Leather and Lace [Skinwalkers 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  But she still couldn’t remember her last name or where she lived.

  I live here now.

  She inhaled sharply at the thought. There was no reason for her to think that way except for one. She wanted to stay. Living on the mountain in the beautiful rustic log cabin was like living out a fantasy. And living with Zack and Chan? That was a dream she didn’t dare wish for.

  She couldn’t help it and let her nerves get the better of her. At last, she had to gaze out the window of the kitchen and into the yard beyond. Snow clung to the branches of the trees beyond making the woodlands look beautiful and mystical. A foot of snow had fallen since she’d arrived and its pristine appearance never failed to make her heart flutter.

  Just like it did whenever the men were near.

  Zack Blackwood. At first he’d frightened her with his stern looks and glittering blue eyes. But she’d grown to realize that his hard exterior hid a heart of gold. He was kind whenever she needed him to be. Once, while looking out the window, she’d seen him approach a deer that had come to the edge of the forest. Instead of bolting away, the deer had inched closer then stuck out its neck and allowed him to pet it. She’d cursed herself for not having a camera to record the tranquil moment between man and animal. When the deer had finally dashed off, Zack had lifted his head, a peaceful expression on his face, and met her gaze. He’d blinked as though surprised to find her watching. His expression clouded a moment before lifting his hand in greeting. Then, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he’d walked into the forest and out of sight. She had a feeling that he liked being in the wilderness more than inside the house.

  Then there was Chan Channing. She smiled. His nickname was a funny one, but now that she knew him better, she preferred it even more to his real name, Milton. Milton didn’t fit him at all. It was too dry and humorless for a man who laughed and made jokes. He’d had her in stitches more than once. But he had his serious side, too. Several times she’d caught Chan speaking earnestly to Zack, his voice too low for her to hear, but the intense look on his face had said it all.

  They were worried about her. For her.

  And that was only one of the many things that she loved about them.

  The realization that they meant so much to her had come slowly. It was an awareness that had grown little by little each day until one night at the dinner table, she’d stopped, her fork halfway to her mouth and thought, I love them.

  She couldn’t remember much about her life and what she’d left behind, but she was all too certain about how she felt. She loved them. Whatever lay ahead for her, whatever she uncovered about her life, wouldn’t change that.

  Tonight would be the night she told them how much she cared.

  A movement in the trees caught her attention. She squinted, trying to see against the sun glistening on the white snow.

  There it is again.

  She watched as a dark form popped up and down behind a bush. The alarm washed away, replaced with a giggle. Chan had done the same thing the day before, trying to coax her into a game of chase. She’d gone outside, pretending curiosity. Chan had jumped out from behind the bushes and grabbed her. She’d shrieked loud enough that a worried Zack had burst from the house without shoes or a coat.

  Funny that the coldness hadn’t seemed to bother him. In fact, both men sometimes went outside in short-sleeved shirts.

  She bowed her head, forgetting about the movement until she saw it once more. “Aw, Chan. Can’t you come up with a new game to play?”

  Yet she had to admit that she’d loved it when he’d snagged her from behind. His warm breath had tickled her ear and he’d whispered, telling her how sexy she looked. At the time, all she could think was that she’d wished she hadn’t had on Chan’s oversized old coat. She would’ve liked feeling him arms wrapped around her, his skin closer to hers.

  Instead, he’d carried her upstairs and into her bedroom. Zack had followed, and without speaking another word, they’d made love. Each man had possessed her, Zack tying her hands together then looping the leather cord around the bedpost. He lifted her up and took her from behind while Chan spread her legs and licked at her pussy.

  Her pussy clenched at the memory. Her men making love to her was a memory she’d never forget.

  Zack had bitten her on the neck, not enough to draw blood, and then told her that one day soon he wanted to place a leather loop around her neck. She hadn’t understood the significance of that, but if it was important to him, then it was important to her.

  He’d driven into her, his cock stretching the walls of her dark hole. She cried out as he’d moved her into a better position so that he could spank her butt while gripping her other butt cheek and driving his cock inside her.

  Chan had feasted on her pussy, raking his tongue over her clit as he ate up her cream. When Zack had pulled out and shot his seed onto her back, then moved out of the way, Chan had gotten up and tugged her body over the edge of the bed. She strained at her bindings, not to get free, but to feel the ache in her arms.

  Chan had made her come alive as he’d pounded his cock into her pussy and pinched her nipples. When he’d lifted her off the bed and wrapped her legs around his waist, she’d hung suspended in the air, completed vulnerable. His soft “uhs” punctuated her own soft moans as Zack added a butt plug to her hole.

  They’d taken her so high with lust that she’d almost blacked out.

  That moment was only rivaled by the time they’d pulled her into the shower. They’d washed her body, then fucked her at the same time. Afterward, they’d dried her off and taken her back to her bed. The three of them had fallen asleep, cuddled together with her in the middle.

  She’d never felt so secure or so loved.

  There he is again.

  “Okay, then, if that’s the way you want to play it, game on.” She left the tea sitting where it was and reached for the coat hanging on the pegs by the front door. She stopped as her hand fell on the soft material.

