Four Cowboys & A Witch
Cheryl Dragon
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Copyright ©2012 Cheryl Dragon
BIN: 05745-01841
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Changeling Press LLC
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Editor: Vicki S. Burklund
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
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Four Cowboys & A Witch
Cheryl Dragon
Five-way sex in Texas? Love doesn’t get any bigger!
Danielle left Texas for plenty of good reasons. The psychic had been called a witch and a lot worse. The only thing she missed was the four men who’d never let her down.
Back in Houston to settle her aunt’s estate, Dani is drawn into their fight against a mysterious creature. A lot has changed, and they want her in their life and their one, very Texas-sized bed. A quiet ranch life with a paranormal mission and four hot cowboys eager to share her is more than she ever dreamed of having.
Chapter One
Ben Richner paced the family-room-turned-command-center of his Houston ranch. The proper living room was still decorated to the hilt, ready to receive and entertain guests in proper Texas fashion. The tucked away command center was stocked with laptops, maps, and reference books on the paranormal.
Being pagan in Texas felt like being a kitten surrounded by western diamondback rattlers -- you didn’t stand a chance except to hold still and hope they didn’t see you. Of course, Ben’s crazy old aunts never cared. He’d learned it all young: Loving nature was okay here, but the good Christian ladies grew very uncomfortable with the pagan label.
As talented as this group of men was, only one had any spark of a magical gift, and it barely registered against the vampires they’d fought. A key piece of their group eluded them.
“Quit staring out the window. Trey and Rodney will get back when they’re done.” Sam Gradar stood and made his way to the kitchen with his coffee mug.
“I know,” Ben said.
He had grown so used to Sam’s limp he barely noticed anymore. Today, however, it grated on Ben: the pain in Sam’s green eyes, and how that long sandy hair swung more when the limp hurt him.
Guilt never went away. They’d been warned and couldn’t get to Sam in time. The rodeo accident in high school had been truly cruel harassment of a gay man. Seven years hadn’t healed Sam’s leg. Nothing could. It was good to be rich and own land in Texas. Ben had flown in specialists but there were no fixes.
Pagan and gay, the group had some strikes against it, but technically they weren’t gay. The missing piece was the right woman. The fact that the four of them had plenty of muscle from working a horse ranch meant others rarely harassed them.
Ben shook off the history running through his head. The case needed attention, yet his brain kept flashing back to high school when he’d fallen in love with Trey, and they’d both had a crush on that pesky Danielle girl.
Danielle Embers’ name had come up when her father’s aunt died last week. Since then, the group had kept their ears open for word that Dani’d returned to Houston. The very gifted woman had left for college and never returned. Her looks haunted him, long blonde hair and dark eyes that hinted of the power she tried to hide.
Finally Trey and Rodney pulled up in Trey’s loaded silver pickup. The two climbed out. Ben met them at the door. The sight of Trey’s handsome face, short brown hair and brown eyes comforted Ben.
“You’re hyper today.” Trey kissed Ben.
“It’s Dani. She’s in my head. Her aunt wanted no funeral and was cremated so maybe she won’t come back. Someone has to claim the ashes and her possessions. What if Dani has them shipped?” Ben hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his worn out jeans.
“We’ve put feelers out all over town. If she shows at the retirement apartment complex, the funeral home, or any of our usual haunts, they’ll call us.” Rodney shrugged.
Ben smiled at the ever practical and overly smart man of the group. Black hair and dark eyes made him look like the magical practitioner he wanted to be. Finding that online coven for pagan men was Rodney’s genius. He’d learned a lot, but they could really use Dani’s gifts.
A hand slapped Ben on the back. He looked over.
“You okay?” Trey asked.
“Yeah, fine. What did you find at the attack site?” Ben rubbed his eyes.
Rodney turned on a laptop and hooked up his smartphone. “I got pictures. The property owner swears he didn’t hear a thing all night. No howls or noises from the herd. There were no footprints or tire tracks.”
“After that rain yesterday, the ground is still damp. There should’ve been some impressions.” Trey moved over as Sam returned with his coffee.
“Another pricey cow killed?” Sam asked.
Trey nodded. “It was bloated from the sun this morning already, but the blood was gone. We cut the neck and the legs, barely any blood.”
“Wolves? Coyotes?” Ben suggested.
Sam studied the pictures. “No, packs tear up the body. This one is pristine. I can’t believe the coyotes didn’t go after the meat.”
“They didn’t. You know animals. There must be a reason. Some scent they don’t like. We took samples from the wounds, but the holes are so small it’d take forever to drain a heifer that way.” Trey walked away with a shrug.
Ben loved the experience dynamic. Trey and Sam knew animals and ran a tight ranch. Rodney had the book smarts while Ben had the quirky ideas. “Did you put it to the online coven guys?”
