TINSEL & TEMPTATION

Brenda Trim and Tami Julka

Copyright © December 2016 by Brenda Trim and Tami Julka

Editor: Amanda Fitzpatrick

Cover Art by Damon Trim

*****

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers’ imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction of this work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the authors.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to those hopeless romantics out there. Love is the driving force behind everything in life. Never stop believing in it.

Table of Contents

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

EXCERPT FROM SHATTERED WARRIOR, DWA BOOK #8

Authors’ Note

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CHAPTER ONE

“Thank you for visiting Black Moon. Please come again,” Rachel called to the customer leaving the shop. It was her second day at the charming Seattle store, and so far everything had gone smoothly. Her jittery nerves remained at the surface because the three women that owned the store were out of town, leaving her in charge of their livelihood. What was she thinking telling them it was under control and not to worry?

Pema Rowan, the oldest of the triplet sisters that owned the shop, had assured Rachel it was a slow time of year for the business, and had left her father’s number in case of emergency. The youngest sister, Suvi, also felt the need to tell Rachel her father was divorced, as well. Unsure if there was an underlying matchup at play, she had disregarded the comment. The last thing she wanted to do is mix business with pleasure because blind dates were rarely successful and she did not want to screw up this job.

Rachel found it odd that December was a slow time for a shop that sold items that would make perfect gifts such as candles, handcrafted jewelry, oils, and lotions. Christmas was typically a booming time for the retail industry, and when most establishments finally reached their black margins in terms of profit. Isis, the middle sister whose fiery red hair seemed to mirror her personality, mentioned the solstice and that many people were gone on holiday as a way of explaining their slow season.

Rachel knew the sisters were different from their appearance and, at hearing the term solstice, realized they were pagan and celebrated the holidays differently from the main stream. It made sense given the store and its products.

She scanned the shop, wondering where the backstock was. The sweet lady that just left the store had purchased the last lavender candle and Rachel couldn’t relax unless everything was in its rightful place. It was going to drive her nuts looking at the open space on the shelf.

When she had interviewed with the Rowan women, Rachel had appreciated the neat and organized manner in which they ran their business. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of items and if the place had been scattered and messy she would’ve turned down the job.

During her interview, Pema had been straightening misplaced items, and Rachel wondered if she had the same obsessive tendencies as she did, or if it was because she was nesting. The woman was very pregnant and looked like she could go into labor any minute. How she had gotten permission from her obstetrician to travel this late in her pregnancy Rachel had no idea.

Returning to the task at hand, she searched the lower cabinet doors along one wall and came across everything but the candles. There was one locked cabinet and she wondered what could be inside. Maybe the key was lying around somewhere. She made a mental note to look further into that mystery after she found the inventory she was looking for.

Deciding to check the office in the back, she turned and headed that way, enjoying the peaceful music playing throughout the store. The soft melody of a guitar had her lightly swaying her hips as she walked. It was the sound of someone falling in love, or possibly a heart breaking. Both were equally passionate emotions and, unfortunately, she had felt both.

After twenty years of a blissful marriage, she woke one morning to find a letter from her husband stating he’d found even better bliss with his secretary.

Dumbass, she murmured, thinking about her ex. Joke was on him when six months later, the younger woman of his dreams dumped him for a professional hockey player. Rachel then had the satisfaction of rejecting his sorry ass when he came crawling back begging for forgiveness. Been there done that, she thought. Never again.

Shaking off last year’s bitter memories, she walked into the office. Again, she appreciated how clean and orderly the place was. There was a large desk against the back wall with a couple stacks of invoices that Pema had told her not to mess with, stating that she’d teach her more of the filing system when they returned.

She walked to the closet door and opened it. Several shelves were lined with tarot cards, aromatherapy oils, incense burners, and assorted crystals. Not a candle in sight. Unable to shake her compulsory nature, she walked to the desk and picked up the office phone, dialing the number written on the pad beside it. It rang and rang and rang. She hung up and tried again, thinking she had misdialed.

After half a dozen rings she was about to hang up again when a deep groggy voice grumbled, “What?”

Okay, that was rude. “Yes. Hi, Greg? This is Rachel Webb. Your daughter, Pema, left me your number in case I ran into a snag at the shop. Is this a bad time?”

Silence.

Seriously, what was this man’s deal? “Hello?” she asked, unable to mask her irritation.

“Yeah, hey, Rachel. Sorry about that. I was asleep. What seems to be the problem?”

She glanced at her wristwatch. Three-thirty in the afternoon. Who slept at this time of day? “Oh, I didn’t realize…your daughter didn’t give me your work schedule. I apologize for waking you.”

“Not work. I was, uh…at, um…a nightclub. What time is it anyway?” he stammered around a yawn.

What a loser, hitting the bars at his age. Guessing his daughters’ ages to be in their mid-to-late twenties, he must be at least in his mid-fifties. “It’s after three,” she answered harshly. Why his sleeping habits or nightly activities mattered to her she had no idea. Surely, she wasn’t bitter towards all men now.

Then again, the dating game had only proven that she wasn’t ready to jump back into that particular pool. Bars were not her cup of tea. Her girlfriends were all married which equaled zero girls’ nights, and online dating was nothing but a one-stop shop for hookups. No thank you. She would rather stay home where it was peaceful and quiet. Unfortunately, there had been too much quiet in her life lately.

She heard scuffling on the other end. “Oh, shit! I’m late for work. What did you need again?” he asked on an exhale. This man was a piece of work. Couldn’t set an alarm and get to work on time? No wonder his daughters hadn’t left him in charge of the store while they were away.

“Well, it’s not an emergency by any means, but I can’t seem to find the lavender candles. I sold the last one and wanted to restock,” she explained, but immediately felt like an idiot. He must think her completely neurotic, which she was, but didn’t want this total stranger knowing that about her. In fact, she wanted to hang up and pretend this entire conversation had never happened.

A light chuckle on the other end of the phone sent a shiver down her spine. Damn, his laugh was sexy. “No problem, Rachel,” he murmured.

Hearing him say her name sent another shiver, but not down her spine. This went straight to her core. What was wrong with her? Admittedly, it had been months since she’d had a date, and even longer since sex, but she wasn’t some desperate ex-housewife. And, she sure as hell wasn’t interested in this mid-life crisis possessing a sexy-as-sin-intonation.

“The candles are kept in the cabinet beside the refrigerator. Last place anyone would ever look, I know, but Suvi swears they need to be kept at the perfect temperature to stay fresh. Makes no sense to me, but that’s my Sweetpea,” he offered, and Rachel could hear the pride in his words.

Now this she understood. Her daughter, Anna, had just started her first year of college and Rachel bragged on her every chance she could. There was something about your children that no matter their age, they would always be your babies and you wanted to shout to the world how proud you were of them.

She walked over to the specified cabinet and, sure enough, there sat the candles neatly arranged in alphabetical order of scent. She loved this place. “Ah, you nailed it, they’re right here. Thank you so much. Sorry to have bothered you.”

“Mmm, if only you knew, Rachel. If only you knew.” And with that, he hung up.

He may have an intoxicating voice, but he was without a doubt a weirdo, she thought as she placed the receiver back to the cradle. Regardless, he was her only resource for emergencies at the store so she grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket and entered his contact information. With how her life had been since her divorce, she made it a point to be prepared for worst-case scenarios.

His parting words refused to leave her mind. What did he mean if she only knew? He was lucky she called and woke his sorry ass or he might be getting fired from his job. And, why did she love the sound of him saying her name? Maybe she was that desperate ex-housewife after all.

A jingle sounded and a feminine voice sang, ‘your daughter is calling’. A smile broke out over her face as she once again pulled her phone out and quickly answered. “Hey, Anna Banana, what’s up?”

“Mom, I’m eighteen. You can stop calling me that now,” Anna huffed into the phone. Now that her daughter was in college she insisted she was all-grown up and hated being treated like a kid.

“Sorry, I’ve called you that since the day you were born and I’m not stopping just because you’ve gone all adult on me. So, what time are you arriving this weekend? I’ve got a ton of things planned for us.” Truth be told, it was the only highlight she’d had since Anna’s last visit. Rachel’s adjustment to her daughter’s college life hadn’t gone as smoothly as she’d hoped.

She envied the moms of the world who didn’t miss a beat with the dreaded transition of an empty nest, filling their calendars with girlfriend lunches during the day and renewed romance with their husbands at night. She, on the other hand, literally counted down the days until she’d see her daughter again. She was incredibly lonely, and the driving force behind this new job was the hope that it would give her purpose again.

“Um, yeah, that’s why I’m calling. I won’t be coming home. Tina fell and broke her leg. You know her parents live in Spain and they can’t afford to come and take care of her. I can’t just leave her by herself. I’m really sorry, Mom. I promise if she’s feeling better I’ll try to make it home for New Year’s”

Rachel’s heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t because her daughter was choosing to stay and take care of her roommate. She admired that quality in Anna. It was the fact that she wasn’t coming home for the holidays. This would be their first Christmas apart and it was taking every ounce of control to keep the flood of tears from breaking through.

She swallowed hard before speaking. “Oh, I see. Well, she’s very lucky to have a friend like you. Would you like me to mail your gifts? I hate to think of you without presents to unwrap Christmas morning,” Rachel offered, her voice croaking. Eyes blurry, she fought the emotion that clogged her throat.

“No, don’t. I really want to open gifts together. You’re going to love what I got you and I want to see your face. This isn’t what I want, either. I hope you know that being away from you is hard for me too, Mom,” Anna admitted.

That fast, a grin spread across Rachel’s face. Funny how hearing that her daughter missed her too made it all better. Parents just needed to hear the words from time to time.

“I’m sure I’ll love it. Okay, I’ll wait until we’re together,” she agreed, knowing as soon as she got home tonight she’d be boxing some gifts and sending them express delivery. No way she’d let Christmas morning arrive and Anna be without gifts. She’d throw in a couple for Tina, too, just in case she didn’t have any packages from her parents. Shipping costs from Spain couldn’t be cheap and Anna had told her that Tina’s parents were already struggling with tuition costs.

“Promise me you’ll call and we can Facetime. I need to at least see your beautiful smile since I won’t be squeezing my Anna Banana,” she teased, wiping away a tear that had escaped and rolled down her cheek.

“Oh, Mom, you’re such a dork sometimes. I love you and will call Christmas morning.”

“I love you, too. Tell Tina I hope she feels better soon. Bye sweetie.” Rachel returned the phone to her back pocket and sunk into the sofa by the desk.

Now what was she going to do? Her excitement for the holidays had disappeared with one phone call. She felt more alone than ever and didn’t know how to fix it. Yes, she was definitely turning into a desperate ex-housewife.

She stood and with heavy feet walked back to the main section of the store. The trimmings scattered about were another reminder of the upcoming holidays. The Rowan sisters had chosen very elegant decorations. Natural pinecones, garland and wreaths made from fresh herbs along with hundreds of tiny white lights provided a calm and peaceful ambiance.

There was a huge tree in the center of the room decorated with ornaments depicting various pagan symbols. It wasn’t a surprise given the essence of the store. Rachel had always leaned toward the sanctity of nature, believing divinity was present in all living and nonliving things. Everything seen and unseen was beautiful and unique.

It was that awareness that had brought her to Black Moon’s doorstep in the first place. She felt an instant connection with the three women that owned the shop and jumped when they offered her a job. Although, she had to admit there was something different about the women. It was something she couldn’t put a finger on and it intrigued her.

Maybe it was the fact that they were triplets, and had a tangible bond that was electric. She had noticed they needed constant physical contact with one another and their energy fed from it. It was fascinating yet painful to watch.

Rachel had been a twin in her mother’s womb but her sister was stillborn. It was a loss she had carried her entire life. It had devastated Rachel’s mother, who refused to try for more children after that. Rachel had wanted several children of her own, but complications during her pregnancy with Anna took that option away. Still, she was thankful for the opportunity to experience motherhood, and had enjoyed every single moment with her daughter.

As she passed a full-length mirror she stopped. Taking in the image staring back, she acknowledged that she looked damn good for a forty-five year old mom. Her well-toned body from years of yoga and her blonde hair styled to perfection was highlighted with just enough makeup to compliment her feminine features. And, thanks to a generous-but-deserved-every-penny-divorce-settlement, she wore nothing but the best designer clothes money could afford.

As she smoothed her sweater she couldn’t help but smile, admiring her ample bosom. Right after her divorce she splurged on implants. Breast-feeding and gravity had taken its toll and she needed a boost to her self-esteem after Brad had dumped her for a younger woman. It was the best decision she ever made. Clothes fit better, she walked taller and it didn’t hurt that it caught the eye of the opposite sex. Hey, if you got it flaunt it was her motto.

Unfortunately, most men her age that looked great were looking for someone half her age and she couldn’t compete against that, nor did she have the desire to. No, her slim pickings consisted of overweight men that were paying alimony and child support to their exes and working their asses off to keep from spiraling down the financial drain of life. It was depressing, and she wondered if she would ever find someone to share her life with again.

