A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
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Copyright ©2008 by Beth Wylde
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
CONTENTS
A Little Taste of Red
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
About the Author
* * * *
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Published by Phaze Books
Also by Beth Wylde
The Big 4-Oh!
* * * *
* * * *
This is an explicit and erotic novel
intended for the enjoyment
of adult readers. Please keep
out of the hands of children.
www.Phaze.com
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
A Little Taste of Red
A novella of paranormal erotic romance by
BETH WYLDE
[Back to Table of Contents]
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
A Little Taste of Red copyright 2008 Beth Wylde
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-
American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and
incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or
are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual
persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is
entirely coincidental.
* * * *
* * * *
A Phaze Production
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Phaze Books
6470A Glenway Avenue, #109
Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222
Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.
To order additional copies of this book, contact:
[e-mail]
www.Phaze.com
Cover art © 2008 Debi Lewis
Edited by Mychael Black
ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-002-7
First Edition September, 2008
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of
this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
infringement, including infringement without monetary gain,
is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years
in prison and a fine of $250,000.
[Back to Table of Contents]
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter One
Tinsel Redleigh Sawyers, known by all her friends and
family as Red, finished her sit-ups and flipped off her
dilapidated old TV. Without cable, she knew it was useless to
try channel surfing so late at night. "Damn infomercials and
reality shows!"
She glanced around her apartment slowly, taking note of
the way the icicles hanging from the rooftop gleamed
outdoors in the moonlight as she drew the window blinds
down tight for the evening. Winter had arrived with a
vengeance, and Tinsel felt irritable and cranky after being
forced to forego her daily run due to the below-freezing
temperatures outside. Working out indoors to an aerobic
video just didn't provide the same type of adrenaline rush
that a good long run could. She needed to find a way to relax
or she knew she'd never get to sleep. Luckily, she had just
the thing to soothe her frazzled nerves.
She checked the shades once more and made her way
over to the day bed in the corner that doubled as a couch in
her tiny studio apartment. The space was cramped and the
neighbors were often a bit boisterous, but the rent was
cheap. Her best friend Katie was rich and would have gladly
lent her the money for a nicer place, but she liked the feeling
of being able to take care of herself. She'd always been
independent, and being forced to live on a limited income had
only made her more determined to succeed on her own.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Tinsel shed her sports bra and sweatpants in favor of a
knee-length sleep shirt and slipped under the covers. After
getting settled, she reached over into the top drawer of her
nightstand that doubled as an end table. Her hand came out,
holding an extremely ragged-looking book with several
multicolored bookmarks hanging out of the frayed pages.
Judging by the novel's condition, it was obviously a well-worn
favorite and one that needed replacing soon.
Tinsel patted the book lovingly as she traced the faded
image of the sexy male model who graced the cover. "Who
needs reality? My imagination is a much more exciting place."
She reclined back against the headboard with a contented
sigh as she thumbed the book open to one of the dog-eared
sections. Carefully balancing the book on her knees, she
started to read. Her right hand plucked at the low-rise
neckline of her nightshirt, fanning the fabric back and forth as
her body temperature steadily rose despite the cool climate
outside. She scanned rapidly through the first couple
paragraphs until she found her favorite part of the story.
The Space Pirate had just kidnapped his lady love and they
were in the midst of some graphically detailed foreplay. Tinsel
flipped forward another page until she reached the hottest
scene in the book. While the characters got down to business,
her hand slid lower until she was slowly fondling one breast.
She gasped aloud as the Space Pirate spread Princess
Miranda's legs and made his intention to fuck her clear.
"Lucky bitch. I'd give that pirate the ride of his life."
As the pleasant tingling between Tinsel's thighs intensified,
she paused to pull off her panties, reaching behind her to flip
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
on the switch for the ceiling fan. The cool breeze felt good,
but it still wasn't enough to lower her temperature to a
comfortable level. She sat up and pulled off her t-shirt,
enjoying the way the chilly air whispered across her heated
flesh and made her nipples harden. She scooted back down in
the bed, tugging the sheet over her knees for modesty before
letting her legs drop open beneath it. Her apartment was also
in a rather unsavory part of town, so even though her blinds
were closed, she used the covers to ensure herself a little
extra privacy. The position was a bit awkward and forced her
to hold the book steady with her left hand, but she didn't
mind the imposition. She also ignored the fact that she'd been
without a guy for so long that she'd been reduced to
masturbating to erotica in bed. Desperate times often called
for desperate measures.
Her hand slid down over her stomach, pausing for a
moment to trace the edges of her belly button before
continuing onward. Her fingers skimmed sideways, bypassing
her most intimate spot and caressing her inner leg instead.
After building up an acceptable amount of tension, she moved
back upward until her hand brushed firmly against her pussy.
Tinsel bucked against the sensation and nearly dropped her
book in the process. It was getting hard to focus on the words
on the page, so she finished off one last paragraph and put
the book aside to let her imagination take over.
She snuggled down deeper under the covers and let
herself relax, closing her eyes and giving her mind free rein.
Her fingers danced gently over her engorged clit as she
conjured up an image of her ideal male. Tall, strong, athletic,
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
and ruggedly handsome. His hair and skin color didn't matter
as long as he was the kind of man who could take control and
sweep a girl off her feet. She grimaced as a picture formed in
her head.
It's no wonder I haven't had a date in ages, she thought.
My standards are so high that no human on Earth could ever
live up to my expectations.
Tinsel pushed the depressing revelation aside before it
ruined the moment. As she teased herself, her fingers slid
easily through her moist folds. She was so excited from just
the anticipation that wetness dribbled down the crack of her
ass and onto the sheet below. "Good Lord!" Tinsel knew she
needed to slow down or she'd come before things really got
started.
She slid her other arm down beneath the sheet, gently
parting her nether lips open as she slid in first one finger and
then another. "Oh hell."
A loud moan exploded out of her throat as the slick walls
of her vagina clenched down on the invading digits. She
couldn't remember the last time she'd actually had sex with a
guy, and she was almost as tight as a virgin. Her hand moved
faster, back and forth and in and out until she couldn't hold
still any longer. Tinsel thrust her hips upwards, using her
body's momentum to help her fuck herself until sweat beaded
across her forehead and her skin felt like it was on fire.
Helpless mewling noises flew from her lips, faster and faster,
until the sound condensed into one long wail of need.
"Fuuuuuck!"
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Off in the distance she heard the shrill sound of her cell
phone ringing, but she was too far gone to stop and make
herself answer it. Her generic ring tone stopped and a triple
beep announced that her caller had left a message. Tinsel
spread her legs open as wide as they could go, her flexible
body stretching itself into almost a complete split. She tried
to force the tip of a third finger inside herself, but there
wasn't any room left for it to go. She gave up the fight and
curled forward the two fingers already deeply imbedded inside
herself. They slid delicately over her inner walls, searching for
the magic spot that would help her reach the earth-shattering
climax she was striving for. Her middle finger found the tiny
bump and stroked it relentlessly, moving over it again and
again.
Tinsel went wild. She flipped her body over and flung her
ass in the air, giving in to her instincts and letting her body
do whatever it wanted in order to gain the release she'd been
craving for so long. Minutes later, she cried out, her body
shaking until she collapsed against the mattress, covered in
sweat and out of breath. She had enough energy left to pull
her legs shut and roll sideways before the pleasant afterglow
and exhaustion lulled her into a deep, dreamless sleep.
[Back to Table of Contents]
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Two
It was a little after midnight, and Tinsel was enjoying the
hottest sexual encounter of her life with a naughty vampire
prince named Gregor, when the sound of her cell phone going
nuts startled her awake. "What the fuck?" She dashed out of
bed and ran to the kitchen, where she knew she'd seen the
phone last. "Somebody better be dead or bleeding," she
grumbled as she spotted the little pink Razor doing a wild
dance across the counter.
The expensive sparkly device had been a gift from her best
friend, Katie, who'd completely freaked out when she'd been
informed that Tinsel wasn't going to be able to afford to have
a phone installed in her apartment. Katie immediately towed
Tinsel down to the cellular store and insisted on buying the
most expensive phone and service plan the place offered.
Tinsel didn't see the lack of phone service as a big deal, but
to Katie the idea of living without unlimited minutes and text
messages was unthinkable.
Tinsel grabbed the shiny neon monstrosity before it fell on
the floor and didn't bother to check the Caller ID. She
automatically assumed it was her best friend calling, probably
with another disastrous 'emergency' on her hands. Katie's
idea of an emergency usually involved one of two things, boys
or clothes, and not necessarily in that order. Tinsel was
extremely frustrated about being woken up and prepared to
let Katie know about it. She flipped open the skinny rectangle
and let her anger loose.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
"Katie Lucille Covington, do you have any idea what time it
is?"
The sound of a delicate yet stern female voice that was
obviously not Katie's shocked Tinsel into silence. "Yes, I do
and I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm looking for Ms. Tinsel
Sawyers."
A sudden feeling of dread settled over Tinsel as she
replied, "I'm Tinsel Sawyers."
"My name is Amanda Hughes. I'm one of the emergency
room nurses here at River Region Medical Center. Are you
familiar with a Gertrude Swann?"
Tinsel covered the receiver with her hand as she fought to
remain calm. After several deep breaths, she came back
online, already fearing the worst and trying to prepare
herself. "Yes, I am. She's my grandmother. Is something
wrong?"
"I'm afraid so, Ms. Sawyers. She became very ill this
evening and had to call 911. The paramedics transported her
to the emergency room. I need to ask you a few questions
about her health history. Are you familiar with her medical
information?"
Tinsel exhaled deeply as she realized her grandmother was
still alive. "Pretty much so. I lived with her from the time I
was five until two years ago when I turned eighteen."
The nurse sounded relieved. "I'm so glad. She's very
incoherent and unable to answer our questions at this time.
Her sugar was dangerously elevated when she arrived. Does
she have a history of diabetes?"
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Tinsel swore silently. "Yes. She was diagnosed with it three
months ago, but I can't get her to give up the sweets. She's a
chocoholic."
The nurse chuckled softly. "Being a diabetic myself, I do
understand her dilemma, but she needs to understand how
dangerous it is to stray from the diet her doctor has put her
on. Do you know if she checks her sugar regularly?"
"As far as I know, she does. She's always been very
independent. She raised me by herself. She only goes to the
doctor when it's absolutely necessary."
"That sounds like a lot of our patients here."
"Is she going to be okay?"
"She should be fine once we get her sugar level stabilized.
What you've told me has helped a lot. She'll probably be
admitted for a few days just for observation and to reinforce
her diabetic education."
"Can I come see her?" Tinsel hated the needy sound in her
voice, but she wouldn't be able to believe her grandmother
was okay until she could actually see her in person.
"ER patients are allowed one visitor. She'll probably be
admitted to the critical care unit as a precaution and their
visiting hours are very strict, but if you come now, you can
see her for a few hours at least. You sound like you need the
company as much or more than she does."
Tinsel wanted to sob with relief. "I do. She's the closest
thing I have to a mother."
"I'll see you soon then. I'm on duty until seven in the
morning, so just ask for Nurse Hughes. One of the attendants
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will escort you to her room. She's in 1-A. Do you know how to
get here?"
Tinsel spoke through her tears. "I do. It's about an hour
away, though."
"Take your time and be careful. Thank you again for the
help."
"You're welcome. Please take care of her for me until I get
there."
"I will. Goodbye."
Tinsel got off the phone and raced into the bathroom,
getting clean and dressed in record time. The trek to the
parking lot was a quick one. One didn't dawdle in the
neighborhood at night unless they were looking for trouble.
