Adira watched as Dimitri closed the door behind him. She felt terrible, blaming herself for the attack on Lainie. Dimitri's sister must have been attacked because of the way Adira mouthed off to Augur at the bar. This was the coyotes' way of retaliating. They couldn't get to her, so they went after her friend. Adira came to Bull Creek to help, but so far, all she did was make things worse. Not such a big help, huh? She only hoped Lainie was all right. Adira wasn't sure if Dimitri would forgive her if his sister were seriously hurt because of her. Hell, she wasn't sure if she could forgive herself.Turning to fix herself some tea, she placed her hand on Dimitri's teeth marks, and almost yelped at the touch, the sharp, electric sensations sending tendrils of pain throughout her body. Even without looking, she could imagine the bruise that formed on her lower shoulder. With a deep breath, bracing for the tender stings of pain, she caressed the deep impressions left by Dimitri's teeth, esp
Adira's head throbbed where Augur cracked it with…well, with whatever it was he used to hit her. Adira had no idea what that was, only that it hurt like hell. Then and now. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to open them, the light in the room stinging. She could hear voices off to the side—Bane and Augur—discussing what to do with Dimitri when he arrived to rescue her. She struggled against her bonds, pressing against the ropes that held her in place. She couldn't allow Bane to use her to hurt Dimitri. She wouldn't allow it. She tried to twist her hands, so she could use her power to get out of her bindings, but the coyote pack was smarter than she gave them credit for and bound her wrists so that she couldn't move her fingers. She grinned as she glanced off to the side where they stood, Bane conversing with Augur, while two others sat at a table in the corner playing cards or something. Not one of them seemed concerned with the woman bound to the chair. They were so naïve. So stupid. I
The sounds of fighting could be heard outside the cabin—panthers, a wolf, coyotes, even a bear. Their cries mixed with pain and agony. Augur jerked away from the window and darted toward the front door. Whatever happened outside, apparently scared him. Adira watched as he jerked the door open and reached outside. One of the men who went to the back emerged and darted to the front door to take Augur's place. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that the other guy remained in the back. Now was her chance. Taking a deep breath, she sent power through her arms, sending blue light from her forearms to sizzle and help her break the ropes that held her. They shredded, charred, and fell to the ground as she sprang from the chair, knocking it backward.The noise startled the goon who headed to the front door, causing him to spin toward Adira. She jerked her arm out, palms up, as blue fire erupted from her hand and sent a ball of energy into the man's chest. The power picked him up, sending h
It took longer with Chet than they wanted, but by the time they fabricated explanations that could be put down in a report for what transpired at Bane's cabin, everyone was content, and Adira and Dimitri rushed back to her place. Yet, the craving they felt for each other couldn't wait, and as soon as they were out of sight of the sheriff and his men, as well as the crime scene unit roping off Bane's cabin, they groped at each other's clothing, ripping them from their bodies as they dropped to the ground, their clothes a pile of shredded fabric around them. Twigs and branches poked into their exposed flesh, but neither one of them cared. They each wanted the other, their passion a hunger that wouldn't be abated until they possessed what their bodies craved.Adira ran her hands up his back, her nails clawing into him as he plastered her neck and shoulders with kisses, his lips warm on her flesh. She arched her back, shoving her chest into his, pressing into him until there wasn't even ro
Eve Hartlow stared at the top of her beer bottle, frustration filling her at how she felt. She was tired of being helpless, of feeling like everyone in the world could take care of themselves except her. Even worse, she felt like she couldn't help defending her friends, which was obvious when everyone went after Bane Kastner when he abducted Adira a few days ago. Everyone, that is, except her. The others could shift, transforming into their animals, and race off to kick the coyote's ass, while Eve was stuck at Adira's cabin watching them all run off to Adira's rescue. Eve took a giant swallow from her beer, trying to drown out her helplessness."Not used to seeing you in here without your all-female posse," Noel Hastings said as she set a fresh beer in front of Eve. "Of course, I haven't seen you in here this early, either. You doing all right?" Noel leaned on the bistro table, her hands clasped together as she stared at Eve, ready to be a shoulder if needed. Eve wasn't sure when Noel
Shades bustled with customers as people sought to get rid of the workweek and embrace the weekend. Arlin Landry stood by the front door, making sure the younger residents of Draven Falls didn't try to slip past through the front doors and trick a busy bartender for drinks. The North Carolina night was cool, in drastic contrast with the sweaty atmosphere of the inside of the bar, with just enough breeze to keep it comfortable without making it too cold. Overhead, the leaves rustled in the wind as the moon continued to climb into the night sky. Outside was peaceful while inside was anything but, especially in the back of Shades where a small group was making enough of a ruckus to drown out the DJ stationed in the middle of the bar. The noise was enough to make Arlin grateful he was positioned at the front door with the door wide open.Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath as another scream came from the back of the bar. Arlin understood the need to blow off steam, of having fun and get