Sighing, she decided to dump her pity party and focus on the positive. Maybe this job was exactly what she needed to bring new light to her dull life. The only problem was there hadn’t been a dozen customers in the past two days. She returned to the front and sat on a wooden stool behind the glass counter, fervently wishing for something exciting to happen as she simultaneously shoved away the sensual sound of a man’s voice murmuring her name.

CHAPTER TWO

Greg Rowan stood under the cold spray of water, trying to will away his rock-hard boner. He set the temperature to barely-above freezing, to the point where he was shivering, yet his erection remained at attention after a brief phone conversation with the intriguing Rachel Webb. He cursed, blaming his three daughters for his current predicament.

Since becoming the High Priestesses of the Tehrex Realm, Pema, Isis and Suvi were spread thin between running the business and fulfilling their new obligations to the realm and had decided to hire someone to help with the workload. Pema had briefed him about their new employee before they left town.

Rachel was forty-five, a divorcee with a teenage daughter and, most importantly, human. He still didn’t agree with their decision to hire the mortal. It was too risky in his opinion. The shop catered to too many supernaturals and he saw catastrophe written all over this.

Apparently, after a tarot reading, Suvi was hell-bent on hiring a human, insisting the cards knew best. That was another thing he disagreed on. Tarot cards were about as believable as the human myth of Santa Claus. He might be a witch but that didn’t mean he practiced all the nonsense connected to the craft. Suvi, however, took her readings very seriously and knew the moment Rachel walked through their front door she was the one.

Just the thought of the female had his cock jerking in need. Painful need. He palmed his shaft and with several pumps, his orgasm slammed home. Gritting, his knees went weak with his release. It wasn’t what his body craved, but it would have to make due. Quickly rinsing off, he turned off the shower and grabbed a towel.

Drying off, he couldn’t wrap his brain around the fact that this human had such an effect on him. For months, Greg had been hitting the realm bars in an attempt to escape his current dilemma, and it hadn’t so much as twitched around any females. He’d even experimented with testosterone pills to get him over his hump, but they had proven counterproductive. Why now had his smaller brain awoken with a fierce desire to seek out a human?

Greg avoided the human population. His magical abilities were unpredictable with lights flickering, objects randomly moving and even the occasional explosion. With no reasonable explanation for his wonky powers, it was easier and safer to steer clear of the species.

Throwing on jeans and a sweatshirt, he hustled down the stairs of his small home. Grabbing his jacket and work gloves off the hall tree by the back door, he glanced at his cell phone. Fuck, he was ten minutes late and it would take him another twenty to get to work. Griffin was going to be pissed. They had a huge remodel job they were working on and the deadline was fast approaching. His cambion boss was going to skin him alive for showing up late. There was only so much leverage in being the father-in-law to Griffin’s brother. Plus, he didn’t want to disappoint Isis after everything they’d been through.

Hopping in his ’86 Chevy, the truck roared to life with the turn of a key. This was his baby, the Beast. He owned a newer model but preferred driving this one. It reminded him of himself; old, run-down and abused, yet still able to get the job done.

Pulling out of his driveway he gunned the accelerator and Beast responded eagerly, charging down the street. Hopefully, traffic was light today and he could cut his time and get to work sooner.

He enjoyed the construction industry and liked the idea of starting with materials and building something. He took pride in his work. There was nothing better, in his opinion, than admiring a finished product and knowing you had a hand in its creation.

Isis’s mate, Braeden, had introduced Greg to his brother at their mating ceremony. He and Griffin immediately hit it off, and he offered Greg a job at his construction company. It was at a time when Greg was at his lowest and he was forever grateful for the opportunity.

He tried not to dwell on the past, or the reason behind his lowest point, but from time to time it crept up on him, like the fucking plague. It had started with the return of Fated Mate blessings. Blessings, he thought bitterly. What a joke. That was a far cry from his vantage point.

He had been a happily mated male for centuries. Sherry wasn’t his Fated Mate but, like many others, they had fallen in love during a period of time where the Tehrex Realm felt they were under a mating curse. They had even managed to get pregnant and Sherry gave birth to the prophesized triplets in the realm. His life had been damn near perfect until the Goddess Morrigan decided to resume blessings of Fated Mates.

Sherry dropped him like a bad habit when Robert came into her life. Happiest day of her life and Greg’s worst. Everyone told him she couldn’t deny the mating compulsion and that it was inevitable, but that didn’t soothe his battered heart.

He was sucked under by the tide of despair and had been drowning ever since. Until recently, there had been many days when he never left his bed. The four bright spots in his life were his three beautiful daughters and his job. A job he was late for. Thank the Goddess Rachel had called and woke him.

Again, the human slipped into his mind, tempting him to turn his truck towards Black Moon. Wouldn’t his daughters love the idea of returning from their trip to find their father banging the help in the back room? He imagined the looks on their faces and couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping. Priceless indeed.

Two more days and they’d be home. He prayed to the Goddess that there were no emergencies at the shop in the next forty-eight hours because if he had to talk to her again there was no guarantee that his libido could stop him from acting on his desires.

Tick tock, tick tock.

*****

Sitting at the small table in the back office, Rachel took another bite of her sandwich. It was dinnertime and the only things she’d had all day were a cup of coffee and an apple. Needless to say, she was starving.

She had sold another candle and a pair of earrings then decided to dust the entire store, which had taken a while. It was time-consuming to remove so many items from the shelves, but she figured her day would go by faster if she were busy.

A loud bang startled her. Turning in the chair, she looked for the source of the noise. Nothing was there. She stood and walked into the store area, thinking perhaps a customer had dropped something. The place was empty. Was she hearing things again?

Several times throughout the day, she had heard odd noises but couldn’t determine where or what they were coming from. It was beginning to creep her out. One thing was certain. This place had an atmosphere that screamed paranormal. Or maybe her imagination was getting the best of her. She was surrounded by mystical objects and could be feeding off the energies in the store.

Shrugging, she turned and headed to the back room again, plopping the last bite of her ham and cheese into her mouth. She walked to the fridge to grab her bottled water when she heard the noise again. This time, it came from the cabinet beside the refrigerator.

Slowly prying the door open, she prayed it wasn’t a mouse because she would lose her mind if a rodent jumped out at her. She screamed when she saw big blue eyes staring back at her. The critter, well not exactly a critter, blinked but didn’t move.

It wasn’t an animal at all. In fact, if she had to describe it, she would say it was a living doll because it reminded her of a childhood toy. It had crazy red hair and pointy ears. And it was just sitting there, staring and blinking.

Rachel froze. She had no idea what to do. Run from the store screaming for help? Definite possibility. Back away slowly and try to shut the office door, trapping it in the office? Maybe, if her feet weren’t cemented to the floor at the moment. She glanced over at a nearby bucket she had used to water some plants. Maybe she could coax it into the bucket, turn the bucket upside down and sit on it until help arrived. Okay, that was a stretch and she didn’t have a fraction of confidence in that plan.

Instead, she smiled and said, “Hello there. You’re a cute little fella,” she cooed sweetly.

And then the cute little fella smiled back, revealing several rows of sharp, pointy teeth. He went from cute to sadistic in the next breath. She turned, intent on high-tailing it outta there. No amount of money could keep her in a twenty-mile vicinity of the possessed doll. She would email the Rowan sisters with her notice, effective immediately.

No sooner had she turned than about two dozen more of the creatures appeared, forming a semi-circle between her and the door to her exit. In the light, she got a better glimpse of them. They were small, standing to just below her thighs. Dressed in black trousers and green-and-blue-striped-shirts they looked identical, from their pointy cloth shoes to bulging blue eyes framed by fire-red hair.

Hair that reminded her of the trolls that used to top her pencils at school when she was a child. She wanted to put both palms on either side and twist just to see what the hair would do. She almost laughed but didn’t because they were all smiling, displaying sharp teeth that promised pain. Unending torturous pain.

Panicked, she did the only thing that made any sense. She sprinted as fast as she could into the nearby bathroom, slamming the door shut then locking it. Placing her ear against the wood door she waited, hoping they would shout their surrender and leave the store. Didn’t happen.

Chest heaving, she did a quick scan to see if there was anything she could use as a weapon. Rolls of toilet tissue, a can of room deodorizer, hand soap and paper towels. Oh, and a cute arrangement of fresh flowers. That should make for a lethal object, especially if they had allergies.

Her racing heart beat against her chest. Suddenly, she remembered her emergency contact. Grabbing her cell phone she prayed the man hadn’t fallen back to sleep.

Tapping her foot impatiently, the phone rang five times before she heard, “What?”

Oh for the love of God. He needed a serious course in phone etiquette. Who did that? Shaking her head in annoyance, she didn’t have time to go into that right now.

“Yes, Greg, this is Rachel again. I need you to get down to the store immediately,” she whispered, words flying from her mouth as fast as she could spit them out.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

“Greg, this is Rachel. Can you hear me?” she said, raising her voice.

“Rachel? You’re breaking up really bad. Can you try calling again?”

“No! I can’t. I’m in the bathroom and the reception probably isn’t the best in here.”

“Did you say you’re in the bathroom? Maybe you should try calling back when you’re done in there,” he teased with a sexy chuckle. Was she really thinking about his voice at a time like this? Get out of the gutter, girlfriend.

“I can’t. That’s the problem. I’m kinda trapped. Can you please come right away?” she begged, pressing her other ear against the door to try and hear what was going on.

“Rachel, this is all kids of fun for me but you’re going to have to be more specific. I’m busy with work right now.”

“Ugh,” she blurted. “You want specifics? Here goes…there are about twenty of Santa’s bad elves taking over the world, starting with Black Moon. And by bad elves, I mean little men sporting pointy shoes and razor teeth. Now get your ass down here and free me before I become their next mince pie. Capisce?”

“Shit,” he cursed without an ounce of the doubt she expected to hear from him. “I’ll be right there. Sit tight,” he replied before ending the call.

Sit tight. That should be easy enough. She wasn’t moving from this room until the cavalry showed up, that was for sure. She hoped he wasn’t far away. Now, what to do while she waited? Strangely enough, she needed to use the bathroom

CHAPTER THREE

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Greg cursed aloud as he sped through the city. What was going on at the store? Surely his daughters had warned their supernatural customers about Rachel before they left town. This was exactly why he objected to the hiring of a human. Now, this shitpile of a mess was on his plate and he had to fix it.

From Rachel’s description, it sounded like gnomes had paid a visit to Black Moon. Question was…why? Gnomes were militant protectors and typically sent by the Goddess to guard her treasures. Greg was aware of his daughters’ immense powers, but this seemed a bit extreme. Regardless, if gnomes were in Seattle, there was a reason, and he had a sinking feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.

Arriving in front of the store, he slammed on the brakes and threw the Beast into Park, jumping from his truck. Several long strides put him inside the store. He shut the glass door behind him, turning the latch and locking everyone inside.

At first glance everything appeared normal. Nothing was broken or even out of place. Remembering that Rachel had said she was trapped in the bathroom, he made a beeline to the back office. The echo of his work boots on the concrete floor and soft music playing from the corner speakers were the only sounds in the shop. So far, so good.

As soon as he entered the office he saw the chaos. Their little visitors were definitely gnomes. Cabinets were open with stored items scattered about. The refrigerator was open and several gnomes had climbed inside and were indulging on a box of cupcakes. Dishes were broken in pieces all over the floor. Another group had found the back stock of jewelry and had draped necklaces, bracelets and rings all over their small bodies. He remembered anything that glittered or sparkled fascinated the creatures and hoped he could use that to his advantage.

Unable to determine the alpha of the group he took a stance, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hey, what in the hell are you doing? Who’s going to pay for this mess you’ve made? I want answers and I want them now!” he barked, hoping his scare tactic worked.

One gnome hopped down from inside the refrigerator, licking icing from his chubby little fingers. “Question is, who are you?” the gnome rebuffed in a deep, raspy voice that belied his short stature.

When Greg didn’t respond, the male walked over and kicked him in the shin. “Ow, what the hell?” Greg shouted, lifting his leg and hopping. Little guy was strong as hell.

“I’ll ask again. Who are you?” snarled the gnome. Clearly this was the alpha.

“My name is Greg Rowan. My daughters own this place. Now, who are you and what are you doing here?” he questioned.

“Greg! Is that you?” came a female voice from behind the closed door to the restroom.

“Yes, Rachel. I’m here. Stay put for now,” he ordered harshly. The last thing he needed was to explain this dilemma. He had no idea what he was going to say to her but maybe he could convince the gnomes to leave and then tell her she had exaggerated the whole thing. Maybe accuse her of drinking on the job or something like that.

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open and Greg’s knees buckled at the sight of Rachel. Lights in the office flickered as his body heated. He needed to calm his raging desire or uncontrolled magic was going to be a greater problem than the gnome infestation. But Goddess, she was stunning and he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was madder than a hornet, but sexy as hell. Hands on her hips, she marched over to him, green eyes lit with rage.

