Total Surrender

By Lynda Bester

When Sable sneaks into Devlins room to spend some time with him before her heat is upon her, she sets into motion a series of events that will ensure that she cannot walk away in five days time as is normally done. Devlin will not let her go and she will not leave him. A prophecy written 5000 years ago is finally being fulfilled, and the people involved have no choice but to be swept up in its powerful prediction. Love and pain go hand in hand as Devlin and Sable strive to reach each obstacle set in their way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Sep 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477145364

Lynda Bester

I live in South Africa with my husband Wayne, three daughters, Savannha, Chyanne and Cera- Wayne and my son Dayne. We have three guinea pigs named Nutmeg, Spice and Cinnamon and a hamster named Ginger. I have always loved reading, and writing was just the next logical step. I love many different genres but love to write fantasy the most, because there is no limit to what you can create! I love vampires and have fallen in love with all my characters in Total Surrender. If you do as well, be sure to look out for them in my next book Dark Surrender.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Lynda Bester.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0-800-644-6988

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

[e-mail]

303932

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapters Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-three

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-six

Chapter Thirty-seven

I would like to dedicate this book to my husband Wayne. ‘Have I ever told you you’re my hero? Thank you for everything.’

Prologue

‘T oday you die.’ The words were spoken so casually that the woman failed to react in time. She had no sooner turned her head when steel fingers clamped around her throat.

There was no time to draw a breath.

Her terrified gaze clashed with eyes that were as dead as he promised she would be.

There was no time to scream.

Her fingers closed around his wrist, her nails trying to score him. He was unbelievably strong, unbelievably solid. His smile when her tears leaked out her bulging eyes withered her heart. She barely registered the huge hand that feathered over her womb for a moment.

There was no time to beg.

The cruelty on his face was like a nail in her coffin. Her feet kicked feebly in the air as he held her suspended above him. One flat shoe fell off, the only evidence that would be left to show that she was ever there. Black spots swarmed into her vision, and the desperate sounds she was making shamed her.

There was no time for dignity.

He drew her to his chest and she caught a flash of white as fangs grew in his mouth. Her horrified gaze tried to comprehend what he was. The searing pain in her neck forced her brain to accept. Nosferatu. Vampire.

There was no time for mercy.

He fed furiously, ravenously, and he did not stop till he had drawn every last drop. He was surprisingly gentle in the end. And frugal. Not one drop was spilt. Moments before she died, she looked to the heavens.

There was no time to pray.

He held her close as her heart stopped beating. His own flat eyes stared into her dead ones for a moment before he smiled, his fangs coloured by her blood.

‘Useless human cow,’ he spat. He slung her under his arm as if she were a sack of fodder. He staggered for a moment as her blood boiled in his veins. He bared his teeth as his body flushed with the victory of his kill.

He was unbeatable.

He waited until the hum in his body from her adrenaline-filled blood was almost too much to bear. He felt as if he was going to shake apart. His nerve endings spiked and his brain flared. He felt power surge through him—become him.

He was invincible.

With the limp body still under his arm, he surged into the air. He had to dispose of the body. He knew just where. His people had not yet conquered the humans. But the time was close. All they had to do was hunt down and destroy their enemy, the H’lix vampires. That was all that stood between them and their rightful place on this planet—all that stood between them and dominating the human cattle that populated and polluted the world.

He was god.

His mind searched for the pack of wild dogs that roamed the hills. His laugh was merciless as he called to them. They were waiting when he dropped the body and had already ripped into her unresponsive flesh before she even hit the ground.

There was no time to bury the worthless.

The dogs would clean up the evidence. But soon, they would not have to hide. Soon they would be able to do what they wanted.

The huge vampire did not spare the woman a glance as he shot off through the sky. His blood was singing from his forbidden act. But not forbidden by him, only by the H’lix. Stupid pansy asses! They had no right to even call themselves vampire.

He was Gorr!

With a self-satisfied smirk, he straightened the white froth of lace at his throat and smoothed a hand down his midnight blue velvet jacket as he searched for his next victim. You had to look good for the ladies, and he was after all…

. . . to die for.

Chapter One

Thursday afternoon

The huge Rottweiler shifted her weight slightly to the left to keep the man in her sights. The sleek black cat perched on her back moved with her, not even stirring from its light slumber. A rumbling growl beside her had the big head swivelling in that direction. A brief showing of sharp teeth had the other five Rottweilers settling down again. The dogs’ gaze returned to the man.

Devlin sighed as he lowered his great bulk into the green chair behind his desk. A mountain of papers covered the smooth mahogany surface which was buried like some long lost treasure. It would take a team of geologists a month to find its shiny splendour.

Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but still, any organised person would probably faint if they caught sight of his ‘system’. It wasn’t as if he didn’t try. He did. But some things seemed to defy him. It just didn’t seem as important. It was just papers for goodness’ sake. His life true, but just papers at the end of the day!

Leaning back, Devlin reached for the ceiling with his fists, trying to get the kinks out of his back. He’d been busy since just after dawn again. The project was on schedule. Barely, and they couldn’t afford to fall behind. The rain had held them up a couple of days, but his brothers had come in to help him after hours. His whole week had been like this, and it was catching up. He clenched his fists, straining the fabric of his black T-shirt to the max, and swung his arms back as he leaned forward in the chair. He heard his back creak and sighed with satisfaction, resting his dark head on a receipt for cement. He tried his hardest to get his hands to meet behind him but failed miserably, his huge arms and back impeding him. But at least his muscles were getting a bit of a workout. A jaw-cracking yawn split his face as he straightened, his hands coming to rest on the arms of the chair.

Scooting back, he eased his booted feet on to the burdened desk and reclined. The wheeled chair groaned in protest. Clasping his hands behind his head, he idly fingered the long hair that caressed his neck. His gran would catch a fit if she saw him then. He and his five brothers had the habit of letting their black hair grow long during the year, only having it trimmed to a respectful length just before the festive season when they would see her, so at the moment, the thick waves reached just below his shoulders.

