Lord of the Grrr's (58 page)

Evan blinked a few times as if he were clearing his thoughts then he turned to face me, "Not just my grand-daddy. All of us. The whole clan. They're threatening to out us as..." He ended his sentence abruptly, letting his words hang uncompleted in the air between us.

Oh my god,
I thought with sudden realization,
they really do have something on Evan's family-- on
Evan
.

"My family has secrets, Kerri," he held my hands in his now, looking deeply into my eyes as though he were terrified to continue with his confession. "We didn't think they knew and I'm not sure how or when they found out."

"Is it something really bad?" I wasn't sure how far to push. I wanted to assure him that nothing he could tell me would change how I felt about him but how true was that? I  searched my imagination for a list of the worst case scenarios. They could be mobsters, smugglers, in-bred cannibals... No. Scratch that, no one could be the result of generations of inbreeding and still look like Evan. Maybe they were spies?

Oh shit
, it struck me,
that's it, isn't it?
It all made perfect sense. Russians, "escaping" the revolution? Immigrating to America? To Texas, of all places!
Oh no
. My heart sank all the way to the tips of my toes. I'd fallen for a Russian spy.

Wait!
Leave it to my imagination to save the day!
He's worried about the family here in Siberia outing them, maybe that means his family is considered traitors here, in Russia. Oh, that would be so much better.

If that's it, why is Evan looking at me like I'll hate him if he tells me any more?

Evan had responded to my last question with a derisive snort, "Not to us." He was back on his feet, pacing in front of me, choosing his words carefully, "Nah nah, nothin' like that. It's just that my family goes back in the village a long time. We have a reputation and a certain amount of
clout
and the village is sort of-- how should I say this? They still hang on to some very old ideas.
Superstitious
. That's it."

The anger had receded in favor of explaining things to me. I was glad that he didn't seem as stressed out now, but frustrated that he obviously wasn't going to actually tell me what it was about his family that could land them in such hot water.

I kept reminding myself that I'd known this man for less than a week. This was not a relationship, this was a fling. I didn't need to know the details of his family drama, and I had no business asking.

I sat and quietly absorbed everything he was saying, hoping he would choose to trust me on his own.

"I can't tell you. Not just yet." It was like he could read my mind. He stood in front of me and pulled me to my feet and embraced me in his arms for a moment before taking my head in his hands, "This is very important, Kerri. I need you to trust me. You're the one, I know you'll understand when the time is right but I can't risk putting you in danger."

Then he kissed me. He kissed me deep and tenderly and I melted into his arms with complete faith in whatever he said.

I was a sucker for this man. I knew it deep within me even if I wasn't ready to admit it just yet.

His hands were running down my spine, igniting a trail of sparks as they went. His mouth was eager and hungry, claiming mine with the authority of someone who knows they are holding all the cards.

I couldn't be bothered with worry now, not when he had my clothes on the floor around my feet and was kneeling down to devour my body with that hot mouth of his while his hands delved into my moistness.

Whatever his secret was, it could wait one more night.

The sun wasn't up yet. When Evan bent over me to kiss me good bye, the sky hadn't even begun to lighten.

I sleepily calculated that it couldn't even be 3 am. yet as Evan pulled the blankets up to my chin for me, "I have to go meet with some people. I need you to
stay on the car
. OK?"

He was very serious. I tried to open my eyes fully and pay careful attention to what he was saying, "
Stay
on the train, Kerri. No matter what. They're going to be coupling the car to the train in a little while. You don't need to do anything, just sit tight. I'll be back before you leave the station."

"Wait," I had finally reached some level of consciousness, just in time to call out as Evan was leaving the bedroom. He turned to look back at me, "Where are you going?" I asked, my voice still groggy.

"I just have to meet with some folks. I'll be back in a little while." He came back and kissed me again, "Go back to sleep. I'll tell you all about it when I get back and then we'll have all the time we want when we get to Khabarovsk. "

He was gone. I curled up and drifted off to sleep smiling
"when we get to Khabarovsk,"
those were the sweetest words I'd ever heard. He wanted me to stay in Khabarovsk with him.

Sunlight streamed through the windows in the private train car, the familiar back and forth sway of the train assuring me it was perfectly acceptable to sleep in after having been jolted awake by the abrupt coupling of the car to the main train a little while ago.

