by Maya Banks
“How could I not?” she whispered.
“You took a bullet for me. You took a bullet for my men. You owed us nothing, Tyana. I’m so goddamn mad at you for putting yourself in front of me. It should have been me.”
His thumb stroked over her hand, gentle where his words were harsh.
“I need you,” she said simply, and this time, it was easy to say. Light amidst the pain. Relief.
“And I need you,” he said hoarsely. “Where does this leave us, sugar?”
She pushed the pain and her blurry vision aside so she could focus. Sleep was calling to her, but this was important. Maybe the most important thing she’d ever do. Besides, laying your heart out wasn’t supposed to be easy.
“I don’t know what you want…what you expect from me, Eli. But I can’t change. I’m a part of Falcon. My job is dangerous. Falcon is my family, though.”
The corner of his mouth lifted into a crooked smile. “Jonah has already laid down the law in that regard. I think he was afraid I’d haul you away over my shoulder.”
“I still have to find a way to help D. That priority hasn’t changed. I’m just going to try to be smarter about how I do it.”
“That’s good, sugar, because between you and me, I don’t want you chasing some other guy down and seducing him.”
She smiled and groaned.
“We can do this later,” he said as he tenderly smoothed a hand over her brow. “You’re hurting. I can see it in those gorgeous eyes of yours. You need rest.”
“No. Not yet.” She shook off his interruption and went back to the heart of the matter. “Can you accept that, Eli? Do we have any sort of future together?”
He leaned over and took her free hand in both of his. He brought it to his lips and kissed each finger. “Jonah and I had a little talk. Seems he isn’t opposed to me joining Falcon, and he’s made it clear that’s the only way you and I will be together.” He laughed. “Protective, that one is. I imagine we’ll butt heads because we’re both used to being the boss, but I can deal with it.” His expression grew serious again. “What I can’t deal with is being without you.”
She sighed, part in contentment and part in bone-deep weariness. “That would be perfect. Then I can look out for your ass.”
He shook his head. “Life with you is going to be interesting to say the least, sugar.”
“Eli? What about your team?”
He sobered. “They’ve got some long days ahead. Marcus has examined them and has them on the same regimen he started Damiano on before he grew immune to it. We’ve got some loose ends to tie up with Gabe. A sister we didn’t know he had. I think your team just grew by three men. Think you can handle that?”
She touched his mouth with her hand as his grip around her fingers loosened. “I think you and I will make a great team, Eli. I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t scare me to death. I’ve never relied on anyone but myself and Falcon. I don’t know how good I’ll be at this, but I want to try.”
“We’ll work it out, sugar. I’m not going anywhere. Now I want you to get some rest, okay? You’ve got a long recovery ahead of you.”
She made a face, but her eyes were already closing. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep them open.
She felt Eli’s lips on hers, light, loving. “I’ll get the nurse to give you something for pain, sugar. Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Tyana’s room resembled an army training camp. Six men, well, seven, if you counted the mild-mannered Marcus, stood in various poses, from slouching against the wall to being draped across too-small chairs. And Eli was parked on the bed next to her, his body pressed against her side.
Black shirts, camo pants and combat boots. They looked like they were ready to go to war. While they’d refrained from carrying their rifles into the hospital, Tyana knew that Mad Dog would be sporting his knives.
This was verified when he laid a sheathed knife on the bed next to her. It was identical to the one he’d given her before. The one she’d lost in Buenos Aires.
She trailed her fingers over the polished hilt and smiled up at him. “Thanks, Mad Dog.”
“Don’t lose this one, okay?”
“She’s grown way too fond of those damn things,” Jonah grumbled.
“I taught her well,” Mad Dog said.
“So what’s the plan?” she asked pointedly. “Doc says I can get out of here tomorrow, and after three weeks in here, I’m ready to crawl out if I have to.”
Beside her, Eli stiffened. “Just cool your jets, sugar. You’re in no shape to do anything but what we tell you.”
“Uh oh,” Mad Dog mumbled.
Damiano cracked a grin while Ian and Braden glanced warily at Tyana.
“When I get out of this cast, I’m going to kick your ass for that,” she said darkly, and elbowed him in the ribs with her good arm.
“Well until then, I’d say you’re as helpless as a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest,” Eli said smugly.
She sighed. “I ask again. What’s the plan?”
Jonah’s lips worked as he suppressed a smile. What was the world coming to when the brooding bastard was actually lightening up?
“We go back to the island,” Jonah said. “We’re flying you home.”
She glanced up at Eli a little anxiously.
“Don’t worry, sugar, I’m coming too. Jonah even promised me a place at the dinner table if I mind my manners.”
She laughed then looked over at Ian and Braden. Jonah also looked questioningly at them.
