Wolf's Passion

The Joined

Wolf's Passion Cora is on a mission to find a new home for herself and her lover Jean-Paul. The last thing she expects in the unique town of Dead Man, Texas is werewolves. All Wolf, Rafe, and Dale have is each other and the ranch they're about to lose—until fate drops Cora into their lives. When JeanPaul arrives, he puts aside his reservations and joins forces with the oh-so-desirable Pack to do a little mating of his own. The Pack and the Vampire must learn to work together to save the woman they love and make their unorthodox relationship work. Unfortunately, things won't be easy when the leader of another Pack has her sights set on Wolf. She's not about to play fair to get him, even if it means bringing in a few Zombies and kidnapping Cora. In the end, can the men pull together and save Cora? Maybe they can, with a little help from a secret government agent and the surprising citizens of the area the locals call Old Town. Welcome to the town of Dead Man, Texas, where the Joined practice their polyamorous lifestyle and the citizens are not always what they seem. Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Vampires/Werewolves Length: 51,138 words

WOLF’S PASSION The Joined

Ellen Starr

MENAGE AND MORE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage and More

WOLF’S PASSION Copyright © 2011 by Ellen Starr E-book ISBN: 1-61034-733-1 First E-book Publication: August 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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WOLF’S PASSION The Joined ELLEN STARR Copyright © 2011

Chapter One: Separation “Oh, Jean-Paul,” Cora moaned. Jean-Paul bucked his hips, pushing his rock-hard cock deeper into her. She gasped, her orgasm crashing through her. He hissed, swearing softly in French, throbbing inside her as he came. She rode out the last aftershocks, her hands pressed against his belly. Sweat trickled down her spine. Jean-Paul’s body relaxed. He sighed. Breathless in the aftermath of her orgasm, Cora leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. She shivered as he ran his hands over her sides. Sex was good with Jean-Paul from the first time he fucked her on the desk in his office. She submitted herself to him from the start without question or reservation. It seemed some strange New Orleans magic wrapped itself around them, binding them together the moment they met. Cora sighed. These days, though, something seemed lacking. It frustrated her that she could not name the missing element. Cora Fuller’s life had changed so much since she made the decision to go to New Orleans. Going to work for Jean-Paul Le Templier saved her from a life of poverty and abuse. Loving him had been the best thing to happen to her. Tonight he looked like a

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beautiful, debauched god, the black silk sheets making his fair skin glow. She smiled at him, wondering for a brief moment how she managed to find this little bit of paradise. Fortune led her to the perfect master. He returned her smile, brushing his fingertips over her cheek, pulling her down for a kiss. “I wish I did not need to send you on this trip. Damn Remy. He has never had good timing.” He nuzzled her neck. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring his touch. She knew how much he hated to be parted from her. “But we need this new place. We’ve been here too long. It is best that I go. It is my fault we are still here.” “I know it is necessary. That doesn’t mean I like it,” he said, his lips moving against her throat. He thrust, lifting them both off the bed in a sensual show of strength. “And it is not your fault. I, too, love this house and the memories we’ve made here.” She groaned at the intensity of having him so deep inside her. The scent of him, spicy, exotic, rich, filled her with a need that went past desire, making her belly clench hard. She tightened around him with a low moan. Jean-Paul chuckled softly. He gave a little bounce of his hips. Cora gasped. She moaned louder as another orgasm washed through her. “If I don’t go, you will lose either this opportunity or the ranch. I like doing these things for you,” she whispered when she caught her breath once more. “Besides, how dangerous can a small town like Dead Man, Texas be?” She loved surveying a new property for him. Jean-Paul trained her well. He knew Cora was competent. She could follow his instructions, or he would not be sending her. Still, she knew letting her go upset him. He could be positively medieval at times. Cora suspected it had to do with him being French and older than she. He sighed. “I know. Still, I shall worry every second you are away from me, mon amour. It is not safe out there. Even so far out in the desert.”

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“For me or for the people along the way?” she asked. Jean-Paul tightened his hold on her with a breathless laugh. “Only for you. You will be careful, won’t you?” He rolled them over, letting his full weight rest against her, pinning her arms above her head as he placed soft kisses on her temple. She sighed. She loved him lying on her like this. Cora slid her hands from his grasp. She pushed his thick, chocolate-brown hair back from his beautiful face. It had not been difficult to talk him into wearing it long for her. Convincing him to stop dyeing the few strands of silver at the temples had been harder. She smiled at him. “I’ll take all the proper precautions. Do not worry about me. That is an order.” Jean-Paul chuckled softly. “So, I let you top and this is what happens? You are ordering me around now?” “You did say you wanted to be dominated tonight. Have I gone too far, Master?” “No, mon amour, no farther than I meant for you to go.” Their lips met in a slow, deep kiss. He lifted his head. “I still wish I did not have to send you on this trip alone. You are mine.” “You could still come along if you like. Tell these friends of Remy’s to go elsewhere.” Cora managed to keep the wheedling note out of her voice. Jean-Paul believed in praise and reward. He did not like to punish her, but he would do it if he thought it necessary. Begging would earn his displeasure coupled with an unpleasant punishment. He placed a kiss on her shoulder. “You know I cannot.” He sounded sad, a note of despair in his rich, deep voice. “It’s only for a few days, Jean-Paul,” Cora said with a gentle sigh. “You can manage that long without me, can’t you?” His dark eyes looked into hers. “I don’t want to, but I guess I will have to manage, as you put it.”

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“So tell me, what shall I do without you?” Cora wanted to hear his exasperation with those who pulled him from her side with boring responsibilities. “You shall explore all the possibilities. I have heard that Dead Man, Texas is a very free, understanding community. As soon as Remy’s friends, Marie and Andre, finalize the deal on the townhouse, I will join you,” Jean-Paul murmured as he pressed his lips against her skin once more. “Mmm. It won’t be the same without you to ogle cowboys with me.” She gasped as he began to move again, slowly sliding into her then pulling out fast. “Yippee ki-yay.” He picked up the pace, driving all thought of anything but what he was doing to her out of her head. **** Jean-Paul resisted the urge to grab Cora, carry her into their bedroom, throw her onto the bed, and fuck her until she could not walk. Instead, he pasted a smile on his face, watching in silence while she put her bags in the trunk of her car. She is a woman, he chided himself, not the innocent girl any longer. This must be done. It is for the best. I do not want her anywhere near these friends of Remy’s. They bother me. Their timing bothers me. I hope I have not waited too long for this move. The sun shining on her pale blond hair brought back the past in full force. She wore her hair much the same as when fate brought them together. He sighed, his smile growing softer, more genuine as he remembered the day she first walked into his office. She captured him from the moment she met his gaze with her hazel green eyes. Her scent, sweet in the stuffy closeness of the office, went straight from his head to his dick. Lost to her as he had not been in many years, he found himself thinking only of taking her. Instead, Jean-Paul simply held his arms out to her. She stepped into his

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embrace and never left. In less than five minutes, her innocence, her acceptance of him as he was, smashed through all his carefully tended defenses. His heart laid bare, Jean-Paul gave himself over to Cora. He vowed then she would never be alone in the world as long as he lived. Neither of them spoke that first meeting. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She melted into him, pliant, willing, trusting. He could still taste that first kiss. Jean-Paul marveled for a moment over the way she opened herself to him, trusted him with her heart and body. A slip of a girl walked into his life that day and made it new again. Now a beautiful woman stood before him, confident and strong. He could not shake the feeling of dread her leaving for Dead Man caused. Cora turned and looked at him, tilting her head to one side. “You’re thinking about the past again, aren’t you?” He gave her a sheepish nod, not trusting himself to speak. She always knew. Cora shut the car door then walked toward him, reaching out for him. He let her fold him into her arms. Sometimes he wondered if he truly was the Master in their relationship or if she just let him think that he was. The heat of her body against his stirred the fire inside him. She rubbed his back, smiling when his cock twitched against her stomach. “You are insatiable.” She gave his ass a swat. “For you, mon amour, always,” he whispered, his lips against her ear. “I don’t know what I would do without you.” Cora leaned her head back, gazing up at him, concern in her eyes. “There will be other properties.” He shook his head. “There will, but no, it is time. I know how you have looked forward to this little adventure. I am just feeling my age today.” “You are ageless.” Cora laid her head against his chest. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling her wonderful female scent.

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Jean-Paul tilted her face up to look into her eyes. “Alas, I am not. But you know something?” “What?” She smiled up at him. “My hand is going to get very old, petite ami.” She tightened her embrace. “I love you. I made sure they gave me a double room at the hotel. All you have to do when you arrive is pick up your key.” He couldn’t help rolling his eyes at her. “I will be there as soon as I am able.” They both laughed. Jean-Paul’s dread lightened a little at her impudence. He kissed her again, savoring the taste of her lips before turning her toward her car. He gave her a gentle nudge. “Go with my heart, mon amour.” He mouthed the words. He watched as she got in and backed out of the driveway. He leaned in the doorway until she disappeared from view. With a heavy sigh, he shut the door.

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Chapter Two: Running Cora pulled into the parking lot of the Sunset Mini Mart, screeching to a stop. Two days of pleasant, uneventful travel, then a header into the twilight zone. I should have stayed home. I could have spent the week in bed with Jean-Paul, watching movies and...What the hell were those things? Hysteria threatened to overwhelm her. She squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds, fighting back her panic before she got out of the car. Inside, she stopped at the counter. The place looked deserted. “Restroom?” she called out in a breathless voice. A woman poked her head out of the tiny room behind the counter, waving toward the back. “In the storeroom, second door on the left.” Cora hurried through the storeroom of the little combination convenience store-gas station into the tiny bathroom. She turned on the water, splashing cold water in her face as she tried to think what to do. No way could she report what she saw to the police. No one would believe her. Hell, she didn’t believe it, and she’d seen it. Them. Besides, the men, or whatever they were that she escaped from, might be walking in the door any minute. This could not be happening. What she saw could not be real. It hit her suddenly. Leaving her car had not been a bright move. She had reacted without thought, her subconscious sending her scurrying for somewhere to hide. How could I have been so stupid? She rubbed her temples, imagining what Jean-Paul would say when she told him about this. He was already unhappy over her taking this trip by herself. She needed to get out of there, back on the road into

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civilization before it got dark. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around for her purse. She would call Jean-Paul...Damn! Could I get any more stupid? Her purse with her phone inside still sat in the car, on the front seat right where she had left it. She reached out to open the bathroom door. The bell on the store’s door chimed as her fingertips touched the knob. Cora froze, holding her breath, listening to the silence. A strong feeling of foreboding swept over her. The place was too quiet. The sudden blood-curdling screams from the front of the store shocked her into action. Oh no, they’re here. Those things have attacked the girl at the counter. She had to get out of there right now. Looking around herself in panic, her gaze fell on the tall, battered metal trashcan beside the door. It wouldn’t hold for long, but maybe it would buy her enough time to get away. She wedged it under the doorknob. The window looked small, but she thought she could squeeze through. She put the lid down on the toilet, stepping up onto it. The window pushed outward without any trouble. She climbed out, glad she’d worn jeans instead of shorts that day. Now if she could reach the overhang of the roof, she thought she could swing down, lessening the drop to the ground. Cora made a grab for the edge of the roof. She missed, falling to the ground with a bone-jarring jolt. She scrambled up, ignoring the pain, running across the pavement toward an opening in the fence behind the store. She heard the bathroom door crashing open followed by shouts of rage as she reached the open desert behind the gas station. She knew she couldn’t make it back to her car when she saw more pickup trucks carrying more of the creatures pulling into the parking lot. Leaving her car was not good, but it could not be helped. Those things would be on her trail in minutes. Seconds if she tried to get her car. She didn’t kid herself that they hadn’t seen her. She refused to look back to confirm it. What she needed was a miracle. ****

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Wolf leaned against the fender of their battered old red truck with a deep sigh. What a day. This promised to be one of the longest days he could remember. They still needed to deal with Dale, too. He wasn’t happy over the sale of the stock. It didn’t help either that the man interested in buying their ranch would be there tomorrow. Wolf wasn’t happy about uprooting them, but it would give them the money they needed for a new start elsewhere, far from Dolores and her Pack. Damn Dolores anyway. A good, hard fuck was just what they needed to relieve the tension. His crumpled jeans rested around his ankles along with his blue plaid boxers. The hot desert breeze cooled the sweat on his naked body, making him shiver. He didn’t know where his shirt had disappeared to. Wolf lowered his head, glancing behind himself at Raphael Wilson. “You fuck pretty good for an old man.” Rafe sighed, shaking his head. Wolf watched him strip off the condom. Rafe tossed it into the rest stop trashcan. “Old man? I’ll old man your ass, kid. Show some respect for your elders.” He hitched up his jeans, tucking his cock in. For a brief second Wolf wished he was brave enough to go commando the way Rafe did. He gave himself a mental kick. With all the things he had done to survive, going without underwear was a hell of a thing to be shy about. The wind ruffled Rafe’s collar-length, raven black hair, making Rafe push it back with an impatient gesture. Wolf’s stomach fluttered with lust. “Thought you just did that.” Wolf reached down to pull his pants back up. He loved teasing Rafe about his age, though forty was not old. Rafe was in better shape than most men were at his age, part of his heritage. Finding Rafe was his miracle. He didn’t intend to let go. Wolf smiled. Meeting Rafe was the best thing ever to happen to him. A hot, large hand in the middle of his back surprised him. Rafe shoved him against the truck again. He shoved Wolf’s jeans down his legs once more. Wolf heard the foil on another condom ripping. Wolf’s dick came to attention. Rafe manhandled him into position,

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kicking his legs apart, wrapping one arm around Wolf’s waist and his other hand around Wolf’s dick. Wolf managed to brace himself, his hands against the fender again. He arched his ass back toward his lover with a low moan of pleasure. Rafe slid into him, rubbing over places still sensitive from their first fuck. “Uhn, gods, Rafe.” Wolf closed his eyes, concentrating on the tightness building in his groin and his lover’s dick in his ass. He never got enough of Rafe. Wolf loved his Beta, though he never said it aloud. “You need some manners, kid,” Rafe’s lust-thick voice purred in Wolf’s ear. “You going to teach me, old man?” Wolf gasped. Rafe slid out slow, waiting a few seconds before he shoved hard into Wolf’s body. “Yeah, when we get home.” Rafe broke off with a groan as Wolf bucked against him. Wolf got the reaction he wanted. Rafe dug his fingers into Wolf’s hips as he moved faster. “You need a switch on this ass.” “Promises,” Wolf gasped. “Oh gods, that’s good, Rafe.” “You’re...incorrigible.” Rafe’s chuckle turned into a deep moan. “Uhm, yeah, sorry about that.” Wolf reached back with one hand, caressing Rafe’s hip. Rafe slid his hand over Wolf’s dick in time with his thrusts. Wolf let the exquisite tension flow through him, rocking back against his lover with a groan. Rafe kissed his shoulder, grinding into Wolf, tightening his grip on Wolf’s dick at last. “Oh shit, please, I need to come,” Wolf begged in a breathless voice. Rafe moved harder, as if he wanted to climb into Wolf’s body with him. Wolf’s balls drew up. His dick throbbed once then again as his thick, white semen erupted into the evening air. Wolf came with a hoarse cry seconds before Rafe groaned with his own orgasm. Rafe held him, rubbing Wolf’s belly as he rode out the aftershocks of their fucking. When Rafe disengaged, Wolf couldn’t speak for a

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while. At last, they pulled themselves together in companionable silence, getting back in the truck for the drive home. **** Rafe enjoyed being close to Wolf. He’d never had a man before meeting Wolf at a truck stop outside El Paso. Rafe figured the skinny half-starved kid hanging around the trucks for early twenties. When the kid walked over and offered to “do” him for a ride to the next city, Rafe’s insides knotted up. Rafe wasn’t sure whether it was the gleam of defiance in the kid’s eyes or the stubborn set of his shoulders, but something about him told Rafe the kid was special. “You got a name, kid?” “My friends call me Wolf.” The kid lifted his chin in a way that dared Rafe to comment. Rafe raised an eyebrow and tossed the kid his keys. “The black rig, I’ll be right out.” Wolf’s expression was priceless. He guessed no one had ever trusted the kid before. When he came back out of the truck stop with a bag of groceries, he found Wolf asleep in his bunk. That night at a nearly deserted rest stop, he discovered the kid had turned twenty-one that day. The next thing he found out about his new friend was he actually wanted Wolf to fuck him. Surprised since he had never been attracted to men, Rafe let this oddly compelling kid take charge. They crawled into the bunk in his truck where Wolf fucked him into exhaustion. The kid turned out to be the best lover he’d ever been with, filling some long dormant need. With Wolf lying against him, spent, snoring softly, Rafe felt like he’d finally found what he had looked for all his life. “So you want to stop at the store and get some beer before we head home?” Wolf asked, snapping Rafe out of his thoughts. Rafe pulled out onto the highway again.

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Rafe smiled. “We have exactly three dollars and nineteen cents, not including the money from selling the cattle. Besides, it’s Dolores’s night to work the store.” “Shit. Right, home then.” Wolf relaxed into the comfortable quiet, listening to the sound of the tires on the asphalt. He did not want to deal with the kind of shit Dolores would hand out if they stopped in when she was behind the counter. Soon though we won’t have to worry about her. We’ll be out of her reach. We can make a new start. He had almost dozed off when Rafe’s shocked “what the hell?” startled him fully awake. Wolf sat up straighter. “What?” “There, in the brush.” Rafe pointed. Wolf stared in disbelief at the woman running toward the highway from the desert. She appeared to be shouting something as she waved her arms over her head. Another movement caught his eye. He blinked a few times before what he saw registered. Creatures straight out of a nightmare chased the woman. The sight of their dark manlike bodies with wolfish heads and claws sent a shiver through him. The things were gaining on her. “I’m stopping. We have to help her!” Rafe applied the brakes. “Are you out of your mind? Don’t we have enough trouble?” Wolf shouted as Rafe began slowing down. “No. When we get ahead of her, open the door. When I slow down, you pull her in.” Rafe swerved around the woman. Then he stood on the brakes. The truck skidded, leaving rubber on the road for several feet. This is nuts. He didn’t argue with his friend. Rafe never did anything without a solid reason. Wolf got ready. When Rafe shouted “Now!” he opened the passenger door, reaching for the woman.

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Chapter Three: Surprise Attack Jean-Paul followed Marie and Andre as they looked over the empty townhouse. He stayed a discreet three steps behind them. JeanPaul sighed. He missed Cora dreadfully. Clearly the dominant in the pair, Marie reached back to pat Andre’s ass. Jean-Paul suppressed a smile. Andre possessed one of the nicest asses he had seen on a man in quite some time. He allowed himself a faint frown. Cora should have returned his call over an hour ago. Worry clawed at the back of his mind. JeanPaul had traveled through west Texas when he was younger. There was little in the desert to look at back then other than cactus. He was sure it had not changed much at all. A quick glance at his clients let him know he could spare a moment to check his messages. They ignored him, engrossed in conversation, their heads close together. Probably discussing the décor of the kitchen, he thought as he reached into his pocket for his phone. If Cora has answered, I will relax. Marie suddenly turned toward him. “Jean-Paul, I believe we have made a decision.” He stopped in mid-dial. “Yes? You will make an offer on the townhouse?” Jean-Paul’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He watched as Andre drew something from the inside pocket of his jacket. For several seconds Jean-Paul’s brain refused to process what he saw. Light from the dining room’s crystal chandelier glinted off the polished blade of the knife in Andre’s hand. “I think it will suit our needs quite well.” Marie gave him a cold little smile. Her eyes glittered.

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Andre advanced toward him. Jean-Paul stood rooted to the spot, phone forgotten, for what felt like eternity. Mon Dieu, run you idiot. He snapped out of his shock. With a start, he jerked his hand out of his pocket and made a grab for a dining chair. An insignificant gesture, but he threw the chair anyway. Slinging it at Andre, he hoped to buy himself a few precious seconds. Jean-Paul ran. Marie leapt at him, blocking his way to the door. Jean-Paul caught a double fistful of her dress. With a heave, he shoved her toward Andre. The two of them stumbled backward from the unexpected force of her slamming into Andre. She screamed. He heard Andre grunt with surprise. Remembering the outstretched knife in Andre’s hand, Jean-Paul wondered if Marie had been stabbed. He hoped so. Jean-Paul didn’t stop to find out. He slowed only long enough to open the front door. Outside, he pulled his car keys from his pocket. He pressed the button that unlocked the car door. It clicked. Jean-Paul threw himself into the vehicle, pressing the button that locked all the doors. What the hell is going on? Taking deep slow breaths, Jean-Paul forced himself to calm down as he pressed the OnStar button on the mirror. When the operator answered, he requested she send the police. He described his attackers, agreeing to remain in his locked car while the operator called the police. Jean-Paul stayed on the line with the woman until the officers arrived. “I fear they have escaped through the back alley,” he told the dispatcher. Silently, he cursed himself for letting his guard down. He was getting soft. He would have spotted something wrong immediately in the old days. A police car pulled in behind his car, lights flashing. Jean-Paul thanked the woman and disconnected before he opened the door to speak to the police officer coming toward him. The reality of the attack hit him full force as he explained what happened to the officers. Jean-Paul’s hands began to shake. Thank heaven he sent Cora to complete the deal for the ranch. He realized that things would have been very different had she been there. Weak-

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kneed relief washed through him tempered by the worry of not hearing from her. Jean-Paul followed the police into the townhouse. Both attackers were gone as he expected. A trail of blood drops led to the French doors and across the garden patio. His phone lay on the floor where he had dropped it. Discreetly he picked it up when the officers were not looking. He watched the police conduct their investigation until they released him. Cora still had not called him back. When he got home, he would call her again. The more Jean-Paul thought about it, the more he believed something was terribly wrong. His attackers came from Paris, recommended by his old friend Remy. After he called Cora once more, he would call Remy. He needed to find out what the hell was going on. Then he would close up the business here and join Cora. It was obvious they had stayed far too long in New Orleans. The attack proved that. Jean-Paul unlocked the door. Inside, he stopped in the archway that led to the living room. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. There was so much to do, but he would collect as many of Cora’s things as possible. Before he began packing, he went into the kitchen. He needed a drink. He tossed the empty container in the trash. Cora hadn’t called back. A glance at the clock told him hours had passed. Jean-Paul reached for his phone with shaking hands. He dialed her number and hit send. Her phone rolled over to voice mail without ringing. At the beep he spoke. “Call me, mon amour, I am becoming concerned.” Jean-Paul frowned. With a soft curse, he snapped the phone closed. He stuffed it into his pocket. In their bedroom, he dragged the overnight bag off the closet shelf. First, I will pack, and then I will search out my “clients.” He allowed himself a grim little smile. It would not go well for them when he found them. With a deep sigh, Jean-Paul began to collect Cora’s things, her jewelry, the small packet of pictures she thought he did not know

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about, her diaries. He moved to the drawer that held her lingerie. The silk slipped through his fingers like cool water. He selected a few favorite things she’d not taken with her. Most he would have to leave behind. “I am sorry, mon amour; we will buy more when we are together.” His voice sounded lonely in the empty room. He began to work with single-minded efficiency.

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Chapter Four: Miracles Cora saw her miracle ahead. She began screaming for the old pickup to stop, waving her arms, trying to get the attention of the driver. The snarling behind her sounded louder. She reached the cleared shoulder of the highway as the red truck stopped in a cloud of smoke and dust. The passenger door swung open. Strong hands grabbed her, pulling her into the safety of the vehicle. “Thank you,” she sobbed, bursting into tears of relief. “You’re safe now,” a quiet male voice whispered in her ear as the driver pulled her across the passenger to the middle of the seat. “Hang on,” the driver shouted. She slammed back into the seat as the driver of the truck floored the gas pedal. “Why are they chasing you?” the man who pulled her in asked. She shook her head, unable to stop crying. “I don’t know.” “Get the gun. They’re gaining!” The driver tried to get more speed out of the truck. The man in the passenger seat opened the glove compartment, pulling out a wicked-looking pistol. He pushed her down as he turned, straddling her, slamming open the back window. Something made the truck jump as if it had been stuck. He fired several times. Cora cringed at the loud screech of pain that followed his shots. The truck’s gears caught, giving them the speed they needed to get away. “Sorry.” The passenger’s velvet soft voice sent a shiver through her. With a start, she realized she had her face buried in his chest. She had her arms wrapped around him. She jerked her hands back, her face burning with embarrassment. The scent in the cab of the truck

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made her feel a little light-headed. Her clit tingled. He smelled like sex, a combination of male sweat with something that reminded her of cinnamon candy. The driver gave off the same tantalizing scent. She saw the look they exchanged as the younger man sat back in his seat. These two are lovers. They’ve had sex recently. Cora tried to squeeze her legs together to relieve the pure lust shooting through her at the thought. The younger man stashed the gun in the glove compartment before he settled back in his seat, looking at the driver with concern. “Rafe?” he asked, his voice sounding puzzled. “Later kid.” The driver, Rafe, kept his eyes on the road. The tension in the truck grew thick enough to cut with a knife. Cora glanced from one man to the other out of the corners of her eyes. The one called Rafe looked to be in his forties. She could tell he smiled a lot from the tiny laugh lines by his dark eyes. He drove with a lazy grace she envied, his large work-calloused hands relaxed on the steering wheel. Cora looked away quickly, hoping neither man saw her staring at their hands. She concentrated on watching the last of the sunset. She sighed. The desert was beautiful in the twilight. The mesquite trees turned into mysterious inky shadows as the orange faded from the sky. The sight of the stars turning the sky milky with their light brought back long forgotten memories of simpler times. The men seemed to relax as they left the creatures pursuing her behind. Cora stopped looking for more of the horrors, letting herself relax a little. She caught herself wondering what these men would be like in bed, what their hands would feel like moving over her body. She bowed her head, crossing her arms over her chest, trying to ignore the jolt of lust that rocked her. The younger man had to be the most beautiful human being Cora remembered ever seeing. She thought he might be in his twenties. His black hair looked like India ink spilling over his shoulders. He sighed, rubbing his face with smaller hands that showed as many work

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calluses as Rafe’s but were almost delicate where Rafe’s were large and strong. He licked his lips. Cora caught herself wondering what his mouth would feel like on her breasts. Her nipples tingled as they hardened. Shit, could I get any needier? “I’m Raphael Wilson, Rafe for short. The kid is Johnson Little Wolf. Everyone calls him Wolf,” Rafe said, holding out his hand. “Cora Fuller.” She shook his hand. Rafe’s touch sent an electric current straight to her clit. She nodded at Wolf, swallowing hard as she took the hand he offered. Her clit throbbed again. “So. How did you get way out here being chased by freaky-ass monsters?” Wolf’s tone was conversational. He flashed a brilliant smile at her as he adjusted the worn leather cowboy hat he wore. “I’m on my way to Dead Man. I have some business there.” Her voice shook with desire, not fear, and her hand trembled as she reached up to wipe her eyes. “What happened to your car?” Rafe asked. “It’s back at the gas station. I know, a stupid thing to do. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly at the time.” Cora proceeded to tell them how she stopped at the rest stop to have something to eat. “The creatures arrived not long after I finished eating. I was already in my car getting ready to leave.” She waved her hands. “Not a good idea to stop in these lonely places, lots of weird stuff in the desert.” Rafe shook his head. Cora couldn’t think of anything to say. Her eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. Neither man seemed the least bit disturbed by the creatures they’d seen tonight. “Why aren’t you—?” “Well, it’s too late to go back tonight. They’re probably still there,” Rafe cut her off. He reached over, giving her a pat on the knee, sending another wave of desire through her. Her panties grew damp. “But what about the girl?” Cora shuddered. The one called Wolf gave a disgusted snort. “Don’t worry about her.” The girl is one of them.

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Cora stared at him in shock. The words echoed in her head when she looked into his dark eyes. What the hell is going on here? Am I hearing him in my head, or is it my imagination? This stuff did not happen in real life. Did it? She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes for a moment. She needed to get her bearings. Take all the time you need. The deeper voice of Rafe echoed in her head. **** Dolores watched the old truck slow. Her eyes narrowed. That son of a bitch Rafe. She ground her teeth together. The truck swerved and skidded almost to a stop. She made an infuriated noise in her throat at the sight of Wolf leaning out to snatch the woman into the cab. The sight of his arm around the woman made her see red. Trust her Pack to run some strange slut straight into Wolf’s arms and fuck up her plans. She lashed out, raking her long nails across the chest of the Werewolf beside her. “Idiots.”

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Chapter Five: Fateful Meeting Damn, she has a beautiful voice. Her Southern accent sent a thrill through him. He realized she must be the one they expected from the real estate agency. Wolf drew in a deep breath, letting it out with a sigh. The woman, Cora, smelled like heaven, too, although there was a hint of something odd as well. A telltale warm tingling curled through his belly to his groin. His dick twitched. He shifted his position, turning to smile at her. Maybe they would not have to sell the ranch after all. He felt the physical pull of her presence like he was made of iron and she was a magnet. Irresistible, Wolf didn’t even try to fight it. All the old tales spoke about it when they described the Joining—the moment an Alpha met the one who would be his mate for the rest of his life. She disturbed him. He did not think the physical attraction accounted for the odd feeling he got when he touched her. Her skin glowed with a luminous quality he had never seen before. He wondered briefly if the Joining caused the unusual effect. Wolf dismissed the thought. The way she stirred his senses was far more important. “What will they do to my car?” She sounded worried. She was worried. Scared, too, he could smell it on her, along with a faint scent of perfume. Her unfamiliar but enticing scent made it difficult to think clearly. Underneath it all, he detected her arousal. She was in heat. If he fucked her without any protection, there would be a baby. For some reason that thought excited him.

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“It will be all right, really. I’ll come back later for your car. Like I said, it wouldn’t be safe to try getting it now,” Rafe repeated, trying to reassure the woman. She relaxed her hands. She had been clenching them for the last several miles. “Is there somewhere I could wait?” “You’ll be safe at our place.” Wolf reached out, taking her hands in his. “Why are you traveling out here all alone? Won’t your husband be worried?” “I have a fiancé. He’s French,” she whispered. Wolf looked into her eyes, noticing they were hazel. He leaned forward, touching his tongue to her lips, licking them, parting them and pressing his mouth to hers. The flavor of fear in her kiss sent a thrill through him. He wanted to give in to the lust, to take her right now, bury himself in her, fuck her until she... “Do you smell smoke?” Rafe’s worried voice, a little louder than it needed to be, cut through the fog of desire in Wolf’s head. He tested the air, wrinkling his nose at the faint acrid smell of burning rubber. “Fuck, just what we need,” Wolf swore. Cora’s hands slipped from his. She looked around still dazed from his kiss. Rafe shot him a glare. He’d hear about his indiscretion later. Maybe Rafe would make good on his threat of switching him. Wolf shivered. “The truck is overheating. We’ll be lucky to make it to the house.” Wolf returned his friend’s glare. “Are we going to have to walk it?” “I’ll park at the top of the canyon. It will be safe to walk to the house.” Rafe looked away, turning off the highway onto the unmarked dirt road that led to their small ranch. “Wouldn’t it be better to go to a police station or something?” Cora’s voice shook. Wolf didn’t blame her for being scared. Women couldn’t be too careful. Especially with creatures like those they saved her from running loose. “The nearest police station is fifty miles back,” Rafe informed Cora.