I gave in to the rocking motion and continued dozing until my stomach reminded me that I'd skipped dinner last night.

I pulled on the T-shirt I'd stolen from Evan to use as a nightie, it hung below my knees, the shoulder seams hanging almost to my elbows. It smelled like him and that made me smile every time I wore it.

One whole day on solid ground and I'd already lost my sea legs, or train legs, I guess. The train lurched from side to side and I nearly tripped trying keep my balance as I made my way to the tiny kitchen in search of breakfast.

Something tugged at the back of my mind as I leaned against the counter, trying to  slice the dense rolls and cheese we'd picked up from a street stand.  I'd just set about making coffee when it dawned on me--

Evan wasn't on the car!

I checked the bed, the couch, and then the small bathroom in case he was in the shower. Nothing.

He'd promised he'd be back before the train left the station.

I looked outside, all traces of Irkutsk had long since slipped by and we were picking up speed along the placid waters of Lake Baikal.

A frantic dash out of the front of the car brought me to reality in a hurry. This was no commuter train like the one we'd been trailing before. A look at the long line of cars stretched out along the winding track in front of us revealed a mixed consist. But the passenger cars were at the front of the train, near the engine. I counted no less than 12 freight cars between them and the private coach.

I was staring at the back of a tanker car, no door to allow passengers to move freely between coaches. Just a metal ladder leading up to the roof.

Evan wasn't on the train.

There was nothing I could do now, but wait till the train stopped.

Read Siberian Soul Part 2

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
S

             
Eva Wilder
loves shifters; everything from traditional sexy alpha wolves and the thundering paws of grizzlies to the obscure and oft-forgotten animals that walk among us disguised as humans. Eva Wilder is the co-author of Chased by the Dragons of Ecuador, American Tigers, Craving the Alpha, and Bearfield, with new series in the works.

              Join Eva's heroines as they discover the secret world of shifters around them... and discover love in all its shifted forms. Come along for the ride as they're captivated and seduced by wily creatures who recognize their mate and aren't afraid to claim her. Eva's stories are wild and steamy, for mature readers only!

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Claire Ryann
is inspired by the real lives and loves of the women that she's known personally, she prefers to create heroines for real life-- what we see in ourselves, what we see in others, and what we want to be.

              A little too curvy? A little past our prime? A little too picky to settle for anything less than the real thing in the right package? Claire's heroines always meet their match-- and their mate--whether it's a ruggedly handsome adventurer, or a seriously sexy alpha bear shifter, or just the new neighbor across the hall.

              Whether you prefer your happy endings with a dose of reality or in the paws of a sexy shapeshifter, Claire probably has a story for you.

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PRIME DESIRE

by Andie Devaux

PROLOGUE

Evie woke with a start, blinking against the dawn light that peeked through the unfamiliar window. Her legs were tangled in something heavy.
Heavy and warm.

She sat up, biting back a gasp. A large, muscular man snored softly in the bed beside her, his legs entangled with hers—only a sheet hiding the delicious hunk of a man.

Nicolas.

The night rushed back to her.

The snowstorm—she’d been lost on the unfamiliar mountain after the clouds and cold had descended rapidly. Her friends had gone ahead earlier. She’d only meant to stay a few minutes, get a couple more shots of the beautiful place with her shiny new camera.

She’d thought she was going to die.

But Nicolas had saved her. Brought her here, to his rustic cabin. Fed her. Comforted her. Given her earth-shaking orgasms the likes of which she’d never known existed.

Then he’d bitten her. And before her eyes, changed into a tiger.

Her hand flew to her shoulder, and she winced when her fingertips brushed the still sensitive skin beneath the haphazard bandage he’d made for her.

The night felt like a dream—but this was real. Her heart raced, and she disentangled her legs from his and slid out of the bed.

Nicolasdidn’t stir. Face peaceful in sleep, he looked harmless. And damn her if he didn’t look better than harmless; he looked positively yummy.

She licked her lips, then her hand slid, as if of its own volition, back to the bite mark on the tender spot where her shoulder met her neck.

No. The man—weretiger, he’d said—might be yummy, but he wasn’t harmless.

Quiet as she could manage, she picked up her boots and coat, taking them outside to his small deck before putting them on. In the light of the morning sun, with the blue sky surrounding her, the landscape appeared far less intimidating than it had in the dark of night. Familiar markers made her realize how far she’d come. But she could make it back to the lodge alone.