Devlin sighed again and let his head fall back on to his cupped hands. His eyes drifted shut as he allowed himself to relax for a few minutes. Just a few. That was all he needed to recharge his batteries before he tackled the paperwork. His impressive chest expanded with a deep breath, and his body grew lax as he drifted off.

The lead Rottweiler inched forward, her head cocking to the side. The tan markings above her intelligent eyes peaked in question. She heard the chair creek from where she was hidden. She whined and wiggled forward another few inches. She huffed a sigh and licked her lips in agitation. The man was momentarily out of her sight. A soft sonorous noise reached the six black and tan dogs, and Pitch, the lead dog, whined again. He was sleeping. That wasn’t good. Giving a soft waffling bark, she rose to her impressive height. Immediately the cat perched on her back stirred and stretched sensually. A dainty feline yawn revealed needle-sharp teeth, and tiny claws momentarily sank into the sumptuous fur of the dogs back. The dog’s skin quivered as a shudder ran through her body. Pitch lowered herself to the ground and the cat jumped off, licking a paw before regarding the dog with black eyes. Pitch whined, shaking her head vigorously. The cat turned its back on the creature much bigger than itself and carefully picked its way to the very edge of the shade they were under. Curious, but carefully slit eyes stared up at the sun. A good two hours till sundown. Oh well. What the hell.

A glance from the cat had Pitch retreating, her head once again shaking a negative. The cat yowled, and Pitch gave a plaintive bark, lifting her front paws off the ground in protest at the proposal. The cat arched her back and spat a warning as the hair along her spine sprang to attention and her tail bushed out. With the dignity inherent in cats, she marched over to the dog, rose on her back legs as high as she could, and clamped her front paws over Pitch’s muzzle. Again the tanned brows rose and furrowed and Pitch’s rump settled on the dusty ground in resignation. She was rewarded with a gentle touching of noses. The cat meowed, cocking her head to the side, and the dog huffed but rose reluctantly and headed for the edge of the shade. Pitch stopped and stared at the cat as if to say ‘well, come along then’, and with an eager step, the cat made her way over to the large canine and eased in between her legs, her back not even touching the bottom of Pitch’s belly.

They both turned as one and glared at the five other dogs that were fanned out behind them, who had wisely remained out of the argument that had raged between them only moments before. The five scrambled up and rushed over eagerly.

Negra, the youngest of the six, stepped out into the sunlight, checking to see if the others were in place. There was a soft growl, and Voodoo stepped up on the left; Soot stepped up on the right of Pitch, the lead dog, and Magpie took up the rear. Blackthorn stepped in front of Pitch, backing up until her rump was against Pitch’s chest. Negra did a quick circuit around the group of bunched-up canines then headed out into the sun again. A scout up ahead and she barked a signal, heading back at the same time.

As one, the group of dogs stepped out into the sun, their steps careful and in sync. At no point did their bodies break contact, and beneath them, out of the sun, the black cat strolled as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Negra did another circuit around the group, and a soft yip had Voodoo, the one on the left, lowering her body ever so slightly to make up for the far reach of the lowering sun’s rays.

The strange group moved across the construction yard, only stopping and moving ahead when Negra gave the all-clear. Upon reaching the trailer that the man was using as an office, Negra bound up the three steps, gripped the handle in her mouth, and eased the door open. She slipped in and was gone for a second before her head popped out again. The other five dogs took the final few steps forward, and the front dog, Blackthorn, entered the room, followed closely by the lead dog, Pitch, the cat still safely shielded by her body.

The cat meowed her thanks, touched noses with each of the dogs in turn, then, with a graceful leap, landed on the desk and promptly slid off the other side amidst a shower of papers. The cat shook her head, pinning an accusing glare at the oblivious man who was still snoring. When she jumped up a second time, she made sure she landed on the space she had just cleared, before picking her way over the litter and climbed on to the man’s legs. She felt her heart rate increase as she slowly slunk up his body, making sure to avoid the sun that caressed one side of him. Thankfully, his chest was in the shade, so she chose that spot to come too rest.

The cat reached up, hesitated for a second, took a deep breath, and touched her mouth to his. His lips twitched as he breathed out. The cat took his scent in and purred with pleasure as her body responded to his. Closing her eyes in bliss, she sank her nails into his chest in pleasure, enjoying the feelings that were running through her. He grunted and shifted beneath her. The chair groaned, the wheels squeaking in protest. The cat froze, eyes snapping open. Moving carefully, she gently swatted at his nose. Nothing. Another swat, slightly harder… still nothing! Another groan had her throwing caution to the wind.

Unsheathing her claws, she swung again, raking two thin lines into his unresisting flesh.

The man erupted out of the chair as if he had been electrocuted.

‘What the… ?’ he demanded, automatically reaching for the slight weight clinging to his chest. His bewildered eye met a pair of pitch black ones that were staring at him curiously.

‘Hey?’ A smile curved a corner of his mouth. ‘Where did you come from?’ He gentled his touch, cradling the cat’s soft body against his hard one.

‘Meow,’ she replied and butted her head against his chin. His smile widened, his hand automatically scratching behind her ear. Her purr filled the air, and for a second time her nails sank into his chest in pleasure.

Devlin smiled down at the cat, ignoring the slight sting from her claws. He loved cats—all animals for that matter, and they seemed to sense it, always making their way into his sphere. He was sure to find them wherever he went, no matter how big or small, so waking up to find a cat on his chest was par for the course. Groping behind him for the chair, he lowered himself into it, ignoring its protest.

‘You woke me up.’ His husky voice made her squirm closer. ‘Thanks for that.’ He fingered his stinging nose gingerly. Slight traces of blood came off. ‘Next time try being gentler,’ he joked. The cat stopped purring and glared at him. ‘Only kidding.’ He laughed, amused by its quick response. ‘I know I’m not the easiest person to get up. But I am grateful. I have a stack of work to do tonight. Have to finish it in fact or I am going to have vendors breathing down my neck by noon tomorrow looking for their money.’ He yawned again and reluctantly eased the cat away from him, intending to put her on the floor.

