Commando Cowboys Entice Their Beauty [Wyoming Warriors 6] Read online

  He stopped talking and stared off into the distance. “I didn’t know until just before our wedding that she was the rare exception, a woman shape-shifter.

  “When she was small her mother told her about her grandmother’s decision for them to leave the tribe. Something had happened to one of the other female shifters. Your great-grandmother feared it could happen again. So she took your grandmother and left the third tribe. Your grandmother and mother, like you, learned at a very young age to not shift around anyone.”

  He took a deep breath. “As you know, your mother died having you, but your grandmother had your mother without a problem. That is the strange part. Why did she survive and your mother didn’t? I drove myself crazy for a while trying to answer that question. Your grandmother died about three years before I met your mother.”

  Jewel saw the tears in her father’s eyes. She squeezed his hand.

  “I suspect with your mother there was some type of interaction between her genes and mine that reacted badly in her body. She suspected she might have a problem. If I’d known there was any risk to her life, I wouldn’t have agreed to her getting pregnant.” He smiled at Jewel. “But she wanted a child very much, and we were so in love.”

  “Why did you decide to come back to the ranch after her death?” Jewel asked.

  “Since I’d lost my wife and had a baby girl to raise on my own, I wanted to be near my parents. I thought I’d need their help and advice on taking care of you. My heart was broken. Without you, I don’t know how I’d have survived. Then, a while after my return, I met Clara. I love her in a different but good way.”

  Jewel was surprised at how open her father was with her this evening. They hadn’t talked much about her mother. At first because Jewel was too young and it hurt him too much. Later, with Clara around, it didn’t seem fair to bring up Jewel’s mother.

  “You’d already warned me not to shift by the time Mom came to live with us.” Jewel had started calling Clara “Mom” soon after their marriage. Other kids had moms, and she had wanted one, too.

  “Thank goodness you and I were alone the first time you shifted. You were eighteen months old but bright and understood instructions as well as a child much older.” He patted her hand. “You’ve done well. No one suspects you are any different.”

  “But I hide all my skills, so they feel sorry for me.”

  “True. You and I agreed to that.”

  She hung her head. “I’m tired of not being me.”

  “Do you think you might come to love these two men?”

  Jewel looked back up at him. “Yes. My feelings regarding them have developed rather quickly since our first meeting.”

  “Then take the chance. Live your life fully. If that is what you want. You say they are both shape-shifters?”

  “From what I understand.”

  “Then you should have no trouble having their children.”

  A heated flush covered her face. “I’ve got to get back. The men will be ready for dinner and upset I left on my own.”

  Her dad kissed her cheek. “I love all my children, but in my heart you have a special place. You are the only part of her I have left. Take care.”

  “I will.” She heard another truck and glanced around. “If I don’t, they’ll be right on my heels.” She waited on the porch as Raoul and Aleron got out and took long strides toward her. Their angry expressions warned her she was in trouble. She smiled, and if possible, their frowns hardened.

  “What were you thinking to leave without protection?” Raoul asked. He stopped right in front of her.

  “I spent the whole afternoon making sure you were safe, and as soon as we leave you go off on your own.” Aleron raised his voice.

  Her father came to stand behind her, and he put his hands on her shoulders. “Gentlemen, please lower your voices. This is my daughter you’re talking to, and I don’t appreciate your harassing her.” His voice was hard as tempered steel.

  She almost giggled at the change in their expressions. “We’re only a few blocks from the ranch house. I’m fine, and I’m none of your business. I’m having to repeat myself a lot to you two.”

  Raoul took a deep breath. “We’re sorry, sir. Your daughter does not obey orders very well. We were concerned for her safety.”

  Jewel heard her father chuckle. “She never has obeyed orders well, except if she agreed they were serious enough. Then she did very well. Who are you to be giving her orders?”

  Aleron introduced himself and Raoul. “We’re part of the third tribe, and we care about your daughter’s welfare.”