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Wolf took her hand again. “We won’t hurt you. We’re no friends of those things.” **** Cora knew she should be concerned about something. She couldn’t seem to remember what. Looking into Wolf’s eyes drove everything from her thoughts. His touch sent a jolt through her like holding a live electrical wire. Somehow, she got the idea it would complete the circuit if she touched Rafe. She gave herself a mental shake. If they tried anything, they would get a nasty surprise. If she could make her body use the self-defense Jean-Paul taught her. At the moment, it was far more likely she would jump one of them. Or both of them. That thought sent an electric tingle through her. Her mouth went dry. Out in the middle of the Texas desert with two total strangers, she should be terrified. Instead, strong desire replaced her fear. The things that chased her ceased to puzzle her the longer she looked into Wolf’s dark eyes. Wolf’s voice relaxed her. She found herself falling into the dark pool of his eyes and imagining children with those same eyes. Where the hell did that come from? He touched his lips to hers again, slipped his tongue inside her mouth. She let herself melt into his embrace. Suddenly a memory flashed across her mind, a picture that was not hers. Werewolves, the creatures chasing her were Werewolves. The men who rescued her. They were Werewolves as well. She drew back, shocked out of her trance. “Who...What are you?” She looked from one to the other, her desire fading as her stomach knotted up with fear. For all her experience with the strange and all she read about the paranormal Cora had never really thought Werewolves could be real other than in an abstract way. After all she'd certainly never seen one and she didn't know anyone who had.

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“We won’t hurt you. Like I said, the ones chasing you are no friends of ours.” Rafe reached over, giving her knee another distracting pat. “But…” Her breath caught at the way his touch made her stomach clench. What is going on here? Why am I reacting like this to these two whatever-they-are? I feel like a bitch in heat. “Cora, we are not the same as them. Listen to your heart, it knows.” Wolf’s voice sounded almost hypnotic. “I need you. We need you. I know you must feel it, too.” Cora looked at Rafe, saying nothing. Rafe pulled to a stop. He turned the truck off. It wheezed and coughed. Wolf reached behind himself to open his door. He still held her hand, stepping out, pulling her from the truck with gentle insistence. Cora hesitated, gazing around at the open desert. “I don’t see a house.” “It’s down in the canyon.” Wolf led Cora over to a small stand of cactus that hid the start of a trail. The bottom of the canyon was inky black. In the darkness, she could see a light down in the canyon. The sound of boot heels on the dirt made her look around. “Where is he going?” An odd sensation of loss came over her as she watched Rafe walk back the way they had come. “Come on, Rafe will be back when he’s finished making sure we weren’t followed.” Wolf slipped his arm around her waist, urging her down the trail toward the house. She looked back at Wolf. Light from the full moon glinted in Wolf’s eyes, making them flash chatoyant gold. Maybe being alone with him wouldn’t be so bad. The idea of letting this unusual creature make love to her did have its merits. What the hell are you thinking? He’s not human! “We live down here because it’s cooler,” he drawled in a conversational tone. “We have a spring, a small garden, and a few cows. We run some sheep. Dale and the hands—” “Dale? Hands? There are more of you?” Cora stopped to stare at Wolf. He stopped, raising a hand to caress her cheek. “No. The hired

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hands are part-time. They don’t live here, just us and Dale. None of us will hurt you. In fact, we will protect you with our lives. You’re important.” His lips brushed against hers. “Very important.” He covered her mouth with his. Cora’s knees went weak, her stomach clenching almost painfully. She leaned against Wolf, holding onto his shoulders for support, his heat drawing her like a moth to a flame. He slid his hands down over her ass, pulling her against him. His erection pressed into her stomach. Cora moaned, raising one leg over his hip, trying to get more contact. She could not remember anyone arousing her so strongly. She wanted him right there on the dusty trail, in the dirt, needed him inside her. Something howled close by in the darkness. Cora jumped, pushing away from Wolf, the trance broken. “What was that?” Wolf sighed. “Shit.” He looked angry. “That is someone who is going to get his ass kicked. Dale is still young, barely twenty-two. He doesn’t always think things through.” “I thought you said we would be safe here.” She backed away from him. “We are safe. Come on, it’s not far to the house. Dale likes to sneak up on Rafe and me, trying to startle us. Nothing to worry about. A harmless prank.” He held out his arm. Reluctantly, she allowed him to pull her close, his hand resting on her hip. They walked a few yards when a soft whistle followed by a yelp broke the quiet. Wolf turned to look behind him. “Rafe is back. He’ll probably beat us home.” He smiled. Cora heard a note of affection in his voice. Irrational to feel this way for someone she had just met, but she wanted him to speak of her that way, too. Cora thought about her situation as they walked toward the house. She knew she should probably run for her life again, but the pull to go with these men, these Werewolves, was too strong to deny. Jean-Paul would tell her to follow her instincts. Everything in her life was about

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to change. She felt it in her bones. She wasn’t sure she was happy about it. Cora hated feeling conflicted.

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Chapter Six: Worries Wolf held the door open for Cora when they arrived, following her as she walked into the small two-story frame house. The sight of Rafe sitting at the table with a cup of coffee greeted them when they stepped into the kitchen. Wolf gave his lover a half smile. He motioned Cora to sit. “It’s not much, but what we have is yours.” She glanced around the clean but shabby room. Wolf was suddenly anxious. He saw the room the way he thought she must be seeing it. The faded flowered wallpaper needed replacing, and their kitchen table was older that Rafe. All their money went back into the ranch except for what they spent fixing up the room that would be hers. If she accepted them. “You want something to drink?” He wanted to kick himself. He sounded like an idiot. “A glass of water.” Wolf got a glass out while she sat down across from Rafe. A jelly jar. He closed his eyes for a moment. Pain squeezed his heart. He suddenly realized they had nothing to offer her, nothing to make her want to stay but themselves. “Where is Dale?” he asked as he set the glass of water in front of Cora. “I sent him out to check the sheep. Boxed his ears for him, too.” Rafe smiled at Cora. “He won’t try to scare you again.” “Thank you.” Cora sounded shaky. “Where is your bathroom?” “Right down the hall.” With something close to relief, Wolf pointed the way. He watched her as she headed for the bathroom. He

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needed to think, but her presence setting his blood on fire made it difficult to think of anything other than fucking her. Hard. When they heard the door shut and the click of the lock, he looked at Rafe, eyebrows raised in question. “What do I do? We have nothing to offer her. You realize she’s probably the one the real estate agent sent to buy the place.” “I had figured that out. And we do have something to offer her.” “What?” “Ourselves. Our love. Our protection. This place, a home. If she really is the right one, it will be enough. With her we could make this work.” Rafe sipped his coffee. “Maybe you’d better be the one to talk to her. I can’t think past getting my dick inside her. I’m afraid I’ll fuck it up.” Wolf ran his fingers through his hair. The gesture betrayed how nervous he was. “If that’s what you want.” Rafe set the cup down. He reached across the table, taking Wolf’s hand. Wolf shivered violently. “No… No, I need to do this on my own, don’t I?” Rafe nodded. “Yeah, you do.” Wolf hugged himself, trying to control the shaking. “I can’t believe how strong this is.” “Yes, I feel it, too. No doubt, Dale will as well once he relaxes and gets used to the idea of a stranger being here. The real question is whether she will accept it or not. I suspect she will need to be convinced. That’s up to you, fearless leader.” Rafe grinned. “All I can do is try. I have never wanted anyone outside you and Dale this much. Just her scent makes me hard.” Wolf tightened his grip on Rafe’s hand. “I hope I don’t screw this up.” “You won’t. The fact you’re concerned about it tells me you won’t. I’m going to go out and keep an eye on things. I don’t like the way those thugs went after Cora. Dolores is obviously not in control of her Pack.” Rafe stood. He pulled Wolf up into a hug. Wolf held onto Rafe a little longer than necessary.

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“I’ve never fucked a woman, never wanted to until Cora. I’m not sure I’ll get it right,” Wolf whispered. He knew Rafe would understand. He always did. “Trust the instinct, let Cora guide you.” Rafe rubbed his back for a few seconds before he let go. Then without another word, he headed for the door. Wolf watched him go. As the door shut, Wolf sat down at the table to wait for Cora. When she didn’t reappear after several minutes, Wolf began to get a bit concerned. She’s taking way too long in there. He headed down the hall, remembering how she described her escape earlier that evening. He put his ear to the door, listening. He couldn’t hear anything. “Cora? Are you all right in there?” A sinking feeling hit Wolf. She didn’t answer him. This can’t be over before it even gets started. “Cora?” he called, fighting down his fear. Again no answer. He felt along the top of the trim above the door. He found the key. With a deep breath, he unlocked the door, opening it, dreading what he might discover. She sat on the closed lid of the toilet, her face in her hands. Wolf’s quick relief at seeing her gave way to concern. He went in, kneeling beside her. In a flash, he knew what to do. He took her hands in his and kissed her, a simple brushing of his lips against hers. “There are towels in that cabinet. I’ll go find you something you can sleep in tonight. Call me if you need me. For anything. Because I need you.” He left her alone to take her bath. It was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.

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Chapter Seven: A Warm Bath Wolf left, shutting the bathroom door behind him. Cora sighed. She stood up, going to the cabinet and taking out a couple of towels. Yes, a nice hot bath would be perfect. She turned the water on. While the tub filled, she took her clothes off. I don’t understand what I’m feeling right now. She was more than a little bemused. I should be terrified, but I’m not. Being there, in that little ranch house alone with Wolf, somehow felt right. She ran a hot bath then got in, leaning back, relaxing, resting her head on the tub. The little house reminded her of the place she’d grown up. The only difference being the desert. She’d grown up in the swamps of Louisiana. These men were hard workers, good, honest men whose wealth was in their land. They reminded her of her brothers. What about Jean-Paul? Cora allowed herself a small wry smile. Jean-Paul Le Templier would ask her if the cowboys wore spurs and did they use them on her. The strong desire at that thought made her whole body tingle. The only thing she had no doubt about in all this was Jean-Paul. He would be intrigued. “You know, mon amour,” he would say, “I think the chaps would look good on me, no?” She almost laughed aloud. Her thoughts turned to Wolf as the hot water melted the tension away. He was sexy, gorgeous, everything she always dreamed of. He was not human though. He turned into a thing like those that chased her in the desert. How did she deal with that? How did she deal with the fact she wanted him so much she ached? The thought of him coming into the bathroom and climbing into the bathtub with her

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made her shiver with anticipation. She wondered what would happen if she willed him to come to her. After all, it worked in the books she’d read. **** Wolf sat in the kitchen sipping his coffee. He heard Cora, the tone of her thoughts, her wishes. She was the one. There would never be another. When he had discovered what he was, he had run wild for a while. With his parents dead, no one had been there for him when his true form manifested for the first time. When he woke covered in blood after that first time, Wolf had run and never looked back. He still didn't know if the blood had belonged to his foster parents. Wolf spent the next several years turning tricks at truck stops and running wild in the desert. Until he'd picked out a tall, solidly built man one fateful night and everything changed. Wolf sighed. His dick ached at the thought of the first night with Rafe when he'd learned what he was. And what he could be. He had made some bad choices until he met Rafe. Rafe managed to tame him, much the way they both were taming Dale. He liked to think he and Dale brought some lightness into Rafe’s seriousness in return. They’d come a long way from the days when they fought for their right to form their own small Pack. He sighed. Nowhere else on this planet would they have been able to be together. The Dead Man council was more liberal than any other he’d ever heard of, allowing their orphan Pack and even a few lone Werewolves to live in the area. They had the ranch and each other. The only thing missing, the female to complete them, had dropped into their lap this night. Now he chose a chienne de loup-garou, a Werewolf bitch, for them all. He thought she was a good choice. Wolf listened to Cora’s call, smiling. She wanted him to come to her, wanted him as much as he wanted her. He took a sip of his

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coffee, forcing himself to take his time, letting the anticipation grow. A white-hot fire burned in his groin, centered behind his dick. He put the cup down, unable to ignore the call any longer. The bathroom door wasn’t locked. Wolf turned the knob, pushing the door open. The hot water and soap couldn’t mask Cora’s scent. He leaned against the doorjamb, watching her, listening to the soft splash of water. Her head bowed, her eyes closed as she slid the washcloth over her raised leg. Wolf stepped inside. He closed the door. The fine tremor in his hands spread to the rest of his body. Shit. He paused for a long moment, his mouth suddenly dry as dust. He’d felt this way twice before in his life. The night he turned his first trick for food and a place to stay, then again on the night he’d been about to fuck Rafe for the first time. Both events had changed his life. When he followed through, when he fucked her, everything would change again. The idea scared him. A lot. He couldn’t let this chance pass by, though. Their survival depended on it. She opened her eyes, raising her head to look at him. He walked toward her, toward his future. She tilted her head to one side, waiting. He wanted to touch her, to find out what she felt like, tasted like, sounded like as he fucked her. He stopped beside the tub, gazing down at her perfect breasts. She looked up at him, the fire in her eyes matching the one in his blood. “Something you want, Wolf?” “You.” He stepped into the bathtub with her. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me? How much I need you?” He knelt, ignoring the water soaking into his boots and jeans. He needed to touch her, running his fingertips over her shoulders. Her skin was like silk left in the sun too long. He moved to her collarbone then down over her breasts, tracing slow circles around her hardened nipples. “So soft,” he whispered. The guys are nothing like this. The thought both unnerved and excited him.

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Raising one hand to her cheek, he began to explore her face. Fingertips slipped feather-light over eyebrows, cheekbones, jawline, until his thumb brushed over her parted lips. Wolf pushed both hands into her silky soft hair, sliding one hand to the back of her neck to pull her into a kiss. He tasted her at last, sliding his mouth down over her throat to the hollow there, then down between her breasts. Her breath caught when he took one nipple into his mouth. She tasted sweet, right. A primal need rose inside him. He sucked, swirling his tongue over the velvet flesh before pulling away. A pang of separation rocked him, driving him to tighten his hold on her, covering her nipple once more, sucking harder, before moving to the other nipple. Cora’s hands tightened on his shoulders, pushing him back. “Don’t push me away.” He frowned, protesting softly. She quieted his half-formed complaint, trailing her hand down his chest until she found the first button on his shirt. Wolf watched her unbutton it, sliding it off his shoulders. He sat back, discarding the shirt. Leaning forward, he slid an arm around her waist, claiming her lips again. She twined her arms around him, running her fingers down his spine to the waistband of his soaked jeans. He shivered when she pushed her hands under the fabric, moaning softly. He moved from her lips to her throat, his kiss growing more urgent. The need to bite, to subdue his mate, surged through him. Pulling her to her knees, he closed his teeth against the soft skin at the base of her neck, nipping her. Somehow, he managed to unbuckle his belt, jerking it free in one swift movement. Cora unzipped his jeans, drawing another low moan from him as his erect cock sprang free. She moved her fingers under the waistband, this time pushing them down his hips. “Oh gods, Cora,” he growled when she slipped her hand between his legs. They stood together in the bathtub. He gripped her ass, pulling her closer. When she raised her leg, he caught it, moving it over his hip.

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He bent his knees, holding her tighter, lifting her into his arms. She moaned as he slowly slid her down onto his erect dick. “Oh, Wolf.” She tightened her arms around him. “Hold on,” he whispered. “I’m going to carry you to my bedroom.” He stepped out of the tub. His wet jeans slid down his legs, hampering his movements as he carried her toward the door and opened it. She whimpered softly as he walked across the hall into the bedroom he shared with the others. He tripped. His knees hit the edge of the bed. They fell onto it, the jolt making her cry out. Lying on top of her with his dick buried in her felt like heaven. Wolf managed to toe off his soggy boots, kicking his wet jeans to the floor. From the sounds she made, he thought she enjoyed the process. Pushing against her to move them further onto the bed, he drove deeper into her. Her skin reminded him of satin as he moved his hands over her body. He lowered his head and covered her mouth in a deep searching kiss. The sweet taste of her mouth made his head spin. Holding onto his control, he began to move. He wanted this to last. She moaned, arching her hips up to meet his slow thrusts. He rose up to gaze down at her. His fingers found her nipple, rolling it, tugging gently. She gasped. A wicked half smile flashed across his face. Suddenly he moved, rolling them over so she was on top. Cora caught his hands, pinning them over his head. A breathless laugh escaped him. He caught hold of the rails of the brass headboard, arching up into her with a hard thrust of his hips. She kissed his chest, her hair brushing against his skin as she licked his nipples. “Oh, gods, Cora, this is wonderful.” He groaned, his voice lust-roughened, breathless. Cora slid her hands down his sides as she sat up, driving him deeper inside. She moaned, grinding herself against him. He tightened his grip on her hips. It felt good inside her. He belonged there. She was his. Gritting his teeth, he bit back another moan. He was losing control.

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The change was coming. Panic surged through him. He needed to stop it. His hands moved down the tops of her thighs then back to her waist, urging her to lie against him. He needed to dominate her, to regain control. He rolled over on top of her again. Wolf moved slower. She was close to coming, making soft whimpering sounds as he fucked her. She pulled at him, sliding her hands over his back and down the cleft of his ass. “Uhn, gods.” He groaned at her nails raking down his back. “Fuck me, Wolf,” she whispered, her lips against his once more. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth and tasted blood. Hers, his, it didn’t matter. His balls drew up. He gasped, crying out, calling her name. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks. Suddenly his body convulsed, shuddering as he pulsed inside her. He threw his head back and howled. She tightened around him, letting her orgasm wash over her. **** He collapsed, going limp against her. She tried to catch her breath, lying there with a slight smile on her face. He smiled. Sex with his Pack was always good, but this sex was different, better in a way he couldn’t explain. He moved off her, turning onto his side to look at her. “What do I do now? How do I make you happy?” He gazed at her, trailing hesitant fingers over her cheek. Cora caught his hand. She brought it to her lips, kissing his palm. “What do you want to do?” “With Rafe or Dale I’d have just turned over and gone to sleep.” He shrugged, a little embarrassed. “You’re special. You deserve more.” He brushed his thumb over her lips. She caught his hand again and kissed his fingers, sending a shiver through him. “What do you usually do with your girlfriends?”

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“I don’t know. You’re the first woman I’ve ever fucked.” Wolf sighed. “The only one I’ll ever have.” He could see he startled her. She reached out and tucked a strand of silky black hair behind his ear. “Sleep with me,” he whispered at last, so softly she almost couldn’t hear him. “Hold me.” Without a word, she reached out, pulling him into her arms. Wolf sighed, laying his head on her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, throwing one leg over her, snuggling as close as he could get. He couldn’t remember feeling as good as he did at that moment. He heard himself purring for the first time since childhood as he drifted off to sleep. The last time he’d purred his mother had been alive. Before the bad times, before the succession of foster homes, before Rafe found him.

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Chapter Eight: Nothing Good Jean-Paul slammed the phone down. He looked at his hand gripping the black plastic. His knuckles were white. With a loud snap, the plastic cracked. He took a deep, ragged breath. Letting it out slowly, he willed himself to relax. Grief and rage surged through him. Remy was dead. He couldn’t quite believe it. He thought back over his long life. Remy had always been there, through every trial, bad times and good. They thought they would never die. With another deep sigh, Jean-Paul moved to the chair beside the phone table. He sat with his face buried in his hands. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. Everything seemed to be falling apart. He needed to pull himself together. Jean-Paul berated himself. He had allowed himself to grow soft, complacent, stupid in this age of ease. With a soft curse, he gripped the arms of the chair and shoved himself to his feet. Disgusted with himself for sinking into self-pity even for so short a time, Jean-Paul strode into the library. Inside the room, he went first to the windows, pulling the heavy drapes closed. Then he stopped at the floor-to-ceiling shelves beside the fireplace. With a smile that held no humor in it, he reached out to caress the decorative carving that graced the mantle. It was a work of art, designed by a master craftsman. Nothing like it had been built in many years. Modern houses were soulless, Jean-Paul thought. He continued his appreciation of the hand-carved wood. When he reached the roaring lion, he slipped a finger into its mouth. The shelving made a soft, nearly silent click then swung outward slightly. Jean-Paul grasped the edge and pulled the shelving open the

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rest of the way. Bless the Victorians and their obsession with secrecy. He stepped into the dark opening, stopping to turn down a small lever, shutting the door behind himself. The passageway smelled of disuse and dust. No light reached inside, but he didn’t need light to see where he was going. He hurried down the stairs, heedless of the blackness surrounding him. At the bottom, he reached another door. This one also opened silently at a gentle touch of his hand. The room it revealed glowed with soft phosphorescence. Jean-Paul sighed. He had not been in this room for many years. Cora did not know it existed. He’d never felt the need to show it to her. She was a child of the modern age. The things here belonged to his past. Jean-Paul traced the hilt of a broadsword. Memories of wielding it in battle alongside his Templar companions came flooding back. It was a good weapon but not what he needed. Such an obvious weapon would attract too much attention. He needed something more subtle. It lay on the table exactly as he had left it some ninety-four years before. The smooth, polished ebony of the cane brought back memories much like the broadsword, though these memories were more refined. He loved the Victorian era, such well-mannered people hiding such vice. He liked to see corsets coming back into style. When he was with Cora once more, he would buy her several. With great care, he slid the silver sword free of its scabbard. The blade still held its edge. He smiled. He remembered many nights in both Paris and London when he’d put the sword to good use. This was a different time. Swords were no longer the weapon of choice. Jean-Paul put the cane sword down. He reached for the polished cherry wood box. He lifted the lid with reverence, gazing down at the 1873 Colt .45 Single Action Army revolver. A gift from Doc. He ran a fingertip over the cold steel of the weapon. Memories of the gold and silver camps, Doc at the poker table, Kate threatening to shoot him, all came flooding back along with the memories of long

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nights in the saloons or in some whore’s bed. This was what he needed now, along with some silver bullets. Just in case. He remembered the desert crawling with preternatural creatures. Cora, where are you? He shook his head. Who would have thought it would take a cult and a missing lover to get him to see Doc again. Jean-Paul thought about the last time he saw Doc. He could almost taste the dust and gun smoke of that day. Jean-Paul lifted the gun and aimed into the darkness. Gazing down the barrel, the scene unfolded before him. Unconsciously he adjusted his stance. Doc had stood to his right and Wyatt and his brothers a little farther on. After months of ambushes and insults, they faced the Clantons and part of their Pack that day in the lot across the street from the OK Corral. History had forgotten his role, but Jean-Paul didn't mind. He preferred to remain anonymous. Other memories of events long past threatened to overwhelm him. With difficulty, he pushed them back and focused on controlling his breathing until he relaxed. He allowed himself a soft, private chuckle. Who knows, I might just get into a little trouble while I’m there. Doc always did love a good fight.

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Chapter Nine: Sheep Rafe stepped out into the moonlight. He looked up at the stars. For several minutes, he enjoyed the simple pleasure of gazing at the glittering points of light. He heard Wolf inside, fucking Cora. From the sound of her moans, things were going well. Time to go find Dale before the sounds of his Alpha mating Cora worked Dale up too much to be handled. Rafe did not fancy being bitten. He adjusted his cock and thought about distracting his feral friend. Rafe walked down to the barn, looking for Dale. The young man was nowhere to be seen, and the corral was empty. Rafe frowned at the unusual circumstances. Normally there would be several horses there. He couldn’t see the few cows they had not sold in the small pasture nearby. He realized with a sinking feeling he couldn’t hear any sheep either. None at all. Cold washed over Rafe, taking away any arousal he’d felt. He picked up his pace, walking faster toward the barn. If Dolores ordered her Pack to do anything to their livestock, Wolf would tear out their throats no matter what the council rules said about attacking a fellow Werewolf. He broke into a run as he got closer to the barn. Dale loved those sheep. Sometimes Rafe thought Dale was part sheepdog, the way he worked with those animals. If anything happened to them, Dale would be devastated. He was closer to the animals on the small ranch than he was to his Pack. Rafe burst through the side door of the barn. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Dale standing by the ladder to the loft. His relief did not last. Dale looked up at him. The young man’s face was pale under his tan. Something on his face glittered in the

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moonlight. Rafe’s heart lurched when he recognized tears. Dale never cried. “What? What’s happened?” Rafe reached out to pull Dale close, wrapping his arms around him. It was more than an urge to comfort someone he cared deeply about. If Dale lost it, Rafe wanted to have a good hold on him. Cora did not need to see a Werewolf gone berserk. Not after her experiences with those goons that hung with Dolores. “They’re dead,” Dale whispered. “All of them. Even the babies.” Rafe looked into Dale’s amber eyes. They were glassy. He was in shock. “Show me.” Rafe nudged Dale around toward the doors that opened onto the sheep pen in back. Dale didn’t resist. He led Rafe out to a scene of pure horror. Their small herd of sheep, twelve animals including four lambs, lay scattered, lifeless, around the pen. Rafe swore under his breath. What the hell could have done this? “All right, you go into the barn and get the shovels. We’ll bury them, and then we’ll take a run and see if we can find any traces of who did this.” Rafe turned Dale, giving him a gentle push toward the barn. He waited until Dale had gone inside to walk over and push one of the carcasses with the toe of his boot. It appeared he’d be killing some wolves after all. He sighed, kneeling to look closer. All the sheep had been torn apart. Dolores was sending them a message, join me or I’ll ruin you. Rafe stood, testing the air for scent. Nothing but the normal desert smells, mesquite, the creek, a hint of something dead. The sound of Dale coming out of the barn snapped him out of his thoughts. He reached out a hand for the shovel Dale held toward him. “You didn’t hear or smell anything?” Rafe’s hopes fell when the young Werewolf shook his head. If Dale couldn’t pick up a scent, Rafe knew he sure as hell wouldn’t. “All right, let’s go make sure the other animals are safe.”

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Dale looked toward the house and Rafe shook his head, answering the unspoken question. “No, we’ll tell Wolf later. He wouldn’t appreciate an interruption right now. He’s mating Cora.” “Oh. I saw him with her. On the trail.” Dale frowned. “You knew he would do this someday. She’s the one we need to make this little Pack of ours legitimate to the council.” “I didn’t expect it so soon.” “Is there going to be a problem?” “She’s human.” “Yes.” “I don’t know if I can—” “Be around a human? We’ll help you, you know that, but I don’t think you’ll have any trouble once you smell her.” Rafe smiled at the startled look Dale shot him. Dale possessed a better olfactory sense than any Werewolf Rafe knew of. The young man was going to be floored by Cora. “She smells like food?” “Better.” “What’s better than food?” “Sex. Pack sex.” **** Dale rode a few feet ahead of Rafe. He sniffed and rubbed his nose. If the sheep had been killed cleanly, it wouldn’t have gotten to him like this. The poor animals had been ripped apart. There was no reason for that kind of savagery. Dale sighed. Rafe rode up beside him. “We’ll find who did it.” Dale nodded. “I’m sorry. I let you down. I should have been there.” “Dale, there’s nothing to be sorry for. And I’m glad you weren’t there. You might have been killed, too.” Rafe reached over and

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caught his hand, squeezing it. “You are more important than the sheep. Remember that.” He nodded again. It was hard to get used to the idea he mattered to anyone but his animals. With a frown, he reined the horse to a stop. “What happens if she stays?” Rafe stopped his horse and looked back at him. “We grow stronger. Nothing between us changes.” Dale relaxed. If Rafe said it, then it was how things would be. Some of the sadness in him lifted. He thought about Rafe’s earlier comment. “I caught a little of her scent on the trail.” “You did, huh? What did you think?” “She smells pretty good.” “Told you.” Rafe grinned at him. Dale let the silence go on for a bit. “Don’t know if she’s better than food, though.” Rafe laughed. Startled, the horses snorted. **** Rafe tugged on the reins, stopping his horse. “Let’s rest the horses. We’ve been all over the ranch. I don’t think we’re going to find anything.” “Yeah, my butt is growing to the saddle.” Dale got off his horse and led her to a bush beside the creek. Rafe followed, tying his horse next to Dale’s. They stood looking out at the water and the pale bluish white of the waterfall without speaking. Dale finally broke the silence. “Nice night for a swim.” The events of the night caught up with Rafe. The moonlight gave Dale a mysterious wild look that turned Rafe inside out. Rafe laid his hand on Dale’s shoulder. “I need you.” Dale turned his head and blinked at him. “Don’t have to ask.” He turned the rest of the way and wrapped his arms around Rafe, stepping closer until Rafe could feel Dale’s erection against his own.

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Hands worked buttons and zippers in quiet desperation as their mouths sealed together in a rough kiss. Bodies bumped together as they toed off boots and clothes dropped to the ground. Dale went to his knees, dragging his nails down Rafe’s chest. Rafe buried his fingers in Dale’s hair and widened his stance. Dale held his hips, dipping his tongue into Rafe’s navel, kissing it with the same roughness they’d used when their mouths met. Then Dale moved lower. Rafe groaned. Dale’s hot mouth took him. Rafe closed his eyes. “Oh yeah.” Dale pulled back and began working his way down the shaft of Rafe’s cock, licking and kissing. Rafe moved his fingers through Dale’s hair in gentle massaging circles. Dale tightened his grip and moaned, his mouth on Rafe’s balls. It was almost too much. Rafe pulled Dale up. Dale’s mouth left a trail of wet, fire-heated kisses up Rafe’s body until their mouths sealed together again. This time Rafe walked his lover back, pushing him against a boulder. He moved down Dale’s body, licking, returning kisses, stopping to nip at Dale’s nipples then swirling his tongue in Dale’s navel. His young lover gasped and swore. Rafe glanced up to see Dale had one hand on the rock and the other arm over his eyes. His mouth was open in a silent gasp. Rafe smiled and licked the head of Dale’s cock. “Ah, shit.” Dale’s body jerked. Rafe explored Dale with his tongue and teeth until Dale’s breath came in harsh gasps. He stopped for a moment to watch Dale’s distress. The young Werewolf was gorgeous in his passion, he need to come etched into the set of his features. “R–rafe. Please.” Dale’s voice broke. Rafe pressed Dale’s hips against the stone. He placed an infinitely gentle kiss on the end of Dale’s cock. Dale sobbed. Rafe found the small opening and pressed the tip of his tongue into it. Dale cried out and tried to buck under Rafe.

