradise

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Return to Paradise Copyright © 2008 Tianna Xander ISBN: 978-1-55487-196-4 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.extasybooks.com

Return to Paradise

By

Tianna Xander

Dedication To my family, for understanding my need to make deadline, do edits and otherwise act like I’m ignoring them on a regular basis. Thank you for putting up with me. I love you all.

Chapter One

“I

sn’t Christmas supposed to be fun?” Gemma Alexander asked the teen, David Gibson, as he hauled the ten-foot tall tree in through the front door. The boy and his brothers worked on their father’s farm, which produced both vegetables and Christmas trees. She’d bet they made a killing on the outside with their beautiful trees. David was huge. She imagined half the girls in Paradise chased after him. Too bad for him that most of the girls were nearly half his age. It wasn’t like it used to be when her adopted grandparents grew up here. They had a thriving community then. That was before Camulus took over the council. Now, they were lucky to have three or four visitors a week. Still, with the word getting out that Adam had become the new Alpha and head of a new, younger and more forward thinking council, she felt confident business would be booming this holiday season. People would finally start coming home. 1

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“Where do you want it, Miss Alexander,” David asked, wiping the sweat from his brow on the sleeve of his coat, “in the same corner as last year?” “Yes, Davie.” She smiled when he made a face at the name. “I’m sorry…Dave. I think the same corner as last year will be fine.” It was the easiest corner to clean out. With only a few tables and chairs to move, she’d have it ready in no time. She liked the tree there, set against the interior wall with its cream paint trimmed in white. She preferred it there because it was the only feminine touch in the lodge and it framed the tree nicely. Above the arched wall, the beams glistened, newly finished. The large stone fireplace against the outside wall remained unlit, as the central one was all she needed this early in the season to heat the entire area. In a month or so, she would need to bring the remaining fireplace into service as well. However, for now, since the tree sat so close to it, she’d forego the ambiance of flickering flames in favor of safety for her and her guests. The rest of the downstairs, as always, looked a bit cluttered during the holiday season. She’d arranged couches and chairs around the central fireplace, making a warm and welcoming conversation area for her guests. As usual, the hardwood floor gleamed with polish, while the game tables were just a bit closer together.

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Away from the tree, holly and garland hung from the ceiling, trimming the room with color. The overhead beams gleamed with red, silver and gold garland while blinking lights decorated the edges of the room. The entryway was specially decorated with holly and mistletoe tied with red and gold ribbons. The heavy oak furniture shone, the polished surfaces just waiting for a guest to sit down, play a game with his neighbors, or just plain relax. Overall, the place looked festive, and, hopefully, welcoming to all who entered. Gemma inhaled deeply, expecting to smell the peppermint air fresheners she’d plugged in. “What’s burning,” she mumbled, then shrieked, “My cookies!” Running from the room, she made it into the kitchen in time to see billows of smoke pour out of the oven. “Damn it!” She stomped her foot, ran to the stove and opened the oven. “Damn it to hell.” She stared with dismay at the charred remains of her first attempt at Christmas cookies. This would not be like last year. When the schools had their Christmas pageants, her lodge would have cookies there if it killed her. The Oberman twins already made entirely too much money off her. She refused to give them another penny for cookies. “Cookies, cakes, pastries…” She sighed. “Face it, Gemma, you suck at desserts,” she murmured 3

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to herself. She could cook a circle around almost every woman in town when it came to baking— except something with sugar in it. She dropped the pan into the sink and pulled a package of Oberman’s sugar cookies from the cupboard. Arranging several on a plate, she put it on a tray with four cups of hot chocolate and carried it out into the common room. “Cookies and cocoa, boys?” she asked, entering the room just as the boys finished setting the tree in its stand. The four Gibson boys turned and gave her a suspicious look. “Your cookies, Miss Gemma, or Oberman’s cookies,” Tommy, the oldest, asked. Gemma sighed. It was a shame when a teenaged boy’s acceptance of free cookies depended on the maker. “They’re Oberman’s cookies, boys, so feel free to eat them with no worries.” “Sorry, Miss Gemma, I didn’t mean to offend you.” Tommy glanced around at his brothers. “It’s just that last year, Bobby—” “I know. I know.” She waved her hand. “You don’t have to remind me.” Hell, half the town still did. The poor kid bit into one of her cookies and had to hightail it over to Dr. Halloran’s to get a crown set for the tooth he broke. “The next time I make you boys cookies, I’ll sample them myself. Okay?” They grinned around mouthfuls of cookies and

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picked up their cups of cocoa. “Sure thing, Miss Gemma.” Within minutes, they were back to work. She watched as the boys strung the lights on the tree then added the topper. After paying them, she stood by the fireplace and studied the barely decorated tree. She would have it finished and a batch of teeth safe cookies ready by tomorrow night if it killed her. If only she could manage to stay in the kitchen. That was her main problem. Once the cookies were on the trays and in the oven, she had twelve minutes to kill with nothing to do. She had to find something to keep her occupied in the kitchen so she could hear the stove timer when it went off. After doing the dishes, working on the tree for a while and glaring at her stove for a few minutes, Gemma locked up, turned off the lights and headed to bed. Something had to change. Either she needed to find someone she trusted to help her run this place or she’d have to break down and sell it. She was getting too darned tired of trying to do everything herself. At least she didn’t have to climb the stairs to go to bed. It was the only thing good about being the owner and manager. She had her own private apartment on the ground floor. The only problem with that was the infernal buzzer that woke her up when new guests arrived at all hours of the night. 5

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**** Matt Stewart kept his eyes on the road, hoping he’d be the first to arrive. He wanted some alone time with Gemma and he knew the kind of plans Merrick had. The other man was of the mind that they should all do everything together so she could make an informed decision on which one of them would make the better mate. Matt knew if he felt that way, there was a good possibility that Merrick felt the same. Though Merrick was usually an honorable man, like himself, he wanted to be sure neither of them took advantage. “Asshole,” he muttered. He didn’t really mean that. They had a friendship, of sorts. He just didn’t think Merrick was really ready to play by the same rules they’d set up. It wouldn’t surprise him a bit to get there and see he had been there for a day or two already. That was the very reason he planned to show up early himself. If he arrived and Merrick hadn’t, he’d make his way to the lodge and get himself a room. He sighed. As much as he wanted some time alone with her, he would stay away from Gem’s house until the jerk got there. He’d never agreed with the saying that all’s fair in love and all that rot. In his opinion, if you didn’t have honor, you weren’t worth the contents of

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your first soiled diaper. He could only hope that Merrick felt the same way. The gauges glowed orange in the dark cab as he reached down and turned up the radio. It didn’t surprise him a bit to hear the local station playing Christmas carols. He hummed along as he drove, his SUV eating up the miles to the gate. It had just begun to snow when the radio started to pop and crack. He’d finally arrived at the magickal entrance. Not slowing, he gathered his power around him and headed through the snow as the fat flakes drifted slowly from the sky. It wasn’t unusual to feel the thickened atmosphere while passing through. Matt kept his foot firmly on the pedal, driving through the slight wrenching and having a feeling of dread at the same time. It was how they protected the town. Humans couldn’t bear the discomfort they felt while in the vicinity so they merely turned away. Precious few even found the hidden road. Those who did couldn’t bear the trepidation, usually turning back before they became ill. Watchers were always there. If a traveler managed to get far enough through the gate, to cause unconsciousness, the watchers would drive them back the way they came, leaving them parked on the side of the main road, wondering what happened when they woke. Glancing down, he checked his watch and 7

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grinned. If his calculations were correct and the snow didn’t grow any thicker, he would reach town just before the dinner hour. Once he arrived, he’d make his way to the diner and wait. If Merrick had already arrived, Mrs. Browning, the local gossip and owner would certainly be eager to tell him. Ten years ago, Gemma had dated them both, wanted them both, and the town had talked about them constantly. When she refused to make a choice between them, he and Merrick agreed to leave Paradise. If she hadn’t already married elsewhere, they agreed they would again press their suits in an attempt to pin the beautiful woman of their dreams down, with the hope that one of them would finally get her to the altar. If she refused to choose between them a second time, they agreed to leave Paradise and never return. He hoped—prayed—it wouldn’t come to that. Normally they would have carpooled, but with the loser, for lack of a better word, leaving town after she made her choice, they’d decided renting or bringing their own vehicles would be prudent. He certainly wouldn’t want to force the two of them to take him to the airport when it was over and he was sure Merrick felt the same. Main Street looked the same now as it did when they’d left town all those years ago. The road

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needed plowed, as usual. It looked as though it had snowed here more than once and the plows hadn’t bothered to leave the garage where they were stored off-season. Christmas lights lined the streets, while candle-shaped lights wrapped in garland curled around the poles of each streetlight. He turned into the diner’s parking lot just as four boys ran past him, howling with laughter. He looked in the direction from which they came and laughed. The Beat the Clock Diner had just gotten a name change, courtesy of the bunch of kids he’d just seen. It was now the Beat the Cock Diner. Parking, he waited a moment to calm down then went inside. The last thing he wanted to do was spoil the boys’ fun. It had been an ingenious move and he didn’t want to be the one to ruin it for them. He wasn’t so old that he couldn’t remember how great it was to pull a prank the whole town found hilarious. Entering the diner, he took a deep breath and smiled. Some things never changed. Maybe the saying you can never go home was wrong and he could go home. It was Friday and, if he remembered correctly, the special today was meatloaf. His stomach growled. Ten years ago, when he was twenty, if someone would have told him his mouth would water for Mrs. Browning’s meatloaf special, he’d 9

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have thought them mad. Sighing, he strode down the aisle and took a seat at the bar. Mrs. Browning came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her sky-blue apron. She hadn’t changed a bit. She pulled back her salt and pepper hair in the same severe bun. Even her sky-blue dress with white collar, cuffs and hem looked the same. It was almost as if he was stepping back in time, except the name on her nametag wasn’t Mrs. Browning as it was ten years ago. Instead, it displayed the name Sarah. She handed him a menu. “Can I help you?” She held her pad in front of her, not a hint of recognition in her green eyes. “Do you need a minute, or can I get you something to drink while you look over the menu?” “I’ll have the special and a coffee.” He didn’t even look at the menu. He didn’t need to, since he could tell by the scent in the diner that she’d made her meatloaf today. He compared every restaurant to her cooking. Every dish she made seemed to taste better than the same dish elsewhere—even the Wednesday night spaghetti. “You don’t even know what the special is.” She tapped the menu in front of him. “Maybe you should take a gander and make sure.” He just shrugged. “It’s Friday. Isn’t the special all you can eat meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas with a dinner roll?”

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Sarah dropped her pad on the counter and stared at him, her mouth open. Apparently, she’d thought him a wandering shifter just driving through. Slowly, recognition and tears filled her eyes. “Matty? Matty Stewart? Is it really you?” She ran around the counter and pulled him into her arms. “They said you all would come back once you found that Adam and Nick kicked Camulus and the rest of that sick council out on their collective asses.” She released him then hugged him again. “I can hardly believe you’re back.” She looked around. “Where’s Gem? Have you stopped to see her yet?” He shook his head. “No. I came here first. It was a long drive and I thought I’d get a bite to eat before I found myself a room. Naturally, I’d come here for your wonderful meatloaf,” he said with a grin. Mrs. Browning laughed. “Since when, you scamp?” She hurried back around the counter, and headed to the kitchen. “If I recall correctly, you hated meatloaf when you were younger.” “I never hated it. I just didn’t think it was as good as a burger, or pizza,” he called after her as she hustled into the kitchen. “You know how teenagers are.” She should. She’d seen enough come through her diner throughout the years. She’d been here, 11

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looking the same for as long as he could remember. Only a minute passed before she returned holding a plate heaped with her meatloaf special. She set the plate before him and looked up, just before the bell over the door jingled and he turned around. **** Merrick Hunter continued down the highway, looking for his exit. The exit would lead him to a state road that would, in turn lead to an obscure ribbon of dirt leading back to Paradise. When he left ten years ago, the last thing he expected was to return with Matt and expecting Gemma Alexander to choose between them. She’d been unable to make the same choice ten years ago. Perhaps ten years alone would have more fully prepared her to make such a decision—if she wasn’t already married to someone else. Downshifting, he slowed for his turn. Exiting the highway, he turned left on the frontage road and headed for the dirt tract that would lead him home. Home. He hadn’t thought of Paradise so often since he left. However, ever since the overthrow of the council and their warriors, the Tudra, he and Matt had been able to think of little else. Perhaps

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there was a life for them there now. They could return, take up the family businesses they’d left behind and each take a shifter wife—one they could truly bond with. One with whom they would never have to hide who they really are. Even if neither of the women in question were their beloved Gem. Sighing, he turned onto the road to Paradise and throttled up. He couldn’t wait. Besides, he was sure Matt had done everything in his power to arrive early. He made no secret about wanting to court Gemma alone. He wouldn’t put it past him to already be there. They may have a pact, but that didn’t mean the other man would keep his word. He didn’t slow when he hit the magickal fog. It was dangerous to ride through the mist so quickly but what else could he do. Something told him he would have a lot of catching up to do if he didn’t get there soon. The scent of ozone greeted him, the freezing air hardly chilling as he continued through the snow and darkness. His leather pants and coat protected him as always and his bike ate up the miles as he made his way through the veil. The spells within the mist pulled at him, jerked, almost made him believe he didn’t belong. Damn! He’d been gone too long. Perhaps he could convince Matt that there was room for the both of 13

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them here regardless of Gemma’s choice. Neither of them deserved the loneliness and feeling of separation living away from their people entailed. Perhaps if they’d grown up away from Paradise they wouldn’t know what they were missing. Nevertheless, having grown up in such a magickal town, with so many of their own kind, left them feeling lonely and bereft when away from the magick. He stopped at the top of the hill as it crested over the small city he once called home. Leaving his bike to idle, he half stood, half sat, and pushed the visor of his helmet back to look over the town below. Christmas lights twinkled in the valley. The townsfolk had obviously continued the tradition of erecting Santa’s Town for the children. The small Christmas city erected in one of the farmer’s fields resembled little gingerbread houses lit with flickering gas lamps and candle light. Flickering reflections of the bright colors gave it the appearance of a magical city set in the middle of nature’s beautiful winter wonderland with the lights and colors reflecting on the crystalline snow. He loved this valley. Inhaling deeply, he smiled to himself. The scent of roast beef and sweet sugar cookies tickled his nose. Someone was having a nice home cooked meal tonight. Merrick gazed down over the valley and took a deep breath. He

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was home. After so many years, he was finally home. Thick snow continued to drift down as he lowered his visor and put the bike in gear. He’d drive into town, stop by Sarah Browning’s diner and get an order of her Friday meatloaf. With any luck, nothing had changed and he’d get the meal his mouth watered for. He was practically drooling by the time he reached the diner. He glanced at the brand new SUV with a rental company sticker on it and scowled. He’d bet everything he had that he was right in thinking Matt beat him here. He wondered how long the cheating bastard had been in Paradise. All bets were off if the son-of-a-bitch had already contacted Gemma. They both agreed to court her and everything else together so she would get to know them both all over again. Equally. The way she had the first time. Merrick entered with a scowl on his face. Looking around for the jackass, he almost missed Sarah Browning as she exited the kitchen with a glass of water and silverware. “Merrick Hunter,” she cried before setting the tableware on the counter. A huge smile split her face as she hurried to greet him. “I don’t believe it, the two of you coming to town on the very same day. It’s almost like old times.” After hugging 15

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him, she led him to a seat next to Matt, the rat bastard. “You just sit here while I get you some hot cocoa.” She paused. “Or would you rather have coffee now?” “Coffee is fine, Mrs. Browning. I’d hate to be a bother.” Casting a scowl toward Matt, he elbowed the other man. “Got here early, eh?” Matt shrugged. “I figured I should. It was either that or you’d have had a week on me before I got here.” “I only showed up here early because I knew you would,” Merrick said with a growl. Holy hell, would they never agree on anything where Gemma was concerned? “My ass.” Matt turned his dark eyes on Merrick, something dangerous glittering in their depths. “We both know we want the same woman. Even Gemma will know when she finds out we’re here. There’s no hiding it. Hell, the whole town knew before we left ten years ago. To tell you the truth, I’ll be surprised to find out she’s still available.” Merrick grunted a response, then grinned at Mrs. Browning when she came out with a steaming cup of coffee and a plate with her meatloaf special. “Still meatloaf on Friday, hey?” “Of course. If you can’t count on the meals to stay the same how can you come home?” Setting the plate in front of Matt, Mrs. Browning turned,

