A Time for Change

by Marquaylla Lorette

  “It’s just a bad dream, Luv.”

  When she opened her eyes, the past drifted away.

  “It was only a dream,” Selena whispered.

  Adrianna realized she was safe and in her bedroom with Selena. She wiped her tears away. Then the hardness settled in as the nightmare went away. Selena watched Adrianna as she pushed the covers away and sat on the edge of the bed.

  Selena moved to the window and said absently, “Your wolf came out this time and you were levitating above the bed when I came in. You will need new sheets again.”

  “I am sorry, Selena,” Adrianna whispered.

  Adrianna wondered what she was going to do if she couldn’t get this under control. Having these nightmares was beginning to run her life and she refused to allow them to take that from her too.

  “You didn’t do anything wrong, Luv. It was a bad dream,” Selena consoled her.

  “More like a nightmare,” Adrianna whispered.

  “The conference begins tomorrow. Your brother, all the Alphas, and the Vampire Council will be there. You need to prepare and speak with all the Protectors. Security will be a top priority.”

  Adrianna knew Selena cared deeply for her like a mother cared for a child. Selena McPherson was her best friend.

  Selena was a very powerful witch and vampire. She saved Adrianna’s life ten years ago when she gave Adrianna some of her blood, changing Adrianna forever. Selena was a member of the Twister’s Council and Afton Mackenzie’s mate. She had been teaching Adrianna how to use her magic for ten years. Selena was considered, in the paranormal world, as an authority of sorts when it came to different paranormal groups. No one knew her family or the extent of her powers.

  Adrianna sighed. “I will be prepared, Selena, and the Protectors will be ready,” Adrianna said firmly, with more confidence than she felt right then.

  Gathering up the strength from inside herself, she pulled herself out of bed and began to get ready for the meeting she was dreading.

  Excerpt from Forever Levi

  Forever In Your Arms, Book Two

  By Shelby Lynn

  Prologue

  “Levi has been kidnapped!” Ramos shouted to Prince Braxton over the phone. “Our cars were attacked by a dozen Rebels. Everyone started fighting and I told Levi to stay close to me. Of course, he refused. When we were all fighting, I was still keeping an eye on him. I saw a man come up behind him, but I couldn’t warn him. He pulled out a needle and thrust it into his neck. Then he went down like a ton of bricks. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then all five of the Pack attacked me. Shit, there was nothing I could do but howl for my Pack. Son of a bitch, I’m going to tear Trace apart when I get him in my hands!” Ramos swore.

  “Shit, have you fully mated yet, and formed a link?” Braxton asked.

  “No, he didn’t want to until he officially joined the Pack. I’ll call an emergency meeting, and we’ll come up with a way to find him. Can I count on you?” Ramos asked.

  “Of course you can! Now where are we meeting?” Braxton asked.

  “Touch of Italy in fifteen.”

  “We will be there.”

  ***

  Levi thought back to the ambush they had just gone through. Someone had gotten the better of him. He had let someone sneak right up behind him. What kind of fighter am I? he thought back to everything as if it was happening all over again.

  Well, shit—it looks like all HELL had broken loose around them, Levi thought. They were on the way back to Levi’s home, when out of nowhere several vehicles forced their vehicles off the road. It was well planned at an unavoidable place on the narrow road. They were the only two in Ramos’s truck. The other SUV had the four usual Guards.

  Unfortunately though, the six of them were no match for the thirty or so Rebel Dogs who attacked in human and animal form. Ramos insisted Levi stay by his side, and he really wanted to do what his mate asked of him. He wanted nothing more than to help keep his mate safe while he was by his side. It was an impossible thing to ask though, as they were both quickly overwhelmed. In a matter of moments, the Rebel Dogs had put a considerable distance between the two of them.

