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  “Upstairs, Josiah.”

  “In a minute.” Josiah shook free of Roman and then crossed the basement to Sarah. He cradled her face in his hands and pulled her as close as he could for a deep, soft kiss.

  “I’ll be back,” he informed her.

  She smiled. “I know.”

  He pressed one more kiss to her lips then let her go. He snarled as he strode past Roman and ascended the staircase two steps at a time.

  Josiah didn’t need anyone to tell him where the dining room was. The scent of roast beef wafted through the house. At least that’s what he thought it was. He cringed at the thought of the alternative.

  He glanced out the large multi-paned windows on either side of the front doors. He’d texted his brothers the minute Sarah was taken. Where the hell were they? Had they bailed on him and left him helpless? He shook his head and continued to look for the dining room.

  He wound his way through the opulent rooms until he found Atticus seated at the end of a long, polished oak table. Platters of food covered the top of it. There was one empty chair at the other end of the table and no others.

  Josiah’s eyes locked on the meat as his mouth watered. “What is that?”

  Atticus frowned. “Roast beef. Why? What do you think it is?”

  Josiah glared at him silently. Atticus tossed the napkin in his hand on the plate. “For heaven’s sake, Josiah. We’re not cannibals. When we’re human, we eat like humans. What do you eat when you’re not a wolf?”

  “Food. But when I’m a beast, I eat cow just like when I’m human. I don’t eat people. I was brought up better.”

  He could see the anger in his grandfather’s glare. He didn’t care. He was going to piss the old man off as much as he could.

  Atticus pointed to the empty chair. “Sit. Eat.”

  Josiah made his way to the other end of the table and slumped in the chair. Several women appeared out of nowhere and picked up a dish. One at a time they offered their dishes to Atticus. If he nodded, they scooped some out and set it on his plate. If he waved his hand, they left his side.

  Once they were done with Atticus, they lined up beside Josiah. He stared at them, baffled. “What the hell is this?”

  “We’re here to serve,” the first woman, a beautiful blonde with emerald eyes cradling the roast in her arms, answered.

  “Why? Is he incapable of serving himself?”

  He heard the sound of fists hitting the table. “Josiah, make your selections. Stop being difficult.”

  “Whatever.” He motioned to the plate before him. “Give me a little bit of everything.”

  Each woman dished out what she carried onto his plate until his plate was near overflowing. Each one smiled at him. He knew that smile all too well. Before Sarah, a smile like that led him to try to seduce her until he was in her bed. A smile like that meant a night of endless sex.

  Now it just pissed him off. He nodded to each one to dismiss them without as much as a smirk.

  Both men ate in silence. The sound of silver scraped across china was the only one in the room.

  As a piece of decadent chocolate cake was set in front of each of them, Atticus finally spoke. “Have you thought about what we discussed?”

  Josiah poked at the dessert with his fork. “Nope. Answer is still no.”

  “There are other women.” He reached out to the brunette holding the water pitcher. When she came near him, he stroked her arm. “Take Ruthie here. She’s from a good family. Beautiful. Smart as a whip. Beats me at chess all the time. She would make a good mate for you.”

  “One, mates are for eternity, and I have one. She’s in the basement,” Josiah answered. “Two, I thought you wanted an alpha for me. Your water girl? Seems far from alpha to me. No offense, Ruthie.”

  Josiah caught Ruthie’s icy glare just before she stormed off to the kitchen. He took a bite of cake in triumph.

  Atticus cleared his throat. “When Zane left here, it nearly killed me. We might not have seen eye to eye on some things. He was still my son. I want to share that relationship with you.”

  Josiah set his fork down. “That’s fantastic. Come search me out. Don’t steal my mate.”

  “I did when I sent Roman to fight Micah.” Atticus shuffled the napkin on his lap around. “Speaking of stealing, Zane took something from me the night he ran away. I wonder if you’ve ever seen it.”

  Josiah sat back in his chair. His body tensed as instinct kicked in. “The amulet.”

  For the first time since Josiah arrived, Atticus looked happy. “Yes. Do you know what happened to it? It’s a priceless heirloom going back generations.”