“Braden and I are flying back to the States. We dug out the information on Gabe’s sister. If Gabe was telling the truth, then she’s probably in a lot of danger. I don’t know how much contact Gabe had with her so I don’t know how much, if anything, she knows, but we aim to find out.”
“Need back-up?” Jonah asked.
“No, it’s better if we do this alone. We want to attract as little attention as possible, and the last we heard, Falcon wasn’t exactly welcome in the U.S.,” Ian added with a grin.
“That’s what happens when you blow shit up in Uncle Sam’s backyard,” Mad Dog murmured.
“Will you be okay?” Jonah asked, and to Tyana’s surprise, he actually sounded concerned. Maybe her weeks in the hospital had resulted in a little male bonding.
Braden nodded. “Marcus has been monitoring our progress. We’ve only had one uncontrolled shift in the last three weeks. The injections seem to be working well, and we have the inhibitor as back-up, and in a worst case scenario, we have tranquilizers that would knock an elephant on its ass.”
“All right. If you need help, you know how to reach us.”
Tyana’s gaze found Damiano, who had been quiet throughout the entire conversation. “How are you doing?” she asked softly.
Marcus slid his hand over Damiano’s shoulder and squeezed in a gesture of support.
“Better,” D replied. “I won’t say great, but I’m working on it.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to work on it while you babysit me on the island,” she consoled.
“I thought that was my job,” Eli said as he slid his arm around her neck. He landed a kiss on her temple, and she scowled.
“Cut that shit out,” she grumbled. It was embarrassing in front of all the guys.
He chuckled softly in her ear then leaned in closer. “If that makes you uncomfortable, I probably shouldn’t tell you that Jonah has moved you and me to our own wing. I’ll leave you to figure that one out.”
Her cheeks warmed, and she fought the blush as it crept up her neck.
The entire room burst out laughing. She watched them in awe, her heart lighting up as the people she loved most in the world smiled and joked.
This…this was family. Her family. And that felt pretty damn good.
About the Author
Maya Banks is the pen name for Sharon Long, who writes for Samhain under both names. She lives in Texas with her husband, three chi
ldren and assortment of cats. When she’s not writing, she can be found hunting, fishing or playing poker. A southern girl born and bred, Maya loves life below the Mason Dixon, and more importantly, loves bringing southern characters and settings to life in her stories.
To learn more about Maya, please visit https://www.mayabanks.com. Send an email to Maya at [email protected] or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Maya: https://groups.yahoo.com/group/writeminded_readers.
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One woman’s campaign to win the hearts of the two men she loves.
Brazen
© 2007 Maya Banks
One year ago, Jasmine left Sweetwater Ranch and the Morgan brothers, no longer able to bear the painful dilemma of loving both men. She returns home with a new perspective and one goal. To make Seth and Zane Morgan hers.
Jaz may have left home an innocent girl, but she’s returned a beautiful, sensual woman. Despite the attraction they've both felt for her for years, Seth and Zane aren’t prepared for the full-on assault she launches on their emotions.
She wants them both, but Seth has no intention of sharing his woman. It’s up to her to change his mind because she can’t and won’t choose between the two men she loves.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Brazen:
Jasmine rubbed her palms up and down her arms as she crossed the small courtyard by the pool and headed for the kitchen door. She was tired, bone-achingly so. Her ankle throbbed, and it had rained on her again on the way home.
Every light in the house was on, and the courtyard was cast in the glow from the dusk to dawn light. She trudged up to the kitchen door and paused. Her hand curled around the handle, and she took a deep breath.
The door opened soundlessly and she walked inside. Seth stood abruptly from the barstool he was perched on, and without a sound, he yanked up his cell phone and punched a number. He put the phone to his ear.
“Zane, she’s home. She’s fine.”
He hung up and stared at Jasmine, his expression thunderous.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked as he stalked over to her.
She didn’t reply.
“You had us worried out of our minds. And Carmen. She’s upstairs in tears. Is that any way to treat a woman who has been a mother to you?”
“A mother you’d take away from me,” she said bitterly.
He looked startled.
She took a step forward and winced.
Seth cursed and swept her into his arms. He gripped her tightly as he strode toward the stairs. Every part of him was tense. There was no sense putting up a fight so she lay limply against him.
He paused outside Carmen’s door. “Carmen,” he shouted. “Jasmine’s home. I’m taking her to her room. She’s fine.”
Carmen burst out of the door but paused when she caught Seth’s scowl. Carefully she leaned forward, captured Jasmine’s face in her hands and kissed her cheek. “Thank God you’re safe, niña.”
“I’m sorry, mamacita,” she whispered back. “I never meant to worry you.”
