Bastien

Trying to escape from her personal hell leads Carly to Bastien. Taking on a job as housekeeper, things rapidly are not what they seem around Bastien‟s homestead. With wild animals coming in from the woods and her vicious ex-husband circling the front gate, Carly is desperate to find security and a feeling of calm. Bastien is an alpha wolf and knows her the moment he meets her on the most basic of levels. From scent to curves, Carly draws his attention and holds it when he should be concentrating on pack business. Just starting to make his move, they are separated by a secret government lab dedicated to turning soldiers into shifters and Carly ends up in a cage, wondering if he is the one man who thinks she is worth rescuing.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author‟s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Bastien: Hidden Breeds 1 Copyright © 2011 Tianna Xander ISBN: 978-1-55487-790-4 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.eXtasybooks.com

Bastien Hidden Breeds: 1

By

Tianna Xander

To my readers: One day your prince or princess will come. You just have to believe. To Tina: Thanks for believing in me. You have been an inspiration. To Tex, my editor: Thanks for finding all of my mistakes and calling me out on them. I hope you get to edit the next book in this series too. And last, but certainly not least, to my own mate, Kevin: You have been my biggest and best inspiration through all of my books. Every one of my heroes has a bit of you in him. I love you.

Prologue arly squeezed her eyes shut. Pain shot through her jaw

Cand middle like a bolt of lightning. God she hurt! She

didn‟t need to see to know she was in a hospital. The loud beeping of the heart and oxygen monitor over her left shoulder, coupled with the sharp odor of antiseptic, gave it away. A sound from her right caught her attention. She opened her eyes and turned her head. Robert, her husband, stood next to the bed, his manner threatening. What else was new? She would have sighed if her ribs hadn‟t hurt so damned much. “Good. You‟re awake.” He glanced toward the closed door. “The nurse just left to get the doctor. She noticed your heart rate changed and thought you might wake up.” The corner of his mouth lifted. He may have been handsome, but she knew the monster lurked just beyond the façade. It was always there, loitering just beneath the surface, hiding from everyone except her. Carly glanced down, dispassionately noticed his clenched, ham-like fists, and marveled that she felt no more fear. Maybe it was the drugs, or maybe she just didn‟t give a damn anymore. She looked at him again. He was a big man—bigger than most, and not as nice. A little muscle in his jaw jumped as he dictated what he wanted her to say when the doctor returned. She wanted to laugh at his highhandedness. She wouldn‟t do his bidding. Not anymore. “You wanted to help me inspect the roof for damage after 1

Bastien the last storm. The ladder slipped and you fell thirty-four feet to the ground.” She would have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but the pain stopped her. The ass was so used to her jumping and obeying his every whim, he would never expect her to defy his wishes. Carly couldn‟t wait to see the expression on his face when she finally told the police the whole truth. Let him make good on his promise to kill her. She was past caring anymore. Dying would only be a relief after her dear husband‟s tender ministrations. Three people walked through the door, two of them in uniform, one in a cheap brown suit. Robert bumped the bed and gave her a meaningful look as the two uniformed police officers escorted him out. The third man approached the bed and held out his hand. She took it, grimacing with pain as he held her fingers in a tight grip. Hell, even her fingers hurt after trying to defend herself from Robert‟s last attack. “Good evening, Mrs. McGowan. I‟m Detective Lobianco. I‟ll be handling your case.” Carly tried to speak, but it hurt too much. Her attempt came out as little more than a pathetic croak. Apparently, doctors wired her jaw shut. Tears tracked down her face as the police officer looked on her with obvious pity. She‟d never wanted that. When had she become such a pathetic needy creature? “I‟m sorry, ma‟am.” He held up his hand. “Don‟t try to talk. How about we do it like this?” He raised a finger. “One is for yes.” A second finger joined the first. “Two is for no. Okay?” Carly held up a finger. “Good. Good.” He flipped open a pad of paper and pulled a pen from his pocket. “Now,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Did you really fall off your roof?” 2

Tianna Xander She held up two fingers, then pointed to the Styrofoam cup on her bedside table. Detective Lobianco leaned over, grabbed the cup and helped her bring the straw to her lips. The water both hurt and soothed. Her jaw ached from the cold and her parched throat was instantly relieved. The detective replaced the cup on the table when she released it and Carly attempted to smile her thanks. The expression on the man‟s face told her she didn‟t succeed. He looked down at the pad of paper he held in a white-knuckled grip. “Did your husband do this to you?” What a question. The man didn‟t waste any time. Carly wanted to laugh, to cry, to scream with frustration at life‟s unjust treatment of her and those like her. She couldn‟t help it. No matter how tired she was, no matter how much she told herself death would be a welcome respite to the hell she lived in every day of her life, a fissure of fear shot up her spine as she raised only one finger. The detective nodded and stood. “Good. Some honest answers. Is this the first time he‟s done anything like this?” He watched with a solemn expression as Carly again held up two fingers, indicating a negative response. Patting her hand, he leaned closer. “My brother-in-law is an attorney. A damned good one, too. And he owes me big time for taking his sister off his hands.” He gave her a small smile. “We‟ll have a restraining order slapped on your husband before he gets released on bail. Don‟t you worry, darlin‟. That bastard won‟t touch you again.” She wanted to ask him why he cared, why he was doing this, but her voice came out on a croak again. The detective gazed at her with his sad eyes and somehow understood. “My sister‟s husband killed her.” He looked down, closed his pad of paper and stuck it in his pocket. “I wasn‟t able to help her. I want to help you, if you‟ll let me.” 3

Bastien He looked down at the floor. “I feel closer to her somehow, when I help someone in the same situation. There aren‟t many with your courage.” He straightened and walked to the door at her nod. Turning, he gave Carly a reassuring smile and winked. “Don‟t change your mind now. Every woman deserves a man who will cherish her. Don‟t worry yourself.” He jerked his head toward the door. “He won‟t touch you again.” Leaving the door open as he made his exit, the detective stepped out into the hall and approached Robert. “Mr. McGowan, you have the right to remain silent…” The rest of what he said was lost as Robert screamed, “You bitch! They‟re arresting me. What did you tell him? I‟ll kill you! Do you hear me? I‟ll kill you, you bitch!” Carly stared through the doorway to the white wall beyond and finally smiled through her tears. Perhaps one day, he would make good on that promise. One thing was for sure. It wouldn‟t be today.

4

Tianna Xander

Chapter One arly stood outside the Sinclair Estate‟s massive wrought iron fence and glared up the long winding driveway. Mr. Bastien Sinclair may be her new employer, but he still could have had the common courtesy to leave the drive-through gates open for her. He knew she was coming. She made a face as she watched her cab drive away. The driver, the jerk, refused to help her and refused to wait. Snatching up the two large suitcases that held everything she owned, she stumbled along the narrow granite walkway, through the open walk-through gate, and sighed when she saw the lengthy hike awaiting her. Setting her suitcases down, she slung the strap of her purse over her head onto her left shoulder, picked up her suitcases again, and started the trek over the sprawling, manicured landscape. Halfway up the drive, she stopped, gaped at the huge black bear blocking the mum-lined sidewalk and dropped her suitcases for the second time. Her feet froze. Her mind screamed run, however her body wouldn‟t cooperate. The humongous bear meandered up the walk, sniffing the flowers, content to wander slowly, until it saw Carly. As soon as it made eye contact, the bear roared and ran toward her. Carly let out a loud, terrified scream just before the ground rose up to meet her.

C

**** 5

Bastien

Bastien Sinclair jumped when he heard a woman‟s scream. He looked around the dimly lit barn, then outside to the empty back lawn. “Damn it, Bosco!” That scream could only have come from his new housekeeper. It wasn‟t any wonder the woman panicked. A loveable, eight-hundred-pound black bear that considered himself a lapdog greeted her somewhere out on the lawn. He looked down at his watch and shook his head. He should have been out there waiting for her. Where in the hell did the time go? Repairing kennels once took only a fraction of his day, not all of it. Either the rate of his repair had gotten considerably slower, or he needed to purchase a few new kennels. Bastien threw down the wrench he held, wiped his hands on his mud stained jeans and ran from the barn to rescue his new employee. He picked up his pace, hoping to reach the poor woman before she fainted or had a stroke. The screams came to an abrupt halt and Bastien feared the worst. Great, Bosco just killed his new housekeeper. He‟d probably scared her to death trying to say hello. This was a first. His pet frightened the woman to death before she quit, or he fired her. Women either ran screaming from his premises after Bosco, or one of the other animals in the barn did something unconscionable, or he had to fire them for making advances. The last thing he needed was a paternity suit or a sexual harassment charge. Rounding the corner at a dead run, he saw the bear snuffling the woman‟s dark auburn hair as she lay in a heap on the sidewalk. Lord, he hated it when old women insisted on dying their hair dark well past their prime. Didn‟t they realize how ridiculous it looked? At least he hoped she was an old woman. In Bastien‟s experience, younger housekeepers were nothing but trouble. 6

Tianna Xander “Bosco, get your hairy butt back to your cage!” The bear tossed a look his way, as if to say, Yeah? Make me, before he continued to sniff the woman‟s hair. Bastien growled deep in his chest and Bosco looked up again. Giving a short bellow, the bear turned and sauntered toward the back of the house. “Come on, lady, don‟t be dead.” Kneeling between the woman and her luggage, Bastien groaned. She couldn‟t be more than thirty. Damn. This is just what I need. He shook his head. The poor woman hadn‟t even made it through her first day. She‟ll quit for sure when she woke up. Perhaps it was for the best. She was too young anyway. He‟d learned a long time ago that his lupine self and human women just did not mix. Women, no matter their age, tended to throw themselves at him willy-nilly and he…well, he and his overactive libido couldn‟t seem to resist them— unless they were several years his senior, of course. Bastien stroked the silky hair back from her face. The woman was too beautiful for his peace of mind. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, ignoring her high cheekbones and full, pink lips. Instead, he concentrated on her pallor. It worried him. Pressing his fingers against her neck, he checked her pulse, found a strong, steady beat, and sighed with relief. She‟d just fainted. His gaze traveled over her too thin frame and he wondered when she had eaten last. This woman was definitely not what he‟d hoped for in a new housekeeper. Bastien already felt the stirrings of desire. Just looking at her made him ache in places best left alone. Damn it! The last thing he needed, or wanted, was an affair with an outsider. Those relationships never worked. His parents were proof positive of that. Yet, he knew if this woman stayed, it would be a constant battle to keep his libido under control. 7

Bastien The last thing he wanted was to walk around with a perpetual hard-on as long as she was here. Bastien sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he stared down at his newest housekeeper. There was nothing to do about it, now. His sister already hired the woman and he refused to let her go because of her age. Not only was it morally wrong, it was criminal these days. He placed a hand to her cool forehead and watched as she opened the most beautiful sea-green eyes that he had ever seen. “What—what happened?” She sat up, rubbed her head where she had hit it on the rough stone walkway and looked up at him. Despite his concern, he gave her a smile. “I think Bosco scared you.” “Bosco?” She tilted her head to look toward the house, just in time to see Bosco‟s large rear-end lumbering around the corner. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth and stared at him. “I—I don‟t know if I can do this.” Her shaking fingers muffled the words. “A bear! I can‟t deal with a bear.” Bastien stood and offered her his hand. He knew this was his out. Knew that if he merely let her talk herself into quitting, he wouldn‟t have to worry about how young or beautiful she was. Instead, all he could think of was how emaciated she looked. Before he knew it, he found himself saying, “Of course you can. Bosco is a baby.” He gave her a small smile. “Well, he is full-grown, but he is a baby at heart. I have had him since he was only a few weeks old. I bottle fed him myself.” **** Carly placed her hand in his and immediately felt tingling heat race up her arm. A strange aura surrounded this man. It practically screamed sex—great, wonderful, sweaty sex. He 8

Tianna Xander held her hand for a moment as she looked up into his dark eyes. Carly squashed the little hum of desire that accompanied the warmth, and tightened her grip as he pulled her to her feet. She was here for a job, not a good time. Besides, the last thing she needed was another relationship with any man. He looked down at her and frowned. “I‟m sorry the gates weren‟t open for you, Ms. McGowan. I fully intended to meet you properly, but…” While she watched, Carly‟s apprehension mixed with bemusement as the man‟s face reddened. He reached up, pushed his hand through his coffee-colored hair and rubbed at the stubble on his jaw. “…I lost track of time while repairing Bosco‟s kennel.” When she bent to pick up her bags, he pushed her hands away from the handles. His dark chocolate eyes, stared into hers as he bent to pick up her suitcases. “It‟s the least I can do.” Carly followed him up the long walkway, keeping an eye out for the bear. She didn‟t care if the man did say that thing was a baby. She was climbing a tree at the next glimpse she got of it. “Don‟t worry about Bosco, Ms. McGowan, he just looks frightening.” Keeping one eye looking for the bear, she glanced up at him. “Do you make a habit of keeping wild animals on your property, Mr. Sinclair? You are Bastien Sinclair, aren‟t you?” “Guilty on both counts. Bosco‟s lived here for the last seven years. He wandered onto my property a wounded, halfstarved cub. I can only assume his mother died. He would have died, too, if I hadn‟t taken him in.” He took a deep breath and sighed. “The big baby wouldn‟t know how to care for himself if I set him out on his own.” He shifted both of her heavy suitcases to one arm. 9

Bastien He sure is strong. She placed her hand over her stomach in an attempt to stop the fluttering that started at the sight of this man. Get a grip, Carly. The man is your employer, for goodness sakes. Besides, she was an expert on how good looks and muscles didn‟t make a good man. Glancing toward the back of the house where the decidedly rotund bear laid on its back in a patch of sunlight, she bit her lip and sighed. Berating herself for her mind‟s continued sojourn to the man‟s sex appeal, she cast another nervous glance around her. What if there were other wild animals wandering about? “He‟s harmless, Ms. McGowan. You have nothing to worry about.” Yeah, right. That’s easy for you to say. He wasn‟t the one who‟d faced down the big smelly beast while it looked at her like dinner. Besides, how did the man always seem to know what she was thinking? “Don‟t look so startled.” He chuckled. “Anyone could guess the direction of your thoughts by the expression on your face and your nervous glances toward the backyard.” Bastien grinned at her expression. “You were wondering how I knew what you were thinking, weren‟t you?” “Oh.” Her face warmed at his explanation. Of course, he couldn‟t read her mind. What a fanciful thought. It was a good thing, too, considering how many times her eyes wandered to his perfect backside on the walk to the house. Carly wanted to take her new employer at his word. After all, he wouldn‟t benefit in any way if that moon-sized hairball were to suddenly pounce and start eating her. Well, except that he would save on bear chow, or whatever it was the thing ate. She sure hoped twenty-seven year-old women were off the thing‟s menu, though. Never allowed around animals as a child, Carly was frightened almost beyond bearing. She licked her lips, 10

Tianna Xander nervously. “I—I don‟t want to seem like a coward, sir, but I haven‟t been around animals much. They…” Pausing, she hoped he wouldn‟t fire her for what she was about to say. Carly needed this job more than she‟d let on during her interview. It was just a good thing the interview had been over the phone and with his sister. She would have refused the position had she known it involved wild animals. Since his sister had chosen not to reveal that bit of information and she was already here, she would just have to make the best of it. “Well, they scare me.” “Really? You didn‟t even have a dog or cat while you were growing up?” His expression was incredulous, as if he couldn‟t imagine a home without pets. She shook her head. “No.” Looking to her left, she stared into the dense shrubbery next to the house. “I wanted a dog once, a few years ago. It was a little black terrier mutt with white feet.” She shook her head, dispelling the memories. Memories were useless. They would get her nowhere. The present was all that mattered. “I‟m sorry. I shouldn‟t be dredging up the distant past and memories best left forgotten.” She blinked rapidly and looked down at the flagstone beneath her feet. What had gotten into her? Why in the world was she being so morose, so melodramatic? She was here to work, not talk to him like some sort of therapist. **** The woman was about to cry. Bastien would bet his bank account that there were tears in those beautiful eyes when she looked away. He paused before climbing the stone steps to the wraparound porch. “Sometimes memories are all we have, Ms. McGowan. They make us who we are. It can be a healing experience to pull them out and air them so they 11

Bastien aren‟t suffocating us.” What in the hell was he doing, trying to psychoanalyze her? He shook his head, vowing to keep his mouth shut until something relevant came to mind. An undefined emotion flickered in her eyes before she answered. “Perhaps, Mr. Sinclair, but sometimes they need to be left alone.” When their gazes met, her eyes seemed flat and lifeless. “Sometimes, if we don‟t leave them alone, they can fester and grow into something much worse.” Bastien felt the inexplicable need to comfort her, yet didn‟t know why. It wasn‟t as though his other housekeepers didn‟t have problems. Every one of them had been running from something. Like him, every one of them had had their secrets. He led her into the house and up the stairs, knowing he should put her in the butler‟s apartment on the first floor. Instead, he put her in the room across from his, just the same. Something told him this woman had demons and, at some point, they would haunt her dreams. He didn‟t know why, but he wanted to be near her when they did. It was the least he could do. After all, it was his carelessness, and Bosco‟s over-enthusiastic welcome that dredged up those painful memories in the first place. Bastien felt her behind him as they climbed the stairs. He imagined the sway of her hips, her hand lightly caressing the banister as she followed him up to the second floor. He felt the heat emanating from her body, smelled the faint scent of her shampoo, her soap and the underlying scent that was hers alone. Closing his eyes for a moment, he fought for control of his overheated body. The urge for physical release was nearly overwhelming. How in hell would he keep himself at a professional distance if she had such a strong effect on him already? After dropping her things in her room, he would go for a run. Alone. 12

Tianna Xander She followed him into the room and he set her suitcases on the chest at the foot of the bed. He did his best not to imagine her lying on the smooth blue coverlet—naked. Taking a deep breath, he wondered what the hell came over him. It wasn‟t like him to react so strongly to a female. She was… He paused to inhale her intoxicating scent. This woman was something else. Something about her screamed out for him to touch her, to kiss her, to plant himself firmly inside her in every way possible. “I‟m to sleep here?” The sound of her voice, a mixture of surprise and wariness, brought Bastien from his inner musings. He pulled himself together, trying to concentrate on what she said, instead of what the woman‟s faint arousal did to his senses. She wanted him. He could smell it. He could also smell her fear. He raised a brow. She had nothing to fear from him. The man in him may want more than she was willing to give, but for some reason, the other part of him, the one not quite human, only wanted to protect her. What had he done to cause her to fear him? Humans were complicated. With another were-being, he could declare his intention to mate or have sex and be done with it. Human women always wanted romance and commitment. What the hell was up with that? “Is there something more you require? Does this room not meet with your satisfaction?” He watched her cheeks turn a becoming shade of pink as she licked her full lips. “I…uh, no. I just thought there would be a room separate…Your, um… The lady who interviewed me mentioned a small private apartment. I just thought—” “Of course. When she told you about it, you naturally assumed you would be staying in the apartment off the kitchen,” he said with a nod. Pausing, he tried to think up a good reason for the apartment to be out of commission. He 13

Bastien needed to give her a motive behind his actions in giving her this room. The woman was nervous enough. There was no reason he couldn‟t make her more comfortable about the situation. “It‟s completely understandable that you‟d come to that conclusion. However, my sister didn‟t realize the apartment is about to be renovated,” he lied easily. Leaning against the wall, he stuck his hands in his pockets. “I‟d hate for you to get comfortable there, since you‟d have to move your things again in a week or two. You‟re welcome to use this room and cook your meals with mine in the main kitchen.” He flashed her the well-practiced grin he knew drove women wild. “There‟s nothing to worry about. I don‟t bite.” He grinned. “Hard.” **** Carly watched as he pushed away from the wall and walked through the doorway, leaving her to unpack and brood about her situation. “You are so in over your head,” she mumbled to herself. “He‟s so hot you could cook a burger on his ass.” Flinging her suitcase open, she shook her head. “What is it with his ass anyway? Leave it alone. He is your employer for goodness sake, not some exotic dancer in a G-string waiting for you to stick dollar bills in his crotch.” At that statement, a vision of the man in a G-string popped into her head and she groaned. “You cannot entertain thoughts like that about him. You need this job more than you need companionship.” Or mind blowing sex. She frowned. Where had that thought come from? Carly needed this job. She couldn‟t afford to get her own place. It would be too easy for Robert to track her down. Phone and electric bills gave her away. She learned that the hard way. 14

Tianna Xander With her ex-husband‟s computer hacker skills, he could find her anywhere once she acquired any utility bill. She barely escaped him the last time. She might not be so lucky again. He‟d most likely kill her the next time he caught up with her. No one had to tell her how lucky she was that her employer had agreed to transfer her to a new lab. The company didn‟t have to accommodate anyone in that manner. Photo technicians were easy to come by and easier to train. They could very well have told her that her personal problems were just that. Personal. If she was lucky, Robert would think she quit and moved on to get away from him. Carly refused to consider the possibility that he‟d already figured out she transferred to a new lab across the state. She also knew it was only a matter of time before he spotted her somewhere and tried to follow her home. It would be a shame to lead him here. She thought about Mr. Sinclair as she unpacked. Tall, dark, and handsome, he was everything she had ever dreamed of in the perfect man when she was younger. But she was older now. Old enough to know better. Old enough to know good looks and charm didn‟t necessarily mean a man was a nice guy behind closed doors. Mr. Sinclair did seem sincere though. It would be a shame to bring Robert and the rest of her troubles pounding at his door. Very muscular, at least twice her new employer‟s weight, and strong as an ox, her ex could make mincemeat out of the poor man. A knock at the door was a welcome interruption from her dark thoughts. “Yes?” “I‟m about to order a pizza. Would you care for some?” Mr. Sinclair‟s muffled voice carried through the thick wood. Carly blinked, a bit surprised. “I can fix something, if you‟ll just give me a minute.” She didn‟t want him to think she wasn‟t ready to assume 15

Bastien her duties as his housekeeper. She walked to the door and opened it. Looking up at him, she swallowed thickly. Lordy, he was tall. Bastien Sinclair was quite a bit taller than Robert, yet not half as muscular. She fought the grimace she felt pulling at her face. Muscles were over rated and more painful than she cared to admit knowledge of. Rubbing absently at her collarbone, she tried to ignore the familiar ache in her jaw, leg, and arm. Her gaze flew to the doorknob and she almost sighed with relief. Yes! There was a lock on it. The knowledge comforted her more than anything else had today. She fought the urge to scowl when she wondered if she would lock the door to keep him out, or her inside. “This is your first day, Ms. McGowan. Take your time to unpack. There will be plenty of time for you to prove your culinary expertise in the days to come.” “Carly, please call me Carly. Everyone does,” she said, screwing up the courage to offer him her hand. That same delicious warmth radiated up her arm when he grasped her fingers with his. He bowed over it, catching her off guard. “Then I shall call you that, if you‟re sure you don‟t mind.” He smiled. His dark eyes traveled from her face, down to her toes and back up to the top of her head. He dropped her hand as if he sensed her discomfort, bowed slightly, then turned to leave. “Dinner should be here in thirty minutes. I‟ll see you then.” She watched him descend the stairs and let her breath out on a rush. Her lungs ached. Had she been holding her breath? That man could really turn on the charm when he wanted to. She wasn‟t sure whether she should be flattered or concerned that he was a womanizer. Good Lord, she was so in over her head!

16

Tianna Xander

Chapter Two

S

ix weeks later:

Bastien knelt on the floor of the barn and bandaged the left foreleg of one of his friends. “I told you to stay away from Carmen Tolbert. Didn‟t I tell you her brothers would break your legs?” He shook his head. “I know we heal faster in this form, Kyle, but did you give any thought to the fact that you can‟t work until this is healed now? You can‟t very well show up at Herve‟s restaurant and expect him to let you cook like this.” He patted the wolf on the head and rubbed it behind the ears. It closed its eyes and groaned. “Don‟t get used to it.” He pulled the wolf‟s ear. “I‟ll expect you here to clean out the kennels for two weeks after you get better, you know.” The wolf growled, suddenly sitting up, ears erect. The female panther in the back snarled, holding her ears flat against her head. She crouched low in her cage, hissing at some unseen danger, her eyes glowing bright yellow in the dim light. Bosco let out a roar that would have made Carly wet her pants had she been there. “What in the world has gotten in to you all?” Bastien asked. He looked at his friend. “What is it, Kyle?” There is a danger to the female. The wolf‟s upper lip lifted in a silent snarl, warning Bastien that something was amiss. Bastien reached out with his senses, but couldn‟t glean 17

Bastien much. Being in his human form had limitations. He glanced around the barn to be sure he was alone, then began to undress. He stashed his clothing in one of the stalls and concentrated on the change. He didn‟t like to change often. If something seriously injured him while in wolf form, he couldn‟t change back until he healed and there would be no one to care for the caged animals on the estate. He was all they had. His was the only safe house for miles. Carly was here now. However, he wasn‟t sure if she would overcome her fear of animals to care for them in his absence. Bastien knew he couldn‟t count on her. With luck, he would be able to someday. As it was, if he were injured in wolf form, he could very well starve to death in his own back yard. Bastein‟s home was one of many safe houses where shifters of all types could go when in need. The only problem with that was, if something injured him, he would have to travel fifty miles or more for help. He crouched on the floor of the barn, waiting impatiently for the change. Excruciating pain wracked him as his bones cracked and popped, his muscles and organs reshaped. His clean-shaven face lengthened into a fur-covered muzzle and he dropped down onto four roughly padded paws. Reaching out with his lupine senses, he finally felt the threat. He smelled a stranger‟s scent, felt the danger to his property, to his mate. The knowledge gave him pause. His mate? He did not want to take a human to mate! His wolf fought with his human half. It must protect its mate. Bastien shook his head, his lip raised in a snarl. No matter now. He would protect what was his and sort out the particulars later. **** After finally working out a comfortable routine, Carly was happy for the first time in years. She would wake up, make 18

Tianna Xander breakfast and set something out for Bastien‟s lunch before she went to her day job and then make dinner for them both when she got home in the evening. The rapport she had with her employer was better than she had ever had with Robert and she had been married to him! Still, Carly knew the time would come when she would get too comfortable and make a mistake. She just hoped that would be a long time in coming. She still couldn‟t believe she‟d gotten complacent the other day, forgetting to look in the rearview mirror to see if someone followed her home. It had been nothing short of careless and stupid. After six weeks, she was comfortable here in Bastien‟s house. She even began to consider it her home as well. The last thing she wanted was for her ex-husband to ruin her situation. The radio played softly in the kitchen. Her hips swayed as she stirred a pot of bubbling pudding with a wooden spoon when she heard the doorbell. “Can you get that, Bastien? I‟m stirring pudding and I don‟t want it to get scorched,” she called into the next room. Carly turned down the heat under the pudding and tested the consistency. “Bastien?” She waited for an answer. “Crap. He must be in the barn.” Sighing, she realized she‟d have to get the door herself. After turning off the heat, she reached for a potholder to set the pot aside while she went to see who was at the door. “Well, well. Don‟t you look cozy?” Carly dropped the pan of hot butterscotch pudding on the floor with a screech and jumped back to avoid the hot mixture before she turned to face Robert. He leaned his large form against the doorframe and crossed his arms. She tried to look past him. “How did you get in here?” Where is Bastien? God, she hoped this animal hadn‟t hurt him. She‟d grown rather fond of her employer over the last few weeks. 19

Bastien He shrugged. “I just walked right on in when I saw your boyfriend messing around out back.” He grinned. “I knew you wouldn‟t mind.” “What do you want?” She cast a glance around the room, looking for something—anything—she could use to defend herself. “I dropped in to see my wife. Do I need a reason other than that?” Robert bared his teeth in a parody of a smile and jerked his thumb toward the doorway. “I don‟t think your boyfriend out there would be very pleased to find out you‟re married.” She backed slowly toward the door leading out to the back porch. “I‟m not married anymore, Robert. Or have you forgotten?” She shot him a grim smile. “I‟ll be quite happy to show you the final decree of our divorce. Don‟t you remember? You wanted a punching bag. I wanted to be left alone… You wanted to roam. I wanted fidelity.” She inched closer to the door. “By the way, how‟s Chelsea?” she asked, in an attempt to keep him talking. “Or did you get tired of her and start beating the crap out of her, too?” His face darkened. “Chelsea is none of your damned business.” “And any relationship I may have with Bastien is none of yours.” He sneered. “Bastien? What kind of pansy name is that?” She didn‟t answer. Reaching behind her back she, grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and flung herself outside and down the steps. Robert threw himself at her and grabbed her by the knees. Crying out, she fell to the ground. Taking the advantage, he pressed her face into the rough concrete walkway. “You‟re mine, you bitch! Do you hear me? You‟re mine!” he snarled, pounding her head into the pavement. Carly whimpered beneath him, fighting off the darkness that threatened to claim her. She refused to pass out. She 20

Tianna Xander would be even more at his mercy if she did. He could take her anywhere or do anything to her, if she lost consciousness. She refused to acknowledge the fact that he was strong enough that he could still do anything even if she was conscious. She was her own woman now. He no longer ruled her life. He buried his hand in her hair and pulled her head back. “You will leave this place, Charlene. You will come back to me, or you will die.” “I‟d rather die, Robert, so you might as well kill me now,” she sobbed. He slammed her face into the sidewalk again. The pain in her head was tremendous. “What are you trying to do?” She groaned, tasted blood. “Are you trying to break my jaw again?” The side of her face ached where he jammed it against the ground and she tried to dispel the memory of that horrifying night. “Don‟t play with m—” Robert cut his words short and she heard the sound of a low growl. “Call it off, Charlene,” he said, pressing his mouth against her ear. She felt his hot, rancid breath against her skin and it made her sick to her stomach. Fighting the urge to retch, Carly wondered how she had ever been attracted to this animal. A thought came to her and she finally realized that a being didn‟t have to have four legs to be an animal and a being didn‟t have to have two legs to be trusted. “I can‟t call it off.” He pulled her hair harder, punishing her. “You can‟t, or you won‟t?” “I can‟t. You know I‟ve always been terrified of animals. I never go around them.” The animal snarled, barking and growling at Robert. “He looks like a wolf. Damn it, I think the thing wants to kill me.” “Welcome to the club, dog,” she whispered. She refused to believe for a second that he stared down a real wolf. “What did you say?” He shoved her face back down into 21

Bastien the pavement, grinding her cheek into the rough cement. Gritting her teeth, Carly refused to give Robert the satisfaction of knowing he hurt her again. Let him kill her. He‟d be doing her a favor by putting her out of her misery. She was damned tired of looking over her shoulder and sick to death of running from him. Raising her voice, she wanted to be certain he heard her this time. “I said, he damn well better join the frigging club!” Robert drew his fist back. “Why you little—” The animal attacked. Sinking its teeth into Robert‟s forearm, it pulled back, making Robert scream. “S—shit! Get it off me, get it off me!” Carly would have grinned if her face didn‟t hurt so much. It was a nice change to hear him stuttering with fear and crying out with pain. The snarling animal kept pulling and tugging until Robert was on the ground a few feet away from her. After it released him, the animal stationed itself in front of her with a low growl in Robert‟s direction. “Tell your boyfriend I‟m suing him for every cent he‟s got. To hell with the measly few thousand you have.” Robert cast a calculating glance toward the house before turning his attention back to the animal. “I don‟t believe he keeps wild animals on his property.” He pointed at the animal. “That‟s a wolf for Christ‟s sake!” Robert cradled his forearm as long rivulets of blood ran down from his bicep and dripped between his fingers. “Don‟t‟ be ridiculous. He has no more control over that animal than I have over you. And how many times do I have to tell you? I do not have any money. I used my portion of the equity to pay off all those bills you left me with.” Maybe the next time he would be more discerning with whom he spent his time. She heard Chelsea was expensive. Not that she gave a damn what new bimbo Robert spent his 22

Tianna Xander time with as long as it wasn‟t her. Carly pushed herself up into a sitting position and got the first glimpse of what she had originally believed to be a dog. “Good God, Robert. That is a wolf. You can‟t possibly hold Bastien responsible for a wolf attacking you,” she said, following every move the animal made with a wary eye. “Especially when you‟ve trespassed onto his property and attacked his employee.” She stiffened when the wolf looked her way and inched closer as a low rumbling noise came from deep within its chest. It wasn‟t a growl, yet it didn‟t sound particularly friendly either. Carly sat motionless as it got close enough to rub its muzzle onto her leg, then her hand. Before she could think to stop it, it rested its head on her shoulder and nuzzled her wounded cheek. “Oh, God.” She swallowed thickly, knowing there would be no help coming from her exhusband. The jerk would probably enjoy seeing the animal rip her apart. It would save him the trouble. “Save the innocent act for the police.” Robert pointed at the wolf. “I‟m not stupid. I can see the animal is attached to you.” He grinned evilly, “I‟ll have it put down. It‟s probably rabid.” “I doubt it,” Carly said, gingerly reaching up to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her face was already swelling. She could feel it. The familiar discomfort of stretching skin spread down her cheek and across her lips. She most likely had a black eye, definitely a swollen cheek, and at least one fat lip. Carly closed her eyes and sighed. It was embarrassing to go to work like this, especially when everyone knew what happened. The excuses got old after a while. How many times can a person be hit by a doorknob, fall down a flight of stairs or fall off a horse? The last was almost laughable considering she had never even seen a real horse in her life. Gathering the courage, she reached out and placed a 23

Bastien trembling hand on the wolf‟s head as a small thank you. The softness of the animal‟s coat surprised her. For some reason, she assumed his fur would be coarse and wiry, not almost as soft as rabbit‟s fur. “I don‟t think we have much to worry about. After the police take one good look at what you‟ve done to me, you’re going to be the one hauled off and tested for rabies.” Robert stood, his face a peculiar shade of red. He looked as if he wanted to strike out at her, or just strike her. It certainly wouldn‟t be the first time. The wolf lifted its head. Looking at Robert, it laid its ears back and snarled, showing its gleaming incisors. He growled again, generating a more businesslike threat from somewhere deep in his chest. “This isn‟t over, Charlene. Don‟t you dare think this is over.” Robert swayed a bit on his feet and, still cradling his arm, he staggered around the side of the house. “Good riddance.” It was just too damn bad he wouldn‟t take the hint and leave her alone for good. Turning her head, Carly looked at the wolf. It sniffed her skinned elbow, then gazed right into her eyes and licked her swollen cheek. Surprisingly, it didn‟t hurt. The wet rasp of its strange velvety tongue against her cheek only tingled. Stunned, she watched as the wolf ran toward the edge of the woods. He stopped and turned to look at her. The way he stared at her was disconcerting. He seemed to see right through her. The look was haunting and somehow…familiar. She shook her head. How ridiculous. What was she thinking? She had never been around wild animals before. There was no way anything about the wolf could be familiar. “Don‟t be stupid. He was just protecting his territory.” She would never tell Robert this, but wild animal or not, she knew he was another one of Bastien‟s friends. Over the last few weeks, she learned that her employer didn‟t have pets—he 24

Tianna Xander had friends. She limped back into the house, stopping in the kitchen to clean up the mess on the floor. “What happened?” Carly jumped and screamed. Her nerves were shot. She stared down at the floor and tried not to cry. She couldn‟t stay here now. He wouldn‟t want to deal with her problems or with her crazy ex-husband showing up at the drop of a hat to beat the crap out of her. Frankly, she couldn‟t blame him. The whole idea of having to find somewhere else to go along with what had happened had her nerves on edge. It was all she could do to keep herself from bursting into tears. “Good grief, Bastien, you scared me.” Looking up, she stared at his bare chest for a minute, trying to ignore how the light dusting of hair tapered down to disappear beneath the waistband of his jeans as she avoided his stare. Shifting her gaze to the floor, she looked down at the pudding lying in a big, sticky glob on the white tile. Tears filled her eyes. What would she do now? She didn‟t want to leave here, to leave him. The arrangement they had was perfect. It was the best part-time job she could have hoped to find. Reaching up to swipe at the tears, she flinched when her fingers brushed her swollen cheek. She would miss Bastien and this house. Hell, she‟d even miss Bosco, the big baby. She‟d grown somewhat fond of watching the playful bear over the last weeks—from a distance, of course. Carly glanced down at the floor, trying to hide her face behind the fall of her hair. “My ex-husband paid me a visit. I wish I could say I‟m sorry you missed him, but I wouldn‟t wish his company on my worst enemy.” She was glad Bastien had been gone. The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt because she‟d had the impossible dream of finally being free of that monster. Her stomach clenched and her heart began to ache when she realized that at some point over the 25

Bastien last few weeks, she‟d begun to fall for him. When had he sneaked through her barriers and touched her heart? Now she‟d have to leave. Forever. She would always wonder what would have happened had she stayed, what could have been. **** He blinked. “You never told me you were married.” Bastien cringed at his accusatory tone. Her face paled and he felt an overwhelming urge to pull her to him and kiss her until her color returned. He never told her he was a shifter either. Secrets were one thing he understood. Everyone had secrets. His were just a bit more bizarre than everyone else‟s. Carly laughed mirthlessly, looking just over his shoulder as though she couldn‟t bear to look into his eyes for fear of what she might see there. “Well, now you know. Robert is a bit crazy. He thinks we‟re still married. And, in his mind we will be, as long as he wants us to be,” she said before she bent back to the task of cleaning up the mess. Standing, she threw the sticky paper towels away and set the dented pan in the sink. She gazed through the window, her hands resting inside the basin. “I‟ll pack my things and leave first thing in the morning.” She closed her eyes and sighed, then cleared her throat. “I wouldn‟t blame you a bit if you wanted me to leave tonight.” Bastien stepped up behind Carly, his arms aching to wrap themselves around her and pull her to him. He didn‟t blame her a bit for wanting to leave. Yet, what gave her the impression that he wanted her to go? He frowned. What kind of strange female thinking was that? “Why would I ask you to leave tonight when I don‟t want you to leave at all?” He fisted his hands behind his back, wanting to go after her ex-husband and wring his worthless neck. His wolf snarled, begged for it. “Why didn‟t you tell me you‟d just left an abusive 26

Tianna Xander relationship? We could have planned for such an eventuality.” Her whole body began to shake. Whether it was from shock or from trying to hold her emotions in check, he couldn‟t be sure. Hell, maybe she was cold. He cursed himself for neglecting his ability to change. He never once thought of the consequences. How it could affect him, weaken his physical strength and telepathic powers. The thought had never crossed his mind. “I was—” Her voice broke. “I was ashamed.” She turned to face him, leaning back against the counter her arms wrapped around herself and stared at her feet. He stepped closer. Inhaling deeply, he took in her unique scent and every muscle in his body hardened. A part of him still longed to take her in his arms to comfort her, to convince her he wanted and needed her to stay—to feel the warmth of his mate pressing against him as he stilled her fears. Another, more cautious part was afraid of scaring her away. He was her employer. What if she didn‟t welcome his comfort or, worse yet, took it as a threat of sexual harassment? Closing his eyes, Bastien took a deep breath and prayed for the patience he knew she would need. “Ashamed of what, Carly? What reason would you have to be ashamed? Is it because you fell in love with someone who was not who or what he seemed? Hell, none of us are exactly as we seem. Every one of us has something, some secret they‟re afraid the world will find out.” God knew he had more secrets than most. She shook her head. “No, that‟s not it. I‟m ashamed of driving him to do it.” His eyes darkened and he paced away from her, cursing under his breath. “Is that what he told you, that you drove him to it?” She nodded, her gaze lowered. She couldn‟t, or wouldn‟t, 27

Bastien look him in the eyes. Leaning forward, so his face was level with hers, he rested his hands on her shoulders and, as gently as he could, brought her chin up with his thumbs. “You didn‟t do anything wrong, Carly. That man is more of an animal than Bosco could ever be. Don‟t you see that?” Licking her swollen lips, she lowered her lids and tried to look away, he wouldn‟t let her. His hands held her face immobile in his gentlest grip. The only way to avoid looking at him was to close her eyes. “He‟s not right in the head. You‟re lucky you left him before he killed you. You know that, don‟t you? Some women in relationships like that aren‟t as lucky as you.” There was no doubt in Bastien‟s mind that given enough time, her exhusband would have killed her, whether he meant to or not. He examined her black eye, swollen cheek and split lip, wanting nothing more than to hunt that worthless piece of shit down and beat him to within an inch of his life. The bastard needed to know what it felt like to have someone stronger beat the crap out of him. Regardless of that fact, nothing could lure him from her side tonight. He would stay here in the same house, hell, in the same room with her if she would let him. Tonight Carly needed to feel safe. “Why don‟t you go upstairs and take a nice long bath? You can relax and soak the dirt out of those scrapes.” He backed away, giving her room to pass. “I‟ll clean this up down here,” he said when he saw her eyeing the dirty dishes. He gave her a stern look. “And no more talk about leaving. Be assured, if I want you gone, you‟ll know it. That piece of shit will never get into this house again. Not as long as I‟m here.” “He could hurt you, Bastien.” Bastien shook his head and grinned. “Darlin‟, I‟m a lot stronger than I look. Don‟t worry about me. I can take care of myself.” He watched Carly limp from the room. A muscle 28

Tianna Xander twitched in his jaw as he thought about the abuse he‟d just witnessed. He could not bear to think of what other atrocities the man had committed against her. Why hadn‟t he felt the man‟s presence sooner? Could the rumors he heard about those who refused to change be true? The others had felt his presence. They knew the man was here long before he even thought danger could be close. Was he that distracted by her or did he subconsciously want her out of his life? Jesus, he was scared of the implications of having a human mate. What if she turned out to be just like his mother? Could he live with the guilt if she killed herself because of what he was? Bastien knew what his protective feelings for Carly meant. For the first time in his life, he felt protective of someone outside his family. But just because he knew what that meant, it didn‟t mean he had to like it. In truth, he wanted no part of it. Not until she‟d screamed, at least. Then, it had been all he could do to keep himself from ripping the other man‟s throat out. His heart leapt to his throat when he ran from the woods at the back of the barn to see his mate face down on the cement with a strange man sitting on her back, ruthlessly slamming her face into the pavement. Nearly every fiber of his being wanted to let the wolf take over and tear the man limb from limb. However, the logical part of him, the human part, knew he could never let Carly see an animal do that. She‟d just begun to learn to control her fear of animals. She even smiled at a few of Bosco‟s antics the other day. That alone was the only reason the bastard still lived.

