 
### Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Epilogue

Dear Reader,
**Fang Chronicles: Amy's Story**

D'Elen McClain

aka

Holly S. Roberts
**Fang Chronicles: Amy's Story**

D'Elen McClain

aka

Aka Holly S Roberts

Published by Wicked Story Telling

Copyright © 2017 Holly S. Roberts

Printing History

eBook second edition 2019

Edited by Kimberly Dawn

Cover by Fantasia Frog Designs

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be multiplied, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by whatever means. Electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the writer. This eBook is licensed for your use only.

This is a work of fiction. ALL characters are derived from the author's imagination.

No person, brand, or corporation mentioned in this Book should be taken to have endorsed this Book nor should the events surrounding them be considered in any way factual.
**Dedication**

Wicked Warrior Street Team

I rewrote Amy's Story for you because you told me it was your favorite.

Thank you!

**About the author**

D'Elen McClain aka Holly S. Roberts is a retired homicide and sex crimes detective who loves long walks on the beach and sweet music. Not really... she hikes mountains with her Rottweiler and listens to hard rock with heavy bass and bad words. She's the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the Fang Chronicles, Fire Chronicles, Completion Sports, Genetically Modified, and Hotter Than Hell series. If a book doesn't have enticing romance, steamy sex, and hot alpha men she doesn't read or write it.
Prologue

_Two hundred years ago..._

_Marcus_

The time has come.

I turn to Ivan who's barely holding it together. "Take the pack away and don't return until tomorrow night." It's an order, but that's never stopped Ivan from voicing his opinion.

He stares at me for half a minute before speaking. "I don't think that's a good idea, Marcus. You need me here; you need _us_ here." So many emotions cross Ivan's face--grief, pain, love, the loneliness to come. His heartache is almost as great as mine.

He must understand how important these remaining hours are for me. My gaze is filled with all the pain Ivan's holds, but I add a flash of amber to my eyes. "This will be my last night with Victoria, and I need to be alone with her, my friend," I add the last part to soften the blow, and it takes everything I have to keep my voice from cracking. Ivan needs to know I'm in control and that I can handle this.

Stubborn determination fills his eyes. "Can you keep the promise you made?" he asks, each word succinct.

It will be the hardest thing I've ever done. "Yes, my friend, I will keep my promise."

He nods. "I will return tomorrow, as you ask. Send the call if you need me. I love you, my brother." Ivan grasps my arm and squeezes before releasing me. He walks from the room with one last glance at the woman on the bed, the woman he loves too.

I sit on the mattress where Victoria rests, and I take her hand. Frail--covered with age spots and wrinkles--the most beautiful hand I've ever held. I touch her white hair and run my fingers through the thin, brittle strands. She's the love of my life, and sixty years is too short a time. The clench in my heart is physically painful. Even eternity wouldn't be long enough to spend with her.

Victoria's eyelids flutter open. A white sheen clouds her eyes, and I see death in her irises. I can smell her body shutting down, but her coming death doesn't yet overwhelm the unique scent that's all hers. The perfume of her life, gallantly lived, still fills my senses.

"I love you," I tell her gently. Tonight is the last time she'll hear me say the words, the last night she'll hear anything in this life.

"And I love you, my heart," she whispers, her voice filled with so much sadness.

I see past the wrinkles lining her skin, put there by the years of standing at my side. The beauty of her youth shines, and for just a moment, a sudden spark in her eyes shows her vitality and sense of humor. "Are you in pain?" I ask.

"No," she answers in a weak, raspy voice and lifts one finger. She breathes in and out slowly, and I wait patiently for her to continue speaking. "My time is at an end. I feel at peace, my heart."

My hand tightens slightly on hers, fully aware that too much pressure will hurt her. I don't think I'll make it through the next hour, much less the lifetimes I'll live without her by my side. She's everything in my world. Everything.

"Someone is out there for you." She sighs with conviction, the spark in her eyes growing more intense. "Someone special who wants to spend eternity with you. I am sorry it can't be me." She hesitates and catches her breath. "You have given me a love I thought I would never have. My heart will follow you even after my body is dust. I want you to love again. Give yourself time and then find your soulmate. I will not rest peacefully until you're happy." Her eyes grow wide and then flutter. I stop breathing for a moment, begging every God ever worshipped not to do this.

We've had the _soulmate_ conversation so many times, and still she doesn't understand that what she asks is impossible. Before I can reply, Victoria inhales sharply, takes my hand in both of hers, and whispers, "One last gift I want you to give me. It's unfair of me to ask, but I'm a selfish woman." The corners of her lips lift in more of a grimace than a smile, but she tries, and I will deny her nothing.

"Anything," I whisper.

Her eyes focus on mine before she speaks. "Take my blood as my heart stops."

My breath catches. I've not tasted her blood in almost fifteen years. She became too frail to sustain me, and I wanted her with me for as long as possible. Her presence is far more powerful than all the blood in the world.

"I cannot, Victoria." I want to scream into the universe that this is so unfair. "I cannot," I repeat desperately, hoping she'll understand that I'm not that strong.

She holds my gaze, refusing to release me. "Marcus, I have not shared with you in so long. I'm not asking this second. You will know when; you will feel my last heartbeats. I'm afraid, and I want you with me completely at the end." She closes her eyes as if the request is more than she has energy for. Her chest rises and falls in quiet sleep--her face at rest without the pain that's followed her for weeks. I can't survive losing her.

When Victoria next opens her eyes, they're panicked. No air flows into her oxygen-deprived lungs. She realizes what's happening and calms instantly. I don't think about her request or why I don't want to give in. My sharp fangs sink into her throat, and her incredible life's energy fills me.

As I draw the last of her blood from her body, her breathing slows. A moment later, it stops. I withdraw my fangs and memorize her pain-free, beautiful face. She has a soft smile on her lips, and all I can do is rest my head on her chest. I cry for the lifetimes to come without her beside me.

I also cry because of my promise.
Chapter One

_Present day..._

_Amy_

My name is Amy Stiles, and I'm a journalist with a master's degree in journalism. I'm not asking for anything but to be taken seriously, and no matter how I try, my darned appearance is that of a teenager.

The mantra "serious journalist" plays through my head over and over. This might be my only chance to prove I'm capable of performing this job as well as any man. So far in my career, I've tried to portray myself as older, more mature, and nowhere near my real age. Today, for the first time, I'm trying to appear younger. The mirror tells the story. My oval face, pure blue eyes, and lush brown hair in ponytails with a slightly crooked part reflect someone who looks more like a young teenager than a career woman. I'm wearing no makeup and feel naked. It doesn't help that my shorts are skimpy. Okay--indecent. My tight shirt reveals too much of my small breasts with the tight bra lifting them so the skin bulges out from the material. Usually my small breasts don't help my career, and I didn't think they would do anything for this aspect either. Somehow, pushed up, my breasts make me appear sluttier than I've allowed myself even when out on a hot date. The sales clerk who helped me choose the bra knew exactly what she was doing, and I should have gone to a professional when I first started working at the newspaper. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I started college, going after a degree in journalism, and the first day at the office proved I wasn't wrong.

I snort at these thoughts. No kidding, I know this profession. My mother lived it until her death from cancer when I was seventeen. No doubt about it, I'm my mother's daughter when it comes to a story.

I smooth my hands over my sides, properly aligning the thin material of the shirt while breathing slow and steady. I'm ready to tackle a horrifying story largely ignored by the media. A series of young women have been murdered on the lower south side of the city. They appeared to be prostitutes, and their ages varied from sixteen to twenty-five. Some have yet to be identified, and their ages are only forensic guesses at best. From the files I've studied, tests show a variety of drugs in each girl's system.

With a huff that lifts my new sassy bangs off my forehead, I saunter to the front door of my apartment, hips swaying, getting fully into my roll. Before I grasp the door handle, my ankle twists slightly, and I almost eat the floor.

"Damn, these heels are going to break my neck," I mutter as I use the doorknob for balance while rubbing my sore ankle and staring daggers at the four-inch torture devices on my feet.

I step out the door, looking to the right at the elevator sign. With a sigh of longing, I turn my back on the easy exit and head left to practice my acrobatic walk down three flights of stairs. I make it to the ground floor with only a few wobbles and then catch a bus into the inner city.

Stares of men follow when I exit the bus. Yep, my disguise is working. Those men were thinking just what I wanted them to--that woman needs another fix, and she's willing to work for it. I really lucked out with this venture. My friend, Brian, a police detective, allowed me to view a few interrogation videos from his vice squad days, all public record of course. I told him I would request the records myself until I discovered the price. Who knew it was free to go into the police department and view those same records? I knew after watching those videos that I needed to appear desperate. It's actually not too far of a stretch. My desperation for this story is just another type of drug and the one I prefer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not foolish enough to actually want to find the killer. My plan is to stay close enough to people on the streets so I don't attract unwanted attention. This defense, with any luck, will offer a degree of protection. No, my story will be about life on the street, the shortage of shelter, food, and yes, the prosperity of drugs on those same streets. It's about why, with a killer hunting women, they continue to desperately live their lives serving the streets.

My first evening proves how little I know. The corner I choose is next to a dilapidated liquor store with a blinking "OPEN" sign above the front door. Bars cover the windows, and a rolled back metal grate is attached to the front door. The trash on the pavement is being gently pushed along by a slight breeze, and the waft does little to extinguish the smell of rotting garbage. I can't help wondering if the odors seep into the walls of the old buildings. I scan the area. Two "working girls" are on the next corner, and they don't look friendly. I don't want to be too close. I check my feet and make a conscious effort to keep the spikes from the large cracks in the pavement. I nervously run my hands down the sides of my body beginning at the top sides of my breasts and end at the hem of my shorts. I mentally slap myself when I attempt to tug the shorts lower.

"Think slutty," I whisper under my breath, placing my feet apart and cocking a hip. It's about five minutes after _striking the pose_ when a potential customer approaches.

He's dirty and smells strongly of body odor and alcohol, not a good combination. I'm prepared for an offer of drugs, but this one only wants sex, and he's willing to pay hard cash which doesn't interest me. With a shudder, I reassure myself he's too drunk to perform. I start acting strung out, wanting a quick high, and it does the trick. The man stumbles away after a few choice words.

The second man smells only slightly better. He wants me to follow him to a cheap hotel where he can make me a "very happy girl." When I don't immediately follow, he grabs my arm in a firm grasp that I know will leave bruises. Twisting away, I shove him and quickly wobble into the liquor store.

The clerk's eyes follow me intently after I enter. I'm sure he expects me to steal something. That's okay. At this point, I just want my admirer to go away. Yes, he was promising drugs, but I'm sure he had more on his mind, and that's not happening. Other than the second admirer, no one seems bent on violence. A few more men approach me, and one even gives me a pill he says is "Oxy." I take the pill and pretend to swallow, keeping it between two fingers and making it appear to go down my throat. He says he can find more and maybe we can make a trade.

After he leaves, I quickly find another spot on a corner two blocks away. The man doesn't find me which is a relief. Looking around, I'm not paying attention when suddenly I'm shoved down to the cement sidewalk. "What the hell?" is my weak comeback as I lay on the cold concrete, glaring up at a tall woman dressed in black spandex that's at least two sizes too small. My face is even with the woman's stilettoes, and they have an inch on mine. It's probably not the best time to ask for walking pointers.

"This is my turf. If you get near me again, I'll slit your throat. Now, get the hell out of here."

I see the kick coming and roll to my side. The sharp edge on the woman's shoe catches my thigh, leaving a deep scratch and what will probably be another bruise. It hurts like hell, and a small amount of blood trickles down my leg. Looking on the bright side, I decide the wound will add character to my disguise. As I limp thirty feet from my attacker, I acknowledge the lesson just learned: Never tread on another working girl's territory.

Near dawn, all I want is a bed, even one in a dingy hotel that rents their rooms by the hour. I crave silence and sleep before starting my second night on the streets and don't balk at the steep nonhourly rate.

Five hours later, I cover my mouth with the moldy smelling pillow and scream as loud as I can. I'm unable to sleep due to the regular opening and closing of the doors to the rooms around me. I've suffered through continuous moans, a bed hitting the connecting wall with loud thumps, and at one point a scene straight out of _Fifty Shades of Grey_. I've given myself two weeks to gather enough material for my story, and at this rate, I won't last forty-eight hours. Then again, maybe after a night without sleep, I'll really look like I belong on the streets.

***

The next evening, I find a well-lit spot and glance around. The lighting is brighter, and it seems safe from rough handling by men or aggressive prostitutes. Looking desperate for a fix is now easy. I look like hell, and it only took one night. When a handsome guy smiles at me, I toss my longing for sleep aside and coyly smile back. He approaches and all I can think about is why on earth would he need to pay for a woman? I sway a little closer.

His eyes travel over my lean frame. Boldly, he places his hand on my breast before I realize what he's going to do and rubs his thumb over my nipple. Cringing internally while trying to keep my disgust hidden, I exhale. My recorder is safely sewn into the hem of my shorts and will provide a record of this experience.

I check the area and see plenty of people. Though they aren't watching me, I surprisingly feel safe. Maybe it's because I know I won't be going anywhere with this guy. His eyes and the way he stares give me the creeps, not to mention his familiarity with my body. He none too gently pushes me back toward the brick wall of the downtown store I'm standing in front of. The rough surface bites into the backs of my arms. I don't look around this time; I keep my eyes glued to his.

I'm not expecting the sharp sting of a needle in my thigh, and I open my mouth to scream. His strong hand covers my lips, and his other hand tightens around my back.

Terror washes through me--overwhelming and immobilizing as the effects of the drug hit my system. I'm frantic, my eyes seeking anyone who might notice what's happening. My last conscious thought before the world goes black is, I don't want to die. And just like the other girls, no one will notice my disappearance on a street filled with people.

***

I wake up groggy, barely able to keep my eyes open, my limbs heavy and unresponsive. I gasp when a stinging slap hits my cheek. Gradually my vision clears, and panicked horror sweeps through me, followed by tightly leashed fury because I don't want to die or be raped or beat up. This scenario wasn't in my idiotic plans.

The man above me, too large to fight off, holds my gaze with a chilling look in his eyes. Cold shivers run from the back of my neck clear to my toes as he slowly places one hand at his zipper and begins lowering it. My breathing accelerates when the zipper stops its rasping descent. He straightens and kicks my legs apart before stepping between them.

When he tugs at my shorts, my brain finally kicks into gear with the realization that the rape part of my dread is about to happen. I start struggling like a crazy woman fighting for her life when crippling pain in my eye socket stops me cold. Crap, I never saw his fist coming. Agony travels from my eye and radiates throughout my head. What little light is prevalent fades to nothingness, and the will to fight leaves me as the pain swells. Barely conscious, my shorts and underwear are now dangling around one leg. All I can focus on are my shoes being hiked into the air on either side of the man's hips. I almost laugh at the picture they present. Instead, tears trail down my face at the realization that I can't stop what's about to happen.

Before the world fades away completely, another man appears. Dressed in black, he almost blends with the surroundings, which makes it seem like he came out of thin air. He's large and looming behind my attacker. _A partner maybe?_ My cloudy brain scrambles. Suddenly my attacker is jerked away and suspended in the air by his neck. I blink, thinking I've lost consciousness when his body flies across the alley. Not flies as in shoved or stumbled. No, his entire body goes airborne, no part of him touching the ground for at least ten feet. My savior follows the man's flight almost faster than my eyes, and my ears fill with a strange sound I can't make sense of.

The man in black rises a few minutes later and walks over to me. I glance from the crumpled heap that's now my attacker and stare at the strange man. Piercing amber eyes glare down at me, and my last thought is even with blood smearing his face, he's beautiful.
Chapter Two

_Marcus_

I open my eyes after the sun goes down. Modern convenience is a blessing when it comes to being a vampire, and the dark metal shades on my windows retract with barely a sound, allowing me to see the waning moon and bright stars.

My sensitive ears pick up the sound of Ivan's feet charging up the stairs. He opens the door without knocking and enters. "I know you're hungry, so don't even try to deny it," he says sternly like the mother hen he is.

I give him the look that would frighten most terrorists. As usual, it leaves Ivan unfazed. That's why I know Ivan is a fool. I haven't actually killed anyone in the last decade, but today might be a good time to end my murder-less streak.

My continued glare doesn't deter him in the least.

He looks so earnest too. "Mary, the next wolf on the rotation, is waiting to feed you, and she offers gladly. She's lovely, and she worships you," he adds in a more conciliatory tone. "Break your fast and make her happy. It won't kill you." A stubborn gleam enters his eyes. "If you don't stop starving yourself, you might go blood crazy and kill us all. I made a vow to die protecting you, but not to die at the hands of your blood-deprived self."

"Shut up and send Mary to my room," I sigh because everything he says is correct. Ivan takes no time to turn on his heel and leave the room to collect my dinner. With his departure, I have a moment of peace before a tentative knock on the door has me swearing silently. While Mary's blood tastes wonderful, she's a timid creature, and I loathe myself for causing her stress. When I last fed from her, I tasted fear as her blood flowed through my body, and it brought me no joy. Many years ago, I loved the rush brought on when terror pulsed through my victims. Victoria cured me of that thrill two centuries ago.

"Enter," I bark, glaring at the closed door. What I really want to say is stay out. The door opens slowly, and Mary hesitantly walks through with her head down. She might be my least favorite snack, but to keep the pack healthy, I must feed from all of them. As it is, I've waited one day too long to eat and won't be gentle with her because of it. She disrobes with shaking fingers. When her clothes are on the floor, she joins me in my large bed, doing her duty. My hand threads through her hair, and I caress her shoulder, trying to make this easier for us both.

"If you don't want this, Ivan can feed me," I tell her.

Mary tips her face up to mine, and her gaze holds perseverance. "I wish to do this for you." Her eyes take on a glow I really don't want to see, and her next words turn me cold. "I love you." She lifts her hand to my face and runs her shaking fingers along my jaw. "I'm sorry to be afraid. I'll try to remain calm this time."

Her heart rate accelerates, and her fear fills my senses. I can't do this again. I leap from the bed, pull on clothes, and before Mary has any inkling at what I'm about to do, I dive from the bedroom window into the night. I've brought this on myself, and Mary shouldn't be the one to pay.

I seldom hunt now. It's far too dangerous for my kind. Modern forensics is my least favorite aspect of today's technology, making the danger too high.

I have an hour before attending a board of trustees meeting at my house. My business is much more than successful. I'm one of the wealthiest men in America. Living hundreds of years gives me an edge in the market, and everything I touch seems to turn to gold. Business isn't what I'm thinking about right now, though.

Bloodlust sizzles through my veins, and I have one goal: I wish to feed off someone who deserves the terror. I also don't want to harm an innocent like Mary. I don't want someone to sacrifice themselves to me out of blind loyalty. I'll take a thief or rapist. Anyone who deserves my wrath and the sting of my teeth in their throat. A shrill scream sends me in the direction of new prey.

I land on the corner of an alley in one of the unsavory sections of the city and peer into the dark space that's completely clear with my eyes vamped to amber. A man is ripping the clothes from a girl. When she feebly tries to dislodge his hands, he punches her in the face which leaves her almost unconscious.

This scenario plays directly to my needs, and I'll be enjoying a good dinner this evening. I'm on the man before he knows I'm there. His body careens through the air and hits the cement with a solid thud. I don't give him time to gather what thoughts he has left and descend on top of him, taking his throat in my hands. The strike of my deadly fangs are swift and unstoppable. He's too out of it to fight or understand his death is mere minutes away, if that. His blood satisfies a part of me I've tried to bury. I'm a predator, and for hundreds of years, humans were my prey.

The man's eyes slowly close, and he stops breathing. My problem now is I've left no blood in his body, and I can't afford for it to be discovered.

Calling through my telepathic line with the pack, I notify Ivan. "Send a team," I tell him sharply. Staring at the girl, I'm thankful she's unconscious and I won't need to end her short life. The guilt would stay with me for a long time, but I'll protect our secrets at all costs.

She stirs when I toss the man's body behind a dumpster. I walk over, and her startling blue eyes stare at me before they flutter and close. Lifting her against my chest, I feel protective of this child for the strangest, unfathomable reason. Alba can deal with her and find a safe place for her to stay until she's on her feet or ready for foster care.

I flash the two of us home, my burden lighter than I ever thought a human could be. After placing her on the bed of one of the house's many rooms, I sit next to the bed and study her. The tang of narcotic drugs in her system is noticeable, but underneath there's a scent I hadn't detected in the alley. I breathe deeply and freeze. I've not smelled blood as electrifying as hers in centuries. Not since Victoria.

In that moment, I almost kill her, and I know not doing so will change everything. Looking down at her, it's her youth that stops me. I cannot kill a child. I won't.

***

_Amy_

I wake up on a soft bed with the faint glow of a night lamp shining from the nightstand beside me. A stunning young woman gently rubs a warm washcloth across my aching face. I wince at the touch. I see blood on the cloth when the woman rinses it in a bowl of water next to her.

She smiles, and it relieves me. Her voice is soft when she speaks. "It's about time you rejoined the living. I was getting worried. I think it's the drugs more than the blow to your face. However, I'm not a doctor."

With my still muddled thoughts, it takes a moment to decipher her words and make sense of them. "What drugs?" I finally ask in a scratchy voice that doesn't sound like mine. Flashes of the scene in the alley run through my head as clarity finally finds me.

"No need to worry, they'll soon be out of your system. We can connect you with a good drug abuse center. The Master will take care of everything, and you'll be a new person in no time."

_The Master? A drug abuse center_? It's hard, but I keep my thoughts to myself for now. The events of the previous evening continue to filter into my brain, and two notions hit at once. A man tried to rape me. And I hope it's not too late to call Brian before he hits the panic button and the entire police department goes out searching for me.

"May I use your phone?" I ask abruptly, struggling to control my dread.

"All our phones are located on the lower floor. I can have someone called for you. Do you have family that will worry, or are you trying to reach your dealer?"

I look down at myself and suddenly realize how I must appear. My slutty clothes are dirty and in tatters. "I'm not who you think I am," I say urgently. "I'm a reporter. The friend I need to call is a police detective. I don't want a city-wide alarm sounded because he hasn't heard from me." In spite of my weak and shaky voice, I feel better with each passing minute. Another thought enters my head, and my eyes narrow in confusion. "What happened to the guy who attacked me?" I ask. He had to be the killer of the young women. Why was I rescued when others died? Were the drugs in their system because he injected them too?

The journalist in me slams more of the fog away and begins writing the story in my head. It takes a moment to realize the woman standing over me has a look of complete horror on her face. I actually glance over my shoulder before I realize the woman is staring at me, and I'm the cause of her fear.

The bedroom door is suddenly thrown open and two men enter. Both are large and one carries a hypodermic needle in his hand. The other man is my beautiful rescuer, though this time his eyes are brown and not the amber I remember. He grabs me suddenly, and the other man jams a needle into my arm. My last thought isn't fear. It's _not again_.
Chapter Three

_Marcus_

Ivan paces the carpeted living room. "Why is she even here?" he growls.

I shoot Mr. Obvious a furious glare. "I thought she was a young, drug-addicted prostitute and needed help." It's one thing to kill in the moment. It's entirely another to go up to that room and kill the woman now. I should have done it in the alley.

"Do you want me to take care of her?" Ivan asks.

I know Ivan will do it. We've hunted together on many occasions. Neither of us is a bloodthirsty animal, and killing for the sake of killing has lost its appeal after so many centuries. I run my hand through my hair in frustration. "I'll do it. Afterward, you can dispose of her body. I don't want the pack feeding off her. Damn, I'm getting sentimental in my old age, but it's not her fault she has to die. Making it painless while she's unconscious is the least we can do."

Ivan nods, his eyes glinting steel. He's not happy with me at all. My clan is more civilized than ever before, but they are still part animal and often need the taste of a kill. Soothing their bloodlust helps keep them under control when it's important. "We'll head to the ranch after this merger's finished," I say to pacify him. "Once we're back in Arizona, we'll hunt large game." When the pack's in need, things become dangerous quickly, and from the look in Ivan's eyes, his need is great.

He acknowledges my decision with an almost imperceptible lift of his chin. Killing the woman must be done quickly, and I head to the stairs. When I open the bedroom door holding our reporter, Alba is sitting on the bed next to the woman.

"She's very beautiful, Marcus. I too thought she was a child. It's sad that her life will be cut short. I must be getting soft and old to be thinking this way. I wasn't in favor of becoming civilized, but you were right, and we had to find a way to exist in modern times. Now, I grieve for a young woman I don't even know."

I look at Alba. She's one of my best killing machines and fights like a mother protecting her cubs. Besides Ivan, I want Alba at my back if shit hits the fan.

I hate doing this to Alba. "It's my fault. I should have killed her in the alley."

Her eyes plead with me and then she puts the plea to words. "Take her back, Marcus. I'll watch over her until she's found. We don't need her blood on our hands."

My disturbed gaze settles on the woman on the bed. "It isn't safe. She's seen Ivan, you, and me, plus this room."

Alba growls. It's not the first time I'm the focus of her anger, and it won't be the last. The biggest surprise is that Alba stands in front of the woman, positioning her body as a shield. This is outright rebellion, and now I'm in for a fight. Not a fight of words, but one of blood.

I attack and Alba sails across the room. She's up and on me before I can turn away to avoid her sharp claws because she's now in wolf form. Even with her ripped clothing slowing her, she manages to rake my face and arm. My fangs remove a chunk of fur and flesh from her side before I toss her against the wall again.

Ivan storms into the room, his voice loud with rage. "Stop, Alba. Are you out of your mind?" His enraged expression changes to confusion. "Oh shit, Marcus can't you smell it? She's pregnant again."

The fight goes out of me, and shame takes over. I should have scented the pregnancy. "Damn it, Alba, are you okay?" I ask with blood dripping from my face onto my shirt; it's nothing an hour won't cure.

Alba's in just as bad shape, but she's not letting up. "Screw you, Marcus. You are not killing this girl!" she screams.

I turn and glare at Ivan. He just stares back like an idiot. We both know Alba's won. A new cub is being born into the pack, and momma wolf will get her way. Pack children are incredibly rare, and one hasn't been born in over fifty years.

I glance at Ivan and address him. "Take the woman back to the alley, alive, and keep watch until someone finds her. Tell the pack to prepare the house for departure. I'll finish the merger tomorrow, and we'll leave immediately afterward."

Alba steps between me and Ivan and says, "I'll protect the woman until she's found and safe."

Of course she will.

An hour later, Alba hides behind a dumpster in wolf form until a prostitute notifies authorities. She sends me a telepathic blow by blow of events just to interrupt my sleep. With the condition of the woman, it will look like a client got a little rough. The drugs in her system will make her story hard to believe, I hope. The lack of her attacker's body will help muddle her story too.

As the ambulance pulls away, Alba grins through our link, and then it breaks so I'm left to try and sleep.

***

_Alba_

I felt the life inside me, actually two lives, a few weeks ago. I hate the city and will insist on giving birth at the ranch.

The men know I become unreasonable when pregnant even though it's been over a hundred years since giving birth to my last child. I always turn bloodthirsty with a new life inside me, alternating between crying and laughing, loving everyone one minute and hating them the next. This time was different from the beginning, and I actually felt more passive. Or at least I did until the reporter brought out my mothering instinct. The woman will live; she must.

I haven't told Ivan or Marcus that I dreamed of her. It took time for me to understand the meaning of my dreams. Once I saw her, I knew exactly how she fit into our secret lives. She's special, and she's now forever intertwined with us. I'll need to think more about what this means, but the change has been coming for years. Now that the woman has entered our world, Marcus will improve.

I let out a sigh and place my hand on my stomach. It's a relief to have the pregnancy out in the open. Worrying about Ivan's reaction when he found out exhausted me. I knew there would be anger, but I also knew he would make room in his heart for the new children and eventually forgive me.

I also need to be on the ranch, so I can stop worrying about my hormones becoming too unpredictable. From this point to when the babies are born, it's best to stay away from humans. The threat I pose while carrying puts them at risk. I also want to see my sons. The four boys are grown men and need to begin families of their own.

It's important to the clan that they have children. Unfortunately, my two new ones will give the boys the excuse they need to delay a family. I shake my head. Now isn't the time to worry about it. As much as I love carrying a child, I realize my yearning for family togetherness is brought on by the pregnancy because I usually hate the touchy, feely crap.
Chapter Four

_Amy_

I glare at Brian. If he doesn't stop yelling, I'm cutting him from my non-existent will. He doesn't even care that the drugs are barely out of my system. He doesn't care that my face still hurts. Oh no, he's more interested in pounding my head with sharp words.

"Enough, Brian," I finally say, lifting my hand to ward him off. "If you don't stop, I swear, I'll have the hospital remove you."

"Try! You stupid, idiotic, fluff-for-brains female." He scowls down at me, uncaring that his words hurt. "Crap! I don't know why I even bother," he mutters, throwing his hands into the air.

He storms from the room which doesn't bother me. Much. He'll be back to give me another lecture after he calms down from this one. He loves me like a sister, and as with any sibling, his anger will cool. It just won't happen while the evidence of the assault shows on my face. Once I'm healed, I'll apologize and invite him and his wife over for his favorite takeout and get back into his good graces. That always works.

I review the events of the past twenty-four hours. My head might be groggy over what transpired, but I remember quite a few things clearly. One thing that stands out is the perfectly beautiful face of my rescuer. Mesmerizing is the only way to describe him. His facial bone structure is sculptured like a Greek God's. His eyes, a soft brown when he came into the bedroom, were not the amber I remember from the night he saved me. Why would he save me, take me to a different location, inject me with more drugs, then dump me back in the same alley?

I told the police none of this, especially not Brian. I let them think I was drugged and knocked out. The rape kit they put me through showed nothing. With large chunks missing from my memory, I had to be certain I wasn't sexually assaulted, so I allowed the invasive procedure.

The only marks showing from my struggles are on my face. A tremor ripples through me. I don't know if my attacker is alive. I, however, do know I can identify him. Oh God! What if he comes after me?

I wrap my arms around myself and rock back and forth in the white sheets of the hospital bed I'm resting on. I vaguely remember my attacker's body flying through the air. Could he have survived that? I know it's not good Karma, but I hope he's dead and can never harm someone else. I know he's the killer of the other women. My thoughts return to my savior. How did he lift, let alone toss a two-hundred-pound man across an alley? I know I didn't dream it. Prostitutes are assaulted every day, and drop-dead gorgeous men don't rescue them. The entire situation is a mess.

I'm able to leave the hospital that afternoon with a medium-sized plastic bag in hand. It contains a few things provided by a woman's crisis advocate. The police took custody of the clothes I was wearing when I was attacked, and I found out firsthand how important the small things, like a change of clothes, are. After I'm home, I stay burrowed in my small apartment, licking my wounds and furiously typing on my laptop. When I'm fully in the writing groove, I rarely know what's going on around me, and this time is no exception.

When I come up for air, I turn on my favorite celebrity news show. I could watch the evening news, but when I'm writing a serious article, I enjoy the gossip fluff more. After about five minutes of who's dating who and whose marriage is breaking up, I flip the station out of pure boredom. I stop on a local news channel just as a story breaks. My eyes narrow on the screen at the photo that pops up with the "Breaking News" tagline below it. "It seems a deal between ICon Industries and Flex, Inc., ICon's latest takeover is complete," the news spokeswoman declares. "It happened faster than their usual acquisitions and few details have been released. Owner and CEO of ICon, Marcus Lincoln, one of the country's most eligible bachelors, is unavailable for comment."

My heart skips another beat as I focus in on the grainy photo. It's the man from the alley, the one who saved me and my interest intensifies.

"Candid photos are rare. While Mr. Lincoln is portrayed as a playboy, he's seldom seen in public and behaves more like a recluse. In his rare appearances, he usually has a different beauty on each arm, and their identities remain a mystery. This female reporter loves nothing better than a puzzle, and Marcus Lincoln is the enigma to end all enigmas."

Floored, I sit with the remote in hand, the picture frozen on the screen. I focus on the incredible face in front of me. Even grainy, he's gorgeous. What would Marcus Lincoln be doing in a dark alley? He doesn't even sound like someone who would be caught dead on the South Side of the city. Not that I'm ungrateful for what he did, but I have so many questions that need to be answered. I'm also a journalist, and right now, I feel like a shark sensing blood in the water and I'm very, very hungry.

***

Makeup hides the majority of the damage when I march into Henry's office. Brian might still be furious at the risk I took, but Henry is ecstatic.

"Your story's gone viral, Amy girl. This type of work is exactly what we want. Your career's on the rise."

"Thanks, all it took was nearly getting raped and killed, but anything for a good story, right?" I can't keep the snark from my voice.

"That's the attitude," he says, completely missing the point. He rubs his chubby hands together. "What are you working on now?"

I shake a finger at him. "Henry..." He doesn't expect an answer, but it never stops him from trying. I play my stories close to the chest. It's one of the lovely things about being an independent journalist...I write on spec and never discuss my next project with anyone other than Brian or his wife.

Holding up my hand, I stop him from needling me more. "I promise it will be good. Maybe more in depth than this one. You'll have it in a few weeks, and I'll keep in touch. You know my price has gone up?"

"If it's as good or better than this one, you deserve the increase." It's the highest praise he's given me. Henry is all about the bottom line, and I almost chickened out from mentioning the money. I'm so glad I grew a set of ovaries and told him how it would be. If I'm _hot_ right now, I have no problem taking advantage of it.

After leaving Henry's office, I decide to drive by Marcus Lincoln's residence. According to Google, it's located just outside the city. When I arrive, my curiosity is stemmed by a six-foot-high brick wall and tall iron gates. A security man approaches me, and I roll down my window. A forest of trees hides the home from the road, which does nothing for my curiosity.

"May I help you, Miss?"

"Is Mr. Lincoln available? I don't have an appointment, but I think if you tell him I'm here, he'll speak with me. Please tell him Amy Cox from the alley is here."

The man blinks a few times before responding, "Mr. Lincoln is not in residence at this time, and I'm unable to give his current location."

Hmm, is he telling the truth or not? "Can you get a message to him?"

He nods. "Yes, I will let his people know you came to call."

Came to call is such a funny, old-fashioned way of speaking. The other phrase that attracted my attention was "his people." Proof the rich don't live like the rest of the world. My disappointment is far from tempered. I knew this wouldn't be easy. However, the guard told me plenty with his choice of words. "Not in residence and unable to give his current location."

The internet is a wonderful tool, and I'll have the information soon. Mr. Lincoln won't stay hidden for long. Unfortunately, my recorder is missing from the secret pocket in my shorts so immediate answers aren't available. I whistle badly as I pull away, and a smile spreads across my face. The so-called playboy will soon discover I don't play.
Chapter Five

_Marcus_

The phone rings, and I frown at the caller ID. We always leave a few members of the pack behind as protection, and this call is coming from the New York house. I have a bad feeling before picking up the receiver. "Yes?"

"Master, a Miss Amy Cox showed up at the city estate and asked to see you. When I informed her you were not in residence, she asked me to relay a message." After a pause and no response from me, he continues, "Amy Cox from the alley was here."

"Thank you, Conner." My fingers tighten on the phone, and a crack echoes through the room. Having read her article, I know everything she left out and that she's aware of far more than we thought. It's tormented me that I should have killed her in the alley and didn't. Now, because of acceding to Alba's wishes, we're all at risk.

My thoughts are interrupted when Alba trots into the room on four legs. She felt my emotions from wherever she was in the house and is wondering what's angered me. My gaze meets her soulful eyes, then she rests her head on my knee. She's come to soothe me which is what she does when carrying a baby. During these last months, she'll remain a wolf so the gestation goes faster. It's completely her choice. She can give birth as human or wolf and she prefers wolf. It won't affect the cub, and I completely understand her reason for taking this form to bring her offspring into the world. I also know she'll learn about Amy soon enough. Conner is Alba's son, and he won't waste much time in contacting her. I'm not known for having a strange woman show up at the New York residence. With a sigh, I absently stroke Alba's head. "Amy Cox just left the city house. She knows I was with her in the alley."

Alba growls.

"Don't get your fur in a frazzle. I'm not going after her. We'll find a way to obtain her silence and keep her safe. You've made your stand, and we'll deal with it." She growls again and I chuckle. "Yes, in a nonviolent way, at least as far as dealing with Miss Cox is concerned."

The growl is quieter this time, and after a quick lick to my hand, she pads from the room as I reach for the cracked phone handle, thankful it still works. I end the call with, "I want it within the hour. Yes, every detail from Miss Cox's birthweight forward."

***

I glower at the report that took a week, not hours, to hit my desk. Ivan enters my office before I've read past the first paragraph, and, unhappily, I lift my gaze at the intrusion. I take a deep breath to relieve the strain and look closely at my friend. Thank the Goddess he no longer has that desperate, wild-eyed appearance. Being on the ranch helps take the savagery out of the pack and calms them. Here on the property, they can run, hunt, and frolic like the wolves they are. This last trip had one complication after another, and we were delayed in returning home three times. It's a mistake that won't happen again.

Ivan steps closer, and I realize the wild-eyed look is gone, but he holds a deep sadness within his eyes, and there's nothing I can do to help. I learned long ago to stay out of a mated pair's business. He and Alba's problems need to be handled together, without my two cents.

