Fabric of Fate

Tapestries - 6

by

N.J. Walters

Thank you to all the fans of the Tapestries series. So many of you wrote asking about the Dannon brothers I had to write their story.

As always, my thanks to my husband, who inspires me daily with his love and support.

Prologue

The wind pummeled Dannon Keep, whistling through a crack in one of the thick stone walls. The rain battered the slate rooftop and wooden shutters, but was denied entrance. Abrah Dannon sat with his booted feet toward the roaring fire, elbows resting on the heavy wooden arms of his chair and fingers steepled together. His faithful wolfhound Carn lay asleep at his feet. He peered into the crackling embers wishing he could observe the future there, but all he could see in the flickering flames were images from the past.

It had been a hard, brutal year. Illness had struck his home with a vengeance and, in spite of all his best efforts, the fever had taken his mother and youngest brother in the span of a week. By the time help and medicine had arrived from Castle Garen it was too late, at least for them. Others under his protection had fared much better than his family had. Now only he and his brother Heroc remained.

As if he’d summoned his brother with his thoughts, the door flew open and Heroc stomped inside, bringing the wild weather with him. He pushed his full weight against the door, muscles straining as he shoved it shut. The roar of the wind was abruptly cut off and relative silence ruled once again. His brother slammed the heavy bar across the door, bolting it for the night. “It’s a fierce one.”

Abrah didn’t bother to reply but went back to studying the flames. Carn raised his head long enough to glare at Heroc for disturbing his sleep, gave a huff and closed his eyes again.

The cold, stormy season was upon them, the harvest long in from the fields. The people of Dannon Keep had more than enough food to see them through. No, it wasn’t the thought of an empty belly that bothered Abrah. It was something far less tangible—an empty heart.

Heroc took off his heavy overcoat and shook the rain from the tanned leather before hanging it on a peg by the door. He strode across the room and threw himself down into a matching wooden chair and stared at his brother. “It will get better.”

He wished he shared his brother’s optimistic nature, but he was a realist. “Will it?”

“You must keep hope, Abrah.” Heroc jumped up from his chair, went to the sideboard and poured two tall mugs of ale that Tara, their housekeeper, had left before she’d retired to her home for the evening. There was no one in the castle except the two brothers and the resulting emptiness was oppressive.

“All is well?” Abrah didn’t want to talk about hope. He feared he no longer had any.

“Yes.” Heroc brought both mugs with him and handed one to his brother. “The gates are closed and locked for the night, the animals are all safely tucked away, there are men posted on the walls and the rest are in the barracks out of this miserable weather.”

It was always this way. Each year the cold season came with its rain and stormy winds, keeping everyone inside for several months. It made a man restless. Gave him too much time to think. “Good.”

Heroc took a swig of ale and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “We’ll need to check all the buildings when the storm lets up.”

There was always a never-ending list of things to do when one was responsible for so many others. Thankfully, he had his brother to help him shoulder the load. “First light if the wind is down.”

They sat in silence for a long time. The fire gradually died down to a flicker but neither man rose to tend it. “I miss them.”

Abrah turned to his brother and felt the same sense of loss and longing. The pain was still fresh. “I know. I do as well.”

The Dannon family had been all but wiped out these past three years. While hunting in the mountains, a freak landslide had killed their father, and their uncle had dropped dead not a year later of a weak heart. With the more recent deaths of their mother and brother a dark cloud seemed to hang over all of them.

“Will we go to the festival?”

The festival marked the end of the cold season and the beginning of the planting season. Families gathered from far and wide to socialize and share information, buy and trade animals and seeds, but mostly so that any unwed daughters could meet as many unwed men as possible.

In Javara women were in extremely short supply and brothers shared a woman. Only one brother was able to marry her and claim the children as his own, but the other brothers were allowed one night a week in her bed. That kept the population strong and men from killing one another to claim a woman.

Abrah shook his head. “I see no reason to attend.” There was nothing they couldn’t obtain from neighboring allies if there was a need and there was no point in searching for a bride. There would be no new women looking to wed this year. All the ones of age had been married off in the last twelve months.

Heroc sighed and Abrah wished he could offer his brother some solace, but he had none to give.

“The tapestry—” his brother began, but Abrah cut him off.

“Has not been seen in three years. It’s also been here an unprecedented number of times in our lifetime.” The tapestry was a magical creation, a gift from a powerful sorceress who brought women from other places and times to Javara as prospective brides. It usually brought one per generation and only a woman who had the ability to thrive in their world. Some women stayed, others did not. It was always the woman’s choice and she had three days to make it.

“But the rules of the tapestry seem to have changed. Maybe there is hope.”

Abrah rubbed a hand over his face, his heart aching at the deep need in his brother’s voice. “Maybe.” He would say no more, would not give false hope, but neither would he dash his brother’s meager optimism. They both knew the chance of another tapestry bride coming to their world was slim to none. A chance of one coming here and actually staying wasn’t even in the realm of possibility. There were so many other families out there, so many other men who wanted a woman.

The room was cold now and not just because the fire was little more than dying embers. Abrah stirred and pushed himself out of his chair. Carn slowly climbed to his feet and waited patiently. Tomorrow would come soon enough and, with it, work needing to be done. “I’m for bed.”

“I’ll be up soon.”

Abrah dropped his hand on his brother’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze before heading up the winding staircase at the end of the room. His feet made little sound on the stone as he went up the stairs and down the short hallway to his room, but Carn’s toenails made a sharp clicking sound as he kept pace. He barred the door behind them.

Carn immediately went to the front of the empty hearth, dropped to the floor and curled up to sleep. Ignoring the chill, Abrah stripped off his clothing and crawled into bed hoping to lose himself for a few hours in pleasant dreams.

Chapter One

Audrey Brennan stared at her computer screen and ignored the incessant beeping of her phone. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she refined her presentation, tinkering with the phrasing and font type. Time was of the essence. The client would be here within minutes.

A sharp rap on the door was quickly followed by it opening. Her assistant Gwen poked her head inside. “Ten minutes.”

“I know. I know,” she muttered under her breath and waved Gwen away. She hit print and sat back as pages began to spit out of the machine at a rapid rate.

Audrey rubbed her tired eyes. They were burning from lack of sleep. This last campaign had been a killer with the client changing his mind almost daily, but she had it now. The perfect tagline and punch for the print and television ads. The final piece of an already perfect puzzle.

The storyboards were set up in the conference room along with some preliminary photos and the PowerPoint presentation. Everything was ready.

She reached for her coffee cup only to find it empty. A quick glance told her the pot sitting on the credenza was also empty. Had she really drunk the whole pot herself? The burning in her stomach told her that she certainly had. It was only 9:50 in the morning but she’d been at work for almost five hours. Of course, she hadn’t left work until midnight the night before, so she was operating on about three hours of sleep and a gallon of caffeine.

“Just get through this and you can have a long rest and some decent food.” Of course, she was lying to herself. Once this campaign was nailed down there would be another one and another one. It had been like this for—she paused to count—ten years now. Where had the time gone?

“Suck it up,” she ordered herself. She yanked open her top desk drawer and pulled out a roll of antacids, popping two in her mouth. She chewed the chalky tablets, praying that her stomach would settle and the burning in her chest would subside.

The last page popped out of the printer and she grabbed the stack and shoved them into the presentation folder. She stood and ignored the slight dizziness and the sharp pain in her head. No time.

She paused in front of the mirror and gave herself a critical once-over. Her hair was pulled back in a business-like chignon but her skin was pale and her lipstick nonexistent.

Audrey swore and went back to her desk and pulled out her emergency makeup kit. It only took her a few seconds to swipe on some lipstick and give her cheeks a light touch of powder. Not too much, just a hint. Satisfied, she tossed the makeup back into the case and threw it into her desk drawer.

Her vintage velvet Chanel jacket went well with the simple black pencil skirt she wore. The style and obvious designer label were designed to give the client confidence in her abilities but understated enough so as not to overwhelm them. Her black velvet and leather Prada pumps matched the jacket to perfection and added a couple extra inches to her five-five frame. She was as ready as she’d ever be. There were millions of dollars on the line here and she was the one who had to get them for Claymore and Butler.

She scooped up the folder and headed to the door. Two minutes to get to the conference room. Gwen would have everything else set up by now. Audrey knew she could depend on her assistant. Of course she could, she thought wryly, Gwen was gunning for Audrey’s job. The advertising world was a cutthroat business worth millions daily. She hadn’t stayed on top for all these years by burying her head in the sand. Audrey was always aware of what every member of her staff was up to.

A sharp pain in her chest brought her to a grinding halt just short of the door. She gasped and slapped her palm over her heart. “Okay, that’s it. No more coffee for you. Time to switch to herbal tea.” She’d never had heartburn this bad before but she was running on empty and she knew it. “Just get through the presentation and then you can go home and rest.” It was a promise she planned to keep.

She took another step and a wave of dizziness hit her, sending her stumbling sideways into the wall. “This is ridiculous.” The folder fell from her fingers, papers scattering at her feet. “I don’t need this now.”

Sweat beaded on her forehead and it got more difficult to breathe. For the first time, Audrey began to worry. “Water. I just need a glass of water.” Rather than a few simple steps, the mini fridge seemed miles away.

Her phone line buzzed on her desk, her cellphone vibrated in her pocket and Gwen knocked on the door. “Audrey, the clients have arrived downstairs.”

Audrey wanted to answer Gwen and both calls but couldn’t move. She, the queen of multitasking, couldn’t take one step. Her chest hurt and her arms seemed heavy and numb. She opened her mouth to call to her assistant but nothing came out.

She lurched to the side, desperately trying to make it into the client chair in front of her desk. She just needed to rest for a moment.

She didn’t make it.

The floor seemed to rise up to meet her. Audrey stuck out her hands to catch herself on the desk but all she accomplished was to shove her phone, penholder and a stack of files onto the floor, where they scattered like leaves in a wind.

The world took on a dark, hazy quality. She had a vague sense of someone coming into her office without permission, which was usually a no-no. Someone screamed and then there were people around her.

Time lost all meaning. She blinked and there was a stranger leaning over her, asking her questions. She wanted to answer him but couldn’t quite make out what he was saying.

The presentation. The client. She was going to be late.

She struggled to catch his arm, her hands flailing. He caught them and continued talking to her in a calm, even tone. She frowned. “Presentation.” Or at least that’s what she thought she said. She wasn’t sure. It sounded kind of garbled.

Then she was moving. The ceiling rolled above her and she struggled to understand where they were taking her. She had a presentation to give.

But she was so tired. She decided she’d just close her eyes for a moment. Just for a few minutes. Then she’d figure out what to do.

* * *

The steady sound of a beep woke her. Audrey tried to open her eyes but it wasn’t easy. She’d never been a quitter and so she kept at it until they fluttered open. The room was stark white and there was a curtain around her and several scary looking pieces of equipment next to her bed. It took her befuddled mind a few moments to process that she was in a hospital.

She’d had a pain in her chest and gotten lightheaded. She frowned and pushed harder to remember exactly what had happened but came up blank. There were flashes of memory—something over her face, strangers talking to her and urgent voices giving orders. Obviously something had happened to her. Had she collapsed due to exhaustion? Fainted? How embarrassing. Her bosses wouldn’t be impressed and someone else would have given her presentation to the clients. All her hard work taken over by someone else, probably Gwen.

The beeping got faster and she turned to glare at the annoying machine. The blips were rolling across the screen at a rapid rate.

The door to her room was pushed open and a nurse hurried in. “You’re awake. Good. How do you feel?” The short-haired blonde moved briskly to the side of her bed and checked the machines.

“Fine. I feel fine.” She tried to make her tone brisk and businesslike and was appalled with how weak she sounded.

The nurse gave her a look of disbelief and inspected the IV line running into Audrey’s arm. Audrey glanced at the woman’s name tag but couldn’t quite focus on it enough to read it. She hadn’t even noticed the IV and was vaguely surprised. “What happened?”

The nurse shook her head. “The doctor will be in to see you in a few hours. Rest and relax until then.”

“I want to know now.” The beeping got faster.

The nurse shook her head. “Please relax, Ms. Brennan. You’re not doing yourself any good by worrying. I’ll page Dr. Harper and see if he’s available.”

