“They’ll have to say hello to their new little brother or sister.” Sadie shrugged. “Look, I can’t explain it and I know it probably seems weird to you. I just met Mathis and now we’re moving in together and I’m talking about having his babies.”
“Yeah, that does seem weird. And kind of scary.” Samantha looked worried.
Sadie wished she could put her sister’s mind at ease but how could she explain the intense connection of the life-bond? It was just another part of the whole Shifter process Samantha would find incomprehensible.
“Trust me,” she said gently. “I’m really, really happy. And Mathis is a good guy. I’ll be safe and as for the babies, well . . . I can’t explain it but the Rejuvenation process seems to make you want them.”
“Huh.” Samantha looked deeply skeptical. “If you say so but I can’t imagine any process—no matter how hormonal or magical—that would make me want kids.”
“Hopefully you won’t have to find out,” Sadie said. “We’re the exact same age with the same parents. If you haven’t started Rejuvenating yet, chances are you won’t. At least, that’s what Fiona said.”
“Fiona the crazy pharmacist chick who dresses like she ought to be telling fortunes instead of mixing medicines?” Samantha lifted one eyebrow skeptically.
“That’s her.” Sadie grinned. “But don’t make fun of her. I know she looks a little strange but she knows more about this whole Rejuvenation process than anyone else in town.”
“Well, let’s hope I never have to consult her,” Samantha said dryly. “Now I need to get going if I’m going to catch my plane.”
“What?” Sadie glanced at her watch. “But it’s only a quarter past ten and you said your plane doesn’t leave until three. Stay and have some lunch at least, Sammie.”
“Can’t.” Samantha shook her head apologetically. “I have to swing by the hospital one more time before I go.”
Sadie lifted an eyebrow. “You’re going to see Keller?”
“Just to check on his status,” her sister said, perhaps a bit too quickly. “He was still in pretty bad shape after the surgery. I need to make sure he’s stable before I go.”
“That’s just like you—always so conscientious about your patients.” Sadie smiled and gave her a hug. “Have I told you I love you lately, Sammie? I’m so glad you came to see me. It would feel weird if I couldn’t share all this with you and I know you would never have believed it if you hadn’t seen it for yourself.”
Samantha snorted. “You’re right about that. I almost don’t believe it now. If I hadn’t seen Mathis and Keller turn into those huge animals . . .” She shivered. “That Cougar especially, ugh! You know, I did a little looking around on the Internet and that really is what cougars looked like back in the Paleolithic era. They were freaking huge.”
“I was mostly scared because I thought he was going to rip Mathis to shreds with those fangs of his,” Sadie admitted.
“Oh, I know! Those fangs!” Samantha shivered again. “If I never see a sight like that again the rest of my life it’ll be too soon. I was so glad Keller had locked us in that cage before he turned into that thing.”
“You went right up to him afterward, though,” Sadie pointed out. “After Mathis trampled him, I mean.”
“Well, that was different—he was hurt.” Samantha shrugged as though it was less scary to approach a wounded horse-sized Cougar than a well one. “I had to help him. Before that, though, I was freaking terrified and really glad to have the bars between us and him.”
“I don’t think he would have hurt us, even if we hadn’t been in the cage,” Sadie said thoughtfully. “You can still think and reason in animal form, you know. It’s just that the thoughts you have are simpler—less complex. You know—‘food, run, sex, sleep.’ No guilt or second-guessing or negative self-talk because an animal doesn’t have any of that so you don’t either in that form.” She shrugged. “It’s kind of restful, actually.”
“Sounds just peachy,” Samantha said dryly. “But you can keep it and all the rest of your Shifter weirdness. I’m glad you found something that makes you so happy but I’m content just being plain old human, you know?”
“I know.” Sadie grinned at her. “All right—you’d better get started if you’re going to go to the hospital before you go to the airport.” She looked at her sister anxiously. “Are you sure you’re not too tired to drive?”
