Wrapped in Fur

3xtasy Lake 3

Wrapped in Fur Centuries ago, a young faery committed what was considered a dangerous lack of judgment among her kind—she fell in love with a human. Holly's release from a crystal prison comes with a price. Before Christmas morning, she must atone for the selfish curse she once cast on the human who betrayed her, or she will fade away. Colwyn and Brand were best friends until a decade ago when a tragedy tore them apart. They both carry emotional scars from that event and haven’t spoken since. The ethereal woman who brings Colwyn and Brand together again fascinates them both, but loving her is a risk they’re afraid to take. Can they trust each other and accept a gift-wrapped second chance to share one love, and will Holly help heal their emotional wounds? If they aren't willing to love her, Holly will pay for her past mistakes with her life. Ecstasy Lake is a sanctuary for many secrets, but can it withstand a curse? Genre: Fantasy, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal Length: 31,488 words

WRAPPED IN FUR 3xtasy Lake 3

Corinne Davies

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

WRAPPED IN FUR Copyright © 2011 by Corinne Davies E-book ISBN: 1-61926-126-X First E-book Publication: December 2011 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Wrapped in Fur by Corinne Davies from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Corinne Davies’ livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Davies’ right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION For Chris. My best friend and love of my life. You are always there to hold my hand when I need you the most. I love you. Many thanks to my friends who have helped me as I traverse the road from idea to published story. Tracey, who is a wonderful beta reader, and Heather Rainier, who is the best critique partner. All the crazy Righteous Perverts who are always there to share a joke with and bounce ideas off of, especially those who listen to me rant when my characters don’t do what I want them to do. Extra thanks to Diana DeBalko and the staff at Siren Publishing whose encouragement and help mean everything to me.

WRAPPED IN FUR 3xtasy Lake 3 CORINNE DAVIES Copyright © 2011

Chapter One Centuries ago, a young faery committed what was considered a dangerous lack of judgment among her kind—she fell in love with a human. He came from humble beginnings and she often listened to him talk to others about finding his fortune before claiming his heart’s desire. She saw him as the embodiment of all that she felt her own kind lacked. Passion. Adventure. Humility. Using the small amount of magic within her, she made certain he obtained every goal and ambition. The young Marshall soon found his place in a prominent position in his world. When the time came, she presented herself to the now proud Lord, positive that he would love her forever. Not understanding human behavior, she had not considered the possibility that the now incredibly spoiled man would see her only as a creature beneath his lofty position, useful to him only as a distraction. He mocked her revelation as the ramblings of a lunatic, easily casting her aside to continue pursuing his own interests. Crushed at his behavior, and her own foolishness, she spat out a malevolent curse. Such dark magic can never be cast without dire consequences, especially if a magical being is both wielder and the recipient. ~ Cris on 3XTC

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Aniela puttered around her antique shop as she listened to Cris’s voice tell a story on the radio. The young man had taken to reading obscure tales and myths in the afternoons and matching up soundtracks to them. It was his way of entertaining everyone during the winter months. But this tale thoroughly captured her attention. Due to her distracted state of mind, she didn’t pay attention to what she was doing and missed the table she meant to place the antique box on. Antique wood made a terrible sound when it smashed against the floor. It was the sound of history destroyed and a loss in any profits she might have made. Not that the antique shop did much business this time of year. Not for the first time, she wondered if she should take her nephew’s advice and spend winters down south. She gingerly picked up the box hoping it was salvageable, but a large crack had almost split the bottom of the box in two. Adjusting her scarves out of the way and tucking her patchwork skirt under her legs, she sat in the middle of an overstuffed settee and tucked her legs up beneath her. In her lap, she held the damaged box. “Bloody Hell.” The crack was larger than she first suspected and ruined the value of the piece. The sun pierced the clouds and filled her dusty showroom with light. She noticed then that there was something jammed into the broken space. She pried the crack open further and pulled out a thickly wrapped package. All the years that stupid box sat on the top shelf and she never knew something lay hidden inside it. She carefully unwrapped the package, trying to guess what might be inside. Perhaps her winter home in Florida was closer to reality than she imagined? Her hands cupped what looked to be a Christmas ornament. A crystal snowflake, roughly the size of her palm, and much lighter than it looked. Six crystalline arms branched out, linking to each other in an analogous, weblike pattern, surrounding a flawless teardrop center.

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In its heart was a three-dimensional etching of what looked to be a faery. The artist must have been a genius to have the ability to capture a being in such intricate detail, from her delicate wings to the expression of heartbreaking sorrow in her face. She held the ornament up to the sunlight streaming through the window. The rays bounced off the prism-like object, sending hundreds of shattered rainbows dancing over the painted walls and stacks of knickknacks. The vibrant colors turned the dusty old showroom into a fantasyland. She had never expected to find such a thing of beauty hiding within the false bottom of an eighteenthcentury cigar box. Her first instinct was to contact a friend at the local university and get it carbon-dated. She had no idea how old it might be, but this kind of workmanship was way beyond the artisanship of that century. But she disliked the idea of her theory being proved wrong by something as inconsequential as scientific fact. Reality raised its rational head and offered a few explanations for the ornament’s hiding spot. Of course, it had to have been placed in the hideaway fairly recently. Even if the estate she purchased it from had been clearing out an attic that hadn’t been opened for over a century. Of course, where there were dusty attics, there were children, and one must have hidden this and then forgotten about it. Of course, what other reason could there be… Further exploration into the hidey-hole revealed an obviously antique piece of parchment. The sheet practically crumbled in her fingers as she unfolded it and read the contents. Antiques often carried interesting stories and the odd curse or two. Having learned long ago that some things were beyond mortal understanding, she didn’t find it hard to believe what she read on the crumbling paper. If she hadn’t taken an Old English language course in university years ago, she never would have been able to understand what was written.

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“It couldn’t be that easy?” Holding the ornament back up to the light she gazed at the small figure inside. “Do I dare?” She thought of the story that Cris told only moments before she dropped the box. Could this be the faery in the story? What were the odds of her discovering this ornament now? She could have found it years from now, or years ago for that matter? No, she found this when it was time to be found. It was Serendipity, and she owed it to the Powers That Be to see if she could help this poor creature.

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Chapter Two Brand Denninger sifted through the mountain of papers on his desk. With so much still to do, there wasn’t a chance he would make it to dinner now. He glanced up at the woman facing him across his large mahogany desk. “Kara, please cancel my dinner date with…” He paused, forgetting for a moment whom exactly he was seeing this evening. “Tiffany, sir?” She finished writing her notes and glanced up, amusement apparent in the twist of her smile. “Yes. I knew that. Tell her…” He went back to comparing columns of number to the information on his computer. “…well, just tell her something.” “One thoughtful, yet believable, lie coming up. Would you like me to order you some dinner?” Brand glanced at the time on his computer. “I would appreciate that, thank you. You don’t need to stay tonight. Go home and enjoy your family.” His assistant arched an eyebrow at his presumption. “I was planning on it.” She closed the laptop she had been working on and walked across the room. Lifting a small clock from the bookstand on the wall, she twisted the silver key in the back of it. “I’m setting it to go off when your dinner is due to arrive. You still need to eat.” He smiled at her thoughtfulness. “How could I survive without you?” “You couldn’t. That is why you’re going to give me a raise.”

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Brand grinned slightly. “All right, deal, but don’t order me anything from those health nuts you like so much. I think my front teeth are growing.” “You do realize one day you will have to find someone else to watch over you.” She gathered up her notes and laptop. “And you’re not going to find her under that mountain of paperwork.” He met her comment with a low, uncommitted grunt, having heard this particular suggestion many times before. It wasn’t the first time she’d made a comment like that despite the numerous dates he went on. He tried not to think about how dismal his personal life had become. He hadn’t shared a woman in over a decade and believed he never would again. The intense kind of friendship he needed to share didn’t happen all that often, and he’d destroyed his one chance. Sharing a woman with anyone other than Colwyn Marshall didn’t hold any appeal to him at all. The incessant ringing of an alarm brought him out of the trancelike state he often obtained falling into numbers and columns and tallies. Most of the information on his desk had been input and balanced, leaving him with a feeling of accomplishment. He could finish this…just a few more minutes, an hour at the most. He would feel better when he finished. Without lifting his gaze from the computer, he reached over to press the off button. His fingers brushed a piece of paper that had been stuck to the front of the alarm. Kara’s elegant script graced the bright yellow sticky note. Eat before you go back to work! It was frightening how well she knew his habits. Too bad she wasn’t single. Having a wife this in tune with him would be convenient. A knock at the door announced the arrival of his dinner. After dealing with the pizza delivery guy, he sat down, slice in hand, only to have his phone ring. He glared at the offensive sound, debating for a moment whether to ignore it or not. When it continued to ring, it was obviously a family member. That also meant it would continue to ring unless he answered it.

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“What the hell are you doing there this time of night? Did I teach you nothing, young man?” Brand smiled. Auntie Aniela. Her raspy voice sounded fragile, a complete opposite to the feisty woman he knew her to be. He had spent many summers working in her antique shop, helping with the books, which was what had started his love with numbers and columns. His eccentric aunt balanced her time with him by filling his young head with fantastic stories of different objects that just happened to be in her store at the time. Once he reached his teen years, he spent more time causing trouble with the locals than in her shop. “I’m working, Auntie. We’re coming up on tax season and I have to be caught up.” “Oh, pishposh. You are never behind or disorganized. You forget with whom you’re talking, mister. You need to come to the store. The most amazing thing happened today. You have to see her to believe it.” “I’m in Vancouver, remember. I can’t simply pop in for a visit for a day. I’ll still try to make it over the holidays at some point but I can’t leave right now. I’m sorry, just too busy. I’ll be working through the holidays at this rate.” He could hear her horrified gasp and could effortlessly envision the look on her face. Grinning, he took a bite of his fast-cooling pizza. “You will do no such thing. I expect to see you on Saturday, Brand Anthony Denninger, or else. Bring something nice. I have a visitor for the holidays. She will be here for dinner.” He choked on the lump of pizza in his mouth, the line disconnecting before he could respond. Not that it would do him any good. Once his aunt had decided something, the gods themselves couldn’t change her mind. He shouldn’t have baited her, but he couldn’t resist. No doubt, she had rooked one of her friends to come for dinner, or worse, one of her friend’s granddaughters. Being pestered over his single status during dinner was the quickest way to

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ruin his appetite. He didn’t relish the idea of eating half a bottle of Tums instead of turkey. There was always the possibility that she had invited one of the strays from the shelter that she liked to volunteer at. That must be it. After living in Ecstasy Lake for so long, his aunt trusted everyone and never thought that anything bad could happen to her. Having a home in a sanctuary for shape-shifters had its advantages, but bad things could still happen. The thought of someone taking advantage of her infuriated him. He couldn’t allow it to happen. Ever. Pizza forgotten, he focused on the computer screen, determined to finish even if he had to work through the night. What if I’m too late, again? He left Ecstasy because of a terrible mistake he made. Memories of Brittany’s horrified expression flooded his thoughts. If only he approached her differently, perhaps she wouldn’t have died. He picked up his cell and flicked his thumb over the screen, calling up his contacts. No matter how many phones he went through there was one number he always input into his contacts first. The only one he never called. His hand trembled and his heart pounded a rapid beat against his ribs as he stared at the cell. His number might be different now. It’s been ten years. He’ll probably tell me to fuck off the minute he realizes who it is. **** Aniela hung up the phone with a huff. “Can you believe that boy?” She lifted a full tray from the kitchen counter. “For someone that intelligent, it amazes me how slow he can be.” Holly jumped, took the heavy tray from the older woman, and carried it to the table for her. Aniela had taught her so much about this century. She didn’t want her to feel like a servant, too. “You love him?”

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“As if he were my own son. Which is why I think you should meet him.” She filled a teacup and passed it to her. “I think now would be a good time to tell you about him. Holly, was it?” Holly nodded slightly and then took a sip of tea. Wonderful stuff, really. For all of the human race’s disasters, they couldn’t be all bad if they had managed to keep this tradition going. “I would like to hear more about him. All things considered, and I mean no disrespect but, I do not think that you understand completely what you are doing.” “Oh, hush. It worked, didn’t it? If you weren’t meant for someone close to me, then how did I manage to free you? Since I don’t have any children, there is only one that is for you, and it is my nephew. I practically raised the headstrong boy. His parents couldn’t handle him. They’re good people, just introverted and a bit selfish. They had no idea what they were getting into when they decided to start a family, and didn’t have another child after Brand.” Holly sighed and listened to the old woman tell her about her beloved nephew. Despite her misgivings about the old woman’s theories, it was a relief finally to be free from the crystal after all this time. She stretched out her arms, and her gossamer wings fluttered restlessly behind her. She was so furious when she cursed Lord Spencer Marshall she failed to consider the ramifications to herself. He’d loved that Christian winter celebration, and she’d wanted to ruin it for him. His precious celebration would mark his own demise unless he properly acknowledged her love and returned it. Now, she had until Christmas to make Lord Spencer Marshall fall in love with her. A ridiculous clause she was completely at fault for creating. She knew centuries stood between her and his death, and she had no idea how to find one of his blood relatives. Not that she was certain she could substitute a family member at this point. She would be better off enjoying the freedom this wonderful woman gave her and try not to think of the consequences.

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“You know you will need to hide those.” Aniela pointed at her wings. The old woman’s words startled her. “Most don’t believe the old stories anymore, and your kind is pretty much considered a child’s tale.” That tidbit of information amazed her, and her diaphanous wings fluttered in agitation. They considered anything faery a child’s tale? Most of the fey she knew were better kept as far away from young humans as possible. The innocence of youth was too tempting to her kind. Of course, it felt as though there weren’t too many of her kind left anymore. The fey energy that used to flow on the breeze had all but vanished. An ache for her own kind swelled in her chest. She had hoped that the loneliness would have abated by now. She may not have been conscious of the passing of time, but she still felt as lonely as the day she created her shell. “Do you really want to tell him that I am a faery? What makes you think that he will believe you?” “Oh, he won’t. I guarantee it.” Aniela smiled. “That is up to you, sweets. Honesty is the best thing. Trust me.” What the old woman didn’t understand was the limited time Holly would spend in this world. Despite what the human stories told, her kind might be very long-lived but weren’t immortal. The magic needed to evade death was beyond her talents. Not that it would have made any difference. Deep down she knew exactly how much time she had left, and the sad thing was it wouldn’t be enough. The spell she cast on that fateful day centuries ago had ended up nothing like she had expected. She had wanted the young lord to have his heart locked in ice so he would never feel love. Yes, looking back she may have overreacted a tad. Now, her own existence was locked in human traditions. Aniela had misinterpreted that bit of information on the parchment, and Holly didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. Had she waited another week, then Holly would have had a full year to make her nephew fall in love with her. To accomplish such a goal in a

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mere seven days would be impossible. The best that she could do was to try to find a little happiness or contentment before her own life ended. Aniela smiled gently at her and struggled only slightly as she pushed herself out of the plush chair. “Come, I’ll show you to your room. Don’t look so downcast, sweetie. Magic is in the air. This time of year is all about hope and gifts. It will work out. You’ll see.” Holly followed her through the house and up a narrow staircase. Scores of pictures of happy faces in a variety of frames dotted the walls. She wondered briefly which smile would belong to Brand. She paused at one picture, her breath catching in her throat. Surrounded by a stained wooden frame was a photo of a young man, caught midlaugh. Long, blond curls framed his face and flowed at least halfway down his back. His lean, well-formed body twisted in an awkward pose, as if he was falling. “Found him already, did you? His friends had just pushed him in the pool.” Aniela’s withered finger tapped the glass as she gazed fondly at the photo. “Brand was terrible for pulling pranks, and that day they got him back. He looks different now. Cut his hair off and stopped pulling pranks. He grew old so fast.” “Why?” “A tragic accident, I’m afraid. He had been out at a Christmas party with a bunch of the local teenagers. They were at one of the boys’ houses and had been drinking far too much. Brand got in an argument with the girl he was dating and when he fell asleep, she decided to drive herself home. Poor thing lost control of her car and crashed. The doctors said she died instantly, not that it mattered.” As the story unfolded, Holly looked closely at the youth in the picture. Such happiness and carefree bliss. If it wasn’t for the clothes he would look like a fey prince. Golden and strong with a confirmed mischievous streak, his good nature was apparent because he was laughing as his friends retaliated. Did he have any clue what would happen to him? Any feelings of dread or foreboding?

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“Poor boy. He’s never forgiven himself, always thinking that it was his fault. As if he could have seen the future. After that, he developed a terribly serious streak. Don’t get me wrong I’m incredibly proud of his accomplishments, but with all his singleminded work ethic there’s no balance. He needs some fun in his life. Some whimsy. What could be better than a faery and a bit of Christmas magic, right?” The older woman cackled gleefully and gripped the handrail as she headed up the last of the stairs. Holly took a last look at the picture and pursed her lips to stop a sigh. She felt like the weight of the universe just settled on her shoulders. This wonderful woman thought she could help this man. It was out of her hands now. That little bit of Christmas magic the old woman had so much faith in is what would eventually end her life. **** Colwyn Marshall stood in the bathroom rubbing his hair with a towel when his phone started ringing. Why the hell would someone be calling at this time of night? It had to be Vencel with a last minute change to the plans they were working on. It certainly wouldn’t be a date, because he couldn’t remember the last time he had one of those. The only thing that saved him from having blue balls was a monthly trip to Toronto to go barhopping. That usually took care of any immediate needs. It wasn’t anywhere near fulfilling, but it took the edge off. He’d come to terms long ago with the fact that this was how his life would be. A long string of meaningless fucks because the intense connection he longed for once was no longer there. A quick glance at the number he didn’t recognize, and he almost didn’t bother answering it. If it was a telemarketer calling at ten at night, he might snap. “Yes. Who is this?” “Um, Colwyn? Ah, hi…It’s Brand. I know I must be the last person you’d expected to hear from.”