  “I see. Come in and have dinner with the family. My sons are in that car coming down the road. We’ll be sitting down to the table in a few minutes.”

  “We’d like to meet Jewel’s family. Let me call Mitch and notify them Jewel is all right and that we’re staying for dinner,” Raoul said. He stepped to the side and called.

  Aleron moved up the steps and followed Jewel and her father inside. Raoul was right behind.

  Jewel hadn’t believed they’d accept. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and her heartbeat raced. She wasn’t sure if it was their effect on her or her worrying about her family’s reaction to them.

  Her brothers, Payton and Joe, looked surprised at the guests but didn’t comment. They waved and hurried to shower before dinner. Dad introduced Aleron and Raoul to Mom and her sister and sister-in-law. Once her brothers returned, Mom shuffled them all into the dining room to sit.

  After the rest of the introductions, Mom motioned for them to start passing the dishes. Raoul and Aleron managed to sit on either side of Jewel. Her mom’s eyes sparkled. Jewel knew she thought finally Jewel had some admirers. She had been encouraging Jewel to find a husband or husbands and settle down. Joe had married last year and her sister, Mary, two years ago. Mary’s husband was a firefighter and still out monitoring the last of the fire. Their mother’s mission was to see Jewel and Payton married.

  “You’re very quiet,” Raoul said.

  “You’ll see my family is able to carry on the conversation without my help.”

  Payton looked across the table at Raoul. “You and your firefighters were a big help today. We were lucky. I don’t know who sounded the alarm, but if we’d been any later we’d have lost more land and maybe people.”

  “Rae had a dream about dawn,” Jewel said. Then she wished she hadn’t when all eyes turned to her. “Rae told me while I was at the ranch house today.”

  “And Jewel sounded the alarm,” Raoul told her family. Jewel frowned at him. “They should know. You were our hero.”

  “Jewel, we’re so happy for you,” Mary said. “You two might not know, but Jewel hasn’t got the usual enhanced senses most of us have. I believe that may be why she lives in Oregon.”

  Damn, will Mary never stop talking? Jewel glanced at her father, but he didn’t look worried.

  “We’ve all tried to watch out for her. She hates our protectiveness, but we saw her as being more vulnerable than the rest of us,” Payton explained.

  “I see.” Aleron glanced at Jewel. “No special gifts?”

  “None!” She glared at him.

  “We don’t care.” Raoul put his arm around her. “We like you anyway.” His teasing glint annoyed her.

  Mary blushed. “I’m sorry if I spoke out of line.”

  Jewel realized Mary had always been the one to bring up her deficiencies. She looked from her sister to their father. Mary probably noticed her and their father talking out on the porch earlier. Did Mary resent the close tie between Jewel and their father?

  Mom spoke up. “How do you like the cabin?”

  “I like the tiny bit I saw of it. Mitch made me stay with Sara and Rae at the ranch house.”

  When Aleron began to speak, Jewel knew what he was going to say. She hit his thigh under the table. He raised an eyebrow then faced the family and told them of her actions earlier in the morning to save Rae and Sara.

  “Wow, you’ve had a big d
ay, sis.” Joe smiled at her.

  “You weren’t going to tell us,” Payton said. “We all brag on ourselves. But you’ve always been the quiet one.” His love for her shone in his eyes. She and Payton were the closest.

  She hadn’t minded his being protective.

  The dinner went on forever. Aleron teased her by keeping his leg, the one she’d slapped, up against her leg. Raoul had noticed what happened, and he rubbed the opposite thigh. Her body was aching with desire. Her face had to be flushed with heat generated from their touch.

  “Stop it,” she whispered to both of them. They smiled and continued their touching. Raoul’s hand slid higher, and his finger rubbed against that side of her throbbing labia. Her pussy clenched.

  The family was talking and joking with each other and Raoul and Aleron. No one noticed the fire inside her or heard the loud pounding of her heart. Thankfully, they were used to her being quiet.

