When Hell Freezes Over [Werewolves and Wizards of West End 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  “Looks like you don’t know a lot of things.” Reagan took a gulp of her drink. “Damn it, Shelby, I don’t care if you’re a witch. Why should you care if I’m a shifter?”

  Because shifters can’t be trusted.

  Yet she’d trusted Reagan enough to stay with her. She’d sensed from the first moment they’d met that Reagan was someone she could trust. Had her intuition been wrong? Had her past colored her perception? Could she be wrong about shifters?

  “I don’t know what happened to make you dislike shifters so much, but whatever it was, you can’t go on blaming all of us. Like I’ve said before, we’re all individuals. Treat us like we are. Can you do that, Shelby? Can you at least try?”

  Losing her new friend wasn’t an option she liked. In the short time they’d known each other, they’d talked, laughed, and, now, had their first argument. If she knew anything, she knew Reagan was a good and kind woman who had quickly become one of her dearest friends. “Yes. I can try.”

  “Okay. Great. So what do we do now?”

  Shelby took a leap of faith. “Show me. Shift for me.”

  “Why? What if you freak out and hit me with a bolt of lightning?”

  “I promise to restrain myself.” She hated it, but she added it anyway. “Unless, of course, you try to bite me.”

  “Why would I want to bite you? Girl, you do not look tasty at all.”

  Relief flooded Shelby. Reagan was Reagan no matter what form she was in. “Show me.”

  “I still don’t understand why I should. After all, it’s not the first time you’ve seen a werewolf.”

  “Please. Maybe seeing a friend shift will make me…” She stalled, searching for the right way to say how she felt. “Maybe it’ll make me get over my gut reaction to any werewolf I see.”

  “Fine. If you think it might help. But only for a minute.”

  Shelby tensed, ready to stand her ground, ready for almost anything. But would she be able to put aside her feelings about shifters? Maybe she could for Reagan, but only for Reagan.

  Reagan’s eyes filled with amber. Her body blurred as the sound of bones breaking and reforming cracked. Her clothes disappeared as though overtaken by the fur spreading over her body. In less than a minute, she dropped to the floor, a large black wolf.

  “Hell’s bells,” whispered Shelby. “You’re really a werewolf.”

  Reagan’s low sound wasn’t really a growl. Then again, what else could it be? She rose, prepared to either run or to defend herself.

  Reagan made a beautiful woman. She also made a beautiful wolf. Her black shiny fur looked silky, but Shelby wasn’t going to touch it. Touching her was beyond Shelby right then. It took every ounce of her strength to keep from running away or casting a spell. Instead, she took it all in, from the tip of Reagan’s moist nose to the slow swish of her tail. “Thank you, Reagan. But, please, shift back now.”

  A minute later, Reagan stood in front of her again, back in her human body. “See? Was that so bad?”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone change.”

  “So you have seen others shift?”

  “Not for a long time. The last one I saw was…someone special to me.”

  “Oh, so that’s the reason. Some asshole of a shifter boy screwed you around and now you blame all of us. Am I close?”

  “Yeah. That and my parents telling me that shifters are no good. I’ve heard the same thing all my life.”

  “Let me guess. You’re the child of either wizards or witches.” Reagan took her seat next to Shelby back on the couch.

  “One of each.”

  Reagan nodded. “I’m not sure why, but wizards and witches usually don’t like shifters. Although most of them on the island have figured out that we shifters aren’t so bad. So how about you? Do you think you still want to stay with me?”

  “If you still want me to, then yes. Until I can find a place of my own.”

  “Of course I do. I’m not the one who’s prejudiced.”

  “Prejudiced?”

  “Yeah. You’re prejudiced against werewolves.”

  Was Reagan right? Were her feelings the same as being prejudiced? She’d always believed she had a good reason to distrust, even dislike shifters, but had that distrust morphed into something more?

  “Relax, Shelby. That’s one of your problems. You think too much.” Reagan poured the last of the wine into their glasses. “Now that we’ve got that settled, can we finish off this wine?”

