by Bonnie Vanak
Before this spiraled out of control, I needed to know where it was headed. “On Friday, you told me that I had a good chance of getting the junior manager’s job.”
He lowered his voice, as if conveying a secret. “I’m afraid I spoke out of turn. In fact, I’m afraid I’m going to have to lower your pay to that of an assistant.””
This is your life, Peyton. Trapped in a drudge job, destined for a career as the go-to girl.
For three years, Reggie had promised something more. More pay. More responsibility. More of a life.
Was I destined to remain stuck here at Lyon Creek Data Servers?
With Reggie and his frizzled silver-black curls and sneer and Glinda’s hee hee hee braying donkey laugh?
I thought of Alex’s ebony curls, soft as silk, springy beneath my exploring fingertips.
I thought of Gabriel’s deep chuckle when I cracked jokes with him.
Was this all there was to my life in the human world?
“Reggie, why are you demoting me? Is it my work?”
Unclenching my fists, I studied Reggie’s aura. Unlike shifter auras, human auras are fairly straightforward. Reggie’s glowed dark green, laced with brown. Brown meant lack of energy, siphoning it from other people. That flare of dark green…. He was lying.
“You’re different, Peyton. Your work is excellent, for behavioral data. But for rubbing shoulders with Fortune 500 companies requires a different skillset.”
That made no sense. Last year I’d helped the company land a multi-million dollar deal with a direct mail house. “I don’t have a problem associating with them.”
Glinda made a small sniffing noise. “But they don’t want to associate with you.”
Bristling, I barely spared a glance at her. “That’s a stupid assumption coming from someone who just graduated out of diapers.”
She hissed and I rolled my eyes. “Ladies,” Reggie said sternly.
Forget the diva in designer duds. I looked at Reggie, who was still my boss. “Why can’t I go to the conference? Because I didn’t get the promotion?”
“Our representative will be expected to network and make contacts for the sales department to follow through on, Peyton.”
“And you need Jimmy Choos and a snotty attitude for that?”
Glinda sniffed and muttered beneath her breath. I ignored her.
Pity flashed in Reggie’s expression. “You’re a psi, Peyton. And well, that makes you different. Clients are afraid you’d read their minds, know what’s going on behind the scenes.”
If he had punched me in the stomach, I couldn’t have felt more shocked. My talents were hidden. Oh, I used them to my advantage, and the company’s advantage as well.
Last year, my special talent had been an asset in landing that big account. Now that management knew what I was, my abilities had turned into a liability.
“Who told you I am a psi?” I demanded.
He shrugged. “It was bound to come out, Peyton. Did you think you could keep it a secret forever?
The dark green deepened around Reggie and knew.
Everything he uttered was a bald lie. Concentrating, I read his energy, saw the worry there and the revulsion he felt at having me sit close to him.
The fear that I’d see into his slimy soul.
I dug deeper and saw the reason, flickering like a series of movie images.
Reggie was afraid of me. Afraid of my powers and my influence. He had promoted Glinda because he could control her.
He could not control me.
The answer glowed there in sickly pea soup green. And yet because I’d clung to hope for so long that I could make a career at this company, have a normal life, I tried one last time.
“I’ve associated only with one client, Reggie, and they never complained or seemed uncomfortable. My being a psi should help the company. I can use my talents for that.”
No answer, except a guilty glance away that anyone, even without psychic powers, could read. Even the designer diva fell into an uncomfortable silence.
It wasn’t the potential clients. It was my company. Never had I abused my powers, but it was hard to avoid detecting that the executive director was having an affair with a mid-level manager in shipping. Or that the CFO who pinched pennies and refused to give the staff more than cost of living raises secretly drank on the company’s expense account.
You’re a psi. I didn’t fit into the corporate structure, not enough to become a company spokesperson. I was different. A freak, even though they didn’t use the exact term.
“Well then,” the diva said brightly. “I’ll need you to get started on my travel arrangements. First you can move your things into the corner cube by the bathroom. It’s really private and you’ll like it better there.”
Not only was I being demoted, but they were moving me into the worst area on my floor. It was little more than a closet, where no one would have to see me, hear me, or worry about me using my damn X-ray vision on them.
For a moment I almost hated myself more than I hated them.
29
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I went through the motions of work, wrapping up projects to hand off to Jon, lining up hotel reservations. At lunch when I went to the cafeteria, no one looked at me.
Either they’d heard about my unfortunate demotion or they were afraid I’d use my psi superpowers to determine that their turkey on whole wheat had too many preservatives.
Taking my brown bag out after snagging a soda, I ate alone in the upstairs bathroom.
Cutting out of work early, I headed for home. The house sat empty, silent and big, just as it had when I’d come home Sunday night.
Why was I putting my life on hold for a house filled only with ghosts and memories? The pretty plates in the china cabinet, the delicate figurines that had been my mother’s, and the rooms echoing with ghostly laughter.