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her brow raised. “You want some too?” He nodded his throat tight. It was just like old times, he and Matt at the counter and the special warming their bellies. He cleared his throat. “How’s she doing?” One of them had to ask it and Merrick could tell Matt hadn’t had the courage. The glint in Sarah Browning’s eyes was still too bright to act as though she didn’t know who he was talking about. “Gemma?” She shrugged, drawing out the suspense as long as she could. “She’s still here.” Turning, she went back to the kitchen, most likely for his special. There was no rushing the woman when she told a story. The more you wanted the answer, the slower her responses came. They were both fidgeting by the time she returned to set his plate in front of him. Then she stood and waited for each of them to take a bite before she continued. “She’s been running that old lodge for the last five years. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock died last year. They were caught in a blizzard up on the mountain.” She shrugged again. “Someone had to take over.” She leaned against the counter while they ate. “So many of the town’s businesses have closed since the council went mad and the new council chased their followers out.” Sighing, she rested her chin in her hands. “Those old bastards may have driven most everyone away but at least 17

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we weren’t almost extinct.” Merrick disagreed. In his opinion, the old council drove them near extinction. Adam, the new alpha, was doing his best to bring everyone together again. Their new leader embraced the old values and invited those who left the clan to come back home. He and Matt decided to come back to Paradise to see Gemma for that reason. He only hoped they weren’t too late. He didn’t know what he’d do if he found she was already married with children. Suppressing a low growl at the thought, he shoveled another bite into his mouth and waited for Sarah to continue. She’d only tell the tale slower if she felt rushed. He remembered that much at least. “Gemma’s been running that old lodge by herself for some time now. I think she’s about ready to call it quits, though.” She glanced up at both of them. Merrick didn’t miss her sly expression. “The poor girl needs help with the place or she’s going to run herself right into the ground.” She sighed. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen her at the market slumped over her shopping cart, half asleep.” Turning, she sashayed back into the kitchen to grab a pot to refill their coffees. Merrick glanced at Matt. “At least we both stopped here first. Neither of us has had alone time with her.” He could tell Matt was just as

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surprised as he was to learn she was running that old lodge by herself. The business had been too much for the Hancocks. How could one woman expect to run the damned thing by herself? They both finished their meals and emptied their cups before Mrs. Browning returned. “Don’t bother refilling my cup, ma’am,” he called into the back. “I need to go get myself a room.” “I thought you might.” Her chuckling reply came from the kitchen. “Don’t worry about your dinner. This one was on me.” “Like hell it is,” they both muttered. Pulling a twenty from his wallet, he left it on the counter next to his plate. Matt stood and did the same. He held out his hand. “After you.” They both left the diner and headed for the lodge. It wasn’t late when they arrived, only a bit after nine but the closed sign was up next to another that read, Ring bell for service. Merrick hated to disturb Gemma during her off time but he didn’t relish the idea of spending the night outside. It was the only bad thing about winter travel on his bike. With his shifter metabolism, he didn’t have to worry much about the weather, unless he planned sleeping out in it—which, of course, he didn’t. They both waited a few moments before the door opened and Gemma stood before them. She 19

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hadn’t changed much. Her hips had gotten just a bit wider, better to accept a man between her thighs in his opinion. At least they looked a bit wider in the ridiculous teddy bear one-piece pajamas she wore. He wanted to laugh. He also wanted to grab her and kiss her senseless. She may have been able to forget him—which was more than likely because she hadn’t batted an eye at either of them. It didn’t hurt his ego that she’d had no reaction to Matt either. Forcing his gaze to continue on its journey past her succulent ass, he barely managed to hold in a bark of laughter at the pair of matching teddy bear slippers on her feet. Glossy red-brown hair hung almost down to her waist in the usual night braid she sported ten years before when they were still in school. Her hair was longer, richer and looked silkier than it had back then. Maybe my memory is failing me. He only knew she looked more beautiful than ever. Gemma looked tired as she turned around and walked back behind the counter. Shadows lurked beneath her eyes and she couldn’t suppress a yawn as she opened the cupboard below the counter before her and pulled out a registration form. He’d almost forgotten Paradise was still a part of the U.S. and even on a map, if one tried to find it, they would circle around it endlessly, not realizing they were a stone’s throw away from

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their destination. Unless, of course, they were shifters or the veil was thin during a major Sabbat and they slipped through a gate—which was why their people guarded the portals during those times. “Can I help you?” Gemma still hadn’t looked up and it was apparent to both men, she was searching for a pen because she was scanning the counter and opening and closing different drawers. Merrick reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled his out and slid it across the flat surface hard enough for it to bump her hand. She looked down at the pen, then up at him. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” He watched her expectantly, waiting for her to recognize him or Matt. She looked at both of them, not a flicker of recognition in her eyes. “Are you two together or separate?” “We’re here together, but we’ll be taking separate rooms.” Merrick finally answered when Gemma yawned. He could see she was in more of a hurry to get back to the warmth of her bed than recognize two road weary travelers in the middle of the night, especially when one had a motorcycle helmet obscuring most of his features. Reaching up, he pulled the helmet off and tucked it under 21

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his arm. Matt pulled out his own pen and started to fill out the form Gemma handed him. “Paying with cash, credit card or check,” Gemma asked, her voice as soft as he remembered. The strange tingling sensation that tripped down his spine at the sound of her voice that he had in his youth was still there. The sensation traveled down his back, and to his hips, wrapping itself tightly around his balls. His attraction was still there as evidenced by the raging hard-on he’d had since she’d opened the door and he smelled her scent. Gemma always smelled different from the others here in Paradise. She smelled hotter. Sweeter. Spicier… He couldn’t put his finger on it. He thought devilishly that there were lots of things about her he’d love to get his fingers on. If not his fingers, perhaps, other parts of his anatomy—like his tongue. It wasn’t until they’d handed their registration cards back to her that she realized who they were. She’d reached into the pocket of her robe, slid a pair of glasses on and stiffened, staring down at Matt’s name on the top form. Her breathing had stopped too. Merrick wondered if that was a good thing. Perhaps not, he thought when he watched her expression change. First was her polite detachment. Then surprise. A slight smile crossed

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her features before her she frowned with obvious discomfort or—was it displeasure. He wasn’t sure which. All this time that he and Matt planned to come back home, he had often wondered how he would feel seeing her again. Would he still feel the same, would his emotions be stronger, weaker, nonexistent? It never occurred to him to wonder how she would feel about it. He supposed if he had, he wouldn’t have guessed she’d be pissed. She looked up, glaring at them both. “What are you doing here?”

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Chapter Two damn, damn! Gemma hoped she’d never Damn, see either of them again. She barely lived down the hearsay and taunts from the townsfolk the first time around. It was bad enough that someone adopted her and her two sisters—part of some great secret. Then, she goes and falls in love with two of the town’s jocks and can’t choose between them like some old-time floozy. It couldn’t—wouldn’t—happen again. She thinned her lips determined. It wouldn’t happen again. She barely lived though it the last time. “We’ve come home,” Matt turned, glanced at Merrick for a moment then continued, his gaze back on her face. “We wanted to—” “We’ve come back to pledge our support to the new Alpha.” Merrick shot Matt a glance and the other man shrugged. “We thought it best if we came home together since we left together so many years ago.” Gemma looked between them. Time had been

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kind to them both. Gone were the two boys who left here and in their place were two men, fully grown. Their broad shoulders nearly filled her vision ten years ago, now they both seemed larger than life. They each laid a hundred dollar bill on the counter. “For the room,” Merrick said. “Can I have a key?” She slid two keys across the counter, unable to touch their money. She refused to let them know how rattled she was. Even after everything that happened since they’d left, she still couldn’t stop her reaction to their presence. “They’re connecting rooms on the second floor.” Gemma glanced down at the much-needed cash. “I can’t take your money. The rooms are on the house. After all, you’re…old friends of the owner and all that.” Walking around the counter, Gemma shut the inside door then locked it. “If you have to go back out, please remember to close and lock the inside door when you come back in.” Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself and raised her chin. “I can’t afford to heat the outdoors.” After that, she turned and headed back to her room. She refused to let them know how their presence affected her. Grown women didn’t fall into their old boyfriend’s arms and welcome them home—especially after they’d left her to hold her own with a cruel council. No. They stood tall, 25

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graceful and with dignity. She clenched her fists as she walked away. Tears burned her eyes at the thought of enduring their abandonment once again. She’d never survive. Entering the bathroom, she washed her face with cold water. There was nothing like the feel of freezing well water against warm skin to put things back into perspective. Grabbing the towel from the rack on the wall, she brought it up to her face to pat it dry. Yes, that was the best course. She congratulated herself on the skillful and mature way she’d handled the situation. Gemma glanced at her reflection in the mirror then closed her eyes. Humiliation washed over her as she realized she’d forgotten to put a robe on to cover the pajamas Grandma Jones had given her for Christmas last year. She only wore them for the warmth they provided. At least she pushed the teddy bear hood back from her head. She only wished she could remember if she’d done it before or after she opened the door. **** Breakfast the next morning was a disaster. Every time she looked at one of her new guests, she either dropped something or burned herself. She only wished they’d keep their asses out of her

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kitchen. It was fruitless. Every time she turned around, one of them would be in her way looking for something that was already out in the dining area. “One more thing,” Matt said, poking his head through the swinging door. “What?” It was impossible to keep the irritation from her voice. The man was driving her nuts. She wished he’d go back where he came from and leave her life in peace. Instead, she had the sneaking suspicion that they would leave it in pieces instead. “Where are the extra napkins?” “One, two, three, four…” she counted all the way to twenty before she removed the skillet from the flame and turned to glare at him. “In the little square box on the sideboard underneath the sign that reads condiments and napkins.” Gemma then pointed to the door. “Now get out!” If they didn’t leave her alone, she’d do more than yell at them. She’d scream and probably drive all of her guests out. She couldn’t afford this, damn it. If they were going to make nuisances out of themselves, they could damn well pay for their rooms from now on. It wasn’t as though she couldn’t use the money. She just didn’t want anyone to say they’d paid her for sex if she should suddenly become stupid and jump into bed with one of them. She rotated her neck and shoulders to 27

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relieve some of the stress in her muscles. Turning back to the stove, she finished Mr. Pritchard’s omelet, put it on a plate then carried it out the dining room to set in front of him before she started on her own breakfast. “There you go, sir. I apologize for it taking so long.” She glared at the two men responsible for his late breakfast. “There were unforeseeable complications in the kitchen.” Mr. Pritchard smiled as he lifted his fork and knife. “Not a problem, not a problem.” His gaze flicked over the other guests. “I can see you’ve got your hands full.” He cut into his breakfast using his usual military-like precision. “It’s interesting to see how many people are coming home this year. It’s almost as though the runaways are coming out of the woodwork, as it were.” Gemma smiled. At least she hoped the curving of her lips formed a smile. With her luck though, it was probably more like a grimace with Matt and Merrick sitting at the long rough-hewn dining table staring at her as though she was their breakfast. “I wouldn’t say that, Mr. Pritchard.” As usual, she chose her words and actions carefully around Malcolm Pritchard. As a lion shifter, he could easily lose his temper and have her for breakfast instead of his usual rare steak omelet. Lion shifters were fast to retaliate if you pissed them off. At

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least that’s what he told her when he first arrived. He was the first lion shifter she’d ever become acquainted with so she took his word for it. If only she could go into the kitchen, cook her breakfast and eat in peace. Gemma knew that was a pipe dream with her new guests hanging about. She was positive they were going to loll around here all day making her life miserable—as if it wasn’t miserable enough. Sighing, she stomped back into the kitchen, plopped a scoop of oatmeal into a bowl, and poured a generous helping of both cream and sugar into it before she leaned against the counter and began to eat. Matt strode into the kitchen. “Aren’t you going to eat with the rest of us?” “I don’t eat with the guests…” Glowering at him, she shoveled a huge bite of the hot cereal into her mouth and swallowed. “…and the guests don’t eat with me,” she finished, glaring at him. “So, if you don’t mind, I’d love to eat my breakfast in peace before I have to start my housekeeping duties.” “Housekeeping duties?” Frowning, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “Don’t you have an employee for that?” Gemma wanted to smile. If either of them thought she had time to have an affair, she’d prove them wrong. The work running this lodge 29

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filled her days to the brim. Hell, she was lucky to have the time to go to the bathroom and sleep. She certainly wouldn’t have time to waste on them. “As a matter of fact,” she said looking at her watch. “I have a girl due to start in about ten minutes.” Matt straightened with a grin. “Well then, maybe after you eat we can go out and enjoy a bit of the day.” “I can’t.” “You can’t what?” Merrick strode into the kitchen. “That pantywaist out there in the dining room wants a refill on his coffee.” He scowled, his dark eyes flashing. The corded muscles on the side of his neck bulged and he held his free hand balled into a fist. “He’s being a jackass about it.” He strode over to the coffee pot and picked it up. “I’ll give him some damned coffee. I’ll dump the shit over his head.” Gemma quickly turned around, dropped her bowl on the counter and ran to snatch the pot out of his hand. ““You will not,” she screeched. “The man is a lion shifter!” Merrick looked down at her and raised a perfectly arched brow. “So?” “So?” She gaped at him. “How can you say that? The man is unpredictable. He said all lion shifters are.” Matt snorted. “Only the crazy ones are

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unpredictable. As a norm they’re just like us. Though there are a few who try to intimidate people.” He glanced toward the door. “Is that why you’re tiptoeing around the ass?” She looked at them, wondering if she should believe them or believe her other guest. They’d never lied to her before. They may have left her here in Paradise with her reputation in tatters but they’d never told her an untruth. Sighing, she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. He’s still a paying guest and I have to take care of him.” She elbowed her way past them and pushed through the swinging door. “Did you need me to warm your coffee, sir?” She held up the pot like a peace offering. “Would you like a Danish to go with it or are you fine?” He grumbled something she couldn’t quite hear and pushed his cup toward her. “More coffee and don’t make me wait so long next time.” “Certainly not, sir.” Gemma gathered his dirty dishes. “The Danish?” “I don’t want damned sweets for my breakfast, woman, now leave me to drink my coffee while it’s still hot!” “Yes, sir. Would you like me to clean your room today, sir?” “No. Stay out of it.” He mumbled something else that sounded suspiciously like, you nosey wench and she almost 31

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dumped the pot of coffee over his head herself but she didn’t dare. She needed every dime she could bring in this winter. She needed her roof repaired and her hot water heater was on the fritz with air in the lines and a slow leak from a valve on the bottom. How she’d manage to fix both, she didn’t know but she had to find a way. Matt and Merrick stormed out of the kitchen with murderous expressions on their faces. She gave them a pleading look. “Please don’t cause trouble.” They each sat down at their places with a scowl on their face and ate the remainder of their cold breakfast in silence. Gemma returned to her own lukewarm breakfast and dumped it in the sink. With the rooms to clean and the laundry to do before she started lunch in two hours, she didn’t have time to finish eating. Besides, who liked cold oatmeal anyway? Matt and Merrick caught up to her on the stairs. “What do you two want now?” Gemma wanted to scream with aggravation and irritation. With several checkouts and reservations for tonight, she needed to keep busy to get everything done before her new arrivals began to appear. “Let us help you.” Her mouth fell open. “Help me?” She almost started to laugh. She looked at Matt in his well-cut

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business suit and Merrick in his tight leather and laughed. “Help me with what?” Turning her gaze to Matt, she giggled. “Do you want to help scrub bathrooms?” She then turned to Merrick, “Would you dust and make beds?” She shook her head. “Thanks. I really needed that laugh. Now get out of my way.” They both stood in front of her, their bulging arms crossed over their chests, their legs spread in a wide stance. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell us how we can help you.” The smile melted from her face as she looked at both of them. “Are you serious? You really want to help me?” “Of course we do,” Merrick said with a growl. “We wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” “Well,” she said, wondering if she could afford to trust them—even a little. “It would be nice to have someone go into the empty rooms, strip the beds and carry the dirty linens and towels down.” Gemma bit her lip, deep in thought. “Do either of you know how to make a bed decently?” They both snorted but then Merrick spoke first. “We’ve both been in the Army, for crying out loud. Of course we can make beds.” “Okaaaay…” She hadn’t known that about them. “That’s something your parents never talked about.” “They wouldn’t have, since they didn’t know,” 33

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Matt added. “They knew we went off into the world to…” he glanced at Merrick. “To get away from Paradise but we never told them about the Army. We were Special Forces. There wasn’t anything we could tell them anyway except vague things that would have worried our mothers sick.” He shrugged. “What was the point in that, anyway?” He didn’t say they left to get away from her but Gemma knew the reason. Neither of them could stay here and not have her. Plus, neither had been willing to give her up for the other. They’d both said as much before they’d gone. Gemma chewed her lip. “Okay. I’ll unlock the doors to the vacant rooms. If you two would go in, strip the beds, gather the towels and dump them down the laundry chute behind the door at the end of the hall, it would help me immensely.” It would, too. Perhaps it would even give her thirty glorious minutes to herself before she’d have to get dinner on this evening. There were still dishes to do, laundry to wash, the common rooms to dust and that was just the public areas. That didn’t include the bathrooms of the rooms they’d strip. Her apartment could to with a sprucing up as well. Well, she thought with a sigh, she knew what she’d be doing with her extra half hour now. She opened the vacant rooms and flipped the inside latch over to keep the door from closing

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and locking the room. “There you go. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need my housekeeping cart to clean the occupied rooms.” “Don’t worry about our rooms,” Merrick called after her. “If we want our linen changed, we’ll ask you for clean sheets and do it ourselves.” That left only three occupied rooms to clean and the others would be a snap with the dirty linens already removed and the beds made. She felt almost giddy at the idea of a bit of free time to clean her own apartment. Maybe she’d get to bed at a decent hour tonight. An hour later she stood in the doorway to one of the empty rooms with her mouth hung open. They actually made the bed, and the bathroom sparkled. The next room down the hall was the same. She entered the third and last room with tears in her eyes. Matt and Merrick had just finished making the bed and turned to head to the bathroom. “Um…” At a loss for something to say, she suddenly became tongue-tied. “I—I don’t know what to say.” Horrified, Gemma felt tears fill her eyes. “Why did you do this?” “Simple. We just wanted to help.” Matt smiled at her as Merrick winked and brushed past her to filch some cleaning supplies from her cart. “We thought perhaps, if we helped you make time, you might be persuaded to spend a bit of it with us. I 35

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hope you don’t mind that we used the other vacuum in the maintenance room.” What could she say to that? The two of them had just shaved hours off her day, not to mention, most likely a backache as well. Forcing back a smile, she glanced at Merrick who’d already started in the bathroom. “Well, I guess I’ll just leave this here and let you two finish up. You’re doing a fantastic job. Thank you. Please put the cart in the closet at the end of the hall when you’re done. If you don’t mind, I’ll head downstairs to get the laundry started.” “Laundry? You even do the damned laundry? Why don’t you send it out? You’re working yourself into the damned ground, Gemma.” Merrick scowled at her, a muscle in his cheek jumping. He glanced at Matt. “Go with her, I’ll finish up here. See what else she needs done.” “I can do the laundry.” She tried to smile again but wasn’t sure it reached her eyes. “Believe me when I tell you that you’ve both already shaved at least two hours off my day.” She took a deep breath. “And I appreciate it. I really do.” It didn’t matter how much time they’d saved her or how much she appreciated having some help. Gemma refused to spend time with them alone. She couldn’t afford to. She didn’t think she would survive if they left, leaving her reputation in shreds again.

