To her consternation, she had come to realize that Tex wasn’t all that she wanted. She wanted Hunter too. Dark, moody, soul-torn Hunter, who’d been her silent shadow from her earliest memory. But like her, Hunter was damaged and broken, unable to embrace his wolfen nature. She saw it in his eyes: he thought she feared him after that wild, deadly rampage. He didn’t understand that any of them were capable of the same thing. He didn’t understand he’d been her salvation that horrible last day.
Holly made an agile leap from the roof of an old car and landed on the low rungs of a rusty ladder. From there she ran from landing to landing, jumping gracefully and with uncanny accuracy. Hunter hunted, and Holly could run. The thought made her smile. Perhaps she should shift and lead them to a park, or even down to the coast. If she moved fast enough, he’d be forced to change shape just to keep up with her. It offended her wolf that he’d rejected that vital side of himself. It crippled him, and Holly wanted him whole and healthy. She was willing to push him to the edge in a wild mating run. She could force him to shift and heal himself. But she realized he had to do this in his own time. If she forced the issue, she might end up alienating him.
Holly tilted her head, listening for the distant echo of pursuit. It was too late to change her plan; they were already coming.
She grinned and laughed in delight, looping in a giant circle, leading them back to where it had all started. Within minutes, she’d backtracked to Dark Haven.
* * *
“Damn, she’s good.” Tex’s voice showed his admiration. They’d trailed her through alleys until her scent would mysteriously vanish, only to pick it up several blocks away. Eventually Hunter had thought to look up, to seek the trail on another level. That had sped up the pursuit somewhat.
Tex was a pretty good hunter for having no enhancements; he seemed to have a knack for locating the most likely route she might have taken. Once, they found themselves on a fire escape that was so fragile, it barely held both men. Another time they ran swiftly over flat rooftops, leaping from building to building.
As they hunted, Hunter’s excitement increased, because, like Tex, he’d finally come to the conclusion that his little Holly was playing a game, leading them on a chase. This was flirtation and courtship, and she was initiating the game. It was the sudden awareness of what came at the end of the chase that had him aroused. Slowly but surely, they were heading back into the neighborhood from where they’d started.
When they arrived back near Dark Haven, the men moved at a silent, deadly pace, swifter than shadows in the darkness. They were only blocks away from the club when he spotted her.
“Is that her?” Tex’s voice held amazement as they slowed to a stop. He’d never seen her human form before. Hunter hid a grin at what his companion had in store, because Holly… She was beautiful.
They hadn’t caught Holly; she’d finally stopped running. And she now stood poised under the misty light of a street lamp. Wet asphalt glistened under her bare feet. She was waiting. His heart pounded frantically, unable to differentiate between lust and anger and flat-out joy.
There she was, beautiful as he remembered. Her black hair was long and sleek instead of cropped and dull. Instead of ragged bleached cotton, she wore tight denim jeans and a Western-style leather vest with nothing under it but skin and a lacy black bra. Though she was barefoot, he was willing to bet she’d left a pair of cowboy boots somewhere inside.
She saw them, and the wild emotions in her eyes reflected what he was feeling. She looked from one man to the other, and to his chagrin, Hunter realized she was equally drawn to them both. He glanced at his companion, almost amused at how transfixed Tex was.
“Holly?”
He was a goner. Hunter knew Tex had sought out Holly over and over again since they’d come to Truckee. Most likely his promiscuous behavior had been out of confusion—the subconscious knowledge that what he needed most was…somewhere. Never knowing she was right under his nose. Jealousy flared and then died at the dawning realization at what was happening right there and then. Something he’d never dreamed could happen…
Then she snared Hunter with that fathomless gaze, and likewise, he felt as frozen as a deer in the headlights. He was caught, and so was Tex. The knowledge wasn’t as painful as he would have expected. His inner vision of the future shifted, making room for one more.
“I always knew she was my mate. Just didn’t figure she’d be yours too.” His throat felt so tight, it hurt to talk.
