by Unknown
“Hey.” Leo jumped when I approached him. “You forgot these.”
“Thanks.” He leaned in and gave me a quick peck. The kids oohed and ahhed. My face turned bright red. “Do you want to take the ATV back?”
“I think I’m okay.” I’d never driven that thing, and it felt so good to be outside I was actually looking forward to the walk back. It was nine o’clock. Hopefully any of the cougars that had taken issue with us last night had something better to do this morning than bother me.
“Be careful.” He squeezed my hand. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I’d never had a chance to explore the mountain. It was really beautiful up here, the peaks and valleys still dusted with snow. Once I walked away from the ski area, I had it all to myself.
Or not.
“Look who it is.” Three blonde women I didn’t recognize strutted toward me on the path. They looked like they were dressed for skiing, with heavy jackets, hats, and snow pants. “The brave little doe.”
“I didn’t know there was venison on the menu today,” one of the others added. “I’ve had a craving.”
My mouth went dry, but I couldn’t let them know I was scared. It was bad enough they’d probably be able to smell my fear. “Who are you?”
They laughed. “You better know who we are, doe. We saw your little show last night on the balcony. You’re getting awfully cocky.” The one who spoke began circling me. “I bet you thought you could hide behind your lion forever.”
My choices weren’t good. I had no idea how far these cougars intended to take their threat. Even in human form, it was likely they could outrun me. Leo was busy with his lesson, and I wasn’t sure where any allegiances lie at the ski center. I was on my own. “What are you going to do about it?” I asked.
“We’re going to claim what’s ours.” The one who’d been quiet up until now spoke. The other one stopped circling me, and ran her finger along my cheek. I recoiled, but I knew better than to throw a punch. It was exactly what she wanted. A reason to attack.
“I don’t have anything that belongs to you.” I tilted my chin up. “So good luck with that. If you’ll excuse me.” I started to walk way.
The two women blocked the path. “Didn’t Leo teach you anything about lions?” the one who touched me said. “What we like to do?”
I took a deep breath. “Yeah. You toy with your prey before you kill it.” That animal feeling started to rise and I needed to push it down with everything I had. “Is that what you’re going to do? Kill me?”
“Oh, not today.” The women laughed. “But you’re right. It’s much more fun if you wonder every time you set foot outside of the cabin if you’ll ever make it back to your precious Leo. We want to see those doe eyes nice and wide,” she paused. “Yeah, like that. You’re so pretty. I can see why he likes you, doe. You’re foolish and proud. You’ll pay for it in the end.”
I had so many snappy comebacks at the tip of my tongue, but I wasn’t giving these crazy bitches any ammunition.
“What do you know about pride tradition? Oh, that’s right, nothing.” They all laughed again. “We can challenge any female who can’t produce offspring. Lion cubs, not some freak of nature. And I’m going to tell you a little secret.” The one who’d done most of the talking leaned in close, like she was doing me a favor. I winced as her breath stung my cheek.
“What’s that?”
“Every single one of us wants a crack at you.” Her smile was so ugly. “It’s a fight you can’t possibly win.”
Something inside me broke, but it wasn’t my doe rising, it was anger. I’d had enough. I pushed passed the three of them, causing the mouthy one to stumble back. “We’ll see about that.”
Masked Desire
Erotic Fantasies Series Book 1
By Crystal Dawn
Editor Katrina Breier
2015 Copyright by Crystal Dawn
Any resemblance to any person living or dead is simply a coincidence. The characters are strictly the product of the author’s imagination.
Dedicated to love. May we all find it in its best and truest form.
Prologue
The world of the supernatural exists all around us, but we don’t see it. Even if we catch a glimpse of it, we refuse to admit that’s what we saw. Not all humans are allowed to go about their mundane existence in complete ignorance. My family was just minding their own business when a werewolf bit one of us, changing her life and ours, forever. A bite won’t always do that, but this time it changed their world too. My cousin Ariel changed into a snow white wolf. White wolves were a powerful bloodline believed extinct, but now that we’ve been found we are pursued relentlessly. Many of us snubbed wolves, as they preferred to be called. I was one of those who chose to stick with my own kind. My name is Sue Ellen and this is the story of Luke and me.
Chapter 1
A Rendezvous
What the hell was she doing here? She was not this kind of girl, why in the world did she agree to do this? She paced back and forth in her expensive hotel suite waiting for a man she didn’t know. Maybe he wouldn’t show. All this worry could be over nothing. She’d read somewhere that ninety percent of the bad things people worry about never happen. She might wake up and this might all just be a crazy dream. There were six of them that had made an agreement to do this. Why did she have to be the first one? It was her typical bad luck that was why.
They had all had some success in their respective fields and wanted to reward themselves. She just didn’t understand why they chose this way to do it. Who had even come up with this? She just couldn’t remember. Had she even agreed at the time? Probably. It probably helped that they were all drunk. A sane, sober person wouldn’t come up with such a thing. It was the kind of thing you fantasized about, but were smart enough never to do.