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Colwyn recognized the voice immediately, and it felt like he’d taken a punch to the stomach. Ten years had passed since he’d heard this voice. How many times had he wished he had the nerve to call but had been afraid of the reaction or rejection? “You still there?” Brand asked. “Yeah, sorry there was a bad connection for a moment. You doing well? I heard you ended up in Vancouver.” “Um yeah, it’s okay here. Except, it feels like sometimes it never stops raining at times. I do bookwork and accounts for a firm here. I’m an accountant, who’da thought, huh?” A forced laugh from Brand proved this conversation was growing uncomfortable for him. Colwyn could hear the hesitation in Brand’s voice and hated the stupid direction they were going in. They used to be able to talk for hours and if there was a lull in conversation it was never uncomfortable. “What are you up to?” “I'm an architect. I worked in Toronto for a few years and then I got a job with a new company up here in Ecstasy. We’re working on designs for environmentally friendly houses that regular people can afford.” “That sounds fascinating. I’m glad to hear you’re doing so well.” I’m not, it’s been ten years and I miss your friendship. The words caught in Colwyn’s throat. He couldn’t bring himself to say them now, no more than he could back then. After the accident, Brand had run to the other side of the country. He probably had a nice, meek little wife who wouldn’t play any of the games he and Brand had fantasized about. Any more of this strained small talk and he’d go dive into the lake and see how deep he could go before he ran out of air. He wanted to get off the phone. “What did you call for, Brand?” “I need you to look in on my aunt for me. She called and told me about some woman she has staying with her. She wouldn’t give me any details, and I’m afraid that this woman is trying to take advantage of her.”

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Colwyn winced when he heard the reason. Of course Brand wouldn’t call to talk to him. There had to be another reason to call. Brand wouldn’t pick up the phone, after a decade, to tell him that he missed their friendship. “Yeah, of course I’ll check in on her, but you know your aunt isn’t some senile old woman. She can still kick ass if she wants to.” “I know, but I worry about her, and I’m so far away.” “That was your choice, man. You didn’t have to run like you did.” “I didn’t have any choice. You know what happened.” “Yeah I do, and I stuck around and faced the repercussions. I didn’t run away from my family and people who loved me.” The silence on the phone was deafening and Colwyn wanted to kick himself in the ass for shooting his mouth off like that. He thought that he had worked through his anger from the tragedy that ended their friendship. “I know,” Brand finally said. “Listen, if you could talk to my aunt and check in on her, I’d really appreciate it. I know I don’t have the right to ask anything of you. If I thought I could trust anyone else then I would, but I don’t.” That was the problem. Brand didn’t trust anyone and never had. He had run thinking the entire town would turn on them, but they hadn’t. After the accident, the town had rallied around Colwyn, especially since Brand had run away. Colwyn knew Brand had always felt like an outsider in a town where mythical beings outnumbered the humans about five to one. If only he’d opened his eyes and realized that he was loved as well as anyone else. Brand always had trouble believing he was worthy of love. “Hey, of course I’ll check in on her. I’ll go over in the morning to make certain that she’s all right and check up on this mysterious visitor.” “Thanks, man. I really don’t know how to repay you?” “I would do anything for a friend. You know that.”

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“Am I still a friend, Colwyn? I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me.” “I did, for a long time, but I couldn’t hold on to that forever.” “I’m going to come to the lake for a few days and talk her into moving out west with me. Why don’t we have a coffee together?” “Yeah, that would be great.” Colwyn banged the back of his head against the wall. That would be fucking horrible. Brand wanted to take his one link to this town away. If he did, then he would have no reason to come back. That would be the end of every foolish dream he held on to. He moved back to Ecstasy Lake hoping that one day they would find themselves here with a beautiful woman to share. They said their goodbyes and then hung up the phone.

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Chapter Three Colwyn didn’t know what to expect when he pulled in the long driveway leading to the antique shop, but spotting a pair of shapely legs dangling from a tree near the road wasn’t it. He slowed down the truck and lowered the window. The crisp morning air tingled against his cheeks, and his breath puffed out in a cloud. What the hell was she doing? A pair of big, furry boots hung from a branch in the tree. Colwyn looked closer and realized they were attached to a body perched on a high branch. A woman was tying what appeared to be ribbons to the branch above her. She looked like she might fall at any moment. She wore a high-necked, long coat that looked warm, but her cheeks appeared flushed. All that dark red, curly hair and perfect ivory skin might explain why the color in her cheeks stood out. She would be sensitive to the elements. I bet she gets covered in freckles in the summer. Inexplicably, his heart pounded in a way it hadn’t for years. Something about her drew him in, and the attraction he felt was undeniable. She was so covered up he fantasized about peeling off all those layers and seeing what lay underneath. Better yet, he could sit here and imagine that under that high-neck wool coat she wore a tiny bit of lingerie from the latest Victoria’s Secret catalogue. With her coloring, he could imagine her in almost anything. Hell, she could wear a sack and still look pretty. The woman had managed to climb up the old oak tree and sat on a thick branch similar to the way someone would ride sidesaddle. Below her, an old, decrepit-looking ladder lay sideways on the

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ground. That must be how she got up there, but if she tries to jump down, she’ll break her lovely neck. He pulled the truck up to the side of the road and yelled, “Hey, do you need some help?” He felt bad when she jumped slightly and gripped the branch below her. How was it she didn’t hear his truck but she heard his voice? “Oh, thank you very much, but I’m cool. I appreciate your attempt at chivalry, but it is entirely unnecessary.” She gave him a small wave as she reached into a pocket and pulled out what looked like more ribbons. “How do you think you are going to get down from there, fly?” She looked down at him, arched a delicate eyebrow, and rolled her eyes. “No, of course not. I believe glide is a more appropriate term in this case.” “Like a rock?” She frowned at his attempt at humor and then turned away and tied the long ribbons together, making an almost weblike structure. While she acted as if she had dismissed him, she kept peeking quick looks over at him. Colwyn watched her and tried to figure out exactly what it was about her that fascinated him. Her speech was a unique mix of formal as well as slang. Despite her confidence, he couldn’t see how she would manage to get out of the tree without breaking her neck. He pulled the truck forward, and then backed up until his truck bed was underneath the branch where she was perched. He jumped out of the truck and then lifted himself into the bed. Standing underneath her, he lifted his arms and wiggled his fingers at her, attempting to coax her out of the tree. “Come on, little bird.” “You are quite mad. Do you know that?” She grinned down at him and her smile lit up a part of his heart he’d thought would remain in darkness forever. “I’ve been accused of worse. I’ll catch you if you jump.”

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“All right, but I told you this was completely unnecessary.” She pushed herself off the branch and Colwyn braced himself for her weight. She drifted down at a completely unnatural speed and eased into his open arms. She didn’t weigh hardly anything, and when her scent hit him, it almost took him to his knees. It wasn’t the scent of a human or a shifter. She smelled of the sea and of the wind on a summer’s day. Her scent was foreign, but at the same time, completely natural. Colwyn didn’t really care what she was because he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she was now and always would be his. He stood there holding her slight form, and stared down at her heartshaped face. She had eyes the color of the ice out on the lake. A deep, dark blue that looked almost opalescent in the sun. She didn’t have a smidge of makeup on, but her lashes were black as coal, and her lips looked like the red of his mum’s favorite Diana roses. His brain scrambled for an answer of what she could be, but only one answer came to mind, and that was impossible. “So, little bird. Why did you crawl up into a tree on a cold winter’s morning to hang decorations?” “Because I wanted to repay a favor.” That didn’t make a bit of sense to him, but the woman in his arms obviously felt it was a perfectly reasonable explanation. “You wouldn’t happen to be the young woman staying with Aniela?” “I think it is more polite to have a conversation if both of our feet were touching the ground, don’t you?” She wriggled slightly in his arms, but he wasn’t ready to let her go yet. Having her in his arms made him feel better than he had in the last decade. He sat down on the edge of the truck bed, keeping her in his lap. “So, do you have a name, or shall I continue to call you my little bird?” “I have no control over what you want to call me, but, since you have asked, my name is Holly.” “Holly what?”

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“Just Holly. What’s yours?” “Colwyn Marshall.” “Marshall?” He didn’t miss the way her body reacted to his name. She stiffened up and her face pinched up in a scowl. She pushed away from him with such force. He was afraid that she would hurt herself if he held on to her. “You’re a long way from your clan, Colwyn.” “I’m many generations from belonging to a clan, Holly.” “Yes, of course.” Her features softened and her body relaxed. That seemed to appease her concern, but he had no idea why. “Why don’t you hop into the truck and I’ll drive you to the house?” Despite the bright sunshine, he could see her cheeks looked a bit dull and waxy. The cold didn’t bother him in the slightest, but she looked like she was getting frostbite. “It’s not that far of a walk.” “I know, but I came to visit with Aniela, so you might as well sit in the front where it’s warm.” Also, that would allow him a few more moments to bask in her scent. Holly refused his help, hopped over the edge of the truck, and gracefully dropped to the ground. For a moment, Colwyn would have sworn a soft breeze blew her scent over his face, opposite to the direction the wind was blowing. A witch, that had to be it. She was a witch…There was no other believable explanation. “Come in and have something warm to drink. Aniela makes the most incredible tea. It’s called coffee.” Holly opened her own door and got into the cab. That comment was strange, because she acted as if she’d never had it before. Stepping into the big old house felt like stepping back in time. He hadn’t been here more than a handful of times in the last decade. Being here, surrounded by memories of a much happier time, made his chest squeeze painfully tight. “I’m in the kitchen, Holly.” Aniela’s gentle voice echoed down the hall.

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He followed the voice and Aniela gave him a big smile when he came through the door. “Colwyn, how wonderful to see you! Have you met my guest, Holly?” “Yes, I have. She was outside when I pulled up, but I’m afraid that she might have a bit of frostbite. Although looking at her now, she looks fine. Her cheeks were looking a bit waxy outside.” “Oh, I feel fine now.” Holly stood at the counter with a large plate in her hand. Wait, how the hell did she get out of them so quickly? He glanced over and noticed her coat hanging on the wall next to him. Now that was impossible, because I would have seen her hang it there, and I didn’t. “You were sent by Brand, weren’t you?” Aniela patted him on the chest over his heart. She knew that he still mourned his lost friendship with Brand. He never hid that fact. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” “Yes you do, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that he called you. I’ve been hoping that he would do that for years.” “You didn’t set all this up on purpose, did you?” “Goodness, no. I'll have to thank the fates for this one. It’s a magical time of year, and a lovely bit of fortune is following me. You’re here, Holly’s here, and soon I hope that my nephew will be arriving. Then I want you both to convince him to stay.” Colwyn wished it were that simple. “I don’t think he wants to, Aniela.” “Well, I don’t think he knows what he wants. I know why he left, Colwyn. Most of the town thinks it’s out of grief, but I know it was guilt. Neither of you ever had anything to feel guilty about. It was a terrible tragedy, but that is a conversation for another time.” “I don’t think that delving into old pains will help anything.” A melodic chime danced through the house and Aniela glanced over at the door that led into to the shop. “I have customers?” She clapped her hands. “Oh, I have customers.” She practically danced out

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of the room. Holly stood there sipping her coffee with kind amusement and affection in her eyes, but not surprise in any way. “Exactly what were you doing up in that tree?” Colwyn was thankful for the interruption. The wound on his heart from Brand couldn’t handle a lot of poking. Some hurts never scabbed over. “Decorating.” Holly’s lips quirked up in one corner, making her look like a mischievous pixie. “Aniela has this big, beautiful Christmas tree here in the house, and I thought that the trees outside looked so bare. They needed some decorating as well. You had wonderful timing showing up when you did.” “Something tells me you weren’t going to have any trouble getting out of that tree. I’m trying to figure out why.” Holly stepped closer to him and her scent danced along his skin. Never had he met someone whose scent was almost playful and ethereal like this. He closed the space between them, wrapped his arms around her trim waist, and gently tugged her closer. He wanted her scent on his clothes. Or better yet, on my skin. “Holly, what are you?” She shrugged, stepping back away from his embrace, but he wouldn’t allow her to go more than an inch. “A faery.” That made sense. He looked above her shoulder and reached out to stroke the air there. A tingling sensation danced over his hand and she physically trembled against his chest. “Are your wings really there?” “Yes, but Aniela said it would be better if I kept them hidden for now.” “Show me?” She grinned impishly and shook her head. “Not unless you show me yours.” A pristine joy filled his heart and he laughed as he pulled her close to him to whisper in her ear. “I’m a Selkie, princess. You will have to come home with me to see mine.”

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He couldn’t change into a seal like most of the other shapeshifters in town. They morphed into their inner animal. He wrapped himself in his sealskin, and that would trigger the change in him. “You don’t keep your pelt with you? I remember the old stories about your race. What if someone was to steal it and make you their slave? They could prevent you from returning to the ocean.” “Now who would want to enslave me? It would cost them a fortune in food to keep me happy. Besides, I’ve gotten sneaky in my old age.” Holly laughed. The sound danced over his skin like a ray of sun. Colwyn couldn’t explain this overwhelming attraction to Holly. It was more than her physical appearance or that she, too, was a magical being. She grinned at him and his heart clenched in a way it hadn’t for such a long time. She slowly moved her hand up and down his arm. He watched her closely. She always seemed to be touching something or looking around. “Holly, how did you get here?” “I’ve been trapped for a while.” Her expression darkened, but in sadness or resignation, not in anger. “I did something terrible in the past and was incarcerated in a crystal prison for a long time.” “What do you mean?” “Well, I could see what was happening around me but it was more like a dream. I didn’t feel hunger or the passing of time. Sounds were muted and I couldn’t smell or taste anything. Now I hope I never sleep again.” She lifted her hand and ran it through his short hair. “It feels prickly against my palm.” Her hand slid down and she lightly rubbed the scruff on his face and chin. “It’s scratchy, but soft as well.” Colwyn’s cock filled and he angled his hip away from her. She seemed so innocent in her explorations. He didn’t know how much experience she had, and inside he wanted to groan in frustration.

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“I was trapped for centuries, and now the world is completely different. I can’t sense my people as I could before. It’s as if they have all gone into hiding or left this dimension entirely. I’m all alone.” “You’re not alone, Holly. Aniela wants to take care of you, and now you have me, too. I’ll help you in any way that I can.” “Really?” “What do you need?” “I need to feel…something…everything. It’s like I was trapped in the dark, and now suddenly I’m back out in the sunshine and I can’t get enough.” A deep sadness reflected in her eyes and he felt the ripples to his very soul. He couldn’t explain this intense attraction to her, including this deep ache at the thought of her feeling any sort of pain or sadness. He moved before his brain registered what he wanted to do. He pulled her small form into his embrace and held her. Burying his nose in her neck, he inhaled the sweet scent he found there. “What do you want to feel, Holly?” “Everything.” “Come on.” Colwyn claimed her hand in his and headed toward the inner door of Aniela’s shop. Inside a bunch of people milled around her store, and Aniela wandered around talking to them and telling them stories about the pieces they looked at. “Aniela, I’m going to go for a drive with Holly.” “That’s wonderful, Colwyn. You two have fun. I can’t believe how busy I am in here today. Colwyn, don’t you need to open up your place today?” “No I’m fine. I hired a high school student to work over the holidays. So I have all day to help out if you need me. Do you want us to stick around and help?” “No, I’ll be fine.” “How about I make dinner for the two of you tonight?”

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“You are a doll, Colwyn.” She opened her arms and he bent over for a hug. “Thank you for coming over, I’ve missed you.” Warmth radiated from her hug. Brand was an idiot, and so was he, for staying away from this loving woman. **** Holly’s heart pounded against her chest as she looked out the window and watched the world go by. She wasn’t entirely certain what the cause was. Finding out that this man was a relation to the man she cursed was a shock. Feeling her own intense attraction to him made it doubly so. She felt alive in a way that she never knew before. The arrogant lord she cursed never made her body react the way this one did. She wanted to feel everything. Sitting in his lap felt like she truly belonged somewhere. If not for the shock of his ancestry, she might never have moved. It felt so wonderful being held again. The way the cold morning had chilled her skin, and yet the moment he touched her, she flushed warm. There were evidently a few twists and turns in his family tree, because she distinctly remembered that the man she cursed was human, and this man was a magical being. “Where are we going?” Holly asked. “Someplace where you can show me yours.” It wasn’t the words that caused Holly’s heart to race and her body to tingle. His tone was seductive and playful, and she suspected that he would be a very caring lover. Colwyn lived up to the Selkie reputation of being a beautiful man, much better looking than the men from court she grew up around. The men of the fey court were almost feminine in appearance. Colwyn was as handsome as them, but there was a sincerity to his soul, a rugged edge to his beauty that took her breath away. “Are you certain you are warm enough?” “Yes, absolutely.” She smiled at him and hoped that he wouldn’t catch her lie. While she wasn’t as affected by the cold as a human, her

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garments were still only glamour, and her magic wasn’t as strong as it once was. Still, she wasn’t going to miss this for the world. He pushed a couple buttons and warm air blew from small holes in the barrier in front of her. She couldn’t help but move her fingers through the airstream and then jiggle the little levers on the shutters that caused the air to move in different directions. “Oh, fantastic!” She heard one of the actors say that on the show she watched with Aniela every day. Her favorite character was the ugliest woman she ever saw, but Holly loved the colors she dressed herself in. Colwyn reached behind her seat and pulled out a large blanket for her to lay over her legs. She ran her fingers over the short bristles, which she thought felt very much like his face. This was no simple blanket. It felt like she would imagine a seal skin to be. “This is yours?” He nodded. His expression looked guarded, but she was certain he watched her from the corner of his eye. She ran her hand in the same direction as the fur and it felt like silk under her fingertips. “It’s beautiful. May I see you in it?” Holly’s fascination with the sealskin draped over her lap distracted her, and before she knew it they pulled up to the edge of a large, snow-covered lake. She understood what an honor he offered her. Selkies were notorious for being incredibly private beings, and here she was about to be shown something few ever saw. No one had ever offered to share such a personal aspect of their life with her. She’d been good enough to be in their bed but not enough to share their secrets. Colwyn was offering her a much more intimate moment than a simple physical act. “Does it hurt?” Because if it hurt, she didn’t want him to suffer for her. “No more than you using your magic hurts.” He got out of the truck and walked around to open her door and lift her out. The wind whipped over the lake, stinging her cheeks with

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its cold bite. She lifted her face to it and then Colwyn pressed his warm hands against her cheeks, creating an incredible contrast. He frowned slightly at her. “I didn’t think this through very well, and it’s colder out here than I thought it would be.” She could see the concern in his gaze, but she didn’t want to pass up this opportunity. With a soft exhale, she dropped the glamour that hid her wings, which allowed her to protect herself from the elements better. Colwyn did a double take looking over her shoulder. He reached out and ran his hand along the face of one wing. It felt like she stood too close to a lightning strike, only all the prickling sensations centered directly on her pussy. He might as well have had his fingers between her legs, rubbing her wet folds so the trembles would radiate along her limbs. She trembled and Colwyn’s gaze dropped to her eyes. “They’re sensitive. That’s good to know.” His grin held a wicked tilt to it, making her ache more for his touch. Would he take his time or push her back against the seat and push his cock deep inside? “I want you to be careful because when I first put on my skin it takes a moment before I remember who I am. Now your scent is part of me, too.” He fingered the pelt lying across her lap. “I’ll always remember to come back to you.” He pulled her closer and pressed a kiss against her lips. He deepened the contact and swept his tongue inside her mouth. She clung to him. Her pussy throbbed and her heart raced. It felt as if she waited her entire existence for this exact moment. The sensations pounded at her, threatening to pull her under. Colwyn broke the kiss and hugged her tight. “Are you all right?” “A bit overwhelmed, but I don’t mind at all.” “Good. Watch closely, it happens fast.” He stood back and stripped his clothes off, handing them to her one by one. “Colwyn, you’ll freeze.” “I don’t feel the cold at all.”

