Garfield watched the unconscious pretty woman thrashing on the bed. He had already determined that the woman, Sable, wasn’t his mate, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her. When he grabbed her hand to keep her from hurting herself, his entire body seemed to be touched by an electrical wire. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t let go.
Just before Garfield passed out, he realized that not only was Sable his mate, but she was transferring an enormous amount of power to him….
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Edwin Griffin was looking forward to his retirement from the Army. But it seemed his superiors were having trouble letting go. As a wolf shifter and an immortal, Edwin’s senses were keen. He had no intention of “keeping in touch” or to continue working for them, for that matter. Something about them felt off, and Edwin had no intention of being a pawn in whatever scheme they were plotting.Storm was very protective of her sister, Rain. Their parents had somehow found them, and Rain was vulnerable to their influence. The sisters both possessed magical talents that were growing stronger daily. When Charlie Griffin offered to help, Storm jumped at the chance to protect her sister. Edwin was a bit surprised to find the feisty woman Storm to be his mate. She had a hard time with trust, but Edwin was determined to work on that, but he had his own issues to resolve. Although retired from the military as well, Storm would still take on an occasional assignment. But when the assignment from her superiors was to do something about her mate. Well, things just got a bit more personal….
Tony couldn’t believe what he was seeing on the security monitor. A woman and her kid were living in the alleyway next to his office, and they were in trouble. A man snuck up on her and snatched the kid. He had to do something….
Jana Cantrell wasn’t taking the news too well. She would have been dead and her son in the clutches of that maniac if it hadn’t been for her being Tony’s mate, and she was now immortal. She didn’t trust men. She had just escaped from the imprisonment of the maniac who had nearly killed her. No way in hell would she be enslaved by another….
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Prologue
Charles, Charlie to most people who knew him, was so lost that he hadn’t any idea if he
was walking on the ground or the sky. He knew the difference, of course, but it was so
dark out tonight that if there had been a moon shining, he couldn’t see it. When he sat
himself down on a log to get his bearings again, he paused in his thinking to look at
what could have made the sound he’d heard.
Terrified out of his mind when he saw glowing eyes looking at him, Charlie sat
as still as he could. The eyes grew larger and incredibly more shiny as the beast made
his way to him. He didn’t run, knowing that even if he knew where he was at the
moment, the wolf would know it better. It would chase him down and kill him without
any hesitation.
The wolf, a big gray fella, just stood there within a few inches of his outstretched
legs. When he laid down, putting his heavy head onto his leg, Charlie had another
moment of fear. The thing never took his eyes off him either. As soon as he felt he was
brave enough to try and talk to the wolf, he was gone, and in his place was a man.
A fully clothed man with the gray of the wolf’s fur colored into his hair. Even his
eyes were the same as the wolf, Charlie thought. Still, neither of them moved until the
man sat back on his butt and regarded him.
“You live on the property not far from here. Is that correct?” Charlie told him he
was only squatting there until they found him. But he was a mite lost. “Yes, I’ve been
following you for some time. And in all that time, did you harm any other animal you
came across, and there were plenty too. Why is that?”
“You mean the rabbit and the family of deer?” The man nodded. “I don’t have a
need for meat just now. I only kill when I have to. When my belly feels like it can’t go
another minute without some meat in it. And even then, I use it up to the best I can.
What I can’t use, I find some other animal that will use the rest. Why do you ask?”
“I’ll get to that. You didn’t seem that surprised when I changed from wolf to
man. Can you tell me why that is?” He nodded and told him what he’d been seeing a
lot of lately. “Yes, war will make a man wish for better times. So you were surprised but
just wrote it off as being another strange thing that had no explanation. That’s a very
good reason, I think.”
“They say that the war is about over. I don’t know much about that. I can still
hear shooting when I’m out and about. I don’t have any land left because the soldiers
took it all when they was coming through. Not that it was much more than a bunch of
rocks and stumps, to begin with.” The man only nodded. “I’m Charles Griffin. Most call
me Charlie. A great deal more, but I ignore them. Not everybody was able to go to
school all the time. I had my family to feed when my daddy up and got sick. Momma
died a few weeks ago, and I’ve been roaming around since looking for work. I don’t
suppose you know anyone that might be wanting an extra hand around or two, do
you?”
“I do, as a matter of fact. My name is Romeo Hank. The Hank is for when I need
a last name. But I do have something that I’d like to propose to you if you’ve got the
time to listen.” Charlie told him he didn’t have anything but time right now. “All right.