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Bastien

Chapter Three re there any wolves around here?” Bastien paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. Looking up to meet Carly‟s eyes, he lowered his hand back to the table, resting the utensil on his plate. “There were a few brought here illegally by an amateur wildlife group in an effort to repopulate the species. Why?” Carly‟s face reddened and she looked down at her plate. “There was a wolf here the other day.” Frowning, she fiddled with her napkin. “The day of my ex-husband‟s…visit. At least I think it was a wolf.” She glanced toward the window. “He came out of nowhere and saved me from Robert. Since I haven‟t seen him since that day, I‟m kind of…” She paused, nervously licked her lips, and placed her hands flat on the table. “I‟m kind of worried about him.” She tilted her head to the side and met his gaze. “Do you think he was one of your friends?” “He may have been,” he said with a shrug. “You‟d let me know if a wolf showed up injured, wouldn‟t you?” Bastien nodded. She‟d know if something injured him in wolf form. There would be no way of keeping it from her since she‟d be the one taking care of his sorry ass. She‟d have to or he and the others would die. His little mate would get a crash course in Learning to Trust Your Lupine Friend that she most likely would not appreciate a bit.

“A

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Tianna Xander “Of course I will. If one shows up and you want to see it, I‟ll be sure to come get you.” This was the perfect opportunity to get her out into the barn to see the animals. He did have a wolf out there. It wasn‟t her wolf, but she didn‟t have to know that until she saw him. His gut clenched at the thought that she may mistake Kyle for him. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed a growl at the thought. Who knew he could be jealous? “I have a wolf in the barn now.” Turning his attention to his plate, he tried to act nonchalant as he pushed his food around with his fork. “He wandered in a few days ago.” The day her ex-husband attacked her actually. “His leg was broken. Would you like to see him after dinner?” Carly lifted her gaze from her plate, looking at him with fear-filled eyes. “Yes. I‟d like to see if it‟s the same wolf.” She stood and picked up her plate. “When you‟re ready, let me know.” Bastien wiped his mouth and, grabbing his plate, followed her into the kitchen. He was not about to let this opportunity slip though his fingers. Carly needed to overcome her fears. The sooner the better. “Didn‟t you like your dinner?” she asked, eyeing his halffull plate. “Like, it? I loved it. I‟m just stuffed. This was my third plate.” “Oh, right.” Her faced reddened a bit more as she took the plate and scraped the contents into the disposal. He walked to the door, waiting for her to put the dishes in the sink. “Are you ready?” She nodded, took a deep breath and gave him a crooked smile. “As ready as I‟ll never be, I guess.” He chuckled at her wry humor. “None of them are going to hurt you. They‟re all quite used to humans.” “They‟re still wild animals.” She rubbed her arms. 31

Bastien What could he say to comfort her? He was not about to tell her the only real animal in the barn was Bosco. Not one animal in the barn, with the exception of that bear, was what it seemed. Carly stayed by his side all the way out to the barn. Her scent drove him crazy. The animal in him wanted to claim her as his mate. The human in him wanted to be strong enough to let her go if he had to and still another part hoped he had to. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he clenched them into fists. How could he have a relationship with a human, knowing there was always the possibility that she would end her existence if she found out what he was? What would she do when she found out she had birthed animals instead of children? Would he be able to live with himself if that happened? Could he make himself live an empty existence like his father, staying alive only for their children as he did? Pausing for just a moment, he closed his eyes then opened the door to the barn, waiting for her to step inside. Carly stopped just outside the door. She bit her lip and looked up at Bastien. “You can do it.” **** Carly stared up at him for a minute, wondering. Can I? Could she really force herself to step inside that barn with all of those animals housed in there? The smell alone was enough to make her balk. It didn‟t smell bad, really. She figured Bastien kept it pretty clean, as barns go. Still, the strong animal smell permeated the structure. Her nose wrinkled at the unfamiliar odor. Bastien started to close the door. “You don‟t have to go in there tonight, Carly. There‟s always tomorrow.” 32

Tianna Xander She almost let him close the door, until the thought of her wolf, hurt and needy, made her step forward. The thought gave her pause. Her wolf? “No. I—I‟ll go in. I have to see if it‟s the same wolf. I have to repay him somehow. He—I think he saved my life that day.” Nothing could convince her otherwise. She was sure Robert had been about to kill her for back-talking him. If she knew one thing about her ex-husband, it was that he absolutely hated her to get sarcastic with him. Carly took a minute to gather her courage then took another step into the barn. “I can do this,” she said, trying to convince herself, before she turned to Bastien, giving him a rueful smile. “I‟ve never been hurt by an animal. You‟d think this unreasoning fear I have would at least be because I‟ve been bitten or something.” His look made her uncomfortable. It was almost as if he could see inside her to things better left forgotten. Perhaps he could. He had already stirred things within her that she‟d rather not have to deal with. Trying to ignore the fact that he stood just behind her, close enough to touch, close enough to feel the heat radiating off his body, she paused just inside the door and rubbed at the goose bumps that rose on her arms. A part of her wished he would take her in his arms, kiss her, and tell her everything would be all right. She jumped when his hands rested on her shoulders, her stomach flip-flopping as she hoped he would do just that. “We should go back inside. You aren‟t ready for such a move.” “What?” Carly half-turned to look up at him. He couldn‟t read her mind. Deep down, she knew that. Still, he seemed to know every time she felt uncomfortable. Every time she couldn‟t handle things. “You aren‟t ready to see the wolf.” The corner of his mouth 33

Bastien lifted in a half-smile. “Some people fear animals because they lost one they loved years ago. They are afraid to love another because they fear another loss. I understand your fear. You will overcome it in time.” How could he even guess that? Pushing past him, she practically ran into the barn as visions of the little black and white terrier mutt she named Lady flashed through her mind. The interior was dark and for a moment, she stood in the gloom, trembling. From what, she wasn‟t sure. Was it from his close proximity, the scent of his cologne or the heat radiating off his body, seeping into hers? Bastien stepped in behind her and after a soft click, the overhead fluorescent bulbs winked to life and filled the barn with light. He led her to a stall about halfway down the barn‟s inner corridor. There was a big metal kennel inside with a large wolf in it. The wolf looked up at her and whimpered. “Don‟t believe a word he tells you, Carly. I‟ve been taking exceptional care of him.” Bastien glared at the wolf. “No telling stories, Kyle.” “You‟ve named him?” He shook his head and pointed to a chain around the wolf‟s neck. “I didn‟t name him. Some other misguided soul named this lone wolf.” Carly squinted into the cage. Bastien was right. On a chain around its neck was a small tag that read Kyle. “Who would keep such a beautiful animal as a pet?” she asked, leaning down to get a closer look. She sighed. “It‟s not the same wolf from the other day. He was darker.” She turned to look up at Bastien and tilted her head. “Now that I think about it, I‟m pretty sure his coat was similar in color to your hair.” She frowned. “I think I would know him anywhere. He looked at me and we made some sort of connection. There was something in his eyes.” Bastien turned away before she realized he and her wolf 34

Tianna Xander shared more than hair color. What she had seen in his eyes was the adoration one of his species felt for a mate while in wolf form. That had to be it. It was difficult for him to leave her while he was still a wolf. His other half knew she was injured, knew she needed help. It had taken every ounce of his self-discipline to leave her and go back to the barn that day. “What‟s the matter?” The gentle press of her hand on his arm was pure torture. How could he stay so close to her, see her, smell her, feel her, and not have her? It wasn‟t any wonder his father had thrown caution to the winds and mated with his mother no matter the cost. Still, in Bastien‟s eyes, the cost had been way too high. “Nothing. I was just thinking about—” “Please don‟t tell me you‟re thinking about what happened again. It was not your fault. How could you know Robert had followed me here?” She pulled on his arm in an attempt to turn him toward her. “You didn‟t even know he existed.” No, he had not. But he still should have sensed the danger. Instead, he‟d had to be told about it. Were his animal instincts becoming weak because he avoided shifting? He‟d heard tales about were-beings who refused the change. Some said they died, others told tales of weres weakening so much, they became like humans. Bastien didn‟t want either to happen to him. His ability to shift was…useful at times. Perhaps he should start changing to his other self a bit more often and see what happened. The pain he felt each time he shifted, had become almost intolerable over the last year. His father warned him this could happen. His dad had even reminded him that becoming his other self should cause nothing more than a tickle. Certainly not the debilitating pain he felt every time he changed forms. “No,” he said, stepping away to rest his arms over a stall door. “I didn‟t know he existed.” He turned his head, meeting 35

Bastien her eyes. “Do you have any other secrets I should know about?” Carly shook her head. A lock of hair worked its way loose from the long braid down her back and fell over her right eye, covering the yellow and green hued bruise that still marred her cheek. She pushed it back impatiently. “I have no more secrets.” She put it quite simply. “He was the only one.” Bastien raised his brow, his gaze still on her face, though she had lowered her eyes. “I‟m sure you still have a few secrets. You can keep them to yourself as long as they don‟t endanger you.” He sighed. “I certainly have a few of my own.” That was the understatement of the century. Carly watched Bastien as he lifted his foot and placed it against the brace at the bottom of the stall door. Crossing his arms over the top, he stared at the opposite wall, his thoughts obviously distant. She could tell he had something on his mind, yet wasn‟t sure she should ask what was wrong. Turning to make her way from the barn, she paused to glance back at the injured wolf. Since, it wasn‟t the one she‟d hoped to find, she should go back to the house. It looked as if Bastien needed some time to himself anyway. “Don‟t leave.” She stopped when she felt his hand on her arm, turned and looked up into his eyes. His head lowered toward hers and she stood frozen, unable to pull away or even think about what was about to happen. He was going to kiss her—she knew it. Watching, she stood waiting for his mouth to cover hers and wondered what it would feel like. Butterflies took flight in her middle and she placed her hands on his chest. He must have taken her touch as her assent to his advances. His arms slid around her shoulders and he slanted his lips across hers. 36

Tianna Xander Carly‟s knees grew weak as his embrace tightened. Her hands slid up his chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and slid her fingers into his hair. His lips left hers to trail over her jaw to the shell of her ear. Flames licked at her skin. His warm breath against her flesh caused her knees to buckle. She‟d never felt this way before in her life. Her mind clouded over until she could think of nothing but his lips on her sliding over her neck and the way his strong arms kept her from falling to the floor in a puddle. Too soon, he lifted his head and pulled away. Holding her at arm‟s length until her legs grew steady, he took a deep breath and groaned. “You‟re not ready for this.” He released her and turned to busy himself with feeding the animals. “And if I continue, I won‟t be able to stop. Go back to the house, Carly, before we do something we both may regret.” Ignoring the large bulge in his pants like an elephant in the room, she placed her fingers on her still tingling lips, then turned and ran from the barn before he changed his mind. He was right. She wasn‟t ready. Not yet. There were still too many fears she needed to overcome and she wasn‟t a fit partner for anyone until she was able to eradicate them all from her life. Carly parked her car in the garage and entered the house through the kitchen door. The room was dark and quiet. She paused as an aura of foreboding swept over her. Goose bumps rose on her skin and the hair at the back of her neck stood on end. Something wasn’t right. Try as she might, she couldn’t put her finger on what could be wrong. Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, slowly growing closer to the kitchen where she stood trembling with fear. The sense of doom, of wrongness, grew with the sound of every approaching step. Soon, Robert walked into the kitchen covered in blood. A small lifeless body dangled from one beefy hand. “No!” Carly sat up in her bed. The damp sheets twisted 37

Bastien around her, holding her tied to the mattress. Frantically, she fought to free herself of the constraining material as if it was alive and holding her against her will. The door flew inward, smashing against the wall and she screamed again, bringing her hands up to protect her face. The door hung precariously from one of its hinges as Bastien burst into the room, naked from the waist up. Carly‟s eyes widened with fear and she grabbed the sheet, pulling it up over her. She sat trembling in her bed, waiting for him to yell at her for waking him up. “Are you okay? I heard you scream.” Bastien‟s eyes surveyed the room quickly. Was he looking for a threat? Then he grinned sheepishly. “Nightmare?” She nodded, still holding the sheet up to her chin. Her face warmed and her lips tingled when she remembered their earlier kiss. A part of her hoped for a repeat performance. Another, more cowardly part, wished he would leave so she could put her thoughts back into perspective. She took a deep breath as he turned, part of her wanting him to go, part of her wanting him to stay. Bastien walked back to the door and inspected it. After a short pause, he grabbed it and jerked it the rest of the way off the hinges. “Sorry about that. But you screamed and it was locked.” He shook his head and turned to look at her. “I‟ll get someone out here as soon as possible to fix this. In the meantime, would you like another room?” “No. I love this room.” Because it was close to his, but she would never admit that to him. She was barely able to admit it to herself. “I think I can trust you,” she said, blushing. “I‟m sorry about the locked door.” He put his hands in the pockets of his slacks and the action drew Carly‟s attention from his bare chest to the front of his pants. She looked away blushing. His pants were unzipped! Bastien looked down, hastily removed his hands from his 38

Tianna Xander pockets, tucked himself back, and zipped up his pants. “Sorry. I put them on in a hurry.” Clearing her throat, she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. “That‟s understandable.” She settled back down on her pillow, still looking toward the broken door and tried not to think about what she had seen in the gap of his fly. “Tell me, what would you have done if Robert had been in here?” She watched as his hands balled into fists, glad his anger wasn‟t directed at her. “I would have torn him limb from limb. There is no greater sin for those in my family than to abuse a woman or child.” He grimaced. “Men like him should have been drowned at birth.” Then he grinned. “Or eaten by their mother.” She wrinkled her nose. “Eew! That‟s just gross!” He shrugged. “Maybe so. However, it would save beautiful women like you from falling prey to their good looks and false charm.” She blushed at the compliment. “You have those same characteristics, you know.” Bastien gave her a stricken look, placing a hand over his chest. “You cut me to the quick, Carly. My charm is genuine.” She laughed. “Thanks for the attempted rescue, the assault on my door and for lightening the mood. I might be able to go back to sleep now.” She settled herself back under the covers and closed her eyes. **** Bastien smiled. Well, that was a subtle way of telling him to get out. However, it was effective, just the same. Two days after Carly‟s nightmare, he was about to take Carly to work when a mournful howl and Kyle‟s frantic barking drew him into the barn. “Shit!” He rushed over to the wounded wolf lying just inside the door. It was missing part 39

Bastien of its right front leg. “What the hell happened to you?” he asked, grabbing a towel to put pressure on the oozing stub. The wolf licked his cheek. “I‟m glad to see you, too, Papa,” he whispered, then turned toward the door. “Carly!” She ran out onto the porch. “Is something wrong?” “I have an injured wolf, here. I—” He stopped and looked down at his weakened father. No one should have to make a choice like the one that faced him now. God, he didn‟t want her driving herself to work anymore. What if her ex-husband waited for such an opportunity and attacked her again? He closed his eyes. “I can‟t take you in today. You‟re welcome to use one of the cars, as usual.” She wandered closer, into his line of sight. He tried to make out the expression on her face, unsure if it was fright or concern. She crept toward the barn. “Do you—” She licked her lips and looked down at his wounded father. “Do you need any help?” Relief and pride flooded him at the realization that her concern for another living thing could help her overcome her fear. “Yes. I need the bandages and antiseptic in the cupboard over there,” he said, pointing. Lifting the towel, he checked the wound. The bleeding had already slowed considerably. “What happened to you?” he whispered. He ran his hands over the thin frame. Half-starved and dehydrated, his father looked up into his eyes. Images of a lab and cruel hands and faces filled his mind. There were tests, dozens of them, and needles filled with tranquilizers. Even more needles filled with a drug that removed his father‟s control, forcing him to change no matter how hard he tried to stop it. **** 40

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Carly returned, carrying the supplies. She wasn‟t sure how Bastien managed to convince these animals not to chew their dressings off, yet none of them had. She watched them as she walked past. Each one sat up in their kennels, staring at her curiously. She approached Bastien and the new wolf slowly, not wanting to startle the gravely injured animal. Bastien knelt beside the wolf, his expression was blank, his eyes vacant as he stared into the animal‟s eyes. She rested her hand on his shoulder. “Bastien?” He stirred at her touch. Turning to her, he took the supplies and began to clean and bandage the wound. “He was tortured.” He growled low in his throat, showing her an anger she had previously thought him incapable of feeling. She stepped back and turned toward the door, every instinct telling her to run before he got violent. Remorse filled Bastien‟s eyes when he obviously realized he‟d frightened her. He looked torn between helping this new wolf and comforting her. “I‟m not mad at you, baby. There are men who can be angry, they can even be angry with you, yet still not become violent or abusive. Please believe that.” He reached down to the wolf and gently stroked the graying muzzle. “Let‟s carry Papa to the house.” Her face blazed at the endearment. It wasn‟t the first time he‟d ever called her anything but Carly. However, it was the first time he called her a name that lent some sort of permanency to their relationship. It took her a moment to recover her senses. Then she realized what he called the injured wolf. “Papa?” This wolf couldn‟t possibly be someone‟s lost pet, too. Could it? “This one has a name tag as well?” He cast the old wolf a fond gaze. “No, he‟s not wearing a tag. I called him that because he‟s old and obviously 41

Bastien someone‟s papa.” He rubbed the animal‟s ears, then put a hand under the muzzle and lifted. “You see the gray around his mouth? He is an old man, wise, and worthy of our respect.” The wolf snorted at that. Grinning, Bastien pulled gently on one ear, then patted the old wolf‟s side. “Do you think you can help me carry him into the house?” She bit her lip and danced from foot to foot. “The house?” she squeaked. “He‟s going to stay in the house?” What in the world for? He was an animal. Shouldn‟t they stay in the barn? He nodded. “He certainly can‟t stay here by himself.” He gestured toward the pathetic looking creature. “Look at him. He is too weak to stay out here. He‟s going to need constant care for several days, at least.” Carly took a deep breath. Closing her eyes for a moment, she thought about what he was asking of her, then opened them and looked down at the wounded wolf. Someone tortured this poor creature and even though she didn‟t know those responsible, she somehow felt obligated to help him. Humans had done this to the poor animal and humans would heal him. She refused to let his only experience with humans being nothing but torture. Nervously licking her lips, she looked over at Bastien. “What do you need me to do?”

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Chapter Four here are saddle blankets in the tack room over there.” Bastien pointed toward a room in the front corner of the barn. Carly started to go for the blankets, relieved that she could go compose herself before handling the wolf. “It‟s in the attic space above the ceiling. You‟re not going to be able to reach it.” His gaze darted from her to the wolf. “Do you think you can stay here and make sure he doesn‟t move?” “Um…” She felt the blood drain from her face and looked between them. “I—I guess I could try.” Bastien gave her a brilliant smile, then turned back to the wolf. “You be nice to her, Papa. And don‟t scare her.” The wolf just looked up at him and groaned. Carly shook her head. “What are you, some kind of Dr. Doolittle or something? You talk to these animals like they‟re human.” “No, Carly, I talk to them like I know they understand me. Which they do.” He gave them both one last glance, then pointed at the injured wolf. “Be good,” was all he said before he left them alone. She settled down next to the large wolf that resembled the one that saved her from Robert. “You look a lot like another wolf I know,” she said, gingerly reaching out, lightly stroking his fur. “I wonder if you‟re related. He saved my life, you know. My ex-husband was trying to kill me.” She looked

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Bastien down at him with tears shimmering in her eyes. “What did I do to make him that way?” The wolf moved his head, startling Carly. He made a sound that almost sounded like, I don’t know, to her. How ridiculous! “Look at me, Papa.” The old wolf lifted his head, his tail thumping against the cold concrete floor. “Do you like me to call you Papa?” He whined and licked her hand, causing her to jump and give him a wobbly smile. “You‟re not going to get mad all of a sudden and eat me are you?” she asked, laughing nervously. “Geeze, I hope that wasn‟t just a taste test.” She fought the urge to wipe her hand on her pants. The wolf put his head back down on the floor and closed its eyes. “Oh, my God. They do understand what he says!” “Are you two having a nice conversation?” Bastien gazed down at the two of them. “Were you good or are you sleeping on the floor in the kitchen tonight?” Carly smiled. “He was good, Bastien. The two of us had a very nice visit.” **** Bastien gave his father a pat on the head, noticing that Carly‟s hand still rested on the wolf‟s side. That didn‟t escape his notice. “Okay, Papa,” he said, turning his attention back to his wounded father. He shook out the blanket and placed it on the floor in front of him. “I need you to move onto the blanket. I could hurt you, if I move you.” He helped his father by gently lifting him by the neck, keeping his voice low and soothing, explaining everything he did as he transferred him to the thick cover. Wrapping his arms around his chest, he helped him onto the blanket where 44

Tianna Xander he fell back down, exhausted. “Now comes the hard part.” He gave Carly an unreadable look. “Carrying him into the house isn‟t going to be easy.” **** Surprisingly, the emaciated wolf was extremely heavy. Her hands were cramping by the time they lugged him across the back lawn and into the house and put him on the sleeper sofa in Bastien‟s office. “We want him to be comfortable. He‟s had it pretty rough.” The haunted expression in Bastien‟s eyes whenever he looked at the old wolf touched her heart. “I‟m telling you, Carly, it has to be true. I read it in the National Intruder.” Carly shook her head, grinning. “Haley, the reports you read in that rag,” she pointed at the paper on the counter, “are about as reliable as Carmen Sanford.” She named one of the store cashiers, notorious for calling out sick on a regular basis. “Look,” Haley said, opening the paper to the appropriate page. The headline jumped out at her. Gooseflesh rose on her arms as she read the bold type. Werewolves Found in Sleepy Michigan Town. The story told of a small community of werewolves living in her town! She felt her throat close off as she thought about Papa and what happened to him. Had some nutcase thought he was a werewolf and captured him? That would explain many things. Still, the question remained, how did he lose his leg? He certainly didn‟t do that to himself. She shook off the strange sense of foreboding and holding the paper up, she waved it at Haley. “Do you mind if I take this?” 45

Bastien “Nah,” Haley waved her away. You can have it. I‟ve read it already.” Later, she tried to find a nonchalant way to show the paper to Bastien. What if there was some nut in town capturing wolves for testing? How long would it be before they turned their attention to the people? She settled with leaving the paper on the counter in the kitchen where she was sure he would see it. She had no reason to fear showing him the article. So what was making her so damned scared? The whole idea that werewolves exist was ridiculous. The thought that educated people believed in such fantastic creatures boggled her mind. Positive the whole thing was some tabloid hoax, she left the paper where Bastien would see it, just the same. No matter how absurd the whole thing seemed, she would never forget Bastien‟s easy way with the wild animals in his care. The way he talked to them as if they were human, or half-human. She bit her lip. Could werewolves really exist? She shook her head, laughing at herself. “That‟s just plain stupid, Carly,” she said to herself, reaching for the paper to throw it in the trash. “What‟s just stupid?” Bastien asked, reaching around her to pluck the bowl of salad from the counter. “I hope dinner is ready. I‟m starving.” Not waiting for her answer, he crossed to the stove and began to heap a plate with potatoes and gravy, Swiss steak and green beans. “You must be hungry.” He looked down at the plate and grinned. “Starved is what I am. However, this is not for me. This is for my Pa…patient.” Carly gaped at him, twisting a rolled-up newspaper in her hands. “Don‟t you… Don‟t they…” She cleared her throat. “I thought you fed them dog food or something.” Bastien curled his lip. “Dog food? That‟s for—” He cut himself short and turned toward the door. “I‟ll be right back.” 46

Tianna Xander Shit! He almost let the cat out of the proverbial bag with that one. Dog food is fine for the real animals, is what he almost said. Was she beginning to figure them out? The woman was too observant for her own good. He took the plate to his father, practically threw it on the bed in front of him and began to pace. “What should I do, Papa? I think she knows.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Or if she doesn‟t know, she‟ll figure it out soon enough. I think she suspects something. I can‟t force her to accept us and I will not force her compliance. She is my mate. She‟s not tied to me in any way, yet my body burns for her like it has for no other. I don‟t know what to do.” He turned troubled eyes to his father who looked torn between listening and eating. “Eat, old man, you can still listen while I rant.” I feel a bit better, stronger now. Thank you, boy. Bastien stopped pacing and threw his father a relieved smile. “You must feel better if you can communicate with more than mental images and grunts now.” Watch it, boy. I’ll still be able to kick your ass after I heal, even with only three legs. His father bent his head back to the plate and took a mouthful of the tender Swiss steak. She is a good cook, your mate. You’re lucky. Your mother could burn water. Bastien walked to the door and looked down the hallway before he responded. “She‟s human, Papa. I don‟t want her to do what Mother did.” She is a strong one, Bastien, and curious. She is worthy to be your mate. You must stop calling me Papa. Call me Malcolm instead. You’re right. She grows suspicious. “She can‟t possibly suspect the truth.” Perhaps not. Yet, it is enough that she suspects something. Malcolm licked the plate clean. Be sure to tell her she is a wonderful cook. Now leave me be, pup, so I can get some rest. Bastien brought the empty plate back to the kitchen and set 47

Bastien it in the sink. “He‟s getting stronger,” he said with a relieved grin. “He‟s nowhere near as strong as he should be, but we‟re making progress. It‟s a start.” **** Carly raised a brow. It wasn‟t any wonder that he was getting stronger with the amount of food he ate. She was glad they were making progress with the old wolf, though. Spending time with him for the last week had been a learning experience for her. She learned that it didn‟t have to hurt to have feelings for something. Or someone. She looked over at Bastien, watching as he sat at the table filling his own plate. “Have I told you that you‟re a wonderful cook?” he asked, licking a drop of gravy from his thumb. “Malcolm seems to think so, too.” “Malcolm?” She looked over at him, his head tilted a bit to the side. She didn‟t remember a Malcolm. Maybe he was one of Bastien‟s few human friends that showed up from time to time. “Oh. I meant Papa. I have decided to call him Malcolm. You were right. It does seem kind of weird to call him Papa.” Two more weeks passed and Carly found herself lying on her bed, reading the same issue of the International Intruder. There was certainly more going on around here than what met the eye. Even so, werewolves were a huge stretch for her imagination. She tucked the paper under her mattress and decided to get up. This was her day off at the lab and she was going to spend it with Malcolm trying to help him learn how to compensate for his missing limb. She led the old wolf outside and coaxed him to trot next to her. He was a bit slow, but he was getting better. “Soon, you‟ll be running around so well, you won‟t even miss it,” she said, 48

Tianna Xander patting him on the head. How about a walk to the barn? Maybe you can visit with Kyle.” Carly heard a high-pitched whistle just before a bee stung her on the neck. “Ow!” Raising her hand, she slapped the insect away. Only it was not an insect. She gaped at the small, feathered needle in her palm. “Oh, my God! A tranquilizer dart?” **** After Bastien left Carly with his father, he went to his sister‟s where he could meet with others of his kind without the fear of Carly walking in on them. He knew he would have to tell her about their race. He just didn‟t want to have to do it today, with witnesses. His conscience would never allow him to start a relationship with her until she knew what he was. “I don‟t understand,” his sister said, pacing across the large living room. “How did these people know that Papa is a were?” Bastien shook his head. “Don‟t you think I‟ve asked myself that same question? I wish he could shift back, however he is still healing. It‟s going to be at least another week before he‟s strong enough to shift so he can talk to us all.” “He‟s talked to you.” “Yes he has. As you know, even a mental link is draining, especially for him now. Not only does he have his injuries to deal with, he has had to endure a withdrawal from the drugs they pumped into him while he was there. He talks to me using a link. After a while he can do no more than project images.” He sat down, putting his head in his hands. “You wouldn‟t believe the things I‟ve seen through him.” He looked up at his sister and cousins. “We‟re lucky he‟s still alive.” “Has he been able to tell you the location of the lab?” his 49

Bastien sister, Natalia, asked. He shook his head. “I‟m not sure he knows. I think pure instinct brought him back here. One of us is going to have to shift and follow his scent back there. If we can. It‟s been a while now. The trail could be cold.” “I can follow a blood trail a month old,” his cousin, Luke, boasted, standing up. “You said he was bleeding when he reached your house?” “Yes. What‟s left of his right front leg was still dripping when I found him.” “What‟s left of his leg?” Natalia made a small sound of anguish and tears filled her eyes. “Poor Papa.” She stood to join them. “I‟m going with you. I want to see him.” Bastien nodded. “Just be sure you watch what you say and don‟t slip up around Carly.” “I won‟t.” She wrinkled her nose. “Why do you call her by that ridiculous name? Her name is Charlene.” Bastien sighed. “Because her abusive ex-husband calls her nothing but Charlene and I refuse to bring those memories back. She deserves better. And she will get better so long as it remains in my power.” Luke‟s brother, Markus, slapped him on the back. “She deserves better than you, too, Cuz, yet I don‟t see you stepping aside. “And you won‟t, Cuz.” Bastien said with a playful growl. “She‟s mine.” “She just doesn‟t know it yet.” Natalia grinned at Bastien. “Am I right?” He looked at his sister. “She will soon enough.” Luke laughed. “Yeah, as soon as you dig up the courage to tell her what you are.” The smile faded from Natalia‟s face and she turned to him. “That was a low blow, Luke. Can you blame him for being apprehensive after what our mother did?” 50

Tianna Xander Luke stopped chuckling, bowed his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “I wasn‟t thinking, you two. Please, accept my apologies.” Bastien nodded. “If we‟re going to do this, we‟d better get moving. The trail back to the lab only gets weaker with every passing moment.” Following him out to his truck, they agreed taking only one vehicle would be a good idea. The scent of the exhaust would not be as strong with only one vehicle entering the area. The likelihood of covering the trail was a real possibility, even with Luke‟s sensitive nose. Bastien knew something was wrong as soon as he stepped through the front door. There was no noise. No radio playing or dishes clinking in the kitchen and the scent of intruders permeated everything in the house. He stopped and reached out with his senses. Even concentrating on Carly‟s scent, he felt nothing but the tremors of an invading malevolence. The others felt it as well. Each of them had their eyes closed, reaching out with their minds. Gleaning everything they could from the little evidence left behind. Carly was gone. His father was gone. Bastien knew it, yet he couldn‟t help hoping he was wrong. He ran up the stairs, slamming the doors open, searching everywhere. There was no trace of his mate or his father. It was his fault they were gone. He never should have left them alone. “It‟s not your fault, Bastien,” Natalia said, slipping her arms around his waist from behind. “I never should have left them alone.” He pulled from her embrace and punched the wall in front of him. The plaster gave way and his fist went through the wall, giving evidence to his anger and frustration. He turned and ran back down the stairs and out the back door. It was a long shot, but he had to check. “Oh, shit!” The kennels were gone. Every one of them. 51

Bastien Even Bosco was missing. “How did they know to come here, Bastien?” his sister asked, her eyes wide with fear. “I don‟t know. If they know about this safe house, they may know about all of them.” He turned to his sister. “Natalia, you stay here and warn the others.” He tossed her the keys to his truck. “Tell those with children to leave the area. Then gather the rest of the adults together. There has to be a way to fight back.” Bastien‟s temper blazed, someone violated his home and took his mate from him. God help those who took her, because no one else could. He turned toward the door and faced his cousins. He met Luke‟s eyes and started to undress. “Well, Cousin, it seems we have a fresh trail to follow, after all.”

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Chapter Five arly slowly regained consciousness. She found herself curled into a ball on a swaying bed. Why was the bed swaying? She sniffed. Why did she feel and smell like a wet dog? Her head ached and she felt sick to her stomach. It wasn‟t any wonder with the way the bed kept moving from side to side. She sat up and banged her head on something. Reaching up, she felt thin metal bars. She was in a cage, a kennel, just like the ones in Bastien‟s barn. Maybe she was in Bastien‟s barn. She banished the thought as soon as it occurred to her. Bastien would never do this. If she had learned anything from him in the last few weeks, it was that he was a gentle soul and would never do something like this. Well, he wouldn‟t do it without provocation. Carly curled her fingers around the wire caging her and realized she was moving. She was in the back of a truck. Everything started to come back to her. The strange sound in the woods behind the house, what she originally thought was a bee sting on her neck, until she had reached up to brush the insect away. It was a tranquilizer dart. Someone hiding in the woods shot her with it. Malcolm ran, as fast as his three legs would carry him, toward the woods, growling and snarling at her attacker only to be shot himself. After that, everything went black and she knew nothing until she‟d regained consciousness here in the

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Bastien back of the truck. She looked around. Kennels surrounded her. She could barely make out the shape of a wolf in the cage to her left. The cage to her right held the panther. What had Bastien named her? Sasha—yes, that was it. Plus, there was no mistaking Bosco‟s smell. He was clean as bears went, she supposed, however he had an odor that was uniquely his own. Oh, my God, it is true! It had to be, even though she knew it was a fantastic stretch. There were people out there who believed in werewolves. They must have thought she was a werewolf, too! She grabbed onto the cage and shook it. She reached through the wire and tried to release the latch. Damn, a padlock! She slumped to the floor of her cage. It was no use. The cage was inescapable. Cool wind rushed over her and she shivered. Wrapping her arms around herself, she curled into a tiny ball, trying to conserve her body‟s warmth. If they didn‟t stop soon, she would die of exposure, although, as dying went, freezing to death might not be as bad as someone torturing or experimenting on her. Carly rested her face on her knees. The tears that ran down her face felt like they were freezing on her cheeks. She had no one who would look for her. No one who would care that she had gone missing. Except maybe Bastien and the girls at the lab, but that would only be because they would have to replace her. Carly started to laugh. She knew she was in shock. Maybe this wasn‟t really happening. Maybe Robert‟s last attack on her had finally driven her over the edge to madness. Soon, the hysterical laughter turned to hopeless tears and her teeth began to chatter from the cold. “It doesn‟t matter, Carly. They won‟t get to keep you,” she told herself. “You‟ll die of exposure long before they get you to wherever it is they‟re going.” 54

Tianna Xander Soon, Kyle and Sasha shifted their positions, blocking a portion of the wind. Each of them rested their warm bodies against the wall of the kennel closest to hers, effectively sharing their body heat with her. She cried even more when she realized she really was going mad. She was starting to believe the possibility that the absurd things she read in the article were true. Carly was still huddled in a little ball when the truck slowed and made a right turn. She sat up and wiped her eyes. Something within her, a courage she didn‟t know she possessed, demanded she not allow her captors to see her fear. She was tired of being a victim. She was damn tired of the strong oppressing the weak. She refused to be weak anymore. Carly McGowan was the product of her practical and brave Scottish parents and she would go down fighting. Grabbing onto the metal cage, she got mad. She had just escaped from one monster and she‟d be damned if she would give in to another without a fight. Allowing her rage to simmer, she waited for an opportunity. “They have to let us out of these cages at some point. If they don‟t tranquilize us again, that‟s our opportunity for escape.” She looked at her fellow captives. “I‟ll get at least one of you out of here, or die trying.” She hoped her suspicions were correct. If they were more than they appeared to be, they could bring back help. It was her only hope. She looked between Kyle and the panther. “Kyle, Sasha, it has to be one of you. I hope you‟re feeling up to it.” Kyle yipped, pawing at the floor inside his cage and Sasha just stared at her, curling her lip in a silent snarl, her yellow eyes glowing bright in the soot black of her face. Carly closed her eyes and prayed that was an agreement, otherwise, she was just plain screwed. The truck came to a lurching halt, the squeal of the door opening carried to the back and she listened while their 55

Bastien captors walked around and opened the back gate of the truck. “Come on, Harry! I don‟t wanna lug all those kennels inside. They‟re all still groggy.” A relatively young man with greasy black hair pointed at them all. “See?” Bosco was the one that worried them the most. Yet, he was still sleeping, while the others hung their heads, appearing listless. “I never saw a were-bear before,” Harry said, turning his head to spit tobacco juice on the ground. “Do ya suppose they‟re as strong as everyone says?” He scratched his nearly bald head, wiped the spittle from his chin and pulled up his baggy overalls to hook one strap over his shoulder, leaving the other strap to hang down to his knees. “I don‟t know and I don‟t much care, either,” the younger man said, looking around them as if ready for something to jump out of the woods and attempt to eat him. “Let‟s just get „em into the building before they wake up.” They poked and prodded at Bosco until he finally stood and staggered out of his kennel and followed the two men into the building. They did another inspection when they returned and Carly let her eyes droop and leaned against the side of her cage, allowing them to think the sedative hadn‟t worn off. They pulled the cages from the truck, one at a time, lifting them with a forklift and setting them on the ground side by side. “Yeah, I guess you‟re right, Billy. Let‟s get the girl out first,” Harry said, grabbing his crotch. “Maybe we can have some fun with her before we take her inside.” He gave her a thorough once over. His gaze burned a trail over Carly that made her feel dirty everywhere he looked. She fought the urge to gag at the cloying smell of their cheap deodorant, which liberally used, still didn‟t disguise the fact that they both needed to bathe. 56

Tianna Xander Harry reached out with his grubby hands and unlocked the padlock. Swinging the kennel door wide, he reached in and pulled Carly from the small metal box by her hair. She staggered, giving them the illusion that the strong drug was still in her system. Stumbling, she fell in front of Sasha‟s prison. Hoping for an edge on the intimidation factor of the large panther, Carly reached out and released the latch. Sasha, wasting no time, pounced from the cage and landed on Billy, her mouth on his throat. Harry ran screaming toward the building as Carly released Kyle, then Malcolm. They would have to leave Bosco since he was still asleep. That worried her. What would they do to him once they realized he wasn‟t what they expected? She looked at the others. “What are you waiting for? Get out of here!” She shooed them with her hands. Giving one last glance to the building where she had last seen Bosco, Carly knew she had to run. Run or die, because surely they would kill her for this. Deliberately ignoring Billy‟s prone body, she half-hoped he was still alive. Another, more bloodthirsty part of her didn‟t really give a damn one way or another. Looking up at the moon, she turned and started to run up the narrow dirt track that had brought them here. Carly ran as far and as fast as she could, before she finally collapsed. Her lungs felt like they would explode and she fell to her knees on the damp forest floor clutching her side. Never having been a runner, she was sorry she didn‟t exercise more. Sasha jumped into a nearby tree and Carly watched, amazed, as she climbed higher with the easy grace of the predator she was. Shivering, Carly knew that shock was setting in. Between that and the biting cold, she knew she wasn‟t going to make it. She was freezing and scared and for the first time, she realized that wild animals surrounded her. Wild animals that no one had fed today. 57

Bastien Something crashed through the bushes, startling her and she jumped. “You scared me half to death, Malcolm.” She held her hand over her heart. He limped over and flopped down on the ground next to her. Carly reached over and stroked his fur, careful not to rub too low on his chest. If the animal really could turn into a man… Well, she just plain refused to go there. She barely had time to catch her breath when Kyle‟s ears perked up and he stood. The panther leaped down from its branch, stretching lazily before she pinned Carly with a stare and lifted her lip. “Well, Malcolm, I guess it‟s time to go. I hope you‟re up for it.” Carly knew she wasn‟t. She‟d be done for the night after a few more miles. After that, she‟d be on her own because they would leave her and, frankly, she couldn‟t blame them a bit. Malcolm nudged the younger wolf in the side. Kyle snapped at Malcolm, the sound of his teeth coming together when he closed his powerful jaws was loud, startling Carly out of her exhausted stupor. Plodding forward a few more steps, she dragged her feet through the composted leaves on the path they made. She stumbled over to a rotted log and sat down, looking around with wide eyes, surprised to find herself sitting. Carly put her head in her hands. “I‟m done, guys.” She said then waved them off. “I can‟t go any further.” Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to conserve her body heat as the temperature dropped. “Go on, save yourselves.” She sat there on the rotted, bug-infested log and finally gave up hope. She bent forward, placing her head on her knees. “Why does everything have to be so hard?” She rocked back and forth as she cried, feeling sorry for herself. “Couldn‟t something be easy, just this once?” The distant sound of baying dogs crashing through the brush carried to her and she sobbed harder. 58

Tianna Xander Looking up, she yelled at Kyle. “Get the hell out of here! Do you hear me?” Her breath caught on a sob. “Go. If you really are more than you seem, go. Bring back help.” Kyle stood staring at her for a few more seconds, then dashed south before turning around to trot back to Malcolm. They gave each other a meaningful look, then Kyle and Sasha ran off together, an odd pair in the woods of Michigan. Malcolm sat at Carly‟s side, leaning against her, the stub of his right leg resting on her lap as he shared his warmth, trying to comfort her. Bastien will come, daughter. He will come for you and those who may harm you, any who stand in his way, will die. Carly heard Malcolm‟s words of comfort and sobbed harder. She really was going mad! **** Three incredibly large wolves raced up the side of the road, keeping just inside the tree line. When they reached a crossroad, they crawled from the cover of the trees and sniffed the air in every direction, searching for a scent that would tell them which way the vehicle had gone. They disagreed once, fighting over which way they should go. This way, Luke said, turning to the right, heading north up a steep grade. They didn’t go that way, big brother. They went west, I am sure of it. I’m surprised you can’t smell them. Their stench is as strong as any rotting cesspool. Luke turned to his brother, lifted his lip, and nipped at his shoulder. I said, this way. The two started wrestling, growling and snarling at each other. Until Luke, who had finally had enough, grabbed his brother by the throat. Follow me, cub, or go off on your own. Stop it, you two! Bastien was already nursing a killing rage. His cousins‟ antics only put him more on edge. He turned, 59

Bastien pinning Marcus with a glare. We will follow Luke’s lead because I know his nose. You don’t trust me. You do not have Luke’s experience and I am not about to bet the lives of my friends and loved ones on one of your hunches. They continued north, following Luke‟s lead. Bastien and his cousins found Sasha and Kyle late the following day. Kyle was limping and bitching, Sasha was silent, as usual. Sasha had not changed since her mate died. He went out for a run and a car hit him. The poor female didn‟t even get the opportunity to see his body. The authorities informed her that Dimic‟s remains were disposed of. No amount of investigating on Bastien‟s part could produce a body. They informed him that they cremated Dimic and had his remains interred in a mass animal grave. Sasha had not shifted or spoken since. She lived in Bastien‟s barn, seemingly content to be alone in her panther form. Your mate helped us escape, Bastien. She knows about us, she told us to bring help. Where is she? Bastien trotted back the way Sasha and Kyle had come, looking for his mate. He turned to Kyle. Do not tell me you left her alone. We left her with your father. My crippled father. Bastien snarled, itching to rip Kyle‟s throat out. Just how do you expect him to protect my mate? He laid his ears back against his head, ready to do battle. Kyle sighed and shook his head. He refused to go and leave me to protect her. Two of us had to make the escape in case they recaptured one of us. Your father sent you a message. He said, your mate knows about us and she is strong. It is up to you to save her. He also said he would protect her with his life. “I should have gone after her.” “And what would you have done, Bastien? You would 60

Tianna Xander have been one man against many.” Natalia rested her hand on his arm. “Think this through. The reason she is still there is because she cannot outrun their dogs on foot. She knows this, which is why she sent Sasha and Kyle to bring help. We have to go in with vehicles, or at least have them close.” Her eyes grew flat and she pressed her lips together. “We‟re going to need an army to defeat those monsters.” Luke walked in. “We have one. Every were-being who has ever been a recipient of your hospitality has pledged to join us with their packs, prides and clans.” Bastien swallowed thickly. “Where are we meeting them?” The doorbell rang and Luke grinned, leading Bastien to the front door. “They‟re already here.”

