Griffin's Joy

Griffin’s Joy Jade Buchanan The Pridelands 4

Chapter One Ring ring. Ring ring. Joy Coleman tapped her foot, impatiently waiting for her brother to pick up his cell. “Hello?” Mike’s voice was tight, as if he’d run to catch the phone. “So, I’m sitting there in the airport, waiting for my luggage to get loaded and what do I see?” “Joy?” “Who else? Anyway, I watch the little luggage cart pull out, and I can tell it’s mine since I’ve never met anyone else who carries a bright teal suitcase. The place was packed, our plane was running late and a bunch of us were standing around staring out the window. “It’s raining, naturally, and the darn cart starts to skid on the wet pavement. A bunch of suitcases fall off the cart and mine just happens to pop open like a fat woman released from a corset -” “Jesus, Joy.” “I know! My undies are lying there on the tarmac, getting completely soaked. Everyone’s laughing and some jerk behind me is making comments about wanting to meet the woman who wears lace and carries a… well, let’s just say I had something else in the suitcase that requires a few batteries -” “Fuck…” Joy smirked, hearing the pained exasperation in her brother’s voice. “I was humiliated. I’m telling you, I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. We arrive in Edmonton, and half the plane decides to wait around and see who picks up the damaged suitcase. I must have spent fifteen minutes in the bathroom waiting for them to give up and walk away. Bunch of buttheads.” “Why are you telling me this?” “Because after my humiliating ordeal, I finally got to my apartment and picked up Spotty, and I’m now sitting here waiting for you. I had some time off so I decided to come up and keep you and Darren company.” “What?” “I’m at the airport.” She waited. Silence stretched out. “In Fort Nelson.” Dead air was her only answer. “Mike, you still there?” “You’re here?” 1

“Isn’t that what I just said?” “Here? In Fort Nelson, at the airport?” What, was he deaf now? “I really don’t get what’s so hard to understand, Mike. You’re the one who asked me to come up, remember? Okay, so I’m a month late, but I finally got time off. I need my favorite brother to come pick me up.” “I’m your only brother.” “Doesn’t mean you can’t be my favorite.” Mike must have covered the speaker because Joy heard furious whispering too low for her to make out the words. “Miiiike?” Tapping her foot, Joy tried to ignore the pitiful mewling coming from the carry bag on the floor beside her. “Look, Joy, if you can get a ride into my apartment you can stay there for a bit. Just a bit. I-I, look, this isn’t the best time…” “Michael Coleman, you better explain that right this minute, or I’m calling Mom to tell her you won’t come pick me up.” “Why don’t you just call her anyway, tattletale.” “She’s not home. Why do you think I’m calling you? I already tried their number. Why can’t you just pick me up?” “I’m not at home. I’m at the cabin.” “The cabin? I thought you weren’t staying there. Wait, Aaron?” Freezing in place, she waited to hear his words. “Look, uh, it’s not something we should talk about on the phone.” “You found him? Please tell me you found him. Is he okay? Is Darren still there? Is everyone okay?” Mike sighed. “Can you get a ride to the campground?” “Mike! Aaron?” “He’s alive, and he’s here.” “Oh…” Joy pressed her palm to her chest, breathing deeply. Tears threatened, her breath coming out in gasps. Sugared almonds, she was not going to cry. Turning around, she faced the wall. “He’s alive?” “He’s here, Joyful. You should come.” “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” “I’ll explain everything when you get here. Promise.” “You better, Mike. It better be good, or I’ll kick your butt from here to Sunday for scaring me like that.” *** Slamming the truck door closed, Joy waved at Ernie when he drove away from the campground. Mike’s neighbor had been coming out this way to hunt, and he graciously offered to drop her off at the campground near Muncho Lake before he drove south further into the Provincial Park. This was a popular spot because it was one of the last places to park before going in. Most of the Park was protected land and you weren’t allowed to drive vehicles in certain parts. Sighing, she tried to ignore the fact that she still had a long hike into the forest before she reached their family’s cabin because of that little rule. She wasn’t looking forward to this, but it had to be done. Joy and hiking didn’t really mix. She couldn’t wait to see Aaron though, so it would be worth whatever bug bites she picked up. Dogs were setting up a racket somewhere close by. That meant there were either a few hunters hanging out here before traveling into the Park, or some family was vacationing nearby. The campground got all sorts of people for different reasons. “Hello there!” Joy turned at the call, spying Zachary Miles walking out of the main building. His beer gut looked bigger than the last time she’d seen him. His hat was pulled low, shadowing his face and what she was positive would be a leer. The man was a lech of the worst kind. He proved exactly how pervy he was when he pulled her into a backbreaking hug, rubbing his chest against hers. Stiffening, Joy patted him on his arm, pulling out of the embrace. Typical Zach. 2

“Zach, haven’t seen you in ages. How’ve you been?” “Not bad, not bad. You hiking in to the cabin?” “Yeah, Mike and Darren are out there. Seems…” She paused, something telling her not to give him too much information. She didn’t quite like the intent look on his face. “Seems they wanted to have a little family get together.” “Must be tough, what with Aaron missing and all.” Lowering her gaze, Joy nodded. She couldn’t lie to the man, not right to his face. It was probably better just to remain silent. What was wrong with her? She should be shouting Aaron’s appearance to the heavens, but something was holding her back. Maybe she needed to see his face before she’d believe it. Mike certainly knew he’d been found, and yet he hadn’t made a huge monumental announcement about it. Didn’t they have to call the RCMP and let them know? Lord, this was confusing. What was Mike thinking? A pitiful meow interrupted the silence. “Who’ve you got there?” “This is Spotty. She’s keeping me company.” “You brought a cat out to the woods?” Zach shook his head, turning and spitting to the side. “Women. Hunter, you ever hear of anyone bringing a cat out to the woods before?” Joy paused, trying to figure out who he was talking to. A shadow detached itself from under the stand of trees next to the main building. The man who walked forward was tall and lanky, unquestionably cute, light years different in appearance from his brother. “Hunter Miles? I swear, I haven’t seen you in years. Look at you, all grown up.” Joy grinned, checking the young man out. Not that he was all that much younger than her, but at nineteen he was definitely too young to do anything more than ogle. Didn’t stop her from looking, though. He was a pretty little thing. “Hi, Joy.” His voice was quiet, soft. He glanced back at the cabin nervously, twisting his fingers. Joy followed his gaze, grimacing when she spied the two cougars strung up outside. She couldn’t believe she’d missed seeing them when she’d first got here. Spotty hissed, letting out a rumbling yowl. “Say, you haven’t heard anything about Aaron, have you?” Joy shook her head, not answering Zach’s question. “Too bad, what happened to him. I was part of the Search and Rescue Team that was called in, you know. Went out with a few dogs to see if we could find him, but never found a trace. Weirdest thing, that. I’m real sorry for your loss.” “People get lost in the wilderness all the time. This isn’t the most accessible of areas. Doesn’t mean he’s dead.” She bit her lip, not meeting his gaze. “True, true. Just strange, is all. Him being from the city and everything. Not sure why he’d come up here on vacation. Always thought that boy was too sissified to come up here and rough it.” He tossed a glance to Hunter, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been telling this one that’s what happens when you decide to play patty cake with another man.” Joy curled her lip. “Excuse me?” She couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “Well, doesn’t matter much anyway. You’d better be on your way before it gets too dark to see.” Completely ignoring her indignant glare, Zach walked away, scratching his belly. “Your brother is a real winner, Hunter. Is he always like that?” “Most days.” Hunter shrugged. “So…?” “Yeah, it’s true. He doesn’t much care for it, but I won’t hide the fact that I prefer men.” “There’s nothing wrong with it, you know. If you need someone to talk to, I can get my cousin, Darren, to call you. He knows better than most how it feels when some people don’t like the choices you make.” “Yeah, I should… you think I should?” Joy smiled gently. “It might help to talk to him. He’s a nice guy, honest.” “Yeah, I may do that, then. It’s -” A loud chuffing roar sounded, the scream of a wounded animal. Joy started, jumping in place and just about dropping her cloth case with its precious cat cargo. 3

“What the hell was that?” Hunter had gone white, his face blanched. When he glanced back at her, she could clearly see the fear in his gaze. “That… uh… t-that’s j-just a… Zach caught a-a cougar. It’s injured…” “It’s still alive! What the hell is wrong with you guys? That’s completely inhumane to leave it in that kind of pain. Why wouldn’t he just kill it like the other two? Never mind that. Why haven’t you contacted one of the big game vets to come look at it if it’s injured?” “It was caught in one of our traps. Zach… Zach wanted to… hell, I’ve given up trying to second guess my brother. I don’t know what he’s doing. It’s just -” “Hunter, you get your ass in here and stop flirting with Joy. If I thought it’d amount to anything I’d leave you out there, but we all know you’re not man enough.” Hunter blushed, his shoulders slumping. “You okay?” He nodded. Glancing back at the main building, he seemed to come to some sort of decision. Straightening his shoulders, he whispered, “Can I give you my number? Maybe Darren can call me. It’s important. Tonight, can he call me tonight? Maybe in three hours? I can get away then. Zach won’t be watching.” Frowning, Joy studied the younger man. “Is Zach threatening you? Are you okay here?” He nodded jerkily. “Fine. Just… I don’t know who else to call. Please, it’s important.” Joy placed Spotty’s case on the ground, swinging her pack down beside her. Rifling through, she found a piece of paper and a pen. Waiting for Hunter to write down the number, she cooed at Spotty, trying to placate the very angry feline. Hunter handed over the piece of paper with a small smile. “Thanks.” “You’re welcome. I’ll tell him the minute I get to the cabin. You just hang in there, okay? Ignore that big ass in there.” “Hunter! I better not have to tell you again!” Joy shook her head, settling her pack on her shoulders. “I better go.” Placing Spotty in her designer carry bag over her shoulder, Joy set off along one of the northern paths, her long strides eating up the distance. Part of her couldn’t wait to get away from the campground and the carcasses decorating the front yard, but she didn’t feel right about leaving Hunter like that. She couldn’t imagine growing up in a family environment like his. “Thank goodness for Mom and Dad and Mike, right Spotty?” Spotty mewled in reply. Well, at least she wasn’t ignoring her, so that was a good sign. Joy snorted, shaking her head at the image she must present with her devotion to her baby. She couldn’t help herself, she definitely doted on Spotty. Mike had always laughed at the two of them. He would probably freak when he found out she’d brought her cat with her. But she couldn’t leave Spotty in Edmonton. It just wouldn’t have been a good idea after she’d already been out of town off and on for the past month. It was the only reason she hadn’t been up here with Mike and Darren searching for Aaron when he went missing. Her cousin had come up here for a week’s vacation, just over two months ago. They’d never heard from him again. When Darren finally realized Aaron wasn’t playing a trick on them, he’d flown up here immediately, calling in a Search and Rescue Team led by the RCMP. Zach had evidently been one of the volunteers who had come out to help. As a hunter in these parts, he’d know the Provincial Park like the back of his hand. As much of an ass as he was, Joy trusted him in the Park. He knew these trails like no one else. Well, except maybe for her dad. He always liked coming out here to hunt and trap. Zach was typical of a lot of the men she’d grown up around. He had this idea in his head that his way was the only way, and everyone else was either stupid or misguided. He was older than her and Mike but she’d known him just about forever. The minute she’d been old enough, Joy had hightailed it out of Fort Nelson, running away to Edmonton to go to University. It hadn’t been easy living away from her family, but she’d been just about desperate for a night life, some type of excitement. Joy knew there was something more out there, she just needed to find it. Now look at her, back home. 4

“It’s just temporary, Spotty. We aren’t staying here, I promise. I just wanted to come up and keep Darren and Mike company for a bit. But now that Aaron’s been found, I can finally see him again. I tell you, girl, he’s getting a major butt bruising when I see him. He better have a darn good explanation for why he’s been MIA for over two months.” Joy sighed, falling back into silence. She used to hate coming out here. Hated even the thought of roughing it. Her idea of roughing it had always been to stay at a cheap motel. Heck, they didn’t even have plumbing out here. No cable. No electricity. Shuddering, she wondered how long they’d all stay here. Now that Aaron had been found, hopefully they’d want to hightail it out of here ASAP. Aaron had always been more like her than Mike. They both used to shudder at the thought of going without hot running water. Mike was more of the camper/hunter in the family. Darren was something else entirely. She grinned, thinking of her family. Spotty hissed, jerking around in her tiny prison. Joy stumbled, trying not to drop the darn thing. “What is wrong with you?” Rustling sounded close by, freezing her veins with icy fear. Images of those dead cougars rushed through her mind. Could cougars scent their dead relatives on someone? She wasn’t exactly up to speed on her animal behavioral studies. Joy had always been more of a people person. “Hello? Who’s there?” She rolled her eyes, hoping it wasn’t Mike out playing a trick on her. If it was, he’d probably be keeled over laughing at her idiocy. She was closer to the cabin now, only about ten minutes away so it could be someone from there. Unlikely, but she’d much prefer to think it was a human than some wild beast out to tear her throat out. Reaching back, Joy pulled her bear spray off her big pack. She had never been happier that she’d packed that instead of bringing one of her suitcases. The rustling got louder, coming closer. Joy tried not to panic. Holding tighter to the strap attached to Spotty’s case, she tried to remember the dos and don’ts Mike had coached her on. It might not be a bear, but that undeniably sounded like a large animal. It wasn’t rutting season, right? Heck, she wished she had a rifle or something, but she’d probably just shoot herself in the foot if she did, so it might be better that she was only armed with bear spray. Short bursts, she was supposed to spray with short bursts while she backed away. Right? Oh hell. Please don’t be a cougar. Or a really angry animal of any kind. White noise filled her ears, deafening her to everything around her. She knew she was pretty darn close to a full blown panic attack. “Nice kitty. Please don’t eat me.” The rustling grew louder, right in front of her now. The bushes parted. Joy screamed, pressing down on the trigger, spraying a full shot of bear spray at the large hairy giant in her path.

