LUST UNDONE by Desiree Holt

LUST UNDONE by Desiree Holt

Night Seekers Series - Book Three

Returning to her home state of Maine to investigate a possible Chupacabra killing, Sophia Black meets Clint Beaudine, lean, dark and sexy. The heat between them is incendiary, the sex erotic and the pleasure beyond her imagination. Clint fulfills all her fantasies and teaches her ways to please him. The Maine air might be cold but in Sophia’s motel room it’s beyond boiling.

Clint helps her with her case, using his knowledge of the area in which he grew up. As they learn each other’s secrets it’s obvious to both of them that they are meant to be together. Mated. But the Chupacabra is out in the snow, hunting human prey.

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An Excerpt From: LUST UNDONE

Copyright © DESIREE HOLT, 2010

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Prologue



“I’d like to propose a toast.”

Craig Stafford raised his champagne flute and looked at the people gathered around him.

“We look entirely too somber for a wedding party.”

“You’re right,” Logan Tanner, a former Montana deputy sheriff, chimed in. “This is an important occasion and we should be celebrating it.”

“To Chloe and Mark.” Craig smiled at the couple standing near him. “Sunshine in darkness. May you have a long and happy life together.”

The others echoed him and then lifted their glasses to drink to Mark Guitron and Chloe Hansen. Mark’s arm was tight around the shoulders of his very new bride, the gesture both loving and protective.

This very specialized group of people called Night Seekers was all standing on the patio of Desolation Ranch. Set up as their headquarters, the ranch had been purchased by Stafford, the reclusive billionaire who was dedicating his life to the eradication of the Chupacabra. The devil beast.

El Chupacabra!

The name of the creature inspired a combination of rage and frustration in every one of the eight members of the Night Seekers. Each of them had lost at least one person close to them to the beast that killed in a horrendous way. Victims’ throats were punctured, blood drained and internal organs ripped from their bodies.

Twice now, in two different locations in Texas, the members of the team had thought they’d killed the Chupacabra, only to have a report of new killings pop up not long after that.

Each time the team was sure it had killed the murderous creation, Stafford maneuvered to get the body whisked away to his secret lab. There his scientists did their best to identify where this abomination had derived from. For years, before Stafford became involved, other scientists had operated on the theory that it was the result of two distinct species mating. Now they were slowly coming to the realization that, while that may have been the origin, it was much more than that. Possibly even the result of human genetic engineering.

There was no readily identifiable DNA. And circumstance had led them to also believe the creature was some sort of shifter, able to assume other forms, not just human.

The legend of the Chupacabra was one that had been handed down for decades, the stories stretching from South America to North America. Sightings were recorded in many places and it had been written about and speculated over extensively. Sophia Black, a former detective with the Maine State Police, had read all about the ranchers who swore they’d killed it only to have it turn out to be a mutated goat or coyote.

But the killing spree continued—animals and humans alike. Was it a wild animal of some sort because of the way the bodies were mutilated, sliced open with the entrails pulled out? Or a vampire, as some thought, because each body had puncture wounds at the neck and was drained of blood? Talk about your way-out-there theories. And each time someone was sure the beast had been killed it turned out to be a false alarm, just as it had for the Night Seekers in Maverick and Zapata Counties in Texas. Because the killings continued and the bodies piled up.

And the legend continued to grow.

Every member of the team was frustrated by the inability to track the beast to its actual lair. Since the Night Seekers had been formed there had been nine more killings—three in Georgia and six in Texas. A depressing thought for everyone. Twice now they’d thought they’d had it, only to learn it was still loose. Or another one like it. And that was an even scarier thought. That someone, somewhere, was breeding these creatures which could assume different shapes at will.

If there was a bright spot in all the pain, it was the knowledge that on the first Night Seekers mission, in Maverick County, former FBI agent Jonah Grey had found Dakota Furcal, now Dakota Grey. An herbalist, among the things she grew were the special herbs that six members of the group needed to maintain their genetic balance. The six who themselves were shapeshifters. Wolves.

The most recent mission had brought Chloe and Mark together and she had returned to the ranch with him when he finished in Zapata County.

The event tonight should have been a joyous one. Weddings were supposed to be a time of festivity and filled with merriment. But an underlying sense of anguish gripped everyone and unfortunately took the edge off the celebration. Subdued the happiness.

Mark Guitron and Chloe Hansen stood in the fading sunlight, accepting the good wishes of their teammates.

It wasn’t difficult, however, to read the sadness in Chloe’s eyes. Despite the best efforts of the team her friend Melinda was still missing. Her disappearance in Zapata County in Southwest Texas on the Mexican border had been too coincidentally close to new Chupacabra killings not to tie them together.

While no one except Chloe wanted to say it out loud, they all suspected that if humans were behind the latest evolution of the devil beast they had captured Melinda for their own devious purposes. That her fate might be worse than death.

Stafford, standing to one side of the patio, put down his empty champagne flute. Everyone knew the story of his wife and child, killed by the Chupacabra when they were all vacationing in Mexico. Now he dedicated his life and his billions to wiping the beast off the face of the earth. Night Seekers had been his idea. All the members, from various states and various law enforcement agencies, had been specifically chosen by him.

“I hate to bring this up at a wedding party,” he began, “but I think we need to put something on the table that everyone’s thinking and no one wants to say.”

“I’ll say it.” Chloe removed her hand from her husband’s arm and stepped forward. “It’s my wedding—well, Mark’s and mine—and my friend everyone’s thinking about.” She glanced over her shoulder at Mark who smiled and stepped up beside her. He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side.

“Everyone’s thinking it,” she repeated, “and so am I. It’s obvious there are more of these creatures out there than anyone ever suspected. So either they’re crossbreeding with other species or someone’s screwing around with genetics. And Melinda’s been taken to wherever this hellhole is.”

“I think we’re all aware,” Craig agreed, “that we’re seeking something far beyond what we originally thought when we started this project. It’s not only impossible for one creature to be in so many far-flung places, but we’ve killed two and yet the destruction still continues.”

“I can’t imagine what kind of deranged human being would breed creatures like this.” Logan Tanner, the former Montana deputy sheriff, had seen more of the Chupacabra death trail when Craig sent him to check out bodies in Georgia. The horrific pictures he’d brought back were now scanned into the main file on the computer. “And to what purpose?”

“To kill,” Craig said. “To destroy. Think of the power someone would have if they had an army of these devil beasts.”

Jonah Grey swallowed the last of his champagne. Next to him stood his wife Dakota. Now he linked his fingers with hers.

“Those of us who are shifters know that around the world there are others like us who live only for power and control, and are driven by a bloodlust. It’s obvious one of them has decided to harness that power and enhance it.”

“Are you sure it’s a shifter?” Chloe asked.