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Rafe circled the base of Dale’s cock and squeezed, tugging back, stopping Dale’s orgasm. Dale moaned in protest. Rafe stood and pulled Dale into his arms again, holding him until his breathing calmed a bit. When Dale sighed, Rafe turned him. Dale spread his legs and braced himself. Rafe pressed into him slowly. “Tell me if it hurts too much,” he whispered. Dale nodded. “Burns. Oh, fuck, that feels good.” Rafe pushed again, sliding all the way in. He wrapped his arms around Dale’s waist and kissed his shoulder. Dale rocked back, and Rafe moved with short, hard thrusts until his balls drew up and he emptied himself into Dale. Dale groaned and swore as his orgasm shook him. Afterward, Rafe lay back against the boulder beside Dale. The breeze cooled them, drying the sweat on their bodies. “That was good.” Dale sighed and rubbed his stomach. “I’m hungry now.” Rafe laughed. “Let’s take that swim, and we can go get something at the diner.” Dale raised his eyebrows, expressing his interest. He headed for the creek. Rafe followed a little more slowly. Watching Dale slip into the water, Rafe had a thought. Wolf had been a virgin as far as women went. What if Dale was as well? “Have you had a woman before?” Dale shrugged. “I think so.” “You think so? How can you not be sure?” “Hard to know in Old Town. Do Fairies count?” “I guess they do. If they’re female.” Rafe let it go and followed Dale into the water. Sometimes he forgot Dale’s past. But Fairies? Damn, I have to ask him about that one of these days.

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Chapter Ten: Morning and Bad News The sun sent bright stabbing rays of light into the small bedroom, illuminating the still-wet clothes and boots strewn on the floor. Wolf rolled over onto his back, a contented smile on his face. Memories of his night with Cora had him halfway hard. He sighed sliding his hand along the soft sheet to where he expected Cora to be. He froze when he felt the side of the bed she’d slept on. The sheets were cool, like she had never been there. Gods, no, she can’t be gone. He sat up, a feeling of panic rising, listening for any sounds in the house. No sound reached his sensitive ears. We told her she would be safe here. All I’ve done is put her in more danger making her my chienne de loup-garou. Wolf threw the bed covers back, stumbling out of bed. He strode through the house without bothering to dress. Clothes would be a hindrance if he needed to shift. The main rooms of the house were empty. Wolf didn’t scent anyone. His Pack hadn’t been in since late the day before. No enemies were near. He would have known right away if Dolores had come anywhere close to the canyon ranch. She counted as the biggest enemy they had with her opposition to their small Pack. She wanted to assimilate them, to rule them. He shuddered. Dolores’s distinctive stench made him ill. He began to relax. The faint sound of the shower running in the bathroom inspired a wicked smile with thoughts to match. Ah, so that’s where she is. He listened a second then walked to the little bathroom, stopping at the door. He stepped inside, taking a moment to gaze at her through the clear plastic shower curtain. She stood with her head back, her face

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turned up to the spray. His cock rose. Her body called to him the way no other did. Rafe and Dale were his Pack brothers. He would die for them. For Cora, for his chienne de loup-garou, he would kill. He stepped into the shower, sliding his arms around her waist. She made a little startled sound, turning her head to look at him. “My, you’re jumpy. Sex is supposed to relax you,” he murmured in her ear. “Wolf, you’re crazy, you know that?” She shivered. “So I’ve been told.” He traced the curve of her ear with his tongue. “Your friends will be here soon.” Her breath caught. “I couldn’t care less.” He turned her around to face him. “You don’t either, do you? Not really. I saw how Rafe affected you. He affects me that way, too.” “But...mmpff—” He cut her off, covering her mouth with his. He ran his hands down her back, pulling her against him. He slid his mouth down her throat, never leaving her skin. He licked her breasts, continuing down over her belly. Kneeling, he combed his fingers through the curls between her legs. With a gasp, she tangled her fingers in his hair, moaning. Wolf swirled his tongue over her clit. He pushed his fingers into her pussy, sliding them in and out slowly as he flicked his tongue over her clit. He growled as she moaned his name. She was his, would be theirs, as long as he lived if he had anything to say about it. When he felt her knees start to give, he stood, using the movement to enter her. She cried out, holding onto him, letting him do all the work until she tightened around him, her orgasm making him come. He eased away from her, both of them trying to catch their breath. “Water is getting cold. We should get out.” He took her hand then stepped out of the shower, pulling her along with him. “I don’t have anything to wear. All my clothes are in my car.” She took the towel he handed her, wrapping it around herself. He looked her over for a few moments.

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“I think we can find you something. Come on.” He wrapped an arm around her waist. They headed for the bedroom to find her some clothes. **** Wolf watched Cora set the pan off the burner. The way she looked dressed in their clothes sent a surge of lust through him. She did things to him, made him feel things he didn’t understand. He supposed what he felt was love. It rivaled what he felt for the Pack. Wolf hoped she felt the same. He walked up behind her, sliding his hands over her hips, making her jump again. “I thought I told you, sex is supposed to relax you,” he murmured in her ear. “Dale’s T-shirt looks better on you.” He moved his hands over her hips. “So do my jeans.” He pulled her back against him. “Wolf, stop it.” She shivered. “You love this. I know it, and you know it.” Wolf brushed his hand up her spine, up under her hair, brushing it away from her neck. He slipped his hand through her hair, kissing the back of her neck. He heard footsteps on the gravel outside. The breeze through the kitchen window brought him the familiar scents of his Pack lovers. Rafe made no secret of their return. Wolf heard the door open. He leaned in, kissing her neck, aware Rafe watched from the doorway. “Softly,” Wolf heard Rafe whisper. Wolf knew Dale would understand. **** Cora saw Rafe along with a young man she guessed was Dale standing in the doorway. Her face heated. From things Wolf said the night before she knew these men were his lovers. She met Rafe’s gaze, refusing to look away. Wolf walked over to the table. He kept hold of her hand until the distance got to be too much before letting

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her hand slip free. He stood beside a chair. Something was happening between the men she didn’t understand, some sort of dominance thing. Rafe lowered his eyes in deference, a slight smile gracing his lips. The young man with him was quick to bow his head when she looked at them. Dale followed Rafe to the table, both men waiting to sit until Wolf did. Cora picked up the dishes, occupying herself with bringing breakfast to the table. Maybe someone would explain what had just taken place. “I’ve found out some of what’s going on,” Rafe said as Cora joined them at the table. “Good, let’s start with why those monsters were chasing Cora.” Wolf reached over, covering her hand with his. “Well, seems like Cora ran into some visitors up from Mexico,” Rafe informed Wolf as he looked at Cora. He waited for a long moment before he continued. “Dolores, rot her hide, is dealing with the council down there. She can’t control her Pack, much less the Mexican Werewolves. “Shit. Cora, I’m sorry you got pulled into all this.” Wolf sounded truly distressed. She shook her head, mystified. “I don’t understand what is going on here. Why would they chase me?” “We’re what you would call Werewolves, Cora. The Pack is ruled by an Alpha. The Alpha is ruled by a chienne. Dolores is chienne to the Pack that runs out of Jimson Weed. It’s a town a few miles north of us. She’s been harassing us for years. She wants me.” Wolf gave her an apologetic smile. “You have the aura of a chienne.” Rafe looked embarrassed. Cora looked from Rafe to Wolf then back to Rafe. “I have the aura of a chienne?” Rafe nodded once. “I knew it the second I saw you out in the desert. You can bet the Pack from Mexico and Dolores saw it right away.”

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Cora made an odd moaning noise, covering her mouth with one hand. Oh no, this is not happening to me. What will Jean-Paul say? She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. “Do I have a choice in this?” “No, please.” The anguish in Wolf’s barely audible voice startled Cora. “Of course you do. We would never force you into anything. You can leave at any time. I parked your car beside the truck.” Rafe shot Wolf a glare as he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. Cora’s insides jolted as if she grabbed a live electrical wire. His touch jangled every nerve in her body. “I don’t know what to say. Until yesterday you, creatures like you, were myths, stories to scare people.” She stood, pulling her hand away. “I’m sorry. You do have a choice. Always. I hope you won’t leave us, though. I need you…We need you so much,” Wolf said. He sounded subdued. She went to the door, opening it as she looked back at them. “I need to think.” Rafe nodded. Cora looked at Wolf for a long moment. He sat there with his head bowed. Dale simply waited, looking from one to the other of his friends. No, she corrected herself, his Pack. With a sigh, she stepped outside into the bright sunshine. She looked around herself at the place Wolf called a ranch. The little canyon was beautiful. The red of the canyon walls contrasting with the green of the pine and the blue of the summer sky looked like a post card. She walked toward the trees. How did she deal with this? She didn’t deny the attraction she felt for Wolf, Rafe, or Dale. She had only met Dale that morning yet something about him pulled her as strongly as the other men did. Cora found the creek Wolf mentioned. She could hear birds singing and the sound of horses. She sat down on a rock, enjoying the peacefulness of the desert.

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This wouldn’t be such a bad place to live. She laughed at herself. If she stayed, she’d be giving up everything she’d worked for back in New Orleans. Besides, how would she ever explain it to Jean-Paul? No, better to get in her car, get to Dead Man, take care of the business Jean-Paul sent her here for, then get back home as fast as she could.

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Chapter Eleven: Falling Apart Cora smiled at Dale as she stepped past him. Rafe saw his eyes widen almost imperceptibly. When Dale turned to watch her go, Rafe suppressed a grin. Dale turned back. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closed. Then he sighed and opened his eyes, an expression of wonder on his face. Wolf chuckled. “Yeah, she affects us that way, too.” Dale ducked his head, favoring them with a shy, lopsided grin. Rafe gave Dale a light punch on the shoulder. They all chuckled, a purely male response to the mutual attraction they felt for Cora, before Rafe continued, “The other news is bad.” Wolf’s eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Bad how? Will Cora be safe out there?” “She’ll be fine for a few minutes. Last night someone killed the sheep. Dale found them.” “Shit. How are you taking it?” Wolf took Dale’s hands in his, concern beyond his years etched into his face. This is why Wolf is Alpha, Rafe thought. Pride in this young man who was both leader and lover to him gave Rafe a lump in his throat. “Rafe helped me bury them. I’m okay, I guess.” “Dolores—” “Sent us a message.” Rafe managed to keep his voice steady. “Dale? You didn’t hear…” Wolf looked at Rafe, startled. Rafe shook his head. “No, he didn’t.” “But…” Wolf gave Rafe a puzzled glance. Rafe raised an eyebrow. He saw realization dawn in Wolf’s eyes. They both knew

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Dale went down to the rocks by the creek when he needed more sexual relief than they could give him. “I’m sorry. I was down by the creek.” Dale kept his eyes down as he addressed his Alpha. Wolf brushed Dale’s hair back then lifted his chin to look into his eyes. “It’s all right. We’ll find who did it. It’s not your fault. We’ll take care of it, and we’ll get some new sheep.” Dale nodded. Rafe nodded toward the door when Dale glanced at him. “Go keep an eye on Cora.” Dale looked at Wolf for permission before he stood and hurried out the door. Wolf sighed. “Just when he was beginning to open up. I worry we’re not taking care of his needs.” Wolf rubbed his eyes. “Maybe we should talk to Jake about getting one of us some training in this bondage stuff.” “Dale will be fine. He’s come a long way from the feral kid we found living in Old Town. “So what do we do now? About the sheep?” “It’s weird. We went over the whole ranch and found nothing, not even any clear tracks. I think we file a formal complaint with the council. Ask for restitution.” “Another complaint. Right.” Wolf sounded as discouraged as Rafe felt. “We need to stay within Pack law or they destroy us.” Wolf nodded. “I know. Do it. But wait until Cora leaves. If she isn’t going to join with us, she doesn’t need to know our problems.” “Okay. But maybe if she knew what we were facing she’d give us a chance.” Rafe knew it wouldn’t work as soon as he said it. “No.” Wolf shook his head. “The attraction is there, but this fiancé is the problem. She’s afraid to leave him.” “Maybe we could turn him. If he’s not too ugly or stupid. Let her keep him as a pet.” Rafe dabbed a finger in a puddle of leftover syrup. He put his finger in his mouth and sucked, winking at Wolf.

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“It’s a thought. You suppose he’d turn into a poodle?” Wolf finished off his coffee. “She did mention he’s French.” **** Dale ambled after Cora. He knew Wolf and Rafe worried about him, knew they’d be discussing him. They didn’t understand his need to have his inner self, the monster inside him, controlled. They didn’t have the uncontrolled wildness he had. They couldn’t know the ecstasy of letting go with someone strong enough to keep him from hurting himself or anyone else. They were a little afraid of what he might do. He could have told them they didn’t need to worry, but they still would. He’d let them. It made them feel better. Life was hard in Old Town, dangerous with all the strange things that happened there. The other creatures there had been both family to him and enemies. The blind rage that took him without warning kept most of them away and protected his life. As he got older he began to realize he needed rigid boundaries if he wanted to stay alive. Dale learned to control himself in order to survive. Then Rafe and Wolf found him. Alone for as long as he could remember, it was strange to suddenly find two people who accepted him as he was. They took him in, giving him security and stability. Love, too, and a home. With them he learned to let others care about him. Now Cora had come into their lives. Dale thought about it all night, even while Rafe fucked him. Her presence felt right. He decided he could accept her in the Pack and his life. Dale caught Cora’s scent on the breeze. Something in her scent calmed him at the same time it made him want to fuck her. He’d been attracted to women before, in Old Town, but this was different. Somehow, he knew Cora was meant for him in a way no one else was. He gave a silent sigh. There was still an empty hole deep inside his heart, even with the Pack and Cora taking up so much of it. He

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wondered if it would ever be filled. Then he took another deep breath, pushing all the sad thoughts away. Rafe was right. Cora did smell better than food. He saw her a few yards ahead, sitting on a rock. He caught Wolf’s scent on her from the jeans she wore. Dale smiled at the curl of desire that tightened behind his dick. She stirred his protective instincts. There was no way on earth he would ever hurt her.

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Chapter Twelve: Quiet Waters A twig snapped somewhere behind her. She jerked around to find Dale watching her from the brush a few feet away. “Rafe sent me to make sure you’re all right.” He had a quiet, solemn way about him. Cora wondered what made him so serious. She didn’t try to analyze why she patted the rock beside her, inviting him to sit. He walked over to her, sitting on the ground at her feet. She gazed at his bowed head. The urge to touch him, to see if his glossy dark brown hair was as soft as it looked, refused to be denied. Cora reached down, brushing her fingers over the sun-warmed silk of his hair. Before she realized it, she found herself stroking Dale’s head. He sighed, relaxing under her touch, laying his head against her knee. “I like you,” he said in a voice so soft she almost couldn’t hear him. He slid his hand over her calf. His gentle, hesitant touch sent a warm rush of desire through her, totally unlike the fierce need Wolf’s touch aroused or the heat Rafe caused. Before she half thought about it, she bent down, kissing the top of his head. He seemed like a shy boy. Dale turned to face her, rising up to his knees. Cora moved her legs apart, pulling him closer. His lips touched hers in a feather-light kiss. She parted her lips, inviting him in. His shy acceptance sent a wave of pleasure through her as strong as any she’d ever felt. He stiffened when she pulled him closer. “It’s all right,” she whispered. He sighed then slipped his arms around her waist. Cora gathered him closer. Dale relaxed into her

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arms. They kissed again. He moved down, planting soft butterfly kisses over her neck. Her breath caught as he began to explore her body. His hands trembled as they cupped her breasts then moved to the fly of her borrowed jeans. She stood, allowing Dale to push the jeans down over her hips. He stopped long enough to pull off the old work shirt he wore, slipping it behind her before he urged her back down onto the rock. She bit her bottom lip as he took the jeans off her, laying them aside. He placed her legs over his shoulders. Leaning forward, he kissed her, all traces of the shy boy gone. Dale flicked his tongue over her clit, brushing his hands over her hips and belly. The tightness inside her needed release. He teased her, thrusting his tongue into her pussy, sliding a finger in as he kissed her inner thigh. “Dale, please,” she moaned, pleading. He backed away and stood. Cora heard his zipper, and then he was inside her, fucking her. The first wave of her orgasm hit her. She cried out, tightening around him. He growled, low and deep in his throat. She felt him come, shuddering against her. She held him, riding out the aftershocks until they were both spent. **** Rafe waited until he was sure he couldn’t be overheard. He turned to Wolf and raised his eyebrows. “I take it you enjoyed your first woman?” The possessiveness he saw that morning worried him more than a little. “First and last. I hear her, Rafe, like a low hum in the back of my head. She hears me, too. She picked up what we are from my thoughts last night.” Wolf’s tone bordered on reverent. Rafe resisted the urge to smile. He loved this man who managed to make everything fresh and new for him.

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Rafe held in his fears. Their kind were rare, with fewer children every generation since they’d come to this world. In the three thousand years since their colony ship had crashed on this world, they had lost so much of their history and culture. Few knew anything about shifter history past the fact they were not native to this world. Blending in, hiding from humans had cost them dearly. “I’m glad. Does it bother you that we’ll all fuck her?” Rafe had seen many Alphas screw up a chance for a mating group because they got jealous. He didn’t want to see their chance for a family and home destroyed. Only a true chienne could give them the children all Packs longed for. Cora was a true chienne. He could smell it in her scent. She would bear them all children who would be full Werewolf. “No, it doesn’t bother me. Well, not much. Not the way you mean either.” Wolf’s breath caught. “How then?” Rafe needed to know. As Beta his job was to head off trouble. “I told you. I hear her. She and Dale, uh, he’s going down on her.” Wolf shifted in his chair, blushing. “Ah.” Rafe slid his chair back, sinking to the floor, kneeling before Wolf. He could do something to distract his Alpha. Rafe pushed Wolf’s legs apart, making him gasp. Wolf’s erection strained against his jeans. Rafe unfastened the button, easing the zipper down, freeing Wolf’s cock. It jutted out, moving with Wolf’s pulse. Rafe bent forward, swirling his tongue over the head, drawing a low groan from Wolf. He closed his lips over his lover’s cock, taking Wolf until the tip of his cock nudged the back of Rafe’s throat. Wolf tried to buck his hips, Rafe held him still with an iron grip. Wolf tangled his fingers in Rafe’s hair, clenching them into fists. Rafe growled deep in his throat. Wolf moaned in response. “Oh gods.” Rafe heard the desperation in Wolf’s breathless voice. He allowed his teeth to graze the silken skin as he looked up into the black eyes of his Alpha. Wolf threw his head back, letting out a hoarse groan as he came.

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“Damn, you sure know how to distract me, old man.” Wolf gave him a lazy smile when he’d caught his breath. Rafe chuckled. “Just doing my job, kid. Now go rescue Dale. He’s probably itching to go see to the horses.” “Yes, sir.” Wolf rolled his eyes at Rafe. “Remind me again who the Alpha is here?” Rafe watched him zip up his jeans and amble toward the door. He didn’t bother to answer.

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Chapter Thirteen: Unpleasant Truths Cora lay back on the rock with a deep, satisfied sigh. Dale leaned over her, touching her lips in another of his shy kisses. “Go back to the house. It’s safer there,” he whispered. “I need to take care of the horses.” She nodded, sitting up as he moved away. What am I doing? In the last twenty-four hours, I’ve had sex with two men who were total strangers. I’m attracted to a third, and I’m living with a wonderful man back home. I think I’m going crazy. She shook her head, standing to walk back to the house. Dale stood a few feet away watching her. “You have a lover?” he asked. She detected curiosity in his voice. “I do,” she confirmed. Did he just read my mind? First Wolf, now Dale. She wondered if Rafe could read her every thought as well. “Will he be very upset when you come to live with us?” Dale looked at her with open curiosity. At the sound of footsteps they both turned. Wolf ambled toward them, his straw cowboy hat pushed back on his head. He chewed on a match and smiled at them. “Has Dale been taking good care of you?” Cora heard Wolf’s mental chuckle as clearly as if he laughed aloud. She raised her eyebrows at him. “Very good care,” she answered. “Good, I expected he would.” Wolf slung his arm around Dale’s shoulders in a brotherly hug. He leaned closer, kissing Dale in a manner that was anything but brotherly. Cora’s breath caught at the mental image of them all in the bed she slept in with Wolf the night before.

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She watched Wolf whispering something to Dale that made him blush. Dale glanced at her with a wicked grin, making her stomach clench. He loped off toward the barn before she could say anything. Wolf stepped closer, never taking his eyes off his friend. “He’ll be back up to the house later.” Wolf turned his heated gaze on her. “Dale is more wolf than anything else.” “What about you?” She crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to examine him. He was older than she first thought, in his late twenties maybe. She could see the fine lines at the corners of his eyes in the brilliant sunshine. “It’s going to hurt Dale when you leave.” Wolf ignored her question, looking into her eyes. And me, she heard. His lips had not moved. But not Rafe? She could not help thinking about the older man who seemed to be in charge of the younger men in spite of the way they called Wolf their Alpha. “Rafe could be Alpha any time he wanted to. He doesn’t want the responsibility.” Wolf reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She shivered with need, excited by his touch. Her reaction convinced her she needed to leave. The sooner the better, before she got in too deep to walk away. “I can’t stay. You know that.” Cora sighed, looking away from the pain in his eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive move. It was already too late to protect her heart. He laid a hand on her shoulder. “Please. Don’t.” She flinched away. “Cora.” Wolf’s voice held a note of pleading in it that took her breath away. She wished she could say the words he wanted to hear, but she couldn’t. It just wasn’t that simple. It would not be fair to Jean-Paul. She couldn’t throw away all they had together on a feeling, no matter how good the men involved were in bed. “Where’s my car?” she asked, refusing to look at him. Her voice sounded thin even to her own ears, like she might cry any second.

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“Up on the rim. Come on, I’ll take you.” He started toward a small boulder next to a tree. She followed, blinking away tears. The trail was the same one they’d come down the night before. At the top she saw her car parked next to their battered old truck. Wolf stopped, turning to look at her. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Cora stepped past him and opened the car door. “Cora.” He reached for her, threading his fingers into her hair. His lips touched hers in a gentle kiss and then he pulled her closer. “Stay,” he whispered, his lips against her ear. “I can’t...It’s all just…too fast.” Tears streamed down her face. He nodded, kissing her ear. She winced at the sharp pinprick of his teeth nipping her earlobe. “I don’t like it, but I do understand.” He let her go, stepping back to look at her, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. Without a word, she got in her car. Her purse lay on the passenger seat. She looked at it for a few seconds. Right where she left it, as if it had not been touched. She took out her keys, starting the car before she looked up at Wolf for the last time. “I won’t tell anyone.” His perfect Cupid’s bow lips curved upward into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Doesn’t matter. Who would believe you anyway?” She nodded, biting her bottom lip. “Wolf.” “Follow the dirt road to the highway, turn right, don’t stop until you get to Dead Man. Dolores will think twice about following you there.” Wolf turned and walked toward the trail down into the canyon. By the time he reached the rim, he was running. Cora put the car into gear, driving down the dusty dirt road to the rest of her life.

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Chapter Fourteen: Back to Reality Cora didn’t look back. Well, not much anyway. Leaving was something she had to do. As much as she wanted to, she could not stay in the canyon. There were no other cars on the highway. The desert looked lonely and more than a little bleak. Cora glanced down at the gas gauge to find the needle on full. She smiled to herself. Rafe must have filled it up when he retrieved her car from the convenience store. She was thankful for his thoughtfulness. Stopping out in the desert was not high on her list of things she wanted to do again. Cora sighed. The drive to the Dead Man dude ranch where she had booked her room would not take long. She’d be there before full dark. She was hungry, but stopping for food did not appeal to her at the moment. Better to keep driving. With a sigh she let her thoughts wander. Werewolves. She had thought the creatures to be some Hollywood fantasy. With a chuckle she shook her head. They were fantasy, just not the kind most people thought of. Wolf had to be one of the best lovers she could remember ever having besides Jean-Paul. Dale gave his Alpha a run for his money as well. Cora sighed. Too bad she could not have made love with Rafe before she left. She thought of Jean-Paul waiting for her back in New Orleans. A pang of guilt made her bite her lip. He loved her. To take this any farther than it had already gone would bring disaster. A tiny shred of doubt began to eat at her. What if she truly was the no-good slut her family always said she was? What if Jean-Paul threw her out? Cora forced these thoughts away. She made herself think of JeanPaul’s words. “You have nothing to be ashamed of in sharing your

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body with those you are attracted to.” She hoped he remembered saying that to her. She hoped she knew him as well as she thought she did. **** Dale joined Wolf at the rim of the canyon. Together they watched Cora drive away. Wolf reached out, putting his arm around Dale’s shoulders. “Didn’t she like us?” Dale asked, soft spoken as always. “I think she liked us too much. It scared her.” Wolf listened to the silence around them. He heard her thoughts like a faint buzz of hummingbird wings flitting from one flower to the next. They turned to go. Chores did not wait for hurting hearts or reluctant lovers. Halfway down the trail, a stench hit Wolf’s senses. Dale smelled it as well, his nose wrinkled in disgust. He turned to see Dolores walking down the trail behind them. His hackles rose. “You’re not welcome here,” he snarled, his teeth bared. Behind him, Dale growled softly. “Really? I saw your little slut leaving. I’m your last chance to keep this place. Join me before I lose patience and withdraw the offer.” Dolores tilted her head, smiling, holding out her hand. “No.” Wolf stated his refusal, as plainly direct as possible. Arguing with the woman never got anywhere. “I’ll give you a week. Then I’ll send my Pack.” She turned, walking back up to the canyon rim as if she had nothing to fear from them. Dale snarled. He tried to move around Wolf. He caught Dale’s arm, stopping him. The temptation to let Dale rip Dolores apart was almost too much to resist. Wolf managed, though. The only result would be open war on them when the council found out. Letting her walk away gave them a week to sell the ranch and get out of there before her Pack came to kill them all. “Come on.” He tugged at Dale’s arm. Dale turned, wrapping his arms around Wolf. The younger man shook like a leaf in a high wind. Wolf rubbed his back. “Let’s go back to the house.”

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“Rafe?” Dale’s tone was wistful. “Rafe has gone to report the sheep to the council. It’s just us.” Wolf smiled at the way Dale’s eyes lit up. Dale nodded, letting Wolf lead him down the trail toward their home. Cora has to come back, Wolf thought. His throat ached with unshed tears. He desperately needed to howl. Wolf held in his anguish. He did not want Dolores to know how desperate they were, how much they wanted to keep the only home they’d known. He thought about taking her offer, going to her, mating with her. It made him nauseous. He wasn’t sure he could do it. Maybe he could manage one night, to keep them together on the ranch. He suppressed a shudder, not liking the way his thoughts were running. **** The room at the dude ranch was a welcome end to a long, tense drive. Cora dropped her bags by the dresser, her purse on the night table, and herself onto the bed. With a deep sigh of pleasure, she let herself relax. The events of the night before seemed very far away from this bustling tourist resort. She caught herself thinking of his hands on her body. With a half-voiced curse she got up, heading for the bathroom. A hot shower followed by dinner would be just the thing. Then she would call Jean-Paul. Cora turned on the water then reached for the button on the jeans she wore. Suddenly she realized she still wore the clothes she had borrowed from Wolf and Dale. Swallowing hard, she undressed, ignoring her shaking hands. She folded the clothes, laying them on the vanity beside the sink. She had no address to send them back to, no plans to go back either. The hot water felt wonderful, soaking through her hair, running over her too sensitive skin. Every drop of the spray was like a lover’s touch, driving her higher until she shook with the need to come. Her hands had a mind of their own, slipping over her soapy skin in an imitation of the things Wolf did to her the night before. When her finger

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brushed over her throbbing clit, she shattered with a moan, calling out his name. Her face burned as she jerked her hands away from her body. What on earth had gotten into her? Jean-Paul was right. She never should have taken this trip alone. She needed him. But which him did she mean? She shied away from the implications, refusing to think about it. She would have to confront those dark thoughts, but not until she put a little more distance between the night with Wolf and her emotions. Freshly showered, dressed in a soft silk wraparound dress, she put on a pair of gold sandals Jean-Paul liked. She needed dinner. That would make her feel better. She picked up her purse and headed for the restaurant. The waiter smiled at her, his eyes going to the points of her hard nipples pushing against the silk of her dress. She smiled back, placing her order. He licked his lips. Cora resisted the urge to throw him down on the table and take him right there in the middle of the dinner crowd. What did those Werewolves do to me? I have not felt this close to losing control since I met Jean-Paul. When he left, she reached for her water glass. She took a sip. That call to Jean-Paul could not come too soon. In her room again, she tossed her purse onto the chair by the window then threw herself onto the bed, reaching for the phone. It was after nine. Jean-Paul should be home. She dialed the number and listened impatiently to the phone in their house ringing. “Hello?” Jean-Paul’s voice flowed through her like warm honey. She sighed. “Hi, sweetheart. I miss you.” She smiled to herself, getting comfortable on the bed. “Cora! You are all right? Where are you?” The worry in his tone surprised her. She sat up, swinging her legs to the floor. “I’m fine. I’m in my room at the dude ranch. What’s wrong?” He gave a heavy, relieved sigh. “I tried to call you a dozen times last night. When you did not answer, I became worried. You have

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many messages on your voice mail, mon amour.” A pang of guilt hit her. “I’m sorry, I had a little trouble.” She leaned back on the bed again. “What kind of trouble?” His tone became wary. “Nothing serious, a little car trouble” She wasn’t about to tell him of the Werewolf attack, not yet. “Some cowboys helped me out.” “Cowboys? What sort of cowboys?” Jean-Paul’s voice took on a deeper, sexy tone. “You would have liked them. They let me stay the night with them.” She shifted back to lean against the pillows again. “Ah, and did you thank them properly for their hospitality?” JeanPaul’s voice purred into her ear. She smiled. “Of course I did.” She proceeded to tell him about her night. When she finished, she could hear the hitch in his breathing. “I should not have asked you to tell me that, mon amour. My dick is so hard now it aches to be inside you.” Cora stood, stepping over to her overnight bag. “Then we should do something about that, shouldn’t we?” He chuckled. “How? You are hundreds of miles from me. I am long, mon amour, but not that long.” She tucked the phone against her shoulder as she opened her bag. “Silly. Go and get on the bed.” She listened to him walking into their bedroom. The soft rustle of the bedding as he sat down made her mouth go dry. “I am here. Now what?” “Now I want you to put the phone on speaker and undress.” She took out her vibrator then went back to the bed. “When you’re naked, pull back the covers.” She listened to him do as she instructed. “Get into bed.” “Cora, you are seriously turning me on.” “That’s the idea, sweetheart. Now get the vibrator out of the nightstand. The warming gel is right beside it.”

