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Werewolves in Love Three Supernatural Novellas
A Ravenous Romance® Original Publication
Trinity Blacio, Kate Early, and Azura Ice
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A Ravenous Romance® Original Publication www.ravenousromance.com
Copyright © 2010 by Ravenous Romance
Ravenous Romance® 100 Cummings Center Suite 123A Beverly, MA 01915
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60777-397-9 This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Heart of a Were by Azura Ice Cupid’s Arrow Bites Back by Trinity Blacio Enforced Will by Kate Early
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Heart of a Were By Azura Ice
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Chapter One Although chilly, the weather was still considerably warmer than it had been all winter. An unexpected February thaw had allowed Candace to deliver the Harley Softail Deluxe in person, and it also gave her an excellent opportunity to ride her husband’s bike one last time. She’d donned a thermal undershirt, an extrathick hoodie, and her heaviest leather riding jacket and gloves. The ride was a short one, but she’d been enjoying every last second of it. She halted at a stoplight, placing her feet down to balance the motorcycle, the cinders strewn across the street grinding beneath its tires and her boots. With a heavy heart, she let her gaze wander over the powerful machine she straddled. Doug had saved for months to buy the motorcycle of his dreams, including having a very talented artist airbrush the non-chrome areas with a wolf theme. On one side of the tank a black male wolf watched the road, and on the other, a cream-colored female wolf kept vigil. However, Doug only got to enjoy his iron horse for a few weeks before a heart attack claimed his life. Now, a little more than year later, Candace found herself with more bills than money, so the only alternative was to sell the Harley. Tears pricked her eyes. Please don’t be mad at me, Doug. Your life insurance policy didn’t leave me enough to handle all the bills. I don’t know what else to do to keep the house and pay the property taxes. The light turned green, and Candace started through the intersection. Luckily, Doug had taught her how to ride. She would deliver the bike to the buyer in person and take the bus back home to her neighborhood. But, oh how she would have loved to keep the Softail! Doug had been right when he’d said she would be bitten by the open road and the only cure for it would be the wind in her hair. She’d indulged herself from time to time, navigating State Route 7 as the Ohio River snaked right alongside it. However, winter kept her from riding, so this trip seemed like a blessing. It gave her one last opportunity to say goodbye to the bike and to her husband. If business was better, I wouldn’t have to sell this baby to keep our home. She sighed, wishing Veiled Bliss Wedding Consultation would see a surge in
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customers. Moving into a shitty apartment with a roommate to help me pay the rent makes me ill just thinking about it. Candace rolled along Market Street in Wheeling. The damp, fishy odor of the river wafting through the street mixed with the diesel from a truck a few yards in front of her and the scent of herbs bursting from a pizza shop midway down the block. Large piles of melting snow lined the sides of the street, preventing only the odd car from parking where someone had taken the time to shovel out a spot. As Candace eyed the mounds of snow splashed with the brown and black residue of puddles from passing vehicles, she prayed spring would be early this year. Finally, she made the last two turns that led to the civic center and pulled into the parking lot where a tall, dark-haired man in his mid-forties waited for her. He smiled broadly. “Candace Songvee?” She forced the kickstand down and shut the bike off. “Yes. Isaac Timbers?” He shook his head and withdrew a wallet from his back pocket. “Isaac is my brother. I’m Carl Timbers.” Fishing a driver’s license from the wallet, he then held it to her. “My brother had unexpected business to attend to, so he sent me to pick up the Harley Softail. I can’t tell you how excited he is about buying this bike.” Candace stepped off the Harley and reached for the plastic card. She studied it carefully. “Do you have the cash?” He strode over to a limo where the driver met him with a large manila envelope. Carl accepted it and returned to Candace. He passed her the envelope. “Check it,” he stated. “The thirteen grand is all there.” Candace riffled through the stacks of bills as a cold river wind ruffled the hair escaping from her knit cap. Satisfied, she reached inside her leather coat and withdrew the colored envelope holding the Harley’s title and held it out to the man. “The title is signed. Your brother already has verification that the motorcycle was legally transferred into my name after my husband passed away. Should he have any questions, please tell him not to hesitate to call me.” Carl nodded. He motioned to the driver that he was leaving and then straddled the bike and started it up. “My brother will be thrilled when he sees the motorcycle parked in his garage.” He laughed. “You’ve made him a very happy man.”
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“Well,” she gulped down a huge, stinging lump in her throat, “I’m glad the bike is going to someone who will appreciate and enjoy it.” Carl used one foot to put the kickstand up. With both feet on the pavement, he balanced the rumbling bike. “I realize the weather is warmer than normal today, but it’s growing late and the temperature is dropping, so why don’t you let my chauffeur drive you home?” “No, thanks. I just need to be alone. I’ll walk or maybe take the bus.” “You’re sure?” She nodded. “Ms. Songvee, don’t worry. I’m sure your husband knows the bike is in good hands.” Overwhelmed with emotion, Candace waved to him and quickly turned away. Blinded by tears, she decided to take the bus instead of walking and headed for a nearby stop. “I hope you’re right,” she whispered as a tear escaped the corner of one eye. **** On the way home on the bus, she kept a tissue pressed to her eyes as the tears flowed. Thank God, the bus is nearly empty this evening. I don’t think I could’ve handled people staring at me as I sit here sobbing. She crumpled the tissue, stuffed it into one pocket, and then pulled a fresh one from another pocket. At her stop, she stepped off the bus and started the short walk home, her biker boots thumping dully on the half-thawed sidewalk. She pondered the sound of her footsteps and noted how it mimicked the beat of her heart. On the Ohio side of the river, the sun slipped behind the hills, bathing the river bottom in shade. Carl Timbers had been right. Although the day had hovered in the mid-fifties, the setting sun allowed the iciness of Old Man Winter to return. Candace surveyed the trees and shrubbery along her street. The warmer temps are nice, but I hate to see buds arrive too soon only to have the cold nip them. But I don’t know how many more lonely winter nights I can handle without Doug.
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The Blackberry Torch inside her jacket began playing “G6.” Candace pulled it out and answered it. “Hello?” “You haven’t forgotten about the Valentine Chat and Swap tomorrow night, have you?” Candace groaned. “Hey there, Darla. Nice to hear your voice too.” “I’m sorry, chica, but ever since you promised to go to this event with me you keep making excuses to back out.” A car full of kids with the stereo blasting drove by. Candace waited until the vehicle turned the corner and said, “I just feel so guilty about dating anyone. It’s like I’m ch—” “Dammit, Candace!” Silence followed as Candace blinked at the cell phone in shock. Finally, Darla said, “I’m sorry, honey. It’s just that when you married Doug it was ‘until death do us part,’ and the man is gone now. I don’t care what you think, but if Doug knew you were pining away for him, refusing to move on with your life, he’d spank your ass until it glowed in the dark.” “I wish he would.” Tears poured down Candace’s face. Some days she managed her grief okay, but today was one of those days where she couldn’t keep Doug off her mind. “Look, I’m home now and don’t feel like talking, so I’ll call you back later.” She ended the call, feeling guilty for hanging up on her best friend. Although she loved Darla deeply, the woman acted like a pissed-off pit bull whenever she felt something was in Candace’s best interest. She passed through the old, heavy iron gate and strode up the icy flagstone walk to the front door. Unlocking it, she entered and shut the door behind her. I’m sorry, Darla, but I loved Doug more than life itself. No man will ever be able to take his place. Besides, weres are strange about females who have already had a mate. Candace tossed her keys into a dish on the entryway table and headed upstairs for a long, hot bath. Tomorrow she’d pay the property taxes and catch the mortgage up before the bank foreclosed on the house. If Veiled Bliss was doing
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better, she probably could’ve put enough money away to cover the property taxes. However, with the economy in shambles, couples were cutting back on unnecessary expenses, so most of the weddings she’d worked on the last six months had been smaller, more conservative ones instead of the lavish celebrations she was used to handling. Maybe the economy would improve in the spring, and business would pick up again. Right now, she just wanted to soak away her worries and enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine. Maybe she’d have a spurt of energy and build a fire in the fireplace and drink her wine beside it. If she was lucky, she’d drink enough to enjoy a night’s sleep without dreaming about her deceased husband…but it would be so nice to have someone to hold her again.
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Chapter Two Isaac parked his motorcycle in the parking garage for safekeeping and walked back to the building. As he stepped from the garage, he nearly bumped into a young attendant just outside the door tossing rock salt across the sidewalk. If Isaac didn’t show up, Carl would drag him to this stupid gathering, so he’d humor his older brother and chalk it up to another worthless evening with women he had no interest in. The Valentine Chat and Swap was the first of its kind in the valley. He’d heard of speed dating, but this was at a more leisurely pace. Chat with those who caught your interest, and then if you decided you weren’t a Valentine match, leave the table and move to the next one with a vacant chair by someone else you might find attractive. Besides, Valentine’s Day was two days away, so having something like this before the holiday reeked more of a dating site’s convention than it did a Valentine party. What a load of shit. Isaac kicked a pebble off the sidewalk. It skipped and rolled into the street. No one will ever replace Gwen. When she died, my heart died with her. As he approached the center, the aroma of the river wafted over him. Gwen had spent a lot of time fishing from its banks, but since she died, Isaac hadn’t picked up a fishing pole. A chilly breeze caressed his neck, and he flipped the collar up on his riding jacket. Ahead at the center’s wide expanse of glass doors, groups of people filed inside. He gaped at the crowd. Are there really that many lonely people in the valley? Regardless of the weather, women wore outfits that ranged from provocative to casual. Most of the men sported nice jeans and shirts with simple dress jackets, but a few walked around in three-piece suits. Wheeling housed a wide array of cultures and races, and from what Isaac saw, there were even a few weres sprinkled among them. Just inside the door, a voice called out, “Isaac! Over here!” Isaac pushed through the throng and met his brother by a table full of Valentine souvenirs. “I made it,” he said. “Now can I go home?”
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“What the hell is wrong with you, bro?” Although tall, Carl still had to look up at Isaac. “Check out all the lovely ladies here.” “How many times have I told you I don’t want to replace Gwen?” Anger flowed through Isaac. “She was the love of my life, Carl. No one can replace her, and the chance of finding another soul mate like her is one in a hundred million.” “I never said anything about you replacing Gwen. You need to come out of your shell, bro,” said Carl. “You manage the finances of the clan, work with me, and ride your motorcycles. What kind of life is that?” He smiled at Isaac, his voice shifting to a big-brother tone. “I don’t want to settle down with anyone either, but it’s not stopping me from looking for a sexy bedmate.” Isaac snorted derisively. “At forty, you’d think you’d be over the sowingyour-oats syndrome.” “Just because you’re younger than I am doesn’t mean I’m an old fart,” Carl countered with a mischievous smile. “I’m fit, have a hearty sexual appetite, and women find me attractive, so I plan on enjoying my bachelorhood as much as possible.” Shaking his head, Isaac elbowed his brother. “Well, it looks like someone has already singled you out before the Chat and Swap has officially started.” Carl glanced in the direction Isaac was looking and then casually looked behind them as if he was just checking out the place. “Nah, she’s too short and fine-boned for my taste.” Isaac chuckled. “Carl, sometimes you can be a real jerk.” He let his gaze wander over the crowd. A man with a head of golden hair stood out among a crowd of women, and as he turned, presenting his profile to Isaac, an ill feeling punched Isaac in the gut. The man spoke to a young woman at his side, his Big Bad Wolf smile obviously charming her. “Damn,” Isaac whispered. Carl looked over at him. “What’s wrong?” “Look who’s here,” said Isaac, nodding in the blond guy’s direction. “Over by the pop coolers.”
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Groaning, Carl said, “Todd Riverstone.” A big sigh escaped him. “What the hell’s he doing here? I thought the Storm Wolves weren’t allowed in this neck of the woods.” “As far as I know, they’re not. The Den ordered all Storm Wolves to stay out of this area.” “If Todd’s here, you can bet there’s trouble brewing,” Carl stated, a scowl on his face. “Until we can contact the Alpha of our den,” said Isaac, “we’ll just ask around and see what we can find out.” An announcement blasted through the sound system. “Attention Valentine hopefuls. Please proceed into the civic center’s arena and be seated anywhere there’s an available spot.” “The fun is about to start,” Carl said and propelled Isaac in front of him. “Oh, gee. I can’t wait,” Isaac retorted, dreading the evening ahead of him. As he let his brother push him along, Isaac kept his attention on Todd, who talked and joked with yet another woman. Whatever reason he’s here, I better keep an eye on him tonight. **** “Will you stop dawdling?” Darla snapped as she waited for Candace to exit the cab. “I told you I don’t want to do this,” Candace slid out of the taxi and stood, “and that it’s a waste of not only my time, but yours too.” “Humor me, okay?” Pulling a bill from her wallet, Darla paid the cabbie. “There has to be a vast variety of people here, including weres.” “First, I’m not a were, I married one, and secondly, I’ve told you dozens of times that male weres are odd about taking a mate of a deceased were.” Candace slipped her purse strap over her head so that it lay across her jacket. “I don’t get that part,” said Darla. Her pale eyebrows knitted. “Is that some sort of unwritten were law or something?”
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“No, it’s nothing like that.” Candace sighed patiently. A cold wind riffled her hair. She pushed a lock of it out of her eyes and explained, “It’s just that when weres take a mate, the love is so strong it’s seldom someone can replace him or her. Weres can take a widowed mate as theirs, but the were always has the fear that their beloved doesn’t love him or her as much as they did their first mate.” Darla gaped at her. With a wan smile, Candace explained. “Have you ever heard about how a wolf sometimes dies after its mate is killed or it gets sick and dies?” “Oh, I get it. They die of a broken heart.” Relieved that her friend had finally caught on, Candace nodded. “That’s how it is with weres too. It’s rare they take another mate.” “But you’re not a were,” Darla stated as she pulled a tube of lipstick from her handbag. “It doesn’t matter. I loved—love—Doug with just as much intensity as a were would.” She started walking, her heels clicking along the sidewalk, their tempo revealing her irritable mood. I can’t believe I’m going to do this! “Wait up,” Darla yelled. “For someone who has fought me tooth and nail over this, you sure are in a hurry to get to the Chat and Swap.” “I’m in a hurry so I can get this evening over with and go home!” “Oh, come on, Candace. Why can’t you just relax and have some fun?” Catching up with her, Darla matched her pace with Candace’s, dodging dark areas that looked suspiciously like black ice. Finally, with the lipstick firmly between her fingers, she applied a quick coat of soft plum. Gritting her teeth, Candace marched onward. How many times did she have to tell Darla that dating made her feel like she was cheating on Doug? Although he was dead, her heart still belonged to him. They reached the civic center and entered with the last few late stragglers. As she slowly moved forward in the line, the sensation of being observed hit her. She looked to the right and met the gaze of a handsome blond man standing by a souvenir table. His assessing brown eyes bored through her thin façade. His expression spoke volumes about his interest in Candace. He winked and offered
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her a huge, white-toothed smile. Quickly, she glanced away, heat flaming into her cheeks. Why does that man seem so familiar? She casually looked around, her gaze briefly landing on him again and then skittering away to another person or object. I can’t place him, but I know I know him from somewhere. It took them several minutes to navigate the center and reach the arena. With dismay, Candace realized she wouldn’t be able to stay close to Darla. Panic slapped her with force, and anxiety clenched in her stomach. She grabbed her friend’s arm. “Darla, don’t leave me. I can’t do this!” Darla met her gaze with wide, sympathetic green eyes. “Look,” she said, “just make chitchat and move on to the next guy. If nothing else, maybe you’ll find a good guy friend. There doesn’t have to be anything romantic, right?” Slowly, Candace nodded. Since she put it that way, maybe I can do this after all. I’m looking for a friend and nothing more. “Good.” Pointing, Darla added, “There’s a seat across from that handsome blond guy. Go sit in it before that booby redhead reaches it first.” With a gentle shove, Darla pushed her toward the man. Dismayed, Candace realized the man was the same one who’d checked her out as she’d been waiting in line. Although he proved extremely attractive, something about him set her teeth on edge, but all the other nearby seats were already taken. Well, I suppose I have no choice, so I might as well get this over with. She walked toward him, and as he noticed her, he smiled broadly. Déjà vu. He’s so familiar, but why? Seconds later, Candace shed her jacket and found herself sitting across from the blond man. He looked to be about her age with the darkest brown eyes she’d ever seen, eyes that sliced right through her. I wish I could place where I know this guy from. Wary of him, she glanced around, once again looking for another seat. “Attention chatters!” The sexless voice said through the speakers. “At the bell, start talking. You have one hour to mingle from table to table or chat to your Valentine, should you find him or her. We will then break for refreshments. On your mark, get set, go!”
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A loud bong filled the arena, followed by the roar of conversations blending and twisting throughout the massive room. The cacophony of voices speared Candace with dread. She stared at the man across from her. What the hell am I supposed to say to him? “So,” he said, “what’s your name?” He smiled, revealing a mouthful of perfect white teeth. “Tootsie.” She wished the guy would disappear. Sure, he was handsome, but something about him had turned a warning siren on in her head. Unable to pinpoint what it was about him that made her wary, Candace passed it off as her unease at being thrust into a dating environment. He grinned wider. “Is that you’re real name?” “Does it matter?” She frowned. Why did he speak to her as if he really knew her? “At this point in the game, I’ll play along with it.” He laughed and held his hand out. “I’m Todd.” “I’m bored,” she said. A dark expression crossed his face. “Bitch!” “That’s my middle name,” she quipped. She felt a little guilty for her cattiness, but only a little. He rose, spun on his heel, and walked three tables over to a vacant chair where he began chatting animatedly with a brunette woman with large breasts. Candace sighed with relief, but his earlier comment nagged at her. Why had he said ‘at this point in the game, I’ll play along with it’? What game? A shadow fell over the table, and a different man stood looking down at her. “Hi,” he said. “I noticed you looked really uncomfortable with that guy. Do you mind if I just sit here? It might keep him from coming back.” Candace gaped at him. Damn, he’s a fine-looking man! “Ma’am?” he said. She blinked. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She motioned toward the empty chair. “Suit yourself.”
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“Thanks.” He sat and leaned back in the metal chair. “I’m really out of my element here.” Candace let her gaze wander over him in a casual manner. His hair is so black it has blue highlights. She briefly met his gaze and glanced away. I’ve never seen eyes that looked like topazes. Unable to help herself, she kept stealing glances at him. He has to be every bit six-four or five, and I’ve never seen shoulders on anyone like that except maybe in professional wrestling. She studied his wide, powerful chest where a patch of dark hair curled out of the vee neck of his polo shirt. A tattoo played peek-a-boo with the cuff of his left sleeve. Intrigued, she shifted positions, hoping to figure out what it was. He quirked a dark brow at her, a slight smile playing at one corner of his full-lipped mouth. “Something wrong?” Caught in the act, Candace sat back and studied the floor. Heat rushed to her cheeks. “I…I was just trying to figure out what your tattoo is.” “See for yourself,” he replied. His lazy way of speaking pleased her ears and drew her attention from the tiled floor to meet his gaze. The man smiled, his eyes brightening from a deep topaz to brilliant blue diamonds. He has an aristocratic nose. She let her attention wander over his face. I like it. It goes nicely with his high cheekbones. Pulling his sleeve up to his shoulder, he said, “It’s a timber wolf under the moon. I had this tat done about ten years ago, so it needs a bit of recoloring.” Candace couldn’t take her eyes off the ink. A black wolf’s head with blue and white detailing howled at a moon with a red aura. Whoever had done the tattoo for him was certainly talented. “Your mouth is open,” he stated. “What?” Her attention zipped up to his face. He grinned, and more heat flashed into her cheeks. “Oh, sorry,” she stammered. “It’s just that my husband loved wolves—and for that matter, so do I—but that tattoo is amazing. It looks so…so real.”
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“Thanks,” he said. A slight frown settled over his brow. “You said your husband loved wolves. Why past tense?” Candace dropped her gaze to her lap. She picked at a cuticle and answered, “He passed away of a heart attack a little over a year ago.” “I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t hit a nerve.” “No, it’s okay. It’s part of life and something I’m learning to deal with.” She sighed. “But I’m still working on that last part.” “I understand,” he replied. The arena and all the people crammed onto the floor space seemed to close in on Candace. No, you don’t understand. I hate it when people say things like that when they have no freaking clue. Needing air, she stood suddenly. Perspiration popped out along her body, and nausea assailed her stomach. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to get some air. It’s terribly hot in here, and I’m not the best company for anyone tonight.” He stood and nodded. “No problem. It was nice talking to you, really.” She looked into his eyes and felt guilty. Maybe I’m being too harsh. He seems really sincere. “Take care,” she said, grabbing her coat. He favored her with another lazy smile. “You too.” Turning, Candace hurried around the tables. Darla spotted her and waved her over. “Where are you going?” her friend asked. “Out for some air,” replied Candace. Her legs began to quiver. “It’s so hot and stuffy in here. I’m feeling a little nauseated, so I need some air ASAP.” Darla shot her a concerned look. “Buzz my cell if you should need me, okay?” Nodding, Candace hurried away, heading for a tunnel leading to the outskirts of the civic center. She paused and glanced back to where she’d been sitting. The tattooed man still sat there. His gaze met hers. Two tables away, the guy who’d
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called himself Todd sat watching her too. Mr. Tattoo noticed Todd’s appraisal of her and frowned. Flustered, Candace hurried out and rushed for an exit, shoving the door open and bursting out into the cold, river-scented air. Quickly, she shrugged into her coat and then slipped her purse strap over her shoulder. Something was different about both men, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. One thing was certain, the one called Todd was pure trouble.
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Chapter Three Shaken and unable to pinpoint why, Candace leaned against the brick wall and sucked in a lungful of moist wintry air. Maybe I’m coming down with something. She gulped, rested the back of her head against the bricks, and drew in another big breath. I feel like I could pass out at any second. Maybe I should text Darla and tell her I’m going home early. She looked up at the stars that had begun to twinkle in the ever-deepening night sky. Doug, baby, I miss you. I feel so lost without you. A shooting star arced over the city skyline and winked out. Oh! The sign of a were listening to me! She had no way of knowing if the were was Doug or not, but the brief flare of light still soothed her soul. As the shakes subsided, she listened to the sounds of traffic drifting down to the civic center. Farther up the river, a barge blew its horn, and the sound of tires squealing somewhere on Wheeling Island ripped through the night. “Beautiful evening, isn’t it?” She sucked in a startled breath, whipping her head toward the owner of the voice. The blond fellow from earlier stared back at her with a self-satisfied expression on his face. “Sorry,” Todd said. “I thought you heard me walk up to you.” Candace said nothing as unease and the strange sense of familiarity wound through her again. “If you’ll excuse me, I really don’t feel like talking.” He didn’t take the hint. “Look, I’m really sorry about what I called you earlier. You took me by surprise and I spouted off without thinking. That was very rude of me.” “Don’t worry about it. I was being rude too, and I’m sorry.” All Candace wanted was for the man to go away. I feel like I’m the prey and he’s the predator. “How about we go and have a cup of coffee?” Todd asked. He stood within five feet of her. A whiff of cologne that smelled like leather and musk wafted over Candace. “It’ll be my way of apologizing.” “N-no, thank you. I’m going to go home.”
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“Where’s home?” he pressed, taking a couple more steps closer to her. Fear sluiced through Candace. She backed up. “Todd,” another male voice said. “What are you doing here?” Todd turned just as Candace spotted the raven-haired man with the tattoo approaching them. Upon seeing the tattooed man, Todd grimaced. “What do you want, Isaac?” Isaac smiled, the expression thinly veiled tolerance. “It’s not polite to answer a question with a question.” Candace eyed both men. These two know each other? Her apprehension intensified. What the hell’s going on? “I was just asking the lady out for coffee,” Todd answered, his tone challenging. “Sorry about your luck,” said Isaac. “The lady and I already have a date.” He focused on Candace, and for some reason, she felt she should play along with him. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” he added. “No, I just got here,” she said. “I thought we could get a bite to eat instead of just a snack. I’m suddenly very hungry.” The blond leaned toward her. “I don’t give up easily,” he whispered, “when it’s something I want.” With that, he left, the sound of his footsteps angry in the moist air, and walked toward the main doors. Shaken to the core, Candace collapsed against the wall and closed her eyes. “Thanks,” she said to her rescuer. “Not a problem.” “You know that guy?” “Yes and no,” he replied. “I’ve had a couple of minor run-ins with him, but nothing major. Regardless, there has always been something about that guy that makes my internal radar go off—plus you looked really uncomfortable.” “He said he doesn’t give up easily.” “Does he have your number or know where you live?” her rescuer asked.
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She shook her head. “Then he shouldn’t bother you,” he said. He moved closer to her and nonchalantly glanced in the direction Todd had gone. “Damn, he’s still there and keeping an eye on you.” “I don’t want any trouble.” Worry wedged in Candace’s gut. “Look,” her rescuer said, moving into her personal space, “I’m going to do something that should send the jerk on his way, but don’t freak out on me, okay?” Candace gulped. Her heart rate jumped several gears as the man leaned in close to her. Oh, hell! She blinked up into his topaz eyes and lost herself in them. He’s going to kiss me! Her heart shifted from high speed into thunderous mode. The man dipped his head and captured her lips with his. Frozen in fear, Candace just stood still, her arms limp at her sides. He released her and whispered against her mouth, “Hey, if you want this to be convincing so that guy leaves you alone, then we have to make this look convincing.” He kissed her again, this time more demanding. A charade or not, her heart insisted the kiss was wrong, wrong, wrong. Unable to help herself, Candace slid her palms up along his coat sleeves and up to his wide shoulders. His lips tantalized hers, the taste of him minty. His cologne, something spicy and woodsy, wound about her, wreaking havoc on her senses. Warmth spread into her lower abdomen and settled in her pussy. Electricity zipped along her limbs, and her senses spun crazily so that she had to cling to him for support. He placed his hands on her shoulders, drawing her against his length. As their bodies melded, hot moisture settled in her crotch, and a pleasured whimper escaped Candace. Before she could stop herself, she pushed even closer to the man. He suddenly released her, stepped back and immediately looked over where Todd had been watching. “He’s gone,” he said breathlessly. “I think our little façade convinced him you’re off-limits.” He walked several feet away, raking one hand through his midnight hair, and then leaned against the wall to stare up at the city skyline. Watching him, Candace stood in a whirlwind of hormones she hadn’t experienced for what felt like ages.
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Her legs trembled, and all scents, sights, and sensations seemed magnified a hundred times. Ashamed of herself, her entire body still shaking, she pressed herself against the wall too. I can’t believe I let a stranger kiss me! Desire pulsed within her. I shouldn’t react to a kiss like this—and it wasn’t even a real kiss. It was just to get the jerk to go away. Candace glanced over at her rescuer, who seemed lost in thought. She stood quietly for several minutes, forcing herself to relax, and tried to focus on anything except the lust coursing through her. Finally, the quivers throughout her body subsided, and the heat pulsing in her loins faded. Oh, what Doug must think of her right now. Heat crept up her neck. That man kept me out of harm’s way, baby, I’m certain of it. I’m doing the best I can down here. I’m so sorry I had to sell your Harley. The bank had snapped up the cash the moment she’d placed it on the teller’s counter with the house-payment slips. Most of what was left of the money had gone to paying the property taxes for the year. Now, the motorcycle was gone and so was the money. Loneliness and loss assailed Candace, and she closed her eyes against the feelings. On nights like this Doug and I would hit the road and ride around for hours, as long as it didn’t get too cold and the weather didn’t turn bad. She should’ve taken pictures of the bike to put in her memory scrapbook, but she’d been so upset over selling the Harley she’d totally forgotten to do so. “I love riding my bike on nights like this,” her rescuer’s voice rumbled a few feet away. “As long as it doesn’t get too cold and the weather doesn’t turn bad, I can ride for hours.” Her eyes popped open. Blinking, she turned to her right. About a dozen feet away, he still leaned against the wall, his ankles crossed. Startled to find him still standing there, she asked, “What did you say?” “I said I love riding my bike on nights like this.” He withdrew something from an inner coat pocket and unwrapped a pack of what looked like cigarettes.
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“The weather’s perfect and night sky is so clear you feel like you can handpick any star you want.” “I thought you repeated…” She frowned and shook her head. “What?” “Nothing.” She frowned and contemplated how he’d almost repeated her thoughts. Was it pure coincidence? He withdrew something from the pack and placed it between his lips but didn’t light it. Noticing her attention, he offered another halfhearted smile. “I used to be a smoker but gave it up. I buy a pack of clove cigarettes when something’s bothering me. The aroma of cloves calms me, but I never light any of them.” Am I supposed to say something? She stared out across the street. Why does he make me so nervous? Candace considered the nervousness. No, not nervous in a bad way, but…it’s almost like excitement, yet that’s not exactly right either. She stole another glance at him. But heaven have mercy can that man ever kiss a girl until her panties melt! He took a few steps toward Candace. In response, her heart clenched with anxiety and a thrill wound through her. She pressed her back to the wall. Would he try to kiss her again? “Do you like motorcycles?” he asked. In the dim light, his eyes took on an eerie glow as if they were two gemstones suddenly afire. Candace couldn’t break eye contact. She gulped. “Mine’s in the parking garage,” he added. “Want to ditch this stupid Chat and Swap and go for a night ride? That’s if you’re not afraid of motorcycles.” He’s baiting me, but why? She studied his expression, which appeared neutral, but the glow of his eyes kept drawing her to him. She closed the distance between them. “I’m not afraid of bikes,” she said. If her heart pounded any harder, she thought she might faint. “Actually, my husband and I rode together every chance we got.”
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“Come, then.” He held his arm out. “If Todd should come back for a second try—although I doubt he will—you won’t be here. That’s if you don’t think you’re legs will get too cold on the bike.” Simultaneously drawn and afraid, she reached out, hooked her arm through his, and allowed him to escort her down the street and into the parking garage. The warm, muscled hardness of his arm prompted a shiver to wiggle through her. I must be insane to go riding with a complete stranger! She shivered again. “Cold?” “No,” she said, “just an unexpected chill. It’s gone. My place is only minutes away and it’s all in-town driving anyway, so I should be fine.” They walked up to the second level, the only sounds their footsteps and the honk of a truck on the main strip. As they rounded the end of an SUV to the spot where he’d park his bike, Candace realized she didn’t even know the guy’s name. She wrinkled her brow. No, the other man had called him Isaac, didn’t he? Her rescuer hadn’t even introduced himself when he’d sat down the table with her. She spotted the Harley Softail, gasped, and halted suddenly. He stiffened and looked sharply at her. “What’s wrong?” “That’s”—she swallowed hard—“my husband’s Harley.” “Your husband’s…?” A pained expression crossed his face, and sympathy filled his eyes. “Ah, you’re Candace Songvee, aren’t you?” The name Isaac proved correct and made perfect sense. “Yes,” she replied, “and you’re Isaac Timbers. Carl is your brother.” Candace couldn’t look away from the motorcycle. The dim lights cast pinpoints on the machine. One beam of light winked in the male wolf’s eyes. “I assure you I had no way of knowing who you were.” Isaac leaned one shoulder against a support pole and crossed his ankles. “My brother nagged me to death to come to the Chat and Swap. I wanted no part of it, but I came to shut him the hell up.”
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She smiled sadly and finally turned to meet his gaze. “My friend, Darla, was the same way with me. After I”—she glanced at the Harley—“sold the bike, she stepped up her efforts on getting me out to meet men.” Isaac snorted. “Sounds like Carl.” A car drove up onto the second level, its tires squealing as it made the turn. The sound echoed throughout the building. “Well,” said Candace, “I should be going.” “How did you get here?” he asked. “Darla and I took a cab.” “Then let me give you a ride home.” He motioned toward the bike. “After all, you were going to let me give you a ride on it anyway.” She looked at the bike, longing to ride it one more time, but reluctant too. It was bad enough she’d sold Harley, but to ride it with the man who had just purchased it? She shook away the thought. There was no way she could ride with Isaac. “Think of it as your final goodbye ride,” he said, as if sensing her thoughts. “I think your husband would be happy that you got to ride his steel horse one more time after selling it.” She glanced sharply at him. How the hell does he do that? Isaac held one hand out to her. “Come on, Candace. Let me take you home.” She didn’t want to be rude but she was frightened. Finally, upon seeing yet another one of his lazy smiles, she relented. “Oh, all right. Thank you, Isaac.” He straddled the machine, started it, and pushed the kickstand up. “Ready?” Candace took off her stilettos and walked barefoot to the Harley, the concrete icy against the soles of her feet. He held his hand out, and she accepted it, allowing him to steady her as she got on the back. She kept her purse strap around her neck and hooked her fingers into the backs of her shoes. Slowly, Isaac walked the bike out of the parking spot and pushed off, coasting through the garage and down to the ground level, where he pulled out into the street. “What’s your address?” he asked.
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“It’s 99 Noble Avenue.” “I know that street.” The Harley vibrated between her thighs, reminding her of a few occasions when Doug had made love to her as it idled beneath them. They’d moved gently against each other so they wouldn’t topple the bike, but their slow, careful movements had made their lovemaking on the Harley all the more erotic. She briefly shut her eyes and banished the memories. How could she think such thoughts when she was riding home on Doug’s bike now owned by another man? Candace kept her distance, though. Leaning against Isaac wasn’t an option. After the way he’d kissed her earlier and her reaction to him, she didn’t trust her body. But she had to relax with the motions of the bike. The last thing I need is a serious case of road rash. “Put your shoes between us and lean forward. Since we’ve shared a kiss, you shouldn’t be uncomfortable hugging me.” She felt his chuckle more than she heard it, and then he added, “At least put your hands on my ribs to steady yourself.” Stunned, she could only stare at the back of his head. Finally, she did as he’d instructed, but the moment her breasts touched him, she fought to keep her breathing even and kept blinking spots away. No one except Doug had ever made her feel desire like this. Her body heated, and warmth spread to her crotch. She held on to Isaac and tried to focus on the ride, but when he turned the bike onto Noble Avenue, Candace realized she hadn’t been aware of anything except the proximity of their bodies. Not even the cold wind on her legs and feet had bothered her. “My house is the sixth one down on the right,” she said loudly. He turned into the narrow drive and came to a stop. “Nice place,” he said. “Thanks.” She dismounted and clutched her shoes against her breasts. “Thanks for the ride home too.” “No problem.” Isaac began walking the bike backward out of the drive but stopped. “I’ll cherish the Harley, Candace. It’s in good hands. I hope you believe me.”
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She nodded and turned away before he saw her lower lip trembling and the tears filling her eyes. Isaac took off down the street, the Harley’s engine bellowing loudly in the night. Mindful of the slick patches, Candace hurried inside and, remembering Darla, withdrew her cell and texted her friend so she wouldn’t worry about her. Candace locked the door and wandered through the house, her emotions and thoughts nothing but jumbled balls of confusion. Her reaction to his kiss worried her. The last time she’d felt anything like that was the first time Doug had kissed her. Isaac had given her the kiss of a were. And if she was correct about him, it explained why he unnerved her. But she couldn’t know for certain whether or not he was a were. No matter how hard Doug tried to teach her, being able to discern a were from a full human was something she’d never been able to learn. Isaac had to be human. Otherwise, he would never have kissed the mate of a deceased were. It just wasn’t done.
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Chapter Four Candace awoke the next morning exhausted and peevish. Throughout the entire night her dreams had been filled with Doug putting his hands on her waist or shoulders and pushing her toward something in the dark. Uncertain what the dreams meant and fearful she’d upset him over her ride home with Isaac on the Harley Softail, she pondered the meaning of her dreams as she prepared a pot of coffee. She’d dreamed of being in Isaac’s embrace too, his hands roaming her body, his lips caressing hers. Twice she’d awakened so aroused she had to get up and pace the house until the need ebbed from her body. The house phone trilled, and Candace answered the handset in the kitchen. “Morning, Candace,” Darla’s voice chirped. “Ugh.” “Ugh?” Darla said. “I had a night full of weird dreams and feel drained.” She turned the coffeemaker on and sat on a high-backed stool at the kitchen isle. “Did you meet anyone interesting last night?” “No.” Isaac’s beautiful face rose in Candac’s mind. “Well, yes, I did, actually, but not of the romantic sort. Well, the first guy was a jerk, but the other guy interceded, and by coincidence, he’s the same man who bought Doug’s Harley.” “Really? And how did that happen?” Darla asked, interest brimming in her cheery voice. Quickly, Candace explained how Carl had met her to pick up the bike and ended her story with Isaac dropping her off at home. She deliberately left the kiss out of her tale. The last thing she needed was for Darla to fixate on it and make it out to be more than it was. “It was nice to ride the bike one last time,” Candace finished sadly. “It’s weird, if you ask me,” Darla stated.
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Frowning, Candace rose and opened the cabinet holding coffee cups. “How so?” “Think about it. The guy couldn’t meet you to pick up the Harley he wanted to buy so desperately, but you two still end up meeting at the Chat and Swap.” Clicking her tongue a few times, Darla added jokingly, “Sometimes you can be so dense, Candace.” Pouring a cup of coffee, Candace frowned. “Give me a break, Darla. There was nothing magical or bizarre about the circumstances of meeting Isaac.” “If you say so,” her friend replied in her watch-and-see-I’m-right tone that always drove Candace insane. “Anyway,” Darla changed the subject, “I bombed last night. Not one single man asked me out, nor did I meet anyone who really sparked my interest.” “So why are you really calling me so early on a Saturday morning?” questioned Candace. “I have to fly to Pittsburgh to settle a dispute that has come up in the Deesbury vs Romtosh case. However, if the weather turns bad and I don’t make it back by Monday, I was wondering if you’d do something for me.” Candace sipped from her cup and then asked, “Such as?” “Would you take the spare key to my apartment, pick up a file there, and drop it off at the firm for me? I have a new assistant who just started last Monday. I know she’s new, but that girl couldn’t find her ass with both hands.” Despite Candace’s dour mood, Darla’s comment forced a giggle out of her. “Where’s the file and what’s it look like?” she asked. Darla explained where she’s tucked the file away and thanked her. “Love you, girlfriend, and thank you. Have a good weekend and go out and do something to cheer yourself up, okay?” “I might,” Candace said, laughing softly. “Have a safe trip and I love you too.” She hung up and sat finishing her coffee. She hated weekends and holidays. Without Doug, the time off stretched on forever. Maybe I’ll catch up on some work I’ve been putting on hold. She shrugged and rose to refill her mug. It’s not like I
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have anything pressing to do. She might as well get some paperwork done and have it ready for Niandra to put in the computer Monday. As Candace sat admiring the sunbeams streaming through the French doors to the back patio, the sunshine suddenly dimmed and darkness bled into the kitchen. Rising, she padded barefoot to the doors and peered out at the thermometer mounted to the window frame. Although it was in the sun, it read sixty degrees, so she figured it was actually five to eight degrees cooler outside. Still a fantastic day for mid-February. She glanced up at the sky as the sun faded. With a groan, she wrinkled her nose. Great. It looks like it’s going to rain. **** Isaac strode through his big, rambling home he shared with Carl high on the hill above Elm Grove. As he passed through the kitchen, he discovered a tall, willowy redhead smearing cream cheese on a bagel as Carl flipped eggs in a skillet. “Morning, bro,” said Carl. “Say hello to Feline.” “Hi.” Isaac looked from the attractive young woman to his brother. “I take it the Chat and Swap went well for you?” Feline giggled, and Carl smirked at the stove. “Yeah, you could say that,” Carl replied. “Feline’s staying the weekend, and since Valentine’s Day is Sunday, we’re going out to Ernie’s to celebrate a weekend of great sex.” The woman actually had the good grace to blush as she beamed up at Carl. Trying not to retch, Isaac grabbed the Harley keys off the board by the garage door. “Good for you both,” he said. “It’s another unseasonably warm day, so I’m heading up to the den. Someone said that cold weather is due to return next week, and I want to make sure the pipes are all wrapped and insulated.” Curiosity crossed Feline’s face. “What’s the den?” “It’s a hunting retreat,” Carl said smoothly. Isaac met his brother’s knowing eyes. Nice cover, bro. They smiled at each other, and Carl winked.