She found her battered, little blue Honda parked right
where she'd left it earlier. A lot of the tenants had trouble
with their cars being vandalized, but Tinsel had never had a
problem. As she stared at her pitiful excuse for a vehicle, she
knew exactly why it remained untouched. The only real value
in the car was sentimental. Her grandma had given it to her
as a graduation gift and she knew how much of a struggle it
had been for her to afford the overly used vehicle on such a
limited budget. She should have traded it years ago, but the
thought of getting rid of it made her want to cry. It was a
testament to how much her grandmother meant to her.
Katie hated the thing. The paint was dull and the letters on
the tires were faded as well, but it ran pretty decent and had
great gas mileage. As she slid inside, Tinsel looked around
and took note of the things her best friend always complained
about. The interior was worn, the carpet was permanently
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by Beth Wylde
stained in spots, and the passenger side window would only
go half way down. Tinsel didn't care, though; she was proud
to own it. She knew Katie's taste ran more toward BMWs and
Cadillacs than Preludes, but with her dad's huge bank
account, she could afford to be picky when Tinsel couldn't.
[Back to Table of Contents]
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Three
The ride to the hospital seemed endless. Gertrude lived out
in the boonies, preferring the quiet wilderness to the loud
sounds and bright lights of the city. Tinsel understood her
grandmother's need for peace and privacy, it was something
she yearned for as well, but the long distance between them
often caused transportation issues. Tinsel's car wasn't always
dependable and her grandmother didn't drive at all anymore.
She was looking forward to the day when she could afford to
move out of the city and purchase her own little cottage in
the woods.
The sound of her cell phone going off again interrupted
Tinsel's train of thought. She instantly feared it was bad news
about her grandmother until she saw Katie's name and
number flashing across the miniature screen. She breathed a
sigh of relief, then immediately wondered what could be so
bad that her best friend would be calling her at almost one in
the morning.
"Hello?"
"Oh, Red, something terrible has happened." Tinsel held
her hand over the receiver to stifle her moan of irritation.
Katie had called her by her nickname, which meant that
whatever disaster had taken place revolved strictly around
her friend's social life. If it had been something truly urgent,
Katie would have used her entire name to start off the
conversation.
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"Tinsel, are you listening to me at all? I'm having a crisis
here and you've probably got your head stuck in one of those
weird books again. Vampires, shapeshifters, and space aliens
do not exist and if they did, they wouldn't be running around
in search of mortal women to have super-hot, smutty sex
with."
"Ugh." Tinsel tuned out the lecture she'd heard a thousand
times before, knowing that their friendship truly worked
because they were so different from each other. Katie was the
rich heiress with a model's figure and the dough to do
whatever she pleased, while Tinsel was the smaller, more
timid friend in the background with all the brains. Together,
they'd managed to get in and out of some pretty incredible
situations.
"Kat, I'm not reading a book. I'm on my way to the
hospital to check on Grandma. A nurse from the emergency
room just called me and told me she'd been brought in via
ambulance."
Tinsel spotted the exit she was looking for and merged off
the freeway onto the small two-lane country road that would
take her through Yanceyville to the medical center. Gertrude's
home was closer to the hospital in the next county than it was
to the big one in Raleigh, near where Tinsel lived. The back
roads were always dangerous at night, even under normal
circumstances, but with the recent snow, driving was even
more deadly. Tinsel's impatience didn't help the situation any
either.
"Is she going to be okay?" The genuine concern in Katie's
voice made Tinsel smile.
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by Beth Wylde
"Yeah, she will be as long as we can keep her away from
the candy bars."
Katie laughed lightly. "She always did like sweets,
especially the Godiva chocolate. You can't fault her for having
good taste."
"I know, but now that she's diabetic, that good taste could
kill her."
"I hope she feels better." Katie paused for a moment
before steering the conversation back to her problem. "Now,
about the reason why I called you. My sorority's annual
charity gala is tomorrow night and my date, Chuck, just called
to tell me that he broke his leg today during a scrimmage
game. He purposely waited until the last minute to tell me so
that I didn't have time to find a replacement. What am I
going to do? I can't have my date limping around on crutches
and crushing my two-hundred-dollar Prada pumps and I
cannot go alone! Either way my reputation will be ruined. You
have to come help me. You have to!"
"I'll see what I can do. I need to check on Grandma first,
though. Then if she's okay, I'll pack a small overnight bag and
head directly for your college." Tinsel tried unsuccessfully to
stifle her frustrated groan, but Katie picked up instantly on
the depressing sound.
"What's wrong, Red?"
She sighed audibly over the line, embarrassed to have to
admit the dilemma, even to her best friend. "I'm a little short
on cash right now. I got laid off from work recently."
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by Beth Wylde
"That's great. Now you don't have to worry about asking
for time off, besides, you know I'll give you enough money to
cover your expenses."
"I don't like to take your money."
"Why not?"
Tinsel grimaced at the question. Over the last several
years she'd tried to explain the need to be independent, only
to have her best friend look at her like she'd lost her mind.
"I'm trying to be self-sufficient. I've got my own apartment, a
car that's paid for, and, until recently, a steady job. When I
manage to get some money saved up, I'm going to enroll in a
few classes at the community college here."
Kat's squeal of horror was so loud Tinsel had to pull the
phone away from her ear to avoid permanent damage. "Oh,
my God! Tinsel, you're living like a pauper. I don't understand
why you didn't come with me to the university. Your grades
were ten times better than mine and I got in."
The sarcasm in her reply was unmistakable. "Yeah, and
the outrageous tuition was just a drop in the bucket for your
dad."
"Daddy offered to pay for you to come with me."
"Katie! You know why I refused. I could never have paid
your father back all that money."
Tinsel steadied herself for the reply she knew was coming.
"But Daddy never asked you to pay him back. I wanted you
here with me and Daddy always does what makes me happy.
I hate the thought of you living in that one-room box you call
an apartment and waiting tables in a bar like some lowly
servant. Ewww! Just the thought of it makes me feel sick."
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"I'm okay, Kat, really. It feels good to pay my own bills."
Kat went silent and Tinsel could just picture the look of
revulsion on her friend's face. "Stop it, Tinsel. You're going to
make me throw up. I'm under enough stress as it is."
"Katie..."
"Seriously, all that walking in those cheap shoes to carry
people drinks and food back and forth across a cement floor.
And what about your hands? I'll bet your nails are a disaster.
Do you even have polish on them?" She continued before
Tinsel could form a reply. "No, wait, don't even answer that! I
don't think I can handle another crisis right now. We'll get
you fixed up and then we'll figure out where I can find a last
minute substitution for Chuck. It's going to be tough to get
everything done in the little bit of time we have, but we'll
manage somehow."
Tinsel wasn't sure if her friend was more concerned over
her now-defective date or her lack of a manicure. Sometimes
with Katie, it was hard to tell. She smiled over the misguided
but well-meaning concern. It was nice to have a friend who
cared so much.
The sound of a door opening and closing in the background
made Kat gasp. "Oh, no, my sorority sisters are home. I have
to go. I can't let them find out about Chuck. I've got to go
pull myself together. See you soon, Red. Bye!"
As Tinsel turned off her phone to avoid any more
interruptions, the trees on the side of the road grew thicker
and the driving got tougher. The interstate leading out of
Raleigh was clear where it had been plowed and salted by the
Department of Transportation, but remnants of the deep
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by Beth Wylde
white powder still lingered on the winding country roads
where the shade blocked the sun's melting rays and the locals
were left to plow their own way. The real danger, however,
was the black ice. Those impossible-to-see spots of water that
liquefied during the day and refroze at night in the below
freezing weather.
Deeper into the woods, her car's heater stopped working
and within minutes, Tinsel was shivering. She hunched down
in the driver's seat, burrowing deeper into her thin sweater to
try and stay warm. Ten minutes later, she was cursing at
herself for being too cheap to buy a decent winter jacket.
As she went around a particularly sharp curve, her Honda
slid suddenly to the right. Tinsel pulled the steering wheel to
the left to try to correct the problem. She tugged too hard
and the slide turned into a spin. She fought not to panic,
pumping the brakes the way she'd been taught years ago in
Driver's Education. The vehicle responded by losing traction
altogether and launching itself into the trees. Tinsel had just
enough time to cover her face before she plowed into the
snow bank. The white mound hid the embankment waiting on
the other side and as she free fell down the steep hill, she
started to scream.
The world flipped upside down and then right side up over
and over again. Her car's lack of a working seatbelt ensured
that she received a brutal thrashing. After what seemed like
an eternity, the car came to a grinding halt when it collided
with a huge boulder. The sudden stop propelled Tinsel
forward, flinging her through the windshield and out into the
wilderness.
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A Little Taste of Red
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She landed in the heavy underbrush of the ravine, hitting
the ground with a force so hard, she bounced. The taste of
blood filled her mouth where her lip had split and she'd bitten
her tongue. More of the red liquid oozed from the dozens of
multiple cuts and lacerations that covered her skin. Her head
throbbed, too, and her vision was blurry.
She turned slowly to her left side, trying to get a good look
at her surroundings. She was rewarded with a rolling wave of
nausea and a spell of body-wracking chills. The ground was
ice cold, below freezing, in fact, and her body grew colder
with every passing moment. It was during the aftermath of
one of the shaking spells that Tinsel noticed her leg.
It was bent backwards at an impossible angle and she
gasped as she realized how badly broken it had to be. She
gritted her teeth in preparation for the staggering pain now
that she'd discovered the injury, but none came. In fact, the
leg was pleasantly numb.
Tinsel recognized the numbness as a bad sign, but she
couldn't remember why. All she knew was that she needed to
get warm. She turned further sideways, curling into a fetal
position to help conserve body heat. Her broken leg chose
that moment to flare back to life with a stabbing pain so
intense, she screamed. The whole situation was suddenly too
overwhelming and she started to cry as she huddled into her
ripped and all but useless clothing. It was impossible to
generate warmth in the below-zero temperature.
Tinsel started to panic, knowing the ravine was too steep
for her to climb with her injuries. She also knew the
possibility of someone spotting the wreck from the road was
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slim to none. She feared freezing or bleeding to death before
anyone could rescue her. She took a deep breath, thankful
when her leg started to go numb again, and tried to form a
plan of escape. She desperately needed to find help, but she
didn't remember spotting any houses close by. She was stuck
in a virtually empty forest. The more Tinsel tried to focus on
her problems, the harder it became to form a coherent
thought. Her vision was getting blurrier and her eyelids were
suddenly too heavy to hold open. Just lifting her head off the
ground made her head swim and gave her dry heaves. She
finally gave up on trying to move, propping her neck on her
outstretched arm and closing her eyes. As she allowed herself
to drift off, she vowed just to rest long enough to build up
some strength. Instead of catching a nap, she blacked out
completely.
* * * *
Lance shook his head as he headed into the woods with his
teenage nephew. Jacob was already running ahead through
the dense forest, leaping over the fallen trees as he
disappeared from his uncle's sight. A normal person would
have called the boy back by now, but Lance just let him keep
going. As long as he could scent Jacob on the wind, he knew
that Jacob was all right. Lance sometimes wondered if
werewolves had such a keen sense of smell so they could
keep up with their offspring. He was pondering that thought
when a new scent drifted to him on the breeze, one that
signaled danger, and he hollered out to Jacob immediately.
"Jacob, stop where you are. Something's wrong."
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The sound of the boy walking back towards him made him
groan. "I said stay where you are!"
Jacob peered out from behind a prickly shrub. "I got
worried, Uncle Lance. What's wrong? Is it the hunter?"
His uncle sighed as he shook his head. "I don't think so.
This doesn't smell like gunpowder, just a strong scent of
something burning." He inhaled deeply. "And it's close by."
Jacob nodded hesitantly. At fifteen, his werewolf senses
were really making themselves known, which put his inner
wolf at war with his human instincts. He wanted to be brave,
like his father the Alpha, but he also carried the uncertainty
all teenagers possessed. He didn't understand the changes his
body was going through and he shared his disgust of the
situation freely with anyone who would listen.