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Chapter Six astien‟s mouth dropped open when he stepped out onto his porch. At least thirty cars, trucks and vans lined the edge of the driveway. Men and women exited their vehicles, some of them rentals, to approach the house. He put his hand over his heart and bowed. “Welcome to my home, friends. May you all find a place to rest your weary bones in my presence after this siege has ended. I…” Pausing, he looked out over the crowd and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “… I find I‟m quite speechless.” One of the men, a tall man, with long, black hair and glittering green eyes, placed his hand over his heart, giving the formal reply to Bastien‟s greeting. He raised his voice, so all could hear him. “We accept your generous offer of hospitality, Honored Healer, as you have helped many of us in our time of need.” He swept his free hand out behind him to indicate the others. “We, too, are here in your hour of need. Please accept the offer of our assistance.” Bastien bowed again, “I thank you.” He looked out over the crowd of weres gathered on his front lawn and his throat closed for a minute. “I thank you all.” “No,” the man said. “It is we who should thank you for your help, generosity, and unfailing devotion to assisting those in need.”

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Tianna Xander Another man stepped forward. “Many of us would be dead now, if not for you. We will follow you and your family to retrieve your mate and your father.” These were his friends, his family…his people. What a surprising mixed-up conglomeration of species his family had turned out to be. Natalia stepped up beside him and wrapped her right arm around his waist. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked over the crowd of were-beings he called friends. “We are in your debt.” “No, we are in yours,” several people called from the crowd. The tall, green-eyed man stepped up onto the porch in one stride, ignoring the three steps in front of him. He held his hand out to Bastien. “It is good to see you, old friend.” Bastien took his hand in a firm grip. “It‟s good to see you, as well, Dimitri. What are you doing here? I thought you‟d returned to Siberia to be with your family.” Dimitri grinned. “A funny thing happened on my trip back. I had a layover in Chicago.” Reaching back, he pulled a woman and infant up beside him. “Meet my mate and the child who would not have been born if not for you.” Bastien cast his gaze down to the blue-wrapped bundle in the woman‟s arms. It smelled a bit like milk and baby powder. “My son, Bastien, named for the man I would call, brother.” Dimitri leaned down and whispered in his mate‟s ear. She nodded and kissed him on the cheek, then turned to walk back to their mini-van. “She is going to visit her parents in Chicago. I would ride with you if you have a spare seat in your vehicle.” Bastien cleared his throat, barely trusting himself to speak and blinked the threat of tears from his eyes. “There is always room for you, Dimitri.” He turned to look out over the lawn, 63

Bastien amazed that so many people were willing to help him. That so many were willing to risk their lives to rescue his mate because they remembered and appreciated his efforts to make a difference. Luke clapped him on the back. “Don‟t look so surprised. You must have known you had many friends.” Natalia smiled up at him, the pride showing in her eyes. “Look at all of the lives you‟ve touched. I hadn‟t realized there were so many.” “Yes, Bastien. The difference you have made in our world is astounding.” Bastien turned around, his mouth agape, and stared at the beautiful amber-eyed woman. Her ebony hair fell down her back in silky, blue-black waves. Her face held a hint of sorrow, laced with hope. “Sasha, you honor me.” She shook her head. “No, you‟ve honored me by putting up with my endless despair. You cared for me even when I refused to care for myself.” She proudly lifted her head. “For that I will be forever grateful.” Her eyes glittered with an inner fire Bastien had missed the past eighteen months. “Dimic lives. His scent was all over the man I killed while we made our escape.” She smiled softly. “I thank you for giving me hope.” Then she raised her head, her expression hard. “We must return to that place and retrieve our people.” Bastien could do little more than stare at the woman who had lived in his barn as a black jaguar for the last year and a half. “I thought his disappearance seemed a bit too convenient.” Tears streamed down Sasha‟s face. “He‟s alive, my Dimic is alive and we must release him and the others.” A couple of weres had the presence of mind to drive fifteen passenger vans, which he knew would come in handy to transport all these people. After figuring out who would ride 64

Tianna Xander with whom and what the plan would be when they arrived at their destination, they grabbed their supplies and headed north. **** Carly woke in a room with a glass partition for a wall. Groggy, she sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “Well, there‟s no privacy here, I guess.” Beyond the glass was something she had previously only seen in science fiction movies. There were several rooms like hers all with the same glass fronts, surrounding a center island of computer banks. Several people in lab coats bustled around the monitors and punched keys on keyboards, seemingly oblivious to the activity around them. “You‟re awake. Good.” Carly spun around at the sound of the voice. She was alone. “Look through the glass.” She turned to face the large glass partition and scowled at the petite blonde woman, standing at a nearby computer bank, waving at her. “Can you see me?” Carly nodded. “Oh, no need for that. You can speak. I‟ll hear every word you say as long as I‟m monitoring you.” “What do you want?” The woman‟s smile faded. “They brought you here to be studied.” She looked around at the people surrounding her. All of them were busy, doing their jobs, paying no attention to their conversation. “They want to see how a female wolf changes. And they want to…” she pressed her lips together, “…impregnate you, eventually.” She leaned closer to the microphone and whispered, “I‟d help you if I could.” Carly stood rooted to the spot, speechless. How could they 65

Bastien think she was a female werewolf? “But—but I‟m not a werewolf. I‟m human. Let me out of here!” She ran to the glass, beating on it until the skin on her knuckles split open and her hands bled. She leaned against the glass, then slid down to her knees, whimpering, “You can‟t do this. I‟m human.” “That‟s what they all say.” The sound of the deep, cultured English accent drew her head up and she looked through the glass. Carly‟s heart slammed in her chest as she stared at the man whom she somehow knew was responsible for her capture. She ground her teeth together, glaring at him. “What do you want with me?” The man smirked, drawing a pen out of the pocket of his lab coat. About five-feet ten inches tall, he was not a handsome man. His non-discriminate brown hair was thinning on the top and he was a little thick around the middle. The man had an air of superiority about him, as if he was sure he knew things that others did not. “To see you change of course,” he said, smiling. Carly wasn‟t dumb enough to think the man was talking about her clothes. “Change?” He clucked his tongue. “Come now, don‟t be coy.” He walked around the console to stand in front of the glass. “We know what you are. I don‟t understand why you continue to deny it.” “Because, I‟m human.” He smiled. “We shall see. Your blood will tell.” “What happens to me when you find out that I‟m telling you the truth?” Carly paced the length of her cell, dreading the answer to her question. “Will you let me go?” “She has a point, Richard, what if she is telling the truth? Can we let her go? She has no idea where we are. She couldn‟t possibly tell anyone where to find us.” 66

Tianna Xander The man looked down at the woman and frowned. “Are you having second thoughts, Cassandra? You know we can‟t let her go, even if she‟s really only human.” Carly‟s heart pounded as she looked between them. “Why not? Why can‟t you let me go once you find out that I‟m a human? I‟ll obviously be of no help to your research.” Richard‟s eyes brightened as if something wonderful just occurred to him. “You would still be quite invaluable to our research.” “How?” She was almost afraid to ask. The man was crazy. “Why, you can be our first test subject,” he said with a grin. He turned to Cassandra. “Don‟t you think that‟s a splendid idea, my dear?” A loud beeping came from behind them and Cassandra hurried to her console, tapped a few keys on her keyboard and frowned. “She is human, Richard. I cannot be a part of this anymore. You are going to have to find another doctor. You never said anything about torturing people, or keeping them against their will. You led me to believe that all your test subjects would be here voluntarily.” Richard turned his head, calling to a man standing several feet behind him. “Martin, bring the serum. We have a new test subject.” Carly‟s stomach began to roil, her vision focused on the woman and her companion as they walked to her door. A large muscular man walked behind them, approaching slowly as if he had all the time in the world. She could no longer hear what the woman said, but Cassandra didn‟t look happy. She grabbed onto Richard‟s arm, pulling him to a stop as she said something heated and fast. He summoned a few guards and had her removed from the area. Martin joined him on the other side of the glass. Richard swiped his ID in a card reader just outside her door and the door swung open on silent hinges. Carly backed 67

Bastien further into the room. “This won‟t hurt a bit,” Martin said, grinning as he entered, holding a large hypodermic needle and syringe. “Martin,” Richard said, shaking his head with a phony smile. “Don‟t lie to her.” Carly‟s heart raced as she looked between them, still backing away, until she was up against the wall, trapped. “Okay, I lied. But it‟s just a little pinch.” “Yeah, for the shot,” Richard said, enjoying himself. Martin paused, looking back at his boss. “What if this kills her?” The man just shrugged. “Then we‟ll just have to hope it doesn‟t. The military test subjects are going to be much harder to replace. Not to mention, more expensive. I think the General would appreciate our testing it on another subject before giving it to one of his men.” “You can‟t do this!” Carly‟s teeth began to chatter. “What…what is that?” she asked, staring at the syringe with growing horror. “It‟s a serum we made with werewolf blood.” “Oh, my God, you people are crazy!” “Crazy?” Richard shook his head. “Crazy is being aware that were-beings exist and not doing a damn thing about it. Now, that’s crazy.” He leaned back against the door, crossed his arms, and stared at her inquisitively. “You know, Martin, I think it might be better if she understood exactly what‟s going on. Maybe we should show her that were-beings really exist.” Martin nodded. “Maybe you‟re right.” Carly couldn‟t help the sigh of relief that she released when Martin lowered the syringe and she slumped, glad the immediate threat was over. Suddenly Martin rushed her, stuck the needle in her arm and depressed the plunger, forcing the fluid into her muscle. Afterward, the two scientists left the room laughing, closing 68

Tianna Xander the door firmly behind them. Carly ran over and grabbed the knob, yanking as hard as she could. “Damn!” Tears burned her eyes. What was it about her that kept her a victim to raving lunatics? Either she was cursed, or she was just damned unlucky. She turned, pacing her small cell, anger and frustration giving her more energy than she knew what to do with, in the confines of her prison. Finally, after what seemed like hours of pacing, Carly sank down onto the floor, rested her head on the bed and cried herself to sleep. “Time to wake up.” The deep, male voice coming through the speaker was loud. Carly raised her head and looked around the room with bleary eyes. She frowned when she realized where she was. She looked through the glass and flipped Martin the finger. “Go to hell.” “Maybe someday, but not today, sweetheart.” He chuckled. “How are you feeling? Anything different?” She just stared at him. “I wouldn‟t tell you anything if I was. If you think I‟m going to make your job easier, you‟re sadly mistaken.” “If you‟re changing, you won‟t be able to hide it for long.” His voice boomed over the intercom and she flinched. Did he have to talk so loud? She fought the urge to cover her ears. “Turn down the damn speaker before you break my eardrums.” Martin grinned, reached up and pulled a lever on the console down. “Better?” Carly nodded. “Yes, thank you.” It rankled her that she felt the need to be polite after everything they had done to her. However, as her mother always said, you catch more flies with honey… Martin bent his head and scribbled on a pad in front of him. “First indication of change for test subject sixteen is 69

Bastien enhanced hearing.” “What the hell are you talking about? I don‟t have any indications that I‟m changing into anything but a bitch.” “Interesting choice of words, Ma‟am,” Martin said chuckling through an oily grin. Carly paced the room, pissed. She couldn‟t turn into an animal. It just wasn‟t possible. Even if it was, how could she become what they wanted? She would be an animal and, therefore, she would be terrified of herself. How dumb was that? She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to get control of her nerves. In two three, out two three, she counted her breaths. The familiar exercises gave her some semblance of control. The door opened and Martin strode in, two men with tranquilizer guns entered behind him. “Come on, it‟s time you got to see what changes you have in store.” They led her from her cell, taking her across the island to stand in front of another room identical to hers. A movement behind the glass of a nearby cell caught her eye. Cassandra sat on the narrow bed, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she rocked back and forth. Carly covered her mouth with her hand. These people had no scruples, no conscience. They even put one of their own colleagues in these rooms to experiment on. “She‟s been rocking the boat for months. Trying to get us to stop our research, telling us it‟s inhumane to treat the animals like this and that they are all miracles of nature. If you ask me, they‟re all freaks of nature,” Martin sneered. “If you‟re feeling guilty about her being in that cell, don‟t. She is where she‟s at because Richard found her trying to notify the authorities. Now she‟ll avoid them like the plague. She won‟t want them to know what she is.” “Oh, God,” Carly said, putting her hand to her mouth. Tears ran down her face. If they could do that to their own 70

Tianna Xander colleague, what were they capable of doing to the rest of them? She turned, staring with morbid curiosity, as the men entered the stall in front of her, carrying a syringe. They injected the obviously drugged, black panther with a strangelooking turquoise tinted serum, then quickly left the room. Black panthers weren‟t common. In fact, Carly was pretty sure they were rare. It was strange how she‟d seen two in such close proximity. After a few moments, the panther let out a long, low growl before he began to jerk and convulse. Carly stared, unable to believe her eyes as the muscles on the big cat contorted and its hind legs grew out of proportion. He looked at her through the glass and snarled, growling as he convulsed on the floor of the small, impersonal cell. First, his hair disappeared. It didn‟t fall out. It just disappeared. The claws, fangs and fur seemed to be absorbed into the body, until a perfectly proportioned man lay naked on the floor before her. Damp jet-black hair lay over his forehead, dangling into his eyes. He remained prone on the floor, sweating, his body still quivering from the trauma of the change. The man opened his eyes. Dark as midnight, those eyes bored through Carly, told her he was dying. He no longer had the will to live. Or the hope. “Dimic, meet miss…” Martin glanced over at her. “What‟s your name?” “Does it really matter?” She shot him a look filled with contempt. “Well, we need to call you something. Your name would be best. However, there is always Test Subject Sixteen. That has a nice ring to it, don‟t you think?” “Charlene, my name is Charlene.” She would be damned if she told them to call her Carly. Only her friends called her that, and these people were definitely not her friends. “Well, Charlene, what did you think?” 71

Bastien “Of what?” What did she think of the indignity and degradation these men forced their prisoners to go through? They were all on display like some sort of zoo animal. It was criminal. “The Change, of course.” Martin frowned. Turning away, she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the beginning of stomach cramps. Were the cramps why Cassandra had been rocking on her bed with her arms wrapped around herself? Apparently, Martin and Richard thought she would believe that computer generated show she had just watched. She had to admit, that her pain seemed genuine enough. She would figure out how they made it appear as though they had injected a big cat when it was just some sort of hologram or something later, when she could think. She turned back to her captors. “I might have had an easier time of believing it if you hadn‟t used the name Dimic. I happen to know that Sasha‟s mate was killed eighteen months ago in a car accident.” Carly looked back at the man behind the glass, who now stared at her with interest. He couldn‟t be Sasha‟s mate, could he? Could this all be real? She shook her head. Martin laughed. “Yeah, in a car accident we orchestrated. We have been looking for his mate ever since. Was she the female panther you helped escape?” “Wouldn‟t you like to know?” Carly turned back to Dimic. She raised her hand and placed it on the glass, needing to give him some sort of comfort. “Although, if I had a mate, I guess I would want to know he was alive and well. That he hadn‟t wasted away to nothing during my absence.” She tilted her head, staring at the man before her, needing to give him some hope. “Sasha isn‟t dead, Dimic, if that‟s who you really are. She‟s been at a…friend‟s house, recuperating, trying to deal with your loss.” 72

Tianna Xander The man‟s expressive face told her thank you. He closed his eyes and, bringing his hands to his head, he curled up into a ball, rocking himself back and forth. Carly wasn‟t sure he could hear her. She wasn‟t even sure she was completely sane anymore. However, she had to try. Reaching out with her mind, she attempted to communicate with him the way Malcolm had with her the day before. She killed one of them when she escaped with the wolf, Dimic. They are coming back for us. We can’t give up hope.

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Chapter Seven he two men turned and, grabbing Carly by the arm, took her back to her cell where she collapsed on the bed shivering uncontrollably. What was happening to her? Was she really going to change into…something that wasn‟t human? Carly stubbornly thinned her lips. If she was going to change into some kind of animal, she wasn‟t about to let them watch. The whole idea for them to do this to her had been to see her change. Well, they wouldn‟t see a damn thing if she had anything to say about it. Standing, she grabbed the edge of the bed and tipped it over onto its side, letting the mattress fall to the floor against the wall. There was no need to be uncomfortable. After creating a tent with the top sheet, she turned, glaring through the glass, then she made a face at the strategically placed camera in the corner of the room. Carly smiled and flipped it the finger. She may not have a choice in this matter, but she would be damned if she would make it easy for them to watch. The shaking returned when she finally collapsed on the mattress, followed by cramps that hurt so much she wanted to die. The perspiration dripped from her, plastering her hair to her face. She wanted nothing more than to go into the bathroom and sit beneath the cool spray of the shower. She would have if she hadn‟t remembered there was another

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Tianna Xander camera in there. She refused to be stuck in the shower indefinitely. At one point, she screamed, begging them to come in and shoot her to put her out of her misery. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she curled up in a little ball and cried. Her claws grew first. They were long and gray, growing from odd shaped fingertips. Fangs came next. Her face elongated, bones snapping and reshaping as her jaws stretched into a muzzle. Then the fur grew on her arms, legs, and hands. After that, Carly had the ridiculous thought that she would need a truckload of depilatory to remove her unsightly body hair now. This can’t be happening! People don’t change into animals. They simply can‟t. She was having another nightmare—she had to be. It was the only explanation for why her arms and legs had shortened and became more muscular. A nightmare was also the only way to explain how she felt the strength of the beast she had become, snarling to be set free. She woke an hour later with a killer headache. What is that smell? Yech! She lifted her head away from the mattress. It was disgusting. It reeked of body odor, sweaty feet and urine. Standing up, Carly did an about face and laid back down. Well, no matter what her loving parents had ever told her to the contrary, she was a dog. She sighed dejectedly. Would she ever be human again or was this change thing a one-way ticket to the zoo? She looked through the opening in her little tent. Ha! Dogs do not see in black and white. The room looked the same as it did before, when she was still human. Everything seemed a bit larger, though that was most likely because she was shorter now. A part of her wanted to walk around to get the feel for her new body. She stayed where she was. Carly refused to give them the satisfaction of catching her on film. Stubbornly, she decided to stay where she was and wait it 75

Bastien out. Carly just hoped her bladder could hold out as long as her stubbornness could. If not, she was going to have to find a way to use the toilet. How weird was that? She curled her lip in an attempt to smile. It was too damned bad she had refused to eat the night before, she could have left them a nice little doggie present on the floor right in front of the door where she could be sure they wouldn‟t miss it. A few hours later, long before her bladder gave out, she felt the peculiar wrenching in her bones that she would forever associate with changing from one form to the other. The pain was still excruciating, but thankfully, less intense this time. Perhaps, with any luck, it would continue to hurt less every time she changed, if this was a permanent situation, and something told her it was. It was in her blood now. Sighing, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. It was too much to deal with right now. Maybe she could find the strength to think about those things later. The cramps came and went with little more discomfort than a bout of gas. However, the change itself was still painful. Would she ever get used to it? Did she even want to? One thing was certain, the hospital gown they forced her to wear fit her human form a whole lot better than her animal form. She would have to remember to take it off the next time she changed. Otherwise, her wolf would look ridiculous if they managed to catch her on film after all. Crawling out from under her makeshift tent, Carly looked through the glass partition and frowned. Where was everyone? Not once, in the three days that these monsters kept her captive here at this Horror Hotel had ever she seen the computer and research area empty. Today, they were completely devoid of people. There had been times, of course, when most of them left. Carly assumed those remaining were on the night shift, 76

Tianna Xander though she had no real way of knowing since there were no windows to let in the sun. She couldn‟t be sure how long they‟d kept her in the facility. She just assumed days passed every time she slept. Leaning down, she picked up a book they‟d provided to help her pass the time, from the stand next to the bed and threw it at the glass. It didn‟t do more than make a muffled thud against the clear partition before it fell harmlessly to the floor. Hell, she didn‟t even feel any better. Since there was nothing much to do, Carly picked up her bed, noticing that it didn‟t seem to weigh as much as it seemed it should. Did this werewolf thing make her stronger? If it did, that could come in handy if Robert ever showed his ugly face again. It was something she would have to check out when she got out of here. If she ever got out of here. After making the bed, she sat on the edge of the mattress and stared through the glass, wondering at the implications of what she saw. Had Kyle and Sasha brought help? Were they more than they seemed after all? She wondered if they were outside this facility fighting to get to them even now. Would they have to fight, or would just the fact that they had the law on their side be enough? The police would love to know about these people and their kidnapping practices. She bit her lip. How could she tell anyone what happened here? If she went to the authorities, they would want her to have a physical. What would her blood-work look like now? Refusing to think about it, Carly returned her thoughts to the missing personnel puzzle before her. Perhaps everyone was gone because she was about to be rescued. God, she hoped so. What would she give to see Bastien‟s face again, or any friendly face? The implications of what happened to her in here sank in. She was no longer normal. She wasn‟t fully human anymore. Any dreams she harbored about a relationship with Bastien were no longer possible. Tears slid down her face as the 77

Bastien repercussions of the last few days made themselves clear. How could she get married and have children now? Could she even have children, or would she have puppies? “Oh, my God!” She fell to her knees at the thought. After the way Robert had treated her, Carly was surprised that it was even an issue now. She had a long time to think here, and a long time to come to terms with what she wanted from life. Now she knew, she wanted Bastien. And now she could never have him. A movement through the glass caught her attention. She brought her head up and stared through the window at several men and women dressed totally in black with large guns held to their shoulders. They moved slowly and, she guessed, silently through the compound, giving hand signals to one another as they checked the outer rooms of the facility. Apparently, they found the area clear and, using someone‟s keycard, they began to open doors to the cells. “Are you alright, ma‟am?” a soldier asked as he entered her room. “I‟m looking for a Ms. Charlene McGowan. Would that be you?” Carly nodded, “Yes, I‟m Charlene McGowan. How did you know I was here?” The man just smiled and shook his head. “Ma‟am, remind me not to get you riled at me. You have some pretty influential friends.” “Carly!” Carly almost collapsed when she heard Bastien‟s voice. The relief she felt when he walked through the door was almost overwhelming. She fell into his open arms, sobbing into the crook of his neck. “You won‟t believe the things happening in this place, Bastien,” she sobbed, her words muffled against his throat. You won’t believe the things they’ve done to me! She screamed the words to herself. She couldn‟t tell him. She couldn‟t bear to see the revulsion on his face when he found out she wasn‟t 78

Tianna Xander totally human anymore. **** Bastien stiffened when he touched her thoughts. What did they do to her? His kind could read minds rather easily, but not through their personal barrier. Bastien kept his in place, even as his every protective instinct demanded he lower his shield and read her mind. What could make her mentally scream with such horror? He turned to the soldier who had first entered her room. “Get everyone out of here, Luke, and blow this Godforsaken place straight to hell.” “Yes, sir, Mr. Sinclair,” Luke said, saluting Bastien with an air of sarcasm. He made an abrupt about face and began to bark orders at the others. Bastien knew it had been a good plan. It went off without a hitch. There were no casualties on their side and a minimal risk of discovery for his kind. That was always a good thing. Turning his attention back to Carly, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around her. The poorly fitting hospital gown she wore did little to cover her backside. The bastards who ran this place didn‟t even see fit to give her underwear to protect her modesty. At least his coat fell almost to her knees. Bastien looked out through the glass partition, staring at the computer banks with a scowl. Who was behind this operation and how high up in the government did it go? His eyes raked the equipment, knowing that at least half of it was Government Issue. He knew that, because his company had designed at least fifty percent of these electronics specifically for government applications. Someone had a lot of explaining to do and someone would answer for that horrified inner scream from his mate. Bastien wrapped his arm around Carly. Fitting her under his shoulder, he led her from the bunker. How could he ask 79

Bastien her to live this kind of life? She deserved so much more than he could ever give her. **** Carly pulled his jacket firmly around herself, settling into the comfortable warmth of Bastien‟s scent. Why hadn‟t she noticed how good he smelled before? It was a cross between pine and citrus, mixed with his own unique scent. Was she noticing it now because of her new abilities? She refused to call herself a werewolf. She didn‟t run around like a mad dog ripping things apart uncontrollably after she changed. It had been a shock to realize she felt more like a regular dog, than anything else. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. It didn‟t matter what those lunatics shot her up with. She was a human being, dammit, not some candidate for a throw rug! Bastien‟s hand tightened on her shoulder and he turned to study her face. “Are you okay?” She pressed her lips together and nodded. “There‟s nothing you want to talk about?” He wore a worried expression that nearly undid her. She wanted to scream out the atrocities she‟d witnessed here. The horrible events those monsters had forced her to be a part of, yet she couldn‟t. How could she when she knew that whatever she said would end her relationship with Bastien? He was the epitome of normal and she…she was just plain weird. Carly blinked back her tears and shook her head again. She didn‟t trust herself to speak. What if she just decided to spit out the whole sordid ordeal? What would he do? It was more than likely that he would run from her, screaming. Frankly, she wouldn‟t blame him if he did. Lord knows, she would have done the same a week ago. Logic told her he would find 80

Tianna Xander out eventually because she had no control over when she changed. Yet, she couldn‟t bring herself to tell him. Not yet. Hell, she didn‟t even know what it was that brought the change on. What if her genetically altered body decided to turn into a wolf in front of him? She bit back a hysterical giggle. What if she started to shift at the grocery store while doing her weekly shopping? She could hear it now. Cleanup, aisle three, dog drool near the donuts. They brought Malcolm from a room and he trotted up to Carly as fast as his injury would allow. His tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth and he pushed his head under her hand for a pat. You cannot hide what you are forever, daughter. Eventually the truth will have to come out. Carly shot him a sharp look. Daughter? That’s the second time you’ve called me that. Why? Her eyes narrowed. Did you know what they had planned all along? Did you help them with it? Malcolm looked her in the eye. I believe it was my blood they used to change you. I apologize for not being strong enough to stop them. She was near hysterics. Her eyes darted around and she almost broke down. I have gone mad. I’ve bought into some insane mass hallucination! Taking a deep breath, Carly managed to calm herself before she had a nervous breakdown. She allowed Bastien to lead her from the facility as she was, still dressed in nothing more than a too big hospital gown and his jacket. Tucked under his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her, she felt safe. More safe than she had ever felt at any time in her adult life. Somehow, she knew Bastien would never hurt her. In fact, his actions today, proved he wouldn‟t allow anyone else to hurt her either. Not if he could help it. When had their relationship turned into something other than the employer, employee relationship that it was supposed to be? Did it matter? She thought back to when Bastien arrived in the facility. Everyone had shown him the respect usually 81

Bastien reserved for very influential people. Who was he, really? He definitely was not the veterinarian she had originally thought him. Who was he that he wore the mantle of power so well? Carly gave a mental shrug. It didn‟t matter. What really mattered was that he came for her after she had given up hope for herself. Bastien cared enough to come for her. That knowledge touched her in a place deep inside that she previously thought invulnerable to a man‟s lure. She stumbled when they reached the outer edges of the compound as sharp stones cut into her feet. “Let me carry you,” Bastien said and easily swung her up into his arms. “I‟m sorry for not realizing you weren‟t wearing anything on your feet. I was too intent on getting you out of that damned place.” Carly didn‟t say anything. She was having trouble keeping her screams at bay and was afraid if she said much, the screams might come and she would never be able to make them stop. Resting her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She nestled her face into the crook of his neck and inhaled the musky scent she would forever associate with him. “I‟m going to set you down for a minute,” he told her gently, setting her on her feet. He reached around and opened the door of a black, sport utility that he had never driven before. He helped her climb into the SUV and buckled the seatbelt around her. “There you go, let‟s get you home, now.” Tears filled Carly‟s eyes. “Home.” Would she ever truly have a home again? She couldn‟t stay with him at his house anymore. They would know where to find her. Nothing could convince her that they wouldn‟t try to recover their test subjects. She was worth too much to them now. Bastien made a face. “Unfortunately it won‟t be the home you‟re accustomed to. They would know where to find you again.” 82

Tianna Xander Her teeth began to chatter as shock set in. She stared through the windshield as he backed from the clearing, only mildly surprised to see there was no building in sight. She hadn‟t paid any attention to where he was taking her. As Bastien steered the truck down a dirt track, a muscle jumped in his jaw when the sound of a large explosion rent the air behind them. Carly leaned down to peer though the side mirror. Dirt and debris floated on the air and smoke filled the surrounding area. “They can never take you back there, baby. You don‟t ever have to worry about going back to that place.” Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. No, she didn‟t have to worry about going back to that place. She wondered how many more labs those people had. They liked to think of themselves as scientists, but to Carly, they were the monsters.

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Chapter Eight hank you.” Bastien glanced over at her. “For what?” “For—” She cleared her throat. “Thank you for coming for me and for caring enough to get me out of there.” Taking his right hand from the wheel, he reached over to squeeze her hand. “I did it because I think—” He stopped talking, turned from her to peer through the driver‟s window, then swallowed thickly. “I think I should get you home.” Bastien shook his head and cursed to himself. “I‟m sorry.” “What are you sorry about?” he asked absently as he turned right onto the deserted highway. “I‟m sorry you had to come get me. I didn‟t mean for you to have to come to my rescue.” He sighed. “Stop apologizing for everything, Carly. I am not like Robert. Nor will I ever be. I do not need someone to take the blame for my shortcomings. I lay blame where the true fault lies, even if the fault lies with me. You are not now, nor will you ever be my scapegoat.” Carly swiped at her tears. Bastien glanced over to her. She looked so dejected, as if she didn‟t have a friend in the world. Perhaps that is what she thought, but he knew better and he would prove it to her. Reaching into his left jacket pocket, he pulled out a small package of tissues. Since he brought them for her, she might

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Tianna Xander as well use them. “Here, take these.” He glanced toward her and smiled. “In case you need them.” Carly took them, removed one from the package and blew her nose. “In case I need them? I think I‟m going to need a few more packages. How many did you bring?” He chuckled, “Just the one. We can stop and get more if you really need them.” “I—I can‟t stay with you anymore, Bastien. I don‟t want to put you in any danger.” He pulled off the highway onto an exit. He kept his eyes on the road, not daring to look at her. He would blurt out his feelings for her and she would run from him, screaming. Because, when he finally admitted his feelings for her, he was also going to tell her his secret. He could not, in good conscience have a relationship with her and not tell her what he was. He respected her too much for that. “Let me worry about what‟s best for me, Carly. Right now, I want to worry about what‟s best for you.” He looked at her and shook his head. “And right now, what‟s best for you certainly isn‟t leaving me because you‟re afraid of what may or may not happen.” He drove into a hotel parking lot. Parking in front of the office, he got out to register. **** Carly watched as he entered the building. She couldn‟t help but admire the way his slacks framed his perfect rear. She closed her eyes, rubbing her hands over her face. She had to stop daydreaming about the man. A relationship with him was definitely out of the question, now. Especially now that she was some sort of sideshow freak. She jumped when the door opened and Bastien reached in to release her seatbelt. “The room is right here, in front of the truck, baby. Let‟s get 85

Bastien you inside.” Carly closed her eyes. She loved it when he called her baby. It made her feel so precious, so cared for. Lord, she would miss that when she left. “Let me carry you,” he said. She didn‟t argue when he reached in and picked her up. Her feet where still sore and she wasn‟t sure if she had enough energy to stand up on her own. Bastien carried her through the door and set her on the king-sized bed. “It was the only thing available, Carly. I can sleep on the floor, but I won‟t leave you alone until I‟m sure you‟re safe.” He looked back toward the door. “I‟m just going to get our things from the truck. I‟ll be right back.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead before he left. **** Bastien stood next to the SUV, holding his phone to his ear. “I don‟t give a shit what you found in the records, Luke. Destroy them.” Luke sighed on the other end of the line. “You‟re going to want to hear this, Cuz.” “I doubt it. There isn‟t a damn thing in those records that could tell me anything I don‟t already know about our species. I just want them destroyed. We can‟t allow anyone to find evidence that our kind really exists.” “Dammit, Bastien, listen to me! They experimented on her.” Bastien‟s eyes widened, his hand tightening on the phone. “They did what?” “They made a serum from another were‟s blood and injected her with it. They were using her as a God damned Guinea pig. They were trying to turn her.” “Did they—” Bastien took a deep breath and raked his 86

Tianna Xander fingers through his hair. “Did they succeed?” He closed his eyes, remembering her terrified inner screams. Did he really want to know? “They weren‟t certain,” Luke said, chuckling. “She ripped her bed apart and crawled under the sheet. Apparently, she used it as a tent until they left. They never saw her change. However, they suspected that she did.” He got quiet for a minute before he continued. “Bastien,” his voice had grown softer. “The bastards recorded her screams. At one point, her pain, her discomfort, became so horrible for her that she begged them to shoot her.” “Sonofabitch!” Bastien fisted his hand and drove it into the side of his truck, leaving a good-sized dent above the left rear tire. “I thought she smelled different. But I just attributed it to her exposure to the others.” Luke cleared his throat. “You know, she could be one of us now.” “Damn, you‟re right. I had better get back into the room. I‟ve left her alone for quite a while now.” Bastien closed the phone and stuck it back into his pocket. Opening the truck‟s back door, he reached in and grabbed their luggage. No wonder she had been so horrified. Had she already changed? Was that why she was so frightened? She couldn‟t know how to control it. When his kind first entered the changing cycles, it was nearly impossible to control the change. One minute you were human, the next you were whatever your animal self was, whether it was a wolf, lion or bear. Hell, a few of them with mixed blood could find themselves turning into almost anything. He carried their things into the room. Carly was nowhere in sight. He saw the bathroom door closed, which was a good sign. Maybe she was taking a bath. Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses. They still were nowhere near as good as they should be, yet they were 87

Bastien improving now that he had been shifting more often. She was upset, her soft cries ripping his heart out. He should have gone for her sooner. He never should have left her alone. **** Bastien sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands when Carly finally left the bathroom. She bit her lip. Were his shoulders really shaking or was it her imagination? He couldn‟t be that upset. No one cared enough to cry over someone‟s poor treatment of her. She quelled the thought that they subjected her to something much worse than poor treatment. Still, he had no way of knowing that. How could he? They destroyed the facility. Any records kept there, either removed by her captors or destroyed with the compound. She sat on the bed next to him. Placing her hand on his back, she moved her hand in slow circles. “What‟s wrong?” “I should have come for you sooner.” Carly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It would be so easy to blame all of this on him. He was willing, almost eager, to take responsibility for everything that happened. Still, she wasn‟t Robert. She could never blame someone for her troubles just because it was convenient. “If you would have come for me sooner, you wouldn‟t have had the manpower you did today.” She cast a glance his way. “Would you?” He shook his head. “No. I still should have come for you sooner.” “You could have done what, Bastien? You could have been captured yourself.” She rested her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. “How would that have helped me? How would it have helped the others that were held there?” She 88

Tianna Xander took a long hard look at him. Did he feel more for her than he let on? He let on that he felt quite a bit. He was always calling her baby. Taking a chance, she wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. What the heck? I’m not going to have much time with him. I might as well make the best of what time I do have. “I…I think I‟ve fallen in love with you, Bastien.” He stiffened beside her, but remained noticeably quiet. Tears filled Carly‟s eyes and she reached up to wipe them away. “I‟m sorry. I don‟t know why I just said that. I‟m sure it‟s the last thing you wanted to hear,” she said, trying to laugh it off and failing miserably. She buried her head in her hands. “God, I‟m such an idiot.” Bastien snorted. “You‟re an idiot? I‟m the one who has gotten you into this mess in the first place.” All of this shouldering the blame was getting them nowhere. Carly took a deep breath. “Look, I‟ll try to stop apologizing all of the time if you can stop trying to take all of the blame. Deal?” **** Robert sat outside the Sinclair Estate in his blue sports car, waiting for a chance to get to Carly. “I‟ll get you, Charlene.” Snarling, he slapped the steering wheel as he stared through the windshield at the closed wrought iron gates. “Hey!” He raised his hand to block the bright light shining in his face. “What the hell do you think you‟re doing?” “License and registration, please.” “Kiss my ass, man. You‟re not a cop,” Robert said to the security guard just outside his door. Another, bigger, man joined him, stepping up just behind and to the left of the man. A third walked lazily around the back of the car and up the right side, stopping just outside the 89

Bastien passenger side door. Robert swallowed. These men were every bit as big as he was. He glanced down to their belts. Moreover, they were a hell of a lot better armed. “What‟s your business here, sir?” the ringleader asked. “I—I‟m just waiting to see my wife. She works here.” He couldn‟t help giving the three of them a fierce scowl. She was his, damn it. What business was she of theirs? “She moved in with that bastard Sinclair over three months ago.” The leader lowered his flashlight and grinned at the others. “So you don‟t like this Mr. Sinclair? Interesting.” After replacing the long metal light in its holster, he reached up and scratched his jaw. “How would you like to get back at them and make a few extra dollars at the same time?” The temptation of getting his hands on Charlene, and some extra cash to boot, was too much to resist. Robert chuckled. “I‟d love to, if the price is right.” The man studied him for a minute, his eyes raking over the car before he grinned. “How does ten-thousand dollars sound to you?” “Sounds like a deal to me. Just tell me what you want me to do.”

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Chapter Nine arly sat on the bed in the hotel room watching the news, a brush clutched in her hand and her mouth agape, as the grimly smiling anchorwoman pointed to Carly‟s picture on the screen. Bastien‟s picture, posted next to hers, had the caption of SUSPECTED RAPIST under it in bold letters. The Anchorwoman looked directly into the camera. “Now, in the national news. Suspected rapist and serial killer, Bastien Sinclair, may have kidnapped his latest victim, Charlene McGowan from Haskel’s Food and Drug where she works as a photo technician. She was last seen in the suspect‟s company when he allegedly picked her up from work to take her to her second job. Her husband, Robert McGowan, believes his wife to be in deadly peril. If you‟ve seen either of these people please notify the local authorities.” “Oh, no!” Carly clicked off the TV and turned to face Bastien. He stood in the bathroom doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist. “We can‟t stay here.” He tossed her bag toward her. “Go get dressed. The desk clerk is probably phoning the police as we speak.” Carly caught the small bag and headed for the bathroom. She tried to ignore the fact that Bastien had thrown off his towel and started dressing in front of her.

