Once Upon A Midnight Read online

  She could hear the room filling with police officers. “Where’s Keane?” They had some major OW clean up on their hands. The human would freak at the sight of Greer. In death, the negase hadn’t shifted back to human passing.

  “Keane left with Greer and Aalia as soon as he heard the sirens,” Gav said.

  “Always the warden.” Mina shook her head. “Duty first.”

  Eric wiped the wetness from his cheeks. “I can’t believe you came back to us.”

  She couldn’t believe it either. “What happened? I mean, how did I come back?”

  “You lit up like a pink neon sign, then bang, the bullet popped out, the hole closed in your temple and your heart started beating,” Eric said. “Your eyes are still glowing sort of a hot pink.”

  “Crap, I hope that goes away,” Mina said. “I really do hate pink.”

  “I hate to ruin our moment,” Gav said. “But we need to get our story straight.”

  “We should just go,” Eric said.

  “No.” Mina caressed his cheek when they helped her to stand up. “Mike will have told them we were here and being held captive. We can either face it now or deal with the questions later.”

  “We can’t exactly tell the truth,” Eric said.

  Mina smiled. “We won’t have to.”

  ***

  TOBIAS TOLLIVER LAY in bed. Worried. He hadn’t heard from Jennifer since she’d left the bar with her henchman. It took a few hours, but he’d just drifted to sleep when a firm smack across his face woke him up. Mina Vail stood over him with a gun in his face.

  “Wake up, fuckwad.”

  Intense spike of fear tensed his body. Her eyes were inky black wells of darkness. They promised an ugly death. Wetness brushed against the back of his thigh and he realized he’d pissed himself.

  “Please don’t kill me.”

  Vail grabbed a handful of his hair and dragged him to a sitting position. He couldn’t move. It was as if he were a marionette and Mina Vail pulled the strings.

  “You will confess to Samuel Wilson’s death. You will confess to two other murders as well. I’ve left the files on your nightstand. The police are on the way to your house now,” she said. “You are wanted for kidnapping me, Gavriil Doyle, and Eric Bishop.”

  “They won’t believe me.”

  Mine put her face close to his. In her eyes, he saw unspeakable horror. “Make them believe.”

  “Yes, yes,” he panted. “I’ll make them believe.”

  “Good.” She smiled but it was a more a baring of teeth. “Don’t make me come back, Tobias.”

  “I won’t,” he promised. Jail would be a cakewalk compared to what Mina would do to him if he didn’t do as she said.

  “See you at the arraignment.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  PERSONALLY, MINA WAS just thrilled to be home safely with Gav and Eric. The night at the police station had been long and arduous. Of course, Officer Patterson, Mina’s nemesis in blue had been the first cop on the scene. He took great pleasure in treating Gav like a victim. Asshole. Mina had discovered an interesting aspect of her new incarnation, for lack of a better word. Her rebirth had given her the ability to project herself to other places. With a little guidance from Qetesh, who still spoke to her, Tolliver had been her first experiment. She’d concentrated on locating him, and the next thing she knew, she’d found herself in his bedroom. When she’d returned to the police station, Gav and Eric had told her that it looked like she’d been sleeping.

  How freaking cool was that?

  Tolliver had confessed the three murders. He had enough details to make the confession sound real, and it stopped the human justice system from digging further into the events surrounding the night at the warehouse. Bobby had a concussion, but the doctor said he should make a full recovery with time. Unfortunately, though, he’d be off details until then. It was okay. Mike had proved himself capable, and with Mina’s new abilities they’d get by. Charlie had been another story. She wasn’t happy about the Eric, Mina, and Gav arrangement, but she was a human, so it would be harder for her to understand. Mina hoped she’d eventually come around. She loved Charlie, but she couldn’t live without Eric…or Gav.

