She Howled, They Came

By Gabrielle Demonico

Sometimes, the arms of dangerous men is the safest place of all.

Tina Danton, a curvy wolf shifter, is a woman on the run from her past and... her pack. Even so, she's managed to reinvent herself, and her life, in a new town. Believing herself safe from harm, all Tina needs now is the right man, or men, to bring her the happiness she desires.

Enter hard-bodied twin brothers Chuck and Max Granger. Their fitness business, born out of a hardcore military career, is a wildly successful enterprise. Yet in spite of their achievements, love still eludes the hunky duo.

As soon as they meet her, the sexy pair find themselves drawn to Tina. Before long, their pursuit of her begins in earnest. But just as the chemistry between the threesome begins to blossom, Tina discovers the brothers have a hidden, dangerous past of their own.

And to Tina's utter disbelief, it involves her...

The revelation threatens to send Tina's already precarious new life into a tailspin and leave the budding romance in shambles. When their dark secrets collide, can their love withstand the shockwaves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabrielle Demonico
• Release date: Jul 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311755322

Gabrielle Demonico

Thank you to all of my readers for your support! I am so grateful to each and every one of you for purchasing my titles. It means so much to me that you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy creating them. For those of you new to my work, you’ll likely be surprised by the variety you see. All I can say is that I have a sixth smut sense that knows no bounds! The plain truth is that I have a great passion for each of the tales I create. So, no matter which one(s) you purchase, you can be sure that I’ve done my best to deliver you a sexy, spicy tale. To keep up-to-date with my latest releases, please visit my website at (www.grdemonico.com). Thanks again! :)

Book preview

She Howled, They Came

by Gabrielle Demonico

Copyright 2014

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

All participants in this title are 18 years of age or older.

***

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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***

You… will never… survive without us.

Those words bit into her.

Over and over they surfaced in the forefront of her mind at the perfect time to do the most damage possible. Nervousness twisted at her insides. A tug of war between her desires and the pack’s need for pragmatism. They said it was a mistake. That she should have stayed to see it through. That’s what was best for the pack. But, too much went wrong and wrong too quickly. Circumstances forced her hand and left her with only one choice.

Now, as she sat in the lobby of her new employer, the low hum of productivity filled her ears and distracted her mind from the anguish of her decision. She needed to focus and prepare herself for the day ahead, the first day of her new job.

She’d been there before of course, for the interview. But for some reason the fluorescent lighting overhead seemed different. It felt cold, clinical and unlike what she remembered the last time she visited. A powerful medicinal aroma filled her nostrils. Probably too strong for most, to her it smelled like healing and hope. It did help to settle the glare of the lights upon her consciousness, but only a little.

All around, she noticed the matching brown uniforms of the staff. The nurses handled their patients with organization and efficiency in a never ending assembly line of treatment. She glanced down at her clothing and smiled. In a few minutes she’d be one of them, at least for today, and that was enough for now. So few things in her life seemed in control that the orderliness of this place gave her a sprinkle of confidence.

She needed it.

As she glanced around her surroundings, the taste of instant noodles in a cup lingered in her mouth. Not exactly the breakfast she ought to eat, but it was the only one she could manage that morning. She looked down at a notebook in her lap one last time, just to be sure she wouldn’t do or say anything to put the situation at risk. Her fingertips moistened by nerves, she grasped the frayed edges of the pages and muttered to herself as she read.

For the next few minutes, she drowned out most of the activity around her and made the final preparations for what the day would hold. As the moments passed by, her mind drifted to that place of solitude she loved so much. No one could touch her there, least of all the pack. And that focus, more than anything else, was what she needed to bring her dream of freedom to life. She slipped into her blissful cocoon for a few moments, until hot breath beat in time against the exposed flesh of her arm. Distracted, she looked to her right and locked eyes with its source.

Shit, the man said as he noticed her gaze. Sorry about that.