Chapter Two “Arghhhhhh!” “Holy crap, Joy?” “Aaron?” “Lev?” Joy panted, staring at the furry giant writhing around on the ground, holding his face. Aaron was bent over him, screaming for him not to rub his eyes. A second furred giant rushed into the clearing, knocking the can out of her hand before she pressed the trigger again. Eyes wide, she stood transfixed. “Aaron?” she repeated. “Joy!” Aaron stood up, collapsing into her embrace. Spotty gave a yowl of protest, but they both ignored her. Holding onto her cousin for dear life, Joy let out one shuddering sob. Pulling back, she punched him hard in the centre of his chest. “Don’t you dare do that to me again! Are you okay? You’re okay?” Aaron laughed happily, running his fingers through her long hair. Pushing it back from her face, he grinned at her. She didn’t know when her pony tail had come undone. Cupping the sides of Aaron’s face, she stared in awe at the red 5

beard that covered once-smooth cheeks. She slowly petted the new growth, her own grin just about splitting her face. “Where’d this come from?” “God, you look good, Pocahontas.” “Did you lose weight?” “Aaron, should you not be concerned about your fallen mate?” The dry tone interrupted their reunion. Joy glanced over, staring at the spotted furry stranger eyeing her narrowly. He was the one who’d knocked the bear spray out of her hands. Grabbing Aaron, Joy backed them both up. “I have another can, buddy. Don’t make me get it out!” “Joy, it’s okay. Sabor here is with me. They’re both with me.” “Are you out of your mind, Aaron?” “It’s a long story.” “Well, you better get explaining then because I have had it up to here with the men in this family deciding to keep things from me.” “Is it safe to come out yet?” Joy shivered at the deep raspy drawl. The voice had sounded strange, almost twinned. When the two men stepped out in front of her she realized why. It wasn’t one voice, it was two. “It is a good thing Lev was always faster than us.” “I would not want to be him -” “Although -” “He probably deserved it.” They both stopped speaking, their attention shifting between her and the man still lying on the ground. Both men were large. Scrap that, they were absolutely massive, brawny. Washboard abs and toe-curling pecs stood out clearly underneath the lushest, softest-looking pelts. Tawny gold fur covered them from head to foot with black-brown crescents randomly sprinkled over their strong bodies. Thick dark hair covered their heads, pretty much the only part of them that wasn’t spotted. Although… she couldn’t quite tell if their man bits were spotted seeing as they both wore tiny wraps low on their hips. Tails flicked out from behind them, twining together briefly before releasing. Wow, they had tails. They finally stopped looking at the guy on the ground - who resembled a lion a little too much for her peace of mind - switching their attention completely to her. Immediately she noticed the difference between them. Two sets of eyes regarded her heatedly, one smoky amber and the other an enticing indigo. Oh. My. God. Griffin Bolen stared back at the human female, unable to take his gaze off her now that Lev had stopped thrashing around. They had been on their way back to the cabin earlier, after Mike had contacted them and told them to come back, but no one had expected to run into this. “You should really get some water for him.” The female grimaced, looking contrite for a moment. “It’s my own fault. I should have warned Lev about the possibility of bear spray.” Aaron bit his lip, crouching down and uncapping one of the bottles he carried. Clear liquid was poured out over Lev’s face, causing the Leo to shudder and try to get away. “Don’t rub your eyes, Simba. I mean it.” Mazin snorted. Without even having to look at him Griffin knew exactly what his twin was thinking. Only a Leo would be uncomfortable with having water poured over his head. They really did not like getting wet more than was necessary for bathing. Morgan stood back, keeping a careful eye on the new arrival. He was Pardus, like Griffin and Mazin, but they hadn’t grown up with the older Felidae. Morgan had spent most of his years on Felid, with the Leo clans, instead of on the Pardus home world, Seren. For years Morgan and Lev had been in a relationship, the two men deeply in love, although they still liked to play with others. Griffin couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been when Lev started experiencing dreams of another man, a hairless man. Aaron was Lev’s true mate, given to him by their ancestors, both reward for and proof of Lev’s ability to lead his people as one of the ruling pride leaders. It was a testament to how strong Morgan was that he was able to accept Aaron and come to love the man as deeply as he did. It was one thing to accept another man into their bed for a night, quite another thing entirely 6

to be faced with the fact that you were technically the outsider now. But their bond was obvious in their every gesture, and Aaron cared just as deeply for Morgan as he did for Lev. Griffin wasn’t afraid to admit he was slightly jealous of them. For so long, it had been just Maz and him. When they were younger they had made a pact together. Everything they did, they did as one. If one were to mate, the other would have to be included. It might sound strange to some, but to them it fit. They had no one else. He wondered if they’d ever find someone to complete their small family. They might belong to Durai’s pride, but both brothers were very conscious of the fact that they were not really part of Durai’s family. No matter how much the big man thought of them. “Aaron, please explain what is going on here.” Morgan’s voice had a hint of a growl within it. He evidently wasn’t pleased with his mate being attacked with some kind of weapon. “Oh, oh sorry.” Aaron stood up, letting Lev take care of his own dousing. The big man shook his head, water droplets flying everywhere. Stepping up to Morgan, Aaron slid his palm along the Pardus’ back, calming him. “Everyone, this is Joy Coleman, my cousin. She’s Mike’s sister.” Glancing back at the female, Griffin saw the resemblance. Mike looked similar enough to Aaron and his brother, Darren, that you could tell they were related, but their differences were quite obvious. His skin and hair were much darker compared to the pale, redheaded brothers. He had told them he was First Nations from his mother’s side. Griffin had understood immediately since his pridemate, Khalid, was a half-breed Leo with a Tigris mother. Joy looked like a more feminine, softer version of her brother. She was as tall as Mike, and definitely taller than the one human female he had met back on Felid. Her skin appeared to be silky smooth, so much so that his fingers ached to touch her. Close in tone to his soft undercoat, Joy’s skin was golden. Tiny hairs were visible to his eye, and he wondered what they would feel like. What must it be like to not have the lush coat his people were born with? Like so many of her kind, she was covered nearly head to toe with fabric. He wanted to undress her, see how smooth her skin really was, see if that color was uniform over her entire body. She was so unlike the Pardus he grew up with. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was practically hairless. It was just strange to see her body only had one tone to it. Not like him and Mazin. Their fur was a mixture of ivory, cream, brown, black and nearly every shade in between. He liked the simplicity of her. She was soothing to look upon. Or she would be if she would just take off the horribly concealing clothing she was swaddled in. He couldn’t quite tell from her clothing, but it looked like every inch of her was curved. Lovely, sensuous curves that practically begged for him to learn them. Long, glossy black hair tumbled down her back, drawing his gaze every time she put her hand up to tuck an errant piece behind her ear. Her ears were delicate, so tiny they almost didn’t seem real. His own ears twitched, giving away his curiosity. Almond shaped green eyes blinked back at him, full of mirth. Her nose was thin, her cheekbones pronounced. Her ruby lips were tilted at the corners, as if she was holding in some joke she didn’t intend to share with the rest of them. Lifting one shapely hand, she turned her wrist, waving to them. “Hi.” “Joy, the poor guy you sprayed full in the face is Lev Gatti. The spotted man beside me is Morgan. Also known as Simba and Sabor. Or Vincent. Or, well, I’m pretty sure you can see where I’m going with this. They, uh, they’re my mates. My men. You wouldn’t be too off if you called them my husbands. We had a ceremony and everything. Darren’s still pissed he missed it.” Joy’s eyes widened, her surprise evident before she smiled broadly. “Oh, I just know there’s a massive story there, but I can wait until we get to the cabin. I can see just looking at you how happy you are. Don’t think you’re getting out of telling me about the ceremony, by the way. I want details. Long involved details.” Aaron ducked his head, his cheeks red, leaning further into Morgan. Lev grumbled from where he was still crouched down on the ground. Soaking wet now, his mane did look a bit pitiful. Holding in his laughter, Griff met Mazin’s gaze, both brothers rolling their eyes at the same time. “I’m so, so, so sorry about the whole bear spray thing. I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known who you were. Are you… are you okay?” Joy gripped her fingers around the straps of her pack, her knuckles white.

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Lev blinked his red-rimmed eyes up at her, bowing his head carefully. “I apologize for scaring you, Joy. I should have been more careful. It was my own fault for not realizing. My only excuse is that your scent was familiar, and I assumed you were aware of our presence.” “My scent?” “Your base scent is nearly identical to that of your brother and cousins.” “Wow, okay. I certainly need to know more about that.” Joy shrugged. “Mike’s notoriously close-lipped so I had no idea you guys even existed, but still, I shouldn’t have just sprayed like that. We okay now?” Lev nodded, evidently understanding what she meant by that phrasing. Griffin had noticed already that the pride leader was more familiar with the peculiar way his human mate and family talked. Before coming to Earth, Griffin had not been around many humans - just Aaron and the human female that lived on Felid. He had not realized how hard it was to understand certain things before. They had a relaxed way of talking sometimes. “These other two are Mazin and Griffin Bolen. They’re part of Durai’s pride, and hold your questions, I’ll answer everything once we get you to the cabin, and you meet up with Mike. Just know that they’re part of the group that brought me back home. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.” Griffin straightened, nodding his head briefly, placing his palm on his chest. He felt his brother do the same beside him. Joy stepped up to them, tilting her head as she came closer. Holding out her one hand, she placed it on Mazin’s forearm, touching him briefly before moving the caress to his own arm. “Thank you, both of you. For bringing this lug home. We were all a bit worried about him.” “A bit? You’d better have been more worried than that.” Aaron chuckled, joined immediately by Joy’s peals of laughter. Griffin couldn’t move, frozen in place from the pleasure that one simple touch had brought him. She was glorious. Inhaling carefully, he sought out her scent, bringing it into his lungs. She smelled clean, innocent, like a spring meadow full of just blooming wildflowers. A touch brushed against his knee. Without looking, he lifted his tail, wrapping the end around Mazin’s flicking appendage. Mazin’s chest moved; he too was inhaling her scent. Interesting. For them both to be enthralled with the human was a good sign. Now, all they had to do was see if she was receptive to them. The pack she had strung over her shoulder suddenly jerked, a high-pitched hiss sounding loudly in the small clearing they were standing in. The Felidae froze in place, Lev crouching down to view whatever it was she held. Aaron shook his head. “Please don’t tell me you brought Spotty out here. Hello, Miss Spotilda.” “Well, where exactly was I supposed to put her? I’ve been out of town for nearly two months. I don’t even want to think of what she’d do to my place if I left her overnight to come up here. I’ve already lost two cat sitters.” Griffin nudged forward, intrigued by the shadowy figure inside the case. Mazin beside him, the two brothers crowded close to Aaron, Morgan and Lev doing the same on the other side. “What is it?” He reached out, stopping himself before he touched the case. “Gentlemen, meet Spotilda Coleman. She’s a purebred brown spotted tabby Bengal, and she knows exactly how special she is.” Cocking his head, Griffin peered closer. A small face thrust itself against the mesh opening, staring back. All four Felidae jerked, stepping backward. “Is that -?” “She looks just -” “Like us. Do you think -” “She is like that creature -” “Amazing.” The small spotted creature rubbed her head against the mesh opening, her sawing purrs audible. Griffin couldn’t help his open-mouthed state. He could not get over the size of the cub. It had to be a cub, the little creature was tiny. “I think she likes you.” Glancing up from his bent over position, Griffin met Joy’s smiling gaze. He flushed, straightening. Mazin snorted beside him, probably enjoying Griffin’s embarrassment. He felt like a cub himself. “She is so little. Why do you have her caged?” “Trust me, you don’t want to see what kind of trouble Spotty can get into if she’s got free rein of a place. It’s easier for both of us if I have her safe inside her little home.” Griffin stuck out a finger, running it over the mesh. A rough tongue licked the barrier, just touching his fur. “I know, little one, you do not like being caged. Does she have to be caged now?” “It’s really easy for her to get lost if I let her out. It’s too dangerous.” He pursed his lips, refusing to acknowledge that it was pretty close to a pout. 8

Mazin bumped his shoulder, chuckling. Ignoring his brother, Griffin turned to Joy once more. “If I promise to hold her?” “Geez, you’re like a big kid. Fine, if you promise to hold her. Don’t you dare let her go or I’ll skin you.” Grinning, Griffin waited patiently while Joy opened the top of the case, drawing out the little cub. “She looks just like you.” Lev’s voice was rough. He sounded like he was still suffering from his meeting with Joy’s weapon. “So that is what your cubs will look like, Morgan.” Morgan snorted. “I will not be having any cubs, so stop it now.” “I think a little Morgan would be adorable.” Aaron fluttered his lashes at the big man. Ignoring them, Griffin accepted the soft weight from Joy, cradling the small cub in his arms. She was shaped differently, more like the creature that walked on four legs that they’d encountered when they first arrived on Earth. This was without doubt a planet of discoveries. He’d never imagined coming across so many different things. Not the least of which was the intriguing woman watching him carefully. Aware of his sharp claws, Griffin cradled the cub - Spotilda - close to his chest, silently laughing at her little purrs. It was almost like holding a young Pardus. If he wasn’t careful he’d forget he was holding her, she was so light. It was a deep honor for Joy to trust him with her young one. He didn’t want to let her down. Turning so Mazin could investigate the cub, he met his brother’s gaze. Maz nodded imperceptibly, angling his head toward Joy. Lowering his gaze, Griffin nodded in return, acknowledging that he was more than interested in the small human. “All right, if we don’t get back now, Mike might just send out a search party. Does he know you’re coming?” Aaron started walking in the direction they’d been heading in originally. “He knows. I sprang that on him when I arrived at the airport.” “Oh, boy this is going to be fun. Brace yourself, Joy. You’re not in Fort Nelson anymore.”