Devlin erupted out of his chair a second time, this time managing to throw it over. He gripped the cat to his chest so hard that she mewled in protest. At the same time he swung his body around, presenting the six Rottweilers that were sitting in front of his desk with his back. His heart was pounding, his breath suddenly sawing through his restricted throat. He’d nearly had a heart attack when he had looked up and encountered six pairs of eyes, not on him but on the delicate cat in his arms. His first reaction was to protect her. There was no way she would survive if those dogs got hold of her, and it was clear that was the reason they were there. It didn’t occur to him to worry about his own safety at that moment, not realising that turning your back on a dog, never mind six, was asking for trouble. All he could think about, all he cared about was keeping the cat safe.

The only problem was that by turning away from the dogs, he turned directly into the sun. The cat’s mewl turned into a yowl as the rays hit her, and her claws sank deeper into Devlin’s chest. The lead dog, Pitch, immediately sprang forward, her only concern the cat. Devlin yelled out in surprise, and in trying to get away from the charging dog, he fell over his up-ended chair. Again his first concern was the cat and not himself as he twisted and went sprawling, landing on his back, with the cat still cradled to his chest. Once on the ground, he rolled on to his side, curling his body around the black felines to further protect her. He took a gulping breath and braced himself for the attack that was sure to come.

It never did.

Pitch lowered her rump to the floor again, the crisis now averted. The cat was no longer in the sun. Problem solved. It took Devlin a good minute to figure out he was still in one piece, and the cat had thankfully removed her claws from his body. In fact, she was purring loud enough to wake the dead. A delicate butt of her head had him uncurling his body and cautiously peaking over his shoulder.

He hoped the dogs had left but no such luck. Five were still sitting behind the desk, which he was now laying next to, and the sixth was behind him.

‘Nice doggy.’ He uttered inanely and shook his head at his own idiocy. Every time he heard that line in a movie, he cringed, and now faced with a pack of dogs he goes and mutters the same nonsense! Nice doggy indeed. They were apparently of the same opinion, because the big dog snorted in disbelief, shook its huge head then rose, jumped over the prone man, and headed for the darkest corner of the office. There it stretched out on its side with its back flush against the wall and closed its eyes. Another exasperated huff lifted its chest, another look of disbelief, then silence as it settled down.

Devlin stared at the dog in confusion, glanced down at the purring cat, then at the five other dogs still staring at him, and then back at the cat.

‘Okay,’ he mumbled to the cat, ‘that was strange.’ Movement had him tensing again, but it was only the other five dogs heading for the same corner as the first one had. Once there, they turned their backs on the sleeping dog and took up sitting positions, facing Devlin and the cat.

‘Even stranger,’ Devlin mumbled as he took in the fact that the sitting five were guarding the sleeping dog and that they evidently had no intention of nodding off any time soon. There was an enquiring meow, and his attention was back on the cat.

‘That was fun, hey?’ he stated affectionately as he gracefully rose to his towering six foot four height. Keeping his eye on the six dogs, just in case, he once again groped for the chair and lifted it back into position. With the cat still cradled to his chest, he slowly sat, ready to move if the dogs did.

After five minutes, he had to admit that the dogs were there to stay, the cat was still happy, he was still tired, and he still had a stack of work to do. Well, no time like the present. He was there, the work was there, and no one had better mention who or what else was there.

With a reluctant sigh, he placed the cat on his lap and reached for the first stack of papers. The cat continued to purr while kneading his thigh rhythmically. Every now and then he would caress her head, she would blink up at him, and he would smile down at her. When she rose and eased on to the table, he rolled his chair further under the desk, not realising that he had managed to develop a kink in his already aching back by sitting so far from his work surface. Rubbing the spot absently, he switched his computer on and logged into his bank, getting ready to pay some people.

When he looked up again, the cat was gone. His eyes immediately shot towards the corner where the dogs were, and his jaw dropped when he barely made out the shape of the black cat against the equally black coat of the dog she was sleeping on. The cat had curled up on the sleeping canine, looking for the world as if she belonged there, and the dog just kept on sleeping, and the other five just kept on guarding.

‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ he muttered then was distracted by the sound of a truck door slamming shut. He craned around to peer out the window and caught a glimpse of his youngest brother heading his way. He sighed when he noticed that the sun had almost set. Another glorious day wasted inside. Hey, work was work. It wasn’t until Joshua appeared in the doorway that he thought to warn him about the dogs.

‘Go slow, bro,’ he called out softly and rose to move around the desk. Joshua came to a stop, raising his brows in question.

‘Just don’t make any sudden moves,’ Devlin cautioned. ‘I have some unexpected company.’ He flicked his head to the corner that was hidden behind the open door. Joshua eased forward slowly, craning his head around the door for a better look. He froze when five pairs of black eyes pinned him to the spot. He didn’t know if he should retreat or surrender, so he stayed where he was.

‘Just move slowly,’ Devlin cautioned. ‘They seem peaceful enough. Only got knocked over once, and then they didn’t even attack.’ He eased back behind his desk and waited for Joshua who was moving so slow he might as well be standing still. Devlin grinned, enjoying his brother’s discomfort. Wait until he told the other four about this. Grabbing a chair that was against the wall, he placed it in front of his desk.

‘You can move faster than that,’ he groused when nearly two minutes had passed and Joshua was still not at the desk.

‘There are five of the damn things!’ Joshua hissed under his breath, turning his body as he went so that he never presented them with his back at any point. ‘I might be able to dodge one but never five.’

‘Six,’ Devlin deadpanned.

‘Six?’ Joshua slowed down even more if that was possible. Devlin’s grin got even wider.

‘And a cat,’ he added.

‘And a cat,’ Joshua parroted then stopped dead. ‘A cat?’ he cried in disbelief. ‘You let them near a cat! Are you out of your mind? They’ll rip it to shreds.’ In his agitation, he rushed over to Devlin, his finger working overtime as he poked him in the chest.

‘Hey!’ Devlin exclaimed. ‘Hey! Cut it out. That hurts. And I didn’t let them near the cat. Idiot,’ he added, rubbing his chest, ‘it went to them. And while you are up,’ he added, sitting down in his chair, his grin cheeky this time, ‘why don’t you go put the light on? It’s getting dark in here.’