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She heard his breathing increase followed by the sound of the drawer opening. “I have them.” Cora’s nipples hardened. Her clit throbbed. “Good. I want you to touch yourself with the vibrator. All over.” “Oh, Cora.” He sounded as if he’d been running a marathon. “Does it feel good?” “Yes.” She heard the tightness of need in his voice. “Oh, mon amour.” She was seriously aroused herself. “Now I want you to slick down the vibrator with the gel.” “Fuck,” he whispered. “Is it done?” “Yes. Fuck, Cora.” “Put it inside you.” His low moan as he obeyed her almost made her come. “Fuck yourself with it.” “Yes.” “Remember the last time we used the vibrator. Think about it. You fucked me with it. It’s been inside me. It’s the way you feel inside me, think about that.” She heard her own arousal in the hoarseness of her own voice. Cora listened to Jean-Paul’s ragged breathing. He was going to come soon. She heard the low moan of her name from her lover. “It feels like the cowboys did when they fucked me,” she whispered. A loud groan followed Jean-Paul’s sharp gasp. He swore softly in French, and then she heard nothing but silence. She waited. “I think you killed me, mon amour,” he said at last. He sounded sleepy. Cora smiled. “I hope not.” “I will sleep like the dead.” They both chuckled. “Sweet dreams, sweetheart. Hang up the phone now and go to sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow with more cowboy tales.”

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“Cora, you are my treasure.” She heard him yawn as he disconnected. Cora turned off her phone with a sigh. She wished she could have seen Jean-Paul’s face when he came. He’d probably sleep the rest of the night. She wouldn’t, though. Cora picked up the vibrator she’d brought with her. She touched the tip of the toy to her lips, smiling. She got off the bed and turned out all the lights in the room. When her eyes adjusted, she undressed, letting her clothes drop to the floor. Naked, she went back to the bed. Cora pulled the covers back then climbed into bed. Lying back, she let her hands drift over her body. In her fantasy Jean-Paul was with her. As her breath began to grow faster she rubbed her fingers over her nipples. She remembered the way Wolf touched her. A jolt of lust rocked her, making her clit throb. “Oh, Wolf.” She bit her lip, moaning, tugging at her nipples. Cora slid her hands slowly over her body. In her imagination, Wolf became Rafe. She reached for the vibrator. Turning it to the heat and pulse setting, she slipped it deep into her pussy. Rafe fucked her while Wolf watched them. She moaned. Dale joined Wolf. She turned up the vibrator setting. She fucked the vibrator as deep as she could. It seemed as if she could actually feel the hands of the Werewolves on her skin. Her relief danced just out of reach. She sobbed with the need to come. Suddenly she felt claws on her body, scratching, prickling. She groaned as her orgasm shuddered through her. Spent, Cora lay where she collapsed. Her breathing slowed, calming until she could focus on the room around her. She pulled the sheet over herself. Sleep claimed her right away. ****

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Wolf shifted in his sleep. He growled. Cora lay before him on a strange bed fucking herself. He reached down to discover his cock hard. A whimper followed by a thrust of hips from Dale sleeping behind him let him know he was broadcasting. Too late Wolf tried to shut it down. Rafe stirred with a deep growl. Wolf turned over to face Dale. He pulled the younger man to him until their erect cocks pressed together. Dale shifted, turning until his back was to Wolf, to allow his Alpha to enter him. Wolf reached around, wrapping his fist around Dale’s cock. Rafe’s arm came around Wolf’s hip. He felt the nudge of Rafe’s hard cock against his ass. Suddenly Rafe slathered warm lube over his cock. Wolf tried to hold in the moan as Rafe guided him into Dale. Dale whined softly as he began to change. Wolf returned the younger Werewolf’s whine. “Sorry, babe,” he whispered as his own change began. Rafe wrapped his arms around both Wolf and Dale, and then they were joined together in a fucking frenzy driven by the dream of Cora. They shed their human appearance in favor of their true forms. Somewhere in his jumbled thoughts he longed to do this with Cora. In his human form he couldn’t get her pregnant. For that he needed to be in his true form. This form. Alien to Earth yet part of human myth for centuries, the three lithe, dark Werewolves moved together as they would have on their home world. Wolf snarled, his lips drawn back to reveal his elongated canines, as Rafe dug his claws into Wolf’s hips. Dale bucked back to meet Wolf’s thrusts, close to his orgasm. Wolf nuzzled Dale’s ear. “It’s all right, come. Spill your seed into my hand.” Dale groaned. His cock spasmed, sending a stream of semen into Wolf’s palm. When he finished, Dale turned to face Wolf. Wolf pulled him close. Rafe reamed him, hard and steady. Wolf felt Rafe’s cock swell and jerk inside him. The hot rush along with the heat of his Pack lovers surrounding him sent him over the edge. He came with a howl.

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Chapter Fifteen: At the Dead Man Dude Ranch Cora squinted despite her dark sunglasses. The straw cowboy hat the ranch provided shaded her face. Jean-Paul would never forgive her if she got too much sun. The horse she rode did not like her. The creature shivered every now and then just before it turned its head to try biting her again. Cora quickly learned to keep her feet well back out of reach. Dead Man, Texas, founded in the 1870s by a tiny group called the Joined, who believed every woman should have at least two husbands, was unique in Cora’s experience. She sighed. A woman on the gray horse nearby laughed with the men who rode on either side of her, kissing each of them in turn. The sight made Cora think of Wolf. She wondered how many of the town’s population of 1,800 were Werewolves. The horse shuddered under her. She jerked her foot back just in time. A quiet chuckle behind her made her look around. The guide, a gorgeous young man who introduced himself as Jake Brooks, smiled at her, giving her a sexy wink. “I’ll see you get a different horse for the trail ride tomorrow.” “Thank you.” Cora returned the guide’s smile. She stared a little too long at his teeth. Were his canine teeth a little too long? She forced herself to look away. She was being silly seeing Werewolves everywhere. Her gaze fell on several wooden buildings in the distance. It looked like the set for an old West ghost town. “What’s that over there?”

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“That’s Old Town, what’s left of old Dead Man after the 1874 mine explosion. It collapsed a large underground cavern and exposed the lake. Half the cemetery and about two-thirds of the town fell into the water. We call it Graveyard Lake.” The guide hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “Will we be touring it?” Cora thought she saw movement near one of the dilapidated structures. She shaded her eyes. Two figures stood beside what looked to be an old well. A third joined them. They seemed to know she watched, all turned to look back at her. The hair on her arms rose. She shivered. The place appeared to be full of paranormal creatures. Jean-Paul will love it here. “No, it’s too dangerous. The ground is unsafe. Supposed to be a lake monster there, too.” “Oh. I thought I saw… Never mind. It must be the sun.” She shook her head with a soft chuckle. The guide finally looked away. “Maybe not. The place is supposed to be haunted by the ghosts of an early triad. Old Town was built on the site of an old ranch. Story goes, the people over in Jimson Weed went to check when no one came to town for a while. They found two of them in bed dead. The third had died in the Civil War, but people claimed they saw him in town not long before they found the bodies.” Cora looked back at the spot where the figures had been standing. “How sad.” “Yeah.” Jake was quiet for a moment, gazing at the ruined well with her. She got the feeling he saw them, too. He sighed and shrugged. “Anyway, some of the more adventurous citizens live there and the braver local kids mess around there. Annie’s uncle wanted to take guests over, but the town council never approved it. Last thing the town needs is a tourist getting injured.” “Too bad, people would flock to this place. Ghost tours are very popular these days. Especially with a romantic story to spice things up.”

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He grinned at her and winked. “If you believe in that sort of thing. I think most tourists come to gawk at the locals.” “Locals?” Cora knew Jake meant the community of the Joined. “People who don’t find the Joined belief in multiple husbands offensive.” “Ah.” Her stomach fluttered. “There’s a nice group in the Lifestyle here as well. We take in a number of trainees in every year. We welcome those who want to explore the Lifestyle of the Joined. We don’t need curiosity seekers.” “I understand.” He gave her an appraising look. “Sub?” “Of a sort.” “Has your Master given you permission to play without his presence?” “We have a very open relationship. We’ve been together quite a long time. When we’re apart, he trusts me to know what he would approve of.” Cora smiled at the young man. Jake returned her smile. “Just ask the desk to call Jake if you’re interested in a little play while you’re here. We can set you up with someone suitable. I wouldn’t mind tying you to a bed myself.” “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” Cora sighed. The place was beautiful. Jean-Paul would be pleased. He would be thrilled that their relationship and lifestyle would be accepted without question. She jerked her foot out of the horse’s reach again. She resolved to call Jean-Paul again and tell him about everything. **** Rafe watched the small tour group from the ridge. He growled softly. Jake was getting too close to Cora. Again. Cora was theirs. With a deep breath he reined in the jealousy that ate at him. He knew

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she needed to decide this on her own, but that didn’t make it any easier. Jake was a good man just doing his job. Rafe kept telling himself that as he rode toward the ranch house. I’m just making sure the deck is stacked in our favor, he told himself. He snorted, grinning. Yeah, right. You just want to fuck her. At the house he tied his horse to the front hitching post. He went inside to the desk. “Hey, Annie.” “Rafe, how’s everyone? How’s the ranch?” Annie smiled and leaned over the counter to hug him. “Things are looking up.” He hugged her back. “What can I do for you?” Rafe sighed. “You have a guest, a woman named Cora.” “First time I’ve ever heard you ask for a woman. Something wrong at the ranch?” Rafe couldn’t help the grin at the concern in Annie’s question. Annie Lee was one of the few in town who knew about Werewolves. She was half Fae herself and no friend of Dolores’s. He shook his head. “She’s the one, Annie. But she hasn’t accepted it yet.” “Is she crazy?” “No, just scared I think. There are complications. Doesn’t help that those idiots that hang with Dolores chased her.” “I still say someone should kill that bitch.” Annie could be downright militant where her friends were concerned. Rafe shook his head. “You should see it, Annie. Dale sits by her feet docile as a puppy. And Wolf has matured a hell of a lot just since we rescued her from Dolores’s Pack.” “Well, damn. So you’re here to talk some sense into her?” “Something like that.” Rafe smiled. Annie looked him over, thoughtful for a long moment, then got a key card from the drawer. “Room 117.” “Thanks, I owe you. We owe you if this works.” Rafe took the card. Annie caught his hand.

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“She booked a double occupancy. Just so you know.” Rafe nodded then went back out to take his horse to the stable. **** A bath would be wonderful, Cora thought, unlocking her room door then stepping inside. She froze for several heartbeats when she saw Rafe sitting on the bed. The expression of longing on his face nearly broke her heart. Cora went to him, some deep instinct telling her words weren’t necessary. She knew what he needed, what they both needed. The chaos in her thoughts stilled. Everything became clear. Without hesitation she began to undress. Rafe stood, taking over, dropping her clothes to the floor as he removed each piece. His touch sent shivers of need through her. His mouth on hers stilled every fear. She wanted him filling her. She was ready for him, wet even without foreplay. He moved back onto the bed, drawing her with him. She climbed over him, straddling his hips, poised above his hard, erect, cock. Slowly she lowered herself onto his shaft. He made a low growling sound deep in his throat as he slid inside her. Cora gasped when he traced over the line where their bodies joined. He settled his hands on her hips then lifted her, drawing her back down with agonizing slowness. His hands, strong but gentle, repeated the motion over and over. He swelled inside her. He was close to coming, and the strain of holding back showed on his face, but he never made a sound. She pressed her hands against his sweat-slick belly. With a soft gasp she looked deep into his dark eyes. “Come,” she whispered. A deep groan escaped him. He pulsed deep inside her pussy once, then again. Her body tightened around him. She moaned, her pussy milking everything it could from him.

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When she could breathe again, she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. He stroked her back until she lifted her head. Gently, he lifted her off himself, moving her to lay her beside him. “I should go now.” She nodded. He dressed in silence. Before he left he kissed her once more and pulled out his cell phone. “When you decide, just hit one. It will connect to Wolf.” He laid the phone on the bed beside her then walked out. Cora stared at the phone for what felt like hours. Unable to deny it anymore, she knew what she had to do. Why can’t things be less complicated? She stood at last, slipping on her robe. Her mind made up, she dug her own phone out of her purse and dialed. Jean-Paul’s voice mail picked up. For once she was relieved she wouldn’t have to say this to him directly. She took a deep breath and let it out. “Jean-Paul, something unexpected has happened. I have mated three Werewolves. When you get this message please call me. I love you.” She disconnected. He would be confused and hurt, but they never lied to each other. He would listen to her. She put her phone down and glanced at the clock. It surprised her that only an hour had passed since Rafe left her room. Cora reached for the other phone. Her finger hovered over the one key. She took another deep breath and pushed it. After two rings a tired-sounding Wolf answered. “Wolf? Can we talk?” she asked. “Cora! Of course we can talk. Anything you want, baby.” Wolf’s voice no longer sounded tired. Now he sounded wary. It made her heart hurt. “I’ve made my decision. Can you meet me for dinner?” “Come out to the ranch—” “No. We need to do this somewhere neutral. There’s a lot we need to discuss.” She caught the reservation in his voice, but he agreed. She hung up then went to the shower to get ready.

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Chapter Sixteen: Rules Wolf walked into the steak house at the Dead Man Dude Ranch followed by Rafe and Dale. He searched the dimly lit dining room, looking for Cora. His stomach fluttered with nerves. She’d given them no hint of her decision. “Hi, table for three?” “Four. We’re meeting someone.” Wolf spared a second to glance at the waitress. “Unless she’s already here?” “Um, there is a lady in the bar. She said she was waiting for someone.” “Okay, thanks.” Wolf headed toward the entrance, scanning the patrons he could see. “In the corner.” Dale’s voice came from just over his shoulder. Wolf smiled faintly. Trust Dale to zero right in on his quarry. He spotted her a second later. They made their way through the crowd to her. At the table Wolf stopped, resting his hands on the back of a chair. Rafe and Dale waited half a step behind him. Pack protocol kept them standing until he sat, and then they would take up flanking positions where they could watch everything around them. They went into protection mode. She hadn’t even said she was interested yet. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, he’d have laughed. “Cora, you wanted to see us?” “Please, sit down. Thank you for agreeing to see me.” Her words and tone were so formal Wolf’s hopes disappeared.

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“There was never any question.” Wolf took the center chair at the little table. His small Pack sat on either side of him. He gave them a quick glance. Rafe looked calm, as if he did this every day. Dale’s expression was shuttered, wary. Wolf knew the young Werewolf was steeling himself for rejection. “There is always a choice. In everything.” Cora stared at her drink, turning the glass with fingers that trembled slightly. “Not for us.” Wolf paused as the waiter walked up to take their order. When he left to get three beers, Wolf turned his attention back to Cora. She sighed. “I have a lover back home in New Orleans. He is a good man. A special man. I can’t just throw everything we have away.” “Dale mentioned it. Cora—” He stopped speaking when she held her hand up. “I’ve been with Jean-Paul a long time. I belong to him.” Cora looked up into Wolf’s eyes. “I love him. I won’t leave him.” Wolf nodded, pushing himself back from the table. “You could have told us this over the phone.” “No, I couldn’t have. This needed to be said face-to-face.” She caught his hand, stopping him from standing. “And I’m not finished.” Wolf stared at her for several seconds. “Please.” He relaxed, waiting, wary. “Thank you.” Cora kept her eyes on his. She took a deep breath. “Jean-Paul sent me to Dead Man to look into buying a ranch he heard was on the market. With everything that happened these last few days I didn’t realize it is your ranch he sent me to check out. I liked what I saw. I’m going to tell him to go ahead and make an offer on the ranch.” “Fuck.” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. She wasn’t going to accept them, and now she was telling them she was going to

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be living on their ranch with some man. “Fine, I think we’ve heard what we need to.” “No, you haven’t.” Cora tightened her grip on his hand. “I have a special relationship with Jean-Paul. Very open. I don’t expect any trouble from him about my mating with you.” Wolf froze. “You’re going to stay?” “I am.” “But what about Jean-Paul?” Dale’s soft voice broke the tension. “That doesn’t change. I can’t let him go. Can you accept that? Accept him?” She looked at each of them in turn. “I don’t know. I don’t think anything like this has ever been done before. Rafe?” Wolf turned to look at his friend. Rafe shook his head. “Not that I know of. But then I don’t know everything.” “We’ll find a way to make it work.” Wolf squeezed Cora’s hand. He controlled the urge to jump up and howl. Annie frowned on people making a ruckus in her place. Cora smiled at them. “Now, let’s have dinner.”

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Chapter Seventeen: Werewolves? Jean-Paul listened to Cora’s message for the thousandth time. He suppressed the hysteria that threatened to engulf him. Mon Dieu, Cora. Werewolves? What has happened out there in Texas, mon amour. Of course he knew there were Werewolves. One didn’t get to be his age with his experience in the circles he moved in and not be aware of them. He grimaced. This would only get worse. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. A muffled sound came from the corner of the old mausoleum. Jean-Paul glanced at the man and woman tied there. The woman glared at him. She made the effort to say something once more. “No, I will not remove the gag. You have nothing of interest to say.” A glance at his watch informed him that it was barely 10:00 p.m. Best to get on with things. He still needed to pack. Then he needed to destroy anything that could lead another pair such as these to him. The house was old. It would burn quickly. Still, he would not be able to get away for at least another day. Jean-Paul walked over to where his captives struggled against their bonds. “I do not understand why you have come here to kill me. I have done nothing to you.” The woman, Marie, struggled harder, making more sounds. “Or to the ones who have sent you.” He knelt beside them to look into their eyes. With a smile he tilted the Andre’s head to one side, exposing the vein in his neck. It took only a few moments to dispatch the one who had tried to stab him.

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Marie made a low sound of despair. Jean-Paul gave her his full attention. Her muffled voice rose as she tried to scream at him. “What’s that you say? I am an unnatural monster? Spawn of hell? But there I am afraid you are quite wrong. I am perfectly natural. I am simply not of your world.” He leaned forward and bit. When he finished, he inspected his clothes before leaving the mausoleum. There would be no trace of him for the authorities to find, no DNA or prints. If anyone found the bodies, they’d think the pair were victims of some cult or other. In a way, they are. He chuckled at the idea. If these two had not joined the Reapers, they never would have met him. Jean-Paul walked through the cemetery to his car. He shuddered and spat when he was a few feet from where he’d parked. The agents of the Reapers tasted sour. It made him long for Cora’s sweetness even more. He got in the car and started it. He had too much to do to waste time pining over Cora. The sooner he finished, the sooner he would be with her in Dead Man. With her Werewolves. He really needed to call her back soon. **** Cora rode squeezed in between Dale and Wolf. Rafe followed in her car. It hadn’t made sense to keep her room at the dude ranch once she’d decided to take Wolf and his small Pack on. She checked her messages again. Still nothing from Jean-Paul. It worried her. Maybe telling him her cowboys were Werewolves had been the wrong thing to do. He probably thought she’d lost her mind. “If he’s half the man you say he is, he’ll call. Give him time to get used to the idea.” Wolf patted her knee and slid his hand upward. “It’s not like him to take so long to return my call.” She licked her lips. Wolf’s hand on her thigh along with Dale’s leg against hers made it hard to think. The attraction she felt was stronger than when Wolf and Rafe rescued her. Dale slipped his hand into hers. “We’ll take care of you.”

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She smiled at him. “I know.” “Hell, if we have to, we’ll go find this man of yours and bring him back here.” Wolf sighed. It didn’t sound much as if he liked the idea. “So. What do we have to do to make this official? Is there a ritual or some sort of ceremony to go through?” She didn’t know why, but the idea appealed to her. There hadn’t been anything special done when she’d met Jean-Paul. They simply moved in together. “Sort of. Rafe knows more about it than I do. He was in a mated Pack a long time ago.” Wolf slowed to turn down the dirt road to the ranch. “He’ll explain when we get home.” “He’s done this before?” The though made her a little jealous even as it relieved her that someone knew what they were doing in all this. “He doesn’t talk about it much, but yeah, he has. I think the chienne died and the Pack broke up.” “Oh…Well, tell me what you know about it then.” Cora suppressed a shiver of nerves. “What I know about it.” He paused for a long moment. “We go home together and you move into your room. Then we come to you once you’re settled.” “My room? Not the room I stayed in with you?” she asked. “No, that’s sort of the Pack room. Whoever isn’t with you will sleep there. There’s another room upstairs. You didn’t see it.” “We’ve been working on it a long time.” Dale leaned against her. “We started it when we decided to apply to the council for Pack recognition.” Wolf pulled to a stop in the same spot they’d parked that first night. Rafe stopped her car beside them. “Is there an order or…” She wasn’t sure how to ask who would fuck her first. “No order. Together. We all come to you together.” Wolf got out with Dale following him. Cora sat there for a moment, desire sweeping through her like wildfire. “Oh my…” She saw them waiting for her to get out of the truck, their expressions guarded and hopeful. With a deep breath and wobbly knees she slid across the seat and stepped out into a new life.

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Chapter Eighteen: Coming Together The room was simple, a brass bed covered with a simple chenille bedspread. A rug. White painted furniture that made the room feel cool and airy. The windows framed a view of the creek that ran through the ranch and the garden plot it irrigated. Rafe set her bags down inside the door. “There’s a bathroom through that door there.” Wolf stopped in the doorway before he followed his Pack back downstairs. “We’ll be back when you’re ready.” Cora nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak just then. The obvious care they lavished on the room showed how much this meant to them. The bed didn’t look big enough for them all to sleep in, but she doubted there would be much actual sleeping that night. Or many others either. She pushed her bags over beside the window then went into the little bathroom to freshen up. From the sounds she heard downstairs, the three Werewolves she was about to mate with were too excited to sit still. Male laughter floated up to her. With a pang, she thought of Jean-Paul. As well as she knew him, she was not sure he would be able to share her with the Werewolves, but she couldn’t stop this from happening. She had to do this. It felt right. It answered a need in herself she’d been denying, she realized, for a very long time. Naked, the sheet pulled up to her chin and the pretty bedspread lying on the chair across the room, she took a deep breath and thought she was ready. The sound of bare feet on the stairs startled her. Then she recalled Wolf could hear her thoughts. She wondered if they all could.

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Moonlight streamed in through the windows, filling the room with blue shadows etched with silver light. Wolf came through the door followed by Dale and Rafe. They had been doing some freshening up themselves. They all were naked. The low heat of her desire flared into a raging bonfire. She wanted them in bed, wanted their hands on her, their kisses, their hard bodies against hers. Cora opened her arms to them, letting the sheet fall to her waist. They stood there gazing at her for what felt like an eternity, then they were clambering into bed with her, arranging themselves around her, surrounding her with their heat and the scent of their need for her. Rafe moved behind her, helping her rise to her knees. Wolf slid his hands over her hips and belly while Rafe kissed her shoulder, cupping her breasts in his hands. Dale followed where his Pack mates led, touching, licking, kissing. Wolf pulled Dale between them. She pulled the youngest Werewolf closer. Her breath caught. A wave of heat flooded her as her breasts skimmed tantalizingly against his chest. She wasn’t quite sure how this would work yet, but she didn’t want to stop to ask questions. Their work-calloused hands and hot mouths felt far too good to interrupt. She wrapped her arms around Dale. He found her mouth, slipping his tongue between her lips, slowly sucking the breath from her with his searing kiss. Then he lowered his head to her breasts and lightly kissed the tops as he held them, rolling her nipples with his thumbs. Gently Dale captured one between his lips, teasing it with his tongue before taking it between his teeth, tugging and then kneading it, sucking softly. She moaned, tangling her fingers in his soft hair. Wolf shifted on the bed to pull something out of the night table drawer. At the sound of foil tearing she leaned back against Rafe and sighed. Dale kissed and licked his way down her body again, darting his tongue into her navel like the first time he’d gone down on her. She pulled him back up, drawing him into another kiss. Behind her, she heard Rafe give a soft moan. Wolf rolled a condom onto Rafe’s cock then slicked him down with gel. Heat

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rushed through her. It had been a very long time since she’d had a lover take her from behind. Rafe took his time, allowing her to stretch, to become used to him until he was all the way inside. Then he rose to his knees with her. Wolf moved beneath them until Rafe lowered her onto Wolf’s erection. Cora moaned, holding onto Dale. She laid her head against his hip. He groaned as she explored him with soft hands and a warm wet mouth. She brushed her fingers over his fever hot skin then took him into her mouth. Rafe began to move, and she wrapped her arms around Dale. He whimpered. Locked in a three way embrace, her lovers inside her, she arched her body into theirs. They ground themselves into her, delving deeper into her with each rhythmic push, rocking inside her over and over. Uncontrollable, shuddering contractions overwhelmed her. Wolf gasped, groaning as her body clenched around him, driving him over the edge into a convulsive release, a profound shudder, as he came. Rafe and Dale followed with their releases. Her cry was accompanied by a chorus of her lovers’ howls. Disengaging slowly, she flowed into Wolf’s arms. Rafe pulled Dale close and bore him down to the mattress beside them, driving deep into his Pack lover. She held Dale’s hand while Rafe fucked him. While Wolf fucked her until she couldn’t think of anything but his body deep inside her. The sounds of their mating filled the house until nearly dawn. Cora lost track of how many times she came. She finally fell asleep as the sky was growing light.

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Chapter Nineteen: A Bright Day The day felt different somehow. The house was quiet except for a bird singing in the tree outside. Wondering where her mates had gone, Cora went downstairs. In the kitchen she found a note on the refrigerator door. Outside doing chores, it said. She opened the fridge to find it nearly empty except for some orange juice and a couple of bottles of beer. Have to do something about that. With her glass of juice in hand, Cora began exploring the small house. She made a mental list of things she needed. If this was to be her home, she might as well put her mark on it. Jean-Paul would need a place he could stay without worrying about intruders as well. Her thoughts of Jean-Paul sent her searching for her purse and cell phone. He still had not called her back. Worry began to eat at her. If everything was all right, he would have called, even if only to yell at her. A quick look at the clock on the DVD player told her it was afternoon. She berated herself for sleeping all day. Understandable after the night before, but it still bothered her. The phone lay silent in her hand. She tried willing it to ring. If she could hear the thoughts of her lovers, maybe she could will one to call her. Nothing happened. Cora let out a frustrated sigh. The back door opened. She looked up to see Wolf coming in. “Something wrong, sweetheart?” “Nothing. No, it’s not nothing. Jean-Paul hasn’t called. It’s not like him. I’m afraid something has happened.” She bit her thumbnail then checked the messages on the phone again.

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“Give him some time. It’s only been a day. He’s probably just upset over you being with us. I can’t really blame him for that.” Wolf moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her neck. “He’s French. He would have called to yell at me if he was upset.” Cora leaned into his embrace. **** “Mm-hmm,” Wolf agreed, paying more attention to her ear than her words. “I like this dress.” He began gathering the soft cotton of the skirt into his hands, lifting it, aroused just by being close to her. His cock stiffened. He’d be this way until one of them got her pregnant. He hoped it took a long time. A knock at the kitchen door interrupted the moment. They turned to see a man standing on the porch. He’s beautiful. Wolf heard Cora’s thought. He felt Cora’s flash of envy for the man’s thick red hair. The man gave Cora a curious glance. Wolf growled under his breath. “Hey, Micah, this is Cora. Cora, this is Micah Holliday, one of our part-time hands.” Wolf stepped between Cora and the door. “Ma’am.” Micah nodded at her. She smiled. “Hello.” Micah’s glance slid over her in cool appraisal, and then he turned his attention to Wolf. “Do you need anything else done here? If you don’t, I’m going to ride out with Dale to look over the fences.” Wolf noticed the look. He wondered how Micah could fail to be turned on by Cora for a second before he realized Micah must be gay. “No, that’s fine. I think Dale was going to the south fence. “I’ll head out that way then.” Micah gave her one last curious once-over then got on his horse and rode off. Wolf sighed. “The men don’t come to the house much, so they won’t be a bother.” “How many are there?” Cora asked.

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“Two more, Tyler Cade and Matt Bowen. They’re in the barn with Rafe, cleaning stalls.” “Are they Werewolves, too?” Wolf grinned. “No, far as I know they’re regular-issue humans like most folks in town. Now, anything you need before I go back to work?” “I need to go to the store. You don’t have any food in the house.” Wolf nodded. “We’re joined now. None of the other Werewolves in town will bother you, but if you need us, just call.” He touched her forehead. “We don’t need a phone. We’ll hear you.” He kissed her, a long searing kiss that turned her insides to liquid. Cora watched him walk toward the barn then got her purse and keys. **** A couple of men stared when she and the carry-out boy passed them. They had followed her for a few minutes in the store. She thought she’d managed to shake them when they disappeared, only to find them now, waiting outside the store. She steeled herself and headed for her car. She’d handled persistent men before. The town’s grocery store surprised her by being well stocked. She bought more than she planned and tipped the carry-out boy when he finished loading the bags in her car. Cora looked around to see what sort of help she might have if the men proved to be a problem. The townsfolk seemed to be polite and friendly. She saw several obvious threesomes, a few with children. At least two of the townspeople she saw appeared to be like Jean-Paul. If she had to call for help there seemed to plenty available. The men watched as the boy passed them. When he disappeared into the store they headed for her. The taller one finally confronted her as she opened her car door to get in. “You are newly Joined?” he asked.

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“Yes.” She kept her tone neutral. “To what Pack?” The second man came closer. “Wolf…” She trailed off at their huge grins. “Congratulations. We look forward to the Sealing.” The tall one nodded. His companion waved and added, “Health and children.” Cora stood there for several seconds as they walked away, leaving her puzzled. Sealing? What the hell was that? She made a mental note to ask when she got back to the house. Cora’s phone rang when she was halfway to the ranch. She picked it up, pulling onto the shoulder to answer it. The caller ID told her it was Jean-Paul calling at last. Her stomach fluttered and tightened at the same time. “Hello?” “Cora, what have you gotten into there in Texas?” Jean-Paul sounded weary. “Oh, Jean-Paul, will you forgive me?” Cora blinked back tears. “Chérie, tell me everything that has happened.” His soft voice soothed her. He didn’t sound as angry as she feared. She began with the attack at the rest stop. He listened without interruption until she reached the events of the night before. “Now I hope I have four wonderful lovers.” She tried to keep her tone light. “Ah, mon amour, you are a treasure. We shall see.” His response lifted her spirits. They were dashed with his next words. “I have now some bad news I must tell you.” Dread settled in her heart as he told her of the attack and what it meant. “Are you all right?” “I am fine. I have always had a plan for something like this. I have left no trace in New Orleans.” He sighed. “All your lovely things, if you do not have it with you, it is gone. I saved what I could, but times like this, it is best to let them go.”