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“Oh, sounds boring, but guys seem to like that stuff.” Feline wrinkled her nose. Isaac snorted. “Are you riding your new machine up to the den?” asked Carl. He set a plate with eggs on the table next to Feline. “Because if you are, the weather report said it’s supposed to snow all weekend with up to six inches of the white stuff due by Sunday night.” Disappointment slapped Isaac. “Damn!” “The bad weather isn’t due to move into river valley until about midafternoon,” Feline said in a baby-doll voice that made Isaac’s stomach turn. “Yeah,” Carl added. “You can probably make it up to the den and back before it starts snowing.” “I have my cell,” he told Carl. Isaac nodded farewell and pushed through the door and out into the garage, where nine gleaming motorcycles sat waiting for his attention. His gaze moved from the old Indian sitting by the big doors to a sapphire blue 1969 chopper with plenty of shiny chrome, and finally to the Harley Softail in the back with its glorious airbrushed wolves. He picked up his riding jacket where he’d left it on a row of coat hooks by the door and then strode sedately across the temperature-controlled building. The aroma of leather polish and motor oil wafted in the air, despite the pristine environment Isaac insisted upon for his motorcycles. He stopped a couple of feet away from the suicide machine and admired the wondrous paint job. I can’t help feeling that this motorcycle was somehow made for me. It’s perfect and fits my personality to a tee. The talent of the artist screamed from every color and nuance. He’d have to telephone Candace to find out how to reach the painter and commission him or her do something for his chopper. He liked the blue metallic paint on the other bike, but it would look wicked with something airbrushed on it too. At the thought of Candace, he sobered. He’d felt strangely drawn to the woman, which was why he’d interceded at the chat table and again outside when
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he’d noticed Todd’s interest in her. He’d kissed her only as a way to convince Todd she wasn’t available, but once his lips had touched Candace’s, he had the overwhelming need to take her right there against the wall. It had taken every last bit of his strength to pull away from her. Then when she’d leaned against him on the back of the Harley last night, the touch of her body had rocketed his feelings into total pandemonium a second time. His cock had twitched with longing, shocking him so badly he nearly missed a turn-off. Later, as he’d gone to bed, he’d been unable to expel Candace from his mind. As a result, he’d tossed and turned all night. It hadn’t taken long before guilt ravaged his heart. He loved Gwen so much, so why was another woman infiltrating his thoughts? How could he have lust for another woman, a woman he barely knew, at that? Sure, he was lonely, but he missed Gwen every waking moment. No one would ever be able to soothe his heart or quiet his unrest. No one. Isaac shrugged into his jacket. As he prepared to straddle the bike, something white caught his attention. He knelt, peering closer. What’s that? A piece of paper? Caught on a strip of chrome hung what looked like a thin white card. The wind must have blown it against the bike last night and it landed just right and stuck. Isaac plucked the card from where it was pinched under the edge of the chrome strip, ripping a small portion of one corner. The card didn’t tear as easily as regular paper. As he was about to toss it into a nearby trashcan, color on the other side snagged his attention, and Isaac flipped it over. His mouth dropped open. What the hell? Candace’s lovely face smiled back him. A photo of her with her husband must’ve fallen out of her purse last night, and it probably slipped between her leg and the seat, where it had slid down and wedged in the chrome strip. The man with his arms around Candace seemed so happy, so fulfilled, and contentment almost leapt from Candace’s eyes. Sadness tugged at Isaac’s heart. He truly understood how the woman felt about losing her husband. Gwen’s death had nearly killed him, and for weeks after her passing, Carl had fretted that Isaac would soon follow her if he didn’t snap out of his all-consuming grief soon. However, something about the man tweaked his senses. He held the wallet-sized photo up closer to his face, focusing on the man’s eyes and then his slightly peaked ears.
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I’ll be damned! Her husband was a were. He glanced at the Harley’s airbrushed wolves. Suddenly the artwork on the bike made sense. The black wolf represents Candace’s husband, and the gold one is her. However, once the realization seated itself in his brain, his feelings that the Harley had been somehow made for him evaporated on vapors of remorse. No, this machine had been painted for a couple who had been totally devoted to each other, and now he was merely the caretaker of it. Worse, he now felt horrible for kissing the mate of a deceased were. Not that there was a law against it, but kissing a widowed mate, let alone taking one as his woman, was rare. He pushed the thought away. I just kissed her to keep Todd from hurting or scaring her, that’s all. But the way Candace had felt in his arms, the softness of her body, and the way she’d made such sweet noises as he’d kissed her, was undeniable. Gwen, honey. It was just a kiss, just a way to help her. Since he was going out for a short ride, he’d swing down Noble Avenue and drop the picture off at Candace’s place, and if she wasn’t home, he’d leave it in the mailbox with a note. Besides, after Todd scared Candace last night, he felt compelled to check on her. He returned to the kitchen, where Carl and Feline were cleaning up their breakfast dishes. Quickly, he wrote a note just in case he should need it, all the while avoiding his brother’s curious, pointed glances, and then shoved the message into his pants pocket. Back in the garage, he paused at the Softail long enough to open his wallet and put the photo in it for safekeeping. Upon seeing a similar photo of him and Gwen, he gulped hard as a hollow feeling skewered his heart. He withdrew the picture from its plastic envelope and ran his index finger over Gwen’s image, an image that seemed to be fading from wear and tear in his wallet. You’ll never fade from my heart, baby. He placed Candace’s picture behind his and inserted them into the plastic sheath. Straddling the bike, he started it up, kicked up the stand, and rolled slowly across the garage with the thunderous sound of the motor vibrating the entire
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building. He leaned forward and hit the door opener mounted on the wall. Once the door opened enough for him to pass through it, he rode down the blacktopped drive to the open gate, checked for traffic, and gunned it out onto the highway.
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Chapter Five With a groan of frustration, Candace signed yet another order form for Blissful Veils Wedding Consultation and put it in its folder. She hadn’t realized she’d let the paperwork get so out of hand. Being a wedding consultant kept her busy enough as it was, but it seemed like maintaining files sucked away unbelievably huge chunks of her time, which was why she always put updating them on a back burner. It’ll take me the rest of the day and half the evening to finish all of these. She sipped from a fresh cup of coffee. I’ve got to stop procrastinating. And every time she took a break or paused to hunt for a folder or a pen, the memory of Isaac’s kiss seared her mind and kick-started her need for sex. He’d even tasted good! And his male scent mixed with the cologne he’d been wearing… “Focus, dammit! Focus!” She opened another folder and pawed through forms. The lighting seemed to be growing worse, so she turned on the desk lamp and strode over to another lamp by a small couch in her office. Peering out a nearby window, she looked up at the brooding clouds. It looks like the sky will open up at any minute. A small clock on the mantel revealed the time was crawling toward noon. Her stomach gurgled, and, deciding to make brunch, Candace headed downstairs to the kitchen, where she made a toasted lettuce-and-cheese sandwich and opened a cup of vanilla yogurt. She ate quickly and then cleaned up her dishes, enjoying the mundane task, which kept her mind off of troubling things, primarily Isaac Timbers. As she was about to make a fresh pot of coffee, the sound of a Harley reverberated through the neighborhood. The sound tricked her, and for an instant, she almost ran out to the drive to greet Doug. The memory that he was dead sliced her soul into a mass of bleeding agony. She leaned against the counter and swallowed her agony, banishing it down to the place in her heart she struggled to keep closed and locked at all costs.
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The doorbell chimed throughout the house, startling Candace. A tiny gasp escaped her, and once she composed herself and the doorbell pealed again, she frowned, wondering who could be calling on her. She started through the house on her way to the front door. It can’t be Darla, since she’s out of town, and Niandra isn’t supposed to come by… Candace reached the door and peeped through the spy hole. Surprised, she blinked and looked again. What on earth is he doing here? She opened the door and stared at Isaac Timbers through the storm glass. “Candace,” he greeted her politely. “I’m sorry for just showing up, but I have something of yours I thought you might want back.” Intrigued, she studied him for a moment and then realized her mouth hung open. “Oh?” she finally managed. Her brain turned on again and she added, “I’m sorry. You startled me. Come in for a few minutes.” He opened the door and stepped into the foyer. Once she’d shut the main door, she gaped up at him. “I was getting ready to take the bike out for my first real ride before it gets cold,” he began, his tone tight, as if he was nervous. “I’m in charge of caring for a private lodge in Ohio and I’m on my way to check everything before cold weather settles in next week.” He shrugged and grinned sheepishly. “Anyway, as I was getting ready to go, I found what I thought was a piece of paper stuck in the Harley’s chrome.” He tugged his wallet free of his back pocket and withdrew something to hold it out to her. “It turns out it’s a photo of you and your husband. It must’ve fallen from your purse and wedged between your leg and the bike.” Mystified, Candace accepted the picture. Sure enough, it was the last one she and Doug had had taken of them. However, how had it gotten out of her wallet? She moved to the hall table and rummaged in her purse, withdrawing the photo sheaths kept in it only to find it was gone. But how? It would require fingers to remove it from the plastic. “Something wrong?” asked Isaac. “No, not really. It’s just that…” She frowned. Why did Doug seem to be fading from the photo? She looked at it closer. Yes, his image was lighter, and the
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edges of his shirt looked as if someone had erased them, but the photo hadn’t been touched except for a tiny rip in one corner. “Candace?” “I don’t know how the picture got out of my wallet, but however it did, thank you for returning it.” She put the wallet back, turned, and smiled. “It wasn’t necessary. I have others.” He shrugged. “It just seemed too personal an item to not return and just toss away.” His eyes are bluer than Caribbean waters and the highlights in his black hair really make his eye color pop even more. She blinked rapidly. Why the hell am I thinking about how he looks? Letting her gaze wander over him discreetly, she had to admit it was difficult not to look at the man. Ruggedly handsome, he’d turn any woman’s head, and judging by the way he kissed, he’d make the sheets steam too. His attention wandered along the walls and into the living room. “You certainly have a lot of antique weapons,” he mused. “If you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you sell some of those instead of the Harley?” She shrugged. “Doug had an even bigger love for antique weaponry, but they’re not as priceless as people think. It depends on the weapon’s condition, plus none of Doug’s is that rare.” She motioned ward the musket perched on the wall above a beautiful set of oak shelves. “Although, I had fun collecting them too, because he showed me how to fire and use many of them.” He looked at her with appreciation. “I had a question I wanted to ask you,” he said and jammed his hands into his jeans pockets. “Such as?” “I was wondering if you could get me in touch with the artist who did the artwork on the Softail.” His gaze wandered down her body and back up again, warming Candace right down to her toes. “I have a 1969 chopper I’d love to have repainted with maybe more wolves like the Softail’s paint job or even an ocean scene.” He offered her a shy smile. “I’ve always wanted to go see the ocean, but my den…I mean the den, where I work, relies on me so much I never have more than a day off at a time.”
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“The den?” Candace questioned, curiosity rearing its head. “It’s a hunting and recreational lodge for hunters,” he answered. “They bring their mates—well, we call them mates if they’re not married on a piece of paper— but they bring their wives and children, who have all sorts of activities they can do indoors.” His stammer made her look at him oddly. Mates? I haven’t heard that term used since Doug died. She started to ask him about it, but the way Isaac appraised her body urged a subtle thrumming to start in her lower belly. Flustered, Candace forgot her question, turned, and motioned for him to follow her. “The artist you’re inquiring about has a studio downtown. If you’d like to follow me into the kitchen, I’ll look it up for you. They guy has an ad in the phonebook, and I always recognize his logo the moment I see it.” The sound of his biker boots rang loudly on the hardwood floors as he followed her. In the kitchen, Candace pulled the Yellow Pages from a rack hung by the phone, and within seconds, she found the ad and showed it to Isaac. “Thanks,” he said. “I won’t have any trouble remembering that name or finding it again when I go home.” Candace sensed he was preparing to leave and marveled at the sense of loss that flowed through her at the thought. “Well, thank you again for bringing the photo to me,” she said. “It was very thoughtful of you.” “Like I said, I was heading out for a ride anyway when I discovered it. My brother found a temporary Valentine for the weekend, so I wanted to get out of the house and away from their cutesiness toward one another.” “Oh?” He quirked an eyebrow. “I take it he found this person at the Chat and Swap last night?” He laughed softly. “Yeah, Carl has no trouble finding companions, but his choice in women has a lot to be desired.” She raised both eyebrows. “Well”—he chuckled louder—“if you must know, he likes tall model types with IQs of a house plant. The type who think of nothing but shopping and doing their nails.”
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“Don’t most men like those kinds of women?” Candace countered. “I don’t,” he replied, his gaze caressing her again, “and I think there are more men out there who like bright, witty, and challenging women than ladies realize. And if they’re easy on the eyes like you are, it’s a pleasant bonus.” His answer stunned Candace into silence. “Are you busy today?” he asked. His abrupt question rattled her further. “What?” “Well, I thought maybe you’d like to ride up to the lodge with me. It’s supposed to start snowing this afternoon, but we can ride up there and be back before the snow starts. The roads go along ridges with beautiful views, so you might enjoy the scenery too. The temperature is nice, so a regular riding jacket and gloves is all you’ll need.” The hopeful light in his eyes touched Candace’s heart. How can I tell the man no when he looks at me like that? Still, she hesitated. “Well?” he asked. “I have a lot of paperwork I have to do…” But how she hated doing paperwork, and another ride on the Harley Softail seemed like the perfect way to pass a dull afternoon. Besides, hadn’t Darla told her she should do something this weekend to cheer herself up? “Just let me change into my riding clothes and put my wallet into a hip pack,” she added. “Give me ten minutes?” “Ten minutes, it is,” he replied, a huge smile reaching his eyes and turning them from topaz to brilliant turquoise. **** I can’t believe Isaac asked me out for a motorcycle ride! Candace gave herself a mental shake as she placed her hands on his waist. Hell, I can’t believe I accepted his invitation! It might have been because it was Doug’s bike or maybe the unseasonably warm weather had given her a lighter, more adventurous outlook on life. Whatever the reason, Candace felt alive for the first time in months.
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Isaac drove the Harley across the bridge spanning the two states and moved over for traffic merging onto I-70 from Wheeling Island. Within minutes, he signaled and took a ramp that led to a highway, wiggling and snaking across a ridgeline overlooking the Ohio River. Candace could see for miles up and down the river bottom, the river itself like a shiny slate-gray ribbon. A barge made its way downriver toward the Mississippi, and a train traveled the track teetering on the bank’s edge, most likely heading toward a Pittsburgh destination. The cool wind caressed Candace’s face, but with their bodies nestled together on the bike and their riding gear on, the air didn’t bother her. The way Isaac’s body felt beneath her hands urged Candace to press closer to his backside. It didn’t matter that they both wore jackets. The moment her breasts touched his back, electricity shot through her nipples and spiraled into her lower belly. Heaven help me, I shouldn’t feel this way. It’s not right! But she couldn’t force herself to put space between their bodies. Isaac felt too good, and it had been a long, long time since she’d been close to a man, especially one who was just as handsome as Doug had been. “By the way,” he called over his shoulder, jarring Candace out of her delicious moment, “have you had any more trouble from Todd?” “Todd?” she said over the roar of the wind. “That guy from last night.” “Oh no.” She blinked reality back into her brain and focused on the chilly air to extinguish the flames leaping within her body. “I’ve been wrapped up in paperwork since early this morning.” Isaac signaled to turn onto a narrow gravel lane and puttered the Harley along it. The trees on this side of the river seemed to have a faint red blush of emerging buds, signaling a too-early spring. A gust of wind swept over the bike, bearing the aroma of rain. Candace remembered the star arcing through the evening sky last night. Doug, are you watching me, letting me know you’re there for me? Is that why I feel so good today? A light rain began pattering down on them.
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“Damn,” said Isaac. “The weather front wasn’t supposed to move in until later. I hope this is just a brief drizzle passing through.” He turned off onto another narrow lane. “At least we’re almost to the lodge. Only a couple more minutes now.” Thunder rumbled overhead. “No way!” Candace cried. “Checking the lodge and making notes of what needs to be readied for spring visitors will only take me about an hour,” said Isaac as he drove the Softail up a blacktopped drive to a sprawling log lodge. “Then we can hurry back to Wheeling before the bad weather sets in.” “Okay,” she said, her tone heavy with disappointment.
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Chapter Six “You sound upset,” Isaac stated. Her disappointment bothered him, and the fact that he cared bothered him too. “I guess I am,” Candace replied over his shoulder. Her grip momentarily tightened on either side of his waist, and Isaac’s cock twitched in response. Damn, I shouldn’t have this sort of reaction to any woman, let alone one I barely know. “The winter has been a long, miserable one,” she added. “Then going out today on the bike has been…well…” Isaac pulled the Harley up under the covered entranceway of the lodge. He stopped the bike, shut it off, and put the kickstand down. As much as he hated to admit it, he understood where she was coming from. “I know what you’re saying, Candace.” “You do?” The way she said those two simple words tugged at Isaac’s heart and became a tiny buoy where two hearts shared something in common. She seems so fragile, so alone. “Ever since Gwen died,” Isaac continued, “the winters seem ten times longer.” He stepped off the bike and held one hand out to her. “I ski up at the resort, but other than that, I’m not much for winter activities, so sometimes it’s hard to keep my mind occupied.” Candace looked up at him in surprise. “Your wife died?” “Yes.” He nodded, the sympathy in her eyes rattling his composure. “She’ll be gone three years ago this May. She slipped and fell into the river while fishing with friends. I was up here for a meeting when it happened.” Candace slipped off the bike. “Oh, Isaac. I’m so sorry, but I do understand how you feel.”
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His eyes met hers, and he offered her a sad smile. “Yeah, I guess you do, don’t you? Losing the love of your life transforms you into a hollow shell. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever feel alive again.” “It’s only been a little over a year since I lost Doug, but each day does get easier.” She followed him to the huge double doors of oak and lead glass. “Today is the first day I’ve truly felt alive, like there’s a little hope for me.” He glanced at her quizzically and then fished a key out of his pants pocket. She feels hope? Candace shrugged. “I don’t understand it either,” she replied, answering his unspoken question, “but the feeling is there all the same.” He quirked an eyebrow as he worked the key. She just picked up on my thoughts. How odd. Realization hit him. Since holding Candace in his arms the night before, he’d begun to feel alive again. How was that possible? “You know,” he replied, unlocking the doors, “I feel pretty good today too. I’ll hurry through the lodge, and then maybe we can leave earlier so we can take our time going back on the Harley.” Perplexed, he walked across the foyer. Why do I feel so compelled to please this woman? “That would be nice.” She pushed the door shut behind him. “Wow, this place is amazing! Why don’t the lodge members use this place in the winter?” He paused and looked up at the monstrous antler chandelier hanging in the foyer. “A few actually do, and they’re why I make a trip up here once a month during the winter, but most of the members go south where the weather is warmer. They enjoy being outdoors, so many own homes where they can fish and hang out on beaches or bayou plantations.” “It must be nice to be wealthy,” she said. “It has its perks, but money can’t buy you happiness.” He turned and met her gaze. “No,” she said, “I don’t suppose it can. My happiest days were when Doug and I were together.”
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As his gaze me hers, something wild and exciting wound through Isaac again. He couldn’t help smiling at her. “Right now the place is empty, so I’ll give you a tour as I check everything.” **** Fifteen minutes later, as Candace admired a fireplace that would make any Old World king jealous, she heard Isaac cussing in one of the suites. Worried, she hurried across a blue, green, and bright yellow Indian rug and paused in the doorway. “What’s wrong?” she called, fearing the worst. “It looks like a rusty pipe froze during that last cold spell we had, and when the weather warmed up, the ice thawed and the entire bathroom and the master bedroom are ruined.” Another three or four expletives escaped Isaac. “The last plumbing crew I had in here swore up and down all the pipes were fine.” “Oh no,” she said. “I have to turn the water off to this suite,” Isaac’s voice carried out into the hall, “but the damage is done.” He emerged with a rag in both hands. He wiped rust and grit from them and then stuffed the cloth into one of his front pockets, the end of it dangling down his hip. “I’ll have to make some phone calls, but the numbers are in the lodge’s main office.” He stopped and ran one hand through his hair. Along his right cheekbone, he wore a smudge of brown-red. “I’m sorry, Candace, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get out of here early like I thought.” “Honestly,” she said, “it’s okay. I’ve never been in a place like this before. I’m enjoying the atmosphere and luxury.” She laughed. “Doug would’ve been in seventh heaven at a lodge like this.” “Really?” “Oh yeah.” She laughed softly as she glanced around at the Old World charm. “My husband had friends, but he was actually quite shy, and we didn’t go out much unless it was just the two of us. I always teased Doug that if we hadn’t had such an explosive chemistry, he would’ve been a bachelor his entire life.” Realizing what she’d just admitted, she looked away as warmth flooded her cheeks.
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Isaac chuckled. “Don’t be embarrassed, Candace. When Gwen and I met, we were the same way. Actually,” he admitted, “our entire marriage was sexually explosive.” More heat scorched Candace’s cheeks. She felt Isaac’s gaze on her, but she refused to turn around. Something about him caused feelings in her she hadn’t felt in some time. It confused her and played hell with her libido. “Would you like a drink?” Doug asked. “The bar is on my way to and from the office.” “Oh, that sounds wonderful. How about red wine?” “Coming right up.” He strode to the door. Candace couldn’t help admiring his wide shoulders, the way his strong back tapered to his waist, and how his jeans hugged a firm ass that almost made her mouth water. He turned, catching her appraisal. A huge smile lit up his face. “Why don’t you follow me down to the rec room? There’s a nice fireplace down there that’s gas powered. I’ll light it for you, and you can enjoy your wine there while I make my phone calls.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I hate to leave you alone, but the calls may take me a while.” With her face flaming, Candace said, “You talked me into it.” Laughing nervously, she followed him downstairs. **** Isaac couldn’t contain his laughter. He hadn’t met anyone like Candace since…since Gwen. The thought sobered him. Was there something to their meeting? Gwen had been a were, but it was obvious that Candace wasn’t one. There must be something unique about her for Doug to have chosen her as his mate. Weres didn’t often mate outside of their realm. He wanted to ask her about her husband’s pack and den. Obviously Doug hadn’t been part of this den, but there were numerous dens all over the United States as well as overseas, so her husband could have been a member of any of them. “I don’t believe it,” Candace said behind him. He stopped and turned. “What?”
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“Is that a blunderbuss over the mantel?” “Hey, you’re good!” He pointed at the gun. “It seems your husband taught you well.” She grinned back at him. “Yes,” said Isaac, “it’s an authentic blunderbuss.” “Do you know who owned it?” “No,” Isaac chuckled, “but I’m sure someone here at the lodge might know the gun’s history.” He motioned toward all the comfortable furniture. “Find a spot to chill, and I’ll bring your wine.” As he turned away, Candace called out, “Isaac, you have something hanging out of your back pocket.” He stopped and reached behind him. His fingers brushed something sticking out of his wallet. Frowning, he flipped it open and plucked the item from its contents. Why is my picture with Gwen working its way out of my wallet? He pulled it from its plastic sheath, and his mouth fell open. What the hell? It looks like Gwen is being erased from the photo. “Something wrong?” asked Candace. He quickly stowed it back in its place and shoved his wallet into his back pocket. “I’ll be right back.” **** Candace moved over to the fireplace as she waited for Isaac to return with the wine. It had turned out to be a nice afternoon, and for the first time, she didn’t feel guilty for enjoying herself. “Here you go,” Isaac said behind her. “I already pulled the cork from the bottle.” She twisted around to find him holding out two long-stemmed goblets and a bottle of merlot. She accepted everything and placed them to the side of the fireplace. “I see you’re joining me,” she said. “I’m glad. I hate drinking alone.” “Well”—he chuckled—“it looks like we’re going to be here for a while.”
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“What?” “Go open those drapes and look outside.” Puzzled, she crossed the room and parted the drapes. She gasped. “I don’t believe it. It must’ve put two inches of snow down in the last hour!” She spun on her heel and returned to the fireplace. “I should’ve suspected what might happen with I heard the thunder. My mother always said if you hear thunder in the wintertime, it’s going to dump the snow.” He lit the gas and straightened. “Yeah, but that temperature dropped thirty degrees in the last hour. Don’t you find that a little strange?” The wariness in his voice urged gooseflesh to stomp across Candace’s arms. “I suppose, but weather can be very unpredictable despite all the high-tech stuff meteorologists use nowadays.” “I’ll make my phone calls, but do me a favor, please?” He sighed, his gaze roving the rec room like he suspected something would leap out at them at any second. The light, happy feeling of the day evaporated. “All right,” she said. “Don’t leave this room, okay?” He enforced his plea by looking hard at her. “Stay right here by the fireplace.” “I will.” He smiled. “Good. I’ll be back.” As he left the room, thunder rumbled over the lodge, driving a nail of apprehension into Candace’s heart. Something’s not right. She glanced around as she sat down on the stones composing the foot of the hearth. Whatever is going on has made Isaac very uneasy. Candace poured herself a glass of merlot. Sipping from the goblet, she admired the décor. A loading kit for the blunderbuss perched on the center of the mantel under the gun, and on either side of it three jars of colored glass pieces and marbles winked in the chandelier light. The glass and marbles are a quirky choice to complement the gun and the fireplace, but they’re actually quite pretty. She sighed and sipped more wine, allowing its power to calm her jangling nerves.
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Thunder boomed. Candace jumped, nearly sloshing wine onto her jeans. Damn, this weather is sort of creepy. Wind howled, the sound penetrating the big window. Hurry, Isaac. I don’t like sitting here alone. Minutes later, Isaac returned with a small radio and a platter of cheese, summer sausage, and sliced fruit. “I hope you weren’t frightened sitting here alone,” he said. She gaped at him. How did he sense her thoughts like that? Doug was the only one who could ever do that. “I thought you might be hungry,” he said. “And judging by the weather report, it’s a good thing the kitchen is stocked, because we may be here for a few days.” “Seriously?” Panic claimed Candace. Days here with Isaac…alone? “The weather front has changed, and the forecast is calling for fifteen to twenty inches by noon tomorrow.” Isaac placed the platter on the hearth next to the wine. “Should the electricity fail, there are new batteries in the radio. I’m sorry you’re stuck here, Candace. Once the storm is over and the roads are cleared, I’ll call my brother and have him bring the truck to load the Harley and haul it back.” “Hey, we’re safe, warm, and have plenty of food.” She smiled nervously. “We could’ve been riding back and got caught in the storm.” He nodded. “How about pouring me a glass of wine?” She filled his glass, rose, and held it out to him. Stepping closer, he took the goblet, his fingers brushing hers. A spark of static electricity leapt between their fingers. Candace sucked in a breath, her gaze snapping up to meet Isaac’s. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. Taking both of their glasses, he set them on the mantel, and before Candace could protest, he pulled her into his arms.
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Chapter Seven Isaac claimed her lips with such force Candace’s mind reeled. His mouth slanted across hers, his tongue tickling her bottom lip. She whimpered but couldn’t pull away, and, she realized, she didn’t want to. He tasted of mint and his own personal flavor. Candace allowed him to deepen the kiss, and as his hands slid down her back to pause at the gentle swell of her ass, she knew she should stop him but couldn’t bring herself to do anything more than press closer. I shouldn’t do this…but I can’t help myself. I want him so badly! Candace slipped her arms around Isaac’s waist and slid her hands up his hard back. He sighed in response and parted her lips, his tongue delving, tasting. The abrupt intimacy of their kiss shot a spear of need through Candace so white-hot she stopped breathing for a few moments. Memories of her first kiss with Doug assailed her mind, and she knew without a doubt that Isaac was a were too. Isaac broke the kiss and placed more along her jaw, up to her ear, and then down the side of her neck, where he nipped the muscle with his teeth. She gasped. “Oh!” “Mmm…” he responded and nipped the muscle again. He palmed her ass, jerking her against him so hard Candace cried out with delight. Throbbing began in her pussy, the tingling there so harsh she wiggled with need, thrusting her pelvis against Isaac’s. He uttered a sound of pleasure, pulled her even tighter, and ground his hips into hers. The bulge behind his zipper alerted Candace to his desire for her, which excited her further. She wanted him to lay her down on the rug, rip her clothes off, and thrust into her body until she screamed out her release. But this is wrong…isn’t it? I love my husband and…and… As Isaac passed his hands up her sides and around to grasp her breasts, his thumbs stroking the nipples through her sweatshirt, every thought but one exited Candace’s head: she wanted Isaac more than anything. “Candace,” Isaac breathed against her neck, “I want you so badly.”
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She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. He found the button to her jeans with one hand. In seconds he had it unsnapped and the zipper down. He slid his hand into the front of her pants. Candace gasped, her head falling back. Isaac braced her body with one arm around her waist, the fingers of his other hand just barely grazing the top of her pubic bone. “Take these damn things off,” he whispered. “Now!” Thunder boomed over the lodge, and the wind screamed around the building. The gales hit the window with such force the panes rattled, momentarily startling Candace. “It’s just the blizzard, sweetheart,” Isaac soothed as he looked down at her. Desire swirled in his eyes, darkening them to a deep blue. “I have this uneasy sensation,” said Candace. “I can’t put my finger on it, but something isn’t right.” Isaac placed a hand on either side of her face. “Do you want to stop?” She stared up at him, her heart at war with her head. “Because I don’t,” he continued. “I don’t know what it is about you, Candace, but I have to have you.” “But weres rarely take the mate of a deceased were.” He blinked, and surprise sifted through his eyes. “How did you know I’m a were?” She smiled. “I don’t know, really. There were lots of signs, but they all added up and made sense, and I’m guessing you’re a werewolf.” Chuckling, Isaac kissed her forehead. “I loved Gwen more than anything, but the wolf in me is shouting to me that I’ve found another mate.” He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “Do you realize how rare this is?” “Yes,” she answered, her face pressed to his chest. “I think that’s why I’ve felt so good today. I’m not positive, but I think Doug was nudging me toward you.” “I believe you’re right. I think Gwen has been telling me the same thing.” “How do you know that?” she asked.
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“I’ll tell you—or rather, I’ll show you—later,” he said, releasing her. “Right now I want to claim you as my mate.” He lowered his head and kissed her hard, his lips demanding. Candace melted against him. Without raising his head, he pulled on the hem of her sweatshirt and tugged it up to her breasts. She broke free of him just long enough to raise her arms and let him pull it over her head. Cool air swirled over her torso as the fireplace warmed her back. Isaac cupped her unbound breasts, and flames of need swept into Candace’s loins. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. “You’re beautiful,” he said. She opened her eyes. “I want you, Isaac. I used to feel so guilty if I even caught a man looking at me. It was like I was cheating on Doug, but something keeps whispering this is right, that it’s supposed to happen.” “I feel it too, sweetheart.” Isaac nuzzled her ear, his breath sending a chill over her flesh. “Take your shirt off,” she said. He shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it onto a nearby chair. The sight of the wolf tattoo on his upper arm excited Candace further. She ran her hands over his chest, the dark, silky hairs teasing her palms. He groaned with need. Grabbing her, he ravished her lips, molding her hips to his, bucking against her pelvis. She whimpered and kissed him back with fervor. Gently, he lowered her to the thick brocade rug in front of the fireplace. He lay with his hips half across hers. She panted with desire and worked at the buttons of his jeans. Isaac rolled onto his back, pulling Candace so that she sat straddling his hips. She rubbed her crotch against the hard bulge behind his zipper and threw her head back as she reveled in the sensations and the hormones clamoring through her system. “Oh, sweetheart, the things you’re doing to me,” he moaned as he slid his hand across the tight seam that ran over her cunt. She gasped and rubbed harder. He rolled her to the side again and pinned her beneath him. “I’m going to make love to you until you scream for me to stop.”
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She laughed. “As badly as I want you, it might be you who screams for me to stop.” He arched a dark eyebrow, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Think so, eh?” She nodded. “Oh yeah.” **** Isaac wondered if he’d be able to contain himself. He wanted Candace so much his cock ached. It pressed painfully against his zipper, begging for release. He sat up and rocked back onto his knees so she could unfasten her wallet pack and he could draw Candace’s jeans down over her long, slim legs, where he stopped and quickly removed her biker boots and socks. Her svelte figure was round and full in all the right places. Having been a were, Gwen had been nearly as tall as he was with long limbs and small, pert breasts, but Candace, although slim and shorter, possessed ample breasts and hips that practically made him salivate. Gwen had been a gorgeous woman, and Candace was just as beautiful but in her own distinct way. He smiled down at his new mate-to-be. She looked up at him and smiled back. “What is it?” “I was thinking about how Gwen was so beautiful and how you are too. She was lovely in one way, and you in another. Someone above has”—he nodded skyward—“for whatever reason, seen fit to bless me with not one amazing woman to fulfill my life but two.” Her expression transformed into a vision of appreciation of his comment and obvious love for him. Isaac lay down at Candace’s side and smoothed one hand over her bare breasts, along the dip of her waist and up over the round rise of her hip, where her lacy white panties covered her hidden treasure. The firelight danced over her body, painting it in an amber glow in some places and shadow hiding others. She reminded Isaac of an American Apple Pie Girl with a dash of Hollywood Sex Pot, and oh how he wanted her! He drew his hand through her honey-blonde hair and let it slide through his fingers. She watched him with eyes the color of new grass, and a smile tweaked her full, pink lips as a dimple tantalized him high on one of her apple cheeks. He shucked his boots and socks off, wiggled out of his jeans, and then looked down at her. “Are you sure about this?”
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“Yes,” she said with conviction. “I don’t know how I know it, Isaac, but we’re meant to be together.” He kept his briefs on and lay down on top of her. She felt soft and firm in all the right places. His cock strained against his underwear until Isaac feared he’d come before he had a chance to penetrate her body. The woman was wreaking havoc on his libido, and the wolf within him howled to consummate their union. He wanted her, needed to plunge his cock into her soft, wet pussy and watch as pleasure danced across her features. Hooking one thumb into the waistband of his briefs, he rose to take them off. “Get off of her and move away,” a male voice said. “She’s mine. I lost her once, but it won’t happen again.” Candace hissed in surprise, her eyes flying open. Freezing, Isaac searched his memory for the identity of the voice. “Isaac, I said get off of her—now.” Todd Riverstone! Anger flowed through Isaac. That explains the crazy blizzard instead of normal snowfall. “Move or I’ll kill you lying on top of her,” the voice snapped with venom. Slowly, Isaac rolled away from Candace. She gasped and yanked his shirt from the chair to cover her exposed breasts. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes wide and disbelieving. “You’re mine,” Todd answered as he stepped out of the shadows. “I lost you to Doug all those years ago, but I’ll not lose you to this poor excuse for a Timber Wolf.” Todd walked toward them, his hands half-formed into paws with long claws. His ears were elongating into tall, pointed ones of a wolf, and his nose and mouth had begun to broaden and lengthen into a muzzle. “I’ve chosen you as my mate. Luckily I found you two before Isaac officially claimed you as his mate.” “You’re dead,” said Isaac as he stood and yanked on his jeans. “How dare you break into a den that’s not yours?” ****
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Candace gaped up at the man across the rec room as he approached them. Snow clung to his hair and melted on his clothing. As he transformed, it suddenly hit Candace why he’d seemed so familiar. It had been years, indeed. When she’d first met Doug, there had been another were who had wanted her too, but she’d felt nothing but revulsion toward him. Now, although it had been every bit twelve years ago, she could remember the younger version of Todd, who had insisted she was his mate and not Doug’s. “I remember you now,” she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “You’re the one who fought Doug for me all those years ago. I didn’t want you then, and I don’t want you now.” “I doesn’t matter what you want,” Todd sneered. “You’re going to be my mate whether you like it or not.” “Even if you could take her,” said Isaac as he edged toward Candace, “forced matings seldom work out. Most of the time the female is miserable, mistreated, and lonely.” “I’ll take good care of her,” Todd snapped, his expression smug, “and she’ll have everything she’s ever wanted.” He held his hand out to her. “Come, Candace. Leave here with me and be my mate.” “I don’t want you,” she answered. “You’re just saying that because he’s filled your head with nonsense and hollow promises,” Todd retorted. She got to her feet and clutched the shirt over her torso. “No, I don’t want you because I find you as repulsive now as I did when Doug kicked your ass all those years ago.” “You fucking bitch!” Todd surged forward, but Isaac jumped to his feet, shielding Candace from him
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Chapter Eight Isaac growled in warning, the sound eerie and coated in pure danger. “Touch her, and I’ll rip both your arms off and feed them to you.” Candace stared at Isaac in awe. His shoulders broadened more, his neck thickened, and his hands shifted until long black claws tipped his fingers. Dark hair began covering his body as his inner wolf took over. “You won’t leave your den with the female,” Todd growled back. “He’s the reason the snowfall turned into a blizzard,” Isaac said to Candace over his shoulder. “What do you mean?” she asked, confused. She never took her gaze off of Todd. She knew how wily he could be. “How could he be the cause of this storm?” “He’s a Storm Wolf,” Isaac answered and nudged her farther away from Todd, who kept slowly advancing on them. Confusion settled over her. “A what?” “I’m a Storm Wolf, my dear mate-to-be.” Todd chuckled, the sound sending a chill over Candace. “I can manipulate the weather. My entire pack has the ability to make it rain, snow, cause storms, and keep it from raining too, if we must. Our den is in the Rockies.” “Then what are you dong here?” Candace questioned. “The first time I was here when I fought Doug,” Todd said, “I was visiting family here in the valley, but when I heard you were widowed, I returned, looking for you. I came back for you, Candace.” “If you know what’s good for you,” Isaac rumbled, “you’ll pack up and go back to your den in the Rockies. If you don’t, you’re going to return in a pine box.” “I’m telling you she belongs to me!” Fury flashed in Todd’s eyes. “Never!” The one word sounded garbled as Isaac’s face morphed into that of a Timber Wolf. The two weres advanced upon each other, circling, growling, and gauging each other’s possible moves.