Joshua gave him such a dirty look that he burst out laughing. The light switch was right by the door he had just come through a few minutes earlier.

‘You go do it yourself, Devil-Man.’ Joshua dared, using his and his brother’s favourite nickname for this brother. A soft, huffy, growly bark had them both spinning around to stare at the dogs in trepidation. When one rose, Joshua eased on to the desk. When it took a step, his legs went up. By the second step, he was on the other side of the desk strewing papers all over the floor as he headed for the window. Just in case. Devlin didn’t know who he should watch, his brother or the dog. His brother was way more entertaining, but the dog was scary as hell.

The derisive snort from the dog settled it for him, and he ignored his brother and faced the dog. Once Magpie was sure she had both their attention, she casually walked towards the door. This at least brought Joshua off the window ledge. When Magpie reached the door, he bravely ventured around the side of the desk, assuming that if one left, then maybe all would. But once at the door, Magpie turned her head to stare at them. Joshua grabbed hold of Devlin’s arm, ready to yank him away at a moment’s notice. Devlin just winced and decided that statues knew a thing or two about survival. Once sure of their attention, the dog rose up on her hind legs, placing her huge paws high up on the wall and casually snapped the light on with her nose.

Devlin’s laughter once again filled the trailer. He didn’t know if he was more impressed with the dog’s feat or Joshua’s look of disbelief. Either way, he couldn’t recall having such a good time in a long while.

‘That was quite good,’ Joshua managed finally, releasing Devlin’s arm and scooting back around the table so it was between him and the dogs. He cleared his throat and swung his arms a bit, scratching his chin with an embarrassed air. The helpful one had returned to its brethren and assumed its previous position.

‘Damn useful to have around, aren’t they?’ Devlin frowned when Joshua claimed his wheeled chair. He reluctantly lowered himself into the chair he had brought forward. ‘Maybe I should keep them around to keep annoying brothers in line,’ he groused as he tried to get comfy on the unfamiliar seat.

‘Don’t even think it,’ Joshua threatened, leaning forward menacingly. A growl from the corner had him straightening so fast that he nearly toppled the chair over backward.

‘See what I mean?’ Devlin’s grin was wide, and it was easy to see he loved every moment of it. Maybe he should keep them around. ‘What are you doing here anyway?’ he asked, trying to look casual and relaxed, with the dogs now behind him. He even sat back nonchalantly, praying all the time that he wasn’t about to feel a hot breath in his neck.

‘Came over to help you with this mess.’ Joshua frowned at the table, then at the papers on the floor. ‘What did you do, man? It looks worse than normal.’

‘Does not!’ Devlin exclaimed indignantly, sitting forward to glare at his brother. ‘I’ve been busy with it for the last hour or so. Didn’t even get to take a nap.’ His hand automatically fingered the scratches on his nose.

‘Really?’ Joshua’s brows rose knowingly. He had crashed for two hours before coming there and knew Devlin had been putting in longer hours.

‘No really. I did nod off but was roused rather rudely.’ His fingers again caressed the dried blood.

An indignant meow had him swivelling around. The cat was awake and grooming herself from her comfortable perch on the reclining dog. At the moment she had her black eyes pinned on him, and he had the grace to blush slightly. ‘Well, actually,’ he amended with a sheepish smile. ‘I probably had my ass saved. The last time I dozed off in the chair, I landed on my butt. My back still hurts.’

Without any thought, he bounced out of the chair, reached past the five dogs, and scooped the cat up. Bringing her to his chest, he cuddled her close and wisped a caress over her tiny head. She mewled with pleasure, eyes closing and her purr filling the room. She bumped her head against his chin affectionately and touched her mouth to his for a loving kitty kiss. Devlin chuckled softly as he eased back into the chair, careful not to jostle her. When he finally glanced up, Joshua was staring at him as if he had grown another head.

‘What?’ he demanded defensively.

‘What you just did!’ Joshua exclaimed in disbelief.

‘What?’ Devlin glanced down at the cat in confusion.

‘The dogs!’ Joshua prompted.

‘The dogs?’ Devlin echoed nonplussed. Then he blanched, ‘Oh, my holly hell, the dogs!’ He swung around so fast that the chair he was on moved with him, a difficult feat, seeing as it had no wheels. He braced himself, his skin crawling in anticipation of deadly fangs tearing into him. He hadn’t even given the dogs a thought, just wanting, no needing to have the cat in his arms again.

The dogs looked at him in question, heads cocked to the side, brows raised. They had not moved.

‘They didn’t attack,’ he stated the obvious.

‘Apparently not.’ Joshua seconded, heaving a great sigh of relief. He had nearly choked on his heart when Devlin had waltzed over to the dogs and plucked the cat up. He had nearly fallen off his chair with shock when the dogs barely spared him a glance. He had thought for a moment there that he would have to witness how his beloved brother was torn to shreds. And he would have been helpless to intervene, other than to offer his life at the same time. And he would have done it too. No hesitating. They were family. They had each other’s backs. One rarely did something the other five didn’t do as well. They were even all in the same business for goodness’ sake.

‘That was close,’ Devlin sighed nervously, his eyes still on the dogs as he surreptitiously wiped the sweat off his top lip.

‘Ya think?’ Joshua sneered, his shock turning to anger, now that his brother was fine. The freaking idiot. ‘Oh no, of course you didn’t, else you wouldn’t have done that!’

‘No harm, no foul,’ Devlin replied cheerfully, settling back.

‘Uh oh!’ Joshua exclaimed, rising out of his chair by a few inches, looking ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

‘What now?’ Devlin demanded, glancing back at the dogs. They were moving. He tensed. Just in case. The five standing guard lowered themselves to the floor, either stretching out or going in for a good scratch. One even decided that its paw needed some serious cleaning. The one that seemed the youngest of the lot rolled over on to her back and was trying to entice one of the others to play with her by softly chewing on an ear or paw, which ever seemed closer. The big dog that had been snoozing the whole time rose with purpose, stepped past the now lazing five, and took up its guard position. Rump on the floor, fore paws placed just so, ears at alert and eyes steady. It ignored the five behind it completely.

