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She grasped him in her palm, squeezing, kneading, running her thumb over and back, over and back, waiting for that catch in his breath, the slight swell against her hand before she guided him inside.

Only a few pumps of her hips and he came, then she did, whispering encouragements and endearments, nonsense that only they understood.

When it was over and their pulses had slowed, their skin had cooled, and they lay tangled together beneath the sheets, Gina took his hand. She’d have been content to fall asleep like that, nearly had, when the howl of a wolf, sharp, loud, and seemingly furious, jerked them awake.

Outside the moon shone down, silver and cool, as remote and uncaring as that wolf.

“Are we going to survive this?” Gina whispered.

Teo pressed his lips to her hair. “I don’t know.”

She leaned back. “You couldn’t lie to me?”

His eyes, stark, honest, unfettered by his glasses, peered steadily into hers. “I won’t ever lie to you again.”

With that reassurance, along with the warm, solid length of him, the sure, steady beat of his heart, Gina slept. She hoped she’d never have to sleep without him again.

But when she woke and reached for him the bed was empty, the space where Teo should have been gone cold. For an instant she wondered if everything had been a dream. Not only Teo Mecate but also the cavern, the werewolves, the Nahual, and the string of deaths.

She wasn’t sure if she hoped it was or that it wasn’t. Because even though Gina would prefer not to have an evil shape-shifting sorcerer roaming the ranch, she also didn’t want to discover that the first man she’d ever loved was no more solid than the smoke that had started this mess.

Gina shoved her hair from her face, her feet already swinging to the floor when she remembered.

Teo had promised to take a turn on werewolf watch.

She should feel bad about keeping him up. Although really—her lips curved—he’d been “up” the instant she touched him.

She ran a palm over her hip, shivering at the memory of their lovemaking. Sex had never been a big thing for her. She could have taken it or left it, and most of the time she’d left it. But now …

She couldn’t get enough. And it wasn’t the sex; it was Teo. Being close to him gave her strength. Feeling one with someone else gave her courage. She had to believe they would both survive this, because the alternative was too horrific to contemplate.

A life without Teo Mecate was not a life she wanted to live.

Gina flicked a glance out the window. She was already turning away, preparing to climb back into bed, where the scent of Teo on the pillow would bring back the memory of his touch and the interlude they’d just shared, when what she’d seen registered.

There wasn’t a single wolf in the yard.

Her bare skin prickled as gooseflesh raced from head to toe. She snatched up clothes, threw them on, hopped across the floor toward the door shoving her feet into her boots as she went, then flew down the stairs and burst into the living room.

“This is bad,” she whispered as her gaze scanned empty space.

Isaac’s rifle leaned against the chair he’d been sitting in. Gina checked the weapon. Plenty of ammo left, so she took it along while she searched the house.

The front door was closed; the back door, too. Not that a closed door seemed to do a damn bit of good. But there weren’t any bodies lying about. No growls trailed from darkened corners. No rabid wolf with Teo’s eyes burst from behind the couch.

But the night was young.

Gina glanced at the eastern horizon. Make that old. Though the sky was still navy blue, the clock indicated the sun would soon be up. Had the Nahual really left them alone all night? She didn’t think so.

She was just about to check every room in the house—the men had to be somewhere close by—when a long, low howl rose from outside.

Giii-naaa!

At the very edge of the yard, where tamed became untamed, sat a single black wolf. The dying moon sparked off his eyes, making it impossible to tell if the beast was someone she knew, someone she loved. Her fingers tightened on the weapon. What if that was Teo? Could she kill him? She didn’t know.

Come to me.

Gina’s eyes widened. The wolf hadn’t moved, hadn’t even opened his mouth. So how had she heard those words?

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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