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Matt stared at her suspiciously. “Why do I hear a but in there?” Matt stared at her suspiciously. He moved closer, practically looming over her with his impressive height. Gemma swallowed, caught between fear and arousal. Who turned the heat up? She fought the urge to fan herself. Why was she always so warm when these two were around, not to mention, why didn’t they scare her as much as other men did? Other men frightened her to the point of a breakdown. These two, however, mainly just made her hot. Gemma felt the heat of her old attraction even through her anger at them both. Why? Why couldn’t they let things well enough alone? The last thing she needed was a repeat of what happened ten years ago. She couldn’t afford to have the rumors start again. She was aware she’d never be able to live through it. Not again. She wasn’t strong enough. “Well?” Merrick didn’t need to echo the question. Not when his expression matched Matt’s and they both lifted a brow. What was it about the two men that made it so difficult for her to choose between them? How could they make her forget everything she’d suffered because of them and her own damned weakness? They were so much alike, yet different. Matt was tall, dark with dark eyes to match and…good 37

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looking. Merrick was very similar in looks, only his size ran a bit leaner than Matt’s. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body. Both wore short neatly trimmed beards. It pained her to remember that neither of them had been able to grow much facial hair the last time she’d seen them. Merrick was just a bit taller and wider than Matt was. His hair wasn’t cut quite as close to the head and his piercing gray-green eyes seemed to bore into her, reading her, touching her soul. He thinned his lips, his displeasure showing. “You’re working yourself into the ground over this place, Gemma.” Merrick practically purred the words. His voice made her stomach clench and heat pool low in her middle. It was always like that with him. He spoke softly and she melted whether she wanted to or not. You’d think you would have outgrown that by now, Gemma. She tried to ignore the little voice inside her. Exchanging glances between them, she licked her lips. According to new clan edict, she could have them both. The thought suddenly occurred to her. They weren’t aberrations after all. She could have them both and no one would laugh, and no one would ridicule her because they just discovered the Truebond was the way their people were intended to mate. Their people, though, Gemma. Not your people. She

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felt her cheeks warm at the thought. What if it didn’t matter? What if that was the reason she’d been unable to choose between them when they’d been younger? The council told her to choose her mate and she’d been unable to. Already marked by these two men, no one else wanted her for a mate, used goods that she was. Even if she had decided she would prefer one over the other— which she hadn’t—neither of them had remained to find out because they both had left. The center of her chest ached as old wounds reopened. How could she even think of seeing either of them again when they left her here to endure the men’s censure and cruelty without a second thought? Gemma held her hands out in front of her. “I can’t.” She looked at them both with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “How can you expect me to welcome you back into my life as though nothing has happened?” Tears streamed down her face and she dashed them away with her hands. “You left me here to suffer the censure of every male in this town while you left to—to go gallivanting all over the world.” She brought her hands to her chest as though holding them there, in front of her heart would keep them from ripping it out of her chest and stomping on it again. “I stayed here. I tolerated the advances of every lecherous council member who wanted to 39

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cheat on his pregnant wife.” She pointed at them. “In the mean time you two went out, lived your lives and now you come back thinking yourselves some sort of damned heroes. Well, don’t expect me to fall at your damned feet and take all of the abuse like the spineless, witless teenage girl you left here.” Gemma took a deep breath. She didn’t know how to stop all of her hurt and frustrations from flying out through her mouth without thought at being pressured, hunted, sniffed at like some cheap whore. “Ask yourselves how this town with its sick, twisted, council would have treated me when you left here on your damned high horses! Ask yourselves how many times I had to fight off the advances of power hungry council member pigs!” Gemma lowered her voice to a whisper and turned around unable to face them, knowing they would pity her after her next words. She didn’t want or need their pity. She didn’t need anything from anyone. Not anymore. “Ask yourselves how many times men forced themselves on me after my parents died because a man thought I wanted it because I was easy.” She started down the stairs, still unable to face them. “Then ask yourselves if you think I can ever forgive you for leaving me here alone.”

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Chapter Three fell to his knees. It felt as though Merrick someone had ripped his heart from his chest and stomped it into the ground. He’d never given it a thought. This was Paradise. Things like that never happened here. Still, the old council had already changed by the time they’d left. It had been one of the main reasons they’d decided not to stay here. His stomach twisted and he felt sick. Rage, unlike anything he’d ever felt in his life, tore through him like a hurricane. He knew the storm of his fury showed in the clenching of his fists and the color of his eyes. If he could see the red haze, then he knew the obsessive need to kill was upon him. He felt Matt next to him. His friend. His partner. He also sensed the other man’s need matching his. The anger spurred them to stand, run down the stairs, chase after Gemma and make her tell them who had the death wish. For that’s what touching her was. It was the pleas of a sick 41

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soul unworthy of redemption and it would be his distinct pleasure to bring an end the men’s existence on this earth. They found her in the apartment off the kitchen. The door was locked, the sound of sobbing wrenching their hearts. He could see the pain on Matt’s face, mirroring his own. What could they do? If they burst through her door and forced their presence on her, were they any better than those who had forced their bodies on her? “Wait,” he said to Matt as the other man prepared to break down the door. “If we do that then she has no security in her own home. She needs security.” He rested his hand on the cool oak door in front of them. “Gemma. Please let us in.” He tried to keep his voice calm and even. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her by making her think he was angry. He was furious but not with her—never with her. “Go away,” she shot back, the words garbled, choked out between sobs. “I don’t want your damned pity. Just go away. Leave me alone. I don’t want to see either of you ever again.” “You don’t really mean that, love.” Merrick kept his tone gentle. She needed to know he wouldn’t force her to his will. “I. Am. Not. Your. Love. Damn it! I said leave me alone.” He sighed, at a loss for words. “I can’t leave

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you alone. Not like this.” “You didn’t have a problem leaving me alone ten years ago. Neither of you did.” Her voice was closer to the door. Not just on the other side but closer than she had been. “Why?” Her voice was so low, full of grief. “Why did you leave me here?” He rested his forehead against the cool wood. “Because you couldn’t choose between us, and,” he paused, knowing whatever he told her it wouldn’t be enough. In fact, nothing would ever be enough. “We couldn’t choose for you. So we both left.” And it had been the biggest mistake of either of their lives. The love of his life stood with a door between them, her heart broken and her body abused because of him—them. It didn’t matter that the abuse was in the past. He needed to see her now. Needed to know she was okay. More than anything, he needed the names of the men who did it. He glanced at Matt. Because of them, he didn’t know what to do, what to say. How could they help her? How could they possibly make things right when everything had gone so horribly wrong? “I can’t read her anymore.” Merrick saw Matt’s gaze and sensed the same pain he felt. “I used to be able to read her.” 43

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Merrick glanced at the door, his hand still resting against the cool wood. “I could too, but something closes her off from us. It’s probably just as well. She needs privacy more than anything now. She needs to be alone with her grief, and she needs to know her locked doors will keep her safe. God knows we didn’t.” He sighed. Spotting the door to the basement, he strode to the door, opened it and started down. “Leave her to her grief. She needs physical rest. The least we can do is start the laundry for her before we go pledge ourselves to the new Alpha.” Leaving the lodge was hard. Intellectually, Merrick knew Gemma could handle herself. She would bring herself together in time to fix lunch for her guests. He had no doubts of that. Even if she hadn’t overcome her emotions, she would keep them in check as long as they weren’t there. It was obvious, at least to him, that she had a difficult time controlling her feelings while they were around. He’d accepted a ride from Matt. He needed to pick up some clothes from the nearest store even if it meant leaving Paradise and going to the next town. He couldn’t spend his entire Christmas vacation in black leather. They waited outside the office with Adam Greer’s name on it while Greer’s secretary, Emma Brubaker, notified the man of their presence.

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“It’s good to see you.” Adam Greer was just as they remembered him. Being only fifty years their senior he looked like a human in his mid thirties. “Merrick, you left here ten years or so ago, didn’t you? Care to tell me why you’ve returned?” The words and look were both welcoming but the sentiment wasn’t quite mirrored in his eyes. “As I recall, you two left here because of a female.” He raised a brow, obviously waiting for an answer. “Yes,” Matt agreed. He stepped forward, offered his hand and said formally, “I have come to pledge my life for yours and welcome our newest Alpha into power.” Merrick stepped forward next and stated the same. He noticed a picture on the desk of a beautiful woman with short, dark red hair. “Your mate?” It was clearly a question. “She’s beautiful.” He bowed. “I offer my congratulations.” “Thank you.” Adam turned another picture frame around. It contained the photo of a man. Merrick assumed it was the man’s brother or perhaps best friend. “This is something I think you would both like to see and hear.” His Alpha set both of the photos together. “I remember the two of you. I was still in training for the Tudra when you left but,” he shrugged, “one hears rumors.” Merrick felt his fists clench as he saw Matt’s do the same. If their Alpha was one of the men who violated Gemma, he would kill him where he sat. 45

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“Calm down,” the Alpha shifted in his seat, better to protect himself from attack. “I take it from your aggressive stance, you’ve heard what happened to Miss Alexander after you left.” He leaned forward a bit, looking into their eyes. “Believe me when I tell you I had nothing to do with the assaults on her. The old council members were mad. For a while, no one could control the things they did.” His gaze shifted to the photo of the other man. “Until Nick and I raised enough support to form a rebellion. “Of the five or six, all but two or three of the men who…visited Miss Alexander have been killed. Those who survived have gone into hiding.” He smiled slightly. “I have no idea if this will help you but,” he indicated the photo, “Nick and I have a Truebond with Nina.” His finger reached out and caressed the woman’s cheek through the glass in the frame. “Amenina McWerty, Nick Hill and myself all have a Truebond, a triad bond.” He paused a moment to give his words time to sink in before he picked up the picture of the other male. “Nick and I both are her mates.” **** Matt couldn’t have been more stunned if the man had stood and sucker-punched him. What the hell?

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He glanced at Merrick and asked through their mental link, Have you heard of such a thing? Merrick shook his head, shifted then put his hands behind his back deliberately putting himself in a vulnerable position. “We have not heard of such a Truebond.” “I’m not surprised.” Adam leaned back and steepled his fingers under his chin. “I hadn’t either. But both Nick and I couldn’t bear to give Nina up and when we decided to mate, a special bond formed between us. Some of the elders have said it should be this way with our people. It seems the one on one mating has only been since the mad council deemed it so. Apparently the third member of each triad had met with some sort of…accident and the others were forbidden to speak of it.” Adam stood and shook their hands. “So, you see, you both are free to mate with her if she’ll have you.” That was the question, wasn’t it? If she would have them. Matt wouldn’t blame her a bit if she tossed them both out on their asses. He glanced at Merrick unable to read his expression. Besides, he didn’t know if the other man would go for it. Could they really share her? If they did, how would they work out such an arrangement? Adam chuckled and stood. “Don’t look at me. I’m telling no secrets.” Though I’d bet a good sum 47

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your little bird won’t fly away. She may have some ghosts in her past now but, from what I’ve seen, she’s no quitter.” He walked them to the door. “Court her as she should be, show her gentleness and, if she’ll have you both, tell her of your intentions to form a Truebond.” The Alpha led them to the outside door on his way out. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starved, and,” he added as he strode toward his car, “I have to meet with the new council about getting Paradise a jail and a Sheriff.” Opening the door to his truck, he turned and smiled before he climbed in. “Enjoy your lunch.” Matt watched as their Alpha drove away. “Could it be that easy?” He turned to Merrick. “Could we share her?” He knew he’d rather share Gemma than not have her at all. In the ten years since they’d left he’d been with exactly three other women and that was only because he had worked himself up into a sexual frenzy just thinking about Gemma. Then after, when he found himself in their beds, he couldn’t seem to get out fast enough. He’d felt that somehow, he had cheated on her. Perhaps he had because even though he had been the one to leave her, he never stopped loving her. He could admit that to himself now and realized sharing their Gem was better than not having any part of her at all. Merrick stood silent for a minute then he

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turned to glance back toward the hill where the lodge sat. “Yes,” he said with a nod. “I could share her. I just want a part of her, no matter how small.” Smiling, Matt held out his hand. “Then I suggest we each do our damndest to court her and make her ours.” “I think, for now, we should court her separately as we did in the beginning,” Merrick said taking his hand. Suspicion crept into his thoughts. “Why?” “The two of us together could scare her away entirely.” Matt nodded in agreement. “You could be right about that. Her life hasn’t exactly been easy since we left.” He sighed and clenched his fists. He wanted nothing better than to find every one of the men who assaulted her and beat the shit out of them. “In fact we probably made her life harder than it had to be. If we’d stayed no one would have dared touch her.” “Plus, without us, she was thrown to the wolves, perhaps, literally.” Merrick rested his hands on his hips, sighed and glanced between the lodge and the one lonely department store in town. “You go back and have lunch at the lodge. I have some clothes shopping to do.” He looked down at himself, shrugged, then grinned crookedly. “I can’t wear this leather forever. I’ll 49

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meet you there in an hour or so.” The look he gave Matt was full of meaning. “Don’t waste time. I don’t want to give her too long to think and be scared. Try to remind Gemma what it was like before we left.” Matt left Merrick standing outside the store and headed for the lodge. After parking the truck, he sat and looked out at the building where Gemma lived and worked. Though it was large, it didn’t look nearly as imposing as he remembered. Was it because he spent so much time away, had seen so many corporate owned resorts that the sixty room mountain lodge didn’t seem so immense as it had in his youth? Sighing, he decided there was no use prolonging the inevitable. He had to go inside, find Gemma and stick by her. She needed to get used to having them around. He found her in the kitchen cooking lunch. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the counter and watched as she bent to put a tray of biscuits in the oven. “What’s for lunch?” Gemma screamed and turned with her hands to her chest. Her eyes were so filled with fear, Matt wanted to go back outside and enter again making enough noise that she couldn’t possibly miss his entrance. He held his hands up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He took in her huge, bright eyes and

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trembling form. God, how he wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be all right that no one would ever hurt her again. Her eyes narrowed and she thinned her lips. “Well, you did.” She turned her back, her arms wrapped around her middle when he stepped closer. “Don’t.” She didn’t have to say more. Stepping back, he put his hands in his pockets, leaned against the counter again and sighed. “Do you need help?” He looked around for something to do, saw a dirty mixing bowl in the sink and went to wash it. “You don’t have to help.” “I want to,” he said over his shoulder. “Let us help you, Gemma, it’s the least we can do.” He tried not to notice how her renewed fear made her full breasts heave beneath the light blue blouse she wore. The way her worn blue jeans hugged her hips and legs and the way they framed her lovely ass as she bent over in front of the stove, made his heart yearn for her and his body ache. Turning back to the sink and the few dishes there, he inhaled deeply, wanting to wallow in her scent. He longed to pull her into his arms, hold her soft body against him and let her feel how much he still loved her, how much he wanted her though they’d been apart so many years. Yet he knew he couldn’t. Matt knew what he longed to 51