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She watched as he revealed himself to her. She wanted to feel his skin under her hands. His cock was a beautiful sight, quickly hidden from her with a swirling of the large pelt. It looked as though the skin swallowed him, because as soon as it touched his bare skin it wrapped and reformed around him. In what took only moments, a large bull seal bounded across the ice and dove into the icy water. Holly carefully stepped over onto the ice, wanting to get closer and see him move through the water. Where did he go? She remembered stories of how Selkies would sometimes forget to come back to land. She had only taken a few steps when she heard a loud crack. She fluttered her wings, lifted herself off the dangerous surface, and drifted on the wind back to the shore. The bull seal broke the surface and howled out his concern as he came back to shore. Leaping up onto the rocks, he edged himself closer to her. Holly stood very still, uncertain of the animal’s reaction to her. It seemed to shudder, and then she saw a foot and hand emerge out from underneath. It looked like Colwyn crawled out from under the seal, but the pelt flattened out over top of him. “I heard the ice crack under you. Are you all right?” Holly was trying to take in what had happened and figure out how the large animal became a man. “Don’t think about it too much, it will drive you crazy.” She watched as he quickly re-dressed. Then, he wrapped an arm under her wings and scooped her up, carrying her back to the truck. He sat in the passenger seat with her in his lap, his pelt around her. Its warmth surrounded her and he caressed her wings with long strokes. Shivers danced along her skin like an electrical current and her pussy throbbed as moisture collected between her legs. She could feel the heat of his hard length radiating through their clothing. Adjusting her legs, she straddled his hips and pressed her aching pussy against the hard length stretching the front of his jeans. “More, Colwyn. I want to feel more.”

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“Not here in my truck, Holly.” Her hands gripped her shoulders as he pressed an openmouthed kiss against her throat. She arched her neck to allow him better access. She loved the way his hot breath felt against her damp skin as he spoke. “I’ll take you back to my place. It’ll be nicer there.” “Nicer than this?” Holly looked around the area she sat in. She might not understand how this worked, but it was clean, and warm, and private. “The last time I felt a man inside me it was against the wall of a barn while the horses watched and tried to nip at my bottom through the grates. It was dirty and smelled like…well, a dirty barn.” At the time, she had been fascinated by the way the man’s hands had felt on her skin and the realness of it all. Rubbing herself against Colwyn’s hard cock, the friction between her legs made her feel as though she drank too much brandy wine. More. I want more. “I want to feel my cock pressing deep inside your pussy.” As he spoke, she reached down and undid the button of his pants. “Pussy, I like that name. I heard lots of names on the television.” She watched many shows after Aniela went to bed and couldn’t believe her eyes when she found one that showed men and women…what was that word again? “Fucking.” She spoke aloud but it didn’t seem to surprise Colwyn. “Not yet, but soon. We need to get you out of these clothes.” Holly dissolved the glamour that surrounded her. The cool air touched her skin and she felt her body break out in little bumps. Colwyn paused, slid his hands from her shoulders down her arms, and lifted her hands so he could see all of her. Feeling his hands on her skin left her breaking out in goose bumps. He graced her with a breathtaking smile. “You’re exquisite.” Knowing that he found her attractive sent a shimmer of hope through her. She wanted to feel loved, even for a little while. She pressed her knees into the seat and lifted up so he could move his pants down his legs. His cock sprang from the confines of his pants and she wrapped her hand around his thick heat. Colwyn groaned and

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leaned forward. Cupping her breasts in his hands, he flicked his tongue over her nipples. She shivered, arched her back, and pressed her breasts close to his mouth. Every flick of his tongue sent a throb of pleasure between her legs. “You taste like honey.” His voice vibrated along her sensitized skin. She squeezed his cock and arched her hips so that his hard length rubbed against her pussy. She slipped her wet folds along his cock, getting wetter than she ever had before. Every inch of her trembled at his touch. Colwyn gripped her hips in his large hands and squeezed, holding her still. “Slowly, Holly, slowly. This isn’t a race. We’ll get there.” “No, I want to feel more before you’re done.” She had to assuage this throbbing in her pussy. She rolled her hips again and his cock pushed against her folds. In the past, Lord Marshall would push between her legs and it was over so quickly. Every time she was left feeling frustrated because he would walk away once he emptied himself within her “Oh, princess, I plan on making certain that you feel everything before we’re finished. Put your hands on my shoulders for now.” “Why?” Holly didn’t want to let go of his heavy cock. But, she did as he asked because she was curious what he had in mind. Maybe he wants to push his cock into me now? Her fingers twirled with the soft hair resting on the back of his neck. “Because, I won’t last long with your soft hand on my cock.” She rested her bum against his thighs. The hair on his legs tickled her sensitive skin. He cupped her face and pulled her close for a kiss. “Tell me about what you watched on TV.” “It was a man and a woman, and he had her bent over his knee, spanking her.” Colwyn stroked his fingers along her skin as she spoke. The light touch encouraged another wave of goose bumps. “Did you like watching that?”

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“It looked…intriguing.” I want to know what that feels like! He shifted his hand between her legs and spread her folds open, baring the wet skin to the air. “What else did you see?” He spoke the words against her neck. His voice sounded deeper than normal, and she loved the way his lips moved against her skin. Holly had to make a concentrated effort to understand his question. All of her thoughts were on the fingers between her legs and his lips on her neck. Her skin tingled as Colwyn slowly rubbed her wet folds. “Two men enjoying one woman.” Colwyn paused his motions, and she could tell that somehow meant much to him. Would he share her? “And did seeing that disgust you?” “No, I wanted to be there. I wanted to run my tongue along his, and imagined pulling my mouth around his cock. All the while another man would press his lips against my breasts and go lower.” That is what started the damned ache in her breasts and the tingling in her pussy. The need to feel a man there. Colwyn groaned and flicked his thumb against the small pearl that lay hidden between her legs, sending intense streaks of pleasure through her. “I would like to see that, Holly. I would want to part your legs, and lay there with another man. We would run our tongues over every delectable inch of you. I’d savor your pussy and suck on your clit until you bathed my face in your delicious cream.” He spoke the words against her breasts as his fingers manipulated her pussy, sending deep, vibrating waves of pleasure over her skin. He described more of what he and another man could do to her. The erotic pressure built and built until Holly couldn’t hold it in any more. He rubbed against one particular spot and she jumped in his arms. It felt like she’d been hit by lightning that continued to vibrate inside of her. She cried out as her body trembled. “Oh, yeah. That’s what I was looking for.”

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She loved the gravely sound of his voice. Clawing at his shoulders, she rocked her body against his fingers. “What are you…Oh, I can’t take it.” “I can feel you squeezing my fingers. You’re so tight.” He rocked his hips against her. “I’m going to push my cock into you next, Holly. That’s what you really want, but you have to come for me first.” “Do it now. Oh, please. I need to feel your cock inside me.” She clutched his shoulders. Colwyn continued to stroke that incredible spot she never knew existed inside her. “Not yet, Holly. Soon, I promise.” His fingers continued to send shockwaves of pleasure through her. “Too much. I can’t.” She spoke the words between gasps. “Watch me touch you, Holly.” She looked down and watched as Colwyn pumped his fingers into her. Her forehead rested on his shoulder and her body shuddered. He pressed deep and she felt him stroke that magic spot inside her as he rapidly rubbed the swollen nubbin in her folds. A scream erupted from her throat as her body felt like it came apart. A light breeze from her trembling wings whipped around the small space, sending a cooling sensation over her damp skin. Her heart pounded wildly inside her chest and she hadn’t caught her breath when Colwyn shifted slightly and the broad tip of his cock pushed up into her. He stretched her to the point of pain, stealing her breath, and she clung to him, afraid she might not be able to handle all the sensations at once. “Oh, fuck. Holly, I can feel every muscle clenching down on me.” He withdrew and then pushed in again, gaining another inch. She tried to relax but her body clamped down on him every time he moved. He gripped her hips and set the pace, pulling her down as his hips pressed upward. This time his cock stroked that magical spot inside her. It took no time for the pleasure to explode inside of her again, and he was there to catch her as she collapsed against him.

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Chapter Four Careful out there, my friends. Looks like Mother Nature wants to make certain that we get our money’s worth out of our snow tires this year. It looks like a white Christmas, one and all. For all of you snow machine enthusiasts, Lars from X-tasy Bikes wants me to let you know that a safe day is the only way to go. He’s running a workshop Sunday on how to know if the ice is safe to drive on. ~ Cris on 3XTC Late Friday night, Brand navigated down an Ontario highway in one of the worst snowfalls he had the misfortune to end up in. The day was one mix-up after another. He’d missed the early flight and ruined his plans to arrive early and surprise his aunt and her mystery guest. Well, that was his own fault. He had wanted to finish up a couple of things before leaving Vancouver. Of course, all this lastminute holiday traveling cost a fortune. Transferring to a later flight had upped the bill even higher, but he had been lucky to get that flight at all. To top it off, an unexpected storm cell moved into southern Ontario. Safety crews had to plow the runways at Pearson International, which delayed their landing. The accumulated time he spent with nothing to do had given him a lot of time to think about his aunt’s mystery visitor. It was up to him to protect her from her own soft heart before anything bad happened. He tried to call Colwyn back and ask him about this woman, but there was no answer at his home. Thankfully, the kid working at the rent-a-car counter had the forethought to recommend a vehicle with four-wheel drive. At first,

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Brand had assumed it was a scam to get him to pay more. Now, he was thankful. The snowfall changed from swirling dust to big, heavy flakes the closer he got to Ecstasy Lake. It made everything, from what little he could see, look like a Norman Rockwell painting. Driving in it, without the benefit of four-wheel drive, would have been a bitch. The extra driving security had him going a bit faster than he should, and he had the sudden urge to see exactly what this beast could do. Quiet night, empty roads, and a purring SUV. Ten years ago, he would have pulled off onto the first field and seen how this thing could maneuver, but his rational side interceded and he refrained. What should only have taken about an hour and a half stretched to three, but the last few miles felt the longest. He was eleven hours behind his original schedule. Peering through the swirling snow, he almost missed the road leading back to the house. A moment of apprehension struck him as he grappled with the feeling that he had unconsciously made a major decision in his life. His nerves pricked and he stepped on the gas again. He had called the shop and house a number of times over the previous days in an attempt to garner a bit more information about this mystery guest. His aunt had sung this woman’s praises but still wouldn’t reveal where she’d met her. That had him more than a little concerned. With her trusting heart and faith in mankind, it wouldn’t be hard for a drifter to swoop in and take advantage, leaving her penniless and alone. He gripped the steering wheel tighter and clenched his teeth together so tight his jaw started to ache. Tires crunched over freshly fallen snow as he coasted quietly up to the dark house. The front porch light brought back memories of his youth. He remembered creeping up the driveway when he was a teenager. Very similar to the way he was now, except then it was a teenager who had the car out past curfew. Auntie always left the light on, waiting for him. From

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what he could see, everything looked the same as it always had. The big faded sign swung gently, almost completely covered by snow. Instead of saying “Pilliwiggin’s Antiquities” it now read only, “Antiquities.” The windows were filled with all sorts of unique things, from witch balls suspended on fishing wire to the tea wagons underneath looking as though they were just waiting for a bunch of chattering ladies to arrive for a game of bridge. He grabbed his bag out of the back seat and trudged through the calf-deep snow. His footsteps made a hollow thud that seemed to echo in the night, reminding him to step softer. As he suspected, the unlocked door swung open silently when he squeezed the handle. He gently closed the door, his senses triggering years of memories. The warm entry hallway smelled of fresh baking and dust. An odd combination, but one that was dear to him. Careful not to make a sound, he hung his coat on a hook and stepped of his shoes. A soft rustling sound drew his attention down the hallway. The kitchen lights were on and he could hear someone moving in there. Aniela. It would be like to her wait up for him even though she expected him much earlier. He sauntered down the hall and stepped into the brightly lit kitchen. Warmth flowed over him, along with many memories that he shared with his aunt. “Good evening, beautiful,” he said as he walked in. “Eeeeaaak!” a woman screamed, just before slinging a plate at him. The dish stuck to his chest with a soft thump on his chest before it clattered on the floor, dumping a large piece of chocolate cake on his sock. Clumps of icing decorated the middle of his cream-colored sweater where it had impacted, smeared, and then left a couple more smudges down his pant leg. “Brand. What are you doing, trying to frighten an old woman to death?” His aunt sat at the large oak table to the right of him. She tried to look annoyed but then dissolved into hoots of laughter. He barely spared her a glance. His attention riveted on his would-be

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attacker. She wasn’t particularly short, but then he was quite tall, and she just cleared his shoulder. She wore a top that was in blended shades of green and featured a low-cut neckline that allowed a teasing glimpse of cleavage. Below that was a hideous patchwork skirt of vibrant colors that completely hid her legs. Her bare feet peeked out from underneath the hem, tiny oval toenails painted bubblegum pink. “Hi,” the goddess in front of him said softly. He watched as her tongue darted out to catch a chocolate smudge on her lip. His brain suddenly jumped track, because he was entranced by her. His aunt’s amused voice helped him focus again. “Are you going to say something, or just stand there? Better yet, give me the sweater and let me wash it before that stains permanently.” “If I was an intruder, I don’t think throwing cake is an effective defense.” His calm tone shocked him, considering he was fast losing blood pressure in his brain as it all flowed south. “Stopped you, didn’t it?” The little imp arched an imperious eyebrow, giving him the distinct impression she was looking down her nose at him. “Hello, Auntie Aniela. I’m such a shit for staying away for so long and then trying to give you a heart attack.” His aunt muttered loud enough that most of the province could have heard her. “Duly chastised.” He bent and picked up the cake and placed it on the plate he picked up off the floor. Licking off the icing stuck to his fingers, he walked over and gave his aunt a big hug. He couldn’t stand it if she thought he was ignoring her. “Brand, I want you to meet our guest. This is Holly. Holly, this is my wonderful nephew.” Brand pressed a kiss to his aunt’s temple before turning a suspicious eye on the young lady in front of him. He had dated his fair share of gorgeous women, but this pixie was captivating. Spirals of big, red curls surrounded her head, ending just at her jaw, and highlighted her porcelain skin and vivid green eyes. She looked so innocent, which made him even more suspicious.

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“Nice to meet you, Holly,” he grunted after a sharp jab to his ribs from his aunt’s bony elbow. **** Holly felt rooted to the floor, her tongue fixed to the roof of her mouth. Oh, great goddess, the picture hadn’t done him justice. The beautiful boy had matured into a gorgeous man. Tall and well built, the way his clothes fit emphasized his broad shoulders and strong legs. Thick, blond hair was brushed back away from his face in a fashionable cut. He had a strong jaw and a full lower lip. A slight crook to his nose stopped him from being too pretty. Small lines creased the corner of his eyes and bracketed his mouth. He would have a beautiful smile when he relaxed enough. Suspicion came off him in waves, and she didn’t blame him. He cared for his aunt very much. Not a common occurrence, if the television shows she watched were any indication. Her second thought was that the gods had given her an incredible opportunity. There were a few similarities in the man in front of her and the picture of the teen in the stairwell. His hair was much shorter, and the melting snow caused the longer hair on the top of his head to curl at his temples. Brown eyes the color of a fall leaf seemed to look straight through to her lonely soul. She’d met a couple of men in town when she’d gone shopping with Aniela, and other than Colwyn, no one else warmed the parts of her she feared were still made of crystal. “So where did you meet?” “She freed me from…” “The shelter.” His aunt straightened and stepped forward to wrap an around Holly’s shoulders, squeezing tight. Holly didn’t understand why she lied. Colwyn didn’t have a problem with the truth. Brand should know the whole story up front. That way no one got surprised later.

