by Evans, Bryce
“You said this Jacky Boy helped you escape and he told you Paddock wanted you for your blood?”
River nodded then shook the frightened look away from the gorgeous vampire. “He said my blood called to him. Jacky told me that my blood would make him stronger. Jacky Boy was scared of Paddock. They made fun of him and used him as a punching bag he said most of the time. He was turned when he was seventeen years old.”
Reece got up again pacing the floor. They could see the anger in him as he paced. “Stronger?” Reece’s voice got higher as he asked again. “He said stronger?” Reece had to remember she was scared. He wanted answers but she was talking so Reece let her keep talking. He would come back to the stronger comment later.
“What else can you see, River?” Larken asked.
Looking over at Larken, River shyly spoke. “You are a wolf. I can see it sitting inside you and he is a vampire.” River pointed at Reece.
“How did you know that I was a vampire?” Reece asked as he stopped and stared at River. This woman intrigued him without even knowing how she was affecting him.
“I can smell your scent. You smell sweet like fresh gooey bread covered in syrup,” River explained as she looked back and forth between Reece and Jonas. Reece grinned at the description she gave.
Larken and Larsen loved this. Now Reece and Jonas would get a taste of their own medicine. They would have to work together to capture this skittish woman and they knew this was going to be a fight too. Laughing to themselves, they watched as Jonas and Reece tried to make her like them.
“Have you seen other people with animals inside them?” Larken asked. He, too, was intrigued by River’s abilities. She had more powers, he knew it. “What else can you do?”
“Well, I knew Mary had cancer in her stomach. I could see it,” River informed Larken as she watched the surprised look come on his face.
“Who is Mary?” Jonas asked, bringing her eyes back on him. He wanted her talking to him not Larken.
“I bet she is a healer too,” Larken blurted out. He knew she was special but her powers could be more then she even knew.
“Mary…” River smiled as she spoke of who Mary was to her. “Mary is my mother. Well the only mother I’ve ever had. She is the only person who is family to me,” River whispered.
Ash could see how lonely River had been.
“Have you ever tried to heal someone or thought that if you laid your hands on them then you could heal them?” Larken asked as River turned toward him. Larken acted like a kid in a toy store and River was his new toy. He was fascinated by River and wanted to know what all she could do.
River’s mouth was hanging open as she heard what he asked. She was afraid to say yes but she did feel like that. How could he know that? “Can you read my mind?” River asked Larken.
“No but I have a feeling about you and I think you haven’t found out exactly what all you can do. I think you can do more than anyone,” Larken replied.
She was always too scared that people would think she was a freak if she asked to put her hands on them. Like the preachers on TV would do and act like they healed someone. Passing the tip jar around to the congregation. River was always different but bringing attention to herself was not going to happen.
They waited for River to answer. She felt like a freak now but she knew they would be able to tell she was lying. “Yes, I have, but I didn’t want people to think I was a freak for asking to put my hands on anyone.” River’s smile vanished as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke to Larken. She never wanted people to feel sorry for her or treat her like she was a freak for asking to heal someone.
Jonas and Reece were getting impatient sitting on the other side of the room away from River. They wanted to touch her, be with her. Jonas got up and walked toward River. He bent down in front of her. He could see the fear in her eyes when he approached her.
“I just want to touch you. I know you don’t understand this but I’m your mate.”
Reece ran up to her and kneeled in front of her too. “I’m your mate too,” Reece added.
River just about jumped into the fire trying to escape the two men. She jumped as the two men kneeled before her. Her body shook as she frowned down at them. The fear that had resided had returned full force.
“What…what is a mate?” River bellowed out as she looked at Ash for help. Reece and Jonas leaned forward as her scent penetrated their senses.
Her eyes widened as she glared at the men who continued to move closer to her. “Please…back off. Back off now, and I mean now,” River growled the words as she shook from the closeness of the men. She didn’t like how her body was acting toward them. She wanted to touch them too. What the fuck, River? Get it together.
Jonas hated doing it but they inched back to give her some space. Not a lot because he couldn’t stand being too far away from her. He could see her hands tighten on the chair as it creaked from the death grip she had on it. She needed time to sit and think this over. He knew he should give her time, but Jonas didn’t know if he could. All he wanted to do was get close to her. His body urged him to touch River and rub his scent all over her. Mark her as his. That way other shifters would know she was his.
Ash looked over at her big strong uncle who was the leader of his clan and at Jonas who was an Alpha of a pack and they looked like whipped puppy dogs waiting to be fed as they knelt in front of her. She would have burst out laughing if it wouldn’t have upset River any more than she already was.
River watched as the men only inched away from her. “What is a mate?” She looked at Ash again for the answer. “Well, a mate is your other half.” River watched as Ash got up, went, and stood between Larken and the Sheriff. River narrowed her eyes wondering why Larken possessively had his arm around her and the Sheriff was holding her hand. “A mate, River, is your destined partner who sees only you. It is the equivalent to a wife or husband but much, much more in our world. They will never stray or leave you for another woman. Nobody is better looking than you or has a better body then you. It’s what shifters and vampires use to describe their wife or husband except we mate for life. Your soul mate is what they are. We never get divorced or stray.” River was still confused as to why both men were looking like they loved her.