“I have a medium-sized pack. You can see a few of them over there watching over us.
They’re all just wolves. I’m the only wolf shifter that I know. They’re a good bunch.
Hungry most of the time but then all of us are, correct?”
“Yes. Some more than others. At least I can find me a bit of string and fashion me
up a hook to use.” Romeo told him that was excellent. “You need me to fish some fish
out for you and your pack? I don’t mind at all doing that for you. In fact, I’d be
powerful happy to help you out.”
“Not just yet. But I think that I will take you up on it soon. I have a daughter. Her
name is Luna. Such a beautiful name, don’t you think?” Charlie asked if it meant moon.
“It does. Thank you. You’re very well educated for a man with no means of living.”
“My mom was a school teacher when I was born. They fired her, of course, when
she had me. She didn’t know my daddy, so that didn’t help her none. She taught me to
read and to figure. I can write too, but I do have to think about the spelling of things.
Can you write?” Romeo said that he’d been given a great gift in that. “I think so too.
When I find me a newspaper or some little old book, I treasure it for a bit. Then I pass it
on if I can. I don’t have to know the people in the paper. I just like reading about their
stories. Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
“I am. I was working up to it, but I believe you to be a man that can be trusted
with things in life. I would like to change you into a wolf. One such as I am. You’ll be a
man when you wish. A wolf when necessary. There will be magic as well as wealth.”
Charlie told him he didn’t have use for wealth, but food all the time would be nice.
“That is precisely what I’m speaking about, Charlie, my good man.”
Throughout the rest of the night and well into the morning, they spoke of things
that Romeo needed from him. It wasn’t brought up again about him being changed, but
Romeo did tell him that his daughter had found out that he, plain old Charlie was her
mate. The sole reason that he’d not been harmed while wandering around in the woods.
“Do you understand what it is I want you to do?” Charlie said that he thought
so. “No. I’m sorry. I can’t allow you to go into this, only thinking you understand.
Please, ask me anything that you’d like. You must be clear on this. I need for you to be
clear on how it is I wish for you to someday take over for me.”
Romeo never got upset with him when he asked his questions. If Charlie was
honest with himself, which he usually tried not to be, he was afraid that Romeo had
picked the wrong man. That he’d be better off finding himself someone else to take over
his empire.
“You’re the right man, Charlie. When I told you that I’d been following you
around, I wanted you to know that it wasn’t just last evening. But for some time now.
I’ve seen you share your last bit of food with people. Work for someone that cannot do
for themselves and not take anything but a bit of bread and water. You’re a very good
man. A better man that I am.” Charlie started to protest. “No. I’m correct in picking you
as my replacement. And if that is some of your worries, being an Alpha, you’ve no
worries there either. I will not leave this earth for the next until you are comfortable
with what is needed of you. Now. If you’ve no more questions, I shall leave you to
allow you to think on it. I’ll be back here tomorrow so that you can tell me your answer.
I know I have picked the right man, Charlie. It’s something that you can do easily to
save this pack and my daughter.”
Luna followed him as he walked around. He’d thought about calling back
Romeo and asking more questions, but he didn’t. Sitting down again, his leg bothering
him from sitting so long, he looked at the big, beautiful wolf.
“You’re not really his daughter, are you?” She shook her head. “I didn’t think so.
Is there any more of the others that he claims are his children?” She nodded this time,
and he determined by asking questions that it was one other female. “I don’t know
what to think about all this, to be honest with you. Are you my mate? Is he telling me
the truth? I just don’t know what to think.”
She nodded or shook her head after each of the questions he put to her. Yes, she
was his mate. Yes, Romeo was telling the truth. There were many more questions and
answers. He was headed back to the area where he’d first seen Romeo when he felt the
pain take his breath away as it slammed into his left shoulder.
Falling back, he hit his head and lay there while trying his best to catch his
breath. That was when he heard the other gunshots, the wolf howling and trying to
hide. Pulling Luna toward him, he whispered harshly into her ear, hoping that at least
she’d understand him enough to know that she must warn the others.
“Go. Tell Romeo to hide the pack. To make sure you and your sister are safe.”
She didn’t want to leave him, whimpering at him as she laid her head on his shoulder.
“Go. Please. Run and escape before they hurt you too.”
When she left him, Charlie closed his eyes. Opening them when he felt the
shadow darken over him, he looked up in time to see the barrel of a large rifle. He was a
goner. He knew that. He could only hope that Luna and the others were safe.
