Poor Stu found nothing on the warden's computer unless the man's fetish for collecting Betty Boop memorabilia counted. Considering the male in question had run this particular establishment for the last five years and shown no indication of having traveled outside the province in all that time kind of struck him off the list of suspects. Which meant he now needed to turn his attention to everyone else on staff. Damn. That was a lot of people to sort through. In a stroke of luck, or on purpose, Patricia was back to escort him to his cell by the time the warden let him go with a stern warning about not getting mixed up with the wrong sort and keeping his nose clean if he wanted to earn some privileges. Stu adopted an apologetic mien that never worked on his mother but did wonders with the warden. "I promise to behave, sir, and to not let my roommate lead me astray." "That's a good boy. What do you say I have my secretary sign you up for some prison work, som
"Bloody fucking hell." The curse echoed in the barren room, the highlight of the place the wall plastered with prison schematics, schedules and pictures of inmates. Welcome to the war room where the hand of justice plotted its next move. And next killing. According to the lunar calendar, the full moon approached, which meant the time to put the plan in motion was imminent. The prison, which initially boasted only two noticeable shifters, suddenly spawned two more, but in a bad stroke of luck, the newest ones shared a cell. How to arrange an incident without a witness? Taking them both out with the drug smuggled in past oblivious guards was doable, but how believable would a dual accident seem? Was it time to add a new scenario to the list? Waiting for an opportunity to strike meant letting the filthy animals live. Letting them wear a mask of humanity. Hiding amongst them, waiting for their chance to harm the unsuspecting. Something had to be done, but overreaching wou
The emptiness of the apartment taunted Patricia. Why it bothered her today when she usually treated it only as a place to sleep and eat she couldn't have said. There was nothing physically wrong with the space. It was just a generic apartment, rented because of its proximity to the prison, so similar to the one she lived in just outside of Ottawa. Beige walls, beige carpeting, the furniture that came with the place-black pleather sofa and chair, two-person pine dinette set, a simple double mattress on a metal frame. The only thing different from this apartment versus her own was hers at least had her favorite shows on PVR. Unsettled but unable to pinpoint why, Patricia skipped dinner-not a hard task given the frozen variety meals she kept stocked in the freezer, blech-and stripped in favor of a shower. She draped her uniform on a chair in the bedroom before heading into the bathroom, where the mirror over the sink cast her reflection. She paused to take a look. It was
Ricky spent two days in solitary, two days of mind-numbing boredom without a single visit from his cougar. Disappointment became his newest friend. And he discovered even a grown man could pout. Why is she ignoring me? He'd not found himself able to. On the contrary, he'd spent quite a bit of those two days thinking about her. Fantasizing about what he'd do the next time he got her alone. Picturing her bent over. Atop him. Under him. How she'd feel and taste. How she'd sound when she came. How she'd smile and ? ? pretend as if nothing ever happened between them when she did finally fetch him from his confinement. When the slot in the door slid open, her scent immediately wafted through, and he couldn't help a spurt of adrenalized anticipation. His initial jolt of joy died a quick death when she curtly demanded, "Please turn around and place your hands through the hole for cuffing." The indifference in her tone irked him. "What? No hello? How have I been?" "I'm n
Patricia left Ricky in the common area and went looking for Stu. Her cougar prowled her mind, restless and displeased. It lamented the fact she'd not let the rough-around-the-edges panther claim her or, at the very least, manage a grope. While Patricia might be a modern woman who valued her freedom and choices, her inner animal was more than eager to let a man place his mark upon her. What she saw as a crude pickup line, her beast saw as strength and determination. Much as it galled her, Patricia couldn't help but feel pleasure at his insistence he'd have her. That he wanted her. A part of her was even disappointed that she didn't get a kiss. There's always tonight. No. She tamped that thought right down. Tonight she needed to pay close attention to what went on. It would suck to have to explain, not to mention live with the guilt, if the killer struck on her watch. Especially if one of her guys got hurt. They're not mine. Funny how she kept saying that to herse
Color him confused. Stu could feel the anger radiating at his back and couldn't figure out the reason. Patricia acted as if he'd done something terrible, and yet, he'd not been the one to initiate their lovemaking. Enjoyed it, yes, but given his cougar's history and their current location, he'd made a vow to himself to keep things on the down-low for as long as possible-even if it hurt, which it most assuredly did, giving new meaning to the term blue balls. More like purple. His vow to behave, though, didn't mean he didn't harbor the hope they'd solve the case quickly and re-enter the real world, where he could woo Patricia properly. Hopefully with pointers from his more suave brothers-whom he'd have to bribe into secrecy, maybe with threats to ruin their credit rating or post little dick pics online. With his future and love life at stake, he could admit he needed help when it came to the fairer sex. Major help. Resigned to a torturous wait, imagine his surprise when, out