“Then why is Larken looking at you that way?” River asked, unsure she wanted to know the answer.
“Because the fates have granted me two mates. I’m their mate and we have mated for life,” Ash explained.
“Get out of here.” River leaned forward, not believing what she was hearing but seeing the threesome right in front of her. They were both touching her all the time. She noticed all the touching, but with the vampire in the room, her attention had been focused on him.
“You mean you have sex with both…” All the men in the room laughed at River’s comment. River blushed at what she had just blurted out. She couldn’t believe she said that aloud. She had sex before but never with two men at the same time or even in the same room together. She always wondered what that would feel like. But if she blurted that out now, everyone will think she was a freak, River chastised herself.
Ash smiled. She showed no embarrassment, only love for her two men. “Yes, I have sex with them together and by themselves sometimes. We love each other and we make it work,” Ash said lovingly as she looked at her mates. River could see the love in their eyes as they kissed her on the cheek.
“And we will make it work.” Reece reached out and touched River’s hand. She looked down at Reece and Jonas and the realization of what they were talking about dawned on her. She jerked her hand away as she fell backwards trying to get away from them. Jonas and Reece couldn’t help it. She ran and they wanted to chase her. She was fast as she made it to the door when Jonas got to her first and picked her up.
“Calm down, River. Nobody is going to hurt you.” River became frantic to get away, she started kicking and hitting him. Screaming at the top of her lungs to be let go. Reece tried to help grab her
arms but she hit him in the face with her fist, hitting Reece in the nose. Blood poured out.
It was the funniest thing Larken and Larsen had ever seen. It was so funny that Larken got out his cell phone and recorded River beating the crap out of her mates.
“Larken, stop that,” Ash said, but Larken and Larsen laughed as River kicked Jonas in the nuts. “Ohh…” Larken and Larsen said at the same time as they watched River deliver a hit to end all hits to Jonas’s manhood. He lowered her to grab his balls when she jumped out of his arms.
Reece only wanted to get her under control. He didn’t want to hurt her. He was much stronger then her and could easily break her arm. Bringing her arms around her back, Reece held her closely so Jonas could talk to her and calm her down. He grabbed her face between his hands and lightly kissed her lips. River’s eyes widened as she struggled to get away from Jonas. The way he touched her was so raw as he kissed her forehead, eyelids, nose, then as she opened her eyes, Jonas was staring into her eyes. She couldn’t look away. She was so drawn to him that her body stopped fighting.
Trying not to scare her, Jonas spoke softly, “I know you don’t understand this and I know you are scared, but…I’ve never felt this way about anyone.” Jonas could see her shoulders slump as she listened to what he was saying. “The moment I saw you, I just knew.” River tried to say something but Jonas placed his finger over her lips. “I know you don’t understand our ways or how we can feel something so fast, but if you give us a chance to get to know us, River, I think you will understand. You have been put here at this exact moment for a reason. Life has been hard on you and we understand that, but we want to help make life easier for you. If you will give us a chance, just one chance, River, I promise it will change you for the rest of your life. We are not like Paddock or his goons. We are not murders. We are shifters and vampires, but we are not bad people. Paddock and his men are. Even humans have bad people. And unfortunately, we have some bad apples too, but I promise we will never hurt you or make you run to escape us. Please, River. Just give us a chance.” Taking his hand away, Jonas waited to see if she would respond.
Reece knew it was a long shot, but he whispered in her ear, “We are not like him, River. I promise that nobody will hurt you. Please give us a chance and trust us.”
River listened to what Reece and Jonas were saying. Her gut was telling her to trust this vampire but her head was telling her to run. She didn’t want to kiss him back but his lips were so soft and his taste was so unexpected that River stopped moving, allowing Jonas to kiss her. Her ability to say no was on the tip of her tongue but the passion this man was giving her dissolved her ability to say no. River knew what he was doing but she couldn’t think while he kissed her like that. These men were different from anyone she had ever met. Even Paddock didn’t make her heart go crazy like these two men did. Jonas kissed her with more gentleness than she had ever experienced before. Nobody had ever kissed her like that. His lips were so warm and he smelled wonderful. His eyes pleaded for her to kiss him back.
Reece looked over at Ash and her mates then nodded to the back door. Larken picked his mate up and threw her over his shoulder with her squealing all the way out. Larsen swatted her on the butt as they left Reece and Jonas to deal with their mate.
When Reece heard the moan coming out of his mate, he almost lost it. He wanted her so bad that his zipper was cutting into him since he went commando today. Reece could hardly realize how fast the mating pull affected him. He put her hands in one hand and pulled her hair away from her neck. Her blood called to him as well. He started at her shoulder as he kissed up her neck. His fangs dropped, scrapping against her neck on that spot that made her squirm.
