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Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists
What the hell had she been thinking? Edwina hates the cold but ends up working in Antarctica as a helicopter pilot. When her chopper is sabotaged, she and her companions must somehow survive the harsh environment and walk to safety. Kieran and Jake Kodi have a secret that means they aren't quite as lost as Edwina might think, but protecting the foul-mouthed, independent, quick-tempered woman will test their patience like never before. That's why it's so surprising to realize they want her as their mate. Kieran, Calvin, Jake, Brian, Simon, Evan and Gary never really believed the seven brothers would all fall for the same woman regardless of their heritageyet when they meet Edwina all that changes. But will the secret they harbor be more than Edwina wants to hear? Genre: Mnage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifter Length: 47,356 words
EDWINA AND THE SEVEN SNOWED-IN SCIENTISTS
Rachel Clark
LOVEXTREME
Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: LoveXtreme
EDWINA AND THE SEVEN SNOWED-IN SCIENTISTS Copyright 2011 by Rachel Clark E-book ISBN: 1-61034-481-2 First E-book Publication: May 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All art and logo copyright 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists by Rachel Clark from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Rachel Clarks livelihood. Its fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Clarks right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com
DEDICATION
For Scarlet Hyacinth a great beta reader, incredible writer and an amazing friend.
EDWINA AND THE SEVEN SNOWED-IN SCIENTISTS

RACHEL CLARK
Copyright 2011
Chapter One
Edwina Callahan turned to see her boss, Ralph the asshole Peterson, striding toward her Eddie, I need you to fly two science geeks out to the Kendall Research huts. She pressed her mouth closed and squashed the urge to roll her eyes in irritation. Thank fuck her time here was nearly over. What the hell had she been thinking when she signed up for three months as a helicopter pilot in Antarctica? She mustve been out of her mind. Then again at the time she probably had been. Her fathers new wife, although picture-perfect and pleasantly spoken, had been difficult to deal with, and Edwina simply couldnt shake the feeling that it wasnt real. Nobody was that nice. It didnt help that the womans sonEdwinas brand-new stepbrother, Keithhad been making romantic advances toward her since the day theyd met. So shed taken this job as a means to escape their constant attention. Too bad shed forgotten how much she hated being cold. Hell, it was February and considered summer here, but she was freezing her ass off. She had no intention of being here in winter. Edwina, her boss said, clicking his finger in front of her. God, this guy was annoying.
What? she snapped. It was quite liberating to realize that she no longer had to put up with this creeps sexist and derogatory attitude. Science geeks. Kendall Refuge. Now! Dont they usually walk to that one? she asked, hoping that she wouldnt really have to go out in the cold one more time. Fuck, she was more than ready to fly her little helicopter back to Wilkins Aerodrome and get the hell off this ice cube called a continent. Her boss just shrugged. Weathers good. Itll save them some time. Fine, she said in a tone that suggested it really wasnt. She silently promised herself that this was the very last one. To hell with her contract. She went home in two days, and shed fake a middle ear infection or something if they asked again. It was just too damn cold. Choppers fueled and ready to go, her boss said nonchalantly as he turned and walked away. She glared at his retreating back. Not fucking likely. She always ran her own pre-flight check. It was her one golden rulenever trust her safety to someone else. Fifteen minutes later two of the most gorgeous men on the planet walked over to her helicopter and climbed onboard. She tried not to stare, but as hunk number one pushed his fur-lined parka hood off his head, she was completely mesmerized by the perfect whiteness of his hair. Not gray or blonde or platinum but pure snow white. Shed barely convinced herself not to be rude when the second man revealed the same color hair. Wow, she said, forgetting her manners completely, you two sure give a new meaning to She cut herself off before using the words science and geeks together and tried to cover her gaff with somethinganythingless offensive. Toumcamouflage, she finished lamely. She tried to smile but got the distinct impression that hunk number one was not amused, and hunk number two was fighting to keep a straight face. Great, one thought she was an annoying fool, and the other thought she was just annoying.
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Trying to remind herself that it didnt matter what these men thought of her because shed be gone long before they got back to Mawson base, and shed never have to see them again, Edwina plastered a false smile to her face and pointed to the seat belts and headset equipment. Obviously familiar with traveling via helicopter, both men moved to their seats and buckled in. She tried to keep her voice sounding professional as she went through her usual passenger spiel, checking destinations and other important information, before she lifted the machine off the ground. She especially didnt want to head in the wrong direction in this cold weather. Unfortunately, their answers proved that these two men were the ones her boss had said to fly to Kendall shack. It was only about ninety miles south of their current position, so with a bit of luck shed drop these two off and make it back to the base in time for dinner. Hunk number two had taken the copilots seat and seemed to find glee by annoying the man in the seat behind her. Whats your name? he asked through the headset. Edwina had to assume the other man knew his name so figured his question was aimed at her. Edwina, she said, but everyone calls me Eddie. Why? he asked with a radiant smile that confirmed his teeth were as white as his hair. Her camouflage comment came back to haunt her, and the meaning of his question was lost. Why what? Why do they call you Eddie? I dont know, she answered, still feeling confused. Everybody just always has. I prefer Edwina, he said in a tone of voice that suggested they were going to be lifelong pals. Not fucking likely. Two days. Two long, lonely, freeze-your-ass-to-the-toilet-seat days more and she was out of here. No way would she consider stayingnot for all the tea in China, or all the ice in Antarctica, or all the cute scientists therein.
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She rolled her eyes at her own ridiculous notions. Could extreme cold mess with a persons normally sensible thought processes? She sure was beginning to think so. Okay, she managed to say belatedly. At this rate they were probably wondering if they were safe in an aircraft she controlled. Despite her years of flying experience, she was beginning to wonder that herself. She had the craft off the ground before conversation stilted as it wasresumed. Edwina, humorless hunk said from behind her, why did you offer to fly us? We were already set to leave when your messenger contacted us. My messenger? she asked, feeling completely bewildered. My messenger? My boss told me I had to take this run. Trust me, if I had my way, Id be curled up under the blankets waiting for my contract to finish. Curious, humorless hunk said in a neutral voice. We were given the impression that flying us was completely your idea. Why would someone credit you with a kindness you didnt offer? Edwina ground her teeth together while she tried to figure out if she should take offense to his words. Transporting scientists to the outlying research facilities was part of her job. Even if shed offered, it wouldnt have been a kindness as such, so maybe she couldnt take offense to his wording. Hunk number one made some sort of physical gesture to humorless hunk that Edwina only caught out of the corner of her eye then spoke in his smooth, deep voice. Even over the earphones that made most voices sound tinny and strange, this mans voice managed to curl her toes in her shoes. Luckily, she was wearing thick socks. Im Jake Kodi, he said with a broad, super-white smile, and thats Kieran, one of my brothers, and we both thank you for the ride to the research shack. You saved us many hours of walking. Edwina nodded, not really knowing what to say. If it had been her choice, theyd be walking, so accepting their thanks didnt really
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seem appropriate. Soumwhat will you be doing in the shack this late in the season? Stay too long and youll be stranded until October or November. Thats the plan, Jake said with another of his wide, friendly grins. Well be snowed-in all winter. Seriously? she asked, not even trying to hide her incredulity. Who on Earth would want to stay cooped up in a tiny little science base for eight months? Seriously, humorless hunk, a.k.a. Kieran, said from his space in the back seat. Wow, that really was a man without levity. Sorry, she mumbled quietly. What will you be working on? Maybe if she could get them talking, shed stop putting her foot in her mouth. Science experiments, Kieran said with the slightest hint of derision. Okay, she wasnt exactly savvy in the science field, but shed passed high school chemistry, so she wasnt a complete idiot. Jake gave his brother another one of those gestures and turned the conversation back on her. How did you end up in Antarctica? She laughed humorlessly, hoping Mr. Humorless in the back row caught the irony. I have no idea. I remember being warm, and then I wasnt. Why the hell I would take a job here is completely beyond me. Jake gave her a huge grin, but Kieran managed to make an irritated noise through the microphone. Wonderful. As pleasant as Jake seemed, Edwina was looking forward to the trip homethe silent trip home. But then a warning light started flashing. What the fuck! she exclaimed when she saw the fuel level. It was full when we left the base. That cant be right. Are you sure you refueled? Kieran asked in an exasperated voice. Thank God the asshole was sitting behind her, or she might have been tempted to smack him one.
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Of course I refueled, she yelled, fear and anger making her voice higher pitched than she would have liked if shed had a moment to think about it. Either the warning light is wrong or were losing fuel. We need to land immediately, so I can check. Jake leaned over, pressed her arm with his gloved hand, silently offering his support. She nodded, feeling more grounded. Deal with the immediate problem. Lay blame later. She checked her map against the GPS, identified a suitable landing place, and headed straight for it. Of course, they wouldve been fine if shed had just twenty seconds more of fuel. As it was, the landing was heavyvery heavyand definitely not where she planned. As the choppers skids touched the ground the cabin tilted to one side. She had a moment to see the blades hit the ice before debris hurtled in her direction and everything went black. **** Is she alive? Kieran asked his brother urgently. It had all happened so quickly. He hadnt even been able to call out a warning before part of the blade crashed through the window. Alive, Jake said as he managed to untangle his seat belt and lower himself to her position. The helicopter was tilted toward the pilot side, so the floor was like walking down a steep incline, and Kieran realized if they wanted to get out they needed to go up. There was no way theyd be able to get Edwinas door open. Kieran had to wedge himself between the seat bases to be able to push the door open, but he managed to clamber out of the downed chopper and position himself so that he could lift Edwina from his brothers arms. Normally he wouldnt consider moving an unconscious crash victim, but considering their current location, she was at more risk of hypothermia at the moment. The wind chose that moment to make itself known. Damn, even a soft breeze could lower the temperature dramatically. Jake managed
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to untangle Edwina from her seat harness and lifted her easily. She moaned as Kieran grabbed for her, her eyelids fluttering open momentarily. Im okay, she grumbled but dropped her head to rest on his brothers shoulder. Good. At least she wasnt fighting them. She even managed to grab Kieran in a weak grip and help to lift herself up, so hopefully shed hadnt been knocked unconscious and her injury was minor. Hell, he hoped so. This was not the place to be badly injured, especially this time of year. She shivered violently as the wind grew in strength, but she clung to him when he tried to put her on her feet so that he could help his brother. He frowned at her reaction. If shed been thinking clearly, he was the last person she would be holding. He pressed her closer to his side, managing to help his brother out of the destroyed chopper without letting her go. Jake immediately unzipped his jacket and pulled Edwina inside. Im okay, she said again but didnt really resist clinging to Jakes warmth. Satisfied that Edwina was safe for the moment in his brothers arms, Kieran turned to climb back into the ruined helicopter. But what he found chilled his blood more than the outside temperature. Something seemed to have melted the wires, fusing them together, making them inoperable. The radio had been working when they first took off, but it was unlikely that Edwinas mayday call for help had gotten through. As it was, the radio was beyond repair and definitely not an option now. Everything pointed to sabotage. The unexpected offer to transport them, the leaking fuel, and the deliberate damage to the radio all suggested someone was trying to kill at least one of them, and they didnt care who else got hurt in the process. Kieran rummaged through the contents of the small cabin, but relief turned to disappointment when he found Edwinas emergency heavy coat had also been subjected to some type of chemical that had
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literally glued it into a tight ball. Whoever was trying to kill them was making certain that if they didnt die in a crash that the weather would finish the job. Unfortunately, the deliberate calculations behind this also suggested that whoever was behind it all wouldnt be silly enough to leave evidence. As the thought coalesced, he suddenly felt the urgent need to leave the craft behind them, far behind them. The sensible thought that they should stay with the chopper was simply not an option until they knew who and why they were being targeted. He grabbed the first aid kit and emergency supplies and scrambled out of the open door. Jake gave him a startled look when he suggested they get moving but held his tongue and nodded. Edwina on the other hand No! We need to stay by the chopper. A rescue team will already have left the base by now. Damn. He hadnt wanted to explain about the radio. He had no concern over his and his brothers safety. They were well-acquainted with Antarctica, but Edwina had made it very clear that she detested the cold. The next few days could be seriously uncomfortable for her. That was assuming of course that the global positioning system hadnt been tampered with. They may not even be where they thought they were. Again, he wasnt concerned. As long as they could get their bearings, they could head to the nearest shelter. Of course, having Edwina in tow made that a whole lot harder. We cant stay here, Kieran said in a voice that often worked on his younger brothers but seemed to go unnoticed by this woman. Fine, she said belligerently, pulling out of Jakes embrace. Ill stay here and wait for the emergency response team, and when they get here, Ill send them after your sorry asses. She took a deep exasperated breath and spoke to him like a child. We are in the middle of nowhere, she said, making a show of looking around them
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as if Kieran may not have noticed. We need to stay by the helicopter and wait for rescue. He shouldve explained his reasoning. He shouldve talked calmly and rationally, but the woman was pissing him off, and he didnt want to waste time arguing with someone so stubborn. Kieran bent over, dropped his shoulder into her stomach and hoisted her over his shoulder. She screeched like a madwoman, but he held her legs still, tried to ignore his brothers amused expression, and led them away from the damaged craft. **** Jake had to cover his laughter several times with a cough. He didnt think Edwina would hear his amusement over the wind and her own screaming, but he was pretty sure his brother noticed. Hed never seen anyone rattle Kieran so much that he was lost for words, yet thats exactly what Edwina had managed. Jake had been waiting for a calm and reasonable explanation on why they shouldnt stay with the downed helicopter, and instead Kieran had gone into caveman mode and swept the woman off her feetliterally. Jake gazed around the white landscape trying to find a recognizable landmark so that he could get his bearings, but with the wind beginning to whip snow around them, it was getting harder and harder to see. After about a half mile, Edwina finally stopped yelling and started shivering instead. Jake took his heavy parka off and slid it over her, but, of course, the cantankerous woman started to protest, so Kieran finally put her on her feet and glanced around the area. We might need to set up the emergency shelter until this storm passes. Jake had to hide another laugh as Edwina went into another fullon meltdown. This was ridiculous. They shouldve stayed with the chopper. The forecast hadnt included any damn storms, and they
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were wasting their time by putting up those ridiculously small shelters that barely fit one person, let alone two giants and a helicopter pilot. And besides, she huffed as she wound down from her rant, Im not sleeping with either of you. Too bad, princess, Kieran said amiably. There is a storm coming, staying with the chopper was dangerous, and you will sleep beside one of us or freeze to death. Why was staying with the chopper dangerous? she asked, latching on to the tidbit of information Jake also wanted explained. Kieran looked really annoyed that she was asking but eventually relented and filled in details. By the time he was finished, Jake wanted a stiff drink. The worst part was having no clue who the hell would set them up or why. Their family was well-known in scientific circles, but they werent exactly rich celebrities. Jake couldnt fathom why anyone would want them dead. But the evidence definitely suggested someone was trying to kill them. Unless Who are you? he growled as he turned to one very startled pilot. Edwina took a step back from his vehement words, and he felt a momentary pang of regret for scaring her. But then she planted her hands on her hips, widened her stance and threw the question back at him. She, however, didnt censor her words. Who. The fuck. Are you? She stepped closer, getting in his face as she began yet another rant. Its obvious someone was trying to kill you and your brother. Im just the collateral damage. What the hell type of experiments are you doing out there anyway? Momentarily struck dumb by her confident summation of the situation, Jake turned just in time to see his brother finish setting up the emergency snow shelter and reach for his bivvy bag. Grabbing his own bivvy bag, Jake chose to completely ignore Edwinas accusationsshed turned her back and was yelling her irritation at the landscapeand deal with their most pressing problem. The wind
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wasnt too bad at the moment, but judging by the weather on the horizon, things were going to get nasty very quickly. If theyd still been in the helicopter, the storm wouldve caused some serious concerns for Edwina on the return trip to the base, and because of that detail, Jake couldnt quite shake the feeling that Edwina was the target. Granted his family had a few unusual secretswhat family didnt?but they werent the type of secrets that would get them killed. No, it was more likely their foul-mouthed companion had an enemy without even knowing it. Talking about foul-mouthed Edwina! Shut up! Kieran yelled over the wind. Why? she asked, sounding like a child who was pouting, but at least she stopped swearing and throwing unfounded accusations at him and his brother. Because its time to choose which one of us you want to sleep with, Kieran said without a trace of humor. Chchoose, she stuttered as if she had no clue what subject they were on. Yes, Eddie, Kieran said, emphasizing the shortened version of her name, which one of us is going to get the pleasure of your oh-sosweet company? Wow. First his temper, and now sarcasm. The woman sure got under his brothers skin. And the woman seemed lost for words. Another incredible first. Enjoying the tension between his two companions a little too much considering the circumstances, Jake finally moved to intervene. Edwina, you can sleep with me. He held up his hands in surrender when she turned on him. She was practically lost inside his snow coat, but somehow she managed to convey just how pissed off she was with a single look. Where is my bivvy bag? It was stowed with the rest of the equipment? Why didnt you grab it?
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Because it was covered in some type of glue like everything else, Kieran said, sounding completely worn down by her constantly argumentative stance. Obviously completely out of patience, Kieran took the coat off Edwina, threw it to Jake and pointed at the bivvy bags. Get in or freeze to death. Edwina mustve finally realized how serious his brother was because she slid into the bag nearest them without even asking whose bag was whose. Jake laughed quietly as Kieran rolled his eyes, took one last look at the approaching storm, and headed for his bivvy bag.
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Chapter Two
Edwina shivered as the temperature seemed to drop even more. At least she was out of the wind. But now that she wasnt yelling at them, the adrenaline in her system was dropping, and she was feeling the cold even more. She shivered as someone climbed into the bag beside her and zipped the top closed. It was a tight fitthis sleeping bag cross dome tent was only meant for one personso she wriggled as far as she could to the side without tipping the thing over and prayed that these guys knew what they were doing. She didnt realize her teeth were chattering until a gruff voice said, Come here, a moment before she was pulled against a solid, warm chest and engulfed inside a snow coat. Amazed at how warm the man felt, considering theyd just spent a couple of hours in the wind and snow on this ice cube of death, Edwina snuggled closer, not really caring which brother she was cuddled up to but fairly certain it was Kieran. A fifty-fifty chance of getting the wrong bivvy bag and she had to choose the one belonging to the brother who hated her. Of course, she hadnt really given him much reason to actually like her. Shed been pissed off at her boss for sending her, then seriously annoyed at crashing her helicoptera first for herand then terrified that she was traveling with two men it seemed someone was trying to kill. Collateral damage was not the way shed expected to go out of this life. Take your jacket off, he said as he helped her to do just that. She didnt really have time to protest because the first touch of his warmth against her back without the bulky jacket in the way was
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complete and total heaven. The man was like her own personal electric blanket, and she sighed and relaxed against him. Her jaw ached but at least her teeth had stopped clicking together, and she snuggled closer, wishing she could turn and bury her cold face in the warmth of Kierans chest. He mustve been wearing some fabulous heat retaining material because she was sure she could feel the sculpted planes of his chest and abdomen through the thin clothing. Im sorry, she managed to whisper as she finally stopped shivering. I know youre scared, he said, cutting right to the heart of the matter. She wanted to protest that she wasnt scared just majorly pissed off, but considering that Kieran had already seen through her brave front, she decided to let it go. For now. Well take care of you, Edwina. You just have to trust us. She nodded. She didnt really have any choice but to trust them. With her chopper down, her radio dead, and all of her emergency equipment sabotaged, she would not have survived this long without them. Well, she might have if shed stayed with the wreck of her helicopter, but if someone was trying to kill her, then sitting and waiting for them to show up seemed really stupid. Was somebody trying to kill her? Granted, she hadnt exactly been pleasant company in the last three months. And she certainly hadnt gone out of her way to make friends. Almost from the moment shed stepped onto Antarctica, shed regretted her decision to come here. She never had any intention of coming back, so she hadnt bothered to try and make lifelongbestest-buddies with the rest of the personnel on the Mawson base. She quickly ran a list of her workmates through her head and realized with a small jolt that she really didnt know anyone well enough to cross them off as suspects. But being unfriendly certainly wasnt a reason to kill her. She was due to go home in two days. That alone should have negated the need
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for someone to want her dead. Why commit a crime when the problem would resolve itself? She snuggled closer to Kieran and realized that it had been nearly a year since shed let anyone touch her. Shed almost forgotten the feeling of peace a cuddle could bring, and it felt like the first time shed been truly warm in months. How ironic that she was in the middle of nowhere with a storm approaching snuggled up to a guy who didnt actually like her. Edwina tried to shake off the melancholy and get back to the matter at hand. Chances were that the base would send a rescue crew soon after she didnt return from her flight. Theyd probably be delayed by the storm, but Edwina had followed all the protocols so that everyone who needed to know knew where she was. Well, sort of. Was the GPS functioning properly? she asked suddenly as an awful suspicion clanged in her head. Is it possible someone sabotaged that as well? She could feel adrenaline starting to pound through her once more. I dont know, Kieran said quietly. Its certainly possible for a GPS to malfunction. What if were nowhere near where were supposed to be? Panic crawled over her. How would rescue teams find them? It was almost mid-February. Soon the weather would get so bad that most of the personnel left the base and didnt come back until October. Shed be stuck here. Hysteria bubbled up her throat as she realized that their emergency supplies would only last a few days anyway. Fucking hell, she was going to be one of those frozen corpses they find perfectly preserved years later. Shhh, Kieran said as he rolled her over in his arms and pressed her face against his warm chest. Jake and I know this area well. Even if we went off course, well be able to find a way to the nearest permanent shelter.
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Really? she asked. It wasnt that she doubted his word, but rather that she wasnt certain shed heard him correctly. In times of stress the brain played tricks on peopleshed read that somewhereso she could simply be hearing what she wanted to hear and not what he was actually saying. She felt him wriggle a bit and realized he was yanking one of his gloves off with his teeth. A moment later strong, warm fingers slid through her hair and caressed her temple. She leaned into the touch like a flower to sunshine. How on Earth was he so incredibly warm? Get some sleep, he said in a soothing voice. **** Jake wandered the area, looking for familiar landmarks, until the wind and snow cut visibility to practically nil, and he retreated back to their emergency shelter. The trouble with this part of the world was that quite often one area looked nearly identical to another. Theyd have to explore thoroughly before they could figure out where they were. It was possible his brothers would come to find them, but with the storm closing in he refused to hold out that hope at the moment. Theyd hunker down for the duration of the storm and hope things were clearer when it passed. He made it back to their sleeping bags, relieved to find all seemed quiet in Kierans bivvy bag. Hell, half of him had expected the bag to be alive with movement as Edwina fought Kierans attempts to keep her warm. Of course, the current peace and quiet didnt discount the possibility that Kieran had smothered the woman out of frustration. Everything okay? Jake asked, hunkering close to the small ventilation opening. Fine, Kieran said quietly. Shes asleep. Did you find anything? Nope, he answered, not trying to hide his own frustration. Kieran wouldve realized by now that they hadnt been anywhere near
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the course they were supposed to have been on, so there was no need to sugarcoat his words. Get some sleep, Kieran said in his bossiest older brother voice. Jake rolled his eyes, yet was unable to think of any reason not to follow his brothers order, so he climbed into his bivvy bag and zipped it closed. It felt good to be out of the wind, but he was itching to search the area so that they could find a way to more permanent shelter. As soon as the storm passes, Kieran said through the bag vents, you can babysit the princess, and Ill find out where we are. Jake knew his brother well enough to know that he was beginning to care for Edwina, despite her prickly personality, but also that Kieran disliked that he was beginning to care for a woman at all more than the actual caring for Edwina. Hell, with thought processes like that, Jake was starting to wonder if his brother was the only one Edwina threw off balance. The wind chose that moment to double in strength, and the noise made communication without shouting impossible. Since neither of them really wanted to wake Edwina, they fell to silence. Jake knew that his brother would stay awake, so decided to follow instructions and get some sleep. **** Kieran held the most annoying woman hed ever met close to his chest. He could feel the caress of her warm breath through the thin material of his thermal vest, and he found himself wondering why this one would affect him so much. It wasnt like hed been a monk. His life in the last few years had been rather adventurous, but of course hed found this irritating and intriguing woman at a time when he had no opportunity, or even the will, to explore the connection further. It wasnt until a particularly strong blast of wind rocked the small dome above him that he realized that she might be with them a lot longer than a few hours or even days. It was quite possible that Edwina would need to stay with them until the summer months
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allowed them to move about more freely. In fact, with someone trying to kill her, maybe he should be thinking about hiding her until they could figure out exactly what was going on. She was completely relaxed in his arms, even snoring softly, and he found himself wondering how long it had been since shed had a decent nights sleep. Considering the current circumstances, he could only guess that she hadnt felt warm for a long time, and it was his body heat that finally helped her to relax. Kieran shook his head sharply, tired of his ridiculous thoughts. The woman, by her own admission, hated the cold. He planned to live and work in the Antarctic for at least the next three years, so there was no middle ground. Even if she was around long enough to explore the strange attraction he felt growing for her, she would never, ever consider living his lifestyle. And then of course, there was his family. It took a special woman to deal with the way they lived, and it was the specific reason hed never encouraged more than brief flings with the women hed been involved with. Satisfied with his logical reasoning, Kieran was all set to turn his mind to the experiment he would be running in the next few months until Edwina wriggled in his arms and pressed a kiss to his chest. Despite all his good intentions, his supposedly dormant libido roared to life, and he had a hard time controlling the urge to press his cock hard against her. Only the fact that shed kissed him in her sleep stilled the roaring inside him. Hell, she might even have a lover waiting for her back home. **** Mawson Scientific Research base Cal, call for you. One of your brothers. Calvin Kodi nodded his acknowledgement and headed toward the radio room. He knew that
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all of his brothers were out in the field, so it was probably about some equipment or other that they needed replaced. Hello, he said into the CB radio handset. It mightve been old technology, but he still preferred it over the telephone. Hey, bro, Gary said. Immediately on full alert, Calvin turned to the man behind him and smiled. I wont be long, he said in a friendly tone, hoping that the guy was polite enough to leave the room. He was and he did, closing the door behind him. It wasnt often that Calvin and his brothers needed to speak privately, but when they used the Hey, bro, signal, it was usually for a damn good reason. Im alone, he said into the handset. Whats going on, Gary? Kieran and Jake havent arrived yet. Did they say anything about a detour? No, Calvin said, feeling his stress level rise dramatically, they caught a chopper flight. They shouldve arrived hours ago. Is the pilot back? I dont know. Ill go find out. Okay, but be discreet. If Jake and Kieran arent expecting a rescue, things could get problematic. No kidding, Calvin said, rolling his eyes heavenward. He didnt need to be reminded of the unique qualities of their family. Give me five minutes, and Ill get back to you. Calvin hurried down the hallway to the communal dining area. Hed seen the chopper take off and knew that it was their only female pilot at the controls, but when he didnt see her, tension knotted his gut. From memory she kept to herself and often ate her meals alone, so it was possible shed already left the room. He hurried to her quarters, found them empty also, and headed for the helicopters to check. They seemed to be one short, but since he didnt know the schedules for earlier today, it was quite possible one of them was still at one of the other bases.