Rodney shook his head. “I’ll do it now that we’ve got evidence. The other two reports this week were shredded by predators by the time we got there. Vultures were circling when we arrived.”
“See what they say online. Could be kids being dumb or something paranormal we don’t know about.” Ben nodded.
“Vampires haven’t been a problem since we made them toe the line six months ago,” Sam said.
“Who says it’s vamps?” Trey asked.
“Who else wants blood?” Sam replied.
“There’s too much blood in a huge cow. How’d they keep it fresh? Pump and store? Come on, they can raid the blood banks or hospitals instead of doing the work for cow blood. It’s something else.” Ben liked the surge of fighting the unknown and helping people.
“I’ll put it online to the coven and start researching similar cases.” Rodney
settled in with the computer.
Ben’s phone beeped and he looked at the text message. Dani Embers at retirement complex now.
“Put the cows on hold, guys. Dani’s in town.” Ben turned and headed for the door. The other three followed. He could feel the group lighten up. As good as they were together, Ben knew they’d never be civilized without the right woman. Pagan warriors for good needed a goddess to connect them to the feminine powers. In Texas terms, there was no home without a woman in it.
* * *
Sitting in the sad little room, Dani wiped away a tear. She’d stayed away from Texas to protect herself from the witch hunt she’d dodged her senior year. Now all she could see was her old great-aunt dying alone in a room. Dani had gone off to college out east, while her family had moved to San Antonio. Aunt Millie, stubborn as ever, had refused to move with them. They’d only occasionally made it back to Houston.
All Aunt Millie’s personal things were packed up in a little bag. She’d donated all her clothes and shoes to other residents. Next on the list, Dani had to visit the funeral home and the lawyer’s office. She wished her brother were with her, but she wouldn’t stay long in Texas with all of the bad memories.
Dani turned to the door. Only to find four hot cowboys standing in the doorway. They looked concerned but waited respectfully, hats in hand. She ran to hug them. More tears slid down her face, but her smile hurt her cheeks. Ben held her tight and she felt a spark. His misty blue eyes held a secret. He kissed her like a long lost friend and passed her to Sam. Dani didn’t lean on him too hard because of his leg but gave him a peck on the cheek.
Rodney and Trey were sexy as ever. All four of them were to-die-for men. She’d had crushes on them in her teen years.
“What are you guys doing here?” she asked.
“Sorry about your aunt. We thought you might be coming back for her.” Ben nodded.
“Thanks. Ninety years is a good long life. I’m just sorry I wasn’t here for her.” She shrugged.
“Not your fault. Texas damn near ran you off senior year. Maybe we can change that.” Sam wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Change what? I’m only here for a day or two. Lawyer, funeral home, and back to Boston.” Dani loved the feel of muscled men, and the smell of cowboys always did her in. Denim, leather, and hard work triggered good memories of her childhood. With them she could block out the bad things that had happened to her.
“Stay with us. It’s better than a hotel.” Trey grabbed her hand and squeezed.
He’d been her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. Being surrounded by so much muscle turned her on. They all knew her secret, as well. Dani trusted them, but those high school desires flooded her senses.
Rodney leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. “Come on, all those people in a hotel? They’ll drive you crazy.”
“Thanks, but I’m better at controlling my powers now. Once I moved to a place where people didn’t think I was satanic because I possessed some psychic abilities, it was easier to learn about and refine them. Knowing you’re not alone or a freak is a big help.” Dani wanted to stay with them, but it could get weird.
“You’re awesome. Stay with us. Plenty of room.” Ben took her bag and put a hand on the small of her back.
“Wait. All four of you live together?” She sensed something more; it was sexual and strong. They were deeply devoted.
Sam winked. “Let’s go to our place and we’ll tell you all about it.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Dani found herself in a cozy family room with laptops and desks. They’d given her the grand tour. It was a massive home only Ben could afford. She had a guestroom fit for Scarlett O’Hara. With a mug of coffee in hand, she sat on the leather couch between Trey and Sam.
“It’s a gorgeous house, Ben. Now, what’s the story? Four men in one house?” she asked.
“Four men managing a ranch is better than two men living together. Less suspicious.” Ben nodded from the big chair on her left.
“So you and Trey are still a couple?” She leaned on Trey.
“Yes. Rodney and Sam hooked up in college, clearly serious. All of us wanted to stay here, but it made more sense to pool our resources and work together. Be together.” Trey slid an arm behind her shoulders.
The sexual vibe hit her. She’d learned to control her powers more, but coming back sparked her old desires. With these men, she let her guard down. Two men together was a fantasy, and she’d dreamed of all of these men in high school, that they would end up together. They all had sex. It was a group.
