“Good thing jag shifters can’t get drunk, huh?” Livvy smiled at Violet Littlehawk–O’Malley, who aside from Livvy’s mom was the only other shifter female she’d ever met. “Don’t know what the guys would think if they came home from work and I was sloshed. Not the best way to start things off with them, huh?”
Violet, a beautiful brunette, grinned and lifted her glass. “Oh honey, I doubt they’d mind all that much, but tipsy is good and I’m definitely
“But the question is, would you want it any other way?”
Violet laughed. “Hell no. I love things just the way they are.” The smile faded from her face as she leaned back in her chair. “Any word from the police about the man who grabbed you?”
“Yes, they arrested him, and it didn’t take them long either. Lieutenant Lopez got in touch yesterday and said he’d been arrested in the Dallas area. As Lopez suspected, he was mostly just a scared kid. From what he told Nate and Daniel, the guy confessed. In the beginning, he just wanted to jack my car but the dumb punk took me when I got a good look at his face.”
Violet shivered. “Scary shit.”
“Thank the gods Daniel and Nate found me when they did.”
“Providence. Meant to be.” Violet reached across the table and took her hand. Instant kinship wrapped around Olivia, soothing and peaceful. Having a friend was such a good thing. Especially now. “Are you okay? I know full change hasn’t happened yet, just the beginnings of it, but I wondered if you had questions.”
Livvy sighed. “So many. Mom was great about preparing me for the physical aspect of what I’ll be going through but I’m still a little confused about the emotional stuff.”
“Oh sweetie, I understand. Noah and Aaron were strangers to me too. I was so afraid and alone when the heat came over me. There was nothing to do but take a deep breath and accept what was coming. Unstoppable.”
Livvy thought back to the fast and furious matings between the three of them. Pleasure whipped unexpectedly through her veins, practically stealing her breath. Powerful. Intense. And it was only the beginning.
Since the morning after her arrival, they’d left her in her room at night, undemanding and patient, saying only that she should rest. Despite that, she knew they wanted her, hungered for her. As the days moved by they returned to work but the rest of their time was spent filling her in on their lives, their thoughts and worries. They included her in their plans for the future with an ease that was astonishing. She’d learned Nathan had a wicked, outrageous sense of humor and sometimes Daniel tended to brood. No, they weren’t perfect, but then neither was she.
“I can’t help but be a little afraid,” she finally said. Her gaze connected with Violet’s and she saw understanding there. “The little bit of sexual hunger that I’ve experienced with them up until now has been so powerful. I can’t imagine more.”
“You have to trust them to see you through this, Livvy.”
She shrugged. “I do trust them. Already I feel bound to them. We’re connected in a way I can’t begin to understand. It’s so weird how it happens.”
“Tell me about it. We’re raised knowing that it’s a mystical union but until it happens, we have no real understanding. Finally we accept, thankful that we’ve found our mates. We live, we love. That’s good enough for me. You’ll make it through your first shift just fine. I know it. Daniel and Nate are good men. I’ve known them for several years and know how they’ve longed to find you. They’ll treat you as the treasure you are.”
Dusk had fallen by the time Violet finally headed for home. Despite several glasses of wine, Olivia wasn’t as relaxed as she’d been earlier. A fine trembling set up in her limbs and a rush of adrenaline whipped through her bloodstream, alerting her to sudden changes in her body. Dizzy, she leaned against the wide front door and closed her eyes.
Was it time? Was it coming?
Livvy forced air into her lungs. Her heartbeat accelerated to tap out a frantic beat. Logically she knew full heat could come upon her at any moment, and what she’d experienced earlier was only a precursor to that eventuality. Yes, she’d been in heat for over a week, but what had come before was nothing compared to the furnace-blast she knew would overtake her just before she finally managed to shift.
Oddly conflicted, she wanted to embrace this, get it over with, yet another part of her felt such fear of the unknown, she wanted to scream. Terror seized her briefly, along with pounding waves of lust and hunger.
Wishing the guys would hurry home, she breathed deeply and decided to try occupying her mind with mundane tasks. Anything was preferable to the gripping fear.
Heading through the living room, Livvy jerked to a stop when unexpected and unbearable fire lanced through her belly.
A curling rope of intense sexual need blasted downward to settle in her pussy.
It was here. Now. It was upon her.
Gasping as cream flooded her panties, Olivia fell to her knees. Tears poured from her eyes as she shoved her hands into the front of her stretchy shorts to tease her aching flesh. A cry broke from her lips when she thrust her fingers deep and instant orgasm racked her body with endless spasms.
Her nipples hardened painfully to press against the satiny cups of her bra. The sensation was more than she could bear and she whipped her tee shirt off and threw it aside. The bra quickly followed as she took her nipples with drenched fingers and plied them steadily, squeezing and releasing, hoping to give herself relief from the ache of sexual hunger. Air burst from her lungs on a low moan and pleasure streaked from her nipples to rip through her core as a jungle beat thrummed in her blood. Her bones ached oddly as the beast moved in her struggle to be born.
Frantically, Livvy crawled on shaking hands and knees to the coffee table where she’d left her phone. Pressing speed dial, she connected instantly with Daniel.
“Home!” she gasped. “Hurry…” And then there was nothing as the phone fell from her trembling fingers.
A red haze filled her mind, leaving her suddenly disoriented. Summoning every last bit of strength as the raging lust tore through her body, Livvy crawled toward the foot of the stairs, collapsing there in a heap of agony. Sexual hunger flashed in pulsing waves with no beginning and no end and there was nothing she could do but wait for help.
Unaware of how much time had passed, she wept when she finally heard the sounds of doors slamming and boot heels striking against hardwood floors. The vibrations swept over her like a million tiny ants marching across her skin.
Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her, and she vaguely felt movement as someone carried her up the stairs. Livvy opened her eyes and stared into Daniel’s face. Worry curved his black brows and his jaw was tense. “I’ve got you,” he murmured.
“Fuck me, Daniel. Nownownow!”
Daniel growled a response, moving with her into the bedroom. Her frantic gaze swept the room to see Nate stripping off his clothes. Gods, he was beautiful. They both were. Muscles bunched and moved on Nathan’s back as he bent to strip the bedcovers to the foot of the bed. Her nipples pressed against Daniel’s muscular chest and she turned her attention to the man who held her so protectively.
She needed to tell him to hurry. She wanted to scream the words but they’d all fled her brain. Opening her mouth on a soundless cry, she gasped when Daniel pressed her against the nearest wall. Her shorts and panties disappeared in a flash, and as the next wave of lust speared her, his cock thrust deep.
Savagely he fucked her against the wall and she could do nothing but hold on for the wild ride. Each heavy upstroke brushed searing, pulsing nerve endings. The walls of her pussy contracted, hanging on, squeezing until one sensation barreled headlong into the next. With each hard stroke of his cock pounding deep, the heat increased until it knotted tighter and tighter. A scream broke from her throat as her nails dug deep into the hot flesh of Daniel’s back.
Sliding her eyes open, dazed, she noted the flash of fang, the fierce expression he wore—and knew this was
