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Music was playing, the beverages flowed, people were eating, or chatting, or
dancing. All in all a much more relaxed atmosphere than the last time I was here.
I followed Dade to the family table. They surprised me with their welcome. Even
the women were polite, if not friendly. I raised my eyebrow at Dade and he just smiled
in response. I wondered if he d had to beat the crap out of any of them.
Dade and I sat at the far end where we d sat before. Several people came by to say
their hellos to Dade, and many of them introduced themselves to me. I had become so
used to people sniffing me, I barely noticed.
Dade excused himself to get us some food and a refill on our drinks. Mick spent the
time Dade was away staring down the neckline of my sweater.
I didn t mean to look, but I noticed the bulge in the crotch of Mick s pants.
Dade set a plate heaped with various dishes in front of me then went back for his
own. I hoped he was planning on eating some of this stuff, especially the strips of raw
beef.
Dade glanced at his brother when he returned but didn t say anything to him.
I poked through the selections on my plate. Everything was either meat, cheese or
potatoes.
Don t you guys eat vegetables?
We eat potatoes.
Okay, that was a vegetable.
And occasionally baked beans.
I gave up and concentrated on eating.
I still felt uncomfortable going to the bathroom here, but nothing happened to me
when I did. It was a testament to Dade s power and the respect his pack members had
for him, though I didn t know it.
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Her Werewolf
Dade whirled me out to the dance floor several times. A number of men tried to cut
in, but Dade never let them.
I had a wonderful time, never noticing the hostile glances directed at my back.
We were one of the last couples to leave. My buffet pans were empty. I doused the
flames and cooled them.
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Lisa Andel
Chapter Ten
I was stuffed, happy and a little tipsy when we zapped into our living room.
A blur of movement came from the hallway, too fast for me to react in my current
state. I was slammed onto the floor before my brain processed that a wolf was attacking
me.
I started throwing defensive spells up as another wolf loomed over me. I
strengthened my spells as I got to my feet. I looked around wildly for Dade, but all I
saw were wolves. I trusted my powers to know which one he was and sent a defensive
spell out to protect him.
Then the wolves broke into a circle around me, circling, snarling. I knew which one
Dade was then. He stood in front of me. A huge, dark brown wolf, hackles raised.
Okay, love, Dade spoke in my mind, cast a spell on this lot forcing them to human form.
Be sure to contain them so I can question them.
I cast the containing spell first, locking them in place, then I forced them one by one
to human form.
Dade s brothers arrived. I d have to ask him later how he d contacted them.
Dade shifted to his human form then walked around the circle of men, inspecting
each one of them. He stood in front of the one he d identified as their leader.
What pack are you from and what is your purpose here?
The man curled his lip at Dade, baring his teeth.
Dade punched him so hard in the stomach it would have knocked him to his knees
if not for the containing spell.
You will answer my questions, Dade growled at him, angrier than I had ever
heard him.
The man stared him in the eye and said nothing.
Mate, bring me one of your knives, Dade said aloud, adding mentally, Use your
magic, make a silver blade with a wooden handle.
I dashed up to my studio and whipped one up for him even though I hoped he
wouldn t use it.
After I brought it to him, I moved out of the circle and stood behind Chase, peeking
around his shoulder.
Dade placed the point of the blade against the man s thigh.
Your answer? Dade asked in a deadly tone. Christ, I felt moisture pool between
my legs. I was terribly aroused by this dangerous side of Dade.
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Her Werewolf
The man still refused to speak. Dade slid the knife into the man s leg. There was no
blood whatsoever.
The man screamed. A high, tortured, inhuman sound.
Dade withdrew the blade, blue sparks flashing in the gash left behind.
The man, held in place by the spell, writhed and howled in a bizarre upright dance.
Dade moved in front of another man. He showed the man the knife then asked in a
low voice, What pack are you from and what is your purpose here?
The man s eyes flicked to his leader. He looked back at Dade and held his tongue.
Dade placed the knife on the man s thigh.
I m waiting.
And so it went. Dade s questions going unanswered, him stabbing the guys in the
thigh.
After he d stabbed the ninth and last man, he asked me to cast a silence over them
so they couldn t hear what he and his brothers discussed.
I passed bottles of beer around. Mac had gone off somewhere, the brothers drank in
silence.
I sat at the counter, feeling a little unsteady.
Mac returned with Cardive and four of Cardive s men.
When I brought the newcomers their beverages I noticed, inappropriately, that all
the chairs at the table were in use.
Your mate could probably make them talk, but that doesn t seem right somehow.
Maybe we should just beat them til they see fit to answer us, Cardive said.
I m as much for a good beating as the next wolf, but something about this doesn t
feel right, Dade responded.
I know, I ve never seen nor scented any of those weres in there, Leigh said.
Neither have I, Sean agreed and the other brothers nodded.
What about Albert? I asked Dade.
He s not a were, Cardive replied.
He s a hunter, I shot back.
I m going to agree with her. This, unexpectedly, from Leigh.
Dade raised his eyebrow at Leigh. Leigh looked him straight in the eye. Dade
checked the rest of the group. No one spoke up so he sent Mac to fetch Albert.
I grabbed empties off the table, passed out fresh ones and placed a spare next to me
on the counter just as Mac and Albert flashed in.
Albert disappeared into the living room for several minutes. When he returned he
raised an eyebrow at me.
Been learning a few tricks I see. He sat on the stool beside mine. Opened his beer
and took a long swallow.
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Lisa Andel
Cardive, you ve been around long enough to remember the McKutchen brothers?
Albert turned toward Cardive.
Too much inbreeding, right? Cardive chuckled.
Must have been about three hundred years ago, Albert explained to the rest of us.
Family of wolves moved into the area, approached the Erin Gregor pack claiming
distant kinship.
Albert paused for a drink.
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