Tex tore his gaze from the woman and looked at Hunter in shock.
“Two of us? I’ve heard that dominant females will claim more than one mate…but Holly?” He looked back at her in surprise. “Eva’s a dominant. She’s with Harte only.”
“Harte’s an alpha. He’s at the top of the pyramid in his pack. We’re lower in the hierarchy. Dominant, but not alpha.”
It made odd sense as the explanation came from his mouth. He’d grown up outside the normal structure of a pack, but it was clear once he was confronted with the reality.
Holly wanted them both.
Immediately his wolf rose in possessive jealousy. In reaction, Holly poised to run, drawing his hostility away from Tex.
“Oh no you don’t!” Tex crouched slightly, poised to leap after her.
She was off and running, with Tex only yards behind her. Hunter sprinted to catch up with the other man, leaping over trash cans and debris that littered the alley. They dodged back into the side streets, clambered over a chain-link fence and into a parking lot. She was fast, and she was agile, easily keeping out of their reach.
“Give me space…” Tex grunted, and Hunter drew back, watching in amazement as the cowboy began to loop his lariat through the air. He stopped, braced, and the rope shot out like a snake, then dropped down over her arms. With deft skill, he snapped the rope, pinning her arms to her sides. She jolted to a stop, shock in her expressive eyes.
“Wow. I thought that thing was just for show.” Hunter stood next to Tex, grinning as his partner slowly reeled her in.
“How’d you think I got a name like Tex?”
“Thought it was from your last name… Texiera?”
“Spent most of my summers on my grandparents’ ranch in Texas. We lived there full-time for years before I moved back to Truckee.” He smiled grimly. “Used to ride rodeo. Never went on the big circuits, but I could ride a bronc or rope a calf.”
“Or a filly.” Hunter couldn’t resist the joke, even though Tex shot him a look of surprise.
Holly struggled against the rope that pinned her arms in place. She wanted to laugh, and she wanted to scream. She wanted to rush the men and throw herself into their arms. As Tex hauled her closer, she eagerly examined their faces, wrestling with the conflicting urges that surged through her body. In seconds she was close enough to touch, but she couldn’t. Instead she stared at them boldly, summoning up every ounce of courage that she’d painstakingly cultivated over the year that she’d been on her own.
She tossed her head defiantly and gave them a pugnacious grin.
“Hello, Holly darlin’.”
At the sound of Tex’s drawl, her urge to struggle faded. All defiance fled when she looked at Hunter and saw the emotions ebbing and flowing in his eyes.
“Tex. Hunter.” She lifted her chin and challenged the two men. She knew what she wanted, and now that the men were here, it was so close, just out of reach. And damn it! She didn’t know how to ask!
“Why are you here?” She hadn’t fully recovered her voice this year. It was still harsh and low. The sound of it embarrassed Holly, but it seemed to light a fire in Tex’s eyes.
“Chase sent us on business. We caught scent of you and decided there was something more important to attend to.”
She flushed slightly. She didn’t ask what the business was; that could wait till later. Explanations could wait as well. Right now Holly had her two chosen mates standing in front of her, fire in their eyes and lust in their bellies. Deliberately she wigg
led a bit, watching in satisfaction as their hungry gazes traveled down the length of her body.
This was a fragile moment, and she knew it. They’d both be reluctant to take her, fearing she might still be traumatized by her past. Hunter in particular. He’d seen her at her lowest point and had treated her like fragile china since.
Again she pushed away her doubts. That was the past. She’d wallowed in the past, relived every moment of pain and agony. She’d hidden away within her wolf for years, grappling with pain and loss. This past year, she’d held the wolf at bay, relearning to trust and live among humans again. She was ready. What Hunter didn’t recognize was that he’d washed her soul clean with the blood of those men who’d abused her for so long.
He was her hero.
If they’d waited just a little longer, she’d have been in her heat cycle. There’d have been no doubt, no hesitation. They’d have been hers. Now she could only hope that nature would overcome their hesitation. If not, she hoped that they could trust her.