Jonah nodded. “I’d say that odds are weighted in that direction. A shifter who knows the power he or she controls would want to crossbreed and enhance it. With an army of shifter killers at his or her disposal that person could wreak havoc on society.”

“You’d be amazed at what some people will do,” Logan agreed. “Or maybe not. In Montana we had a bunch of what you’d call mountain men. Guys who lived at the back of beyond and thought civilization was a dirty word. Three brothers, for example, used to kidnap people and take them up on the mountain they owned and chase them for sport. With rifles. And kill them.”

Ric Garza, the de facto leader of Night Seekers, refilled his champagne flute. “So it seems someone’s decided to create their own wild animals. Shifters, maybe with human DNA if they can achieve it. And what? Turn them loose?”

Craig shook his head. “Sell them. Look at any of your Third-World countries with vicious dictators. Think what they could do with a pack of these devil beasts to exert control over the people. And if they can assume not just human form but that of domestic animals, people would never know when there was one in their midst.”

Everyone stood quietly absorbing the enormity of that statement. The silence was broken only when a cell phone played The Maine Stein Song. Sophia Black’s phone. A former investigator with the Maine State Police, she used the state song as her ringtone. Everyone looked at her as she pulled it from the pocket of her slacks and pressed talk.

“This is Sophia.”

They all watched as she listened, the color slowly leeching from her face. Her twin nephews had been killed by El Chupacabra and she was viciously dedicated to its eradication. She’d been one of the first to be convinced that, rather than migrating to other states from Texas and the South American countries, there were indeed more than one of the creatures. Now, with the increased number of killings all over the country, the entire team was convinced.

“All right. I’ll get back to you shortly.” She disconnected the call and shoved the phone back in her pocket. She looked around at everyone. “That was my sister Rebecca. Sorry to break up the party but there’s been another killing. Up in the woods in northern Maine. And as before, no one there seems to have a clue what they’re dealing with.”

“There’ll be plenty of time to celebrate when we bring this to an end,” Mark said.

“And when we find Melinda,” Chloe added. “I’m for anything that brings us a step closer.”

“Then let’s go into the command center,” Craig said, “and see what we have.”

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WITHIN THE SHADOWS OF MORTALS by Rae Lori

WITHIN THE SHADOWS OF MORTALS by Rae Lori

The Ashen Twilight Series Book Two

A new beginning is on the horizon until blood is spilled on their lands once again...

Late on the highway leading to California, a massacre breaks out in the darkness of night ending in the death of a Lycan family. Word gets back to Ariya and Jace in the Aziza Fae realm and they return to see how much has changed since they took their retreat. Mortals have become aware that Nightwalkers, Lycans and Shifter Elves are alive and well in their city. Worse yet, Rich and his pregnant mate, Joanna, have disappeared on the trip from Arizona to California.

Ariya knows that Jace is tired of running and hiding after centuries of living within the shadows of mortals. Now, she must choose a path that will force her to decide whether to help her immortal allies or rule the broken kingdom left behind after her parent's death. Soon, she finds that Jace's presence in the Aziza realm brings an ancient evil to life that only lived in fairytales...until now.

At the same, a group of mysterious hunters begin picking off members of the houses one by one. Soon the house is in turmoil as hunters attack, bringing on a fateful battle between mortal and immortal. Jace's relationship with Ariya tenses and he may end up losing more than his humanity as he straddles the line between revenge and redemption.

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~Excerpt~

“Tell me what your world is like.”

Ariya gazed at the moonlight streaming through the wide window of her room that morning. It had been much too long since this serene calm washed over her. Coming home had been a last minute decision but she was glad when Jace agreed to join her in the Aziza realm. They took their chance for escape during the Ashen Twilight House’s trek across the states to the west coast. Jace’s skin couldn’t take the harsh sun’s rays and live to see the night. It had been a concern she didn’t have to consider previously. Then again she hadn’t been aware of Nightwalkers until recently. Once she fell into the care of the house after escaping her world, a whole other underworld opened up to her. One filled with Nightwalkers, Lycans and Shifter Elves. It was nothing like she had ever encountered. Now her life had taken another dramatic turn once she lost her heart to Jace Archane, Regent in the House of Blood. His uncle Julian wasn’t so pleasant at first and Ariya didn’t exactly extend a welcoming hand herself. Of course a bloodthirsty elemental creature had been after her so hospitality wasn’t exactly high on the list of priorities while running for her life.

Now it was time to return to the beautiful green lands that served as her home. After almost having the life sucked out of her, being nearly beaten to death by a shifter renegade—or Shifter Ren as the house calls them—and passing through the portal of her own demise, Ariya could afford some time to get away from it all and return home to serenity. Before leaving, they promised to meet the members of the Ashen Twilight House in Los Angeles for a new start once she and Jace returned from the Aziza realm. Soon the time would come when they would have to leave the realm and return to the mortal world. For now, she wanted to enjoy every quiet moment together while they had it.

Jace’s cold touch brought her back to the present. His hand wrapped around her chin, gently stroking the skin with his thumb.

She turned back to the bed where Jace Archane, her love, watched her from the soft ivory folds of her bed sheets. He was beautiful. Perhaps the most striking creature she had ever laid eyes on. Dark strands of his wavy shoulder length hair fell over his strong, smooth pale visage. He was in his early twenties at the time of his change; an age he would remain as mortals leave behind their legacy of ashes. He’d always have his charming boyish face with cupid’s bow lips, bright blue eyes and a strong sharp nose. Now she had his undivided attention. His handsome expression was curious, waiting with the question of his words. His muscled chest was bare under the dark red shirt that lay open over the rise and fall of his breathing.

“Soft damp green hills fill every part of our lands with cool springs and large bodies of water in between.”

Jace chuckled. “Sounds like Scotland.”

Ariya nodded, smiling. “It does have similarities. Like with the hunters we assisted when we ventured to Dahomey in the mortal realm. Different worlds yet so much alike.” Her forehead wrinkled with thought. “It was there I noticed that the men were bred to be warriors since the dawn of humans. Here the warriors, my guard, are women. We still have a specialized guard composed of men who stay in the outskirts of our world. But the tradition has always been to keep female guards for the castle.”

“Hmm, well the House of Lycan is the only house structured similarly.”

“But not bred. They’re born into their strength.”

Jace nodded. “You have a point there. So girls grow up to be in the guard?”

Ariya’s shoulder rose in a slight shrug. “Some do, if they wish it.” She waved a hand before poking Jace in the chest. “Anyway, I was describing. The days are longer here than the nights in the mortal realm. They have been since I can remember. We can bring the rain whenever the crops need it. And we celebrate every aspect of life’s changes. From life itself to life passing on, to birth, the changes of the season and betrothals followed by wedded unions.”

Her fingers traced the hard line of his chest as she spoke.

“And what of your betrothal?” Jace caught her finger and looked up at her.