"I don't smell anything."
"You're still young. You haven't had your first change yet,
though I suspect it won't be very long now before you do.
Give yourself time to learn how to use your enhanced senses.
You'll get used to them in time."
"I don't want to get used to them. I never asked for any of
this."
"You didn't have to ask. You were born with the genetic
traits that make you a werewolf. We all were." Lance huffed
as he turned to track the scent's origin. "I don't know why I
offered to take you hunting with me if you're going to be so
stubborn about everything. You should be proud to be what
you are."
"Why should I be proud to be an animal?"
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Lance shook his head in exasperation. "Good lord, it's a
wonder your father hasn't taken you out back and beaten you
senseless. You're dad's the Alpha, and you're his oldest child
and son, which means you'll take his place as the leader of
the Den one day."
"Mom says Dad's getting too old to teach me what I need
to know. She thinks I need a younger werewolf to show me
the ropes."
"Your mom's young. Why doesn't she take you out?"
"She's too busy having babies to find the time to go out
with me. Besides, Dad doesn't like her to hunt without him."
Lance grunted in irritation at the statement. "Ugh! I love
your dad, but he is the epitome of an overbearing Alpha."
Lance paused and scented the wind, his nostrils flaring as he
inhaled. "The fire's getting stronger and something or
someone has been hurt pretty badly, too. I smell blood, and a
lot of it."
Lance took off running, his nephew following close behind.
As his brain processed all of the odd scents nearby, his body
took on a mind of its own, propelling him forward despite his
reluctance. The smell was definitely human, definitely female,
and definitely fertile. It was a scent that overpowered
everything around him, even the burning stench of the fire. A
fragrance like ripe fruit on the vine just waiting to be plucked
and tasted. Just the thought had his cock rapidly expanding
inside the tight confines of his worn jeans.
He knew his body's reaction was a bad sign. He was a
dominant adult male, the Alpha's brother, which was close
enough for it to be an issue. To make matters worse, he was
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unmated. It was an age-old instinct for a full grown male
werewolf to claim a woman of his own, but he'd never
encountered any Den females that interested him. The fact
that he found himself more turned on by the scent of the
human female he was ready to rescue than he'd ever been
around women of his own kind disturbed him greatly. Lance
wondered what he was about to walk into. He almost hoped
the woman wasn't alive, because if she was, her life and his
were about to get really complicated. In light of recent
events, his life didn't need any more complications.
The pack was dwindling rapidly and hiding among the
humans was getting tougher every day. His brother had
already made emergency evacuation preparations in case any
more Den families in the area were attacked.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Four
Lance knew the woman was close by. Along with the
increasingly overwhelming scent of fruit and blood, he could
see the first tendrils of smoke as they crept out from between
the thick, viney undergrowth up ahead. The smell of fire and
peaches grew stronger, newly tinged with a harsh chemical
undertone, and he knew the scene was going to be a bad
one. It was too late for him to turn his back on the woman,
but he could still protect his nephew from the sight.
"Jacob, run home and tell your mom there's been an
accident. There's a woman hurt. She's human and bleeding
badly. It may already be too late."
The boy caught up, shaking his head vehemently. "I want
to come with you."
"No. You need to do what I tell you. Get your dad, too. Tell
him there's a fire. We can't risk having someone call the fire
department. A lot of people prowling around here at night
wouldn't be a good thing after what happened to the Collins
family last month."
Jacob was trying hard to hide the fact he was terrified, but
Lance could smell the fear rolling off the adolescent in waves.
"Don't make me go back alone."
Lance paused for only a moment to address the boy,
knowing he needed to be firm but hating it all the same. "I
said go home! Now, Jacob. RUN!" He despised himself for
sounding so harsh, but it had taken the voice of authority to
make the teen listen when he was so frightened.
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Lance quickly regained his focus, listening intently for
some sign of life. The lack of sound frightened him to the core
of his soul. Panic rose swiftly inside him at the thought that
she might already be dead and he cringed at the feeling. He
did not need to bond with the woman before he even met
her. His future was looking bleak enough as it was.
Lance moved faster, bursting into the ravine at a dead run.
When he came upon the accident site, he stopped dead in his
tracks. The woman looked like a corpse and, if not for the fact
that up close his sensitive hearing could still detect her
shallow breathing and the sluggish pump of blood through her
veins, he might have started digging a grave instead of
attempting a rescue. Based on what he saw, he knew burying
her was still a possibility. Her chances for survival looked grim
at best.
He shook off his gloomy thoughts and got down to
business. At present, she was still alive and he needed her to
stay that way. His inner wolf had already made his choice
clear, so he needed to rescue her and quick. His first priority
was getting her out of the cold and away from the steadily
growing fire. He could smell gas now, too, which was a really
bad sign. Gas and fire did not mix well, and he knew from
recent experience that burnt werewolves smelled especially
gross.
Lance bent down on one knee, noticing for the first time
how critical the woman's injuries actually were. She was
completely unconscious and he had no idea how long she'd
been that way. Her body lay motionless on the ground and
where her skin was visible it was nearly bone white in color.
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Her lips were tinged blue and her broken leg was still oozing
blood. Death seemed almost imminent.
His hands reached out, almost of their own will, needing to
touch her in order to assure himself she was real and not just
a figment of his imagination. As he smoothed the tangled
mass of red hair back off of her forehead, he gasped. She was
tiny and delicate and so damned beautiful it made his chest
hurt. With her fiery red hair and alabaster skin, she looked
like she'd stepped directly out of a children's fairytale book.
The image of her lying battered and broken on death's
doorstep made him want to howl in outrage.
The sudden sound of a deep male voice cut through the
haze of Lance's thoughts. "Lance! What's going on?"
"Over here, Thomas. Hurry."
Lance sighed with relief as his older brother stepped out of
the trees. Even through there was almost fifteen years
difference between them, the two men looked almost like
twins. They were both tall and devastatingly handsome, and
even though it was freezing outside, they were dressed in
faded jeans and sleeveless T-shirts, as if the cold didn't affect
them at all. They each had the same amazingly long, golden
blond hair and sharp cheekbones. Thomas' golden mane was
streaked through with gray, but instead of making him look
aged, it lent him an air of distinction that fit perfectly with his
title as the Alpha. Both brothers even had blue eyes, but
Lance knew his were a startlingly odder shade, nearly aqua in
color.
* * * *
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The sudden heat and feel of a man's hand on her body
startled Tinsel so much that she opened her eyes. She was
busy staring up into cerulean orbs when the second man
coughed to get the other's attention.
"Hmmm, looks like she likes you, Lance."
"Shut up, Thomas. This is serious. The car is on fire and
we need to put it out before someone calls the police. Her leg
is also broken and I'm afraid to move her before I get it
splinted."
"I'll go find something suitable to use for her leg until we
can get her back to the house. Dalenna is setting up the
guest room with whatever medical supplies we might need."
Thomas paused long enough to give the injured woman
another quick once over. "She's shaking. She needs to be
heated up fast or she's not going to make it."
Tinsel giggled as her blue-eyed Adonis leaned down and
buried his face against her neck.
"She's going into shock. Don't worry about the splint. We
need to get her to your house and get her warmed up."
The two men came to an easy compromise. "I agree, you
take her back to Dalenna and I'll take care of the fire."
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Five
Lance bent down and slid his arms underneath Tinsel's
chilled form. As he stood up and lifted her off the ground, she
couldn't help but cry out. Her knight in shining moonlight was
being as gentle as possible, but movement of any type was
guaranteed to cause her pain. The throbbing in her leg as he
walked away from the wreck was sheer torture.
Lance kept her cradled tight against his chest as he ran.
The movement made the pain worse but Tinsel knew survival
depended on getting her help as soon as possible. After what
seemed like forever, she finally stopped shivering.
Tinsel wound her arms around the strong shoulders of her
rugged rescuer and buried her face against his chest to stifle
the sound of her uncontrollable crying. He lowered his head to
her hair, comforting her as much as possible with his arms
full.
"Shh, it's okay. You're safe now. Thomas will take care of
the fire and I'm going to take care of you."
She nodded and tried to speak. "Tnk u."
"I can't understand you, you're mumbling."
She looked up, her face colder than before because of the
wetness, even as her body warmed up for what seemed like
the first time in ages. "Thank you."
He nodded, pulling her in tighter to block the cool breeze
and Tinsel found herself cradled gently in his arms. "My name
is Lance. The other man was my brother Thomas. What's your
name?"
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She smiled shyly. "Tinsel, but my friends call me Red."
Lance smirked a bit, like there was some joke Tinsel was
missing. "Nice to meet you, Tinsel, and you're welcome."
By the time they got to the house in the woods, Tinsel was
feeling a bit better. Her leg still hurt like hell, but she'd
adjusted to the pain, glorying in the heat of Lance's big body.
He was like a walking heater. Even through his shirt, Tinsel
could feel his warmth and where his skin was exposed. He felt
almost too hot, like he was running a fever, but she was
pretty sure it was just because she'd been out in the cold for
so long.
Lance reached out with his foot to open the cabin door, but
before he could touch it a woman appeared in the doorway.
She looked young, no more than twenty-two or three, with
long brown hair and a petite figure despite the large
protruding bump of an advanced pregnancy. She turned to
address the little girl that was peeking from out behind her
skirt. "Trisha, go get ready for bed. Your brother and sister
are already in their cribs for the night."
"But, Mom, I want to stay up late like Jacob and Twila."
The woman shook her head. "Twila is eighteen and an
adult with a mate. She can stay up as late as she wants.
Jacob has earned the right to stay awake late tonight for
helping your Uncle Lance. You are only six. Now go to bed,
young lady, right this instant."
The little girl looked over at Tinsel once more and tromped
off dejectedly. The sound of babies screaming stopped almost
immediately after her departure. Tinsel didn't have time to
ponder the change as the woman stretched out her arms in
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Lance's direction. Lance started to hand Tinsel over, but she
wouldn't let go, openly refusing to be jostled around more
than she had to be and secretly wanting to hold onto her
savior a bit longer.
The woman raised her eyebrows questioningly and looked
at Lance. He shrugged and she put her arms down, moving to
the side to let him in. He didn't ask for directions, carrying
Tinsel straight towards the back of the house and into a small
bedroom.
Tinsel cringed as she caught site of the folding table
someone had erected by the bedside. It was covered in gauze
and tape and even threaded surgical needles. She wondered
what type of people she'd been rescued by that needed to
keep so many medical supplies on hand in their home.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Six
Tinsel looked over at the small twin bed, bracing herself
for the pain that would inevitably come when Lance laid her
down. To her surprise he turned and settled himself on the
bed, reclining against the headboard and settling her firmly in
his lap. Before she could question the action, he explained
himself.
"Dalenna is going to have to set that leg and it's going to
hurt. There's no way we can make it painless and someone
will probably need to hold you down. It's easier for me to
restrain you this way. You're also still too cold. The body-to-
body contact will warm you faster than wrapping you in a
blanket."
She nodded her understanding, too overwhelmed to speak.
The sheer feeling of being held by Lance was daunting. It was
an intimate gesture of kindness, one that a lover, not a
stranger, would normally offer, and she wished she felt well
enough to enjoy it.
Dalenna was busy rearranging the folding table, opening
the huge first aid kit and pulling out extra bandages. She
moved to Tinsel's side and looked her over quickly. Tinsel
breathed a momentary sigh of relief when she avoided
touching her leg.
"The break is very bad. I can set it, but you'll still need to
see a doctor once we get you stable enough to travel." She
looked Tinsel straight in the eyes, letting her know up front
how severe the injury was. "I'll do everything I can to help
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you, but I can't make any promises. By the way, my name's
Dalenna. I'm Lance's sister-in-law."
"I'm Tinsel. My friends call me R..."