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“Where are we going now?” Carly asked as they drove 91

Bastien down the highway. “To meet a friend of mine, he owns a house in the north. We‟re going to meet him at a motel and borrow his car. Another friend of his is going to take the truck in case the police have tracked us this far. Dimitri has thought of everything.” Bastien suppressed the urge to smile. Dimitri knew all about dodging the authorities. It had been one of his specialties when he was a member of an elite Soviet team sent to gather intelligence in the United States. “Oh.” Carly glanced at the speedometer, then checked her seatbelt. “I guess I‟d better get some sleep then. I‟ll need to be rested in case you need me to drive.” She put her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Bastien drove as fast as he dared, hoping they wouldn‟t draw any undue attention. The last thing he wanted was to get stopped by the police. He would use deadly force to keep her safe and he didn‟t want to hurt any police officers. The driveway into the motel parking lot was rough, waking Carly from her long nap. “Are we there yet?” Bastien grinned, thinking of what their children would sound like on long trips. “Yeah, we‟re there.” He pointed. “I see Dimitri and his friend over there next to the customized van.” Carly squinted through the windshield. “If you say so.” She closed her eyes. “I‟m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.” He patted her hand. “I‟m sorry, baby. You‟ll get to lie down again soon.” He brought the truck to a halt next to the full-sized van and got out. “Dimitri,” he said, offering his hand. Dimitri grinned. “Old friend.” He waved toward his companion. “May I introduce you to another of my old friends?” 92

Tianna Xander Bastien nodded to the man. “Boris, this is my good friend, Bastien. He is the one I have been telling you about.” Boris lowered his head. “I am honored to be in your presence, sir. You have saved my brother‟s life and I will be forever grateful.” Bastien raised a brow. “Brother?” Dimitri shrugged. “Shall we say we were in the service together?” Bastien nodded, understanding. “Ah, I see.” “Get your things and put them in the van.” “I thought you were renting us a room, Dimitri?” “We have changed your plans for you. Boris will take your truck to the south, while we will drive toward my home in the north. You will need assistance with the drive. You are tired, yes?” Bastien couldn‟t argue with that, he was so tired he could barely see straight. “Yes, old friend, I‟m very tired.” “Then get into the back of the van with your ma—” Bastien stopped him with a look. “Just get into the back of the van and we will be on our way.” “Well,” Bastien whispered, lying down beside Carly on the foldout double bed. “I guess we have no choice but to share the bed. Do you mind?” Carly shook her head, then rested it on his shoulder. “No. I don‟t mind. What about you?” Bastien rolled up onto his side and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply, reveling in her unique scent. “Of course not,” he said, laying his hand over her flat stomach. “It‟s just another reason to get closer to you, sweetheart.” He grinned when he lifted his head and saw her look. “What big eyes you have, my sweet.” 93

Bastien Carly snuggled closer and grinned. “Are you the big bad wolf now?” The smile slowly faded from her face as the memory of what she had become crowded into her mind. “Hmm… Something like that.” He reached up with his hand and gently stroked her hair. “Go to sleep, now. Dimitri will need to rest in a couple of hours. If his place is very far, it will soon be our turn to drive.” “You mean your turn to drive, don‟t you? I don‟t think you‟ve ever gotten into a car with a woman behind the wheel.” She pinched his side. “Come on, you‟re a big boy. You can admit it.” “I take offense to that, madam. I have most certainly been carted around by members of the fairer sex.” Carly snorted. “Yeah, right. I bet it was your mother.” “Be quiet and go to sleep, Carly.” **** “Bastien,” Carly licked her lips. She had to say it. She had to know exactly where she stood. Maybe if this turned out okay, they would have a chance at a life together. “I—I think I love you.” There. She said it again. Maybe this time she would get some sort of reaction. Bastien took a deep breath and released it slowly. His arm tightened around her waist. “I love you, too, Carly. Now go to sleep.” He kissed the top of her head, settling her more comfortably in his arms. “We need to talk the next time we‟re alone.” Carly nodded. That was the understatement of the century. “Yes, we do. I have some things to tell you. Things you need to know.” Things he had a right to know. **** 94

Tianna Xander Secrets. How he hated them. Bastien just hoped she loved him enough to deal with the knowledge of what he really was. Five hours after climbing into the back of the van, Bastien woke to the sound of pumping gas. Climbing into the front seat, he waited for Dimitri to slide back into the driver‟s seat. “How long before we get there?” Dimitri glanced at him and grinned. “About another hour. Surely you can wait that long to be alone with her again?” Bastien ignored his friend‟s smart-assed comment. “Good. Do you need me to drive? You must be getting tired.” “No. I‟m fine.” Dimitri glanced in the rearview mirror, lowering his voice to a mere whisper. “Go back to your mate. She needs your help more than I do, at the moment.” Bastien glanced back to Carly. Curled into a ball and sweating, she moaned. “Bastien.” “I‟m right here, baby,” he said, climbing over the front seat to sit beside her on the bed. “What‟s wrong?” **** Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I guess I get to tell you my secret first.” She convulsed as another wave of pain hit her hard. “I‟m sorry, Bastien. I can‟t…I can‟t stop it.” Her fingernails grew out, her hands changed to paws. Her head reshaped then grew a muzzle and her legs shortened, became more muscular. Soon, a beautiful gray and red wolf lay on the bed before Bastien. Carly rested her head on her paws, crying inside. How could he ever love her like this when she didn‟t even like herself? How could anyone? Her life had never been normal. She had stopped wishing for normal years ago. Now she was little more than an old-time circus freak. Her luck was so bad, she wasn‟t even allowed to choose when, and how she would tell Bastien her secret. The choice 95

Bastien had been taken from her and she showed him instead. Would she never catch a break? Bastien reached out and stroked her head. Scratching her behind the ears, he smiled. Why wasn‟t he running from her? She was a monster, something from a horror movie! “Is this your secret?” She whimpered, pushing her head into his hand. Yes. They did this to me while they kept me prisoner. They called themselves scientists. “Luke told me as much. He found some records that told of their experiments on you and a woman named Cassandra.” He lowered himself next to her, wrapping his arm around her chest. Did you expect me to run, baby? She jerked her head up, surprised that he had spoken directly into her mind. Yes, I expected you to run, screaming. I know I would have. She put her head back down. Well, I would have before this anyway. I’m not sure anything could scare me now. Bastien pulled her closer. “I bet I can surprise you, sweetheart,” whispered in her ear. Carly buried her nose in his hair, breathing deep. You smell so good. I can’t believe you are taking this so well. “What if I told you there is a way to control the urge to change?” How do you know? She sat up and moved away from him. You aren’t behind all of this, are you? Near hysterics again, she couldn‟t help but think he was involved with those bastards who had forced this…this curse on her. **** Bastien bit his tongue. He wanted to rail at her for her lack of trust. A part of him realized she had no real reason to believe 96

Tianna Xander in him. They didn‟t know each other, not really, and she couldn‟t know that they were meant to be together. Her lupine instincts probably wouldn‟t function as they should for a few more years. If they ever worked. She had been human after all. Hell, he had never thought it possible to change someone before now. How many of their kind had mated with humans only to dilute the blood? How many human-were hybrids never had the ability to change because their blood was diluted too much, yet still could not seek the help of human medical professionals for fear of exposing their race? “Of course I‟m not behind what happened to you, Carly. Think! Would I have ordered that compound destroyed? Would I be running with you, trying to keep you out of their clutches? Would they have manipulated the police and media into saying I‟m a serial rapist? Do you really think I‟m capable of something like that?” He decided he was angry at her lack of trust. She‟d just said she loved him. Love and trust should come hand in hand. She bowed her head. I—I’m sorry. I guess I’m not thinking straight. “Of course you can‟t think straight. Look what you‟ve been through these past few days.” Laying his head on her neck, he whispered, “Do you think this changes what‟s between us? Is that what is bothering you, Carly?” How can it not change what we have? I’m a freak, for God’s sake! “Is that what you think?” He stared at her. “Can‟t you think of this as a gift?” She laughed. Yeah, sure, why not? This is one helluva gift. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. The van came to a halt and Dimitri walked around the van, sliding the side door open. “My, what a surprise, Bastien.” Grinning, he eyed Carly. “Where is your lady friend?” “Shut up, Dimitri. Just take her into the house and get her settled. I have some thinking to do.” 97

Bastien “As you wish, old friend.” Bastien stalked around the back of the house. She thought they were all freaks. Freaks! How could he tell her what he was, knowing that she would despise him for it? Lowering himself onto a concrete bench in the garden, he rested his head in his hands. **** Dimitri scowled at Carly. “What did you say to him?” He gestured and cursed at her in another language. Was it Russian? Carly yelped, more from fear than pain, when he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. “He risked his life for you, you stupid woman. Do you think he would do what he did for just anyone? He could be with his father, nursing the old man‟s wounds. Instead, he chose to protect you. And look at how you repay him for it.” He released her neck and pointed to the door. “Get out of this van, woman. The door to the house is open. Go inside and wait for your mate.” Carly‟s mind reeled. How did this man know who she was? It wasn‟t as if she was wearing a nametag. Although, it looked like he was. A small gold tag winked at her from the vee of his partially unbuttoned shirt. The thick chain around his neck looked suspiciously like a choker collar. And what did he mean by wait for her mate? Was Robert coming here? It would be more than a cold dog day in hell before she waited anywhere for him. Carly stood, wriggled out of her clothes and grabbed her bag in her teeth. “I can get your bag. Just leave it.” She growled at Dimitri. I don’t think so, mister. She pushed past him and bolted up the driveway and into the woods. “Shit!” She heard him curse behind her, followed by the 98

Tianna Xander melodic rhythm of Dimitri‟s native language as she bolted into the trees. “Bastien!” The jerk could call Bastien all he wants. If either of them thought she was waiting around long enough for Robert to show up, they were both a burger shy of a kid‟s meal. Darting though the trees and brush, Carly reveled in the strength and agility of her animal side. She had much more endurance and her speed was mind-boggling. She kept running south, not even sure how she knew which way she was going. Somehow, she just knew the path that would take her the furthest away from them the fastest. Carly ran forever before she finally got winded. At least it felt that way. Stopping to rest, she plopped down in a pile of leaves and closed her eyes…just for a bit. After only a moment, a loud crashing noise rumbled through the underbrush, ripping her from her sleep. Two large male wolves burst into the thicket where she stopped to rest, each taking a protective stance in front of the only two exits through the thorny brush. Similar in size, they were different in color. One was black as jet, the other, a deep chocolate brown. The brown wolf snarled and Carly had the distinct impression he thought her a complete waste of fur. She glared at him and growled at them both. God, she was so sick and tired of males of any species bossing her around. The brown wolf advanced on her, his head lowered, staring her down. The black wolf threw himself at the other male, tumbling them both to the ground. Carly ran back the way she came while the two males wrestled with each other. She might not trust Bastien‟s friend, but she had come to realize that she trusted Bastien himself, with her life. 99

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Chapter Ten eserted, the large house with its double doors standing open stood against the setting sun casting a giant, hulking shadow over the front garden. Carly reached out with her new lupine senses, trying to find a clue to their whereabouts within the structure. It’s empty. Where is he? The sound of large animals crashing through brush traveled through the dense woods. Caught by her keen wolf hearing, the thudding of the male wolves‟ paws against the leaf-covered ground had her running toward the safety of the house. She almost felt their heavy breathing on the back of her neck as they raced to catch her. She wasn‟t used to running for her life like this. It was tiring her fast. She stretched her body, getting the most use of every stride. Where is he? Bounding through the open front door, she sprinted up the wide circular stairs, following her nose to Bastien‟s room. He wasn‟t there, just his luggage. She pushed the bedroom door shut and collapsed on the rug next to the bed. Whew! That was a close call. She jumped when the front door slammed shut, causing the pictures on the wall to tremble. Someone knocked on the door a few minutes later. She fought the urge to ask who it was. You can’t talk now, you idiot. No one is going to understand anything you have to say right now. Except Bastien. Crawling under the bed, she pressed her body against the 100

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Tianna Xander cold hardwood floor. Her only recourse was to hide and go for the element of surprise. Her heart accelerated as the knob turned. Fighting the urge to pant noisily, she forced herself to take slow deep breaths instead. Carly fixed her eyes on the door. I hope it’s Robert. She chuckled to herself. If it is, he is in for one hell of a shock. He’s going to get that vasectomy he kept talking about, the hard way. Her upper lip lifted. “Carly, are you in here?” The door swung wide, coming to a slow stop just before it hit the wall behind it. Bastien stood in the opening, his light blue shirt unbuttoned, his bare toes peeking out from under the hem of his slacks. Entering the room, he knelt down and looked under the bed. “There you are.” How did he know who she was and how was he able to accept all of this so readily? Carly‟s gaze shifted back down to his bare feet, then back up to the unbuttoned shirt that framed his flat stomach and washboard abs. She closed her eyes at the sight of the dancing muscles in his broad chest as he moved, putting some of his weight on his arms. Had he been undressed? Looking up at the rich ebony of his hair, Carly realized the hair was the same as one of the wolves she encountered in the woods. Bastien? He lowered himself to the rug and she looked away, knowing she was about to start drooling over him any time now. “Yes, baby?” Are you— Her gaze darted around the room. Are you—a She couldn‟t make herself think it. It was impossible. This whole situation was impossible, absurd even. People just did not turn into wild animals. “We do if it‟s in our blood, Carly. How else can you explain everything that has happened to you?” He shifted position. Rolling up onto his side, he propped his head up on his hand 101

Bastien and looked at her. Oh, my God, he can read my mind! How many times had she admired his rear over the last several weeks? How many times had she wondered at the size of his…package? Her face burned when he suppressed a knowing smile. “I‟m a werewolf, Carly. My father and sister are both werewolves as well.” She raised her eyes to meet his gaze. What about your mother? He shook his head. “She was human. My father loved her so much he mated with her even though he knew there was a possibility that she could never accept our kind.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “She killed herself the first time she saw me shift.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “She said she couldn‟t bear the thought that she‟d had sex with an animal. She called my sister and me disgusting half-breed mutts. Then she shot herself in the head, in front of us.” His face reflected his incredible pain and Carly wanted to comfort him. She needed to comfort him the only way she knew how in this form. Crawling out from under the bed, she rubbed her head against him, nuzzling his chest, neck and face with her muzzle. “I‟ll admit that it was very painful to hear my mother screaming that she‟d birthed freaks of nature instead of children.” He met her eyes. “It was devastating to hear my mate confirm it.” Your mate? She gazed up at him, her head tilted to the side. You have a mate? Disappointment rushed through her and her mind cried out at the thought that he was already taken. She stared at the floor as unfamiliar jealousy ripped through her. Ignoring the pain and feelings of inadequacy, Carly pushed the jealous rage she had to the back of her mind. She had no right. Besides, mixed marriages never worked out. Just look at his 102

Tianna Xander parents. He watched her intently. “Don‟t you feel it? You are my mate, Carly. Those of my species mate for life. If you refuse me, you will leave me to the same barren existence that my mother has left my father. I will never love another if you leave me. I don‟t think he‟s even looked at another woman since he met her.” I can’t—we can’t—but I’m human! Bastien shook his head and sighed. “You were human, Carly. You‟re not anymore. I‟m not certain you are one of my species either. Now you may be something else entirely. Will that stop me from wanting you with everything within me?” He shook his head, shifted his position and slid his hand down her back. “No it won‟t. I want you beside me every day of my life, no matter what you are or what you look like. I love you, Carly, and my heart knows no such prejudice. Can you say the same?” Carly hung her head. Could she? Could she set aside the fact that he wasn‟t human? What if she suddenly became fully human again, would he still love her? He nodded. “Of course I would. But answer this, if you found that you were totally human again, would you still love me?” Putting his hand under her muzzle, he lifted her head and gazed deeply into her eyes, searching. “Would you, Carly?” Would she? Carly didn‟t have to think very long or hard on that one. Of course, I would. I love you because of who you are, not because of what you are. Bastien covered her paw with his hand, closed his eyes and sighed. “I‟m glad to hear you say that.” A ripple of pain tore through Carly, causing her to groan. Oh, God. Bastien reached out with his senses, thoroughly scanning the area around the house. They were alone, except for Dimitri doing something downstairs in the kitchen. There was 103

Bastien no immediate danger. So what was wrong? Carly stiffened up, thrust her front legs out in front of her and began to shake. I hate this. I hate this so much, Bastien. I wish I could make it stop, but I can’t control it. Suddenly, she began to convulse and saliva dripped from her mouth. My whole body burns, hurts. Why does it have to hurt so damned much? She would have fallen over onto her side if it wasn‟t for Bastien holding her. His hands massaged her tight muscles. Help me, Bastien, please! She opened her pain-filled eyes and stared into his for a moment. Kill me. Put me out of my misery. I can’t take this…. She sucked in a deep breath as a particularly painful shudder overtook her. I can’t take this anymore. Kill me, please! “I can‟t do that, baby.” He shifted his position, drawing her more firmly into his arms. “I will try to help you though. Listen to me. Don‟t fight it, Carly. It is too late for that now. Fighting the change only makes it harder and last longer.” He bent close, whispering in her ear, “Let go of your animal side. Reach for the part of you that‟s human. Reach for it, embrace it and allow the change to come.” It hurts. She let out a low groan that sounded like something between human and animal. **** That small forlorn sound she sent into his head had him shaking with anger. Anger he would direct at the men who had done this to her. Bastien pressed his lips together and shook his head. How could those bastards do this to innocent people? He‟d dealt with men like that before. They didn‟t have one heart amongst them. How could they sit and watch the pain they caused with such clinical disinterest? “I know it hurts, baby. It does get easier every time. I promise. The more this happens, the more often you change, 104

Tianna Xander the less it will hurt.” He rubbed her back, loosening her aching muscles. “Relax, baby. Let go of the pain and embrace the change.” **** Carly listened to the even tone of his voice, allowing the soothing sound to help her find a place where the debilitating pain couldn‟t touch her. She reached for the change, visualizing her body as human again. Bastien was in her mind, helping her to push the animal side of her back, bringing her closer to being human. Carly screamed as the intense pain rushed through her when her bones, muscles and organs began to reshape. It migrated into every cell, every tissue in her body. It would have been worse had Bastien not been there to block most of it. **** Sharing her mind, Bastien knew when she was finally, truly able to let go and reach for the change. He watched, his mind reeling at what he heard in her mind. The torment she went through while her body shifted from one form to the other. Her inner screams were horrifying. He was in her mind. This pain was more intense than anything he‟d ever felt in his life. He blocked what he could for her, even knowing it would never be enough. His hands stroked her silky coat in an attempt to comfort as he waited for her body to change enough to feel her smooth skin beneath his fingers. He willed it to happen quickly, wanting this over with as soon as possible. Gritting his teeth, he concentrated on helping her when all he wanted to do was hunt down the bastards responsible for 105

Bastien her condition and tear their throats out. He could almost feel the soft skin of their necks giving way to his sharp incisors. They would pay for her pain. They would pay dearly for everything they put her and the rest of his family through. He would see to it personally. It took almost ten minutes for her to change. Not as long as before, yet still, it was much too long. The toll on her body was too great for such a long episode. Soon the pain would drive her mad. She would live her life in fear of the change, never really living as it consumed her will to have a normal life. Even now the thought of death was preferable to the burning pain she felt each time she changed. How long before she thought to end her life while in human form because she could not bear the possibility of another change? “It‟s okay, baby,” he whispered in her ear as she lay naked on the rug. His body half covered hers, his arms still wrapped tightly around her body from when she had writhed on the floor in agony. He would not allow her to hurt herself. During the change, he‟d rested his upper body across hers, pinning her to the hardwood floor. This was hard enough on her already. She didn‟t need to come out of it with broken bones. Carly lay silently beneath him, her eyes scrunched up as tears leaked from the corners, running into the hair at her temples. “I‟m sorry.” She tried to sit up, but Bastien still held her beneath him. “Where do you think you‟re going?” “I‟m going to get dressed.” A flush filled her face and she turned her head away. “I can‟t lay here like this forever, you know.” “Why not?” he asked with a grin. “I‟ve got you right where I want you and in a very interesting state of undress.” His hand moved across her ribcage, sliding over her flat stomach to rest just above her pelvic bone. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her ear. “I love you, Carly,” he whispered. 106

Tianna Xander His breath swirled around the outer shell and he reached out with his tongue, caressing the lobe while she trembled beneath him. “I‟m not sure we should do this, Bastien.” “Do what? We‟re just lying here enjoying each other‟s company.” He raised his brow. “Unless you‟ve got something…more interesting in mind.” Bastien knew she did. She just wouldn‟t admit it. Their minds were linked now. He rested his forehead against hers and looked deep into her eyes. “We were meant to be together, Carly. Don‟t you feel it?” He pulled her closer. “I‟ve just realized something, baby.” “What?” “We haven‟t even kissed since I got you back. That‟s a tragedy.” Squirming beneath him, Carly nervously licked her lips. He could hear her thoughts. She imagined what it would be like to kiss him, to make love with him. Those thoughts aroused him more than he had ever thought possible. His body hardened unexpectedly and he pressed himself against her, the evidence of his arousal straining against the confines of his zipper. Bastien lowered his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, watching for a sign that she wanted him to stop. With her lips parted slightly and her head tilted to the side, she looked so damned sexy he couldn‟t stand it. He almost groaned when her gaze left his to stare at his mouth as he lowered his head to hers. As gentle as a soft spring rain, Bastien feathered kisses across her forehead, nose and chin. Their lips met, his lips caressing hers gently, never asking for more than she was willing to give. She raised her hand, without conscious thought, threading her fingers though his silky, espressocolored hair. 107

Bastien **** Bastien was amazing! She never felt this way with a man before. What was it about him that made just his kiss set her on fire? Her whole body burned with need as his teeth scraped her lips and his tongue lapped at the corner of her mouth, begging for entrance. Moaning, she opened for him. Losing herself in the kiss, she wanted nothing more than to crawl inside of this man and stay there, protected, forever. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him closer, needing to feel the warmth of his skin against her own. He pulled back slightly, feathering small kisses across her brow, over her eyes. “You don‟t know what you do to me, baby,” he said pulling her closer. “I just want to eat you up.” He grinned when she lowered her lids and blushed. “That wasn‟t quite what I was talking about, but it‟s not a bad idea.” She pushed him away. “Let me go. I need to get dressed. I can‟t very well stay in this room naked for the rest of my life.” He canted his head to the side. “The idea does have a certain merit though.” He winked, then moved away so she could get up. She started to stand, then cast him a glance. “Do you mind?” He grinned, purposely staring at the light pink peaks of her breasts. “I don‟t mind at all.” She made a circle with her index finger. “Close your eyes or turn around. I can‟t just get up with you staring at me like that.” Of course, she couldn‟t. He would see all of her imperfections. He would see the scars left from Robert‟s abuse. The ugly ones that crisscrossed her back like some macabre spider web. Bastien became very still as he heard the echo of her thoughts. “You have scars?” 108

Tianna Xander Quickly, she pushed the thought of Robert whipping her until she was bloody to the back of her mind. “It‟s so unfair that you can read my mind like that, Bastien. Haven‟t you heard of privacy?” “He whipped you?” He stared at her as if he was waiting for her answer with a single-minded purpose. He probably was. Carly could feel the tension rolling off him in thick waves. He looked ready to do battle. Closing her eyes, she swallowed around the lump in her throat and nodded. “Yes, he whipped me and yes, I have scars.” She lowered her eyes and stared at the floor, unable to bear the revulsion she was sure would show on his face. Her constant fear of his rejection frustrated him. “God damn it!” Bastien stood up, turned and punched a hole through the wall. Carly scrambled away. Reaching into one of his bags, she found a shirt and pulled it over her head. Still, he heard the echoes of her thoughts. What was it about her? Why did she always fall for the men with such horrible tempers and deplorable lack of control? Bastien watched her, his face an implacable mask. His eyes raked her bare legs. Frowning he stalked over to her and reached out to grasp her arm. Carly cried out, flinching away. She did not think she could take a beating from him. It would kill her. Tears streamed down her face. If only she hadn‟t provoked him. **** Bastien stopped, released her and took a deep breath. “Baby, I‟m not mad at you.” He shook his head. “I‟m mad at that piece of shit you call an ex-husband. More than mad actually.” His eyes blazed. “Murderous would be a more apt 109

Bastien description.” Gently taking her arm, he turned her around and, grabbing the shirt, he raised it to her shoulders to inspect her body. “I‟ll kill the son-of-a-bitch.” Ugly scars marked her back and legs. He roared out his frustration at not knowing her sooner. If he had searched for her, perhaps he would have found her sooner and saved her from her ex-husband‟s abuse. He tore the shirt down the middle in his rage. It was his fault she had suffered this abuse. Had he not avoided looking for a mate, they would have been together sooner and that beast she called an ex-husband, never would have had the chance to harm her. He had been too arrogant, wanting nothing to do with a mate who could hold dominion over him forever. He didn‟t want to resign himself to have only one woman in his bed for the rest of his life. The idea had been appalling. And Carly had paid the price. God, he was such an arrogant narcissistic prick. Carly crawled onto the bed. Placing her arms over her chest, she crossed her legs and curled into a ball, obviously trying to make herself the smallest possible target. “Please,” she whimpered. Bastien ran his hands through his hair. How in the hell was he ever going to make this woman understand that he would die before he ever hurt her intentionally? He looked down at the destroyed shirt on the floor and made a face. Well, he definitely wasn‟t going to do it like this. “I‟m sorry, baby.” He walked back to his suitcase, grabbed another shirt and went to help her put it on. “I didn‟t mean to frighten you. The sight of your scars was nearly too much for me to bear. I have no other excuse.” He cursed himself when she flinched away from him as he tried to help her into the new shirt. He closed his eyes and sighed. “I‟m sorry for scaring you and I‟m sorry for the things he‟s put you through, 110

Tianna Xander but I am not like him. Nor will I ever be. I may get angry. I may even get angry with you. Even if I do, I will never strike you in anger. I swear it on my life.” She turned to him. Though the panic was gone from her face, he felt a lingering tremor of fear course through her body. It was a fear that he put there and would forever regret. “I‟m sorry,” she said, laying a hand on his arm. “I know, at some level, that you won‟t hurt me,” she said with a shrug. “I think most of my reaction was a survival mechanism that I developed while living with Robert.” “I wish you‟d stop being sorry for everything, Carly. I want you to rant at me when I do something that startles you or ticks you off. Don‟t just take it. Instead, slap me sideways.” She grinned, then ducked her head. “I don‟t know if I could do that, but I‟ll keep it in mind.” When they went downstairs, they found Dimitri in the kitchen dividing a frozen pizza he had just pulled from the oven. “Dimitri,” Bastien said, “do you have something to say to my mate?” Bastien stood with his arm around Carly, waiting for the man to acknowledge their presence. He grunted. Bastien started forward. Carly grabbed his arm, holding him back. “He‟s your friend. He was only trying to protect you.” “At the cost of your safety?” He shook his head. “That‟s unacceptable. One never puts another‟s mate in danger.” He cast a glance toward the other man. “And he knows it.” Dimitri bowed his head. “Yes, old friend. I do know that. Yet, when I saw that she‟d hurt you so, I couldn‟t stop myself from reprimanding her.” “Which is my job to do,” he glanced at her, lifting the corner of his mouth. “If I see fit. It most certainly isn‟t yours.” Dimitri nodded, still looking at the floor. “I did not expect 111

Bastien her to run away into the woods.” “Because you didn‟t expect her to confuse her mate with her ex-husband,” Bastien said. He looked down at Carly and pulled her closer. “She was married to a very abusive man, Dimitri. The mention of her mate arriving alarmed her, causing her to panic and run from us.” “Ah, that is why she practically knocked me on my ass when she bolted from the van.” He gave her a speculative look, tilting his head. “She‟s not a quitter, this one. If it comes right down to it, she will fight and I do believe she will make a very formidable opponent. Though she should be trained to protect herself in the event that the man approaches her when she is not under another‟s protection.” “Yes. And she will be protected from him at all costs.” Carly waved her hand in their faces. “Hey, guys. I‟m right here. You don‟t have to talk about me like I‟m an inanimate object.” Bastien turned her way and grinned. “I have never once thought of you as an inanimate object.” His eyes burned a trail down to her bare toes, then back up again. “In fact, you prove to be quite animated in every one of my fantasies.” Carly‟s face turned an interesting shade of red. “I knew it! I told myself and I just wouldn‟t listen. I am so in over my head.”

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Chapter Eleven

A

ndrews Air Force Base: Maryland

“What‟s the problem, Doctor?” General Hiram Butterick reached into a wooden box on top of his desk and pulled a face. “I‟d ask you if you wanted a cigar. However, there‟s nothing but damned licorice in this thing since the base adopted the non-smoking policy.” Dr. Richard Thornton smiled. “That‟s quite all right, General. I gave those up six months ago anyway.” “What brings you here?” Butterick asked, leaning back in his chair with a red licorice-stick stuck in the corner of his mouth. He tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. “We have a problem.” “What sort of problem, Richard?” “Well, Hiram, as you know, we had a few…” Richard lowered his voice… “unwilling test subjects.” The general nodded. “I still think it was a bad idea, even if it did save some Air Force dollars.” He shook his head. “Having civilians doing the work in a military application? It only works in the movies, son.” Richard bit his tongue. He wasn‟t going to remind the general that he was a civilian. “It was going fine, General. At least until someone sent in a highly trained group of men and women to extract them. They even blew up my facility.” Butterick sat up, resting his hand on his file-covered desk. 113

Bastien “Highly trained, you say?” “Special Forces kind of trained, General.” Butterick frowned, then shook his head. “They surely weren‟t from my group.” “I never imagined they were. It wouldn‟t surprise me a bit to find that these people have a military-like organization of their own.” “Do you really think they‟re that organized?” Richard shifted in his seat. “Yes, I do. I think there are a lot more of them than we previously projected. There were at least thirty of them at my compound in northwest Michigan.” “That many?” Richard nodded. “At least.” Then he grinned. “They made a major mistake though. They missed a bank of video recorders when they blew the station up. I‟ve always been one to not keep all my eggs in one basket.” The general snorted. “Don‟t I know it? How many facilities are we funding for you, Doctor?” “Twenty-two, Hiram. That‟s beside the point. One of the redundancies you dislike so much, just saved our asses in this instance. There was a satellite link to a shed on an adjoining piece of property. The video we recovered from that is going to prove indispensable.” “Faces?” The general asked. Sitting further forward in his seat, he rested his elbows on his desk. “Better than that,” Richard said, chuckling. “It couldn‟t have worked out better if we‟d planned it. We have license numbers from at least ten different vehicles.” The other man also chuckled. “We‟ve got them now.” “Exactly, providing the vehicles they used were their own and not rented under aliases.” “One of them made a mistake and left a trail. I‟ll guarantee it.” Standing, the general offered Richard his hand. “I hate to cut this short, but I have a staff meeting about a project that‟s 114

Tianna Xander on the books.” He snickered. “Don‟t want to piss off the senate investigations committee, eh?” “So you do want us to investigate those license numbers, correct?” Richard asked, shaking the general‟s hand. “Yes, yes, by all means. We want to get as much Intel on them as we can. Strike while the iron is hot, as my grandfather used to say.” Richard nodded. “Fine then. I‟ll get some men right on it.” He turned from the door, looking back at his superior. “Those men you were going to send me?” He continued at the general‟s nod. “I may need them sooner than we anticipated and in greater numbers. We‟ve had a few setbacks. We lost a few of our security teams.” Butterick frowned, reaching for another piece of licorice. “I‟ll see what I can do. I can funnel the money from a few projects. The men, however, may be a bit more difficult.” Nodding, Richard left the office. He stopped just outside to admire the general‟s buxom secretary as she bent in front of a filing cabinet. She turned, gave him a nervous smile and straightened her skirt. “Can I help you, sir?” Richard shook his head and headed for the elevator, smiling to himself. With the extra men, he could afford to send his own people in search of his stolen test subjects. To hell with the damned FBI. They didn‟t like to cooperate when they discovered they were searching for test subjects instead of kidnap victims. With the exception of a select few at The Bureau, they kept the agents in the dark. Only a very few of the straight-laced men and women could be bought. “The idealistic idiots.”

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Chapter Twelve arly sat on the edge of the bed, biting her nails. The butterflies in her stomach had gone wild some time ago. Apparently, they had thought to hell with flitting about lightly, this situation warranted a full out assault on her system. Resting a hand on her abdomen, Carly took a deep breath. Releasing it slowly, she wondered if she would have the courage to do what she came here to do. She stood and, removing her bathrobe, threw it on the back of the chair by the window and hurried back to the bed. She launched herself onto the sapphire comforter just as she heard Bastien‟s footsteps in the hall. Close to hyperventilating, Carly forced her breathing to slow and, drawing a deep breath into her lungs, she released it slowly, then struck a seductive pose. “It‟s past the point of no return, now, you coward. So stop shaking,” she said to herself as she watched Bastien‟s shadow from under the crack in the door. The door opened slowly. At first, he was looking down at the floor, almost as if he was searching for something. Then he raised his head and their eyes met. He was obviously surprised to see her lying on his bed in nothing but a transparent white teddy. Though the sudden tightness in the front of his khaki slacks told her he was more than happy to see her there.

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Tianna Xander Carly‟s face heated as she watched his gaze travel from her face to the dusky tips of her nipples peeking through the white lace undergarment she bought on a whim the third week she‟d worked for him. His scorching gaze burned a trail down her torso to the dark red triangle at the apex of her thighs. She squirmed beneath his heated stare. She reveled in the abandoned way he reached down to fondle himself through his pants. Did he even realize he was doing that? “What are you waiting for?” she asked, her voice husky. He swallowed visibly. “I‟m afraid you‟ll disappear if I move.” She raised her brows. “Why?” “Because you‟re a vision, baby, a dream, and I‟m afraid I‟ll wake up.” He moved his head from side to side, his dark gaze never leaving her body. “I‟m not going anywhere,” she said, lowering herself further onto the bed, dropping her voice to a seductive purr. “Unless you want me to leave.” Her mouth formed a moue. “Don‟t you want me?” He took a step closer, inhaling deeply, as if he loved her scent. “I want you more than anything, baby. You must know, if we do this thing, we will be mated for life. I can‟t, I won‟t accept anything less.” Carly brought her legs up. Tucking them beneath her, she pushed forward, crawling toward the foot of the bed. “I‟m not going to beg you, Bastien. If you don‟t want me—” She shrieked when he moved. One moment he was standing in the doorway, then a fraction of a second later, the door slammed shut and he stood next to the bed, looming over her, very slowly lowering his head. Their lips met in a heated kiss. It was electric. Heat sizzled through her, rushing through her blood. The feel of his mouth pressing against hers drove out all thoughts of panic, all 117

Bastien thoughts of pulling back and taking the easy way out. She wanted Bastien more than she had ever wanted anyone or anything in her life. Tonight was their night. Tonight, they would have it all. “I want you with everything in me, baby,” Bastien whispered against her lips. His hands were everywhere. Touching, teasing and releasing the stays and clasps of the scrap of lace she wore. Carly resisted the urge to stand and tear it from her body. She needed to feel his hands and his mouth everywhere on her heated skin. Soon, she lay naked and writhing beneath him. “Please,” she cried out, her hands reaching for his. Bastien grasped both her hands in his, raising them above her head, and held them there as his tongue explored the depths of her honeyed mouth. The heat was building, becoming too much for Carly to bear. The sensations he introduced her to were addictive like a drug and she wanted more. She needed more. Pulling his mouth from hers, he trailed tiny kisses between her full breasts to one hardened nipple. He lapped the small nub, then blew lightly. The cool air tightened the dusky bud. Carly screamed her frustration, her head thrashing on the pillow. It had never been like this before. Before, sex had always been something she could either take or leave. It was something that could be pleasant, yet usually left her feeling more awkward than anything else. Robert had not been a considerate lover. Releasing her arms, Bastien raised his head. “There is no one in this room but us, baby. Why do you insist on dragging that animal in here?” Carly sighed, “I didn‟t mean to, Bastien.” “I know, love. Don‟t think about anything, just feel.” She nodded, watching him lower his head to her breast. She cried out when he finally took the hardened nub into his 118

Tianna Xander warm mouth, groaning when he laved it repeatedly with his tongue. His hand moved to her other breast, his fingers plucking gently at the jutting nipple. His hand slipped lower, making light circles on her stomach until she thrust her hips up in invitation. With incredible gentleness, his fingers delved into her downy soft curls. He slid one finger inside her, pressing into her silken flesh, moving deeper to press up against her inner walls behind her navel. “Bastien!” He pulled his fingers from the nest of curls and drew them into his mouth, seeming to savor her essence. “Are you sure you want this, baby? If we do this thing, there will be no turning back.” His voice was deep, smooth, pure seduction. His mental defenses slipped and Carly felt his desire, his unending love for her. Her own need was so great, so consuming, she couldn‟t bear the thought of refusing him. It would kill her, she was sure of it. Carly squirmed and, raising herself up, offered him her breast, wrapping her arms around him as he lowered his head to take the hardened nub into the warmth of his mouth. “Oh, my God, Bastien, please!” Carly didn‟t know what she wanted. It had never been like this before. A strange sensation washed over her, through her. It was as though her entire existence blew apart for a moment, then suddenly stacked itself back together. She didn‟t know what had just happened to her. Was it her first orgasm? “Yes, baby. That‟s exactly what it was.” Bastien pulled away from her for a moment, ripping the clothes from his body. Shreds of material flew wildly about the room. They floated to the floor in dozens of tiny colorful pieces until he stood before her wearing nothing but his desire. Carly licked her lips. What a perfect specimen of manhood 119

Bastien he presented, standing in front of her like some Greek God. His muscular build and bronzed skin glowed in the soft light of the room. She lowered her gaze. Finally, she would know the answer to the provocative question that had plagued her for some time. Her eyes widened and she swallowed. Where in the heck did he think that was going to fit? Bastien chuckled. “Right where it‟s supposed to, darlin‟.” He moved toward the bed slowly, almost as if he was stalking her and she was his prey, small and frightened, caught in his unblinking stare. Carly pressed back against the bed, part of her wanting to run screaming from this room. Another part, the part that loved Bastien so much it hurt, kept her lying on his bed, waiting for his possession. He slowly lowered himself to the bed, giving her time to stop him, allowing her the opportunity to change her mind. Reaching up, Carly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. She raised her head, pressing her mouth to his. Her tongue danced over his lips, begging for entrance. His lips parted and Carly thrust her tongue against his. She moaned with surprised delight when he drew lightly on it, pulling her deeper inside. His hand trailed lower, moving to the dark red vee at the juncture of her thighs. Carly mindlessly opened her legs, allowing his fingers to delve deep into her silken sheath. She reached up, tangling her fingers in his hair, then moved her hands easily over his shoulders and back until they came to rest on his firm buttocks. He groaned against her breast when she squeezed. “You‟re going to kill me, baby,” he said as his expert fingers delved deeper into her moist heat. Carly allowed her hands to move back up over his body, smoothing the tense muscles of his back, shoulders and chest. 120

Tianna Xander Her fingers slowed, feathering over one flat nipple. Bastien‟s breath hitched as he positioned himself between her spread thighs. The velvet soft tip of his shaft pressed against the slick folds of her sex. “Are you sure, baby? Once we do this, there is no going back. I will not give you up. I won‟t be able to. You‟re everything to me.” How long had she waited to hear a man say those words to her? How many times had she prayed that her father hadn‟t insisted she marry Robert? Carly‟s hands thrust into his hair, roamed over his back and down to squeeze the firm muscles of his ass. Her tongue stroked his neck, caressed the outer shell of his ear. She was on fire, a burning need filled her, consumed her. “I don‟t think I‟ve ever been so sure of anything in my life, Bastien. It‟s all I can think about, all I can imagine. I‟ve been fantasizing about this moment since the day we met.” Bastien chuckled. “Thank God.” He lowered himself further, propping himself on one arm as he reached between them with the other. He surged forward, burying himself deep in her moist heat. Energy sparked and sizzled between them as they moved together in a perfect rhythm driven by instinct alone. She cried out as he filled her, stretched her and took her over the edge of another mindless climax. Carly felt his mind in hers, felt the rightness of it as they merged as one. One mind, one heart and one soul. She could hear his thoughts, knew when he found it nearly impossible to move. The incredible tightness of her moist channel squeezed and milked him. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her and stay there forever. “Mate,” he growled against her breast, the sound not quite human. “You are my mate.” His hands grasped her hips, tilting them up for better access. He lunged forward, harder, faster. 121

Bastien Carly‟s head thrashed. Reaching up, Bastien tangled his fingers in her hair, then leaned down and buried his face in her neck. “Yes,” she whispered, the word coming out on a sigh. She urged him faster, deeper. She moaned, on the brink of another orgasm. “Wrap your legs around me, baby.” He raised himself up to smile down at her. “Wrap those beautifully long legs around me and I‟ll take you on the ride of your life.” Carly did as he asked, her eyes growing round as he slid deeper into her welcoming sheath. She clutched at his arms, feeling the incredible strength of his biceps, allowing her hands to brush his shoulders, her fingernails lightly scoring his back. A groan tore from deep in his chest, deep, throaty, husky. “Carly, baby, you‟re everything I‟ve ever dreamed of. Everything I‟ve ever wanted in a mate,” he whispered in her ear as he drove himself still deeper inside her. Their minds were still linked together, his fully entrenched in hers. She knew what he wanted, what he needed to hear. His body cried out for it. His mind alternately raged and begged her for it. He believed himself nothing without her, his mate, his other half. Carly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head to hers. She pressed her lips against his in an attempt to crawl inside him, to become a part of him as he surged into her. She canted her head to the side as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. “Bastien, you don‟t know how much I need you,” she moaned. “You are my mate.” He pulled back, his eyes blazing into hers. “You are my mate, Carly, bound to me for all time,” he ground the words out between clenched teeth. Bastien moved his body faster, harder, pounding into her with abandon as he took them both 122

Tianna Xander over the edge. Electricity sizzled around them, sparks danced through the air as the light bulbs exploded from the intensity of the surge of power. Carly drifted back slowly, her breath still coming in short gasps. Perspiration coated her body in a soft sheen as she lay beneath him, panting. Bastien leaned down, his tongue stroking her breast, before his mouth closed over one dusky nipple. She shivered as aftershocks raced through her body, causing it to jerk slightly beneath him. Her muscles clenched as she squeezed his shaft that had grown hard again while still within her and moaned as he thrust deeper. “We can‟t possibly do that again, Bastien. We‟ll spontaneously combust!” Bastien chuckled, his body growing even harder and thicker as he began to move, driving himself into her incredibly tight, channel again. “Mate,” they said in unison, reveling in the closeness of the bond between them. Bastien lowered his head, feathering tiny kisses across her brow, eyes and the corners of her mouth. Opening her eyes, Carly stared up at the shattered light fixture in the center of the ceiling. “Remind me to ask you what happened to the lights later,” she said as his slow, careful movements drove her over the edge of another climax. Carly slid out from under Bastien‟s arm and sat up. “I can‟t believe we‟ve been in this bed for four hours, Bastien.” He grinned, his eyes raking over the pink abrasions on her skin. “You‟ll be here for a few more if you don‟t hurry up and get dressed.” She jumped, squealing when he reached over and playfully swatted her rear. 123

Bastien They went downstairs to find Dimitri in the kitchen. He had breakfast half-cooked and was whistling as he swept broken glass up off the floor. Carly looked up, noticing the fluorescent bulbs had shattered, flinging glass throughout the kitchen. “What the hell is going on around here?” she asked, looking around. Every light bulb in the house had been broken. Dimitri turned his back, grinning. Bastien looked, uncomfortable. He stuck his hands in his pockets and studied the floor too intently. “What?” Carly looked between them. Bastien looked like he didn‟t want to say a thing and Dimitri was wallowing in mirth. Something had to give. She grabbed Bastien‟s hand and tugged him from the room. When they were alone, she pinned him up against the wall, her finger in the center of his chest. “I want some answers, dammit! What the hell is up with the light bulbs?” **** “Remember the sparks when…” Letting the words trail off, Bastien looked around then cleared his throat. “When a werebeing finds his one true mate, their other half, a mystical power binds them together.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and glared toward the kitchen as the irritating sound of Dimitri‟s whistling traveled through the closed door. “I wish he‟d stop that. We don‟t need a damned serenade.” This was hard enough to do without that idiot‟s interference. Carly smiled softly. “We‟re bound together by some mystical force?” she prompted, obviously trying to keep him on target. Bastien dropped his shield, needing to know how she felt. 124

Tianna Xander He was relieved to find that she liked the idea. To her, it brought a completely new meaning to the phrase, what God has brought together, let no man put asunder. “That‟s kind of nice. I think.” She frowned. “But it still doesn‟t explain the light bulbs.” “When each couple mates, they find their own unique power.” He glanced around, lifting a corner of his mouth. “Apparently, our power is controlling electricity.” Bastien knew he was not going to get off easy when her face paled. “What do you mean our power is controlling electricity?” She started pacing in front of him. “People can‟t control electricity, not without a switch anyway.” “We‟re not normal people, honey, we‟re weres and as such, each of us has our own latent talent that lies dormant within us until we find our true mate.” “So,” she said, waving her hand, “the light bulbs are broken. Why?” “All of the bulbs burst when we both climaxed, sealing our life-force together in this lifetime.” A loud clanging from the kitchen caught their attention. “What in the hell is he doing in there?” Carly asked, glaring toward the door. Suddenly, her face turned a fiery crimson. She turned, staring at Bastien. “He knows, doesn‟t he? He even knows the exact moment we—that we—” She put her face in her hands, then turned to run up the wide circular stairs. Bastien stared after her. Part of him wanted to follow, but something told him she needed time to herself so she could think. Sighing, he turned and strode into the kitchen. “What‟s for breakfast?” he asked as Dimitri turned around, grinning. Bastien felt a nearly irrepressible urge to beat his old friend to a pulp. He could have been a bit more diplomatic. He didn‟t have to openly laugh at his mate‟s ignorance of their kind. 125

Bastien “Since I knew you‟d both be famished, I fixed enough for an army.” He turned to the stove, pulling scrambled eggs, steak, bacon, hash browns and corned-beef hash from the set of double ovens and the microwave. Setting the dishes on the table, he turned around to look behind himself, then cast his gaze past Bastien.”Where‟s your mate?” “Upstairs, trying to rid herself of the embarrassment of knowing that you‟re aware of the exact moment we sealed our fates.” Dimitri grimaced. “Sorry, old friend. I didn‟t think of that.” Bastien shrugged, having come to terms with the fact that his friend could not have known how she would react, or that she would even put the two events together. “Of course you wouldn‟t have thought of that. All weres know what to expect. It wouldn‟t have been an issue with you and your mate.” Dimitri grabbed a slice of bacon and shoved it into his mouth. “It would have been, had there been anyone around and if Charity was newly turned as your mate is.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “My mate is human. I know she is my one true mate, even though she is not a were.” Bastien turned, looking over his shoulder. The last thing he needed was for his mate to overhear this conversation. “Neither is Carly. She was not born a were. Those idiots turned her using a serum that contained traces of my father‟s blood. She isn‟t truly one of us.” Dimitri shook his head. “Perhaps she was not born a werebeing, Bastien. However, the truth is, she is as much a part of the pack now as she would have been if she were born to it. The truth of that is lying in these glittering shards that are all over the house.” The reality of his friend‟s statement hit Bastien like a punch in the gut. Dimitri was right. Carly was a were in every sense 126

Tianna Xander of the word. He had to get in touch with Luke. Maybe he could catch him before he destroyed those records. They may be of some use to them after all.