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He doubled back, checking her quarters and the common areas again before heading to the radio room. Fortunately it was still empty, and he immediately contacted his brother. Gary, it doesnt look like she returnednot to this base anyway. No one seems concerned by her absence, but, well, it seems an uncomfortable coincidence. We agree, Gary said. Simon, Evan, and Brian are going to start a search as soon as the storm passes. Storm? Calvin asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He was looking at the satellite weather feed for the entire continent, and there was no sign of anything but clear weather. He tapped a few buttons on the keyboard and watched when the computer did something strange, flashing dozens of messages onto the screen. Hed seen something like this only once before when a computer virus completely wiped out his hard drive a few years ago. He pulled the internet connection cable from the back of the computer but the virus continued doing its thing. Out of sheer desperation, he grabbed the power cable and pulled it from the wall. The screen went blank immediately, and the fan inside the tower made a whirring noise as it slowed to a stop. Hopefully hed shut it off in time and someone with computer tech experience could identify the virus and figure out where it came from. Was it another weird coincidence, or was something more sinister going on? Calvin sat there for a full minute, wondering what all this could mean. His brothers were missing. A pilot seemed to be unaccounted for, but nobody had noticed. And now he had a weather map that hadnt shown the approaching storm and a computer infected by a dataeating virus. Talk to me, Cal, Gary said in a concerned voice over the radio. Something weird is going on. He relayed the information and his suspicions about the computer and then said, Search for Kieran and Jake, but be careful. My guess is that wherever they are, theres a
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good chance the pilot is with them. Im going to check a couple of things, and then Ill start searching from this end. Understood, Gary said in that authoritative tone that often made people forget he was the youngest brother of seven. Stay safe. You, too. **** Finally the wind died down, and Kieran had his chance to go explore. Trouble was that he felt comfortable lying here with this sleeping woman in his arms. She felt so warm against him, so feminine, so vulnerable, so unlike the harridan she was when she wasnt unconscious that he really was loath to wake her. She mustve sensed his inner turmoil because her eyes popped open a moment before she pushed out of his arms. So much for peace and quiet. It was a tight squeeze in the bivvy bag, so she couldnt go far, but the look of horror on her face was enough to get him moving. Irritated beyond rational thought, he threw the words stay here at her, and crawled out of the bag, careful not to accidentally touch her. He shook Jakes bag to get his attention. The zipper slid open almost immediately, and Kieran could only assume that hed been listening to his and Edwinas almost wordless exchange. Keep her warm, he growled, grateful at least that Jake had the sense to keep his amusement to himself. Ill be back in a couple of hours. Jake nodded and climbed out of the bag and onto his feet. He gave Kieran a controlled smile before sliding into Kierans bivvy bag beside Edwina. Kieran heard his brothers quiet relaxed laughter a moment before he turned and ran in any direction. When he was far enough away from their makeshift camp, he stripped off his clothes, changed forms, and loped away. Hopefully his increased hearing would lead him to his brothers.
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**** Everything okay? Jake asked Edwina as soon as he climbed into the bivvy bag beside her. She nodded slightly, but it was obvious that she was very cold. Without thinking too much about the possible side effects of having this woman close, Jake wrapped his arms around her and tucked her under his chin. Her hands were already like ice, and he had a brief moment to wonder what happened to her gloves before she pressed them to his chest and snuggled closer. Is the storm over? she asked in a small voice. She didnt sound like the cantankerous woman theyd been dealing with a few hours ago, so he relaxed and nodded. Kieran has gone to explore the area. Hopefully we can figure out where we are, and then well know which direction to head. Hes out there alone, she said in a concerned voice. She tried to sit up, but Jake used his strength to keep her pressed against him. Its okay, he said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. Weve spent a lot of time in Antarctica. Hell be fine. But we should go with him. What if he gets lost? How will we find him? She seemed ready to leap out of the bivvy bag and go rescue his brother. Considering some of the accusations shed been throwing around earlier, she seemed awfully concerned for his brothers safety now. Its going to be fine, Edwina. Wouldnt you rather stay cozy warm here with me than traipse aimlessly through the snow looking for a clue to where we are? Id rather be lying on the beach sunbathing, she said with a pout. Ouch, didnt that deflate his ego? Fortunately, he had plenty to spare. So youre not lying in my arms dying to know how good I am at kissing? He gave her his most lascivious grin and raised his
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eyebrows in question. She laughed, as he hoped she would, but he didnt miss the way her eyes darkened with desire. So she wasnt completely turned off by the idea of kissing him. Interesting. He was still trying to think of a change of topic when she wriggled higher and pressed her lips to his. Thank heavens they were in a bivvy bag, partially under a snow cave, or they mightve frozen together in this weather. Fortunately, his body temperature helped to stave off the threat of lip-lock, and he kissed her back softly. She sighed the sweetest, neediest sound hed ever heard a moment before she pressed herself more firmly against him. His cock grew rapidly, pushing hard against his snow pants, demanding release even though he tried to keep the kiss light and playful. But Edwina touched her tongue to his, and he groaned as he deepened the kiss, plunging into her mouth, tasting her sweetness, reveling in the feel of her against him. Her hands roamed over his chest and abdomen, skimming lower across his erection. He wanted to strip away her clothes and lose himself in her soft body. He wanted to thrust hard and deep and claim her as his woman. He was so needy for her that he almost missed the sound on the wind. He pulled away slightly. Breathing hard, staring at the woman in his arms. Never before had he felt this overwhelming attraction. Hed never had any trouble finding a willing womanbut well, he usually avoided the ones who disliked him. He tried to tune his hearing into his brothers voice, but in this form it wasnt as easy to interpret. The noise sounded again, and this time he understood the message. Nothing yet. What was that? Edwina asked, looking rather spooked. What was what? He tried to sound unconcerned. That noise. It sounded like a wolf or elephant seal or something. Jake tried to keep his face straight as he imagined Kierans reaction to being likened to an elephant seal. Just the wind, he said, hoping she bought it. She seemed to relax again until another voice sounded. Relieved to hear his brother
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Calvins voice, Jake wanted to leap out of the bag, change and reply, but the woman in his arms shivered nervously. Was that just the wind too? she asked skeptically. She made it very clear by her expression that she believed he wasnt being truthful the first time. Im not sure, he said, wondering how to explain without explaining. He just hoped his brothers both retained enough sensible judgment to walk around the campsite not through it. The last thing he needed was trying to explain the unexpected creature moving around them. Of course, he couldnt be that lucky. Calvin called to his brother again when he was no more than fifty feet away from their position. Edwina froze at the loud noise and looked like she was about to crawl out of her skin. Jake held her tight, pressing her face into his chest, trying to minimize her movement. In his current form, Calvins thought processes were simpler, and realizing that his brother shared a bivvy bag with a woman just might lead to some uncomfortable behavior and even more embarrassing explanations. Edwina jumped again when Kierans voice echoed from the other side, but fortunately, Calvin seemed to get the message and didnt come any closer. Jake tried to stifle his sigh of relief as he held Edwina close, whispering reassurances into her ear that they were safe in the bivvy bag. She clung to him, shaking with fear, and a part of him wanted to kick his brothers asses for scaring her. Even knowing that the communication had been unavoidable didnt soothe his irritation. Hell, it looked like Kieran wasnt the only one falling for Edwinas grumpy charm. **** Standing in human form buck-ass naked in the snow was not comfortable, so Kieran quickly relayed the information to his brother
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Calvin, got directions to the research shack where their brothers were, and quickly changed back into his snow-loving form. Kieran watched Calvin as he loped away, heading toward their brothers to fill them in on the situation. Somebody had gone to an awful lot of trouble to kill Edwina, and it was looking more and more likely that Kieran and his brothers would need to keep her at the shack for the winter. It might even be worth their while to not let anyone else know theyd survived. Even if rescuers eventually found the wreckage theyd likely assume that theyd wandered away and gotten buried under the snow or fallen down one of the crevices that littered the area. Calvin wouldnt be missed at the Mawson base for at least another day, so he planned to warn their brothers that they would have a house guest for the winter and then head back to the base to see if he could find out some more about Edwinas attackers. Thinking about Edwina sent all of his blood running south. It often became difficult to retain higher brain functions in this form. His alter ego was more elemental, more instinctive. It acted and reacted rather than considering things from a human point of view. Kieran ground his teeth together, attempting advanced calculus in his head to try and stave off the prehistoric feelings. Hed always prided himself on being able to control his alter ego, but hed feel much better when he got back to his clothes and returned to his human form.
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Chapter Three
Do you need to use the bathroom? Edwina shook her head effusively. At least at the base they had actual toilets even if they had different methods of disposal than the usual flushable ones, but out here they had to use a drum or a bag to collect the waste and then take it with them. She was all for saving the environment, but shed much rather hold her bladder than have to carry the contents in a plastic bag. Jake laughed quietly and pulled her closer for a quick, tight hug. Ill be back in a minute, he said as he climbed out of the bivvy bag. She shivered as soon as he took the warmth with him but managed to burrow under the jacket shed discarded. She found her gloves and pulled them back on, absently wondering what the time was. At this end of the world it was daylight from about January to March and the rest of the time was technically night. Without the rising or setting of the sun, her internal body clock had been completely messed up. Yet another good reason to head home where things were normal and days began at dawn. True to his word, Jake returned in what felt like a minute, but he didnt climb back in. Stay where you are while we pack up, he said with a smile. Kierans back, and we have a pretty good idea where we are and where we need to go. She smiled, about a million and a half questions running through her brain, but fortunately not a one of them making it past her lips. Jake gave her one more of his charming smiles and then moved away. Edwina wasnt looking forward to walking no matter where they were, but lying here getting colder seemed counterproductive. She
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scrambled out of the bivvy bag. Kieran rolled his eyes when he caught sight of her, but Jake gave her another of his handsome grins and continued to pack his bivvy bag back into its tiny container. Considering how well the tent style sleeping bag had protected them from the storm, it seemed almost impossible that it couldve come from something so small. The sky looked clear, and the wind had dropped to almost nil, so she stood watching them and shivering only occasionally. Here, Kieran said in a gruff voice as he draped his thick snow coat over her. She started to shake her head in protestif her rescuers froze to death, she was totally screwedbut the look on his face stilled the automatic movement. He reached into his pack and pulled out a jacket made from some lightweight material. He dragged it on, zipped it closed, and then turned back to her. Happy now? he asked, sounding completely and totally exasperated. She felt her mouth drop open but quickly slammed it shut. Shed heard stories about people freezing the roof of their mouth, and she had no wish to experience the sensation firsthand. Fine, she said, feeling more upset than his words probably warranted. Forgive me for worrying that you might freeze to death. But of course she ruined her noble words by blurting the truth. If you die, how the hell am I going to get back to civilization? His cynical smile made her wish shed hurry up and learn how to shut her mouth. Dont worry, princess, he said in a condescending tone. Well get you back to your precious civilization. Youll be home with your planet polluting buddies in no time. He turned and walked off, seemingly uncaring if she followed him or not. Give him time, Jake said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Hes not the horses ass he seems at the moment. In fact, hes usually quite even tempered.
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Edwina cringed internally. Fabulous, she was the reason for Kierans foul temper. Okay, well she hadnt been nice when her chopper went down, but that had been the fear talking. Shed tried to control her tongue ever since. What about you? Do you like me? she asked Jake as the sudden irrational fear that they might tire of her and leave her to die zipped through her brain. He laughed, and together they started to follow Kieran. I can already see through the faade. You, my dear Edwina, are a very special woman, and all of my brothers are going to love you. All? she asked for the sake of conversation. She didnt really want to meet his brothers. She just wanted to go home. Yup, all seven of us. She looked at him, surprised. Seven was a rather large number for families these days. You know me and Kieran, obviously. Jake gave her another of those devastating smiles. And you wouldve met Calvinhes stationed at Mawson at the moment. She nodded but didnt want to admit that she hadnt really met Calvin. She remembered a man with short cropped white blonde hair, but until shed met these two, she wouldnt have called his hair white. And then theres Brian, Simon, Evan, and Gary. Any sisters? she asked, just a little bit curious now. He shook his head. Could you imagine a girl growing up with seven brothers? She would never have gotten a date. True, she said. She didnt have any siblingsand considering her stepbrothers amorous behavior, he certainly didnt countbut it wouldve been nice to have a brother or two looking out for her. Seven mightve been a bit much though. Whos the oldest? Jake tilted his head to indicate the man in front of them. Big surprise, she said before she could consider her words. Jake just grinned and shook his head. What about you? he asked. Brothers? Sisters?
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Nope, just me, she said, not sure how much she wanted to share. She usually avoided personal topics, but this wasnt really a usual conversation. Lost in Antarctica seemed to reset a few of her personal rules. My mom died before I was old enough to remember her, so it was just me and Dad for a long time. He got married when I was about ten, but it didnt last long. I think he was trying to give me a mother more than find himself a wife, so in the end it wasnt really a surprise. What about you? Jake asked with concern in his voice. Crap. This was why she usually didnt talk about personal stuff. She shrugged, hoping that hed take the hint. He didnt. She wouldve been the only mother you knew. It mustve been painful to lose her. Not really, she said, knowing that she was going to sound like a complete and total bitch. I didnt want a mother, so we clashed a lot of the time. She shrugged again, trying to hide the guilt that gripped her whenever she thought of Elaine. Shed been a good wife and had tried to be a good mother to Edwina. She hadnt been to blame for the inevitable outcome. Edwina turned her face forward again to avoid looking at Jake as they walked. Dad took my side in everything, so the marriage was always going to fail. It wasnt until I was much older that I realized how lonely his life was. You were only ten, Jake said as if that explained everything. Wheres your Dad now? He owns a cattle ranch in South Dakota. He got married recently, so I thought Id give his new wife some space. She crossed her fingers as best she could with the thick gloves and tried not to think of the real reason. Yuck. Just memories of her stepbrother were enough to make her want to gag. Desperately searching for a change of subject, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Do we really know where were going? Oh crap. If only she could think before engaging her mouth. Kieran turned and frowned at her a moment before resuming his trek. Hell, she hadnt said it that loud. Jake, in what seemed to be his
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usual fashion, laughed off his brothers grumpy mood. Yes, Edwina, we know where were going. We should get there before nightfall. She felt quite happy by that news until she realized that nightfall in the Antarctica didnt happen for several more weeks at least. Stupid South Pole. Jake laughed and pulled her closer. Theres an emergency shelter about four hours walk from here. Well stop there for some sleep and supplies and continue on to our original destination after that. Okay, she grumbled, already imagining how much she was going to hurt after four hours of trudging through snow. **** Calvin ran into three of his brothers about halfway back to the research shack. He didnt really want to change back to human form, so he managed to grunt and howl a few rudimentary instructions and turned his brothers back the way they had come. It shouldve taken less than two hours to get back to the shack at a solid run, but they had to camouflage in the snow twice in the first ten minutes as helicopters passed over them. He couldnt be certain, but he suspected that Edwinas absence had finally been noticed. That likely meant they were looking for his brothers too. If whoever sabotaged Edwinas helicopter was the one to find them, things could get even more dangerous. As the sounds of the helicopter blades faded, Calvin changed back into his human form and indicated for his brothers to do the same. Freezing his human ass off, he got straight to the point. I think we need to shadow their trip back. Kieran and Jake cant change while they have Edwina with them, and if the wrong people find them He left the rest unsaid. They all knew what was going on and had a pretty good idea what might happen. His brothers nodded even as they changed forms and quickly headed back the way theyd come.
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**** Kieran was beyond irritated and heading for completely pissed off. Hed glanced over his shoulder and frowned at her question about knowing where they were going long before he realized that a normal human should not have been able to hear her softly spoken words from that distance. And of course, his own uncharacteristic behavior was pissing him off even more. Nothing Edwina told Jake gave them any clue as to why anyone would want her dead. That of course led to him wondering if he and Jake had truly been the targets as Edwina had so loudly suggested. It didnt seem likely, but then hed lived long enough to know that anything was possible. He felt fairly certain that their unique abilities hadnt been discovered. Even if someone had accidently spotted them in shifted form, it was unlikely that theyd relate that back to the respected scientists they were in human form. Considering it was Edwinas helicopter and Edwinas gear that had been sabotaged it seemed more likely that Edwina was their target. Frustration was starting to grind a permanent dint into the back of his teeth when a thought occurred to him. Not really caring if he gave away how much hed heard of the conversation, Kieran turned to the couple behind him and asked his question. Is there any oil on your Dads cattle ranch? She looked at him like he was an offensive bug that required immediate squishing. Why? she asked disdainfully. Going to hold me for ransom, or are you just looking for a big reward? Oh god, how much did he want to spank her ass for that attitude? His cock roared to life even as he tried to rationalize her response. He could feel his alter ego howling for release, demanding he make his mate submit to his authority. Mate?
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With determined effort Kieran tried to rein in his temper, and his alter ego, before speaking again. I am asking, he said, still grinding his back teeth, if your father has money, so I can determine why somebody would want you dead. Oh, she said, looking a little lost. It would seem that the idea that she was the target had simply not occurred to her. Of course the cantankerous woman managed to turn his words about and started yelling at him once more. How do I know you didnt set this whole thing up? Dump me in the middle of nowhere, make me completely dependent on you both, and then claim a big reward when you rescue me. Fucking hell, the woman couldnt be more annoying if she tried. With herculean effort Kieran managed to pull back the urge to haul her over his knee. So thats a yes, then, he said, trying to sound calm. Your father has oil on his property and is quite wealthy because if it. Yeah, and I suppose now that you know how much he loves me youll up the goddamn price! Edwina! he said in his most stern voice, trying to calm his inner fury. He was very tempted to spank her right here and now, to hell with the cold. Simons howled warning came a moment before Kieran spotted the helicopter in the distance. Unlike the others theyd heard buzzing around in the last few hours, this one was heading straight for the crash site. Almost as if the pilot knew exactly where to find the downed chopper. He glanced at Jake wondering how the hell they were going to camouflage dressed in snow suits designed to make them easier to find. What is it? Edwina demanded, and she turned to look at what they were staring at. Oh thank God, she said, sounding very relieved. Finally theyve found us. Actually, Jake said, taking her hand and stripping off the thick snow coat she wore, that chopper is not searching. They seem to
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know exactly where we went down. My guess is theyve come to finish the job. What? she asked in a tone that suggested Jake had lost his mind. Trust me, princess, Kieran said as he dragged off his own easily seen clothes, this is one helicopter you want to avoid. Kieran made a pile of their clothing and supplies and quickly buried them under a mound of snow. If the helicopter didnt land, most of their stuff was safe. If it did land, they would probably have more serious problems than a few wet supplies anyway. Edwina looked on the verge of panic. I dont believe you! She screamed the words a moment before she ran straight toward the approaching helicopter and started waving her arms frantically. Within moments the helicopter spotted her and headed to her location. For one second Kieran hesitated, divided on whether she was safe or not. If whoever sabotaged her helicopter was really after him and Jake, then maybe finding Edwina alive would be a way to learn where the brothers were. If she gave the right story, she may even be considered the victim. A million other scenarios ran through his head, but only one thought remained when he heard the noise of a rifle shot. Kieran saw Calvin a moment before his brother grabbed Edwina, pushed her into the snow and covered her completely. Even knowing where they were and able to hear Edwinas pissed off screaming, it was difficult to see them in the snow. He turned to Jake, stripping off the rest of his clothes even as he moved. Jake had already shifted, and Kieran wasnt far behind. Completely white and camouflaged by the snow, Kieran prayed that the helicopter would think theyd spotted clothes, not movement, and continue on its way. ****
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Edwina was being held facedown by something that was large, furry andjudging by the hard rod pressing against her ass probably male. She tried to scream for help as the helicopter landed, but the hairy thing above her growled, and she decided, very wisely, to shut up. The snow quickly soaked through her thin clothes, especially now that she was without Kierans snow jacket. But the warmth the creature was generating above her felt like it came from a space heater. It was kind of like backing up to an open fire and sticking her tits in the freezer at the same time. She giggled hysterically as the reality of her situation began to sink inperson in a helicopter trying to kill her, snow trying to give her frostbite, and strange growly creature probably getting ready to eat her as soon as the other threats passed. A furry warm appendage wrapped around her face and covered her mouth. Surprise held the hysteria at bay as she finally realized that the creature above her was definitely not acting like an animal. Unsure what that meant, and not entirely certain she hadnt lost her mind, she nevertheless submitted to the creatures wishes and lay still and stayed quiet. She almost smiled at the quiet purring she could hear and feel against her back and sincerely hoped that was a happy sound. Hysteria tried to make a comeback as she wondered if she was about to be suffocated by a very large family cat, but then the thing across her mouth moved to caress her cheek and she once more realized that no matter what this thing was, it wasnt going to harm hernot yet at least. **** Calvin lay over the top of Edwina, shielding her from discovery. With his white fur he was completely camouflaged in the snow, but if she didnt stay quiet, they would be discovered, and that was something he really, really hoped never happened. He didnt want
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anybody discovering evidence of shape-shifters. At the moment they were simply the stuff of legend, and he had no wish to confirm the wild theories. He couldnt help but purr as he felt Edwina stop fighting and submit to him. He wasnt able to control his physical reaction to her nearness, but hearing the voice of the man pursuing them as he climbed out of the helicopter and headed their way helped to keep him focused. Calvin fought a quiet internal war as the man moved about the area gathering the discarded clothing. He was pretty sure he recognized the voice when he heard the mans crude jokes and laughter as he taunted Edwina. The man had obviously seen her, and Calvin really, really wanted to leap up and tear the asshole apart. He had no doubt that his brothers would help him, but since they werent killers and chose to follow human law, he held himself very still and hoped the man would go away quickly. The man laughed as he climbed back into the helicopter but turned and yelled loudly enough for all in the general area to hear. Last chance, Eddie. Come out, come out wherever you are. He heard Kierans angry roar before Edwinas boss jumped in fright then clambered back into the helicopter and slammed the door closed. A moment later the chopper lifted off the ground and headed back toward the Mawson base. No doubt the asshole was going to use the discarded clothing as evidence that the survivors from the crash had succumbed to hypothermia and had zero chance of survival. As soon as Calvin was certain Edwina would be safe, he rolled to his feet and pulled her off the ground. Her clothing was completely soaked, her lips blue, and her eyes wide as saucers as she got her first good look at him up close. ****
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Edwina had no clue what to do now. The creature that stood in front of her was like nothing shed ever seen before and she was beginning to wonder if this was how hypothermia began. She remembered enough to know that hallucination was one of the early signs. The creature leaned over, grabbed the hem of her sweater and lifted it and all of her underclothes over her head. She hadnt worn a bra under all the layers of clothing since landing in Antarctica so now she stood shivering hard enough to be a human jackhammer with her ice-cold tits hanging out. The fact that the creature then lifted her like a rag doll and plucked her shoes from her feet was more than a little disconcerting, but when it attempted to strip her lower garments off as well she tried to protest. Buck-naked in the snow with a creature that looked like a man but wasnt was not her idea of a first date. Especially now that he seemed to have a friend. The fact that the first creature pulled her pants, thermal leggings, and underwear off with little effort despite her thrashing did not bode well for her immediate future. It didnt reassure her when she noticed very human looking, pink cocks poking out of the fur on their lower bellies. She giggled hysterically as she wondered if the ice-cold weather had done anything to shrink those massive things. Geez, she really was losing her mind. Creature number one lifted her easily and cradled her high against his chest as he started to walk. She snuggled into the heat of his body, grinding her teeth against the pain as her extremities began to warm up. She hid her face in the creatures warm chest unwilling to think past getting warm. Whatever was about to happen was no longer in her control, and until she had a different option, she chose to stay warm.
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Chapter Four
Kieran watched as Calvin carried Edwina against him. At first hed worried that shed slipped into hypothermia, but her fight to retain her modesty assured him that she was still thinking, maybe not clearlywet clothes would kill her fasterbut still thinking like her normal, cantankerous self. He turned to the snow pile and dragged out the clothes hed managed to hide before the helicopter landed. The outer jacket was soaked and unusable, but the other remained dry and he moved to tuck it around Edwina as she clung to Calvins furry chest. She whispered a thank-you even though she couldnt have a clue what was going on. It wasnt every day a woman found herself surrounded by six creatures believed to be the stuff of imagination. He gave his brothers one grunted word, Home, and they all turned and headed back toward the research shack. They ran for about an hour before Jake took Edwina from Calvin, tucked her tightly against him, and continued their journey. Their pace was slower than usual thanks to their passenger, but she never once complained or questioned where they were going. Hell, if hed known shed shut up at the sight of their alternate forms, he wouldve done it sooner. With less than half an hours journey left to go, Jake handed Edwina into his arms. Kieran almost stumbled at the look of complete trust on her face. She cuddled into him, burrowing into the thickness of his fur. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he lifted her higher so he
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wouldnt poke her with the erection that he couldnt seem to control whenever she was near. Unfortunately, he also couldnt control his annoyance that she hadnt once questioned his and Jakes whereabouts. She hadnt even looked for them when six intimidating yetis had surrounded her. Hed known the woman didnt like him, but he hadnt expected her to just leave him behind either. As they finally approached the building that would be home for probably the next seven or eight months, Kieran slowed his pace and enjoyed holding her while he could. The moment he put her on her feet in a warm room she was liable to kick him in the nuts, so he held onto the peace and quiet a moment longer. He wasnt looking forward to explaining everything to her, and he sure as hell didnt like their chances of keeping her quiet. She had seen with her own eyes that the legendary yeti actually existed. How could she not tell the world? He glanced down as a soft hand touched the fur on his face. She was watching him closely, and he got a feeling she could see into his soul. He tried to shake it off, but she continued to study him, and if hed been in human form, he wouldve made some smart-ass comment just so shed back off. Thank you, Kieran, she said with a soft smile. He couldnt hide his surprise. His knees felt weak, and he struggled up the slight incline to get to the hut. How had she known? **** Edwina was pretty certain shed lost her mind. How else could you explain six abominable snowmen with fur the same color as Kieran, Jake, and Calvins hair and eyes that looked exactly like theirs? Oh, and the fact that she was completely naked in the middle of Antarctica But she thanked them anyway. What the heck?