Lance interrupted her before she could finish her
introduction. "Tinsel, she goes by Tinsel."
Before Tinsel could argue, Dalenna turned towards the
doorway and called out. "Jacob Calhoun Waverly, I know
you're out there. How many times have I told you about
eavesdropping on an adult conversation? Come in here and
give me some help instead of lurking around in the hall and
being nosy."
Tinsel stared in awe as a young boy walked in. She hadn't
heard anything and wondered how Dalenna had known he
was there. He was obviously in his early teens and he
reminded Tinsel of what Lance must have looked like as a
child. He had the same bright platinum blond hair as Lance
and his brother, but instead of leaving it long, his was cut in a
more modern style. He had it almost completely shaved in
the back, tapering into longer stylized bangs in the front that
covered most of his face. He pushed it back to reveal eerie
yellow eyes unlike any she'd ever seen before. Apparently
Dalenna noticed the sight as well and it meant something
important to her.
"Jacob! If you can't control yourself then you need to
leave."
Jacob took a deep breath and slumped his shoulders,
letting his hair fall back over his face as he did so. He turned
his back on the room for a moment, breathing rapidly at first,
and then slowing it down in a purposely-controlled exercise.
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When he faced the room again, his mom seemed satisfied
with the action
"Much better. Now come over here and hand me the
supplies as I ask for them." Tinsel gave Dalenna a totally
confused look and the woman patted her hand softly. "We'll
talk later. Right now, let's see what we can do about that
leg."
To Tinsel's surprise the boy never complained as he took
up his position next to the makeshift surgical center. It
seemed like a job he'd been asked to perform in the past and
she wondered once again about the people who'd rescued
her.
"Scissors." Dalenna asked for the item like a professional
and Tinsel suddenly felt more at ease. Maybe the reason they
had all the equipment was because she was a nurse or doctor
and preferred to treat the family at home when possible. The
theory certainly explained a lot about what she'd seen so far.
Dalenna took the scissors from Jacob and knelt down at
Tinsel's feet next to her bad leg. Tinsel tried to prepare for
what she knew was coming, grabbing onto the closest thing
she could find, Lance's hands. He never complained as he
laced his fingers with hers, letting her squeeze as hard as she
wanted. When Dalenna started to cut away the torn jeans, a
throbbing so intense Tinsel convulsed, shot up her left side.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Seven
Lance held Tinsel tight around the waist, even when she
squeezed his fingertips so hard they turned white. His grip
was like iron, and even though she thrashed about like a fish
out of water, he never wavered and never complained. By the
time Dalenna had the cloth of Tinsel's jeans cut up to above
the knee, Lance's face was ashen with strain and Tinsel was
begging for death.
"Good God, Dalenna, can't you give her something? This is
just cruel."
"I only have the Green Dragon in the house and it's been
fermenting for so long that it's way too strong for human
consumption. It has to be strong to be of any use to us, but
I'm afraid it might kill her."
"She can't keep this up, either. She's weak from the
hypothermia and we have no idea how long it's been since
she's had anything to eat or drink. She could be dehydrated
as well."
"That's another reason not to give it to her. On an empty
stomach, she could react even stronger."
"Please!" Tinsel's voice was hoarse, which made it hard to
talk. "I'm begging you. I don't care if it kills me, but I can't
take the pain anymore. Just let me die."
"Don't be stupid. I didn't rescue you to have you die on
me. Dalenna, get the Green Dragon. If something happens,
I'll take the responsibility for it."
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His statement got the first real reaction from Dalenna that
Tinsel had seen all night. "Lance, do you know what you're
saying? You don't even know her."
"I said I'd take the responsibility. Now get the damn
bottle!"
Jacob scampered out of the room when he heard Lance's
commanding tone. Thomas picked that moment to come
strolling back into the room. "There is no need to shout at my
mate." Thomas' face softened and Tinsel realized then that
the woman tending her was Thomas' wife and not Lance's.
For some reason, the information made her feel giddy, even
when it shouldn't have mattered. "It's okay, Dalenna, get the
medicine. She's Lance's now."
Tinsel knew something serious was going on around her.
The statement obviously held some important message for
the others in the room, but she was in too much pain to try
and decipher the meaning. Jacob ran back inside, nearly
colliding with Thomas as he skidded to a halt just inside the
door. Thomas put his hands out to steady the child before he
fell down.
"Calm down, son. Lord, you young cubs are hyper. Give
your mom the bottle and then go on to bed. I'll finish helping
in here."
Jacob nodded and handed an antique-looking Mason jar
over to his father before leaving the room. Thomas gave the
glass to his wife before following his son out. Upon closer
inspection, Tinsel began to question herself, wondering if
she'd made the right decision. It was obvious the pain
medicine was a homemade remedy and from what Tinsel
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could see, it looked thoroughly disgusting. The liquid had a
light green color to it and large pieces of what looked like old
leaves were floating around in the bottom of the jar. She was
pretty sure the brew would taste horrible, and she had no
idea what was really in the bottle, but Dalenna had barely
even started removing her clothes and she'd been close to
fainting. She knew the worst was yet to come.
Dalenna handed Lance the bottle and he released one of
Tinsel's hands to take it. Tinsel felt the separation keenly,
thinking how easily she'd gotten used to having Lance's hands
to hold onto for support and strength. It felt odd not holding
on to him, like something was missing.
While he held the jar, Dalenna popped open the top. The
smell that wafted out was nearly overpowering. He moved the
bottle down in front of Tinsel's mouth, and started to put it up
to her lips, when Dalenna stopped him.
"She can only have a sip. We don't want her unconscious,
just relaxed."
Lance nodded and turned his attention back to Tinsel. "Just
a tiny sip, sweetheart. The medicine is very strong." Tinsel
gasped as she registered his term of endearment and
accidentally gulped a mouthful of the vile liquid.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Eight
Tinsel choked as Lance propelled her upright, pounding her
on the back with one hand while using his other to try and pry
her mouth open. "Spit it out. Don't swallow."
It was too late. Her mouth was already empty where the
burning concoction had been forced down her throat. He
pulled his hands away when he realized his efforts were in
vain.
Several moments later he realized what he'd shouted, but
now wasn't the time to laugh. The thought of a man telling a
woman not to swallow seemed totally hilarious to Tinsel,
however, and once she started laughing, she couldn't seem to
stop. After a few minutes she became hysterical, giggling and
crying all at the same time.
Lance was extremely concerned. "Dalenna, do something."
"Like what? I told you we shouldn't give it to her. She's
going to injure herself worse than she already is. At least she
doesn't seem to be hurting anymore. Hold her down and let's
get the fracture set while she's out of it."
Lance grabbed Tinsel once more, doing his best to hold her
steady under the drunken onslaught of the drug she'd
ingested. Tinsel chuckled, swatting at his hands playfully, like
a child during a boisterous game of patty cake. The sound of
cloth ripping filled the room and Tinsel paused momentarily.
Any other woman would have been utterly mortified to be
clad only in her undies and lying a stranger's arms, but in her
current state, the situation didn't seem to bother her at all.
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Tinsel squirmed a bit to get comfortable and became
noticeably aware of the big, hard body she was cuddled
against. As she looked back over her shoulder, she focused
on a gorgeous set of deep blue eyes staring down at her, the
worry easy to read in their shining depths. She turned slightly
in Lance's embrace, reaching out to stroke his face. She
couldn't remember his name, but that was okay. Somehow
she knew the gorgeous stranger would keep her safe.
"You're pretty." Tinsel grabbed a handful of his hair and
twined it around her fingers. "So shiny, like spun gold." She
pulled it closer and ran the handful over her face, loving the
fine texture. "Soft, too, like a baby, and you smell good."
She tried to scoot closer and Dalenna huffed loudly. "If you
can't hold her still like this, then you need to find a position
where you can. I'll never get her leg set correctly if she keeps
wiggling."
Lance groaned softly as the temperature in the room
seemed to skyrocket. Tinsel's constant movement had caught
his body's attention and its reaction was very inappropriate
under the circumstances. He stood up, lifting her tiny frame
and setting her back down on the bed, putting his weight
gently on top of her in a modified missionary position. The
new hold kept her pinned neatly beneath him and allowed
him easy control of her motion. It also brought her most
intimate parts against his more unruly ones.
Tinsel didn't seem to mind the switch at all. In fact, it gave
her easier access to him. She nuzzled her face into his shirt
collar, pushing it aside and kissing the skin she revealed. Her
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tongue darted out briefly to lick the spot she'd just smooched.
"Mm, you taste good, too."
Lance's whole body stiffened in reaction. He was once
again rock hard and throbbing. His cock pushed futilely
against the zipper of his jeans in a massive plea for release.
He tried everything he could think of to will away the raging
erection, but none of it worked. He was as hard as stone and
the small, lush, undulating body beneath him insured that he
stayed that way.
From the moment she'd wrapped her arms around his neck
in the forest, he'd been smitten. Her scent was intoxicating
and the more he inhaled her natural aroma, the more aroused
he became. Even through the smell of fire and fear, he could
detect her fragrance. He knew it wasn't perfume. Nothing
bottled had ever smelled so good. She reminded him of
strawberry plants in the spring when they were ripe and
heavy with fruit. Her essence permeated his entire being and
brought out his most basic urges.
Now that she was high as a kite and acting like a wanton
temptress, he was having an even harder time maintaining
control. He urged Dalenna to hurry, several times, in fact, and
he could have sworn she snickered at his most recent
request.
She obviously didn't understand how urgent the situation
really was. He needed to get off Tinsel and fast or he was
going to do something they might both regret later, although
he wasn't sure he'd really feel sorry about claiming her, but
he knew she would.
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A Little Taste of Red
by Beth Wylde
Chapter Nine
Lance could hear Dalenna as she worked on Tinsel's leg.
He kept his head down to avoid her gaze as she moved back
and forth between the bed and the supply table. He knew his
face was flushed and he didn't want her to see the reaction he
was having to the human, plus it gave him the added bonus
of being closer to Tinsel.
She was still nipping at his collarbone and playing with his
hair, but her movements were slowing, as if she had finally
succumbed to the medicine's effects. He worried about her
falling asleep, but he worried even more about her remaining
awake. He knew if she kept up her teasing bites, he'd forget
himself and bite her back. The problem was that his bite
would leave her with more than a permanent mark. She'd
also inherit a permanent lifestyle change and a partner as
well.
The urge to leave his imprint on her throat for the entire
world to see was driving him crazy. There was just something
about the petite woman beneath him that brought all his
animal instincts into play. If he didn't get some time away
soon, he wasn't going to be responsible for his actions.
The feel of a dainty hand cupping him between his legs
forced a growl from deep in his throat. He rose up just
enough to see Tinsel's face and was shocked by the sight that
greeted him. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was drawn
up in a seductive bow, like a naughty nymph indulging in a
secret fantasy. She looked dreamy and content as she slowly
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stroked his shaft through his jeans. If she kept her movement
up, Lance knew he was going to embarrass himself and come
in his pants, something he hadn't done since he'd been an
adolescent.
"Dalenna, hurry up!"
Lance turned his head and bit down on the pillow, praying
his sister-in-law was almost done. The news that came along
after his plea proved otherwise.
"I can't. I've encountered a serious problem and I'm going
to need some help. Even then I can't promise she'll ever have
use of her leg again. I'm going to call Twila and get her to
come over. She's been taking classes at the community
college and she's due to graduate this year with her BN in
nursing. Hopefully she can offer me some suggestions. The
break is just too severe for me to set regularly. Her kneecap
has been completely dislocated and there are several small
fractures in her lower leg as well. Our kind don't injure like
this, so it's out of my league. If Twila can't help, then we'll
have to wait for the drugs to wear off and then take her to
the local hospital, though if they draw blood she's going to
get in major trouble."
