“Really.” He put Emma’s arm through his own and turned to the wedding planner. “Are we ready?”
The music swelled, the planner shushing them all and lining them up. Sarah watched as the wedding planner counted down. “Now,” the woman hissed, shooing Sarah down the aisle.
She walked, holding her small bouquet of ivory calla lilies in front of her. Her fuchsia-colored gown swished around her ankles, the simple shape a perfect match for Emma’s more non-traditional gown. She had to admit the color looked stunning, and the simple strapless A-line dress was perfect for all of their shapes and sizes.
She took her place in the gazebo in front of the altar, her eyes automatically drifting past all of the other men to her man. Gabe looked incredibly hot in his black tux and dark gold vest. He blew her a kiss, smiling at her when she blushed.
Next came Belle, the blonde Luna making her stately way down the aisle. Rick damn near growled at the sight of her limping, but he remained in place behind Max and Simon, earning himself a sweet smile.
Sheri glided out, the fuchsia of her dress startling against her alabaster skin and white blonde hair. Her sensitive eyes were covered by her white sunglasses. A soft smile graced her lips as she took her place in front of Belle.
Becky stepped out from behind the curtain, her wild curls tamed into a sleek fall of light brown hair that reached down to her waist. One white calla lily was tucked behind her ear. She smiled at Simon and winked before taking her place as maid of honor. Sarah turned to find Simon staring at Becky with something akin to adoration.
The music changed and Sarah turned. She heard the gasps of the guests and smiled, her eyes darting to see the stunned look on Max’s face.
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The Curana looked like a queen in her gown. Strapless, simple, the embroidered, bold stripe of color at the neckline of the dress drew back into a long colored and embroidered train the same color as the bridesmaids’ dresses. An enlarged version of the embroidered band circled the bottom of the dress. The rest of the dress was ivory, as was the embroidery itself. A small gold and citrine tiara rested on top of curled hair that had been styled half up, half down, one dark curl resting on her creamy shoulder. Her jewelry was a simple necklace of gold and citrines with matching earrings. Her bouquet was a more elaborate version of her bridesmaids’, the color matching their dresses. Her father walked proudly beside her, a king giving away his princess.
“Holy fuck.” Max winced when Reverend Glaston reached out and smacked him gently upside the head, much to the amusement of the guests. Emma merely winked, her expression full of laughter.
The rest of the wedding went off without a hitch, both Max and Emma expressing their love for each other in clear voices, but Sarah barely heard it. Her gaze was drawn again and again to her mate, not surprised to find his never left her. She had to resist the urge to play with the diamond engagement ring he’d given her a few days before. He hadn’t given her a chance to say no. She’d woken up to find it already on her finger, his purring contentment humming through her. She’d been wearing it ever since.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Sarah blinked and turned back to the ceremony to find Max tugging Emma into his arms.
“Max, wait for me to say it first, please.” The reverend was looking over his glasses at Max, who just grinned and shrugged. “Max?”
“Hmm?” Max was staring down into the glowing eyes of his mate.
The reverend nodded. “You may kiss the bride.”
Max bent down and kissed Emma reverently.
Sarah felt tears start up, the beauty of the moment, the love of the Pride and the newly married couple so full and sweet she couldn’t contain it.
But over it all, she felt the love of her mate, her Gabriel, and all was right again. She blew him a kiss, not surprised when his eyes sparkled with gold.
Yup, all was right with her world.
The reception was a blast. Max and Emma had chosen Cinderella’s Castle Courtyard for the reception, a classy, elegant venue with a dash of fun that matched them to a T. The only dark spot was a small fight between Chloe and Jim, but only a soft, whispered word in Jim’s ear had been needed to stop the fight from going much further.
Strangely enough, the Pride seemed much more accepting of Belle now that she was no longer a member. Marie Howard even shook Belle’s hand, something Sarah would never have expected, although the lingering distaste Sarah could sense was carefully hidden behind Marie’s social mask. Belle accepted the gesture graciously, but Sarah knew the Luna would never trust Marie again.
