He sounded sincere when he said, aIam sorry. I have to consider my options carefully.a RAMSAY hoped his face didnat reflect the turmoil churning inside him. The Marshalls had come here to ask for his help in exterminating a beast called Vandar, and he believed what theyad told him about the monster, especially because it wasnat all talk. Head shared Kennaas memories, and he understood what shead been through during her months of slavery.

He repressed a shudder. It was a little inconvenient that he was the beast in questiona"if you believed that timeline business. Although he had never gone as far in his hostile relations with humans as the thing that had captured Kenna, head come closer than head like to admit. But he had fought the monster inside himself and won.

Rossas voice intruded into his thoughts. aDonat wait too long.a He kept his own tone even. aGive me forty-eight hours.a aIf you fly out to Pennsylvania, will it be under your own power, or do you take a jet?a the one named Logan asked, his tone mocking.

aA jet.a Ramsay forced a laugh. aI donat want to end up getting shot down as an unidentified flying object.a Ross glanced at Logan, then at Ramsay. aI think weall stay in Colorado for a few days rather than going home. That way, if you decide to join us, you can get in on the strategy session. Iall give you our hotel information when we get settled.a Logan looked like he wanted to object. But he didnat buck Ross, who was obviously the leader of the wolf pack. Ramsay wanted to ask about their relationships, but he figured there was no way to bring up the subject with the werewolves. Maybe one of the women would be willing to tell him. Or not.

It was a long time since head formed any close relationships with people, and he wasnat certain he could start over again.

They skipped the usual pleasantries that humans exchange on parting. Instead, the Marshalls and their mates turned and quietly left the chalet, then climbed into the SUV and started down the access road.

As he watched, he was certain they were discussing him. And the monster.

Having the Marshalls in his private refuge had been an invasion of his privacy, and he allowed relief to flood through him that they were gone. He had options. He could pull up stakes and simply disappear, and they would never find him. Head done it before. It would be easy enough to do again.

But was that his best course of action? He thought about the extraordinary and disturbing conversation theyad just had, starting with the time line that Renata had given him. From what she said, things had started diverging in 1893. The chaos she described hadnat happened here. Thank the G.o.ds. If it had, would he have ended up like Vandar?

And what did he mean by the question?

He pictured himself walking down the hall and throwing belongings into a suitcase, like a thief escaping from the police. He could blow this place up with the charges head set long ago at the base of the foundation. That would obliterate any clues to his presence herea"before he moved on to one of the other properties he owned.

Could the Marshalls find him?

That was an interesting question. A few years ago, the answer would have been ano.a The Internet had made it more difficult to vanish into the ma.s.s of humanity.

But he wasnat going to disappear without carefully considering his options. That was why head asked for the forty-eight hours.

He wanted to think about the monster. And about himself. And the irony of his situation. For years he had considered that he had no enemies who could defeat him. Now there might be onea"and it was himself.

Hadnat there been a cartoon character about twenty or thirty years ago who had said something like, aWe have met the enemy, and it is usa?

CHAPTER THIRTY.

aWILL HE HELP us?a Renata asked as the SUV headed down the narrow gravel road with the steep drop-off on one side and the rock face on the other.

aI donat know,a Ross answered as he focused on the treacherous track. aLetas see if we can get past the gate before we start speculating about anything else.a aWe can shoot the hinges,a Logan muttered.

aItas better if we donat have to destroy it,a Ross answered.

aYes. If he lets us go, that will be a good sign,a Kenna whispered.

They stopped talking, riding in tense silence to the iron gate. Kenna felt her heart pounding. She glanced at Talon, then looked out the window, scanning the sky, half expecting to see a great winged creature circling above them.

But Vana"She stopped herself from calling him by that name and started again. He wasnat Vandar. He was Ramsay Gallagher.

What did a change of name mean, really? Or a change in where he lived?

She felt her heart blocking her windpipe as Ross rolled down the window and reached for the b.u.t.ton on the stanchion.