  Keane had called. Aalia was going on trial for her crimes. She no longer had an agenda, since Qetesh had turned her back on her, so she made a deal with Grayman. They were moving in on several rebel groups because of her intel, and without Samson Technologies, the money was drying up. Now that she knew Keane was her uncle, he offered to answer any question about her past. She wasn’t quite ready to confront that part of her history yet, but she was sure she’d want to know some day.

  Right now, she had enough on her hands trying to figure out how to love two men equally. Gav and Eric were dealing with their new relationship like champs. Better than she was. Their love for Mina had bonded them together. They’d even become friends. Sorta.

  The three of them had been bed-hopping for several weeks, taking turns at each other’s apartments. It seemed to be working. Their hours weren’t always the same, so everyone got their alone time when they needed it, but they were still cohesive. So no one was more surprised than Mina, well, maybe Gav, when Eric announced at dinner one night that he was giving up his ginormous loft to move in with Mina.

  Gav scooted from the table. “Nope. Not happening.”

  “Why not?”

  Mina put her hands over her ears. “Do I get a say in this?”

  “Look,” Eric said. “I’m rarely home and it makes no sense to pay several grand in rent a month on a loft that I’m not living in.”

  “You’re not moving in with Mina, and that’s that,” Gav argued. “Not unless, I move in too, and she’s already said she not ready for that.”

  “Hey! I’m in the room.” She drew a circle with her finger. “I can speak for myself and make up my own goddamn mind, thank you very much.”

  “Well, what do you think?” Eric asked.

  “Well, boys…” She grabbed them both by the arm and escorted them to the door. “…I think…” She opened the door and pushed them out into the hallway. “…that I have a one-bedroom apartment. Gav has a two-bedroom apartment. You should both live over there. Oh, don’t worry. I’ll let you come by and visit. But not until you stop arguing.” She slammed the door shut in both their shocked faces.

  Dusting her hands on her shorts, she sat back down at the table to enjoy her plate of spaghetti and meatballs Gav had so lovingly prepared. She could hear them arguing as she happily ate the garlic bread and salad that Eric had made. It went down yummy as well. After a few minutes, Mina opened her door. Both Gav and Eric stood on the other side and waited.

  “I think we should all move in together,” Mina said. “We don’t need a bigger apartment.” She smiled. “Just a bigger bed.”

  Gav grinned. He picked Mina up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, as he took her down the hallway to their bedroom. “Close the door, Eric, and get your ass in here.” Gav tossed Mina onto the bed. “We have a housewarming to celebrate.” He stripped his shirt over his head.

  Eric was down to his briefs by the time he entered the room. Jesus, they were both stunning, the kind of men gods would envy.

  Mina's stomach dipped, and her nipples went rigid as they crawled onto the bed with her. “Oh man,” she said. She licked her lips. “I am a lucky, lucky girl.”

  About the Author

  Renee George is a USA Today Bestselling author of cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, erotic romance, contemporary romance, and romantic comedies that highlight varying themes. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, man-child son, two sweet dogs, and a senile cat.

  Find More Books by Renee George

  http://romance-the-night.com/

  Join Renee’s Newsletter

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  Fur Ever Yours

  By: Melanie James

  Copyright © 2016 by Melanie James

  Editing: AVC Proofreading


  Proofreading: AVC Proofreading

  Cover Artist: The Graphics Shed

  Nordic Dire Wolf Design: Elizabeth Rupp of WildSpiritDesigns

  Nordic Dire Wolf Image Copyright © 2016 by Melanie James

  All rights reserved

  Published in the United States of America

  Prologue

  The young boy’s hand wrapped around Bjorn’s fingers, tugging him toward the tall granite boulder. The boy reached out to touch the weathered engraving, but quickly pulled away—not afraid, but more than a little unsure. It was unlike any other he’d seen in the forest. It stood upright, a natural pillar. To the boy, it resembled a headstone, and his father taught him objects such as these were treated with respect. “Papa, what’s so special about this big rock anyway? It looks sort of like a gravestone. Is it?”

  “No, son. It’s more of a monument. You see these marks?” Bjorn’s hand hovered ever so slightly above the engravings.

