Hearts Unleashed: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection

by C. D. Gorri

  I awake with a jolt to find Dragan wrapped around me, his big arms holding me tight.

  There’s such a sense of rightness of being here with him. It might not make sense, it might be crazy to the wolves I know, but I do believe we are fated to be with one another. The way Dragan explained. The way the vampire believe.

  I love him. I know it with every beat of my heart. I wonder if he loves me? Does being fated mean being in love? What if he doesn’t? How can I love a man when I know nothing about him? I do though, don’t I? I saw his life flash before me. I might not know if he likes blue better than red, but I know he lived through a great plague. More, I felt it. I experienced it, the feelings he had in that moment. I lived inside his skin, and time seemed to stretch and contract into nothing linear whatsoever.

  “Do you love me?” I blurt out.

  “Little one, my queen… Lisbeth, I love you more than life itself. More than anything. I waited centuries for you. I want you to be my betrothed and for us to spend a long future together.”

  I snuggle into him and close my eyes once more as a sensation I’ve never experienced before steals over me. I realize it’s contentment. Bone-deep, soul-nurturing, contentment.

  I’ve found my home.

  Epilogue

  I sneak up behind my bride as she stares out at the moonlit sky. She’s holding her hands folded across her growing belly. The mage says all is well, but I still want the vampire physician to look at her. We’ve never had a vampire and wolf mating result in a pregnancy before. I want to ensure Lisbeth has the best care possible.

  We have been told by the mage that, so long as I live and feed her my blood, I won’t have to turn Lisbeth. Her life span should be matched to mine. He’s been studying our scriptures with great care, and they all foretell that Lisbeth will become one with me, with my life. When I die, she dies. I need not to die, and for a long time, because my mate deserves many years of beauty, fun and love.

  Sex, too. Lots of sex. She’s a demon between the sheets and an angel everywhere else. The gods found my perfect match, and I’ll be forever grateful to them She was worth waiting an eternity for.

  Our wedding was grand, and the Queen gave a long speech about how we were a new hope for our peoples. I don’t care about that. All I care about is that Lisbeth is a new hope for me, and I am for her.

  Here, with me, she’s loved. Cherished. And the thing I promised her I would give her that no one else could? I give her that every day. Respect. Dignity. Her rightful place in the world.

  Lisbeth was born to be put on a pedestal not ground down into the mud. Every night, I have to force myself not to go to her pack and rip them apart. I do so for her as I know it will hurt her.

  The one thing Lisbeth misses is the day. The sun. I can’t protect her in the day, so for now, she’s become a creature of the night, like me. The mage gives her a drink that he says will give her the goodness of the sun for her skin and bones. I want him to somehow work on a spell of protection to keep her safe. I’m also hoping that if the prophecy comes true, our peoples might become closer. If that happens, I can train some of her wolf folk to be warriors and guard her so she can spend some time in the sun and feel it on her skin once more.

  Those things are all for the future though. For now, she is with my child and happy to stay by my side.

  I love her, and I love our unborn child. Lisbeth has seen her in visions and described her to me, and I can’t wait to meet her.

  I never thought I could have this, and it makes me grateful every day for the gift the gods are giving me.

  Lisbeth turns to me, and her eyes drop down my body and back up. I’m wearing only my underwear, having taken off my wedding suit. She licks her lips, and I recognize that expression.

  “The baby,” I say.

  I always worry about the baby, about harm to her, but Lisbeth tells me I am being foolish.

  “Dragan, I’m not even five months along. There’s no way we will hurt the baby. I want you. Now.”

  My bride doesn’t need to ask twice. I stalk to her and take her in my arms.

  Thank you for reading.

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  About Skye Jones

  Skye Jones is a paranormal and contemporary romance author from the rain and windswept north of England. Her books all have something in common, which is alpha, possessive heroes, and heroines who give as good as they get.

  She lives with her husband, and pupsters and when she’s not writing, she’s reading, or walking with her pups.

  Rocky Mountain Rapture by P. Mattern

  A Timberwolves Tale

  Rocky Mountain Rapture, A Timberwolves Tale by P. Mattern

  Copyright © 2021 by P. Mattern

  Edited by L. Gauthier

  Dedication

  Much appreciation to inspirational authors/artists Amanda Kimberley, C.D. Gorri, L.Gauthier. And much love to all my lovely readers.

  Rocky Mountain Rapture

  Arcadia Aspin Pines believes she is on her way to purchase a popular resort lodge, the Winterborn Cascades, nestled in the Eastern Rockies.

  She meets with the owner, Echo Winterborn, a man that she finds simultaneously charismatic and exasperating.

  He informs her that she’s been duped—the Lodge is family owned and has never been on the market. Furious (mostly with herself), a blizzard forces her to spend time getting to know the current owners, including Echo, who seems amused by her situation.

  Wolfshifter Echo has a mystery to solve, a scent he picked up on when first encountering the curvaceous Aspen.

