Shelly Laurenston

“Don’t be that way, Ric.” She grabbed hold of Ric’s T-shirt and pulled him over until his weight rested against her. She placed her hand against the back of his neck and lowered his head, placing it against her chest. Using her fingers, she eased around and found the swelling knot at the base of his skull and carefully placed the bag of ice there. “Doesn’t that feel better?”He grunted a little, his arms now wrapping around her waist, his face burrowing deep against her breast. After a moment, he settled and said, “Now it does.”Dee rolled her eyes in disgust. Honestly, wolves took any advantage they could get. At their core—they were all the same.Horny, pathetic, and cute.”

“Are you two done staring longingly in each other’s eyes or should we just take a break?”Now scowling, Dee turned her head and focused on the only idiot really taking the game seriously.Mitch took a step back, grabbing his brother and yanking him in front of his body. “Take him, Dee. Take him!”“You bastard!” Brendon yelped.”

“The abnormally large female cut the sandwich into four pieces and gave one to each before taking one for herself. They all took a bite and she grinned at their appreciative groans. “See?” she said around a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly. “Isn’t that good?”“And so decadent,” Berg sighed. “I feel like I’m eating evil. Pure, unadulterated evil.”“But good evil,” Finn added. “The finest evil ever.”“Come!” Carl, the unabashed history fan and future historical “re-creator” of the lot—an activity Irene had always thought was an incredible waste of time for any human being with a brain—cried out,“Let us tell the others of this glory and what we have learned here today from the enemy She-wolf!”“Huzzah!” they all cheered and ran out the kitchen back door.”

“She decided to be honest. “You”—she pointed at Dee-Ann—“kill at the slightest provocation. I hit for no other reason than I feel like it. And MacDermot is rude and abrasive.” Cella put her arms around each woman’s shoulders and hugged them in tight. “Oh, my God! I just realized. I love you guys!”“You’re touchin’ me,” Dee-Ann complained.“Yeah, but at least this time it’s not ’cause I’m hitting you.”

“She couldn't get past him. After another minute, she screamed, "You'll never take me alive! I'll never let you get me to a secondary location!”

“Gwen hates me,” she reminded him.“Don’t be narcissistic. She hates everyone.”

“Blayne turned her head to look at Gwen, but caught sight of Dee-Ann standing behind them."Ahh! Where the hell did you come from?""Momma says from the love she shares with my daddy," Dee calmly replied.”

“Why don’t you admit I’ve been robbed of my musical career because society can’t handle my innate sexuality?”

“She glanced down at the ground and the inert form of her brother. “What happened to Travis?”Mitch winced. “I hit him with the door after I tore it off. It was a total accident.”“Marry me,” she spouted before she could stop herself.”

“Momentarily forgetting this wasn’t one of her She-wolves, Sissy automatically teased, “Good thingmy brother likes women with meat on their bones ’cause your ass is gonna be gettin’ wide.”As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back.But without missing a beat, Jessie shot back, “Cool. Now I can start wearing your jeans. I thoughtthat was only going to be possible during the late stages of the pregnancy.”

“Do you think I’m pretty?”Smitty glanced away from the computer screen he’d been staring at for the last three hours, looked at his sister, and shook his head. “No.”“What do ya mean no?”“You asked. Sorry if you didn’t like the answer. I always thought you were funny lookin’. Asked momma, ‘What is that thing laying in your bed?’ And she said, ‘I found it hiding under a car, you be nice to it now.”

“Smitty gave his best pout. “Why are y’all trying to hurt me?”“Because it’s fun?”“It’s easy.”“I love it when you cry.”Smitty sighed. “Forget I asked.”

“He’d never been to a wedding at a castle before but it fit the style of the bride, who brought geekiness to a whole new level. In fact, she was the one who’d told him to go. Wait. That wasn’t right. She didn’t tell him to go. She’d told him to, “Make a break for it! Before thehounds of darkness come for you and destroy our plans to release our people from their enslavement! Go, Lachlan MacRyrie of the Clan MacRyrie. Go! And don’t look back, my friend!” It would seem strange to those who didn’t know her, but Lock knew it was simply Jessica Ward’s way of saying, “Could you look more miserable? Just go already!”

“He's just watching out for you, Desiree.' Dee patted Mace's arm. 'Bless his heart.'Mace growled. 'I know that's not a compliment, Dee-Ann.”

