by Aubrey Ross
“It’s a big house. We have other properties, but we spend the majority of our time here. That might change as we marry. Married couples tend to appreciate privacy even more than reclusive bachelors.”
“None of your brothers are married?”
“Burtons marry for life, so it’s imperative we find the right woman before initiating the bond.”
“I think most people want their marriage to last forever, but there is this thing called divorce.”
“Not for us.”
She didn’t argue with him. It was obvious the Burton brothers had some very old-fashioned ideals. The security of a permanent relationship appealed to Kendra. It would be wonderful to know she would always be loved and accepted. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she heard her own thought. She was here to renovate a house not find a husband!
“I’ll send Ruth to you. There are some arrangements awaiting my attention. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Before she could comment, he left her alone in the salon. What arrangements did he need to make and when did he expect his brothers? She hadn’t made plans for the rest of the day, but she still had to commute back to San Francisco.
Or you can spend the night with him. You know that’s what he wants. She shook away the outrageous thought. She didn’t have casual sex.
Somehow she suspected that sex with Ryan would be anything but casual.
* * *
Desperate to be free of sleep state’s confines, Torral fought his way to the surface. His consciousness melded with Ryan’s in a dizzying mixture of images and thoughts. She was here! Their mate—whether she knew it or not—had arrived. Ryan had touched her, tasted her mouth and the sweetness of her hesitant response.
Desire curled through him, followed immediately by trepidation. Was the danger imminent or had his gift stirred, warning of future events?
She was here!
It was hard to think beyond that one realization.
Energy pulsed. Molecules gathered and expanded. He passed through Ryan’s body, separating from his day-dwelling twin.
Ryan stepped back and braced his hands on his knees. “I wanted to introduce you to Kendra.” He panted and color drained from his face. “But I don’t…think I can hold off the change.”
“I’ll tell her you said goodbye.”
Ryan glowered. “That’s not funny. We have to move slowly. If you push too hard, she’ll—”
“I won’t push any harder than she wants me to push.” Torral punctuated the boast with a salacious smile.
“This is too important. You have to approach her cautiously.” Ryan’s corporeal form wavered, undulating in and out of focus. “Are you doing this intentionally?”
“I think you’re paying for my surge back at the lake house. Stop fighting it. I’ll take care of Kendra.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Ryan released his hold with a frustrated sigh, dissolving in a ripple of shimmering sparks.
Closing his eyes, Torral waited for his body to absorb Ryan’s energy.
Let Leos know what’s going on.
Torral smiled. I’ve got everything under control.
Sleep state claimed Ryan before he could voice his discontent.
Turning his attention outward, Torral swept the house with his mind. Leos was in his bedroom, Evan had yet to return from San Francisco, and Ruth was in the salon with Kendra.
Kendra. He let the sound resonate through his mind. Few humans knew of the Dichotomy. There was no reason for most humans to be aware of the other species living among them. But Kendra needed to know. If she was to willingly bond with Torral and Ryan, she must first accept the complexity of their nature.
Leos stepped out into the hall as Torral approached his bedroom.
“Were you able to locate our intruder?” Leos asked without preamble. “His signal was stronger than it has ever been before.”
“He only taps the link when I’m in sleep state.” Torral rubbed the bridge of his nose and released a long, shuddering sigh. “I can sense echoes of his presence, but nothing strong enough to track.”
“Which is why he only plays these games during the day.” Leos squared his shoulders and his dark gaze took on a stubborn gleam. “We have to find this bastard before he brings his fixation into the physical realm.”
“I agree. I’m still not sure what he wants, but I’m more convinced than ever that this shadow is a Dichotomy.”
“It doesn’t matter what he is; no one puts this family in danger.”
“Glad to hear it because this family is about to get a little bigger.”
Leos’s brows drew together and he slipped one hand into the seam pocket of his pants. “What are you talking about?”
“Ryan interviewed a contractor today.”
“Kendra Somethingorother?” Leos nodded. “I know. Daniel told me.”
“Well, Kendra Somethingorother triggered pulses of awareness so strong in Ryan that they nearly jolted me out of sleep state.”
“She’s compatible?” Leos sounded a bit leery.
Torral smiled. “She’s not just compatible, she’s our mate. Nothing else can produce a reaction this strong.”
Pain clouded Leos’s stare a moment before he looked away. “Don’t jump to conclusions. We don’t have to bond with a female to test her compatibility.”
Torral understood his brother’s resistance. Six years before Leos had opened his heart to a human female only to lose her in a horrific fire. Leos had been overly cautious regarding females ever since.
“Do you trust my visions?”
With a stiff nod, Leos returned his gaze to Torral. “Of course I do.”
“I saw her, Leos. Even in sleep state the vision was vivid and detailed. Danger stalked her, threatened her, and finally captured her. I have never felt as helpless as when I watched her die. But the vision didn’t end with her death. I was shown another path. She stood between Ryan and me, reveling in the love of her Dichotomy mates, not just alive but vibrant and content.”
“If you don’t bond with her, she’ll die?” Challenge arched Leos’s brow.