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As they approached a small structure, the door opened and a man dressed in heavy snow gear stepped onto the veranda and held open his arms. The creature that her fractured mind had decided was Kieran grunted and walked past the man refusing to hand her over. She barely noticed the change in temperature. She felt so warm from Kierans furry body that it took a moment to realize hed walked through a common area and straight into a bedroom with four cots. Gently he lowered her onto the narrow bed, tucked the blankets around her, and settled on the floor beside her. A warm furry hand smoothed her hair, over and over, soothing her, lulling her into sleep. She fought the sensation, trying to retain her consciousness, but the creature growled softly until she closed her eyes. She fell asleep with the soft sound of contented purring filling her mind. **** Asleep? Jake asked Kieran as he came into the room. Kieran had obviously helped himself to some of their brothers clothing just as Jake and Calvin had. Normally they were all quite content with nudity, but with Edwina sleeping in the next room, it seemed prudent to wear some sort of clothing. No matter what she remembered from their trip back, she couldnt really be sure how shed gotten here. Hopefully they could convince her shed suffered the beginnings of hypothermia and leave it at that. She didnt seem the type to go telling fantastical tales she had no way to prove. What now? Gary asked, aiming the question at Kieran. Theyd all seen Kieran refuse to hand Edwina over to their youngest brother. Kierans behaviorespecially considering the fact that all Edwina had done for the last fifteen hours was irritate himwas completely out of character. Kieran never got emotionally involved. Even when he was hot and heavy with some woman or other, it was fun stress
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relief and about as far away from commitment as a relationship could get. I dont know, Kieran said, showing more confusion than Jake had ever seen him admit to. Its likely shell wake up and think it was all a dream. If we get our stories straight, we could probably convince her she was hallucinating. Calvin growled low in his throat, startling them all with his reaction. Usually in human form they reacted as humans. It was a very rare occasion that primitive emotion overruled their higher brain functions in this form. All eyes turned to Calvin, and he shrugged sheepishly. She recognized me, he said, obviously trying to explain what hed felt without going into detail. Jake understood exactly what he was trying to say. Hed felt it, too. That strange connection to her that seemed to grow stronger each moment. It was why hed handed her to Kieran. Something inside him claimed her as his own, but another more primitive part somehow understood that she belonged to his brothers as well. He shook his head, trying to clear the strange thoughts. Perhaps hed spent too much time standing naked in human form in the snow. Maybe Edwina wasnt the only one hallucinating. Although, she hadnt actually been hallucinating. Should we call the Mawson base and let someone know shes alive? No! three angry voices chorused, Jakes included. Jesus, Gary said as he held his hands up in feigned surrender. Chill for fucks sake. Im only trying to figure out what happened. Its not every day my brothers bring home a naked woman. Jake almost felt sorry for his youngest brother. He hadnt seen the attempt on her life, so he couldnt know the seriousness of the situation until someone explained it to him. But for the life of him, he couldnt force the details past his lips. Everything inside screamed at him to crawl onto the narrow cot beside Edwina and hold her close.
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Sorry, bro, Jake said to Gary. Its just been a weird kind of day. Gary nodded and then turned back to Kieran. What happened? Kieran and Jake filled them all in on the happenings from when they left the base, the helicopter crash, the deliberate damage done to Edwinas emergency supplies, and then Calvin told Gary about the attempted shooting and the run home in yeti form. Gary nodded thoughtfully and turned to Calvin. Are you supposed to be at the Mawson base? Calvin nodded warily, almost as if he didnt give a flying fuck if anyone noticed him missing. Considering that Jake, Kieran, and Edwina were probably listed as missing presumed dead, having another of the Kodi brothers disappear was probably not something they needed right now. You need to head back immediately, Gary said with the quiet confidence that belied the fact he was the youngest of seven brothers. Calvin looked for a moment as if he would argue but finally nodded his agreement and stood to strip off his clothes. What about Edwina? Calvin asked anxiously. We need you back at the base, Gary said without hesitation. The only way we can keep Edwina safe is if we have someone on the inside. At this stage I dont think we should let anyone know that Jake and Kieran are safe either. We still dont know who their target was. Kieran opened his mouth to argue, but Gary cut him off. Despite the fact that they tried to shoot Edwina, its possible they were only tying up loose ends and trying to make sure there werent any witnesses. Jake had to agree with his brother. On the information that they had right at this moment, they still had no idea what the hell was going on. Fine, Calvin said as he headed toward the door. Ill contact you if I find out anything useful, and Ill be back as soon as I can leave without arousing suspicions. What about mom and the dads?
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Jake cringed at the idea that his parents would be told of his supposed death, but there was very little he could do about it at the moment. Calvin would need to somehow get a message to them to counteract the official report they would receive without leaking what he knew to anyone else. Hopefully that would be enough. Edwinas father would likely be devastated, but considering they still had no clue whom they could trust at the moment, there was little they could do about it. The only thing they knew for certain was that Edwinas boss seemed quite happy to leave Edwina, Jake, and Kieran for dead. Gary turned to Simon, Evan, and Brian. You three grab your stuff and move into the second shack for now. Kieran and Jake will decide how to handle Edwinasince they know her best at this timeand well gather for the evening meal at eighteen hundred hours. Jakes three brothers nodded and headed out of the room, and Jake was left wondering yet again how his youngest brother had become their decision maker. There were only a few years between the four youngest brothers, so it was possible to understand in that respect, but the fact that Calvin, Jake and Kieran seemed to fall in line these days too was quite interesting. Kieran, being the eldest, was nearly ten years older than Gary, but it never seemed to be a problem. Kieran, however, was not someone to be left out of the conversation either. I want to tell her, he said as soon as the others moved out the front door with all their supplies. Why? Gary asked with a neutral expression on his face. Because shes already seen us. Gary shook his head. She was cold and probably thinks it was her imagination. She needs our protection. Gary nodded his head and said, Which is something we are quite capable of providing in human form.
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But, Kieran said again, clearly searching for a reason to explain their shape-shifter status to Edwina, shes liable to be here for months, and you know how much easier it is to stay warm in shifted form. Again Gary nodded affably. But weve managed before with other scientists. In fact two seasons ago we had several human work partners for nearly eight months. Kieran looked ready to flatten his brother, despite Garys reasonable tone. Gary held up a hand as if to stop Kierans primitive reaction. Whats the real reason? Kieran looked stunned by his brothers perceptiveness, and despite sharing Kierans feelings for Edwina, Jake wasnt willing to step into this argument. Kieran fell back onto the sofa and rubbed his hands down his face. I want her to know me. The real me, he added forcefully, obviously expecting further argument. Excellent, Gary said without a moments hesitation. I want her to know the real me, too. Its obvious that Calvin and Jake feel the same way, and I suspect Brian, Evan, and Simon will come to share the emotions. Kieran looked relieved and pissed off at the same time. Typical of his big brotherhappy that his brothers agreed but annoyed that he had to explain himself. Jake stepped forward wanting to get past the decision that was essentially already made and ask the most important question. So how do we introduce ourselves? **** Edwina woke wrapped in Kierans arms. Hed bundled the blankets around her nakedness, and he seemed to be fully clothed, but she was so grateful for the human contact that she snuggled closer and sighed in relief. A part of her had expected to wake surrounded by big, white, furry, manlike creatures ready to fight over her, or maybe claim her in
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the most elemental of ways. She blushed as memories of her earlier wild imaginings and the sensual dreams that followed her into sleep whispered through her mind. Why had her foggy brain given her delusion-induced creatures human-looking cocks? Maybe shed gone too long without sex. She sighed as she pushed her bottom closer to Kierans groin and discovered a nice, hard erection. He moved away slightly, so she did it again. Edwina, Kierans stern voice whispered in her ear, behave. Why? she asked, feeling really reckless. Shed almost died in the freezer they called Antarctica. Wasnt it time to celebrate life? Are you hungry? he said, obviously ignoring her flirty tone. Who was she kidding? This guy had made it very clear how much he didnt like her. He was probably just keeping her warm, so he wouldnt have to explain how she died from exposure. There was no way he was panting to get into herumpants. She giggled a little hysterically as she realized she didnt actually have any pants. At least a part of her delusion mustve been trueshe sure was naked. Where are we? she asked, deciding that she could also play the ignore-a-direct-question game. He sighed loudly, and she smiled at the exasperated tone. It seemed like he was usually a pretty controlled guy, so being able to rile him was at least entertaining. Kendall Shack, he answered quickly then repeated his question. Are you hungry? Of course Im fucking hungHow did we get to Kendall Shack? It didnt seem quite possible. Theyd crashed way off course. Kieran had said they were headed to the nearest emergency shelter, and that shouldve taken four hours at leastprobably longer with her in tow. We carried you, Kieran said as he pulled her back into the warmth of his body. Before she could come up with another question, another voice spoke up.
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Good to see you awake, Jake said from somewhere behind her. Ill get you something to eat. Casserole okay? Sure, she said as she tried to roll over. Kieran did not make it easy. Squirming inside the blanket that was wrapped around her like a cocoon made it difficult, but she eventually managed to sort of sit up. Kieran sighed in irritation, picked her up, lifted her over to the other side of the narrow cot, and cuddled up to her again. Now facing Jake, she also noticed another man in the room. She had a vague memory of this man offering to take her from Kieranwell, the abominable snowman shed imagined to be Kieran. Jake mustve seen her curiosity because he moved out of her line of vision, so she could see the new man more clearly. By the snow-white hair, it was a pretty good guess that he was related to Jake and Kieran. This is our brother, Gary. Youll meet the others at dinner if youre feeling up to it. Edwina nodded enthusiastically. Shed never been a good patient, and since she wasnt actually sick, she was more than ready to climb out of Kierans warm, possessive, fiercely protective, sensual, loving hug and umon second thought, never mind. She snuggled closer and tried to pretend that the man holding her actually liked her. She thought she heard some sort of purring noise for a moment, but it was gone before she could identify the source. Perhaps it had been a fragment of memory from her earlier delusions. Jake and Gary smiled at her, seeming to share delight in something she didnt understand. She eyed them both suspiciously, but Jake just leaned over, dropped a soft kiss on her lips, and whispered, Ill just grab you some food and be right back. She nodded, licking her lips unconsciously before noticing Garys interested gaze. She tried to smile, but on this angle with her ass nestled against a rock-hard cock that she kept telling herself not to notice, it was kind of hard to look friendly without coming off as a bit of a slut. Gary seemed to read all of her emotions easily because he
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moved closer and touched her face softly. Dont be embarrassed, he said, its okay to be attracted to more than one man. Whoa! Absolutely freaking not! She was not attracted to more than one man. Just because shed kissed both Kieran and Jake and wanted to kiss the guy in front of herthe one shed only just metdid not mean that she was panting to fall into bed with all of them. Well okay, she mightve been panting over them, but she sure as hell wasnt going to actually do it. Images of what the three well-built, athletic men could get up to in bed with her played in her head like an erotic romance novel. She could feel her clit throb and her thighs become slippery with her excitement. She closed her eyes, feeling completely mortified. Embarrassed by her sudden arousal, she tried to lever herself out of Kierans arms, but he refused to let go. The more she wriggled, the tighter he held her. Panic was starting to blur her thought processes when she realized just how vulnerable she really was in this situation. Hell, she was at the ass-end of the world, in the middle of freaking nowhere, dependent on them for her very survival, and nobody knew she was even alive. It didnt matter that she was actually attracted to the brothers. Please dont, she said quietly. Both men reacted like theyd been punched. Kierans hold on her released immediately, and Gary backed away a few steps. What the hell? Jake asked as he came through the door. She looked at him, feeling guilty for her overreaction but unable to hide her growing fears. Jake looked like he wanted to pull her into his embrace, but instead he stepped away also. Kierans voice had the chill of an Antarctic wind. Edwina believes we saved her, so we could use her as a sex slave. Isnt that right, princess?
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NNo, she managed to stutter unconvincingly. It didnt help that thoughts of being their sex slave for the next seven or eight months were kind of enticing. Shed read books about women whod willingly become sex slaves and had often wondered if it was as freeing as it seemed. Three men breathed deeply almost as if they could smell her arousal. Oh crap. That would be really embarrassing. She closed her eyes and concentrated until she finally located the biting sarcasm she was well known for. She managed to firm up her voice and turn to the man behind her. Not exactly an easy task considering she was still tangled in a blanket. Bite me, asshole, she managed to say with a good dose of disdain. My father would pay a much higher ransom if I was completely undamaged, and you know it. Ransom? Gary asked, sounding like he had no idea what she was talking about. Yeah right Oh, yes. We forgot to tell you that part, Kieran said with a snarl in his voice. Edwina believes we are the ones responsible for the helicopter crash and are just waiting for a big reward from her daddy. Hes rich you know. Gary laughed, gave his brother a questioning look, and stepped forward to help her into a sitting position. Edwina, do you remember how you got back here? She nodded warily. She knew what she remembered. She just wasnt sure what was delusion and what wasnt. Do you remember how you felt? Did you feel safe? **** Kierans heart was in his throat. He wanted to tell Edwina about them, everything about him and his brothers, but a small part doubted that she would react the way they all hoped. It seemed almost beyond imagination that four of the seven brothers had fallen so hard for this prickly, annoying woman already, but it was exactly what theyd done.
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When their fathers had explained the way they would all feel a connection to one woman, Kieran had literally laughed it off as legend. Surely it was impossible for all seven brothers, so different in personalities and likes and dislikes, to all fall for the same woman. Yet here they were. Kieran had absolutely no doubt that Simon, Evan, and Brian would feel the same for Edwina as he, Jake, Calvin, and Gary did as soon as they got a chance to know her. When Edwina finally nodded that shed felt safe when theyd carried her back here, the tight grip around Kierans chest loosened just a bit. Do you remember why you felt safe? Gary asked. She looked like she was about to say something really sarcastic, but at the last moment changed her mind and admitted, I was delusional, seeing things that werent actually there. I was just glad to feel warm again. Is that all you remember? Gary asked in a voice that had Kieran wanting to answer. Jesus, when did his youngest brother get so dominating? No, she said honestly. She dropped her gaze to the ground and looked really embarrassed for a moment. But then, of course, the sassy, outspoken, pain-in-the-ass woman that he was more attracted to each moment finally lost her temper. What the fuck do you want me to say? That I wasnt scared because I figured I was probably already dead? That I dreamed I was carried here by a bunch of abominable snowmen? We prefer yeti, Jake chimed in. Abominable snowman is kind of insulting. She pushed herself onto her feet and began pacing back and forth. I dont give a flying fuck what you prefer. I was delusional and not thinking clearly, and there is no such thing as abominable snowmen, so I cant insult something that doesnt exist. It mustve been you and your brothers carrying me back here because everyone else I know probably thinks Im dead.
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It was quite an impressive speech for a woman who was completely and utterly naked. Shed obviously forgotten her sansclothing status under the blanket as she poured out her frustrations. It was kind of easy to forget that this woman actually hated the cold. If she hadnt crashed her helicopter, shed likely be flying back to a warmer climate at this very moment, and they probably wouldve never met her. As her words finally ran out, she shivered and glanced down at her unclothed body. With a squawk of complete embarrassment, she tried to pull the material more firmly into place, managing only to drop it even further. Kieran felt his cock leap at the sight of her tightly beaded nipples. His yeti side definitely chose for her to be their mate. Convincing her, however, was liable to be another matter entirely. Jake helped her to lift the blanket higher, wrapped her tightly and pulled her into his embrace. He sat on the edge of his bed and nodded to Kieran to show her their true form. Show her, Gary said by way of agreement. Kieran nodded, but he couldnt help hoping that Jake had a tight enough hold on the woman to prevent her from kicking him in the balls as he revealed their secret. **** Edwina felt safe here. Despite her little tantrum of a minute ago, she truly felt no fear of these men. But she was stubborn enough not to let them know. Trust once given was easily abused. However, she still managed to deny any attraction for them even as she snuggled into Jakes embrace and waited for Kieran to show her whatever they were waiting for him to show her. When he stood and started peeling off his clothes, she watched his superb body slowly revealed inch by glorious inch for probably a whole minute before it occurred to her that maybe she should be a little worried. What the hell could he show her that required him to be naked?
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When he finally lowered his thermal underwear and stood magnificently nude, she tried really, really hardand failed really, really badlyto keep her eyes away from his erection. She unconsciously licked her lips, and Kieran groaned even as his eyes took on a pleading look. Princess, please dont look at me like that. I need to stay in control. She bit her lip, wondering how her reaction would threaten his control. He didnt actually like her, but she supposed she was the only woman in several miles at the very least. Maybe she should rethink the whole feeling safe thing. But then every thought process stalled in her brain as the man in front of her somehow grew white fur all over his body. His jaw changed, his teeth became more pronounced, his forehead grew broader, but his eyeshis eyes stayed the same, and she looked in wonder at the abominable snowman whod placed her in bed several hours ago. It was real? she asked, feeling way off balance. Everything? Six of you? Youyou saved me from mymy boss when he tried to shshshoot me? Oh, crap, so much for independent female. She was about to bawl like a five-year-old. Kieran lowered to his knee in front of her and pressed a furcovered finger to her cheek to catch the first tear. She grabbed his hand and held it to her face, overwhelmed with the emotions swirling through her. Somebody really had tried to kill her, and if it werent for Kieran and Jake, exposure wouldve killed her long before her boss arrived with a rifle to finish the job. Im sorry, she said on a quiet sob. Its okay, Jake said soothingly. He rubbed his hands up and down her shoulders, and she continued to stare into Kierans familiar eyes. It had been so much easier to believe they were behind it all, and it was only a ransom attempt, not someone trying to kill her. Shed actually spent several minutes reasoning in her mind that the
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abominable snowmen had been created from a childhood memory of a movie about yetis being decent folk. Shed convinced herself that it was only her mind creating protectors so that she could relax and not fight whatever fate had planned. She hadnt even considered the notion that what shed seen was actually real. Can you talk? she asked the yeti kneeling before her.
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Chapter Five
Kieran shook his head, still amazed at how easily his woman seemed to be accepting their unusual form. Hed deliberately stripped off heredespite the uncontrollable erectionjust so she couldnt claim it was some kind of setup. But to see her accept him so readily did something to his primitive heart. Even though instinct clawed at him to claim her, he retained enough sense to understand that acceptance on her part was far from love. If they were going to claim her as their mate, he wanted love to be part of their lives. Having grown up with five fathers, Kieran understood how much work it took to keep everyone happy in their type of matings. Communication was the key, and in this form, his yeti form, words did not come easily. He let the change happen but stayed on his knee as he watched Edwinas expression closely. She smiled and wriggled out of Jakes hold to fall into Kierans arms and press a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw. Im sorry, she said again quietly. He wrapped his arms around her gratefully, moving to a sitting position and pulling her onto his lap. Hed never shown his true form to anyone other than his family and somehow had always believed it would lead to rejection. Being accepted was a gift hed never thought hed receive. He held her close for a while, but eventually the cold seeped into his no longer furry butt, and he needed to move. She mewled quietly when she thought he was going to put her down, but he climbed onto the bed, sat up against the headboard, and pulled her in between his thighs, careful to keep her warm inside the blanket.
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Jake stepped forward, sat on the edge of the bed, and touched her face reverently. Whats it like? she asked them as she snuggled further into Kierans embrace. I mean, are you still you inside all that fur? Jake grinned that megawatt grin that usually had women dropping at his feet. For the most part, yes we are the same person. We remember everything, retain our higher brain functions and can usually function as a yeti as effectively as we do as a human. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Edwinas lips. She opened her mouth, moaning when he deepened the kiss. Kieran could feel his cock pressing, hard and insistent, against Edwinas blanket-covered ass. She sighed as Jake pulled away. The one small difference, Jake said as he seemed to assess Edwinas expression for a moment, is that in yeti form our more primitive instincts are stronger. Stronger how? Edwina asked. She didnt seem suspicious, just curious. Kieran pulled her closer as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening here. Was this prickly, obnoxious, deliberately offensive woman really accepting them? Stronger as in Jake said but trailed off. Gary, whod been watching the entire exchange with a look of deep satisfaction on his face, stepped in to fill the conversational void. Stronger as in protect, claim, own. Edwina seemed shocked by his words, and she sat a little straighter and glared at Gary. Explain, she said in a voice that demanded an immediate answer. Garys smile quirked slightly, and Kieran held their woman tighter to prevent her from leaping up and kicking his brother in the balls. Then again, maybe Gary deserved it. He was being an ass by describing it that way. Jake went to say something, but Gary took a step closer, essentially shoving him out of the way. Simple, baby, youre ours.
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We will protect you. We will claim you, and you will belong to us. Only us. Edwina lay still in Kierans arms. He could smell her arousal even as he wondered at it. She certainly didnt seem to be the type to respond to such an archaic attitude. She squirmed for a moment and stared into Garys eyes as if she couldnt break contact, but then that beautifully determined woman Kieran was learning to enjoy broke through her frozen stupor and gave Gary what he deserved. What the fuck? she yelled as she worked her arms free from the blanket and swung her hands wildly in frustration. Nobody will ever own me. We will, Gary said with an arrogant smile, obviously enjoying her tantrum. Kieran even helped her out of the blanket this time. Gary certainly was asking for an ass whooping. Kieran might even hold him down, so Edwina could have a better chance. Garys eyes darkened as Edwina climbed naked off the bed and poked a finger in his chest. Dont you ever speak to me like that! I am my own person. I dont belong to anyone. Gary grinned, trapped her finger against his heart and wrapped the other arm around her waist to pull her closer. Even in human form Gary was a huge man. Edwina seemed almost tiny in his arms, despite being above average height for a woman. She managed to get in a few good kicks as Gary lifted her from the floor, but with only bare feet they probably didnt do her much good. Gary smiled, pressed a hard kiss to her mouth before placing her on her feet and leaving the room. Edwina kicked the door shut with a growl and stomped back to the bed where Kieran quickly gathered her shaking frame in his embrace and pulled her back under the blanket. Can you believe that asshole? she asked as her teeth finally stopped clicking together from the cold. Dont worry about him for now, Jake said as Kieran tried to forget how beautiful their woman looked in full-blown, naked temper. Why dont you have something to eat and then get some rest? She
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nodded meekly and then let Kieran help her to a sitting position to eat. She was almost asleep by the time she finished the food. Kieran watched as Jake took the empty bowl and pressed a kiss to the sleepy woman in his arms. Kieran will keep you warm. Rest now. She nodded and turned on her side, basically using Kieran as a very big pillow. He was fairly certain shed fallen asleep even before Jake left the room, and was glad she seemed okay. It didnt mean she wouldnt freak out when she woke, but for now at least he got to hold her close. He wasnt sure where to go from here. Despite his ridiculously arrogant statements, Gary had been right on the money. Theyd chosen her as their mate. They would claim her. She would belong to them, only them, but he wanted more. He wanted her to come to them willingly. He wanted Edwina to know them individually as well as a group. And he wanted to be wanted for being him, not just one of many brothers. And, he wanted her love. High hopes considering the woman had done nothing but lash out at them since the chopper crash, accused them of conspiracy and kidnap, and reacted violently to them trying to help her in the snow. It wasnt until theyd changed into their yeti forms that the shed shown one bit of nice. He held her close and vowed that he wouldnt let himself or his brothers claim her until she was certain that staying with them was what she wanted. Convincing her to stayespecially when she hated the cold so muchwasnt going to be easy. Theyd have to prove to her they would keep her warm. His cock jerked at all the delicious, sensual ideas that raced through his mind, and this time, instead of holding himself away, he nestled his erection in the crease of her ass and kissed the back of her neck. She sighed and wriggled closer but didnt wake, so he closed
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his eyes and tried not to think of all the ways he planned on using to keep her warm and convince her to stay. **** Edwina woke slowly. She felt toasty warm, and for one crazy minute she wondered if she was finally home and in her own bed. But then the sleeping man behind her moved, and she felt a thick, hard cock press between the cheeks of her ass. Shed fallen asleep in Kierans arms, and she was fairly certain she was still in his arms, but she turned over just to be sure. Good morning, princess. He pressed a playful kiss to her nose. Did you sleep well? Yes, she said as she tried to figure out what to say next. Is it morning? Not knowing whether it was day or night was her biggest annoyancebesides the coldthat she had for Antarctica. He laughed as if he could read her mind and said, Actually, its two in the afternoon, but you slept for nearly ten hours, so I think good morning probably works. Was it real? She didnt quite mean to blurt it out that way, but the whole turning-into-a-yeti thing seemed way too unlikely to be real. Was what real? The fact that you wanted to kick Gary in the balls? He grinned and winked. Or my furry alter ego? Your furry alter ego, she repeated on a sigh. She felt herself relax then. Shed never had a very good imagination, so shed been fairly certain that she couldnt make something that fantastical up, but shed read somewhere that under stress the human brain was capable of some incredible stuff. She was sincerely glad that it wasnt the case. Can I see you again? she asked. Probably not a good idea, princess. He shifted his erection away from her stomach. Ive had my cock pressed against your soft skin
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for the last ten hours. As a man I can control the urge to jump you, but as a yeti I doubt Ill be that restrained. Oh, she said, feeling both disappointed and excited at the same time. She felt like shed been on a constant simmer of arousal since meeting Kieran and Jake. Everything else that had happened since had only increased that not doused it. Maybe, she said, feeling rather bold as she lowered her hand to his rock hard erection, we should take care of that problem first. He smiled and groaned as she squeezed gently. I want you to be sure about this, Edwina, Kieran said in a strained voice. Were likely to be stuck here for the next eight months, so there is no reason to rush. Whats to be sure about? she asked in a carefree tone. I want you. You want me. Why cant we have a little fun while were stuck here? Kierans hand wrapped around hers, stilling her movements around his cock. We can have a little fun while were stuck together, but I wonder if you realize my brothers will want the same. All of them? she squeaked even as liquid arousal melted through her veins. All of them, Kieran whispered as he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her like he wanted to inhale her. As he pulled away he added, Even Gary. She couldnt help herself. Just the thought of what Gary might order her to do sent heat bubbles bursting in her gut. Shed never been attracted to dominant men before, but there was just something about Gary that sparked her curiosity. Kieran took a deep breath, almost as if he could smell her arousal, rolled her onto her back and pushed her legs wide. He hovered over her, his hard cock pressed against the slippery flesh of her pussy. He kissed her again as he rubbed his cock against her opening but didnt penetrate her. Whimpering with need she tried to wriggle down the mattress to impale herself on his cock. But he moved away.