They couldn't hide what they'd done. Stu practically burst out of his skin he was so damned pleased with himself, while Patricia wore the expression of the guilty. Before she could tell him, Ricky faced the wall of his cell, palms against the cement surface as Patricia let Stu into the cell. The door slammed shut, and he heard the rattle as Stu's manacles were removed. Ricky didn't turn. He couldn't without fearing he'd do or say something stupid, an increasing certainty as his anger simmered, the smell of sex invading his nostrils, both taunting and pissing him off. She won't give me an inch, won't even let me try, but she'll fuck the pup. Unfreakn' believable. What did the young wolf have that he didn't? Ricky was bigger, stronger, an alpha to the wolf's beta. And yet the cougar chose the wimp over him? Talk about a blow to his ego-and his heart. "I've got to do my rounds. Stu, fill Ricky in on our new theory and why the change in plan. I'll be back in a while
As it turned out, it wasn't just a few corridors with malfunctioning cameras, but all of them. A system-wide glitch had taken all the cameras offline, leaving the guards blind. A technician had been called in to repair the problem, but he seemed to think it would be hours before he could resolve the issue. In a sense it was a blessing in disguise for Patricia. It meant less chance of her actions going noticed as she forewent the pre-planned route of her rounds to check on the shifters in her care. As if the moon goddess herself were on her side, they were short-shifted. A large number of guards called in sick, citing some kind of stomach flu that struck fast and furious. No surveillance. A skeleton crew of guards. Patricia didn't believe in coincidences. It's like someone is setting the scene. A scene for murder. But, this time, their perfectly plotted plan would fail, and their luck would run out because Patricia would catch them and bring them in to the council to pay for
Nothing ever felt more right than the first time Derrick sank balls deep into Janine. Unless he counted the second time and then the third. Over and over, he claimed her that night, the next day, all that week as she took some time off work for them to explore their new relationship. And yes, they were in a relationship. She's my mate now. And soon, she'd be his wife. He'd already asked for and received permission from Orson and Janine's mother. A conversation that went along the lines of? "I'm going to marry your daughter." "I get to plan the wedding." "I'll have you cremated if you hurt her." Derrick could already tell they'd fit in well with his family. Snap.*Epilogue An exaggerated groan left Derrick as he heaved Janine out of the car. The sound totally deserved a laser-hot glare. "Are you implying something?" No denying she was a little more rotund these days. He pulled her close, not caring that her big belly got in the way. A smile tugged
With Derrick buried in the bosom of his family, Janine slipped away before the tears blurring her gaze were noticed. Derrick had survived the surgery and seemed about to beat the odds. He would recover, which meant it was time for her to go. Even if I love him. And she did love him. Loved him so much that she couldn't be with him. She knew Derrick thought himself in love with her, that she was his mate. Much as she wanted to believe that, she couldn't. He'd fallen for her only because, at the time, he depended on her. Acting as his therapist meant their close involvement brought them together and imbued him with a false sense of intimacy. I think the intimacy came from you letting him touch you. Acts that shouldn't have happened, and yet, she didn't regret. It made leaving so much harder, but she did it now while she could. Now while he had his family and the promise of a bright future ahead of him. Let him get on with his life. Find a woman to settle dow
The hot satisfaction at having brought down the enemy paled before the panicked realization that Derrick couldn't move. Not a single damned muscle. The cold reality sent his wolf into hiding, pulling back from the dead weight of his body and leaving only human flesh. Flesh that felt nothing but the tips of her fingers on his cheeks as she cradled his head. "Derrick. Oh God, why did you do that?" She hugged his head, and if the moment weren't so dire, he might have enjoyed being buried against her plush tits. But all he could think was, This is the last time. The last time he'd smell her or feel her touch because he'd fucked up majorly in skipping the surgery and now paid the price. Since he didn't expect he'd get another chance, he whispered, "I love you," which only caused her to rock and hug tighter. In a voice thick with tears, she retorted, "This better not be one of those goodbye speeches. You're going to be fine. We'll get you in for that surgery, and ever