Chapter Three Joy couldn’t get over the shock she’d just received. It all seemed so unreal. Glancing to her left, she studied the big man who cradled Spotty gently in one muscled arm. He moved like a big jungle cat, all sinewy muscle and rolling hips. He practically glided across the forest floor. It was even worse because he moved in complete tandem with the man on his other side. They almost seemed like one body. She ignored the tingling in her pussy. It’d certainly been too long since she’d been with anyone but her battery operated boyfriend. Good old BOB never let her down. Shaking her head, she silently told herself to focus. She couldn’t wait to hear the coming explanation. She just knew it was going to be good, but if there was one thing she’d learned from being an anthropologist, it was that sometimes it was better to wait for the right moment. There was no point rushing into anything, especially when that something looked like it was going to be one heck of a tale. She couldn’t believe Aaron was here, beside her. Alive. It was almost like a dream. The path opened up ahead, the small cabin coming into view. Joy’s dad had built the structure with her uncle, both men carting the materials in with pack horses to try and make it a little home away from home. It was so peaceful out here, the two men had loved coming out when they went hunting. Joy couldn’t quite get excited about the whole being out in nature thing, but she had to admit it was beautiful. Hard to believe anything bad could happen here. That was probably why they’d all been so shocked to discover Aaron had gone missing. The door opened, a tall man standing in the opening. Joy gasped, staring at the massive Tony the Tiger staring back at her. Holy crap. Tigers, and lions and leopards, oh my! What was going on here? What else was she going to find? Another man muscled past the stranger, coming forward briskly. Dropping her pack on the ground, Joy ran forward, throwing herself into Mike’s hold. “What the heck is going on here?” “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you involved in any of this. I should have called.” 9

“Darn right, you should have called. This is insane, Mike.” He pulled back, lightly punching her shoulder. “Bet your fingers are itching to record this. Have you been picking their brains about their culture and the formation of their patriarchal governing system, yet?” “You’re not funny.” Pausing, she tilted her head. “Seriously though, is it a patriar-” “Joy! Wait until we at least get you settled in.” He turned back to the cabin, ushering her forward. Leaving her pack for someone else to pick up - there were a few advantages to being female among so many big, muscular pack ani… uh, men - Joy wandered closer to the cabin. “I’m going to assume you’ve been thoroughly introduced to the ragtag group you arrived with. Now for a second round of introductions.” A slender arm wound itself around the tiger man’s waist. Sliding around him, a furred female stepped into their path, curling her tail around Mike’s thigh. Stopping, Joy stared, pretty sure her mouth was hanging open. A female? Golden fur covered her body, and her hair was a long wave brushing past her shoulders. She was smaller than the men surrounding her, but those were positively feminine curves under a small wrap around her breasts and another around her hips. A massive bowie knife was strapped to her muscular thigh. Joy looked down at her own serviceable blue jeans and hiking boots. Okay, so if she’d had time she’d have thrown on a pair of sky-high heels and a short mini skirt, but she refused to feel schlumpy because she was out hiking through the forest. She wasn’t competing with the sensuous female in front of her. “Joy, this is Zula Steinsson, and the big tiger is Jai Asher. This is my sister, Joy.” The female - Zula - bowed her head, placing her hand against her breast. Jai repeated the action, oddly graceful despite his size. “Hi. Nice to meet you. Mike, we need to talk.” He grimaced. “No kidding. You wouldn’t believe everything that’s been going on in the past few days. This has been one gong show after another.” “Gong show?” Zula’s voice was melodious, perfect. Great, just another thing to hate the woman for. She wondered if Zula was the type of woman Griffin and Mazin preferred. If so, they definitely wouldn’t be interested in Joy. Not that it mattered whether they were interested in her. No, siree, BOB and her were just fine alone. Of course, two of the men she’d met were obviously gay so maybe the rest were too. Pursing her lips, she contemplated what a wholly gay and lesbian society would look like. They would still have to mate with the opposite sex, to have any hopes of future generations, but it would be interesting to observe them. Mike led the way into the cabin, stopping before she could get fully inside. “Brace yourself.” “Aaron already said tha… whoa. Oh, boy, Darren’s going to be dead meat when Uncle Fred sees this.” The walls of the small structure were covered, floor to ceiling, in blue ink. Sketches of catmen, planets, stars, spaceships. Wow, were the catmen ever anatomically correct. She had to stop herself from glancing at a few of their loincloths to see how accurate her cousin had been. Then she had to wonder how exactly he knew how endowed they were. Was Darren sleeping with one of these guys? Speaking of Darren… “Where is he, by the way?” Mike turned from his own study of the walls. “He’s on his way back. It’s a long story. Where do you want us to start?” “Well, I’d like to know why it smells like wine in here, and whether you have any more sitting around here somewhere, but you should probably start with… One day, Aaron was walking in the woods…” “Right, Aaron. I believe you’re up first.” Joy contemplated the lumpy sofa, deciding it was probably safer to sit on the floor. Glancing quickly at the big man still holding Spotty, she dropped to the floor, stretching her legs out in front of her. “I feel like we should have popcorn or something.” “I have cream of mushroom soup.” Wrinkling her nose at Mike’s answer, she decided just to ignore him. Brothers shouldn’t be encouraged. Really, it would just make him worse. Mike hopped up onto the kitchen counter, the two newest cat people standing close to him. “Okay, so, my story.” Aaron had more guts than she did. He plopped down in the middle of the sofa, his mates settling on either side of him. That still sounded weird, thinking of Aaron being mated. It’d only been 10

two months and already so much had changed. Brought up all sorts of academic paper topics, though. She could do a study on… Focus, Joy. “Well, you know I came up here to have a bit of a vacation. Well, my vacation didn’t turn out to be as peaceful as I wanted it to. I ended up being abducted by an alien, a big, furry, striped man, who took me back to his home planet. And before you start being a smartass like your brother, I was taken on a ship.” Joy smirked, rolling her eyes at Mike. He shrugged, as if to say he was all innocent. Looking back toward Aaron, she noticed Griffin and Mazin staring at her. They were both propped up by the door of the cabin. She smiled, glancing down to where both men were petting Spotty. The little princess was lying on her back in the big man’s arms, her head tossed back, offering her belly and the underside of her chin for their searching fingers. Geez, her cat was spoiled. And she absolutely did not want to be in Spotty’s place right now. Not at all. Snorting, she focused on Aaron. He was watching the two brothers as well. Glancing at her, he grinned wickedly. “Looks like they know their way around a pussy. Good to know, eh Joy?” She blushed, shaking her head at him with a disbelieving chuckle. “Pussy?” She knew without looking up that one of the twins had spoken but she couldn’t look at them right now. “Yeah, sorry about that, I’m just joking around.” “So it will not take much to explain what has made your cousin to blush so prettily.” Aaron snorted. “It’s one of those words that has a few different meanings. A pussy is another word for a feline. Pussy cat is the term used often. So, I could call Spotty a pussy, or call you two pussies, and I’d be talking about you being all furry and catlike. Or I could use it as an insult. Most guys don’t like being called pussies because it can imply you’re being a wimp, a coward. It’s, uh, ahem, also a word used to describe a female’s… you know… private parts… between her thighs. Not that I know anything about a woman’s anything. I don’t quite swing that way.” “Can we change the subject already?” Joy ignored the few snickers. She knew for sure one of them was her brother, but she couldn’t make eye contact with anyone right now. Her face was probably flaming red. “Okay, back to business. Bit of background for you. Turns out there is life on other planets. These guys here all belong to the Felidae race. They’re made up of clans, and they come from different planets. Lev is a Leo, and his people are considered the rulers of the Felidae. His father is actually the ruler. They call him the Father Lion. Morgan and the twins are Pardus, Jai there is one of the Tigris. The other clan is called the Lynx, and one of Lev’s brothers is mated to an absolutely adorable little Lynx. “Anyway, I ended up on this strange planet, the Tigris home world, being told I was going to be the prize in some competition. The winner got me.” Joy leaned forward, fascinated. She took mental notes, trying to remember everything that she was going to ask more questions about later. This was seriously the coolest thing that had ever happened to her. Just like the first time she’d been placed in the field getting to talk to locals up in the Arctic Circle. “Luckily, Lev and his brother’s pride arrived just in time. Rajiv is mated to Lev’s youngest brother, and he’s a Tigris so he ended up fighting for me. The others weren’t allowed to compete or Lev here tells me he would have entered the mate hunt. I fell for Lev and Morgan, and the rest is kind of history. Lev agreed to take me back home to let you guys know I was okay, and that’s when Durai stepped in. You’ll meet him later when Darren gets here. Durai is kind of their leader, just like Lev is the leader of my little pride.” “But wasn’t Lev part of his brother’s pride?” “He was. It turns out that part of what determines a pride leader is having a connection with someone else. A mind connection, I guess. Lev found out he had it with me, so that makes him the newest pride leader within the Leo. We’re also practically the smallest pride ever, but that’s okay. Durai’s pride seems to be growing every day, and I can’t imagine being around that many people all the time.” Mike suddenly chuckled. “Look at her face. I can practically see the internal handstands she’s doing.” Grinning, Aaron wiggled his brows. “Anything you want to know, I’ll tell you.” She didn’t know where to start.

11

“Why do you continue to comment on your sister’s interest? Should you not be happy that she wants to know more about the world you will soon be living in?” Zula frowned at Mike. At least it looked like a frown. Hard to tell, but the glistening fangs she was showing off kind of made it seem like she wasn’t happy. “It’s what she does. Remember, when I was telling you about her, I said she studies people. I meant it literally. She studies people, different cultures, for a living. Does research on them to figure out how they’re made up, and presents her findings in all sorts of academic papers. My sis is quite the published author over there.” Mazin glanced over at Griffin, noticing his concentration on Joy. “You study other people?” She glanced at Mazin. “I do.” “Why?” “What do you mean? Why do I want to?” He nodded, wanting to know her response. He loved her voice, the melodious tones of it, the humor evident in her every word. A part of Mazin just wanted her to keep talking, but he was just as interested in her answer. He wanted to know as much about her as he could. He knew without looking that Griffin was gazing just as intently at her. His twin was obviously enthralled with the human. He shouldn’t be surprised, but it was almost shocking to realize that they had both found someone they were interested in, especially when that someone wasn’t Pardus. Since they had joined Durai’s pride, Mazin had had many encounters with Leo females, but Griffin hadn’t been all that interested in getting to know any of them. He had still fucked them because it was what Mazin wanted, and they did absolutely everything together, but his heart hadn’t been captured by any of them. He didn’t quite know what to think that his usually quiet twin was so enraptured with this one female. “I guess, in a way, I’ve always wanted to take something that’s strange to us and find a way to make it familiar, and then take something that’s familiar to us, and show what’s strange about it. As an anthropologist, I study other people, record their social practices, find a way to understand it and then put it in a context so I can pass that knowledge on to other people.” Mazin nodded, encouraging her to continue. Joy leaned forward, lifting her knees and propping her folded arms on them. “I guess I’ve always felt that some people fear what they don’t understand. If I can find a way to pass on what I’ve learned, then I’ve done my job. If doing my job means that our world has more tolerance for people who are different and more appreciation of diversity, then I’ve found a purpose that’s worth living for.” She blushed, her cheeks heating up. He had seen Aaron do the same thing on countless occasions, but it had never made his heart turn over when the small man did it. With Joy, though, he wanted to take her in his arms and show her how special she was. “Is that why you are not afraid of us?” Griffin’s voice was quiet. Mazin studied her carefully, needing to hear her answer. “Partly. I mean, seeing how relaxed Aaron was around you went a long way to curing me of any fear I felt. But you’re right, the rest of it is because I’ve seen so many strange things in the past few years, encountered so many things that raised the hairs on the back of my neck that I’ve got a lot more understanding of things that are different. This world is a bigger place than most people will ever know. And that’s just this world. I can’t imagine what all is out there in the universe. Just because I haven’t seen it doesn’t mean something doesn’t exist. And just because you’re different from me, that doesn’t make me better, or you less worthy, or anything. Does that make sense?” Mazin nodded, ducking his head, studying the little cub asleep in his brother’s arms. He hadn’t put Spotty down once since he had been given the task of holding her. Mazin couldn’t blame him. Spotty was covered in Joy’s scent. They obviously cuddled quite frequently. It was also a huge honor for Joy to trust his brother with her cub. Griffin would not put her down until Joy asked for her back. Mazin would probably beat him if he even tried it. “Okay, so enough about me. What’s going to happen now? I’m assuming you’re not planning on staying here, are you, Aaron?” Mike shifted on the countertop, raising his hand in the air. “Uh, I should take over here now.” Joy studied her brother, waiting. “You know that Darren was here by himself, right? I couldn’t stand being cooped up with him, and I needed to get back to work, so I ended up leaving him here. Aaron arrived with everyone, and Darren ended up