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do was something she feared more than anything. What could he possibly do to earn her trust again after all that had happened? Gemma moved quietly behind him, removing the lid off a pan. He smelled the chicken before but wanted to make conversation. The mixed aroma of baking biscuits, chicken and her heady scent made him feel more at home than anything ever could. He felt her gliding through the kitchen more than seen her. He wanted her to think he was ignoring her. It was something that was impossible to do, but she didn’t know that. Soon her movements became faster, less reserved as she slowly got used to his presence in her domain. With luck, it wouldn’t be long before she could tolerate his presence closer to her, perhaps even holding her. He was a patient man, though, as was Merrick. They would wait her out and plan an all out assault on her senses to put into play when she was ready. He only hoped it wasn’t too long. **** Gemma stared out the window overlooking the valley below. There was no way around it. She still wanted Matt and Merrick with an intensity that scared her—and she was scared. Why wouldn’t she be? What if they decided just to take

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what they wanted from her like everyone else? What happened to her was one of Paradise’s worst kept secrets. Everyone knew about it, but no one wanted to discuss it. She’d gone into one of the local towns to see a counselor about it several times. The woman tried to convince her to have the men arrested but how could she? It was easy to confess her sins and to admit that she loved two men at the same time in the past. Hell, she even convinced herself that maybe, just maybe, it was her fault in some twisted way. However, her counselor, Leah, said it wasn’t her fault. No one had the right to take that control from her. It took a few years but she finally came to think it, and even believe it after a while. Now, with Matt standing so close behind her, it brought back all of those old fears and doubts. Had it been her fault? Had she somehow caused those men to believe she wanted them to do what they did as they’d said? The situation brought everything back. It was as if it had happened just yesterday. The timer on the oven beeped and she jumped. Rushing over to the stove, she removed the biscuits from the oven and set them on the hot pads she’d set out and then rushed out of the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.” She couldn’t wait. Gemma had to have a shower. Now. The demons of her memories didn’t 53

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wait. They would never wait. They made her skin crawl incessantly until she bathed no matter the time of day or night. Gemma crawled into the shower barely taking the time to remove her clothes. The water was warm. It washed over her taking the demons away as she scrubbed herself pink with her soap and bath puff. As usual, it took until the water ran cold for the old terrors and the foul soiled feeling to finally leave her. At least for a little while. She dressed and headed down to the kitchen to serve lunch. She only hoped her guests wouldn’t mind that it was twenty minutes late. The pot was still on the stove, the chicken and dumplings, biscuits, fresh bread and butter were gone. She rushed into the dining room to see the table set and her guests eating their lunch. Matt stood in the corner, a pitcher of iced tea in his hand and an apron tied around his waist. The only person who looked even remotely put out was Malcolm Pritchard—though Gemma would have to admit to being surprised if he hadn’t looked irate. “Is there a problem, Mr. Pritchard?” She walked closer and looked at him from across the table. She didn’t want to get too close in case she got the overwhelming urge to dump his drink over his head. It wouldn’t be the first time. The

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man was a major pain in her rear. “Of course there’s a problem!” He shoved his plate away as if it was full of worms. “How many times do I have to tell you red meat?” Crossing her arms over her breasts, Gemma sighed. “I’ve already told you I cannot make special meals just for you, Mr. Pritchard. With the exception of breakfast, I post the lodge menus a week in advance. If you want something different, you’re welcome to go elsewhere for the meals you don’t think you would like. I’m sorry, sir, but I’m running this lodge by myself and I just can’t fix every meal to order.” Malcolm stood, throwing his napkin on the table. “I’m not asking you to do it for everyone. Just me.” Gemma sighed. “Don’t you see? If I do it for you, I’d have to do it for everyone and with just those here now, it would take hours to fix everyone something different.” She looked at her other guests who studiously stared at their plates with nothing to say. At least they didn’t look pissed. They looked more uncomfortable than anything else. “Fine!” Malcolm rose from the table. “I’ll be leaving today. I’ll expect a full refund.” Well hell. What next? Malcolm Pritchard was really going to blow his cool when he found out he wasn’t getting a refund for the nights he 55

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already spent at the lodge. Sometimes she wished she had some sort of security personnel. Malcolm stomped from the room and she glanced around at her other guests. None of them said anything but she noticed that three of the other four people present, had a more relaxed air about them. Maybe it was a good thing the lion shifter left. It was apparent she wasn’t the only one he made uncomfortable. Glancing around, she smiled at the rest of her guests. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some cleaning up to do.” Matt followed her to the kitchen, removed the apron that looked so ridiculously small on him and slammed the half full pitcher down on the counter hard enough to make the water slosh over the rim. “I’m not sorry to see him go.” He wouldn’t be. Most men didn’t get along with Malcolm. She would have been surprised if he had. “You may be glad to see him go but I don’t know how in the hell I’m going to tell him he isn’t getting a full refund. I’m not about to give his money back for the ten days he’s already been here.” She wrung her hands together, knowing in the end she’d give the jerk what he wanted because he scared the crap out of her. She couldn’t afford to lose that much money. “Draw up a check and I’ll handle the bastard.

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He won’t intimidate me into giving him anything but my boot up his ass.” Could she? Could she really rely on him to do that for her? Gemma knew he would, knew that he meant every word he said but she also knew he and Merrick wanted more from her than a room. Did she trust herself to accept their help without feeling so obligated that she’d do whatever they wanted? Did she really have a choice? Sighing, she turned and motioned for him to follow. “I’ll draw up the check and you can give it to Pritchard. I’ll stay in the kitchen and do lunch dishes.” She paused staring at him. “I—I can’t thank you enough for taking care of this for me. I don’t know that I could handle his temper.” Matt crossed his arms and grinned. “It’ll be my pleasure to tend this matter, Gem.” Gemma was proud of herself. She barely jerked when he called her by that name—their name for her. It was difficult but she managed to keep walking toward her office behind the front counter to write the check he would need. It took a few minutes for her computer to boot up. A few tense minutes passed with Matt standing in front of her desk, staring at her. She tried to ignore him but it was difficult. How many times had she imagined him or Merrick standing there, gazing at her with that very same look? How many times had she prayed for them to come 57

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back for her before…before the older men of this town nearly drove her mad? After bringing up her files, she deducted Pritchard’s stay from his prepayment and printed a check for the difference. When she handed the check to Matt, their fingers brushed and a current ran up her arm. It was the same jolt of awareness she’d felt for both Matt and Merrick all those years ago. That same feeling that made it impossible to choose between them. Pulling her hand back, Gemma wrapped the fingers of her other hand around the area where they’d made contact. She closed her eyes, for just a moment to gather herself together before she fell totally apart. Why? Why have they come back? Why couldn’t they have just left well enough alone, leaving me to the life I made for myself? She took a deep breath, stood and walked around the desk. Stopping in front of Matt, she looked up into his dark chocolate eyes and paused. What could she say? Thank you seemed to tame, too lame. Placing her hands behind her back, she wrung her hands and watched equally horrified and enthralled as he bent, bringing his head closer to hers. He was going to kiss her. She knew it. She also knew she should turn and run from the office before he touched her. She couldn’t. Her feet stayed rooted to the spot, ignoring her brain’s command to flee as his lips softly touched hers.

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Matt held his hands behind his back as his lips caressed hers. If he touched her, perhaps she would have been able to flee but the kiss was so soft, so gentle, she couldn’t bring herself to end it. The end would come soon enough when he and Merrick left again. That thought was enough to make her lean back, pulling her mouth from his. The kiss was nice, made her feel warm inside like it had always done. Heat pooled in her middle, flaring out to the tips of her breasts and, parts of her that she’d thought had died, suddenly came to life and began to throb. Spinning around, Gemma dashed from the room and ran for the kitchen. What would she do if he followed her? She couldn’t allow herself to fall for them, leaving herself open to being left behind again. She filled the sink with hot water, tossed some of the lunch dishes into the sink and buried her hands beneath the hot water and soapsuds. She had to do something, anything to keep her mind off that kiss. To keep her thoughts from returning to how nice it felt to feel his lips on hers once again. **** Merrick stood outside the lodge holding a bag with jeans, t-shirts, socks and new running 59

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shoes—not that he intended to do much running. Knowing he couldn’t spend the entire holiday wrapped in leather with nothing else to wear, he bought what he felt most comfortable in. He had enough suits at home. He was here to win Gemma once more, not try to impress her. Had he wanted to impress her he would have driven his car instead of riding his bike. The bike and leather gave him a tough look. Tough just wouldn’t cut it now. He needed to look normal. Gentle, even. Leather didn’t give him the same approachable look that jeans and t-shirts would afford him. The leather just made him look like a bad boy. Taking a deep breath, he entered not knowing what kind of welcome—if any—that he would get. Climbing the stairs to his room, he showered, changed quickly and headed downstairs. Maybe he could help her with dinner. If he managed to give her some time to herself, he might get lucky and be able to spend some of that time with her. Matt met his gaze with an unreadable look and made an excuse to leave when he walked through the door. He needed some one-on-one time with Gemma. Matt knew he was the one who had broken down her defenses before. With luck, perhaps he could do it again. Gem was bent over, pulling vegetables from the large commercial refrigerator when he first saw her. It was difficult to control the urge to walk

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over to her and press his groin against her bottom as he’d done so many times before when she spread the blanket for their picnics so long ago. His chest ached that she was no longer the same innocent they had left here. She may have known the touch of a man when he and Matt left but she’d known nothing of violence and depravity. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, waiting for her to turn. She didn’t know Matt had left and that he took his place. He’d kill himself before he would scare her even unintentionally. Merrick waited, wondering if it would be wise to remind Gemma that he took that home economics class with her in high school. Matt had as well. Both of them had been so smitten, so in love with her, they both risked razzing and ridicule of the rest of the football team just to be with their Gem. He still didn’t know why the town even bothered with a football team. They’d never been allowed to have games with other schools. Back when the original council was in charge, Paradise had been a lot like any other town. The lodge was full of skiers, human and shifter alike and the town was only inaccessible during major Sabbats when the ancient Gods were worshipped and revered in the old ways. Merrick smiled when Gemma finally 61

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straightened and turned toward him, a worried frown on her face. “I can’t believe I forgot to pull the meat for dinner out of the freezer…” Her words trailed off when she noticed it wasn’t Matt she’d addressed. Looking around the practically gleaming kitchen, she asked, “Where did Matt go?” Not knowing if he should be jealous or not, Merrick gave her a half grin. “He left when I got here. I guess he had something to do,” he lied, pushing himself away from the counter. “What do you need? I’ll run to the store.” The look of relief on her face was enough to make the trip to the store worthwhile. “You’re sure you don’t mind?” She bit her lip and looked around the kitchen. “I have so much stuff to do, it isn’t funny.” It was obvious from her expression that she was afraid he’d change his mind. “I’m sure. Just give me a list if there are more than two or three things.” She made a face. “I just need eight pounds of ground beef.” Merrick felt his eyes widen. “Eight pounds of ground beef?” Was there an echo in here? Nodding, she gave him a sheepish grin as she set the vegetables she pulled from the refrigerator on the island that sat in the center of the kitchen.

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Pulling a butcher knife from the drawer near her hip, she started peeling and chopping onions and tossing the diced pieces in a pan of water. “Okay, eight pounds, it is.” He turned to leave, but stopped, surprised when she grabbed his arm. “I can’t thank you two enough.” Gemma’s gaze darted around the room as though she wasn’t sure what she’d planned on saying when she grabbed his arm. “When I first saw you two, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to stand having you here. I never expected you to…to help so much.” Tears filled her eyes. “It’s been so long since…since anyone has been able to help me.” He frowned. “What about your sisters? Surely they could find the time to help.” Gemma shook her head. “My sisters left not too long after you did. They wanted me to go with them but I wouldn’t.” Something in her eyes told him the real reason she hadn’t left was because she’d hoped he or Matt would return. “I couldn’t leave with them. They’d been gone a year and I’d already put everything I had into the lodge before the trouble started.” Her expression clouded over and Merrick knew that was when the council members began terrorizing her. They’d made her life a living hell and she couldn’t run away. She’d been stuck here, in this lodge, in this town where no one would, or 63

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could, help her. “It’s okay now, Gemma. I’m here. Matt’s here. We’ll protect you.” Merrick pulled her into his arms. “Everything will be okay, Gem. No one will ever hurt you again.” When she finally stepped from his embrace and he was on his way out the door to get her hamburger for her recipe, he could have sworn he heard her say, “But who’s going to protect me from you?” **** “What are you doing out here,” Matt asked as soon as he walked through the back door headed for his motor cycle. “I’m glad to see you.” Merrick hadn’t thought about grocery shopping on his bike. His saddlebags were in the lodge filled with the gifts he’d gotten for Gemma over the years. “Can I borrow your truck?” He didn’t wait for the other man’s answer, and just held out his hand for the keys. “Uh, sure.” Matt pulled the keys from his pocket and tossed them to Merrick. “Where are you going?” “Thanks,” Merrick said, catching the keys. “To the store. Gemma forgot to pull the meat from the freezer for tonight’s dinner.” He glanced around

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and grinned at the pile of wood Matt had begun to split. “I see you’re busy trying to be her hero too.” Matt returned the grin. “Well, someone has to be. It might as well be us.” “You’ve got that right. Keep an eye on her. I’ll be right back.” “Sure thing. I was getting a bit chilled out here anyway.” “Right.” Merrick snorted and strode to the SUV. “Don’t try that line on Gem. You haven’t been out here long enough for a glass of water to get cold.” Stopping, he turned to glance back at Matt. “Do you have one of your feelings?” They’d both gotten gut feelings when they served in the Army together. Everyone in their command knew if they had a bad feeling that the job just wasn’t going to go down without a hitch. “Yeah. I do. I thought it was just because we were so pissed that our radar hadn’t picked up on something happening to our Gemma while we were gone.” Merrick shook his head and looked around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Trees, the mountains behind him, a chair lift to carry skiers up into the hills and snow. Lots of snow. “Something’s going to go down here. I just don’t…” He shook his head. “One of us has to get to Gemma soon. I don’t like the idea of her staying on the ground floor alone.” 65

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Chapter Four watched as Gemma stood frozen in place, Matt biting her lip. She glanced toward the children as they devoured the cookies she brought and smiled. Then she turned her gaze along with a brilliant smile toward him and Merrick. She mouthed the words thank you, then turned back to watch as the children finished off their treats with gusto. She congratulated the children as she passed, patting the boys on the head, hugging the girls and laughing as they became more and more animated. The school’s holiday party and play had gone off without a hitch and Gemma managed to bring her own home baked cookies to the celebration. It had been a small inconvenience for the two men to help her bake them. She had wonderful recipes but she just couldn’t seem to stand still long enough to allow her cookies to bake to perfection. Their jobs had been an easy matter of

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removing them from the oven in time and kitchen clean-up. The holiday party always preceded Yule by one day. It seemed even this hadn’t changed since they left. Tomorrow was the day they would celebrate the death and the rebirth of the God. As far as tonight, well, tonight would be a giant step in their relationship with Gemma if Merrick was finally able to get her to sleep with him. He glanced over at his friend. “Are you ready for tonight?” Merrick’s gave a strained smile. “I am. I just hope she is. I’m getting tired of staying up all night every other night bored out of my mind.” He glanced around, obviously still searching for a threat. “Something is going on here but I can’t seem to place it.” “I know what you mean.” They both had that sick feeling in their guts that something horrible was about to happen. They just wanted to be sure it didn’t happen to their Gemma. Whatever it was, it was going to happen soon and if they couldn’t figure out what it was, they were determined to be sure their Gem was safe. “Let’s get started with the clean-up,” Merrick said, moving off toward the stage. “I want to get this done and get her back to the lodge where we can at least keep her somewhat safe.” They wanted her to close the lodge. In fact, they 67

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practically begged her to but Gem was not having any of it. She told them that if they believed something was going down then they were welcome to stay and make sure she had some security but she wasn’t closing the lodge and losing everything she had on one of their hunches. They agreed with a sigh, knowing neither of them had the right, in her eyes at least, to take charge and order her around—though Matt would have liked to. After they returned to the lodge, Matt went to his room, leaving Merrick downstairs to ply his wiles on Gemma. Soon, with any luck at all, at least one of them would be in her apartment with her should she need help again. Then maybe they would both be able to get some-much needed sleep. **** Merrick followed Gemma into her apartment carrying the box of ornaments the lodge had lent to the school for the play. It was the first time any man had ever been in this room by invitation since she took over the lodge. “Just set the box on the sofa.” She went into the kitchen before she added then get out to her sentence. Gemma didn’t want to be rude. The only time she’d ever managed it was when she was