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“You were trapped in the shelter?” Brand obviously didn’t believe a word she said as he turned back to Holly. She was too busy glaring at his aunt, and before she could open her mouth, his aunt exercised her creativity again. “Trapped in that life, Brand. It’s ever so hard to get out of that kind of predicament. Trapped being a metaphor, of course. It’s the holidays, and I think I have helped. Right, Holly?” “Well, yes, of course, I couldn’t have done it without you, but I think that we need to clarify—” “—where everyone is sleeping, of course.” Aniela turned quickly and as her arm was still around Holly, she had no choice but to follow. For an old woman, Aniela was surprisingly strong His aunt’s expression looked far too innocent, which meant she was up to something. “Brand, you are in your usual room. I have Holly in the other spare room, and I am in mine. Now that it’s all set, I think we should turn in. Good night, sweetheart. Holly, would you mind helping me up to my room? The stairs are ever so difficult when I have a chill in my bones.” Before she could protest, Aniela headed down the hallway practically dragging Holly behind her. “Aniela, why won’t you let m—” The older woman’s grip tightened and she hissed in Holly’s ear. “Not where he will hear.” Brand had followed them out into the hallway, concern and suspicion palpable. “Are you sure you’re okay, Auntie?” “I’m fine, sweetheart. Be a dear and put the lid on the cake plate will you? Good night. We’ll see you in the morning.” “Aniela, what was all that for?” Holly asked as soon as they were in the bedroom, and she was freed. “You said honesty was best, and I completely agree with you. I’m sure he would understand once I explained it. You did.” “Oh, honey, you don’t know him like I do. If you tell him what you really are, trust me, he will have the police here in a second. They

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will run all their fancy security checks, and we don’t want that. I’ve seen what they can do.” “But…” A regal rising of Aniela’s hand stopped her midsentence. Aniela must have been a military captain in a past life. She had the aura of one. “There won’t be any information on you, you’ll be questioned, and they will lock us both up in the loony bin forever.” Holly didn’t know what this loony bin was, but by the look on the old woman’s face, she didn’t want to be in it. Frankly, she didn’t want to waste the last bit of time she had here incarcerated. She’d avoided Colwyn today because she was afraid of getting too attached to him, but already she missed him and knew it was too late, for her. She didn’t want to hurt him when her time ran out. “All right, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.” “Duly noted and ignored.” The older woman waved her hands in a shooing motion. “Off to bed with you now. We have a busy day tomorrow.” Shaking her head, Holly left the room and headed for her own. She had tried to explain, but it didn’t work. It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to lie. She couldn’t even if she’d wanted to. That was just part and parcel of what she was. All that “creativity” earlier had raised a lot of suspicion, rightfully so. Time was ticking, and she knew there was probably no way she could seduce Brand now. So much for taking advantage of her final days here.

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Chapter Five I have some great news to share. It looks like our own Brand Denninger blew in with the storm. I heard this morning that he has come back to visit his aunt. For those of you who might have lost track, Brand has been working in BC for the last ten years. Welcome home, Brand. We’ve missed you. ~ Cris on 3XTC Colwyn heaved a breath, leaned back in his chair, and tossed a pencil across his drafting table. He’d hoped to get some work done at home today, but his attention kept drifting. Brand was home, here in Ecstasy. Part of him wanted to drive back out to Aniela’s place, but to be honest he wasn’t certain what he would do. The idea of punching the bastard in the face sounded good at the moment. Colwyn had no idea if Brand planned to be here for a couple days or weeks. The last time he’d come home, he had been there for less than twenty-four hours. Brand had stopped by his house to say goodbye. Colwyn had told him to fuck off and called him a coward. Brand had stood there and accepted all the viciousness he’d thrown at him and then left. Colwyn went back to university to take architecture and took a job in the city for a while, but he couldn’t stand living there full time. So he’d come home and had ended up working with Gaspar Solfalvi designing eco-houses. He’d lived alone and had lots of time to think and wish things had gone differently. He’d known that Brand blamed himself for Brittany’s death, but he wasn’t completely to blame.

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Colwyn never should have gone along with the crazy plan to jump into bed with them years before. He’d pushed Brand to share his girlfriend and had told him how much she meant to him, too. He’d been attracted to her but didn’t love her like Brand did. Her reaction had been completely understandable. Their grand plan was for Colwyn to come up behind her while she rode Brand’s cock. Forty minutes later, her car had been wrapped around a tree. He knew that Brand only came home because of Aniela’s guest, and that reopened a decade-old wound that never really healed. Colwyn wasn’t going to let Brand go back to BC without a fight. Not this time. He wasn’t going to take Holly and Aniela with him, either. Colwyn deliberately stayed away from Aniela’s house, not because he wanted to avoid Holly, but because he wanted her to spend some time with Brand. If the two of them felt an attraction, then he would fight for them both. **** Brand found his Auntie in the kitchen the next morning. Her mysterious guest was nowhere in sight. As usual, he had barely gotten out a good morning before she’d ushered him into a seat and placed a big plate of food in front of him. “I can cook, too. You don’t have to wait on me.” She bustled around the kitchen giving him a withering look at the mention of his cooking skills. “Not in my kitchen, you don’t.” That wasn’t what he wanted to talk about, anyway. The problem was how to bring it up without putting her on the defensive. “So, what do you think of Holly? Such a nice girl, yes?” That was easy. The calculating look in her eyes concerned him. She stood back against the counter top, a spatula in her hand. Aniela Denninger was county-renowned for her matchmaking. The fact that he sat in her sights wasn’t comforting.

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“Don’t look at me like that. I am only here for a short visit and far too busy for what you have in mind. What do you know of Miss…do you even know her last name?” “Stop being so suspicious. She is just a poor soul that is out of her element and needs a bit of TLC. Something you should keep in mind.” Brand gave her an incredulous look. His sweet, elderly Auntie didn’t just suggest what he thought she did. Did she? “Where is she from?” he asked, while swirling local maple syrup over the plate of pancakes she had placed in front of him. One bite and years slipped away. He felt as if he’d never left. “Oh, here and there, lost and drifting. All she needed was a bit of a talking to, and she came right out of her shell.” A bright smile followed that comment, as if she had just answered a skill-testing question without a calculator. What exactly is going on?” “Morning, Aniela. Brand.” Holly skipped into the kitchen as if she tiptoed through a field of wildflowers. Brand tried to keep his concentration on breakfast and not think about how much better the syrup would taste if he licked it off her breasts. He kept his gaze on his plate and not on her dainty feet. Although he did notice that this morning her toenails were purple. Her legs were encased in a pair of over-washed blue jeans, covered in patches of all different colors and patterns. An oversized lime-green sweater lay over her shoulders, with a tight, purple T-shirt visible under it. The young woman practically tiptoed across the floor when she moved, as if she wasn’t sure if the ground was secure enough. She really had the most amazing green eyes. He’d love to get a closer look at them, and her lips—an impish grin. Damn, she caught him blatantly checking her out and not paying attention to his breakfast. “Do you think I could call Colwyn and see what he is doing this afternoon? Maybe he can come over again?” Holly looked uncertain of her suggestion, but his aunt gave her a big smile. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Holly. I’m certain he would love to see you again.”

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Damn, maybe she’s trying to match Holly up with Colwyn and not me. He should feel relieved that he wasn’t in his aunt’s immediate matchmaking crosshairs. Instead it bothered him to be left out. His head filled with visions of this jewel between the two of them. He and Colwyn shared such a tight connection long ago that Brand hadn’t shared a woman with another man since…His anger toward his friend had dissipated long ago, leaving emptiness inside him. He’d missed his friend but hadn’t been certain they could easily mend a decade-old wound. Until he found out more about this mystery woman, he shouldn’t be thinking about taking her to bed. Period. Let alone with someone else. “What’s your last name?” he asked quickly, hoping to surprise her into answering honestly. If she was a crook, he wanted her arrested by this evening. “Don’t use one.” “How can you go through life without one?” “There is only one of me. What more do you need but Holly?” “A last name so that if you con anyone, I know who to have charged.” “Brand! Enough. You’re being rude.” Aniela waved her spatula threateningly at him. “It’s all right.” Holly walked over to where he sat. She reached out to touch his cheek but pulled her hand back as if she changed her mind. “I swear to you, I would never do anything to your Auntie. She is a kind soul who just wants to help. She’s teaching me how to help out in the shop so I can repay her kindness.” Brand’s mouth went dry as she drew near. Her trim figure had him gripping the arms of the chair under the table. If he let go, he feared he might actually grab her. There wasn’t a shred of malice in her tone or the look on her face, but a loneliness in her eyes he could feel echo between them. Either she told the truth or she was a hell of an actress. He found himself nodding at her.

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“I’ll go open up your shop, okay, Aniela?” Holly snatched a warm pancake off the pile, munching it as she stepped out into the hallway. Brand watched the soft sway of her hips as she walked. Please, God, let me be wrong about her. Because I want to take her to bed, for at least a couple of months. He stabbed at a pancake but his fork hit the table. His aunt stood next to him, his full plate in hand, pinning him with a furious look. “I’m going to need some firewood,” she said. That was a sure sign that he’d pissed her off. It had been her favorite punishment when he was a teenager. The summer he and Colwyn had met, he’d chopped at least two winters’ worth of kindling. He and Colwyn had been a terrible influence on each other, and often he’d ended up coming home past his curfew. Right now, he wasn’t about to argue. A good workout would burn off some of this sexual tension that had built up within him. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want you taken advantage of.” “She is a nice girl, Brand, and isn’t going to hurt me. You need to be nicer to her.” “Yes, ma’am.” He eyed his plate in her hand. If she was going to make him chop wood, then she could at least let him finish eating. “In fact, I think you should spend a bit of time getting to know her better.” Whoa! Warning! He recognized that calculating look in her face. Forget breakfast, he would work on an empty stomach. “Perhaps after I’ve finished the wood.” Brand quickly pushed his chair back and got to his feet. Backing quickly toward the door might be cowardly, but necessary, given the unnerving look in his aunt’s eyes. If he didn’t get out quick… “Why don’t you two go for a walk downtown?” She got him before he could make good his escape. “It’s a gorgeous day. The sun is shining and some fresh air should improve your manners. I’ll go tell Holly and have her meet you out front.”

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Crap. Brand clenched his back teeth together so tight he felt a headache starting. The last thing he wanted to do was spend any extra time with this mystery woman. Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that and maybe you’ll start to believe it. He wanted to make certain she wasn’t going to fleece his aunt, have a nice, big Christmas dinner, and then head back to his apartment in Vancouver. He hoped to avoid any trips into town. Ecstasy Lake didn’t change much as the years passed and there were far too many memories for his comfort. He didn’t want to see the dislike in everyone’s gaze. He knew most of the town believed that Britt died because he broke up with her, and that was fine, because it diverted any blame from Colwyn. Brand’s heart pounded wildly against his chest. Even thinking about Colwyn led to images of Holly sandwiched between the two of them. “Brand, are you coming?” He heard his aunt calling from the shop and put on his boots, hoping to get it over as quickly as possible. It wasn’t that he found Holly repulsive, more the opposite, really. She was a complete enigma to him, and truthfully, he was afraid to get to know her better. Although I wouldn’t mind getting her naked. Shallow as it sounded, she made every nerve in his body spark as soon as she got near him. Walking outside, he spotted her leaning against his truck, her manner of dress as intriguing as her painted toenails had been. Her feet were tucked into a pair of white, shaggy boots, and she wore a poncho that he was sure he would see in an off-off-Broadway drag show. Made of bright, Christmas-red wool that clashed with the incredible shade of red of her hair, her poncho also sported a Christmas tree on the front, tiny gold charms sewn on to it to look like decorations. Flamboyant, to say the least, and not something he would expect a con-artist to wear. Didn’t they try to stay inconspicuous? Blend in? Because she had it all wrong.

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The drive into town didn’t take long, especially since the plows had been out to clear the roads. The sunshine glinted off the fresh, new snow, turning everything into a beautiful winter landscape. The stores were all open, and brightly decorated for the holidays. He trailed after her as she darted in and out of shops. Her enchanted attitude and open sense of wonder and enjoyment of the simple things made him smile. He bumped into a few people who recognized him and stopped to chat. As time passed, he found his grifter theory fading. She was so eager to see everything but never actually bought anything. Nor did she try to play any games to get him to pay. “I haven’t bought my aunt a gift yet. Think you can help me find something?” Her eyes lit with excitement. “Oh, I’d love to help. This is so much fun. Christmas should happen at least once a month. Too bad you have such a small family. I’d want tons of people to buy for.” “You don’t have anyone to shop for?” “No. They were gone a long time ago. I’m sure there are some extended family members here and there, but I have no idea how to find them. I’d feel them if they were near.” He was going to ask her to clarify that last comment, but his question lodged in his throat when she grabbed his hand. Her chilled fingers slipped within his larger ones and tugged him in another shop. It felt so right that he intertwined his fingers with hers so their palms pressed together. He let go only when they stopped for a cup of hot chocolate. She had extra whipped cream. Cupping the paper mug between her fingers, the two of them stood in the chocolate shop picking out truffles for Aniela. In an uncharacteristic, spontaneous move, he leaned close and kissed some whipped cream off her upper lip. Her shocked look had him grinning. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in years. When he moved to stand straighter, she quickly took another sip of her cocoa, coating her upper lip again. He chuckled at her antics and speared his fingers through her hair at the back of her neck. Holding her still, he leaned

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close and flicked his tongue over her lip first before kissing her. Her lips felt like silk beneath his and his awareness of his surroundings quickly vanished. This time it was the man behind the counter clearing his throat that broke them apart. Shocked at his own behavior, Brand was about to apologize to the shopkeeper when the old man commented. “That’s not the first time my Katie’s cocoa has had that effect on people. Besides, you’re under the mistletoe and all.” Brand looked up and sure enough, there were about four dozen balls of the dangerous plant hanging from his ceiling over the shop. You couldn’t stand anywhere in here and not be under some. He looked down at Holly, who leaned against him, a bright smile on her face as she gazed at the ceiling. “It’s nice to know the best traditions have lasted.” Looking down into her innocent expression of happiness, Brand felt a bit more of his suspicions toward her fall away. He almost enjoyed the way she kept him guessing. An accountant’s life was black and white, numbers only, and no matter how he added things, the answer remained the same. Holly was like one of those numeric anomalies. You think you know the answer, but work the question a different way and you get a different answer. He knew there was more to her story than she or his aunt were admitting to. He suspected that Colwyn knew more than he’d let on as well, but then Colwyn had his own secrets. He remembered the night that Colwyn confessed the truth of his parents and that he wasn’t exactly human. It was the night that Brand confessed that he wanted to share his girlfriend. Colwyn had said they should be honest with her. Colwyn’s insistence on the truth is what led to their telling his girlfriend what he’d really wanted. He’d never expected Brittany to act the way she did. Hell, it wasn’t like ménage relationships were uncommon in this town, even back then someone had vandalized the welcome sign every spring. Gordon would repaint the welcome sign

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every April, and within a week or two, someone would spray-paint a 3x over the Ecs of Ecstasy He and Colwyn had never stopped to consider the fact that other small towns had very different views on relationships. In their own naive way, they’d expected that Brittany would happily accept Colwyn into bed with them and they would live happily ever after. **** Holly wrapped both her hands around the paper cup, but the warmth coming off the vessel couldn’t compare with the heat inside her, or the heat that seemed to radiate off of Brand. He laid his hand on the small of her back as they left the store. She waved at the couple behind the counter and then glanced up at him again. Her lips still tingled from his kiss, but he became very distant afterward. She knew he didn’t trust her, but this was different. “I like this town. I don’t know why you ever left,” she commented. A shadow passed over Brand’s expression and she stopped to look up into his face. “Did something bad happen here?” “You could say that.” It wasn’t Brand who spoke. Holly looked next to them and saw Colwyn standing there. “Oh, my other favorite person.” She hopped into Colwyn’s arms and gave him a hug. “Have you had this stuff?” She held up the cup. “It’s so good!" His hands wrapped around her bottom and caressed her, but when she turned her face up for a kiss she noticed that his attention was completely on Brand. Oh, dear. She forgot for a moment what her plan was. Seeing Colwyn after such an intense kiss from Brand had her craving more contact for a moment. She’d wanted to feel caught between the two of them and acted on that impulse before thinking. Brand stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. His face looked angular and strained because his teeth were clenched together so tightly. He looked furious. She patted Colwyn on the chest and

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tried to push him away. Colwyn let her drop to her feet but kept an arm around her shoulders. Brand’s expression was colder than the air around them, effectively dousing the heat both he and Colwyn triggered inside her. She knew she’d made a huge mistake, from Brand’s point of view, anyway. “I’ll leave you both to visit.” Holly reached out and grabbed him by the arm before he could go anywhere. “Brand, no, please. I apologise for that. It was rude of me, especially after your kiss. I needed more touching and you didn’t, and I knew that Colwyn wouldn’t mind because we already…I mean, well, that was wrong of me.” “Your kiss?” Colwyn’s gaze slid from her to Brand. “You kissed her, too? Well, that is interesting. You got to that pretty quickly considering you think she’s a fraud.” “I asked you to check in on my aunt and make certain she wasn’t being taken advantage of. I didn’t ask you to try and seduce the answers out of her.” Holly was confident their words weren’t said to hurt her, as the two of them seemed to be out to hurt each other. She saw enough of this type of behaviour in the castle lists of Medieval England, in what she was beginning to think of as her pervious life. Knights often provoked each other into violence because they weren't willing to speak of the matter that really bothered them. Both men seemed intent on trading insults and apparently forget her presence. Just as well, because that moment, Holly smelled something warm and spicy and fresh from an oven. She knew enough to stay out of their way before they turned any vicious comments her direction. Following the delicious smell, she left the two men glaring at each other and headed toward another store. Inside, the aromas wrapped around her like a family hug. Not that she’d ever had one of those, but she liked to think that Aniela’s hugs were given to her with such goodwill behind them. An older woman stood behind a counter, placing pastries onto a wire rack.