Lance was having a hard time comprehending Dalenna's
explanation when all he really wanted to do was rip off the
remainder of Tinsel's clothing and bury himself inside her.
"Dalenna, I have to go out for a bit."
She moved up next to him, into his line of sight. "You can't
get up yet. If she moves, she could undo all the work I've
done. There's too much at stake for you to take a bathroom
break right now. You'll have to hold it."
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Someone else is holding onto it for me right now, and
she's doing a real good job, too. Lance barked out a tight
laugh as he bit his lip to keep himself from saying his current
thought out loud. His sister-in-law thought he needed to pee,
but it was much more important than that. "This is a bit more
serious, Dalenna!" He gripped the sides of the bed in his large
hands, squeezing until the cloth threatened to tear. His body
wanted to thrust forward so badly, to give in to the pleasure
and let her bring him to climax, while the human side of his
brain told him it wasn't right to take advantage of Tinsel while
she was under the influence of mind-altering chemicals. He
knew the Green Dragon was strong, half a jar often put his
kind to sleep for hours, but he'd never seen it used on a
human before. He wondered if the illegal drugs used to make
the brew reacted funny with a human's chemistry.
"Dalenna?"
She finally noticed his hands fisted in the bed sheets.
"Lance, are you okay?"
He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm not trying to be
difficult, but we've got a problem here and I'm talking about
more than Tinsel's leg. Could the Green Dragon possibly be
used as an aphrodisiac?"
"I don't know. Why?"
He sighed and raised his lower body just enough to let his
sister-in-law see what Tinsel was doing to him down below.
"Good Lord. Has she been doing that the entire time?"
He nodded. "Just about. I'm not going to lie to you and tell
you I don't like it, but the consequences for her could be
really bad if I don't go outside for a much-needed breather."
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"Okay, let me get Thomas and then you can take a break."
As Dalenna rushed out of the room, Lance wanted to
scream. Just the thought of his brother touching Tinsel made
the hair on his neck stand at attention. If Thomas restrained
her like this, Lance was sure a fight was going to break out.
His inner beast had marked Tinsel as his property and with
every passing moment, the bond grew stronger. The chances
of Tinsel leaving alive and mortal were looking bleaker as
time passed.
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Chapter Ten
Thomas stepped into the room and paused at the scene
that greeted him. His brother was tense, that much was
obvious by the rigidness in his posture and the way his hands
had shredded through the blankets. The young woman looked
like she was sleeping except for the sluggish movements of
her right hand along his brother's inseam. The scent of sex
filled the room and he was shocked that his wife hadn't
noticed it. Her only excuse was her intent focus on the girl's
leg. He knew she often blocked out reality when she was in
her nursing mode. He'd been the recipient of her doctoring on
more than one occasion, and he could vouch personally for
her single-minded determination when faced with a crisis.
As his wife approached, he waved her away. "Let me talk
to Lance for a minute before you come in." He knew she'd be
able to hear everything they said, but he wanted to give his
brother the illusion of privacy.
He moved cautiously to the bedside, trying to determine
how far gone the situation was. Pissing off a male werewolf
while he was sexually frustrated was never a good plan. What
he saw was not a positive sign. His brother's eyes were
closed, too, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. Sweat
beaded along his upper lip and his mouth was clamped shut.
The pheromones in the air were thick and coming from both
of the bed's occupants. His brother might not know it yet, but
his body had just picked out his mate.
"How's it going, bro?"
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Lance opened his eyes and growled, his body coiling as if
ready to strike out. Thomas reigned in the urge to smack his
brother and took a step back, knowing he wasn't outright
disobeying his command. Lance wasn't challenging his
position because as his brother, Lance knew the title of Alpha
was his, if and when Thomas ever stepped down or until
Jacob was old enough to take over. Thomas let the insolence
go, opting for pity over anger. His brother was busy fighting a
battle he'd already lost. He just hadn't admitted defeat yet.
"Easy there. I'm not going to touch your female. We're just
going to have a little chat."
Lance shook his head. "She's not my female."
Thomas reached out to touch his brother's shoulder in
sympathy and then thought better of the action. "If you say
so."
Lance nodded. "I do. She can't stay here. She's human."
Thomas moved around the room, stopping at the head of
the bed to look his brother in the face. Lance looked up,
almost as if he was pleading for help and didn't realize he was
out of options. "Right now she's human." Lance started to
interrupt, but Thomas gave his brother the look, the one that
said he was the Alpha and Lance needed to shut up and
listen. "I talked to Dalenna. She spoke with Twila on the
phone. She's going to come look, but she doesn't think
there's anything more she can do. The injury is extreme. That
leaves us with very few options. If we keep her, she could
wind up losing her leg altogether. If we take her to the
hospital, they're going to find drugs in her blood stream,
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illegal ones. She'll probably be fined for the wreck and they
might even put her in jail."
The thought of Tinsel behind bars sent Lance into a rage.
Only Thomas' cool demeanor kept him from flying off the
handle. "Wait a minute. I said we had options, plural. They
are limited, but there is another way to fix her. You like her,
she obviously likes you. Let her sleep off the drugs and talk to
her. Offer to take her as your mate, heal her, and protect her.
Make her yours." Thomas held up his hand in the age-old
gesture for quiet. "Don't even try to lie to me. I know the idea
doesn't offend you as much as you'd like me to think it does
and I know it doesn't disgust you. The scent in this room
alone confirms that."
Lance made no attempt to confirm or deny his brother's
suspicions.
"Think about it. You'd have your own place in the den, a
mate and a family of your own to care for. A female to
cherish, protect, and hunt for. A cub or two of your own one
day. Someone to share those midnight runs and make love
with in the forest afterwards. Isn't that what you want,
Lance? What we all strive for?"
Lance knew his brother was right. It was the dream that all
male werewolves were taught to want, combined with the
ingrained survival instinct of the species. A place to call their
own in a world where they were labeled as outcasts. He could
picture every image as his brother spoke. Thomas' words
reached not only to the wolf inside of him, but to the man as
well.
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He knew he'd be a good provider. He had a steady job with
an above-average income and decent insurance coverage. He
wasn't rich, but he knew he could keep Tinsel comfortable
and hopefully happy. He'd wanted someone to confide in for
so long. He had his brother, but he wanted something more
personal, more intimate. The type of relationship that only a
mate could provide.
Lance knew that love wasn't involved in the equation, at
least not yet. They hardly knew each other, but he'd seen
marriages arranged within the Den that had started with less
and worked out okay. He could admit to strong feelings for
Tinsel and hoped that over time, she could grow to care for
him as well. There was only one problem with the whole
scenario. She was human and he was a werewolf. She'd have
to accept Lance's dual nature and be willing to become a
werewolf as well.
Lance had been born into the Den and raised the way the
offspring of an Alpha was supposed to be. When a hunter
killed their parents, Thomas ascended and took over their
father's position, as was his birth right as the oldest child.
Lance never complained. He loved Thomas and really had no
urge to rule a pack of his own, though he knew he could do it
if the need ever arose.
He got a job as a blue-collar worker in a steel factory right
out of high school and moved in with his brother and his
family. He didn't mind the hard labor and his extra animal
strength made the work relatively simple. He worked
alongside mortals, but he never associated with them. It was
too much of a risk. His parents' deaths had taught him
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caution, so he had no idea how to approach Tinsel about the
subject of accepting him as her mate and leading her through
the transition. When the time came, he knew he'd just have
to wing his way through it.
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A Little Taste of Red
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Chapter Eleven
Lance took a deep breath and sighed. Below him, Tinsel
had finally fallen asleep and released her grip on his tortured
cock. He was still hard and aching, but the thought of
releasing himself in his hand held no appeal. He wanted to be
inside his woman and nowhere else would do.
He moved slowly, edging off the bed easily so he wouldn't
wake her. He shouldn't have tried so hard as Tinsel let out a
loud snore and turned her head farther into the pillow.
Thomas laughed and so did Lance, though doubt crept back in
and washed away the few moments of peace he'd felt all
evening away. He turned to his brother and let his emotions
show.
"Where do I go from here? I'll have to tell her what I am,
what we are. What if she can't handle it?"
Thomas looked him directly in the eyes, letting him know
exactly what would happen if he offered for her and she
refused. "She won't leave this house. It's too much of a risk
to let her kind know of our existence and then set them loose
with the knowledge. She'll have to go."
Lance cringed when his brother said go. He knew that
meant he'd have her killed. In fact, as Alpha, he'd do the job
himself. Lance nodded his understanding. "I'll need time to
convince her it's the only option. I'll tell her it's the only way
to save her leg, hopefully that will sway her."
Thomas looked skeptical, even though he tried not to. "I
hope so, for her sake and yours. I know you want her and I
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hope it all works out. I want to see you happy, Lance. As
happy as Dalenna has made me." The sound of the front door
opening and closing halted him momentarily. "Ah, Twila's
here. I'll have her come in here and watch your female for a
bit while you get some air, maybe take a short run. You need
some time to think about what you're going to say to her
when she wakes up."
Lance started out of the room then paused to look at Tinsel
one more time.
"Go on, she'll be fine. The Green Dragon should keep her
knocked out for a while." Thomas gave a tense laugh. "Now
we know why we shouldn't give it to humans. Makes them
horny as hell."
Lance just shook his head as he headed for the exit and
the momentary escape a run through the woods could offer.
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A Little Taste of Red
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Chapter Twelve
Lance tore through the trees, whipping back and forth like
a wild dog let loose for the first time in centuries. He ran until
he could barely catch his breath, then forced himself to
continue on, despite his heaving chest and burning lungs.
He planned on running himself ragged, exhausting both his
body and mind in order to wipe out the reminder of Tinsel
with her soft, tiny hand wrapped around the base of his cock,
stroking his shaft until his balls drew up tight and he nearly
exploded in her grasp.
He succeeded with the physical exhaustion, dropping to
the ground in a heap of tangled, sweaty fur, and shaking with
exertion, but no amount of exercise would burn the erotic
image of Tinsel's pliant body bucking beneath him out of his
consciousness. That particular mental image promised to
haunt him for eternity and beyond.
With a loud, frustrated growl, Lance heaved himself off the
ground, tromping back towards the house and the tree where
he'd left his clothes hanging before he'd changed. He
transformed back to his human shape slowly, having
expended all his energy on his useless run. As he grabbed his
pants from a low-slung branch, a blood-curdling scream split
through the early morning silence.
The sound raised the hair all over his body and he forgot
about the rest of his clothes as he dashed towards the house
and the heart-rending sound of Tinsel's cry. He was halfway
there when a small hand appeared out of nowhere and
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snagged his ankle. The unseen action sent him sprawling
head over heels into the bushes. He sprang to his feet
immediately, ignoring his bruised body's protest as he turned
to confront his attacker. He pulled his punch a hair's breadth
away from Jacob's face as he recognized his nephew.
"What the hell are you doing out here? I could have killed
you. Does your dad know where you are?" The sheepish look
on Jacob's face answered the question for him. "Thomas is
going to skin you alive. You can't go running off in the dark
by yourself with a hunter lurking nearby. It's not safe."
Jacob's unease turned to irritation. "I'm sorry, Uncle
Lance, but I had to get out of the house. That woman's
screaming was driving me crazy."
Some of the tension eased out of Lance's body as he
remembered what it was like to be Jacob's age. He imagined
going through just puberty was bad enough, but having to
endure all the human changes in your body at the same time
your animal nature prepared to make its first true appearance
made the early teenage years a true nightmare of control.
Rearing children was another benefit of belonging to a Den.
The strong support system was vital to the children's survival.
Rogue wolves often didn't have kids because they rarely
survived to adulthood due to the lack of guidance. If they did
manage to live through their first few transitions, they often
went crazy and had to be destroyed.
Lance patted Jacob's shoulder in understanding. "Okay, I
won't tell your dad where you are if you promise me you'll be
extra careful. Do we have a deal?"