“I will not stay put! I’m getting claustrophobic in that small space,” she shouted, chest heaving with exasperation. His eyes roamed downward, admiring her bosom. She had big tits, large and full on her small frame. Greg wanted nothing more than to strip her bare and fuck her on the nearby table.

Shaking off his predatory thoughts so that he could focus on the situation at hand, he replied, “You’re welcome. Of course my job can wait and I’ll rush over at the drop of a hat to save your ass,” he retorted.

She opened her mouth to respond then shut it. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. Thank you,” she offered sincerely. She glanced sideways then her eyes bulged, “Look at this mess! How am I ever going to clean this?”

Loud laughter came from the group of gnomes and Rachel gasped, jumping behind Greg for protection. He could feel the warmth of her hand as it grasped his bicep. Electricity sparked between them and shot straight to his groin.

This close, her sweet vanilla scent wrapped around him, tempting him in every way. A bulb in the desk lamp exploded, causing the gnomes to huddle closer as a group, taking a defensive stance. He knew the creatures wouldn’t hurt her but he relished the idea of acting as her protector. Wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her close.

“I got this. Stay by my side,” he murmured, locking eyes with the female. This close he could see a spray of freckles across her nose and a small scar above her right eyebrow that fascinated him. Supernaturals rarely scarred due to their quick healing ability and he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to mar her peaches and cream complexion.

“You’ve got my word on that. We’re stuck like glue, BFF,” she whispered, looking at the disarray around them. Remembering their uninvited company, Greg turned back to the male in charge.

“Now, where were we?” he asked, pinning the gnome with a glare.

“My name is Dipple McFinn and we’ve been sent to pay homage to the newborn Princess. Can you take us to the King?” he stated matter-of-factly. So this visit was about the Vampire King’s daughter, Isobel.

Greg had heard the rumors about the newborn’s powers and direct link to the Goddess but he assumed it was exaggerated gossip. His daughters worked closely with Zander and his Dark Warriors protecting the realm, but Greg was non-political and tried his best to steer clear of royal affairs.

“I really can’t help you. My daughters can assist you when they get back to town. Maybe you could come back in a couple days,” Greg offered, hoping they’d agree with his suggestion.

“No, we need to see him now. You will have to take us. Call your daughters and find the location. Otherwise, we remain right here until you comply,” Dipple huffed, crossing his chunky arms over his chest.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. They’re away on business and I can’t reach them,” Greg lied. Pema had specifically said not to call unless Lucifer himself sat his asscrack in the middle of their store intent on destroying the world.

Dipple raised his hand to the air and snapped twice. Immediately, the band of gnomes started breaking everything in sight. One male picked up a bottle of cleaning chemicals and smashed it on the ground. Another grabbed several glasses and juggled them in the air before allowing each to break in a million pieces and several others went to the desk and scattered supplies while ripping the stacks of paper sitting on top.

Rachel screeched while at the same time Greg roared, “Stop! Do not touch another thing. I’ll help you!” he yelled and Dipple whistled. At hearing the piercing sound the commotion ceased.

Taking a deep breath, Greg turned to Rachel. “I’m going to need your help. Grab your things. We’re going on a road trip,” he said with a grin.

*****

Rachel pried her body from the male looking down at her. She hadn’t realized she’d pasted herself to his backside. Flushed, she straightened her top then swept a hand through her messy hair. This was not what she had in mind when she prayed for some excitement in her life. Be careful what you wish for, right?

“I’m not sure what you’re doing next, but I’m going home right after I try and salvage this mess. I did not sign on for this. A long hot bath and a bottle of wine is my agenda. You said you got this. Well, best be getting to it. When you talk to Pema, tell her this wasn’t my fault. I’m sure I won’t have a job after this catastrophe but I want them to know I tried my best,” she spouted, turning to search for a broom and dustpan.

Greg grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him. Another vibration coursed through her body. When she had touched his arm earlier an electric shock went from her fingertips to her toes. She brushed it off as static electricity, but this was a thrumming pulse that ignited every cell in her body. It was frightening and stimulating all at the same time.

His brown eyes sparkled with mischief, like a boy up to no good and she questioned if he was aware, or in control, of what he was doing. Brown hair fell in layers to his shoulders and she noticed he was unusually tan for this time of year. The man was drop-dead gorgeous. No way could he be the father of Pema and the other two women. He looked to be in his late thirties, which she knew was impossible. Were they adopted? Maybe something happened to their biological father and he was next of kin. Something wasn’t adding up in this equation.

His eyes softened and he looked almost pitiful. “Rachel, I can’t do this on my own. There are too many of them and you’ve seen how rambunctious they are. All I need is for you to take a ride with me. In fact, if you do me this favor, I’ll clean the shop later and you can go home and enjoy that nice, hot bath you described,” he murmured.

His voice was seductive and filled with promise. Fantasies of them in a tub of bubbles with him massaging the places that ached had heat licking her skin. She felt her cheeks redden and had to look away. Good Lord, was this the start of menopause because she had to be having a hot flash. Clearing her throat she glanced back. His smirk told her he somehow knew exactly what she had been thinking and didn’t that irritate her.

“Fine, but make it quick. I have a date later tonight,” she scoffed and enjoyed watching his smug smile quickly disappear. She didn’t have a date but wasn’t about to let him in on that little bit of information. Narrowing her eyes, they had a momentary stare-down. Something pried at her mind, trying to gain access but she stood her ground. What was with the atmosphere in this store?

Huffing, he turned his back and spouted, “Well, let’s get going then. Wouldn’t want to keep Prince Charming waiting, would we? Wait here while I bring the delivery van around to the back.” With that, he exited the building.

Realizing she was now alone with the evil elves, nerves wracked her body. Come to think of it, why hadn’t Greg been more concerned about these creatures? He had talked with the one little guy like he was a casual acquaintance. Was she overreacting? Was this a normal occurrence for this establishment? And, more importantly, what was Dipple talking about when he said Princess and King? She had half a mind to run out the front door and never look back, but she had agreed to help and she didn’t go back on her word.

Taking several deep breaths to hold back the anxiety, she glanced at the group of tiny men. They seemed civilized enough. Maybe a bit overzealous and persistent but they weren’t violent or mean except for some broken dishes. In fact, they were well-groomed and, from what she could tell, articulate and intelligent.

Hoping to gain footing, she made the first move. “So, the way I see it, if we’re going to help you the least you could do is clean this mess you’ve made. It was quite rude,” Rachel stated, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. Greg might have offered to clean but this was their responsibility. In her house rule was if you made the mess you cleaned it. Simple as that.

Dipple tapped his bearded chin, clearly contemplating her words. Raising his hand he circled it above his head like a lasso and the team of elves quickly and efficiently went to work cleaning. The moved so fast her eyes could barely follow their movements. Wow, she wondered, thinking she should try and convince Greg to stop at her house first and let them loose. This was incredible.

A revving engine caught her attention and, in the next moment, Greg stormed through the back entrance to the office. “Gather the troops Dipple. Your chariot awaits,” he spouted with a broad smile, gesturing with a fluid arm motion that was comical. Rachel noticed he had dimples which made him look even younger. She had no idea what the man used to remain so youthful but she was determined to unveil his beauty secrets.

Dipple led the way and the small men followed in an orderly fashion, practically marching in sync. Covering her mouth to hide her giggle, she half-expected them to sing and whistle. If this wasn’t a scene out of her favorite childhood fairytale, she didn’t know what was. She only prayed that they remained friendly and agreeable for the next few hours. She had seen their razor-sharp, pointy teeth and didn’t want to be on the receiving end of their malice.

Grabbing her handbag and keys, she locked up after everyone had exited the store. Greg had been downplaying when he said delivery van. It was a van alright, but one of the most luxurious vehicles she had ever seen. It looked brand new, silver paint sparkling under the moonlight. He opened a side door and the trolls scrambled inside. Greg then opened the passenger door and stepped to the side, offering a hand to help her.

What a gentleman, she thought. She had come to the conclusion that chivalry was dead in the high-tech-too-busy-for-details world of today. Even the single men that were her age had seemed to forget basic manners and it was disappointing.

She placed her hand in his and enjoyed the same buzz where their skin touched. His grip was warm and tender but she felt callouses and had no doubt of the capable strength of his large palm.

Greg shut the doors and ran around to the driver’s side, buckled up and drove out of the parking lot. No sooner had he turned onto the street the elf sitting behind Rachel popped his little head in between the seats and blurted, “So, how soon til we reach the Vampire King?”

What did he just say? She must’ve heard wrong. Greg’s eyes bulged as he looked sideways, first to him then to Rachel.

“Could you repeat that?” Rachel stammered, locking eyes on the dwarf so she didn’t miss his response.

Rolling his large blue eyes, he replied, “The journey. How long before we get to the Vampire King?”

Rachel’s heart raced and her head started spinning. This had to be a dream. There was no other reasonable explanation to the chain of events that had just occurred.

Because if it wasn’t a dream, or nightmare…she was riding gunshot with the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on in a pimped-out-elf-mobile on the highway to hell.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Has everyone lost their ever-loving minds?” Rachel shouted and Greg nearly swerved off the road. This day was getting worse by the minute. He hadn’t wanted to involve her, but the gnomes were unpredictable and he wasn’t confident he could control them and drive without crashing. And there was a part of him that wanted to get to know the human better.

“Rachel, please calm down. I understand that you must be confused and have a thousand questions. Let me try and explain,” he reassured while his thoughts splintered in a million directions. Just how much could he tell her? Could he trust her? His daughters had hired a human knowing she had no idea of the existence of supernaturals. He didn’t like it, but he was going to have to believe Suvi’s instinct about Rachel was accurate and that he could count on her to keep a secret.

“Fine, explain. And start with this elf’s comment about a Vampire King. I feel like I’m the butt of some joke and I don’t like it,” she countered, her voice cracking with emotion. She was trying to hold it together but he could feel her frustration and he didn’t blame her one bit. He could only imagine what was running through her mind.

“Okay, but you need to promise me that you won’t freak out and I really need you to keep an open mind.” Greg glanced her way, pinning her with a serious look. A cautious nod was her only reply and he knew it was the most he was going to get in way of agreement so he continued, “The creatures behind you are gnomes and the Vampire King they are searching for is Zander Tarakesh. He rules the Tehrex Realm and I am a member of that realm. So are my daughters.”

He kept his eyes glued to the road and held his breath. Even the gnomes had gone silent. Suddenly, the windshield wipers started moving and the horn from the vehicle beeped in succession. Concentrating on his unruly abilities he managed to stop the distracting nuisance.

“And, by Vampire King you mean…what exactly?” she questioned. He glanced over and noticed she was wringing her hands in her lap. Probably something she did when she was frightened and nervous. He reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, wanting to comfort her. Her skin was cold and he had the urge to wrap her in his arms and smother her with his body heat, preferably while they were both naked.

“Please tell me,” she urged as she pulled her hands out from under his grasp. Instantly, he missed the contact, needing more. He was going to have to tell her more but that was risking so much. It could expose supernaturals to the human world. And it would be his head on a platter for it.

Taking a deep breath, he prayed again that Suvi was right about the female. “I know this seems unbelievable. Vampires exist…as do shifters, sorcerers, demons, fairies, witches, you name it. They are real and living among the human population. Have been for thousands and thousands of years,” he stated, looking in the rearview mirror at the gnomes’ reaction.

They appeared as fascinated by the unraveling of events as Rachel was. They were glued to their seats, wide eyes full of anticipation. All that was missing was a bucket of popcorn and an extra-large fountain soda to wash down the onscreen drama in front of them.

“Um, you said you were a member of this realm. Care to elaborate?” she challenged, turning in her seat to face him. This female impressed the hell out of him. He knew she was frightened, but she had nerves of steel and a backbone to match. His opinions of humans being weak and spineless were being called into question by this fiery spirit sitting next to him.

“I’m a witch. So are Pema, Isis and Suvi. And for the record, I disagreed with them hiring you,” he added unapologetically.

“Please pull over,” she blurted.

“What?” he asked.

“Pull over, now! I think I’m going to be sick,” she shouted.

No sooner had he pulled to the side of the road she jumped from the vehicle before it came to a complete stop. He waited to see if she might need his assistance but when he looked to see where she had gone he saw her silhouette running down the street. Oh shit! This wasn’t good.

*****

Running for her life, Rachel didn’t have time to stop and think about where she was going. Vampires and gnomes and witches, was he insane? That wasn’t possible. Couldn’t be. Or could it?

She had always felt connected to spiritual presences so why should it seem unbelievable for other creatures or species to exist. Her world was tiny in the vast universe of life.

Suddenly, her body was forced to the ground as strong arms wrapped around her waist. Expecting to hit the pavement face-first she was shocked when at the last second she flipped over and her fall was softened by a body under hers.

“Rachel, you aren’t going anywhere,” barked Greg’s deep voice. What was it about him saying her name that sent her libido into overdrive? Even in a harsh tone she turned to mush.

“Let me go! I want nothing to do with you or this entire day. Just pretend we never met!” she shouted, trying to squirm free of his tight grip. He flipped her over again, his bodyweight trapping her in place.