12

finding out that he had a similar mind connection with Durai, the leader of the pride that brought Aaron here. He’s Zula’s older brother.” “What is wrong with you two boys? Couldn’t find a nice human to settle with so you had to find gorgeous aliens to complete you?” Giggling softly, Joy smirked at her cousin. “Uh, that’s not all.” Mike fidgeted, smoothing his palms up and down his thighs. “There were several people that came with Aaron. Obviously Lev and Morgan were two. Durai’s pride itself is made up of his four siblings and the twins there. Zula you’ve met. The other two you’ll meet shortly are Rais and Khalid. They’re out right now with Darren and Durai. Jai arrived with his sister Rabi’a and two other Tigris. And that’s how we all came to be here in this one tiny cabin that barely fits four.” “That’s only three.” “What?” “Three siblings. You said there were four.” The Felidae exchanged glances, the scent of anger and fear ripe in the small room. Mazin still didn’t know what to do, he felt utterly helpless. It was his job, as one of the Pardus attached to the Leo prides to serve as a protector for the pride leader. But that protection was intended to extend to the rest of his family too. They had all failed the pride. “The fourth is their youngest brother.” Aaron’s voice shook. “He went missing a few days ago. We can’t find him. It’s why we’re still here. Why we were out this morning and bumped into you. It’s why Darren’s not back yet. They’re out searching for him.” “What? He just wandered off?” “No, something happened to him. We don’t know for sure, but…” Mazin turned his head, ignoring Aaron’s words. He sniffed, glancing at Griffin. Jai was suddenly at his side, brushing past him to open the door. Without a word, Mazin joined him outside, leaving Griffin inside with the small cub. It felt odd, for a moment, standing beside one of the Felidae, but not his brother. Durai strode into the clearing around the cabin, followed closely by his human mate. Khalid was next, and Pran was in the rear. Mazin waited, not seeing Rais anywhere. Jai hesitated. “Khalid.” Without pause, Khalid moved forward, grasping the big Tigris in his arms. They embraced, their tails entwined. Khalid whispered something to his brother, backing up and releasing him. “Where is Rais?” Mazin turned to his pride leader. “There were a few complications. Rais is cooling his head with Rabi’a Asher and Sheer Ma’at of the Tigris until he can think straight.” “Is it wise to leave him out there when Achan is still missing?” He knew it wasn’t his place to question his pride leader, but he really didn’t think that was a good idea. “Two Tigris are protecting him, Pardus. Learn your place,” Pran snarled, curling his lip. Mazin couldn’t hold in his throaty growl. He could not stand the other man. Pran hated everything to do with the Leo, so it was interesting that he was here helping them. A gasp sounded behind him, the wildflower scent of Joy surrounding him before a small hand pressed to the middle of his back. She peeked around his bulk, staring at the newcomers. “Joy?” “Hey, Dare! Aaron’s been telling me stories about you.” With a sliding caress, Joy removed her hand, her hip brushing his thigh when she walked past him to hug her cousin. Mazin turned to the side, hoping no one noticed the tenting in his loincloth. It was just one big family reunion this week. Too bad Griff and he had no family. They would never have this welcoming from anyone else. He turned his back on the newcomers, meeting Griffin’s gaze. Bleakness shone in his eyes for a moment before Griff nuzzled the cub in his arms. “Joy, meet my mate, Durai. Durai, this is Mike’s sister, Joy. The big guy over there is Durai’s brother, Khalid. And that’s Pran. He’s, uh, friends with them.” “Friends?” Everyone ignored Pran’s snort of disbelief. “Okay, time to debrief.”

13

At the unfamiliar words, Mazin studied Darren Coleman. Or would that be Darren Steinsson now? It was strange to think that this small human was now part of his pride. The mate to his pride leader. What did that make him to Mazin? The rest of the Felidae crowded out of the cabin, gliding past him. “What is wrong with your eyes?” The surprise in Durai’s voice was loud and clear. He was staring at Lev, probably wondering why his eyes were all bloodshot and raw looking. “It was an accident,” Joy interjected, reaching up to smooth her hair. “What kind of accident?” “It was my fault, Durai. She was coming up on the path, and I did not think to call out to her. She… sprayed me.” “With what?” “Bear spray.” Darren started to laugh, immediately hushed by his brother. “You bear sprayed Lev?” Joy giggled, quickly holding her hand over her mouth. A single beat, then all four cousins started to laugh, holding on to their sides as they bent over. “Oh, my God, that has to take the cake. I can’t believe you bear sprayed Lev.” “Looks like she got him good, though. I taught you well, sis.” “It was an accident!” “You should have seen his face.” Aaron giggled, dancing around Lev when his mate mock-growled and swiped at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that surprised before. Oh, cut it out, Simba, you’ll live.” Mazin beamed, thrilled to see their bond. The four were obviously close. Instantly, his mood fell. She had not yet heard about her brother’s connection to Zula and Jai. Mazin might not have been present when the three fell for each other but their scent was all over the cabin. It was obvious to any Felidae with a nose that they had fucked. And often, if the protective way Jai acted around the two was any indication. Only, if her brother and her cousins were mated to Felidae, they would be leaving the minute Achan was found. Leaving Joy alone. Griffin glanced at him, obviously following the same train of thought as he had been. It was uncanny sometimes to find out how close their minds were. Shaking his head, Griff turned to gaze at Joy. Right, he knew what Griff was thinking. If they had their way, Joy would not be alone. But would she be willing to travel across the stars on the off chance their infatuation turned into something stronger? Griff leaned into him, whispering in his ear. “It is not a passing curiosity. I need.” Well, didn’t that tell him? He tried to decide if he felt the same way. It was too soon to tell. He might be enthralled with the human, but he was not sure if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Obviously Griff thought differently. What did that mean for them? They were supposed to do everything together, weren’t they? Shaking his head, he realized the rest of them had started their debriefing already. Paying attention, he caught Durai’s next words. “I do not know why it affected the Leo so much, and not the Tigris. Mike called it yarrow, said it was a plant that can be used as a medicine to cloud the mind, make someone unconscious. It is also a mild aphrodisiac, but obviously that property is exaggerated when it is introduced to a Leo. Rais was… very friendly.” He shook his head. “What would it do to one of the Pardus?” Mazin asked. “I am not sure. Rabi’a felt the effects of the plant at first, but she was able to shake it off. Khalid’s reaction was in between that of Rabi’a and Rais. He felt the effects but was not knocked out the way Rais was. I do not know what it would do to you or your brother. It is dangerous for us, though.” “We followed Achan’s scent to the yarrow, where it combined with that of several humans. We think they may have him. Pran was able to detect traces of his scent, and let us know it doubled back not far from here. We found another patch of yarrow closer to the cabin, and that is where we lost the scent trail. There have been too many creatures in the area and the scent was distorted.” Mazin stared at Khalid, pretty sure that was the longest speech he had ever heard his pridemate make. Khalid Steinsson was normally quiet, a loner who preferred his own company. He did not look like his siblings, from either side of his family; instead he was a mixture of his Leo father and his Tigris mother. A small mane 14

surrounded his head, and stripes a shade darker than his tawny fur covered his body. He towered over even the tallest Tigris among them. Where Pardus were protectors, the Tigris were hunters. They excelled at being able to find the smallest prey. Tough and fierce, they made the more-relaxed Pardus look like cubs at times. Pran paced from one end of the clearing to the other, ignoring the rest of them, even when Khalid praised his efforts. Mazin could not figure out what the other man was doing there. The orange Tigris paced past Joy. Mazin gazed at her, studying the enraptured expression on her face. He wanted to bring her to their home on Felid, show her their birthplace on Seren. He wanted to be the one to put that look on her face. Pran stopped, pressing into Joy intimately, inhaling deeply. Griffin roared, startling the little cub in his arms. Within a heartbeat, Mazin had strode forward, grasping Pran around his neck, pulling him off the human. Griffin grabbed her, placing her protectively beneath his free arm. Her cub, Spotty, was safe in the bend of his other arm. “What is wrong with you?” He snarled at Pran, flashing his fangs in a threat display. “Relax. I’m not after your mate.” Mazin didn’t correct his impression. It would be obvious to everyone there how Griffin and Mazin felt about her now. “Do not touch her!” “Then maybe she would care to explain why the stink of Achan’s attackers is all over her.” Time seemed to stop. Slowly, Mazin turned, staring at his brother. In tandem they both looked to Joy. “What?”

Chapter Four Joy froze, uncomfortable under the weight of so many stares. A few of the looks were downright nasty and she had to remind herself that these people didn’t know her. “Want to run that by me again?” She tried to extricate herself from the twin’s hold. Was it bad that she didn’t know which one it was? She thought it was Griffin who had taken Spotilda. “You are covered in the scent of one of Achan’s attackers. It is the same scent I found at the yarrow. I would not mistake it.” She didn’t like the look in his eyes. All of a sudden, Griffin’s hold was a good thing. She burrowed closer to him, tucking herself under his arm. Warm fur brushed her cheek. Without thinking it through, she turned her face into his side, rubbing her cheek on him. A rumbling purr started up in his chest, startling her. It sounded like Spotty’s rhythmic purring, only much, much deeper. She liked it. “Mazin will not let him near, and I would protect you with my life, little one.” His voice was low, intended only for her. Looking forward, she saw Mazin’s ears twitch. Okay, not intended just for her; obviously his twin had heard that. She glanced up, meeting Griffin’s amber gaze. So that would make Mazin the one with blue eyes. She’d remember that now. “Joy?” Her brother looked at her, probably just as confused as she was. Turning so she rested her cheek on Griffin’s side, she shook her head at Mike. “I don’t understand. I haven’t even met Achan. Why would I smell like one of his attackers?” “Did you come into contact with anyone when you got here?” She frowned, thinking. “Just you guys. Ernie drove me in here. I was in his truck for a good bit on the ride out. Would that be it? Or, well… I met up with Zach Miles and his baby brother. Zach hugged me.” She widened her eyes. That had to be it. Staring at the men and woman around her, she spoke slowly, not wanting to mess this up. “When I arrived at the campground, Zach was there with Hunter. Zach was one of the Search and Rescue guys who went out looking for Aaron. He’s completely harmless, but he’s the biggest jerk sometimes. He had two cougar carcasses strung up outside. I-I heard the scream of a third cougar when I was talking to Hunter. He said they’d found one in their traps, that it was injured, but Zach was waiting before he either killed it or got a vet to look at its injuries. Do you think…?” If furry faces could blanch of color, these would definitely have done it. Durai stumbled, resting heavily on Darren when he grabbed him. Zula whimpered, reaching out for Mike and Jai. Khalid closed his eyes. “Were they acting strange?” Aaron asked. “Just Hunter. I told him he should talk to Darren, because Zach was being his usual lovely self, and made some homophobic remark to his brother. Hunter asked if he could have Darren call him tonight. In three 15

