by Jane Jamison
“Wait, Emeline.” Tyler was up and on his feet before his brother or cousin. Unlike Emeline, he grabbed his clothes and took off running after her. “She’s fine. Slow the hell down.”
Damn. For a human, the girl’s fucking fast.
Derek and Evan were on his tail as he burst into the house. He caught her halfway down the hallway as she grabbed a worn-out housecoat off a doorknob and threw it around her naked body.
“Emeline, slow down. She’s all right.”
She yanked out of his hold but wouldn’t listen. Instead, she darted away, flung open the door, and then slammed to a stop. “Oh shit.”
He came up behind her, saw what was going on, and then stepped back. He’d tried to tell her, but he should’ve held on to her tighter and kept her from opening the door. Again, she’d surprised him. She was as strong as she was fast.
“What the hell are you doing, Emmy?” Miss Charlotte’s voice held anger and more than a hint of passion.
“Oh my God. I am so sorry.” Emeline, her face white, closed the door to Miss Charlotte’s bedroom as fast as she could. Her gaze met his then lowered as she hurried down the hallway and past him.
“Baby, slow down.” Evan tried to take her arm, but she jerked it free.
“Damn it. Why didn’t you stop her?” Derek’s stormy expression held both anger and frustration.
“Why the hell didn’t you stop her? You heard it, too. You knew what Miss Charlotte was doing.” They’d all recognized the sounds coming from Miss Charlotte’s monitor. What adult shifter wouldn’t?
They followed Emeline back into the yard. She hurried past the blanket and the picnic, striding fast toward the small cottage that served as her home.
“Sugar, hang on. It’s okay. We should’ve warned you.”
She spun around, her eyes accusing, her mouth parted in surprise. “You knew? But how?”
Tyler glanced at his brother and cousin but got no help there. He shrugged and told the truth. At least as much of the truth as he could. “Well, shit. It’s not like we haven’t heard a woman pleasuring herself before. I’ve got to admit, though, I never expected her to have a big, blue vibrator.”
Embarrassment flooded Emeline’s face in a rush of pink. She whirled around and hurried toward her front door.
“Damn it, Tyler. Way to put it.” Evan didn’t bother chasing after Emeline. Instead, he crossed his arms and glared.
Tyler tried to keep his temper. “I didn’t hear you offering any explanation.” He lowered his voice as Derek caught Emeline before she could go inside her home. “At least I didn’t tell her how we knew. That we know how a female werewolf sounds when she’s masturbating. The old girl sure can howl.”
Evan shook his head. “Yeah. Sure. At least you didn’t put it that way.”
Emeline pushed Derek back, opened the door, and disappeared inside. His brother walked back to them as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Way to go, brother. What next? Letting her see Miss C shift?”
Why the hell were they blaming him? “She was stronger than I thought she’d be and slipped out of my hold. Come on. It’s not my fault.”
“Whatever happened has already happened. She saw what she saw, and there’s no changing it now,” added Evan.
“Maybe now’s the time to tell her about us. Let’s go and talk to her.” A light filtered through the window blind. At the very least, they could try and calm her down. “She’s still up.”
“I think she’ll be up for a while.” Evan tunneled his fingers through his hair. “She’s in no mood right now. We’ll talk to her later. Once she’s gotten over the shock.”
Tyler didn’t want to leave, but his cousin’s logic made sense. When they told Emeline that they wanted her for their mate, they wanted it to come at the right time and at the right place. Not after getting an eyeful of Miss Charlotte satisfying her needs.
“Fine.” He tugged his shirt on. “Let’s clean up and get out of here.”
* * * *
Emeline was both excited and a little apprehensive to be at the Wolf’s Den, but she couldn’t turn down an opportunity for a girls’ night out. Excited because she needed time with her friends. Excited because she’d take any chance to see the Mitchell men and Evan. Apprehensive because she wasn’t sure what she’d say once she did see them. The morning after the picnic, they’d sent a bouquet of flowers to her, but other than their names on the card, they’d said nothing.
