STORY EXCERPT

Mona’s eyes widened as she stared out the windshield. “Holy crap.”

Pamela looked in the same direction and saw the enormous animal standing on the porch of the rental home. “What the hell is that?” Was it a large dog? Or, worse, a wolf?

Mona’s knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel. “It’s a wolf. A really big wolf.”

Pamela met Mona’s frightened gaze. “He’s even bigger than…” She couldn’t bring herself to complete the sentence. Terror had taken hold.

“The other one,” whispered Mona.

Pamela could hear her own breath wheezing in and out, in and out. Looking back at the animal, she studied it, almost doing so in an out-of-body way.

Is it the same wolf? But how could it be? Why would it follow us?

Amber eyes, just like those she’d seen coming at her before her brave sister had thrown her body between them, glowed. She felt herself screaming and yet heard no sound.

No. Not again. I can’t go through this again. I can’t.

Mona rested her hand on Pamela’s leg. “It’s not what you’re thinking, sis. It’s not the same wolf. The other one was black with a white circle around one eye.”

She couldn’t take her attention away from the animal. If she did, then turned back, she was afraid she’d find it sailing through the air, fangs dripping, claws extended, ready to finish the job it had tried to do on the photo shoot.

“Pamela, it’s okay. He can’t get to you. We’re safe inside the car.”

Were they? She had the horrible feeling that the beast could break through the glass if it halfway wanted to. Did it want to? Would her sister throw her body in front of her to protect her yet again?

“All we have to do is wait it out. It’ll leave sooner or later.”

Somehow, against the overriding stiffness of her body, Pamela managed to shake her head. It wasn’t going to leave. She was sure of it. This was no ordinary wolf.

Fear threatened to strangle her, and yet, the strange sensation she’d felt on the street came back. How could she be terrified and yet drawn to the animal?

They sat in the car for several more minutes, neither one of them taking their eyes off the wolf.

“Why isn’t it going away?” moaned Pamela. “Damn it. We’re like sitting ducks here. He’s going to wait us out.”

“I don’t know. It’s really weird.”

“We should call someone. Animal control. The police. The Texas Rangers. Someone. Anyone.” She clutched Mona’s arm. “Or leave. Why don’t we just drive away?”

“No. I can handle this.” Mona let out a string of curse words then reached around to the backseat and grabbed the bat they always kept in the car to scare off the more intrepid photographers.

“What do you think you’re going to do?” Pamela tried to hold on to her sister’s arm, but Mona was already halfway out of the car. “Mona, get the hell back in here.”

“We can’t wait any longer.”

“We can call for help.”

“Even if they get here in time, they might take photos. I can see the headlines already. ‘Pamela Frost, captured by a stalker wolf.’ No, thanks.”

“But, Mona—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.” Mona gave her a weak smile, trying to ease Pamela’s fear. “I have to do something. The ice cream is melting.” She slammed the door.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” yelled Pamela. “We can buy more ice cream.” She knew Mona had only been kidding, using the ice cream joke to cover her fear. “Please, Mona, come back.”

But once her sister made up her mind, there was no stopping her. Mona strode toward the house, ignoring Pamela’s begging.

“Listen up, wolf. I want you off my front porch right now.” Mona came to the bottom of the steps, bat raised, ready to strike. Mona’s voice was loud and firm, without a shred of fear lacing it.

The wolf tilted its head to the side as though studying the strange woman. With a growl, it lowered its head, put its ears back, and dropped its tail.

Pamela pushed against the door and slipped out. Yet her feet wouldn’t carry her toward her sister. After what the other wolf had done to Mona, how did she have the courage to face the animal? “Please, Mona, come back to the car.”

“Not happening.”

Pamela wasn’t sure if her sister was talking to her or to the wolf.

Mona put her foot on the first step. “You’d better get, damn it, or I swear I’m going to slam this bat upside your head.”

The wolf’s growl was low and mean. Its amber gaze darted between Mona and her as though expecting Pamela to take its side.

“Okay, I’m going to count to three, and then I’m going to let you have it,” warned Mona.

“Mona, no. Please stop.” She had to go, had to help her sister. Yet still she remained caught between the car and the passenger door, unable to make her legs move.

“One.”

The wolf growled again and hunkered lower, getting ready to pounce.

“Two.”

Bright white fangs shown as it pulled its lips back.

“Three.”

Pamela really didn’t think Mona would actually try and hit the wolf. Maybe the wolf hadn’t thought she would, either. They were both wrong.