hours… well, it will be just over two hours by now. Said he would be able to get free then. That Zach wouldn’t be watching him.” “Darren, you have to call him.” Mike reached out, running his palm down the female Leo’s arm. Zula turned into him, burrowing in nearly the same pose Joy was now in with Griffin. Wait? What was going on there? Was Mike involved with her? Spying the look on Jai’s face as he watched the other two, pieces started to fit together in her mind. She was used to observing others and everything inside her was positive it wasn’t just Zula Mike was involved with. Good for him. She wanted her brother to be happy, and she’d long suspected he wasn’t exactly as strictly straight as he’d told everyone he was. It looked like all three of her relatives had discovered something about themselves recently. Now, they only had to figure out how to rescue Achan. If that was him she’d heard, she didn’t want to know what kind of shape he was in. Aaron paced back and forth in front of her. “Do we go in now, or wait until Darren’s talked to Hunter?” “We go in now. I will not wait.” Durai let out a snapping roar, eerily similar to the sound she’d heard earlier. It was raw, filled with pain. *** Joy wandered around the cabin, trying to find something to do. She was bored, bored, bored. Finally sitting down on the couch, she leaned against the uneven back, studying the state of her nails. She understood why she was going to be left behind while the others went to scout out the campground, but she knew this was going to be hard for the twins. When Durai had made his pronouncement, he’d been met by a chorus of voices all demanding to take part in the action. He’d put his foot down, saying that only Khalid, Pran, Jai and Zula would come. They decided it might be best to have their other brother with them, and Khalid had instantly set off to locate Rais and the two Tigris she had yet to meet. They should be back soon, and then they would all travel south together. Lev had agreed to stay behind at the cabin with the humans. That had been Durai’s one demand and no one argued with him. He’d taken one look at Darren and said that he wanted his mate out of harm’s way. It was decided then that all the humans would have to stay. She wasn’t complaining. Joy snorted. She really would prefer to stay behind than get caught up in whatever confrontation was going to happen. Morgan would not leave Lev’s side, so he would stay behind as well. She wasn’t sure why Griffin and Mazin hadn’t been included, though. Durai hadn’t explained himself, and the two men hadn’t argued when he told them to stay here. “You okay?” Joy turned at Aaron’s voice. Nodding, she shimmied over, making room on the lumpy couch for him to join her. “Where is everyone?” He shrugged. “Guess no one wants to be inside right now. They’re all off in various places around the cabin. Durai told them not to move too far away, but they’re all too tense to be around each other right now. They’re all starting to get into a hunting mood. Pretty soon it’s going to be so bad they’ll be picking fights if they don’t get out and start searching.” “What do you mean?” “Well, remember when I told you I was taken? When I was on Himalay, the Tigris home world, I got to see firsthand how these guys fight. They are just so intense that at that moment in time nothing else matters. They narrow their focus until their purpose is the only thing they can think of. The Leo maybe not so much, but it’s definitely true for the Tigris. Now that they have the name of the man who may have taken Achan, and the location of where he might be? We should all just stay out of their way until they leave. Trust me. Don’t get in front of any of them.” “Is that why you’re still in here?” “Nah, I just figured I needed a little time away from everyone myself. It’s so weird being back home.” “This is not your home, Aaron.” Lev walked in, standing in front of the couch. “You know what I mean, Simba.” “Hmm.” Joy rolled her eyes, elbowing Aaron. 16

“So, what are you doing inside? Thought you would want to be out there snarling with everyone else.” Humor rang out in Aaron’s voice. “I would rather be in here… napping… with my mate.” “Napping?” “Mmm.” Both men stared intently at each other. If she didn’t know better she’d think they were having some kind of silent conversation. Aaron’s face flushed. He blinked madly behind his glasses. Lev’s tail started to sway back and forth. Oookay, time for her to get out of here. Right, because napping is really what they intended to do. Lev probably wanted to take his mind off the attempted rescue that he wasn’t taking part in. “I’ll talk to you both later. I think I need some air.” Neither man acknowledged her statement. It was like she wasn’t even there. Joy quickened her pace to the door, afraid they were going to start throwing their clothes off while she was still in the room. Stepping outside, she studied the few Felidae she could see. Right, she probably wanted to be somewhere else right now. Closing the door carefully, she made sure Spotty couldn’t escape while she was outside. Following the path to the right, she tried to remember some of her favorite haunts from when she’d spent time here over the years. They’d often come out in the summer when her father went hunting, but Joy had never really moved far from the cabin. She’d preferred sitting around working on her tan to carrying a rifle and shooting at Bambi. Stopping short, she eyed the spotted man leaning up against one of her favorite trees. “Hi.” Amber eyes blinked at her, studying her carefully. “Hello, Joy.” His tail jerked, swinging against his thigh before settling. “Do you mind a little company?” “Of course not. I would be honored by your presence.” She grinned, liking the way he talked. “I couldn’t stay inside the cabin. Lev and Aaron were going to nap for a little while so I thought I should save my hearing and just disappear.” “Hmm. Nap?” A wicked grin broke across his face. “I have never heard of it being referred to as napping.” Good, he obviously got the humor in that statement. Griffin settled himself at the base of the tree, motioning for her to join him. “I wanted to thank you for being so nice to Spotty earlier. She definitely likes you guys.” “Your Spotty is a beautiful creature. I like her just as much.” “It must be strange for you.” “Seeing one so similar, you mean?” “Yes. I mean, I know how much of a shock it was for me to see you guys, so it must be even stranger for you to meet hairless folks like my family, and then to meet someone who looks even stranger.” He paused, as if weighing his words. Blinking his large amber eyes, he studied her closely, his gaze roaming over her face. “It has been a joy meeting you.” “That’s for sure.” She chuckled. Griffin ducked his head, laughing softly. “I mean, it has been a pleasure. I have met one other human female and she did not… she was not the same as you.” “Who is she?” “The mate of our heir. Laithe will rule the prides and the Felidae after his father, and he has been fortunate enough to mate an amazing woman. She is very different from any I have met before. I thought her strange until I met your cousin and realized there were others like her.” “What’s it like? Traveling to other planets?” He thumped his tail, lifting it in the air. One hand started to play with the appendage, drawing his fingers across his fur, smoothing up and down his tail. Joy couldn’t take her gaze away from the movement. She had no idea if he realized how sensual the movements were, but they definitely were. She felt herself getting warm, her pussy tingling at the mastery 17

evident in his movements. She wondered what he would be like in bed. Would he be just as masterful? Would he like to touch, run his fingers down her spine? What would his fur feel like? Slowly, she shifted in place, moving closer to him. Her arm brushed against the arm not playing with his tail. Fur rubbed against her wrist, soft as silk. It felt like Spotty, but touching Spotty had never felt so erotic. “It is something I do not know how to describe. I did not think Mazin and I would ever leave Seren, our home world. When we decided to go to Felid, it was an unbelievable journey. First time off planet. It was so different from our home, so many things to explore. We loved every minute of it. The journeys on ship can become tiring. The Azarnaz is a small craft, and there are a lot of us. There will be even more of us once everyone else comes aboard. I do not know how we will all fit together. As it is, I assume Mazin and I will have to share quarters to make room for the newcomers.” Oh, the two of them sharing a bed. Joy closed her eyes, imagining what that would look like. She stood at the edge of the massive bed, staring at the two men sitting side by side. Identical except for the color of their eyes, they both held out a hand for her. “Come, Joy. Join us. We are so lonely in here by ourselves.” The one with the blue eyes spoke, his gaze heated. “I need you, beautiful. Please join us.” The look on the amber-eyed Pardus was just as heated and intense as his brother’s. His free hand moved beneath the covers. Joy licked her lips, watching that hand move up and down, displacing the sheet minutely. “Show me how much you need me.” Griffin arched a brow, staring at her. His hand lifted from beneath the sheet, grasping hold of the edge. He turned to look at his brother, angling his head. “Should we give her what she is asking for?” Mazin pursed his lips, considering. Joy panted, waiting for his reply. Her core clenched, throbbing with need. Her breasts were full, aching. Glancing down, she realized she was completely nude. Lifting one hand, she palmed a breast, pinching her nipple, squeezing her flesh. “I think we should make her beg for it.” “I don’t beg for anyone, cat.” “You will.” Mazin reached for the covers, mirroring Griffin’s pose. Both men began to lift up the sheet. “Hello, Bolen.” Joy tensed, swinging her head around to spy an unfamiliar cat lady standing just off to the side of them. This one was striped, all tawny and brown. A smart bob swung to her chin. Griffin stretched beside Joy. “Hello, Rabi’a. Khalid found you?” She snickered, something Joy hadn’t thought to ever hear coming out from a mouth full of fangs. “He certainly received a surprise. Let me just say we were in a very compromising position when he walked up to us.” “We?” “Yes, it seems Sheer managed to convince both Rais and I to take a chance on him. I took pity on the poor Tigris. It just would not have been fair to leave him hanging.” “Is that so, Rabi’a? I do not remember you complaining too much,” a deep voice interjected. Rabi’a smirked, lifting her tail to wrap it around the thigh of the brawny man who came up beside her. He glanced over at Joy and Griffin, his eyes widening for a moment. “Is this Mike’s sister? Khalid mentioned her.” “Sheer Ma’at, meet Joy Coleman. Joy, meet Rabi’a Asher and Sheer. Rais is around here somewhere, I assume?” “We are all getting ready to leave. The Steinssons decided they needed to have a little talk amongst themselves. I thought we should come out while we had the chance and say hello.” “You are leaving soon, then?” “We are leaving now.” She didn’t recognize the voice, though that wasn’t surprising. She’d probably met more new people in the past hour than she’d met in the past three months put together. It was ridiculous how many Felidae were hanging around here. How the heck had they all arrived on Earth undetected? Wasn’t North America supposed to be monitored for unusual aircraft? Unless the Felidae were flying in ships that were untraceable, she couldn’t figure out how aliens had landed without anyone knowing about it.

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Which just made it all the more important to get Achan out. If Zach really did have the Leo, who knows what he planned to do with him. Would he expose the man, sell him to the government for testing? They needed to rescue him. Now. Standing up, Joy followed the rest as they returned to the cabin. Subdued, she stood silently by while the men and women arranged themselves outside. Durai and Darren were embracing near the front door, lost in some silent conversation. Mike was running his hand down Zula’s arm, whispering softly to her. Joy couldn’t hear what he was saying, and she didn’t want to step forward and intrude on his private moment. Jai stepped up behind them, kissing Mike briefly before following Khalid and Pran down the trail. Zula smiled after the big man, leaning in and kissing Mike as well. Hmm, wasn’t that interesting?

Chapter Five She watched them leave, unsure what to do now. Everyone else had scattered, leaving her alone in the clearing. Joy still didn’t quite understand why Durai was leaving people behind. Shouldn’t he want to take as many people as he could? Maybe he thought he had enough firepower with the rest of the Felidae and didn’t want to overdo it. Whatever his reason, she was now alone with her three family members, one unhappy Leo who still wouldn’t come too close to her, and three very attractive Pardus. One of whom was very much attached, so that left Griff and Mazin to play with. Uh, not play with. Talk to. Right, she just wanted to talk to them. At least that was her excuse. Checking inside briefly, she decided to leave Spotty sleeping on Mike’s lap. She needed to do something or she’d scream. She hated being cooped up in the small space. Stepping around the cabin, Joy looked for one of the twins. A movement above captured her attention. A long tail drifted back and forth, the only visible part of whoever was lying up in the tree where she’d first found Griffin. They were either being lazy and sleeping on the heavy branch, or they were lying in wait for some unsuspecting prey. She approached the spotted tail slowly. Without warning, the owner of the tail dropped down in front of her, landing agilely. He turned when she came closer, blinking his blue eyes at her. “Hi there.” “Hello.” “Where’s Griffin? I thought you were always together from what Aaron was saying.” “He has gone off with Morgan to ensure the two ships are still hidden and ready to leave the minute they bring Achan back.” Nodding, she looked out into the forest. “I bet you can’t wait to get out of here.” “It has not been the most pleasant of trips, but it has been interesting to learn more about the people around me. I never thought so many would become mated on this one journey.” “I can’t even imagine what that must be like for you. To travel to another planet. Meet an entirely different species.” “Some of it has been more pleasant than others.” His eyes crinkled, a fang flashing briefly in a secretive smile. Joy frowned, wondering what was behind that look. “Do you have a minute, or are you busy?” She needed a distraction, and she didn’t think he’d appreciate her original idea of how to spend the next hour. It involved the tree he was leaning against and her pants around her ankles. “I do not have any duties at the moment.” “Do you think I could pick your brain?” He snarled. “Pick my brain?” “Uh, ask you a few questions?” “What does one have to do with the other?” “Oh, sorry, it’s a figure of speech. They mean the same thing. To us, I mean. Humans.” He looked mollified by that. “Hmm. What do you want to know?” “I just wanted to ask you about your people. This is such a rare opportunity for me, but I would love to learn more about you.” “Really?” Now he just looked intrigued. His tail twitched, thumping against his thigh. Instantly, Joy stared transfixed at the movement. From an anthropological point of view she would love to just be able to sit and study Mazin, learn what that meant. Did his tail twitching signify anything in particular? Was it the equivalent of a tapping foot, or a raised eyebrow? Fascinating. Naturally, from a purely female point of view, she just wanted to be able to sit and stare at him. The man was ripped. Even if he was covered in fur from head to toe, he was definitely in shape, and it was certainly a 19

