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  Into the Mist

  Lacey Thorn

  Stand-alone sequel to White Valley.

  In the aftermath of her best friend’s death, Nikki was looking for a reason for life when she took a long drive through the state park. A song in the air led her through the mist and into a valley to delight the senses. All of them…

  Gunnar and Geran didn’t expect to find the naked beauty swimming in the bridal pool but they couldn’t leave her to face the effects of the water all alone. So they claimed her as their mate and took their pleasure in helping her reach hers. Again and again and again…until every inch of her knew their touch.

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Into the Mist

  ISBN 9781419925115

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Into the Mist Copyright © 2009 Lacey Thorn

  Edited by Helen Woodall

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book publication December 2009

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Into the Mist

  Lacey Thorn

  This book is dedicated to the following people:

  To my fans. Thanks for reading my work and then taking the time to write me! I love hearing from you!

  To my friends, the family we chose. You are my smile when I’m down, my laughter through the tears, and my sanity in an often insane world. I love you guys!

  Prologue

  The old grey wolf settled along the bank of the pool and closed his eyes. It was as if he was waiting for something and would not leave until he had it. He sat for an hour before the rustling of the trees gave way to the ethereal beauty of a tiny woman. She was dressed in a sparkly dress of blue that played well against the deep blue of her eyes and the black curls that hung to her feet. She approached the wolf and, reaching her hand out, softly stroked his fur.

  “You may show yourself, Lynx,” she murmured and stood back as wolf transformed into man.

  When he stood before her, she once again felt a pang of regret for what could never be between them. No matter how much time passed she still felt a burning desire to lie with the man she longed for, the only man she would ever love. But theirs was a forbidden joining, no wolf could ever be mated with one of her kind. It would lead to the death of them both. Yet fate had made them lovers in their hearts and souls and so no other had ever come between them.

  “I’ve missed you, Serena. You grow more beautiful every year.” His words were like a stroke along her skin. She marveled at the beauty of the man before her. His body was as big and strong as ever, as healthy as it had been in their youth. She loved the way that his muscles rippled as he moved, as much an animal even in his human skin. His cock jutted heavy and full from the thatch of hair that surrounded it. She licked her lips, only realizing what she had done when his groan pulled her attention back up to his face. “One day, my queen,” he promised. “One day I will take you away from here and there will be none to stand in our way.”

  “Wishes and dreams,” she whispered but in her heart she prayed for the same thing.

  “You called the woman for my brother’s sons.” It was more a statement than a question but she nodded anyway. “How did you get her to come? How did you know that she would listen to you?”

  “I hoped. I did not know for sure, Lynx. I only hoped that she might be one of those capable of passing through and entering the Valley.” She had sung for days, a song of entreaty and longing. It was her way of trying to help save the were of the valley. “Your women grow fewer in number with every new year. I shudder to think of the Valley with no more of your people in it. We need you.”

  “Do you need me, Serena?” His fingers whispered through her hair and it took everything she had not to give in to the forbidden touch. She longed to curl into his arms and give life to the need that was like an extension of them both.

  “Don’t,” she whispered. “You know that we can’t.”

  “Can’t or won’t?” he snapped and she felt the first tear slide from her eye down her cheek. “Damn it.” He reached out to wipe it away before cupping her jaw and forcing her to look up at him. “I’m sorry, my love. I know how much your family means to you.”

  If only he did know why she couldn’t be with him, why she must deny them both the ecstasy that she was sure they would find in each other’s arms. She could never have what she desired most in life so she did everything that she could to see that his family was happy. It was her magic that mixed with the water of the bridal pool. Her magic that kept the Valley hidden from those who might seek to destroy or harm it. Her magic that would continue to call forward mates for the groups of weres who still waited for the woman they would take and bond with.

  But her magic came at a high price. The one thing that she could never do was spend even one moment with the man she loved, the man she craved with all her heart and soul. For in one moment of jealousy, the man she was betrothed to had cursed them all to a solitary existence. His intention had been to bind her to him but instead he had bound her magic and with it the fate of the Valley. For if she followed her heart and consummated the love she shared with Lynx, she would lose everything else. Her choice. Either the man she loved or the life of everything and everyone in the Valley.

  There were days that she hated the White Valley, days when she was engulfed with anger so deep that it was hard to breathe. But those days were few and far between and the Valley had a way of thanking her for her gift. Her betrothed had long since died, cold and alone. He had hoped that she would come to him when she was denied Lynx but that she could never do. She would rather spend her life alone than with any man other than the one she had loved since her youth. There would never be another for her.

