The only sound Daniel made was the shallow pants of his breath as he tried to breathe his way through the pain of the heat.
“Holy sh…” Sabrina glanced at the doctor’s wife and bit her lip.
Her face darkened in a blush he found utterly charming.
“…Cow. What’s the matter with him now?”
* * * *
Sabrina stared at Daniel, speechless. What in the world was going on with those two? Did they have rabies or something? She paused. Could they get rabies? They were part animal after all…weren’t they? He looked as though he was in pain, but he had no obvious injury. What else was she supposed to think?
Come to think of it, she glanced at Luke. She’d seen Luke with a similar expression several times over the last few months. What was it, male PMS or something?
“You haven’t told her?” The old woman stepped further into the room, her hands on her hips as she glared at the two men in turn. “I don’t believe this.” She threw her hands in the air. “Men!” she glared at her husband as though he were somehow at fault, twitched her skirt, then turned to Sabrina. “Come with me, dear.” Reaching out, she took Sabrina by the arm. “We’ll go into the kitchen and I’ll explain everything to you over a nice, hot cup of tea.”
“Explain what?” Sabrina glanced back at Daniel as the old woman tugged her from the room.
He stepped forward and held his arm out to the doctor.
What was wrong with them and why did they need shots? Sabrina wanted to stay and get her answers from the men, but the old woman was stronger than she looked. The doctor’s wife dragged her into the kitchen and pushed her into a chair.
The kitchen was bright and airy, just like Sabrina knew it would be. The other woman didn’t seem like the type to have a home that didn’t make a person feel welcome. The pale yellow walls made the room seem bigger and full of sunlight even though it was overcast.
A large oak table and chairs sat proudly in the center of the room. The small chandelier above it, sparkled merrily. Against the wall was a large, old-fashioned pie rack that Sabrina could swear looked hand carved. A large, brown and white hound lay on its back on the rug in front of the door, its large ears out to the sides, its legs spread out. She couldn’t help but smile. It was the coziest, most comfortable room she’d been in since her grandmother’s kitchen.
“You just sit there for a minute while I pour us a cup of tea.” She waggled her finger when Sabrina glanced toward the door. “Don’t you go running back to your men. I’ll give you the answers you need.” She turned and bustled over to the stove and the already steaming pot.
“Those men.” The woman shook her head and made a clucking sound. Taking a tray from a narrow cabinet, she loaded it with two cups of steaming tea, spoons, some milk and sugar and carried it to the table. “You would think they would have more brains than to keep a woman in the dark the way they do. They think we’re so weak and frail.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper as she unloaded the tray. “When they’re the ones who are such babies.” Pushing the tray aside, she sat across from Sabrina and smiled. “I’m so glad they found you. Your sister was worried sick.”
“I don’t—”
The older woman held up her hand. “Just listen to me going on when I promised you answers.” The old woman reached across the table and patted Sabrina’s hand. “What those two have been trying so hard to keep from you is that you’re all suffering from the el calor.”
“The what?” What in the world was this crazy old woman going on about? What in the world was an all collar?
The doctor’s wife chuckled. “I’ll bet you’re wondering what this crazy old bat is talking about, aren’t you?”
Sabrina felt her jaw go slack. What the hell? Could the woman read minds?
“First things first.” She held out her hand. “I’m Nettie Parker and I guess you’ve already guessed that I’m the old doctor’s wife.”
Unsure if she should say anything, Sabrina merely nodded. The last thing she wanted was to hurt the old woman’s feelings.
Nettie continued, perfectly comfortable with talking to a complete stranger. Sabrina didn’t think she would ever be that at ease with anyone ever again—even with her own sister.
Still, she’d made her decision and she wanted to tell Luke and Daniel before she thought up a reason to chicken out. She kept telling herself that Samantha was happy—deliriously happy—and she wouldn’t be so if her mates hurt her in any way. Knowing that as fact was the only thing that kept her in this town. “What’s an all collar?”
“What the men are going through is not called all collar.” She stopped to chuckle a bit. “It’s called the el calor. It’s also known as the mating heat.” Nettie’s expression softened and she reached out to take Sabrina’s hand.
Sabrina pulled her hand away before the old woman made contact. “I’m sorry, but…” She bit her lip and looked away. Why was she explaining herself? She didn’t owe these people anything.
“There’s no need to explain yourself, dear. We went through something similar to your experience in Virginia right here in Paradise.” The doctor’s wife frowned “It was an awful time. Good women shouldn’t have to fear leaving the safety of their homes.”
“What happened? How did it change?” Sabrina was curious now. How did one overthrow an entire town’s government?
Nettie sat back, her eyes wide. “Don’t you know? Adam and his men, your man, Luke, included, waged a terrible battle. Many died on each side. Both good men and bad are buried side by side in the town’s cemetery.” She smiled sadly. “One of my sons and my only daughter are there as well.”
She didn’t know why, but she felt the strangest urge to comfort the old woman. “They’re in a better place, where horrible things don’t happen.”
