Rion had done as he instructed, closed the blinds, turned back the cool white sheets and black comforter to make a space for her in the center of the square bed made especially for Alpha mates. It was nearly twice the size of an ordinary king-size bed. The scent of candles smelling of soothing lavender and sandalwood permeated the air, and Rion had even placed a glass of water with a pitcher, and cold cuts on a plate, on the end table. Tarquin raised his brow at that.
“Domesticated already?”
“Shut it, Quin. You only meet your mate once. She’s had a hard enough time, it seems.”
It was then Quin saw the tightness around his brother’s mouth and the tension in his shoulders. Even his blond hair, falling right to his shoulder, was mussed and messy, as if he’d been running his fingers through it constantly. He was keyed up like a shifter unable to shift. He could see the pain in his brother’s eyes and knew the source.
“She survived, Rion. We got her safely home.”
“No, you got her home. Had she been waiting on me, she’d be gone.”
“Once we bond, you will recognize her as surely as I do, at whatever distance there may be. She’s safe, brother. She’s safe.”
“Qu—”
Their mate’s soft moan silenced them both. Looking at each other, making an instant decision, they laid their mate down in the middle of the bed, stripped her of her clothing, and washed away the blood and scent of the vampyre. A few minutes after that, they were in wolf form, curled around her sides, ever vigilant, ever there.
Chapter Seven
Her head was killing her. Her throat tasted like ash, and her electricity bill must not have been paid by her absentminded self because she was ridiculously warm. To add to that glorious combination, her body felt as though it had been in the ring with Manny Pacquiao. She tried to roll over, but felt her sides trapped by something. Furry somethings. Okay, breathing furry somethings, and she knew she had no dogs. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked down at a massive black wolf on one side and a blond one on the other. When she said massive, she meant at least twice the size of the largest German shepherd she’d ever seen in her life. So, Z did what any self-respecting person would do—she screamed at the top of her bloody lungs, jumped out of the bed, ran blindly for the door.
The blond wolf leapt over her. Over her! He landed squarely across the door, and then he just melted. She didn’t know how else to describe it. His fur melted away, falling to the ground in disappearing golden sprinkles, until a completely naked green-eyed giant stood in front of her. His hair fanned around his shoulders…nicely built shoulders. It was like looking at Brad Pitt’s Achilles walking off the damn screen. She knew her jaw was hanging to the floor, but she was too afraid, amazed, and near traumatized to react.
“Bad move.”
As the dulcet tones directed from behind brushed over her, she realized three things in quick succession. One: there had been two wolves, and she left the black one behind her when she was staring like a moron at the blond model in front of her. Two: said wolf was now gone, leaving Eric Bana in his place. Three: and this one just took the whole cake . . . She was ass naked in front of said men, in a room that was an inferno waiting to happen, in a place she did not know, and with no way to escape. She either had gone completely crazy and was now in the Twilight Zone, or was dreaming some stuff that meant she needed to see a therapist in the morning. Either way she was screwed. The lingering pain in her neck had her reaching up to cup the side. Her touch brought back memories of the evening, and suddenly, being naked in the middle of two of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen in her life was terrifying no matter if she was crazy or not. Her body twitched, ready to bolt. A growl stopped her.
“Rion.”
Zelina looked over to Blondie and figured he was Rion. His lip was pulled back to reveal four sharp teeth—four sharp teeth, like Brian. She felt her blood drain from her face. She went cold. She wasn’t crazy. She was going to die.
“Rion! You’re scaring her,” the dark one hissed, lips tight over what she figured were his set of dog teeth. “You’re safe here, mate. Never fear us. But now is not the time to run. There is so much you have to understand. Running will trigger instincts you aren’t ready for yet. Trust me in this.”
“So you guys can kill me? Screw that.” Zelina moved to grab something, anything, to use as a weapon and for the second time that night got the wind knocked out of her. A massive, hot form slammed her body into the wall, effectively pinning her. She couldn’t move with all her might.
She made another discovery, her mind nearly bubbling with hysterical laughter. She was really tired of discovering tonight. If she made it through this, she was canceling her Discovery Channel, she swore she was. The aforementioned hunk had her plastered against the wall, something long, hot, and thick tucked neatly into the crease of her ass. He leaned nearer to her neck, growling softly against her flesh. Discovery one thousand: he was hung like a horse!