Doctor's Pet. She read the title in gleaming silver letters on the back of Derrick's chair as he whipped by with a whoop, well ahead of his brothers in their own colorful chariots. When she'd come across some orderlies watching something out the window, she'd not expected to see the Grayson clan gathered out front, clapping and hollering at the participants in the wheelchair races. It wasn't even just Derrick and his brothers playing. They'd gotten several other patients to join in too. Given the speed at which they raced, a fear for their safety made her want to march out that door and tell them to stop, but an old adage came to mind-boys will be boys. And men would do stupid things that resulted in stitches for, as Stu said upon meeting her, "Shits and giggles." The main surgeon for the rehab center came to stand beside her. "Looks like fun," he noted. "Yes. Dangerous, though," she added. "These men have been to hell and back. Do you really want to
The feel of her on his fingers proved exhilarating, but it couldn't compare to her intoxicating taste. A man parched, Derrick lapped at her, savoring her womanly cream and humming with pure male satisfaction at how she clenched and pushed against him, her body craving more of his touch. He couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. Too long he'd craved her. Too long he'd denied the unmistakable truth. Janine is mine. And for this moment at least, he couldn't find the strength to push her away. I'm tired of fighting what I want. Time for a little selfishness. He lapped at her sweet button, feeling it swell at his flicks. He pumped his fingers in and out of the moistness of her sex, loving how she gripped him tight. Her excitement built, reaching a crescendo, and he felt just as coiled as her, poised on the edge. He pistoned his fingers in her as his lips pinched her swollen button. A low cry began to keen from her lips. She smashed a pillow over her face as her body arched
Something woke Janine from a light slumber. She lay in bed, one half of her face squashed against her pillow, listening. Not even the creak of joists shifting broke the heavy silence. Holding her breath a moment longer, she tested the ambiance of the room. Is anyone here? Am I alone? Her senses craned, seeking that sense of vitality that only another person could emit. She sought another presence, a reason for waking, and felt nothing. She exhaled with relief. No bogeyman tonight. For those who might mock her, she had no problem admitting a fear of the dark, especially the particular shade it achieved in the middle of the night. Dark deeds often happened under night's shadow. And sometimes a little girl wakes and opens her eyes to see bloodshot ones staring right at her. The shriek she uttered proved piercing. The scarier thing? Daddy screamed at an even higher pitch. But that had happened a long time ago. Only the one time, but it left an impression. She'
The tingling awareness of her presence faded as Janine moved from the doorway of the game room. He'd known she watched him. Felt her eyes on him the moment she appeared and missed her gaze when she left. It took him gripping the wheels of his chair not to chase after her. Having her out of his line of sight didn't sit well, and not just because of all the people roaming around. Earlier, when they'd first arrived, he'd also hated sending her off into the kitchen with her mother. Then again, it was probably a good thing Red didn't stay because the first thing Derrick tried to do was get her out of his life. "I want a new shrink." On his way to a bar, fetching a drink of something with a fiery kick, Orson paused. "Is there a problem with my daughter?" "No." "Then why the request?" The council member uncorked a decanter and poured some amber liquid into glasses. He handed one to Derrick before taking a seat on the couch. "Do you want her removed because she's
Despite the mishap in locating Derrick-I really thought I'd have to hunt him down and force him-the road trip passed rather peacefully. Despite the sexual tension between them, there was also a genuine like for one another, and when he wasn't barbing her or trying to push Janine away, they could have the most interesting conversations. It passed the long trip. While Derrick started out driving, the highway part of the route being the longest, she took over once they hit an exit. She made sure to give him a pit stop so he could use a washroom, and she said not a word about the fact that he took a few minutes longer than other people to do his business and glared at those who dared to complain outside the locked door. As she took the familiar twists and turns to her parents' house, she couldn't help a touch of anxiousness. How would her stepdad react? With her, Orson was the most lovable teddy bear a girl could ask for, but with anyone he thought threatened her? Poor Jeremy w
Red stalked into his room, swinging the door open in a familiarity that apparently didn't see a need to knock. "Derrick, we need to-Uh. Oh." Her outburst ended on a gasp. Probably because she got more of a glimpse than she expected Splayed on top of covers still drawn tight, one hundred percent naked, and bound-the height of emasculation-he glared. "Were you raised in a barn?" Something his mother used to accuse him of when he lacked manners. His Aunt Joni took great offense at that expression and claimed it was those raised as ci-diots that were the problem with morality nowadays. A shame they feuded for years on end. Aunt Joni's pie was worth the occasional brawl between sisters. Janine's head ducked. He could only imagine the pinkness of her expressive cheeks. "Sorry. I didn't think. I'll come back later when you're not so, um, er, tied up," she stammered. The things she could do to me right now? For a moment, he almost imagined a spark, enough that he said t