Tales of the Winter Wolf, Vol. 3

by R. J. Blain

  Desmond yanked open the side door, pressing his fingers to my throat. “Richard, deep breaths,” he ordered.

  “Someone please tell me what’s going on,” I begged between gasps.

  “If you shut up and just take deep breaths, I will,” Desmond retorted before nipping me in rebuke. “Apparently, the thought of me and my mate treating you to a fun evening panicked you so much that you took out your entire pack by force in your effort to escape. I had no idea you were so shy, Richard.”

  “I didn’t feel a thing,” my brother reported. “Frank, however, dropped like a rock. Sanders caught him before he could crack his head open on the asphalt.”

  “Lucky you, Alex. He hit me first, but since my pack isn’t in flux, I could fight him off. He went for Frank second. Since Frank was actively trying to get through to him, he got sucker punched. I’m going to guess the pack bonds are fried out, Frank?”

  “Tully’s buffering,” Frank reported. “Richard ran out of steam by the time he reached Tully in the pack bonds.”

  “Sanders?” I asked, blinking at the other Alpha. “I did what?”

  Sanders burst out laughing. “You tried to subjugate me, you devil spawn. If I hadn’t realized Desmond and his wicked little bitch were trying to goad you into it, I’d be pissed. I had to actually call on my pack to fend you off. You should’ve just let them—”

  “Sanders!” my mate screamed, grabbed the nearest object, which proved to be my wallet, and flung it at the Alpha’s head. “I swear if you finish that sentence, I will end you.”

  Catching my wallet, Sanders held it out to my brother, who took it. “Okay, okay. You okay, Richard?”

  “I think he’s just exhausted,” Desmond said, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Sorry, Pup. How’s the ranking in the pack, Frank?”

  Frank snorted, crawling up into the back of the SUV. Flopping onto the pile of blankets, he groaned. “We’re fine, Desmond. I’m more worried about Richard.”

  “Richard? Can you feel the pack?”

  I shook my head. “Nothing.”

  “He’s probably burnt out for a while,” Sanders said. “I would be, too, if I tried a stupid stunt like that. How about you, Frank?”

  “Yeah, I got him. Faint, but he’s there,” Frank reported. “Looks like you’re still stuck with me as your Second, Richard.”

  I groaned and leaned against Desmond. “I should have taken Sanders’s pack.”

  “Should’ve hit harder then, Richard. Looks like you’re stuck with Yellowknife. I’d make a terrible Second. I’d give you bellyaches and you know it,” Sanders replied. “I also didn’t drive all this way to watch Desmond cuddle with Richard again. I know he’s lovable, but there really should be limits. Let’s go have a look at the Porsche.”

  My Porsche was dead.

  Not only was it crunched, my mother hadn’t been joking when she said it could burn. The charring and bubbling of paint exposed to intense heat removed all evidence my car had once been pink. All that remained of the interior were a few scraps of leather and melted plastic. The frame of the center console had twisted; shards of scorched glass clung to where the navigation panel had once been.

  Sanders whistled. “That’s your Porsche? Damn, what did it do to anyone?”

  “Richard liked it,” my brother said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “That’s the only reason they needed to wreck it. The cops said they don’t know how the hell they did it, but someone had gone through a lot of effort to scrap the car. They found traces of accelerants, but they haven’t seen anything quite like it.”

  “That bitch torched his car because he liked it?” my mate demanded. She balled her hands into fists. “That’s bullshit.”

  “I’m pretty sure the only reason they didn’t toss my cold corpse in a dumpster during visits was because there were armed Inquisitors nearby looking for an excuse to take them out,” my brother grumbled.

  I growled because it was true.

  Alex answered by jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow. Turning to me, he stood at his full height, which made him several inches taller than me. “Richard, English.”

  “If that were my truck, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be capable of English,” Sanders said, clapping my shoulder. “Damn, Richard. I was expecting damage, but nothing to this scale. It’s a deep fried car pancake.”

  “I can’t tell if Nicolina is the luckiest lady alive or not. You have to be running out of luck, girl.” Frank shook his head. “How the hell did you walk away from that?”

  My legs decided they were no longer interested in holding me up. I slumped to the asphalt. Desmond made a startled noise.

  Frank knelt next to me, his hand supporting the back of my neck. “Richard?”

  “My car,” I whimpered. “They trashed my car, Frank.”

  “It’s okay, Richard. We can get you a new baby, and you can even get it in pink again if you really want.”

  “She wasn’t even a year old,” I wailed.

  My mate bit her lip, hiding her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry. I hit the brakes and turned the wheel after you told me not to.”

  Desmond crouched next to me, put his fingers under my chin, and forced me to look at him. “You’re making my little girl cry,” he hissed.

  I froze, opening my mouth to reply, but only a strangled noise emerged. Had I? Desmond held my chin in a firm grip so I couldn’t turn to my mate. I drew in a panicked breath, but I couldn’t tell from her scent if she was distressed.