  She wasn’t sure she wanted to feel this way about Raoul and Aleron. But her body had a mind of its own and she feared their determination might storm right through her defenses. They stopped teasing her, but she still ached for their touch. She’d better put her walls up good and strong. She’d always been able to easily do that before they came along.”

  When they finished dessert, Jewel stood. “I’m going to my cabin to unpack and collapse. I’m tired.” She kissed her father and mom.

  Payton gave her a hug. “Don’t be a stranger.”

  “Thank you for the lovely meal, Mrs. Camilius. We’ll follow Jewel to make sure she gets to the cabin without a problem.”

  “I’m glad. It eases my mind to know she won’t be arriving alone to that dark cottage,” Mom said.

  Jewel rushed outside into the cool air. Raoul and Aleron were just behind her.

  “Don’t try to lose us.” Raoul walked to her. “You have three choices tonight. Bunk with the crowd downstairs at the ranch house, or come with us to our cabin, or we’ll stay in yours. But you won’t be alone and unprotected.”

  “You aren’t my bosses.”

  “They’re right. Do as they say.” Jewel hadn’t seen her father step out on the porch. “I sense you care for my daughter. Don’t trifle with her, or you’ll face me and my sons. I’m trusting you to be good to her, respect her.”

  “We promise,” Aleron said.

  “She’s meant to be ours,” Raoul stated and brought up his chin to face her father.

  “If you’re right, you’d better let her make that decision for herself. Pushing will make her more obstinate and me mad.”

  Both men faced her father, their stances rigid. Then Aleron nodded his head and Raoul did the same. “We’ll do as you said, sir.”

  “If she doesn’t lead us around by the nose too long,” Raoul muttered.

  Her father laughed. “She may do that. I’m afraid you two don’t know what you’ve gotten a hold of, but she’ll show you, eventually.” He turned and went back into the house.

  “What did that cryptic message mean?” Aleron asked.

  Jewel pretended innocence. “I suppose time will tell.” Grinning, she got into her truck and drove toward the main part of the ranch. Which to choose, them or the crowd? She’d never liked crowds.

  Chapter Three

  Jewel drove to her cabin and parked. Raoul and Aleron pulled up beside her. She got out and stopped them before they walked up to the front door.

  She put one hand on each of their chests. “Let’s get this straight. If you’re going to stay here, you’ll both sleep in the living room, and you’ll help me unpack all but my personal things. Understood?”

  “Nope,” Raoul said. “We want to stay in your room with you. I’m not sure I can keep a promise to sleep in another room. Hell, I know I can’t. We want you, and you’d be lying if you denied having the same feelings for us.”

  “I need to know the two of you better and trust you more.” She stared defiantly at Raoul.

  “Why is this a big deal?” Raoul asked. “How old are you?”

  “Thirty-one, why?”

  “Then you can’t be a virgin. There’s a strong attraction between us, and we want to marry you. I don’t understand.”

  “You’re right. I’m not a virgin, but I’ve only been with one man, once, a long time ago.”

  “What happened?” Aleron asked.

  “I didn’t like it, and he told all the boys at high school that I was easy. They found out differently.”

  “I’m surprised your brothers didn’t beat the crap out of him,” Raoul said.

  “They did.” She walked to her front door and unlocked it. “Are you coming in on my terms?”

  Raoul and Aleron glanced at each other. “Yes,” Aleron said, and Raoul reluctantly nodded.

  Jewel turned on the lights and looked at her boxes. “A lot of this is my paints and other things I use for my paintings. I was going to put them in the front bedroom.”

  Raoul eyed the couch and two chairs in the living room. “I guess I can sleep on the sofa or I can sleep on the floor.” Before her eyes he shape-shifted into his silver wolf form.

  “It was you lurking around my cabin in Oregon.” Jewel’s voice rose to a high pitch. “How dare you?”

  “We were there for Rae. When I saw you, I knew you were the one for Aleron and me.”

  Jewel looked at him blankly. They’d expect her not to be able to hear him telepathically. She looked at Aleron, and he repeated what Raoul said.