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Chapter Thirteen ou‟re lucky you called when you did, Cuz. I was just about to throw these records in the fireplace and have myself a weenie roast,” Luke said. His voice sounded like it was coming from the inside of a tin can. “Am I on the speakerphone?” “Yeah, why?” “Are you alone?” Luke snorted. “The last time I checked. You know I‟m not one of those lucky few that have claimed their mate.” Paper shuffled in the background. “Hell, right now, I‟d settle for a nice lively piece of ass. Why do you ask?” “Just didn‟t want this bandied about the pack until we were sure of the answer to a few burning questions.” “Burning questions, huh? Well you‟ve got my interest piqued. What in the hell are you talking about?” “Have you read through all of the records?” “Yeah,” he paused. “Well…most of them anyway.” “Did you find any reference as to how they made the serum they injected Carly with?” “I think it‟s here in the stack. I may have skipped over it, especially if it was filled with a bunch of scientific jargon and techno babble. Why?” Bastien paced the room, the cordless phone glued to his ear. “Just check and get back to me.” He hung up the phone and turned to Dimitri. “Well, we caught him in time.”

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Tianna Xander “Obviously, but did he have the information in the first place?” “Hell if I know. All I know is that information could prove invaluable to our species.” “Forgive me for saying this. I don‟t understand how the ramblings of a sick mind can help us,” Dimitri said with a snort. Bastien smiled. “How would you like to truly bond with your mate? Do you think she‟d be interested?” Dimitri‟s hand stopped halfway to his mouth, the slice of bacon he held in his hand forgotten. “I don‟t know. We never seriously considered the possibility.” Bastien paced the kitchen like a caged tiger filled with so much energy he could barely contain it. He met Dimitri‟s eyes. “You may want to go to her and start considering it. With that serum, we may have a viable source of new blood for our people. Can you imagine the possibilities? Weres wouldn‟t have to live the last years of their lives alone when their human mates passed. Their mates could be turned, binding their life-forces together, extending the life expectancy of the mated couple, extending their child bearing years by decades.” Dimitri‟s eyes rounded. “We could essentially repopulate our race.” “Exactly.” Bastien filled a plate and left the room. If Carly wouldn‟t come to her breakfast, her breakfast would damn well go to her. **** Carly lay prone on her bed. Why couldn‟t she cry when she wanted to? Resting with her chin on her arms, she stared at the wall. A yawning emptiness crept through her, mocking 129

Bastien every hidden desire she had for companionship. For once in her life, someone loved her. He truly loved her and she ran away from him. Why? Was she one of those twisted women who needed to be a part of an unhealthy relationship with a cruel man? Carly knew she could have it all. She only needed the courage to stand up and grab the brass ring. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. The light fixtures in here were completely devoid of bulbs like the rest of the house. Flinging an arm over her face, she groaned. “I‟ll never be able to face him again. He knew, all the while he was cleaning up the broken glass, he knew! And he laughed about it.” Where was a good-sized hole when she needed one? If only she could find one, she would crawl deep inside it, then curl up and die. A knock sounded at the door. “Go away.” “I have your breakfast, baby. You need to eat.” “Ha! I don‟t need to eat. I need my head examined.” What had ever made her believe she could have a normal, loving relationship with anyone? Hell, her real parents never even loved her. They had adopted her out at the first opportunity. She was probably lucky to have even been born. No. Scratch that. She would have been luckier had she never been born. She sat up, throwing her pillow across the room. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself, dammit!” “Excuse me?” She sighed, throwing a glance toward the door. The poor man probably thought she was a few ants short of a picnic. “Nothing. I was…” Just feeling sorry for myself. How could she tell him that? Bastien had been nothing if not kind to her and she continued to repay him by running from him and generally being a pain in the ass. “Just talking to myself. That‟s all.” 130

Tianna Xander “Can I come in?” Carly brushed the hair from her eyes, making sure that it didn‟t fall back into her face. She couldn‟t do any more about the condition of her hair. There wasn‟t a brush here. Hers had gotten lost somewhere between the hotel they had stopped at and here. It was probably in a trashcan in a bathroom on the road. “Yes, I suppose.” Bastien stuck his head in the door. “I hope you like your coffee with cream and sugar.” Carly threw him a wan smile. “Is there any other kind?” “I thought you might be the cream and sugar type.” He pushed the rest of the way through the door and carried a tray to the bed. “I hope you don‟t mind. I brought enough for the both of us.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “I didn‟t want you to eat alone.” She shrugged. “Whatever.” Was that pain she saw flicker in his eyes? Did she care? Of course, she did, she was in shock. She was in a strange town in a strange house with even stranger people. It was only normal for her to be in shock. She fought the urge to laugh hysterically. Was she losing her mind? “Of course you‟re not losing your mind, Carly.” She glared at him. “You know, I wish you‟d stop doing that. It doesn‟t help any. It only adds to the illusion that I‟m having a nervous breakdown.” Bastien picked up a fork and brought a small piece of cut steak to her lips. “Have a bite, it‟s delicious.” Carly fought the urge to turn her head away like a child. She would only be hurting herself if she refused to eat. Opening her mouth, she allowed him to feed her the steak. “There, that wasn‟t so bad, was it?” Chewing, she shook her head and swallowed. “No, I suppose not.” 131

Bastien “We have to talk.” “That‟s the understatement of the year,” she said with a snort. “I know you can‟t appreciate this, baby. Many good things could come from what happened to you. We could use the serum to repopulate our species.” She stared at him, her eyes wide. Looking past him to the door, she asked, “Where is the real Bastien? You definitely can‟t be him.” He chuckled. “Hear me out, will you?” He stood up and paced between the bed and the door. “We would certainly never use the serum on someone who was unwilling. Just look at what we could do to help Dimitri and his mate.” “I don‟t think I‟m following you,” she said, picking at her hash browns. “Dimitri‟s mate is human. He‟s going to ask her if she wants to become one of us.” “She doesn‟t want to. Take my word for it.” When she saw pain flicker in his eyes again, Carly felt a pang of regret for her spontaneous words. “No offense, Bastien, but it hurts like hell! Besides, so far, all I have seen to this are downsides. Is there an upside to being like you?” “Well, we live longer lives.” She grimaced. “That‟s an upside, how?” Damn, she was getting tired of causing him pain. Why didn‟t she just keep her big mouth shut? She thought of what her adoptive mother told her years before. If you can’t say something nice… Fine, she would manage to keep her mouth shut then. “When mates truly love each other, a longer life can be a bonus. They can have many children if that is their wish or they can have none, spending their years loving each other until they pass on, together. When mates are truly bound, one mate does not survive the passing of another.” He gave her an unreadable look. “Dimitri‟s mate is bound to him as a human. 132

Tianna Xander If she dies, he will live on to mourn her, or if he should pass over, she will live on to mourn him. If she were a were and they were truly bound, their life forces would be bound together and, therefore, they would die together as well.” Carly digested this new bit of information. She wouldn‟t live past his death? The thought alarmed her for a split second until she realized she didn‟t want to live without him. She glanced up to meet his eyes. “And you think that the human mates will choose to become were-beings?” “Yes, Carly, I do. Not all of them hate us the way you seem to. Most of them truly love their mates and want our longevity. I wish I could say the same for you.” Bastien spun around and slammed through the door. “Shit.” Carly ran her hands through her mussed hair. Why could she never seem to say the right thing? “Hmmmm, Carly, let‟s see. Do you think he could be upset because you practically called his people, and him, monsters?” **** Bastien couldn‟t leave Carly‟s room fast enough. He felt a murderous rage at the people who had done this to her. They should have given her a choice. Such a major life‟s decision should never have been taken out of her hands. He knew she blamed him. He couldn‟t fault her for it either. Had she not been working for him, she would still be human. He couldn‟t help but be thankful that their combined needs brought them together. He loved her with everything in him. He just wished she could say the same. She felt affection for him at the least, yet he wanted more. He needed more. He could only hope that she would come to love him over time. Otherwise, they were in for a very burdensome relationship. “Is she eating?” Dimitri asked when he entered the kitchen. 133

Bastien Bastien shrugged. “I hope so.” “She‟ll come around, Bastien. She just needs time.” “Well, we‟ve certainly got plenty of that.” Now that they were bound, their lives had grown considerably longer. “Yes, you do and that‟s where you two are the lucky ones.” Bastien gave Dimitri a speculative look. “Did you talk with Charity?” “Yes.” Dimitri sighed. “She wants to think about it.” “At least she didn‟t refuse the offer outright.” “No, she didn‟t. Just the fact that she‟s thinking about it gives me doubts.” He continued at Bastien‟s puzzled look. “You don‟t understand. We have discussed our situation many times over the last few years and she has always voiced the desire to become one of us so neither of us would out live the other. Why else would she suddenly need to think about it?” Bastien chuckled. “Dimitri, you should know this already. When you talked of the possibility before, it was nothing more than a dream. A wish. Now that it has the potential of becoming a reality, of course she wants to think about it. The decision she is faced with is not a light one. This decision will be forever. I would worry if she didn‟t need to think about it.” “So you think she will decide to accept the serum?” Bastien‟s smile faded. “Does she truly love you?” Dimitri nodded. “I like to think so.” “If she truly loves you, her desire to save you the pain of continuing an empty existence without her will outweigh the rest.” “Love conquers all?” Bastien spun around at the sound of Carly‟s voice. “Something like that.” She stood in the doorway with her hands stuck in her back pockets and chewing her lip. “I can see where you would think that. Would you care to see proof?” Running the rest of 134

Tianna Xander the way into the room, she threw herself into his arms. “I do love you, Bastien. What I feel for you outweighs everything.” Wrapping his arms around her, Bastien closed his eyes and thanked God. “This gives me hope,” Dmitri said with a smile as he left the room, closing the door behind him. “I‟m sorry, Bastien. It‟s just been so—” “Shh, baby. Don‟t‟ worry about it. Well get everything worked out somehow.” The phone rang. Bastien pulled free from Carly‟s embrace, kissing her forehead. “I have to get this, honey. It‟s probably Luke.” He squeezed her hand before walking to the phone. “Sinclair.” “Hey there, Cuz. I have that info you wanted.” “Was there any references to the serum, any formulas?” “I‟m not going to ask why you want to know again, Bastien.” Bastien sighed. “I don‟t want to tell you over the phone. What if your line is tapped?” “If my line is tapped, then I‟d better get the hell out of here because they know I have their records. I‟m burning these damn things and getting the hell out of Dodge.” “Don‟t—” Luke hung up the phone before Bastien could stop him. “Damn it!” “Do you really think his line is tapped?” Bastien shrugged. “I sure hope not. I have no way of knowing and I didn‟t want to take the chance. If it is tapped, it wouldn‟t take much to trace back here to us.” Carly looked through the French-door glass, over the wellgroomed lawn and into the woods. “What if we changed to wolves? Could they find us then?” Bastien shook his head. “No. They wouldn‟t be able to find us until we shifted back. Our wolf selves would be faster and stealthy. There‟s only one drawback.” 135

Bastien “What?” “You can‟t control when you change, honey. That would make you one hell of a target out there.” Yeah, one hell of a naked target. Uh-uh no way. **** Carly swallowed thickly. “That‟s why you two should go and leave me here. It‟s not you they‟re after anyway.” “I‟m not about to trade your safety for mine, Carly,” he said, shaking his head. “Besides, they wouldn‟t be after you if it weren‟t for us in the first place.” Dimitri spoke up behind them from the doorway. “Let‟s get a move on if you think they‟ve got a lock on our location. You both can be selfless somewhere else, where it‟s safe.” “If they know we‟re here,” Bastien said, then paused, “then they know about you, Dimitri.” The other man gave a curt nod. “Yes, I know this. But they will have a difficult time procuring my mate and child if that is their desire,” he said with a grin. “She is safe with her parents. Why do you think I would send her there instead of into hiding?”

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Chapter Fourteen ow can her parents protect her better than her mate?” Dimitri raised his brow. “I did not say they could protect her better, but I would say they could do it just as well.” Then he grinned. “Her parents know what I am. They also know I would die for her. Her father and two of her four brothers are Army Rangers. If they can‟t protect her, no one can.” Carly looked between the two men. “You guys scare me with the kind of people you know.” They left the house after gathering their things and a few supplies and set off cross-country on horseback, heading for the Wisconsin border. Bastien pulled his cell phone from his shirt pocket. Something told him he needed to call Luke and call him right now. Flipping the phone open, he checked the signal-bar and frowned. “Damn! If I‟m going to call Luke back, I‟d better do it before we lose signal.” “I thought that thing was a satellite cell phone,” Dimtiri said as he dismounted to check his mount‟s cinch strap. He walked over to Carly, pushed her leg aside and checked hers as well. Bastien tilted his head back, squinting up at the afternoon sky. “It is, but they don‟t guarantee that it‟ll work everywhere.” He punched a few buttons and put the phone to

“H

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Bastien his ear. Luke picked up after the third ring. “Hello.” He sounded wary. “Luke, it‟s Bastien.” “Where in the hell have you been? I‟ve been calling the house for the last three hours.” “We took your advice and got the hell out of there. You did say they could have your line tapped. Did you just expect us to sit there and wait for them to show up?” “Of course not, I was just worried. I‟m glad you‟re safe. Have you heard from Marcus or any of the others?” Bastien shook his head, then added, “No. This is a new phone. I didn‟t get a chance to pass out the number yet.” “That‟s probably a good thing.” Luke sighed and Bastien got the feeling that something horrible had gone wrong. “They‟ve got your father again, Bastien, and your sister.” It felt like someone just punched him in the gut. “What?” He needed that repeated because he was sure he hadn‟t understood his cousin. How did these people always know where to find them? “You heard me right. They want to trade them for your mate.” “Absolutely not.” “I know how you feel, Cuz, but—” “You have no idea how I feel and until you do, I don‟t want to hear you even suggest—” “I do know how you feel, Bastien,” Luke said interrupting, “because they took my mate with them as well.” “Your mate?” Bastien closed his eyes. If what Luke was saying was true, how could he trade the safety of one woman for another, even if she was his mate? He couldn‟t and he knew it. “Yes,” Luke snapped. “My mate. Remember that little 138

Tianna Xander blonde scientist they had locked in the cell? Well, she‟s my mate. What do you think the odds are of finding your mate in a secret underground laboratory just after she‟d been turned to a werewolf?” He laughed mirthlessly. “Pretty damned astronomical odds to my way of thinking.” Bastien ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Jesus, Luke, it sounds like something I‟d watch on a science fiction channel on cable.” “Yeah, well I‟m living it. I didn‟t even realize it until I went to see your sister and father before I left. I should have brought her with me. I left her there because I thought she would be safer there with them. We have to get them back, Bastien, so get your asses back here. We need some kind of plan.” “Where do you want to meet?” “Do you remember that place we used to go to when we were teenagers?” There was a short pause on the other end of the line, then Luke continued when Bastien didn‟t answer. “You remember, the place where you and Candice Oberchuke lost your virginity.” Bastien choked. “You knew about that?” Luke chuckled. “Of course, Cuz. I know a lot of things. Like I know I don‟t want you and your mate around any of my computer equipment.” “Shut up about that and don‟t you dare say anything about it to—” “Don‟t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Just get there ASAP.” Bastien closed his phone and looked over at the other two. “We have to go back.” “Back? Are you friggin‟ crazy? We can‟t go back!” Carly said in a near panic. “We have to, Carly. They have my sister, my father and Luke‟s mate.” 139

Bastien “Oh, God,” Carly whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “We‟ll never get away from them and even if we do, they‟ll keep us running for the rest of our lives.” Dimitri turned his back and let out a long string of curses in his own language. Turning his horse around, he led them back the way they came. It took two days to reach their destination, a secluded lake on the eastern side of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They found a clearing about one-hundred feet from the lake, made camp and waited to hear from Luke. “You never gave him your number, Bastien. How do you expect him to call?” Dimitri asked as he threw another log on the fire. “I didn‟t want to waste time and since his cell has caller ID there was no real reason to.” “That makes sense, I suppose,” Dimitri said, nodding grudgingly. “I guess you‟re right. We cannot afford to waste any more time. The sooner we‟re done with this, the faster we can all get back to leading normal lives.” Bastien‟s phone rang. “Hello.” “Where the hell are you, Damn it?” Bastien frowned. “Right where I said I would be. Where the hell are you?” “I‟m out on this Godforsaken lake, pretending to fish. You know how much I hate this shit. I figured we couldn‟t take any chances and a lone-wolf,” he said with a forced laugh, “out here would raise some eyebrows unless he was fishing or doing something as equally boring.” He paused. “I still don‟t see you.” “You will in a minute,” Bastien said, running through the trees to the water‟s edge. He waved to the lone figure in the rowboat floating near the center of the lake. His legs were resting on the side of the boat, his fishing pole dangling over 140

Tianna Xander the edge. “Can you see me now?” “Jesus, Cuz, you sound like a damned TV commercial.” “Well it‟s better than sounding like a pissed off son-of-abitch.” “Hey, I‟ve got a reason to be pissed, damn it!” “We all do. Those bastards are hunting every one of us. Now get your ass over here. We don‟t have all damned day.” He closed his phone, waiting on the bank as Luke rowed the boat to shore. “What‟s going on with the others?” Bastien asked, wading into the water to pull the boat onto the sandy beach. “They‟ve gone into hiding,” Luke said with a sigh. “At least most of them have anyway.” “And those who haven‟t?” “They‟re waiting for someone to step up and take the lead. Every one of them is willing to follow someone.” He laughed mirthlessly. “It‟s funny. They all play at being alpha, but there doesn‟t seem to be a leader amongst them.” “So they sent you to find me?” “Don‟t look at me. I offered to take the lead. They wouldn‟t have it. They want you. I guess they figure if you can run a multi-million dollar corporation, you can run a successful rescue operation.” “What do you think?” Bastien needed to know. The last thing he needed was for his cousin to slip into his habit of arguing every point with him. Things wouldn‟t go well if he did. “I can‟t be a part of this operation if it has no clear chain of command. Either you agree with things or you don‟t and we go our separate ways.” “This is my mate we‟re talking about, Bastien. Though I may be a royal pain in the ass most times, I still know you‟re her best chance.” “You‟ll follow me without question?” Luke nodded. “Yes, and anyone who wants to give you 141

Bastien trouble will answer to me.” Bastien nodded his agreement. “Good. We will establish a clear chain of command. Dimitri will be my right hand and you‟ll be his.” “You got it, Cuz. Now let‟s go make some plans to get our people out.” **** The four of them sat around the campfire, eating the MREs Dimitri had packed into their gear. “These aren‟t bad,” Luke said, shoveling the contents of his makeshift dish into his mouth. Carly curled her lip and pushed hers aside. “I don‟t like it, it‟s nasty.” Luke reached for hers. “Do you mind?” Shaking her head, she waved her arm toward her meal. “Absolutely not. Go ahead, be my guest.” Luke took a bite and closed his eyes. He may as well have been eating ambrosia. “Oh, man, this is good. I can‟t imagine why you don‟t like this. This is great ravioli.” Carly made a face as she read the package. “Except it‟s meatloaf, genius.” Luke looked down at the half-eaten package and shrugged. “It still tastes good.” Carly snorted. “Figures. Just like a dog. Do you pee on every bush you pass, too?” Luke grinned with his mouth full of food. “Not since I was housebroken.” “Stop it, you two.” Bastien gave them both a fierce look. “We all have to get along if we‟re going to pull this off.” His gaze practically shot daggers at Dimitri who just sat on his log grinning at them all like an idiot. “And you‟re not helping a bit, you big horse‟s ass.” 142

Tianna Xander Dimitri must have spied the gravity of Bastien‟s gaze. He immediately sobered. “How do you propose to find out where they are?” Bastien looked to Luke. “Well?” His cousin cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Well, I managed to get my hands on some very sensitive material they thought was protected.” He flashed a grin. “Hard drives are very informative if you know how to retrieve deleted information. I can even retrieve some files on a drive that has been formatted, as long as nothing else has been written to the drive or if it hasn‟t been erased using a magnet. All things they didn‟t have time for.” He sat back, grinning wide at the expressions on their faces. “Let me explain. People who do illegal or secret things, tend to wipe a drive and reformat so the info is lost.” Dimitri raised his brow. “You can retrieve such information?” “I restored everything on the drive. Including information on the serum, their test subjects along with the coordinated internet IP address to find and intercept e-mail and other electronic messaging.” “So, do you think you can figure out where they have taken the others?” “I already have. They‟re in a facility that is roughly ten miles from the one we destroyed.” “Ten miles!” Carly choked on her water, spitting a mouthful into the fire. Luke nodded. “They thought it was ironic to have a few of their facilities near Wolf Lake.” “Wolf Lake?” Carly asked, her eyes round. “Isn‟t that—” “Yes,” Bastien interrupted. “That‟s very close to our house.” Carly‟s face reddened at the subtle reminder of their new relationship. “Oh, my God! How many more research 143

Bastien facilities do they have around here?” “Two in the immediate area and nineteen more scattered throughout the United States.” “But how can something so huge go undiscovered long enough to build twenty-two facilities and make the advancements they have on their serum?” Carly looked between the three men. “Well?” Dimitri sat up straighter. “Either they‟ve bribed some government official or the government has been involved all along.” Carly gasped at the implication. “Believe me. The leaders of this country are not immune to corruption,” Dimitri said with a growl. Bastien agreed, nodding. “The government is definitely involved on some level.” He turned to the other two men. “Did either of you notice the Loup-Tech industry logo on the equipment at the lab we leveled?” They both nodded. “That particular equipment was specifically designed for government applications. No one can convince me that someone high in our government hierarchy doesn‟t know what the hell is going on.” Carly looked at them, her eyes filled with fear. “How can we fight them? They have more resources and more power than we could ever hope to have.”

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Chapter Fifteen astien moved closer and rested his chin on her shoulder. “We‟ll fight them, honey. And we‟ll win. Don‟t worry about that.” She relaxed slightly, leaning back to rest her head against his chest, and hoped he was right. How could she go on knowing she would have to run for the rest of her life? Running from Robert was one thing. Eventually he would have tired of the game or found someone else to torment. These people would never leave them alone. They would be running from them forever. It would never stop. “We have a few more resources than they realize. We have all of our businesses listed under assumed names. Every time we make a major purchase, we make it under our business alias. There are a lot more of us than they could ever imagine.” “More than they ever dreamed, too, I‟ll bet. I wonder how many of them have realized that by bringing the weres together in a fight against them, they have woken the proverbial sleeping tiger?”

B

Carly rode in front of Bastien, keeping warm from the night chill by his embrace. She wished they could stop so Bastien would hold her in their sleeping bag and keep her warm from the night chill by holding her closer still. She stole at glance at him. Could she live her life like this, constantly 145

Bastien fearing discovery, always on the run? Bastien leaned closer, his hand sliding down her arm until he squeezed her cold fingers. “We won‟t always be running, baby. After this is over, we‟ll take a long trip and relax. Where would you like to go?” “Right back up out of this rabbit hole I seem to have fallen into.” Dimitri grinned at her. “My mate, Charity, once said something similar. It had something to do with calling her Alice.” “Alice,” Carly said with a snort. “Why do I feel more like the Mad Hatter?” “You really know you‟re from Michigan when—” “Shut up, Luke!” Carly, Bastien and Dimitri all yelled as he began another bad Michigander joke. “I was just trying to lighten the mood,” he said, sulking. **** “What I don‟t understand is—why you allowed the others to just abandon you out at the lake the way they did.” Bastien had changed the subject, hoping his cousin would take the hint. The last thing he wanted was to hear Luke prattling on, telling his lame jokes. His arms tightened around Carly‟s middle. The only good thing about his cousin‟s presence, to his way of thinking, was the fact that Carly had graciously given up her mount to him. Now they both rode the same chestnut gelding and he had been able to enjoy the delightful sensation of Carly‟s tight little ass pressed against his aching groin. What sweet torment it was. Bastien couldn‟t wait to get her alone again. She raised herself up, shifting her weight to make herself more comfortable. He closed his eyes, a part of him wishing she 146

Tianna Xander would stop moving around like that. It was driving him mad. Ignoring his cousin‟s incessant yapping, he dropped his guard, reached out with his lupine senses and allowed his mind to touch hers gently. She was concentrating on the scenery and listening to the small animals playing in the underbrush, paying close attention to the world around her. If she was tormenting him on purpose, she hid it well. Carly laughed at something Luke said and it made his blood heat. God, he wanted this woman as he had never wanted another in his life. Would it always be like this with her? He hoped so. She laughed again. “Don‟t be ridiculous, Luke. Of course, there are male and female rabbits. How do you think they procreate, Immaculate Conception?” “I‟m not saying the males, don‟t exist. I‟m just saying I‟ve never seen one.” He shook his head. “When I think of all the times I‟ve chased down rabbits in my life, it seems like I should have caught at least one male.” Laughing, Carly shook her head, then inhaled deeply. She stiffened in his arms. Her back was ramrod stiff, her face pale and her gaze was darting around, trying to see through the underbrush. Bastien immediately went on guard. If she sensed a threat, he would soon smell it. A female had a more pronounced sixth sense than the male of the species. He knew that and trusted those senses. “I smell…” She frowned and glanced at him for an answer. “What is that I smell?” She made a face. “It smells kind of like Bosco, only a lot worse.” “Bear!” Bastien cried, urging his horse into a full gallop. The bear charged them, swiping a huge paw at Dimitri‟s horse. It missed and bellowed its rage. Carly screamed when it turned, roaring as it charged at her and Bastien. Her mate leaned them both forward and urged 147

Bastien the horse faster, urgently kicking his heels into the mount‟s side. The horse screamed its fear as the bear gave chase. “We‟re gonna to die, we‟re gonna die,” Carly chanted. “No one is going to die, Carly. Not here and certainly not now.” She had her eyes scrunched closed, her hands holding the pommel in a death grip. She blindly followed Bastien‟s lead, moving only when he moved. Soon, the only sounds she heard were the rough beating of the horse‟s hooves against the leaf-covered ground and the exhausted blowing of the winded animals. They continued for a few more minutes, then began to slow. “That was a close call.” “Yes, it was. We must have wandered too close to the bear‟s den or offspring. It‟s the only explanation for such an attack.” “It could have just been a man killer.” Bastien shook his head. “No, Luke, a man killer never would have challenged us. He would have sensed the animal in us and left us alone.” He looked around at everyone. “Is everyone okay?” **** Carly didn‟t care what made the bear react that way. She was getting sick and tired of not being in control of her life. Would she ever be in control again? Hell, I probably don’t even have a job anymore. I’m sure they’ve fired me for not calling in by now. Not that she would blame them. Bastien leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “It doesn‟t matter, baby. I make enough money for the both of us. You‟ll never have to work again.” Carly leaned back and let the tears trickle from the corners of her eyes. She would just become Bastien‟s full time 148

Tianna Xander housekeeper. What else could she do? “I don‟t want you for my housekeeper, Carly. We are mates. To my people, you are my wife.” She looked pointedly at her left hand. “I don‟t see a ring there, buster. And I don‟t remember you asking me either.” “You know what I mean. You know I fully intend to marry you the human way. I meant that I have enough money that you‟ll never have to work again.” “That‟s not the point, Bastien. I liked my job.” How could she make him understand? Her job was her sense of independence. It was her sense of self. Working is what kept her sane all of these years. She liked working in the lab. Seeing other‟s happiness, watching children grow through their photos. All of it had helped her through her depression and hidden rage at what Robert was doing to her. Knowing that there were men out there who didn‟t have to hurt their loved ones to feel better about themselves gave her hope for a better life. Bastien squeezed her. “Don‟t worry, baby. If you want your job back, I‟ll see to it that you still have your job. I can be,” he gave her a grim smile, “very persuasive when I need to be.” Luke snorted. “Don‟t let that pretty-boy face fool you, Carly. He‟s a very powerful man.” Bastien narrowed his eyes at his cousin as Carly raised her head to look between them. “The last thing I need to see from you, Bastien, is violence.” “Oh he would never resort to violence. That‟s not Bastien‟s style. He‟s always a diplomat, looking for the non-violent way out. Me? I‟d beat the crap out of them in a second.” She rolled her eyes. “You would.” Carly let the subject drop and gazed around her. She wished she had a camera. Never in her life had she ever seen woodland more beautiful. Was it her new lupine senses that made her enjoy the scenery 149

Bastien so much or the location? “Where are we?” “We‟re just north of our house,” Bastien said, using the deliberate reminder of their tie, ruthlessly. His breath brushed her neck as he talked, causing little whirlwinds of desire to zing through her blood. She closed her eyes and swallowed. Her hands rubbed up and down her bare arms, trying to dispel the gooseflesh caused by his potent allure. Evidence of his near constant arousal still rested between the cheeks of her rear as it had for the last several hours. Still, he had never said anything, never complained. It must be painful for him by now. It is painful, Carly, Bastien whispered into her mind as he lowered his head to nibble the column of her throat. Yet, it is such a sweet torment. She leaned her head back and smiled. What a sweet talking son of a gun you are. He chuckled against her neck, inhaling deeply. Have I ever told you that I love the way you smell? I wondered why you kept sniffing me all the time. Thanks for letting me know. You were starting to give me a complex. She leaned back, turning her head up, inviting his kiss. I love the way you smell, too, but you don’t see me running around sniffing you all the time. It must be the dog in you. Wolf, he growled. She smiled. Oops! My mistake. He smiled wide, taking Carly‟s breath away. God, you’re beautiful. Men are not beautiful, honey. They are hot, hunky, even ruggedly handsome. However, we are not beautiful. Just shut up and kiss me. Yes, ma’am. Bastien lowered his head, pressing his lips against hers. He groaned when she reached back and wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. 150

Tianna Xander “Hey, stop that you two or I‟ll dump cold water on you.” They pulled away from each other like guilty children. Carly blushed, wiped the back of her hand over her mouth, and glared at Luke who sat staring at them and grinning from ear to ear. “I knew that would get you. Cold water is horrible when you‟re in the mood for uh… Well, let‟s just say, it happened to me and a little female once.” Carly made a face. “Eew! That was way too much information, buddy.” She quelled the visual and turned to look at Dimitri. “You‟ve been awfully quiet, Dimitri. Have you managed to come up with a plan yet?” “I have a plan. It is going to take many men and even more guns. I‟m not sure we‟ll have enough to pull it off.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “I‟m going to call Charity. If you don‟t mind, I‟m going to back off a bit for some privacy.” “Sure, dude, go talk to the little wifey. We‟ll still all be here when you‟re done with your phone sex.” “Do you have to be such a pain in the ass, Luke?” Carly rolled her eyes. The man was more like a teenager. She wondered just how old he really was. Luke slowed his horse down to fall into step beside them. “Hey, this is me being good. You don‟t want to see pain in the ass.” Bastien agreed. “He‟s right, honey. This is the ultra-tame, ultra-subdued Luke.” She shook her head. “Remind me not to invite him over for the family get-togethers and obligatory barbeques then.” Both men threw their heads back and laughed. “You‟ll fit into the family nicely, Carly. Just don‟t let Bastien have his way too often. You might give him a big head or something.” “I‟ve got a big something already,” Bastien whispered in 151

Bastien her ear. Pushing his hips forward, he let her know exactly what that something was. “I heard that, Cuz. Stop grossing me out over here, will ya?” Carly‟s face heated and she elbowed Bastien in the stomach. “I swear. One of you is going to make me die of embarrassment.” Dimitri rode up, still holding his phone to his ear. “I don‟t know, Junior, let me ask them.” He looked at Bastien. “How many of you guys are marksmen? Any?” “We have a few. Whether or not they‟re in the group that is going to meet us remains to be seen. Why?” “Junior, that‟s Charity‟s brother by the way, is willing to join us. He‟s a decorated marksman. He wants to know if he should bring enough gear for a few more.” Bastien nodded. “Tell him to bring it. If they aren‟t in the group waiting for us, there are a few in my group, myself included, who are passably fair. The extra firepower may come in handy.” “He says go ahead and bring it, dude.” Dimitri laughed. “Well, you‟re going to have to catch me first.” He hung up the phone, still laughing. “He says he‟s going to break my legs if I don‟t quit calling him dude. He‟ll call me for directions when he is ready to leave. He should be able to be here in a few hours. He‟s going to take the ferry.” “Are you sure there are people here?” Carly asked as they rode into the large, dark compound. “It‟s a bit too creepy for my tastes.” Bastien chuckled. “They are here. That is why you feel uneasy. There are a least thirty pairs of eyes trained on us.” Bringing their horse to a halt, he dismounted, calling out to Luke. “You did tell them we were coming, didn‟t you, Luke?” “Of course I did. I‟m not stupid.” He paused, then 152

Tianna Xander whispered, “They‟re here. I can feel them.” “Then why don‟t they come out? Have we been reduced to fear and mistrust of our own kind now?” “It was a group of our own kind who came for your sister and father, Sinclair. Don‟t fault us for our caution,” said a male voice from the darkness.

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Chapter Sixteen eres took them? What the hell was he talking about? “What do you mean they were taken by our own kind?” “Just what I said. A group of weres just waltzed into your sister‟s home and took them. Along with several others who were there. We wouldn‟t even know this if a few of them hadn‟t managed to escape and make their way back to warn us.” “What self-respecting were would be a part of something like that?” Luke asked. Dimitri gave them all a sardonic look. “Of everyone gathered here, I‟m surprised that you two in particular haven‟t figured it out.” “Figured what out?” Luke and Bastien asked in unison. Carly stepped up, looking between them. “He‟s talking about people like me.” She turned to Dimitri. “Aren‟t you?” She didn‟t wait for his answer, but continued with her theory. “What if,” she said, pacing in front of them, “those scientists changed more than just Cassandra and me? What if they have changed others against their will? What might people who were changed against their will do if they were convinced a cure would be forthcoming if they did what they wanted?” She stopped and looked at Bastien. “I would have done almost anything if they had promised to change me back.” Then she smiled. “At first.” She walked over to her mate and took his hand, smiling up at him. “I‟m quite content where I

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Tianna Xander am now, though others may not be. Then there is the government aspect of all of this. Here‟s another what if to consider. What if those turned, are soldiers who volunteered for it?” She studied the group, who stood listening intently. “I see by your expressions that you hadn‟t thought of that. Or, maybe you just didn‟t expect me to. Either way, military involvement is a distinct possibility.” She took a deep breath and grinned. “Sorry to interrupt, Dimitri.” “Not a problem, ma‟am. What you said makes perfect sense. Knowing what we know now, they could have been anyone.” He turned to look out over the group of people gathered in the darkness. “We do, however, need a plan. We need to know where these so-called scientists are and we have to come up with a plan to get into the facility. I have a feeling that this one is going to be well guarded. Much more so than the first. I doubt the guards at this facility will have the same lackadaisical attitudes as the others did.” Bastien stepped up. “You‟re right, Dimitri. They‟re not going to be nearly as easy to overcome. What is your brotherin-law‟s take on all of this?” “He thinks we should send in a covert unit to take out all of their patrols, perimeter cameras and other surveillance. We‟ll need a couple of small teams who are sharpshooters and or experienced in covert recon. Do we have anyone here who fits those qualifications?” Bastien stepped forward. “Special Forces trained, old friend.” He chuckled at Dimitri‟s raised brow. “Well, we figured since we can‟t serve in our country‟s military that we would have our own military-like organization.” “I‟m sure there are…certain parts of your government who would welcome your help, as my country did mine. Now that they know about our kind, you may have no choice.” “We‟ll go public before we allow them to do that.” Several others in the group before them murmured their 155

Bastien agreement. The group as a whole nodded. Their chosen representative, a tall muscular blond with blue eyes, stepped up. He looked around behind him and spoke at the urging of his friends. “I‟m Merrick Becker.” He jerked his thumb to indicate the men and women behind him. “They have chosen me to speak for us all and we all agree with Sinclair. Voluntarily helping our government is one thing. We will refuse to allow them to press us into service. Going public would force them to acknowledge our rights as American citizens,” he said, tucking the hem of his t-shirt into his worn blue jeans. Dimitri raised his brow. “What rights? Your human rights? They may argue that you are not human and, therefore, do not fall under the protection of the constitution.” Bastien looked down, held his arms out and wiggled his fingers. “They would have a difficult time proving that, especially with the serum they‟ve developed.” He shot a glance toward Carly, held his hand out and waited for her to step into his embrace. “For those of you who haven‟t figured it out, my mate was human until they injected her with the serum I‟ve spoken of.” He ignored the collective gasp at his pronouncement. “Who‟s to say we weren‟t all human and they injected us all? Did any of you know that in nineteen ninety-nine the United States patent and trademark office rejected an application to patent a technique for creating a human-animal hybrid?” “You‟ve got to be kidding me! Do you mean to say these criminals have been in operation for all these years?” Merrick asked, his eyes wide. He fisted his hands at his sides and looked as if he were ready to hurt someone. Carly stiffened in Bastien‟s arms. He held her close, rubbing his hand from her shoulder to elbow. “My guess would be, it‟s been more like ten or twelve years. They had to have time to study our DNA and to come 156

Tianna Xander up with the technique,” Bastien said as he walked around the group with Carly still tucked beneath his arm. He wanted to get her away from Merrick and his show of anger. He wasn‟t sure how much good it did. There was an aura of violence in the entire group. He knew it was not directed at them, but Carly‟s comfort was paramount in his mind. “We may be forced to make a stand. I do not want to go public. I don‟t think any of us do. God only knows the kinds of prejudices we would face, yet it may be the only way to protect our mates and children from this unethical and inhumane testing.” The others nodded, talking amongst themselves. “How many of you have been SF-trained?” Dimitri asked. Five men stepped forward. “Well, with you, me and Dimitri, that makes seven,” Bastien said thoughtfully. “I don‟t like uneven numbers. It makes it hard to pair up.” “Why are you including me in on this? How do you know if I‟ve been special-forces trained?” Dimitri looked surprised. “Because, old friend, I know that you were a member of your country‟s most decorated covert squad. Don‟t tell me operatives of your stature aren‟t extremely well trained,” Bastien said, shaking his head with a laugh. “And you know we need every man we can get. I still don‟t like the uneven number.” “We aren‟t uneven, comrade,” Dimitri flashed a smile, his dark eyes laughing. “Junior makes eight.” “Good, I didn‟t want to assume he was joining us. This isn‟t his fight.” “Of course this is his fight. They are threatening his sister.” Bastien nodded his agreement. “I suppose you‟re right.” Carly shivered, immediately drawing Bastien‟s attention. “Why don‟t we move this inside where it‟s warmer and we can have something to drink?” 157

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**** “So you think we should slip through this area, cut the barbed wire fence and shoot out the nearest camera in the southeast corner?” Bastien asked Dimitri as he trailed his finger along the map Luke had asked Merrick to bring with him. Dimitri nodded. “It seems like the best way in, but why don‟t we wait for Junior and ask his opinion?” “I‟m not sure we‟re going to have that kind of time. It‟s going to be light by the time he gets here and he‟s going to need to sleep.” “You know those guys don‟t sleep much. They‟re trained to do without it.” “Maybe,” Bastien said, “that doesn‟t mean that I don‟t want him at his best.” He looked around the room at the others, then back at Dimitri. “I want everyone at their best. Do you have an ETA for Junior?” Dimitri checked his watch. “An hour to the ferry, two and a half hours to cross the lake and another hour and a half to get here…he should be here any minute.” “It‟s that late already?” Bastien asked, checking his watch. He looked over at Carly, resting on the couch. She had taken her shoes off and had her feet tucked under her as she leaned against the side arm, her head pillowed on her clasped hands. He sighed. “We‟ll have to talk about this later, Dimitri. I have my mate to look after.” He turned to his cousin and kicked his foot.” “What?” Luke asked, sitting up quickly. He looked around through bleary eyes. “Do you have a room we can use?” Luke made a face. “Not if you‟re going to—” “To sleep, you dick.” Bastien pointed to Carly. “My mate needs her rest. She hasn‟t gotten much since we got her out of 158

Tianna Xander that hellhole.” “Oh, uh, sure,” he said, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “Top of the stairs turn left, second door on the right.” “Thanks.” Bastien strode over to the couch and lifted Carly in his arms. It never ceased to amaze him how small she was. How easy she was to carry. He smelled the faint scent of her body wash and shampoo mixed with the underlying scent that made her who she was, his mate. Those words flowed through him, warming him like heated honey. He glanced down at her slightly parted lips. His body hardened, wanting her even as she slept. He tamped down the desire to sink his cock deep into her tight channel. She needed her sleep and he needed his rest for the altercation to come. Besides, after the show Luke just gave him, the last thing he was going to do was mate with her while they stayed in the asshole‟s house. He laid Carly on the bed, covering her with the comforter folded at the foot, then climbed in next to her, trying to ignore the lure of her scent. Later they would have much planning to do and he needed his rest. **** “Do you think we can pull this off?” Luke Asked Dimitri after Bastien took Carly upstairs. “Of course we can. I‟m surprised you felt the need to ask. Don‟t you trust your cousin‟s judgment?” Luke reddened. “It‟s not that. I‟m just—” “Worried about your mate?” Luke nodded. “Well, yes. Wouldn‟t you be?” “Of course I would. If I knew there were others with more experience than me, I would wait for them to come up with a plan to rescue her. I would not go flying off half-cocked, like you are thinking of doing. You could ruin our only chance to 159

Bastien take them by surprise.” “It shows?” “Only to the experienced eye,” Dimitri said with a smile. He reached out and awkwardly patted Luke‟s arm. “I was trained to watch for the signs of one who might run. Remember who my old employer was.” “Oh, yeah, right.” The doorbell rang. “I hope that‟s your brother-in-law. I‟m getting tired of sitting around waiting for him,” Luke said as he strode to the door. He gaped at the man standing in the doorway. If this was Dimitri‟s Special-ops trained brother-in-law, their odds just got a little bit better. Six-foot-six and two hundred and ninety pounds of attitude stood on his front porch holding a p-90 like it was an extension of his arm. “I hope you‟re Junior.” Dimitri made a face and said a few choice words in Russian. The man‟s cold eyes took in Luke‟s appearance, then dismissed him as if he were beneath his notice. “What have I told you, jerk-off?” the man growled in Dimitri‟s direction. “If another person calls me junior, I‟m going to rip your head off and piss down your fuckin‟ neck.” “Kiss my ass,” Dimitri said with a grin. “You know damn well if you try to hurt me your sister will have your ass in a sling.” “Bite me, asshole.” “That can be arranged.” “Whoa, hey now!” Luke said, stepping between the two men. “I thought you two were related. Aren‟t you supposed to get along or something?” Junior flicked his piercing amber-eyed gaze over Dimitri. “Well, he started it.” He raised his hand when Dimitri would have spoken. “Don‟t go and open your mouth and say 160

Tianna Xander something that‟s going to make me have to kick your ass. My sister loves you. I don‟t know why, but she does. So let‟s just call a truce, hey?” Dimitri bared his teeth. “Sure thing…Junior.” “God damn it!” He took a step closer to Dimitri. “My name is not now, nor has it ever been junior. My name is James Randolf MacDonald the second. You can call me James, Jim, Randy, even Lieutenant MacDonald. I swear to God, Dimitri, if you call me Junior again, I‟ll beat the shit out of you.” Luke offered his hand. “Welcome to my home, Lieutenant MacDonald. You‟re welcome to use the kitchen, the bathroom, even one of the bedrooms upstairs for just one favor.” “Yeah, what‟s that?” “That if you feel the need to beat the shit out of your brother-in-law here, that you please do it outside and not in my house.” His gaze flicked over Luke again before he smiled. “Call me Randy, my dad is Jim,” he said, holding his hand out. Luke suppressed a smile while he shook Randy‟s hand. He wasn‟t going to comment on the fact that this large, deadly man was apparently a junior. He liked his legs just the way they were, thank you very much and he wasn‟t about to tempt fate and get them broken.

