Her Protectors (Peacekeepers Book 2) Read online

  The heat of the man and the room engulfed her.

  “Okay, gorgeous. If you need to go, we’ll go. We’re not letting you out of our sight.”

  She stepped back and waited for them to throw on some clothes too, which they did at a much slower speed than she expected from such virile men. Watching their muscled arses disappear beneath denim was a crime, but she’d pull them off her men later.

  Hang on, when did I start considering them my men?

  “Great. Let’s go.”

  She re-opened the door, the cool air prickling against her warm face. Ashten and Raylock flanked her on each side as they stomped their way up the hill and entered the forest.

  Jacky stopped in her tracks and looked up at the canopy of trees blocking out the sky. Night had arrived too soon. The twinkling rays of sun looked more like starlight through the black denseness of the foliage.

  “Wow.”

  “It is pretty good, isn’t it?” Ashten asked her, linking his fingers with hers.

  She couldn’t help the sigh that escaped. “Yeah, it is.”

  “And you’ll be able to come here and explore every day when you promise to stay with us.”

  She laughed and pushed her legs to keep walking through the forest. Everything was so beautiful, and smelt so clean, wet and green. Living here forever would definitely not be a burden, quite the opposite actually.

  “Tell me more about this bonding between us. Why do you guys need to stick to my side every second? Not that I don’t like it, but you seem to be compelled to stay.”

  Raylock, her big protector answered with a shrug as he walked alongside her. “On our land, you don’t need protecting all of the time, it is just that we are still new to having our mate and our hormones are hungry.” He winked at her and she grinned at him. His desire for her was incredible. She’d assumed he would soon stop wanting her so much, but she knew that if she’d allowed it, she’d be on her back in their bed being pleasured once again.

  She cleared her throat and shook her head a little. She was as bad as them, thinking about sex all the time. “And when we go off your land? What happens then?”

  Ashten, the more serious of the brothers answered her, squeezing her hand as they walked. “Then one of us, or our brothers will always stay with you.”

  What? Always? That was a bit excessive.

  “How come? I mean, I’m not used to that. No-one from my side of the world is. I’m used to being pretty independent.”

  As a woman who moved out of home to go to University in another state and looked after herself, and often flatmates as well, the constant bodyguard concept was a little strange.

  Ashten answered this one again. “Jacky, we are Peacekeepers, which means we have some very powerful enemies. It doesn’t matter how strong and independent you are, the creatures that may come after you are not human and do not play by your rules.”

  She stopped again and stared at her men, tugging her hand out of Ashten’s grasp. She’d never thought about what sort of danger she might be in. “What do you mean, come after me?”

  Ashten reached out and took her hand again, intertwining their fingers and pulling her to keep walking through the trees. “You are our mate, the other half of our souls. There will not be another for us, ever. You complete us and we would do anything to keep you safe. Unfortunately, everyone in our world knows that. If someone kidnapped you or threatened to hurt you, we would do anything to get you back.”

  Raylock grunted as he picked up a log the size of Jacky’s torso and tossed it out of sight like it weighed less than her hand bag. “And that cannot happen. So we will make sure you are never in a position to be taken.”

  She opened her mouth to say something, but Ashten suddenly grabbed her and thrust her behind him, growling as he began to grow in height.

  “What’s happening?”

  Her hands lay on his back, which soon became fur. Ashten was changing, becoming his polar bear. Her hands trembled as her heart stuttered in her chest. There was danger around her and she couldn’t see it.

  That was a scary thought.

  Raylock ran around to her other side, staying in human form, his eyes darting this way and that. “There’s were-wolves in the forest, we can hear them. Jacky, don’t move.”

  Ashten began to growl, a menacing, low sound. Then, as though they materialized from thin air, out of the forest stepped a dozen grey wolves, surrounding them in a circle.

  Oh crap!

  “One of you shift. Now.” Raylock’s voice was like a deep base drum, booming through the forest.

  Jacky stuck her head around Ashten and saw an incredible sight.