  Shelby held up her glass. Since she hadn’t taken much of a drink, her glass had kept getting more and more wine added to it. The large goblet was filled to the brim. “I’ll do my best, but only if you promise to help me make it to my bed.”

  Reagan laughed. “Too bad Bryton and Taylor aren’t here. I’m sure they’d be happy to help you into bed.”

  “Maybe.” Although secretly she doubted it. After the way she’d left them, she wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to have anything to do with her. She took a huge drink.

  I’ll think about it tomorrow.

  If tomorrow comes.

  * * * *

  “J.B., what the hell is your problem?”

  J.B. wasn’t in a good mood to begin with, but to have Reagan calling him and giving him hell wasn’t going to fly. He gripped the phone tighter, his thumb poised over the End button. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Why didn’t you go with Bryton and Taylor to the cliff? If you’d gotten your lazy ass out with them, all three of you could’ve made love to Shelby. Instead, you have to go and blow things for the other two guys.”

  Shit. Shelby must’ve told Reagan what had happened. The sickening feeling in his gut grew even worse. Since showing up as a wolf and then Shelby running off, he’d beaten himself up enough for all concerned. Of course, Bryton and Taylor had already given him hell, too.

  What could he say except the truth? “I fucked up, all right? I wanted to check her out without her knowing it, but once the guys took her to the cliff, I had to get closer. What was I supposed to do? Shift in front of her then introduce myself? Hell, I was lucky she didn’t blast me with a hex. If they hadn’t stopped her, I could be hopping around a pond right now.”

  “Bullshit. She wouldn’t have turned you into a frog. That’s just an old fairy tale.”

  Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn’t. “Reagan, what are you calling for? I’m not taking any more guff about this.”

  “I’m calling to tell you that she’s loosening up. She’s willing to reconsider her idea that all shifters are shitheads. Although, once she finds out you were the Peeping Tom wolf on the cliff, she might decide she was right to begin with.”

  She wasn’t telling him everything. “Why is she suddenly changing her mind?”

  “I didn’t say she was. Only that she might be.”

  “Don’t dodge the question.”

  Reagan cleared her throat. “I kind of convinced her that some of us are good people.”

  “And how’d you do that?”

  “I told her what I was.”

  Shit. “And?”

  “And…I changed for her.”

  Stunned, he struggled to figure out what to say next. “Did she curse you? Burn your furry ass with a fire ball?”

  “Nope. She took it all in stride. That’s what I’m trying to get through your thick skull. She had some crap loaded on her in the past by an ex-loverboy who was a shifter. Like a lot of human women who have been done wrong, she’s had a chip on her shoulder. That and the fact that her wizard father and witchy mother piled on their own set of prejudices, too. Anyway, even after I revealed what I was to her, she’s still my friend and she’s still staying at my place.”

  “Did you tell her about us?”

  “No. I feel bad that I didn’t, but it isn’t my place to tell her, which is why I’m calling. You need to get your ass in front of her and get to know her. Bryton and Taylor have her warming up to them. Now it’s your turn.”

 
“So you think there’s a chance, huh?” He cringed, realizing how sappy he sounded.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Okay then.” He wasn’t sure what to say. The excitement rushing through him was hard enough to handle without putting his feelings into words.

  “Yeah. Okay, then, the ball’s in your court, J.B. I like this girl, and I wouldn’t mind having her join the family. Don’t screw this up.”

  “I’ll do my best not to.” He ended the call, still unsure as to what he should do. The only thing he was certain of was that he’d do something. Just as soon as he figured out what that something was.

  * * * *

  “I’m living with a werewolf,” mumbled Shelby as she steered her rented Jeep down the road leading from Reagan’s home into Fate. Yet the longer she stayed with Reagan, the more she liked her. The less she thought of her as a werewolf instead of simply her friend. A friend who had been more than patient with her. Not only had Reagan allowed Shelby to ask her questions, even to the point of being rude, Reagan had shown her photos of her family and talked about how they were like any other average human or witch family.