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upset. Then she lost all control and said things she didn’t mean, half the time. She did want him to leave, though. Just his presence in her living room made her whole apartment seem smaller. Poking her head through the kitchen doorway, she glanced out at him as he surveyed the room. She hadn’t bothered to redecorate and the apartment had a seventies kind of look to it. Thank God it didn’t have shag carpeting though. “Would you like something to drink, a cup of coffee, maybe?” He looked up from the ancient console TV and smiled. “A cup of coffee would be great.” Her lips trembled as she smiled back. She should ask him to leave. Nothing good would come of his staying in her rooms. If she wasn’t careful he’d have her naked and beneath him in no time and she wouldn’t even put up a fight. “Coffee it is.” She pulled a piece of pie from the refrigerator, cut it in half and set the pieces on the table with the sugar and cream. When there was nothing left to do but wait for the coffee to brew, she stood staring out the window over the sink into the darkness. Gemma jumped and couldn’t hold back a scream when strong arms slid around her when Merrick pressed his hard body against her back 69

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and nuzzled her neck. “You always smell so good. What are you wearing,” Merrick asked, his lips against the shell of her ear. She let out a nervous laugh. “I’m not wearing anything. You must smell my soap. It’s watermelon-kiwi.” “I’d know if I were smelling watermelon.” He shook his head. “No. This is something else entirely.” Gooseflesh rose on her skin as his lips moved down to nibble the line of her collarbone. Gemma wanted to move away, to step away from his embrace but her feet just wouldn’t listen to her brain. She could do nothing but stand in his arms and wait for him to turn her around and kiss her while a delicious, languorous, heat pooled low in her tummy. It happened almost like a dream. Giving up, she began to turn toward him, needing to feel his lips on hers. Needing the strength of his arms to hold her, keep her safe, even if it was only for one night. Even if they both left afterward, she would have a memory of gentleness. Finally, if she was fortunate, maybe his kisses, his body, would finally wash away the hideous memory of what the council members had done to her. A girl could dream, couldn’t she? The tender touch of his lips on hers drove any

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thought of refusal from her mind. This was Merrick. Her Merrick and if she could only have him for this one night, she’d make the best of it. Gentle fingers curled around the fist she held against his chest. His thumb gently caressed her knuckles as he moved her arm around his neck so he could pull her closer, deeper into his embrace. She went willingly, wanting this, wanting him more than she would have ever thought possible just the day before. Her knees buckled when his lips moved to the base of her throat, kissing and nibbling lightly. How long had she waited here for him—for them? How many years had she waited here alone, subjected to the cruel men and even crueler fates that had kept them apart? Gemma’s brain finally regained control of her body and she stiffened, tried to pull away. “Merrick, please…” She couldn’t complete her objection. A part of her wanted this, wanted him and she couldn’t bring herself to beg him to stop. “Hush, Gemma. Just feel. Even if you don’t want me to stay, give yourself this one night. Let me remind you how good it can be with someone who cares.” With someone who cares. The words nearly brought tears to her eyes. Did he, could he, still care for her? Did she dare hope that finally she would have the life she’d always dreamed of? 71

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Could the three of them make a life together? Would they want to? “Stop thinking, Gem. Stop thinking and feel.” Merrick whispered the words against her temple, his lips moving over her skin, tempting her, wearing down what little defenses she had against him. “Remember what it was like,” he asked as his tongue snaked into her ear. “Remember how it felt? Nothing felt as wonderful. How you melted in my arms as you’re doing now. How you screamed when I made you come.” Gemma groaned, the sound coming from deep within her. “Yes.” Of course she remembered. The two of them had given her the most pleasure she’d ever had in her life. The only question she had was would she be able to survive when they left her again? That thought brought her back to her senses, even if it was only for a few seconds. Pulling from his embrace, she moved quickly putting the table between them. “I can’t do this again, Merrick.” Tears filled her eyes. “I can’t love you both then lose you again. I just can’t. I’m not strong enough to lose you again.” She swiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m just not strong enough.” ****

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Merrick moved slowly around the table. He didn’t want to frighten her but he needed to touch her, to let her know how he felt. When she mirrored his movements, he stopped with a sigh. “I’m not leaving again unless you tell me to go, Gemma.” “Don’t you understand?” She crossed her arms over her middle. “I can’t do this. I can’t choose between the two of you. You asked me once before, remember? Well, my answer is still the same.” She turned away, obviously embarrassed by her sobs. “I know what you said before. I also know how things were before. They aren’t the same now. You don’t have to choose between us. You can have us both if that is what you want.” What appeared to be a sliver of hope lit her eyes. “You—you both could live with that?” Merrick sighed. “Honey, that’s just about all we could talk about when we found out. That we’d give you the opportunity to choose between us and if you couldn’t then we would find a way to share you because any life with you is better than a life without you in it. Believe me, I know.” Gemma surprised him then by running around the table and throwing herself into his arms. “I didn’t think you two would ever agree to something like that.” She smiled up at him, tears still streaming 73

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down her face. Only he hoped they were happy tears. His Gem had suffered enough because of his and Matt’s stupidity. If they had to do it all over again he’d insist she came with them and shared her from the start. It was all they knew anyway. Merrick stared down into her deep blue eyes before he bent and covered her mouth with his. He nibbled on her lips for a moment until she opened for him, then thrust his tongue into her mouth, needing to feel her, to taste her, to make her his once again. She whimpered and her knees gave out causing him to tighten his embrace. God he was desperate for her. He needed her. Needed to hold her, to cup her firm breasts in his hands, mold her body to his. His need was so intense. He wanted to slide his hand beneath the waistband of her jeans and push it between her legs. He needed to know she wanted him, needed him as badly as he needed her. Merrick trailed his lips down her neck, pushed her t-shirt and bra strap aside and nibbled her exposed shoulder, his tongue tracing the faint line left by her undergarment. “God, you’re so beautiful,” He murmured against her flesh. “My Gem.” She arched in his arms, pushing herself against him, filling him with the same uncontrollable passion that had driven them both so many years ago.

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Reaching down, Merrick tugged her shirt from her jeans, lifting it to caress her stomach and back. Deftly unfastening her bra with one hand, he pushed the offending material up to cup her bare breasts in his hands. “Please…” Gemma whispered the words against his neck. Her face flushed with desire. “Not here.” She glanced toward the window then pulled from his arms. Taking his hand, she led him through the living room and then to her bedroom. Stopping just outside the room, she reached up to caress his cheek. “I dreamed you’d come back one day. I hoped…” Her eyes filled with tears again. “But I never really believed it.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Tell me I’m not dreaming again.” “To hell with telling you, Gem.” He bent and scooped her into his arms. “I’m going to show you.” After carrying her into her bedroom, Merrick lowered Gemma’s feet to the colorful rug beside her bed and pulled her shirt and bra off in one motion. She blushed and crossed her arms. Seeing her embarrassment, Merrick hoped she’d feel better if he undressed first. It reminded him of their first time. She’d been so virginal and shy. He pulled his shirt over his head, kicked his shoes off and pushed his jeans from his hips. His cock jutted up proudly as if waiting for her to look 75

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down and notice it. “Um…” She looked away. She looked everywhere but down. It was time to take control again before she lost her courage. “You’re so beautiful, Gem. Do you know that?” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again before continuing. “I dreamt of you too. I dreamt of you every time we went on a mission and I didn’t know if I’d see you again—if I would be able to come home.” Every time he went into combat, fired his weapon—every time he killed someone, he thought of his Gem afterward and wondered if he was good enough for her. Wondered if she would ever welcome him into her arms, after all he’d done. He was a killer. A cold, hard, ruthless killer but he couldn’t survive without his Gem. Pulling back, he gazed at her, hoped the longing he felt was mirrored in his eyes. Bringing his hands around to her front, Merrick brought them up, pressing his thumbs to the underside of the creamy mounds. She arched, her rosy nipples pebbling beneath his gaze, silently begging him to take them into his mouth, between his fingers. He squeezed them gently, molding them to his hands before leaning down and sucking one gently into his mouth. One hand moved around her waist to draw her

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closer while the other slid down over her slightly rounded stomach. The muscles were tight, but slightly pushed out from her habit of belly dancing. He couldn’t wait for her to dance for him again, but not now. This time was for Gemma, not for him. Gemma shivered, arched into him, threading her fingers through his hair. She released her breath on a hiss when he released her right nipple and latched onto the left. Slowly, he moved his hand down to unbutton her jeans. The zipper gave very easily and he pushed the denim down her legs. Sitting her on the bed, he bent and removed her shoes and socks, kissing each ankle as he removed her jeans before slowly kissing his way up her legs. He worshipped her with his mouth and tongue. When he reached her small cotton panties, he merely nuzzled her lower stomach, while his fingers delved beneath the white scrap, giving her the time to become accustomed to his caresses. Her head was tossing back and forth on the bed by the time he pulled them down her legs and threw them across the room. Lifting her legs, he rested them on his shoulders as he leaned forward. She smelled wonderful. The scent of her passion was unlike anything he’d ever encountered before. He laved her plump folds, suckling gently 77

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before flicking her erect clit with his tongue. Pulling it between his lips, he suckled as he slipped one finger, then two into her clasping channel. Gemma reached down, grasped his hair and pulled him tightly to her, her fingers digging into his scalp. Her heels dug into his upper back, drawing him closer and he nearly chuckled. She may think she lost her taste for sex, but her sensual nature gave lie to her beliefs. Moisture gushed from her intimate folds, over her swollen nether lips, covering his fingers and his tongue as he continued to give her the most intimate of kisses. Merrick wanted nothing more than to rise, take her in his arms and plunge deep into her depths, marking her, making her his forever. Instead, he held back, knowing she needed this. She needed him to remind her how much pleasure even she could obtain. Holding onto his control by his fingernails, Merrick continued to move slowly. He would bring her to her release before he slid into her honeyed warmth if it killed him. **** Gemma pulled on Merrick’s hair, trying to get him to stop. The pleasure was too much, too intense. She was sure she would die if he didn’t stop and

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take her now. She wanted—no, she needed—him inside her so badly she ached with it. Not once since she’d been violated had she wanted this…until now. Now she could barely stop herself from screaming. She wanted to scream, to wail, to keen her frustrations to the world that he wouldn’t slide that wonderful erection inside her and take her to heaven. When he pulled her clit into his mouth once again, she sucked in a deep breath and screamed. Her climax so intense, so filled with pleasure, she wasn’t sure she would survive the trip to the stars. Her orgasm exploded over her with the force of a supernova and Gemma was certain she would never survive. Only after Merrick reduced her to little more than a limp blob of quivering flesh did he finally move up over her to look down into her eyes. “Do you want this, Gem?” His expression was filled with so much concern, so much love, she couldn’t reply. Gemma could only reach up, cup his cheek in her hand and nod as he lowered his head to cover her lips with his. “Yes, Merrick. I’m sure.” She tried to whisper, hoping he heard her. Her throat hurt, probably raw from the scream that had torn from it mere moments before. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Gemma 79

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lifted her hips into his needing to feel his erection pressed against her heated flesh. Merrick groaned into her mouth swallowing her own cries of ecstasy as he finally placed the tip his cock against her weeping sex. The bulging head pressed against her folds, separating her lips and slipped inside her as though he never left, as though they had never been separated for so many years. Gemma arched into him, sobbing her frustration when he didn’t move, only stared down at her with awe. “Please,” she begged squirming against him, needing the friction of his flesh against hers. Leaning down, he took the tip of her left breast in his mouth, suckling her gently as he flexed his hips, showing his need to go slow, to know he gave her pleasure before his own climax took him. This was for her. The look her gave her said it all. Reaching between them, Merrick’s fingers strummed her clit as he eased in and out of her driving her wild. Her head thrashed on the bed, her hands clenching and unclenching in the soft comforter that covered her bed. Digging her heels into the cheeks of his ass, she met each measured thrust, determined to make him lose that precious control. Gemma wanted this, wanted him to thrust into her with abandon, to take her over the edge of the world as he’d done

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so many times before when they were younger. Gemma loved him for his gentleness, loved him for taking his time, for orchestrating their union in such a way that brought her to climax after climax until her entire being seemed to be nothing more than one endless orgasm. She screamed his name, the tips of her fingers scoring his back, her heels pulling him closer, deeper until she was sure they would both die from the pleasure of it. Then, his eyes changed, the muscles on his neck bulged and his mouth covered hers. His tongue speared her mouth, sweeping between her teeth, over her gums, driving her even higher before he threw his head back and a groan was ripped from deep inside him. Cords of muscle stood out on his neck as he came. The sound he made was low, long and, she was sure, from the very center of his being. Merrick collapsed, though it didn’t escape her notice that he kept a good portion of his upper body weight on his elbows. His damp forehead rested on her chest as he panted over her, his tongue tenderly lapping at her nipple. “I’d forgotten what it was like. What you felt like.” He pulled her nipple into his mouth and laved the tight bud. “Me too.” She squirmed beneath him, unsure of whether she wanted to stir his ardor again or if she merely needed to breathe. 81

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He moved off her, pulled her into his arms and cradled her head against his chest. “Just sleep.” Merrick kissed her forehead, tightened the arm around her waist and nuzzled her ear. “Let’s just sleep. Tomorrow we’ll celebrate the Sabbat.” Gemma snuggled up to him, sighing when he brought the blankets up over them. Tonight she wouldn’t think, she would merely bask in the comfort of lying in Merrick’s arms. Tomorrow was early enough to deal with her demons. If they were to make a life together they would have to know everything. She just hoped what she had to tell them didn’t drive them both away. **** She woke to the sound of Merrick softly snoring in her ear. Grinning, she lifted his arm, careful not to wake him and slid out of bed. Stretching sore muscles, she looked down at him and smiled. He would be tired. After making love four times, they each collapsed on the bed to sleep. Glancing at the clock, she was surprised that her internal alarm woke her at her normal time even though she had so little sleep the night before. Grabbing her robe, she headed for the bathroom for a shower. After that, she’d make her way to the kitchen and start breakfast. Still damp from her shower, Gemma was

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standing at the stove turning bacon when she heard a blood-curdling scream. Turning the burner off, she ran from the room and up the stairs. Merrick was one step behind her, dressed only in the jeans he wore the day before. One of her guests, Samantha Miller, a Tabby cat shifter from Queens, New York stood in the doorway of the room of her long time friend, Alice Ingram, also from Queens. Samantha’s face was white as she stared into her friend’s room, her eyes glazed with shock. Matt stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders a grim look on his face. Matt turned, his gaze meeting Merrick’s. “Call Greer. See if he’s found his sheriff. We need one here. Now!” Instead of doing what Matt asked, Merrick strode to the doorway and looked into the room, Gemma following close behind. Gemma gasped, her hand going to her throat. Alice Ingram lay on the floor of her room in a pool of her own blood. Her clothes, literally torn from her body, lay in tatters about her. The rest of the room was a shambles. The furniture upturned, the cushions and pillows shredded. Poor Alice looked as though someone had taken great pleasure in taking his time in extinguishing her life. The only thing covering her was a cloth tied around her 83

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head that held the rag stuffed in her mouth. Matt turned Samantha into Gemma’s arms and she led the other woman away from the grisly scene. Samantha trembled in her arms as she led her down to the kitchen. Not knowing what else to do when they arrived, she sat the woman down and poured the golden-haired shifter a cup of coffee. “Why?” She looked up at Gemma with her golden eyes. “Why would anyone want to hurt Alice? She was the nicest, most giving person I’ve ever known.” The other woman shuddered then put her head in her hands and sobbed. At a loss for words, Gemma poured her own coffee and sat next to Samantha. Not knowing what to say, she hoped she wouldn’t have to say anything. Merrick and Matt would know what to do. They’d probably already gone for the head of the council and his security team. There was nothing more for her to do than sit back and wait for them to bring the authorities back. Staring down into the dark depths of her black coffee, Gemma waited as she listened to the heartbreaking sobs of Samantha Miller. **** “Well, we were waiting for the other shoe to drop, Merrick. Here it is.” Matt glanced at the murdered

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woman. “I don’t like this. This could have been Gemma.” Sighing, Merrick nodded his agreement. It worried Matt that this happened and no one heard it. No one smelled the scent of blood or excrement. Hell, he was standing almost on top of the body and still didn’t scent anything. Why? Not only could it have been Gemma but also something told him it was meant to be her—would have been her if Merrick wouldn’t have been with her last night. Merrick glanced at him, his voice filled with fury when he spoke. “Stay here until I go change and call Greer.” Matt knew Merrick would call in the alpha’s security before he did anything else. “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?” He shook his head. “Because if you are, you’re an idiot. You have a family business.” Merrick stopped at his door and turned with a shrug. “And? You know I never really wanted to take over. You also know that there are others who could run it.” Matt nodded. Like him, Merrick had siblings somewhere. They just needed to find them. Besides, he knew Merrick had always been driven to do more than run the lumber mill his parents owned. “I just don’t want you running out and getting yourself killed. I’ve grown rather…fond of you 85