“You okay?” Rodney tapped away on his computer. “It’s a little unusual but so are you.”
Dani smiled. “True. Sex is one thing but there’s more.”
Ben rocked back in the recliner and grinned. “I missed having you around. Psychics make long conversations so much faster. Yeah, we all screw around. The closer the bond, the better for our mission.”
“Mission? Bond?” Dani focused on Ben and pushed through to the truth. Closing her eyes, she pulled out the words she needed. “Pagan. Coven. Protection. Warriors. Supernatural.”
“We joined an online coven. The goal is to protect people from the paranormal. We’re sort of pagan warriors.” Sam shifted toward her.
Dani felt the twinge in his leg. Instinctively she reached out to touch it. She wasn’t a healer, but she could direct energy when focused. Ben never blocked her. She borrowed some of his. Some people tried to stop her, but Dani was stronger now. When Sam relaxed, she let go.
“I thought you were getting fresh with my man,” Rodney teased.
“His leg hurt.” She shrugged. “Now, about this online coven… Are you sure it’s safe?”
Trey chuckled. “It’s not like we do tons of meetings or rituals. It’s strictly sharing information on how to battle paranormal evil. Rodney found the coven when we had some vampire trouble.”
“Humans battling vampires? Real vampires? You could be killed.” She’d learned a lot in college. Apparently these guys were on the same track.
“Rodney is dabbling in the magic side of things,” Sam said proudly.
“I’m trying, but I don’t have your powers.” Rodney closed his laptop. “I can feel the energy radiating from you.”
She looked at the floor. “I dreaded this trip. Seeing you four and knowing I’m safe here, I feel free. I never thought I’d feel like that in Texas. Really, I’m reflecting your energy. The four of you love each other, share, and are so strong together. All it’d take is a protection or strengthening spell, and you’d be safer.”
“That’s what the online coven recommends before battle. Without a witch to cast the spell, a female to worship and focus on, there’s not much chance it’ll work for us.” Ben looked at her pointedly.
The man lacked subtlety of any kind. His aunts had taught him the pagan tradition. Dani’d felt safer around Ben’s family than her own. He knew the importance of the goddess. “So your pagan coven is basically a modified Wiccan, still focusing on a goddess?”
“I never was religious as a kid. All those people trying to show each other up on Sundays. This I believe in: helping and protecting people from stuff they can’t handle. Respecting nature and women being the path to salvation can’t be argued with.” Trey’s fingers teased the back of her neck.
“I’m glad you found something that works for you. Aunt Millie always said as long as you believe in something that keeps you on the right path, doesn’t matter what they call it.” Dani felt the change in the room.
The sexual arousal wasn’t just on her end. Some of them had to be bisexual. Focusing on each man individually, she couldn’t find one who didn’t love her. She tried to pull friendly love from sexual, but they refused to separate.
“You okay?” Sam slid his hand on her knee.
The zing of lust hit her. They all stared at her.
She licked her lips. “So you don’t have a woman in your group? Come on, you’re four very good
looking, successful cowboys. There must be plenty of women who’d jump into this mix.”
Ben smiled. “They couldn’t handle it. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Me?” Her phone beeped. Dani grabbed it for the distraction. “Damn, I have to go to the funeral home and get her ashes. I made the appointment before I knew I’d run into you guys.”
“We’ll drive you.” Trey stood.
“I’m fine, really. I have my rental car. I know where the funeral home is.” She walked out of the room and set her coffee on the kitchen counter. All her thoughts echoed the men’s desires, but good Texas girls didn’t jump into bed with men -- certainly not four -- no matter how much they wanted to. As a psychic, sometimes she had prophetic dreams which materialized in reality, but this was ridiculous!
Chapter Two
Trey poured the coffee as Ben finished up pancakes. Rodney and Sam were searching the computer for any overnight developments. Dani hadn’t joined them last night, but the quad had talked it over in depth. No one would pressure her, but all were convinced she was the answer.
When Dani walked in, all flowing hair and sweet scent, Trey pulled out a chair.
“A gentleman. Such manners.” She blushed.
He admired her rear as she sat. The jeans fit her slender form like a second skin, the brown V-neck shirt teased, and her brown boots looked old. If she’d kept those, she couldn’t hate Texas that much. Maybe they could convince her to stay?
“Morning,” the men said.
“Pancakes.” Ben set a huge platter on the table.
She shook her head. “You cook. Why don’t you hire a housekeeper?”
“I like it. We have a lady who comes in to clean and do laundry a few days a week, but cooking feels good.” Ben went back to the stove and returned with a plate of bacon.
“I’m going to gain ten pounds in two days.” Dani dug into the food.
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