Were they here? She scanned the bar and tried again to find them. The place was packed, and although she had a feeling they were close by, she hadn’t seen them yet.
What would she say after the other night? Not only was she surprised at how she’d given herself to them, but she was still recovering from seeing Miss Charlotte. Miss C, on the other hand, had acted as though it was no big deal. She hadn’t mentioned Emeline barging into her room, and Emeline wasn’t about to mention it, either. As far as she was concerned, she wanted to forget it had ever happened.
At least the part about seeing Miss Charlotte. As for being with Derek, Tyler, and Evan? Their time together, the sweetness of them planning a picnic, as well as the powerful emotions they’d shared, were things she never wanted to forget.
Raven slid onto the bar stool as Betsy and Heather scooted farther apart and made room for her. The music was loud, but Emeline liked it. What girl born and raised in Dallas wouldn’t like a good country band?
Raven said something about being overdressed, which was true, but Emeline didn’t pay much attention. She was still trying to find her men.
But they aren’t my men. Just because we did what we did doesn’t mean I have any claim on them.
She looked again and thought maybe she spotted Evan at the bar. The crowd closed together too fast for her to be sure. She needed to stop obsessing about them before she did something stupid.
“So what’s new? Anything exciting?” Emeline sipped on her bottle of beer and tried to keep her mind on the conversation. “If you want something besides beer, you’ll have to go to the bar.”
“This is fine. As for the other? Not much happens at the store,” answered Raven.
Emeline nodded even as her mind drifted again. Where were they?
Stop it, damn it. Pay attention. What were they talking about? Good-looking men?
She knew who the best-looking men were. No doubt about it.
Damn it. Would she ever stop thinking about them?
Even Miss Charlotte had noticed her absent-mindedness caused by her thoughts staying centered on the men. And if Miss Charlotte noticed, then why wouldn’t everyone else?
Hoping she’d paid enough attention to catch the gist of what the others were saying, she jumped in with both feet. “One, this is supposed to be a girl’s night out, remember?” As much as she tried to resist, she couldn’t keep her gaze from darting to the dance floor. She loved dancing and she’d love dancing with her men even more. “Two, from what I hear, you’ve already got three hot men chasing you.”
“No I don’t,” argued Raven.
Emeline shot Raven a skeptical look. Yeah, right. And I didn’t end up flat on my back in the middle of Miss Charlotte’s backyard.
“Stop blowing smoke, Raven. Everyone knows the Hardwick men have the hots for you,” added Heather.
“What about you? I hear you’ve got a thing for the Wilson brothers.” Raven was going on the offensive.
Heather blinked then looked down at her drink. “I don’t know about that, but they are as hot as they come.”
“They’re not as hot as Tyler and Derek Mitchell. And their cousin Evan Grange.”
Oh shit. Did I just say that out loud?
“I’m just saying is all.” They didn’t seem to have to noticed how distracted she was. Not even when she opened her big mouth and let her secret fall out.
Raven shifted the bull’s-eye over to their other friend. “And how about you, Betsy? Have you hooked up with Billy Johnson yet?”
Thank you, Rav
en.
“Don’t forget about Scott Branton and Foster Rittenhouse. Whatever Billy’s into, Scott and Foster are into. Or should I say ‘whoever’ they’re into?” Emeline made a circle with one hand and poked a finger through it. And immediately felt shitty for doing it. She was throwing her friend under the bus to get their focus off her.
How low can I go?
Betsy sputtered into her drink. “Hey. Who brought me into this discussion?”
“We did,” said Raven. “Are you denying it?”
“Okay, fine. I’ll admit it. I wouldn’t mind having Scott and the other two giving me a little attention. Or at least doing something more than helping me get the store ready.”
“Really?” added Heather. “They came and helped? That’s so nice.”
“Yeah, it was. Although I’m not saying I got much done while they were there, I wasn’t about to complain. They’ve dropped in to help a couple of times. But don’t go making it a big deal. Still, you’re right. They were just helping me to be nice. You know. Doing their civic duty to support a new business in town.”