Ariya shook her head. “I never really considered it growing up. I guess I always had my head in the books, learning about the mortal realm. Teaching the young ones and honing my own powers.”

“And then you found me.” A sly smile sneaked across his lips. He lifted her finger and kissed it softly. “Tell me more.”

Ariya shrugged. “There’s much more and yet some of it’s not too terribly interesting.”

“It’s of interest to me. What if an outsider wanted to stay here?”

“I—I don’t know.” She looked away. “I don’t think it’s ever happened before. For a while it was just us and the mortals. Everything else was myth or the inhabitants of our world.” She smiled. “Why do you ask?”

Jace turned away, staring ahead into space as he spoke. A crease formed in the middle of his forehead and his lips thinned into a straight line as he thought. In the silence that followed, he finally looked up at her. The hard gaze melted into warmth as he smiled.

“Curiosity is all.”

Ariya cocked a single eyebrow. “And that’s why you blocked your thoughts from me?”

“Privacy, my love,” Jace said, grinning. Traces of his Scottish accent filtered in and out. She noticed it tended to mix with others, mostly American. Probably due to America being his home for the past few decades.

“You would miss your home if you stayed here,” Ariya said. She meant it more as a question but the statement was clear.

Jace idly ran his hand along her warm, dark skin. “I already miss it. I often wonder what my kids are thinking, even at this very moment. Or my faculty bosses. Do they think I died in the chaos? Or just up and left?” He shook his head. “Not sure which I think is worse.”

Ariya remembered Jace loved to teach. When she first met him, he appeared aloof and full of himself. But as she got to know him, his shell opened and she discovered the love he had for teaching.

“Traveling for so long and seeing so many things can be like inhaling a well of knowledge,” he had once told her. “Like water. Sooner or later that excess has to come out one way or another. I wanted to share mine.” And so it did as he shared his expertise and experience with the college kids—although said knowledge was sold as second hand hearsay or from his reading in books rather than first hand encounters that would reveal his true secret.

“Enough of that now,” Jace said smiling up at her. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I think we’re both in need of a break once in awhile.” His voice grew softer, huskier as he drew near. She anticipated the kiss that lingered in the next moment.

Ariya’s stomach fluttered as Jace’s lips brushed hers. Her eyes closed and only touches remained to overtake her senses. Jace’s strong yet gentle hand moved up her arm, the warmth of his tongue and mouth welcomed her at the same time. How much her life had changed since she fell in love with him. The single act of being in his presence transformed into a magical experience itself the moment her heart became his. No more was he just a man or a Nightwalker she felt drawn to. He was hers, an extension of herself in a way that had broken the barrier of personal space to become a part of her that she was free to touch and love anytime she pleased.

The moonlight in the dark sky had shifted, bathing them in darkness while the room fell in light.

“Taste me,” Ariya said, feeling Jace move to her neck. His grip on her froze.

Morning would be upon them soon, and it’d be awhile before she could feel Jace again. For as the sunlight drew upon the lands, the rise and fall of his chest would cease, his breath would be frozen and death would claim his body.

“You want me to feed upon you, Ariya?”

His breath brushed against her neck as she spoke, his hand caressing the dark curves of her body.

Ariya arched her head to look at him in the shadowy room within the night. Already she could see the bright white shine of his elongated fangs peeking out from between his parted lips. The sight made her heart race, her breath shallow and her wings flutter slightly against her back.

“Yes Jace,” she breathed.

His masculine grip slid down to her hips urging her legs to wrap around his and straddle him.

Jace’s fingers immediately went to the soft gossamer sleeve of her dress. He pulled them down with a controlled urgency that sent her heart racing further. Careful of her wings, he gingerly opened the dress down the front to reveal her dark full breasts.

Ariya sucked in a breath sharply, feeling the brush of his sharp fangs against her soft tender chest.

“I, Jacinus Aurelius Archane, now take you Ariya to be my wife.” His hand slipped behind her back, brushing against her wings before resting against her shoulder blades. “In the presence of God and before the Aziza realm and the mortal world, I promise to be a loving, faithful, loyal husband to you. For as long as we both shall live.”

Ariya grinned, feeling his lips move into a smile once he leaned to kiss her.

“Both technically and figuratively,” Jace added.

Ariya brushed her fingers through his hair, peering down at him. “I, Ariya, now take you Jacinus Aurelius Archane to be my beloved husband and lifemate,” she spoke softly against the crown of his head, cradling him to her chest. “In the presence of Mawu-Lisa and before the Aziza realm and the mortal realm. I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal lifemate, wife and friend to you, for as long as we both shall live.”

She felt his hand grab hers and raise it up. Despite the darkness, the bright shine of the moonlight shined across her silver ring. The Claddagh ring he had called it. The same piece of jewelry that had belonged to his mother who handed it down to him to give to his own beloved. Ariya remembered the tale he shared when he first placed it on her finger.

When worn as a ring it’s supposed to symbolize friendship and love, he had told her. Jace’s mother had come into contact with the woman who first owned it. Along with the gift came the legend of the goldsmith who molded it for his love. Shortly after, he was kidnapped and taken aboard a pirate ship and thus began their five year separation and still he promised to marry her.

“Thy beauty and brightness/And lightness is going/Under the bonnie brown waves of thy hair/Thy lips red and luscious/And blushes bright glowing/Smote me with love and sweetest despair,” Jace said softly, then kissed the ring. He wrapped his hand around hers so that their rings touched in a quiet clink. “Mo ghaol ort.” I love you.

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WOLFE'S LADY by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

WOLFE'S LADY by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Stella Raines was looking for a change. She moved to the small town of Riverville to begin her first year of teaching history. She quickly learns that teaching in such a rural high school is no picnic, but the math teacher in the class down the hall makes her first week all the more intriguing….

Darien Wolfe is a staple of Riverville High School, with his rule-breaking hair and attire. He seems to have taught there since, well, forever. However, Darien never knew how much his long life might change until he notices the new history teacher down the hall.

Their attraction is instant and for eternity, like the stars under the full moon. But can Stella survive Darien’s secret?

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Excerpt:

For the first time, Stella realized that the house sat in the midst of thick woods, aged trees with broad trunks that isolated it from the road. Not one neighboring house was visible through the thickets and in addition, the lawn ran wild with forsythia bushes, rose of Sharon trees, evergreens, and even dogwoods. Flowers bloomed everywhere, some in neat, tended beds but others rampant across the lawn. Most were old-fashioned flowers, storybook blossoms like hollyhocks, roses, lilies, and more. The sheer wild beauty of the scene caught her breath for a few moments, and then she turned to Darien with honest enthusiasm.


“This is absolutely lovely, Darien. It is like something out of a storybook or fairy tale. It reminds me of Sleeping Beauty’s castle when the prince found it, a jewel tucked away in a verdant wood.”