With that she was gone, leaving Audrey to lie on the cool, scratchy sheets and stare at the ceiling tiles. She was more awake now, more aware of her surroundings. She could hear muted voices beyond her door and the occasional set of footsteps. The doctor would be here soon and then she would get checked out of this place. She needed to get back to the office and find out what had happened with the presentation. She had no doubt it had gone ahead in her absence. After all, Claymore and Butler had a reputation to uphold.

A sharp rap on the door startled her out of a doze. Before she could call out the door was pushed open and a man walked in, obviously a doctor from the look of him. He gave her an absent smile, went to the end of the bed and picked up her chart. While he scanned it, she studied him. About fifty, graying hair and fit. He appeared competent, which was a good thing considering he was her doctor.

“I’m Dr. Harper and I hear you have questions, Ms. Brennan.”

She struggled into a seated position, which wasn’t quite as easy to do as she thought it would be. “I do. Have questions that is.” She managed to move up enough so she wasn’t lying flat on her back. She hated to be in such a vulnerable position around a complete stranger.

The doctor replaced her chart and worked the controls on the bed, raising the head until she was upright.

“Thank you. Now, what happened?” The quicker she got answers the faster she’d get out of here.

“To be quite blunt, Ms. Brennan, you collapsed in your office. We thought it might be a heart attack at first, but we’ve ruled that out. My best guess is a panic attack. You’re undernourished, dehydrated and anemic.”

Audrey’s jaw dropped open. “A panic attack? That’s impossible. I’ve just been working a little extra hard these past few weeks.” In a flash of clarity, she understood that if word got out about this her career was over.

He shook his head. “It’s more common than you think. People are working harder and not taking care of themselves. It’s a result of overwork, poor nutrition and lack of exercise.”

“But a panic attack?” She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around the mere idea. She was the queen of calm, a multitasking maniac. She always got the job done and on time.

“Call it what you will. Chalk it up to too much coffee in your system along with not enough food or proper rest. Your body rebelled, Ms. Brennan. You’re lucky it wasn’t a heart attack. At least there isn’t any lasting effects.” He paused for emphasis. “This time. This is more or less a wakeup call. You need to make some lifestyle changes if you don’t want to end up back in this bed, or worse.” He crossed his arms and stared down at her. “Stress is a major contributing factor. Your body is run-down. You’re anemic, undernourished and just plain worn out.”

Audrey frowned. “I’ve just been putting in some long hours lately.” She hated repeating herself and she especially hated the defensiveness in her voice.

“How long?” he challenged. “I see workaholics in here every day and you’ve got the earmarks of one.”

She bristled at his tone and the implications behind it. She opened her mouth to refute him and then closed it. He was right. She’d been thinking the same thing herself only moments before she’d collapsed.

He patted her hand. “You have to decide how much your life is worth to you. You have to make changes or suffer the consequences.” He straightened and his manner became brisk again. “Do you have any family or friends you can call? You shouldn’t be alone when you go home. It’s just a precautionary measure.”

Audrey shook her head, aware of how pathetic she must seem to the doctor. “No, I don’t have any family.” An uncle she’d never met, but he wasn’t worth mentioning. “It was just my mother and me and she passed away years ago.”

“I’m sorry. Friends?” He was frowning at her now, almost as if he was going to reconsider letting her go home.

“Sure. I can call someone.” She was lying through her teeth but he couldn’t know that.

His expression cleared. “Good. I’ll have the nurse give you a list of instructions for you to follow. I want you on an iron supplement and a multivitamin until your levels are back to normal. I’m also going to give you a mild prescription for sleeping pills. If you pass a quiet night we’ll release you in the morning. But I’ll want to schedule some more tests. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have an ulcer and a few other minor conditions that need treating.”

Audrey thought about the earlier burning in her gut and kept her mouth shut.

“Rest, relaxation and good nutrition are the keys. You’re off work for two weeks. Doctor’s orders. A month would be better.”

She wanted to shriek at him. Two weeks was a lifetime in her business. Hell, she hadn’t even taken vacation the past three years, afraid if she did someone would have taken her place by the time she got back. “Two weeks is fine,” she agreed. She’d consent to anything to get out of this place.

Dr. Harper stared at her, as though he was trying to read her thoughts, testing the truthfulness of her words. She kept her features calm and her face unreadable. She was very good at projecting any image she wanted to.

He sighed and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, obviously not buying into her ready cooperation. “Your life is in your hands, Ms. Brennan. Be sure you make the right choices.” With that, he was gone.

Audrey dozed in and out all night long, not really able to sleep in such a strange environment. Nurses came and went, a breakfast of juice, oatmeal and dry toast was served and cleared away and a nutritionist dropped by with a new eating plan for Audrey to follow. She set it aside on the bedside table as soon as the woman left.

She’d already been up and to the bathroom, dragging her IV pole behind her, and washed as best as she could. She’d also discovered her clothes in the closet, but no purse. It was probably back at the office.

Exhaustion was dragging at her and her movements were slow, but she wanted out of this place. The faster the better. She didn’t like hospitals. She’d spent far too many hours in them when her mother was slowly dying of cancer.

Finally, a nurse came in just before lunch with the necessary paperwork to release Audrey. The IV was unhooked and she was given the prescriptions for her vitamins and sleeping pills along with a list of instructions. She wanted to jump for joy when the nurse brought her clothing to the bed and helped her dress. “Is there someone coming to pick you up?”

“Yes.” Audrey lied without batting an eyelash. No way was she risking not getting out of this place. Her cell phone was still in her jacket pocket and she planned to call for a car as soon as the nurse left the room.

“I’ll be back with a wheelchair in about twenty minutes. It’s hospital policy so you should rest until then,” the nurse ordered.

The moment the woman was gone, Audrey pulled out her cell phone and put in a call to a car service she used on occasion. “This is Audrey Brennan. I need a car in about twenty minutes.” She listened and then gave further instructions. She had several stops to make before she went home.

The simple act of dressing and making the phone call exhausted her. She eased herself down onto the chair and rested her head against the back of it. She was so tired. What she needed was a hot bubble bath and a good night’s sleep. She’d be fine in no time.

The nurse was back before Audrey knew it and she was wheeled down the hall and into the elevator to make the short trip to the lobby. She had her prescriptions and paperwork clutched in her hands. As ordered, the car was waiting just outside the entrance. The driver was one she’d had before and he got out and hurried toward her.

“Hello, Malcolm.”

“Ms. Brennan.” He inclined his head and looked around for any baggage.

“It’s just me, Malcolm.”

“Very good.” Malcolm was a man of few words, but he was a good soul. He helped her out of the wheelchair and into the back seat of the car. The nurse whirled around and disappeared back into the hospital.

Audrey gave a sigh of relief when the door shut with a thunk. She closed her eyes and inhaled the rich leather smell of the seats, simply drinking in the silence.

“Where are we headed, Ms. Brennan?”

She opened her eyes and offered him a smile. “To the office first, Malcolm. I’ll need you to wait and take me home after.”

“Very good.” He pulled into traffic and she let herself drift as he drove. She really was tired. She’d stop into the office long enough to pick up her purse and arrange to take a few days off. Heck, maybe she’d even take a whole week. But first, she’d find out what had happened with her presentation.

Her chest tightened and she forced herself to take several slow, deep breaths. Her stomach was none too settled and her hands had a slight tremble. She clutched the paperwork tighter.

The traffic wasn’t too bad, not for New York, so it didn’t take them too long to get to the office. Malcolm pulled up in front of the tall building. “Don’t bother coming around to get the door. I won’t be long.”

She shoved open the door and used it to help pull herself up and out of the vehicle. Her muscles were like jelly, begging for rest. “Almost there,” she muttered.

She made her way across the sidewalk, into the building and back to the bank of elevators as quickly as she could, which actually wasn’t that fast at all. It was as though she was moving in slow motion.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. She stepped inside and hit the button to go to the tenth floor. The ride up was mercifully quick and the doors to Claymore and Butler were before her.

The receptionist’s mouth fell open when Audrey pulled open the door and stepped inside. “Ms. Brennan. We weren’t expecting you.”

Audrey waved her away. “I know. I need to pick up a few things from my office.” She walked briskly down the hall, aware of all the eyes watching her as she passed. She could do this. Show no weakness.

Gwen wasn’t at her post, but Audrey’s office door was open and Gwen was sitting behind her desk in her chair. “Making yourself at home, I see. Don’t get too comfortable there.” Audrey hadn’t meant to snap, but seeing the younger woman sitting at her desk had hit her hard.

Gwen jumped out of Audrey’s chair and smoothed down the back of her skirt. As always, Gwen’s sleek black hair was impeccably styled, her makeup perfect, and the deep purple blouse she wore brought out the color of her blue eyes. Beside her, Audrey felt as appealing as a wet dishrag.

“Audrey, what are you doing here? I thought you were still in the hospital.”

She refrained from making any further snide remarks and marched around her desk and yanked open the bottom drawer. “I was released this morning, but I couldn’t go straight home. No keys.” She dragged her purse out and plunked it on the desk.

“I’m sorry. I should have thought of that, but it was so crazy here yesterday. You have no idea.” The younger woman straightened her shoulders and offered a smile that was anything but friendly.

Audrey had every idea as to what had gone on after she’d been taken out of here on a stretcher. “I trust you gave the presentation.”

“Of course.” Gwen sidled behind her and around to the front of the desk. “I was searching for the preliminary notes for the Baxter Corp job. Mr. Claymore was asking for them.”

Audrey strode to a tall file cabinet and yanked open the top drawer, pulling out a file. “They’re right here.”

Before she could hand them to Gwen, a male voice boomed across the room. “What are you doing here, Brennan?” That was Mr. Claymore. He called everyone by their last names like they were in the military and he was the general.

She shut the cabinet door and handed Gwen the file. “That will be all for now.” Gwen nodded and hurried out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

“I’m here because I didn’t have my purse or my keys, sir. I couldn’t get into my apartment without them.”

“Someone should have thought of that.” He shrugged and she knew it was forgotten. If it didn’t directly impact the company, Michael Claymore III didn’t care. But he was right. Someone should have thought of it. “What did the doctor say?”

“Nothing serious. I just need a few days rest.” She knew it was best to downplay her illness. And no way in hell would she mention the dreaded words panic attack.

“Good. Good. You know those young pups are always nipping at your heels.” He gave a sly smile and she was tempted to slap it off his face. She was very well aware of the competitive style of management that was encouraged here. No one really made friends and everyone was a potential enemy. Suddenly, Audrey was tired of all of it—him, her job and this entire company. All she wanted was to go home to bed.

“I’ll be gone a week, maybe two. I’ll get back to you on that.”

He frowned and resembled an unhappy bulldog with his jowls. “That long. Are you sure that’s necessary?”

It was necessary. It surprised her how abruptly her goals had changed. When she’d left the hospital she’d planned to get back to work as fast as possible. Now she didn’t care if she ever saw the place again. “Yes. Doctor’s orders.” She grabbed her purse and strode past her boss. “I’ll be in touch.”

She didn’t wait for a reply. The man seemed to be stunned. Of course, this was the first time in ten years she’d put herself ahead of the company. And how sad was that? Gwen watched her pass. There was no concern in her eyes, only ambition. They’d worked side by side for two years and yet Gwen hadn’t even thought to call and ask if there was anything she’d needed. None of them had.

She kept her gaze forward as she made the long trek back to the elevator. She was grateful it was empty and she didn’t have to share it with anyone. The trip seemed much longer this time but finally she was back in the lobby.

Malcolm was still waiting in the car and jumped out when he saw her coming. He had the door open by the time she got there. He didn’t speak but hustled her into the car and hurried back to the driver’s seat. The car eased into traffic. “Where to next?”

The papers next to her crinkled. Her prescriptions. She’d all but forgotten about them. “I need to stop at the pharmacy.”

God, she was tired. Tears welled in her eyes but she willed them back. As if sensing how close she was to the edge, Malcolm took her prescriptions in to be filled and waited until they was ready. Then he drove her home. It was taking all her energy to keep herself together.

Utter relief hit her like a sledgehammer when her building came into view. She was almost home. Malcolm parked and came around to open her door. She didn’t discourage him from doing so. She was as weak as a newborn kitten at the moment and needed all the help she could get.