  Was what she’d believed most of her life wrong? If it was—and she was beginning to think it was—then what was she going to do about it? Logically, she could think one thing, but emotionally was an entirely different matter. Emotionally, she tensed up every time she saw any sign of Reagan’s wolf.

  The landscape whipped past her. Once she passed by a local couple, two people Reagan had hinted were werecats, and almost ran off the road when she couldn’t stop staring at them. Thankfully, they hadn’t been bothered by her stares and had, instead, waved cheerfully.

  “I have to put this to rest.” She was glad no one could hear her talking to herself. Yet it helped her whenever she talked things out. Her phone ringing brought her attention to the passenger seat.

  “Bryton? Why is he calling me?” She hadn’t seen either Taylor or Bryton since their time on the cliff. Had, if she were truthful with herself, hidden away, unable to figure out what she’d say if she ran into them again.

  “Make that when I run into them again.” She had no doubt she would. Sooner or later, a person would run into everyone if she stayed in one place long enough. She hesitated, her hand in mid-air, unsure whether to answer the phone or not.

  The Jeep lurched down then up into the air as it hit a pothole. Yelping, she grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and struggled to regain control as the vehicle veered off the road. It landed on all four wheels with a resounding thud.

  Shelby stayed as still as possible, fearful to even move. A cloud of steam sifted from under the hood of the car.

  “Damn it. You sure took one hell of a ride there.”

  The voice was compelling, but the man sitting in the saddle was even more compelling. He looked a lot like Taylor in his build and in his strong features. He, too, had dark hair, but it was blacker than Taylor’s. His eyes were also darker, and they were laughing at her, even while his concern showed in the etched lines of his forehead. Eyes that were laughing yet filled with an unhidden hunger.

  “Oh. Yeah.” Finally, she could release the steering wheel.

  “You might want to get out of the Jeep.” He nodded toward the steam growing thicker. With one graceful move, he was off his horse. He strode toward her then hopped over the fence in yet another easy move.

  Damn, but he’s something.

  The way he moved reminded her of both Bryton and Taylor. As though he had no cares in the world. As though he was the commander of all he surveyed. As though he was now right next to the driver’s side.

  The next thing she knew he had opened the door and lifted her out of the Jeep. Carrying her in his arms, he took her to a stump on the side of the road and gently set her on top of it. The dark captivating eyes met hers.

  “I think your Jeep is out of commission for the time being.”

  “I think you may be right,” she answered without even looking at the Jeep.

  “You’re going to need another way to get to town. Want a ride?” His gaze slipped lower, pausing at her breasts then working its way down to her boots and back up. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

  “Yes.” She blinked and tried to get her mind to function right. “I mean no. I mean both.”

  Any other time, his smile might’ve seemed like a smirk. But now? It was a bemused smile that was laughing with her instead of at her.

  “What I meant was yes, I’m going to need a ride. But, no, I’m not hurt.” At least she didn’t think so. Even if she didn’t feel anything wrong, she’d do a spell later to check for unseen injuries.

  “I’m J.B. Legacy, and I’m betting you’re Shelby Winters, Reagan’s friend.” The corners of his mouth tweaked upward. “And Bryton’s and Taylor’s friend, too, from what I hear.”

  Heat rushed to her cheeks. Had he found out about their time at the cliff? They hadn’t had sex, but it was clear they would have if the damn werewolf hadn’t shown up. “Yes. I’m Shelby. And you’re Reagan’s cousin, right?”

  “Along with being Taylor’s brother and Bryton’s friend. Not that I’m always willing to admit to it.”

  She shot him a questioning look.

  “It’s a joke.”

  “Oh.” She smiled as people do when they really don’t understand a joke.

  “Anyway, I was hoping I’d run into you.” He glanced at the car. “Not literally, though. I’m glad I was riding a horse and not driving a car.”