  The largest of the wolves stepped closer, his furry, large body melting away to reveal a spectacular man on all fours that slowly stood up straight. He was dripping with sweat and panting as though he’d just come back from a run.

  Her mouth dropped open as she stared at his naked, heavily muscled body.

  Wow. What’s with these shifters and their bodies?

  “We’re here to talk to Brad and Duncan about a property dispute. There will be another pack arriving soon also.”

  She stepped closer to Raylock and stood between her two men. The wolf-man, she assumed was the leader, gave her a long look up and down and she jumped behind Raylock as he began to clench his fists and pant also.

  “This is our mate, Jacky. I suggest you keep your paws, and eyes to yourself.”

  Raylock twisted around and lifted her up into his arms, holding her close to his chest. She clung to him tightly, her heart pounding in her chest. They’d definitely had enough fresh air for today.

  She closed her eyes and tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder.

  “Brad and Duncan are in the main lodge. Go speak to them there. They’ll hear your dispute, and call us in if necessary.”

  The wolf- man must have agreed because Raylock began to run back to their lodge, jostling her as they moved around the trees. She clung tightly but could hear Ashten following behind more slowly, still in polar bear form. Jacky opened her eyes and watched him amble on all fours over the hill.

  When they were back inside, Raylock put her down and went over to attend the fire, stoking the flames and keeping the room as warm as possible. When she saw Ashten approaching, she opened the door for her incredible polar bear, who shifted back to human form the moment he stepped inside.

  He stalked towards her, his shoulders flexing, his muscles bulging.

  “Horny still, little girl?”

  “Ah… um…” She kept backing up until she tripped and fell onto the bed. The men were on her quickly, stripping off her pants and turning her over, holding her down, face first on the bed.

  “You’re ours, you hear that Jacky, OURS.”

  Slap. “Ow.” A sting across her arse made her lift up and try to turn around but Ashten held her upper body to the mattress while Raylock spanked her arse again.

  “Ow!” She snorted a little in indignation, but gasped as Raylock rubbed between her crack and pinched her nether regions. Heat flood her face.

  “Ours. You don’t look at another man, desire another man. If we smell your arousal like that again when in the company of other men, we will have to bring you back here and make sure you know who you belong to.”

  Smack.

  “Argh.” His hand stung a little as it connected on her arse cheek, but that wasn’t what was making her head swim with delirium. It was mostly the shock of the cold hand, the roughness in which they held her. They were teaching her a lesson, dominating her, and as they did they aroused something long buried within her and she began to fight.

  Pushing up against Ashten’s hands and screaming out as Raylock smacked her arse again.

  “Then you’re going to have to show me often, because I am nowhere near satisfied.”

  Raylock spanked her once more, hard, then spread her cheeks wide and sunk his cock deep into her pussy.

  Her body clamped down on him, pleasure rippling al
ong her senses.

  Oh fuck… yes….

  That was the last coherent thought she had for hours.

  ****

  They ate dinner in bed, and napped by the fire. Touching, kissing, sharing blissful sighs and smiles. Jacky was in heaven with all this love and attention.

  “Tell us about your life in Australia, Jacky. We obviously want you to stay, to never leave us… and if you do leave, we will follow you, but is there anything you haven’t told us? Do we need to come with you to tie up any lose strings? Will you have family visiting us from time to time? Are there parents we need to meet? Ah… a boyfriend maybe?”

  Jacky laughed at the look on Ashten’s face as his questions got more and more personal. His mouth was all screwed up like he’d just sucked on a lemon.

  “It’s so strange that you would ask about a boyfriend, you know I told you that I broke up with him before I came on this holiday.”

  Raylock joined them in their chat by the fire and took her off Ashten, physically removing her from Ashten’s arms and pulling her into his lap. Ashten was more affectionate and sweet. The combination of both attributes gave her everything she needed.

  “That’s right, sorry. I’d forgotten about that. We know that our pheromones when we met you totally overwhelmed you. So even if you had been partnered up, married even” —he grimaced— “you’d still be unable to resist us.”

