The Protector's Destiny

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Kiera Black

The Protector’s Destiny By

Kiera Black Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com

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Dedication I’m dedicating this book to the Riting Rogues—Tony, Shay, Edna, and Sandy. Without your help, patience, humor, and understanding this book wouldn’t have been published.

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Prologue February, New Orleans Fierce gusts howled through the streets. Lightning blazed jagged white scars across the sky. Rain jolted her body like needles poking a voodoo doll, slowing her movements and making it more difficult to reach sanctuary. She ran for her life—for the lives of humans she never met—to protect them from her undead stalker. Tension pulled her nerve endings. The evil one’s hell-scented stench reached out to envelope her. The vampire had gained on her. Elizabeth Winters slipped around the corner. Glanced back. No one yet. She dashed down the next alley and clutched her throat. No! A dead end. “I’m going to have to fight my way out,” she mumbled. Elizabeth looked around for a weapon, anything to use should the vampire get close enough. Trash littered the ground, but she found nothing to use against the beast. Cornered, she tossed back her head in frustration. She wanted to scream, but noise would summon the creature. Elizabeth knew she’d have to fight for her survival before the night was out. An unnatural calm descended upon her. Fear could not force her to run. The time to stand up for herself and her people was now. For millennia, the undead stalked and ravaged her kind. Vampires exterminated whole packs of her people so they could have free reign to enslave humans. Some inner force compelled her to turn the tables. A foul wailing wind heralded the creature’s approach. Time had run out. Elizabeth quickly slipped off her clothes and forced her mind to go blank. Instinct took over. Eyes closed, she let the change happen. Her muscles stretched and contorted, joints popped. Bones changed shape and grew. Power and strength surged through her body, completing the transformation. She dropped onto all fours, geared for battle, spurred more by courage than preparation. The transformation’s pain and disorientation ended as fast as it began. Elizabeth’s lips curled, a growl rumbled from deep within. Her hackles bristled, her coat rippled, and her muscles bunched as the vampire approached. The creature stood a few feet away. Black jeans and a tee shirt draped his gaunt frame. Gray skin stretched tightly across a hollow-cheeked face. Its teeth, yellow with decay, sent chills up and down her spine. Her fur bristled. “What a surprise. You’ve stopped running. I would have caught you at my leisure.” His voice sounded like bones rattling, a hollow keening sound. She circled, keeping the creature in front of her. She shivered, terrified of the monster, but unwilling—unable—to back down. The vampire loomed over her, his tongue slid across his teeth in anticipation. “You think you can challenge me, furry bitch? You empaths are all alike, but you don’t have the fortitude or guts.” Soulless eyes swept over her, his voice dripped conceit. “I’ve won already.

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You might as well get down on your belly and grovel.” With a confident snarl, the vampire attacked. A phrase echoed in her mind, overconfidence kills. Muscles tightened, thoughts churned, as she tried to assess and exploit his weakness. The vampire reached for her, a blur. She countered, ducking under the creature’s outstretched arms. She raked his back with her claws as she passed. His fist struck her side, catching her unaware, and sending her tumbling to the ground. The rough pavement scraped the fur from the side of her muzzle. Her breath caught as fire-hot pain lanced through her. The vampire’s blood splattered them both. The tar-thick fluid burned through her fur, skin and muzzle like acid. Elizabeth stumbled to her feet, howled in pain, in anger, then charged. Blood loss from the wounds the vampire had managed to inflict would soon leave her too weakened to continue. She staggered, then circled the creature. She knew she stood open to his attack. Still, Elizabeth maintained her battle stance. Sunrise lightened the sky, a soft glow on the edge of the city. She prayed for it to hurry, to send its killing rays down upon her enemy. Trembling from exhaustion and pain, she watched the vampire stalk forward for the kill. She tried, a second too late, to dodge his venomous claws. Blood covered her raven fur as his talons raked her side. Elizabeth staggered, yet somehow remained upright. How would she survive? Too weak to fight, too weak to run, she howled in rage and pain. As though the heavens heard her cries, dawn’s first rays poked over the horizon. The vampire shrilled, smoke curled from its flesh. His evil voice echoed from the alley as he fled, “I will find you again. No matter where you run, wherever you hide.” Too weak to hunt for a suitable place to hide, Elizabeth conjured the last of her strength to return to human form. Her injuries would heal themselves, eventually. Each move caused her muscles to tighten and pain to wrack her body. Her fingers stiffened, her body ached. Dressing became a slow, clumsy labor. She needed to find safety before some misguided soul called an ambulance. Her muscles quivered in pain and exhaustion. Elizabeth made her decision. No more running. No more hiding. It was time to reclaim her life. Time to live up to her destiny. She turned toward the dawn and started home.

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Chapter One May, New Orleans Samuel Woods glanced over his shoulder, gazing at the paperback atop his desk. The cover showed a wolf and a vampire locked in combat. Instinct warned him that the author of the latest best-selling paranormal novel to hit the stand wrote her tales from first hand knowledge of the Loup-garou. The text was too accurate, the images that the printed words evoked too unerringly explicit. His people were hunted—their lives in danger, their numbers few. How could Elizabeth Winters write so accurately about life as a werewolf? Unless… Questions and theories floated through his mind. No matter how hard he wanted to see otherwise, Sam found only one logical answer. But, he needed to go right to the source. Unfortunately, he would have to find her first. He needed to call Blake Donovan. Blake could find anyone or anything in no time and lived for such challenges. He was a damn good P.I., a better friend, and Sam’s number one. An urgent demand filled him. He needed to be out in the open to think and find the peace he desperately needed. Resolute, Sam strode back to his desk and gathered his jacket and car keys. After a last look around the office, Sam set the alarm, turned off the lights, and strode into the night. As he sat behind the wheel of his SUV, he contemplated his course of action. His first step was to get in touch with Blake. For some reason, he felt connected to Ms. Winters. His accurate instincts screamed at him to find her, to make contact. She was vital to him. He knew this without doubt. The phone rang three times before Blake’s answering machine picked up. “Donovan. Leave a message.” Sam grunted. He hated answering machines, yet everyone seemed to have one. “Blake, it’s Sam. I have a job for you. Give me a call at the house.” Frustrated by the delay, Sam sighed, disconnected and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. After checking for oncoming traffic, he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the highway. From crowded Jazz clubs to sold-out walking tours, New Orleans glittered in the evening. The city faded in his rearview mirror as he sped toward his sanctuary, the plantation. He loved watching the stars encrust the evening sky. Tonight, the full moon’s brilliance shimmered against the ice blue shadows. Unable to help himself, he rolled down his window and breathed in the mixed scents of the humid swamp air and the forest around him. A raven circled in the darkening sky. Its shrill squawks filled the night as it called for its mate. Sam let his gaze cut through the towering oaks and Spanish moss to where a small herd of white-tailed deer foraged. His pantry was already full, or he would have stopped and hunted for fresh venison. He shrugged and braked the SUV as a seven-foot alligator lumbered across the road. The surrounding beauty soothed his aches. The wilderness spoke peace to him. And, no matter how he searched, he found the calm nowhere else. This was his refuge. It ensured

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his privacy and guarded his secrets. After parking in his moss-covered oak-lined driveway, Sam hurried to the plantation house he had spent the last few years restoring. He had just kicked off his shoes by the front entrance when the telephone rang. After dropping his keys on the entry table, he sprinted to the living room and grabbed the phone. “Hello.” “Hey, Sam. You have a job for me?” The telltale click of the pen in the background, Blake’s trademark sound for thinking, was a good sign. “Yeah, author Elizabeth Winters. Make her top priority.” “What’s going on?” Sam imagined Blake sitting forward, anticipating the hunt while flashing a predatory smile. “She’s written an interesting book about how our kind is forced to fight the Vampire. I want her found.” He glanced out sliding glass doors, anxious for a run. Anything to rid himself of the tension building within his body. “Got it. Anything else I need to know?” Leaning against the living room wall, Sam ran his fingers through his hair before he admitted his greatest hope. “My gut tells me that she may be one of us.” “No problem, Sam. You know how committed I am to finding our people who have been forced to go into hiding. Are you telling me you want me to put the other projects on the back burner? This is that important? More important than finding out who are the traitors hiding amongst our kind, important? More important than finding Samantha?” “For now. I have a strong feeling about this. Besides, you still have feelers out if any of your sources locate my sister. Your assistant can keep tracking crime rates in the major US cities. Mark will let you know if anything jumps out at him.” “That’s true. All right. I’ll get right on it and call you when I have something solid to pass on.” With a quick goodbye, Sam decided to go ahead and pack a bag for travel. It wouldn’t take Blake long to track down the information. For now, Sam could do nothing more. It was in Blake’s hands. ***** The ringing telephone woke Sam from a restless sleep. Unsolved mysteries tended to do that to him, this one especially so. He needed to find out who the woman was. Sam knew in the deepest part of his soul that Ms. Winters was vital to their cause. Fumbling in the dark, Sam finally managed to put the phone to his ear. “Hello?” he said, his voice filled with dread. Phone calls this early in the morning were usually bad news. “Morning, Sam. Did I wake you?” Sam glanced over at his alarm clock. “It’s three in the morning, Blake. Of course, you woke me. Find something?” “You could say that. I tracked down some pretty interesting information about our Ms. Winters.” With a few sentences, Blake filled Sam in on what he discovered—Elizabeth’s time in New Orleans and her recent retreat into seclusion.

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“So you think she’s one of us?” Excited now, Sam tossed the covers back and looked around for his shorts. Even though it was May in Louisiana, it was still too hot and muggy to wear much else, even at three in the morning. “Odds are she is. Should I keep investigating? Maybe follow her for a few days? From a distance, of course.” “I’m going to check this out myself. Where is she?” “She owns some land in upstate New York. A cabin in the Adirondacks. I’ll e-mail you the address and the rest of the information.” Sam walked over to his window and looked out over his property. It had always given him such pleasure to be here, but now…. Now he knew there was somewhere else he needed to be, something else he needed to do. “That’d be great. And, Blake?” “Yeah?” “Thanks for jumping on this for me. I owe you one.” “No sweat. Let me know if you need anything else.” After hanging up the phone, Sam looked at his clock. Too early to call the office, Sam opted to run off the tension in his body. The screen door screeched as he opened it and wandered onto the porch. Everything around Sam captivated him, from the silvery droplets of dew that clung to every blade of grass to the wild turkeys calling to one another in the distance. If he listened, he could hear alligators slither through the swampy waters in search of prey. Impatient to run wild, Sam shucked his briefs, letting the moonlight wash over him. Errant legends indicated man turned to werewolf only on nights of the full moon. In reality, all it took to change was a single thought. The Loup-garou only had to will themselves to change and it was done. Sam grimaced as his bones stretched, his joints popped. Hands and feet changed to paws, fingernails lengthened into lethal claws and teeth grew into fangs. In moments, a rich, chocolate brown fur covered Sam like a fuzzy blanket. After a few moments, the pain and disorientation ended. He leaped off the porch and headed into the swamp. Wildly, he raced through the marshland as though a pack of vampires wanted his blood. He moved with the speed and agility of his wolf brethren, jumping over logs, sprinting after squirrels, and other small prey. The wolf ran until the chaos in his mind quieted, until only joy filled his heart, and adrenaline filled his system. Running wild was a natural high to his kind, much like an adrenaline junky experienced when sky diving. The sun peeked over the swampland when Sam returned home. After a quick shower, he got on the phone and started arranging his trip to New York. With only three hours to catch his flight, he needed to get going. Sam grabbed the duffel bag he’d left beside the front door last night and headed for his car. ***** Elizabeth jolted upright in bed as something disturbed her sleep. With narrowed eyes, she scanned the room. The moonlight shining through the gossamer drapes bathed the room in gentle shadows.

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Nothing appeared disturbed. Everything was the same as when she climbed into the huge four-poster bed. But, as the shadows darkened, a sense of evil invaded her. Goosebumps tingled on her flesh and she shivered as cold swept through her body. A sudden storm, like a match flickering to flame, portended danger—a danger she couldn’t ignore. She slid her legs over the edge of the bed. She tossed the goose down comforter aside as she rose, then crept to the window. Her moving feet hit the cold wood floor, but she didn’t stop to put slippers on. Elizabeth gripped the curtains in her fist. Fear and logic battled to control her. By force of will, she yanked the lacy material aside. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the outside for any slight movement. Rain lashed the windows. Wind assaulted the storm shutters, banging them against the side of the house. Thunder boomed in the heavens, shaking her house at its foundation. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the ground. Elizabeth trembled as the storm wreaked havoc with her nerves. Her five senses warned her. Disaster headed her way. Fast. No one crouched in the shadows, but her gut clenched in apprehension. Something was out there. Something menacing. Something evil. Determined to find the source, Elizabeth pressed her face against the frigid glass window. Should she go back to bed or go downstairs and make some cocoa? Then everything went dark. She jumped, her heart thundering in her chest, the hairs on her arms rising as if electrified. With keen hearing, Elizabeth listened for anything suspicious. If she went outside, she’d know more about what was happening, as being inside dulled her senses. She glanced at her nightstand. The numbers on the alarm clock no longer glowed. She noticed the silence, as if Mother Nature had flipped a switch off. The storm grew still. Elizabeth heard nothing, not even the whisper of the wind and rain, nor the thunder and lightning. The suffocating darkness made her feel cut off from everything around her. Her stomach clenched as she sensed danger. She needed to escape the house, the darkness. Elizabeth reached for the door, hands fumbling as she pulled the handle. She yanked the door open, slamming it against the bedroom wall. She bolted into the hallway and leaped down the stairs, desperate to hear the dial tone—her lifeline to the outside world. Her foot landed on the colorful braided rug at the bottom of the steps and sent her tumbling across the foyer. A strangled cry escaped as she scrambled toward the kitchen, making a beeline for the wall phone. The receiver felt cold beneath her palm as she lifted it. No dial tone. The phone was dead. Big surprise. A tremor seized her grip as she noiselessly put the handset down. Terror crippled her mind. Overwhelmed, she stood for a moment, paralyzed. Her heart galloped, knocking against her ribs and only her skin kept it from jumping out of her chest, forcing her to bend at the waist to catch her breath. Elizabeth’s gasping slowed. One thought circled her mind—if she hyperventilated, she would be helpless. She tried to reason the situation out. Perhaps her overworked imagination had gotten the best of her. The storm probably caused her to lose power and phone service. That was the most likely answer. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. She reached into the cabinet below the sink and groped for the flashlight her

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grandparents had stored there for such emergencies. She saw well enough using her paranormal abilities, but the flashlight offered her the comfort she desperately needed. Flashlight in hand, Elizabeth returned to her room, quickly dressing before retracing her steps to the kitchen. Her first mission was to restore the power. She couldn’t do anything about the phone line, but she remembered the generator in the shed behind the house. “All I have to do is figure out how to get it running. How hard could it be?” She was an intelligent woman. She could figure it out. She needed a weapon, something besides her cheap plastic flashlight. “Call me paranoid,” Elizabeth mumbled, “but I’m not going anywhere without something to protect myself.” She knew she spoke aloud, but Elizabeth couldn’t help it. It was a nervous habit that still defeated her. It could be worse. She could have a nasty habit like smoking or tossing back copious amounts of alcohol. “Hmm. Ah ha, perfect.” Grabbing her grandfather’s hand-carved teak cane from the stand by the back door, she walked into the night. With the flashlight in her left hand and the makeshift club in her right, Elizabeth crept towards the garden shed door. Glancing around her, she eased the door open. The hinges moaned in protest as the door swung open. She cringed at the squeal reverberating through the night, then entered the dark, musty-smelling shed. The overpowering smell of fertilizer and soil permeated the small room. Sweeping the area with the flashlight’s beam, she spotted the generator against the rear wall, below what appeared to be a boarded up air vent. She sensed no immediate danger so she propped the cane against the wall, left the door ajar, then made her way to the generator. Startled by the sudden light, mice scampered out the open door. As Elizabeth bent to inspect the generator, she heard a vehicle engine humming and the sound of tires roll across the gravel road. She certainly wasn’t expecting a visitor this late at night. Glancing around, she spotted only one exit. If she stayed inside the shed she might end up trapped. She crept toward the door, turning off the flashlight until she could identify the unexpected visitor. She took a deep breath to regulate her erratic heart rate and stepped outside. He emerged from the car. The wind carried his scent to her. What should have comforted her confused her instead. Rather than detecting the typical cache of sweat, cologne, body salts and adrenalin, she smelled something akin to a deadening fog—an unnatural nothingness that caused the hair on her arms to rise. This man represented evil.

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Chapter Two The stranger stood beside his car, fifty yards away. But she saw details, even with the headlights glaring at her across the distance. He looked familiar to her—somehow. Had they met before? She wasn’t positive. He was tall. If she were to guess, she’d figure he was just shy of six feet and in his midthirties. He had no particular feature that made him stand out. With ash blond hair and a weathered face, she wouldn’t exactly say he was handsome. The man was not human, but not paranormal in the sense she was. Maybe because she couldn’t tell what he was feeling, what he was thinking. That, in itself, was unusual and a puzzle she meant to solve even if it killed her. Elizabeth wiped her hands on her thighs, took a deep breath, and approached her visitor. Even though he wore a Deputy Sheriff’s uniform, the closer she got to him, the more uneasy she became. “Hello. Can I assist you, officer?” “The question is, can I help you? I noticed you don’t have any power.” Elizabeth’s skin crawled, the need to put space between them became paramount. It took everything she had, every ounce of her self-discipline to stay put when her instincts told her to run. The air around him fouled her senses so she could barely breathe, let alone speak. “It went out a little bit ago.” “Most of the power lines in the surrounding area have gone down. It could be hours before the electric company can send someone out here.” He didn’t move from his spot and continued to stare longingly at her, his eyes focused solely on hers. Her voice wobbled with fear, with revulsion. “That’s all right. I have a generator. It won’t take me long. I’ll have the lights on in no time.” She spoke fast, took a step back and hoped he would take the hint and leave. “I’d be happy to get it up and running for you.” For every step she retreated, he took one forward. Elizabeth backed up another step, her skin slick with sweat. She thought she’d vomit at his feet. She forced herself to swallow the bile filling the back of her throat. “I was about to take a look at it,” she murmured. She needed to know who this man was, even if it meant touching him. Elizabeth held out her trembling hand. “By the way, my name’s Elizabeth Winters.” “Deputy Matthews. John Matthews.” His mental block slipped long enough for Elizabeth to glimpse his plans for her. His depraved thoughts flashed through her mind like an 8-millimeter camera. He wanted to live off her essence, to drink from her freely and use her as his slave. He intended to dress her up as a little girl and rape her at his whim. About to pass out, Elizabeth took another step back, and with casual nonchalance, pulled her hand away. “Are you new to the area?” he inquired, running his fingers up and down his baton. Elizabeth shook her head. All of a sudden, she couldn’t concentrate. Her thoughts blurred. This man emanated malevolence, but she knew the longer she stood there the more

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difficult it would be to focus. Did he have some sort of mind control over her? When had he moved closer? It took all her willpower to clear her foggy mind. She needed to stay focused on what her instincts told her. She must find her voice before he figured that she knew who he was. What he was. A vampire. Elizabeth still couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity. It was like trying to hold running water in her hands, fleeting memories of her final moments with her grandparents flooded her mind. She remembered splashing happily in a waterhole, then the blood. Blood splattered everywhere, the grass, the house, and the bushes. She’d found her entire family slaughtered, lying in wide red pools. As quickly as the images came, they disappeared. Who could expect her to remember one person’s face amongst all that tragedy? Perhaps they’d met before that terrible day. She didn’t know, but it would come to her. I need to get a grip. He’s still waiting on an answer. “I wouldn’t say new exactly. My family’s from around here. I haven’t been back here since I was a small child.” She took another deep breath. Instinct warned her to appear at ease or else things could turn very bad, very quickly. Could he smell her fear? Probably. She tried to put more space between them, but he crowded her, forcing her backwards towards the shed. Suffocating under a blanket of terror, Elizabeth couldn’t let her control slip. Elizabeth resisted the urge to wipe away the sweat beaded on her upper lip. The muscles in her back spasmed in protest of the tension. The effort to control her emotions and thoughts while she fought the vampire’s mind control took its toll. Her mind felt as if it was about to splinter into a million jagged pieces. She gripped her temples between her shaking hands and retreated another step, the pain excruciating. Following her instincts had saved her more times than she cared to remember and they were screaming at her to make a run for it. Positive the vampire would detect her fear at any moment, she left her thoughts jumbled and her mind chaotic to distract him. When she thought she could no longer deal with the pain, the caress of another presence in her mind calmed her. The soothing presence balanced her, gave her the strength to stay where she was. Somehow she knew, as surely as she stood here, that if she ran it would do her no good. With her gaze locked on the vampire, Elizabeth sighed, grateful for the assistance. She swore she heard a voice whisper to her, offering the comfort and encouragement she needed to stand up to the monster. Or was she crazy? She’d never heard voices in her head before tonight, but there was a first time for everything. No, you’re not crazy. I’m real and I’m only a few minutes away. Remember that fear produces adrenaline. Adrenaline acts like a catalyst, which will encourage him to taste your essence, your blood. His deep, too male voice soothed her tattered mind, but anger at her situation gave her the needed grit to straighten her spine and face the vampire without flinching. As if she’d spoken telepathically all her adult life, Elizabeth responded automatically to his advice. Where are you? Who are you? Elizabeth took another step back. The vampire stood too close. She smelled his fetid breath near her face, it made her want to gag. She couldn’t be sick. It would put her off guard and she would soon be at his mercy. All he needed was to stretch

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his arm out and he’d have her. And how in the hell am I speaking with you this way? I’ll explain it all later. Right now though, I need you to distract him. I’m almost there. He withdrew from her mind with the same abruptness as when he appeared. “You can relax, officer, I’m fine. It’s easy enough to fill the fuel tank on the generator.” She clenched her fists to her side so he wouldn’t see them tremble. “Besides, I’m sure you have other residents in the area that need your assistance more than I do.” Unfortunately, Elizabeth knew that the vampire wasn’t going anywhere. Trying to stall the inevitable battle, Elizabeth froze as the evil slithered close. It might give the stranger time to arrive. She prayed he wouldn’t forfeit his life. “Ms. Winters. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can help you with before I go? Your house is my last stop tonight, so it’s not any trouble to stick around and check things out,” he said, smiling. Although he looked like any other good ol’ boy, that smile hid an evil even death could not vanquish. Trying hard not to shudder at his mock concern, Elizabeth scrambled to respond. “That won’t be necessary. I’m expecting company any moment.” Whoever you are, I need you here in a hurry. I don’t know if I can stall him much longer. “A friend? Isn’t it late to be expecting a visitor?” The vampire’s eyes glowed demonic red. He no longer tried to hide his true self from her. He gnashed his teeth. Elizabeth flinched. A pissed off vampire an arm’s length away scared her to her bones. He’d like nothing better than to rip you apart, the voice whispered through her mind. By the way, my name’s Sam. She tried not to react to Sam’s voice and covered her slight distraction by continuing her conversation with the vampire. “I expected Sam this afternoon, but he was held up. He called me when he left the airport a couple of hours ago.” She tried to keep her voice calm and not show her inner turmoil. Instead of placating him, her comment only spurred his anger. “You shouldn’t have done that. Ever since you returned, I’ve waited for you, watched you, hungered for you. I waited until I knew you were alone and now you tell me a man is coming to see you. You are mine and I will allow no other to have you.” He let her see beneath the mask to the creature underneath. His ashen, bloodless skin slackened on his face. His coal black eyes sank into his skull, red-rimmed even in the darkness. No longer did he give the impression of being a straight-laced, neighborhood cop. He appeared as old as time. His hands were gnarled, disfigured, and his fingernails looked like claws, weapons of death, of destruction. His matted and greasy blond hair hung down in shanks to his shoulders. Elizabeth probed the vampire’s mind and saw all of his depraved thoughts. He wanted to feel her panic, smell the adrenaline as it spilled into her bloodstream and rushed through every one of her veins. The creature wanted her to tremble in fear, to know her life was dependent upon his whims. The impression she gathered showed him as the master, she his eternal slave. He wanted her to know she’d be forever damned. Her life, as she knew it, would change forever and belonged to him.

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Out in the open, she could not protect herself. She could become the wolf, but in that moment when the change took place, she’d be open to attack. Now cornered, Elizabeth prayed help would soon arrive. It would be hours until dawn. The vampire had plenty of time to carry out his desire to drain her of every drop of blood. A vampire high on a werewolf’s blood could hear for miles and see further into the shadows, something reserved for their species. His strength doubled and his speed increased exponentially. The blood, so powerful, ensured the undead could go even longer between feedings, their hunger temporarily appeased. Its effects lasted days, instead of hours. ***** Deep within the woodland, surrounded by nature, Sam stopped and inhaled the crisp evening air, absorbing the smell and the sounds of the night. He built the image of his wolf self in his mind. At once, the air around him crackled with electricity. Instantly, the hair on his body thickened and grew into a glossy dark chocolate brown pelt. His bones changed shape to accommodate his lupine features. Every nerve cell in his body shrieked in protest as he continued the painful metamorphosis. Hands and feet became paws. His spine curved as he dropped to all fours. The muscles in his face bulged beneath his fur as his teeth shifted forward into those of a predator, a wolf. His nose became a muzzle, necessary to hunt, to track prey. Once the transformation was complete, the disorientation faded. His confidence grew and once again, he could think clearly. He deliberately circled the area, head high, in the air in an attempt to locate Elizabeth’s scent. He needed to hurry. Her life depended on him. Moments later, he found her scent and broke into a run. He leaped over the fallen trees and twigs that littered the ground, careful not to disturb the eerie silence. He didn’t want to announce his presence. He slunk into the glen, circled the house, and stayed downwind to mask his scent from the vampire. Crouched low, he stalked through the high grass of the meadow surrounding Ms. Winter’s home. He eased closer and closer, one inch at a time. His belly scraped naked ground as he crept toward his quarry. The silence, loud in its intensity, broken only by the vampire’s voice, whispered his command for her to come to him. Over and over the hideous whispers continued. Deep within the wolf’s body, Sam shuddered. The air around the house hung heavily, flooded with a dark evilness imperceptible to most humans. He felt the evil spread throughout the area, growing like a malignancy. Now, ten feet separated the wolf from his prey. Crouched down, the wolf watched and waited. He needed a distraction, something to divert the vampire’s attention for a moment or two. Long enough, though, for the wolf to close the distance between them. Long enough for him to come to her rescue. Elizabeth felt his presence immediately. She searched the darkness for her rescuer, yet nothing moved. The only visible sign indicating his nearness was the eerie glow of eyes that

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shone golden in the night. Wolf’s eyes. He was like her. She gasped, stunned. Then dragged her attention back to the present. Elizabeth tried to fight the vampire’s dark compulsion. She heard the vampire’s voice in her head now. He called to her, demanded she surrender. “Come to me, Elizabeth. Seal your fate. Join me,” he shouted, when she struggled against his compulsion. His voice sent tremors down her spine. Goosebumps appeared along her arms. She couldn’t find the strength to run. The cold metal of the shed penetrated her clothes, the structure stood only a few inches from her back. Her body trembled and quaked. He continued to crowd her. His evil stench—a mixture of rotten soil and decomposing flesh—caused her stomach to pitch. She couldn’t think. Elizabeth covered her ears in a last attempt to block out the vampire’s voice. The pain in her head increased the more she fought his compulsion. She needed to run, to get away, but she could barely stand. She screamed from the pain and her knees almost buckled from the tension running through her body. She could wait no longer. It was time to make their move.

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Chapter Three Help! Please help me, Sam. I can’t hold out much longer. Sam’s sudden presence in her mind strengthened her battered soul, surrounded her in warmth. Elizabeth backed away, slamming her back into the shed. The sudden jar distracted her just a split second. The vampire lunged. Elizabeth sidestepped, dodged his outstretched hands and sprinted for the shelter of the woods. A howl rent the air, causing the creature a moment’s distraction. The vampire’s head swung around in surprise. His lips drew back exposing his fangs. A stroke of moonlight caught his gleaming, pearlesque incisors. A nerve jumped in his cheek as he squinted into the darkness, looking for the new challenger. The vampire snarled his displeasure at the interruption and streaked across the meadow after Elizabeth. The distance vanished as the vampire closed the gap between them. His fetid breath brushed against her nape, burning her skin with its closeness. In a matter of seconds, he’d catch her. She had waited too long to escape. His mouth opened, exposing his fangs, poised, ready to sink into her jugular. Her life flashed before her eyes, her death surely only moments away. Relief flooded her as Sam attacked. The momentum of his body knocked the vampire to the ground. Her rescuer growled deep in his throat, his hackles rose as he faced the evil creature. Run! The order to run fired Elizabeth’s rebellious side—a strong woman. A fighter, not a coward. Besides, he might need her help. Elizabeth stopped, turned, and locked eyes with her nemesis. The vampire sneered. “What? You think you can stop me?” Sam bared his teeth in a snarl of challenge. His chocolate brown pelt glistened in the moonlight, every muscle and sinew tightening for attack, daring the vampire to strike first. Get back! I don’t want to worry about you when I kill this bastard. Defying Sam’s order, Elizabeth bolted out of sight to change into her wolf form and launch her own attack. In seconds, she’d removed her clothes and transformed. Vampire screams and hisses, along with the lupine battle cry, ravaged the still night. Time she got herself into it. Elizabeth rounded the corner of the house. Sam circled the vampire looking for an entry. He felt Elizabeth behind him, creeping near. She has more courage than brains. He needed to find a way Elizabeth could help him, but still be safe. Don’t let him see you until I give the word. You can have his butt. I’m only serving as a distraction when you need it. Sam glanced in her direction and watched her inch toward the fight, mud-covered belly

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scraping the sodden ground. Nature’s camouflage made her less of a target. You’re needlessly putting yourself in danger. He continued to circle the vampire, waiting for his chance to attack. But her presence distracted him. And you’re not? It’s not in my nature to have others fight my battles. Sam growled. Elizabeth belonged with him. His mate. She may not know it yet, but her destiny and his were one. No one would take her from him and survive. At that moment, he was more beast than man and more dangerous than anything imaginable. “You cannot defeat me. You may as well give up now.” The vampire tried to use his voice to control Sam. However, as one of the strongest of his kind, Sam couldn’t be manipulated. “After I destroy you, I will have the girl. There is no place in the world she could hide from me. I have waited too long to have her. I will not let you take her.” The vampire lunged at the wolf, but Sam darted out of the way, his movements a blur. Shaking his head to dispel the monster’s compulsion, Sam crept closer. He purposely filled his mind with images of blood, of death. The thoughts made his fangs drip with saliva. He looked forward to the hunt, the kill. And the vampire knew it. Announcing her presence with a high-pitched growl, Elizabeth, in wolf form, moved into the open, feigning an attack. The vampire swung away on the defensive, giving Sam the opening he craved. Sam charged his target, going for the enemy’s throat. Tearing and biting, Sam gloried in the blood frenzy that blocked all thought but victory from his mind. He ignored the burning in his mouth, his throat, as the acidic blood splashed across his muzzle. Sam’s teeth sunk into the vampire’s neck and tore a hole completely through the major blood vessels. Arteries erupted. Blood spurted into the air and onto the ground, draining the vampire’s life. He leaped onto the vampire’s chest, pinning the monster under his weight, as he dug through the creature’s chest. Bones broke, muscles tore, and still Sam kept digging, decimating everything in his claws’ path. The vampire’s tainted blood seared its way down Sam’s throat as he ripped out the vampire’s entrails. The red glow of the vampire’s eyes faded as his life poured out in a crimson river. The sizzling, acidic blood burned away the grass where the vampire fell. The vampire thrashed and screamed, unwilling to admit defeat. His high-pitched keening wail portended his death, despair, and ultimate failure. Sam stepped away to observe the vampire as he writhed in agony. Battling death. The thirst to kill faded from the werewolf’s mind. Sam’s will over-rode that of the beast within him. He backed away from the vampire, careful not to lose eye contact. As the vampire lay prone on the ever-increasing circle of blood, Sam stared at the remains. He knew one duty remained. Elizabeth? Yes, Sam? She heard him in her mind, not words exactly, just a gentle presence. It comforted her, something strange in and of itself. Normally, she would be pissed that someone else intruded on her thoughts, her feelings. Why didn’t she feel violated? What do you have around here to pierce the vampire’s heart?

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My grandfather’s walking stick has a stake hidden inside. It’s my job to finish this. I’ll get it. You don’t need to be here for this. Tell me where to find it and I’ll leave you in peace. Well, at least for a little while anyway. Elizabeth shook her head, You’re wrong. I do need to do this. For myself…and for my family. She didn’t want to think about the next step. It wasn’t as if she’d never burned a vampire’s corpse before, but she just didn’t want it happening here. Her land had already absorbed so much blood. Vampires had slaughtered her kin—the entire pack—on this ground. It was way past time to cleanse the land of death and destruction. With deliberate nonchalance, Elizabeth disappeared behind the shed where she changed back into her human form and retrieved her clothes. After dressing, she walked to the shed door, reached in and grabbed the cane. There hadn’t been time to reach for it before the vampire cornered her. The walking stick, an incredible piece of art, was hand-carved centuries ago by some unknown master artisan. If she remembered the stories correctly, that same artisan became the pack patriarch who passed the walking stick down in the family. Carved into the shape of a wolf’s head, the gold handle crowned a spiral mahogany cane. The base contained a hidden surprise to the unwary. Pulling back the wolf’s right ear shot a carved ivory bayonet-like stake from the end. Elizabeth approached the vampire, careful to stay out of reach, conscious of Sam’s presence. She couldn’t believe the vampire remained alive. Of course, even a mortally injured vampire could still harm an unsuspecting hunter. Only great evil could live on after the body died. Standing over the creature’s body, Elizabeth sighed and said the ritual words of execution. “You have committed many crimes against mankind, against my people, and against Mother Nature. I have no choice but to end your existence. You chose to lose your soul, now you will lose your immortality. As a protector of humanity, I pronounce upon you the sentence of death.” With the traditional words spoken, Elizabeth glanced toward Sam, lifted the stake over her head, and plunged it straight into the vampire’s heart. With one last wheezing breath, she vanquished the vampire, leaving behind the stench of rancid blood and death. Sam growled low in his throat as he took in the ghastly scene around him. His shoulders sagged, the pressure almost unbearable, as if he carried the weight of the world on them. After every kill, he hoped that one would be his last. He’d often wondered why he received these powers. Although it was a gift in many respects, it more often than not blanketed his life like a curse. The responsibility of hunting the undead weighed heavily upon his soul. He didn’t like the beast he became when on the hunt, even knowing it was for the protection of all humankind. Carnage surrounded him and he couldn’t help but feel as though he lost more and more of himself to the beast within after each battle. Looking up at the beauty of the stars, Sam waited for the evening breeze to work its magic on his tortured soul. As he watched a falling star race across the heavens, Sam sensed Elizabeth’s presence behind him.

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“I should thank you for coming to my rescue,” she said, her eyes looking off into the distance, away from the vampire’s corpse. It’s what I do. Besides, you’d have kicked his vampire ass without me being here. He liked having her in his mind. Her presence filled his heart with warmth and compassion and a part of him quit hurting. “Well, thank you anyway.” She paused, swallowed, and turned her head. He felt her uneasiness through their connection. Perhaps she was uncomfortable using telepathy. Sam smiled. Wait until she learned why she could speak to him in such a way. He couldn’t imagine what her response would be, but he couldn’t wait to find out. Still, he had a lot of work to do before they called it a night. Even though Elizabeth wanted to forget what had transpired, he still needed information from her. Elizabeth? A moment’s hesitation before she answered. She, also, looked up at the stars. “Yes, Sam?” Do you have any gas around here? “What?” She looked toward him, confusion in her eyes. Gasoline. I need to burn the corpse before questions about his death arise. We can’t leave the body for autopsy. “Oh…sure. There’s a full gas can in the shed. I was going to use it to start the generator.” She headed toward her house when he spoke again. One last thing? “After what you did to help me, you can ask me anything.” He felt her impatience, even though her words were gentle and open. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she really didn’t want to talk about all this. Well, she was the only one who could tell him what he needed to know. Is there a secluded area nearby? Somewhere we could dispose of the body and the squad car? “There’s a mine not far from my place. Turn right out of my driveway and follow the road for about five miles. You can’t miss the sign. The mine entrance is on the far end of the abandoned rock quarry. Nobody goes in there anymore. At least, not ‘til summer and school gets out, anyway.” Thanks. This may take me a while. Wait for me in the village. Elizabeth made her way to the house. Sam remained silent as she walked away. He knew she needed to escape, at least until the smell of death dissipated from her home. Shaking his head in wry amusement, Sam shifted back into his human form. Obviously, she didn’t realize the nature of their relationship yet. Sam imagined the fireworks after she discovered what he was to her. Sam marched towards the bloody corpse, stifling a sigh as he contemplated his next action. Retrieving the ancient weapon Elizabeth had used was his top priority. The protector’s weapon was a symbol of power within the Loup-garou, as well as being a necessary method to ensure the permanent destruction of a vampire. By piercing a vampire’s heart with a stake, in this case one made of ivory, the creature was unable to rise again to prey upon humans and the Loup-garou. He bent down and pulled the weapon out of the vampire’s chest, taking great care to wipe the tainted blood on clean wet grass. After sheathing the stake, Sam set it aside being

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careful not to leave it where it might end up damaged as he set about cleaning up the evidence of battle. As he went inside the shed to get the gas can, he noticed a hose hanging on a hook inside the door. He snatched it to rinse the blood off the grass and the gravel driveway. Once he gathered his supplies, Sam grabbed the body by the ankles and dragged it through the mud and slush toward the parked police cruiser. After opening the rear door on the passenger’s side, he unceremoniously dumped the body in the backseat, uncaring whether the vampire’s blood ruined the upholstery. Sam glanced at the steering column and discovered the keys dangling in the ignition. He couldn’t help but be grateful he didn’t have to rifle through the monster’s pockets to get them. Thank you for your help, Elizabeth. You’re welcome. And thanks for yours, as well. Her voice carried an unmistakable disgruntled quality to it, as though he disturbed whatever she’d been doing inside her house. Evidently, he needed to work on getting back into her good graces. He couldn’t go without trying one more time to see her. Please say you’ll see me Elizabeth. I’d really like a chance to talk to you. He tried hard not to sound desperate. It wouldn’t do to let her know how much power she had over him, especially this early in their relationship. I’ll think about it. Not in the village though, maybe somewhere a little less public. He paused near the driver’s door and cocked his head toward the house. If that’s what you want. I thought you’d feel safer with me if there were other people around. Where are you staying? I’ll come to you there. Not sure how to answer her, Sam slid behind the wheel of the police car, turned the ignition and backed out of the driveway. He could see as well at night as during the day, so there was no need to turn the headlights on. Actually, I’m staying with you.

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Chapter Four Still just a shadow in her mind, Sam sensed Elizabeth’s shock at his bluntness, heard her thoughts as though she spoke them. I can’t believe it. I won’t. What makes him think he has the right? Her annoyance pulsated through him. She was in a state of absolute fury. Sam knew she didn’t even want to think about or deal with the reality of how he knew she was in trouble or how they could telepathically communicate. I don’t even know you. I’ll sleep on the floor if I have to. He needed to be with her, desperate to stay by her side. Hell, he’d sleep in the woods surrounding her house if need be. Look, it’s only a couple of hours until dawn. I’ll meet you at Jennie’s Café in town, then we’ll discuss why you came here. Sam knew her bravado disguised mixed feelings about him. Her emotions ranged from curiosity to anxiety—duty warring with her desire to remain alone. Tolerance was probably the most he could hope for…for now anyway. He let off the gas and watched for his turnoff, glancing through the dense trees for signs that he was near his destination. A mile farther, he reached the quarry. The car eased its way deeper into the rock pit. Gravel crunching beneath the tires. The towering stone walls around the quarry and narrow entrance made it the perfect place to dispose of the car and the remains. With school still in session for two more weeks, it’d be awhile before anyone discovered the body. Whoever found the charred vehicle would assume a criminal killed the officer while he was on patrol. No one could implicate Elizabeth in the cop’s death. In Sam’s way of thinking, if the vampire planned to enslave her, it wouldn’t have wanted interference. Likely, he hadn’t bothered telling anyone he was at her place. Knowing what the vampire planned for Elizabeth made Sam’s blood boil. He shifted his weight while he clenched his fists on the steering wheel. Sam spotted the entrance, the opening just wide enough to drive the car through. Apparently, his luck still held out. No one should see the flames or the smoke with it parked there. Leaving the engine idling, he pressed the car’s cigarette lighter, stepped out of the vehicle and grabbed the gas can off the passenger seat. He doused the vehicle with the entire five gallons. The repugnant odor made his nostrils flare. He opened the rear door, drenching the backseat and corpse, also. After which, he reached into the car and pulled the glowing lighter out from the dash and set fire to an old paper bag he found lying on the floorboard. With one last glance at the body, Sam tossed the flaming paper atop the vampire. The automobile’s interior burst into hot, white flames. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, making Sam’s stomach jerk. He didn’t think he would ever get used to the odor associated with cremating a vampire. Turning his head from the blaze, Sam took a deep gulp of fresh air to cleanse the stench from his lungs. A cold breeze wafted against his skin and Sam looked down, only to realize he

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remained completely naked. She had him tied in knots and didn’t even know it. He stood there, shaking his head at the irony. Elizabeth thought he’d been forward when he suggested he stay at her place. He could only imagine her reaction once she found out he’d forgotten to dress before driving off with his grisly cargo. Well, there was no way out of it. He would have to go back to the woods and get his clothes. With the inherent preternatural speed of the Loup-garou, Sam sprinted through the quarry, stopping only to change back into the wolf before darting into the deepest part of the forest. Incredible joy filling his heart, Sam loped among the trees fringing the road. It wasn’t the freedom of the run that made his soul sing, it was the beauty around him. A fox dashed past and he chased it just for the hell of it. A chilly gust blew the stench of evil and death from his mind, leaving him at peace. Today though, other reasons made him exultant. He found his mate. His mate. It was difficult to believe, but he’d found his match at last. For centuries, each Loup-garou found it nearly impossible to locate their other half. Knowing he found a mate astonished Sam. More than likely, she would say plenty about the match, but he could handle that. After probing her memories, Sam knew she was unaware of what their telepathic connection meant. Werewolves could only speak telepathically with their immediate family and their mates. The fact that she could speak to him, and he to her, confirmed their mutual destiny. Still, he must approach her carefully so as not to scare her off. Five years ago a disillusioned Sam started to search for the last members of his race. Elizabeth was supposed to be just another family member to welcome home. Instead, he discovered his salvation. His destiny. Sam quickly reached the area where he’d left his clothes. After checking the surroundings for the presence of anyone else, he changed back into his human form. His body hurt from the damage he endured during the battle—his muscles tight and strained. Every joint ached. As he meandered through the trees gathering his scattered clothes, Sam tried to reconnect with Elizabeth. He soon realized she’d erected a mental wall. He sighed with resignation, though determined to make her listen to him. You’ve had a rough few hours. He conveyed his concern, trying to coax her out of hiding. When do you want to meet at the café? He felt her indecision, positive he wouldn’t like whatever thoughts circulated through her mind. I’ve been thinking. Perhaps we could meet in a few weeks, at your office or something. I’ve a lot of work to catch up on. Sam tried to suppress his laughter at Elizabeth’s determination to avoid him. Don’t you want to meet others of our species? I imagine you must be very lonely. For a moment Elizabeth’s mental shield weakened and Sam completed their mental connection. He was able to ferret her out. He heard her thoughts rumble in his mind. Why is he here? And why now, when I’m trying to stand on my own? Why am I so afraid to find out? She denied, in vain, that their lives were tied together. How could she deny it when she felt the same pull—a force too strong to fight?