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I can’t believe this is happening all over again! Candace’s pulse raced, and adrenaline arrowed through her, spearing her gut and heart. She searched her memory for how her husband had thrashed Todd, but Todd had been younger then, her age, in fact. Doug was an older were, one with a more mature body, and he knew how to fight better than a young were pup did. Both weres transformed into their full werewolf forms. Todd’s clothes shredded and fell from his body as did Isaac’s briefs as he shifted. They circled each other, Todd, a light brown werewolf, and Isaac coal black. They snarled at each other, their lips peeled back, fangs bared and glistening in the firelight, their growls and snarls filling the rec room and melding with the thunder that repeatedly vibrated the lodge’s very foundation. Todd leapt across the seating area, but instead of surprising Isaac, Isaac met him in midair. The thud of their bodies connecting sickened Candace. The werewolves fought with their teeth and claws, going for each other’s throats. No, no, no! If Isaac is killed, Todd will force me to be his mate! Candace looked around the rec room for a weapon, something, anything to help Isaac. I lost Doug, but I refuse to lose Isaac too! Frantic, her heart pounding so hard she felt dizzy, Candace backed away from the whirling dervish of fur, fangs and claws. Isaac ripped the top of one of Todd’s ears, but in return, Todd slashed Isaac across his left shoulder. Blood leaked through his fur to drip on the carpet. Lightning strobed behind the drapes, illuminating the edges of the window as if it was a framed neon sign. Thunder crashed, and the lodge shimmied beneath Candace’s feet. Heaven help me, I have to find something to stop Todd so Isaac isn’t hurt! She spun around, staring at the fireplace, the mantel, and then her gaze landed on the blunderbuss and the loading kit sitting beneath it. Of course! Doug showed me how to load one of those! I can do this! She dropped the shirt and leapt up on the hearth. Stretching, she reached for the blunderbuss. Once she had the weapon, she swept the wooden box holding the loading kit into her arms and quickly opened it. She swore loudly. “I have to find something to load the gun with…”
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Her gaze landed on the jars of glass and marbles glittering prettily in the feeble light. Elated, she jumped up and grabbed the jar holding a mixture of colored decorating glass and assorted marbles. She put the powder in the gun, poured the glass and marbles in its trumpetlike barrel, and then a piece of cotton wadding followed. Candace used the ramrod to tamp it all down tightly. Todd bored Isaac backward toward a table holding a chess set. They hit it in a jumble of limbs and snapping muzzles. The table upset, and the board and game pieces scattered across the carpet and bounced off furniture. The werewolves struggled over the rec room, knocking lamps, books, tables, and other items over. Isaac gained the upper hand and pressed Todd into the drapes against the window. Standing, Candace readied the blunderbuss to be fired. With her hands shaking, she filled the weapon’s flash pan with gunpowder and rushed around the couch. Holding the flintlock weapon by her waist, she braced it with one hand and positioned her other hand so she could pull the trigger. The blast would throw glass everywhere. “Isaac move now!” she shouted. Whirling, Isaac glanced at her, his eyes glowing. He leapt to the right and landed on his belly, his pawlike hands going over his head for protection. The moment Todd focused on her, he had only enough time for his eyes to widen in surprise before Candace pulled the trigger. The blunderbuss roared. Its discharge jarred Candace, but she held on to the gun. Smoke rolled throughout the room as glass shattered and a doglike cry followed it. Marbles and glass bounced and skittered along the stone wall and across the hardwood floor where the rugs didn’t cover it. Cold wind and snow rushed into the room, ripping Candace’s breath away. Her skin pebbled, and her nipples hardened. Isaac leapt to his feet and hurried to the broken window. Slowly, he transformed. The fur disappeared from his body, and his muscles and bones popped loudly as he returned to his human form. Naked, he stood at the window, surveying the landscape. The wind ruffled his hair, and snowflakes began coating the windowsill and the nearby furniture.
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With her heart thrashing wildly, Candace waited to hear if she’d killed Todd or not. “Isaac?” she prompted. “I don’t see him,” he replied. He leaned on the windowsill and looked to the left and right. “I can’t see much out there except for a little blood just outside the window, but the snow is already covering it. The blizzard is really bad.” “Should we go out and look for him?” she asked. Although relieved she hadn’t actually killed another person, it also worried her that Todd was still out there somewhere. Isaac shook his head. “No, the snow is so bad we could get lost in it. I’ll board up this window and make sure the lodge is secured.” He strode toward her, his body a masterpiece of planes, muscles, and all maleness. “Are you okay, sweetheart? I can’t believe you loaded and fired that thing!” She sighed as he folded her in his arms. The chill of his skin quickly warmed as she snuggled against him. “I’m fine, really. I told you Doug taught me a lot about antique weapons. We’re lucky the loading kit was on the mantel.” “I’m so glad you’re all right,” Isaac whispered into her hair. “I’m sorry this happened.” “I didn’t want anything to happen to you.” She kissed his chest. “I lost Doug, but I wasn’t going to lose you too, and I certainly didn’t want Todd forcing me to be his mate.” “We’ll have to watch our backs for a while,” he said. “Todd’s the type to get even.” She groaned. “Great, that’s all we need.” “If need be, we’ll deal with it together, babe.” Love fluttered in her heart like a crazy butterfly. Candace hugged him tighter and smiled. “Yes, we will.” **** Later, after he dressed and calmed down, Candace helped him cover the broken window. She braced the sheet of plywood as he used a screw gun to secure it. He found a couple of tubes of caulk and filled in the edges of the board where it met the stone wall.
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“There,” he said. “That should keep most of the air out until the lodge can have someone come in and repair the window.” “Will you get in trouble over this?” she asked, helping him gather up his tools. “No, it will be considered an attack on a den, so the pack members may pay Todd’s den a visit.” Isaac tossed a half-used tube of caulk into a toolbox. “We’ve had issues in the valley with the Storm Wolves before, so our den issued orders for them to keep their members out of this region.” “It sounds like gang wars.” “No, it’s more like a friendly warning to keep their troublesome members out of other dens.” He leaned down and kissed her head. It bothered him to see her so worried. “Don’t fret about it, Candace. This den will find our mating a wonderful thing. A union like ours rarely happens.” Nodding, she handed him the screw gun. “Let’s put this away and then we’ll move to a different room.” “Oh?” she said. “Yeah, I have something to show you that I think you’ll really like.” Minutes later, the tools stowed away, Isaac carried a comforter and their wine and glasses up a dark flight of stairs that wound up the back side of the lodge. Behind him, Candace carried a picnic basket they’d filled from the kitchen. “Where are we going?” she asked. “You’ll see in a minute.” He couldn’t wait to see the expression on her face when she saw the library. She’s going to love this surprise. They reached a large oak door. Using a key, Isaac unlocked the door and pushed it open and flipped on the lights. Candace followed him inside. “I don’t believe this!” she said. “The entire top level is a library?” He motioned for her to follow him. “Yes, this is where my pack has its important meetings, and this library not only holds all sorts of reading material, but it contains every reference ever published, whether accurate or not, on weres and other shape-shifters.” He set the wine and glasses on the mantel and then turned to
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spread the comforter out on the floor in front of the fireplace. “This library also houses all the records of this particular den. Some go back as far as the 1500s.” “This is freaking amazing!” She turned left then right and then spun in a circle, her face a mask of awe, her eyes wide. “I’m glad you like it.” He chuckled, enjoying her delight. Quickly, he turned the gas on to the fireplace and lit it. Once he had it going, he straightened and said, “But the library isn’t what I brought you up here to see.” She paused, her curious gaze meeting his. “It’s not?” He shook his head. “See those big panels up there?” He pointed above them. “Watch those.” Puzzled, she crossed her arms and watched the ceiling. I can’t wait to see the expression on her face when the panels open. Isaac strode to a switch on the wall behind a luxurious desk. He turned the switch and watched Candace’s expression as the panels slid back. Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. “How beautiful!” “We open the skylight whenever we have meetings so our ancestors and loved ones can see what we’re doing, how things have progressed for the den, and help us with any problems we may be facing.” “I love it, Isaac.” She grinned at him. “This is all so wonderful. When did the storm stop?” “When you were washing up in the bathroom, I peeked outside. The sky had cleared, and the stars”—he pointed skyward—“are phenomenal tonight.” “Maybe Todd took the hint and that’s why the storm stopped?” Laughing, Isaac turned the lights off. “I think it sounds like a plausible explanation.” The fireplace bathed the immediate area in warmth and golden illumination. He returned to Candace’s side and took her in his arms. “Let’s make our union official,” he said. She nodded.
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“Come.” He threaded his fingers with hers and tugged her toward the comforter. The thought of laying Candace down and sinking his cock deep into her folds sent blood rushing to his groin. His rod hardened and pushed against his zipper. I want her so badly, but I want to make love to her slowly so I can enjoy every second of our first time together. She didn’t need any urging. Candace stood in the center of the blanket and disrobed. She tossed her wallet pack and shoes into a small loveseat to one side of the hearth. Within moments, she stood naked before him. “Damn,” he said with appreciation. “You’re gorgeous, Candace.” He slipped out of his clothes, too, and pulled her against his body. “I love you.” **** Isaac’s words soothed her soul. I finally belong to someone again. The way Isaac he looked down at her shot bullets of need into Candace’s pussy. She wanted Isaac’s cock inside her as she hooked her feet behind his knees and enjoyed his hips thrusting against hers. “Make love to me,” she said. Isaac knelt with her and they reclined on the comforter, the fire’s warmth delicious on Candace’s body. He passed one hand over her breasts. Her nipples hardened, their sensitive pink peaks pert and begging for his lips to touch them. When he seized one between his lips, Candace cried out, arching against him, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other gripping the comforter. He groaned and gently bit her nipple. She cried out again. “Candace,” he said against her breast, “I can’t stand this any longer.” “Neither can I.” She gasped. “Take me—please!” She spread her legs and pulled him closer. At her urging, Isaac rose and knelt between her thighs, his cock proud, eager, and glistening with a drop of pre-come. He lowered himself onto her body, pressing his rod against her cunt lips. Candace hooked her lower legs behind Isaac’s knees. Unable to back away, he pushed into her. Candace raised her hips and pulled with her legs, her actions propelling Isaac forward and driving his cock deep within her. He slid into her all at once,
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and, getting what she needed so desperately, Candace screamed as the force of an orgasm claimed her. Grunting, Isaac propped himself on his hands and pumped into her. She bucked and hollered as her pussy tingled, her womb throbbed, and pinpoints of light danced behind her eyelids. He filled her up, stretched her, and pounded into her body with startling force. Candace wanted more, needed more. She couldn’t get enough of Isaac. Finally, he stiffened, and Candace felt his cock pulsing inside her. Warmth coated her womb. The sensation propelled another orgasm to rip through her body. She tossed her head from side to side and ground her hips against his, her fingers biting into his waist. Isaac shouted his release and coaxed the last few drops of his essence into her, but Candace felt the coil within her tightening yet again. His cock stretched her, the feeling glorious. Candace moved against him in an attempt to jump of the precipice one more time. “Damn, sweetheart,” he panted, “you feel incredible. I just came and yet I want you already.” She thrust her hips and watched his eyes roll back in his head, his sharp intake of breath proving how she affected him. “I want on to be on top,” she said. He rolled so that she straddled him. The new position drove his cock even deeper. With the head of his prick rubbing the opening to her womb, it was enough to push Candace to her third orgasm. Her inner muscles contracted rhythmically, and Isaac bucked his hips, nearly unseating her. He spurted into her, and Candace cried out, collapsing against him. They lay that way panting for several minutes, little aftershocks of their lovemaking rippling through her and into Isaac. He trailed his fingers up and down her sides. “I wanted to make your first time with me romantic,” he joked. She started giggling. “We’ll do that after we recuperate. We wanted one another so badly I figured our first time would be explosive.” “Explosive? Hell, that was nuclear!” She laughed harder and slipped off him to snuggle against his body.
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“I’ll take care of you and make you happy,” Isaac promised. “I think Gwen and Doug set this up.” She raised her head and looked at him. “What do you mean?” “Well, think about it. You had to sell Doug’s bike to pay bills, and that’s how we met, but then I noticed your photo stuck in the bike’s chrome. When I put it in my wallet, I saw that Gwen’s image was fading from our picture taken together.” Candace gasped. “Doug is fading from our photo too!” He nodded, sat up, and reached for his wallet in his jeans. He opened it and pulled out the picture. “Look.” She accepted it, and, upon seeing the photo, she threw her hand over her mouth in shock. Isaac should’ve had his arms around Gwen, but Candace’s image beamed back at her instead. She scrambled over to the sofa and got her wallet out of the pack to find Doug’s image gone from their photo and Isaac in his place. She showed Isaac as she settled on the blanket again. He grinned and shrugged. “See what I mean?” “But I’m not a were, Isaac. I’m just a normal human woman.” He cupped her breast and then slid his hand over it to place it over her breastbone. “But you have the heart of a were, and I think Doug knew that too. We were both lost without our mates, but they realized that we were perfect matches too and brought us together.” “Well, this all explains why we seem to hear or sense one another’s thoughts.” She snorted. “For a while I thought I was losing it.” Lying back, he chuckled and pulled her down with him. Candace laid her head on his shoulder. Together, they stared up through the big skylight at the twinkling stars. “These past few hours have been incredible,” she whispered. “Tell me about it.” He kissed her head.
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“I’ll always love Doug,” Candace state, “just like I know you’ll always love Gwen. Wait until we join them one day!” She laughed and shook a finger at the skylight. “Do you two hear me?” At that, two stars arced across the sky and winked out. “The sign of a were listening,” Isaac exclaimed. “It looks like we walked right into their plan, and now all the weres know we’re mates.” “Know what else is odd?” she asked. “What?” “The paint job on the Harley.” He blinked and then she saw the realization brighten his eyes. “I’ll be damned!” he said. “A black wolf just like me! This morning I was thinking that it was almost like the bike was made for me.” “Maybe in a way it was. I love you,” she said, snuggling closer. “I love you too.” He hugged her tightly and then groaned. “My brother is going to be a major pain in the ass about this.” “What do you mean?” “He’s going to insist that if it was for him making me go to the Valentine Chat and Swap, I would’ve never met you.” Candace whined and grimaced. “Yeah, Darla too. She nagged me to death to go to that thing with her, but I guess she was right. One thing I have to admit is that I never expected to find a werewolf Valentine.” He chuckled at that. “Let them think what they want. We know the truth.” She smiled. No one would believe us anyway. “How about a glass of wine?” He pulled away from her and stood. “See what’s in the picnic basket to snack on.” The firelight danced across his body, and Candace admired every inch of his physique, her gaze drawn yet again to the bold and realistic-looking tattoo on his upper arm. She rolled toward the basket and opened it.
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“And then when we’re done, I intend on making love to you slowly and romantically, so I’m going to close the skylight. The peepshow is over now that we’re mated.” Giggles spilled out of Candace. Once Isaac had poured their wine, she handed him a knife and a wedge of cheese. “Do you mind if we have a legal ceremony too, like me and Doug did?” “Sure, why not?” He sat down next to her. “I want you to be happy, sweetheart, and if you need our joining on paper as well, I don’t have a problem with that.” “We can have a small ceremony,” she said. “What do you think of having it here in the library?” He raised his eyebrows as he sliced cheese and placed the pieces on crackers. “Actually, I think that’s a cool idea.” “I own a wedding consultation business,” she said, “so I can get stuff for our wedding at a discount.” “It doesn’t matter.” Isaac handed her a cracker. “My brother and I own an auction house, so we’re pretty wealthy.” Startled, her gaze flew up to meet his. “I just work here at the lodge to help occupy my time. I manage their finances to help out the den.” Isaac offered her a lopsided smile that sent her heart into palpitations and warmth into her lower belly. “Anything you want for the wedding,” he added, “is yours, babe.” “It looks like Doug made sure I found someone who could take care of me financially too.” His grin widened. “It appears that way, doesn’t it?” He pointed at a small clock on the nearby desk. “It’s after midnight, so it’s officially Valentine’s Day.” He leaned over and kissed her. Pulling back, he said, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Timbers.” Happiness soared through her. “Close the skylight.” “Why?” He favored her with a mischievous expression.
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Lying back, Candace replied, “So my werewolf Valentine can make love to me again.” After Isaac had closed the panels, he returned to lie down next to her. “Where do you want me to start?” he teased. “Start with my toes and work your way up.” Soft chuckles escaped him. Candace closed her eyes and let her new mate propel her to the edges of heaven.
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Cupid’s Arrow Bites Back By Trinity Blacio
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Chapter One Erin stretched her body as her inner leopard scanned the desert floor for any threats or food. Even though it was wintertime, the Arizona hot air eased the muscles in her body. Two days until the Valentine’s party at work, and she still didn’t have a date, not that she minded. Because she was a shifter, her sexual drive was too wild for most human men. Maybe I need to check out that new dungeon in town tonight? She stood and hopped off the boulder in front of her hidden cave. Her long sharp claws dug into the desert floor as she ran toward her parked SUV. Erin’s clothes were stashed a few feet from her vehicle. Running with the hot wind at her back, Erin grinned, knowing exactly what she would wear tonight. Her dark red miniskirt and matching halter that barely covered her large breasts was perfect for her adventure. Maybe, just maybe, Erin would find the one man who could control her cat and master her body that whimpered to be spanked. Hell, she didn’t care if it took two men as long as they demonstrated their skills on her horny body. Spying the brush where her clothes were, she snapped her bones back in place, her muscles stretched, and skin replaced her fur as she reached for her shorts and tank top. Her long blond hair brushed against her ass as she stepped into her shorts. “Yep, two men would be nice, but I’d be lucky to find one to meet my needs.” She sighed. “God, I miss you, Momma. Too bad your new alpha and I don’t get along.” Two years and still no word from her mother since she had left the pack, but Erin wouldn’t regret leaving. She just wished her mother would have had the courage to leave with her. “Are you still alive?” She walked to her car and jumped in, knowing that one day soon she would find her mom and brothers. Driving toward her home in Wilcox, she slowed down when passing the newest dungeon, which was built on the site of an old ghost-infested hotel. In its place was a modern two-story building done in dark green tones. She smiled and knew tonight would change her life. Erin squirmed in her seat, her shorts
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dampened at the thought of someone tying her down and doing anything he wanted to her. Her nipples hardened and she whimpered, needing a long, thick cock inside her. Turning the corner onto her street, a large black sedan was parked in her driveway. Driving past her home, she pulled to the curb and watched in the rearview mirror. Ever since her escape from the pack, she had made sure to cover her tracks. The thought of Frank finding her sent a chill down her spine. The cat inside paced back and forth, sensing the danger. “He won’t touch me again. I’ll die first.” The door to the sedan opened and her mother stepped out of the vehicle with a child in her arms. She glanced around the area; then her gaze swept to Erin’s SUV. Her mother nodded and moved around to the back of her house. “Damn it!” She couldn’t leave her mother unprotected. Opening her door, she slipped out of the car and ran to the house next to hers, going around to the back of the house. She sniffed and could only smell her mother’s scent and that of the child. It’s okay, Erin. No one followed us, but I would like to put the car in the garage just in case. Your brothers are waiting and watching. I hope no one followed you, because I’d die before going back. She snarled and stepped up to her back door grabbing the key from under the bush. Her mother moved behind, her as she whispered to the child, reassuring her. “Who is she?” Erin opened the side door and reached up to open the garage, glancing back at her mom. She smiled. “She’s your sister.” Erin growled and opened the door to the house, waiting for her mom to step in. “You let that thing touch you? What were you thinking? He won’t stop to get her back.” Her brothers slowly made their way into the garage, closing it behind them. “Mom didn’t allow anything. The prick raped her after you left. It’s taken us this long to lose him. Mom wouldn’t step foot in the same state unless she was
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positive we lost him,” Adam, her older brother, barkedat her, pushing into the house while scanning it. “Enough, Adam. You don’t know what that man did to her.” Her mother ordered and set her sister down. “Her name is Elizabeth. She’s two. I wasn’t about to let him have her. She’s part of me, of all of us. I’m just grateful you kept sending me letters to the P.O. box so we could find you.” Her mother, Ann, pulled her into her arms. “I’ve missed you so much. Are you okay?” Wrapping her arms around her mom, she laid her head down on her shoulder. “I’m fine, Mom. I have the house totally secured.” Erin backed away and frowned as her other brother, Grant, stepped into the house and locked the garage door behind him. “Adam, Grant. Why don’t you bring in your things? There are two bedrooms down here you can use, and Mom and Elizabeth can have the guest bedroom upstairs next to mine. I know you all have to be tired and I have plans for tonight, but I have a full fridge, so please make yourself at home.” Erin opened up the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “I need to take a bath and get ready. We’ll talk more tomorrow. Oh, and Adam, the pass code to the security system is Dad’s birthday. I also have an emergency exit in the basement under the stairs. You’ll have to shift to get through it, though.” She knelt down and smiled at Elizabeth. “She looks like you, Mom. Hello, Elizabeth. I’m your big sis.” She tousled the girl’s hair, rising, and made her way to the stairs. “I would cancel my plans, Mom, but for some reason I need to be there. Something is pulling me there and I can’t ignore it.” She sighed, moving to the bathroom in her bedroom. Erin pulled her halter off and stepped into the bathroom when she heard Adam’s growl. “He did this, didn’t he?” He traced down her back and turned her to face him. She growled. “Yes, Adam, among other things. You and Grant had gone to Grandma’s when he cornered me. I wouldn’t bow to him and I earned my punishment.” She turned and moved into the bathroom, turning on the water. “Why didn’t you tell us?” He leaned on the door frame.
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“What, and have you and Grant attack him? You weren’t ready for that, Adam. He would have killed the both of you. Plus, no one can take his second, Antony.” She shivered. “Now, go on and let me get ready for tonight, and Adam, he’ll get his soon enough. I’m just glad you guys are finally here.” She smiled, closing the bathroom door. Leaning against the door, she closed her eyes. “Please let my mate be there tonight.” **** Honaw stared out of his apartment window. He smiled as he thought of his granddaughter, Tony, who was now expecting twin boys. She had teased him so badly last year when he showed up as the Easter Bunny that he hadn’t talked to her for three months. Even the elders knew they had made a mistake. A six foot four Easter Bunny had scared too many kids. Now he was Cupid’s assistant. Who would have thought Cupid stood over seven feet tall and had the body of a Greek god? His cock hardened as he remembered their last night together. He had never been with a man before, but one glance at the man and he knew he had to have him. For the past six months they had fought for domination in their relationship, and every time he had won. He laughed, adjusting his cock in his black leather pants. Cupid was now with the elders, talking to them about giving him the time to find the woman he could master. He needed a female under him tonight, a slave to his touch and his wishes. Even Cupid had said they needed a woman to join their play. Honaw laughed. He doubted he would find her here in Arizona, but what the hell? The grand opening of their newest dungeon was tonight. It was just too bad he couldn’t be here too. Turning from the window, he braided his long black hair, tying it with a piece of leather, and pushed the buzzer to the lobby downstairs. “How can I help you, Master Honaw?” Cindy purred on the intercom. He smiled and shook his head. She was a needle and cutting freak—not his style. “Did my packages come?”
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“Yes, sir, and I put them in your personal room, as instructed.” “Good girl. Maybe I’ll have Master Peter take care of you tonight.” He laughed as he heard her moan. “Thank you, sir. You’re too kind.” He disconnected the com and grabbed his vest. It was time to go open the doors.
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Chapter Two Erin stepped into the living room, her red spiked heels clicking on the wooden floor. Both of her brothers growled, jumping up. “Where the hell do you think you’re going dressed like that?” Adam snapped and moved in front of her. She rolled her eyes and moved around him. “I told you, I have an appointment. Plus, it’s none of your business, Adam. I’m a grown woman and have been on my own now for over three years. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” She grabbed her short leather jacket and keys, heading toward the door. “Don’t wait up. I’m going to be late, hopefully.” She grinned as her brothers growled, but held back. Stopping, she frowned when she glanced back. “Adam, if something happens and you need to get hold of me, I’ll be at the new dungeon. It’s right at the edge of town, but please only come if it’s an emergency.” Just the thought of them watching as a man spanked her was just gross. Grant moved up to her and hugged her. “Do you really need to go, Erin?” He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. She tried to pull away, but he held her. “I have to Grant. I’ve tried to have a normal sex life, but something is missing. Slowly I’ve been experimenting, and this is the only thing that helps the cat calm down. Plus the thought of a man… Well, you know.” Erin smiled as he nodded, grinning down at her. “Just be careful. You never know, some of these guys just show up and hurt someone.” He kissed her cheek and stepped back. “That’s what’s nice about this place. You have to have a private invitation just to get in the door, which I have, thanks to a good friend.” She stepped out into the night and inhaled. The wind gently blew her hair back, caressing her face. The security system beeped behind her, and she knew that Adam had reset the system. She wouldn’t worry. They would be fine. After jumping into her car, Erin pushed in her CD and pulled out of the driveway. She knew that tonight she would meet the man she was supposed to be
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with, her mate. Every instinct in her knew it would happen. Her cat whimpered, knowing soon they would find their mate. As she pulled into the parking lot, which was full, butterflies danced in her stomach. “He has to be here,” she whispered, parking toward the end of the building. Erin grabbed the invitation and stepped out of the car, locking it. Erin pulled down her short miniskirt and made her way to the front door. Two huge men in dress pants and white dress shirts stood at the door. They wore red carnations, indicating they were masters. Stepping up to them she lowered her head and handed them her invitation. The cat inside backed away and she sighed. So much for one of them being her mate. They smiled and opened the doors for her. Inside the hallway, which was done in dark greens and blues, a woman dressed in a pink leather dress smiled at her. “Welcome to Dragon. Are you a submissive or a master?” she asked. “Submissive.” “Good. You can check your coat in over there. Everyone is in the ballroom to start the night. The bar is open and so is the buffet. Have a good time.” She handed her a white Carnation wristband. Erin pulled off her coat and handed it to the coat girl as she put her flower on. Soft jazz played down the hall as she made her way to the ballroom. She stepped into the room and sucked in her breath. There had to be over one hundred people there. As she took a step into the room, her cat purred, pushing inside her. She knew he was here now. All she had to do was find him. Slowly she made her way to the bar. Scanning the men in the room, she spotted him. He was leaning against the far wall, watching the people around him. A woman with long red hair knelt at his feet, but he paid her no attention. The leopard growled as she smiled at the bartender. “Budweiser, please.” She turned around, and her gaze flew to where the man had been standing, but he was gone. “Damn.” “Is something wrong?” The man’s voice behind her made her nipples harden and her pussy quiver with want. She slowly turned and glanced up at him. With his
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long black hair braided, it made his Native American features stronger in his face, and his grin was positively wicked. She lowered her head. “Oh, it’s nothing, Sir.” He lifted her chin with his long finger. “Are you alone? Do you have a master here?” Erin fidgeted, pulling her skirt down again. “I’m alone. I don’t have a master yet, Sir.” “My name is Honaw and I own this place with my partner, Eros. I’m afraid he isn’t here tonight, but I’m quite sure he’d approve of you. What’s your name, my pretty?” He traced his finger down her cheek and neck to the swell of her breast. Her body trembled. “My name is Erin Woods. I’ve been slowly venturing into the scene for about a year now.” Honaw nodded to the bar. “Your beer is behind you. Why don’t you sit and relax while I address my guests? But Erin, please don’t leave the bar.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and picked her up, sitting her on the bar stool. He reached behind her and untied her halter top, lowering it to her waist. “Beautiful. Leave it down. I want to see these large globes from the stage.” He traced his finger around her nipple and pinched it. She held still, but her pussy clenched and wetness dripped down in between her ass cheeks. Erin nodded and he grinned, slapping the side of her breast. Erin jumped and moaned. He laughed, leaning down. “I see I have my work cut out for me tonight, but I’m going to enjoy training you. You are to say ‘Yes, Sir’ or ‘Yes, Master’ if you accept me.” He stepped back and turned, to leave her hot. She watched as he made his way to the stage. The tight black leather pants conformed to his muscular legs. He had a long back and muscular arms. Honaw turned and smiled at her. Turning her gaze away from his, she glanced around the room. Sure enough, many women were topless. Some were even naked except for the collars they wore around their necks. It never bothered her to be nude in front of people before, but
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for some reason being here, exposed for his eyes, had her squirming in her seat. Erin grabbed her beer and took a drink. Tonight was going to be perfect. Honaw stepped up on the stage and glanced at her for a minute before he started talking. His voice, a deep baritone, caressed her like fingers on her skin. Her cat purred and rubbed against her. Easy, my pet. Soon enough he will know of you. Erin glanced at the doorway and froze. Antony leaned against the door frame with a slave at his feet. Turning around, she pulled her halter up and made her way to the balcony doors slowly, hiding behind people as she went. Damn it. What the hell is he doing here? Is Frank here? I have to call Mom. She opened the doors and stepped outside, then shut the doors behind her. Scanning around, she saw no one. Erin pulled her shoes off and jumped off the balcony. If she could make it to her car, she could call home. Running around the building, she ran smack into a hard chest. **** Honaw watched from the stage as Erin’s gaze went from relaxed to terror. She stared at the doorway and the man standing in it. He frowned and quickly excused himself from the stage. He slipped outside and around the corner, where his beauty ran smack into him. He grabbed her from falling, but a clawed hand came up and raked his arm, making him jump back. He starred at her as bones snapped, fur sprouted out of her skin, and her dark green eyes stared up at him with regret. Slowly she moved forward, bumping his leg, then took off running. He tried to grab on to the beautiful leopard, but she pulled away, whimpering. One glance back and she took off into the night. He stood there, blood dripping down his arm, shocked. A strong arm pulled him around. “What the hell happened?” Eros demanded as he grabbed his arm. “One minute I’m in a meeting with the elders when I felt the pain. Do you know what I had to do to get that meeting? Now I’m going to have to wait another two years,” he snapped and waved his hand.
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“I’m fine and I didn’t need your help.” He pulled away and stormed back into the club, going straight to the coatroom. He ignored Eros as he described the woman who had stirred not only his blood, but his heart. The girl gave him her coat and he searched the coat as Eros leaned against the wall. “So you think you found your mate?” He raised his eyebrow. “I don’t know what she is, but she’s someone special and I’m going to find her if it’s the last thing I do.” He pulled out a cell phone and some car keys, smiling. Honaw turned and went back outside, pointing the remote to each car as he walked down the parking lot. Eros grabbed his ponytail and yanked him to a stop. “You’re mine. I’m not going to lose you, Honaw.” Eros’ hard lips came down on his mouth as he grabbed his cock and rubbed it. Honaw melted in his arms for one minute, then remembered what he was doing. He pushed Eros back. “Damn it, Eros, I know that, but I believe she could be our third, and she’s in trouble. Do you want something to happen to her? Because I sure don’t.” He pushed the car remote button again at the end of the parking lot and got a beep. “What scared her enough to make her do that to your arm?” They moved around her SUV when he heard the growl of the cat. “Damn, isn’t she beautiful?” Eros moved around him and knelt down. “Come here, girl. We won’t hurt you.” Honaw knelt down next to him. “It’s okay, Erin. We won’t hurt you. Weren’t you supposed to stay at the bar?” He tried to get her to relax, and she slowly moved up to him and licked his arm. The fur started to disappear, her bones snapped back, and she stood before them, naked. She glanced down at the ground. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I thought you were someone else, but I need to have my phone, please.” She nodded to her phone and he handed it to her. Erin turned around, and his hiss matched Eros’ as they saw the old whip marks on her back.
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“Damn it, Adam, pick up the phone. Antony is here.” She screamed into the phone and tried to walk away, but the Eros pulled her back into his arms. She tensed, then relaxed. “Adam, thank God. Are you and Mom okay? Frank isn’t there, is he?” Honaw heard the conversation and frowned. “No one is here, Erin. Where are you? Did Antony see you?” the man growled. She sighed and relaxed more. “No, I don’t think so. He had a slave with him, so maybe he was here for the opening.” “I want you home now. We can’t take the chance of them seeing you. He’ll know we’re here, and if he lays one hand on you again, I don’t care how dangerous he is—I’ll kill him.” She glanced behind her at Eros, then at him. “I’ll be home soon. I’ll park a block away and make my way home on foot.” Erin clicked the phone shut and turned in Eros’ arms to face them. “Is this Antony the one who put the marks on your back?” Eros asked. Glancing down at the ground, she took a deep breath. “My family and I are leopard shifters. I’ve been in hiding now for three years from the pack’s alpha. The alpha and others decided I needed to be shared among them all one night. When I refused, well, you saw the results, and they still took me. Now they are searching for my mother and sister. Frank, the alpha, raped my mother. She just showed up tonight. My little sister is the result of the rape.” She glanced up and smiled. “I’m sorry about tonight, Honaw. I really wanted to be with you, but I can’t stay. I have to make sure my family is safe.” She held out her hand. “Can I have my keys, please? I have another set of clothes in the trunk. You should get inside to your guests. I’m sure you can find another slave for the night.” A single tear slipped down her cheek. She had to leave her mate. Eros took the keys to the car from him and opened the door to the SUV. “Get in, Erin. We’ll drive you home. Your family can stay at our home. It’s secured and no one can get in.”
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She glanced at him and he smiled. “I told you I had a partner. This is Eros.” He swatted her ass and pushed her toward the car. “I need my clothes. I can’t drive around town naked.” She frowned and glanced behind her. Eros glanced at him. “I see we have our work cut out for us.” He laughed and slapped her butt. “Don’t worry about your clothes. When we get there you can put them on, but for now, we like seeing you naked.” Honaw walked to the other side of the vehicle and got in, pulling her into the car. I was right, wasn’t I? She’s the one. Eros squeezed his large frame into the car, pushing the car seat back to fit him. There is something there, but we must make sure. I have your grandson watching that Antony. I see in her head. They’ll alert me if he moves. Your granddaughter loves the club, by the way. He smirked. She doesn’t need to be in there, being pregnant. Honaw glared at him. Her mates won’t let anything harm her. Relax, enjoy the beauty next to us. Even if she isn’t our mate, she does have a nice ass and you’ve needed a female. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the looks when we visit here on Earth. He sighed and placed Erin’s head on his lap. “Lay down, Erin.” He cupped her breast gently. I’m sorry, Eros. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I miss holding a woman in my arms. Having her look up at me for guidance, even with my former lover, I never felt what I should have for her. But with her there is something more. It’s almost as strong as what we have. Just give her a chance. I know it’s our busy time, but we can still make time for her.
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Chapter Three Erin stared up at Honaw as he played with her breast. Both men filled her SUV with a male dominance that had her juices flowing. They had to be close to her home. She tried to lift up when Eros placed his large hand onto her stomach and held her down. “You’re going to need me to show you where I live.” She tried again to lift, but he held her down. “No, I don’t know. I know where you live. You don’t have to worry. We won’t let anything happen to your family or you.” His hand slid down in between her legs. “Umm, you’re wet.” Eros slowly pushed two fingers into her. “So tight. We might have to stretch you to take me, I’m afraid.” Eros brought up his wet fingers and sucked them into his mouth. “Like sweet butter.” She moaned and was rewarded with a slap to her breast. “Not a word,” Honaw ordered. Again Eros dipped his fingers into her pussy and pulled them out. “Taste, Honaw. See what waits us as soon as we get her family settled.” Honaw leaned over and sucked his fingers into his mouth. Honaw swept his tongue over Eros’ fingers and she bit down on her tongue to keep from moaning again. “We’re here. Stay in the car,” Eros ordered. She smirked and shifted as they slowly got out of the car. Erin wasn’t about to put them at risk or her family. She dashed out the door into the night air and scanned the house. Nothing was out of place, and there wasn’t any scent of Frank…yet. Eros grabbed the back of her neck and knelt down next to her. “You will be punished for not listening to me,” he demanded and released her fur as the garage opened, and her brother stepped out, growling at the two men. Will you two stop with the crap? They’re here to help. Where are Mom and Elizabeth? She moved to go into the garage, when Honaw pulled her back.
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She growled and glanced up at him as he smiled down at her. “That’s two you’ve earned. Now wait for Honaw. Don’t you think you better shift so you can introduce us?” He stroked the fur behind her ears. Sighing, she shifted back to her human form and ran into the garage. “Adam, Grant, meet Honaw and Eros, owners of the Dragon down the street,” she yelled over her shoulder into the house. “Mom, where are you?” She stepped into the living room and stopped. Her mom smiled at her, then put her finger to her mouth, hushing her. Elizabeth was sound asleep on the couch on her mother’s lap. “Sorry, Mom. I was worried.” She smiled as her mom carefully got up and hugged her. “I’m just glad Antony didn’t see you. I think he’s worse than Frank.” She shook and rubbed her arms. “The way that man carried on after you left gave me nightmares for weeks. It was like he was obsessed with you. I heard him and Frank arguing about you one time. Antony wanted to search personally for you, but Frank wouldn’t allow him. Boy, was he pissed.” She glanced behind her and smiled. “I take it those two are the ones you were meeting?” Erin moaned. “Mom, this is Eros on the right and Honaw on the left. I’ll let them explain his great idea. I’m going up to get some clothes on.” She moved to the stairs, when Eros’ words stopped her. “You might as well pack a bag while you’re up there. You’ll not be staying here till we take care of the threat,” he ordered, kneeling down by his sister. “Um, excuse me? This is my home. They’re the ones that need protecting, not me. I can take care of myself.” She ran up the stairs, ignoring them. There was no way they were going to drag her out of her home. When she had bought it last year, Erin knew then that she would never move again. She went into her room and closed the door behind her, leaning against it. Her cat roared inside, wanting to mate with the men downstairs. “Give it time. Right now we have bigger problems.” Her gaze adjusted to the darkness of her room, and she made it to her window, glancing outside.
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A new vehicle sat across the street from her home, its engine running as the back window cracked and a head popped out. “Frank!” She pushed open the window and hissed, shifting. Mom, he’s here. Have Adam lock down the house. Keep everyone inside. What the hell are you doing? Her mom screamed at her as she jumped out of the window and landed behind the large tree near her window. He won’t hurt anyone else again. Keep Eros and Honaw inside. Erin crawled around the tree, her claws digging into the dirt. The driver’s door opened and Jordon, Frank’s brother, stepped out, glancing at the house before he shifted. If she went out there now, Frank could grab her from behind. Plus she didn’t know how many others were in the car. Unless she get hold of him in the back, out of their view where she could attack him. As she crept backward, keeping her gaze on Jordon, her ass bumped into something behind her. Shit! She slowly glanced backward and cringed. Eros stood behind her, glaring at her. Behind him, Honaw stood, his large, muscular arms crossed over his chest. Eros reached down, scooping her large cat body up, and shoved her at Honaw. “Hold on to her as I take care of these pests, and Erin, that’s three.” She growled and tried to get out of Honaw’s arms without hurting him, but he held her tight. “I haven’t been this pissed off since my son left his wife and child for some slut over one hundred years ago. Of course he went back, but still the pain he caused.” His body trembled as he stroked her fur. “I haven’t even seen Eros this furious before. I’ve been with him now for over fifty human years.” Erin glanced at Eros, then up at Honaw. Who the hell are you? Human years? She shook her head and glanced to where Eros leaned against the car and stared at Frank and Jordon as he shifted, walking toward him and Frank. Eros turned his head and glared right at her. Frank and Jason followed his gaze and snarled. Sorry! She snarled, pushing her back legs off his chest, and charged forward. The memory of the whip landing on her back was fresh in her
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mind, and she ran straight for Frank. He wouldn’t survive the night if she had anything to do with it. “No!” Honaw yelled and chased behind her, but not even he could stop her. Frank and Jordan both shifted, meeting her attack head-on. She swiped her paw across Frank’s head while Jordan’s jaw clamped down on her leg. Erin roared and turned to snap at him, when both Frank and Jordan disappeared. Strong hands grabbed on to her from behind, and she jumped, swiping her claw, but stopped when Eros bent down and glared at her. “Honaw, give her family directions to the house while I take care of her. We’ll meet you in the master suite.” His voice a command sent a chill through her. Honaw nodded and walked toward her house, leaving her. Erin glanced around and shifted, moaning at the pain in her leg. “What happened to them?” She glared at him as she stepped back slowly, careful of her leg. He slowly rose and grinned. “They won’t be back for a while. Now come here.” He swept his arm around her waist, scooping her up in his arms. “You just couldn’t listen, could you? I told you, we would take care of it,” he snapped, waving his hand. Erin tensed as an glowing oval door appeared in front of him. “What is that?” She glanced up at him. He stepped into the big white fog, into a large room. “We’re in the master’s room in the dungeon.” He laid her down on to an enormous bed, gently picking up her leg, inspecting her wound. “You’re damn lucky no muscles or bones were broken.” He placed his large hand over her wound and pressed down. “What the fuck?” She screamed and tried to pry his hands away, but some unknown force pulled her hands up and tied them above her head, holding them down. “Hold still. I’m healing the wound,” he shouted.