She could feel the hard line of his body as he easily held her. “I won’t let you go and, believe me, pretending we haven’t met would be impossible,” he let out in a rush.

God, he smelled good. Musky with a hint of leather. Greg was all male and making it impossible to think clearly when she was this close to him. Not to mention, they were in a very compromising position. He’d managed to spread her legs as he braced her with his muscular thighs and her body had a mind of its own, wanting to remove the clothing that separated their flesh.

Rachel tried shoving him away but he grabbed both of her hands and held them above her head. Again, her body enjoyed the struggle. Her nipples hardened with the friction and she couldn’t help arching against him. And then he growled. Not a menacing sound, but primal and raw.

“You should stop resisting before I give you a real reason to fight me,” he murmured. Her body relaxed even though her heart was racing and her breaths came out in pants. She was frightened, but not of him. Frightened of how this man made her feel. Alive. It had been so long she’d forgotten what it felt like.

“Please let me go,” she whispered, licking her lips. Her mouth had gone dry as a desert and she swallowed against the parchment.

Another low growl. “I’ll let go if you promise not to run.” She nodded her agreement and he released her hands but remained on top of her.

“Now, like I said before, I need your help getting theses gnomes,” he said then quickly looked back towards the vehicle before continuing, “to Zander. It won’t take long, although you might have to cancel that date of yours. I need you more,” he admitted with a sly smirk too sexy to ignore. Rachel knew he was talking about her assistance with the gnomes, but her heart skipped a beat at his words of needing her.

“Greg, this is just too much. I can’t process all that you’ve told me. I don’t know if I can do this,” she offered, pushing up onto her elbows. He rolled to the side but kept his arm tight around her waist.

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. From where I sit, you’re fearless. I see the fire behind those green eyes,” he professed. She stared deeply into warm brown pools and her desire burned deep inside.

“But…maybe I’m wrong,” he added, breaking the spell she was under. Was this an ability of his? Wooing women to his bed? Damn if it wasn’t working. “Maybe you shouldn’t be a part of this. I don’t have time to drive you back, but if you want, I’ll call a cab to pick you up. The last thing I need is to worry more about your actions than the pesky little gnomes,” he confessed.

Rachel considered his offer. He was willing to let her go home. He wasn’t going to force her on this road trip. She should jump at his offer before he changed his mind. But then what? Go home to an empty house and sit all alone watching Netflix? Read a book? Hell, she didn’t even like long, hot baths. Although, the idea of him joining her in one was very appealing. No, she amended. Going home didn’t seem even a little interesting. This could be the adventure of a lifetime and she wanted to be a part of it.

“Fine, I’ll go, but promise you won’t leave my side. I don’t know what to expect and I do not like surprises,” she conceded. She couldn’t tell him but she was scared to death. Had she really agreed to take a drive to Count Dracula’s home? It would appear so.

Greg grinned and those two dimples made another appearance. She wanted to kiss them. Wanted to kiss his full lips even more, especially since they were such a short distance from hers.

“I’ll make you two promises. One, you will not be harmed in any way. You have nothing to fear. And two, I will enjoy every second of remaining by your side,” he breathed, pulling her closer.

His face came even closer. She could feel his hot breath against her mouth. She wanted to kiss him more than anything. Closing her eyes, she waited for their lips to meet, when suddenly, she was tossed aside. Opening her eyes, she was shocked to realize she was face to face with the gnome that had been sitting behind her in the van.

“You two might want to hurry it along. The natives are getting restless,” he interjected. Rachel and Greg looked over to see the vehicle rocking back and forth. The little gnome hopped up and skipped back to the van like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Greg quickly jumped to his feet. “We better hurry before they decide to test their skills at driving,” he said with a chuckle and offered her his hand. She accepted and stood, brushing off her jeans with her free hand. He turned to walk to the vehicle but kept ahold of her, twining their fingers together. He had large hands and she felt protected in his warm grasp.

Opening the passenger door he helped her to her seat again but this time reached over to buckle her in before shutting the door. This guy was smooth alright. Good looking, said all the right things, did all the right things. Even his seeming laziness and absurdity didn’t detract from how hot he was. She couldn’t help but wonder how many women he had in his life. Surely, they were swarming all around.

Turning in her seat, she faced the gnome who had interrupted hers and Greg’s heated moment. “Hi, we haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Rachel,” she said, sticking out her hand.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear. Pepper Chugbugger at your service,” he spouted proudly, grinning from pointed ear to pointed ear and Rachel couldn’t help but laugh.

Greg hopped in on the other side and started the vehicle. “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“I was introducing myself to Pepper and couldn’t help but giggle at their names. I find his name and Dipple’s very interesting. Where do your names come from?” she responded curiously.

“Oh, that’s a fine story indeed. There is a magical cauldron, one for boys and one for girls, and when a gnome is born our leader reaches into the treasure box and lifts out a piece of paper, reading aloud the name for all to hear. It’s quite an event,” he stated and the group nodded enthusiastically.

“Sounds very exciting,” Rachel replied, winking at Greg who was clearly trying to hide his laughter. These gnomes took things very serious and she didn’t want to offend them.

“I noticed you two were about to engage in a carnal exchange with one another, and before you make a dire mistake, I was wondering if I may put my name in your hat of suitors. I’m quite the courter with females and certainly would offer something more worthy than a romp on the hard ground,” Pepper proposed.

Rachel looked to see if the little guy was kidding but there wasn’t an ounce of ridicule. She didn’t know why but the gesture was touching. And she couldn’t help but blush at the recount of what Pepper had seen between her and Greg. She guessed it couldn’t have looked good from another’s vantage point.

“I’d like to hear one good reason why she should want to be with a male like you instead of me. I’m romantic as hell, thank you very much,” Greg said teasingly but she could tell he felt as awkward as she did about their encounter.

“Oh, that’s easy,” interjected a gnome sitting beside Pepper. “Because Pepper is the fastest gnome in our village. He can outrun a cheetah without breaking a sweat. Can you top that, Mr. Smooth?” the other gnome scoffed.

“And who might you be?” Rachel inquired, entertained by the comments from the wild-haired creatures.

“Name’s Felix Ticklemort and I’m pleased you’re joining us on this venture, Rachel. You are lucky indeed to be honored the presence of the first heir to the Vampire King,” he exclaimed, practically shaking with excitement.

“And to answer your question, Felix,” Greg interrupted, “I may not be able to outrun a cheetah, but I can cast a spell to turn it into a snail,” he declared, winking at Rachel. She smiled but wasn’t sure how to take the remark. Had he used powers on her earlier? Was that the reason her body was so drawn to him?

The resounding oohs and ahhs of the gnomes brought her out of her musings. They seemed very impressed with Greg’s abilities. Greg reached across and opened the glove compartment. His forearm rested on top of her leg as he grabbed a Ziploc baggie full of colorful stones. The heat from his skin penetrated through her jeans to her flesh. Her core clenched against the sudden jolt of arousal and she had to cross her legs to ease the need.

He handed the bag of rocks to Pepper who tore into it faster than Rachel could say Chugbugger. The squeals of glee were deafening as the gnomes scrambled to get to the assortment of stones.

“Gnomes cannot resist anything that sparkles or shines. It is their greatest weakness and should keep them occupied for a bit,” Greg offered.

“Oh, well that’s good to know, I guess. So how long before we get to the…castle?” she asked, uncertain of the correct term.

“I called Pema earlier and she told me Zander is at his home on Whidbey Island. She gave me the address and said she’d let him know we’re coming. We should be there in about thirty minutes,” he stated, eyes focused on the road. He had an amazing profile that she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of.

He had a strong jaw-line that could chisel granite, a perfectly straight nose and a headful of brown hair which was impressive considering most men her age had a receding hairline or were bald. She believed that a shaved head was much more attractive than holding onto half a head of thinning hair. Greg Rowan was by far the best looking man she’d come across in a long time, and she couldn’t deny how attracted she was to him.

They drove in silence for a bit and the only sound was an occasional argument between the gnomes over the colorful stones. Rachel was lost in thought, speculating about their destination…Hotel Transylvania and its inhabitants. Was this going to be like in the movies with darkness and doom, bats and coffins?

A squeezing of her hand brought her back to the moment and she glanced over to Greg. He gave her that grin of his exposing dimples she still wanted to kiss. “You’re awfully quiet over there. You okay?” he asked, and she saw the sincerity of his concern.

This time she didn’t pull away but enjoyed the warmth of his fingers twined with hers. She hated that her hands were always ice-cold and wondered if it bothered Greg. Her ex had always complained about her cold hands and feet and it had left her with a severe complex.

“Yeah, I guess I’m just nervous about meeting a real live vampire. I know that sounds silly, but it’s the truth. Does he have fangs? Does he drink blood? Please tell me those are just myths,” she implored even though part of her didn’t want to hear the answer for fear she would change her mind about going along.

Greg rubbed the hand he was holding with his thumb and it calmed her jittery nerves. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you meet Zander. Do I look like a witch to you?” he asked as he turned onto a side street she’d never noticed before.

Rachel had lived in the Seattle area for fifteen years and thought she knew this area very well, but clearly she didn’t. Maybe it was because it was pitch black outside and she didn’t see well at night. Her thoughts returned to Greg’s question.

“No, I guess you don’t. Honestly, I think I’ve always considered witches to be women. But other than the fact that you look really young, I’d say you were just a regular man. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” she inquired, hoping the question wasn’t too intrusive.

“Oh look, we’re here. Guess I’ll have to answer that million dollar question later,” he quipped as he pulled up to a beautiful home. “Now, try and relax. This shouldn’t take long at all,” he reassured before leaning over the console between them and whispering, “and, before you know it, I’ll have you soaking in a tub of bubbles while you sip champagne and nibble on strawberries from my hand. I’ll make you forget all about that date you missed, Rachel,” he murmured.

With those sultry words, Greg had her arousal going into overdrive and moisture pooling between her legs. She bit her lip as she stared into his seductive eyes, thinking all kinds of dirty thoughts about this man. He let out a masculine groan as he reached over with his free hand and tugged her lip free.

“Mmm, you are so tempting. I fear if I have even a small taste my control will snap and I’ll devour you,” he admitted.

Please do! For the love of God, lose all control. She wanted to shout. She silently chastised herself and quickly turned away from Greg. If she didn’t get out of the vehicle and breathe fresh air, she was going to be the one losing control and surrendering to his every need.

CHAPTER FIVE

Greg watched Rachel slam the van door. He was an idiot. Why did he say that? Hitting on the human was the last thing he should be doing, but he couldn’t help himself. She aroused him like no other female and his lust for her was off the charts. He needed to get a grip. They were at Zander’s home and it would be embarrassing as hell for his magic to run amuck in the King’s presence.

He turned to the gnomes who were practically bouncing in their seats with enthusiasm. “Please remain here until I talk to Zander. I will come for you when the time is right, understand?” he asked, but it was more an order than a question.

Simultaneous nods acknowledged their agreement and Greg hopped out of the vehicle. He walked around to stand beside Rachel just as the front door opened. He felt her nervousness and grabbed her hand and walked toward the large home.

“Greg, it’s so good to see you again. It’s been awhile,” Elsie said with a wide grin.

Elsie had become the Vampire Queen about a year ago after mating with Zander and, from Greg’s point of view, had easily adapted to the role. She was a natural leader and had a gracious presence.

“Your Highness, always a pleasure,” Greg declared, releasing Rachel’s hand and taking the queen’s, kissing the large pink diamond on her ring finger.

“Please, call me Elsie. And, where I come from we hug family, and, as far as I’m concerned, you and your daughters are family,” she spouted, pulling him into a tight embrace. He hadn’t spent much time with the royal family, preferring to stay out of political affairs. In fact, the first time he’d met Elsie and Zander was at Pema’s mating ceremony, but he had nothing but respect for the couple.

“I appreciate that. My daughters feel the same way, I assure you. Elsie, this is Rachel Webb. Rachel, this is Elsie Tarakesh,” Greg said, introducing the females.

Rachel looked uncomfortable, nodding towards Elsie. “Hello, very nice to meet you,” Rachel stated. She started to reach out her hand then quickly pulled it back.

Elsie laughed. “Don’t let Greg’s formality intimidate you. We are thrilled to have you in our home. Please come in,” she offered, opening the door wider.

Just then Zander appeared and on his heels was an adorable little girl, the spitting image of the queen. This had to be the princess, Isobel. It made Greg’s heart swell seeing the little girl. His oldest daughter, Pema, was due any day and he couldn’t wait for his first grandchild to be born.

“Greg, it’s bluidy great to see you. Did you bring the gnomes with you? I canna wait to hear what this is all aboot,” he barked, slapping Greg on the shoulder. Greg had almost forgotten about their passengers in the van. He was surprised they hadn’t charged from the van at seeing the king and queen.

“Yes, they’re here. I told them to wait until we had spoken. I don’t know what my daughter told you, but there are about twenty-five of them piled inside. Do you want all of them in your home? They can be a bit obnoxious,” Greg warned, hoping Zander didn’t ask him to take them back to his house instead.