Clenching his jaw, Ivan says, "Ms. Cox has landed at the Phoenix Airport. She has a room in the city for the night, but I expect her here sometime tomorrow."

I knew she was coming. Invisible to her, I popped into her apartment and peered over her shoulder when she made the flight arrangements. She was full of surprises and sensed something was off. A few seconds after I arrived, she stopped typing and looked around the room. She shouldn't have known I was there. I watched her for thirty minutes, and several times she searched her small apartment and rubbed her arms in apprehension. Quite strange really, but I'll admit I liked that she knew something was off. I can only imagine her reaction if she knew I didn't just spy on what she was doing; I searched her apartment, paying special attention to the colorful undergarments in her wardrobe. Beneath her ugly professional suits, she wears sexy thongs in varying, vivid colors.

I need to stop thinking about this woman's lingerie and forget the feel of the silk against my skin. And most of all, forget her scent. It's literally driving me mad.

I glance at Ivan who's watching me closely. "Send Mary to my room."

***

When Mary tentatively enters the bedroom, I don't give her a chance to approach the bed before I'm on her, tasting the sweet blood she's so afraid to give. I still taste her fear, and right now, it's exactly what I need. After feeding, I remove her clothes and take her on the floor. She might not enjoy donating her blood, but she loves sex. Even though it's not who I crave, she deserves some joy in the experience, so I give it to her, thinking about another set of blue eyes the entire time. Mary finally screams her release, leaving furrows down my back from her fingernails, and I roll off. She rests for about a minute, kisses my cheek, and adds a distinct sway to her hips when she walks to the door. After opening it, she shifts, wags her tail behind her, and prances out. I'll never understand females, two legs or four.

I flop on the bed, resting my forearm over my eyes. Damn, I've lost it. Goddess help me if Mary realizes I imagined she was someone else during sex. Killing Amy Cox when I first found her would have made life so much simpler.

***

_Ivan_

I wait by the front door of the ranch while my son, Asia, escorts Miss Cox the mile from the gate to the house. He parks the four-wheeler at the side of the driveway, and I nod at my youngest when he steps out. The kid is a hundred but doesn't appear to be a day over twenty.

With a low growl, I approach the passenger side and open the door. Damn, Marcus is in trouble. Minus the dirt, swelling, and bruising, Amy Cox is a beautiful woman. Dressed in a simple yet boring white blouse tucked into beige slacks, she no longer looks like a child. Still young, but not a child.

I bow slightly once she's standing beside the car. "Welcome to the Lincoln Ranch, Miss Cox."

Before I can put my hand out in welcome, a large, as in two hundred pounds, gray wolf bounds to my side and pushes her furry head under her hand before nosing her crotch. Trapped by her car and unable to escape, Amy holds her ground and impresses the hell out of me. Her fear permeates the air, yet she controls it and doesn't scream bloody murder.

I subtly shake my head. Alba needs to give birth before she gets completely out of hand. I'll give her two weeks after the pup is born before I kick her ass. Crap. Who am I kidding? Alba will wipe the floor with me. Shrugging mentally, I give up the thought of causing her physical pain. At least it made me feel better to fantasize about it.

I squat next to Alba and scratch behind her ears. "You can be near her later. For now, I must make her comfortable to await Marcus," I say in the old language. She backs off when I stand. "Step inside, Miss Cox." I head for the front door followed by the journalist and Alba on her heels.
Chapter Six

_Amy_

When I decided to make this trip, I didn't expect to be welcomed with open arms. I definitely didn't imagine anyone would know who I was, let alone act as if they anticipated my arrival.

That was my second surprise. The guard at the gate was my first. He was gorgeous. Were all the men working for Marcus Lincoln beyond drop-dead, movie-star handsome? Maybe Marcus is gay. If so, that would explain a few things.

The man who opened my car door is no less striking. His hair, the same rich brown as my rescuer, is where the resemblance ends. He has stunning green eyes that take nothing from his Mack-truck, super-sized body. Then it registers and I suck in a deep breath. He's the man with the hypodermic needle. Before I react, the largest dog I've ever seen pushes against me and digs its nose into my crotch.

Hello to you too.

I've always been an animal lover, though the size of this dog gives me reservations. I think it would make any sane person uneasy. It's a hybrid wolf at the very least and thankfully friendly even though I keep a close eye on the large jaws and especially the sharp teeth within. I place my hand out cautiously and receive a quick lick before "Hypo-man" says something to the dog in what sounds like Russian. Not a command, really. He speaks in sentences, the language rolling off his tongue. Very strange.

When the man finishes his dog discussion and steps to the side, I receive my first uninhibited view of the house, if you can call it that. Since I never saw the actual "city" house, I can't make comparisons. However, this place is just WOW. With its amazing arches and three stories, it doesn't look like any "country" house I've ever seen. Hypo-man walks up the steps to the front fortress doors, and believe me, I have no doubt it's a fortress. I'm in the middle of nowhere with very dangerous people. Throwing my shoulders back and straightening my spine, I follow him inside, and the wolf dog trails behind me.

He motions me to the right. "Please have a seat."

I leave the massive entry and enter a large, comfortable room. Sitting as directed, I take the corner of an oversized sofa and sit with my back to the wall. My new, large-jawed friend curls at my feet with a small huff of air and bares its teeth at Hypo-man.

He ignores the threat and settles on the sofa facing me. "My name is Ivan. How may I help you?"

I move my purse off my lap, giving myself a little extra time to respond. I can't help wondering what the civilized response should be when this man stabbed me with a needle at our last meeting. I go with, "I'm actually here to see Mr. Lincoln."

His gaze doesn't leave mine. "Yes, we know why you're here, Miss Cox. However, we didn't expect you until later this afternoon. Mr. Lincoln is tied up with business and unavailable until this evening. I was directed to offer you a room. You are welcome to stay for the night."

Now I'm completely unsure of what to say. This isn't going how I expected. Yes, he drugged me, but he didn't molest or kill me. I decide on honesty. "The last time we met, it ended with me unconscious and placed back in an alley. I'm not sure staying here is in my best interest."

He hesitates then shrugs complacently. "You are under Mr. Lincoln's protection for as long as you are in residence. Even if I wanted to hurt you, which I don't." His eyebrows arch. "It would cause me great pain if I had to face the consequences of disobeying the boss's orders. I assure you, you are not in danger while you are here. I will also point out that you made a friend, and Al would never let anything happen to you."

"Al?"

He looks down. "The pregnant bitch you have at your feet. We will do nothing to upset her. You have obviously brought out her protective instincts, and Al will watch over you."

Al, as if on cue, growls at Ivan, fangs and all. I would swear she understood every word he said and didn't care for being called a bitch.

I glance at Al then back to Hypo-man. "In that case, seeing as it's no imposition, I'll be happy to be your guest." The honeyed words pretty much drip with my annoyance at needing to stay the night.

"It's quite an imposition, but you don't really care, now do you?"

A smile plays at the corners of my lips. I bite it back by digging my fingernails into my palms. "No, actually, I don't. I came for answers and have no intention of leaving without them."

His head cocks to the side slightly. "It would do you well to remember the old adage, Miss Cox. Be careful what you wish for. You may not like the answers you are given." He glances at Al again then zeroes in on me. "I have a feeling you will discover all our secrets. After that, the rest will be up to you."

I'm unsure how to take Hypo's words. Are they a threat?

Before I can think more on his tone, he rises from the couch. "I will show you to your room. Columbus has brought up your bags. You may rest in your room. Lunch will be served at noon. I can have something sent to you now if you are hungry."

I stand too. Sitting, Ivan doesn't seem as tall. Standing here now, I must lift my chin higher than usual to meet his eyes. "No, I don't need food right now. However, I do have a question."

He looks at me in his tower of man-steel way.

I adjust my purse strap on my shoulder. "Am I a prisoner?"

His half-smile doesn't reassure me. "No, Ms. Cox, you are our guest. If you wish to leave, you may drive away now. Columbus will happily retrieve your luggage."

Al growls at Ivan, and he snaps back in his foreign language. Again more of a sentence than command.

"Is Al a hybrid wolf?"

"Yes, Ms. Cox, and we have several. Don't be surprised if you see them around the property. They will not harm you, but I suggest you don't get between them and their food. They can be a bit irritable when it comes to dinnertime." He walks toward the room's entrance. "Come this way and I'll show you to your room."

Once again, I follow Hypo-man with Al close behind. We take the stairs and head down a long hallway. The house is obscenely large. It's at least twenty thousand square feet and possibly larger. The room I just left was twice the size of my apartment. At this rate, forget writing an exposé, I'll be lucky to learn my way around the house, not to mention the ten-thousand-acre property I read about online.

The bedroom Ivan shows me to is also larger than my apartment. The bed is enormous and takes up more space than my small living room back in the city. My bags are on the bed. I've never had servants. Maybe, like what you see in the movies, this is what the hoopla about a well-trained staff is all about.

Ivan scowls at Al, and I swear he makes a growling sound deep in his throat at the end of whatever he said to her.

His attention returns to me, and his jaw is tighter than it was a moment before. "You may rest or take advantage of the writing desk until lunch is served."

"Thank you." I nervously rub my hands together. "I brought my laptop and need to finish an article and get if off to my editor."

His lips quirk. "We have wireless internet, but it's down at the moment. It's hard to keep it functional due to our location. With luck, it will be up and running by this evening. Your car is being moved to the garage. Please request it via the house phone if you should decide to leave our humble abode."

He suddenly stalks out of the bedroom door, turns, and stares at the hybrid. Al walks slowly to the open door, her tail wagging, and uses her nose to shove it closed in Ivan's face.

Tongue lolling like she's actually laughing, Al flops down in front of the closed door as if she's guarding it. Grinning, I walk over and rub the soft fur on her head. She rolls slightly, exposing her stomach, and allows me to scratch her there. "Al is a horrible name for a beauty like you. Maybe I can come up with a better one."

Al lets out a soft whine and licks my hand. After a few more scratches, I walk to the bed and flop down, immediately noticing its incredible softness. I curl up on my side, facing the door, and watch my large guard companion clean her paw. When I'm bored with that, I dig my cell phone from my purse to call Brian and let him know I'm safe.

I stare at the screen in dismay. There's not a single bar showing.
Chapter Seven

_Amy_

Lunch is delivered to my room with a folded note on the silver tray. I open it and read before eating.

"Dress for dinner."

Whatever that means? I'm not really sure if I'm a prisoner or not, no matter what Hypo-man declared. I decide to test the waters as soon as I've finished stuffing my face with the delicious soup and salad.

With my canine companion at my side, I head into the long hallway and venture forth. Incredible western artwork is displayed on the walls. I'm not familiar with the artists, but I know fine art when I see it. At the end of the hall is the staircase. Not just any staircase, either. This one rivals the one in _Gone with the Wind_ , and I can't help wondering if any children have ever slid down the rail. If I were anything other than a serious journalist, I'd give it a try just for the hell of it.

I see no one when I walk outside the front door and head to a path on the right side of the house. Tall pine trees that smell heavenly block much of the sunlight, and pine needles crunch softly beneath my shoes as I head deeper into the forest. Within a few minutes I can no longer see the house through the trees. It doesn't deter me, and I keep walking.

In the distance I hear shuffling in the trees about thirty feet away. It takes a few seconds before I determine there's another hybrid wolf staying even with Al. The piercing eyes of the new dog meet mine, and there is so much intelligence behind the look that it's actually scary. Al remains by my side and doesn't seem concerned with our new companion so I decide to ignore it and just appreciate the beauty surrounding us. I never expected the Northern Arizona Mountains to be so enchanting. When I think of Arizona, desert heat comes to mind first. Here, there's a chill in the air, and I'm glad for my light jacket. It was hot in Phoenix when I left this morning, but now, a slight breeze stirs the trees, and I can tell the late summer season will soon change. Within another few months, the pine trees will most likely be surrounded by snow. It's something I would love to see even though I know it won't be happening. Maybe someday I'll take a winter vacation in this part of the country.

An hour later, I turn back. I don't see anyone watching, but I feel it. Thankfully, Al and her friend keep the apprehension from worrying me too much. I return to my room and dive into my suitcase, looking for something to wear to the requested "dress" for dinner. I brought only one dress and still I consider wearing my dress slacks because I'll feel more comfortable in them. When I decide on the slacks and blouse, I remove the top from my suitcase. Large teeth gently grasp my hand, and dark wolf eyes stare at me. I glance down at my fingers, and Al removes her teeth. I reach for the blouse again, and the teeth are back with a little more pressure this time. I reach back into the suitcase and grab the dress. Al calmly walks to the closed bedroom door and lays down in front of it.

Chills go down my spine. That damn dog understands what's going on around her. I enter the bathroom, quickly closing the door to shut out the strange animal. Brian, and even Henry, would think I've lost my mind.

After I've showered, dressed, and added makeup, I leave the room, thinking I imagined the strange dog's behavior due to nerves. Al ruins my newfound sanity by slowly circling me and glancing up and down at my attire. When she's assured I pass inspection, she heads for the door and leads me to the dining room. No, this isn't creepy at all.

The dining room is as breathtaking as the rest of the house. Three place settings are laid out at the end of the twenty-foot table. I can't stop the giggle that rises in my throat. It wouldn't have surprised me if we were seated at opposite ends of the massive table.

"I see you find humor in our hospitality, Ms. Cox."

I jump about a foot and turn toward the deep voice. Neither the television news images nor my drug-induced memory do Marcus Lincoln justice. He's not just beautiful, he's breathtaking. Dressed in a dark suit that is perfectly tailored for him, Mr. Lincoln is tall, several inches over six feet. His dark-brown hair is closely cropped and accents the top half of his chiseled face. No five o'clock shadow, just smooth jaws and full lips inspire the lower half. Power practically rolls off him, and his angelic good looks take my breath. With his current angry frown, he's a fallen angel, maybe?

No matter. It's the intensity of his gaze that causes my belly to flutter. His eyes feel like they actually burn me. It takes a moment to remember to breathe and contain my heartbeat which has accelerated to the point of explosion. I'm aware of this man like no one I've ever met. I'm never tongue-tied even though, at this moment, there isn't a rational thought in my head to form words.

He approaches the table, his movements precise, and pulls out an ornate chair for me. I sit and he seats himself in the matching chair next to mine. Ivan enters the room dressed in a similar three-piece suit and takes the seat across from me. He doesn't appear to be in the best of moods either. I'm beginning to think the men in this house are too temperamental for their own good.

"So what did you find funny, Ms. Cox?" Marcus asks with a lifted eyebrow, his tone no less severe.

"I'm sorry, but now I don't remember, Mr. Lincoln." I give him a level stare. "My mind tends to jump from one thing to another, and even my close friends have trouble following my thoughts."

He blinks slowly, and I'm fully aware he's digesting my words carefully. "Please," he nods his head regally, "call me Marcus. You are a guest in my home, and it will be more comfortable if we use first names." The angry undertone remains in his voice.

I choose to ignore it. "I agree, Marcus; please call me Amy, and Ivan, you must also call me Amy."

"I believe I will continue to call you Ms. Cox," Ivan clips. "The servants will be confused if I call you by your given name."

Marcus actually laughs, and his voice loses some of its edge. "Ivan is as much a part of my family as someone related by blood, but he forever holds his servant class over my head. Please forgive him his strict adherence to what he believes is proper etiquette. It took many years for him to join me for dinner. I finally beat him in a game of chess and won the right to his biting conversational skills at my table each evening. I probably should have let him win."

Ivan's frown turns to a smile while watching me closely the entire time Marcus speaks. "Excuse my behavior, Ms. Cox. Sitting in this formal dining room in this uncomfortable suit brings out the worst in me. Marcus won the game just to make me suffer through wearing a monkey suit each night."

Marcus laughs again. "If I had not outlined the bet precisely, Ivan would come to the dinner table naked, and I would be suffering through the rest of my years trying to eat and finding something to stare at besides his bare self. Most women can't resist him, but I'm afraid my nightly dinner would be ruined."

_Definitely not gay_ , I realize. If he needs to look away from Ivan's naked form to eat his food, he doesn't have a gay bone in his body. For myself, I'm mostly glad Ivan is wearing clothes this evening. Just the thought of him naked causes heat to rise in my cheeks even though if I had to choose a naked man, it would be Marcus Lincoln.

"I believe we have embarrassed our guest. I apologize; this is most likely not the dinner conversation you're accustomed to." Marcus adds a smile to the end of the words that only make my cheeks heat more.

All I can manage is a short laugh at the strangeness of the entire situation. Maybe it's rich people in general. Large tables, three-piece suits for dinner in your own home, and moodiness. Somehow it all fits.

Al is resting about four feet away. She rises and exits the room without even looking at me. Since my arrival, it's the first time she's left my side, and I feel slightly bereft. Ivan interrupts my desire to follow the dog from the room.

"Al is causing quite a problem with our guest," he says, "She hasn't left Ms. Cox's side since she arrived. Pregnant or not, something needs to be done."

He can't be serious. "Your dog is wonderful, and I appreciate the company. A gentler creature could never be found. I would keep her if I could. What could you do but chain her or place her in a pen? That would be terribly cruel," I huff, unable to keep the anger from my voice.

Marcus and Ivan both laugh this time, and all I can do is dig my fingers into my poor palms that are receiving quite the abuse today. I'm about to snap something profound when Marcus pulls his laugh, replacing it with an expression that could cool the desert.

His eyes drill into mine. "Al saved your life, Amy. You have a companion that would willingly die for you and might need to die as a consequence of the problems you've created."

I'm unsure what to make of that statement and don't have time to process it before Ivan drops his wine glass and lets out a string of curses that I hardly hear. Marcus's cold, deadly eyes don't leave mine, and I realize he's threatening me. I jump from my seat, thinking only of escape when my arms are secured within Marcus's grasp. I never saw him move.

"Sit down, Amy. We need to discuss this problem rationally. You are in no danger tonight. I give you free passage to leave whenever you wish, but we have to set the rules before you do." His voice is now a husky whisper even though the firm hold on my arms belies his words.

Ivan is staring at Marcus like he's lost his mind. He abruptly stands and exits the room, muttering to himself, "Of all the damn stupid...not in five hundred years. Goddess save me."
Chapter Eight

_Amy_

I sit, hard. A little too hard if my tender bottom has any say. I heard what Ivan said, and it doesn't quite register because the fight or flight mechanism in my brain is on Marcus overload. My heart continues beating like a rock 'n' roll drummer doing a solo. I'm saved from additional irrational thoughts when Al races into the room, looks at Marcus, and growls, her sharp teeth proving how unhappy she is.

"Pull your fangs in, Alba," he says in English. "Our guest is smarter than we realized, and keeping secrets will only inflame her to continue digging, and we can't have that."

Al bares her teeth even wider, and I have no doubt she's threatening Marcus.

His chair flies back suddenly and slams into a wall ten feet away. I jump from my seat, thinking Marcus is going after the dog. I stare between them both, not sure what to do. My eyes somehow deceive me because the dog in front of me changes before my eyes and turns into a beautiful and very naked woman. She's the person who cared for me the night I was attacked.

I collapse back into my chair because my legs will no longer hold me up. Large spots appear before my eyes. I've never believed people faint over something they see. I might just be wrong about that. I consider leaning over and putting my head to my knees when Marcus's voice stops me.

"Alba, you crazy woman, what are you doing? This is not good for you or the baby. Are you out of your mind? Amy, please bring a chair and help me sit her down. My temper may not have hurt her, but this could."

Alice just fell through the rabbit hole because I take Alba's arm and lead her to the chair that Ivan vacated. She doesn't fight me. No, her angry gaze is directed at Marcus.

Once she's seated, she meets his eyes. "I had things to say, and I'm not waiting more than a month to say it, you frustrating man. I don't appreciate you tuning out my voice inside your head when you don't want to listen."

When I think my world can't get crazier, Ivan runs into the room. He looks between Marcus and Al before he goes off on his own tangent. "You are fucking insane. Of all the--"

"Do not use profanity in our home, Ivan, regardless of the cause," Marcus snaps with steel in each word. "Alba and I are on the same page. You're just a little slow on the uptake."

Ivan throws up his hands and storms out of the room again.

Alba takes my cold, trembling hand within her warm one. "This must be hard for you to grasp. We could pussyfoot around, but showing you is the only way I can be sure you truly understand. We mean you no harm. You are safe with us, but our secrets must remain undisclosed. We need you to learn what we are and understand what is at stake."

I swirl my tongue over my completely dry lips. "I know what I saw can't be true even though I think it is." I rub my fingers across the bridge of my nose. "I'm just having a wee bit of trouble accepting this." Try checking myself into the closest looney bin as soon as I can get out of here.

Al smiles softly. "I will change back and you can watch, but not until I speak my peace." She turns to Marcus. "It will be the last time before the babies are born, promise."

He stares at Al, or Alba as he calls her, and his gaze intensifies. "Babies, as in more than one?" he finally asks.

Alba's smile can now only be described as wicked. "Yes, two. Now stop frightening the poor girl and get her some wine." She glances in my direction. "Amy, I need you to look at me." I look all right. "My eyes, Amy."

Oops.

"I'm the wolf shifter you know as Al. It's a nickname. You can use it or Alba. Now that we've been properly introduced, you need to know I will protect you, and I promise Marcus and Ivan will not harm you. You have my word."

I look into her eyes. They're the same dark color as Al's. I glance at Marcus. "Can you turn into a wolf too?"

"No, Amy," he says with a slight smile. "I'm a vampire." The smile grows and large fangs fill my vision.

I bolt again and make it halfway to the door before Marcus appears in front of me out of thin air, blocking the way.

"Was that absolutely necessary, Marcus?" Alba chides. "You scared the poor girl half to death. At least I let her grow comfortable with me in my wolf form before I showed off. Come back, Amy, and sit down. Marcus will get you something to drink."

"Something strong, please; maybe bring the entire bottle," I request in a choked voice.

"You see? You still have your sense of humor," Alba laughs.

Marcus brings me an entire bottle of whisky. I couldn't care less that it wouldn't be my first choice. He pours the whisky into a shot glass, and I take it in my shaking hand. Tipping the glass back, I down it with a grimace. My hand continues shaking, and I hand the glass back to Marcus for another. After I swallow the second one just as quickly, I place the tumbler on the table.

Alba retakes my hand into hers. "I'm sorry. I can't even imagine the shock you must feel at this moment. We can answer questions, if you'd like?"

I regard Alba's dark eyes. The alcohol is doing its thing, and I think I'm calming down. Before my muddled brain can form words, Marcus speaks.

"Why don't we eat first. A full stomach will help you adjust."

Before I can blink, a door opens behind us, and another good-looking man enters with an additional table setting which he rests before Alba. He then turns to Marcus. "Master, I will return shortly with dinner."

"Thank you, Philip."

As soon as Philip leaves, Ivan returns carrying a robe and hands it to Alba. "I see you haven't eaten our guest," he says, looking at Marcus.

Marcus's jaw tightens, and a small tick appears at the corners of his eyes. "I've had about as much of you as I can take, Ivan. Maybe you and I should have a discussion later tonight, in private."

Ivan smiles, but it's anything but happy. "That's a great idea. I have a few things to... discuss with you also." He turns his gaze to me. "You are taking this better than I expected."

"Are you a wolf or a vampire?"

He laughs, and it doesn't stop until he's bent double over the table.

"Forgive his manners; I fear he is off his medication," Alba says with a huff.

"He didn't answer my question. What is he?" I ask because I need to know what each monster in the room really is.

It's Marcus who answers me. "He's wolf. I'm the only vampire we have in residence, and you are the only human here at the moment."

My shock is clearing, and my journalist mind is taking over, even if this is probably a very bad dream. "Do you get humans visiting often?"

Ivan stops laughing long enough to slap his hand on the table and say, "Only when we're hungry." His laughter almost drowns out my next thoughts of panic.
Chapter Nine

_Amy_

Despite having my world turned upside down, a crazy wolf man laughing at me, and a vampire playing host, dinner arrives and it's delicious. I don't wait to finish before asking my questions. "Does it hurt to change from wolf to human or back again? Are you allergic to silver? Do others exist?" The questions go on and on, at least about the wolves. When I'm finished asking everything I can think of about werewolves, I turn to Marcus. "Do you drink blood?"

He looks at me and says so very simply, "Yes."

I'll admit my stomach goes a little squeamish at that. "Do you kill people when you do it?"

Alba laughs this time and answers. "The wolves take care of Marcus's needs. That is what we do. We have cared for him for many, many years now." She glances at the vampire in question and continues. "Marcus is the King of wolves." Her eyes meet mine. "He is our King. We will protect him with our lives. Before vampires befriended beastkind, we struggled to survive. Vampires saved us."

"So there are other vampires and 'beastkind,' as you call them?" When I asked about the other werewolves earlier, Alba said it wasn't time for me to have all the answers so I'm trying again.

It's Marcus who sets me straight this time. "Until we are sure of your plans, I don't feel we should talk about anyone but us. I'm not trying to hide things, but I will protect my people at all costs."

It doesn't make sense. "Then why have you told me about werewolves and vampires?"

"I had two choices the night I saw you in that alley. I could have killed you, as I did your attacker." I gasp. "Or I could do what I did and allow you to return home. Thinking you were a teenager, addicted to drugs, prostituting your body, and on the road to certain death, I had an--" He shrugs. "We'll say a momentary lapse of judgement." He glances at Alba and Ivan. "This is my fault; I broke the one rule we adhere to strongly. Very few humans know who and what we are. If they find out, we don't usually allow them to live."

I hear the threat in his words, but my brain is stuck on something else he said. "You killed the man in the alley?" I can't believe I asked, and from the look on Marcus's face, I know his answer. I bluster on and ask the next question that pops into my brain. "What did you do with the body?"

Human Alba growls at Marcus which is very strange because it sounds like her wolf voice. It's not Marcus who answers, it's Ivan. "We ate him."

I peer down at my half-eaten plate of food, and my stomach turns. When I glance back up, Marcus is staring intently at me, and I can't read his expression. "Are you going to kill me?" I practically squeak.

His jaw, which was tight a moment before, relaxes and a small lift to his lips makes me think he wants to smile. "If we wanted you dead, the evidence would be long gone. I told you earlier, Alba saved your life. We have very few babies at this house, and we tend to indulge the mothers whenever they are expecting. I was not willing to fight Alba in her condition so you lived. It may sound cold, but our part of the human world is harsh, and by keeping _who_ and _what_ we are a secret, it keeps us alive."

He still hasn't satisfied my fear of death at his hands. "If you are not planning to kill me, how will you make sure I don't talk?"

His eyes actually change, and I see the small spark of amber I remember from our first meeting, then it's gone. "Without killing you, we can never be sure. We hope, at least Alba and I hope, that you will spend time with us and discover who we are for yourself. We're hoping we can convince you to keep our secrets. There are a few humans who know about us, and they help us from time to time as we help them. Forget your folklore and everything you've heard or read about fictional vampires and werewolf killers. We are dangerous, though, and offer our services to the military through high ranking officials who know exactly who we are."

Alba speaks up before everything he's told me sinks in. "I need to shift." She glances at Amy. "I would like to continue staying with you in your room, if it won't bother you. I can understand everything you say while in wolf form."

Relief washes over me. I'm in a home with a vampire and people who turn into very large wolves. Alba is the only one I have absolute trust in. "Thank you. I will feel safer if you're around." I don't glance at Marcus when I say that. "I believe, if I've heard correctly, that you are the only one who voted to let me live."

A gentle smile touches Alba's lips before she casts glares at the two men. "I promise no harm will come to Amy, and I won't be happy if I must kill either of you because she breaks a fingernail." She glances back at me when both men remain quiet. "I really do need to shift, and I promised you could watch again if you care to."

I'm not exactly sure what I saw the first time because no one expects to see a wolf morph into a full-grown woman. I give her a slight smile. "I was hoping you would ask."

Alba has no problem standing and shucking the dressing robe Ivan brought her. It's almost like the air around her blurs and then there's a wolf where a woman once stood. I stand and walk over to her, placing my hand on her head. She rubs herself against my side, back and forth much like wolves do in their packs. I only know this because I did a story once about wolves released back into the wild.

Marcus breaks into our scenting party. "She gets like this whenever she's pregnant." He turns to his friend. "You should have told me she's expecting two pups."

"Two!" He glares at Alba then ignores her. "It explains why she's even more unstable than usual when she's carrying."

Alba gives him a growl and a nice show of teeth. To keep it from going further, I ask my own question. "Will the babies be born as wolves?"

Marcus answers again. "It's up to Alba. If she's in human form the last months, they are born as human. In wolf form, the gestation is shorter, and they are wolves. Many of our females choose this over human birth. The pups will start shifting within a few weeks. It's quite miraculous, even for us."

I can hear the excitement in his voice and can't help wondering why so few of their kind are born. Some of my questions will need to wait. "May I go up to my room? I'm exhausted, and I need time to process what I've seen. I may still wake up tomorrow and find this is the most fantastic dream I've ever had."

Marcus stands and puts his hand out to me. "I'll walk you to your room. Alba, I need twenty minutes to speak _alone_ with our guest."

She growls at Marcus, and he holds his hand up, palm out. "You have my promise. She will be protected in my company. Come along, Amy. I won't keep you any longer than necessary."

Marcus leads me from the room without releasing my hand.
Chapter Ten

_Amy_

The arm holding mine is firm not tight. I smell Marcus's unique scent, and maybe I'm crazy, but it's otherworldly, not in a bad way at all, just different. I glance at his face and watch his nostrils flare. I can't help wondering if he smells me too. Such an odd way for my thoughts to spin. It's what I'm thinking, though, and my brain should be stuck on vampires and werewolves. This small connection I feel with Marcus goes back to him saving me and then seeing him on the television screen. He's attractive and having him this close puts butterflies in my stomach. Just because he claims to be a vampire doesn't mean I can't be a woman interested in a man. It's not that I don't believe what he claims; it's more that my journalistic half needs proof.

His touch isn't unpleasant. It's his nearness that makes me uncomfortable. And shouldn't vampire hands be cold, not warm like his? My confusion doesn't stop there. I'm still having trouble processing what happened in the dining room. I remember reading a time travel novel once, and it was entirely too "way out there" for me, and I kept thinking the heroine accepted everything much too easily.

Now I'm faced with a similar though very real situation, and I'm left wondering if it's some kind of parlor trick? How do you deny something you clearly see with your own two eyes? What if I'm going crazy, and everything that's happening is some sort of serious brain malfunction or hallucination? I have a lot to think about in order to get everything straight in my head. I glance down at my hand which continues to be engulfed in Marcus's. Being alone with him isn't at the top of my list.

When we arrive outside my room, I hesitate, unwilling to invite him inside even if it's essentially his home, making this his room too. He releases my arm and opens the door for me. "Step inside. There's nothing I can do to you in the room that I can't do in the hallway. I just want us to talk privately for a few minutes."

He's reading my mind, and I don't like that either. I enter the room, and Marcus crosses to a grouping of chairs, waiting for me to follow. With a slight huff, I march over and take a seat across from him, the farthest chair away. His mouth twitches before he speaks. "I blocked your access to the internet and also your cell phone. If you promise nothing we've told you will leak out while you're our guest, I will unblock them." The tiny smile he didn't quite give me is gone now, and his eyes are back to the serious ones from earlier, though still their normal color.

Everything they've told me has been playing repeatedly in my head, and it all comes back to one scenario. "No one would believe me anyway, so I can easily make that promise." If I took this to Henry, he would laugh me out of his office and put the word out in newspaper circles that I was completely cray-cray.

Marcus's expression doesn't lose its intensity. "Good. You are my guest, and I want you to have full access to the property. I think it will help you understand who and what we are. The wolves were told not to shift while you're here. I will release them from the order. But you need to understand that nudity is more comfortable for my wolves. If it bothers you, turn away. It's difficult for them to remember where they leave their clothes, and they tend to forget to collect them later. In the city, they adhere to strict guidelines, but this is their home, and they need the freedom to be themselves."

Interesting. "I've seen naked people before, and I think I can handle it." What red-blooded woman in her right mind would object to gorgeous men running around naked? "Thank you for the warning," I add to cover my suddenly heated cheeks.

Marcus nods regally like he's done it a million times before. Being called master must make it easier to pull off. Nope, I don't watch his lips when he starts speaking again. Why would I? He sucks blood with that mouth, so there's absolutely no reason I should want to kiss it.

"The only other thing I ask is that you withhold judgment on what you see until you talk it over with me or Ivan." It takes me a few seconds to digest this because crap, those lips. "You may see things that bother you. The explanation won't always be palatable, but at least you might see things in a different light."

"What types of things are you speaking of?"

I receive a flash of amber eyes at my question. They're gone so quickly I could still be imagining the entire thing. "Wolves and vampires are dangerous and violent. It takes little to make us revert to the animals we truly are. Everyone is aware you're off limits, and no danger will befall you, but the wolves fight, and when someone gets out of line, Ivan or I take care of it instantly. Once I leave here, I will have a less than friendly talk with Ivan to take care of a few issues. It will be unpleasant for both of us."

I don't think he's speaking of verbal communication. "Could one of you die?"

He shakes his head. "No, but Ivan will walk very carefully for twenty-four hours. He is provoking me because he wants a fight. I've decided to give it to him."

Oh. "What about you; could you be hurt?"

Marcus laughs. "It is unlikely, but Ivan gets in a nice scratch or bite occasionally. I heal much faster than he does, so even if I'm pummeled, it will be hard to tell by tomorrow. The wolves also heal fast. I intend to make sure his healing takes a bit longer than usual. He wants a sound thrashing, and he'll get one."

This must be a guy thing. I look around the room, trying to decide how to get his kissable lips out of here quickly. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

His lips go back to twitching. I swear he's reading my mind. "Yes," he says. "The property is guarded to keep us safe. Beyond our gates, we have enemies. If you decide to leave, we will escort you back to New York. You now carry our scent, and it will take a few days after you leave for it to dissipate entirely. Until then, you will be in danger, and it can't be helped, but we will watch over you until you're in the clear."

I doubt that's the reason they will watch over me. "Will you really just allow me to walk out of here?" If everything I've seen is real, he would be crazy to. I am a journalist after all. Of course, that takes me back to the cray-cray journalist problem. Maybe the National Enquirer would publish, but I don't see it happening with anyone else.

Marcus waves his hand at the door. "I gave you my word, and I will keep it. I think your curiosity will keep you with us." He stands, and I'm hoping this conversation will end quickly. I need time alone to think. "I'm sure you are overwhelmed. You could learn so much by staying longer, and I hope you will."

"Would you really have killed me the night you saved me?" I know I'm pushing my luck.

"Yes, I would have killed you. I will go to any length to protect my family, so please never forget that. Alba saved your life, and you shouldn't take that lightly. She is a brutal killer, and yet she's declared you as family, and she will protect you with her life."

The next question just slips out. "Are you really a king?"

He laughs, and I like his smile. "It's not a term I allow anyone to use unless we are in a formal setting. Think of it as a political title. And for the record, I don't care for the term 'master.'" He shrugs. "The wolves like to push me in small ways when they know I will not retaliate. It's a game they play, a family game."

With everything I have to learn, there's no way I'm running any time soon, and yes, I'm certifiably crazy. "I'm staying, and you have my promise to keep your secrets while I'm here. I would, however, appreciate the opportunity to contact my friends." I give him a small smile so he doesn't take the next part as a threat though really it is. "If they don't hear from me, they'd send the entire National Guard to protect me." Yeah, I add steel to my voice to emphasize that my disappearance would not be a good thing.

He takes a deep breath, and his eyes do the flashy thing again. Instead of a comeback to my veiled threat, he does the regal head thing again. "I bid you goodnight. I will not see you again until tomorrow evening. Please request whatever you need, and Ivan will see to it."

I stand, ready for him to leave as quickly as possible, and he takes my hand before I can pull it back. He pulls my hand up, and his nostrils flare. I'm shocked when he kisses the inside of my wrist and releases me. The tingles left behind from the kiss travel from my fingers, up my arm, down my chest, and sit heavy between my thighs. I look into his eyes and see something that surprises me. Marcus's expression holds a touch of longing along with a shadow of sadness. He's such a gorgeous man, and I have no idea if he's interested in me as a woman or my blood as food.

He releases my hand and leaves the room, allowing Alba inside before closing the door behind him. Dark wolf eyes look at me with intelligent interest.

"He's too beautiful for his own good. If I don't watch myself, I will drool in his company," I say with all the uncertainty I feel.

If a wolf could smile, she does. Her fangs flash huge, and Marcus's words come back to me. She's a killer, and I can never forget that, even if she did save my life.

"I need a good night's sleep, and I bet you do, too. I'm exhausted, and I'm not carrying two babies. You can sleep on the bed if you will be more comfortable. There's plenty of room." Yeah, I talked really fast, my nervousness coming through loud and clear.

Alba immediately jumps on the bed and tries to grab the comforter in her jaws to pull it back. If I wanted to wait ten minutes, she could probably do it. I help quickly, and Alba settles into a tight ball, resting her massive head on her shoulder before closing her eyes. I walk into the bathroom to wash my face, thinking how nuts I am for having a conversation with a wolf. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow, this really will be a dream. I climb into bed with my wolf/woman/killer and surprisingly have no difficulty falling asleep.