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“All I care about is you. All that matters is you’re all right. Will I see you again?” Cora felt a pang of loss for her things, but she could replace clothes. She could never replace Jean-Paul. “In time, mon amour. There are things I must do before I arrive on your doorstep, hat in hand.” “Be careful…Come back to me.” Cora’s voice broke, tears streaming down her face. “I love you, very much, chérie.” It sounded as if he might be crying as well. “I love you, Jean-Paul.” “Tell your loup-garous that, mon amour. Tell them often.” He disconnected. **** Her Werewolves were waiting at the top of the trail when Cora arrived. They knew something was wrong. She could see they felt her turmoil by the tension in their bodies. The strength and comfort she felt radiating from them calmed her. Jean-Paul was right. She needed to tell them she loved them. When she got out of the car, she went to Wolf first. She took him in her arms, holding him for a long moment before she kissed him. “I love you,” she whispered. Cora did the same for Rafe, then Dale. When she finished, she stepped back and looked them over. “Let’s go home.”

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Chapter Twenty: Dreams Do Come True Wolf took a moment to fix the view before him in his memory. Cora sat on the porch steps beside Rafe. He could see that Rafe’s arm around her gave her a safe, secure feeling from the way she leaned into him. Dale sat on the bottom step, leaning against Cora’s legs. This was everything he’d ever dreamed. She played with Dale’s hair. Wolf smiled. That Dale let her do that said a lot. Dale hated anyone bothering his hair. With a sigh, he stepped outside and sat down behind Dale. The moon was rising, a fat orange ball in the deep blue sky. It looked close enough to touch. A perfect night for a run. Cora ran her fingers through his hair. She leaned down, placing a kiss on the top of his head. “Go.” He caught her hand, pressing his lips to the palm. Then he stood and nudged Dale. “Come run with me.” Dale was up like a shot. He turned to look at Cora. She smiled, waving them off. “Have fun.” Wolf headed for the creek with Dale close behind. When he was sure he was out of sight of the house, he slowed to let Dale catch up. “Cora doesn’t need to see the change. Not yet.” Dale just grinned. Without a word he let his feral form take over. Wolf gave a breathless laugh, doing the same. It didn’t take long before two sleek shapes stood beside the creek, dark as night, something of both wolf and human in their alien form. Dale nudged him then ran for the boulders. Wolf followed with a mock snarl. They chased each other through the rocks until they

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began to feel their muscles ache. Wolf saw they’d ended up at Dale’s special place, the little waterfall the creek made going over the rocks. They couldn’t see the house from the boulder they climbed onto. Wolf lay back on the warm rock next to Dale. “She loves us.” Dale’s voice held a note of wonder in it. “Yes, I believe she does.” Wolf turned his head to look at Dale. “She loves this other man.” “Yes.” “Would it help if I killed him?” “No. We have to tolerate him. For Cora’s sake.” “We could get the Vampires in Old Town to do it.” “She’d know. She hears us. And you know you can’t hide anything from your chienne.” Wolf rose up, moving over Dale, straddling his hips. “Or your Alpha.” He kissed Dale. Hard. Dale gave a low whine. He returned Wolf’s hard kiss. Wolf nipped Dale’s bottom lip before he pulled back. “Now, no more talk of killing. This is our time. Just me and you under the moon and stars.” He drew his claws lightly down Dale’s chest. “Fuck me.” Dale’s voice was a breathless whisper. Wolf pushed a knee between Dale’s legs, parting them. Dale spread them wider, opening himself to Wolf. Dale loved it this way, face to face, with his cock tight against his belly. Wolf ran the pad of one finger down the underside of Dale’s erection. He groaned. Wolf smiled. He was going to make this last. He bent forward and licked. Dale gasped, his body jerking. Wolf gripped Dale’s hips, holding them still against the rock as he tasted every inch of his lover’s velvet skin. Dale writhed beneath him, short, desperate little moans coming from his throat. Wolf’s dick ached. It was time. Wolf pushed into Dale’s body slow and easy. “Wolf…” Dale whimpered, pleading.

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Wolf began to move. Soon his groans joined Dale’s cries. The heat between them grew along with the tension until they both came with a howl. When they caught their breath, Wolf withdrew from Dale’s body. He sat up. “Let’s go take a dip in the creek. Maybe I’ll let you fuck me.” **** They watched Wolf and Dale run off into the night. She kept quiet until she thought she would not be heard by anyone but Rafe. “What are they going to do?” “Run, change, run some more, fuck.” Rafe slipped his arm down to her waist. Cora snuggled closer, enjoying his heat and the firm strength of his body. “Would you like to join them?” “Join them? No, when you’re my age, you learn to pace yourself. To save your energy for other things.” “Ah, like keeping the porch from floating away. I see.” He smiled. “Yeah, something like that.” He pulled her closer, covering her mouth with his, slipping his tongue past her lips to dance with hers. Without breaking the kiss he stood, lifting her to her feet, pulling her into his arms. “What if the porch escapes?” she whispered against his lips. He chuckled. “Let it. We’ll get a new one.” He stopped any further questions by dipping his tongue in to taste her again. Cora let Rafe carry her into the house before she wriggled around to face him, wrapping her legs around his waist. His strong fingers gripped her ass, holding her against his body. Her clit rubbed against him through the layers of clothing. By the time they got up the stairs she was gasping. In the bedroom they couldn’t get their clothes off fast enough. She tried to keep rubbing her body against his until they were naked and

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he lifted her up again. Her legs went around him once more. He lowered her onto his erection, burying his cock in pussy. “Fuck me,” she moaned. The two steps he took to the bed, the way he kept her impaled on his cock as he knelt with her, nearly made her come. He laid her back, his full weight on her. Then he began to move, long, slow thrusts that made her feel like liquid fire. He changed his angle, driving her higher. His low moan combined with the heat of his semen filling her sent her over into bliss. Cora lay there with Rafe, dozing until Wolf and Dale came in. They made love until they were too sated to move.

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Chapter Twenty-One: A Near Thing Dolores glared at her Pack. “They’ve registered with the council. I had to hear this from one of the humans because my Pack was busy farting around instead of doing their job.” The Werewolves in question cringed. Dolores’s voice rose to a screech. She rounded on Bill, her Alpha. “I’m going to pay the council a little visit. You are going to go out to that ranch and take care of this. I want that ranch burned to the ground. I want this mating stopped. I want her. Wolf is mine. I want him in my bed or dead. Nobody defies me and gets away with it.” Bill’s eyes narrowed. He held in his complaints. Dolores never listened. She wanted the power a large Pack would bring too much to care about anything else. He knew what a visit to the council meant. She’d swish her tail at that wrinkled old man to get what she wanted out of the toothless cur. He regretted ever having sniffed around the woman. Still, no one else set his blood on fire the way she did. He loped out of the ramshackle adobe they called home, followed by his Pack. A few of the Werewolves from Mexico snickered. He’d take care of them as well when this was over. Outside, the Pack waited for orders. Bill pointed at the three humans sitting on the tailgate of an old truck. “You three, burn the ranch. Capture the woman.” He spat then turned to his Pack. “Now let’s go. I heard there are some new girls at the Ice House.” ****

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Wolf put the saddle on Princess. “We’ll go upstream to the waterfall. There’s a nice place up there for a picnic. Or whatever.” He tightened the cinch. “Or whatever?” Rafe raised an eyebrow at him. Wolf rolled his eyes. “Cora wants to see the ranch.” “Uh-huh.” “She does.” “I didn’t say she didn’t.” Rafe grinned. Dale watched their exchange and sighed. “That rock is rough. Better take a quilt.” Rafe burst out laughing. “Busted.” Wolf covered his eyes with one hand. He grinned, shaking his head. “Okay, okay, you win. Just keep the hands out of that area.” He finished saddling the horses. They’d laughed more in these last few days than he could ever remember. Cora brought them closer, lighting up their world with her presence. With a smile, he led the horses outside and looked up at the cloudless sky. It was a perfect day. In more ways than just the weather. Cora met him at the kitchen door. She held a quilt and a plastic grocery bag. “You know horses don’t like me.” “Princess likes everyone.” Wolf smiled, bringing the horse forward. Princess balked. The mare shied, trying to rear. “Not me.” “Strange, Princess is the most docile horse we have.” Wolf patted the frightened horse, soothing her. “At the dude ranch they turned the horse so it couldn’t see me before I could get on.” Wolf took her suggestion, and they were soon on their way. Princess kept turning her head to nip at Cora’s leg. “I’m sorry, she’s usually not like this.” Wolf took the reins and led Cora’s horse. “I’m used to it. Horses don’t like Jean-Paul much either.”

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“Hm.” Wolf didn’t really want to hear anything about Jean-Paul, so he let Cora’s comment pass. They rode in silence until they reached the rocks. Wolf dismounted and tied their horses to a scrawny tree. “We’ll have to climb, but the view is worth it.” He took the quilt and bag from her then led the way up to the top of the boulder. Wolf pulled Cora up the last few steps. They could see most of the creek along with the waterfall and part of the trail they’d ridden down. The sun in her hair made her look as if she was a princess in a fairytale. Wolf spread the quilt and they sat. Birds sang nearby. “It’s beautiful.” “I knew you’d like it.” Wolf sat down next to her. “This place is so peaceful.” Cora snuggled closer. Wolf smiled and tightened his arm around her waist. Contentment is addictive, he thought. But he didn’t mind. They worked so hard for this. “It is now you’re here.” Wolf sighed. He inhaled deeply. Her scent flooded his senses. He laid her back on the quilt, glad he’d taken Dale’s suggestion. An undertone of something harsh on the breeze made him sit up. “What?” Cora started to sit up. He stopped her, listening closely to the sounds of the desert around them. The tiny sound of a rock skittering over the rim of the canyon set off his internal alarms. A faint scrape of a boot heel in the gravelly dirt was enough warning. Wolf caught Cora’s arm and slid with her down off the boulder. He pushed her into a cleft in the stone, motioning her to be quiet. The horses whinnied, upset, and Wolf stepped out where he could be seen. The two men weren’t familiar to him. From their scent, they were human. He was fairly sure he could handle them. “You’re trespassing on private property. What do you want?” “I think we found it.” The taller one grinned. Without warning, something hit Wolf in the back of the head. Everything went black.

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**** Cora heard the sound of voices. She tried to see what was going on. Someone grabbed her from behind, a hard grip on her arm and a large, calloused hand over her mouth stifling her scream. The hand cut off her air. She saw spots, and then everything went dark as she passed out. **** Consciousness returned. Wolf sat up slowly. His head throbbed. He put a hand up to the back of his throbbing head, feeling the stickiness of blood. “Easy, that’s quite a blow you took.” Rafe’s voice came from above. Rafe’s strong hands helped him to his feet, steadying him. “Damn. Cora?” He saw the horses were gone. He managed to stand. He couldn’t hear Cora. The pain of her silence hurt more than the injury to his head. “They took her. Dale is tracking them.” **** Cora figured she wasn’t out long. The man on the horse with her held her too tight. She could barely breathe. His hold on her pinned her arms. She struggled anyway. The horse didn’t appreciate her movement and gave a sideways jump, trying to throw her off. “Dammit, hold still!” The man wasn’t having much luck controlling the horse or her. Cora redoubled her efforts. With any luck, the guy would drop her. She could run then. Something JeanPaul told her long ago came back to her. Cora clenched her teeth then slammed her head back as hard as she could.

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The man yelped, and his grip loosened. She didn’t waste time. With a shrug she managed to slide out of his hold and out of the saddle onto the ground. She scrambled to her feet running. With no idea where she was or how to get back to the ranch, she opted for away from the men. Shouting and swearing sounded behind her. A strange sense of hysterical déjà vu swept over her. A hand grabbed hold of her hair, jerking her back. Without thinking about it, she let her mind cry out for her Pack. **** Cora’s scent washed out everything else. Dale knew she was close. He could hear her fuzzy thoughts. In the distance, he heard men yelling. Cora’s thoughts were suddenly a shout in his head. They were hurting Cora. Dale’s bones itched. His vision went red. Rage filled him in a way it hadn’t since Old Town. All his protective instincts kicked in. He knew he was about to change, and he forced the rage down. Cora would be frightened at the violence of his killing rage. Dale didn’t want her to see that part of him. She was precious, to be protected from anything bad or dangerous. Dale pulled himself back from the abyss. He was dangerous, yes, but not to her. Never to his chienne. Dale stopped long enough to strip, dropping his clothes to the dirt. His body rippled, becoming more muscular as he let his true form take over. Claws ready, he sprinted toward the sound of Cora struggling with her attackers. The man lifted his hand to strike Cora. Dale snarled and leaped forward. The horses screamed in fear and panicked, bolting with the two men who were riding them. “Come back here, you assholes! Shoot him!” The man tried to use Cora as a shield.

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Dale focused on the man, his vision narrowing until nothing existed for Dale except his prey. He crouched slightly, waiting for the perfect moment. Drop, he willed his chienne. She crumpled. “Son of a bitch,” the prey swore, reaching for the gun he wore. Dale grinned. Got that right, lunchmeat. He sprang. **** The creature that came out of the brush was darkness itself. Her breath caught in her throat. This was Dale in his true form. She’d never seen anything so deadly or so terrifyingly beautiful. The man holding her jerked her between himself and the death coming for him. Time slowed. An inarticulate need to fall gripped her. She let herself go limp, dropping to the ground. Dale sailed over her, a lithe streak of chocolate-brown muscles and fury. She scrambled away. Dale’s snarl rose to a shriek. Afraid he’d been hurt, Cora looked back. She wished she hadn’t. Dale had the man on the ground. The sound of bone cracking echoed in the desert air. Cora closed her eyes tightly, her hand over her mouth, turning away. She covered her ears, trying to block out the snarling and the man’s screams. She didn’t know how long she huddled there before she realized the sounds had stopped. Strong, familiar hands were lifting her to her feet. The comfort of her Pack’s thoughts washed over her like a cool mist. Cora stood, searching for Dale, needing to know he was all right. “Dale?” She caught Rafe’s hand. “Fine. He’s gone to get his clothes. He’ll meet us back at the house.” Wolf rubbed her shoulders. Rafe kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.” “Done?” She tried to turn toward him. Wolf stopped her.

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“Done.” Wolf gave her a gentle nudge away from Rafe. Cora remembered her attacker then. She swallowed a wave of nausea and allowed Wolf to lead her away.

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Chapter Twenty-Two: Meanwhile “Jean-Paul, so good to see you.” The leader of the Dead Man Colony clasped Jean-Paul’s hand. He let the warm, light tones of the man caress his ears. He always admired his friend’s Southern accent. “I am glad of such a warm welcome. I was not sure you would receive me.” Jean-Paul stepped into the nondescript adobe building. The dim coolness of the interior was welcome after the hot sun. “Why would I not welcome my old friend?” Doc led him through the house to a comfortable parlor. “You know Kate has never liked me.” Jean-Paul smiled. “That is very true.” Doc returned his smile. Jean-Paul resisted an urge to laugh. Doc's lover was of the Blood, as he was. Kate barely tolerated him these days, and only because he was Doc's friend. “Now, would you care for some refreshment? Or are we going to get right down to business?” “I thank you, but the business is of some importance.” Jean-Paul gave a regretful sigh. His host snapped his fingers, waving the help away. Jean-Paul waited until the few humans left the room. He took a deep breath, stalling while he tried to think of some way to begin. To the point is best, he told himself. “There are two things. First, there is a new cult. Two of their agents attacked me three days ago in New Orleans.” “A new cult? But we’ve had no word from Remy on this.”

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“Remy is dead.” Jean-Paul let the shocked silence hang in the room while he looked at each member of the Colony. “Some of you are old enough to know what this means. I leave it to you to explain to the young ones.” Doc shook his head slowly. “Remy dead. I can’t believe it.” “They call themselves Reapers. I do not know how they began, and I do not really care. It is enough they are out there and they have killed. They will do it again. We better be prepared.” “Indeed we had. I will make the necessary arrangements. Now, why don’t you tell me what really brought you to my door? Old friend.” Sharp, as always, Jean-Paul thought. “Ah. That.” “Yes. That.” “I sent my lover, Cora, to Dead Man. Fortunate timing as it turned out. In one respect at least. These Reapers attacked the next day.” Jean-Paul looked everywhere but at Doc. “But? I believe I distinctly heard a but in there.” “You never miss anything, my friend. There is a very large but.” Jean-Paul hesitated. Doc raised an eyebrow in question. “Cora has become entangled with a Pack of Werewolves.” There, he’d said it. He gripped the arms of his chair. Doc stayed silent for a long moment. “And how exactly is your lover entangled?” Jean-Paul sighed inwardly. He repeated to Doc everything Cora told him. “It appears now she is mated to them.” Doc gave him a pensive look. “We don’t have much to do with the lycan population of this fair city, so I don’t think we’re in any position to swoop in and bring your lady love back to you. If you’re looking for that sort of help, I shall have to disoblige you.” “No, I ask only that should I decide to reside here for a time I not be interfered with. To explore certain…possibilities, you understand.”

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Jean-Paul smiled. He knew his friend would know exactly what he meant. “I truly don’t care what you do, Jean-Paul.” “Thank you.” “As long as it doesn’t endanger the rest of us.” “Of course.” Jean-Paul inclined his head in acceptance. **** Wolf jerked his head away with a hiss of pain. He muttered a curse. “That stings!” “Yes, I know. Now hold still.” Cora dabbed gently at the cut on Wolf’s head with a damp paper towel. He hissed again, wincing. Cora smiled. “Almost finished. You’re lucky you don’t need stitches. You have a hard head.” She tossed the paper towel into the trash then bent and placed a light kiss on the injured spot. “There, you’ll be fine.” Wolf sighed. “We’re moving confirmation up to tomorrow. With this latest stunt of Dolores’s, the sooner we have our union confirmed the better.” She stepped around him and sat down in the chair beside him. “You think this was Dolores?” “You think it wasn’t?” He leaned on the table. “She’s behind it, you can count on that. I just wish I knew why she’s so determined to break us up and take the ranch.” He started to scratch his head. “Well, I can see why she wants you.” Cora smacked Wolf’s hand. “Stop that.” “It itches.” “Good, it’s healing. Now tell me more about this confirmation thing.”

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He gave her a wry smile. “We’ll be going before the council to request official Pack status. All you have to do is sit with us and look beautiful.” A noise at the door made them turn. Dale hesitated on the threshold. Cora stood and went to him, opening her arms. She held him close. “Are you all right?” Dale nodded. “I’m fine. You’re not scared of me now?” “Of course not. Why would I be afraid of you?” Cora pulled him inside, letting the screen door bang shut. “I… The man…” He bowed his head. Cora gently smoothed his hair. “Dale, look at me.” She waited until he lifted his head so she could look into his eyes. “You probably saved my life today. How could I ever be afraid of you?” “But the true form…” His eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown. “Is still you.” She leaned forward, kissing him. “Now, you’re not hurt are you?” He smiled at her then shook his head. “I need to go take care of the horses.” Cora returned his smile and rolled her eyes. “Okay, go.” She shooed him out then turned back to Wolf with a speculative expression. “What?” “I want to see you change.” She crossed her arms. This was part of them, part of being with them. Cora wanted to watch Wolf assume his true form, as Dale called it. “Are you sure? Most people find it disturbing.” Wolf’s tone contained a hint of wariness in it. “I’m sure. Show me.” “Maybe we better wait for Rafe to get back.” “Why?” Cora caught a wisp of his thoughts. He was afraid she’d get hysterical. Afraid she’d run away. She raised her eyebrows. “I’m a lot stronger than you think I am.”

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“I didn’t—” “Yes, you did. When we met, that was the closest I’ve ever been to hysterical. I had no idea Werewolves existed outside Hollywood and a few old folktales. A little freaking out is understandable after being chased by freaky-ass monsters. Your term, not mine.” She shifted her weight, putting her hands on her hips. “I think I hear someone at the door.” “You’re stalling.” Wolf let out a heavy sigh. “This is a bad idea.” He stood. He sighed again, looking everywhere but at her. “Change. Now.” “All right, you asked for this.” Wolf stripped off his clothes in quick, efficient moves. A pang of desire shot through her. Wolf was beautiful nude. He took a deep breath then his skin rippled like a shudder sweeping through him. He darkened to the color of milk chocolate, taking on a nap that reminded her of velvet. Cora forced herself to remain calm. Wolf’s face became wolf-like yet still human while his body grew more muscular. He stayed lithe, not growing in size. Claws replaced his finger and toe nails. He smiled at her, but she saw the worry in his eyes. She raised her eyebrows. His teeth appeared very sharp. Cora stroked his chest. His true form gave his skin the texture of suede. An image of this body against hers made her shiver. “Was that my thought or your thought?” Before he could answer her, a loud knock at the door startled them both. Cora inhaled deeply. “Well. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She stepped around him to go answer the door. **** Micah stood on the front porch, his back to the door, when she answered his knock. He stared out at something she couldn’t see. “Yes?”

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He turned. The hard expression on his face was gone in the blink of an eye. “Ma’am,” he smiled and tipped his hat, “is Wolf here?” “I’ll get him.” She gave the odd young man a polite smile. She liked him, but he gave her the feeling he was up to something. She didn’t know what yet, but there was a feeling of secrecy about him. Wolf walked up behind her then, and she left the men to their business. She went back to the kitchen, a private smile gracing her lips. Cora thought this turn in her life promised to be interesting at the very least. After her quiet years with Jean-Paul, her recent adventures appealed to her. She glanced out the window. Near the barn Rafe joined Wolf and Micah. The young man gestured toward the rim of their little canyon. Both Rafe and Wolf nodded. Dale joined them, and they all disappeared into the barn. Strange, she thought, they all looked worried.

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Confirmation Cora tightened her grip on Wolf’s hand. They walked up the steps of the Dead Man courthouse. “Relax, sweetheart, this isn’t the Sealing.” Wolf squeezed her hand back. He smiled at her. She nodded. There’s that Sealing thing again. I really have to find out what that is. They went inside. In the meeting room they were greeted by the sight of several older men seated around a large conference table. She recognized the two who had spoken to her in the grocery store parking lot. They gave her a brief nod. Wolf stepped forward. “We want to apply for formal Pack status.” “The law is every Pack must have a chienne.” The distinguishedlooking older man seated in the center picked up a small stack of papers. “We know the law.” Wolf gave Cora’s hand a tug. She stepped forward. “We have a chienne.” “Have you all agreed to be bound by the council’s decision?” The sour-looking man next to the leader pushed his seat back and glared at her. “We have.” Wolf squeezed her hand. Cora sensed something wasn’t quite right with the proceedings. “That’s not the information we have.” “We—” The door crashed open, cutting Wolf off. They all turned to see a woman and two men walk through the doors. They acted as if they owned the place. Cora felt the tension in

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her three lovers. She recognized the woman from the convenience store. Dolores gave Cora a condescending glance. “We protest.” “On what grounds?” The sour councilman gave Dolores a wintery little smile. It didn’t make him look better. “We believe there are enough Packs in this area already. Adding another small Pack will destabilize the population dynamics of the region.” Dolores sounded as if she had rehearsed her lines. “Very well. In view of the valid protest lodged by chienne Dolores, I don’t see any reason to waste the council’s time with this.” A handful of the other council members looked at each other then nodded. “Just a minute.” One of the younger members spoke up. “What are you basing your protest on, Dolores? That Wolf here has found a chienne and it’s not you?” Dolores smirked. “Naturally I’d be more than happy to take Wolf in. I’m even willing to take the defective ones in. In the interest of keeping our region peaceful.” “Liar.” With a snarl, Dale lunged at Dolores. Wolf and Rafe both grabbed him. They struggled to keep Dale back from Dolores. “Stop, she wants you to attack them.” Wolf tried to push Dale toward the door. Cora glared at Dolores then touched Dale’s shoulder. “Dale.” He froze then let her lead him to a chair. She turned back to run her eyes over Dolores, letting her utter contempt for the woman show. “Is that why you’ve sent your Pack to attack me twice now?” “Is this true, Dolores?” The old councilor stood. “Of course not. If I wanted her gone, I’d kill her myself.” She sneered at Cora. Cora flexed the fingers of one hand, studying her fingernails for a moment before responding. “You really think you could?” Cora looked Dolores in the eye. She felt Wolf’s hand on her shoulder.

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“I believe we’ve heard enough. Please wait outside. We’ll let you know as soon as we’ve made our decision.” The old councilor waved at one of the guards, who nodded then moved to show them out. When they found seats in the lobby Wolf sighed. He rubbed his temples. “Don’t challenge her, Cora. She’s dangerous.” “I’m not completely helpless, Wolf. I can defend myself.” He shook his head. “From her Pack? I don’t think so.” “He’s right. Let us defend you.” Rafe pulled a chair over to sit in front of her. Cora glanced at Dolores and her companions. She caught the woman staring at her. “I—” Shouting from the conference room startled them. Everyone turned to stare at the doors and listen. The accompanying noise sounded like an all-out brawl. Someone howled, and then there was absolute silence. When the door opened at last the guard motioned them back into the room. Inside, it appeared nothing had happened. Cora saw the seat the sour councilor occupied was now empty. Dolores did not appear pleased. “Councilor Weems extends his regrets that he is no longer able to perform his duties. The applicants will please stand.” The old councilor looked at his papers. Cora held hands with Wolf and Rafe. “The council is approving—” “No!” Dolores stepped forward. The councilor glared at her then began again. “The council is approving your Pack status. We wish you healthy children and good fortune. This meeting is adjourned.” Dolores stormed out followed by her two bodyguards. The councilors filed out. Cora looked at her new Pack. Nobody spoke. Wolf blinked back tears. Rafe grinned, and Dale gave her his shy smile. She held her arms out, hugging them all to her. “What now?” Cora asked. Rafe laughed. “Now we go home. And celebrate.”

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Chapter Twenty-Four: Celebrating They drove back to the ranch. The sexual tension in the air made them all jumpy. When they parked the truck in the spot beside the trail, Wolf climbed out, tugging Cora along with him. Dale and Rafe followed, touching Wolf and her as well as each other. No one spoke. They all knew what was going to happen. At the house, Rafe shut and locked the door. When he turned around, Wolf pushed Cora up against him. Rafe let himself rest one hand on her hip, his other slid over her belly. Cora’s breath caught. Dale stood behind Wolf, his face a mask of need and desire, his hands on Wolf’s hips. Wolf sank to his knees in front of Cora, his hands moving down over the soft bumpiness of her corduroy skirt to the smooth softness of her legs. The discovery that she wasn’t wearing stockings made him moan softly. She leaned forward, catching Dale’s hand, pulling him into a deep kiss. Wolf moved down to her ankle. He traced his fingers around the strap and edges of her shoe, finding the buckles, unfastening them, then, circling her ankle with his hand, he slipped the shoes off her feet. He tossed them to one side then stood again, moving his hand back up her leg, hooking his thumb under the hem of her skirt, easing it upward. He circled her waist with his free arm, stepping closer, sliding his hand over her back, down over her hip and the back of her leg, raising it over his hip. Rafe kissed her neck, gently tugged her shirt, his shirt, out of the waistband of her skirt. Wolf’s hands under her skirt, his fingers

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finding the edge of the leg of his boxers she was wearing, had her breathing in soft gasps. Wolf listened to her breathing change with each slow movement. He smiled to himself. Turning his head, he found Dale close and kissed him. Wolf slid his hand back to just behind her knee then slowly, gently lowered her leg. He rested his hands on her waist for a long minute, just listening, feeling her breathe. She gave a low moan and tightened her grip on him. Wolf stopped and held her steady as Rafe entered her. When his Beta was all the way in, Wolf continued. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly, enjoying the warm scent of cinnamon and vanilla combined with her own soft musky scent that made his head spin. He brushed his fingers over her stomach to the buttons of the shirt she borrowed that morning from Rafe. Wolf began unbuttoning them. Dale unfastened Wolf’s jeans and pushed them down. Wolf widened his stance. He bent his knees. With Rafe’s help, Wolf slid deep into Cora’s hot, wet pussy. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders. Deep inside her, he felt Rafe’s cock hard against his. He groaned. “Cora, I feel him inside you.” Cora nodded then let her head fall back against Rafe’s chest with a soft, breathless moan. Dale’s hands joined Wolf’s and Rafe’s on her body. Wolf’s lips on her skin burned like fire. He stopped moving. “Ah, gods, Cora, Dale.” Wolf groaned, digging his fingers into her hips. She would have marks, but she didn’t care. Rafe reached out one hand and pulled Wolf closer against her. Behind him Cora saw Dale pressed against Wolf, grinding his hips. “He’s inside you, isn’t he?” she whispered. Wolf licked his lips then nodded. “Yeah. Oh gods, Cora, it feels so good.” Cora tangled her fingers in Dale’s hair. He turned his head, kissing her wrist. “Fuck me hard, Dale. Let Cora feel it.” Wolf pushed into her and

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stopped. Rafe moaned and held her closer. Dale whimpered. His thrusts rocked them all. Wolf gave a hoarse cry. Heat flooded her body as he came. Dale followed seconds later, and then Rafe thrust with a deep moan. Wolf reached between them. He stroked her with trembling fingers, rolling her clit under his thumb. She cried out, her body jerking as she shattered in his arms. When she could breathe again and the world came back, Wolf was carrying her up the stairs, followed by Rafe and Dale. In the bedroom they’d fixed up for her, the clothes that hadn’t been removed downstairs were tossed aside. They tumbled into bed together, naked, aroused, in love. The moon shone in the windows, washing them with its clear silver light. Dale slept curled up against a softly snoring Rafe. Cora sighed. She looked at Wolf sleeping against her, his head pillowed on her breast. She brushed a lock of inky black sweat-damp hair from his face. He purred and rolled over on top of her. “I thought you were asleep.” She kept her voice low. “Not anymore.” He took a hard nipple into his mouth, kneading it gently. “Better than candy.” She opened her legs wider for him, letting him slide into her pussy. “You feel so good inside me. All of you.” He growled softly. Slowly, he began to move. “Oh, Wolf, yes.” She let his slow, hard strokes push every thought from her head until her body tensed and her Werewolf lover covered her mouth, breathing in her groan of ecstasy as she came. “Happy Confirmation day.” Wolf kissed her again. He shifted and made a circling movement with his hips. He was growing hard again. She raised her eyebrows. “My, you do recover fast.” “Oh yeah, perk of being a Werewolf.” “Yes. I can tell it’s definitely perky.” The bed shifted. She held out her arms for Dale and Rafe. Soon the quiet night was shattered by howls and cries of orgasmic pleasure.