“I’m fine.” Samantha waved her off. “You know I’m used to pulling all-nighters. I can sleep on the plane.”
“All right then. Love you, Sammie.”
“Love you too, Sadie.”
They hugged again, clinging together for just a moment and Sadie thought how strange it was that her sister could just go back to her ordinary life after seeing all the strange and wonderful things that were happening just below the surface of the normal world. But then, that was Samantha—always practical. Always put together and self assured. Just because she now knew that there was a whole new dimension of reality she hadn’t been aware of before was no reason to turn her world around.
Sadie wondered if anything could change her sister or if Samantha was too set in her ways.
Well, it doesn’t matter, she told herself, letting Sammie go and watching her climb into her rented SUV. As long as she’s happy. That’s all I want—for Sammie to be as happy as I am.
Of course, she knew her new life wasn’t for everyone—especially the whole starting-a-new-family-at-forty thing. Her sister, in particular, would definitely object to that part. Sammie had always said, “If I wanted something that drooled all over me and peed on the carpet I’d get a puppy. At least they’re cute.”
So it’s a good thing she’s not a Juvie, Sadie told herself firmly. She wouldn’t want to put her career on hold to have a baby. Sammie will be perfectly content to be the “cool aunt” again.
But deep inside, as she watched the black SUV drive away, she wondered if that was really true.
Well, she could worry about it later. For now, she was happy and content to be with the man she loved—her life-bonded mate forever. And if Samantha didn’t want the same thing, well—there were different forms of joy, right? Not everyone needed to be happy the same way.
But Sadie couldn’t help wishing her sister could find the kind of peace and contentment she’d found in Mathis’s arms. Only who would she find it with? The thought of Keller with his handsome, sharp features and pale green eyes flashed through her mind but she pushed it away. Mathis had said Keller had given up on love and Sammie had never believed in it in the first place—she’d never had time for it. What would make her take time for it now?
Nothing, Sadie told herself. Just leave it alone. But though she went back into Mathis’s cabin to make lunch and tried to think of something else, the idea of her twin and the Cougar Shifter just wouldn’t leave her mind.
To be continued in Cougar Bait, Book 2 of the Cougarville series.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Rose at St. Martin’s for taking a chance on a new series, to Opal for introducing me to Rose, and to Avery for introducing me to Opal. I feel blessed to have so many wonderful author friends in my life.
About the Author
Evangeline Anderson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Brides of the Kindred, Alien Mate Index, and Born to Darkness series. She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and sci-fi erotica steadily ever since. Visit her on the Web and sign up for her newsletter at www.evangelineanderson.com.
You can sign up for email updates here.
Also by Evangeline Anderson
Brides of the Kindred series
Claimed
Hunted
Sought
>
Found
Revealed
Pursued
Exiled
Shadowed
Chained
Divided
Devoured
Enhanced
Cursed
Enslaved
Targeted
Forgotten
Switched
Uncharted
Mastering the Mistress
(Brides of the Kindred novella)
Born to Darkness series
Crimson Debt
Scarlet Heat
Ruby Shadows
Cardinal Sins
Alien Mate Index series
Abducted
Protected
Descended
Severed
The Institute series
The Institute: Daddy Issues
The Institute: Mishka’s Spanking
Compendiums
Brides of the Kindred Volume One
Contains Claimed, Hunted, Sought and Found
Born to Darkness Box Set
Contains Crimson Debt, Scarlet Heat, and Ruby Shadows
Standalone novels
Purity
Stress Relief
The Last Man on Earth
Anyone U Want
Shadow Dreams
Mastering the Mistress
Hunger Moon Rising
Cougar Christmas
YA novels
The Academy
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Twenty-two
Twenty-three
Twenty-four
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Evangeline Anderson
Copyright Page
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
BUCK NAKED. Copyright © 2017 by Evangeline Anderson. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Jacket photographs: deer © veneratio/Fotolia; man © Fxquadro/Fotolia
ISBN 978-1-250-14204-7 (e-book)
First Edition: April 2017
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