***

In what seems like only minutes, a cold nose nudges my shoulder. I can't stop the groan that escapes me. Alba nudges harder when I don't immediately open my eyes. When I can manage it, a small amount of light enters the room from the crack I left in the bathroom door. It's a strange home, and I didn't want to sleep in a pitch-black room, so I left the bathroom light on.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" I ask groggily.

"Whine," is my answer.

I climb out of bed and replace my nightshirt with a t-shirt, pair of jeans, and tennis shoes. Alba paces as I dress, and I guess pregnancy bladder is universal when it comes to expecting mothers.

Quietly, we head downstairs, and I open the front door for Alba. She stops on the large porch and lets out another low whine. "Okay, okay, I'm coming," I complain.

She leads me through the trees and keeps going. There's a slight dampness in the air, and I wonder if it's rained. It's not as dark as I expected. There's a partial moon, and stars cast a soft glow through the trees. We walk quite a ways, and I start getting nervous. There's no way I could find my way back if I needed to. I'm about to call a stop to our midnight hike when Alba leads me up a slight incline. At the top we stare down the other side at a large gathering of men and women. The crowd surrounds an enormous circular hole in the ground. I recognize Ivan when he begins removing his clothing. As soon as the pile is lying beside him, he jumps into the center of the large pit that's at least twenty feet deep and twice that in circumference. Marcus, who's just arrived, removes his shirt, and my mouth waters. The whole disrobing thing stops there for him, and I can't stop my disappointment. Bad Amy, I chide myself silently.

Marcus makes the same leap as Ivan and lands facing him. Okay, maybe not the same because I didn't pay as close of attention to Ivan's muscles when he performed the jump. Marcus says something to Ivan whose body is tightly coiled. I just can't hear what he said.

A small scream escapes me when Ivan launches himself at Marcus and their bodies make brutal contact. They're going to kill each other.
Chapter Eleven

_Marcus_

My physical discussion with Ivan is one I look forward to. He's waiting at the pit where we hold our challenges. I won't kill the aggravating wolf, but I will make a statement. Occasionally it comes to this with the clan. Ivan is Alpha of my wolf pack and being dominated by anyone, including a vampire, is not something that sits well with his animal side. He knows I'm stronger and can easily kill him, and still it makes no difference because it's in his blood to challenge. Any wolf who challenges Ivan faces a death sentence, and those are few and far between. When the two of us engage in battle, it burns off steam. It's something we both need right now for very different reasons. I can't get the sexy journalist out of my thoughts, and it's been this way since I took her out of the alley. Her scent, her laugh, and now her presence are causing me sleepless days. My vampire side needs to stake a claim, and I want every wolf in the clan to know she's mine. Not something I expected to happen either, but it has and Ms. Cox has no idea what's in store for her.

Right now isn't the time to be thinking of the indefinable woman. I glance around and see much of the clan is in attendance which is no surprise. Word spreads fast in our community, and any challenge, even one without death for an outcome, adds excitement to the end of any day.

The pit is about fifty feet in diameter and twenty feet deep. It's used to settle differences and establish the pecking order within the pack. In the hundreds of years that Ivan and I have been friends, this past century has been the tamest. The different clans no longer fight for survival against each other, and our territories are well established. There is no governing body per se, but we've managed to work out our major conflicts. I have one sworn enemy and even we manage to stay out of each other's way. No one wants a war among humans, or the peaceful life we prefer to live will end badly. This doesn't mean I trust my enemy in the slightest. She's been one of my biggest worries when it comes to Amy. The pride's queen will do anything to bring personal harm to me or anyone I care for. If she discovers I have feelings for the young journalist, she will stop at nothing to destroy Amy.

Ivan gives a growl deep in his throat because I'm taking my sweet time. I don't mind baiting him in the least. I slowly remove my shirt and toss it at Philip who takes care of my house and keeps it running smoothly.

Ivan is waiting in the pit, his body naked and oiled. He's trying for any advantage he can get even though it will do him no good. He'll also switch back and forth between wolf and man, whichever benefits him more. I have him on strength, although you wouldn't know it from our appearance. Ivan is bigger and carries double the muscle. It won't matter. It may not be easy, but you can injure or kill a shifter when it's nearly impossible to do harm to a vampire. We can be killed, but it won't be happening tonight.

The biggest danger to a vampire is mental. After living hundreds of years, life seems meaningless at times, and some have simply given up. I won't do it because the pack's life is tied to mine. Beastkind, as the shifters are known, only live about three times the life of an average human, unless they feed from a vampire. Once we are tied by blood, beastkind will live as long as the vampire they bond with. We can also communicate telepathically and sense when the other is in danger after the bonding. The wolf blood I consume is more sustaining than human blood, and once that was discovered, vampires and beastkind teamed up. The strongest vampire took the strongest pack, and I'm the one who fought for the right to call Ivan's pack my clan. We make a great team even though tonight we have a score to settle.

I leap into the pit and face him. "You've bitten off more than you can chew, my friend. I'm not in the mood to be gentle, and I plan on whipping your ass." That's all I get out before Ivan launches himself at me and attacks.

He hits me in the chest with all his body weight behind it. I fly backwards and strike my head on the hard ground. The taste of blood in my mouth fuels my next move. Faster than the human eye can follow, I'm up, striking a vicious blow, and it's Ivan's turn to go airborne. He shakes his head to loosen the cobwebs, sending blood from his mouth and nose in all directions.

With a growl, Ivan shifts to wolf and sinks his sharp teeth into my shoulder. He chomps through skin into muscle and burning pain ignites. His jaws could easily snap off a human arm. For us, this is child's play. I grab him, wrenching his fangs from my shoulder where he's enjoying it like a high-priced steak. Tossing him to the other side of the pit, my skin and muscle dripping from his jaws, I gather myself for the next assault.

Ivan needs this more than I do so I plan to stretch the fight out. He gains his feet and leaps toward me. In mid-flight, he becomes human again. Slamming into my chest, he carries us both to the ground.

I might be hard to kill, but that doesn't mean Ivan's blows don't cause damage. Before I can push Ivan off and gain my feet, his fist slams into my jaw, clanging my head against the packed dirt again. I don't react quickly enough before Ivan shifts to wolf and wraps his massive jaws around my throat. Time to put an end to this mess. With little effort, I propel him a few feet into the air and punch him in his teeth-filled face before he drops back to the ground. I follow it with a punishing kick to his midsection. At this point, Ivan shifts back to human with me standing over him, my fists plowing repeatedly into his face.

I don't hear the shouts coming from the edge of the pit. The wolves knew the outcome before the fight even started. They also knew Ivan needed this in wake of his mate being pregnant and all it entails. But I'm not thinking and my animal side, with raging bloodlust, has taken over. Several wolves jump into the pit and try to end the pummeling before I kill their Alpha. I shake them off like flies. It's a full minute before I have a short break in the rage and realize what I'm doing. Ivan is no longer fighting back, and his eyes have rolled back into his head. I shove two wolves off me and turn in a circle, facing the clan.

"Anyone else want their ass kicked?" Blood drips from my throat where Ivan's fangs pierced the skin. My eyes are pure amber at this point, and death is available to any wolf who welcomes it.

No one moves. The yell that leaves my throat is pure animal, and the pack's eyes drop to the ground as one. After a few deep breaths, I manage more control. Ivan lets out a groan so at least I know he should survive. I think a certain brunette has taken my control to the very limit.

Ivan's groan is louder this time. I reach my uninjured arm down and pull him to his feet. His body has more blood than skin showing, and chances are good he has a few broken ribs.

As per Ivan's usual style, he looks at me and smiles. "I don't know about you, but I feel better," he says and stretches out his shoulders while trying to hide a grimace.

Crazy wolf.

His words have the desired effect, and the mood around us lightens. One by one laughter sparks until they're all laughing and the tension fades. I wrap my arms around Ivan and leap from the pit. "One of these days I'll give you a real beating, and you'll stop pushing my buttons," I tell him. "I hope you're up to it because you owe me blood."

As Alpha, Ivan isn't required to share blood with me accept to prolong his life, but our deal is if he loses a battle against me, he'll provide it. The added benefit is the enzymes carried in my blood will help him heal more quickly. This keeps Ivan in top form in case another wolf decides to challenge him. In a challenge for Alpha, I can't intercede, and those battles are to the death. It would be almost impossible not to kill the wolf that replaced Ivan, but it's the way of our society, and the rules are important. There has been no challenge for Ivan's position in over two hundred years. That doesn't mean tomorrow when Ivan is still healing, some stupid wolf wouldn't go for glory. So Ivan will donate his blood tonight, and it will help us both.

Before I leave the pit area, I glance up the hill. Amy and Alba stand watching. I caught Amy's scent before I jumped into the pit. I'm also sure it's the reason I lost control. The woman does something to my vampire senses, and that something is very unpredictable. Alba had no business bringing Amy here to see our violent ways; it was too soon.

I grab Ivan's arm in a firm grip. He looks at me with a grimace before I flash us to the house, specifically the full bar in the family room. He hates to travel this way as do all the wolves. It messes with something in their brains and makes them feel unsure of their surroundings. When Ivan loses a battle with me, this is just another one of the consequences.

Taking two shot glasses from a rack, I pour each of us a shot of whisky. We down them immediately, and I pour two more. Ivan drinks the second one slower than the first, delaying the inevitable.

He slams the glass on the counter, lets out a low growl, then turns slightly in his chair and offers his throat. I always wait for Ivan to make the gesture first in deference to his status as Alpha and as my friend. I lean over him and sniff his neck by habit before my fangs plunge into his waiting flesh.

His blood is incredibly powerful, and his energy flows into me. I hold Ivan around his shoulders while feeding from his life force. If any other wolf challenged or annoyed me as much as Ivan, I'd kill the offender quickly. It comes down to the fact that we're a team, and Ivan is my family.

The wolves understand family and know I give Ivan leeway that I would never give them. In our society, dominance is respected and earned. Ivan earned my respect many years ago.

While feeding, Amy and Alba walk down the hallway past the door. Amy's eyes grow huge when she looks in and sees me biting Ivan's throat. She actually stops and gasps. My eyes turned amber as soon as I began feeding, and I'm sure the sight of my blood-sucking, amber-eyes is more than she can handle. With another small gasp, which she tries to cover with her hand, she hurries to the stairs, and I listen as she runs up them as fast as her human legs will carry her. The thump of her closing door and the scrape of the lock turning are next. Little does she know a bolted door won't keep me out.

I pull my fangs from Ivan's throat and steady him on the chair. His voice is groggy when he says, "Don't hurt her, Marcus. I know she attracts you. I know you desire her. I see the same in her as I saw in Victoria, and she brings out my protective instincts. I know I can't kill you, but I don't want you to kill me because I'll protect her."

I understand exactly what Ivan is saying. I've made my claim for the woman, but Ivan is willing to protect her with his life. He's now standing beside Alba when it comes to keeping Amy safe.

I acknowledge the words of the pack's Alpha with a nod of my head. Bruises are forming on Ivan's face and chest. Blood is still covering most of him. "Take a shower, my friend. I will see you tomorrow."

I walk from the room and head outside to look at the night sky. I'm not hungry and still feel like hunting. I must do something... anything to take my mind off eyes so blue they remind me of the daytime sky which is no longer mine to enjoy.
Chapter Twelve

_Amy_

It's 4:00 a.m. when I unintentionally wake up. The first thing that enters my mind is the memory of Marcus with his teeth imbedded in Ivan's neck. I'm woman enough to admit it was damn sexy. The glow from his eyes when he looked up is something I'll picture repeatedly. Stretching, I decide to take a walk even if it's still more than an hour before dawn. Alba stirs and touches my hand with her cold, wet nose. "I'm going to take a walk. Go back to sleep. You need to rest for the babies." Yep, I'm talking to a wolf; I saw two men fight, and both should have died; and I saw a vampire having a late-night snack. Waking up didn't throw me back into the real world, and I doubt anything can now. Speaking to Alba in her wolf form seems completely natural. Yesterday I was sane, and today I need a straitjacket.

I throw on a loose shirt and a pair of jeans. The house at least has muted light in the evening, and I can find my way through the monstrosity. I turn toward the back of the house, make several more turns, and head outside through a side door after catching sight of a faint luminescence through the door's glass.

A few steps out the door, I realize it's a garden. Small white lights are strung through the rocks and above a rather large pond. Water is falling in the distance, and I move closer to the sound. A high stone fence encloses the entire area. I noticed the fence during my walks with Alba and had no idea the beauty it hid. I near the pond and simply stand and admire the magnificent surroundings. Frogs and crickets add to the ambience along with the soothing sounds coming from the waterfall. I can't help wondering when the weather will force the amphibians and insects away. I suspect that in winter the pond freezes along with the waterfall. I won't be here so none of that matters, but a girl can dream.

I head to a small gazebo about ten feet from the edge of the pond. Stepping under the shelter, a startled cry leaves my throat. It's occupied by a shirtless, breathtaking man sitting in the shadows. And the true reason I couldn't sleep.

"Please enter," he says softly when I don't step farther inside. I also realize he'd been watching me as I gazed at the pond. I can't look very attractive in an old t-shirt, and still I take that step, drawn to his voice.

"I'm sorry," I mutter, completely unsettled. "I didn't realize anyone would be up this early." I keep my voice low so it doesn't overpower the sound of the waterfall or disturb the frog's music. My gaze travels up Marcus's body, stopping at his chest for longer than I should then continuing to his shadowed face. I'm thankful the blood heating my chest and neck aren't visible in the nearly dark gazebo.

Marcus cocks his head slightly. "This is the end of my day, and I enjoy seeing the touch of dawn."

"Well," I say a little stiffly. "That was a stupid statement for me to make. Of course you would be up. So the legend of vampires and the sun is true?" _Don't look at his chest._

He nods. "To a certain point I can tolerate the sun just as it rises and sets. If I stay longer, I receive a nasty, painful sunburn, and what some might call sun poisoning. It's unpleasant, but from time to time my needs dictate I be out during the day. Here at the ranch, I do as I please and avoid the pain whenever possible. If I don't sleep during the day, I become very...let's just say cranky."

I'm trying to reconcile the violence seen last night with the calm man before me. I need to remember he's not actually a man; he's a vampire. A question pops into my head and spills from my lips before I can stop it. "Are there female vampires?"

He gives a low laugh that sends chills up and down my arms. "Your fear seems to have given way to your inquisitive nature. But yes, there are female vampires."

"I didn't mean to be rude. You told me last night that you have been alive for hundreds of years, and I wondered if you shared those years with a woman. I guess it's an intrusive question, and I shouldn't have asked." I won't mention that it's actually my job.

A smile plays around his lips. "I shared many years with one woman. She did not want to become a vampire, and she left before I was ready to lose her."

His voice holds the pain he still feels, and I can't help wondering what it would be like to be loved like Marcus must have loved her. "You can make a vampire?" I ask to take his mind from my previous question.

"It can be done," he says gruffly. "For those that have been this way for hundreds of years and especially the ones, such as I, that had it forced upon us, we do not take the making of a vampire lightly. It should never be done against someone's will." These words hold even more suffering.

"How did she die?" I ask because I'm assuming she's dead now.

"Old age. When you live hundreds of years, the average eighty-year lifespan for humans is only a blink of an eye for us."

My heart is twisting painfully. "You loved her after she grew old?"

A quick flash of amber appears in his eyes. "I would have loved her for all eternity if she had allowed it. Her hair turned gray and her skin changed, but to me she was the same beautiful young woman I gave my heart too. If she grew two heads, I would have continued loving her."

Tears well in my eyes, and one rolls down my cheek.

"You're crying," Marcus whispers. "Why do you cry about something that happened more than two hundred years ago?" He stands and walks closer.

He reaches out and wipes the tears from my face and brings his fingers to his lips. His silent gaze is heavy, and I want to turn away. It doesn't happen because I'm mesmerized by his gentle touch. Without thought, I lean forward and lift my mouth to his.

He stands very still, and I almost end the kiss. Before I can pull away, his arms wrap around me, and I'm pulled against his chest. The kiss deepens. My hand comes up and rests on the side of his cheek while the heat from his bare chest surrounds me. I have no idea what brings me to my senses before I do something even dumber. He releases me grudgingly when I pull back.

"I shouldn't have done that. I'm not sure why I did," I murmur breathlessly.

"I hope for the same reason I did." He takes the smallest step closer and lifts hair from my cheek, placing it behind my ear. "Your body pulls at me. It's not something I can explain. It was there the first night I saw you in the alley."

I take a larger step back. "Was that before or after you were going to kill me?"

He runs his hand over his face then peers at me again. "I could lie at this point, but I won't. I also don't want to ruin the mood so I'll just say it would have been a very bad mistake. I would have lost something truly special and never known what I missed."

Anger swells inside me. "Do ladies fall at your feet all the time?" I have no doubt this gorgeous man can kill. I saw it when he fought Ivan. The violence was that of a predator, and he's very good at hiding it.

"Money seems to have that effect on many ladies, as you call them."

"Do you think I kissed you because you're rich?" I ask and now I can't keep the disgruntlement from my tone.

He doesn't answer the question and instead asks his own. "Why did you kiss me?"

The insecurity in his expression stuns me. To have lived for so long and still feel vulnerable touches me. My anger disappears. "I kissed you for two reasons. One was because you seemed so incredibly sad."

He doesn't hesitate. "And the other?"

I weigh my next words because I shouldn't give him this ammunition. "Because I wanted to," I finally answer truthfully.

I barely get the words out, and I'm back in his arms. This kiss isn't gentle or a get-to-know-you meeting of lips. It's carnal. His hands circle my back, and mine land on his warm, smooth chest. His skin is warm, his mouth hot. A fire burns deep inside me.

When he finally lifts his mouth, he takes deep breaths and brings his breathing under control while I fight for oxygen. He releases my body, takes my hand, and leads me from the gazebo. "Watch the sun rise with me?" he asks.

I gaze to the east where the first streaks of sunlight appear over the horizon. We stand silently as the sun comes up. Marcus finally lifts my hand and brings the backs of my fingers to his lips. I stumble back when he disappears like he was never there.

It can't be a dream. I touch my lips to find them puffy. Not a dream. I can't help wondering what other tricks he has that defy the mind. This puzzle won't be solved anytime soon so I head back inside. I need to shower to prepare for the day. I also need to make some phone calls. My biggest plan for the day is to learn everything I can about vampires and werewolves.
Chapter Thirteen

_Amy_

After a shower and a clean set of clothes, I make my phone calls. Brian's not happy, though that's nothing new.

"I almost called the state police," he yells, causing me to move the phone away so I don't break an eardrum. He continues yelling for another five minutes, and I let him vent. That's Brian, my friend, protector, and mother hen. When he finally takes a breath, I let him know I'm staying for an extended vacation.

"Have you lost your bloody mind?" he yells even louder. "You're hundreds of miles away. What story could you possibly have that would connect Phoenix to here? You think the locals care what's happening on the other side of the country? What, you think you're some criminal investigative reporter with a death wish? Your last story almost got you killed. You remember that, don't you?"

I take a deep breath and count to ten. When I'm in control, in very precise English, I tell him how I feel about his tantrum. "I am not a child. And for your information, you are not my keeper. If I knew you would throw this type of fit, I would have emailed you. Now get off my ass, or you won't hear from me for a month." Yeah, I feel guilty as soon as the words leave my mouth. Even so, I remain silent and wait for the fallout.

It's the change in his tone that nearly does me in. I've hurt his feelings. "I'm angry because I'm your friend," he says quietly. "I'm also worried you're in over your head."

I know Brian cares, and I understand where his anger comes from. But if I allow him to walk all over me, it would only become worse. Sadly, I punch him in the gut while he's down. "If you listened with your brain and not your macho mentality, you would have heard me say I'm taking a vacation. You're missing the fact that this is personal. That means, caveman, back off and allow me to have a life like the adult woman I am." My voice softens at the end because I know this is hard for him to hear.

He's silent, and my heart sinks into my stomach. He finally clears his throat and asks me to call him in a few days. The call ends quickly after that. I know how badly I hurt his feelings, and I don't like it. I just need time on the ranch without questions or spying. I especially don't need him sending the police to check up on me. With a sigh, I let it go for now and make my next call. At least the one with Henry goes slightly better.

With part of my list taken care of, I go downstairs and find Alba waiting by the dining room door. We enter together and find a breakfast spread arranged on a sideboard. I'm starving and pile my plate to the point of erupting volcano and carry it to the table. Before sitting, I ask Alba if she needs me to fill her a plate, but the wolf turns around, showing me her tail, and leaves the room as Ivan enters. I don't miss the low growl she gives him or his answering growl.

"It doesn't appear she's very fond of you," I say conversationally.

He turns his attention from Alba's retreat and looks at me. "Alba is a bitc...sorry, out of sorts when she is carrying. Thank the Goddess it doesn't happen often."

"If you don't mind me asking, who is the father of the children?" I have no way for Alba to communicate with me, so I haven't asked her. It just seems strange that she's sleeping in my bed when she should have a husband to help her right now.

Ivan draws in a sharp breath, and I know this was the wrong question to ask him. "Alba never tells us. If I were to ask, it would cause a... scuffle. Alba has a difficult time with authority, and more than once she and I have had...words."

He's being so careful in how he frames his answer, and it piques my curiosity even more. "Is that what happened last night? You had... words with Marcus?"

The tension in the room drops a notch when Ivan laughs. He then makes a slight groaning noise and places his hand on the side of his rib cage. With a smile in the words, he answers, "One or two words only. Marcus and I came to an understanding." His grin expands. "We have these conversations every few months. It relieves anxiety for both of us."

Fascinating that violence is how they solve their differences. "Do you fight like this with your wolves?"

"Only if my intention is to kill them," he says bluntly.

I'm unsure how to take his answer. "Do you kill each other often?"

He shrugs. "We are essentially animals. We have tamed ourselves over the past century, but never mistake us for human. It may seem wrong to you when we speak of killing, but it's necessary from time to time. In the long run, our ways keep peace among us. We cannot appear weak to our enemies, or they will attack. If that happened, many of our people would die. Our last beastkind war was brutal. Neither Marcus nor I want another war."

I study him for a moment. With his bulging muscles, he's obviously strong. After what I saw last night, he's more than capable of defending himself against anyone who isn't vampire. Whereas I barely noticed slight discoloration on Marcus's face early this morning, Ivan's bruising is much more pronounced. Even knowing the answer, I ask anyway. "Who had the last _word_ , as you call it, last night between you and Marcus?"

He laughs again, then grabs his stomach that must be as sore as his ribs. "Marcus always has the last word. Don't let him fool you. He's one of the strongest vampires alive. A battle to the death with Marcus would end in death for the other person. I am not foolish. He lets me get away with a small amount of insubordination, but I'm always careful in my poking because at the end of every day, I know he can easily kill me." His fingers trail back to his ribs with a grimace. "I may have pushed a little too far this time. Marcus might love me like a brother, but he knows what it takes to keep us all safe, and any wolf who jeopardized our secrets would be put down immediately."

I also know his words pertain to humans and don't bother inquiring. "Do you love him as a brother?" I ask instead.

"I would lay down my life for his. You don't truly understand the bond between beastkind and vampires. We live because he lives. It's so much more than that too and difficult to put into words."

"Beastkind?" I ask curiously.

"The proper name for shifters."

I nod and store the name "beastkind" in my long-term memory bank. "I want to learn everything I can about you and your people. Are you willing to help me?" I've been unsure of Ivan since meeting him. Marcus always appears calm, whereas Ivan is volatile, grumpy, and closed off.

He watches me closely when he speaks. "I didn't agree with how Marcus handled the situation with you. Personally, I think you could have gone on your way without learning anything about us. Marcus felt differently, and for some reason Alba, who dislikes humans, has taken a liking to you." He glances around the room before finishing. "I will help, but if you betray the trust Marcus has in you, I will be your worst nightmare."

I would be crazy to disregard this threat, and somehow it still doesn't worry me. "Do you think Marcus _will_ kill me?"

"He could, but I'm unsure what's going on in his vampire brain." He sighs and rolls his eyes. "I'm having the same problem with Alba right now. Maybe if I spend more time with you, I'll discover the hold you have over them."

It's my turn to laugh. "Maybe, just maybe, we could be friends?"

Ivan smiles. "I would like that. Now eat your breakfast so you can follow me around all day. I believe you will find our lives quite interesting."

He makes himself a plate double the size of mine, which isn't easy. When I can't finish what I've taken, he pulls mine toward him and makes short work of what I had left. Wolfmen must need more calories than an average man because he doesn't carry an ounce of fat on his muscular frame.

Ivan notices my attention on his food intake and nods at the empty plates. "When a wolf is injured," he explains, "Marcus takes blood. You saw it last night. I didn't need to see you to know you were there. Your shocked gasp gave you away and also Marcus's awareness of you. I felt it through our connection while Marcus fed. When a vampire takes our blood, we heal faster. After giving him blood, we must consume large amounts of calories which helps us heal and helps with the blood loss." He draws a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not attracted to men. That said, when Marcus feeds from my blood, it affects something inside me, and the closest explanation would be desire. It's that way for every wolf in my pack. While the enzymes in his blood run through us, it causes a desire, or maybe ache is a better word, to bond closer with him." He shrugs. "It's something I can't put into words and must be experienced to be understood."

I'll admit I don't get it. I'll also admit there's something sexy about the thought of Marcus feeding from me. Yeah, I'm nuts, but I've already established that. Since the darn kissing in the garden, I can't get the man out of my head, vampire fangs and all.

My brains snaps to the woman Marcus loved. "Does the bond work with humans too?"

Ivan stacks our two plates and pushes them to the side. "Healing works to an extent. Humans are fragile, and the enzymes in his blood will only slow aging, not stop it. Beastkind are meant to bond with vampires. Humans are not."

He didn't answer my question. "Did you know the woman Marcus loved?"

Surprise shows on Ivan's face. "Her name was Victoria, and she was everything to Marcus. She also came close to being the death of him." He rises to his feet. "This is something best discussed with Marcus. It's not a subject I care to recall."
Chapter Fourteen

_Amy_

When I leave the house on Ivan's heels, Alba joins us. She rubs against my thigh and in return, I scratch my fingers through the fur on her back. She's so graceful and beautiful with her shiny coat on such a monstrous body. I've never seen a wolf her size. Not that I've seen many and those were only at zoos. I just had no idea wolves were so large. "Are you the size of Alba in wolf form?" He looked big last night, but I was too far away to compare him to Alba's size.

Ivan stops and reaches for the bottom of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. Alba's growl fills the small clearing we just entered.

He gives Alba a stony expression and grumbles. "I will show Amy my wolf form whether you approve or not." He says the words harshly which surprises me.

Before I step in to defend my new friend, Ivan shucks his pants and a wolf, much larger than Alba, stands in his place. Alba doesn't bother growling; she attacks.

It's as brutal as last night with a very different outcome. Within a minute, Ivan, the wolf, is standing over Alba with his teeth at the smaller wolf's throat. Alba squeals slightly, and I lose what little sanity I have and run at Ivan with my own snarl. Using everything at my disposal which includes arms, legs, fists, and feet, I kick him in his already sore ribs while trying to tear him off of Alba. He shakes his massive body, and I fall on my side. Large jaws with saliva-dripping teeth snap in my direction along with an angry growl.

"Stop, Amy!"

Its Alba's voice inside my head. I take my terrified gaze from Ivan and stare at my friend who is still in wolf form which makes no sense. I slowly back away, glad Ivan's teeth are no longer on Alba's throat. Ivan shifts into a very naked man between one blink and another.

I'm not sure which is more beautiful, the man or the animal. I've never seen a man this close who carries as much solid muscle as Ivan. I've also never seen any man as nakedly gorgeous or had his junk so close to my face if I wasn't in a relationship. It leaves me slightly perplexed because I don't feel the attraction to him that I have for Marcus. The thought doesn't stop the heat from rising in my cheeks. Thankfully, Alba steps between us, and I look everywhere but at the naked man in front of me when I gain my feet.

Ivan quickly redresses before speaking to me. "No harm will come to Alba, Amy. Sometimes she needs to be put in her place, and it's my job to maintain the peace within the pack." He casts an unhappy look at Alba before regarding me again. "She's been pushing for weeks, much as I've pushed Marcus. Never come between me and one of my wolves again." His voice is low and dangerous, his fury ready to unleash, causing me to take a step back.

Regardless of his excuse or his threat, I'm having none of it. "If you think I'll stand by and allow you to harm her, or her unborn babies, think again. And by the way, you're not a man at all, you're a bully. If she were your wife, you would be a wife beater, one of the lowest forms of men on the planet." His eyes burn, and I look death in the face, refusing to cower.

"Amy, no," Alba's pain-ridden voice whispers inside my head again. I gaze down at her, stunned. "Ivan and Marcus can't know you hear me. It's important to keep this between us for now."

Before I process what she's saying, Ivan's sharp voice breaks through my surprise at hearing Alba speak while she's in wolf form. "You are wrong, Amy. Call me what you will, but Alba _is_ my wife, and she carries another man's babes." With that, Ivan turns and storms away.

Alba licks my hand then follows Ivan. I walk slowly behind them, wondering what the heck I've stumbled into.

Ivan heads into a large garage off the main house. It's bigger than most homes in the city. He starts the engine of an oversized four-wheeler. He's still angry, and his voice reflects it. "We'll take the Razor so I can check the property lines and make sure we're safe."

I sit down on the passenger side, expecting Alba to jump into the area behind the seats. Instead, she runs beside us on the well-used dirt road after Ivan throws the Razor into gear.

He follows the trail for more than a mile before we see anyone. It's a large wolf. Ivan slows then finally comes to a stop. He stares at the wolf, and the wolf stares back. It takes me a moment to realize they're speaking telepathically. It's rather rude so I try my newfound connection with Alba.

"Yes, I can hear you. If they open their minds, the other wolves could hear you too. There hasn't been a human with your ability in hundreds of years, and it doesn't occur to them to try it."

"How did you know?" I ask her silently.

"I knew when you fell unconscious at the city house. Your thoughts filled my head."

Interesting. "Is that why you saved me?"

"It's only one of the reasons. Listen to Ivan and do not come between fighting wolves again. I would hate to think I saved you for nothing. Ivan wasn't hurting me."

"If you cheated, I wouldn't count on his temper staying under control." I try to keep the recrimination out of my voice and fail.

"The explanation must wait until tonight, but, Amy, I need your promise that you will not attack Ivan again. Your human body is no match for our claws and fangs. You could die before Ivan, or even myself, could stop ourselves. If that happened, Marcus would kill us."

The last thing I want is Alba accidently hurting me. I also don't want anyone to die because of my stupidity over their animal nature. "I don't know if I promise absolutely, but I'll try. It's the best I can give you." If Ivan touches her again, I'll find something large to hit him over the head with. I'm just not mentioning that to Alba.

Ivan puts the Razor back into gear, and we're off again. Two men are waiting at a fence when Ivan pulls over next. Instead of silent communication, Ivan speaks to them in what sounds like Russian.

I can't help myself. "Do they speak English?" I ask sharply, my anger at Ivan still in full bloom.

Ivan chuckles, and his shoulders relax. I guess he was still angry at me too. "Forgive me, my manners are remiss. I was asking if they saw or smelled anything out of the ordinary. It was a pointless question because they would have notified me immediately if they had. It's just customary for me to check on things throughout the day." He turns back to the two young men.

"Amy, meet my sons, Asia and Duncan. The wolf you saw earlier is Sinner, one of my security team."

Both impossibly gorgeous men step forward and shake my hand. I glance briefly at Alba.

"Yes, they're also two of my scalawags," she says telepathically, her voice filled with pride.

She approaches the men and rubs herself against them.

"Boys," Ivan says, "Your mother will have two cubs. Why don't you come to the house after your work shift and join us for dinner?" He hesitates a moment. "We should celebrate the coming arrival of twins. Inform your brothers too, we can't have a real celebration without all of you."

"How many sons do you have?" I ask Ivan.

He glances at Alba, and his voice drops. "Four now. We lost two sons in our last war and still mourn them. The babes will help fill our hearts."

I so need a long and serious girl talk with Alba. The constant additions to this drama make it even more impossible to keep track of everything going on. One minute Ivan sounds jealous enough to seriously hurt Alba and then he invites his sons to a celebration for the pending birth of children who are not his. Nothing makes sense. Ivan said earlier that Alba never revealed the name of the babies' father. I'm missing a vital key to this puzzle.

Ivan and his sons speak English for a few more minutes, and then we drive away to continue making rounds. He answers numerous questions about the property which I'm thankful for. An entirely new world has opened before me, and I'm so curious I can barely keep still.

We finally slow an hour later, and Alba jumps into the back. She lays down, closes her eyes, and lets out a slight snore a few minutes later. I place my hand over the seat and rub her soft fur.

"Normally, she allows only the boys to touch her when she's carrying. I'm surprised you don't lose a finger or two when you pet her," Ivan says after turning away and watching the road again.

Alba lifts her head slightly and growls. Ivan sticks his hand over the seat, and she snaps at him. Ivan persists. With a huff, Alba lays her head down and allows him to scratch behind her ears. She licks his hand then mine.

We arrive back at the ranch house a little before two in the afternoon. I'm hungry again and run upstairs to clean up before heading back to the dining room where a half sandwich and salad are waiting for me. Ivan said we'd be having a large dinner so this small meal is perfect. What isn't perfect are my unanswered questions about wolves having babies, fathers, and children. I can't wait for tonight.
Chapter Fifteen

_Amy_

After my light lunch, Ivan passes me in the hall and explains he needs to make a few phone calls, and I'm left to entertain myself. I decide to walk through the house to discover what I've missed. I have no idea how many rooms it has, and I become disoriented several times while I explore. I head up another staircase, turn right, and see closed double doors at the end of the hallway. I have a feeling it's Marcus's room and decide to challenge the old saying that curiosity kills the cat. My fingers go to the doorknob, and I turn it.

Before I can push against the door, it opens, and Marcus is standing there with slightly mussed hair, black silk pajama pants, and a bare chest. My mouth waters as I hungrily stare at the sexiest man alive.

His lips quirk ever so slightly, and I'd swear he's laughing at me. I should check my mouth for drool. "It's probably rude of me to say," his smile breaks through, "but I caught your scent when you approached the door." I take a step back when his predatory grin magnifies. "Don't run off, little girl--join me. I won't bite--promise." He reaches for my hand before I can back farther away and tugs me into the room.

The door shuts behind us with a soft click.

Marcus pulls me into his arms and smiles down at my frown. His next whispered words send goosebumps across my skin. "I was dreaming of you, and then your smell overwhelmed me, ending the delightful dream." His arms tighten the slightest bit, and he rests his forehead against mine. I'm so falling for this man. Vampire. Whatever. I have no idea why this is happening so fast. It's so much more than simple attraction. It just feels right to be in his arms.

"Maybe I'll dream of you tonight too," I say with a mischievous smile.

He runs his nose down the side of my cheek to my neck, which does things to my body that I can't even describe. I rest my head on his chest, and we stay like that for a few minutes, only the sounds of our breathing filling the silence.

I finally lift my head and meet his eyes. "We're having a party tonight to celebrate the babies, and since it's your house, you should probably know about it."

His hand slides up my arm and rubs my throat where he sniffed earlier. "Ivan sent me the information earlier, so I'm fully aware of this evening's party. I need to shower and dress." He doesn't pull away. "The boys don't come for dinner often. They tend to avoid the main house when they can. It will be nice to have them here."

"Why do they avoid the house?"

"The eldest is over two hundred years old and the youngest is one hundred, but parents are parents, and the boys need their freedom. A pup will live with its mother and father for as long as thirty years. Emotionally, they mature slowly and need the parental bond for much longer than human children. Once they are old enough to leave the den, they stay away as much as possible."

This opens up so many more questions, but I don't want to ruin the moment. He leans down and kisses me. The muscles beneath my hands bunch. He might not have Ivan's bulk, but there's nothing lacking about his powerful chest and arms. As the kiss deepens, I realize there's nothing small about other parts of him either. His silk pants leave nothing to my rampant imagination. Desire rocks through me, and Marcus's pull is hard to deny.

He releases me first. "Alba is searching for you and following your scent to my room. I believe it's time for us to dress for the party."

I laugh self-consciously. "I should be offended that my smell leaves a trail. Each time I see you, you mention it."

My unmentionable lady parts go into a tailspin when he laughs. It's sexy to see him unwind. "You have an incredible scent. It's sweet, spicy, and very unique. Don't be offended."

It's my turn to laugh; it helps remove those ever-present flutters that happen when he's around. Then I hear a scratch at the door. "Saved by the wolf," I say.

"She saves you only because I allow it. She'll interfere one too many times, and I'll have her sleeping in the doghouse."

A loud growl sounds from the other side of the door, and I extricate myself from the strong arms holding me. I open the door about an inch when Marcus sweeps me back into his arms for another deep kiss. Alba noses her way in and growls.

Marcus ends the kiss and gently pushes me toward the door, causing Alba to back away. He closes the door with a snap after we're through, and his echo of laughter comes from the other side.

"I'm not sure if you have good timing or bad," I say mentally to Alba.

"You need to play a little harder to get. Marcus has women throwing themselves at him all the time, and you could help your own case by resisting him for a few days."

A bit of jealousy knots in my stomach at the thought of the number of beautiful women competing for Marcus's attention. "I'm sure you're right, but resisting his body is nearly impossible." I glance at his door with longing. What if I threw caution to the wind and took what I wanted for a change?