This was no way to live, shutting myself away. It was only a house.
Not a real home like Dante had made for his pack.
My mother’s voice echoed in the silence. Let it go, honey. We would want you to be happy and you’re not happy stuck here as caretaker to this dusty old place.
That wasn’t why my grandfather had built the house.
That wasn’t why my parents had settled here.
I’m human, I whispered back to the memories. But I was not like the others. I saw too much, read too much into other people’s emotions and their thoughts.
Spending time with shifters had only enhanced my abilities, honed them like a steel sword.
I couldn’t turn off my gift even if I wanted to.
But did I even want to try? To fit into a world where I no longer felt welcome?
Going over to the sofa, I buried my head into my hands and sobbed. I cried because I missed my family.
I cried because I missed my boys, missed Felicia and the others on the ranch.
And I had left them behind for a house filled with memories but not life.
Finally, I wiped away my tears and trudged upstairs to sleep.
And cried myself to sleep.
It must have been a couple of hours later when the doorbell rang. I glanced at the clock and wiped my face. Barely after nine. Who called this time of night?
It had better not be that damn Glinda, making sure I was working to book her airline ticket.
But when I opened the front door, three handsome, sexy shifters stood on the stoop.
My jaw dropped.
“What…why…”
“May we come in?” Alex asked politely.
I stepped aside, nodding. Words failed me.
We went into the living room. Alex sat on one side, Gabriel on my other on the sofa, while Dante perched on the wood coffee table before me.
“I told you that you could not visit us again, my darling Peyton. But that did not mean we couldn’t come to see you.” Dante picked up my hand and kissed it.
Gabriel slid an arm around my waist. “We discussed it and
decided. Put it to a vote. You’re the only one for us, Peyton.”
A shadow crossed Alex’s face, but he kissed my cheek gently. “Even if you won’t be our mate, we need you. We love you. And we’ll do what it takes to make this work.”
Make it work? They were willing to compromise.
Unlike others in my life right now.
“If you won’t come to live with us full-time, then we’ll come here to live part-time.” Dante glanced at the others. “Each of us will take turns in the city, and leave the others to run things at the ranch.
“We’ll work it out,” Gabriel promised. “Leave the details to us. We want you as our mate, Peyton.”
Again, I nearly cried because these guys wanted me and were willing to compromise for my needs. It had been a long day of everyone else expecting me to cater to their needs. Me first, me first.
Dante, Gabriel and Alex were not like that.
“I know how scary it is having to make changes and move into unfamiliar territory.” Alex looked at me straight in the eye. I touched his dear face.
“No more glasses,” I told him, my throat closing again. “You look good.”
Alex smiled gently. “Thanks to you, sweetheart. I wanted to stay shut away, like a hermit, after what happened to me. But Dante and Gabe, they pulled me out of that dark place. I love them. They’re my family. I want you to be part of our family, too. Please Peyton. Don’t do it because we need you. Do it because we love you, too, and we want you exactly as you are.”
“Our dimples,” Gabriel chimed in. He grinned, but it was shaky, uncertain. “What do you say, honey?”
I couldn’t find the words. I nodded. “I love you guys. But part time won’t work.”
Their expressions fell. Alex looked crushed.
“It will have to be fulltime. For life.”
Joy filled Gabriel’s face. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“What about the house?” Alex asked. “It’s been in your family for generations.”
“It’s just a house that was filled with loving memories. I need to make memories of my own now.” I looked around. “Maybe I can keep it.”
“Of course you can,” Gabriel told me.
They all kissed me. Dante grinned. “Do you need help packing?”
I glanced around the room. It would take time, sorting through everything. But I knew I’d have help.
“No. We can return later for my things. First, there’s something I need to do at work…”
We spent a couple of hours packing a few of my things, and then a long, leisurely night making love upstairs. The springs on the bed that had conceived generations of my family squeaked and moaned.
I think my mom would have approved.
We slept in each others’ arms before I rose early to head into the office.
Dante wanted to go into the building with me, but I insisted on doing this alone. Some things a girl needs to do by herself.
I marched into Reggie’s office.
I dumped a box of papers all over his desk. “Here. My work for the past six months. Feel free to go through it. I’m quitting.”
He sputtered. “You can’t quit! I need you!”
Right.
Panic showed on Reggie’s face. “Peyton, you have to stay. I just found out that we’re losing our biggest client if you don’t deal with him. I had no idea the CEO was a psi.”
Well, this was news. Maybe I wasn’t as alone as I’d imagined. Good to know.
“I’ll pay you double,” Reggie shrieked. “Triple!”
I thought it over for a full ten seconds. Shook my head. “Good luck.”
I turned and headed for the door.
Dante waited for me outside. Alex and Gabriel were in the Jeep, waiting.
“Everything okay, Peyton?”
“Yes. I’m finished here.” I grinned at him. “Let’s go home.”
“Home. A nice word.”
Dante kissed me hard, swift, a kiss intended to claim.