~~ Thousands of years later…. Boo watched the young woman he’d been watching over since she’d been nothing but a wee babe. He wasn’t told anything. Not the way of it, nor how long he’d been set to watch her. In all the twenty-six years since the day she’d been birthed, he’d kept her in his sight and safe from harm as best he could. But today wasn’t going to be a good day for her. Or him, for that matter. The woman was having a good life, he supposed. Good parents. A brother and a sister, both older than her, that weren’t aware of her, he thought. Sable had a good paying job, and she was wealthy. Not that a person would ever know that. Never flaunting her wealth nor what she did for a living, she lived like a pauper. Her parents, too, had a good deal of money, and they were very generous with it. Not that he knew any of them all that well. Just Lady James. Late last night, he’d been notified that he needed to go to his boss. Lady James had saved his life when she’d been younger than the miss was now, and she made him promise that, above all else, Sable would be safe.
That was all his instructions were regarding the babe, and that was all he’d ever found out over the decades. Lady James acknowledged him, but she didn’t speak when he entered the room. There were other people around, many of them relatives that Boo didn’t know but could smell the sameness about them. Not that it was any of his business who she had around, but he was curious all the same. He was glad now that he made sure that his lady Sable was sleeping when he’d left, as this looked like it was going to be a very long night. As soon as the others left her, Lady James invited him to have a seat on her hand. When she put him on the little pillow she’d made just for him, Boo settled down. Not touching the sweet treats that were laid before him until she did, Boo asked her about her health. When she took a chocolate cookie, one of his favorites too, he bit down on a portion of the one she’d been munching on. She ate and drank what she wanted and damn what people told her. Boo laughed when she ate a second cookie with a small glass of sherry.
They both knew she’d not die until she was ready. Not that she was immortal, but when she’d saved his life, then he had hers, she got a bit of his magic in her body and heart that made her live to be nearly three hundred now. Sable was the daughter that she’d had with this marriage. Sable and her brother Peter had been born twins, Sable the second child in the birth order. But almost as soon as she’d been cleaned up and dressed, she was whisked away and taken to the home she had grown up in. “You’ve been watching my daughter very well, Boo. I don’t know what I would have done had you not helped me along.” He told her that it was his pleasure to serve her. “Be that as it may, you have saved not just her life but mine as well. I wish to repay you for your help.” “I don’t need anything, my lady. The young miss doesn’t know that I’m about, so I forage into the things that she has around. Flowers are forever fresh in the house she now resides in. There is leftover tea that she leaves that I can have a drink from.” Lady James told him that Sable did indeed know he was about. “No. I’ve been very careful not to show myself around her. I haven’t bothered her in all these years.” “Nay, you have not. But she’s aware of you. I’ve been—Sable has my magic.
I thought as much when she was born to me. It’s the reason she was taken away so quickly and that my husband never knew of her nor the others. To keep her safe from people looking for her.” He said that no one bothered her. “They wouldn’t. She’s powerful, Boo. More so than I am. I don’t know how it was that she figured it out, but she has been using her magic, very little of it, since the day she turned two. I’m so very proud of her.” “I am as well. When she was off to higher education, I never once helped her with her exams. She didn’t need me to. Sable has won that lottery thing twice now and has invested well. I didn’t know what that meant until a few years ago. Nothing more than a toddler when she told her mother to use the numbers she picked out—she knew the correct numbers because of her magic, didn’t she?” Lady James—Shirley, as she’d begged him to call her all those years ago—said she knew her parents had needed the income. “So she told her what to play, and they won. Good girl.” “You didn’t notice her having magic? I suppose that was the way she wanted it. She is a good girl.
She didn’t tell her mother so much as she persuaded her to use the numbers.” He was very proud of Sable, but he was also ashamed that he’d not noticed it. He told Shirley once again that he was sorry. “There is no reason for you to be sorry, Boo. She never meant for you to notice, and you didn’t. However, you were there when she needed you most. When she’d been hurt. Once again, when she’d nearly been kidnapped. Yes, I know of those things and a great many more times that you kept her from being harmed. You did just what I asked you to do, and for that, I’m forever grateful to you. Now, let’s get to the reason I’ve called you here. I need for Sable to be brought here. It’s time.” “Time?” Shirley told him she must come home and inherit her estate. And that she must be moving on. “You can’t mean that you’re to die, my lady. Say that it is something else. I beg of you.” “She’s been found, Boo. They know she’s out there, and they’ve narrowed it down to just within miles of them finding her.” He asked who they were. “Men and women that would take her apart to see if they can find out what she is. They won’t, of course, but they’ll try it. For the sake of science, they’ll call it, but it will still be murder until she is here again, and I give her what I am. I’ve no idea what that would be, but I’m sure they’ll have some godawful name for it.