Audrey gathered her purse, papers and the bag with her medication. Malcolm put his arm around her shoulders, helping her out of the car. “Thank you.” His small kindness almost broke her. She gave him a watery smile.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay, Ms. Brennan?”

“I’ll be fine, Malcolm. Thank you.” Of course she would be. She didn’t have any other choice.

“I’ll walk you up.”

“There’s no need.” But his offer touched her. He really was a nice man.

“Yes, ma’am, there is.” He let her lean on him all the way into the building.

She dug out her keys and unlocked the inner door. He opened it and led her to the elevator. They were both silent as they went up six floors. Her apartment was the last one on the left. She unlocked her front door and smiled at him. “I appreciate your help.”

He nodded. “If you need anything else, you call.”

“I will.” He looked as though he might say something else but didn’t. She watched him walk back down the hall before closing the door to her apartment.

She locked the door before setting her purse and package on the table just inside the apartment. Silence enveloped her and the first tear rolled down her cheek.

Chapter Two

Audrey lolled in a tub of hot water enjoying the frothy bubbles. How long had it been since she’d indulged in a bath instead of a quick shower? Too long. The heat was relaxing her body and making her sleepy. It was a nice feeling.

Her mind replayed everything she could remember from the past thirty hours or so. It was only yesterday morning she’d been gung-ho about her job and her presentation. No, that wasn’t quite true. Her job had become a habit, her enthusiasm for each project simply a manifestation of what was expected of her. Nothing more.

When had she last enjoyed what she did for a living? For that matter, when had she last enjoyed anything? She lived in one of the greatest cities in the world and she never went to a show or to a play or a concert. Too busy working.

She also had no friends. She had business acquaintances and coworkers, but not friends. No one. Not one person had called while she was in hospital, not even her assistant or her boss. There were no get-well messages on her phone. In short, no one cared.

There was something very wrong with her life.

The water was cooling and her skin was beginning to prune, so Audrey pulled the plug and carefully climbed out of the tub. She was still weak and the last thing she wanted to do was slip and fall and maybe break a limb. That would really top off the week.

The Egyptian cotton towel was soft against her skin as she dried off. She put the lid of the toilet down and sat while she slathered lotion over her arms, legs and body. When she was done she stood and surveyed herself in the mirror.

She really was too thin. She knew she’d lost weight recently but she hadn’t realized just how much. Like most people, she hadn’t given her body a second thought until it gave out on her.

The steam from the bath had made her naturally curly hair even curlier. She grabbed one corkscrew and pulled it out before letting it spring back into shape. She’d hated her hair as a child but had come to accept it as an adult. If only it was blonde or red or even black, but it was plain brown instead. She usually kept it pulled back in a hammered silver clip when she was at work, but decided to leave it down. There was no one around to impress, no one around critiquing her appearance. Alone in her home she had only to please herself.

Clothing was the next order of business. She didn’t want to get dressed, so she pulled on her cashmere robe instead. It was an indulgence and had been a Christmas present to herself last year—the only one she’d received. It was a rich, chocolate brown and made her feel warm and cozy.

Audrey freely admitted she loved fine clothes, even if she didn’t own a lot. She indulged in classic pieces that were timeless. And she purchased most of them in consignment shops and online auctions. She’d grown up poor and old habits were hard to change even though she could well afford to buy new.

But really, who needed to pay several thousand dollars for a purse when you could buy last year’s model for a third of the cost? Audrey loved searching for just the right piece and finding it at a bargain price.

She shuffled out of the bathroom, through the bedroom and out to the kitchen. Food was next on her agenda. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and her stomach was queasy. Her head was pounding too, but it was more of a dull throb now and not the roar it was earlier. The bath had helped.

“Probably lack of caffeine.” She rubbed her temple and stared woefully at the coffee pot, but reached for the kettle instead. “Tea is better.”

By the time the water was boiled, she’d assembled a dinner of crackers, cheese, a sliced apple and a handful of grapes. She poured water over a teabag she’d dropped into a china mug and loaded everything onto a tray. She’d eat in bed and watch television.

She padded down the hall and back into her bedroom. Her sanctuary. It was done in warm beiges and browns and was soothing to her soul. She loved this room and had spent a lot of time selecting just the right colors and fabrics. She’d trained as a graphic designer and had spent her childhood scouring thrift shops for interesting fabric. The plan had been for her to eventually design her own fabric and wallpaper, maybe even furniture.

Audrey carefully placed the tray onto the bed, sat down beside it and ran her hand over the quilt. She’d found it at an estate sale more than a dozen years ago and had fallen in love with it immediately. The design was intricate—a starburst in the center with the rest of the design radiating from it in tones of yellow, orange and brown. She couldn’t begin to imagine the number of hours that had gone into making it.

“Where did all your dreams go?” She slapped a piece of sharp cheddar on top of a cracker and popped it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

She knew full well where her dreams had gone. Life had happened. Her mother had gotten ill and there were bills to be paid so she’d found an entry-level job at Claymore and Butler. Hard work and dedication had moved her up through the ranks until she’d reached the position she had today. When her mother had finally died and the bills were paid off she’d been so entrenched at her job it hadn’t even occurred to her she was free to pursue her passion.

Audrey reached for a piece of apple, enjoying the tart, fresh flavor as it exploded in her mouth. When was the last time she’d really tasted her food? Usually she ate takeout at her desk while guzzling coffee. That was no way to live.

She followed up with a grape. It was crisp and sweet. Exquisite.

Her mind wandered freely and she allowed it, not trying to rein it in as she usually did. Every time thoughts of Claymore and Butler entered, she let them go. It wasn’t easy and she was forced to admit she’d allowed her entire identity to become tied up in her job.

Where was the young girl with dreams and how had she become a tired thirty-three-year-old woman? Audrey slid off the bed and made her way to her walk-in closet. Originally, the apartment had contained two bedrooms, but she’d converted the tiny second room into a walk-in closet for her clothing and storage.

She went to the very end of the room and opened the folding door. The box was in here somewhere. She stared and caught sight of it up on the very top shelf near the back. She went up on her toes to reach it but could only touch the edge of the box.

“Damn.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment and then carefully stepped on the bottom shelf, praying it would hold her weight.

She stretched her arm out and her fingers found purchase on the side of the cardboard. She pulled. It was stuck. Not surprising. She hadn’t moved it in years. Not since she’d put it there. She hadn’t looked at the contents for even longer.

Her limbs were shaking and she was starting to sweat. It was probably smarter to go get a chair to stand on, but she was determined. She got a better grip and yanked. The box was stubborn at first and then suddenly gave way.

“Crap.” It slid toward her and off the shelf. Audrey clung to the rim of the shelf as the box tumbled down, hitting her shoulder before spilling to the floor. She carefully stepped down, rubbing her abused shoulder. Hopefully it wouldn’t leave a bruise.

The contents of the box were strewn at her feet. Yards of fabric, large and small, all found at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. She’d planned to make something out of this bounty years ago but never had. But she’d never been able to make herself part with it either. It was her connection to the past, the thread that bound her to the girl she’d once been.

Audrey sat down on the floor and began to paw through the vibrant fabric. There were exotic silks with golden and silver embroidery from the Middle East and Asia, homespun cotton in tribal designs from Africa, designer fabric from Europe and America. Some of it was modern and some was vintage. All of it was beautiful.

“What’s this?” Audrey pulled out a piece of tapestry work. The design was about two by three. Not very big but absolutely stunning. A stone building that resembled a small castle was perched below a towering mountain. Beyond it she could see the ocean. It was incredibly realistic. She could almost hear the waves washing the shoreline.

She held it up to the light. “Why don’t I remember this?” And she should have. The workmanship was amazingly intricate but she didn’t think it was machine manufactured. She examined it more closely. “This is hand done.” And whoever had made it was a true artist.

Two men stood in front of the building, both tall and strong. Their hair was long and flowing. Their chests were bare. A tingling started deep in her core.

“Wow. Talk about realistic.” She really needed to get out more if seeing two gorgeous men on a piece of fabric was turning her on.

Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d even been on a date. Her last serious boyfriend had been Tom and that had ended almost six years ago. It hadn’t been a traumatic breakup. He’d taken a job transfer and she hadn’t been willing to follow him, hadn’t loved him enough to leave her position.

Why hadn’t she dated since?

The answer was obvious. Work.

A chill broke out on her skin. “You shouldn’t be sitting on the floor when you have a perfectly good bed only a few feet away.” She shoved the cloth back into the box, all the while promising herself she’d take a better look at it tomorrow. She even had some old sketchbooks stuffed in her bookshelf. She’d dig them out too and look at some of her old designs.

She knew she probably wouldn’t leave her job at Claymore and Butler. Positions like hers weren’t easy to come by, especially in this economy, and she made damn good money. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t start having a more balanced life, one that included hobbies from her past.

Audrey picked up the tapestry to stuff it in the box with the other fabric, but at the last second decided to take that one with her. She really couldn’t remember purchasing it. She shuffled back to the bed and set the tapestry aside while she finished her dinner and watched an old black-and-white Audrey Hepburn movie that was playing on television. Her mother had loved the actress and had named her only daughter after her.

Audrey was nodding off by the time the movie ended. She made herself get up long enough to return her tray to the kitchen, take her vitamins and one of the sleeping pills the doctor had prescribed and stop at the bathroom. Then it was back to bed where she pulled the covers around her and slipped into sleep.

* * *

She was warm when she woke and pushed at the robe wrapped around her. She hadn’t turned the heat up. There was no reason for her to be this warm. Usually she was cold.

Some strange sound caught her attention and she sat up, shoving her unruly hair out of her eyes. She blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing. A fire crackled cheerily in a large, stone hearth not ten feet from the end of the bed. The sound she’d heard must have been the pop and crackle of the wood as it burned.

This wasn’t right. She didn’t have a fireplace. Of course she didn’t. She lived on the sixth floor of a brick building in Manhattan. She shoved at the covers and paused when her hands hit something soft and…furry. It wasn’t her heirloom quilt covering her but some kind of animal pelt.

She rubbed her eyes but the picture didn’t change.

A low rumble next to her made her jump. A long, muscular arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back down onto the mattress. “You should sleep,” the unknown male told her.

Her heart skipped a beat before it started a galloping pace. Sweat popped out on her forehead. For a second she wondered if she was having another panic attack. She froze, unable to move, unwilling to do anything to provoke the large male beside her while her mind scrambled for a logical explanation.

There was enough light from the fire for her to partially see his features. They were masculine to the extreme with a heavy jaw, wide forehead, a long, straight nose and full lips. He blinked and she wished she could see exactly what color his eyes were.

Her first thought was that he could make a fortune as a male model. Women would buy anything from this guy. Her second thought was to wonder if he had an agent and how could she get him for the Baxter campaign she was currently working on. Her third thought, and the one that probably should have been her first, was who the heck was he and what was he doing in bed with her?

He propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her. He had long hair that flowed over massive shoulders and sculpted biceps. Audrey’s mouth went dry. The man was built. And he was also at least half naked. She didn’t know about the bottom half of him, which was covered by the fur blankets.

She yanked her robe closer around her.

He smiled at her. Not a big one with pearly whites showing, but a tiny one that barely lifted the edges of his sculpted lips. “If you don’t want to sleep I can think of something better to do.” Fingers lightly trailed over her face and she caught her breath as they grazed her jaw and neck.

“Where am I? Who are you?” Intelligent questions and ones she should have asked from the moment she’d opened her eyes.

“I am Abrah Dannon and you are in my dream.” Strangely enough, his explanation calmed her racing heart. Of course this had to be a dream. She was home in her own bed all by herself.

Strange how the thought depressed her.

He tugged at the covers and she briefly resisted, but he kept up a steady pressure. In the end, she gave up the struggle and the covers drifted down to her waist. He gave a low grunt of pleasure as he tugged the sides of her robe open, exposing a huge swath of skin.

“Hey.” She smacked at his hands. “What are you doing?”

He captured her hand with his and brought it to his lips, dropping kisses on each knuckle. “I am enjoying my dream.” There was a tinge of amusement in his voice that made her frown.