  If they could take the cold, then why not her? Besides, she didn’t plan on being outside for long. Once Chan grabbed her, she’d take the opportunity to lure him back inside and up to bed. As far as she knew, Zack was still in the office going over paperwork. She’d been warned by Chan to stay away when he was in there and she wasn’t about to second-guess him. Still, Zack would want to join them.

  She shivered at the prospect of getting one or both of them into her bed again. She’d planned on telling them how she felt over tea, but now that idea seemed lame. Why not take advantage of Chan’s game playing and tell them how she felt upstairs in her bed? Their bed.

  She yanked on the snow boots sitting by the door, then turned the knob. The brisk wind chilled her, but she wouldn’t let that deter her. She stepped into the snow and shivered.

  Here I come, Chan.

  Trying not to be too obvious, she started walking off toward the right of the figure in the trees. She glanced around, acting like she was taking in the sunshine and was oblivious to him. Thankfully, the wind had died down, but it was still cold. Either the men had a secret to ignoring the winter chill or they were good at not showing that they were freezing. She paused, considered going back inside to get her coat, then decided that she might lose her chance at tricking Chan.

  She continued to walk, humming a tune that had gotten stuck in her head all day. When she was only a yard or so away from the spot where she’d noticed him, she spun around and pointed. “Ah-ha! I caught you spying on me!”

  Her laughter died when the man straightened up.

  It’s him.

  The evil man, his scar a white slash across his tanned skin, smiled at her. “Hello, sweet cakes.”

  She whirled around as fast as she could and ran for the cabin. His laughter, mean and low, filtered to her but she didn’t dare turn around. The foot of snow made it hard to lift her legs and her breath burned in her throat. She didn’t have enough air to scream for help.

  She plowed through the snow moving
far too slowly. The boots were too large for her and dragged on her feet, sticking into the snow and the wet ground beneath it. Yanking her leg up, she lost the left one and fell forward, landing flat in the snow.

  She cried out, panic seizing her. He’d be on top of her in a second. Yet the feel of him grabbing her shoulders never came. She pushed her body up and looked behind her.

  Where’d he go?

  A low growl had her turning back toward the house. The wolf that had attacked her in the kitchen spread its jaws wide, mocking her with its own evil grin. His reddish-brown fur stood on end and his tail swung low, signaling his intent. He stood between her and the safety of the house.

  The frightened sound she made deep in her throat didn’t seem like it had come from her. Yet she knew it had. Moving slowly, she got onto her feet, not bothering to pull the boot back on.

  She backed up, going not toward the house, but back to the woods. Every step was pure hell as the wolf matched her pace, its body hunkered low, its ears flattened to its head.

  He’s toying with me.

  She couldn’t stand it any longer. She had to run.

  She spun around again and took off, leaving the other boot stuck in the snow, too. The bright sun faded to flashes of light once she’d made it inside the forest, but at least the snow wasn’t as deep. She forged ahead, going as fast as she could, but knowing that the wolf would be on her at any moment.

  He was playing with her, drawing out the moment when he’d jump on her back and drive his fangs deep into her neck. She could almost feel her own hot blood rushing over her chilled skin as he tore her throat out.

  The image the evil boss ripping the poor man’s throat out stabbed deep into her mind and heart. Her panic made her wild as she hurried on, barely noticing the branches scratching at her face and arms. A noise assaulted her ears before she realized that it was her own screams that were deafening her.

  And still she ran, uncaring where her fear took her.

  Her legs ached at the strain of forcing them to move against the snow, but she couldn’t give in. If she did, she was dead.

  Daring to see how close it was, she craned her head around. When she didn’t see the beast, she stopped, unsure which direction to go. Had he managed to get ahead of her, ready to strike her down when she ran straight into him? She couldn’t believe that he’d given up the chase.

  Where is he?

  He wasn’t behind her, but the force to turn her body around threw her off balance. She yelped as she tripped over a branch buried under the snow and fell backward. In midair, she twisted around far enough to see the darkness of the ditch below her.

  Strong arms caught her and kept her from falling. Zack pulled her close, his arms steel-like vines that held her safe and sound.

  “The wolf. He’s back.”

  Zack scanned the area. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, darkening. It must’ve been the way the filtered sunlight hit them, but they took on a deeper blue hue.

  “I don’t see anyone.”

  Anyone? Or anything? “I swear it was there.”

  “Lace, where are you?”

  Chan’s voice echoed around the forest, putting birds into flight.

  “We’re here. She’s safe,” called Zack.

  Keeping her by his side, he led her toward the house. Chan stood in the middle of the yard between the front porch and the tree line. He bent and pressed his fingers to the snow, then straightened as they came closer.

  “She said the wolf was back.” Zack kept walking, escorting her past Chan and up the steps.

  “Yeah. He left tracks again.” Chan followed them inside, pausing at the doorway for a moment before joining them.

  Zack led her to the couch and sat her down. She shuddered, then pulled the blanket that rested on the arm of the couch over her.

  “The man was there, too. At least at first.”