Alba's laugh takes me out of my fantasy world. "I guess I can understand," she says into my mind. "He is gorgeous."

I've never been one to be attracted to a pretty face, but Marcus is more than that. He has a certain allure that's nearly impossible to fight. With a shake of my head, I walk to my room with Alba at my side. The first thing I see when I open the bedroom door is a beautiful blue gown lying at the end of the bed.

"Where did this come from?" I ask in wonder, staring at the magnificent dress.

Alba's response flows into my head. "I ordered it for you when I knew you were coming here. Other clothes came in too, and I had them put away."

Alba must notice the stubborn set to my jaw at her revelation, and she speaks up before I can say anything. "I've never had a daughter, so don't be testy. Let me indulge myself. I rarely spend money, and I have more than I need." It doesn't change my displeasure so she adds, "I'm pregnant, fat, and must stay in fur form while my sons come to party; it's the least you can do."

Okay, I laugh at that, darn it. I'm being outwitted by pregnancy, and Alba shows absolutely no signs of carrying one child much less two. In human form, she appeared to be in her twenties, thin, and definitely not the mother of a two-hundred-year-old son. Alba's true power is in manipulation, and it's hard, if not impossible, to avoid falling prey.

Without another word, I dress for dinner. Alba points me to the dresser where delicate, sexy undergarments match the dress. The ensemble leaves me feeling incredibly sexy. Alba offers an exquisite diamond necklace to accent the dress too. Even borrowed, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it and insist on a string of pearls given to me by my grandmother. They go everywhere with me. One dress and one string of pearls is my idea of being prepared. Two days and two formal dinners are not in my travel wardrobe, but it looks like Alba's taken care of that even if it was totally unnecessary.

Before leaving the room, I catch another glimpse of the necklace Alba wanted me to wear. With a smile, I decide to improvise. I fasten the strand of diamonds around Alba's neck. She lets out a soft growl, and I cuff her nose softly. "If I'm being dressed up, so are you." I point my finger at her. "I won't hear another word about it." With that, I march from the room trailed by a throat-sparkling Alba. We reach the staircase, and I notice Marcus and Ivan waiting at the bottom, which sends immediate flutters throughout my body.

Ivan turns to Marcus. "Maybe I'm beginning to see what you find special about her." Alba growls, and Marcus laughs. Typical men. Ivan needs to compliment his wife.

Marcus sticks up for Alba and puts Ivan in his place. "I heard about your scuffle this morning, and if I were you, I would watch myself and get back in your lady's good graces. You could take a lesson from Amy and shower your mate with diamonds. They look incredible on her." Marcus speaks without taking his burning gaze from mine.

Ivan answers while staring at Alba. "I prefer to keep all my fingers. I can't believe she allowed Amy to get away with that, but they do have a striking effect."

Alba's words land inside my head, "It's not his fingers I'm thinking about biting off."

It's hard not to laugh and give away our telepathic secret. I hope the two of them can work out their differences. I have a feeling there's so much more to this story than I'm aware of, and to be honest, I like both of them.

"Let us join the boys," says Marcus when Alba and I remain at the top of the stairs. "They are ready to eat and in a hurry to get the party started." He takes my arm when we reach the final step and leads me away with Ivan and Alba close behind.

The dining room is more beautiful than the evening before with candles in strategic places giving off a soft glow. The boys, as they're called, are talking and laughing when we enter. Conversation immediately stops, and they rise to their feet. Marcus takes his place at the head of the table and seats me next to him while introductions are made. I've previously met all of Alba's sons but didn't realize Conner was a member of the family when I spoke to him at the city house. Scrutinizing the _boys_ , I see the strong family resemblance. Even dressed up, I'm no competition for the beautiful people I've seen on the ranch, especially Ivan and Alba's sons. It surprises me there aren't a flock of females hanging around all the time. Conner blushes, and his brother slaps him on the back when I say so.

Ivan has no problem adding to Conner's blush. "Conner is dragging his feet and needs to put up or shut up about a certain young lady wolf."

Conner lifts out his hands and stares down his laughing brothers. "You want me to bring her into this craziness?" When everyone stops laughing, he explains why she isn't present. "She took guard duty so Columbus could attend. I certainly would have preferred her over you," he says and gives his brother a fierce scowl which belies the sibling love noticeable in his eyes.

Columbus doesn't seem to mind the rib, and I listen with a smile while the boys continue teasing each other.

A short time later, Marcus makes the first toast. "To Alba: Mother, friend and guardian of this motley crew, and to the babies. May they be strapping boys with the fierceness of their mother and the gentleness of their father."

Everyone laughs and drinks good-naturedly, even Ivan, at Marcus's razzing. It leaves me perplexed. Alba cheated on Ivan and is carrying children from another man. I have a feeling the explanation Alba promised could take half the night because I'm completely lost within their family dynamic.

When dinner is served, Alba settles by the hearth where a fire is burning. She curls up on the rug and watches us celebrate. Ivan quietly leaves a short time later without excusing himself. I finally understand when he returns as a wolf and lies down beside Alba. He curls himself around his wife and gently licks the side of her muzzle before resting his head on her shoulder. It's such a beautiful picture, and I hope it means they're finding some way to settle their very large differences.

The boys continue joking, and one mentions how nice it would be to have a sister. Marcus agrees. "Much easier to spoil a female and no way could she get into as much mischief as sons." This sets off a round of stories about their childhood exploits. I laugh so hard my cheeks hurt.

I drink several glasses of wine and feel more relaxed than I have since arriving. When we're finished eating and conversation slows, Marcus asks if I'd like to walk in the garden. At his words, the boys use it as an excuse to leave. Alba and Ivan walk them to the front of the house while Marcus takes my hand and escorts me to the garden door. We stroll past the pond heading to the gazebo where Marcus wastes no time pulling me beneath the overhang and kissing me.

Too soon, he draws back. "I've been waiting to do that all evening. You are breathtaking." His lips meet mine again.

I love being in his arms, and I'm strongly attracted to him. It's impossible to explain it, but it's more than attraction. It just feels right to be kissed by him and held in his embrace. His hands wander across my back before traveling to my shoulders and neck. Blood rushes to my nerve endings, and I sink further into Marcus's body. He kisses my neck and runs his nose along my jaw and back to my throat before letting out a low groan.

"I apologize," he says gruffly. "I have not fed completely in days and being this close to you is torture."

He only drank wine at dinner. I added this to my collection of questions that are filed away, waiting for the right opportunity. I pull away slightly and look at him. "Does it hurt the person you take blood from?"

His voice drops an octave when he replies, "No it doesn't hurt. It is, however, an intricate sacrifice not to be taken lightly."

"Explain please?"

He inhales and exhales slowly before answering. "The blood shared between me and the pack gives the gift of life. It sustains us and is very special in its uniqueness. Sharing blood with humans is different. It brings out extremes that can comprise anything from anger to paranoia. For most though, the biggest extreme is desire. You and I already have a sexual pull, and I'm not sure you're ready for what could happen when the enzymes in my blood mingle with yours. There's also an added benefit for me that works on beastkind and humans. Sharing blood once causes no noticeable change, but continued feedings have consequences and those include my ability to feel your emotions, know where you are, and read strong thoughts like being in danger. Blood is a gift and not one to be taken lightly."

He's not scaring me; if anything, I'm turned on even more. "Would you be able to speak to me telepathically?"

"Eventually, if we continued sharing blood, yes. You would not have access to the wolves' thoughts, only mine." He runs his fingers along my cheek to my lips. "Sharing blood is a life-altering step for you. The link, once formed, would never go away, and you need to think about it long and hard."

I tilt my head back just a bit and bring my lips closer to his. "Is it something you want?"

He kisses me without answering. His tongue swirls around mine, tasting me as I taste him. This kiss is longer and a replica of his body joining mine. At least it is until his fangs extend and my tongue slides over their sharp points, and I taste blood.

"How far can you go without sharing blood?" I ask in frustration.

"Not much further," he groans, "but Goddess I want to touch you."

His fingers are splayed behind my back. They travel to my shoulders, and he pushes the short sleeves of my gown down until my breasts are exposed with the strapless bra pushing up the girls. Marcus peppers short kisses over my breasts, driving me mad with need. My head falls back, and my thighs clench at the exquisite feel of his lips, tongue, and teeth. I'm ready to agree to anything including becoming a willing blood donor when suddenly Marcus lifts his head and looks toward the house.

"We must return inside," he says in a pain-laden voice. He straightens my dress and grabs my hand, leading me quickly back inside as he talks. "Something is wrong, and Ivan is calling me. One of the wolves is dead."

My thoughts turn to Alba, and panic seizes me. Nothing can happen to her. I won't allow it. Men are entering the main room when we arrive. Marcus is in full leader mode, and things happen quickly.

He shouts orders, and I'm still unsure what's happening. "Jacob and Neil, you stay with Amy. Everyone else is with me, with half of you in wolf form."

Before he's finished speaking, clothes fly in all directions and half the men, how they came to what half completely unclear, shift to wolf form. Marcus looks at me, and I try to get my question out, but he turns away. At the door he casts another look my way. "Stay here. The wolves will keep you safe." It's not a request; it's an order.
Chapter Sixteen

_Amy_

My head swims with the terrible possibilities. Alba and her sons weren't here when we arrived, and one of them could be dead right now. I glare at Neil and Jacob. "If you think I'm staying here, you can take that thought right out of your wolfy little heads."

Dark eyes regard me, completely unintimidated. "We will lock you in the basement if we must. To disobey orders is a death wish, and neither of us is ready to die. If locking you away will keep you safe, we'll do it." Jacob shrugs. "Your choice."

If I had a gun or knew how to shoot one, I would consider using it. They stare at me, waiting for my acquiescence. I'm so angry I want to spit fire. Without answering them, I turn away and start pacing, becoming angrier as each minute passes.

It's two anxious hours of fuming, grumbling, and making deals with God before Marcus returns. Ivan, in human form, is behind him with Alba, as wolf, by his side. Jacob and Neil sigh audibly and leave the room as quickly as possible. I've been expressing my anger throughout Marcus's absence, and they are fully aware of my fury. They're also smart to retreat before I explode.

"You left me here with the jackass twins for two hours. I have no idea what's going on, who's dead, or who's in danger." My teeth actually hurt from gritting them as I get the words out. "They wouldn't tell me anything, and I was fully aware you were giving them information telepathically. If I had a weapon, I would be wearing a wolf coat by now."

"Ivan, take Alba to your room," Marcus says abruptly.

Before Marcus completely finishes the statement, Alba wedges herself between us and bares her teeth.

Marcus looks down, and I actually take a step back at his expression, "You will obey me." Alba's tail goes between her legs, and I want to kick Marcus in the shin. Alba slowly follows Ivan from the room, looking back every few feet and growling.

Marcus threads his fingers through his hair and looks down at me. "I have no idea what you've done to my wolf." His frustration comes through loud and clear.

I seriously doubt that his frustration can outdo my fury. "Would it have hurt to take me with you? You had enough wolves along to keep me safe. I had no idea what was going on, and it made me crazy."

A vein throbs at Marcus's temple, and for a second, I think he's losing his sanity like I've lost mine. "You were safer here," he whispers.

I want to hit him. "You said I could leave if I wished. You had no right to keep me here against my will."

His eyes flash and when they settle with the strange amber color I've seen before, I want to run. "I will not argue about it," he bites out. "If you wish to leave, it will be arranged first thing in the morning. In the long run, it will keep you safe."

The finality in his words comes through, and my anger drops a notch. It's my turn to take a deep breath. "I was worried sick not knowing if Alba or her sons were dead. I'm trying here."

I watch him noticeably restrain his anger. One of his people is dead, and he must be devastated. With a loud sigh that's half frustration, he pulls me into his arms, and I settle against his chest. After a few moments, he's able to speak. "A wolf named Sinner died tonight." The words are filled with anguish.

Sinner is the wolf I saw earlier today. He was proud and beautiful, and I'm so incredibly sorry he's dead. So many questions run through my head, and when I'm about to ask one, Marcus opens another world to me.

"Cat shifters are our enemy, and we believe it was one of them. We followed the scent for miles and lost it. Sinner was shot long distance with a sniper rifle. The scent trail began more than 500 yards from the body."

Okay. If my ears are working properly, there are wolf shifters and cat shifters. Somehow, I don't think he's talking about furry little house cats. I give myself a mental shrug. I'm in the rabbit hole far enough to accept werewolves and vampires. What's one more reality check? With that snap in otherworldliness thinking, I move on. "Why would someone kill him?"

He holds me just a tad tighter. "We have enemies. There hasn't been trouble in many years, and we've grown lax. I'll discover who killed Sinner and why." He pulls back a bit so he's looking at me. "I should send you away tomorrow, but you're safer here. I'm sorry; I can't allow you to leave now."

I'm part of his world now. I have no idea where I fit in, and leaving is the last thing on my mind. "Don't shut me out, Marcus. I can help."

His eyes, which had returned to their natural brown color, turn amber again, and his nostrils flair. "I want you. Come to my bed?"

"You did everything you could earlier to scare me away."

I receive the first smile since he's returned. "I fed before coming home. Another wolf was wounded, and he needed to exchange blood to heal faster."

Each nerve in my body is on high alert. I want this man so bad it hurts. A little blood exchange, mind reading, and location finding won't change that. "Ivan explained a little about how the blood exchange works for wolves." I go to my tiptoes and place a kiss to his lips. "Instead of explaining, why not take me to bed?"

His grin widens. "I thought you'd never ask." He sweeps me into his arms, and I can't stop the giggle that escapes my throat. He has no problem carrying me upstairs. He stands me next to the bed after we enter his room. Walking around me, he unzips my dress, trailing kisses on the skin he uncovers. The kisses turn to small nips, and I shiver when he bites my neck gently. He then follows his hands and kisses my back as the dress falls to the floor. He releases the bra clasp, and it lands beside the dress. I'm stunned when he drops to his knees, his fingers hooking my panties, and slides the silk down my legs, following the material with kisses.

His glowing eyes gaze up at me. "You are magnificent."

I kneel in front of him and thread my fingers through his hair, keeping our eyes joined. With a deep groan, his lips come down on mine, and he lifts me to the bed. His mouth travels across my skin, driving me crazy with each nip, each kiss, each wet touch of his tongue. I moan when he stops and pulls slightly on my hair so I open my eyes. "I can't make you pregnant, contract diseases, or pass them on. I'm only telling you so you don't worry about it. But I need to know you're ready to take this step?"

"I think you are overdressed for what I want," I reply huskily, realizing I never once thought about the ramifications of having sex with him past sharing blood. Bad Amy.

His eyes hold so much desire that it stops me from breathing for several seconds. He slides off the bed, and I'm given the sexiest striptease show of my life. Everything about him is graceful and strong. He makes my mouth water. His abs are washboard sexy, his arms ropes of steel. I fill my senses with his naked body and have no problem staring at his incredible form. He lowers himself to the bed beside me and takes up learning my body where he left off before. Within a few minutes, my body yearns for more, and it's almost a physical ache. I'm so impatient, I bite his lip and scrape my nails down his back. He growls and my toes curl. I'm on fire, and it doesn't help when he turns his attention to my sensitive breasts. It's my turn to growl. It feels so damn good, and I never want him to stop. Two can play this game, and I finally allow my own hands to wander farther than his arms and shoulders. I kiss his chest, paying special attention to his nipples. My hands travel each muscular hill and valley of his body while tasting his flesh and storing everything into my memory banks. Marcus lifts me slightly up the bed, stopping my exploration, and kisses down my body to the ache between my thighs. Before he touches me where I need him most, his eyes flash to mine, and I inhale sharply. "I've dreamed of you in my bed, your scent on my sheets and covering me."

I can't take my eyes from his. "You've been in my dreams. This is better though. It's real and won't end when I open my eyes."

His tongue comes out, and he licks me, there. Like he did with the rest of my body, he learns what I like, what drives me wild, and what makes me moan. I can't get enough air in my lungs, and I can't form words to tell him I'm coming. His fangs nip where his tongue left me wet and wanting, and I cry out as waves ripple over me, sending me into a sea of sensation. He doesn't let up, and while my body quivers uncontrollably, he slides a finger into my swollen folds while sucking on my clit and turning one orgasm straight into another. I clench around his finger, fighting to hold back and unable to stop my body's response.

It's several minutes before I open my eyes and see him watching me. I give him my sexiest grin. "I want you up here, filling me." He isn't the only person who can boss people around, and I don't plan on taking no for an answer.

He moves up the bed, trailing kisses, and he stops at my breasts until I tug on his hair. The man has serious willpower because I'm finished waiting, and two orgasms are not enough when it comes to Marcus Lincoln.

"Whatever the lady desires," he whispers when I tug on his hair again.

"Your lady desires you. Inside me. Now."

Finally, his lips find mine. I reach between us and take his swollen erection in my hand. He's so big and hard and velvety soft. I draw my knees up and place him at my entrance. He thrusts forward, and I cry out again, gripping his arms tightly, whispering his name, and losing myself as his heat fills me. Each thrust rocks my world--each groan fills my senses--each touch sends electrical current raging through every part of my body from my toes to the tips of my fingers.

He's a machine built for sex, of that I have no doubt. I'm so far gone, I can't string the words together that he whispers against my lips. He drives into me with one raging stroke after another until I lose myself again. He ravages my mouth, and I feel the scrape of his fangs. His thrusts grow faster, and when Marcus's sharp teeth nick the inside of my mouth, I taste blood again. He throws his head back, the cords of his neck tight, and pulses inside me. We collapse beside each other, and Marcus pulls me into his side.

Our breathing slows in gradual degrees. His hands glide feather soft across my skin. His scent fills my lungs, and my hands do their own soothing while we come back to earth. Finally, I have enough energy to roll slightly so I can look into his eyes and ask questions. My journalistic side can be redirected with amazing sex, obviously, but it will never go away completely.

"Why is your body so warm?" I ask first.

He tugs playfully at my hair. "I can control my body temperature, though it takes more energy to keep it warm."

I absorb his words, realizing the part of his body that mine craves the most wasn't just warm. It was hot. On to the next question. "May I see your fangs?"

Surprise shows in his gaze and then he smiles. "They are not extended at the moment, but be my guest." He opens his mouth slightly.

Nope, this isn't weird at all. I place my finger between his lips, running the tip across the sharp points that aren't nearly as long as they were earlier. I remove my finger and land a quick kiss on his lips for allowing me to do something so personal. When I try to move back, his hands pull me closer until I'm lying over him, and the kiss doesn't end. It's a minute or two before he lets me up for air, and I whisper exactly what I need next. "I want to kiss every square inch of your body."

His smile is so damn sensuous, and I'm able to watch as his fangs elongate. I place my finger back into his mouth, touching one sharp point. When I press down, it pricks my finger, and Marcus sucks the blood away, his wicked teeth gleaming, and his eyes full-on amber. It's my turn to take what I want, and with Marcus's naked body beneath mine, I want it all.
Chapter Seventeen

_Amy_

We stayed awake the entire night and watched the sun come up together in our special place, the garden. When soft rays of light delicately paint the horizon, Marcus disappears. His sexual skills are over the top, but this disappearing thing could trump it all.

I drag my weary body to my bedroom and find Alba curled in front of the door. She stretches and wags her tail at my approach. I don't miss the once-over she gives me before speaking in my head. "You look tired. Get some rest and then we'll talk."

"Right now would be better," I say with a yawn.

"You'll fall asleep in the middle of the conversation, and I'm not telling this story twice. Rest and we'll talk."

Everyone in this house has a type "A" personality, and I'm no exception. Though I want to argue, I'm exhausted, and Alba is right. I need sleep, and her story can wait.

Five hours later, my eyes open and I'm half awake. The other part of me is recovering from the dream about Marcus and his teeth of all things. I'll need a nap later to spend another night with Marcus, but for now I'm awake. I stretch my sore body and smile to myself. It's a good sore. Strike that, it's wonderful. Alba, who's beside me on the bed, stirs then licks my hand.

After running my hands through her fur and giving her a thorough scratching, I tug her ear. "It's a shower for me, then food. I'm starving. Then, no more delays in our discussion."

It's noon when I walk downstairs with Alba by my side. Surprisingly, Ivan's waiting along with a full breakfast on the sideboard.

"Since you missed your morning meal, I decided to indulge you. Join me. I will be absent the remainder of the day, possibly tomorrow too," he says while pulling out my chair. He fills a plate with everything available, and just when my stomach growls loudly, he places it in front of me with a knowing smile.

I'm blushing when I grumble, "I couldn't eat all my food yesterday, how can you expect me to finish this?"

Ivan glances at Alba, who's taken her place by the fire, then turns back to me. "Did Marcus share blood with you?"

My blush deepens to the point where my face could explode, and Alba releases a soft grumble, helping a girlfriend out.

"My job is to keep Marcus safe, and I need to know if he's started a connection with you."

I can't believe I'm having this conversation. "No, the 'connection' as you call it, did not happen. Now, can we please talk about something else, like where you're going after we eat?"

"Hunting," is all he says. It's enough. If Ivan finds the person who killed Sinner, their odds of survival are slim.

"I'm sorry about Sinner. I only saw him in wolf form for a few minutes. He was beautiful."

"He was one of my best security team members, and his family is out for blood. They've agreed to stay behind and guard you. Please try to make their lives a little easier than you did Jacob and Neil's last night. Those two woke me up this morning seeking permission to go with me today. They asked not to be punished again."

Another blush rushes into my cheeks. "I'll apologize to them before you leave. The situation wasn't their fault and I wasn't exactly nice to them."

"If I can talk them into coming anywhere near the house, you may get your chance, but otherwise, it could be awhile." Ivan smiles at me, and I feel the slightest bit better over my treatment of them.

Now that Ivan isn't on the attack about what happened between me and Marcus last night, I throw out a question. "Please explain why sharing blood is so special."

Ivan leans back in his chair before he explains. "For beastkind and Marcus, it keeps us alive. The energy in beastkind blood fulfills a vampire's needs better than any other blood. Hundreds of years ago, beastkind and vampires were sworn enemies. If we managed to escape a vampire after being bitten, we realized our aging process slowed. Peace was finally made, and we learned more about the blood bond and what it means for both sides. I'm Alpha and leader of the wolves--the wolves and I are Marcus's clan, and he is our leader. The exchange of blood allows us to communicate telepathically, live for as long as our vampire king, and also gives us added strength and size. Beastkind without a vampire to sustain them do not fare well."

"Marcus told me about your enemy, the cats. Are there other types of beastkind?"

"There are three wolf packs, one cat pride, and a bear clan in the U.S. and a panther pride in South America. There are different types around the world and some I'm sure we aren't aware of. Beastkind usually reflects the strongest animals in a region."

Bears and unknowns. After everything I've learned, I roll with it. "Where are the cats located, specifically your enemies?"

"They move around, but the main pride is in Florida, and that's where I'm heading."

"Are you sure the cat that killed Sinner is part of that pride?"

"No. That's what I plan to find out."

"Why isn't Marcus going?"

"He'll join me tonight. It takes us longer to travel, and he can do it instantaneously."

Disappointment swamps me. I was looking forward to spending a long evening with Marcus, and now I know he'll be gone. He should have given me this information last night, and it irritates me that he's keeping knowledge from me. We'll be having an in-depth conversation before he joins Ivan. At least, I hope.

Ivan finishes his breakfast and then spends time admiring my uneaten food. I push what remains his way and watch him demolish it in four bites. So unfair that he can eat this much and not carry an ounce of fat. He looks at me, and his expression loses the light. "Alba will stay with you in the house while we are away. Please do not leave. My wolves are outside, and you are safe. Half the pack will come with me, and Marcus will be here until the sun sets. He is more protection, even in daylight, than my wolves. Staying inside will also keep Alba safe. She will follow you anywhere you go, and her life will be in danger if you leave the safety of these walls."

His guilt speech works. "Inside it is," I agree. "I didn't sleep much last night and having a full stomach is making me tired."

Ivan laughs. "Alba didn't sleep much either," he says, looking at his wife. "It will do her good to join you in a nap."

Alba's side of the story enters my head. "Men are the same everywhere. He got lucky last night when I had a weak moment. He's in the doghouse right now, and it will be some time before I'm that weak again."

I laugh then cover my mouth at Ivan's puzzled glance. I cover it by saying I remembered something funny from earlier. At his continued regard, I assure him I am not sharing the joke.

Ivan leaves the room after Alba rebuffs him when he lays a hand on her head. She snapped at his fingers causing him to grumble when he walked out. He isn't happy over whatever he and Alba are fighting about now. I head to my room, taking a slight detour to walk by the closed doors of Marcus's room.

Alba nudges my hand. "Lie with him and take a nap. I will stay in the hall and rest too. Go ahead."

I enter the darkened room and can barely see anything. I go by pure memory to the bed and give a startled squeal when Marcus grabs my wrist and drags me onto his toasty warm body.

"Sleep with me?" he asks huskily.

I roll to my side and snuggle in when he wraps his arms around me. He's asleep in minutes, and I stop fighting my heavy eyelids and join him.

A few hours later, I wake up in Marcus's embrace, no longer sleepy. He kisses my hand when I extricate myself and immediately falls back to sleep.

Alba's waiting on the other side of the door and follows me back to my room. Once the door makes a solid click behind me, I turn with my hands on my hips and face Alba. "I'm rested and refuse to wait longer for an explanation. You owe me," I say stubbornly even though I know it's me that owes her. "For starters... why are you carrying another man's babies when you're in love with your husband?"

I about lose what's left of my mind when Alba jumps on the bed and takes her time getting comfortable before responding, "Beastkind are not able to procreate with one another. If we want to give birth, we must mate with a human. This is why many of our kind never mate." She shrugs. "It's easier for the women because we can have a one-night stand and conceive a child as the result. Males can sire babies, but the newborn must be taken from the human mother as soon as possible. The first change from human to wolf happens in mere weeks. A stolen child is traumatic and devastating for the mother, and she can never know what happened to her baby. Kidnapping a child has become nearly impossible this century. Just the simple blood tests run in the hospital on newborn infants could spill our secrets."

My mind is boggled and sad all at once. "You mean none of your boys were fathered by Ivan?"

"He is their father, just not biologically. Since losing two of my sons, I've longed for another baby. I should have been truthful with Ivan about my needs. For the first time, we didn't discuss it. Right now, his rage is so high he wants to kill the babies' father, which is ridiculous. The man doesn't even know he will be a father and as far as the twins go, he never will be. Ivan just won't be rational about it. I understand," she says tilting her mammoth head to the side even though she's speaking inside my mind. "I would be after the woman's blood if our roles were reversed. It was one night, an hour really, and I care nothing for the man. Ivan will calm when the babies are born. He's a great father and will love these children just as much as he loves the boys."

A thought pops into my flustered head. "What about artificial insemination?"

"We have a doctor who's aware of our secrets, and she's tried without success. Something happens and the fertilization doesn't take. Medical science has not helped our cause as it has for humans."

My heart nearly breaks. "I'm so incredibly sorry," I tell her. "I can't imagine the pain of wanting children and knowing how hard it will be to have one. Hard on both sides," I add. "I know you and Ivan love each other, and this must be a nightmare."

She gives a slight whine before sending her thoughts. "Prior to my previous pregnancies, we discussed it thoroughly, and Ivan was fully aware of what had to be done. Each child nearly drove him mad, and maybe that's why it was so hard to tell him this time. Leading up to the event, is very difficult for us. He won't understand, but I tried to save him that heartache. It hurt him, and in turn, he hurt me with words. We do love each other, and this will work out if I don't kill him first."

I laugh at that. So much pain for her and Ivan and I have no words. Instead, I turn my questions to something else that's bothered me. "This whole telepathic thing? I need to know why I'm able to hear you when I can't hear anyone else."

"That's a little harder to explain," she says and rests her head back on her paws. "Wolves of the same clan can communicate within the pack. A vampire can only exchange thoughts with his clan. He can only connect mentally with a human if he shares enough blood. That's why Ivan wanted to know if you and Marcus shared blood. It will change the dynamics of the pack once that happens."

Alba stands up, circles, and huffs when she lays back down, "You, Amy, are a rare gem. You can share your thoughts with our pack. Your gift could also make you very dangerous."

That startles me. "How so?"

"The chances are good that you can telepathically communicate with all the clans. You could tell us what our enemies are thinking and planning. If they find out about your ability, they wouldn't stop coming after you until you're dead."

"Just because I can read your mind, doesn't mean I can read anyone else's. You're the only person able to speak into my head."

A soft rumble escapes Alba's throat. "You can read every mind on this ranch, you just need to learn how to control it. We choose what to send telepathically and also who to listen to. Marcus can zap something into my head even when I'm closed off, but the others can't. I need to make Marcus aware of your capabilities soon. Until then, I think we should practice and explore your abilities. Once you open your mind, it will be hard to keep your thoughts private until you learn to control it."

"Will I be able to read Marcus's thoughts?"

"Yes, and that could be very dangerous. Marcus is incredibly powerful, and playing games with him is dangerous. It would be best that he knows your abilities before you delve into his mind. Once he knows you are telepathic, the danger it puts you in will terrify him." I'm sitting on the bed, and she moves her head to my thigh and rests it there. "With you on our side, we could win an all-out war even if we don't want that war to take place. A fight between clans would not go over well in the human world. Just knowing what you can do and having you with us could start a war. It's incredibly complicated, and you have a lot of work to do if you wish to use your gift."

"You're telling me that others will want me dead because of what you think I can do? You call that a gift?"

"It is. You're very special. You and Marcus are destined to be together." She licks my hand. "Now, let's practice."

New world here I come. "I'm not sure I'm destined for Marcus, but I agree. Teach me what I need to know."
Chapter Eighteen

_Amy_

Alba sits up on the bed and begins giving me commands. "Lie back, close your eyes, and allow your body to relax. Clear your thoughts and think about this room--the color of the walls, the carpet, the furniture. Things like that. Get rid of what you think you know or what you think we're going to do here. Just think of the room." She gives me a few minutes, and I do exactly as she asks. "Columbus is outside patrolling the grounds. You've met him, and I want you to picture him mentally. Send your mind out to search for him. Don't think anything in your head; just picture him and explore."

I try and all I can picture is Marcus. His hands running over my skin is super simple to imagine in my sex-filled brain. I shake my head slightly to clear the image and try once more to picture Columbus. A nagging feeling takes over, and it's impossible to explain. When Marcus's naked body pops back into my head, I groan. "I can't," I say in frustration. "All I can picture is Marcus."

Alba's laugh pings inside my head. "You don't close your thoughts, and I receive them too. Really, TMI, but quite the picture, and the last thing I need are thoughts of Marcus making me horny." Exasperation is clear in her voice, and she gives me a stern, wolf-eyed look. We both laugh. "Let's try this, I'll send Columbus a message and tell him to go check the gazebo. He won't think it strange because I do odd stuff like that when I'm pregnant."

"Okay, let's try." I clear my head again and wait.

A few minutes goes by while I do my best to wipe the mental image of a naked Marcus from my mind.

Alba's words flow softly into my head. "He's at the gazebo. Try to pinpoint his energy."

I picture the gazebo in my brain. Once I have it, I think of Columbus. It's strange, the shadowed outline of a wolf's body enters my head. Columbus is in wolf form. I smile and focus on his thoughts. With another ping, this one much stronger, a connection is made. I can see him in my mind, feel his thoughts, and I know what he's doing. His snout lifts suddenly, sensing something strange.

"Block me out, Amy," Alba whispers. "He's not sure what just happened, and when you're better at it, no one will be aware you're there. Focus on him and block me. It's vital no one knows what you're thinking when you do this."

I concentrate and sense Alba's place in my head. I isolate that small piece of energy and shut out my friend. Columbus continues sniffing around the gazebo, his thoughts straying to a certain female wolf he's attracted to. It figures. I had so much trouble keeping Marcus and our lovemaking out of my thoughts and here's Columbus with his own erotic memories.

"Columbus has a girlfriend," I tell Alba. "Maybe more than a girlfriend."

Alba doesn't answer me, and I turn my head and look at her. She gives a long-suffering sigh, and I realize we can't communicate.

"Sorry," I say and concentrate on Alba which immediately opens the link.

"He's his father's son and also a man. Of course he's thinking about a woman. Release him and let's try someone you're not familiar with," she says once she can hear me.

I release Columbus, and it's even easier this time. His energy pinpoint remains for me to tap back into if needed. Alba's was the same when I released her. "I can still feel you and Columbus in my mind. I shut off his thoughts, but I'm leaving yours open," I tell her once it's done.

"Once you make a connection, only distance will sever it completely. We'll experiment with your distance later. Scan the outside of the house with your mind and see if you feel anyone."

It takes a few minutes. "Yes, a female."

I know what I'm doing this time, and I'm able to enter the wolf's mind gently. Yvette is thinking about Sinner's death and revenge. Her anger is tangible. She's not angry with the pack; she blames Sinner's death on the new human. I realize I'm that human.

"You have her, and I'm there too. Reading others' thoughts will not always give you information you want. I'm sorry for that. Yvette is a strong warrior, but she is loyal. Marcus, Ivan, and I protect you. You are in no danger from her. She will soon understand that you are a great asset. She doesn't hate you; she only mourns Sinner, and she doesn't know where to focus her anger, and you're here and easier to blame than an unknown cat."

Yvette's grief is too much for me. I'm aware the two wolves had a brother-sister relationship, and feeling her private thoughts seems wrong. Her heart is broken, and her sadness settles in my chest, a hard ball of grief. She longs to run with Sinner one last time through the forest, and my eyes fill with tears. I sink into her pain and realize I need to pull away. I wipe my eyes and take a long, steady breath.

Alba whines, and I don't hear her thoughts. I cut her off again. With a snap I bring her back into the part of my mind that allows me to hear her. Wearily, I move to the side and run my hands through Alba's fur to comfort myself.

"We all grieve for Sinner. He was family. Blood through Marcus ties us together. Marcus is ultimately our father, and we are his children. For over a hundred years, we've lived quietly. Up until Sinner's death, we took our safety for granted. His murder is a reminder that our enemies are out there, and safety is only an illusion."

I process the information slowly and file it with everything else I've learned. "How did you know I could do this?" I ask.

"When you were unconscious, some of your thoughts sifted into my mind. Then you woke and your thoughts poured into my head faster than I could keep track. I knew you were a journalist seconds before you said the words aloud. The room was monitored, and once you voiced it out loud, I knew Marcus would kill you. I couldn't let that happen. Going against Marcus is suicide. I'm not sure if I could have done it if my mothering instincts weren't in overdrive. We protect our secrets at all costs. I didn't know then that you and Marcus were destined for each other, but I know it now. Don't make me explain. The wolves and Marcus need you. Your life is intertwined with ours and always has been. It was only a matter of time until you found us. And Marcus loves you, even if he's unaware of it."

I let the word "love" hang there for a few minutes, trying to wrap my head around it. Is that what I feel too? It's only been a few days which makes love seem impossible. I try to imagine not being here. Then never seeing Marcus again. The thoughts hurt. Love might be a stretch this soon, but it's something that could easily turn into love.

"I'm not sure what I feel for him," I finally say. "I was worried for everyone last night when Sinner died, but mostly, I was thinking about the possibility Marcus wouldn't return. Everything is happening too fast. Vampires, werewolves, werecats, and werebears, I guess they're called. It's too much, and I keep thinking I'm nuts. I'm also unsure what real love is. It's not something I've looked for, and my career comes first."

Alba laughs joyously. "Love happens. You can't stop it, and it happens when one least expects or wants it. You could be more stubborn than Marcus, and that's not easy. He's been lonely for far too long, and you will be good for him."

I don't want to think about a lonely Marcus. It's too hard. I search with my mind and connect with him immediately. "Marcus is on his way here," I tell Alba.

"Be very careful. Vampires have powers even I'm unaware of. Their mysteries make the Pentagon's secrets look like child's play."

Marcus knocks on the door, and I sever the connection, hoping he doesn't know I was in his head. Alba's right, and this is nothing to play with now that I know what I'm doing. I leave the bed and let him in. Before the door opens fully, Marcus yanks me into the hallway, leaving Alba in the room. I needed his kiss and somehow, he knows. Alba's growling on the other side of the door doesn't stop Marcus from leaving me breathless. When he's had his fill of my lips, he trails kisses down my neck. Alba sighs inside my head, and I sever the link. It's a few minutes before Marcus allows me to think straight, and I laugh. "Poor Alba can't turn the knob, and she's trapped."

"She only interferes when I want you to myself. I'm leaving this evening and need alone time with you."

His words are touching, but they also remind me I'm angry over his not telling me he was leaving. I reach behind my back and open the door for Alba as well as reopening our mental connection. "Ivan said you would be joining him tonight. I wish you had told me."

He searches my hard-eyed look and finally answers. "My mind was elsewhere, and you are fully responsible for my forgetfulness." He sighs when I don't give him an answering smile. "You're right. I should have interrupted our delectable evening and told you my plans. Forgive me?"

I can't help laughing at his ridiculous apology. He breaks off my laugh with a kiss.

Alba walks down the hallway and sends a thought into my head. "Get a room."

When Marcus chuckles, I realize she said it to both of us and do my best not to laugh. Marcus takes my hand, and I follow him to his room. Once his door is closed, he kisses me like it's been days and not minutes since he held me. It's okay though because I feel the same way. Is it love or lust? That's the real question.