She wasn’t here for anyone’s enjoyment. She was here… Well, she wasn’t sure why she was here. Her brain was fuddled, her reflexes slow. In the few seconds she’d been thinking, Abrah had the belt to her robe undone and had spread the edges wide, baring her breasts for him to see.

Audrey knew she really should protest and she planned to. Really she did. But he covered one breast with his large, work-roughened hand and she was lost. She gasped and then moaned as he brushed one soft areola with his thumb. The light motion caused it to pucker into a tight bud.

Her toes curled and her skin flushed. When was the last time she’d felt sexual desire? She couldn’t honestly remember. Which was why she was probably having this very sensual dream.

“Relax,” he soothed. His hand left one breast and went to the other. “Let us pleasure you.”

She moaned again and then his words sank in. Us. What did he mean by that? The mattress depressed on her other side and she swung her head around. Her mouth dropped open as another equally handsome man climbed into bed beside her.

He smiled at her and she could see the wicked mischief reflected in his eyes. She found herself smiling back even though she didn’t know why. “What do we have here, brother?” His voice was deep, like Abrah’s and it sank into every cell in her body.

Brother? That made sense. They had the same rugged good looks, but this man’s nose looked as though it had been broken at one time or another. There was a slight crook to it, but it didn’t detract in the least from his handsomeness. If anything it added to it.

“I don’t understand?” She was tired and hot and, quite frankly, horny. This had to be a dream, but it seemed incredibly real.

The second man leaned down and kissed her forehead, her nose and finally her lips. By the time he got to them she was arching upward to reach his mouth. She wanted his kiss, wanted to taste him, to know him.

Crazy. That was the only explanation. She had to be in some wild, drug-induced dream. Maybe her new vitamins had jump-started her libido. There was no other logical reason for her to be dreaming about being in bed with two men.

“Relax.” Abrah rested his hand on her belly and leaned down to touch her straining nipple with the tip of his tongue. Her entire body jerked as if a bolt of lightning had hit it. Relax? He had to be kidding.

Audrey made the decision to go with the flow and enjoy the dream. Why shouldn’t she? She wasn’t in a relationship. She wasn’t cheating on anyone. And, the deciding factor, it wasn’t real. It was a fantasy brought on by deep sleep and exhaustion.

Decision made, she embraced the situation. The second man cupped her jaw and kissed her again. Really kissed her this time. Not just a light brush of lips but a full-on, hot, tongue-twining kiss.

Audrey lost her breath as he leisurely explored her mouth. She’d been kissed many times in her life, but she’d never been kissed like this. He used his lips and teeth to nip and tease until she was breathless to do anything but respond. He tasted warm and welcoming, with an underlying spiciness that she wanted more of.

Abrah was anything but idle. He closed his lips over one hard nipple and sucked it into his mouth. He gently tugged on the sensitive bud and she pulled away from the kiss and let out a cry.

Her legs shifted restlessly against the mattress. Her cashmere robe was open but she was still wearing it. It was soft against her back, a warm and cozy place for her to rest while her two dream men pleasured her.

Four hands glided up and down her arms and legs, over her torso and belly. Abrah’s brother left her mouth and eased down to capture her other nipple. The two men licked and sucked and generally made her crazy.

Audrey clutched at their hair, her fingers tangling in the long locks while she moaned and writhed on the bed. She needed more than they were giving her. Abrah raised his head and watched her as he let his hand slide over her belly and down between her thighs.

He didn’t hesitate. He spread her pussy lips wide and plunged one finger into her hot depths. Audrey arched up, her lips parting on a long, high wail. Oh God, she was so close to coming.

Every cell in her body was clamoring for release. Her skin was hot, her nipples hard, distended buds. Her lips were moist and her legs quivered with pent-up desire. It had been way too long for her.

Her other lover ran his hand over her hip, squeezing gently before letting it slip even lower. Impossible. He wouldn’t? Would he?

He did.

He worked one long, thick finger into her tight sheath, crowding next to Abrah’s. They stretched her slick channel, the inner muscles contacting and expanding to accept their sexual claim.

She was panting hard now, unable to talk. Every part of her was focused solely on her impending orgasm. She had to have it. She pumped her hips up and down, trying to get them to move, to push deeper.

Abrah moved his thumb, flicking it over her distended clitoris. It was like setting a match to dry kindling. Audrey went up in flames. She cried out and her hips jerked. Fire rushed through her, going up to the roots of her hair and down to the tips of her toes. Heart racing, blood pumping, she embraced her orgasm, letting it flow over and around her.

It was better than anything she ever remembered. Both men moved their fingers then, working them in and out several times. Another wave of pleasure hit her with the force of a sledgehammer. She cried out. It was too much but there was nothing she could do but ride it out.

If she died now, at least she’d die happy. That was the last coherent thought that went through her mind for a long time.

When she finally came back to her senses, she shivered. Her body was covered in a light sheen of sweat and her heart was slowly returning to normal. Abrah and his brother still had their fingers resting inside her, but they were both still.

She opened her eyes and stared at them. As if that was the sign they’d been waiting for, they slowly removed their fingers, leaving her feeling empty. She blinked back tears, uncertain why she was so close to crying. It wasn’t like her to feel so emotional.

Maybe it was natural. One of the information sheets the nurse had given her said that her emotions might be all over the place for a while and that it was to be expected, was even normal considering she was physically run-down and mentally exhausted.

Her unnamed lover caught a tear as it rolled down her temple. He frowned even as he brought it to his lips and licked it away. Her heart clenched at the intimacy of the moment.

But it wasn’t real. None of this was. It was only a very realistic dream.

Something hard pressed against her hip, startling her. Her eyes flew to Abrah, who was watching her with concern in his dark eyes. He was aroused. Of course he was. She was all but naked beside him. The normal male reaction would be to have a hard-on. She’d been so caught up in her own reactions she hadn’t even considered him or his brother. If this weren’t a dream she’d probably feel very selfish right about now.

Why was she still dreaming? She’d had one heck of an orgasm. Shouldn’t she have woken after that? And why did both men seem so darn familiar?

It came to her in a flash. The tapestry. The one she’d found in the box. Both men bore a startling resemblance to the ones on the tapestry. She relaxed and began to laugh as relief struck her.

She wasn’t crazy at all. This was nothing more than a stress-releasing dream brought on by a combination of exhaustion, medication and a beautiful piece of cloth.

Abrah brought his hand up to one of her breasts, toying with the puckered nub. Audrey’s gasp quickly turned to a moan of pleasure. Maybe she wasn’t quite as finished as she thought she was. Maybe she could have another orgasm. That was just what the doctor ordered—stress release. And she couldn’t think of a more pleasurable way to accomplish it.

Her other lover tangled his fingers in her pubic hair, the tip of his finger occasionally grazing her distended clit. Audrey gave a murmur of encouragement. She raised her hands and touched both their faces.

“I’m so glad I conjured you from the tapestry. You’re both gorgeous.”

Both men froze as though they’d been hit by lightning. Abrah’s voice was rough and almost angry. “What did you say?”

Audrey swallowed as nervousness crept over her. This was her dream. She was in control here. “It’s obvious. This is a dream brought on by stress.”

“That’s not what you said,” he countered. His previously warm eyes went hard and Audrey shoved away from both men, pulling her robe around her. She suddenly felt very exposed and extremely vulnerable.

“Abrah.” The other man put his hand on his brother’s arm. He stared at her and there was some kind of yearning, some plea in his eyes. She didn’t know what he wanted but she was very afraid she couldn’t give it to him.

She pinched the skin on her arm. “Wake up. Wake up.” She’d had enough of this dream.

Her lover caught her hand. “Stop. Please. Tell me about the tapestry.”

“Leave her be, Heroc. This isn’t real.”

Heroc. Now she had names to go with both men. They were so unusual but somehow it suited them.

“Maybe it is,” Heroc insisted. He turned beseeching eyes on her and she found herself unable to deny him.

“It’s a small piece of fabric with a castle with two men in front of it.” She looked from one to the other. “With you standing in front of it.”

“Yes,” Heroc breathed.

“No,” Abrah countered. “That’s a lie. It’s not true. It can’t be true.” He captured her upper arms and shook her lightly.

Audrey struggled to pull away from him, truly fearful now. The ferocious gleam in Abrah’s eyes was scary enough but the bruising pressure of his fingers digging into her skin truly frightened her. She was a woman at the mercy of these two men.

“No,” she yelled. She threw herself to the side, scrambling away from both men. She heard them both cry as she rolled to the edge of the bed and fell into nothing.

* * *

Audrey sat straight up in bed, her arms extended out in front of her to break her fall, a scream on her lips. The beep of her alarm clock echoed in her ears. She glanced around the familiar room and gasped for breath as it came into focus.

She was home. It was all nothing but a dream. She was still wearing her robe. The belt had slipped open but the fabric was wrapped around her. She wasn’t naked in bed with two strange men. She was in her own bed. Safe.

The alarm clock continued to beep. With everything else that had happened, she’d forgotten to reset the darn thing. A fact she was very grateful for. The dream had taken a dark turn and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what would have come next if she hadn’t woken.

Something trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away before she realized she was crying. “Stupid,” she admonished herself. “It was only a dream. Nothing more.” But it had felt incredibly real.

She managed to reach out and slam her hand down on top of her clock radio, silencing the annoying sound. The room went quiet except for the sound of her heavy breathing and the click of the radiator as it cut in.

It was just past five in the morning. She’d slept the night away but it hadn’t been a restful sleep. Her body was still humming with a strange combination of sexual release and fear. “No more sleeping pills for you.” She’d rather stay awake or take her chances with warm milk than risk another such realistic dream.

She rolled onto her side and her gaze fell onto the tapestry lying on top of the covers. “You’ve caused more than enough trouble.” She picked it up to toss it onto the floor but was unable to do so. Her fingers tightened around the fabric and she held it close to her heart.

Audrey closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Three

It was hours later when Audrey roused again. She was thirsty and had a pressing need to go to the bathroom. It was a bit of a struggle to make herself get out of bed, but she wasn’t quite as weak as she was yesterday. That was probably a good sign. Not that she was ready to run a marathon or anything. But, in her book, any improvement was good.

Once she’d taken care of her most pressing need, Audrey shoved her feet into a pair of flat, fluffy slippers and shuffled to the kitchen to get something to drink. Her stomach growled and she decided she should get something to eat while she was at it.

She opened the refrigerator door and poked around but nothing looked appetizing. The selection was limited to fresh fruit, yogurt, juice and wine—a single, working woman’s staples. She checked the freezer section and found a frozen bagel. That would have to do.

It didn’t take her long to thaw it in the microwave before popping it into the toaster. There was no cream cheese but she’d make do with margarine. Grocery shopping was on her list of things to do.

While she waited for the cinnamon-raisin bagel to toast, she opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out a note pad and pen and began to write a list. Bread and soup were at the top. Quick and easy for meals.

The bagel popped up and she buttered it quickly. She hadn’t thought to boil the kettle for tea so she poured herself a glass of orange juice instead. She carried her meager meal over to the table and sat down at her teak bistro set.

It was so quiet. Usually she was up and showering and running around getting ready for work with the news playing in the background. This morning she didn’t care what was happening in the business world. It was strange to feel so cut off from the rest of humanity, adrift in a world of her own.

She no longer knew herself or what she wanted out of life.

“Maybe it’s time to find out.” Saying the words aloud made them more real. She grabbed the pad of paper she’d used to start her shopping list and turned to a clean page. Audrey chewed on the bottom of the pen before writing, “Audrey’s Goals” at the top. It helped to have goals. She’d always had a focus for her life.

When she was younger it had been all about design and fabric and furniture. Then her mother had gotten ill and life had become all about survival, which is why she’d ended up where she was.

But what did she want now?

Good question. She was a thirty-three year old, single workaholic who’d just had a physical collapse and possibly a panic attack. She still wouldn’t admit to that. To say she had a panic attack made her sound weak and she prided herself on being strong. Better to chalk it up to a combination of too much caffeine, not enough food or sleep and overwork.

She had a vague memory of wanting a family of her own. It had been her and her mother for so long, Audrey had always thought she’d like to have a big family. As a child, she’d lain awake in her bed at night and fantasized what it would be like to have huge family dinners and holiday celebrations like the ones she saw on television. But reality was so different from a one-hour television show and many people lived alone.