  “The man?” Zack sat next to her, and although he hadn’t had a jacket on, his body didn’t feel cold like hers did.

  “The one I saw in my daydream. The one who killed the other man.” Her feet tingled, only now starting to warm up.

  Chan sat down on the coffee table and put her feet in his lap. He wrapped a small throw around them and started rubbing them with gentle strokes. “Why’d you go outside anyway? You should’ve at least told one of us that you were doing that.”

  “And without a coat or boots? What were you thinking?”

  Were they lecturing her about clothing after getting attacked for the second time? “I had boots on, but I lost them when I started to run. The snow and the mud underneath sucked them off.”

  “Yeah, Zack. I saw them. That and the tracks got me searching for her. I’ll bring them in later.”

  She shivered again, but the cold that had come from the weather was easing. The other cold, the one that had surrounded her heart the moment she’d seen the evil man lingered.

  “You still haven’t told us why you went outside. Did you see him? Did he lure you out?”

  She couldn’t tell if Zack was angry or upset at her. “I saw what I thought was Chan out in the woods.”

  “What? Why would you think it was me?”

  “I thought you were playing with me again. I thought I’d walk outside, pretend that I didn’t know it was you, then jump at you before you jumped at me.” Tears welled in her eyes and she struggled not to cry. “But it wasn’t you. It was that man.”

  “So you went outside and then what? You said the wolf was chasing you. Was it the wolf or the man?”

  There was something in Zack’s tone that told her his questions were more than what they seemed on the surface. “I don’t know. One minute the man was there, and then after I turned around and started running, it was the wolf that was after me.”

  They exchanged a look that spoke volumes yet told her nothing. “What is it? You two know something that you’re not telling me.”

  Chan looked away, but Zack zeroed in on her. He kept his gaze hard on her although his words were meant for Chan. “We need to tell her. For her safety.”

  Chan cleared his throat. “You’re right. But it’s not the way we’d planned on telling her.”

  She clutched the blanket, sensing that what they had to say wouldn’t be easy to hear. “Then do it. Now.”

  As happened so often, Chan took the lead. “We think the man you saw is a shapeshifter.”

  She frowned at him. “What are you saying?” He couldn’t be telling her the truth. It was ridiculous to think otherwise.

  “We’re saying that he’s a supernatural being. He’s a man who can change into a wolf.”

  She laughed, not with humor, but with incredulousness. Incredulousness that soon led to anger and frustration. “You can’t be serious. I may have lost my memories, but not my intelligence.”

  “We’re very serious.” Zack stood and paced over to the wet bar. “You haven’t seen him change, but it all adds up.”

  “Chan, do you believe what you’re telling me? Do you believe in men who can change into wolves?” She paused, and tried to make sense out of nonsense. “Are we talking about a werewolf?”

  They were quiet longer than she would’ve liked. “Talk to me.”

  “We know they exist.” Chan stared right into her eyes. “You have to believe us. Werewolves are real.”

  “No. It’s not possible.”

  “Lace, that guy that you saw in your dreams? The one who killed a man? You said you saw fangs. Baby, those fangs were real.”

  “But that was just a daydream.”

  They didn’t respond, knowing that she’d come to the realization soon enough. She’d seen him outside and couldn’t deny it. That didn’t mean she was ready to accept the unbelievable. “But you said—”

  “I know what we said. We didn’t want to scare you. We didn’t even know if it was just a nightmare or something from your memories. Until we knew more, we felt it was better to keep it to ourselves. We were wrong to do that.”

  “Don
’t you get it? That man has to be someone from my past. He’s a very bad man and he wants to hurt me. Maybe even kill me.”

  Chan kept rubbing her feet, then paused to lean forward, his expression tense. “We get that. We do. That’s why we weren’t leaving you alone in the house. I was actually the one in the office while Zack was outside taking care of”—he paused to give Zack yet another telling glance—“other things.”

  They still weren’t telling her everything. She was sure of it.

  “The thing I’m wondering is why he hasn’t killed you yet.”

  She gaped at Zack. “Gee, I’m sorry that he failed and disappointed you. I’ll try to be more accommodating next time.”

  Zack’s scowl darkened. “You know that’s not what I meant. Look, assuming he’s the one who dumped you on the road, then got inside our home to threaten you, then chased you into the woods, why hasn’t he just killed you? He’s had plenty of opportunities.”

  “I don’t know.” She moaned and wiped away a tear. “I don’t understand any of this. And now you’re telling me that werewolves exist. It’s all too much.”

  Chan moved to sit on her other side. “You’re right. It probably is. For now, just rest and don’t try to make sense of it all. We’re here and we won’t let him get close to you again.”

  “I want to leave.”

  Their stunned silence ripped her apart, but she’d had to say it.

  “Lace, no, you can’t.” Zack spoke in a whisper, but his resolve was unmistakable.

  She tried not to yell and instead spoke through clenched teeth. “Can’t? Why? Because you won’t let me? Are we still playing the submissive game? Because if you think we are, you’re dead wrong.”

  “I’m not playing at anything. Including you being submissive if you want to be with us.” His expression clouded.