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Sarah stood in the shadows, watching Chloe dance with a dark-haired man, and sighed. She was going to have to get used to that sight. Gabe might have explained that Chloe was no more than a friend to him, but it would take time before she was completely over the feelings she got when she saw the two of them together. Oh, she trusted Gabe. His love surrounded her constantly, as if he was consciously wrapping her up in it, never allowing her to forget who she belonged to. Still, it hurt deep inside to watch them together, despite all of Gabe’s reassurances. She had the feeling that only time, and a steady diet of Gabe’s brand of loving, would make those sensations go away completely.
And one thing she could think of to do to help that along was to see to it that Jim and Chloe got together. Maybe watching the Fox claim her reluctant mate would finally bury the jealousy she felt towards her once and for all.
“Hey.”
Sarah turned to smile up at Rick, surprised the Wolf had sought her out. It wasn’t that she and Rick hadn’t spoken before. She’d actually done what she could to make sure he knew how bad things had gotten for Belle before he whisked her off to the Poconos. She gave him a silly, exaggerated bow. “Your Alphaness.”
He snorted. “Cute.” He nodded towards Gabe and Chloe. “You have nothing to worry about, you know.”
Sarah stared at him, shocked. “Um, okay?”
His lips twisted. “He’s not into Chloe that way.” His entire face relaxed as his gaze came to rest on Belle. “He looks at you the way I look at Belle.” Rick grinned down at Sarah. “Trust me, the only thing on his mind right now is how quickly he can get you back to your room and get you naked.”
Sarah blushed. “Are you sure about that?”
“More sure than I want to be, trust me.” He took a sip of his wine with a grimace. “I…can hear him.”
Sarah blinked. “You mean…?”
Rick nodded. “Not sure what exactly that means, but yeah.”
Sarah was fascinated. Belle had told her about Rick’s psychic connection with the rest of his Pack. She never thought it could extend outside of it. “Can you hear anyone else?”
“You, Sheri, Adrian, Max, Emma, Becky, Simon… Do you people think of anything other than fucking, by the way? And they call
us
dogs.”
Sarah nearly choked on her wine. “What about the rest of the Pride?”
He frowned. She could just about feel the force of his thoughts roaming the party. “Faintly, but they’re there. If I was far enough away I doubt I’d hear them at all.”
“Do you think it has something to do with Belle?”
All of that energy suddenly focused on the Luna, who tossed a sultry look over her shoulder at the Alpha
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Wolf before returning to her conversation with Emma. “More than likely. She’s the first Puma Luna, after all. For all I know our kids will be Wolves with retractable claws.”
“And amazing psychic powers?”
Rick shrugged. “If it’s meant to be.” He grinned at something he saw over Sarah’s much-shorter head.
“I’ll see you later, Omega.”
“Later, Wolfman.”
He huffed a laugh, shaking his head as he wandered off.
Sarah looked up, startled at the fireworks suddenly going off overhead. She wasn’t the least surprised when strong arms circled her waist. Soft lips brushed against her neck, the prickles of her mate’s five o’clock shadow sending delicious shivers down her spine. And in the darkness and the magic, Gabe claimed her again, his teeth sliding beneath her skin and marking her for everyone to see, in or out of dreams.
About the Author
Dana Marie Bell wrote her first short story when she was thirteen years old. She attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts for creative writing, where freedom of expression was the order of the day. When her parents moved out of the city and placed her in a Catholic high school for her senior year she tried desperately to get away, but the nuns held fast, and she graduated with honors despite herself.
Dana has lived primarily in the Northeast (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, to be precise), with a brief stint on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. She lives with her soul-mate and husband Dusty, their two maniacal children, an evil ice-cream stealing cat and a bull terrier that thinks it’s a Pekinese.
