It was what came last that made Sabrina shiver with dread.
“The only act that gives us enough power to protect large areas is sex. The ritual must come complete with both couples or triads participating in the act within a circle cast for ritual purposes.”
“Uh-uh. No way.” Sabrina shook her head. “There is no way I’m doing that. I don’t care. Nothing you could do or say could make me consider doing…” she waved her hand in the air, her cheeks burning. “That with you there.”
Samantha shook her head with a smile. “You never did pay attention to our lessons did you? We can both be in our own homes in our own circles as long as we do this at the same time.”
It didn’t help much, but it was better than having sex with her sister in the same room. That was just downright creepy. “Talk about TMI,” Sabrina said, disgusted. “Like I want to know when you and the bod squad you call mates are getting it on.”
“It’s the only way to protect our community and the boys once we get them back. The journal says, once we’re both properly mated, we will come into our true power. It also states that if we are properly mated, our children will be pureblood as our mates will take on our characteristics. Which,” she paused with a smile. “Would explain a few things. Apparently, what we are now is only a shadow of what we could be. Just think, Rina.” Samantha leaned across the table to take her hand. “What would it be like to have powers so strong that we never have to worry about being victims ever again?”
“That’s all fine and good for us and it sounds wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but if the men take on our characteristics, what are they going to say about not being able to shift anymore?”
Samantha bit her lip. “I don’t know. Heck, Rina, we don’t even know if it will take away their ability to shift.” She sighed and stared down into her coffee. “To tell you the truth, I kind of like it. You have no idea what it’s like to be able to shift into another shape, to run with the wolves or soar with the eagles.” She looked almost sad. “I’m not even sure I want to give it up, but how else do we protect ourselves and those we love from whomever took your boys?”
She had a point. Sabrina hated it when Samantha came up with some logical…thing that made her think about doing something she didn’t want to do. Still, they had to protect the boys and if her sister said it meant having to protect the whole town while they were at it, then she was probably right, but it didn’t mean Sabrina had to like it.
Thinking back on what her sister said, Sabrina took a slow sip of her coffee, took a deep breath, then released it. “We’re only shadows, huh?” The only problem that she could see was the fact that she wasn’t sure if she could go through with the ritual. The circle and the spell wouldn’t be an issue. It was the sex that scared the crap out of her. Thinking she was ready to take the next step into a physical relationship was one thing, but actually carrying through with it was another matter altogether. “What else does that damned book say?”
Samantha cleared her throat. “Apparently…” She tapped the page with a perfectly manicured mauve-tipped finger. “I’m not truly mated either.” She frowned. “I thought I was. I know my powers increased once I completed my bond with Aiden and Quinn, so you can see my confusion.” She glanced down at the book in front of her. “According to Gram, we aren’t mated and will not reach our potential unless we complete the mating ritual which, thank God, we don’t have to do at the same time. At least with that, you and your mates can try and be spontaneous.”
“Holy moly, Sam!” Sabrina felt her eyes go wide. “I can see your power sparking in your aura now…and you say you’ll get stronger?”
The idea of that would scare her if Samantha wasn’t her sister. Having grown up with her and spent so much time with her, Sabrina knew there wasn’t an evil bone in her sister’s body.
“That’s what the journal says.” Samantha shrugged. “So far, everything else has proven true.”
Sabrina stared at her sister, her chin in her hand while the fingers of the other nervously drummed the surface of the table. She had to think. This was too much for her to take in and agree to in just a few minutes. She needed to be alone for a while, to think.
Samantha pushed her chair back and stood. “I’ll leave you to think about things. I know it’s a lot to ask of you. Believe me. I don’t think I would have been able to overcome what happened so fast if I hadn’t already been in love with Aiden and knew he would never hurt me.” She smiled, a faraway look on her face. “He would cut off important body parts before he hurt me, or you for that matter, and I know it’s true because our minds are linked now.” She paused, then glanced over her shoulder at the doorway for a moment before turning back to meet Sabrina’s gaze. “I’ll leave you to think about it. You have a lot of questions to answer for yourself before you make your decision. Just remember that no one in Paradise will ever force you to do something you don’t want to do. The men here are the way men are supposed to be—in a perfect world anyway.” With that, Samantha turned and walked out onto the porch where her mates awaited her.
Sabrina almost laughed at her sister’s words. Almost. This wasn’t a perfect world and, filled with imperfect beings, it would never be so. She had learned long ago that everyone must find their own way, eke out their idea of a perfect existence. No one was without flaws and anyone who expected otherwise was a damned fool. The only way perfect even fit into her vocabulary was that she wanted to be the perfect version of herself. Sure, her head looked too big for her body and maybe she had knobby knees, but she was the perfect Sabrina Hart that the Great Mother designed her to be, nothing more and nothing less. She took a deep breath and stared at the empty doorway. “Now what are you going to do?”
Standing, she walked to the sink to rinse out her cup. She could see the men through the window. They stood out near the road, talking to the others who readied the house for her. Samantha and her mates joined them. She watched as Aiden and Quinn, two other men she’d tried to hate and failed, wrapped their arms around her sister. The way Samantha smiled up at them, Sabrina knew she was truly happy.