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Chapter Seventeen arly woke up, stretched and looked around at the robin‟segg blue walls of the bedroom. A chair sat in front of the window and there was a door on each of the three walls she could see. Large, hand-carved furniture decorated the room and she almost gasped in awe at the seven-foot-tall armoire in the corner. How did I get in here? The last thing she remembered was sitting on the couch at Luke‟s house, listening to Bastien and the others making plans to get into the compound without getting caught on camera. Rolling over, she looked at Bastien. “Good morning, beautiful.” She felt her face heat and blinked slowly. Would she ever get used to his compliments? After so many years of nothing but snide remarks, it was hard to get used to someone complimenting her all of the time. “Good morning,” Carly said, looking over at the clock on the nightstand behind him. It was two-thirty. “Or should we be saying good afternoon?” She started to get up. Bastien laid his hand over her stomach, effectively impeding her attempt at escape. “There‟s no hurry. We can‟t make a move on the facility until after dark and the plans are already set. Dimitri‟s brother-in-law arrived after we came to bed and he approved of our plans. So we have all afternoon to do what we want.” She hoped what he wanted didn‟t include sex. She needed

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Tianna Xander a shower and she definitely was not going to have sex in someone else‟s house. Sighing, she stretched, settled back down and looked around, her eyes drawn to the huge armoire and the matching bureau with a large beveled mirror hanging over it. “Did you carry me up here?” He nodded. “Guilty.” She frowned. “You should have woken me up. What if you‟d hurt yourself?” That was the least of her worries and she knew it. He chuckled. “You‟re so small, that would never happen.” He pushed the hair back from her face and stroked the pad of his thumb down her cheek. “Your hair is so soft and silky. Like your skin.” His dark-chocolate eyes traveled from hers to where he was touching her cheek, then moved to her lips. Carly felt his look like a touch. Her lips tingled with the anticipation of his kiss. “Your lips are so full and inviting. Every time I look at them I want nothing more than to press my lips against yours.” He leaned forward and brushed his mouth against hers. Heat pooled in Carly‟s middle as he laved her bottom lip, sucking it between his teeth. He nibbled lightly. She moaned, opening for him, unable to resist the need to have his tongue plundering the depths of her mouth. She reveled in the rough velvety texture as he plunged it in and out. Then he disappointed her. He broke the kiss slowly, raining tiny kisses over her eyes, nose and mouth. “You‟re so beautiful, baby. I‟m so lucky to have found you.” Carly grimaced, pushing her hair back. “I don‟t feel beautiful, right now. I haven‟t showered in days and I feel horrible. I should be able to smell myself. Why can‟t I smell myself? Have I gotten used to it?” 163

Bastien Bastien chuckled. Standing, he pulled her from the bed and led her into the bathroom. Her eyes widened at the large shower. “You could fit more than two people in that thing!” It looked big enough for a football team. Their bags were set on the counter along with a plethora of toiletries next to them. “Someone has been busy,” she said, trying to take in everything he had done for her. “You were exhausted,” he said with a shrug, “and I knew you‟d want a shower when you woke up.” She made a face. “You were exhausted, too, Bastien.” She raised a hand to his cheek, brushing the thick stubble on his jaw. “Yet you let me sleep while you did all of this yourself.” “That‟s what a male of our species does for his mate. He cares for his female, anticipating her every want and need.” He pressed a soft kiss on her lips before reaching for the top button of her blouse. Carly chewed her lip and frowned. “I don‟t want you for some weird sex slave or whatever you‟re trying to be, Bastien. Where I come from, a relationship is a partnership. The two people share the responsibilities.” Bastien chuckled and began to unbutton her shirt. “Weird sex slave, huh?” he asked, ginning. “I think I like the sound of that.” He bent to kiss every inch of skin he exposed as he opened the front of her blouse. Carly groaned and pushed him away. “Stop that! I know I stink.” He just grinned at her. The goon! “You do not stink.” What, was he nuts? “Of course I do. I haven‟t showered in days. We‟ve been on horseback.” She took a deep breath and her eyes narrowed. “Why don‟t you smell? You haven‟t showered either, have you?” He put his hands behind his back and grinned. “I suppose 164

Tianna Xander you could call it a perk.” “A perk? What the hell are you talking about? Not having a shower for days is a perk?” She rolled her eyes. “What planet are you from?” He laughed and leaned against the counter, stretching his legs out in front of him. “It‟s a…power that all weres have. Our bodies regenerate at a very fast rate. It somehow makes it so that we are constantly clean. We don‟t have to shower unless we want to. We heal more quickly than a human does, too. We heal especially quickly in our animal form.” Carly stood back and looked at herself in the mirror. He was right. She looked like she just had a shower this morning. “I never have to shower again?” “Never.” She made a face. “Well that just sucks! I like taking showers. I love the feel of the hot water running over me, rinsing the dirt and stress of the day down the drain.” “I never said you had to stop showering, Carly,” he said with a chuckle. “Only that you didn‟t have to shower if you chose not to.” “Oh,” Carly said, backing away as he advanced slowly. She held her hand out in front of her, as if to ward him off. “I don‟t think I‟m comfortable enough with you for us to shower together. Besides…” She shot a glance toward the large shower stall. “You know what will happen if we get naked together. And if all weres have hearing as ridiculously good as mine has become, I certainly don‟t want to be making any embarrassing noises with that crowd hanging about.” Bastien sighed. “You‟re right, of course. If I climbed into that shower with you, nothing could stop me from pushing you against that wall and burying my cock so deep inside you we may never get it out.” Carly whimpered and her knees grew weak. “You knew what that image was going to do to me. It just isn‟t fair, you 165

Bastien brute.” Bastien flashed a grin. “What your scent does to me isn’t fair, baby.” Stepping closer, he leaned down and buried his face in her neck. “You always smell so sweet, like berries, musky like you can‟t wait to have me inside you and sexy as all get out.” “You drive me wild, too, Bastien, but I can‟t,” she cast her gaze wildly about the room. “We can‟t.” He stepped back with a groan. “I know and you‟re right. It doesn‟t make it any easier to swallow. However, I do realize that we have a full night ahead of us.” “Which reminds me…I don‟t have any fighting experience at all and I know I could change without warning. There still has to be something I can do to help.” Resting his hands on her shoulders, Bastien pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Let us handle this, baby. You can stay here where it‟s safe.” Carly put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “I don‟t think so, mister. You‟re not going off into God only knows what kind of danger while I sit here at the house twiddling my damn thumbs!” “Carly.” The look on his face told her she wasn‟t going to win this argument. He intended to leave her here where she would be safe and no amount of arguing on her part would change his mind. “What if something happens to you?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears. That was her greatest fear. “What if you‟re injured or…or worse? What if you‟re killed? I don‟t think I could bear it.” **** Bastien pulled her into his arms. No, this definitely was not the time to remind her that their lives were bound together 166

Tianna Xander and if he should die, she would not have to bear a life without him. They were true mates and she would never survive if he were killed. That very connection convinced him of Dimic‟s survival. Sasha wasn‟t in the right frame of mind to listen when he disappeared, yet he knew if they were truly bound, she would never have survived her mate‟s death. “Sh…baby. We need you here. Luke has a police scanner. We need you here to monitor it and warn us if they decide to call in for backup from the local authorities. We don‟t want to be labeled cop killers.” He ignored her sharp intake of breath. “You know there‟s a possibility we will have to kill some of them. Sasha killed that first day when you escaped. Did you think we would have more of a choice?” He shook his head. “These men are going to fight to keep what they have, what they feel is theirs. We cannot allow them to keep the others. They must not be allowed to continue on like this.” Bastien sighed. He didn‟t know if he could stand seeing the fear in her eyes. Even knowing how much she abhorred violence wouldn‟t change the fact that he would kill tonight. He felt it deep in his bones. She licked her lips. “Intellectually, I know that. I just wish you didn‟t have to…” Her voice trailed off. Bastien closed his eyes and wished he could be what she wanted. Nevertheless, he was a predator first and foremost and he would destroy this threat to his mate and his people. **** Carly followed Bastien downstairs after her shower. The scanner was set up in the living room. Where it had been last night, she had no idea. Now the large radio sat in the center of a small round, dark-walnut table more suited for a flower arrangement than the garish receiver with its many blinking 167

Bastien lights. Sitting down on the chair placed next to the table, she stared at it for a minute, wondering if she could do this. Could she stay here in this house safe while Bastien and his men put themselves in danger? “You‟ll hear every dispatch from the local police. They will repeat every call over the airwaves as they try to find the closest units. Listen closely for any units sent to Forest Drive or Ivanrest. If you hear either of those street names, contact your mate.” Carly nodded, her eyes wide. She didn‟t trust herself to speak and prayed the tears that burned her eyes wouldn‟t come—at least not until after they left. These brave men had enough to worry about without worrying about her sitting here alone and whether she was going to be able to do the job they had entrusted her to do. She would do it, if it killed her. Bastien knelt down in front of her. He looked different. Like a soldier. He no longer resembled the gentle healer she knew him to be. Her fingers itched to rip the black stocking cap off his head, to hold him here where he would be safe. He was dressed exactly like the others, all in black, his face covered with some dark greasy-looking substance and he wore black leather gloves. “I‟ll be back, baby,” he said, cupping her cheek in his hand. Carly couldn‟t help it. She leaned her face into his palm and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she memorized his scent so she would be able to find him anywhere, even with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes when he stroked her cheek with his leather-covered thumb. “Don‟t worry about us.” His smile looked macabre. His white teeth practically glowed, taking on a grisly look on his blackened face. He leaned forward. His movements were stiff and slow. Impeded by the thick Kevlar vest and the heavy gun he now wore strapped to his back. Carly closed her eyes again and let him kiss her as the 168

Tianna Xander others discreetly left the room. “We should go now, sir,” Randy said from behind her. “I hate to cut your farewell short, but we‟re burning night here. We need the cover of darkness and it won‟t last forever.” Bastien pulled away, rubbed his thumb across her lips and stood. “You‟re right, Lieutenant. I‟ll be right there.” He waited for Randy to follow the others through the front door before turning back to Carly. “I love you.” “I love you, too. Please come back to me.” She wanted to tell him to come back safe and unharmed only she knew she would take him any way she could get him, even if he were grievously wounded. He took one long last look at her as if he were committing her features to memory, then he turned and left. Carly closed her eyes and prayed to a god she had been sure abandoned her years ago. That had been before she found Bastien. She knew better now.

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Chapter Eighteen he group left their vehicles in a clearing a quarter mile from the laboratory. The small recon squad went in first. Splitting into two groups of four, the covert squad approached the lab slowly, while quietly surveying the terrain. Bastien‟s group approached a lone guard. He stood still, his gun raised to his shoulder as the small animals scurried through the underbrush away from the predators they sensed moving in. The quartet waited patiently for the right moment. Just as the man slung his gun over his shoulder by the strap and cupped his hands in front of his face to light his cigarette, Dimitri slid from the cover of the brush, smooth, quiet, deadly. He slipped up behind him and wrenched the man‟s neck. He let the guard fall where he may and gave the corpse a sorrowful look. “I hate killing.” “We only do what we must, Dimitri.” “That is what my government once told me,” he said with pain-filled eyes. “They said it was necessary to burst into a man‟s house in the middle of the night and take him or a member of his family for questioning.” He spat on the ground. “Some questioning. Most of those poor people never saw their families again. Most were killed in the name of the greater good.” Dimitri nudged the man with the toe of his

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Tianna Xander boot. Bending down, he rifled the man‟s pockets. “What are you looking for?” “His radio, you ass. Did you think I was looking for his wallet?” “Of course not.” Luke snarled. “You don‟t have to be so damned touchy.” Dimitri took a deep breath. “I‟m sorry, Luke. I will… How do you say? Get over it soon enough.” A dog barked in the distance. It sounded frenzied, as if it was on the hunt. It either smelled them or it sensed their presence. Bastien reached out with his mind and quieted the angry animal. Bringing his rifle to his shoulder, he aimed, then destroyed the first camera with two precise shots, knocking it from the post where it was mounted. “They‟re bound to know we‟re here by now. Expect the guards to get reinforcements soon,” Luke whispered into the radio they brought along in deference to Randy. “Roger that.” Bastien heard the quiet, spitting whine of a silenced rifle just before Dimitri took out another camera. “Tango here with a dog,” Randy whispered over the radio. “Strange, the dog is quiet. Is it your handiwork?” “Yes, leave the dog. Take out the Tango.” More spitting sounds traveled over the air. They were faint, only heard by those with acute hearing. The four men waited in the darkness. Allowing their senses to reach out, they searched the surrounding area for more enemies. I hear breathing in the bushes to the west of the entrance. Luke pointed through the trees, indicating the small shed-like structure about one-hundred feet to their left. Dropping to their knees, they crawled slowly toward the entrance. 171

Bastien We’re not going to draw those guys out. They’re scared. Do you hear their hearts racing? They await us, hunkered down behind that wall, just waiting for a frontal attack. Merrick, like Luke, used the quieter means of communication. The four weres crept up on their enemy‟s position slowly, quietly, careful to make no noise that would alert the other men to their presence. Their advantage was their steady nerves and patience. Soon the men in the bushes would become tired of the waiting and make a fatal mistake. I don’t like it. There should be more patrols here than this. It’s almost as if they don’t care if we take this facility. Dimitri frowned at the group. Gunshots rang out across the compound. Screams of pain and horror rent the night air as the other team took out their enemy. **** “Bastien?” Carly whispered the sound. Hoping he would hear her. She wasn‟t sure how far their mental bond would travel. Bastien, please answer me. I’m scared. I’m fine, Carly. There is no reason to fear for me. If I would dare to die, Dimitri would have a fit and drag me kicking and screaming back from the afterlife. Carly looked around her. The scanner no longer spit out its loud annoying static and the house was dark. Shadows closed in on her, playing tricks on her mind. It felt like the enemy was in every corner watching her. Waiting. Please, Bastien, listen to me. Get out of there, now. I can’t tell you if the police are on their way or not. The scanner isn’t working anymore. The lights went out. Carly felt Bastien go still. All of them? Yes. Look out the window. How many people do you see? Hang on, she said, then stood to tiptoe to the window. 172

Tianna Xander Carly‟s heart hammered in her chest as she looked through the clear pane. She knew she was visible, vulnerable. She hurried back to the relative safety of the couch. I didn’t see anyone. Did you leave people here? she asked, hoping he had. Then she wouldn‟t feel so defenseless, so alone. Of course I did. Did you think I would leave my precious mate undefended? Well, no. I…I suppose I didn’t give it much thought. Baby, I want you to do me a favor. Do not answer me yet. Luke told me he has a hiding place in his house. I want you to go to it. Carly got to her feet and looked around the dark house, wary. Where is it? Go to the study. It is down the hall from the living room, the second door on the right. Go to the bookcase across from the desk. Pull out the thick volume of Shakespeare and push the button behind it. Hurry and replace the book so others cannot find the button and then run for the door that will open behind the desk. Luke says you will not have much time before it closes. The sound of breaking glass had Carly bolting for the study. She entered the room and searched the bookcase across from the desk. The closed blinds made it difficult to see in the darkness, even with her enhanced sight. “Where is it? It‟s so dark I can barely read the titles,” she whispered to herself. Finally, she saw the book and reached up to pull it from the shelf. A familiar sting bit her neck and she quickly dropped her hand to pull the dart from the crook of her shoulder. Then the world went dark. **** Carly! Bastien‟s heart hammered in his chest as he ran for the cars. He called to the others. It was a trap. It was a god dammed trap! They have Carly. We have to get back there. Something told Bastien they wouldn‟t be fast enough. He keyed up his radio. 173

Bastien “Back off everyone and meet at the pre-designated coordinates for more instructions.” The pre-designated coordinates were back at the vehicles. He hoped they got the message. Let’s get the hell out of here. This was nothing more than a distraction to lure us away from Carly. The radio crackled. At least someone had the presence of mind to notify Randy of the change in plans. The house was still dark. It had taken them longer to get there than Bastien would have liked. Still, he knew the value of the element of surprise. They crept toward the house, their guns drawn and senses alert. I don’t like it. It’s too damned quiet, Luke whispered into Bastien‟s mind as they approached the house from four different directions. If the enemy was still here with his mate, they would not leave unseen. “West in position and awaiting instructions,” Randy said, his disembodied voice coming through the radio from the back of the house. “Ditto for the south,” Merrick spoke quietly into his headset. “North has a drop on all the windows. You have a go, east.” Bastien, Dimitri and Luke crept toward the front door, their senses alert. Having gained the porch, they stood on each side of the door and pushed it open. The house was quiet and dark and there were no signs of life. Carly, can you hear me, baby? Only silence greeted Bastien. There was a yawning, empty void where the light, gentle touch of Carly‟s mind used to be. Either she was unconscious or she was already way beyond his reach. His shoulders slumped. “She‟s not here. They‟ve taken her.” He turned to Dimitri. “What kind of horrible things will they put her through this 174

Tianna Xander time? What other kinds of serum are they going to inject her with?” Dimitri shook his head. “I don‟t know, my friend.” Turning, he looked to Luke. “Where did you hide the computer parts with the information stored on them?” “They‟re in my bolt-hole,” Luke said, leading them to the study. “It‟s blocked off from the rest of the house. It even has its own generator for situations just like this one.” Bastien closed his eyes when he entered the room. Would the others think him weak if he broke down here in this room where he could so clearly smell his mate‟s terror? He took a deep breath. No, he would not forfeit his control. He couldn‟t lose sight of the fact that she was out there somewhere, needing him. He followed the other two men through the hidden passage into another large room. It looked like a studio apartment, complete with a kitchen, bed and bathroom. Luke strode over to a computer desk in the corner and switched it on. He cast a grim smile toward Bastien. “It shouldn‟t take long to boot up. It‟s not the newest thing on the market, it‟s a four gig dual core system.” Bastien nodded, hardly able to wait for the damn thing to go through its paces before the familiar music of the operating system sounded through the speakers. Luke cracked his knuckles. “Here we go.” The clackety-clack of furious typing filled the room as Luke searched the program for clues to where they may have taken their mates. “Find anything yet?” Luke shook his head. “Not yet. It‟s a difficult program to navigate and probably not bad for someone who is trained to use it. It even has some very cool features. But I don‟t know what every button does and the last time I used this program it took me forever to find out what I wanted to know.” He 175

Bastien glanced up at Bastien. “I‟m sorry, Bastien. I know that‟s not what you were hoping to hear. Just know that I‟m doing my best to find both of our mates.” “I know, Luke.” Sitting down on the couch, he put his head in his hands. He never should have left her. He should have been one of the men who stayed here to protect her. “All of the others are dead,” Merrick said as he entered the room. He looked around. “Hey, this is way better than my apartment.” “Well, if you wouldn‟t spend all your money on hookers, maybe you could afford something like this,” Luke said without missing a beat with the program he was using. “I don‟t spend it on hookers. I‟m saving my money to spend on my mate, if I ever find her.” Luke snorted. “Yeah, right, and I bet you have some real nice farmland in south-central Florida you‟d like to sell me, too.” “Will you two stop it?” Dimitri snarled. “Can‟t you see the man is devastated? We have to find out where they‟re keeping his mate.” “They have my mate, too,” Luke groused. “Yes, they do.” Dimitri looked at him as if he were something he had just scraped off the bottom of his shoe. “I would think you would be taking this a bit more seriously.” “Yeah, you would, wouldn‟t you? But we‟re not bonded yet, so I guess maybe that gives me a little more freedom than what you two have.” Dimitri took a deep breath and his eyes narrowed. “Who are you working for?” Bastien raised his head, watching as Luke bristled. “What the hell are you talking about, man? I work for Bastien.” “Yes, you do. You work for your cousin. That is why I don‟t understand why you have betrayed him and betrayed your people. You have nearly limitless access to his 176

Tianna Xander equipment, computer supplies and the records of all the addresses for every safe-house in the United States.” Luke looked from Dimitri to Bastien. “You‟re not taking this clown seriously, are you?” he asked, his eyes growing wide with fear. Bastien stood up and crossed the room. Standing in front of his cousin, he reached down and grabbed his collar, dragging him to his feet. “Why do you look so scared, Cuz?” he asked, using the hated term. Now he realized why Luke was always around, always so helpful. Even when Luke had looked on him with scorn, he had been there, mocking him. He gazed at the man he once called cousin and friend. He was his right hand man in almost everything. “I trusted you, you son of a bitch.” “You know you‟re talking bad things about your mother‟s sister now,” Luke said with a smirk. “Don‟t think I won‟t kill you for this.” Fear filled Luke‟s eyes. “You can‟t kill me over some damned piece of ass!” Bastien punched him in the mouth, feeling a weak satisfaction at the sight of his cousin‟s blood. “You don‟t know what it‟s like to have a mate,” he said, looking down at Luke on the floor. “If the woman you claimed was your mate truly belonged with you, you would never trade her life for anything.” He looked around the hidden room, noticing the opulent furniture for the first time. Realizing the entire house cost more money than what his cousin should be able to afford. “And you did it for money, didn‟t you? You‟re nothing more than a pile of dung beneath my feet.” “And you‟re a stuck-up piece of shit who always claims his intent to share what he has, yet never does.” Bastien glared at Luke. “I have shared everything with my people. I have shared my home in the form of a safe-house, 177

Bastien which you have betrayed. I have shared jobs with the unmated males so they may earn their way while waiting for their mate, and I have shared my money freely when a male finds a mate.” Dimitri stepped up, his stance menacing. “He has done all of those things. Why do you think all of the weres banded together to help him?” He pointed the entrance to the room. “Why do you think they all stand ready to carry out your sentence once it is given? You are a betrayer of our people. You know the punishment for that.” Luke‟s eyes grew wide at the implication. He started to stand, tripped over a computer cord and fell back to the floor. “You can‟t!” He began to crab-walk away from them toward the bed. “You can‟t kill me.” Dimitri‟s smile was cold and merciless. “I can and will, with great pleasure.” He advanced on Luke whose pulse jumped in his neck so hard Bastien could see it, even though he stood several feet away. “Wait, Dimitri,” Bastien said, “he may be of some use to us, yet.” Luke grinned, obviously sensing that he wasn‟t going to be punished because of his connection to Bastien. Bastien turned to a few of the men. “Guard him. He doesn‟t leave this place.” He turned to Dimitri. “Right now I have to call a meeting of the council elders so we can figure out whether they still want the usual sentence of death carried out.” He flicked a cold gaze over his cousin. “No matter what the council says, we can kill him later if he refuses to cooperate.”

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Chapter Nineteen arly awoke in a cold, sterile room. It wasn‟t anything like the first place they‟d kept her captive. This was a cell in every sense of the word. Standing, she circled the small room. Thick concrete walls were painted a no-nonsense gray, the heavy steel bed bolted to the floor. No hiding behind this one. Frowning, she gave the bed a frustrated kick. The illusion of a serviceable bedroom was gone. There were no books, magazines, puzzles or TV to keep her occupied. “I‟ll go crazy here in no time,” she muttered to herself. “You certainly could. How long do you think it would take to go mad with nothing to pass the time?” Carly closed her eyes and fought the urge to spin around. Doing so mainly to hide the contempt she knew shimmered in the depths of her gaze. She knew that voice. It was something she had hoped never to hear again. “It could be so much easier for you, you know, if you choose to cooperate.” She opened her eyes and looked at the plain gray wall in front of her, wondering how it would look finger painted with whatever they brought her for dinner. She still refused to turn around and look at the man. Crossing her arms over her breasts, she deliberately provoked him. “What happens if I don‟t cooperate? You‟ll lock me in a little room with no window or form of entertainment?” She looked around, thinned her lips and threw her arms wide. “Oh, sorry to

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Bastien disappoint you, I‟m already there.” Richard grinned. “Things could get a lot worse.” He reached to his left and pushed a button on the desk in front of him. A panel in the wall slid open, revealing another room through a thick pane of glass. Carly‟s eyes widened and her heart pounded in alarm. “Robert.” Richard chuckled. “He said you wouldn‟t be particularly fond of seeing him.” Carly sat, staring through the glass, her eyes wide, sweat beading on her upper lip as she thought of all the things he would do to her for leaving him. Her mouth opened and closed several times. Nothing came out as fear clogged her throat. “Will you cooperate or would you rather have a reunion with your ex-husband?” “What—” She swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. She hadn‟t wanted to show him fear, though she had failed miserably at the sight of her ex-husband. “What is it you want from me?” “For starters, I‟d like to know if the serum worked. We know it caused you tremendous physical pain, yet we‟re still unsure if you actually changed.” “And if I don‟t tell you?” He shrugged. “I have no doubt we will find out sooner or later. The bottom line is, how comfortable and how…safe do you want to be? Because,” he winked at her. “Robert is not a happy camper.” Carly chewed her lip. Cooperate or get beaten, or worse, by Robert. It wasn‟t much of a choice. **** “Where did they take her?” Bastien asked Luke. Hanging on 180

Tianna Xander to his control by a thread, he fought the urge to slam his cousin up against the wall at his back. “How the hell am I supposed to know?” Luke snarled. “And why should I tell you? You‟re just going to kill me anyway.” Dimitri threw him an evil grin. “Yes, but how painfully will you die? It is your choice.” Luke turned to Bastien. “You wouldn‟t torture your own cousin? What do you think my mother would say?” “Your mother would say you‟d gotten everything you deserve for betraying your people, for money of all things.” Luke stiffened. “Mother, I didn‟t do it, I swear!” Several of the weres escorting her snarled at him. “Shut up, you piece of shit,” Merrick said. “She knows what went on here. You bought a nice security system. I can tell you that. It taped everything, including your conversation last night.” Luke paled. “Mother, I—” “Don‟t you dare talk to my mate again,” his father interrupted as he stepped from the back of the group. “What the hell were you thinking, boy?” Luke‟s face twisted with rage. “How can you stand against me, your own son?” He pointed at Bastien, his face filled with rage. “How can you take his side, knowing what a liar he is? Knowing he never keeps his promise to share.” He looked to his mother and father, his eyes beseeching. “What has he ever done for you?” His father stepped up and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him in his seat. “His father, before him, gave me a job when I was little more than a cub. He fed me and clothed me when I was hit by a car while in my other form. Then, when I met your mother, he gave me the house you once called home.” Luke‟s eyes widened. “Why did you never mention it?” His father ran his hand through his hair. “I never thought I 181

Bastien needed to. How was I to know that you would sell-out your own people?” Luke looked down at the floor, finally shamed. “When will I be punished? Are you here to say your goodbyes?” His father nodded. “Yes. You know as well as anyone the punishment for betraying our people. Do you think you should be spared because you are the chosen leader‟s cousin?” Luke shook his head. “No. I should receive the punishment meted out by the council. How long do I have?” “At least five years, Cousin,” Bastien said, stepping from behind him. “We deliberated while we held you here. The council of elders determined that our race is too near extinction to end your existence at this time. You have five years to rehabilitate and earn their trust. At the end of which, if you have not proven yourself trustworthy, the sentence of death will be carried out.” Luke‟s shoulders slumped. “Five years of doing what?” “Five years of sitting down here in your little studio apartment while the rest of your home is being utilized by your guards.” Bastien walked behind Luke‟s parents, then around the group of weres standing at the entrance of the room. “Your guards have taken an oath to end their own lives if you escape.” Luke snorted. “As if I‟d give a shit if any one of them killed themselves.” Bastien shrugged. “It‟s your conscience, Luke.” “No. It would be their own stupidity for making such a pact.” Bastien turned to Luke‟s parents. “Aunt Elena, Uncle Lucas, you know the council will hold you to your word?” They looked at each other, then nodded. “We know that. If he escapes we will accept his sentence.” Luke‟s eyes widened. “You can‟t do that. You can‟t allow 182

Tianna Xander them to be my jailers!” Bastien turned back to Luke. He knew the smile he wore did not reach his eyes. “Of course we can. If you escape without killing them, the council will kill them for you, if they should decide to go back on their word.” Elena stepped forward. “It was the only way to get them to spare your life.” She knelt in front of him and took his hands in hers. “We knew—” She stopped herself, lowering her eyes. “We hoped you would care enough for us to serve your sentence and rehabilitate.” She reached up and cupped his cheek. “You are our only child, Luke. We couldn‟t stand by and let them kill you for a horrible error in judgment.” “And if I don‟t want to rehabilitate, Mother?” “Then you will die in five years. Or, if you escape, you‟ll sentence your father and me to death for your crimes against our people and they will hunt you for the rest of your life.” Luke raised his head and looked around the room. “I can‟t live here for five years. I‟ll go mad.” He looked from his parents to Bastien. “You leave me no choice.” Luke stood, laughing when the men hurried to block the entrance. He walked into the kitchen, pulled a knife from a drawer and drove it through his stomach. “Luke!” His parents cried in unison. Bastien rushed to his cousin‟s side and caught him up in his arms. “You‟re not taking the easy way out, you coward.” Luke laughed weakly as the knife slipped through his fingers. “You don‟t have much to say in the matter, Cuz.” “The hell I don‟t. Carlisle, get your ass over here.” A blond man separated himself from the group of weres blocking the door. He hurried to Bastien‟s side. “It won‟t be easy to save him if he doesn‟t want to live.” “You‟ll save him, Ardin, and he‟ll like it.” Bastien lifted his cousin in his arms and carried him to the kitchen table. “Someone turn on the damn lights. We can‟t see a damned 183

Bastien thing in here.” Ardin Carlisle flicked his blue-eyed gaze over his patient. “You know, they never covered suicide in my animal husbandry classes.” “Just shut up and save his life,” Elena said as she looked on anxiously. The doctor reached behind him, snapped his fingers and looked at Bastien. “How did you know he was going to do something like this?” Bastien shrugged. “I know him. He can‟t stand to stay in one place very long. I knew death would be preferable to imprisonment. Keeping him locked up here is the worst form of punishment we could have chosen for him. If this doesn‟t settle him down, nothing will. If that happens, I will gladly vote with the council to end his life at the end of his five years.” Ardin nodded. “It makes sense.” His fingers probed the wound and even unconscious, Luke flinched. “This isn‟t too bad.” He shook his head. “Of all the places to stab himself, the idiot couldn‟t have picked a more painful or slower way to commit suicide.” He reached in his bag, pulled out a bottle filled with clear liquid and a syringe. Filling the syringe, he inserted the needle into a vein in Luke‟s arm and slowly depressed the plunger. When Luke was fully unconscious and oblivious to the pain, the doctor made his first incision. **** Carly pushed the communication button on the wall. “I‟d like to speak with Doctor…” what the hell was the man‟s last name? He never told her and she had never cared to ask. She cleared her throat. “I‟d like to speak with Richard.” She waited a few minutes more than she wanted to before she saw 184

Tianna Xander his familiar face and balding head moving her way. It was about damn time. What if she had been dying in here? Or changing? She had to admit the dying part probably wouldn‟t have concerned him much. He would care if she changed without him seeing it. That was for sure. She watched as he approached the glass that separated her from the rest of the facility. “What if I decide to cooperate?” She didn‟t have much choice. She knew Bastien would find her eventually and she needed to stay alive. Food would go a long way to achieving that goal. “What is it that you want?” Lifting her head, she pasted a no nonsense expression on her face and began ticking a list off on her fingers. “Food and water, to start with.” She made a face. “Well, preferably cherry cola.” She moved to the next finger. “Number two on my list is that you leave—” “Bastien Sinclair alone.” Carly hid her surprise and moved on to the next item on her list. “I want books—lots of them. I‟m a voracious reader when I have nothing but time on my hands. If you‟re going to keep me locked in this…” She looked around the room and grimaced with distaste. “Cell for God only knows how long, I want something more to do than stare at the walls,” and look at your god-awful ugly mug. She rubbed her stomach. This can’t happen now. If I change, I won’t have anything left to bargain with. She swallowed thickly, keeping the image of her humanity uppermost in her mind. Richard cupped his chin, then ran a finger over his bottom lip. “I can do that. Do you have anything else in mind?” “You agree to do all of that, so far?” He nodded. “Yes, I agree.” “Good. Next, I want a TV in here, something to break the maddening silence when you psychos aren‟t talking to me. Oh, and a DVD player and any movie I want to see.” Carly kept 185

Bastien ticking the items off. She had to make him think she was narcissistic enough to want all of those things. She fought the urge to grin. She would cooperate, all right, though they were not going to like it. With any luck, maybe they would get sick of her crap and let her go. Or kill her. Either way she would be out of this damn place. “That can all be arranged, Ms. McGowan.” She nodded. “Good. When can I expect to get the items I‟ve requested?” Richard shook his head and laughed. “My, my, you‟re a mercenary little bitch, aren‟t you?” “Well, a girl‟s gotta do what a girl‟s—well, you know what I mean.” “I‟ll get you some dinner and reading material first. Those are the easiest things on your list to procure.” “I like romance novels, any kind.” His eyes shifted to another monitor. “Considering the life you led with your ex-husband, I can understand why.” Pain shot through her system and Carly knew she wouldn‟t be able to hold off the change much longer. “Borrow a TV from somewhere and get it in here, now. In a few minutes I won‟t be able to read a book.” “Ah, that‟s what the television was for. I wondered.” He looked at her and grinned. It was as though he couldn‟t contain his excitement. “Are you going to hide?” “Not if you make good on your promise and bring a TV in here.” “I‟ll do you one better.” He stood and crossed the room to her door and opened it. “Follow me.” Richard led her back the way he came, to the other side of the large room. Carly glanced around, trying to see if there were others imprisoned here. She saw no one. No one occupied rooms here except for Robert and herself. Opening a door on the opposite side of the area where they 186

Tianna Xander originally kept her, he ushered her into a very nicely furnished room. She glanced around, taking in the recliner in front of a big screen TV, the king-sized bed, small table and private bathroom. She sniffed suspiciously. “This stinks. It smells like Robert in here.” Her eyes grew wide. “You can‟t mean to—” Richard made a tsking sound. “We have a deal, Charlene. I‟m not one to go back on my word.” He grinned. “Well, unless it gives me what I want. You are giving me what I want. I have no intention of leaving you in here with your husband unless you go back on your word.” “Ex-husband,” she said absently as she circled the room. Richard bowed his head in a short nod. “I stand corrected.” Carly couldn‟t help noticing that there was no electronic lock on the door and it didn‟t seem to be made of the same material as the doors to the cells. Maybe she could use that to her advantage. “Where is he going to stay now?” She hoped it was far from her. He shrugged casually. “I‟ll have him put in your old room.” Carly fought the urge to smile. It’s about damn time Robert got himself into a situation he won’t find to his liking. Then she frowned, thinking. Still she didn‟t want him turned into a were either. What might that lunatic do with that kind of power? “Do you plan to—are you going to—” She licked her lips, unable to give voice to the question. Richard leaned closer, his breath fanning her face. Carly fought the urge to lean away. She wished she had the strength to overcome this man and the two burly guards that escorted him everywhere. “Do you really care what happens to him, Ms. McGowan?” Carly swallowed, nodding. “He‟s an animal already, Doctor. Making him a were-being will only drive his madness to the extreme.” 187

Bastien The doctor gave her an oily smile that made her want to rush to take a shower. “Call me Richard, Ms. McGowan.” She cast her gaze around the room, her eyes flying to anything and everything to keep from meeting his gaze. “Richard,” she said, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and exhaled, hating that she had to put up this pretense to keep these people off guard. “The man is barely human as it is. If you do this to him, he may lose what little he has left of his humanity.” “This would be a bad thing, how?” he said with a chuckle. “Don‟t tell me you care that much about him.” She saw the disbelief wash over his face and shook her head. “Of course not.” She fought the urge to snort. “I care that much about the perfect strangers he‟ll hurt if you do this.” “You have nothing to worry about, Ms. McGowan. He‟s never going to leave this place.” So what else is new? You aren’t going to let me go when you’re done with me either. Don’t you think I know that? Carly had to concede the fact that Robert most likely wasn‟t aware of this new turn of events. What she would give to be a fly on the wall…

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Chapter Twenty e‟ll live and he‟ll like it, Aunt Elena,” Bastien said when she stepped into his arms and rested her head against his shoulder. “What‟s to stop him from trying again? I don‟t think my heart can stand another scare like that.” “We‟ve taken all of the sharp objects from the place.” He looked around with a frown. “We‟ve taken all of the metal utensils and replaced them with plastic so he can‟t try to stab himself with a fork or butter knife.” Stepping back, he ran a hand through his hair and looked around the room for anything they may have missed. “We‟ve even removed just about everything he could use to hang himself with. The cords we left have been stapled to the floor every four inches or so. It‟s going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to move them.” “Why did you leave any? Why not take them all?” “He needs the electronics, Aunt Elena. He‟d certainly go mad without them.” If all of those precautions didn‟t deter him from another suicide attempt, nothing would. “Oh, yes. I suppose you have a point.” Bastien took his aunt by the shoulders and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I have to go find Dimitri and the others. Will you be okay?” She nodded, turning to stroll over to her son‟s bedside. She looked back and smiled. “Go find your mate, sweetheart. I‟m

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Bastien almost as anxious to meet her as your grandparents are.” She turned back to Luke, sat down on the chair next to the bed and took his hand. Needing no other encouragement, Bastien turned and raced up the passageway to the study. “Have you found anything?” he asked, striding into the room. They had to catch a break soon. The waiting was interminable and not knowing what happened to his mate was even worse. What if they had given her a lethal dose of something and she lay dying somewhere? The only comfort he could derive from the situation was that she was still alive. Otherwise, he himself would be gone from this earth. Dimitri looked up from the monitor he‟d been studying. “I‟ve found a few references to some of the other facilities, though nothing gives an address.” He slammed his fist down onto the desk and shook his head. “I can‟t seem to make head or tails of most of this stuff.” “Why do you suppose Luke grabbed this in the first place?” It didn‟t make sense. He was working for them. Why did he grab an entire computer before destroying the facility? Had he been planning to blackmail them? If so, his cousin was crazier than he originally thought. Only an idiot worked both ends against the middle with the government. Dimitri shrugged. “Maybe he intended to blackmail them. Or, more likely, he thought it was a way to insure his safety. He probably thought if he had information that could implicate them they wouldn‟t double-cross him.” He released a breath. “I suspect there aren‟t very many people that these guys don‟t double-cross.” “I imagine you‟re right, but that doesn‟t help Carly.” Bastien moved a chair closer so he could watch the screen while Dimitri worked. “It may. I‟ve sent for Charity.” He continued at Bastien‟s curious look. “Another of her brothers is a computer whiz.” 190