turn on. Call her all sorts of names, but Joy wasn’t afraid to admit she was attracted to the Pardus. Okay, fine, she was attracted to both of them. “Yeah, for me, it’s fascinating to be able to discover new cultures, find out all the things that make other people unique. Getting to meet you and your pride is a dream come true for me.” “I do not think I have ever paid attention to others. My life has been one commitment after another. Both Griffin and I, we grew up among the Pardus, on Seren. We never thought we would ever leave it. When we came to Felid to do our duty to the Leo prides, we swore our service to Durai, and that was the end of that.” “Is it normal for your people to swear service to a Leo?” “It is not abnormal, if that is what you are asking. It does not happen for everyone, and not everyone is suited to traveling off planet. We are very different, essentially. The way we are raised. The things that we cherish. Not everyone can handle the differences.” “I know you and Griff are twins. Is that normal for your women to have multiple births?” He closed his eyes, cocking his head to the side. “There have been a few instances of it, but it is not the way every female has cubs. It can be difficult to carry two beings to term. Our females are used to being active, to hunting continuously and two cubs are hard to carry. It was hard on our mother. We are her first cubs, and she never had another after we were born. She only had one mate, so we often went without food when we were little.” “Why? I mean, what does one have to do with the other?” “Females are hunters just like our males. Because our mother only had one mate, it was left to him to find food for us. She had to stay with us and because there were two, it took her twice as much energy to care for us, and twice as much food to feed us.” “So, is it normal to have more than one mate?” “Most females have two. Several have more than that. We do not have the same family structures as the Leo though. They can have up to ten mates for one female.” Joy gaped. Ten men. She couldn’t even imagine that. Okay, so it was a great fantasy, but hell, she could just figure the amount of trouble ten men would get into. Plus, while it would be a wonderful little thought to have that many men paying attention to you and only you, she didn’t think she’d be able to walk after being fucked by all of them. Shuddering, she realized Mazin was staring at her with a smirk on his face. “Seriously?” “You do not like the idea of that many mates?” “Hell no. I wouldn’t be able to walk.” Mazin tossed back his head, laughing loudly. She beamed, loving the booming sound. “Would you prefer only having one man then?” “I’d be okay with one, but I guess I’d prefer two. Perfect number.” “Why?” “I don’t know. With one guy, if he’s not there, you’re alone, right? If you have two, you can pretty much guarantee you’ll always have one around. No, never mind. That sounds stupid. I’d probably prefer one. Any more than that and the bed starts getting too crowded, right?” She didn’t want him to think she was trying to hit on him and Griffin. Mazin pursed his lips thoughtfully. Narrowing his eyes, he studied her. “If it was the right men, you would not notice how crowded the bed was. All you would be thinking of was the passion they had for you, the pleasure they gave you. I bet with the right men, your mind would become clouded, thoughts driven out, your entire being would become devoted to the satisfaction found in their embrace.” Joy gasped, unable to think of a single thing. Guh, he was unquestionably good at painting a pretty picture. Her core clenched, images of her and Mazin filling her mind. The image changed, two identical men now touching her, fucking her. Loving her. Warm hands touched her shoulders, ran down her arms until he held her hands in his. Looking up, Joy was caught in Mazin’s indigo gaze. She saw the same thoughts running through his mind, the idea of the two of them together. If the heat in his gaze was any indication, he certainly liked it. He bent his head slowly, giving her enough time to pull away. She wasn’t going to pull away, though. Did she look like an idiot? The man was steaming hot.

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Their lips touched, so gently she almost swore she imagined it. Making a low sound in her throat, she leaned forward, asking for more. Mazin obliged, parting his lips, nibbling on her lower lip, licking her mouth with his raspy tongue. Oh, sugared almonds, that felt just like Spotty’s tongue. But not in a gross way. In a very, very good way. She was reminded of a paper she wrote once, on the furry and plushy subcultures. There was a whole group of people out there who got off on the idea of anthropomorphizing animals, giving them human characteristics. There were furverts who took great joy in sexualizing their characters. She’d understood where they came from, but she’d never thought she’d become one of them until now. Lifting her hands, Joy ran them down his back, feeling the ultra short fur beneath her fingers. It was the softest down, teasing her nerve endings. She wanted to feel that fur all over herself. Did that make her a freak? It probably just made her normal, when held up beside her family. She pulled away just enough to talk. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I need you right now. I’m betting you could use the distraction too.” Mazin grinned wickedly, licking her mouth again before moving down her throat, licking and biting her skin. Oh, wow, oh that felt almost too good. Like a current attached directly between her skin and her clit. Every time he licked her with that raspy tongue, fireworks went off behind her closed eyelids, and her clit did little cartwheels of happiness. Her shirt was pulled over her head, almost without her participation. Joy tossed her head, letting him do whatever he wanted. “Thank you, little one.” He chuckled. Wait, had she said that out loud? His fingers glided over her skin, as if he was memorizing every inch of her. His mouth followed where his hands went, kissing and sucking up what were sure to become marks. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and she’d never been happier about the lack of one. His lips closed around her nipple, sucking gently, pressing his canine against her skin. She moaned, feeling the edge of his tooth. He repeated the motion on her other breast before slowly making his way down her belly, licking her navel, teeth toying with the edge of her jeans. The snap on her jeans released, denim sliding down her thighs, abrading her flesh. His raspy tongue followed, sending her nerve endings into a riot of feelings. Grasping his hair, she threaded her fingers through the strands. Hot breath wafted over the crotch of her panties. “Oh, Mazin…” He paused, lifting first one foot and then the other to work her boots off. Her jeans slithered off her bare feet, pooling in the grass. Closing her eyes, Joy was grateful when his strong grip prevented her from falling to the ground. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold herself up if he put that raspy tongue where she really needed it. Her pussy clenched, moisture trickling out to wet her panties. His tongue ran over the outside of the material. Through the cotton, she couldn’t quite get the effect of his tongue, but it was enough to have her knees shaking. She grasped his hair firmly, pressing him into her. “Fuck!” A low heated chuckle sounded between her thighs, right before Mazin thrust his tongue forward, pressing the fabric of her underwear into her core, licking and sucking as if the barrier wasn’t there. Joy cried out, grabbing a firmer hold on his hair, probably pulling strands out, but she couldn’t help herself. “Mmm, like the freshest cream. I love the way you taste, little one.” Her cunt throbbed, orgasm so close that her eyes rolled back briefly. She couldn’t speak now if she tried to. “I know what you need, Joy. Let me give it to you.” He pressed the pads of his fingers into her belly, under the elastic of her panties. In tiny increments, he pulled them down, licking the skin that he revealed. His velvet rough tongue touched her clit, and stars flashed. Screaming, her pussy clenching tightly, Joy came, rewarding him with a fresh flood of cream to lap at. He took great advantage of the opportunity to savor her juices, sending her into another blinding orgasm.

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When she could see again, Joy realized she was on her knees beside him. His big hands were smoothing along her back, over her sides, touching her hair. “You are full of surprises, beautiful Joy. I never expected to see you marked for us.” For a moment, she had no idea what he was talking about. He touched her back again, the pattern of his movements alerting her to what he was referring to. “What can I say?” She gasped for air, slumping into his body. “I like cats.” He ran his fingers over her back, petting the jaguar that covered nearly her entire back. The large cat stretched from her right shoulder down to her left hip, his face turned back, fangs glistening as he glared at whoever was coming up behind him. She’d fallen in love with the design when her artist had sketched it for her and she would never regret getting it done. Now it just seemed to be fate. No wonder she’d always been drawn to leopard and jaguar patterns. Heck, for years Mike had made fun of her leopard print purse. They’d all shaken their heads when she told them she was in contact with a Bengal breeder to purchase Spotty. “How is it that you are marked like this?” “It’s called a tattoo. Hmm, let me think of how to explain it. The design was made by inserting colored pigments into my skin with… well, with needles. When my skin healed, the color remained permanently.” “Did it hurt?” “Of course it hurt. It wasn’t like being licked by kittens, I can tell you that much.” “Hmmm, you like being licked by kittens?” “Eww, not the way you made that sound, Mazin. But, tell you what. You get that long, pretty cat tongue over here and I’ll tell you how much I like being licked by a Felidae.” He purred, a low sawing sound. Almost in slow motion, he drew her closer to him. She straddled his hips, grinding against his hard cock. With a muttered oath, he lifted her off his lap and lay down on his back. Maneuvering her with a strong grip, he placed her over him until she straddled his chest, facing his feet. Well, it wasn’t his feet that had her attention right now. She was more interested in seeing what lay underneath that tent in his loincloth. Reaching down, she ran one finger along the thick shaft through the cloth, gratified to hear his growling moan. Mazin grasped her hips, pulling her backward until her pussy was right above his face. She wasn’t sure she could survive another event like what he’d just done to her. Leaning forward, she ran her fingers over the edge of his wrap, over and over again. Snarling, he released one hip, reaching down and yanking on his wrap, ripping the cloth and sending tatters of material flying. Giggling, Joy shook her head. Licking her lips, she considered the curving shaft in front of her. It was definitely spotted. Just like the rest of him. Wow. She hadn’t seen that coming. Cocking her head, Joy reached out, grasping him in a firm hold. The skin of his shaft was a loamy gold, with black crescents decorating the thick length. Small bumps ringed the head of his cock. Teasing them with her thumb, she realized they certainly did something for Mazin when he growled loudly. She moved down his chest, away from his mouth but closer to her new goal. She had to do something to thank him for the two marvelous orgasms she’d just had. Blowing a hot breath against his glans, she rubbed her thumb over and over those bumps. They had to mean something. When she had more time, she’d have to remember to ask him about them. Every time she touched one of the bumps, his thighs would tense in the most wonderful way. Evidently he liked it. Smoothing her palm down his hairless shaft, Joy cupped his balls in her hand, smiling at the silky texture of his sac. It was as furred as the rest of him, but for some reason it was even softer. Just straddling his chest was doing things for her, seeing as the inside of her thighs were being brushed by fur that felt like down. If she actually had these velvety balls between her thighs, she might just die from sensation overload. Of course, she’d probably explode anyway since that would entail him having his fat cock inside of her. Joy squeezed the head of his cock, gratified at the drop of liquid that seeped out. He moaned again, his chest vibrating her thighs with the movement. Oh, she liked that. It was almost like being on a motorcycle. She wondered what she’d have to do to get him to really vibrate.

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Quirking an eyebrow, Joy licked her lips, studying his cock. She had a feeling she knew exactly what she’d need to do. Licking the drop of cream, she ignored his startled shout, opening her mouth and sucking the broad head. She grasped his shaft firmly, sliding her thumb along the bumps just below where her mouth was working feverously. Spice erupted on her tongue, dark and exotic. Oh, she liked the way he tasted. Releasing him, she began to lick his shaft, moving her tongue over as much skin as she could reach in her position. Even his skin was delectable, rich. It was different from any of her former boyfriends, more intense in a way. There was so much to explore she had a feeling she could still be learning new things about him years from now. Her tongue discovered the delights of those tiny bumps. They were almost raspy against her. The taste of him was stronger there, more powerful. He started to purr, deep and measured. The vibrations traveled up her thighs, starting a tingling in her pussy. Moisture coated her thighs, his chest. Even she could smell the scent of her passion, so she just knew it had to be stronger for him. Gripping her thighs, Mazin moaned for her. Joy smiled around his shaft, going back to sucking just the head of his cock, tasting his flavorful pre-come. She couldn’t fit any more of his cock in her mouth, but he didn’t seem to mind much. At least, if he was complaining, he had a funny way of doing it. The cries of “more, yes, oh, don’t stop” were music to her ears. Holding his shaft straight up with one hand, she went back to tonguing his skin, working her way up and down his cock. Her core clenched, cream flowing freely now. Movement to her left caught her attention. Mazin’s tail was beating the ground, almost in time with his staccato purring. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from yet more proof that he definitely wasn’t human. She didn’t care what he was. He could be blue or have six arms, and she’d still want to be here with him. Although, if she was being honest with herself, the only way this could be any better would be if Griffin were with them. As if her thoughts conjured him, she saw him standing just inside the tree line. He was watching her go down on his brother, his gaze intent on her. His ears were pressed back to his head, his tail still. “Griffin…” Joy widened her eyes, the clenching of her pussy catching her unaware. She came hard, lifting her head when her vision blacked out. A roar filled her ears, the shaft in her hand throbbing. Opening her eyes, she was just in time to see Mazin come, white jets arcing up and landing on his thighs and her hand. Glancing up again, she saw that Griffin was gone.