Hunter broke first. He stepped up and grabbed her roughly by the arms, then examined every inch of her face. He cradled her jaw and then lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was clumsy and inexperienced, drawing tears to her eyes. All these years he’d waited for her, keeping his love—his lust—to himself. She knew he wasn’t a virgin; in the labs, virginity was only a state of mind. But if he’d taken a lover, she’d have known. As she’d done with Tex, she’d have scented it on him.
He forced his tongue into her mouth, and she felt his fangs drop slightly. She tasted blood—hers. If her hands had been free, she’d have clasped him close to her body. As it was, their bodies strained together. He held her tightly, as though he drew his life from her touch. She never wanted it to end.
He broke away with a gasp and staggered back, horror in his eyes. She stared and didn’t back down. Slowly she licked the blood from her lips and watched as his expression changed. The guilt ebbed away, leaving triumph in its place.
Cautiously she turned to Tex, who still held the rope that bound her.
This time he didn’t grin. He didn’t have a clever quip or a silly joke. The smile no longer lurked there in his bright blue eyes. He didn’t even reach out to touch her. He moved close to Holly, slowly pushing her in Hunter’s direction until she could move no farther. Her back was against Hunter’s solid form, her buttocks pressed to his groin. Only when she was securely trapped between the men did he lean down to kiss her.
It was slow and deliberate, yet she sensed that he channeled every bit of his passion into that kiss. It was fierce and intense and incredibly gentle. He dropped the rope, reached around, and drew Hunter’s arms forward around her waist. There they stood, in the darkness of an alley, three pieces of a puzzle that had suddenly been solved.
Chapter Four
Fog was drifting in, and they stood at the outer edges of a streetlight; the weak light gave the scene a sense of timelessness and magic.
Magic. Tex thought of the mysterious Wraith and written message that had suddenly changed. Maybe it was time to move this party inside. A glance at Hunter told him the other man had the same thought. He didn’t want to break the spell that held the three of them together; he didn’t want her afraid.
“Holly darlin’, have you been a bad girl?”
Those dark eyes of hers went wide, and he was snared, unable to look away. He moved forward just a bit more, closing the last bit of space between the three. The air was fragrant with their arousal. It was like perfume…like the ocean and the jungle and the mountains all blended into one.
“Bad?” she repeated. His eyes were drawn to her full lips. In the dim light, he couldn’t make out the color, but he thought they were probably the shade of a rose petal. Her eyes simply had to be blue. She reminded him of a flower in the misty light.
“You left without telling anyone where you were going. You never called or wrote. We didn’t know if you were dead or alive.” Hunter spoke softly. His breath made her hair stir. She licked her lips.
“Eva knew.”
“Still. You’ve been bad. I think you need to be punished. Don’t you think she should be punished, Hunter?” He met the other man’s gaze and smiled to see the slow awareness come into his face. Hunter might be new to the scene, but he was rapidly catching on to the spirit of play.
“Yeah. Yes, she’s been bad.” He leaned forward, inhaling her scent. “You played with someone… A human.” He pushed her hair aside and nibbled the base of her neck. His sharp teeth held; his eyes were as close to wolf as Tex had ever seen.
Holly gave a slow, low moan. Tex could see the pulse in her throat.
“You’ve been here all this time, playing in the club, topping humans. Maybe it’s time for Holly to learn a lesson about who’s on top.” Tex tilted his head and nipped her jaw. Her body jerked convulsively between the men. With a shaky breath, Hunter let her loose and nuzzled the spot he’d just bitten. Slowly he ran his tongue down the red spot, soothing and seductive.
Her eyes dropped closed, and Tex shivered in arousal. He was hard…throbbing. She knew it, because his hips were pressed tight against her belly. He whispered his lips along her jaw to her throat, then moved up to nibble at her earlobe. She was a dominant who was aching to switch for them. Only for them. But she was also a woman who’d experienced far too much pain in her life. Tex was going to have to be on top of his game with her.