Darien offered her his hand, chuckling with pleasure as they mounted the broad stone steps to the wide covered porch that ran the front of the house. There, too, clematis and moonflower vines climbed trellises, adding to the air of privacy.

“You approve; that’s very good,” he said. “Let’s see what you think of the interior.”

He threw open the heavy carved door and let her walk ahead into a huge room with many windows. To her right, a carved staircase ascended, as graceful as an Edwardian lady waltzing would. A chandelier with multiple prisms sparkled from the very center of the ceiling. Each doorway that led from the room – into a dining room, a hallway, and the library – each had dark walnut trim. Even the furnishings, crushed velvet crimson sofas and chairs, added to the air of mystique and yesteryear.

“Darien, this is amazing. This room is stunning.”

“No. You, my dear, are stunning,” he said. He stood beside her and then turned her to face him. Stella’s heart pounded faster as he bent and kissed her, unhurried, his lips burning against hers, warm and soft as melted candle wax. Her body kindled at his caress and she leaned against him, letting the fever that spread over her body consume her. Stella felt his powerful body surge against hers, masculine and vital. His passion, his desire was a living thing between them. When he released her, she almost fell, her legs weak but he caught her.

“Stella, dear heart, you are a delight. Come have a drink with me in the library before I lose my head. Will champagne do?”

Her mouth refused to work so she nodded, trailing in his wake into the library, tucked behind the foot of the stairs. This too was a marvelous room, cozy with a granite fireplace, each block carved with intricate designs, and the walls lined with books. Most appeared to be antique volumes but among them Stella recognized a few more modern works. A small bar stood opposite the hearth and after he pointed her to the black leather loveseat, he brought out two fragile flutes and filled them with Dom Perignon. Darien handed her a flute and raised his glass to touch hers with a soft, ringing sound.

“To what the future and the stars may hold,” he intoned in a voice as serious as a prayer, soft as a blessing.

“To the future,” Stella repeated and sipped.

The sweet, crisp wine was a good vintage and her surprise was evident as the smooth taste burst into her mouth.

“This is 1975 v Dom Perignon,” Darien said. “It is one of the best modern vintages available. Will it do??”

“It’s awesome,” Stella said, draining her glass. The wine must have gone to her head, she thought, for without hesitation, she mimicked a child’s British accent and quoted Oliver Twist, “Please, sir, may I have some more?”

Darien’s face shifted, his lips twitched and his eyes rolled until he burst out laughing. He sat down on the loveseat, wiped tears of mirth from his eyes, and drank his champagne.

“You are the most remarkable woman I have met in years.” Darien said, shaking his head. “Stella, I find myself quite smitten with you. Dare I hope that it might be reciprocated?”

She made a quick translation of his old school language and replied in her own vernacular,

“I think you’re totally hot, Darien, so yes.”

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CHANGING THEIR WOLFEN HERITAGE

CHANGING THEIR WOLFEN HERITAGE - A Wolfen Heritage Book 3 by Missy Martine

What happens when brother wolf shifters fall in love with the same woman? Wolves don’t share their mates, or do they?

Ethan and Latan can’t keep their hands off the Pack’s new schoolteacher. Unfortunately, Kitania is proving to be quite the mystery. She has no scent identifying her inner beast, no background they can verify, and she seems entirely too interested in their family’s arch enemy.

Kitania’s in love for the very first time. Even knowing they’ll send her packing if they find out what she truly is, she’s still dreaming of family, and happily ever after. She can’t afford to be distracted if she wants to complete her mission for the National Council.

When their enemy captures a family member, Kitania must decide where her loyalties lie. She can reveal her true nature and help with the rescue, but will it cost her the love of the brothers?

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STORY EXCERPT

Latan looked around the Pack House meeting room as the Elders, and a few other wolves from the pack, gathered. Remus had called everyone together on this beautiful Sunday morning to discuss some problem the pack faced. Personally, he would prefer being curled up in his bed dreaming of the hot, new teacher. He snickered as he watched his brother Ethan slowly shuffle through the door. They had both been up pretty late last night, trying to come up with a foolproof plan for getting on the teacher’s good side.

“Did they start without me?” Ethan mumbled as he took the seat next to Latan.

“No, Remus is still talking to Vanard.” Vanard was the head Elder of their pack, and Latan had often wondered how Remus kept from killing him. The Alpha was the top ruler of any pack and always had the final word in any situation. Vanard had a tendency to forget who was in charge. Latan stared into his brother’s bloodshot eyes. “Man, you look like shit.”

Ethan took a deep breath and then glared at his brother. “You’re no vision of beauty yourself this morning.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead. “Do you know what this meeting is supposed to be about?”

“No, Remus hasn’t said anything.”

Before Ethan could respond, Remus’s voice shot out over the room. “Okay, my fellow pack mates. We have a new threat to address.” He waited until every wolf in the room was silent before continuing. “Yesterday, Koril discovered that Dr. Constantine left a bunch of records in a safety deposit box at the bank. They’re now in the hands of Dr. Vincent Kaugh.”

“What kind of records?” asked Taynor Wind River.

“At this point, there’s no way to know for certain. We’re operating under the assumption that they’re records from his so-called medical research on shape-shifting wolves.” Remus took a deep breath as a fierce look came over his face. “He’s probably now in possession of all Constantine’s records on Maddie.” His voice was a mixture of pain and fury.

“What do you think he’ll do with them, Remus?” Taynor’s voice carried a soft growl with his words. He was an extremely fierce wolf, despite being an investment counselor who handled all the pack’s finances.

Remus walked over to the window. For a moment, he stood quietly, seemingly lost in thought. Then he turned and growled before answering. “I think he’ll try and continue Constantine’s work. Hell, he may even try and kidnap Maddie so he’ll have the same test subject.” He walked over and sat back down, then glanced down the table. “Koril, why don’t you fill them in on what you’ve learned about Kaugh?”

Koril stood and bowed respectfully to Remus before he addressed the rest of the pack. He and Brenner handled all security matters for the Wind River Pack, and it would be dangerous to have him for an enemy. “Kaugh comes from Carsonville, California. He’s been involved in secret research for more than twenty years. The National Council believes the research involves shifters, possibly more than just wolves. He showed up here after he learned that Constantine had been killed.” Koril grimaced and shot an apologetic look toward Remus. “We were careless and didn’t find out about the dummy corporation that Constantine set up until it was too late to stop Kaugh from getting his hands on the safety deposit box. He just waltzed in with a key and took everything there.”

“We don’t want to just go storming in to retrieve the files until we have more facts,” Remus said. “We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with and how many others might be involved. We don’t want any more scientists showing up after we take this man out.”

“Right now, Kaugh has three associates with him,” Koril said. “Sean Cross, Marty Dyer, and Calvin Ames. None of these men are scientists or doctors, and they’re human. It’s pretty obvious that they’re his muscle.”