For a moment, nothing happened, and she sat stock-still in her seat. Then the gate began to swing noiselessly open on oiled hinges.

When they drove out, she felt like a fifty-pound weight had been lifted off her chest.

n.o.body spoke for several minutes, then Talon asked, aHow much is he like Vandar?a She moistened her lips and answered, aIave been trying to figure that out. He looks like Vandar. I mean, when heas in his dragon form, youad think it was him. When heas a man, heas the same in a lot of ways. The same dark hair, but Gallagheras hair is a lot longer. And the look in his eyes is different.a aYou mean he doesnat look like heas deciding whether to eat you for lunch?a Talon asked.

She gave a nervous laugh. aI guess thatas a good way to put it.a aThe question is, can we trust him?a Logan said.

aOr, more to the point, can we work with him?a Ross amended.

aWhat if he turns on us?a Logan asked.

aHe could have done it already.a aAgreed,a Talon said. aI guess the big question for me is, can he defeat Vandar?a aMaybe theyall end up killing each other. Then the trust problem will be out of the way,a Logan answered.

Kenna shifted in her seat. aI donat like to plan on using him.a aMaybe heas thinking in terms of using us,a Logan said.

She nodded, wondering how this was all going to turn out. aThe problem is, we have to get rid of Vandar, whether Gallagher will help us or not.a There were murmurs of agreement around the car.

aSo wead better start making plans,a Grant said.

aWe canat. Until we know if Gallagher is on the team. Because he has to be an integral part of any attack,a Antonia said.

This time the riders were not in complete agreement. Some of them seemed to think that they could go up against Vandar on their own.

Kenna knew they were fooling themselves. aYou do it,a she blurted, aand we all die. Or end up as his slaves. Then heall get into this world, and there will be n.o.body to save the rest of the people.a Talon gripped her hand.

aLetas be optimistic,a Ross said into the silence that followed her p.r.o.nouncement.

They drove to where theyad left the other SUV, and half the team piled out and into the second vehicle.

aIall head for Rocky Mountain National Park,a Ross said. aThere are some towns between here and there. Weall look for a comfortable resort in a quiet location, preferably with cabins. That way, weall have more privacy for our planning session.a She saw Talon glance at her and felt a sudden jolt. He was thinking about privacy, but not because he wanted to make invasion plans. He was thinking about the two of them.

They rode through the unfamiliar scenery, so different from the land around Breezewood or Talonas lodge. Maybe there was no way Vandar could conquer this whole, vast land, but she didnat want to leave that to the G.o.dsa"not when it could go the wrong way.

They stopped at the Mountain Escape Lodge. It had the same kind of name but it was a lot bigger than Talonas lodge. In addition to the main building, cabins were scattered in the trees around the grounds.

When Ross got out and went into the office, Talon followed. When the two werewolves came back, they both looked pleased.

aWeave got a group of cabins up there,a Ross said, pointing to a ridge overlooking a lake where boats were tied up at wooden boardwalks.

aItas been a long trip, so why donat we all try to relax for a few hours. Iave got a larger cabin, where we can bring in dinner and have a planning session.a He dropped each of the couples off at a cabin. The moment they were inside the door and Talon had kicked it closed with his foot, he and Kenna fell into each otheras arms.

She should have been thinking about how to defeat Vandar. Instead, shead been thinking about this, because every moment alone with Talon was precious.

When he lowered his mouth to hers, she met him with an intensity that seemed to explode in a burst of heat.

They devoured each other as their hands worked at b.u.t.tons, buckles, and zippers.

She hadnat even taken a look at the bedroom. All shead seen was the rug on the wooden floor in front of the fireplace. They made it that far, falling naked together, where they held each other and rocked.

He was inside her almost as soon as they were horizontal, and she was ready for him, her hips moving as frantically as his as they pushed each other to an explosive climax. Afterwards, they lay breathing hard.