  Ramos was one hell of a fighter, but even as strong as he was, the sheer numbers of the enemy were stacked against him. Levi was holding his own against the two Rebel Dogs, fighting hand to hand wasn’t new to him. All that time he was keeping an eye on his mate as well. Maybe the look on his mate’s face should have warned him of the danger approaching, but it didn’t.

  Levi didn’t see the man sneak up behind him or the huge needle until it pierced his neck. The effect was instantaneous, and he knew nothing more.

  Until only moments ago when he awoke in this room, and his mate was nowhere in sight. What the hell had happened?

  Right now, though, he was playing possum, and his captor didn’t seem to be aware of his small advantage. Shit—someone had given some lethal stuff to him with a needle, no less. He had gone down like a ton of bricks.

  Levi knew his mate was probably really pissed because he didn’t listen to him. He couldn’t just stand there and let his mate defend them. Levi jumped into the fighting, and quickly the Rebel Dogs managed to put distance between him and his mate. Then he felt pain in his neck, and the feeling of falling—then nothing.

  As Levi watched the man across the room, he wasn’t anyone Levi had met before. He couldn’t move very much, he was strapped down on the table. Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered how strong the straps were though, whatever the man gave him took away all of his Vampire strength. He was as helpless as a newborn baby.

  For the first time he wished they had completed their bond instead of waiting until the Destiny Pack accepted him as the Alpha Prime’s mate. Levi had truly only been thinking of the Pack members’ reactions to a Vampire Alpha mate. It would be hard enough winning their respect without it being forced down their throats. Shit—they hadn’t figured on him being kidnapped either.

  Just what the FUCK was going on!

  “Well, well, my prisoner is finally awake. It’s great to know the new experiment I’ve been working on worked so well. Actually, better than even I dreamed it could! I just needed a guinea pig to try it out on, and you fell right into my lap. When I overheard the Rebels in the pub talking about taking down some Vampires, I knew I couldn’t miss out on the chance, so I followed them. Shit, I’m just glad I went. I might have missed the chance to further my research,” he told the helpless Vampire with a laugh. He was getting close to fulfilling his promise.

  Levi did have an advantage it seemed. This crazy man didn’t seem to know he was Ramos’s fated mate. Levi just didn’t know what the man planned to do with him in the meantime. He was a little too eager to tryout his “creations” on Levi. He reminded him of one of those mad doctors on television, who was willing to do anything in the name of science and learning.

  Levi was a very smart man, but right at this moment, it wasn’t doing him the least bit of good. He was stuck with no means of escape. When he looked over at his captor again, the man was once again filling up a large needle with a yellowish fluid. He released the drug into his IV only moments later. It was up to his mate to find him, was his last thought.

  ***

  Steven watched the Vampire go back to sleep after the shot. When he had started on the formula to incapacitate a Vampire for his vengeance, he was more determined than anything to see if it could be done. So far he hadn’t taken the completed formula back to their Rebel Leader or “Boss,” as he liked to be called. Something was holding him back, and dammit, for the life of him, he didn’t know what it was. When he looked into the Boss’s eyes, he could see the instability lurking there. It was a look he knew well himself.

  It was a part of himself he didn’t always like. The difference between right and wrong seemed to blur at times. Only the hate he felt for Vampires filled his soul, and kept this feeling so right. Steven and the Rebel Leader did have something in common. They each lost family to the Vampires. Which l
ed him to study medicine, and ultimately to where he was today.

  Chapter One

  Ramos walked into Touch of Italy, and the server directed him to the private dining rooms in the back. His dog was pacing under his skin to the point of pain and anguish. The worst part was there wasn’t a DAMN thing he could do to find his mate alone. He needed the help of his “friends,” if you could call them such. His animal was beyond pissed at not pushing the mating to happen sooner. It was something he would have to live with. Now his only concern was finding his mate safe and sound.

  He hoped there was a bond between Twin Vampires, which would help him find his mate. It was tearing him apart inside just thinking of the horrible things happening to his mate at this very moment.