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“Hello, there. What can I help you with?” “I don’t know. I smelled something incredible and wanted to know what it was.” She jabbed a thumb in the air, toward the window. “They’re too busy fighting, so I came in on my own." “Really? Who’s that?” The woman glanced out the large front window. Her eyes widened and her jaw slackened a bit. “I don’t believe it.” “Why is it so shocking to see them speaking to each other?” Holly asked, eyeing the pastries on the wire rack. They smell so good. Despite the pancakes she ate this morning, her stomach made a strange growling noise. “That, my dear, is a long story, and one that they should share. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll put together some rolls for you. They’re fresh from the oven.” “That’s very thoughtful, but I don’t have any currency with me as of yet. I need to find a career, and as soon as I figure out where one is, I’ll be back.” The older woman smiled and patted her hand. “Oh, sweetheart, sit down. My name is Catherine. I’m certain that Colwyn or Brand will be here in a moment and we’ll get them to cover it for you. Would you like a cup of tea to go with it?” Holly looked at the paper cup in her hand. “My name is Holly, and I’m all right, thank you. I still have this.” “Now, what is it that you want to do as a career?” The door dinged again and Holly turned hoping to see Brand and Colwyn. Instead, a large man stood in the opening, inhaling deeply. A twin of the man gave him a firm but friendly shove out of the way. “Fuck’s sake, Vencel, you walk in after us if you’re going to insist on doing that every time. Mai’s freezing cold.” The man named Vencel immediately appeared apologetic and moved out of the way. A smaller woman stood tucked under his arm. “Okay, you two, stop it. It’s not like I’m going to freeze to death, for Pete’s sake. I’m just hungry, and I’ve got three pairs of socks on.”

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“I’ll be back in a moment.” Catherine called out a welcome to the three of them and went to the counter to get three more plates. The small woman smiled at Holly and gave her a bit of a wave hello. Holly smiled at the trio that walked in but before she could say anything, the door dinged again. She blinked at the variety of people that came through the door. So many shape-shifters living in such close quarters was unheard of in her previous life. She wondered how they all ended up here. A large man caught her attention as he pulled a knitted cap from his head. His long, blond hair caught her attention first, but as he scanned the room, she saw his face. Fear slammed into her chest. What was he doing here? She looked away quickly so that their eyes would not meet. The last thing she wanted was for him to recognise her. He was a hunter for the fey council. His job was to track down rogue faeries and destroy them. Is he here for me? Thankfully, he didn’t seem interested in her and left after making a purchase. “There you are!” Colwyn sat down beside her. She hadn’t seen him come in. “I didn’t know where you went. You scared the hell out of me.” “You two were fighting and egging each other on and I smelled the most incredible thing. Have you had one of these?” She took a bite of the pastry and licked the small flakes off her lips. Brand walked up to their table and stood there staring at her as if he wanted to take a bite of her. “Didn’t take you long to discover Ecstasy Lake’s best kept secret. Catherine’s sausage rolls are delicious.” One of the twin men who had come in earlier called out a greeting and Colwyn smiled and waved back, before turning his attention back to her. Leaning forward, he ran a finger along her lower lip. “Missed one.” A couple flakes sat on his finger and he licked them off before smiling at her. “Since you are that comfortable with Colwyn, he can drive you back to wherever you came from.” The tone of Brand’s voice sliced

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her heart like a sharp knife. At least they’d stopped arguing, but she didn’t have the time to play any more ring-around-the-truth. “Why do I have to choose between you? I thought that you both—” “You thought wrong. I’ll tell my aunt to expect you later.” Brand nodded to Catherine and the other couple. Colwyn leapt to his feet and grabbed his arm, drawing the attention of many people in the room. “Brand, stay.” “You need to let me go, Colwyn.” He sounded like he forced his words out from between clenched teeth. Colwyn flinched at Brand’s words and pulled his hand away. Holly watched the way each of them verbally struck at each other. Obviously, they weren’t finished, but she couldn’t let them continue to rip at each other. “Both of you stop it.” She stomped her foot and glared at them. The general noise around them dropped away as everyone stopped what they were doing and watched. Holly didn’t care what they did as long as no one got involved. This was for the three of them to work out. Brand and Colwyn looked at her, but Brand was the first to turn away and storm out of the shop. She moved to follow him but Colwyn rested a hand in the crook of her arm. “Stay here, Holly. He’s angry, conflicted, and trying to forget the past. If you follow him, he will end up saying things he doesn’t really mean, but the hurt it causes will never go away.” It wasn’t until the door closed that Colwyn sat down. He looked defeated. “Oh, I’m very sorry, Colwyn. I didn’t mean to cause more problems.” He wrapped his hand around hers and tightened it slightly. Now that they were both sitting, the noise around them returned to a normal level. Holly knew that gossip spread like wildfire through any small town, and it appeared that this one was no different. She wasn’t about to give them any more ammunition. Colwyn’s hands send a wave of

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warmth up her arm. “Holly, we have ten years’ worth of problems. I promise you that you didn’t do anything to make it worse.” He picked up her sausage roll and held it up to her. “Have a bite, and if you make a mess, I’ll kiss the crumbs away.” Holly smiled at him and quickly bit into the flaky pastry, making certain she didn’t lick her lips after. The haunted look in Colwyn’s eyes dissipated as she chewed. She swallowed the savory bite, and he leaned forward and made good on his promise. His lips felt strong against hers. Waves of heat radiated from their lips and coursed through her body. She loved the way he made her feel, and the thought of leaving him made her want to cry. Her throat ached, her chest tightened, and Colwyn lifted his lips from hers. “Holly, are you all right?” Concern shone in his warm eyes, and for a moment it was centuries ago and this is how she’d wanted that moment to go. If she could go back she wouldn’t have created that curse, but then she might never have met the man in front of her. She only had a few days of life left, and she wasn’t going to waste them on wishes and past regrets. One thing she knew for certain, she had to somehow fix this rift between Colwyn and Brand before her time ran out. “Colwyn, please tell me what happened between you two.”

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Chapter Six I see our town has a fair new resident. Everyone join me in welcoming Miss Holly to our midst for as long as Fate allows her to be here. It's not often that I see a woman pursued by only one man around here. Oh, never mind, I can see Colwyn Marshall from here. This should prove to be an interesting combination. Now in other news, there have been sightings of our own Blavet… ~ Cris on 3XTC Holly paced back and forth across the front yard of Aniela’s house. Colwyn had dropped her off at Holly’s insistence, but only after she’d promised to call if she needed anything. He hadn’t wanted to leave her alone, but she’d known that his presence might make things worse. After Brand’s abrupt departure from the diner, Colwyn had told her everything that happened to drive such a large wedge between them. Armed with more information, she had to figure out how to fix them. She knew that there was no hope for her, but if she could reunite them…well, perhaps she could fade from existence knowing that she helped someone. Not that she wanted to fade. She wanted to experience everything this world had to offer. She wanted to feel both their hands on her skin and touch them in return. Both their kisses made her insides feel like a rushing stream, all swirling and intense, and left her craving more. She wished that she had told Brand the truth right away. It would make the confrontation to come so much easier, but he distrusted her so much now. How could she regain his trust and belief

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in such a short time? Her magic felt so depleted already. Most of her dwindling abilities were used to create modern clothes and keep her wings hidden. She wanted to help the woman who had freed her, but all she could manage was the small, but potent, charm to attract customers. That was what Colwyn caught her hanging in the tree the other day. What the ribbon charm lacked in grandeur, it made up for in effectiveness. Aniela repeatedly mentioned she hadn’t been this busy in ages. She had to fix this, but first she needed to find Brand and tell him the truth. A loud thunking noise echoed around the back of the house, and that is where she found Brand. He swung a large axe with complete ease for someone who wasn’t used to this kind of work. His hair stuck up at odd angles as if he had rubbed his head recently. His jacket was thrown on a pile of freshly chopped wood, leaving him dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a padded vest. Jeans hugged his butt as he braced himself and swung again. His sleeves pushed up to bare his forearms, dusted lightly with hair, strong and sturdy. She leaned back against the house and enjoyed the view. He loved his family and treated his Auntie with love and respect. He couldn’t be all that bad. According to Aniela, he worked far too hard and he forgot how to have fun in life. Now that she knew the entire story, she saw the truth. Brand ran away from the pain and never forgave himself. For a moment, over cocoa earlier, she’d seen the boy in the picture, reflected in the man who had kissed her. As she stood there in the snow watching him, she realized how much she’d started to care for each of them and knew she could never tell them. She didn’t want to add to the pain that Love had caused in their lives already. She thought she had loved before, but now she knew that intense emotion had never touched her heart before. Her thoughts filled with dreams of happy endings and warm winter nights between two men who loved her back. They might never be more than fantasies, but at

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least she could hold on to this wondrous feeling when her time ran out. **** Brand had hoped that the cold air and intense physical labor would simulate a cold shower, but the persistent tightness of his jeans proved he had no luck. Instead, he fantasized what Holly would look like spread out beneath him. He imagined her pale skin against his hunter-green sheets, bright red curls around her face, and lower down, more tiny, scarlet curls glistening from his ministrations. She would be the perfect holiday treat, sweet and delicious, and no danger to his cholesterol level. He could almost smell her floral scent on the air. He would hold her legs open for Colwyn to… “Are you finished?” Started, he jumped and pinned her with a dark look. “Don’t you know not to sneak up on a person chopping wood? I could have slipped and cut off my own foot.” “That’s exactly why I waited. You haven’t moved for a couple minutes, so I figured it was safe. Are you grumpy with everyone not related to you, or am I just lucky?” “I’m not grumpy.” Brand imbedded the axe in the cutting block with a flick of his wrist. He was about to explode from the sexual tension building in him. She might have distracted him, but his brain continued with the image of her between him and Colwyn. Why is she here? “I would rather not lose any body parts.” He grabbed a couple of pieces of wood and started stacking them. She helped tidy up the split logs, and he did his best to avoid her by watching which logs she reached for. She snorted. “Coward.” “What did you say?” “You heard me. Typical of men in your time. I’ve been watching TV. You talk tough but then back off when it comes time to do

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something about it. Or, you do it with the woman’s sister. Thankfully, I don’t have one here.” Brand gaped at her for a moment, trying to keep up. “What do you mean men of my time? What have you been watching?” “The Loved.” She shot him a snotty grin and scooped up the last piece of wood, tossing it on the massive stack that lined the back of the house. “Aniela says it’s the best thing out there.” “Right. A soap opera she has watched since I was a kid. My Auntie’s taste in TV is the same as yours in clothes.” Holly gasped, narrowed her eyes at him and slapped her hands onto her hips. She looked so damn cute all pissed off. “I’ll have you know I copied these exactly from what Tatiana wears on The Loved. Anyone named after the Fey Queen can’t be all bad.” “I rest my case.” He snorted. “She might be a queen, but it has nothing to do with any faeries.” “You take that back!” “Make me!” Holly clenched her hands, and he could almost see her trying to come up with the right come back but failing. “Go back to Colwyn, Holly.” He turned and walked away from her, determined to stop this before it went too far. Seeing the two of them together, he had felt like the outsider. Which is what Colwyn would have felt like a decade ago. He knew that Brittany hadn’t shared the same attraction with Colwyn, but Brand had forced the issue and ended up hurting everyone in the process. He couldn’t stomach the idea of being the cause of more pain in anyone’s life. “Make me!” She threw his words back at him, and then stuck her tongue out at him. Brand turned and walked away from her. Holly was too much of a temptation. If he didn’t leave now, he would show her exactly what she could do with that tongue.

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Something smacked him in the neck, forcing snow down the back of his shirt. He could feel an icy trickle run down his spine as he turned. She crowed loudly when a second one impacted against his chest. Her victory dance was short lived, though, when his snowball smacked her in the head. A full-scale war erupted with half-formed snowballs flying back and forth. Neither of them really paid attention to where they were aiming, just tried to beat the other. At one point, Brand was certain that one had broken above her shoulder, seemingly in thin air. He started aiming for that area out of curiosity and sure enough it happened again, only this time, when the ball broke, it hovered like a lump in thin air, and then looked like it was shaken off. What the hell? His distraction cost him when a soft lump landed against his cheek, followed by her hoot of laughter. His blood pumping and curiosity at its zenith, he suddenly lunged forward. Catching Holly around the waist, he took her to the ground, pinning her beneath him. Panting, he grinned down at the woman beneath him. Awareness of her warm body shot through his veins, blocking any thought of the cold snow they were laying in. “I win.” “Okay.” Holly lifted up and pressed her lips against his. She smelled like a crisp winter morning and warm cinnamon buns. Need slammed into him, and his good intentions melted with the snow. He slid his hands up and captured her face, tilting her slightly so that he could better taste her. Her arms wrapped around him, and her hips lifted, pressing up as he ground his hips against hers. One booted foot wrapped around his thigh, and she mewed deep in her throat, nipping at his lower lip when he leaned back to look at her. Her face looked flushed, her lips wonderfully swollen. A surge of male possessiveness rippled through him, knowing his kiss affected her like this. “Holly, I really hope you aren’t conning us,” he whispered as he dipped his head toward her neck.

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“You. You. Jerk! You just can’t let it go,” she snapped, wiggling madly as she pounded his shoulders. “Get off me!” “What? No, honey, I didn’t mean it like that.” He backed off, confusion overriding lust. Why can’t I keep my fucking mouth shut? “And I thought I was trapped. At least I could escape. But you…” She slipped out from underneath him, leapt to her feet, and gave him a filthy look. Brand sat back on his heels, his knees pressing into the snow as it melted and began soaking through his pant legs. He gazed down at where the indents of her legs and his intertwined up to where her perfect round bottom was imprinted, and up to her delicately curved back. He blinked at what looked like two perfectly formed wings that extended past her shoulders. Holly stomped a path in the snow as she paced a few feet away from him. “For a while there, I thought you might actually believe me. Once you decide something, that is all there is to it. That’s why you left this town and left Colwyn behind. How long has it been, and you two haven’t spoken? I’m not stupid or blind. I see the way you both look at me, but you won’t budge from your self-imposed cage.” He looked up to watch her stalk across the yard to the house and felt as though someone had just punched him in the gut. Identical to the imprint in the snow, there was what looked to be a pair of snowcovered wings on Holly’s back. Sunlight glinted off the pristine flakes. No sooner had his brain processed what he was seeing, she shook, and the snow fell gently away down to the ground, leaving no trace of the impossible. “What are you?” he called out, still feeling a bit disjointed. “A holly faery, what else, you big, narrow-minded, judgmental, pig-headed, childish asshole?” She didn’t bother to turn around, throwing the answer over her shoulder. He stared at her. If only she would turn around, but she didn’t, and he didn’t call out to her again. Pushing himself to his feet,

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he went off to find the one person who could shed some light on this entire situation. **** Brand was pacing the hallway like a caged tiger when Aniela quietly entered the house. Coincidentally, when he’d wanted to talk to her earlier, she had been off visiting one of her cronies. Holly’s parting words repeated in his head as the day wore on, putting him in a foul mood. Who was she to judge? She didn’t know him or the circumstances surrounding that night. Unless Colwyn told her or she heard people talking around town. Brand stopped in the middle of the hall and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where have you been?” “Last I noticed, young man, I am old enough to stay out all night if I wish to.” She gave him a dark look. He just managed to dodge a calculated swing of her cane as it brushed dangerously close to one of his shins. “We need to talk. Holly is crazy.” He twirled a finger around his temple. “Oh, dear. She told you?” Aniela handed him a heavy box and moved past him. He followed her down the hall to the kitchen. “I was hoping to ease you into it. Just tell you a little at a time. Where is she?” “Upstairs. You believe her?” “Of course, I freed her from the snowflake.” Brand sat down hard on one of the antique chairs. “Tell me this is just one big joke you cooked up. She must have hypnotized you? Used some kind of nerve gas? Made you a tea out of special leaves?” His aunt gave him a sharp look as she opened the box he had practically dropped on the table, and lifted out a large plate of holiday cookies. “I’m going to pretend that you didn’t just question my intelligence. I know what happened. I found the ornament hidden in

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an antique box. I found the spell that released her and I freed the poor thing. She was terrified when she appeared in front of me. Not knowing where she was or how much time had passed. Really it was heartbreaking.” “A spell? What kind of spell? Don’t you need a magic wand or herbs or some sort of circle?” “You’ve been watching that TV show with the three skinny girls again. Welcome to real life. Magic isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes all you have to do is believe in something for it to work. I know I don’t have any children, though certainly not from a lack of trying. You know I just never found the right man, or two that could keep up to me.” “Ewwwww,” Brand groaned and debated on covering his ears. Fortunately, she realized his discomfort and didn’t say any more on the subject. Wiping her hands on a tea towel first, she crooked a finger at him. He dutifully followed her into the living room where a large decorated Christmas tree stood. She plucked a snowflake ornament off the tree and handed it to him. She was etched in the middle there as plain as day. Brand stood there inspecting the innocent-looking ornament as his aunt filled him in on the details of Holly’s appearance. “There has to be a reason all this happened. She needed to forgive herself for trying to curse that man so many years ago. Maybe you need to do the same. I love you and always thought of you as my own child. All I want is for you to be happy.” Unable to think of anything to say, he just sat there, holding the beautiful crystal ornament. Imagining for a moment what it would look like with Holly trapped in there. Purgatory in its truest form. All that life and energy trapped in an emotionless prison of perfection. His chest tightened as he thought about Brittany’s death. He hadn’t been in love with her, but he’d allowed her to assume otherwise. That had been his crime—he’d always wanted to try a ménage and had used her feelings for him to manipulate the situation.

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He’d talked Colwyn into joining them in bed one night and forced the issue with her. When she had reacted badly to the idea, he’d let her get behind the wheel of a car. What kind of man let anyone drive, knowing it wasn’t a good idea? While he’d sat around getting drunk and feeling sorry for himself, angry that the situation hadn’t gone well, Brittany had died an icy death wrapped around a tree. For the last ten years, he’d believed he didn’t deserve to be loved. In a way, he had trapped himself in a prison of numbers and cold, emotionless computer programs denying himself a friendship that he felt he didn’t deserve. Not much different than the sterile crystal Holly had been trapped in. “Brand, I know what happened that night. Colwyn told me.” He felt a familiar bitterness wash over him. “Is there anyone that Colwyn didn’t tell?” “Hey!” His aunt pinched the back of his arm. The sudden sharp pain made him jump. “Don’t you dare try to blame everything on him. He stayed here, Brand, and never said a word to anyone about what happened. There were some people who blamed him for her death and said that he was the one who upset her, and he never spoke of it. I knew there had to be more to it and I made that boy tell me the truth.” A deep-seated guilt pounded at Brand, the same guilt he’d felt for the last decade but had tried to bury away. He’d known that there might be gossip, which was why he’d left so quickly, and thought that Colwyn would be going to school in the city and would avoid the gossip mill. “I was a self-centered asshole, I still am.” “Sweets, you were a confused teenage boy and the whispers didn’t last long. Especially when everyone realized you weren’t coming back. Everyone knew how deep your friendship with Colwyn was, and Brittany’s death, while tragic, wasn’t the only casualty that night.” “I don’t know what to do.” “Yes, you do.”