You can learn more about Dana at:www.danamariebell.com
Look for these titles by Dana Marie Bell
Now Available:
Halle Pumas
The Wallflower
Sweet Dreams
Cat of a Different Color
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Steel Beauty
The Gray Court
Dare to Believe
True Destiny
Very Much Alive
Love isn’t something she thinks she needs…until it lands right on her doorstep.
Cabin Fever
© 2009 Alisha Rai
Genevieve Boden is a witch and doesn’t care who knows. The townspeople’s fear of her keeps away those who have hurt her before—like the local men of authority. Besides, a life of exile deep in the woods of West Virginia is due punishment, she figures, for the part she played in her mother’s death. If she’s alone, no one need know that the trauma took away her powers.
Then she finds a bloody, fatally wounded man slumped on her porch. In an instant, her healing ability reawakens—and that’s not all. He stirs a hunger beyond her wildest dreams. But a relationship with the new chief of police? Not a chance.
Alex Rivera isn’t sure how he survived, but he’s certain his beautiful savior did more than just bandage his wounds. Captivated by this wary angel and stunned by the depth of emotion he feels for her, he vows to discover her secrets. After all, thanks to the raging snowstorm, they have nothing to do but share body heat.
Their sizzling attraction goes straight to their hearts. So could a killer’s bullet…once whoever shot Alex finds them.
Warning: Contains a convenient snowstorm that throws together two wounded characters who
happen to be wildly attracted to each other, a drool-worthy hero, a shotgun-toting heroine,
mattress sex, shower sex, couch sex, armchair sex, some light bondage, and a really good cup of
hot cocoa.
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Enjoy the following excerpt for
Cabin Fever:
‘He held her close’…Alex, stop.”
“What?”
“You’re gnawing on my ear.”
“I’m giving you love nibbles. Brock just did it.”
Genevieve snorted and leaned away from his amorous mouth. “If Brock jumped off a cliff…”
“Man, I wish he’d jump off a cliff. That is one obnoxious guy.”
“You’re just mad I wouldn’t let you pick the book with the anti-terrorist agent hero.”
“Hell yeah. Now that would be awesome. Better than this pussy.”
The other book had had a more erotic bent, which was why Genevieve had insisted on the sweeter historical. Though she had become at ease around Alex, narrating an erotic romance stretched outside her comfort bounds.
As Alex moved down her neck, she sighed and tilted her head to give him better access. Though he’d never admit it aloud, the sex yesterday afternoon had overexerted him; he’d been out cold for the better part of the night. They’d enjoyed some slumberous morning fun earlier today, but from the erection under her butt she knew he was ready to go again.
She sat on his lap in her large armchair, wrapped in a quilt. He’d remained naked after his shower this morning to give his washed boxers a chance to dry. Genevieve couldn’t complain, since the view was so very nice.
“I think it stopped snowing.”
Her heart seized a little, and she followed his gaze out the window. “That doesn’t mean much. It’s been going off and on for the past couple of days.”
“True.”
For a guy whose return to his normal life depended on the weather, Alex didn’t sound like he cared much. In fact, she’d lost some of her urgency as well. Instead of checking the phone compulsively, she had just picked it up this morning once. She noted with some surprise that it was already Friday. How could he have fallen on her doorstep only five days ago?
Alex shifted her a bit so he could pick up the chipped mug on the small table next to the chair. He drank deeply and smacked his lips. “How come your hot chocolate tastes so good?”
“Told you, it’s a secret ingredient.”
“Whiskey?”
“Kind of. A shot of Bailey’s and crème de menthe.”
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He gave a rumble of appreciation. “Here, last sip. You drink it.”
“You can have it.”
“No, it’s so good. You barely had any.”
She drank when he tipped the mug to her mouth, warmed by the drink and the simple gesture. She had the feeling that he would have drank a vat of the hot cocoa if she had it, but instead he made sure she enjoyed the last lingering taste.
When every drop was drained, he placed the mug back on the table and kissed her gently, sharing the hint of chocolate and mint. Languor stole through her body. When their lips separated, she leaned against his chest, the book forgotten in her hands.
“You’re a con artist. That’s why you hate cops.”