She shoved her notepad aside. “I’ll work on it later.” Thinking about it was only depressing her. She’d managed to eat half the bagel but was no longer hungry. She really should sit down and look at the list the dietician at the hospital had given her. “Later. I’ll do it later.”

Audrey couldn’t work up the motivation to do much of anything this morning. She had no idea how much time had passed with her simply sitting here, staring off into space. She glanced at the digital clock on the microwave, surprised to see it was almost half-past nine. By now she’d usually have at least two hours put in at her desk.

She pushed aside her plate and rested her head on the table. The thought of work made her stomach roil and her chest ache. “Stop it.” She pushed herself upright and swiped away a tear. She hated leaking like this. It was a sign of weakness.

Maybe you’ve been strong for too long.

She ignored the voice in the back of her head. She had to be strong. There was no one else for her to depend on. She certainly couldn’t count on her friends. She didn’t have any. And who was going to pay her bills if she didn’t work? No one, that’s who.

“Enough.” Audrey shoved away from the table, dumped the remains of her breakfast into the garbage and shoved the few dishes she’d used into the dishwasher. “What you need is a shower.” It helped to talk out loud to herself. And since she lived alone there was no one around to criticize her for it.

She went straight to the bathroom and turned on the taps, making sure the water wasn’t too hot. She slipped out of her robe and stepped beneath the warm spray, letting it cascade over her body. It was heavenly, sliding over her skin, caressing her breasts.

A shudder racked her body and a bolt of desire shot through her. It was that darn dream she’d had last night. It had woken something deep inside her. Her breasts were sensitive this morning, the water almost too harsh against them.

Swearing under her breath, she grabbed her shower gel, squeezed some onto a puff and began to wash. She was quick, not wanting to linger. Her body no longer felt like her own, the sensations coursing through it alien to her.

It didn’t take her long to wash her hair. The curly mass needed some deep conditioning, though, so she took the time to do it, enjoying the fact that she didn’t have to rush.

It was only when she was doing the final rinsing that she noticed the slight bruising, little smudges of black, on the tops of her arms. They were faint but they were there. Her mind immediately flashed back to a large man gripping her arms and shaking her lightly. Abrah.

She shook her head and let the spray wash all the soap from her hair and skin. She’d probably bruised herself when she’d fallen. The dream was only a coincidence, brought on by stress and the unusual tapestry she’d found. The mind worked in mysterious ways.

Audrey shut off the water, stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry off. The shower had done its job. She felt more refreshed and awake, not quite so muddled. When her skin was dry she got another towel and wrapped it around her wet hair.

Her limbs were beginning to tremble, reminding her she wasn’t that long out of hospital and still wasn’t back to one hundred percent. She sat on the closed toilet seat and rested until she got her strength back, determined to do this right. She grabbed her favorite moisturizer and began to rub it into her legs, inhaling the relaxing lavender scent. She did her body and arms next, being careful around her breasts.

When she was done, she slipped her robe back on and removed the damp towel from her head. Her hair hung in corkscrew curls down to just below her shoulders. She grabbed a bottle from the vanity and squeezed a large dollop of product into her palm. She worked it through her tresses, knowing if she didn’t, she’d have an explosion of out-of-control curls to deal with later. The blow dryer came last. It wasn’t long before Audrey felt almost like herself.

She was humming under her breath when she went back into her bedroom to dress. Comfort was the order of the day. She needed groceries, but she would order out for those and have them delivered. She planned to spend the day relaxing.

A quick poke through her dresser drawer netted her a pair of yoga pants and a long-sleeved cashmere sweater. “Perfect.” She tossed them onto the unmade bed before digging out some fresh underwear. Panties and a matching bra in beige satin and a pair of thick white socks were the foundation before slipping on her pants and top.

She was exhausted by the time she’d finished dressing and sat down on the edge of the bed to rest for a moment. It was almost eleven now. It had taken her much longer than usual to shower and dress. But that was okay. She wasn’t on a schedule. And didn’t that feel strange?

Audrey ignored the bed, knowing she was just going to crawl back into it later anyway and headed back to the kitchen. She wanted a cup of tea and she should have already taken her medication.

She put on the kettle first and then took her vitamins. The iron supplement certainly couldn’t hurt. She stared at her pale skin. She was looking a little like a vampire these days.

Her head was still throbbing but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been. She suspected her caffeine withdrawal wasn’t helping. The coffee pot sat in solitary splendor in the corner of the counter, mocking her. But she stayed strong.

“Tea. That’s what I need.” It was healthier and she was determined to start living a better lifestyle. Somewhere between yesterday morning and now she’d decided she wanted to start truly living. There were a lot of things she wanted to do before she finally left this earth. And she needed to be healthy if she wanted to do them.

She dug through the cupboard, bypassing the English Breakfast tea, and found a small packet of peppermint tea bags that she’d bought on a whim over a year ago. She’d planned to try it but never had. Now was as good a time as any. The fresh mint smell filled her nostrils when she opened one of the small packets and popped the teabag into her mug. Refreshing.

When the kettle boiled, she poured hot water over the teabag and carried the mug into the living room. Her purse and all the papers they’d given her at the hospital were still sitting on the table just inside the door. She scooped everything up and carried it to the sofa.

She was halfway through her tea and all the lists of things she should do and eat when her cellphone rang. She was grateful for the interruption. The lists were daunting to say the least. There was a reason most folks ate takeout. It was easier and a heck of a lot more convenient. But learning to cook was something she’d have to do if she wanted to get healthy.

The phone rang again and she reached out and grabbed it from the table where she’d set it earlier. “Hello.”

“Audrey, it’s Gwen.”

All her good work for the morning was destroyed with those three words. Her chest grew tight and her entire body tensed. She forced herself to take a deep breath.

“Audrey, are you there?” Gwen was impatient and obviously in a hurry. She wondered how often she sounded exactly like that.

“I’m here. I’m also on holiday.” She’d told her boss yesterday she’d be gone for a week or more.

“That’s not important. I need to know what’s going on with the Bozeman account. Mr. Smythe called this morning and he wasn’t happy about something. I had to put him off because I had no idea what he was talking about.” Gwen’s voice was almost shrill now. It hurt Audrey’s head and pushed her headache up a notch.

She had to stop and think for a moment. “Everything you need on current accounts is in the top drawer of the filing cabinet in my office.” Gwen had worked with her for several years now. She knew that. Or at least she should.

Gwen fired off several more questions and Audrey answered them. Her headache, which had almost subsided, was back with a vengeance. “Gwen, I have to go.” She knew if she didn’t cut this conversation off she’d still be sorting things out for Gwen an hour from now. “You want my job so bad you need to actually do the work.” Audrey had no idea what prompted her to even say such a thing.

On the other end of the line, Gwen paused. “You’re right. Take your time coming back.” A loud click sounded and then the line went dead.

Audrey carefully shut her cellphone and set it on the table. She felt shaky inside and out. What had she done? She’d all but dared the younger woman to take her job. And she honestly didn’t care.

Totally out of sorts, she pushed off the sofa and went back to her bedroom. Rain pelted the window and the wind whipped up outside. It wasn’t a very nice day.

The covers were still rumpled on the bed. She thought about just crawling back in and pulling the blankets over her head. The tapestry lay across the end of the bed, the colors spectacular in spite of the gloom of the day. She picked it up and stared at it. The two men standing so proudly in front of the stone structure seemed to mock her. At least one of them did.

She laughed but the sound wasn’t pleasant. Her dream last night had been more real than anything else in her life had been lately. And how pathetic was that?

What was she going to do?

She rubbed her chest, conscious of a growing tightness there. Maybe she should go to the hospital. She certainly couldn’t call anyone to come help her. The limo service maybe. She didn’t have any friends. Not anymore. They’d all lost contact since her mother’s death, since she’d thrown herself so fully into her work.

She was starting to sweat. The room was moving but she wasn’t. The sense of vertigo swept over her and she groped for the end of the bed. She needed to sit down.

She didn’t make it.

Audrey fell to her knees and then eased herself down onto the floor. She’d rest a minute and then stand up. Good plan. The tapestry was crumpled in her right hand, fisted tight around the material.

She started to release it, but couldn’t. A huge flash brightened the entire room. Lightning was her first thought. The storm must be getting worse outside. But the brilliant light didn’t fade. Audrey felt herself being yanked backward.

As she was screaming, the world went black.

* * *

Abrah stared into the flames. It was late afternoon and already darkness cloaked the land. He’d be happy when the cold season ended. Usually he enjoyed this time of year, taking the down time to work on his wood-carving skills, plan for the upcoming planting season and practice his swordsmanship with his brother. But not this year. This year the cold weeks had dragged on and on until he wanted to beat his fists against the walls with frustration.

The long season hung like a yoke around his neck, choking him. Beside him, Carn stirred, raised his enormous gray head and stared at the door.

Abrah tried not to think of the dream he’d had last night, about the woman who’d been soft and willing beneath his hands. He’d enjoyed that part. There was nothing quite like the sweet smell of a female, and this one had worn the perfume of a summer’s day all over her skin.

What had disturbed him was the mention of the tapestry. Obviously, his conversation with Heroc had infiltrated his dreams, conjuring a woman brought by the tapestry. Better to stick to reality than build false hopes on dreams.

Beside him, Heroc stirred. The two of them had decided to make an early day of it. In the few short hours of available daylight, they’d checked rooftops and walls of all the cottages, making sure all their people were secure.

Tara had left a large kettle of soup resting near the hearth and platters of bread and cheese sat on the table beyond. They had plenty to eat but neither of them was hungry.

Several of the men, including the captain of the guards, had shared the midday meal with them but they’d all retired to their barracks for the evening. It was as though the entire keep was holding its breath.

Another storm was brewing. This one would probably be the last for the season. It also seemed as though it would be the worst. But they were safe inside and had plenty to eat for several days, if it came to that.

“You told Tara to stay home if the weather worsened?” He didn’t want to worry about their housekeeper who’d been taking care of their home since they were mere lads.

“Yes. And I told Malarc as well.” Heroc grinned. “If she won’t stay home on her own, he and his brothers will make certain she has other things to occupy her time than worrying about us.”

Abrah chuckled. Tara had been married to Malarc for almost thirty years and they still acted as though they were newly joined. His two brothers also treated Tara as the gem she was and they were all content.

Abrah wanted that for himself and his brother. His parents and uncle had had a similar arrangement. This keep had once been filled with voices and laughter. But now it was silent.

Carn continued to stare at the door as he pushed to his feet and growled. Abrah put his hand on the animal’s broad head. “It’s just the wind.”

Carn ignored him, slipped away from his touch and padded to the door. His gaze stayed centered on the large wooden slab and he let out another low growl. Then he turned his head and stared at Abrah.

“Oh no. You were out all day. I’m not going out in this mess again. Come back and sit by the fire.”

“What’s the matter with Carn tonight?” Heroc went to the hearth and added a couple of logs before returning to his chair.

Abrah shrugged. “I have no idea. Maybe the wind is getting to him.” It had gotten much worse in the past hour. He was glad all their people were safely tucked away inside their homes.

Carn threw back his head and howled. Then he leapt up and leaned his huge front paws on the door, clawing at the wood. The fine hair on the back of Abrah’s neck stood on end.

“Carn.” Abrah’s voice was sharp but the animal ignored the command. That simply wasn’t like him. He jumped to his feet. “Something’s wrong.”

Abrah strode to the door and grabbed his long, hooded coat, tugging it on. His brother was beside him in a heartbeat, pulling on his own outer gear and strapping on his sword. “You don’t need to go out in this weather. It’s probably nothing.”

Heroc ignored him and yanked up his hood. “We go together.”

Abrah understood his brother all too well. Since they’d lost the rest of their family they tended to spend almost all their time together. They were all they had left.

“Let’s do this.” He yanked open the door, bracing his feet against the driving wind. “There better be something out there my friend,” he warned the dog. Carn ignored his master’s admonishment and took off like a shot, racing down the stone stairs with both men in pursuit.