Marcus removes my clothes and pushes me against the bedroom door. Our bodies know exactly what we need. With my back supported and my legs wrapped around his waist, I'm impatient to have him inside me. Grabbing the front of Marcus's shirt, I pull hard and buttons scatter.

"I hope you have another shirt for your trip," I say urgently.

"I want you in a button-up shirt next time," he says while trying not to put me down while he pushes off his pants. We're laughing at our clumsy attempts to get him naked and remain skin to skin. It's as sexy as it is comical.

We're both breathing hard when he enters me. My heartbeat accelerates with each forceful thrust. Blood rushes through my veins, and heat pools between my thighs. He runs his teeth along my jaw until his fangs extend, and he draws back.

I don't want him to stop there, but I don't say the words. My body is slowly consumed by his, and my thoughts scramble until we find release and end up on the floor with his body cushioning mine.

When we're able to walk again, we make it to the bed and start all over. Sometime later, I snuggle into his warmth while he rubs my neck and shoulders. I have no idea how much time passes when he disentangles himself and mentions food.

"I'm hungry too; what's for dinner?" I ask.

"You're having lamb and vegetables; I can smell it from here. My menu will depend on you. Have you thought about sharing blood? If it's too soon or you don't want to, I'll understand. I must seek out food, and I can do it while you eat dinner."

"Who would you drink blood from?" Yeah, I asked that and didn't even get that icky feeling in my stomach.

Marcus hesitates, and I know I won't like his answer. "The wolves rotate. I don't usually keep track of it, but they seem to know when it's their turn."

Hmm. He's evading. "When it's a female wolf, is it more than sharing blood?"

He circles my hair around his finger and tugs gently. "Sometimes it is. I'm no monk. My sexual drive is strong, and until you, it's been many, many years since I made love to a human woman. I make no apologies for my past."

He's right, and we both have pasts. "It's pure jealousy on my part, but my answer isn't based on those feelings. I actually made my mind up last night." I stare deeply into his eyes. "I want that connection with you."

"The first time won't cause a noticeable difference, and you can change your mind if once is enough."

I squeeze his arm and run my nails across his skin. "I doubt once of anything with you is ever enough." I lean over and kiss him.

His hands roam, and my sated body is ready again in minutes. His lips kiss a trail up my hairline while his hands turn my body to mush. His erection is heavy between us, and in one stroke, he enters me.

How do you prepare for a vampire's bite? You don't. Sensation rolls through me, and I barely notice when his fangs scrape the skin of my neck. Everything he's doing ramps my body higher and higher. There's a slight sting at the pulse of my throat, and I flinch. Marcus's arms are steel bands around me, and I can't move. Before I panic, a rush of energy fills me, swirls around, and shoots for my inner thighs. His mind links with mine.

"You are beautiful, and I've wanted to taste you since I saw you in the alley. I want everything you're willing to give me."

His bite is amazing, and it sends so many feelings through me, one after another. His body radiates pure power. I can't see his eyes, but I know they're a burning amber flame. He groans, and I meet him thrust for thrust.

I've never been this turned on in my life. I also realize something. No matter how crazy it sounds, this could be love.
Chapter Nineteen

_Amy_

Marcus escorts me downstairs to dinner. He promised to stay with me until I finish the meal.

"We must find the person who killed Sinner, but it's more important that we figure out why. The attack was unprovoked, on our property, and we need answers. The last thing I want to do is leave you. It's the only way I can keep everyone safe, though," he says when I finish eating.

I give him a brave smile I don't feel. "I don't like being left behind, but I understand. I'll stay here with Alba and catch up on some sleep until you return. I'm feeling lethargic even after all the sleep I got today."

He squeezes my hand gently. "That's my fault. Giving blood is different for humans than for wolves. I got carried away, and for that you have my apology."

"Accepted. Will you come to my room and get me when you return?"

"No," he says gently. "I want you sleeping in my bed while I'm away, and I will happily kick Alba out when I return."

I tilt my chin up. "Alba is pregnant, and you are incredibly rude to her."

Marcus laughs. "Alba can take it."

I look at my empty plate and realize I ate twice my normal allowance of calories. "If I gain weight, it's your fault. I hate diets."

"Your body needs the calories, and it won't show on your waistline."

"You probably practice that line on women all the time, and you know it works," I say with a smile.

A quick laugh leaves his throat, and then his expression turns serious. "I can no longer delay and must leave."

He rises and kisses my shoulder then my neck. I turn in my seat and meet his lips for mere seconds, then he's gone between one blink and the next. Even though I was expecting it, his instantaneous disappearance with his lips against mine is disconcerting. I doubt I'll ever grow accustomed to his ability to come and go in a flash.

With a loud sigh because I'm already missing him, I leave the dining room in search of Alba. It takes me several minutes to find the kitchen and when I do, I stop and stare.

Alba is sitting on a bench in wolf form eating from a bowl at the large country table. My worry over Marcus's departure pinches, but seeing a wolf eat at a table is pretty comical.

"Just because I'm a wolf does not mean I must eat my food from the floor like a common animal." Her indignation is clear in every word, and my laughter bubbles over.

"You're right, and I'm sorry for laughing. Nothing should surprise me anymore. Don't let my rudeness stop you from enjoying your dinner." I walk closer and glimpse inside the bowl. "Is that the same dinner I had?"

She growls, but its more good-natured than grumpy. "Yes, and it's easier in a bowl. I'll be happy when the pups are born, and I can be in human form again. I'm getting too old to be pregnant, and I'm very impatient."

"I can understand that even though you don't appear a day over twenty-five. And there's not an extra pound on you." I look around the spotless kitchen. "Who served your dinner?"

"Philip. He does most of our cooking, and he's very good at it. When we piss him off, he threatens to go to another pack. He won't because he loves us or so we tell ourselves. He's always testy if his food isn't eaten or the house is messy. More than anything, he needs a good woman to keep him in line."

I remember what Ivan told me but ask anyway. "How many wolves are here now?"

"About twenty. They're taking turns on twelve-hour shifts and will remain on high alert until we find out what's happening." Alba finishes her dinner, and I break the news we'll be sleeping in Marcus's room. "I'll sleep outside the door so Marcus doesn't need to get rid of me when he returns. I like my comfort, and I need you to make me a softer bed than the carpet provides. I'll show you where the extra blankets are kept."

"No, I can't make you sleep on the floor even with a blanket. Join me in Marcus's bed; he won't mind."

Alba chuckles. "The bed will smell like you and Marcus and what you've been doing in it so if you don't mind, a soft blanket will do. And no offense, but you reek of him and need a shower."

Heat rises in my cheeks again. "That's just great. If you can smell it so can the other wolves. What will they think?"

"They'll think Marcus got very lucky."

"Thanks. That sure helps," I say with a groan.

We leave the kitchen a short time later and head for the stairs so I can shower. I place one foot on the first step, and gunshots ring out and sound like they're coming from right outside the front door.

Alba's voice pounds into my head. "We need to get back to the kitchen; there's a cellar and you'll be safe inside."

I run after Alba back the way we've come. Just when we enter the kitchen, a rifle stock knocks through the glass of the back door, and the door slams open.

Two men enter, both with large guns. The lead man raises his rifle, and Alba growls and places herself between me and the men.

"If you want to die, wolf, keep it up." The man closest points his rifle at Alba, and the other man puts his sights on me.

I hold up my hand like it will somehow stop a bullet. "Don't hurt her. What do you want?" I'm terrified, but I won't allow them to hurt Alba or the babies.

"Be very careful, Amy; they are cats and our enemies."

I send a silent message back. "If they wanted us dead, they would have killed us as soon as they entered. They're talking and threatening for a reason."

Alba doesn't give me a heads-up. She shifts to human in a blink.

The man with his gun on her gives a smile I'll never forget. If evil has a name, it's in his grin. "Well hello, Alba. I see you've decided to add to your pack. I guess I'll have more children of yours to choose from when I start killing them again."

Alba attacks. Mid-leap, she shifts back to wolf and hits the man square in the chest. He was ready for her and lifts the rifle, slamming it against her head. With a cry she hits the floor hard, and the rifle's stock connects with her head again.

My scream fills the kitchen, and I try to stop the next blow. The second man grabs me and locks his meaty hand around my forearm, stopping me in my tracks. "We heard they had a human in the house. You're coming with us. I think you'll make a good bargaining chip with the wolf king."

My arm feels as if it will snap in half under the pressure of his hand. Alba isn't moving, and blood pools at her head. It terrifies me more than what these men have planned for me. I'm about ready to risk a broken arm when Alba's voice whispers inside my head.

"I'm okay. Connect with Marcus and tell him what's happening if you can. It's the only chance we have. It will help that you shared blood tonight, and you may have more distance."

The words resonate in my head, and it calms me. I stop fighting the man holding me. It's best they think Alba is unconscious. The man pulls me outside, and the other man follows. A large vehicle is coming up the drive, and the guy holding me jerks me toward it. I struggle and receive a punch to the side of my head that rattles my brain. I stop fighting because I need to stay conscious and find Marcus. The car's door flies open when it comes to a stop, and I'm pushed inside. The push is so hard, I hit my already sore head on the opposite window. My captor jumps inside and slams the door behind him. I can't stop myself from reaching for the door's handle. My hands are caught in a punishing grip, and duct tape is wrapped around them. The man who hurt Alba jumps into the front seat next to the driver. I'm accustomed to the smell of wolves now. Once the car door closes, I smell something very different on them.

Okay, first things first, I tell my slightly wonky brain, trying to get it to work properly. Connect with Marcus pops into my brain, and that's what I do. Using what Alba taught me, I picture Marcus in my head and pour all the terror I feel toward him. I have no idea if he received my message, and I pray that somehow, someway, I see him again. I have no doubt these men will kill me because I've read their thoughts, and I'm their after-dinner snack when they get what they want from Marcus, and I'll still be alive when they start eating me.

The car picks up speed and heads to the entrance of the property. We pass a wolf lying still on the ground. The vehicle gains more speed, and I try again to connect with Marcus.

I only stop when the man beside me laughs and shoves my shoulder. "Who do you belong to, wolf-whore?"

I don't have the opportunity to spit in his face because Marcus appears in the front seat with the two men. The man in the passenger seat flies through the windshield. Before the man beside me moves, his head tears away from his body, and his blood sprays my face. The man's headless body falls my way, and I push him back toward the door. The driver slams on the brake and turns the SUV into a tree, striking it head-on. I go airborne. Jagged glass bites my arms and face as I soar through the shattered windshield. There's no time to think before I hit solid ground, and I'm stunned when that doesn't happen. Marcus, with his disappearing act, can reappear just as quickly, and that's what he does, keeping me from making impact with the ground.

Even with my miraculous rescue, I know I'm injured. Wet, sticky blood covers me, and I hurt everywhere, with the majority of pain resonating from my left arm. I also can't stop trembling. Marcus rolls over and rests me gently on the ground. I stare into his amber eyes and understand why the man took the tree-death approach.

"You're alive," he tells me.

I go through a mental checklist of what that entails before I'm able to agree with him. "Yeah, I'm alive."

"Don't move. I need to check on the driver."

I have a feeling I'm not going anywhere without a lot of help. "Okay," I whisper, still dazed.

A moment later, I hear a cry of fear and then a loud cracking noise, and I know the driver's fate. It should bother me more than it does--the finder of truth and justice, the journalist for the people, the believer in a fair and honest legal system. I'm no longer that person. In only a few short days, I've come to understand what real life and death are about. I knew what those men planned to do with me, and I saw what they did to Alba. If I were able, I would kill them all over again.

When Marcus doesn't immediately come back to me, I search for him with my cloudy mind. Savage rage fills me when the connection is made. He's looking over his property, and I can feel his power, almost like a forcefield surrounding him. It burns like the coldest ice. He wants someone else to kill. Needs their blood on his hands. He yells out with rage, and I feel it all. The bloodlust, the unrestrained anger, the devastation that they're going to war. I picture it exactly as he does.

This is what he is. A terrifying man who cares about his people deeply. A vampire. A killing machine willing to annihilate everything in his path. I scoot away from his energy without realizing and look out into the night.

From the darkness, amber eyes meet mine. "I won't harm you," he says gently when I move back even farther at his first step toward me. "You're hurt, and I need to get you back to the house to check your injuries."

His voice calms me, breaking the mental link. My mind fills with something else. Alba. "We need to help Alba," I gasp, trying to stand, my hands bound in tape not helping.

"Alba's fine, and she knows you're okay."

He leans over me, removes the duct tape, and even though I'm stubbornly trying to stand on my own, he scoops me into his arms before I fall. His nose goes to my hair, and he inhales deeply. His power surrounds us both, the energy zapping through my body in sync with my heartbeat.

A vehicle comes toward us and stops a few feet away. Marcus climbs into the back seat while holding me in his arms after several wolves climb out. "Get rid of the bodies and the vehicle. I want no sign they were ever here."

Even in my vampire-induced quasi coma, I know what they plan to do. "They can't eat them, Marcus."

His eyes lock with mine. "I'm aware you're upset, but we live in a different world. Don't think about it; they deserve their fate." His finger wipes tears from my face or maybe it's blood. This is all too much, and my brain is having trouble handling everything.

I manage a deep breath and try to calculate my injuries. "I think my arm is broken, and I'm pretty sure I need stitches. Other than that, nothing seems severe. You're sure Alba and the babies are okay?"

He peels hair from my face, stuck to blood or tears maybe, and gently places it behind my ear. "I'm positive. I think you have some explaining to do. With only one feeding, you shouldn't have been able to link with me, yet you did."

I don't answer his question. My brain is busy processing what's happened. Marcus tearing a man's head off is now front and center. Maybe I'm losing too much blood, and my injuries are worse than I realized. Marcus saved me. I'm in his arms. All is right with the world. And I continue this litany through the trembles racking my body. And still I picture him standing, amber eyes aglow, looking into the night. Every inch the killer.
Chapter Twenty

_Marcus_

Nothing is comparable to the feeling I had when I thought I might lose the woman in my arms. We arrive at the house a few minutes after we climb into the car, and I carry Amy to the stairs leading to my room, Alba at my heels. "Don't you dare shift," I tell her. "I will care for her. My doctoring skills may not be as good as yours, but she'll be fine."

Alba whines and thankfully doesn't shift.

Amy's voice is a little stronger, though her shaking makes it stutter slightly. "Alba shifted to human when the men were here. She attacked one of them and shifted back. She needs to be examined first. He hit her in the side of the head with his rifle, and she's bleeding."

I turn away from the stairs and head toward the family room and the couch there. After placing Amy on the cushions, I turn to Alba. "You first. It will be easier to care for Amy if she knows you're okay."

With a huff, the wolf grudgingly walks over and allows me to examine her head. The wound is below her ear. She makes no sound as I prod the area. "You'll survive," I tell her, "though a lingering headache is most likely in your future. Philip is coming with warm water to clean the wound." I give no sign of what I'm planning next and tighten my hold. Alba knows this will help, and I know she will still fight it. Sinking my fangs into her hairy neck, I find the large vein. Alba fights for maybe three seconds then her body goes lax, and I draw her sweet blood inside me, giving her back life-saving enzymes that will help her heal.

Alba growls when I release her, and she quickly moves away and shakes her shaggy coat. Her wolf eyes glare at me, and my lips twitch. "You know it will help you and the babies. Philip is here to assist you, and I need to see to Amy."

Alba grumbles again, refusing to mentally communicate. Philip rests the warm water bowl on the coffee table and puts his hand out. He's lucky he's quick enough to snap it back when Alba tries to bite it off. Philip switches his tactical approach and hastily removes his clothes, shifting as soon as the last item of material meets the floor. Slowly, on four legs and not two, he approaches her again and licks her wounds which Alba allows.

I turn back to Amy and gently lift her into my arms. "I will never understand beastkind and gave up a long time ago."

I take a moment and breathe in deeply, filling my lungs with Amy before carrying her up the stairs. The shock is wearing off, and her pain will only get worse. She moans when I place her on the bed.

"I can help with the pain if you'll allow it."

She opens her eyes, and anger fills her gaze. "You didn't ask Alba; why are you asking me?"

Her bond with Alba is strong, and I should have expected this. "Alba is my wolf and essentially belongs to me. Feeding me keeps her alive, and she is only off the feeding rotation when she's pregnant. However, I refuse for her to suffer. Alba knows this, but she's stubborn like you and would have fought it." I run one finger along her cheek, dodging the scrapes and cuts from the glass of the windshield. "You are not mine, and I'm only asking to help relieve the pain. It's your choice and also comes with the added complication of tightening our bond. You will heal faster, and the pain won't be as bad. I won't force you." I try to keep emotion from my tone, but I'm frustrated, worried, and furious that there's even a need for this conversation.

Amy takes a deep breath, her eyes never leaving mine. Her thoughts are one with the emotions, and I sense them all--fear, anger... love? I see it as she processes what I've said. She was part of a brutal attack, and it still doesn't compare to the violent end I gave the cats. I'm almost relieved when she starts crying.

I join her on the bed and gather her in my arms. Slowly, I shift forward and back, offering the only comfort she'll allow right now. After several minutes, her breath hitches, and her tears slow.

She opens her eyes again, and a small smile plays on her lips. "I'm okay," she sniffs. "It's been too much, too soon, and processing everything is taking a toll. I don't blame you, and I apologize for my reaction. I'm glad you helped Alba even if she wasn't happy about it." She leans up and gently kisses the corner of my mouth.

I wipe a blade of grass from her forehead. "Philip is bringing more warm water. I need to clean your cuts and look at your arm."

She opens her good hand and places it against my jaw. "Share my blood. I don't care about the consequences. Help me heal."

It's what she needs even if she doesn't quite understand the ramifications. I'm a predator, and it's no decision for me. I strike quickly, giving her no time to take back the words. Her sweet blood fills my mouth, and I can feel every emotion running through her. The fear is gone, and tiredness takes its place. Slowly, her eyelids flutter and then close.

"You're mine," I whisper against her skin after I remove my fangs.

She rubs her head against my arm and slides just a bit closer. Philip enters with Alba behind him. He sets the items on the table and leaves quickly.

Alba walks to the bed and sniffs Amy's hand. "You shared blood again. I'm glad," she says into my mind. "She's part of you, and this will help her to understand it. She's very special, Marcus, and we can use her gift. We cannot allow anyone to harm her."

I shake my head, and what Amy was able to do tonight finally makes sense. "She can communicate with us. Why didn't I see it?"

"She can, and who knows what other gifts she holds. She was destined to be yours long before you realized it."

"I never thought I would love another, especially not human."

"You've carried your guilt over Victoria long enough. Amy isn't her. She's stronger, and her love runs deeper. Forgive yourself, Marcus, and give Amy everything she deserves."

Amy deserves so much more than me, but I don't say it out loud. "I'll try." I reach for the water and gently clean the cuts and bruises, first on her face and then her arms. Her legs were protected by the pants she's wearing, though they're now destroyed beyond repair.

I'm all but done when Philip returns with more medical supplies. Amy's eyes blink open, and she looks around. "I didn't feel this way after you fed from me before. It's different now."

"The enzymes in my blood give your body what it needs. If rest is at the top of the list, it will make you sleepy. We've never understood why it works this way; we just accept it."

"Can it be bottled?" she asks with a giggle. My blood is having a slightly narcotic effect on her which will make the next part of her treatment easier.

"No." I laugh, relieved she's talking. "You need stitches in your scalp, and it won't be fun."

She giggles again. "I doubt I'll feel anything. I'm high as a kite."

I place five very small stitches at her hairline after shaving a small bit of the area. It's the only time she grumbles. Her arm is another story, and it needs to be set. When her arm is jerked back into place, she cries out. I wrap it quickly while Alba paces back and forth. A few butterfly bandages later, and I'm done. She's awake; I can feel her mind pushing against mine. I really should have noticed it sooner. I lean over and whisper, "You're not leaving my side tonight. Alba can sleep in the hall if she wants."

"Make her a bed with a blanket so she's comfortable on the floor," she says telepathically.

"I'll sleep in your bed, Amy. You'll be safe with Marcus, and I need to rest." Alba walks out and leaves us alone.

"This is your room now. I'll have your things moved in tomorrow."

She responds without opening her eyes, still inside my mind. "You're awfully sure of yourself, aren't you?"

I kiss her nose, which is one of the few places on her face that isn't swollen. "You belong to me. I don't plan on letting you go, even if it's only to sleep down the hall. You gave me more than blood; you promised to be mine."

Her eyes fly open, and she speaks aloud. "I may be inebriated, but I don't remember making that promise."

"I love you, Amy." I knew it before and refused to put words to my emotions. Since I held her in my arms in that alley, I haven't been able to get her out of my mind. I'm tired of hiding the truth from myself or her.

"I'll be yours under one condition," she whispers and closes her eyes.

"And your condition?"

"Tell me you love me again when whatever this is wears off, so I know it's not a dream."

"That I can do."

***

_Amy_

A nightmare wakes me a few hours later. Marcus tightens his arms around me, and it feels like a hot sword is stabbing into my arm. I can't stop a moan. Marcus's warm breath travels over my neck, and then the sharp prick of his teeth relieves the pain. It's the strangest sensation--a moment of pain and then a rush of endorphins that clouds my brain and makes me think wicked thoughts.

"I'm naked," I say sluggishly into his mind.

"And it makes no difference. You're injured, and you need to heal."

I fall back asleep with a picture of a naked Marcus floating over me. It isn't real, but it's damn sexy.

When I wake up the second time, I feel much better. The room is dark, but I sense the daylight somehow. Marcus stirs beside me, and his hand grips my uninjured arm when I try to slide from the bed. He pulls me closer and sinks his fangs into my throat again before I can stop him. The last thing I want is to fall back asleep.

"It won't make you drowsy if you don't need the sleep. It will always give your body what it needs most. Just accept it, love." His voice is gruff, and I can tell he's exhausted.

I snuggle in beside him and decide not to argue. Within a few minutes, I feel incredible and not tired in the least. I leave the bed and walk into the bathroom where I take advantage of Marcus's giant tub and scrub myself from head to toe with my one good arm, which is harder than it seemed before I started.

I can make a soft fist with the hand of my broken arm, and it's not nearly as bad as it should be at this stage of the injury. If Marcus could bottle whatever is in his blood, he could make a fortune.

A soft knock sounds at the door, and before I can cover myself, an unknown woman enters. She places a stack of my clothes on the vanity.

Though I'm surprised at her rude entrance, and the fact I'm naked puts me at a very large disadvantage, I offer my thanks. The woman is beautiful if you disregard the look on her face which is stunningly ugly. If glares could kill, I'd be dead. Without realizing what I'm actually doing, I connect with her.

"He'll forget about you, bitch, and I'll be back in his bed."

I should be more stunned than I am, and I need to stop invading others' private thoughts. This woman has obviously slept with Marcus and feels there's more going on than there is. I offer a slight smile, and it doesn't change her scowl. Thankfully, she leaves me in peace to finish my bath.

No more reading minds, I promise myself. At least if no emergency is on the horizon. I dress carefully a short time later and have trouble fastening my jeans with my injured arm. I leave my shirt out to hang down over the top of the jeans when the frustration gets to me. Making a fist was very different than getting my swollen fingers to cooperate. Tiptoeing past Marcus once I'm dressed, I head for the dining room and food. If nothing is there, I'll eat the table.

Ivan and Philip are sitting and talking when I enter the room. Alba is curled up at her favorite spot by the fire.

"How are you feeling?" Ivan asks when he notices me.

"Better and hungry enough to eat a horse. Are there any horse beastkind I need to worry about offending when I say that?"

Both men laughed.

I ask the question that I should have asked Marcus, and it immediately removes the smiles from the men's faces. "Did any of your people die last night?"

"No," says Ivan. "They used high-powered darts to sedate the wolves. Yvette was the only one shot with a bullet, and it was in her shoulder. When Marcus wakes up, he'll feed from her, and she'll be fine."

Jealousy rears its ugly head at the thought of Marcus doing something so intimate with another woman. I let it go because I'm being stupid. Feeding from the wolves is what keeps them alive, and it's an aspect of Marcus I must accept. "I'm sorry," I say after a moment's hesitation. "I should have let him care for her last night."

"From what I heard," Ivan says. "Marcus wasn't leaving your side. Your need was greater than Yvette's, and she'll be fine."

I decide to leave it at that, and another thought bothers me. "Who is the woman who delivered my clothes this morning?"

Alba growls, and I glance in her direction. "You'll need to teach me to growl like that because that's exactly how I feel."

Philip interrupts us when he hands me a huge plate of food.

"Thank you. It smells delicious," I say, remembering how temperamental he is when it comes to the food he cooks.

"I expect you to eat everything on your plate. I would hate to come looking for you if you allow Ivan to eat it," he says sternly and without another word, walks out.

Oops caught. Ivan winks at me when I look at him. My mind is now off the woman from this morning. It returns at Ivan's words.

"Mary is the wolf's name. Did she cause trouble?"

He doesn't seem surprised that she would cause trouble, and it occurs to me that maybe she is more to Marcus than I realize. "She's hostile, and she has feelings for Marcus. Is there something there I should be aware of?"

Ivan stutters and looks around the room, not meeting my eyes.

Alba's sends thoughts quickly into my head. "Let him off the hook. He won't betray Marcus. You and I both know why the girl is angry. You got the vampire. If you hate every wolf who's slept with Marcus, there won't be much room for love. Sorry to be this direct, but Marcus has never practiced celibacy. He doesn't love them in that way, and he never made promises. To him, it was nothing more than feeding and lust."

I'm not quite ready to let Ivan off the hook even if he's only protecting his friend. Connecting with his mind is as easy as blinking. "Your hair is mussed, and Alba thinks you need a shower. You stink."
Chapter Twenty-One

_Amy_

Ivan drops his fork, and Alba's laughter fills my head. "Now you've done it," she chides. "Be ready for the fallout."

"How did you do that?" Ivan demands with his own glare.

"What? You mean this." I project into his mind again.

"You shouldn't be able to do that. Does Marcus know?" He's the one angry now, and it shouldn't make me as happy as it does. However, it's not me who has the last word.

"Yes, the sleepy vampire knows," Marcus whispers through our minds. "And if you don't lower your voice and be polite to Amy, I'll be down to teach you some manners. I would prefer sleep so put your claws away." I feel when he breaks the link with Ivan and Alba, addressing me only. "Mary means nothing to me. I'll prove it later." And he's gone.

"You're all nuts," Ivan says and leaves the room like his tail is on fire.

Alba's laughter fills my head again. "Ivan retreats when he loses. He needs time to think things through, and then he'll be back. It was priceless though. He's such a control freak."

While listening to Alba, I start eating and finish everything on my plate just as Philip requested. Should I? Yes, I should. I fill another plate and down it a little more slowly this time. If my waist size doesn't increase, I could truly get used to this.

"What happened last night and why?" I ask Alba after I've swallowed the last bite and push my plate to the side.

Alba yawns and opens her eyes which have been closed during half my meal. "The cats keep an eye on us, and we watch them. It's a game we've played for centuries. It's uncommon for humans to be part of our world, and when you arrived, it caused questions."

"I'm the reason you were attacked?"

"It goes deeper than that. We think Sinner was killed to get the wolves away from here so the cats could get at you. The pride's queen is very jealous of what we have. More than that, she hates Marcus. She'll find out soon enough that you're with him. She may have thought you were going to breed with a wolf, and we were letting you into the pack. It's been done. When she finds out you're with Marcus, he will deal with her once and for all."

"Is she another of Marcus's spurned lovers?"

"This is an area I'm uncomfortable with. You'll need to get those answers from him."

The stubborn tone of her words lets me know I won't get more out of her. "Fair enough; I'll ask Marcus. Do you think Philip will remove the stitches in my head? They itch, and I'm fairly sure Marcus healed me enough so I no longer need them."

"Yes, but come over here first," Alba requests.

I walk over and sit down next to her and the fire.

"Place your hand on my stomach. The babies are moving."

I tenderly rest my hand on her belly, and a few seconds later, I feel something move beneath my fingers as a small wolf-cub changes positions. "It's amazing. Does it hurt?"

"No, silly. It doesn't hurt. The babies are growing and will be here in a few weeks."

"Is there no set time?"

"If I hadn't shifted so much these past few days, or given blood to Marcus, I would have a better idea of when they're coming. Shifting doesn't harm the babies, but it does slow the gestation cycle. Marcus taking blood quickens it, so it's really messed up. The babies will be born as wolves which also helps them mature faster. To make a long answer short, weeks is the best I can do."

"I understand the dynamics of beastkind becoming pregnant. What I don't understand is why more females, who aren't married but old enough, don't become pregnant?"

"It takes a lot of time to raise cubs. Many females are simply not ready. We live a very long time under the control of a vampire, and we can have children at any age. More babies will arrive after these two. It's how it usually works."

I have so much to learn. "Can Marcus father children?"

"No, he can't. This is something you need to discuss with him. If you really wanted children, there's always the way of the wolf."

"And the man will die before he touches you," says Marcus in our minds.

Alba huffs out a frustrated breath, and I shake my head. "We are talking girl things. You should be sleeping not eavesdropping. Maybe you need to be tucked into bed." I wink at Alba, and she lowers her head to her paws and closes her eyes.

"I'm waiting," he says, a growl underlining his voice.

"We'll finish our discussion later," I tell Alba before quickly leaving the room with her laughter in my head.

I quietly open Marcus's door, and as he's done in the past, he pulls me inside. "I thought you needed to sleep during the day," I say with a giggle.

"When certain young humans invade my dreams, it isn't easy." His voice is husky and sends tingles along my nerves.

"I'm not tired, and first I want answers."

"Sleep is the furthest thing from my mind at the moment, though talking wasn't on my mind either."

I laugh when he picks me up and tosses me on his bed, and I quickly forget the question I wanted to ask.

His hands explore my body like I'm written in Braille. I do the same to his, learning each hard plain, hill, and valley. His muscles go on forever, the skin taut across them. His power is more than muscle though. Again I feel it swelling around us. Marcus takes his time even when I want him inside me. Right. Now. I gasp for air when one finger slides inside my wet heat, and a minute later, I shift my body slightly so he knows exactly what I want.

"I thought you'd never ask," he groans.

"I'm not asking. I'm begging. I need you to take away the only ache I have. It's killing me."

He doesn't make me wait, and his savage thrusts send me over the top a few minutes later. I don't think I'll ever get enough of him. Trying will be fun though. His steady breathing alerts me he's fallen back to sleep. This time I don't leave him and give into the post sex sleepiness and close my eyes.

Hours later, after another round of lovemaking, I ask the question that's been burning up brain cells. "Tell me about the pride's queen."

A spark of amber appears in his eyes and leaves just as quickly. "It's a long story," he says finally. I don't push him. By his silence, I know whoever the cat's queen is, the story isn't pretty. "You need food, and this conversation will take time."

I kiss him gently on the lips. "Sleep and call me when you wake up. I'll be here."

"Thank you, Amy. I love you."

I leave the room, afraid to tell Marcus I love him. I'm unsure of so many things, but that's not one of them. There are problems though, and my mind replays them repeatedly. The burning question... will he ask me to become a vampire? And if he asks, do I want to? There's part of me that also knows this is happening too quickly. My feelings are new and delicate, and I've never been in love before. And I still go back to the one question--will he ask me to become a vampire.

"I'll ask," floats into my head, and I cover my mouth though what he's listening to aren't words, they're thoughts.

He knows I love him.

"I always knew."

I slam my mind shut, disgruntled, and hear his laughter from behind the closed door of his room. I hurry downstairs, hoping no one else notices my burning cheeks.

I head to the kitchen when I don't find anyone in the front of the house. I don't even take a wrong turn this time, and I'm proud to be learning my way around.

An unknown woman is talking when I draw closer to Philip's domain. Then I realize it's Mary.

"I don't know what he sees in her. He doesn't need her, and she's only human. Without wolf blood, she couldn't even keep him alive unless she sacrifices all her blood and dies. I'm available anytime he calls, and I don't need to die to fulfil his needs."

Alba replies inside my head too and I know she's aware I'm here. "You're afraid to share blood with him and only took advantage of his body. That's not love."

"I'm only afraid of his teeth, and eventually I'll accept that part of him," Mary says stubbornly.

"You share blood to stay alive, but he knows your family was killed by a vampire. He knows what you fear."

Mary begins crying, and I feel like a heel. "I love him," she says. "He didn't kill my family. It was his father."

My heart breaks. I was prepared to hate Mary and now this. I back away and head to the garden, searching out the pond for comfort.

Ivan's sitting in the gazebo, contemplating the problems with the universe if the look on his face is anything to go by. He glances up when I'm closer. "Is this a private party, or can anyone join?" I ask him.

"I need to speak with you anyway. Please have a seat."

I take the bench seat across from him and wait.

His voice is tightly controlled when he speaks. "Were you aware of who and what we are before you came here?"

"I had no idea this entire world existed, so no, I was not."

His eyes are hard, and I'm unsure if he believes me. "How did you know you could mind-share with us?"

"Alba spoke into my mind the day after I arrived. I had no idea before then."

"Did Alba know before you came?" he snaps.

I'm growing frustrated with his anger. "Alba is your wife, and you need to discuss this with her."

He looks me up and down, his frown firmly in place. "You answered my question." He holds my gaze. "How good are you?"

His switch to this latest question throws me off stride, though I recover quickly. "I'm learning to turn it on and off. It's hard with multiple people, and I have trouble isolating what I hear. With practice, I will improve."

"Did Alba explain what this means?"

"Yes, she did, and I was able to read the cats' minds last night, so I know it's more than just the wolves."

He inhales sharply, his eyes sliding into predator mode. "You could be the deadliest weapon we've had for centuries."

Not exactly what I was expecting and I'm unsure what to say. Sometimes silence is best.

"What are your feelings for Marcus?" he asks when I don't answer immediately.

Ah, this is easier. "It's not exactly your business, and I'm only answering because you're his friend and you care about him." I shrug. "It's simple really, I love him. I don't want to leave here even though it means throwing away my entire career. I'm also confused. This happened so fast. Everything with Marcus and the fact that you're some supernatural beings that shouldn't exist. I'm also not a violent person by nature, and your lives are just the opposite. I'm unsure where I fit in or if I'll ever fit in."

The hard lines of his face soften. "You're a gift and for many more reasons than your ability to communicate with us. One reason is you love Alba. She never had a friend. I love her dearly, but I worry for her. She took the death of our sons hard. I would have agreed to her having another child if only she asked." Sorrow fills his eyes. "She took that choice out of my hands and didn't trust me enough to talk about her needs. I love her and would give her anything. Even give her, for one night, to another man." He looks away and stares out over the pond. "I will eventually love these babes as I do all my children. I don't want them to be a reminder of how much she couldn't trust me."

It's impossible not to feel his anguish. "She loves you, Ivan. I don't think the issue was trust, more desperation. The two of you will heal, and she says the babies are coming rather soon. Once they're here and you see her joy, I believe yours will follow."

"I hope you're right. Practice with me?"

I'm unsure if I understand. "What?"

"I want you to practice reading the wolves on the ranch. I need to see what you can do."

I shift gears again and clear my mind. "Okay, I'm ready." I say when I'm in the right head space.

"Who's close by?"

I allow my mind to travel, and then I laugh. "Conner is with his girlfriend, and they're saying things we have no business hearing."

Ivan laughs too. "Okay, who else?"

A ping enters my head, and I have another picture. "Philip is cleaning the dining room. He's thinking about what he's planning for dinner. It's something Italian and he wants to make a homemade dressing for the salad."

Again, Ivan laughs. "If he ever finds a she-wolf, we're doomed. Do you cook?"

It's my turn to laugh. "Only if you have a death wish. I'm completely helpless in the kitchen."

Ivan winks. "I guess we need to keep you around for other things then. How far can your mind travel?"

"Where was Marcus last night?"

"We were outside Dallas. That's how he knew you were in danger? You sent your thoughts that far?" He's stunned.

"Yes, but it was Alba's idea. She told me to contact Marcus after they hurt her. I'm not sure I would have even tried if she hadn't suggested it. It's new to me, and I'm still learning."

"You know you could be very dangerous."

Hmm, maybe I do fit into this world. "That's what Alba said. I'm not sure I want to be dangerous, though. I also don't want anyone here being hurt. It seems I've adopted wolves and a vampire as my family, and I'll do whatever I can to protect you. If my mind can do that, then I'll use it."

Ivan leans back and splays his legs slightly in a more relaxed position. "I'm surrounded by warrior women. I thought Alba was bad. With the two of you, the other clans will be in trouble."

"Alba explained a little about clans and packs. Do you think you could tell me a bit more?"

Now he pulls one leg up and crosses it over the other. "I'll start from the beginning. A clan is made when a vampire takes control of a pack. Marcus's father took control of my pack and kept us for three hundred years. Then he made Marcus. Marcus was like you and could speak into our minds before he became vampire. He was a prisoner as was the pack. Like you, he discovered his ability to mind read by accident. We had him for a month before we knew he understood what was going on in our heads, but his gift was limited to the wolves. Marcus's father would not allow us to use our human form. He thought of us as animals and hated to be reminded that we were part human. We were his slaves. It was a miserable life even with a vampire leading us."

"Marcus said becoming a vampire was forced on him."