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She watched as he slid off the end of the bed, hooked his arms under her knees, and dragged her to the edge of the mattress. Open and exposed to his gaze, she felt her nipples tighten even more from her arousal than the sudden cold. He mustve felt her shiver because he leaned over and pressed his warm lips to her cold nipples. She arched off the bed at the intense sensation. He laved the tight buds over and over, his warm hand shaping and squeezing one as his tongue worshipped the other. She almost leaped out of her skin when she heard someone come through the door. She was naked, hanging off the edge of the bed with all of her secrets exposed, she shouldve been horribly embarrassed, so the gush of desire that pulsed from her core surprised her. Both men breathed deeply, and this time she was certain they could smell her excitement. Jake immediately started to strip off his clothing, his cock hard and thick and pointing at her like a divining rod. Kieran lifted her knees once more, pushed her thighs wide open and dipped his tongue to her slippery flesh. He licked her like ice cream, the flat blade of his tongue pressing against the sensitive folds. Jake lowered his head to her breasts, nipping and biting at the hard peaks that begged for his attention. She moaned at the twin sensations. She wanted to writhe against them in sensual agony, but they held her so tight she could barely move. Kieran thrust his tongue deep into her pussy, licking and sucking at her juices, and she cried out at the incredible feeling. He found her clit and latched on to the small nub, suckling the sensitive flesh until she thought shed scream. Every moment dragged her closer to mindless need, and she whimpered as she felt Kieran replace his tongue with his dick. He held her still as he slowly forced her body to accept that thick cock. She panted in both arousal and fear as she felt stretched to the point of pain. Jake bit down on her nipple distracting her as Kieran continued to slide deeper. Blunt fingers found her clit and squeezed, and she rocked slightly as Kieran finally rested deep inside her pussy.
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He held still while her body adjusted. Heat swirled through her, her orgasm so incredibly close that one thrust would likely set her off. But still he waited, holding her immobile, grunting in disapproval as she tried to force the pace. Impaled by Kierans big cock, Jake sucking and kissing her breasts and someones slippery fingers gently toying with her clit, Edwina could barely breathe. She wanted to writhe, wanted to scream, wanted to demand they both move, give her more, give her something, anything. But then heat unexpectedly rushed over her skin. Colors exploded behind her eyelids, liquid lava drenching her veins as the most incredible orgasm pulsed through her. She moaned, her pussy gripping Kieran even tighter, every muscle rippling with the explosive release. She gasped for air, almost crying out in relief when Kieran started to pump into her, over and over, slamming into her pussy like a man possessed. Jake climbed over her, his cock pressing against her lips, demanding entrance, refusing to back down. She opened for him, sucked on him greedily, groaning in agreement when Jake tangled his fingers in her hair and adjusted the angle of her head so he could penetrate deeper. Together they fucked herJakes shallow thrusts into her mouth, Kierans harder, more forceful possession of her pussy, both driving her to the edge of sanity. She screamed in frustration when they both pulled away. But Kieran lifted her easily, flipped her onto her hands and knees and entered her with one hard thrust from behind. Jake wrapped his fingers through her hair once more, guided his cock back into her mouth, plunged much deeper than before, and groaned as she swallowed around him. Each pounding thrust into her pussy pushed her farther onto Jakes cock and she gagged as he slid deeper. Swallow, Jake commanded as she wriggled to break free in a moment of panic. He held her firmly against him, not letting her retreat. He caressed her
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cheeks with his thumbs as she tried to see his face. Relax, Edwina, he said quietly. The words may have been gentle, but it wasnt a request. She hadnt even noticed Kieran had stopped moving until she managed to swallow around Jakes cock, and Kieran thrust hard into her once more. Together they began thrusting into her faster. Kieran gripped her hips in his large hands, pounding into her, possessing her in the most elemental of ways. He wrapped an arm around her hips, found her clit with his fingers, told her to come, and then squeezed. She screamed, throbbing, pulsing, shaking all over. Every muscle in her body vibrated as her climax burst. She shook harder as both men fucked her faster, Kierans thrusts deeper, harder, Jakes movement forceful, controlling, his tight grip on her hair raising her excitement with the erotic sting. Swallow, he said a moment before his seed pulsed onto her tongue. She swallowed convulsively, trying to keep up, moaning as she drank him down. Kieran stilled in her pussy, his cock shooting cum deep into her womb. Groaning, Jake finally pulled his cock from her mouth, and Kieran fell forward to cage her with his body. Did we hurt you, princess? Kierans voice wobbled just a bit, and if she hadnt been so close to him, she mightve missed the fine tremor that shook his muscles. No, she said, needing to reassure him quickly. That was incredible. It was almost like all of her bones had melted. She felt calm and peaceful and stress-free and complete in a way she couldnt quite describe. It was almost a feeling of coming home. She closed her eyes against that disturbing thought. She wasnt home. This was a fun diversion, a reaffirmation of life after going so close to dying. It was just sex. I need a shower. ****
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Kieran felt something change, but for the life of him couldnt explain it. Hed been feeling completely mellow, and more than a little triumphant, but then Edwina seemed to pull away from them again. Not physically of course, she had nowhere to go with him pressing her to the mattress, but he sensed an emotional withdrawal that he couldnt quite explain. Sure, Jake said, sounding just as confused as Kieran felt. Ill show you where the shower is. Kieran, could you find some clothes for Edwina? The others will be back for the evening meal soon, and I think our woman would be more comfortable greeting them with clothes on. Damn straight. And Im not your woman, Edwina said, sounding like the cranky woman theyd traipsed through the snow with, not the woman whod just let them both make love to her. I dont know, Kieran said, unable to control his mouth in the face of her obvious withdrawal. Maybe we should just keep you naked. That way we wont waste time with clothing anytime we want to fuck you. He saw her eyes darken with passion, but her mouth drew into a frown a moment before she dismissed him with a look and turned to Jake. Shower? she said as if reminding a forgetful child. Oh, sure, Jake said uncertainly. Kieran watched the pair leave the room. His alter ego demanded that he go after her, growled at him to claim her, urged him to bind her to him, but a small kernel of sanity held him back. He knew the claiming would irrevocably bind her to him and his brothers, but it wouldnt make her love them. If anything it would probably make them all unhappy. They needed her to come to them willingly, or they all risked being completely miserable.
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Chapter Six
Any news on your brothers, Cal? Edwinas boss, Peterson, was conveniently off-base, so Calvin couldnt even try and track the one clue they had as to why someone would want Edwina dead. To top it off Calvin was having a hard time accepting all the condolences. Even if theyd planned to tell everyone Kieran and Jake had survived, Calvin wouldve had to wait sufficient time for Jake and Kieran to make the trek in human time to the research shack before he could announce the miracle. But since theyd decided against telling anyone, Calvin got to sit here on his ass listening to the empty condolences from people who barely knew him or his brothers. No. No news yet. They found the crashed helicopter but no sign of my brothers or the pilot. The woman whod asked nodded once and turned away. That was the other annoying thing. Nobody seemed concerned that Edwina was missing also. Granted, she hadnt been the friendliest of people, but surely compassion for another human being shouldve been automatic. He glanced around the dining room and realized that he was probably being too harsh. He barely knew most of the scientists here, and if one of them had gone missing, he wouldve been saddened, maybe even shocked, but that wouldnt necessarily leave him grieving. No, it was his feelings for Edwina that were skewing his perspective and making his balls ache. After carrying her part way back to the Kendall research shack, he hadnt been able to forget her sweet scent or her absolute trust. Shed recognized him, even in his
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yeti form, and he could barely wait to get back to the shack to claim her. Yet at the moment, he had no choice but to sit here and play the worried brother, even though he knew the three of them were safe. Cal, Leonard said as he approached him. I have Edwinas father on the telephone. Could you talk to him, maybe explain to him how unlikely it is that she could survive this long without equipment or provisions. Youve been here longer than most of us, and well, maybe hell listen because your brothers are missing, too. Fine, he said, feeling resigned. Leonards points were all valid ones, but Calvin didnt miss the relief that flitted over the mans features. Calvin didnt really want to talk to Edwinas father. They still didnt know who had tried to kill her, and until they knew something, it wasnt wise to let anyone know shed survived. Calvin followed Leonard back to the main telephone line and frowned when the man stood beside him, waiting to hear Calvins side of the conversation. Hello, he said into the surprisingly clear line. Whos this? a gruff voice demanded. Sir, my name is Calvin Kodi. My brothers Kieran and Jake were in the helicopter with Edwina when it went down. The last fellow told me they survived the landing. That theyd walked away from the wreck. My daughter knows never to walk away from the wreck. She knows that like she knows her own name. Why the hell would she wander away? Im sorry, sir, I dont know, Calvin said quietly, wishing he could tell this man what he actually knew. Edwinas father sounded desperate for news of his daughter, and he was either a damn good actor or exactly as he seemeda father worried for his child. Are your brothers experienced? Do they know the Antarctic well? Is there a chance they could get her to safety? Mr. Callahan, Calvin said slowly, wondering how to phrase it so that Edwinas father would hold on to hope but without accidentally giving away what he knew to Leonard listening beside him. They had
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no idea who to trust in this situation, and until they did, he had to be very careful. My brothers are very experienced working in extreme cold. If anyone could get her to safety, it would be them. But, sir, the longer it takes to hear something the less likely it is that they made it to shelter. But there is a chance. Yes, sir, a slim chance. Calvin exchanged a few more words with Edwinas father and then finally replaced the telephone on its receiver. Do you believe that? Leonard asked. Or did you just give the guy false hope? Probably false hope, Calvin conceded. It theyd been ordinary humans, their chances of survival at this point wouldve been very slim at best. He rubbed his hand against his forehead and wondered what the hell to do now. How long was it appropriate for him to sit around the Mawson base waiting for news he knew wasnt coming? Im going to head out to the Kendall shack, he said to Leonard. I feel like I need to be with the rest of my brothers. Leonard nodded sagely, but then a look of panic crossed his features. What if Mr. Callahan calls again? What do I tell him? Give me his number, Calvin said. Ill try to call him from the research shack when I get there. Leonard nodded enthusiastically, grabbed a piece of paper, and scribbled Edwinas fathers number. Obviously, Leonard was keen to let someone else deal with awkward phone calls. Calvin should probably hang around a little longer and see if he could identify who had tried to hurt Edwina and his brothers, but he couldnt shake the need to be close to the woman. He headed back to his accommodations, packed his supplies, and filed the necessary paperwork before leaving the base. In human form, with skis, snow poles and dragging a sled, Calvin left the Mawson base and began the long, lonely trek toward Kendall shack.
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**** Jake tried not to snicker when his brothers Brian, Simon, and Evan entered the room. Almost as one they breathed deeply, obviously noticing his and Kierans scent clung to Edwina. Even after a shower Edwina wouldnt be able to hide from any of them. They would always be able to tell who shed had sex with. Gary looked very satisfied, and Kieran spent a brief moment wondering why Gary would be so happy when the last words hed heard from Edwina had been said in anger. It didnt stop Gary from pulling a grumpy Edwina into his embrace, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and maneuvering her so that she sat on his lap as they ate. Surprisingly, she cuddled into his warmth. Calvins on his way here, Brian told Jake between mouthfuls. With the rescue helicopters still out, hes decided to stay in human form, so its going to take a few days for him to get here. Will he be okay by himself? Edwina said out loud, but then looked around in embarrassment. She rolled her eyes at their incredulous looks. Fine, okay, got it. Big, hairy yetis dont get lost in the snow. Gary chuckled and pulled her closer, but she resisted his move and elbowed him in the stomach instead. Jake watched in amazement as Gary pressed a kiss to Edwinas mouth, to stop whatever words she was about to hurl at him, and then moved her onto the chair beside him. He continued talking to his brothers as if nothing had happened. Evan seemed quite pleased to have Edwina beside him and immediately started a conversation. Meals with his brothers were usually filled with science talk, so he wasnt surprised when Evan and Edwinas discussion turned to the three-year experiment they planned to start this winter. What will studying the layers of ice tell you? Basically, Evan said, obviously pleased that Edwina seemed interested in their scientific studies, were trying to determine how
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much climate change is due to the human presence on this planet and how much is natural progression in the Earths evolution. So youre trying to prove global warming is true? Not necessarily, Simon added to the conversation. Were trying to determine how much of the changes to the climate are manmade. It may be a very small amount, or it may be more significant, but until we understand the impact humans have, we cant really know how to reverse it. If we can reverse it at all. Humans may be having very little impact, Evan added. After all, humans didnt have anything to do with the ice age that killed off the dinosaurs. Edwina smiled and agreed with that, and Jake felt his cock press hard against his jeans yet again. Hed been in a nearly constant state of arousal around Edwina from the moment theyd met, and it seemed with his brothers getting along so well with their chosen mate, he wouldnt be getting over his attraction to Edwina any time soon. Soumwhere do you guys come from? I mean, are you native to Antarctica? Jakes younger brothers laughed, but it was Kieran who answered her question. No, princess, our family lives in North Slope, Alaska. Sounds cold, she said with a grimace. Cold enough, Kieran said through a tight jaw. It seemed Edwinas aversion to the cold really bothered him. Youll like our home, Edwina, Brian said, obviously missing the tension coming off Kieran. Our family is going to love you. Family? she said, looking completely bewildered. Sorry, sugar, when I get through winter in this ice box, I intend to never, ever see snow again. Im not even going to visit my fathers cattle ranch unless its summer and blazing hot. Brian, Evan and Simon gave Kieran startled looks and seemed to be waiting for an explanation. Jake knew what they were thinking. Why would Edwina have sex with two of their brothers if she wasnt planning to mate with them all? Apart from the fact that neither Jake
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nor Kieran had explained yeti mating to her in any great detail, Edwinas emotional withdrawal after their sexual encounter had left them both confused and reeling. Jake wasnt even certain where to go from here. And Kieran looked upset enough to want to take the woman over his knee. When are you planning to head out to collect the next sample? Gary asked, changing the subject with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Evan seemed confused by the unexpected question but managed to check his watch. With all the rescue helicopters still in the air were going to have to go in human form, so itll take longer than wed hoped. He looked at Simon and nodded in agreement to some unspoken plan. Well get some sleep and head out in about six hours. Okay, Gary said, clearly taking charge of ending the uncomfortable dinner, well see you in a week or so. Evan and Simon almost looked relieved as they nodded their agreement and left the cabin quickly. Kieran was fairly certain neither of them had bothered to do more than drag on their thick coats before stepping into the Antarctic wind. **** Edwina watched two of the brothers hightail it out of the cabin like their asses were on fire. She didnt quite understand how talk of their home had ended an otherwise pleasant dinner. Granted, Kieran was busy brooding over something, and Jake kept watching her like he expected her head to spin around several times, but it was Garys overbearing attitude that was starting to irritate her. Geez, how did she end up in the middle of four guys with no sense of fun?
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What? she asked irritably as four sets of eyes watched her closely. When none of them answered she answered for them. This is about the sex, right? Youre pissed at me for fucking you? You could put it that way, Kieran ground out through tightly clenched teeth. I dont get it, she said angrily. We had fun. What does that have to do with me meeting your family and freezing my ass off? Having sexy fun with Kieran and Jake didnt mean she belonged to themno matter what Gary had to say. Just fun? Gary said thoughtfully. So you didnt feel any attraction? They were just a convenient way to pass the time? A way to keep warm? She swallowed and nodded, hoping like hell that shed managed to hide the wince Garys words caused. Edwina didnt have casual flings, but what else could this be? As soon as the summer rolled around she was out of here, never to return, so even if she did have feelings for the brothers, nothing could come of it anyway. She heard a grunt of annoyance come from Kieran but decided to ignore it. If she had to look into his eyes, she might just blurt the truththat what theyd done together had been life changing but could never be more than a brief fling. It didnt help that shed felt a pang of loss when Evan and Simon had left, or the fact that she missed Calvin despite her only real contact with him having been in yeti form as hed hidden her in the snow and later carried her to safety. None of it made sense. One woman should not be attracted to so many men, and so she chose to think of it as fun. She had eight months with seven gorgeous guys, why shouldnt she act on her attraction to them? When she got back to the real world, shed have pleasant memories of Antarctica. Im going to bed, Kieran said as he pushed away from the table. He managed to leave the room without making eye contact with Edwina, and for some reason that irritated the hell out of her.
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Jake was a little more polite. He leaned over, pressed a kiss to her lips, and whispered, Good night. She nodded, hurt by their withdrawal, despite it being exactly what she wanted. Brian seemed to be waiting for her to say something. She had no idea what. Gary, as usual, appeared to be quite pleased with the way things had worked out. He stepped over to Edwina, titled her chin up with his hand and gave her a kiss that wouldve curled her toes if shed been a cartoon character. Holy moly, the man could kiss. Good night, he said with a brilliant smile. You two have fun. Before she could ask him what the hell he meant, the infuriating man had slid his coat on and stepped out the door. She shivered at the cold breeze that whistled into the room. Are you warm enough? Brian asked as he reached for a thick wool blanket that hung over the back of a chair. He didnt wait for an answer, just wrapped the material around her and then sat back in his chair. She snuggled into the blanket, her brain still trying to interpret the actual meaning to Garys words. Does he expect me to have sex with you? Is that what he meant by have fun? Pretty much, Brian said with a neutral expression. Seriously? Her voice had risen several octaves, and she was pretty sure shed have set the neighborhood dogs howling if there had been any nearby. As it was, Brian winced, and she started wondering just how good a yetis hearing actually was. Did Kieran or Jake tell you anything about yeti mating? She shook her head, pulling the blanket tighter around her. Brian seemed like a nice guy, but since shed only just met him, she didnt want to send out the wrong signals. Although, considering Garys suggestion, the wrong signals had already been sent. So, other than the fact that we turn into big, white, furry yetis, you have no idea what the hell is going on. She nodded again, pleased to have someone agree with her assessment of the situation.
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She was beginning to wonder just how many details Kieran and Jake had left out. Theyd said their brothers would want to sleep with her too, she hadnt realized it would be assumed that she would agree. Yeti social interaction is probably very different to what youre used to. No shit! she said without humor. He smiled kindly but frowned when she shivered. Are you still cold? Yes. No. Oh, fuck, I dont know. Im sitting here in the middle of nowhere, and Ive just been informed that I get to be the town bike everyone gets to ride. So, no, Im not cold. Im pissed off, but Im not fucking cold. She could feel adrenaline burn through her system, and she welcomed the heat it brought with it, but she couldnt quite hide the way her teeth were chattering. Its not like that, Brian said as he turned her chair around so they sat face to face. He touched her cheek with a warm hand, and she turned her face into his heat, struggling to hold onto her anger. She didnt want Brian to be a nice guy. She wanted him to be an asshole, so she could yell at him. Yetis arent like humans. We dont find partners, we live in family groups. She shook her head, not really understanding what he meant. He smiled and added, All of the brothers mate with one woman. Why? It seemed a pertinent point, but Brian seemed surprised. He shrugged. Tradition, I guess. Im not really sure, but yeti brothers always fall for the same woman in the end. That doesnt make any sense, she said. She was beginning to wonder if he was playing with her, but he seemed sincere. What about all the yeti girls? Wouldnt that leave most of them single? Brian smiled and sat back in his chair. Thats the thing. There are no female yetis. At least there havent been any born in the last four or five generations.
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So where do baby yetis come from? Did she really just ask that question? We mate with human women. Well, theres a romantic wordnot. Animals mate. People dont. Ah, yes, people just fuck. Isnt that what you said? Edwina cringed at Brians succinct statement. That was pretty much what shed said. Brian had no way of knowing she didnt really mean it. Yeah, well, it still means I get a choice. Agreed, Brian said easily. Would you like to watch a DVD? Umsure, she said, trying to catch up with the abrupt change of subject. Or was it? Movie about what? Brian laughed as if hed read her mind. No, sweets, we dont have a propaganda video on why you should mate with yetis. She laughed a little too loudly, trying to hide the fact that shed been thinking exactly that. Brian gave her a knowing smile but continued talking. I have a few action flicks, a couple of comedies, a documentary on the migration and mating habits of geese Hell, no, she said to the geese video. Mayhem and destruction sounds good. Brian walked over to the desk in the corner, grabbed a laptop, and shuffled through a handful of DVDs. He set it up on the coffee table and then offered her a hand so that she could stand up without losing her blanket. She glanced at all the unwashed dishes that had been left on the table. Ill get to them later, Brian said as he guided her over to the sofa. Ive got a couple of days free, so itll give me something to do tomorrow. It was kind of nice to realize he didnt expect her to do them. Too many men shed known had just assumed she would do the womens work without complaint. It didnt matter that she was college educated or an experienced helicopter pilot. When it came to domestic matters, most men simply assumed she would be happy to do them. At least the yetis didnt seem to have the same hang-ups.
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She tried to smother the giggle as she mentally gave them a tick on the plus side. Brian looked over at her, smiled, but didnt comment. He set the DVD going, stretched out across the sofa, and patted the space in front of him. Edwina eyed him warily but eventually decided it wouldnt hurt to lie down in front of him. She also kind of hoped to absorb some of the warmth that Brians yeti blood managed to produce. Shouldnt you save the batteries? she asked, concerned that her watching a DVD might affect their work later on. We charge the batteries using solar power so we may as well enjoy while the sun shines. In a few more weeks well need to be more careful, but for now weve got some spare power. She nodded her head and snuggled into Brians embrace. He rested an arm over her waist but didnt try to pull her closer or try anything she expected one would try if trying to seduce her. Edwina made it about halfway through the movie before she fell asleep. **** Brian noticed Edwina relax but didnt realize she was asleep until she rolled over and pressed her face against his chest. Her cheeks were cold, so Brian pulled her closer in the hopes of warming her up. She was an unusual woman. All of the brothers were attracted to her. It was something none of them had thought would ever happen despite their heritageyet here they were, all falling for the same woman. Except that said woman hated the cold and wouldnt even consider meeting their family let alone becoming part of it. Brian could still smell his brothers scents clinging to her, and the primitive part of his psyche growled at him to make her his as well. But the human side knew you couldnt force someone to love you, and despite what shed said about fun, he really didnt want to have sex with a woman who didnt feel the same way as he did. A brief
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affair or happy fling was fine when both partners had no expectations. But with Edwina, at least for Brian, things were different. She snuffled softly and started to snore, and he smiled at the reminder that she wasnt perfect. She was real and opinionated and sassy, and she challenged them at every turn. Life with Edwina would never be dull. His thoughts drifted to an unlikely future, but he couldnt help but picture Edwina swollen with their child. As brothers all involved with one woman, they wouldnt know whod actually fathered the child, but he knew their son would be loved wholeheartedly by all of them. And his parents would be thrilled to finally have a grandchild. Asleep? Kieran asked from the doorway. Brian glanced briefly at his brother, nodded once and then went back to watching the woman snoring softly in his arms. Shes the one, isnt she? Kieran stepped into the room, switched off the movie that was all but forgotten, and then sat down on the coffee table where he could see Edwinas face. Yes, she is, he answered quietly. But Im not sure well ever be able to convince her of that. Maybe we need to try harder, Brian said as a plan began to form in the back of his brain. We have eight months to convince her that she belongs with us. Kieran nodded but didnt look very hopeful. Either way, win or lose, I suspect it is going to be a very long eight months. Brian went back to watching Edwinas face. Considering some of her earlier comments, they were going to need every one of those eight long months. **** Edwina woke to the smell of frying bacon. She sniffed appreciatively and only then realized that her head was resting on someones thigh. She wriggled until she could see the owner of the
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muscular appendage but frowned when she realized it belonged to Kieran. Relax, he ordered as she tried to sit up. Im not going to attack. You just looked uncomfortable the way you were laying. She wanted to melt at his bossy tone, and that just pissed her off even more. Yeah, well next time grab me a pillow. She managed to wriggle into a sitting position despite his halfhearted attempt to hold her down. He watched her for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully, but then something seemed to snap and he growled, How about next time I just spank your ass instead. He stood up and stalked from the room without looking back. Edwina closed her eyes and thanked whatever deity was looking out for her. If Kieran had gotten one good look at her, one small inkling on how much the idea of being spanked by him turned her on, she had no doubt shed be over his knee right at this moment. She shivered and pulled the blanket closer. Youre lucky he was too angry to smell your arousal. Edwinas eyes flew open, and she gaped at Brian, her mouth working like a fish out of water. Words eluded her, but she managed a small smile when he put two cups of steaming coffee on the low table in front of her and sat down beside her. He brushed a soft kiss against her temple. Good morning, sweetheart. She managed a mumbled good morning as she reached for the steaming caffeine boost. He hates me. The words were out before she was really thinking clearly, and she cringed internally when Brian laughed. Nope, if he hated you, he wouldnt want to spank your ass. He didnt hate her? Why not? Shed certainly given him enough reasons. It didnt help that she was hopelessly attracted to him even though she didnt want to be. Even now she could feel the empty ache that Kieran and Jake had managed to fill for so brief a time yesterday.