Tianna Xander He chuckled. “And that‟s putting it nicely. He was arrested three years ago, when he was fourteen, for hacking into the mainframe at the Pentagon.” He looked back down at the monitor in front of him. “If anyone can get the information we need out of this computer, it‟s him.” Bastien wasn‟t sure what he had expected, but it certainly had not been Charity‟s entire family flying into the airport. He didn‟t care that he had agreed to pay for the flight. There was no cost too high for Carly‟s safety. He just found it strange to be around so many humans who knew what they were. It put him a little on edge. Randy pushed past him, strode up to his sister and gave her a hug. “I‟m glad to see you‟re still okay.” She grinned up at him. “They wouldn‟t dare try to take me with dad and Cameron around.” “Hey!” He reached up and ruffled her hair. “What about me?” “I know they‟d never get me from you either, but you weren‟t there.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Okay, I guess I can let you off the hook.” He looked past her to his father. “Sir.” He reached out, waiting for his father to take his hand in a firm grip. “Son.” A short blonde woman pushed past James senior, put her hands on her hips and scowled. “James Randolf MacDonald Junior, since when do you go off on a mission without telling your mother goodbye?” Randy‟s face turned beet red. Bending down, he gave his mother a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek. “I‟m sorry, ma‟am. It won‟t happen again.” Dimitri coughed behind him, making a noise that sounded suspiciously like mama’s boy. 191

Bastien Randy turned around and glared at him. “What did I tell you, dog boy?” Charity stepped between them, a hand on each of their chests. “Won‟t you two ever stop?” Dimitri grinned and wrapped his arms around his mate. “He takes the bait so easily, darling. How can I resist?” She turned and gave her husband a quelling look. “You can, Dimitri, believe me. It‟s easy if you try.” “He‟d better resist, if he knows what‟s good for him,” Randy snarled. “I‟m sick of his shit.” “Junior, really!” his mother, said looking around them, her face red. “I know I raised you better than that. “You don‟t use that kind of language in a public place.” “Yeah, Junior, listen to your mother,” Dimitri said with a grin. Randy turned. “I‟m gonna—” Charity‟s brother, Nathaniel, stepped forward, handed a blanket-wrapped bundle to Dimitri, then slapped him on the back good-naturedly. “I think you need to hold Bastien a bit before Randy tries to rip your head off.” “That‟s it, hide behind a baby, you piece of shit.” “James Randolf!” “Sorry, ma‟am.” Randy looked cowed. Bastien fought the urge to grin at the sight of a grown man, a trained killer, brought to heel by a woman nearly half his size. Dimitri grinned, then offered the bundle to Bastien. “Would you like to hold him?” Bastien stared at the baby, wondering what his and Carly‟s children would look like if they ever got the chance to have them. He could only hope. He shook his head. “I‟d love to, Dimitri. However, I‟m a bit preoccupied and nothing should be on my mind other than the child. I‟m afraid I can‟t do that right now.” 192

Tianna Xander “Yes, of course,” Dimitri said, quickly handing the baby to Charity. “We should get back to Luke‟s and that computer.” “Yes, we should.” Bastien nodded. “We have no idea how long it‟s going to take to retrieve the information on that disc or even if it can be retrieved.” Another of Charity‟s brothers stepped forward, offering his hand. “I‟m Andrew, the ex-con of the bunch. Please, call me Drew.” Grinning, he winked at two women who walked past them, smiling. “Hello, ladies.” His mother slapped his arm. “Now is not the time for flirting, young man.” His face reddened. “Yes, ma‟am.” He shook his head. “I mean no, ma‟am.” He turned to Dimitri as if looking for help. “Don‟t look at me. You got yourself into that mess. Get yourself out of it.” He picked up a bag. “Shall we go?” The others nodded their agreement. Each of them picked up their bags and followed Bastien from the airport. “What kind of information are we looking for?” Drew asked, reaching into the bag of chips he had stored next to the monitor. “Names, locations, anything we can use to find out where they are hiding their prisoners,” Dimitri said as he handed the young man a glass. “Thanks.” Drew took a long swallow, then set the glass down next to the half-empty bag of chips. “There are a lot of encrypted files.” His fingers flew across the keyboard. “I‟m isolating them to make it easier to pick them out of the crowd. I figure these are the ones that are going to give us the info we want.” He squinted at the screen. “My guess is, your guy couldn‟t hack them so he only used the information they wanted you to see.” “Or he was told to feed us that rot.” 193

Bastien “You could be right. I forgot about him working for the other side.” He shook his head. “Man that just straight sucks ass. If you can‟t trust your own family, who can you trust?” He turned to Bastien. “Did you say this equipment was made by your company?” “Yes, the entire system was,” Bastien answered, unsure where he was going with this new line of questioning. “Why?” “Weeeell…” He paused to study Bastien for a moment. “Don‟t take this the wrong way, I have to ask. It has been my experience that most companies leave themselves a backdoor on a system. A sort of master key they build into the computer so they can access information if they want.” “Not my company. That would be dishonest. Once a computer is sold, it belongs entirely to the individual or organization that purchased it.” Drew‟s shoulders slumped. “Well, it was an idea.” He flicked a gaze to the screen. “I can do this. It‟s just going to take a while.” **** “Is there anything else you want?” Richard asked as he took the camera from the bathroom. It was a good faith gesture on his part. Or, so he said anyway. He had to know Carly was close to changing. Beads of sweat formed on her upper lip as she continued to hold the change at bay. Her insides felt like someone took a white-hot branding iron to them. Her skin itched where the hair would soon start to grow on her body. The tips of her fingers and her gums ached with the need to lengthen her nails and teeth. She was losing the battle fast and she knew it. “Is there anything else you want?” he asked again. She shook her head. “Get out,” she said through her 194

Tianna Xander clenched teeth. Richard bristled. “Listen here, Ms. McGowan, I‟ve done nearly everything you‟ve asked. That is no way to gain my trust or goodwill.” Carly turned toward him, her pupils growing larger, her eyes taking on a strange red, predatory glow. “I said get out. I can‟t control it any longer.” The last came out on a growl. His eyes widened and understanding dawned at the sight of her lengthening canines. “Oh, yes, right.” He turned and hurried from the room. Carly refused to undress. She would let him watch her change, however she would be damned if she was going to let the jerk see her naked. Lying down on the bed, she curled into a ball and tried to remember what Bastien taught her about changing the last time. He said something like, Reach out and embrace the change. Fighting it only makes it hurt more and last longer. Picture your humanity. Carly took a deep breath and tried to ignore the inferno in her stomach as though lava poured through her veins, incinerating her from the inside out. She reached for the animal she felt gathering strength within her. Feeding it her energy, she pictured the she-wolf in her mind. Her nails and teeth burst out. Hair grew on her arms, legs and face. She howled in triumph that she forced the change so quickly. The fire was already receding, giving her a muchneeded respite from the burning pain. She lay on the bed, panting, and glared up at the camera in the corner of the room. Now that she had kept her side of the bargain and changed for him, Richard had better not go back on his part. Looking through the window, she winced inwardly at his smile of triumph. God help anyone Richard decided to use the serum on next.

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Chapter Twenty-One ‟ve got it!” The shout of triumph brought Bastien from his dark thoughts. He stood up quickly and rushed to Drew‟s side. “You‟ve got what?” Drew reached over to the printer, which was still quickly spitting out pages and waved a handful of paper in his face. “This. These pages represent the fruits of my labor. These are the personnel records for Walker-Wright Laboratories.” “That‟s a local company! The bastards are hiding right in plain sight.” Randy, Cameron and Dimitri walked in. “Isn‟t that the best way to hide?” Cameron asked. “I can‟t tell you how many times I‟ve had people walk right by me or step over me even. They never expect you to hide right where they can see you. Think about it. Would you have suspected them otherwise? Like certain terrorist organizations that once owned stock in major corporations. They were legitimate for the most part, to stay above suspicion.” The others nodded their agreement. “Does it give a list of their holdings?” Randy asked. Drew made a face. “If you wouldn‟t have just barged in here and interrupted our conversation, you‟d know.” “Watch it, dweeb. They train us to eat little pieces of shit like you for breakfast.” “You guys eat shit for breakfast?” Drew asked, deadpan.

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Tianna Xander Randy lunged for him, only to have Cameron block him. “Let me at him, damn it!” “Leave the kid alone, Randy, and lighten up for Christ‟s sake.” Randy glowered at his brother. “One of these days someone is going to beat the shit out of you, boy.” “Why, so you can eat it?” Drew yelped and jumped out of the way as Randy lunged for him again, dragging Cameron behind him. “Come on, you two. Cut the crap already,” Bastien snarled, looking between the three of them. “I‟d like to get my family back.” “The man‟s right, Randy, back off,” Cameron said, still holding his brother. “Drew, get your ass back to what you were doing and keep the smartass comments to yourself.” Drew hurried back to the desk and looked over the pages that had finally stopped printing. “They have several locations here in Michigan and one near Chicago,” he looked up. “We‟d better keep a closer eye on Charity and the baby when they visit from now on.” He glanced back down at the sheets. “They have several more here in the States and at least fifteen other holdings overseas that aren‟t listed as laboratories.” “Where are the closest ones?” Dimitri asked, leaning over Drew‟s shoulder to get a look at the list. “This one here in Detroit and this one in Walker,” he said, letting his finger wander down the page. “There‟s also this one just outside Cleveland. There is a couple more, though I think you blew one up already. The one you visited the other night is listed as a storage bunker.” “We still have to investigate that one. I say we take another stab at it. I don‟t think they‟ll be expecting us this time now that their informant is incommunicado,” Randy said, looking at his brother. “You game, Cam?” 197

Bastien “I‟m always game. I‟m just glad we could help. It‟s great to be able to practice our moves while on leave. I don‟t know about you.” Cameron paused and gave his twin a shove. “But it keeps me from getting rusty.” Randy snorted. “I don‟t get rusty. I get better.” “Yeah, whatever you say, big brother.” Randy slugged him on the arm. “Watch it. I‟m older than you by what, five minutes?” Cameron shrugged. “You‟re still older.” Bastien shook his head, resisting the urge to rub his temples. “Do you guys ever stop bickering?” “Well, yeah,” They said in unison. “When someone dies.” Great. That was wonderful news. Bastien appreciated the help, however these guys were driving him nuts. It was hard enough to keep going without all of their damned distractions. “If we‟re headed back to that storage bunker, we need to have a plan. We cannot leave the women unprotected. They took our men out too easily last time.” “You care about our mother and sister?” Bastien shot them a glance. “Of course I care what happens to them. The protection of our women comes first. It always comes first. I just wish I would have known about Luke‟s duplicity before. If I had, Carly wouldn‟t be in their hands now.” Dimitri put his hand on Bastien‟s shoulder. “It‟s not your fault, old friend, stop blaming yourself.” Bastien turned on him. “Who should I blame then, Dimitri, you?” He pointed at Randy. “Him?” He turned to Cameron and Drew. “Them?” He shook his head. “No. It was my right, my responsibility to keep my mate safe and I failed. I put the lives of my father and my sister on the same level as my mate and left her here to defend herself.” “You did no such thing. You left guards here to protect her. 198

Tianna Xander If you want to blame someone, blame that piece of shit cousin of yours.” “I left weak guards. I never should have left her. I should have stayed and protected her with my life.” “So you could both be dead?” Dimitri snarled. “You know as well as I do that the others died because we had a traitor in our midst, not because any one of us failed to do their duty. If you had stayed behind, they would have killed you, not knowing of your bond, and you would both be dead to us now. At least we know she is still alive.” Bastien bowed his head, looking at his feet. A part of him wanted to believe that. A part of him wanted someone to convince him there was nothing he could have done. **** Carly stood up and shook herself from her clothes. She prowled around the room, investigating. Robert had not occupied the room long. He couldn‟t have. His things aren’t even in here. Wandering over to the bathroom, Carly wondered how long it would be before she could take a shower this time. If things went the way they had the last couple of times she changed, she wouldn‟t have to worry about it. She would be back to herself in no time. She continued to walk around the room, sniffing the air. Maybe she could figure out a way to find Natalia and Malcolm. After meandering back into the main area, Carly spun around when someone knocked on the door. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she hadn‟t seen anyone approach the door through the glass partition. Get a grip, Carly. You have to learn to be more observant or you’ll never get out of this place alive. She worried about Bastien, wondered if he‟d gotten hurt, or worse, trying to get her out 199

Bastien of here. If he even knew were here was. She sighed. The door opened slowly and Richard walked in, flanked by two guards armed with tranquilizer guns. Her eyes widened when Robert entered behind them. Carly glared at her ex-husband and snarled. This is one time that bastard won’t get the upper hand. She didn‟t doubt for a second that Richard would have his men turn the guns on Robert if he tried to kill the doctor‟s new star test subject. Baring her teeth, she lowered her head and moved toward Robert, stalking him, although the instinct to stalk surprised her. Robert looked from her to Richard. “What the hell is this?” he asked, turning back to stare at her. “You said I was going to see Charlene. I see a bitch in here,” he said, laughing, “but I don‟t see the one you promised.” Richard and his guards sidestepped just as Carly lunged at Robert. She sank her teeth into his calf and shook her head ruthlessly. Robert screamed. “Don‟t just stand there. Help me before this thing eats me!” Inwardly, Carly winced as the taste of his blood hit her tongue. She may be in wolf form, yet she still had her human instincts as well. The thought of ingesting his blood disgusted her. Still some unknown, wild part of her enjoyed it. He tried to pull away. That only made things worse. It tore the wound and caused him more pain. She reveled in the fear she saw in his eyes when he realized the other two men weren‟t going to help him. “What the fuck, man? Are you going to let this mutt kill me?” Carly released him and turned her attention toward his groin. When Robert noticed the direction of her gaze, he screamed again and ran through the door, slamming it shut behind him. 200

Tianna Xander “Were you having fun?” Richard asked, chuckling. “I‟ll bet you‟ve waited years to get the upper hand with that bastard. Haven‟t you?” Carly had to admit that it was rather freeing to know that she had been the one to cause Robert pain. She couldn‟t answer, of course, so she just stared at him for a moment, then walked over to the bed, jumped up on it, circled once and lay down. She hoped Richard didn‟t expect her to answer, if he did, he was crazier than she knew Robert was, although she‟d suspected that from the beginning. Closing her eyes, Carly tried to relax. All of the activity over the last couple of days exhausted her and she needed a nap. They couldn‟t begrudge her that, could they? When she woke up and turned back into a human again, she was going to hit them up for information about Malcolm and Natalia. She knew they were around here somewhere. Even though she hadn‟t seen either of them, she could feel them. Her stomach grumbled. She would also hit them up for something to eat. She was starving. Reaching out with her mind, she tried to speak with them. Malcolm? Natalia? Can you hear me? She waited, hoping for an answer. Please answer, it’s Carly. Still, she heard nothing. Were they unconscious? Carly hoped so. The alternative was out of the question. Unthinkable. They couldn‟t be dead. **** “I think our best bet for a hidden laboratory close by is the holding listed as the storage bunker. If we get that one out of the way and destroy it, it will leave them one less place to hide.” “You‟re right, Dimitri. I think we should start with that one, too. They‟re bound to think we‟ve written that place off 201

Bastien as nothing more than a trap,” Cameron said thoughtfully. “What if they were there all along? They could have had the bulk of their men split between the facility and raiding this place.” “That‟s quite possible. Luke would have kept them informed of our plans and they wouldn‟t have needed to spread themselves over several facilities.” “You could be right, Merrick,” Bastien said. “What we need now is a plan to get back into the facility and keep the women safe at the same time.” “What about a hotel?” Drew said. “The ladies, Dad, Nathaniel and I could all stay in a hotel. We shouldn‟t even need extra guards if we stay in something expensive. They usually have pretty good security and no one would need to know where we are.” Randy nodded. “Okay, that should work. Don‟t even tell us where you are. If we don‟t know, a traitor can‟t leak the information to our enemies and use the rest of you against us. That would leave us free to concentrate solely on the mission.” Bastien nodded. “You know, that could work. I wish we had thought of that. If we had, Carly wouldn‟t be in their hands now.” “Yeah, but before you didn‟t know Luke was a traitor either. If we take out the possibility of someone leaking the location of our women out of the mix, we‟ll have a pretty airtight plan once we come up with one.” “We have one already, Randy. You approved of it, remember?” “You want to stick with the original plan?” Bastien nodded. “It‟s a perfect strategy. Besides, they‟d never expect us to use it again.” “Anyone want to enlighten me?” Cameron asked, crossing his arms. 202

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Chapter Twenty-Two ix hours later, after briefing Cameron, they sent the others to get themselves settled in the hotel of their choice. The rest gathered near the targeted area for a debriefing before they hit the compound. “Everyone knows what to do now, correct?” Cameron asked, looking out over the assembled weres. His gaze met the determined eyes of a group of well-trained men. “I‟m amazed at how good you men are. I almost feel like I‟m going in with another group of Rangers. Well, a group of telepathic Rangers with supernatural powers.” He grinned and shook his head. “I‟d better not think on that too much or I might have to see a shrink when I get back to work.” The group before him laughed and Randy clapped him on the shoulder. “You wouldn‟t dare go see a shrink. They‟d have you committed so fast your head would spin.” “Yeah, well, it sounds good in theory.” Cameron looked out over the rest of the gathered men. “Are we ready?” At their combined nods, he turned to his brother and handed him a pair of Night Vision Goggles. “Here‟s your NVG. I know they don‟t need them, but we certainly do.” After donning the glasses, the two men hugged each other. “Take care, brother,” Randy said with a grunt as Cameron squeezed him. “Don‟t go and get yourself killed. I don‟t know what I‟d do if I didn‟t have your rank ass around to harass, so keep your

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Bastien head and your ass down.” Cameron turned to the rest of the group. “Okay, let‟s do this. We want to take them by surprise. This is a pre-emptive strike to catch them off guard and take advantage of them.” “Move out. Everyone keep your squad near. Don‟t get distracted and keep your eyes on the zone of fire.” They moved in slowly, each squad covering the next as they moved through the thick brush. Bastien pointed to a camera mounted on a post fifty or so feet in front of them. “They remounted the camera. Why bother to repair it so fast? Or, more to the point, why have such sophisticated surveillance equipment here at all if this is nothing more than a storage facility?” “Yeah, right, and if you believe that I have some of that prime farmland for sale in south central Florida,” Randy said with a snort. A burst of static came through the radio and Bastien winced. Reaching down, he turned down the volume on his headset and waited for the message to come. Three clicks, followed by two, then three more, meant three guards hiding in the brush to the east. Randy pointed to his eyes and pointed in the same direction the radio warned them to watch. He held up two fingers. He had only seen two of them. Raising his rifle, he fired off two quick successive shots, then grinned, holding up one finger. “Two down one to go,” he whispered when Bastien crawled up next to him. “I hope to God this isn‟t sanctioned by the Army. I‟d hate it if we were taking out friends of mine.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I just have to keep telling myself that if given half a chance, these men would steal my nephew in a second.” He turned tortured eyes on Bastien. “I have to protect him. He certainly can‟t protect himself.” 204

Tianna Xander “Welcome to our world, Randy. This is how we live every day of our lives. Kill or be killed. Kill or be discovered and hauled away to some secret government lab to be dissected like a rat.” “That‟s not what it‟s supposed to be about, man. We‟re trained to protect those who can‟t protect themselves. That‟s the way I was trained, at any rate, and I live my life by that creed.” Randy clamped his mouth shut when a rustle came from the cluster of bushes in front of them. The last guard was ready to run. A soft breeze came from that direction, carrying the man‟s scent to their hiding place. Bastien smelled the guard‟s fear and the pungent ammonia-like smell of urine. The man‟s heart beat erratically in his chest as he stood and tried to stagger from the brush. Randy lifted his rifle. Bastien laid his hand across the barrel and shook his head. Soon, the sound of gasping came their way as the man fell to the ground, clutching his chest in the midst of a massive heart attack. “If we ever doubted those men should die, I guess that was our answer,” Bastien said, looking up at the night sky. “Heavenly intervention?” Randy asked. Bastien shrugged. “It was some kind of intervention, whether it was heavenly or otherwise, only that poor soul knows right now.” They moved on the facility. Each of the teams quickly took out the guards and cameras with the help of the others, using nothing more to communicate than the clicks on the radios. The reinforced steel door stood solid before them, the heavy lock mocking the group of men and weres. “At least one of these guards has to have a key to get into this place.” “One step ahead of you, bro,” Cameron said as he strode through the trees, holding a key card. He swiped the card in 205

Bastien the reader next to the door and the lock clicked before the door popped open. Two of the groups followed the lights that led down the long corridor to a large cargo elevator. “This is where we‟re going to be our most vulnerable,” Dimitri said, looking around. “Cam, do you see an access tube of some sort? There has to be an alternate means of entry.” Cameron shook his head. “Not in here there isn‟t.” Clipping his gun to his Kevlar vest, he squeezed the button on his radio. “Alexander.” He looked up, his eyes meeting Bastien‟s. “That is the big tall guy‟s name isn‟t it?” He continued at his nod. “Alex, take two of the teams and search for something resembling a ventilation system. There has to be an alternate route out of this place. When you find it, leave a team to guard it and get your ass down the shaft to back us up.” “Roger that.” “Well, either we‟re going in or we‟re going to just stand here, shaking in our boots like a bunch of little girls. What‟s it going to be?” Randy asked. Bastien reached out, pressed the car call button and gave them all a grim smile. “We‟re going in, of course. Let‟s just hope this isn‟t a trap.” “My money is on most of the guards pulling duty outside the facility so they could keep most of them in the dark about what‟s been going on inside.” Dimitri jerked his thumb behind him. “Those weren‟t highly trained men out there. That kind of grunt is a dime-a-dozen. The kind you wouldn‟t want to have to get a security clearance on because he‟s all brawn and no brain.” The elevator doors opened as the others nodded their agreement. “So, this is either extremely good news or extremely bad,” Randy said as they stepped into the elevator. “Why do you say that?” 206

Tianna Xander “I know where he‟s going,” Cameron said as they all stepped into the elevator. “The bad news would be that all of their good soldiers are on the inside.” Randy held the door open button while he looked around the cubicle. He pointed up at the access panel in the ceiling. “Open that. Bastien, Cam, Merrick, Dimitri and you other three climb up there and keep your mouths shut. We‟re going to go in hot and we don‟t need you guys to be targets as soon as the doors open.” Bastien waited for the men to climb through the hole and watched from above as he studied the panel, trying to figure out which of the five underground levels to visit. Randy shrugged, pushed the button for the first lower level and stepped to the side to make a smaller target. “Get up against the wall, damn it,” he growled at the other three men. “Do you all want to be shot?” The doors opened with a chime. The men stood pressed against the walls of the elevator, waiting for an attack and heard nothing. “Maybe they‟ve all gone, like the first time,” Dimitri said in a loud whisper. “I‟m coming down.” Bastien stuck his head through the door while Dimitri gathered his things. “Where is everyone? Man, I hate it when they run like scared rabbits when I‟m itching for a fight.” He slammed his fist into his hand. “Damn it! I wanted to kill someone tonight.” “,Me too,” Cameron said, dropping down behind him. “Hey, let‟s get out of this damn oversized casket and search the perimeter. There has to be something here.” They took a few minutes to search the level, leaving a man to hold the elevator doors open. If they were going to get unwanted company, it wasn‟t coming from the elevator. Bastien looked at his friends, then glanced over at the two human men. They were a surprise. 207

Bastien “Why are you guys helping us, really?” he asked, looking over at Cameron. “Is it really because of your sister?” He nodded. “Of course. We‟re doing this for Charity, my nephew and any other children they may have. Look, it doesn‟t matter what Dimitri is. He makes our sister happy and that‟s all that matters to us.” “How did you find out about him?” Bastien knew Dimitri would never have just walked up to her family and announced, By the way, I’m a werewolf. “He was very badly injured in a car accident and Charity was taking care of him. We wanted to take him to the hospital, but she kept refusing. She wouldn‟t even tell the police he was in the car when it happened. Finally, we decided to take matters into our own hands and take him whether she liked it or not.” He shook his head, obviously remembering the details quite vividly as he smiled. “She pulled a gun on us. Do you believe it? She pulled a gun on her own brothers.” He chuckled. “I didn‟t think she had it in her. Anyway, she told us why he couldn‟t go to the hospital and he woke up barely long enough to confirm it.” “And you believed them?” He shrugged. “Why else would my baby sister not take her beloved Dimitri to the hospital? It‟s easy for all of us to see how much she loves him. It‟s in her eyes when she looks at him, talks about him, everything. It‟s kind of sickening. I hope I never get that sappy over someone.” He rested his hands on the butt of his rifle. Bastien chuckled. “You will one day and you‟ll wonder how you ever lived without her.” “Yeah, maybe.” He turned to call to his brother, “This level is clear. It looks like nothing save for the laboratory. All of the chickens have flown the coop.” He turned to Bastien. “Any souvenirs you‟d like to take with you?” Bastien nodded to a few of the men. “You three stay here 208

Tianna Xander and find that serum. If you can‟t find it, try to find a way to the next level.” He indicated Dimitri, the twins and several other men. “We‟re going to work our way down. If you can‟t find a way up, stand guard here at the elevator and we‟ll stop for you on our way back up.” They nodded, accepting their orders without question. “Yes, sir,” they said in unison. Bastien and Cameron stepped into the elevator. “Going down,” Cameron said as they met his brother just outside the doors. “Didn‟t find anything?” “Just the laboratory stuff.” Randy made a face. “Why do these scientists always insist on growing nasty shit in Petridishes and test tubes?” He stepped into the elevator, then turned to face the front. “Everyone get into position. That means you guys climb back up through the service panel and await instructions.” Cameron stepped up to him. “Bullshit on that. I am not climbing back up there and hiding like some little baby while you take all of the chances. That wouldn‟t fly on the job and it‟s not going to fly here.” “Whatever.” Randy pushed the button for the fourth level. “Get ready to take on fire.” “Shit, you can feel it?” Cameron asked, gritting his teeth as he got down on the floor. “This is why I didn‟t want to go through that damned panel. I hate getting on my knees. I‟m too old for this shit.” “Yes, I can feel it. There is going to be resistance on this next floor. Get against the wall or get on the floor. Now!” The sound of gunfire greeted them when the door opened. Tranquilizer darts flew into the elevator and hit against the wall, sounding like little pebbles raining against the metal sides. Apparently, they just assumed the men were standing in 209

Bastien the center of the elevator and they shot right past them all except one. One man went down, landing on Bastien. Bastien grunted and shoved the man off him, aiming his rifle at the nervous guards who were now attempting to reload their tranquilizer guns. “Drop them or die,” Bastien snarled at them. The men dropped the guns and the darts immediately. Raising their hands, they all begged for their lives. Randy pulled some long zip ties from a bag and handed them to Merrick. “Secure these assholes.” He glared at the men who stood trembling before them. “Where‟s the woman?” “Which one?” one of the men blurted. “All of them,” Bastien said, pointing his rifle at the man‟s head. “One is about five-nine, auburn hair and green eyes. The other is five-eleven, black hair and brown eyes. Then there is the woman called Cassandra. She used to be a part of this madness.” “Until she came to her senses,” Dimitri said under his breath. “The—the next level down, sir,” one of the men stammered. “That‟s where you‟ll find the Doctor and the auburn-haired girl.” He looked down the hall. “The other woman and the wolf are down that way.” Bastien turned to Merrick. “Secure the area and get my sister and father out of those cells and release anyone else you find in there as well. No one deserves this hell.” “Bastien!” Natalia‟s voice rang out in the hallway. “You came for us.” She turned to Malcolm. “You see, Father, I told you he would come for us.” She made a face and winced. It was obvious that her bruises caused her pain. Someone had beaten her, badly. Bastien clenched his teeth. That someone would die tonight. “That animal has kept us drugged for most of the time 210

Tianna Xander we‟ve been here. I think I heard Carly calling to me this morning. My brain was so fuzzy I couldn‟t answer her back. I hope she‟s okay,” she said as she hugged Bastien. He gave her a quick squeeze, being careful not to hurt her, then turned toward Merrick and his men. “You four stay here and guard my sister and father. We‟re going to head down to the next level and find Carly.” He turned to Randy, Cameron and Dimitri. “Well, that just leaves the four of us. Are you up for it?” Cameron nodded, staring at Natalia. “Oh, yeah, man. After seeing what they‟ve done to your sister, I want myself a highvalue target.”

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Chapter Twenty-Three arly woke from her nap and watched through the glass as everyone bustled about, grabbing personal items and doing something to the computers. What the hell? Soon, the people scurried from view, filing out of the area like rats from a sinking ship. She slipped from the bed and trotted up to the glass. Where did they all go? Hope dawned. Maybe Bastien was here with his people to rescue her. That’s why everyone is scurrying out of here like roaches and someone turned on the light. Carly pressed her nose against the glass, waiting for him to appear. Seeing a movement from the corner of her eye, she turned and stared at the ten men who came in through the same door the others had just scurried through. The men were dressed in dark green uniforms. Were they Army? Would the government really sanction an operation such as this? The soldiers turned the desks over, hiding behind them as they pointed their guns toward the elevator. Carly closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle. If those men opened fire as soon as the elevator doors opened, the soldiers would riddle whoever was inside with bullets. As much as she wanted to leave this place, she wanted to keep Bastien unharmed more. She watched for the light above the doors to indicate it was about to open and held her breath. He was in there. She could 212

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Tianna Xander feel it. Bastien, it’s a trap! She screamed through their mental link, hoping he would hear her. It is good to hear you, baby. I was afraid I would never find you again. Tears filled her eyes. I’ve missed you so much, Bastien. A few months ago, she never would have believed she could feel this way about another man. Yet Bastien had wormed his way into her heart somehow. Was it his easy smile, his gentle touch or the way he looked at her with such hunger? Sometimes, when he didn‟t realize she was looking, she caught him staring at her as if no one else would ever do for him. No one else will ever do, baby. Carly savored the sound of Bastien‟s voice as it traveled through her mind, feeling as if he was in the room with her, as if she could actually hear it. She cringed as the sound of the elevator chime rang through the lab when it reached the bottom floor. The double doors slid open and the men unloaded their weapons on the empty elevator. “What the hell?” The muffled voices carried through the heavy steel door. Thanks to her new gifts, she could hear what they said. “Where the hell are they? Get down on the floor, baby. Not stopping to ask why, Carly dove under the coffee table, stood up underneath it and tipped it over onto its side, hiding behind it as a barrage of gunfire came from the elevator. Cries of surprise and pain carried through the door as it opened a crack. The gunfire had destroyed the electronic lock. She could escape if those men weren‟t out there, waiting for a target, or a bargaining chip. Carly refused to be either. The door to my…cell is open. I’m afraid to budge. It sounds like they’re hankering for a target. Stay where you are. I will come to you. I don’t know how you’re going to do that with all of these men in 213

Bastien here just itching to shoot anything that moves. Bastien chuckled into her mind and Carly was amazed at how much that helped to calm her. He must have a great plan if he could laugh at a time like this. Of course. I have a great plan. All of my plans are exemplary. Carly felt like sticking her tongue out at him. He may be her hero, but that didn‟t mean she had to put up with his massive ego. I’m reading your mind, Carly. Then stop it. It’s rude. I don’t recall giving you Carte Blanche to roam around inside my head. She jumped when she heard a sound in the bathroom. Bastien, there’s someone in my bathroom. What if it’s one of those men? “It‟s okay, baby. None of those men are going to touch you.” Carly turned slowly, not knowing if she should believe her ears. She started to go to him. He held his hand out as if to stop her. Bastien, how did you get in here? “Ancient werewolf secret,” he said with a grin. Ancient werewolf secret, my ass, she said, punctuating her comment with a snarl. He chuckled. “That‟s my girl.” Still standing in the bathroom, he peeked around the corner of the door. “They can‟t see me in here. If you get up, they‟ll see you and you may become their next target.” She settled back down behind the table. “How did you manage to overturn the table while in that form?” It wasn’t easy. I can tell you that. I had to lift it from one side, while I stood under it. He grinned at her, his expression filled with pride. “That was a good idea.” He ducked as the sound of more rapid gunfire came from the other room. “The others are attempting to get those men to empty their clips to keep our guys from 214

Tianna Xander getting injured.” Are you killing them all? Carly looked away from his face when she saw the expression in his eyes. Never mind. I think I know. The last thing she needed to hear was that all of those men were going to die. She didn‟t want to think of Bastien as a coldhearted killer. “I‟m not a coldhearted killer, Carly. Those men asked for this. They invited me to come here when they took my family from me. Would you have me stand by and do nothing while they torture and kill you?” **** Bastien didn‟t know how to explain to her that he wasn‟t the killer she thought him. How could he get her to believe he wasn‟t violent when all she‟d seen of him the last few days they‟d been together was the ruthless werewolf who would do anything to protect his mate? He wished she would just search his mind. He took a deep breath, stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorjamb, careful not to let the gun strapped to his back hit the wood and make any noise. His mate was forever seeing the worst in him. Something in her blinded her to the good part of him—the part of him that loved her more than his own life. She only saw the part of him that would kill to protect her. It was that violence, usually buried deep within him, that frightened her. When this was all over, he was going to hunt down her exhusband and beat the shit out of him. The man needed to know what it was like to have someone stronger than he was abuse him. Perhaps then the animal would understand what he‟d been doing to Carly all of these years, though Bastien doubted it. Carly began to pant. She groaned, trying to keep her 215

Bastien thoughts to herself. “What‟s wrong, baby?” He watched, certain he knew what the problem was. Still, he waited for confirmation. He shook his head. This could not have come at a worse time. The coffee table wouldn‟t hide her completely when she was shifting from one form to the other. She would stretch out, needing to lengthen her muscles, and she would be visible, vulnerable— and naked. He put his head down and cursed under his breath. Looking up he met Carly‟s gaze. I’m sorry, Bastien. I can’t stop it. I know, baby. He used the more intimate form of communication so she would know that he wasn‟t angry with her. When a were goes through puberty they cannot control when they change, or how often. It is an unpleasant fact of life for us. While I know you are not going through puberty, your were powers are at that stage. He wanted to go to her, to hold her. How could he comfort her from across the room? Bastien fought the urge to ball up his fist and punch the wall. That would only serve to frighten her and give away their position. Taking a deep breath, he counted to ten, hoping he would be able to release the urge to tear something or someone apart. The beast within him was riding him hard and he wanted a fight more than ever. Carly moaned softly, bringing him from his inner torment, helping him to bring the wolf in him under control. What came over him? Never in his life had he ever lost control. Now tonight, when it was most important to comfort his mate and keep her safe, he was having a difficult time controlling the beast. Why? Release the animal, baby. He deliberately used the endearment, hoping she would grasp the memories of the gentler side of him. Remember it only lasts longer and hurts more if you fight it. Picture your human self. Reach for the change. Embrace it. 216

Tianna Xander Bastien watched as her body lengthened. The hair on her arms, legs and torso disappeared before her paws became hands again. He wondered at the miracle of science that made her his mate in every way, even as he abhorred the way these lunatics had forced it upon her. Would she ever be able to come to terms with what happened? He prayed she would find a way. Carly brought her legs up to her chest and curled up into a ball. Bastien fisted his hands, frustrated at not being able to hold her and comfort her now. He hid his hands behind his back, knowing if she turned and saw them clenched she would fear him. He certainly didn‟t want that. She already feared him enough. The sound of gunshots died down and the tremulous edge of fear began to circulate among the men in the lab. “I‟m out. That was my last clip. You?” “I‟ve been out for a while. I‟ve just been going through the motions, trying to make it look good.” “Jesus!” the first man said. “They‟ll be on us like rabid dogs as soon as they find out we‟re out of ammo.” They’re out. At least a few of them are. Fire a few more shots into the room and see how many shoot back. A short barrage sounded from the elevator, followed by a few sporadic shots in the lab. They still have a few rounds left, but not many. I would say it’s safe to come in and take them out. Try to do it with the least amount of bloodshed. My mate is squeamish about such things. We’ll do our best, however you know Cameron is out for blood, for some reason. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so upset, Dimitri said. He must have relayed the message to the two humans. He peered through the crack in the bathroom door just in time to see Randy take one down with a punch to the face. Dimitri was next, walking right up to a man who had taken on a 217

Bastien fighting stance and snapping his neck like a twig. Bastien nodded his approval. Good, they were doing as he asked. When you’re done, please move the bodies to another location. This is hard enough on Carly without her thinking that we all kill indiscriminately. Understood. Soon, the men had taken care of the lab‟s guard force and had the main area of the level secured. Bastien walked over to where Carly lay behind the small table. She jumped when he touched her, though she didn‟t pull away. He hoped it was a good sign. “It‟s okay, baby,” he said, pulling her into his arms. He buried his face in the crook of her neck when she laid her head on his shoulder. “I‟m going to pick you up and carry you to the bed so I can cover you up while I look for your clothes.” “Not my clothes. They took my clothes,” she said through her chattering teeth. “It doesn‟t matter, baby. I just want something to cover you up so you don‟t catch cold.” “You just don‟t want your friends to see me naked.” It sounded like she tried to laugh, although it sounded more like a strangled sob. “But that‟s okay. I don‟t want them to see me like this either.” “Did they give you anything to wear this time or just the gowns again?” “Just—just the gowns.” She pointed to a dresser. “They‟re in there.” He covered her with the blanket on the bed, then walked over to the dresser and pulled out two gowns. “Let‟s get these on you, baby,” he said, shaking one out as he walked back to the bed. “I‟ve got one already. All you have to do is sit up and put your arms through it.” “I hate these things,” she said, crying. “My butt shows through the back.” “Not this time, darlin‟.” He held up the second gown. “I‟ve 218

Tianna Xander got two of them. We‟ll put one on with the opening in the back and the other on like a robe, with the opening in the front.” He tried to smile, yet knew he failed miserably. “I don‟t like the idea of letting others see your beautiful behind either.” Carly sniffed. “Stop being nice to me or I‟ll turn this lab into a lake,” she said as she slipped her arms into the gown. She turned and Bastien tied the gown together, then shook out the second one, holding it out so she could put it on over the first. He held out his hand, “Shall we go?” She looked at his hand for a minute, then reached out. “I think we should get out of here. I hate this place. I hate everything about it. The way it smells, looks, feels…but I especially hate the way it smells.” She wrinkled her nose. “It smells like Robert in here.” Bastien made a face. “Is that what that stink is? I thought maybe one of their other captives had an accident while in animal form.” She slapped him on the arm. “You‟re just trying to make me laugh.” She looked up at him, fear in her eyes when she realized what she had done. He just grinned at her. “Is it working?” **** She shook her head and bit her lip. What came over her to act like that? Robert would have beaten her senseless for doing the same thing. Then again, they were in a public place… “Then I‟ll have to try harder,” he said, then swung her up in his arms. “I‟ll tell you a secret,” he whispered in her ear, causing little butterflies of desire to wing through her blood. “I‟m not Robert.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Looking down at her feet, he shook his head and said, 219

Bastien “You don‟t have any shoes again. “You‟re going to be expensive when it comes to shoes. I can see that already.” She crossed her arms. “Stop picking on me, you goon. It‟s not fair to pick on me after I‟ve been kidnapped and held against my will.” Her eyes widened. “Did you find Natalia and your father? I hope so. I‟ve been trying to contact them on and off, although I haven‟t been able to reach them.” He nodded. “We‟ve already found them. They were on the second floor we visited in our search for you. Natalia said they‟d been keeping them drugged.” “Oh, then maybe they were unconscious when I tried to contact them. Cassandra is here, too. You know that scientist who tried to help me. We can‟t leave her here either.” He carried her to the door, kicked it open with his foot and took her out into the lab. “We aren‟t leaving anyone here.” Not alive anyway. He turned to Cameron. “Get any and every piece of equipment you can out of this place. I want to know what the hell these people have planned.” Cameron rubbed his hands together and smiled. “I love collecting intelligence it‟s so…enlightening.” He shifted his gaze to Carly. “It‟s nice to finally meet you, ma‟am,” he said as he held out his hand. Carly paused before reaching out to accept it. “It‟s nice to meet you. Thank you for the rescue. I was running out of bargaining chips to keep them from letting Robert have me.” Bastien stiffened. “Robert is here?” “Yes he is and he‟s injured. I bit him,” she said. Immediately her eyes took on a look of terror. “Oh, my God.” She turned to Bastien. “I bit him. Does that mean he‟ll become a—” “No, baby,” Bastien interrupted. “All it means is that he‟ll get a nasty infection if he isn‟t treated.” “Oh, well that‟s a relief.” She grinned. “I really bit him hard. He was bleeding. The coward ran away screaming 220

Tianna Xander when I started eyeing his groin.” Cameron choked, his face turning red. “He ran away when you eyed his groin? Were you in your—in your other form then?” “Yes,” she said with a nod. “He deserved that and much worse, in my opinion.” Bastien took a deep breath. “As much as I hate to agree with a woman on that subject, she‟s right, Cameron. The man is more animal than we are. He abused Carly when they were married.” You didn’t have to tell him that, did you? She turned red, dropping her head, embarrassed. “Hey, now, there‟s no need for you to be embarrassed. It‟s not your fault some men can‟t control their anger. Carly raised her head, fire spitting from her eyes. “I swear to God, if you guys don‟t stop reading my mind, I‟m going to get seriously pissed off.” “Carly,” Bastien whispered. “I told you before, your expressions are easy to read. Cameron isn‟t a were. He couldn‟t read your mind if he wanted to.” The other man agreed with him. “He‟s right. Though I have been trained to read a person. I could tell you were uncomfortable and made the assumption that you were embarrassed.” Mortified was more like it. She turned her head to look at Bastien. “Since when do you enlist the help of humans?” “Since I found out Dimitri‟s in-laws know what he is. This is Dimitri‟s brother-in-law, Cameron MacDonald.” “It‟s nice to be formally introduced, Mr. MacDonald.” “Call me Cameron, ma‟am, Mr. MacDonald is my father.” “He and his brother, Randy, came to help us free you and the others.” Her mouth dropped open and she couldn‟t help staring at him. “Why? Why put yourselves in such danger?” 221

Bastien “Because of our sister, of course, and our nephew, Bastien.” Carly cast a glance toward Bastien, wondering at the name. “You‟re not very trusting, are you?” Bastien said with a shake of his head. “He‟s not my baby. Dimitri named him after me because I saved his life a few years ago.” “Oh.” Well, that was a huge relief, wasn‟t it? At least she didn‟t have to worry about some other woman trying to claim him because she had had his child. She stiffened. Did she? No, baby, you do not. I have no children, Carly. However, I would love to try to make some with you. He grinned at her and winked. With a heavy emphasis on the trying part. Cameron shook his head again. “I hate it when you guys do that. I‟m going to go look for more Intel and more Tangos. Who knows?” Cameron said with a feral grin. “I might get lucky.”

