ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Growing up, I thought an author would write “The End” and poof, the book would be published. That’s not…exactly…how it works.
Much like a child, a book needs a community to become all it should be (and I’m so very lucky to have a fabulous community).
From the very beginning, I have my amazing crit partners, Fiona Archer and Monette Michaels, who get the first crack at the manuscript, and then content editor Bianca Sommerland jumps in.
After that, there’s a back and forth between me, my wonderful Red Quill editors (Ekatarina Sayanova, Rebecca Cartee, and Tracy Damron-Roelle) and my incredible beta readers (Barb Jack, Marian Shulman, Lisa White, and JJ Foster). They’re the reason you’re not tripping over typos and wondering why the hero’s brown eyes somehow turned blue.
When, the baby…uh, book…is ready to leave the nest, it still needs support.
And there you all are, my awesome readers. You have my deepest appreciation for sending happy emails, for writing reviews, for giving shout-outs for the book. For your enthusiasm that keeps me returning to the keyboard.
Hugs and kisses go to my marvelous Facebook Shadowkittens who stay with me from book conception to after the release date—and the next book. From begging for stories for different characters (no, the Murphy brothers will not get a book) to answering polls and having the most intriguing book discussions. And keeping me laughing.
I love you all.
PROLOGUE
A terror-filled chittering came from the rocky creek below.
Pulled out of her grieving, Heather rose from her tree-shaded niche and wiped her tear-dampened cheeks. As she worked her way down the steep bank to the edge of the water, silence fell.
“Where are you, sprite?” She looked around, not seeing any movement. “Let me help.”
After a long pause, squeaks came from a few feet away.
A young pixie not even the size of Heather’s hand was caught between two rocks at the water’s edge. She’d probably fallen from the tree overhanging the creek. “There you are.”
“Whatcha doing, sis?” Daniel called from farther up the creek. Her brother was a tall, hefty male, muscular from working his ranch in Rainier Territory. Shaggy brown hair hung over his ears because he was “too busy” to get it cut.
Or he doesn’t give a damn, which is more likely.
“Sprite saving.” Heather knelt.
“What a surprise.” Shoving his long black hair out of his face, Tanner, her other littermate, shot her a quick grin. “Face it, sis, you’ll rescue anything, from females to OtherFolk.”
Daniel smirked at Tanner. “Or brothers, like the time you and Gretchen—”
“Shut it, gnome-brain.” Tanner tackled Daniel, dumping them both into the water.
Brothers. Honestly. Heather snorted. Yet their playing lightened her heart. A little.
“Hang on, pixie.” Carefully, she moved a rock to free the tiny OtherFolk’s leg and then held her hand out.
To her surprise, the pixie accepted the invitation and climbed on.
Slowly, Heather lifted her hand to under the lowest branch.
The sprite leaped and disappeared into the foliage with a happy chitter.
Turning, Heather saw her brothers had abandoned their tussling in favor of trying to catch a fish. It was many miles from the North Cascade’s Elder Village to where they’d left their vehicles at a turnout. Since they’d been traveling in their animal forms, they’d stopped at one of the territory’s clothing caches near here to shift to human and take a break.
Undoubtedly her brothers were getting hungry, and bears adored fish.
She was a wolf, not a bear. And right now, her heart was too sore to join them.
Mama is gone.
It felt just so…wrong. There simply couldn’t be a world without her mother in it.
Shoulders sagging, she sat on the creek bank and put her bare feet in the cold water. The August sun was hot on her shoulders. The air held the resinous tang of the forest and the slightly fishy scent of water flowing over sun-warmed rocks.
Daniel made a snatch for a trout, missed, and grumbled.
Two silvery undines flashed around his legs, then went to tease Tanner. Water elementals had a wicked sense of humor.
Heather smiled slightly. It was nice to be with her brothers again. Her cabin wasn’t far from their place—they were all in Rainier Territory, after all—but she was busy with her company, and they stayed busy on the ranch that’d been in their family for generations.
Pulling up her legs, she rested her head on her knees. This summer had been so filled with heartbreak. In June, Scythe mercenaries had attacked their summer festival. Shifters had died, and she had killed a human for the first time.
Then yesterday, word had come from the Elder Village their mother was failing. It’d taken too long to get from Rainier Territory to the village since the place was deliberately inaccessible to vehicles.
Mama was gone before they’d arrived.
We didn’t even get to say goodbye. To tell her how much we love her. Heather blinked hard. Mama had known how much she was loved.
She’d known.
Wiping her eyes, Heather glanced at her brothers.
Having abandoned their game, they were watching her with concern.
“She wouldn’t want you sad about her death,” Daniel said gently.
Tanner’s crooked smile held his own grief. “Nope, she’s liable to come back and knock you into the creek.”
“Like when we were sixteen”—Daniel splashed toward her—“and Mama found out the Martel brothers were messing around with you.”
“Those assholes,” Tanner growled. He’d always been the most protective of her two brothers. “They were, what, mid-twenties?”
“Mmmhmm.” Heather tried to smile. They’d been the first to teach her that males weren’t always honest in their interest. “The Martels are still lying cockroaches.”
“We wanted to teach them a lesson, but Mama beat us to it. She’d already shifted to bear.” Tanner splashed water at the undines, making them swirl in glee. “She scared the scat right out of them. It was great.”
Mama had been the sweetest person, yet she’d take on the entire world to keep her babies safe. Heather had always wanted to be just like her.
“Mama bears—the terrors of the animal world.” Daniel smiled, then frowned at Heather. “You sure had abysmal taste in males back then.”
“Guess so.” And it seemed her taste hadn’t improved. Bitterness made her press her lips together. She’d grown better at avoiding liars, but not at choosing males who wouldn’t cut and run at the drop of a hat.
Nobody stayed. She pushed her forehead against her knees, choking back a sob.
“Hey, we’re here for you, you know.” Tanner dropped onto the bank beside her and patted her shoulder.
Being bears, her brothers fumbled their way through emotional moments. But it warmed her heart that they tried.
Soaking wet, Daniel sat down on her other side.
“Thanks, dudes.” They cared; she knew they did. But their lives were tied up in their ranch, just like hers was invested in her software business.