“Aye, I want to speak with them. Please, all of you. Come inside,” the king invited.

Greg walked to the side door of the van and opened it, expecting the herd to trample over him, but they didn’t. Dipple exited first then the other gnomes filed out in single formation and followed Zander inside. Greg walked back towards the house, stopping to grab Rachel’s hand again.

She squeezed his fingers tightly, her green eyes holding his gaze. Her expression was a firm reminder to stay by her side. Nothing could make him leave her side anytime soon.

Her cool, soft skin sent a rush of arousal to his groin. Her vanilla scent teased his nostrils, leaving him prisoner to her every command. This female had him wound tighter than a yo-yo.

Suddenly, a bulb in the entryway burst, causing Isobel to jump. Greg wanted to dig a hole and crawl in. He feared his attraction to Rachel would cause his magical ability to malfunction and that was exactly what was happening.

“It’s okay, sweetie. Feels like enchantment in the air,” Elsie remarked as she grinned in Greg’s direction and picked up the little girl. Great, Elsie knew he wanted Rachel. Luckily, the gnomes spotted Isobel and went to one knee, bowing their respect which gave him a moment’s reprieve.

“Mates,” Izzy blurted, pointing towards Greg and Rachel. Greg had no idea what the princess was talking about. Elsie gave him a questioning look and he quickly shook his head in denial.

“Izzy, not mates. Greg and Rachel are friends. You’ll have to excuse her. All of the couples she interacts with are mated so she just assumes,” Elsie explained, embarrassment clear on her lovely face.

“No problem, honest mistake,” Greg answered, glancing down at Rachel. She looked up, clearly perplexed about the conversation. “I’ll explain later,” he whispered and she narrowed her eyes and nodded. Why this task had fallen into his lap he didn’t know, but he was going to wring three necks when his daughters returned home.

“Mates,” she squealed again and began giggling. This little bundle of cuteness was an instigator, for sure. He winked at Rachel and she blushed, quickly turning away.

“Oh my, I think someone has a crush on Greg. She doesn’t typically act this way around males,” Elsie admitted, nodding her head to the side as she looked to Zander to lead the group towards another area.

“Of course, a ghra. I’d like the others to hear this, as well. The Dark Warriors and their mates are here for our Winter Solstice celebration tomorrow, so this is perfect timing. Please, follow me everyone. Let’s get you two a drink. I’m sure you could use one,” Zander suggested as he led them into a large open room. A drink was exactly what Greg needed.

The place was buzzing. The males gathered around a large table were playing cards while the females were putting up decorations. When they spotted the gnomes, the place went silent and they stopped what they were doing.

“Greg, Rachel, what can I get you? Beer, wine, something with more bite, maybe?” Zander asked in his thick Scottish brogue, walking to a bar area.

Greg looked to Rachel who mouthed the word wine then the corner of her mouth lifted as a blush stained her cheeks. He immediately remembered his proposition of her sipping champagne in a bubble bath and he returned the grin knowingly. “We’ll both have a glass of wine, thank you,” he replied.

“Coming right up. Elsie, introduce Rachel to the group and then we’ll see what our visitors have to say,” Zander added, pouring red wine into two glasses.

*****

Rachel’s head was spinning. First, this home was nothing like what she had expected. It wasn’t dark and foreboding, it was quite the opposite actually. The interior colors were creams, tans and blues and gave a light and airy feel to the home. The wood furniture was a warm brown, but she could tell it was of the highest quality.

Second, if Greg hadn’t said something, she would think Zander and his wife were like any other couple. No pale skin, fangs or black capes anywhere. Boy, did the media have it all wrong about vampires. They were a very attractive couple and the love between them was palpable. And their daughter was precious, even though her remark about mates left Rachel with more questions than she could count.

Their family was big. The Dark Warriors consisted of Zander and his siblings, as well as five other men. She needed them to wear nametags because she would fail miserably if asked to recite all of their names. Most were married, or mated, as they called it, with the exception of five by her count. Two sets of twins, Bhric and Breslin, who were twin siblings to Zander, and a pair from New Orleans, Cade and Cael. And then there was a handsome man named Orlando who had the greenest eyes she’d ever seen.

Greg introduced Dipple to the king while the remaining gnomes sat quietly, their large blue eyes fixated on Isobel. Rachel sipped her wine and took a seat, not wanting to miss a single thing.

She had to admit when Zander offered her the red liquid she immediately wondered if it was blood. She smelled the drink’s familiar aroma then took a small sip. It had tasted like wine and she decided Greg had been right. Her instincts told her she was safe. She felt the sofa slump and looked over to see Greg had joined her. He was keeping his promise to stay by her side and she was grateful.

Zander’s deep voice brought her back to the issue at hand. “So Dipple, what brings you to Seattle with this emergency of seeking oot my nighean?” Zander asked, pulling up a chair in front of the small being.

“My Royal Majesty, that is simple. To pay homage to the new heir and offer our servitude. We will protect her to our death if necessary. I believe you will find our assistance invaluable,” Dipple declared. Rachel was amazed at his confidence despite his small size. These gnomes were dedicated if nothing else.

“Oh hell no, not on my turf,” snarled a man that had been refilling drinks and clearing dirty dishes. “It’s bad enough with that kippie running around. I’m not a baby-sitter to the vertically challenged.” Rachel assumed this was their butler, but she was shocked at his belligerent tone. Surely, this wasn’t acceptable behavior for a paid employee.

“Nate, I didna ask your opinion,” barked Zander and Rachel got her first glimpse at this man’s power. “I make the rules and you follow them, period. Doona question me. Ever. Or I promise, I’ll slay your dragon!” he demanded, slamming his glass on a nearby table. Rachel wasn’t sure what that last remark meant, but Nate cowered at hearing the threat.

Appearing satisfied with Nate’s retreat, Zander turned his attention back to Dipple. “I am verra appreciative of your kind offer, but I’m not sure staying at Zeum is the best solution. I need to think this through before making a decision. In the meantime, I will make arrangements for you to remain here on Whidbey Island,” he proposed before standing from his chair and walking over to Elsie.

The rest of the household went back to their activities of cards and decorating. From what Rachel could tell Zander and Elsie were in deep conversation and Elsie didn’t seem too happy. All Rachel could focus on was Greg’s thigh rubbing against hers. The body heat thrown off between them could start a forest fire. Nate walked over, holding a bottle of wine to refresh her drink. She nodded and took a long swig, hoping to douse the inferno burning inside.

Zander and Elsie walked over and sat on the adjoining sofa. “Greg, I know this might be an inconvenience, but would you and Rachel consider staying the night? Och, it’s already verra late and I may need you to drive the gnomes back to Zeum,” Zander disclosed, running a hand through his shoulder length hair.

Greg looked to Rachel and she pinned him with a death stare. No way could she stay the night in a house full of strangers. Nope, not today. Not tomorrow, either.

As if reading her thoughts, the queen expressed, “Rachel, I know this is an odd request, but please consider it. And, tomorrow is our Solstice celebration. I’d love for you to join us. We have plenty of room here and of course you’ll have a private bed and bathroom,” she added and Rachel could see the sincerity in her lovely blue eyes.

“Could you give us a minute alone,” Greg interjected and Rachel was relieved. She didn’t want to have to reject their heartfelt invitation and figured she could let Greg take the blame.

“Of course, take your time,” Elsie replied and then she and Zander stood and walked over to where Isobel was playing on the floor with the gnomes. The little girl seemed enthralled with their attention and vice versa.

“I can tell you want to leave. It’s not common for anyone to deny Zander’s request but he might make an exception since it involves you. Would you like to leave? I can always return in the morning if he needs me,” Greg muttered, barely above a whisper.

“I’m not comfortable staying overnight. I don’t even have a change of clothes or a toothbrush. This has been the strangest day of my entire life. I still don’t know if it’s real or if I’m going to wake up from a crazy dream. I think it would be best if I went home,” she confessed, uncertain if she was in full agreement with her own words.

“I understand what you’re saying, but hear me out. I have no doubt they will provide you with extra clothes and any items you may need. You have to keep in my mind they are used to accommodating large groups and can meet your needs. And I’ll bet you anything the room they will provide will be second to none, complete with a garden tub and Jacuzzi jets for the soak of a lifetime,” he boasted, winking at her.

Of course her body responded at his description and arousal coursed through her system. This man had every nerve ending sparking to life. His masculine voice, his sexy eyes, those dimples she was obsessed with. She had to admit that she wanted to spend some more time with him even if it was among a group of virtual strangers.

“Okay, I’ll agree to staying the night, but not for Solstice tomorrow. That seems like their family’s celebration and I don’t want to intrude,” she amended.

“Fair enough, Rachel. I’ll let Zander know. Would you like another glass of wine?” he asked.

“Sure, why not?” she answered with a smile and watched him saunter over to Zander and Elsie. Yeah, his jeans hugged his ass nicely. She bit her lip, imagining what he might look like without them on. Yummy goodness by her guestimation. Moments later he returned with a bottle of wine in hand.

Sitting next to her he poured another glass and began questioning her about everything from her birthplace to her favorite song to her greatest fears. The room dissolved and it was just the two of them. She felt like a teenager, laughing at every joke and praying the night wouldn’t end. Conversation came naturally and there were no awkward or uncomfortable moments. She told him some of her deepest secrets without an ounce of regret.

Before she realized it they had consumed several bottles of wine and she was feeling very lightheaded and lighthearted. She looked around to see the room had all but cleared with the exception of Nate who was cleaning the last remnants of the evening.

“Greg, Rachel, your rooms are ready if you’d like me to show you the way,” he offered. Upon closer inspection, she could see the man had red eyes. They looked like rubies and she shook her head, acknowledging she had had too much to drink.

“That would be great, Nate. Thank you,” Greg replied and stood, offering her his hand. His gentlemanly gestures were so endearing and she twined their fingers together as they followed Nate down a hallway. The electrical buzz where their skin met tingled all the way to her toes and she felt like she was floating.

Nate opened a door and gestured inside. “You should find everything you need, Rachel. Greg, your room adjoins through here,” he added, pointing to a closed door nearby. “If you need anything the intercom system on the wall will connect you to my quarters. Have a restful night,” he added then left the room.

And then for the first time that night there was sudden awkwardness. They were completely alone. Nerves wracked her and she walked to a sliding glass door, opening it to the night air. Stepping outside, she realized their property backed up to the water and she could hear it lapping against the rocks. Closing her eyes, she inhaled and let the cold air soothe her heated skin.

“Rachel,” Greg murmured, his deep baritone caressing her flesh,” I’m going to go to my room now. I’ll be right next door if you need anything.”

Was that an invitation? She turned to face him and saw brown eyes that seemed to glow. Glowing a warm brown. She knew she was buzzed but this seemed a bit much even for her. “Okay, I’m going to turn in, too. See you in the morning,” she replied then he turned around and walked to his room, closing the door between them.

Glancing around the empty room, Rachel had no doubt the king and queen were filthy rich. It was one thing to have nice furniture in a home but wealth became obvious in the bedroom.

Rachel walked to the bed and touched the luxurious fabrics. The bedroom was decorated in the same neutral colors as the rest of the house but this bedroom had touches of blue, as well. There was a cream-colored silk robe lying across the foot of the bed. Picking it up she walked into the bathroom and, sure enough, every toiletry imaginable was available to her. And not stuff you picked up at the local grocery store. No, these items could only be found at high-end department stores.

Quickly undressing then brushing her teeth, she donned the robe before walking back to the bed. Sitting on the edge, she rolled her head across her shoulders, stretching. Her body was wound tight. With good reason, she thought, as the day’s events played through her mind. Gnomes, road trips and vampires. As unbelievable as her day had been, that wasn’t the problem.

Her body was wound tight because Greg was close and she could feel the pull to him even now. Without another thought her feet made their way to the adjoining door and she lightly rapped, half-hoping he had fallen asleep because she was about to make the boldest move of her life.

Moments later the door creaked open. Greg stood there in lounge pants and nothing else. His bare chest was muscled against bronzed skin. A thin layer of hair covered his chest, tempting her to run her palms over it. Her mouth watered at the sight.

“Everything okay?” he whispered, eyes heavy with…lust? God help her, she hoped so.

“No,” she murmured then wrapped her arms around his neck, claiming his mouth.

CHAPTER SIX

The moment Greg sensed Rachel’s hunger he lost all sense of reason and wrapped his arms around her waist. His greedy hands needed more so he latched onto her ass. Immediately, her mouth parted and he delved inside, needing to taste her. Sweet vanilla cocooned him as his tongue swirled against hers.

He shouldn’t indulge in the human, but his body refused to be denied any longer. He had left her room knowing if he stayed a moment longer he would strip her bare and have his way with her. His daughters were going to explode when they found out what he was doing, but right now he could give a shit. It served them right for hiring the sexiest female he’d ever laid eyes on.

Squeezing her round cheeks, he pulled her against his throbbing cock. The thin cotton of his pants left little to the imagination.