  They both waited and she thought about how best to answer their questions. Honesty was probably best.

  “Well, you know that the main reason we’re on this trip is because I just had a messy break up with my old boyfriend and I needed a break.”

  Raylock gripped her harder, rumbling in his chest in a reassuring and protective way.

  She rubbed his arms and cleared her mind, focusing on finding answers to all the questions Ashten had asked.

  “It’s okay. It’s over now. Anyway… no boyfriend. Parents— yes, I’m close to my parents so I’d love them to come visit us, but we’re not close enough to mourn moving away. Work—I can resign and could even organize via emails and phone calls and friends. Karen’s my best friend and hopefully she’s staying here too.”

  “So you’ll stay with us.” Raylock’s voice was barely understandable as his already deep voice, rumbled even darker. He was definitely the more protective of the two brothers. Stronger, bigger and all over more serious.

  “Um…” She wasn’t a hundred per cent sure on that one. She loved being here with her men, but she’d only known them a few days. Could she make such an important decision so quickly? “I don’t know. I’d love to, but…”

  Ashten moved closer. “But, what?”

  She shrugged, not quite sure how to put it when they both seemed so sure. “But we barely know each other. I’m not sure I can commit to staying and changing my whole life if we’re not even sure if we’ll work out in a week or two.” None of my other relationships have, so why would this one? You’ll get tired of me. I’m sure you will.

  Ashten must have seen her face because he drew her back onto his lap. “What did that guy do to you?”

  She looked away, knowing that her face must have betrayed her feelings. Bloody glass face. “You like me enough now, but in a month, two, you may not. Let’s not make any major life changes until that time, huh?”

  Raylock cupped her face this time, staring down into her eyes with all the intensity of the sun. “What. Are. You. Talking. About.”

  She looked away. He was angry. She hadn’t meant to make him mad, she just didn’t know how to say it out loud.

  “I’m thirty-two, none of my other relationships have worked. I’m too big for most guys, too loud. I annoy people, and you two are so…” …beautiful in every way.

  Tears began to clog her throat, closing down her ability to talk—great.

  Ashten reached for her chin, dragging her face up once more so that he could stare at her.

  “Jacky, none of your other relationships have worked because you are our destined mate. You were waiting for us, and we were waiting for you. You complete us. You’re perfect in any way.”

  She wanted so much to believe them. To know that finally someone saw her for who she was on the inside, would love her for her.

  “I hope so.”

  Ashten grinned while Raylock began to undress her, rumbling and growling as he licked at her neck and ground his hard cock into her behind.

  “We know so, beautiful. Now, lay back and let us show you just how gorgeous we think you are.”

  She let a laugh bubble up and out of her throat, breaking through the pain and tightness around her chest. If her men wanted to make love to her, again, who was she to argue?

  Chapter 3.

  Jacky ran her hand over Raylock’s jaw, savoring the feel of the roughness beneath her palms. He shifted his knees from side to side, making her wobble and hold tight to him while she sat in his lap.

  She grinned at him and laughed. Life was so beautiful at the moment.

  The door opened and she turned to see who it was.

  Oh fantastic!

  “Karen, I’m so happy to see you. I’ve been asking to see you for a while. Can you believe what has happened? We are mates to polar bear shifters. Isn’t it amazing? I got to pat a frigging polar bear. How awesome is that?”

  Karen closed her eyes and seemed to be holding her breath. Trust Karen not to think that this was amazing. She’d be feeling agoraphobic being so far away from the smog and crowded spaces. Jacky couldn’t be happier with all the peace and fresh air. Karen cracked an eye open and studied her. She grinned to reassure Karen that she was fine. They’d work something out. She was sure of it.

  Raylock slid her off his lap and stood up behind her where she knew Ashten was also. Watching over her, close by, as they always were.

  Karen sighed, her frustration clear. “I don’t know about that, Jacky. This wasn’t in our plans. We don’t even live in America. I don’t kn—”

  The phone rang, interrupting her, and the men swore. Duncan, who was standing nearby, grabbed Karen and kissed her with a passion that before the last few days, Jacky had never witnessed. But their men had a strength and an appetite for love that was like the movies.