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over the last few years.” Grinning, Merrick just said, “I know, now let me go make those calls before the crime scene gets any colder.” It wasn’t long before Adam Greer and the man he’d said was his beta and triad mate Nick Hill emerged from the elevator, grim expressions on their faces. Anyone who didn’t know them might think they were brothers. Like most of their people, they were both tall. Other than they both had dark hair and eyes, it was their matching facial expressions and bearing that could make a man wonder if they were related. “Mattius Stewart. I haven’t seen you in years. Welcome home.” Nick shook his hand then turned to look in the room and whistled. “Someone was upset last night.” “Either that or that’s their sick idea of fun.” Adam said looking over Nick’s shoulder. “Whatever it is, we need to find the person before he kills again.” Nick glanced back at Adam. “What makes you think it’s a man?” Matt stared at him through narrowed eyes, realizing the person who killed Alice Ingram could be standing right here. “Stop looking at Nick like that, Matt,” Adam admonished as Nick entered and knelt next to the victim. “He was home, in bed all night last night.” Matt didn’t ask how the man knew. He

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wondered how the Alpha and his mates worked out their bond. Apparently, they even shared a bed. He hoped it was a big one. Adam continued, “Being so young and having been gone for so long you probably don’t smell it but it was a male that was in here. He’s somehow managed to cover the scent of his shifter persuasion as well as pretty much everything else.” Nick glanced back at them. “There’s a note here.” He picked it up before Matt could tell him not to. What the hell was going on here? Didn’t these two know about proper procedure? Adam clapped his hand on Matt’s shoulder, “Relax, Nick knows what he’s doing. Besides, the man was in his animal form so he wouldn’t have left prints.” “Did you find yourself a Sheriff yet?” Merrick called from the door to his room. Adam turned, raising his brow. “No, why? Are you applying?” Merrick approached them, his hand outstretched. “Yes.” He glanced at Matt. “I don’t care for the strong hurting the weak. Besides, my parents already know I don’t want the mill.” “Hired,” Adam said, taking his hand to seal the deal. “But you don’t know how much the job pays.” 87

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Merrick shrugged. “I don’t much care. I’ve made some good investments over the years and I don’t really need the money. I just want something to do.” He jerked his head toward Nick. “What’s he doing in there?” “Checking out your crime scene, Sheriff.” Nick stood, holding the letter and something else in his hand. “It seems your murderer likes cards.” He handed Merrick the letter and half of a playing card. “When the queen meets her match, the plan begins to hatch.” Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck, then looked at the new Alpha. “We can only assume he means to kill the person we find with the other half of this card. Or he’ll leave the other half at his next murder.” Merrick turned the card over. “Did you notice this piece of tape on the back of the card?” He glanced at Nick who shook his head. “No. I just glanced at the card. I was reading the note.” Merrick pulled a small piece of masking tape off it near the tear. “Someone printed something on the back of the card but it’s torn off. I only have the letters I M B.”Matt turned at a sound behind him. “Gemma!” Great, just great. What the hell do we tell her now? What would she think of Merrick’s decision to become the new sheriff of Paradise? Watching as she approached, Matt noticed how

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she glanced at Merrick then blushed. He stifled a grin and held out his arm, glad to know things went well for them last night. At least he knew there was a chance to get her to mate with them both. “Come here, Gemma and meet the new Sherriff of Paradise.” Gemma’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open when Adam and Nick moved out of the way and Merrick stepped from the room. “You?” She glanced at Adam then Nick for confirmation. “Merrick is the new sheriff?”

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Chapter Five didn’t know what to say. How could Gemma Merrick be the police? “I don’t understand…” She glanced between Adam and Nick. “He just got here.” She frowned then looked at Merrick. “You came here to be Sheriff?” Her eyes burned with unshed tears. He lied to her. He hadn’t come back here for her. He didn’t return to Paradise for personal reasons. He came home for a job. She was just a diversion. Turning, she ran for the stairs. “I—I have cookies in the oven,” she lied. Pausing at the head of the stairs, she glanced back unable to meet any of their gazes. “Samantha is still in the kitchen, Sheriff. You may want to question her. She said she heard something but thought it was the TV in Alice’s room.” “I’ll be right down.” Nodding, she ran down the stairs toward her apartment as though there were rabid dogs biting at her heels.

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What a fool she’d been. He’d returned to Paradise, said a few kind words to her, and she’d just fallen for it—for him all over again. Would she never learn? Would she always be the victim of opportunistic men? Slamming the door of her apartment behind her, she ran to her room and threw herself on her bed. Gemma screamed when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning, she almost wept with relief when she saw it was Matt. Then, remembering herself, she jerked her arm from his grasp. “What the hell do you want?” She swiped the tears from her eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of crying in front of him. “We didn’t come here for work.” He ran his fingers through his jet black hair. “Neither of us needs to work, if you want to know the truth.” Standing, she strode out into the living room. She couldn’t stay in the bedroom with him. She didn’t trust herself. Gemma knew she’d already made one colossal mistake. She didn’t need to make another one. Gemma purposely sat in the only chair in the room. She couldn’t stand it if he got too close to her. It turned out, choosing the chair had been a mistake because Matt knelt down in front of her, virtually trapping her in the seat. Taking her hands, he kissed her fingers. “I’m 91

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not sure what he told you but we came back here for you. After Adam and Nick took over the council, we decided it was time to come home. We originally planned to woo you as we did all those years ago then ask you to choose again. If you couldn’t choose or were already married, we would have left and never returned.” Releasing her, he raised his hands and cupped her jaw, his thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks. “Merrick’s bored. He doesn’t want his family’s mill and he needs a purpose.” He glanced down at her knees. “Men like…like Merrick and I need to be active.” He gave her a crooked grin. “Very active.” Matt scrubbed his hands over his face as though he wasn’t sure what to say next. “I’m really not surprised he asked Greer for the job. The only thing surprising about the entire situation was that our new Alpha hired him without doing a background check.” “Adam probably knows all there is to know about you.” Grabbing a tissue from a box on the end table at her elbow, she blew her nose before continuing. “He’s investigating shifters and trying to rebuild the clan. He’s got a fresh outlook on everything. Unlike the old council, Adam doesn’t care what kind of shifter you are. The old council wanted nothing but cat shifters here. Adam has rolled out the welcome mat to anyone who wants to make a life here. Even humans are welcome

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provided they can keep the town’s secret.” Twisting the tissue in her hands was the only thing that kept Gemma from reaching out to him. She knew she was in trouble when he looked up at her, his dark chocolate gaze searching hers. “Please believe me, Gemma. Merrick needs a job about as much as you need another hole in your roof.” “How did you—” “Shh…” Matt placed a finger on her lips and Gemma had the ridiculous urge to draw it into her mouth and nibble it. “It’s not hard to see you have a bit of water damage on the ceilings. Tomorrow I’ll climb up there, assess the damage and start repairs.” Gemma pulled back to say, “I can’t let you do that, Matt. This isn’t—” He covered her mouth again. “I need something to do as well, Gemma and, if we’re going to make a life together, you have to learn how to accept help.” A life together? Had he and Merrick already discussed what happened last night? Her face heated and she looked away. “Just because I…” What was she going to say? Was she going to tell him that just because she’d had one night of wild, uninhibited sex with Merrick it didn’t mean she was on her way down 93

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the aisle. Okay, she admitted to herself, maybe she wasn’t headed toward the altar, but she was almost halfway to the damned wedding. “What do we do now?” Matt grinned. “Well, I’d say it was time we made lunch for your guests. I think they all understood why breakfast wasn’t served, but I think they’ll be expecting lunch.” “Oh, shit! I forgot all about food.” “I know. I think everyone did with all the excitement.” **** Gemma waited in her room, her nerves on edge. Matt was due here any minute and she knew where things were going to go. If she read his intentions correctly, Matt wanted the same thing Merrick had. She wondered that the thought didn’t make her skin crawl. Instead, it made her tingle all over and heat pool low in her tummy. She smiled, knowing she’d finally begun to heal. Almost jumping from her skin at the sound of the knock at her door, she rushed to answer it with a breathless cry, barely able to contain her excitement. Matt smiled down at her when she opened the door. His eyes crinkled a bit at the corners and she wondered at the crows feet both he and Merrick

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had. Reaching up, she smoothed her hand over his face. “Why do you and Merrick look so much older than Adam and Nick?” She knew that the other two men were at least fifty years older than they were but her guys looked older. Merrick even had a bit of gray at his temples. It wasn’t really noticeable since they both kept their hair so short but it was there just the same. The smile faded from his face as he stepped inside. He held a bottle of wine in one hand but kept the other behind his back. Finally he displayed a bouquet of red roses he’d been hiding behind him and she gasped. No one brought her flowers. Ever. “Thank you. They’re beautiful,” she said, accepting them. “You’re welcome.” He waited for her to close the door then followed her to the kitchen. “We joined the Army after leaving here. We weren’t just soldiers. We were Special Forces. “Merrick told me that much.” She frowned. “But that doesn’t explain why you guys look so much older.” “Our lives were spent in almost constant danger when we were on a mission, Gem. With our coloring and the fact that we’d both excelled in our language and counter terrorism courses, we were sent on too many reconnaissance missions to count.” He sighed and glanced around the room 95

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before sitting at the head of the table. “I can’t tell you anymore. I can only tell you the kind of missions they sent us on were the kind that ages a man. If we were human we’d probably appear older.” He grinned. “Or Merrick would have a lot more gray in his hair.” Gemma had begun to pull their dinner out of the oven where it had been warming but decided to push back into the stove. Last night’s dinner had fared well while she and Merrick sated themselves. Keeping last night’s dinner warm for two more hours hadn’t hurt her lasagna, so it shouldn’t hurt the pot roast either. Turning from the stove, she walked over to him and sat down in his lap, taking his face in her hands. Looking deep into his eyes, she pulled his head to hers. “Let’s help each other exorcise our demons.” Matt’s eyes widened just a fraction before she pressed her lips against his. It didn’t take long for the shock to wear off and he closed his arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth. **** If Merrick had told Matt that Gemma would plop down on his lap and kiss him stupid before dinner, he wouldn’t have believed it. Hell, if he’d known telling her so little of their missions would

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make her react like this he may have said something a week ago. Still, there was something to be said for anticipation. Matt took over the kiss when she nibbled his lips. Opening his mouth, he slid his tongue inside her mouth, reveling in her exquisite taste. The scent of raspberries and vanilla clung to her. Probably from the pies she’d baked for the guests earlier. He managed to keep things rather tame until she wriggled on his lap, grinding her hips against his in a blatant invitation. Standing, he almost smiled when she wrapped her legs around his waist and nibbled her way over his jaw to his ear. She whispered breathlessly in his ear, “The bedroom is out the door and to the left. You can’t miss it.” Matt wasn’t anyone’s fool. He headed for the door, barley able to keep from running. Lying back on the bed, he cupped the back of her head, tilted it to the side and suckled her neck. Gemma groaned when he moved his lips to her ear and laved the delicate shell. She shivered, goose bumps covering her arms as his hands skimmed down their length. Moving his hands to her hips, he pulled her tight against him pressing his cock against her lower stomach. Rolling over, he looked down into her eyes. “Do you want this, Gem? Do you really want 97

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this?” She gazed up at him a glazed look in her eyes. “I want you, Matt. I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember. Even when I thought I hated you, I wanted you and hated myself for it.” Gemma stood and began to undress as she smiled down at him shyly, her face turning red. Matt didn’t need an invitation, as he too stood and shed his own clothing in record time before turning with the idea to help Gemma with hers. She was already in the bed, the blankets drawn up to her chin when he turned his attention to her. Matt smiled, almost chuckling at her uncharacteristic shyness. Even when she’d been a virgin she hadn’t been this shy. The smile faded when he remembered what caused her reticent behavior. She needed a lot of care—a lot of comfort to overcome the fear those men instilled in her. One day he would make the men pay. Now though, he intended to make her forget. At least for a little while. Crawling into bed beside her, Matt took Gemma in his arms and held her tight, reveling in the sensation of her bare flesh against his. Her breasts pressed against his chest. He kissed her then, poured every bit of the love he felt for her into it. His hands skimmed over her back, moving around to cup her breasts, gently

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pulling and twisting her distended nipples. Gemma groaned into his mouth when his hands slid over her gently rounded stomach. His cock bucked at the knowledge that she must still practice her belly dancing. It had been both a source of desire and pride that she’d been able to dance privately for him—and most likely Merrick as well. When his hand brushed the soft curls at the apex of her thighs, she opened her legs, and groaned as his fingers gently swept past the moist, plump lips between her legs. He stroked her flesh tenderly, his finger and thumb grasping her clit and pulling gently as he thrust his tongue into her mouth and swallowed her cries. So intense was his own pleasure, Matt couldn’t stop himself from groaning into her mouth. He spread the soft folds of her nether lips and slipped his fingers inside her, while his tongue danced with hers. Gemma turned her head, sobbed against his shoulder as he leaned down to kiss her breasts and suckled her diamond hard nipples. Matt worshipped her with his lips as his fingers danced over her smooth flesh. His fingers slid in a circle over her slick flesh, around her pulsating clit, until she writhed against him totally mindless and covered in a thin sheet of perspiration. He purred against her breast, laving the tight bud at its crest. 99

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**** Gemma bucked against him, wanting, needing, him to continue. To take her with him to those heights he had so many years ago. Just as no one had ever made her feel like Merrick could, no one could arouse her in the same way Matt did. She bucked against him, silently begging for his possession. After pulling and yanking on him, Matt finally settled himself between her legs. He thrust his hard throbbing cock inside her. “Yes,” she screamed as he thrust into her again and again. She wrapped her arms around him, needing him closer wanting to crawl inside him and never let go. Matt slid his hand beneath her buttocks and pulled her toward him. Grabbing her legs, he put them over his shoulders, opening her even more to his deep, hard thrusts. Gemma threw her head back and screamed, begging him not to ever stop as he slammed against her, his breath coming in strangled gasps. Gemma felt it coming in the telltale signs of heat traveling up from her toes to encompass her body but she was still unprepared for the intensity of her orgasm as it slammed into her. Even her womb clenched and released as Matt continued to

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ram himself into her faster and harder. Deeper and deeper. The orgasm continued, as waves of ecstasy rolled over and over her until she thought she would die from too much pleasure. Just when she knew she couldn’t take much more, Matt stiffened, threw his head back and growled out his own release before collapsing on the bed next to her. Snuggling closer, Gemma wriggled her bottom against him and grinned when he inhaled sharply. “I think we should go out and eat before dinner’s ruined, don’t you?” She grabbed his hand when he cupped her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple. His stomach growled and he chuckled. “I guess you have your answer,” he said as he rolled over and stood. “Race you to the kitchen.” Matt won because Gemma refused to strut through her ground floor apartment naked after dark. She’d have felt like a goldfish in a bowl. **** Gemma woke the next morning and rolled over with a smile on her face. The smile faded when she realized Matt was no longer in her bed and worse, the apartment quiet. After showering and getting dressed, Gemma headed for the kitchen but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Matt 101

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at the stove, heating a skillet. “Good morning.” Her face heated when he turned around, smiled and winked. “Good morning, my Gem. How are you feeling?” He waggled his brows until she laughed. “I’m feeling wonderful. You?” Well, as wonderful as she could feel after two nights of marathon sex and knowing there was a murder in one of her guest rooms. She said as much to him. Merrick strode through the door. Matt grinned at him, giving him a sharp salute. “Good morning, Sheriff.” “Cut the crap, Mattius.” Merrick scowled at him, went to the cupboard and pulled out three plates before grabbing silverware from a drawer and carrying them to the table. Leaning down, he pressed a quick kiss to Gemma’s lips before he sat. “Good morning, love.” He glanced at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “How are you feeling this morning?” “Good.” She began to rise to get a cup of coffee but Matt waved her back down in her seat and brought it to her instead. “Thank you. You’re going to spoil me. I could get used to this really fast, you know.” “We hope you do get used to it. We want you to,” Merrick answered for him. He rested his hand on hers, his thumb caressing the backs of her knuckles. Her flesh tingled then

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warmed as darts of desire shot through her blood causing her nipples to pebble and the temperature in the room to rise about ten degrees. At least it felt like it. “What are you doing today,” Merrick asked, making conversation as Matt served them both pancakes and sausage. “I have to clean the rooms. We had four checkouts yesterday and the three guests who stayed will probably checkout today.” She sighed. “I know this sounds horrible but this is hurting my business.” God that sounded bad. Gemma closed her eyes, knowing that if it came right down to it, she’d close the lodge down to protect others from falling victim to the sick bastard who had killed Alice Ingram. Merrick covered her hand. “No one is blaming you for this, Gem.” He paused, took a sip of the coffee Matt brought him then turned to stare out the window. “Do you know how many disturbances there’s been in town lately?” Gemma shrugged. “I don’t think there’s been many. A few ice sculptures have gone missing. Most people think it’s the Gibson boys but not me.” She shook her head, raking the fingers of one hand through her hair. “They like pranks but I don’t believe for a minute that any of them would steal.” “Missing ice sculptures are the least of our 103