“Alpha, what is it you want us to do?” asked Vanard.

“Kaugh has rented a place on Main Street, just across from the building where Michael is setting up his office. I don’t think he would have gone to the trouble of renting space unless he was up to something.” Remus looked out at the members of his pack. “I want to keep him under surveillance until we figure out what he’s planning. I want to find out who else knows about his research and if there are any other test subjects that might need our help.” He got to his feet and took on the fierce aura of an Alpha. Shoulders back, canines extended, his inner power snaked through the room.

As Latan watched his older brother, a movement to the right caught his attention, and he turned to look toward the windows. Down on his knees, Taynor was looking at something under the table.

“I want help in guarding my mate twenty-four hours a day,” Remus cried out. “I won’t let anyone take her from me again.” He lowered his head in an unusual show of humility. “I need your help to protect her.” He raised his eyes, and they swept the room. “It’s vital that we keep her safe. She’s expecting our first pup.”

As the room broke out in a round of congratulations, Latan watched Taynor crawl under the table. Intrigued, he stood and walked toward the older man. Suddenly, he stopped and watched, incredulous, as Taynor rose to his feet holding a small black cat by the scruff of its neck.

“Well, lookey, lookey! I tink I see a puddy tat!” Taynor laughed, mimicking the line from a children’s television cartoon, as the cat hissed and thrashed about trying to free itself.

Latan groaned. He’d always hated cats. “Looks to me like you found a snack, Taynor,” he encouraged, with an exaggerated wink.

Vanard came rushing over. “No, for God’s sake, don’t hurt it. If I’m not mistaken, it belongs to our new teacher.”




ADULT EXCERPT





Latan’s hands gripped the bottom of her shirt and began inching it up. Wanting to feel their skin against her own, Tania lifted her arms to make it easier and soon found herself standing in only her bra and jeans. Warm skin cocooned her, filling her with an internal fire that threatened to consume her very soul. Why does it feel so right to be here, between them?

Without warning, Tania was turned around, her back firmly against Ethan’s warm chest. Latan bent and nibbled lightly at the corner of her mouth then traced her lips with the tip of his tongue. Ethan pushed her hair aside and bit the back of her neck before trailing his lips down the middle of her back. His hands squeezed the cheeks of her ass before coming around to caress her mound through the stiff denim.

Her eyes closed as Latan pulled down the lacy cup of her bra and captured the taut nipple between his fingers, rolling the tip. A whimper of pleasure escaped her when his mouth moved down and covered the aching crest of one breast. Ethan’s hands smoothed across her naked back after he released the hooks of her bra and pushed it down her shoulders. Latan’s lips kept it from falling to the floor.

Arms slid around her hips, fingers opening the fastening of her jeans and tunneling underneath her silk panties. It felt so wicked to have a pair of hands searching between her legs while another tortured her breasts. Tania decided she’d been a bystander too long. It was time for her to do some exploring of her own.

Smiling, she pushed Latan away and let her bra drop to the floor. His eyes lit with a whole new interest. Ethan pulled free of her jeans and then grabbed the waist and peeled them, along with her panties, down her body. He encouraged her to step out of them and then allowed his hands to move slowly up her thighs. Gripping her hips tightly, he traced his tongue from the back of her knee up to the curve of her ass. Nuzzling between the round globes, he licked a line straight down, stopping to tease the tiny, puckered opening. Tania tensed and clenched the muscles tight.

Ethan chuckled. “That won’t stop me, honey. Nobody ever play around back here before?”

Tania gulped and had trouble answering. Latan had discovered the silky hair covering her sex. “No, never,” she managed to groan.

“That’s okay, we’ll take it slow. I promise, if you don’t like it, we’ll stop.” He went back to caressing the virgin territory, leaving goose bumps along her skin.

Latan abandoned her breast and dropped his hand to the area between her legs. His fingers trailed leisurely through the trimmed hair and then traced around her labia, causing Tania to go up on her toes. “What’s wrong, baby?” He laughed.

She decided it was time to make these macho men squirm just a little. Latan’s chest was broad and very muscular, with just a smidgen of hair trailing down the middle. She reached out and flicked the tip of her tongue back and forth across one male nipple a couple of times, delighting in the sound of his gasping breath. Ethan came to his feet behind her. She could only guess he was envious of the touches she lavished on his brother.

Her fingers delved beneath Latan’s jeans, her fingers curling around his hardened flesh. He stepped up close to her caressing hand when she reached between their bodies to tear open his fly. Tania’s eyes widened when his cock jumped out eagerly as his zipper lowered. He hadn’t bothered to wear underwear under his jeans. He was huge, at least nine inches, and fully aroused. There’s no way I can even get my hand around that monster.

She turned her head when she felt movement and heard the rustle of clothing behind her. Ethan pushed his jeans to the floor, quickly stepping out and kicking them away. He was nude, his thick cock rising up from a nest of black curls. He wasn’t quite as thick as Latan, but she would be willing to bet he was a little longer. Tania licked her lips and reached out to cup his sac while stroking her hand firmly up and down Latan’s cock. Both men growled, their eyes closed, their heads thrown back.

Leaning over, she licked across the head of Ethan’s twitching cock. He growled loudly, reached out, and hauled Tania clear off the floor, plastering her against his chest. His lips ravished hers almost brutally.

“On the pillows, Ethan, now.” Latan groaned as he discarded his own jeans.

Tania felt herself lowered to the floor and then sank into the softness of the pillows. It had grown dark outside, and the firelight made dancing patterns across the muscular bodies of the two brothers as they dropped to lie on each side of her. Latan’s hand caressed across her chest, his palm filling with her breast as she pushed into his touch. She groaned as he massaged, plucking gently, rhythmically, at the nipple.

Ethan’s fingers played across her other breast, right before his tongue flattened over the rigid tip. He licked and sucked at the tiny nub before moving to her mouth. Fingers threaded through her hair as he captured her lips in a hot kiss, sucking steadily on her tongue, filling her with his taste. Her tongue twined with his, teasing it back into her own mouth, where he explored, finding all her sensitive spots.

Latan released her nipple, slipping his hand down her belly to rake his thick index finger along her cleft. He plucked and teased her clit before slipping his finger inside her slit, moving it slowly in and out before tracing her cleft again.

Tania looked down as they each grabbed a thigh, coaxing her legs apart. She could see Ethan’s very large cock bob up and down in his excitement. She swallowed hard and wondered if it would hurt. She’d never been with anyone that large before. Ethan began to suckle her breast, while Latan ran his fingers through the hair guarding her pussy.