A lump formed in her throat as she saw what her sister had. She wanted that for herself, she really did, she just didn’t know if it was possible. For some reason, her time at the camp had changed her far more than it had changed her sister.
She looked at the two men she shared the cabin with for the last several months and sighed. She wanted a new life and, since she was wishing, she wanted them in it. She just wasn’t sure she could be what they needed.
Frowning, Sabrina stared down at the still running water and shook her head. After turning the water off, Sabrina asked herself if she could do what was needed of her to save the boys. The attraction was there, heaven knew that. She just wasn’t certain she could sleep with them. No matter how much her body may want to, her mind just wasn’t ready to forget.
What was wrong with her? She should hate men—all men. She had every right to despise the very ground they walked upon. But she couldn’t. Damn it all! Why couldn’t she bring herself to hate every male in the damned world? If she could, this decision would be an easy one. She would calmly walk through that door and out of this town, leaving the boys to their fate. But no, she’d gone and fallen in love with them. When had that happened?
As she watched the group through the window, Sabrina brushed the tears from her cheeks. Daniel looked then and their gazes met. Understanding and compassion filled his expression. What else did she expect? He’d always been the understanding one.
Luke didn’t look her way. It was almost as though he avoided even looking toward the house. When he turned enough for her to see his face, his expression was one of resignation and sorrow.
Knowing the choice she had to make, both knew what her answer could be—what it should be after all she’d been through. If only she hadn’t gone and fallen in love with them as well.
“Damn it all to hell.”
Chapter Eight
“She would
rather die than mate with us.” Daniel stared up at Sabrina, his heart heavy. She stood at the kitchen window, looking out at them, her face filled with obvious dread. He almost winced when she reached up to swipe the tears from her eyes. He knew the odds of her choosing to mate with them weren’t good. He wasn’t sure she would choose to do it—even to save the boys.
“We’re going to go and give Adam a report. You two try and keep control of yourselves. Losing it isn’t going to help anyone. Get away from here if you have to,” Quinn Sadler said as he and Aiden led Samantha toward their car. “Go take a swim. Maybe the cold water will help.”
It wouldn’t help. Daniel knew it. How many times had he taken a dip in the icy waters of the river when they went out for trout? No, cold water wouldn’t do anything for him. They stayed in that cabin with her for the last several months. Taking cold baths every chance they could, hoping it would help with the heat and with their desire to bed their woman.
For months they managed to keep their hands to themselves. They had hoped to set her mind at ease. The two of them had even held out hope that, given enough time, she could get used to their presence. And she had. Plus, if he were truthful, he would admit that they had hoped their time spent together, sitting through one freak blizzard after another, would be enough time for her to get over her fears and possibly fall in love with them.
He sighed. Hell, after all that time, she didn’t even like them if the thought of mating with them brought her to tears. He couldn’t blame her though. Many of the women they rescued from the compound in the Virginia mountains had taken their own lives. He and Luke were lucky bastards that Sabrina hadn’t chosen to do so before they found her. She was a fighter, like her sister. He would thank the gods for that every day for the rest of his life.
Daniel watched as she stepped away from the window. He hated it when she was out of his sight. He had nightmarish visions that someone would come and steal her away from them.
“We should go to her.” Luke wore a pained expression. The heat obviously rode him hard again. So far they had been lucky enough to keep it at bay by not making physical contact. Though for some reason, bringing Sabrina to town had ratcheted it up a few notches.
The last few days had been complete and utter hell. She was ovulating again. From what he could tell, the cycle, from beginning to end, lasted a full seven days. It got harder to ignore every month. This month was the worst.
“She needs to come to us.” Daniel disagreed, knowing it was the el calor making Luke’s decisions now. Soon the other man would have no choice but to end his life. He feared it was in the cards for both of them. “You know we can’t stay here. She’s ovulating. It’s day one and it will drive us mad. Let the others stay with her. They will protect her, even from us.” He tried to steer his friend away from the home the others prepared for her. They didn’t dare take her to their apartment.
Luke snarled and pulled away. His eyes glowed with a feral light. His leopard was close to the surface, trying to force a change. “Leave me be. I will guard my mate.” His teeth grew, filling his mouth until his jaws expanded. He inhaled deeply. “I can smell her from here. She is so sweet. So ripe.” He licked his lips.
Holy shit, but his friend was right. Luke may be half out of his mind, but he sure knew what the hell he was talking about. Daniel took a deep breath. Sabrina’s essence filled his nose, his lungs and made him ache. It was all he could do to keep himself from running to her.
All of them felt the heat when they found their mates. It was only a matter of time until Sabrina couldn’t handle it anymore. He knew why she doubled over in pain so often. She thought it was indigestion. Soon though, she would see it for what it truly was. Unfortunately, it would be too late for himself and Luke.
Reaching out, he grabbed onto Luke’s arm when he would have gone to the house. “I won’t let you take her against her will.” He waved his arm, indicating the others who stood guard outside the two-story home before he turned to face his best friend. It nearly broke his heart when he realized he may have to kill him if he couldn’t find a way to bring him to his senses. “They won’t let you take her. They will kill you first.” He shook his head and sighed. “I will kill you first.”