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Her last thought pleased him. At least she experienced the effects of their bond as well. Do we really have to discuss this in person? Won’t a conference call work as well? I am on a strict deadline and have a lot of work to do. She had nearly exhausted the possible excuses. Sam knew it and so did she. Her thoughts, infused with trepidation, showed how nervous he made her. She was skittish. His approach would need to be cautious. One wrong word would probably send her bolting, leaving him no choice than to go after her. Above all, he didn’t want her to fear him. You have to stop and eat every once in a while, don’t you? He felt Elizabeth’s sigh whistle through his mind. All right. He heard the resignation in her thoughts, resignation and something else. Curiosity maybe? It intrigued him. She intrigued him and he looked forward to officially meeting her. ***** Elizabeth sipped her coffee and considered all that transpired in the last few hours. Part of her mind stirred, as though a gentle breeze whispered through it. Sam didn’t try to communicate with her. He was just there, a part of her. Having forgotten how wonderful it was to communicate with others in this manner, Elizabeth smiled against her coffee cup. To speak this way seemed more personal, more intimate. But, intimacy with Sam might not be a wise idea. She knew he could act domineering, the second nature of every protector. As a lone female, Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with anyone who would curb her independence. She knew part of his instincts dictated that he protect those weaker than him and she didn’t want anything to do with it. She needed to put her foot down and tell him so. She would, too, as soon as he walked through the door. I still feel your presence in my mind, Sam. Was there something else you wanted to ask me? Elizabeth took another sip of her coffee while she awaited his response. Actually, I needed to know that you hadn’t run off. That’s all. I’ll see you in a bit. Sam withdrew from her mind, leaving Elizabeth to her wondering thoughts as he headed toward the café door. He watched Elizabeth snap to attention the moment he entered. All conversations stopped. The room grew still. His presence captured everyone’s attention as though everyone in the room held their collective breath waiting to see what he would do—where he would sit, whom he met. He sensed her breath hitch as her eyes met his from across the room. He is one absolutely magnificent male specimen and doesn’t it figure? Greek God handsome. But a control freak—just my luck. Sam stumbled for a second. He’d never heard someone praise his body through a mental link before. It felt both humbling and ego stroking. Elizabeth broadcast her thoughts while he listened, wondering what she’d think next. Man, he embodies the essence of male beauty. He must be over six feet tall. He completely fills the doorway. And look at those incredibly broad shoulders. Does he deliberately buy his tee shirts two

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sizes too small? What I wouldn’t like better than to slowly peel it away to see what was hidden underneath. Not a damn thing wrong to look at him, but a crying shame he’s a chauvinist. He pulled the sunglasses from his eyes and heard her mental gasp. His eyes are an unbelievable shade of green, the color of moss after a spring shower. And his hair, look at it, a deep dark chocolate brown, wavy, and barely touching his shoulders. Ooh la la. After what seemed like an eternity of staring into each other’s eyes, Sam smiled. Her latest stray thought almost stopped him in his tracks. Look at that slow, sinfully sexy smile. It makes me want to climb on board and tell him to take me for a ride. Elizabeth swallowed. Without breaking eye contact, he walked toward her, his steps purposeful and confident. Sam generally remained impervious to the reaction he received whenever he walked into a room. Women would stop and stare at him as soon as he entered, their thoughts easily read in their faces. The men would scowl, invariably jealous of the attention he garnered. Always, he ignored them, not caring what others thought. This time though, he was terrified she would be disappointed. It took every ounce of his self-control not to let her know how much her opinion of him meant. He’d never been more frightened of not meeting someone’s expectations than at this moment. When he saw the awe clearly written all over her face, an intense wave of relief washed over him and he let a broader smile spread across his face. Sam didn’t know what to expect when he finally saw Elizabeth face-to-face in the light of day. He sure didn’t anticipate the sudden jolt of pure lust that raged through his body at the first sight of her. Stunningly beautiful, she was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. Her hair—as black as a witch’s cat—reached her waist. She had a delicate, petite frame. He smiled when he noticed her feet didn’t touch the café floor. His little pixie. Her eyes, though, held him spellbound. They were silvery with tiny specks of midnight blue. A man could drown in those limpid orbs. Sam realized he stood there like a marble statue, unable to take his eyes off her. She was his mate, his better half. The one who would help heal his soul and fill all his lonely hours with love, compassion, and understanding. She possessed a strong power equal to his. Not only had she been born with the strength to become a protector’s mate, she was the mate to his heart. Sam knew that without a doubt. She was his match—his destiny. Gathering his courage and looking more confident than he felt, he strode toward her table terrified she’d disappear if he looked away. Worse yet, he feared she might be a figment of his imagination. A very vivid, breathtakingly beautiful hallucination. “May I join you?” He heard her thoughts crash through his mind as he let her feelings wash over and through him. Oh, my God, that voice. She blinked. So deep and husky. Sam watched her hands grip the edge of the table, her knuckles whiten with strain. Her whole body vibrated, singing with energy that he knew she couldn’t explain. More than just physical attraction, it was something deeper, more elemental. Something in him calling to

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something in her. Demanding, insistent, and completely primitive. Elizabeth swallowed the knot in her throat. “Sure, have a seat.” Sam watched as she slid forward until her feet could touch the floor and forced herself to stand. After releasing her death grip on the table, Elizabeth cautiously held out her right hand to him. “This probably isn’t necessary since we already know each other’s names, but I’m Elizabeth Winters.” Rather than shake her hand, Sam grabbed her delicate fingers and raised them to his mouth, never taking his eyes from her. Her petal soft skin smelled of rose-scented hand lotion. Her thoughts showed in her expression, if one only looked. Awe, confusion, even terror darkened her silvery eyes. He kissed each knuckle, soothing the tension in her hands before turning her hand palm up and gently kissing the exact center. He sensed her indecision, felt her weighing her options. Would she run or sit down? “You’re right. But formal introductions still give us the chance to make a favorable and memorable first impression, don’t you think?” Sam stifled a sigh when she made no comment. He couldn’t tell if she was naturally shy or if he caused her silence. Determination to set her at ease filled his heart. He wanted to see her smile and hear her laughter. He wanted her comfortable in his presence. “I’m Samuel Woods. Thank you for meeting with me. It shows a lot of courage considering recent events. I would be wary of meeting a stranger if our situations were reversed.” With great reluctance, he released her hand and seated himself across from her. After a brief hesitation, she followed suit. “Have you already ordered breakfast, Beth, or do you just drink coffee in the mornings?” Sam fingered the menu in front of him, then flipped it open to keep himself from staring at her. “Nobody calls me Beth. And no, I haven’t ordered any breakfast. Go ahead and order something if you’d like.” She pointed toward the distant wall where a medium sized chalkboard hung. “The specials are over there.” “You’re not going to eat?” He didn’t bother to hide his annoyance at her decision to skip breakfast. Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. “I don’t want to be rude, but my eating habits are my own business. I’ve been taking care of myself for years and will continue to do so. Besides, I thought we were here to discuss last night.” Sam hid his disappointment well. Things were not going as he planned. Didn’t she realize she needed to take care of her health? She was of the Loup-garou and a source of prey. It was imperative that his mate be at her peak at all times, always on her guard. Just because their species was incredibly strong, quick and agile, didn’t mean they were insusceptible to injury or even death. For her own protection, he had no other choice than to openly declare her as his mate. He hoped he would be able to give her the time she needed to make the adjustment. Enough time to court her, to keep things as human as possible. The continuation of their species depended upon her staying fit. She couldn’t disregard her well-being this way. As her mate, he was responsible for ensuring her health and safety,

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as she was responsible for his. After glancing at the menu, Sam raised his arm signaling the waitress that he had made his decision. The server, a teenager with curly auburn hair and freckles, sashayed over to the table, ogling Sam as though she’d like nothing better than to devour him right where he sat. Apparently Elizabeth didn’t notice how her hands clenched into fists or the color sweep up her neck and spread across her cheeks, but Sam did. He didn’t think it would be possible for her to look more beautiful than she did right now. Her eyes flashed midnight blue sparks, her face flushed with suppressed rage. Passion burned under the icy surface, waiting for the right person to unleash it. She was glorious in all her jealous fury and she was all his. Sam could tell she was getting annoyed at the way he seemed to be ignoring her. It became more than obvious when the waitress cleared her throat and leaned over the table, advertising her generous cleavage. “Is there anything I can get you, sir? Anything at all,” she asked in her sexiest come-hither voice. Barely taking the time to think about his actions, he reached over the table and grabbed Elizabeth’s left hand with his. He didn’t care whether Elizabeth understood what he was about to do or not. Giving her hand a warm squeeze, he turned back to the server, looking at her nametag before responding. “Mitzi, I’ll have a short stack with a small orange juice and large milk. Could you go ahead and make it two orders? The other is for Elizabeth, my wife, my mate, my equal, and my partner in all things. The missing half of my soul.” Sam shrugged with nonchalance as Mitzi stomped away, order pad in hand. Apparently she doesn’t go after married men, he thought to himself. “What did you say?” Elizabeth shrieked, her voice rising with apparent horror.

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Chapter Five “You know what I said. Look inside yourself and you’ll know.” Sam braced himself, waiting for the explosion sure to come. “I don’t understand. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her trembling voice matched the shiver she couldn’t hide from him. “It’s simple, isn’t it? You are of the Loup-garou. You are obviously the other half of my heart. I declared it in front of a witness. We’re mates now, as tradition decrees. It’s done.” His tone was matter-of-fact without guilt or smugness. Just steady calm. Feeling her despair, Sam gently cradled her fingers in his, trying to offer support and comfort, if only she would allow it. Sam watched Elizabeth’s skin turn ashen and her lips go bloodless, losing their natural ruby red sheen. He had to do something, anything to set her at ease. Perhaps he should have waited longer before making the declaration, but a need primal and archaic forced him to say the traditional vows. He said the only thing he could think of. We can have a traditional human wedding as well if you would like, Beth. Caught completely off guard by her reaction, expecting anger or maybe even disbelief, her sudden laughter floored him. Was she laughing at him or was it her way of dealing with the shock of what he told her? Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled, and tears left twin trails down her face. She laughed so hard and with such gusto, everyone in the diner turned to look at the scene she created. Sam started to feel a little miffed, insulted even. “Do you mind telling me what’s so funny?” Wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand and stifling the laughter bubbling up, she looked straight into his eyes. Her voice, devoid of any hint of humor, blasted through his mind. You are absolutely out of your mind. I’m leaving now. I don’t want to see you or hear from you ever again. I don’t know who you think you are, but know this. If I choose a mate, it will not be someone domineering, controlling, and definitely not from our kind. Have I made myself perfectly clear? She leaned over the table, only inches separating them. “What exactly are you saying, Beth?” It was hard enough for him to accept her rejection. However, he knew it would be only a matter of time before he overcame Elizabeth’s objections to him personally. After all, they were virtually strangers and it would take time, effort, and patience to win her heart. Still, to hear her say that she would not become a mate to any of the Loupgarou left him speechless. Sam sat back flabbergasted, scrambling to come up with a reasonable reply. Didn’t she understand vampires had practically made their species extinct? He knew— so far—of only a couple dozen packs still living free. Of those remaining, only one person had found his mate in recent years. Those without mates lived solitary, lonely existences. Feeling incomplete. Their souls calling out, waiting for their one perfect and true match. Though a werewolf could form a relationship with humans, without sharing the intimacy of a telepathic bond the Loup-garou still felt as though a piece of their soul was

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missing, crying out for the one being who could make it whole again. “I think it’s perfectly obvious what I’m saying. I refuse to take orders as though my wishes, needs, and desires were of no consequence.” Her fury now to the forefront, she slammed her hands on the table, making the salt and pepper shakers rattle. “I am independent, make all my own decisions and I refuse to give all that up. Mating within the Loup-garou would cost me all those things that make me who I am.” She sat back and glared at him, crossing her arms. The server approached the table, her head tilted to the side in obvious interest. Her arms laden with plates of pancakes, she slowed her steps, probably hoping for a better chance to hear something to pass on to her co-workers. Sam wasn’t about to give her, or anyone else, any more to talk about. Let them make their own assumptions as to what he and his mate discussed. The waitress slowly approached the table and placed the plates in front of the pair. Her gazed bounced between them before she finally spoke. “Can I get you folks anything else?” Pen and pad poised, she smiled over-bright, waiting. They both shook their heads and remained silent. The server gave up waiting for them to say anything more and headed back to the counter for another order. After drizzling his steaming hotcakes with warm maple syrup, Sam put a forkful in his mouth, closed his eyes in bliss, and spoke to Elizabeth by telepathy. How can you say that, Beth? When we find our mates, we become more than what we were. Nothing is taken away from us as individuals, rather we gain so much more. Our souls no longer cry out in the middle of the night. We only have to reach out with our minds and we are at peace, whole for the first time in our lives. Haven’t you ever stared up at the stars, feeling as though a huge piece of yourself was missing? Feeling all alone? I know you have, because so have I. Our souls were calling for each other. If you’ll listen to your heart, you’ll know we are meant to join. I know, without a doubt, you are my true mate. You make me whole, Beth. I don’t want to go back to life without you. Sam felt her resistance to what he said. Elizabeth attempted to fight her destiny, wanted to deny his words. She needed time and he would try to give her that. They needed each other and he didn’t want to do anything else to push her farther away from him, from their future together. He shoveled in another mouthful of his pancakes, no longer tasting them. “All I ask is that you look inside yourself for the answer, Beth. I’ll wait for you. I will wait until the end of time for you if that’s what you need.” Sam realized Elizabeth was in shock. She was still pale, her hands trembling. He wasn’t sure if he had even gotten through to her. “Please, don’t shut me out completely. I honestly don’t think I can go back to the isolation and loneliness of my life before I knew that you were out there.” In her agitation, Elizabeth’s mental shield weakened allowing Sam to know exactly what she thought and experienced. She realized he spoke the truth. She heard it in his voice, saw it in his eyes and felt it in his soul. But she wasn’t ready to handle the things he’d said to her. Blake’s report indicated her traumatic childhood with her recent years being no better. Subjected to a life where she had only herself to depend on, Elizabeth didn’t have the guidance

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of other Loup-garou growing up. No one to help her adapt to her bodily changes when she reached maturity. He was sure she felt abandoned by her heritage. Unsure of her true role in the world. His soul called out to her, and yet she fought everything he had to offer, even his words. He watched her gaze as it flickered around the diner, taking in everything around her, but settling on nothing. He sensed her need to escape, to run free. With everything she had endured and had yet to go through, he could give her that at least. Maybe if he took her out in the open air she could calm down long enough to think about what he told her, what he showed her through their mental bond. She needed to run as the wolf and clear her mind. It always worked for him. It would help her as well. “Run with me, Elizabeth. Let the wind carry away your fears. There’s plenty of time to deal with them. Right now, rejoice in being alive. Run with me,” he suggested, raising a brow in silent question. It was a plea he knew she couldn’t deny. “Even after what I said, you are willing to run with me? If I do this, it’s going to be on my terms.” She waited until he nodded his head in agreement before continuing. “Just run, no strings and no demands. I’ve never run with anyone of our species before. I’ve always run out of fear, the need to survive, and always, always I was alone. It would be nice to run for nothing more than simple enjoyment.” He heard sadness in the throaty request. She needed him, even if she wouldn’t admit it. Maybe this was the first step in building a relationship between them. At least it was a start. “I would be honored to run with you,” Sam agreed. “And, I promise, no strings attached.” Although he’d agreed to her demands, he knew she was still uneasy. He needed to distract her from her thoughts for a while, give her something else to consider. “It has been a long while since I have had the time to let loose, to feel free from all my responsibilities and have fun. In fact, I challenge you to a race. You pick the location and the distance. If you ask real nice, I might even let you to win.” He kept the smile on his face, as he openly challenged her. “What’s this ‘let’ stuff you’re spouting? So, you and your oversized ego think you’re going to let me win. Maybe you need taken down a peg or two.” Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled as her interest peaked. Obviously, his mate was competitive. Definitely his match in every way. “Oh, really, now. In that case, how about we up the ante. Let’s say that if I win you let me be a guest in your home.” Sam found it easier and easier to slip into her thoughts undetected. Her confidence said she could beat him. She knew the area whereas he didn’t. Besides, she rubbed the bridge of her nose in concentration, even if by some miracle he does win, the house is plenty big enough to avoid him the short amount of time he’d be staying there with me. “All right,” she conceded, “but if I win you will leave this area all together and go back to wherever you came from.” Sam pretended to consider her request. She didn’t know he’d continue to watch over her, even from a distance. He was her mate. Her protection was a priority until she got used to the idea she wouldn’t be living her life alone any longer. “Deal. Well, when would you like

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to participate in this historic event?” he asked. “Can we eat breakfast first or do you plan to win by starving the competition?” she quipped. “I guess it can wait until after breakfast.” He watched as she picked up her fork and loaded the hotcakes into her mouth, never lifting her gaze up from her plate. He knew she didn’t see the quick little smile that lit his face as she began to eat. He strengthened his determination to take care of her whether she wanted him to or not, even if he had to do a little manipulation in the process. He hoped it would be a while before she caught on to his methods. He unabashedly continued to listen in on her thoughts, pushing his plate to the edge of the table. I can’t believe this is happening to me. For so long, I’ve prayed there were others out there, somewhere, like me. Someone to share my experiences with. Someone who’d understand my way of life, my needs, and my most secret desires. I never thought such a person would come into my life. It was a dream, a fantasy a lonely little girl created in order to survive a harsh and sometimes tragic life. Something to hold on to that would get me from one day to the next. Be careful what you wish for.… Sam heard the same phrase whisper in the back of her mind. It hinted at secret desires and fantasies, things she’d never thought she’d confront or have to accept. “Are you about ready to go?” She’d been staring into her coffee cup for the last few minutes so it was a safe bet that she was finished with her breakfast. Turning toward their waitress, Sam raised his hand and requested the check. She dropped the check on the table, glared one last time at the couple, swiftly turned on her heels, then stalked toward the kitchen. While reaching across the table to pick up the check, Sam’s fingers accidentally brushed Elizabeth’s. He felt her pulse jump into overdrive. Her emotions, her pleasure, slammed into him. As her body started to tingle, his stiffened and throbbed with awareness. His blood sped up and matched pace with hers, simmering to a slow boil. Elizabeth’s skin grew flushed and hot to the touch. Her body woke in a rush and a matching need inside him rose to answer. His body felt alive, screaming with need. Sam felt the vibrations throughout her every cell and nerve ending. Their breathing turned shallow and erratic. Sweat beaded up along her brow, along his. It bordered on an animal magnetism. A palpable tension radiated between them. He heard her voice reverberate through his mind. If I didn’t know any better, I would think I was going into heat. Her tongue darted out and moistened her lips. Sam wanted nothing more than to hop across the table and kiss her senseless. His gaze jumped to her mouth watching every move she made, watching as her throat flexed when she swallowed. Their heart rates increased, beating as one to an ancient rhythm as old as time itself. His body hardened with anticipation. He had to fight himself, fight his urges. He had as difficult a time with his struggle against the sexual chemistry between them as she did. He knew the tension would continue to increase until neither would be able to deny themselves any longer. He hoped he could give her enough time to get used to their relationship before staking the ultimate claim and mating with her in the way of the Loup-

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garou. She would be unprepared for the intensity of the ritual. The initial mating between alpha pairs could be painful in its intensity. The sexual frenzy felt between the two during this time could create an insatiable appetite, leading to physical as well as emotional exhaustion. It represented more than a physical exchange, more than a sexual interlude. It was the fulfillment of one’s heart and soul, mind and body, and more binding than the human marriage ceremony. Once the ritual concluded, neither would be able to part from the other. As with wolves, the Loup-garou mated for life. Sam took a deep breath to calm the raging beast within before speaking to Elizabeth. “Are you ready?” Sensing her need to retreat from her body’s normal reaction to him, Sam eased himself up from the table, careful not to frighten her more than he already had, his hand still holding hers. She had yet to realize that until she embraced her heritage, rejoiced in her differences instead of shunning them, she walked in both worlds, yet fit into neither. Elizabeth quickly snatched her hand away, all too aware of her own body’s reaction to him. Aware of her vulnerability as never before. Aware, too, of being in far more danger of losing the self-control she insisted upon maintaining than she’d ever been before. It would be so easy to give in to the power of the Loup-garou, become wild and untamed, to follow her body’s urgent demands. That terrified her the most, becoming what she fought against for so long. As though by denying her werewolf blood—her ancestry—she would be normal, be human. Elizabeth cleared her throat, and tried to break the sexual tension that throbbed and pulsated between them. Following his lead, Elizabeth managed a casual response. “I’m ready if you are.” She edged away from the table and hurried to the door. Heat radiated from his body, enveloping her in his warmth as he followed closely behind her. Her whole body vibrated with tension, screamed with a need she couldn’t even comprehend. Never had she felt such an allconsuming attraction to a man. Why suddenly this arrogant piece of work? Always a part of her shunned any involvement with a male. Perhaps there was something wrong with her. She never really had the desire to be with a man, any man, never experienced sexual awareness like others her age. At times, she thought perhaps she was frigid and unable to respond, that her werewolf blood left her unable to do so. For so long she felt alone, a gaping hole in her heart. A piece of herself missing that left her awake at night, cursing her Lupine ancestry, hating her heritage, leaving her bereft and heartbroken. She believed she had been condemned to a life without love, without children…without hope. As they walked into the crisp morning air, Elizabeth tilted her head back and closed her eyes. The gentle breeze cooled her fevered skin and slowed her racing heart. After a few moments, she felt her body was hers again. With the easing of her body’s urgent demands, she gained some semblance of control, able to once again think and reason. Once she captured her wayward mind, Elizabeth turned toward Sam standing behind her, inhaling the scents of the world around him. She cautiously slipped into his mind, curious as to what he was thinking.

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She found him listening to the stories carried to him along the wind and reveling in the beauty and the peace enveloping him. She found herself watching him closer, all too aware of the call of the land, of the peace and harmony waiting for her to embrace it. As though he sensed she watched him, Sam glanced in Elizabeth’s direction. Their eyes met. A look of perfect understanding flowed between them. Sam cleared his throat, breaking the spell she wove around him. He donned his sunglasses and continued to take in the scenery. “Well, Beth, where would you like to have this little competition of ours?” He looked forward to the race—he liked a good competition as much as the next guy—but sharing this joyful experience with her appealed to him even more. “Don’t call me Beth.” “If that’s what you want.” Sam decided to let her win this battle. She needed to feel in control of something and it was such a little request in the scheme of things. “Why don’t we head back to my place? There’s over a thousand acres to run on and we won’t be disturbed by any unwelcome attention.” Knowing it would be wise to continue monitoring her thoughts until he knew her better, Sam silently eased himself into her mind through their bond. It took a second to read her thoughts. I’m not about to let him win. This is my home turf. It gives me the advantage. Not to mention the fact that I really don’t want him to see me strip naked while I go through the change. I’m not ready for that. It seems too personal, too intimate, almost an acknowledgement of a connection I’m still not prepared to admit to. Sam sighed. Her reactions to him were normal under the circumstances. “That’s all right with me. I’ll follow you back to your place in my loaner here, if that’s ok with you?” “Why wouldn’t it be?” she asked. “Just making sure you don’t try to ditch me.” With all the dignity she could muster, Elizabeth handed him his car keys. “I must have picked up your keys from the table by mistake.” “Aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked as he turned his back to walk away. “Oh, you mean these?” Her keys dangled off his right index finger, out of her reach. Sam tried very hard not to smile at her indignant pout. Taking pity on her before he did something unforgivable, like laugh at her outrage, Sam walked up to her and deliberately placed them in her hand. He gazed into her eyes, wrapped her fingers around the keys, and raised her hand to his mouth for a tender kiss. He held her hand for a few seconds longer, then turned and headed back toward his vehicle.

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Chapter Six Elizabeth took a series of shallow breaths after Sam walked away. She stared after him, hoping he’d look back, yet praying he wouldn’t. Her feet seemed made of lead. It took all her willpower to turn around and walk to her car. Once behind the wheel, she couldn’t bring herself to start the engine. She stared into space. “How does he make me feel like I’m no longer in control? That’s it, Beth, you’ve got to get a grip.” Good God, not only does he have me talking to myself, he's got me calling myself Beth. His chuckle echoed in her head. I hate to sound impatient, but are you ready? The air is sweet, the sun’s warm on my face, the birds are spending this glorious morning singing, and I’m looking forward to running with the animals up on this mountain. Elizabeth dropped her head against the steering wheel. She took a deep breath to gain control over her emotions, sat up and turned on the engine. Yes, Sam. Follow me. I’m going to take you home the back way. It takes a little longer, but I think you’ll agree the scenery makes it well worth it. Since coming back to this area, I have felt the power of the land warm my heart and heal the wounds in my soul. From her rearview mirror, Elizabeth saw him follow her flashy little fire engine red Miata. His awestruck expression traced gentle paths along her heart. Elizabeth made herself look at the land as if seeing it for the first time—to look at it as Sam saw it. The Hudson River rushed alongside the highway. White, frothy water surged past rocks and boulders. Raw power unleashed, Elizabeth thought. With the car windows down, she smelled the wind. The clean, crisp air invigorated her. Maple, beech, Scotch pines, and old hemlock trees guarded the riverbanks throughout the mountainous peaks. A bald eagle soared on the distant horizon and beavers sunned along the river’s edge. A family of white tailed deer ran through the forest with tails lifted high and raccoons foraged on the forest floor. It represented nature at its purest. You’re right, Beth. This area is extraordinary. Thank you for sharing it with me. Tranquility emanated from the land. Peace drifted along the wind and meandered through the trees. It whispered of spiritual fulfillment, of happiness and serenity. This was why Elizabeth decided to come back to this land to settle down. It’s nice to know others appreciate nature at its most beautiful. Sometimes I feel like most of us who live on this glorious planet take it for granted. Rather than nurture our environment, we destroy it. Shoving aside her sudden onslaught of despair, Elizabeth pulled into her driveway. Surrounded by birch trees, the circular drive welcomed her home. The white birch trees guarding the entrance looked like the Pearly Gates protected all within. Coming home always comforted her—until last night. She shook her head. Enough of those thoughts. She had a wager to win. After exiting her car, Elizabeth rushed to the door. She didn’t want to give herself time to change her mind about letting him inside her sanctuary. She caught herself chewing on her bottom lip, a positive sign indicating her nervousness about her decision. She’d have to stop being so obvious with her facial expressions because Sam read them all too well.

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Although everything in her wanted to deny him entrance to her home, Elizabeth welcomed him. They were both of the Loup-garou. It was her duty to offer solace to those of her kind. Although not raised with other werewolves or taught the ways of her people, it was still ingrained in her that each of them must protect the other in order for them to survive. She had no choice but to push aside her anxieties, her doubts. Stepping aside, Elizabeth opened the door to allow Sam to enter first. In a voice filled with trepidation and nervousness, Elizabeth spoke the formal words. “Welcome to my home, Sam.” Sam knew if she welcomed him into her home she sealed their fates forever. He did not intend to leave her alone, unprotected, and unclaimed. He would protect her, against her wishes if necessary. As a Protector it was his duty. As her mate, his honor. Last night, he had been too busy to appreciate the sheer magnificence of Elizabeth’s home. The huge, rambling log cabin seemed a part of the land. It flooded him with an immediate sense of welcome. It was as if the house and the land embraced him, offered him sanctuary, and accepted him for who and what he was. A promise of peace, happiness, and love. Sam felt the rising tension in Elizabeth’s small frame. He needed to relieve her fears and nervousness, to comfort and shield her. Her safety was as vital to him as breathing. Somehow, he had to show her they belonged together. Elizabeth stood inside the doorway, shoulders rigid and her stance battle-ready. He automatically searched her thoughts to look for the cause. Her every instinct screamed at her to flee, to run from her future, to run from him. Mostly, though, she wanted to run from herself and her unwanted emotions. Sam knew that those same emotions could take over her well-ordered world. The heat, the passion smoldering below the surface, threatened to boil over and consume her very essence, leaving nothing of herself behind. His chest tightened as her fears became his. The longer he stood next to her the more he believed her fears would devour them. To break the tension he walked away, strolling into the foyer. The glimpse he saw of her haunted him, the fear in her eyes more than he could tolerate. He stayed quiet as he saturated her mind with tranquility, peace and contentment. He remained there long enough to help slow her breathing, her heart rate, and to soothe her. His chest loosened and he knew that he’d lessened her anxiety. But, he could do little about her fear of the unknown. Some roads one had to walk themselves. He felt her pain now as a distant ache and it satisfied him. Although every member of his species communicated with their kin with telepathy, only a tiny percentage of them were able to control another’s actions and thoughts. Only the strongest and the purest of blood amongst the Loup-garou had the power to command another’s mind and body in this way. To go undetected into another's mind. “Your home is beautiful, Beth. I can tell that love built this house. The walls vibrate with memories of happiness, of comfort, of warmth. Your grandfather must have loved your grandmother very much to build such a wonderful home for her.” Sam meandered through the rooms, touching objects at random, trying to get a feel for this place, for her.

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Elizabeth glanced his way, a puzzled look flashed across her eyes. “Yes, my grandfather loved my grandmamma very much. I spent my summers here with them. I would wake up early, wanting to play outside with my animal friends or swim in the pond, and I would catch them at the breakfast table holding hands or laughing,” she whispered. She headed toward the kitchen, a large room filled with an ancient stove and modern small appliances. “I knew they enjoyed being together. I would stand over there, watching them.” She waved her hand and pointed. “I use to peek around the corner,” she smiled as she remembered. “I wouldn’t make a sound, just watch and bask in their happiness.” She turned away. “The house was always filled with love and laughter during those times.” “It’s funny now, but they always knew when I was watching. They would call me over, but I was never afraid. Rather than scold me for eavesdropping, they would wrap me in their arms, enfold me in their warmth, and share their love. Making me feel cherished, special.” Sam stood, transfixed. He watched her eyes glisten with unshed tears. Her tortured soul reflected in their silvery depths as her hands gripped the edge of the doorway, her knuckles white with tension. She seemed unaware of her actions as she laid her head against the doorjamb. Her hair shielded most of her face while it caressed her cheek and draped across her shoulder. Using his empathic abilities, Sam experienced her struggle to control her emotions as the memories threatened to overtake her. Elizabeth battled to keep from shrinking inside herself and becoming the lonely child she’d been after all her happiness evaporated like mist. He took her pain inside himself to better understand her hurt, her fears. Her memories made his legs shake. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her no one would ever hurt her again. But he could not promise her that. So, he stood there and listened, feeling helpless and unsure of himself. A sense of inadequacy tore through him as Elizabeth relived memories of her childhood. The memories of those few stolen moments haunted her, reminded her of all she lost. She stiffened her shoulders, her voice gruff when she continued her story. “At the time I took those hugs for granted. It wasn’t until later I realized how special my grandparents were. Sometimes I walk into this kitchen and can still feel them here watching over me—if that makes any sense.” With the back of her hand, she wiped away the tear meandering down her cheek, evidence of the deep sorrow she still suffered. “They loved you very much and knew how important this home was to you, honey. You belong here and I think they knew that. Their memories and their love live inside you, Beth. Perhaps they left this house and its memories of happier times to you so their love could continue to grow through you and your children.” As unobtrusively as possible, Sam began to rub her back in large comforting circles. “Maybe you’re right, Sam. I don’t know. In any case, it’s time for that run, don’t you think?” Sam watched as she walked out of the room. He trailed behind to let her compose herself. She wouldn’t want him to feel sorry for her, he was sure of that. More than likely she’d regret she even spoke to him of her past, not wanting to appear weak or vulnerable.

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He had no choice but to give her time, space. She’d been through so much already. Being patient would be the hardest thing he’d ever have to do. Though sorrow burdened her heart, Sam still felt his body raging at him, an inferno that needed extinguishing. Everything in him wanted to initiate the ritual to make her fully, irrevocably his. His body, his soul, cried out, making demands he had difficulty controlling. Wanting to possess her, heart and soul, mind and body. For so long now, he’d been alone. Living his life with a part of him missing. At night, when he was alone at home, he’d listen to the night sounds for something—for what, he didn’t know. The ever-increasing loneliness and solitude left him an empty shell of the man he used to be. The simplest things used to make him smile. Now, he’d walk the grounds around his home, rather than lie in his empty bed. Yes, he’d pursued relationships with human women in the past. No one could accuse him of being celibate. But Sam found himself unable to commit to anyone, always unsatisfied, unfulfilled. Lonelier than before. Eventually he stopped dating, preferring to spend his free time amongst his animal friends or in solitude. Deep down, he’d always known someone like Elizabeth was out there, feeling as alone as he did. That somewhere out there his true mate existed. He knew for sure that he’d found her, he needed her, and somehow, someway, he had to convince Elizabeth that she needed him, too. ***** Elizabeth stared at the closed door of her dressing room when she heard Sam come up behind her. His tread nearly silent, but still she heard him. Or maybe she felt his presence. She wasn’t sure why exactly she had shared her past with him. Did she need someone, anyone, to confide in? Was it because he’d come to her rescue that she’d felt compelled to share that memory with him? Or was it something more? For so long she had only herself to rely on, to have faith in. Growing up, her foster families were afraid of her. She was different. Granted an extra gift at her birth besides being a werewolf, Elizabeth was given the gift of telepathy and not just with her kin. She could read thoughts and feelings of all those around her. They battered at her, endlessly. At times, she sometimes forgot others didn’t have this ability and she’d comment on what someone was thinking, something she should have had no way of knowing. It scared them. Unable to deal with her many differences, her foster parents had the program place her with someone new. After a while, she learned to hide what she was, hide her abilities, until being human was all she wanted and all she knew. When she reached puberty her muscles and body began to change. It terrified her. She didn’t want it, tried to deny it was happening. It gave more evidence of her differences. It was then that she realized she would never be able to fit into the human world. The excruciating pain of the transformation left her writhing in agony on the floor, unsure how she got there, unable to stop the torture ripping through her body. She felt as though her flesh was burning, her body ablaze from the inside out. She would crawl across the floor, trying to escape her own skin, trying in vain to escape the torment, the suffering. Fighting for her life—praying to die. So, she endured the pain, the agony, alone, hiding from

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friends and family. She isolated herself, terrified that they would send her away again. Eventually, she learned to master the change, to control her abilities, and turn down the volume of the thoughts of those around her. Seldom did she use the power of the Loup-garou to become the wolf, doing so only when afraid or threatened. She used it when she needed to escape, when the world itself crowded and suffocated her. To feel the freedom of being in the wolf’s body, without fear demanding it, to be able to share it with someone, was more than she’d ever dreamed possible. Digging inside herself, Elizabeth reached for the pool of tranquility within her mind. She focused on the rhythm of her breathing so she could put her chaotic thoughts and feelings in order. She gathered her courage and glanced over her shoulder, needing to face him, to face her fears. Their eyes met. For a long moment the world seemed to stand still. Everything stopped until there was only the two of them. They forged an unbreakable bond. Her breath hitched as she witnessed the passion smoldering in his deep green eyes. Their erratic and ragged breathing filled the silence of the room. Her body burned for him, cried out with unfulfilled need, begged for completion. With effort, her blood once again began to flow. The pounding of her heart lessened and her senses returned. The room slowly came back into focus. Elizabeth cleared her throat, looking everywhere but at him, yet seeing nothing. She fell under a spell she didn’t know how to fight. Was she even sure she wanted to? Confused, unsure of the changes Sam brought about in her, both exhilarated and terrified—Elizabeth felt herself drawn deeper and deeper into the world of the Loup-garou. Nothing in her life prepared her for the passion flaring between them, the power of her werewolf heritage begging to be unleashed. “Are you sure you’re up to this, honey? Neither one of us got much sleep last night. We could always take a rain check until we’re both feeling refreshed.” Sam’s use of the endearment startled Elizabeth out of her thoughts. “That’s ok. I think a run might be what I need to blow the cobwebs from my mind. Besides, I’ll probably sleep better after an exhausting run.” Elizabeth stole a peek at Sam from beneath her lashes. Looking at him made her knees weak, her stomach flutter, and her heart skip a beat. She couldn’t help but notice that Sam was a beautiful man. Heat bloomed in her cheeks as she glimpsed Sam watching her. Turning his head, Sam inspected the room which allowed Elizabeth to release the in-drawn breath she’d been holding. They next entered a spacious room, doors on two of the walls seeming to blend into the wall itself. If not for the ornate iron handles, the doors would have gone unnoticed. The walls a light rose, cherry wood crown molding accented the chamber. A mahogany armoire stood against one wall and a Victorian era writing desk graced another. A parlor suite, very old, sat in the center of the room. There were three pieces of furniture, a spiral back and arm sofa and two side chairs in pristine condition. Made of cherry and upholstered in coral silk damask, they complemented the chamber’s color scheme. Sunlight bathed the room in a golden glow. In every corner of the room stood antique plant stands of different heights and styles overflowing with English ivy, jade plants, and

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African violets. Their vines wrapped themselves around the pedestals, trailing along the floor. Indian rubber trees as well as banana plants were scattered across the chamber. Dwarf citrus trees of both orange and lemon sat atop the armoire and the desk. Their heavenly scents filled the room with their essence, resembling a miniature Garden of Eden. Nine-foot windows bordered an immense set of mahogany framed glass doors. Etched and shaded with an image of a wolf on each panel, the glass doors showed the alpha male and female facing each other. Their heads thrown back, howling into the night, calling to each other. The powerful scene displayed a marvelous work of art constructed by superb craftsmanship. This room always reminded her of her grandparents, of their love for one another. Realizing Sam stood there staring at her in expectation, Elizabeth shook herself from her memories and pointed to the door to the suite he’d be using to change. “The door on your right leads to a guest room and the glass doors go outside. I’ll meet you outside in about five minutes or so.” With that, Elizabeth turned on her heels and headed toward the only other door in the room. “Run now if you must,” he said to the empty room, “but you won’t run for much longer.” Pretending not to hear those fateful words, Elizabeth made her escape.