” “When would you like me to bring her here? Soon, I would think.” Shirley told him the sooner, the better. “I shall bring her here tonight.” “Good. I have several phone calls to make. I’ve been doing some research, and I do believe I’ve found the perfect people to care for her. Boo, you’ll stay with her, of course. She’ll still be in danger while she’s with these people.” He said he’d be honored. “You’ve been such a good friend and helper, Boo. I believe I was matched up with the perfect faerie when the lady of the earth sent you to me.” Boo made his way home and was surprised to find Sable awake. She looked directly at him and smiled. Boo went to the couch where she was sitting and asked her if she was all right. “I’m not sure what you mean by that. I’m not ill, if that’s it. I’m also not upset too much. You’ve been to see someone. Someone that is in need of me to go to them.” He told her it was her birth mother. “I don’t understand. I do know that the Parkers weren’t my parents when I was growing up. However, my birth mother, as far as I know, has had nothing to do with me.” “She has been keeping tabs on you since you were taken away after you came into this world.” Sable nodded but still looked confused. “Lady James is wanting to pass her magic on to you so that when people come to find you, you’ll be able to defend yourself.”
“My mother will die.” It wasn’t really a question, but he did nod at her. “So I’m going to meet my mother, and she’s going to give me something powerful, then die. What a great way to have a relationship with the one that gave you life. ‘Hello, Sable. It’s wonderful to meet you. By the way, here’s some magic and poof, I’m going to die.’ I’m not going.” “But you must.” She said she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. It was then that Lady James appeared in the room. Neither of them said a word but looked at him. “I didn’t bring her here.” “I know that.” She looked at her mother. “What is it you wish, Lady James? I know someone that can help me keep safe while—” “They’re here. The women I wish for you to go to.” Sable stood up when two more people popped into the room. Boo bowed before the three of them, waiting for one of them to tell him that he could stand. “Boo, don’t be a nuisance. The men coming for my daughter are near. They—these women are more powerful than even I am. They said you’ve been found.” “So you’re pawning me off to someone else to raise? I don’t know if any of you realize this, but I’m a grown woman.” The first woman smiled and introduced herself and her sister to her.
“Is that supposed to mean something to me? That you’re Rain and Storm? It doesn’t, in the event, you’re going to ask me.” “Touch her now.” Just as her arm was pulled toward her mother, Sable felt something pound her in the chest. Whatever it was, it was making her bleed. Almost as soon as she thought she was going to die, the magic, or whatever power it was, took over her body. ~~
Garfield watched the woman lying on the bed. He’d been asked to come and talk
to her and see if she was his mate. She wasn’t. While that did sadden him a bit, he was
glad that she’d not been. She looked like a ball buster, and since he most assuredly
didn’t bust anything but numbers, he watched her body twitch and move with the
newfound power she’d been given. Boo entered the room via the window and sat on
the side of the bed.
“She’s not your mate, then,” Garfield told him she was not. “Sad that. She’d
make you a good mate, I think.”
“I think she’d be too much for me.” Boo said she’d be the perfect mate to anyone
she was mated to. “I don’t suppose you’ve been practicing this to say to me, have you? I
know she’d be a perfect fit in the family, but as for her being my mate, I think we’re all
right.”
Boo was telling him of the things that Sable could do. He wasn’t really paying
too much attention. The woman on the bed had taken all that. He couldn’t seem to take
his eyes off her. She was such a beautiful woman.
Sable. Such a pretty name, and it suited her with her long, sable-colored hair. Her
fingers were long and well-defined. Even her face looked like a carved goddess. She
was, in a word, gorgeous.
Reaching for her hand when it was twitching a great deal, he held it gently in his
own to stop her from hitting herself. She’d done it twice now, hit herself in the face
while moving around. As soon as he put her hand into his, his entire body seemed to be
touched by an electrical wire.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t release her hand. Even when she dug
her nails into his flesh, Garfield ached with whatever was happening to him. Whatever
was going on, two things hit him at once. She was indeed his mate, and she was
transferring power to him in great amounts. Then, everything went black.
Waking up, he realized he was in the bed with Sable. She was leaning on one
hand and staring down at him. Asking her if she was all right, she told him that she
supposed she was but hadn’t felt like this before, so she wasn’t entirely sure. Then she
asked him how he was.