They were all sitting around drinking and complaining about their pitiful love lives. The group ranged in age from twenty-eight to nearly forty. They were all feisty when they got together and anything was liable to happen. What was happening now had to be extreme even for their rowdy group. She thought it might have been Kimmie that had suggested they do something to break out of their dull personal lives. What they decided was way more than insane. She pulled at her mask, it was annoying her but that might be because it represented how crazy she was behaving. She should have just said no!
Yet here she was in a luxury hotel room, dressed in the raciest lingerie she had ever seen, waiting for a man she knew nothing about that had been matched to her by someone else she didn’t know. That’s what they had all agreed to do, live out a fantasy with someone sent to them by this matching agency that Kimmie, my cousin, had found. It was called Erotic Fantasies and the name said it all. For a nominal fee they would match women with the men of their dreams for one night of anonymity and mad, passionate sex.
She was wearing a mask and he would also to keep up the illusion of anonymity once the night was over. It was the number one rule, anonymity for the night. Afterward they would decide whether to share their identities or not by contacting each other, but it needed to be mutual. They even had a website set up for the contact if it was requested. Everything was so organized, but what kind of demand could there be for a business like that?
She was wondering what kind of crazy guy she could expect to meet under these circumstances, but who was she to be throwing stones? She was sitting there dressed as provocatively as possible, masked and ready for anything. She admitted a small thrill of excitement ran through her as she heard the knock on the door. This was her last test, would she open it and let him in? Her mask gave her strength since no one would know who she was she could do anything with no fear of embarrassment or recriminations. He would arrive as if he were attending the masked ball downstairs. There was one held at the hotel every month and that was the night the fantasies were granted. The men who came here to make a woman’s dreams come true wouldn’t look out of place wearing costumes and masks. Of course they wouldn’t be attendin
g a dance. They would be living out an erotic fantasy.
She was guaranteed a perfect match for her, but how could they really do that? A man who would be attractive, her type and would make her sexual fantasies come true. If she was honest, as nervous as she was, there was also an element of incredible excitement. She braced herself before she opened the door and caught her breath. He was tall, well over six feet and she had to look up, way up, to look into his deep brown eyes. His lips were full and she felt the urge to kiss them. She stepped back to let him in. No need to be shy since she had decided to do this and enjoy every second of it.
Her fingers itched to slide into his curly black hair. They really had picked a man that was her perfect match. He reminded her so much of her secret crush Lucas, but it just couldn’t be. She wondered if he had not resembled Luke, would she have even let him in? Maybe it wasn’t fair that Luke was on her mind, but that’s who she would imagine she was with. Hot, sweet, sexy Lucas whose only fault was being born not just a wolf, but an alpha. Since her cousin Ariel had become mated to a wolf and they had discovered she was a white wolf, a powerful blood line thought lost to their world forever. Her eyes had been opened to a secret world existing right beside that of humans. It was a world she had no desire to become part of, not now, not ever!
The man moved in and owned the room. The spacious hotel room seemed to close in on her as she took in the large and in charge presence of the man in front of her. Nervously she stepped back to widen the distance between them hoping he’d say something, anything, to lighten the awkwardness of the moment but he just stared at her with those cinnamon colored eyes lit with an overwhelming lust that brought out a matching one in her. He stepped closer and she stepped back almost like a choreographed dance. She wanted him even if he would only be a substitute for the man she would never have. The man who lived in a world she chose never to be a part of not even for his sake.
He had backed her up against the bed and their dance ended. She waited, unable to think or breathe as he seemed to consider his next move and his eyes slowly worked their way down her body. It was like being lapped by flames as his look consumed her and her heart thundered in her ears. He had not even touched her yet and she was hot and slick, her body prepared to be taken in any way he desired. He moved forward, close enough to touch her. His hand reached out to stroke her cheek softly, so softly it felt like a feather. She felt a zing shoot through her and his eyes widened telling her he had felt it too. She just wanted to lean forward so her body touched his and beg him to take her now. She wouldn’t do that of course. She had her pride even if it had made for a cold and lonely bed each night.
She examined him, he was close enough she could see every detail. He was dressed as Zorro which made her think of the masked ball going on downstairs. He would draw no attention because of his mask, only his incredible good looks would draw the eyes of any woman with eyes to see. His tight black pants seemed to struggle to hold a rather large package from escaping. They showcased his well-muscled legs and she’d bet that he had the kind of ass women would drool over. His loose fitting white shirt was open at the top showing off a tanned chest with a light sprinkling of dark hair. Shiny black boots covered his feet, a black cape was slung over his shoulders and a black bolero hat sat jauntily on his head. His black mask gave him a sense of mystery that drew her in even deeper and she would admit to a certain sense of excitement from the taboo nature of what they were about to do.
She saw him draw in a deep breath and she would swear he growled which made her worry he might be a wolf, but she decided it didn’t matter since after tonight they would never see each other again. She didn’t want to mate a wolf and that was all any of them wanted from her, but to experience a wolf with no strings attached, the thought made her panties melt. He moved unexpectedly as if he had just decided what to do and couldn’t wait another second to carry out his carnal desires. He pulled her into his arms and she felt an unnatural heat rush over her. She couldn’t decide if it came from him or if her dirty thoughts were sending a wave of heat through her body. She did know her body was the neediest she could ever remember it being and that she might scream if he didn’t do something soon.