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Chapter Seven Elizabeth felt the weight of Sam’s gaze, as tangible as a touch, while she retreated from the room. Without shame, Elizabeth slipped into Sam’s thoughts, seeing herself through his eyes. The swing of her hair mesmerized him, the way it cascaded down her back and caressed her waist. He’d memorized her curves, the rhythm of her walk, the way she cocked her head when she thought too much. In fact, he seemed as stupefied by their reaction to each other as she was. What is she doing to me? She has me acting like a lovesick idiot. If anyone saw how she affected me, my reputation would be shot. Hell, she even has me talking to myself for cripes sake. Resting her head against the door, Elizabeth let a smile spread across her face. “It’s nice to know you’re not as tough as you’d like people to think, Sam,” she whispered. At least, I’m not the only one acting out of character today. She began to unbutton her silk top, the cool fabric sensuous against her skin. After draping her shirt across the bed, she shimmied out of her jeans, first one leg then the other. Her white satin bra and matching panties soon followed. Standing in the center of the room, Elizabeth closed her eyes as the image of a wolf flashed in her mind. Within seconds, she felt the power flow through her veins, reshaping tissue and bone. Her hearing became more acute, her sense of smell equally so. She relished the sensations, enjoyed the rippling of muscles and sinew as her paws dropped to the floor. Elizabeth experienced the tingling as fur spread across her limbs then her torso, covering her in a glossy black coat. She heard Sam in the other room, could picture him in her mind. She heard his clothes rustling as they hit the floor. His breathing, once steady and even, turned into a frantic panting. She sensed his joy, his exhilaration as he transformed. She felt the power flow through his body as his joints snapped and popped and his muscles stretched. She caught his scent as it drifted down the hall. Her stomach muscles tensed in anticipation as she resisted the urge to howl into the morning air. This is a magnificent suite, Beth. I assume it belonged to your grandparents. Following her scent, Sam edged open the door with his muzzle and padded into the sitting room to await Elizabeth. After I moved back here, I couldn’t see myself staying in their part of the house. I use the upstairs room that I had as a child. Using her teeth to grip the wrought iron lever handle, Elizabeth backed farther into the room, opening the door wide enough for her to squeeze through the gap she created. Gathering her courage, Elizabeth eased into the sitting room. Are you about ready, Beth? As he glanced over at her, he seemed to be stunned. She slipped into his mind, surprised at his thoughts. The only color against the ebony of her body is the smoky gray of her eyes. Mystical eyes, intelligent eyes. I could get lost in them so easily, trapped forever within their depths. She looked closer at Sam, noticed his every flicker of movement, the intensity in his body, and found herself drowning in the vivid green of his eyes. At once, she broke the spell

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and answered his question. I am if you are. If you approach the front of the doors, they will swing open. When I first moved here, I made a few modifications to the house. The installation of motion sensors so that the doors would open automatically was one of them. Since I don’t use either of the bedrooms in this suite, I haven’t bothered to automate those doors. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. Let’s go for that run. I feel the land calling to me. As they loped out the doors, Sam turned back to get another glance at the glass panels. They spoke to him. He belonged here. Deep down he knew it wasn’t her grandparents etched into the glass, but Elizabeth’s own hopes and dreams. Those glass panels were one of the modifications Elizabeth had made to her home. Sam veered back to trail behind the small black wolf racing across the field of wildflowers and tried to resist smiling at her antics. Butterflies ousted from their sleep took to the sky as she darted through the meadow. He heard her giggles play across his mind. With the speed of his kind, Sam chased after her, enjoying the freedom and power the wolf’s body gave him. Sam kept enough behind to give Elizabeth the space he sensed she needed. Hey, no fair Beth. You have a head start. Well, as my daddy always said, you snooze—you lose. Besides, it’s too glorious of a morning to stand still for long. Sam felt peace seep into her wounded soul. Deciding she had gotten a bit too far ahead for his liking, he lengthened his stride and soon closed the distance between them. Although this was her land, nature had a way of asserting itself. It was his duty to ensure her safety at all times. In all honesty, he didn’t want the separation for much more personal reasons than duty or her welfare. Coming up along side her, Sam swooped in and stroked his tongue across her muzzle. Then once again he lengthened his stride and took over the lead. Elizabeth leaped over fallen trees and avoided stepping on the rocks and twigs underfoot. She skimmed across the surface of the ground edging closer to Sam as she narrowed the gap between them. There's a waterfall close by, hidden from view and only the animals know of its existence. It is a beautiful spot. I often go there when I need to get away, to reflect on my life. Still a silent shadow drifting through Sam’s mind, Elizabeth became aware of his nervousness. He already believed she spent too much time thinking. He believed he could find some sort of distraction to take her mind off her worries. Maybe she’d let him…eventually. If you’d like to go to this spot of yours, I don’t see any harm in it. Sam kept his body close to hers. Rather than feeling confined, she felt safe, protected, and grateful that he hadn’t tried to prevent her from visiting her hideaway. More than that, she wanted…no, she needed to share her sacred place, to experience the magic with someone else. To share it with Sam. She had always been a loner, depending on no one. Her independent nature was an ingrained part of her personality. Fear of the unknown made her steps falter and confusion made her head spin. She was unsure what to do about her sudden desire to be with someone, even for a little while. Was she lonely and in desperate need of friendship? Was it something about Sam

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himself that had her seeking his companionship? Did she feel safe and secure with him because he was a protector? A defender of the Loup-garou? Or was it something deeper, more elemental? For now, she put the questions aside. She wanted the day to relax, the first time since she was a little girl to go where her heart led. Her small frame trembled with uncertainty—uncertainty of the unknown, of the passion flaring between them. She was unprepared for the heat rising between them, the allconsuming need. Sam gently placed his head atop hers. They sat there for what seemed like hours, but in actuality only a few scant minutes passed before they continued their journey to Elizabeth’s hidden waterfall. It’s on the other side of this thicket. Before we go in, I wanted to thank you for sharing this with me. I didn’t want to be alone today. I don’t know how I feel about a future for us, but for today, I’m not going to think beyond living for the moment. Cocking her head to the side, Elizabeth sat on her haunches and looked into the thicket. All I can say is that whatever happens between us will be because it’s something we both want. I enjoy your company. You’re in my mind enough to know that. You also know that I’ve always been alone, that I need my independence. So long as you respect my need to have control over my own life, then I’d like to offer you my friendship. Sam could tell how difficult such an admission had been. She had avoided forming attachments since she was a child, which made this a huge step for her. He felt humbled, honored. He owed her honesty in return. I don’t know what to say. I know that we don’t know each other well. That’s going to take time. I’m aware of that as well. All I want right now is for us to spend some time getting to know each other. I will try my best not to dominate you, but that’s my nature, honey. I can’t promise not to tell you what to do if I feel your safety is in question. You can never forget that vampires continually hunt us. We need to be on guard at all times. I know I’ve told you this before, but I don’t want to be alone anymore, and I don’t think you do either. What do you think, Beth? Can we try to work this out together, honey? Elizabeth sat there for quite a while before turning to him with her answer. Sam found himself holding his breath, afraid of what her answer might be. Afraid that she would decide she’d rather remain alone. Gazing into his eyes, Elizabeth seemed to find the answer she needed. I really don’t know, Sam, but I’m willing to try. Turning once again to the thicket, Elizabeth rose and darted through the shrubbery. As Sam followed her through to the other side, he once again thanked the guardian angel that’d shown him the way to Elizabeth. Welcome to my haven, Sam. It was a paradise. Those were the only words Sam had to describe the wonderland he’d stepped into. Although the waterfall wasn’t large by most standards, it had a fifteen-foot drop. He felt the water’s power as it crashed into the rocks below. The white, frothy foam rising up to greet the morning sun filled the hideaway. A warm gentle mist wrapped its visitors in a misty blanket. He could almost believe he was deep within a tropical rainforest rather than high up in the Adirondack Mountains. All around him, the music of birdsong floated upon the wind. Their melodious, graceful music enhanced the

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land's overall majesty. Deep within the body of the wolf, Sam shook. The intensity of his feelings toward this place shocked him. My God, Elizabeth. I’ve never seen anything so magnificent in my life. How did you find this place? I found it when I was a small child. I used to come up here whenever I had the chance. It was before I was able to change so it was quite a long walk, but it was well worth it. A sense of peace seemed to wash over her whenever she talked about her summers up here with her grandparents. He was relieved that she had had at least a few good memories to carry with her through her life. It’s no wonder you wanted to come here today. No matter how bad a day a person is having, I don’t think it would be possible for them to leave here feeling the same as they did when they arrived. Actually, I saved the best surprise for last. On the far side of the waterfall, there is a cave with a hot spring. It’s nature’s own hot tub. It’s not directly under the falls, but behind those rocks to the right. I keep a change of clothes and supplies in there for emergencies and, of course, my swimsuit. He didn’t so much as see her smile, more that he felt it. What? Do you want to swim? I admit the air feels inviting, but that water has to be freezing. He shook his head, worried that the cold water could harm her, amused at her ability to find enjoyment in the most mundane things. Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to swim, as you are, honey? Your fur would protect you from the cold a little better than a swimsuit. Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy. I’m going to take a quick dip. Besides, the sun’s warm enough to dry me off before we have to head back. I’m warning you. If something happens and you need rescuing, I have no clothes. You’ll end up seeing me in my birthday suit. Before he finished his warning, she loped off toward the cave. Shaking his head in amusement, Sam looked around for the best place to watch the waterhole. He positioned himself and waited while she took her swim. When she had her fill of the cold water, she rejoined him. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know when she approached. The breeze carried her scent to him, broadcasting her location. Side by side, they made their way back, meandering through the trees toward her home. We never did have that race, Elizabeth. She remained silent for several seconds before responding. There is plenty of room at my place. There’s no need to waste your money staying at an inn. Besides, you are of the Loup-garou. It’s my responsibility to help my species when I can. My brethren didn’t raise me, but I know this is true. Her invitation pleased him. He knew it had been a big concession on her part and an important step in building their relationship.

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Chapter Eight Sam paused, then shoved his bulk into her. He nipped at Elizabeth’s hind legs, trying to herd her into the trees. Sam pinned her against an oak tree, his larger body blocking her, trapping her. She began to tremble with suppressed rage. Sam, you better have a damn good reason for what you’re doing. I really don’t appreciate… Not now, Elizabeth. Open your senses. Find out for yourself what’s going on. He severed their telepathic bond. All of Sam’s senses went on alert, waiting for the attack. He had smelled the bear’s spore earlier. Two cubs played nearby. Bears seldom attacked without provocation. They must have accidentally invaded the mother bear’s territory. A female bear would kill anything she felt endangered her cubs. Sam needed to draw the bear from Beth. Above even his own safety, it was his duty to protect her. The earth shook and trembled beneath their feet as the black bear lumbered through the trees straight toward them. Sam crouched to spring, his fur standing as he prepared to defend his mate. A growl, ferocious and intense, announced Sam’s intentions. He exposed his sharp and deadly canines, the reality of kill or be killed filling his mind. Even deep within the body of the wolf Sam knew Elizabeth’s fear—not for her safety, but for his. Even with the danger surrounding them, the thought that she would worry over him eased some of the ache her rejection of their bond left in his heart. Elizabeth knew deep within her heart and soul that the bear intended to kill them. She also knew Sam would fight until his dying breath to protect her. And she wasn’t about to let him fight alone. The female bear stood nearly six feet tall, easily weighing four or five hundred pounds. She had an enormous, long snout. Her powerful jaws exposed deadly teeth. Saliva dripped from her open mouth as she roared her anger at their intrusion. Each toe on her paws had a long wicked claw. Standing on her hind legs, the female bear roared at Sam as he held his ground. Once the bear came in for the attack, Sam lunged, his jaws snapping. His body barreled against the bear’s chest. His claws dug into her fur, scoring her belly. Sam leaped away as the bear tried to swat him off. She dropped to all fours. Sam and the she-bear circled each other, growling and roaring, their jaws snapping as each assessed the other for weaknesses in order to protect those under their care. The bear lunged again, swiping at Sam’s side. He didn’t duck fast enough. His thigh sported five long furrows, each deep and lethal. His blood ran out in scarlet rivers, matting his deep brown fur. Ignoring his mortal injuries, Sam came in for the kill, flinging himself on the she-bear's back. Sinking his teeth into its neck, Sam ripped and tore through the shaggy fur in search of the bear’s jugular vein. Elizabeth crouched low to the ground with her hackles up, ears back, and a growl deep in her throat. Elizabeth waited for her opportunity to jump into the fray, but no opening came. Nothing she could do but watch—and wait. The bear, unable to reach Sam with her paws, could not dislodge him from her back. She twisted and turned, trying to shake him off. Elizabeth felt Sam weaken, his blood loss

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now extensive. The bear backed into a tree, smashing Sam against the trunk. His grip loosened as he realized his weakness. He maintained his hold on the bear for a few seconds longer before everything went black. Sam’s last thought warned Elizabeth to run and save herself. He had failed her, failed their people. Sam hit the ground hard, his body flung from the bear’s back. Unable to maintain the image of the wolf in his mind after losing consciousness, Sam changed back into his human form, now even more vulnerable than before. Elizabeth knew Sam’s wounds were potentially lethal. Unless she got help for him soon, he wouldn’t survive. As the gravity of the situation sank in, Elizabeth allowed the beast within to take charge. She declared her right to defend him. All wolf without human compassion, her animal instincts to protect her mate shot to the forefront. Either the bear would leave or the bear would die. She allowed no other choice. The bear began to shove Sam’s inert body with its paws. A single swipe from a bear could kill a human. Elizabeth had no time to wait or formulate a plan. She growled and crouched low to the ground with her ears flat and hackles stiff. She charged the bear as it reached for Sam again. Teeth exposed, Elizabeth attacked the bear from behind. She jumped onto the bear’s back, biting and clawing. The bear slowed down, unable to reach the wolf before it leaped off and began circling once again. Elizabeth attacked again and again. Quick assaults meant to tire the bear, to weaken it from blood loss. She’d scored numerous blows to the bear, taking a few in return. But she would not stop until Sam was safe. This she considered her blood oath. Realizing its imminent defeat, the bear lumbered off, giving a final roar before heading back into the woods and out of sight. The wolf in her wanted to give chase, to defeat her enemy. The woman in her demanded that she look after Sam. Quickly assessing the situation, Elizabeth changed back into her human form and approached Sam’s motionless body. He had suffered severe blood loss, his pale skin almost translucent. He was likely going into shock. He needed help right away, but first she needed to staunch the blood flow. Shivering from the cold, Elizabeth knew it would get colder when the sun went down. She had to find a way to warm him up, before hypothermia complicated his situation. “I don’t know if you can hear me, Sam, but you need to hang on. I’m going to get something to stop the bleeding. I’ll be back.” She sensed no awareness on Sam’s part. Even when the vampire in New Orleans had stalked her, she’d never been this scared. Don’t give up on me. You keep fighting, Sam. Without conscious thought, Elizabeth dropped a quick kiss on Sam’s forehead and ran her fingers through his hair before stepping away from him. She once again changed into the wolf. Elizabeth raced off in the direction of the cave, her long powerful strides eating the distance. She’d placed a little bag of emergency supplies in the cave soon after she arrived three months ago. She hoped it remained intact, that some animal looking for food hadn’t torn through it.

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Why hadn’t she checked on it when she was in the cave earlier? She could be wasting precious time—time Sam desperately needed. Why didn’t she hide him before she left? What if the bear came back? Or what if some other animal smelled the blood and her not there to protect him? Questions whirled through her mind, leaving thoughts in chaos. She pushed herself harder and harder, running as fast as she could. She sprinted into the cave. Dirt flew in all directions as she skidded to a halt. The small canvas backpack remained undisturbed, hidden in the shadows of the back corner. I’m coming Sam. Hang in there, please! Grabbing the strap in her jaws, Elizabeth left the cave as quickly as she had entered. She flew across the forest floor. Time seemed to crawl as she made her way back to Sam’s side. The sun had set, the night air now frigid. She prayed she would reach him in time. Using her heightened sense of smell and her keen eyesight, Elizabeth went straight to his side. Dropping the bag, she slowly approached him, looking for any sign of life. His chest rose, but barely. He was alive though still unconscious, which she didn’t think was a good sign. As Elizabeth approached Sam, he started to moan, then began thrashing about. She feared a fever might have already set in. Taking her human form again, Elizabeth knelt over Sam’s damaged body. She couldn’t stop herself from running her fingers down his cheek in a small caress. His skin felt icy. She needed to hurry. He didn’t have much time left. Already an hour had passed since the bear attack left Sam unconscious and mortally wounded. Elizabeth dumped the contents of the bag onto the forest floor—a flashlight, a high altitude blanket used by hikers, a few first-aid supplies, energy bars and a bottle of water. Not much, but hopefully enough to keep him alive until she could get help. She couldn’t take him to the hospital for medical treatment without endangering their entire species. For now, Elizabeth was on her own. Setting the flashlight on the ground, Elizabeth gently examined Sam’s raw ugly wounds. Bloody streaks extended past his injured thigh and up his right hip. She was afraid to move him, terrified she would make the infection spread faster. Elizabeth worried that her inexperience and lack of medical training might make matters worse. Her hands shook, whether from the cold or nerves she didn’t know. She ripped open one of the alcohol pads and wiped her hands with it, then tore open another. She gently dabbed at the edges of Sam’s wounds, trying not to cause him further pain. “I hope I’m not hurting you.” She followed this same procedure, cleansing and re-cleansing his wounds, until she ran out of alcohol pads. She only had two gauze rolls. She needed to use them sparingly until she thought of an alternative plan. While bandaging his wounds, she kept trying to establish their telepathic bond to tell him he wasn’t alone. “What am I going to do? He’s still unconscious and moving him might kill him.” The sound of her soft words penetrated the night. She stood, gazing up at the moon, offering a prayer and waiting for answers that might not come. She closed her eyes against the escalating pain, her heart overflowing with tears. Deep down she knew crying wouldn’t help. She needed to focus on the situation and the solution would come. It had to.

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She bowed her head, searching her mind for an answer. When it came, it whispered through her mind, a memory from her youth. As a little girl, she would sometimes stay out all night camping, listening to stories about her ancestors. The camping gear had to be somewhere in the house. She hadn’t been in the attic since her return, afraid to stir the memories that haunted it. Perhaps she’d find what she needed there. She would face anything with Sam’s life in danger, no matter how much it might hurt. “I don’t know if you can hear me, Sam. You may not believe me, but I’m not going to let you die. If you wake up while I’m away, or need any help, you call to me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Urgency filled her voice. Her heart pounded in her throat. She needed to help him. That’s all there was to it. Somehow, she’d save him. After covering him with the emergency blanket, she ran her fingers through his hair, trailing them along his cheek. Her thumb lightly brushed his lips. She quickly turned away from his seemingly lifeless body. Once again, Elizabeth allowed her body to change, the transformation becoming more and more difficult. Each change drained her physically. Her body grew weaker, demanding nourishment. But most of all, her body begged for sleep. It took longer for her to complete the change this time, her body’s way of protesting against the continual abuse. Elizabeth raced against the clock, her heart pounding out the same rhythm as her feet. Leaping over fallen logs, diving through the thick underbrush, she focused solely on her objective—to get aid for Sam. She shoved aside all concern for herself, accepted without complaint the cuts and scrapes she received in her mad flight through the forest. As she approached the front entrance, she noticed a light glowing in the upstairs window. Thank heavens the power had been restored. It would be a lot easier to complete her search. Her muscles and joints twinged and popped as she once again took her human form. Having reached her physical limits, Elizabeth didn’t think she would be able to change again even if she tried. She’d have to come up with another way to get back to him. The cold sliced into her bones. She sent out another mental call to Sam and met a void, a dark emptiness she had no idea how to pass. She trudged up the steps. Barely able to push open the front door, her strength reached its lowest ebb. She paused in the kitchen to fill the teakettle with water and set it on the stove to heat before going upstairs to throw on some clothes. The heat inside the house caused her skin to tingle as it began to warm up. Adrenaline once again flooded her system, giving her the boost she so desperately needed. She rushed upstairs and rummaged through her closet, grabbing a heavy sweater and a pair of jeans. She hastily dressed before heading to the attic. The musty odor filling the dark, cavernous room indicated how long it had been since anyone had last used it. She riffled through trunks and boxes, frustrated at the time it wasted while Sam fought for his life on the cold ground. She finally found what she wanted in an old battered footlocker underneath a massive pile of yellowed newspaper clippings dating back at least fifty years. She had no time to ponder why her grandparents saved them. Maybe some other time she’d try to solve that mystery. But not now. She lifted the lid. Its hinges creaked from years of disuse. She found all the camping

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equipment she remembered from her childhood—an oil lamp, a small tent, a sleeping bag, a couple of Thermos bottles, an old cast iron griddle, a beat up coffeepot, a couple of tin bowls and mugs, and some silverware. She slammed the lid shut, grasped one of the handles, and dragged the trunk out of the attic and down the steps to the kitchen. She cleaned the Thermos bottles before filling them with hot water from the kettle. Rummaging through the cabinets, she gathered teabags, crackers, bouillon cubes, instant coffee, sugar, and a couple of apples from the refrigerator. She also took her emergency supply of batteries for the flashlight and shoved a pack of matches into her pocket. After tossing everything else in the footlocker, she retrieved Sam’s clothes from her grandfather’s dressing room. Digging through his pants, she found the keys to his truck and his cell phone. Throwing his clothes and the phone on top of their supplies, she closed the lid, and dragged the chest outside. Almost two hours had passed since she left Sam. The temperature had continued to drop. If he’d tossed off his blanket in his unconscious state…. She couldn’t let her mind dwell on that. She wasn’t prone to hysterics, yet the thought of Sam being out there alone was almost more than she could endure. She needed to focus all of her energy on reaching him. The truck bounced across the uneven terrain, on occasion forging a path where none existed. It took her fifteen minutes to reach him, the longest fifteen minutes of her life. She managed to bring the truck to within five hundred yards of where she left Sam. She jumped out of the cab and ran to his side. Sam, can you hear me? Please wake up, Sam. Please! I’m coming. Hold on a few more seconds. She got no response, an empty silence in her mind where his teasing voice used to be. A hole in her heart opened up and she didn’t know how to cope with it.

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Chapter Nine She heard the pleading in her voice, but didn’t care. He had to wake up soon. He’d been unconscious too long already. An impulse fluttered through her mind. Sam projected sensations rather than thoughts—pain, confusion, cold, and a sense of failure. An intense relief washed over her. He was alive. She leaned over him. The blanket had twisted around the lower part of his bruised and battered body as if he had been thrashing about again. She grabbed his hand, but it rested lifeless in hers. His pulse almost nonexistent. His breathing labored. His lungs fought to circulate oxygen throughout his damaged body as he focused all his energy on staying alive. Sam, I know you’re in there somewhere. You hang on. “I’m going to start a fire and then get this tent set up. We’ll get you warm in no time.” She gathered stones until she had enough to set up a fire ring. She filled it with bits of wood and dry leaves from the forest floor. Within a few minutes, she had a decent fire going which provided some measure of warmth. Elizabeth emptied the chest, then grabbed the tent. “Who knows what this thing will look like after sitting for twenty years. I’m telling you, Sam, if you wake up and make fun of your accommodations, you’re in big trouble.” Elizabeth spoke with a light heartedness she didn’t feel. After forty-five minutes of wrestling with bent poles and dirty canvas, she finally had the tent assembled. “It may not look like much, but it’s better than lying in the dirt, my friend. Ok, Sam, I need to get you in this thing now. We really need to get you off the frozen ground. You have no idea how heavy you are.” Elizabeth doubted Sam heard her, but she needed to fill the ominous silence. She needed to carry him into the tent and risk injuring him further. “I’m sorry. I know this is going to hurt, but I don’t know what else to do.” She heard him moan several times before she finally had him settled inside. The fire outside threw enough light for her to see his ashen skin and the fresh blood oozing from beneath his bandage. Beads of sweat ran in rivulets down his chest. Fever had taken a hold of him and she had no idea how to save him. “I can’t let you die, Sam. Don’t you dare die on me.” Elizabeth didn’t know what she should do next. If she could get his fever under control, perhaps he’d regain consciousness long enough to help her figure out who to call for help. After bringing the remaining supplies into the tent, Elizabeth tried to make Sam more comfortable. She checked his wounds again before covering him up with the sleeping bag. Her only hope, to sweat out Sam’s fever before it grew worse. Why haven’t I ever gotten around to taking a first aid course? Because, you’re a werewolf. We heal rapidly and hardly ever get sick. Shocked at the sound of his voice whispering in her mind, she almost dropped the bottle of aspirin she had been trying to open. She had weighed the plus against the minus and decided to give him the aspirin even though it was a blood thinner. His bleeding had stopped and the aspirin would help with the pain and fever.

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“Is there anything I can get you?” she asked as she rushed over to his side. Water, I need some water. After handing him a couple of aspirins, she helped him to a sitting position, supporting his weight as she did so. “Sam, I think your leg may be getting infected. If that’s the case it could explain why you’re running a fever right now.” Once Sam managed to swallow the pills and a few sips of the bottled water, Elizabeth gently lowered him back down. She wasn’t sure if he could still hear her, but she continued to speak to him anyway. “I don’t know what to do, Sam. I know I need to try to keep your fever down. I think the main problem is that you’re in desperate need of blood. You’re not going to heal properly without a transfusion. We both know that human blood isn’t good enough and I have no way to give you mine.” A few silence-filled moments passed before Sam responded. My cell phone. Call Blake. He’s one of us and will know what to do. You must sleep soon. I can see your need for rest. With that, he drifted off to sleep. He never felt the way her fingers smoothed the pain-etched lines of his face or saw the tears that welled in her eyes. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that the cell phone wouldn’t work up here in the mountains. He didn’t need to know she’d have to leave his side in the morning to make the call. Elizabeth sat by Sam’s side for the remainder of the evening, praying for his survival. As his body trembled and quaked with cold, Elizabeth cradled him within the shelter of her arms, offering him her warmth. When his body raged with fever and beads of sweat poured down his face, she patiently cooled his fevered skin with fresh water from the nearby stream. When the dreams invaded his slumber, and memories had him thrashing in his sleep, she held his hand until they passed. As she sat in the dark, Elizabeth told Sam of her childhood. She spoke of the picnics and camp-outs, the weddings and births, and of course, the gatherings. Childhood memories that had always made her smile. She talked for hours, trying to fill the silence so that he’d know he wasn’t alone. All through the night, Elizabeth stayed by his side, caring for him as she would a sick child…or husband. Exhaustion beat at her and by dawn, she could not stay awake any longer. She fell asleep, her head resting on his torso and her hand still gripping his. Unwilling to let go of Sam, even in sleep. ***** Sam couldn’t remember what had woken him from his fitful slumber. Opening his eyes to the morning sun streaming through the open tent flap took an immense effort. His whole body ached as though lead weights pressed him down. Not to mention his confusion. The last thing he remembered was fighting the bear, and then crumpling to the ground. From the looks of things, he had missed a huge piece of time and it left him extremely uneasy. He didn’t even know how he came to be inside a tattered tent. And, by all rights, he should be dead. The fact that he hadn’t become bear chow meant something, or someone, had intervened. He knew, without a doubt, Elizabeth was that someone. It was the only answer that made any sense.

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As a protector, he should have been angry she disobeyed him and put her own life in jeopardy. Instead, his heart overflowed with happiness and with hope, with the pride of an alpha male for his mate. Whether she realized it or not, by fighting at his side—by saving his life—she had embraced her role as his true mate. As his eyes adjusted to the glaring morning light, he focused on his surroundings. The heavy weight on his chest was, in fact, his mate who still slept deeply. Her coal black hair, disheveled by sleep, covered his chest like a silken blanket. One hand rested against the pulse in his neck while the other grasped his hand. He remained still enjoying this peaceful moment, letting them both get the rest they needed. Satisfaction at having Elizabeth in his arms pushed away everything else, including his pain. Real life could wait a few more minutes. Elizabeth sat up abruptly, desperate to see how Sam fared. With his eyes closed, she didn’t realize he was awake as she ran her hands along his face and chest. “Thank God, your fever has passed,” she whispered. Sam felt the relief flow through her. She really had been worried about him. For so long he secretly feared that he would die alone, never having known what it would feel like to have someone worry about him, to love him. To know that he had someone to share his life with, to love, gave him so much peace and contentment. His body could do no more than stay on the ground, but his soul soared through the clouds. “Relax, Elizabeth. Other than being as weak as a kitten, I’m fine. Well, actually, the truth is my leg is killing me. But other than that, I couldn’t be better.” His voice came out rough, his throat scratchy. He could tell she didn’t believe him. Other than the weakness and the pain, his good humor remained intact. Although his voice was weak, it still held a touch of the arrogance she recognized from their first meeting. She was so relieved to see him awake and apparently aware of his surroundings that she didn’t want to argue with him. Throughout the night, she sat by his side and watched over him. She spent enough time in his mind during the night to know he had been reliving his past, lost in his memories. She hadn’t been sure if he’d find his way back to her or succumb to his wounds. She watched his eyes, drowning in the welcoming warmth she found there. A thousand secrets burned in those piercing green depths, yet she wasn’t privy to any of them. Her breath hitched and her heart seemed to stop. “I’m so glad to see that you’re awake. How are you really feeling? Can I get you anything?” It was a few moments before Sam answered her. “Actually, I could use a little something to drink. I don’t think I’ve ever been this thirsty in my life.” Elizabeth dug through the supplies and produced another bottle of water and a couple more aspirin. “This will have to do for now.” Once again she knelt beside Sam, watching him as he held out a trembling hand. She wouldn’t leave his side until she was sure he had the strength to hold himself up. She hadn’t seen exactly how much of his blood spilled on the forest floor, but his skin, although no longer sallow, remained quite pale. Fully entrenched in his mind, Elizabeth knew his pain became more unbearable by the minute. He was surprised to see his hands tremble as he reached for the aspirin. His arms felt

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heavy. His muscles protested the effort he expended to keep them aloft. He was even weaker than he thought. How will I ever be able to protect us if the need arises? “You shouldn’t even be worried about that. Right now, your only concern should be rest. You lost a lot of blood last night. You and I both know that the Loup-garou usually heal fast. You, however, don’t have enough blood left to regenerate your skin tissue as quickly as normal. I’m positive you’ll need a transfusion before you’ll be able to heal properly. So, until then, you have to follow my orders.” She resettled the covers over him as he slumped back into the sleeping bag. “I hate to admit this, but I have to agree with you. I’ll have to get in touch with Blake and let him know what happened. He’ll make the arrangements for us.” “What do you mean us?” She didn’t even give him a chance to answer the question before firing off her next statement. “By the way, you’re not calling anyone. Your cell phone won’t work up here. I’ll have to drive down the mountain to get into range.” She felt Sam’s frustration winking through their telepathic bond. “You do realize, honey, he’s going to have quite a few questions, don’t you?” Sam drawled. She could hear a hint of laughter in his voice. It was subtle, but there all the same. For some reason this irritated her already frayed nerves causing a hard edge to tinge her normally soft-spoken tone. “Be that as it may, you need help and he’s darn well going to give it. He can ask all the questions he wants. That doesn’t mean I’ll answer them.” In a huff, Elizabeth stood up and flounced over to the corner and began rummaging through the trunk, more to keep her hands busy than in any great need for anything. She felt Sam’s gaze on her back. It stayed there even when she stopped her activity. Her shoulders shook with laughter as she stood in the corner staring down at the tent floor. Elizabeth couldn’t contain her amusement nor could she prevent the chuckle from escaping as she knelt in the corner. She tried to muffle the outburst, but before long, she roared with laughter. It felt good to laugh. “What’s so funny over there?” As she turned toward him, she finally allowed him to catch a glimpse of what she was clutching in her hands. A blush swept across his face, giving him the rosiest cheeks she’d ever seen on a man. This, of course, caused her to laugh all the harder. “I take it you like teddy bears, Sam,” she asked, holding up his underwear. “You know, since I was in such a hurry while picking up your clothes last night, I really didn’t get the time to take a good look at them, to truly appreciate your fashion sense. Who would have guessed that your tastes run to a pair of black silk boxers with tiny little pink teddy bears all over them?” If possible, his cheeks flamed brighter as she twirled the garment around her finger. She quite enjoyed his embarrassment. It was not often she had the edge in their battle of wits and will. “If you must know, those were a gag gift on my last birthday. Blake’s idea of putting me in touch with my feminine side. Now get out of here, woman, and do what you have to. And give me those before you leave.” Still flushed with embarrassment, Sam held out his shaking hand for the boxers.

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Elizabeth laughed all the way back to Sam’s truck, started the engine and made her way out of the woods until she hit the main road heading down the mountain. The winding mountain road usually occupied Elizabeth’s full attention. This morning, however, her thoughts kept wandering making the normally scenic drive a blur. Lost in contemplation, she remained unaware of anything around her. She wasn’t sure what had changed last night, but something had. Although unsure of their whole relationship, she knew that her destiny and his were now intertwined. After her actions yesterday, her absolute terror that he’d die, she could no longer deny their connection. Mates. This left her in a quandary as to how to deal with all the recent changes in her life. She spent much of the thirty-minute drive to town thinking about Sam and her attraction to him. Images flipped through her mind like a photo album. Pictures snapped in a moment, filed away in her memory until she wanted to take them out and look at them again. The dimple that oozed boyish charm when he smiled, the way his hard body felt beneath her hands as she washed the sweat from his golden brown skin. The hairs on his wide chest, which begged to be touched, and the wealth of chocolate brown hair she couldn’t resist stroking. His ability to blush, making him seem all too vulnerable. Flashes of memories to relive, to enjoy. She even found his arrogance attractive. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t concerned about the dominant attitude she had glimpsed on occasion, but she couldn’t fault him for it. Without those traits, he wouldn’t be an affective hunter or leader. That didn’t mean she would allow him to dominate all aspects of their life together. Somehow, they would find a middle ground. On the far edge of town, Elizabeth pulled into a campground still closed for the winter season. Sam, is everything okay up there? Don’t worry about me, Beth. I’ll be fine. I’m just a little tired. His voice became fainter with every conversation. With luck, Blake will be home and I won’t have to wait for his call before heading back. Take your time. I have Blake’s number programmed into the phone. Hold down the number five and it will dial him automatically. Go back to sleep, Sam. I’ll take care of everything. Withdrawing slowly from his mind, Elizabeth picked up the phone and made her call.

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Chapter Ten Less than one full ring later, someone answered. Before she could introduce herself, an angry voice shouted and cursed at her from the other end of the line. “Where the hell have you been, Sam? You were supposed to check in over thirty-six hours ago. Dammit, man, answer me.” Elizabeth let her temper fly. After everything she’d gone through, she didn’t have the time or patience to be polite. “If you must know, Sam’s been injured. If you can keep a lid on that temper of yours so that I can get a word in edgewise, we’ll all be better off.” “What the hell do you mean he’s been injured? If you…” “Look, I don’t have time for explanations right now, and quite frankly, neither does Sam. So here’s what you’re going to do. Sam needs a transfusion and fast. You need to arrange for some medical care and transportation here. If you want an account of everything that has been happening here, then you’ll have to wait until Sam feels up to telling you himself.” There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line. Not even the sound of breathing interrupted the absolute quiet. “I take it you are aware of Sam’s special requirements or you wouldn’t be calling me.” “Of course. I know he needs special attention and he needs it soon.” Her voice, now thick with unshed tears, wobbled. “Look, Sam needs your help. Hell, we need your help. Please.” Blake would never know how difficult it was for her to ask for anyone’s help. For someone who had been a loner for as long as she could remember, she was doing a lot of leaning on other people lately. It didn’t matter. Shaking aside her thoughts, Elizabeth waited, her body rigid with tension. “All right. Stay put so that I can get back in touch with you. I’ll call you back as soon as I can with all of the details.” For Elizabeth, time seemed suspended as she sat in the cab of the truck waiting for Blake to return her call. Her thoughts were chaotic, her nerves shot as memories of the last couple of days replayed in her mind. Sam said they were mates and she knew it to be true, but what if his friends didn’t believe that? What would happen if they refused to let her go with Sam? What if this Blakeperson wouldn’t tell her where they were taking him? How would she know that he received proper care? That he was alive? Elizabeth closed her eyes, tilted her head back against the headrest, and prayed like she hadn’t prayed in years. Nearly an hour passed before the phone rang. Her hands trembled with fatigue and fear as she answered it. The stress of the last few days had left her body sore and tired. The fear that Sam wouldn’t make it or that his friends would separate them terrified her the most. “This is Blake. I’m assuming you’re Elizabeth?” Elizabeth couldn’t seem to find her voice to acknowledge her identity. She sat there, holding the phone to her ear, paralyzed. “Look, I’ve made all of the arrangements, at least the immediate ones. Elizabeth, are

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you listening to me?” The silence continued to stretch out as Elizabeth fought to control her mounting anxiety. As though waking from a trance, Elizabeth slowly focused on what Blake said. “Yes, yes, I’m here. So what arrangements did you make?” Her voice, once again filled with authority, held no trace of her earlier distress. “I know a physician who can treat Sam. Since, he’s in a far northern region of Canada delivering a set of Were twins, we have to go to him. It’s the best we can do.“ “This is more important. Babies are delivered everyday.” Beth’s hand tightened around the cell phone. She wanted to reach through the thing and strangle the man on the other end. ”No. The babies are more important, by Sam’s own decree. He would never put his life above that of a child.” Elizabeth titled her head back, resting it against the headrest, then closed her eyes. “I see. Have you figured out all of the travel details?” “Actually, I’m firming those up right now. If Sam’s as weak as you say he is, then you’ll need help getting him off the mountain. I’ve arranged to take a flight from here to Albany. My plane leaves in less than an hour. From there, I’m taking a chopper to your place. Since I’m currently in New York City for a conference, I should be there in a couple of hours.” Silence greeted Blake. “Are you still with me?” “Yes. What can I do?” “I need you to have Sam prepared to travel. You’ll also need to set up some sort of signal so we’ll know where to find you.” It only took a few moments for Elizabeth to come up with a workable idea, one that didn’t involve burning down the forest. “My house is a few miles from where Sam is. It has several fireplaces. The smoke coming from the chimneys should be visible from a helicopter, shouldn’t it?” “That should be fine. Is there plenty of landing space there?” “My house is in the middle of an open meadow. There’s plenty of space and privacy.” Blake’s voice turned grave as he asked about Sam’s condition. “How serious are Sam’s injuries?” It was evident that Blake and Sam were very close. Without a doubt, Elizabeth knew that Blake was as concerned as she was. “A bear attacked him yesterday afternoon. He has five deep furrows on his thigh. I cleaned them the best I could, but it’s very angry looking and swollen. I think his biggest problem is blood loss. It took me quite a while to scare the bear off after Sam lost consciousness. So I’m not sure how much blood he needs. I didn’t want to put Sam in the back of the truck with no one there to make sure he didn’t reopen his wounds so I set up camp last night.” “Has he regained consciousness?” “For a short time this morning. Speaking took a lot out of him and after a while even using our telepathic link was too draining. He quickly fell asleep afterwards.” “Are you saying you have a telepathic bond with Sam?” “Yes. Apparently, I am Sam’s mate. Of course, I didn’t learn this until the other day when he showed up and saved me from a vampire.”

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“What…obviously there is a lot for me to catch up on. I need to catch my plane, but I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” “I’ll be waiting for you at the house.” “Oh, Elizabeth?” “Yes.” “Thank you for calling me. Sam is very important to me and to our cause. I’m glad he found you.” Elizabeth stared at the phone long after Blake cut the connection before she mentally shook herself from her stupor. She didn’t like being away from Sam for so long. Besides, she had a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to do it. It would take at least thirty minutes to get back to Sam. She had to make sure he was all right before she could even think about going to the house to start the fires. Already she had been gone from Sam’s side far longer than she intended. Anything could have happened to him in that time. Elizabeth spent the majority of the drive back going through a mental checklist of all that she had to do before Blake arrived. She was deep in thought when the first trickle of distress seeped into her mind. Beth, Beth. She heard Sam trying to reach out to her, his panicfilled voice steeped with pain. Her skin felt on fire, a raging inferno. Shafts of burning pain shot up her thigh, yet she knew it was all in her mind. She was picking up Sam’s distress and agony through their telepathic link. A sense of urgency continued to grow as she sped back to Sam’s side. Every second away from him became a lifetime, every minute an eternity. Over and over Sam called her name, the fever overwhelming his immune system. Slowly, minute-by-minute it drained what little strength remained. Somehow, she had to make sure he didn’t give up. He couldn’t give up. She wouldn’t allow it to happen. She couldn’t seem to speak to him using their telepathic bond. All she could do was absorb his thoughts, his pain. Sam’s mind had become hazy and chaotic. A constant flow of images from his past. Endless faces of those he’d had to kill. Faces of his loved ones lost to him through the years. Pain and loss. Loneliness and torment. Endless days and nights filled with duty and despair. He was drowning in heartrending memories, reaching for something to hold on to, something bright and wonderful to vanquish his heavy and troubled heart and soothe his tormented soul. Elizabeth had a hard time concentrating on her driving. She tried to not only focus on that, but also block Sam’s pain from overwhelming them both. At the same time, she attempted to crawl into his mind, to comfort him and ease his panic. She used up a precious amount of energy and she had much left to do before Blake arrived. She could not allow Sam to suffer alone. He needed her help and she intended to give it to him. The fire racing through his body consumed every bit of energy he could muster. His mind clouded, the pictures in his memory grew fuzzy and distant. Elizabeth felt him slipping from her. His will to live grew weaker and weaker. One last time she tried to reach out to Sam, using every ounce of available telepathic energy she possessed to reinforce her desire to link with him. She prayed he’d hear her plea. Sam, Sam. I

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need to know that you hear me, that you won’t leave me. Please, Sam. I need you. We need each other. Sensing a ripple in her mind, Elizabeth flooded his mind with energy, willing him to fight the fever slowly draining his life force. How can I gloat about saving your hide if you give up? Please, Sam, reach out for me. Feel me reaching for you. Fight. The link got stronger as his body fought the fever-induced haze clouding his mind. You’re making me beg here, Sam, and that’s not very courteous. Beth…I…need…you. Sam’s energy reserves dwindled leaving him unable to maintain the telepathic link. He slipped into unconsciousness once again. Elizabeth breathed a little easier knowing that at least in his unconscious state Sam was safe from feeling the pain and fever threatening to overcome him. With her thoughts focused on Sam, she found herself approaching the turnoff to her property sooner than she anticipated. Although exhausted, she still had to prepare Sam for travel as well as bring in enough wood to light the fireplaces. First things first. She needed to reach Sam and assess his condition. Bulldozing over fallen tree limbs and charging through the underbrush, Elizabeth drove the truck through the heavy forest directly to the campsite. Sam’s slipping in and out of consciousness wasn’t a good sign. With her heart in her throat, Elizabeth had trouble controlling the hysterics rising inside her. Last week she would have scoffed at anyone who said she was anything but levelheaded during a crisis. Taking a deep breath to regroup, she stepped down from the truck and raced to his side. Sam’s fever had grown worse than the night before. She needed to cool him down, and quickly. Grabbing the emergency blanket Sam had managed to toss off, she rushed to the stream and plunged it into the frigid water. Once back at his side, she covered him with the wet blanket. It took her a few minutes before she realized that he had put on his boxer shorts while she’d been gone. She couldn’t help but wonder if he covered himself for her piece of mind or for his. She’d have to find out once he was up to a little verbal sparring. If it caused him to blush again, so much the better. If she were to be honest with herself, Elizabeth had to admit she enjoyed annoying him. She got the impression that he took life way too seriously and was used to being in charge. Well, Elizabeth couldn’t wait to shake him up a bit, keep him on his toes. Besides, looking at him sent her nerves all a flutter. It seemed only fair that she unbalanced him as well. Elizabeth knew she needed to head home. She had much to do there, yet she couldn’t make herself leave him. She let her fingers trail ever so lightly across his forehead, down his nose, and over his cracked and bleeding lips. She wished she had some lip balm with her to ease even a little of his discomfort. Leaning over Sam’s chest, she brushed her lips across his fevered brow. Letting out a sigh, Elizabeth slowly stood up. She looked over her shoulder at Sam one last time, then headed back to the truck. As soon as Elizabeth sat behind the steering wheel, she allowed the tears to fall. Sam’s condition had worsened and she wasn’t able to sit by his side. How could she forgive herself if he slipped away while she was gone? He needed to know someone was with him. Someone to give him a reason to fight. Something inside her demanded that she be the first person he saw if—no, when—he reopened his eyes. Wiping away the tears with the back of her hand,

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Elizabeth once again made the trip back to her home. She pulled into her driveway and left the engine running. Perhaps it would only save her a few seconds, but even a few seconds could mean the difference between finding Sam alive or dead. She spent the next hour dividing her time between worrying about Sam’s continued silence, getting the fires going so the helicopter had a landing signal, and packing up a few of her necessities including her laptop and research material. Elizabeth stood on her porch trying to absorb nature’s peace, when she heard the approaching helicopter's drone. She wasn’t sure if panic or relief caused her heart to pound. But, either way, she needed to keep focused on her goal, to ensure Sam got the help he needed. Elizabeth sprinted to the helicopter setting down, careful to stay well away from the whirling rotor blades. With the wind whipping at her clothes and threatening to knock her over, Elizabeth braced herself while she waited for the two men in the chopper to approach her. The sound of the whirling rotor blades created a discordant roar in the air, shattering the peacefulness she had found in nature’s music. Her stomach churned with a mixture of nervousness and worry. She was torn between seeking assistance from strangers and living her life dependent upon no one but herself. Asking others for aid defied her nature. It had been hard enough to accept Sam’s help, asking it from others nearly impossible. Concern for Sam won out as she ruthlessly shoved away her pride and waved at the two men sprinting toward her.