  After the fight had broken up, Ramos had tried to track his mate by scent. It was as if he had never even been there. It didn’t make any sense, when he knew Levi had been right beside him. He was kicking his own ass for not telling his Pack about his mate. He was the strongest in the Pack, and they would follow his orders. However, it wasn’t the way he wanted to run the Pack. To the Pack, they would protect the Alpha mate to the death after they gave their allegiance. Unfortunately, he hadn’t given them the opportunity…

  It was only the thought of calling the Vampire prince, and putting the Treaty to work to help find his mate, that pulled him away from the last place he had seen his mate, Ramos thought. The thought of anything happening to Levi literally made his blood boil in reaction. The more he thought about it, the more pissed he became. He would make the person pay for taking his mate!

  Only then could he think about making things right with his Pack. Once they found out he went to the “Enemy” first for help, he would have a lot to make up for to his mate and the Pack as well.

  His thoughts returned to the here and now as he followed the waiter into the private dining room. Braxton and Sheridan were there already. As he looked around the room, his breath caught when he looked at his mate’s brother. His mate’s resemblance was so striking—it hit him in the center of his chest. He wanted nothing more than to believe it was Levi standing there, and everything was the way it should be. Unfortunately, life wasn’t as cut and dry as that.

  Ramos pulled himself away from the fantasy to say, “Leon, do you have any way of sensing your brother?”

  Just then, Ramos’s friend and Pack mate walked into the room. He had called Maggie immediately as well to meet them here. His Second-in-Command would have some ideas hopefully as well. At this moment in time, it was hard to keep his emotions out of play. Hell—he was the Alpha Prime and he needed to damn well act the part, Ramos thought.

  Leon looked over at his twin’s mate. He could see just how much the man already cared for his brother. Levi had always been the quiet one, and he always cared more for others than for himself. He wasn’t surprised this man was already crazy about him. He wished it were possible to just link with his brother over any amount of time and space. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way.

  “Ramos, I wish the twin bond worked that way. The only thing we may have to work with is our blood-bond. When we were children, I almost died in a freak accident. I would have without Levi almost dying himself trying to save me. I didn’t even realize he was in trouble as a kid. Anyway, we formed a blood-bond and if we are close to each other we can talk through this link,” Leon told his brother’s mate before continuing about this link.

  “I have tried reaching him since I found out. So I know he isn’t anywhere close to here,” Leon told him.

  “Do you have any idea the range you have used in the past to talk?” Ramos asked. This was a great thing to find out about this mate. Leon could be the key to finding his mate.

  “We didn’t really test it out farther than a mile or so. Mostly, it was when we were kids and just having fun. I am going to head out after this meeting and see if I can expand my search area,” Leon told his brother’s mate. Leon truly hadn’t known fear very often in his long life. Now, he could honestly say he was worried about his brother.

  From everything they had found out about this Rebel Leader, he wasn’t one to leave anyone alive in his wake. They had seen that already with the slaughter of a small Guild. There wasn’t a single survivor to the massacre to tell them WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!

  Leon would not let that happen to his brother! He went to talk to his prince about his plans before the meeting started.

  ***

  Prince Braxton thought back to the short time when his own mate was missing. One of those moments he never wanted to experience again during his lifetime. Was his mate hurt? The not knowing was the worst and he would gladly take his place. He looked over at his amazing mate, thankful once again to have such an amazing man in his life.

  He could see the worry in his eyes from here. Braxton knew it wasn't all just about finding out about Levi and finding out what had happened to him. Sheridan was worried about his mom. The situation was precarious at best.

  With the kidnapping, Sheridan was thinking about his mom. He wanted her away from Ronny and his abusive ways. It was tearing him apart knowing his mom was in danger. He looked across the room at his mate, thankful for this loving man.

  Braxton was so glad he'd sent Elliot down to check out the situation. It had been quite the surprise to find out Sheridan's mom was the older Vampire's Serenity Mate. He was keeping an eye on the situation from afar. Braxton had left him with orders just to watch the situation. Although, if Shelly was put in any kind of dangerous situation, he knew Elliot wouldn't hesitate to jump in and protect his future mate.