  “The ones that look like long ribbons? It’s like someone was using it to make the shape of a snake or dragon. I don’t understand why there are so many marks on the ribbon. They look like little twigs.” The boy squinted, trying to make heads or tails of the carvings.

  “It’s the language of the ancients. The pillar is called a Runestone, and it was placed here by our ancestors nearly a thousand years ago. Those little twigs you wonder about are from their language. Only a very few people can read them, even fewer can read beyond the words to understand the majik it holds.”

  “Can you read it, Papa?”

  “No, but your mother can. However, I can tell you a little bit about the story it tells us. You’ve heard the tales of our Viking ancestors. Well, back in the time of the Vikings, among the warriors, there was a special group. You will read about them when you are much older, they were called the Berserkers. It’s well-known they were the fiercest and bravest warriors who belonged to a secret society. Now, there are a lot of things the history books won’t tell you, but I will. These Berserkers only belonged to certain warrior clans. The Runestone tells us that Odin singled out these clans above all others and gave them the gift of Hamask—the ability to shift into the wolf.”

  “Like us!”

  “Exactly, my son. Like us. As time passed, people changed and so did the culture. The Vikings left their old religion and ways. The Berserkers were no longer needed. People feared them because of their fierce loyalty to their clans and traditions, and so the Jarl of Norway banned them. After that, they were considered outlaws.”

  “Is that why they came here?”

  “Yes, son. Entire clans braved the dangerous seas to sail west. They knew of places that few people had found and even fewer people inhabited. In time, they settled here. They didn’t fight with the native tribes. They respected the native’s traditions and customs. This allowed our ancestors to live peacefully for centuries in the northern forests. That’s why so many of the native people have legends about wolf shifters.”

  “That’s us!”

  “Yes, that’s us. And this Runestone contains the whole story. It also has majik, prophecies, and the code our people live and die by. Someday, you will be the Alpha and this Runestone will help you understand your power, but more importantly, your responsibility to your pack. It’s a sacred thing, Rafe. You must always remember that.”

  Chapter One

  Mina sucked in a deep breath, nearly stumbling. Her lungs burned from exertion. I can’t stop, I have to get away. If they catch me, I’m as good as dead. Her ribs ached from the fractures her body refused to heal.

  “There she is! Get her!”

  Glancing over her shoulder, she saw two enforcers shift with lightning speed. Ignoring a multitude of injuries, she pushed herself harder, dodging trees and ducking branches.

  Her survival depended upon her escape. If they caught her, she’d be lucky if all they did was kill her. True fear came in the form of being forced to mate with a slime ball like Griffin Engle. It would be a fate far worse than death.

  His last mate’s body was found in a ravine, in human form, stark naked save for a lone silver necklace and bracelet. It was an adornment Clara would never have willingly placed upon her body. Doing so would have meant weakness and lethargy. Not to mention the fact that silver prevented her from shifting out of her human form and healing her wounds.

  Mina swore to Freyja she would never forget the sight of Clara’s body. Her dear friend had been stabbed over fifty times, nearly every bone in her body broken or crushed.

  An average human would have assumed it was the stab wounds that killed her. But Mina, and many others in the pack, knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the stabbing wasn’t the cause of her death, neither was the fall to the bottom of the ravine.

  The official coroner’s report confirmed their suspicions. Clara’s death was a result of asphyxiation. The stabbings came post mortem, as did the rest of her injuries.

  Sadly, the pack looked the other way. With the demise of the Council, they had no way to make sure Griffin was brought to justice for the brutal murder of his mate.

  There wasn’t a wolf in the pack who was strong enough or brave enough to stand up to Griffin, let alone challenge him for the role of Alpha.

  Anyone who dared to sow discord in the pack swiftly met their end. So many feared for their lives and the lives of their kids, they tucked their tails between their legs and looked the other way.