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Chapter Eleven Of the two men approaching her, the smaller of the duo caught and held Elizabeth’s attention. Something about him seemed familiar. Of course, there was nothing small about him. A couple inches shy of six foot, he had wavy, collar length hair almost as dark as hers, with burgundy threads woven throughout. Although not nearly as muscular as Sam, he looked trim and athletic. The pilot, on the other hand, was as tall as Sam, if not an inch or two taller. He looked more like a football player than an aviator. His golden blond hair made a sharp contrast to his deep sapphire eyes. Holding out his hand, the smaller of the two spoke. “Hi, I’m Blake and this yahoo,” jerking his head in the other man’s direction, “is Sebastian.” “Hi, there. Thank you for coming so fast.” After quickly shaking Blake’s outstretched hand, Elizabeth’s voice started to break as she once again addressed both men. “Sam’s in a bad way and he’s getting worse by the minute. I did the best I could under the circumstances, but he needs medical help soon.” It took everything she had to keep from breaking down and letting the tears flow again. Sebastian put his arm around Elizabeth’s shoulder. “Blake and I won’t let anything happen to him. My jet is waiting at Albany International. It’s fueled and ready to go. So the sooner we get to Sam, the sooner we’ll be able to get him fixed up. Ok?” After giving her shoulders one last squeeze, he dropped his arm. She knew they were trying to ease her fears. “Thank you both. But, until he’s well, I don’t think I’ll be very good company.” Holding up her hand to stop the protest she anticipated, Elizabeth turned toward Blake. “Did you guys bring a stretcher with you?” “Yeah, there’s one in the copter. How far is it to Sam?” “It’s about a fifteen minute drive if you cut through the meadow and forest.” “Well, then,” replied Sebastian, “we better get started.” Turning on his heel, he sprinted back toward the chopper to retrieve the litter. She felt Blake studying her, felt his eyes assessing, judging. Judging what? Her worthiness? Her intent? Did he intend to leave her here? Did he blame her for Sam’s injuries? Being under his complete focus was not only annoying, it left her feeling exposed and vulnerable. She felt like a caged animal, trapped and unable to flee. The silence between them became deafening, the air thick with tension. Sebastian was on his way back when Blake broke the stillness between them. He must have reached whatever decision he had been trying to make. “I want to thank you again, for what you did for Sam, for saving him. He saved me from a vampire several years ago and we have been friends—and compatriots—ever since.” His voice emotion-laden, the truth evident in his tone and his eyes. “He’s not only my friend, he’s my family. Thank you.” Sebastian’s return with the stretcher and a red canvas duffel bag cut off any response Elizabeth would have made. “What’s in there?” asked Elizabeth, pointing to the bag Sebastian had already tossed into the truck bed along with the litter. “Some first aid supplies I brought with me.” Using one arm for leverage, Sebastian

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hopped over the side of the truck, seating himself on the wheel well behind the driver’s seat. Following his cue, Elizabeth and Blake piled into the pickup’s cab. Elizabeth wondered what was on Blake’s mind as he settled into his seat. He had a remote look on his face. Several questions stuck in her throat as she looked at him. She didn’t see any evidence of the vulnerable, unguarded male she’d glimpsed earlier. Perhaps Blake was as much of a loner as she was. Heaven only knew how much she hated opening up to anyone. He probably regretted telling her about his past. Well, he couldn’t take it back now. “You guys might want to buckle up. It gets a little bumpy from here on.” With a quirk of his eyebrows and an answering smirk, Blake clicked the seatbelt into place. “So, Elizabeth, what were you doing in New Orleans?” His question caught her off guard. How did he know she had been in New Orleans? She fought her defiant thoughts. He was one of Sam’s trusted friends who had come to his aid. She had to extend her courtesy. “You sure you want to hear this?” Her fingers gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles pinched white with tension. “Sure. You said it was a fifteen minute drive.” “My grandfather used to tell me stories when I was a young girl. They were stories about his life before he married my grandmother and settled here on this mountain. Anyway, New Orleans was his home as a child.” “Go on. That still doesn’t say why you went there after you received your inheritance instead of living here.” “Why do you care? It’s none of your business.” She didn’t know why his questions upset her so much. The answers weren’t really a secret. Relaxing her grip on the steering wheel, she peeked over at Blake’s face. His eyes locked on her. His determined expression said he wouldn’t give up until she gave him some answers. “Once I turned twenty-one, I decided to travel. After a year or so, I had this undeniable urge to visit my grandfather’s city. I don’t know what I expected exactly or why I was there. The house he grew up in had long since been torn down.” Lapsing into silence, Elizabeth remembered how she felt when she first arrived in New Orleans. She had Blake’s complete attention. Looking into her rearview mirror, she realized that Sebastian was listening as intently as Blake. “I’m not even sure why I stuck around. Maybe it was seeing all the different people. Hell, it could have been the energy that vibrates through New Orleans. More than likely, though, it’s the storyteller that dwells within me. I guess you could say I inherited it from my grandfather. Anyway, I knew many of my grandfather’s stories were set in New Orleans. So, I rented a little place, soaked up the city’s ambiance, and started writing his stories down. I embellished them, of course. Padded them a bit to make them attractive to today’s readers, but the essence of the stories is the same. And the rest—as they say—is history.” Sebastian’s voice broke into the conversation. “So, how did you end up leaving New Orleans? What brought you here?” He had been so quiet up until then she hadn’t even realized he’d opened up the back window until he’d spoken. Of course, it was hard to imagine a man so big doing anything quietly. She expected his voice to be loud and booming, not his actual soft-spoken, elegant timbre. “That‘s a little more complicated, Sebastian. You’ll have to wait for your answer until

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some other time though. We’re almost there.” Her arms shook as exhaustion drove her forehead to the steering wheel. For several seconds, her body refused to move, a mutiny requiring concentrated effort and sheer will to squelch. Much to her dismay, Elizabeth could not help being the last one out of the truck. Grabbing the supplies as soon as the vehicle came to a stop, they hurried to the tent. In that moment, all three shared a common characteristic, the determination to save one of their own. Daylight had faded to dusk when Elizabeth, Blake, and Sebastian reached the tent. A single shaft of brilliant sunlight had filtered through the heavy canopy of trees, shining down upon Sam like a beacon. Elizabeth would never forget her anguish as she lifted up the tent flap. Sam had his head turned toward the newcomers, but his eyes, although open, were those of a sightless man. Elizabeth’s gaze met a vacant stare, empty of all emotion and intelligence. Kneeling by his side, Elizabeth felt for his pulse. It was nearly impossible to feel the wavering flutter beneath her fingertips. His skin burned to the touch. The blanket, which she’d dunked into the nearby stream before draping it over him, was now dry and stiff as if hung on a line and baked by the sun. But, it was his eyes that sent a chill down her arms and fear into her soul. Sebastian shoved Elizabeth out of his way and crouched beside Sam. Looking over his shoulder, he stuck out his hand. In response, Blake handed Sebastian the red duffel he’d grabbed from the back of the truck. Elizabeth took no offense to Sebastian’s rough handling. Lost in her own world, she forgot that she was no longer alone in the tent. All her energy focused on finding Sam’s mental trail, a path that would lead her into the darkest corner of his mind where she prayed Sam’s soul huddled. On and on, she searched for awareness, anything that she could grab hold of to reestablish their telepathic link. Deeper and deeper she crawled into his mind. Her heart and her soul desperately tried to merge themselves with his. Sebastian and Blake exchanged worried frowns as they watched Elizabeth slip deeper and deeper into a trance. Never before had they seen one of their own search outside themselves for so long and neither of them knew what side effects it might cause. After checking Elizabeth’s pulse, Blake glanced over at Sebastian who had set up an IV for Sam. “I didn’t know you could do that.” Looking up from Sam’s arm where he’d begun to search for a vein, Sebastian shook his head, scowling. “It’s not like I wanted to. Before my sister-in-law and her brother moved nearby, there wasn’t a hospital or clinic anywhere near our home. My brother and I took courses in emergency first aid, our parents insisted on it. Good thing they did, huh.” “I guess so.” The shadows of night cast their way into the tent. Blake rummaged through the trunk he spotted in the corner. “Here, catch, my friend.” Sebastian reached up and easily caught the flashlight Blake discovered underneath a pile of Sam’s clothes. Blake felt caged and edgy, restless. Pacing within the tight confines of the tent, his gaze wandered from one side to the other before resting again on Elizabeth. There was something

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about watching her complete devotion to Sam that left his guts in knots. Her entire being centered on her mate. Was there a woman out there for him, a special person who’d be there for him as Elizabeth was for Sam? Would there ever be a woman who could love him that completely, that unselfishly? “I could use a hand over here.” Sebastian’s whisper broke the morgue-like stillness that had invaded the tent. "I found a vein that might work, but it’s small. He’s so dehydrated I can hardly see the thing.” Shaken out of his reverie, Blake squatted near Sam’s other side. “What do you need me to do?” “Hold this flashlight. I need it pointed straight at his feet. None of the veins on his arms will work. I don’t have a choice but to put the IV in his foot.” Blake glanced over at Elizabeth before returning his attention to Sam. “Will he be ok?” “Honestly, I’m not sure. I think we made it in time. She was right when she said he needed blood. He doesn’t have enough fluids in his body. If I can push this bag of saline in him before we leave and start another when we get to the jet, it should be enough until we can get him a transfusion.” Once he had the foot secured, Sebastian glanced at Elizabeth. “Have you ever seen anything like that?” Blake also watched Elizabeth. She appeared to be so deep in her self-imposed trance that she wasn’t aware of anything being said or done. He hoped she knew what she was doing. Their species couldn’t afford to lose any of its members. Werewolves were practically extinct. Many of the Loup-garou had gone into hiding and it was up to Blake to help Sam find those he could. “I can honestly say that I’ve never seen this type of trance before, Sebastian. Of course, it could be normal. Out of the few Loup-garou Sam and I have found, your brother is the only one in twenty-five years now who was fortunate enough to find his mate. Who’s to say what’s normal anymore?” ***** A whispery fluttering through her mind provided the only sign Elizabeth had that Sam‘s soul remained tied to this world. Sam, I know you’re in there. I can feel you. I’m here for you. She pleaded with him, hoping he heard her thoughts. Not since she was a girl had Elizabeth felt so alive, so completely in tune with another living being, so complete. It had been so sudden and she had fought the concept, but she knew she couldn’t lose Sam now that she had found him. She’d wandered the world in search of something—anything that would fill the void in her heart, her soul. A yawning emptiness had existed inside her being, a chasm growing deeper and deeper until she thought her heart would stutter and then fall silent, never again experiencing the beauty of fulfillment, of completeness. Blinking back to the reality of the present, Elizabeth surveyed her surroundings. Full darkness had enveloped the tiny camp while she sat transfixed. She caressed Sam’s cheek with the back of her hand, his skin still hot to the touch. Tears streamed down her face as she looked into Sebastian’s eyes. “Will he be ok?” Her voice came out wafer thin, her gaze

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pleading. “That’s up to Sam now. As soon as I get this bag of fluids in him, we’ll take him to the copter. I hope that fever comes down. If not…” Elizabeth didn’t have to hear anymore. She knew that if they couldn’t get control over the fever, he might not survive the trip to Canada. “Where’s Blake?” “He went to get fresh water from the stream. I thought you might get thirsty and we didn’t see any more bottled water in here.” “No, there isn’t.” said Elizabeth shaking her head in regret. “I left the last bottle with Sam this morning before I called Blake.” The empty bottle was lying out of Sam’s reach, the ground wet beneath it. She could only hope he managed to drink most of it before he lost consciousness. Sebastian seemed to be at a loss. Elizabeth saw it in his eyes. Her concern for Sam’s health ate at her soul. Her posture drooped. Weariness washed over her and through her. She watched as he rose to his feet and retrieved the apples Blake had found in the supplies and set aside before leaving the tent. Her shoulders sagged from exhaustion. “Elizabeth, you’re not doing Sam any good if you collapse from starvation or lack of sleep.” Handing her the golden delicious, Sebastian studied her features with a critical eye. “When was the last time you had any decent sleep?” “That’s a good question.” Blake’s voice startled both Sebastian and Elizabeth as he entered the tent carrying the battered tin coffeepot filled of water. Looking away from their prying eyes, Elizabeth tried to huddle deeper into herself. She didn’t need them to question her actions. She’d merely done what she had to. “A couple of days, I guess.” She didn’t need to be psychic to read the disapproval blazing in their eyes. “Look, don’t lecture me. I grabbed a couple hours of sleep this morning. I’ll be fine.” It was apparent that neither Sebastian nor Blake agreed, but they had the good sense not to push her. Elizabeth hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she took a bite out of the apple. With her mind solely focused on saving Sam, she’d managed to shrug off weariness and hunger. Now they beat at her with the ferocity of a gusting wind. As she ate her apple, Elizabeth raised her face to the evening sky. Through the tattered holes in the tent, Elizabeth saw the moon as it stood sentinel over the night. So many legends and myths about her people were based upon the phase of the moon. That’s all they were, too, myths and legends. The night was a haven for her species, its darkness hiding their secrets from the human world, while providing the freedom of nature that the Loup-garou needed. Why were werewolves persecuted? Was it because humans fear what they don’t understand? Or, was it more that vampires wanted dominion over all who existed on this world? Sebastian’s mild-spoken voice interrupted her reflections. Looking in his direction, Elizabeth focused on what Sebastian was saying. “I think it’s working. I’m not positive, but I think his fever may be coming down.” Running her fingers across Sam’s muscled chest, Elizabeth let herself hope for the first time in hours. With a slow smile tipping the corners of her mouth, Elizabeth voiced her relief.

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“I think you’re right, Sebastian. He feels a little cooler to me.” “I think his color’s a little better, too.” Seemingly lost in his own thoughts, it was the first thing Blake had spoken in the last ten minutes. “We probably should get going.” “Sure, I need to cap this IV off first and then we’ll be ready to transport him to the copter.” Disconnecting the empty saline bag, Sebastian capped off the IV as Blake and Elizabeth snapped up their patient’s clothes and the rest of the emergency supplies. Cautious not to reopen Sam’s wounds, Sebastian and Blake gently eased Sam onto the stretcher. Elizabeth stood at the back of the truck holding open the tailgate when the first wave of unease washed over her.

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Chapter Twelve A slow, insidious vapor invaded the peaceful beauty of the night. A terrible buzz floated in her ears and then a vile, poisonous voice whispered through her mind. Neither Sebastian nor Blake seemed aware that something evil hid nearby. Elizabeth knew she was the vampire’s target. Should she tell the men? She fought the urge to chew her thumb. She wasn’t used to being around so many people or depending on anyone but herself. She made a slow, steady scan of her surroundings, examining every twig, bush, tree, and rock. Although she couldn’t see him, she knew he was close—too close. She needed to get the men to safety. This was her fight and she’d be damned before she’d let anyone else get hurt because of her. The vampire hunted her with the precise skill of a trained and experienced predator, sending out a mental probe in hopes she’d betray her location. She had to mask her presence long enough to make sure Blake and Sebastian got Sam to safety. She figured she had maybe ten minutes before the vampire zeroed in on her. Not much time, but it had to be long enough. “We’re all set, Elizabeth. Sebastian will sit with Sam for the ride back.” “I’m sorry, Blake. You need to go ahead without me. The keys are in the truck.” Blake came to a dead stop, surprise evident upon his face. Sebastian, who finished covering Sam with a blanket, turned his head. Steel-like intent sparked in his eyes. “You’re coming with us. Sam needs you. Just because you think you’ve done your part as a werewolf, doesn’t mean you can just walk away like nothing has happened. You’re Sam’s mate.” Elizabeth quaked with fury. How could they possibly think after all she went through, she could abandon Sam now? Her voice thundered, filled with impatience and rage. “How dare you two condemn me before even giving me a chance to explain? I may not have wanted to accept his claim on me, but I know that I can’t run from it or hide from it. The bond is a part of me, of us, so don’t bother trying to lecture me.” “Then what the hell are you saying? Why aren’t you coming with us?” Both men froze, as still as the night itself as they waited for Elizabeth’s answer. Should she tell them the truth or tell a white lie to protect them? The last thing she wanted was for someone to get killed because of her. Settling on the white lie, Elizabeth captured and held both their gazes, using compulsion to force their compliance. She didn’t want them anywhere near the approaching danger. “You two take the truck back and I’ll meet you there. I have a lot to think about. A lot has happened in the last few days. Running as a wolf should clear my head, relieve some of the stress that’s built up the last couple of days.” Exchanging worried frowns and raised eyebrows, their postures screaming their disapproval, Blake and Sebastian reluctantly agreed. It didn’t matter though. Sam’s health and safety were her only concerns. She could handle their disapproval so long as she knew they cared for Sam. When they still hadn’t moved, Elizabeth decided to lighten the mood a little, to tease

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them into taking off. “Well, what are you two waiting for? Did you actually think that I’d strip down in front of both of you?” Was that a blush she saw stealing across Sebastian’s face? What was Blake finding so interesting about his toes? She’d actually managed to embarrass them. If she hadn’t been so worried about the time ticking away while the vampire quickly approached, she might have thought the situation comical. With obvious reluctance, Blake walked over to the driver’s side and sat behind the wheel. Glancing at Elizabeth in the rear-view mirror, Blake started the engine and drove out into the night. Elizabeth stood there, watching the truck fade in the distance. When the taillights were no more than red specks on the horizon, Elizabeth lowered her head and closed her eyes, a silent prayer for Sam’s well being upon her lips. She didn’t know if she’d ever see Sam again. Heck, she didn’t know if she was even going to live past the next few minutes. She would savor the world around her while she could. She felt evil press down on her. Moving closer and closer. She shoved aside her pain, fear, and worry. The only thing she allowed herself to feel was the exquisite unchallenged majesty of the land around her. So many things in nature appealed to her senses. The silvery sheen of emerald leaves as moonbeams reflected off the dew clinging to them. The moon hung above the earth, a silent witness to nature’s wonders, to humanity’s strengths and weaknesses. The splendor of the mountains proved a challenge for one intent on conquering them. But, to Elizabeth, they represented life and freedom, a haven for those who sought protection from the world’s evils. Perhaps that’s why she returned home. She was seeking her haven, her place of peace. Or perhaps she was meant to be here, standing among the trees, protecting her mate when it came time to confront her enemy. Was it fate? Destiny? Did she believe in either? Perhaps she did after all. It seemed to Elizabeth that life had come full circle. Here on this mountain she had been the happiest—and the saddest. As a little girl, she’d been naïve about the real world. A world filled with monsters, both supernatural and human. Elizabeth’s family taught her about love, kindness, and acceptance as a young girl. Unfortunately, she also learned about monsters, hate, and evil as well. The time had come to close the circle, to bring peace and happiness to the mountain again and remove the evil taint contaminating the ground beneath her feet and poisoning the air she breathed. The vampire drew close, his excitement and joy almost palpable. His pure hate wrapped around her soul like a python. Around and around, winding through her body, trying to steal all hope, all joy, and love from her. Evil’s sulfuric stench burned all around her, surrounding her until she could hardly breathe. She suffocated in the malevolence-tainted air. Then, as if it had never been, it disappeared. An absolute void of all sound, all movement. The world around her grew still and silent. A moment passed, then two. She knew that the unerringly calm night portended the vampire’s arrival. If she needed to face one of the world’s greatest enemies alone, then it

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would be as her kind was meant to—as a werewolf. ***** Something wasn’t right. It had been all too simple. She wanted them to think that. She had deceived them. Blake knew it for sure. He didn’t know how he knew it, but no doubt existed in his mind. He had to go back. Only ten minutes from the house. Too much time. Reaching his decision, Blake hit the brakes. Twigs cracked and snapped beneath the truck. The rear tires screeched as he came to a stop. “What the hell is going on, Blake? My head about shattered this back window.” Blake never heard Sebastian’s voice raised in anger. Hell, he’d never heard his voice raised at all. It was always calm, smooth, and in complete control. But Sebastian was definitely angry now. “Look, I’m sorry. I don’t know. Something’s not right. I can’t put my finger on it, but something feels…I don’t know. Different, I guess. Can’t you feel it?” Closing his eyes, Sebastian listened to whatever stories the night would impart. Standing in the back of the truck, he focused upon each individual sound, using his preternatural hearing to listen to anything out of the ordinary. Turning in every direction, he listened, examined, judged. There. An unnatural emptiness of all sound, all movement. Evil approached the direction from which they’d just come. “There’s a barrenness out there. Do you feel it, Blake?” “Yes. She was trying to save our butts, wasn’t she? To save Sam?” Blake let out a long, suffering sigh. “I’m going to have to apologize to her now. I really hate apologizing.” Blake’s attitude toward women amused Sebastian. Blake refused to believe that women weren’t as self-absorbed as he wished them to be. Well, one day he would come up against a woman as confident and self-assured as him. Sebastian couldn’t wait to see the sparks fly then. “Why do vampires always pick the worst possible moment to attack?” Sebastian didn’t expect an answer. He knew he wouldn’t get one. Blake stripped off his clothes, preparing to change. Sebastian soon followed suit. ***** Elizabeth slid out of her clothes and embraced her inner beast. Once she feared the surge of power that accompanied the transformation. Today she craved it. Elizabeth closed her mind to everything around her, blocking out all sounds, all smells, everything. She allowed only thoughts of the wolf to enter her mind. No fear. No worry. She focused solely on creating and holding the image of the wolf in her mind. The change came swifter this time. Her limbs wrenched and popped. Her hair shortened, thickening to a rich raven pelt. Her incisors grew, sharpening into fangs meant to tear, to shred. Her fingernails hardened into sharp claws meant to defend, to destroy. No sooner had she transformed than she heard a twig snap behind her, shattering the unnatural stillness of the night.

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He was here. She knew this moment would come. All her life she’d known she would come face to face with her enemy again. It had been only a matter of time. Although deep within the body of the wolf, Elizabeth still controlled her thoughts and feelings, to plan her defense, her attack. Her every predatory instinct came to the forefront, but she managed to leash it. In order to defeat this vampire, she would need absolute control over the beast clamoring for release. She may need the strength of the animal to fight, but to plan she needed pure human logic. The vampire stood less than ten feet away, an aura of power flowing around his tall frame. His posture screamed confidence. He did not fear her or anyone else. He believed no harm could befall him, that he was indestructible. He stared at her, waiting. Waiting for what? Why didn’t he go for the kill? For years, he’d followed her every move. Why wait now? She tried to keep her mind blank. Her confusion, her uneasiness, would give him more power. Was that what he wanted? His eyes, small, beady, red rimmed, focused on her. They burned her with their intensity. Her skin crawled. Her nerves screamed in protest. A soulless killer, deviant and wholly evil, stood before her. His mouth twisted into a sneer as absolute loathing turned up the corners of his lips— his skin taut and gray, hideous and frightening, his protruding cheekbones and sunken eyes repulsive. He was the undead, a vampire, a walking harbinger of death. He began to move, then to glide toward her. Closer. Closer still. He intended to destroy her. Only her. Elizabeth’s hackles rose. A growl, low and rumbling, emanated from deep within, from her very soul. Her jaws and her fangs dripped saliva. She snapped at the creature closing in on her. The evil stench of malevolence swamped her, making it difficult to breathe, to think. She heard his insidious whispering embedded in her mind, through to the depths of her soul. Over and over, telling her to surrender. Her mind turned hazy. She needed to surrender, didn’t she? There wasn’t any reason to keep fighting, right? But in the haze, burning bright and strong, glowed the memory of Sam—her mate, her reason to endure this evil one’s tactics. She shook her head slowly, an attempt to clear the cobwebs from her mind. “Why bother to fight me? You know there is no way to defeat me. I am all-powerful, too strong for the likes of you. You, a mere female.” His voice dripped with malice, with hatred. He came another foot closer. Silently, Beth urged him closer to within striking distance. If she could weaken him, she may have a chance to defeat him. So, he thought her less powerful because she was female. That would be her advantage in the upcoming battle. Men were always underestimating the strength of a woman. With luck, it would be this male’s last mistake. The vampire battered her senses. His evil taint made the thick air almost unbreathable. Elizabeth felt as if she was breathing through a straw making it difficult to think and to plan. She needed to shove aside everything the vampire threw at her, the illusion he tried to force on her. The air smelled sweet, cool and crisp. Mountain air. She took a deep breath, ridding her lungs of the vampire’s poison. He stood nearly within reach. Everything inside her wanted to claw, to maim, to kill.

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Her enemy. He deserved to die. More animal than human, more beast, she crouched low, ready to attack the second he came within range. He stopped just out of her reach. He watched her. She knew her anger invigorated him. She pulsated with rage. The adrenaline rushing through her veins acted like an aphrodisiac, beckoning to him to sink his fangs deep into her neck and drain her life’s blood. She’d eluded him far too long and she knew he’d savor the anticipation of the kill. His powerful voice acted as a merciless weapon. She fought his compulsion. “You are strong. Especially for one so young and untrained. Of course, you take after your parents, don’t you?” She didn’t want to hear what he said, but his words twisted around her heart. Squeezing, tighter and tighter. “You know I killed them, don’t you? I killed them all. Your father thought he could protect the pack. I made him watch as I slit the throats of your brothers and your sister. He watched as I drained your mother of every drop of her blood.” Every visage of self-control she possessed vaporized the moment he confessed. She was lost in memories. The sickly sweet smell of blood and death. Her twin brothers, young boys who had reached the age of the change—the reason for the gathering—their bodies ripped apart, strewn throughout the meadow. Her baby sister not even a year old, her head nearly severed from her small, fragile body. So much blood and death. The pain became too much. She howled in torment. A mournful wail overflowing with heartbreak and anguish. Tears filled her mind and her heart. Rage swelled, replacing the sorrow. A killing rage like nothing she’d ever experienced. She pounced, closing the distance with one leap. Her claws, sharp and deadly, raked across his chest. He backed away, but not before she drew first blood. He whipped around, intent upon destroying her. He bared his teeth, stained pink from blood. A hiss, menacing, hateful, floated on the air. His fingernails, red-tipped and long, showed beneath the sleeves of his black trench coat. His eyes blazed with anger, hate, the need to kill. She swore she saw the flames of hell looking back at her through those soulless eyes. The wind began to howl, an eerie, ear-splitting shriek. Twigs and leaves snapped up off the forest floor, carried along with the gusts. Small animals scurried for protective shelter— families of rabbits, a few squirrels, a raccoon, even a fox kit. Lightning flashed across the sky and the heavens opened up, thrashing the land with bolt after bolt of lightning. Hell had come to earth. The vampire stood erect, unaffected by the flailing wind and driving rain. In fact, the weather made him appear even more sinister. Against the darkening night, the vampire symbolized everything evil, everything wrong in the world. Where Sam epitomized the very essence of good, this male was evil personified. Snarling and snapping, Elizabeth lunged at the vampire, her teeth clamping into his leg. Holding on with the strength of her jaws, intent upon snapping the bone between her teeth. Grabbing the wolf by the scruff, the vampire ripped her off his leg. Pieces of flesh still clung between the werewolf’s teeth. He retaliated by flinging the wolf against the tree to his right. Elizabeth hit the old oak tree with amazing force, driving the air from her lungs. A yelp

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of pain escaped her throat. Snapping branches as she slid to the bottom of the tree, Elizabeth landed in a crumpled heap. Excruciating pain. A fire burning with no end in sight. A dazed Elizabeth rose on shaky legs, preparing to face the vampire again. The torrential rain poured down in sheets, hammering against the wolf’s battered body. Staggering under the onslaught, Elizabeth collapsed, unable to withstand the storm’s fury. The vampire, drunk on his power, threw back his head. A shout of evil laughter rose above the howl of the brutal winds and booming thunder, echoing off the mountain walls and forest floor. Elizabeth lifted her muzzle, only to have the vampire capture her with his maniacal gaze. He held her captive leaving her unable to move. She berated herself for her stupid mistake. She knew better. She had always known better than to look a vampire in the eyes. Revulsion shuddered through her body as the vampire crouched down in front of her, never letting her gaze waver from his. She fell under his enthrallment, as helpless as a newborn babe left amidst a pack of voracious lions. She lay there, lost in the vampire’s mental trap, uncaring, oblivious as he placed both hands around her neck and squeezed. Harder and harder, tighter and tighter, until his monstrous hands were grasping each other. The dark beckoned, whispering to her of its safety. Her last thought before embracing the waiting void was for Sam. For all they’d missed, for all they could have been. I’m sorry I failed you, Sam. No longer able to sustain the image of the wolf in her mind once she’d slipped into unconsciousness, the elements bombarded Elizabeth’s body. Hail the size of golf balls pummeled her delicate skin, marring its creamy perfection with raw, ugly bruises. The driving rain pounded, punishing her slender form. It flailed at her arms and legs, like a slaver wielding a whip. With one hand, the vampire reached down, lifted Elizabeth’s limp body, and held her by the neck.

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Chapter Thirteen The two wolves moved stealthily through the underbrush, blending into the foliage as they drew closer and closer. The heavy rain masked their scent, giving them the advantage in the upcoming battle. One was huge, his thick golden pelt covering heavy muscles. The other wolf smaller, lean with a shiny black coat. Silently, they wove among the trees, hackles raised, as they stalked their prey. Simultaneously, as though choreographed, both wolves sprang from their hiding places in a two pronged assault, fangs exposed, their every predatory instinct clamoring to be released. Save their pack, save their alpha female. Spinning on his heels, the vampire threw back his head and howled in rage. “How dare you interrupt me? You will die for this.” Releasing his grip from Elizabeth’s throat, the vampire tossed her against a tree. She slid down the trunk and slumped to the ground. His eyes cast a demonic red glow that pierced the darkness with evil intent. His pasty gray face contrasted sharply with his blood-red lips and red-tinged teeth. His hair, black as midnight, surged wildly in the wind. The feeling of dark malevolence that swirled around him intensified. The storm fed off the vampire’s rage. The spinning winds stripped leaves from their branches and the ground trembled. Lightning burst across the sky, bolt after bolt slashing through the heavens with unholy light. The wolves circled their prey, oblivious to the rising winds and whipping rain. The instinct to hunt and destroy the undead crackled like electricity in their blood. The werewolves struck the creature as one. The larger wolf attempted to use his bulk as leverage. He shot across the space between them, barreling against the vampire’s chest. His jaws clamped onto the vampire’s throat, and tore at its flesh. With claws extended, the smaller wolf lunged for the vampire’s stomach, ripping into the undead’s side, causing the vampire’s noxious blood to spurt from the open wound like a geyser flow. The wolves’ feral growls echoed the vampire’s hiss of rage and pain. Over and over, the wolves attacked, scoring dozens of wounds upon the vampire. Blood ran down the evil one’s body in rivers, the poisonous fluid burning the underbrush like acid. Its fumes withered the new spring leaves. The vampire struggled to defend himself against the werewolves. He screamed in agony. Throwing off the wolves, the vampire took one step back, then another. His eyes flashed with outrage, with pure evil. “You two will pay for what you have done. I have more power than you can even begin to imagine.” In a whirlwind of leaves and twigs, the vampire disappeared leaving behind a crimson puddle where he’d stood. Stunned, the two wolves shook their heads, amazed at the speed in which the vampire disappeared. They also knew the vampire had been injured, blood dripping from his numerous wounds. With the sun due to rise within the hour, he could not travel far before he’d need to seek shelter. It would be simple to track the undead, but Sam’s critical condition required attention. And Elizabeth’s body remained against the tree in an unmoving heap. Hunting the vampire would have to wait for another time.

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With the disappearance of the vampire, the winds ceased to howl, the torrential rain tapered to a steady drizzle, and the trembling ground grew still. Shifting back into their human forms, Blake and Sebastian let the gentle rains wash the tainted blood from their skin. Kneeling by Elizabeth’s side, Sebastian checked for any injuries she may have suffered. “Other than a good knock on the head and some pretty nasty scrapes on her back from where she slid down the length of the tree, I think she’s all right.” When Blake didn’t make any response, Sebastian turned in his direction. Blake stared off into the mountains, lost in his own thoughts. “What is it, my friend?” Confusion coursed through Blake’s body. He wrinkled his forehead into a frown. “There was something different about this vampire. I felt connected to it somehow.” Sebastian’s eyes were troubled, as well. “What do you mean, you felt connected.” “I don’t know exactly.” Shaking his head in puzzlement, Blake again searched the horizon. “It was almost as though I could feel and see what the vampire felt and saw. That’s never happened to me before.” Blake’s sorrow replaced his confusion. He looked in Elizabeth’s direction. “Is she really going to be all right?” “Yes,” Sebastian confirmed. “I still can’t believe how brave she was. Knowing that she was facing a vampire, she still chose to stand up to him alone. Foolish, but damn courageous. She’s a good match for Sam” “Yes, she is.” Crouching next to Sebastian, Blake lightly ran his fingers through her hair. “Allow me to carry her, my friend. Sam saved me and she saved Sam. I would be honored to carry her to his side.” ***** Miles elapsed as Elizabeth lay unconscious. Deeper and deeper she sank into her mind, floating in a world far from reality, a world where pain and sorrow didn’t exist. Through the haze she heard a familiar voice, one equally as distant and as far off. Two souls calling out for one another across an unknown distance. Beth, Beth, honey. Where are you? Why won’t you answer me? I’m here, Sam. I’ll always be here for you. She could hear his voice. It was clearer now. It held such warmth. Oh, Beth, what’s happened, honey? Her voice sounded tired, weary, as though she’d given up on life, content to let the world pass her by. Although weak in his own right, Sam remained strong enough to try to soothe her troubled soul. She was the missing part of his heart. She must live. You need to fight, Beth. You have to wake up now. There is too much pain out there. I can’t face it alone anymore, Sam. I’ve been alone for so very long. The longer they stayed linked telepathically, the easier it became for him to focus his thoughts. It seemed as if he’d been floating in a sea of fire, lost, unable to find his way out of the hazy dream world he’d been floating in. Honey, don’t you see? You’re not alone anymore.

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We’re together. We’ll always be together, in this life and the next. Don’t give up yet, baby. I’m fighting right here beside you. Another voice penetrated Elizabeth’s consciousness, trying to force her awake. She knew that voice. It belonged to Blake, Sam’s friend. But that couldn’t be right. He was supposed to be on his way to Canada. His voice grew louder, becoming urgent. “Come on, sleepyhead. You can’t spend all morning sleeping, you know. After saving your butt, you could at least wake up and thank us.” “Maybe she finds your bedside manner not to her liking, Blake.” “Don’t worry about my bedside manner. You need to pay attention to the controls on this contraption you call a helicopter before you crash us into one of these mountains.” “Don’t even go there,” Sebastian replied, making sure to hide his smile. “You’re just irritated because you had a naked woman in your arms and couldn’t do anything about it.” Rolling his eyes heavenward, Blake checked Elizabeth’s pulse. Finding it strong and steady, he moved over to Sam’s side. Although he still had a fever, Sam breathed much easier than when they first arrived. “I think he’s improving. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were breathing the same rhythm. It’s a little weird if you ask me.” Peering over his shoulder, Sebastian looked at the pair nestled together on the helicopter floor. After placing Sam’s stretcher on the floor, they’d quickly laid Elizabeth next to him, hoping to warm them together. Even in his unconscious, fever-induced sleep, Sam had thrown his arm over Elizabeth’s prone body, nestling her against his side. Over the last hour, he also managed to place a heavily muscled thigh over her legs, pressing her even closer to his side. Since then, Sam did appear to be breathing quite a bit easier. “So long as they’re both alive, I don’t care if their hearts are beating to the same rhythm or not.” As though shocked by what he suggested, Sebastian’s jaw dropped. “They aren’t, are they?” “Aren’t what?” “Beating the same.” “I thought you said it didn’t matter.” Letting out a low chuckle, Blake leaned over, placing a hand to each of their throats to feel for their pulse. “Do you really want to know?” “No. Never mind.” He thought it would be a good idea to change the subject, quickly. “It’s a good thing you had me grab her clothes before we left. She probably would have been embarrassed if she’d thought you’d carried her all the way to the truck naked in your arms.” “Do you think she’ll realize the clothes she’s wearing now were packed in the bag she’d left by the helicopter rather than the one’s she wore?” Sebastian shook his head wryly. “More than likely she’ll be pissed off and not notice what she’s wearing.” Seeing the puzzlement in Blake’s eyes, Sebastian continued. “We were supposed to get the hell out of there, remember? She’s not going to be too happy when she finds out that we left Sam alone, during a storm, to rescue her.” “I see your point. How much longer until we get to the airport?” Blake asked. “Albany International is little less than two minutes away.” After a quick glance at his controls, Sebastian prepared to radio in to the control tower. Looking over his shoulder, Sebastian smirked, knowing how irritable Blake was during take off and landing. “You might

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want to buckle up now.” “What about them?” asked Blake, pointing to the two lying near his feet. Sebastian didn’t even bother suppressing his laughter this time. “I really don’t think they’ll notice the turbulence or pray for a safe landing.” Mumbling to himself about conceited asses, Blake quickly buckled up and closed his eyes as they began their approach to the tarmac below. Sebastian couldn’t help but steal another glance at the couple. It was the picture of devotion. Of course, he’d seen the relationship between his brother, Zachary, and his brother’s mate, Jessica. He had thought perhaps their love was one out of a million, but looking at these two, clinging together even in their sleep, he wondered if perhaps it wasn’t as rare as he’d thought. Maybe he and Blake would both find their true mates, somewhere, sometime… Shaking aside his wistful thoughts, Sebastian hovered over the landing zone, putting the helicopter down gently without as much as a bobble. Letting out a sigh of relief, Blake moved to release his seat belt, glad to be on solid ground again however briefly. “Should we try and wake her? I sincerely doubt we’d be able to move them as they are.” Getting out of the pilot’s seat, Sebastian made his way inside the copter to Blake’s side. “Here, I’ll carry her and place her in the jet. Then, I’ll come back and we can move him. Besides, they’ll be a lot more comfortable on the jet than the hard floor they’ve been lying on.” “I never did hear why your brother had a bedroom built into that overpriced luxury liner that you call a plane.” Sebastian couldn’t resist retelling the story. All he had to do was imagine Zach’s reaction and he’d start laughing. “You heard that Zach and Jessica met quite by accident on a trip between New York and Canada, right?” ”Yeah.” After seeing Blake’s answering nod, Sebastian continued. “Supposedly he kept hitting on her during the trip. According to my sister-in-law, she fairly shouted that if he wanted her to join the mile high club she was going to do so in a bed, and until he made that happen, he could take cold showers. Needless to say, when he purchased the jet, Zach made sure there was a bed added to the design layout.” With loud guffaws coming from the interior of the helicopter, Sebastian carried Elizabeth across the tarmac to the waiting plane. Elizabeth began to stir in Sebastian’s arms. Looking down, Sebastian gazed straight into Elizabeth’s alarmed eyes. “Be still. It’s okay. We’re at the airport.” “Sam. How’s Sam?” Anxiety beat at her. Fear for Sam evident with her every glance. “He’s doing better. I’ll get you settled in the jet, then go back to the chopper and help Blake carry Sam in, okay?” He tried to keep his voice soothing, not an easy task with Elizabeth frantically trying to struggle out of his arms. “Be still, Elizabeth, before you hurt yourself. Your friend gave you a pretty good head banging. You probably have a concussion. You’ve been out a long time.” Nodding to the steward to open the bedroom door, Sebastian sauntered in carrying Elizabeth as though she weighed no more than a feather. He carefully placed her on the bed. “Are you sure Sam’s okay? You’re not pretending he’s alive to keep me from getting

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hysterical, are you?” She couldn’t bear it if Sam died. She knew that now. She was afraid Blake and Sebastian knew that, too, and were trying to protect her. “You would know deep in your heart if Sam was no longer with us, Elizabeth. Trust me. In a few minutes, Sam will be lying here next to you and you’ll be able to see for yourself that he’s very much alive.” “I should go with you.” Swinging her legs over the side of the massive bed, Elizabeth sat up. All at once the world began to spin and go out of focus. Pushing Elizabeth back down, Sebastian shook his head in mock dismay. “Stubborn woman. Keep your pretty little butt planted. I’ll be right back.” Elizabeth stared at the empty space Sebastian had vacated. She was stunned when she noticed the opulence around her. The room looked as though it belonged to Arabian royalty. Done in mauve and hunter green silks accented with silver and gold embroidery work, it fairly shouted money and sinfully lavish taste. Whoever owned this thing built it to quench his appetite and she didn’t mean for food. She lay on a king-sized bed and it didn’t take up even a quarter of the room. On the opposite wall sat a pile of pillows made of the same colors and materials as the bedding. It looked like something out of an erotic Arabian fantasy. A door opposite the cabin door probably led to an even more decadent bathroom. Although curious about new places, Elizabeth felt too tired to get up and sneak a quick peek. Snooping would have to wait. Maybe she’d go exploring once she saw for herself that Sam was okay. She fought to keep her eyes open, but lost the battle. Elizabeth hadn’t even realized she’d dozed off until she felt the bed move beneath her. She opened her eyes as Blake stepped back so Sebastian could hook up another bag of IV fluid to Sam’s foot. Sometime during the last couple of hours, someone had secured Sam’s foot to a board to keep him from wiggling it. Elizabeth gave Sebastian an anxious look once he’d finished. “How’s he really doing?” “See for yourself.” Blake and Sebastian left the room giving her and Sam some privacy. With a light caress she stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingers, amazed at his miraculous improvement in the last couple of hours. With her index finger, Elizabeth slowly traced Sam’s upper lip and then tenderly pushed his hair back from his face. With one last lingering touch she lowered her head to Sam’s chest. Content to stay beside him, she pressed her head to his heart. Its steady beat lulled her into a healing sleep. ***** Elizabeth awoke some hours later with Sam’s hands buried deep within the wealth of her hair. After enjoying a few more minutes of lazy indulgence, Elizabeth sat up, careful not to disturb Sam’s rest. Sometime during her nap Sebastian removed Sam’s IV, a Band-Aid the only evidence that it had ever been there. Usually an extremely light sleeper, she knew she must have been really out of it if she hadn’t heard him move around the room working on Sam.