Still joined to her, he rolled them to their sides, kissing her tenderly as his hands moved over her.

She had thought the storm was over, but as he stroked and kissed her, she felt her arousal building again. He was still inside her, and she could feel him hardening again as her inner muscles made involuntary little clenching movements around him.

He grinned down at her. aThatas nice.a aI didnat know it could be like this,a she whispered.

aNeither did I.a She stared at him in wonder. aBut you must have . . .a She let the sentence trail off.

aItas never been like this. Because we belong to each othera"a werewolf and his life mate.a She couldnat stop herself from saying, aWhat if it all ends in a few days?a aIt wonat!a aBut what if it does?a aThen we will have had this together.a He gave her a fierce look. aI thought I was going to lose you on the road when that thing came swooping down.a aI thought I would lose you when you jumped in front of me. You couldnat fight him!a aBut I had to try.a She felt her desperation surging as she found his mouth again and began to kiss him with an urgency that shocked her. He was her mate, and she was going to lead him into danger. Perhaps fatal danger.

aNo,a he answered, and she knew that the intimacy had given him access to her mind. aWeall win.a She let herself absorb his certainty, because maybe that would be enough for the two of them.

He bent to suck one of her taut nipples into his mouth using his lips, his tongue, and his teeth while he pulled and twisted the other with his thumb and forefinger, building the heat rushing through her veins.

As he did, he moved his hips, just a little, just enough to inflame her.

When she surged against him, he slipped one hand down her back, clasping her hips. aStay still.a It was difficult to obey when she wanted to push for completion. But she did as he asked, letting him build their need slowly, until it was impossible to simply stay pa.s.sive.

She reached around him, stroking and kneading his a.s.s, hearing his growl of approval.

They made the decision at the same time, both of them suddenly moving with frantic urgency. Climax rolled over them, pressing them together as it lifted them into a place high above the mountains where the air was almost too thin to breathe.

They clung to each other, finally drifting off to sleep in each otheras arms. Some time later, a ringing noise woke her, and she blinked, trying to remember where she was.

aThe phone,a Talon said, getting up and answering.

He talked for a few moments, then hung up. aRoss is getting the meeting started in half an hour.a aThen letas hurry. I donat want to walk in late and have everybody staring at me again, knowing Iave been making love. Theyall think thatas all we do.a He laughed.

aI see that doesnat bother you at all. Youare a man.a aYeah. But Iall hurry up, because thatas what you want to do.a She grabbed her clothes and made a quick trip to the bathroom, then combed her hair, wishing she had a little of the makeup women used in this world.

Talon appeared in the mirror in back of her. aYouare beautiful.a When she looked uncertain, he turned her toward him. aNever doubt yourself.a She met his eyes. aI had the confidence beaten out of me by Vandar. Well, not literally. He didnat actually hit me. But you know what I mean.a aYeah. And weall make sure he doesnat do it to anyone elsea"ever again.a They walked to Rossas cabin, where they were the first to arrive. And that made her uncomfortable, too.

aCan I help you set up the meal?a she asked Talonas cousin, amazed that a man was doing domestic work.

He answered easily, aSure. Iam not that great at this kind of thing. But I knew what to buy at the grocery store down the roada"from get-togethers my mate and I have had. Plastic plates and cutlery. Meat for the guys. Salads for the women.a He began setting up. After watching for a moment, Kenna made herself busy helping put out the plates and utensils. As the other women came in, they joined her, and she felt good about the way they worked together.

When the others had all arrived and helped themselves to food and drinks, they pulled chairs and sofas into a circle where they could discuss the problem.

aAre we talking about opening a new portal?a Rinna asked.

aIs that too difficult a way to start off?a Ross asked.

aIad prefer to use my energy to fight the adepts,a she answered.