“You okay, Holly? Is this too much?” He pulled back and stared down into her flushed face. When she opened her eyes, they were bright with arousal…lust. She nodded.
“Say it, darlin’. We need to hear you say it.”
“I’m good. I’m okay.” She swallowed.
“You know what’s happening here?” He continued to study her face…her beautiful face. He’d never seen her human form before, but he’d have known her anywhere.
“Yes, you’re…you guys…” She looked from one man to the other. “You caught me. You win.” A tiny dimple appeared in the middle of her cheek, and she was suddenly a roguish charmer. Even in the dim light of the alley, her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Tex stepped back and looped the lariat around her a couple more times, making certain she was secured. The rope was soft, not like a working lariat, so it wouldn’t abrade her skin.
He stood in front of her, looking down into her face. “This is what we’re gonna do. We’re going back inside Dark Haven. You may not speak without permission. If someone asks you a direct question, you wait for me or Hunter to give you permission to speak.”
She jerked her chin up in that defiant motion once again. She was fighting against her impulse to submit to him.
“Do you understand?” He whispered the question, his voice low with warning. Her gaze held his and then dropped.
“Yes.”
“Excuse me, darlin’?”
Hunter growled softly in her ear. He probably didn’t know what Tex was fishing for, but instinct told Hunter that she was still rebellious. Hell, she’d been a domme here for months, most likely. Now she was just days away from her heat and had managed to lure not one but two mates to her side. Hunter’s wolf already knew what was happening. If she wasn’t dominated thoroughly, she’d be a holy terror when her fertility was upon her. They could easily lose her to another. It didn’t matter what sort of power dynamics existed outside of sex; during mating, the male had to be dominant, or he’d run the risk of losing his woman.
“I understand…Sir.”
Tex gazed at her, taking in the thick fringe of black eyelashes that rested on her cheek. Her face was smooth and serene. Nope, she wasn’t there yet.
“Not good enough.”
The look she gave him was on the cusp of anger, full of heat.
“What’d that human call you earlier this evening?” Hunter’s voice vibrated with anger. Jealousy.
He’d moved away from her back and now stood side by side with Tex. She looked at them from behind her lashes, anticipation blended with anxiety.
<
br /> “He called me Mistress.”
“Then you’ll call us Master.” Tex reached out and lifted her chin. “You’ll call us Master, and you’ll mean it.”
“Yes…Master.”
She said it, but she didn’t like saying it. Tex glanced up at Hunter and nodded. They each hooked a hand through an arm and turned her, then moved up toward the street and around the block till they came to the front entrance of the club. Hunter pulled the door open and let Holly and Tex precede him inside.
“Hey, Holly…” Destiny looked from her to the men as she trailed off. “Uh… Everything all right here, Holly?” She bent down to retrieve Tex’s toy satchel and handed it over.
Holly looked up at Tex for permission to speak. He nodded.
“I’m fine. These are friends from home.”
Suddenly the subby little receptionist became a wary tigress. She looked from Tex to Hunter and then back to Holly. “I was talking to her.” She stared Tex down. “Now, Holly. Are you all right, or do I need to call a dungeon monitor?”
To everyone’s surprise, Holly broke out into a smile—a sudden, tremulous smile. The expression shattered something inside of him; any residual anger that he harbored melted away like ice in the sun.
“It’s okay, Destiny. These guys… I’ve been waiting on them for a while now.” Her smile grew even bigger.
“That’s enough.” Tex tugged her arm, aware of the receptionist watching as they walked Holly into the club. He was grateful they cared for her, but impatient. He needed to get her downstairs. Now. He ignored the trembling of his hands and the racing of his heart.
Hunter followed them through the club and down the stairs, only peripherally aware of the music and dancing that surrounded them. A burst of cheers broke out; he glanced over and saw a poker game in progress. Apparently a dom had just lost his sub to the other player. He saw triumph flare in the expression of the winning player, and Hunter knew exactly how he felt.
Doms of Dark Haven 2: Western Night Page 14