  He isn’t the only one who is puzzled. His Beta Largo and his Delta Smoke are also confused by the curvaceous human Hottie and wondering ‘WHAZZUP’?

  Could she possibly be the fated mate of them ALL?

  Chapter One: Duped

  Aradia Aspen Pines, aka Cadie, deftly guided the resisting 2020 Kia Sorento up the snow-covered drive to the top of the hill, where the popular and well-frequented palatial resort, the Winterborn Cascades, ruled over the 5,000-acre landscape that offered amazing skiing, and spectacular views of the mountains and valleys surrounding it on all sides. The SUV was a rental, because after she had landed under deteriorating conditions at the regional airport, she was too impatient to wait for the courtesy shuttle the resort provided every couple hours, and anyway, she wanted to view the resort for the first time under her own power. Now she was glad she had leased the vehicle. It had ranked in the top ten of SUVs that were listed in Newsweek as the top ten snow and ice vehicles.

  As a prospective buyer, and having already wired the earnest money for the acquisition so that the current owners knew she meant business, she was ready to jump right in.

  Her only surviving parent, her father, had recently passed away, and as his only child she had inherited his entire state, which consisted of an Inn in a historic Virginia town, a villa in Boulder Colorado in Boulder County, and a few other real estate holdings.

  She had been raised on the East Coast and had attended Wharton School of Business in Pennsylvania before joining her father in managing his various acquisitions. She had adored her widowed parent, but he constantly frustrated her by refusing to consider branching out into other potentially lucrative enterprises.

  “Why did you bother to send me to the best business schools if you never intended to take my investment advice?” She good naturedly teased him periodically. When Cadie had graduated she had on her agenda a determination to interest her father in some of the trending tech startups. Getting in on the ground floor of some
of these organizations founded by genius Gen Xers and targeting Millennials seemed like a forward-thinking option. She was particularly interested in the Cash Apps like loot or micro automatic investment facilitators like Acorn.

  “Because I was hoping you would meet your future husband at school,” he would tease her in a mild tone, teasing that was always accompanied by his trademark wink, “I was, in fact, hoping to be bouncing a grandkid or two on my knee by now!

  I appreciate your suggestions, my darling Cadie, but, like I have always said, land is the single best investment! Why is that?

  Because they aren’t making any MORE of it! It’s a finite quantity, and with the world population growing by leaps and bounds it will always, over time, hold its value!”

  A smile flicked over Cadie’s lips, and her eyes misted over. It was not ironic to her that she had jumped to buy the Winterborn Cascades when she glimpsed their ad in a high-end real estate publication. She thought her father would have approved of her decision to consolidate some of their holdings and sell them off in order to raise funds for the purchase.

  As she crested the steep hill, she could see that business was booming—in spite of the remote locale, or perhaps because of it, many of the rich and famous frequented the Cascades, so called because of the nearby waterfalls which fed into the Chiunga River during the warmer months of the year.

  During the winter months the falls froze, creating a breathtaking version of a spectacular sculpture of a bridal veil over 300 feet in length, pristine and delicate in appearance.

  The local folks called the natural feature, The Bridal Veils, and though there were plenty of falls in the Rockies, The Veils were thought to be the most impressive.

  She pulled into a space in the visitor parking section and picked up her field glasses to look around her. Even with a curtain of gently falling snow she could see beyond the forest to the left of the huge main building of the resort the icy lace of the Bridal Veil Falls.

  As she swept her binoculars across the front of the resort, busy with guests going in and emerging, she paused and back tracked to focus on a figure standing in front of the Cascades that seemingly was staring right back at her, and with an intensity that seemed out of place.

  Before she could react, he stepped down from the large wraparound porch area under the colonnade and began walking toward her.

  Oddly everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

  The first thing she noticed was that he seemed underdressed for the weather. All the guests at the busy resort were wearing thermals and parkas and ski attire.

  He was clean shaven, unlike the majority of the males, with longish dark brown, nearly black hair that was parted on one side so that the longer side curtained over one eye, and he kept sweeping it back periodically with his hand as he walked over. He was wearing just a flannel shirt, with the first four or five buttons open so that his bare, muscular chest was visible. The bare part of his chest was intriguingly tattooed.

  What riveted her attention was the grace and ease with which he walked, as though every muscle and sinew in his body was well oiled, and of course the lock of pure white hair that stood out on stark contrast against the darkness of the rest of his mane caught her eye.

  He was gorgeous, and he was obviously making a beeline for her.

  As soon as he was within talking distance he commented, “You seem to be a little lost—can I help you? The registration desk is just inside the lobby, and we have a hot chocolate fountain, cookies, …

  …and even marshmallows if you’re so inclined!”

  “I am FAR from lost,” Cadie assured him smoothly, emerging from the Sorento and reaching back in to retrieve her huge slouchy Coach bag and her silver Haliburton attaché case, “I’m here on business. I have an appointment to meet with Viri Winterborn!”

  Cadie thought she saw a look of confusion, followed by a look of consternation pass over the handsome man’s face, though he recovered quickly.