  “It’s the equivalent of my mother’s engagement ring.”

  “I need it back.”

  “Good luck. It’s the last reminder of Poppa for her. And you’ll have to get in line. A bunch of vampires want it too.”

  Atticus gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t know why. It’s just a sentimental piece of junk really.”

  Josiah leaned forward until his elbows were on the table on either side of the cake plate. “Bullshit. We know about where it came from. And we know about the Heka. So, truth time. Why do the bloodsuckers want it? You want it so bad. What can it do?”

  Atticus stared at him in silence for a long time. “You know about the Heka?”

  “We know where this generation’s Heka is. What does it do, Atticus?”

  Atticus huffed. By the way the old man fidgeted, Josiah could tell he was stalling. “Many magical species want that amulet. It has power beyond your imagination. That’s why it should not be in some lowly mortal’s hands.”

  Josiah growled. “The vampires.”

  “It gives them the ability to walk in the day as well as the night.”

  Josiah’s mouth dropped. He was stunned. “The human race would be a feast for them twenty-four-seven. They would take over. They would rule the Earth.”

  Atticus didn’t respond. Josiah frowned. “And us? What does it do for werewolves?”

  “Nothing beneficial.”

  “Tell me.”

  Again Atticus was quiet. Josiah slammed his fist on the table. “What does it do for werewolves?”

  Atticus snarled at him. Then he nodded to someone behind Josiah. When Josiah turned behind him, there was no one in the doorway. It must have been another maid.

  Finally, Atticus spoke. “It turns us human. No more change. No more mating. Just weak, pathetic humans.”

  Josiah fell back against the back of his chair in shock. “Holy shit.”

  “So you see why I need it back.”

  A smile spread across Josiah’s face. “No way in hell. Not until I reverse the curse for my brothers and me.”

  “You have no idea how.”

  “I told you I know where the Heka is. We have him. He’s a Hallow. He would do this for his mate.”

  Atticus stood and kicked his chair away. “You would do that to me? You would leave me without an heir to lead the pack? You would leave us in civil war?”

  Josiah slowly rose. “You keep missing the point, old man. I don’t give a shit about you and your pack. I love my Momma. I love my brothers. I love their mates. And most of all, I love my mate. More than my own soul. So you and your pack can fuck off.”

  A scream pierced the air followed by the sound of a scuffle. Josiah spun around to see where it came from. He didn’t have to ask who did it. He knew the voice.

  He looked at Atticus. “What the fuck?”

  Atticus stared at him coldly. “You gave me no choice.”

  Sarah screamed again. Josiah sprinted after the sound. As he passed a window, he noticed only one thing. It made his blood run cold.

  The sun had already set. All that was left was the twilight sky.

  »»•««

  Sarah dug her heels into the marble floor as she tried to wrench free from Roman and Albanus. It was no use. Roman scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her outside the front double doors.

  She screamed agai
n as she kicked and beat on his back with her fists. He just tightened his grip as he jogged down the stairs. She watched the steps below her as they descended. Maybe it was all right that he hung on tight to her. If he let go of her, she’d split her head open.

  “Sarah,” she heard Josiah shout from inside as Roman dropped her on the bottom step. It was then that Sarah noticed the metal eyelets that had been screwed into the brick wall that lined each side of the staircase. Chains had been laced through the eyelet and stretched to either side of her. She glanced at the step beneath her. She didn’t see it before when they first arrived, but it was stained with blotches of red.

  Roman grinned at her as he took her wrist and clamped a shackle to it like a heavy bracelet. She leaned back and kicked him in the chest with both feet. She never saw his hand until it struck her across the face. As she shook herself back to her senses, he bound her other wrist in a shackle hitched to the second chain.

  “Let her go!” Josiah demanded from the top step. She could hear the panic hitch his voice.

  “It’s too late,” Atticus answered as he strode out of the house. “I pleaded with you to cooperate. You refused. You’ve given me no choice. This will convince you.”

  He motioned out past the front of the house toward the town.