  The stepdad was going to be a problem—there was no doubt about that. He wouldn't want to lose his meal ticket, along with his punching bag. Sheridan had told him that when Ronny started in on the beer, he was known for being violent. Although, it sounded like it was around the clock now. It was something he couldn't understand at all!

  Using their link he asked, ‘How are you holding up?’

  Sheridan looked into the black eyes of his incredible mate across the room. He was once again thankful for breaking down in this town; otherwise, he might not have found this amazing man. He wanted with everything inside of him to join completely with this man for eternity. With everything happening though, they had decided to wait. Otherwise, he would be venerable for several days after the transformation. He wanted to be his Serenity Mate in every sense of the word.

  ‘I am fine. It is the worrying, as well as the waiting,’ he told his mate.

  Braxton soothed his mate the best he could for the moment saying, ‘We will find a solution to both situations, Sheridan.’ He sent his feelings of love and comfort through their link.

  Excerpt from The Beast at the Gate

  Book One of the Rayna of Nightwind Series

  by R. A. Baker

  Prologue

  The old sour-faced hag shuffled a crooked cane in her hand, taking small steps so she did not tire before she reached the guardhouse. Her thin legs grew used to these trips. She lived in a small cottage just inside the East Taren border, but it still took her several hours each night to reach the much warmer land of the West Taren territories. It was a long walk from home, but no self-respecting East Tarener would choose to live on West Taren ground simply to save time. Being near the border’s edge was close enough for her. Slowly, as she progressed down the trail, she felt the air get noticeably thicker, and wind gusts began to push ever stronger against her robed frame.

  For as long as the old woman could remember, the borderlands were the only place in Taren that was neither very hot nor very cold. East Taren was known for its biting cold and frost-covered landscapes, whereas West Taren was a blistering, hot land covered with tall grains stretching toward the sun. The borderland separated these two extreme halves of Taren, and was a dreary gray with ever-overcast skies that gave every man, plant, and animal a faded, washed-out look. At the core of the borderlands, a great rolling fog made it impossible to see past it to the other side of the border.
It also provided an insidious cover for thieves and bandits to hide as they waited for victims trying to cross over. The wretched wind and damp fog was so heavy there, only a handful of the most determined and skilled cutthroats could take full advantage of it. Thus, any person bold enough to travel across this treacherous border-path had an equal chance of emerging on the other side perfectly unscathed or suffering a gruesome fate.

  If the wiry hag cared about the risk she was taking, it did not show on her scowling face—a detail not lost on her village neighbors. Every evening at dusk, she felt them watching her as she left her home. She felt their prying eyes on her back as she tugged on her doorknob to be sure it was well locked before venturing out for the borderlands. When she returned home early the next day, the fools took it upon themselves to eye their disapproval as she let herself inside to rest.

  She never told the villagers where she went each night—much to their displeasure—so they had to content themselves with speculation. She made no secret of her annoyance with this rural rabble, and they kept their distance.

  The hag narrowed her eyes, mindful of the dust that rose ahead from the dirt trail. The lane she trod a hundred times before was lined by wild hedgerows on one side and open fields, dotted with the occasional house on the other. Adjusting her gray woolen scarf, she ambled along, her thoughts drifting back to her bothersome neighbors.

  Observing her routine was something of a common pastime for the locals, who had few means of entertainment. Tonight she sensed them peering at her through the cracks of their shuttered windows, she caught sight of them craning their narrow necks in her direction as they hurried home to the comfort of their beds. As thickheaded as these townsfolk were, the hag assumed they figured out by now she had been going to the West Taren city of Lament every night. It was nearly four hours travel from the village, yet it was the closest settlement on the other side of the border. The hag grunted as she used her cane to push aside a cluster of thorny brambles from her path. Even a child could figure it out.