River couldn’t believe it. Her body was going into overdrive. It had been so long since she had sex and this feeling was more than she had ever felt with anyone in her life. It felt so good. But they are a vampire and a werewolf, she shouted back at herself. But…but…his kisses. They were driving her insane. The man could kiss and make her drop her pants in a second. If her hands weren’t being held behind her back, she could grab on to his juicy body. River almost fell to the floor when she felt his fangs graze her neck. She didn’t even flinch when he did it. He had hit some type of erogenous zone because she wanted to have sex right where she stood. They have possessed me.
Jonas and Reece turned toward the door when someone cleared their throat. Arden Bartley stood at the back of the door smiling at Jonas. He knew Jonas was going to be mad but he brought Kerra to the lodge for him. Larken never said he was involved in extra circular activities when Larken showed him the room Jonas was in. “Sorry, Alpha. I didn’t know you were busy.” Arden laughed a little as his eyes focused on River. Jonas didn’t like the way he was staring at his mate. He needed her away from him.
River came out of the haze when she heard the man talking. She looked to her side and saw the man smiling at her. Embarrassed was an understatement as she watched the man laughing at what was going on. Her hands were still being held behind her back. Her buttons on her shirt had been undone. Her bra was showing and her breasts were pushed out toward Jonas.
“I can’t believe I let you do that,” River whispered. She couldn’t believe she was about to let these two men that she had just met do whatever they wanted. She was making out like a hussy with a vampire. Disappointment etched her face. Mind control, that’s what it was. All the movies say that. He can use mind control on me.
“Let my arms go,” River spit out.
Reece reluctantly released her hands. She buttoned her shirt, fixing her bra at the same time, then smoothed her hair back. Lifting her head up, she quickly walked to the door leaving the men in the dining room.
Chapter Seven
River blew out the breath she had been holding, quickly walking away from the door. The further away she got from Reece and Jonas the less likely they could use mind control on her. These two men were potent and they just about had her pants off in one of the private dining rooms of the Lodge. She didn’t know if she could control the way they made her feel. Her body tingled with a heat she had never experienced in her life. The heat traveled all the way to her core where she ached for their touch.
Anybody could have walked in—and they did. The man even laughed at her. Shame was a part of River’s life as she looked in the mirror she passed in the hallway. River’s pace slowed as she stared at the woman in the mirror, her mood darkening as she continued to the elevator. She had to get upstairs and fix herself. She could feel it between her legs. The erotic throbbing was making her act stupid. She wanted these two men and that was downright dangerous. Ash probably thinks I’m a whore the way I allowed them to do that. You tell the woman that you are scared to death of vampires and here you are letting one kiss you and rub all over you.
Ash was standing at the front desk as she passed to get to the elevators. River decided that she would just tell Ash the truth how she was to blame and allowed this to happen. She stopped in front of her. On shaky legs, River needed to tell her she would leave immediately for her actions. “Ash, may I speak to you for a few minutes?”
Ash turned and smiled at her. “Sure. Come on, let’s go eat while we talk.”
River was grateful that Ash didn’t act different toward her or look at her like she was a floozy. She hoped she wasn’t just being nice right now before she fired her. This was her first day on the job and most likely her last.
River followed Ash as they walked into the dining room and found a table next to the windows. Looking out the window took her breath away. The view was beautiful with snow on the mountains. People were outside playing, building snowmen, and getting on sleigh rides. “Beautiful.”
Ash smiled as she watched River look outside. “You have the same expression I had when I saw it for the first time too. We are a lot alike. Have a seat.”
River sat down in her seat then focused on Ash instead of the ski slopes. She needed to take whatever Ash dished out to her. Then leave with a li
ttle dignity. River cleared her throat then blurted out, “I know you probably think I just lay down with any man but, Ash…” Ash put her hand over River’s trying to soothe her nerves. River grabbed her water trying to calm down so she could have a civil conversation with her.
“River, please stop worrying about this. I know how this has shocked you but believe me when I tell you that I was in the same spot you were a few years ago. My men treated me the same way Reese and Jonas are treating you. They only know one way and that is to get into your pants and make you love them.” River almost choked on her water.
“I don’t know what to think about that,” River explained shyly as she placed her glass back down on the table.
Ash giggled then patted River’s hand reassuring her. “My uncle is a great guy, River, and Jonas is so funny and just a wonderful man too. I couldn’t be happier for you. They will make you happier than you have ever been. Plus now that they have touched you, the mating urge will start and you won’t be able to stay away from them.”
River stared at Ash. She couldn’t be talking about her getting together with these two men. She would bring trouble right to their doorstep once Paddock found out that she was at the Lodge.
River bowed her head. “I wish it was that simple, Ash. I really do, but Paddock is crazy and I heard him killing that man in the basement and then all the other women I worked with. He will not stop until he gets to me. I can’t do that to you or them. I won’t get you…” River teared up when she thought that Paddock would kill Ash because she helped her. She couldn’t risk it. She would work long enough to make some money then move on.
“Now you stop that talk, River. Were shifters and…” Ash looked over at Reece and Jonas who were standing behind River listening.
Jonas stood listening to River and knew that now was the time to set her straight and let her know that she wouldn’t be running anymore.