  “Perhaps a woman will appear for you,” she murmured though it hurt even to think about him with another. He could easily have mated with the same woman as his brother but had declined, instead allowing his brother to have what no other of his kind had, a woman who was his and his alone, a woman who, without a second mate, would never find her wolf. It was something they all struggled with, but as yet his brother refused to take another as his second.

  “There will never be anyone else for me,” he vowed again, the same as he always did. “You or no one, Serena. I will settle for no other than the woman of my heart.”

  She turned away and glided back toward the trees where she had entered. “More will come. I don’t know how many or when but they will come. I will continue to sing and lead them to the sacred waters that will ready them for the claiming. It is all that I can give to you, Lynx. It is everything that I can give.”

  “F
or now, it is what I will gladly accept.” He followed after her, reached out and ran his fingers through the back of her hair. “But someday we will find a way to be together. We won’t be denied forever. Someday, my love, you will know the feel of my skin on yours.” She felt the whisper of his breath beside her face and wanted so badly to lean against him, to revel in his strength if only for a moment. “One day we will be as one. One day you will be the one who comes.”

  She felt the rustle in the air behind her and knew before she glanced back that he was once more a wolf. She turned just in time to see him run between the trees and disappear toward the heart of White Valley where the were lived. How she wished that she could go to him. But it was never to be. With a weary sigh she turned back the way she had been headed and with a shrug released her fairy wings and took to the sky. She had more singing to do, more enchantments to weave before the night was through. The entire Valley was counting on her.

  Chapter One

  It hurt to breathe. It hurt to feel. It hurt. It just hurt. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and never wake up. Michael was gone and it was as if he had taken her with him. They were to have been married in a few more months and for a woman like Nikki, who had never had a family, marrying Michael had been a dream come true. Not for the normal reasons of love and hope. Theirs wasn’t a love match but a bond built of deep and unwavering friendship.

  Michael was from old money and with that came a lot of pressure. So he couldn’t openly live the life he wanted, couldn’t marry the man he loved. But she loved them both and had been willing to fill the role of adoring wife in public while they enjoyed their love in private. Not a girlhood dream but one that she had been content with. Michael was her best friend and she would have gladly done anything for him.

  Wasn’t he the one who had found her at the age of fourteen living on the street after running away from her latest foster home? She’d been contemplating selling her body for money but had lost her courage at the last minute. The guy hadn’t been so understanding though and lucky for her that was when Michael had come along. He’d been twenty-nine at the time. Her savior. Her big brother. And she had loved him from the start. He’d found her a home and kept tabs on her. He’d visited often and made her feel like family. Life finally had meaning.

  She hadn’t known about his family wealth or his desire for the same sex until she was twenty-one and had gone to visit him from college. It was an impulse that found her stumbling in on him with another man. He’d been embarrassed at first but she had introduced herself to his lover and been accepting. It was the first time anyone had discovered his secret. And from that moment on their bond had been even greater. So much so that when he proposed a marriage in name only on her twenty-second birthday, she had gladly accepted.

  Nikki loved him and felt that she owed him everything. Who knew where she would be if he hadn’t saved her that day. She certainly wouldn’t still be a virgin. But fate had stepped in and brought her an angel named Michael. They’d become engaged and he’d introduced her to his family. They’d accepted her not because they liked her but because she was the first woman that Michael had ever brought home. And Nikki had discovered just how wealthy his family was.

  But the wedding wasn’t to be. Fate had stepped in again and this time dealt her a killing blow. Michael had been discovered during an intimate encounter with his current lover by his mother. His mother had been horrified and ashamed of her son and told him that. She’d told him that she had no son, that his father had no son. And she’d walked out and left him alone, his lover having left when they were first discovered. And the instant she had left Michael had taken a gun and killed himself.

  Her Michael. Gone. And for what? The bigoted opinion of a woman who had no concept of the man Michael had been. And with his loss Nikki was alone again. But the loneliness was so much greater this time around for having lost someone like Michael. She’d packed a backpack and left, just left it all behind.

  And now here she was alone again, stranded on a road in some national park. Woods surrounded her and dusk was starting to settle in. She cursed herself for not paying attention to the gas gauge. But another glance showed it still on the “E”. Now she had to decide what to do. Did she stay in the car and hope someone came along or get out and walk? Of course she’d chosen this very road for its lack of cars and she hadn’t passed one in hours. But on the other hand she had no idea where she was, what direction to go in and what type of animals awaited her if she left the vehicle.