  Life at Twisted Tail was once happy, serene. The death of their beloved Alpha, Magnulf, ten years ago ushered in a turbulent and violent era that the normally peaceful pack had never seen.

  Magnulf failed to produce a male heir who would have succeeded as the rightful Alpha of Twisted Tail. Upon his death, the men from Magnulf’s bloodline fought amongst themselves for the right to be called Alpha.

  Sectarian wars waged for four long years. The clan was heavily divided by those who believed the pack should maintain their traditions while moving forward into the twenty-first century. Some members believed they should embrace technology along with modernization. Others believed the simple act of modernization would lead to the destruction of customs and traditions.

  It wasn’t until Griffin laid siege to the land that life at Twisted Tail plunged even further into violence and chaos.

  His legacy began with more bloodshed than Mina could imagine. Griffin and his crew slaughtered a third of the pack when he claimed the Alpha’s throne, and many more in the years to follow.

  Unlike those who had a legitimate blood claim to the throne, Griffin had none. He was but a mutt of mixed heritage, orphaned at birth by parents who cared not if their pup survived the first night.

  “Stop right there, you bitch!”

  Mina’s first instinct was to come to a screeching halt, obeying the command of the human in front of her. His pistol pointed directly at her. She would bet her furry ass the gun was filled with silver bullets. Griffin’s human thugs relished each opportunity they had to take down a pack member with a silver bullet, often for the smallest of infractions. Why should she expect preferential treatment?

  I hope this works. Mina twisted to the left, forcing the assailant’s shot to go wide as she barreled closer to where he stood. He swung to the left, firing another quick shot as she zagged to the right before lunging for his throat, leaving a gashing hole. His gurgling grunts filled the air as he collapsed to his knees.

  She mouthed a silent prayer, begging for the energy she needed to make it through this ordeal alive. Changing directions once again, Mina ran as hard and as fast as she could, knowing every second counted. Enforcers were quick, and she was slowed not only by her injuries, but the effects of the silver against her skin.

  Mina began to slow even more, her starved body running on empty. Her gait was uneven. Her body trembled with a growing weakness, she was unaccustomed to. If I can just find a way to get this blasted silver collar off my neck. As it was, she was stuck in her wolf form, bleeding like a stuck pig all because she refused t
o be mated to an Alpha who was not her true mate.

  Panic struck as she thought of the horror she would surely face if she was captured. Rumors of Griffin’s hardhanded ways with his mates bounded through the pack quicker than werebunnies could reproduce. She had little doubt of their truth after seeing the once beautiful Clara bruised and beaten over the few short years Griffin called her his mate. Come hell or high water, she would not meet the same fate.

  Crisscrossing through the forest, with less than stellar skills, she stumbled over rocks and branches. The tiniest of twigs seemed to trip her up as her vision began to blur.

  Focus. Just a little further and I’ll be home free.

  Mina paused to rub her scent against a tall Elm tree, then another and another, before circling back, hoping to throw the pair of enforcers following her off her track.

  Howls filled the brisk night air as Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb, the names she had taken to calling the two who tracked her, lost her scent. It was a plan she counted on working. Enforcers were scary as hell, thankfully, they were not known for their cunning intellect. Needless to say, she found out long ago that her followers were a few fries short of a Happy Meal.

  On more than one occasion, Mina had the displeasure of discovering firsthand just how ruthless and coldhearted the SOBs were. They didn’t think twice about kicking a woman in the ribs, punching her in the face, or leaving her shackled for days on end without food.

  Unfortunately, she could personally attest to their lack of chivalry and grace when it came to dealing with the opposite sex.

  Feeling like she had run a marathon, Mina slowed to a limping walk. Her ears twitched reflexively at the sound of leaves crunching around her. She sniffed, trying to scent the threat, but her broken nose made it impossible for her to tell who or what was approaching.

  Glancing left, the figures of three snarling wolves came into view. She tried to break right, making it only a few short steps when another four wolves came into view. Mina hung her head and let out a whimper when she realized the newcomers had her completely surrounded.