“This is so sexy, the way you trim here.” Ethan leaned down and inhaled deeply. “I can smell the cream that’s collecting between your legs.” His finger ran up her slit gathering the proof of her desire. While he held her gaze, his finger plunged between his lips. “God, you taste good, baby.” Moving to lie between her spread thighs, Ethan lowered his face to her pussy and inhaled deeply once more. “I feel like I could take you inside me and hold you forever.” His shoulders pushed her legs wider. “I’m gonna bury myself in your velvet wetness, Tania, and I may never come out.”

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SILENT HOWL by Stacey Kennedy

SILENT HOWL - The Blue Bloods  - Book Two by Stacey Kennedy

When murder threatens innocent lives, will one woman unleash the wolf within her or hide behind the human that cowers in fear.

Rynn Murphy is a werewolf and she is in a state of bliss - her junkie parents are in recovery for their drug addiction. Her Grandfather, Pops, suffering from Alzheimer's has settled into a nursing home in Utah. And she has just witnessed the bonding ceremony of her friends, Nexi and Kyden from the Otherworld. With her mate, Briggs by her side, life can't get any better...

But this happiness is about to end as Rynn is brought to Philadelphia. As a Blue Blood Werewolf, she has been given a special gift to possess a strong scent. And after horrific murders take place in the Pennsylvania territory, Rynn must use this ability to seek the killer out...

This task does not come easily, Rynn is struggling. The human in her flees from danger. The wolf in her is desperate to end his murderous rampage. Rynn must reconcile these two halves while these murders begin to cross State lines. Soon, danger will be all around them, and Rynn will have to decide what is more important - the human who remains in her or the wolves she has sworn to protect...

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Chapter One

Twelve Steps by Narcotics Anonymous:

1. Admit we were powerless over drug abuse--that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admit to God, ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and be willing to make amends to them.

9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it.

11. Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand Him, pray only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and practice these principles in all our affairs.

*

Plymouth, Minnesota may have been voted America’s best place to live by Money Magazine, but Briggs would argue that point. It’s really a vague memory now. Such a short time ago, his mate had walked home from a long shift with sore feet and a deep ache to her back. What she hadn’t known at the time was that walk would change her life forever. Attacked, bitten and then transformed into a werewolf--it was of no surprise to him that she was still trying to adjust to the horrors of that night.

He looked to Rynn as she sat next him in a hard chair that was not made for comfort. Her long brown hair cradled her face as her deep silver eyes penetrated his soul. How he craved to reach out, touch her creamy skin, kiss those soft lips of hers. But when a chair shifted in front of him, the present situation drew him back to where they were and why they were here. Rynn’s parents, Warwick and Tarina Murphy.

Just a few short days ago, Briggs had forced them into drug rehab treatment at On Belay House in Plymouth, Minnesota--Rynn’s hometown. Now, her parents were in the recovery process. As he knew it, they were on still on stage one and needed to admit their lives had become unmanageable. Which is exactly why they were here now, sitting in these chairs and staring into the faces of people Briggs wished had no part of her life.

The room had soft pale yellow paint on the walls, simple office chairs with even a fake plant in the center of the coffee table--classic therapy room--to avoid distraction for the reason they were here. Briggs glanced away from the room and back to an old guy with glasses sitting low on his nose in a proper office chair as he spoke. “We are here today for Warwick and Tarina to share with you the process that they’ve been through these last few days here and to speak from their hearts. We’re not here to judge, only listen.”

Briggs’ anger grew in strides. What a ridiculous display this was. No conversation would fix what they had done. He came here for Rynn, and her alone. He hoped this meeting would give her a sense of peace. Resolve this situation in her heart. Yet, he doubted that was possible. Knowing that his emotions were running away with him, he tried his best to close off his feelings so Rynn wouldn’t sense them. He wanted her to deal with her own emotions, not his. Usually, he enjoyed the intense connection they shared as werewolf mates. Now, she needed him to lean on for support and he did his best to remember that.

But tonight, he could sense her unstable emotions. Clearly, she wasn’t sure how to feel about this meeting with her parents. They looked great, probably because they continually washed. When Briggs discovered them, they’d resorted to living on the streets, caring for nothing and no one except drugs. Pathetic couldn’t even explain how unclean and disgusting they had looked when he’d first laid eyes on them.

The Doctor’s gaze left Briggs and he gestured toward Tarina to start.

“Rynn,” Tarina said, her voice soft and reserved.

Briggs could immediately sense Rynn’s emotions crumble. This wasn’t going to be easy for her. He could feel the anger within her that they’d chosen drugs over her but there was also sadness that they had abandoned her so young.

He could throttle the two people sitting before him. They were only lucky they had gotten this far. His resolve to this problem was to see the end of them, but his mate wouldn’t have that. For her, he would sit through this ridiculous display and listen to the two individuals who had caused her a lifetime of pain. He doubted anything they said would change his opinion of them.

Tarina cleared her throat softly before she continued. “There is nothing I can say to change what has happened in the past. Nothing that will forgive what I have done.”

“You’re bloody right about that,” Briggs interjected.

Rynn squeezed his thigh, drew his gaze down and into her pleading eyes. He took a deep breath and settled back to listen. She needed his support and he would give her that. Again, he reminded himself to rein it in. But it didn’t change the underlying truth that these two sods could rot in hell as far as he was concerned.

Tarina started crying.

Briggs snorted. Her mother knew how to put on a show. How many tears had Rynn shed for them? The woman’s sadness did only one thing...pissed him off more. She was not going to earn his sympathy.

“Go on, Mom,” Rynn said and frowned at Briggs.

It only amused him and eased a bit of the tension along his shoulders. His soft mate looked so lovely when she was angry. Such a little ball of fire she was. He’d piss her off at times just to see that look, it enthralled him.

Tarina sniffed a couple times. Her look was so similar to Rynn, brown hair the exact shade, except Tarina’s was cut at her chin. Even her silver eyes were nearly identical in color and held the same round shape to them.

Yet, her eyes didn’t hold the sweet soul that belonged to his mate. That could never be duplicated. “We were never there for you growing up. Never saw you or cared for you, and that is what I’m so very sorry about. You didn’t have a family.”

“Yes I did,” Rynn retorted without a moment’s hesitation. “I had Pops and he was all I ever needed.”

If it wasn’t for Rynn’s grandfather who had taken her in when she was four, Briggs couldn’t even imagine what would have happened to her. His heart clenched just thinking about it. Now, her grandfather was sick with Alzheimer’s and couldn’t remember her.

Briggs knew the pain it caused her daily. She hadn’t been able to go and visit him since her transformation. Without the control over her wolf, she couldn’t risk shifting in front of him. Just because his mind was gone, didn’t mean that seeing a human morph into a wolf wouldn’t be shocking. No need to make his situation worse.

Soon, she would see him again and Briggs eagerly wanted to take her. She’d only been released from the hospital earlier tonight. It took a little while to recover from her recent injuries.