When are you going to stop dancing around Josh and just give in to him?" Eve Hartlow asked her friend as they wandered the dirt roads of Bull Creek. The Florida sun was high overhead, bringing the stifling heat to the wooded community and a sweat to her brow. Still, Eve would take it over the frozen winters up north any day of the week. "I'm not a shifter, and even I can smell how the air changes when you two are around each other. Why keep the poor guy at arm's length?"A couple of days had passed since Eve's self-pity party at Everglades, and she had managed to give herself a couple of pep talks that rustling bushes didn't scare her anymore. Alanna had been right. There are too many noises in Bull Creek to start jumping at each one now."Arm's length? Trust me, he's been a lot closer than that," Alanna Bradbury said with a wink and a laugh. Then she shrugged. "I'm just not ready for that type of commitment yet. I'm a wolf without a pack, still feeling my way around."Eve chuckled. "F
Arlin Landry shook his head at the two women who seemed clueless as they walked down the dirt road, blindly going about their business, lost in whatever conversation had them so absorbed that they couldn't even pay attention to the vehicle coming down the road right at them. He sighed as they turned the corner down the dirt road just before his brother's cabin and finally out of his way. He wasn't sure if it was because they were female or the fact that they lived in this backwoods community that had them so negligent about their surroundings, but it would frustrate him to no end if everyone in Bull Creek were the same way. Draven Falls may not be a metropolitan, but people paid attention to what they did and where they walked. He blew out a breath, trying to calm his nerves. Relax, Arlin old boy. This is precisely why Jed Hawkins sent you out here, to chill your over-stressed emotions.He pulled into the dirt drive of his brother's cabin with a shake of his head. He knew he needed sol
"Sure you three can't stay longer?" Dimitri asked as Fitz tossed another suitcase in the trunk of his car. "I mean, now that the excitement is over, we can spend time catching up."Fitz slammed the trunk closed and turned to lean back on it, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Trust me, I'd love doing just that, but I need to figure out what Dad was doing back at home with the Order of Wardens. Dad had to be into some shady dealings, and I need to know what the company is facing."Dimitri nodded. "I get it. Just don't try to do it all on your own.""Like he'd have a choice," Mandy said as she and Kinsey left the cabin to join them, Adira and Lainie beside them. Mandy's arm was in a sling to help protect her wound. Thanks to her shifter blood, she would heal quicker than a human, but she still had to be careful and not overdo it. Their mother stayed at Dimitri's cabin, deciding to visit her younger children since she was there and saw no need to rush home. Lainie had reached out to her
Fitz stood there, hissing at his father. Mandy had Jeremiah pinned down, and Enoch stood still with magic fire sparkling around his fingertips. Kinsey stood, legs spread, braced for a confrontation with Daniel who stood there beating his chest like a crazed lunatic, never taking his eyes off Kinsey. "Don't just stand there, you idiot!" Jeremiah screamed. "Use your damn magic and blast them.""Yes, please," Adira snarled from the open doorway. "Try it." She raised her hands, her own blue magic's fire dancing around her fingertips. Dimitri's panther padded into the warehouse, moving over to where Mandy stood over Jeremiah. I've got him, he assured his sister-in-law. He's not going anywhere.Out of the corner of his eye, Fitz watched Mandy slide off Jeremiah, nipping at his face without actually biting him. The man shrieked as he tried to shove himself into the concrete.Lainie walked in, but she wasn't alone. "Johnson and the others are rounding up the men outside. The plane took off,
Fitz stared at the shattered glass scattered on the ground, several shards covered in blood, Kinsey's blood. He never should have left his mates alone. Now, one was in the hands of his enemies, and the other on her way to join the first. How could his father always be one step ahead of him?Fitz remained there, squatting, staring at the ruins of Kinsey's window. He couldn't blame Mandy for racing off after Kinsey. His panther urged him to do the same, and it took everything he had not to give in to those urges. He couldn't respond with rash behavior, however, as much as he wanted nothing more than to race off and devour those who hurt his family. He needed to think this through, needed to figure out the best way to save his mates. He needed… Fitz sighed. He needed to get off his ass and take his father out."The magic twists Kinsey's trail," Adira said to those gathered around. "But it doesn't twist Eve or Mandy's. Follow their scents, and you'll make better time than trying to follow
