Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“I’ve been permitted to come for only a short time—I have a warning for you.” Her mother leaned closer to the mirror, her green eyes staring into Miri’s. “Beware the Skulls,” she whispered, her voice low and filled with dread. “Be careful, Mirabella—very careful. I’m afraid you’re very close to the same fate that ended your father’s life.”
“What?” Miri drew back in shock. “The Skulls? What are you talking about? They’re not anywhere near this part of space! Are they?”
But her mother was already fading from the mirror.
“Beware, my darling girl,” she whispered, her voice growing fainter and fainter. “Beware the Skulls…”
And then she was gone, before Miri could ask her anything else or even tell her how much she loved and missed her.
“Wait!” she cried, pounding on the surface of the mirror. “Wait—I love you! Please, Momma—don’t go! Wait, please! Please, I—”
“My Lady? Mirabella? Wake up…wake.”
A big, warm hand was shaking her gently and a deep, purring voice was urging her to wake up.
Miri blinked and opened her eyes to find that she was back in the large white bed between Saxon and Lynx. It was Lynx who was shaking her—Saxon was snoring softly with his back turned to both of them.
“What was it?” Lynx asked, when Miri turned to face him. “A bad dream?”
“Not exactly…” Now that she was awake—though barely—Miri found the dream was fading rapidly. “It was my mother,” she said, trying to capture the images with words before they faded. She sat up, rubbing her temples, trying desperately to remember. “She came to warn me about…about…”
“About what?” Lynx asked softly.
“I don’t know.” Miri shook her head in frustration. “Something about my father, I think. I had it so clearly just a moment ago but now…it’s gone.”
“Maybe it will come to you later,” Lynx murmured soothingly.
“Maybe,” Miri said doubtfully. She had a bad feeling that the dream had been important—that she was forgetting something that might save her life if only she could remember it.
“Come back to sleep, my Lady.” Lynx tugged gently at her arm. “Maybe you’ll dream it again if you drift off.”
Reluctantly, Miri let him tuck her back into bed between himself and Saxon. This time she pillowed her head on Lynx’s broad chest, loving the feeling of his warm, golden fur rubbing her cheek.
The big Monstrum made a deep purring sound that seemed designed to lull her back to sleep and before she knew it, her eyelids were drifting closed.
But the dream didn’t come back and by the time she woke again the next morning, Miri had completely forgotten about it.
THIRTY-SIX
LYNX
Lynx lay awake for some time, cradling the little female against his chest. She felt so delicate in his arms—so precious. He knew by now that he was hopelessly in love with Mirabella. And he further knew that Saxon felt the same—especially after the night of passion the three of them had shared.
But he knew something else too—something he had felt through their bond. Though Saxon loved the little female as much as he did, the Lykan Shifter was dead set against Claiming her as a mate and Bonding her to them.
There must be a way to change his mind, Lynx told himself as he stroked Mirabella’s curls and purred her to sleep. There must be a way to convince him to try again.
But he knew how stubborn his Bond-Brother could be. He just hoped that Saxon wasn’t dead set on throwing away their hope of future happiness. Mirabella was what they needed—both of them—she was kind and sweet and courageous and beautiful and curvy and just everything they wanted in a mate.
How could he convince Saxon to reach out his hand and take the second chance that had been offered to them both? What could he say to make his Bond-Brother see that the Goddess herself had sent Mirabella their way?
Musing on the problem, Lynx at last fell asleep.
THIRTY-SEVEN
SAXON
Saxon woke up in an unexpectedly full bed—a welcome relief since the spot between himself and Lynx was usually empty.
He had his arm draped over a soft, yielding waist and he could feel the three-fold energy that always flowed between himself and his Bond-Brother and the female they were sharing.
But we haven’t shared a female since Kara, he thought drowsily. What’s going on?
Memories of taking a warm, willing female from behind, filling her with both shafts while she sucked and licked Lynx flooded his mind.
Mirabella, whispered a little voice in his head. The Oracle wanted to see you share her and so you did…
Saxon still felt guilt at the memory but it seemed that something had shifted inside him after the sharing last night. The guilt felt old now, not as sharp, and the mate he had shared with Lynx was gone—had been gone for many years. Maybe it was time to move on. He cared for Mirabella—was beginning to fall in love with her, he admitted to himself. And he knew from the emotions coming from Lynx through their link that his Bond-Brother felt the same.