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Jacob beamed up at him. "Thank you, Uncle Lance. I
promise I'll be good. I just couldn't stay in that house any
longer."
"Stay close by and keep out of trouble, all right?"
Jacob nodded as another of Tinsel's screams pierced the
air. Lance winced at the ear-splitting sound. "I have to go.
Stay close to the house."
"Go ahead, I understand."
As he ran towards the cabin, Lance had the oddest feeling
that the boy knew more about his current situation than he
did.
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Chapter Thirteen
Thomas met him at the door, barring the entryway with
the bulk of his large body. "Wait. You can't go in there right
now. We need to talk first."
Lance just looked at him in shock. "We don't have time to
talk. I have to get in there." When his brother shook his head,
Lance growled. "Move, Thomas. I won't ask you again."
His brother bristled up, his body preparing to attack.
"Stand down!"
Lance took a deep breath and stepped back, wincing as
Tinsel's frantic voice grew louder. "I have to get in there. Why
is she screaming like that?"
Thomas shrugged. "She woke up that way. She's
disoriented. Dalenna is worried that an infection may be
setting in. We don't know how long she was out there before
you found her. Twila thinks the only way to save her is to
amputate the leg and even then, she's not sure she'll
survive."
Lance went white. "Don't let them do it. I can save her,
Thomas. You know I can."
The Den leader nodded solemnly. "I was afraid you were
going to say that. I hoped it hadn't gone this far even though
I already knew it had. I could tell your wolf had claimed her
the minute I entered the room to relieve you."
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to
mark her as mine!"
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"Yes, you have. Under different circumstances, she'd
already be mated and swollen with your pups. Beneath the
overwhelming scent of arousal, I could smell you all over
her."
"Of course, you could. I was holding her down while
Dalenna tried to set her leg."
"It was more than that. You've scent marked her. Your
beast has already made the mating decision for you." Thomas
scrubbed his hand over his face. "God, I miss Dad. You were
so young when he and Mom were murdered, but it's apparent
he missed out on a few important talks with you. Didn't
anyone ever talk to you about pheromones?"
"What in the hell are you babbling about? I don't have time
for this. I need to get inside before they do something they
don't have to."
"And what will you do when she wakes up and finds out
you're a werewolf and you've made her one, too? Humans
aren't supposed to know we exist. Do you think she's just
going to smile and accept it? She's not. She's going to fight
and scream in denial and once you prove it to her, she'll run
and I'll have to take care of her."
Lance went stone still. "You mean kill her, don't you?"
His brother nodded. "If she can't accept what we are, then
I can't take the risk of her outing our family."
Lance grimaced as the shouts died down to whimpers. "I
have to try, Thomas. You have to let me."
Thomas started to step to the side, then stopped and
placed a restraining hand on Lance's shoulder before he
entered the house. His voice was suddenly so quiet, only
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werewolf hearing could have picked up his next statement.
"You know she's ovulating, don't you? Every second you
spend near her without claiming her is going to be sheer
torture for you."
Lance stepped past his brother, his reply equally quiet.
"I've known that since I picked up her trail in the woods, but
I'm a big boy. I can handle myself."
"I hope you can."
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Chapter Fourteen
Dalenna rushed out of the room and right into Lance.
"Thank God you're back. Get Thomas and get in here. It's bad
and Twila can't hold her down by herself without hurting her
more."
Lance's heart rate skyrocketed as he drew closer to the
back room and for a moment, he thought he might faint.
Tinsel's natural scent saturated the air of the house, lingering
with a weight that seemed almost physical. He wondered how
Thomas had managed to stay sane. Obviously his brother was
a stronger and more disciplined Alpha than Lance had given
him credit for. The overwhelming fragrance had probably
been another reason for young Jacob's escape as well.
He opened his mouth for a cleansing breath and found the
aroma so strong, it coated his tongue like a bite of the finest
dark chocolate. As he swallowed, the taste lingered until he
craved more and he knew the real thing would be even
sweeter. It was then that he realized he'd lied to his brother
outside about his strong constitution. Lance knew he wasn't
strong enough to control his attraction to Tinsel and even if
he was, he didn't think he'd want to.
He wasn't allowed to wallow in his fear long as his brother
stepped up and pushed him into the room, following right on
his heels. He gasped as he caught sight of Tinsel. She was in
a complete frenzy, clawing at the covers and trying to throw
herself off the bed as Twila struggled to restrain her. It wasn't
a strength issue. Though she was petite, Twila was ten times
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stronger than Tinsel because of her werewolf blood. The
young nurse gave her patient leeway because she didn't want
to hurt her anymore than she already had been.
Lance dove for the bedside, landing hard on his knees
beside his future mate. The wild glaze cleared from her eyes
when she recognized Lance's presence. She lunged upwards
with the last of her energy, latching onto Lance's arm with a
powerful grip that belied her frail condition. Lance reached
over immediately, picking her up and pulling her into his lap
in an eminently protective gesture of a husband defending his
wife. She stilled immediately, her eyes focusing on his face
with relief even as she continued to cry.
"I heard what they want to do to me. They want to cut off
my leg. Don't let them do it. I'd rather die."
His body went rigid as he held her close, stroking her hair
and trying to calm her as well as his own raging urges. Up
close, her scent was intoxicating. She was fertile, of that he
had no doubt, and he was hanging onto his control by a
dangling thread. Whatever he was going to do to convince
Tinsel to accept him had to be done urgently. Lance didn't
believe in rape, but the fragrance of a female in estrus was a
willing signal to the wolf in him.
He glanced around the room, watching everyone as they
stared back at him with worry plainly etched on their faces.
When he spoke, his voice was deeper and rougher than
normal. "Tinsel and I need a few minutes to talk ... alone."
Thomas paused as he eyed his brother and then nodded
his approval. The family followed Thomas out into the hall,
leaving Lance holding Tinsel and fighting the urge to lick and
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taste every inch of her small, lithe body. He wasn't sure if the
idea had come from the man in him or the wolf. The fact that
both halves found the idea of sex extremely appealing at the
moment didn't bode well for Lance's willpower. He'd been so
scared that Tinsel might have developed an infection or had
some horrid reaction to the Green Dragon that he'd thought
about biting her first and then talking to her about it later.
He'd been relieved to find that her hysteria was strictly due to
overhearing Twila and Dalenna discussing her leg, but that
one moment of respite he'd allowed himself had shattered the
last of his inhibitions about pushing Tinsel away from his
world.
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Chapter Fifteen
He whispered softly into Tinsel's hair. "What if told you I
could make you better without letting them take your leg?"
She gazed up at him, hiccupping from the intensity of her
sobs. "How?"
His words were clipped and fast. "I need you to hear me
out. No interruptions and no questions until I'm done, okay?"
"I'll try, but I don't feel so good."
He nodded. "Some of that is probably the drugs working
their way out of your system. I'm sorry about that."
She sucked in a breath as he moved her out of his lap and
sat down on the bed beside her. "I'm not. I couldn't stand the
pain anymore, though everything after drinking that vile
green concoction is a blur."
Lance stiffened, willing himself to relax, but it was too late.
Tinsel noticed his reaction.
"Did something happen?"
He had no clue how to respond to her, so he lied. "You
were just really out of it. No big deal." He paused a moment
to fortify himself and pressed on before he lost his nerve.
"There's a way to heal your leg. The cure works almost
instantly, but there are side effects to it, rather serious ones,
and I need you to understand what will happen if you agree
to it."
Tinsel listened intensely. Her face was scrunched up in
pain, but she was trying her best to hide it while Lance
explained her options. "It's actually a virus that attacks the
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body's cells, changing them in a way that speeds healing. It
also makes you stronger, more resilient to injury, and
elevates all your other senses. You'd be more than human if
you accept the cure."
He paused to allow Tinsel to speak, knowing their time was
limited.
"Is it safe? You said it was a virus and you mentioned side
effects, but everything so far has been positive. What aren't
you telling me?"
Lance sighed, standing up and walking towards the closed
door. "I don't know any easy way to tell you this. I'm not
good with words." He started pacing back and forth at the
foot of the bed. "You have to know by now I wouldn't hurt
you." He stopped to grab the foot rail, gripping the wood so
hard it creaked. "Please don't be afraid. I'm doing my best to
stay away from you, but it isn't working."
Tinsel watched in awe as the man she'd come to think of
as her savior began to hyperventilate. His chest rose and fell
rapidly and his knuckles went white from his death grip on
the railing. A fine sheet of sweat covered his chest and she
watched in fascination as a drop of water rolled down his skin
to disappear into the unfastened waistband of his jeans. She
inadvertently licked her lips and Lance groaned.
"God, you're killing me. I want..."
"What do you want?'
He swallowed hard. "You. I want you."
Tinsel felt absolutely giddy and she knew she couldn't
blame it on the medicine she'd taken earlier. Something
major was about to happen; she could feel it in the air. She
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should have tried to stop herself, but she couldn't help it. The
man in front of her was so stunning that teasing him was as
intoxicating as forbidden fruit. She knew what he was hinting
at and the thought of sex with Lance was enough to make all
the pain in her leg disappear. He wasn't the Nancy boy type
she normally dated. He was the total male. Big, strong, and
virile. She knew a night with him would change her forever,
but she didn't realize how accurate her opinion really was.
He unzipped his jeans, pushing them down in a swift
motion. Tinsel gasped as she noticed his lack of underwear
and the manly equipment his motions had revealed. He was
huge. His cock jutted proudly out from between his legs, like
a soldier standing at full attention. His shaft was long and
thick, the head full and round and dark as a plum just
begging to be tasted. She had the sudden urge to drop to her
knees and suck him until he came. It was a wicked thought
that shocked her and made her wet all at the same time.
Lance's entire body was the dream of every woman, a dark
pleasure brought to life and designed to be explored.
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A Little Taste of Red
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Chapter Sixteen
Lance locked his legs in an effort to keep himself standing
as a wave of Tinsel's need washed over him. He could smell
her rapidly rising arousal and the scent snapped the final
strands of his leash on the beast. He kicked off his pants and
gave into the wolf, flowing from his human to his animal form
in a flash. He stalked around to the side of the bed, keeping
his gaze focused intently on the floor and praying for a
positive outcome. In his current state, he wasn't sure how
he'd handle things if she reacted badly.
A sudden squeal from Tinsel had his ears flattening against
his head and his stomach rolling in defeat. He knew he'd
failed. Thomas would rush in any minute to take away his
mate. He could fight his brother and given Thomas' age, he'd
probably win, but he couldn't doom Dalenna and the children
to a life without a provider and an eternity of despair. He'd
stand by Tinsel's side and take her punishment with her,
knowing the wolf inside him would die of grief anyway. He
raised his head, howling out a mournful tune of loss along the
way until he caught site of Tinsel's shimmering eyes.
She'd scooted to the edge of the bed, a look of total shock
and delight painted across her face. He sat down hard on his
hindquarters, ignoring the feeling of his furry ass slamming
against the wood floor. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his
vision to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He wasn't. Sure
enough, Tinsel looked happy, eager even, to see him as an
animal. He didn't question the action, just accepted it for the
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miracle it was. When she tentatively reached out a hand, he
moved towards her without hesitation. She smiled at his
action, an honest to God grin on her face that had Lance
licking her wrist with glee.
She patted his head lightly and when he made no move to
attack, she grew bolder, burying her hands in his fur and the
thick ruff around his neck. Lance gloried in the attention,
thanking the powers above for such an amazing female.
"You're a werewolf?" The question was spoken in awe and
Lance nodded as well as a wolf could before letting himself
change back to his human shape so he could talk.
"Yes. You mean you know about us? How? Aren't you
afraid of me now?"
