“Well, you two seem very cozy together.” The short blond woman Reese had introduced as Samantha, the mate of his best friend Keller, smiled at Jo.

“Yes, Cooper seems really taken with you.” The taller, brunette woman Reese had told Jo was named Sadie smiled too. Supposedly the two women were twin sisters, although they looked nothing like Jo. Both of them were obviously pregnant.

“Yes, we’re getting along like a house on fire.” She smiled brightly, still a little uncomfortable in the presence of strangers. She wished again she hadn’t let Reese talk her into going to this gathering of his friends. But since Fiona was supposed to be here too and they wanted to talk about the strange man in the woods and what he had said to her, she had consented.

“I think that’s sweet,” Sadie said earnestly. “Coop—sorry, we all call him Coop but I guess you call him by his first name?”

“Yup. He’s Reese to me.” Jo nodded.

“Okay, well whatever you call him, he’s a really nice guy,” Sadie said. “He helped me out of a jam when I first came to Cougarville and someone had slashed all my tires.”

“What?” Jo frowned. “Why would someone do that to you? Does this town have some kind of a crime problem?”

“It didn’t used to,” Samantha said dryly. “But who knows what’s in the water supply now?”

“Reese said something about that.” Jo leaned forward and addressed Samantha. “He said your body was, uh, forced into . . .”

“Rejuvenation?” Samantha asked. “Yup.” She nodded. “It absolutely was. I was injected with a serum that brings the latent Shifter Gene to life in a female of the right age—middle age.” She laughed. “No one would ever guess I’ll be forty-one on my next birthday.”

“You look like you’re barely twenty,” Jo said. “You too,” she added to Sadie.

“And you. We all do.” Sadie smiled at her. “That’s part of Rejuvenation—you should know by now.”

“Actually, I’m not completely sure what’s going on with me,” Jo said carefully. “I mean, Fiona says I have this, uh, Shifter Gene and that I’m a ‘Juvie’ but honestly, I think most of my problems stem from a spell I cast that went wrong.”

“A spell?” Sadie’s eyes widened.

“That’s right—my hubby Keller told me—you’re a witch, right?” Samantha’s blue eyes gleamed with interest.

“I am,” Jo said with dignity. “I’m a Third Degree Wiccan. I’ve been practicing for over twenty years now.”

“Well anybody who sticks with anything that long has my respect.” Samantha raised her glass, which was full of pinkish liquid. “To you, Jo, and to new friends.”

“To Jo.” Sadie also raised a glass—hers seemed to have some kind of thick, grass-green milkshake in it.

Jo raised her own long-stemmed glass of white wine. “To new friends,” she said, and was about to take a sip when Sadie’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“Are you sure it’s safe for you to drink, hon?” she asked earnestly. “I mean—have you taken a pregnancy test? It’s just that Rejuvenation induces a state of hyper-fertility. So if you and Coop, I mean Reese have . . . you know . . .”

“We haven’t,” Jo said quickly and blushed. “I mean, we’ve done other things but . . . but not that.”

But even as she spoke the “other things” came crowding into her mind.

Ever since Reese had performed the ritual on her and helped her with her cravings, she’d been more comfortable in asking him to help her again. At first Jo had been hesitant, enduring the insatiable desire, which only seemed to grow stronger every hour, but he’d been so willing, however, and also so eager to let her lead the scenario that Jo had, to a large degree, gotten over her shyness. Just that day when Fiona had gone out, mentioning that she would be gone at least an hour, Jo had called him over to the pharmacy when it was closed for lunch.

There, in the backroom, amid the shelves of exotic ingredients and stacks of dusty books, she had pushed him to his knees. Reese had gone down without hesitation. Looking up at her, he’d said in a hoarse, growling voice, “Use me, darlin’. Take what you need.”

The sound of those hot words in his deep voice made Jo feel like she was going crazy with lust. She’d pulled up her skirt and pushed down her panties. Straddling his face, she had lowered her throbbing pussy directly down onto his eager mouth.

Reese had gone to work at once. Pressing his face between her legs, he lapped hungrily, bathing her aching pussy with his tongue, exploring her slick inner folds and teasing her clit until Jo tangled her fingers in his hair and moaned with delight.

He gripped her ass and hips, supporting her with his strong arms when her knees went weak from the pleasure he was giving her and Jo rode his face shamelessly, using him exactly as he had asked her to, taking what she needed from him without embarrassment or guilt. It was pleasure freely offered and freely accepted and Reese had kept offering until she had lost count of her orgasms.