A small moan escaped her mouth and she hitched a leg around his waist. He could smell her arousal. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Greg could feel the heat between her legs against his hard shaft and it jerked its approval. It felt so good to be aroused by a female. It had been way too long and he needed more. He needed all of Rachel.

When she started rubbing against his cock he had a moment’s hesitation. She’d consumed a lot of wine and he wondered if she was making a drunken decision. Forcing his lips away from her hot mouth was nearly impossible, but he broke the kiss. Cupping her flushed face between his palms, he murmured, “Rachel, are you sure about this because if we don’t stop now…in about five seconds, I won’t be able to,” he panted in hot breaths against her face.

“Oh, Greg, I’ve never been more scared or more sure of anything. I can’t go a minute longer without knowing what it feels like to have you inside me,” she whispered. Her half-lidded gaze and swollen lips were the most erotic sight he’d ever seen. “Will you still respect me in the morning?” she murmured with a sexy grin that sent a bolt of arousal to his cock. He was going to burn in Hell for this, but he didn’t give a fuck.

“Nothing could make me lose respect for you,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her cheek. “You are a remarkable female,” he murmured, snaking his tongue along the shell of her ear. She moaned in response. Leaning back, he wanted to see her reaction to his next statement.

“I have plans for you. I’m going to devour every inch of you. First I’ll finger you til you’re soaked, spank you til it stings, and fuck you til you scream,” he promised.

“Oh my,” she gasped and he felt her body quiver in his hold. “No one’s ever said anything like that to me. In fact, no one’s ever made me feel so alive. Enough talk,” she moaned before claiming his mouth again.

Greg bent and grabbed her behind the knees, sweeping her into his arms. He walked to the bed and laid her down. When she smiled up at him, his broken heart mended and his past melted away. How he’d missed having a female in his bed, especially a female as alluring as Rachel.

Crawling on the bed to lie alongside her, he continued his explorations. Tugging at the silk sash of her robe the garment fell away, exposing perfect breasts. His hand went to the large globe, squeezing and massaging. Her soft flesh was hot to the touch. When her nipple hardened beneath his palm, he pinched the turgid peak and enjoyed the way her entire body shuddered. He needed a taste.

Dipping his head his tongue swiped across her nipple. When the flesh pebbled he grabbed on, forcing more of her breast into his mouth. She arched and moaned, pulling his head against her chest. He slid to the other breast and repeated. She writhed against his body. His cock jerked with painful need but he ignored it. He wanted to please her first.

Staring into her eyes, he slid his hand down her abdomen, dipping inside her panties. Slick folds met his fingers. “Oh Rachel, so very wet for me. Mmm, you feel so fucking good,” he admitted, swirling around the engorged nub.

Her hips moved against his touch, no doubt seeking deeper penetration. “More, Greg, please. I ache for you,” she confessed. Oh, he planned on giving her more.

“All in good time, lover. All in good time,” he vowed, as he leaned down to nibble on the corner of her mouth. Her teeth bit down on his lip. Not hard enough to draw blood but she was wild with unspent lust and he wanted her completely at his mercy.

With one tug, her panties snapped and he tossed them to the floor. In the next instant, her robe was off leaving her nude body on display like the finest piece of art. Her vanilla scent mixed with arousal was his call to come home.

He spread her legs and crawled to the foot of the bed, positioning his head between her thighs. Her glistening folds begged for attention and his mouth watered. When her green eyes locked on his, he swiped his tongue across her wet flesh, tasting her for the first time. Damn, he thought, she had the sweetest juice ever.

She threw her head back, moving her hips as he licked and sucked his fill. It didn’t take long before she cried out her orgasm, thrashing her head from side to side on the pillow. He continued to feast until she shuddered, begging for him to stop. He lifted his head and met her gaze.

“Lover, I’m just getting warmed up. Are you ready to feel my magic?” he asked, crawling to his knees as he looked down at her. Her chest heaved and her breaths came out in quick pants.

“Bring it on, baby!” she gasped.

When he pulled his pants down her eyes bulged when her gaze lowered. “Oh my,” she whispered then smiled, reaching for his cock.

*****

Rachel’s buzz from the wine was gone but she was floating on air. This was a euphoric high left from the orgasm Greg had given her. The way he tortured her clit with his tongue should be outlawed. Then again she’d willingly be thrown in jail time and time again to experience another climax from his skilled ministrations.

And now, eyeballing the enormous length between his hips she acknowledged she might need to be taken to the emergency room afterwards. She’d never seen a bigger cock in all her life. Not that she had been with many men but she’d seen plenty of porn, thanks to her ex that needed to include it during sex, and this was by far the largest.

She gripped his hard length in her palm, stroking from base to tip. Greg closed his eyes, groaning when her thumb swiped across the slit. Liquid oozed and she spread it around the head and back up the steel rod. His hips thrust against her grip as she discovered what he enjoyed. She had never been more fascinated with a man’s endowment. She tried pushing to a sitting position so she could taste him but he shoved her flat against the mattress.

“I know what you’re thinking and I look forward to being inside your hot mouth, but not right now. I want to show you something,” he suggested. His sly grin followed by those two dimples had her core weeping for more.

“Who am I to argue? By all means, continue,” she prompted, lacing her hands behind her head.

“You like to tease me. Keep pushing those spectacular tits my way. I’ve got something for them,” he stated, rubbing his palms together. His eyes continued to glow despite the fact the alcohol had worn off. She wondered if it was a witch thing, but then blue light flared between his palms, snagging her attention.

In the next moment, he splayed his hands across her breasts. A strong vibration jolted her senses. Every nerve ending in her nipples was super-charged. It was the most intense erotic rush of arousal she’d ever felt. It felt like they were magnets where his hands touched her body, unable to be separated.

She arched to him and moisture flooded her core. She reached down and placed her hands on top of his and the electrical pulses traveled up her arms. He growled as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him to her center.

The tip of his cock needed no guidance. It pressed against her opening and she lifted her hips, needing penetration. Moving their joined hands downward she enjoyed the bursts of electrical shocks along her flesh. Her body broke out in a sweat from the adrenaline racing through her veins.

As soon as their hands reached between her legs he thrust inside. It was tight and she gasped from the pain. He filled her like no other and she had to spread wider, adjusting to his size. The pain quickly turned to pleasure as her juices coated him and the movement became easier.

The electrical vibration from his hand flared as he played with her clit, pumping deeper inside her womb. The vibration from his touch sent another orgasm barreling through her body. She shouted her release as she clutched his hips, digging her nails into his flesh. Their bodies were in perfect sync, moving together as one.

His body laid on top of hers as his mouth came crashing down, claiming her lips. She opened her mouth, allowing the thrumming vibration to run its course. The passion between them was fierce and demanding.

“Goddess, you are so sexy. Are you ready to come for me again, Rachel?” he moaned against her mouth as his magical hand found purpose between their bodies again.

“Only if you join me,” she panted, looking into his glowing eyes.

“Try and stop me,” he growled then pinched her clit. The sensation was better than the most powerful vibrator on the planet and she bucked against his hand, milking his long shaft with everything she had.

Greg roared his release as he pounded her willing body. She shouted his name as her orgasm exploded from her core to the tip of her toes. She desperately clung to him as she rode the wave of ecstasy.

Suddenly, Greg’s body tensed. “Holy fuck,” he yelled, rolling off her and palming his side.

“What? What’s wrong?” she asked, frightened as to what was going on. He moved his hand and she saw what looked like a brand of a starburst across his ribcage.

“I’ll be damned. I should’ve known. That little Princess is smarter than they realize,” he responded, his hands covering his face.

“What? Would you please tell me what’s going on?” she asked again. Euphoria was fast turning to frustration. He sat there for a few seconds shaking his head back and forth. Finally, he looked over, grinning. She was confused as hell and wanted to throttle him, but every time she saw those dimples she turned to putty.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” he answered, looking down at his side in obvious disbelief.

“Try me,” she bit out, crossing her arms over her bare chest. He reached over and tugged her against his body. She didn’t miss the grimace on his face when she brushed against the mark on his flesh.

He tilted her chin and placed a tender kiss to her forehead. It was so loving it brought a tear to the corner of her eye. His gaze pierced her soul as he looked at her. She was about to ask again what was going on when he took a deep breath and said, “There’s no easy way to explain this so I’ll just say it. You, my beautiful fearless intriguing Rachel, are my Fated Mate,” he blurted.

“Huh?” Rachel remembered Isobel’s remark from earlier. She also remembered Elsie referring to the other couples as mated. Is that what he was talking about? “I’m confused. What does that mean?” she inquired.

“When the Goddess Morrigan created supernaturals she also created our other half in a Fated Mate. The one we are meant to spend eternity with. In fact, she places a piece of their soul inside the other for them to love and protect until they are joined in a mating ceremony,” he explained. “This here,” he said, placing her hand over the swollen brand at his side, “is my mate mark. Mate marks appears after the first sexual encounter with a Fated Mate.”

“But why me? I’m not a witch or a vampire. I’m just a human. And, I don’t have one of those marks. This doesn’t make any sense to me,” she admitted. What he was saying sounded crazy. Yes, she was undeniably attracted to this man and had really enjoyed his magical moves on her body, but this Fated Mate thing sounded extreme.

“It doesn’t work that way. The Goddess picks the perfect companion, no matter the species. You do carry my mark, you just can’t see it. There is a small starburst here, below your left ear,” he said, lightly touching the flesh behind her ear. Another vibration shot through her body from where his thumb grazed across her skin. “It is only visible to supernaturals, warning them to stay away from you because you belong to me. After a mating ceremony it will ink into your skin like a tattoo. So will mine,” he added, looking down again at the starburst design.

“Greg, I don’t know what to say. This is crazy. I’m very attracted to you, but, beyond that, I don’t know. I hope you understand,” she expressed. What he was describing sounded like marriage. She had been married once before and thought it would last forever. It didn’t. She wasn’t about to skip down that aisle of misery any time soon.

Greg chuckled, pulling her to his chest for a tight bear hug. “Rachel, you blow my mind. Here I was worried you’d run screaming from the room after seeing my magic, the mate mark, hearing what you are to me. But you didn’t. You aren’t ready to commit. I get it. Well guess what? I don’t want you to be that easy. I look forward to wooing the shit out of you,” he confessed, trailing his hands down her back to latch onto her rear end.

This man had her melting again. She couldn’t believe he was so eager to court her. From her experience men wanted to bypass that stage altogether and jump right to sex without foreplay.

“That’s funny. I was feeling very easy. For some reason, you smile and my clothes fall off,” she said, laughing. “I promise to make an effort at being more of a challenge next time.”

At that comment, he smacked her ass. Hard. But instead of being painful the sting jolted her arousal again. “Don’t you even think about playing hard to get next time because that time is right now, lover. Get ready to squeal,” he ordered, slapping her ass again then rubbed his palms together, igniting that electrical sensation she craved.

“Wee wee wee. Come all the way home, baby,” she sassed, reaching for his hands.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Greg looked down at Rachel sleeping peacefully in the bed. They hadn’t slept much since she came to his room. It had been the most satisfying night of his life and he wanted nothing more than to wake her for a few more rounds.

She was the most beautiful creature on the planet, and the Goddess had blessed him, gifting her as his Fated Mate. He had given up on the idea of love. He assumed he was doomed because of his hatred towards his ex, Sherry, and her mate. He understood now that Sherry couldn’t have stayed with him. Not when the passion between mates was stronger than any love she might have felt for Greg at the time.

Rachel stirred, drawing him out of his past. In the two hours she had been sleeping he had memorized every feature on her face and body. She was a mystery he wanted to unravel and he couldn’t wait to explore everything about her.

Glancing at the clock beside the bed, he hoped she woke soon. He was expecting a knock on the door at any moment. Just then her eyes slowly opened. Beautiful green eyes that sparked to life when she saw him. He smiled and leaned down, kissing her soft lips.

The kiss quickly turned feverish and he slid a hand down her neck until he grazed across her breast.

“Mmm, best wake-up call ever,” she murmured against his mouth.

Just then a knock at the door echoed through the room. Rachel jumped, covering her nude body with the sheet. “Who’s that?” she whispered.

Greg chuckled. “I made a couple calls. Better put that robe back on before I have to fight a dragon for seeing your luscious naked body,” he stated, picking the silk garment up off the floor and handing it to her. She quickly threw it on as Greg walked to the door and opened it.

Nate came in pushing a cart with several covered dishes and behind him was Breslin, Zander’s sister, carrying a large box.

“Mr. Rowan, I have the items you requested. I think you’ll find it to your liking. Please let me know if there is anything else you’ll be needing,” Nate volunteered as Rachel walked up behind Greg. Nate winked at her then continued, “Congrats on finding your mate, Greg. You’re a lucky male,” he stated then turned to leave the room.

“Thank you,” Greg replied to Nate’s back before he left.

“And this,” Breslin interjected, “is for you, Rachel. I took the liberty of selecting an ootfit should you decide to stay for the celebration. I guarantee you willna be disappointed. It doesna start for several hours, so you have time to…relax for a bit,” she remarked with a sly grin, walking to the dresser and setting the box down.