Mona let out a warrior-like yell and swung the bat. The ensuing crack as the bat met the wolf’s head split the air. At first, the wolf appeared to be stunned so badly it couldn’t move. Then it shook its head and let out an even meaner growl.

“Go on. Just try me, you son of a bitch!” yelled Mona.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Who hurt you, hon?”

Why had Justin said who instead of what? “Isn’t it obvious? I was attacked by an animal. Or, actually, it tried to attack my sister and I jumped in its way.”

What she’d expected to happen didn’t. Instead of pity in their eyes, instead of them looking at her differently than they had moments before, she saw something else in their amber-flecked gazes. She saw pride and, somehow, an awareness of what she’d gone through.

“What kind of animal?” asked Barrett.

She almost told him. Yet something akin to self-preservation held her back. She’d learned that others had a difficult time believing she’d been attacked by a wolf at a photo shoot. Instead, she gave them the more acceptable answer. “It was a big dog. An aggressive dog that the owner should’ve kept restrained.”

Troy reached out and skimmed his fingertips along the scars. She jerked back for a moment then relaxed. His touch was soothing, a declaration of support.

“So you saved her sister.”

She nodded, unable to think of herself as a hero. “There was nothing else I could’ve done. I would die for my sister.”

Barrett skimmed a strand of her hair away from her cheek. “Then the scars are badges of honor. But you don’t think so, do you?”

She cast her gaze down again. “They’re ugly. Which makes me ugly.”

“They’re the most beautiful part of you,” said Troy.

She jerked her gaze back up and stared at him, unsure she’d actually heard him correctly. How could any man think her beautiful when the scars marred her skin? When they marred her very soul?

“He’s right, you know.” Justin nodded along with Barrett. “Nothing could make you ugly, but certainly not those scars. They show your strength and your power. You’re even more beautiful now that we’ve seen them.”

“We want you more than ever,” said Troy.

Could she believe them? Could she trust them to be telling her the truth? Or did they want to fuck her enough to lie?

She bit her lower lip and hoped she wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake of her life. Yet at the same time, perhaps she was making the biggest leap of faith of her life. Swallowing yet again, she finally found the words. “Then show me. Show me that you really want me.”

Show me that you want me and not Pamela.

The anger that had existed on their faces was gone in a flash, replaced by eagerness, by hopefulness, and by blatant hunger that shook her to her core. Justin picked her up and set her on top of the counter. At first, his movements were slow as he unbuttoned her blouse one button at a time, lingering over each one as though it was an honored act.

Then there was Troy. A sound rumbled in his chest then flowed out of him as he leaned over, his full concentration set on undoing her jeans. Her belt was gone in a flash then the top button was popped undone and the zipper yanked downward.

Barrett pulled off her shoes, tossed them to the floor, then grabbed hold of her jeans and pulled them out from underneath her. Her panties went along with the denim. Before she knew it, she sat on the counter totally naked and open for their advances.

Troy shoved the other two men back. “I’m first.” When they started to argue, he faced them, confronting them with an expression she would only describe as animalistic. Odd, deep sounds rolled from Barrett and Justin, but they didn’t attempt to push Troy away.

Her chest heaved fast and furious as Troy turned his to attention back to her. “If you’re going to stop me, now’s the time to do it. Once this starts, there’s no going back.”

Her mind screamed to stop him, to shove him away. Yet it was the last thing her body wanted. For one of the few times in her life, she listened to her body over her brain. Her silence was his permission.

His tongue flashed over the top of his lip as amber flecks dotted his eyes. Keeping his gaze to hers, he began to undo his jeans. First, the belt buckle, then the button, then, at last, the zipper. Slowly, he pushed the zipper all the way down and kept his gaze locked to hers. He was teasing her. Of that she was certain. But two could play at that game.

She arched her back, putting her hands over her tits and rubbing her nipples, pinching them, tweaking them, forcing his gaze to drop to her breasts. As he shoved his jeans downward, his cock popped out, erect and full, glistening at the end. She scooted even closer toward the end of the counter and spread her legs wide, ready to wrap them around his waist.

Barrett and Justin continued stripping their clothes off. By the time they had their jeans to their ankles, their hands were already working on their cocks. She wasn’t sure where to look first. Three amazing cocks, hard, long, and masterfully made pointed straight at her. She wanted them all at the same time, but there was limited room in the small bathroom.

I’ll have all three at once the next time.

A part of her that seemed almost removed from her was caught by surprise.

The next time?

Yes. The next time.

Troy grabbed hold of her hips, yanking her toward him until her pussy rubbed up against his cock. Her juices spread along his length and over his balls. “Don’t go paying attention to them. I’m the one you need to watch.”