Andrew Dorincourt has the blood of powerful shifters in his veins. It’s his job to take care of his siblings, who are his pack, and he has no intention of letting anything get in the way. However, he’s seen the love shared not only by his parents but by the Papas, the men who raised his mother, and he wants that for himself. The problem is none of the young women he’s dated have left him wanting anything more than to go home alone. Perhaps he’d have more success by dating men, as his brother does. Only it seems he’s not very successful at that, either.
Da’ric is the son of Ric’u, a Brachi who’d been stranded on Terra for decades, and David Knight, an ichthyologist who traveled up the Amazon in search of his heart’s desire. Seeing the deep love his fathers have for each other, Da’ric determines to settle for nothing less. At any rate, the dating pool is pretty much empty in the Lagoon of Dreams, and so he goes to the States, where he intends to become a herpetologist. In order to do that, he must mingle with normals, Terrans who have no idea extraterrestrials share the planet with them. When he walks among Terrans, he must disguise his heritage by wearing sunglasses to conceal his rainbow-colored eyes and long-sleeved shirts to hide his scale-patterned skin.
After being kidnapped and sold to a high-ranking member of the London underworld to be displayed as the Snake Boy, Da’ despairs of ever seeing his beloved family again, until Drew wanders into the House of Oddities and helps Da’ escape.
Is it fate, kismet, or destiny that brings together the offspring of two very unique families? Have these two been waiting for each other, and will the future hold the love they’d both been seeking?
Warrick stood in the shadows and watched as the young woman hurried through the train station. Beside him, his lover whistled softly. “She is a beauty.”
“She takes after her mother,” Warrick said indifferently. “I don’t like this.” A soft whine managed to escape him, and he clamped his lips together. “Damned wolf,” he spat. “I wish he’d shut the hell up.”
Fox gave a choked laugh, then rubbed Warrick’s shoulder, apparently thinking that would soothe him -- that and saying, “I know, not amusing in the least.”
“Well it’s not.” Warrick had been on edge for the past few weeks, and with the approach of the full moon, his wolf was becoming even more restless.
“We didn’t have to come, you know,” his lover reminded him. “Adam said he would see she arrived safely in the valley.”
“You’d trust a vampyre?”
“He is the Rege’s equerry.” They both knew the vampyre king had helped the shifters in the late war, causing even more havoc among the soldiers of the Reich who’d entered their region of Carpathia.
Still, Warrick felt he had to object. “He’s a blood sucker.”
“If you gentlemen wish to board the train, I suggest you do so now.” A disembodied voice came softly out of the night. Warrick jumped and swore.
“Dammit,” he snarled, glaring at Fox as his lover bit back another laugh. “Give a little warning, would you? I almost pissed myself.”
“So sorry.” Adam’s words were a warm whisper against Warrick’s cheek, and in spite of that, he shivered. He’d learned during the war that vampyres were chronically cold, only warm after they’d fed. He took a step back. “And you’d better hurry. Those men are regarding the cea alba with entirely too much interest.”
The vampyre was right. Warrick could feel the dark desire rolling from the three hulking brutes in waves.
“Goddammit.” He took off running, Fox on his tail.
However, before he and Fox could reach the men, before the men could take a step toward the young woman, the three shied back. “Why is it so cold?” one of them cried out, his teeth suddenly chattering.
That had to be Adam’s doing, but if he’d just fed, how could he project cold?
“Adam’s given us enough time to catch up,” Fox murmured, not even slightly out of breath.
Warrick’s wolf growled, displeased a fox was in better condition than he. And of course Fox knew.
“You can teach me the error of my ways later, pet,” he murmured.
Warrick gritted his teeth, then got down to the matter at hand. He dropped a heavy hand on the man’s shoulder. “What the hell?” Fury replaced thwarted lust, and he wheeled around, no doubt intending to take apart whoever was interrupting his plans. Warrick knew the second the reality of Warrick so close sank in on the man. He tried to shy back once he saw Warrick, but the grasp held him in place.
“I don’t think you want this train.” Warrick’s wolf recognized the girl as kin, even if Warrick was reluctant to acknowledge her, and he could feel his eyes glow with the blue fire of his wolf’s anger. He released the man and waited to see how foolish he and his companions would be.
The three whimpered, and he let his lips bare teeth that were starting to elongate. They must have agreed with him, because they stumbled back a handful of steps before they wheeled around and raced away, pleasing both Warrick and his wolf.
“Show off.” Fox took Warrick’s arm and tugged. “Come on. We’re going to miss our train.”
“Where’s the vampyre?”
“The vampyre ...” The disembodied voice came as little more than a whisper. “... is right here for the moment. If you gentlemen have things under control? Good. In that case, I’ll bid you good night.”
And although they couldn’t see him, they knew he was gone. “Now who’s the show off?” Warrick muttered.
“Never mind.” Fox urged him toward the train, which was starting to pull out of the station.
Warrick got on board, but paused long enough for a final glance at the now-empty platform.
“Rick?”
He turned and followed his lover into the train.
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