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She tilted her face to the side and Brand leaned over and pressed a kiss against her cheek. “You’re a good boy.” She patted his cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t eat all the cookies.” Brand didn’t need a silly story to tell him that he was destined to love Holly. Deep down, he’d known the second that damned cake smacked him in the chest. He could tell that she cared for Colwyn, too. His most heartfelt wishes were being handed to him on a silver platter if he wanted them, but did he deserve it? Carefully, he hung the snowflake back on the tree, watching the multicolored lights reflect through its heart. Whatever she was or wasn’t, he didn’t care. He planned on taking the next sixty-five plus years finding out. Knowing her, she would keep him guessing, too. Determined, he headed upstairs to her room, stopping to watch her from the doorway. She moved like a silk scarf caught on the breeze, soft and graceful and sexy as hell. When she bent over to pick a piece of paper up, he actually clenched his hands behind his back. Her skirt framed her ass beautifully. Her clothes might be flamboyant but it had driven him mad all day wondering what she looked like under all those layers. He would tell her how he felt and then convince her that it was safe to tell him everything. Later. Right now, he wanted to discover if they were attuned in other ways. He wanted to wrap his fingers around her hips and pull her back against him. His jeans became painfully tight when he visualized the pretty shade of pink her ass would turn after a couple smacks. As if she read his mind she straightened, slowly turning her head as if she feared what stood behind her. She was right to be concerned. The soft glow from some lit candles encased the room in its warm light. A soft blush stained her cheeks and fiery highlights flickered in her hair. He flexed his fingers, fighting the heightened awareness she brought out of him. He could imagine the silken strands curling around his fingers, burrowing his face in the downy softness at the

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back of her neck and nipping at the sensitive skin there. After waiting what felt like forever, he saw her peek over her shoulder at him. A flicker of awareness crossed her features, and then wariness. Her pink tongue darted out to wet her lower lip. That invoked memories of earlier, and he could remember her taste and the feel of her skin. **** Holly’s heart pounded so hard inside her chest he must have been able to hear it. Why wasn’t he moving? His footsteps had echoed down the hall but had stopped at the doorway. Pride kept her from turning around immediately and throwing herself at him. But an intense feeling slipped along her back. It was as if she could feel his hands on her. She turned then, expecting to see him standing right behind her. The look on his face heated her from head to toe and especially all the parts between. The way he gripped either side of the door, leaning forward toward her. The blatant look of hunger on his face. The pounding of her heart slid up into her throat, and her mouth went dry. She remembered what it felt like to be in his arms, to feel cherished and precious. Suddenly, he lunged at her, swooping her up into his arms and crushing his lips against hers. Hard and punishing, a thumb pressed against her chin, forcing her mouth open so that he could sweep in and take possession, which is exactly what he did. No holds barred, she couldn’t help but sway against him. Following his lead, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he grabbed her butt and hauled her up against him. Her blood pounded hot in her veins. It felt as if she waited forever for this moment. Desperation clouded her brain. She didn’t want to leave him or this world. She wanted to stay, but it wasn’t meant to be. There was no way he could love her so soon. Her fingers locked themselves into his hair, holding him close. He slowly walked out of

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her bedroom and down the hall. His hard cock stroked against her as he walked. Each step teased her more. Brand supported her as she arched her hips to increase the friction. If it feels like this with layers of clothes between us, how exquisite will it be when we’re naked? She moaned against his lips, quivering in his arms. A little more, a few more steps, and she was certain she would discover if Brand could make her orgasm while still fully clothed. “Oh, no, you don’t. Not yet. I think you need to slow down a bit. Don’t want this to end before I get all your clothes off.” “Then hurry up.” Her lips caressed his neck as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Knowing it drove him insane, she wriggled in his arms, silently hurrying him along as he carried her to his room. Her feet touched the floor as he kicked the door shut. The predatory look was back. He dropped to his knees in front of her, nuzzling her belly with his lips as his fingers slid up under her skirt and skimmed the edge of her panties. He caressed her mons and slipped between her legs, moaning deep in his throat when his fingers encountered the soaked cotton. “Jeezus, sweetheart, you’re so wet.” He scooped her up and tossed her down on his bed. He peeled his shirt off and she watched as he removed the rest of his clothes. I’d love to see him do this to music. She was too impatient to ask this time. She held her arms up to him, but he gave her a mischievous grin and leapt between her knees. She sat up, laughing. “You missed me.” “Oh, no. I didn’t.” He flipped her skirt out of the way and dipped his head down, running his tongue along the edge of her panties. “Lay back, sweetheart. Trust me.” She flopped back, pressing her hands against her eyes. She couldn’t watch. His breath felt hot through the thin barrier, a quiver racking her body when he ran a tongue over the material. Sliding his hands under her hips and lifting, she felt him pull her panties down and off her legs, leaving her open and bare to his gaze.

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“Now this is my favorite color. All pink and pretty.” Long fingers caressed the sensitized skin, getting wetter with each pass, and swirled around the hooded nub. Wrenching another gasp from her, he slipped a long finger inside and rubbed deep inside. She planted her feet on the bed, lifting her hips and rocking to the rhythm he created. One hand clenched the sheets, the other was buried in his hair. Gasping for air, she actually growled at him when he moved up her body. “You’re going to need a bit more patience, sweetheart. I can’t do much with all these clothes on you.” He tucked his fingers under the hem of her sweater and slowly inched it up her torso. “We’re going to take this layer by layer.” That’s what you think. It only took a heartbeat to dissolve the glamour that created her clothes. “Holy shit! What happened to your clothes?” Brand’s eyes were wide in shock and Holly almost laughed at the look on his face. Because she watched him so carefully, she saw the moment his expression changed. The shock melted under the heat of desire. She didn’t want to answer his questions right now, not when her body ached for touch. “Brand, please…” She rocked her hips toward him. Her gaze clashed with his, the bright green pierced her, hungry and aggressive. He leaned closer and looked down at her, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he boldly ran his fingers over her damp curls. “Exquisite,” he whispered as he stroked her. Holly could feel her limbs tremble at his touch. The emotions that pounded through her were as intense as the ones Colwyn inspired. Brand stroked deeper and gently parted her swollen labia and ran his thumb down between them. Her hips jerked up instinctively. “That feels so good.” She watched as he lifted his hand and licked the moisture from the pad of his thumb. “You taste so sweet. I could get addicted to you.”

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He stroked her again with his thumb and this time, painted her lower lip with moisture. “You try.” Brand watched her intently as her tongue darted out, tasting herself. Her musky essence danced along her tongue and she heard Brand groan deep in his throat just before he attacked. He pressed her thighs far apart, allowing him full access, rising above her like one of the gods of old. His muscular chest and tight stomach would rival any deity. Brow creased with concentration, he slipped his hard cock just inside her, stretching her slowly, inch by inch. The slow intensity that his movements caused stole her breath for a moment. She wanted more. She needed more. Now. “Brand, stop being such a good boy and fuck me the way I need it.” **** Such aggressive words coming out of such a sweet mouth. Could she be any more perfect? He fought the urge to plunge into her hot depths and kept his strokes very shallow. He enjoyed teasing, but also allowing her to get used to him. She was so fucking tight, he didn’t want to hurt her, but the drive to bury himself deep within her was almost too hard to bear. “You’re going to regret that.” He growled, lifting her legs up over his shoulders, and drove deep into her wetness, pounding into her as she urged him on. He watched as her head tilted back and she cried out his name. Even as her orgasm washed over them both, he clenched his teeth and thought of hockey stats. He lunged in and out of her, loving every moment of this pace. There was no way he could keep it up for long. Her sweet body arched up against him and she circled her hips with every stroke. Already he could feel a white-hot burning in his groin and his balls pulled up tight against his body.

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Just as he feared he wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer, her body clenched around him again. The muscles in her pussy rhythmically fluttered along his length as her heels dug into his shoulders. She was so flexible, he was able to mold his lips to hers and swallow her cries. Burying his face in her neck, he bit down on her soft skin to stop from hollering his own release when it came. He gently untangled her legs from his shoulders before collapsing beside her. Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her close to his chest and waited until their hearts slowed. He drifted his fingers lightly over her back, drawing innocuous patterns over her soft skin. She fit perfectly in his arms, but there was something missing. It was the same thing that felt missing from his life for the last ten years. He wanted Colwyn here. “Why did you leave, Brand?” If anyone else had asked him that, he would have told them to mind their own business, but Holly was different. He wanted to share a part of himself with her as much as he wanted to share her with Colwyn. “Because, I felt guilty for forcing two people I cared about into a situation that caused so much pain. All for my own selfish wants. I told myself that it was something we all wanted. I thought if I could get us all together at the same time it would all work out and magically fall together.” “You didn’t force her car off the road. From what I understand, it was her driving that caused the accident.” Brand slid away from the comfort of Holly’s body. I don’t have any right to this kind of comfort when talking about this. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he rubbed his temples, feeling a familiar ache there. “Holly, she died because I let her get behind the wheel of a car knowing she was emotional. I was so angry at her reaction that I told her to leave. Colwyn wanted to stop her, but she ran from him as if he was some sort of pariah. He was my best friend and I lied to him to get him to surprise her in bed. He never would have joined us without her knowledge, but I lied to him. He was so pissed at me, and he had

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every right to be. The next day I found out that she was dead. It was my fault, and I couldn’t face the truth of it all. This is a small town, people talk, and I knew it would be about me, so I left. It was cowardly and selfish, and I’m not certain that I’m not doing the same thing again now.” He felt Holly’s arms drape over his shoulders, her soft cheek pressed against his as she leaned against his back. Part of him felt like he should push her away, that he didn’t deserve this gentle touch. Regardless, he couldn’t have moved if Revenue Canada demanded it. He needed her touch more than his next breath. “We’ve both caused pain in our lives, Brand. I cursed a man because he didn’t do what I wanted. I was selfish in my needs, too.” “You paid for your mistake.” “Really, do you think being trapped in a crystal cage for a mere couple centuries is punishment?” “You were trapped for centuries?” Brand wanted to doubt, but he knew better. No matter if the black-and-white, rational part of his mind demanded proof. Sometimes things had to be accepted in Ecstasy Lake for what they were, without explanation. He spent a great deal of effort in the last decade pretending that he didn’t know any of the strange things that went on in this town. “How long do you think you need to punish yourself?” Holly gracefully slipped into his lap, forcing him to look at her. “Time served doesn’t fix mistakes. It’s what we do afterward that matters.”

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Chapter Seven A soft knock at his front door snapped Colwyn out of his brooding. He’d paced around the living room who knew how many times at this point. A long walk would have been preferable if the temperature hadn’t taken another dive. Tempted to ignore whoever decided to bother him, he leaned against the wall in the hallway. He needed to figure out a way to fix this. Aniela had filled him in on everything surrounding Holly’s arrival here when she came over earlier. He’d read the damn parchment and knew the story that Cris had told on the radio last week. It was an old Celtic tale that his mum used to tell him as a bedtime story. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would have the chance to save the faery in the story. Whoever stood on the other side of his door knocked a bit harder. Still wasn’t very loud. It wouldn’t be Brand, because he would pound against the door until it shook. Perhaps it was a petite little faery out there wanting his attention. He whipped open the door and was almost taken to the floor by an energetic bundle of woman. Her fresh summerlike scent calmed his aggravated senses. “What took you so long? It’s cold out there.” His cock reacted the moment she launched herself into his arms. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind that this enigmatic creature was meant for him. She was now and always would be his mate. No matter what it took he would figure out a way to keep her here with him. She pressed a kiss against his cheek and he could feel how chilled her lips were. Wrapping his hands around her bottom, he pulled her

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up against him. Her legs wound around his waist and the nagging unease inside of him settled a bit. A small voice in his head wondered what happened to Brand, but he brushed it away for now. He and Holly could work on a plan and then they would all figure out how to keep Holly here. Nipping playfully against the side of her neck, he kissed her. “I can think of a couple ways to warm you up. Let’s get this door closed and I’ll show you.” “It’s not just me.” “Sorry?” She moved slightly and Colwyn looked over her shoulder. Relief washed over him when he saw Brand standing at the bottom of his porch steps. Both Brand’s hands were shoved in his pockets, clouds puffing from his breath. “Close the door behind you before all the heat gets out.” Brand must have been uncertain of an invitation, because he bounded up the stairs as soon as Colwyn spoke. “You are a clever faery,” Colwyn said, keeping his voice low as he carried Holly down the hallway. She cupped his jaw with her hands and said, “I want you both, Colwyn. I can’t imagine living in this world without both of you. Can you accept that?” He strode straight to his bedroom. He had a fireplace in there and knew it was the warmest place in the house. He couldn’t help but feel amazed at the woman in his arms. Hours of brooding, and she’d managed to get them all together in one room inside of a few minutes. He could hear Brand following behind them. Uncertainty rang loud in Brand’s voice. “Shouldn’t we talk in the living room?” He stroked his hand down her body. She was wearing a bright red poncho with a gaudy Christmas tree on the front. It might be the ugliest thing he’d ever seen, but she looked so damn adorable in it. She’ll look even better out of it, too. Catching the poncho’s edge, he pulled it over her head. “Why do you still have so many clothes on?” As soon as her shirt lifted from her body it disappeared from his fingertips. “What the hell?”

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“My clothes are simply another aspect of my glamour. They’re not real, remember?” “Right, I forgot about that.” He reached over her shoulder and let his hand drift over the warm patch of air behind her. She shuddered and he did it again. “What are you doing?” Brand stepped closer as if he wasn’t entirely certain if he should be here. Knowing that Brand watched him undress Holly added a layer of intimacy to the act. It was a sensation that Colwyn felt missing in every other sexual encounter he’d had in the last decade. He stroked his hand along the edge of her wing and nodded for Brand to come closer. Their gazes met and he saw his relief and joy reflected in his friend’s expression. He smiled in return, and the dark ache that sat like a heavy cloak over his heart disintegrated. “Her wings are sensitive. Why don’t you let your entire glamour drop, princess?” Brand came up behind her and mimicked the motions that Colwyn made. “Because they will get in the way…oh, that feels so good.” “Wow. If I concentrate, I can actually feel them.” Brand slid his fingers along what could be the top edge of one wing. Colwyn palmed one of Holly’s breasts and lightly pinched her nipple through her shirt. “I mean the clothes, baby. I want to see you naked.” “Oh, okay.” Her clothes faded away as if they’d never existed. Her wings appeared and Colwyn watched as Brand’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. I honestly had myself convinced that I was seeing things earlier.” Holly glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Brand. “I like the way your hands feel on them.” “Do you now?” Brand quickly got over his shock and lifted both hands to the muscles that ran along the top of her wings. Colwyn

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watched in fascination as her nipples tightened into little nubs as Brand stroked along her wings. “Oh, that is giving me little bumps all over.” Holly’s eyes fluttered closed, her head leaning against her shoulders as they stroked her skin. Her breasts were perfect handfuls and he bent and flicked one of the raspberry tips with his tongue. Her skin felt like silk beneath his tongue. Following her sides, he traced a path along her skin to the soft curls between her legs. His fingers were coated her in cream in no time and she arched into his touch. She sounded like a little kitten with all the small mewing she made as he stroked her pussy. Brand moved away from them and for a moment Colwyn worried that he didn’t want to go through with this. Glancing over he saw Brand arrange the pillows on the bed and pull the comforter back. Colwyn wrapped his arm around her waist, lifted her off the floor, and walked toward the bed. “Lay down, princess.” Her wings shimmered and then disappeared again as Colwyn eased Holly back onto a nest of pillows that Brand created. It put her at a beautiful angle. He pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee, knowing that Brand did the same to her other leg. They each kissed a path up her legs, arranging her to suit their needs as they moved up to her pussy. Each of them wrapped a hand around her calf and eased her legs apart, exposing her for their viewing pleasure. Fragrant cream coated her luscious folds and soft curls. “That is simply beautiful,” Brand said as he stroked his fingers in a circular motion along Holly’s inner thigh. “You’re right, and she tastes as sweet as maple syrup.” Brand grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “I think you need to taste her again. I thought she was more like honey, myself.” Colwyn returned Brand’s grin. “I better check to make certain.” Holly lay there looking back and forth to each of them, a small frown on her rosebud lips. “I think you are both insane.”