  As always, her crisp cinnamon scent was accompanied by faint traces of annoyance.

  “Charles Nicholas Desmond,” Wendy growled. “Be nice to Richard. He didn’t make her cry. Isn’t that right, Nicolina?”

  Pointing at my Porsche, my mate turned on her father, aiming a kick at his shin. Desmond hopped out of his daughter’s reach.

  “You’re going to be as dead as the Porsche,” she hissed. “I’m not crying. Why does my father have to be such a loser?” Spinning on a heel, she stalked to her father’s Mercedes, throwing open the back door. “And for fuck’s sake, Richard, put on some clothes.”

  “You’re going to need to lock that girl up, Desmond,” Sanders said, whistling. “Whoever wins her is going to have his hands full. I can’t tell if I’ll want to congratulate him or put him out of his misery.”

  “No kidding,” Desmond grumbled. “I’m not going to be able to give her away at this rate. I’m going to have to offer a dowry to get rid of her.”

  I more than wanted my mate, but I couldn’t tell anyone that. While I wanted to stalk after the girl my wolf and I so desired, I was stuck with her father and mother instead. I scowled, narrowing my eyes at Desmond. “No jet, no daughter. That was the deal. If you think you’re getting out of the deal so easily, you’re mistaken, Desmond.”

  “Not to interrupt your posturing, but we’re going home. Busted jets and flattened cars can wait until after your neck heals, Richard. He’s coming with us, Mr. Desmond. Ours.” Frank narrowed his eyes, and in a gesture that was all about dominance and possession, he pulled me closer to him. I sighed, and because it was too much work to fight him, I allowed it.

  “And I’m pretty sure I already told Alex that I would return Richard when I bloody fucking felt like it,” Desmond growled.

  “Charles,” Wendy said, her tone calm and even. “Please forgive my mate. Of course you’ll take Richard home. We’ll just be coming with you when you do.”

  I groaned at the thought of the Desmonds at my lodge—or worse, my house. “First he destroys my plane, then his daughter wrecks my car, which is then lit on fire. Now I have to take them home with me? What did I do to deserve this?”

  “I’m pretty sure you were born,” my brother said, ruffling my hair. “Sorry, Richard.”

  I sighed.

  Index

  Volume One

  Hunted

  Nicolina Desmond should have known that her twin’s overly friendly behavior with the eligible Fenerec males would land her in trou
ble, but she never expected how far young, single werewolves would go to secure a mate.

  The Scent of Guilt

  When Richard is invited to hunt Nicolina’s kidnappers with her father, he jumps at the chance. With Desmond lusting for blood and violence, Richard is forced to toe the line between mercy, justice, and revenge.

  Firecracker

  No matter how influential Charles Desmond is, it’s not enough to stop those who are determined to take Richard’s rank through force. With Nicolina Desmond out on the hunt to kill him once and for all, he’ll need a lot more than luck to survive his stay with the Desmonds.

  Glitter

  Richard Murphy has many sides, and Nicolina Desmond is dismayed to discover that he truly has the patience of a hunting wolf and his pranks are just as nefarious as hers. When the bodies of Fenerec turn up in her back yard, however, she might have to kill again, and her target is none other than Yellowknife’s injured Alpha.

  Volume Two

  Charmed

  While Nicolina is relieved to have survived her first quarter at Stanford, there are still a few surprises left in store for her, leaving her with a lot more questions than answers… and an extra mouth to feed.

  Crash and Burn

  Richard’s worst fears come to pass when Nicolina’s plane crashes, leaving him to control her parents or witness two of North America’s most dangerous Fenerec rampage through a crowded airport.

  Wild Wolf

  In Richard’s desperation to dominate Desmond and his mate, he has done far more harm to himself than anyone ever suspected. With his human half in trouble and fading fast, it falls to his wolf to find a way to save them both. To make matters worse, it’s Christmas Eve, and Richard’s past once again comes back to haunt him.

  Volume Three

  The Silvered Wolf

  With Richard recovering, there’s some hope of salvaging their normal Christmas rituals, but her father’s plan sweeps Nicolina up into her worst nightmare—one where she’s a bartering chip held by none other than the Silvered Wolf.

  The Games Wolves Play

  Richard and his wolf are delighted to have Nicolina for their own for at least several days, but when his parents show up, their fun and games take a lethal turn.

  Volume Four

  Tangles

  Between her father’s plans to subject her to a trip to Yellowknife and the matted ruins of her hair, Nicolina’s life has become a tangled mess. When help comes from an unexpected source, she’s forced to look at herself and her worst enemy in a different light.

  Witch

  When an Inquisition witch shows up to take Richard into custody, Nicolina once again proves he has a lot to learn about Desmond’s daughter.