Again, the doctor’s wife smiled sadly. “Yes. I suppose they are.” The older woman seemed to shake off her melancholy as though it never existed. “Enough feeling sorry for myself, it’s time you learned exactly what’s happening to you and your mates.”
Sabrina felt her eyes go wide as she brought her hand to her chest. “There’s nothing wrong with me.” Well, nothing physical anyway. She could have sworn her heart dropped to her stomach when Nettie shook her head.
“Yes there is, dear. And you all are running out of time.”
Chapter Nine
Daniel wasn’t sure what to think when Sabrina summoned both himself and Luke. Not once had she ever called to either of them for anything—even when she needed aid.
He stood on the porch of the house the alpha, Adam Greer, lent her with his stomach churning. They both stood silent and stared at the thick oak door. What could she want? Why did they even risk coming here so late at night when they knew the consequences of their actions may lead to their deaths?
Because she called out to them, that was why…because she held them in her thrall. Just a smile, a wiggle of her supple fingers, would bring them both running to her side.
“And I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way,” Luke said as he reached up to knock on the door.
“Keep your nosy ass out of my mind.” Daniel looked at Luke and growled just before the door swung open. He knew Luke wouldn’t listen to him, but continued through their mind link anyway. When I want you rattling around in my thoughts, I’ll be sure to let you know. In the mean time, stay the fuck out.
Rattling around is the correct phrase if I ever heard one. Luke chuckled into his mind. There’s not much in there but dust.
Daniel almost slugged him, but he closed his eyes and inhaled instead. Gods, it felt incredible to stand here next to Sabrina without the heat tearing at his insides, demanding he claim his mate. “Did you need something?” At first he thought she wouldn’t answer his question.
For a minute, she just stood and looked at them, then turned to walk into the great room. “Close the door behind you. We need to talk.”
“That’s ominous,” Luke whispered as he closed the door.
“What do you suppose is on her mind?”
Daniel shrugged. “Whatever it is, we couldn’t be lucky enough for it to be sex.” He hoped he kept his voice low enough that she didn’t hear that. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started after her. “Hell if I know what it is, but I can’t wait to find out.” He entered the dimly lit room. Daniel’s gaze immediately tracked to Sabrina on the sofa, her hands folded demurely in her lap. He half-smiled at her stiff back and the way she kept her knees pressed together.
Taking a deep breath, she waved them both to two chairs arranged on the other side of the large, rough-hewn coffee table. “Sit down first. You two make me nervous towering over me like that.”
Biting back a laugh, Daniel couldn’t help but think that they made her nervous no matter what. The two of them sat just the same. Whatever made her feel more at ease. It was the way they lived for the last several months. They did everything with her feelings, her comfort in mind.
It’s a bit dark in here, don’t you think? Leave it to Luke to point out the obvious.
Of course it’s dark in here. She has candles lit. It’s most likely because the lights hurt her eyes after spending several months in that cabin without electricity. He looked around the room at the strategically placed candles. If he didn’t know better, he would suspect that their timid little mate planned a seduction.
After they sat in the seats Sabrina provided, she looked at them both and cleared her throat. “Did Samantha tell you what we must do to protect those living here in Paradise?” At their nod, she licked her lips and continued. “Nettie…” She blushed and looked away. “The old doctor’s wife told me what’s been wrong with you two the last few weeks.” Reaching up, Sabrina pushed her hair back out of her eyes. Her hand trembled as she lowered it to her lap. “I—” She looked at them both, cleared her throat and tried again. “I—I…”
Go to her. Luke urged him with a nod. She’s always thought you were the most approachable. I think… He paused. I hope she is about to consent. This is our opportunity to convince her to accept us as her mates.
Daniel sat forward in his seat. “What’s the matter, love?” he crooned softly as he moved from the chair to the sofa. He sat close, without touching her, and hoped she wouldn’t bolt if he touched her. “You know you can tell us anything.”
Sabrina scrubbed her face with her hands. “It’s not that simple.” She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “God, I wish it was.” Jumping up, she bolted from the room and through an open doorway. “I need a drink.”
We should stay here, Daniel told Luke when he would have followed her. Give her a minute. We don’t want to force ourselves on her in any way. That was the whole reason we agreed to get those damned shots every six hours.
Every six hours…it promised to play out like a nightmare. Hell, it was almost as bad as when the government incarcerated him and his group in an effort to discover what made them so different. It was a damned good thing they couldn’t find anything.
Daniel shook off the bad memories. This wasn’t the time, nor the place, to think about those things best left buried. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “We must find a way to give her the time she needs, regardless of what her sister said.”
Luke nodded his agreement. “If we were to expect her to just lie down and spread her legs for us, for the boys or the people of Paradise, we would be no better than those who forced themselves on her last summer.”
“You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”
A rush of disappointment filled Daniel at her words. No matter what he said, a part of him had held out the hope that she had called them here to bond with her. The tranquilizer the doc gave them helped, but no one knew how long it would continue to do so.