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She shook her headhard. She was yearning for things she couldnt have. It wasnt like her, and it was just one more thing to add to the list of things that pissed her off. But it had felt so wonderful being held in their arms, being kissed, being pleasured, being cherished. Brians low chuckle pulled her out of her daydreams. Whats so funny? she asked, trying not to pout like a sullen child and failing miserably. You are, Edwina. You say you dont want a relationship with us, but then your eyes darken with passion, and your body turns to liquid. We can all smell your arousal. Oh, for fucks sake, she said, pulling the blanket over her head feeling completely mortified. Thats just sex. It has nothing to do with my choices for the future. So what are your choices for the future? I choose to be warm. Not a problem, he said as he pulled her into his arms. She snuggled closer. It didnt matter how many blankets she had. She never felt as warm as she did while being held by one of the brothers. What else? I dont know, she said, feeling really stupid. She wanted more. She just couldnt remember it when Brian held her so tightly or when memories of the way Jake and Kieran had made love to her yesterday were so close to the surface. So the whole seven husbands thing isnt freaking you out? Why would it freak me out? I have no intention of being your sweet little wife. She almost managed to say the words with real meaning, but then her body betrayed her, and ideas on how seven husbands could bring her pleasure pulsed through her brain. She wriggled as she felt her juices dampen the crotch of her oversized, borrowed pants. She gave Brian a threatening look, but he merely smiled knowingly and sipped on his coffee.
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Geez, the way her body was reacting shed fall into bed with all seven of them with the slightest provocation. Fuck, maybe she really was a slut. Breakfast is ready, Jake called from the dining area. The cabin was quite small, so it wasnt really necessary to shout, but it did give her a good excuse to concentrate on something other than Brians reactions. Unfortunately, it also meant she didnt see him turn to lift her into his arms until he actually did it. She thought about fussing but decided it was far nicer not to have to put her feet on the icy tiles. She wore several layers of socks, but without shoes it didnt really stop the cold floor from seeping through. He sat her at the table, helped to untangle her hands from the blanket, and took the seat beside her. Gary came into the room wearing his customary arrogant smirk. Kieran managed not to scowl as he took the seat opposite her. Together the five of them ate in silence. It wasnt a comfortable silence. It was wrought with tension and unspoken words, and by the time Edwina had choked down a piece of bacon and a bite of toast, she was ready to scream. She was on the verge of saying somethinganythingwhen the front door burst open. All four men were on their feet in an instant.
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Chapter Seven
Despite everything that had happened in the last couple of days, Edwina hadnt really been expecting a yetia very aroused yetito come storming through the door. It grunted a noise that sounded like the word mate and then headed straight for her. Fear froze her to the spot, and the four men around her bristled in anger, ready to defend her. But as the furry giant got closer she realized who it was. Calvin looked hell-bent on getting to her, and as ridiculous as it sounded, she found the sight incredibly arousing. Gary chuckled and stood back to let the yeti through. As Calvin grabbed her and draped her over his shoulder like a rag doll, she gave Kieran, Brian, and Jake a startled glare, but they all seemed willing to let Calvin take her. She let her head rest against his fur covered back as a large hand rubbed her ass. The sound of purring finally reached her ears, and she realized that whatever Calvin had in mind, it would appear that hurting her wasnt in the plan. She also instinctively knew that his brothers wouldnt have let Calvin take her if theyd thought she was in danger. In the bedroom Calvin lowered her to the bed, unwrapped her from the blanket with more enthusiasm than finesse, and then dragged her too-big clothes off without undoing snaps or buttons. Completely naked, she shivered in the cold room and wondered what the hell was going to happen next. Shed missed Calvin more than she was willing to admit, and there was no way she would deny him in her bed, but she wasnt really sure about the whole yeti thing.
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He grabbed her, flipped her onto her stomach, pulled her thighs wide as he dragged her to the edge of the bed. She could feel her arousal grow and knew she was about to be well and truly fucked. Change back, she said on a soft cry, squirming in his hold. It wasnt that she was afraid. She just wasnt sure she was ready for yeti sex. He grunted, sounding confused for a moment, and she managed to glance over her shoulder and see his face. Calvin, she said more forcefully, change back, and then make love to me. Slowly the fur receded and Calvin stood there holding her ass in the air, but at least he was in human form. Im sorry, he said, shaking his head as he lowered her to the bed. I didnt mean to frighten you. I just He ran a shaking hand through the closecropped hair on his head. Its just that our sense of smell is heightened in yeti form. She rolled over and held her arms open for him. He lowered carefully onto the bed beside her and pulled her close as she shivered from the cold. She welcomed his kiss, his tongue delving into her mouth, stroking her lips as his hands roamed over her warming flesh. I need you, he whispered as his hand found her breast and played with the hardened nipple. She nodded. I need you, too. He smiled with obvious relief as his hand dipped lower, his fingers tangling in the curls covering her clit. He dropped his head to her breast, suckling the cold flesh as he pushed a thick finger into her dripping pussy. She lifted off the bed, moaning as her need for him increased. Sorry, honey, he said as he climbed on top of her and pushed her thighs wide with his knees. Im too close. She nodded, keen to feel him inside her, preparing herself for a hard, deep thrust. But he surprised her, pushing his cock in slowly inch by inch. She groaned at the glacial pace and sighed with relief when he was finally fully seated. He held still for a moment, and she wriggled in protest. A
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broad smile covered his face as he pulled out just as slowly, but slammed back in hard enough to steal her breath. Again he pulled out slowly, again he slammed back in. He wrapped his arms under her knees, lifting her higher, pulling her legs wider, thrusting deeper. Play with your clit, he ordered. She looked at him wide-eyed, embarrassment burning over every inch of skin as she decided what to do. Now! His grunted word was punctuated with a very hard, deep thrust, and she could do nothing but obey. She pushed her fingers between the swollen flesh that protected her clit, and rubbed the sensitive nub. Calvin pulled her almost violently to him, grinding his pelvis against her, stuffing her so full of cock that she could barely breath. She whimpered as she felt her orgasm near, shaking as Calvin branded her with his need. Every muscle vibrated as he pounded into her again and again and again. She screamed as her orgasm hit, and he increased the pace, fucking her like a wild man. Her pussy convulsed around his cock, her swollen tissues dragging against the hard, pulsing erection as he filled her with his cum. He groaned and slammed into her one more time before falling onto her prone body, pressing her against the mattress, imprinting her with his shape. She panted, trying to drag air into her burning lungs, unable to explain even to herself how shed just had the most incredible climax in the missionary position. After a moment Calvin rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He grabbed the blanket that hung half off the bed and placed it over her as he kissed her lips gently. That was incredible. She nodded her agreement, still unable to speak. Her muscles felt like they were made from jelly. They havent claimed you, Calvin said as he brushed the hair away from her face. Claimed?
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I can smell Kieran and Jake on you, but neither of them claimed you. I dont understand. We had sex if thats what you mean. She tried to sit up, but he held her pressed against him. It doesnt matter now, he said. Sleep. Well talk about it later. **** Calvin lay on the bed, holding his mate close to his heart. Hed almost claimed her. If she hadnt insisted that he change back to human form, he wouldve done so. Even with his heightened sense of smell, hed almost missed the fact that his brothers had made love to her but hadnt claimed her. He didnt understand what was going on. It was clear from the way his brothers had reacted when he came into the cabin that they cared deeply for Edwina. They hadnt just reacted like men protecting someone weaker than them. Theyd acted like yetis protecting their mate. And Edwina had welcomed him into her body without holding anything back. If his brothers didnt intend to claim her as their mate, why were they having sex with her? Calvin, Edwina said quietly, can I ask you a question? Sure, honey, anything. He stroked his hand up and down her spine trying to soothe his own confusion as well as relax her. Why didnt I feel like this back at the Mawson base? She levered herself up, so she could look into his eyes. I mean, we worked at the same place for months, but I barely noticed you. He chuckled quietly at her honesty. It didnt do a mans ego any good to hear something like that, but at least she was trying to understand the undeniable attraction between them now. I dont know. Maybe you didnt notice me until you met my brothers. How much do you know about us? Probably a little late to be asking the whole Do you know Im a yeti question, but he hadnt
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spoken to his brothers since hed headed out of the Mawson base two days ago. Not much, she said quietly. The whole package deal thing was a bit surprising. He smiled at her description of their lifestyle. So you know that all of the brothers mate with the same woman. Do you know why? Only that there arent any female yetis, but it doesnt explain why you cant have a wife each. I mean, human women arent exactly rare. True, but in yeti society females are cherished and protected. She nurtures and protects the children. We protect her. She wrinkled her nose at that, and he could almost hear the thoughts running through her brain. Perhaps Edwina was confusing protection with control. It has been the way of our people for generations. All of the brothers in each family are attracted to one female. We dont know why. To be honest my brothers and I didnt even believe it. There are seven of us with different personalities, different likes and dislikes, different ideastrust me when I say that we never expected to find you. She shook her head and then dropped forward to rest on his chest once more. Dont be so sure, she said, sounding sad. Kieran might want me, but he doesnt actually like me. Calvin held still, listening to the hurt in her voice and noticing the words that werent actually said. She hadnt said she didnt like Kieran, only that she thought he didnt like her. And Gary seems to go out of his way to annoy me. The first day I was here he told me I belonged to the seven of you. Belonged! As if I was some possession you get to keep. Hell, I wanted to smack that arrogant smile off his face. I dont belong to anyone. Im my own person. I decide where my future is, not a bunch of guys going all caveman on me. He laughed at her choice of words. Oh, I suppose thats pretty insulting. I didnt mean it the way it sounds.
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I know what you meant, and I honestly cant guarantee we wont be possessive and overbearing at times, but youll also be the center of our world. God, what is wrong with you guys? I dont want to be the center of your world. Why cant any of you understand that? Its just fucking. Its not a prelude to happily ever after in your frozen village in the middle of nowhere. Calvin hesitated. What the hell could he say to that? **** Jake watched Calvin closely as he came back into the room. You shouldnt be back yet, Kieran said with a note of disapproval in his voice. Calvin nodded. Yeah, I know. I left my stuff about thirty miles north of here. I should head back. Calvin seemed distant, like something had shaken him badly. Are you okay, Cal? Jake asked quietly as he followed his brother out the door and onto the small outdoor porch. She doesnt want us. Calvin shivered in the cold but didnt change into his yeti form. Where do we go from here? Jake shook his head. He didnt have any more answers today than he did yesterday. We have time, was all he could think of to say. Calvin nodded, clearly unconvinced, as he changed forms and then turned and loped away. Jake watched his brother for a while before the cold wind became uncomfortable, and he headed back inside. Edwina had stayed in the bedroom, and he wondered if she was asleep. Considering that eating and sleeping were pretty much all shed done since she got here, he figured she was probably hiding in bed rather than facing the rest of them. Without giving himself time to think about it, Jake headed into the bedroom.
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Her soft crying stopped him short. Instant anger at his brother burned in his gut, and he almost turned around so he could hunt down the asshole and pound him into the ground. Only the fact that Edwina needed him more than he needed to beat on his brother stopped him from following through. He didnt say anything. Just stripped down to his long johns and crawled into the bed beside her. She resisted his efforts to embrace her but finally relaxed into his arms when he growled softly. He took a deep breath, filtering the different smells, scenting no injuries. It wasnt that he expected Calvin had hurt her, it was more like his thought processes short circuited at the thought of his mate being upset. I dont know whats wrong with me, she said in a whisper. Ive known Calvin for months, but it was like I couldnt control myself. Geez, I wanted him as much as he wanted me. She shuddered. I almost let him fuck me while he was still a yeti. Jake breathed deeply, double checking what he already knew Calvin hadnt claimed her. Just as he and Kieran had done yesterday, Calvin had made love to her in human form. For a brief selfish moment, hed actually hoped Calvin had claimed her, thereby binding Edwina to them all, but he realized it wasnt what any of them wanted. Theyd seen the results of an accidental claiming, and it hadnt been pretty. Human women didnt appreciate having their choices taken away from them. Jake held Edwina close as she cried. He didnt know what to say to her. It seemed obvious to him that she belonged with themwith them, not to them, as Gary had so arrogantly proclaimedbut mating with seven brothers and settling down to raise yeti pups in the wilds of Alaska didnt seem to appeal to Edwina at all. How about, Jake said, trying to come up with a solution to fit them all, we just all take things as they come. Weve got the next eight months to get to know each other. Just do what feels right. If
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you want to sleep with one or all of us, then do it. Dont feel you need to apologize for or defend your actions, just enjoy our time together. She nodded slowly but turned to look at him as she said, It wont change anything. I dont want to live in Alaska, and I sure as hell dont want to be juggling seven husbands for the rest of my life. So dont then, Jake said, trying to sound nonchalant. This conversation was confirming his worst nightmares, but he still held to the slim hope that they had eight months to change her mind. Live a fantasy for eight months. Enjoy being surrounded by seven men wholl do anything for you, and when its time to go our separate ways, well all have some sweet memories of our time together. Okay, she said even though she didnt sound all that sure that it was okay. As long as you remember I will leave, Im willing to have some fun. Its not like Ive got anything else to do for the next eight months. Well, wasnt that an ego-crushing, ball-shrinking statement? It took every ounce of control that Jake had to keep the disappointment from his face. He couldnt even imagine his brothers reactions when he tried to explain this. Even when theyd doubted they would ever find a woman they all could love, none of them had ever expected to find one whod refuse to love them back. **** Edwina stayed in Jakes arms until he fell asleep. She wasnt tired. Hell, since reaching the shack shed done nothing but eat and sleep. And, okay that, too, but there was only so much sleeping one person could do. Very carefully she slipped from Jakes embrace. She wasnt entirely certain that he was fully asleep, but after a brief, reactive squeeze he let her go. She dragged on her oversized clothing and silently crept out the door. She spent as much time as she could justify in the bathroom and then took a deep breath, shored up her defenses,
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and went to face the brothers. No doubt Gary had some smart-ass remark. He was, after all, the one whod said they owned her. He was probably laughing his ass off that shed had sex with three of his brothers already. When she finally found the courage to walk back into the main area, she almost turned around and fled back to the bedroom. But she was nothing if not stubborn. She firmed her jaw, straightened her shoulders, and entered the room with her head held high. Where are the others? She tried really hard to sound casual but felt fairly certain she hadnt pulled it off. Kieran and Brian went for a run. She waited. Surely that smartass remark was coming any moment now. Gary looked at her for a few seconds and then simply went back to whatever he was doing on the computer. Unsure what to say next, Edwina dropped onto the sofa beside the desk and wondered what the hell to do now. Back at Mawson base shed always had something to do, either flying scientists, equipment, and supplies between bases or maintaining her helicopter, or chipping in with all of the day-to-day chores that everyone was required to do. But here she felt quite useless. Can I do anything for you? She cringed at her poor choice of words. Gary glanced over at her, smiled as if he missed the double entendre, and shook his head. Im almost finished with this. She mustve looked really disappointed because he glanced around the room as if looking for something for her to do. Can you cook? She tried to hide her disappointment. She didnt mind cookingespecially when she had absolutely nothing else to dobut she hated the assumption that she would. Although, he had asked if she could cook, and that didnt exactly scream high expectations. She fought her natural instinct to yell at him for asking such a stupid question and tried to stay reasonable. Of course she could cook. He watched her closely, and she got the feeling that he could read every thought in her head. Are yetis telepathic? she blurted out. His
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eyes widened with surprise, and then his features relaxed into a friendly smile. No, Edwina, were not telepathic. In fact, other than the fact that we can change at will between our yeti and human forms, were pretty ordinary guys. Uh-huh. Ordinary. Sure. Ordinary didnt explain her fascination with them all. Ordinary didnt explain the way shed willingly fallen into Calvin arms or Jakes or Kierans, and ordinary sure as hell didnt explain why she wanted to fall into Garys right now. She didnt even like the guy. Except that maybe she did. Other than that statement about her belonging to them, hed been a fairly decent man. Even when shed been yelling at him, and hed trapped her against his chest, and kissed her like the world was coming to an end, he hadnt done anything she hadnt wanted him to do. I can cook, she said, trying to change the subject. Thinking about all the amazing sensations shed felt while in the arms of the brothers was doing nothing to calm her down. She definitely needed a distraction. Okay, Gary said quietly. Itll be the five of us again tonight. Simon and Evan wont be back for a couple more days, and Calvin went back to collect his equipment. She nodded, not surprised that Calvin had left. The look of hurt on his face as he crawled out of bed wasnt something shed forget any time soon. I hurt him, she said tiredly. She frowned at the confession. After months of keeping to herself and limiting her interaction with others, it seemed that now she just couldnt shut her mouth. Gary gave her a measured look. Hell get over it, he said with so much confidence that she felt a little better. I didnt mean to hurt him, she said. I just cant be what he wants me to be.
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What does he want you to be? The center of his universe, apparently. Gary looked thoughtful for a moment. You dont want to be the center of anyones universe, do you? No, she said, trying hard not to sound like a bitch. Calvin said he and his brothers were willing to put her on a pedestal and worship her like she was perfect or something, and it was absolutely the last thing she wanted. She wasnt perfect. Never would be. Do you know why? Of course I know why, she said angrily. I dont belong to anyone. Im not going to sit on the sidelines and let every decision, every choice be made for me. I dont belong to anyone. Im a person, not a possession. He pushed his chair back from the desk. Come here, Edwina. She felt herself move instinctively to follow his order but caught herself just in time. She glared at him stubbornly until he reached over, snagged her wrist in his strong grip and slowly, inexorably pulled her onto his lap. Kieran wants to spank your ass. Yeah, well if he tries, Ill kick his. No, Gary said, gathering both her hands in one of his and threading the other through her hair. I dont think you would. Goes to show how little you know about me. His answering grin could only be described as predatory. Perhaps, he conceded. But I know that you find the idea of Kieran spanking you exciting. He used the hand in her hair to move her head and then pressed soft kisses to the underside of her jaw. She tried to move her hands, but he held them tight in his grip. The feeling of being trapped did funny things to her insides. Instead of being afraid, Edwina felt her body soften, relaxing into his hold. Good girl, Gary said as pressed his lips against her own. It began as a leisurely exploration, his tongue gliding over hers, delving into her mouth, tasting her. But then she moaned, could feel her juices leak
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from her body, could even smell the scent of her own arousal, and he deepened the kiss. He thrust his tongue hard into her mouth, pressing her hands against his stomach, refusing to let her move, refusing to let her back away. She practically melted in his arms. Her breasts ached, her vagina throbbed, swelling and begging for his possession. Her breathing grew ragged, her thought processes skewed, her need became urgent. With no warning he flipped her over his lap, pressed her face down with a strong arm across her legs to stop her from kicking. She growled as she felt her oversized jeans dragged down her thighs, tried to wriggle away when his warm hand touched her ass, screamed as the first blow hit. But then the warmth spread across her buttocks, the sting going straight to her clit. He smacked her again, the slap harder than the first. She gasped, panting, trying to understand. Orgasm beckoned, and hed barely touched her. He continued to spank her, peppering her bottom with hard smacks until tears flowed down her face and she was sure her ass would glow in the dark. She didnt even notice that he no longer held her down until thick fingers pushed roughly into her pussy and the spanking continued. Her thighs burned, her vagina pulsed, her breathing caught, and then raw heat burst through her. She screamed as her climax overwhelmed her, every muscle shaking, every vein throbbing as liquid heat drenched her. She undulated against him, no longer in control, unable to stop the way her body begged for his full possession. He smoothed a hand over her sore ass, his fingers still rubbing her pussy, spreading the cream that leaked from her as he soothed her with gentle touches and soft words. As her orgasm finally waned, she collapsed against his legs like a cooked noodle, feeling boneless but energized, sated but still needy. He pushed the jeans the rest of the way off her feet and then turned her in his arms, tucked her against him, and pressed a kiss to
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the top of her head. When he made no move to take her, she whimpered in his embrace and tried to reach the fastenings of his jeans. He held her tighter, trapping her arms between them. No, baby, he said as he rearranged her on his lap. How do you feel? Horny, she said, trying to reach his engorged cock once again. He laughed but gathered her arms behind her. She practically melted into his hold once more. What the hell was wrong with her? She never liked giving up control, so why was Garys dominating behavior turning her on? He chuckled, and pressed a kiss to her mouth. Im not going to fuck you, Edwina. Anger surged through her at his rejection. Let go of me, she growled as she wriggled to escape his hold, wanting to do nothing more than hide from her shame. Hed shown her how easily she could be manipulated, and she needed time to shore up her defenses. She needed to escape right now. Stop, Edwina. She stopped before it occurred to her that she was mindlessly following his orders. Shit. He pressed another devastating kiss to her mouth, and she whimpered with her need for him. Shhh, baby, settle down. Im not going to fuck you right now because I dont want to hurt you. Oh, she said, feeling even more confused. How would he hurt her? Youve never been spanked like that before, have you? She shook her head against his chest. I shouldve gone easier on you the first time, but theres just something about you. He touched her face reverently, looking at her like hed only just seen her for the first time. But after a moment he closed his eyes like hed admitted something he didnt want her to know. Normally Id place an icepack on your buttocks and thighs to help keep the swelling down, but in this weather its probably overkill. The cold air will help. She shivered at
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the reminder of how cold it was even inside, but she couldnt argue that the cool air felt wonderful on her sore bottom. He held her close, running his hand through her hair over and over and pressing soft kisses to the top of her head as he rocked her gently. It took a few moments to realize she was still crying. She scrubbed at her face, trying to understand why her tears continued to flow even after the pain from her spanking was gone. The harder she tried to pull her emotions under control the worse she seemed to lose it. A sob escaped her, and Gary held her closer, whispering words of comfort. Its okay, he said as he rocked her gently. Its been a rough few days. She nodded again. Do you really think someone is trying to kill me? she asked in a scared little voice that she barely recognized as her own. The tears flowed harder as she realized shed spent a whole lot of energy denying the reason that she was here with the brothers in the first place. Gary pressed her head to his chest. Yes, baby, were pretty sure its you they were after. Why? Her tears continued to flow down her face despite the fact that she tried hard to stop them. It was a good thing that Gary held her so close to his warmth. She was probably at risk of freezing her eyelids shut with all this ridiculous weak-willed girly behavior. We dont know why yet, but we will protect you regardless of whether you want to be our mate or not. She sighed softly as she realized the truth of his words. Regardless of her behavior or who she fucked or didnt fuck, they would risk their own lives to protect hers. She knew that as confidently as she knew her own name. ****
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Gary held her close as he cursed himself for his lack of control. Hed meant to just give her a taste of what it would be like to be spanked. A few light taps to arouse and entice, not the full-on emotion-shattering session theyd both just experienced. But he couldnt really regret the results. Edwina had been using anger to hide her worries about the attempts on her life, and it was good for her to finally realize she wasnt alone. His cock throbbed with his need to claim her, but he held himself in check, determined to protect her even if it meant protecting her from his needs. She finally relaxed against him, but he didnt think she was asleep. Kieran and Jake came into the shack in yeti form, and for a suspended moment Gary feared he would have to stop his brothers from claiming her. Her scent filled the entire room, and in yeti form they were more likely to act on their instincts. Fortunately, his older brothers immediately changed forms when they saw Edwina lying in Garys arms. Kieran looked confused when he saw her reddened ass, but his cock rose in obvious interest when he registered Edwinas contentment. Gary knew that Kieran loved to spank a woman before fucking her, and it was obvious by Edwinas reactions that she would welcome Kierans attentions once they came to some sort of agreement about the future. Gary didnt like the idea of Edwina refusing to commit to them, but he couldnt complain about the idea of having her in his and his brothers beds for the next eight months.
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Chapter Eight
Kieran headed to the bedroom to drag on some clothes. Judging by the redness of Edwinas ass, Gary hadnt gone easy on her, and a part of Kieran wished hed been there for her, to comfort her as she experienced the euphoric high and the emotional release such intense sensations could bring. Judging by how contentedly she lay in Garys arms, Kieran at least knew that whatever had happened had been something Edwina had really needed. He dragged his clothes on quickly, not the least bit surprised when Jake did the same and followed him back into the main room. Baby, Gary said to Edwina, Kieran really needs to hold you. She lifted her head, her eyes red from crying, her gaze seeking Kierans. Kieran moved to sit on the sofa beside Garys chair, and Edwina practically crawled onto his lap. She curled into his embrace and hissed softly as she dragged her sore ass against his jeans. Im sorry, she whispered to him. II want to be with you. I just cant make promises for the future. We know, baby, Gary said as he stood from his chair and leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead. He tucked a soft blanket around her, careful not to press it against the sore flesh on her ass and thighs. Just let us love you while were here, and well worry about the future later. Okay, she said quietly. Kieran tried to control his response. If they only had months with her, instead of the lifetime they all wanted, then hed do his best not to argue with her choices. His head ached as he realized that quite possibly the very thing that attracted them to her
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would also be the thing that kept them aparther need for independence. Kieran held her for a long while, just enjoying her nearness and trying not to think of the future. Eventually she stirred and tried to move away, but Kieran tightened his hold, and she sighed as she rested her head against his chest once more. Are you cold? A little, she said as she leaned up to press a kiss to his lips. I should probably get dressed. I told Gary I would make dinner. Before or after he spanked you? Before, she said with a fond smile on her face. Clearly she hadnt been upset by Garys rough treatment. Kieran knew from the scent that Gary hadnt had sex with her. He planned to ask Gary for details later, but for now he was simply content to have Edwina in his arms. Are you okay? She sat up straighter, made sure she had eye contact, smiled, and then said, Very okay. So you dont mind being spanked? She laughed, and for a heart-stopping moment Kieran worried it was a bit hysterical and the prelude to another tantrum, but then she relaxed in his arms once more. I cant really explain it, she said, obviously trying to sort it out in her head. But it feels like all the stress of the last few days is gone. I mean, Im still scared to death that someone is trying to kill me, but I feel like Im thinking more clearly. A little surprised that she would accept that she was the assassins target so easilyespecially after some of the accusations shed hurled at him and JakeKieran nonetheless felt grateful to his brother for helping her see they werent the ones trying to hurt her. Do you have any idea who might want to hurt you?