"When his father found out that he could communicate with us, he planned to kill Marcus. At the last possible moment, he turned him instead. He kept Marcus imprisoned for over a hundred years. He starved him much of the time, but even with barely enough blood to stay alive, Marcus was strong. It wasn't until war came and our father needed him that he made a bargain with Marcus. He would be free if he fought with us. After a truce was made with our enemies, Marcus left. It took him another hundred years to become one of the strongest vampires on the planet and return to kill his father."

"If this man was so bad, why do you refer to him as Marcus's father?"

"When a male vampire makes another male vampire, he is referred to as father. When a male makes a female or vice versa, it is usually for love, and that person becomes mate to the vampire. The bond of mates is even stronger than father and son, although in Marcus's case, his father did not do a good job bonding with him. Kirill was his name, and he needed to die. Marcus knew it. Kirill was insane and probably was before he became a vampire."

"How did Marcus kill him?"

"He found wolves without a pack and made them clan. They attacked, and some of my pack was killed. Kirill also died, and Marcus prevailed. For some odd reason, he allowed us to live. It took years before he trusted us, and finally, I fought my way up the new pack's hierarchy and became Alpha."

He stares off into the distance again before he continues. "You need to understand. My pack was kept in wolf form for hundreds of years, and we were little more than feral animals. The hardest part after Marcus took over was simply being human. Marcus required us to spend equal time in both skins. He had a heavy hand, and in the beginning, I swore he hated us.

"I understood. You have no idea what a monster Kirill was. Because of that, my pack hated vampires, and it took years for them to trust Marcus. He gave us permission to leave if that's what we wanted. Because it was our choice, we stayed. I knew another vampire could be much worse than Marcus, and the last thing I wanted was another Kirill as master. I've never regretted my decision."

He looks at me and smiles. "Marcus is a good man and a deadly vampire. I made the right choice."
Chapter Twenty-Two

_Amy_

We talk for hours and finally I get up enough nerve to ask about his sons. "How did your two sons die?"

"It's a long story, but also easier if told from the beginning. Kirill did not allow us to breed. He wanted no babies, and you can't imagine what was done to the women when pregnancy was discovered."

I can still see the pain, from so long ago in his eyes. "Why no children?"

He gives a derisive laugh. "Kirill thought of us as dogs and liked us better in that form. With him giving us blood, he felt there was no reason to allow more of us to live. In the early years, it's hard for a pup to control their change. Kirill couldn't stand us in human form. After he died, this changed, and Marcus wanted us to have children. He didn't care if babies shifted in his presence, and he loved cubs, especially Alba's. She was his right-hand man, so to speak. I would have had to fight her to the death to become Alpha. It was Marcus's idea for me to marry her. Alba kicked and screamed and felt she could beat me in a fight to the death. Marcus wouldn't allow it."

"I bet that went over well with her."

"It went over so well that Marcus finally had to back down and allow the challenge. The battle was brutal, and only one of us would walk away. When the time came for me to strike the death blow, I couldn't do it. It gave Alba the chance she needed, and I almost died. Before she ripped off my head, I grabbed her and kissed her. So instead of killing me, she knocked me out."

I can't help laughing. "That's the Alba I know and love."

The love he has for Alba shows in his expression. "We were married two weeks later. It was many years before Alba brought up the subject of having a child. Agreeing almost killed me. In the end, I helped her find a sperm donor. I wanted to kill him afterwards, but Alba wouldn't allow it, and we struck a deal. The baby's sire was allowed to live, and I was allowed to help choose the next man when she was ready again. The twins were born. Their names were Samuel and Sasha. They were wonderful and loving them made it easier to forget that another man touched my wife."

"Your sons that died, they were twins?"

"Yes, and they were very close. It would have been almost impossible if one had lived and the other died, but for us, it was heartbreaking to lose them both. Marcus has made some enemies through the centuries. He was powerful, and many were afraid of him. His worst enemy is the pride's queen. She knew what those boys meant to us, and she had them murdered."

"Marcus killed the man that took your sons' lives last night."

Ivan closes his eyes and takes a minute to reply, "The only thing that bothers me is that it wasn't by my hand."

I fight the visual memory and only say the words. "Marcus took off his head."

A hot fire burns in Ivan's eyes. "Marcus has always protected us, and we will always be there for him."

"I've never met this woman, the pride's queen, and I hate her."

"You should. She will want you dead, and she's the biggest threat Marcus faces." He takes my hand within his warm one, and it's then I realize it's growing late, and the temperature has dropped and I'm chilled. "We've been out here for hours," Ivan says with a gentle smile. "And, you need to be inside. You make a wonderful addition to our family, and I will die for you too, if necessary."

I squeeze his fingers, glad we've had this talk. "Thank you. Let's hope it never comes to that."

We walk inside and find Alba in her favorite spot. I sit down beside her and gently rub her fur. She rolls over and shows her belly, and I scratch her there. Ivan watches us for a moment then leaves the room.

I glance out the window, and the sun is going down. With a final pat on Alba's head, I go upstairs to dress for dinner.

I'm a little perplexed when I open my bedroom door and find my luggage gone. Even my things in the bathroom are missing. I vaguely remember Marcus mentioning having my things moved so I head to his room.

He's not in bed, but I hear running water behind the bathroom door. It sounds more like the sink than the shower so I wait. A few minutes later, he sticks his head around the bathroom door, his face partially covered in shaving cream.

"You're rich; you're a vampire; you're king of the wolves, and you shave," I say with a giggle I can't stop.

He steps back into the bathroom, and there's a soft click of the door which surprises me. Did something I say upset him?

I'm about ready to knock on the door and sort it out when I'm pulled from behind and tossed onto the bed. "You mock me in my own room. I'm doing my best to remove this stubble," he rubs his face against mine, "and keep your skin from chafing."

I reach up and rub my hand over the smooth side. "I'm not sure which I prefer, soft or rough."

He pinches my neck. "You are now making comments on the softness of my skin. I don't know if my manhood can take it." He covers my breasts with his hands. "Now, this is soft."

"You're only touching the material, not what's underneath." I place my hands over his. He leans over. Turning my face up just a bit, he kisses me.

"I need to return to New York, and I want you with me," he says while peppering light kisses along my neck.

"Why?" I ask dreamily.

"There's a fundraiser I can't get out of, and I need a date."

My eyes snap open. "You're kidding me, right? You always have a beautiful woman or two on your arms."

"I take female wolves with me to keep the single ladies away. Now I have you and don't need a she-wolf."

"Conceited much?"

"I'm irresistible to women. How can you doubt me?"

"You're right, and someone needs to keep the hot, beautiful women away from you. I take it, it's formal dress?"

He nips the skin at my collarbone, shooting heat between my thighs instantly. "You're the only hot, beautiful woman I know. And yes about a formal dress. I'll take you shopping, and you can pick out something spectacular. And for your information, I hate shopping. That's how desperate I am."

He's ridiculous. "I have clothes at my apartment. I will be your date, and I promise I won't embarrass you."

His tongue does crazy things to me, and I almost can't talk. He has no problem. "You could wear nothing at all, and I wouldn't be embarrassed. I've always wondered what would happen if one of the wolves removed her clothing at one of these events."

"I don't think removing clothes would be the problem. Growing fur, now that would make the headlines." I groan when he pulls my shirt lower and sucks the skin at the side of my breast.

"You're right on that count," he says gruffly. "You'll be my date?"

"Mm-hmm, I will do anything if you keep touching me."

Playtime is over. In seconds my clothes are off, and Marcus lifts me to my knees, pushing me slightly forward so I'm on all fours. Feminine sounds of ecstasy escape my throat when his fingers delve between my thighs. He must know I'm almost over the edge, and unlike our earlier lovemaking, he's as impatient as I am. He enters me from behind, his strokes slow and deep. My cries grow louder as his unhurried assault continues. My body responds to each touch, each caress, each stroke.

It's an hour before Marcus finishes shaving.

We go downstairs for dinner together and share the evening with Ivan and Alba. Now that my secret is out, Alba can join the conversation. Before the evening ends, the subject turns to Sinner's funeral the following day. Marcus explains it will be held here at the ranch, and Sinner will be buried on the property.

The thought of the funeral saddens us, and I'm tired after the long day. Once we reach his room, he bypasses the bed and leads me to a large chair in a corner grouping and holds me in his lap.

"You've been waiting patiently for this conversation, and I'm hoping you're awake enough."

I instantly perk up. "I'll manage to stay awake. I promise."

He tightens his arms and begins the tale. "It's important that you understand my history and keeping you unaware only makes it more dangerous for you. I need you to accept all parts of my life, and this is one of them."

I snuggle closer. "I'm ready. Tell me."
Chapter Twenty-Three

_More than two hundred years ago..._

_Marcus_

After a night of boredom, I find a high-stakes game of chance at a rundown ale house west of England. The stakes are high, and that's all I care about.

One of the men I'm playing against, Wilson St. Clair, is in over his head. He's lost steadily all evening. The more he loses, the more he drinks, which is never a good combination. When I finally clean him out of his ready cash and a not-so-plush coach and four, I'm about to take pity on the man and toss him a few coins so he can at least get home.

Mr. St. Clair does not wish to quit.

"You have nothing left to wager, and I don't want or need your family home. It's been a long evening, and I'd like to share some of the other delights offered."

His speech, when he answers, is sloppy with drink, and it's hard to follow his words. "I have something you won't turn down. You'll need to win it fair and square, and I think my luck's changing." I'm thinking a prize horse so he has my attention. "I have the prettiest daughter in England. She's worth more than anything I own. I wager my daughter, Victoria."

The men at the table look at me in question. I'm angry. How could a man wager his own flesh and blood? It doesn't matter the girl would be better off away from her father, I don't need a human female causing problems in my life.

One of the other men at the table takes the bet, and this is happening whether I want it to or not. It doesn't help that he's been on my last nerve the entire evening. He continually pinches and grabs the serving girls when they bring drinks to the table. The women avoid him as much as possible.

With an internal groan, I toss a piece of gold on the table, and the game begins. I know the outcome before the first card lands; I have no intention of losing this bet.

I take Victoria St. Clair to my house late that night or actually early the next morning. She doesn't cry when her father wakes her up and explains she's leaving with me. She keeps her head high and packs a small bag before we leave the decrepit old house that has seen much better days.

We take my newly won carriage and head to my home with my horse tied to the back. Her father did not exaggerate, Victoria is lovely.

"I am not a virgin, if that's what my father told you." Her sharp voice is quite direct.

I'm surprised at her attitude and pleasantly pleased that she isn't terrified. I have no intention of taking advantage of her. The wolves provide the female companionship I need. I glance at Victoria and remain quiet.

She pulls her cape a little tighter around herself. "My father whores me out whenever he needs money. With his gambling addiction, I'm as good as gold."

"He didn't whore you out this evening; he wagered you to me for keeps."

She shrugs her thin shoulders, "That's what he always does, but I'm a shrew, and the men get sick of me after a few days. It will be the same this time, and I'll be back with my father long before I wish to return."

"How old are you?" I can't help asking.

"I'm four and twenty. How old are you?"

"Thirty," I lie.

"I promise after a day or two, you'll be happy to send me back home."

"We'll see about that. For now, you're mine, and we'll be at my home soon."

When we arrive, Victoria stares at the property and the house like she's never seen anything like it. "Are you rich?"

"Yes, I'm very rich."

She doesn't say a word after that. One of my wolves, in human form, comes outside and takes the horses off my hands before I lead Victoria into the house. No one is awake, and I show her to an upper bedroom. We step into the room, and Victoria turns toward me. Before I can stop her, she slips the sleeves of her dress from her shoulders, pulling it down, baring her breasts.

I'll admit, they're nice, and I have trouble moving my eyes from their luscious beauty. "That isn't necessary. You will not be harmed here."

"I know you want me."

"I do not always get everything I want or take it, as the case may be."

She straightens her shoulders, pushing her breasts out even further. "I know the rules."

She has no idea whose home she's entered. "The rules are different in my house," I say and close the door behind me. Her scent makes it hard to leave the room. Her breasts make it nearly impossible.

Days pass and Victoria stays. She somehow fits into the strange dynamic of our world and the wolves take to her for some reason. She loves animals and has no fear of the large beasts. On the other hand, she avoids the men, not understanding they are one and the same.

The wolves spend most of their time preparing for battle. We make money by providing mercenaries to the highest bidder. We never lose and metal on metal rings out throughout the day. Victoria stands and watches them train for hours.

The male wolves know she doesn't fear them in wolf form and instead of spending as much time as they should training, they sneak away and shift to wolf just so she'll give them attention.

I avoid Victoria. And, I have no idea what to do with her. She can't stay, and I can't return her to her father. Unfortunately, my attraction to her haunts my dreams. It's much easier to stay away.

Ivan finally explodes over the uncertainty Victoria causes in his ranks. "The men are barely working, and I'm afraid there will be bloodshed soon," he yells after one particular training session that was light on soldiers.

"How many men is she sleeping with?" I ask, trying to make it sound as if I don't care.

Ivan growls deep in his throat. "That's the problem. She won't sleep with any of them and barely acknowledges their existence. She surrounds herself with the wolves and spends all her time with them."

I'm shocked. I assumed Victoria was sleeping with the men. I decide to find her and talk. I have enough money to send her anywhere she wants to go, and it's time for her to do just that. Go.

I find her in the kitchen helping Philip prepare the evening meal. Ivan's revelations surprised me, and I pause when I see her stirring a large pot on the huge oven. Seeing her at home in my kitchen is beyond shocking.

She looks up and notices me, her cheeks quickly filling with color.

"Come with me; we need to talk," I say abruptly.

Philip gives me one of his looks. "She's a big help so don't keep her long."

"She'll return shortly," I say with an internal sigh. The man is more trouble than he's worth.

She follows me to the sitting room and immediately speaks once we're seated. "You want to send me back to my father." It's a statement, not a question.

"Do you wish to return?" I ask carefully, more aware of her beauty than I should be.

"I want to stay here with the wolves."

My property is massive, and the wolves run freely near the house. It is, however, dangerous for them, and I don't need local hunters venturing onto the property. "They're not really wolves; they're a very large dog breed."

"Say whatever you want; I know what they really are."

"And what is that?" I ask to pacify her.

"They are wolf men."

Now I'm beyond shocked. This changes everything, and Victoria cannot leave. "What would make you think that?" I ask carefully.

"I've seen them change from wolves to human and then back. You are one too."

I give up convincing her that she doesn't know what she's talking about. "You know nothing about what I am. You would run if you did."

Victoria stands and walks to where I sit across from her and goes to her knees. "Show me."

I kiss her instead. My hands sink into her hair, tasting her lips like I've wanted to for so long, drawing her closer. Her taste is divine, and I must end the kiss because I haven't fed in days. My teeth extend, and I wrench myself away. Quickly, I step back, putting space between us.

"You don't want me," she says with a forlorn expression. Again, it's a statement and not a question.

I hold back a moan. "The problem is I want you too much. You have no idea what I am, and I promise I am not wolf."

"I won't run, and I don't want to leave. I have been happier here these past weeks than any time in my life. Please, don't send me away." Tears slide down her cheeks and something tightens in my chest.

I stand and lift her to her feet and wipe away the wetness as it reaches her lips. Her lovely face tips up and slowly, I bare my fangs. "This is what I am, Victoria."

She stares in fascination not fear. "You don't scare me," she says and kisses me again. I kiss her back, knowing I must taste this amazing woman's blood.

Victoria doesn't scream when my teeth enter her throat; she moans. I feast until I know I must stop, or I'll risk killing her. She's drowsy when I lift her and carry her upstairs to my room.

That was how Victoria came into our unorthodox world.

Six years later, Victoria turns thirty. It is the first time I ask her about becoming vampire.

She refuses. She tells me she loves me but has no desire to live forever. As the years go by, I beg her at times, but she always says no.

Victoria turns forty and thoughts of living without her begin filling my head. I am not always pleasant about her refusal to become vampire. I feel she doesn't love me enough. A few after her birthday, she disappears. I go crazy and make the entire wolf pack miserable. My anger overshadows my common sense, and I don't go after her for two years. She isn't hard to find. With the many times we'd shared blood, I could locate her anywhere.

She's working at a tavern, and she looks incredibly tired when I see her carrying a serving tray with ale. Within a minute of entering the establishment, I almost kill a man for grabbing her leg. I sit at a table digging my fingers into the wood in anger and thankfully it doesn't take long for her to notice me.

She walks toward me and promptly pours a pint of ale on my lap, her fiery eyes challenging, her stubborn expression one I've missed. She is more beautiful than I remember, though thinner with more lines around her eyes and lips. Simply stunning.

I stay in my seat, not at all caring that I now smell like the ale house she works in. "Are you ready to come home?" I ask calmly.

"No, I am not. I can't live that way anymore." Her expression holds so much sorrow. "I had to leave you, Marcus; you deserve better than me." She points at her beautiful face. "I need to grow old. I need to live a full life even if it's in this place. I need someone who understands that I don't want to live forever even if it means leaving behind the only man I've ever loved. I'm human, and I want to stay human." Her voice is low, and others can't hear her words.

"I want you back in my arms." I wave my hands in a circle motion. "You don't belong here." I'm angry and hurt all over again. The fact remains I love her and maybe it's what this conversation is missing. "I love you. I will always love you."

So much sadness fills her next words. "You don't love me enough, Marcus. When you love someone enough, you let them go."

"You're right. I can't let you go," I beseech. "But I'll love you for as long as you'll have me." Watching her grow old and die will be the hardest thing I've ever done, and it will be worth it or so I tell myself, if she'll only come home.

She puts out her hand, and we walk out to my waiting carriage. Her clothes are half off before we turn the next corner. "I am getting old, Marcus. I'm no longer beautiful. I'm no longer young," she says when I reach her undergarments.

"I love you, Victoria. You will always be beautiful. Don't leave me again." My lips take hers while removing her remaining clothing until, at last, I'm touching bare skin.

She pulls back and stares into my eyes. "Someday you will watch me die. You need to promise you will let me go when it's my time. It's all I ask."

I don't answer. I need her too badly, and I know things will fall into place once I have her home. The past two years have been hell, and I know I can never let her go. I speak with my body, pulling her on top of me in the bumpy carriage.

Her gaze punches me in the gut. Fear, sadness, and love reflect from her eyes. "You must promise or you need to turn the carriage around and take me back." Her eyes fill with tears. "I can't live without your promise."

What I give her is a lie, and I know it, but I make the promise.

Years go by and Victoria grows old. She ages gracefully, and I find wonder in the simple fact she loves me. We travel throughout Europe until she is too old to take the rough conditions.

We begin living the easy years. Me and my men stop fighting. I can't bear to be apart from her. With the money we earned, we can live for hundreds of years without earning another coin. I bring up the subject of her becoming vampire one last time before she dies. She refuses and tells me she will never change her mind.

The last years of her life are hard. Her joints are painful, and she no longer shares blood with me, and the physical acts in our love life finally stop after I accidently break her collarbone. It is also the last time I feed from her, and only to help her heal. Our time consists mostly of conversation as we both reflect on our lives. There's still laughter, but with an underlying edge because we both know our time is almost up.

The last weeks are the worst. She is in so much pain, and I can do nothing but watch her suffer. She won't allow me to share blood and ease her suffering. She mostly sleeps and holds the pain inside with her lifelong stoicism that is one of the reasons I love her so much.

When she asks me to take her blood once more, I'm floored. To feel the last beat of her heart as she dies in my arms is an unbearable thought. It is impossible.

When her final heartbeat comes, I cry and something inside me snaps. I can't stop myself, and I open a vein in my wrist, tilting her head and dropping blood into her slightly parted lips. It takes forever, and I think I have truly lost her when her hand lifts and grabs my wrist, drawing my blood into her mouth.

The door opens, and Ivan walks in. "What have you done?"

While Victoria continues taking my blood, I look at my friend. "I could not let her go." Tears run down Ivan's face as we watch her feed. "I could not."

He gently releases Victoria's hold on my arm. She's changing. The wrinkles on her face disappear, and her skin takes on the beauty of her youth. Her eyes open with no joy showing in them. Her anger is on fire, and she tosses Ivan across the room.

"You promised, Marcus. You had no right. You've damned my soul to hell, and I'll kill you for it."
Chapter Twenty-Four

_Current day..._

_Amy_

"The pride's queen is your Victoria?" I ask sadly.

"Yes, Victoria, but not the woman I loved. I took that away from her. I took it from both of us."

I hug him, wrapping my arms tightly around his chest. His utterly still body lacks emotion, though I know he feels tremendous pain. My hands slowly travel his flesh as I lay kisses over his chest, neck, and face. With a groan, his arms finally circle me back, and he lifts me and carries me to his bed.

I hold him for hours while the last words Victoria spoke that fateful night haunt me. "You've damned my soul." That was why Victoria was afraid of becoming vampire. She thought her soul would be damned. I realize the church played a vital role during that century, but how could she ever think Marcus was damned?

Hatred fills me and I begin crying softly when the thoughts overwhelm me. Marcus moves slightly, his arms wrapping solidly around me. "Shhhh, I wish you never had to know; it's just safer that you do. Victoria will hate you as much as she hates me."

"Do you still love her?" I ask because I need to know if I'll also be fighting against Marcus's feelings.

He grips my chin and lifts my face so our eyes meet. "No. She severed any possible love when she had Ivan's sons killed. I hated her for a long time, but I got over that too. Now I just feel sadness for her, for what I did to her."

"I don't," I say with conviction. "She could have taken her own life if she felt that strongly. She lives for hatred, and the entire horrible mess was never Ivan or Alba's fault and certainly not their sons. Why would she kill the twins?"

"That's the easiest question to answer. Victoria will do anything to cause me pain, and I loved those boys too. Her desire to kill me is what keeps her from suicide."

"Can you kill her?"

"To protect you or my clan, yes, I can and will. I left England many years ago to avoid making that decision. She followed me here. Her cats are loyal, and she is very strong. They enjoy killing and playing with their prey first. My wolves are tame to a point, but the cats are completely feral. They're also dangerous to humans. It's a problem that's needed to be dealt with for a long time. I've been passive for years, and that's over now. They've attacked my family again, and it will mean Victoria's death." He sighs and hugs me. "I should never have broken my promise to her to begin with."

I turn my head slightly, bringing our lips closer. "Love is never wrong. You're not responsible for the choices she's made. Don't get me wrong, what you did was bad, and it wasn't your decision to make. It is, however, time to forgive yourself."

"I love you," he whispers.

An incredible hour later, I drift off to sleep. Marcus wakes me at three in the morning for Sinner's funeral. I dress in somber clothing with Marcus wearing black pants and a black silk shirt. There's a vehicle waiting out front when we step outside.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"It's not very far, but the chill in the air makes it too cold for you to walk, so I'm driving."

Thoughts of never needing to worry about the cold enter my mind. We travel two miles farther onto Marcus's property, and he stops the car. Over fifty wolves are present, though Alba is the only one in wolf form. Marcus left a few of his men behind to watch the house, but everyone else is in attendance.

Sinner's body rests on a funeral pyre that's more than eight feet in the air. It's the first time I've seen him in human form and like the other men here, he was very nice looking. One by one, the wolves speak and paint a picture of his life. He was loved, and his sense of humor comes through in the stories told. Sinner's father speaks while fighting tears. He finishes his eulogy after turning to his son, lifting his hand to his chest, and saying, "I will see you avenged."

It's finally Marcus's turn. He turns slowly to encompass everyone gathered. "The time for peace is gone; it was taken from us. Our brother died for his family. If we must die for him to avenge his death and bring peace once again to our home, we will. This is my promise to Sinner and to all of you."

When he finishes speaking, the wolves shed their clothing and shift to their animal forms. Ivan, who's close to Marcus, lifts his head to the sky and releases a howl that sends shivers down my spine. The other wolves join the chorus, creating the most somber and beautiful sound I've ever heard. The melody echoes through the trees and is joined by other wolves in the distance.

"The guards," says Marcus. Even though they're two miles away, they're part of this too. He lights the pyre. We listen to their symphony for hours. When one set of wolves stops howling, others pick up, and on it goes until the sun shows on the horizon. Marcus gives instructions for Ivan to take me back to the house. With one last squeeze of my hand, he's gone.

I'm silent for the first mile of the drive home. "Can he kill her?" I finally ask Ivan.

"He can. Until now, he didn't have a good enough reason. The death of my sons was hard on him, but even then, I didn't think he could do it. Victoria will kill you both if she can. You've given Marcus a reason to fight back. I loved Victoria too, and I know what she wants above everything else. She simply wants Marcus to take her life. Now, she'll get her wish and finally be at peace."

"She wants him to kill her?" I asked shocked.

"Yes, I believe she does. Victoria was always selfish, and Marcus spoiled her beyond reason. Even though we loved her, we knew her shortcomings. She thought vampires and even beastkind were damned. She was good enough to be the lover of a vampire, but too good to become one. I believe she had Marcus drink from her at the end because she knew he would change her. She just didn't want it to be her decision. Her hatred is more for herself and her weakness, than it is for him."

"If he won't kill her, I will."

He glances over. "She will snap you in half using only two fingers. You have no chance of surviving a fight against her."

"Not now, but I will after I become vampire."

Ivan's smile is one of satisfaction and triumph. "Welcome to the family."

***

I rest throughout the day, taking laziness to an entirely new level. I've decided I'm unwilling to miss a moment with Marcus, and that means I will be sleeping during the day and spending nights with him.

After waking in the afternoon, I call Brian. He's still pissed off, talking in clipped tones, until I tell him I'll be home in two days. "It's about time you came to your senses," he says with relief.

"I'm attending a charity ball with Marcus Lincoln, and then I'll be returning here with him." Brian's quiet after that, and the call ends a short time later.

When Marcus wakes, we eat in the dining room before spending the rest of the night in bed, talking and making love. The plans are to fly out in two days for New York on Marcus's private jet.

"I never fly. The jet is for the wolves," he tells me once we can breathe and speak at the same time again.

"You won't be with me tomorrow when I leave?"

He kisses my nose. "I'm making an exception and will put up with the long flight in order to keep you happy."

I fall just a little more in love. "Tell me how it works. I want to understand how you disappear and reappear."

He smiles and has no problem explaining his gift. "I picture where I'm going, and my body transports. Another vampire taught me because my father wouldn't. Since you're flying during the day, I'll transport myself on board. It will be dark when we land, and we can disembark together."

It's a joyous night, and so is the next. I wake up rested at noon on the day we're going to New York. Eight wolves are accompanying us as bodyguards. Marcus usually takes four, but he wants me to have extra protection. The four wolves assigned to me will keep me alive even at the cost of their king. Ivan is in Marcus's group because he knew his friend would never put me first. Ivan isn't insulted and has no trouble telling me Marcus is correct in his assumption.

Alba stays behind. She assures me she will wait until my return to have the pups. I have no idea if it's possible. I'll hold on to the thought though because I'll be heartbroken if I miss their birth.

I board the plane a few hours later. One second the luxurious seat beside me is empty and the next, Marcus is in it. "Alba is already having Amy withdrawals, and if I didn't see it for myself, I wouldn't believe it. I don't understand the hold you have on her, but I know she would choose you over me."

"I doubt that," I say sincerely. "She thinks you're a typical stubborn man, but she loves you."

"You don't know her as I do, and that she-wolf takes stubborn to an entirely new level," he replies. "I wish she could fight right now; she's pure death during a battle, and she is my deadliest bodyguard. Before Alba realized she was in love with Ivan, she was impossible to be around. She felt sure she could beat him in a fight for Alpha. Don't get me wrong, she had a very good chance. My problem was having two wolves that loved each other and were too stubborn to acknowledge it. Their battle was horrifying. I came close to losing both of them. Alba," he says and I know he's picturing her in his mind at his faraway look, "was awesome to watch."

Ivan breaks into Marcus's remembrance from across the aisle. "You would have killed me if I won. What choice did I have but to kiss her?"

"I thought she would kill you just for that. I've never seen her as angry as she was when she couldn't bring herself to take your head. She stormed around for a week, waiting for you to come get her or to die."

"I convalesced longer than necessary while waiting for her to calm down. I didn't want to fight again. I knew I would lose."

Marcus laughs, and we continue our fascinating chitchat. It's a smooth flight in a luxurious aircraft, and I realize I could grow accustomed to Marcus's lifestyle. I drink wine, talk, and laugh while Marcus and Ivan fill my head with their many escapades. It's the best airplane ride I've ever had.

When we step off the jet, it's dark, and a limousine is waiting on the tarmac.

"Do you mind going by my apartment so I can pick up a few things?" I ask once we're in the back.

I don't really think about it when Marcus gives the driver my address because I'm actually nervous to bring him inside my small apartment. I've always been proud of the space I've worked hard for, so I take a deep breath and open the door. It surprises me when Marcus walks straight into my bedroom. I stop at the door and watch him open the drawer that holds my underwear. He takes out a scrap of cloth and looks up.

"How did you know where they were?" I ask, stunned.

His grin could match the Cheshire Cat's. "I went through your underwear before you came to the ranch." The grin only grows as he fingers the material.

"I should be upset," I say sternly.

"I'll admit, it's so much sweeter taking them off you than removing them from a drawer."

"You naughty man," I laugh. Worries over what he'll think about my apartment are long gone.

We're both grinning while he helps me pack. My guards are waiting outside the apartment when we leave, and we head directly to Marcus's city house. It's the mansion I went to when I was looking for him. This time he shows me to his incredible suite. The ranch's master bedroom was rustic compared to this.

"I'm wealthy. My business associates expect me to live a certain lifestyle, and I don't want to disappoint."

"I know you take over and reorganize large companies, but what else do you do?"

"My younger wolves are always itching to find trouble. I run a mercenary group that works for the government. It keeps us all happy. There's nothing worse than a young wolf that wants to fight anyone and everyone. It's how we've always tamed them. I give them things to kill until they get it out of their system. After they fight for thirty years, they're okay to have around civilized people. At least most of them are. Ivan and Alba keep a firm hand on the pack, and my clan wouldn't be half of what it is without them."

I eat a delicious meal, then Marcus and I play around in bed until three. A yawn escapes me and against my wishes, he tucks me in before he does paperwork.

He kisses me on the cheek. "Sleep. I know you're trying to switch your schedule to mine, but you need rest."

I'm asleep before he leaves the room.
Chapter Twenty-Five

_Amy_

The following day, after hours of uninterrupted sleep, I meet Brian for lunch. The bodyguards trailing me will not go over well with him and that's just too darn bad. It's only a few minutes into the conversation before I'm no longer worried what he thinks, I'm more worried the guards will kill him. If they don't, I may need to handle it myself.

The waiter leaves after we place our order, and Brian's rant begins. "Are you out of your mind? Marcus Lincoln will chew you up and spit you out. He's way out of your league, and there's something fishy about him. If this is for a story, you've gone too far. You may find yourself with a lead anchor around your foot or buried in a cement foundation. That guy has ties with overseas' governments and possibly terrorism."

"Why are we friends?" goes through my head as I try to contain my anger. When he stops to pull air into his lungs or pass out from lack of oxygen, I hold my hand up.

"Stop right there." He looks at me in shock at my tone. I lean in and give him a piece of my mind through gritted teeth. "I am not a child, and you are certainly not my father. When I want career advice from you, I'll ask." My eyes shift to the guards who are now grinning, which allows me to breathe more easily. "And, for your information," I say when I look back at Brian, "I'm in love, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it." I cross my arms for emphasis and then become angrier because he's making me act like a child.

"You've got to be kidding me?" he practically yells. "You haven't known him long enough to be in love."

"It makes no difference, and anything you say is only going to piss me off more. However, it won't change my mind. Love doesn't work that way, and after being married for as long as you have, you should know that." I take a few deep, calming breaths while Brian mulls over my tirade. When I'm calm enough, I tell him about the ball before I decide to walk out and ruin a long friendship. "I'm attending a charity banquet with Marcus tonight. Once I attend with him, the press will find out about me." Brian stares, and I go on. "Marcus has two extra tickets and has invited you and Lori to come as his guests." I'm not calm enough because I'm hoping he turns down the tickets.

He looks at his plate, and when his eyes meet mine again, I know why we've been friends for so long. "The first thing Lori will say is, what will I wear? Then she'll scream and jump around like an idiot. How can I say no?" He reaches over and takes my hand. "I'm only angry because I've been so worried about you."

A slight growl can be heard behind me, and I know the wolves don't like him touching me. I carefully extricate my fingers and give his hand a pat, then remove my hand. "I know you care. Call Lori and ask her. I'll pick her up and take her shopping for a new dress that Marcus will pay for. A tux is on hold for you, and you can be fitted as soon as you leave here."

Brian and Lori live on a policeman's salary. I understand lack of funds. Marcus insisted on the dress for Lori and the tux for Brian, and I loved him all the more for it. Brian calls Lori, and her excitement comes through even though I'm sitting across the table. I know the only way to get through to Brian is to have Lori on my side, and this is the first step.

Our conversation changes after he ends the call to Lori. "What's the big bad billionaire like?" he asks then scratches his head. "I can't believe you would go out with someone with that much money."

Our waiter brings our meals, and I speak again as soon as he walks off. "I hope you're not saying money is the reason I love him. Your wife will never forgive you if I tear up those tickets."

Brian laughs, and I'm finally able to relax in his company. "No, that's not what I meant, and you know it. You wouldn't fall in love with him for money. Your career is another matter. How will he feel about you working?"

I stir sugar into my iced tea. "I'll still be able to write, though what I write will change. I always knew someday I would try my hand at fiction. Urban fantasy is very big right now, and I love reading it. I think I'd like to write about vampires and werewolves."

I almost think Brian will choke on his food. "You've got to be kidding me. You would write that junk?"

He is such a man. "That 'junk' as you call it sells very well. And you already know I read that junk and love it. Anyway, I'm not sure what I'll write yet and plan to take my time deciding. I'll never stop writing, so I just need to find a subject that holds my interest."

"You could still write novels. What's stopping you from continuing your career?"

I'm thankful we're now talking like grownups. "Marcus has a large family, and it's complicated." Yeah, that's a bit of an understatement. "He travels often, and I want to travel with him."

Brian shakes his head slightly and smirks. "I guess you are in love. Even me, your best friend, couldn't get you to come to dinner if you were on a big story. Now you plan on following this guy around like a lovesick puppy."

I laugh, not upset in the least because he's right. He also has no clue about how many puppies I'll actually be dealing with. We finish our meal, and I give Brian the location of the tuxedo store. After telling him the limo will pick them up at eight, we part company. I jump in the back of the limo Marcus set up for me and head to pick up Lori. With Lori buying something new, I plan to indulge myself too. Marcus has seen all my undergarments, and it will be nice to find something beyond sexy and pay him back for pawing through my underwear drawer.

Lori is her same wonderful self, and it's great to see her. She's not angry with me like her husband was, and she doesn't miss the hunky bodyguards in the car with us or the two following behind. I explain that with the insane amount of money Marcus has, kidnapping is always a possibility, and my safety is a priority to him. Lori is a cop's wife and understands how many bad guys are out there. Explanation accepted.

We're driven to an upscale clothing store. Two women arriving in a limo, walking in with four large gorgeous men, gets us a lot of attention. I find the perfect black dress, and Lori finds an equally stunning gown in red. We both gasp at the prices. I hold up a hand to stop Lori from walking out without hers. "I've taken your husband away from home plenty of times. You deserve this, and I owe it to you. Besides, Marcus has more money than he can use, and he wants me to enjoy it. We also have an appointment for hair and nails so we need to hurry."

On the ride to the salon, Lori starts asking questions. "Give me the lowdown on the gorgeous hunk of a man you're dating. I want all the deets."

I blush.

"That great huh?" she asks.

I catch the bodyguards grinning, and my face goes from pink to pomegranate. "This conversation needs to wait until Marcus doesn't have eyes and ears tuned into what we're saying."

She gives me a conspiratorial grin. "In that case, you need to request female bodyguards. They would want to hear about it as much as I do. It's not every woman that gets a great-looking bazillionaire interested in her. Brian may be the love of my life, but a girl has got to have some fantasies."

I almost groan out loud. "You've had your fun. You'll meet him tonight, but remember he's my fantasy not yours. Try Brad Pitt or someone. Keep it up and I'll tell Brian."

Lori laughs then continues to embarrass me throughout the hair and nail appointment. I've always been best friends with Brian. When he married Lori, that didn't change, and Lori, one of the sweetest people I know, made room for me in their new life together. Our friendship, when Brian isn't being an ass, just seems to work. I can't help wondering if I can remain friends with them if I become vampire? It saddens me that I can't see how it would work. In ten years, not aging would start to become obvious. Even with the heartache it would cause to lose my friends, I don't see myself leaving Marcus. I will never understand how Victoria could give up the chance to be with him forever. I mentally shake myself from the blue thoughts and enjoy the remainder of time I have with Lori. Being teased about a man in my life is something totally new. I'd always lived for my job and when there was a man, he seldom stayed around for long. The connection I have with Marcus is visible even to Lori, who confided in me that Brian was jealous.

When I scoffed, she explained, in Brian's mind, no one will ever be good enough because he loves me like a little sister. I completely understand because I think of Brian as a big brother.

I arrive back at Marcus's house in the afternoon and start getting ready. First, I kick Marcus from the room so I can bathe and get dressed for my grand entrance. I covered my hair with a scarf before coming home, and he isn't getting a single peek until I'm ready.

