STORY EXCERPT

“Hello,” a rumbling male voice said.

She whipped her head around and groaned as pain exploded through it. A black haired man in a gray t-shirt rose from a chair. His short hair looked as if he’d just run his fingers through it. Damn, his shoulders were wide.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you knew I was here. You were on your side a moment ago, and I could swear I saw you blink.” The black haired male crossed the room.

She frowned. He was familiar. Where did she see him before? Her heart raced.

“You were at the restaurant.” She scooted across the bed away from him. Her head pounded. Oh, fuck, some crazy man had taken her from the hospital.

“Yes, we were, but don’t panic until you hear everything. You’re in no danger from us.” Another male said as he strode into the room, “but don’t panic…”

Wild black hair flowed to the second man’s broad shoulders. The man had been at the restaurant twice. Was he some kind of stalker?

“Was I even at the hospital, or did you just attack me and bring me here?” She ran her hand over the front of her head. Pain spiked as she touched a sore spot there.

“We didn’t attack you. We wouldn’t have brought you here if we wanted to kill you. You just wouldn’t have woken up. That’s what the man who attacked you wanted to do to you. We got to you before he could finish the job.” The black haired man sat on the opposite corner of the bed. “I’m Phoenix.”

“Someone wanted to kill me? How do you know?” She stopped at the edge but slid one leg off.

“Sawyer’s getting the computer to show you, but you’re one of a number of people on a list. You’re not the first they’ve gone after.” Phoenix turned to face her more but made no move to get closer.

“I’m on a list of people someone wants killed.” She tilted her head. “How would you know I am? Are you with the police or something?”

“No, we’re not with the police.” Phoenix shook his head and smiled. “They wouldn’t take this seriously until it was much too late. You would be long dead if we’d waited for them to intervene.”

“And there was no way we were letting that happen,” a brown-haired man said as he stepped into the room, holding a computer. A blue shirt clung his chest, and the muscles on his arms rippled. Maybe this was, Sawyer since he’d come in with the laptop. The third man had been at the restaurant with the other two.

“Why wouldn’t the police believe it, and what’s it to you if I die?” She shook her head.

“We’ll get to the last in a little while. No, they wouldn’t believe anything we said at first or even the emails we’ve found. They’d need more proof of the threat.” Phoenix took the computer and pushed it across the bed. “Take a look and see if there’s a name that you recognize or an email address.”

She pulled the computer close and lifted it onto her lap. Her name was there, as well as thirty or forty others. Most of them didn’t ring any bells. She read down to the signature and looked up at the Phoenix. What the hell? George Smith. The man had finally stopped calling her. They couldn’t have known about his connection to her. Why would he put her name on a list like this?

“You recognize a name, don’t you?” Sawyer asked, leaning against the wall.

“Yes, George Smith, as well as my own, but what’s all of this about these people are monsters? He trusts they’ll know what to do to them?” She looked up at Phoenix. A chill ran down her spine. That didn’t bode well. “And there’s a couple of communities on here that he says are probably filled with monsters.”

“He contacted a group of people who consider themselves monster hunters. The only thing is, they tend to kill far more humans than they do monsters.” Phoenix shook his head. “How did you know George Smith?”

“He bugged me for a while to buy some land I inherited from my grandfather. Eventually, he stopped calling. I thought he’d finally gotten the message.” She shook her head. Someone attacked her because she wouldn’t sell them land?

“Unfortunately, he hadn’t given up. He did the same thing to some people we know.” Sawyer sighed.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Sex. I don’t mind sex. Right now, I could ride you until we both fell apart.” She trailed her fingers up to the brown disk of his nipple. Damn, he was so lickable.

“No, it’s not just sex.” He shook his head. “It will be a mating if it happens. Not just simple sex.”

“I’ve told you that I don’t believe in matings, that everything will change just because we have sex.” She poked her finger against his chest. If it was that easy to tie someone to them, they probably wouldn’t touch anyone until they found that one. None of the men were that innocent.

“Well, things will change, even if you don’t believe it. I don’t want you to say I didn’t warn you if this happens.” Noah’s hand lifted and cupped the back of her head.

“I’ve been warned.” She rose to one knee and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was just a little play and maybe some sex. “And it won’t change anything.”

“That’s clear enough. Do you think you’re up to being touched by two of us? Maybe three of us, if Phoenix makes it home in time,” Sawyer said, strolling into the room. A black and white shirt clung to his shoulders and jeans encased his hips.

She turned her head. A tingle of warmth curled through her. Two pairs of hands on her. Damn, he did know how to tempt her.

“As long as you keep in mind that this won’t change anything. Mates don’t apply to humans.” She leaned in and nibbled on Noah’s neck. And they hadn’t given her any proof that would change her mind.

Sawyer laughed. “We’ll have to agree to disagree there, because it definitely will mean something to you.” His hands smoothed over her shoulders. “You’re a little tense here. Have you been worrying?”

“A little.” She nodded. Warmth seeped into her as he rubbed his thumbs over her shoulders. She ran her hands over Noah’s chest. Two men touching her felt good. Not as strange as she expected.

“I’ll give you a little massage. You keep teasing Noah. He’s still doing good and doesn’t need to run a mile yet.” Sawyer kneaded her shoulders.

She laughed. What an exaggeration. “I don’t think he’ll need to run a mile.”

“Yeah, it will probably be about three.” Noah frowned.

“Want to see these breasts?” Sawyer slid his hand around and cupped her breast through her blue shirt.

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to Noah’s lips. Such a ham. He opened for her. She lapped at the lower curve before delving inside. He tasted so damn good. No other man had ever given her such free run of his body.

“Yes,” Noah groaned against her lips.

She slid his shirt away until it hung on his arms. So much muscled skin to play with. Sawyer tugged her back. He gathered the bottom of her shirt and tugged it up. Her shirt bunched under her arms. She skimmed her fingers over Noah’s chest.

Sawyer eased the shirt up more. The fabric tugged her arms upward when Sawyer pulled it over her head. She turned and glared at the man.

“You’re interfering with my touching.” She faced forward and once again plucked at Noah’s nipples.

He jerked. A thrill rushed through her. Damn, she loved drawing a response from him. He shifted restlessly on the couch.

“I had to get that shirt off you. If you wore a button down shirt, I wouldn’t have to pull it over your head. I’ll have to disturb you again unless you don’t mind me ripping your bra off.” Sawyer tugged at her bra.

“No! Do you know how much good bras cost? And I’m not talking pretty ones, but something nice that doesn’t dig into your shoulders and might possibly support a little.” She put a hand on her hip and glowered.

“Can’t say that I do, but I’ll look into it.” Sawyer flicked open her bra.

“Well, if you must interrupt me again, I should move now so I don’t have to do it later.” She braced her hands on Noah’s shoulders.

“Move where you need to, Tempest.” Sawyer moved back.

She swung her leg over Noah’s, straddling him. He tensed. Sawyer moved behind her and pushed the bra forward. She pulled it off and flung it away. Click. She looked up. That had to be the door. But was it Phoenix or someone else?

“It’s just Phoenix,” Sawyer said. “He’s home from work. He’s keying in the code and will be here in a few moments.” He ran his hands over her shoulders.

Damn, he was just as warm as Noah was. If she ever slept with them, it would be like sleeping with furnaces.

“Are you still up for this even though you might have three men touching you?” Sawyer drew his fingers down her back.