“What else could the images mean?”
“That pursuing your attraction will result in her death.”
“That wasn’t what I saw. She’s our mate and a soul bonding will keep her safe.”
Leos waved away the statement and headed for the stairs. “You haven’t even met her yet and you’re planning a soul bonding.”
* * *
Kendra swirled the wineglass beneath her nose and inhaled the light, crisp scent of the pale Riesling. Ruth had brought her a tray of assorted wines and finger foods half an hour ago. The private tasting would have been far more enjoyable if Ryan had shared it with her. She watched the archway and the foyer beyond, hoping Ryan would return or one of the other brothers would appear.
The persistent desire she’d experienced at the lake house had faded to a distant ache. All she had to do was close her eyes and imagine Ryan beside her for the feelings to flare again, so she tried to keep her mind busy.
Animal magnetism, elemental attraction, she’d heard the terms before, but never imagined she’d experience the phenomenon firsthand. Beyond the devastating exterior, Ryan was charming and intriguing. Surrounded by wealth and privilege, he was still able to laugh at himself.
She took a sip of wine and closed her eyes, allowing the taste to roll across her tongue. She saw his smile and felt his lips brush against hers. Tingling warmth rushed up to meet her.
“What do you think of the Riesling?”
With a sputtering gasp, she swallowed as her eyes flew open. Two men stood in the archway, one a step back from the other. Both had short dark hair and wide, thick-lashed eyes. The man in front appeared slightly older and she wasn’t sure which one had spoken.
“All of the wines are excellent,” she replied.
“Which is your favorite?” the younger man asked, stepping past his brother and into the salon.
“That would depend on the situation.”
“I’m not talking about tact or decorum.” He stalked toward her with lazy aggression, desire making his dark eyes shine. “React instinctively. When you tasted the wine, which one pleased you the most?”
“What if I was pleased by more than one?” A fiery blush spread across her cheeks as she heard the husky purr in her own tone. She glanced down and grimaced. Running shoes with a skirt. She must look ridiculous.
“It makes you all the more interesting.”
Her gaze locked with his. Had he responded to her question or her thought? Ryan’s eyes hadn’t been quite as dark, but they had the same penetrating quality. She needed to get the conversation back on track. Smoothing down her skirt, she pushed to her feet and held out her hand. “Kendra Lawrence. Ryan asked me to show you my ideas for the lake house.”
His long fingers curved around hers in a firm handshake and Kendra’s heart forgot its rhythm. She felt surrounded by heat, enveloped in his ink-black gaze.
“I’m Torral and this is Leos.” Even his tone caressed her, stirring her senses and challenging her composure. “Ryan was called away for the evening. He asked that I entertain you in his stead.”
“He’s not coming back?” She slipped her hand out of his, feeling oddly vulnerable. Why would Ryan have left her? He’d made his interest obvious.
“You sound disappointed.” Torral smiled and a bit of the predatory ferocity eased from his expression. “Converting the lake house into a studio was actually my idea.”
“He just can’t be bothered with details,” Leos told her.
“Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Only a fool intentionally sets himself up for failure.”
Leos shook his head. “It’s far too early in the day for your philosophies.”
“Too early in the day?” Kendra glanced at the darkened window.
“A figure of speech. Torral and I tend to be nocturnal. We are often rising about the time the others are winding down.”
“I know Torral is Ryan’s twin.” Did that account for her reaction to him? “Your twin is…”
“Daniel. He’ll be disappointed to learn he missed you.”
Kendra smiled. Torral was like a barely contained wildfire. With the slightest encouragement he would consume her. Leos, on the other hand, smoldered, his emotions more deeply buried.
“Isn’t there a younger set of twins as well?” she asked, needing a distraction from the sensations zinging through her.
“Evan and Joseph are in San Francisco entertaining a prospective client,” Leos explained. “Depending on how much they drink, they might not return tonight.”
After a moment’s pause, Kendra swept her hand toward the presentation binder that lay on the coffee table in front of the settee. “Would you like to see what I have in mind?”
Torral picked up the binder and sat down on the small couch. Leos chose the adjacent chair, leaving Kendra the other end of the settee.
“Are you going to renovate or level the place and start over?” Leos posed the question as Torral thumbed through the pages of her presentation.
“I have proposals for each approach, but Ryan seemed more interested in renovation.”
“I want renovation as well.” Torral glanced up as he spoke. “The lake house has a certain energy you don’t find in newly constructed homes. Even the most detailed recreation can’t capture that ambiance.”
“As you can see on the proposal, it will be more expensive,” Kendra cautioned.
“It doesn’t matter. I won’t allow it to be destroyed.”
Kendra was thrilled by his vehemence. She would much rather renovate the existing structure than start over.
Torral handed her the binder and she passed it to Leos. She met his gaze with a hesitant smile. His eyes were so dark a blue their color was only revealed in certain light. Her gaze drifted back to Torral as tension gathered in her abdomen. This was how she’d felt with Ryan. Anxious. Breathless. Leos was easily as handsome as his brothers, yet she felt only curiosity when she looked at him.