Mandy slid her phone back into her back pocket. Fitz actually thought she could sit still and just wait while the Order held Kinsey in their clutches? No way. Daniel put a hit out on Kinsey's life. Who knew how much time they had in order to save her. No. Mandy had every intention of starting the search for her mate.She quickly stripped off her clothes, piling them on the wooden porch in the front of the cabin. Fitz would see the clothes and know what she did. He'd be quick to follow her. Daniel underestimated his son; at least, this version of Fitz. He wouldn't sacrifice Kinsey for his father's goals, not with everything the three of them planned, not now that they discovered the way to be together, that they needed to be together.Mandy braced, shifting, her bones popping, body stretching as the tawny fur of her panther slid from under her flesh. She fell to all fours, her feet and hands turning to massive paws before she even touched the ground. She gave a quick shake of her head,
Her head pounded, her stomach churning with nausea. Kinsey wasn't sure what they gave her, but she knew it screwed with her senses. She remained in her panther form, huddled on the cold floor of… She panicked. Where the hell had they taken her? She tried to inhale some scent to give her an idea, but all she could smell was the sweat of humans, the fringes of Enoch's magic, and what seemed to be iron. Memories of what happened to her flooded her mind as she tried to move. Opening her gold eyes, she noticed the iron bars around her. A cage! They stuffed me into a damn cage.She forced herself up onto her paws, pain screaming from her right leg when she put her weight on it. Her body was sluggish, her mind still a little groggy. The floor of her cage was solid wood, while the walls and ceiling were inch-thick iron bars. She seemed to be in some sort of warehouse. By the scents that reached her, the place hadn't been used in a long time, dust and decay filling her nostrils. Windows set hig
"I'm surprised you actually came up for air," Dimitri said with a chuckle. "Hell, when I first marked Adira we stayed locked in the cabin for days. We didn't even realize we ran out of food until we finally wore ourselves out, and that was just the two of us. I can't imagine how much energy three of you would have."Fitz sat across from Dimitri at Gracie's Diner, sipping his third cup of coffee. "It's kind of hard to stay naked when you're afraid the Order will bust down your door and kill your mate." The smell of greasy burgers filled the air as plates and glasses clinked against each other. The diner was filled almost to capacity as nearby residents of Bull Creek and Holopaw filled their bellies with lunch. The bell dinged by the pickup window as plates of steaming food passed through the window, waiting for the servers to swoop by and deliver it to hungry customers. Another bell dinged over the glass door as people walked in and out, either starving or satisfied. "Trust me," Fitz sa
Kinsey watched as Mandy left through the front door. She didn't really blame Mandy for needing some time away. The three of them had been glued to each other since they entered the cabin on Sunday. While it would have been nice spending this hump day doing exactly that, Kinsey knew they all needed a break to sort through the sudden waterfall of emotions their animals forced upon them. Life just took a dramatic turn for them all.Kinsey poured herself a fresh cup of coffee and headed to her bedroom. They had been so busy exploring each other's bodies, they never took a moment to unpack Mandy and Fitz's clothes completely. Not that it mattered much. With as much sex as the three of them had over the past couple of days, they hadn't really needed clothes. Of course, even with as much as they may have wanted to remain that way, eventually they would need to mingle again with the rest of the world, and for the most part, that would require clothing. If only the rest of the world were as com
For the next two days, the three of them never left the cabin, even choosing to order in their food, instead of venturing out to stock the shelves. They spent their time exploring each other's bodies in the bedroom and sitting around the cabin exploring the possibilities of the future. Their panthers were calmer; at least, in the manner of the mating call, they were. In terms of the lust that filled the room, they were as insatiable as their human counterparts. The three of them had a difficult time keeping their hands and mouths off each other, and Mandy found herself buried between Kinsey's legs several more times since Sunday.They agreed there would be no sleeping in separate beds. They would live together, love together, sleep together, and every other together that existed. They weren't separate relationships trying to coexist; they were one relationship with three parts. Unorthodox, perhaps, but for them it would be how they lived. Mandy bore Fitz's mate mark, as did Kinsey, and
Fitz remained quiet after his statement about a new alpha, leaving the packing of their motel room to Mandy. Guilt filled him because he hadn't even considered how Kinsey would feel about returning to Draven Falls once he told her about his father's plans. Of course, he hadn't really thought beyond protecting her, so it wasn't like he made future plans. Hell, he wasn't even sure what the future held. He moved moment-by-moment right now, reacting more than planning his next step. That had to change.Mandy finished packing, and the three of them loaded the trunk of the car before heading back to Bull Creek. Mandy attempted to get him to talk more, but after a few short replies, gave up and talked with Kinsey, instead. By the time Fitz pulled into Kinsey's driveway, he couldn't even remember the drive there, his mind churning over how he would take over the family from his father, and whether that was even possible. Taking over the family was never something Fitz thought about, believing