Carmen patted her cheek. “I know this, niña. You are a good girl. Now go, let Seth take care of you.”
Jasmine looked sorrowfully at her as Seth started forward again, his abruptness with Carmen bordering on rude.
Once inside her bedroom, he put her down close to the wall. She stumbled back, and instead of steadying her, he pressed in close to her.
He ravaged her mouth, his lips working so hot, so intensely over hers. Her back met the hard surface of the wall, and she was trapped between it and Seth’s body.
“You test every one of my limits,” he rasped as his mouth worked down her jaw and to her neck. “I have no control when it comes to you.”
“You don’t want me here anymore,” she said quietly.
He stopped, his lips pressed to the hollow of her neck. Then he slowly stood to his full height. His eyes looked haunted as he reached out to cup her cheek.
“I’ve always wanted you here, Jasmine.”
“You said that I didn’t belong here. That you…that Zane and Carmen weren’t my family.”
Tears glittered in her vision as she relived the devastation his words had caused.
Seth let out an agonized groan. He cupped her face in both of his hands and lowered his head to hers. He kissed her long, gently, his lips tender against hers. He pulled away the barest of inches.
“I just want what’s best for you, Jasmine. And sometimes…sometimes I worry that we’ve cheated you by sheltering you here for so long.”
“What if it’s what I want?” she whispered brokenly. “I don’t want to leave here. I love you.”
Seth pulled her closer until her face was buried in his chest. He laid his cheek on the top of her head and breathed in deep.
The door flew open, and Seth pushed her away almost guiltily. Jasmine turned to see Zane standing in the doorway, his expression relieved.
“Thank God, you’re okay,” he said.
Seth stiffened beside her and started to move away. “I’ll leave you two alone,” he said in a low voice.
“Don’t go,” she pleaded, knowing this was it. Do or die time.
He paused and looked at her with uncertainty written in his expression. “What are you asking, Jasmine?”
“Make love to me,” she whispered. “Both of you. I need you both so much. You were wrong. This is where I belong. With you. Both of you.”
There was calm acceptance on Zane’s face. Seth’s was a wreath of torture. He was torn, and she could see that despite his objections, despite all that he’d said, he wanted her. She moved forward, her intent to make it as easy on him as possible.
She melted into his arms. At first he didn’t respond, but when she trembled and faltered on her bad ankle, he caught her against him.
“You don’t know what you’re asking me to do,” he said hoarsely.
“I’m only asking you to love me,” she said softly.
She reached up on tip toe to brush her mouth across his. As he pulled her to him, she turned her head to look at Zane. She pleaded silently for him to understand, to accept. All she could see was answering desire.
What’s an alpha shape-shifting wolf to do when the woman pre-destined to be his mate no longer trusts men?
Checkmate
© 2007 Annmarie McKenna
Available now at Samhain Publishing
After returning home from an eight-month security job, Eli Graham is ready to claim his best friend’s little sister as his mate. He’d put it off for years, thinking he was doing the right thing by waiting. Instead of the stubborn, independent, carefree girl he left behind, Eli finds a shell of the woman he once knew.
Having lived through a near fatal attack, Nikki Taylor has hidden herself away from the world. Now the time has come to face head-on the one man who could devastate her completely, Eli Graham. She’s loved him forever, craves him, body, heart and soul, but he’s never treated her as anything but a little sister.
When Nikki witnesses a murder, she has no choice but to rely on Eli’s expertise. While guarding her from the man bent on wiping out a witness, Eli shows Nikki that he’ll not only protect her body, but he’ll show her just what it means to be a wolf’s mate.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Checkmate:
What was he doing to her? Her heart beat so hard he had to feel it clear through her back. His lips sent tiny electrical pulses zipping across her body. Without realizing what she was doing, Nikki lifted her head so he had better access. They had to stop before Derek came barging in and found his best friend smothering his little sister. With kisses.
“Stop, you
have to…” She tilted her head an inch further but kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them, he would disappear. “Right there. Oh God.” She bit into her already punished lip. He was killing her.
Suddenly he was gone. His weight lifted completely off her, leaving her empty and mortified. She’d given in too easily and now he was backing off. He was probably disgusted with her.
“Your mom sent some clothes for you, sweetheart. Do you need some help getting them on?”
Oh right, like that’s gonna happen, her mind said. Her pussy begged just the opposite. Yes, rip off my clothes and take me.
“I’m not a child, Eli.” That’s it, duck behind a cool demeanor like his kisses meant nothing to her. Anything to get him to leave her alone to wallow in her misery, before he saw her face.
“No, I can see that you’re definitely not a little girl anymore.” His voice was funny, like he was choking on his words.
Regretting that he’d ever touched her?
“Can you leave then?”