“This is really Ryan’s field of expertise,” Leos said as he closed the proposal and handed it back to her. “If he was satisfied with your plans, I have no objection.”
“Ryan left the final decision up to me,” Torral reminded them.
Kendra placed the binder in her lap and looked into Torral’s eyes. “Do you have any questions?”
“When can you start?” He flashed a smile and dimples formed on either side of his mouth.
Leos didn’t give her time to enjoy the triumph. He stood, drawing her attention. “We’ll celebrate the partnership over dinner. I’ll let Ruth know you’ll be staying.”
Uncertainty fluttered in her belly, overshadowing her momentary thrill. She hadn’t agreed to stay. He hadn’t bothered to ask. She was tempted to decline in protest of his highhanded manner, but he smiled and left the salon before she mustered the nerve.
“Do you have somewhere you need to be?” Amusement shone clearly in Torral’s eyes.
“It’s customary to ask. That was a bit presumptuous.”
“Would you please stay for dinner?” Torral’s tone was coaxing, yet a hint of challenge shaped his expression. “We would be honored by your presence.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and did her best not to smile. “And I thought Ryan was arrogant.”
“Ryan is a kitten compared to Leos.”
“What does that make you?”
Torral stared at his mate as hunger twisted through his body. It was all he could do not to pounce, not to press her into the softness of the settee and overwhelm her senses. Her understated beauty enticed him and he found her spirit fascinating. She wasn’t afraid of him even though he was doing little to suppress his desire.
“I’ll let you decide what I am after you’ve seen my work.”
“Is that an invitation or a command?”
“Would you let me command you? I didn’t get the impression that submission would appeal to you.”
Her green eyes flashed with rebellion and something he couldn’t quite define. She opened her mouth to respond then turned her face away. “You only just met me. How could you possibly know what appeals to me?”
“Why don’t we find out? You never answered my question about the wine, so I’ll tell you. Of the five wines Ruth offered, the Riesling pleased you most.”
“That’s no revelation. I was still enjoying it when you walked into the room.”
“All right. How about this impression? You proposed a demolition scenario for the lake house, but you would have turned down the project if that’s what we wanted you to do.”
She shook her head and glanced down at the proposal still lying across her lap. “It would have broken my heart, but I no longer have the luxury of picking and choosing my projects. The construction industry as a whole is struggling and my specialized end of the spectrum has been hit even harder.”
He extended his arm along the sofa’s back, needing to touch her, but unwilling to move too fast. “Then it’s a good thing we found each other.”
“I’d like to see some of your paintings. Understanding your work will help me design the studio.”
He caught a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. She didn’t notice the stolen caress until he trailed his knuckles along the side of her neck. “Is that the only reason?”
“What other reason could there be?”
Releasing her hair, he focused his wandering gaze on her mouth. Were her lips as soft as they looked? Would she sigh and curl her tongue around his or tremble and try to resist? “You still need to decide what sort of animal resides within me.”
Her lips parted and her tongue appeared, wetting the lower curve before retreating into her mouth. “Lead the way.”
Lust gripped Torral at her whispered encouragement. Despite the boasts he’d used to provoke Ryan, he understood that her receptiveness was tenuous. She had much to learn and time was their ene
my. It was imperative he reveal the truth gradually, allowing her to accept each revelation in turn.
He stood and held out his hand. Setting the proposal aside, she placed her hand in his and pushed to her feet. His fingers closed around hers, his thumb gently stroking. “Do you have a roommate, someone you need to inform that you’ll be late?”
“I already left a message telling them I’d been delayed.” She neatly sidestepped his bid for information. Her response revealed nothing except that she didn’t trust him, yet.
With her hand lightly clasped in his, he led her across the foyer and up the main staircase. She followed silently, her gaze taking in her surroundings with greedy awe. “When was the house built?”
“Portions date back to the 1890s, though the vast majority of what you see today was part of a renovation/expansion begun in 1910.”
“It’s amazing. Have you ever considered sharing it with the public?”
“This is our home. Public tours will never be an option.”
He led her down the corridor on the left and to the back corner of the house. His current work was on an easel near the center of the room. Stacks of framed canvases lined the walls, some complete, others still in progress. He let her wander at will, watching her expressions and gauging her reactions.
Silence stretched between them, tense with expectation. She stood in front of his most recent painting for what felt like an eternity.
“What do you think?” he asked when he could stand the silence no longer.
Chapter Four
Kendra searched for the right words to describe the moonlit landscape and failed. The scene Torral had captured on canvas spread out beyond the windows at her side. Rolling fields and silvery clouds, neat rows of grapevines, and the lake in the distance were all recreated in stunning detail. She enjoyed drawing in her free time, but one look at Torral’s work shined a glaring light on her mediocrity.
“It’s…enchanting.” Even that word didn’t do it justice. She felt as if she could dive into the painting, yet there was a surreal air as well. Moving back to the row of canvases against the wall, she studied the portraits more closely. The imperious tilt of Leos’s head was perfect. Torral had painted him with a blond man. “Is this Daniel?”