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Chapter Twenty-Five: Taken Cora sat at the kitchen table, turning the pages of a magazine. Her Pack would be home soon. The thought warmed her. A curl of desire made her shift in her seat. An odd noise outside made her freeze for a long moment, listening. The noise came again. Standing, she took a quick peek out of the window. Out in the yard she saw several strangers, four men and a woman. The woman turned. Cora recognized Dolores. A chill shot through her. She backed away from the kitchen door toward the short hall to the living room. If luck was with her, she thought she could make it out the front door. The strange Werewolves were on the back porch now. The kitchen doorknob turned slowly. Cora’s heart raced. She took a step closer to the living room. The front doorknob rattled. Eyes wide with fear, Cora covered her mouth with one hand to stifle the scream building inside. The stairs were at the end of the hallway. If she could get to them, she could lock herself in her bedroom. Cora edged her way closer. She reached the bottom step. A crash sounded from the kitchen as the intruders broke down the door. Cora sprinted up the steps. Halfway to the top, she heard them breaking in the front door. “She’s hiding somewhere. Find her.” Dolores’s frustrated voice came from the foot of the stairs. Cora heard the Werewolves coming slowly up the stairs. She needed some sort of weapon. The only thing she saw was a small disposable lighter on the dresser. She remembered the lit candles the last time they’d made love. Her breath

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caught in her throat at the thought that she might never spend another night with her lovers. In her desperation, an idea came to her, a memory of making an improvised torch when she was younger. She grabbed the matches then quickly stepped into her tiny bathroom. Under the sink she found a spray can of disinfectant. At the sound of one of Dolores’s Pack entering her bedroom, Cora froze. She waited until she saw the shadow of the Werewolf. She held the burning lighter out and raised the can. The Werewolf stepped around the door jamb. Cora pressed the nozzle. The stream of chemical erupted into a jet of flame directly into the creature’s eyes. Dolores’ henchman shrieked, clutching his burned face. He staggered back, stumbling against the wall. Cora dropped her improvised flame thrower and scrambled over the bed toward the open door. She swung her hand, raking her nails across the chest of the second Werewolf. Claws snagged in her dress. It tore. She heard an angry growl. An arm like an iron bar wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her side. A blow to the side of her head cut off her scream. Darkness took her with the second blow. **** Wolf grinned at Annie. She mothered them all despite the fact she was barely twenty. She’d asked them by to give them a package for Cora. A wedding present, she called it. If Cora hadn’t come into their lives, he’d have asked Annie to be their chienne. He wouldn’t have fucked her, but a chienne didn’t have to be the Alpha’s sexual partner. She just had to be someone they could obey and trust. He let her talk them into staying for coffee in spite of the uneasy feeling in the back of his head. “When are you going to bring Cora by so I can get to know her?” Annie nudged Wolf’s arm.

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“When you promise not to tell her every stupid thing I’ve ever done and embarrass the hell out of me.” He nudged her back. She made a rude noise. Wolf stiffened half a heartbeat before his gut twisted with panic. The cry for help cut through him like a knife then abruptly cut off. They were all on their feet before the mental echoes of the scream faded. “Cora!” Wolf grabbed Dale’s arm. He turned toward Rafe. His best friend looked stricken. “Someone is at the ranch. Annie?” “Go, I’ll call the council.” Annie made shooing motions with her hands. “We have to get there. I barely feel her.” Wolf headed for the door without bothering to see if the others followed him. She was his lover, his chienne. He would follow her into hell itself to protect her. Wolf jerked the passenger door open. He climbed in with Dale right behind him. Rafe leaped into the driver’s seat and started the battered truck. With tires squealing on the hot pavement, they sped out of the parking lot. On the highway, Rafe floored the gas pedal. Wolf sat white-knuckled in the passenger seat. He willed Rafe to drive faster. “Go faster, go faster, go faster,” he muttered then yelled, “Dammit, Rafe, can’t this piece of junk go any faster? Rafe said nothing while the needle on the speedometer crept past the 90 mph mark. If anything happens to Cora. Wolf didn’t let himself finish the thought. Dale’s breath came in harsh gasps. Wolf laid his hand on his Pack mate’s thigh and squeezed hard. Dale was close to changing. Hell, we all are. Wolf tightened his grip, letting his claws dig into Dale’s leg. Letting their true form take over while they could be seen by anyone wasn’t a good idea. The sound of Rafe’s low growl vibrated through Wolf’s bones. It felt like an eternity before Wolf saw the familiar clump of cactus that marked the turnoff to the ranch. The truck fishtailed as Rafe took the turn onto the dirt road way too fast. He tried to hold in

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the soft whine of distress. At the rim they were out of the truck, running down the path to the house before the dust settled. By the time they reached the front porch they were in true form. Wolf slowed at the door. It stood open, the lock side of the frame splintered where it had been kicked in. Inside, it looked like a tornado had hit the place. The scent of intruders assailed them. Wolf’s vision went red when he caught the odor of fear. Wolf swore. It was too quiet. Cora was gone. While they’d wasted time in town instead of getting back to the ranch right away, Dolores and her Pack had come for Cora. He smelled Dolores’s stench everywhere. Dale went up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Wolf and Rafe followed. Cora’s scent, laced with fear, hung heavy in the air. We have to follow. Find where they took her. Wolf began testing the air. He let his awareness expand, searching for any trace of Cora’s thoughts. Dale huffed. With single-minded intensity he headed back downstairs. Wolf followed, realizing Dale had found something. They followed the scent down the canyon to the creek. Cora’s scent disappeared into thin air near their boulder. It was a double insult. The intruders violated their home and this special private place, taking their chienne from them. Wolf let out the howl he had been holding in. Rafe and Dale howled with him. The sound echoed off the canyon walls.

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Chapter Twenty-Six: The Unexpected Guest Jean-Paul stopped the car next to the dust-covered old truck. He raised an eyebrow. It might once have been red. With a deep sigh he pushed his black sunglasses further up his nose then stepped out of his borrowed Jeep. Cora, mon amour, what have you gotten yourself into? He shook his head. He would leave his bags in the car for the moment. At least until he saw what sort of reception he might get from Cora’s Werewolf lovers. He slipped his hands into his jeans pockets and headed down the trail to the small house. Taking his time, he surveyed the property. The place, he thought, was beautiful in a wild, lonely way. The pictures on the real estate website did not do justice to the little ranch. At the bottom of the trail into the canyon, Jean-Paul stopped. He took a deep breath of the clean desert air. The heat of the sun was still pleasant, but he needed to get into some shade soon. He hoped Cora stayed out of the sun. She did not look lovely at all with a sunburn. One more slow look around at the place and he decided to buy it. He judged he’d given creatures inside ample time to have noticed company. He continued toward the house. In the shadows of the open door Jean-Paul saw a figure. He remembered his Western manners and called out, “Hello in the house, I have come to see Cora.” He gave them a casual wave. “Y’all,” he added with a bright smile. The figure moved, stepping out onto the porch. Jean-Paul’s breath caught. In a flash he understood Cora’s reasons for staying. The

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young man who walked down the steps was a vision in the faded jeans and red plaid work shirt that he wore. The older man who followed was as good–looking, but he did not attract Jean-Paul nearly as much. He held out his hand. “I am Jean-Paul Le Templier. Cora has perhaps mentioned me?” The young man walked closer. He took Jean-Paul’s hand in a firm grip that sent a shiver of anticipation through him. Jean-Paul quickly let go. “I’m Johnson Little Wolf, and this is Raphael Wilson. Cora isn’t here right now.” “I see. When will she return?” Jean-Paul sensed something wrong in this Johnson Little Wolf’s manner. He glanced at Raphael Wilson, raising an eyebrow in question. “I think you better come in. We need to talk.” Jean-Paul followed the two men into the neat little house. It was cool and dim. He gave a soft sigh of relief. The men both looked at him, puzzled. He smiled. “Like Cora, I do not do well in the sun.” They led him into a comfortable, large kitchen. So, these are Cora’s Werewolves. They are uncomfortable. Something has happened to Cora. Jean-Paul went cold inside despite the warmth he’d gotten from the sun. If these creatures had harmed her, he would kill them all, never mind the Accord or natural history. “Would you like something to drink?” Wolf asked as he sat down across from Jean-Paul. “No, thank you. I have no need for anything.” He gazed at Wolf for several seconds, the silence stretching between them. “What has happened to Cora?” The young Werewolf jumped as if he’d been shot. “Who said anything happened to Cora?” “It is all over your faces, cher.” Jean-Paul sighed. “We think she’s been taken by a sort of local gang.” Wolf rubbed his face with both hands and sighed.

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I want to fuck this beautiful man. “A gang. Have you called the authorities, Johnson—” “Please, call me Wolf. And he’s Rafe. Let me explain things.” “Yes, I think that would be best.” Jean-Paul leaned back in his chair, listening carefully as Wolf began to explain. **** Blindfolded. Tied to a chair. Cora grimaced around the foultasting rag they had gagged her with. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious. Her head hurt, and she needed water. The sound of someone coming made her blood run cold. Somewhere close, a door opened then shut quietly. The footsteps came closer. “I’m sorry they pulled you into this.” The voice was familiar. Cora shook her head, unable to place it. “I can’t afford to let you go, but I promise I’ll do my best to see you don’t get hurt.” Whoever he was, he moved away from her. Cora tried to yell. She struggled, rocking the chair until it began to tip. Strong hands caught her before the chair fell. “Hey, don’t do that, ma’am.” Shock made her stop struggling. This man was Micah, the hand at the ranch. What is he doing here? He tugged on the gag. “I’m going to loosen this and give you some water. Don’t scream. We’ll both be killed if you do that. Okay?” Cora nodded, and the gag was removed. “Why are you here, Micah? What’s going on?” The rim of a cup touched her lips. She drank the water. “Damn. How did you know it was me?” “Ma’am. No one has called me that in years. Why are you with Dolores?” “I’m not.” Cora felt the gag being replaced. She tried to turn her head. “I need to put this back. If they see it’s gone, we’ll be in a lot more trouble. I’m not going to let them hurt you, but you have to trust me right now.” He tied the gag back in place then squeezed her

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shoulder. He leaned close, his warm breath against her ear. “It will be all right, ma’am. I won’t let them hurt you. Law enforcement will be here soon.” Micah walked away, closing the door as silently as he opened it. She puzzled over his words. They implied he was part of some sort of undercover mission. If he worked for someone like the FBI, it would explain the mysterious air she sensed at the ranch. Cora shivered.

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Complications Jean-Paul looked from Wolf to Rafe. He grimaced, shaking his head. Wolf thought he saw more exasperation than anger in the man’s demeanor. He glanced at Rafe. His friend gave no indication he’d picked up on Jean-Paul’s unusual attitude. “You are planning to go and get her back.” Jean-Paul made it a statement. “We are. Dale is out right now trying to pick up their trail.” Wolf gestured absently toward the door and the desert outside. “Ah, the third cowboy in Cora’s drama. And you? What are you planning to do?” Jean-Paul’s eyes held an unusual martial light in them. Wolf’s heart pounded. It shocked him to realize it was desire, not fear, that made his body tremble. “Rafe is going into town to report this to our authorities.” Wolf forced himself to look away from Jean-Paul’s disturbingly sexual gaze. “I am going to go have a talk with Dolores.” Wolf gave his friend a nod. “I’ll fuck Dolores to get Cora back if I have to.” He gagged as Rafe stood and walked out the back door, letting it slam, leaving him sitting at the kitchen table alone with Cora’s fiancé. Wolf stared at the table top. Anything to keep from seeing JeanPaul’s puzzled expression. The Frenchman rattled him. He made Wolf want something that was probably a bad idea. A hand on his shoulder, strong yet gentle, made Wolf raise his head. Jean-Paul stood beside him.

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“Cora would not want you to do something so obviously distasteful to you.” “I need her. We need her. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Wolf’s voice shook. The Frenchman’s touch was making the unexpected desire Wolf felt for him worse. Lust ripped through him. He tried to hide it. “Never underestimate a scorned woman, loup-garou, particularly a greedy one.” Wolf’s breath caught. Jean-Paul rubbed his back. The touch sent fire through him. “Did Cora tell you?” Shocked, Wolf turned to Jean-Paul, meeting his gaze. “Of course.” “You believed her?” “Cora does not lie well. It is a despair to me, and why I do not let her do business with certain clients.” Jean-Paul shook his head, giving Wolf a wry smile. Jean-Paul’s gentle touch sent shivers over Wolf’s skin. Wolf realized they were going to fuck. There was no way to stop it. “The Pack...I’ve never—” Cora’s Frenchman touched a finger to Wolf’s lips. “Cher, this has nothing to do with the Pack. It is simply the comfort of sexual pleasure that we take in each other.” “Cora—” Wolf swallowed hard as he stood. Jean-Paul’s hand moved down to his belt. Jean-Paul unbuckled Wolf’s belt. “Will not mind. We have shared many lovers.” He bit his bottom lip. Jean-Paul tugged on the belt, pulling it free one loop at a time. He dropped it to the floor. “Do you have a bed, loup-garou?” Wolf nodded, unable to speak. Jean-Paul unfastened the button on his jeans with a well-practiced move of his hand. “Take me there.” Wolf nodded once more. He headed for the downstairs bedroom. Jean-Paul followed without a word.

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Inside the door, Jean-Paul slid his arm around Wolf’s waist. He stopped, letting Cora’s lover turn him around. Wolf’s lips parted. If Jean-Paul kissed him, Wolf was afraid he’d come. Instead, Jean-Paul eased the zipper of Wolf’s jeans down. Wolf gasped. He couldn’t remember it ever feeling so good to have a man push his jeans down his legs. Not even Rafe made him shiver the way this man’s touch did. Jean-Paul moved Wolf back toward the bed. Wolf sat down. Wolf watched as Jean-Paul finished removing his boots and jeans for him then slowly took his own clothes off. The Frenchman knelt before Wolf, gazing at his cock. Wolf bit his lip when Jean-Paul traced a fingertip over the flushed head. “You are beautiful, cher,” Jean-Paul whispered. Wolf worked his way back on the bed, leaning back on his shoulders. Jean-Paul followed. He caught Wolf’s legs under the knees, raising them, pushing Wolf’s legs further apart. Wolf lay back, resting his forearm over his eyes. The Frenchman’s hands felt wonderful brushing over his skin. Jean-Paul rubbed his finger over the slit at the tip of Wolf’s cock. Wolf moaned as Cora’s lover replaced his finger with his mouth. Jean-Paul worked his tongue over the tiny opening, pressing against it as he sucked. “Oh gods, Jean-Paul.” “Hush, cher, let me enjoy you.” Jean-Paul’s mouth followed his feather-soft touch. Wolf couldn’t stop the whimpering moans that escaped his lips. He fisted his hands in the sheets, rolling his head side to side, unable to keep still as Jean-Paul licked and kissed every inch of his cock. “Jean-Paul...gods, please...I’m so close,” Wolf said in between gasps. “Ah, cher. You are glorious in your distress.” Jean-Paul backed away. “But I do not want you to come yet.”

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“No, don’t stop,” Wolf begged. When Jean-Paul let go, Wolf’s cock rose to press against his belly. Jean-Paul sat in silence, watching him as his breathing calmed. Wolf gazed back at the Frenchman, waiting. At last Jean-Paul moved. “On your knees,” he said as he held a hand out to Wolf. Wolf got to his knees, moving closer. Jean-Paul’s hands on his hips, guiding him into place, were like fire on his skin. Wolf dropped his gaze to Jean-Paul’s dick. His belly clenched. The man was bigger than Rafe, longer, thicker, glistening with the gel he slicked himself down with. Oh gods, this is going to hurt and I don’t care. I want him inside me. I want him to fuck me hard. Jean-Paul pulled him down with excruciating slowness. It burned, stretching him more than he’d ever been stretched. Then he was straddled across Jean-Paul’s lap, his insides throbbing, his cock crushed against Jean-Paul’s belly. Wolf placed his hands on his lover’s shoulders. They stayed unmoving for several deep breaths. This feels fucking amazing. Jean-Paul wrapped an arm around Wolf’s waist as he rose up. He used the headboard of the bed to balance them. When he began to move, Wolf groaned. The tension in his body grew, building until his eyes rolled back and his balls drew up. He cried out as he reached orgasm. Jean-Paul gasped something in French Wolf couldn’t understand. His dick swelled then spasmed inside Wolf as he came. They held each other as the aftershocks hit them. Jean-Paul withdrew as slowly as he’d entered, drawing out the last possible sensation. He lowered Wolf to the bed, kissing him. Wolf didn’t think he could move even if his life depended on it. “Tres fantastique, cher,” Jean-Paul murmured then kissed Wolf again. “Gods, that was incredible.” Wolf sighed, his eyes drifting shut. “I see why Cora was forced to join you.” Jean-Paul rubbed Wolf’s belly. Wolf stretched then turned to gaze at him. “We didn’t force her.” Wolf frowned. “We would never—”

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“Of course not, cher. No one has forced Cora to anything she did not want to do in a very long time. But I quite see her reasoning.” He caressed Wolf’s cock, making it rise. “For this I might be tempted to join your Pack myself.” The amusement in Jean-Paul’s voice surprised Wolf. “She told us she belonged to you.” Wolf knew little about any dominant and submissive lifestyle other than the basic Pack dynamics. “Oh yes, and she manages me quite nicely, giving me only the control over her that she requires. You are honored she has placed herself in your hands. She is a treasure.” Jean-Paul traced a fingertip down Wolf’s belly. Wolf did not miss the veiled threat in Jean-Paul’s words. “She is. We will get her back from Dolores—” “This Dolores. I find myself not liking her in the least. She has reached out to harm one I care deeply for. I think I will have her blood.” The ice in Jean-Paul’s voice made Wolf shiver. Suddenly he had no desire to cross this soft-spoken man of Cora’s. He almost felt sorry for Dolores and her Pack. “Jean-Paul—” Wolf broke off with a hiss of pleasure. Jean-Paul gave his cock a tug. “But now I think it is your turn to fuck me, cher.” “How—” “Hard, cher, very hard. You may bite and claw. I will enjoy it.” “Oh gods…” **** Jean-Paul sat at the kitchen table once more, sipping coffee while he watched Wolf fix his own cup. He ached pleasantly. He’d forgotten what sex with a Werewolf could be like. The young Alpha was extraordinary in bed. By fucking this beautiful creature he managed to keep Wolf from his attempt at martyring himself. Cora

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would be grateful, he was sure. Probably Wolf’s Pack mates would be as well. Wolf stopped and looked at the back door. “Dale’s back.” Jean-Paul followed Wolf’s gaze. A few seconds later he heard boot heels on the wooden porch, and then the door opened. Jean-Paul could not breathe for several heartbeats. It was almost like the day Cora walked into his office. The air around him felt charged with electricity. “Jean-Paul, this is Dale.” Wolf came to the table and sat down. “Dale, this is Jean-Paul, Cora’s fiancé. Come sit down and tell us what you found.” The young man froze, wary. Jean-Paul’s breath started once again. “I am charmed.” He watched the silent communication between Dale and his Alpha. “Yes, Cora told me what you all are. She neglected, however, to inform me of how beautiful you all are.” Jean-Paul let his eyes travel over the gorgeous, sexy, creature before him, from the battered straw cowboy hat all the way down to the well-endowed crotch and the dusty boots with their spurs. His cock twitched. Spurs. Yippee ki-yay indeed.

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Challenge They sat in the cafe waiting for their order to arrive. Wolf looked up when movement caught his attention. Two men came toward their table. He recognized them both all too well. Bill, Dolores’s Alpha, and Micah. Wolf glared at his part-time hand for several seconds before he acknowledged Bill with a low warning growl. Bill unbuttoned his jacket. They all tensed, sensing Wolf’s wariness. The man raised his hands in a gesture of truce. Slowly, he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small folded piece of paper, tossing it onto the table. “We have something you want. Our price, along with the time and place. Don’t take too long to decide. Dolores is not a patient mistress.” He walked off. Jean-Paul stared after Bill and Micah. “Who was that disagreeable man?” “Dolores’s Alpha. He was one of the ones that chased Cora.” Wolf glanced at Jean-Paul. If he hadn’t known better, he’d swear the man’s eyes flashed red for a second. The hair on the back of Wolf’s neck rose. “And the other?” “Micah Holliday. One of our hands. Or he was, anyway.” The hardness in Jean-Paul’s face melted into a placid expression. “Holliday. Interesting.” Jean-Paul picked up the paper, unfolding it. He read in silence, a puzzled expression coming over his face. He looked up at Wolf, taking a deep breath then letting it out slowly. “Indeed, they have Cora.”

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“We knew that already.” Wolf pushed his hair back from his face with a gusty sigh. “They want to trade.” Jean-Paul trailed off. “Me for her.” Wolf’s eyes flashed with anger. Jean-Paul nodded in confirmation. Dale’s low growl sounded in Wolf’s ears. Dale caught his arm in an iron grip. “You can’t—” “The place?” Wolf asked, ignoring Dale’s tightening grip on his arm. “Seven o'clock tomorrow at a place called The Ice House.” JeanPaul gave Wolf an apologetic smile. Wolf glanced at Dale, giving him a faint nod, acknowledging the pain in his eyes. Dale still had a grip on his now partially numb arm. “I think it’s time to go back to the ranch. We have plans to make.” “They will not keep their word. You know this is true.” The light, casual tone of Jean-Paul’s voice surprised Wolf. “You’re probably right, but what else can we do?” Wolf shrugged. He could hold his own in any fight, fair or dirty. “I could simply pay this Dolores a visit and take Cora from her.” Jean-Paul examined his well-manicured fingernails. “We can’t do that. The only way this works is if we take Cora back on neutral ground. We have a chance to shut Dolores down as long as we stay on the right side of council law.” Rafe gestured at the note. “Dolores has already broken the law. She’s pretty much fair game off her territory.” “Ah, in that case let us go and make plans to, how do you say it, kick some fur ball ass?” “Shit!” Dale swore, giving Wolf’s arm a shove as he let go. Wolf got up, walking toward the door. He heard the others get up and follow him. They got in the truck for the long drive back to the ranch in silence. ****

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“The young one, Dale, I do not wish to see him hurt. I—” JeanPaul began. Wolf held up his hand, cutting him off. “Dale is deadlier than me and Rafe combined. Don’t let the shy, innocent cowboy act fool you.” Wolf shook his head. “I pity anyone who meets him when he’s angry.” Jean-Paul watched Dale walking toward the barn. “Will he be all right?” “I don’t know. I think he needs something we can’t provide.” Wolf turned a worried gaze on Jean-Paul. “Be careful if you follow him. Dale is dangerous.” Jean-Paul smiled. “Perhaps that is what he needs most right now. To lash out. To be dangerous with someone he cannot hurt.” “Dale was feral a long time. He doesn’t have the control I have.” Wolf blushed. Jean-Paul brushed his fingers over Wolf’s reddened cheek. “Cher, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your teeth and claws are very sharp, but you did not leave any permanent marks.” Wolf’s blush deepened. He grinned, ducking his head. “Now I will go and,” he paused for a heartbeat, “speak to young Dale.” Wolf threw his hands up in exasperation. “Fine. He rips your dick off, don’t come crying to me.” Jean-Paul laughed. “Danger is the spice of life, cher.” “And don’t fuck each other stupid. We don’t have the time for anyone to be so screwed they can’t think straight.” **** Dale thought about the rough-around-the-edges love with Wolf and Rafe tying them together as Pack. He loved fucking his Pack. It always felt so good. He loved fucking Cora, too. She tasted so sweet and being inside her was so soft and hot. Sex, as far as it went, made

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him feel wonderful. But there was always something missing, something just out of reach he couldn’t put a name to. He kicked at a rock. The need was strong, almost overwhelming. He needed to get away from everyone before he did something he’d regret. Cora soothed the burning inside him. He could be gentle with her, and best of all he could let her be gentle with him. It answered a need no one else ever managed to touch. “Cher.” The softly accented voice startled Dale. He spun around to find Cora’s French lover standing a few feet from him. How did he get so close? Why didn’t I hear him? Anger shot through Dale. He didn’t like being surprised like this. Surprises got a person killed in Old Town. Jean-Paul walked closer until he was just inches from him. He leaned closer, brushing his fingertips over Dale’s cheek and down his neck. Dale froze. He’d seen a rabbit react like he did, right before a coyote snatched it up. The idea that Jean-Paul was a predator and he was the prey sent white-hot lust zinging through Dale. He saw violence in the man’s deep dark eyes. Jean-Paul’s touch was something entirely different, soft, like a velvet glove. Dale shivered. His belly tightened. The touch gentled something deep inside him. Dale longed to come apart in this man’s hands. “I want to make love to you,” the soft, French-accented voice whispered in his ear. Dale’s lips parted with a gasp. He nodded. Fingertips traced trails of fire everywhere they touched. Dale closed his eyes as Jean-Paul’s fingers followed the outline of his erection. “Do you have a favorite place where you go to find relief when none satisfies you?” Jean-Paul slid his hand between Dale’s legs, gently rubbing his balls through the denim of his jeans. Dale licked his lips. “The creek. I go down by the creek.” “Show me.”

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Dale whined softly when Jean-Paul took his hand away. He reached for his crotch, to rub it, to continue what Jean-Paul stopped. “No.” Jean-Paul’s sharp command was followed by Jean-Paul slapping his hand away. “You will do as I say.” “Yes.” Dale couldn’t quite catch his breath. He didn’t remember ever being so turned on. He did as he was told, leading Jean-Paul to his secret place in the rocks beside the creek. He waited as Jean-Paul looked around, anxious for this man to approve. “It will do. Give me your bandana.” Dale pulled the large square of red cotton out of his pocket. He handed it to Jean-Paul. As he watched, Jean-Paul folded the bandana into a strip. “There, go to the tree. Kneel.” Dale did as was instructed. His belly tightened. Jean-Paul followed. He took Dale’s hands, binding them together then lifting his arms above his head until he was secured to a short branch. Jean-Paul unbuttoned Dale’s shirt, letting it hang open. He moved his hands over the young man’s skin. He unfastened Dale’s jeans, letting his hard cock spring free. “Oh yes, you want this. Shall I tame the beast?” Jean-Paul ran his fingernails down Dale’s chest to his belly. “Yes,” Dale moaned. “Ask me.” Jean-Paul’s fingers teased Dale’s cock. Dale’s legs trembled. He fought to catch his breath. “Tame me. Please.” “To tame the beast,” Jean-Paul gasped, “first we must free it.” Jean-Paul took him then, impaling himself on Dale’s erection. Dale thrust his hips, burying himself deeper. “Yes, cher, let go.” Dale growled. He strained against the bandana restraining him. The branch broke, and they tumbled to the ground locked together. Dale clawed and bit, reveled in the sharp pain of Jean-Paul’s nails

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digging into his ass. He snarled, pumping his hips hard, pounding into this man that dared to let him free. He tried to bite, to hold this lover to him. A fist in his hair held him back. Dale grazed the skin and tasted blood. Jean-Paul cried out his orgasm, spilling between them. Dale threw back his head and howled. Jean-Paul tightened his arms around Dale when he struggled to rise. “Rest. Breathe. You have not hurt me. I will not let you go.” Dale relaxed. He lay limp against Cora’s fiancé. Jean-Paul stroked Dale’s back, a soothing hypnotic movement that comforted, lulling Dale into a blissful trance. Something wonderful happened. Jean-Paul allowed the young Werewolf to see into his thoughts. “I was going to ask the Vampires in Old Town to kill you. Wouldn’t have worked very well, would it?” Dale gave Jean-Paul one of his rare smiles. Jean-Paul laughed. “No, cher, it would not.”

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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Secrets Discovered Cora pulled. A faint tearing sound broke the stillness. She pulled again. This time the sound was louder. She felt the tape give. Deep inside she knew her Pack was coming. Jean-Paul said he would join her in Dead Man. He would come. Wolf, Rafe, and Dale would come. She wasn’t about to let any of them find her meekly waiting to be rescued. Jean-Paul would never let her hear the end of it. Her hands were free. Quickly, she ripped the heavy duct tape from her ankles then yanked the blindfold and gag off. She stood, willing her tingling feet to move. The door was unlocked. Careful to make no noise, Cora peeked out into the hall. With no idea which way the exit was, she had a fiftyfifty chance of finding the way out. She wished Micah would show up. Maybe she could convince him she was no threat to whatever operation he had going. Cora rounded yet another corner in the maze of hallways. She came face to face with one of the biggest men she’d ever seen. She spun around, running for her life. “Hey,” he yelled. She heard him running down the hall after her. Then huge hands grabbed her. She was slung over the big man’s shoulder like a sack of flour. She struggled. He simply tightened his grip. She gave a frustrated little sob. The giant carried her through the maze of hallways, finally heaving her off his shoulder onto the floor in front of Dolores. The room spun for a few seconds, and Cora struggled to sit up. Dolores smirked at her. The woman stood. She walked around Cora,

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examining her like she was some sort of curiosity the cat dragged in. “So tell me, has Wolf managed to get it up for you yet? Or is Rafe doing all his fucking for him?” “What we do is none of your business.” Cora managed to climb to her feet. Dolores was a bit taller and chunkier, but Cora didn’t think it was muscle. Cora kept her eye on Dolores, turning to follow her as she circled. “You show up in my domain and take what belongs to me and it’s not my business?” Her voice rose with each word. “He wasn’t yours.” Cora saw the fist rise. She braced herself. She turned with the blow the way Jean-Paul had shown her. He’d be pleased she remembered that, she thought. Then Cora struck back with everything she had. Fight to win, mon amour, fight dirty. JeanPaul’s words echoed in her head. He’d be pleased she remembered that, too. She grabbed a fistful of Dolores’s hair and tried to slam the woman’s head into the floor. Cora managed a few solid blows before several sets of hands pulled her off the screaming woman. They pulled her away. Two of Dolores’s men helped her up. She shook them off, advancing on Cora. With an enraged scream, she swung. Cora felt blood trickle down her forehead. “Take her back. And this time make sure she can’t get loose.” Dolores glared at her. She thought for a moment about calling Wolf, but some instinct stopped her. Dolores’s Pack had her lovers far outnumbered. It would be a slaughter. The men holding her started to drag her away. “Wait.” Dolores stepped closer. She held a knife. Dolores caught hold of Cora’s hair and cut some off. “A little gift for Wolf. Be good and I’ll let you watch me mate him before I kill you.” Dolores’s laugh rang in Cora’s ears as they took her back to the room that was her prison. ****

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Jean-Paul put his arm around Dale’s waist as they walked back to the house together. His hair was still damp from their dip in the creek, and his body ached pleasantly. Dale gave him that shy smile again, slipping his arm around Jean-Paul’s waist. “I need to check the horses.” “Of course, cher.” Jean-Paul gave his new lover a gentle squeeze before he let Dale go. He watched Dale walk toward the barn, enjoying the sexy way the young Werewolf moved. I want to use those spurs next time. That thought made Jean-Paul shiver. His stomach growled at him, reminding him he needed to eat. He headed inside. In the kitchen he found the bag with his things. He took out one of the plastic bags. He heard a noise in the doorway. Jean-Paul looked up from the bag of red liquid he held. Wolf stood in the doorway, eyes wide, face pale. Damn. He sighed. This would be awkward. Jean-Paul tilted his head to one side, waiting for the uproar he knew was coming. “Oh gods, this can’t be happening.” Wolf ran a hand through his hair. The Werewolf looked away for a heartbeat then back at JeanPaul. A noise from the living room made Wolf turn. “Shit.” Jean-Paul saw Rafe behind Wolf, concern on his face and something in his hand. “What’s wrong?” He looked from Wolf to Jean-Paul, his original mission to the kitchen put aside by his obvious concern for his Alpha. “He’s a fucking Vampire, Rafe. Jean-Paul is one of those dead, bloodsucking creatures of the night from Old Town.” “I am not dead, thank you.” Jean-Paul felt his irritation growing. Rafe’s mouth fell open in shock. It was the first time Jean-Paul had seen the older Werewolf anything but self-possessed and calm. Jean-Paul noted with approval the expression didn’t last long.