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Erin studied him. He stood over seven feet tall, white hair, and dark blue eyes. “You don’t like me, do you?” Heat moved into her wound, easing the pain, as he gazed at her. “I don’t know what I feel. I know my mate claims you’re someone so special that he just doesn’t know what you are yet. We’re both trying to figure that out.” He removed his hand, glancing down at her leg, the wound gone. “If he’s your mate, then why are you keeping me with you? Wouldn’t it have been easier to let Frank kill me? Because he would have with two of them there.” She pulled her legs away from him as the binding disappeared from her hands Erin sat up. He moved to the end of the bed, following her every movement with his gaze. “Why would I cause pain to my mate? You are important to him. I should protect you for him, but if this is going to work, you will have to learn to obey us. Come here.” He nodded to the end of the bed. Erin hesitated for a minute. “Now Erin, don’t make me ask you twice.” Eros’ voice dipped even lower, making her whimper as she moved forward to the end of the bed. He sat down on the end of the bed next to her. “There are many things you will see, if you stay with us, that are different than what you are used to seeing. In time we will explain, but for now, we need to work on trust. You don’t trust us, and I can understand that, as I’m having the same problems with this myself.” He gently picked her up and set her in his lap. “I’m sorry, Eros, but ever since my father left us when I was six, I haven’t trusted any man, including my own brothers. When my father left, my brothers went with him, abandoning my mother and me.” She glanced down at her hands and laid her head on his shoulder. “Even now, it’s hard to trust them or any man, but I’ll try.” He reached down and lifted her chin, staring into her gaze. “You’ve been hurt badly, Erin, so that’s understandable. I’m going to forgo any punishment from earlier. Why don’t we start from scratch tonight?” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think that’s a great idea. I had a little chat with your mother and brothers.” Honaw appeared out of nowhere and knelt down next to them.
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Erin jerked, glancing at Honaw. “I think you two need a bell around your neck or something so I know when you’re going to appear.” She grinned and glanced at his arm. “I’m really sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to hurt you. When I’m in cat form, the animal instinct sometimes takes over when I’m scared or hurt.” Honaw stood and held out his hand. “I’m fine Erin. Now, come let us show you around the club. I’d also like to introduce you to my granddaughter and her mates.” She put her small hand into his large one and he pulled her up into his embrace. “I think I need some clothes. I can’t go out there like this.” She backed out of his arms, only to bump into Eros who stood behind her. “Um, I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to go downstairs. Antony is still here, isn’t he?” The leopard inside her growled, pushing to come out. Erin rubbed her arms and glanced up at Honaw. “I don’t want to cause a scene in your new place, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop from attacking him if I see him.” Eros walked over to a closet and pushed open the door. Women’s clothes of all colors hung in the closet. She growled, thinking about the other women they might have had up here. Honaw pulled her back into his embrace. “Erin, look at me.” She turned, looking into his gaze. “We won’t let this man hurt you, but we won’t hide. If you want to stay in your home, we need to face this head-on, but you have to trust us to handle it. Can you do this?” He rubbed her arms and frowned. “You’re shaking.” He glanced up at Eros, who stepped up to her and slipped a dress over her head and over her body. “Perfect. You’re having trouble with the cat, aren’t you?” He studied her as she nodded. “She wants to kill him and I want this too. What he did…” She shook again and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. “Erin, I can help control the cat, but you would have to trust me to control her. Can you do that?” He cupped her cheek. “We won’t leave your side.” She sucked in her breath and glanced up at him. “I’ll try,” Erin squeaked.
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He nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist, escorting her out of the room. The red silk dress brushed against her nipples as she moved, caressing them as a man would. Erin would have never picked this dress out, looking down at the extra rolls on her stomach. Eros laughed and glanced down at her. “You’re beautiful, little cat, so stop worrying.” “Hmm, easy for you to say. There isn’t a trace of fat on the both of you.” They stepped off the stairs and entered the main room. Both men stepped in front of her, crossing their arms over their chests. “Do you doubt us?” Honaw purred. Okay, if I lie and say I believed them, I get punished, but if I give my view? She sighed and glanced around the room. “Look at me, Erin, and answer the question,” Honaw snapped. Her gaze met his. “I believe you think I’m beautiful, but at the same time, I don’t see it. I’m sorry, but I’ve always been told I was chubby, Sir.” Eros laughed. “Well, at least you were honest. Come, it’s time to mingle a little before we play.” Eros pulled her up between them and they strolled farther into the room. Two large men with a very pregnant woman stepped up to them. She stepped up to Honaw and hugged him. “It’s so good to see you, Granddad. When are you two going to come and visit your grandkids?” He hugged her and frowned at the two men. “We should be able to come over next week, but you shouldn’t be here, Tony.” He snarled. “Don’t start. I’m fine. Now, are you going to introduce us to the beauty standing next to you?” She stepped back in between the two men. He glanced down at Erin and smiled. “Erin, this is my headstrong Granddaughter, Tony, and her two mates, Drake and Scott.” Erin smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.” “Is he still here?” Eros asked Drake. Drake nodded. “He’s dancing with his sub right now.”
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“Good, let’s go get this over with.” Eros pulled her away from the group, but she stopped and shook her head. “I’m scared, Eros. I don’t know if I can do this.” Her head snapped up and met Antony’s gaze as he entered the room. The room narrowed and she hissed as she tried to back away. Antony grinned and advanced on her. His sub trailed behind him. Claws ripped inside her as the leopard tried to get out. Bones cracked, and her vision changed to that of the cat. “Eros.” She growled. Eros stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. “Relax, little cat. He won’t touch you, I promise,” he whispered in her ear, while Honaw stepped up next to them and rubbed her arms. Antony stepped close to her, ignoring both men. “I knew you were close.” He nodded to Eros. “You belong with the pack and me. Get rid of them.” He ordered. Honaw laughed and stepped in front of her. “She goes nowhere. Erin is where she is supposed to be, and no one will touch her.” Erin trembled as Antony’s cat pushed to the surface, showing itself to Honaw. “You don’t want to interfere with me and my friends. She belongs with her own kind and we’ve been searching for her.” He growled. “I can see this isn’t going to be easy, is it?” Eros patted her butt and stepped up next to Honaw. “I really didn’t want to have to do this, but I can see I have no other choice.” One minute Antony was shifting, and the next he was on the floor, screaming in pain. Eros knelt down and gazed at him. “This is a warning, and I’ll only give it once. Keep your clan out of our way. If I even smell your litter box, I’ll rip your head off and eat it for breakfast,” he demanded, standing up his gaze fell to hers and he smiled. Erin watched as three of the security guards picked him up and started to move him out of the room. His head wiped around and he glared at her. “You’re mine. I’ve marked you. I’ll be back!” He growled and tried to break free.
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Her legs gave away, and she would have fallen if Honaw hadn’t grabbed her around the waist and scooped her up into his arms. “Easy, little one.” **** Honaw held Erin tight in his arms and he glanced up at Eros. “Take her to the doctor’s room. I’ll meet you there after I take care of him,” Eros ordered, brushing past them. “And find out what he meant about marking her.” He frowned down at her and made his way to the room without saying a word. Is she already mated? Honaw stepped into the open room and slammed the door shut with his foot. Gently he placed her onto the doctor’s examining table, grabbed one of her wrists, and strapped it to the table. Erin frowned and tried to pull her hand out. “What are you doing? I didn’t do anything.” She pleaded and tried to keep him from her free hand, but he grabbed it and attached it like the first one. Grabbing the front of her dress, he ripped it open and off her body. Very slowly, he traced his hand around her breast. “What was he talking about, Erin? Where did he mark you? Are you mated to him?” Her body trembled as she gasped. “Never! He’s not my mate and you know it.” She struggled against the bonds, growling. “Why are you doing this?” Eros stepped into the room and stared down at her. “The man is crazy for you, Erin. The only time I’ve seen this is when a male is taken away from his mate. Now where is his mark?” he demanded, grabbing a hold of one leg and strapping it into the stirrup, then doing the other, as she tried to kick him. Honaw’s gut twisted as he watched her struggle and tears dripped down her face. “I swear, I’m telling you the truth. His ‘mark’ is the fucking whip marks. He’s nuts!” “Check her upper body while I check down here. Look for bite marks. That’s how they mark their mates,” Eros ordered and proceeded to check each leg. For the next fifteen minutes, they examined her body but found nothing except the whip marks. “Damn it, Eros, there’s nothing here.” Honaw stared at Erin. She didn’t cry out anymore, just stared up at the ceiling, not saying anything.
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“I’m releasing her and taking her upstairs. I think you’re wrong about this.” He unsnapped her wrists, rubbing the circulation in each arm as he did it. “Easy, Erin, it’s over. I’m so sorry we didn’t trust you,” he cooed, releasing her legs and picking her up into his arms. He strode toward the door. “What if he’s insane? Could you tell then if he was lying?” Honaw went up the back stairs to the master suite. He gently laid her down on the bed and lay down next to her. “Talk to me, Erin. Don’t shut us out.” He kissed her cheek. “We had no choice. There are things you don’t understand that we can’t explain yet.” Cat eyes turned to glare at him. “You ask me to trust you, but you don’t trust me.” She growled and shifted. Bones snapped, fur replaced skin, all the while her gaze kept his. The cat jumped from the bed and ran to the window. “Erin, don’t, please.” He moved carefully to the window and knelt down next to her. “It’s not safe for you to be out there alone. Let us help you.” Eros burst into the room and stormed over to him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? She could slice you up again,” he demanded, turning his glare on her. “And you, I told you earlier there were things that I couldn’t tell you yet, that it would take me time to trust you. Just like it will take you time to trust us.” He ran his hand through his white hair and knelt down next to him. “Give us time, Erin. We’ll figure this out.” Eros stood and pulled Honaw into his arms. “If you ever do that again, I swear I’ll kick your ass.” Eros shook him, screaming. He ripped out of Eros’ arms. “Don’t! She won’t hurt me, and if she’s going to trust us, we have to give her some trust.” He moved around Eros and sat on the edge of the bed, smiling at Erin. “Please, Erin, stay with us. We can just stay up here and watch TV if you want, or we can go back to our apartment and you can be with your family. Just don’t give up on us.” Her beautiful slick body jumped on the window, looking outside, and whimpered. Erin lowered back to the floor, turning toward him. She glanced up at Eros and then back at him. Slowly she made her way to the bed and jumped up on
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it, lying down on the opposite side of the bed. She curled her body into a ball, laying her head on her front paws, watching them. He let the breath he was holding go and glanced up at Eros. “Did you find out anything from that man?” Eros moved next to him and sat down. “No. In all my years I’ve never had this problem. I don’t know if it’s because I’m too close to the situation or I just can’t read him. He’s being escorted out of town now, only because if he is her mate, I don’t want to have her suffer.” Erin growled but didn’t move behind them. “Erin, we have to make sure. I’m sorry if this hurts you, but I won’t see you suffer because we want to kill him.” Eros turned and stared at her, then at the door. “We have company coming. Can you shift back for us? It would be pretty hard to explain a leopard to the humans here.” She lifted her head and stretched, shifting at the same time. Grabbing the end of the blanket, she slipped under the covers as someone knocked on the door. “Thank you, Erin.” Honaw got up and went to the door where his head of security stepped inside as he opened the door. “I’m sorry to bother you, but we have a problem.” He glanced at Erin, then at Eros. “One of the guards outside spotted a group of men gathering at the end of the woods. There has to be at least thirty men there. About ten of them moved around the building as if checking out our security system.” A small whimper came from the bed and he glared at Eros. “Thanks, Jeff. Keep everyone inside, make sure every door is locked without trying to alert anyone. Announce that we are locking the doors now. It’s close to that time anyway.” He walked over to the dresser and grabbed the walkie-talkie. “Keep an eye on the monitors and let me know their next move.” He turned on the radio and shut the door behind him as he left. Eros frowned and stood up. “We have visitors. Erin, keep your mouth shut and don’t attack. They’ll kill you instantly,” Eros ordered as a bright oval opening appeared in the room.
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Honaw made his way slowly to Erin. She shook and pulled the covers over her head. “Easy, Erin. We might be able to find out what’s going now.” He sat down on the end of the bed and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. “Who are they?” she whispered against his chest, and he sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that yet. I’m sorry.” He rubbed her arms.
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Chapter Four Erin watched as three humans stepped through the bright light. If she wasn’t so afraid, she would have sworn she was in one of those old Twilight Zone episodes. Their dark red eyes gazed at her, then at Eros. One man stepped up to Eros and spoke to him, but didn’t move his mouth even though she heard everything he said. “The shifters are going to attack. There are over a hundred of them out there. We can’t have this kind of attention. Give her to them.” Honaw clamped a hand over her mouth and held her still, knowing she was ready to yell. Eros’ back muscles tightened and he glanced back at her, then at the man. “I’m sorry; sir, but I can’t do that. There might be a chance she is our other mate. I won’t put her in danger.” Eros’ muscles tightened, his hands fisted, and he braced his feet apart, waiting. Once again all three men turned to gaze at her. Honaw held still, holding his breath as they moved closer. Her cat even shrank back, knowing they could kill her instantly. “How is it you don’t know yet? You haven’t taken her?” They turned once again to Eros. “We just found her tonight and there is another claiming he is her mate, but she claims he’s not. All I can see in his mind is crazy thoughts.” One of the men moved away from the other group and walked toward them. “Give her to me, Honaw. I’ll be able to tell if she has already been mated.” She sank her claws into his arms, afraid to move. He glanced down at her, then back at Eros. He nodded and Honaw slowly stood with her in his arms. “No, please. I’ll be good. Don’t let them hurt me.” She cried and cringed away from the man, but he grabbed her hair and pulled her head back.
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“Quiet! You’ve caused enough problems here.” He pulled her out of Honaw’s arms, placing her on the bed. He placed his hand on her chest in between her breasts, and her skin warmed under his touch. **** Erin didn’t move as he glared down at her and removed his hand. “She’s not mated, but I don’t know if she is their mate.” They were the last words she heard as the room started to shift under her. The night sky appeared above her when she heard the growls around her. “No!” She screamed as the pack moved around her and Frank stepped out into the circle of men, grinning down at her. “Well, it seems like they didn’t want you, after all. Not to worry, Erin, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.” He ripped off his pants as two men grabbed her arms, holding her down. “Let her go now!” Eros demanded behind them. “I challenge you as alpha of the pack.” He growled and shifted to a leopard twice the size of hers. The others stepped back as she scrambled to her feet and ran behind him. “Thank you,” she whispered and plopped down on the ground. Strong hands picked her up and she tensed when Honaw’s scent drifted to her. She relaxed in his arms. Honaw frowned down at her, checking her body. “Did they hurt you?” She cuddled up to his chest and shook her head. “They didn’t have time.” “Isn’t that cute?” Frank hissed, shifting and attacking Eros. Frank wasn’t even close to Eros’ size, but he didn’t care. He attacked, biting into Eros’ side, but he jerked away and grabbed Frank’s neck, crunching down and crushing his bones. Frank tried one last time to move, but he collapsed. His death gurgle rent the air around them. The men glanced at Frank, then back at Eros. Their bones cracked as they all shifted and lay down on the ground before Eros. He roared and his gaze met hers. She trembled as Honaw lowered her to the ground. “You know what he wants.” He grinned and pushed her toward him.
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Erin whimpered and shifted, knowing he would claim her as his. Slowly she crawled to him and turned to give him her backside. The leopard purred and waited for her mate to join them. Eros stepped up to her, sniffing her, and nipped her ass as he crawled over her. He bit down on her shoulder and held her down as he pushed his cock into her, fucking her. The other leopards roared their approval as he pounded into her. He stiffened, shooting his seed into her. He released her neck, licking it. Eros pulled out of her and shifted back. He glanced out at the pack. “Go home. I’ll be in contact with you later this week.” He leaned down, picking her up into his arms, carrying her back toward the club. Confused, she shifted in his arms and laid her head down on his chest. “Why did they send me to them? I didn’t do anything wrong.” Tears slipped down her face. “Wait till we get home.” He waved his hand and another oval opening appeared. He waited as Honaw stepped into the opening, following him. Once more everything around her spun and her stomach flipped as Eros stepped into a large living room. A fire blazed to life in the fireplace as he sat down on the couch with her cuddled up in his lap. Honaw handed him a beer and sat down next to them, patting her leg. “I told you I was right, but did they have to put her at risk like that? Just the thought of those men holding her down makes me want to go and rip everyone apart.” Eros laughed. “You’re not the only one.” He glanced down and grinned at her. “I’m sorry that happened, Erin. It seems the only way the council knew how to handle this was for me to become the alpha of the pack. Like I don’t have enough to do.” He moaned. Erin frowned and tried to sit up, but he shook his head. “No, stay. I need you near me. This cat inside me isn’t about to let you leave. We’re not done,” he snarled. “I don’t understand how you can become like us. Why would you want to, Eros? Are we mated?”
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“Yes, you’re my mate now. I won’t let you go. We have a lot to talk about. In a nutshell, we’re not human. In our world, the council are the enforcers. They make sure we don’t interrupt human lives and do the duties we are assigned. That was one of the reasons they appeared tonight. They wanted this situation controlled.” He brushed his hand over her breast and squeezed her nipple. “They didn’t know if I was your mate, but they knew enough that in the cat form I would know for sure. When you disappeared from that room, everything stopped for both Honaw and me. I knew instantly what they had done and there were no words to describe what we felt.” He picked her up and turned her into his lap so that she faced him. “I knew where you were the instant you appeared outside. I had just come around the corner when I saw them grab you.” He growled and his eyes flickered like a cat’s. “In that instant, you were mine and Honaw’s. I’m just sorry it took me so long to figure it out, Erin. Forgive me, please.” His large hands covered her cheeks and he kissed her lips softly. Erin pulled back from his kiss, and frowned. “If you’re not human and you weren’t a shifter before, what are you? And are you a cat now too?” She glanced at Honaw. Honaw stood and stretched. Bones snapped, muscles stretched, and he fell down on all four paws, staring at her. He nudged her arm, and she laughed. He was bigger than Frank, but still not as big as Eros. “I take it you’re the alpha all around.” She glanced up at him and he nodded. “My parents are Iris and Zephyrus. Have you heard of them?” She ran her hand through Honaw’s fur and frowned. “The names sound familiar, but I can’t place them, sorry.” She glanced up into Honaw’s eyes as he shifted, leaning down to kiss her lips. “His family is known to humans as the Greek gods here on Earth, but in reality they are drinkers, or what humans call Vampires, from another world.” Eros grunted when Honaw sat down next to them. “They’re no gods, please. They accidentally let humans see their powers and the rumors started.”
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“Wait, I’m missing something here. So, Eros… Oh, my god, you’re Cupid!” She sat there for a minute and burst out laughing. She laughed so hard she rolled onto her side. “Where’s your little tutu and bow and arrows?” She giggled. Erin laughed so hard that she didn’t hear the growl until it was too late. Eros grabbed hold of her and flipped her over his knee, bringing his large hand down on her ass. “Eros!” She put her hands on her ass, trying to cover her butt, but he just pushed them out of the way and slapped her two more times. “No one laughs at me. Tutu my ass!” He growled and swatted her two more times before lifting her back up. “Take her before I strangle her.” He put her into Honaw’s lap and stormed upstairs. Her ass stung, but her heart hurt more. She had hurt him, and Erin couldn’t stop crying. “I didn’t know he’d be upset.” Honaw wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin on top of her head. “He has lived over a thousand years with people teasing him. Even his own family torments him about this, but every year he does his job and has never once made a mistake.” He stroked her long hair. “When I was a human, I was a medicine man and a wizard. When my human body gave out, they came to me, giving me a choice. I could go on to a different world or I could be one of them. I choose to be one of them. Do you know the first job they gave me was the Easter Bunny? Just imagine me as the Easter Bunny, over six foot five. Those poor kids that first year. They were terrified of me. The council does make mistakes, but with Eros, they didn’t. He takes his job very seriously.” He glanced down at her. Erin tried to picture him as the Easter Bunny, but couldn’t. She grinned but held back her laugh. “So what are you now?” She giggled. He smiled, pinching her sore bottom. “I’m Eros’ assistant. For the next week, we’re going to be very busy. You are to stay here while we work. Now, I think you need to go and apologize to Eros we need to get some sleep.” He lifted her off his lap and pushed her toward the stairs. “It’s the first room to the left.” She took a deep breath, climbed the winding staircase, and stepped up to the closed door. She knocked on the door softly. “Eros, can I come in?” She gulped when he pulled the door open and frowned at her.
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Erin lowered her head and slowly entered the room, standing in front of him. “Eros, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry.” She trembled under his stare as she waited. Eros closed the door and stepped up to her, lifting her chin. Fresh tears slipped down her cheek. He sighed and brushed away her tears. “I’m sorry I lost it down there, Erin, but I take my job very seriously. If I make a mistake, humans could be stuck together forever. That’s one of the reasons I had doubt about us. I didn’t want to make that mistake. I’m not an easy person to live with, especially around this time of year.” He scooped her up into his arms and sat down on the office chair. She glanced up at him. “Where will we live? Are we going to live here?” She laid her head down on his chest and kissed it. “I don’t know just yet. I want to get this week over with. Then I’ll have to think about the pack and where it would be best to move them.” He wrapped his hand around her hair and tugged, smiling down at her. “Crap, I have to be at work tomorrow morning and my car is at my house.” She frowned and glanced at him. “Do you have a car I can borrow for tomorrow? I’ll need to go home and get fresh clothes too.” “You’re not going anywhere till the pack is settled and we figure out what we’re going to do.” He stood and carried her to the door, opening it. “I mean it, Erin. You will stay in this house with your family. When this week is over, we’ll talk about you working.” He walked down to the end of the hallway and into the master bedroom. It was large enough to fit two of her living rooms in it. Large glass doors stood open, letting the night air in. Candles were lit all around the room, and the master bed was covered in black satin sheets. Honaw lay on the bed and smiled as Eros deposited her in the center of the bed. “Eros, I love my job and I have a huge party I’m planning for all the bigwigs in the design business. I can’t just not show up. It took me two years to work up to designer. Please let me go. I’ll go straight there and back. I’ll even take one of my brothers with me.” Eros glanced at her, then at Honaw. “Your clothes are in the closet over there. If I let you do this, you will obey me on certain things, Erin. One—no one
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can know about us. Two—” He crawled into the massive bed and lay down next to her. “There will be no other men. You are ours and only ours. Three—I will have two guards with you at all times.” He tapped her nose and smiled at her. “Two guards. Hmm. Okay, and as far as other men, you don’t have to worry. Not even the male models are anything compared to you two. Hey, wait. Would you let me take some pictures of the both of you for some of my designs? We could do it here after you’re done this week.” “No, my little cat. No pictures, sorry, and what models?” Eros and Honaw growled at the same time. She smiled. “I design men’s and women’s clothes. Eros, of course there are going to be men around me.” “I think she needs to work at home. She can hire someone to help her with the models.” Honaw snarled. “No, I can’t. This isn’t my company, and you said that I could go.” She glanced at Eros. Honaw pulled her on top of him and frowned at her. “That’s before we knew what you did for a living.” He reached up, tugging at her nipples, but she swatted his hands. “This is important, Honaw. I went to night school so I could work during the day to do this. I was never allowed to leave the pack before I left. Don’t take this away from me.” **** He sighed and glanced at Eros, who didn’t say a word. “We’ll let you keep your job for now, but I’m warning you now, don’t come home smelling of men, Erin.” Honaw pulled her down and kissed her plump lips, lifting her hips. He slid his cock into her wet folds. “It’s been too long. So nice and tight.” He kissed her shoulder, and then bit down on it. Honaw watched as Eros slid in behind them and ran his finger down her spine to her ass and smiled. “I think I need to mark this luscious ass.” He leaned down, biting it.
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She jumped, but he held her down. “Easy. He’s marking you.” He released his teeth from her shoulder and reached down to separate her ass cheeks for him. Eros smiled and reached over to the table, grabbing the lube, while she tried to move. “Hold still, Erin.” He ground his teeth together while Eros squirted the lube in her ass and onto his cock. “This is going to be a little painful at first, Erin,” he whispered into her ear. She smiled onto his chest. “I’m not a virgin, Honaw. I’ve been in heat already four times.” She purred and rubbed her cheek against his chest. Eros slammed up into her and snarled. “You don’t need to be telling us about your past sex life.” Erin arched and screamed at the same time, glaring back at Eros. “That wasn’t nice…” She panted. Grabbing her arms, Eros tied each one to the bedpost above them and slapped her ass as he shoved into her. “It wasn’t nice to mention other men, now, was it?” He demanded. She frowned. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was just trying to explain our kind are very sexual.” She grunted and dropped her forehead onto Honaw’s chest. Honaw reached under her and grabbed her breasts. “We know that, little cat. Now hush.” They moved in and out of her, driving her to the breaking point only to stop right before she could come. “Don’t come till we tell you,” he ordered, rolling her nipples in his fingers as they once again started to move inside her. Eros reached down in between them and grabbed Honaw’s balls. “And don’t you come till I tell you.” He grinned and held his gaze, lowering himself to give him a demanding kiss. Their little cat moaned and pushed back against Eros, seeking more. Honaw smiled as Eros pulled back and nodded. “It’s time to fly, little cat.” Honaw bit down on her shoulder, sinking fangs into her neck as Eros bit down on the other side of her neck and grabbed her clit at the same time. Her hips bucked up and she screamed. The headboard rocked as she tried to pull her hands free but couldn’t. She bit down on his chest, and he growled. He bit her harder, sucking her blood into him.
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Erin moaned and fell down on his chest, releasing him. Sweat covered her small body as it trembled. Ever so slowly, he released his fangs from her neck and closed the holes. “You’re ours now, Erin. You won’t be able to go anywhere without us knowing.” He stroked her back as Eros pulled out of her, and smiled. He moved gracefully for someone so big. He headed toward their private bath to wash himself. Honaw watched him stroke his cock with the washcloth and felt himself get hard again inside her. She moaned and peeked up at him, then back at Eros. She grinned and rolled off him. “Go, I’ll just lie here and watch.” She purred, curling up with a pillow. Honaw laughed, swatting her butt as he got up and slid behind Eros. “I need you hard and fast.” He tried to push into Eros and he growled, swinging him around and switching positions. “I don’t think so.” He shoved his cock into his ass and bucked against him. “Damn it, Eros. You forgot the lube.” He cringed as his ass burned. “Who says I forgot? You’re getting a little too bossy and need a reminder who’s alpha.” He slapped his ass and leaned forward, biting his neck. “Mine!” Soft warm lips engulfed his cock underneath him, and he bucked, glancing down. Big dark brown eyes glanced up at him as Erin took his cock all way down her throat. “God, yes, little cat!” “Suck him dry, Erin. Don’t leave one drop,” Eros ordered behind him as he closed the holes on his neck and started to pound into him, sending his cock down her throat faster and harder. Erin grabbed hold of his balls and squeezed, sending him over the edge. His hot seed poured down her throat and she drank, moaning at the same time. Eros growled and shoved one last time into his ass, releasing his seed into him. Erin released his cock and licked her lips, smiling. She stood up, kissing his cheek. “I’m going to hop in the shower before bed.” She laughed when he moaned as Eros pulled out of him and slapped his ass.
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His legs like rubber, he started to rise, but Eros held him down, washing him. “Go get in bed. I’ll bring our mate.” He pushed him toward the bedroom and stepped into the shower with her. He smiled, shaking his head. That man had more stamina than anyone he knew.
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Chapter Five Erin sighed and let the warm water cascade down her body. She now knew what it felt like to be whole. Her body satisfied, the cat in her curled up and rested. So many new designs floated around in her head now that she was free from worry. Large warm hands slid up her body from behind, and she smiled. “Eros.” She leaned against him as his hands cupped and squeezed her breasts. He bent his knees and slid into her pussy from behind, pushing her upper body down. “Hold on to the wall, baby,” he ordered, pushing in and out of her. “Your pussy is so tight, it squeezes me, and I want to stay in here all night. Maybe I’ll sleep like this.” He trailed kisses up her spine. Eros reached over and turned off the water, pulling out of her. He swept her into his arms and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and slowly dried her body, kneeling down. He smiled up at her as he separated her pussy lips and licked her all around her clit. “Eros…” She purred while he slipped his tongue in and out of her pussy. “Only Eros and Honaw.” He pushed two fingers into her, sucking her clit into his mouth, all the while his hand held on to her back to keep her from falling. Her body tightened as spasm after spasm attacked her body. Eros kept pushing her higher and higher till her knees gave out. He lifted her up into his arms, smiling down at her. “Let’s go to bed, little cat.” He kissed her lips, slipping his tongue inside her mouth. Her taste still lingered on his tongue, and she moaned. Walking back into the bedroom, Honaw lowered the bed covers for them. Eros placed her into Honaw’s arms while he climbed in next to them. “Sleep now,” he ordered and kissed her lightly on the lips before he spooned his body up to hers, as did Honaw. Erin grinned and closed her eyes. It would be the first night she could rest without having to worry about anyone after her. ****
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Stretching, she patted the bed beside her. It was empty. As she opened her eyes, the sun beat through the window. Erin jumped up and glanced at the clock. “I’ll kill them!” She growled and hopped out of bed and stormed into the closet, picking out a blue dress suit and matching pumps. She only had half an hour to get to work, which was across town in rushhour traffic. “Damn, damn, damn.” Running into the bathroom, she slipped on her suit pants, white tank top, and pumps. Grabbing the brush on the counter, she pulled the knots from her long hair, gritting her teeth. Four of the top male models in the US would be there waiting for her. Her boss was going to be furious if she kept them waiting. Throwing the brush down, she turned to rush out of the bathroom and ran straight into Eros. He caught her before she fell backward, and laughed. “Are we in a hurry?” he purred, teasing her. “You low-down sneak. You knew this was important to me, but you let me sleep in anyway. Get out of my way. I have four of the top models waiting for me this morning. I’ll be lucky if I don’t get fired.” She glared at him, trying to get out of his hands. He growled and she stopped moving, glancing up at him. “Eros, please.” He pulled her tighter against him and swatted her ass. “Don’t get all snippy with me, little cat. I’ll turn you over myknee and tan that cute ass.” He kissed her hard, demanding entrance into her mouth. She sighed and opened her mouth for his kiss. Her toes curled as he wrapped his hand in her long hair and pulled her head back, trailing kisses down her throat. “Remember the rules, cat. The guards are downstairs and the limo is waiting to take you to work. I expect you home at five, no later.” He stepped back and released her, pushing her toward the door. “Go.” Erin flew to the door but stopped and glanced back at him. “Eros, will you or Honaw be able to come to the party on Friday night? We’re having it at King’s Hall.” He leaned against the door and studied her. “I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything. That will be our busiest day.”
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“Okay, thanks.” She smiled and ran out the door only to run smack into Honaw. Erin groaned. She would never make it in time. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she laughed. Reaching up, she kissed his lips and slipped past him. “See you at five.” **** Erin ran into her office and smiled at the men waiting for her. “Sorry, I’m late. Rush-hour traffic was killer this morning. Please come on in, and we’ll get started right away. Would you like some coffee? I can have my secretary order some while we discuss the lineup.” She threw her purse and briefcase on the desk as her two large guards pushed into the room after her. She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Can’t you two wait in the outer office?” She asked, but they didn’t say a word and just stood there. The models glanced at them, then at her. “Don’t ask. You don’t want to know.” Erin opened her briefcase and snapped it closed fast. Her face heated and she turned the case away from everyone’s view as she opened the case a fraction of the way, grabbing her drawings. Eros was a dead man. Her hand bumped against the large dildo as she slammed her briefcase closed. “Here, why don’t you take a look and tell me what you think?” She plopped down in her chair as her boss strolled into her office and glanced at the two guards. “Don’t ask. My future husband has decided I needed personal bodyguards.” She shook her head. Aaron frowned and went to the door. “Mary, show these four men to the garment room and the finished products. Have Edward measure the men.” He nodded to the men as they left, and closed her office door behind him. Erin frowned as Aaron turned to her guards glaring at them. “Does father know you’re here?” he demanded. Both guards glanced at him and nodded as Aaron turned and faced her. He grinned and sat down on the chair opposite her, putting his legs up on her desk. “So my big brother has found another mate? Tell me, has he showed you his tutu and arrows yet?” He snickered, glaring at her.
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She leaned over her desk, glaring right back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I would ask you to stop insulting my fiancé. What I do out of the office is none of your business.” She stood and walked around the desk. “Now, excuse me while I check on the models and get to work.” He grabbed her arm and stood in front of her. “You know my brother will never marry you. He might fuck you for a while, but then he’ll move on, as he always does. Did he tell you he also services Aphrodite when she calls him?” He sneered and brushed his hand down her neck toward her breast. “Let go of me now.” She growled, the cat posed ready to attack. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her two guards stepped in between her and Aaron. “Do not touch her again, Aaron.” The larger one ordered. “Don’t tell me what to do, Simon. You have no say in my domain, no matter what Eros says.” He moved toward her and smiled. “If I had known you like it rough, dear, I would have been glad to give it you.” He advanced on her only to have his path blocked again. “Go get out of here now!” he ordered the guards, but they smiled and shook their heads. He turned his gaze on her. “You have five minutes to clear out of my building. You’re fired. And tell my brother this isn’t over.” Erin’s face heated and she grabbed her briefcase and purse. “Fine, but I’m taking my designs with me.” She stormed past him once more, only to be thrown against the wall by him before the guards could stop him. “I’m afraid not. You were under contract, so those designs are mine,” he sneered, grabbing at her briefcase, but she held on even though his arm against her throat cut off her breath. “Enough! Aaron, back away from your brother’s mate now!” A large man stepped into the room and glared at him. He slowly released her but snatched her briefcase. “This is mine. Nice to see you, father. What brings you down here to see this bastard child of yours?” He moved away from her and stepped toward the man.
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“I will not have you starting another war with your brother. The last one the council was on the verge of stepping in. It won’t happen again.” His gaze went to her and he smiled. “Hello, Erin. Welcome to the family. I’m sorry for my son’s aggression. Be reassured it’s not you. Simon you and your brother take Erin home. It’s obvious she’s not safe here.” He turned his attention to Aaron. “Sit, we need to talk now,” his father ordered. “I don’t take orders from you. That day is over.” He stormed out of the room, glaring at her as he went by. The man sighed and shook his head. “He’s so full of anger I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get through to him.” Eros stepped into the room through another door and glared at his father, then at her. “What happened?” he asked her. She had enough. Stepping in front of him, Erin glared up at him. “What happened? I just got fired, and on top of that, I was just informed about another little job you do for Aphrodite? Tell me, do you get paid for servicing her? I’m going home and I don’t want to be disturbed. When you feel you can tell me the truth, then we’ll talk.” She swung around and stormed to the door. “Don’t even step out of that door!” Eros growled and glared at his father. “What the hell happened?” Erin turned to glare at him but stopped when he turned his furious gaze on her. “Your brother was her boss. So you can imagine all that he has told her. I’ll leave you to handle the spitfire.” He nodded to her and smiled. “Hope you visit us soon. My wife would love to meet you.” He turned and stepped through the portal that appeared. Glancing at Simon, he nodded to the men, and they too disappeared, leaving them alone. “Did he touch you?” Eros snarled and stalked toward her. Erin held her ground. “What do you think? He’s your brother!” she snapped.
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He grabbed her around the waist and sniffed her. “He’s a dead man.” He growled and lifted her up into his arms. He stepped into another portal that led into their bedroom. “Put me down now, Eros. I’m so furious at you and your brother. All that work for nothing!” She pounded his chest and tried to pull out of his arms, but he placed her down on the bed, covering his body with hers. “Did he hurt you, Erin?” He glanced down at her neck. “Why is your neck all red?” He kissed her neck. “I’m fine, Eros. Please get up.” She didn’t move, he was wound so tight. “Tell me how this happened, Erin!” He growled and nipped at her neck. She sighed. “When I went to leave, your brother pushed me up against the wall, holding me against it while he tried to take my briefcase. Your father stopped him. It’s not any big thing.” Honaw walked into the room and stopped. “What happened?” he yelled and slowly made his way to the bed, crawling up next to them. He glanced down at her and snarled. “Your neck?” His eyes flashed to those of the cat. “Damn it, I’m fine. Will you two get off?” Erin glanced at Eros, then at Honaw. They both reached for her, stripping her out of her clothes. “What are you doing?” She fought them, but they continued to pull her out of her clothes, ripping her pants in the process. “Damn it. This was one of my favorite suits.” Both of them stood and pulled off their clothes. She didn’t dare move as they watched every move she made. Her nipples hardened and her pussy dampened as they crawled back onto her body like predators stalking their prey. “Hold still, Erin!” Eros growled, licking and kissing one side of her body as Honaw did the other. Their hands roamed and played with her, bringing her to a fever pitch, and then it all stopped. Eros rolled over and pulled her on top of him. “Ours!” He snarled and pushed his cock into her wet pussy. Fangs protruded out of his mouth and he scraped them against her breast, sending a chill down her spine. Honaw slipped in behind them and rubbed his cock against her ass.
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Slowly he pushed one, then two fingers into her ass, stretching her while Eros moved in and out of her pussy. “So tight and ours!” He growled. Honaw removed his fingers and pushed his cock into her ass, past her tight ring. Erin dug her nails into the pillow by Eros’ head and moaned. Once again her mates were marking her, covering Aaron’s scent with theirs. She rolled her eyes. Stupid alphas! “I heard that,” Eros snapped, while Honaw pushed all the way into her. “And so did I!” Both of them started to move faster and faster in her. Eros held her gaze as he bit down, sinking his fangs into her breast, drinking from her. Tiny tremors moved through her body, heat coursed through her, and when Honaw sank his fangs into her neck, she screamed. Her orgasm was powerful enough to make the room spin, and sweat beaded her skin. Her body shook as Eros removed his fangs and licked the drops of blood that dripped down her breast to the holes, closing them. He gently pushed her hair back from her face while Honaw pulled out of her and moved off the bed. Erin fell onto Eros’ chest and sighed. “Are you going to tell me about Aphrodite? Is what your brother said true?” She traced circles around his nipple and waited. Eros tensed up as Honaw crawled back on the bed, cleaning her up from behind. “You might as well tell her.” He growled. “Even I don’t like it.” “We’ve had this discussion before. There is nothing I can do about it. Even the council is leery of her. She can cause too much trouble, so they keep her happy,” he barked and rolled to his side, setting her off of him. He frowned down at her. “Yes, what Aaron said is true. It’s part of my job. When she calls, I have to go. It means nothing, but I have no choice. End of discussion.” He jumped off the bed and stared down at her. “I’m sorry this hurts you, but you’re going to have to live with it. The both of you.” He stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door.
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Honaw lay down beside her and pulled her to his body. “Let it go, Erin. He has no choice. I learned that a while ago. She doesn’t call him often, that’s one good thing, but when she does, he comes back tired and withdrawn. All we can do is be there for him.” He kissed the top of her head. She growled and pulled away from him, standing up. “That’s bullshit and you know it. What if the council made me do it for Aries or any male up there? It’s the same as…” “Don’t say it!” Honaw yelled and stood next to her. “There are just certain things we have to live by if we are going to survive. You haven’t been brought over to our world yet. When you are, you’ll understand. Now drop it.” He stormed out of the room and left her standing there. Erin stepped into the closet and grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater. She might as well visit with her mom and brothers now that she wasn’t working. Walking down the stairs, she laughed as Elizabeth ran from her brother, squealing. It had been such a long time since she had been with her family. Her mom glanced up at her and frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” “Got fired.” She grabbed a cup off the dining room table and poured some coffee into it. “So I thought I would spend some time with my family. What do you guys have planned for today since the threat is gone?” She sat down on one of the big black chairs and curled her legs up under her. Her mother sat down in front of her and frowned. “I’d hoped you’d grown out of losing jobs as you did as a teenager. What happened this time?” Her brother Adam stepped behind her mother and glared at her. “Excuse me. I’ve had this job for over three years and worked my ass off to get where I was. I can’t help it. My boss is Eros’ brother and they don’t get along! Now excuse me, I’m going for a freaking run since it seems even my family can’t talk civil to me!” she snapped and put her coffee cup on the table, jumping up. “I’m sorry, Erin. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just worry about you. You’re always so headstrong and open your mouth before you even think. Would you like to go with us today? We’re looking for a house. With the money we saved, we should be able to buy a nice one.”