“He’d just poured himself a hot cup of coffee, his mouth already watering as he brought the mug to hislips.“Oh, thanks, sweetie.” And like that, the cup was gone.He glared down at the female who dared take his coffee. The life-giving elixir was his! Then he noticedshe was fully dressed.“You’re leaving?” Damn. And he really did have plans for that adorable little ass.“Oh, yeah.” She sipped the coffee and grimaced. “Geez. Battery acid.” It suddenly occurred tohim…She was perky. Who was perky at five-thirty in the morning?Good Lord!Morning people were perky at five-thirty in the morning!”

“She still sighed out her answer, though. “Fine. I’ll go.”“Now, darlin’. I know I’m pulling you away from playing grab ass with my oldest boy onhis nice hardwood floor…” Angie barely stopped herself from spitting out her mouthfulof coffee. “But if he’s anything like his daddy, trust me, he’ll still be here when you getback.”

“Got any brothers or sisters?”“No.”“Not a real chatty gal, are ya?”“Exactly how am I supposed to expand on not having siblings? Should I cry?”He smiled as he held up a bottle, “Wine?”

“She scrambled to her feet, “We… uh… better get back. The clothes… ya know.”True, her ten grand worth of clothes were in the back of his pick-up, but he really needed a moment to… uh… compose himself.“Are you coming?”Well, that’s a loaded question.”

“Irene sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just give her the flowers so we can be gone.” She glanced at Van. “I grow tired of the company.”Paul walked away and Van leaned against the wall, staring down Irene’s cleavage. “You know, Irene,” he said low, so only she could hear, “when you’re mean to me like that…”“Yes?”“It makes me so horny.”

“You couldn’t handle being me.” She swirled her forefingers around her head and admitted, “All that goes on inside this head at any given time…would destroy you.”

“Heifer.”“Rich man’s whore!”“At least mine can cook the food he eats. And replaces it, too.”“Now see, Dee-Ann Smith. That was just mean!”

“Zach shoveled another spoonful of Fruit Loops cereal with milk into his mouth. “It is not possible!” “How do you know? Just because there’s no proof to prove it, there’s no proof to disprove it either.” “You’re trying to make me crazy, aren’t you?” “Not at all.” Sara put her bowl down. “I’m just saying there could be bunny shifters.” “There are no bunny shifters!” Shaking her head she accused, “You’re a bunny bigot.” Zach threw his spoon back in the near-empty bowl. “And there is no such thing as bunny bigots.”

“I’ve found it’s never the animals you have to worry about, Miki. It’s the humans.”

“What's the matter?" And she could hear the smile in his voice. "Cat got your crotch?”

“Do you mind if I ask you a question, darlin'?""Only if you stop calling me darlin'""Now where I come from that's a term of endearment.""Really? Well, where I come from motherfucker is a term of endearment. Want me to start calling you that?”

“It wasn’t until someone kicked his legs that Nik woke up. Alek, snoring beside him, his head resting on his shoulder. Ban snoring on the other couch, the noise rivaled only by the dog. He looked into the impossibly cranky face of Zach Sheridan. “Y’all get food?” “We had a full refrigerator before you three got here.” “Where I come from, we don’t let the refrigerator get empty.” “Where you come from, you marry your sister.”

“I'm not a whore, Dee-Ann. You can't just come here to use and abuse me before going on your merry way. Unless, of course, you're naked.”

“If you’re worried arresting my sister will come between us — really, that’s not a problem. I’m pretty sure it will bind us tighter together. Besides, we made plans…involving Missy’s desk.”“You know I was only torturing your sister.”“So you were just using me?” He actually sounded wounded. “Like a whore?”“Mace…” She stopped and rubbed her eyes. Of all the places he could be doing this, her precinct should not be one of them.“You’re doing it again.”“Doing what?”“Trying to make me crazy.”The look he gave her was pure predatory male. “I like you crazy.”

“The elevator doors opened on the first floor and Van Holtz was waiting there with several bags of groceries in his hands. “Oh. You,” he said. He started to walk in and, without thinking, simply reacting, Bo shoved him back out of the elevator by his head and hit the elevator button again. “You asshole!” Bo heard as the door closed.”

“I don’t hate you, you idiot. I’m in love with you. That’s why I’m panicking!” She marched to the door and yelled, “And our children will not be freaks!”“Except their mother already is,” her father yelled back.”

“Don't you see Blaynie." Mitch put his arm around her shoulders. "You're like an illegitimate little sister that I never wanted.”

“It had taken him by surprise when the bride had asked him. Why would she want him in her wedding? And that’s exactly what he’d asked her. She’d smiled up at him, those big, brown wild dog eyes of hers making him feel all protective of her, and then she’d told him, “Because, dude, you’re our karaoke king, and we worship at your altar.”