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As soon as she stood up she realized she definitely needed to use the facilities. She would get to explore the bathroom after all. The breathtaking beauty and sensuality of the room before her made Elizabeth gasp. The bathroom’s walls were a dusty blue, the floor covered entirely with white tile. A huge whirlpool tub took up the majority of the room. She wasn’t even going to ask how they managed to have running water. She really didn’t care. The immense mural on the wall is what captured her attention, however. The different scenes represented captivated her. In one frame, two lovers lay entwined upon a pile of lush pillows. In another, two wolves frolicked through a meadow chasing butterflies. The third panel–the one portraying a family–tugged at her heartstrings. A man and a woman gazed into each other’s eyes, their hands linked. A young girl sat between their feet looking up at them in adoration. The scene was so poignant that she wanted to weep. I feel your sadness, honey. Come back to bed.

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Chapter Fourteen The suddenness of Sam’s voice so clear and strong whispering through her mind flooded Elizabeth’s heart with a rush of emotions she couldn’t even begin to decipher. Having such intense feelings for another person was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Trying to sort through everything that had happened over the last few days was hard enough, but to have to come to terms with so many new emotions seemed impossible. Elizabeth wanted to run into the other room and see for herself that Sam was awake and fully aware of what he had said. Instead, she forced herself to walk into the elegant bedroom with a calm she didn’t feel. Standing in the doorway separating the bathroom from the rest of the cabin, Elizabeth’s gaze roamed over Sam’s gorgeous body. Even in his weakened condition, he still represented a perfect specimen of manhood. She wanted to run her fingers over his upper body. To feel his heart beat beneath her hand and touch the wiry hair on his chest. She wanted to touch his silky hair and his hard muscles. Taking care of him while he’d been sick only heightened Elizabeth’s awareness of Sam’s magnificent build. She could still remember the first time she’d seen him without his clothing on. It took all her effort to care for him without giving in to her own desire to touch him, to explore every inch of his body as she had wanted. Her skin grew flushed and her heart sped up just thinking about it. Striving to contain the blush she knew blazed across her cheeks, Elizabeth raised her eyes to Sam’s face, shocked to see that he’d been watching her leisurely perusal of his body. A slow smile crossed his face. Without a word, Sam held out his hand, waiting for Elizabeth to come to him. She hesitated, though not sure why. A minute ago she wanted to run to his side, yet now the thought of taking his hand left her feeling that she should run for the nearest exit. She really needed to sort through her conflicting emotions—and soon. Ignoring her fluttering stomach, Elizabeth sauntered over to Sam’s side, careful not to show her nervousness. Although he was awake, Elizabeth couldn’t help but wonder if Sam would truly get well. His eyes appeared as a drab olive green, not the vibrant mossy hue that had caused her heart to stutter whenever they looked upon her. Black rings circled his eyes, as though he hadn’t slept well in weeks. His smile seemed strained. Elizabeth gingerly placed her right hand in his. She couldn’t have stopped herself if she had wanted to. So simple a gesture, but the moment seemed somehow so very intimate. “Thank you.” Sam’s whispered words gave evidence to his hoarse voice. Elizabeth shook her head in slight confusion. “Why would you think that you need to thank me for anything?” “Elizabeth, contrary to what you may believe, it’s not every day that someone would fight off a bear to save someone they just met. Most people would run in the opposite direction before risking their own life the way you did.” Her pulse raced when he brushed his thumb across her knuckles as he spoke. “On top of all that, it’s obvious that I have you to thank for keeping me alive. So, thank you.”

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The way Sam looked at her made her melt inside. Something seemed different between them, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She was definitely acting out of character. She wouldn’t be surprised if Sam was, too. “I would have done the same thing for anyone, Sam. There’s really no reason to thank me.” She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had thanked her for anything. She wasn’t sure how she should respond. He continued to hold her hand and she didn’t have any inclination to pull it away. Could she be experiencing some kind of mental or emotional breakdown? No, she at least had to be honest with herself. She enjoyed the feel of his hand enfolding hers. It made her feel safe, secure, cherished. And it was way too overwhelming. Barely concealing her regret, Elizabeth slowly pulled her hand from Sam’s. She felt the loss immediately. And she could tell from his expression that he felt it, too. He looked at her with exhausted eyes. His voice conveyed his lack of energy. “Would you do something for me, Beth?” “Sure, if I can.” “Would you sit with me for a while?” She shifted nervously. “Just for a little while. Please?” How could she turn him down when he asked for so little? What could it hurt, after all? It’s not as if he could try anything physical with her. She would have sat by his side the second he fell asleep anyway. Edging around to the other side of the bed, Elizabeth gently eased next to Sam, careful not to jostle him. Reaching over, he squeezed her hand and fell asleep within seconds, his hand still holding hers. Elizabeth lost all track of time as she watched Sam’s chest rise and fall. She kept hold of her hand as he continued to sleep. Right now, Elizabeth enjoyed the fact that she sat quietly, not needing to make any life preserving decisions. She wallowed in the luxury of the room for the time being. A short, brisk knock interrupted Elizabeth’s brief period of tranquility. Before she could even bid the visitor to enter, Blake came strolling through the doorway pushing a food cart overflowing with covered dishes. “Well, I see you’re awake, Beth. You don’t mind if I call you Beth, do you? Seeing as how I saw you naked and all, I thought Elizabeth was a little too formal.” She sputtered with the heat of embarrassment as he parked the cart at the foot of the bed. Hands in his pockets, Blake sauntered over to Sam’s side. In the short time she’d known Blake, she’d seen him angry and happy, yelling and laughing, but never had she seen him worried. His hooded eyes showed anxiety as he raised them to hers. Any reply she would have made at his earlier boldness disappeared once she’d seen the sadness lurking behind his eyes. “He seems to be doing a little better.” His voice sounded almost wistful as he raised his eyes, seeking confirmation. Elizabeth fixed her eyes upon Sam, caressing his face with her warm gaze, but not before giving Blake an assuring nod. “He woke up for a little bit. He was more coherent than he’s been. At least it seemed so

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to me. That has to be a good sign. That he woke up, I mean.” “Hmmm,” was all Blake said as he raised the blanket to check Sam’s injuries. His scowl told Elizabeth that Blake was worried. Almost too nervous to ask, Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat. “How is his leg? It’s the injury I’m most worried about right now.” Why didn’t she look at it when she first woke up? How could she be so foolish? Blake dropped the covers. “It’s not anything to worry about. Sam’s had worse wounds than this.” Looking around the room, Blake’s eyes fell on the food cart he’d brought into the room earlier. Walking back over to the cart, he peeked underneath each lid until he’d looked at everything offered. “Are you hungry,” Blake asked. His eyes glowed with laughter. “What’s so funny?” “I understand that this was a last minute flight and all, but you’d think that they would have more on board to eat than this.” Blake began systematically removing the covers from the dishes as Elizabeth crawled to the end of the bed to take a look at her dinner. “Hmmm…so, someone out there thinks I need to gain some weight or something?” Cakes, cookies, Twinkies and pudding filled each dish. Lots and lots of different kinds of pudding. A grape Popsicle and an ice cream sandwich stuck out of the wine bucket as well as a couple of cans of cola. A hodgepodge of junk food sent to tempt her palette. Neither Blake nor Elizabeth could stifle their laughter. What had started out as low chuckles soon turned into loud and boisterous guffaws, leaving them both trying to catch their breath. A low moan from the bed refocused their attention. Scurrying back to Sam’s side, Elizabeth stroked her fingers down his chest and face, while Blake hurried out of the room. “Sam, what it is? What’s the matter?” Her gaze ran over him worriedly. “Where does it hurt?” “Stupid, damn leg…. So hot…” he growled. His skin, again, raged with fever. His moans of pain broke her heart. She literally ached for him…with him. “I know, Sam. We’ll get you cooled down. You’ll be feeling better in no time.” After squeezing his hand in reassurance and placing it gently on the bed, Elizabeth hurried into the bathroom. She quickly grabbed a washcloth out of the pile of fresh towels sitting on the edge of the whirlpool tub. After soaking the washcloth, and several of the towels, Elizabeth rushed back to Sam. All of her life Elizabeth had known of her empathic ability, able to feel the emotions of those around her. As children, the Loup-garou appeared perfectly normal, indistinguishable from the human race they had been born to protect. When they reached puberty and the onset of the change, their true abilities and their differences manifested themselves. Elizabeth, however, had been born with this ability—her greatest gift and her greatest burden. When those close to her suffered, Elizabeth found it hardest to deal with her abilities. She felt the raging fever burn beneath Sam’s skin, his throbbing leg, and his weakness. His pain became hers. His incredible weakness, hers to fight, to overcome. It was almost more than she could bear. She wanted to collapse under the strain, to do nothing more than huddle into herself

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and hide from the world. But she had to push forward, fight against the rising tide of pain and discomfort. Sam needed her help. Nothing would interfere with her duty, especially not her own mind. Her battered senses hammered at her from all sides. Her mind felt like it would splinter, her body break, yet still she continued to bathe Sam’s fevered body. Pulling off the blankets, Elizabeth got a good look as his leg. His wound was definitely infected. It looked raw and putrid, red and inflamed. Why hadn’t she felt his pain before it became so unbearable? She should have known he would wake to such discomfort What good was her gift, if she couldn’t feel the aches of those close to her? Sam must have been blocking the extent of his pain from her, unwilling for her to feel his suffering. “Ok, Sam. Listen up, buddy. I’ve about had enough of this worrying. You are going to get better because I’m not putting up with this much longer.” Maybe if her voice were stern enough, Sam wouldn’t realize how much she worried. He didn’t need to pick up on any negative thoughts or feelings right now. You don’t need to be mean about it…. Even in her thoughts his voice slurred and seemed etched with pain. “Well, if it’s the only way I’m going to get your attention, then mean I will be. Deal with it.” I need to rest. Then, I’ll be perfectly fine. “No, Sam. You don’t need rest. You need to keep talking to me until I say you can rest.” Your bedside manner leaves a little bit to be desired, Beth. “Then I guess you’re going to have to heal fast so you can get up out of bed.” All the while as she spoke to Sam, she ran her fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him the best she could. No. I need to get well and take you to bed. Then you won’t be so mean to me. Fortunately Sam’s eyes were closed. Her cheeks blazed with heat at his pronouncement. Her hands shook while she continued to bathe his fevered skin, over his chest, down the length of his arms. She worshipped his hard body, caressed him with each stroke of her hands. “Hmmm, and what makes you think that will ever happen?” Could he hear the slight hitch in her breath and the little quiver in her voice? She hoped not. She may have resigned herself to being his mate, but that didn’t mean that she embraced that much of a commitment. She wasn’t ready for a physical relationship with him yet. Because, you can’t resist me. He was very sure of himself, she’d give him that. He was very strong, too. While other men, lesser men, would be writhing in agony, Sam distracted her, distracted them both from his pain. “You’re awful sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Of course. We are destined to be together, Beth, in every way. When the time is right, you are going to be begging me to slide my tongue over every inch of your smooth, silky skin, to taste your sweet essence, to stretch and fill you until neither of us have any desire to ever leave our bed again. Blake’s return saved Elizabeth from commenting on Sam’s bold declaration. He rushed

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through the door, Sebastian just a few steps behind. “Have you been able to cool him down any?” “I’m not sure, Blake. I’ve been washing him down, trying to keep his fever from rising, but whether it’s going down any…I don’t know.” No longer silently standing behind Blake, Sebastian carefully examined Sam’s wound. He lifted his eyes to hers, then dropped them to look at Sam’s leg. “Has he tried to reach out to you with his mind?” he asked. “I can definitely say, without any qualms, he is aware of what is going on.” Sebastian’s raised eyebrows said he wanted specifics. Perhaps she could shock him. “As a matter of fact, he is, right at this moment, doing his best to seduce me.” Blake’s low chuckle didn’t do much to ease Elizabeth’s already frayed nerves. “That’s enough from the peanut gallery, Blake.” Turning her eyes once again toward Sebastian, “And what are you doing back here? Who the hell is flying the damn plane if you’re back here with us?” “I guess you’ve been too busy to notice. The tower has closed all outbound runways. We haven’t even been able to take off yet. There are at least fifteen planes waiting in line ahead of us.” Elizabeth shook her head. Frustration at the delay sharpened her voice. “But we’ve been here for hours already, if…” Sebastian held up his hand, effectively cutting off any argument she might have been about to make. “I know that, Elizabeth. Look, the fog that has shrouded the airport is almost gone. It will only be a few more minutes before we’ll get the tower’s clearance to take off. I was coming back here anyway to let you all know that we’d be leaving soon when I ran into Blake in the hall.” “Is there anything more I can do, Sebastian? His leg looks really bad.” “We’ve cleaned it up the best we can. The only thing we can do is try to keep his fever down until we can get him that blood transfusion. We only had the two bags of saline. So unless you can get him to drink, the best thing you can do is try to control the fever.” Blake used that moment to speak up. “I’m going to get some water from the steward, Elizabeth. Then I’ll help you lift Sam enough to force him to drink.” “Thanks, Blake.” Elizabeth watched him as he left the cabin, thankful that she had someone who could help. It should have surprised her that she’d wanted to lean on someone, but after the last few days, not too much could surprise her anymore. You better get used to having someone to share your troubles with, Elizabeth. Soon, we will be sharing a hell of a lot more than that. He’d been quiet the last few minutes and she’d assumed he finally drifted into a muchneeded rest. Obviously, even in his troubled sleep, she remained close in his thoughts. This pleased her more than it should have. “Sam, you are supposed to be sick. Act like it.” You can’t have it both ways. You insisted I stop lying around in this bed. Make up your mind, woman. She heard the laughter in his voice, like a warm wind drifting through her mind and curling itself around her heart. The intensity of her fast-growing feelings for Sam alarmed her.

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Her need for his presence, his thoughts, both terrified and exhilarated her. “Elizabeth, are you okay? I know you and Sam haven’t really had a lot of time together and then this happens. I’ve known Sam almost my entire life. He’s like a second brother to me. I assure you, he will survive this. I’ve never met one of our kind who had as much determination, willpower, and strength as Sam. He is the best. I have no doubts about this.” It was the longest speech she’d ever heard Sebastian make. She hadn’t even realized that her worry showed that much. She needed to work a little harder to school her thoughts, or the whole world would be able to read her. “I know he is, Sebastian. He’s probably stronger than either of us can even guess.” “Well, I better get back to the cockpit and see if I can get us out of here.” With a nod, Sebastian left the cabin, closing the door with a soft click behind him.

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Chapter Fifteen Elizabeth stood in the bathroom wetting fresh towels when she felt the plane vibrate. Her sigh of relief seemed loud in the room’s deathlike quiet. She headed back into the bedroom where the touching beauty of the mural once again caught her attention. To have such love for another person, to share a life and children with someone who adored you, it was a dream she thought she’d never fulfill. A lone tear marked a silvery trail down the line of her cheek as she made her way to her mate. For hours, Elizabeth watched over Sam. Through the flight, Blake and Sebastian made sporadic appearances. Elizabeth lost track of how many times she’d bathed Sam’s sweat soaked body during the long flight. His sleep, although restful at times, remained fitful. While the plane descended, Elizabeth climbed up into the huge bed with Sam, thankful to be able to rest at last. Minutes after the whir of the engines died down, Blake and Sebastian entered the opulent cabin followed by a woman unlike any Elizabeth had ever seen. More than her stunning outward beauty caught Elizabeth’s attention. A striking aura of power and absolute confidence clung to the small woman. Dressed in black, from the midnight-hued cap to her onyx combat boots, this tiny woman couldn’t be much taller than Elizabeth. She had a .45 caliber automatic handgun strapped to her right thigh, an M-16 slung over her back, and a Bowie knife tucked into the belt loop of her black fatigues. Shoving the men out of her way, she turned and looked at them disdainfully. “Well, what are you two idiots doing still standing there? You didn’t bring him all this way to let him die on my bed, did you?” With astonishing speed, Blake and Sebastian placed Sam onto the stretcher and teamhauled it out the cabin door before either woman could bat an eyelash. Unsure of what to say to a woman who could make two grown men run with their tails between their legs, Elizabeth lowered her head and pretended to straighten her clothes, smoothing down non-existent wrinkles in the material. “Hi. I’m Jessica Malone, Sebastian’s sister-in-law.” Elizabeth looked up to grasp the woman’s extended hand and saw the sparkle in the warrior’s eyes and grin across her lips. Now, that came as a surprise. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Jessica a mischievous little imp—a woman after her own heart. “I’m to assume that was all for show? What about those?” pointing to all the weapons. “Oh. They’re real,” Jessica said, while fingering the knife hilt at her waist. “In my husband’s absence, I defend my own. We can never be too careful. Come on. Let’s get Sam to the clinic.” What had she gotten herself into now? Glancing around the room one last time, Elizabeth fell in behind Jessica wondering if she were a lamb being led to slaughter or a soldier following the leader. Neither option comforted her in the least. After hours in the darkened room on the jet tending Sam, the brilliant sunset emblazoned brighter across the evening sky burning through Elizabeth’s soul, filling her with

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hope and renewal. Jessica’s sharp voice shattered her thoughts. “Let’s get going. We’ve a good twenty minutes to the clinic my brother, Jack, runs. Hold tight.” Jessica eased herself behind the wheel of the shiny black Hummer. Blake and Sebastian sat in the back watching over Sam. Elizabeth climbed into the passenger side and secured her seat belt. Kicking up rocks and gravel, the Hummer lumbered across the empty landing strip. It bounced over every rut and bump along the run-down service road, leaving a cloud of swirling dust in its wake. The drive to the clinic took less than Jessica’s predicted twenty minutes. The clinic van and a sleek, black Mercedes waited in the parking lot of the white one-story building. This doctor must be one of the rare few that still makes house calls. Sebastian and Blake jumped out of the back of the Hummer as it squealed to a skidding stop. The clinic’s interior resembled any other modern medical office. The waiting room had several low tables, hard plastic chairs and racks overflowing with outdated magazines. The empty parking lot matched the empty waiting room. No sooner had they entered the clinic than another man greeted them. His white lab coat implied that he was a physician. He stood an average height, but nothing else about him could be called average. His cinnamon colored hair hung loose well past his shoulders. He wore a black T-shirt with a pair of tight stone washed jeans and combat boots similar to Jessica’s. His eyes, however, were distinctive—the same color as his hair. “I take it you’re Elizabeth. I’m Jack. Jessica’s my sister. Speaking of which,” he turned in Jessica’s direction, “I thought I told you not to come into my clinic prepared for a siege. Weapons have no place here.” “Shove it, Jack. You know as well as I do, the clinic’s usually closed today. Besides, I was in the mood to shoot someone. I just haven’t had the chance yet.” Raising his eyebrows at her overt threat, Jack turned back to Elizabeth. “I take it you want to donate blood for Sam.” It wasn’t a question. Jack obviously knew of her relationship with Sam. Was it that apparent to everyone? Elizabeth nodded in response to his statement. “Let me check his wounds, then we’ll set up for a transfusion. You said a bear did this to him. You’re sure it was a bear?” “If you’re asking if this attack was vampire related, the answer is no. It was a normal mother bear protecting her cubs.” “Well, that’s good then. You did a good job cleaning him up. I would have to agree with your initial assessment. The main thing he needs right now is a blood transfusion and plenty of rest. The wounds will probably heal themselves.” ***** Elizabeth sat in an uncomfortable, hard plastic chair watching her blood flow into a plastic bag as she contemplated the people around her. Blake and Sebastian were somewhere in the waiting room, last she heard, debating the merits of fly-fishing in the local lakes while Jessica had a hushed conversation with her husband on her cell phone. Jack disappeared ten

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minutes ago to do only heaven knew what, and Sam still lay unconscious on the narrow hospital bed. Even though she’d only known Sam a short time, she had become used to hearing his voice whispering through her mind. His lengthening silence nearly drove her insane with worry. Jack returned followed closely by his sister. “Before she left to pick you up, Jessica set up a room for you and Sam in the back. It’s not a suite at the Ritz by any means, but we figured you’d want to stay by his side.” Elizabeth struggled with a sense of unworthiness. She didn’t even know these people and they’d gone out of their way to try to make her comfortable. “Thank you. I don’t really know what to say.” Jessica, sensing Elizabeth’s fatigue, showed her to the room that she would share with Sam once they stabilized him. “I know it’s not much, but at least I was able to find a normal bed to put in here. There’s a bathroom through that door and I already had Blake set your luggage in the closet. Is there anything else you’ll need?” Looking around the room, Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t think so. Thank you for everything. Do you know when they’ll be moving Sam in here?” “I imagine as soon as they complete the transfusion. Once they make sure he’s stable, they’ll bring him in.” Elizabeth nodded her head, then closed her eyes for a moment before turning her attention back to Jessica. “Why don’t you try and get some rest, Elizabeth? I’m sure everything is going to be fine.” “Maybe you’re right. I haven’t really gotten too much sleep since all this began.” Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Beth unlaced her shoes. Perhaps she’d close her eyes for a few seconds. Her eyelids grew heavy as she stifled a yawn. Elizabeth wasn’t sure how long she’d been dozing when the sounds of Sam’s snoring stirred her to wakefulness, but she knew it hadn’t been more than a few minutes. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest and let out a sigh of relief. Her shoulders and neck ached. What she needed was a nice, long, hot shower. After bending over and placing a light kiss across Sam’s brow, Elizabeth eased out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom. ***** Sam woke up disoriented. Reaching across the mattress, he found himself alone. Chagrin followed his disappointment telling him how selfish he had been. She deserved time to herself. A movement across the room drew his attention. He watched her as she leisurely rubbed lotion across her thighs, down her smooth legs, even between her tiny toes. God, she’s so incredibly sexy. The sight aroused Sam’s entire body from the hairs at his nape to the throbbing erection stirring against his now too tight boxers. His breath turned raspy. His heart pounded against the walls of his chest. And still he lay there watching as her every movement became enticingly erotic. She moved on to her

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other leg, her arms and finally her flat stomach. The heat of desire consumed him. How long could he get away with watching her before she felt his eyes burning over her? Searing her with his barely controlled passion. How long before.... Oh, Jesus. Her fingers trailed across the mounds of her breasts that overflowed her black lace bra. Lower and lower her fingers drifted, caressing her flesh. Her hand trailed across her tummy before smoothing over her bellybutton. He imagined his tongue making that same journey—caressing her heated body, dipping into her navel, swirling and sliding along her skin, drifting lower and lower. Elizabeth’s fingers stilled their sensual movements. He must have made a sound because she jerked her head up, searched the darkness for the source of the disturbance. Sam held his breath, afraid to move. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake. If not, he didn’t want to break the spell she innocently wove. His leg throbbed and burned. His body felt weak and heavy, yet a single glimpse of her satiny skin in the dim bathroom light had turned him hard as stone. He might as well let her know he was awake. He didn’t want her to worry about the possibility of someone, a stranger, watching her. “Elizabeth?” She heard his voice, husky from disuse. It beckoned her through the darkness. She felt his eyes burning over her, watching her every movement. Her heart leaped in excitement, pounding against her ribs. Should she rush to his side or act as though his being awake was no big deal? Going for nonchalance, Elizabeth continued to rub lotion over her arms before answering. “I see you’re awake. How do you feel?” “Come here and see for yourself.” He had issued a challenge, a dare, and she knew it. She could either come up with an excuse to close the bathroom door or walk toward him to accept whatever he offered. She felt exhilarated, yet terrified. She couldn’t believe she stood in the open wearing only her bra and panties. She felt the heat spread across her skin like a wild fire burning out of control. Even with Sam’s preternatural vision, she hoped the dim light from the bathroom shielded her obvious embarrassment. She couldn’t believe she’d stood there letting Sam look his fill. “Just a minute.” Ducking back into the bathroom, Elizabeth grabbed a towel to wrap around herself. Not much, but it would have to do. She decided to make a stand rather than running like a frightened rabbit cornered by a fox. She intended to tell him she would be in complete control of her future. How hard could that be? Holding her towel across her chest with one hand and gripping the edge of the sink with the other, Elizabeth squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and marched toward him determined to appear completely composed. His grin did nothing to quell her apprehension. Sam had a difficult time concealing his grin. She practically stomped as she made her way toward him, purpose ringing in her every heavy step. He didn’t have to read her feelings and thoughts to know she was scared to death and doing her best to hide the fact. Given Elizabeth’s past, he could understand her need for independence, but he would only allow her so much space. He had become part of her life now and she needed to realize

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he wouldn’t be going anywhere. Within moments she stood by his bed, unsure of what to do or say. He saw a tightness around her mouth he’d never seen before. Her hands gripped the towel, using it as a shield. Putting her at ease might be more difficult than he thought. His role as protector, the alpha male, meant he wasn’t a gentle-hearted man. His uncertainty of these new feelings and instincts matched hers, something he would not let her know. He needed all the advantages he could get. “Come sit by me, Beth.” He felt her hesitance and her fear. His voice dropped an octave, becoming huskier as he spoke. “All I want to do is talk. It seems like forever since I talked with anyone.” His words seemed to have a deeper meaning. Her jumbled thoughts said one thing, but her body said something else. She knew he was up to something. What, she didn’t know. After a few seconds of wondering what he might be up to, she decided to give in to her own desire to get closer to him. Besides, what harm could it do to sit next to him for a few minutes? His physical condition would keep him from doing anything. Now, why did that thought depress her? Exactly when had she turned into a scatter-brained idiot? She really needed to get a hold of herself. “Can I get you anything?” She looked everywhere but at him, searching for anything that would keep her from staring at his enticing body. The effort to keep herself from reaching out to touch him as she wanted, to see his eyes burn bright with blazing passion, left her trembling with need. She had an almost undeniable urge to stroke his nipple with her tongue and bring it to a hard peak. “You are all I want, Elizabeth.” She met his eyes and became lost in his gaze. She saw such need, such desire, burning in their depths. Never had a man looked at her with such passion. It frightened her in its intensity. He looked at her as though he would like nothing better than to consume her, possess her. Her body screamed at her to take him up on his unspoken offer, but her mind refused to cooperate. She couldn’t think, didn’t want to think. Too much, too soon. She cleared her throat, trying to come up with an answer, but what answer could she give him? Better to ignore her feelings until she could figure out what they meant. His eyes, sexy and sultry, followed her subtle retreat. “If you don’t need anything, I think I’d better put some clothes on.” Already she backed away from the bed, putting more and more space between them. Anything to keep herself from climbing in next to Sam. She had no idea why she behaved this way. Never before had she been tempted to climb into a bed with someone she had known less than a week. Her reaction to his body was something so out of the ordinary for Elizabeth that she didn’t even know how to cope with it. Why was she fighting something so overwhelming? She needed to stay in control. She epitomized independence. It was safer that way—for everyone. She wouldn’t allow her unruly body to make decisions for her. “Why would you get dressed at this time of night? You’ve been up the last couple of days taking care of me. I know you must be exhausted. Come to bed.”

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She felt her heart pounding inside her chest, leaping at his suggestion. She had no idea where she found the voice to deny his request. “I…I…I can’t climb into bed with you. What kind of woman do you take me for?” For a moment more he let her see his hunger for her, his desire, before slowly banking the fire burning in his eyes. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, demanding he take her and make her his, to mate with her as was his right. He fought his every instinct by allowing her this small withdrawal. “You are my mate, Elizabeth. I’m not asking you to make love with me. You can relax. You’re exhausted. All I want to do is sleep with you by my side.” She continued to shake her head in denial, backing up gradually. He knew her body trembled with fatigue. He wasn’t used to women turning him down and to have his mate do it left a sour taste in his mouth. But, one he could understand. There had to be some way to convince her to sleep by his side where she belonged. From this day forward, they would never sleep apart. He knew of one way to get her in his bed and unless she called his bluff, it should work. She left him no choice but to use her own compassionate nature to manipulate the situation. He knew he should feel guilty about his decision, but in this case, the end justified the means. “Well, if you aren’t willing to share the bed with me you are leaving me only one other choice, honey.” She tilted her head, curious of what new tactic he’d take. “And what choice would that be?” Her stance, wary and timid moments before, had become fierce and demanding—the breathtaking change astonished him. Elizabeth, already a beautiful woman, became absolutely ravishing when angered. Her eyes shot sapphire sparks. Her skin appeared flushed and rosy. She drove every sane thought from his mind. “If you won’t sleep in bed with me, then I’ll obviously have to sleep in the chair.” Now, Sam thought, let’s see if Elizabeth takes the bait. “What do you mean you’ll have to sleep in the chair? You know darn good and well you’re in no condition to even get out of bed, let alone sleep in a hard plastic chair.” “Well, you aren’t in any condition to sleep in a chair either. When did you last have a good night’s sleep?” “It doesn’t matter, Sam. So what if I sleep in the chair? It’s not as if I haven’t done it before. You need the bed and that’s all there is to it.” “Look, there is no reason we can’t share the bed, Elizabeth. It’s big enough for the both of us. Is it that you don’t trust me to keep my word?” How could she tell him it was herself she didn’t trust? She didn’t trust herself to lie next to him without touching him. Her thoughts, her emotions, remained chaotic. What harm could he do, she thought. It’s not as if she hadn’t slept next to him before. True, she reminded herself. But, he had been unconscious at the time. It all boiled down to whether she could control her own urges or not. “Please, Elizabeth. You are in as much need of a good night’s sleep as I am. Scout’s honor, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.” How could she refuse such a request? “You promise?”

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Chapter Sixteen Sam closed his eyes for a moment, letting out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. The relief he felt staggered him. He watched her as she rummaged through the closet. His gaze followed her as she disappeared behind the bathroom door. He listened to her movements and imagined her stripping off her clothes. Would she sleep in the nude or cover herself from neck to ankle? The suspense was killing him. The bathroom door creaked as it eased open. Beth’s uneasiness vibrated through their telepathic bond. Her gaze burned against his feverish skin. He made a promise and it would take every bit of self-control to keep his word, but he would do it. His breath caught, hitched, his heart pounded against his ribs as he felt the bed give under her slight weight when she slipped under the covers. She laid rigid, barely breathing. “I’m not hurting you or anything am I?” Sam felt her next to him. She practically hugged her side of the bed, refusing to move an inch. Neither of them would be able to sleep at this rate. He rolled over on his side, careful not to jostle his injured leg. “Come here, Elizabeth.” “I don’t want to take the chance that I may hurt you, even accidentally.” He asked again. “Will you come closer? Please? I’m freezing,” he lied. “I need you to warm me up.” “What?” she shouted. “You promised. You said there wouldn’t be any hanky panky.” Her voice sounded strangled, panicked. “All I want to do is hold you. Come here.” He didn’t give her the opportunity to object. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side so that he cradled her within his arms. Her head rested on his chest, her body stiff and unyielding. He stroked her hair and murmured words of comfort. Sam felt her body relax, felt the muscles in her arms and legs meld against him. The longer he held her, the more pliant she became. He let the silence of the room lull them, wrap around and surround them in peace and contentment. He didn’t know when the rhythm of her breathing changed, when the pulse in her neck began to pound furiously. He had been so content holding her, cuddling his mate, he didn’t know when the gentle stroking meant to soothe became an erotic caress. He felt her burning gaze search his face and himself drowning in the liquid silver of her eyes. He dipped his head, giving her one last chance to turn away, to deny him. His mouth fastened against hers, drawing her into a whirling vortex of heat and hunger. He buried his hands in the thickness of her hair. Holding her in place, he ravaged her mouth—plundering her, sweeping her away in a storm of blazing heat and passion. His body raged, burning with the need to touch her satiny smooth skin and feel every inch of her body against his. He pulled her closer. His hands were everywhere, sliding down her back, along her hip. He needed to feel her skin, hot and burning against his. He gripped the hem of her shirt, slowly edging it up bit by bit. His hands touching the smooth expanse of her tummy before moving up to gently cup her full breasts.

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Elizabeth trembled in his arms as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her even closer before sliding them down and caressing her buttocks, her thighs. All the time their lips and tongues did a mating dance. Her hands shook with the need to touch the hard contours of his face, to run her thumb along the lush fullness of his bottom lip, to slowly trace the shell of his ear with her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands tangled in the rich thickness of his hair. All she could feel, all she could do was drown in the sheer power of his kiss. Her body writhed and arched beneath his questing hands, begging to get even closer. Her nails raked down his back, marking him as hers. Everything inside her demanded she become one with him, become his mate. She felt his hardness pressing against her panties. She was mindless, lost in a fire that threatened to consume them. Neither could get enough of the other. Somewhere along the way her shirt disappeared, tossed to the floor. Her sensitive skin became enflamed by Sam’s slightest touch. Rather than feeling exposed, she had become immersed in an overwhelming sense of awe. She had done this to Sam. Her. Elizabeth. No other woman. His body hard and needy, Sam was desperate to sink within her welcoming warmth. There would be no turning back. He needed her as he’d never needed another woman. He needed her as much as he needed air to breathe and food to eat. He wanted to crawl so deeply inside her that they could never be separated, a part of each other, heart and soul, forever. She was his entire world. Her wetness seeped through the thin barrier of her panties. Her scent beckoned him. Slowly, gently he broke the kiss. His lips trailed across her cheek, down her neck. He licked the pulse frantically beating beneath his lips. Sam found everything about her body fascinating. He needed to ensure her pleasure above all else. Deeply entrenched in her mind, Sam experienced exactly what his actions did to her. Elizabeth was lost in a sea of endless passion, blind to every sight and sound beyond him and the way her body responded to him. Her throaty moans shattered the silence of the room, ricocheting off every surface. Sam loved to hear her make those throaty noises, to see her eyes glaze over with rapacious hunger. His lips and tongue caressed her flesh and burned across her luscious breasts. His hot breath feathered against her fevered skin. His scalding tongue circled her nipple before flicking across the surface, bringing it to a hardened peak. It sent lightning bolts of heat and fire to her velvet core and shock waves rippling across her every nerve. His hands drifted lower, touching her panties, feeling the wetness through the lacy fabric. “Tell me what you want, Elizabeth.” She arched against his palm, heat flowing off her in waves. “Tell me, baby.” He wanted her. He needed her. And he wanted her to need him as much. “Please,” she begged. He knew she had no way of knowing how much her entreaty would shatter what little control he still had. He answered her desperate plea, edging his hand beneath her panties. He stroked her swollen flesh before sliding his finger inside her creamy sheath. Her body wound tighter and tighter. He felt her need, her tension escalating to the point of no return. When she thought she couldn’t take any more, he slipped another finger inside,

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stretching her, filling her, preparing her for his invasion. His mouth returned to hers, his tongue dueling, probing, matching the rhythm of his fingers. She strained, bucking against his hand, her body striving for fulfillment. She stroked and caressed his fevered skin—skimming across muscle and sinew, raking through the wiry hair on his chest before drifting lower. Her fingers trailed across his taut stomach, lower and lower until she gripped his throbbing manhood, hard and thick in her hands. His husky groan matched the cadence of hers. Together they drowned in a pool of desire and need. She didn’t know how much more she could take. Tighter and tighter it wound until she reached a shattering peak. Over and over her body convulsed, rippling against Sam’s fingers. Her heart beat in the same rhythm as his, neither aware of anything but each other—lost in the afterglow of haze and desire. Sam brushed the hair back from her face before lightly tracing the curve of her cheek. Everything about her amazed him—her eyes glazed with passion, her lips swollen from his kisses, her body seemingly boneless beneath his, the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair. Everything about her was beautiful. His hard body throbbed with need, yet he felt content to watch the emotions flicker across her face and relish the feel of her body pressed against his. Joy filled his heart, joy and something more. Tenderness. His voice thick when he spoke to her, “Are you all right, baby?” Elizabeth’s pulse raced. Her heart beat in time with his, every muscle in her body pliant, sated and deliciously sensitive. The look in Sam’s eyes astounded her. The tenderness in his touch and the concern in his voice awed her. A startled gasp replaced any answer she may have given when the door swung open. Blake, Sebastian, and Jack stood framed in the doorway, all wearing expressions ranging from shock to embarrassment. Splaying her hands against Sam’s chest, Elizabeth tried to shove Sam off her. Rather than give Elizabeth the distance she demanded, he blanketed her more fully, covering her nakedness with his body. Damn it. I shouldn’t have done this. She felt ashamed. If they hadn’t interrupted, she would have let Sam make love to her. She berated herself for having the morals of an alley cat in heat. Get the hell off me, Sam. Not until they leave. He didn’t take his eyes off the trio in the doorway. He heard the tears in her mind, felt the shame in her heart. She had regrets now. It took every ounce of his self-control to keep from growling at the men standing inside the room. Even if their entry had been accidental, their intrusion hurt his mate. The situation was unacceptable. “Get Out.” His voice never rose above a whisper, but sounded menacing just the same. He felt Elizabeth’s self-disgust and regret. What should have been a wonderful experience, the first of many for them, had become a debacle. The fault belonged to him. He never should have exposed her to this. He should have kept his hands to himself until they had complete privacy. She was his mate and in this he failed her. It would not happen again. “We’re sorry, Sam…Elizabeth. We should have knocked. We’ll…” “Get out. Now.” “I need to check your…”

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“Jack, if you value your life you will take Blake and Sebastian with you and leave.” Without sparing the trio another thought, Sam looked down into Elizabeth’s eyes. As he expected, he saw her fury. He didn’t need to be empathic to realize she was about to let her temper fly. “Get off me, you big oaf.” No matter how hard she shoved, he refused to budge. What right did he have to treat her this way? I have every right, Elizabeth. Would you rather I let those men continue to ogle you. Not one of them has a mate, Beth. Now that he had his driving hunger to lose himself in her silken heat firmly under control once again, he became acutely aware of the throbbing pain in his injured leg. “This is the way it is going to be.” He still hadn’t dropped her gaze. His voice fairly shook with pent up emotion. “I am going to ease off of you and in return you will listen to what I have to say.” She refused to meet his gaze any longer, turning her head to the side. She blinked back tears he couldn’t help but see. It was a blow to his heart to see Elizabeth struggling not to cry. They had to work this out, no matter what the sight of her tears did to him. She had every right to be upset, to be angry, but he could not accept that she felt shame. She had nothing to be ashamed about. They shared a beautiful, precious, and wonderful gift. “Elizabeth, honey, although I would love to stay pressed against you like this all night, I really don’t think that’s what you want right now.” She didn’t move a muscle in response to his bantering. God, but she could be a stubborn woman. “Will you listen to me if I move away?” If she only knew how difficult it was for him to shield his own sadness and sense of shame. She hurt and he felt totally helpless, clueless about what to say that would get through the wall she had built between them. A slight, almost imperceptible nod was the only answer she gave. It would do. Trying not to wince, Sam slowly pushed himself away from her tempting body. Unable to withstand a complete separation, he kept his arm draped over her tummy. He needed to feel her skin against his. Now was not the time to fantasize about what might have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted. Truth be told, he feared she might run for the hills if he didn’t maintain a hold on her. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I shouldn’t have let things get out of hand.” She still refused to look at him. He kept trying to break down her wall. She needed to know he told her the truth. “I should have kept my promise to hold you. I truly am sorry.” With exquisite tenderness, Sam placed a soft kiss on her temple. Emotional turmoil caused Elizabeth to shiver. Sam grabbed the sheet and covered her nakedness. Guilt coursed through her body. Didn’t he understand? Her lack of self-control had started everything. She never should have gotten into bed with him. It was asking for trouble. She could only imagine what everyone must think of her now. God, they had all seen her wearing nothing but a stupid grin. She would not cry. Elizabeth Winters never cried. At least that’s what she wanted to believe. How would she ever look those three men in the eye again? Hell! She couldn’t even look at Sam. “Stop beating yourself up, baby. What we shared is nothing to be ashamed of. The

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intensity of the attraction between us is normal. Beth, we are not human. When we are near our mate, the hunger for each other overrides everything else.” “Don’t you understand? I don’t want to need you this way. I don’t want to need anyone. I lost control, Sam. I can’t afford to lose control that way.” “Baby, I don’t understand why losing your control for such a short time is bothering you. It is perfectly normal within the Loup-garou. The heat, the need, is the way it’s supposed to be between mates.” She heard the weariness in his voice. Shoving aside her embarrassment, Elizabeth turned back toward Sam. The sight shocked her. Beads of sweat ran down his face. He looked like he was suffering the fires of hell. “Damn it, Sam. Why didn’t you tell me that your leg was hurting this bad?” “We have things we need to discuss. That’s why.” “Oh, shut up, you idiot. We’ll talk later. It’s not like we can avoid each other. At least not for very long, anyway.” “I don’t want to lose you, Beth. I pushed you too far, too fast.” Closing his eyes against the pain, Sam kept speaking. “I couldn’t stand it if I drove you away.” “Then stop acting like a jackass and let me look at your leg.” Her complete emotional turn around surprised Sam and astounded Elizabeth even more. She didn’t know what it was about the man that had her bending over backward trying to keep him alive. Grabbing the sheet and holding it firmly to her chest, Elizabeth backed off the bed. Her eyes never leaving Sam’s. She knelt down, feeling around on the floor for her missing sleepwear. If she had known she’d be sharing Sam’s bed, she would have packed something a little sexier than an extra large baseball jersey. Where did that thought come from? “I’ve been possessed by a sex-crazed, hormone-driven teenager,” she muttered. “Do you always talk to yourself that way?” “Shut up, Sam. Better yet, tell me where my pajamas are.” He loved getting her riled up. She was a sight to behold—the white sheet wrapped around her like a toga, her mass of raven hair disheveled, and her cheeks flushed from anger and embarrassment. He found it difficult to keep his mind from wandering to thoughts of hot, sweaty, mind-blowing sex. “Try over there by the door.” He sure hoped she couldn’t detect the satisfaction he felt. She loved him, even if she didn’t know it yet. He could be patient now. Then again, with as much heat and passion that existed between them, being patient may have him climbing the walls from sheer frustration. If his leg didn’t hurt so bad, he might have been tempted to laugh. How had he managed to get by for so long without her? She was a treasure that he intended to cherish for the rest of his days. Even in pain she made him want to smile. She was truly a miracle. He watched as she continued to hunt for her clothes. Sure enough, she found her sleep shirt in front of the door, where all three men had stood minutes ago. Oh God! Could this get any worse? Where was a hole to crawl into and die when she needed one? Wrapping the sheet tighter around her, Elizabeth stomped her way to the bathroom,

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slamming the door behind her. Leaning against the closed door, she released the tears she had been holding back. How could she go find the doctor knowing what he had seen? What they must all think of her after her behavior? Sam needed Jack to look after his wound, and since she had a lot to do with Sam being in pain, she had to take her responsibility. Besides, after Sam chased the guys out, they probably wouldn’t come back in until they were invited. “Beth, honey, are you all right in there?” She felt his voice as much as heard it, husky, sexy, flowing through her mind, whispering across her skin and spreading through her body. “I’m fine, Sam. I’ll be out in a minute.” “Then why are you crying?” “I’m not crying.” She quickly wiped her tear stained cheeks with the back of her hand. “I never cry.” Pushing away from the door, Elizabeth walked over to the sink, turned on the faucet and let the cold water run. She didn’t recognize the woman staring back at her from the mirror. Her eyes red-rimmed from weeping, her lips bruised and swollen, her hair a wild mass of tangles—she looked like she’d been thoroughly debauched. Not the poster child for a ravenous beauty, Elizabeth thought. After splashing cold water on her face, she quickly ran her fingers through her hair. She donned her T-shirt, which fortunately hung past her knees. With one last glance at her reflection, she announced herself ready for battle. Elizabeth strode out of the bathroom and straight to the hospital room door, looked over her shoulder at Sam, then slipped out into the hall.