“Oh, um…thank you. We haven’t decided if we’re staying, but this is so generous,” Rachel replied, giving Greg the death stare. She had made it clear she didn’t want to stay but he hoped she would change her mind.

“Doona mention it. Our family would love to have you but no pressure. Doona hesitate to ask for anything I might have forgotten. Enjoy!” she stated and headed toward the door.

“Thank you, Breslin. I will let Zander know as soon as we decide our plans,” Greg offered.

“Yes, thank you for everything,” Rachel added before Breslin left their room. Greg closed the door and turned around, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Now where were we before they interrupted?” he asked, kissing a trail along Rachel’s collarbone. Her sweet vanilla scent filled his senses and his cock jerked to life.

“I think you were about to show me your magic show again,” she replied, allowing her robe to fall to the floor.

“Yes, but first I have a promise to fulfill. The very first one I made to you,” he admitted, taking her hand and walking to the cart Nate had left. Peeking under one silver lid then another, he finally came across what he was looking for. Grabbing the chilled bottle of champagne, two glasses, and a bowl of strawberries he led her to the bathroom.

“I can’t believe it!” she blurted, placing her hand to her mouth, “A bubble-bath. You definitely know how to spoil a lady,” she confessed, clearly surprised.

“Like I told you before, I am going to enjoy wooing you, lover. Starting right now.” He set the items on the nearby countertop and offered a hand to help her into the oversized garden tub. She sunk into the cloud of bubbles, moaning her enjoyment. Greg poured a glass of champagne and handed it to her.

“Isn’t it a bit early to drink?” she asked, accepting the glass anyway.

“Is one o’clock too early?”

“What? I slept that late? Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, taking a sip of the pink champagne.

“Because I was too busy ogling your sexy body. Plus, I figured you needed to recover. I’m not done with you,” he declared, offering her a strawberry.

She took a bite, licking his finger in the process. The steel rod in his pants was about to tear through the flimsy fabric of his lounge pants.

“I’m feeling very energized right now. Care to join me? The water is just right,” she said with a wink, lifting her leg out of the bubbles.

“I thought you’d never ask,” he growled, shedding his pants and crawling in the tub behind her. She leaned back against his chest, her large breasts sitting above the bubbles.

His hands roamed freely across her chest, massaging and pinching her hard nipples. She turned her head to the side and he leaned down to claim her lips. The water sloshed, splashing over the edge of the tub.

Breaking the kiss, he reached over and grabbed another strawberry and placed it to her mouth. “Lover, I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk straight. And then I’m taking you to the Solstice party so I can show off my mate. Don’t even think about saying no,” he commanded.

“Better yet,” she said, leaning over and setting her glass on the tile floor, “how about I ride you,” she offered, turning around and straddling his thighs before sliding down on his hard shaft, “right here and now. Then we go back to bed and I fuck your brains out. And, I’d be honored to attend the party, as your…date,” she corrected then started moving her body up and down.

“Oh, fuck. You keep doing that, lover, and I’ll date you til the end of time,” he groaned, pushing into her welcoming body.

*****

Rachel stood in front of a full-length mirror, still in awe at the clothes Breslin had picked for her to wear. The woman had impeccable taste. How she had known her dress and shoe size was still a mystery.

Turning, she admired the backless view before returning to the front. The floor-length gown was jet black with a scattering of sequins along the plunging neckline. She lifted the bottom of the dress, turning her shoe. The multiple straps hugged her foot and the crystal encrusted heel sparkled under the soft lighting in the bathroom. She felt like a million bucks.

Adding the final touches to her makeup, she pursed her mouth and applied a coat of shimmer to the nude lipstick. Every shadow, liner, powder and brush known to man had been at her disposal and she felt like Cinderella getting ready for the ball.

She reached over to a bottle of perfume then decided against it. Greg insisted her natural scent was one of her best traits, right next to her breasts. He was definitely a boob guy and couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of them.

She still didn’t know what to think of being his Fated Mate. It was a strange concept, being told you were destined for someone. The fact that he was a witch didn’t seem to bother her at all. In fact, knowing there were other beings in the world seemed right to her.

But agreeing to eternity was different. He had explained the mating ceremony, which included a blood exchange. Apparently, that would make her immortal and she wasn’t sure she even wanted that. That would mean outliving Anna, and every other human she knew, which was a hard pill to swallow. But one thing she knew for certain. Greg had stormed into her boring lonely life and made it happy again.

Before him, she had come to the conclusion that happily ever after wasn’t in the cards after her husband had cheated. She had been the one to initiate the divorce and was glad to be out of the marriage, but being single had been a difficult adjustment.

Greg had literally swept her off her feet. She appreciated that he wasn’t in a rush for her to accept this idea that they were fated. He was such a romantic and it was nice being pampered for once in her life. And the sex, the sex was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Just being in the same room with him had her hormones going wild.

“Are you ready, lover?” Greg asked from the other side of the bathroom door. She turned the handle and swung the door open. Greeted by those dimples she couldn’t get enough of, she smiled.

“Wow, you look…wow!” he boasted, holding out his arms in appreciation. “I have half a mind to blow off this event. I’d rather stay in this room and pay tribute to the vision before me.”

Taking in the man standing with his mouth agape, she couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. He was ogling her and she was ready to tackle him to the ground. He looked like a model on the cover of a men’s magazine.

Sporting a charcoal grey suit she would’ve sworn was custom-made for him, her mouth watered at the sight. How did she get so lucky? “You look pretty scrumptious yourself,” she admitted. “Maybe we can call in sick,” she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The familiar buzz of electricity sparked, igniting her arousal.

“I wish we could, but Solstice is a fairly big deal. We need to make an appearance, but afterwards I’d like to go back to my place. I want you to see my home,” he declared.

Rachel loved the enthusiasm in his voice. There was so much they didn’t know about each other and she couldn’t wait to discover all his quirks and habits. She knew they were in the honeymoon phase of the relationship, but she was enjoying every minute of it. She wanted to spend as much time together as possible.

“Well, in that case, lead the way, Mr. Rowan,” she responded. He offered his arm and she placed her hand in the crook, excited to be attending the event with such a handsome man.

Exiting the room, she thought about the last eighteen hours. They had made love countless times and she was definitely feeling the effects. Her lower extremities ached as if she’d climbed Mount Everest, but she didn’t care. In fact, she was ready to go again as she looked over at the fine specimen beside her. No matter what, this place would always hold special meaning to her.

As they entered the main living area of the home, she was amazed at the changes to the room. When she had been there the night before the women had put up a few decorations but this, this was something she would expect from a show home.

In addition to the garland and wreaths she had seen before, there was the largest tree she had ever seen. It was adorned with silver and blue decorations and so many white lights it practically glowed. Scattered throughout the room were several grapevine sculptures of penguins in various poses. One was holding a lighted package, another was sliding down an iceberg, and another was a tower of three holding an oversized ornament. It was an enchanted wonderland.

Elsie walked over holding two drinks. “I’m so glad you decided to stay. Here, try one of my famous Jack Frost specialties,” she offered, handing Rachel and Greg a martini glass. It was blue and rimmed with coconut. Rachel took a sip and immediately fell in love. She was going to need that recipe.

“This place looks amazing. How did you do all of this in such a short amount of time?” Rachel asked, still in disbelief at the transformation.

“Oh, don’t look at me. This was all the work of the gnomes. I’m still shocked by what they’ve done,” Elsie admitted. Rachel remembered when they had cleaned the mess they made at the shop in record time. Their work ethic was very impressive.

Rachel glanced around the large area and noted the gnomes were milling about, serving hors d’oeuvres and drinks to the guests. Isobel was sitting on the floor by the tree, playing with Pepper and Felix, if Rachel wasn’t mistaken. They all looked identical but she thought she recognized their voices as they talked with the little girl.

Just then Zander approached, wrapping his arm around Elsie’s waist. “Greg, I wanted to let you know the gnomes are coming back to Zeum. My nighean adores them and after Nate witnessed their efficiency, even he is on board with the addition. Thank you for waiting around in case I needed your assistance,” Zander acknowledged, handing Greg a small glass of golden liquid.

Greg accepted and took a long swig. “Scotch, one of my favorites,” Greg said, tilting his glass in approval. Rachel wasn’t a fan of the liquor, preferring tequila or rum in her cocktails. Scotch had such a bitter taste in her opinion, but Greg looked sexy in his designer suit sipping from the crystal lowball. As if reading her lascivious thoughts she heard a low rumble from his throat, causing blush to flood her cheeks.

A bell chimed, drawing the attention of the crowded room. Nate entered from a side doorway and announced, “Dinner is served.” Several staff members entered the room carrying platters as everyone filed to the long dining table, taking their seats.

Greg grabbed Rachel’s hand and led her to their seats. She was glad to see nameplates at each setting. Greg held her chair and she took a seat. She was glad she was seated on the end. Made conversation a bit more limited and that was fine by her.

Immediately, she noticed each place setting had a small, unlit candle in the center of each plate and she wondered the significance. Greg sat to her right and Kyran and Mack sat across from them.

Rachel had spoken briefly to Mack the night before and really liked her. She was straightforward with no bullshit and Rachel liked that about her. She also appreciated that Mack had been a human before mating with Kyran. It gave her hope that maybe this mate thing could work between her and Greg, as well. Rachel couldn’t help but stare at Mack’s mark below her ear, wondering if everyone in the room had noticed hers even though she couldn’t see it.

A beautiful chime interrupted Rachel’s thoughts. Looking towards the head of the table, Zander held a small brass bell and was ringing it. Silence descended over the group. “Let us have a moment of darkness in remembrance and honor of Morrigan’s Light which she bestows on the Tehrex Realm,” he pledged and the room went black.

Instant fear washed over Rachel. What was going on? And, more importantly, what came next? She felt a warm hand grasp hers and immediately her nerves calmed. Greg was reassuring her and she squeezed his large palm, letting him know she felt better.

Several moments later, a flame ignited on a larger candle in the center of the table. She had no idea how but could only assume magic was at work. Zander walked over and picked up the lit candle. “The winter solstice reminds us to take the necessary time, to be still and quiet, to allow ourselves time to complete what needs completing, release what needs releasing, and open our hearts to the first glimmer of new beginnings,” he addressed to the entire table.

A calm fell over the group and Rachel felt a deep connection to each being. It wasn’t about humans or vampires or witches or gnomes. It was about respecting one another’s inner spirit, their souls.

Zander handed the lit candle to Elsie who took it and used its flame to light the small candle sitting in front of her. Then she passed it to the next person who repeated her actions and then they passed it on down the table. After Kyran lit his candle he handed the larger one to Rachel and smiled. She felt more accepted sitting at this table than she had felt in a very long time.

Lighting her small candle she then passed it to Greg and the large candle made its way back to Zander. In unison, the group chanted. “May we be peaceful. May we be happy. May we be well. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering.”

As Rachel sat and listened to this group, she realized their traditions were very similar to her own. This was about family and friends, love and respect. She couldn’t be more thankful that they included her in their celebration. For the first time she didn’t see her life as the best days being in the past. She was looking forward to the next phase with hope and happiness, and maybe even love.

A vibration against her leg had her glancing down. It was Greg’s pocket. He quickly reached inside and pulled out his cell phone. “What?” he answered. She seriously needed to talk to him about his phone etiquette. “No! Are you serious? Hot damn, I’m on my way!” he shouted before ending the call.

“Who was that?” Zander asked.

“That was Isis. Pema is in labor. I’m sorry, but I need to go,” he blurted.

“Of course, go. Let us know as soon as the baby arrives,” Elsie added, smiling in their direction.

“Come on, lover, we’ve got a grandchild to meet,” he sang out. Rachel could see he was about to burst from excitement.

“I’m right behind you,” she responded. He took her hand and tenderly kissed the back of it. An electrical pulse shot through her system. Oh, what that man did to her.

“No. I don’t ever want you behind me. I want you beside every step of the way,” he told her.

“Always,” she responded.

EXCERPT FROM SHATTERED WARRRIOR BOOK #8

CHAPTER ONE

“Orlando!” Elsie’s frantic call echoed through the house. Orlando jumped from his chair in the war room and ran into the foyer just in time to see Elsie flying down the main staircase.

Her long curly brown hair was sexy whipping in every direction as she raced to him. He cursed himself every kind of fool in the book. Apparently, he wasn’t over the Vampire Queen like he’d believed. Sure, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jaidis, the victimized cambion he’d met not long ago at the realm medical clinic, but he still stopped in his tracks when Elsie entered a room.

Windmilling her arms as her socks sent her sailing on the smooth surface toward him, Orlando reached out and grabbed hold of Elsie’s waist to keep her from crashing and sending them both to the hard marble floor.

“What is it, a ghra?” Zander asked as he took Elsie from Orlando’s grasp.

Orlando’s chest clenched when Elsie seemed to forget about him completely and gaze up at her Fated Mate with those adoring blue eyes. How many times had Orlando wished he was Elsie’s mate and that she would turn that look on him? Too many to count and Orlando lowered his head and berated himself for his jealousy. Elsie was not his and never would be.