‘Shifts?’ Devlin asked in surprise, turning back to his brother.

‘Huh?’ Was Joshua’s well thought out comeback.

‘They seem to be in shifts,’ Devlin explained, scratching the cat’s throat. He grinned again as Joshua gingerly lowered himself into the chair. Again.

‘How’d you figure that?’

‘Well,’ Devlin scooted down and placed his big feet on the edge of the desk while arranging the cat on his chest. ‘When those five are awake, this big one is sleeping. Now this one is awake, and the others are… well, okay, not sleeping, but obviously not on guard any more.’

‘On guard?’ Joshua echoed. ‘What the heck are they guarding? Surely not you?’ he scoffed.

‘No,’ Devlin replied thoughtfully. ‘Not me. But I think maybe this Little Lady here.’ He smiled down at the purring cat that was rhythmically kneading his chest and butting her head against his chin every now and then.

‘Little lady?’ Joshua questioned, eyeing the cat dubiously. ‘You mean the cat?’

‘Yip.’ Devlin shaped the cat’s small body with his big hands, smoothing the black glossy fur.

‘How you know it’s a girl?’ Joshua demanded. ‘You check?’

‘No,’ Devlin growled indignantly. ‘I didn’t check. That’s just rude. And anyway, anyone with eyes in their heads can see she’s a girl.’

‘Cannot,’ Joshua countered. ‘You need proof. Just check. For all you know it’s a manly man Tom cat and you are insulting it all the time by calling it a lady.’ He stressed the ‘lady’ part, allowing his voice to raise an octave at the same time. Devlin frowned at his brother, not at all impressed with him at the moment.

‘I am not going to check,’ he stated again, feeling decidedly put-out by his brother’s insistence that he violate the cat’s privacy.

‘Whatever, dude!’ Joshua mimicked Devlin by putting his equally big feet up on the desk. He pulled one of the desk drawers open and snagged the packet of sweets he knew he would find there. Yip, old Devil-Man never disappointed. He popped a liquorice into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully as he regarded the ceiling. A soft whine drew his attention back to the dogs, and he smiled when the young one, obviously giving up on enticing one of the others to play, had instead spotted the sweets in his hands. He watched as the dog’s eyes followed the sweet from the packet to his mouth and a long pink tongue came out and licked drooling lips. The dog shuffled on the spot, obviously dying to get hold of just one. The soft whine came again, and huge puppy eyes begged, ears twitching back and forth.

‘You want one?’ Joshua asked. A soft yip and another wiggle was his answer. Grinning, he tossed one at the dog, who neatly snatched it out of the air.

A sharp bark from Pitch, and Negra spat the sweet out, leaving it to lie on the ground in front of her. Joshua watched amazed as the older dog bared its fangs at the younger one, who then slunk back to the corner with the others and laid down, its eyes forlornly trained on the forbidden treat.

‘Oh, shame!’ Joshua intoned, now addressing the older dog. ‘What’s the harm in one little sweet? It’s okay,’ he cajoled. ‘The sweets aren’t poisoned. Look, I’ll show you.’ He popped one into his mouth. ‘See,’ he appealed to the dog, ‘I’m just fine.’

‘What are you doing?’ Devlin had caught only a small part of the show.

‘That big dog won’t let the little dog have a sweet,’ Joshua pointed out.

‘Joshua.’ Devlin shook his head patiently. ‘There are no little dogs here.’

‘The young one you Toss.’ Joshua elaborated. ‘She wanted a sweet, and I gave it to her, but the mean one over there made her spit it out. Now she looks all beaten and down. It’s not right, bro, it’s just not right.’

‘They have obviously been trained not to take food from strangers, in case it’s tainted,’ Devlin pointed out.

‘But I showed Genghis Khan that it wasn’t poisoned. I ate one to prove it. Maybe if you eat one, they’ll believe me,’ he suggested earnestly.

‘Sure,’ Devlin agreed eagerly, always ready for something with too much sugar. He reached for a sweet and was about to pop it into his mouth when a small black paw staid his hand. He watched indulgently as the cat sniffed at the treat. She meowed once as if to give her go-ahead then settled down again and watched as Devlin savoured it. A soft whine and she was up again, peering past Devlin’s head at the wriggling dog in the corner. She meowed and the big dog ruffed an answer before giving another sharp bark. The young dog jumped up and had the sweet back in her mouth and down the hatch before anyone could change their minds again. Then she sat there smiling happily, tongue hanging out, eyes shining brightly.

‘Mmf,’ Joshua conceded thoughtfully. ‘Maybe you’re right.’

‘Naturally,’ Devlin agreed automatically, grabbing another handful of sweets and holding them out to the cat so she could inspect them, which she did, sniffing each one carefully before allowing him to put them in his mouth. Then he frowned. ‘About what?’

‘I think the cat is the one in charge. So ergo, it must be a male.’

‘That’s bull twang,’ Devlin disagreed. ‘Only a female could lord it over a group of dogs like that. This here is a genuine lady. Beautiful, poised, graceful.’ By the time he was finished lavishing praise on the cat, she was purring loud enough for all to hear.

‘You are so full of it, bro,’ Joshua declared, and before Devlin could stop him, he was out his chair and halfway across the table. He snatched the cat from his brother’s chest and flipped her over, ready to settle the argument the only way he knew how.

The cat let out a startled yowl when he grabbed her, and then a challenging hiss followed by a deep throated growl of displeasure. It was however the sudden deep growling of six angry Rottweilers and one irate brother that checked him before he could perpetrate the final act of violation.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he looked up and encountered seven pairs of black eyes glaring at him, and even though six were accompanied by gleaming dripping teeth of death, it was actually his brother’s eyes that made him hand the cat over as fast as he could.

‘Don’t you ever touch her again!’ Devlin annunciated each word through clenched teeth. He couldn’t recall ever being as angry as he was at that moment. He wanted nothing more than to plow his fist into his brother’s face and make him pay for what he had just done.