Chapter Six “Well, it is not every day a woman cries out my brother’s name when she is with me.” “He was here.” Mazin silently cursed, smoothing his palms down her thighs. Helping her straighten out, he waited until she was settled beside him. “I hate to do this, but I need to talk to him.” Joy blushed, nodding. He inhaled, but she didn’t smell angry. In fact, she just smelled like passionate woman. Sighing, Mazin stood up, striding briskly toward his brother’s scent. He found him minutes later at the edge of the river. “Griff?” His brother tensed, his body freezing, even his tail. That was not a good sign. Mazin sighed, walking closer. “You mad at me?” Griff remained silent. 23

“Come on, talk to me.” One ear twitched. Okay, that meant he was at least willing to listen. Mazin tried to form the words he wanted to say. This was important, and he did not want to mess it up. Griff was better at putting his emotions into words, but most people didn’t realize that. He was so quiet normally. It just meant that when he did speak it was something he really meant. Mazin was more verbal, but he often talked just to talk. This time, he wanted Griff to realize he meant every word he spoke. Which meant he had to say the right words. This was harder than it should be. They were twins; they normally knew everything the other was feeling without having to talk about it. “I should not have had sex with her. Not without you.” “We do not do everything together.” Griffin’s words were tense, clipped. “Yes, we do. And for that, I am sorry. I know how you feel about her. I just… she was right there, and I… I could not help myself. Her voice, her eyes, her scent… it was driving me wild. I needed her.” “And you have had her. I am happy for you.” “No, you are not.” Mazin wasn’t stupid. “Do you dare insinuate I do not want you to be happy?” Indignation dripped from Griffin’s voice. “I know for a fact you wish it were you.” “It was not.” “It does not stop you from wishing, does it?” Griffin finally turned around, snarling, his fangs flashing in the sunlight. “I do not take what is not offered to me. She did not want me, she wanted you. So it does not matter what I want, does it? It does not matter what I wish. What I crave. What I would kill for. You talk about her scent? What do you think it feels like to smell her on you? Her heat, her passion. You stink of her beautiful fragrance, and I know I cannot have it. What do you -” “Why can’t you have it?” Both men froze. Joy entered the clearing, her arms crossed over her naked chest. Her face was flaming red, her scent ripe with frustration and shame. Mazin inhaled, ignoring the scent of her embarrassment and that of their lovemaking. He closed his eyes, searching for… there it was, the scent of intrigue, passion untapped. She was excited by what she had just heard. Her embarrassment overpowered it, but if he was careful, he might just be able to salvage this relationship. Griffin refused to meet Mazin’s intent gaze. He knew what his brother was thinking though. Joy belonged to them. He was not willing to let her disappear without finding out how to capture her interest in the same way she had captured them. He was not surprised that they had sex. Between the brothers, Maz was freer with his emotions. He gave of himself more, went out of his way to make friends. Griff did not. He had never felt this way about anyone else, and that, more than anything, made him realize how serious his feelings were. How much larger they could become. He wanted to see if he could have a future with Joy and Mazin. He just needed to find out how she felt about that. He had scented them before he had seen them, so he had known what to expect when he had come into view. Despite that, the sight of it had almost brought him to his knees. He was not upset that Maz had been with her. It was the purity of her movements, the utter unselfconsciousness that had captured him. He wanted to be with her, at that moment, so strongly that he almost wished Mazin were not present. It was that more than anything that made him leave. To think that he could wish his brother gone, just to be able to be in his place, was shameful. He would never admit it to Mazin. He could not. “I do not… I do not know how to act around you. Mazin is more… he is less… afraid.” “What are you afraid of?” Griff shook his head, unable to put it into words. “Okay, better question. Why don’t we all cool off for a bit? Maybe a swim would do us all some good. We won’t hear back from Durai and the others until they’ve reached the campground and have something to report. There’s no sense standing around twisting our fingers. And obviously, the emotions are a little high over what just happened.” Grateful for her suggestion, Griffin grinned. 24

Mazin chuckled, immediately making for the water. “It is going to be cold.” “Well, maybe the two of you should make sure I’m warm. What else is the point of having two fur coats nearby if I’m not wrapped in them?” Groaning at that suggestion, Griff followed Mazin to the water, pushing past him. He strode into the current until his feet were covered, closing his eyes at the chill. He didn’t mind it, was comforted by the cool liquid against his heated skin, but he had a feeling Joy wasn’t going to want to get in. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to go in much further if she wasn’t coming in with them. A small shove against his back caught him off guard. He stumbled, catching his foot on a rock that protruded under the water. Windmilling his arms, Griffin fell with a splash. Bellowing, he surfaced, turning and spying Joy on the bank. He couldn’t believe that she had just pushed him into the water. Shrieking with laughter, Joy backed away from him, bumping into Mazin. “If you wanted a wet pussy, all you had to do was ask, and we would have delivered in a much more enjoyable way,” Mazin purred, wrapping his arms around her waist. Joy let her head drop back, closing her eyes on a moan. “You did not just call me a pussy, Maz. You will pay for that.” Griffin came snarling out of the water. He paused, shaking his body furiously to get the water off. His coat puffed up, and Joy giggled. She couldn’t help herself. The indignant look on his face had been utterly priceless. She honestly didn’t think he’d actually fall in or she never would have tried to push him. She had just given him a little tap. Griffin shook his body again, keeping his gaze on her. Mazin leaned down, scraping his sharp teeth over her shoulder before straightening. “Griff wants you just as much as I do. I know you like him too, or you would not have come just from the sight of him earlier. Will you take him?” he whispered. Joy panted, leaning her head back to rest against his chest. Keeping her gaze on Griffin, she slowly nodded. Griffin watched her carefully. “You are certain?” “Get your fuzzy butt over here, Griffin. Now.” Griffin closed the distance between them, pulling her away from Mazin, capturing her lips and swallowing her desperate moan. She gave up the struggle, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, arching into his body. Her entire focus was on Griffin, the sounds he made, the feel of his lips against hers, the stroke of his tongue and the taste of him. Instantly she was overheated, her passion rising. It felt like she hadn’t come yet, her body yearning for release. He pulled her close, running his palms down her sides, scraping his nails along her hips. Angling into him, she pressed against his wet fur, sliding up and down his body. His cock was trapped between them, hard and throbbing. She definitely liked that. Something was missing though. Griffin must have thought the same thing. He pulled away from her mouth, gasping for air. “Maz?” “I’m fine. I want to watch.” “Get behind her now. I will not say it again. This does not feel right without you.” “That is all fine and well, Griff, but I have already -” “Now!” Joy smirked, staring up at Griffin. He definitely knew what he wanted, and it looked like he wasn’t going to let Mazin feel guilty for already having sex with her. Griffin bent his head, capturing her lips again, licking inside her mouth, tangling his tongue with hers. He cupped her breasts, squeezing them, abrading her nipples with his palms. Sharp pinpricks dragged along her skin. Joy shivered, loving his control. It was obvious that he was stronger, tougher, his claws and sharp teeth formidable weapons. It was so erotic that he was using those weapons to tease her passionately. Fingers stroked down her belly from behind, sliding between her thighs and sinking into her wet heat. Joy cried out, screaming into Griffin’s mouth. Mazin chuckled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder as he drove her mad with his fingers. He’d certainly joined the party.

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Joy pressed against Griffin’s naked body, sliding her skin against his, gratified when he threw his head back on a gasp. “On your back.” Mazin removed his maddening digits, maneuvering Joy until she was spread out on the grass. Griffin wasted no time, sliding down on top of her. His fingers played in her wetness, sinking into her pussy. Joy tossed her head, desperate. “More, please more…” She’d be embarrassed if she hadn’t already had Mazin tease her to the point that she was tired of second guessing. She wasn’t normally this desperate, but she wanted both men, needed them to give her everything they could. Chuckling, Griffin fisted his thick cock, running the head against her folds, teasing her with light strokes on her sensitive flesh. She cried out, nearly begging. Blunt pressure against her pussy, and Griffin was sinking in, abrading her quivering nerves. He didn’t hesitate, not stopping until she felt the bump of his pelvis against her own. They both cried out, almost overcome by the aching sweetness. Slowly he began to withdraw. Suddenly, she knew what those bumps were for. They scraped the sides of her pussy, abrading her nerve endings, tightening every muscle in her body until she could only focus on Griffin, could only feel him. She tossed her head, moaning loudly. “Good. Now get me nice and wet.” Mazin knelt by her head, stroking his shaft, his cock flushed and weeping from the slit. So damn familiar already. Joy angled her head, sucking just the tip of Mazin’s cock. He moaned, placing a hand on the back of her head. Licking and sucking his shaft until it practically glistened with her saliva, she familiarized herself with his taste. Griffin moved slowly inside her, dragging out every thrust until she was whimpering in need. Griffin roared, his head thrown back, his white canines glinting in the sunlight. Overcome, she lost her grip on reality, her mind full of the two men. The feel of them, the scent of them. She was caught up only in them. The flutters started in her belly, rolling through her until she was alive with sensations. The painfully pleasurable contractions squeezed her body around Griffin until it seemed he was almost too big inside her. She screamed, releasing Mazin’s cock, coming hard, her eyesight blurring. Griffin’s roar of completion echoed in her ears, the feel of his come jetting into her body causing another rippling contraction to move through her. Mazin’s own bellow followed seconds later, his seed splashing on her neck and chest. Griffin whimpered, landing heavily on top of her. Mazin managed to land beside them when he collapsed. He moved beside her, pushing Griffin off until they surrounded her, cradled her between them. “I swear I just keep on interrupting everyone’s fun.” Swinging her head around, Joy spied Morgan standing off to the side. He ran his gaze over the three of them, smirking. Joy glanced down, realizing she was buck naked. Squealing, she threw her hands down, covering the important bits she didn’t really want to flash to the world. “Hmmm, I like that sound.” Mazin grinned. Huffing, Joy moved the arm banded across her breasts long enough to smack him on the belly. “Move it, spotty, or I’ll have to hurt you.” Mazin snorted, gracefully rolling to his feet. Griffin moved at a slower pace, moving to stand beside his brother. The twins stepped in front of her, shielding her from the newcomer. “What do you want, Morgan?” “Aaron and Lev were busy when I arrived back at the cabin, and when I finally pulled them off each other, we decided we should all be in one place. If you are finished here, we should go back to the cabin.” “Hmm, and how long between the time you arrived back at the cabin and the time you pulled them off each other?” Griffin grinned. Morgan shrugged, probably attempting to look innocent. “I may have joined in for a minute or two. You cannot possibly blame me. I am mated to two incredibly attractive males, am I not?” “I would rather not think about your males, thank you, Morgan.” Shuddering, Mazin reached back and grabbed Joy’s hand. Propelling her forward, they walked toward the cabin.

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“Uh, my clothes?” She really wasn’t comfortable walking around naked right now. Not when her cousins and her brother were waiting back at the cabin. There was no need to be flashing boob to anyone. “You need them?” “Let me rephrase that. Take me back to my clothes, or I will introduce Mr. Happy there to my fist.” She shook her fist at him. All three men started laughing. Sighing loudly, Joy went over what she’d just said in her mind. “Good lord, not like that. I meant it as a threat.” “You can touch my - what did you call it? - Mr. Happy whenever you like, beautiful one.” Exasperated, she snorted. “Right. I’m going to get my clothes. You coming?” “Not just yet. Are you promising something if we get your clothes, though? I will most likely come if you touch Mr. Happy.” Griffin snickered, just egging his brother on. “You two are incorrigible. I swear…” They continued to joke while she dragged them over to where Mazin and she had left their clothing. When she bent over to pick up her jeans, it just started off a whole new level of ribaldry. Narrowing her eyes at them, Joy walked past, ignoring the hands that reached for her. “If you’re that happy, you can just stay here and play with yourselves, boys.” Joy silently cursed. She hadn’t meant for that to sound the way it did. She could hear their maniacal laughter all the way to the cabin. Slamming the door shut, she startled the occupants inside. Mike and Darren were playing checkers on the floor by the couch, and Aaron had just started down the stairs. There was no sign of Lev. “So, I’m guessing you had fun.” Joy smacked Mike on her way to the kitchen. “Don’t start with me.” “Seriously, those guys are a little loud. Just thought you should know we could hear you all from inside the cabin. I don’t know whether I should congratulate you or go try and kick their butts for having sex with my baby sister.” “You’ll do neither, so stop weirding me out.” “You okay?” “I’m fine.” She was fine. Never been better. Okay, so what just happened only complicated things to an extreme degree, but she couldn’t help that too much. She had no idea what to do. She’d just had sex with two men. Sure, they were both amazing men, and she’d been attracted to both of them from the start, but it was still something so out of the ordinary for her. She just didn’t do things like that. Not normally. Especially when she knew they were only going to leave her at the end of everything. What would she do then?

