STORY EXCERPT

Nix pulled out the scrap of paper from the inner pockets of his jacket and glanced at the darkened lights of the garage in front of him, frowning. Lex gave him the address of her apartment some time back, but he’d hastily scribbled in on a tissue and lost it along the way. The only address he had was the address to the local business Lex’s pard ran.

Lex wasn’t answering her cell either. She was probably busy running errands, but maybe one of the wereleopards working at the garage knew where she was.

Ignoring the ‘Closed’ sign hanging out front, Nix pushed his way in.

“Hello? Is anyone here?”

A warning growl from somewhere in the garage, and seconds later a grease-stained man rolled from under one of the cars. Nix’s wolf opened its sleepy amber eyes inside him with interest.

Standing now, Nix saw the man, or rather the were leopard, was almost as tall as he was, although he packed lean muscle and had none of Nix’s bulk. He was young, perhaps probably in his late-twenties, and had short cropped blonde hair and sharp suspicious blue eyes.

“You don’t smell like the local werewolf pack. Are you a customer? Can’t you read the sign outside?” The man asked, crossing his arms.

He appeared less aggressive now, after establishing Nix wasn’t part of the local wolf pack, but no less friendly. The name on his stained overalls read ‘Eli’.

Something strange stirred inside Nix. He was overcome by the strange urge to come closer, let his wolf rub its fur against the little cat, and maybe suck the salt on the young man’s neck for a start. A nice little tender spot, Nix decided, not marred by grease or oil. He could see his spiritual beast too, a fine lean bodied leopard looking at him with obvious and unconcealed interest. After that sweet spot he could move on to—

What the fuck’s wrong with me? Over the years, Nix had been attracted to both men and women, other shifters and humans, but all they were to him were quick distraction. The way he was reacting now, panting and lusting after this young leopard reminded him of a young unmated werewolf. What the hell?

“Hey, Eli. No I’m not a customer, but I’m looking for someone. I’m an old friend of Lex Marsden, you know where she is?”

Suspicion coloured Eli’s eyes again. “What do you want with one of our pard enforcers?”

Enforcer eh? Lex certainly has been busy. The door to the air-conditioned office opened, revealing a woman, a heavily pregnant female, Nix noted, sniffing the air. All thoughts of Lex fled from his mind. The smell of sweet feline musk mixed with something like cinnamon negated all his senses, heck, even his brain.

“Eli, is something going on?” She crept closer to them, waddling a little awkwardly. Like Eli, she looked like she was in her late-twenties. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, leaving her features clear. Concerned and huge light brown eyes looked from Eli to Nix.

“Get back in the office, Jen.”

Nix was unsure why he stepped forward suddenly. Eli snarled again, but Nix only offered her his arm.

“Oh, thank you, but I can perfectly walk.”

“Fuck, Jen. You can’t just let some stranger, let alone some big hairy werewolf biker, get close to you.” The protective instincts coming off from the wereleopard made Nix wonder if Eli was Jen’s mate, but their cats told him they weren’t.

The two beasts looked on hungrily at each other just as his wolf looked at them longingly, as if there was deep chasm each of them had to cross.

“Eli, you’re overreacting again, besides I don’t sense any malice from him.” Jen finally looked at Nix, and the sudden weight in them staggered him.

They were exhausted eyes, haunted eyes. They told Nix while Jen’s body was young the soul it contained was old.

“Oh sweetheart,” she whispered, slender fingers moving past his leather jacket to touch his inked arm. “You’ve been through hell haven’t you?”

Her words reverberated through Nix and hit him like a wrecking ball. Those eyes, Nix thought shakily, saw far too much. Hell, he usually wasn’t that transparent.

She let out a breath, and Nix sensed her cat stretching, daringly rubbing against his wolf. The two beasts sniffed and scented each other, eager to explore and play. He swallowed, unsure what was happening.

First Eli, and now Jen? What the hell? Nix hadn’t been able to get some sleep and feed his body the minimum nourishment it required. Perhaps he was imagining all of this.

“I was telling Eli here I was an old friend of Lex’s,” Nix said, finally getting his brain back. He reluctantly let go of Jen’s arm, and their two beasts unhappily untangled form each other.

“You know Lex?” Jen looked thoughtful, giving him another sweeping glance.

Nix felt naked under her gaze.

This woman is dangerous. I can’t stay too close to her.

ADULT EXCERPT

The warm bodies of the two men, the tentative but clearly possessive way they carefully touched her, made her wonder just what the hell took her so long to realize she’d been wrong all this time.