Sharing herself with Reese so freely had begun to make Jo feel much more comfortable with herself and her own body. In fact, she’d even felt ready to return the favor, but when she tried, Reese put her off.

“Later, sweetheart,” he murmured, his mouth and chin shiny with her juices. “I don’t want to rush you.”

“You’re not,” Jo protested. “Honestly, Reese, I know you don’t want to bring up my, uh, past trauma but I won’t freak out at the sight of your cock—I promise.”

“Oh yeah?” A little smile had been playing around his face. “All right then—let’s test that, shall we?”

Before Jo could answer, he’d unbuckled his belt and unfastened his work trousers. He was still on his knees and she watched with wide eyes as he reached into his pants and pulled out his long, thick shaft.

It looked achingly hard and for a split second, Jo flashed back to her attackers, on the engorged clubs between their thighs. But those had been ugly . . . horrible. Reese’s equipment didn’t look that way to her at all. True, it was extremely large, but it had smooth, clean lines Jo rather liked. It was long and straight and stood tall between Reese’s muscular thighs. At the broad, flaring crown she could already see a clear bead of precum, showing evidence of his desire for her.

“Is this all right, darlin’?” Reese had asked hoarsely, fisting himself as he knelt on the floor before her. “Does it bother you? Want me to put it back?”

“No . . .” Somehow Jo had found herself mesmerized. She pulled the rolling office chair from behind the desk and sat in front of him. “No, go on,” she told him, her voice sounding breathless in her own ears. “I . . . I want to watch.”

“Your wish is my command,” he growled softly. And, with a slow, steady rhythm, he began to stroke the hard, pulsing pole of flesh with his big hand.

Jo watched, her breath coming short as the throbbing grew between her thighs once more. She couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like, having that thick shaft between her legs, sliding into her, breeding her, filling her with his seed . . .

No, she told herself sternly. No, I can’t do that. I’m already straddling the line with what we’re doing now. Letting Reese fill me . . . would be breaking my vow of chastity completely.

But she couldn’t look away as he finally came with her name on his lips, his thick cock jerking in his fist as ropes of cum splattered his flat belly.

“Jo,” he groaned as he shot. “God, darlin’, I can still taste you on my lips. Love the taste of your sweet little pussy . . . it makes me so hard . . . makes me need to come so fuckin’ bad . . .”

Jo had been feeling the need again herself by the time he finished and she might have ridden his face some more if she hadn’t glanced at the clock and realized that Fiona was due back in five minutes time.

Hastily, she and Reese had straightened their clothing and cleaned up but he hadn’t left until he’d kissed her and shared her own secret flavor with her. Then he’d reminded her that they were going straight to his friend Keller’s house for a cookout right after work.

Jo had thought she would be all right—that their lunchtime tryst would surely take the edge off her lust long enough for her to meet all Reese’s friends and be social at dinner. But now, sitting here with Sadie and Samantha—who both seemed really nice—all she wanted to do was get Reese alone somewhere and ride his face some more.

Maybe you want to ride other things too, hmm? whispered a little voice in her head. But Jo pushed it away. Even if she was completely over her past trauma—which she didn’t think she was—she couldn’t even think of breaking her vow to the Goddess. It would be wrong. She needed to stop thinking about making love with Reese—needed to get the thought completely out of her mind.

Still, she looked longingly at the barbeque at one end of the long deck that edged the back of Keller’s stately home. Reese and Keller and another man he’d introduced as Mathis Blackwell were standing around the fire, talking and drinking beer while Keller turned the steaks. The women were at the other end of the deck, taking it easy. Jo wondered if she and Reese could slip off into the woods or maybe pretend they were looking for the bathroom and have a quick tryst. Keller’s home was huge—surely they could find some privacy somewhere within the sprawling mansion . . .

“Okay then,” Samantha said, breaking into her memory of lunchtime with Reese and her speculation about getting her itch scratched yet again. “If you haven’t, uh, done the dirty yet, I’m sure you will soon. After all, it’s not long until the full moon.”

“Yes—you’ll have your first Shift.” Sadie clapped her hands excitedly. “You’ll get your animal form. And since Cooper is a Fox, you’ll be one too. A . . . uh . . .” She frowned at her sister. “What’s the name of a female fox, Sammie?”

“A vixen,” Samantha said promptly. “You’ll Shift into a vixen.”

“But I don’t want to Shift!” Jo protested. “I’m a witch, not a Shifter!”

“You are both, my dear, as I have explained. Doubly blessed.” Fiona came into view, carrying a dry martini in one hand. She was wearing a deep blue caftan and sapphire and silver jewelry which sparkled in the light of the dying sun.