He only smiles. "It's not what you're going to look like in the dress, because I already know you'll be beautiful. What I'm waiting for is taking the dress off you." With that, and a kiss that makes me think of things beside the party, he leaves the room.

I take every second of the time I have allotted to prepare. I head downstairs at exactly 7:30. I really needed Alba with me to calm my nerves. I've dressed up many times before, but I've never been on the arm of a man like Marcus. I'm hoping I can hold my own as I make my way slowly down the two-tiered staircase. My fingers skim the fine wood, the ornate scrollwork making me feel like I'm back in the 1700s. Marcus is waiting for me, and his eyes flash amber before I reach the bottom step. I can't take my gaze from him in his tux. He's the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. Taking his tux off will be as sensual for me as him removing my dress.

He takes my hand, pulls me close, and musses my lipstick. I don't even care. I gently wipe his lips with my fingers.

"We don't need to go," he whispers. His voice holds so much sexual promise.

"And Lori will kill me," I say, though more than anything, I want to walk back up the stairs, tear off the dress and his tux, and do very naughty things.

"All I want to do is take that dress off of you," Marcus says, reading my mind.

I go to the tips of my shoes and give him a gentle kiss. "You'll get your chance later."

"I plan on it."

It takes twenty minutes to reach Brian's home, and we arrive a few minutes early. Marcus uses the time to destroy my lipstick again. He makes me stay in the limo while he goes up to Brian's apartment, leaving two bodyguards with me. The guards sit up front. The rest of the bodyguards have tickets to the event and will be inside when we arrive.

While waiting for Marcus and my friends, I contemplate the past week. In a very short amount of time, my life has irrevocably changed. Vampires, beastkind, revenge, murder, a party that costs thousands of dollars to attend, bodyguards keeping me safe, and a gorgeous man by my side. Definitely enough for a book. And, if I told this story, no one would ever believe it's true.

Marcus, Brian, and Lori come downstairs during my writing fantasy. Lori is beautiful, and Brian makes quite a statement in his tux even though he'll never compare to Marcus. Looking at Lori when she looks at her husband, I know we feel the same about different men, which is as it should be.

When we arrive, we step onto a red carpet. Marcus takes my arm as flashbulbs go off everywhere. The media is in full swing.

"Who's your lady? Give us a name!" they shout.

Marcus ignores them. We enter the ballroom with Brian and Lori close behind. The room is breathtaking. Lights twinkle from more than twenty chandeliers. Couples stand around talking in subdued voices. The women's dresses are beautiful. I glance at Lori and see enchantment in her eyes. Mine must look the same. I also notice the amount of attention Marcus receives from the jewel-clad ladies. They have no shame. Marcus on the other hand, never looks at any of them. His eyes come back to me over and over.

The beginning of the evening is magnificent. Marcus introduces me to several of his business acquaintances and keeps a gentle hold on my arm. He's being possessive, and I'm fine with it. I don't think Marcus's associates are accustomed to him claiming a woman. I read the news stories and know he had a different woman at each event he attended, but he's obviously never kissed them because the men appear shocked when he kisses me gently every so often. They also give me added respect after he makes it clear we're a couple.

The women are a whole other ballgame. They hate my guts, and I couldn't care less. I possessively keep a close eye on him, too ready to strangle any woman who needs it. Living with wolves and a vampire brings out the animal in me.

And I like it.
Chapter Twenty-Six

_Marcus_

I want every man here to know who Amy belongs to. I've brought too many women to these events, and their only job was to look beautiful and obscure. The she-wolves had no trouble playing their part because they hated these parties as much as I do. When the first man looked at Amy like she was just another piece of arm candy, I kissed her so he would understand. Hands off, she's mine.

Brian is another story. He greeted me cordially when I collected him and his wife. The wary look in Brian's eyes belied the friendly greeting. I know I'll be dealing with him man to man soon, when neither Amy or his wife are around. Amy cares about him, and I'll do my best to smooth things over.

Amy's guards enjoyed filling me in on their lunch conversation. I already knew Brian was investigating me. My history is rock solid, but close scrutiny is never wanted. I'm harassed by the press enough as it is.

Overall, Amy fits perfectly in my life, and showing her off makes a dull evening a bit more exciting. She's the most beautiful woman in the room and has no idea. She never appears flustered no matter how many of my associates she's introduced to, and she has no problem holding her own against the women casting evil glares her way.

Dinner is more of the same. I'm dying to get her home and remove her damn dress. Taking her hand after we eat, I lead her onto the dance floor. If I can't take her immediately home, holding her in my arms is second best. We're about halfway through a slow dance when I feel the biting current of another vampire, and I know exactly who she is. I casually check the locations of my wolves. Sensing her too, they're on high alert. We continue dancing while my eyes shoot everywhere, looking for the danger I know is here.

"Is everything okay?" Amy asks. She must sense my preoccupation.

"Victoria is here," I whisper.

"Will she try something?"

"I would say no, but she's not sane, and I'm unsure how far she would go regardless of the number of people." My eyes narrow when I catch the first glimpse of my nemesis. Without a care, she begins a slow, predatory glide in our direction.

I turn Amy so I'm between her and Victoria. Victoria has always been beautiful and exudes a sensual vibe that men notice immediately. She hasn't changed and dark-black hair, dark eyes, and the skintight upper part of her vibrant blue gown only add to her allure. Amy turns slightly, and her body stiffens when she realizes who is walking toward us.

Victoria's eyes are hard and deadly. There's no fun in her world, and there hasn't been since she woke up as a vampire. Guilt still gnaws at me even after so many years. Her slithering approach has the added benefit of reminding me how lethal she is. Regardless of my guilt, Victoria's days are numbered. She should have been dealt with long ago.

"My love," she says in the sugary voice I remember.

I ignore the endearment. "What do you want, Victoria?" She's too unpredictable to do this here.

Victoria's eyes peer over my shoulder and rest on Amy. "I wished to meet your new friend. Be a dear and introduce us."

I ignore that as well. I won't play whatever game she's set up. "Where are your cats?"

Her full lips form a pout, and it does nothing to me. "I left them behind because I wanted to meet your lady without an all-out war this first time." She smiles in a cat-that-ate-the-canary way. "She's lovely, Marcus, and you've been such a naughty boy. You're sharing blood; I can feel it. The link between us is still strong, and I'm surprised you would risk someone you obviously care about. You know I won't allow you happiness." The petulant child comes out in her voice at the last sentence.

"What you think you'll allow and the actual truth of that statement are at opposite ends. You've never controlled my life, and it won't start now. I want blood, and you're finally going to get your wish."

"Oh, Marcus, I came here to see your new ladylove and you threaten my life. What a shame. Has she learned all your secrets in bed? I would be delighted to give her some pointers to keep you happy."

"It's not a threat, Victoria; it's fact."

She's not happy that I've cut out the bullshit and refuse to play her game, and she makes a slight hissing noise.

Victoria's entire demeanor changes, and her eyes flash amber. "Challenge accepted, Marcus. Name the time and place. We've avoided our final confrontation for long enough. After you're dead," she glares at Amy, "your little human will be next. Ripping her arms and legs off while she's alive will be fun. My cats will enjoy each limb while she watches them eat her body slowly."

I almost attack which is exactly what she wants. Amy's grip tightens on my arm. "It's okay, Marcus. She's not worth it. There will be a better time."

A low growl leaves Victoria's throat. "Has someone finally tamed you, Marcus? I see the need to kill in your eyes and still your little human can hold you back."

Amy shifts her stance and moves closer to my side. She faces Victoria straight on when she speaks. "Vickie, I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Amy, the woman with enough love and smarts to hold Marcus for eternity. I'm also the woman unafraid to live."

It's Victoria who loses control and transports herself the few feet separating us. One of Amy's bodyguards grabs Amy and pulls her behind me before Victoria has a chance to touch her. Not that I would have allowed it. I knew the guards had closed in, and I also know they're very good at their job.

"You will pray to die when I have you," Victoria threatens Amy. "Your death will be slow, and I'll enjoy every second." As final words before she turns away, they're weak. Victoria has always been melodramatic and childish. She loves nothing more than a tantrum. It's the fact she teleported that has me concerned. From the lack of attention around us, we may get lucky.

Victoria exits stage left, and Brian approaches on the right, concern and a little anger in his expression. Okay, not as lucky as I'd hoped. My jaw tightens, and I let him see I'm not in the mood for police-type questions. Amy tugs at my sleeve after giving Brian and Lori a too-large smile then steps in front of me.

"Dance with me, Brian?" she asks.

He places his hand on her back and glares daggers in my direction. He moves her about ten feet away, and I lift my hand to Lori. "May I have this dance?" She smiles a little uncertainly but places her fingers in my waiting hand. I stay where we are and pull her into my arms. I can hear each word Brian and Amy speak clearly even though they're whispering.

"It was an old girlfriend of Marcus's, and she's not a friendly person."

"Amy, I saw that woman in one place and then before I could blink, she was five feet closer. It's obvious she was threatening you. Are those bodyguards that stepped in? Marcus is a dangerous man, and I don't trust him."

"Yes, they are bodyguards, and they go everywhere Marcus goes. As for the woman, she did move rather fast, but I don't think she flew if that's what you're implying. Lori trusts Marcus and her judge of men is much better than yours."

He sighs in frustration. "I'm not imagining things, Amy. Something is wrong with this picture, and it's happening too fast. This guy has been on the market for a long time and has had a string of beautiful women. Don't take this badly, but what does he see in you?"

I look down at my shoe wondering if I can grind the heel into his foot and cause damage. Nope, his shoe won't cave even with my pointed heel. I look up and meet his gaze. "Now you're being offensive. I may not be the beauty queen he's usually with, but he loves me, and I love him. It will be easier if you accept that. I would hate to choose between Marcus and my best friend, but if I am forced to find another best friend, I will."

Brian stops dancing. "I don't like him, Amy. My spidey sense is working overdrive. I know you're angry at me. I'm your best friend though, and I take this very seriously."

I hear the soft sound of Amy's lips meeting his cheek. "I understand, but I won't let you hurt him."

The dance ends, and I release Lori and lead her to her husband. Amy looks up at me with a soft smile. "Let's all get a drink and sit out the next dance."

Lori no longer has the bewildered look on her face, and she smiles. "That sounds wonderful." She takes Brian's arm, and the four of us walk back to our table.

An hour later, the evening comes to an end. I lead our party to the waiting limousine, my eyes scanning the area constantly. Two of my wolves join us. I send a telepathic message to Amy. "Cats." Her eyes begin scanning the area too.

The tension remains high in the back of the limousine. We drop Brian and Lori off, leaving two guards behind to make sure the cats don't harm them. No one breathes easily until we're home and behind the solid doors and safe.

Upstairs, I pull Amy into my arms. "Are you okay, baby?" I ask softly, taking her cold, shaking hand in mine. "I love you, and I won't let Victoria harm you. She's unstable and dangerous, and I should have killed her long ago. She will never take anything of mine again."

Amy's trembling subsides slightly, and she peers up at me, her eyes swirling with anger. "If you don't kill her, I will."

Maybe this is what attracted me to her that first night. No fear. Willing to fight and ready to cause havoc wherever she goes. "You will stay as far away from her as I can keep you. You have no chance of defeating her."

Her eyes hold mine when she rocks my world. "I would if I were vampire."

I'm stunned because I know she's serious. It's me who isn't yet ready to take that step. Even though I know there are no similarities between Victoria and Amy, turning Victoria to vampire will always be the worst day of my life. The guilt I carry is still too strong to go through the transformation with Amy.

When I don't reply, she opens the telepathic link between us. "I love you; I could never hate you. It's what I want, and I'll never grow old and leave you," she promises and goes to her tiptoes and kisses me.

I return the kiss, understanding how incredibly special this woman is. A minute later, she's on my bed, her dress on the floor, and her sexy body clad in the most amazing undergarments I've ever seen. The leather and crisscrossing straps will stay in my dreams forever.

I glance into her eyes. "Will you do it?" she asks gently, refusing to let it go.

I rest my forehead against hers. "You need to be sure. There's no going back. You will never have children. Your friends, in only a few short years, will no longer be part of your life."

She grips my shoulders then runs her palms over my back. "I won't leave you, ever. Children have never been a concern or yearning. Everything else will work itself out. It doesn't need to be tonight or tomorrow." She rubs her nose against mine. "I'm not going anywhere."

I kiss her with the love that fills my heart. The sun is rising when we finally fall asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Seven

_Amy_

The following afternoon we board the plane and return to Arizona. Even though we've only been gone two days, I miss the ranch. When I look out the car's window when we return to Marcus's home, I know it's my home too.

Alba's greeting when I step from the vehicle is icing on the cake. I go down to my knees and bury my face in her fur.

"I missed you," Alba mentally projects.

"Not as much as I missed you. I worried the entire time that you would have the pups without me. I hate to say this, but you look like you might explode."

Alba gently nips my arm which has me laughing. "I didn't mean that as an insult; you're beautiful."

Ivan walks up to us and runs his hand over Alba's back. They cut me out of their private conversation, and I'm completely fine with it. They love each other and still have things to work out. A minute later, we go inside and Ivan leaves us. He's in his wolf form when he returns. Curling up beside Alba, he starts grooming her.

Marcus gives me a look, and we quietly turn to leave the room. Alba's whispered words enter my head. "The pups will be here soon."

I smile and keep the news to myself. "I'm starving and need to raid the kitchen in case Philip did any baking while we were gone."

We sit at the large country table with milk and chocolate chip cookies. Marcus watches me eat and smiles indulgently when I lick chocolate from my fingers. "This could be the only reason not to become vampire," I say after downing the first cookie in only a few bites.

"That's quite a reason," Marcus replies, his eyes on my lips as I chew.

"Will I drink blood from the wolves?" I ask, curious about everything regarding my pending change.

"You will drink from me and the wolves."

"You said it's sexual, how will that work?"

He lets out a soft growl. "That won't be the case once we've bonded, or I'll be killing a lot of wolves."

I can't help laughing at his stern look. "Good. I promise the same thing."

Marcus lifts his finger to the side of my mouth and wipes a small bit of chocolate off. He places it in his mouth. "Mmm, almost better than you."

I'm laughing when Yvette, the female wolf that was shot, walks into the kitchen. She backtracks as soon as she sees us. "Sorry, Master. My bad."

Marcus lifts me out of my seat, cradling me in his arms. "The room is yours, Yvette. I fear someone ate all the cookies though." I laugh the entire trip to his room.

The following morning, we stroll to the garden and watch the sunrise. When it peeks over the horizon, Marcus whispers, "Stay here and enjoy the sunshine. It's something you'll miss." He disappears, and the gazebo is immediately a lonely place.

Over the next week, I work harder to adjust my sleeping schedule to Marcus's, and for the most part, I'm successful. I also take time to learn more about the wolves and the life I'll live as a vampire. I also spend many hours by the pond writing about vampires and werewolves. I'm secretly in love with the vampire books written by Stephanie Meyer, even if her vampires sparkle. Knowing one in real life, I laugh at the thought of Marcus shining so bright he could be a beacon for an airplane. They say write what you know, and that's what I've decided to do. For the first time since I became a journalist, the burning need for that next story is absent. I'm ready to settle down. My mother raised me as an only child. Having a family of my own was never in my plans. My father was a war correspondent and killed overseas when I was only a toddler. My parents never married, and my mother believed marriage would hurt her career. That was the way I was raised, and before falling in love with Marcus, it made perfect sense to remain single.

I glance up at the blue sky and say my goodbyes. Being in the sun was never my thing either. I always preferred the night. This won't be as hard as he thinks.

Throughout the week, Marcus shares details about his business ventures. I love listening to him talk about his work. Truthfully, I love listening to Marcus talk about anything. He always notices when I get that dreamy look in my eyes, and we wind up in bed.

Each evening, Marcus, Ivan, and the security team have long meetings concerning Victoria. They discuss tactical considerations in the war with Victoria and her cats, centering on keeping humans unaware. It's strange because less and less do I actually feel human. I'm part of this world, and it's my battle too.

Alba stays at my side most of the time. If Marcus or Ivan are on the opposite side of the house, she's practically in my lap. Her mothering hormones are in overdrive, and I do my best to indulge her concern for my safety. She's actually grown larger if that's even possible. Her stomach is an inch from dragging on the ground when she walks. If she's on her side by the fire, you can see the babies' movements now. They're obviously squished inside her warm belly. All of us are ready for their arrival. Alba does little complaining about being uncomfortable. Ivan is her main complaint, and the poor man can do nothing right.

He ignores her criticism and stays more and more in wolf form as the birth draws closer. Ivan is my only daytime escape, and we take short excursions around the property when Alba needs him out from under her feet. She never goes with us and spends her time nesting with blankets in front of the fire. I enjoy my time with Ivan and pepper him with a million questions about Marcus. He's fairly loose-lipped when it comes to telling me about Marcus's mischief. Every so often, one of my questions will cross a line, and he sends me to Marcus for answers. My vampire is extremely lucky to have Ivan with him.

Marcus's property is vast, and we cover a lot of ground on our outings. I see wolves everywhere. One afternoon, Ivan stops me, holds a finger to his lips, and points between trees about fifty feet away. It's an actual wolf, smaller than the ones in the pack, thinner and not nearly as well-groomed but beautiful nonetheless.

"Our scent usually keeps them away," Ivan whispers. "It's a rare treat to sight one."

"You don't hurt them, do you?"

"No, but we do chase them away if they get too close to the ranch. We are very territorial and having their scent around puts us on edge. They wouldn't taste very good if we did decide to eat them."

I slap his arm for being a jerk, and he laughs. I enjoy his company, and we're becoming friends.

At the end of the wonderful week, Ivan and I are playing cards at the formal dining table so Alba can rest by the fireplace. Instead of taking her usual spot on the rug, she paces the room and won't settle down. After a few minutes, she heads to the door leading to the kitchen. I barely notice because our game of crazy eights has become cutthroat.

Ivan lifts his eyes from the cards in his hand. "Alba is in labor," he says calmly.

Panic is my first response. The babies are coming. Will they be okay? Will Alba be okay?

I look at Ivan. "Are you sure?"

He nods. "She's been in labor for more than an hour, and she can't lie down. It will be a long night."

"You think it will be a long night? I can't believe you said that. No wonder you've been in the doghouse."

Ivan only smiles.

I glare at him and storm from the room in search of Alba.

Men. Can't live with them and can't turn them into dogfood.
Chapter Twenty-Eight

_Amy_

I find Alba in the kitchen. She whines when she sees me. I go to my knees and rub her head. "You should have said something," I whisper.

She gives a weary sigh. "The longer I put off saying anything, the better. Did Ivan tell you?"

"Of course he told me. You're being stupid and making me say mean things when you just need love, so stop with that. What do I need to do?"

"Go for a walk outside with me. It will be a while before the cubs arrive, and I need to walk."

"I can do that. Let me grab a jacket." The weather has cooled this week, and fall is in the air. "Do you want the men with us?"

"Absolutely not! Birthing is for women, and I don't care how the world has changed. When it comes to including men in childbirth, I refuse."

"I'll get my jacket. Can I at least tell them where we're going?"

Alba releases a much longer sigh, and I take it as a yes. I feel Marcus waking up, and I send him a telepathic message. "Alba is in labor, and I'm taking her outside to walk after I grab my jacket."

He's waiting when I enter his room. "Don't go far," he says. "I will alert the wolves to keep their distance so Alba has some privacy."

"Thank you. I love you." I give him a brief, excited hug and hurry back downstairs.

It's a beautiful evening for a walk. We travel at a slow pace and don't go far. Alba stops every few minutes and pants through her pains. About thirty minutes into our walk, she turns back to the house. Once there, she circles the blankets by the fire until she finds the perfect spot to lie down.

"Towels are in the kitchen pantry. Go find Philip, and he will help," she whispers in my mind after she's settled.

Philip helps me but refuses to go into the dining room. Mary and Yvette arrive, and despite my strong feelings of animosity toward Mary, I'm glad for the help.

I sit beside Alba and keep my hands in my lap so I don't cause her additional pain. Alba warned me that during childbirth, she'll revert to more of her animal side, and I should touch her as little as possible or risk being bit.

The hours drag by.

Finally, Alba gives a low whine, and I can see the crowning head of one of the pups. Alba knows exactly what to do, and once the cub clears the birthing canal, she licks the wet, little body. When she's finished, she nudges the small wolf toward me. "Place him in a towel and dry him. The other will be here soon."

I do as I'm told and hold the small, precious bundle and gently rub a towel over its body. When I'm finished, I bring the cub to my chest. Mary reaches over to take the baby from me, and Alba growls.

The next baby arrives, and the process is repeated. I lay the first pup next to Alba and pick up the other small, wet body. "A female," Alba says tiredly.

"She's beautiful," I say while rubbing the baby-soft fur that's turning from almost black to a deep gray like her brother.

"I secretly wanted a girl, but I was afraid to voice my thoughts. I would have taken two boys, but having a girl will help with the healing my heart still needs." Her voice holds sadness, and I know she misses her sons.

"Can I bring Ivan and Marcus in here?" I ask when I've settled the next pup at her belly.

"Yes, it's time. Ivan will be going crazy. The pups need to eat, and I'm very tired."

I watch for another minute while the cubs find their food source and laugh at the noisy sucking sounds they make. Then it's time to locate the men.

My connection with Marcus makes him easy to find. He's sitting in his office chair while Ivan paces back and forth in front of him. There's a bottle of whisky on the desk and no glass. I raise my eyebrows when Ivan chugs straight from the bottle.

"It's the only way to keep him in the room. The effects wear off too soon for the wolves, but at least it makes him mushy-headed while he drinks it."

"You're a father again. Congratulations," I tell Ivan.

"How is Alba?" he asks, and I can see the panic in his eyes.

"Alba and the babies are wonderful. She wants you with her, and it's time to meet your new children."

Ivan's gone almost before I finish the sentence. I hug Marcus, and he lifts me onto his lap. "You smell like baby wolves. I haven't scented that in many years. Babies are a blessing."

"Do you regret that you can't have children?"

"Sometimes. It's one of the reasons I wanted the wolves to procreate after I took over the clan. They're my family, and I get a taste of fatherhood through them. What of you? If you change, you will never have babies."

We covered this before, but I know it lays heavy on Marcus's mind. "I never planned to have children. I know it sounds very unwoman-like, but my career came first. I also appreciate how hard it was for my mother when I was young. Her career meant everything, and she had to put it on hold for me."

Sadness creeps into his voice. "And now you're giving up your career for me."

"No, I'm not," I say emphatically. "I'm giving up my career for something I want more. I have no decision to make. I wouldn't go back to who I was before I became part of your amazing world. I'm afraid you're stuck with me." I kiss him softly to seal the deal.

He deepens the kiss and it's a few minutes before it ends. Then he grins and rubs his nose against mine. "I want to meet the new additions to the family. I'm sure they will be grown like their brothers in no time. These next few months are very special."

"One will be nothing like her brothers I'm sure."

Marcus's smile doubles.

When we arrive, Ivan is in wolf form lying beside Alba with his head on her neck. He's watching the babies as they nurse. Mary and Yvette are gone.

Marcus leans down and rubs Alba's head. "They're beautiful, and I hear one will grow to be as fierce as her mother while the other will remain as tame as his father."

Alba laughs and nudges Marcus's hand toward one of the puppies. Marcus has no problem picking up the small body. He soon hands the male to me and picks up the female. He nuzzles her small face with his nose then brings her to his chest. I do the same, and within a minute, they're both asleep.

"Sit down and hold them for a while. I need a nap," Alba requests.

We sit cross-legged, holding the babies, in our own little world. When I try to switch pups, Marcus refuses. "I'm tired of scrawny little boys. Girls are special, and I'm claiming this one."

He's joking, but I can see his instant attachment to the female. I don't mind spoiling my little fella so it works.

A short time later, Philip brings in a whelping box. I'm told it won't contain them for long. It will, however, allow Alba and Ivan some freedom during the first few days. Alba wakes up when we rest the puppies inside.

"Their names are Sierra and Roland," Ivan tells us. He previously told me the father names the pups. I see so much pride in his eyes.

I never doubted Ivan would love the children, and from the look on his face, the sperm donor is all but forgotten. Babies are miracles, and I'm so grateful to be a part of this incredible family.

With Alba's children, I'll never need my own.
Chapter Twenty-Nine

_Marcus_

Ivan stays in wolf form and sleeps by his mate and babies throughout the night. I lift Amy, who's fallen asleep during her vigil, into my arms and carry her to my room.

I sit with my back against the headboard while she sleeps. Many thoughts travel through my head. How lucky I am to have found her being the first. The future scares me, and dealing with Victoria is my number one priority. I knew someday I would kill her. I owe her the end she always wanted. The thought of her death no longer saddens me. I look at the woman in my arms, and I know I can't live without her. Nothing and no one will ever take her from me.

When she finally stirs, I carry her to the shower. "I could wake up like this every day," she says with a beautiful smile and kisses my chest as the water pours over us.

Our time in the shower is shorter than normal because Amy wants to see the babies. She tucks me in impatiently, and I laugh when she runs for the door after a very short kiss.

I always thought Victoria was the only woman for me. I was wrong. Victoria had to be cared for constantly and the center of attention always. She expected to be loved and spoiled by everyone. Amy is completely different. She stands on her own two feet and is the mate I've always needed.

I close my eyes and fill my lungs with her scent from the sheets before falling asleep.

***

_Amy_

I run down the stairs and make a mad dash for the dining room. No one's in the room, and it surprises me when I find the babies sleeping in the box. Their miraculous little bodies wiggle to get comfortable, and I smile in delight when the little girl, who's a shade darker than her brother, crawls on top of him and snuggles into his fur. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

I turn at the sound of someone entering the room. It's Alba on two legs, and she's wrapped in a lush bathrobe. I put my arms around her and give her a huge hug. "You're even more beautiful than I remembered and so are the babies."

"I will agree with you on the babies, but it will be a few months before my figure is back to normal."

Ivan comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her stomach. "I think you're perfect just the way you are. How are you feeling?"

She cocks her head back and rests it on his shoulder. "Better now that I've had a shower. I'll need to change back soon for feeding, but it feels good to be upright."

I lean over the box, unable to take my eyes from the small bundles inside.

"You can pick them up," Alba says with a smile. "Enjoy this time. Within a few weeks, we'll be chasing them everywhere and wanting to strangle the little heathens."

I laugh and pick up Sierra, nuzzling my face against her small sleeping body. "You are precious. I don't believe a word your mother says. You will always be cute, beautiful, and the perfect lady."

Ivan and Alba laugh like it's a huge joke. A short time later, Alba removes her robe and shifts after the puppies start making mewling sounds. We spend a quiet and restful day watching the small miracles and lazing around the house. I even sneak upstairs and take a nap while Marcus remains sleeping. At sunset he joins us. Members of the clan also start arriving to pay their respects to the newest pack members. Alba and Ivan's sons arrive first. They're captivated with their sister. I hold Roland, whispering he's as gorgeous as his sibling. Alba isn't concerned about Roland's lack of attention in the least. Her boys never had a sister, and Sierra is a novelty. She assures me Roland will get his share of their love.

Roland latches onto my finger and grabs my heart a little tighter. By evening, most of the clan is in the house, and an impromptu party begins.

The real celebration will occur when the pups are a month old. There will be a naming ceremony to accept them fully into the clan. The ceremony requires the pups be past their first change, which will happen sometime in the next few weeks. Over the next two days, their eyes will open. It's a joyous miracle, and I don't remember being happier in my life.

I'm now part of an amazing family.

***

_Amy_

The pups change daily. Their eyes open on day three, and the whelping box no longer holds them. They continue moving in a slow, awkward puppy gait, but they somehow manage to get underfoot at every opportunity. They also leave puddles and smellier things behind whenever the mood strikes. We don't care, and everyone pitches in to keep the floors clean.

It's two weeks after their birth, and I'm chasing the littlest devil through the house because she has my favorite shoe in her mouth. Spoiling Sierra turned her into a little terror. Roland's not half as ornery. When I catch the little stinker, a miracle happens and Sierra shifts, then there's a baby in my arms. I run to the kitchen where Alba is watching Roland. She smiles when she sees Sierra.

"It figures she would change first. That child will be the death of us all."

As I hold Sierra, warmth spreads over the front of my shirt. "Are you sure diapers won't work?"

Alba laughs and places Roland on the floor. She walks over and takes Sierra from my arms, grabs a towel, and cleans her. I go upstairs to grab a dry shirt. It's something I do regularly now.

The following day Roland shifts. They lose their freedom as humans and are unable to terrorize the house. Though their human bodies are novelties, they prefer puppy form.

That evening, while the older siblings are visiting, Marcus comes downstairs and takes Roland in human form from Conner's arms. He tosses him in the air and before catching him, Roland shifts to wolf. Marcus sets him on the floor, and Roland whines. He loves being held by Marcus. Marcus lifts a finger and tells him to stay. He then proceeds to walk to me for a kiss. Roland watches like it's the most important lesson he'll ever learn. After the kiss, Marcus picks Roland back up and looks around. "Where's the little she-devil?" We all laugh. Sierra has many nicknames--she-devil, heathen, little terror, and each fits.

"Alba and Ivan are chasing her. I think she got out the garden door, and they're worried about the pond. They should be back already."

I follow Marcus to the garden and hear splashing as soon as we're outside. Sierra is dog paddling across the water. She changes to her human form midway, rolls to her back, and floats.

Her smiling parents shrug their shoulders. Marcus puts Roland by the water's edge, and he eagerly jumps in to join his sister. He, too, shifts and instead of floating, his baby arms wave frantically, and he goes under. Marcus scoops him up, and I bite my lip, trying not to laugh. Roland has the funniest expression on his face as water drips from his hair. He wiggles, and Marcus places him back in the water. He easily realizes he isn't as talented as his sister in human form and shifts to puppy. They swim for fifteen minutes before their little legs can barely keep their noses from the water and they need a nap.

Baby life is quite tiring.

***

_Marcus_

Although the past two weeks seemed tranquil, a lot is going on in the background. I've kept constant vigil on our security, and the clan remains on their toes. Amy is practicing her special talent with anyone willing and is getting stronger daily.

A few days ago, during one of her practice sessions, she connected with one of Victoria's cats about a mile from the property line. I sent wolves to the area immediately, but the cat was gone.

Amy was perplexed by what she felt in the cat's mind. She didn't feel animosity. She felt the cat was waiting for something or someone. It frustrated her that she couldn't get a clear reading. Cats are different from wolves. Their thinking is different, and Amy has been trying to locate more.

She's ready to be my mate, and I've given it a lot of thought. We love each other, and there's no reason to wait. As long as she's human, she's vulnerable. Victoria would take great pleasure in taking Amy from me, and I refuse to let it happen.

I overheard her talking to Brian on the phone yesterday, and I know losing her friends will be hard. Brian seems to be accepting me and teased Amy gently without his usual snide comments. Amy's mother and father are gone, and Brian and Lori are all that's holding me back.

I don't think I can wait any longer though.
Chapter Thirty

_Amy_

The following week we start preparations for the babies' naming ceremony. It's new to me so Ivan and Alba spend a lot of time answering my questions. The other wolf clans in the U.S. will send envoys. It's important for Marcus to show the strength of his clan as well as build trust among his allies. Dealing with different packs is always walking a fine line in diplomacy. The other clans have heard about our recent problems with the pride queen, and we need them on our side. Marcus's clan is the largest in the U.S., and they know it. We still need their help.

I'm given free rein preparing for the party, and I enjoy every minute. I've never thrown a party before and had no idea how much fun it could be. Alba grumbles and goes along with what I want even if she spends a lot of time rolling her eyes. At least Alba doesn't look as tired as she did the first week after the pups' birth. I'm also learning Alba has a grumpy disposition, and she's regularly cranky with everyone but me and Marcus. And even though she's friendly to me, something is missing.

Thankfully, Alba and Ivan have worked out their differences. He's never far from her side, and she does very little growling when he's around, regardless of which form she's in. Ivan goes into the forest running with her, and she's more relaxed when they return. I try to understand why my friend has changed so much, and it's hard. I can't help thinking that something more is going on.

Marcus tried to explain by telling me about Alba's battling days. She was a fierce warrior, and few wolves would tangle with her. With a lethal reputation, even in the male-dominated wolf world, Alba is a legend. Marcus told me I was lucky to see Alba in "mommy" mode. Alba's never had a friend within the pack, and everyone was surprised when she latched onto me. I miss her.

Guests arrive for the party, and our rooms begin to fill. Marcus believes there's little chance of an attack while the clans are together, though he takes no chances and has security teams set up, just in case.

Each clan is represented by ten members along with their Alpha. A naming ceremony is the only time Alphas are together at one time. It's in their nature to fight, and it's difficult for them to be around each other for long. Ivan's older two sons, Columbus and Duncan, begin showing the strain almost immediately. They both show strong Alpha tendencies and take after their parents. Until the actual ceremony, it's decided the boys will make themselves scarce. The vampires for each clan are absent. Whereas it's difficult for the stronger wolves to be together, it's nearly impossible for vampires. Having another in one's territory is a reason for war. I'm trying to understand vampire politics and still I shake my head half the time.

I like the new wolves I meet. Most are a little less civilized than Ivan's pack, but they're friendly. Marcus makes it well known I'm off limits and keeps me close to his side.

"I'm not really jealous," he explains. "The wolves aren't like us when it comes to pursuing females. They do, however, respect my claim for the most part. Sometimes they overstep their bounds, and we don't want a major incident. Few humans have ever been to a naming ceremony. When packs meet, it tends to be violent, even when they're playing, which makes it dangerous for you."

I had to live with that explanation. The longer they're here, the more I understand. Marcus can't be with me every second so I tread carefully.

Nicolas is the Alpha of the northern clan. He's good-looking and has an unhealthy sense of humor where I'm concerned. He's constantly kissing my hand and holding my arm. He purposely plays with fire and riles Marcus. I have trouble seeing the fun-loving wolf as the violent Alpha described to me before he arrived.

My perception of Nicolas changes after one of the west coast wolves gets a little handsy and pulls me into his arms when Marcus is in another room. Nicolas has the wolf by the throat before I fully understand what's happening. The Alpha bares fangs, tightens his fingers around said throat, and terrifies the stupid wolf. The man is removed from the house before Marcus knows of the incident, and I never see the wolf again. I actually ask Marcus if he's dead.

"No. He was young and got out of hand. The wolves understand it and are more lenient with the young ones."

I'm relieved. After seeing the lighthearted Nicolas in action, I realize he's as lethal as Ivan.

Brandt is the Alpha of the northwestern pack. He's more subdued than Nicolas but no less friendly. Both he and Nicolas are unmarried. It bothers me because I'm in the stage of love where everyone needs to feel what I do. I try to interest Nicolas in Mary, and he seemed to like the idea, but Mary turned him away. I know Mary loves Marcus. I actually want her to be happy, just with another man. Having her hundreds of miles away would be a bonus.

The evening of the ceremony arrives, and everyone gathers at the pit. It's the first time I've been back to the pit since Marcus and Ivan fought. I have new eyes where vampires and wolves are concerned, and it doesn't bother me. Marcus sat me down the evening before and explained the ritual to me. It's what has me apprehensive tonight. Maybe apprehensive isn't the right word and pissed off would be more accurate. I watch with the killing eyes of a she-wolf, understanding what it means to love children more than my life. Alba's twins mean that to me.

The three Alphas and Marcus stand at the bottom of the pit. Alba carries the cubs to their father, and Marcus speaks. "This is our next generation. They will be strong and powerful like the clans of yesterday. They will maintain the peace needed for us to survive in today's world. They will make strong warriors, and we will protect them with our lives until they are of age to protect themselves." Marcus takes Sierra from her father's arms and holds her up. "I name you Sierra, for it is a strong name." Marcus hands the wolf cub back to her father and then takes Roland and holds him up. "I name you Roland, for it is a strong name." The cheers are deafening.

Before Ivan hands Sierra to Nicolas, he bites her at the top of her thigh. She yelps and begins to struggle. Ivan then places her in Nicolas's arms, and he does the same while Ivan is marking Roland. The three Alphas all draw blood, and I'm horrified even though Marcus told me it would happen.

The only reason I'm not stopping them is because Alba is holding me back. "Shhh, Amy, this links them to the pack. These bites bring the clans together, and each one of us will always protect those linked by blood. This is vital for their safety, and it strengthens the entire alliance. The babies will heal."

I do not understand why causing the babies pain brings the clans together. I'm unable to stop what's happening, but that does not mean I agree. It's only a short time before the ceremony is finally over. We go back to the ranch to celebrate. It takes me a while to calm down and assure myself the babies are okay. The bite marks are quickly healing because Alba fed Marcus, and the enzymes in his blood are now in her milk. With Roland in my arms, I'm able to relax and enjoy myself. I'm still overprotective though, and when one of the she-wolves from another clan tries to take Roland from my arms, she's met with a growl from my very human throat. The woman lowers her eyes and walks away.

"You growled," Marcus says with a laugh.

"It worked; she won't try and touch this poor baby again," I say, watching her walk away, my eyes a pinpoint between her shoulder blades.

Marcus sighs, and I catch Alba smiling at him from across the room. She gives me a thumbs up, and I feel like it's the Alba I knew when she was pregnant.