We walked to the Jeep. “Oh, by the way, that fling with my elementary school boyfriend? I was thinking maybe he could visit…”
The alpha turned, scowled. “No.”
“I mean, he’s cute…”
Then Dante saw my expression and laughed. “You are terrible at a poker face, my love.”
“You don’t want to share your bed with three guys instead of two?”
“The only sharing I do is with my betas. Period.”
“Well, yessir, Mr. Alpha Arrogance. It goes both ways you know.” I jabbed his chest. He might be possessive, but so was I. “No hot young wolf chickies for you on the side.”
“Hot wolf chickies?” He looked amused.
“You know what I mean.”
Dante took me into his arms. “The only hot chickie in my bed will be you, Peyton. Wolves mate for life.”
I wanted it no other way.
What drove a nice girl like me from the human world into the arms of three sexy werewolf shifters?
Dante’s mouth met mine and I became lost, only one thought remaining.
Love.
Forever.
Thank you for reading Taken by Moonlight. I hope you enjoyed the story.
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Read on for a sneak preview of the next book in my Shifters Wild & Free Reverse Harem series – TOUCHED BY MOONLIGHT.
TOUCHED BY MOONLIGHT
Copyright 2018 Bonnie Vanak
Touched by Moonlight Chapter 1
STEPHANIE
There is a large difference between what is shown on the outside, and what one feels inside.
I know this to be true, because I’ve been living it my entire life. Smile, smile, I was always told. Smile to hide away your inner secrets, your true self.
Never let anyone see you cry. If you must display that torrid emotion, retreat to the privacy of the nearest ladies room and cry.
So my mother instructed me.
It’s different for humans, skins as we call them. They can wear their emotions out, waving them like flags in a parade. Not me. I am a half-Fae, half-wolf shifter, something I hide from everyone who knows me.
For all of my twenty-four years, I have been told to hide what I am. I have powers, but living in the skin world, I have never tapped into them.
Never tried to let them rise.
My parents raised me as human, to have skin friends, attend skin schools and work in a job surrounded by humans. Two years of a local community college, living at home, strictly supervised, and then the safest job you could ever imagine.
I stuffed and licked envelopes at a large direct mail agency that runs marketing campaigns for finicky clients.
Sometimes they even let me copy.
Woo hoo. So exciting. I could have died from such stressful responsibility.
Dating is also closely supervised. My parents worry my true nature will be revealed if I engage in sex. They have allowed me to go on a few dates with pimply-faced men they deemed safe.
A few chaste kisses, nothing more. Holding hands in the theater.
Nothing to invoke passion or desire, for the Fae, and shifters, are highly sexual.
On nights where the full moon bleeds into the sky, my parents locked me in my room to prohibit my changing into wolf. I must never let moonlight touch me, or it can trigger a shift.
My life is tightly controlled.
Dreams are not controlled. The Fae can dream-share and for equally as long as I have suppressed my true nature, I have dreamed of a mysterious man who visits me in my sleep, his features blurred so I cannot recognize him.
On my birthday when I turned twenty-one, we did more than chat.
His kisses left me burning, caused
wetness to flare between my legs.
I awakened, panting, longing for what I could never have. A cold shower and meditation erased the sexual desire, as it always does.
This was hidden from my parents, a forced smile that greeted them every morning. It served me well to mask the intense emotions I felt in the arms of a powerful, sensual alpha who wanted me as no man has ever wanted me.
I’ve always been the dutiful daughter, even as I yearned for something more – to let the wild inside me roam free.
For years I have succeeded in hiding what I truly am.
Until last year, when I ran away, unable to stand the restrictions anymore. After two months of being jobless, hungry, and alone and living on the streets, I found work in a strip club, baring my body for other shifters’ pleasure.
Yesterday while I sat at the dressing table to apply my makeup, something happened.
My hands glowed blue. My Fae powers are surging now that I am approaching my twenty-fifth birthday.
I don’t know how a forced smile is going to hide this any longer.
I’m scared.
Touched by Moonlight Chapter 2
GUY
She’s near, and her powers are rising.
My beta reported seeing it happen yesterday. Nicolas, one of my closest friends, works at the Crossroads Gentleman’s Club as a waiter. He popped into the dressing room to offer cold drinks and saw Steph’s hands glow blue.
She tried to hide it, my sweet Stephanie, but Nicolas knew. He had waited for that moment since the day he obtained that job as a floor manager.
As much as Nicolas hated leaving our home in Colorado to live in Cheyenne, he did it for me.
He did it for the three of us, who need Steph and what she can give us.
The owner of the apartment complex where Steph lives was only too glad to give me a place to live so he could aid the alpha wolf who rescued his daughter from drug dealers. I myself made sure those bastards never again corrupted a young person, either skin or shifter.
Punishment with my fangs and claws is final. My pack knows this. They have seen me deal swiftly with the scum who would violate an innocent.