  “Allow me to escort you inside, in that case,” he told her, “I am Viri’s son, Echo Winterborn.

  Can I carry something in for you, Miss…?”

  “Arcadia Pines,” she told him, opening the hatchback of the SUV so that he could grab her overnight hard-shell suitcase and matching wardrobe, “I’m running a bit late, because of the weather—I hope I didn’t miss him. Our appointment was for 2 p.m.!”

  “Well, yes and no actually,” the young dark-haired man replied, “but first let’s get you inside where it’s warmer!”

  With her bags in hand, he gave a slight bow and gestured for her to walk ahead of him.

  At least he’s a gentleman. Cadie mused, as she minced up to the porch of the magnificent lodge in her high heeled boots. The asphalt was getting just a bit slick, but she couldn’t help but be blown away by the scenery. On a distant hill she could make out a group of snowboarders, obviously reveling in the weather as they skillfully descended the snow-covered hills in pairs.

  The door to the Winterborn Lodge lobby opened before the man accompanying her could reach for the handle, and standing just beyond was another drop-dead gorgeous male, just slightly shorter than the man who had introduced himself as Echo Winterborn.

  He was obviously related, though—same dark hair, nearly black eyes and full lateral lips.

  “Welcome to the Winterborn Cascades, Smoke Winterborn at your service!” he said, smiling warmly at her, and even extending a hand to help her in. He didn’t seem as aloof as the first man she’d encountered, though he had the same coloring, including the mysterious looking white streak in the front of his hair, and she noticed his eyes drifting down to the peak of cleavage she was showing just below the fur trimmed neckline of her winter white sweater.

  “Thank you,” she told him, looking around as soon as she stepped in, “Is the owner in? We have an appointment.

  I’ve come to finalize my purchase of the Winterborn Cascades as a matter of fact.”

  Immediately the demeanor of the younger man changed as he looked over at the man flanking her.

  “Echo?” He asked, his dark brows knitted in consternation,

  “What the HELL?”

  “Relax,” Echo told him with a wave, “I’ve got this! Would you like to accompany me to my office Ms. Pines? I’m sure that my brother Smoke here will see to your luggage in the meantime.”

  Cadie followed him to one of the hallways on either side of the massive front desk where several employees were engaged in checking guests in and out. In the center of the lobby the water pouring downward from a fountain made musical sounds, contributing to the elegant and serene atmosphere of the lodge.

  As soon as Cadie and Echo Winterborn were inside the nicely appointed office she shrugged off her pink parka and lowered herself into a leather wing chair, looking across the desk at Echo expectantly.

  “So where is the owner?” she asked, “Did I miss him?”

  Cadie noticed a flicker of amusement before Echo looked at her seriously.

  “Actually, you’re looking at the owner, Ms. Pines,” the man told her, “up until a few months ago the Winterborn Cascades was owned by my father, Viri Clayton Winterborn.

  Because of a tragic accident, he is no longer with us.”

  Cadie sat up straighter in her chair, feeling her mouth dropping open involuntarily,

  “But—but I just spoke to him on the phone yesterday!” She protested, “I wired the earnest money for the purchase over a month ago.”

  The distractingly handsome man seated opposite her grimaced, and his dark eyes were sympathetic.

  “I’m afraid you’ve been taken, Ms. Pines—scammed as it were! The family owned Winterborn Cascades Lodge has NEVER been for sale, at any time!

  No doubt you came across a notice in some publication or listing of hotels and inns, placed by some nefarious person posing as the owner. They mislead you.

  I am truly sorry for your inconvenience!”

  For a few seconds Cadie found she couldn’t move. She only sna
pped out of it when she realized that her jaw had dropped, and her mouth was still open.

  “SO, let me get this straight,” she managed to get out in a brittle tone, “neither you as the owner of the Winterborn Cascades, nor any of your representatives have placed any advertisements announcing that the lodge is for sale?”

  “Correct!” The dark-haired owner told her, “And since quite a storm is brewing outside and I am sorry for your trouble I would like to offer you our hospitality at no cost. Please feel free to at least enjoy our amenities. As you can see the Winterborn has a lot to offer, even in inclement weather, and the piano bar and restaurant are top notch. I highly recommend the prime rib, it is exquisite!”

  Echo became worried as he noticed the young woman had gone a bit pale. Her eyelashes flickered a couple of times and she seemed to have lost her polished composure, though as he continued watching she seemed to shake herself, shooting up from her comfortable seat.

  “I appreciate your offer but that won’t be necessary,” she told him, hoisting her jacket up over her shoulders again and flipping back her hair, “I’m not sure how this happened but since we won’t be doing business I need to get back to my headquarters and figure out who to go after to get my money back!”

  Echo frowned.

  “Ma’am I wouldn’t advise that you try to drive back to the airport this evening,” he told her, “the roads have gotten worse and as you can see a lot of folks who are traveling have decided to stop and wait out the storm here.