“I think it’s more than their civic duty.” She cringed, once again opening her mouth when she shouldn’t have. She tried covering her embarrassment by shooting Betsy a smug smile.
Stop. Just stop. Yet, she couldn’t. Every time she opened her mouth, she risked the focus of the conversation coming back to her. She took another sip and went back to trying to find Evan and the Mitchell brothers.
* * * *
Evan sensed Emeline the moment she walked through the door of The Wolf’s Den. Although she was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt, she was more beautiful than any other woman. He wanted to go to her but held back. Instead, he studied her as she interacted with her girlfriends. Her smile would light up her face then her smile would fade after saying something. One minute her gaze would skim over the crowd, and then, in the next, she’d pay more attention to her friends or, worse, to her drink. It was as though she couldn’t decide what she wanted.
I can help her make a decision.
Tyler and Derek were nearby. He’d split apart from them to talk with Morris Hilst and Thomas Jagger, two older vampires who had helped him make the transition from human to vampire. Although there weren’t many vampires in Fate, they tended to be a tight-knit group, forming their own kind of “pack.” When Morris and Thomas had offered him a stake—no pun intended—in a couple of business ventures, he’d jumped at the chance. He wanted to contribute to the household, but working the ranch during the day wasn’t an option. Unlike in the movies, vampires didn’t go up in a blaze of fire when exposed to sunlight. Still, they didn’t like the way direct sunlight made them feel. The more time they spent in the light, the weaker they felt.
He and the Mitchel brothers had wanted to talk to Emeline after the picnic. Or, rather, after they’d taken her at the picnic. They hadn’t planned on telling her what they were, but then again, they hadn’t expected to have sex with her, either. And they definitely hadn’t planned on Miss Charlotte and her toy getting in the way.
He and his cousins had discussed sharing a mate many times before Emeline showed up in town and then after, agreeing she was the one woman they wanted to share. They were certain she’d accept them as shifters and him as a vampire even though it was strange for a woman to mate both a vampire and two werewolves. But they’d also agreed that she needed more time to get used to the quirkiness of the citizens of Fate and to the idea of ménage relationships. Being friendly to her for the past couple of months since she’d arrived in town had earned them her trust to some degree, but the time had come to make her start thinking of them as more than friends. Yet even he hadn’t anticipated having sex with her before telling her what they were.
She wants us as much as we want her.
The thought made him feel warm all over. She hadn’t fought them off. In fact, she’d been more than a willing participant. He’d heard her moans and had felt her heart pound. He licked his lips, remembering the feel of her soft skin, the whiff of her scent and the way her mouth had felt wrapped around his cock. No woman had ever felt so right. Not before his transformation and not after.
The question he and his cousins had asked several times came back. Once she accepted them for what they were, once she’d agreed to be their mate, would she want to be changed? And if she did, which would she want to be? A werewolf or a vampire? Of course, he’d loved to change her into a vampire, but it would be her choice and hers alone.
He glanced at Thomas and Morris. If it hadn’t been for his two vampire allies, he would’ve had a more difficult time being welcomed into the Fate community. A lot of shifters, werewolves and werecats alike, didn’t like vampires, and they sure as hell didn’t like a vampire who lived with two werewolves. It helped that the two shifters were his cousins, men everyone liked. Yet he’d overheard rumblings about “a vamp claiming a mate with werewolves” and knew a lot of folks didn’t like the idea. Gay marriage had caused an uproar in the human world, but that controversy had nothing on having a vampire and werewolves share the same human female. He didn’t care. Whatever he had to do, whomever he had to confront to have Emeline, he’d do it.
“She’s here.”
Tyler’s hand on his shoulder didn’t alert Evan to his cousin’s presence. He’d sensed Tyler easing up behind him.
“Yeah. I know.”
“So what are we waiting for?”
“We’re giving her time. Besides, I like watching her.”
Tyler quieted, obviously doing the same. “Yeah, but it’s not as good as being with her.”