* * *

Audrey was cold. And wet. She frowned, trying to make sense of what was going on. The last thing she remembered was falling to the floor. She managed to pry her eyes open but she couldn’t see much in the dark.

Why was it dark? And rainy?

She was outside. But that was impossible. She’d been lying on her bedroom floor only moments ago. She pushed herself upright and squinted to see through the dark and driving rain. The wind battered her. Her clothing offered no protection against the elements and she shivered as the cold sank into her bones. She had to find shelter. She could figure out what the heck was going on once she was safe and dry.

It wasn’t easy, but with the help of a nearby bolder, she managed to drag herself into a standing position. Its bulk helped to shelter her from the driving wind and rain while she squinted and tried to get her bearings. There should have been tons of lights around. After all, she lived in New York, the city that never slept. But there were no buildings, no streetlights and no people. Only impenetrable darkness.

“This isn’t possible.” Her mind might be telling her that but her body was shivering with the cold and wet. That was all too real.

One thing was certain. She couldn’t stay here. She stumbled forward, praying she was headed toward civilization of some kind. The heavy wind was making it difficult for her feet to find purchase on the uneven ground and she tripped and fell in the mud, just managing to catch herself in time to keep from striking her head.

Her lungs ached and her limbs were heavy. Audrey wanted to simply lie down on the ground and rest but she knew that wasn’t smart. She could die if she didn’t move. The longer she was exposed to the elements, the more the cold drained her energy.

Was she dreaming again? She didn’t know. The biting cold and driving storm felt so real. She couldn’t take the chance it wasn’t simply a figment of her imagination.

She pushed onward, half crawling, half walking, searching through the darkness for a light, a building, something. Anything. The wind tugged at her clothing and skin. The rain came down so heavy it made it almost impossible to see. Still she persevered.

Time lost all meaning as she trudged through the stormy night. She put one foot in front of the other, dragging herself to her feet every time she faltered.

A faint sound broke through the unending night. She stopped and listened but heard nothing. “Is anyone out there?” she called. The wind stole her voice, silencing it before it got beyond a few feet.

She was soaked to the skin, her head hurt, her muscles ached and, worst of all, she’d stopped shivering. In her muddled mind she knew that wasn’t a good sign. She’d seen a show on television about hypothermia and knew that was one of the first signs of trouble. “Please. Help me.”

Desperate now, she tried to run but her feet were uncoordinated and she staggered, almost falling. If there was someone out there she didn’t want them to miss her. “I’m over here.” She wanted to raise her hands and wave them but they were simply too heavy. She wished she had a flashlight, something she could use to signal whoever was out there.

She heard the noise again. Was that a wolf howl she heard? She shut her mouth in a hurry. What if it wasn’t a person at all? What if it was a wild animal coming after her? After all, she had no idea where she was.

Nothing made sense. She should be in her bedroom in her apartment. Maybe she was there. Maybe this was nothing but a nightmare.

“Wake up,” she whispered. She stumbled and fell to the ground. It was soft and spongy with the rain and mud. This time she didn’t get up. She’d exhausted all her energy reserves.

It saddened her to think she was going to die here alone in the dark. A tear mingled with the pouring rain, lost among the drops falling from the sky.

She heard the sound again and it was much closer. Her breathing was labored now but at least she wasn’t cold. A comforting numbness settled over her and she decided this wasn’t so bad after all.

A huge, furry face appeared only inches away, startling a scream out of her. The creature was massive, the size of a pony. Wet fur brushed against her face. She cringed back but the animal followed her, showing a lot of very big, very white fangs. She threw her arms in front of her, expecting to feel the painful bite of whatever it was. In the darkness and driving rain she couldn’t tell if it was a big dog or a wolf, only that it was big with sharp teeth.

When nothing happened, she slowly lowered her arms. A large, rough tongue scraped over her cheek. She jerked back but the animal didn’t attack. She squinted. Was it a dog?

It leaned toward her and nuzzled her face again. She threw her arms around the dog’s neck, comforted by its closeness. Where there was a dog there had to be civilization. “Where did you come from?” she asked.

The dog gave a deep woof in response.

“Carn?” a loud, male voice called in the distance.

The animal tilted back its head and howled. The chilling sound raced down her spine. He sounded like a wolf. Come to think of it, he looked something like one too. She slowly released her arms, pulling them back to her sides. The animal gave a low whine as if he wasn’t happy with her.

She smiled and felt the world tilt again. Her head rested against the ground and she could feel the earth shake beneath her as someone hurried toward her.

“What have you found, boy?” the male voice asked. She didn’t have the strength to answer him.

Strong hands turned her onto her back. She blinked as two large shapes went in and out of focus. She raised her hand to touch one of them but it was too much trouble. She let it fall back to her side and slipped away into the comforting darkness.

Just before oblivion claimed her she felt herself being lifted and held against a broad, masculine chest. In spite of the cold, she could feel heat radiating from him and snuggled closer. The one coherent thought she had was that she was safe now. She’d been found.

Chapter Four

Abrah couldn’t believe his eyes. He could make out a dark shape with legs and arms. There was a person lying in the dirt with Carn sitting right beside him. No, it wasn’t a male, but a female. The closer he got the more he could discern in the almost impenetrable darkness.

He pushed Carn aside and turned her carefully onto her back. Her body was delicate and there was no mistaking the outline of breasts against the wet fabric. Whoever she was, she wasn’t dressed for the weather.

She blinked at him and then her eyelids fluttered shut. She was alive, but he had no idea if she was injured or how badly. They had to get her to safety.

“What is a woman doing all the way out here? Alone!”

He shared his brother’s disbelief, for it was beyond comprehension that a woman should be out on a night like this and alone. “We have to get her back to the keep.” Abrah stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her slender form, desperate to get her warm. Whatever she was wearing was soaked through. He slipped his arms beneath her and lifted her off the cold ground, a sense of urgency pounding inside him.

“Hurry.” He knew they were on borrowed time, especially since the cold could draw the life out of a person. He’d seen it happen before and it was imperative it didn’t happen to this woman, whoever she was.

Heroc led the way with Abrah and his precious bundle beside him. They moved as fast as they dared with Carn loping along beside them. Abrah prayed to the gods as he hurried, imploring all of them to let the woman live.

As he made his way over the uneven terrain, he strained to hear her breathing above the howling wind and beating rain, but it was impossible. All Abrah had was hope, which had been in short supply in his life as of late. Heroc glanced at him and the woman in his arms from time to time but said nothing. Even if they yelled, the raging wind would swallow whatever either of them said. Time enough for conversation when she was safe and warm inside.

The keep came into view, lamplight from the surrounding homes illuminating the familiar path to their home. The brothers didn’t bother to summon help. Whoever the woman was, they would deal with her injuries themselves. If they were deemed too serious, then he would send for Tara and more help.

Heroc pulled the large door open and Abrah hurried inside. Candlelight flickered in the wind and several of them flared and then flickered out. He didn’t pause downstairs but took the narrow stone stairs two at a time to the next floor. His heart was racing, his lungs sucking in air as he hurried to his room. He shoved the door open with his hip and kept going through the bedroom and into the bathing chamber, where a single candle lit the space.

In the center of the room sat a tub of lukewarm water, which the housekeeper had ordered prepared before she’d retired for the evening. Abrah was thankful for her thoughtfulness.

Abrah barked his orders as he knelt on the floor with his precious bundle. “Stoke the fire and go down to the kitchen and get more hot water.”

Heroc took a moment to light several more candles before he hurried toward the door. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.” His brother was yanking off his coat as he raced back to the bedroom.

Carn settled beside him and poked his nose into the top part of the bundle. His large muzzle shoved aside the fabric and gave Abrah his first look at the woman. Her face was streaked with mud and grit but her beauty shone through. Her nose was straight, her lips full and kissable.

Abrah gave a low growl, angry at her battered condition, and slowly lowered her to the floor. What had she been doing out in this weather on her own?

Carn glanced at him and then went back to nuzzling the woman. “Like her, do you, boy?” Carn didn’t usually take to strangers, preferring to stay aloof from everyone but Abrah and Heroc. The dog gave a low woof as though he understood the question. And Abrah wasn’t sure he didn’t.

He slowly stripped off his coat, which he’d wrapped around her, to reveal her body. She was slender, her limbs long and delicate. The clothing she was wearing was unfamiliar—some kind of pants and a soft tunic. He stripped them off her, careful not to jar her body any more than necessary.

She moaned and batted at his hands.

“I have to get these wet clothes off you.” He spoke, not sure she could even hear him as she drifted in and out of consciousness. But he kept up a steady stream of words as he tossed the sodden mound of cloth aside. She wasn’t wearing any footwear, only a thin covering of some kind. He pulled them off and added them to the pile. She was left wearing some kind of odd undergarments. The ones covering her lower half came off easily but the one covering her breasts gave him a moment of trouble. He’d never seen anything like it. It didn’t cover much, so he didn’t see the point in it.

He shoved it up and over her head, being as gentle as possible. She wasn’t shivering and that worried him.

Carn nosed through her wet clothing before going to the end of the tub and taking up residence there.

As soon as she was naked, Abrah picked her up and lowered her into the warm water. He knew that to her chilled skin the water would seem hot. Sure enough, her eyes opened and she cried out, thrashing in the water.

She was so weakened by her ordeal that Abrah had no problem holding her in the tub with one hand. All the while she fought him, he kept trying to reassure her. “You are safe at Dannon Keep. I need to get you warm.”

Her eyes were huge and blue as they watched him in an unblinking stare. He scooped water into his palm and let it fall over her. “Let the water warm you.” He kept his voice low and, he hoped, reassuring. He’d never had to comfort a woman before and wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.

The door to the chamber was shoved open and bounced off the wall as Heroc strode in carrying a large kettle of steaming hot water. He set the hot pot down and made no pretense of not looking at their guest. Heroc’s eyes devoured her as she lay naked in the tub.

She shivered, pulling Abrah’s attention back to her. “That is a good sign. Your body is trying to warm itself.” He motioned to his brother and Heroc picked up the kettle and poured half of the water into the tub, taking care not to spill it on her limbs. He leaned down and used his hand to swish the water around so the hot was mixed with the cooling water.

The woman moaned as the hot water seeped into her limbs. He knew it would feel like fire against her skin but it was necessary to get her body temperature up. It was also time to wash away the mud to see if she had any other injuries. The fact she was moving her limbs without any trouble was a very good sign.

Heroc went around to the other side of the tub, grabbed a cloth and dumped it into the water. “I’m going to clean some of the mud off you.” He gently rubbed at her neck and shoulders and down her arms.

Abrah decided to rinse her hair while Heroc was washing her. He eased her back so she was resting against the end of the tub with her hair hanging over the edge. He shoved an empty bucket beneath it and began to scoop handfuls of water over the thick mass. Thankfully it wasn’t too dirty. When he was satisfied her hair was clean, he squeezed out the excess water.

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Abrah couldn’t help but enjoy the slick slide of her hair through his fingers. Heroc was obviously feeling the same way as he rubbed the cloth up and down her legs and feet in a slow, sensual rhythm.

Abrah’s cock stirred. He willed it to behave, but it wasn’t listening. It had been so long since he’d had a woman beneath his hands. A year ago at the festival he’d spent several memorable nights with an older widow woman. He and Heroc had tried to entice her to marry one of them but she’d chosen someone else from her home village. It was no wonder his body was reacting to the nearness of this woman.

Her eyelids had drifted closed and her breathing was shallow. She still wasn’t safe from the effects of the cold yet. Abrah stood and lifted her out of the dirty water.

Heroc watched his brother carefully set the woman down beside the tub. Her slick skin gleamed in the candlelight. She was slender, almost too much so. He frowned, wondering if she’d been ill or if her village had fallen on hard times. That happened sometimes but he couldn’t imagine any man letting his woman go hungry.

He grabbed a drying cloth and ran it over her limbs as Abrah steadied her. His cock was as hard as a spike, pushing against the leather placket of his pants, but he ignored the discomfort as best he could. All that mattered was making sure she was safe and warm. Thankfully, other than a few minor scrapes and bruises, she didn’t seem to be hurt.

The bath had helped bring up her body temperature but it wasn’t enough. She was shivering slightly but there was no doubt she was still chilled to her core.