Though Jo saw her every day at work, she always marveled at the new and exotic clothing and jewelry choices the wise woman came up with on a daily basis. She didn’t think she’d seen Fiona wear the same thing twice in all the time she’d known her.

“I don’t believe that,” she said stubbornly.

“Maybe you just don’t want to believe it,” Samantha said gently. “I didn’t either, you know. I’m a successful surgeon and I worked for years to get where I am. I didn’t want anything to do with turning into an animal, coming into heat, and bearing any man’s child. I fought it for as long as I could.”

“You . . . you did?” Jo felt like her throat was closing up. “And what happened—why did you stop fighting?”

“I didn’t want to but when the breeding heat comes on you . . .” Samantha shrugged. “There’s not much you can do but give in. Or you’ll become one of the Unformed.”

“Jocasta did become one of the Unformed,” Fiona said tranquilly, taking a seat across from Jo on one of the outdoor settees.

“What? But I thought that was a death sentence!” Sadie’s face went very pale.

“It is,” Fiona said, giving Jo a level look. “Jocasta is very lucky she didn’t die on the last full moon. If she hadn’t found a white ash tree that had been split by lightning and rubbed its ashes on her skin to help dampen the need to Shift, she may well have been torn apart.” Fiona shook her head. “I fear that Lady Moon will not be so lenient again. This full moon, Jocasta my dear, you must Shift and breed or die. I am sorry to give you pain by speaking so plainly, but it’s only the truth.”

Jo remembered the awful sensation like someone was trying to pull her arms and legs out of their sockets and shivered. Still, she didn’t want to believe what the wise woman was saying . . . didn’t want to acknowledge that she would have to Shift on the next full moon. She wasn’t ready for such a huge change in her life and she certainly wasn’t ready to be bred. It would be breaking her vow and besides the very idea was frightening and brought back bad memories.

“I’d really rather not talk about this right now,” she said tightly.

“Oh, of course—we’re sorry.” Sadie looked contrite. “Um . . . well what did you think of that weird thing in the news today?”

“What weird thing?” Samantha rolled her eyes. “Please don’t tell me more political crap, Sadie. You know I had to stop watching that stuff—it was driving me crazy!”

“No, no—this was local. Or at least, it only happened over in Asheville,” Sadie said. “A man was found with his throat ripped out—they said it looked like some kind of a wolf or wild dog attack but made by a really huge dog.”

“That sounds like a Shifter,” Samantha said flatly.

“I know—I thought so too,” Sadie said. “But who would do something like that?”

Jo felt a chill run down her spine. “Did . . .” She cleared her throat. “Did they say his name? The victim’s name, I mean?”

“Um, let me think . . .” Sadie frowned. “It was one of those rich guy names—something something Drumhead the Third, I think?” She shook her head. “I remember thinking it was weird he had a name like that because the newscaster said he was an ex-con that had only recently been paroled from prison. So he—”

“Excuse me.” Jo got up abruptly, leaving her drink on the patio table. Her thoughts were in a snarl and her stomach felt like a lump of ice.

How could he? How could he? Cupping her elbows with her hands, she ran blindly into the house.

* * *

“So it seems like you found a Juvie of your own. Good for you.” Mathis Blackwell, the Buck Shifter, smiled at Reese over the barbeque grill where Keller was turning steaks.

“I guess you could say so,” Reese said carefully. “Although I wouldn’t exactly call her mine yet.”

“Oh? Waiting for the full moon to do the first breeding so you can Shift together?” Mathis asked. “Good choice.”

“It’s not that, exactly.” Reese sighed. “It’s . . . complicated.”

“She’s a witch,” Keller said bluntly, looking up from the steaks for a moment.

“What?” Mathis frowned, confused. “She seems nice enough to me.”

“No, Buck—not a witch with a capital B. An honest-to-Goddess Wiccan witch,” Keller said, frowning at the other male.

“Keller’s worried I might be in over my head,” Reese said, glaring at his oldest friend.

“Well, are you?” Keller asked blandly, staring back. “I heard about the way she blasted you and Carl at the Friendly Bean the other day.”

“That was an accident,” Reese said hotly. “Her powers are growing right now because she’s doubly blessed—a Shifter and a witch. Fiona was one too, you know.”

Mathis’s eyes widened. “Fiona’s a Shifter?”

“She was when she was younger,” Reese said quickly. “Not anymore. She was able to take a potion to suppress her Shifter side after her mate died.”

Keller frowned. “I never heard of anything that could keep you from Shifting once Lady Moon lays her silver finger on you.”