  When Duncan pulled back, Karen’s eyes were all sappy and she was barely standing on her own two feet.

  Jacky smothered her laugh with her hand. Karen could say whatever she liked, but she was obviously as smitten as Jacky was herself.

  Duncan spoke to Karen again. “Stay here. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Duncan left, and Brad followed him.

  “We better go too, sweetheart.” Ashten reached out for Jacky and kissed her. Heat flowed through her blood, lighting up her belly and heart, intertwining within her chest and getting stronger with each touch.

  When Ashten let her go, Raylock stepped up and pashed her, sliding his tongue straight into her mouth and possessing her. As he always did.

  When he stepped back, she dropped onto the couch, her legs too weak to keep her standing. She fanned herself as she stared after her men. The door closed behind them and she let out a sigh. What an incredible feeling, to be so brainless and so happy.

  Karen, the party pooper, came over and sat on the sofa next to her.

  “Do you know what the hell has happened? Because I have no idea. I remember driving down the winding driveway to the lodge, parking the car, and as soon as I got out, Duncan was on me, and my mind and body seemed to burn up with an all-consuming desire.”

  Jacky turned to her best friend, gathered Karen’s hands in her own and squeezed them. “Well, there is a reason the brochures can guarantee that you will see a polar bear, because they are polar bear shifters.”

  Karen rolled her eyes at her.

  “I have gathered that by now, Jacky. I saw Brad when he changed and scared the shit out of me. I thought he was crazy. I didn’t think shifters were real. My God, Jacky, people can turn into animals.”

  I know! And how perfect is that!

&nbs
p; “They are that, without changing, in bed.” Jacky winked at Karen, grinning as flashes of the lovemaking her men and she had shared, flashed through her head. Every single time they were everything she needed and more. Tender, passionate and attentive. But they’d been rough and all-consuming too.

  Perfect.

  “Jacky, way too much information.”

  Jacky waggled her eyebrows at her friend. There was no such thing as too much information. “Mine are wild. Are yours too tame and not satisfying you?”

  “Jacky, what the hell happened to you just getting over a break-up?”

  She groaned and looked away. That was the last thing she wanted to think about.

  “You did notice it is impossible to resist them. Did Brad or Duncan not tell you about the pheromone that makes them irresistible to their mate?”

  Which she actually thought was pretty perfect. She’d always hated the smell of her ex-boyfriend. Something about him always made her want to recommend he have a shower, and his kisses were yuck as well. To have someone, or two someones whose body chemistry was irresistible to her was just amazing.

  “Yes, they did.” Karen pulled her hands away and ran her fingers through her hair. “What the hell are we going to do? I told Brad and Duncan I’d give them a chance. I’ve given them two weeks to convince me, before we drive off to the next concert. I didn’t even think about the other things we have planned in Alaska. I wanted to spend time in Canada if we had time. Doesn’t look like I’ll get to do that. Jacky, we only planned to stay here a couple of nights. That is just the start of our dilemma. We are out in the middle of nowhere, and I don’t do well without civilization close. Sure, I can handle a couple of nights but…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to get too attached to these guys, only to have to go home to Australia where it is warm and it never snows.”

  Jacky stood up and began to pace. How was she going to slow Karen down? These thoughts were going to stop her friend from experiencing something that was truly magical. “I know, Karen. If we overthink everything, we’ll never have fun and enjoy ourselves, or really give this mated-to-shifters thing a go.” Jacky put her hands out and pulled Karen off the sofa. “I decided after seeing a wolf shift in front of me last night, before Ashten took me away, that I was going to give this all a go. I don’t want to regret this. I know if I run, I will always wonder. You know, Karen, you will too.” She bumped Karen with her hip. She needed to lighten up, seriously. Maybe it was time to tell her friend that she knew Karen’s secret. Yep, why not? “And anyway, it’s not like you have a job to rush back to.”