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You mean besides my boss? She said it with a small shudder, and he pulled her closer for a brief moment. I knew he didnt like me, but I didnt think that was enough reason to want me dead. I suspect that he was probably being paid to do what he did. And we doubt he was working alone. Calvin discovered a virus in the main weather computer on the base, and that just doesnt seem like something Peterson would be capable of doing without outside help. Someone went to a lot of trouble to not only sabotage your helicopter but to make sure you were out in weather not suitable for flying. So you think you and Jake were just the convenient excuse to get me flying in that weather? Yes, Kieran said, trying to judge how much this conversation was affecting the woman in his arms. We were all set to walk when your boss offered us the flight with you. Nobody knew our schedule. Wed originally planned to travel to Kendall shack the next day, but changed our plans at the last moment, so its very unlikely we were the actual targets. If anything we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lucky for me you were in the right place at the right time. I wouldnt have survived if it hadnt been for you and Jake and the rest of your brothers. She tilted her head sideways and gave him a curious look. Did I ever thank you for that? He grinned at her, happy to bring some levity to the otherwise serious conversation. Let me think. I do remember a beautiful, naked woman thanking me while I was in yeti form. Was that you? She smacked his chest playfully. Nope, Im pretty sure that was someone else. Oh, well in that case, no, I dont think you thanked me. Maybe, she said as she moved to straddle his lap, I should make sure I thank you properly then. He could feel her hands at his waistband as she struggled to undo the buttons on his jeans. He was instantly hard, and the increased pressure against the thick denim sure wasnt making it easy.
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He lifted his hips off the sofa, helping her to free his cock. Finally her hand wrapped around his length, squeezing gently as he kissed her lips. She grinned at him wickedly a moment before she disappeared under the blanket and licked the pre-cum from his cock. He inhaled sharply and felt her small laugh before she opened her mouth and sucked the head of his cock. He practically levitated off the sofa when she started to pump him with one hand and suck hard against his length. Each time her head lowered, she engulfed more of him until he touched the back of her throat. He felt her control the urge to gag. Then she swallowed and took him deeper. He ground his teeth against the need to grab her head and pump into her mouth, but she shocked him by grabbing his hand and pushing it into her hair in clear invitation to do just that. He hesitated for one moment, making eye contact with Gary who now stood in the doorway watching, before gripping Edwinas hair hard and lifting his hips. He fucked her mouth for several moments before Gary stepped into the room. Without a word he lifted the blanket away from them both and watched as Edwina sucked Kierans cock and then touched the pink skin on her ass. Can I fuck you, baby? Edwina nodded her head awkwardly against Kierans cock. Kieran pulled her hair, lifting her mouth off him. Say the words, princess. She looked a little surprised at his tone. Her lips were swollen and red, her eyes glazed with passion, but she looked over her shoulder at Gary and said the words they both wanted to hear. Yes, please fuck me. Gary didnt hesitate. He opened his jeans and plunged into her pussy, pushing her hard against Kieran. She struggled to capture Kierans cock with her mouth as Gary pounded into her but sucked Kieran deep into her throat once more. Each solid thrust pushed Kierans cock further down her throat, and he groaned at the amazing sensation.
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Thats it, baby, Gary said through gritted teeth. Suck him while I fuck you harder. She increased the suction on Kierans cock, and he could feel his orgasm boiling just below the surface. When she wrapped her hand around his balls, he was lost. His skin drew tight, his cock swelled, his breath caught, and then he came in her mouth, pumping mindlessly as she sucked him, laving him with her tongue, swallowing everything he had to offer. Gary increased his pace, fucking her harder, faster, more violently, until Kieran worried for the woman in their arms. But she rocked back against him, taking everything, demanding more. She finally released Kierans cock to scream as her orgasm exploded through her. Kieran held her tight, feeling every jolt, every thrust, every impact as her orgasm squeezed the cum from his brother. Gary held still, staying upright, careful to avoid the tender skin on her ass. Slowly he pulled out of Edwinas pussy and sat back on his heels. Your turn to make dinner. At first Kieran thought Gary was talking to the exhausted woman in between them, but then he saw his brothers face and realized it was his way of telling Kieran to get lost. He smiled at his brother, feeling more content than he had in years. He helped Edwina to a more comfortable position, pressed a kiss to her lips and left the room. **** Edwina smiled as she watched Kieran leave the room. At least this time she hadnt managed to upset him. Show me your ass, Gary said as he pushed her sideways. She giggled at the serious tone but did what he asked and ended up facedown, bum up. His hands traced lightly over a few places before he asked, Any sore spots? No, she managed to say in an almost even tone as he ran his hands over her ass once more.
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Youre very beautiful, Gary said as his hands traveled down her thighs and back up again. She couldnt help but laugh. Im pretty sure most people use that word when looking at a persons face. Perhaps, he said, sounding amused, but I happen to think youre beautiful all over. He touched a few places with his finger, pressing gently against a couple of extra-tender spots before lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the bathroom. He stepped into the shower behind her, washed her down quickly, and then dried her with a warm fluffy towel. He was tucking her into bed before she even thought to protest. Im not tired, she said and then ruined it by yawning. He gave her a look that suggested he didnt believe her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Get some rest, he said very seriously. I suspect that youll find Brian in your bed tonight. She smiled at him, wondering if Brian would actually join her in bed. Hed been friendly last night, but he certainly hadnt made any advances. And Simon and Evan are due back tomorrow. Theyll know, wont they? This whole yeti thing still seemed like a kind of dream. Yes, and they already want you. Will you explain about me? She was such a coward, but she didnt want the brothers coming to her bed expecting more than she could give. Commitment was out. A future was out, but she could give them now if thats what they wanted. Gary nodded, his face set in a neutral expression. Ill explain and then well spend the rest of our time together having fun. Dont worry about the future. Lets just enjoy while we can. She nodded sleepily and closed her eyes as he left the room. What was it about the brothers that had her falling into their beds? Shed barely met Simon and Evan but she could hardly wait for them to return. It certainly wasnt like her to lust after strangers. The uncomfortable thought that she really was their mate slid through her
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brain. She couldnt be the woman they needed, so why would fate be so cruel and throw them all together like this? A single tear slid down her face as she tried to deny what she knew in her heart. Leaving them was going to break her, but she had no choice. **** Calvin walked slowly through the door. Hed delayed his return as long as he could, and now he just felt stupid. Hed taken three extra days to walk thirty miles. If hed been a human, they wouldve been searching for his frozen body in the snow. He shook his head trying to clear the irritating knowledge. The woman didnt want to be their mate. So what? Being a spouse to seven yeti brothers was not something many women would be able to cope with. The fact that he and his brothers had all fallen for the same woman just proved that it was possible to find one woman they all could love. If Edwina rejected them, eventually they would find another. Her scent surrounded him as he walked to the bedroom, and he wasnt surprised to find her sleeping in Jakes arms. He wasnt even surprised when he noticed that Garys scent now clung to her, too. No, what surprised him was how much he still wanted the woman sleeping in his bed. Even after all his logical, internal pondering, he wanted the one woman who didnt want them back. Her eyes popped open as if she sensed his presence. Calvin, she said with a welcoming smile. He almost moved to take her in his arms, happy to forget their earlier argument if she didnt bring it up. But then her smile faltered and she sat up, waking Jake in the process. He opened his eyes, sleepily grabbed Edwina around the waist, and wriggled them both closer to the other side of
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the bed. Calvin stared at the space, knowing Jake had made it simply so Calvin could join them. She looked relieved when he stripped off his outer clothes and lay down on the bed beside her. Immediately she cuddled into him, smiling when Jake didnt let her go either. Im sorry, she whispered. So am I, he said. He was still confused by her rejection, but he knew he shouldnt have left the way he had. He shouldve stayed and gotten some answers. He closed his eyes against the myriad of emotions rolling through him. He wanted so many things. He needed this woman more than he would even admit to himself. But when she leaned over, kissed him softly on the mouth, and whispered, Welcome home, he needed the peace she could bring more than anything else. He held her to him, closed his eyes and slept for the first time in days. **** Evan had trouble regulating his breathing. Theyd been gone for nearly a week, but the moment he and Simon stepped through the door to Kendall shack they knew Edwina had had sex with Kieran, Jake, Gary and even Calvin. Desperately he sought out their mate, but Gary quickly intercepted them. Its not what you think, he said without preamble. But shes our mate, Simon said, sounding bewildered. She is, Gary said with a nod, but she says she cant stay with us, and I promised her that we wouldnt force the issue. When summer gets here, well figure out who tried to kill her and then get her safely back to her fathers ranch. But shes our mate. Why did she fuck you if she has no intentions of being our mate? Evan asked, feeling as bewildered as
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Simon had sounded moments ago. It didnt make any sense. The woman was destined for them, how could she deny it? We have eight months with her. Let that be enough. No! Simon said, clearly distressed. Well claim her. Then she cant leave. Gary looked angry enough to rip Simons head from his shoulders, but then he took a deep breath and seemed to release the rage. Would you really claim a woman who doesnt want to stay? Would you disrespect her so much that youd take away her choices? Simon closed his eyes, obviously regretting his impulsive words. No, I wouldnt, he said, shaking his head sadly. I just Gary nodded his head in agreement even though Simon hadnt finished the sentence. She missed you, he said, confusing Evan even further. Why dont you go spend some time with her? Shes cooking dinner. Okay, he managed to choke out. He wasnt sure he could spend civilized time with a woman he wanted so badly but couldnt have. But, for his brothers sakes, he needed to try. He briefly considered diving into the snow in an attempt to deflate the almost painful erection hed been sporting since theyd walked in the door, but dismissed it as unlikely to help. Cautiously, he and Simon stepped into the kitchen. As soon as Edwina saw them she smiled and crossed the room for a warm hug. Evan held her close, marveling at the rightness of her in his arms. Welcome home, she said as she stepped from his embrace and moved into Simons. It felt surreal. It was like every dream hed ever had of life with their mate. But this was the illusion. In eight months shed be gone from their lives. He didnt like that Gary had made a promise to Edwina without consulting themand he fully intended to discuss the issue when they had a chancebut for now he tried to accept the situation, whatever that was.
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Edwina turned back to her cooking. So did you get the samples you wanted? We did, Simon said as he leaned against the counter. What have you been up to? She turned to look at them both, rolled her eyes, and laughed softly. Im pretty sure you know what Ive been up to. Besides cooking I really dont have that much to do around here. Evan felt anger pulse through him. She spoke as if she was sleeping with his brothers out of boredom. It certainly didnt sit well with him, and he ground his teeth to stop himself from saying something that he might regret later. What about Brian? Simon asked in a gravelly voice. Edwina shook her head in obvious confusion. What about him? Simon looked angry, even angrier that Evan was feeling. Youre happy to fuck the others, but not Brian? Is that right? What? Edwina exclaimed, obviously taken off guard. Simon Evan said, trying to calm his brother down. They were supposed to be getting to know the woman, not throwing accusations at her. But Simon stopped him with a hard look. Well? Simon demanded. What about Brian? What about us? You going to put out for us, too? Or are you just going to pick and choose which brothers you want to fuck with? Simon! Evan yelled. Shut the hell up. No, Evan. I want an explanation. She wants to play the whore. I want to know how much its going to cost me. Evans fist connected with his brothers jaw before he really decided thats what he wanted to do. Simons response was just as hard, just as violent, and within moments they were wrestling like a couple of adolescents. Evans only clear thought was that he would make sure his brother stopped yelling abuse at Edwina. Her outraged voice barely registered as Evan gratefully pounded his anger into his brothers gut, and Simon seemed more than happy to return the favor.
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They hit the ground hard, rolling in the small area until a sudden downpour of water drenched them both. Still holding each other, fists raised ready to strike, Evan and Simon both looked at the woman standing over them. In full-blown anger Edwina was quite an impressive sight. She held a huge pot that dripped the last few drops of water onto the floor, and looked angry enough to hit them with it if they didnt stop fighting. Get up! she growled and kicked them both with her sock covered feet for good measure. Evan tried to hide the smile but failed when Simon started laughing. They helped each other off the floor, shivering slightly as the air cooled the water covering them. She stood there wide-eyed as they broke into laughter. It was obvious she wanted to yell at them some more, but she didnt quite know what to say in the wake of their ridiculous mirth. If we were ordinary men, that mightve killed us in this weather, Simon said with laughter still in his voice. Yeah, well, youre not ordinary men. Youre a couple of idiots. True, Simon conceded easily. And I am very sorry for what I said. She made a noise that suggested she neither accepted his apology nor believed it. Evan watched his brother move toward Edwina with his palms raised in surrender. She eyed him warily, and Evan noticed she hadnt put down the pot and still held it ready to strike. Simon licked the split on his lip where one of Evans punches had landed and tried again to apologize. I shouldnt have said what I said. Uh-huh, sure, Edwina said sarcastically. Wouldnt have stopped you from thinking it. Oh, fuck, I wasnt thinking anything. He ran a hand through his long, white hair. And I shouldnt have said anything. Im sorry, and I hope one day youll forgive me. Edwina nodded her head slowly, the type of nod that suggested she didnt believe a word but wasnt
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willing to argue. Simon turned to Evan, mumbled a thank-you, and left the room. Is he serious? Edwina asked with a small frown. They both watched Simon limp away, and Evan couldnt help but feel a stupid satisfaction at having given better than hed gotten. He ran his tongue over the inside of his mouth and finally noticed the lump where Simon had head-butted him. Well, maybe not given better Yes, he answered Edwina as he turned to face her. Hes very serious. Hes done it all his life. He has a short fuse to anger, but hes usually quick to let it go. He reacts to a situation without thinking and, more often than not, ends up apologizing afterwards for being such a dickhead. Edwina stared at the doorway for a long time before mumbling, Brian doesnt want me, then turned back to the sink and began drying the pot shed used to nearly drown them. I doubt that, Evan said quickly. Edwina was exactly Brians type. Tall, confident, well spoken, independent, and, considering that she wanted a brief affair, not a lifelong commitment, completely perfect for Brian. Why he wouldnt have already had the woman in his bed was a complete mystery to Evan. Ive slept in Brians arms two nights in a row, and he hasnt responded to me, not even when I actually tried to seduce him. She seemed so sad that it felt natural to cross the room and take her in his arms. Hell change his mind, Evan said confidently. How could any of them live in the same shack without wanting the woman in their arms? She was perfect for them. And she was their mate. He could feel it in the air, sense it, taste it, and hopefully Edwina would accept it before her time in Antarctica was done. I wont stay, she said almost as if she could read his mind. Then Ill just have to enjoy our time together. He almost managed to make it sound like he believed his own words.
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**** Simon lay on his bed, cursing his own stupidity. He was fairly certain that calling ones intended mate a whore was on top of the list of things not to say when trying to impress a woman. It was wellknown he had a temper, but with Edwina it had been almost like watching himself from outside his own body. Hed never said anything so cruel to anyone, and he wouldnt be surprised if the woman never spoke to him again. He didnt understand why he was so angry. Garys news had been a shock, but it wasnt like they were expecting everything to magically fall into place while they were gone. Shed already told them she wouldnt stay even after shed had sex with Kieran and Jake. He shouldnt have been surprised that fucking Calvin and Gary hadnt changed her mind. What he should have been was overjoyed. They had eight long months at Kendall shack, and if Edwina wasnt here, he would have spent a whole lot of quality time with his own hand this winter. Instead he had a hot woman willing to sleep with them. Well, sleep with his brothers. After that little scene, Edwina probably thought he was completely nuts. Her soft voice startled him. Can I come in? He sat up on the bed, barely controlling the urge to grab the woman and demand she forgive him. Fuck, what the hell was wrong with him? He just sat there looking at her, too scared to open his mouth in case he fucked up this chance to make things right. She looked uncomfortable, like she didnt know whether to go or stay, so he opened his arms in the hopes that she would at least come into the room and sit beside him. His heart very nearly stopped when she practically ran into his embrace and hugged him tight. Im sorry, she said quietly. Fuck. Was this woman for real? Hed hurt her so badly, yet she was the one apologizing.
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No, beauty, Im the one who needs to apologize. I was angry, and I took it out on you. I have no excuse for being so cruel. He hugged her closer. I truly am sorry. And Im sorry for not being the woman you and your brothers need. I cant stay, but weve got months together first. Please can we just enjoy the time we have together? Seriously? Youre willing to forgive me even after what I said? He couldnt quite wrap his head around it. He didnt deserve her, but he sure as hell wasnt going to walk away from someone so incredible. She bit her bottom lip, and he wanted to lean over and suck it into his mouth. You and I probably have more in common than you realize, she said with a small smile. Ive been known to say stupid things in the heat of the moment. Why do you think Kieran wants to spank me so badly? She gave him a wry smile, and he couldnt help but press his mouth to hers. She caressed him with her lips, barely touching him but stealing his breath all the same. He kissed her again, running his tongue over her lips, seeking entrance to her warm mouth. She opened to him with a sigh, and he eagerly thrust his tongue past her teeth. She shivered against his chest, and he finally realized he had her pressed up against his wet clothes. Holy fuck. He moved away, ripped his shirt over his head. Grabbed hers and did the same. She laughed softly as he pulled her back against his chest. He ran his hands all over her skin, trying to warm her up before he realized she was halfnaked in his arms. Um, sorry, he tried to say, but she laughed and pressed a finger to his lips. I understand the motivation, but it would seem silly to waste the opportunity to, you know, warm me up all over. He grinned at her sassy smile and leaned over to press his mouth against hers once more, still amazed that she would forgive him so easily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned as he
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dragged her pants off and pulled her underneath him. His cock strained to be released, but he refused to think of his own needs until hed taken care of hers. He kissed her deeply, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, imitating what he wanted to do. She held him close, gasping when his hand found her nipple and squeezed. She arched off the bed when he did it again, clawing at his back when he sucked the nub between his teeth and bit down gently. He could smell her arousal, the scent filling his mind, threatening to overwhelm his self-control. He ground his teeth, determined to give her everything she needed. Switching to the other breast, he suckled her hard nipple as his hand traveled lower to her pussy. She opened her legs for him eagerly, and he felt the slippery evidence of her arousal coating her labia. He pushed a finger into her, fucking her slowly as he watched her face. She moaned, staring into his eyes, undulating underneath him, driving him crazy with her beautiful scent. Please? she asked brokenly. He slid lower down the bed, his face mere inches from her swollen clit. He added a second finger, fucking her roughly with his hand as he slowly licked at her juices. He felt the walls of her pussy flutter around his fingers, her gasping breath and increased movement warning him of her impending release. He pulled his fingers from her slowly and simply lay there waiting for her to calm a little before starting over. She squirmed on the bed, trying to get closer, but he held her hips still with his forearm. Shhh, beauty, Ill take care of you. He lifted her legs, pushing her knees toward her chest, exposing her pretty pussy to his gaze. Her arousal pulsed from her, sliding down her body to cover her ass. He pressed a finger to her puckered opening, and she tried to jump away from his touch. He pressed her legs harder against her chest, holding her captive as he massaged the tiny opening with her pussys natural lubrication.
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Have you ever taken a man in your ass? he asked as he pushed against the tight muscle but didnt penetrate her. NNo, she managed to say on a gasp. He continued to press against her anus as he slid the fingers of his other hand back into her pussy and began fucking her hard. Come for me, beauty. He used his thumb to play with her clit, and she practically went off like fireworks. Her pussy grabbed at his fingers, dragging him deeper, massaging him with her inner walls as her ass pulsed against his finger. He pushed harder against her puckered opening, breaching her ass just as her orgasm began to wane. **** Edwina dragged air into her lungs, her orgasm slowing down, the aftershocks ebbing and pulsing through her. But the moment his finger thrust into her ass a second more powerful orgasm sent her reeling once more. She strained against the unfamiliar sensation but cried out in disappointment when he pulled away. She could feel the cream from her orgasm slither down her crease and she gasped in surprise when Simon pushed two fingers back into her ass. He scissored them, the feeling strange and uncomfortable until he added a third. She felt stretched and aching and maybe a little bit frightened. But the way he held her so tight, with her legs in the air, her pussy and ass exposed, she felt amazingly aroused. He removed his fingers a moment before he thrust his cock deep into her pussy. He fucked her over and over, his thrusts hard, deep, all-consuming. She was on the verge of another incredible climax when he pulled out and pressed the fat head of his cock against her anus. Relax, beauty. I promise youre going to love it. She was panting, ready to cry halt, but then his cockhead popped through the tight muscle, and he slid farther into her ass. She held her
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breath as unbelievable sensations spiraled through her, the feeling of fullness combined with the slight sting sending heat bursting outward. She rocked against him, trying to pull him deeper, trying to get him to move, wanting him to fuck her. He groaned as he slid all the way in, dropped his head to kiss her hard, and then slid out slowly and slid back in. He kept the pace steady, never moving faster, never increasing the speed, never giving her what she craved. She grabbed at him, pulling him closer, urging him deeper. She pressed her lips to his, thrust her tongue into his mouth, moaning her arousal. He pulled out, thrust in hard, did it again, harder, pulled out faster, slid in deeper. He kissed her, swallowing her cries, taking her breath, stealing her soul. She shook, her legs quaking, her arms grabbing him as her orgasm took her. She could feel her ass grasping at his dick, and he moaned and thrust in one last time. She felt his cock throb as he hurled his seed deep into her ass. He fell forward, catching most of his weight with his hands, but pressing her hard enough to the bed to imprint his shape on her memory. She smiled as he kissed her reverently. You are amazing. Youre not so bad yourself, she said with a breathless laugh. She could feel him softening in her back passage but felt the need to hold onto him a moment longer. She sighed as he cuddled her close, but he eventually needed to pull away from her. He helped her to roll onto her side and left for a few moments. Simon returned with a wet washcloth, and cleaned her up before tucking the blanket securely around her. She worried that he was going to leave, but then he proved her insecurities wrong by crawling onto the bed beside her. He gathered her, blanket and all, into his embrace and held on tight. She closed her eyes against the tears that filmed her vision. It didnt seem possible, but she was pretty sure shed fallen in love with all the brothers. Now she just had to find the strength to keep her secret and leave them when the time came.
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**** You hurt her. Brian stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. Evan didnt even look at him when he said it, but Brian could feel his brothers deep disapproval. Bullshit, he said, irritated at his Evans easy summation of a rather complex situation. I havent hurt her. I just havent had sex with her. Same thing, Evan said with a shrug. She wants you. You rejected her. You hurt her. She doesnt want to be our mate. Did she tell you that? Brian could feel his anger rising. Hed done nothing to hurt her. Hed actually gone out of his way to not hurt the woman, so his brothers accusations really hit a nerve. Gary told me, Evan said as he turned around. All the anger drained away from Brian as he took in the state of his brothers face. One eye was completely closed over, his jaw had a lumpy looking bruise, and he moved gingerly like hed hurt a rib or two. Simon, Evan said by way of explanation. Brian glanced at the hallway that led to the bedrooms. He knew where Edwina was and who she was with, but Evan shook his head and laughed quietly. Technically, I started it, so dont go blaming him. Why havent you shifted? Shifting to yeti form and back again would heal most injuries, and it seemed rather strange that Evan hadnt done it yet. To remind me not to be a fucking dickhead. Shes here for eight short months. It might be the only time that we all love the same woman, and I dont want my disappointment that we have no future with her fucking up our time together.
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So youre happy to make love to her, even knowing shell never love you back. Yes, Evan replied in a tired sounding voice. Shes our mate. I love her enough to love her now and let her go when she wants to leave. It sounded so simple. She was here, now, and they should make the most of it. But somehow it didnt stop his heart from aching for things that would never be.
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Chapter Nine
Edwina lay in Simons arms, feeling guilty for leaving Evan to make dinner. It didnt matter that the man had offered, or that hed suggested she go find Simon, she still felt bad for lumping him with her one and only chore. Unable to lie still a moment longer, she managed to wiggle out of Simons hold and slip her clothes back on without waking him. She wandered toward the kitchen and then hesitated when she heard Brians voice. But it was Evans reply that had her heart thumping hard, and her eyes filling with tears. She really was their mate. Somehow, she knew that to be true. But she couldnt give them what they most desired. She shouldve insisted that they get her back to Mawson basedespite the fact someone had tried to kill her before the weather had made travel dangerous, but shed been weak and scared and more than willing to lie to herself. Had she really believed she was just having fun? Shed never been so attracted to anyone in all her life, yet shed tried to convince herself it was simple lust. It was lust, yes, but it was also a whole lot more. Edwina, Brian said as he turned in her direction. Come here, sweetheart. She walked hesitantly into the kitchen but nearly buckled at the knees when she saw Evans face. It didnt make any sense that Evan would be so banged up and Simon didnt have a scratch, and she found herself wondering if Evan and Brian had gotten into it before shed come into the kitchen.
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What happened? she demanded as a curious sort of protective instinct rolled through her. It didnt escape her notice that she was practically defending one of her mates from another, but it didnt seem to still the anger in her heart. Only what you saw with Simon, Evan said as he stepped toward her. So why isnt he all banged up like you are? He changed forms. It heals our injuries. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, waiting for him to explain why he hadnt done the same. Ium He mustve realized just how pissed off she really was because he took a step back, stripped off his clothes, changed forms twice and dragged his clothes back on. She touched his face, relieved to see no damage left behind. She wanted to fall into Evans arms and beg him to make love to her, but she also needed to deal with Brians problem. She turned on her heel and gave him an assessing look. Are you going to reject me for the next eight months just because I cant promise you a future? He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with her tackling this problem head-on. Are you going to spend the next eight months punishing us both because I cant be the woman you want me to be? He swallowed hard, but his stubborn expression faltered. Im not punishing you. He sounded bewildered as if he hadnt really looked at this side of the argument. What would you call it then? she asked in what she hoped was a reasonable tone. He seemed lost for words, even looking to Evan for help before shaking his head in resignation. I dont know, he said, sounding like a man at the end of his rope. I just know that I dont want to love a woman who wont love me back. The L word. It seemed strange to be using it after such short acquaintance but it described exactly what was in her heart. And suddenly she regretted ever starting this conversation.