  Sarah turned to where he pointed to find the town square full of people. Men, women, children, every member of the small community had to be standing there, and every gaze was locked on her. She couldn’t breathe. She watched several lick their lips like she was a decadent treat. What was going on with these people?

  The sun finally dipped behind the horizon, extinguishing the light except that which came from the full moon above. Every person in the square collapsed to the ground. Their bodies shook and writhed. Their skin was replaced by thick, coarse fur. Nails curled into claws. Teeth grew into razor sharp fangs. Slowly they all stood and growled, a pack of nightmares staring her down. She couldn’t breathe. She fought to remain conscious. The terror nearly made her faint. Her heart stampeded in her chest. She was as good as dead.

  The light of the full moon disappeared as something overshadowed her. She lifted her head to see only to bounce against muscle and sinew covered in hair bristled like a hairbrush. The touch filled her with a delicious shiver that nearly made her orgasm. She strained her neck to look at the beast hovering over her. It was as horrifying as those prowling toward her, looking for a way to strike without him interfering. But it held its head up nobly as it protected her. She whimpered as the realization washed over her like a cold wave.

  Josiah wasn’t lying to her that first morning they woke up together. He told her he was a werewolf. She called him a liar and a minion of Satan.

  Except he was neither. And now he was protecting her from an entire pack of his own kind, and he didn’t stand a chance.

  “Let her be, Josiah,” Atticus commanded. “You can’t save her.”

  The only answer was a deep growl from within Josiah’s chest.

  Sarah shook her head. It only made her dizzy. “You aren’t one of them?” she shouted to Atticus.

  “I’m their alpha. I’m holding back my change just like your mate has the past two nights. Once they are done feasting, I will join them.”

  “Feasting on what?”

  Atticus flicked his wrist toward her and Josiah. “You, my dear. Kill them both.”

  Three wolves, each well over six feet tall, sprung at them. Sarah never saw them land. Josiah met them in midair. Claws slashed. Jaws clamped down on flesh. She heard yelps come from the chaos. It seemed Josiah was winning, despite being outnumbered. But as they circled for a second attack, she noticed the crimson spots blooming in Josiah’s fur.

  Sarah glanced to either side of the staircase. Beasts shoved against each other to scale the brick wall. A sob escaped her throat as they peaked it. She pulled hard against her chains. Nothing happened. She kept yanking with all her strength. The iron rubbed her skin raw. Still, they held strong.

  The rumble of motors grew louder. Bright headlights bounced off buildings. There was the sound of gunshots followed by high-pitched, inhuman cries. The wolves near the back scrambled away into the surrounding forest.

  Three trucks tore around the corner of the square. Werewolves parted like the Red Sea to let them through. All three screeched to a halt, blocking the rest of the pack from the house and those attacking Josiah. Doors flew open on each vehicle. Several men and three women hopped out, each carrying rifles. A shot pierced a wolf with its teeth buried in the nape of Josiah’s neck. The beast collapsed, and his body shook violently until he returned to his bare human shape. The other two fled, leaving Josiah in a heap on the pavement.

  “Henry, the tailgate,” the red-headed woman called out.

  The bespectacled man crossed behind one of the trucks and dropped the back of the truck. It was then that Sarah recognized him. He was in the doorway of the church when she first met Josiah. The three women were the ones gathered around Evelyn at the funeral. They were the mates of the other Hallows. She just didn’t know their names.

  The rescue party didn’t deter the wolves that climbed over the walls of the house. Sarah ducked her head as more shots were fired toward the house. The chains on her right arm went slack followed by the left. She looked up to find herself free. Several passed out, very naked humans laid scattered on the steps.

  The brunette waved over to her. “Come on, Sarah. We’ll figure out how to get that shit off you later. We got to go.”

  Sarah didn’t know how the brunette knew her name. She jumped to her feet and gathered the dangling chain to herself. She sprinted to the group and then huddled against the truck.

  A tall, older man with long salt and pepper hair pointed to Josiah. “Turn him. We’ve got to go.”