Shaking his head, Orlando put that out of his mind. “Did you need me?” Orlando interjected before the couple became lost in each other. From the tremble to her voice and the way she stormed down the stairs there was a problem.

Turning away from Zander, she placed her hands on Orlando’s shoulders and shook him. “You have to get to the pregnant lady. She’s in a room and she’s hurt, maybe dying. I saw you there and the realm police, too. You have to go now the baby is going to die,” she stammered, her words practically running together at the end. He’d never seen Elsie so shaken up by one of her premonitions.

And this particular vision made Orlando’s blood run cold. The only pregnant female he knew was Jaidis.

“What did she look like? Was there a male with brown hair with her?” he asked, fear swamping him.

“There was so much blood,” Elsie replied, sadness replacing some of her frenzy. “She had blonde hair. I’m not certain if there was a male there. The scene I saw was chaotic with countless officers and doctors. You have to go now.”

A silver knife sliced through Orlando’s heart hearing the picture Elsie painted. There was no doubt in his mind Jaidis was in trouble. How much time did he have? Elsie’s premonitions didn’t always happen before the event. Just last week she’d seen a car accident too late to save the small shifter cub.

“Do you know the address, a ghra?” Zander asked. Orlando noticed the Vampire King already had his phone out and was dialing.

Without thinking, Orlando blurted Jaidis’ address and was in motion to the front door. As he slammed the solid wood panel closed he heard Zander talking to O’Haire. Jumping in his Mustang, Orlando called the realm clinic and told Dr. Fruge to meet him at Jaidis’ house.

Heart racing and sweat slicking his palms, Orlando didn’t bother with speed limits or stoplights as he made his way across town to Capitol Hill. Urgency rode him like a demon. Jaidis was in trouble and he wasn’t there to protect her.

*****

Unlike human scenes he went to as an officer, there were no flashing lights or caravans of vehicles parked in front of Jaidis’ house. In fact, from the outside there was no sign that anything was out of the ordinary. It looked like any of the other houses in the dark of night.

The second Orlando stepped out of the car the scent of blood assaulted his senses, telling him looks were deceiving. He wondered how many realm police were in the small cottage. The house wasn’t very big and he imagined just a few people would make anything Elsie had seen more urgent. Closed quarters tended to skew perspective.

The paint on the siding was just as faded as he recalled and the porch still empty, but the yard was clean and well-kept. Orlando had never been more frightened than he was at that moment. What was he walking into? Elsie has screeched about the baby dying.

A lump formed in Orlando’s throat and he couldn’t draw a full breath as he climbed the stairs and reached the front door. Just as he was about to knock, the door was pulled open and O’Haire stood there.

“Orlando. Thank fuck you’re here. This is a damned mess in here,” the realm police officer said by way of greeting. Orlando’s heart raced in his chest making him even more light-headed.

The last time Orlando had seen Jaidis he had shown up at her house in an attempt to save the female. His theory that she was being abused was confirmed when she’d answered the door bruised and battered. Now, he cursed that he’d fucked up in going to visit her. Kenny had shown up pissed off that Orlando was at his house with his pregnant mate. Kenny had threatened Orlando, but he wasn’t worried about himself. Instead, he’d left fearing for Jaidis’ safety. And, it was that fear that had kept him away for the past weeks.

Orlando hadn’t wanted to make matters worse for Jaidis, yet now he couldn’t help but wonder if he made a mistake by staying away. A quick glance over O’Haire’s shoulder had bile rising in his throat. There was a smear of blood on the wood floor of the tiny entryway. Orlando’s mind threatened to snap thinking it might belong to Jaidis.

Thank the Goddess he kept strict shields around his empathic ability because the toxic mix that slammed into him in the next second staggered him. The force of the terror made him take a step back and reach up to rub the ache in his chest.

Whatever had happened involved more violence than anything he’d ever experienced. More than once over his four hundred twelve years he’d wished for a different ability, but never more than right at that moment.

“What happened?” Orlando snapped, hating the tremor in his voice as O’Haire stepped aside and motioned for Orlando to enter the house. In his position with the Seattle Police Department there were certain protocols that clearly weren’t followed by the realm police. Orlando understood the reasoning. The realm didn’t have the same justice system as the humans.

In the realm the leaders were the judge, jury and executioner and they required far less formal evidence. Not that they didn’t collect evidence, because they did. The realm crime scene unit handled cases in similar manners to their human counter parts with a major difference being in cataloging scents, as well. They often called leaders to the scenes so they could gather their own impressions. These advances senses allowed them to pick up on subtle clues like scent that could exonerate or persecute perps.

“I came right over after Zander called me and found the male and female in the family room. I called the rest of the team right away. I’ve never seen such a savage attack between mates. Scenes like this usually involve demons and skirm,” O’Haire shared as he shook his head.

The knot in Orlando’s chest expanded and further constricted his breathing. Five steps in and his heart dropped to his feet.

Blood splattered the walls of the small living room to his left. The tan couches had sprays of red across the fabric and the television was on, but the picture was marred by streaks of blood. In a heap next to the fireplace, Kenny laid there still as stone, his lifeless eyes starring blankly at the ceiling. What was left of his face, anyway.

Orlando identified Kenny more by the familiar jumpsuit he wore than anything else. One side of the male’s face looked like a grenade had exploded on it. Flesh, bone and sinew gleamed in the lighting telling Orlando the male had been shot. It had to have been a silver bullet, Orlando mused. Nothing else would have killed the supernatural.

Orlando didn’t give the male another thought when he saw Jaidis’s feet behind one of the blood-soaked couches. Heedless of anything around him, Orlando rushed to her side.

Falling to his knees, part of his mind registered that he was kneeling in her life’s blood while the other part of him acknowledged nothing short of a miracle could save her.

One of her eyes was swollen shut and her lip was cut and bleeding, but that was the least of her injuries. Crimson seeped steadily from a wound to her swollen abdomen. And then there was the puncture wound in her chest, precariously close to her heart.

Dr. Fruge was next to her working on saving her life and met Orlando’s gaze over Jaidis’s inert body. “Hold pressure to the chest wound. I am going to need to do a c-section right here if I want to save the baby,” the doctor informed him grimly.

“You need to save them both!” Orlando barked at the male.

As if his voice had roused her, Jaidis blinked her eyes open and turned her head his way. “Orlando,” she managed to croak. “Is that…you?”

“Yes, Jaidis. I’m here. Dr. Fruge is here and he’s going to save you and the baby,” Orlando murmured, trying to reassure her.

She opened her mouth and blood frothed, seeping out the sides with her labored breathing. The coppery scent overpowered every other scent in the room, even the gunpowder from the gun he could see lying just out of Jaidis’s reach.

Orlando was fairly sure that Jaidis had shot her husband in an attempt to save herself and her baby from his wrath. It was a scene he’d seen too many times to count in the human system, but never imagined seeing it between Fated Mates. That bond was supposed to be above such abusive behavior in Orlando’s opinion.

Every one of the Goddess Morrigan’s subjects was born carrying a piece of their Fated Mate’s soul. The first lesson taught in life was that it was their duty to protect their mate’s soul and, once mated, that connection was so deep they could literally hear each other’s thoughts. Mates were so closely interwoven that they also knew each other’s feelings. He could not imagine harming a mate in this manner.

Kenny had to have felt what he’d done to Jaidis. The fear and pain he had caused. The male had to be extremely masochistic to be able to treat her like this and endure the consequences as a result.

And then there was the baby to think about. How did a male harm his child when they were at their most vulnerable?

The fact that Kenny had harmed both his mate and unborn child made Orlando want to kill him all over again. He hoped the male went straight to Hell for what he’d done.

“Not…me,” Jaidis whispered. “Save…my baby.” Her eyes slipped closed and her face went lax.

“No!” Orlando shouted as he pressed on her chest wound. “You’re going to live,” he ordered Jaidis.

“I have to operate now,” Dr. Fruge cut in. “I don’t know if she will make it through this. Her injuries are too severe.”

“You will save her,” Orlando told the male.

Dr. Fruge paled at the tone of Orlando’s voice and swallowed hard. Orlando didn’t give a shit if he was terrified. He needed to save Jaidis.

“Get me some towels and move this furniture,” Dr. Fruge told O’Haire who was standing sentinel over their group.

“Search the hall closets for towels,” O’Haire barked over his shoulder. Orlando couldn’t see who he talked to. The scrape of the couch over the wood floor as the sofa was pushed out of the way was loud, drowning out Jaidis’s labored breathing. O’Haire worked quickly to move the broken pieces of a table out of the doctor’s way.

Within minutes a shifter female returned with a bundle of towels in her arms. Orlando gave her a cursory glance, noting she was wore glasses, was of average build and had a police badge clipped to her belt before turning his attention back to Jaidis.

He smoothed the hair from her face, revealing more bruises. These were a greenish-black color telling him Kenny had beaten her yesterday as well. Supernaturals healed quickly and these particular marks would’ve been gone by tomorrow.

Orlando wondered how often Kenny harmed Jaidis. Without a doubt Kenny had gotten what was coming to him, but Orlando couldn’t focus on that or his leopard would tear the corpse limb from limb just to be sure he really was dead.

The female with the towels knelt next to Dr. Fruge and hesitated before she set the towels down. Orlando knew she hesitated because there wasn’t a clean spot on the floor.

“Just set them there,” Dr. Fruge ordered. “And, spread one out for me, please. I need my tools handy. Once I start the procedure I will need to move quickly to save the baby. Already his heart rate is falling.”

Dr. Fruge was a talented sorcerer and a doctor, but he did not have the healing abilities Jace did. Orlando needed to call Jace, but he couldn’t tear himself away from Jaidis long enough to make the call.

Forcing his attention from Jaidis’s pale face, Orlando met O’Haire’s gaze. “Call Jace and tell him to get here right away and to bring Gerrick with him. He may be able to heal her,” he informed the cop. O’Haire’s eyes bulged and then he swiveled and had his phone out of his pocket in no time.

“Do you think he will make it in time? She’s in pretty bad shape,” the female shifter pointed out as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Jace has to make it. He has to save Jaidis,” Orlando barked at the female, making her flinch with his harsh tone.

The female shook her head and held her hands up, palms out. That tantalizing frangipani scent overpowered everything else and settled the worst of Orlando’s anxiety. His heart went down a notch, although it still raced and he couldn’t breathe, but there was a measure of comfort.

“Don’t shoot the messenger. I meant nothing by it. I want her and the baby to live as much as you do,” the female admitted.

“Her name is Jaidis and she will live. You hear me, Jaidis?” Orlando asked, leaning down to whisper in her ear. Oddly, he couldn’t smell the frangipani this close to her.

Jaidis stirred as Dr. Fruge cut a diagonal slash across her flesh and it was flayed open, revealing her womb.

Orlando’s blood went molten in his body. That piece of shit had tried to cut the baby from Jaidis’s stomach, heedless of the damage he caused. Orlando heard the gasp escape the female cop as he jumped up and stormed to Kenny’s inert body.

Orlando’s progress was halted when O’Haire stepped into his path. “Get out of my way,” Orlando gritted out. “I am going to make sure he’s dead.”

“No. You’re not. Trust me, he’s dead. Stand down. Gerrick and Jace will be here soon. They’re going to portal here using a picture I sent them,” O’Haire informed him. “Go back to Ember and Dr. Fruge.”

Orlando stood there glaring at the male. He contemplated beating the shit out of O’Haire so he could get to Kenny but the doctor’s voice intruded. “Get over here, Orlando. She’s asking for you and I need your help. I need to cut into her womb and don’t have time for anesthetic.”

Orlando bee-lined to Jaidis’s side before the doctor finished speaking. “I’m right here, Jaidis,” he murmured, grabbing her hand and noted that Ember had taken over applying pressure to her chest.

“Take…care…of him. Promise,” Jaidis murmured, her voice barely audible.

“You will be here to help me take care of him,” Orlando informed Jaidis. She could not die. The thought of her not surviving made Orlando’s heart kick back up and his thoughts to spiral out of control.

“No…take care…of my…Brantley,” Jaidis said and then her eyes went vacant as a soft sigh escaped her mouth.

“We’re losing her,” Dr. Fruge blurted. “I’m taking the baby now.”

Orlando’s head snapped up and locked onto the doctor’s movements. As if in slow motion, he watched the male use a scalpel and carefully cut through the flesh and muscle of the womb. Bit by bit the baby was exposed. It was curled into a ball and Orlando got the barest glimpse of a fuzzy head before the doctor’s hands were reaching in and pulling the baby out.

Just then time sped up and all at once Orlando heard Jace and Gerrick arrive as the baby let out a loud wail while Dr. Fruge announced that they’d lost Jaidis.

No.

This couldn’t be happening.

Jaidis wasn’t dead.

Jace could save her. He had to.

Orlando’s world crumbled as Dr. Fruge handed the baby to him.

AUTHORS’ NOTE

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Table of Contents

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

Authors’ Note

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