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They both laughed and moved to distract her completely. Colwyn ran his lips along the delicate skin of her inner thigh. Her luscious scent coated his tongue when he inhaled. He could almost taste her in the air. She was so sensitive that the moment he flicked the small bundle of nerves hidden behind those plush folds, she jerked up against his face. “Easy, princess. We’ll get you there. No need to rush.” She moaned a response and he glanced up to see her reaction. Brand had continued up her body and latched onto one of her breasts. Her fingers gripped Brand’s hair, pressing him against her breast. Her other hand tangled in Colwyn’s hair and pulled. He got the hint and concentrated on eating her to an incredible orgasm. **** Brand knew that he was the luckiest man alive. Standing outside in the cold, he’d had no idea how Colwyn was going to react to his presence. Holly had insisted that he come. She’d said she needed them both and he wanted to repair his friendship with Colwyn. It was ironic, really. The one thing that tore their friendship apart was going to be what healed it. He knew the moment that Colwyn told him not to let the heat out, all was forgiven. That was the kind of man Colwyn was. If he hadn’t wanted to mend their friendship then he would have shut the door in Brand’s face and that would have been the end of it. Holly tugged at his hair, snapping him back to the present. This tiny woman amazed him. She looked so delicate but had withstood an amazing ordeal. Her delicate, innocent expression hid the most passionate woman he’d ever met. She wasn’t afraid to demand what she needed, and that included both he and Colwyn. He gently pinched her nipple and then turned his attentions to the other one. He nipped and kissed the raspberry nub, enjoying the way

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it tightened into a hard bud beneath his tongue. She moaned and arched up against his touch. Colwyn had her cunt parted and was feasting on her like a man starved. He watched for a moment and noted that there wasn’t a single shred of jealousy in his thoughts. He loved the way her hips jerked and the way her breath caught. His cock throbbed and ached, begging for attention. Kissing his way up her body, Brand nipped at her ear before whispering, “That feels good, doesn’t it, Holly. Is Colwyn doing a good job of eating your pussy? I can smell you from here and my mouth is watering to taste you again.” Holly’s gaze met his and his cock jumped at the look of passion in her eyes. It was as if she couldn’t completely focus on him and he loved that. He was starting to understand this woman and that she liked being told what was going to happen next. “You’re going to come so hard, sweetheart. Do you know what is going to happen after that?” She jerked her head slightly, and he grinned down at her. “If you come nice and hard for Colwyn, I’ll flip you over and fuck you nice and hard.” A whimper erupted from her throat as he pinched her nipples and claimed her mouth. He swept in and tasted her for himself. She met his passionate kiss with one of her own. Quivering in his arms, she tore her mouth away from his. Tilting her head back, she gasped for air and then cried out. Her body stiffened up, heels digging into the mattress, as she pressed her cunt against Colwyn’s face. The voyeur in Brand loved watching her come apart. Her expression looked so beautifully tortured for a moment before it relaxed and she slumped against him. “That was incredible,” Brand whispered and lightly kissed her shoulder.”

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“You’re telling me.” Holly sighed and stretched out like a cat basking in a ray of sunshine. Everything about her appealed to Brand and he couldn’t wait any longer. Taking advantage of her blissed-out state, both he and Colwyn stripped out of their clothes. “You’re not going to sleep on us, are you, Holly?” “Uh-um.” She sighed and stretched again. She rolled over onto her tummy and buried her face in to a pillow. “We need to wake our girl up again.” Colwyn stretched out beside Holly and ran is fingers up her spine. She giggled against the pillow. Brand crawled up the bed and cupped her hips with his hands. He tugged her up into a kneeling position, her swollen pussy completely bared for his viewing pleasure. “Oh look at you all swollen and still so wet.” He brushed her plush lips with his knuckles and they came away covered in cream. He licked her juices from his fingers and her flavor caressed his tongue like a fine wine. His cock throbbed in agony, desperately needing to slip into her. “If I recall correctly, you promised her a good fucking, Brand.” Colwyn lay stretched out along beside her, his hands tucked behind his head. “I did, but I think you should be rewarded for all your hard work.” He lightly smacked Holly’s ass, not enough to sting but even that light touch left its mark. “Holly, why don’t you suck on Colwyn’s cock, and we’ll see which one of us can last the longest.” Holly quickly shifted over Colwyn’s lap and licked at his cock. Colwyn looked up at Brand and grinned. “You’re on.” Brand patted Holly’s swollen pussy and loved the whimpers she made in the back of her throat. Colwyn groaned in response as well, since his cock was deep in her throat. Brand grinned and lined his aching cock with her dripping entrance. He pressed closer and it felt like her cunt tried to suck him in. Wrapped in damp, velvet heat, Brand knew he wouldn’t last long.

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Never had he felt this way with a woman. Everything about Holly was perfect, and he kept his strokes shallow. He rolled his hips in quick circles, only allowing the head of his cock into her. She pushed back, trying to take him deeper, and he fought the urge to pound his length into her. The moment he buried himself in her, he was lost. She felt too good, too perfect. Colwyn seemed to be having the same problem. His friend held Holly’s hair back with one hand while the other clutched the sheets in an iron grip. Each short stroke Brand gave her made Holly whimper, and that in turn made Colwyn shudder. Having this kind of control fed a need Brand had buried for so many years. Now, it roared to the surface stealing his restraint. Pulling back, Brand plunged his length into Holly’s wet depths. She screamed around Colwyn’s cock and pushed back against him. Brand grabbed her hips and tried to stay still, fighting the urge to plunder her sweet body. He dipped his thumb in her juices and painted a path to her ass. He circled her tight rosebud and she went still beneath him. “That’s right, Holly,” he ground out from between clenched teeth. “We’re going to take this luscious ass of yours. One of us will be in your pussy and the other in your ass, sweetheart.” He pulled more moisture up with his thumb and this time pressed against the tight muscles. She groaned and shuddered beneath him. “You like that idea don’t you?” Brand pressed his thumb against her anus and nearly came when it slipped past the tight muscles. He rolled his hips and fucked her ass with his thumb. His balls pulled up painfully tight against his body and he could feel the familiar tingle at the base of his spine. “Fuck! Yes, princess.” Colwyn groaned and shuddered as he came, jerking his cock up into Holly’s mouth. She sucked and didn’t miss a drop of his cum.

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“Good girl,” Brand cooed at her. He gripped her hip with one hand and lunged against her, pumping the full length of his cock into her hungry depths. She squeezed him and held tight as he fucked her. He kept his thumb in her ass and that drove her wild. She bucked back against him and met his thrusts until he wasn’t certain who was riding who. All he knew is he couldn’t take any more. Holly cried out and her cunt quivered around his length, hurtling him headfirst into the best orgasm of his life. **** Holly rolled to her side and snuggled up against Colwyn’s chest. Brand’s heavy weight lay against her back and she knew the leg pressed between hers was his. She was cocooned in a nest of love and tenderness. Flexing her fingers, she felt a soft pelt over them. Is there an animal in the bed? Her eyes snapped open, but it was Colwyn's pelt stretched over her and Brand. Love did have a physical interpretation, and she could feel it under her fingers. The crisp hairs brushed against her palm, but if she slipped her fingers underneath she could feel the incredible softness hidden under the surface, much like Colwyn himself. “I love you, Holly.” Colwyn nuzzled the top of her head. “I love you, too.” Brand pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. She slid her arm back over his large body. The words sat on the tip of her tongue, begging her to say them, but she knew she shouldn’t. She couldn’t bind herself to Colwyn and Brand like that, knowing that her time might be running out. This was a mating ritual with Selkies. They mated for life, and if she said the words back it would tie her to him forever. She would have to leave them. Unlike the mating of wolves and large cats, the Selkies didn’t die when a mate did. It was their way, and why Selkies were often looked at as tragic creatures. At least once

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she was gone Brand would still be here, and she could die knowing their friendship was intact. Colwyn kissed her lightly, which seemed impossible given the strength of the man behind her. His strength hid a gentle soul that she knew she was completely safe with. Brand shifted and rolled over so that he faced them. The look on their faces warned her that neither of them missed her sidestepping the mating ritual. That was the problem. She wasn’t entirely certain that the curse was broken, and she wouldn’t risk either of them until she knew. Holly lay there, feeling Brand’s hand gliding up and down her arm. It slowed as sleep overtook him, and Colwyn’s grasp of her hand slackened when he drifted off. She closed her eyes and concentrated on not crying. For a moment there, she pretended that she had a future with them and could allow herself to tell them how much she loved them. She rested her cheek against Brand’s chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. Colwyn’s breath caressed her shoulder, his hand rested over hers on Brand’s. It was the most perfect moment of her life. To her horror, as she watched, her hand started to fade away. No! Her mind screamed out, but she couldn’t form the words. Her body was sluggish, unresponsive, and yet her heart ached as if a sharp knife pierced it. Her thoughts scrambled as she tried to make sense of this. Why now? What did she do wrong? According to the parchment I had until Christmas to find love. The only thing that could mean was that they didn’t really love her in return. But, I know they love me. Maybe she had to accept the fact that she was never meant to escape her destiny and love had never been part of her future. At least she was able to feel its soul-deep warmth for a while. If only she could wake them, but it wouldn’t change anything. She would rather take this memory with her than any other. Better to let them sleep, and it would all be over by the time they woke.

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**** Brand woke up slowly. He stretched out his hand looking for Holly but only encountered cool sheets. “Where is our mate?” Brand felt the corners of his lips raise. He liked thinking of her that way. A week ago he was alone in an office, and today he had his best friend, a mate, an uncertain future, and he couldn’t have been happier about it. Colwyn jerked beside him and abruptly sat up. “She’s not here.” “What?” He sat up, too, and looked around the room. “She’s not here? How could she have left?” Both he and Brand leapt from the bed and started pulling on clothes. Why would she leave? A sick feeling replaced the contentment in his heart. The endless black pit in his chest reopened, only this time it was because of Holly’s absence. “Remember what Aniela said about the curse. Holly supposedly only had so much time left before she would fade.” “I didn’t believe her. I thought that if we mated her it would be enough to keep her here, but the story said she had until Christmas.” “She’s not dead, Colwyn. We would know. You said mating was for life.” “It is for life, but if she is trapped…” “Don’t think like that.” “Like what?” “I know that look, Colwyn, and you’re thinking the worst case scenario. Think positive. Even if she is trapped somewhere, we will find her. Holly can’t be the only faery left in the world. We’ll find them and make them help us.” They rushed over to the antique shop on Colwyn’s snowmobile. It was quicker to go through the trails instead of slugging down unplowed roads. They both leapt from the machine and ran up the stairs, bursting into the front door. Aniela rushed into the hallway, her hand clutching the front of her apron.

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“Good Lord, you two. You frightened the hell out of me again. You have to stop doing that, I’m going to have a heart attack before I get grandchildren…Where’s Holly?” “Auntie, please tell me you have Holly’s ornament. It wasn’t smashed, was it?” “I couldn’t let her do that until I was certain that she wouldn’t end up back in there.” Aniela opened a drawer in one of the antique wardrobes in the corner. “Here it is.” From a small jewelry drawer she pulled out a velvet bag and slid the ornament into her palm. “I decided to keep it in a safe place until we knew the curse was broken for good.” Brand didn’t want to look at it. The idea of seeing Holly trapped there made his heart want to explode. “She’s not there.” Colwyn sounded relieved. “What?” He opened his eyes and looked. Sure enough, the center of the snowflake remained empty. A small kernel of hope blossomed in his heart. “Then she has to be here somewhere. Was there another note where you found that one?” He headed into the shop to a display of antique boxes. “There must be another ornament.” Picking one up, Brand smashed it against the floor and then pried apart the pieces until there was nothing but broken pieces of wood. Aniela clutched Colwyn’s arm but didn’t stop him. He had to find her. Grabbing another one, he whipped it against the floor and then started prying the cracked pieces apart. “There has to be more information, another spell. Fuck! Something!” “Brand, stop. You’re hurting yourself.” “I don’t care.” He shook off Colwyn’s hands. “But I do.” Colwyn grabbed his hands and that is when he noticed the cuts and slivers in them. “Aniela, can you get me your first aid kit and tweezers?” “Of course, I’ll be right back.” She hurried out of the room. “Don’t give up on her. Holly’s alive wherever she is, and we may have to wait until she finds her way back to us.”

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Chapter Eight Holly felt disoriented. One minute she was lying in bed, safe and warm, and a sudden wave of unease washed over her. She’d realized she was fading away and was terrified. Not of death, but because she was leaving Brand and Colwyn. That is what terrified her the most. But she didn’t fade, and as she looked around her anger started to boil. Was this a joke? After all these years, Tir-na-nOg hadn’t changed a bit. There was a breeze softly touching her skin, neither too hot nor too cold. The sun shone overhead. The rays warmed her skin but didn’t burn. There were no offensive scents in the air. If she bent over and smelled the flowers, the scent would be perfect, and there wouldn’t be a single brown petal on any bloom. She strode down the marble-lined hallway. Arches lined its length, allowing light to flow into the space. There wasn't a speck of dirt or dust in the air. Every architectural design was in perfect balance. Even the natural threads of color in the marble looked flawless. Everything she saw reminded her of why she left this place. It was all perfect, sterile, and without any true emotion whatsoever. Some people might have thought themselves to be in heaven, but Holly knew better. She used to call this sterile hell home. Walking under a marble arch she found herself in an immense library. A man sat in a chair in the middle of the room reading a novel. Holly knew it was only for looks. The fey didn’t really care about literature. Like anything else it was something to pass the time. He glanced up and smiled a perfect smile. His nose was straight and lacked the character that Brand’s slight bend had. Nor did he have the

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soft swirl of hair that refused to stay in the direction it was brushed, as Colwyn’s did. “Holly, how wonderful to have you back in our midst. You were missed.” “Thank you, Lotor. I am happy to be able to visit with you.” She spoke the words as a courtesy but didn’t mean a single one. Ranting and raving at this point wouldn’t get her where she wanted to go. She looked him over from head to toe. Lotor didn't have a single flaw from his flowing blond hair to the strength behind the clothes that perfectly fit his body. For a moment, she had a violent urge to punch him in the face and alter his nose slightly, but she knew it wouldn’t stay. “I see you are not truly happy to be back.” He put the book down and stood up. He didn’t open his arms to hug her, or move in any way that would invite physical contact. “What is it, Holly? I have never understood your obsession with the primitive human world.” “They live, Lotor. They are imperfect and flawed. They make mistakes which can become the most incredible inventions. The seasons change as the earth breathes. They fight and have passion and love…” A pain ripped through her chest at that word. She’d been loved and now it was lost to her. Time passed differently here than it did in the human plane. For every minute she stayed here it might be an hour or more for Colwyn and Brand. “This place is not my home, and I don’t want to be here any longer.” “It was your choice not to come back after the incident.” “I was trapped in a crystal prison until I was freed.” “Holly, you were trapped in a prison of your own making. You said that curse and you experienced the karmic backlash.” “Then why am I still alive? I read the curse. I knew I didn’t have much time left.” “Holly,” Lotor shook his head as if he spoke to an errant child. “There was no curse. The parchment found with the crystal was nothing but a creative scribe’s addition to the legend your image

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inspired. It was written and rewritten over the centuries as myths often are.” Holly tried to process everything Lotor said. An intense feeling of hope burst in her chest and she tried to control her excitement. She had to get out of here first. “So, Aniela didn’t really free me?” “Nothing but simple coincidence. You would have escaped yourself as soon as you thought of it.” Holly didn’t believe in coincidence, because she never would have thought to free herself. She honestly believed that her punishment was forever. “How is it I’m here and not there, and why can’t I go home?” “Holly, this is your home.” “No it’s not. This place will never be my home.” “Because your home is between a human and a shape-shifter? A Selkie of all things?” The disdain in his voice was plain to hear. Holly clenched her fist. She would tolerate this for as long as she had to, but no one would make negative comments about her men. “Selkies always meet with such tragedy,” Lotor commented as if Colwyn deserved to be alone. “Well, I had hoped to change that.” “And you did. You brought two friends together and helped to heal their friendship. That is what you gifted them with. Now that you are gone, they will still have each other.” Holly nodded her head but didn’t dare speak. Her head throbbed and her throat felt tight. She needed them. Her heart was filled with such sorrow at the prospect of never seeing them again. She could feel deep inside her that her pain echoed in each of them. Wait, I can feel them? What is going on here? “I think I might be able to shed some light on the subject.” Anger helped to push back the threat of tears. She glared up at the other fey. “Stop reading my thoughts, Lotor. You’re not invited in my head.”

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“But I don’t have to, because your emotions are written all over your face. They are practically carved into your skin for all to see.” “I don’t care. I’ll wear my sorrow with pride if I have to.” “You will be a disruption to all. I’m trying to maintain the serenity of our people. We cannot afford to let our emotions run wild. There is so little magic left for us now. We must share it and ration it for ourselves.” “But, you expend so much on keeping everything pristine and perfect. Why not go to the human world and live there? If people believed in you personally wouldn’t that be enough?” The look of horror on Lotor’s face was enough to convince her that her words fell on deaf ears. The fey wanted to live in their isolated bubble of perfection. “Well, it’s been a slice, Lotor, and I’ve got to get going home, so I’ll catch you around.” He looked down his nose at her. “Your speech patterns have already lowered to the human level.” “Thank you. I was getting tired of sounding like an obnoxious bitch. Spending time around a bunch of mere humans will do that to a person.” “Holly, no faery can leave this realm once they enter.” “Watch me.” There was no way she was sticking around this place. If there was no curse then she wasn’t going to stay a moment more then she had to. The time in faery moved differently than in the human dimension, and she knew that she had to get out of here as quick as possible. “I am sorry, but as soon as you arrived here, your magic was locked into the force that protects us. It is the only way we can survive.” “So I’m stuck here like a prisoner for eternity!” “Nothing is that simple, and you know it. You were declared a rogue, and a hunter was sent out to end your life. That cannot simply be ignored.”

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“What!” Holly remembered seeing the hunter in Catherine’s shop. If he’d been looking for her, why did he leave her alone? “Are Colwyn and Brand safe from him?” “Strange that your first concern is for them.” Lotor had always been a smug asshole, and Holly wished he would simply spit out what he wanted to say instead of posturing. “No, it’s not strange at all, and answer me!” “There is no need for you to raise your voice.” His tone dripped with condescension. “Screeching like a banshee will not change anything.” Holly was dangerously close to doing Lotor bodily harm. The idea that her men might be hurt in any way sent her racing into a murderous rage. “Had you let me finish in the first place, I would have already told you that the hunter disappeared centuries ago. Soon after that, we decided to protect ourselves and retreated here. You were no longer considered a threat to our safety.” “Then why am I here? Why now?” “As soon as I learned you escaped the crystal I brought you back home. You need to be among your own kind.” “What made you think I would want to come here in the first place?” “We are in hiding now, our numbers small and dwindling because of the lack of faith in our kind. We need you to stay here and fight the fade. You cannot leave here. Not when we need every flicker of magic we have.” “I don’t want my damned magic.” Holly could feel her eyes filling with tears. Her heart ached and she could feel the pain echoing twice over. “I want to go home to the people that I love.”