Tinsel tapped the side of her head with one finger. "I'm a
nerd. I love to read. Somehow I always wished you were real,
that things like you existed." She paused for a moment to
think over what he'd asked. "Why? Is there a reason I should
be scared?"
Lance rushed to reassure her. "No! No reason at all. I
thought you knew that by now. I like you, I want to take care
of you. I can heal your leg if you'll let me."
"You mean by making me a werewolf, too?"
Lance's voice was as calm and neutral as he could make it
under the circumstances. "Yes."
"You'd have to bite me, right?"
Lance could only nod.
"Do you want to bite me?"
Lance swayed as the erotic image of his teeth clamped
onto Tinsel's throat assaulted him. He imagined her healed
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and well, posed on all fours on the bed. He pictured himself
draped across her back as he plunged his cock and his teeth
inside her simultaneously. "Oh, God."
"So you don't want to bite me?"
Lance shook his head as his eyes remained shut. "No! I
mean yes!" He nodded rapidly while trying to calm his racing
pulse. 'Yes, I want to mark you. You have no idea how badly."
Lance's eyes opened to find Tinsel slowly stroking her neck.
"Would you do it here?"
Lance could only stare as she moved her hand away from
her collarbone to the upper part of her chest where her torn
sweater revealed the upper swell of her breasts and the hint
of a lacy black bra beneath. She molded one thoughtfully in
her palm.
"Or maybe here?"
Her voice had deepened to an intensely seductive tone and
her eyes were clouded with desire. Her hand wandered even
lower, pausing to ruck up the front of her shirt to expose the
soft, pale skin of her flat belly. She was still nude from the
waist down where Dalenna had stripped her earlier except for
a small pair of satin panties. She halted with her hand just
below her belly button, toying with the indentation before
rubbing her fingers across the waistband of her underwear.
"I bet you'd like to bite me here."
Once more Tinsel let her arm roam downward. She raised
her good leg and let it drop outward until she was splayed
open. The silk undies were the only thing separating Lance
from where he really wanted to be and he stepped forward
involuntarily with the intent to tear the offending garment off.
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He stopped himself mid-motion as he realized his intentions,
but the urge to mate was growing stronger by the second and
he wasn't going to be able to control himself much longer.
"Stop! You have no idea what you're playing with."
Tinsel just grinned as she continued to stroke the smooth
skin of her inner thigh. "I think I do." She smiled coyly. "I'm
not normally like this, you know. I don't usually try to seduce
strange men I've just met. I'm no virgin, but I'm not in the
habit of sleeping around either."
Lance gritted his teeth so hard they clacked together.
"That's good because from now on if any other man lays his
hands on you, I'll kill him."
Lance groaned aloud when his words only seemed to
arouse her more. His cock jerked, thumping against his belly
in an insistent demand for attention. He was so swollen, it
was almost painful as he wrapped his hand around his
throbbing shaft. He squeezed himself tightly just above his
balls, trying to keep himself from erupting before he and
Tinsel even got started.
He bent down until his face hovered mere inches above
Tinsel's. His eye color had changed from its previous marine
color to a glowing golden yellow. "I'm going to fix your leg
first and then I'm going to fuck you. I can't wait any longer."
Tinsel flung her head back on a moan. "Yes. Please."
Lance sucked in a lungful of her glorious scent, letting the
raging lust inside him build even further. He moved cautiously
to his knees, tracing his fingers from her ankle up to the top
of her right leg where he collided with the satin edge of her
panties. It took him a moment to tear his eyes away from the
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silk-covered delight, but he had to be sure of Tinsel's feelings
before he went any further.
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Chapter Seventeen
Tinsel winced when Lance ripped her panties to shreds, but
then his fingers started dancing over her hot flesh and she
forgot about any complaints she might have had. Tinsel
decided then and there that Lance had the most skilled hands
of any man on the planet. Within minutes, he had her
pleading for release.
"Oh, God! Oh, Lance! Please let me come, please!"
Lance thought the sight of Tinsel begging for orgasm was
the hottest thing he'd ever seen. Her one good leg was
hanging over the side of the bed, kicking the frame with wild
abandon and allowing him a close personal view of the
paradise he was exploring with his fingers. Moisture gleamed
on his hand and he had the sudden urge to lick it off. "I've
got to taste you. I can't help myself."
He pulled himself up and forward slightly, rearranging his
lower body so that it hung off the lower end of the bed
instead of pushing down on top of Tinsel. He lowered his head
slowly and she screamed at the first touch of his tongue.
Lance learned quickly what she liked by the way she
panted and moaned. Long, slow licks brought him little
squeals of enjoyment, while rapid licks against her clitoris
made her scream. As his pace sped up, so did Tinsel's
breathing until he worried about her hyperventilating. He
moved his free hand to her belly, pressing down lightly to
hold her in place for his assault. He sped up the motion of his
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fingers inside her in blatant imitation of what he planned to
do to her later with his cock.
Tinsel wailed as Lance brought her to a shuddering,
screaming climax. He continued to suck and lick at her
swollen lips as she cried out his name and flooded his face
and hands with her desire. He brought her down slowly while
he lapped up her juice, only to push her back over the edge
again.
He growled against her most intimate flesh as his mate
found completion. His inner beast was clamoring to mark
Tinsel's flesh until his skin was actually crawling with the urge
to change again. He forced himself to stay human just a little
while longer, the thought of mounting Tinsel in animal form
forever embedded in his brain. With shaking hands, he turned
his head and let his animal side emerge just slightly. He was
determined to make his bite as painless as possible and in the
current situation, he thought he had a pretty good chance.
He felt his face shift enough to accommodate his newly
elongated teeth. He used his thumb to give Tinsel's clit a
sturdy tap and when she shot off into orbit once more, he
sank his canines into her upper thigh. He felt the flesh give
until he drew blood and found that the taste was just as
sweet as the cream he'd recently swallowed.
Tinsel came down and Lance was still bent over her thigh,
licking just above her knee with determination. He pulled
back and noticed when Tinsel caught site of blood on his lips
before he cleaned the evidence away with his tongue.
The thought should have made her blush, but Lance chose
that moment to drape his entire body over hers and make
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love to her. He sheathed himself inside her in one thrust. He
wanted to take his time, but he was too far gone for restraint.
Tinsel didn't seem to mind, though, as she wrapped both her
legs around his lower body and held on for the ride. He was
pounding her into the mattress, the entire bed shaking with
his effort. He hoped Thomas had cleared out the house,
otherwise he'd have some uncomfortable questions to endure
from the children.
Lance was nearing the point of no return. He didn't need
breeding permission from his Alpha because Thomas already
had an heir, but he hadn't asked Tinsel what she thought
about kids. If he didn't want to fill his new wife with a baby,
he knew he needed to pull out soon before they got locked
together and he had no choice in the matter.
He gave one last lunge, sorry he hadn't been able to bring
Tinsel one more time before pulling out. He quickly settled
himself over her stomach, using his hand to finish when
Tinsel did the unexpected and grabbed his cock, milking him
with her own fingers. Her touch was the final straw and he
exploded against her belly, covering her in his seed and his
scent and effectively marking her as his mate forever.
He started to get up for a towel to clean them both off
when Tinsel gasped. He watched with pride as she realized
her leg injury, along with her other cuts and bruises, had
completely vanished. The quick way their race healed was
always an astonishing sight and Tinsel was almost giddy with
the discovery. Lance couldn't bear to walk away from the
glorious sight his mate made, so he finally just used his
discarded shirt to wipe her off. He sat back down and pulled
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her close, basking in the afterglow and feeling complete for
the first time in his life. The happy moment was short-lived
however.
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A Little Taste of Red
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Chapter Eighteen
The thick stench of gun oil and explosives reached Lance
seconds before the sound of wood splintering thundered
towards the front of the house. He heard Twila scream and
immediately changed and threw himself in front of Tinsel,
shielding her the way a male was supposed to.
Loud, heavy, footsteps moved rapidly down the hallway,
followed by the sound of something large being dragged
across the worn, wooden floor. The bedroom door crashed
inwards seconds later, revealing a big, filthy, hulk of a man
wearing faded camouflage coveralls and covered in more
weapons than Rambo.
Lance growled and prepared to pounce as the stranger
paused in the doorway. He gave a sudden jerk and the bundle
he'd been dragging came into view. Tinsel screamed as a limp
body was flung into the room. Twila's battered body landed
on the floor and for a moment, Lance feared she was dead
until he noticed the subtle movement of her chest as she
inhaled and exhaled.
Lance took another step forward, unintentionally revealing
all of Tinsel's nudity as he hunched down to attack. The
hunter leered openly as he cocked his shotgun and pointed it
at Twila's still body, addressing Lance even though his gaze
never wavered from Tinsel's naked form.
"If you take one more step I'll blow the bitch's brains out."
He reached out and poked Twila in the side with the barrel of
the gun. "She may be pretty to look at, but inside, she's still
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just a filthy beast." He paused for effect before addressing
Tinsel. "I found what I assume are the remains of your car
hidden in the woods. Someone did a good job of covering
things up, but not good enough to keep it hidden from me.
I've been a tracker all my life." He puffed out his chest with
pride as he proclaimed his killer status. "I found traces of
blood on the ground, too, and footprints. I even found your
purse and your cell phone where they landed in the ravine."
He held up the pink phone in question. "Damn thing still
works, too. Someone named Katie called you. She was raving
about a lack of single men on campus. I told her you'd call
back. She thinks I'm your boyfriend and that we were having
sex. She apologized for interrupting and said she'd handle the
mess herself. I might call her back and pay her a visit when
I'm finished here."
Tinsel didn't know how to reply, so she kept silent. She
was pretty sure he was telling the truth about Kat's phone
call. Only her best friend could so easily freak out and then
shrug off the incident.
"I called a few of the other numbers listed in the directory.
The most recent one got me connected to a hospital. I told
them I was calling on your behalf. A nurse named Hughes
answered. She said she was worried because you were late
and your grandma had already been transferred to ICU. I
might decide to go check in on her, too. Wouldn't want
anything bad to happen to your granny."
Tinsel's immediate anger helped chase away her fear. "If
you hurt her, I'll...'
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The tracker laughed. "You'll do what? I could kill all of you
in the blink of an eye." He nodded his head in Lance's
direction. "I kill his kind just for fun. Just last month I killed a
whole family of monsters up on the ridge not too far from
here. I waited until they were all asleep and then set the
house on fire. I used an accelerant so it would go up quick.
The parents died trying to save their two kids. I was real
proud of that one."
Lance howled in anguish when he heard the man's
confession. He knew the family that had died in that fire. The
husband, Terry, had been a good friend of his. They'd met at
work and started talking when they realized they lived close
by and shared the same type of family tree. The Collins family
had just joined the Den when the horrible accident had taken
place. Now more than ever Lance wanted to kill the evil
bastard holding his family hostage, but he knew he had to be
careful. Even with a werewolf's rapid ability to heal, he knew
none of them could survive a gunshot at point blank range,
especially one from such a large gauge hunting rifle.
"Tell me something, sweetheart, and I'll give you a chance
to redeem my opinion of you. What's a nice girl like you doing
naked in here with an animal like him? Did he kidnap you?
Rape you? Is he holding you hostage?"
Tinsel shook her head slowly left to right. "No. I'm here
because I want to be."
The hunter's face contorted in rage. "You're nothing but a
slut. Does he stay human while he screws you or do you
prefer him to fuck you while he's furry?" His eyes noticed the
rapidly healing bite mark on Tinsel's leg for the first time.
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"Being human isn't good enough for you, bitch? If you like it
doggy style, all you had to do was ask."
As the hunter's free hand started to unzip his pants, Lance
roared in anger. He refused to let some pathetic excuse for a
human insult his mate. The stranger turned towards Lance
and aimed the rifle in his direction. Lance bared his teeth in a
vicious snarl and snapped in the killer's direction. The tracker
seemed completely unimpressed. "I know who the real threat
in this room is. I'll take you out first. Then take my time
killing the women." He pulled the zipper on his camouflage
suit all the way down until it gaped open. "Maybe I'll even
play with them first."