‘Sorry, bro.’ Joshua shrugged placatingly, holding his hands up in surrender. Facing the six dogs, he said, ‘I’m sorry. No harm meant. I’m sorry, cat.’ He added, just in case, ‘Little lady.’ His attempt at a laugh was lacking any substance, but his life was more important at the moment than worrying if he sounded macho or not.

‘You’d better be,’ Devlin growled as he sat again, bowing his large body over the cats protectively. Now that the cat was back in Devlin’s arms, she turned and spat at Joshua. Twice. This was followed by a hiss so menacing that Joshua sat back, more alarmed than before. Squirming out of Devlin’s hands, the cat stalked across the desk towards Joshua.

‘Hey!’ Joshua stammered, wheeling the chair back until it hit the wall. ‘Call her off! I said I was sorry!’ Joshua knew it was only a cat stalking him, but she was backed up by six huge dogs and one aggravated brother. ‘Make her stop!’ The cat was on Joshua in one smooth move, and before he could stop her, she had swatted him in the face, her hiss of displeasure clear as a bell. With a sniff of derision, she daintily picked her way over to Devlin, climbed back on to his lap, presented Joshua with her back, and proceeded to clean herself.

‘Count yourself lucky, bro.’ Devlin laughed, cuddling the feline closer.

‘Lucky?’ Joshua asked incredulously, where he was still frozen in his chair, leg up in a sissy attempt to protect his own delicate bits.

‘Yes.’ Devlin laughed. ‘She didn’t use her claws.’ He fingered his own reminder of her delicate touch and laughed at Joshua’s stunned expression. ‘Now get to work,’ he instructed his brother. ‘That’s why you are here after all. I’ll help,’ he offered graciously.

It was while they were buried in papers, sorting out who needs to be paid and what needs to be filed that the cat reached up and touched her mouth to Devlin’s one last time. He absent-mindedly ran a caress over her arched back, then looked up to answer a question from Joshua. As quietly as they had come, the cat slipped out the door, followed by the six Rottweilers. With one last glance at the man, they melted away into the night, and when the cat sensed that they were alone, she allowed her body to shift back to its true form. The tall slender woman with thigh-length black hair cast her dark eyes at the trailer. She waited a couple more minutes, only long enough to observe the big SUV driving up with the other four brothers inside. He would not be alone tonight. But then again, maybe he never was. With a silent command, she headed for home, her six companions trailing behind her.

Chapter Two

Thursday night

Sable sighed tiredly as she closed the door behind her. She stopped to survey the entrance hall, noting the huge gilded mirror above the marble half-moon table with the gold ornate legs. The coat rack was solid wood, gleaming with age. The chandelier would leave anyone breathless. Home—for her and her sisters anyway. Would that ever change? Would life throw yet another curve ball at some point and disrupt all that had been? They hadn’t always lived there. But they had known peace since being there. It had been a hell of a fight to get that peace though—blood, sweat, tears, and the loss of lives. So many lives. Wars, with the humans, against the humans. Amongst themselves. With their own true enemy. Now peace. So far, so good. But how long would it last?

‘Sable, is that you?’ a melodious voice called from the parlour. Sable smirked. Ebony knew it was her. She just liked to pretend at being normal just like the rest of them did. To try fit in. To try be a part of something bigger than themselves. With another sigh, she followed the voice.

‘Hey, Ebb.’ She smiled tiredly, making her way over to the couch where her sister lay with a book. Sable gently touched her pale white cheek to her sister’s equally pale one. Ebony obligingly moved her legs out of the way, curling up in the corner, tucking her feet under her as Sable sat beside her. They glanced up at the same time, and, moments later, Raven joined them—tall, beautiful, pitch-black long hair, shiny black eyes, and alabaster skin. She settled into the other corner of the couch, mimicking Ebony’s pose. Sable smiled with affection, her own legs curling under her. They spent a lot of time like this. Together. Just existing, just loving, just being.

‘Did you not go out tonight?’ Sable asked her sisters.

‘No,’ Ebony mumbled quietly.

‘Thought about it.’ Raven avoided eye contact.

‘You guys,’ Sable sighed tiredly. ‘You know this has to be done. Your cycle starts in two days’ time, same as mine. If you don’t conceive in that time, it’s another fifty years. We made a pact.’

‘We haven’t been able to find anyone,’ Ebony protested.

‘You haven’t tried.’ Sable pointed out gently.

‘I have,’ Raven protested. ‘I’ve been out every night this last month, but the men are so… wimpy. Their preppy suits and gelled hair and manicured nails and soft girly hands.’ She pulled a face, her distaste obvious. The three sisters exchanged looks and burst out laughing. Three black heads came together as Raven and Ebony changed position, resting their heads on Sable’s shoulders.

‘Tell us about him,’ Raven prompted, eager to change the subject. ‘Have you made contact yet?’

‘Sort of.’ Sable smiled.

‘Sort of?’ Ebony prompted.

‘We were watching him. He was up before dawn this morning again. The weather has held them back you know.’ The sisters nodded, having a basic background on Devlin. Sable had been watching him for a while now. ‘Then he fell asleep in his chair.’

‘Again?’ Raven asked sympathetically.

‘Did he fall again?’ Ebony bit her lip.

‘No.’ Sable laughed softly. ‘Pitch woke me, and I insisted we go wake him. He needs to finish this contract you know.’

‘So you went in and woke him?’ Ebony asked excitedly, sitting up with legs crossed, leaning forward expectantly.

‘The sun hadn’t set yet,’ Sable stated.

‘Oooh,’ The sisters cringed in sympathy.

‘What did you do?’ Raven asked eagerly.

‘Cat,’ Sable said simply.

‘Doggy camouflage?’

‘Yip. Pitch wasn’t very willing, but she knows what’s at stake.’

‘It’s her job not to like it when we push the limits,’ Ebony defended Sable’s lead Rottweiler.

‘I know.’ Sable laughed. ‘But it’s still quite a joke when you think about it. A little cat ordering a huge dog around.’

‘So you got in and woke him?’ Ebony prompted, eager to hear all the details.

‘Had to smack him on the nose.’ She cringed slightly. ‘I drew blood.’

‘Shame on you!’ the sisters reprimanded together.