  She laughed thinking of how Michael would have gotten a kick out of this, after he’d come to save her. But the laugh turned into a choked sob and the pain of losing him was like a fresh knife to her heart. She lowered her head onto her arms where they were braced over the steering wheel and took deep breaths to try to get control of herself. And in the silence she heard the most beautiful voice singing. She didn’t know the words, couldn’t understand the language, but it called to her just the same.

  She opened the door and stepped out grabbing her backpack without thought. All she knew was that she had to find the voice, for in it she would find safety and peace. She was overcome with a sense of urgency as if she were needed, actually needed. She left the car behind and stepped off the road and into the woods no longer concerned with the fear of what animals might be around.

  She walked for only a few miles before she stepped through what seemed like a sheer veil of mist and into a beautiful valley. The colors were so brilliant that every blade of grass, every leaf, every petal of the lush flowers took on a clarity she had never seen before. She heard the sound of water and followed it until she reached a cool brook filled with the bluest water she had ever seen. Slowly she walked along its banks somehow knowing that what she was searching for lay at its end.

  And what was there took her breath away. An oasis complete with waterfall. She could feel the moisture in the air and knew that she had to undress and enter the water. Here was where she would find peace at last. Here was her destiny. The song continued like a velvet touch along her skin. Michael was still gone but suddenly she didn’t feel so alone. She dropped her backpack to the ground and began to slowly remove her clothing. More than anything she wanted to feel the water washing over her skin.

  Gunnar eyed his twin brother Geran and wondered why the hell Lynx had sent them on a wild goose chase way out by the bridal pools. There was no intruder that he could see and he was getting hot and sweaty. He wanted a cool drink and a cool dip and if he could find one, a cool woman, and he wouldn’t mind sharing any of them with his brother. It was their destiny anyway.

  All the males of his line shared their mates with another. He only knew of one couple who kept to a duo and that was because Lynx wouldn’t settle with his brother and his brother’s wife. There were many stories as to why Lynx continued to walk alone but no one really knew for sure. And Lynx didn’t speak about it, which only added to the stories that were told. But little seemed to bother Lynx and Gunnar had too much respect for the older man to ever ask him to his face.

  Suddenly a splash sounded nearby and without hesitation he and Geran took off toward it. What met their eyes was a true sight of beauty. A woman more beautiful than he’d ever seen swam in the waters of the bridal pool. Alone.

  Is there a ceremony scheduled? Gunnar spoke to his brother with his mind, something they had been able to do since they were kids. It was the way of their were-people. Once you went through the form change and embraced your wolf you were able to speak with your mind. Usually only with the person going through the change with you, your twin, but there were some cases where special wolves had been able to hear the thoughts of all. Gunnar was glad he didn’t have that. He could only hear himself and Geran. And eventually, when they mated, he should be able to hear the thoughts of his mate and communicate with her that way, as would Geran.

  There was nothing planned, Geran assured him and then inhaled deeply through his nose. She has no scent upon her. She is not claimed. />
  Then why is she here? And why is she in the bridal pool? Gunnar asked. No woman should ever go into the bridal pool unless it was her time to mate. The pools waters were made to prepare a woman for her first mating with her werewolf mates. The waters increased a woman’s desire, made her hungry for the mating. He had no idea how the waters worked but watching the woman frolicking in the water below, he was very glad that they did.

  Should we? he asked Geran.

  It would be a shame to leave her in need once the waters’ pheromones kick in, Geran replied and a smile tilted the corners of his mouth. Besides who are we to turn away from such a gift?

  Yes, who were they indeed. Gunnar couldn’t help but wonder if this was the reason why Lynx had sent them to check it out. He had heard that the Cordova brothers had mated a woman they had found in the pools but none had seen the trio yet. And Lynx had hushed the gossip immediately. Still, he glanced at the woman who was even now touching her breasts where they bobbed above the water and it made him wonder.

  “Let’s go,” he spoke aloud making sure to keep his voice soft enough that it wouldn’t carry to the woman.

  “Yes,” Geran replied and as one they moved back from the ledge to the path that would lead them to the waters and the woman who they hoped would become their future.

  Geran couldn’t get the vision of the woman out of his mind. Even from a distance he could tell that she was small. When she had floated for a few moments along the top of the water he had judged her to be about five foot one, maybe two, but no taller than that. She would easily be dwarfed by his and Gunnar’s six-foot-two-inch frames. And she had appeared tiny everywhere. His wolf senses had drunk her in as his eyes devoured her. She had small hands and feet and her breasts would be barely a handful but so firm under his touch. He kept his eyes trained to her as he traveled the path that would lead him to her. And she was only more beautiful with each step.