  “There’s no way you’d know that fast.”

  Raoul shifted back. “Yes, we’re very receptive in our animal forms. I smelled your scent, saw you, and knew you were our soul mate.”

  She glanced at Aleron. “Are you like Cad, or do you shape-shift, too?” she asked, pretending not to know.

  Aleron blinked twice and spread his wings. His wingspan was over six feet across, and his feathers were dark brown with golden feathers around the back of his neck.

  Jewel couldn’t believe his size. She jumped back from him. His sharp beak was slightly hooked and his huge talons shiny yellow.

  “Raoul, tell her I won’t hurt her. She can touch my body.”

  “Touch his feathers. He won’t ever hurt you.”

  Mesmerized, Jewel reached out and put her hands on his head. He was soft, and the gold in his feathers glowed from the lamplight.

  “You’re both magnificent,” Jewel said around the lump in her throat. She thought about sharing her secret, but not yet. She had to be positively sure they’d accept her. Her skin tingled with the desire to shift, but she’d learned long ago how to fight the impulse. Caution and fear had been her teachers.

  Aleron drew his wings in and shifted back. Jewel touched his hair at the back.

  “I thought it was unusual for you to have so much gold in your hair just at the ends. Now I understand.” She took a deep breath of his scent. “You smell woodsy, like the outdoors. Did you fly today?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked from him to Raoul. Neither said any more. Whatever happened, they didn’t want her to know.

  “If you’re going to get my trust, you need to answer my questions.”

  Aleron stepped closer to her. “We will, if you do the same.”

  “You’d asked about what happened in high school?” They both nodded. “I’m not ready to discuss something so personal.”

  “Then we’re at an impasse, darlin’, because this has to be a two-way deal for it to work,” Aleron said.

  “I’m not the one anxious to take you two on.” Jewel grabbed her suitcase holding her clothes. “I’ll see you in the morning. You can work out how you’ll sleep.” She sauntered into her bedroom and closed the door. No need to lock it. They could break that tiny lock if they wanted.

  It’s called trust, Jewel. I know. Something I’m not good at, but I want to be. Because although I’m trying not to admit it, my attraction to them is building fast.

  To keep her mind occupied, she started to unpack. When she hung up her last blouse and c
losed the suitcase, the living room had been quiet for the past half hour. She was parched. She’d sneak out to the kitchen and hopefully not wake them.

  The hinges on her door squeaked. She stopped for a second and waited. All the lights were out. No sound except a low snore. Moving the door a tiny bit more, she was able to get around it.

  Tiptoeing, she headed to the kitchen and poured herself a tall glass of water, drank it, and then refilled the tumbler. She’d headed back to her bedroom when she saw the small light around the second bedroom door.

  Aleron slept on the sofa, and Raoul had shape-shifted to his wolf and slept beside the couch. She had to smile. They were close friends, evident in their choice of how to handle the sleeping arrangements.

  Jewel walked carefully around them. They didn’t stir. When she pushed the door further open, her breath caught. They’d arranged her easel, pictures, and paints just the way she’d wanted them. Tears pricked at her eyes.

  They might have chosen to ignore her and use the unmade bed in the room. But they’d tipped the bed against the far wall and done what they knew she wanted. They’d arranged her room for painting.

  She swallowed around the lump in her throat and cautiously made her way to her room. They were enticing their way into her heart, and what few defenses she had left were crumbling fast.

  * * * *

  As soon as she closed her bedroom door, Aleron spoke telepathically to Raoul. “I think she was pleased.”

  “She stood there staring for quite a while. I wish we could have seen her face. She thought we were asleep, but she’ll find out soon enough no one gets by us.” Raoul moved his wolf body and turned to the other side. “Just her scent makes my body ache for her.” He shifted back.

  “I’m going to our cabin. I’m too restless with her near and out of reach.”

  “We’re going to have to go slow. One of us at a time. She’s not ready for two,” Aleron warned.