“Give it time.” Werewolves weren’t known for their patience. As a vampire, however, he was able to handle waiting better. Even so, he was getting antsy to be with her, too. “We came on strong the last time we were with her. Give her space.”
“Fuck. We’ve given her enough time. I don’t want to wait any longer, and I don’t think you do, either.”
Was Tyler picking up on an outward sign? Evan frowned, disliking that his cousin could read him so easily. “Where’s Derek?”
“He’s around, but he’s seen her, too. We wanted to find you before we went over to her.”
“Then as soon as Derek comes around, we’ll ask her to join us for a drink.”
“And get her away from her friends.” Tyler lifted his beer and took a swig from the bottle.
“She might not want to leave them. It looks like they’re having a girls’ night out.”
“Maybe, but we can change that.”
“Yes. We can.”
“Evan, honey, where have you been? I haven’t seen you in like ages.”
Evan caught Tyler’s smirk then shifted toward the big buxom blonde. “Hi, Cindy. How have you been?”
As he knew she would, she pouted. “Horrible. What else can I be whenever you’re not around? I’ve missed you.”
Aside from newcomers like Emeline and her friends, Cindy Vickers was one of the few humans in Fate who didn’t know about shifters and vampires. Or, rather, didn’t believe in them. He’d heard that Drake Hardwick had told Cindy that werewolves, werecats, and vampires existed—probably trying to keep her safe—but the poor thing had thought he was joking. Short of shifting, Drake had finally given up on getting the idea past the big vacant brown eyes and mass of curly blonde hair.
Evan didn’t like being cruel, but he’d done everything he could to make it clear to Cindy that he just wasn’t interested. “Listen, do you remember what I told you the last time we met?”
She blinked, and frown lines formed on her forehead. “I don’t think so.”
Cindy could wear down the most patient of vampires. “I told you that I’m very flattered, but that I’m just not interested in having anything other than a friendly relationship with you.” Surely this time it would sink in.
But it didn’t. Instead of backing away, Cindy leaned in and pressed her gigantic boobs against him. “Ooh, yes, please. I’d love to get very friendly with you.
”
Aw, shit. He took her arms as gently yet as firmly as he could. “No. You’re not listening. Tyler, maybe you can—” Yet when he turned around, Tyler was gone. He scanned the crowd and found him easily enough. Like a heat-seeking missile, his cousin was headed straight for Emeline.
“Come on, Evan, honey. Let’s go to your place and have some real fun.”
Something hard hit Evan’s back, propelling him into Cindy. She grinned and wrapped her arms around him—at least until a big bruiser of a werewolf slammed into her, almost knocking her down. He grabbed hold of her arm, keeping her on her feet.
Damn. Not another fight.
Taking a squealing Cindy to the nearest wall, he pushed her against it and ordered her to stay out of the way. Before she could pout again and beg him to stay, he spun around and stalked toward Emeline. With his vampire speed, he could reach Emeline before Tyler did. Providing Derek didn’t show up out of nowhere and beat them both to her.
Why the hell do shifters fight all the damn time?
* * * *
Emeline scrambled off her stool and almost stumbled over the man behind her. In the wild whirlwind of the fight, she had trouble keeping track of her friends.
Where’d they go?
She yelped and jumped out of the way of a large woman, her hair in a tangled mess, her eyes blazing with a strange amber color. The woman grinned, revealing sharp teeth, and then threw her body back into the fight.
Emeline backed up, trying to find her friends while dodging the combatants throwing punches and jumping at each other. Animallike sounds filled the air, and flashes of amber eyes, as well as more vicious-looking teeth, came at her in a whirl. She shuffled, trying to keep her balance and glanced over her shoulder as often as she could. But her main focus was on the fighting crowd in front of her. A cry escaped her as she hit something hard behind her.
“It’s okay, baby.”
Strong hands pulled her against the wall. She was never happier than when she looked up at Evan. His dark eyes laughed. “What the hell’s going on?”