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“The council is going to hit the moon over this if they find out.” Wolf hit the doorjamb with his fist. “Why should they find out? I am not proposing to become one of your Pack, much as Cora would wish that.” Jean-Paul did not see the problem. Their two species agreed to an Accord several centuries ago. It worked. They co-existed in many places in the world, including Dead Man, Texas. Jean-Paul bit into the packet he’d gotten from Doc and drank. The Werewolves stared at him for several seconds. “Is Cora?” Wolf asked, fear coloring his voice. “Cora has been with me since 1917. But to answer your indelicate question, no, she is not.” Jean-Paul let his words hang in the air for a long tense moment. “Yet.” “Oh gods. She never mentioned anything, never even hinted...Wait, 1917?” “Yes.” Jean-Paul gave Wolf an amused once over. “Is there a problem? You do not perhaps fancy older women?” “Wolf, kid, calm down.” Rafe stared at Jean-Paul, unblinking. “There’s something we aren’t seeing here.” “Calm down? He just said Cora is older than my grandmother.” “Do we know everything about Vampires? Hell, we don’t even know everything about ourselves.” Jean-Paul smiled. He gave Rafe a nod. He liked Rafe. The Beta was quick and smart. He’d get it eventually if Jean-Paul left him to think. But they didn’t have time for that. “Exactly, cher. You have hit on it. We share a special bond, Cora and I. She has taken blood from me. Although, Cora is not a Vampire. Obviously you have not been taught the history of our races. A sad failure on the part of your elders.” “History? Cora never said anything about a history.” “Because she does not know this. She only knows that I am a Vampire. She has not asked to be turned. I will not give her the gift unasked for. She has no need to know of these things.” Jean-Paul

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glared at the Werewolves. “But you do. I have little respect for the elders in this town.” “I don’t understand.” Wolf shivered. Suddenly he looked stricken. “Oh shit, I fucked a dead—” “I am not dead!” Jean-Paul roared. He visibly regained control of himself. “I am just as alive as you are. And just as alien to this world.” He smiled at their shocked looks. “Yes, the evil Vampire knows your history. Apparently better than you do yourselves.” With fewer and fewer Werewolves reaching the age of transition, they had drifted apart. The Vampires vowed to leave Werewolves alone as much as possible and set up a small council of First Ones to help those who managed to reach change. Jean-Paul gave a mental sigh and began to explain. “Yes, history. We came to this world together aboard a colony ship. We did not mean to land here. Something went wrong and the ship crashed in what is now called France. Have you never wondered why the words you use for yourselves are French?” If it hadn't been so deplorable, Jean-Paul would have laughed. He looked at the small Pack. They were obviously confused. He’d wager their precious council probably didn’t know all their common history either. He began to think a trip to Old Town and Doc’s colony might be in order. These pups needed education fast. A bright thought occurred to him. If they had no idea how closely related they were to Vampires, then there was an excellent chance Dolores and her Pack did not know either. The Mexican Pack was a wildcard. He couldn’t be sure what the Mexicans knew, but he would deal with that as it came. Jean-Paul looked forward to educating these three on the order of things. Especially with the attitude Wolf had shown concerning Vampires. He chuckled. Telling them they were a larval stage of their species that would become Vampires if they lived long enough was going to be fun in an evil sort of way. “I believe we need to speak to some friends of mine about your woeful lack of knowledge before we go take care of these upstarts of

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Dolores’s. Shall we?” Jean-Paul tossed the empty blood pack into the trash. He motioned to the door. They stared at him without moving. Jean-Paul clapped his hands. They jumped. “Now, my friends. We do not have time to waste.” The kitchen door opened. They all turned to see a puzzled Dale staring at them. Jean-Paul rolled his eyes. “And you told me not to fuck him stupid. He is the only one of you not freaked out.” “What am I not freaked out about?” Dale asked warily. “Me, cher. What I am.” Jean-Paul shook his head and stepped past Wolf and Rafe. “Why would I—” “Because he’s one of the walking dead.” Wolf waved at Jean-Paul as he passed by. “Merde. You are thick-headed. Trust me, cher, you do not want to meet one of the real walking dead.” Jean-Paul thumped Wolf on the back of the head. “We do not have time for this.” “No, we don’t. Dolores just sent us another warning.” Rafe held out a note. They all recognized the bloodstained lock of pale blond hair taped to it. At the sight of the blood, cold fury knotted in Jean-Paul’s chest. “Let’s go, shall we?”

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Chapter Thirty: Love, Security, Home, and Vampires “Forgive them, Doc, they are cursed with the disease of youth.” Jean-Paul favored their host with an apologetic smile. “Yes, I can see that.” Doc looked them over. Wolf frowned. This was crazy. Cora needed them. They didn’t have time to fool around with some insane Vampire that thought he was still living in the Old West. “Jean-Paul, we don’t—” “Have time? Yes, you do. If you want our help, that is.” Doc gave Wolf an insincere smile. “And believe me, cousin, you do want our help.” “Patience, cher, we cannot afford not to have Doc’s help. Old Town is his domain.” Jean-Paul laid his hand on Wolf’s shoulder. “Indeed. It seems that it is past time we took an interest in the affairs of our Werewolf cousins.” “Cousins? We aren’t related. What does this have to do with getting Cora back?” Wolf crossed his arms and glared at the foppish so-called leader of Old Town. “Oh, but we are related, little cousin. Hasn’t anyone ever told you what happens to the very old Werewolves?” Doc gave Wolf a pitying look. “Jean-Paul, I’m surprised at you.” “We get old, we get killed in a challenge, or we just get old and fucking die.” Wolf turned to Rafe and Dale. “Come on, let’s go.” “That isn’t precisely true. You do get old. You do not necessarily fucking die. If you are of the Blood and you survive long enough, you change.” Jean-Paul kept his tone politely neutral. “It is a metamorphosis of a sort.”

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“Change. Into what?” “Why, into one of us, of course. You are a treat. Jean-Paul, where did you find such an innocent?” Doc grinned. Wolf looked from Doc to Jean-Paul. They’d gone mad. They were both stark raving crazy. “Shame on you, Doc. Can’t you see they’re worried about their lady love?” The woman’s Hungarian-accented voice came from the shadows behind them. Wolf turned to see a small, dark-haired woman step into the dim light. “I expect bad manners from Jean-Paul. He is of the Blood and not one of the Born. I do not expect such behavior from you.” “Kate.” Jean-Paul inclined his head in a mock bow. She ignored him, extending her hand to Wolf. He took it, unsure what to do. Behind her Jean-Paul mimed kissing his hand. Wolf imitated JeanPaul and touched his lips to the back of the woman’s hand. “It was delivered poorly but nonetheless true. Werewolves, if they manage to live long enough, become Vampires. That, my dear, is why you are here instead of charging off like a knight in shining armor to rescue your lady.” “I don’t understand any of this. I just want Cora back safe.” “To put it simply, dear, there are three of you facing a much larger number of Werewolves. Fortunately, Jean-Paul has the sense to come to us and ask for our help. As distant relatives, so to speak.” “How can you help?” Wolf was still confused, but he pushed it aside to focus on Cora. She needed them whether these Vampires were insane or not. If they thought they could help, fine. Just as long as they didn’t get in his way. “You are planning to exchange yourself for Cora tomorrow evening at the Ice House. We will be there.” Kate stopped beside Doc and leaned against him. “To even the odds.” “Thank you.” Wolf glanced at the others. They looked just as confused as he felt. All but Jean-Paul, who motioned for them to leave.

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**** Outside, Wolf’s patience evaporated. He grabbed Jean-Paul by his shirt and slammed Cora’s fiancé up against the side of the truck. “What the hell is going on here?” “We have just increased our odds of getting out of this with your little Pack intact, cher. That is what the hell is going on. They will fight alongside us—” “How? The council will run us out of town for working with Vampires. What good does any of this do if we lose everything we’ve fought for?” “I thought we are fighting for Cora’s life.” The ice in Jean-Paul’s words made Wolf let go. He stepped back. Wolf took a deep breath then let it out slowly, fighting for calm. “You don’t understand. None of us has ever had anything close to a real home.” Wolf’s quiet voice broke. “With Cora and the ranch we have a chance. We are fighting for her life. And ours as well.” “Let me tell you something, my fine loup-garou. Home is not a place, cher. It is a state of being. The feeling you get with someone who completes you. Learn that. Because if all you want Cora for is to keep a building and a plot of land, I will kill you right here and rescue Cora myself.” “You can try, dead man.” Wolf clenched his fists. Before he knew what hit him, Jean-Paul’s hand gripped his throat. “I will tell you a truth even Cora does not know. I was born first generation loup-garou in the year 532 BC. I survived to become Vampire in the year AD 819. I have survived plague, crusades, revolutions, wars, and the Inquisition. Trust me, there would be no contest at all. Cher.” Wolf stared back into Jean-Paul’s dark eyes. “And I. Am. Not. Dead.”

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Jean-Paul let Wolf go with a little push. He staggered. Rafe caught his arm. Dale stepped between them. Wolf touched his throat and glared at Jean-Paul. “I love Cora. Can you say the same?” Jean-Paul sighed. “Would I be here if I didn’t? I have loved Cora since 11:15 the morning of January 7th, 1917, the moment she walked into my office in New Orleans.” “We all love Cora. Why are we fighting?” Dale asked, cutting straight to the heart of things. “You are right, cher. This profits nothing. We have an advantage. The Colony will back us. The odds are even now.” “How do we know Dolores hasn’t got Vampire backing?” Rafe asked, ever practical. “You did not know we are connected. You were never taught. She is local, is she not?” They nodded. “Thus she does not know. I have some doubt your council knows.” “What about Dolores’s Mexican friends?” Wolf was still skeptical, but he’d let this Werewolves-turning-into-Vampires thing slide until they had Cora back. “They are why I wanted backing from the local Vampires. They are a wild card. They could know. If they do, they will not take part in the fight when we take Cora back.” They moved to get into the truck. Wolf stopped Jean-Paul. “When this is over—” “Cora will decide. I love her enough to want her happy no matter what happens. Do you?” Jean-Paul climbed into the truck.

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Chapter Thirty-One: The Ice House Wolf stood up, moving toward the table where Dolores sat with her Pack and Cora before Jean-Paul could stop him. He heard Rafe following him. He tuned out the murmur of his Pack's thoughts and focused on his quarry. Stopping a few feet from the table, he waited for Dolores to look up. “We’ve been waiting for you, Wolf,” Dolores said with an evil smirk. “What? No smart-ass remark to make?” The Werewolves from Mexico snickered. There was something odd about them, but he ignored it. He wanted Cora back and his Pack safely out of there. Nothing else mattered. “I’ve kept my part of the deal. I’m here. Let Cora go now.” Wolf kept his eyes on Dolores, holding onto his disgust and anger. If he looked at Cora’s bruised face, he knew he would lose what little control he had left. Dolores laughed. “Why not?” She motioned to the Werewolf holding Cora’s arm, and he gave her a little push. She stumbled into Rafe. He caught her, pulling her over to him. She clung to his arm. “Take Cora back to the table. Now.” Wolf heard them backing up and walking away. **** Seated with Doc, Jean-Paul watched what was happening on the other side of the room at Dolores’s table. He kept his hand on Dale’s arm. “Oh, cher, this is not good. Not good at all.” His stomach knotted up in disgust. Several of the creatures with Dolores were

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neither human nor Werewolf. He gagged. “Doc?” “What is it?” Dale glanced at him, concerned. “I see them. I am tempted to run screaming in terror like a little girl.” Doc’s bland tone belied his words. “The things with Dolores, the ones with the vacant eyes. Do not let them bite you, cher, at any cost. To kill them you must take their heads off.” “What are they?” Jean-Paul heard the primal fear in Dale’s voice. “They are the real walking dead, cher. Zombies.” “Rafe has Cora.” Dale tensed and shifted his chair. “I am going now. Remember, cher, just like we planned.” JeanPaul rose to his feet. “Like we planned. Right.” He heard Dale moving into position behind him. “Oh, mon amour,” Jean-Paul whispered when he saw the marks on Cora’s face. He hadn’t seen such injury on her in many years. Her eyes widened when she saw him. The way her eyes lit up made his heart swell with emotion. **** Dolores stood and held her hand out to Wolf. She clearly thought she’d won. Not in a million years, bitch. Wolf stepped forward and caught Dolores’s wrist, jerking her to him. Touching her made his skin crawl. He flung her against the wall. Chairs scraped and clattered to the floor as her companions leaped to their feet. He ignored them. Dazed, Dolores slid down as her feet went out from under her. Grabbing her shoulders, he slammed her against the wall again when she tried to rise. Wolf’s hand closed around her throat. Dolores grabbed his hands, trying to break his hold. The fear in her eyes didn’t make him feel any better. All it did was make him sick. He bared his teeth. “It’s over, Dolores. I belong to Cora. Touch her again and you die.”

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Dolores shoved, knocking him away from her. The force of her desperation broke the hold he had on her, knocking him off balance. “You fool. You could have had a place in our empire. You could have stood with me.” Her voice rose with each word. Wolf stared at her in shocked confusion. She used the chance to scramble to her feet. “Kill them all,” she shrieked. Someone opened fire with an automatic weapon. In a flash, the air was filled with screams and more gunfire. Wolf clambered to his feet, looking for Cora. He saw her across the room. One of Dolores’s misbegotten Pack aimed a gun at her. He launched himself at the man, but Jean-Paul was already there. With a swipe of one clawed hand, Jean-Paul ripped out the man’s throat. Their eyes met, and Wolf understood just what he’d been challenging. A chill ran through him. One of the odd Werewolves Dolores had brought came at him, teeth bared. Something in the blank expression made Wolf’s blood run cold. He made a grab for a nearby table and pushed it into the creature’s gut. It barely slowed the thing down. Wolf backed away and bumped into someone. He caught an arm. It was one of Dolores’s human Pack. Wolf slung the man into the creature and ran. He would remember that horrific, wet screech forever. A hand caught his arm. He raised his clawed hand to strike. It was Jean-Paul. “Did it bite you?” Wolf shook his head. “No. What the hell is it?” “Good. Do not let them bite you no matter what, cher. It is a Zombie. It appears your Dolores has found someone to rouse the dead for her.” Jean-Paul pulled him toward the entrance to the bar. “Gods. How do I kill it?” Jean-Paul paused long enough to draw a finger across his throat in a slashing motion. “The head, cher, or fire.” “Fuck.” Another of the things headed their way. Wolf looked around for a weapon. Doc silently appeared beside Wolf. “This is a peach of a party you

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invited us to, Jean-Paul.” He sounded like he was enjoying himself. Jean-Paul laughed. “Thank our cousins.” He motioned toward Wolf and melted into the mayhem surrounding them. Doc nodded at Wolf. “Obliged, I’m sure. Come see me if we survive this. We’ll have a chat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I see some heads that need removing.” Wolf was left speechless. Movement caught his eye. Dolores slipped through the front door. She was covered in blood. “Shit.” He began making his way toward Cora and Rafe. They needed to get her out of there. From the corner of his eye Wolf watched the man Jean-Paul called Doc. With the finesse of an old West gunslinger, he moved like a hurricane, cutting a swath through the undead with elegant precision. Wolf suddenly realized he was watching a legend. Could the night get any weirder? Jean-Paul kept up with Doc, obviously two old friends who could read each other’s mind. They didn’t need a battle strategy. They were unbeatable, even when outnumbered. Wolf followed in their wake, killing as many undead as he could reach. He found Dale a few feet away and joined him, pulling him behind the thick oak bar. They found Rafe and Micah behind the bar, guarding Cora. Wolf reached for Cora. “You can have a reunion later. The door to the alley is over there.” Micah pointed to a metal door with an exit sign above it. “Get the hell out of here now. My people will be here any minute.” “Your people?” Wolf caught Micah’s arm. “Yeah, get everyone out. I’ll explain later.” Micah shook him off. Wolf watched the man snatch the baseball bat from under the bar and wade into the fight again. Without looking back, they surrounded Cora, making their way to the exit. Jean-Paul joined them halfway to the door. “You’re late, Vampire. We almost left your ass here.” Wolf shot Jean-Paul a glare.

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Jean-Paul laughed. “Not on your best day, puppy.” Outside in the alley, Jean-Paul stepped in front of Cora, gun drawn, as Bill stepped out from behind a pile of boxes and trash, walking toward them, holding a gun on them. “You ruined everything. We would have been rich.” Bill fired and Jean-Paul’s whole body jerked with the impact of the bullet to the chest. Cora screamed. Jean-Paul steadied himself, aimed, and squeezed the trigger. Bill’s chest exploded. Jean-Paul sank to his knees then toppled to lie on the filthy pavement. Cora jerked loose from the grip Wolf had on her arm. She dropped to her knees beside Jean-Paul. With a sob, she gathered him into her arms and started pulling off the coat he was wearing. He might be a Vampire with all the strength and resilience that came with it, but he was not made of steel. A bullet to the chest would do serious damage. If it hit his heart, he would die. “No, please don’t die. Please—” she begged, even though she knew he hated begging. She’d gladly take any punishment he chose, just so he lived. Dale knelt with Cora. Her hands shook too much to unbutton the shirt. Dale gently pushed them aside then ripped the shirt open. The dent in the vest was deep, but it hadn’t let the bullet penetrate to the fragile flesh and blood beneath it. Jean-Paul coughed. “You are begging.” He wrapped one arm around Cora’s waist, reaching the other out toward Dale, who caught his hand and helped him climb to his feet. “But I will let it pass. Just this once, mon amour.” He closed his eyes, holding her for a long moment. He opened his eyes at last and looked down at her. “Shall we go home now, mon amour? I would like to get out of this vest. It chafes.” Cora gave a breathless laugh, wiping her tears away. Jean-Paul kissed her forehead. He nodded at Wolf. Wolf’s throat constricted as he watched his chienne with the

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Vampire. He had to think of a way to save the situation. They needed Cora, and she needed them, but he doubted she would give up her Vampire. Logically, then, as Alpha of his small Pack, he had to find a way to make this work. Jean-Paul had been a pleasant surprise. He’d enjoyed fucking the French Vampire, even if he did have some crazy ideas. Wolf didn’t think it would be difficult to adopt the Vampire into the family. If the Vampire was willing. Wolf smiled. The elders in the council would shit bricks. As far as he knew, no Werewolf Pack had ever adopted a Vampire.

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Chapter Thirty-Two: Aftermath Cora let her Pack take her into the house. They fussed over her, Wolf making her sit in the best chair in the living room while Rafe went to get her something cool to drink and Dale knelt to take her shoes off. He took a moment to massage her feet, rubbing her toes between his fingers and thumb until she sighed in pleasure. Jean-Paul stood beside the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked faintly amused, and she wondered what he must be thinking. She smiled at him, and he looked away, bowing his head with a soft laugh. He met her eyes once more. “I will bring your things in, petite amie.” Jean-Paul pushed off from the wall and went out into the darkness. She watched him go, her heart sinking. She knew her mating with Wolf, Rafe, and Dale would upset Jean-Paul, but she had expected a tirade, even tears and yelling, not this wry acceptance. Jean-Paul’s lack of anger was more frightening than anything Cora could imagine. It seemed as if he’d already distanced himself from her. A spasm of fear shook her. They had been together so long. What would happen to her without Jean-Paul? She didn’t want to grow old without him. “What’s wrong?” Wolf asked, caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch. Cora sighed. “I don’t understand Jean-Paul. Something is different. I’m afraid I’ve driven him away.” “I don’t think you’ve lost him.” Wolf blushed.

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“He’s not going anywhere. He loves you.” Dale’s simple statement startled them all. They all turned to watch Jean-Paul come back inside with two overstuffed duffle bags. He put them down next to the stairs. “JeanPaul, what happened while I was, um, wasn’t here?” She didn’t want to think about her kidnapping just then. For the moment, she wanted to understand what was going through Jean-Paul’s mind, what he wanted of her, needed of her. And what would make him stay. What had changed him from the man who could barely let her out of his sight when she’d left Louisiana. “This is all I managed to save for you, mon amour.” He ignored her question and gave one of his elegant shrugs. “I made us disappear. Just in time to offer my meager services in your rescue. Why?” Cora narrowed her eyes. “Jean-Paul, you are avoiding my question.” Suddenly tears filled her eyes. “Are you tired of me?” “I will never grow tired of you, mon amour. You know that.” “Then why won't you tell me what else happened?” She sighed. She would make him tell her everything later when she had a chance to get him alone. Right now she wanted the basic facts. “What makes you think something else happened?” He gave her one of his innocent shark smiles. She stared at him for several seconds. “I know you.” Then turned her glare on Wolf. “What happened?” “Ah.” Wolf looked at Jean-Paul for help. None came. Keeping his head down, he shuffled from foot to foot like a small boy caught raiding the fridge just before dinner, but he remained silent despite his discomfort. Dale leaned against Cora’s legs. He rested his chin on her knees. “They fucked. And argued about you. We fucked, too.” He sighed. “It was good.” Cora raised her eyebrows. She smoothed Dale’s silky hair. “Thank you.” His directness was refreshing. “Wolf?” He finally met her stare. “Yeah, we did. Both.”

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Cora looked at Jean-Paul. He nodded. “That is not quite how I would have told you, but, yes, I have fucked them both. I have not, however, fucked Rafe.” His tone gave the impression he would like to. Rafe blinked at Jean-Paul. She felt a twang of lust deep inside. “Did you—” “Bite them? No, I did not. This time I was the bitten one. I quite enjoyed it. And to answer the question you did not ask, they do know my nature.” Cora looked at her Pack. “Does it bother you?” “At first it freaked me out. He says he’s not dead. I don’t know. Vampires aren’t something I have much experience with. He says we’re related. Don’t know about that either. But I guess I’ll learn. I’m willing to give this a try. If that’s what you want.” Wolf took her hand and squeezed it. “I also shall do my best, mon amour.” Jean-Paul held his hand out to the three Werewolves. “Now, may we go upstairs to bed? I find a close brush with death incredibly arousing.” Cora laughed. “You find everything incredibly arousing.” Unrepentant, Jean-Paul started up the stairs. “This is true.” She followed her Vampire up the stairs with her Werewolf Pack close behind her. **** In the bedroom, Cora held out her hand to Dale. She pulled him into her arms and kissed him. A soft gasp behind her told her JeanPaul was enjoying the show. Dale’s fingers clenched in the fabric of her shirt. Other hands moved over them, undressing them. She recognized Jean-Paul’s gentle touch and Rafe’s worker’s hands along with Wolf’s trembling heat. Cora continued making love to Dale’s mouth, teasing and exploring his lips. She plunged her tongue inside, twining and drawing his tongue into her mouth. He moaned. Someone started

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them toward the bed. When she lay back, Rafe held her. A mouth covered her nipple. She opened her eyes long enough to recognize Wolf. Dale pulled away, and Jean-Paul claimed his mouth. Cora watched, breathless, as Jean-Paul rolled a condom onto Dale’s cock and guided Dale into her pussy. He moved behind Dale. She knew the moment he entered Dale. Dale’s head fell back, his mouth open in a silent cry. She arched her hips, and he moaned. Wolf knelt beside her, kissing Rafe. She slipped her hand between his legs. Dale cried out, and she saw Jean-Paul easing him into Rafe’s arms. Wolf replaced his Pack mate, loving her with slow, deep strokes. She moaned and closed her eyes. Jean-Paul slipped behind her, to hold her while Wolf fucked her. When she opened them again, Rafe had Dale bent over beside her. She caught Dale’s hand. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Cora gasped and cried out at a sharp prickle down her side. Jean-Paul chuckled softly. Wolf gave a low growl and turned her to face her Vampire, entering her again from behind. Jean-Paul used the shiny new spur on her, rolling it over her body until she had to clench her teeth to keep from screaming. He kissed her shoulder and lowered her to the damp sheets. She reached out for him. Jean-Paul caught her hand and placed it on Wolf’s thigh. Then he got behind Wolf. “Ah, gods,” Wolf cried out, throwing his head back. Jean-Paul ran the spur across his chest. Cora bit her lip. Wolf arched back and JeanPaul rolled the spikey wheel across Wolf’s belly, leaving tiny red marks and drawing a deep groan from him. “Pull her up into your arms, cher. I want to join you inside her.” “Fuck.” Wolf groaned again. Cora gasped and draped herself against Wolf. Jean-Paul kissed them both and got behind her. Rafe braced Wolf. She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him into a kiss as he nudged his cock into Wolf. Dale’s quiet murmur came from somewhere behind Jean-

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Paul. She heard Jean-Paul give a breathlessly wicked laugh, and then his cock pushed into her pussy, joining Wolf inside her. She tensed. “Relax, mon amour, you will take us both.” He took a deep breath. “After all, this is where babies come from.” “Fuck. Oh gods, that’s tight.” Wolf groaned as Jean-Paul slid further in. Jean-Paul began to move slowly. “You feel very good inside my Cora, cher.” Cora couldn’t speak. She could barely breathe. She thought she might split apart with her two lovers filling her. “Dale, cher, yes.” She heard the strain in Jean-Paul’s whisper and shattered at last.

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Chapter Thirty-Three: A Time to Reflect Jean-Paul walked toward him. Rafe stuck the pitchfork he held into the dirt floor of the barn. “You know, I have been chased a few times with one of those things.” The Vampire motioned to the worn farm tool. “I bet.” Rafe waited. “I have come to get to know you.” Jean-Paul tilted his head to one side and smiled. “Do you have another? I have mucked out a few stalls in my time.” “Over there on the wall.” Rafe watched Jean-Paul get the other pitchfork. He went over to one of the stalls and began work without asking or being told what to do. Impressed in spite of his effort to stay neutral, Rafe went back to his own work in silence. They cleaned the barn without speaking. Jean-Paul slipped his shirt off somewhere around the third stall. Rafe watched the Vampire’s muscles flexing under the sweat-glistening skin. His breath caught, and he realized he wanted Jean-Paul as much as he’d ever wanted anyone. Jean-Paul turned to look at him, and Rafe’s cock twitched. “Oh hell, cher. Shall we stop playing this game of pretend?” He leaned the pitchfork he held against the barn wall and came toward Rafe. He held his arms out, pulling Rafe into them when he was close enough. Their lips met in a rough, demanding kiss that tasted of salt and hard work. Rafe allowed himself to be pushed against the stall gate behind him. He wound his arms around Jean-Paul, holding him tight against his body. Their stiff cocks pressed together. Jean-Paul

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groaned, his hand going to Rafe’s belt buckle. Buttons popped, zippers opened, and jeans loosened enough to free them. Their cocks touched, rubbing together. A sharp jab to Rafe’s ass made him jerk. “Shit. Splinter.” He urged Jean-Paul back. Jean-Paul stopped kissing Rafe’s shoulder long enough to give a short breathless laugh before turning them until he took Rafe’s place against the gate. Rafe shook his head. He pulled a horse blanket over and shoved it behind Jean-Paul. The Vampire’s hand pushed between Rafe’s legs and cupped his balls. Rafe moaned and tried to get closer. Jean-Paul urged him upward. Rafe climbed his lover’s body, his cock rubbing against Jean-Paul’s belly, up to his chest. Then Jean-Paul was inside him. With a curse Jean-Paul began to move, hard, fast thrusts that had Rafe’s entire body burning. Rafe swore. “Coming,” he groaned. “Can’t stop.” Jean-Paul gripped Rafe’s hips harder, shuddering. “Yes, cher.” They came, Rafe spilling himself over Jean-Paul’s chest, JeanPaul flooding him with fire. Rafe pulled away, surprised to find his cock still hard. Jean-Paul nodded. He turned, shoving his jeans down. “Hard, cher.” He bent and braced himself against the stall. Rafe positioned himself. He brushed his hands over Jean-Paul’s hips. He took a deep breath, parted Jean-Paul’s ass, and drove himself into the Vampire’s body. Jean-Paul hissed and rocked back. Rafe pounded into him until they were both gasping for breath and clawing for a release that was just out of reach. Then it was there, and they shattered together. **** Wolf stared out the front window at the huge black SUV rolling to a stop a few feet from the porch. He growled softly when Micah Holliday got out. The part-time hand had a lot of explaining to do.