Sabrina handed each of them a bottle of beer, then returned to her seat with a bottle of her own. She tipped it up and took a long swallow before sitting the bottle on the table next to her elbow with a trembling hand. “That you wouldn’t force me to your will means everything to me.” She cleared her throat. “And it makes my decision just a little easier to bear.” She paused for a moment to look at each of them. “I can’t promise you anything.” Tears filled her eyes and she reached up to swipe them away. “I wish I could, but I can’t.” She glanced through the window to her right, staring out into the darkness for a minute. “I can only tell you I want to try.”
It was all Daniel could do to stay still. He was certain Luke had the same problem as his best friend sat forward in his seat.
“I can respect that.” Luke turned to him. “What about you?”
Hell yes, he could respect that.
* * * *
Sabrina’s stomach churned as she watched the two men who claimed to care about her. So far she had no reason to disbelieve them. They had been nothing but kind to her. Still, as she looked at them with their powerful physiques, she wondered if she could really go through with it.
Some strange masochistic part of her that she never knew existed, wanted to try. No one had ever made her feel the way these two men did. Not one male before them had ever stirred her blood and made her ache deep inside like she had every day since they met. Some days she thought she would go mad with the desire to be what they wanted. Taking a deep breath, Sabrina finally realized neither of them would ever make the first move. That was up to her.
“What is it you wanted with us?” Luke crossed his legs and rested his beer on the arm of the chair, his long fingers gripping it loosely.
Sabrina knew his air of nonchalance was deceptive. She’d seen it before—every time he went outside the cabin when she awoke with night terrors about her stay in that godforsaken camp. She never did figure out if he was angry that she woke him or really searching the woods that surrounded the cabin in search of the bad guys. It was hard to tell with someone as moody and closed mouthed as Luke. She rather hoped it was the latter though.
“Um…” Sabrina paused to clear her throat. Her face grew hot at the thought of what she planned to do—what she knew she must do. It wasn’t only the twins she had to worry about now. What of every child in the town? God only knew what those men wanted with two small boys, but whatever it was, she had a feeling it wasn’t good. Not if they were responsible for the death of the boys’ parents. “Has Samantha told you two what we need to do?” What we must do, like it or not…
They both nodded. “She has.” Luke answered for the both of them after he took another pull from his beer.
Standing, Sabrina rounded the couch, feeling better somehow with the large piece of furniture between them. How in the world could she go through with this if she couldn’t even bring herself to suggest it? Taking a deep breath, Sabrina readied herself to just blurt it out, but the words just wouldn’t come—not even for her precious little boys.
“We must mate.” Luke finally voiced what was so difficult for her to say.
Sabrina felt herself give a jerky nod. She didn’t remember consciously doing so. Didn’t she even have control over her own body anymore? It was as if someone else controlled her actions while she was little more than a bystander. Tears streamed down her face. Would she never live a normal life again? Would the past continue to haunt her for the rest of her life?
Daniel turned to look at her. “We can do this.” He paused, then added, “You can do this. You are much stronger than you think. Deep down inside, you know that if you never manage to lead a normal life, they have won. Those men will have managed to control you from a distance, perhaps even their graves.” He shook his head. “And I don’t think you want that.” He glanced at Luke, then back to her. “We don’t want that for you.”
“Will you allow us to try?” Luke slid from his seat to his knees.
“What—what do you mean let you try?” she stopped to lick her lips. She almost didn’t notice the flare of heat in Daniel’s gaze at her action, but it was there, just the same.
“Will you allow us to seduce you? Can you give us the chance
to prove that making love can be a beautiful, pleasurable experience?”
“What if…” she swallowed around the thick lump in her throat and waved her arm. “What if that heat thing makes you both crazy?” What if they couldn’t stop themselves from taking her by force? She couldn’t bear it, not again and especially not from the two men she had grown to care so much about.
“Then you merely need to scream. There are guards outside who will come to your aid against us.” Luke looked over at Daniel. “It is what we both would want.”
Daniel nodded. “It is.” He held his hands out to his sides. “There is little to fear and so much to gain. Will you try?”
“First,” Luke said as he stood and handed her the bottle of beer she’d gotten for herself. “Drink this. It may help you relax a bit.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I’m going to need that. If I need it later, maybe I’ll drink some more, but right now, I want to try this without the false courage.”
* * * *
Would she truly give them a chance? Did their mate have enough courage to try? Luke thought she did—hoped she did. He watched as she stepped forward, gripped the back of the sofa and closed her eyes. Her knuckles lightened to a soft caramel as she held the fabric tight.
“We have to do this.” She opened her eyes, her expression filled with trepidation and no little amount of dread.
“Perhaps…” Luke moved closer and took one last pull on his beer. He set the empty bottle on the end table and smiled. He had to let her know they didn’t intend to pressure her, to force her into something she wasn’t ready for. “But we don’t have to do it tonight.”
“Luke is right. The injections have bought us some time.” What Daniel didn’t say was they had no idea how much time.
Luke thought it best to follow his friend’s lead.
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