She nodded and shook both their hands. The contact with her skin was electrifying.
When she pulled her hand away in a hurry, he knew she felt it, too.
7
Jaci Burton
“Come in.”
Katya’s voice was dark and rich, just like her beautiful eyes. She directed them to
the chairs in the living room. “Something to drink? Brandy, perhaps?”
He nodded and she turned toward the kitchen, saying something in Romanian. In a few moments a tall blonde carried in a silver tray. The woman wore skin-tight leather pants and a low-cut red sweater. She was tall, reed-thin and absolutely gorgeous.
Conner sensed Noah’s reaction. Hell, if he wasn’t so mesmerized by Katya he’d probably have the same thoughts running through his head right now that Noah had. That blonde was edible.
“This is Elena, my cousin,” Katya said. Elena nodded, her gaze lingering on Noah. Blue eyes darkened and she licked her lips, not even making an attempt to hide her lust.
Lucky Noah. Conner didn’t even have to wager that his brother would get laid tonight.
A man stepped out of the kitchen. About his height, rugged-looking and burly, he looked a lot like a prizefighter. His nose was wide and slightly crooked and he had a menacing stare that any normal male would be wary of.
“This is Peter,” Katya said.
Peter nodded and slipped into a spot on the sofa next to Katya. Conner noticed how Katya inched away from Peter. He also noticed the glare Peter gave her.
Interesting. Lovers, maybe? That thought irritated him, though he didn’t knowwhy. What difference did it make to him if Katya and Peter were fucking?
“I want to thank you both for coming in answer to our request for funding from the Devlin Foundation,” Katya started. “It means a great deal to us that you are willing to assist us with setting up the wolf preserve.”
“Your application and information were very enlightening,” Conner said. “The Devlins had no idea that Carpathian wolves were in such danger.”
Katya nodded. “It’s not highly publicized. The government would like all the animal rights organizations to think they have a wolf-friendly policy, but the hunting organizations here have much influence over our government. It’s imperative that weprotect the wolves from them.”
“Then I look forward to surveying the Braslieu estate. As we explained in our letter, we never make a final decision without a site inspection. That’s primarily why we’rehere. We want to make sure the Devlin Foundation money is spent wisely and on validcauses.”
“Of course.”
She studied him, cocking her head to the side, her gaze traveling along his body. His jeans tightened as his cock came to life. When she inhaled, her breasts pressed against her sweater, her nipples outlined against the fabric.
A sudden urge to lift her sweater and press his mouth to those pebbled buds madethe room much warmer.
8
Mountain Moonlight
Focus on business. You’re not here to fuck her.
“What is your capacity with the Braslieu family?” he asked, noticing Elena and Peter’s gazes flit to Katya as soon as he asked the question.
“I manage all business affairs for the family. As you are aware, the Braslieu castle is one of the oldest in Romania, with a rich history. However, the…principal family members are rather reclusive. They prefer business transactions occur using an intermediary. That’s where I come in. I handle everything dealing with people outsidethe royal family.”
So if Katya was lupine, did that mean the entire Braslieu population was, too? Despite extensive research, he couldn’t find out much about the family other than therewas a king and queen. It was like they were shrouded in some huge mystery and nobody was talking.
“We’d like to meet the royal family.”
Katya shook her head. “Not possible. They do not meet with outsiders.”
His first thought was to object. But he had to remember that he wasn’t in Bostonnow and the rules of the game were different. He had to respect the family’s need forprivacy. And as long as Katya held some kind of power of attorney or authority to make business decisions for the family, that would have to suffice. “Very well. I don’tlike the idea of not meeting the king and queen, but I’ll abide by their wishes. What are your plans for our visit?”
Katya exhaled, glad the first meeting went so smoothly. “We’ll go over paperwork and funding for the next couple days. Then, if all that meets with your approval, we’ll take you to the castle for a tour.”
Conner nodded. “Sounds fine.” He stood, nodded at Peter and Elena, then shook her hand. Heat shot through her body, a warm ache settling between her legs. She resisted the urge to squeeze her thighs together, wishing she were alone right now. Thesudden urge to come had her legs trembling.
After the Devlins left, she looked to Elena and Peter. “I need to get some rest. I havea headache.” Her comment was mainly for Peter and Elena would know that. The lastthing she needed right now was him hanging around trying to convince her how great he was in bed. Grudgingly, he walked out.
Katya shut and bolted the door, finally letting out the breath she’d been holding. Frankly, she’d expected the Devlins to put up more of a fight over not meeting the royalfamily. Since it was Braslieu land the reserve would be built on, she’d was sure they’dinsist.
Conner Devlin surprised her. In more ways than just readily agreeing to abide byfamily wishes. She hadn’t expected to open the door to two breathtakingly handsome men. Men who exuded power and arrogance, whose lupine scent shocked her system into awakening for the first time in…
9
Jaci Burton
…ever, actually. She’d never felt a lupine sexual connection with a male before, even though she’d lived among them her entire life. Which was one of the reasons she remained a virgin, though not the most important reason. That had to do with power and control. A control she wouldn’t give up to just any man. Only to her life mate—the first and only man she would share her body with.
She had thought by the time she reached her mid-twenties she’d have mated. Elena told her she was too picky. Katya felt Elena wasn’t picky enough. But Elena didn’t have as much at stake as Katya did. Giving up her virginity meant so much more than just simple desire and release. There were political ramifications to her choice of a mate. Many of the pack had attempted to seduce her. All had failed.