Injuries sustained by Danika, a wolf determined to see the end of Rynn so her daughter could bond with Briggs. The plan was so unbelievable no one had put it together. It consisted of the fake kidnapping of her own daughter, Kali, bring Rynn out into the wolf world to expose her, then have hired goons kill her.

Luckily, Danika failed, but it wasn`t without injury. Grazed by a bullet and nearly blown to pieces, Rynn was lucky to be alive. In the end, Danika was dead, killed by her mate for her acts of betrayal. Briggs was certainly glad for that. Rynn had a hard time accepting her fate and although he understood that, he wouldn’t have wanted any other outcome.

Briggs drew back from his thoughts when Warwick reached out to take Rynn’s hand. His growl came immediate. No, the man was not allowed to touch her. Warwick wasn’t as stupid as Briggs thought, he instantly placed his hand back on his lap.

Her father looked much older than his forty years. Briggs suspected this was from prolonged drug use. Deep crow’s feet that seemed to create crevasses along his face surrounded dark eyes. His hair, recently cut, had salt and pepper coloring. The man looked worn.

Warwick’s gaze left Briggs and fell to Rynn. “We’re sorry that we let our disease rule us and made us forget everything that was important. We’re grateful that Pops knew just how special you really are.”

Rynn’s eyes began to well up and tumultuous emotions ran through her. Briggs tensed and she reacted to it instantly. She reached out and ran her fingers along his tight fist. Her emotions told him that she was okay--overwhelmed--but okay.

“You have turned out to be a fine lady and are a better person than your mother and I will ever become. We owe Pops a great deal for raising you so well.” Warwick turned his gaze to Briggs. “I respect the loyalty you have to her and if I was sitting in your position, I’d be looking at me like you are now.”

Briggs arched a brow. “Would you now?”

Warwick nodded, his tone full of disgrace. “We have failed her and if you held us in high regard, I suppose that would say you don’t deserve her.”

“And do you think you are worthy of her?” The accusation from Briggs held heavy in the air.

Warwick’s head hung in shame. “No. I do not think I am.”

“Then we do agree on something.”

Dr. Wanker cut in. “We are not here to judge, only to listen.”

Briggs steeled him with a hard look. “Best we direct the conversation away from me then. I have nothing to say here that’s not judgmental.”

“We are here to help in their recovery,” the Doctor chastised.

“No, I am here because my wife wants to be here.” Briggs corrected him quickly.

Rynn stiffened at the word wife. Briggs understood why she felt uncomfortable with the title. She was his mate. The two seemed worlds apart. She gave her head a shake, then looked to Briggs. “Can we just move on please?”

Dr. Wanker pushed his glasses further onto his nose. “Yes.” He nodded at Warwick to continue.

Warwick’s gaze focused, unwavering, on Briggs. “We will make right what we have done wrong to her. We see now what our disease has done to us. We can gain her trust back.”

Briggs’ tension multiplied. He was doing his best to shield his emotions from Rynn, but suspected she could sense that he felt they could never nullify what had been done.

She ran her fingers softly against his hand to gain his attention. When he glanced at her, she gave him a little smile. It said it all. She didn’t mind his protectiveness, but she wanted her parents to get well, needed them to.

He reached up and brushed his fingers along her sweet soft cheek and Rynn leaned into his fingers. No matter what his feelings were on the matter she was his only priority.

Tarina sniffed loudly. “You seem so happy.”

Rynn moved away from Briggs’ hand and glanced at her mother. “I am, very happy.”

“Thank you for taking care of her,” Warwick said to Briggs.

Briggs thought he was in control of himself. Apparently, he wasn’t and had reached the end of his tolerance. He forced himself to keep the glare from showing on his face, but was unable to control the anger in his voice. “Your daughter needs to be taken care of by no one. If you hadn’t spent the last years out of your mind, you would know that. She’s kind, generous, loving and strong--all qualities that obviously came from neither of you.”

Briggs raised his hand to stop Dr. Wanker when he was about to speak, his scowl prevalent. “And what you should all realize is that this ridiculous session has nothing to do with you. It’s not about you.” He pointed to Rynn who had a tear falling down her cheek. He could feel the swell of love course through their bond. “It’s about her--her healing. Your words will fix nothing. Hearing you apologize is meaningless. If you want to make it up to her, get well, and begin to restore the betrayal she suffers. Show her. Not until then should you speak a word of your happiness because we all know, your word means jack shit.”

Silence filled the room. Rynn looked at her hands as she cried.

Dr. Wanker cleared his throat loudly. “I believe Tarina and Warwick have spoken what needed to be said here.”

Briggs was still furious. What had been said really? That they now realized they made mistakes? Well, it was too late for that. The damage was irreversible. The future would be what determined their fate in his eyes.

Tarina stood and went to hug her daughter, but Briggs stood quickly and stepped in front of her. “Embracing her is something you must earn and you have not even come close to that, woman.”

Tarnia dropped her arms and sobbed again, but said nothing. Warwick still sat in his chair, gaze on the floor. Dr. Wanker just looked pissed.

Briggs turned and helped Rynn to her feet. When she glanced at him, her eyes tearful, all he felt was a feeling of security. She seemed to understand what it cost him to be here. He wanted to kill them. It may be violent, but that’s just the wolf’s way. His only thought was of her, to shield her, and she was humbled by that.

He also sensed that she craved to go into her mother’s arms and tell her that she forgave her. She wanted her to know that it was all right and that she understood, but also understood why Briggs had done it. He was doing this to protect her. If she allowed herself to open up to them, they could hurt her and that was one thing he couldn’t allow. Not ever. She had already had her fair share of that. He wouldn’t see her hurt again.

With a final look at her parents, seeing them in all their misery, he pulled on Rynn’s hand and led her from the room. Just as the door closed behind them, Briggs’ phone rang. He reached into his pocket and flipped it open.

“Aye.” He listened for a few moments, then he smiled as he met Rynn’s gaze, happiness flaring through him. This call was just what they needed after this ordeal.

Rynn’s gaze turned curious. When he closed the phone, she asked, “What?”

“We have somewhere to go.”

“Already?” A little pout rose to her darling face. “We can’t go home?”

He shook his head, grinning. “Not yet, darlin’.”

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THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER by Ericka Scott

THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER by Ericka Scott

Celebrity dog trainer, Serena O'Toole, had the perfect life. She has a boyfriend, kind of, and a job she loves, well, she used to love it. And the audition for a national television spot could skyrocket her dog training show, "Woof", to the stars...if it doesn't bore her to death first. Then, when she thought things couldn't get any worse, a sexy-voiced stranger calls to tell her that her brother, Michael, is missing. He's hiding in the desert outside his new home in Eclipse, California. It only takes her a few minutes to pack her bags and head off to a town not marked on any map.