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Chapter Nine The small bell on the door to the antique shop dinged as it opened, and a woman stepped in hesitantly. “Um, I know it’s Christmas and all, but you wouldn’t happen to be open, would you?” At the sound of her voice, Brand’s head snapped up so fast it impacted with the wall behind him. He sat there dazed, blinking rapidly through the stars floating around the vision in front of him. Gone was the wild child with untamed curls around her head. Instead, he was staring at a vision of fashion perfection, her dainty feet tucked into a wicked pair of heels. The shoes were damned sexy, but she didn’t look like his faery. “Holly?” She laughed, her giggle sounding like a ray of sunshine. “You would not believe what happened.” “I don’t care.” He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her. Brand’s heart pounded so hard in his chest for a moment he feared he might be having a heart attack. “I love you,” he murmured repeatedly against her lips. Her hands cupped his cheeks as she laughed out loud. “I love you, too.” Holly pushed away from him, but he didn’t let her move more than a few inches. “So, do I look like a proper woman of your times now?” She posed, wiggling one heel-clad foot. “You look phenomenal, but it’s you I love. What happened? I thought you were trapped again.” He scooped her up into his arms. He took a few steps and he sat down on an embroidered loveseat,

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arranging her in his lap “We woke up and you were gone.” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat, trying to cover it up. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know I would survive until I was standing in the middle of a hallway in Tir-na-nOg. Not a pleasant place to be under any occasion, but less so when you are in trouble for messing with the lives of humans, and then, attempting to whammy their ass with a curse. Apparently, there is no statute of limitations on that one.” “I, for one, am glad you tried to.” Brand nuzzled her neck, kissing it softly. Holly sighed and tilted her head so that he would have better access. “They decided all those years trapped in the snowflake were to be considered time served and I was allowed one choice. My magic,”—she paused—“or humanity.” Brand leaned back and looked up into her eyes. “What does that mean?” “It means that in order to return to you, I had to forfeit my abilities and accept a much shorter life span. I’m a run-of-the-mill human now, after a crash course on the last couple centuries.” “Holly, you reminded me what is important in life. There’s still magic in you, sweetheart, and it’s a lot stronger than you can imagine.” She looked around. “Where’s Colwyn?” “He’s outside chopping more wood. That’s all he’s done for the last couple days as we tried to figure out how to get to you.” A door slammed and she heard heavy footsteps racing toward the shop. “I should have told you that Aniela ran out to get him when you came in the door.” Between one breath and another, Holly felt herself plucked from Brand’s embrace and wrapped in Colwyn’s muscular arms. “Holly, you made it back. I was so scared.” A tear dropped on her cheek and she squeezed him tighter. “I missed you both so much, and I was so frightened that I wouldn’t get

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out of Tir-na-nOg quickly enough.” Her throat ached, and tears pricked her eyes as she leaned back to looked at the other man she would love forever. Capturing his face in her hands, she leaned forward and kissed him for all she was worth. The moment she appeared in Tir-Na-nOg, she’d feared she wouldn’t make it back here or have the opportunity to be in his arms again. Hundreds of fractured rainbows danced over the wall behind them, catching her attention. The crystal snowflake hung in the window, reflecting the sun’s rays. Holly pulled away from Colwyn but not before pressing a kiss to his mouth. His hand gripped her hip and Brand’s held her other hand. She met his lips as well and kissed him with as much love as she had for Colwyn. “There is something I want to do,” Holly said as she gently tugged her hands from theirs. “What?” She marched over to the window and snatched the snowflake from the hanger. With a moment of great joy, she whipped it at the fireplace. “Wait!” The crystal left her fingers, but Colwyn plucked it out of the air before she had the satisfaction of seeing it shatter. “Why would you stop me from doing that?” “Because, we don’t know what might happen if it breaks.” “He’s right. I’m not willing to risk your life by breaking this into a hundred pieces.” “Then what do you recommend?” “I think I have an idea, but for now”—he placed it in a decorative bowl that sat on one of the bookshelves—“I want to know what happened to you.” “She can tell us on the way home.”

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“I’ll expect you three for dinner tomorrow night.” Holly looked over and saw Aniela standing in the doorway. “That gives me time to whip up a nice welcome-home dinner.” Aniela wrapped her arms around Holly. “I was so worried for you, too.” Holly’s eyes burned with tears. This is home, where I can feel love. “I love you, too, Aniela.” Colwyn came over and lifted one of her hands, pressing his lips against it. “Let’s go home.” Holly told them everything that happened as Colwyn drove like a madman. By the time they reached his house, she had explained almost all of it. “I’m not stupid. I left my magic behind but I made certain that Lotor compensated me.” “What do you mean?” Colwyn lifted her from the truck seat and carried her into the house behind Brand. “They have no use for anything that doesn’t have any magical value, so I helped myself to a few things before I left. Aniela was teaching me about antiques, and there are a lot of antiques in Tir-nanOg. So I brought what I could with me and let Aniela know that they are in the storage shed for her to look over.” “What, you’re telling me that your clothes are real?” “That’s what you remember from everything I told you?” Colwyn lowered her feet to the floor and Brand embraced her and hugged her close. She loved the feeling of being held, and rested her cheek against his chest. His rapid heartbeat pounded under her ear. “Sweetheart, we are going to take our time stripping each layer off of you.” “That sounds like fun. I had a heck of a time getting into all this. I’m not used to dressing myself.” “Princess, all you have to worry about is getting it on. We’ll always be happy to take them off you.” Colwyn slipped the heavy weight of her coat from her shoulders. “Welcome home, Holly.” Brand kissed her, cupping her ass as he pulled her up against his hardening cock. Her heart had started

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beating again as soon as she’d appeared on Aniela’s doorstep. This is where she belonged. Her pussy throbbed in time with her heart and she reached down and cupped Brand’s length through his jeans. He moaned and broke the kiss, pressing his mouth against her neck. “This is going to be over quickly if I don’t distract you.” “Who said we can only do this once?” “That’s my girl.” Colwyn pressed up against her back, trapping her between them. He wrapped his arms around both of them and she arched up and met his lips for a sizzling kiss. “I could watch you two do that all day.” Holly smiled up at Brand. His emotions were there all over his face for them both. There was no jealousy, only the possessiveness that she saw reflected in Colwyn’s gaze as well. She couldn’t be entirely certain how they made it down the hallway. Her men were incredibly talented in distracting her while they made their way to the bed. Colwyn undid the buttons on her blouse, pressing kisses against each patch of skin he uncovered. Brand did the same, only he started at her lower back. She felt him slowly undo the small zipper there. The fabric of her skirt slid over her hips and she felt her skin being exposed inch by inch. He pressed his lips against her tailbone as he pulled her skirt down her legs. She had been in such a rush to get back to this world she hadn’t bothered looking for any underclothes. Brand groaned and she felt his tongue slid along the crease of her bottom. “You are so beautiful, Holly.” Colwyn slid the panels of her silk shirt over her nipples as he exposed her. “We’re going to kiss every inch of you before we’re finished.” Brand licked the top of her thigh just below one cheek of her ass. The sensation sent a rush of shivers over her body. She decided then she was going to have to have lots of clothes, because taking them off felt incredible. The air around them felt charged with magic, and maybe it was, only this magic was created by the three of them together. “I like

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being undressed.” She glanced at her men who already stood naked next to her and pouted slightly, feeling disappointed. “I wanted to take your clothes off.” “Next time, sweetheart.” Brand picked her up and laid her out in the middle of the bed. Colwyn came around and stretched out on the other side of her. His hands caressed her skin, sending wave after wave of awareness through her. She remembered the incredible feelings they awoke in her. The anticipation of sharing that experience again made her body wet and achy. She arched up into Colwyn’s touch as Brand pressed little kisses along her spine. He wrapped a hand around her hip and fondled her pussy with his fingers. Colwyn moved down and cupped her breasts with his hands and sucked on each one in turn. As Colwyn flicked her nipples with his tongue, a voracious hunger for more blossomed in her pussy. She could feel herself growing incredibly wet in anticipation of her lovers’ touch. One of her arms lay trapped under Colwyn’s torso. With the other she reached back for Brand. He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. Lifting her leg, Brand moved and pressed up behind her. She watched Brand reach around and part her wet curls. He pushed his fingers between her dripping lips and swirled his fingers in the cream that spilled from her pussy. Each brush of his fingers against her clit sent a spike of pleasure through her. She undulated between them, selfishly wanting every bit of sensation they could give her. “I know you like to watch, don’t you, Holly?” Colwyn punctuated his words with a nip to the underside of one breast. Comments were beyond her at this point, her desires overtaking her ability to speak. She simply nodded and cried out as she felt Brand’s cock poking up against her throbbing cunt. He gripped her hip and thrust deep inside of her. His forceful penetration was a surprise, and it felt so good. Her inner muscles stretched to accommodate him, and her nerves sparked with pleasure. There was no discomfort because her body was already dripping in anticipation.

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She whimpered as Brand pulled almost completely out of her, only to push his full length into her again. Rolling onto his back, Brand brought her with him. Her feet rested on either side of his thighs, and her back lay on his chest. He fucked her with long slow strokes that made her body vibrate. In his position, she was completely bared for Colwyn, who took advantage of the situation. He swirled his tongue around her nipple, nipping the underside of her breast. The sharp nips fueled the inferno they were building within her. She could feel her body trembling, reaching for that feeling of ultimate pleasure. Brand surged up into her again, almost pushing her over the edge. She felt every inch of Brand’s rock-hard cock slip from her body. “No!” she cried out as she clutched the bedsheets in an attempt to center herself. “But you haven’t…” “Not yet, we’re not done.” Brand slid out from under her, and curled up next to her, slipping his arm under her neck to support her. She felt Colwyn move between her legs, stroking his fingers up and down the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Brand’s voice whispered in her ear as he stroked his hand over her breasts. “I’m going to hold you open for Colwyn and expose that tasty little button for him.” She felt his fingers spear through her pussy lips and open her up to the air. “Open your eyes, Holly. You don’t want to miss this.” She didn’t realize she closed them, but when she looked down Colwyn winked at her. Keeping eye contact with her, he lowered his head closer and flicked the tip of his tongue right against her clit. A burst of pleasure rocked through her. “Oh, more!” Her hips jerked up, but Brand’s hand kept her in place as he held her cunt open for Colwyn. Brand pressed kisses against her shoulder and nipped at her ear lobe. “That feels good, doesn’t it Holly? You going to stay between us forever, aren’t you?”

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Colwyn traced her delicate pussy lips with his tongue. Another rush of cream escaped from her and Colwyn lapped at her opening as if he didn’t want a single drop to be lost. “Yes, yes.” Holly turned her head and accepted Brand’s kiss. She curled one hand around the back of his neck holding him closer to her. The sensations rocking through her were almost overwhelming and she needed the anchor. Colwyn moved up to her clit and eagerly sucked at small bundle of nerves into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue. Holly reached down with her other hand and gripped his hair as he devoured her pussy. His tongue felt like liquid fire as it fluttered against her clit. He pushed a couple fingers inside of her and she felt herself spinning over the edge. Ecstasy washed over her, making her feel as though she danced on the surface of the sun. Her body arched up and she screamed out her release. Her fingers clawed into Brand’s hip as her body spasmed under their touch. “You are so beautiful when you let go, sweetheart.” Colwyn’s words ticked her stomach as his kissed his way back up her body. Her body felt like an overcooked noodle as Brand helped to lift her up. “Straddle Colwyn, sweetheart, let him press that big cock of his into you.” Feeling energized by his words, she quickly moved into place. Colwyn’s cock tapped the entrance to her greedy pussy before pressing into her cunt. His cock wasn’t as long as Brand’s, but it was thicker, and she felt her oversensitized tissue stretching further to accommodate him. With every surge her body bathed him with more moisture, inch by inch, until she sat on him completely. He felt incredible, and she ground down on him, wriggling her hips in a circle. “Oh, fuck.” Colwyn wrapped his hands around her hips and held her down against him, preventing her from moving too much. “Not yet, princess, you feel so good like this.”

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“But, we’re going to make it better,” Brand whispered from behind her. His fingers skimmed down her back, raising a path of goose bumps along her skin. She shivered and Colwyn closed his eyes and groaned. “Are you all right?” Holly thought he sounded like he was in pain. He looked up at her. His eyes looked almost black but she could sense the passion behind them. “I’ll be a lot better in a few minutes.” Brand kissed a path down her spine much as he did before. She arched her back at his touch, and he stroked the globes of her ass. “That’s right, Holly. You know exactly what I want.” She did, thanks to the night she spent watching all sorts of videos she found on the computer. Knowing that Brand was about to shove his cock in her ass made her nervous, but her body felt as if she stood on the edge of a precipice. She wanted to have both of them inside her. She felt his tongue trace a path downward, pausing to flicker at her back entrance. It felt forbidden, carnal, and she wanted more. Colwyn pulled her closer to him. She pressed her breasts against his muscular chest. He captured her lips and stroked her tongue with his own. “This will help,” Brand said softly, and she felt a cooling sensation on her anus. He circled the muscular ring of her bottom with something slippery. She instinctively clenched and jerked against the invasion. “Easy, sweetheart, we’re going to take this nice and slow for now.” She felt more cool moisture, and this time he pressed past her muscle. “Oh, oh.” there was a slight pinch and a burn that morphed into something dark and incredible. “You okay, princess?” “Oh, yes.” She took a deep breath. “You’ll love it.” Colwyn’s whispered words brushed against her ear. “Relax and press out when Brand presses in.” His fingers caught

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up her hair and lifted it out of the way so that he could nip at the sensitive column of her neck. “We’re going to fill you up completely, princess.” “You keep talking like that, Colwyn, and I’ll never make it.” Holly couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. Concentrating on her breathing she felt more pressure as Brand manipulated her muscles. The burning sensation returned every time he increased the pressure, but as she pushed out against him, it eased. Colwyn pumped his hips and rekindled the fire that smoldered within her. “He’s giving you a good stretch. You’re going to be so tight. Even with lots of lube, he’s going to have to work his cock into you nice and slow.” “Colwyn, you’re not helping.” Tension radiated in Brand’s voice. He pressed another finger into her bottom and wriggled it around before pulling away. She didn’t realize how accustomed to the delicious pressure she’d become until he took it away. She felt him shift behind her then a large, blunt force pressed against her. This was much larger than his fingers and stole her breath. “Breathe, princess, remember to push back against him.” She gasped for a breath and Colwyn cupped her face and kissed her, stealing her thoughts. Brand retreated and more slippery lube coated her entrance. He pushed forward and it felt like he’d shoved a white-hot poker up her ass. She cried out and he stilled, gripping her hips so tightly she wondered if he would leave marks. “Push back against me, Holly. I’m almost there, sweetheart.” She remembered to follow their instructions and the burning eased again. The pressure was incredible, and she felt so full she didn’t think she could move. “Oh, there we are.” Brand groaned, curled over her back, and rocked gently against her. “That’s my good girl.” Colwyn eased slowly out of her as Brand shifted forward, and then they switched. Her entire world narrowed down to this perfect

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moment. Each of her men surged within her, moving in tandem. One plunged into her as the other withdrew. She felt as though she spiraled out of control until Colwyn grabbed hold of one of her hands and Brand grasped the other one. That gave her an anchor in this fervor of sensations, a home. She writhed in the middle of this sexual storm, the center of what Brand and Colwyn circled around. She couldn’t tell where one started and the other stopped. They were one union of souls that would never be parted again. A moment of agonized pleasure washed over her and then the inferno took over and dissolved her into a being of pure elation. **** Cocooned in warmth, Holly lay stretched out between Colwyn and Brand. They each rested their heads on a breast and curled an arm over her stomach. Colwyn’s pelt lay over the three of them, wrapping them in its warmth. She trailed her fingers lightly over their shoulders. “This is the most perfect moment of my entire life. I love you both so much.” Both Colwyn and Brand pushed up onto one arm and leaned over her. “I love you, too, my mate.” Colwyn kissed her and then leaned back so that Brand could kiss her. She saw the pure elation of finally having her say the words while under his pelt. Selkies loved their traditions. “I love you as well, Holly. I might not be a Selkie, but I think of you as my mate, too. If you hadn’t come into our lives I don’t know if we ever would have found a way to mend our friendship.” “I think you would have, eventually.” “You both are as much a part of me as this is,” Colwyn said as he tugged the soft fur up over his shoulder. “I think this is the best moment of my entire life.” Content in the knowledge that she would never be alone again, Holly snuggled

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between her two men. She had a home and a family who shared her love. Brand pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Sweetheart, we’re going to give you a lifetime of best moments.”

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Epilogue Cris sat in his chair and looked out over the snow-covered street of the town he loved. He waved at the McGuigan sisters as they made their way over to the Shack for their afternoon tea. A crystal snowflake hung in the window, reflecting rainbows over the walls behind him. It was a gift from Ecstasy Lake’s newest resident. She told him a beautiful ending to one of the legends he read for Yule. He always was a sucker for happy endings, and wanted to share this one with everyone. The song ended and he flipped on his mic. “Good afternoon, everyone. The sun is shining, and Vencel Solfalvi has assured me if the weather stays in the negatives for a few more days, the annual old boys’ hockey game will be back on. But more importantly, I wanted to send out a big congratulations to the newest permanent resident to Ecstasy Lake. She and her new husbands are home from a weekend away to Sin City. Welcome home, Holly Marshall Denninger…”

THE END WWW.CORINNEDAVIES.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Corinne Davies reads anything she can get her hands on, from the side of a cereal box to a historical book on the Riflemen during the Napoleonic wars. By day, she is a full-time wife and mother and works in the wine industry. At night, she avoids such mundane tasks as housework and laundry by creating her own worlds where mythology comes to life—worlds in which you are just as likely to be living next door to an ancient deity as finding a mystic treasure in the attic.

Also by Corinne Davies Ménage Amour: Believing Is Seeing Ménage and More: Sequel to Believing is Seeing: Believing Is Trusting Siren Classic: Haunted Hearts Ménage Amour: Steampunked Lust 1: Steam Powered Passion Ménage Everlasting: Steampunked Lust 2: Steamed Up Memories Ménage Everlasting: 3xtasy Lake 1: Caress of Fur Ménage Everlasting: 3xtasy Lake 2: Embraced by Fur

Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com