“Like you, I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel like right now, so I’ll give you
that answer later.” Moving his head so he could look at her better, Garfield smiled at
her. She was even more beautiful with her eyes open. “I’ve held your hand before to
keep you safe. I don’t understand. I should have been able to sense that you were my
mate. Why did this time make me realize that you were my mate and that you’d do this
overpowering thing to me?”
“I had to hide from everyone while my body adjusted to the magic I have. I was
assuming I needed to hide from you as well.” Garfield told her that made sense. “My
mother died. The woman that gave birth to me. I don’t know that I saw her pass, but
she gave me this magic when she did. Why is there blood on my shirt?”
“You were shot from the window across the street from where you were staying.
But the magic kept you from dying and saved you. The people looking for you, I’m
assuming you don’t know who that would be any more than Boo did.” She said she
didn’t know, but she would find out. “Yes, I believe you will. My sisters-in-law, they’re
looking into it as well. They’re powerful as well.” Garfield’s eyes were fixated on her
mouth. His wolf wanting to claim his mate. “Will you kiss me?”
Sable’s face pinked up. “No. Not yet. We may be mates, but I don’t know you.”
He said he understood and he’d try to behave. “Back to what you said before about
your sisters-in-law. What makes them think they’ll have any more luck with finding
them than I did? I’ve known that someone has been looking for me for some time now,
and I’ve managed to stay off their radar. However, today threw me off guard.” Garfield
told her that her mother had been protecting her with Boo, but the men were closing in
on her location. That was why she’d needed to come to her parent’s home. “Yes, so she
could give me all that she had and die. I got that part,” she said sarcastically. “What I
don’t understand is why I was sent away in the first place.”
“That I do know the answer to. Two powerful beings cannot be in the same place
at the same time. You’re more powerful than your mother was, so when she came to see
you at the house you were at, the men knew where you were. Thus, it was imperative
that she give you what she was right away.” She nodded and looked at him. “You’re
very beautiful.”
“You should see my sister. Yes, I’m aware of them too. I have a brother and sister
that are out there that haven’t any idea I’m around. Or, I guess, care.” He told her that
her brother knew about her. “And? I’m assuming there is a reason that him knowing is
a part of this, whatever is happening to me.”
“I don’t know how he figured it out, but he has been bragging about you. Again,
I’m not sure why, but he thought it was funny in some way. These people who were
trying to find the magic you would get, they kidnapped your sister and knew it wasn’t
her magic. She was hurt, I guess, but I don’t have a lot of details.” He watched her as
she seemed to think on that for a moment. “May I ask you some questions?”
She wagged her finger at him. “I’m not ready to kiss you yet.
So if that’s not your
question, go ahead.” He laughed, and she glared at him. “I wasn’t joking around.”
“I know that. I just found it a little funny that you are not allowing me to kiss
you yet.” She frowned at him again. “What are you? Boo hasn’t any idea just so you
know. I’m assuming something powerful, but I don’t know what you are.”
“Unlucky?” She shrugged. “I don’t know either. I can do all this crazy shit that
keeps me in money. Not that I need all the money in the world, I guess, but my foster
parents had money problems from the moment I came to them. I guess before that even,
but I helped them out.” She explained about the lottery money. “After that, they
invested well, thanks to my being able to see what stocks and things were going to do
well, and I could persuade or make them invest.”
“I’m an investment broker. I, for the most part, do it for the family. Since we’ve
been around for a good long time, we’ve been able to put some money into accounts
that needed it when times were tough. Also, help out different charities when that was
needed.” Sable said she did the same thing. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not,
but you’re an immortal. A true one in which you cannot be killed. You can be hurt, but
you’ll never die from it.”
“I’m assuming I can heal quickly too.” He nodded. “All right. I’m ready to kiss
you now. But no funny business. I just need a kiss.”
“You need a hug too. I can feel your stress.” She said she was dealing with it. “I’ll
take you up on the kiss later if you would allow me to hold you. Your stress is making
my wolf a little nervous.”
“Too much going on right now for me to process. I can feel your wolf too. He is
antsy.” She laid her head on his chest and her hand on his belly. “I can feel him there. I
can hear him purring too. I had no idea that wolves purred.”
“He’s trying to lure you into sleep. You need it.” She yawned and said she did.
“Rest now, Sable, and we’ll talk more later. All right?”
Sable was asleep in a few minutes. Her body no longer twitched, but she did dig
her fingers into his belly a couple of times. Still, he held her. Holding her had the same
effect on him. Relaxing enough to sleep by her beating heart, Garfield joined her in
slumber.
Author Kathi S Barton 