  “You’re a funny man, aren’t you?” Still, she could take a good ribbing.

  “I have my moments.”

  “Why were you hoping to run into me?” Had the other two men told him about her? If he wanted to meet her, then they’d apparently said nice things about her. Just how nice was the question. “Not to mention, how were you planning on running into me?”

  He nodded toward his horse contentedly munching the grass. “Actually, I figured since you and the guys were getting acquainted, I’d ride on over to Reagan’s and introduce myself.”

  Had he placed an emphasis on the word “acquainted”? Almost making his question sound like an innuendo?

  “I guess you don’t have to do that now.” Stupid response, yes, but it was difficult to be witty with his rugged looks and hard body drawing all the blood out of her head and into her pussy. Her palms itched, wanting to touch him, to explore where so many women would love to go.

  “We should call and get a wrecker out here to tow your car.”

  “Uh-huh. Does West End have a tow truck?”

  The way he moved his mouth, always in a combination of smirk and smile was tantalizing. “One.”

  “Where would the truck tow it to?”

  “Since it’s a rental, we might need to have Jimmy tow it back to the rental dealer. Although we should call them first. More than likely, they’ll want Jimmy to tow it back to his repair shop.”

  Was it wrong for her to like that he kept saying “we” and not “you”? As though they were somehow in it together?

  “Okay.” She forced her attention back to the car. “I can’t believe I ran it off the road.”

  “Yeah, why did you do that, anyway?”

  “You know I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “Were you texting while driving, young lady?” he said mockingly.

  Playing along, she used a younger girl’s voice. “No, Daddy, I swear I wasn’t.” She didn’t have to pretend to act sheepishly. “Okay, so maybe I got distracted by a phone call. I was reaching for my phone and—”

  “Wasn’t paying attention to the road? Have I got it straight?”

  Don’t take the Daddy bit too far.

  As though he’d read her mind, he hurriedly added, “Yeah, well, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t done the same thing once or twice. Not the running off the side of the road part but the glancing away part. Maybe you should stick to riding horses. They’re a lot safer than driving a car. Especially if you’re going to be on your p
hone.”

  He was funny, in his own kind of sarcastic way. “I don’t suppose you have the number for the wrecker. What was his name again?”

  He pulled his phone out of his rear pocket. “I’ll give him a call and let him know. You can call the rental company and verify that Jimmy can take it to his place.”

  “Okay.”

  They stepped away from each other, their phones to their ears to make their calls.

  When they came back together, it was like coming back to an old friend. Like Bryton and Taylor, she felt comfortable with J.B., even with his little jokes. Although she couldn’t guess the why of it, she was glad she did. What would she have done if she’d felt uncomfortable, possibly even threatened by J.B.?

  “You were right. They want Jimmy to take the Jeep to his place.”

  “Figures.” He put his phone back into his pocket.

  “So, you were going to Reagan’s to meet me.”

  “Yep, I was.” He held out his hand and jerked his head toward a large tree. “Let’s get out of the sun while we wait for Jimmy.”

  Although there wasn’t really a need for her to take his hand, she did. As she’d guessed, his hands were those of a man used to hard labor. Calluses tickled the smooth skin. Like a gentleman, he helped her take a seat on the ground. She leaned against the tree and tried her best not to stare at him as he sat next to her. If they’d had a picnic basket, they would have looked like a couple on a date.

  “Taylor and Bryton couldn’t say enough good things about you.”

  “I like them, too.” A rush of warmth spread through her. Hearing that they liked her was nice to hear, but talking about the other two men was kind of odd, too. Like talking to a date about other boyfriends. Yet she, Taylor, and Bryton weren’t in a relationship.

  Yet.

  She forced the idea away. To think of a future with anyone was wrong. Not only for herself but even more so for the men involved.

  “So you’re here as a tourist, right?”

  She had to look away. “Kind of. I mean I’m not planning on relocating and I’m not here on business, but I’m not really a tourist, either.”

  “No? Then what are you?” His arm bumped against hers.