Adira Brenna shoved, stretching her arm out, palm up, as magic blazed from her hand to strike Jensen Harper full force in the chest. He flew across the room, tumbling over her ottoman to land on the floor. "You knew all this time you were destined to mate another, and you still played hide the sausage with me?" Adira stood, arms crossed over her chest, not because she was scared or nervous, but to keep her from reaching out with her power again and turning Jensen and his wolf into something hideous. "How the hell could you do that? How could you allow me to believe we had a future?"Jensen hauled himself back to his feet, shaking off her attack as he paced back and forth in her living room, although she wasn't sure if it was him or his wolf who sensed the danger they were both in right then, making him act erratically. Jensen ran a hand through his dark chocolate hair, his gold eyes looking everywhere except at her. "I know, Adira, I know. It was stupid to allow you to think this could
Dimitri Everest just stared at the man, fighting the urge to reach out and break his nose. "Why the hell are you here, Bane? I thought I told you to leave this area." Dimitri could feel every muscle strain as his panther fought to rip out of him and attack the coyote in front of him "This is a peaceful place, and you aren't exactly the peaceful type."Bane pushed past Dimitri and his friend, Josh Rayburn, and walked further into Everglades. "This is a shifter bar, is it not?" Bane asked as he looked around, his gray eyes taking in every detail with mock amazement. "I thought I would come in here and enjoy a drink with my kind.""This is a bar where shifters hang out," Dimitri said. "Big difference from being a shifter bar. Everyone is welcome here. Wes makes sure of that."Bane turned again, his grin annoying as he widened his eyes as if just realizing something. "Then I should be welcome here, right? I mean, I am part of everybody.""There will be none of your hatred in here, Bane," W
Adira could not believe she agreed to this move into hell. What in the world was she thinking? No seasons, one-hundred-degree weather, and palm trees. Who in their right mind liked palm trees? They didn't even have real branches. They were basically long sticks with floppy leaves at the tip. They provided no actual shade, and no child ever built a tree fort in one. Squirrels didn't even like them. Palm trees didn't even deserve the classification of a tree. Why was she doing this? She took the exit off the Turnpike and onto Highway 192, heading east, eager to reach the end of her journey and the beginning of her escape from a nightmare that still sent anger pulsing through her and from the humiliation of being a man's toy while he waited for another. She drove through Kissimmee and St. Cloud, hating every minute of it, as tourist traffic brought everything practically to a standstill. People either made their way to the house of the mouse or left it, clogging up the lanes. She just wa
"She wasn't the lawyer we expected?" Josh Rayburn asked as he piled fresh logs into the pit, preparing for Bull Creek's weekly bonfire. "Then who is she?"Dimitri stood, his hands in his back pockets as he stared back in the direction of the cabin he had just left, as if he could see the structure through the woods. "The scent of Draven Falls still clung to her, so my guess is she's been sent by the Paranormal Council to help us somehow. Of course, it would be nice if someone had told me they sent the woman and how she's exactly supposed to help us." He smiled, as he recalled how confident the newcomer seemed when she faced him from her car, feisty and confident. She was a small woman in height, but her mouth more than made up for her size. Her long, dark hair framed her oval face, bringing out the deep blue of her eyes. Her curves had made him want to shift his cock in his pants, as he swallowed her with his gaze, knowing he already showed signs of arousal. His animal practically grow
She knew he was outside long before she heard the knock on her door. Right after Mr. Welcome Party left, Adira decided against using magic to clean the small cabin, choosing rather to do it the ordinary, mundane way. She needed the monotony to keep her mind off Jensen and Draven Falls. Besides, with the way her magic had been acting since she slammed Jensen into the wall, she wasn't sure her magic would do what she wanted or would, instead, blow her cabin to pieces. The first thing she did, however, before cleaning up the place was set wards all around her property, protection spells, which would warn her the moment someone stepped onto her property. Fortunately, her magic lasted long enough for that, and it was a safe spell to work. The man who greeted her earlier on her porch seemed to be expecting trouble, which seemed faster than she was led to believe. Of course, Agatha Rochester sent her here—okay, suggested she come here—so that she would get involved in the drama of the small c
The howling continued, as bushes rustled at the edge of the clearing. Dimitri knew the coyotes were prowling, searching for a weak spot, an opportune moment to strike and attack. He grinned, hoping they would do just that. He knew something like this might happen, knew Bane would be foolish, refusing to wait too long to press his advantage in an attempt to take over Bull Creek and drive the humans and their sympathizers out. The woods were filled with panthers, cougars, and bears, patrolling the area for just such an attack. They waited, watching for Dimitri's signal.He glanced over at Adira. If he expected her to be scared, he was gladly disappointed. She stood beside him, her back straight, and he could sense the power at her fingertips, ready to be unleashed. She wasn't afraid; she was ready. He even moved to step in front of her, a shield against whatever might happen next, but she moved to stand beside him instead. She wouldn't hide. There was too much fight in her. He felt his
"Well, that was pretty damn stupid," Alanna said, as she watched Adira stalk off toward her cabin.Dimitri held his hands out to his side, his face a mask of exasperation. "I know, right? She should know I would do anything to protect her."Josh turned to him, his right eyebrow arched. "You mean…"Dimitri ran a hand through his walnut-colored hair, letting out a breath as he did. "I felt it when she arrived, my panther going berserk the moment he scented her. Adira's my mate."Alanna turned to him, her brows furrowed over her nose line. He dropped his arms to his side and took a step back. "Are you serious?" she asked, her hands on her hips. "She should know? Why the hell would she know that? She's not a shifter, you dolt; she's a witch."Josh lifted his beer to his lips and took a sip, ignoring the imploring look Dimitri gave him as if to say, leave me out of it.Dimitri turned back to Alanna, still unsure he understood. "But she's been around shifters. She lived in Draven Falls for t
She fumed all the way back to her cabin, the dust from the road kicking up with her passage. How dare he? I am not some weakling, some poor female needing a man to protect me. I'm a witch damn it! The words continued stewing a morass of anger in her mind until she reached her cabin. With a flick of her wrist, the door burst open, slamming back against the wall. She continued her rampaging pace into her home, using her hand, as well as her anger, to slam the door shut behind her, sealing out her frustration with Dimitri.Entering the small kitchen area of the cabin, she pulled out a wine glass from the cabinet and then reached for the wine on the counter to pour herself a full glass. She downed half of the dark red liquid with one swallow, and then refilled the goblet as she took a deep breath. She couldn't believe how fast Dimitri went from sweet and understanding to an overprotective moron. It must be a record or something. She had already proved to him that she could take care of her
"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