Chapter Seven The Felidae returned an hour later, a very silent Achan being carried by Khalid. Joy stood back while Durai preceded them into the cabin, reaching for Griffin and Mazin without thought. Both men surrounded her, wrapping their tails around her. Darren rushed forward. “What happened?” He was pulled tight into Durai’s embrace. The big Leo looked exhausted, drained. No one spoke when Khalid carried the still form upstairs to the loft. A strange man who looked almost exactly like Durai followed him up, silent. That must be the other brother. Mike pushed his way outside, probably going to look for his own mates. None of the rest came inside. “We found him where Joy said he would be. It was ridiculously easy to subdue the humans. I want to go home now. I am so tired of this place.” “I’m sorry, Durai.” “No, do not apologize. I would not change anything because it brought you into my life, but I wish this had not happened to Achan. He did not deserve this.” “What happened?” 27

“They had him tied up. Like some kind of animal. He is wounded, cut and bruised. I do not know what they did to him. He was barely aware of us when we rescued him. I -” Durai sobbed, collapsing into her cousin. Turning into Mazin’s body, Griffin hugged her from behind. She ran her hand over Griff’s arm around her shoulder, reaching out with her other hand and touching Mazin. That was their pridemate up there. “Are you guys okay?” she whispered. They both murmured, not saying anything. “Maybe we should go outside.” Holding both their hands, Joy led them around Darren and Durai. Griffin leaned down, picking up Spotty in his free hand. Opening the door, they walked outside, waiting for Aaron and his mates to join them. It was definitely a subdued group outside. They were all shaken, obviously. Joy ran her gaze over them, looking from one to the other. “Hunter?” The thin man stepped out from around the large and intimidating Pran. “Joy.” “Are you okay?” There was a nasty looking bruise on his cheek. His lip was split and dried blood covered his chin. One eye was completely swollen; he couldn’t even see out of it. At least, she assumed he couldn’t. That looked painful. Joy tugged lightly, encouraging her two men to follow her to where the human was standing. Geez, look at her now referring to other folks as humans instead of just people. She was starting to sound like one of the Felidae. “I’m so-sorry about not… I tried to protect him. There wasn’t much I could… No, I could have done more. I just… I hope he’s okay.” “How’d you get involved in all of this?” “I told you the truth before. We found him caught in one of our traps. Zach was all excited, figured he’d found some new evidence of Bigfoot. He didn’t… he didn’t know about him being able to talk or anything. Zach just figured he was some stupid animal. He told me to take care of him, and that was when I tried to figure out how to release him. The first time he spoke to me, I just about freaked out. I couldn’t let him be hurt. I just didn’t know what to do.” Tears ran from his good eye, making little tracks in the dirt on his cheek. Releasing Mazin’s hand, Joy reached forward, brushing Hunter’s face free from tears. “You did the right thing. You waited, you obviously tried to protect Achan and you tried to warn me.” “I don’t know what to do now. Zach… Zach didn’t make it.” Hunter started to cry again, his whole body shaking. Releasing Griffin’s hand, Joy stepped forward, embracing him. “It’ll be okay.” She glanced over his shoulder, meeting Pran’s gaze. The big man’s face appeared almost soft for a moment, evidence that he might just have feelings after all. He turned away from her, pacing away from the cabin, away from everyone else. Joy turned back to Griffin and Mazin, letting Mike and Aaron come forward and take care of Hunter. She didn’t know what was going to happen to him now. There was just so much that had happened in such a short period of time. So many questions still left unanswered. Glancing up at the cabin, she wondered how Achan was doing. What had happened to Zach? She needed to know what happened, but no one was talking. It was as if whatever had happened had shaken them all. Griffin pulled her close again, placing her solidly between him and Mazin. Spotty purred, snuggling close. What was she going to do? Decision made, she picked up Spotty, turned and offered her to Mike. Maybe her girl would be some comfort for Hunter right now. Without saying a word, she grabbed both Griffin and Mazin by the hands, pulling them off and around the cabin. Heading for their spot, she remained silent. She hadn’t missed the looks on their faces back there. They were obviously hurting, upset that they weren’t there, angry about what happened to their younger 28

pridemate. She ached to be able to comfort them. To give them some measure of relief. If it was the only thing she could do, she wanted to make them feel better. Her heart turned over, aching. They had Achan back now. They’d be leaving soon. She wanted to leave them all with a good memory, a remembrance of happy times during such a horrible ordeal. They might never want to think about their time on Earth, filled as it was with so many unpleasant things, but she wanted to give them something. When they reached the tree where she’d first met both Griffin and Mazin separately, she stopped. She couldn’t think of anything to say. Realizing that was probably a good thing, considering the emotions that had to be running high, Joy turned to face them. Her shirt was stripped off in silence, no efforts to be seductive, no ploys. Just her giving herself to them. She wondered if they realized what this was. The men remained silent as well, willing to let her lead. She unbuttoned her jeans, sliding the material down her thighs. With a quick shimmy, she toed off her boots, letting her jeans fall to the ground. She had nothing on underneath. Her panties had mysteriously disappeared after their afternoon fun. Reaching forward, Joy held out her hands to the men. They both grasped her hands hard inside their massive paws, squeezing just shy of pain. Joy closed her eyes, feeling the rightness of this. “Take me.” Her voice was a whisper, quickly carried away by the gentle breeze. Mazin was the first to move, not surprisingly. She was coming to realize that he was normally the first to act, as if he wanted to take the risks to protect his brother. Either that, or he was just more impatient, but that felt wrong. He wasn’t selfish. In fact, most everything Mazin did seemed to be with his brother in mind. She could feel their love for each other every time she was with them. She didn’t think they realized how often they turned to the other, touched the other in passing. They were always in contact in some way or another. She wanted them to know that she respected their bond, would never do anything to get between them. She wanted to be beside them, though. A sob started in her chest, and Joy was almost overcome with the idea that she was going to lose them. And probably her relatives too. It was all too much. She wanted to get lost for a moment in time. Just forget everything and enjoy this moment. Mazin bent over her, enfolding her in his arms, his fur rubbing against the front of her body. Griffin was suddenly at her back, his fingers running over her cat. She could tell by the placement of his fingers that he was petting the large tattoo. Mirroring each other, working as if they had one mind, the brothers moved down her body, kissing and licking every inch of her skin. Nerves danced, sensations swam through her overheated body. Joy closed her eyes, letting them take her away on a current of delight. No words were spoken when the men switched sides, repeating their actions. It felt like they were memorizing her, imprinting her body on their minds. Her body felt heavy, her limbs too weighted to move. Mazin trailed his mouth along her lower back, tracing each sensitive dip and hollow. Griffin mirrored his actions along her belly, letting his tongue dip into her navel, scraping his teeth over her skin. Moving further, Griffin licked above her clit, soothing the jerks and whimpers she couldn’t hold back. The only reason she wasn’t melted on the ground was their hard and immovable hold on her hips. Griffin’s tongue was suddenly right where she needed it to be, inflaming her further. Mewling, Joy tossed her head, finally moving her arms enough to grasp his hair with shaking fingers. It must have been enough because he thrust his tongue up into her pussy with no warning. The long appendage writhed inside her, touching places she’d never imagined he’d be able to reach. The raspy surface abraded her quivering nerves, driving her closer to madness with every motion. Mazin’s tongue played over the cheeks of her ass, dipping into her crease, running gently over her puckered entrance. Eyes tightly closed, Joy groaned loudly. “Please…” They knew what she wanted, without her even having to say anything further. Griffin grasped her gently, his maddening tongue halting, pulling her away until she wasn’t being touched by either man. She wanted to cry out, but she didn’t have enough energy for it.

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Mazin was suddenly in front of her, stretched out before her, his hard shaft standing straight up from his body. Griffin maneuvered her, lifting her to straddle his brother. With silence beating around them, Joy accepted Mazin into her body, sliding down his cock until she was flush against his pelvis. With slow rocking motions, Joy felt the rasp of Mazin’s barbs, scraping continuously along her inner walls. Griffin soothed her with his hands, moving up and down her back. He began to whisper to her, heated words so low she could barely make them out. She knew what he wanted, though; it was what they all wanted. She picked up her pace, throwing her head back. Griffin stood beside her, his cock in his hand, the spotted length glistening with the pre-come he’d spread out over his skin. Joy licked her lips, riding Mazin, eyeing Griffin’s tasty cock before her. A drop of pre-come waited at the tip of his cock, as if inviting her to taste. She wasn’t going to give that up. Leaning forward on her next upstroke, Joy swallowed Griffin as far as she could. He groaned, a noise echoed by Mazin until she couldn’t tell the difference between the two. They were one being, built to give her pleasure in this moment. Joy was barely aware of the tears that streamed down her face. She didn’t want to notice them, because it meant that this was real. They would be leaving, and she would be alone. Ignoring the tears meant that her fantasy lasted just a second longer. Release beckoned, her orgasm building slowly. They moved in tandem, so achingly perfect that her chest ached from it. She wanted more, she never wanted this to end. Releasing Griffin’s shaft, Joy bent her head forward, crying out when the pulsing contractions began in her belly. Mazin tightened his hold on her hips, his claws tickling her skin, threatening more. Griffin curled his fingers in her long hair, his other hand wrapped around his shaft. Joy lifted one heavy limb, joining him in stroking his cock. She looked up at him, licking her lips, wordlessly begging him to come. Their releases were upon them, Joy’s orgasm taking her by surprise. Her pussy clenched, the contractions so overwhelming that she had to close her eyes for fear she would rip apart and lose herself entirely. Sobbing, she cried out when Mazin tensed, shooting his seed into her body. Griffin grasped her hair tightly, his come arcing out and landing on her breasts. He dropped to his knees, bending down and licking up his release. Joy opened her mouth, accepting his long tongue, dueling it with her own. She tasted his seed, accepted it into herself. Accepted the two of them into her. It was only fitting. They were already inside her. Her aching heart could attest to that. It was the reason the organ was breaking into two Pardus-shaped pieces, after all. It hurt so much. She didn’t want to lose them. *** “You want to talk about anything?” Darren joined them in the kitchen, followed closely by Aaron. “I kicked them all out. It’s just us in here. Well, us and Achan upstairs but he’s not going to interrupt us right now. Time for a little family talk.” Joy turned to study the three men. “You’re all leaving, aren’t you? With them.” Darren and Aaron nodded immediately. She waited for Mike. He finally sighed, crossing his arms. “I honestly didn’t expect this to happen, but I can’t imagine my life without Zula and Jai in it. Hell, I never even thought of myself as gay before, so this has taken me for a bit of a ride. So much has happened lately, and it’s hard to take it all in.” She nodded, her heart breaking all over again. She couldn’t imagine a life without her brother. Even if they didn’t see each other every day, she knew he was there for her. When she was in Edmonton she talked to him nearly every night. She couldn’t imagine not having that. Even worse was not having Griffin and Mazin around to dull the pain of her brother’s absence. They were so fun to be around, so interesting. She’d never be bored with them, and both men had so many little facets to them that every time she discovered something, she wanted to discover more. She didn’t know what to do. How was she going to continue her everyday life without either her brother or the men she was afraid she had already fallen for? “I can’t let them leave without me. I’m sorry, Joy. I’ve fallen for them. They mean so much, I just can’t let them go.” Spotty came out to investigate them, rubbing herself against Joy’s calf. Picking her up, Joy cradled the cat in her arms, comforted by the sight of her spotted fur. “What will you do?” She frowned at Mike. “What do you mean?” 30

“Will you stay here, or come with us?” She froze. She hadn’t even thought that far ahead. She’d just always assumed she was being left behind. No one had ever mentioned she might be able to come with them. “Y-you think I can come with you? But I couldn’t do that. I have a life here. Spotty. My job, my apartment. What about Mom and Dad?” Why was she panicking about this? Shouldn’t she be jumping for joy? “I’m not saying you have to give up everything forever. If they could come here once undetected, I’m sure they’d be willing to come again. As long as no one ever went off alone. What do you think, Darren? Would Durai return? If Joy wanted to come back, I mean.” Darren pursed his lips. Joy leaned forward, waiting for his words. “Durai has already said he’ll do anything to keep the people around him happy and safe. I know he knows how much family means to me, because family is everything to him. Think about it, Joy. You’d be able to discover a whole new culture. Pick their brains, find out everything about them. You’d be with us, on Felid. You’d be with Griff and Mazin.” “They haven’t said they want me to -” “We want you. We need you. But we will not pressure you.” Joy whirled around, staring at the two men in the doorway. When’d they come in? “How long have you been standing there?” Not surprisingly, it was Mazin who stepped forward. “Forgive us. We did not mean to overhear, but we could not help ourselves.” Morgan and Lev stood behind them, a wall of support for the Pardus brothers. Jai and Zula were with them. Her eyes were misty, and she clutched Jai tightly. “You will come with us, for sure?” Jai pulled Zula into the room, heading straight for Mike. Her brother never hesitated, throwing himself into Jai’s hold. “I’m sure. You won’t get rid of me that easily.” Joy turned back to the two men in front of her, smiling. If her brother had enough courage to do it… She stepped forward, releasing Spotty. The darn cat went straight for Griffin, rubbing against his ankle. “We hardly know each other. This is a ridiculously fast courtship.” “We can learn, can we not? Griffin admitted when we first saw you how much he wanted to get to know you. Our feelings are strong for you. We want to learn as much as we can. Whether we do that here or on Felid does not matter to us.” She started. “You’re saying you’d stay here with me?” “We would do anything for you. Just name it.” Griffin placed his hand over his heart. Joy took another step closer. Now she could see the vulnerability in their eyes, the fear that she might say no. There was really only one answer she could give them right now. “Hell, if I can go traipsing off to Japan for a month, or camp out in Peru by myself, then why would I ever say no to going with you? Besides, after seducing the two of you so thoroughly, it would be horribly mean for me to just abandon you to mope across the galaxy without me.” Mazin crowed, reaching for her. She wrapped one arm around his neck, reaching for Griffin with the other. They pressed her close between them, hugging her tightly. “Yes! We’re all together again! This is going to be so much fun, I’m telling you right now. Felid doesn’t know what’s going to hit it when the Colemans come to town.” Joy turned to see Aaron dancing around in circles. His mates shook their heads, laughing at his antics. She had a feeling they were just about to start another adventure.

Epilogue Khalid knelt beside Achan’s still form, studying his brother. So much had happened to him, but he wasn’t sharing. He was still sleeping, recovering from his ordeal. “What happened to you, Binnodara?” Movement behind him alerted him to a familiar presence. He kept his attention on Achan, ignoring the clenching of his heart. He didn’t want to deal with Pran. Not after what had just happened at the campground. Not after everything that still lay unsaid between them. 31

“It is time to go home.”

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