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Erin frowned and glanced at her mother. “Just take mine since god knows where we’ll be living. It has enough bedrooms and the security system is the best.” She grabbed her purse and dug for her keys. “Here. It’s yours. I’ll have the papers drawn up tomorrow.” Erin turned to leave, when her brother gently grabbed her arm, turning her to him. “What’s wrong?” “It’s just something that I have to work out. A good run and some fresh air will help clear my head. I’ll be okay.” She reached up and kissed him. “Thanks, it means a lot that you asked.” “I’ll go with you. You shouldn’t be out there by yourself.” He walked to the door, waiting for her. “I’ve been running by myself for years around here. I know how to be careful.” She smiled and walked past him. “That doesn’t matter. You know Eros and Honaw wouldn’t allow it,” Adam said. Erin shifted, running out the door and out of the garage. They’re too pissed off at me anyway, so who cares? she yelled back at her brother in his head and took off toward the desert she loved to run in. Her legs and muscles pulled as she ran and ran, not caring about anything. The warm wind blew at her face and she smiled. Inside the cat was peaceful. She skidded to a halt when Eros jumped in front of her in his leopard form. Honaw paced out next to him. What? I’m not doing anything wrong. My brother is behind me. Erin sat down and licked her paw. We always care what you do, Erin. You’re our mate and we won’t lose you. Now, go back to the house so we can get some work done, Eros ordered trying to keep his temper in check. Lifting her head toward him, she glared at him. I’m going for a run. My brother is guarding me and watching my back. I’m not sitting in that house and doing nothing. I’ll be gone for about an hour or two. Go back to work, Eros. Glancing behind her, she nodded to her brother and took off running again, ignoring Eros’ growl. We’ll talk about this tonight. I have to go.
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She turned to see him disappear in a flash. Honaw shook his head. Damn, we’re not going to get anything done. Erin turned around and walked back to Honaw. Where did he go? You know where he went. She called him. She plopped down, stunned. What if she pleases him better than me? He was mad at me, Honaw. Honaw sighed and moved up to her, licking her head. Erin, you’re his mate. You’re part of him now. Have you meet her? She has to know he’s mated. Why would she do this? She summoned me when we mated, but don’t worry, you’re not one of us yet and she can’t summon you. I don’t know why she would want to be with someone who can’t stand her. Come, why don’t we go for your run together? It will be a while before he’s back. Show me your world, little cat. Erin licked him and rubbed her head against him. I just wish I could help. I feel so useless. Come, let me show you my special spot. Maybe we can bring Eros there and have a picnic or something when he gets back. She took off running, Honaw and Adam beside her.
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Chapter Six Honaw ran beside his mate, all the while trying to contact Eros. Aphrodite had never taken him during this week. Something or someone had set her off, and he had a bad feeling he was staring right at her. She didn’t care that they were mated, because he was a man, but now that Eros had a female, that was something different. Even Eros had been worried about her reaction to Erin. He sighed and glanced up at Erin as she jumped onto a large boulder, staring down at him. A large cave slopped downward behind her. He jumped up next to her as Adam lay down in front and scanned the horizon, giving them time alone. So this is your little haven. He laughed as she stretched. I come here to think or when I’m depressed, which in the last year was a lot. At night you can sit here and hear the mice scurry across the desert floor. It’s so peaceful and the night sky is so clear, like you can touch the stars. I was here yesterday morning when I knew you were coming. I felt it. The cat knew that we would find you. She lay down, glancing out at the nothing. Erin shifted and laid her body on the warm rock, glancing up at the sky. “What do we do when he comes back, Honaw? Will he want me still or will I remind him of her?” He shifted, sitting down next to her and pulling her to him. “It’s touchy when he comes back. Each time is different. We’ll have to play it by ear, Erin. Just know when he gets back, he’s not the same. He’s learned how to shut himself down when he’s with her.” He nuzzled her neck. “You’re not telling me something. You’re worried this time, though.” She gazed up at him. “When we were mated and she summoned me, she didn’t mind us being mated because I’m a man, but with Eros now being mated with you, a female, it could get nasty.” Honaw hugged her tighter. “Will she come after me? Or will she try and hurt him?” She growled and tensed in his arms.
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“We don’t know. No one knows what she’ll do next. That’s one of the reasons everyone gives her room.” “What she needs is her eyes clawed out. Maybe if everyone would stop giving her everything she wants and tell her no, she’d stop,” she shouted hoping that the stupid bitch heard her. Honaw, she’s on the warpath and aiming for Erin. I’ll be there soon. I have to see the council. This has to stop! Eros growled. “Shift now, Erin. We have to get back to the house.” Honaw grabbed her and jumped off the boulder, staring at Adam. “We have trouble. Follow me, and when we enter the house, take your mother and sister to the basement. Keep everyone quiet.” Honaw waved his hand and the portal opened up. “Let’s go.” He nodded to Adam, who just stared at the thing. “Move, Adam, we don’t have time,” he snapped, and the cat growled at him but jumped through the door as he followed, carrying Erin. Adam stood next to Clinton and her mom as he moved into the living room. “Do you want to tell us what’s going on?” Adam demanded. “We don’t have time. We have to protect Erin. Eros is on his way to try and get reinforcements.” He set Erin down as she shifted. “Aphrodite is after me, isn’t she? Damn, well at least I can confront the bitch.” She paced back and forth. “I hope you’re not talking about a god here!” Clinton moaned and glanced at him. “Aphrodite isn’t a god. She’s a vampire, but the bitch demanded everything, including my mate. Well, this kitty doesn’t share.” The house shook and he looked behind Erin to see Aphrodite standing there. Her face was a bright red, and fangs protruded from her mouth as she hissed. Honaw grabbed Erin and put her behind him. “Aphrodite, you don’t belong here. Go home.” He growled. “Don’t start with me, boy. Give her to me and I’ll let you stay with Eros, but no female will have my man.” Her eyes turned a blood red.
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“Your man! Why, you spoiled bitch! He’s not your man. Can’t you get it through your stupid skull? He can’t stand you!” Erin yelled and moved around him, running to attack. “Erin, no!” Honaw went to grab her, but she shifted, springing into the air to land only a few inches from Aphrodite. Erin raked her claws into Aphrodite’s arm, ripping the skin. “You just scratched your last thing, cat.” She grabbed Erin by the back of the neck and threw her across the room. But Erin landed on her feet, snarling. She crouched down and jumped through the air, only to be grabbed by Eros. He cradled her in his arms, petting her. “Settle down, Erin. I’m fine, it’s over.” He held her, glaring at Aphrodite. “Our arrangement is no more. If you come near me or my family, I won’t hesitate to destroy you.” He yelled so loud his voice rattled the glass in the windows. “You don’t have the power to deny me, and she will die.” Aphrodite stepped forward but stopped as the same three council members from earlier stepped into the room. “Enough. Aphrodite. You have no more control over him. Go home. Don’t make us lock you up again.” “You wouldn’t dare.” She hissed and glared at Eros. “Yes, we would. It’s time you started behaving, and there will be no contact with Eros again.” He waved his hand and Aphrodite disappeared from the room. He turned to glance down at Erin and smiled. “You two will have your hands full. Never has a female gone against her and lived. Take care of her. I have a feeling she’s going to be important to us down the road. We’ve erased her family’s memory. None of this has happened.” They turned and left the house the same way as they came. Honaw slowly made his way to Eros. “Are you okay?” He wrapped his arm around Eros waist. “I’m fine. I can’t believe it’s finally over. And you.” He shook her. “Shift now!” he yelled and released her.
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Erin growled and shifted. “What! I did nothing wrong, so don’t even start with me.” She stood there with her hands on her hips, glaring at them. “You have until the count of three to get your ass upstairs and in our bedroom before I spank your ass right here.” Eros growled and stepped forward. She jumped and ran upstairs. “I can’t believe this!” Erin screamed, running upstairs. He laughed and turned to Eros. “Really, are you okay?” Honaw pushed a piece of long hair out of his face. “I’m fine, but I don’t think we should talk about this here.” He ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, as he followed. Erin’s family moved and stared around the room. “What the hell happened? One minute I was talking to your sister; then she just takes off,” her mother yelled. “She’s upstairs right now. We need to talk to her. Why don’t the three of you make some lunch?” Honaw yelled down the stairs as he stepped into their room. Erin stood outside on the balcony. The wind blew her long red hair back, showing off her high cheekbones. Her breasts were large enough to make any man moan and her full ass was just right to grab on to. Honaw’s cock grew hard just from watching her. She grasped the bars tight, with her hands turning a whitish color. Eros stood behind her, just watching. She’s beautiful, isn’t she? When she attacked Aphrodite, I couldn’t breathe. Everything in me froze. If I lost you or her, I would be no more. Eros turned and gazed at him, his eyes filled with love and anger. **** Erin knew that both of her mates stood behind her and that they were mad, but so was she. That crazy woman wasn’t going to stop her. Her words echoed in her mind. You’ll regret ever taking my man. Watch over your shoulder, bitch, because I’ll be there just waiting. She wrapped her arms around herself. How can I fight someone so powerful when I’m only a shifter?
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“You can’t and you won’t ever again.” Eros snapped and latched on to her arm, pulling her inside. He sat down on the bed and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. “In all my life I have never been more afraid than I was when I saw you attack her. This can’t happen again, Erin. She was playing with you today.” He framed her face in between his large hands. “Are you listening to me? Even I would have a hard time defeating her. Promise me you’ll never do that again.” Erin tried to pull out of his grasp, but he held her tight. “I can’t promise. She’s not done and I won’t stand there while she attacks me.” She reached up and traced her finger down his cheek. “When you left and I found out she had taken you, I realized something. I don’t care how mad I get at you two. I will never turn away, because the thought of you leaving me for her crushed me, Eros.” Tears slipped down her face. “Your brother said you would never love me, but that doesn’t matter because I have enough love for both of us.” She whispered glancing down. “Oh, baby, how could you think I wouldn’t love you?” He kissed her lips softly. “Because what he said about Aphrodite was true. It doesn’t matter. It’s only been two days anyway.” “Here I was going to beat your butt red for putting yourself in danger, and now all I want to do is make love to you.” He groaned, smiling. She laughed, wrapping her arms around him. “She’s not going to stop, Eros.” Erin laid her head on his shoulder. “I just found you two. I don’t want to leave.” Honaw sat down next to them, kissing her cheek. “You’re not going anywhere. The council won’t let her touch you.” “I hate to break this up, but we have to work. We’re already behind schedule.” Eros set her onto her feet and stood in front of her. “I won’t let her hurt you, Erin, even if I have to tie you to our bed to keep you safe.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
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Erin slapped his chest. “You’d like that. Me spread-eagle on the bed to have your way with, but it isn’t happening and I’ll be damned if I stay in this house waiting,” she teased and strolled into the closet once more, grabbing her yellow dress and slipping it over her head. Eros stepped into the closet and leaned against the doorway, his arms across his chest. “Are you going somewhere?” “Yep, sure am. I have a meeting with Pam at the King’s Inn. We have to set up the last of the directions for the big Valentine’s dance for tomorrow night. We’re honoring Cupid since he’s the god of erotic love.” She grinned and grabbed her white five-inch heels, pushing past him to sit on the bed, slipping on her heels. “I don’t want you to go, Erin. You were just attacked and if you left, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything.” Eros followed her down the stairs, with Honaw following close behind. Erin sighed and turned to her mates with her hands on her hips. “Eros, I’m not going to stop my life because some psycho bitch is after me. If I did that, she wins. And Eros, thank you for not ordering me to stay when I know you want to.” She grinned and kissed his lips softly. Leaning over, she kissed Honaw and winked at him. “Honaw, make sure Eros eats, and get all your work done, because I’m going to this dance tomorrow night with or without you.” She giggled and ran for the door, trying not to break her neck, but only made it halfway there before Eros growled and grabbed her. “Now, I know you’re not going to a dance alone!” He snarled and nipped her neck. “Well, then, you two better get busy, because I’ve planned this party all year with Pam and Missy. I’m not missing it. We have many surprises.” She smiled and patted his cheek. “Now, get busy, Cupid, so I can have my men with me tomorrow. Oh, are you going to have the guards come with me?” Simon and his brother appeared behind her and she shook her head as he released her. “Come on, Honaw. We have work to do.” He grumbled and ran up the stairs.
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Hopping into her Blazer, she waited for Simon and his brother to get settled, their large frames barely fitting into her car. “Sorry, guys, about the cramped quarters.” She smiled and pulled out of the driveway. “Don’t worry about it. We heard about what happened with Aphrodite. You’ve got balls, Erin. I wouldn’t even attack that crazy lady.” Simon laughed. “I’m sure you would if she was attacking your mate. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was scared half out of my mind. I’ve been whipped, raped, and hunted, but with her I didn’t know what to expect.” She pulled into the parking lot and smiled at them. “You should be aware she’s not going to stop coming after me. It might be safer if you just stay away.” Simon laughed. “It’s not going to happen, Erin. Eros would skin us alive if we left your side. I’d rather face her than him when he’s mad.” He opened his door and got out, scanning the parking lot as she grabbed her purse and stepped outside. “Erin, over here!” Pam yelled at the side entrance, waving her hand. She smiled and made her way toward her best friend when Simon slipped up next to her. “Who is that?” he asked. Erin glanced up at Simon and smiled. “Why? Are you interested?” she teased him. “I just need to know,” he grumbled. “She’s my best friend. Ever since I moved here three years ago, she’s always been there for me. She and Missy are the only humans who know what I am. I’d trust her with my life and would protect hers.” He nodded as they got up to the door. Pam hugged her and glanced at Simon and Greg. “Okay, who are the two hunks? Are they like you?” She whispered. “They can hear you, Pam, and no, they’re not shifters. At least I don’t think so. Are you?” She glanced up at Simon and he shook his head. “They’re my bodyguards and they’re other.” She laughed at Pam’s expression. “You’re such a pushover, I swear. Quit drooling and let’s get this done. We still have to pick up our dresses from Missy’s place.” “I’m not drooling, and I can’t help staring. They’re huge. So I see the boss let you loose for the day.”
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“Ha, the bastard fired me. Seems he’s my mate’s brother and they don’t get along.” She groaned and glanced back at Pam, who just stood there. “Wait a minute—mate! You’re mated and you didn’t even call me and tell me? Start talking now!” she screamed and dragged her into the hall as workers strung up streamers, lights, and decorations. She laughed and shook her head. “First, you need to tell me if you kicked that scumbag to the curb.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Because if he shows up here, I’m going to eat him for a snack.” She growled just enough that Pam could hear. Pam rubbed her arms and sat down at one of the oval tables, glancing around. “Yes.” Erin sat down and glared at her. “But? What happened?” Her laugh was nervous and once again she glanced around. “He said I’d regret it. I had to call the police yesterday when I got home. He’d trashed my place. They’re still looking for him.” Erin tapped her hand on the table, Simon covered her hand and leaned down. “Your cat is showing. Are you okay?” he whispered. Glancing up at him, she smiled. “I think I’m going hunting in a few.” She purred. Her friend jumped up and paced. “You can’t go after him, Erin. He’s nuts. Plus, the police will handle it.” She turned and smiled. “We have a party to finish, lunch, then to pick up our dresses. I won’t let him ruin this.” Erin stood and stretched. “No hunting now, but I want you to stay with us. I don’t trust him to come back. At least until they find him, or I do.” She smiled, flashing her teeth. For the next two hours, she and Pam worked with the planners, caterers, and DJ. Stepping out into the fresh air, Erin smiled at Pam. “Well, everything is ready. So where do you want to go for lunch? It’s my treat.” “Oh no, you don’t. You don’t have a job. I’m paying for lunch.” Pam glared at her. “Plus you paid the last time.”
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“Ladies, don’t worry about it. It has been taken care of it.” Simon smiled as a limo pulled up. Erin laughed and glanced at Pam. She smiled and clapped her hands. “This is going to be so much fun. Where are we going?” “Well?” She glanced up at Simon. He smiled down at her and shook his head. “You two will have to wait and see. It’s a surprise, but first you needed to pick up your dresses.” He walked up to the limo and opened the door for them. “I don’t know about you, but that man has an ass to die for.” Pam giggled and jumped in the limo, smiling at Simon. She shook her head and laughed getting into the limo. “Believe me, I’ve noticed. How can one not?” Erin grinned and jumped up. “Damn it, Eros, stop it!” She growled as she rubbed her ass. “I can look.” She yelled in the air. Pam glanced at her raising her eyebrow. “What was that all about?” “My mates can read my mind and it seems they’re not too happy I was glancing at Simon’s ass.” “Oh that’s going to be tough! I mean you’re always looking.” She grinned. “Or sampling them.” Don’t even think of sampling anyone, and if I even catch you eyeing Simon’s ass again, yours will be as red as an apple. Eros snarled into her head. “Damn, they just take all the fun out of having a girl’s day out,” she grumped as they pulled into Missy’s Place. Pam stepped out of the limo and laughed. “At least you have someone and don’t have to show up alone at the party tomorrow.” Erin smiled and glanced at Simon as she got out of the limo. “Hey, Simon, how would you like to escort us to the party tomorrow night? I don’t think Eros and Honaw will be done by then.” She sighed. He bowed before them. “My brother and I would be honored to escort you ladies, but there will be no touching, Erin. I’ve been warned once by Eros to keep my ass from your view.” He growled.
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“Fine, I won’t touch, but that doesn’t mean Pam can’t.” She giggled as Pam moaned. “Erin, I’m so going to kill you. Let’s go. Missy is waiting for us.” Pam stomped into the shop as Missy came around the corner, hugging her. “You guys are right on time. I have both of your dresses set up in the dressing rooms. Go try them on to make sure everything is okay. Oh, and Erin, I got those ruby rings too.” She smiled and pushed her to the dressing room going to get the nipple rings. Erin peeked out of the dressing room. “Oh Missy, those men are my bodyguards, so just ignore them.” She laughed as Simon and his brother stepped into the door, glancing at Missy, then at her. “Umm, maybe we should wait outside?” Simon stuttered as he glanced around the feminine store. “Ha, like Eros would allow you,” Erin yelled from the dressing room, stripping out of her dress and eying the silk red dress in front of her. “Here you go. Might as well put these on and see if they go with the dress.” Missy’s hand slipped into the dressing room, holding out the nipple rings. She laughed and grabbed them. “Ohh, they’re going to love these.” “Who are you talking about? I thought you had one mate,” Pam yelled next door. Missy popped her head inside and glared at her. “You have a mate and you didn’t tell us? Start talking, sister!” Missy ordered. “There’s no one here but us.” Erin grinned, pulled the rings through her nipples, and smiled. “Well, I actually have two, it seems.” She laughed as Pam squealed. “You have two.” She raced out of her dressing room in her underwear and bra, ripping open the curtain. “We’re waiting!” “Umm, are you forgetting my guards, Pam?” She glanced at Pam in her underwear and bra. Pam’s face turned a bright red, and she moaned. “I’m so going to kill you.” She ran back to the dressing room as Greg groaned.
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“Damn, Eros owes us big time. I’m stepping outside.” Erin laughed and stepped into the dress. “You know shifters are different from you? Well, last night I found my mate, and he had a mate. It seems his mate is also mine too. Honaw and Eros are so hot together. You should see them in bed. Just watching them together can make any woman swoon. Eros stands over seven feet tall. I believe Honaw has to be six-five easily. Honaw has long dark brown hair with Native American features, while Eros has long white hair all the way down to his ass and the biggest blue eyes. They’re almost purple.” “Damn, you always did like them big. I can’t wait to meet them.” Pam strolled out of the dressing room in her long black silk dress. “Wow, don’t you look hot! I love the small trim on the bottom. Missy, you have outdone yourself.” Erin smiled and slipped out of the dressing room, the red silk dress moving with her. She stood in front of three full-length mirrors. “Do the rings look okay with the dress?” She turned so Missy could see, when she heard the cussing. “Damn it!” Greg shouted, his back facing her. “I take it Eros ordered you two to turn around?” Erin laughed as they snarled. “I don’t see what the problem is. I mean I’m wearing this dress tomorrow.” “Well I think it looks marvelous. I love the way the front is so thin it covers everything, but at the same time the rings sparkle through the material. Damn, I wish I had a body like yours.” Pam sighed. “Please. Your body is perfect and that dress is going to knock them dead. Simon, Greg, what do you think of Pam’s dress?” She winked. Just then the front door burst open. Eros and Honaw glared at her. “Oh god, what did I do now? Pam, Missy, meet Eros and Honaw, my mates.” She frowned. Both of them slowly circled her and stared at her. “This dress is amazing. Missy, you do fabulous work, but I’m afraid she can’t wear that tomorrow.” Eros snarled and stopped in front of her while Honaw stood behind her.
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“Oh, the hell I can’t! Missy, Pam, and I have worked for months on these dresses, and I’ll be damned if you stop me!” She growled. “Don’t shift, Erin. You’ll tear the dress,” Missy yelled. “And she is right. We’ve worked very hard on these dresses. They’re the next installment of our joint venture. All three of us will be wearing them.” Missy and Pam stood next to her and placed their hands on their hips. Erin laughed as Eros glanced at all three women and grumbled. “She’s mine. No one needs to see her body but us.” They all rolled their eyes. “Eros, every woman there will be wearing something very erotic. That’s the theme of tomorrow night’s dance. You’ll just have to make sure you two are there to keep the men at bay.” Pam smiled. “Oh, and by the way, it’s nice to meet you two.” She giggled. Eros and Honaw didn’t say a word as they both turned around and left. The door slammed behind them as they turned the corner. “Damn.” She moaned. “Simon, how much trouble am I in?” Erin glanced at him as he and Greg turned around and sucked in their breaths. “Let’s just say they will be at that party no matter what, and I wouldn’t miss the show for the world.” He scanned down Pam’s body. “We would still be honored to accompany you to the dance.” Erin could see the heat in both their eyes and knew something was going on. She turned to see Pam’s face and neck turn a bright pink color. “She’ll be staying with us so we can all go to the dance together tomorrow. Now what do you think, Missy? Do we need to take anything off the train on the dresses?” Erin glanced behind her. “No, they’re at the normal length for trains. I think they are perfect. I’ll grab the garment bags while you two change.” Missy ran to grab the bags when Erin stepped into the dressing room and sighed. Eros leaned against the dressing room wall. His gaze scanned every inch of her body, only to snap back to her breasts. Tomorrow night don’t plan on anything after the dance. I’ll see you at home. He stepped up to her and dragged her to him, kissing her.
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His kiss was soft but full of passion and lust. He slid his tongue inside while his hand slid down the dress and landed on her breast, pulling the ring. We won’t be home tonight, so you and Pam have a girl’s night. We’re going to work all night so we can escort you to the party. Eros broke the kiss and disappeared into his door. “Crap.” She panted and carefully lowered the dress down her body. “What’s wrong?” Pam came strolling into the dressing room. “Why aren’t you dressed yet?” “Let’s just say I got distracted,” she grumbled, pulling on her yellow dress.
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Chapter Seven Erin smiled at Pam in the mirror as she took the hot rollers out of her hair. “So what do you think of Simon? You guys were talking almost all night.” She threw the last roller onto the counter and bent over, running a brush through her hair. Pam smiled and ran her brush through her shoulder-length hair. “Both Greg and Simon are great. They’re so polite.” “Ha! Is that all you have to say?” She lifted her head up and smiled. “I saw their gazes when you came out in that dress. Just wait until they see you here in a few minutes all fixed up. Don’t tell me you didn’t get a kiss or something from one of them.” Her face turned pink and Pam slid on her dress. “Let’s just say they both can kiss. Right now all four men are waiting for us.” She stepped into her black pump shoes. “I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Eros or Honaw since yesterday. I can’t wait to see them in tuxes. I swear, I didn’t sleep a wink last night, the bed was so empty.” She slipped into her dress and shoes. Turning off the bathroom light, Erin stepped into the bedroom as Pam stared at her. “You’re nervous why? I mean you’re beautiful.” She glanced at the door and sighed. “We’ve only been together for a couple of days but we’re mated, but neither of them has said that they love me. Eros’ brother Aaron mentioned that Eros would never love me, and that if I was waiting for a human marriage, I might as well forget it.” Erin grabbed the Ruby earrings and put them in her ears. “Is that all? Jeez, give it time. They’ll say it, but you can’t rush it.” Pam grabbed her hand. “Now come on, let’s get this going.” Pam and Erin walked down the stairs as all four men stood staring at them as they stepped around the corner. She sucked in her breath. Honaw wore a black tux with a red silk shirt, his hair pulled back. Eros wore the same tux and shirt with his white hair pulled back.
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Both of her men moved up to her and circled her. “I don’t know why I agreed to this. You shouldn’t be allowed outside in this dress.” Eros grumbled and ran a finger down her naked back all the way down to her hips, where the dress barely covered her ass. She turned and smiled up at him. “Because you want to make me extremely happy. Plus, I’m in less if I was at the club.” “I can make you happy anywhere. I don’t need a dance and the club is a different social gathering.” His gaze heated and he leaned down, tracing his tongue over her lips. “You’re beautiful.” Eros pulled back, frowning. “Well, let’s get this night over with. We have plans for later tonight, and they won’t be interrupted.” Goose bumps ran up her arms and Honaw growled. “Eros, stop it. She doesn’t need to walk in there with her nipples all hard. You can see them as plain as day in this dress.” They burst out laughing. “That’s one of the hidden assets of the dress, Honaw, among other things.” She pushed past him and headed for the door, grabbing her shawl. “Erin, there better not be any other surprises.” Eros growled and turned her to face him. She smiled up at him and ran her hands up his silk shirt. “That’s what the dresses were made for, sweetheart. All three dresses have little secrets. You’ll just have to wait to see them.” Simon and Greg snarled and glanced down at Pam. “Your dress has these surprises too?” She pushed past them, laughing. “Of course. That’s why it’s an erotic party. Now let’s go, We’re going to be late.” All four men stared at them all the way to the hall, trying to figure out what other surprises they held, but said nothing. When they pulled up in front of the hall, cameras flashed as the limo doors opened and Eros stepped out, holding his hand out for her. He scanned the
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surroundings and frowned. “You didn’t tell us that there would be so much publicity.” Eros frowned down at her as Honaw came up behind her. “Eros, I told you this party was big. Every famous designer, model, and bigwig will be here showing off their erotic apparel.” She rolled her eyes as Pam came up next to her. “Well, let’s go. Missy is up there waiting for us.” Greg and Simon escorted her inside as Eros and Honaw escorted Erin. Eros took her shawl and handed it to the coat clerk. “You ladies ready?” he asked all three of them and smiled down at them. “It’s showtime, ladies.” All three of them walked toward the entrance, where two male models opened the doors for them. Everyone turned as they walked into the room, cameras flashed, and people gathered around to glance at their dresses. Aaron pushed through the crowd of photographers and glared at her as Eros pushed up behind her. “You never told me you were designing for this event.” He snapped. Erin smiled. “You never asked, and what I do with my personal time is none of your business. Plus I had help. I didn’t do these alone, if you must know. Come on, ladies. Let’s get this party started.” Erin moved to the front of the room, stepping up the stairs to the stage with Eros’ help. Pam and Missy followed and stood next to her as she turned on the microphone and glanced out at the room. Over four hundred people, from the elite customers to the fashion bigwigs, were here, and they all stared up at her. Her hands grew sweaty and her nipples hardened once again. Gasps and applause rose from the audience as they noticed each of them. She smiled. “I want to thank all of you for coming tonight to our first Erotic Night of Passions. I’m hoping every year we will be able to have this night to show off our creations. As you see, each table is labeled for you to find your seats. We’ve also invited the press here, but they will have their own area to the left. This way they will access to snap any pictures.” She glanced at Missy and Pam, nodding. “To start off the night, relax. We have an open bar behind those doors to the right, our band will start playing after we leave, and food will be severed in one
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hour. After dinner, the show will start, and you each have a list of who will present their works and in what order. So please, let’s have some fun tonight.” Erin’s stomach knotted as she stepped off the stage. Aaron once again stood there waiting for her. “We need to talk.” “Aaron, I have nothing to say to you. I’m sorry you can’t accept that your brother is mine, but if you think I’m just going to sit and not design, then think again. I have other contacts and I’m sure after tonight I’ll have plenty more.” Eros and Honaw wrapped their armsaround her and stared at Aaron. “I don’t care if you’re mated or married. I want you back. I was wrong.” He glanced up at Eros. “And I promise I won’t do anything to hurt her. This is my world, Eros, and I’ve built up a name for myself. I want the best.” He nodded to her. “She’s the best I’ve seen in a long time. If it means putting our differences aside, I will.” Eros glanced down at her and smiled. “What do you want, Erin? He’s telling the truth, and maybe, with some luck, we can have peace for once between us.” She glanced up at him. “If I come back, and that’s a big if, Pam and Missy will come with me. I want to create a whole line of erotic formal and casual wear. Both Missy and Pam have been working with me on this. Also, if something happens, I want a contract saying the line is ours and ours alone, and that we take it with us if we part. But all of this is irrelevant until I talk to them. Why don’t you wait to see our presentation? After dinner, come by and talk to all three of us. Right now, I want to dance with my men.” Pam was already out on the dance floor as Eros pulled her onto it. “Do you really trust him? Eros, this is really important to the three of us.” She placed her head on his chest as he moved his body to the music, holding her close. “He won’t go back on his word. Plus, I have a feeling he’s more interested in Missy than her work. Look.” He nodded to Missy and Aaron, who were dancing. He laughed at something she said and whispered into her ear. Smiling, she glanced up at Eros. “Are they mates, Mr. Cupid?” He nodded and raised his hand, making it into a gun, like a kid would do, and drew the “trigger” with his thumb. She gasped as a small flaming arrow shot out of his index finger, hitting his brother’s ass.
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Aaron jerked, pulling Missy closer to his body, kissing her neck. His dark green eyes turned to Eros and he smiled, nodding to him. “He knew you did it?” Erin glanced up at Eros, who laughed. “He’s my half brother. Of course he knew, but he also knows I never let the arrow go unless they are destined to be mates. Watch.” He wiggled his eyebrows and moved them around the dance floor, closer to Pam and Simon. Once more he raised his hand and fired the arrow at Simon. Erin heard the snarl before Simon took both of his hands and held Pam’s face, kissing her deeply. Erin squealed. “So Pam’s mate is Simon? She’s going to be close to me?” She jumped up and tried to kiss Eros. He laughed and leaned down taking her lips. “Yes, but he’s not the only one who’s her mate.” He turned them to see Greg watching them with heated eyes. Once again Eros aimed the arrow and off it went, hitting Greg in the arm. Greg moved slowly up behind Pam, wrapping his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck. She squealed and glanced behind her, then at her. Her eyes were big, and her mouth formed an O. She nodded and smiled. “Now I know why you agreed to come with me.” She pouted, looking down at the floor. “You only came to do your job.” Eros laughed and slapped her ass. “You’re so full of it. You know damn well there was no way either of us would let you go anywhere in that dress. Now come on. Honaw wants to dance with you while I move around the room and finish what needs to be done.” He started to move them toward Honaw, when he jumped and glanced down at her. His eyes glazed over and he took her mouth in a heated kiss. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, sliding it over her teeth, dueling with her tongue. Eros broke the kiss and glanced behind him. Erin saw the same council member who had transported her outside to the pack. He grinned and she nodded to him. “What did he just do?” She groaned. Eros turned to glance down at her as Honaw came up behind her and bit her neck. “It seems I’m not the only one with the arrow.” He glanced up at Honaw, who nodded.
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“He got me too.” He kissed her cheek. They both laughed as Eros pushed her into Honaw’s arms, but not before he leaned down and whispered, “There will be no sleep tonight, my lady.” Her skin heated and Honaw stepped back, frowning at her. “What the hell?” He glanced down at her dress and she blushed even more. The band stopped playing, and once again all eyes were on her. Pam and Missy came up to her and sighed. “I think we need to go and make our announcement.” Erin groaned as Eros moved back to her. “Why is your dress now a light pink color and Pam’s dress a gray?” He glanced at Missy—her dark blue dress was now a light blue. Flashes went off as all three of them once again moved up to the microphone. Pam and Missy nodded to her, letting her do the talking. “Sorry for the interruption, but it seems one of our secrets has been exposed before we were planning it. You see, our dresses were treated with a formula that my partners and I developed. When a person is wearing such an item and his or her body is excited, a certain hormone is released. When this happens, the clothes turn a different color, letting their partner know what they are doing is exciting them.” Erin took a quick look at Eros and Honaw. They both stood with their arms crossed over their chests, but they were smiling. “We might as well show you the rest, so we can concentrate on the other presentations. Missy, would you do the honors?” Missy stepped behind her and pushed the small button under the back of her dress on her spine. The bottom of her dress disappeared. She now wore a short minidress that barely covered her pussy. Gasps and growls came from the crowd as she did Pam’s also. Erin stepped over and did the same to Missy’s dress and stepped back to the microphone. “As you can see, when a small button is pushed, the lower half of our dresses disintegrates, and you now have minidress with easier access to get to the person who wears them.” Erin stepped back from the microphone and watched as everyone in the room stood clapping their hands. Reporters stormed toward the stage, yelling questions. “Please, everyone, we have a press release for you, but rest assured we will be happy to answer questions
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later. Right now, let’s continue with the night’s plans, because I know ours is not the only news here.” Erin smiled and walked toward the stairs with her friends. Eros and Honaw stood waiting for her as she descended the stairs. “I hope you like the paddle, because I’m going to tan your hide when we get you into our private dungeon,” Eros snapped, running his fingers along the hem of her short dress. “Eros, these dresses were made even before we met. You can’t be mad at me for this. It’s what I do for a living.” She glanced at Pam, who was also trying to explain to Simon and Greg. Honaw shook her and snarled. “We wouldn’t have let you out of the house in this dress if we had known.” “Damn it, stop it!” She pushed away and glared at both of them. “You two should be happy for me that our designs were a hit, but no! You sit there and think with your damn cocks.” She grabbed Pam away from Greg and Simon. “Move. We’re going for a drink. Stay away until all of you can cool down.” Missy stomped up next to them. “Do you believe this shit? Here we worked our asses off. You would think they would be happy for us. Even Aaron is furious, and he’s seen worse than this.” They stepped up to the bar. Men moved out of the way, watching them. “I have an idea it’s cupids arrow that’s messing with them,” Erin snarled and looked up at the bartender. “Three shots of tequila and three Budweiser’s, please.” “Well, Cupid needs to be shot, damn it. And you better start explaining why I have two men going nuts over me.” Pam glared. Erin smiled and gulped down her tequila. “Well, remember when I said they are ‘other’?” Pam nodded. “They are both your mates. They’ll have to explain what they are, because even Eros, the dickhead, hasn’t told me.” “What is Aaron, since Eros is a shifter?” Missy asked and gulped her drink down. “Aaron is a half brother of Eros. So I don’t know what he is, but I do know he’s your mate too. So looks like we’re going to be sisters.” She smiled.
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Both of them just stared at her. “Mates! I need another shot,” Missy squeaked. “You might want to wait. We still have to go through the other demonstration.” She moaned and they followed suit. “Damn, how are they going to take us coming out in sexy teddies?” Pam groaned. All three of them stopped and turned when the growls filled the air behind them. They turned to see all five men slowly advancing on them. “Well, it looks like that answered your question.” “There will be no teddies here tonight,” Eros ordered. “You’ve shown enough of that body off!” He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away from the bar, but she held her ground. “Let go, Eros, now! Pam, go tell the girls they’re on after dinner. I’ll give the announcer their names and the lineup change for this evening.” Eros let go of her arm and stepped back as she made her way to the announcer for tonight. She grabbed the card from the stage and knelt down to him. “There’s been a change of plans for the rest of our lineup. Here are the models that will be doing the sleepwear.” He nodded and took the card. Standing up, she glanced around the room as dinner was being served. Eros and Honaw talked to Simon and Greg but watched every move she made. She shook her head and moved toward the restrooms. “Where are you going?” Honaw asked behind her before she could open the outer doors into the reception area where the bathrooms were. “I’m going to bathroom, if I’m allowed.” She turned and glared at Honaw. “You know, for a night of passion and love, this one sucks. Here I thought you two would understand the need for passion and love, but I guess that since it’s your job, you’re just blind to it.” Erin turned and pushed through the door, sighing. She never made it inside the restroom. Antony stepped out of the corner and knocked her in the head with the butt of a gun. Everything went black. ****
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Honaw glanced up at Eros and snarled, running toward the doors. Can you connect to her? I get nothing. It’s like a cold void. He had never had he been so afraid and angry. No, Antony is back and he has her. I can’t track her. We’ll have to shift once we hit outside. The cat will be able to track her. I should have listened to her about him! Eros snarled. Simon tell Pam and Missy to go on with the show. We’ll let you know what happens. This show is important to her. It’s the least we can do for her now. Eros gave the command. Do you need help? Greg or I can come help. Simon offered. No, stay and protect Pam. Her crazy ex is still out there. They hit the outside and shifted around the corner in the alley. Her scent was strong, but also drops of her blood trailed down the alley. She’s hurt! I know we’re going to lose her tonight. I just hope we can reach her in time to bring her over to our world. Eros moved with powerful legs, running as Honaw followed. Erin would die tonight. Her human life would be over. Tears of regret, pain, and anger streamed down his face, and he roared with Eros as they drew closer to their mate. There he is. Go to the left now. Eros ordered when they both cried out, their connection to her ripped from their bodies as she took her last breath. Both he and Eros shifted back to their human form, appearing in front of Antony. Eros grabbed Antony by the neck and carefully pulled their mate out of his arms. “Honaw, start the change now while I take care of this fool.” He snarled and ripped the man apart with leopard claws. He screamed into the night. The eerie sound sent a chill over him as he ripped his wrist and pushed the blood into her mouth. “Drink, Erin, and come back to us.” He pushed his magic into her, forcing her to drink. Eros’ magic joined his as he knelt down next to them, holding his hand over her head wound and healing it. “She’s drinking.”
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“Good. Seal your bond with her now.” Eros pulled his hand away as he sat down on the ground and gathered her up into his arms after he sealed his bond. He cut across his chest with his nail and brought her lips to the cut. “Drink, Erin, and become one with me.” Eros gazed into his eyes, grabbing the back of his neck, inching him closer to his lips. “I can’t ever lose you two. When she died I…” A single tear slipped down his cheek. “I know, it was as if we lost part of ourselves.” He leaned down, kissing his lips softly. “That’s how I felt every time you left to go to Aphrodite. When you came back, it was as if a part of me came back.” Honaw sat back and stared down at Erin as she stared up at them and he closed his eyes, thankful. “Close the cut with your tongue, Erin,” he whispered, kissing her head. Her small tongue licked across Eros’ chest and he smiled as the sexual tension built. “What happened? All I remember is stepping into the hall, and Antony was there.” She shivered and glanced down at her dress. “No! It’s ruined!” She cried and tried to sit up as tears slipped down her face. “All that work.” Eros laughed and hugged her tight. “Don’t worry about the dress. Your health was more important than that. We need to get you home so you can rest.” Eros stood, cradling her against his chest. He waved his hand and they stepped into their living room. “I have to go back to the party, Eros. You know how important this is to me.” She wiggled and tried to get down, but he held her and ran up the stairs. “You were dead, Erin. You’re not part of that world anymore.” Honaw glanced down at her as Eros stripped her of her clothes on the bed. She just stared up at them, then glanced down at her hands. “I feel the same.” She rubbed her stomach. “Well, my stomach is cramping a little and… Oh… What the hell?” She screamed, and tears dripped down her face as she tried to catch her breath. Her arms and legs shook as tremors racked her body, changing to that of a drinker. Erin glanced up at them and he cringed, remembering the pain. “Can you stop this?”