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Chapter Twenty-Four arly watched as Merrick and another tall man, who looked remarkably like Cameron, ushered a thinner Cassandra from another room. She couldn‟t help but think there must be something in the water around here that grew the men so tall. That’s not Cameron. It’s Randy, Cam’s twin brother, Bastien whispered into Carly‟s mind as he nuzzled her shoulder. As they watched, Cassandra looked around, her redrimmed eyes wild as the two men escorted her through the lab. She pulled her left arm from Merrick‟s grasp, then tried to pull free of Randy‟s hold. “No one here is going to hurt you, ma‟am,” Randy‟s deep voice rumbled across the room. He stood straight, like a soldier. His demeanor was that of a man who was used to giving orders and expected everyone to follow them. Cassandra looked up at Carly and their gazes met. “You won‟t let them hurt me?” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I…you know I tried to help you.” She cast her gaze around the room wildly. Then her gaze rested on Carly again. “They wanted to impregnate me. Richard—” she stopped to take a breath. “Richard drugged me. When I was nearly unconscious, he sent a large man with dark hair into my room to have sex with me. He forced himself on me and kept calling me Charlene.” She buried her face in her hands. “I couldn‟t stop him. The drugs kept me awake and I couldn‟t do anything. It was like it was all some strange nightmare.”

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Bastien Cassandra looked up at Randy, her eyes brimming with tears. “Please tell me this is all a horrible nightmare.” She looked back at Carly. “Tell them I tried to help you.” Randy stepped forward, gently took her in his arms and cradled her head against his chest. He glanced over at Merrick. “Look for the big, dark-haired guy. Hold anyone who fits that description for questioning. I want a piece of this guy so bad I can taste it.” Merrick nodded and turned to leave. “Oh, and, Merrick? If you see the good Doctor, please put him out of our misery.” Bending, Randy scooped a still sobbing Cassandra into his arms and carried her to the elevator. “I hope we have an all clear because I‟m taking her out of this hellhole.” Carly looked around cautiously as Bastien carried her from the lab, following Randy. As they rode the elevator to the surface, Carly could actually feel them getting closer to freedom. When they reached the surface, they exited the elevator and noticed the men left on the surface to guard had intercepted a few nightshift employees on their way into work. None of them would look anyone in the eyes except an older woman with graying hair. Carly sensed the others kept their faces averted more from fear than anything else. Carly took a deep breath, breathing in the wonderful scent of moist earth and pine from the surrounding forest. Her new lupine senses allowed her to take pleasure in the mere scent of freedom. The older woman met Carly‟s gaze with compassion. “I‟m glad to see your friends were able to rescue you. I‟ve felt terrible about what they‟ve done to you both.” She turned to observe Cassandra, “I‟m not young enough to be a test subject. Dr. Thornton would have had me killed.” She wrung her hands together. Carly looked between the small group and Bastien. His 224

Tianna Xander eyes practically glowed with a need for vengeance and she felt his need for violence. Did he send Robert in to rape you as well? She stiffened in his arms. Even though she knew the anger simmering inside him wasn‟t directed at her, such strong negative emotions beat at her, frightening her. No, he didn’t. He may have wanted him to, but when they brought him in, I attacked him. Bastien released his breath, obviously relieved. Carly felt the slow rise and fall of his chest as she felt the anger in him recede. I am not angry with you, baby. You need never fear me. I would die before I deliberately hurt you. The older woman watched Bastien as if she could gather a glimmer of hope from his blank expression. “I wouldn‟t blame you if you killed us all. But before you do, please consider that many of us didn‟t know what we were getting into until it was too late.” She turned, indicating the others standing behind her. “At least these people won‟t kill your families.” She turned her watchful gaze back to Bastien. “You won‟t hurt them or their families, will you?” **** Bastien stepped forward to stare deeply into the woman‟s eyes. He reached out with his mind and read her thoughts. Moving to each member of the small group, he scanned each of their thoughts as they waited for his decision. He glanced at Merrick. “Take the three women and the two men over there and arrange for them to have jobs at one of our new laboratories.” He turned and singled out one man in the group. “This gentleman here enjoyed his job more than he would like us to know.” Bastien was glad he still held Carly in his arms. Holding her was the only thing that kept him from ripping the man to 225

Bastien shreds. Something told him that would end any chance he had to make her forever his. “Show him how we deal with threats to our people. See if that changes his mind about his poor alliances.” “No, no, you‟re mistaken,” the man said, his eyes rounded, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Bastien took a moment to savor the scent of his fear and the sound of his galloping heart. “Deal with it, Merrick.” “Yes, sir.” Two of Merrick‟s team moved in and flanked the male lab assistant. Merrick ushered the three women and two remaining men further away from the marked man. Again, Carly stiffened in Bastien‟s arms. “What‟s the matter, darlin‟?” “What if you‟re wrong about the man? You‟ve just sentenced him to death, haven‟t you?” Bastien leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cheek. “If I‟m wrong, the others will sense it. If I‟m right and we let him go, he could be a liability.” “I suppose you‟re right,” Carly said with a short nod. She tilted her head to the side. “What did you mean when you told the others of your new lab? I thought you were in the computer business.” He shrugged. “I am. However, now there is a need for studying this serum they injected you with and I need a lab for that. A few of my corporate attorneys are working on that right now.” He glanced over at the small, frightened group. “I will staff the new lab with the people from those facilities we destroy. If I do that, there will be less of a likelihood of them betraying us.” He turned back to the older woman. “You would help us?” “Yes, if I can.” The creases between her eyes eased and the deep lines that edged her face became less pronounced as she relaxed. “What about the others?” 226

Tianna Xander “They, too, will be taken care of, protected, along with their families if they decide to work for my people.” He looked between them. “Do you have any names, any information that would lead us to who is running this operation?” She shook her head. “No, sir. But there may be some useful information in Dr. Thornton‟s computer terminal.” “Merrick, please take Ms…” “Penelope Van Argen,” she said, holding out her hand. “But please, call me Pete.” “Pete?” She nodded. “I‟ve been Pete since my daddy figured out he‟d never have any sons,” she said, showing him the charming dimple in her right cheek. “Merrick, please take…Pete into the facility and have her show you where the doctor‟s office is. Get his computer, files, anything you deem necessary, and allow the woman to get her records on the serum. Now that you have your instructions, Merrick, we have to get the others to safety.” Bastien didn‟t wait for an answer. He turned and started to carry Carly through the woods, Randy and Cassandra close on his heels. A thoughtful expression crossed Carly‟s face. “You‟ve given this laboratory thing a lot of consideration, haven‟t you?” “Yes, I have. With our power to read a human‟s thoughts, it shouldn‟t be difficult to staff with those left without employment after we destroy a facility.” He had even thought of advertising to get those from the first facility to apply at his labs. It would be easier to track them down, much easier than sifting through hundreds of personnel files. “It‟s a great idea,” Randy added. “With your ability to sift out the bad blood, you could end up with a decent team of scientists to help with your problems.” “What problems?” Cassandra asked, as they reached the 227

Bastien blue minivan that Bastien had borrowed from his corporation‟s fleet of vehicles. “We have been slowly breeding our way to extinction,” Bastien replied as he deposited Carly on the front passenger seat. He reached around her, securing the seatbelt. Cassandra‟s eyes widened. “Your people are facing extinction?” she asked as Randy set her in the van and motioned for her to scoot over behind the driver‟s seat. Bastien stopped to stare at her for a moment. “Our people face extinction, yes. With the serum Dr. Thornton developed, we could, theoretically, end most of our problems.” Cassandra snorted. “That dick didn‟t develop the serum. It was the concerted effort of my team. We were told that a were-being had volunteered to be tested for a project ran by the government.” “Where were the people on your team? Do you think they would cooperate with us or will they remain loyal to Dr. Thornton?” Cassandra made a face. “None of them would remain with him and his project if they had a choice,” she said with a sigh. “Every one of us had been coerced to work in the lab, either by threatening our families or by threatening our lives.” Her eyes filled with tears as Bastien put the car in gear and backed down the long dirt tract. What gives them the right to say my life or the lives of my family are worth so little?” she said, then sobbed quietly into her hands as the van bumped down the narrow dirt road. Cassandra‟s sobs grew increasingly softer as she slipped into a fitful sleep. Her head lolled awkwardly to the side and Bastien watched through the rearview mirror as Randy reached over and gently pulled her against his side, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. Would she adjust to their way of life, or would it drive her mad? Turning his gaze back to the road, he drove them to a 228

Tianna Xander small hotel, hoping to give the traumatized women some semblance of normalcy. “I‟ve only rented two rooms,” Bastien said as he slid back into the driver‟s seat. Carly‟s eyebrows went up into her bangs. Being a bit presumptuous, aren’t you? “I don‟t want to leave either of you alone.” He glanced back through the rearview mirror. “It won‟t take much to find us if you know what to look for. We have planned for such an eventuality and packed some clothes. Carly, would you mind if Cassandra borrowed a few of your things?” Carly shook her head. “No I don‟t mind.” Bastien watched as her cheeks colored and he reached out with his senses, wondering if she was becoming ill. He almost grinned when he realized she was blushing at the thought of sharing a room with him. Her head was filled with thoughts of what they would do once they were alone. “Let‟s get inside. I‟m sure you‟ll both want a shower and a nice meal. The rooms are adjoining, so if there should be any trouble in one, we can escape through the other.” Bastien slid from the driver‟s seat and walked around to lift Carly from the van. Randy stood just outside the van, already holding Cassandra in his arms, waiting for Bastien to lead the way to their rooms. “You don‟t mind sharing a room with me, do you?” he asked softly. “I‟ll sleep on the floor if there is only one bed. You needn‟t worry about that.” Bastien led them to a door. Supporting Carly with just one arm, he pulled the room key from his pocket and handed it to Randy. “There you go. We‟ll all stay here for the night and get some much needed rest.” He glanced at Randy. “You want the first watch or the last?” “I‟ll take the first watch,” Randy said with a smile. “I think 229

Bastien you and your mate have some catching up to do.” Carly‟s face reddened at that remark and Bastien grinned. “Yeah, but I doubt anything exciting is going to happen.” He already sensed Carly‟s determination to stay away from him tonight and Randy‟s smart-mouthed comment hadn‟t helped matters any. Bastien sighed. It was probably for the best anyway. If they spent their time making love, he would never get any sleep and they had a long drive ahead of them tomorrow.

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Chapter Twenty-Five ichard watched from his vehicle, his hands fisted on the steering wheel, as the two couples went into their hotel rooms. Soon his team would arrive, they would take the men down and he would retrieve his test subjects. “Damn those women anyway,” he snarled, staring through the windshield as if his venomous look alone would bore holes in the hotel doors. After his men impregnated the women a few times and he had their hybrid bastards in hand, he would get rid of them all. After all, the women were to blame that all of his well-laid plans went awry. Moreover, it was their fault that he‟d lost two labs in as many weeks, not to mention his serumenhanced soldiers. Glancing over to the passenger side of the car, he asked, “Are you ready to go in and do your duty? I let you live after all.” His eyes flicked lower and he grinned. “Hell, I‟ve even treated your wounds. They‟ve healed amazingly fast.” He knew why, however that little bit of information was going to come as a complete shock to this man. “Yes they have. Thanks to that serum you injected me with,” Robert McGowan said, rubbing his leg, where only the day before there had been torn flesh and tendons. He stared through the mud-spattered window. “You‟re going to make a fortune if the FDA ever allows you to market it.” Richard fought the grin he felt attempting to climb up his

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Bastien face. The FDA would never allow the use of this serum, not that he would ever be stupid enough to tell them about its existence. “Are you still feeling okay? You look a little flushed.” Robert nodded. “Yes, except I have this burning pain in my gut.” He turned, watching Richard closely. “There aren‟t any side-effects, you didn‟t tell me about, are there?” Richard shrugged, turning to look out his window to avoid Robert‟s scrutiny, knowing his eyes would give away his triumph. “Now that you mention it, there is one thing.” “What…what is it?” Sweat beaded on Robert‟s brow as he clutched his stomach in agony. “My stomach feels like I drank acid. What did you do to me?” “Nothing that I haven‟t already done to countless others— including your ex-wife.” Richard shifted in his seat, removed his seatbelt and swung himself out through the open SUV door. “You should be proud to join their ranks. What this discovery will do for our country during the next armed conflict alone should make you proud to be a part of it.” He took a deep breath, puffing his chest out, proud of his accomplishment. No one else was able to accomplish what he had. No one else even came close to a working serum. He was the one who had the foresight, the knowledge to handpick the crew who had ultimately helped him develop it. “Just look at it this way, McGowan, you‟ll be able to get that revenge against Sinclair that you have wanted so badly.” Plus, as a nice little bonus, I’ll get the women back. It wasn‟t a big deal if Robert failed. The others would dispose of his body to keep their kind from being discovered. If he succeeded, Mr. McGowan would be the first of his new group of soldiers already in hand. No matter how he looked at it, it was a winwin situation. He strode around the truck, opened the passenger door and pulled Robert from the vehicle. 232

Tianna Xander The other man fell on the ground in a heap, still clutching his stomach. He raised himself to his hands and knees, retching. His stomach discarded the last meal he‟d eaten as tremors overtook him. Richard slammed the door and hurried back to the driver‟s side. Climbing into the truck, he locked the door and waited for Test Subject Twenty to discover his new abilities.

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Chapter Twenty-Six arly wouldn‟t take no for an answer. She‟d been kidnapped, for crying out loud. Twice! Not to mention turned into a werewolf, then poked, prodded, starved and deprived of her privacy. The least the man could do was leave her alone long enough to take a bath. “I mean it, Bastien. Go get everyone something to eat.” She pointed to the door adjoining the two rooms. “Randy is over there keeping watch and I‟m hungry.” She fisted her hands on her hips. “Do you think I‟ve spent the last few days at an allinclusive resort or something? They didn‟t feed us much. They wanted to keep us weak. We‟re both hungry.” Her stomach picked just the right time to growl its protest, helping to back up her claim for the need of sustenance. “Will you please go?” She glared pointedly at the door to the adjoining room. “Randy is right next door. You did say he‟s Special Forces, didn‟t you?” Bastien nodded. “Yes, but—” “No buts. I want some damn privacy. Is that so much to ask?” She crossed her arms over her chest and pasted a stubborn look on her face. “Please! I need to be alone. Just for a minute.” Her voice rose shrilly, then cracked. After her outburst, Carly buried her face in her hands, mortified that she could be such a baby. Bastien laid a hand on her arm. “You have a reason to be upset. I understand, I really do, it still won‟t convince me to—

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Tianna Xander ” “Get out!” Carly didn‟t even realize she was going to do it until after she had screamed at him. Why couldn‟t he understand her need to be alone, if only for a little while? She needed to sort out everything that happened over the last few days without someone‟s constant presence. “You have to understand. I‟ve been nothing more than a goldfish in a bowl for the last few weeks, first the glass cell, then riding through the wilderness with you and Dimitri, then back to a glass cell. For the last two weeks, my whole life has been on display for you or someone else to watch. Can‟t you see I just need a little time to myself?” Tears streamed down her face as she paced in front of him. She reached up to swipe them away, irritated that she‟d been reduced to tears again. “How many people get to watch me do my most private things, Bastien?” she asked, gesturing toward the Jacuzzi in the corner of the room. “Will I be on display to you or someone else the rest of my life? If so, kill me now because I don‟t want that kind of existence.” Carly shrugged his arm from her shoulder when he would have tried to pull her to him. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I‟m not giving in this time.” She leveled her gaze so he knew she was serious. “Either you leave so I can bathe in private, or I do.” Bastien‟s shoulders slumped with defeat. “Fine.” Carly inhaled sharply, startled that he had really given in. “I mean it. Go get something to eat. I don‟t want you hanging around outside the door, listening to every move I make.” Something flickered in his gaze and she narrowed her eyes. “That‟s what you planned to do, isn‟t it?” she guessed shrewdly. The thought of Bastien sitting just outside the door, listening to every ripple of water as she washed herself, was disconcerting. It made her face heat. She knew if he stayed, they both would end up in the tub together. Right now, she 235

Bastien just wanted a few minutes to gather her thoughts. To examine her feelings without worrying about whether her expressions would give something away or reveal a weakness. Carly frowned. When had she become so paranoid? **** Bastien paced outside their room for several minutes, thinking. He had no intention of leaving Carly without his protection. He paused in front of Randy and Cassandra‟s room and knocked on the door. “I‟m supposed to be going to pick up dinner. I don‟t feel comfortable leaving. There is trouble coming. I can feel it,” he told Randy when he opened the door. “Will you call an order in and have it delivered here?” Randy nodded. His gaze looked past Bastien and into the woods across the street, obviously looking for the threat. “Sure. Did you have something in mind or do you want me to choose?” Bastien looked over his shoulder as a peculiar tingle of awareness shot up his spine. Someone was in the woods watching them. “Get whatever you two want. Carly is in the tub and I didn‟t think to ask her what she wanted. I know she likes pizza with anything except pineapple and anchovies.” He reached into his back pocket. “Use the cash to pay for it when it gets here,” he said, throwing his wallet at Randy. “I have a feeling that we‟re going to have company soon.” Bastien wandered into the woods behind the motel. He caught a familiar but elusive scent on the faint breeze. It smelled like Robert, only it wasn‟t Carly‟s ex-husband. He immediately cut himself off from Carly. The last thing he wanted was to have her merge with him while he made a kill. He‟d been able to refrain so far, leaving most of the 236

Tianna Xander ugliness to the others. It had been difficult to do. It was his job to protect his people, yet he‟d held back to keep his mate comfortable. Jesus. I hope that crazy doctor hasn’t injected him. Robert was enough of an animal already. A man with Carly‟s ex-husband‟s personality would make an exceptionally dangerous were-being. A were who would be difficult to control, not to mention a risk to their species. They were the kind of creatures his people had no choice but to put down like the rabid animals they had become. Bastien found a secluded spot and disrobed. Reaching for his animal half, he embraced his wolf, welcoming the change. This time he would put an end to his mate‟s torment. Robert would never stalk her and never hurt her again. He would make sure of it. His bones shifted and snapped. Muscles contracted, shortened, sizing themselves to fit the wolf‟s more compact body. His face contorted as his muzzle grew to accommodate the long rows of teeth. He fell onto all fours, snarling out his satisfaction of finally facing down Carly‟s tormentor. He would rip his throat out tonight. There was no other option. The wind shifted, carrying a new scent. Another were was near. Was he friend or foe? No matter. Justice would be done tonight. He would fight off all attackers. He would die protecting his mate if necessary. What’s wrong, Bastien? Why have you cut yourself off from me? I can feel your anxiety. He made the effort to calm his mind before answering. I’m just doing a perimeter check of the hotel. There is nothing to worry about, he lied. Why don’t I believe you? Her tone was anxious now. Worried. There is no reason for you to fear, baby. I have everything quite under control. He felt the slight wrenching in her mind that meant the change was coming again. I can feel the change again, Bastien. This is the first time it’s 237

Bastien come so soon. Do you suppose it means anything? Remember what I told you, Carly. Reach for the change. Concentrate on becoming your wolf half. Bastien tried to compartmentalize his thoughts. The last thing he needed was for her to realize he hunted another were right now. He also could not leave her to change on her own. He could help her with it, lessen her pain and speed the process. You’re preoccupied. I can tell. What’s the matter? Nothing. Just my wolf wanting to chase the rabbits I hear scurrying about. He felt her anger, even through the pain she felt during the change. Don’t lie to me, dammit! It’s hard enough to deal with this crap without you lying to me. She tried to pull from their mind link when an especially intense pain wracked her. Bastien forced his way past her newly learned barrier and helped shoulder the pain. They have found us. Oh, my God! Already? He lowered his nose to sniff the ground, searching for a scent. Yes, my love, already. How many of them are there? Bastien lifted his nose, trying to pick up more scents. Where were they? Why were they able to hide their scents from him? He knew there was more than one. He felt it. He occasionally got a whiff of them, although mostly, he felt their presence. I don’t know. Warn Randy and Cassandra. Tell them to prepare to leave if they have to. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself, Bastien. So forget it. You must leave. You and Cassandra are our best hope for the future. He felt more than heard her snort. Maybe so, but we’re bound, remember? If you die, I die. So, I’ll be damned if I’m going to run while you face some horrific death just so you can protect me from the violence. We face it together or we all run. Bastien couldn‟t help the surge of pride he felt for his mate. His newly turned woman was willing to face the danger and 238

Tianna Xander the violence with him, despite her fear and loathing of brutality. He wondered if she would ever cease to amaze him. Most likely not, dog boy, she said with a laugh, using Randy‟s colorful name for Dimitri. Just tell me what to do. I’m kind of new at this. Dog boy? I’m going to kill Randy. She smiled into his mind. I don’t have the slightest idea why you’d want to do that. Does he call you dog boy? No. He calls Dimitri dog boy. She giggled at that. Great minds think alike, eh? Go tell him, Carly. Now, before you change. Stop being so damned stubborn. It’s in my nature, baby. Stop calling me that. You make me feel like some cheap date or something. Bastien relented, but only because her nickname had actually grown on him. He waited for her to tell Randy of the problem. Afterward, Carly left the door to their room ajar, went into the bathroom and removed her clothes. She changed quickly with the next wave of pain. Her body grew muscular, more compact. He felt her reluctance to allow the hair to grow on her face as her muzzle lengthened. Got any depilatories? she asked, half-joking. She sighed with relief as her pain receded and Bastien relaxed, pulling himself from her mind. I hope you were out of the tub when you changed. I’d hate to see the mess you’ve made otherwise. Do you think I’m stupid? I never got into the tub when I felt the change coming. Is that why you wanted me to leave? It’s not as if I have never seen you change before. He shook his head at the strange quirks and idiosyncrasies of his mate. Preoccupied with Carly, Bastien didn‟t realize how close the enemy was until they were upon him. He immediately cut himself off from Carly and shook the smaller, first attacking 239

Bastien wolf from his back like a flea. Two males and one female surrounded him. The wolves were weres. Bastien took a moment to study the female, wondering why they would bring a female into this. He thought Thornton had wanted the bigger bulky males that usually filled his compounds. Bastien snarled at the three attackers. The odds weren‟t good, nevertheless he was confident. Having been a were all of his life, he knew how to fight in this form. The three surrounded him, taking turns lunging at him. When he turned to attack one, another would attack from behind. Randy would never get here in time. A human couldn‟t run fast enough to be of any help. Finally, Bastien attacked the larger of the two males. He lunged, grabbed him by the throat and violently shook his head. The smaller wolves tore at his back, in an attempt to get him to release their companion. Blood poured from the wounds, weakening him. Yet he was still confident that he could take the smaller two wolves down if he could get the larger one to fall. After incapacitating the larger male, he heard the approach of two more wolves coming from the direction of the hotel. A huge black wolf broke through the brush and Bastien knew he could take out this new threat. But the female and the other approaching wolf would finish him off. He scented the air. A grim satisfaction filled him when he recognized the scent. Killing this new larger wolf had just become his main priority. At least he would rid the world of one more rabid animal before he died. I don’t know how you ever survived any battle with that defeatist attitude you have. Finish him off. Bastien ignored the sound of pounding paws through the underbrush and circled Robert. His head lowered, he watched him with an unblinking stare. He looked directly into the new 240

Tianna Xander were‟s eyes and saw nothing. Robert was dead inside, no more than a shell of a man with no other reason to live, except to cause others pain. The she-wolf circled behind him, nipping at his heels, doing a good job of distracting him. Robert lunged for Bastien just as another wolf sailed from the woods behind him and landed on Robert‟s back. Its teeth bit into Robert‟s spine at the base of his scalp. The new, small, she-wolf shook her head, ripping the flesh open, tearing a gaping hole in the back of Robert‟s neck. Take that, you son-of–a-bitch. What the hell are you doing here? Saving your sorry ass, what do you think? We’re bound together, remember? She didn‟t wait for his reply. Well, dammit, you may be ready to die, but I’m not. Carly yelped when Robert threw her off his back and she landed in a patch of brambles. If you take care of him, I’ll take care of your female friend. Bastien and Robert continued to circle. Each of them searching for an opening as Carly turned her attention to the other female. Carly concentrated on using the same mental path Bastien used when talking to others. I don’t know what they’ve told you. There is no cure for this. You’re merely hurting those who can help you. Liar! A small, frightened voice accused. Carly kept her eyes on the female, waiting for her to strike. She didn‟t want to hurt the she-wolf, but she would protect herself and her mate. They need another pure were-being to test their blood together so they can make a cure. Carly snorted. There are no pure were-beings. They’ve nearly bred themselves to extinction. Dr. Thornton has one. He can change forms, even while he’s sedated. He can also wield his magic. They have to keep him in an induced coma or he attempts to escape, I’ve seen him. The two females continued to circle each other, ignoring the battle between the two males. 241

Bastien We can’t change you back, no one can. But Bastien and his people will teach you to live as a were. You can be productive again. Lead a relatively normal life. Carly stopped, startled. She was shocked. When had she begun to realize that? When had she begun to accept what she‟d become? I don’t want to live like this. The pain of the change is overwhelming. I just want to be human again. The pain lessens with every change. I know this. The other female snarled. Don’t lie to me. I’ve been this way for nearly two months. It gets worse. Much worse. No matter how hard I fight, the pain always gets worse. It always wins. I can’t stop it. Carly sensed the other woman was about to attack. She made one last attempt to reach her. I fought it, too, at first, until Bastien taught me there is no way to stop the transformation. You must simply embrace it. When you do, the pain lessens. Please try to live with this before you choose to end your life. And if you’re lying? Carly wanted to sigh with relief. If I’m lying, you can attack my mate and I will oblige you by ripping your throat out. Carly stopped short. Did she mean that? She glanced over at Bastien, who was still lunging and snarling at Robert, and knew she did. She would kill anyone who harmed him, or die trying. She turned her attention back to the other female. Will you try? Yes. I will try. But if you’re lying— I’m not, Carly said simply as she glanced back at her mate. He had a distinct disadvantage. His many wounds made him weaker. Can I trust you to sit this one out? Yes, the other she-wolf said, lying down in a patch of pine needles. I have no real desire to kill anyone. I only wanted to die myself. Carly turned her attention to Robert. Her lips turned up in a small grin. This was going to be great. She waited for an opening and lunged for his hindquarters. Damn! She‟d been 242

Tianna Xander aiming a bit higher, however he moved at the last moment. Still, she took delight in his howl of pain as her teeth sank deep into the soft flesh of his upper thigh. Her attack gave Bastien the opening he needed and he surged forward, aiming for Robert‟s now exposed throat. Blood sprayed in a dark crimson arc as Bastien‟s incisors tore through the wolf‟s main artery. Robert fell to the ground and released his last breath. Carly stared down at the lifeless body, knowing she would never have to fear her ex-husband again. The sense of relief that poured over her was nearly overwhelming. She wanted to sag to the ground in relief. Instead, she looked up and met Bastien‟s gaze. It’s over. Carly led Bastien back to their room. She couldn‟t help the bounce in her step, nor the way her rear swayed back and forth. If he said anything, she‟d blame it on the tail. After all, it wasn‟t as though she‟d grown up a shapeshifter like the rest of them. Maybe it was time that she came to grips with what she had become. They dropped the female, Sherry Moore, at Randy‟s door. He didn‟t seem to mind sharing with another woman. Once Sherry changed back into a human and realized it didn‟t hurt so much if she didn‟t fight it, she seemed eager to sit and talk with Cassandra who apparently had been a co-worker. What was it with that crazy doctor and his obsession with turning people into something they shouldn‟t be? I have a question to ask. She paused outside their door and turned to look at Bastien. Blood dripped from his wounds, even as the skin knitted together in front of her. What do you want to know, baby? He gazed at her with the same chocolate brown eyes she‟d grown to love over the last several weeks.

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Bastien What will your people do with all of the new shifters? She paused, wanting to choose her words carefully. There are at least a dozen more out there if what Sherry said was true and I don’t see why she would bother to lie about it. We will help them adjust. Loup-Tech belongs to everyone. We will help them, train them and give them a way to make a life for themselves. He jumped up on the door Randy left ajar for them. After you, sweetheart. Carly tried not to preen as she walked through the door. She wasn‟t sure what it was about being in this form, but every time he used an endearment, she wanted him more. He looked back and winked. Damn, she had it bad if he could entice her in this form. Don’t upset yourself for reacting to me, Carly. It’s natural. Your wolf wants my wolf. It’s nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. The hell it wasn‟t. It was just plain weird. Bastien pushed the door closed and immediately changed back into a man. She tried not to stare. Damn that was fast. She looked away, determined that he wouldn‟t tempt her with his rippling muscles and jutting cock. She felt herself blush even though she didn‟t think wolves were capable of such a thing. “It‟s not as fast as it will be once I get back into practice.” He smiled and looked over his shoulder at the tub. “I thought you wanted a bath.” He looked down at himself and brushed the blood away from a nasty scratch that was all that was left of their harrowing battle of only an hour before. “I know I want one.” He moved to the tub and bent to turn on the water. I’m not taking a bath with you like this. Just thinking of him the way she was had to be wrong—at least it was wrong as long as she remained in this form. “Think of your human side, Carly. It will seem just out of reach at first, but if you continue to concentrate, you will find it.” 244

Tianna Xander Carly closed her eyes and pictured herself as a human. She could almost feel what it was like to stand upright, to only have two legs instead of four, and she wouldn‟t mind losing the tail. She felt the change upon her sooner than she expected. The hair disappeared from her legs and arms, paws turned back into hands and feet and her face was back to normal. She looked at her hands. Turning them over, she looked at their palms and wriggled her fingers. “This is so weird.” “Just weird?” Bastien stepped up to take her in his arms. “It‟s more than weird, but…I‟m not sure it‟s a bad thing anymore.” He kissed the side of her neck. Heat seeped into her from behind. His chest, pressed against her back, warmed her in the cool room. Steam rose off the tub as it filled and suddenly, Carly couldn‟t think of any place she would rather be than in that tub and in Bastien‟s arms. The tub drew her as chocolate drew children and she stepped down into the large, sunken pool. The water enveloped her. It washed away the residual aches on her legs left from their battle. Basiten stood at the side as though unsure. Carly held out her hand. “I need you in here with me, Bastien. I want to wash the blood from you. I need to know that you are healed.” **** He stepped into the hot water as it swirled around her. “God, you‟re beautiful.” He couldn‟t help but stare at the dusky tips of her breasts. Her nipples hardened beneath his stare and he grinned. “You‟re blushing you know. All over.” Leaning down, he pressed the gentlest of kisses against her mouth. 245

Bastien “This is the way things were meant to be, love,” he whispered against her lips. “Men worship their women. They give them everything they desire and in return—” “The women do the same for their men,” she finished for him as she wrapped one arm around his neck and took his hard cock in her free hand. His hips bucked as she feathered her fingers up and down the steely shaft. Releasing him for a moment, Carly grabbed the body wash and squeezed some into her palm. When she‟d worked up a good lather, she took him between her hands and soaped him up good. Bastien actually felt his eyes cross. “Holy hell, that feels good, Carly.” He took a deep breath. “Hoo! Where did you learn to do that?” he asked as she did something with her fingertips that he‟d have to investigate later. He shook his head. “Never mind. I want us to be the only two people in this room.” He looked down at her as she splashed water over him, rinsing him off. “I like you clean.” She grinned as she went to her knees in front of him. He didn‟t dare dream she was about to…too late. He dared to dream and wasn‟t disappointed. Carly leaned forward and wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock. Bastien‟s knees nearly gave out at the intense sensation of her mouth sucking his cock. Reaching down, he fisted his hands in her hair. He couldn‟t stop himself. He needed the connection with her to keep him sane and to keep him from losing himself and coming into her mouth like a teenage boy during his first sexual encounter. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and bright. He stared into the deep sea green of her gaze and knew he would willingly die to spend a moment in this woman‟s presence. He watched her head bob back and forth as she continued to suck his cock. His eyes crossed when she stuck the tip of her 246

Tianna Xander tongue into the slit on the head and licked the underside of the crown. “You‟re going to kill me, Carly.” She did little more than grin around his shaft when he said that. His knees began to shake when she reached up to grab his sac and squeeze. The familiar tingling wrapped itself around his balls and worked its way through his lower stomach. “I‟m going to come if you keep this up, baby.” His fingers clenched and unclenched in her hair. **** Carly had him just where she wanted him. His fingers clenched in her hair as she lightly scored his sac with her fingernails. He would come soon. She was sure of it. His legs vibrated with tension as he stood before her, submitting to her tender ministrations. She smiled when he groaned. Thick ropes of cum shot from his shaft and she continued to suckle and milk him. Never before had she ever wanted to do this for any man. Something was different with Bastien. She found herself wanting to do things she never thought she would like to do. She wanted to bring him pleasure more than she wanted to breathe at that moment. When he finally slipped from her mouth, she took a moment to savor the flavor. She always assumed it would taste nasty. Not Bastien. He tasted wild, musky and just a bit on the salty side, but never nasty. “I don‟t believe you did that.” Bastien sank to one of the seats and brought her to sit on his lap. “I think you bled me dry, woman. I may not have anything left for you.” Carly grinned as she reached over to grasp his cock that was already on the rise. “I think there‟s a lot more where that came from.” 247

Bastien Bastien stayed her hand on him. “No more. It‟s my turn, now.” He grabbed her wrists and turned her around. Reaching around her, he grabbed the body wash and dumped a liberal amount into his hands. “I think these are dirty and in need of attention,” he said as he lathered her breasts, pulling gently on her distended nipples. “And this.” His hands trailed lower to her stomach, then down to the thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs. “I think this needs special attention.” His fingers delved deep into her slit and circled the bundle of nerves he found there. “What‟s this, you might ask?” He continued to massage her clit as her breathing grew more and more erratic. “I think this is something left there just for me.” Standing, he rinsed her off and picked her up in his arms. “I can‟t do what I want to do next in that tub.” He set her on her feet and grabbed a towel. When they were both relatively dry, he picked her up again and carried her to the bed where he gently placed her in the center of the mattress. “Don‟t move.” Bastien stood looking at her for a moment. Carly was almost ready to cover up with embarrassment when he finally reached out and caressed her leg. “I love how smooth your skin is.” He grabbed an ankle in each hand and moved them apart. Slowly crawling up her body, he kissed every inch of her legs. Her ankles, behind her knees, he left no area untouched. He looked up at her as he reached her groin. “And now that I have reached the prize, it‟s time for a feast.” Bastien lowered his head to her sex and Carly groaned. “Please,” she begged as he circled her clit with his tongue. When he sucked the little bud into his mouth, she screamed, wrapped her legs around his shoulders and grabbed him by the hair. 248

Tianna Xander Her orgasm ripped from the center of her being, just as surely as the scream ripped from her lips. Stars burst behind her eyes as she shot out into the universe for a split second and blew apart. Millions of tiny sparks, pieces of her, rained down on the bed and gathered back together only to repeat the process when she came again. Carly was little more than a quivering ball of flesh when he crawled up her body, a feral grin on his face. “Did you like that?” “You know I did.” She felt herself blush. How many times had she screamed—two…three? Worse yet, how many people heard her scream? She covered her face with her hands. “I‟m never going to live this down.” “Sh…no one heard you, baby.” “How can you be so sure.” “Because they‟re no doubt asking the front desk what happened to the lights.” He thrust into her with a smile. “They all blew out during your first orgasm.” “Oh, God.” What were they going to do without lights? “Yes, dear?” Carly giggled. “You may be a god, but you aren‟t the God.” She gasped when he angled his hips and thrust into her again. “Keep that up and you might convince me otherwise.” Heat flared in her womb as he bent down to lap at her breast. He suckled the tips, nipping lightly on the tight bud. Blood rushed to her head and her heart pounded in her ears when he sank his teeth into her just below her collarbone. “Bastien!” Darkness overcame her with his name on her lips, the sensation of the intense orgasm was just too much for her.

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Epilogue his isn‟t over. Not by a long shot.” Bastien sighed and

“Tsat back in his chair. “They still have several facilities.

It‟s hard telling where they are now. They‟ve had the time to acquire more labs and houses.” He scrubbed his face with his hands. “Shit. It‟ll be years before we can wipe them all out.” Randy slammed his glass down on the table. “I wanted to end this before I had to go back to work, damn it!” Cameron took a deep breath. “You know, our contracts are up in less than thirty days.” He looked at his brother. “We can request separation leave. If they don‟t want to grant it, they can pay us for our last forty-five days.” “They‟ll give us the leave,” Randy half-laughed. “They won‟t want to give both of us all that money.” “Perhaps.” Dimitri stepped forward. “We should all relocate first. Thanks to Luke, they know our locations.” He glanced around the room. “We would have to set up new homes, new safe houses. Think about it. It must be done. We cannot continue to live in our current homes.” “Oh, Basiten!” Carly hurried over to sit on his lap. “You‟ll have to sell your beautiful house?” He shook his head. “No, love. We don‟t have to sell it. We can close it. With luck, it won‟t take long to eradicate the enemy and we can return.” He squeezed her tight. “Besides, my home is wherever you are.” He‟d never meant anything more in his life. 250

Tianna Xander Natalia sat on the corner of his desk, tucking her right foot behind her left leg. “As safe as we would all be here in the headquarters for Loup-Tech, we all can‟t live here.” She looked down at Bastien. “Papa and I will stay here to run things with a select few while the rest of you find another place to live. Wolf Lake is no longer safe for us.” “I don‟t think—” “You‟re only the head of Loup-Tech as long as your grandfather and I say you are, pup,” his father interjected. “We‟ve both decided that we‟ll stay here and run the business while you, your mate and your sister go to safety.” “But, Papa!” Natalia stood. “Don‟t but, Papa me.” Malcom shook his finger at her. “We‟ve already decided that we want you to go with your brother and his friends. They can protect you much better than we can.” He turned to look at his parents who stood just inside the door. “Besides, it gives us the chance to feel useful again.” Natalia sighed, cast a glance toward Cameron and Randy, then lowered her gaze. “Yes, sir.” “Now that that is settled.” Malcolm rubbed his hands together. “You all need to find a place to go. We‟ll always be here when you need us, but for now, we shouldn‟t know where you‟re going. That way your nice doctor can‟t capture one of us and get that information.” He glanced back at his parents. “Not that we would ever tell them.” “Thank you, Papa.” Bastien sat up in his seat, his arms around Carly, and watched the three older wolves leave the office. “Okay, everyone. Any ideas?” “Well, we don‟t want to go too far. We have to keep an eye on the factory and those left behind, whether your family likes it or not,” Cameron replied, looking at each of them in turn. “I don‟t know about the rest of you, but I don‟t think I could live with myself if something happened to them.” He 251

Bastien glanced at his brother. It‟s in our natures to protect those who can‟t protect themselves.” Bastien didn‟t want to remind the two brothers that they were talking about werewolves. He knew his father and grandparents were very capable of protecting themselves against humans. Their ability to protect themselves against other weres was what had him worried. “They‟re right. We need to stay close. Any ideas?” “What about Walker?” Carly asked. “Do you think they‟d expect us to play house right in their own back yard?” She shifted, stood, then began to pace. “I know they did it. However, it doesn‟t mean they‟ll expect us to do it.” Smiling, she stopped and surveyed the room. “It‟s been my experience that those who have huge egos tend to overlook the obvious.” She grinned. “After all, in their minds, everyone is so much less intelligent than they are.” The twins looked at each other. “She‟s right, you know,” they said at the same time. “They‟d never expect us to use their tactics.” Randy crossed his arms. “ Bastien looked at her and grinned. “It‟s a wonderful idea, baby, and we can keep an eye on them while we‟re at it.” He turned to Dimitri. “Let‟s get things moving to that end.” He turned a feral gaze on Carly. “If you all don‟t mind, I think I‟ll take my mate out for a bit of privacy.” He gave her a wink. Where do you want to go, love? Carly looked up at him and smiled, hoping he could see the love in her eyes. It doesn’t matter, my mate. As long as I’m with you.”

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About The Author Tianna Xander is an eclectic author of numerous paranormal, sci-fi, time travel romance erotica books. Gaining inspiration for her characters and dialogue through her family and her addiction to the internet, she never fails to amaze readers with each new book she creates. As a reading junkie herself, Tianna has no problem reading whatever is available at the moment from romance novels, murder mysteries and encyclopedias to books on solar energy. Tianna‟s life wouldn‟t be complete without a happily ever after of her very own. She resides in Michigan with her husband, two children, four rescued cats, two rescued dogs and an intimidating bunny. Never one to fail to give credit where it‟s due, she commends her family for their constant support. After writing many books and receiving rave reviews, her family is just as proud of her. Always full of ideas, Tianna rarely puts the pen down, so readers can look forward to many more exciting stories in the future. Find more books by Tianna Xander at www.extasybooks.com and www.devinedestinies.com . You can also find Tianna lurking about the net at: www.tiannaxander.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TiannaXander/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theexfactor/ http://twitter.com/TiannaXander http://www.myspace.com/tianna_xander and www.facebook.com