“They all stared at the television. Twenty male shapeshifters quietly watching "The Howling.”

“How do you get rational, well-respected people involved in your insanity? I mean is it something you taught yourself to do or is it part of your sociopathic nature?”

“I never knew she liked country music," Smitty said in awe.Yeah, that must make her prime mate material for a Smith. She'll fit right in at one of your hootenannies."-Mitch to Smitty”

“A karaoke bar?" Mitch glared at him. "You dragged us to a karaoke bar?""She didn't tell me it was karaoke.""You know it's bad enough having to listen to you guys howl all the time. But this...this may be asking too much. Dogs. Singing." Mitch turned to the bar and lashed Smitty with another glare. "And no goddamn liquor. You know, as per shifter law, I could legally kill you.”

“Gwen stopped putting her money in the bag. "You're giving your father a picture of a door for his birthday?" And she'd thought Mitch marking up pages in her copy of Vogue and telling her, "This is what I'd get you for your birthday if I had money" had been cheap.”

“Sissy Mae Smith...stumbled into the room loaded down with even more bags. "You pack like a woman," she snarled when she finally dropped the luggage to the floor. "How can one man have so much conditioner?"His mouth filled with French toast, Mitch pointed at his hair and snarled, "Tawny mane! Do you think this shit stays this beautiful on its own? It needs care and love! Which is more than I'm getting from you!”

“Are you going to tame our little Sissy, Mitchell?Sissy rubbed her face, annoyed, and Mitch answered honestly, "I'm really too lazy to try and tame anybody. If I had my way, I'd spend all day sleeping under a tree, maybe rolling out occasionally to sun my belly, and then I expect someone to bring me food. I could live like that forever!”

“You admit nothing. Deny everything. Demand proof. Did you learn nothing in Boot Camp?" (Mace to Smitty)”

“I know she's weird. Her friends know she's weird. And we all accept it because she's weird, but also amazing.”

“Before Van realized it, he was walking her back toward her stairs. He didn't stop kissing her, he wouldn't. The last thing he wanted was for her to change her mind. He managed to get her to the upstairs hallway before she pulled her mouth away. "What are you doing?" she panted out. "Taking you to your bed." "Forget it." And Van, if he were a crying man, would be sobbing. Until uptight Irene Conridge added, "The wall. Use the Wall.”

“Smitty leaned forward, resting his arms on this raised knees. "I am fixin' to get mad, Jessie."You're fixin' to get mad?""Yeah.""Why don't you just get mad?""I'm not there yet. But I will be if you don't start talking to me."Smitty to Jessie Ann”

“I swear, Santiago! You are an idiot!""I'm only trying to help you along. The guy is all over you and you need to let him know your're interested before some other biker slut, such as yourself, snaps him up with a well-timed blow job.”

“Forget he never wanted this in the first place. Forget he was convinced she might be clinically insane and definitely feral. The bottom line was, she ran. She didn't even stop to shower. She woke up, saw Zach lying next to her, and took to the Texas hills. Not a good sign when one was just starting out in a relationship.”

“We're a 'we' now?" "I thought I made that clear the other night when I tied you face down to the bed and fucked ya proper”

“I don't know which will upset you more," she replied. "Telling you it's nothing but clutter or confessing that I often take it out and play 'I am Boba Fett' when I don't think anyone can see me.”

“I think that lion females are really lesbians and the males are used strictly for their sperm”

“Dear God in heaven.” Nik and Ban turned away, but Alek stood. Transfixed. “My God, y’all. She’s the worst goddamn dancer I’ve ever seen.” “Turn away. It’ll hurt your eyes. Turn away!”

“Are you afraid?" Volker questioned while sitting at the table and getting comfortable."No. But I have incredible luck with dice and I am ruthless. You will lose, gentlemen. I will destroy your lands, take your women, ravish your men, and make your children my slave labor. I will own every castle, house, and farm that is within my reach. I won't be satisfied until I own all of it and you. I will destroy you all, gentlemen, and, to be quite blunt, I don't think you can handle it."Van covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud and he didn't dare look at his sister. Verner stepped back, motioning to the table. "Now I must insist.""As you wish." Irene sighed and stood. She glanced at Van and gave him a quick wink before turning back to his uncle. "I do hope you're a 'sobber,' Mr. Van Holtz. Nothing I love more than the lamenting of the men I annihilate.""I can't believe you made him cry.""I did not. He just teared up a little.""Yeah. I think it was when you told him, 'I now control your ports and own your manhood.'""His wife laughed.”