Ross looked at Kenna. aHow many does he have?a She considered the slave population. aMaybe fifty or sixty. But only a few have great power.a aAnd how many soldiers?a aAlso fifty or sixty. Swee, Barthime, and Wendor are the chief adepts. They opened the portal.a She stopped and thought. aWith help, I guess, because they told me it took ten men. They also prepared me for the trip here.a Ross nodded. aTheyare not the only ones who opened a portal. Thereas one near Jacobas home in Maryland.a Her eyes widened. aI didnat think about there being another one.a aThatas where Rinna first came through.a Ross paused for a moment. aBut in this case, I donat think we should use it, given the difficulty of traveling through the badlands. That would also drain too much of our energy.a aOkay. Letas a.s.sume weall use the portal that Vandaras adepts opened.a Ross turned to Kenna. aDo you think heall have adepts at the portal, or just soldiers?a aI think heas not expecting adepts from our world. So Iam guessing heall just have soldiers. But I canat be sure,a she added quickly.

aThen letas a.s.sume we can overpower a conventional force with wolves and our superior weapons,a Ross said.

aThen what?a Logan asked.

aThen we subdue the rest of the soldiers and the adepts.a aHow?a aWeare going to need Sara and Olivia,a Ross answered. aThose are the wives of my brothers, Adam and Sam. Sam changed his last name to Morgan when he moved to California.a aWill they want to risk getting into this?a Kenna asked.

aI think so, when they hear an evil monster from the other universe wants to take over this world.a Antonia cleared her throat, and everyone turned toward her.

aThereas something we havenat discussed,a she said. aIs this too big to handle by ourselves? I mean, have you considered telling someone in the U.S. government?a The group was silent for several moments. Ross finally answered. aIave thought of it. Iad like to get help, but there are too many problems. Wead have to reveal that there is another universe parallel to this one. Who would believe that? If they did, what kind of panic would it create?a He stopped and made a rough sound. aAnd would the government try to exploit it?a There were murmurs of agreement around the room.

aAnd then thereas the danger of revealing who we are,a Antoniaas mate, Grant, said.

The other men nodded.

aSo I think weare stuck with handling it on our own,a Ross said.

aI was just posing the question,a Antonia murmured.

aI know. And it was something we had to consider,a Ross answered. aBut at the end of the day, we canat.a aWhich means we need more concrete plans,a Logan said. aAnd better intelligence. Weave worked together as a team before, but never fighting such a large force.a He glanced at Talon. aWell, the rest of us have worked together.a aIam with you,a Talon snapped.

aHeas the one who initially called me,a Ross reminded them.

aWhat about Vandaras soldiers?a Talon asked. aWonat they be right at the entrance to the portal?a Kenna thought about that. aWhen I came through a few days ago, some of them came to guard me, but only the adepts entered the cave with me. The soldiers were outside, so they couldnat see what I was doing.a aOkay,a Talon answered. aSo letas get back to Vandar himself. Will he make us come into his lair to get him?a aHeas not going to hide from you. Heall put on a show of force,a a voice answered from the doorway.

Everybody turned to see that Ramsay Gallagher had stepped into the cabin.

aHow did you get here?a Ross asked. aI didnat tell you where we were.a aI noticed that little oversight.a Kenna knit her fingers together so hard that they ached, and her knuckles turned white. aYou didnat have to tell him,a she said in a strained voice. aHe knows. Because of me.a She gulped. aNow that weave done that mind thing, I guess I canat hide from him.a

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.

MITCH SUTTON WAS about to step out of the woods when he heard the sound of a vehicle coming up the long drive that led to Talon Marshallas house.

Head stayed away since the big dog had chased him. Now he was backa"prepared to finish what head started.

Before he could approach the house, a couple of SUVs pulled up in the driveway, and a whole crowd got out. Men and women.

Were they customers? People who were coming here at the start of a wilderness trip?

He peered at the men. Most of them were similar types. Tall, rangy, and dark-haired. Maybe Marshall was having a family get-together, which was bad timing for a fire. Or a robbery.