She approaches and whispers to Marcus loud enough for me to hear. "Stop procrastinating and make her yours. It will strengthen the clan and keep you happy."

He looks at me when he answers. "It will be soon. I don't think we have much longer to wait for Victoria's revenge. I want you safe, and remaining human will get you killed."

My heart rate doubles then slows as a calmness fills me. I'm ready.

"Yes, it's time," says Alba and walks away.

The following day after breakfast, everyone leaves. Marcus is sleeping, and it's left to me to see them off. Nicolas draws me into his arms even though Ivan growls. He places a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"You are special, Amy. We have been waiting for you for a long time." Nicolas then looks at Alba, who's holding both pups in her arms. She returns his gaze and nods her head as something strange passes between the two of them. Nicolas turns away and joins his pack in the waiting vehicles.

Brandt shakes his head. "Nicolas is taken with you. Beastkind are usually unaccepting of humans, but we can sense that you're one of us. I wish you blessings." He kisses the back of my hand and leaves.

When the last car's taillights are in the distance, I ask Ivan about Brandt's strange pronouncement. His eyes follow the car. "Marcus brought the American clans together more than two hundred years ago. It's kept us from wars. We are stronger together, and Marcus saw that early on. It wasn't easy and took years of struggle. The European clans are finally starting to figure out what we have recognized in America for a long time, and they are now forming alliances. If we stick together, it will be hard for other beastkind to take over or harm us." With a shake of his head, he turns and re-enters the house.

He didn't answer my question. For some odd reason, I feel overwhelmed with apprehension. I brush it off and start on cleanup duty. No matter how grumpy Philip gets, I plan to help. When the sun sets, I head to Marcus's room, knowing I'll start turning my sleep around tomorrow, and I'll stay up with Marcus for as long as I can keep my eyes open. I was unable to keep my daytime sleeping hours with the house full and now my internal clock is messed up.

It's dark inside the room, and I slowly make my way to the bed. Marcus gently takes my hand and pulls me on top of him. My clothes are off in seconds.

"I love you," I tell him when he rises over me.

"And I love you. It's time, Amy. If you truly want to be mine throughout eternity, I'm ready."

I haven't pushed Marcus to make me vampire. I know the process itself holds bad memories for him. I also knew he would do it when the time was right.

"I love you," I say again. "I never want to lose you."

Marcus's fangs enter my throat. I've already been told what to expect, and I'm unafraid. The longer he draws blood, the more lethargic I feel. People don't understand what it actually takes to drain the human body of blood. I rub Marcus's back for as long as I can, assuring him I'm okay. Before drifting away and ending my life as human, I whisper once more, "I love you."

***

_Marcus_

I knew it was time, and I was tired of worrying about Amy's safety. She's mine and will be for eternity. When she draws her last breath, I repeat what I've only done once before in the hundreds of years I've been vampire. Slicing my wrist with a small knife from the side table, I hold the wound over her slightly parted lips and drip my blood into her mouth. It's only a few minutes later that her hands reach out and grasp my arm, latching onto my wrist with her new fangs. When I finally make her stop, she looks at me in confusion. "Sleep," I tell her and watch her fade into her first sleep as vampire.

My plans are to stay with her throughout the night. Unfortunately, the security wolves inform me of a serious problem. Dread fills me. I know it's Victoria. I look at the woman beside me. It will be twenty-four hours before she's ready for any kind of fight, and she's more vulnerable now than she would be as human.

I send a telepathic message to Alba and have her meet us in the cellar with the cubs. When Alba sees me carrying Amy to our safe room, she knows what I've done. "It's bad, and I want you, the babies, and Amy safe. I know you want to fight, but you need to protect your children."

"I will remain with Amy and the babies. Don't worry." Alba's in warrior mode, and I know she'll give her life for Amy and the cubs.

Amy doesn't regain consciousness, and my one regret is not changing her weeks ago. My lack of foresight could mean her death. When I leave, I hear the bolt thrown from the inside. The cellar is designed to withstand anything including a nuclear blast. It has enough food and water for a month and comfortably holds twenty people. Alba even insisted on his and her bathrooms.

I leave my heart behind and go to fight the woman I should have killed long ago.

***

_Alba_

Large pillows fill the corners of the main room, and I gently place the sleeping babies on one of them. They snuggle together with no idea we're in danger. I check on Amy. Her body is cold to the touch, and I know it's normal even if disturbing. I take her hand and prepare for what's to come. I can't stop my tears, and eventually, I pick up the cubs and hold them against my chest as I cry. It's too damn soon even though I know I can't stop fate.
Chapter Thirty-One

_Alba_

A few hours later, there's a loud knock on the door at the top of the stairs. Mary is crying loudly on the other side. I rest the babies next to Amy and race up the stairs. When I throw the door open, Mary's anguish is clear. I place my hand on her shoulder and then stop. She smells of cat.

"What have you done?" I ask in horror.

It's Mary in front of me for only a second when Victoria appears between us, and I fly backwards down the stairs. I'm unable to stop myself until I hit the bottom, and while I'm falling, the cats pour into the cellar. Victoria enters and glares at me while laughing maniacally. She looks between Amy and the babies then gestures for her cats to leave the cellar. "They're mine. I don't need help to finish this." Her gaze meets mine, and she grins, showing her extended fangs. "You're so sweet, Alba." She looks at the cubs again. "More children for me to kill. I thought the pain of losing the other two would keep you from wanting to suffer more."

I'm injured but nothing will keep me from protecting my babies. I start crawling. Mary didn't leave the room with the cats, and she surprises me by questioning Victoria. "You can't harm the babies--I thought it was Amy you wanted dead." She looks desperate and is slowly understanding what will happen.

Victoria ignores her and sniffs the air. "Marcus made her vampire," she hisses and turns to Amy.

Mary scrambles out of Victoria's way when she charges Amy. I can do nothing when Victoria lifts her and throws her across the room, where she hits the far wall and falls to the floor. Amy remains unconscious.

"I've got the babies," Mary screams. She will die today for what's she's done, but I know she will protect the cubs. All thoughts of pain are gone when I leap over Victoria and land between her and Amy. From the corner of my eye, I see Mary leave the basement with the babies in her arms.

Victoria's amber gaze meets mine. "I've never had a problem with you, Alba. You could have come with me when I left, but you chose Marcus. You and your offspring will die--the older and the younger."

"I didn't go with you because you're insane. Marcus loved you and would have done anything for you." I move slowly to the side so I can see Amy while keeping an eye on Victoria. Amy's hand jerks a little, and it's all that gives me hope. I knew what was coming, and my babies aren't supposed to die.

"If Marcus loved me, he wouldn't have made me into a monster," Victoria yells in anger. "I'm damned forever because of him." Deadly emotion fills each word.

I lift my head. "No, you are damned because you're evil and always have been. You wanted to live forever, but you were too afraid to do it. Asking Marcus to drink your blood as you died was your way of getting what you wanted without blaming yourself. Your soul was always damned, you vicious bitch!"

Victoria attacks me. I know she will kill me, and I'm Amy and the cubs only chance. Victoria hits me in the chest, a solid blow that crushes ribs. I barely feel it. She strikes, blow after blow, drawing out the inevitable because she's like her cats and enjoys playing in her victim's blood. When red covers the walls and floor, and I can no longer even try to defend myself, Victoria stands over me covered in my blood too. She lifts her arms, and I know my time on this earth is over, and I won't be saving my friend or my children.

***

_Amy_

I open my eyes, and the world around me is different. Even in the low light of the cellar, I can see with amazing clarity. It takes only seconds to realize what's happening. Victoria is killing Alba. I try to gain my feet and struggle to rise. Each second it takes me brings Alba closer to death. I focus everything on saving her.

When Victoria finally stops and looks down at Alba, I find the strength I wasn't aware I had and launch myself on the vampire's back. I'm weak and no match for Victoria. It doesn't matter. Alba is dying, and I don't know where the babies are. Killing Victoria is the only chance I have.

Victoria, already in a fighting frenzy, is vicious and our battle bloodier than her beating of Alba. Despite my new strength, I'm losing. So many things go through my mind--Marcus, the only man I've ever loved. The precious cubs, so sweet, so innocent. My friend who is struggling to breathe. The rage I feel at having it all taken away is more powerful than anything I've ever experienced. With a last surge of fury, I push Victoria back, and she stumbles and trips over a pillow, landing on her back.

I catch a slight movement to the side of us where Alba has struggled to her feet. She lifts an ax that's against the wall near her and attacks. The ax strikes Victoria in the neck and shoulder. Not a death blow. She rises up and grabs Alba by the throat. There's a loud crunch, and the women go down in an all-out fight. I shake off the cobwebs and grab the ax that Alba dropped.

With everything I have I swing the blade at Victoria's throat. My blow cuts through flesh and bone, sending her head across the room. The ax drops from my fingers, and I run to Alba. She's barely breathing, her neck at an odd angle. If she weren't beastkind, she would already be dead.

Her hand somehow finds mine. "I will save you," I cry. "We need to exchange blood. You'll be okay."

"No." Her hand squeezes mine a little tighter. "You can't save me. I knew this was coming. Your job is to watch over my children and care for them," she whispers. "Mary betrayed us. She won't harm the babies, but your job is to kill her. She cannot be allowed to live. Sierra and Roland are now yours, love them as I would."

"No, no, no," I scream. "They need you. I need you." I'm sobbing desperately now.

"Shhh, Amy," her voice is so soft I can barely hear it. "It's my time, and I'm at peace. Tell Ivan I love him and will see him again one day. His next journey will be a long, painful one. Tell him you will care for the babies and he needs to do what he needs to do. Forgive him for what's to come and tell him I love him as much as you can before he leaves." Her breath rattles, and the pressure on my hand lets up. "Go find my children and kill Mary. I love you, my friend."

Alba stops breathing, and I think it's over when her grip tightens once more and she yells out, "Save the cat. You must save the cat." Then she's gone.

I cry out in rage, feeling energy build around me, giving me more strength. All I can think about is killing every cat in Victoria's pride. Also Mary for betraying us. I run up the stairs and follow Mary's scent trail. My friend is gone, and I can't think about it right now. I find Mary on the third floor, hiding in one of the back bedrooms. She's terrified and holding tightly to the struggling pups.

"Let them go. If you hurt them, I will kill you." This is said with as much restraint as I can manage.

Mary inches toward the door, holding tightly to the small pups. "You will kill me anyway," she cries.

"No, I won't. I give you my word I will let you live if you hand the babies over to me."

She realizes she has no choice and tosses the babies at me before she turns and tries to run from the room. I don't even have time to blink, and Marcus is there. He grabs Mary by the neck and twists until Mary's head tears away.

"I promised I wouldn't kill her," I say, rage still filling my veins.

"Yes, but I did not. She would not have survived Ivan anyway, and his death would not have been as kind." He says this while walking closer. I'm holding the cubs too tightly, and they're obviously terrified. It registers that I could easily hurt them, and I need to be careful. Their mewling sounds grow louder.

"Hand Sierra and Roland to me," Marcus requests gently. "You need to feed from one of the wolves. You might not mean to, but you could harm the cubs."

I look down at the small wolves in my arms. My wolves. My babies. "I would never harm the cubs, Marcus. Alba is dead. I am the only mother they have now."

"I know you wouldn't mean to. You are newly changed, and controlling your strength is very hard in the beginning. Your need for blood is in overdrive too. I love you, and you need to trust me."

Through my clouded mind, he makes sense, and I know what I must do. Marcus approaches and lifts the babies from my arms. Without them, I sink to the floor, afraid of what I'm feeling. I must have blood. I rock back and begin to cry. "Please don't take them out of here. I need to have them close. Please, Marcus, I would never hurt them."

Columbus enters the room, and I hiss at him. He freezes, and Marcus waves him to the bed. Once he's seated, Marcus places Sierra and Roland into his arms, watching me the entire time. Columbus makes gentle soothing noises to the twins and gently reassures his brother and sister that they're fine. Seeing them in their brother's arms allows me to gain a little control. Philip enters the room just as Marcus lifts me from the floor. "No one will harm the pups, and we will keep them where you can see them. I promise. You need to feed from Philip, and I will help."

The world is practically red, and all I can think of is blood. "What if I kill him?"

"It's normal for you to feel this way, and I won't let you harm our wolves. They will feed you, completing our circle of life." Marcus places me on my feet next to Philip, and I don't even realize I move. Philips warm blood fills my throat, and travels throughout my body, making me stronger, filling me with power. My vision clears, and the red fades.

I'm not finished when Marcus stops me, and it makes me angry. "Columbus will feed you next. You've taken enough from Philip."

Columbus approaches, and when I see the anguish in his eyes, I begin crying again. "I tried to save her, but it was too late. She saved me instead. I'm so sorry."

Columbus barely holds back his tears. "You saved my brother and sister. Now feed," he says, baring his throat and offering his life's blood.

I cry while accepting his gift. Marcus doesn't need to stop me this time, I know when I've taken enough.

"I'm tired," I say when I release Columbus. "May I hold the babies before I fall asleep?"

Marcus lifts me up. "Philip, please bring the cubs to our room." He turns to Columbus. "Go to your father. He needs you."

Once I'm in Marcus's bed, he places Sierra and Roland into my arms. They settle down immediately. Aware of my new strength, I'm careful and manage a small smile at Marcus before falling asleep.

***

_Marcus_

During the attack, I returned to the cellar to check on Amy and Alba. When I found Victoria and Alba dead, I sent a message to the wolves, calling them back to the house. I told Ivan to get to the cellar immediately. I went in search of Amy and the babies. I didn't know about Mary's betrayal until I heard Amy's words before entering the room. The death I gave Mary was far better than she deserved. The pack would have torn her apart while she still lived and began eating her as she screamed. It's the ultimate punishment for pack betrayal.

My fear for Amy and the pups was a solid rock in the pit of my stomach until I knew they were safe. Now that Amy's asleep, I send my energy out to find my friend because I'm not leaving Amy's side this time.

Ivan blocks me from his mind and won't answer. I notify Yvette that I need her. "Take the babies and find them food," I say after she arrives. I remove them from Amy's arms. "Don't bring them back to the room unless I'm here."

Yvette understands and carries Sierra and Roland away. I stretch out beside Amy and gather her into my arms. I still can't believe she survived against Victoria. I know if she had died, I would take my own life. I have no idea how Ivan will cope. My own grief at Alba's loss is overwhelming. She's been by my side since I gained my freedom from my father. Tears slowly fall down my cheeks as her loss tugs at my soul.

Hours later, Amy regains consciousness and another of our wolves feeds her. As soon as she's finished, she asks for the babies. Before I can call to have them brought to the room, she's asleep again. I call Philip to sit with Amy, and after he arrives, I leave the room to find Ivan.
Chapter Thirty-Two

_Marcus_

Philip said that Ivan left the house carrying the body of his wife. I know I should let him be alone with Alba, but I can't. I follow his scent trail, walking miles into the woods. After several miles, mournful howling leads me to my friend.

Ivan is nude and sitting with Alba in his arms. The damage done to Alba's body sends fury through me.

It takes a moment to realize Ivan is speaking. "I can't survive without her." His eyes beseech me. "You must kill me so I can go to her."

Ivan asks the impossible. "I'm here to help, but I won't let you go. You are as much a part of me as Alba, and I'm selfish. I need you; your children need you. I'm so sorry, and I don't know how any of us will survive without her."

The sound of his grief when he screams is something I'll never forget. I don't have a choice for what I do next. I flash across the distance between us and taste Ivan's warm, sweet blood. After a moment, he stops fighting me. Sharing blood with a vampire will give the donor what they need most. For Ivan it's oblivion.

Slowly, as I feed, Ivan's mind slips away. I call the pack to come for him, and I carry Alba's body back to the house. I arrange her on Ivan's bed and cover her with the quilt from the bottom. The wolves place Ivan on the couch in the family room. I can only hope this short respite from his grief will help him face the days ahead.

When I check on Amy, she's feeding again. When she's finished, I ask the wolf to leave. I need her in my arms while I face the loss of my friend.

"Where are the babies?" she whispers.

I lift her hand and climb out of bed, leading her to the bathroom. "After the blood is gone, I'll take you to the babies. It's starting to sour, and we don't want you scaring small children." My joke is lame even to my own ears.

I'm relieved when Amy flashes a small grin. Then tears fill her eyes. "Alba is really dead, isn't she?"

I nod and she cries throughout the shower while I wash her body and hair. The tears slow when I dry her off. Once she's dressed, I lead her to the babies' room across the hall from Alba and Ivan's bedroom.

"Alba's in there," Amy says and gazes at the other door. "I need to see her first."

I open the door, and Ivan is sitting on the bed, holding his wife. The enzymes didn't help him long enough unfortunately.

Amy begins crying again and approaches the bed. "She saved me. She saved the babies." Her breath hitches, and a sob escapes. "I couldn't save her. I'm so sorry."

Ivan gently rests his mate's body on the bed and stands. He pulls Amy into his arms, and they cry together. A few minutes later, Amy whispers, "At the very end, she wanted me to tell you she loves you and someday you will be together again. She said your work isn't finished, and it's not your time. She also said she knew she would die." Amy moves back so she can see Ivan's face. "How could she know that?"

I'm surprised when Ivan answers. "I realized something was wrong when Nicolas was leaving. Alba has always had the sight, and she hasn't behaved like herself since before the pups' birth. Even though she softens when pregnant, her behavior was unusual." He takes a deep breath before continuing. "There was something about you, and Alba knew it. I tried asking her what was wrong and put her stubbornness down to her anger at me. Once the babies were born and I was still concerned, I asked her again. She told me everything would be okay, and I needed to trust her. She lied." Ivan goes to his knees in grief, and Amy sinks to the floor with him.

Finally, Amy straightens her back and places a gentle kiss on Ivan's cheek. "We need to clean her so your sons can see their mother. Please help me."

I send for soap and water. When it arrives, they clean Alba and remove the blood from her chest, face, and arms. Alba's mangled body proves she fought with everything she had. Despite the damage, once clean, her beauty shines. Ivan brushes her hair as tears run down his face. A short time later, his sons enter the room. I take Amy's hand and lead her out.

We take the babies back to our room to give Amy some much needed time with them.

"How are you feeling?" I ask after the babies fall asleep.

"My hunger is almost unbearable. Is that normal?"

"Yes, but you're doing better than most," I tell her.

"I would never harm Alba's children. No thirst is that strong, I promise. But you're right, I'm having trouble with my strength. When thinking about it, I'm fine. As soon as I forget, something breaks. I hope you didn't pay too much for the vase on the bedside table." I nod toward the nightstand where the vase was. Someone was nice enough to clean up the broken pieces.

I flash a smile. "You're amazing, and that vase was only a few hundred years old. I'll find another.

She smiles at my teasing then the tilt of her lips turns down. "I didn't think to ask if anyone else died?"

"We lost two. Tanner wasn't here much, and I don't think you knew him. We lost Jacob too. I'm sorry." Jacob was one of the wolves left behind with Amy. The poor man was never the same after taking her verbal beating.

Tears slowly track down Amy's cheeks. I move the babies to the other side of the bed and take Amy into my arms. "I love you, and we will get through this."

A short time later, I send for Yvette to feed Amy then take the babies back to their room in case Ivan needs to hold them.

After Yvette leaves, Amy asks why I'm not feeding her. "If the pack feeds you, they heal faster, and it also helps their emotional wounds. You are their leader now too, and the connection to all our wolves must be made for the good of the clan."

She falls asleep in my arms. When she wakes just before the sun rises, I make love to her. For a short time, we forget our anguish and celebrate life as only vampire mates can, by sharing blood after we're sated sexually. It's the first time in hundreds of years I've fed from another vampire. Her blood is incredible, and power swirls through me. Mated vampires are feared by other vamps, and now I understand why. The power grows and grows even when I pull my fangs from her throat. I fall asleep high on Amy's blood.

When we wake a few hours later, Amy realizes it's still daylight, and she must remain inside the bedroom. She yawns and stretches. "I can't believe how tired I am."

After a long bath, we fall back asleep. When the sun sets, Yvette arrives with the babies, and we spend an hour with them. "One little piggy, two little piggy," Amy says holding Sierra's back paw. The little heathen snaps her teeth and catches Amy's finger, drawing blood.

I step closer in case Amy reacts badly, but she only laughs and licks the blood off her finger. "You're a little devil, and someday you'll give men nightmares. I can't wait to see it."

Her laughter is infectious, and I join their silly play, taking the hell-child and allowing Amy to play with Roland. They tire quickly, and we head downstairs, dropping the cubs in their room with Yvette who will be taking over much of their care when Amy is needed elsewhere.

When we enter the dining room, Ivan is there with his sons. Dinner is a somber occasion. The funeral will take place in a few hours, and I'm glad the boys are staying by their father's side.

Amy never asks what happened to Victoria or Mary's bodies. I'm sure she knows.

Sierra and Roland are brought downstairs after dinner, and they've both changed to their rarely seen human forms. Ivan explained it's because they're upset, and the more defenseless human form allows them more coddling. Amy and I hold them and rub their backs to soothe them. They miss their mother; she's never been away from them this long.

Ivan takes them back upstairs a short time later. It's good to see him hold them. It's the first time since Alba's death. He turns at the door. "I want them to sleep soundly until the funeral. They need to say goodbye to their mother even if they won't remember. They will be told as they grow older that they were part of her farewell."

I hold Amy's hand tightly. Getting over Alba's loss will be nearly impossible for everyone.
Chapter Thirty-Three

_Amy_

The hours pass swiftly, and few words are spoken. Asia, Conner, and Duncan have lost looks on their faces. Columbus, the oldest, is the rock they all need, and he takes over what needs to be done. Even Ivan defers to him on the funeral arrangements.

I don't know the boys as well as I do Ivan and Alba, but I love them. They're my family now. Marcus and Ivan leave for a short time before the procession begins. When they return, their eyes are red from tears. I can feel the sadness of the entire pack without reading their minds. The blood they give has an added connection, and we're one in grief.

Ivan carries the babies when it's time to attend the funerals. They remain in human form, their small bodies wrapped tightly in blankets, more for emotional comfort than protection from the cold. They are awake and quiet, somehow knowing they also have a job to do.

I never knew my father. He died when I was a small child, and I have no remembrance of his passing. When my mother died, I was sad, because she was my world and all that was left of any sort of a family. Now I have an entire clan.

Alba gave me this life and brought me into a world I never dreamed I'd experience. Grief does not begin to define my feelings. I gaze around and see the same expression on everyone's face. Alba's loss is insurmountable.

Three bodies rest on pyres. Ivan and Marcus helped bring their fallen pack members here. I'm thankful Ivan had the strength to spare the boys from this tragic duty.

Jacob and Tanner's families speak first, expressing their sorrow and pride in the bravery of their loved ones. Marcus speaks last and praises both wolves for their loyalty and ultimate sacrifice.

Most wolves here are battered from the battle, and I see why Marcus and I are feeding so many. I'm also beginning to understand that with Marcus and I as leaders of the clan, it makes us very strong, and it makes us a target. The peace I yearn for may never come and doing it without Alba's love and strength will only make it harder. I miss my friend so much.

The mourners grow quiet once more, and it's time to honor Alba. The wolves come forward one by one. She might not have been sociable, but she was loved and respected. These people have lived hundreds of years with Alba by their side. She was their warrior queen, and their respect and sorrow run deep.

Columbus speaks for his brothers and Ivan. He somehow manages to hold back tears. "When I was a child, over two hundred years ago," he begins, "my mother left with the men for battle. I was too young to go, so I hid in the back of a wagon. When one of the women caught me, my mom was quickly informed, and I was terrified." Everyone laughs because at one time or another, they've all felt Alba's wrath. "She could have sent me home or punished me severely. She didn't. She told me if I was ready to fight, she would be proud to have me at her side. And she told me if I died, I would be honored as a warrior. She then fought by my father's side and left me to my fate. It wasn't until years later that I discovered my mother threatened the other wolves that if one hair was touched on my head, she would kill them all." He stops talking and looks at his mother on her final resting place. "You gave me a sense of pride even knowing I was too young for battle. I love you, Mother, and I'm so proud to be your son."

Marcus lights the funeral pyres when Columbus steps down. The wolves shed their clothes and then their human skins. The song of passing begins. Even with my ear's new sensitivity, the sound is beautifully haunting.

I'm absorbed in the melody, pulling my sorrow around me like a shroud, when my mind connects with a cat. Female. And her grief is one of the saddest things I've ever felt, even though I'm standing in a sea of grief. I also feel her fear. I separate myself from Marcus and walk away from the funeral in search of a lone cat.

About twenty yards into the woods, I can see a young woman watching the service through the trees, tears pouring down her face. She's small, her blonde hair a mess, and I smell her unkempt body. Before the cat realizes I'm there, her thoughts flare into my mind. One word is repeated over and over. Jacob. Even though she's a cat, she loved him.

Despite my near soundless steps, the woman looks up. She sees me and starts running. I follow. The cat is no match for me in her human form even as a newly made vampire, and if she tries to shift, her clothes will make her fall. I catch up easily and have her quickly subdued. I remember what Marcus told me. I bite her throat and feel the tasty blood enter my mouth. It's different from wolves' blood though still good. When I feel the cat lose consciousness, I stop feeding. I don't want her dead. Somehow, I know this cat is special.

I'm aware that over seventy cats died in the attack. Those still alive scattered. There was talk of hunting them down after the funeral. I did not add my thoughts to the discussions.

I lift the woman and barely feel her weight in my arms. The song of mourning is just beginning to taper off, and wolves are leaving when I approach the clearing. I stay back in the bushes when I realize the woman in my arms is in danger. I silently alert Marcus, and he's immediately at my side, looking curiously at the woman I'm holding. I shake my head. "I'll explain once we get her back to the house."

He doesn't question me and allows me to carry her. Ivan and his sons appear in front of us halfway back to the house.

"Amy, what are you doing?" Ivan demands.

I don't second-guess what I need to do. I finally understand Alba's dying words. I walk to Columbus and place the woman in his arms. "Take her back to the house and care for her. I will explain later. Keep her safe."

Columbus's face is granite. I think for a moment he'll refuse. I show him amber eyes, and he walks away. I turn to Ivan and hold out my hand when he turns to follow his son. "No," I say sharply. "You don't understand, and I need you to trust me."

"That cat helped kill my wife. I won't give trust. I need vengeance."

"Your vengeance will not come by taking that woman's life. She was in love with Jacob. She only came to grieve for him. We will honor that grief and decide her fate tomorrow. She will not be harmed. Alba told me to save the cat. Those were her last words. This is Alba's wish, and no harm will come to the woman."

Ivan's expression promises death, and I feel Marcus's body stiffen beside me. Thankfully, Ivan turns and walks away. A few feet later, he's in wolf form and starts to run and his sons follow him.

We return to the house. A guard is placed outside the cat's door so she can't escape. The next afternoon, I wake up much too early to the sound of screaming. Marcus is next to me one moment and gone the next.

"He had better teach me that, fast," I mutter as I run to the cat's room.

The woman is naked, standing in the corner of the room and clawing her breasts with her fingers. I realize the woman's breasts are filled with milk. Where is her child? I think to myself.

I connect with the woman's mind and try to decipher the anguish, terror, and hatred pouring from her. It takes me several minutes to understand.

"Everyone out," I demand. "Marcus, please bring Sierra here. I'll let you know when to enter the room."

The room clears, and I speak into the woman's mind. "We will not harm you. I need your help, but even if you don't give it, you are safe." I walk closer, pick up a blanket, and place it over her shoulders.

She stares at me like I have two heads. Fresh pain washes over me at her grief. The cat doesn't care if she lives or dies. I keep talking. "You loved Jacob. I knew him for only a short time, but he was part of my family, and I loved him. You are also part of my family, and I need your help."

The woman is trembling, but she allows me to lead her to the bed. She hasn't said a word, and I sense confusion added to her other emotions. I gently nudge her to sit down and call to Marcus.

He enters carrying Sierra. The baby is in human form, and her helplessness is evident. Marcus hands her to me and leaves the room, trusting me to keep Sierra safe. From reading the cat's thoughts, I know Victoria killed her female infant. The vampire killed the child because the cat didn't have permission to breed. Victoria was as bad as Marcus's father.

I fold back the blanket and display Sierra's small, naked body. "She is spoiled and a little hellion, but she is now motherless. She won't return to wolf form because she misses her mother dearly. The wolves and cats are enemies, but this child and her brother are innocent, and they need you. They also need love. I am their mother now, and no one can ever have too much love. I will protect them with my life, but I can't feed them."

The woman's eyes stay glued to Sierra, and she speaks for the first time. "She has a brother?"

"Yes, and I'm sure he is screaming to be fed. This one has louder lungs, but she can sense you're here, and she's waiting for you."

I hand Sierra over. "I'm Amy. What is your name?" I ask when Sierra is held tightly in her arms.

"My name is Zenya. May I feed her?"

"Please," I say with relief. "If you don't, you'll hear exactly how loud she can scream. May I have her brother brought to you?"

"Yes, please." The woman looks at the child with more love than I've ever seen, and I know Alba is smiling.
Epilogue

_Two weeks later..._

_Amy_

The scream comes from the kitchen. Still unable to do the flashy thing Marcus does, I run through the house. Sierra is sitting on the cold tile floor, screaming at the top of her lungs. I glance around to see the problem. A whimpering Roland is on the other side of the room being held by Philip. Sierra hates playing second fiddle to her brother. I know Sierra receives most of the attention so something else is up. I look at Philip expectantly.

"If Roland survives his sister, it will be a miracle. She bit him on the leg."

I walk over and take Roland into my arms. Sure enough, he has a perfect set of teeth marks on his leg. I can't believe how much the babies have grown in the past two weeks. Human teeth were another surprise, and I've been on the sharp end of Sierra's.

The little she-devil continues to cry, and finally Conner walks in and picks her up. I can always count on one of her brothers to give her sympathy even when it's undeserved. Ivan's sons have moved into the house. They help fill the space created by the loss of their mother and now Ivan's absence.

The two babies are always into something, and it's hard to be sad all the time when they're around. Alba's tiny offspring have officially taken over the house. I wish Ivan was here. Marcus argued with him even after I explained what Alba said before she died. Marcus knows Ivan must find his fate, but it was still hard to watch him go.

We haven't heard a word from him, and it only makes it more difficult.

The pack is growing restless. Marcus named Columbus as temporary leader. He's hoping Ivan will return soon even though he understands it won't happen. Columbus is more than ready to lead the pack. That doesn't stop me or Marcus from worrying another wolf will challenge him. The pack is too vulnerable without Ivan and Alba. By naming Columbus as temporary Alpha, Marcus is holding off challenges. When Ivan doesn't return, it will be out of his hands. Marcus is fairly sure Columbus can win, he just doesn't want to take the chance so soon after losing both his friends.

Before Ivan left, he had refused to enter a room if Zenya was in it, even if she was feeding the cubs. The brothers are a bit more accepting of her. Alba foretold the coming of Zenya, and we will do everything in our power to protect her even though many of the wolves are not happy. Zenya is living in the house for as long as she's nursing the children.

She's beautiful even if many of the clan only see a cat. After two weeks with plenty of food and bathing regularly, she grooms herself and has started caring about her personal appearance. Zenya's green eyes still haunt me, and I'm thankful the babies are helping her heal. She rarely smiles, but when she does, there's a softening in any wolf that sees it. It will be a long road, but I trust Alba to know what's right even after her death.

Marcus flickers a thought in my head. I hand Roland off to Philip and head to the gazebo. The weather is colder now, but I can no longer feel it. Marcus smiles when he sees me and holds out his arms. Our kiss ends when I nip the inside of his mouth with one of my fangs. "You're hungry, and you are coming to me. My wolves need you more," he teases.

"I'm hungry for more than blood, and your wolves cannot provide everything. Stop taunting me, or I will force myself on you."

"Hmm, I don't think you need to use force. Have I told you in the last hour that I love you?"

"I don't think so, but I know I've told you. Let's go inside," I say huskily.

"You're insatiable. I wanted to talk for a bit." He tugs on my hair, and I wiggle off his lap so I'm beside him.

"Make it quick," I grumble.

He only laughs. "Did you hear back from your friend at the publishing company?"

"Yes, and I forgot to tell you because Sierra bit Roland, and I had to intervene."

"And?" he asks impatiently.

"She wants to see the full manuscript."

His arm slides around my shoulders, and he hugs me. "Did you settle on a title?"

"I have a name for the book and for my pen name."

He looks at me expectantly, knowing I want him to beg me for the information. I wait. "Okay, I give, what did you decide on?"

"Fang Chronicles: Amy's Story." He lifts his eyebrows. "I changed all the last names and a few of the details that might connect to you. I think our secret is safe because no one will believe what I'm writing."

"And your pen name?"

"D'Elen McClain. My mom's initials with two 'e's in the middle and her maiden name. I plan to write an entire series."

"I'm proud of you."

"Then take me upstairs and prove it."

Instead he teleports us to the room. "Showoff," I say once we're there. "I'll have this down as soon as I find time to practice."

"Come here and practice some of your other skills."

I look at the vampire I love and smile.

***

Emily's Story is next but please read my note to readers below.
Dear Reader,

Once upon a time, I dreamed of being an author. I had a story in my head about vampires and werewolves and that story continued to grow. When I sat down to write Amy's Story, I had no idea how much my life would change because of it. Unfortunately, Amy's book was almost never published. At the time, I couldn't afford editing and didn't have two cents to rub together. Shortly after finishing the book, I entered a contest for free editing. I won! I remember being over the moon. Then came the hit that landed straight in my gut. The woman I won editing from was well known in the writing community. She told me the manuscript was so bad she couldn't possibly do the work on it unless I learned how to write, rewrote the book from page one, and sent it back.

I was heartbroken and I never contacted her again. I hid Amy away in a drawer for a year before a friend looked at it. She did some corrections and I decided to self-publish. Here's the thing... every word that first editor said was TRUE. Amy needed so much work. On a good note, once I started writing and releasing books, it allowed me to build my writing skills. By the time Fang, book 3, released, I could afford a good editor. Through the experienced eyes of a woman with compassion, she helped me become a much better writer.

I actually refer to myself as a story teller. Writing doesn't come easy and never has. I was recently interviewed by a popular YouTube channel and spoke in public for the first time about my dyslexia. I didn't read at all until after I turned 10 years old. Pippi Longstocking was my first book and as most people know, it's first grade reader. But I started and finished it which opened the entire world of books to me. My reading improved slowly but I remained horribly embarrassed about my inability to phonetically sound out words, pronounce them, or spell them correctly especially in public. These feelings have carried through my life. The simple concept of spelling an easy word can still be a struggle to this day (Thank you internet and spell check). The rules of English and sentence structure are also hard. But, here's the thing, I've loved books since finishing Pippi and her story of a super strong girl spoke to me in more than words. She literally won my heart. Writing fictional stories in my head is one of my earliest memories. Being dyslexic, I hid behind shyness and doing everything that I could so people wouldn't think I was stupid.

When I was 21 years old, I bought a bookstore and took my life in a very different direction than I ever planned. It was fate. I loved reading and never saw a day that books wouldn't be part of my life. For twenty years, they were everything.

There's so much more to this story, but right now I just wanted you to know how much Amy means to me. Taking the time to rewrite this book and add 10k words was eye opening. The original writing was horrible, but, the story! Amy, Marcus, Alba, and Ivan feel like real people. They felt that way when I wrote the book the first time and when I rewrote every sentence. I'm so glad I took the time to revisit these characters and do them justice.

So what's next in the Fang world you might ask. I'm hoping to rewrite Emily's Story before the end of the year. It was also never professionally edited and I had an author friend who wanted me to write "differently" which didn't work for me but I wrote the book and put it out there. My plan is to make Emily's book free until after the edits and rewrites are complete. If you can wait to read Emily's book until after edits but download it now, the new edition will be available to you for free. This author humbly asks you to bypass reading Emily and continue with the rest of the series. I'm adding some info to the front of book 3, Zenya's Story so you don't miss out or have trouble following. If you sign up for my newsletter, you'll be the first to know when Emily is ready to go. Mostly, because I owe you everything, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my work.

Peace, love, and joy,

Holly/D'Elen

I'm totally stalkable on Social media. Come visit me...

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**Fang Chronicles Series**

Amy's Story

Emily's Story

Zenya's Story

Mandy's Story

Dmitri

Ivan

Tyboll

Esha's Story

Fire Chronicles Series (Fang Spinoff)

Dragons Don't Cry

Dragons Don't Love

Dragons Don't Forgive

Dragons Live Forever

Dragons Don't Lie

My NEW PARANORMAL series

**Shadow Warrior Duet**

Electromagnetic pulses began a catastrophe that changed the world as we know it.

The next round of destruction brought monsters from hell that almost wiped out civilization. The third wave sent a new breed of monster into the mix called Shadow Warriors capable of killing hellhounds. Two years after the end of the devastating war, electromagnetic pulses start again, and this time humanity may not win.

King: Half man, half beast. Leader of the Shadow Warriors.

Marinah: Her job for the Federation is to bring King back into the fold to save humanity, again.

Problem: King and his men were betrayed by the new government and their memories are long and deadly.

Solution: Marinah must risk everything to prove she's someone they can trust. Too bad she's the wrong person for the job and too bad she's the only person.

Shadow - Now Available!