Heroc vigorously rubbed her legs and arms, trying to get the blood circulating through her limbs. He did his best to ignore the smooth skin of her legs, the curve of her hip, the dip of her waist. But it was impossible to miss the thrust of her breasts and the way her nipples were puckered against the cold. She may be slender but her breasts were full and firm.

He swallowed a groan as every muscle in his body tightened and his cock flexed. The hair on her head was starting to curl. It matched the shorter, curly hair that covered her mound.

“Enough.” Abrah’s voice was strained and Heroc knew his brother was holding his passion in check by a thread.

Heroc tossed aside the cloth and followed his brother into the bedroom, watching intently as Abrah carried her to the bed. Carn padded behind them, taking up his usual place in front of the hearth.

He’d taken the time to turn back the covers after he’d stoked the fire. The room was warm but not warm enough. “We need to use body heat.” Abrah nodded and placed the woman in the middle of the mattress.

Heroc stared at her, devouring her oval face, full lips and high cheekbones. She looked very familiar. His hands stilled on the laces of his pants.

“Abrah.” His brother continued to strip off his damp clothing, but raised his eyebrow in question. “I recognize this woman.” Heroc wasn’t sure his brother would believe him or not, but he couldn’t hold in the truth. “From a dream.”

“I recognize her too.” Abrah yanked his tunic over his head and dropped it on the floor.

Heroc’s heart began to race. Was it possible they’d shared the same dream? With the woman currently lying in Abrah’s bed? In the dream she’d said the tapestry had brought her. Had that happened in truth? He certainly wasn’t dreaming now, but then again, his dream had felt incredibly real too. Heroc didn’t know what the truth was and didn’t care. All that mattered was getting her warm and saving her life.

He kicked off his boots and whisked away his pants. His tunic followed and he crawled into bed beside her. Abrah climbed in on the other side and pulled the thick furs over all of them.

Heroc rested his hand on her flat stomach. Her skin was still chilly to the touch and so he began to stroke up and down her torso and over her thigh, willing his warmth into her body. She had to live. Heroc would not entertain any other outcome.

Audrey knew she had to be dreaming. There simply was no other explanation for what was happening to her. A giant dog and two men had found her, brought her to a stone castle and popped her into the bathtub after stripping her naked. She should have been appalled by what was happening but she was too miserable to care.

Her entire body ached and she was beginning to think she’d never be warm again. Ice seemed to encase her bones, chilling her to the very core of her being.

The mattress dipped and one of the men climbed in beside her. The light flickered in the room and she frowned. Why did this place seem familiar? The mattress dipped again and the other man joined them in the bed. She knew she should be outraged. She was naked after all. But she was cold and they were so very warm. Their large bodies radiated heat. She wanted to snuggle next to them and soak it all in.

Lethargy filled her, surrounded her, until she floated in a bubble, distanced from her surroundings while still somehow a part of it. The sensation was strange, yet oddly comforting, as though she were removed from all feeling and emotion. She was safe here. Nothing could touch her.

She frowned as one of the men rested his hand on her stomach. It felt heavy and real. But this couldn’t be. This wasn’t her bedroom and she’d certainly never had two handsome, naked men in her bed. She’d certainly remember if such an event had ever taken place.

Somehow these men weren’t strangers, or at least she didn’t think they were. They were familiar, like she knew them from somewhere, but where?

Although it wasn’t easy to keep her eyes open, she studied them in the dim light emanating from the crackling fire. They both were very large men with broad shoulders and huge biceps. They wore their black hair long, but one of them had a single skinny braid on either side of his face. The shape of their faces were so similar she knew they had to be related—brothers or cousins.

The one with his hand on her stomach had a slightly crooked nose and, when he smiled at her, recognition hit like a sledgehammer in the gut. He was the man from her dream. They both were from her dream.

“Heroc,” she whispered. That was the name the other man had called him by last night in her dream. They were brothers. She remembered that as well.

Audrey turned her head to find the other male, the one with the two skinny braids, watching her. She licked her dry lips. “You’re Abrah.”

He inclined his head. “And you are?”

“Audrey. Audrey Brennan.” She didn’t understand what was going on. Why was she dreaming about these men again? Maybe it was a dream, but everything about the moment seemed so real.

“Audrey Brennan.” The male satisfaction in his voice frightened her. She remembered all too well what happened at the end of her last dream. He’d gotten angry with her.

She scooted closer to Heroc and Abrah frowned. Heroc lowered his head and murmured against her hair. “You are safe. No one will harm you here.”

“Where am I? How did I get here?”

She shivered again and Abrah’s scowl deepened. “Enough talk. We need to get you warm.”

He shifted until he was pressing up against her side. With Heroc on her other side there was nowhere for her to go. Where moments ago she’d been chilled to her core, now her body was generating vast amounts of heat. Or maybe she was simply drawing their warmth into her.

“I don’t understand.” And she didn’t. She had to be dreaming, except this didn’t feel like a dream. She pressed her hand against Abrah’s chest and his heart thudded against her palm. His chest was slick with perspiration and she could see the beginnings of bristles on his jaw. She touched it and felt the prickles against her fingers. “I don’t understand,” she repeated. She wanted to say something else, something intelligent, to ask one of the million questions forming in her mind, but her brain simply refused to work.

“All you need to know is that you are safe.” Heroc circled his hand over her abdomen, generating heat in her chest and pelvic region that had nothing to do with mere warmth and everything to do with sexual arousal.

Audrey shifted her legs restlessly against the soft sheet beneath her. This wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be in bed with two men she barely knew. But she’d been in bed with them in her dream last night. And if this was another dream, was there really anything wrong with her being aroused by the two virile men?

Her mind whirled, trying to sort out reality from fiction. She rubbed her forehead. She’d been on the phone with Gwen. She remembered that. Then she’d gone to her bedroom. The tapestry was on the end of the bed and she’d picked it up. Hadn’t she?

“The tapestry,” she began.

Abrah leaned close and pressed his lips against hers, effectively silencing her. The soft caress echoed throughout her body. “Don’t worry about the tapestry. Don’t worry about anything. Let us pleasure you.” He kissed her cheeks, her nose and down the length of her jaw.

“Let us touch you.” Heroc shifted his hand so he was cupping one of her breasts. The nipple puckered as he circled the nub with his thumb. His lips were soft against her shoulder. “Let us please you.”

There was something wrong with that, something she remembered from her last dream. She had a very strong memory of two hard cocks pressed against her sides, but neither of them had come. She glanced from one to the other and, while Heroc gave her a reassuring smile, Abrah stared at her, no smile, no expression at all showing in his green eyes.

Abrah cupped her jaw in his hand and rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “Decide.”

Her tongue flicked out to touch the end of his finger as it grazed her mouth. His pupils contracted and his heart sped up. He wasn’t as unaffected as he’d like her to believe.

This was a dream, she reminded herself. It wasn’t as though she was committing to a long-term relationship with one of them.

If this was real she certainly wouldn’t be in bed with both of them, although she had to admit, as fantasies went, this was an excellent one. What woman didn’t fantasize about having two handsome hunks in bed, attending to her every need?

She was free to indulge her every whim. And why wouldn’t she. The first part of this dream had been a complete nightmare. The memory of the storm sent a shiver down her spine. That experience had been terrifying. She was due for something good.

She looked at Heroc and then back to Abrah. They both waited, but she could feel the tension vibrating from both of them.

Audrey took a deep breath and took the plunge. “Yes.”

Chapter Five

Abrah didn’t want to think about Audrey mentioning the tapestry and the implications surrounding it, but he was not one to back away from the truth, no matter how distasteful it was. His dream last night had been real, a precursor to her arrival.

If the legend of the tapestry stayed true, and there was no reason to believe otherwise, they had only three days to convince Audrey to stay with them. Then the tapestry would appear and she could go back home if she chose.

She would go back home. Abrah didn’t delude himself to think otherwise. Why would she want to stay in their world? The cold season did not exactly show Javara at its best. The frigid, rainy weather would most likely prevent them from taking her outside the keep. They weren’t rich men by any means. Oh, they kept themselves and their people fed and warm, but there weren’t funds for anything frivolous. Other tapestry brides had gone to much larger castles and keeps, ones with more wealth.

All they could offer Audrey was themselves, a roof over her head and a full belly. Not much for such a prize. She was so beautiful she could have any man she wanted. Why would she stay here?

But he would try. For Heroc’s sake.

And he was lying to himself. He desperately wanted her to stay. If he closed his eyes he could still picture her lying in the dirt, wet and cold and exhausted, struggling to crawl one more step. Such courage, such bravery was to be admired.

From his dream, he knew she was a beautiful woman, generous with her passion, holding nothing back. He wanted to know everything there was to know about her.

Deep in his soul, Audrey was quickly becoming an overwhelming need. A piece of him would leave with her when she returned to her home and he wasn’t sure he’d ever recover from the loss. He’d found her. They’d found her in the storm and brought her home and she belonged to them.

Time was already slipping away and the tapestry would soon be returning for her. Abrah knew she did not believe this was real, not yet at any rate, knew he should not take advantage of her confused state. But he knew he would. There simply was not enough time to waste.

He gave in to his growing frustration and sexual hunger and kissed her. Not the gentle touch he’d given her earlier. No, this was a kiss of claiming. He was the conqueror and she was his prize.

He tasted her sweet lips before slipping his tongue inside the warm cavern of her mouth. He groaned when her tongue touched his, tentatively at first and then bolder. Her hand slipped up his chest, then his neck, chaining him to her. He could have told her there was nothing that could make him leave her, but that would have meant breaking the kiss, which he wasn’t ready to do. Not yet.

He ran his fingers over her delicate features, learning them, committing them to memory. Already her face was so very familiar to him—her soft skin, perfect nose and full lips. Her thick hair was drying into thick, silky curls. He twined one around his finger, loving the way the fine hair wrapped around it, clinging to his skin.

He wanted everything from her. He wanted to hear her scream his name as she came, to feel her cunt clasp his cock in her hot, wet heat, to have her beg him to take her.

Determination flooded him. He was a fighter and he’d fought many battles in his lifetime. He’d won many and lost some, but he’d never been a quitter. He had three days and he planned to make the most of them. Even if she left, he would know he had done everything in his power to make her stay. He would also have enough memories to last him a lifetime.

He broke the kiss and glanced at Heroc. His brother was busy sucking and licking Audrey’s breasts. He knew his brother well and knew their thoughts would be similar. Only Heroc would have more hope than him. Such was his brother’s nature.

Maybe between the two of them there was a chance she might stay. Slim, yes, but it existed.

Audrey was breathless when Abrah ended his passionate kiss. She’d been kissed many times before in her life, but never anything like this. This was the kind of kiss you read about in romance novels, filled with unspoken emotion and unrequited passion.

There was so much to consider, but thought was impossible with Heroc licking her distended nipple. He captured the nub between his teeth and gently tugged. Heat flooded her pussy and she arched her pelvis, wanting more.

She didn’t know herself, not here, not now. Yes, she’d enjoyed sex over the years within the confines of her committed relationships, but this was something far out of the realm of her experience. This was passion at its deepest and most profound. She was filled with longings she didn’t even know she had. She wanted to be taken by them, swept away on a wave of desire until nothing else mattered.

The staid businesswoman, the workaholic, the lonely woman didn’t exist in this dream. There was only Audrey the woman and the men she wanted.

A low growl from her other side startled her. Abrah was watching her from beneath a heavy-lidded gaze, his green eyes filled with heat and passion. She swallowed hard. Could she satisfy such a man?

Her ex-boyfriend had said more than once that she was cold in bed. Unresponsive. She preferred to think it was simply poor chemistry and his lack of patience but there was no denying she’d lost confidence in herself. There hadn’t been a man in her bed since.

But this wasn’t real. This was a dream. She could be whatever she wanted, do whatever she wanted. This was her fantasy and it would be perfect.

The thought gave her confidence enough to run her hands over Abrah’s wide chest. His abs were like steel, heavy muscles covered with taut skin. Oh my, he was the perfect male specimen. If she used him in an ad campaign he’d make the client a bundle. The thought made her smile.