“It only works for witches who are also Shifters,” Reese explained. “And only after the first Shift is completed. Anyway, Jo hasn’t even made her first Shift yet so it’s a moot point.” He sighed. “What I’m worried about now is the fact that Fiona isn’t the only one who knows Jo is doubly blessed.”

“What do you mean by that?” Mathis asked.

Rapidly, Reese outlined the other night in the woods, how a strange man had attacked Jo and talked about her powers and then had been angry when he found out she hadn’t been bred yet.

“But that makes no sense,” Keller said, frowning. “If he’s another Alpha, he wouldn’t want her bred—he’d want to do the breeding himself.”

“That’s just it—I don’t think he’s a Shifter. Or not one like we’re used to,” Reese said. “His smell was all wrong—some animal, some human, and something else I’ve never run across before. And when I was chasing him, he suddenly disappeared. It was strange.”

“Strange and troubling, no doubt, my dear.”

Reese jerked in surprised and turned to see Fiona behind him with a troubled look on her ageless face.

“Reese . . .” She frowned up at him. “Why did I not hear about the attack on Jocasta until now?”

Reese shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot while Mathis looked away and Keller busied himself flipping steaks.

“Well, Jo wanted to wait and talk to everyone at once,” he said at last. “About the idea that her body might have been forced into Rejuvenation the same way Samantha’s was. And who might be behind it . . .”

“Somebody at the very top of the food chain over at Pfizer is my guess,” Keller said, frowning. “At least, that’s what the Hyena Shifter who kidnapped Samantha said. He told her that he had backing from the top and there were shortly going to be a lot more Juvies running around.” He shook his head. “I’ve been having the water supply tested but there are an awful lot of streams and brooks and rivers flowing in and around this area. I haven’t found traces of the chemicals that were used on Samantha yet.”

“Well it must be coming from somewhere,” Reese said. “Have you checked around Avalon?”

“What? The Yoga place outside of Asheville?” Mathis asked.

Reese nodded. “That’s where Jo used to live. If something is in the water supply it might be around there.”

Keller nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll send a technician up there to get a sample. But we could be wrong about the water, you know. Whoever is behind this might be using another vector to infect women with a latent Gene.”

“Whoever is behind it, it’s clear that Jocasta is his most immediate target,” Fiona said severely. “Listen to me, Reese—you must keep her close to you! The full moon is tomorrow night and it will be a very dangerous time for her. She’s still in denial about becoming a Shifter so it’s likely the breeding heat will come on her suddenly and very strongly. You must help her—breed her—or she’ll die.”

Reese sighed unhappily. “What if she doesn’t want to be bred?” he asked. “You know about her past, Fiona. I can’t . . . I don’t want to hurt her.”

“You have to give her body what it needs,” Keller said, frowning. “It was the same with Samantha—she didn’t want it even though she was begging for it.” He shook his head. “I certainly found that out the hard way.”

“Yes, but everything came out right in the end, dear,” Fiona said to him. She pointed a finger at Reese. “But everything will not come out right for Jocasta if you don’t do as the Goddess commands.”

“Well . . .” Reese sighed. “She has been warming up to me lately. The, uh, ritual helped,” he murmured to Fiona in a low voice.

“It’s good if she’s gaining trust in you because I fear she is in very great danger—from this strange male as well as from her own unchecked breeding heat,” Fiona said. “But I’m afraid you might have forfeited some of Jocasta’s faith in you just now.”

“What?” Reese frowned and looked over at the patio furniture where the other women were sitting. Jo wasn’t there. “Where is she?” he asked Fiona. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, dear—only you can answer that,” the wise woman replied steadily. “And I think that Jocasta is inside the house right now, waiting for answers.” She nodded at the back door of Keller’s palatial home.

Reese shook his head. “I still don’t understand.”

“Apparently there was something on the news?” Fiona said delicately. “Something about an ex-convict who was out on parole getting his throat ripped out by some kind of very large beast? Perhaps . . . a very large Fox?” she added pointedly.

“Seriously?” Reese suddenly felt his stomach drop to his boots. “Fuck,” he growled.

“I saw that report,” Keller said, frowning. “You know something about it, Coop?”

Reese felt his blood start to boil.

“It was vengeance,” he said, his voice dropping down to a growl. “Righteous and well deserved.”

“Well, if somebody hurt your female—” Mathis began but Reese just shook his head.

“Excuse me—I’ve gotta go.”

Pushing past them all, he headed into the house, wondering what in the name of Lady Moon he was going to say to Jo.