She looked at him, paused for a moment and shrugged. No problem… That’s part of my job.

For a moment, she forgot all about the pressure of the day. The stranger’s eyes looked like warm caramel candy might when poured over a confectioner’s table. As she stared into them, the color seemed to change from light to dark and then back once more.

Dirty blonde hair dripped across his brow as he turned towards her. He reached upwards, ran his right hand into it and pulled it back. As he moved, she awkwardly broke her gaze upon him but cast a sly sideways glance as he tugged the unruly strands away from his face. A quick look was all she needed to see that his hands were well-worn from work or intense physical effort.

Further evidence of his hard-earned callouses appeared as her eyes traveled up his forearms and then to the sleeves of a perfectly tight t-shirt. Tanned skin and sinewy biceps bulged against the thin fabric and filled the whole of her vision. Just then, he leaned back into his chair and as he did, the cotton of his shirt formed a tight seal against a rippled midsection. She cursed herself for being such a nerd that she hadn’t even noticed when he came into the room.

Beautiful… she cooed.

He lifted his chin and stared back at her. Thanks. You, um, wanna touch?

I would love to. If… if you don’t mind.

Nope. He said with a casual, confident shrug. Be my guest.

She grasped the stack of notes in her lap and placed them in the chair next to her. As she turned back towards him, a loose strand of her cinnamon brown hair slipped down across her face. Without wasting a moment of movement, she tugged it behind her ear and extended her hand in anticipation.

But just as she did, she stopped. Are you sure?

Of course. I mean, he began, as he gestured towards her uniform. I’m assuming you work here and I can trust you… you know, as a professional.

Yes, I do, she said. Well, I do now. Today is my first day.

Good enough for me, he replied.

She nodded and continued to reach in his direction until, a moment later, she touched it. It was solid, thick and quite unlike anything she’d felt before. As her fingertips sank into it, it felt as if she were pressing against a heavy sandbag. There was something reassuring about its hardness. As if Nature endowed it to tolerate any degree of pain. Even so, his eyes conveyed a tenderness, softness and maybe, a need to be loved.

Amazing, she replied. Really… beautiful.

Yeah, he said. I get that all the time.

As he spoke she found herself wondering more about him. It wasn’t like her to talk to strange men especially one as… yummy… as him. She chewed the corner of her lip as he moved. His body rippled with a mix of natural grace, raw power and sanguine ease. Her nostrils flared as her wolf stirred between her thighs. Saliva seeped in anticipation at the edges of her mouth.

And then, it happened…

Hey! the man snapped.

In a semi-stupor of lust, she hadn’t noticed. But without warning, a warm wetness and a thick tongue pressed into her flesh. Her eyes widened as she glanced down at her forearm to see it firmly in the grasp of a set of massive jaws.

Bosco! the man said.

The immense, all-white beast gently pried open his mouth and looked up at her. She laughed as the moistness of her skin blended with the cool air of the veterinary waiting room. The man tugged at the leash wrapped around the canine’s long, thick neck.

Sit, he commanded.

Oh, my goodness, she chirped as she looked at the stranger’s dog in sudden awareness of the breed. Is that… a Dogo Argentino?

It is, he nodded. As he spoke, the muscled, gleaming white dog began to stand. No, he said in a firm, even tone. "I said… Sit."

The large animal lowered his head and did as the man instructed.

Sorry about that, he began as he shook his head. They’re a… mouthy breed… It’s a show of affection.

That’s okay, really. He’s incredible. I’ve never seen one in person. Thank you for letting me pet him.

Yeah, no problem… He’s something alright, the man replied as he nodded. Helluva dog.

As he spoke, she made small circles against the wet spot on her forearm. Within moments, all evidence of Bosco’s affection vanished except for the faint, pink tinge where his teeth pinched her milky flesh.

You okay? the man asked. The uncertainty in his tone conveyed some experience in dealing with people that weren’t accustomed to a dog of Bosco’s size showing… affection.