The thought of the hunter's twisted hands touching his
mate sent Lance into a killing frenzy. He sprang through the
air, totally unconcerned with whether he got shot or not as
long as he killed the man in front of him before he died.
The muzzle of the gun turned, aiming directly at Lance.
Tinsel screamed as the hunter squeezed the trigger. At the
same time a small, furry shape shot through the doorway and
tackled the madman.
The blur turned out to be a young wolf. The animal's fur
was a dirty blond color and it was a barely bigger than a
Labrador Retriever. The wolf hit the hunter in the side, taking
him down as the rifle went off. The shot went wide, hitting
Lance in the shoulder instead of his head.
Blood blossomed through his fur and Lance fell back
briefly, stunned by the pain of the impact and shocked as he
realized who had just saved his life. The small wolf was Jacob.
Lance knew exactly what had happened and what the boy
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was feeling. He remembered his own first shift vividly and
paused for a moment in sympathy.
The child's worry and confusion combined with the
strength and agility of his new form were a heady
combination and the first few changes were all but void of
human intelligence. In the beginning, animal instinct ruled
until you learned to integrate your human emotions with your
wolf's urges. Lance had been told it was different for bitten
wolves, but he'd never met any, so he couldn't be sure of the
rumor. He guessed he'd have to ask Tinsel after her first full
moon.
Jacob had reacted the way a real wolf would when faced
with the same situation. Like any threatened predator, he had
attacked to protect his family. It was simple logic that Lance
agreed with wholeheartedly.
The hunter and Jacob rolled back and forth across the floor
as they engaged in battle. Lance watched with a mix of horror
and pride as his nephew fought the killer. The wolf ended up
on top of the hunter, leaning down and raking his claws
across the man's face in a blatant display of anger and
dominance.
Jacob was currently acting on pure rage and adrenaline,
which made him even stronger than a normal werewolf his
size. The hunter didn't stand a chance, but Lance was still
hesitant to walk away. He didn't want to risk his future Alpha
getting hurt, but he was also worried about his mate.
Sudden movement from the far corner of the room drew
his attention. Twila was up and conscious, and by the look on
her face, she was royally pissed off. Lance smiled as she
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moved to where Jacob had the hunter pinned beneath him.
Between the two of them, there wouldn't be enough pieces of
the man left to fill a shoebox.
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Chapter Nineteen
Satisfied that the situation with the tracker was well under
control, Lance shifted quickly as he looked around the room
for Tinsel, panicking when he couldn't find her. He spotted his
ripped jeans on the floor and bent down to slip the torn
garment on. The sound of soft sobbing drew him towards the
bed. He crouched down low to find his future wife's amber
wolf eyes peeking back out at him from beneath the
handmade wooden structure.
Lance reached out and Tinsel immediately shrank back.
"Don't touch me." Her voice was rough, the gruffness of her
new animal form easily detectable.
As he heard her request, his stomach lurched. His hopes
plummeted as the scent of her fear engulfed him. He dropped
his arms to his sides and sat back, not sure how to handle his
mate now that she was afraid of him. If she ran, he'd have no
choice but to track her down now that they were bonded. As a
man he might be able to let her walk away, but his wolf would
never accept the concept of releasing its mate. He had to try
and reason with her.
"I'm not going to attack you. The hunter was a threat.
What Twila and Jacob are doing is completely within the rules
of Den law."
He kept his voice as quiet as he could and still be heard
over the sound of Twila and Jacob as they taunted the hunter
into attacking. Lance knew they were just playing with him
and he wanted to get Tinsel out of the room before they got
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serious and ripped him to shreds. After what he'd done, death
was the only acceptable course of action among his kind.
She shook her head and he watched in fascination as her
yellow eyes darted left and right. "It's not that. Something's
happened and I don't want to hurt you." She moved forward
timidly, as if her body wasn't working right.
He reached out again and she brought her hands out
slowly, letting him see the razor-tipped claws that now
adorned her fingertips. He breathed a sigh of relief as he
realized she wasn't frightened of him but of what was
happening to her. Her strong emotions had started to bring
on her first change, the way it had happened with Jacob, even
though the full moon was still weeks away.
Apparently the books Tinsel had read didn't contain all the
necessary information about werewolf life. Emotional or
intense physical stress could bring on a partial change as
well. Lance knew her eyes and hands would change back to
normal if he could just get her to relax.
Judging from the catcalls and noise in the background,
Twila and Jacob were still toying with the hunter, giving him a
mock chance to defend himself. Lance needed to get Tinsel
out of the room before that happened because the carnage
that was sure to ensue would be anything but calming to a
werewolf's senses.
Lance picked up Tinsel, despite her protests, and wrapped
her in a bed sheet before swiftly carrying her outside. He
passed Thomas and Dalenna on the way, with their three
youngest children in tow, as they searched for Jacob.
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Thomas noticed Tinsel's state and gave Lance a
questioning look. Lance avoided the subject altogether by
giving his brother a quick rundown on what was happening
inside his house instead. Thomas ran for the cabin like a
streak of lightening, leaving the children in Dalenna's capable
hands and Tinsel in Lance's.
Tinsel was more afraid than she'd ever been in her life,
even more than she'd been after the car accident. Her
grandma was still in the hospital and her condition was
unknown, her best friend thought she had lied and was
shacked up with some guy, and she couldn't get her body to
change back to normal. With every passing second, the
itching of her skin grew worse and with her new nails, she
feared she'd scratch herself to bits. She wiggled and squirmed
until Lance finally stopped and sat her down on an old tree
stump.
"You have to relax."
She gave a harsh bark of laughter. "You must be kidding. I
need to know if my grandma is okay and I can't go check on
her like this" She held out her claws. "Plus I'm late for a
meeting with my best friend, who probably thinks I'm a big
liar, and I feel like my skin's trying to crawl off my body.
What am I going to do?" She paused for a moment and then
looked desperately at Lance. "I can't go anywhere looking like
this."
He rubbed her back soothingly. "Mason, Twila's husband,
has a house close by. We'll try to call the hospital on the
phone from there. If you want me to, I can go check on her
while you get some much needed rest." Tinsel grabbed onto
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his arm in a panic at the thought of him leaving her,
forgetting about her new nails as they pierced into his skin.
She drew back in horror and he pulled her back into his
embrace tightly. "If you want, I can send Mason to check on
her instead. You can call your friend from his house, too."
Her voice shook as she answered. "Okay."
"Look at me." Tinsel obeyed his request hesitantly. "I heal
quickly, we both do now, so don't worry about a little
scratch." He pointed to his shoulder where he'd been shot
earlier. The wound was almost completely closed, the skin
over the area shiny, new, and pink. She wondered briefly
where the bullet was and Lance answered as if he knew what
she'd been thinking. "The bullet came out when I shifted back
to human. You don't have to be careful around me and you
don't have to be shy. I'm going to help you through your
adjustment period. That's what I'm here for. You're my mate.
We're going to be together for a long time."
He caressed her cheek gently and she gave him a real
smile as some of the tension eased out of her. She took a
deep breath and Lance watched in approval as her eyes
began to change back to normal. He noticed her hands
changing as well and pointed the fact out to her by cradling
her fingers in his. "See, all you have to do is be calm. Stress
brings on the transition. Now let's go to Mason's and check on
everyone."
They headed off further into the forest until they came to
another house nestled deep in the woods. This one was newer
and quite a bit bigger than Thomas'. Lance noticed Tinsel's
appreciation of the building and promised her something
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similar. "We can build a house close by if you want. I'm not
rich, but I'll take care of you. Tell me what you need and I'll
try to provide it."
Tinsel swallowed audibly as she realized how serious
Lance's declaration was and that she felt the same way. "All
I've ever wanted was a family of my own. My mom passed
away when I was younger and Dad couldn't handle me on his
own. My grandma raised me until I was old enough to live by
myself. My best friend went off to college last year and I miss
her. I guess I'm just tired of being so alone. I don't need a
fancy house or a new car. I just want to be happy." She
wrapped her arms around Lance's waist and held on tight. "I
just want you."
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Chapter Twenty
Her words moved Lance like nothing else ever had. If
Mason hadn't chosen that moment to open the door, Lance
was sure he would have been down on his knees for his
female. He quickly filled Mason in on the situation. He made a
fast call to assure himself that Twila was really okay and then
let Tinsel call to check on her grandma Gertrude. Gertrude
turned out to be fine. Nurse Hughes gave Tinsel a full report
and took down Mason's number, promising to call her back
when her grandma was coherent enough to talk on the
phone. Tinsel told her about the car wreck, but she was
forced to fib a bit about the severity of it since she couldn't
come straight out and explain why her injuries had healed so
rapidly. Lance knew the hunter's story had been true. His kind
could smell a lie and he had no doubt the tracker had killed
Terry's family. He couldn't help being glad that Jacob and
Twila had tortured him a bit before finishing him off.
A quick call to Katie's college assured Tinsel that her best
friend was all right as well, better than all right actually. In
fact, she'd found a replacement date for the dance and was
beaming about his rugged good looks and his position as the
Dean's son. When she heard about Tinsel's accident and
modified rescue story, she assured Tinsel she could visit later.
Tinsel giggled at the thought that she could brag to Kat about
catching a hunk of a guy as well. She was all smiles as she
hung up the phone.
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Lance loved the look of contentment on his mate's face
and promised to do everything in his power to keep it there.
Her first name was unusual, but her nickname was even
worse. She was Little Red and he was, for all intents and
purposes, The Big Bad Wolf. Under different circumstances he
thought the irony would have been hysterically funny. He
knew that if Thomas or Mason ever found out about her
nickname, he'd never live it down. They'd tease him for the
rest of his days. Since Tinsel was now his, he thought he
might be able to handle the joking good naturedly.
As Mason packed an overnight bag so he could go check
on his wife, he offered Lance and Tinsel the use of his house
until he returned. Lance accepted readily, loving the idea of
some alone time with his new wife. He made a mental note to
get Tinsel a ring as soon as possible, and explain her status in
the Den to her as well, but at the moment, he had more
pressing matters on his mind. The full moon was over a week
away, but she'd already experienced some of what it meant
to shift.
The thought of Tinsel's nails digging deep into his back
while her teeth nipped at his throat had him ready to mount
her on the kitchen table. Only his rigid self control held him
back long enough to usher her into a bedroom before he
stripped off her makeshift toga and divested himself of his
shredded pants. He pushed her back on the bed, spread her
legs, and drove himself inside her at a brutal pace,
determined to make mad passionate love to her until they
both passed out from exhaustion.
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Epilogue
Several miles away Mason stood on his Alpha's front porch
and knocked on the door. He knew Twila was okay from his
earlier phone conversation with her, but he wouldn't truly feel
at ease until he saw his mate with his own eyes. As the door
opened, a high-pitched feminine howl cut through the night,
followed closely by a deeper, more masculine roar. Mason
smiled as he realized the sounds had come from the direction
of his house. Thomas opened the door with a smile on his
face, showing he'd plainly heard the wild noise and was
indeed happy for his brother. As Mason stepped inside, he
made plans to stay with Thomas and his family for a few
extra days to give the newly mated couple a little more time
to get to know each other better.
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A Little Taste of Red
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About the Author
Beth currently lives in the "Wylde's" of Virginia with her
darling hubby and three young children. During the day she's
a mild mannered mother and housewife but at night she can
be found in front of her computer screen, typing away on
stories that range from paranormal romance to lesbian erotica
and beyond.
If you are connected to the Internet, take a
moment to rate this eBook by going back to
your bookshelf at www.fictionwise.com.
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