‘He wouldn’t wake up,’ Sable defended herself. ‘But when he did…’ she sighed dreamily. ‘He wasn’t angry with me. He held me close and spoke to me, and he kept rubbing his hands over my body and scratching my ears. And his smell.’ She took a deep breath as if he was still there and she was breathing him in again.

‘Yes?’ the sister prompted.

‘My hormones went crazy,’ she stated. ‘I had to fight the urge to shift and ravish him on the spot.’

‘So he’s the one then?’ Raven asked enviously.

‘Yes,’ Sable said without hesitating. ‘He will be the father of my babies.’ Her sisters sighed dreamily.

‘What was he wearing tonight?’ Raven asked, swinging her legs over the edge of the couch and laying her head in Sable’s lap.

‘Black.’ Sable shivered in excitement.

‘Oooh,’ the sisters said again.

‘T-shirt?’ Ebony asked.

‘Yip.’ Sable licked her lips, remembering how it felt to be held against that hard chest.

‘Is he really so big?’ Raven demanded.

‘He is,’ Sable confirmed. ‘His legs are about the size of our waists and his arms… well, let’s just say I don’t think he can wear a shirt unless it is a T-shirt. I think a normal cotton shirt would rip if he had to strain his muscles.’

‘Your hormones are singing again,’ Ebony pointed out.

‘If you ever saw him, you would know why,’ Sable defended.

‘Does he look anything like Jet and Coal and the others?’ Ebony asked.

‘Not as big,’ Sable answered. ‘You know human men are not as big as ours are, but he is close. They all are.’

‘They?’ Raven perked up.

‘His brothers,’ Sable clarified.

‘You never said what they look like,’ Ebony pointed out.

‘I didn’t?’ Sable seemed genuinely surprised.

‘Nope.’ Raven laughed. ‘You just carry on and on about Devlin.’ Sable blushed but could not keep the self-satisfied smile off her face.

‘He is so beautiful,’ she gushed. ‘Those eyes, so black, his hair. Oh my goodness, have I mentioned how wide his chest is? And how his butt looks when he bends… ‘

‘Yes!’ Raven and Ebony yelled before Ebony grabbed a pillow and bashed Sable with it.

‘Tell us about the brothers,’ Raven prompted.

‘They look like him.’

Raven and Ebony sat up in surprise.

‘The same? Are they triplets like us?’

‘No.’ Sable shook her head, sending her dark hair tumbling around her shoulders ‘But they could be. They are the same height, same build, same hair colour, eye colour and look close enough to pass for twins or triplets. Anyway, as you know, there are six of them.’

‘How can you tell them apart?’ Ebony asked, obviously stunned.

‘Same way we tell each other and everyone else apart I suppose.’ Sable shrugged. It was true. Their society consisted of triplets. Each woman who conceived gave birth to three babies. And they were generally all girls. It was few and far between that there would be two girls and one boy in the set, even rarer for two boys and only one girl. But the rarest was to have three males in the set. It was nearly unheard of. There were only three sets in their history. The lack of males was what made the females turn to human men for impregnation. They had put a whole new spin on the old ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ theme.

‘I want to meet them,’ Raven whispered so quietly that Sable almost missed it. If it wasn’t for her superior hearing, she would have.

‘Why?’ Sable ventured.

‘As you said yourself, we only have two days. Maybe I’ll get lucky and one of them will spark my attraction. No spark, no babies.’

‘Me too,’ Ebony seconded.

‘Hey.’ Sable bit her lip thoughtfully. ‘This might work. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. We are identical. We like the same things.’ She tapped her nail against her tooth. ‘They are identical and like the same things. At least job wise. If there is a spark for me, there might be a spark for you. It’s possible I suppose.’ She grinned at her sisters. ‘This might just work. Come.’ She pushed Raven off her lap and rose to her full height, eager to test it out. ‘Let’s go.’ She headed for the door.

‘Now?’ Ebony asked, uncertain.

‘Yes, now!’ Sable prompted. ‘There’s no time like the present. If we leave now, we might just catch them at the construction site. Move it, ladies.’ She clapped her hands and urged them out, excited now with the possibilities.

‘Come on, girl.’ Raven prompted. ‘Just think about the babies.’ Ebony’s eyes got dreamy at the mere mention of the word. They had been waiting so long. To them it wasn’t an obligation they owed their people but a true dream to be able to bring life into the world, to be able to love and nurture and to just not be so alone any more.

‘I want my babies,’ Ebony sighed softly, tears appearing in her huge black eyes.

‘So then let’s see what we can do about it,’ Raven and Sable prompted.

‘Okay,’ Ebony decided and laughed out loud in excitement. She rushed out the room, nearly beating her sisters to the front door. They burst out, laughing and eager, but still careful, automatically reaching out with their minds to see who was close, who could be watching. Sable sent out a call for Pitch even as her shape shifted and her body compressed into that of a swallow. Her sisters were of the same opinion, and soon three of the small birds were heading back towards the construction site where Sable had had the best night of her life so far—and the most humiliating.

Behind the house where the triplets resided, Pitch ruffed a protest and barked an order. Two Rottweilers nearly identical to herself stepped up next to her. They shared a knowing look before turning to get their troops in order. Each girl had six guard dogs. Their parents had insisted. It was the only way they were allowed to live on their own. Vampires generally stayed in a commune, but nowadays, a lot left to be on their own, and although they could take care of themselves, the black triplets’ parents had insisted. After all, the Rottweilers were part of their legacy.

Once Pitch was sure they were all ready, she opened the gate and the eighteen black dogs stepped through. Once the house was secure, they set out at a sprint, covering the distance between them and their charges as fast as possible.

Inside the form of the bird, Sable grinned. She spotted a flock of swallows up ahead and changed direction to join them. Her sisters were right beside her, eager now to see if this night would bring them closer to motherhood. The three had often discussed the subject, and even though they were not very happy about the fact that they were in actual fact cheating good men out of their children, they all agreed that for their own survival, for their own sanity, and for their race, it had to be done. But she had never once during all those conversations realised she would feel like this, so tingly and bubbly and happy. And she hadn’t even spent actual time with him yet. She really hoped the other two black triplets would find what they were looking for tonight. She didn’t think she would be able to enjoy her happiness as much if one or both her sisters were unhappy.