She nodded and smiled back at him. I’m fine.

Good, he said as he sat forward in his chair. I’m Chuck. He flashed a quick, white smile at her. This, of course, is Bosco.

I’m Tina. Tina Danton. She said with a smile as she leaned over and patted the dog on the head once more.

***

Teenah, he said in a low, throaty tone. His voice had a raspy, dangerous edge to it. Good to meet ya.

Tina nodded, unsure of exactly how to respond. She did work there after all. The last thing she wanted her new boss to think was that she was so hard up she flirted with every hot guy that came in the office. So instead of speaking, she continued to pet Bosco and act as if he were the only thing she had an interest in.

Of course, he wasn’t.

Chuck seemed unaffected by her lack of a response. Instead, he stared straight ahead in the direction of the reception area.

You, uh, got a pet? he asked without turning to look back at her.

I used to… but it’s been a couple of years now, Tina said as she cleared her throat.

Um, she said as she gestured towards Bosco. So, what’s wrong with him?

What do you mean?

I mean… is he sick or…?

Oh… no, just a checkup. Actually, I…

But as Chuck spoke, he stopped and leaned his upper body in a straight line against the back of the chair. With Bosco’s leash held firmly in his left hand, he slipped his right down into the front pocket of his jeans and produced his cell phone.

’Scuse me for a sec, he said. A moment later, he started to text.

The sudden motion of his torso was strong enough to stir the still air between them. As he settled into the chair, a hint of his cologne drifted in Tina’s direction. A slightly sweet, woodsy aroma tantalized her nostrils. The fragrance conveyed a hard masculinity at first but finished soft… and subtle. She’d never smelled anything like it. He’d taken care when he chose it. Its uniqueness was evidence of that fact.

Nervous energy crackled from her fingertips as she stroked the coarse hair of the muscled canine at her feet. While she ran her fingers along the dog’s firm backside, she stole small glances of Chuck every few seconds. Anyone that looked like he did probably got a never-ending stream of attention from women. The last thing she wanted was to get slotted into that category within the first five minutes of meeting him.

Even so, she found it difficult to look away for long.

After a final pat of Bosco’s oversized skull, she reached to her left and grabbed her notes, along with a pencil that lay on top of them. While he texted, Tina pulled her hair back in a ponytail and inserted the pencil between her lips.

As she did, the sharp cedar flavor of the number two spilled across her taste buds. Tina enjoyed the sensation she experienced when the angular undersides of her canines penetrated the soft wood. It was no match for the sensation of biting into a fresh kill, but she lived in a different world now and had to satisfy her primal pleasures in more… discrete ways. She held the pencil tight between her teeth and lips, slipped her hair inside of the elastic band of the tie and wrapped it snug with one swift motion.

Fuck, he muttered as she released her hair.

Tina raised her right eyebrow and cast a half glance back towards him. His brow furrowed as he lowered the cell phone into his lap, while Bosco turned and looked up toward his disgruntled owner. Chuck bit into his lower lip as he contemplated a response. The action didn’t convey any sort of nervousness or concern, but rather determination and perhaps a bit of anger.

He raised the phone upwards once again. With her peripheral vision, Tina looked on as his fingers moved with speed, accuracy and purpose. Uninterrupted, they danced across the tiny keys. The digitized sound of the simulated keystrokes click clacked in her ears as he typed.

Tina? a female voice said from behind the receptionist desk.

Tina lifted her head, her Chuck trance momentarily broken. Nervousness made a sudden return to the pit of her belly.

Doctor Hurley is ready for you now, the woman said.

Thank you, Tina replied, as she smiled and began to gather her things.

As she did, she ran through her mental checklist one last time and, for a moment at least, forgot about the presence of Chuck and his all-white companion. She stood and with her notes tucked beneath her left arm, smoothed the fabric of her brown scrubs over her