Luke stood staring at the house for several moments, his breath coming in short pants. He didn’t back down and he didn’t attempt to move toward the house. After a few minutes, sanity returned to his expression and he turned away. “Thank the Gods for that.” He shook his head hard, as though to clear it, then fell to his knees, his hands covering his face. “It’s the heat.” He glanced up at Daniel. “It’s almost like I’m possessed. This…monster inside me tries to take over. It drives me to mount her. To mate her. To make her mine before another male steals her from me. It’s gotten worse, much worse since we came to town.” He looked toward the house. “All these unmated males are driving me mad.”
Was that it? Could it be that simple? They had kept the heat at bay by not making physical contact, but it got worse when they came to town. Was it because of all the others? Reaching down, Daniel hauled Luke to his feet. “We need to go see the doc.”
“What the hell for? He can’t help with this and he knows it. Even the few scientists we have haven’t figured out what to do.”
“Perhaps he can’t help, but we have new information and I have an idea.”
* * * *
“You may have something there,” old Doc Parker said as he moved around his son to open the glass door of a cabinet. He pulled out a small glass jar and a syringe.
“What’s that for?” Luke’s eyes narrowed and he stiffened, ready for flight. They weren’t sticking him with needles. He didn’t know what shit was in that bottle and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
“It’s for you. A tranquilizer.” The doctor smiled, his expression and tone one of benign interest. “I wonder if this will help you.” He shrugged. “But we won’t know unless we try it.” He grabbed an alcohol swab, ripped it open and swiped it over his upper arm.
“Hey!” Luke jumped back. “I’m not you’re fucking guinea pig!”
“Then go out there and get yourself killed when you attempt to rape your mate, you arrogant ass. This—” He held up the syringe— “just may be the answer to everyone’s problems. If a low dose stops the synapses in your brain responsible for aggression from firing, it will give everyone suffering from the effects of the el calor a little more time.”
“How much time?” He couldn’t even believe he was considering this.
Doctor Parker shrugged and held up the syringe. “I have no idea. Want to find out?”
Luke thinned his lips and smiled. “Hell yes.” He motioned to Daniel. “If this works, shoot him up, too, doc. He’s a fucking mess.”
It didn’t take long for the drug to take effect. It seemed as though he felt better almost as soon as the doctor depressed the plunger on the syringe. The old man’s son, who was also the new town doctor, stood by with Daniel in case he got out of hand, but they needn’t have stayed.
A strange languor stole over him at first. He didn’t feel drugged. In fact, after a minute or two, he barely felt anything at all aside from the burning of the mating heat that steadily receded as he sat on the examination table.
“How do you feel, son?” The doctor pulled a penlight from his pocket and checked his eyes.
“I feel great.” Luke took a deep breath. “Whoo!” He jumped off the table, bounced a bit to test his legs, then wiggled his fingers.” I feel like a million bucks, doc.” He grinned. “I haven’t felt his great since…” Luke stopped as the thought dawned. “Since the day I met Sabrina.”
It was true. The day he met his mate was the most exhilarating of his life. There was nothing like meeting the one woman who could make you whole. Nothing like knowing the woman you had waited a lifetime or more for stood before you like a ripe plum just waiting for you to reach out and pluck the succulent fruit from amidst the leaves.
That day had been perfect, full
of promise. Just knowing she existed was enough.. It was too bad that it hadn’t taken long for the el calor to turn it into something almost sinister.
“Damn it, tell me what’s wrong!” The muffled sound of Sabrina’s voice carried through the thick wooden door. “What happened? Why are they here?” She burst into the room with the doctor’s wife hot on her heels.
“I tried to stop her, dear.” Mrs. Parker twisted her hands together as she looked between them. She knew why he was there. Hell, she could probably smell it. The older woman looked harried, almost like she’d taken on a badger and lost. Her usually neat hair was a mess. It hung limply about her face as she panted, red-cheeked in the doorway.
“What’s wrong?” Sabrina rushed to Luke. “I saw you fall to your knees.” She flicked a glance toward Daniel. “Then I saw Daniel haul you up and drag you here. Are you sick?”
Luke watched Sabrina, bemused, as she ran her hands up and down his arms and legs, checking for injuries. He thanked the Gods that Doc Parker’s tranquilizer worked. Otherwise, the other three men in this room would have put him down.
He took a deep breath, loving Sabrina’s scent as she continued to inspect him from head to toe. He loved the way she looked, the way she moved, walked, talked, and smiled. Most of all, he loved the way she smelled. Hell, he grinned. He loved everything about the woman standing in front of him.
Sabrina put her hands on her hips and scowled. “Don’t just sit there like a boil on a cow’s butt, damn it all. Tell me what’s wrong.” She stamped her foot for emphasis.
“Nothing’s wrong now, darlin’,” he said with a wink. “As a matter of fact, everything is very right now that you’re here.” He turned to the doctor and raised a brow. “Like I said before, doc…” He glanced at Daniel who stood with his fists clenched at his sides. Sweat poured down the other man’s face as he stood still as death, his eyes squeezed tight.
Seduction in Paradise Page 6