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Chapter Seventeen Elizabeth expected all three men to be lounging against the wall, wearing sly smiles and knowing grins. Instead, she found herself alone in the hallway. Where had everyone gone? At least she now had a few more minutes to herself before she had to face anyone. What would she say to them? Oh, God, she didn’t even want to think about it. Lost in thought, Elizabeth suddenly realized she had walked herself straight into a dead end. She had been so distracted she’d gotten lost. She was in a clinic, for cripes sake. How many hallways could there possibly be? A few wrong turns later Elizabeth arrived at a waiting room littered with wall-to-wall people. Some in chairs, others leaning against the walls. Had they arrived at the clinic during an epidemic? Conversation ceased as soon as she walked into the room. Two gray-haired women playing cards stopped and looked her over as if evaluating a horse going to market. After a few moments of scrutiny, they went back to their game. Elizabeth had no time to wonder if she passed inspection before a laughing, goldenhaired sprite ran up to her and began pulling on the hem of her sleep shirt. Oh, God! She still wore her pajamas. “Hi. I’m Amy. Who are you?” Crouching down so that she wouldn't be towering over the little girl, Elizabeth shook her hand. “Hi, Amy. My name is Elizabeth, but it would be all right if you called me Beth.” “Okay, Beth. Why do you only have a shirt on? Did you forget your pants somewhere? I bet my mommy and daddy can help you find them.” “Before my daughter embarrasses you any further, allow me to introduce myself.” The ruggedly handsome man approaching her appeared to be somewhere in his late thirties. The hard planes and sharp angles of his face, his hawk-like nose, slashing eyebrows and pale ice-blue eyes matched his no nonsense bearing. They said he lived a hard life and was stronger for it. His silver temples added to his aura of power. Here was a man comfortable with his skin and confident in his abilities. “Hello. I’m Zachary Malone, Jessica’s husband. And, of course, you’ve met Amy here.” Taking his hand, the thick calluses came as no surprise to her. “Sorry about my state of undress. If I had known…” “Don’t worry about it. We consider you family. Sam is very important to our people. We are all in your debt.” Elizabeth didn’t know what to say. These strangers welcomed her as though she had done something extraordinary. “I did what anyone would have done in the same situation. Please don’t make anything more out of this than it was.” “Very well, if that’s your wish. Let me introduce you around a bit, then I suggest we let Jack look at his patient before he has a fit and orders all of us out of here.” She didn’t know how to take his banter. Even after the humiliating incident earlier, she felt almost comfortable around these people. It amazed her how many changes had come to her life recently. They didn’t upset her as they had days before. Perhaps letting people into

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her life again wouldn’t be as horrible a prospect as she thought. “Okay. We need to make this quick, though. Sam’s leg is starting to bother him.” Jumping up from the chair he laid sprawled in, Jack started out of the room. “Go ahead and introduce her around,” he shouted over his shoulder. “I’ll peek in on my patient.” As soon as Jack left, Zachary introduced her to a room full of Loup-garou. “You see those two old biddies sitting over there playing cards?” Taking her silence as an affirmative, he went on. “The one on the right who looks like she tasted something sour is my mother, Beatrice. The other is her sister, Agatha.” “Is that any way to introduce me, young man? I am your mother and you’re never too big to get a strap taken to your hide.” “Who are you fooling, Mother? You’ve never raised your hand to me in all these years and I doubt that you’ll start now. Besides, whenever you play poker with Aunt Agatha, you look like you’ve eaten a lemon.” “She doesn’t enjoy losing to me, Zach. You know that. You would think after being twins for so long she’d be able to read me by now.” “Oh, shut up, Agatha, and give me two more cards.” Watching the exchange between the three of them was better than sitting in a club listening to a comedian. Next, he herded Elizabeth to another group of people sitting in the corner, their heads together deep in conversation. “These are the council members. Each pack sends their eldest family member here once a year to learn news from Sam’s organization. They began arriving this evening. Once word got out about Sam’s injuries, the council members started flying in. This year’s gathering wasn’t scheduled for another two months, but Sam’s condition moved things up.” “We can speak for ourselves, young Zach.” Elizabeth shifted under the wizened old man's penetrating stare. “So, you're the young lady we have to thank for keeping Samuel alive, hmmm…” “Well, all I…” “Nonsense, nonsense. You are a hero, young lady, a hero.” “Oh, leave her be, Matthew. Can’t you see you’re embarrassing the young lady?” Elizabeth didn’t even want to guess the age of the new speaker. With tufts of gray hair sticking straight up, his face covered in wrinkles, he looked like Albert Einstein sans mustache. “My name is Albert. You’ve met Matthew, here. That old fellow chewing on his pipe is Victor and the young pup who looks like he hasn’t slept in six weeks is Pierre. He flew in from Paris not half an hour past.” Elizabeth gave Zachary a confused look. “I thought you said these were the eldest family members. Pierre doesn’t look much older than me.” “Pierre and his younger sisters are all that is left of his pack. The rest were slaughtered by vampires when Pierre was no more than a young boy.” Elizabeth covered her mouth in dismay. How could she make such a faux pas? “I’m so sorry, Pierre. I shouldn’t have been prying into something that is none of my business.” “It is no problem, Madame Elizabeth. Sam is our leader. As Sam’s mate, you are his equal. We keep no secrets from Sam, so we keep none from you.” On bent knee, Pierre

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pressed a kiss to the back of her hand before bowing his head. “As head of my family, I thank you for saving our Sam’s life. He is the reason many of us are still alive. We are forever in your debt, my lady.” “No one owes me anything. Please, stand up. This is not necessary. And please, for goodness sake, will you call me Elizabeth?” “Oui, as you wish.” “Are you about ready to move on, Elizabeth? There are still several people who demand to meet their queen before you return to Sam,” Zach added. Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks. The shock left her almost speechless. She forced the words. “What did you call me?” “I thought you knew. Sam is our leader, our king. As his mate, that makes you our queen. You didn’t know?” Zach showed his obvious surprise. Looking around the packed room, she saw the stunned reaction on the faces of the others at her ignorance. Apparently, she still had many things to learn. She needed to sit. No sooner had she thought it than her legs went out from under her. Someone carried her to one of the few empty chairs in the crowded room. “I can’t be a queen. I write stories for a living. How can I be a queen? I don’t know how to be a queen. How could Sam do this to me?” “Sam doesn’t boast about his position in the Loup-garou society. He doesn’t like to think of himself as a king, either. He has said many times that he’s no more important than any other member of our species. You have already proven to everyone in this room that you are worthy of the title of queen, worthy to be Sam’s mate.” “I don’t understand, Zach.” Her voice came out as a strangled whisper. She glanced around the room. All eyes focused on her. “I don’t remember anything in our history about kings.” “Once, long ago the Loup-garou was ruled by a king and queen. Over the last few centuries, no sooner had our kings and queens come into power, than they became hunted by the Vampire society and destroyed. After years of watching the strongest of our kind slaughtered, the council decided that only the alpha pair of each family would know the identity of their king and queen. Once a king dies the council members vote on who is to become his successor. It has been that way for many years.” “If I understand this right, the title is not hereditary.” “That’s right, Elizabeth,” Zach replied. “My father was our last king. On his death, the council gathered and voted on their new king. Sam has been our leader, our king, for the last five years.” “So long? I don’t know what to say. This news is…” She had thought it would be hard enough to accept Sam as her mate, but herself as queen? Things like this didn’t happen, not to her, and certainly not in real life. She’d been alone so long, she didn’t know if she could handle this on top of everything else she’d been through recently. “I know this is a surprise to you. I expect that Sam didn’t want to scare you away. He doesn’t consider himself king, either, but neither of you can change what is. You can only accept what cannot be changed.” “I’m sorry if I sound like an idiot. This is all coming at me from out of left field.”

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“There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Elizabeth. It isn’t everyday you learn that you’ve married into royalty. Are you about ready to meet everyone else?” “Sure, Zach. Lead the way.” Wringing Sam’s neck placed higher on her list of what she wanted to do. How could he forget to mention this to her? If there were any more surprises he neglected to mention, he may never be well enough to get out of bed again. You hear that, Sam? How could you not tell me that you were king? Beth, baby. It’s not as if I’ve really had time to tell you. Be honest, if I had told you that I was the leader of our people, would you have even agreed to meet me at the café that morning? That’s beside the point. You could have told me anytime. You’re right, Elizabeth. It was wrong to withhold this from you. All I can say in my defense is that I was afraid it would frighten you off. It was not your decision to make. You should have told me. I’m sorry. Please forgive me for being so callous. I should have been more careful with your feelings. I shouldn’t have kept this a secret. Just don’t let it happen again, Sam. I can’t take all of these surprises. If I’m your mate, you should have trusted me. How can I trust you now, after this? How could she not, though? Her feelings about Sam confused her. She regretted their earlier intimacy. She should have stuck to her belief that she was better off alone. Her heart wouldn’t be hurting now. She felt as if she had a mortal wound that nothing would ever be able to heal. It won’t happen again, baby. Believe that. Why was she even contemplating giving in to him, forgiving him? Because she couldn’t stay mad at him for long. Besides, being mad at a man laid up in bed was a waste of time. Are you well? Being extremely miffed at Sam at the moment didn’t prevent her from worrying. He had still been in a serious amount of pain when she’d left the room. Yes, Jack looked at my injuries again. He went to get another pint of blood. I’ll be back as soon as I can. It seems I’m to be introduced to all of your people first. They’re OUR people, Beth. Zachary continued to shepherd Elizabeth around the room. The next group of folks they stopped in front of was quite a bit larger than the others had been. “You’ve already met Sebastian and Blake, of course. Marco here is Matthew’s nephew. He runs his family’s restaurant division. They opened their first restaurant in Canada a few months ago. Isn’t that right?” “Yes, it is. May I say, it is a pleasure to meet you, my queen? Sam has done very well. I can only hope that I find a mate who is half as beautiful as you.” “Thank you, I think.” “What do you mean, you think? Tell me that the numbskull hasn’t been negligent in showering you with words of praise.” She saw the laughter in his eyes. This one was a charmer, that’s for sure. Chuckling at his mock affront, Elizabeth shook her head, enjoying herself for the first time in what seemed like ages.

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“It seems I shall have to teach our king some manners.” She smiled at him. “You do that, Marco.” Zach interrupted their banter to continue the introductions. “The red-headed vixen hanging on Blake’s arm would be Marco’s sister, Rachel.” “Has anyone ever told you that you are a smooth talker, Zachary Malone?” Rachel asked. “Now that you mention it, Rachel, I do believe that Jessica has said that very thing to me on more than one occasion.” Elizabeth elbowed Zach in the gut, then turned to the stunning redhead. “It’s nice to meet you, Rachel. Thank you for coming. I am sure all this support means a lot to Sam.” “Heck, I came to meet you. I’ve always wondered what type of woman it would take to settle that man down. Why, when he was visiting with us last summer he…” “Don’t mind my sister,” Marco interjected. “Her mouth wanders sometimes.” Playfully punching her brother on the shoulder, Rachel turned back toward Elizabeth. “Well if you ever want to hear about Sam’s misspent youth, look me up.” “I’ll make sure to do that whenever I need some ammunition to blackmail Sam into doing what I want.” Elizabeth had a hard time keeping a straight face. She still couldn’t get over how quickly they accepted her. She wished that she had gotten dressed before coming out. The fact that all of his people were meeting her for the first time while she wore only her pajamas felt a little strange. You are their queen, baby. And I think you look cute in your pajamas. Heck, every queen should greet her people wearing a baseball jersey. Oh, shut up and go back to sleep. She heard his laughter brush through her mind, a touch of warmth that winged itself straight to her heart. Even while in pain, he worried about her peace of mind. “And the quiet one hiding behind Sebastian is our kid sister, Isabella.” “Hello, Isabella. It must drive you crazy having these two as brothers. How ever do you cope?” She couldn’t have been more than sixteen, but already well on her way to being a knockout. With big blue eyes and honey-gold hair, she would be every man’s fantasy in another couple of years. Elizabeth didn’t envy Isabella’s brothers when the boys started knocking at the door, if they weren’t already. “Um…hi. I have been so looking forward to meeting you. I heard what you did. Facing that vampire alone. Weren’t you scared?” “More scared than you can imagine.” “Then why'd you do it?” “There wasn’t a choice. I did what I had to and that’s all there is to it.” “It was a very brave thing to do. You will make a wonderful queen.” “I hope you’re right, Isabella. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. But, I have no idea how to be a queen, you know.” “I think you're doing a good job, for someone who didn’t even know she was queen until a few minutes ago.” “Was it that obvious to everyone?”

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“Well, you did turn an interesting shade of gray.” Unable to hold it back any longer, Blake began shaking with laughter. Raising her eyebrows, Elizabeth faced Blake, who up to a moment ago had stood in silence. “You think that’s funny, do you, Blake?” “Well, actually. I, uh…you know I better go check on Sam.” Elizabeth tried not to laugh when Blake turned around and practically ran in the other direction. “Elizabeth, I wanted to apologize to you for earlier. We never should have…” “It is all right, Sebastian. I admit I was upset at the time. Mortified probably is the best description.” “I am so sorry, Elizabeth. If I had known…” Sebastian’s crimson face turned more so with each passing second. Elizabeth thought, if possible, he looked even more embarrassed than she had been. Sebastian cleared his throat before continuing. “Just know that it will never happen again.” ***** Although Zach didn’t know exactly what his brother was talking about, it must have been the reason he had been acting so strange when he’d come back from checking on Sam earlier. Maybe he’d find out what that was all about later. Then again, judging from the expression on his brother’s face, maybe not. Is there anything I need to know, Sebastian? Nothing you need to worry about, Zachary. Just make sure no one treats Elizabeth badly. She is a true gift to our people and must be protected at all costs. Zachary heard the sadness in his brother’s voice. Are you doing well, Sebastian? I think I may go away for a while once the council members go home. I'm growing lonelier each day. You have your mate and now Sam has his. Maybe mine is out there somewhere waiting on me. I owe it to myself to find her, Brother. Then I wish you luck and Godspeed. If you ever have need of me, call to me and I will be there. Thank you, Brother.

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Chapter Eighteen With a nod, Zachary guided Elizabeth to the last cluster of people she had yet to meet. The largest group by far, there was at least fifteen people huddling around the clinic’s lone water cooler. Before Zachary could get in a word of introduction, a woman nearly twice Elizabeth’s size dragged her into a bone-crushing hug. “Well now, my name be Catherine and you be our new queen. I have to tell you up front, greeting your people wearing only a shirt is a might bit unorthodox, mind you, but quite a bit entertaining. So tell me, when can we expect the first little one? You know, there is nothing like some hot sex between the sheets to keep you young and healthy. Why, when we was young, that would be my husband and me, we made love at least three times a day. Before he passed, we slowed down to only twice a day. He couldn’t keep up with me any longer, God rest his soul.” My God, Sam. This woman is already asking how soon before our first child arrives. I’d be more than happy to work on that right away, if you desire Elizabeth. I’m sure I’m up to it. Very funny, Sam. Enjoy your little joke. You’re going to owe me big time after this is over. Who’s joking? Give it up, Sam. Don’t let Blake and Jack keep you up too long. You need your rest. My mate for less than a week and already the nagging begins. Hey, I didn’t ask to be your mate. Besides, it’s not nagging when I’m right. And stop listening in on my conversations. But, I am having such a good time. I’m learning some of the most interesting things this way. “Woolgathering, are you missy?” The woman’s question grabbed Elizabeth’s attention. “Sorry, what was that?” Dang it, Sam. I’m supposed to be paying attention here. Stop distracting me. He responded with a soft chuckle, obviously having a grand old time while she fumbled to come up with polite conversation. She was not used to being in large groups of people. She wouldn’t even agree to a book signing. Instead, she chose to remain a mystery to her fans. “I was saying to Zachary here that you remind me of someone I knew once.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” “It’s Elmira, dear.” “It’s nice to meet you, Elmira. Who was it you thought I took after?” “Well, as I was saying, when I was a young girl I went with my father to one of the gatherings. I couldn’t have been more than ten summers then. I hadn’t reached the age of the change yet and I was feeling left out. I met a young woman there. She was so beautiful and full of spirit. She could walk into a room and all eyes would turn toward her. She had a presence, an aura of gracefulness that surrounded her. One day, she pulled me aside and told me that I would find a love as strong as hers and I would never feel left out again.” “Do you remember this young woman’s name?” “Of course, dear. Her name was Amelia. I imagine she married, but after that summer,

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I never saw her again. Over the years, I thought of her often. I wish I knew whatever happened to her.” Tears welled in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Thank you for sharing that with me. Amelia was my grandmother’s name.” “Oh, child! She was truly a beautiful person. You have that same aura about you. You will make our people proud. You come from good stock.” “Thank you, Elmira. If you don’t mind, perhaps we can speak of my grandmother again soon—over coffee?” “Of course, dear. Anytime. Young Zachary here knows how to reach me.” Elizabeth stared after her as Elmira walked away. “That was the first person I’ve ever talked to who knew my grandmother.” “Many of the elders knew your grandparents, Elizabeth. When your family was murdered during their gathering, we assumed there were no survivors. Many probably feel guilty that they didn’t search for you.” “Why should they have, Zach?” “You have to know that our numbers are lower than they have ever been. Before I found Jessica five years ago, no male had found a mate in nearly twenty years. If we had known there were survivors, especially children, any one of the families would have volunteered to raise you as one of their own. Finding our mates and having children are the only hope our species has of survival. Even if we were to destroy the entire vampire population, if we don’t reproduce, we will cease to exist.” “Perhaps if my grandparents had not left all they knew behind to raise their family, I might not have been raised amongst strangers.” For a moment, Elizabeth’s mind clouded with regret, her heart heavy with despair. “Well, no matter. There’s nothing I can do about that now.” Are you all right, Elizabeth? I feel your sadness beating at me. I’m fine, Sam. Stop worrying about me. That will never happen, my love. It is my job to worry about your happiness from now on. No, your job is to get well so you can take over as king, or whatever it is you do, and I can get back to writing my book. I have a deadline to keep. You can try to pretend you don’t care about me, but every time you tell me to rest, you prove you do. Oh, stuff it, Sam. I’ll be back shortly to make sure you’re sleeping like you’re supposed to be. Promises, promises, babe. “No, Elizabeth. You can’t do anything about what happened in the past, but the future is not set in stone. You can be more help than you can possibly imagine.” “I don’t understand, Zachary. What can I possibly do?” A woman’s voice broke into their conversation. “I believe what Zachary is trying to say is that you are the Loup-garou’s hope for the future.” “Elizabeth, this is Dominique Dubois. Don’t let her face fool you. Behind her twinkling eyes and merry smile lies a woman who has seen more seasons than any other member of our species. She is the eldest member of the council and has seen more tragedy and triumph than most of us put together.”

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“It is an honor to meet you, Dominique.” “No, Elizabeth. The honor is mine. I have seen so many good people die, slaughtered. Men, women, children. It didn’t matter. We are dying—our people are dying, more everyday it seems. It will be up to you and Sam to save us. It is a burden that I imagine will weigh heavily on your young shoulders at times, but you have great courage and spirit. You two will succeed where others have failed. I have seen this.” “Thank you for your faith in us. I only hope that it isn’t misplaced.” Needing to find a quiet place to think, Elizabeth turned back toward Zachary who’d silently watched the by-play between the two women. “Do you think we can continue the introductions tomorrow? I need to get back to Sam.” In all honesty, Elizabeth didn’t think she could take much more. She had so many things to think about, so much new information to process. She needed to get away from everyone for a while, maybe get some sleep. “Sure, Elizabeth.” Turning toward the rest of the group waiting for introductions, Zachary voiced her request. “If you’ll excuse us, everyone, I’m gonna walk her back to her room. Her place right now should be with Sam.” As they walked down the hall, Elizabeth slowed. “I don’t know if I can do what everyone expects from me, Zachary.” She didn’t even bother masking the worry in her voice. “Just have faith in yourself, have faith in Sam. Everything will work out the way it is meant to.” Stopping at the closed door, Elizabeth looked back over her shoulder at Zach. “Thank you for helping me in there. I would have been lost without you. I am in your debt.” “You can repay me by standing by that man in there. He will love you with his whole heart and soul if you let him. All you need to do is let him in.” With a nod, Elizabeth opened the door to the room she shared with Sam. She came to a sudden stop. “Sam, what in the hell do you think you are doing?” Elizabeth expected to find Sam lying abed, sound asleep. She definitely hadn’t expected to see him standing in the center of the room, fully dressed, and looking as though he could move mountains with his bare hands. “What are you doing out of bed?” she shrieked. She didn’t mean to sound like a shrew, but she was not ready to confront Sam or her confusing feelings right now. “You were gone quite a while and I could feel your uneasiness.” Sam enjoyed watching Elizabeth’s startled reaction, especially considering how upset she was with him. He had worried that she would walk out on him. He couldn’t let that happen. Realizing that he’d been silent too long, Sam slowly approached his irritated mate. “You shouldn’t have been put in that situation. I apologize you were subjected to that.” “I was handling it, though. You should be in bed. How is it that you are up and about anyway?” “Would you believe that I wasn’t as injured as you’d originally thought?” Judging by Elizabeth’s stance, he took her unspoken answer to be no. How could a woman look so utterly magnificent while wearing a scowl and tapping her foot impatiently? “The best Jack can figure is that your blood must be extremely pure.” “I don’t understand.” She said it simply, starkly. She had a look of total concentration on her face, as though trying desperately to puzzle something out.

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Sam waved his hand toward the bed, “Why don’t we sit down,” he suggested. Elizabeth eyed the bed. A fresh wave of heat blazed across her face, reaching to Sam as he felt her embarrassment. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. Before she could utter a protest, Sam spoke up. “I’ll take the chair. Have a seat and I’ll fill you in the best I can.” Hopefully Sam couldn’t see her relief. She really didn’t want to discuss what happened earlier. The bed, with its tangled mass of rumpled sheets and blankets, vividly reminded her of how close she’d come to sleeping with him. That thought should have terrified her, but for one brief moment she experienced the disappointed. What would it have been like had they continued their lovemaking? “Actually, I think I’ll stand for a few minutes.” She tried to make her face a calm mask. Thoughts of sitting on that bed had her mind and heart in chaos, her cheeks burning and her pulse racing. “Okay.” Sam watched from half-closed lids as Elizabeth paced in front of his chair. She wrung her hands together, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “Would you feel better if we went for a walk, got out of this room for a little while?” Elizabeth jerked her head up. Had she been that obvious? “What about your leg? Should you even be out of bed?” She’d like nothing better than to escape this room, but not at the risk of Sam’s health. That, she wouldn’t allow. “Sure. Jack gave me the all clear after shaking his head in disbelief.” He sensed Elizabeth’s nervousness, her need to be alone for a while. After dropping the latest bombshell on her, giving her a few minutes to herself seemed the least he could do. “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll see about finding a flashlight for our walk.” Leaving Elizabeth standing in the center of the room, Sam walked to the clinic’s waiting room, expecting to greet a room full of his people. With a mixture of both relief and amazement, he found only Blake, Sebastian, Zachary, and Jessica sitting in the uncomfortable looking plastic chairs. “Where did everyone go?” “Did you actually think they all came because of you?” Blake snickered. “They needed an excuse to check out your mate.” Sam couldn’t stop the heat of embarrassment that spread across his face when he remembered how much of his mate Blake and Sebastian got to see. Clearing his throat, Sam turned toward Zach in time to see Jessica playfully slap away her husband’s roaming hand. Jessica’s cheeks blazed crimson at being caught in such an intimate act. Sam knew that when it came to her personal life, Jessica was shy and reserved. Challenge her family, though, or those under her care, and she’d protect them with her life if need be. “I wanted to thank you for standing in for me tonight, Zach. I know Elizabeth was very grateful to you for all of your help.” “It was the least I could do. I have to say, though, I was surprised when Sebastian asked me to stick around tonight. I thought you’d be laid up in bed for a while.” Grasping his wife’s hand before continuing, “Jessica said you looked pretty damn bad off when she brought you here.” Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Sam chuckled. “Well, not as surprised as Elizabeth when she walked in the room and found me out of bed.” Out of the corner of his eye, Sam watched as Sebastian eased himself out of his chair

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and started for the front door. Sam knew what Sebastian felt. He’d gone through it himself. Until he found Elizabeth, he’d been so alone. He had his friends, his colleagues, but the Loup-garou needed to find their mates before their lives could be complete. Sometimes though, the aching loneliness left such a hole in the soul that the person started taking foolish risks without regard for personal well-being. Maybe Sam could do something to fill Sebastian’s hours until he found his mate. “Blake, Zach, Jessica…can you wait here a moment? I need to speak with Sebastian, and then I have a favor to ask each of you.” Sam didn’t wait for them to agree. He followed Sebastian outdoors just in time to see him climb in behind the wheel of his old beat up Jeep. He often wondered why Sebastian had never replaced the old jalopy once his family struck it rich. That question would have to wait for another time. Right now, they had more important things to discuss. “Hold up a minute, Sebastian,” Sam called. With jaw clenched and hands gripping the steering wheel, Sebastian waited for Sam to walk up to the jeep. “What is it, Sam?” He paused. ”Look, I don’t mean to sound belligerent. I just need to get the hell away from everyone.” Taking in Sebastian’s body language, Sam reevaluated how to handle the situation. He didn’t think Sebastian would appreciate the hand-holding approach. “Look, I need someone I can trust to do something for me. You have all the qualifications I need and I thought that maybe you might be looking for a little adventure. Interested?” Sebastian hesitated, then sighed in resignation. “That depends on what the job is.” “I need a pilot on my payroll. I’ll need you on call at all times.” “I don’t understand. What’s changed? Last I knew you preferred flying commercial.” “It’s not as feasible anymore, Sebastian. You know as well as I that the organization is growing beyond what even I imagined five years ago. Commercial flight leaves too much risk that we’ll be too late getting places.” Sighing, Sam raked his hand through his hair. “Our people are spread across every continent, some in countries that have no airports or airfields nearby. I can’t take the chance anymore. Vampires have practically wiped our people out. If there was another medical emergency like the one I went through, I’d be more comfortable knowing that a plane would always be available to get aid quickly where it was needed.” “So, you want me available in case you need to go somewhere? Is that it?” Sebastian scoffed. “No. Haven’t you noticed the increase in hostilities around the world? Vampires are wholly evil and Earth is their playing field. They feed off misery, off pain. I need you to be my eyes and ears. Blake has begun tracking incidences of crime and hate around the world. I want you to fly to these locations, to investigate. I need you, Sebastian. Our people need you.” Sebastian furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before replying. “All right, Sam. Just tell me where and when and I’ll be there.” “Good. I’ll have Blake give you a call as soon as we have things in place. I appreciate this.” Gripping the steering wheel harder, Sebastian sighed. “Um, Sam, I wanted to say that

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I’m sorry about…” “Forget it. It was an accident.” “That’s easy for you to say. I don’t know how I’ll be able to look Elizabeth in the face again. She must really hate the sight of me right now.” Sam shook his head. “Rest easy, my friend. I don’t think it’s possible for Elizabeth to hate anyone. Besides, she’s more afraid of what everyone else thinks.” “She’s your mate. It’s not like either of you could resist the other for very long.” “Well, I know that and you know that. Now, I need to convince Elizabeth of that. Speaking of which, I better get back to her in case she decides to bolt before we get a chance to talk.” “Good luck, Sam. You know how to reach me.” With a final wave, Sebastian backed out of the parking lot and sped off into the night, leaving Sam watching his taillights fade from view. Turning on his heel, Sam loped back up the steps and into the clinic. Blake stood with his shoulder propped against the wall flipping through an old magazine when Sam returned. Jamming his hands into his pockets after tossing the magazine on the nearest table, Blake waited while Sam approached. “Hey, Blake,” Sam called. “I need you to do something for me.” “Sure. What do you need? Is it about the search for your missing sister? I know we haven’t had any leads since she disappeared but—” “No. That’s going to have to wait, I’m afraid. Samantha disappeared twenty years ago. A few days aren’t going to make much of a difference. Besides, this is more important. I need you to focus your spare time on collecting that data we’ve been discussing.” “Are you talking about the statistical analysis concerning increased crime and violence?” “That’s the one.” Sam noticed the confusion written all over Blake’s face. Blake had tried for a year to convince him it needed to be done, yet he’d always found something else more important. “Why the sudden change in your opinion? I thought your main concern right now was uniting our people again, finding those families that scattered over the last few centuries.” “I know. That’s still a priority, but right now Sebastian needs a purpose. I don’t want to lose him. How long would it take you to come up with a list of potential vampire locations?” “I could have that list within a couple of days. I started gathering the information we discussed a few months back. The information is outdated some, but it would be a start.” “Great. When you’ve got it ready fax me a copy and I’ll get with Sebastian.” Sam then turned his attention to Zach. “Is there a fax machine in the cabin?” “No, but I can get one installed first thing tomorrow.” “When that’s done, make sure Blake has the number.” Nodding, Zachary brought Jessica’s hand to his mouth for a kiss, before walking over to the wall phone across the room. “Speaking of the cabin, is it livable?” Sam asked. “I haven’t been there since the council meeting last summer.”

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“I had it prepared for you this afternoon,” Jessica replied. “I had the guest bed moved here to the clinic. Also, the refrigerator has been stocked and all the linens changed. I take it you’ll be moving into the cabin tonight?” “I think it might be best. Elizabeth and I need some time together.” “Do you need a lift to the cabin?” “That’s not necessary. Elizabeth is getting dressed now. I thought getting out of the room was as good an excuse as any to walk to the cabin. Do you think one of you can drop off our bags at my place before we get there?” Jessica eyed Sam suspiciously. “Obviously, Elizabeth has no idea that you have a cabin up here or that she’ll be staying there with you, does she?” “No, she doesn’t.” “She doesn’t what, Sam?” Elizabeth stepped into the room, pausing long enough to make eye contact with each person there. “Well, what don’t I know, Sam?”

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Chapter Nineteen Sam floundered, his thoughts chaotic. He knew he needed to say something to her, but he couldn’t seem to find his tongue. She wore a skintight pair of black jeans and a long sleeved silk blouse the same silvery hue as her eyes. She looked breathtaking. “Oh, just that I haven’t had a chance to tell you about my organization yet.” “Organization?” He heard the curiosity in her voice. Good. Curiosity was a good sign. “That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t want you to go through another surprise like the one tonight if I can help it. You ready to go for that walk now?” “Sure. Let’s go.” Sam snagged her hand, entwining their fingers. “Now, we can go.” Grinning, he watched as a pink blush spread across her cheeks. Nodding farewell, Sam led Elizabeth out into the crisp spring night. Her senses flared as she allowed the night to engulf her, embrace her. The night came alive. She heard the wind gently rustling through the trees. She smelled the richness of the earth around her and felt at peace. Complete. Sam’s hand holding onto hers conveyed a calming, almost protective, sensation making her feel cherished—an entirely new feeling for her. A pack of wolves sang in the distance, their music filled the night. Sam, too, succumbed to the beauty all around him. His heart felt full. He was blessed. He tightened his grip on Elizabeth’s hand, his thumb caressing her wrist. They walked for several minutes, not speaking, just enjoying being together. “So, are you going to tell me how you’re walking around without even the slightest limp, Sam?” Elizabeth questioned. Sam shrugged, moving the low-hanging branches out of the way, as they continued walking through the woods. “Actually, Jack really isn’t too sure. We heal quickly to begin with. Some of us heal faster than others do. He does have a theory though.” “What’s his theory?” she asked, her voice oozing curiosity. “Are you familiar with much of our history?” “Not really. I remember some stories, but most of what I know is from personal experience.” “When vampires began hunting our people, many of the packs went into hiding, losing contact with other packs and even their own family members. After a few generations, the Loup-garou began dying out. Vampires continued to hunt those of us they could find and we had all but lost contact with our own. Over the years we began mating with humans, blending completely within human society, leading productive lives.” “I think I understand. With so many being slaughtered, blending with the humans probably seemed the best option at the time.” Elizabeth sighed, “I can’t help but think that perhaps it was the beginning of our own downfall, though.” “Jack’s theory is that with each generation we have become less and less Loup-garou. We still have the same abilities in varying degrees. That is why I have been searching for

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others of our kind. If we can find our true mates, other werewolves, we can begin to strengthen our society once more. We can join in the fight against the vampire to protect humans and werewolves alike.” “You want to unite all the packs, don’t you? To find those that have been in hiding.” “I think it will be the only way to defeat the vampires, Elizabeth.” “I see.” While they talked Sam led her deeper and deeper into the timber. “Sam, you do know where we’re going don’t you?” “Of course I do, Beth. We have a cabin on one of the smaller lakes. It’s not far now.” “We have a cabin?” she squeaked. Stopping where they stood, Sam faced her and took both her hands in his. “We are mates, Elizabeth. Our lives are now one. You and I were destined to be together. It’s more than sexual attraction between us. It’s our souls calling to each other, demanding to be reunited.” “I’ve only known you a few days.” Fear coursed through her body. She didn’t want this. How could she survive if she allowed herself to love and something happened to him? “I want you to look into your heart, Beth. What are you really feeling? How did you feel when I was hurt? When you were defending my life? Taking care of me?” Turning away, Sam led her through the trees, holding the branches as she passed beneath them. Lost in thought, Elizabeth plowed into Sam’s back as he came to a stop. “There it is,” he whispered. The log cabin stood next to a crystal clear lake, a sanctuary surrounded by trees and nature’s beauty. The sense of privacy and solitude awed her. “This private retreat is yours?” “It’s ours, baby. I had it built nearly five years ago now. I come here when I need solitude, peace. Now it’s our secret place.” “I don’t know what to say, Sam.” “Don’t say anything, Beth. Come inside. Be with me. That’s all I ask. Be with me.” Tightening his grip on her hand, Sam led Elizabeth into their cabin. While she looked around the one room cabin, he busied himself by lighting a fire in the hearth. He noticed the luggage sitting inside the door. Jessica wasted no time in getting the bags here. He wasn’t usually nervous, but it wasn’t every day that he planned to try to seduce his true mate. Elizabeth pointed to the suitcases. “How did they get here?” He had expected her to be angry about his high-handedness, but judging by her smile, he had been wrong. Elizabeth? Did he dare to hope? Had he read her wrong? Had she reached a decision? Only one way to find out. Taking a deep and steadying breath, Sam held his hand out to his mate—the choice now hers to make. He wanted her to come to him because she couldn’t do anything else, didn’t want to do anything else. Sam knew the exact moment Elizabeth decided to give herself into his safekeeping, to become his mate in every sense. His body, already throbbing with unrelenting need, began to burn brighter, hotter. He held his breath as she slowly approached him. His pulse quickened, his body hummed as each step brought her closer. The decisive moment could not be avoided. She knew it and so did Sam. What she felt

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was something so much more than hormones—something deeper, more elemental. No more excuses. She trusted Sam. She loved him. It was that simple…completely, hopelessly in love with him. Destiny had dictated her future and she no longer had any desire to fight it. Placing her hand in the safety of his, Elizabeth raised her eyes to Sam’s. She saw the love and trust blazing from their depths. With the slightest tug, Sam pulled her into the shelter of his arms. She felt his heart pounding against her cheek, the warmth from his body seeping into hers. His hard body pressed against her, strong and secure. His arms held her close to his heart. His hand closed around her nape, tunneling under the wealth of ravenblack hair. “This is your last chance, Elizabeth. I won’t stop this time.” She answered him the only way she knew how. She slid her arms up his hard muscled chest and wrapped them around his neck. She pulled his head down to hers. No more time to think, only to feel. She kissed him softly, tenderly, pouring all her love into this moment—this perfect moment. She nipped at his bottom lip, then soothed the tiny hurt with her swirling tongue. “Make love to me, Sam. Right here. Right now.” Her words carried all the intensity of a demand. The kiss turned hot and ravishing as Sam took control. His tongue met hers, thrusting and parrying in a dance of scorching passion. His mouth ravaged hers. The passion in Sam’s kiss overwhelmed her senses. There existed only this moment in time, only this man. All her senses came alive. She felt his hunger, his need, and it enflamed her own. She watched him, entranced, as he undressed. Her body screamed at her for release, her blood surging wildly, hotly in her veins. Her pulse leaped as he tossed his shirt to the floor. Elizabeth stood transfixed as Sam slowly unbuttoned his jeans. Everything inside her wanted to pounce, to attack and ravage. She licked her dry lips. She felt his hunger, the need to make her his. She sensed his struggle with the beast warring with his need to be gentle. She savored his joy at finding his mate, his overwhelming need to please her. She no longer doubted his love. It washed over her in waves. A deep abiding love like no other. It told her she was the only woman he desired, the only woman he would ever want again. His life—his destiny. Slipping his thumbs into his waistband, Sam eased the jeans down his hips, exposing his golden skin in tiny increments. Elizabeth’s breath hitched, caught as he slipped his jeans past his hips. His hard length sprung free from his jeans and stood at attention. Her eyes focused on his rigid shaft. The desire to touch him, to wrap her hand around his hard length and feel its warmth and power nearly overwhelmed her. She smelled his arousal, his excitement. It called to her as nothing else could. She felt his gaze burning her, watching her with anticipation. His sheer masculinity mesmerized her, all hard muscle with legs both powerful and gorgeous. His tongue darted out, moistening his lips as his jeans dropped to the floor. He stood there in front of her, completely naked, basking in the heat from her eyes. He smiled, slow, sexy. Her body sang, a thirst only Sam could quench. Crooking his finger, Elizabeth felt his voice whispering through her mind. Low, sexy, husky. Her blood thickened, slowed, her body growing weak with unrelenting hunger. Come here, Elizabeth. She lost herself in his gaze. Her feet moved toward him, slow, steady. Her silk blouse

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felt tight, confining. She loosened first one button, then the next. No. Let me undress you. Her fingers stilled, her hands dropped to her sides as she stopped mere inches from Sam’s body. The heat from his skin radiated to her. She saw his pulse beating wildly against his neck. She wanted to run her tongue across it, to taste his desire. She stood there, waiting, anticipating his touch, needing the sensation of his hands on her sensitive skin. The first touch of his hands sent liquid warmth pooling in her abdomen. Gently, ever so lightly, his hands brushed her breasts as he continued to unbutton her blouse. Her nipples hardened beneath his touch, pushing against the fabric of her bra, straining, begging for his touch. When the last button gave way, Sam opened her blouse. His eyes feasted on her exposed skin before bending down and running his tongue over the creamy swell of her breasts. Elizabeth arched her back, offering him her body. Lifting his head, Sam’s eyes met hers in a look of pure hunger, of an undeniable desire to feast within her welcoming warmth. Gently, carefully, Sam pushed her shirt off her shoulders, letting it slip down her arms and onto the floor. Sam’s warm breath brushed against her breasts as he lowered his head. His hands caressed her skin. He eased first one strap, then the other down her arms before encircling her waist. His lips touched hers, feather soft, a whisper of movement. His hands slid up the length of her back, unhooking her bra. His tongue surged past her lips. He plundered her mouth, caressed her back. Urgency swam through her veins as her bra hit the floor, adding to the pile of clothes already there. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer until her pants presented the only barrier between them. His tongue continued to caress hers and his fingers delved into the rich thickness of her hair. Her hands stroked his wide chest. Her body rubbed sinuously against his hardness. She absorbed his every emotion, his every breath through their mental link. It overwhelmed her. Sam relished the sensation of her body pressed against his, but he wanted more. Much more. His hands tangled in her silky hair, trapping her against him, and he still wanted more. He needed the texture of her skin against his. There would be no more barriers between them. He needed to know he would never be alone again. He broke the kiss. Looking into her eyes, he slowly released his hold on her hair. He saw the silent question in her eyes, eyes filled with lustful need. He took a step back, then another, never dropping her gaze. She had to feel his hunger, had to know that this desire between them would last for all time. He wanted to be gentle with her, to give her pleasure beyond endurance. He swallowed. His heart raced. His blood boiled. He heard the pounding of her heart, felt her raging need. He sought their mental link, needing to share every moment, every sensation with her. To experience this together, as their kind was meant to. Sam sucked in a tortured breath as Elizabeth’s hand skimmed across muscle and sinew, trailing down his torso until it encircled his rigid member. He was hot and hard, throbbing, pulsating against her hand. She had to stop. He couldn’t take much more. He feared he’d

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disgrace himself and spill his seed here and now. He took a step back causing her to loosen her grip on his hard shaft. His eyes blazed with hunger and need. She drowned in the passion she saw there. Mesmerized. Sam’s hands trembled as he unbuttoned her jeans, tugged them past her hips and down her thighs. She stepped out of her jeans leaving only a transparent white thong and a rosy blush. His fingers lightly brushed the tiny scrap of material, caressing her hips, her buttocks, sliding down her thighs and back up. He grasped the panties and lowered them, his eyes never leaving hers. With infinite slowness Sam leaned in to her body, caressing her tummy with his touch, his hands drifting lower, sliding along her creamy skin until he touched the curls nestled between her legs. Elizabeth gasped, overwhelmed with a thousand sensations—wet and creamy with need. He stroked her once, twice, before sliding his finger into her warmth. Her legs trembled. He inserted a second finger. A tiny groan escaped, his or hers she didn’t know. She couldn’t think. All she could do was experience pleasure she never dreamed possible. Elizabeth felt bereft as Sam eased his fingers from her warmth. He grasped her by the waist and picked her up. “Place your legs around my waist, baby. That’s it.” Elizabeth complied, feeling his hard shaft nestled between her legs. He captured her lips with his, lifted her bottom and eased himself into her moist entrance. Slowly, inch-by-inch she slid along his shaft. She took more and more of him with every thrust. Elizabeth arched and writhed above him, lost in a blaze of passion and need. He stretched her, filling her completely. She became lost to everything but this moment, this man. She needed more, needed to feel him buried so deep that he wouldn’t know where she ended and he began. She needed. She desired. She hungered. With her hands buried in the silkiness of his hair and using her legs as leverage, Elizabeth sank onto his body, ripping through her maidenhead. She felt no pain as her body tightened around him. His thoughts burst through her mind as he breached her body. They became one, in mind, body and soul. Sam lost himself in pleasure and desire. He thrust faster and harder. He buried himself over and over, needing to get closer, to make them one being and one soul. Her muscles clenched and squeezed around him so tight, so perfect. He gasped, the pleasure was almost unbearable. Knowing she had been a virgin, that he was her first, had been the ultimate aphrodisiac. They rode out the storm together, each lost in the splendor of their lovemaking. Her muscles clenched, contracting against his rigid length. She screamed, the sound nearly drowning out his moan. They reached climax together. Her body shuddered, milking his in a manner that seemed to last forever. Elizabeth slumped against Sam’s chest, completely sated and limp with exhaustion. He held her against his heart, sheltering her within his arms. They stood there clinging to each other, lost in the magic of the moment.