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problems.” Merrick said then took a sip of his coffee. “Don’t tell Myrtle Connor that. She’ll castrate you with her chainsaw and a handful of rubber bands.” Gemma grinned. “That’s a visual,” Matt said, setting their breakfast down before them. “Eat up. The guests will expect their breakfast in less than an hour.” **** Merrick couldn’t help staring at Gemma while they ate. Every time she opened her mouth to take a bite of her breakfast, he remembered the feel of her lips beneath his, how she’d taken him into her warm wet mouth and sucked his cock until he lost all control, flipped her over and took her from behind. He couldn’t get out of his head the reaction on Gemma’s face on seeing Alice Ingram’s lifeless body. It could have been her, his Gemma, lying on the cold floor with her life’s blood surrounding her, cold and congealed. Clenching his fists, Merrick knew he was in over his head. He’d never been on this end of an investigation before. Intellectually, he knew how everything should go. He’d even taken courses in criminal justice. He’d just never led an investigation before. Merrick refused to admit

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defeat. He’d just call in some reinforcements. Men from their Ranger team he served with owed him big. It was time he called in some favors. Merrick stood, needing to be alone so he could call the others in. He didn’t worry that they would tell anyone about Paradise. The men he would call had been with him on countless secret missions. They knew how to keep their mouths shut and they knew how to protect a person as well as how to kill one. They’d put Gemma in a tight package and keep her there until the murderer was no longer a threat. As he reached the relative privacy of the front porch, Merrick pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed a number on the speed dial. The phone rang three times on the other end before a voice picked up. “It’s your dime.” “Phone calls are a hell of a lot more than a dime, these days—especially ones from across country.” Merrick grinned at the sound of Tuck’s voice. Andrew Gerald Tucker or Tuck to his friends was one tough son of a bitch and anyone who alluded otherwise soon found they were sadly mistaken. “Is that you, Hunter?” Tuck didn’t try to keep the surprise from his voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you until after the holidays.” 105

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In truth, he probably never expected to hear from him. Merrick wasn’t usually one to call in a debt. On the other hand, this was for Gemma. “Yeah. I have a situation here.” He ran his fingers through his hair, barely aware that he had come outside wearing little more than a pair of pants. It didn’t matter much. As a shifter, he could regulate his temperature to an extent and as long as a blizzard didn’t blow down the mountain, he’d be all right. “I’ve just accepted a Sheriff’s position and the town I’m in has just had a murder. Normally I could handle it but…I’m too close to this one. My gut tells me the only reason the victim wasn’t my…girlfriend is because I was with her the night it went down.” Tuck whistled. “Man, when you get into trouble, you really get into trouble don’t you? What to you want me to do?” “You’re the man with the numbers. You have your fingers on the pulse of the team. I’d like you to call everyone and ask them to come down here and help. If they can’t because they have other obligations, that’s fine. I just need as many able bodies I can trust here as possible.” “I’ll see what I can do.” After hanging up, Merrick stood outside looking out over the hills that rose into the mountain range that nearly circled the town. The

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white topped mountain rose majestically behind the lodge, its pristine landscape nearly bringing tears to his eyes. He’d finally come home. He refused to dwell on the fact that if he and Matt hadn’t decided to return to Paradise it could be Gemma lying torn and broken on a cold slab in Dr. Parker’s basement. Turning he entered the lodge and headed for the room where most of his evidence still lay on the floor in disjointed heaps. He tried to put some order to the chaos yesterday. He mentally tried to prioritize everything into groups of evidence, he knew the blood, hair and skin found under Alice’s fingernails were already being tested. He hoped that something would soon point to his killer. “Find anything else?” Merrick turned to see Matt standing in the doorway, the housekeeping cart behind him. He looked down, trying to keep the smile off his face. It was a disgrace really, that they had stooped so low for a woman. But he wouldn’t have it any differently. He only hoped they’d be able to live it down when the team got here. “Not yet.” He glanced down at the mess then ran his fingers through his hair. “I called Tuck earlier.” “I figured you would.” Matt leaned against the doorframe. “If you hadn’t, I would have. Any idea how many of the guys are coming?” Then he 107

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gestured to the cart behind him. “The first thing we’re doing after this is settled is hiring a girl to do this. I don’t mind being a houseman but a maid is out of the question.” Merrick chuckled and shook his head. “What do you think the guys are going to say?” “I try not to think about it. I know what they’re going to razz us with. The words pussy whipped comes to mind.” He pushed away from the door with a sigh. “Well I’d better get busy so there will be clean rooms when they get here.” **** Two days later, Matt was in the kitchen helping Gemma cook breakfast when the bell rang at the front counter. Gemma sighed and wiped her hands on her apron, tears filling her eyes. “It’s another checkout. I’ll go handle it.” Matt took her by the shoulders, leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll get it. You stay here.” There was no reason to subject her to the speculative gazes of her guests as she thought they pounded yet another nail in her coffin. He knew Merrick and he would never let her lose the lodge even though she was adamant that she succeeded or failed on her own. “Okay.” Gem’s voice sounded so soft, so small,

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Matt wanted to hunt down the people responsible for all of her troubles and rip their throats out. Turning, he left the kitchen and headed toward the front, willing to do almost anything to convince people that they really needed to stay. If only they could figure out what the hell was going on. Matt stopped short in the doorway to the small lobby, his chin dropping nearly to his chest. He wasn’t sure, but it looked like every man he and Merrick ever did covert ops with stood there. More than one team stood crammed just inside the door between the wall and the counter, a few of them straggling out the door. Usually, they worked in six man teams out of the battalion unless a larger force was required. Matt smiled, his hopes rising for Gemma, knowing she needed the revenue this would bring in. He glanced over at their escort, David Gibson, and reached out to shake the boy’s hand. “Good job, Dave. Thank you.” “Thank you, sir.” The boy’s face turned red at the praise. “Why don’t you go back out and see if there are others?” Matt knew the Rangers were tough, they were also human and the wrenching of the shield around Paradise would render any human who persisted on making it through the field unconscious. Trained in Special Forces, the men 109

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wouldn’t let the clawing fear caused by the spell stop them. Yet, Matt also didn’t want any of his friends freezing to death if they failed. David, appearing puzzled, glanced back at the others. “It’s a funny thing, sir.” David shifted from foot to foot, twisting his hat in his hand. “They didn’t need me. All of them…er…” His gaze shifted nervously between the newcomers and Matt. “All of them made it through with no trouble.” “You’re mistaken.” David shook his head. “No sir. They’re in several vehicles and I had to act like I was hitch hiking so they’d stop and I could lead them here.” Tuck, leaned against the counter sucking on a toothpick, raised an eyebrow. “There’s something else going on here that you didn’t tell me about, isn’t there?”

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Chapter Six sighed as eight sets of eyes turned his Matt way. “Yeah, we intended to tell you but we needed to treat this like any other Op.” He squeezed through the men to make his way to the counter. “I’ll need to check you all in and obtain your credit card information. It would be good if some of you could share just in case others need rooms but if you don’t want to I’ll understand.” He glanced up at David, not wanting the boy to hear what else he had to say. “Why don’t you go back out there in case there are others? I don’t want any mistakes with my friends.” He turned back to the men after the boy left. “Merrick and I will explain everything later. I’ll tell you now though, we consider this a huge favor. When you get your credit card bill, just send us a statement for how much we owe you for travel expenses and we’ll pay you back.” The last thing he needed was Gemma refusing to take his and Merrick’s money for all the rooms they’d 111

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need. Matt looked at the guys who had come at such short notice, on Christmas Eve no less, and felt a huge lump in his throat. He and Merrick were lucky bastards. **** The guys didn’t want to believe they were shifters at first but it never took much more than stripping down and changing forms to show even the most skeptical that they really existed. “I don’t understand,” quizzed Matthew Brodick, known as Star, to decrease the name confusion between the two Matts. Everyone called him Star because of the similar sounding name of a once popular actor and because of his movie star looks. “How did you two make it into the Army without them noticing something was up with your tests?” The other men glanced at Star then back at Matt. All of their questions so far had been good ones. “Our blood always looks the same as yours. No differences.” He glanced around the suite assigned to Tuck and a few of the other higherranking guys out of respect. “The power to shift comes from our magick and somehow the magick covers the differences with our blood.”

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Another movie star lookalike they’d nicknamed Mel glanced around before asking. “Is that what we felt on the way here?” He gestured to the south toward the only road leading into town. “Did this magick cause us to feel strange, as though we were being wrenched apart deep inside us?” Matt stared at him speculatively for a moment, mentally shaking his head. The chances of what he was thinking weren’t just highly unlikely, the odds were astronomical. “Yes. There are many spells surrounding Paradise created to keep others out. The last thing we need is for an outsider to come here, see a shifter change forms and run to the human media. That is why we asked Tuck to be sure you would all know this was as confidential as your most important classified missions. Word cannot get out about us. The consequences would be devastating.” **** Gemma was in the kitchen, whistling, as she fixed the largest Christmas dinner she ever had. She had turkey and ham in the oven and potatoes simmered on the stove. She made green bean casserole, tuna and lettuce salad and opened several cans of olives, both black and green. The pickles were already in a dish, waiting to be served and the eggnog for later was chilling in her 113

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large refrigerator. Life was good. Maybe, just maybe, she would make enough money to fix her roof and her water heater after all. The men staying in her rooms required little housekeeping and time other than they all seemed to eat like horses. A small price to pay for the added security they brought, not to mention the unexpected revenue. Not only were all of them friends of Matt and Merrick, all of them were large, muscular and fit men. Their short haircuts bespoke of military though some swore they didn’t serve. She’d bet the lodge all of them had served at one time or another. They all had the same discipline and bearing Merrick and Matt had. She’d watched from the warmth of her kitchen as they all went outside to exercise. Their calisthenics were a site to behold. All those men working out in the lodge’s weight room, swimming in the small—at least it seemed small with them in it—indoor pool. She wasn’t sure her heart could take it. The men were all out on a run now. She’d sent both Merrick and Matt with them. She had more time on her hands now than she’d had in the last five years. The least she could do was let them spend some time with their friends while she fixed dinner. “It’s about time I got you alone.” Gemma spun around, her heart jumping to her

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throat at the familiar voice. “What…” She swallowed thickly. “What are you doing here?” She stared at the man she’d believed, hoped, was dead and pressed a trembling hand to her chest. “Still can’t choose between them? You’d think you would have learned your lesson, slut.” Fear clogged Gemma’s throat as she pressed her hips back against the counter and edged toward the door. “Don’t do this.” She tried to reason with the man. “Matt and Merrick will kill you if you touch me again.” She didn’t add that they would most likely kill him anyway. Neither of her two men had made any secret of the fact that they would end the life of any man she named rapist. Larry Moore stood just inside the kitchen door his arms negligently crossed, his legs spread shoulder length apart. “Don’t do what, Gemma? Don’t fuck you? Why not, you want it. You know you want it.” He shrugged. “No matter. It won’t happen here. I’m not stupid. Your male harem will be back soon and I’ve no wish to have them interrupt us. It does surprise me that you would have so many men at once. How do you spend time with them all? Two a night, three?” “They aren’t—” Gemma stopped herself and raised her chin defiantly. She wasn’t going to dignify that with an answer. She wasn’t the strange one. There was nothing wrong with her 115

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behavior. “Truebonds are the way our people were meant to mate. I’m not the aberration here. You and your council are.” “Are you calling me a freak?” If the shoe fits. “Women weren’t meant to have more than one man. On the other hand, men should have more than one woman. They should be waiting on us hand a foot from the time they’re old enough to breed. Why do you think there are so many of you?” The man was a lunatic. Gemma let him talk. The longer he talked, the more chance there was of the guys returning before he managed to drag her from here—and he would have to drag her. She wasn’t about to go willingly. Larry grabbed her arm in an unyielding grip. “Have you told them your dirty little secret yet?” He laughed, reading the truth from her expression. “I thought not. How do you think they’re going to feel when you tell them you’re not one of us? They will be just as disgusted as I am to know that even though you aren’t one of us you still have the ability to bring us to desire, you human slut.” Gemma bit her lip. She refused to let his words hurt her. Humans could mate with members of the clan. Adam said it would only make the pride stronger. That humans could be turned and even if

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they didn’t want to turn they could still have a shifter’s children. She didn’t voice her thoughts knowing they would only enrage the man who dragged her out the door behind him. She planted her feet, trying to stop him from dragging her over the ice and snow. It was a wasted effort. In his hurry to get her out of the house, he’d forgotten to stop and let her get a coat. Or, maybe he hadn’t. He’d just made mention of her humanity, he couldn’t have forgotten she had no way to keep the cold from biting into her flesh. They were just about to lose sight of the lodge when she glimpsed the men jogging down the snow-covered hill behind the generator shed. Planting her feet in the snow, the best she could, Gemma dropped to the ground and screamed. **** Merrick turned to Matt. “That was Gem!” The men put on a burst of speed, running as fast as they dared through the snow. The men behind them sped up, slipping and sliding though the snow as they headed toward the lodge. “Look!” X-ray, so named because of his amazing vision and the best sniper in their group, pointed up on the ridge. “There! They’re almost out of sight. See Gemma’s red sweater? Damn! Whoever has her didn’t even let her grab a coat. 117

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The bastard! Come on, Harris. We need our gear.” The two men left, headed for the lodge and their weapons no doubt. Merrick glanced at Matt knowing the worry on the other man’s face mirrored his own. “We need to get to her before he kills her. Before he—” He couldn’t say it. He didn’t know if he’d be able to live with himself if he allowed her captor to harm her. “We’ll get her back.” At least they didn’t have to worry about her lack of outerwear. Like them, she could regulate her temperature. His only worry was they wouldn’t reach her before the piece of shit who kidnapped her violated her. A red haze covered his vision as they grew close enough to see the man pull Gemma to her feet and backhand her across the face. Merrick howled out his frustration and a loud growl rumbled from the back of his throat. He started to strip with Matt quickly following suit. “What the hell are you doing, man?” Tuck asked, a frown creasing his brow. “We’re going after her and we can travel faster like this. Just tell X-ray and Harris not to shoot the cats.” “You might be a dog, buddy, but I’m a very handsome black leopard,” Matt muttered just before his bones began to pop and crack, his face

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changed to a muzzle and, he was aware, his dark eyes changed to the golden eyes of a big cat. “Oh, my fucking God. That will never get old.” Josh Shepherd, also known as Shep, said behind him. “I wanna be able to do that.” He’d better not say that too loud, Adam’s liable to oblige him, Merrick said to Matt through their mental bond. Don’t I know it, Matt returned, lifting his lip in a feline smile. Turning, Merrick concentrated on Tuck, trying to connect with his mind. Follow our tracks. We don’t know if this guy is armed. He leveled his gaze. You know I’m the sheriff here. Use any force necessary to bring this asshole down if we fail. At Tuck’s nod, both he and Matt turned and ran off through the woods toward the ridge where they’d last seen Gemma being dragged through the ice and snow. **** “They’ll never allow you to get away with this. You know that, don’t you? Merrick is the new sheriff and they both…” She let her words trail off. Why should she warn this creep? Because of him and others like him, her life had been a living hell. It hadn’t been her fault. Hell, it hadn’t even been Matt and Merrick’s fault that a few men had taken it upon themselves to dictate to others. 119

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No, she’d let him greet his fate with his eyes closed. It was better that way. Maybe, just maybe, if she didn’t warn him about the others he would make a fatal mistake. It had been over an hour since the man had dragged her from the lodge. Gemma trudged along behind him, hoping they would get somewhere warm soon. She knew what it meant when she stopped shivering. It was only a matter of time before she totally succumbed to hypothermia. Her body temperature had apparently fallen so low the cold didn’t seem so cold anymore. Exhaustion swamped her and still he pulled and yanked on her until she forced herself to keep moving. She went because she didn’t want to die. She wanted him to lead her to the warmth of one of the cabins she knew were up here somewhere. Their people used them when they guarded the many gates that led into Paradise. It wasn’t until she collapsed on the non-existent path he led her on that she realized he would never take her to one of the gates. Those who had guarded the gates during the Sabbat probably still occupied some of them. Either that or he was just afraid they would find someone who had decided to stay. Gemma wanted nothing more than to sit down and cry. Instead, she fell, planting herself face