  Striking a Deal

  Dealing with the devil has its risks, but when Nicolina strikes a bargain with Richard Murphy, she fears she has bitten off more than she can chew.

  In Hot Water

  What should have been a relaxing side trip to the mountain springs lands Richard in hot water.

  Breaking Point

  Everyone has a breaking point, and Nicolina Desmond is no different. When her father crosses the line one too many times, an impulsive decision results in her teaming up with Richard Murphy for some good old-fashioned payback. The only problem? Their opponents are three of North America’s most dangerous wolves and the entirety of Richard’s pack.

  Volume Five

  The Power of a Word

  Despite all of her efforts and carefully cultivated hatred for Richard Murphy, Nicolina Desmond craves his company—and more. Determined to choose her own fate, she puts Richard to the test, and discovers what sort of man he is.

  Bonds

  Richard prepares himself for a lifetime of hunting Nicolina so he might claim her as his mate. However, Desmond’s daughter has plans of her own, and he has once again become her prey.

  The Value of a Life

  With the full moon on the rise, Nicolina has more than thralled wolves to worry about. Fearing what her father will do if he ever learns she has staked her claim on Yellowknife’s Alpha, she hides her love and affection for Richard in the only way she knows how. To mask their mingling scents, she unleashes a cologne apocalypse in his bedroom.

  With her new mate hunting with his wolves, she takes the opportunity to get to know his brother. But when a jealous wolf bent on destroying what Richard holds dear comes calling, Nicolina must decide for herself the true value of a life—and whether or not she is willing to kill to protect those her mate loves.

  Shattered

  Richard’s worst nightmare has come true. No longer able to feel his brother in the pack bonds and fearing for his mate’s life, he relinquishes control of Yellowknife’s pack to Desmond, hoping he’s not too late to save what little of his family he has left.

  In order to save his brother, Nicolina has killed once again. This time, however, she has shattered under the strain of taking another’s life. Should Richard make a single mistake, he may be left as the lone survivor—or fall victim to her silver bullets.

  Titles by RJ Blain

  Witch & Wolf (Urban Fantasy)

  Inquisitor

  Winter Wolf

  Blood Diamond

  Other titles from the Witch & Wolf World (UF)

  Tales of the Winter Wolf

  Volume One

  Volume Two

  Volume Three

  Volume Four

  Volume Five

  Omnibus - Volumes One-Five

  Beneath a Blood Moon (UF, Standalone, Nov 2015)

  Requiem for the Rift King (Epic Fantasy)

  Storm Without End

  Storm Surge

  The Fall of Erelith (Fantasy)

  The Eye of God

  Winter Wolf

  Witch & Wolf, Book 2

  When Nicole dabbled in the occult, she lost it all: Her voice, her family, and her name. Now on the run from the Inquisition, she must prove to herself—and the world—that not all wizards are too dangerous to let live.

  The savage murder of a bookstore employee throws Nicole into the middle of Inquisition business, like it or not. Driven by her inability to save the young man’s life, she decides to hunt the killer on her own. Using forbidden magic to investigate the past, she learns that the murderer is in fact a disease that could kill the entire werewolf race.

  Forced to choose between saving lives and preserving her own, Nicole embraces the magic that sent her into exile. Without werewolves, the power of the Inquisition would dwindle, and she could live without being hunted.

  Nicole’s only hope for success lies in the hands of the werewolves she hates and the Inquisition she fears, but finding someone to trust is only the beginning of her problems. There are those who want to ensure that the werewolves go extinct and that the Inquisition falls.

  But, if she fails to find a cure, her family—including her twin sister—will perish…

  Chapter One

  I slammed my car’s door, spun on a heel, and swore I would have a perfectly normal visit to the mall. All I needed was one little book. Even I could walk into a bookstore, pick up a novel, and leave without causing any trouble.

  This time I wouldn’t blow out the lights. There wouldn’t be a single power surge. I wouldn’t turn on every unplugged device in the electronics store on my way across the mall. In the ten minutes it would take me to get in and out, the only thing anyone would notice about me was the fact that I wore a high-collared sweater in late summer. I had a mission, and I would complete it without fail. The novel my agent insisted I read would be mine.

  For a long moment, I considered turning around and getting back into my car. Dominic would forgive me if I didn’t start reading the book until tomorrow. I could call in a favor and ask someone to pick up a copy for me. Then I definitely wouldn’t run any risk of blowing anything up. If I had been smart, I would’ve just ordered the damned thing on the internet, but I had waited too long.

  Fishing my cell out of my pocket, I unl
ocked the screen with a swipe of my finger. The charging icon mocked me. Despite running every battery-draining app I could find, the battery held a full charge. I opened another app, a devilish program capable of killing the battery in ten minutes. It wouldn’t, not with me around, but if I was too busy keeping my phone topped up, maybe my mall shopping trip would prove to be mundane.