He put his lips on hers and he branded her with a kiss unlike any she had ever experienced. She’d heard the word devour, but now she understood what it really meant. Her breath came in pants and he was equally affected. Her heart pounded in her ears as she looked in his eyes and had the feeling she was looking at the baddest predator around. Just for one night, she would do the things she had always imagined without letting fear get in her way. She watched him and she saw a man that could make any woman’s wildest fantasies come true. She closed her eyes and surrendered to whatever he had planned.
Chapter 2
The Plan
Lucas threw back another whiskey and enjoyed the burn as it hit the back of his throat. He wouldn’t get drunk, alcohol had little effect on shifters. He looked around the table at the males he’d become close to over the last few years. It was unbelievable that they hadn’t even known each other to begin with, at least not well. Now their personal situations had made them band together like brothers. Each of them had found their mates only to meet with human rejection. He wasn’t sure if it was fear, arrogance, or uncertainly that caused these females to turn their back on their soul mates. It was hard to figure out since they never bothered to explain. The rejection hit them all hard and at a level deep down in their hearts where it was hard to heal. The pain was unimaginable.
He had heard of humans begging to be turned but these females, even though they carried the powerful legendary white wolf blood, refused to even consider it. His female, yes she was his no matter how much she refused to admit it, seemed to be the worst one of all. The lovely Sue Ellen dodged him at every turn. They worked together in the same office building. He was on the second floor where his physical therapy practice was successful in many ways. He made good money, okay very good money and he was able to help people reclaim their lives.
His sweet Sue Ellen worked on the third floor directly above him. She was a psychiatrist who specialized in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or just attention deficit disorder. She was also successful in helping people that had challenges to overcome live a regular lifestyle and she earned a good living doing it. She was the best there was and she was often booked up months in advance.
He had become the stalker she didn’t know she had because he invaded every part of her life he could looking for a way in. He was bound and determined to make her his. To overcome every obstacle that she put in his way and there were many.
They had a lot in common since they had both chosen the medical field and their particular specializations dealt with long term relationships in patients sometimes kept indefinitely. They also enjoyed sports, both watching and participating. Sue Ellen was an outdoor person like he was and that would make things easier when he changed her. She thought she had discouraged him, but she had only made him more certain that she was his mate and that he would have her.
He couldn’t remember who had suggested the idea only that they’d all been depressed and trying to get drunk with no success. They got together weekly, this group of six males that had all found mates who refused to consider becoming wolves. He remembered when he had met Paul. He’d been at a local bar staring holes in the back of Sue Ellen’s head when he’d looked up from the object of his misery long enough to notice someone else. The poor guy sat with a sad look on his face staring at the six females who were out for a good time half-drunk off their asses. Luke worried at first that he might be a rival for the fair Sue Ellen so he moved closer and nodded to acknowledge him. The scent of a wolf, hit him, alpha without a doubt.
“Which one?” Luke asked staring over at the wild bunch of females.
“Kimmie, she doesn’t even see me.” He admitted.
“My names Luke and my cousin runs the McDougal Pack. Does she know you’re a wolf?” Luke asked. He wondered i
f this poor wolf knew that it was the very thing most wolves were proudest of, their duel nature, that was keeping his chosen mate from his side?
“I’m Paul and I moved down here with Blake. We’re some kind of distant relation. I just moved down a few months ago to be the pack attorney and met her my first night out with Blake and Ariel. I thought things were going to be wonderful until Ariel explained that Kimmie has a thing about wolves. She doesn’t want to date one and she doesn’t want to be one.”
Luke thought that about covered things with Sue Ellen too. Later they met the other four guys under similar circumstances and formed a group of broken hearted, mateless wolves. He couldn’t remember when their meetings had shifted from Misery Loves Company to strategizing how to claim the females they loved. That was what had brought them to this point where Paul got the great idea of establishing a business that dealt with female fantasies. He’d argued that it was an underserved area since everyone was focused on men’s fantasies. They would start the business, work out the kinks and then see if they could trick their females into the erotic trap. At the least they would have a fabulous night to remember and who knew, maybe they could use sex to reel in their one true mates.
It sounded stupid at first. Not the company, that part sounded cool and Luke knew a witch who would be great for matching couples up. They all had money and they’d go into this equally. The stupid part was thinking they could lure six intelligent, well-adjusted women who seemed to have everything they could ever want, into a night of sex with a stranger who would walk away in the morning. Luke supposed that just showed how little he really knew or understood the woman that had erected the towering fence between them.
They immediately divided up duties among them. Luke’s was to find the appropriate employees and define their duties. Roger would find the building they needed and deal with that. Dilbert, who we called Dillie, would handle the advertising. Paul would do the contracts and handle anything legal. Fancher or Fan for short, had his own CPA firm and he would handle all the bookkeeping. That left Ven in charge of the computer system and its security.