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down in the snow and stayed there. She just didn’t have the energy to go on. “Get up.” The man kicked her. “Get your ass up!” Then he leaned down, looked into her eyes and grinned. “What’s the matter? Little human getting cold?” He eyed her prone form, licked his lips and began to undress. “How about one more time for the road?” He laughed. “I’ll be on the road. You’ll be right here, frozen, until some hiker finds your rotting corpse next spring.” Reaching out, he rolled her over and undid the button on her jeans. Gemma whimpered, too exhausted to even try to bat his hands away. “I always knew you wanted it.” He licked his lips. “Now you finally admit it. I heard your moan of desire.” She didn’t have the energy to tell him it wasn’t desire but disgust. Why couldn’t she gather her strength and put up even a small fight? She didn’t want Merrick or Matt to think she’d given up. That she wanted this creature to violate her. We would never think that, love. Gemma knew she wasn’t really hearing Merrick’s voice. She knew it was just wishful thinking because Larry didn’t say a word. Had Merrick really spoken he would be preparing to fight, not to rape her again. Suddenly, Larry’s hands were no longer touching her and she nearly sighed with relief. A 121

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reprieve no matter how small meant her two men may find her before Larry forced himself on her. Get up and run. She heard the voice again, this time she hoped—prayed—it really was her guys. She wanted to tell them she couldn’t. She was just so damned tired that she wasn’t even cold anymore. Then she heard Matt’s words. “She’s cold as ice, Merrick. What the hell did he do to her? There’s no blood.” Gemma felt Matt’s hands skimming over her body, looking for an injury that wasn’t there. How could she tell them she wasn’t injured. She’d lost no blood. It wasn’t blood loss that made her so cold, that it was her humanity. She’d never been one of them. Still, her body was sluggish and her mind began to slow. She just wanted to sleep. “No!” She heard Matt’s horror-filled cry—heard Merrick snarling as he and Larry fought. If she opened her eyes, and it was a feat, she could see the two big cats fighting—one blond and compact, the other dark and menacing, retribution filling his feral gaze. They circled each other, their screams and snarls filled the air. She felt something warm wrap around her and glanced down. It was Matt’s shirt. He held her against his warmth as he wrapped them both in a compact thermal blanket he always carried with him now that their human friends

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were here. She began to shiver as the heat from his body began to seep into her reminding her just how cold she’d been before the tremors had stopped. Still the two cats circled each other, snarling until a shot rang out and the blond cat jumped, looking in the direction from where the sound had come. Then back over his shoulder. Gemma followed his gaze to see another cat fall, his blood staining the snow around him. It was Merrick’s opening and he took advantage of it. He lunged for Larry’s neck and pinned him to the ground, the claws of his hind legs raking deep furrows in the other man’s tender underbelly. Gemma closed her eyes and hid her face in Matt’s chest. She knew Merrick had every right to kill the other man, but she couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. Matt stood with her in his arms as the others approached. She couldn’t see them, but could hear the crunch of snow beneath their boots. The blanket shifted and fell to the ground just before the men came into view. Another man held out the rest of Matt’s clothes and boots as the one they’d introduced to her as Tuck said, “Here, get dressed before we go blind. I’ll hold your woman.” Matt reluctantly handed her over. She could see the indecision in his eyes as he did so. He wanted 123

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to keep her in his arms where he knew she was safe. It was a measure of his upset that the emotions swirling just below the surface, showed on his usually unreadable face. Tuck cradled her in his arms for a moment, then slowly set her on her feet. He gestured to another man they always referred to as Fish. “Get your ass over her and hold her for me for a minute, will you?” They’d never explained why they called him that. Maybe it was his name, but she didn’t think so. The man held her by the shoulders as Tuck shed his coat and wrapped it around her, enveloping her in its warmth. He must have read her concern for him on her face because he smiled when she would have tried to object and informed her, “Don’t worry about me. I can ignore the cold when I want to.” He glanced around at the others. “Most of us can. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been on an Op where it was cold enough to freeze a cup of coffee in fifteen minutes but none of us seemed to notice.” He shrugged. “For us it all seems like mind over matter. We don’t mind and it doesn’t matter. Keep my coat on. You need it more than I do.” Then he scooped her up into his arms and grinned. “Got your clothes on yet, Stewart? I think your woman would rather you held her.” It didn’t take nearly as long to get back to the

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lodge as it had to get where they’d found her, but Gemma’s inner clock could be faulty. She wasn’t sure she didn’t fall asleep on the way back. It was all a haze until they brought her into the warmth of the lodge and the heat began to seep into her. Her hands and feet began to burn and ache so bad she could barely stand it. The men sat around her after they’d brought her dinner and cleaned up the mess in her kitchen. They’d been discussing Larry and whether or not he’d been the man who had killed Alice Miller. “I guess we won’t know if he was the killer or not until there is another murder. We can hope there won’t be.” Tuck leaned back and sipped his eggnog laced with rum. “Can I see that paper again,” Matt asked as Merrick sat studying the small sheet they’d found hidden inside Larry’s pocket. Merrick handed it over, a frown creasing his brow. “I can only come to one conclusion. The paper points to the two bodies we have as the slayer. I don’t like it though. It doesn’t tell us how they entered a locked hotel.” He shrugged. “The door to the room could have been opened by the victim but he would have needed a key for the outside door to get into the hotel. And I really don’t like the thought that we won’t know if there were more people involved in this until Imbolc.” He glanced at the others. 125

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“I know you guys have better things to do than hang out here until the beginning of February. Thank you for coming, but for any of you who would like to stay, the town needs people— especially young, strong men willing to defend it. Our leader has given us the permission to tell you that you’re all welcome to stay.” Besides, both he and Matt would breathe easier knowing a few of their friends were around to keep an eye on their mate. The more the merrier as far as he was concerned. Gemma clamped her lips shut before she gasped her surprise. These men didn’t know the honor that Adam Greer had just bestowed upon them. By allowing them to stay, he was welcoming them into the clan, the pride, unconditionally. The last time that happened was nearly twenty years ago when she and her three sisters wandered down the road after their parents, never ones to wear seatbelts, died in a car accident that left them not only orphans but near the road that would lead them to Paradise. They didn’t wait for an answer. It was too huge a question to answer quickly anyway. Matt and Merrick stood, then came over to kneel on the floor in front of her. “Gemma, we now know your secret, though you didn’t have to keep it from us.” Matt glanced at Merrick. “We both have a question, a favor to

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ask of you.” She looked between them wondering what they could possibly have to ask her while in the presence of these men. They each took one of her hands and kissed it. She felt the blood rush to her face. All of these men knew what a Truebond was and that she had one with Matt and Merrick. “Will you be our mate?” Wasn’t she already? She glanced between them a frown of confusion on her face. Matt reached out and placed a finger over her lips. “No, love, a Truebond is done with both of us. Together… At the same time.” Her face blazed as his meaning sank in. Her gaze darted around the room and she notice all the others had left. Thank God! She swallowed thickly and gave them both a shy smile.

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Chapter Seven waited nervously for Gemma to arrive. Matt She’d agreed wholeheartedly to the idea of a Truebond once she’d gotten over the idea of them both making love to her at the same time. She knew she could never choose between them. She even told them so. Their Gem also told them that she’d never thought about the intricacies of such a relationship. He hoped she didn’t change her mind. Both he and Merrick waited anxiously while she’d taken her bath. In fact, she’d been in there quite a while and he was almost afraid she crawled out through the bathroom window and ran. He was just about to go to the door and see when it finally opened and Gemma came out, her body glowing pink from her hot bath, wrapped in a white silk and lace nightie looking like a Christmas present. His mouth went dry at the sight and he looked toward Merrick who was just

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as speechless as he was. She straightened her spine, brought her chin up and looked at both of them. “I’m ready.” Boy was she. He could smell her arousal from here, even over the soap and light touch of perfume she wore. Their Gemma may be human but she wouldn’t be for long. They’d form their bond tonight, and with any luck at all, she’d be pregnant with their first child before the new year. If she wasn’t already. Turning, she led the way into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed waiting. Hell, neither of them needed an invitation to strip and join her. They were both beside her in a matter of seconds, their clothes left in forgotten heaps on the floor. At least he intended to forget them as soon as possible. Leaning down, he kissed one smooth shoulder thanking the gods that he’d found her. That they’d found her. After studying the old texts, he knew how rare it was to find a Truebond let alone a mate. He’d found both while still young. He couldn’t imagine what life was like for the older ones like Adam Greer. What would it be like to live a hundred years or more without the love of a special woman like Gemma? Even the females of their race had a difficult time finding mates. A Pride or clan didn’t necessarily breed their own mates. A mate could be a member of another 129

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pride, a clan from across the country, across the sea or across the world. Going into hiding hadn’t helped their people at all, it merely delayed the inevitable. If they couldn’t find mates how could they survive? Matt put the thought at the back of his mind, fully intending to be sure his mate enjoyed every moment of their first Truebond mating. Reaching up, he cupped her full breast, his thumb gliding over the velvety nipple covered with lace as it hardened beneath his touch. Merrick did the same to her other breast, dragging a moan from deep in her throat. It was nothing compared to her guttural groan when they both lowered their heads and suckled the tight buds, raking them with their teeth. Gemma reached up, grasping their heads. Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling him closer and he wondered if she wanted to pull him inside her. Perhaps she did. His cock jerked at the thought. He couldn’t wait. Gently they eased her back on the bed. They untied the lace confection covering her that was held together by only a few well-placed ties and…she was naked between them. Her back arched as they both leaned down to lave her nipples once again and her hips undulated on the bed. Matt’s cock brushed against her thigh, a drop of

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fluid on the tip. Gods he was so ready to fuck her he could barely stand it but this was for her. It had to be. They’d never taken her together before and Gods help him if she told them someone forced her into a situation like this. It would kill him. “Gemma,” he whispered the words against her flesh, fully intent on asking until Merrick pinned him with a look and shook his head. Don’t remind her. Shit. Was he an idiot? The last thing she needed right now was a reminder of the violations she’d experienced because of them. He closed his eyes when she didn’t answer, grateful she hadn’t heard him. He only hoped she would tell them if they caused her pain or fear. He’d die before he would hurt her. Sliding her farther up onto the bed, Matt continued to caress her breasts, his hand sliding down her stomach to cup the soft curls between her thighs while Merrick kissed his way down the length of her body. He suckled one breast while his fingers tugged on the peak of the other as Merrick lowered himself between her legs, her thighs over his shoulders. **** He was in heaven. Merrick knew there was no other woman for him. There never had been. He’d 131

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waited until he was almost insane with wanting her before suggesting they come back here and try to make a relationship with their Gem. He also knew he’d been willing to share her, even before they’d found out about the Truebond. Gods thank Adam Greer for knowing his own mind and finding this was the way it should be. One woman with two men to worship her was a wonderful concept. He settled himself between her thighs as Matt continued to lave her breasts and stared at the soft pink folds glistening with her woman’s cream. He did what his body had driven him to do since he scented her arousal. He lowered his head, rolled his tongue and thrust it inside her. Gemma’s hips came up off the bed with a scream. Reaching down, she thrust her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer, her thighs clamping on his shoulders. He lapped at her flesh, pulled her clit into his mouth and suckled lightly. She nearly bucked him off when he circled the small bud with his tongue and inserted two fingers into her waiting channel. Her scream was loud and long and drove him even closer to the edge of his control. Merrick kissed his way back up her body, intending to worship every inch of her as she deserved. Her body quivered and shook and her head thrashed on the comforter beneath it.

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“Please,” she sobbed as he took the hard bud of her nipple in his mouth again. “Please. I can’t stand it.” Nodding to Matt, the other man lay back on the bed, his cock jutting into the air, a drop of pre-cum on the tip, glistening in the soft light that came from the adjoining bathroom. Rolling onto his side, Matt gathered Gem in his arms and rolled so she lay atop him as he cupped her sweet ass. “Straddle me, Gem,” he whispered against her lips. She did as he asked, placing a leg on either side of Matt’s hips and lowered herself down onto his large shaft. Gemma threw her head back and gasped. “It feels so good.” She bounced on his lap for a moment, causing them both to lose their breath before she stopped and glanced back. Her eyes showed her trepidation, but it was her mouth, which told him she was ready. “Are you sure?” She nodded. “We need to get this over with before I chicken out.” Merrick grabbed the tube of lubricant on the night table next to the bed and squirted a generous amount onto his hand. He rubbed the greasy substance down his cock before turning his attention to the tight bud of Gemma’s ass. He 133

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needed to work some inside her and it would be a pleasure to do so. Squirting a little more on his fingers, Merrick massaged the liquid into her ass, inserting first one and then two into the tight channel. Her ass sucked at his fingers as he scissored them inside her making room for a third. When she’d taken the third finger easily, he withdrew and placed the head of his cock at her back entrance. Merrick caressed her back with his gaze. Her long chestnut hair covered Matt, locking them together with the silken strands. He caressed her left buttock, then her right before using his thumbs to pull her cheeks apart. He pressed the tip of his cock against the tight opening and closed his eyes before pressing the head of it into her. “Try not to fight it, little one. Just relax and take it.” She nodded her assent and he began to press forward, slowly invading her ass. Gods how huge the head of his cock looked next to the tight ring of her ass, yet he knew it would fit. It was only a matter of getting the head past the outer ring. Then it would be easy. **** Gemma closed her eyes at the pain. She knew it wouldn’t last. She also knew it would fit. She

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wasn’t a total innocent. She’d done a lot of internet searches on ménages and double penetration when she’d first heard of the Truebond. She wasn’t certain double penetration would be a part of it, but she didn’t want to be ignorant of the act if it was. The knowledge still didn’t make it easier to take a cock up her ass with another lodged inside her pussy. She kept her eyes closed, her breath coming in short pants as Merrick continued to push the head of his massive cock inside her. She wondered, very briefly, if she would have agreed to this had she thought about the size of their…equipment beforehand. Probably—but she still wished she’d considered it at least for a second or two. Well, hindsight was twenty-twenty, or so someone told her. She could feel her channel clasping around Matt’s shaft as it jerked inside her. The movement most likely caused by the sensation of Merrick’s cock slowly tunneling into her ass. She inhaled through her nose, letting the breath out slowly. “Are you okay?” “Yes,” she said, relieved that she could feel Merrick’s stomach against the cheeks of her ass. “I’m fine. It’s a little uncomfortable, but not nearly as bad as I expected.” Uncomfortable, now there’s a word for it. She almost giggled at the thought. Matt brought his hands to her head, his fingers 135

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feathering through her hair as he tilted her head for his kiss. She whimpered and he took the sound into himself, effectively swallowing it. Gemma put her hands on his chest, needing to feel more of him than what was thrust between her legs, her thumbs caressed his nipples and he groaned into her mouth. She lost all concept of time and place when they both began to move inside her. One thrust as the other retreated. Her body became one huge erogenous zone as every touch, every breath that brushed her skin drove her closer and closer to her climax. Not sure how much more she could take, Gemma thrust herself back and down, meeting each return to her body with a ruthless need to reach her climax. Matt panted beneath her as Merrick groaned behind her, his breaths coming in strangled gasps. She continued to move with them, another climax growing ever closer. Gemma clenched her teeth, refusing to close her eyes and lose the beautiful sight of her mate enjoying her body. She didn’t want to come yet. She wanted them all to find their release together. Finally, they allowed her release when they both leaned up and nipped her shoulders, one on her right, the other her left. The strange pleasure pain drove her up to the precipice she held herself from and she tumbled over with them before they

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all collapsed in a large sweaty heap in the center of her bed.

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Epilogue sat behind the desk in his new office, Merrick the scent of fresh paint and new carpet surrounding him. Considering it was still winter, refurbishing the old building went fast after word of the murder got around. New photos on his desk of his Truebond mates stared back at him. He smiled, hardly able to wait to get back home and into their new king-sized bed. Life really was good. He held the phone to his ear, the classical music on the other end not relaxing him in the least. “Hello.” It was a man’s voice on the other end this time. “Hello, Sheriff Trumble?” Merrick shifted his gaze from his mates, all business now as he looked at the piece of paper in his hand. He stared at the woman’s name next to the word Imbolc followed by the town in which the unknown woman lived and continued at the affirmative answer. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but…”

About the Author Tianna Xander is an eclectic author of numerous paranormal, sci-fi, time travel, romance erotica books. Gaining inspiration for her characters and dialogue through her family and her addiction to the internet, she never fails to amaze readers with each new book she creates. As a reading junkie herself, Tianna has no problem reading whatever is available at the moment from romance novels, murder mysteries and encyclopedias to books on solar energy. Tianna’s life wouldn’t be complete without a “happily ever after” of her very own. She resides in Michigan with her husband, two children, three cats, two dogs and an intimidating bunny. Never one to fail to give credit where it’s due, she commends her family for their constant support. After writing many books and receiving rave reviews, her family is just as proud of her. Always full of ideas, Tianna rarely puts the pen down, so readers can look forward to many more exciting stories in the future. Tianna can be reached at this email: [email protected] Tianna’s website is located at: http://www.tiannaxander.com www.myspace.com/Tianna_xander and her yahoo group page http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TiannaXander/ Sign up for Tianna’s newsletter by sending an email with ‘newsletter’ in the subject line to [email protected]