Nicolas didn’t care for visitors, he’d told her as much. He’d probably thank her for leaving. But she wasn’t going to risk finding out for sure. Not because she feared he’d hold her against her will, but because she wasn’t entirely sure she could resist if he asked her to stay.

Steadying herself with a deep breath, she headed into the snow.

CHAPTERONE

Three years later…

“Stupid, freaking thing. Just. Open!” Evie jiggled her key in the equipment cabinet, muttering a curse under her breath. The damn thing never failed to stick, and sometimes it felt like she spent half of her day either trying to get it open or trying to get it locked. Finally, the lock gave, and she wrenched the door open. A tripod flew at her, massive metal sticks going in all directions.

She yelped and hopped back, narrowly escaping a shot to the eye. Of course, the tripod was trying to kill her. It was just that kind of a Monday. Besides, Doug worked the weekend, and the kid couldn't be bothered to load the closet properly.

After she tugged the camera, tripod, and miscellaneous props out of the cabinet, Evie hit the power button on the computer and ran to start the coffee pot. A good half-hour before her first appointment, she was determined to be fully caffeinated before attempting to pry smiles out of sullen teenagers.

Cup in hand, she settled in at the computer and clicked through the news while nursing her coffee. Not much happened in the sleepy California town she’d lived in since graduating college, but the local newspaper’s website did feature an article about a church potluck that went into excruciating detail, as well as the winners of a 4-H competition.

Sleepiness threatening, she checked the studio’s email, but no inquiries had come in since the day before. After one last scan of the local paper, she’d summoned enough courage to check her own account.

A bolded, unread message—complete with an urgent exclamation point flag—waited in her inbox. She flinched. Sure, she’d half expected it, but she’d hoped after her latest long reprieve that her parents had given up.

Fat chance.

Sure enough, there was a job posting attached to the message, which she clicked before even scanning the text. A respectable office position that required a bachelor’s degree but didn’t specify the major. A job that would eliminate the fifty-mile gap she’d managed to get between herself and her parents. A gap she wouldn’t even care about if their disapproval of all her life choices didn’t radiate so obviously with every glance.

She didn’t need their approval. And if she continued to tell herself that, eventually, she might even believe it.

A year had passed since she’d graduated college. A year since she’d refused to go onto graduate school to become something respectable like a businesswoman or lawyer. Even though Evie had taken most of the money she'd saved for grad school and spent it on expensive camera equipment to develop her wildlife photography portfolio,her mother continued to hope.

Grimacing, she clicked back to her mother's email.

Sure enough, her mother started with civilities. Asked how her month was going so far. Checked to make sure she got her flu shot. But after two paragraphs, she got down to business. A quick, innocuous line asking her how work was going. Followed by a not so subtle reminder that she was still young and she could still go back to school. That her parents were more than happy to do everything they could to help her pay for it. Since—the email insinuated but didn't say directly—Evie had gone and wasted all of her own savings on a silly dream.

A dream that wasn't working out.

Her stomach dropped at the thought. Sure, working at a portrait studio—mostly taking senior photos for high school yearbooks, family photos, and even helping her boss, Dana, shoot the occasional wedding—wasn't exactly her lifelong goal. But she got to take pictures—for an admittedly modest income.

Not exactly the same as seeing her photo featured on the cover of National Geographic, but she wasn't ready to give up on that dream just yet.

To reply or not to reply? She bit her lip, feeling a headache starting between her temples. She clicked back to her inbox. Her mom wouldn't panic about her non-reply for a few hours yet, so she'd wait. She just couldn't summon the false cheerfulness—not before finishing her first cup of coffee.

But before she could close out of her email altogether, a new message popped up, catching her attention.

She frowned, then her mouth dropped open. The company name wasn’t familiar. But she didn't care.

The subject read: Wildlife Photographer Needed.

Her heart jumped into her throat. Not once, in all the times she'd sent inquiries and copies of her portfolio, had she gotten a reply back—other than the standard “If we need somebody, we’ll let you know. Thanks so much for your interest.”

Holding her breath, she opened the email.

The message didn't open with common pleasantries. Instead, it was terse and to the point.