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Wolf’s eyes widened when another man in a suit got out of the SUV and followed Micah to the house. He sent out a mental call for the rest of the Pack then opened the front door. “Wolf.” Micah stepped up onto the porch. “This is Agent Daniels. Can we talk?” “The others will be here in a minute.” Wolf gestured them inside. Agent? What the hell is going on here? Wolf followed the men into the living room. Somehow Wolf was not surprised to find Dale already there. He had a knack for knowing when something was going on that needed the whole Pack. Rafe walked in from the kitchen, followed by Jean-Paul. They both had wet hair and flushed faces. It didn’t take much imagination to know why. Wolf was pleased. It looked like they were all compatible enough to make this unconventional Joining work. “Do we need Cora for this? She’s had a pretty rough time the last few days, and she’s still asleep. I’d rather not wake her unless we have to.” “Please. She should be here.” Agent Daniels gave him a brief nod. Wolf signaled Dale, and they sat back to wait for the young Werewolf to get Cora. Cora came down the stairs before Dale returned. Dressed in one of the lace robes Jean-Paul had brought her, she took Wolf’s breath away. From the sound of it, everyone else in the room had the same reaction. “Micah, I’m glad to see you’re not hurt.” Cora smiled and came to sit beside Wolf. He tried to gauge Jean-Paul’s reaction and got nothing but a bland smile. “Ma’am. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it.” “So, what the hell was all that last night?” Wolf redirected the conversation. He didn’t want to have to adopt a human man as well as a Vampire. That was pushing things too far. He would already be able to boast at having the most culturally diverse Pack west of the Mississippi, if the council approved their status. Not many Packs

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included a human and a Vampire. “Last night. Well, we’re still not quite sure why Dolores’s Pack involved you. We were hoping you would explain that.” Agent Daniels looked hopeful. Wolf grimaced. “Dolores couldn’t take no for an answer. She wanted me to, uh, have sex with her. Joining together as mates would make us a powerful Pack. Dolores is all about power. I wasn’t interested. She figured she could force me.” “Ah. Then it’s safe to say you were not part of her plans with the Pack from Mexico?” “Yeah, you could say that.” Wolf studied the agent with unblinking eyes. “You still haven’t answered our questions, though. What the hell was going on last night, and what the hell were those things?” “We work for a small government agency, Wolf. We monitor the activities of the various non-human groups in the world.” Micah leaned forward, his hands clasped together and resting on his knees. Wolf caught a brief glimpse of a Celtic knot tattoo on Micah’s right wrist. If the light had been at a different angle or brighter, he would never have seen it. Micah noticed him looking and shifted position, hiding the mark. Wolf heard Cora’s soft inhalation. “You work for Division 9. I’ve read about you in the Lone Gunman. You regulate the paranormal subculture.” Cora leaned forward and took Micah’s hand, brushing her fingers over the nearly invisible tattoo. She smiled at him. “I knew there was something mysterious about you.” “That’s not for public knowledge.” Micah gently pulled his hand away. “Please. As if we have not been hiding our own secrets. I think you have nothing to fear from us. Quite the opposite, it appears to me.” Jean-Paul’s carefree smile didn’t fool Wolf for a second. He could see the tension in the Vampire’s manner. Apparently Micah and his friend could see it as well. They tensed.

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Agent Daniels held up a hand in a placating gesture. “You have nothing to fear from us. Our job is to watch and to keep things like last night from getting out to the public.” Wolf sighed. He’d heard these weird government agencies existed. Typical. First it was denial of extraterrestrials, now it was federal watch groups to police the whole paranormal community. Wolf shot Jean-Paul a guarded look. The Vampire was amused. “Speaking about last night?” Wolf prompted the Agent. “Ah, last night.” The Agent looked uncomfortable. “Last night was the reason I’m here in Dead Man.” Micah sighed. “We believe there’s a new group out to destroy any paranormal creature they find. They call themselves The Reapers.” “I have dealt with these Reapers. Delusional humans who have watched too much television.” Jean-Paul gave a disgusted snort. “Not all of them. We believe they’re being led by a paranormal.” Micah narrowed his eyes at Jean-Paul. “What sort of dealings have you had?” Jean-Paul smiled, allowing his fangs to show. “Permanent ones.” Micah looked away and took a deep breath. “Well, anyway, the Reapers are tied to the Zombies. We’re just not sure where the connection is.” “Ask Dolores. She brought them last night.” Wolf shook his head. This was getting on his nerves. It meant his small Pack would be in serious danger, and Cora was the most at risk. He glanced her way. Precious human, lover, chienne of the Pack. He had to protect her at all costs. Around him the others shifted in their seats, picking up his restless thoughts, feeling his protective aura surround them. “We would ask her, but your Pack are the only survivors aside from my team. Everyone else is ashes.” Micah sighed. “No, we aren’t.” Micah’s head rose, and Wolf saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “I saw Dolores slip out the side door a little after the fighting started. She had blood on her, but I couldn’t tell if it was hers or someone else’s.”

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A slow smile spread over Micah’s face. “That is good news. If we can find her and she wasn’t bitten by a zombie. The woman was a fool to think for one minute she could control them.” “Well, Dolores never claimed to be a rocket scientist,” Rafe said. “She wants power. It’s like a drug for her, and she’s willing to try anything to get control of the western grid.” Wolf watched the Division 9 agents leave in silence. When they finally drove away, Wolf turned and looked at his Pack family. “I don’t think Dolores is much of a threat without Pack backing, but we should still be careful.” “As long as the walking dead are involved, we should all be very careful, cher. Once they bite you, if you survive the bite, you become one of them.” Jean-Paul pushed himself out of his chair. He looked at each of them in turn. “If I should be bitten, I will trust you to kill me. I will do the same for you.” “How do we know if they’re around?” Cora’s voice sounded small. “They smell like what they are, mon amour. They smell dead.” “I’ve smelled them.” Dale’s face was pale. “Last night—” Rafe began. Dale cut him off with a shake of his head. “No, before.” “When?” Wolf had a sinking feeling he knew already. A glance at Rafe told him his Beta had the same thought. “The sheep,” they said together, and Dale nodded. Wolf frowned at Jean-Paul. “You know more about these things than we do. Do animals turn into Zombies if they’re bitten?” Jean-Paul looked puzzled for a moment. Rafe quickly told him about the sheep they’d lost. “Ah, no. Only if one survives the bite. Fortunately, most don’t. Still, it is a horrific thing.” Wolf nodded. Cora looked frightened. He didn’t blame her. He was himself. An image of the thing that had gotten too close for comfort at the Ice House came to mind, and he shivered. “For now, we go in pairs and Cora is never alone.” It was the best they could do for the moment.

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Chapter Thirty-Four: Sorting Everything Out Cora sat on the foot of her bed watching Jean-Paul pace in front of her bedroom window. They were private for the moment. Her stomach tied itself in a knot. “I’m sorry.” He stopped and turned his frown on her. Only one other time had he looked at her like he did now. “Why are you sorry? You did not know any of this would happen, did you?” She shook her head. “Then there is nothing to be sorry for. It has simply happened and we will deal with it as best we can.” He came to stand in front of her, brushing his hand over her hair. Cora wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his stomach, looking at their image in the dresser mirror. “I love them. I can’t seem to keep from it.” She looked up at him. “I love you.” Jean-Paul’s expression softened. “I have never loved anyone as much as I love you.” He bent and kissed the top of her head. Jean-Paul straightened. He lifted his wrist and opened his mouth. Light glinted off his extended fangs. Movement in the doorway pulled her gaze from Jean-Paul. She tightened her hold on him. Wolf stood there, eyes wide with shock. “Yes, mon amour, I know he is there. He needs to see this.” JeanPaul bit. Blood welled up, and he extended his arm to her. She sipped then kissed the small wound that was already closing, taking the life Jean-Paul offered her. Jean-Paul turned his head to look at the stunned Werewolf. “You see. It is necessary.”

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Wolf nodded even as he backed away from the sight of her taking blood from Jean-Paul. From his expression Cora could tell he needed to find somewhere quiet to think this through. When he came upstairs he obviously hadn’t meant to interrupt something so private. “It's all right. I have nothing to hide from you.” She sent her thought to him in a whisper. Cora held out her hand. Jean-Paul simply watched him. “No—” He slapped his hand over his mouth and shook his head, holding his other hand out as if he could fend them off. “Wolf,” Cora stood and took a step toward him. “I need to… I can’t…” Wolf turned and ran down the stairs. When he burst into the kitchen, Rafe and Dale stood. He looked from one to the other then threw himself into their arms. “I don’t know if I can do this.” “Do what?” Rafe sounded confused. “Share Cora with Jean-Paul. His hold is too strong. We don’t stand a chance of breaking it.” He let them lead him to a chair. When they were seated again beside him, he told them about seeing Cora take Jean-Paul’s blood. Dale nodded slowly. “I saw it in Old Town a few times. Vampires only do it with someone they care a lot about. They call it giving their life.” Wolf looked at Dale for a long moment. The wistful expression on Dale’s face surprised him. Wolf shared a concerned glance with Rafe. They knew a lot of what Dale had been through in Old Town, but there were things he wouldn’t talk about. Things they only got glimpses of now and then, like this bit of Vampire information. “He must love her more than anything to let you see them.” Dale bowed his head and stopped speaking. Dale’s words brought an entirely new meaning to the situation. Wolf thought about Jean-Paul’s words. Yeah, I did need to see. I’ve been such an idiot. He stood and looked toward the stairs for a long moment. “I think I need to go fix this.” Wolf walked to the foot

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of the stairs and looked up. He could see the light from Cora’s room shining into the hall. He took one step and paused, then took another step, and another, each tread easier than the last By the time he stood in the bedroom doorway once more he knew what he needed to do. Jean-Paul sat on the bed with Cora in his arms. He rocked her, whispering into her hair too low for Wolf to make out what he said to her. Jean-Paul must have sensed his presence because he looked up straight into Wolf’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m young and I’m stupid. I don’t know very much about anything at all. It doesn’t excuse my behavior, but maybe it explains it.” Wolf walked into the room and stopped in front of them. Cora stood and pulled Wolf into her arms. He kissed her forehead. She tugged Jean-Paul to his feet. The Vampire pressed his lips together and swayed. Wolf caught his arm and steadied him before he could fall. “Pardon.” Jean-Paul’s voice was low and breathy. Cora made a soft sound of exasperation and glanced at Wolf. “You don’t have to stay and watch. I know this upsets you.” Wolf shook his head. “I’ll stay.” Cora squeezed his hand then faced Jean-Paul. She brushed her hair back and tilted her head to one side, exposing her neck. The Vampire made a sour face. “Cora, so inelegant.” But he lowered his mouth to the smooth curve of her neck. Cora reached out, and Wolf caught her hand in his. He swallowed hard but said nothing. Sex and sharing their bodies, watching, giving and taking pleasure was one thing. This moment and what he’d witnessed earlier seemed more intimate. Giving their life was a good name for it, and it was far too important to treat it casually. Wolf found himself too fascinated to look away. There wasn’t anything messy or crude about what Jean-Paul was doing. The only evidence Jean-Paul fed was the expression on Cora’s face. It was the way she looked when she came.

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Jean-Paul stopped and licked the spot he’d bitten. Wolf could barely see any mark, just two tiny spots, like needle pricks. Jean-Paul sighed and shot Wolf a slightly embarrassed look. “I prefer the inner thigh.” “Really.” Wolf raised his eyebrows. “Would you like to find out for yourself, cher? I am still hungry.” Cora squeezed Wolf’s hand. “It doesn’t hurt.” Wolf gave her a faint smile. “I noticed that.” Cora sighed and adjusted her lace robe. “I am going down to see about Rafe and Dale. Join us when you get everything sorted out.” They watched her leave then Jean-Paul held out his hand. Wolf took the offered hand. Jean-Paul kissed him. Wolf could taste the metallic tang of blood. It send an odd thrill through him. “Cousins, cher,” Jean-Paul whispered against Wolf’s lips then bore him down onto the bed. Jean-Paul took his time removing Wolf’s clothes then went into Cora’s bathroom. The towel he carried surprised Wolf. “Not that I mind, but why the towel? I thought you were just going to bite me.” “Because you are already half hard, cher. When I bite, you will come, and I do not want to spend an hour washing your semen off the ceiling.” Jean-Paul wrapped his hand around Wolf’s cock and pulled gently. Wolf made a low sound in the back of his throat as his cock hardened and grew. He lay back. Jean-Paul placed the towel over Wolf’s cock and brushed his fingers over Wolf’s thigh. Wolf watched him lean forward. Jean-Paul pressed his thumb into a spot just behind Wolf’s balls. His body jerked. Then he felt a slight sting and the world came apart at the seams. Wolf’s eyes rolled back in his head. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t moan. He was being pulled inside out through his cock, and he wanted it to never stop. When the world came back, Jean-Paul had cleaned him up and sat beside him, leaning on the pillows propped up against the brass headboard, watching. “You are back. Good.”

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Wolf tried to sit up. He couldn’t. “What did you do to me?” “I took some blood. That is all.” “Cora didn’t react like this.” Wolf yawned. “She is used to this. You are not. The next time will not be so intense.” Jean-Paul patted Wolf’s shoulder. “Sleep now. I will watch over Cora and your Pack.” Wolf started to protest, but his eyes were closing, and then he was asleep. **** Dolores rolled in the dirt and debris of the abandoned mine shaft. She burned with fever and hatred. Her body grew clumsy. It was all that bitch’s fault. She groaned as another spasm wracked her body. The chills began on the second day. She shuddered, gasping for breath, the sound of her guttural moaning echoing in the blackness until with one last hacking gasp, all was quiet.

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Chapter Thirty-Five: Sealing the Bond “All right, just exactly what is this Sealing thing I keep hearing about?” Cora stood in the living room, her hands on her hips, glaring at her lovers. They sat on the couch before her looking like schoolboys who had been caught doing something naughty. Jean-Paul sat in the chair nearby, clearly amused with the whole situation. “It’s the ritual we do when the Pack takes a chienne.” Wolf smiled brightly. “We thought it would be a good idea to go ahead with it before something else happens. So I booked us for this afternoon.” “I gathered that much. What I want to know is what is involved. What do I have to do?” Wolf licked his lips nervously. “Um, we change to our true form and make love. Most chiennes wear something easy to take off—” Jean-Paul chuckled. “He means wear something you don’t mind getting ripped to shreds, mon amour.” “What?” Cora stared at them in shock. “It’s not that bad. We would never hurt you, Cora, you know that.” Rafe gave both Jean-Paul and Wolf a dirty look. Cora took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, frustrated. “Yes, I know that. What I don’t know is what you’re all trying to keep from me.” “You had better tell her. Our Cora does not like surprises, cher.” Jean-Paul waved at Wolf. “Nice of you to remember that.” Cora crossed her arms, waiting. “Okay.” Wolf took a deep breath. He let it out. “Okay. We go to the council chamber. You wear something we don’t have to worry

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about ruining. We change to out true form. Then we take turns making love to you while the others hold you—” “That doesn’t sound so bad.” Cora relaxed slightly. “But why the council chamber?” “Because the council has to be there?” Wolf cringed. Open-mouthed, her eyes wide with disbelief, Cora stared at them. Jean-Paul gave an evil sounding chuckle. “Yes, chérie, you will have an audience.” He got up and came to her. She watched, speechless, as he drew a finger along the neckline of her tank top. “Think about it, Cora, fucking three Werewolves while the leaders of the community watch you do it.” She shivered at his low sensuous tone. “Very hot, mon amour.” “Oh dear…” Dismayed, she went to a chair and sat down. **** Cora walked into the council chamber with Jean-Paul. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. “I’m scared.” “There is nothing to be afraid of, my love.” Jean-Paul kissed her forehead. “But in front of an audience…” The idea both terrified and excited her. She would take her Pack before the council. She would fuck them in their changed form, sealing their union. “Hush. You will be beautiful.” Jean-Paul touched his lips to hers. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Jean-Paul—” “I am here, mon amour. I will always be yours, whatever else happens.” His words stilled her nerves. She took a deep breath then stepped into the pool of light in the middle of the darkened council room. Cora could hear small sounds around them. She felt the presence of the Werewolf council, but she couldn’t see them. Probably a good thing, she thought. Jean-Paul’s presence was a comfort at her back.

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With growing confidence, she held her hand out toward her Pack. Their feelings for each other brought them together. Only a chienne to bind them was missing. Cora pushed her fears aside. She could do this for the three she loved. She looked into Wolf’s eyes and let her heart call them. She watched him begin to turn. He couldn’t seem stop it. A low growl escaped his throat. Cora stood frozen, mere inches away, and waited for what he would do. Wolf reached out with fingers already clawed. His hand trembled as he drew one claw over the neckline of the plain shift she wore. Her chest heaved with her rapid breathing. The fear gripping her enhanced her arousal. He stepped closer, inhaling her scent. His claw snagged in the soft cloth. She went liquid inside. She wanted him to take her Jean-Paul slid his hands over her shoulders, down her sides to the hem of her shift. She'd almost forgotten he was there. Wolf’s lip curled in a snarl. Her Vampire slowly drew her shift upward, revealing her smooth, flat belly and the firm globes of her breasts. Her pink nipples pointed at him, tight with her desire. The sight of his erect cock made Cora’s insides tighten. She’d never wanted anyone so much. Cora saw Wolf’s control slip a little further. “You are his chienne. Go to him. Fuck him,” she heard Jean-Paul murmur in her ear. Cora stepped forward, encouraged by Jean-Paul’s gentle nudge. Wolf cupped her breasts in hands roughened from the change. He brushed his thumbs over the tips. Cora gasped. She reached out, hesitant, touching his chest. Rafe and Dale joined them then. Familiar yet strange, their hands moving over her body made her tremble with her need for them. She lay back in Rafe’s and Dale’s arms, letting them hold her. Wolf moved over her, and then with a low growl he was inside her pussy, fucking her with deep, slow strokes. She arched herself against him and moaned when he came in silence. When she turned her head, she could see Jean-Paul watching

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them. The love in his eyes took her breath away. She gasped and cried out as she came. Wolf pulled her close against him, taking Rafe’s place behind her. Rafe slid into her, larger than Wolf but just as gentle. He thrust into her, filling her. She lifted her knees, opening her legs wider. He groaned in his release. A glance toward Jean-Paul showed her his distress. He bit his bottom lip. She sighed, letting herself come again. Dale replaced Rafe between her legs. He sank into her pussy with a low whimper. He was close after seeing his Pack take her. She wrapped her legs around him, resting her feet on his ass. He ground into her pussy. She tightened her hold on him, whispering, “Come.” He cried out, and her third orgasm rippled through her. She watched Wolf walk over and take Jean-Paul’s hand. He looked from Wolf to her then picked up the quilt they’d brought for the ceremony. He came to her, wrapping the quilt around her, lifting her into his arms. She saw her Werewolves change back to their human forms and dress. The council was gone “You were magnificent, mon amour,” he whispered in her ear. “I am so proud of you.” Wolf joined them. “Let’s go home.” **** Jean-Paul stood back and watched Cora with her three Werewolves. They treated her as if she were made of the finest crystal and would shatter at the slightest rough touch. He found himself relaxing the tiniest bit. They cared for her. He thought of the recent events. It appeared the rogue chienne was gone along with the Werewolves from Mexico and the Zombies. With Dolores out of the way, Cora would be safe here, and happy. It was enough. ****

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Cora slept upstairs. Jean-Paul found the Pack in the kitchen. The room seemed to be their main meeting place. He stopped beside Dale. They all looked up at him, waiting. “I have a proposition for you.” “What?” Wolf’s tone was wary. “It is obvious you are in need of money.” Wolf tensed, and JeanPaul motioned for him to relax. “Hear me out please. Cora will stay with you. I know this. She wants me to stay as well, but I am not such a fool as to believe that will work out well.” “If Cora wants you to stay—” “Cora is not always realistic. Trust that I know her very well. What I am proposing is simple. I will buy your ranch. You will do whatever it is you do with ranches. I shall leave that to you. I will require only a place to leave my important possessions and that I be allowed to come and go freely.” “That sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?” Wolf leaned back in his chair. He gave Jean-Paul a skeptical once-over. “There is no catch. It is simple, cher. Cora stays here with you. I come to visit. Thus Cora remains happy. Her happiness is my only concern.” Jean-Paul smiled and shrugged. “Think about it.” Wolf looked at his friends with raised eyebrows, then back at Jean-Paul. “We’ll think about it.” Jean-Paul smiled. “Think of it as a Sealing gift for Cora.” Their expressions changed. He saw the idea gaining merit for them. “Now go wrangle some cows. I wish to spend some time alone with Cora.”

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Chapter Thirty-Six: The Proposition “I think we should do it.” Dale’s voice broke the silence. “Can we at least appear to think about it first?” Wolf rolled his eyes. Dale ducked his head and flashed a shy grin. Wolf smiled. If you didn’t know him, he thought, you’d think he really was the shy young cowboy he seemed to be. “What?” Dale caught Wolf staring at him. “You love him, don’t you?” Dale blushed and looked away. “I love you and Rafe.” “Dale,” Wolf chided his Pack mate. “I do.” Dale turned a desperate gaze on Wolf. “I know you do. This isn’t about us. You know you always have a home with us, no matter what. This is about getting you what you need. And I think what you need is Jean-Paul.” Wolf waited for a response, but none came. “Am I right?” Dale bowed his head and nodded. “Then let’s see what we can do about it.” Wolf laid his hand on Dale’s shoulder and squeezed gently. The grateful look Dale gave him choked Wolf up. A loud moan made them all look up, saving them from an embarrassing show of emotion. Wolf gave his Pack a wry smile. “You probably already figured this out, but I thought I’d tell you anyway. I let Jean-Paul bite me last night.” His Pack looked at each other and back at Wolf. “Yeah, we did.” Rafe raised an eyebrow. “So. What was it like?”

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“Fucking amazing. Made me come hard.” Wolf sighed. “He says I’ll get used to it if I let him keep doing it.” “Are you? Going to keep doing it?” Dale asked. “I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe I’ll just save it for emergencies though. Keep it something special that way.” Wolf draped his arm over Dale’s shoulders. “I think I’ll pass.” Rafe shook his head. “The idea makes me feel a little nauseous.” Wolf nodded. He’d never forced his Pack to do anything they didn’t want to do. He wouldn’t start now. **** “It seems, mon amour, that I am no longer the master. I have become the student.” Jean-Paul lay beneath Cora, running his hands down her back and up again. Cora touched her lips to his. “You will always be my master.” He arched his back, driving into her pussy. She moaned. “Yes, but on another level now.” “Oh yes,” she sighed. She tightened around him, her orgasm taking her. He ground himself into her with an answering groan, filling her. When he was spent he eased her off himself to lie beside him. He gazed down at her until he thought he might be able to speak without his voice breaking. “I want to take another under my wing.” There, he said it. He waited for her response. She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Dale?” “Yes.” She nodded slowly. “He needs you.” “He does.” “Take him. You won’t go too far away?” The note of uncertainty in her voice tore at his heart.

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“No, not too far away. And only some of the time. I do not give him my life, mon amour. That is only for you. And the gift should you ever wish it.” He kissed her and tasted tears. “When will you go?” “Not until I am sure you are safe with your Werewolves, but soon I think. Someone is making the dead walk, and they must be stopped.” He took her again, fucking her with the slow strokes he knew she loved. **** Tired of lying awake, Cora eased herself out of bed. Jean-Paul huffed and mumbled something in a language she didn’t recognize. Dale sighed an unintelligible answer. Quietly, she made her way down the stairs toward the kitchen. She stopped to listen to Rafe and Wolf snoring softly in the Pack’s downstairs bedroom and smiled. No need to wake anyone, she just wanted a glass of water and a few minutes to sort through her thoughts. She opened the cabinet to reach for a glass and stopped, turning her head. Cora stayed still, listening. The noise came again, a faint scratching, scrabbling sound. Mouse? No, it sounded larger. A rat? She heard it again. Whatever it was she’d tell Wolf and they’d take care of it in the morning. Cora got her glass and filled it from the tap. With a sigh she walked into the living room and turned on the lamp beside the couch. If she couldn’t sleep, she might as well write up the latest events in her diary. Her latest volume was in the end table by the window. I’ll have to thank Jean-Paul for saving my diaries, she thought, opening the table’s single drawer. A thud from the porch froze her in her tracks. That was no rat. It sounds big. Much bigger than any animal. And close. Cora’s blood ran cold. She left the diary where it was, slowly backing away from the window.

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Another thud. A gurgling groan. Cora tried to scream, but no sound came. Glass shattered. An arm thrust through the jagged window bringing down the curtains with a resounding crash. Cora gagged on the stench and tried to run. “Mine,” the thing moaned, twisting desiccated fingers in the fabric of Cora’s robe. Cora’s voice came back at last. She screamed, jerking away, leaving her robe in the thing’s hand. She ran. **** The Pack came awake, Cora’s scream echoing in their heads. Jean-Paul was already halfway down the stairs, gun in hand, when the lithe shape of Dale in true form passed him. They met Wolf and Rafe in the hall. Cora threw herself into Wolf’s arms. He gently transferred her to Rafe. Jean-Paul caught Wolf’s arm as he started forward. “We must lure it outside. Do not kill it in here.” Wolf nodded. “I’ll take care of this. You keep Dale back. Rafe, when it comes after me, get Cora out the back. And call Micah. Tell him we found Dolores.” The thing seemed to notice Wolf for the first time when he spoke. He edged himself toward the front door. It followed his movement with its eyes then shambled after him. Wolf swore silently, leading it toward the shed. **** Wolf didn’t look back to see if it followed. He could smell it. He heard it stumble down the porch steps. He spotted Dale circling to the side. Wolf warned his Pack mate away. “This is my kill, Dale. My responsibility.”

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It staggered toward him faster than he expected. Searching the yard for some sort of weapon he saw nothing. He felt sick. He was going to have to do this by hand and take a chance on getting bitten. Wolf planted his feet and prepared to change to true form. “Wolf,” Jean-Paul shouted, and he spared the Vampire a glance. Then something shiny flew at him. He caught Jean-Paul’s gun and turned back. Dolores was almost on him. He fired. **** Cora jerked at the sound of the shot. She broke free of Rafe and ran for the front of the house. She stopped for a heartbeat when she rounded the corner. Wolf stood over Dolores’s body. Jean-Paul’s old Colt .45 in his hand. He turned. When he saw her, he held out his arms. She went to him. **** They stood by the bonfire they’d made of the things from the living room. Everything that had come into contact with Dolores had to be burned. Wolf watched the Division 9 SUV’s taillights disappearing into the darkness. Micah sighed. “Well, that’s it then. Back to square one.” He pushed his hair back and smiled. “Congratulations on the Sealing. I hear it was a real nice ceremony.” Cora blushed and hid her face against Wolf’s shoulder. “Am I the only one who didn’t know about it?” “Yes, mon amour, I believe you were.” Jean-Paul winked at Micah. “You need me back to work tomorrow, or you want a few days privacy?” Micah asked. Wolf chuckled. “Give us a few days. I’ll call you.” A gurgling cry sent a chill up Wolf’s back. He shoved Cora behind him. The others all turned in the direction of the sound of a

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bell getting closer. The small four legged creature staggering toward them bared its teeth and bleated again. “What the fuck is that?” Micah spoke for them all. “I think it’s one of the lambs we lost.” Dale sounded horrified and fascinated at the same time. It began snapping its teeth at them while it was still several feet away. “Damn, don’t let it get you.” Rafe dodged a lunge from the little beast and swatted it away with the shovel he still held. It struggled to get up. “This, mes amis, is just wrong.” He pulled his pistol from the waistband of his jeans and fired. Rafe shuddered and scooped what was left of the lamb up with the shovel. He tossed it onto the fire. “Well, this is just peachy. No telling what else is roaming around out there. I better get back to work.” Micah tipped his hat and ambled toward his SUV. Dale sighed. “I’m hungry.” Rafe shook his head in mock despair. “When are you not hungry?” “There are some lamb chops… Um, never mind.” Wolf stopped himself. “Let’s drive over to the truck stop. I hear they have good salads.”

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Chapter Thirty-Seven: Together Forever A shadow fell across her. Cora looked up from her knitting into Jean-Paul’s dark eyes. His expression was infinitely tender and she knew. She looked at Dale. He stood in the doorway waiting. Dale held himself still, as if he would break at the slightest touch. “You’re going, aren’t you?” “It is time, mon amour.” Wolf’s head came up. He stared over the top of his book at JeanPaul and Dale, his eyes narrowed. Rafe sighed and gave Dale a half smile. Cora put down her knitting and got up. She wrapped her arms around Jean-Paul, holding him as tight as she could. He kissed her, a slow, searching exploration meant to last for however long it took until he came back. “We will return. I promise you that, mon amour.” He brushed her lips with his once more then stepped away. She turned to Dale and held out her arms. He came to her and let her hold him. “Promise me you will be careful and take care of each other?” “Promise.” Dale’s voice shook. He was close to tears. She kissed him. “I want you to be happy, both of you.” Dale nodded. Cora gave him over to Jean-Paul and went to stand with Wolf. They followed their ancient Vampire and youngest Werewolf out to Jean-Paul’s jeep. The bags were already in the back. Dale climbed in. Jean-Paul waved once and they were off.

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When the tail lights of the jeep had faded into the darkness, Cora slipped her arms around her two Werewolves and sighed. “I’m going to miss them.” “They’ll be back before you know it.” Rafe kissed her ear. “Yeah, just think of the fun we’ll have welcoming them home.” Wolf kissed her other ear. “In fact, we should practice.” He kissed her shoulder. “A lot.” “You think so?” She pulled them closer. “Sounds like a good idea to me.” Rafe swept her up into his arms. “Lock the door, boss. I’ll carry our princess up to her room.” He started for the house. Cora laughed. “Hey, I thought I was Alpha here.” Wolf caught hold of Rafe’s belt and followed them inside. **** Jean-Paul smiled in the darkness. Cora would be well protected. Her Werewolves would see to it. And Doc. He had made arrangements should anything untoward happen. He stole a quick glance at Dale and caught the young man watching him. “You are all right with leaving?” “I’m with you. I’m fine.” Dale smiled back at him. Jean-Paul rubbed Dale’s thigh. Dale would make a fine partner in what he was about to do. He needed someone strong at his back. “Are you ready to confront the Reapers, cher?” “I survived growing up alone in Old Town, Jean-Paul. What do you think?” Jean-Paul laughed. Yes, this one would be an adventure to tame. “I think we should begin your lessons, cher. And there are only three rules you must never forget.” “What are they?” “The first is always obey me.” Dale nodded.

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“The second is never beg, cher. No matter what.” Jean-Paul paused. He let the silence grow. Dale simply waited. “And the third, cher…” Pleased with Dale’s show of patience, Jean-Paul pulled off the highway onto the shoulder. He turned the jeep off and faced Dale. “The third rule, cher, is always fuck like you mean it.” He pulled Dale into a rough kiss.

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ellen Starr was born in west Texas and except for the years she spent in the Islands of the Mediterranean she's lived in the desert Southwest. She currently lives in a small east Texas town that has a history of gunfights and a cowboy that haunts downtown. Midnight excursions to look for the ghost of the cowboy are frequent but unfruitful as yet. Ellen enjoys traveling around the western US and watching the Western channel when she's not writing stories about sexy cowboys. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at [email protected].

Also by Ellen Starr Ménage Amour: In Alien Arms Ménage Amour: Hollywood Cowboy

Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com