never expected it to touch Anton. Anton Cheval was the one constant among them, the one who always seemed to have it together. But lately…Lately there’d been the sense that Anton was one step away from losing it entirely. Having three new kids here, young, brash Chanku without any of the baggage the rest of them carried from that harrowing period when they’d all been hunted…Stefan chuckled to himself. This could definitely be interesting.
Almost as interesting as the fact six new Chanku had appeared at the same time, drawn together by their common heritage and the unusual varieties of grasses planted in a garden in Golden Gate Park. Grasses the Chanku needed to become shapeshifters. What were the odds of those six young people meeting up with Tala, AJ, and Mik, members of the San Francisco pack?
Pretty good, obviously, since one of them had shifted into wolf form and protected Tala from an assault—without knowing he even had the ability.
The more he thought about their visitors, the more Stefan liked the idea. That was, if Anton and Keisha didn’t want to kill him for making the invitation.
He sensed Xandi’s approach even before he heard her. “Is Alex asleep?”
Her warm hands slipped over his shoulders. “Yep. Thank goodness. Lily’s out like a light, too. I swear that baby girl has a very old soul. I was so frustrated, I finally decided to try putting Alex down in the same crib with her, but he wouldn’t stop crying. She woke up when Alex was fussing, reached out and touched him and he immediately settled down and went to sleep.”
Stefan covered her hand in his. “Let’s hope that works when they’re teenagers and learn to shift.” He tugged on her fingers.
Xandi slipped around the side of the chair and plopped herself down in his lap. “We’re going to need to figure that one out—I’m not so sure I’ll ever be ready for sexually active teenagers.”
Stefan laughed. “I know. Anton and I were talking about sending them off to separate boarding schools until they’re at least twenty-five.”
Xandi jerked around and glared at him. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Kidding! We were just kidding.” He cupped the back of her head and pulled her close. “I love you.” His fingers tangled in her shiny, russet hair and he traced her lips with the tip of his tongue. She tasted sweet. There was no other way to describe his woman’s flavor. He sipped at her mouth, ran his tongue along the seam between her soft lips and slowly gained entry.
She turned in his lap and draped both arms over his shoulders, kissing him with slow, steady sweeps of her mouth. The side of her breast pressed against his chest and he was sorry for the thick sweatshirt he wore against the evening chill.
He’d much rather be naked with his woman right now. Naked and buried deep inside her welcoming heat. Naked and pressed tightly against all her warm, feminine curves, naked and…
“So, this is how he babysits when we’re away.”
Stefan and Xandi jerked apart.
Anton stood beside them, bare-ass naked and laughing, with Keisha right behind him. Laughing. Anton was laughing. Praise the Goddess…
“I finally got both little beasts to sleep. Don’t you dare wake them up.” Xandi leaned away from Stefan and kissed Anton soundly on the mouth.
“Looks like you guys had a good time.” Stefan glanced at Keisha and raised one eyebrow. She grinned back at him.
“I slapped him around a little, got him off his high horse,” she said, jabbing an elbow into Anton’s ribs.
Anton slipped his arm around Keisha’s waist. “Actually, she reminded me what a horse’s ass I’ve been. I’m sorry if I worried you guys. I’m still not sure what…”
Stefan grabbed Anton’s hand. “You went through a hell of a lot. No need to apologize. Of course, I may owe you one.”
“What for?”
“For telling AJ we’d take three of the new pups they’ve got. Remember the six homeless kids they found in Golden Gate Park? They need a place to run, to learn the ropes, and the park’s not safe. Ulrich and Millie are taking the other three. At least we get the doctor, but we also get one with his leg in a cast. Broke it.”
“They’re coming here? When?”
“This week. And they’re all yours.”
Anton leaned over and grabbed Stefan’s face in both hands. He planted a big, sloppy kiss on his mouth. “Thank you. Perfect. That’s absolutely perfect.” He turned to Keisha. “Don’t you think so? It’ll be fascinating to teach them what they’re capable of, to show them…Keisha? Don’t you agree?”
She held her hand over her mouth in a futile attempt to quell the giggles. “Perfect,” she said, and then she lost it.
Anton stared at her as if she’d lost her mind as well. Even Xandi’s body had started to quiver as she fought her own laughter. Finally, Keisha managed to pull herself together. “Yes, Anton,” she said, sounding absolutely prim. “It will truly be fascinating.” Then she looked at Xandi and both of them started giggling all over again.
Anton frowned. He glanced from Keisha to Xandi and back at Keisha. Then he looked at Stefan and shrugged. “I don’t get it.”
Stefan shook his head. “Me neither,” he said.
But he did get it. After more than a month watching their mentor fade into a shadow of his usual dynamic self, Keisha’s giggles were an obvious sign of her relief. Anton was back.
Their lover, their teacher, their leader, the one they counted on to find the answers to all their questions, had finally returned.
She jerked awake when the sound of a strange vehicle coming up the drive sent the images scrambling. A quick glance toward the big house told her there was an unusual amount of activity on the front porch. It was enough to snuff out the last wisps of yet another of those strange dreams that were more like hallucinations, so filled were they with vivid night sounds, the scents of the forest, and the sensation of thick grass bending beneath broad paws.
If only the disturbance had snuffed out the tingling remnants of sensual longing, the unusual arousal that always accompanied the dreams. Stretching carefully relieved some of the tension from her long hours in the confines of the hunting blind perched high up in the tall spruce, but it didn’t help the throbbing sense of unfulfilled desire.
At least a hand was good for that. A hand with nimble fingers accompanied by a vivid imagination. Later. For now, a twist of the lens focused the spotting scope on the big house. As always, watching them helped to take her mind off the inevitable sexual frustration.
The sun was still up and the day comfortably warm. A bunch of people milled about on the broad front porch. Generally they stayed on the back deck during the daylight hours, or inside, most likely sleeping. They were so active at night.
They, or the wolves. Even with the scope, there’d been no proof yet they could actually shift. Was her information wrong?
No. Father had been a man of facts. A brave man. A powerful man, brought down by one of them.
Proof would come, eventually. It would happen, and one of them would forget the risk. They’d forget long enough to shift within full view.
Father had always cautioned patience. She would prove she could be as patient as he. Given time, she would prove her worth.
Adam Wolf stepped out on the front porch when the dusty SUV rolled into the yard. He called out to anyone within hearing distance, “They’re here.” Then he waved and headed down the steps. Eve, his mate, followed closely behind, along with Keisha and Xandi.
Adam couldn’t help being curious about the three young Chanku, part of a group of homeless youth who’d banded together near the memorial garden Keisha had designed in Golden Gate Park. They must have been drawn by a subconscious need