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Chapter Twenty Sam didn’t want to let her go, didn’t want to leave her body. He carried her to the bed and eased down to its soft surface while still embedded deep within her tight sheath. He continued to move deep within her feminine core, stroking the flames to life once again. Where before their lovemaking had been fast and furious, now it was slow and leisurely. Each slow thrust became a stroke of possession, of love, of undying passion and commitment. Every movement of her hips meeting his, an act of acceptance and devotion. Each declared their dedication and adoration to the other without words. Sam recited the Loup-garou mating vows again, infused with love and commitment, his voice strong and steady. “Elizabeth, know that forever and always you are my wife, my mate, my equal in all things, the missing half of my soul.” Elizabeth reached up to Sam. She trailed her fingers down his cheek, before cupping his nape. “Sam, know that forever and always you are my husband, my mate, my equal in all things, the missing half of my soul.” “Wrap your legs around me, baby.” Lifting her bottom, Sam drove his hard length even deeper, completely filling her tight, wet heat. Her muscles flexed around him, gripping his thickness, and drawing him deeper and deeper. Amid the soft blankets and satiny pillows, for the first time in her life Elizabeth felt truly alive, aware of her body as she’d never been before. She arched beneath him, trying desperately to get closer, ever closer. She gasped as he lowered his head, stroked her frantic pulse with his tongue, then gently nipped her neck. Her fingers tangled in his silken mane. His tongue slipped lower, caressing the heated flesh of her breasts. He circled her rosy nipples, bringing them to a hard nub. He lifted his face and smiled, enjoying the throaty groans and gasps his lovemaking elicited from his mate. “Do you like that, baby?” “Oh, God, you know I do.” Her sultry tone pleaded. “Don’t stop.” “As you wish, baby. As you wish.” Sam lightly brushed the pad of his thumb across her nipple, bringing it to a hard peak. He suckled deeply, winning yet another husky groan from Elizabeth. Sam’s touch once again created an inferno inside her that burned with need and raging desire. She stroked the muscles of his back, drifted down his spine, then gripped his waist. His thrusts grew more frantic, urgent. Over and over, he buried himself deep within her velvet heat. They groaned, gasped for breath, awash in decadent pleasure—desperate for release, desperate to soar to the heavens in each other’s arms. “Sam,” she cried, and wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, tilted her hips, and pulled him even deeper into her body. “God, Beth. Now, baby, now.” Arching against him, Elizabeth let herself go, let herself fly to the heavens. She felt his seed pouring into her, filling her with his essence. They lay there together, entwined, panting, as they basked in the magic they’d shared. “Is it always like this, Sam?” she whispered. Sam shifted, easing onto his side, cradling her in his arms before answering. “Only

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between true mates, Elizabeth.” Propping himself on his elbow, he leaned into her. He pressed a tiny kiss to the corner of her mouth, nipped her bottom lip and caressed it with his tongue. Open up for me, Beth. Let me in. I need to taste you. Elizabeth didn’t hesitate, eagerly accepting, relishing his hungry possession. Sam raised his head. He swept wisps of love tossed hair from her eyes with his fingertips. His feather soft touch penetrated deep within her soul. He gazed down at her with such love in his eyes that no words needed said between them. She tried to blink back the tears that welled in her eyes. “Why are you crying, baby?” he whispered. “It was more than sex, wasn’t it? I’m not imagining that?” He heard the fear, the uncertainty in her question. How could he explain how perfect, how beautiful their lovemaking was? Sam nodded, allowing a lone tear to trail down his cheek. “I’ve never felt anything as beautiful, as meaningful as when the two of us are joined as one. I wish I had the words inside me to tell you how much I need you, need us.” She didn’t know quite what to say. His words both awed and humbled. The truth in his words washed over her along with the knowledge of his love, an answer to a prayer she’d never had the courage to voice. Elizabeth caught his tear with her tongue, tracing its silvery path and engraining his essence onto her very soul. Sam’s body grew hard and urgent in response to her innocent yet erotic gesture. He wanted to sink deep within her heat, to drown in the passion they created together. It took everything he had to deny himself what she so innocently offered. She had been untouched before today and he hadn’t been exactly gentle with her. He would wait before mating with her again even if it drove him mad with wanting. “Are you hungry, baby?” “Umm, you taste delicious.” Pulling her arms from around his neck, Sam backed off the bed in an attempt to put distance between them and calm his raging desire. “Why don’t you go take a shower while I try and scrounge up something for us to eat?” He could see the protest forming on her kiss swollen and entirely too delectable lips. “If you don’t get out of this bed and get in the shower I might not feed you,” he growled. Turning onto her tummy, Elizabeth placed her chin on her hands and watched Sam as he pulled on his jeans. She felt his desire and smelled his arousal. She also sensed his worry for her health. “Did I say that I wanted to get up?” she purred. “Baby, I might not survive another round right now. Why don’t you go ahead and take your shower? I’ll have something ready to eat when you come out.” Knowing she was fighting a losing battle as Sam worried about her, Elizabeth gingerly rose from the bed. Her body ached, but pleasantly so. Smiling as she lingered on its cause, Elizabeth sashayed into the bathroom. Sam let out a relieved sigh when he heard the water turn on. He didn’t know how much more temptation he could have resisted. Seeing Elizabeth lying naked upon the bed, a feast for his eyes, and not being able to take her as he desired was torture. He’d like nothing better than to make love with his mate until dawn, but he needed to ensure her well being above all else.

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His body grew taut, his mind passion-laden, his control tenuous at best. He felt Elizabeth’s desire, smelled her arousal as if he stood within the shower walls. Their telepathic bond grew stronger every moment they spent together. His painful arousal pressed against the tight confines of his jeans. With an almost ruthless determination, Sam shoved aside his erotic thoughts and got down to the business of preparing a meal for him and his mate. ***** In a hurry to join her mate, Elizabeth quickly shut off the water before stepping out onto the cool tile floor. Glancing into the mirror, she noted with surprise that the only outward evidence of their recent lovemaking consisted of a slight tinge to her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. Inside though, Elizabeth felt as though she’d gone through a complete metamorphosis. Everything in her life, everything she had ever believed, was now forever changed. In one evening, the world as she knew it no longer existed and she had become a part of something so much more. With a smile upon her lips and a towel wrapped around her tiny frame, Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom anxious to begin her future and to embrace her destiny. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the clatter of banging pots and dropping cutlery greeted her at the kitchen. Leaning into the open fridge with his head buried amongst jars of condiments and bottles of water, Sam offered Elizabeth a splendid view of his backside. She wasn’t sure which was more tempting, the smell of eggs wafting toward her from the cook top or Sam himself. With his jeans pulling tight across his bottom, Elizabeth could barely suppress her desire to run her hands over Sam’s too tempting derriere. Sensing her presence behind him, Sam quickly turned around, banging his head against the freezer door in the process. He covered his shock at seeing Elizabeth barely clothed by letting his eyes leisurely roam over the expanse of her towel wrapped body. Her wet hair clung to her neck and cheek. His fingers itched to place her raven locks behind her ears. Rivulets of water ran down her chest and between her breasts, hidden only by the piece of terrycloth covering her body. What he wouldn’t give to be following that bead of water with his tongue. He needed to get his mind off sex and on to safer topics. “I remember you saying something about having a deadline looming on your latest book. Will you be able to spare one more day or will that put you too far behind?” “I have a few more weeks left. One more day won’t hurt me too much. Why? Do you have something in mind?” “As a matter of fact, I do. I thought you might enjoy taking a tour of the gold mine tomorrow and maybe share a picnic with me afterward.” “Really? That sounds like a wonderful idea. I’d love to.” Elizabeth wasn’t about to turn Sam down. It had been more years than she could count since she’d last let down her guard long enough to simply enjoy the simplicity of a picnic outdoors. Sam hurried with dinner, getting everything on the table. They ate in companionable silence, commenting every few minutes on trivial everyday matters. It wasn’t until the meal

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was at an end and they moved onto the sofa that Elizabeth decided to satisfy her curiosity. She watched as Sam built a fire in the fireplace. There was so much about him she wanted to know. What was his childhood like, his family? Where were they now? How did he become king of all the Loup-garou? She wanted to know everything there was to know and she wanted to know it all now. Closing the fireplace screen, Sam stared into the flames now roaring to life. He contemplated the changes in his life, his fortune. For the first time in more years than he cared to remember, Sam was utterly content. Elizabeth’s voice whispered through his mind, interrupting his thoughts. Sam, why are you so quiet over there? What could you possibly be thinking about so seriously? He wasn’t used to sharing his thoughts or feelings with a woman, any woman, yet it felt right, natural to share everything with Elizabeth. He didn’t want any secrets between them. In fact, for the first time in years he wanted to tell someone about his past, his dreams, and his thoughts. If those closest to him were here now they would probably say he was turning into a sentimental fool. It probably would shock the hell out of them and he couldn’t care less. Sam’s eyes never left hers as he silently crossed the room and joined her on the sofa. “I was thinking about you, about us, and how happy I am. It’s been many, many years since I have felt so right.” “Why is that? I would think that a man as powerful as you would have all that you could have wanted—friends, wealth, even prestige.” “That’s true enough, but the one thing I wanted…the one thing I needed above all, was my mate, the missing half of my soul. Without that, the rest is there, something to have, but nothing to cherish.” You know what I mean? “I know exactly what you mean.” Reaching over, Elizabeth placed her hand upon his linking them together. After giving Sam’s hand a quick squeeze for reassurance, Elizabeth lowered her head to his shoulder. He didn’t need any other encouragement as he wrapped his arm around her, tucking Elizabeth firmly against his side. Several moments passed before Elizabeth spoke again. Sam swore he could feel her voice vibrate along his nerves, exciting him, and at the same time stimulating his every protective instinct. “Talk to me, Sam. I love to listen to your voice.” He gently placed his lips against her hair, her temple, inhaling her essence, her scent. He would know her anywhere now, be able to find her over any distance. She was that much a part of him. “What would you like to talk about?” he asked. “Hmmm…I don’t know.” Elizabeth heard Sam’s heart beating beneath her ear. It beat out a strong, steady rhythm. “Tell me about your family. Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Sam remained quiet for a moment, whether the question bothered him or he needed to collect his thoughts, Elizabeth didn’t know. After a time, Sam combed his fingers through her hair in long soothing strokes. She practically purred from the attention he so effortlessly gave her as memories sucked him into the past. When she started to wonder if Sam had decided not to answer, she heard his voice.

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Low, barely above a whisper as though he were imparting secrets long buried deep within his heart, he finally spoke. “I had a sister once, long ago. Everything that has happened in my life seems to have stemmed from that summer. I lost my parents, my sister, and my identity as I’d known it that year.” “How old were you?” Sensing that the telling was very difficult for him, Elizabeth stroked his arms and his chest, offering him soothing comfort. Linked as they were, she could feel Sam’s emotions. Even after all the years, memories of that summer filled Sam with keening pain.

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Chapter Twenty-One Kissing the top of Elizabeth's head, Sam continued to tell his story. “I was thirteen years old. But, looking back, I guess I was old for my age. That was also the summer I went through puberty. I had started to realize the full extent of my powers and so had my parents. They decided to send me here, to stay with the Malones.” Sam felt Elizabeth’s anger on his behalf, her confusion as to why they exiled him. “I wasn’t exiled, baby. They sent me here to learn how to control my powers, to build them. In the end, spending the summer with the Malones saved my life.” “So what happened to your parents and your sister?” she asked. “My parents were killed by a drunk driver on the Fourth of July on their way home from a family gathering. I hated not being with them, not being able to enjoy the summer like all the other kids my age. I was upset that I couldn’t be with my family. The last time I talked to my father, I gave him hell, struck out at him. That was the last time I talked to him.” “You were only a child, Sam. A child who was struggling to deal with the physical changes of impending puberty. All teenagers—human and lupine—have difficulty at that point in their lives. Wanting desperately to become an adult, yet still determined to hold on to childhood with both hands. You can’t beat yourself up over things you can’t change.” Elizabeth’s accurate assessment stunned him. It seemed as though she knew exactly what he’d experienced. He wondered if it paralleed her life’s sadness. At least he had the Malones to help him cope with losing his family, to teach him the things he needed to know in order to survive, to outwit the Vampire. She had no one. She had to learn to survive by wits and courage alone. It must have been extraordinarily difficult to not only see the carnage, but to have to go forward, to become strong in her power, and to do so alone. It reminded Sam, again, of how brave and wonderful Elizabeth was. She deserved to be cherished, protected. He remained so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize Elizabeth spoke again until she elbowed him in the ribs to get his attention. “What was that for?” he asked. Elizabeth laughed and rested her head on Sam’s shoulder. ”Where were you just now?” “Lost in memories, I guess.” Sam cleared his throat before going on with his tale. “Anyway, my parents were killed instantly. The police report stated that the car exploded before they could remove the bodies. They never found a single sign of my sister. It’s as though she never existed. To this day I don’t know where she is, or whether she is alive or dead.” Oh, Sam. “I imagine that’s the hardest part to deal with. When my family was slaughtered, I knew it. I wasn’t left to wonder if there was someone else out there. But for you…” she sighed. “It must be incredibly difficult not to know where your sister is.” You have no idea. “I haven’t given up though. Sooner or later, Blake will discover what happened to Samantha.” His hand stilled before it gently wrapped around her nape. Sam’s lips slowly descended, his kiss filled with aching tenderness. It tasted of sweet devotion and

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pure love. Pulling away ever so slowly, Sam gazed into the depths of her eyes. “And when the time comes, I know that with you by my side I’ll be able to handle the news, whatever it may be.” Elizabeth didn’t know quite what to say. The absolute trust and devotion Sam gave both terrified and exhilarated her. To find that someone could love her so deeply, so completely, was humbling. Her throat felt raspy as her emotions overwhelmed her. She desperately needed to make sure Sam knew how she felt. It was a primal instinct to do so. She whispered the words she knew he needed to hear. Words for the first time she truly understood. “I love you, Sam.” Sam looked down at the top of her head nestled against his chest and smiled, slowly lifting her face to his. His lips met hers in a soul-searching, breath-stealing kiss. “This may sound corny,” he rasped, “but I love you more than an arid desert loves the rain.” He invaded her every sense. His mind bathed hers in heat, passion, love, and undiluted joy. She knew for certain that Sam meant every word he said. Sam knew Elizabeth bobbed in a sea of emotions. He didn’t want to overwhelm her with his. It wasn’t easy for him to hold a piece of himself back, to keep from telepathically merging with her completely. His telepathic abilities were much stronger than hers. If he completed the link between her mind and his, not only would they be able to speak to each other in the way of mates and feel each other’s emotions, they would also share each other’s memories. There would be no secrets, no barriers. He had reservations about whether she could handle that level of intimacy yet. He didn’t want to do anything to push her away or crowd her. The relationship was still new, each feeling the other out as they tried to find the balance they both needed. Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open. She brought her fingers to her mouth, inspecting her kiss-swollen lips. “I can’t think when you kiss me like that, Sam.” He chuckled, a sound of pure happiness. “I guess I must be doing things right then.” He didn’t even bother to hide his smugness. “As if you had any doubts.” With a sigh, Elizabeth snuggled deeper against Sam’s side. They sat that way, nestled together, watching the crackling fire in silent contentment. After a while, Elizabeth’s curiosity began to reassert itself. “Sam, tell me about the orphaned little boy who became king? How did it all come about?” “It’s a complicated tale, Beth. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about this tomorrow? It’s getting pretty late.” “It’s alright if you don’t want to tell me.” Sam heard the pain in her voice that she tried so hard to hide. It twisted his gut. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his mate, even unintentionally. “I’m not trying to hide anything from you, baby. This may take a while and I thought you might be too tired to talk right now. I’m sorry if I upset you, honey. Please believe me.” “I’m sorry, Sam. I’ve never really had any long term relationships and I wasn’t sure if I stepped over some sort of boundary.” “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, to voice your questions, baby. I don’t want there to be any secrets or fears between us and certainly no limitations as to what we can ask the other. You are my mate, Elizabeth, my equal.”

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She was still reluctant to believe him completely. And Sam understood why. She’d isolated herself so much that her only guide as to how relationships worked came from her observations of human society. Cheating spouses, domestic violence, and a sky-high divorce rate. He couldn’t blame her for being wary. The room was awash with an ambient glow, the only sounds coming from the crackling and popping as the logs in the fireplace and the steady breathing of the room’s two occupants. A growing tension permeated the room as the silence lengthened. A feeling of expectancy intruded as Sam organized his thoughts. After minutes that seemed like hours, Sam spoke in a low but steady voice. “When I first heard about my parents’ deaths, I was angry, hurt, and even belligerent at times. I blamed them even though the authorities said that the fault was someone else’s. It wasn’t until I realized my sister was missing that the full depth of my loss hit me. “As the summer passed without any word of Samantha’s whereabouts, I became inconsolable. She was my twin sister. The bond we shared was…I don’t know how to describe it other than to say that it was simply more. More powerful. More fulfilling. More everything.” “There was nothing we didn’t know about each other. We shared a constant mental link. It didn’t matter how far apart we were, our minds were always connected. The day of the car crash, our bond abruptly and painfully severed. I assumed she’d died in the car crash. We all did. All I know is that everything inside me believes that something besides the wreck happened that day.” Reaching across the space dividing them, Sam picked up Elizabeth’s hand and brought it to his lips. He placed a tender kiss across her knuckles, then gently positioned her hand against his heart. “The Malone family accepted me as if I were born to them. Zach, Sebastian, even Isabella, accepted me as their brother. As the years passed, they taught me how to control my talents, how to shield my thoughts and emotions from others as well as protect myself from the Vampire, all while living undetected among humans.” Needing to ease the pain Sam’s memories caused, Elizabeth nestled closer to his side. “I’m so glad you weren’t completely alone.” She knew firsthand the difficulty of losing so much while so young and needing to cope with the grief and all the ensuing changes alone. Elizabeth found contentment wrapped in Sam’s arms. The warmth of the hearth washed over them both. Elizabeth became increasingly drowsy, happiness and languor seeping through her every pore. As her eyelids drooped, a sudden thought struck her. “Sam, when you said that this was your cabin, you meant it, didn’t you?” “Yes. Even as a child, I would always come to this lake. It was my little piece of heaven. I spent most of my time during college breaks building this place. We all need a refuge and this was going to be mine.” Sam glanced down, sensing his mate’s need for sleep. “You look like you’re ready to drop, baby. Come on. It’s off to bed with you now.” “But Sam…” “Don’t ‘but Sam’ me. You’re tired and that’s all there is to it.” Sam lifted her, cradling Elizabeth against his heart as he carried her to their bed.

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“Will you tell me the rest of the story tomorrow, Sam?” “If you want.” Careful not to jostle her, Sam eased Elizabeth under the covers. After smoothing an errant lock of hair from her face and pressing a kiss to her forehead, he backed away. He was almost to the door when he heard her whisper his name. “What is it, baby?” If she asked him to come make love to her, Sam didn’t think he had it in him to refuse her again. With every breath in his body, he wanted to crawl in next to her, feel her heat, and sink into her sweet body. To drown himself in her essence. “Where are you going?” Her voice projected a mixture of pure sex kitten and sweet innocent angel. “I’m gong to turn out the lights and make sure everything is locked up tight. Go on to sleep, I’ll be right back.” With a muffled sigh of relief and a tiny smile, Elizabeth quickly drifted off to sleep. Shaking his head at the ease and speed in which she’d gone under, Sam quietly left the room. After a few moments, he returned to Elizabeth’s side and pulled her into his arms. Grateful to be with his mate at last, he knew when he awoke she’d be right there beside him. ***** Elizabeth awoke the next morning, not to the gentle lovemaking she had been dreaming about, but to the shrill ringing of the telephone and forceful pounding at the front door. From the muffled exclamation coming from the pillow next to her, Sam wasn’t too happy about their early morning wake-up call either. “What the hell is all of that racket?” Sam grumbled. “I don’t know,” she sighed. “You get the door and I’ll get the phone.” She didn’t want to leave the coziness of Sam’s arms, even to roll over and answer the phone. She couldn’t imagine anyone would interrupt them so early unless it was vital. Sam thought the same thing. With a soft peck across her cheek and a moan of regret, he dragged on his discarded clothes from last night and stumbled toward the door. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Sam heard Elizabeth softly speaking into the phone as he opened the door to Zach. Honey, you better get up and get dressed. Something’s wrong. I know. That was Zach’s wife. She called to let us know Zach was on his way. I’ll be right out. Zach pushed past Sam, his movements fast and jerky. Anger and distress covered his face. Whatever news Zach had to give them wasn’t good. Sam wanted his mate next to him at that moment. No sooner had he thought about her than Elizabeth appeared at his side, her hand caressing his back. It conveyed a show of solidarity and support. How could something so simple mean so much? “It’s the mines, Sam. Something or someone has been in there. It smells like Vampire.” “There’s more you aren’t telling me, isn’t there, Zach? What is it?” “There’s blood. Lots of it, in the office. Charles is missing. If they captured him and the blood is his, there’s a good chance he’s turned Vampire.” Elizabeth looked questioningly from Zach to Sam. “Who’s Charles?” Sam answered her before Zach had a change to respond. “He’s the chief engineer. I

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spent a lot of time with Charles as a kid when I’d go to the mines. I followed him everywhere the summer I lost my family. He wouldn’t want to become Vampire. He would rather die fighting or be executed than become the undead.” “Is Charles like us, a werewolf, too?” “No, he isn’t, honey, but he is family.” “How many of our people do we have still in the area, Zach?” “I had my mate put out the call as I left the house, Sam. I knew you would want to leave right away.” “I want four hunters to join me at the mines. Elizabeth, I want you to gather the rest of our people at Zach’s place. Keep them calm.” “Damn it, Sam. I should be there with you.” “I need you to help protect Zach’s family. I trust you to take care of our people, Beth.” He could feel her wavering, torn between fighting by his side and staying behind. “I need you to do this for me, baby, please.” He read her thoughts. She didn’t want to give in to him, to take the chance of losing him. If she went with him, she could at least try to guard his back. If the situation weren’t so serious, Sam would have been tempted to smile. She sounded like something out of a bad cop movie. Not that he’d let her know that. “That isn’t going to happen. I won’t let it.” “Make sure you come back to me and in one piece.” “Let’s get out of here, Zach. We’ll drop Beth off at your place on the way.” ***** The tension hung thick on the drive back to Zach’s ranch. Sam and Elizabeth were each lost in their own thoughts. Worry, pain, terror—they were all present in the air. Elizabeth knew Sam’s thought centered on his friend, worried that he’d have to destroy him if the vampires had bitten him. The silence got to her. Elizabeth’s thoughts spun in circles. Worry for Sam, fear for his friend, terror that so many of their people faced potential danger, confusion about the attack. At least she could find out something about that. “Zach, how is it that we didn’t know the Vampire were in the area. With all of our people here gathering because of Sam, someone should have picked up on their presence.” “I know, Elizabeth. I’m not sure what happened. Charles called late last night, well after midnight. He was worried about something he found in one of the mine tunnels. He was supposed to come over after he checked a few things. I should have gone straight over there as soon as I got the call instead of waiting at home.” Sam shook his head. “Stop beating yourself up over this, Zach. For all you knew, it could have been machinery malfunctioning. Hell, he was hardly ever in his office even though he held an administrative position. Those shafts were his babies. He practically lived there.” “Why are you both so sure that Charles is being held by vampires?” Elizabeth asked. Sam answered her, although the answer obviously painful for him. Charles must have been a very important part of Sam’s life. Elizabeth knew what it was to lose someone and not know why. She still didn’t know why her whole family had to die. That question would

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probably haunt her for her entire life. “Charles would never stand by and let himself be taken by anyone, vampire or human. There was blood everywhere and the office was in shambles. It was human blood, but there weren’t any bodies. They have him. The question is, what have they done with him and why?” Elizabeth let her gaze wander over the countryside. It was hard for her to imagine evil in a land of such beauty. The crisp, clear air smelled fresh and pure, the sky a heavenly blue, the color vibrant to the naked eye. She smelled the wildlife, heard the various animals as they made their way across the ground in search of food and shelter. Perhaps the animals knew that the land would soon be under siege. She had always loved the wilderness, loved exploring nature’s secrets. A country girl at heart, it tore her apart to think that a land so beautiful, so peaceful, could be the scene of death and destruction. All too soon, they pulled up in front of Zach’s home. Elizabeth felt the barely leashed violence under Sam’s calm demeanor. He rippled with fury, with the need to wreck vengeance upon all who dared to threaten or harm those he cared for—those he called family. To Sam, all his people, all his friends, were family. Sam felt her fear, her worry for him. It touched him like nothing else could have. He gently wrapped his arms around her, cradling her to his chest, letting Elizabeth feel his beating heart. “I love you, Beth. I will come back to you. You are my entire world.” “I love you, too, Sam. I never thought I’d say that to anyone, but I mean it. With everything inside me, I mean it.” Elizabeth sighed, then added, “Stay safe, Sam, and kick some Vampire ass for me.” “You got it.” Knowing that he needed to leave, but reluctant to do so, Sam eased away from his mate. Sam took his time, looking at each of his people standing sentry on the veranda. They were a strong race, emotionally and physically, and he was proud of each one. From the elderly leaning against the stone pillars for support to the youngest child standing sentinel beside its mother’s legs, they were his people and he would protect them. “Elizabeth will be here with you while we go to fight the vampires that have dared to invade our community. We will conquer and come back victorious. Stay strong, protect yourselves and stand united.” With that said, Sam stepped off the veranda, followed silently by Zach, Blake, Pierre, and Jack. Elizabeth was thankful that she could put names to the faces that would be fighting for their species’ survival, to know who fought for them…who might not return. Stop thinking such melancholy thoughts, Beth. Things will work out. They have to. We’ve only started our lives together. Keep them occupied, but secure the perimeter. Don’t worry about us. I’ll keep everyone here safe. Watch yourself out there. I have a bad feeling about this and I have no idea why. Elizabeth stood on the porch until she lost sight of the car before turning back toward the group gathered around her. Sam’s people. No, our people, she corrected herself. She had no idea what she should say to them or even if they expected her to say anything. All she could do was follow her instincts.

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Chapter Twenty-Two “As most of you know, Sam is my mate. Until last night I had no idea what his position was among the Loup-garou, or mine as far as that goes. All I can say is that I will do my best to make Sam happy and to help our people the best way I can. While our guys are gone, that leaves the rest of us to keep this community secure and to keep each other safe. I don’t think any of us should be alone. Keep your eyes open and if anyone feels the slightest bit anxious or uneasy, let someone know.” Elizabeth hoped she didn’t come off sounding like a dictator. Sam should have given her at least a little help with what to say. Jeez... Oh, stop, honey. You did wonderful. Where are you? She tried not to sound anxious, though she doubted that she’d been successful. Sam seemed to be able to read her at will. We’re almost to the mines now. Sam sounded excited. The thrill of the hunt raged through his blood, a mixture of anticipation and savagery. Take care of yourself. If anything goes wrong or you need help, let me know. She felt Sam’s denial. Whether he instinctively denied that things could go wrong or that she’d help him defeat their enemy, she didn’t know. Promise me, Sam. As your mate, it is my right to fight alongside of you. You're right, sweetheart. If I need you, I’ll send out a call for help. Elizabeth knew Sam wasn’t too happy about making that particular promise to her, but she also knew he’d never go back on his word, either. We’re here. I have to go. After the briefest hesitation, he whispered through her mind, I love you. With that said, Sam quickly broke off contact, leaving Elizabeth to worry and to wait. She hoped she was doing the right thing by waiting at the house instead of going with Sam. Elizabeth stayed on the veranda for quite a while, her eyes trained on the mountains and the setting sun. As she watched the fiery glow spread across the horizon, Elizabeth forced herself to concentrate on her surroundings. The vampires would arise soon and she had to be ready. Elizabeth let her gaze sweep across the countryside one more time before going in search of the rest of her people. ***** Sam felt the exact moment the vampires awoke. The air in the tunnels seemed to thicken, the stench of evil suffocating. A heavy vapor pressed against their chests as the men made their way to the office. He needed to pick up his enemies’ scent, needed to determine how many and the location of their lair. He couldn’t go in unprepared. He had his mate now. Above all, he needed to make sure that he was victorious in the upcoming battle. He wanted to have a lifetime with Elizabeth. Besides, the life of a good friend also rested in his hands. If the vampires had contaminated Charles, then his death would fall to Sam’s hands as well. The smell of violence hung heavily in the air as Sam neared the office. As a lupine, he

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had a phenomenal sense of smell. He would be able to track his prey through the tunnels, search out their lair, and destroy all evidence of the Vampire from the passageways. Vampire cunning could not match an angry werewolf defending his own on his home turf. He smelled his friend’s blood, a cloying, sickeningly sweet odor. It permeated the tunnels and the office. Sam prayed that Charles had managed to hide himself within the tunnels. He hoped the blood was from battle injuries and not from vampire bites. Sam didn’t want to have to kill the old man. Duty often forced lupines to destroy other creatures, even amoral ones like the undead. To destroy a friend amounted to a heavy, loathsome burden. The five men stood at the opening to the main shaft when a terrified scream ripped through the air. The shriek, so full of torment and pain, made them cringe. Rage filled them. The need to rip and tear into the vampires torturing their friend flooded their minds, their hearts. The undead won’t survive the night. Their brutality guaranteed their destruction. The office lay in shambles—overturned desks, papers scattered over every surface, blood splattered against the walls and across the floor, bloody fingerprints smeared trails through the office and out the door where a body had been dragged by its feet into the tunnels. The gore was almost more than Sam could stand. The phones had been ripped from the walls making it impossible for Charles to call for help. Why hadn’t they sensed the Vampire’s arrival? How were they able to cloak their presence from so many Loup-garou around? How? The room vibrated with swirls of agony, violence, and torment. Sam barely controlled the raging demand for retribution, necessitating the death of any creature that had participated in the attack—anyone that dared to harm his friend. Sam had spoken from his heart when he told Elizabeth that he considered Charles as family. Even if they found Charles untouched, he would be changed. He would no longer be the same happy, benevolent man he’d always been. His heart, his mind, his soul would writhe in agony from this experience. Sam wanted to shout with his own pain, his sense of failure. Somehow, someway, they should have sensed the danger, the threat long before the vampires found their victim. He continued to stand in the office with eyes closed. He focused, trying to determine how many vampires had infested the mines. He needed to know how many vampires participated in the attack against his friend. The others waited outside the door, content to stand guard, unable to remain in the office a moment longer. It took everything Sam had not to rush blindly to Charles’ side. They needed a plan. Walking into a trap wouldn’t do anyone any good and they all knew it. Ignoring Charles’ pleas of mercy became more excruciating than any of them imagined. With each scream, each plea that Charles uttered, the anger and rage within the restless werewolves grew, until the single shared thought being the certainty of retribution and of death. Sam heard Blake call his name. "Yeah, what have you found, Blake?” “You know that vampire Sebastian and I ran into at Elizabeth’s place?” “Yes. What about it?” “Well, his scent is all over these tunnels. The good news is that I didn’t feel him in the

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office. That’s not to say he didn’t participate, but…” “Is his scent fresh?” Sam asked, walking toward the doorway and his friends. “Probably a day or two old. His scent is layered. Some spores are fresh and others are old, a couple of weeks at least. He’s been in and out of here quite a bit recently.” This was one time when Sam wished he’d been wrong. “Christ. I wonder what’s going on. It’s too much of a coincidence that the vampire that has been chasing Elizabeth for years would appear at her doorstop and ours at virtually the same time.” Not that Sam believed any such thing as a true coincidence existed. He lived in a world where survival of the fittest was not a phrase, but a way of life. Ruthless determination flashed through Sam’s body as he turned toward Zach. Zach didn’t wait around for Sam to ask the obvious question. “Before you even ask, I don’t usually come down this way anymore. Once we hit the cavern, we decided to quit the mining operation here, to preserve it. It’s been at least three weeks or so since I’ve been here. Some of our people have used these tunnels recently, but none of them have mentioned the fact that this cavern reeks of Vampire.” “Shit,” Sam muttered. “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Charles must have discovered someone using these tunnels. It wouldn’t surprise me if instead of coming straight over to our place last night after he called, he heard someone and followed what he thought was a group of kids trespassing.” Sam didn’t doubt it, either. Charles would have taken that it was his duty to protect the shafts as well as the office. Before leaving the office, Sam had an undeniable need to link with Elizabeth one last time. How are things there, honey? Don’t worry about us, Sam. We’re holding up. A little on edge, but that’s to be expected. We’ll be fine. If anything happens, there are lots of us here who can fight. Now tell me the truth, how many Vampire are you going to have to face? I sensed at least five, maybe more. Elizabeth, watch your back, baby. There may be traitors among us. Sam felt Elizabeth’s quick intake of breath. He didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to know all the facts. Her life and the lives of their people depended on it. Please be careful, Sam. After a slight pause she whispered so softly through his mind that it felt like a caress. I love you. I love you, too, honey. We WILL be home soon. Sam chose not to tell her what Blake had discovered. He knew his mate. She would automatically blame herself that this particular vampire had been in the tunnels, had taken his friend even though he knew no blame could be put on her. When all was said and done, he’d let her know. But, right now she had enough on her mind. Letting out a small sigh, Sam began to think through the rage and desolation, to center himself for the battle to come. After one last glance at the devastation around him, Sam led his men down the main shaft. As one, the men cautiously made their way through the tunnels, unerringly following the blood trail from the evening before. The farther they went, the more sinister the shafts became. Walls of dirt and rock surrounded the men, closing them off from the outside world.

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As they moved closer and closer to their prey, the pathways seemed to shudder beneath their feet, and the walls shrieked with the echoes of pain and torment. Sam could only imagine how many victims the vampires had brought down these dark, twisted pathways. How many souls they had tortured for the fun of it. Many questions floated across Sam’s mind. How long had the vampires been in the area, been using these tunnels for their own sick and senseless purposes? Was it recently? Over the last couple of weeks or perhaps a lot longer? How had they gone unnoticed? Were there traitors amongst their own people? More than one? If so, who and why? So many unanswered questions and no time like the present to get those answers either. With Sam in the lead, the men entered a huge cavernous room deep within the earth. The ceiling must have been twelve feet high, the room the size of a football field. Sam surveyed the area in awe. At any other time, he would have enjoyed this new discovery. “I don’t remember this room being here, Zach.” “That’s because the last time you were down these tunnels, we hadn’t punched through the wall leading in here. The shaft ended about twenty yards back. There was a crawl space visible in the far corner emitting warm air. We widened it, put some support beams in and discovered the hot springs.” “That’s what lies beyond here?” Sam asked. “Yes. After we found the springs, we started having problems with vandals and such. We wrote it off, thinking a group of teens wanted to party. Charles must have thought the same thing. Dammit. We should have posted a guard or something.” “Stop beating yourself up. We’ll get to the bottom of–” A shriek of such raw pain pierced the air. All the men abruptly shifted into their wolf bodies. The howls of enraged wolves bent on the annihilation of their enemy quickly replaced the crackling and popping of bones and sinew. As a pack, the wolves soundlessly raced toward the unholy screams. They moved as one, unafraid of what lie ahead, thinking only of satisfying the bloodlust swamping their minds, their hearts. At that moment, they were wholly hunters, relying on an age-old instinct to protect, to defend. As they approached the entrance to the hot springs, the wolf pack slowed, stealthily creeping toward its goal. The air in the chamber turned thick with the stench of evil, putrid hatred and unholy glee. Charles lay on the hard-packed earth writhing in agony, the change to a vampire evident in the twisted agony on his face. His eyes, normally filled with such simple joy and happiness, held fear and pain, but also bravery. His gaze fell on the wolves and his expression, for a flicker of time, held both gratitude and understanding. He knew he was about to die. The wolves spread out and circled the room. The walls vibrated with their throaty growls. Sam could only see one vampire in the cavern, but he sensed others near. The vampire, currently standing over Charles’ prone body, epitomized evil. His hair long and oily, his skin ashen and tightly stretched against his bones. He wore torn and tattered clothes covered not only with dirt, but also with crusted blood. The only color on the undead’s body belonged to the blood dripping from his chin and smeared across his mouth

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and cheeks. The sight was more than Sam could take. No longer able to control the beast within, Sam launched himself at the vampire. He crossed the cavern floor in a single bound, crashing into the vampire’s chest. The impact sent the vampire crashing into the rock wall. Dust and dirt filled the air as the vampire staggered to his feet. His hands became razor-sharp claws, slashing the air in a desperate and futile bid to fend off the wolf’s attack. The werewolves continued to circle the ongoing battle, their low throaty growls echoed through the mine shafts, carrying both a warning to discourage others from entering the shafts and the strength and support needed to cheer Sam on. Over and over Sam lunged at his prey, his claws raking the vampire’s side, his jaws locking on to the undead’s arms and legs. The vampire’s blood seeped from countless wounds, pooling onto the ground and fouling the air with noxious fumes. Sam continued to attack the vampire, relentless in his pursuit of vengeance, prolonging his play, wanting to make the vampire suffer as much as his victims had. Sam had no thought to end the attack quickly. His mind filled with the endless need to inflict pain before destroying such an evil thing. No matter how fast he moved, the vampire could not defend himself or even land a single blow against the werewolf’s attack. His blood poured from his wounds in streams, his great strength weakening to the point that he could barely stand. He sent out a plea for help. Within moments, geysers of dirt and rock spewed from the cavern floor. The air thickened and the ground quaked as several Vampire shot up from the bowels of the earth. The room erupted into chaos. The vampires immediately attacked the wolves. Their claws dripped with werewolf blood. The wolves lunged at the vampires, going for their throats. Their jaws gripped torn flesh as the wolves searched for the vampires’ jugulars. Blood splattered everywhere. It soaked into the wolves’ fur, burning like acid. It covered the cavern walls, the floors. The tar-thick, poisonous fluid marred every surface. The wolves lunged and clawed, trying to dig into the vampires’ chests in hopes of piercing the heart, for only when the undead’s heart had been rent would the vampire truly be destroyed. The panic-stricken vampires’ deafening shrieks drowned out the enraged wolves’ thunderous growls. The vampires seemed unable to comprehend that they were losing this battle. They believed werewolves could be easily conquered and vampires were destined to rule the earth, for that was the way it had always been. Beneath Sam’s blood splattered paws, the vampire who attacked Charles desperately struggled to survive. Soon, he’d be too weak to fight at all. The vampires’ only possible hope of success was to split the werewolves apart, force them to fight one-on-one. With the last of his strength, the vampire called up a dust storm from the dirt-hewn floor. As one, the remaining vampires disappeared. The only evidence that a battle had taken place was the pooling blood beneath the now helpless vampire, the blood soaked wolves and their friend, Charles, who writhed in agony against the cavern wall.