The last thing Jackson Hardy wanted to do was to involve another civilian. But, unless the horror writer, Michael O'Toole, was found in the next two days, he would die. But, from the moment Serena's black VW Beetle rolls into town, Jackson knows he's lost his heart. He can't keep his mind, or his hands, off her. She's beautiful, talented, irresistible. Everyone in town notices her charms... Everyone . But Jackson knows to fall in love with her, and make love to her, would be a fatal mistake.

When Michael is found, Serena decides to stay and get to know Jackson better. When she looks in his eyes, she realizes he exudes a sex appeal she is helpless to deny. Nor does she want to. But for a man who can't keep his hands off her, Jackson is sure in a surprising hurry for her to leave. But someone in Eclipse is equally determined for her to stay...forever.

*The print version of this book contains a bonus novella, the sequel UNLEASHED.

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Excerpt:

The full moon peeked up over the horizon already lighting the yard as if it were daytime.

Her shoe bumped something and it fell with a clatter. Shit! She looked down to see what she’d stumbled over. Blessed God. It was a shotgun! She hadn’t fired one in years, not since she and her brothers had made soda cans quake in fear on the back fence. But with a shotgun, she wouldn’t need perfect aim. Heck, when they saw she had a gun, maybe they wouldn’t mess with her. Okay, so she was fooling herself. But she couldn’t help a quick rush of joy when she picked up the gun and saw that it was loaded.

Surprisingly, no one had come running at the sound of the clatter. Serena didn’t pause to wonder why. It only took her a few more strides to reach the front of the house and peer around the corner.

What she saw nearly made her drop the gun. Ben and the man were bent over. Had they poisoned themselves? Then, icicles of fear rushed through her veins. What was happening? Ben’s form was suddenly covered in silver grey hair that almost sparkled in the moonlight. His ears had elongated and his
face! She shuddered and stepped back, resisting the urge to run. The whole frontal section of Ben’s face elongated into a muzzle. Then, with shock, she realized the wolf’s savage gaze was locked on her. She stifled a scream as the thing’s mouth split open in a wolfish grin. Serena stepped back and pulled the gun up.

The wolves crept closer. Didn’t they see she had a gun? Perhaps they didn’t think she would use it. Well, they were wrong, she would.

As she ran forward, she could hear their growls. This had better work or she was dead—or worse than dead. Pulling the trigger, there was a pause when time stood still. The blast nearly deafened her. The wolves scattered.

One disappeared. She’d have to watch her back. One dashed off around the house, possibly to leap on her from behind or cut off her retreat. The other had been hit fully in the face and was now pawing at his muzzle and whining.

She ran toward the car, expecting a heavy body to leap on her at any moment. It wasn’t until she was sitting in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition that she stopped to take a breath. A roar at the window made her jump. The third wolf, which was the largest, was launching himself against the window. Again and again, it leapt at the door, its claws screeching as they scratched against the glass.

She started the car and gunned the engine. The animal didn’t even flinch. Fingering the can of mace in her pocket to make sure it was still there, she backed out. The wolves followed her, stalking the car.

The little Beetle couldn’t do more than twenty-five miles per hour on the washboard road. Any faster and she’d knock the whole bottom out of the car and then where would she be?

In eerie silence, the wolves ran alongside the car. Then, they began howling. Ice cold panic filled her veins. Suddenly, another figure came dashing along the car, snapping and barking at the wolves. It was Tucker. The wolves turned their attention away from the car and toward the Labrador. Serena felt a surge of pity. The poor old dog would be torn to shreds. She had to do something.

Rolling down her window an inch or two, she pulled the can of mace out of her pocket. “Here doggie, doggie,” she called. The wolves turned as one toward her. Faster than she’d expected, they were almost through the window. Startled, she pushed the button on the mace. It didn’t fire. Oh, my god. She
leaned back as snapping muzzles filled the opening and she could feel their spittle sprinkling her face, neck, and arms. Then, there was a loud hiss and the wolves were gone. They rolled in the dirt, pawing at their muzzles while Tucker pranced around them barking. She called to him, but although he came over to the car, he refused to enter.

“Oh, well, buddy. Don’t say I didn’t try,” she told him then rolled up the window and drove away. Tucker’s fierce barking faded into the distance.

It was a momentary victory, but she pumped her fist in the air anyway.

Now, to get into town and find Jackson. Something bad had happened to him. But he was still alive. Ben and Doc Brown had talked about sending someone back to the jail to question him. The town was silent. There were no lights on in any of the houses, no sounds of televisions playing behind closed curtains, nothing but the roar of her car’s engine. Something really bad was happening and she knew she couldn’t stop it.

And above all, she had to find Mike. Please, God, don’t let him be dead. But he couldn’t be dead. Jackson had gone through all the trouble of calling her out to this god-forsaken place to help find him. No, she had to believe that Mike was still alive. And Jackson was the key. He knew what happened to her brother. He was the one who’d arranged the helicopter and set up the fake hospital story. Damn it, she’d make him tell her where Mike was. She grabbed the shotgun and left the car unlocked and running, just in case.

Pushing open the station door at a run, Serena started yelling his name. “Jackson, hey, Jackson.” Waiting a heartbeat in between her calls, she listened for a reply, for any noise. She pounded on the counter and rang the bell. Still nothing. Damn it. He had to be here or at home. She started to turn around when she spotted a door marked Staff Only. She ran around the counter, slipping a little on the linoleum in her haste. Grabbing the knob, she twisted, half expecting it to be locked. It opened easily in her hand and she felt along the wall inside for the light switch. She didn’t want to be surprised by any wolves in the dark.

The overhead lights flickered on and she stared. It was an old-fashioned jail, just like in the movies, complete with three cells. The first two were empty, their doors standing wide open. The third one had an occupant.

“Jackson?” she called, walking quickly forward. “You gotta tell me where Mike is. Where are the keys? I’ll let…you…” The words caught in her throat and she could only stare. It was a wolf, large and black, with amber eyes. There were clothes scattered on the floor of the cell, the same clothes Jackson had been wearing the night before. So, either the wolf had eaten Jackson and not left any blood or…

“Jackson?” Serena approached the cell.

Hackles rose on the wolf’s back and the creature growled. Saliva dripped from his fangs and it snapped at her, pacing back and forth from one end of the cell to the other. Serena felt her eyes go wide and she backed up. “Alrighty then.” Maybe there were notes or something in the files out front to tell her where Mike was.

Damn it. Howling. Right outside. They had found her already. Gripping the shotgun in her hand, she took another look at the wolf. She’d never make it to her car now. And if the wolves came pouring in, she’d be trapped. She looked around. Trapped and safe.

She stepped into the cell next to the black wolf and pulled the door closed behind her. It locked with a click and she had the unnerving feeling that it was the sound of her fate sealing. Serena cowered against the back wall. If the wolves could open the door to the cell, she was a dead woman.

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