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He walked around to the other side of the bed and crawled up next to her as Eros slipped in on the other side. “No, I’m sorry, little cat. Your body is changing. Soon it will be over.” Eros glanced at him. “Hold her down. The worst is coming.” For the next hour they held Erin down, cleaning her when she got sick. Both of them cussed and cried, holding her until she fell into a deep exhausted sleep. “It’s over. She’ll sleep for the next couple of hours. When she wakes, she’ll be hungry. I’m going to go feed for us all. Watch over her. I’ll let Simon and the others know what’s happened.” Eros stood and stripped out of his clothes, walking out of the door. Honaw had never gone hunting. Eros wouldn’t allow him to feed on others. He would feed them both. He smiled, remembering the first time he tried to feed on someone. Eros had shown up furious, pulling him away. The person they feed on would always climax. It was a very sexual thing to feed, and Eros refused to have him touch another. He could just imagine Eros’ reaction if Erin tried to feed. Then he frowned. His body heated at the thought of another male touching her while she fed. He growled and knew what Eros felt. “You will never feed from another.” He gathered her into his arms and held her, brushing her hair away from her face. Honaw closed his eyes, resting and knowing that for the next few days they would have to teach her the ways of their world. The bed dipped and he opened his eyes, staring at Eros. “Come. You need to feed. Then why don’t you go jump in the shower? I’ll watch her.” He carefully laid Erin down on the pillow and scooted into Eros’ arms. “Over the last two days I’ve gone from being overjoyed at finding our other mate to being scared out of my mind. The thought of losing either of you…” He rested his forehead against his. “I love you, Honaw, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to say those words.” “Eros, we’re going to be fine. I love you so much. These past years I’ve come to realize there is no world without you and now Erin.” He kissed his neck and sank his fangs into him, drinking from him. He reached down, rubbing his cock.
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“Honaw, not now. We need to take care of Erin.” Eros grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips. “Soon.” Lifting his head, he licked the holes closed and kissed Eros’ lips. “I’ll go hop in the shower.” **** When Erin woke every muscle in her body was stiff as she tried to move. She glanced around the room and blinked, trying to adjust to the brightness. Everything was so much clearer; she could smell the soap from the shower, which Honaw was in now. She smiled as she heard him humming to himself. “How do you feel?” Eros kissed her neck from behind her and squeezed her tighter against his body. “Sore. My vision has improved, and my smelling has been enhanced.” Erin smiled as she smoothed her tongue around her mouth, touching her fangs. “Everything will be more enhanced for you. Your food will taste ten times better; you’ll be stronger and quicker. Even your sex drive will increase.” Eros slid his hand up her body, cupping her breasts while he scraped his fangs on her neck. “You need to eat, Erin.” Eros gently pulled her up into his lap. “I want to apologize for tonight. I should have been able to scent Antony. Because of my lack of attention, you died. It won’t happen again, Erin. I promise you.” He kissed her lips and leaned back gently moving her head toward his neck. “Feed, Erin. Take me into your body.” She scraped her fangs across his neck, hearing the blood rush in his vein. His cock hardened underneath her and she smiled, sinking her fangs into his neck. His blood rushed into her mouth and down her throat. It heated her. Erin pulled away from Eros’ neck and licked the holes, sealing them. “What happens now, Eros? Can I still work with Missy and Pam?” She gazed up at him. “Yes, you can still work, but Honaw and I will have to watch you for the next couple of days. There’s much to learn about our world, but for tonight, let us make it up to you for ruining your evening.” He laid her down on the bed and traced his finger around her breast.
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“We should have stood behind you and been proud of you, but I’m afraid our jealousy got the better of us. I’m afraid there will be no modeling clothes for anyone but us. You’ll have to hire others to do the modeling for your shows.” His heated gaze settled on hers. “Amen to that. I don’t think I could take another show like that without ripping someone’s head off.” Honaw growled and slid in next to her. With his hair still wet and pulled back, he gazed down at her. “How are you feeling?” He kissed her nose. She smiled and cupped his cheek. “I’m fine and I’m sure you would control yourself if I had to model clothes, but…” Erin stopped his words with a finger to his mouth. “But I will find models to show our work. Unless, of course, I have something I want to model for you two, which I do.” She giggled and scooted off the bed. “Stay right there and don’t move.” Erin slipped into the closet and dug in the bag she had hidden in there that Missy had given her. She pulled on the black thigh-highs and the black leather teddy with its hidden surprises and panties. Slowly coming out of the closet, she gasped. The room was lit with red candles all around. Red rose petals were scattered everywhere, and in the middle of the room was a sex swing hanging from the ceiling. “Wow, are we going to finally play?” Her body heated as she scanned down Eros’ body. He wrapped his hand around his cock, rubbing it back and forth. “That monster was in me?” She teased as both of them slowly moved toward her. Eros stood in front of her and glared down at her. “Is this the outfit you were going to wear tonight?” His voice was barely a whisper but demanded an answer. She glanced down at the floor. “No, this one I made for myself with Missy’s help. I wanted something special if I ever did find my mates. You know, like for a wedding night.” She shrugged. “I figured since we’re already mated and now bonded your way, I might as well bring it out.” Honaw scooped her up in his arms and walked over to the bed, holding her in his lap as he sat down. Eros knelt down in front of her. “Erin, look at me.” He lifted her chin. “I love you, Erin. We both do. If you want a wedding, we’ll have one, but don’t you know every time we make love to you, it’s a gift? When I found
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out Honaw was my mate, I was beyond words, because I never believed I would find someone who could fill my heart, but he did. Then Honaw found you, and I had to hold my breath, hoping for the impossible. I’ve spent so many years watching people coming together with no one special for me, but now I have both of you. Every moment I spend with the two of you is precious. Never doubt that.” Tears slipped down her face, her heart beat fast, and her nipples hardened. Eros smiled and Honaw laughed. “Is this another outfit with surprises?” Eros leaned in and sucked her now bare nipple into his mouth, making her moan. “Yes.” “I believe I’m going to enjoy exploring your newest creations. Strap her to the bed and let’s explore,” Eros ordered as he stood and waited while Honaw put her in the middle of the bed, lifting her arms above her head. He wrapped silk scarves around her wrists, anchoring them to the headboard. He moved down to her leg and secured her legs in bindings. “Hmm, I see another surprise, Eros.” Honaw traced his finger down her wet pussy lips. “The material disappeared down here too.” Erin smiled and sighed as both of her men stared down at her. Being mated to Cupid was definitely going to have major benefits and inspire many more erotic creations. Both of her men moaned and dived toward her pussy as her juices dripped out of her. Both of their tongues plunged inside her, twining together. “Guys!” Reaching up, Eros pinched her nipple, and a single finger plunged into her ass while their tongues danced in her pussy. Her men, lovers, mates would always keep her hot and filled with erotic love.
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Enforced Will by Kate Early
From: William Brand To: Vincent Mancuso March 4, 2008
5:55 a.m.
Subject: Weekly Report As ordered, I am checking in. Classes start tomorrow for the second half of the semester, accelerated course. I am sure you have set up something to have my teachers send you updates, so I will skip that in my mandatory weekly correspondence. I have moved into the apartment you secured, and the spy, I mean my roommate, here seems polite. I assure you he is doing his job. I walked in and found him rummaging through my bags. - William
March 4, 2008 5:58 a.m. Re: Weekly Report William, Good. Be safe. I will expect your next letter on the 11th. - Vincent
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Chapter One
February 14, 2008 “Fuck, Will…stop.” Vin’s body tensed as soft lips closed over the leaking tip of his cock. “Fuck yeah. More, baby.” His hips thrust forward involuntarily. For a kid of twenty with limited experience, the boy knew how to suck cock. “Will, I’m going to come.” He lost control, and stream after stream of come burst out of him until his balls felt empty. Will continued to suck, his cheeks hollowing, as he swallowed every drop. Vin stared at the sweet face and kneeling form he’d wanted for years. He’d fantasized about him in just this position. It was enough to send blood rushing back to his cock. Will felt the swelling of his shaft and mewled with pleasure. “Not again.” He pulled the boy up, lips releasing the fully erect flesh with a pop. Before Vin could hold him back, Will pushed in close, flattening his back to the wall and crushing his mouth against swollen lips. “Fuck me,” Will begged, with his mouth, with his body, his soul-deep desire for Vin raging out of control. “Is that what you want?” In a swift move, Vin reversed their positions, his chest pressed into Will’s back. His cock pressed against the swim-short-covered ass, demanding his attention. “Is that what you want? Me coming in your ass the way I came in your mouth?” Will whimpered. “Yes.” His body shook with desire, sending tremors through Vin’s shaft. “Please Vin… Please, I want you inside me, Vin.” “Sir.” His hand closed around Will’s hair, using it to stretch his head to the side. Vin’s breath panted hot and wet against the skin and muscle where neck and shoulder met. “Yes, sir. God!” The shorts went down, and they were skin to skin. “Please, sir.”
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“Tell me what you want, Will.”
“I want…” Vin reached around, taking Will’s cock in hand. “Say it, baby. Say the words.” “I want to please you, sir. I want to give you pleasure.” Those were the words. The words that reminded him that this wasn’t some random fuck. Vin pulled himself away. It felt like tearing a part of his soul off. Having an open wound burned shut with a hot poker came to mind. He left William with his shorts around his knees in the spare bedroom, the noise and music from the pool party covering the sudden silence. Vincent Mancuso didn’t say a word as he walked out the door, and he never looked back.
February 4, 2011 “Will’s home!” Someone less familiar with his family might have expected the call to rouse a few butts, but the door remained fixed shut. Not surprising. The ranch-style house looked the same as when he left. It was like entering a time warp. “Want help with your bags?” The voice came out of nowhere. “Shit, Vin! How do you do that?” Vincent Mancuso stepped past him, grabbing one of the over stuffed duffel bags off the gravel drive. “Anything else in the car?” Will looked through the VW’s hatchback one more time. He shook his head—the rest could all wait. “This one clean or dirty?” The silent hunter gave a tentative sniff, a wolfish gesture bringing the shadow, if not a great black wolf, forward in his eyes. It was unnerving watching the control exerted to call up just that much, then pull his other form back when he was done. “Dirty.” By enhancing his senses, Vin was treated to an extra whiff of sweaty gym socks.
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“Dirty.” He confirmed, bending over to hide his smile and grab the other bag. Following Vin toward the house, Will did his very best to keep his eyes off the tight jeans stretched over a hard, muscled ass, but… “Stop staring.” The words broke his train of thought. “Years of being in charge has resulted in eyes on the front and back of your head. It is downright freakish.” Vin was the pack enforcer, head of security. He was all seeing and yadda yadda. The job title should have come with at least a few superpowers. X-ray vision was underrated. Will hurried up the wide porch steps to catch up. Cold blue eyes met gray as he proceeded through the door held open with mocking graciousness. Both of the younger Brand brothers were glued to the TV, backs to the door as they came in. The sounds of explosions and soldiers dying blocked out the rest of the world, covering the approaching footsteps. Brotherly love was alive and well in the Brand house. Vin cleared his throat. That was it, but like magic the volume was muted and his brothers were pouring over the back of the couch to stand in front of Will. “Hey, Will,” Danny started. “Hello, sir,” Jonathan said at the same time, his eyes on Vincent. They looked at each other, then shut up. It felt like a prison lineup. “I trust you only use this power over the young for good, Vin.” A grunt was the only response. “Take this to the laundry room. Your brother will need clean clothes while he is here.” The bag went airborne, caught easily in his brother’s arms. “Yes, sir.” Jonathan sprinted off to the back of the house, leaving Danny grinning up at the two older wolves. “Don’t worry. He won’t pull your underwear out of the wash pink. That is unless they were pink to start.” The kid ducked, avoiding the retaliatory slap aimed at the back of his head.
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The growl crawling out of Vin’s mouth was not happy. Danny split, video game forgotten. “How did you live with them when they went out west to visit you?” Will just smiled. “I thought about how you treated me when I was their age and acted accordingly.” “William, you’re home!” His mother was halfway across the room, then flying into his arms before the words were out. **** From: Vincent Mancuso
To: William Brand
August 21, 2008
10:21p.m.
Subject: Pack News I signed you up for the new pack newsletter. It will keep you on top of what is going on. I can also send you transcripts for any official council meeting. - Vincent August 21, 2008
11:03 p.m.
Re: Pack News Goody. Let me know when you get your own cable access channel. Then I can really connect. Wouldn’t want to miss any of the action. - Will August 21, 2008
11:11 p.m.
Re: Re: Pack News William, I have added it to next week’s meeting agenda. I expect to have all meetings recorded and burned on DVD for you within the month. Close enough to your suggestion. - Vincent
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Chapter Two February 14, 2001 Pack Lodge, 8 a.m. He heard the whispers coming from above the meeting hall. The older pups were eavesdropping from the lodge balcony. Not surprising. The decisions made in the hall affected them too; they were just too young to have a say. Tonight the pack voted on whether to admit a stray, a wolf who had been on his own for the last four years. It was a somewhat uncommon request. Once a rogue, always a rogue was the widely held belief. A female would have been admitted instantly, but a male had to be considered. He was that male standing and waiting for the verdict. Vincent Mancuso, stray wolf, surviving without a pack since he was sixteen, now twenty. If Vin had been pack leader, he would’ve said no, but William Brand Sr. took a longer-term view for his family and pack. That was what the older wolf claimed, and intimidating muscle with a reputation increased security and made protecting the borders of their territory easier. “You cannot challenge for leadership.” “Agreed.” “You will be assigned a position with pack security as an officer under the direct supervision of my brother Liam, pack enforcer.” “Agreed.” “You will avoid violence. I don’t want the younger ones learning bad habits.” “Yes, sir.” Out of the corner of his eye, Vin saw a delicate dark-haired boy push to the front of the other youths. His head cocked with one ear raised as though to hear him better. It was such a wolflike gesture that Vin smiled. Their eyes met, gray ones filled with nervous anticipation, blue waiting calmly for the decision. Silence reigned as Vin was studied, looked over from head to toe, the pack making a loose circle around him. “Liam?” The gruff leader turned to his brother.
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“He survived. Most packs consider a rogue crossing their lands a death sentence.” The younger brother’s assessing look made Vin shift uncomfortably. Liam’s interest in him was a little too intent. “I say aye.” “Mary?” As the highest-ranking female in the pack and leader’s mate, her word carried a great deal of weight. She had thoroughly grilled him the day before. Sitting him at her kitchen table while she baked for the holiday dance and under the curious gazes of her three children, Vin was bombarded with questions. All this under the guise of him being too thin and them needing to stuff him full of cookies. “I agree. I welcome Vincent Mancuso as a member of this pack.” Apparently he had made a good impression. William nodded, deciding the matter. “Done.” There was a squeal of happiness from the youngest of the leader’s sons. At five he seemed to think everything new and different was exciting. William Jr., the oldest, gave him a reserved smile, which he returned with a wink. Once the room had quieted again, Vin lowered to his knees, taking a subservient pose in front of the assembled pack. “I have one condition of my own before I accept.” He didn’t expect this to be a deal breaker, but there was always a chance. A great laugh filled the hall. “Liam, hear that? The kid has demands. I like him.” Vin stood and steadily met Liam’s amused gaze. “I enter free and unbeholden to any wolf personally. My loyalty is to the pack as a whole.” The older wolf’s eyes narrowed, but William merely laughed again. “No worries, kid. Liam won’t jump you. His boyfriend would claw his eyes out if he tried.” A blond man standing discretely nearby was glaring at him over this last demand. Vin ignored the man and nodded his agreement, relaxing slightly. When he looked back, the balcony was empty. The crowd swelled, moving closer and closing the circle around him. Making his way toward the pack leader across the glossy wooden floors, he nearly tripped into the pretty dark-haired boy.
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“Hello.” A grin rose up in his chest as the kid offered him that same expression of curiosity at closer range, but he fought the emotion back. If Vincent had learned anything while on the road, it was to suppress his need to reach out to others. The kid was maybe thirteen, but until he knew the lay of the land, all wolves were a prospective threat. The leader’s son in particular. “Will, give the wolf some space.” The pack leader pulled the boy under one arm, extending his other hand to Vin. “Good luck avoiding all the young ones. Rogues are an urban legend to these guys. We are a little too settled around here for much excitement.” Vin’s blue eyes met serious gray ones. “Excitement is overrated.”
February 5, 2011 Pack Lodge, 4:15 p.m. “This meeting will now come to order,” Brady Brand, some distant cousin of Will’s, announced in a loud voice. The long table up front held seven places already filled. Pack Leader/Uncle Liam and the place usually reserved for the leader’s mate, still held by his mother, took center stage. Three pack elders unrelated to the Brand family, two women, and one man currently spread out on either side. Pack enforcer/Vin filled the last spot on the right. The left end was reserved for anyone dumb enough to be willing to transcribe the boring meetings. Which explained Brady’s presence. One chair was missing behind the table. A seat was usually reserved for the next in line to be pack leader, but Will had been away a long time. After about a year the seats had gone from eight down to seven. Another place Vin and Liam had managed to boot him from. All three Brand brothers were in attendance, a record for the mundane weekly stuff. It was even a full house in the seats below their position in the balcony. Front and center Uncle Liam cleared his throat for attention, a move right out of a bad movie. Jonathan shoved an elbow into Danny’s ribs to get him to stop laughing. The room quieted down, an expectant hush falling over the crowd.
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Liam began. “We have the usual weekly business today, but that aside, I want to welcome my nephew, heir, and beloved brother’s namesake back to the pack.” There was a round of applause and even a wolf whistle or two. Vincent cracked a grin, and damn if the bastard didn’t wink at him when their eyes met. He waved and smiled, feeling like a robotic display. “Hopefully in two weeks’ time he will be joining us here in the front of the room.” More applause swept the room, bringing a blush to Will’s face and neck. His uncle plowed on over the crowd. “As you recall, next week there is no meeting. We have been officially booted so that my dear sister-in-law can finish decorating for the annual Valentine’s dance.” Will looked over at his mother. Her eyes were moist at the mention. His parents’ twenty-fifth anniversary would have been this year, and she had been emotional for the last few weeks. The dance brought together the local packs, and as she told it, one look across the room at each other and the late William Brand was hooked. Worry for her was part of the reason Will had come home. She was calling twice a day, dropping tidbits about the preparations for the dance. If that wasn’t a hint, then he had hurried home for the only reason left. It was time. A tear escaped his mother’s eye, drawing the attention of the predators in the hall, which was everyone. Will felt Jonathan stiffen beside him. Wolves weren’t allowed to show weakness openly. It could be unhealthy. A woman of high standing in the council was expected to be twice as resilient. She was too proud for her own good, but this one moment was beyond her control. The unforgivable sin to a Brand—the loss of control. Vin stepped up, drawing the focus to the other end of the table. “I suppose that leaves me with the baking. Same as every year.” The exaggerated sigh he added at the end of the statement was a nice touch. One high-pitched giggle broke out, cutting the tension in the room. More laughter followed, giving the pack’s alpha female time to recover herself. Will watched them laugh, thinking the big, scary enforcer had made a joke. **** From: Vincent Mancuso To: William Brand
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January 15, 2009
8:05 a.m.
Subject: Important Will, I haven’t heard from you in over a week. Get off your ass. - Vincent January 15, 2009
9:55 p.m.
Will, You have to get out of your room. Get something to eat. - Vin January 16. 2009
11:10 a.m.
Will, pick up the phone. I have called three times. I know you are opening these emails. January 16, 2009
1:00 p.m.
If I do not hear back from you, I am getting on a plane and pulling you out of that ball of fur you have curled up into. I will drag you out of your room by the scruff of your neck. From: William Brand To: Vincent Mancuso February 16, 2009
2:59 p.m.
Re: Important Showered, shaved, and digesting pizza. I’m fine. - Will
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Chapter Three February 14, 2002 “Vincent!” Liam Brand stormed around the corner of the log cabin, eyes snapping with irritation. “I know he’s here. It’s time…” His words died as the scene laid out before him registered. Vin didn’t bother to look up at the interruption, merely leaning forward to reach for another section of the paper. His legs stretched under the table, propped up on a vacant chair while he drank from a steaming coffee mug. “Who are you looking for, then, Liam?” A canine whine broke in, fanning the flames, ready to shoot out of the new pack leader’s ears. “What the hell is this?” “Breakfast, Liam. I have it daily.” He picked up a strip of bacon from the mountainous pile filling one of the plates. Vin tossed the strip, which was snapped out of the air. “That is my nephew eating scraps from your table!” Vin looked down at the scrawny young wolf next to him. “Yep.” He helped himself to a strip of meat before turning back to the paper. “He is not a dog!” The newly appointed enforcer nodded agreement. “I know. That is why he gets the real stuff and not that Purina fake shit.” Another three strips disappeared between sharp teeth. “He can’t stay here, Vin. He has to go to school, do homework, sleep in his bed.” Liam was working himself up, his volume raising with every word. “Tell him yourself, o fearless pack leader.” A steady growl rolled out of the shaggy-furred beast. Liam addressed Will for the first time. “At least shift so I can look you in the face.”
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Vin commented without taking his eyes from the crossword, pencil in hand. “Not sure being naked on my porch would be an improvement.” Will gave a bark of agreement. “Plus, if you haven’t noticed, it is the middle of February.” “It has been nearly a month since his father died. He can’t constantly be shifted and hiding. You are the lead enforcer now. If I order him to shift and he disobeys, it will be your job to punish him. Neither of us wants that.” The growling started up again. Vin reached down, putting one hand on a massive gray head. “We all grieve in our own ways, Liam.” “He was my brother. Do you think I’m not feeling the loss of William too?” The rumbling noise paused for a moment, then escalated to Will barking at his uncle like he was an unwelcome postal worker. “You little sh—” “I have no desire to break up a fight, so both of you stop.” Vin’s quiet words cut them off. Two sets of nearly identical gray eyes turned to him. “William Brand Jr. will be home tonight. We will both be at the house this afternoon to help Mary with any last minute preparations.” Liam momentarily looked smug. Till Vin continued. “You”—he gave the older wolf a hard stare—“will cut all official obligations arranged in relation to your nephew. No more traveling with you to visit the other packs in a show of unity and acceptance of your leadership. No more mandatory attendance to formal dinner every night. And move back into your own house.” “What?” They were bold words that an unrelated male would be suicidal to utter. Vin said them anyway. “Your old house is across the way, nearly the same size. Let Mary and the boys have the house to themselves.” “That has always been the pack leader’s house! How would it look? I haven’t booted them. I haven’t—” Vin interrupted, calm as ever. “Your twink boyfriend is making Will uncomfortable. A little too free with his hands.” Liam looked at his nephew and even in wolf form saw him as a person, not just his brother’s son or a member of the pack. There was a pause while the anger
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lifted. “He will be out of the house tonight and not returning. I officially live in the main house, though I will maintain my previous residence.” The wolf lay out on the porch, acknowledging the new pack leader and his concessions. “But Vincent, you can’t always be stepping in for h—” The growl that rose in the clearing was deeper and far more menacing. “That is a conversation we can have at a later date.” Liam nodded, turning to leave without a word of farewell. Will plopped his head down on Vin’s lap, wagging his tail in thanks. “You’re welcome.” The coffee mug was empty, so he put it down, reaching for the bacon and splitting it evenly between them.
February 6, 2011 9:10 p.m. “Why are there no holiday werewolf movies?” Will looked in the backseat. His younger brother was endearingly sincere. “Danny, werewolves are mostly in horror films.” He nodded. “I get that. But there are holiday horror films. None of them have werewolves. Halloween ones don’t count.” There was a thoughtful silence in the car. Jonathan, their middle brother, threw in his opinion. “On TV, werewolves eat out their victims’ hearts.” The lore and pop culture take on werewolves was a joke. No self-respecting wolf would ignore the rest of a carcass and just take the heart. “Exactly!” Danny was really getting into this now. “Werewolves who eat people’s hearts—that is a much better idea for a film than some miner going after teens with a pickax on Valentine’s Day. Will pulled out of the movie-theater parking lot into traffic. The roads were slick and shiny, distracting him from his brothers’ back-and-forth discussion. All this talk of hearts was making him hungry.
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The conversation continued. What shots would make the audience react? To show or not to show the actual violence. The gross-out factor versus psychological horror. By the end of their twenty-minute drive, Hungry Hearts, the first-ever werewolf Valentine’s horror film was planned out. “We could totally make this.” Fifteen-year-old Danny was bouncing up and down as they walked up the stairs to the diner. The discussion went on while they ordered food, right up until their burgers arrived. “I’m telling you, this is a totally doable movie.” “It would be pretty awesome,” Jonathan agreed. “Pretty awesome? It would be amazing. Plus, if we made it, we wouldn’t even need special effects for the werewolves!” Will cut Jonathan off before he could say more. “Don’t encourage him.” Still cringing at his brother’s loud words, he nearly jumped out of his seat when a large hand came down on his shoulder. “I have to agree with your brother. Don’t encourage him, Jonathan.” The deep voice was every wolf’s nightmare. The pack enforcer catching you doing something you weren’t supposed to. Breaking the rules carried serious consequences, no matter who caught you, but Vin was the head of security. He was the last person they wanted to overhear their conversation. The rules they lived by were simple. Rule number one: never talk about werewolves in public. Rule number two: never hint about the existence of werewolves in public. Rule number three: never think too loudly about werewolves in public. If the word came up in conversation too often, people began to wonder and you can never be too careful. Their pack lived on the fringes of a town of a few thousand and had for a hundred years without incident. So “werewolf” was a taboo term. As the former pack leader’s sons, they knew the law. Danny and Jonathan were still young, but WiIl knew better. “I’m sorry, Vincent, I should have…” Vin cut him off. “I’ll say this for your idea—it would save us from an endless stream of romantic comedies this time of year.”
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A local from the booth behind them chimed in. “Hear, hear. I hate that crap.” Will let out a nervous laugh. He noticed his brothers’ faces filled with awe and relief. Vin was the boogeyman come to joke with them? There was a look of reverence just from talking to the head enforcer? Things must have changed a great deal while he was away. Vincent Mancuso had always cast an intimidating shadow, but he was fair. Diabolical in devising punishments for the young wolves, but not cruel. His dedication to the pack was unquestionable. Vin was always involved. Every aspect and detail seemed to be his personal responsibility, and he stuck his nose in everywhere. Or at least that was how Will had felt from the moment Vin joined their group. Maybe it wasn’t true anymore. Vin’s deep voice fell on his ear, the tone cool and impersonal, which really pissed him off. “William, after you drop the boys at home tonight, I would like you to drop by my cabin. If you’re free.” His tone said more than the words. He was to be there if it meant canceled plans or that any other inconvenience that stood in the way needed to be removed. “Yes, sir.” Will put an extra emphasis on the address. Would it get a reaction? It had been three years almost to the day that they were together in that back bedroom, the night he was rejected and then packed off to school on the other side of the country. Did Vin feel anything after all this time? A fire lit in the older man’s eyes and he all but growled. Vin remembered, all right. The anger was satisfying, a cold, hard satisfaction at knowing that he wasn’t the only one who remembered. That one word could affect Vin that strongly was a heady feeling of power. “Boys.” The buried growl rolled on the edges of Vin’s words. With a nod he made for the door, leaving them alone. They didn’t say anything else until the intimidating roar of a sports car pulling out of the parking lot disappeared, confirming that the enforcer was gone. “Are we going to get in trouble?” Danny asked in a nervous voice. “I think Will is going to get in trouble.” Jonathan gave him an assessing look. “Big brother might take the hit for us this time.”
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“Oh yeah, like I haven’t done that before.” Back in the days when Will was desperate for attention, he had taken the blame for a lot of people’s mischief. “Not in the last couple years.” Jonathan slapped him on the shoulder. “I think you’re overdue.” Danny lost interest in the conversation. “Hey, can I get some quarters for the pinball machine?” Will checked his pockets and forked over his loose change. Danny scooped it up with an absentminded thank-you and went around the corner to the game machines. The elderly man at the table behind them got up and headed for the door. Will was alone with his brother, no one in hearing distance. It was time to get some answers. There was a lot going on behind the scenes. Things that his family and the pack kept from him while he was at school. It was time to do a little catch-up. **** June 27, 2008 9:03 p.m. Subject: Update The air conditioning broke and it is as hot as balls. Spy Boy went to study at the nice, cool, AC-equipped library, but I don’t have the patience for the silence there. I just got naked and sat in a tub of cold water for a few hours. As ordered, I won’t be home for the Fourth of July, but aren’t you worried that Spy Boy is leaving? Three whole days by myself. Whatever will you do without news for that long? June 27th 9:10 p.m. William, Do you need a babysitter for those three days? Something can be arranged. - Vincent
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Chapter Four February 14, 2003 “William’s in trouble again.” Vin leaned back in his chair, suddenly tired. Brady’s voice came in through the office door. “What now?” The kid couldn’t stay out of trouble for five minutes? “Him and two friends got caught at the movie theater slipping into films they hadn’t paid for.” As wild and rebellious things went, this was pretty mild, but even mild twice a week was enough to make him want to pull his hair out. “Send the three of them in.” Brady moved out of the way and two boys entered, looking chagrined. Then Will walked in, shoulders back, a challenge in his every step. Vin was getting a headache already. “You two.” He indicated the young wolves, their names escaping him. “Go run the circuit ten times and don’t pull this crap again.” Vin turned to meet angry eyes waiting to be judged. Did the kid want to be punished? One of the boys opened his mouth, shocked. “But that’s ten miles!” His friend grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward the door. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. We won’t get into trouble again.” Outside the door, the first kept talking. “Seriously, ten miles?” “Shut up,” his friend whispered. “You want him to come out here and kick the crap out of us, then make us run twice as far?” Their voices disappeared down the hallway. Will never blinked at the other two boys’ punishment. Vin was at his wits’ end for how to reach the teen standing in front of him, proud as an alpha wolf. Pulling shit like this would get him chewed up and spit out in most packs. Tall, thin, and with features far too attractive, he could have drawn the wrong kind of attention even this young. lf he wasn’t the pack leader’s son, if Vin didn’t smooth things over for him, Will would be beaten down and bottom of the pack at fifteen.
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The detentions, added chores, canceled allowance, yelling, ignoring, rationalizing, none of that was working. The kid was hurting and now was not the time to keep trying the same approach. “Did you at least slip into something good?” “It was rated R, violent and bloody.” Will’s smile was taunting. “Well, then maybe it was worth the trouble, but that is for you to decide. First you will pay for three more tickets to make up the money at the theater. Apologize to the manager, and no more movies for a month, maybe two.” He paused, considering his next words. Teenagers had no patience. In this case the wolf half didn’t help. Angry words shot out before he could continue. “What are you going to do after that, Mr. enforcer? Spank me to get me to behave?” Vin tapped his pen against the large wooden desk between them. “Physical violence is a temptation,” he acknowledged. “I have something else in mind.” The silence stretched between them, spreading like a balloon, up and out till it popped. “I’m supposed to guess?” Will cracked, speaking first. Vin smiled. “I doubt you’ll figure it out. Meet me outside my cabin, five a.m. tomorrow.” He was pleased to see the confusion and uncertainty come to the surface, the bravado breaking away and revealing the kid, not the sullen teen. “You are dismissed.”
February 7, 2011 Vin’s Cabin 12:15 a.m. He knocked on the massive wooden door to Vin’s cabin. Normally the outdoor temperature would have very little effect on werewolves in human or animal form, but tonight the cold February breeze had Will shaking like a leaf. That was a more manly excuse, or maybe just a less cowardly one than that he was dreading being alone with the Big Bad Wolf. A muffled “come in” forced his hand to the doorknob. Three deep breaths calmed the shaking, but that wasn’t the only part of him that needed to calm down. His erection was tenting the jeans under his coat. Could he be more obvious?
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Vin sat in a large recliner doing a crossword and facing the door. The fire blazing in the hearth took away any excuse of being cold and it was unlikely he would escape their little “talk” quickly. He was about to lose his protective layer. “Take your coat off. Get comfortable, William.” The words were rough, like Vin hadn’t spoken in a while. The husky tone did not help. Instead the traitor in his pants pulsed with excitement. “I never expected to draw the attention of the head enforcer by getting into trouble so shortly after returning.” “Oh, you have it, complete and undivided,” the husky voice assured him. “Goody.” Not ideal at the moment, although Vin’s attentions were the subject of 90 to 100 percent of his jerk-off fantasies. “I believe it’s been three and a half years since you were here last.” “I was in trouble then too.” Will recalled it clear as day. He moved up behind the couch, thankful it was more than waist high. He dropped his coat over the back but made no move to sit down. “As I recall, you spent three days scraping old paint off the side of my barn. Then two days more repainting it.” Vin met his dark gaze. The partial wood in his pants became a ten-inch stick. He dreaded spending the rest of the night hiding it behind things in the hopes that it would go unnoticed. Will’s eyes widened slightly in surprise that Vin remembered. “That was the punishment for stealing my uncle’s tires.” He couldn’t contain a smile. “But it was totally worth it.” Vincent stood up and stretched his arms above his head. The thin cotton Tshirt lifted away from his waistband, giving a glimpse of washboard abs. It was embarrassing to Will that he was about to bust a nut just watching the man stand up from a chair. “So, three years hasn’t changed much. You still have a hard-on the minute you hit the property line.” Bare feet carried the BBW (Big Bad Wolf was what they all secretly called him) closer, silent on the carpets. “So either this cabin turns you on, or I do.” The confidence of ten years as an enforcer sat on his shoulders like a mantle. Vincent Mancuso was his first crush. As Will got older it was less a crush,
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escalating to a desire that had his fist working out five times a day thinking about long black hair and a hard tanned body. Today little had changed. Vin’s hair was a little shorter, Will was a few feet taller, but being in the same room still made his dick as hard as a railroad spike. Ten inches of swollen cock was hard to hide. “Maybe coming here wasn’t such a good idea, baby.” Vin came around the couch, and every physical constraint Will had clung to came untied. There were no words between them, just bodies pushing closer and closer, physical need let loose. Hands on the backs of his thighs lifted Will’s legs to wrap around the small of Vin’s back. They ground against each other, writhing and straining, falling back against the living room wall. “Will, I can’t wait.” Hands yanked his jeans, reaching inside the waistband and cupping his ass. They shifted forward, coming to rest against the back of the couch. “Baby, you need to let go.” Will brought their mouths together, his body clinging like a monkey. The sharp pull on his hair separated their lips. The pressure didn’t stop until Will’s upper body was bent backward, the couch back under his hips. The position freed Vin’s hands. Within moments jeans were pulled up and out of the way, exposing his ass to the air. Will pushed down against the bobbing head of the older wolf’s exposed cock till a wide hand pressed down on his stomach, quieting the motion. When Will realized where they were headed, he tried to push himself up and turn around, offering a better angle. Vin’s forceful grip stopped him. “No, baby,” the BBW leaned forward, pulling their faces close together. “I want you looking at my face while I fuck you.” His eyes rolled back in his head. He heard Vin spit in his hand and felt fingers reaching down between them, wetting the heavy shaft, then returning again. This time fingers were pushing inside, spreading him, opening his body to take the heavy shaft inside. Vin’s cock was next, pushing for entrance. “Baby, you’re so tight.” Will’s muscle resisted, fighting the stretch of the cock forcing its way inside him, inch by
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inch. Vin feeding him the heavy shaft in a relentless push built the pressure inside him. “I’m going to come!” His hips bucked, trying to escape the pleasure. Fingers clamped around his shaft, putting pressure on the bulging vein. “You come when I let you come.” The grip held him in place, their eyes locked as Vin slid all the way in. The need to orgasm was almost painful. The long cock slowly pulled out till only the tip remained inside, teasing Will, making him crazy. Every inch slammed back into him before stopping again. “I am going to fuck your ass, baby. When my hand lets go, your orgasm is going to milk every last drop of come out of my dick, or I swear I will fuck you raw until you do it right.” Scream after scream echoed through the room. Violence that they had never allowed to surface expressed itself in every movement between them. Will was determined, pushing down against every upward thrust pounding into him. An eternity passed, but suddenly his shaft was released. Come shot up onto his chest in a white stream. He felt his ass muscles clench, locking down around the cock buried deep inside him. Vin pulled his shoulders up, leaning forward to sink teeth into his lover’s sensitive nape, his release coming deep inside Will’s body. Words tried to surface but they kissed to push them back. When they finally unstuck themselves, the need to verbalize, to rehash what had happened, was gone. “Get cleaned up and come to bed, baby.” Vin’s eyes were clear and blue, free of the anger or mockery or sarcasm he had used in the past years. “Unless you’ve somewhere else you need to be.” He moved off down the hallway, leaving Will to follow or not. His boots hit the ground. One sock went flying as he hopped on one foot, then the other. Vin was a silhouette in the doorway up ahead. Will nearly slid into him as he hurried along the waxed wood floor.
9:55 a.m.
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Will woke up alone. The king-sized bed was empty, the sheets cold on Vin’s side. His clothes were scattered, left behind somewhere in the living room or maybe the hallway. Nudity wasn’t a big deal and the cabin was warm, so he made his way down the hall naked as a jaybird, cock at half-mast. The smell of coffee led him to the table where Vin sat drinking from a large white mug. His eyes were swollen and stubble covered his jaw and neck. “You look like shit. Usually getting laid helps.” There was an extra cup on the counter and the steaming pot was calling Will’s name. The first sip burned his tongue and opened his eyes enough to face the daylight streaming in through the windows behind Vin. Turning back to face the room, he squinted slightly, trying to make out the other wolf’s expression. “Did you sleep at all last night?” The answer was unexpected. “Get out.” “Vin?” Something was off. Even as a pesky kid he had never been sent away, kicked out of the BBW’s cabin when he slid away here to hide out or merely visit. He certainly wasn’t going tail between his legs based on two words. “I said get out.” His voice was dead, all the emotion of yesterday drained out. “What’s going on?” Will looked around the room, the noise of the door ushering in a visitor teased his ears. Someone familiar enough with Vin to not bother knocking. “For God’s sake, William. Put on some pants.” Uncle Liam filled the doorway, his bulky form dwarfing the spacious kitchen and sucking all the oxygen out of the room. It might’ve been a few years since he had to deal with his uncle, but the man was still a prick. “For God’s sake, Uncle, get out. I was looking forward to getting a morning blowjob, or giving one. You are interrupting.” Liam just snorted, walking past him to where a pot of tea waited, steeping. “Am I interrupting a meeting of some kind?” Will asked, sipping the stilltoo-hot coffee and watching the exchange of silent communication between the two alpha wolves.
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“I suppose you could say that,” Liam acknowledged. Vin looked away, remaining stubbornly silent. “Then perhaps you two better reschedule.” His grin was a baring of teeth. “I was here first.” “Why, you ungrateful little mongrel, I’m going to…” Vin stepped between the two men. “I’ve already told Will to leave.” Liam’s rage was replaced with a smug expression. The battle was won. Admittedly, Will didn’t know what they were fighting over, but there was no way the douche bag was going to win. “Good.” His uncle sat down like a king or judge reigning over those below him. And according to pack law, all other wolves were. “If you’ve got something to say, Uncle, spit it out already.” As a child he hadn’t been intimidated, and he refused to be now. “Well, since you asked so nicely.” The mocking tone waved a raw steak at the angry wolf inside of him. “You two have been very indiscreet. Everyone knows you spent the night, William.” Will wasn’t seeing his point. “And?” It was Liam’s turn to look confused. “Your spending the night here has caused a lot of gossip. People are talking.” “I’m not in the closet, Uncle. Neither are you. I can fuck whoever I want.” His eyes went to Vin, who had returned to his seat. The enforcer wasn’t making eye contact with either of them. “Vin?” “I told you to leave.” “You can’t be serious!” It was like waking up in the Twilight Zone—you might recognize the people, but everything they say makes no sense. “William, you’ve only been home for a few days.” Liam’s eyes were oddly sympathetic. “This impacts business you’re not privy to.” A realization surfaced when their gray eyes met. His uncle hadn’t shown up just to harass them. “I am an adult member of this pack. As such, I have the right to be informed. So tell me, what exactly am I not privy to?” “Well, I…” Liam huffed, eyes entreating Vin to take over the explanation.