Did she still love Diego? Lingering feelings maybe, but she was certain love was no longer on the table and it hadn’t been there for the longest time. Months of waiting, of blaming and repeatedly questioning herself withered anything she once had for Diego.

Just looking at Graham’s face told her that. Nevermind abandoning her, but how could Diego turn his back on their son, his own flesh and blood? Just what had been so important that he could easily toss them aside?

“Stop thinking too much, sweetheart,” Nix murmured to her right. Pressed against her back, he tightened his hands around her waist, kissing the nape of her neck.

“I’m that transparent, huh?’ Jen teased back, feeling a second pair of lips on the curve of her collarbone. Eli.

“Don’t we know it,” Eli muttered, eyes moving down to the curve of her breast.

They’re always so careful with me, respecting my decisions and the lines I couldn’t cross despite the fact I’m constantly testing their limits.

God, these two men weren’t just gentlemen. They were saints.

Enough waiting, her leopardess chided her. She’d been fooling herself for so long, thinking perhaps if she waited long enough, Diego would come back to her. Jen would’ve gone along with it too, never knowing any better, but living with her two men and seeing how they’d formed a bond with Graham, changed her mind.

Eventful mornings, delightful afternoons, and quiet evenings with Nix, Eli and Graham— without realizing it, they’d already found they’d been searching for all their lives.

Jen reached below, fingers curling over Eli’s cock. He gasped, eyes questioning. Behind her, Nix let out a sigh, as if saying ‘finally’, his erection grinding against her back.

Eli finally found his voice, his eyes a mixture of uncertainty and hope. “Jen, what are you doing?”

“Wrong question,” Nix said. “The right question is, are you sure?”

“Very sure,” Jen answered, beginning to move her fingers up and down Eli’s shaft, feeling it thicken and pulse in her hand.

Nix kissed the nape of her neck. His hands no longer restricted, but now free to roam, greedily explored every inch of her. His tethered need and desire, finally unleashed.

“Let’s get to a more comfortable position,” Nix suggested kissing her shoulder blade.

They ended up with Eli lying on against the pillows, with Jen kneeling between his legs while Nix positioned himself behind her.

“This all still feels like a dream,” Eli muttered, staring down at her, his leopard mewling contently against Jen’s own cat.

Jen secured her hand over his base, while she flicked her tongue across his tip, swiping the pre-cum gathered there and spreading it across his length. Eli groaned, his eyes growing dark with need, fingers fisting deliciously into her hair.

Behind her, Jen felt Nix’s large hand between her legs. His wolf happily nestled between their two cats. A perfect fit.

“So wet for me already, sweetheart?” Nix asked, tracing her swollen and soaked pussy lips while he kept one thumb over her clit, creating lazy circles, driving her mad with lust.

Then he slid two fingers inside her. Jen answered him with a moan, distracted momentarily from her task. Eli reached out for one of her tits with his free hand, tweaking until they became hardened pebbles.

“That’s right, baby. This is all for you. We’re going to make you feel so good,” Nix crooned.

“We’re never letting you go,” Eli added, panting when Jen took him between her lips.

She wondered if Eli knew just how much his words meant to her. Diego made promises he couldn’t keep, and in return, that made Jen doubt herself and made it difficult for her to trust anyone again. She knew though, instinctively and irrevocably, that Eli and Nix meant their words.

They weren’t like Diego, far from it. Hadn’t they proven what kind of men they were, time and time again? During nights when Graham couldn’t stop crying, or when Jen needed something from the grocer’s and one of them would automatically rush out, no questions asked.

Nix firmly gripped her hips, steady and firm, and nudged his cock head into her slit. The fire Jen tried so hard to rein in finally broke free of its restraints, and she welcomed the heat, even wanted to bask herself in it.

Why had she fought against this so hard, because she’d been terrified of breaking her vows and morals?

No, Jen inwardly realized. Another future, a wonderful future, had been dangled right in front of her eyes and she’d been terrified of reaching out for it.

No more. The time for second-guessing is past. Enough waiting. Enough doubts.

A bolt of pleasure went right into her core and pussy when he slid all the way in until he was balls deep. Eli’s tip hit the back of her throat. Jen slowly eased her way out, not breaking eye contact from him even as she dove back in.

How many times had seen him harbor that intense look of longing, when he thought she wasn’t looking? How many times had she wished she could ease his suffering, not knowing how to cross the line that kept them at opposite ends?