Ms. Lane, Upon considering your portfolio, we believe you would be the right candidate for a series of photos we wish to be taken of a family of Rocky Mountain White Foxes that have been spotted in Northern Colorado. Please reply within forty-eight hoursto the phone number below if you are interested. Regards, Ms. Clark.

She hopped up and down in her seat, unable to contain her excitement. This was the chance she'd been hoping for. Her shot. She could hardly believe her eyes, could hardly believe the email had her name on it. On a crazy whim, she hit
print screen
on the keyboard. The unlikely event that the email would suddenly disappear suddenly weighed on her mind.

The paper was still hot from the printer when she snatched it up to read it again. This much excitement had to be shared.

Lauren answered on the second ring.

"Guess what! Guess what!" She said, bouncing on her seat. Beneath her, the office chair squeaked.

"What? What?" her best friend Lauren asked, echoing her excitement.

"I got a job offer."

"Really? Is it…" Lauren hesitated, obviously trying to find a nice way to ask what kind of job. She knew how disappointed Evie had been in the past, how rare the type of work she wanted to do really was.

"It's photographing foxes." When Lauren didn't say anything, she added, “Rare foxes. For a nature magazine." The name of the magazine wasn’t specified in the email. Odd, but not a deal breaker. Surely they would divulge that when she called them.

"Oh my God!" Lauren said. “That's wonderful. Exactly what you've been wanting. How did this happen? I need all the deets.”

"It…" Lauren brought up a good question. How had it happened? She certainly hadn't applied for any specific job like this. Rocky Mountain Snow Foxes? That, she would've remembered. They were rare, beautiful creatures. So rare they’d been thought extinct for ten years and had only been spotted half a dozen times in the last five. “I guess an editor came across my portfolio.”

It had been nearly six months since she’d last sent one to a major magazine, but who knew how long they kept portfolios on file? Heck, maybe she'd caught someone's attention back then. Maybe they put her on the shortlist for when something appropriate came up. The thought added to the rush of adrenaline pumping through her system. She very nearly preened.

"Where is it at? When do you leave?"

Of course Lauren wanted all the details. The accountant was
obsessed
with details. "I don't have all the info yet," she confessed. “All I know is that it’s in northern Colorado. I've got to call them and confirm that I'm interested."

On the other side of the line, Lauren paused. "Northern Colorado?"

Evie knew exactly where Lauren's mind was going. "It's fine. Colorado isn’t exactly a small state—I probably won't be in the same area. And even if I am, it will be fine." How many times had she said
fine
? Probably enough to show she wasn’t totally there yet. But she would be. This was her dream, and she wasn’t letting a little thing like a near death experience and a Twilight Zone-esque incident keep her from taking her shot.

“Well, you’re obviously fine,” Lauren said dryly. "Just be careful out there. The last time—crap, Evie, we almost lost you."

She swallowed hard, some of her exuberance tempered. Lauren spoke the truth.The last time she was in those cold, snowy mountains, she’d almost died. But she’d made it back to civilization in one piece. Because the sexiest man she'd ever met—before or since—had saved her life. Plucked her out of the snow, taken her to his rustic cabin in the woods, and fucked her so good she compared every man she'd met since against him.

And they'd all come up wanting.

But then he’d turned into a monster—or she had a mental breakdown. That part, she’d never confided in Lauren, or anyone else, for that matter. In fact, most of the time, she pretended that bit never happened.

That trip to Colorado had wreaked havoc on her love life. Had, in fact, pretty much brought it to a halt other than a few lackluster dates she’d had since then. But she’d get over it—she’d get over him. Hell, maybe a trip back to the area would help her finally let go of the man she’d met there.

"Promise. I'll be fine. I’ve built up my survival skills since then. Besides, it's spring."

"Yeah," Lauren deadpanned. "And freak snowstorms never occurred in Colorado in the spring. Especially not at whatever elevation I'm sure these whatever mountain foxes live at.”

"Rocky Mountain Snow Foxes,” she muttered. "Honest, I'll be fine. This is
happy for me
time."

Lauren took the hint. “Of course, I'm happy for you—this is the start of your dreams really coming true. I feel it. I just want you to be careful."

"Don't worry, being carefulis on my to-do list."

Lauren laughed and shifted the conversation to the details of what Evie needed to pack.

Her mind wandered, settling on a single night three years gone. A night that had changed her life forever.

A night she’d never been able forget.