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“I’m leaving the pack.” No words could have shocked Will more. Vin had spent every day of the past ten years working full-time for his father, then his uncle. He never imagined that would change, not one year from now, not ten years from now. The blue eyes that locked on him belonged to the old Vin. The one who had ignored Will as a teen once he reached seventeen. The Vin who sent him away three years ago. Not the Vin who slept all night with his dick pressed to the crease of Will’s ass. “Why?” He managed the question, voice steady. Liam looked away, showing a hesitancy to face the bleak dread building below the surface. “There’s a pack to the north that needs an enforcer.” Emotionless as a robot, Vin continued. “They have approached us a number of times.” “So? There are other enforcers out there. We have twelve in this pack alone!” His tone dripped acid. “Or have things been too calm? Not enough bloodshed here to keep the Big Bad Wolf busy?” Liam took over the explanation. “They need an enforcer to whip them into shape. Vin is the best.” “And only the best will do? They need you specifically. And as the heir to the pack leader, I have no say in who comes and goes in this pack?” Will’s voice was getting frantic. His uncle’s soft reply hit him in the chest. “It’s what’s best for the pack.” “Giving up the most feared fighter in the North East? Fuck maybe the country? At school, the mention of the enforcer’s name was like a get-out-of-jailfree pass.” The world was spinning. This went beyond the Twilight Zone to the Outer Limits. “Allowing him to leave can’t be best for the pack!” “Will, what you need to understand—” A shake of Vin’s head cut Liam off. His uncle sighed before asking in a quieter tone, “Can you go put some pants on now?” His lover’s silence was damning. “Yeah. Sure.” His eyes lost their focus on the room as he made his way out of the kitchen and down the hall.
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Liam’s words reached him as the door to Vin’s bedroom closed. “That boy is certainly packing. I can see why you’ve been panting after him all these years.” “Shut up.” Vin growled. **** January 2, 2009 11:03 a.m. Subject: Official Update The local New Year’s Dance had representatives from forty different packs. The only official business is as follows. - Two packs requested ten tickets for the Valentine’s Dance. Sending six females and four males each. Both pack representatives have expressed interest in a direct alliance with the pack. AKA: They wanted to know what you are looking for in a mate. - Three other packs out and out would like to hire you to consult for them if not change packs. Don’t worry about grocery money this month. Between all of the collected tribute and gifts, I have enough fresh meat and dried jerky to last till summer. - Will Re: Official Update William, Good job. - Vincent What did you tell them I was looking for in a mate? Re: Re: Official Update I told them they were misinformed. That your cock was bitten off during a fight back when you were a rogue and you are content as a eunuch. - William
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Chapter Five February 14, 2004 5 a.m. Will was freezing his balls off, but on time. “You know I only told you you were required to be here at five a.m. for three months. Today is a year. You must really enjoy the abuse.” Will stuck out his tongue. “Less gabbing, more moving.” He laughed at the younger wolf but took off at a steady jog. There was a tension between them that had disappeared over the last few months. They may not say a word to each other, but the silence was relaxed and natural. Asking a teenage boy to talk about his emotions was the bulldozer approach. Vin was going for subtle. “I think we’ll push a little further today.” The date hadn’t escaped him. It was Valentine’s Day. The multipack meat market for singles, open to wolves fifteen and up. Attending tonight had become a pack obligation. Muscles bunched and released, propelling their bodies faster and farther with each stride. Three miles dropped away, then five. The added exertion did nothing to clear the tension. It wrapped the teen tight, refusing to let go. Vin veered to the right, throwing Will with their unexpected course change. The pack lodge was the only building this deep in the woods and not the usual destination. Stopping in front of the porch steps, he uttered a breathless order. “Strip.” “What?” The kid was bent over, so out of breath he could only manage the one word. “Strip and shift.” Vin was out of his clothes and on all fours before Will’s head cleared the neck of his T-shirt. He moved off, giving the younger man some privacy, turning away, and scented the air. A rabbit scurried for cover, but he was after bigger prey. Bloodshed was not the reason he had insisted they shift. A thin gray wolf walked up beside him. The kid looked like an underfed, overtall gray coyote, but still less delicate then in his human form. The gray eyes were the same, though.
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Shifting made further words between them impossible. They headed away from the lodge, deeper into the forest. The sun coming up warmed the fur on their backs through the leafless trees. Will met his eyes once, giving a whimper and looking back toward town, but Vin ignored him. The sun had reached its zenith when the young wolf’s stomach began to protest a lack of food. Embarrassment played across the fur-covered face at the persistent noise. Will’s whole body was uncomfortable with having drawn attention to itself. Vin butted his head against Will’s shoulder companionably before taking off once again along a barely visible trail. He jumped up over three giant boulders lodged between walls of sheer rock. His companion’s landing was less than graceful, but he made it. The foliage ahead showed the slightest part of what might have been a path, now unused and overgrown. Vin took off leaving Will to follow, pushing branches out of the way and forging ahead through the under brush. He kept an eye on the other wolf, but the daily runs had put them both past the average wolf’s endurance. Vin would have to feed the kid half a cow when they got back and write a note to schoolteachers, but that was small stuff. The view they reached at the top of the rise made the rest grains of sand blowing unnoticed on a beach. The whole big world stretched out in greens, browns, and blue sky. Height erased the presence of all the manmade roads, houses, cut off by tall pines and bare brown branches. Vin felt his doggy grin spread from more than just the climb. Will’s response was laughable. He tested every step before moving forward. Four feet from the edge was close enough, apparently. Loose soil was a gamble, with winter working its magic to break down the rock beneath them, but Vin wasn’t going to come all this way and not get the full experience. Down on his belly, he crawled forward until his nose cleared the very edge. Will whimpered behind him, crawling forward an inch at a time, his shaking side flush against Vin’s solid form. He watched, amused to see the wolf’s eyes tightly shut. Slowly the muscles relaxed and gray eyes looked out at the world. Will never stopped shaking, but he didn’t pull back. He leaned into Vin’s side, content.
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February 8, 2011 1:33 p.m. “I found you the perfect date for the pack Valentine’s dance this year.” Excitement came at Will in waves so sickeningly sweet he was getting a stomachache from exposure. He looked across the renovated barn/garage at the soul brave enough to set him up on a blind date, or any date really. Bad things had a habit of interrupting his dates and scaring boyfriends off. Jonathon came through the door with his newest girlfriend, Vicki. She was short, blond, and soft looking, the same as always. He remembered her as a kid when she barely came up to his waist. Both had grown up and grown brave to step into the wolf’s den. “Oh really, a date? And who might that be?” Vicki was too smug and sure of herself for comfort. After working all night on his car and hiding from Vin, Will was bone tired and short tempered. An unwanted date might be the last straw before he lost it and decided to live in the wild on all fours. Not even a week home, and already the unsettled feeling that dogged his step when he lived here was back. “What idiot would want to get involved with one of the wolves from this family?” An old baseball off the floor flew past as Jonathon opened his mouth to answer. Vicki beat him to it. “I have a cousin coming to town. He is thinking about joining the pack and wanted to meet some of the locals and stuff.” Will’s brother finally managed to get a word in edgewise. “And he’s gay.” Ah, there it was. “So I am what, the local welcome wagon for men who like men?” Jonathon looked embarrassed while Vicki soldiered on. She had always been a tenacious kid. “Well, if you don’t want a date, that’s fine. Justin is hot, twentyone, gay, and single. If that’s not your type, no big deal.” His traitor sibling gave him an apologetic smile. “Uncle ordered you to go.” Will was on his seventh cup of coffee, avoiding the pack enforcer, and now ordered to go on what amounted to a blind date. His current temper could choose
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whichever course it liked, but it all amounted to the same thing. He felt like shit and a new pressure had just been added to his day. Welcome home. Will’s concentration was blown. It was time to call it a day and take a nap. Vicki’s voice continued on though he wished her to silence. The car hood came down and closed, the latch locking it in place. Too bad that didn’t work on the mouths of chatty teens. How had Vin put up with him all the time when he was that age? “Valentine’s night? I think I can gear myself up for it since I have been ordered to go.” His words cut through the chatter. In the sudden silence, it was Vicki’s turn to look uncomfortable, which meant there was more. “Spit it out before I go find a newspaper to roll up, pups.” Will’s growl was threatening violence. “He is picking us up at the house in five hours,” Vicki said. This was wonderful. “Shit, that barely gives me time to get in a shower and shave.” His hands were itching to strangle something or someone. He started stripping off his work coveralls. The snaps released violently, revealing the sweaty white tank top plastered to the muscles across his chest. Great, just peachy. Vicki let out a sigh of appreciation from where she stood by the door. Jonathann pulled her through the exit with a frown. “We’ll see you back at the house, Will.” They didn’t wait for a response. “It takes him five hours to get ready?” Vicki whispered. Her question reached his ears. The kid didn’t bother whispering back. “Close enough. Sharing a bathroom with him is a bitch.” Will had had enough. The official social responsibilities were kicking in already? Maybe being away at school wasn’t so bad after all. Vin wasn’t looking over his shoulder directly there. His uncle left him completely alone once he was out of the vicinity of the pack. He could be himself even with the BBW’s spies around. There were his brothers, who he missed, but it was downright peaceful really. Here he was a pack leader’s son, Jonathan and Danny’s brother. The kid who got into trouble every week as a teen. The gay boy no one wanted to be
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friends with in high school. The list went on. The past was starting to cling to him, to reattach. His skin felt too small. It was beginning to itch. With Vin gone too, it would be unbearable. “You get lost on the way to my house last night?” Will jumped three feet in the air. Bastard moved as quietly in his human form as his wolf one apparently. Will had prepared his excuse when he received the note yesterday. Four words in black flowing script, no signature. We need to talk. Letting the lie slip out gave him a minor satisfaction. “I had car trouble.” Yep, his car had been way overdue for an oil change. That and new windshield wipers. “I did not want to chance driving all the way out into the woods.” It was a weak excuse, but harder to argue with than the other ideas he had come up with during the long hours of the night. “Of course. There are wolves in these forests, after all.” Sarcasm was a weapon. “You wouldn’t want to run into them.” Whip out and swinging. Will felt the sting. “Nice try.” He gripped the edge of his shirt, working it up slowly to reveal his hard earned six-pack. “But I’m not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.” They were falling back into old patterns, the familiar roles again, but like a suit that just didn’t fit him anymore, he couldn’t slip it on. They had slept together, not just fucked. Sleeping spooned in Vin’s arms was the point of no return for him. Will was tired, physically and emotionally. He turned to face the other wolf, letting the top of his grease-covered overalls slide off. Looking at the other man, he knew it wasn’t true, he was afraid. Vin was the enforcer, and half the pack felt the same. Will felt a shiver climb up his spine, fear or excitement at being alone with the man. Either way, it was time to take control of the situation. If Vin was leaving, he would give him something to remember. He wasn’t a kid anymore. His body had filled out, and though slender, he had enviable muscle definition. Six-one, twenty-three, and after years of attempted pickups at the gym, he knew he was attractive. Maybe not attractive enough to keep his lover for more than a night, but he could make the man regret giving him the boot so quickly.
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Vincent Mancuso was every inch a wolf stalking toward him. The look was in his eyes without him shifting form. Will wanted to run, but that would make him prey to the wolf and the man. Prey didn’t last long in this neck of the woods. Will tried to ignore the looming presence. He raised the tank over his head, the coverall slipping lower to revealing the mesh shorts he wore underneath. Vin’s breath released in a hiss, eyes focusing below the belt. The gesture had been a come-on. Will was willing to play the tease if it might get him the upper hand. Cotton shirt in hand, he moved over to the garage sink. A dip in some oilremover shit, and he was able to concentrate on getting the grease stains off his hands and forearms. No alpha liked being ignored. You didn’t turn your back on the BBW if you wanted to survive, but that was part of the game. The wolf rose like a shadow to pace back and forth, watching every move through Vin’s eyes. Will had their full attention and he planned to use it to his advantage. The old plumbing kicked to life under his hands, sounding like a wounded animal and cutting off any possible words between them. The water was cold, but he took his time, bending, stretching forward. Foaming the dish detergent up and down his arms before washing them off. Water splashed up onto his chest from the heavy spray. One hand grabbed for a towel. Eyes followed every move the terrycloth made. They trailed down his chest, where his fingers played with the waistband riding low on his hips. The look in Vin’s eyes raced along Will’s exposed skin. Suddenly his shorts were not their usual loose fit. Putting on a show was making his blood hot, body pulsing with it, filling his shaft till it pushed at the elastic holding his shorts up. The towel dropped to the floor, forgotten. Will moved around the car and closer to the BBW, hand pushing back the hair sliding into his eyes. He was not letting anything block his view. Vin’s body moved closer while his words tried to push Will away. “I am fresh out of dollar bills. Perhaps you would find a better audience at a bar or on a street corner.” The verbal stab hurt. Will wanted to return the pain. Vin always seemed so in control and indifferent, but his eyes were hot now. He wasn’t the only one with
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a tight fit in the crotch of his pants. “I guess it is a good thing I have a date tonight, then, isn’t it? Maybe he will have something to put down there.” Will had wanted a reaction. What he got was a force of nature sweeping toward him. Vin let loose a string of curses. “You have been here seventy-two hours and you have a date already?” He was distracted, watching the continuous stream of insults pass by full lips. Forming words was an erotic sight with that mouth. The thought of Vin shutting up and using his tongue for something better than words had a wet spot forming on the front of Will’s shorts. Desire filled the ever-shrinking space between them. Every step closer multiplied the emotions floating to the surface. Vin was every inch a wolf in man’s clothing, reaching out to run his thumb along Will’s lower lip, cradling the side of his face in one hand. When their skin made contact, the world slipped away, their history forgotten in the rush of wild longing and animal noises. Will moved into the embrace and their contact became violent. Hands pulling, teeth biting, clothes ripped from bodies ready to be free of confining fabric. Will’s breath came in pants when he pulled back, desperate for oxygen. It was a heady feeling that Vin was in the same shape. They both pulled in great gulps of air, man and wolf coming to the fore and wanting to breathe in the other’s scent. Even when Vin was in human form, his wolf musk lay just below the surface, teasing the senses. Will wanted to wear that scent as much as he wanted to mark the man in front of him with his own. Instinct came forward, driving his desire to please his partner. To please Vin. This was all new and a little unnerving. He wanted to get down on his knees, swallow down every inch of straining flesh, and taste the seed building up, waiting for release. Their hips pressed together, rubbing and retreating. He knew he could coax every drop out with his mouth. To suck the long, full cock pressed against his hip, to drive Vin wild was his greatest desire. Will was feeling excitement beyond what a kiss and a little rubbing merited. But this was Vin. The object of 90 percent of his jerk-off fantasies. Nerve endings burned and molded themselves to the pattern of Vin’s touches on his skin.
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Anyone who said sex was all the same had never been a werewolf with his mate. Vin was Will’s mate. The struggle between them grew, blocking rational thought. “Shit, this is not happening again.” Vin tried to pull back, but Will wasn’t letting go. He wrapped his hand around the hard shaft he wanted to feel in his mouth. “You don’t want me?” He couldn’t hide the anger that burned at the back of his throat. “I think your cock feels differently.” Will ripped Vin’s jeans out of his way, dropping down to eye level with the evidence of the BBW’s desire. Vin didn’t have control over everything. The cock vibrating inches from his lips wasn’t following orders. He ran his tongue along the underside vein till he reached the purple, swollen head already leaking come, asking to be sucked. “Will, I said enough.” Vin would have stepped back if he could. He prided himself on his control and Will knew that had been stolen away. Like being drawn to a magnet, body swaying forward in contradiction to his words, Vin was losing the battle to resist. “I want you to get up. This is over.” Will smiled. A quick swipe across the slit pressed to his lips had Vin spreading his legs for better balance, positioning himself to continue despite the words. The enforcer didn’t have the will to pull away. “William, stop.” He dropped down, pulling one sensitive ball into the heat of his mouth and humming with pleasure. Vin’s body responded, pressing into him. He pulled himself back, vicious satisfaction filling his words. “If you don’t want this, just step away.” In one smooth motion, he sucked all eight inches of Vin’s cock into his mouth and down his throat. He stayed like that, his tongue teasing the underside of the shaft, the head hugged by tight muscles working it with every swallow. In this position, Will couldn’t breathe, but this was a show of determination. He wasn’t letting go unless Vin pulled away. The small thrusts rocking his face let him know the BBW wasn’t going anywhere. “Will, I can’t do this with you again. I need you to stop.”
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He came up off the swollen shaft, letting the cool air hit wet flesh. Licking his lips seductively, Will stated his intentions. “I’m just getting started, sir.” He could see the one word pierce the chest breathing heavily above him. Part of this was about pleasure, Will realized. The other part of what drove him was the desire to hurt. Revenge for the pain of years. The cut of rejection and banishment. Both emotions were at work inside him. If Vin stepped back, he would stop. The conflicting emotions wanted his man to leave and the mate to stay. Or was it the reverse? Will ignored it all, taking Vin’s position as an invitation to continue. His head bobbed up and down, his blood pumping in time with the pulse vibrating along his tongue. Even gritted teeth couldn’t hold back the screams of pleasure he caused with his attentions. Within minutes, Will had lost track of everything except for the sweet taste of Vin’s flesh, the moans and cries driving him on. Angry words reached him. “This what you want, baby? You want me to spend myself in your mouth like I would with a whore.” Will pulled harder, hollowing his cheeks and playing with the sensitive balls in his hand. The words continued. “Are you a slut now, baby? All you want is some man’s come shooting down your throat?” Will felt resentment fill him. The words were meant to hurt him, make him stop. Send him running. The slight widening of the shaft let him know how close to orgasm he was. Spending himself like this cut into the power and control Vin built like a fort around him. Will would give the stubborn asshole what he really wanted, not what he said he did. This was about bodies, not words. Thrusting hips and physical reactions spoke louder than the insults. Moments later the sweet, salty fluid hit his tongue. It became about swallowing down every last drop. No one else tasted this good. None of his other partners made sucking them off feel better than getting off himself. “I’ll give you this, William, you have become quite the little cocksucker.” The words were raw, coming after all the shouts and cries of pleasure. But they weren’t the truth. He refused to let Vin ruin the moment now with lies. “I guess it’s good you like getting your cock sucked, then.” With a final lick, he pulled back. His hand lowered, pushing down his shorts and freeing his own
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erection. Vin might have the largest prick he had ever swallowed, but it was nothing compared to what Will was packing. He wrapped his hand around his thick member, jerking himself off, watching Vin watch him. “You going to return the favor?” Will’s hand picked up speed, working a groan of pleasure from his chest. A hand cupped his head, pulling him forward and pressing his mouth to Vin’s still-wet penis. “I top. You bottom.” And with that, the pack enforcer, the BBW, pressed his flesh between parted lips. Will was done with words. His body didn’t want to fight with Vin. It wanted to be taken by him. Ordered to respond to his mate’s words. To please his lover. The physical stimulation quieted his mind. He worked his hand in time with the bobbing of his head. Up, down, up, down, harder, faster. A sharp pull on his hair brought his eyes up. “You come when I come. Understood?” The words took a moment to make sense, but Will nodded slightly as his mind cleared. He understood an order when he heard one. The man in him felt safe, knowing what he was to do. What would please Vin. The wolf was determined to have Vin begging before either of them came. Whichever half won, Will was getting what he wanted. He started slow until his own need to finish made waiting impossible. The intensity went beyond the physical, knowing it was Vin he pleasured. Groan after groan filled the stale air, some free and loud, others muffled by the cock in Will’s mouth. “Baby, your mouth feels so good.” Every phrase and sweet word chipped away at the anger inside him. They brought out the clear and pure desire in his soul, which scared the shit out of Will. Before long, the pace was taken away from him. Vin took control while he concentrated on his own body, working the shaft in his mouth and the other under his fist. Rough twisted fingers locked in Will’s hair, holding him still while thrusting hips fucked his mouth. “When I come, you come.” It was an order. The words pulled Will’s balls up tight in excitement. One, two, three, four thrusts. “Now.”
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Will’s body reacted like a trained dog to its master’s command. He swallowed even as he felt his own seed explode out of him, splashing up onto his chest and then down, covering his hand. The heated voice whispering to Will smoothing out the rough edges of his emotions. The anger gone, the resentment quiet, it was just the two of them. “You did a good job, baby. Thank you.” The nickname might have sounded insulting, but Vin’s voice was void of mockery. Will raised his head, pulling back long enough to spread the thick liquid covering his hand onto Vin’s cock, then using his tongue to clean it off again. Tasting them both on the softening flesh made him hungry, mewling with pleasure and growing arousal. He enjoyed the texture as Vin’s dick softened in his mouth. He gentled his touch on the sensitive flesh, not letting go till he was pulled back. “Enough.” Vin hissed, raising Will to his feet to remove temptation. A gentle grip raised Will’s hand. Firm lips sucked the sticky flesh gently, taking first one finger, then two inside, working every last drop of come off his flesh before releasing him. “You taste good, baby.” Their lips brushed chastely. “You do too.” The words breathed out without a thought, honest and calm. “Thank you.” After the intimacy of the last hour, Will was surprised to find himself blushing at a few softly spoken words and a pleased smile. “Why didn’t you come last night?” Vin brushed strands of hair back. “I waited.” Lips caressed Will’s uncovered ear, each word a physical touch. “I thought of you.” Every sweet word that his soul had craved felt like a pinprick. They left Will tender and open, and it was dangerous to show vulnerability in front of a predator. The cruelty of Vin’s earlier words were nothing compared to the real emotion peeking out. “No.” “I did.” Hands wrapped around the back of Will’s neck. “I thought of you.” Their hips met. “I waited for hours. I imagined wrapping my hand around this.” He took Will’s cock in hand, squeezing just this side of too hard. “Taking you to my bedroom.” They were breathing heavily, excitement building up. If Will let this continue, there would be no turning back. At least for him.
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“I was going to bend you over my bed and take out my frustration on your ass”—he leaned in closer, one hand sliding down Will’s spine—“or in it.” “No.” Vin laughed. “I don’t think that’s what you would have said.” To prove his point, one finger played along the sensitive skin, caressing the crack between the muscled cheeks of his ass. Will closed his eyes. Questing fingers slid along his puckered flesh, sending a shiver through every nerve ending in his spine. “I think you would have spread your legs and taken every inch.” The finger broke through the tight ring of muscle, entering him slowly. “No.” Small circles pressing deeper made him squirm. The erection rubbing against Will’s let him know he wasn’t the only one affected. “Baby, come home with me now.” The touch retreated, teasing, taunting like the words falling from soft lips. Will shook his head. “What, so we can talk? So you can fuck me and then tell me to get out of your house again tomorrow morning?” Vin sighed. “William, we need to talk. Come back with me now.” “Will that keep you from leaving the pack? A good shag and wolf to call your own.” “Please.” The words were hushed, enticing like a siren’s song. Too good to be true. Will couldn’t accept the shift. Any second now the robotic enforcer would return. The Big Bad Wolf would remember all the reasons William Brand wasn’t good enough. The real Vincent Mancuso would wake up and send him away. Or worse, laugh. “I have to go. Now.” Will’s voice was steady and sure. He would be the one to pull back first this time. Vin would listen as his footsteps grew more distant, never stopping. The little voice that had been quiet roared back. The out-of-control wolf he thought left behind as a teen, dead and buried, spoke through his lips. “Let go. Don’t touch me.”
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Vin pulled back like he had been slapped. The enforcer built around any soft emotions at Will’s words. Once again the invulnerable BBW stood, sucking all of the oxygen out of the garage. There was some emotion floating in his eyes, but too distant for the younger wolf to read. Not strong enough for him to smell it on Vin’s body. “Off on your date?” feeling had bled away, leaving the words bland, almost offhand. The ugly emotions left Will all at once. The satisfaction his angry teen wolf had expected every time this scene played out in his mind wasn’t there. The Vin standing in front of him, soft words coming from his lips, had been real. The Vin he imagined walking out on, leaving without a backward glance, was a shadow. The man he faced now was neither. The anger, the fear, the emotions Will felt had nothing to do with causing pain and everything to do with escaping it. “I just have somewhere I’m supposed to be.” Without the intimacy, he felt exposed on every level. Will wanted to cover himself, but scooping up his shorts and scurrying off was not the way. His boots hit the ground, leaving him bare from head to toe. He wasn’t going to be ashamed or intimidated. Will wanted Vin to look. He stopped at the back door, a whispered promise catching him in its net. “The next time you come, baby, is with my cock buried in your ass. Remember that.” Will didn’t acknowledge that the words had reached him. Grass and dirt met the soles of his two feet, then an instant later the pads of his four paws. He had escaped out the door with his pride intact, but he was running away and they both knew it. Will hit the bright afternoon sun and looked around. The family home was across the clearing, white paint blinding in the midday sun. His wolf ears caught the shuffle of feet, the voices of his brothers and other pack members inside. How many of them knew he was out here? Had they heard the moans, the screams? He took off at a run, scenting the air for anyone else in wolf form nearby. The coast was clear and the distance between the house and barn too great for human ears to have caught anything. Will wasn’t sure why he cared. So what if the pack found out? He was twenty-three, not sixteen. Would it be so scandalous? Vin and Liam seemed to think so.
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If he was going to be ready on time for the official duty date, there was only one way to burn some of the emotions churning through him off. Will needed to find a clearer mental space to face everyone’s expectations. To not fall back from the man he had become into the boy who left town angry and confused. He took off on all fours, and mile after mile slipped away below him. A distance into the run he felt the other wolf. Sensed him following behind. Even downwind and silent, Will knew. Anger wanted to grip his heart with every stride. Every moment he seemed to be watched, spied on, under surveillance, but the steady pace of the run, of the oxygen flowing in and out of his lungs, wouldn’t allow it. Vin moved closer until they found their rhythm together. The time apart disappeared as trees became a sliding blur.
* * * ** From: William Brand To: Vincent Mancuso May 12, 2009 8:02 a.m. Subject: Request for Funds I am sending a request through the proper channels for funds. If my plans pass inspection, please convey the request to my uncle. I have applied and been accepted for a summer internship in Canada. The study is on vegetation and wild flowers in the Yukon Territory. Enclosed is a list of supplies that need to be purchased and all the expenses not covered by the project’s grant. Spy Boy sends his regards and a message. It is too fucking cold in Canada for babysitting duty. He will see me back at our apartment in September. - William May 12, 2009 8:22 a.m. Re: Request for Funds
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This decision has nothing to do with that stuffy professor, does it? He is too old and too human for it to be safe to get close to him. Are you the only wolf going? You don’t even like flowers. - Vincent May 12, 2009 8:23 a.m. Re: Re: Request for Funds I want to run, Vin. Get away from all the people and their stench for a few months. From: Chase Bank To: William Brand May 12, 2009 8:25 a.m. There has been a deposit in your account of…
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Chapter Six February 14, 2005 9 a.m. “I’m coming with you.” “No you’re not.” “Yes, I am.” “You can say it as many times as you like, but you’re not coming.” Vin crossed his arms over his massive chest. The scrawny teen in front of him just put his hands on his hips, pushing his chest out in response. “Every other wolf in my class is going. Why am I being left behind?” He was determined to have an answer, though the words being said aloud would do nothing for either of them. “Tell me why you revoked my permission to go on the trip.” “I never approved the request to begin with. That idiot Brady did.” Will looked like he had been slapped in the face. “Look, the trip is for those sixteen and over. You’re not sixteen.” “Fuck that! My birthday is in two days. Being forty-eight hours too young has never stopped me from being involved before.” “Well, it is this time!” Vin took three steps closer, almost nose to nose with the younger wolf. “Let this go, William.” “I will not. If you do not change your mind, then I am going over your head.” Will’s determination never wavered. “I’ve already spoken with your uncle. We are in agreement. This year you stay home. There will be other counsel meetings.” That was what Vin thought.
February 14, 2005 9 p.m. – The Regional Pack Counsel
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“I heard you weren’t coming.” Will looked over his shoulder. A guy around eighteen or nineteen came jogging up behind him. He was white, blond, and vaguely familiar. The guy was giving him a slow once-over, sizing Will up, but not for a fight. “That was the rumor, but here I am.” Will was a little out of breath. The heart beating in his throat and sending blood down south left his almost sixteenyear-old body in horny overdrive. The other wolf’s eyes were hot and he licked his lips as they came to rest on the bulge in Will’s pants. “True that.” He smiled extending his hand. “My name is Eric. We’ve met a few times. My sister is married to the Northern Ohio pack leader.” With his name everything came rushing back. Eric was from an ally pack. His family had come to visit a handful of times. The blond teen standing in front of him was his first ever crush, back when he was ten. Back before Vin had showed up and wiped out the memory. The first time Will had seen two boys kiss was walking into a neighbor’s barn and surprising Justin and his partner sharing a chaste embrace. He no longer felt alone in his attraction to other boys after that. “I was headed out into the woods to take a break from all the politics and negotiations. Wanna come?” The words brought him back to the present. Will wanted to get to the main room, but his answer changed from no to yes an instant later. The decision had nothing to do with the open invitation in Eric’s eyes. Out of the corner of his vision, Will saw Vin head into the trees. What was happening there? Vin was walking very close to a strange man. When the man’s hand came down to cup Vin’s ass, Will sucked in a sharp breath. Why would Vin, Mr. Pack Loyalty and Duty, be walking away from the council? “Yeah, sure, let’s head that way.” He indicated a break in the trees that led to a small path. Eric nodded and took the lead, walking out front and wiggling his ass. They got a quarter mile headed north when they heard a loud moan. There was a shuffling of leaves, a zipper opening, punctuated by grunts and heavy breathing. Eric took a stealthy step forward, shifting the branch out of the way and revealing two shirtless men embracing in a small clearing.
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Will stood frozen, watching Vin’s hands grip the other man’s ass, pulling their groins together. His head was bent, his mouth tugging on the stranger’s nipple ring, making the man moan and thrust his hips. . Men have needs, but watching Vin take care of his cracked a part of Will’s soul. Eric gabbed his arm and dragged him back. They were moving away from the scene. Moving away was good; not seeing was good. Not remembering would be better. A few minutes later they came to a halt in another little clearing. Will wasn’t really seeing his surroundings yet. His mind was still back with Vin. Vin with another man. “That was hot.” Suddenly a wet mouth was on top of his. A wiggling tongue pushed into his mouth. The kiss just happened, Eric taking control of the intimacy. The other boy’s hands felt like they were all over, opening Will’s pants, ripping off his shirt, twisting his nipples. Will’s blood flow went south. He was panting and thrusting into the palm wrapped around his shaft. It happened so quickly, before he realized Eric’s intentions, he was already high on the pleasure. The mouth on his moved away, trailing down hot skin and hard muscles to close around Will’s nipple. Two fingers pressed his cooling lips and he sucked them in, moaning at the stimulation. Eric’s hands and mouth on his body were magic. Will had never sucked a cock before, but it sounded good right now. He worked the fingers in his mouth, demonstrating what he was willing to do to the other boy. He threw himself into the moment, letting it distract him from the emptiness in his chest. Orgasm would knock the thoughts out of his head, and Eric was working him toward that goal. The fingers pulled back allowing Will’s moans full rein. The last breath turned into a yelp of pain as Eric forced two wet fingers deep in his virgin ass. Will had never been penetrated and it hurt. The burning was intense and the yelp became a cry of pain as Eric thrust in and out, ignoring his screams. “It gets better. Just give it a minute.”
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Will didn’t want to give it a minute. He wanted to get away. Eric forced their mouths together, cutting off his protests, but too late. An avenging angel flew out of the trees and ripped them apart. The teen was pinned to the ground, Vin’s hand pushing down on his throat. “I think it’s time you head back to your pack.” The words were deceptively calm, but the mouth uttering them was filled with elongated and sharpened teeth. His eyes offered pain; his hand delivered it. “He can’t answer you, Vin.” Will closed his pants, hesitantly moving closer. “He can’t breathe.” A crash and the sound of crunching leaves announced the arrival of Vin’s earlier partner. Will felt his embarrassment harden into resentment. The giant was still shirtless and aroused. “What the hell, Vincent?” It took a moment for the scene to make sense to the newcomer, but the moment it did, Will watched the shit hit the fan. “Get the fuck off him!” Suddenly there were two bodies on the ground. The impressive part was Vin maintaining his position through the struggle against the larger man. The two other wolves looked up at him from their positions, backs to the ground, unable to breathe past Vin’s clawed hands. Eric was turning blue, the giant cranberry red, while Vin showing no signs of releasing his grip. Will shook himself, coming back to the reality of the moment. It looked like without interceding, his pack’s enforcer would kill, maintaining his hold until the life slid from their bodies. Walking closer to the scene was like pushing through air made solid. Will did not want to see his face, calm or bloodthirsty or anything in between. Would he be able to face Vin again if he really was a hardened killer? He knew next to nothing about what he did before joining their pack “Vin, you need to let them go.” The tension vibrating through clenched fists, straining arms, and fused back muscles invaded Will’s body at his brief touch. Just two fingers laid on Vin’s arm was enough. “Everything is okay, but you need to let go.” The words were soothing and he wanted to believe them. When there was no reaction, he leaned down further, his head coming alongside Vin’s. His chest
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pressed against Vin’s back, bringing his words closer. “It’s time to let them go, Vin. Please. For me?” At please, there was a slight release. Blood flowed back, filling cells. He felt each beat of the heart below him. Will wrapped his arms around the kneeling form. His hand came to rest directly above the beating organ. His other hand lowered, stroking and rubbing in the soothing motions he remembered being used on him for childhood stomachaches. “Vin, I need you.” Those four words brought him back. In an instant Will was wrapped in unyielding iron arms, pulled to the ground and across Vin’s lap as though he were a child recovering from a traumatic experience. Maybe what Justin had done was traumatic, but Vin’s “rescue” pushed that into the background. Where their skin met, there was a burning heat. The rest of his exposed flesh felt the chill of the night. “I got you.” Vin rocked them both, burying his head into Will’s shoulder. The sheer size and mass of the body embracing him felt like a fortress. There was no room for fear when he was so well protected. “I’m fine. Really.” The raspy voices and coughs coming from the bodies on the ground overrode their whispers. The bigger man was sitting up. His size and being denied air for a shorter period of time added to his werewolf recovery speed. The first words out of his mouth did not make a dent in Vin’s continuous litany of apologies and reassurances. “What the hell, man?” The giant only got louder at being ignored. “Dude, what the fuck? First you beat on a kid; then you nearly strangled me to death!” He turned to check on the other man’s recovery. “What the hell were you doing, kid?” After a few smacks to the back, Eric recovered enough air to respond. “Nothing.” He coughed for a solid minute, massaging the muscles of his throat. “We were getting it on when this guy came rushing in and attacked me.” Will’s ass hit the ground so fast it knocked a cry of surprise from him. Vin was up and halfway across the clearing before Will recovered enough to rush in between the stalking wolf and his injured prey. “Getting it on? You weren’t getting it on. You were forcing yourself on him!”
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“Vin, I’m all right.” Their eyes met. Will would have turned away, but calloused hands trapped his face, making it impossible to move. Closing his eyes was too cowardly an act to contemplate, which left him with nowhere to look but into the enforcers burning orbs. “He would have stopped. I was going to ask him to stop.” “Really?” There was so much doubt packed into that one word it made Will ashamed of his defense uttered to protect the boy behind him. “I’m not sure I believe that.” The giant got shakily to his feet. “Who gives a shit?” He straightened his clothes, knocking some leaves off of his elbows, legs, and ass. “It’s not like we weren’t about to do the same thing.” Will jumped into Vin’s arms to keep him from throttling his own would-be lover. “He’s sixteen!” He could feel the eyes burning into his back. At least Vin had given him the extra two days and not said fifteen. Eric didn’t know when to shut up. “So what? I’m seventeen. It’s not illegal.” The growl that bubbled up in response to that comment was unearthly. “Will, you still a baby? You need a sitter?” The words hurt. Will was tired of being seen as a child, especially in front of Vin. His eyes filled with tears, making him glad no one could see. The teen’s voice became more distant, his light footsteps disappearing into the forest. “I’m out of here.” “When you get done with the baby, if you still want to continue where we left off, come find me.” Then the giant too left them alone. Eventually the sounds of nature returned to normal around them. The forests were no longer taking notice of their motionless forms. Vin must have felt Will’s tears fall onto his bare shoulder, but he said nothing. The Big Bad Wolf, pack enforcer, let him cry himself out. “I’m not a baby, Vin.” The words slipped past quivering lips, and Will laughed. “Then again, that sounded exactly like something a baby would say.” There was no responding laughter. Just arms holding him closer.
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When their breathing had returned to normal, Vin leaned in, placing his lips against the shell of Will’s ear. “Being a baby is not such a bad thing. It just depends on whose baby you are.” The words could be taken as an insult or as an invitation, but the tone was light devoid of either. Hearing Vin, thinking about what it might be like to have those words whispered to him, drew Will’s mind away from his embarrassment. “I wouldn’t mind having you call me baby.” He pulled back, looking shyly up through his lashes. For a split second, the sexual tension that appeared in Vin’s eyes gave Will hope. Then he was standing alone, watching the back of his rescuer stride away. “Find your shirt so you can get back to the council. Your uncle will want to talk to you.”
February 9, 2011 12:15 a.m., The Black Cat Saloon It was too hot for the bulky coat, but Will didn’t have a choice. He kept it on until they were all seated in the dark corner booth. Once he had the table to hide his erection things got a little better. Unfortunately, cousin Justin sitting to his right reached down after beer number five, brushing against him. The intent was probably to show subtle interest, an invitation. What he found had him moving closer to Will on the bench. Will couldn’t help it—he had been partially erect all night and it had nothing to do with the company. Vin’s last words haunted him. “The next time you come, baby, is with my cock buried in your ass. Remember that.” Will had tried to prove him wrong. Tried in the shower until the hot water ran out. In the bedroom, before he pulled on jeans and a hoodie for the evening torture session, read date. It wasn’t even Justin’s dirty sex talk that had him fully hard now. Vin had just entered the bar, followed by another man. “Will, we’re going to dance.” Jonathan was already out of his seat, pulling Vicki along behind him. “Yeah, we’ll leave you guys alone.” She giggled, giving a wink as they departed. Justin took that as an opening to get better acquainted. Thankfully
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Jonathan and Vicki were too far away and the music too loud to listen in. The low words being whispered into Will’s ear were hard to block out, but he wanted to swat them away like flies. “I’ve never been with a man this hung.” Fingers traced his length under tight denim. “It will be a challenge taking it all in.” The fingers became more forceful, squeezing, then moving up to release the top button of his jeans. “Did you bring lube? I haven’t bottomed for a while. It’s going to take a lot to work all of this in.” Will’s eyes shut in resignation, but the words continued on. Justin was everything his cousin had said. Hot, gay, and horny as all get-out would be a good description. The guy would probably bend over for him in the alley out back. A small voice in his head urged him to go for it. To let Vin see him leave with the other man. He would walk right back in smelling like sex. Every wolf in the room and every human sober enough to notice would know. That is if the piece of tail next to him managed to get the stupid piece of meat between his legs working again. Words intruded on his thoughts. “Would you rather I fuck you?” Will’s hand left his knee, coaxed into the other man’s lap. He turned his full attention to the man beside him. Will shifted, using his back to block their actions from any bar goers interested in looking their way. He was growling, the wolf inside of him wanted to grab onto something and tear it apart. Plowing the little blond in the ass might just have to do. It was his turn to lean in and whisper. “You don’t get to fuck me.” A menacing growl built in his chest. “You get to bend over and take my cock till it splits you in two.” It was a threat. Justin was just too dumb to run away. “Shit, you are going to make me come in my jeans.” Will realized his hand was still in the other man’s lap, working him toward orgasm. He thought, really thought about making Justin lose control in the crowded bar. Force his will on the other man while Vin’s eyes burned holes in his back. He let go, disgusted with himself. He fled the table, making a beeline for the men’s room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other two men. The stranger was wrapped around Vin, holding him close. Will felt ugly inside, forced to watch
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the man he loved with someone else yet again. He stamped down on the desire to go after his rival. Things were complicated enough. The restroom door swung open violently under his hands. The beat of music was different, the bass still rocking the floor. Will went into the last and largest stall. Thankfully alone. Maybe he would just stay here, sneak out as the bar closed. The heavy door opened and closed again, followed by a scraping noise, then silence. “I know you are here, William.” He closed his eyes like a child, hoping that if he couldn’t see the monster, the monster couldn’t see him. “No one is going to interrupt us. It’s just you and me.” He stood there, back to the wall, letting the footsteps and man come closer. That knowing tone flavoring every word banished his unease. Resentment took its place. “Are you hard for me, William?” He couldn’t deny his body’s reaction. He had been painfully aroused for hours. “Are you hard for me, Vincent?” Turnabout was fair play, after all. Vincent was here with someone else and no one had ordered him to do so. “Come out and see for yourself, baby.” Will didn’t think his legs would support him if he tried to move. “Or let me show you.” Within seconds dark boots stepped between his spread feet. The sound of a zipper being lowered caught his attention. Will’s eyes opened, stopping at the sight of Vin’s twitching erection. “Does that answer your question?” Will leaned forward, unable to resist touching the taunting mouth with his own. His tongue swept Vin’s lower lip, the contact still light. His lover disappeared as the Big Bad Wolf took his place. He was up against the wall of the bar’s handicap stall, having his cock worked and holding back a scream. “One sound and I stop.” Will felt blood fill his mouth as he bit down on his lip to hold it back a whimper. The pain give him some semblance of control, but apparently that wasn’t allowed. “No, you don’t, William. Feel it.” His hands were forced down to the support bar opposite him. Body bent forward, pants around his knees, and fully exposed. “No one touches this but me.”