  Another man, almost a carbon copy of him but thirty years younger, kneeled next to the beast. “Don’t. He needs to heal.”

  “Noah, we can’t haul a werewolf in the back of a truck all the way to Minnesota.”

  “Uncle, these wounds are deep. He needs the healing power as a werewolf to get a head start. Turn him, and they could be fatal.” Noah pointed at Sarah. “He’ll stay down if she’s with him.”

  “Fine. Gentlemen, we lift. Meg, Eve, Delilah, cover us. Sarah, get in the back please.”

  The three women fanned out against the wolves while the men approached Josiah. Out of nowhere, a large, ash gray werewolf dropped between them and the fallen Hallow. Sarah didn’t remember him from the pack as they swarmed around her. She gritted her teeth as she ripped the rifle out of the blonde’s hands.

  “What the fuck?” The blonde protested.

  Sarah didn’t answer. She aimed at the ashen gray beast and fired. It took two shots to drop him. She watched, satisfied, as the beast shuddered and then shrunk, leaving a bare old man with white hair. Any werewolf still prowling around disappeared at the sight of their fallen alpha.

  Sarah handed the gun back to the blonde. “He deserves it. He locked me up in a cage.”

  “And he is?”

  Sarah smirked at her. “Atticus.”

  The blonde’s eyes grew wide. “Holy shit. You just shot Grandpa.”

  Sarah hopped into the back of the truck and settled against the back window. The men were awkward as they laid Josiah in the back. He managed to get up on all fours to scuttle to her. He crumbled against her with his head in her lap.

  Tears welled in her eyes as she smoothed his bloody fur. “You saved me.”

  He huffed in response. His breath was hot on her bare legs. She looked up to find the three women and the guy in glasses crawling in the back with her.

  “You three girls in the trucks,” the older man ordered. Josiah lifted his muzzle and growled as if to concur.

  “Littlefoot, we’ll be fine. I’m sure Sarah has questions. We’ve done this before.”

  “Do you three forget you’re all pregnant?”

  Sarah’s mouth dropped at his words. The brunette answered. “We’
ll get in at the first stop. We’ll hang on and be careful.”

  “Whatever. I’m not sticking around until someone comes back.” Littlefoot hopped in the cab and fired the truck on. She could tell Littlefoot’s care as he drove. He managed to miss every rut and pothole. The ride was smooth as silk.

  The back of the truck was silent as the trucks made their way down the tree-covered lane. The three women and Henry clenched their rifles tightly as they watched the woods around them, waiting for an attack. When they reached the highway, they each let out a sigh of relief and set their guns down.

  The blonde gave Sarah a little wave. “Hi. I’m Meg.”

  The brunette followed her. “I’m Eve.”

  The redhead smiled. “I’m Delilah.” She patted the outstretched leg of the man beside her. “And this is my mate, Henry.”

  “You’re mates?” Sarah questioned. “Are you a werewolf, Henry?” She shook her head. Did she really ask that?

  Henry laughed. “No. We’re both mated to Sam Hallow.”

  “Each one of them has multiple mates?”

  “No. Just Sam.”

  “Sam’s special,” Eve said with a grin. She looked at Sarah. “My mate and husband is Mike.”

  Meg waved her hand to get Sarah’s attention. “And I’m mated and married to Cay.”

  Sarah frowned. “That guy, Littlefoot, said you’re all pregnant.”

  “Yep,” Meg replied. “We’re going to catch hell from our mates. This was stupid really. But we couldn’t leave Joe high and dry without backup. I just wish we would have gotten here earlier. Maybe he wouldn’t be in such rough shape.”

  “Did you have sex with him while you were captured?” Eve questioned.

  “That’s a little personal, don’t you think?” Sarah countered.

  “I’m sorry. You’re right. You should know, though, that the Hallows are only fertile during the full moon. So if you had sex…” Eve’s voice trailed off.

  Sarah shook her head. “I wanted to. I begged him. He wanted to also, but he refused both of us.” She petted him lovingly. He let out a loud snore in response. “We found…other ways…to please each other.” She glanced out the back of the truck. “Did we kill them?”