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Do you need help with dinner? she asked Evan as she tried to pretend Brian hadnt spoken. Evan looked at her, a frown marring his beautiful face as she tried to step around Brian. But Brian caught her arm and turned her to face him. So thats it? Youll never love me? Youll fuck me if I want, but youll never have any feelings for me or my brothers? His anger seemed to grow with every word, and the grip on her upper arm tightened to the point of pain. Evan grabbed Brians wrist, squeezing until Brian let go of Edwina. She stepped back, rubbing the muscle, trying to hide how much more his words had hurt than the grip hed had on her arm. Evan and Brian glared at each other silently, neither willing to back down. Evan had already defended her once today, and she couldnt let him get hurt again simply because she was a coward. Stop, she said as she stepped between the brothers. Brian glared at her, and she almost took a step back at the anger he projected, but then she saw the watery brightness of his eyes and realized he was hurting also. She stepped into his embrace, held him tight. After a moment his arms wrapped around her, and he hugged her back. Im sorry, she whispered. I do love you, all of you, but I cant stay, and I wont make promises I cant keep. He pushed her from his embrace, held her at arms length, his eyes searching her face. She closed them, ashamed at admitting her feelings when she knew it would just hurt them more when she left. Why cant you stay? She shook her head, tears blurring her vision as he demanded an answer to the one question she didnt want to face. Please, please dont ask me that. She swiped angrily at her eyes, frustrated that she couldnt pull her emotions back under control. She should never have started this conversation. Please just accept that we have right now and let that be enough. I want more, Brian said evenly.
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She shook her head, the words burning like acid on her tongue. I cant give you more. I cant give you what you want. She felt Evans arms wrap around her from behind and gratefully leaned against him, her knees too wobbly to hold her up. Brian touched her face with his warm hand. Why? he asked as he smoothed the tears from her face. If you love us, why cant you stay? She swallowed hard, her gaze darting around the room, her breathing labored, the need to run tensing her muscles and fogging her brain. She wanted to tell them, but it would hurt them and turn them away from her. More than anything she wanted this time together. Eight months to live the life she shouldve had. And when it was over, she would go back to the miserable existence fate had dealt her. Please, just tell us, Edwina. That was Jakes voice, and she realized with a start that the rest of the brothers had come into the kitchen. They all stood there, waiting for an explanation, wanting to know how she could love them and not want to be their mate. Her heart breaking, she realized that she couldnt keep her secret any longer. They deserved to know, and when they turned away from her, shed somehow manage to live through the next eight months without their warmth, or their love, or their affection. She closed her eyes as she said the words, too cowardly to see the disappointment on their faces. Because I cant give you children. Shed thought shed accepted that fact long ago, but the pain it brought now was excruciating. I had an illnessyyears ago. I c cant have children. She gasped, trying to suck in air as she felt Evans hold on her loosen. Then she sobbed, unable to protect herself from their rejection, not even able to find the anger shed hidden behind for so long. She felt raw and exposed in ways shed never considered possible. Blindly, she tried to step away, to escape the kitchen, but she was engulfed in a tight embrace, and it took a moment to realize Evan was
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still holding her, whispering reassurances in her ear. It doesnt matter, he whispered confidently. We all love you. We all want you, with or without children. How can you say that? She probably shouldve expected it. They were honorable men, she wouldnt have fallen for them otherwise, but it meant theyd sacrifice their chance for children just so they wouldnt hurt her. Yet eventually they would understand what that sacrifice cost them, and theyd grow to resent her. Because youre our mate, Simon said, sounding just as confident as Jake had. So what? she asked, finally tapping into the anger that had been her shield for so long. Youll find another mate, and shell be able to give you everything you need. No, baby, Gary said as he stepped forward. Youre the one we want. She shook her head. She knew it wouldnt work. Shed traveled this road before. Please, just love me now, and when the time comes, let me go. Evan lifted her effortlessly into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he took her from the kitchen and into the bedroom. She protested when he laid her down on one of the beds and stretched out beside her, but he pulled her tighter against him. Brian slid onto the other side, wrapped his arm around her middle and held her close. Sobs racked her body, grief more acute than shed ever known drenching her in agony for a long time. Eventually she managed to stop crying, and finally exhaustion pulled her into a fitful sleep. **** What do we do now? Calvin asked the rest of them. He knew that with their yeti hearing Brian and Evan would be able to hear him from the bedroom, so he basically addressed them all.
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I dont know, Kieran said, showing a vulnerability theyd rarely seen. Kieran was always in control, always thinking, planning, making the tough decisions, but today, he leaned heavily against the wall, his hope somehow lost. It changes things. How the fuck does it change things? Simon clenched his fists, obviously angry at Kieran as well as the situation now. We love her. It doesnt matter if children arent in our future. No, it does matter, Kieran said in a resigned sounding voice, because it matters to Edwina. Calvin couldnt argue with that. He knew that he and his brothers would love Edwina with all their hearts. If children werent in their future, they would deal with that, but it was obvious by Edwinas heart-rending confession that her infertility tore her in two. She would always feel inadequate, and being mated to seven of them would just magnify what she saw as failure. We dont know any details, Jake said cautiously, and its clearly a very painful topic for Edwina. They all nodded in agreement. But we still need to find out who tried to kill her, so we have an excuse to stay close when its time for her to leave Antarctica. Calvin smiled grimly as he realized where this was going. And if we can somehow get her to Uncle John, maybe he can help. Jake shrugged. Im not saying it will workwe have very little idea what the problem isbut maybe there is something yeti medical science understands that human medicine doesnt. At the very least its worth a try. All of them in the kitchen nodded in agreement. He heard quiet noises of assent come from Evan and Brian in the bedroom. So what do we do in the meanwhile? Simon asked. We give her what she wants, Gary said confidently. She wants eight months of living and loving all of us. Forget everything else, and just give her the love that she deserves free and clear of worries for the future.
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Calvin glanced around the room and agreed with the rest of his brothers, even as he silently prayed for a miracle. **** Brian gazed at Edwinas red eyes and slightly puffy features. Shed been asleep in his arms for hours, yet nothing on the planet would make him leave her alone at this moment. He was the reason for her tears, and he honestly wished hed never pushed the point. He shouldve loved her enough to accept her plea for them to just enjoy their time together. Hed heard and agreed with everything his brothers had discussed in the kitchen, but he knew life wasnt a fairy tale. It was full of disappointment and heartache and despair, and whatever had happened to Edwina had left her without hope. So now he refused to hope for more. He didnt want to hurt Edwina worse than he already had. He touched her face lightly, praying that she would accept his apology and let him spend the rest of their time together making it up to her. Even with her skin slightly blotchy and tear-streaked, she was the most beautiful woman hed ever known. When her eyes fluttered open, she gave him a sad smile and went to say something. Desperate to not make things worse, and too concerned for her welfare to continue their earlier conversation, Brian pressed a finger to her lips and whispered, Please let us make love to you. She looked confused, so he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her sweet mouth. Then Evan moved behind her, and she looked over her shoulder with a small smile. We love you, Edwina, Evan said in a rough voice. And we love you enough to let you go if thats what you want, Brian added quickly, hoping that he was telling her what she needed
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to hear. Tears filled her eyes once more, but she blinked them back and nodded to them both. Please make love to me. Almost frantically Edwina grabbed Brians shirt and tried to lift it over his head. He helped her to remove his clothing at the same time that Evan stripped hers away. Naked and fully aroused, Brian held Edwina spooned against him, his cock nestled between the soft globes of her ass. Evan climbed off the bed and tore off his own clothes before lying back down beside them and pressing a hungry kiss to Edwinas mouth. Brian held her as she reacted to Evans forceful assault on her mouth. He could smell her arousal, feel her need, but he could also sense her desperation to make things right between them. He ran his hand up and down her length, rising up to graze the underside of her breast and then gliding down to caress the gentle swell of her hip. As Evan kissed Edwina, he pushed her harder against Brian. He groaned as his cock was squeezed between the cheeks of her ass. Were going to take you together, Evan whispered between kisses. Just imagine, honey, Brian in your beautiful pussy, me in your ass. The scent of her arousal was suddenly much stronger, and Brian bit back a groan as his own need clawed at him. Youll be so full of cock you wont know where you finish and we begin. Evan breathed deeply, obviously scenting her approval in the air. **** Edwina swallowed hard. Shed known that loving seven brothers would probably involve double penetrationshe did read after all but until this moment she hadnt realized just how much the idea turned her on. She could feel her juices coating her thighs, her clit throbbing as it swelled and begged for their attention. She moaned when Evans light
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touch brushed against her swollen mound. He slid down the bed, pressing kisses to her breasts, her stomach, her mons. His tongue slid through her folds, teasing her clit, sending her arousal spiraling higher. She moaned in approval as Brian hooked his arm under her knee and lifted her leg into the air. The cool air hit her wet skin, shocking her, but then Evan used his tongue to leisurely explore her pussy, and she felt hot enough to self-combust. She moaned as he thrust his tongue deeper, his fingers rubbing her clit over and over. Brian squeezed her nipples, the intense pain sending bolts of lightning to her womb. She gasped, panting, trying to hold onto the delicious sensations, but Brian bit her ear and growled, Come for us, and her orgasm exploded. Heat skittered over every inch of her skin as boiling hot lava traveled her veins. She screamed as Evan sucked hard on her swollen clit and thrust his fingers into her folds. She barely had a moment to calm down before Brian rolled her under him and slammed into her pussy. She recoiled from the instant possession, but he grabbed her hips, holding her to him, grinding his pelvis against her. He kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, mimicking the way he fucked her pussy. Harder and faster, deeper, he owned her, possessed her, rode her to another incredible climax. He held still as she pulsed around him, groaned as he rolled them over, dragging her on top, locking his jaw in obvious determination not to lose control. Hurry, he said to his brother at the same time that cold lubricant splattered onto her ass. Evan worked the slippery gel into her back passage, his fingers gentle, his movements steady even though she could feel the fine tremor in his hands. Brian grabbed her knees, pulling them higher up his body, exposing her ass even more. Relax, sweetheart, he said as she tensed up at the feel of Evans cock touching her anus. Only Simon had taken her ass, and theyd been alone at the time. Fear of the unknown gripped her, and she found it difficult to breath. Brian dragged her higher up his body, his
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cock almost slipping from her entirely. But then he kissed her, and she forgot everything else. He stole her breath as he thrust his tongue into her mouth over and over. She sucked on him, moaning as Evan pushed the head of his cock past the tight ring of muscle and slid into her back passage. Slowly, carefully he pulled back out, adjusting slightly as Brian pushed her back onto his cock. They set a steady pace, one in, one out, loving her, possessing her, Brian pressing kisses to her face, Evan leaving stinging little bites on her back. He laved the erotic stings with his tongue, fucking her a little harder, a little faster. She felt Brian grip her hips, holding her steady for their combined attentions, as their pace increased and their need became desperate. Brian held her suspended in the air as he fucked his cock up into her pussy, and Evan thrust down into her ass. Her lower half throbbed, her pussy and ass tingling, as climax wound closer. She held her breath, closed her eyes, and then orgasm claimed her. Both men groaned when her body gripped them tighter, massaging their cocks, demanding their release. She undulated between them, unable to control her movements, unable to contain the intense climax that nearly shook her apart. She felt them slam into her one more time, both cocks lodged deeply in her body, the slight sting and tight fit tilting her into another intense orgasm. Finally both men stilled, Evan managing to hold most of his weight off her back, as Edwina lay plastered to Brians chest and he heaved great breaths of air into his lungs.
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Chapter Ten
Eight Months later Edwina tried not to wince as she crossed her legs, and her tender flesh rubbed uncomfortably against the material of her clothes. Calvin, Simon and Evan had taken turns fucking her most of the night. Shed thoroughly enjoyed their nearly overwhelming attentions, but she sure was paying for it today. As much as she loved her menand they were hers, despite the fact that she would leave them in a few daysshe wasnt sure she could stand a repeat of last night any time soon. But then Kieran came into the room with a wicked smile, lifted her out of the chair, pressed her face down against the table and dragged her pants to her knees. Time to spank this beautiful ass, he said easily. She giggled as he ran his hands over her soft flesh. Shed lost count of how many times theyd done this, but she enjoyed his spanking so much she could damn near come just thinking about it. How many? he asked as if she actually had a choice. Two, she answered with laughter in her voice. He laughed and spanked her twice. Her skin burned, and he caressed the flesh as he pretended to consider if two were enough. She could already feel her arousal dripping from her pussy, rolling down her legs. He pushed her a little harder against the table, knowing it would increase her feelings of helplessness. She moaned as he smacked her twice more. I think I like the idea of two. Maybe ten times two would work for my naughty girl.
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She giggled and squirmed in his hold, her juices coating her swollen folds. He slid his fingers through the slippery fluid, finding and caressing her clit as he spanked her twice more. Her orgasm rose quickly to claim her. Panting hard, trying to control her growing arousal, tears filmed her eyes as he landed two more hard blows at the top of her thighs. She shook uncontrollably, her legs quivering, her breath catching as heat burst in her abdomen, circling through her as he spanked her over and over and over. She lifted onto her toes, crying out when he squeezed her clit and sensation rocked her once more. He ripped her pants the rest of the way off, turned her over, wrapped her legs around his waist, and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. He pulled back as soon as her sore pussy rubbed against the coarse material of his jeans and she made an involuntary sound of distress. Whats wrong? he demanded in his bossiest, no-nonsense tone. Just a little sore from last nights activities, she answered, knowing he would accept nothing less than the truth. Show me. He lifted her onto the table and made her lie down. With almost clinical detachment he pushed her legs up and out, exposing her swollen pussy to his gaze. Hell, Edwina, why didnt you say something to them? Because it didnt hurt until this morning, she answered quickly, half worried Kieran would go looking for a fight. Like all families there had been disagreements and arguments over the past eight months, but fortunately, the brothers hadnt pounded on each other since Evan and Simons battle in the kitchen so many months ago. I should spank your ass again for trying to hide this. She laughed, feeling his tension ease as well. Probably a good idea, she said with a sassy smile, that part doesnt hurt. He smiled and lifted her into his arms before taking a seat on the sofa and arranging her on his lap. She shivered slightly in the cold,
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but the cool air felt quite nice on her raw flesh, so she rested in Kierans arms and tried not to think about how close things were to ending. Calvin, Evan, and Simon are going to head back to the Mawson base this afternoon. Theyll try and find out if there is any new information about our supposed deaths. He managed to sound almost normal despite the hard erection she could feel pressed against her bottom. Well, that explains last night, Edwina said with a heavy heart. She hadnt realized that last night would be their final time together. Obviously, by their actions and intense emotions, Simon, Evan and Calvin had known their time together was almost at an end. She tried to hold back the tears that threatened, but Kieran saw them anyway and hugged her closer, rocking gently as he ran a soothing hand over her head. Tell me about your illness. None of them had brought it up since shed told them the barest details eight months ago, but it seemed inevitable that she would need to explain it before she left them. Theyd want to know, and shed have to tell them the whole story so they would realize there was no hope. She pressed her ear against Kierans heart, listening to the soothing lub-dub sound for a moment before trying to put into words what had happened to change the course of her life so many years ago. **** Kieran held his breath, hoping that Edwina would trust him with her story. By mutual agreement none of the brothers had asked for details, unwilling to mar the time they had with her. But now, with their time together measured in days, not months, they needed to know if there was any way they could convince her to stay.
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I was nineteen when I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. They werent cancerous, but they were very large, and I needed an operation to remove them. She took a deep breath, seemingly trying to hold the pain at bay by describing the experience as if it were someone elses. Long story short, the surgery removed them, but because the fibroids had grown through the uterine wall, I was left with severe scarring and little chance of getting pregnant. The doctor warned that even if I did manage to get pregnant that it was a very high probability that the uterus would rupture and kill me and the baby. **** She glanced over at his face, worried that he would find the rest of the story unpalatable, but knowing he deserved to know it all. Thats the same way my mother died. I didnt want to risk bringing a child into his world that I wasnt able to protect, so I made the decision to have my tubes tied. At the time it seemed like a sensible option, but It is the best option, Kieran said fiercely as he touched her face with a shaking hand. Id rather spend a lifetime loving you than risk losing you in childbirth. She shook her head sadly. It was clear that they all wanted her to stay, but it was also clear to her that she needed to get out of their lives so they could move forward and meet the woman who would one day complete them in ways Edwina couldnt. I know what youre thinking, he said quietly, but can you consider doing us one little favor? She looked at him suspiciously. Theyd agreed to let her go when the weather cleared and theyd figured out whod tried to kill her, but she worried that they would try to renege on their promise. Shed never been happier than she had been in the last eight months, even despite the fact that she lived in a climate the equivalent of an icebox
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and was presumed dead, but she wouldnt let the brothers give up their future for her. Ill consider it, but no promises, she finally said to Kieran. Our unclehes our mothers brotheris a doctor for both humans and yetis. There may be something he knows that He trailed off as he saw her shaking her head. Kieran was hoping for a miracle, but she knew they didnt exist. Edwina, he said, gathering both her hands in his own. Just hear me out, please. She nodded once, bracing herself against a hope she knew to be false. When yetis claim their mate, something happens to them, some physical change that makes it possible for human women to carry a yeti child. I dont understand how it works, but well, maybe Uncle John can explain it. Maybe tell us what might happen if we claim you. Claim me? I havent heard those words since the first week I was here. I just assumed it was a figure of speech. She laughed, suddenly feeling nervous. But it isnt, is it? No, he said with quiet determination. When yeti brothers claim their mate, it also binds her to them. It creates a link, or a hunger or craving. Im not sure exactly what happens, but it means the woman needs her mates, in a physical sense, at least every few days. How do yetis claim their mate? Kieran looked somber for a while, almost as if he didnt want to tell her. By making love to her in yeti form. Shit, Edwina said as the implications began to sink in. Calvin almost did that the first time we were together. I know, Kieran said. I also know that it still gives him nightmares. At the time hed believed that Jake and I had already claimed you, but when you insisted he change back to human form, his primitive instincts were pushed aside, and he realized the mistake he almost made. If he hadnt changed when he did?
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You wouldnt have been able to leave us. Ever. Holy fucking cow. Ive spent eight months living with and loving all of you, never knowing that one fuck in the wrong form could take away my choices. Why the hell didnt you share this sooner? Because you didnt need to know. She turned to see Gary lounging in the doorway, and in an instant she was on her feet, anger filling her at his arrogant statement. **** Gary watched as the woman he loved stalked closer. He smiled, wondering if she remembered that she wasnt wearing any pants. Dont you dare laugh at me, she said, shaking her finger in his face. You shouldve told me. I had a right to know. Actually, baby, you didnt want to know. He trapped her finger against his chest, and memories of the first day he met her came flooding back. Theyd shared so much since then, but her temper never failed to draw him closer. You wanted eight months of pretend. We gave you that. He watched her eyes flare with anger, but he could see his argument had hit a chord. All of them had avoided talking about the future, their family, and almost everything else about yeti society exactly as shed requestedbut maybe now she was ready to listen. Will you come home with us? Meet our Uncle John? She looked so uncertain he wanted to retract his questions. The last eight months had been like a dream, but it was inevitable that reality would one day intrude. Okay, she said very softly, but when he confirms that I cant have children, you have to promise to let me go. Why is that so important to you? Kieran asked as he stood and pressed her between them. Why wont you accept that we will love you without children?
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Because life doesnt work that way. She shook her head and held up a hand to stop whatever Kieran was about to say next. Eventually you will hate me for not being able to give you a family, and youll go looking elsewhere, and Ill be left alone again. Again? Clearly there was more to her fears than what she was telling them. What was his name, baby girl? She winced at Garys words but mumbled, It doesnt matter. He said he loved me, that he didnt want children, but when he cheated on me and got another woman pregnant, he left without a backward glance. Last I heard they had two children with another on the way. We wouldnt do that do you. Yeah, well Stuart said the same thing. Look, Ill talk to your uncle, but I wont promise anything after that. Gary tried to hide the feeling of triumph her agreement gave him. Technically, it couldnt exactly be called a win, but shed agreed to seek yeti medical advice, so all was not lost yet. He lowered his hand to her hip, caressing the exposed flesh, smiling when she finally realized she was still half-naked. Oh, crap, she said with a laugh, I seem to spend most of my time half-naked around you boys. I guess wearing clothes is something Im going to have to get used to again. He smiled. If he and his brothers had their way, she wouldnt need to. **** Hey, Cal, welcome back to Mawson base. The guy shook his hand effusively, obviously forgetting that two of Calvins brothers were supposedly missing, and presumed dead. Have they been able to retrieve the helicopter yet? Calvin asked without even trying to hide his annoyance. He missed Edwina
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already, and if he had his way, none of them would even step foot out of the Kendall shack again. Oh, yeah, the guy said, finally remembering Calvins situation. Theyumhavent been able to dig it out of the snow yet, but theres no sign of your brothers. Again Calvin felt his blood pressure rising as Edwinas disappearance seemed unnoticed. He tried to tamp down his anger. It wasnt like he didnt know she was safe. Any theories as to what happened? Pilot error most likely. The words were so casual that Calvin was close to tearing the guys head off. He couldnt even remember this mans name, but the anger he felt toward him was astounding. Peterson has a list of complaints about that pilot. Sloppy maintenance, poor concentration, failure to follow proper procedure. The guys shook his head. Just shows that women shouldnt be flying helicop Calvins fist slammed into the mans jaw before he could finish the offensive statement. Edwina had spoken of her love for flying quite often in the past months, and it was clear to everyone with a brain in their head that she took her responsibilities as a pilot very seriously. But it probably wasnt such a great idea to flatten someone the moment he walked onto Mawson base, though. Oh, shit, Im sorry man. Im just wound up over my brothers. You know what its like. I was hoping for some good news. The dickhead nodded in understanding, his hand cradling his jaw. Uh, sure, Cal, he said as he backed away. I understand. Wheres Peterson? he asked, trying to sound like a reasonable human being and not a pissed off yeti. Hangar bay, the guy said, pointing the way. Calvin nodded his thanks and headed toward the man whod tried to shoot Edwina eight months ago. Fortunately, Edwinas ex-boss was alone.
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Calvin was supposed to get an idea of what was going on, not storm the place, but his temper was already wafer-thin and he wanted answers right now. Peterson, he growled as he got closer to the rotund little man. Who wants to know, the arrogant reply came without the little prick even turning around. Edwinas husband. Well that certainly got a reaction. The man spun on his heel so fast he almost fell on his ass. He glanced around, seeming to check that they were alone. Husband? Petersen asked in an excited voice. We havent found the body yet, but shes been missing eight months in below freezing temperatures. That bitch is an ice cube for sure. The man continued to look around as he spoke, but his eyes widened when he finally recognized Calvin. Jesus, Cal, why didnt you just tell me it was you? All that cloak and dagger bullshit wasnt necessary. Hell I wouldve done her for half the price. Is that so? Calvin asked, deciding to see where this conversation might take him. Yeah, that was one cold bitch. Nobody wouldve guessed you were married to the ice queen. Oh, geez, sorry about your brothers. If Id known it was you hiring me, I wouldve left them out of it. He laughed like the two of them were great friends. So when do I get paid? How about now? Calvin said, hoping his brothers were still close enough to hear the conversation. Cash okay? Absolutely, Peterson said with a grin. You know, you couldve saved yourself a lot of money if youd just done the job yourself. Hell, people freeze to death all the time in Antarctica. Youre right, Calvin said, trying to sound affable. So maybe we should renegotiate the price. Peterson laughed, but cut himself off when he realized Calvin was serious.
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Hell, no, he said. You offered me fifty grand, and thats what youre going to pay me. Calvin heard his brothers soft signal and breathed a sigh of relief that he could drop the faade. Hopefully, they had enough to not only have Peterson arrested but to also try and track the person whod hired him. Calvin could feel his alter ego clawing to take over. He wanted to tear this guy into bite-size chunks, but fortunately for Peterson, they still needed answers. Who hired you? Calvin asked in an ominous tone. Peterson looked completely startled by Calvins question but then seemed to realize his mistake and, incredibly, tried to back track. After a moment of sheer panic, Peterson looked down and away as he mumbled his lie. I dont know what youre talking about. Sure you do, Calvin said, taking a menacing step closer. You sabotaged her helicopter, and then you tried to shoot her when you found her still alive. Hhow could you know that? I was out searching for my brothers. I was there when you tried to kill her. Im the reason shes still alive. Well, his brothers helped, but this guy didnt need details. Shshes still alive? Peterson looked completely shocked. Who hired you to kill her? Peterson shrugged looking defeated. He said he was her husband. Said hed pay me when I delivered her body. Calvin knew Edwina had never been married. Theyd discussed her cheating ex-fianc, but he knew she didnt have a husband. The only living family Edwina had was her father. Do you know how to contact him? Evan, Simon and several other witnesses stepped into the hangar bay. Obviously realizing he was in serious shit, Peterson nodded tiredly.