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“You fucking bastard, what do you care? Don’t you have a date waiting for you?” Tears trailed down Will’s cheeks. They hit the floor, mixing with less pleasant bodily fluids. “This belongs to me. Not even you, and certainly no other man, gets to touch you here without my permission. Do you understand?” The pressure went from pleasure to pain in an instant. “It is only yours as long as you are here.” Will spit out the words, tasting his own tears on his lips. “I’m here now, William.” His grip gentled slightly, moving up and down with forceful intent. “So right now you are mine.” Will nodded violently. “Yes.” “Good.” Fingers continued working his shaft. The heat radiating off Vin’s body came around, pressed to his back. “I don’t let anyone touch what belongs to me. Understood.” “Yes, sir.” Almost like a reward for the right answer, Will felt the head of Vin’s cock pushing against his sensitive entrance. Spreading and pushing ever so gently as the hand gripping him continued its motion. A soft cry slipped past his clenched teeth. “I told you, no noise or I stop.” Will was trying, but working himself all afternoon, then sitting across the room erect watching Vin let another man touch him killed any control he had left. “Fuck.” He managed the word in a whisper. “I think I’m going to come. Please, Vin.” “What was that, baby?” “Please, sir.” Again he must have hit on the right answer. Two slick fingers slid inside him. The feeling of Vin working him both in the front and behind was making him wild. Words caressed his ear. “Do you remember what I told you, William? The next time you get to come is with me buried deep inside you, and I don’t mean my fingers.” The movement of his head up and down didn’t distract him from the pressure building up inside him. “Baby, did you try to come without me?”
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Will nodded again, his frustration making the older wolf laugh. “Did it work?” His head movement changed direction, back and forth. “Good.” A Cheshire cat’s grin shouldn’t look so at home on a werewolf’s face. Will knew it boded ill. “Would you like to come for me, baby?” “Yes, yes, yes, please, sir!” Vin nosed aside the neck of his shirt to find the teeth marks only partially healed. “Shhh, don’t worry.” The pain of the wounds reopening brought Will closer to orgasm while putting his body further under his lover’s control. He knew his body wouldn’t be able to finish until he was given permission. The realization pried a roar of frustration out of Will’s laboring chest. The BBW stepped back, leaving his shuddering, half-dressed form devoid of touch. “Come to the cabin when you are ready. I will be waiting.” They were making a habit of walking away from each other. It was ten minutes before Will could pick himself up and get back to the booth. He half expected Justin to be off somewhere else by now, but three heads were whispering furiously at the table. “Am I interrupting?” Vicki looked up, giving off nervous energy while Jonathan and Justin just looked concerned. He was like a three-eyed fish being held out of water and studied by curious children. It was getting uncomfortable. “Is there something wrong?” The three wolves exchanged glances, back and forth, like playing hot-potato. Will’s own tension fed into the emotions swirling around the booth. Finally Justin cracked. “I know Vincent Mancuso. Or rather I know of him.” Emotions churned in his chest, turning to ice. “So? That doesn’t seem earth shattering.” “Will, maybe you should listen,” Jonathan broke in, earning him a glare. The veiled comments, the insinuation that there was something wrong was not helping his frayed nerves. “I don’t know what you’re getting at.” Will was tired and aroused, and if there was something to say, they needed to tell him now before his brain exploded.
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If it was a bunch of bullshit, they could get that off their chests too, and then he would drive them into the woods and kick their asses for insulting Vin. “If there’s something you’d like to make me aware of, some important detail you feel I lack, spit it out now.” The flickering eyes and small gestures back and forth ramped up his anger to the next level. Jonathan started, only to be cut off. “There have been rumors…” “They are not rumors. I have seen him at the clubs myself. I doubt the other stories are rumors either. He survived as a rogue for four years. Do you really think he could manage that without leaving some bodies behind?” Jonathan was getting worked up now. “Do you think our father would have let a killer join our pack?” Justin was smart enough not to touch that one. “Fine, but I have seen him at some of the clubs down in the city. They call him the enforcer and I am not talking wolf titles here. Likes to order his lovers around and shit like that. He is into some hard core stuff.” Vicki’s eyes widened a little, looking at Will for a second before looking thoughtfully away. “I don’t care what Vin does in his sex life.” His brother looked ready to jump over the table. Vicki grabbed him back. “Justin didn’t mean to get everyone upset. So we will just head home and call it a night.” Her cousin shook his head. “No, this is important, and Will needs to hear it.” The eyes that focused on his were sincere and concerned. “Do you think other packs will respect a leader that has been seen wearing a collar and leash? That could be a puppet for a wolf they fear ever coming to power? I am not saying this to be an asshole, but being gay is different than a leader being submissive to another male in their pack. And everyone knows the enforcer is a sexual dominant. “Will,” Jonathan started. “No,” his brother stopped. “Justin, you have been honest, and I appreciate that. The leader of a pack should have some privacy, but that does not stop the
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gossip.” He was numb to the news, but that would wear off. “I think we should call it a night.” “Of course. I wanted to get an early start tomorrow anyway.” Justin tried for a cheery smile, but it was an awkward moment. Will came unstuck from the floor when the other three moved past him. They reached the door and he tossed his keys to Jonathan. “I think I’ll walk.” Dark flooring, cement, gravel, then dirt and leaves passed under his feet. The lights from the bar were still visible but his wolf called. Will shifted, clothes and all, tearing anything that didn’t come off on its own to little pieces. A long, graceful, gray wolf parted bushes, jumped logs, and crossed the stream, making no effort to avoid the mud and muck. He wanted to go after Vin, to forget he had ever heard anything that might justify his lover leaving him. He sensed it every time, sensed the satisfaction his lover received from his obedience. Using that word even in his own mind caused an involuntary cringe. There was nothing wrong with being a werewolf, but a part of his mind felt that following another’s orders made him no more than a welltrained dog. Was that what Vin wanted?
**** From: William Brand To: Vincent Mancuso October 21, 2009
8:15 p.m.
Subject: Dogs on Parade As a person who is part wolf, do you find dog shows demeaning? - Will Re: Dogs on Parade If this is all you have to occupy your time, we need to find you some more and harder classes.
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I think the poodle is going to win. They always pick the poodle. - Vincent **** February 14, 2006 Liam’s Office, 8:15 a.m. “I want to stay closer to the pack.” “William.” His uncle was cut off. “You are going to be applying to the three schools out west.” Will’s eyes narrowed. “Since when is it the pack enforcer’s job to decide where someone goes to college?” Liam interjected, his voice calm and measured. “We are just talking applications here, Will. There are a number of packs from the west coast sending emissaries here. Requesting to join us or invite pack members to meet at some of the national events. Why do you think your cousin Brady is in school down in Georgia?” “To get rid of him because he is annoying?” Vin was not amused. “You will be on a plane in five days. The appointments at the schools have all been made. Your teachers have prepared all of your class work. Every pack anticipates your presence for one week each.” “This is crazy. Send someone.” The BBW lost his patience. “I will drag you onto that plane myself and send a babysitter. Liam, your mate was looking for a little R&R.” The enforcer played dirty. “You win, Vincent. I’m going.”
February 10, 2011 Liam’s Home Office, 4:47 p.m. “Did Vin kill someone?” The door to Liam’s office flew back with the force of Will’s entry. The questions Justin had raised hovered in his orbit till he couldn’t
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take it any more. Vin’s sexuality was between the two of them, but the other rumors Liam could address. Jonathan had to be right. Their father would not allow some vile murderer to join them, to be in charge of classes for the younger wolves. He couldn’t ask his father, but if there were skeletons in the closet, Liam would know. After the initial startled jump, his uncle was back to being the good-humored politician, a wide smile firmly in place. “What can I do for you, William?” The words were calm, as though his question was expected. Enough people had seen the activity at the bar. The conversation afterward could have been overheard. Hens had nothing on wolves in the gossip department. “You can tell me if the leadership of the pack knew Vin to be a murderer when they granted him entry ten years ago.” The dark green paint on the walls was making the room claustrophobic. How could anyone work in a room that pressed in at every turn? Will quieted his mind, forcing his concentration to stay on the issue it wanted to avoid, deny. “We were aware of the violence that Vin had turned on him as well as the violence he was capable of in return.” His throat fought to keep the words in. “Why? Why did Dad say yes?” Sadness swamped his uncle, and for the first time Liam opened up enough for real emotion to be read on his face. “Your father wanted to make the pack secure. So entrenched that if some wolf did get the idea to come in and challenge for control or was stupid enough to try and fight for possession of this land, we would not be vulnerable. Vin’s reputation alone helped secure that.” “Did Vin kill before coming to the pack?” It was a simple enough question. Yes or no. “I’m sorry, but if the answer is something you want or need, you will have to ask him yourself.” The open air was calling his name. Away from the bad paint job and the sympathy from a notoriously distant Liam. “His leaving will weaken our position, won’t it?”
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The older wolf shook his head. “There are more things to consider than that.” That seemed to be the only answer anyone was willing to give him, that things were complicated. Will left without another word.
**** February 14, 2007 Pack Lodge, 9:37 p.m. Will watched the third woman in a row walk over to the makeshift bar in an attempt to snag Vin’s attention. Heck, two of the three had gone on to see if he was interested. Sometimes women just didn’t seem to get it. The redhead got shot down with a firm word. They had fought. Again. Vin wanted him gone. Away at school. Will had accepted a scholarship to the university less than an hour away. Liam’s compromise, he had to live on campus. After the “meeting” they walked through the office door and the silent treatment started. It was hard to gauge exactly how mad Vin was, but Will was not leaving the pack. They couldn’t force him away. So hours later Will found himself up on the balcony with a pilfered bottle of vodka, watching Vin escort some hot blond guy out the door and into the night. Liam’s hot-tub party was off-limits to anyone still in high school and their likely destination. The stranger in nothing but swim trunks, or fuck, maybe nothing at all, sitting close in the hot water. The burning poker in his chest was nothing compared to the sick feeling he got from not knowing. There were men. Here and there. No one consistent. No one lasted long or got taken back to Vin’s place. Still, if he was gone completely, he might miss the one who managed to get close before it was too late. There was a list of ways he could step in if he knew. Or maybe that was as delusional as the soul-deep hope that Vin was waiting for him.
February 11, 2011, 3:12 a.m.
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The door was unlocked and the light on. It was a bad idea to enter anyone’s house unannounced and uninvited, but the Big Bad Wolf lived here. The decision not to wait until morning might bite him in the ass or result in loss of life and limb. Said scary wolf was asleep on the couch, not crouched and ready to attack. Will’s heart gave a flip, nerves rattling when the tiny hopeful voice in his head whispered, He was waiting for you to come. The door hinge gave a last-moment squeak. Betraying his presence. The opportunity to just watch Vin sleep was gone. It would have given him more time to think, but the decision was made. He had entered the beast’s den. There was no retreat. “Why are you here, William?” Vin’s eyes remained closed, body relaxed. “Your ability to see everything is annoying, Vincent.” The heat of the fire playing across bare skin drew him farther into the room. “So I’ve been told. Answer the question.” The order raised the hackles of the wolf inside him but forced the man to take a step and acknowledge his decision. “I didn’t move two thousand miles to fight with you, Vin. I am not here to fight with you now.” His eyes were open, taunting. “Then why did you move? Did someone ask you to come back?” It was too much. Will wasn’t on a leash yet. “I hadn’t realized I needed an invitation to return to my home and the pack I will someday lead.” Vin bowed his head. “You are right. This will be your pack. You will lead it.” The sigh was soul deep. His eyes followed Will as he moved to the side of the couch and knelt. “I will lead the pack, but right now, you are here and I belong to you. So lead and I’ll follow.” Please don’t send me away, he added silently. Strong fingers traced his cheek. “Baby, this is a bad idea. I know what I said, but…” Their eyes met and the words dried up. The blanket slid down, revealing Vin’s bare chest, pooling around the growing erection. Sitting up, one leg on either side of Will, left him looking up at a face still soft with sleep and emotion.
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“This is what you want, baby?” One hand reached down to lift the fabric from his lap; the other went to the back of Will’s head. “Because if you are leaving, you better do it now.” Man and wolf settled under the large hand. “This is what I want. I’m not going anywhere, sir.” Eyes hot, Vin shifted, controlled tension drawing lines across flesh, Bruce Wayne to Batman. He could see how the enforcer was a fitting name in the bedroom. He was handing himself over to that, body shivering with excitement. “Do you know what a safe word is, baby?” Every word was serious, but there was an underlying hesitation. “Yes, if it gets to be too much, I say the word and things stop, sir.” Rage replaced desire in the wolf eyes watching him. “Has someone given you a safe word to use?” His hair was wrapped tight in Vin’s fist, raising him higher on his knees. “No, sir.” The pull brought nerves to life, shortening his breath with excitement. “I Googled it.” A bark of laughter escaped the previously snarling mouth. “Well, then, baby. We will need to give you one, won’t we?” “Yes, sir.” His eyes dropped, falling to the cock swollen before him. “I feel a little tense. I will let you help me relax, William.” His hair no longer forced him up and away from the other wolf’s body. The hand brought him down to the cock leisurely being stroked. “Hands behind your back, baby.” Will followed the order, mouth watering. He wanted to taste Vin’s flesh, to give him pleasure. He tried to move forward, to take the thick shaft into his mouth, but his lover had other ideas. The grip leading his panting mouth controlled his head. He was held back, the tip rubbing just across his wet lips. The salty taste of come teased the tip of his tongue. The soft touch, gentle bathing, earned a groan from Vin. He swept the head of the swollen cock excitedly, working every drop of pre-come he could from the slit. Will fought pulling against the hold on his hair to take the head all the way into his mouth. Wanting every inch deep, buried in his throat. He loved having Vin
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shoved inside him, struggling around the length and width of the shaft, spread and penetrated till he felt come spilled inside him. Always before, oral had been about the speed, the excitement of the moment, sucking harder and faster to give pleasure. He fought for that now, but the iron control over emotions and the physical left no choice but to move as the enforcer wanted. Hands locked behind his back gave Vin further control over his movements. The enforced pace left him begging. Humming, swallowing, moaning around the cock that finally worked itself to the back of his throat. He was choking for air and begging for more at the same time. Vin’s groan grew into a howl. Holding Will’s head and moving him at the pace and angle he wanted. Swallowing, sucking, building pressure around every inch fed into his mouth, every thrust giving pleasure. Then he was pulled back. Vin’s hand replaced his mouth. A cry tore from Will’s chest as he watched come shoot out of the wet flesh. Line after line. Every drop that should have belonged to him. With past lovers he wouldn’t have cared, but this was his mate. “Vin, sir!” Blue eyes were hard when he looked up. “Did you want me to finish in your mouth, William?” The cold words left him feeling ashamed. “Yes, sir. I wanted to taste you in my mouth.” Even now he wanted to lean forward and lick away the evidence of Vin’s orgasm. Clean it off the hard stomach and shaft. “I waited for you, William. I sent a note, ordering you here. You didn’t obey, so why should I reward you with my come?” He had no answer. He was being punished? “Not punished, baby. Just not rewarded.” His thought had slipped out and Vin had answered. Will even understood what the words meant. It did feel like a reward to swallow every drop. Proof he had pleasured his mate. When that had been denied, he felt punished. He had made Vin wait. He had wasted time, and there was no telling how much of that he had before his lover left.
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Why had punishment come to mind? Would it make him feel better to be punished for not listening? “I am sorry, sir. Sorry I made you wait for me.” The Big Bad Wolf cocked his head, considering the words and tone like clues to a puzzle. “Would you like to make it up to me?” Will nodded, relieved that Vin seemed to read feelings that he was too embarrassed or confused to verbalize. “Do you want to be punished, baby?” Again he nodded. Justin’s words from the other night came to mind. Would punishment be a dog collar? What did hard core mean with Vin? He was interrupted before he could get caught up in second-guessing his decision. “Was there something else you wanted to ask for, baby?” He realized Vin was watching his gaze locked on the sticky release covering hard muscles. “Please, sir. May I clean you?” As he moved forward to kiss his swollen lips, the answer whispered out. “You haven’t earned that yet baby, but”—another gentle kiss—“if you please me, I will allow you to suck me off first thing when we wake up tomorrow.” Their mouths locked, his tongue pushing against his lover’s. Vin pulled back first, and Will controlled the instinct to follow. To demand more contact. “Good, baby.” A sharp tug took care of his t-shirt. Another lowered his sweat pants, revealing his painful, red, and chafed penis. “Oh, my poor baby. That looks painful. But I am very pleased. You haven’t come without me, have you?” His head shook. “Couldn’t.” The firm grasp wrapping his cock was agony. “Please, sir. It hurts.” The hand remained, firm and unmoving. “Hands behind your back.” Swollen testicles drew the other hand. “I think you might need to be taken care of before I punish you.” A single stroke elicited a scream, cut off as he clenched his teeth, forcing it back. If it pleased Vin to touch him, he would survive. “William, stand up.” He did as instructed, stepping out of his pants and shoes, naked and exposed. “In my bedroom you will find a bottle of lube and a
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dildo. There is also a cock ring, but seeing how sore you are, we’ll save that for another day.” Vin was slowly stroking his erection that had never gone down after his last orgasm. “I will be there in a few minutes and I expect you to have prepared yourself. Your ass ready to take me, baby.” Will nodded and hurried to the bedroom. He had never been responsible for preparing himself before, but he muddled through. He also spread a thick layer of lube on the dildo. If Vin wanted to use it, it was ready. Now how and where to position himself? He was still debating when the door opened and a bottle of water flew at him. “Drink it all.” Following the order was easy. He hadn’t realized how dehydrated he was feeling. Vin sat on the edge of the bed and patted his hard thighs. “Come here, baby.” Here was across his lap, ass in the air. “This is going to hurt. You may brace your hands on the ground.” The first smack on his ass startled him, but what had he expected? “Your safe word is my name. Call out Vincent and I stop. Otherwise I expect you to call me sir in the bedroom. Now count the strokes.” He nodded his understanding. “One, two, three…” It stopped at twenty-five, and he felt his muscles relax. His ass burned under the rubbing hand. The firm touch was removed, and before he realized what was happening, his body gave way to the firm push of the dildo. He had shouted before. Now he howled. This time Vin did the counting. “One, two, three.” At twenty-five the thrusting stopped and he could not hold in the growl of frustration. “Count again.” And the process repeated itself. By the time the dildo left his body, he was begging. Begging to have Vin inside him so he would be allowed to come. “Count for me one more time, baby, and I will let you ride my cock. Once I am inside you, you have permission to come.” A seeming eternity later he called out “Twenty-five.” It was a broken scream, leaving him panting and exhausted. He had a few moments to catch his breath before he was pulled onto the bed. Vin lazily lay back, hands behind his head. “Straddle my hips, baby.” Will didn’t need to be asked twice. The angle was intense, making the stretch and the
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burning heat of his red ass work together, magnifying every sensation. As wet as he was, he still had to push to take the full length. He set the pace, slow at first, then desperate, his body careening toward the finish line. Everything seemed to hurt, but it didn’t matter. A final thrust had him releasing onto his lover’s chest and then screaming, the intensity rolling his eyes back. Their bodies reversed. The BBW wasn’t waiting any longer, pressing Will’s thighs to his chest and rising above him, every thrust wild and supernatural in speed and force. He definitely passed out from pleasure, pushed beyond orgasm by Vin’s pounding cock. He would have fallen asleep, legs wrapped around his lover’s hips, pressed down into the soft mattress, but the enforcer wasn’t done with him. “No, you don’t, baby. You made a mess; you clean it up.” The BBW slipped out of his body, moving back, then lifting him up, carried like a child. They slid into the shower stall, Vin washing every inch of his lover’s body before allowing Will to do the same for him. He was sleepwalking to crawl into bed. Wrapped in warm arms, pressed against a hard chest, he want to sleep happy and half hard.
Vin’s Bedroom, 10:45 a.m. He woke up to an erect cock pressed against his lips, the slit wet with precome, the salty sweetness on his tongue as Vin pushed into his half-open mouth. Hands on the headboard, knees wide, dick hard, and hips thrusting as he struggled to take the width and length in this position. “Suck the come out of my cock, puppy, and I will let you sit at the table for breakfast.” The words were teasing, warming, making Will more determined to please. He wanted to swallow every drop, feel the pulsing cock shoot across his tongue. His morning wood strained painfully under the sheets; the taste of his mate had him close to orgasm without a single touch. “Yes, baby, ugh, oh, your mouth feels so good.” Thrusts became vicious, fucking his mouth hard and fast. Seconds before his body was ready to protest, unable to breathe and gagging, release gripped Vin and air seemed secondary to
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the need to suck harder, to swallow more, and ride out the desperate moans. He wanted to follow the cock as it pulled back, as the BBW pulled away. Vin left the bed, moving to the nearby chair. He left Will’s body so aroused he was squirming, energy needing to go somewhere. He had not been ordered to get up, and he did not have permission to touch himself, leaving very few options, only one he could think of. “Please, sir.” The enforcer’s face was stern, but the eyes gave away the desire inside. “You have permission to touch yourself, baby. Let me see you come.” The action took all of three strokes. Finishing, he shot his load up onto his stomach, the last trailing down his shaft and hand. “You need to get cleaned up.” Will started to get up, but a hand on his chest kept him down. A rough tongue went to work on first one nipple, then the other, working down, cleaning his orgasm away. When the dark head was even with his cock, his body tightened. The Big Bad Wolf ran his mouth up and down Will’s length, teasing the head, taking his balls in one at a time to clean them, the full lips soft, making him crazy. Touching, touching, but never taking him all the way in. The torture was making him crazy. One final kiss to the tip and he was deemed clean. Vin moved up to gently brush their lips together. “Take a shower and meet me in the kitchen.” **** The smell of fresh-baked muffins, orange juice, and coffee drew him into the kitchen. Will licked his lips, sliding down into the chair he thought of as his. “Spy Boy paid the UPS man to deliver your weekly package while I was in class.” A muffin bit the dust in two bites. “I swear the man knocked on every door on his way to the apartment too. I would come home Wednesday, and there would be neighbors everywhere.” Vin gave a noncommittal grunt. “I hope Kevin enjoyed then. Makes up for you constantly calling him a spy.” “Wasn’t he?” Orange juice washed down muffin number four as he moved on to the scones. “Actually he is my cousin.”
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Will choked. Sputtering, coughing, wheezing, till he got his breath back. “Oh…” A massive plate of bacon and eggs took its place at the table as they finished the meal in silence. That one sentence was more than Vin had ever told him about his family. He used to ask when he was a kid. There was still the pack betting pool on where the BBW was from, why they kicked him out of their pack. The answers when Will asked were certainly not true. “They are Eskimos, and the igloo was overcrowded.” “I grew up in Mexico.” “You don’t speak Spanish.” “I know. That is why they kicked me out.” “After I was abducted by aliens, they were scared to have me around in case the green men decided to return for me again.” They went on. Too many to remember, none of them true and none of them encouraging further questions. “I’ll head back to the main house as soon as I am dressed.” He started to clear the table. When he reached for Vin’s plate, the look in the blue eyes meeting his halted all motion. “Stay. I would like you to stay here with me today.” They were the words he longed to hear, and he didn’t trust them for a second. “And what about tomorrow? The day after that? What then, Vin?” If a few days was all he was going to get, then he would just have to accept that, but waiting for the ax to fall and his lover to leave might just drive him crazy. Silence between them was usually calm, occasionally angry, but this level of discomfort was new. The dishes left the table, Vin making his escape to the sink. “Stay tomorrow as well.” “What about Uncle Liam?” He was pushing, testing the ground under his feet.
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“What about him? He has no real say in what I choose.” Words slipped from Will. “And what do you choose?” The magnetic pull always present drew them face-to-face. “I choose to be here with you.” Easily said, hard to believe. Not that he doubted Vin’s desire for him. The evidence tented the flannel pajama pants, triggering his own physical response. He had two choices, stay or leave. Walk out the door now or wait to be pushed out. There was no decision. Will stepped forward, touching full lips to Vin’s grim mouth. Then he dropped to his knees, lowered the fabric separating them, and slid his mouth down the erect cock. **** February 13, 2009 Subject: V-Day I sent you something to brighten up your cabin with. Should be delivered tomorrow. - Will Re: V-Day William, I look forward to it. Since you go through more groceries then a sumo wrestler, I sent you a little something too. Enjoy. -Vincent **** February 14, 2009 Vincent’s Cabin, 2:27 p.m. “Hang on a sec.” Vin opened the door, coming eye to eye with dozens of flowers. Roses, lilacs, lilies, hyacinths, and just about every overgrowing thing that set off his allergies.
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Behind the massive arrangement was a petite woman with a clipboard under one arm. “I have a delivery for Mr. Vincent Mancuso from William Brand.” He didn’t want to send the woman running, but the words rolled out on a growl anyway. “That would be me.” “Sign here.” Her smile was genuine and warm. “I just love when men send each other flowers. Stereotypes are wrong. Everyone likes flowers.” The door shut firmly in her face.
William’s Apartment, 3:42 p.m. “Delivery for you at the door, Will.” His ears perked up. What would Vin send him? When he hit the living room, he had to reassess. This couldn’t be Vin. Who would send him ten somethings? Spy Boy looked up from the candy he was already enjoying out of one of the baskets. “Someone knows you like mangoes. Every one of these is either mangoflavored food, mangoes, or all that fruited body scented shit. Figured you wouldn’t mind if I grabbed some.” He indicated the open bag in his lap. “Sir, can you sign for all this? Your secret admirer went all out. This is the largest delivery I have ever done all to the same person.” “Ooooh! Will has a secret admirer.” The singsong tone grated on the nerves. “Yep, one who knows I am allergic to mangoes.” Vin was evil.
February 12, 2011 Vin’s Cabin It was odd to have an ordinary day around the cabin with the BBW. Like waiting to be jumped by a stalking predator. There was always the feeling, lifting the hairs on the back of his neck, that something was coming. Vin didn’t boot his ass to the door and didn’t talk about leaving. For now that was enough. They made love, fucked, screwed, depending on Vin’s mood. It got to the point where Will just prepared himself every few hours. He was ordered to remain naked, which made simple actions an unintentional invitation.
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Bending to pick up the paper led to being on his hands and knees, a thick cock plowing into him from behind. Making the bed got it unmade. Every touch between them gentle, until tears slid down Will’s cheeks. Each was kissed away by soft lips and murmured words. They lay in bed silently just before the clock struck midnight and the dread returned. How much longer would Vin stay? How much longer would he be welcome in this cabin?
**** February 13, 2010 Subject: V-Day William, I understand you will be stuck in your study group meeting all afternoon tomorrow. Good luck with the test Thursday. -Vincent Re: V-Day Vincent, You sound tense. They are my grades after all, so don't stress. I hear a massage can be a very relaxing release or maybe try some yoga. - Will **** February 14, 2010 Vin’s Cabin “Hello, I am here for your in-home massage. Happy ending included.” The blond woman smiled up at him, shivering in a skimpy red outfit.
Will’s Calculus Study Group: Lecture Hall 1
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A deep voice boomed across the hall, “I am here with a very important package for William Brand.” Will looked up at the man who was not a real UPS/USPS/FedEx employee unless they had started recruiting male models. “This is Will!” the traitorous girl next to him said, pointing. “Where’s the package?” The following delivery involved a boom box, the removal of clothing, and a ripped man named Mitch. The package was wrapped in a red leather thong.
February 13, 2011 Main House, 3 p.m. There was an odd sense of deja vu as he sat in the family kitchen eating cookies that his mom pretended to make, while in reality Vin was standing a few feet away rolling out dough. Periodic calls came from every corner of the house when a timer went off. “Is that the snickerdoodles?” “You said chocolate chips were next. Is that them?” It was the one day a year that everyone stayed home, not straying more than a hundred yards from the house. Liam closed the door to official business and called it the cookie holiday that could not be interrupted for anything less than the Apocalypse. “Why are you still doing this?” Vin just shrugged, beating dough. Will wasn’t ready to let it go at that. “No, I am serious. Why?” “It is a pack tradition.” Was it that simple? The tradition being upheld? “Yes, but traditionally it is done by the pack leader’s mate.” Again the response was a shrug. He was getting ready to jump his lover and perhaps tickle him into a more forthcoming mood, but it wasn’t necessary. “In theory, that would leave it to Liam’s mate, and he can’t bake for shit.” “Or Mom,” Will added.
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“Yes, or your mother.” Flour poured into the measuring cup for yet another batch of cookies. “I walked in here the year your father died and found her crying into a bowl of dough.” The soft words touched the old pain he wanted to hide from when he remembered those days directly after. “I also learned a lesson that day. Never take a task away from a woman and do a better job, or the work becomes yours for life.” They shared a smile. “I could have warned you about that one. When I was ten, Mom decided I wield a mean vacuum. Job was locked in as mine three times a week, more if there was a lot of shedding.” A batch of cookies went in the oven without a timer being set. “Vin, you forgot…” Will was cut off by a quietly insistent warning. “Do you want to get some pecan sandies or not?” He shut up and watched the clock, keeping track of the time, cold glass of milk at the ready. His favorite cookies in the oven.
**** January 16, 2011 Subject: Travel Plans I’m fine. No need to send in reinforcements on the Watch William front. I gave notice on the apartment lease. I will let you know when I am arriving. - Will Re: Travel Plans William Drive safe. I will expect a daily report while you are on the road. - Vincent
****
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February 14, 2011 Vin’s Cabin, 7:15 a.m. “Stop wiggling.” “Your dick keeps poking me in the ass.” Vin grunted. The angle of their hips adjusted, Will’s muscles relaxed into the push, parting to accept the wide shaft. “Better?” Will grunted this time. Rocking back, he whimpered, working Vin’s cock with growing excitement. “Yes, sir. Much better.” The response was a chuckle. “Well, aren’t we a little slut? First you suck my cock like a pro, and here you are begging for more attention.” Being called a slut was new. Arousal and pleasure beat down any thoughts about how he “should” be feeling, “should” be thinking. It might’ve been his own desire or the waves of pleasure and satisfaction rolling off Vin, but either way he felt like a slut and he wanted more. His hand reached down between his legs, working the painfully hard erection. He was sore after four orgasms the night before. “I haven’t given you permission to touch yourself, William.” Shit. He pulled his hand back. “Yes, sir.” Will felt the smile pressed to his shoulder. Vin’s motions were slow, sensual. Making love was making him crazy. By the time his lover’s hand wrapped around his swollen flesh, he was begging, wanting more. “I am going to fill this sweet ass of yours, and only then are you allowed to orgasm. Do you understand?” “Yes, please. Ummm, can’t hold it much longer. Please, sir.” And just like that, it went from making love to fucking, and Will screamed his pleasure. Vin stayed buried inside him after they were finished. The intimacy of the moment lured the words to his lips, the silence broken by his soft words. “Don’t leave me, Vin.” The Big Bad Wolf was off the bed, the enforcer armor hard and vicious, wrapping around him. “Fuck you, fuck you, William! Do you think I want to
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leave?” Rage was too mild a word for the emotion filling the room. “This is my home, you bastard! And I am being forced to leave it.” Will was on his feet, too angry to be afraid. “Who is making you? Who says you have to leave? That we can’t be together?” “You really are an idiot, baby. You haven’t put it together yet?” The words roared in his ears. “The other packs will not accept me as the leader here. They are afraid that without someone else in power, I will decide to expand, threaten the peace for revenge on the packs that hurt me when I was a rogue. They won’t let me be with you. How would it look to them? A pack leader doesn’t have a master.” His face was wrapped in warm hands, blue eyes flames of pain burning into him. “And I am your master. You said it yourself—you want to please me. You want to serve me. And I want that too.” “You were sent off to school to secure our diplomatic interests as a pack. I am here to provide the muscle that backs you up. We cannot be any closer than that, William. If we are, we put everyone in danger.” “But Vin…” The words escaped him. “I am going for a run.” He turned his back, striding toward the door. “Don’t follow me, and don’t be here when I return.
Pack Lodge, 2:00 p.m.
The room cleared out, but curious ears were likely pressed to the doors. The calling of an emergency closed-door session was rare, unheard of, actually. The only member of the council not present was Vin. The wolves listened in silence as Will made his case before them. Liam was the first to answer, “Aye,” followed by four more wolves voting in the positive. William left the hall, walking past members of the pack and the visitors there for the party. For the first time in ten years, he was excited to be going,
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listening to bad music, eating the food, and feeling like a nervous kid without a date to the dance. None of that mattered. He just needed to find Vin.
Pack Lodge, 9:33 p.m.
The place was packed. Will couldn’t make it across the room to his mother’s side if he tried. She was smiling and happy, putting his mind at ease. His brothers were dancing, flirting, their bodies here there and everywhere as they did their hosting duties. Introducing singles, running to every side of the room. He should be helping, but only one wolf could inspire him to leave the pillar he was holding up on one side of the room. A thick arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back against steely muscles. The Big Bad Wolf carried the smell of chocolate and molasses into the room. Not surprising after all the last-minute baking, but the public display of affection was shocking. They drew a lot of attention with the relatively innocent touches, enough to have blood rushing to Will’s cheeks. His face heated, his pants got tight, from just a one-armed squeeze. “Wanna dance?” A slower song was drawing couples to the floor. No one was paying much attention to who had partnered whom, but they would not be the average couple. Will was not going to miss the opportunity to be held. “Yes, sir.” Heat filled his lover’s eyes as he was towed onto the makeshift dance floor. Vin brought their bodies together. Long and lean, the BBW stood tall beneath the social magnifying glass pointed at them. It didn’t matter. Lips brushed his forehead, which lay resting on one broad shoulder. “I think it is time we hit the road.” Their hips met, letting him feel Vin’s straining cock. He wanted to get back home and relieve his lover, offer his mouth, swallowing down his master’s release. Vin was his master. When the word had slipped into their earlier conversation, Will realized how well the word fit his feelings. He wanted to call it out more than sir. He wanted to say, “Yes, master.”
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Home had become Vin’s cabin. They were mates and Will was not letting go. If the BBW was leaving the dance, he was too. The gossip vultures and curious pack members were hovering, waiting to catch Will alone. The relationship between them might affect the pack, but tonight was not about anything beyond him and his mate. They were leaving, and Will refused to let anything stand in his way. There were things he needed to tell Vin, to tell the man he loved. He had made his decision. Now it just remained to see if the enforcer felt it was good news or bad. They walked the two miles to Vin’s cabin in silence. The night was chilly enough that the indoor warmth beckoned him to hurry up the steps. “Will.” A touch on his hand stopped him just outside the door. “I know that there is a lot you don’t know yet, that we haven’t talked about, but”—the BBW drew in a deep breath—“if you walk through that door, I am not letting you back out.” The full moon offered Vin’s face an eerie cast. Every inch hard of muscle was clenched, held tightly. Will wondered if his master feared losing control. “Does that also mean you won’t leave?” Fear gripped him. “Yes.” Will nodded his understanding. The answer reached his ears, but he was still in a bubble of unreality. If this was a dream he didn't want to rush forward, do anything that might make this Vin disappear. “Did you kill before you came here?” The look of determination hardened already granite features. “Yes. I did it only to protect myself. It is part of the reason your father took me into the pack. He wanted someone willing to take whatever steps necessary. He wanted you to lead peacefully but have an arsenal.” “You are my weapon, huh?” Vin’s smile was tight. A wolfish baring of teeth. “Yes. The threat they needed to consider when dealing with the pack. I swear I will answer any questions you have, but I cannot wait any longer. You need to decide. Are you coming inside with me or not?” Will was still in a bubble of unreality. It was a dream and if he hurried forward, it might disappear. Words were falling from his lips. “I’m allergic to mangoes.”
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Vin released a bark of laughter. “I know.” “I gave up being the leader of the pack. The job goes to Jonathan to be next in line.” Vin just smiled, his muscles visibly relaxing. “I heard.” “I am more then willing to be tied to the bed. Actually I am hoping that is in the plans for tonight.” “You better be willing, and only if you ask nicely.” If he didn’t ask now, he might never get up the nerve again. “Oh, and one last thing. Not all the time, but at some point, I get to fuck you.” Will opened the door and was already across the threshold when he got his reply. “We’ll talk about it.” Vin’s arms were around him, and when their lips met, words ceased to matter. THE END Visit www.ravenousromance.com for more great stories by these and other authors!
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About the Authors Trinity Blacio has been writing professionally for eight years for Freya’s Bower and Ravenous Romance, where her Running in Fear werewolf ménage series has become an instant best-seller. One of Trinity’s strongest beliefs is that no matter how small or big an author is, everyone should always help one another in publishing. With this idea in mind, she has created a place where authors, editors, publishers, and anyone in the publishing business can come together to help one another: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/publishingtrove/
She also works a full-time job outside the home. She has two children, Cheyenne and Rudy. When Trinity has time, you can find her reading all sorts of romance novels. But as you have probably figured out, her favorites are dark fantasy, erotic romance, ménage, and erotic horror. You can find her on Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo!, and of course, at her website: http://trinityblacio.com Kate Early loves to tell a spicy story, and what could be spicier than two men together? The paranormal has also been a subject of interest. Her middle school term paper was on the role vampires play in film and literature. Inspiration is everywhere, and she is always working on something new. Readers can find out more at http://kateearly.com. Azura Ice writes several subgenres of erotic romance, which includes, but is not limited to het, ménage, M/M, and can be set in contemporary times or even in a faraway world or another dimension. Azura’s muse leads her by the hand, and her fingers do the light-speed typing. Who is Azura Ice? She’s a full-time author who is owned by two crazy felines of tabby descent (although they swear they’re of Egyptian lineage). Azura writes in an attic study that overlooks a beautiful valley, and enjoys her husband’s company when he’s permitted to enter her domain. However, if he brings offerings of coffee and an occasional chocolaty treat, she’s inclined to let him in her office more often.
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Azura takes her writing seriously, so she doesn’t hang out on group loops (she tries to avoid shiny-object syndrome), but if you’d like to contact her, interview her, etc., you can reach her at
[email protected], visit her humble website at http://ablueice.wordpress.com, or you can chat with her through Twitter www.Twitter.com/Azura_Ice and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/azura.ice.