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Chapter Twenty-Three As the dust settled, so did the fury amongst Sam and the other wolves. No longer blinded by rage, Sam and the others shifted back to their human forms. The men were unconcerned about their state of undress, their whole minds focused on both laying their friend to rest and interrogating the vampire now at their mercy. Sam easily lifted the vampire by his neck and slammed him against the wall, pinning him. The others fanned out to surround them, ensuring that the vampire would not escape. Not that it could happen, its death was inevitable. Sam’s voice, filled with contempt and loathing, shook as he questioned the vampire. “Who are you? How did you find out about this place?” he demanded. “My name is Deke,” he quivered. “Our leader showed us these tunnels several weeks back.” Sam sensed Deke’s evasion. “Who is your leader? How’d he know about this place?” He felt the vampire’s hesitation, whether from fear or defiance Sam didn’t know and didn’t care. “Dammit, you better tell me the truth, all of it, or you’ll learn what torment is before I dispose of you.” “Why the hell should I tell you anything? My death is guaranteed either way,” he sneered. “Let me put it this way,” Sam said. “If you don’t tell me everything you know right now, I will tear you apart piece by piece, limb by limb, until you are begging me to shove a stake through your heart and end your vile existence.” Sam wrapped his hands around the vampire’s throat. They shook as he barely restrained himself from squeezing the life out of the creature. “I don’t know his name. We called him master. If any of the others know his name, they didn’t tell me.” Charles’ whimper diverted Sam’s attention for a moment. It took a masterful effort to keep from crushing the vampire’s larynx. Only his desperate need for answers stopped him from doing just that. “Tell me about how he found these tunnels,” Sam demanded. The vampire’s voice came out a hoarse whisper as Sam squeezed the vampire’s throat, cutting off the air to its lungs. “All I know is that he had inside help. One of your own people, a woman.” “Where can I find your master?” “It doesn’t matter now. You are already too late. The old man was only taken to keep you busy.” At that, the vampire began to laugh, a hideous cackle that made everyone’s skin crawl. Sam didn’t have time to make the vampire suffer. He probably wouldn’t get any more useful information anyway. With a quick wrenching of his wrists, Sam broke the vampire’s neck. Turning toward the others, Sam ordered them to destroy the vampire properly while he took care of Charles. Bending over his friend, Sam finally let the tears fall. He felt as though his heart were breaking. “I am so sorry, my friend,” he whispered. After a silent prayer, Sam snapped his

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friend’s neck as well. “Blake, have one of the men stay behind to destroy the bodies and secure the area, then follow me back to Zach’s. We don’t have much time—if we aren’t already too late.” “No problem. Um, Sam, if what he said was true, then you need to warn Elizabeth.” “Yeah, you’re right,” Sam agreed, sighing. He didn’t have the time to mourn the loss of his friend. That would come later. He had to protect his people and his mate. The traitor must be found. Elizabeth needed to be on guard. He was scared spitless that a warning may not be enough, especially when he didn’t know who to warn her about. Elizabeth, honey, he silently called. He felt her even before she spoke. Their bond continued to grow stronger all the time. Yes, Sam. Are you all right? I will be. Beth, there is a traitor among you. I don’t know who she is or even if there is only one. You must be careful and trust no one. She? We have reason to believe that we were led here to be waylaid while the rest of you were attacked. Be on your guard. We will arrive shortly. After a brief pause, I love you, Elizabeth. Be careful, Sam, and I love you, too. Hurry it up, ‘cause I’m thinking that you could definitely use a hug right about now. Sam couldn’t help but smile. She was truly one of a kind. Here he is warning her that she may be in danger and instead of screaming in fear, she tried to comfort him. Yes, dear, he quipped. Sam knew Elizabeth had become wary. She would be careful and that would be enough. “Zach?” “Yes, Sam.” “Contact Sebastian and have him meet us at the house. Maybe he can get there before us and reconnoiter a bit. We need to know what’s going on out there and if the traitor has anyone guarding the perimeter.” “You got it, Sam.” Zach closed his eyes for a moment, his brow slightly furrowed as he mentally reached out to his brother. “Sebastian’s on his way, Sam.” “Good, Zach. Hopefully, he’ll get there in time to help Elizabeth and the others.” With a quick nod at the man chosen to stay behind, the others shifted back into their wolf forms and loped through the tunnels. Until they reached the light of day, they needed to be on full alert to an attack by the undead. They ran through the shafts toward daylight, each of them aware that their position deep within the mine rendered them vulnerable to attack by the vampires that had managed to escape. At all costs, Sam wanted to delay another battle with the undead. Already, it was late afternoon. That left only a short period before sundown. Once the sun set, every vampire in the region would have free reign to attack. If they could find the traitor before the vampires arose, then his people stood a good chance of becoming the hunters instead of the prey. With a burst of speed, Sam and the others raced through the woods, eager to hunt down the person who had betrayed them all. Sam had to have faith in Elizabeth’s abilities. Intellectually, he knew her to be his equal even when it came to battling the undead.

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Emotionally, however, a worried and nervous Sam wanted to protect her from any possible danger. Now he understood how Elizabeth had felt earlier when he had left to go to the mines. The small wolf pack steadily made their way through the densely wooded area, leaping over fallen trees and brambles with incredible ease. Their movements fluid and precise, seemingly made without effort, they raced across the land. Pierre, who stayed behind to dispose of the bodies in the mines, quickly joined them. A group of five werewolves made their way toward Elizabeth, and more than likely, another battle with the undead. ***** Elizabeth tried her damnedest not to let her fear show. She not only didn’t want to upset their people more than they already were, but she also didn’t want to tip off the traitor. The fact that she even knew a traitor existed might end up being her only advantage at the moment. Until Sam and Blake returned, she couldn’t trust anyone or anything around her. No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than she felt a dark premonition indicating danger nearby. She had never been wrong when she’d had the feeling before. And, she didn't expect this time to be any different. She needed to determine whether the danger existed outside the house or inside—or both. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth tried to focus, to isolate the feeling. If she could, then she’d be able to prevent an attack or at least prepare for it. That she had honed her ability to detect evil so well could, and probably would, be her greatest advantage. After sending a quick warning to Sam to watch his back, Elizabeth joined those gathered in the sitting room. Hopefully, she could either eliminate or pinpoint the traitor if she mingled with those in the house. She’d worry about those pulling sentry duty on the grounds after she’d gone through the people inside the house. After all, at this point, if the traitor lurked inside amongst them, then that was where the imminent threat would come from. Elizabeth moved from group to group. What did she expect? Perhaps she’d thought it would be as simple as walking up to the person and knowing without a doubt, they were the one who had betrayed them to the Vampire. Foolish thinking, if she did say so herself. One would think that a person who could do something so horrible would show obvious signs of being evil. Were they dealing with someone who couldn’t judge right from wrong? Someone with no social conscious? The shadow in her soul grew darker, heavier. Soon she wouldn’t be able to pretend everything was all right. Evil approached and it would arrive soon. Of this, she had no doubt. As the sun slowly sank beyond the horizon, Elizabeth’s edginess increased. She became agitated and nervous, pacing back and forth. She couldn’t worry about how the others would see her at the moment. Danger approached and probably already invaded their ranks. She’d walked up to just about everyone seated in the rooms on the lower level, trying her damnedest to detect the enemy. The fact that she still hadn’t found and annihilated the turncoat left her frustrated and simmering with pent up fury.

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Knowing she still had other places to search, other people to approach, was all that kept her temper in check. She needed to finish that task, beginning with the rooms upstairs, before she approached the sentries standing guard outside. Time had nearly run out. She felt it in her bone marrow. A spreading chill flowed through every cell of her body, freezing her from the inside out. It left her not only angry that they had a traitor amongst their own people, but terrified that she and Sam wouldn’t be able to prevent another massacre from happening. They didn’t even know who the conspirator might be or even how many were involved. She had lost her family once before in such an atrocious manner. She really didn’t think she could survive losing her new family that way as well. Elizabeth took the steps two at a time, wanting to search the upstairs before moving on. Using her preternatural hearing, she heard several people walking around in the rooms above her. Her senses, however, couldn’t identify them or their activities. Hopefully she wouldn’t walk in on anything risqué while checking around. Although the first room off the stairway seemed quiet, she couldn’t take chances. She cautiously turned the handle and cracked the door open enough to see into a nursery. A wonderful antique crib stood in the corner of the light and airy room. Elizabeth couldn’t help herself. She tiptoed across the room to look at the baby sleeping peacefully in the crib. What must it feel like to be that innocent again, to know no fear? She sighed, barely able to keep from picking the infant up. Her thoughts transmitted to Sam. I wonder what a child of ours would look like? She allowed a moment’s sigh, then continued her search. A wave of uneasiness washed over Elizabeth. The hairs at her nape rose. Her skin prickled, the goose bumps evidence that something seriously wrong lay just ahead. The sense of urgency increased with each moment that passed. She darted down the hallway, glancing into each room she passed seeking anything out of place. Everything inside her raged that time had run out. Following her instincts, Elizabeth slowed down as she approached the door facing the end of the hallway. Every instinct told her she would find what she sought inside that room. Whether self-preservation or simple fear, Elizabeth didn’t want to turn the doorknob and see what lurked behind that door. Elizabeth’s heart raced, her stomach cramped with dread. She forced herself to take air into her lungs. Even her knees shook. A film of sweat coated her skin. Her body made it impossible for her to get any closer to that door, keeping her from a discovery that she might not be prepared to handle. It took all her courage to ignore her body’s warnings. Straightening her spine and squaring her shoulders, Elizabeth gripped the doorknob. After a quick breath and one last moment to steady herself, she eased the door open. Standing there in shock and unable to move, Elizabeth made herself an obvious and convenient target. Elizabeth managed a brief thought—Zachary’s kid-sister, Isabella. If Elizabeth hadn’t seen Isabella with her own eyes, kneeling at the vampire’s feet, fondling him with great enthusiasm, she would have doubted such a charming and vivacious girl could have betrayed her entire family. Isabella showed no fear nor any sign of being under any type of compulsion which made the tableaux even more sickening and heart wrenching. She immediately identified the vampire in question as the same one that had been chasing after her for years, the same one Blake and Sebastian had

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confronted a couple days ago. How could such a thing be possible? If her thoughts hadn’t distracted her, she could have moved out of the way in time. Instead, Isabella launched herself straight into Elizabeth’s chest, knocking her against the doorframe. Staggering beneath Isabella’s weight, Elizabeth struggled to find her balance and protect herself from the blows. The vampire sat on the edge of the bed, watching the fight dispassionately. His expression never changed. He merely observed the battle as if it had nothing whatsoever to do with him. His behavior not only left Elizabeth confused, but increasingly wary as well. The situation screamed deception. If not for her need to defend herself from Isabella’s venomous rage, she would have preferred to retreat until Sam arrived. The whole scenario felt like some sort of Machiavellian plot and with her as one of the players. Hoping she wasn’t leading Sam into a trap, she sent out a mental call to him for help. She had her hands full with Zach’s sister. Moreover, who knew how long the vampire would calmly sit on the sidelines before coming in for the kill. She needed backup and she needed it now. She couldn’t assume that Isabella was the only traitor. And there could be more than one vampire in the house. Elizabeth didn’t know what happened. One minute, Isabella pummeled and clawed at her while a vampire looked on and the next, four more werewolves surrounded her. It wasn’t until they’d dragged her by the hair down the stairs and into the sitting room that she had come face to face with the six other vampires. Whatever went on down here had happened quickly and efficiently. She hadn’t been upstairs that long, thirty minutes at the most. The room lay in shambles. Chairs covered the floor. Bookcases had been toppled over. Freshly spilled blood splattered the sofas and carpeting, leaving a scarlet trail winding through the wreckage straight to the basement door. Likely, the rest of their people were there. But dead or alive? Elizabeth had no idea. Why hadn’t they yelled for help, vocally or telepathically? Why hadn’t she heard anything? It had to have been a coordinated attack. Perhaps some sort of gas that knocked everyone out at once, before anyone could raise the alarm. Either she or Sam must have been the target of this batch of vampires all along. Why else would she still be alive? Apparently, they intended to use her as the bait to draw Sam straight into their trap. Elizabeth only hoped she’d been able to give Sam sufficient warning about what he would face when he came after her. That he would come after her wasn’t in doubt. If only she could invent a way to keep everyone focused on her, perhaps then they wouldn’t sense Sam closing in until too late. Although scared to death, a determined Elizabeth refused to allow it to show. The anger bubbled inside her, keeping her mind and body focused. She would never succumb to the fear that threatened to swallow her. She harnessed her anger, but kept it very much alive boiling inside her—festering until she could use it. Elizabeth sat straighter in the chair where they had unceremoniously dropped her. She gripped the chair arms in an effort to keep herself from doing something stupid like attacking the group surrounding her. She needed to maintain total control of herself until Sam and his friends got there. Then she’d be free to kick some vampire and traitor ass.

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Looking around her, the ones who had turned aside their heritage to become partners with the Vampire amazed Elizabeth. She couldn’t even blame it on the ignorance of youth, for leaning against the doorframe stood a very dapper and smug looking older man she’d seen a few days before. What was his name? She had never been good at placing names with faces. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. What is his name? No sooner had she thought it then it appeared right there on the tip of her tongue. Emile Malone. With that knowledge, came the staggering helplessness. Poor Zach, both his uncle and his sister had turned against their people, against their family. She didn’t even have a way to warn Zach about what he would find inside. The vampires prowled around the room, each looking as though their patience had reached an end and the need to kill and to feed pressed hard on them. The vampires’ restlessness gave Elizabeth hope that they hadn’t fed on her people before locking them in the basement. Even the other werewolves showed their nervousness, whether because of the vampires’ uneasiness or the knowledge that Sam would be pissed when he got there, Elizabeth didn’t know. Didn’t they realize that either way, they wouldn’t live to see another dawn? Even if Sam had not survived the trap in the tunnels, the vampires would kill them before the night ended. If they weren’t using her as bait to draw her mate into a trap, she could almost feel sorry for the traitors. Almost. She needed to get everyone’s attention yet stay alive, and she needed to do it soon. She felt Sam outside the door. Now or never, as the saying went. Elizabeth put every bit of scorn and derision she felt into her voice when she addressed Zach’s uncle. “How could you turn against your people this way, against your own family?” she sneered. He would damn well know how she felt about him. She could at least do that for Zach and maybe get some answers for him, too. Looking straight into her eyes, Emile shrugged, as if his answer was of no consequence. She had decided that must be his only response when he stated in a matter-of-fact voice, “What makes you think I didn’t do this for my family, to keep them safe?” Elizabeth laughed in his face, not even bothering to conceal her disgust. “I might have believed that from Isabella and her friends over there, but you know better. What’s the real reason you’ve betrayed everyone who ever believed in you, loved you?” “You’re too perceptive for your own good, you know. Why do you even care? It’s not like you’re going to live through the night anyway.” Elizabeth snickered. “What, and you think you will?” She gloated now. “When they get what they want, they won’t have any more use for you. Or, didn’t you think about that? Did you expect them to leave you alive? Get real.” Elizabeth saw him getting riled. Good, let him keep all his attention on her. Perhaps she could incite him enough to make him lose control and come in for an attack. The diversion might give Sam the opportunity to catch everyone unaware. “What in the hell makes you think that?” he demanded. Elizabeth almost believed the thought had never occurred to him. It didn’t take a genius to know that he hadn’t reached the age he had by being dim-witted, though. More

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than likely, it meant that he knew exactly what outcome would be. What could possibly be his real reason for doing this, knowing he probably wouldn’t survive? Why would he go to such lengths to lure Sam into a trap this way? Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth watched as the master vampire scrutinized the byplay much like a puppet master pulling strings on a marionette. But to what purpose? It appeared as if he had his own agenda, with getting rid of her and Sam only one tiny detail amongst many, many others. How she had this knowledge, she didn’t know. Right now, her priority was to force Emile into making a big enough ruckus to give the good guys a fighting chance. Elizabeth knew that only a tiny push might put her over the edge. If she could get them fighting each other, then all the better. “Don’t even try that line with me. Your niece may have believed you when you told her she’d be helping her family, but not you. Tell her the truth. Tell her the real reason that you’ve set us all up to die, her family included.” The look Elizabeth saw on Isabella’s face said it all. She gasped, obviously torn between her desire to protect her brother and her inherent family loyalty toward her uncle. Perhaps she didn’t want to believe Elizabeth, didn’t want Emile to be lying to her. “Tell me she’s lying. Tell me,” Isabella hollered. Emile barely glanced at her as he answered. “You have no clue, little girl. What I did, I did because I ought to have become king. I was your father’s right-hand man. I deserved to rule. You and your brothers betrayed me. Even your grandmother chose Sam over me. You all deserve to die for that alone.” His voice dripped with hatred, not even a hint of love for Isabella and her brothers. “How could you do this? How could you trick me? You said that Sam was endangering all of us, that he was unfit.” Isabella whispered. “And you believed me,” he sneered. “You are so pathetic.” As if sitting on the sidelines wasn’t enough entertainment, the master vampire decided to join the conversation. “Well, child, should I drain the life out of your sister-in-law first, or perhaps your uncle?” Isabella shook with terror. She glared at her uncle with a combination of rage and horrible guilt sparking from her eyes. Possibly unable to control the beast inside her clamoring for release, Isabella shifted. Her bones contorted, joints popped and her clothes tore to shreds. The moment the change completed, she leaped through the air. Her muzzle dripped saliva. Her teeth and jaws snapped as she lunged for her uncle’s neck and his chest. Any part of him she could reach. Emile defended himself as the others looked on, werewolves and vampires alike absorbed in watching the unfolding battle. Elizabeth saw this type of mayhem, pitting family member against family member, as the sort of sick entertainment vampires thrived on. Elizabeth didn’t waste any time before calling for Sam. Now, Sam. Hurry! She knew they weren’t likely to get a better chance. But Elizabeth really wanted to know what the master vampire still had up his sleeve. This same vampire had tracked Elizabeth almost continuously since she’d reached puberty. Was this all tied together somehow or a weird coincidence? She wished she knew

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what jangled her nerves, besides the obvious, of course. As Emile and Isabella battled, biting and clawing at each other, Elizabeth slowly rose from her chair, careful not to make any obvious movements that might draw enemy eyes her way. With everyone’s attention centered on the pair doing their best to destroy one another, she’d have a few precious seconds to change into her wolf form. A few seconds would be enough. With so many vampire and Loup-garou in the room, Elizabeth would be vulnerable to attack while she went through the transformation. She didn’t have a choice, though. Not if she wanted to survive the night. The transformation into her animal self started with the wrenching in her back first as her body contorted. The sound of her clothes ripping as she changed caught the vampire's attention. Elizabeth was under siege, the pain excruciating. Several vampires’ poisonous claws savaged her body. Blood streamed from several deep gouges in her side. In desperation, she lunged for the sliding glass doors, determined to get out in the open where she’d have more room to maneuver—moving the battle outdoors her only chance.

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Chapter Twenty-Four Although Sam knew danger surrounded Elizabeth, he still approached the house with caution. He watched the back door from the safety of the woods. Rather than head to the house, he crouched down and waited. The others followed suit. They’d all fought by Sam’s side in the past and trusted his instincts. If Sam chose caution knowing his mate was in jeopardy, then there had to be a damn good reason why. They waited but a few minutes when it became obvious what set Sam’s instincts humming. No visible patrol on duty. That left only a couple of possibilities—the sentry covering the back door had already been taken out or the sentry had been working with the vampires. Either way, it didn’t bode well. Silence shrouded the house and surrounding area. Definitely bad news. Why hadn’t he heard a cry of alarm? As if she knew what Sam had been thinking, Elizabeth sent him a message that nearly stopped his heart. Five simple words. Five traitors and seven vampires, she reported. How in the hell did this happen and what do I do about it, Sam wondered. That left about fifteen good guys and twelve bad guys. The only thing he knew for sure was the day would end in a bloodbath. He prayed the good guys won. Sam, Blake, and Zach gathered by the back door, waiting for the right moment to go in. Meanwhile, Pierre and Jack roamed the woods looking for signs that more of the enemy might be laying in wait. Sam wouldn’t put it past either the traitors or the vampires to have the house surrounded with reinforcements in addition to those already inside. The sound of breaking glass shattered the unnatural stillness weighing heavily in the air. For one earth-shattering moment, Sam’s heart ceased to beat as Elizabeth’s silent scream of pain blasted through his mind and soul. In a single bound, Sam leapt over the porch rail and raced around the side of the house toward the sound of Elizabeth’s cries. The moment Sam felt Elizabeth’s pain, nothing on earth could have held him back. Neither Zach nor Blake tried. Instead, they followed their friend into the chaos. Sam battled his animal instincts as he approached the motionless she-wolf. He barely heard her pitiful mewling over his own fierce growls. His mate lay on the ground, surrounded by vampire and werewolves alike. Only his human-like mind kept Sam from becoming wholly animal at that moment. Jack and Pierre joined the trio. Heads down and teeth bared, the wolves moved as one toward their fallen queen, careful to keep the enemy within sight at all times. Although Sam’s small group of protectors was outnumbered, no doubt existed in their collective mind that by the end of the day they would be victorious. Rage and hatred burned deep in their souls and nothing except death could keep Sam from destroying anyone who brought harm upon his mate. As though the heavens felt Sam’s fury, the skies darkened and trees swayed, losing their battle to stay strong against the buffeting wind. Heavy clouds obscured the full moon. One moment Sam leaned over his mate, his tongue stroking her muzzle, and the next he

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charged the nearest enemy—one of their own people. Wolf against wolf, each fighting for his life. Nothing mattered to Sam. The need to kill his only thought, his only concern. Within minutes, the other wolf lay dead with his throat torn completely out, his internal organs lying on the ground beside him. Sam howled over his fallen prey. One of the lesser vampires attacked him from behind. He barely felt the vampire’s razor-sharp claw tear into his back, so intense his rage. With preternatural speed and agility, Sam whirled around, raking the vampire’s belly with his claws. The other wolves battled just as fiercely, taking down the enemy one-by-one, until only the undead’s rotting corpses strewn about with the bloody cadavers of the traitorous werewolves remained. The five wolves stood amidst the blood and gore. Adrenaline flowed through their bodies. He knew each tried to regain control and subdue his inner beast when the sky opened up. Rain poured down in torrents, washing the blood from their coats, cleansing away the stench of death. Afraid of what he’d find, Sam cautiously approached his mate who still lay on the ground, unmoving except for the rise and fall of her ribs. Prodding her with his muzzle, she rewarded him with a soft yip of acknowledgement. The fact that she could maintain the form of the wolf despite her injuries was a good sign. But knowing that in his mind and seeing for himself that she would be all right was another matter entirely. With the help of the other wolves, Sam lugged her out of the torrential rain and onto the back porch. He didn’t want Elizabeth to wake up to evidence of the attack. It would stir too many painful memories. Knowing that Elizabeth would prefer to be covered when she changed into human form, he sent Blake to retrieve a blanket. Zach went with him to look for his mate and the others. Perhaps they had been incapacitated quickly, not giving anyone enough time to call out for help. Deep in his heart, he knew Zach couldn’t believe his mate was dead, and if she were still alive, then it was a good chance that some of the others were alive as well. They all needed their mates as they never had before. Knowledge of the betrayals by their own hit all of them hard, especially Zach. He must have felt as though his insides were torn asunder. That members of his family had endangered their king and queen, as well as the rest of their people, was a treachery none of them ever thought they would have to face. Sickened and discouraged, Sam knew only being with his mate could help lift the heaviness of despair weighing his soul. ***** As soon as they entered the house, Blake and Zach shifted to their human forms. Although quicker to travel as a wolf, it had distinct disadvantages as well. Opening doors to search a house being one of them. Blake watched Zach with concern. With his mind obviously occupied by thoughts of his mate, Zach could not have been prepared for the sight of his sister laying dead on the living room floor, their uncle standing over her body. Not even a hint of remorse or feeling

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showed in Emile’s face, signs of a true sociopath. Zach staggered and leaned against the wall, his head down. Knowing Zach would want to deal with this alone, Blake hurried up the steps. He went straight toward the guest room where he had stored his overnight bag, his intention to change into some sweats. He didn't know what alerted him to someone else’s presence, whether his heightened hearing or some other type of awareness. He had no idea. One moment his thoughts centered on the strange connection he seemed to have with Sam’s mate and the next he sensed another person nearby. Someone like him, but not. He found it nearly impossible to turn around, self-preservation warring with his need to face life head on. Deep inside, Blake knew that whatever stood behind him wasn’t something he wanted to confront. Bracing himself for whatever lay ahead, Blake slowly turned toward the entryway to the guestroom. Standing there in all his macabre glory, he saw the master vampire—the evil one that had hunted Elizabeth earlier in the week. Was this some sick game of cat and mouse? Twice now, the vampire had shown himself to Blake and Elizabeth. Twice now, the vampire made himself a target by not attacking first. Why? Rather than strike at the vampire, Blake remained impassive, showing absolutely no emotion—not his confusion and not his certainty that things weren’t what they seemed. No way Elizabeth met up with the same vampire twice in one week by coincidence. Blake steeled his determination to discover the reason. Feeling ballsy, he stared straight at the vampire. Rather than openly confront the undead, he quirked his eyebrow. “Yeah, you’re big, bad and evil. But, so what?” As though Blake’s attitude pleased him, the vampire tilted his head back and laughed. A maniacal, blood-chilling shrill. Blake stood firm even though his every cell screamed for him to break eye contact, to escape the undead’s foul presence. Blake’s skin crawled. His heart hammered against his chest. He stood there paralyzed, but unwilling to show his true feelings. He sensed that this particular vampire got his thrills through observing the reactions of others. Knowing that he needed answers but terrified of what they might be, Blake waited until the vampire’s unnerving laughter subsided before he spoke again. He wasn’t even sure what he should say, but out of nowhere one single question blasted from his gut as though if he knew the answer to that one question, it would change his outlook on the world as he knew it. Blake knew in his gut, with a frightening certainty, that his life would never be the same again…and it terrified him. “Who are you?” “Do you really want to know who I am, child?” the vampire asked Blake. “And are you sure you can handle the answer?” he sneered. “Just spit it out, already,” Blake growled. “Haven’t you figured it out yet, boy? Do you really need to be told who I am?” he mocked. Blake trembled with rage. If the vampire thought he’d lose control, then he would soon find out differently. Each time the vampire mocked him, each time he snickered, Blake became calmer, his thinking clearer, more methodical. He would not allow the undead to get the upper hand in this battle of wits. For Blake knew, without a doubt, that they were fighting a battle with an all-important outcome.

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“Try me,” Blake replied. “Why, boy, I’m your father. Aren’t you happy to meet me?” he jeered. Paralyzed, Blake couldn’t think, could barely breathe. No way. It couldn’t be true. He would know if this thing standing in front of him was his father. Wouldn’t he? It couldn’t be possible. But deep down, Blake knew. In the innermost part of his soul, he knew it was very possible that his father was the most vile, evil creature on earth—a vampire.

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Chapter Twenty-Five Outside the wind howled, sending twigs and leaves flying and storm shutters slamming. The rain spattered the windows. Unable to hold her wolf form any longer, Elizabeth huddled on the porch, her body battered by gusting winds. She grew weaker by the minute and neither Zach nor Blake had returned. Knowing time was running out for his mate, Sam shifted back into his human body so he could get her out of the storm. Gathering Elizabeth’s limp body in his arms, Sam entered the kitchen, all too aware that the house still needed searching and that the enemy may still be inside. He didn’t even want to leave her side long enough to gather the towels needed to dry her off and soak up the blood still seeping from her wounds. Jack and Pierre entered the kitchen right behind him, and they, too, were on guard. As a physician, Jack’s main priority became Elizabeth’s health, while Pierre took the task of keeping them safe. Sam’s main concern remained Elizabeth. Nodding toward Jack to follow him, Sam left Elizabeth in Pierre’s care and stepped into the hallway leading to the living room. “I’m going to get some towels and blankets, then get some clothes for us. Is there anything else you need me to bring down so that you can treat Elizabeth?” he whispered. Sam didn’t ask what Jack thought about his mate’s injuries, in case the prognosis wasn’t good. He didn’t think he could handle that right now. He wanted nothing more than to cradle his mate to his chest, croon softly in her ear as he attempted to soothe away her pain. But there was too much to do to ensure that his mate lived. Jack followed Sam’s gaze. “She’ll be ok. I didn’t see any arterial bleeding, but she will need stitches. I don’t think she’ll need a transfusion. My medical bag is inside the front door. I left it there before we headed out this morning. I’ll go grab it while you stay here with your mate. Send Pierre to hunt through Zach and Jessica’s closets for some clothes for the bunch of us.” Jack started toward the kitchen, then turned back toward Sam. “Watch your back.” Sam sent Pierre to find clothes while he stayed with Elizabeth. He was beside himself with fear when he noticed Jack’s approach and breathed a sigh of relief. Almost to Sam’s side when a thunderous crash reverberated through the house, Jack looked up toward the second floor balcony. “Stay with Elizabeth, Sam,” he snapped. “I’ll handle this. Keep applying pressure to her wounds. Use the kitchen towels to wrap around the worst of them. I’ll be right back.” With that, Jack darted through the door and into the house, obviously following the sounds of crashing furniture and raised voices. Sam knew he should be involved in whatever caused the commotion inside the house, but he couldn’t leave Elizabeth. He needed to protect her, with his life, if necessary. Her small frame shivered with cold. His heart clenched with fear and anger. Thankfully Zach had the responsibility to get rid of the traitors. Sam feared he would end up letting his feelings overrule his conscience. And, he didn’t want to risk that. It would be better this way. It would give Zach the closure he needed in order to get over this betrayal. Sam tightened his hold on his mate, gently rocking back and forth and stroking her hair. He leaned down and pressed his lips against her temple, inhaling her essence,

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imprinting it upon his soul. “Beth, baby. Stay with me, please. We’ll get you fixed up before you know it.” “Sam,” she whispered. He saw her eyelids flutter. She tried to come back to him. Relief washed over him in waves. Until he heard her voice, he’d been terrified that he’d gotten to her too late. His voice cracking with emotion, Sam whispered, “Oh, baby. I thought I was going to lose you. Don’t ever scare me like that again. I can’t take it.” Elizabeth turned her face toward his, lightly pressed her lips against his cheek and winced. He immediately looked at her wounds and knew he needed to put her down to get those towels to stanch the blood flow. With whispered regret for jostling her, Sam gently eased Elizabeth onto the chair and turned toward the kitchen. Although in quite a bit of pain, Elizabeth heard the noise coming from various parts of the house. She didn’t want Sam to leave her side, but if they needed him inside she wouldn’t complain. “Sam,” she called. “If you need to go and take care of things, look for survivors or whatever—go ahead.” It about killed her to tell him that, but she knew she couldn’t make things harder on him than they already were. He slammed the drawer he’d been searching and turned toward her. He didn’t send any feelings through their mental bond, he must be doing his best not too overwhelm her with his emotions. He opened another drawer, bowed his head and quietly but forcefully said, “No.” That was it. No other response. He then turned around and went back to looking through the cabinets for clean towels. Several moments later, he returned to her side, waving his stash of towels. With great care, he gently pressed the towels to the worst of her wounds. Only then did she realize she sat in the kitchen, butt naked, with several people moving around in the house. She felt the heated flush spread over her skin, all too aware that others had more than likely seen her naked. How embarrassing was that? First, everyone saw her in her pajamas, then wearing absolutely nothing at all. Mistaking her moan of embarrassment for a moan of pain, Sam eased up the pressure on her side and looked into her eyes. “What is it, baby?” Sam asked. “I’m naked,” she cried. “Yes, I’ve noticed. Oh, now I understand your distress. My little prude. Don’t worry, Beth. Pierre is off to get you some covers. He’ll be right back.” If she had more strength and not been in such agony, she would have slapped him. “Oh,” she cried. “I don’t want anyone seeing me naked.” “I’m sorry, Beth. I’m not going to leave your side to get something. I’ll make sure he keeps his eyes closed when he comes in here, but that’s the only compromise I'll make. I thought I was going to lose you and I’ll be damned if I’m going to leave you alone for a second until I know you’re safe. Even then, I might not leave your side for a while,” he promised. Elizabeth knew exactly how Sam felt. She didn’t want to be apart from him any more than he did. “Ok, Sam.” she agreed. “Can I ask you a question?” “You can ask me anything you want, baby.” “Is today an example of how our lives are going to be? Because if it is, I have to say, I’m

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going to expect to spend a lot of time in bed…resting, of course.” Sam chuckled. “Beth, baby. You can spend as much time in bed as you want, so long as I’m in there with you. But, there won’t be any resting involved.” ***** It was a few moments before Blake could reason again. He wanted to scream in outrage, to curse the heavens above for allowing such an abomination to exist. More than anything, he wanted to know why. Why had his father announced himself? Why had he been after Elizabeth? Why did this creature rape his mother? Oh, yes. Blake knew about his mother’s rape by another lupine over three decades earlier. How hunters found her, then hunted down and killed the rapist. Apparently, he wasn’t killed in the ritual way by piercing his heart. Instead, they buried him with his heart left intact. And he rose again to become vampire, left to prey on humans and Loup-garou alike. And all the time, Blake allowed his family to think he believed the story he’d been told as a child. Blake’s surprise had been in his family’s carelessness about ensuring that the lupine wouldn’t rise again as vampire. It turned out to be a costly mistake—for everyone. Blake wanted to destroy the evil thing standing in front of him, but more than that he wanted answers. He deserved some answers. In fact, they were all entitled to some. “Why now, why here? Why pick today to tell me who you are, dammit?” Blake roared. The vampire merely smirked, not in the least intimated. In fact, he looked rather pleased with Blake’s reaction. “Don’t you even want to know my name before you start demanding answers?” Blake literally trembled with suppressed rage. He was tired of talking, tired of pretending as though his entire world hadn’t shifted off its axis. Only his driving need for answers kept him from annihilating the vampire. “Fine. Tell me who you are, then I expect some damn answers before I rid the world of your presence forever.” “What?” he asked. “Don’t you want to get to know me?” he sneered. “I know all I’ll ever need to know about you.” “Ah, well. Such a shame and I had such hope that we could grow close, like other fathers and sons,” he mocked. “Stop playing games or I’m going to quit talking altogether and you don’t want that. You’re enjoying being the center of attention. So, go ahead. Tell me what you’ve been wanting to. It’s why you’ve hung around after things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to. Isn’t it?” The vampire shrugged, “My name is Emmanuel Madison. I used to go by my family name—Winters.” There was no way Blake could have kept the surprise from racing across his face. No way this was a mere coincidence. Answers to unasked questions tumbled through Blake’s mind. His seemingly strange connection to Elizabeth now made sense. “What are you to Elizabeth?” Blake asked, his curiosity as an investigator getting the better of him. “Why, I’m her uncle, of course. Ironic, isn’t it. Zach’s uncle being the betrayer here, me

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the betrayer in Elizabeth’s family. I thought it was a nice setup, myself,” he crowed. “What possible reason could you have had to kill them? How could you justify it?” Blake demanded. “Tsk, Tsk, Tsk…I thought you were smarter than that, boy. What’s the usual motive for murder?” “Money? You made your own niece an orphan for money?” “Not money, you fool. Not only was I disinherited, I was disowned. Just because of a couple of minor differences of opinion with women, they acted as though I was non-existent. Well, I showed them. All but young Elizabeth, that is. Somehow, she managed to evade me. I was actually quite proud of her. I wasn’t able to track her for years, I wasn’t Vampire then, you know.” “The same kind of minor disagreement you had with my mother? Is that why they disowned you?” He already knew the answer, but he had to know for sure. “Why, yes, son. You’re catching on quick now,” he quipped. “Unfortunately I didn’t get away like I did before. The rest, as you know, is history. All except one little thing…” Did he really want to ask? He clenched his jaw in determination. He needed to know all of it or he’d never be able to move on with his life. The answers were important, not only to him, but to Elizabeth as well. “What haven’t you told me?” Blake demanded. “Only that after I arose as I am now, I made sure to keep an eye on your family. I waited until they all had gathered again, then made you an orphan as well. Of course, you were older than Elizabeth had been.” The pain became more than Blake could handle. So many people destroyed in one way or another by this evil creature. Blake let out a cry of anguish. He felt as though his heart had been ripped completely from his chest. He didn’t know how he could even continue standing. It was too much. Too much pain. Too much heartbreak. Too much sorrow. Just too much. The master vampire, Emmanuel, seemed well satisfied with his reaction. Blake’s friends’ footsteps pounded up the stairs. The vampire moved then, doing what he’d set out to do and that did not include allowing anyone to capture him. Not yet at any rate. “Till next time,” he called to Blake. One minute he was there, gloating with pleasure, and the next he had disappeared into an insubstantial mist. The only evidence that a vampire had been present was the oily thickness of the air and the broken man he’d left behind. Jack and Pierre burst through the door. They found Blake standing in the guestroom, head bowed and tears of pain running down his cheeks. He heard their arrival and knew he wasn’t alone. He also knew that he’d let his father get away. Before raising his eyes to those of his concerned friends, he took a silent oath. He would hunt down his father and destroy him and he’d find Sam’s sister and all other Loup-garou who’d gone into hiding because their families had been virtually decimated by the Vampire. He wouldn’t rest until he accomplished both those goals. Perhaps then, he’d be able to find solace with who he was, and what he’d come from. As though nothing untoward had happened, he met his friends’ gaze head on. “Let’s go check on Elizabeth and then we have some bodies to burn. Who wants to light the match?” Blake asked.

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Jack cleared his throat before answering, “I think Zach and Sam will be fighting over the honor. What do you think, Pierre?” “I think you may be right, Mon ami.” That said, the three men went downstairs to take inventory of their losses and clean up the mess. Looking at the destruction around him, Blake couldn’t help but smile. He looked forward to meeting up with his father again. Then it would be payback time. “Oh, shit.” Jack squealed. “Dammit, I forgot to stitch up Elizabeth.” “Don’t worry about it,” Pierre smirked. “Sam got impatient and had Zach and Jessica take them to the clinic, since Zach insisted Jessica be checked out as well.” “So Zach found Jessica and the others?” “Yeah, they were all downstairs tied up in the basement. Several had some nasty gashes and some pretty colorful bruises blooming, but no serious injuries.” “Good. Well, I better haul ass over there. Enjoy your bonfire.” Sebastian strode into the kitchen and spotted Blake. “Oh, there you are. Thanks for all the help in the woods. The men guarding the perimeter almost made mincemeat out of me.” Blake snorted, “Yeah, you look like you needed help.” Sebastian’s clothes were torn and bloodied, but not of the blood appeared to be his. “You were probably out there having the time of your life.” Sebastian grinned and slapped him on the back. “You know me too well, old friend.” ***** After Jack tended to Elizabeth’s injuries at the clinic, Sam had finally been able to take her to the privacy of their cabin. She loved lying in her husband’s arms and she knew she always would. No matter how bad things got, so long as at the end of the day she could lie in Sam’s embrace, everything would be fine. Make love to me, Sam. Baby, I don’t want to hurt you. The only way you could hurt me is by telling me no. There was so much death around us today. I want to feel alive again. Sam couldn’t deny his mate anything. She was his life, his heart—his destiny.

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Epilogue One Year Later, Upstate, New York The phone rang as Sam and Elizabeth walked back into their house. They’d spent the last few hours swimming and sunning themselves at Elizabeth’s hidden pond. The year had been a magical time. It had been a time of healing, a time of sharing, a time of laughter, and a time of planning. Sam and Elizabeth were closer than ever before and looking forward to the birth of their first child. Sam laughed at something Elizabeth had said as he picked up the phone. “Hello?” “Hey, Sam. It’s Blake.” Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn’t heard from Blake in the three months since Elizabeth had given him the newspaper clippings that were in the attic. They were all about Blake’s father and the crimes he’d committed through the years. “Where have you been? We haven’t heard from you in ages. Since right after you told us about what happened at Zach’s place, as a matter of fact.” “I’ve been trying to track down your sister and the rest of our people, among other things.” He wasn’t ready to confide in Sam about what he’d been doing to search for his father. That would wait for a better time. Sam’s voice took on an excited edge. “What have you got for me Blake? Any luck?” “I’m not sure. I may have a lead. I think I may be on to something. I don’t know if it has anything to do with your sister, but I might have located a stop on an underground railroad.” “An underground railroad? You sure about that?” Shocked, Sam reached over and grabbed Elizabeth’s hand, needing her strength and her unwavering support. Is this how their people were simply disappearing, by going into hiding? If this was true, then perhaps finding the rest of their people, uniting them once again, was one step closer to becoming reality. “It’s a rumor, but it came from a good source.” “Keep me posted, Blake. And good luck.” “Like I said, I don’t know if this will lead to your sister or whether this Underground Railroad still exists, assuming it ever did. I won’t give up though until we’ve found all our people, Sam. Count on it.” The End