One refused to give up. Peter.
Which was his problem, not hers. She’d told Peter on more than one occasion they would never be mated. Peter just had a problem with taking no for an answer, convinced she’d someday change her mind about him.
Not likely. Peter’s arrogance wasn’t borne of confidence. He had a high opinion of himself and wore his conceit like a valued prize, thinking women would drop their panties for him every time he blinked his chocolate brown eyes in their direction.
Maybe other women, but never her. She felt nothing for him and the sooner he accepted that, the better.
Katya wouldn’t mate with anyone she didn’t choose herself. And she didn’t make that choice lightly. To rule beside her would require a strong mate, one who could take care of all the people of Braslieu. She’d yet to find a man like that. No one had ever stirred her mind, her heart and her body.
She shook off her thoughts and forced herself to focus on the project at hand. Now that the initial meeting was over, she had time to settle back and figure out how tohandle the Devlins.
They could never find out about her and what role she actually played in the Braslieu family. That would have to remain a mystery, as it was to everyone outside the pack. Royalty were treated differently than common people. She hated that, which waswhy no one outside the castle knew who she was.
The business arrangements between the Devlin Foundation and the Braslieu family would be best conducted between business associates.
They had to provide funding for the shelter. They had to. The family, while royal,possessed no funds. Their near bankruptcy was a closely guarded secret, and one which she wouldn’t use as a point of negotiation. The Braslieus had never begged for moneybefore and wouldn’t start now. But the safety of all the Carpathian wolves was at stakehere, and the government offered no assistance in keeping the hunters from the wolves. Without the help of a wildlife preservation organization such as the Devlins, theirfuture looked dismal.
10
Mountain Moonlight
Katya stood and stretched her back, feeling the need for air. The room seemed to close in on her more each minute. The cottages here were nothing like home. She missed the spacious rooms where she could pace end to end and think.
Grabbing her jacket, she stepped outside, sucking in life-affirming night air. Cool air swirled around her, easing the burdens she carried. Outside she felt part of nature. The pack called to her senses, reminding her of her responsibility.
She’d die to protect them, to assure their continuity.
A cold north wind blew against her face as she walked the long path to the edge ofthe mountain. Once inside the narrow thicket of trees, she stopped to look up at thequarter moon drifting in and out of the clouds, its lunar force tugging inside her. The urge to run was great. To go home, right now, and hide. The white fog of her breath was visible in the chilled night as she let out a sigh.
If there was any other way to do this she’d never bring outsiders in. But there wasn’t. She’d exhausted every option. Yes, the Devlins were strangers, but she’dresearched their charitable foundations and was impressed. The work they did with wolves, especially, interested her.
And no wonder, considering she’d scented both Conner and Noah as lupine. But there was something else, too. When she’d met Conner Devlin she was struck by a feeling of…
…destiny.
Not one to fall for a handsome face and utterly delectable male physique, she nevertheless had to pick up her tongue and tuck it inside her mouth when she’d caught her first glimpse of him.
Very tall, well-muscled, with strong arms, broad shoulders and powerful, long legs. Despite the jeans and heavy shirt he wore, she could see the strong body underneath.
And she wanted.
For the first time in her life, she wanted. Her body had reacted violently, surging tolife with a vengeance. Her breasts felt heavy and tight, her nipples pebbling andthrobbing with an unfamiliar ache. And her sex had opened, moistened, immediately ready for a cock.
Such physical reaction had never happened before, especially around a stranger. But there was just something about Conner Devlin that called to her.
Kindred spirits? Or the kind she should be wary of?
“There’s nothing like the moon, is there?”
In the split second before he’d spoken she’d sensed him behind her, so his voice didn’t surprise her. But she couldn’t allow her mind and body to wander in thoughts of him. Conner Devlin was already a distraction she couldn’t afford.
She turned and nodded. “Yes, the moon is very special.”
11
Jaci Burton
Did he know about her as she knew about him? She wouldn’t volunteer the
information, preferring instead for him to mention it. After all, not every lupine had developed the ability to discern a human shifter.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“I’m restless when away from home.”
“I understand that sentiment completely.”
They stared at the moon together for a while, wrapped in a silence that should have been uncomfortable, but wasn’t.
“So tell me, Katya, how is it that you speak such fluent English?”
“I went to college in America.”
He arched a brow. “Really? Where?”
“University of New York.”
“Degree?”
“Biology. And you?”
“Did my undergrad and graduate work at Boston University. Business.”
“I see. A good education for your job, then.”
“You could say that.”
“Do you travel often on behalf of the Devlin Foundation?”
“I do the occasional site visit, but my staff usually handles those.”
“Then why are you and your brother here instead of your staff?”
“The Devlins thought it an important enough venture that the principals should be
here to oversee.”
Was that good or bad? “So you’re the decision maker, the most important of the
Devlins.”
His lips curled in a smile that was both compelling and dangerous. “You could say that. I’ll be the one making the final decision on funding your refuge.”
His confident arrogance should have irritated her. Instead, she admired it. She’d never found followers to be particularly appealing, yet had never seen an alpha leader in action before.
Except her father. And that had been a long time ago.
There was nothing wrong in fighting for what you really wanted. It was the way of her people, and it was her way. She’d done battle and taken her war to protect thewolves to the very edge many times. Giving up had never been an option.