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**** Edwina stared at the smaller version of dinner. It didnt seem possible that she would never see Evan, Simon, and Calvin again, but it was quite likely true. Tears messed up her vision, and she quickly blinked them back. It was warm in here, but she refused to bawl like a baby over things she couldnt change. Good news, Kieran said as he stepped into the dining area and took a seat at the table. We are no longer listed as missing. Peterson has been arrested, and the police are currently trying to figure out who hired him. Theyve already started interviewing potential suspects in South Dakota. Dad? she asked, suddenly very worried for her father. He knows youre safe. You know that. Uncle John took care of it months ago. I know, she said irritably. But is he okay? Did anybody try to kill him? No, nobody tried to kill him, but he isnt well enough to travel. According to his wife, hes been ill for a few months. The doctors are running a heap of tests, so hopefully well know something soon. Edwina rubbed her forehead. Shed already agreed to visit their Uncle John before she left them, but seeing her father seemed to be more important at the moment. She smiled when Kieran proved he knew her well. Calvin has already booked our flights. Well be in South Dakota by Wednesday. Thank you, she said as she sat in the chair beside him. It would be nice to introduce Kieran to her father. Her dad had been keen to see her happy. Kieran certainly filled that description. Flights booked? Jake asked as he came into the room and sat at the table. Kieran nodded. Great, when do we leave? We? she asked, feeling like she was missing something important. How many of you are coming to South Dakota with me?
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All of us, Gary said as he came up beside her to steal a kiss. All of you? Whoa, that could be a little hard to explain to my father. Explain what? Gary asked, pretending that he didnt really understand her concern. Explain what? she practically screeched. How the hell am I going to explain seven brothers who all know me intimately? Gary shrugged, and she wanted to twist his ears until he stopped being so casual. Relax, Kieran said as he pulled Edwina onto his lap. We will simply introduce ourselves as friends, nothing more. But there is no way you are going anywhere without us until we know who tried to kill you. She nodded, trying to hide how much the reality of that statement frightened her. She couldnt imagine making enough of an impression on anyone that they would want her dead. Friends? Brian asked as he came through the door with a flurry of snow. I dont know, sweetheart. Maybe you should introduce at least one of us as your beau. Then youll have someone to cuddle up to when its cold. Im happy to volunteer. He winked before he took a seat and started eating. He does have a point, Edwina said with sudden realization that it was winter in the northern hemisphere. Hell for someone who hated the cold she sure seemed to be on the wrong end of the world lately. The rest of the meal was filled with the brothers playfully oneupping each other, trying to convince her he was the best man for the job. By the time she fell into bed, shed been thoroughly convinced by each of them, thoroughly sated, and completely and thoroughly loved. **** Simon watched the emotions play over Edwinas face as they drove up the driveway to her fathers home. It was obvious that she
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was very worried. She held herself stiffly, as if she couldnt wait one more moment to see with her own eyes her fathers condition. Theyd spoken on the phone, but her fathers reassurances had worked only to convince her that he was sicker than he admitted. She was out of the car almost before it came to a full stop. Simon hurried to catch up to her, determined that whatever she faced here today she would be protected. She grabbed the doorknob and twisted, obviously expecting to be able to walk straight in. She seemed very surprised to find it locked. Evan leaned over and pressed the doorbell as Simon hovered close to Edwina. He wanted to take her in his embrace but hesitated, knowing that she didnt really want to explain their presence. Edwina? the well-dressed, perfectly made up woman said as she answered the door. The woman seemed intimidated by Simon and Evans presence, but she recovered quickly. Oh, thank goodness youre home. Your father will be so pleased to see you. Such a miracle that you survived. The woman stepped forward, pressed an air kiss to Edwinas cheek, and then looped her arm through Edwinas and led her down the hallway. Where is Rhonda? Edwina asked, looking around in confusion. I had to let the housekeeper go, the woman said with a disappointed sounding sigh. I discovered that shed been stealing from your father for years. Please dont tell him. I know how much faith hed placed in her. She looked on the verge of tears, but Simon had a moment of doubt when the emotion fled her features so quickly. Simon glanced at Evan before they followed the women into the house. Edwinas stepmother turned to face them with a look of displeasure on her face. Mr. Callahan is quite ill. Please wait here while I take Edwina to visit her father. Fuck that. Something was definitely off. Simon stepped forward, wrapped his arm around Edwinas waist, and pulled her close. Im her fianc.
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Oh. The woman looked startled by his declaration, but mustve realized she couldnt keep him away from Edwina without raising a whole lot of questions. Very well. But please respect Mr. Callahans right to peace and quiet. He is a very ill man. Simon saw Evan nod a moment before Kieran whispered softly enough to be heard by yeti ears only, Stay alert. Somethings wrong. Simon wanted to say no shit, but figured he wouldnt be able to answer his brother without Edwinas stepmother overhearing. Kieran, Jake, Calvin, Brian, and Gary had all taken up strategic positions around Edwinas family home. Unfortunately, it wouldnt snow here for at least another month, so camouflaging their yeti forms wasnt very easy. They hadnt really been expecting trouble, but considering the womans attitude, Simon was very glad for his brothers presence. Evan waited at the door as Simon and Edwina went into her fathers room. Edwina made a soft noise, obviously shocked by her fathers appearance. Jed Callahan looked far from the fit, mid-fifties rancher Edwina had described. He opened his eyes as Edwina lifted his hand into her own, and he smiled tiredly. Hello, pumpkin, he said in a weak voice. Good to finally have you home. He seemed unaware of Simon, so he stayed in the background, hoping to give Edwina time with her father but still be close enough to protect her. After a few minutes of stilted conversation, Edwinas father fell asleep and Simon held his arms open as Edwina sought comfort in his embrace. Her stepmother motioned them into the hallway. Hes been ill since you disappeared. Believing you were dead has put a terrible strain on his heart. Interesting. Jed hadnt trusted his new wife enough to let her know his daughter was actually safe. Simon and Evan heard Kierans near-silent warning long before Edwinas creepy stepbrother stepped foot in the house, but even Simon wasnt quite prepared for the mans reaction.
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Edwina, he said as he rushed to embrace her. She stepped back into Simons arms obviously wishing to avoid the mans unwanted attentions. Who is this? His voice was filled with anger, and Simons alter ego wanted to growl at the mans attitude. Simon, Id like to introduce you to my stepbrother, Keith. Keith, this is my fianc, Simon. Simon offered his hand just to be polite, and was quite relieved when Keith ignored it. Fianc? Keith asked aggressively. Goddamn it! You were supposed to freeze to death, not come home engaged. Keith pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Evan before any of them could react. Simon thrust Edwina behind him, desperately holding her out of the line of fire as Keith began to laugh like a maniac. Keith! his mother yelled. Shut up, old woman, he said as he waved the gun around the room. If wed done things my way in the first place, I wouldnt have to shoot so many people now. The woman shook her head in obvious disappointment. Fine, she said, Ill head into town and make sure weve got an alibi. Not this time, he said as he turned the gun on his mother. Simon could hear Kieran and the others running full pelt into the house. He wasnt surprised to hear breaking glass as their primitive need to protect their mate overrode all else. In yeti form Brian reached Edwinas stepbrother just as the man fired the gun at his mother. She hit the ground hard, but Keith hit the ground harder. Standing over the unconscious man, Brian growled his discontent a moment before grabbing Edwina and pulling her roughly into his embrace. Im okay, she said, touching his face, trying to calm him down. Change back, Simon told them as he stepped into Kieran and Jakes path. They, too, headed directly for Edwina, and if someone didnt keep a level head, she was about to be claimed in the hallway of her fathers house.
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After a tense moment Kieran and Jake nodded and changed to their human forms. Jake dropped to Evans side. Kieran moved toward Brian and helped Edwina calm him down. Gary and Calvin joined them a moment later, naked but at least in human form. Theres no one else in the house, Calvin reported as he took in the scene. Ambulance and police are on their way. Edwina finally convinced Brian to change back and then made her way to Evan. There was blood everywhere, and it was obvious that the wound was serious. Change forms, she said angrily. He cant, Jake said as he probed the wound with his fingers. If I dont get the bullet out first, changing could be fatal. Edwinas cry of distress broke his heart, but Simon dragged her away from the grim scene and hustled her into her fathers room. Jed was on the floor obviously trying to drag himself to the doorway. Simon and Edwina helped him back into the bed, and the older man held onto his daughter even as he shook with fatigue. Jake stuck his head in the door, thankfully remembering that he was naked as he motioned for Simon to join him in the hallway. The rest of us need to get out of here. Explaining this is going to be difficult enough without having to clarify why your brothers are here or why were naked. He titled his head to indicate the woman lying on the floor. Evans fine. He managed to stabilize Edwinas stepmother, so it gives him a reasonable excuse for being covered in blood. Simon nodded. Well be close if you need us. At the sound of sirens in the distance Jake, Kieran, Gary, Brian, and Calvin left the house quickly. **** Edwina stayed close to her father as police traipsed through his home, collecting evidence and asking questions over and over. Simon and Evan had controlled the situation, managing to keep Keith under
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control and his mother alive until the police and ambulance officers arrived to take over. Then they quietly answered all of the officers questions, filled them in on everythingwell almost everythingthat had happened in Antarctica, and held Edwinas hand as she held her fathers. As the police were wrapping things up, Evan moved to the tray of food that was supposed to have been her fathers breakfast. He sniffed it and grabbed the nearest police officer and asked him to smell it, too. Do you smell wine? The officer sniffed deeply, shook his head, and then nodded, looking at the cold oatmeal in confusion. Maybe, he said as he took another deep breath. It seems a strange combination. Mr. Callahan has been getting gradually sicker since the housekeeper was fired. Is it possible that he was being slowly poisoned? Edwina sucked in a gasp of air. None of the tests the doctors had done had been able to determine what was making her father sick. Just thinking that her stepmother may have been poisoning him made her feel violently ill. Anythings possible, the officer said with a shrug. Ill send a sample to the lab, and well do a search through the house with Mr. Callahans permission to see if we can find anything that she mightve been hiding. Edwinas father quickly agreed. Several hours later the police officer returned to speak to Edwina. Weve found a substance that we think is dried oleander leaves. It was hidden in the teapot. I dont know if the doctors can do anything for him, but Ive called an ambulance for your father. At least if they know what theyre dealing with, they might be able to make him more comfortable. Edwina nodded, thanked the officer, and when the ambulance arrived, she climbed in beside her father. It was obvious that Simon and Evan wanted her to travel with them, but she waved them away.
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She was no longer in danger, and it was time she stopped relying on the Kodi brothers. **** Kieran shook his head in disbelief. It took six long weeks, but they finally managed to get Edwina to attend their uncles medical clinic in North Slope, Alaska. But they didnt quite get the news they were hoping for. The claiming will change Edwina and probably heal a lot of the damage. Whether it will be enough to ensure a healthy, low risk pregnancy we wont know until the changes of the claiming are complete. Kieran had never felt so annoyed in his entire life. He wanted a definitive answer, not some half-baked idea of what might happen. But once they claim me, Edwina said with a calmness Kieran was far from feeling, Im bonded to them. Is there a way to break the bond? Uncle John looked startled by her question, and his gaze bounced around the room making eye contact with all of the brothers before he tried to answer Edwinas question. Nothing that I know of, he answered quietly. Im sorry I cant give you a better prognosis, but the claiming seems to affect different women in different ways. It may well heal your injuries and even reverse the procedure you had on your fallopian tubes. Or it may do very little at all. Kieran could see Edwina pulling away emotionally and physically as his uncle delivered the news she said shed been expecting. But it was her disappointment that hung heavily in the air. Even though shed told them a million times that she didnt believe in miracles, it was obvious from her reaction that shed been hoping for one. Suddenly Kieran wished hed never talked her into this. If theyd done as shed asked, and let her pretend for eight months and then all
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moved on with their lives, it wouldve been far easier. But with desperation had come hope and with hope plans for the future, and even though Kieran knew there was still a chance, he also knew that Edwina would never take it. She wouldnt let them claim her if there was any chance she couldnt give them children. He swallowed, the heavy feeling in his heart making it difficult to think clearly. All he could feel was his overwhelming need to bind this woman to him, to love her for the rest of his life, and never let her go. Children were not important to him. Edwina was. He felt himself begin to change into his yeti form. Panic burst through him. He hadnt changed against his will since he was a gangly teenager unable to control his abilities. He felt his clothes tear, and frantically kicked off his boots as his feet grew a couple sizes. He tried to reverse the change, tried to control his emotions, but it was no use. His alter ego wanted his mate, and nothing was going to stop him from claiming her. Even as his brothers growled at him, even as they held him back, even as he tried to calm himself down, he could see, hear, and smell only one person. Kieran. Her soft voice called to both sides of him, and he felt whole, complete. Kieran, she said again as she pushed past his brothers and reached up to touch his face. He closed his eyes, savoring her touch, loving her nearness, needing her like hed never needed anyone before in his life. He grabbed at her clothes, desperate to have her naked, have her underneath him, claiming her, fucking her, marking her with his possession. But her soft voice stopped him. Her gentle touch soothed him and his panic calmed. He managed to change back into human form as she stepped into his arms and held him tight. Im sorry, he said over and over, unable to apologize enough for his loss of control.
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Its okay, she said as her hold on him tightened. I know that you would never hurt me. He shook his head, ready to tell her otherwise, but she touched a finger to his lips and nodded instead. I know it like I know my own name. Kieran, well work something out. But youll leave. His voice was raw, his emotions too close to the surface. He shouldve been embarrassed that he was having a meltdown in front of his brothers, but all he could think about was the woman in his arms. I cant, she said with a catch in her voice. Ive tried to pull away, tried to let you go, but I cant. Im weak, and Im sorry for being so selfish, but I cant stop loving you. Then dont, Jake said as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. Stay with us. Well work it out. Absolutely, Evan said as he gently pulled Edwina from Kierans arms. Kieran let her go, peace settling inside him as his brothers all moved to convince their mate to stay with them always. He didnt even realize he was purring until Edwina moved back into his arms and pressed her ear to his chest. Come on, Kieran. I think its time for you to take me home.
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Chapter Eleven
Calvin had her practically naked before they walked in the front door. Considering how cold it was outside, it wasnt something she planned on doing often. Soumhow does this work? She was suddenly very nervous. Knowing that the claiming happened while her lovers were in yeti form wasnt enough detail now that she was actually here. Traditionally, Kieran said as he gathered her in his arms, you start with the eldest and work your way down. She hadnt even seen him take his clothes off, but judging by the hard, naked cock pressed against her hip, hed managed to strip off in record time. Heat wound through her lower half as his warm hands caressed her ass. He dipped his head to take her mouth in a soft kiss, his movement gentle, his caring obvious. Will you all be in yeti form? Only when were claiming you. The others will be in human form, so if you get worried or frightened, you just have to say something. She nodded her understanding. It was a big relief to know that she wouldnt be dealing with seven yetis. She loved them dearly and knew they would never hurt her. She just didnt fancy trying to referee the sort of fights that could be caused by seven yetis all trying to claim her at once. Youre very tense, sweetheart, Brian said as he ran his fingers through her hair, gently massaging the scalp. Yeah, well, Ive seen you guys aroused in yeti form, and if memory serves me correctly, youre even larger than you are in human form.
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Dont worry, baby, Gary said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Well make sure youre ready for us. Edwina yelled in surprise as Kieran lifted her into the air and placed her in the middle of a large dining table. The brothers quickly moved all of the chairs out of the way as Kieran arranged her so that her ass rested close to the edge. He dropped to his knees between her thighs, his tongue spearing into her pussy, licking the folds, thrusting deep into her core. She whimpered as he found her clit the same moment two mouths sucked her breasts and her arms were lifted over her head. She held onto the hands gripping hers, the incredible feeling of being laid out for their pleasure streaking through her with an intensity she would never have guessed. Her back arched as her orgasm approached. Calvin claimed her lips as sensation twirled through her abdomen and burst over her womb. Her pussy throbbed as Kieran licked at her juices, his movements more forceful, his hands pressing her legs wider, his tongue plunging deeper into her heat. She hovered on the brink, gasping, begging for release, but Kieran changed forms, his cock pressed against her labia, pushed a little farther, held still, waiting for her body to adjust, before thrusting deeper. He pulled away then lunged back, forcing more of his cock into her throbbing flesh. Fully seated, he stopped, watching her, his face and body fur-covered but his eyes still the same. She smiled at him, realizing with amazement that he was purring as he claimed her. His deep contentment seemed obvious even through his arousal. But then someone pressed against her clit, and her orgasm exploded. Kieran began to move, getting faster, moving harder, thrusting deeper. He lifted her legs, controlling her movement, pounding into her, finally claiming her. She felt his cock swell, heard his grunt as he came, and watched with tears in her eyes as he changed back to his human form. He leaned over her, pressed a tender kiss to her lips, and whispered, I love you.
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She whispered her love for him, even as he stepped away from her thighs, and Calvin took his place. Calvin gripped her hips and plunged into her still in human form. She moaned at the forceful entry then squirmed against the hard table as she felt his cock grow bigger inside her as he changed forms. He made a joyous sound as he started to rock into her body. The others caressed her gently, but it was the man between her thighs who commanded her attention. Mercilessly he pounded into her, thrusting hard, thrusting deep, stilling as he poured his seed deep into her body. Jake quickly took his place. But he didnt enter her. He caressed her thighs, watching her closely as she relaxed into his hold. Go get some pillows, he told his brothers. Kieran nodded and did as his brother ordered. With infinite care they lifted her and wedged the soft pillows between her and the hard wood of the table. She hadnt noticed any discomfort, but with five brothers still waiting to claim her, it was a very good idea. Jake slid into her body as soon as he changed into yeti form. He controlled his pace, slipping in and out of her slick flesh in a steady rhythm. She panted as she felt her orgasm climb to the surface once more. She tried to increase his pace, tried to change the angle, greedily asking for more as his slow claiming continued. She whimpered his name, and it seemed to be his undoing. Quickly he increased the pace, pounding into her over and over and over. Bright colors swirled behind her eyelids as her focus narrowed to this one man, this one yeti, who loved her. Heat slammed into her unexpectedly, and she arched against his hold, her orgasm shaking every muscle, sending lightning bolts of sensation skittering along every nerve. Jake filled her with his seed, resting his furry face against her breast for a moment before pulling out and moving away. Brian looked happier than shed ever seen him. Hed told her he didnt want to love a woman who didnt love him back, and she worried at how hard it mustve been for him in those early days. She
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twisted her arms until whoever held them finally let go, then reached up to touch Brians handsome face. I love you, she said, hoping he could hear the truth in her tone. I love you, too, sweetheart, and I will love you forever. In her heart she knew it was true. They would all love her in good times and bad times, with children or without, these men would love her forever. He carefully rolled her onto her side, easing her bent knees toward her chest, and then gently pushed his cock into her swollen flesh. He changed forms slowly and she wouldve sworn she felt every movement. He held on to her hip and thigh as he pushed into her welcoming heat, thrusting deep as he purred with satisfaction. She felt the moment he let his more primitive side take over, the gentle loving suddenly becoming more insistent, more forceful, more violent. She groaned as he pulled her harder against him and shot his seed deep inside her. He caressed her ass as he slowly changed forms once more. Simon flashed that cocky, overconfident grin as he touched her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. How are you doing, beauty? Do you need a break? She shook her head, lifting off the table to reach for him as Brian moved away. Simon laughed quietly and pulled her into his embrace. Im not going anywhere, he said, obviously reading her fear correctly. Although, I was thinking a change of venue. Somewhere more comfortable perhaps? She nodded as he helped her off the table. But he didnt let her walk. He cradled her against his body as he carried her into a room with a large bed in the center. He smiled wickedly as he lowered her to the soft mattress and followed her down. I love you, beauty, he said as he moved over her and pushed his cock gently into her slick and swollen pussy. He loved her carefully, handling her like she was precious, breakable. She moaned in mild frustration when he pinned her hands by her head and refused to let
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her touch him as he made slow, sweet love to her. She could sense the others in the room with them, but it was Simon who held her gaze, who pressed gentle kisses to her face as he laid claim to her heart as well as her body. Eventually he changed forms, his yeti face still wearing the same grin as he plunged into her a little faster. She lifted her hips to meet his thrusts, straining to match his rhythm. He grunted, pressed her harder against the bed, ground his lower body against her clit, tweaked her nipples with his fingers. She was on the verge of orgasm when he came, pulsing inside her, his warm seed filling her. Edwina almost cried out as he pulled away, but Evan thrust into her, already in yeti form, pounding into her, claiming her, possessing her, forcing her into orgasm before she could catch her breath. She screamed as her body pulsed around his cock, his purring echoing through her body as he collapsed forward and held her tight. He changed back to his human form, kissed her reverently, whispering words of love as he held her close. She lay on the bed completely exhausted, but panic filled her when she realized Gary wasnt in the room. Had he changed his mind? Had he decided that he preferred her world of pretend over the reality of binding her to them? What happened if one of the brothers didnt claim her? Gary? slipped from her mouth before she could control her panic, but then he was there, striding into the room, the forgotten pillows in his hands. Im right here, baby, he said as he positioned a pillow under her head and stretched out on the bed beside her. Were all here, and once Ive claimed you, you will belong to all of us. She recognized his words from the day theyd met, but this time they felt right, made her feel whole in ways she would never have understood even just a few days ago.
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Yes, I will, she said. She saw the pleasure her words gave him flare in his eyes and smiled as she added, And you will all belong to me. Ah, now youre getting it, baby, he said with a wide grin. He leaned over, gave her a sweet kiss, and positioned his cock against her throbbing flesh. She hissed quietly as he stretched her swollen tissues with his entry. He pulled back slightly, watching her face, monitoring her responses as he pushed back in. But he could also see her arousal, because he grinned, pulled out, and slid back in faster, obviously noticing the slight pain increased her pleasure and spiraled her toward orgasm once more. He slapped her thigh, riding her harder, lifting her higher, winding her tighter. She gasped, groaning as the myriad sensations of all of themall of her matestouching her at the same time. Hands caressed her thighs, her breasts, her stomach, her face. Fire trailed over the skin they touched, burning through her as Gary finally changed into his yeti form. He grabbed her, pulling her harder against him, thrusting deeper, forcing her to take all of him. She screamed as her orgasm broke, liquid heat melting through her, pulsing into her muscles, making her quiver all over. He growled, fucking her harder, moaning as he reached his peak and finally claimed her in the yeti way. He carefully extricated his cock as he slid to the side and pulled her against him. I love you, Edwina, he said after a few moments. Welcome home.
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Epilogue
Edwina sat in the doctors room trying not to look nervous and failing miserably. She knew it was silly to put so much hope into a long shot, but it was exactly what she was doing. Her men would love her regardless, but ever since the possibility had been raised, shed realized that she not only wanted children for her husbands sakes, but also because she wanted to be a mother. Edwina Kodi, helicopter pilot, wife, and mother certainly had a nice ring to it. She relaxed slightly as she realized the last year had been truly amazing. Once the cause of her fathers illness had been found, hed made a rapid recovery. Hed been shocked at first when shed explained about having seven husbands, but it was nothing compared to his reaction when he learned they were yetis. Hed immediately rehired his housekeeper, handed over the day to day running of the cattle ranch to his foreman, and bought a home around the corner from where Edwina and her men lived. Things had been tense for a while but fortunately all of the men in her life had found a way to get along, and she truly felt thankful every day for the way things had worked out. The police had traced the attempts on Edwinas life straight back to her stepbrother, Keith. Of course, the fact that hed shot his own mother in front of witnesses and then basically confessed his crimes as he tried to blame the woman for his behavior had made getting a conviction a whole lot simpler. Both her stepbrother and her old boss from the Mawson base would have quite a few years to regret their behavior. And her fathers now ex-wife had recovered from her injuries, blamed her son for
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everything, and somehow managed to incriminate herself in at least two other murders. It would seem shed made a career from marrying rich husbands whod died in suspicious circumstances. Fortunately, she wouldnt be smelling freedom for a seriously long time. Edwina startled as the door opened, and Uncle John walked into the room. She tried to smile but couldnt quite plaster the false expression onto her face. Shed asked her men to stay in the waiting room mainly because she didnt want them to see her reaction if things didnt go the way she hoped. She knew they loved her, always would, but she really wanted their lives to be filled with children. Surprisingly, theyd all agreed to wait in the outer room without making a fuss. Good news, Uncle John said with a grin on his face. All of your tests came back normal. Congratulations, Edwina, youre pregnant. Edwina sat on the chair feeling completely stunned. The tests had been to check if she could become pregnant. She hadnt been expecting the news that she was pregnant. It didnt quite feel real. She didnt even realize she was crying until the door burst open and seven men piled into the room. She was engulfed in a warm hug before she could blink. You heard? she asked them as Gary dried her happy tears. They all grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes heavenward. Of course theyd heard. She should be used to yeti hearing by now. All of the tests came back normal, Uncle John said to Edwina. Basically there is no reason why you shouldnt have a healthy pregnancy. Still stunned, she let her husbands escort her from the doctors office. Her life had changed dramatically since shed been snowed-in with seven scientists. She was mated to seven incredible, protective, loving, occasionally infuriating men. Their love and yeti natures had healed her body, and now they were expecting a baby.
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Of course, she stilled lived in a climate cold enough to freeze her lips shut, but, she thought with a grin, why would she care about a little snow when she had seven hot husbands to keep her warm? What was that grin for? Evan asked with a huge smile on his face. Take me home, and you just may find out. He growled softly, pulled her close, and kissed her like he wanted to inhale her. Edwina sighed happily. Life just didnt get any better than this.
THE END
HTTP://RACHELCLARK.WEBS.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Clark loves a great romance. She happily lives a romantic story all of her own with her wonderful hubby and precious teenagers and menagerie of perfectly behaved animalsand, well okay, for the real story youll need to replace romantic with hectic, add mostly before wonderful and you can probably guess about the teenagers and animals. But hey, Rachel loves to read romance and when her life lets her, she scribbles a few of her own.
Also by Rachel Clark

Siren Classic: Sarahs Pirate Mnage Amour: Sequel to Sarahs Pirate: Tee-anis Pirates Mnage Amour: Sequel to Tee-anis Pirates: Gbaenas Pirates Mnage Amour: Nothing on Earth Mnage Amour: Their Taydelaan Mnage and More: Taydelaan Mnage and More: No Use by Date for Love Mnage and More: Accidental Love for Three Mnage and More: A Future for Three
Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM
Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

EDWINA AND THE SEVEN SNOWED-IN SCIENTISTS

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: LoveXtreme

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

EDWINA AND THE SEVEN SNOWED-IN SCIENTISTS

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists

Edwina and the Seven Snowed-in Scientists