The triplets stayed with the flock for only a short while but enjoyed every second of the absolute freedom they got from soaring in the sky, feeling the wind in their black feathers, twisting, turning, always synchronised, diving down and pulling up, receiving so much information from the wind, the earth, the other birds. It was indescribable. Sable sighed. It was going to rain again. Another delay for Devlin and his brothers! She used to love the rain, but lately, she really had mixed feelings about it.

Sable broke away from the flock first, reaching out on the special link that existed between her and her sisters. They followed close behind, eager to see if tonight was the night.

The eighteen Rottweilers were at the construction site, already waiting for the girls. Pitch had informed Sable that the six brothers were indeed still there, and she sighed with relief. They swooped over the site, angling towards the section where the dogs were concealed. Their landing was bittersweet as it always was. They hated giving up the freedom of the sky. They shifted straight from bird form to that of cats, facing the trailer.

I’ll go first. Sable was eager to be in Devlin’s company again. I’ll send the all-clear only when I’m sure it’s safe.

Tail in the air, flanked by her six dogs, she hurried over to the trailer and all but floated up the three steps that would take her to Devlin. The men were grouped around the table, with idiot Joshua still behind the desk. And progress had been made. The surface of the table was visible even from where she stood. The other five brothers were ranged around the desk in a rough square, obviously uncomfortable in the office chairs. Devlin was pretty much where he had been when she left him; he had just scooted over some to make room for three chairs on the one side of him, and one on the other. Sable smiled in the cat’s body. He was drop-dead gorgeous. She couldn’t help staring at him for a moment. He was so handsome, with thick black hair, yummy tanned skin, square stubborn chin with cheekbones to die for, and eyelashes that were sinfully long. She loved gazing into his black eyes. And his luscious bottom lip did interesting things to her when curved in humour. She even thought his teeth were sexy. She barely spared his brothers a glance before prancing into the room.

‘Meow,’ she announced herself. Devlin jumped up, a huge grin splitting his face.

‘There you are, Little Lady,’ he crooned as he scooped her up. ‘I was getting worried about you. You just disappeared.’ Sable showed her joy the only way she could, her purr loud and constant as she wrapped little furry paws around his neck and hugged him, her tongue sneaking out to swipe his ear lobe. Devlin laughed again and happily settled the cat in her now new favourite position. Just before he reached his chair, he turned around and glanced at the door.

‘Well, come on in,’ he called pleasantly. ‘Don’t be waiting for an invitation this time, you sure didn’t the last time.’ He sat and watched his four brothers as the six huge Rottweilers stepped into his trailer. He had mentioned the incident to them, mainly because they demanded to know why he was in such a good mood and why Joshua was a tad touchy. To say they hadn’t really believed him was an understatement. Now he watched the disbelief on their faces as his new guests filed in—five to the corner and one standing guard.

‘Holy hell!’ Samuel said.

‘Damn straight,’ Richard agreed.

‘Are they friendly?’ Daniel asked eagerly.

‘Keep your distance,’ Mathew warned. ‘They don’t look too friendly.’ As if to prove his point, Pitch lifted her lip and showed him her impressive teeth.

‘So this is the little lady that the fuss was all about?’ Daniel eyed the cat. Like his brothers, he loved animals and they loved him. He was dying to get down on the floor and wrestle with the five dogs in the corner that looked way friendlier than the one sitting just to the left of Devlin.

‘This is indeed my little lady,’ Devlin agreed. Turning Sable around, he presented her to his brothers. ‘Say hello, sweetling,’ he instructed softly. Sable decided to do just that; after all, she was there for a reason. Wriggling out of Devlin’s hands, she stepped on to the cleared table and over to the brother closest to him.

Non-plussed for a moment, Devlin said nothing but got into the swing of things when she turned to him with an expectant air.

‘This is Richard or Rick as we like to call him.’ Sable stared the man in the eye and didn’t budge for a good few seconds. He didn’t break eye contact with her but grinned along with his brothers. She placed her paws on his chest, and leaning forward, she sniffed at his neck. Mm. The smell was similar, but it didn’t do a thing for her. Moving along, she stopped at the next brother and glanced over her shoulder at Devlin.

‘Samuel or Sam,’ Devlin obliged; she repeated the process, with the same results.

‘Daniel or Danny,’ Devlin elaborated when she stopped at the next brother. She moved on and only paused to arch her back and spit at Joshua. As she passed him, her paw shot out like lightning and rapped him over the knuckles, careful to keep her claws sheathed. He jumped, a dull blush staining his cheeks as his brothers laughed. She stopped before the last brother.

‘And that’s Mathew or Matt,’ Devlin finished. He watched as his brother got the same treatment as the other four and only relaxed the muscles he didn’t even know he’d been tensing when the cat turned to come back to him. He lifted her gently and asked,

‘Do they meet with your approval?’

‘Meow,’ she answered, then turned her head and hissed at Joshua again.

‘Yes, I know he’s a bad boy,’ Devlin soothed. ‘But he really is sorry for what he did.’ Sable decided to leave it at that, and placing her black paws on Devlin’s shoulder, she faced the door and meowed loudly.

‘You got a friend out there?’ he asked.

‘Meow.’

‘It’s okay,’ he said, ‘they can come in.’ Devlin didn’t know what he was expecting, but when a black cat, identical to the one on his lap, stepped in, followed closely, even protectively by six Rottweilers, he knew that wasn’t it. He had thought maybe a stray or two, but not this.

‘Well, I’ll be,’ Richard said.

‘Cool!’ Daniel exclaimed, edging forward in his seat.

‘Stay,’ Mathew said laconically.

‘There’s more of them?’ Samuel demanded.

‘Apparently.’ Devlin sounded somewhat stunned. His trailer wasn’t big enough for six dogs, never mind twelve. He watched as five separated and headed for the group behind the door, while the one that looked suspiciously like the one sitting so close to him, only bigger, stayed beside the cat. Sable