Heroc tugged on her breast again as if to remind her he was there. As if she could forget. Like his brother, there wasn’t a spare ounce of fat on his body. She brushed his long hair away from his face and he released her breast and smiled at her, flashing his pearly white teeth. She could easily get lost in his smile. It was open and warm. He didn’t want anything from her other than pleasure. He wasn’t trying to use her business contacts or take her job.

“Touch me.”

She couldn’t ignore Heroc’s plea and ran her hand over his shoulders and chest. He had a light smattering of chest hair that tapered to a thin line that ran down his stomach and disappeared beneath the covers.

He was naked beneath the blankets. They all were.

Suddenly, Audrey wanted to see more. She kicked the blankets away, no longer cold. The struggle in the storm was quickly becoming a dim memory, wiped away by the presence of these two incredible men. If anything she was hot, brought on by the sexual passion simmering inside her and the closeness of the two brothers.

She almost swallowed her tongue when she got her first good look at Heroc. “Oh my.” She reached out tentatively and touched his cock. It twitched and she jerked her hand away.

He captured her hand and brought it back to his shaft. “Touch me. Please.” His voice was hoarse with need and she was powerless to resist. She rubbed her thumb over the wide, plum-shaped head, marveling at the soft texture. Liquid seeped from the small slit and she smoothed it over the tip. Heroc groaned, every muscle in his body tensing. A sense of power flooded her. This large, gorgeous, muscular man wanted her touch. The very idea made her pussy spasm.

Heroc bit the inside of his mouth to keep from coming. Audrey’s touch was soft and gentle, a featherlight brush of his cock head. He struggled to keep his body under his control when all he wanted to do was roll her on to her back and plunge his shaft deep into her hot cunt.

Instead, he forced himself to remain still as she examined him at her leisure. She ran her fingers up and down his hard length, tracing the pulsing veins that ran from base to tip.

He glanced over at Abrah, who was watching Audrey the same way a hawk watches his prey before lunging to capture it. There was no doubt in his mind his brother was as taken with Audrey as he was. Good. They would need the both of them working together to entice her to stay. Just because the tapestry had brought her here did not mean she was going to stay. History was filled with stories of potential tapestry brides who chose to return to their own time, leaving broken hearts and shattered dreams behind them.

Audrey slipped her hand lower and squeezed his sac. He groaned, unable to hold back. The pleasure was too intense. Her eyes flew to his and he lightly touched her face, stilled stunned by her beauty. “I cannot help myself. Having your fingers on my cock is pure pleasure and temptation.”

Abrah reached around her and cupped one of her breasts. Heroc thumbed Audrey’s pert nipple, which Abrah held up to him like some kind of offering. “Your breasts are firm and full, your nipples wonderfully responsive.”

Her face flushed and her eyes lowered. Heroc was touched by the shy gesture and nudged her face up until she was peering right at him. “There is no right or wrong in this bed. There is only pleasure. Everything we do here is right.” He did not want her to regret their time together.

She nodded and the corners of her mouth slowly lifted into a warm smile. It lit her face from within and he caught his breath as his heart skipped a beat.

Audrey licked her lips and his cock jerked as he watched her tongue circling around. He wondered how those lips and that incredible mouth would feel wrapped around his shaft. He shuddered and took hold of his desire with an iron grip. If he was not careful he would spill his seed before it was time.

“I want to touch you.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Both of you.” Heroc was delighted by her inquisitive nature, wanted her to become accustomed to their bodies. That would make it much easier for her to accept them both when they claimed her.

He rolled onto his back and stacked his hands behind his head, feigning a nonchalance he did not feel. “I am all yours. Touch me however you want.”

Abrah followed suit, lying back so they were both flat on the mattress. Audrey rolled to her knees. The firelight glistened against her pale flesh, casting her in a play of shadows and light. Her hair was almost dry and fell to just past her shoulders in a profusion of brown curls. He wanted to bury his face in the stuff and simply inhale her sweet scent.

Her body was slender but her hips still curved outward. Her torso was too thin, her ribs almost visible. Heroc did not like to think of Audrey being ill. She sat back on her heels and rested her hands on her thighs and simply stared at them, first him and then Abrah. His cock flexed and he knew his brother must be having as difficult a time as he was maintaining control.

Her breasts swayed as she bent forward and gripped his cock in her hand. The light shone on her enough to illuminate dark smudges on her torso, arms and legs. Bruises.

What was he doing? She’d been hurt. She needed to be taken care of.

Heroc wrapped his hand around her wrist. It was so slender his fingers were loose around her fragile bones. “You should be resting.” It killed him to say it but it was a matter of honor. She had to know he would put her first, above all his needs.

Her fingers tightened and then released him. “You don’t want me.”

He could hear the thread of hurt in her voice and knew his good intentions were undone. “I want you more than you will ever know. More than I want my next breath. But I do not want to hurt you or have you hurt yourself. You are still weak and chilled from the storm.”

Audrey momentarily lost her ability to speak. Heroc was flat on his back with the largest hard-on she’d ever seen in her life and he was worried about her. She knew for certain she was dreaming because no flesh-and-blood man she’d ever met would have turned away from an offer of sex.

“I feel fine and I’m not the least bit cold.” Well, half of that statement was truth. She certainly wasn’t feeling the chill any longer. She was hot, perspiration dotting her skin. She ached in places and knew she’d feel her bruises in the morning, but they weren’t bothering her enough to make her stop. Even her headache was manageable. She didn’t want this dream to end, not without touching them and having them touch her in return.

She glanced at Abrah. She was already learning he was the quieter of the two, the more stoic and intense. He was watching her, his hands opening and closing into fists at his sides. He looked ready to pounce on her any second, but deep inside she knew he would accede to her wishes.

Her breasts ached to be touched. Her pussy swelled and dampened. It had been so long since she’d felt the heavy thrust of a cock between her thighs.

She placed her hand on Abrah’s leg and ran her fingers over his thick, muscular thigh. Her nails lightly scored his skin and his muscles tensed. He growled low and deep in his chest. Quick as a snake, he struck, his hand grabbed hers and he dragged it to his cock. “Touch me.” It was a command, not a request. Audrey licked her dry lips and slowly closed her fingers around him. He threw back his head, the tendons in his neck cording. “Yes,” he groaned. “Harder.”

She stroked her hand up and down his hard length. He was slightly longer than his brother, but Heroc’s erection was slightly thicker. Both were impressive.

Heroc shifted on the mattress and she glanced his way. He was watching her touch his brother. He had his hand fisted around his shaft, pumping up and down, keeping pace with her strokes.

“I don’t know what to do.” And she didn’t. She’d never been in this kind of situation before. “I don’t want to neglect either one of you.”

Abrah’s cock continued to jump and pulse in her hand but he went still beside her. “You can take us both in your hands or you can let us take you one at a time or you can use your very sexy mouth to pleasure us.” Her entire body quivered at his very blatant suggestions. It was all too easy to picture her doing all three.

“Or you can let us pleasure you,” Heroc added.

It had been a very long time since she’d done anything like this, but Audrey didn’t give herself time to think, she lowered her head and licked Heroc’s cock from base to tip, swirling her tongue around the tip. He groaned and thrust his pelvis upward. Her hand was still closed around Abrah’s shaft and it jerked and swelled against her palm.

This wasn’t going to work. She sat back and released both of them.

Abrah surged to his knees, yanked her to him and kissed her. Her breasts were plastered against his chest, his rigid, hot erection pressed against her belly. She whimpered but the sound was lost as he continued to eat at her mouth with his lips, to plunge his tongue inward, tasting her, consuming her.

Heroc moved in behind her, kneeling between her legs. He widened his stance, pushing her legs apart. His chest covered her back and his cock pulsed against her lower back. He cupped her ass in his hands and squeezed before dipping lower and finding her pussy with his clever fingers.

“You are hot and wet for us.” He brushed her hair aside and nibbled at her nape. Shivers raced down her spine. “Feel her, Abrah. Her pussy is juicy and ripe.”

Audrey was shocked she didn’t expire on the spot. She’d never heard such earthy words spoken aloud in her life. She’d read them in books but this was something totally different.

Abrah continued to kiss her, his tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth, mimicking the act of sexual intercourse. But his fingers slid down her torso and between her thighs.

Two sets of male fingers explored and stroked her swollen pussy, grazing her sensitive clit. Audrey cried out as a wide finger plunged into her core. She had no idea which of them it was and it didn’t matter. She whimpered and squirmed, wanting more.

“I think she likes that.” Heroc nipped her shoulder and kissed a path to her ear, capturing the tender lobe between his teeth. “Do you want more?”

She nodded and tore her mouth from Abrah’s. She was gasping for air, her lungs working hard as she struggled to breathe. “Yes. Don’t stop.” They couldn’t stop. Not when she was so close to coming.

Heroc slipped his hands around her and cupped her breasts. It was only then she knew it was Abrah’s finger inside her. He added a second and widened them, stretching her tender sheath. His thumb teased her aching clit with each stroke.

She’d never experienced anything like this before. Her body ached for these men, needed them in a way she didn’t understand. Hard cocks pulsed against her back and belly. She wanted them to come. But was she ready to take both of them? It might only be a dream but this was still way outside her comfort zone.

Then it no longer mattered. Everything inside her clenched and released. Her body shook and spasmed as her climax hit her. She cried out and let go, trusting them to catch her as she fell. Inner muscles tightened around thick male fingers. Heroc rolled her nipples between this thumbs and forefingers, sending a lightning bolt of desire from her breasts to her core and back again.

Her orgasm seemed to go on forever, yet it wasn’t nearly long enough and was over way too soon. Audrey collapsed and strong arms caught her. Abrah withdrew his fingers from her and Heroc gently caressed her breasts. Once again, she felt as though she were floating on a cloud. Nothing else existed but pleasure and this moment. There was no job, no responsibilities and no ill health.

Something nudged her belly, a very tangible reminder that she was the only one who’d found sexual satisfaction. She reached for Abrah’s straining cock, but he caught her hand. “This night was about you and your pleasure. If you still feel the same way in the morning I will more than welcome your attention.”

Audrey didn’t understand these men who haunted her dreams. Behind her, Heroc nuzzled her neck. “You should rest now.”

She didn’t argue when strong arms lowered her to the bed. Her earlier exhaustion was back with a vengeance. She was so tired she was almost sick with it. Her eyelids were heavy so she let them fall shut. The covers rustled and two large male bodies stretched out on either side of her. Heavy blankets were piled over her and she sank into a deep sleep, a feeling of safety and well-being enveloping her.

Abrah glanced from the sleeping form beside him to his brother and sighed. “It is going to be a very long night.”

“Do you think we did the right thing or should we have taken her?” There was worry in Heroc’s voice. Abrah wasn’t certain if they’d done the right thing or not, but it was the only thing they could have done.

“I do not know. She still believes this is a dream. The storm and cold stripped her energy and reason. I did not want to take advantage of her, did not want her to wake in the morning and feel shame or regret.”

Heroc nodded. “You are probably right. But that does not help me at the moment.”

His brother’s wry reply made Abrah chuckle. “You can always take matters into your own hand if you need to.”

“I think I’ll take my chances in the morning.” Heroc grinned and then closed his eyes, wrapped his arm around Audrey and drifted off to sleep.

Abrah stared at the ceiling for a very long time, wondering if the gods had blessed them or cursed them. By the time the fire died down, he still had no answer so he closed his eyes and welcomed sleep.

Chapter Six

Audrey woke slowly and stretched. Her body ached all over and she groaned as her muscles protested all movement. Why did she hurt so much? She opened her eyes and blinked. Fear spiked through her when she saw her surroundings. Where was she?

The room certainly wasn’t her bedroom. In fact, it didn’t look like anywhere she’d ever been. A memory from the night before niggled at her brain. “It was only a dream,” she whispered. The storm, the men who found her and brought her home, the way they’d loved her body into oblivion.

“Ohmygod.” It was real and she was…naked. Audrey grabbed the covers, yanking them firmly against her neck. She was stark naked and the mattress beside her was still warm, which meant someone else had been in bed with her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t real. She had to figure this out.

“One step at a time.” Ignoring her stiff muscles and bruised limbs, she slid out of the bed, dragging one of the thick woven blankets with her and wrapping it around her body like a toga. The stone floor was cold and the chill seeped in through the bottoms of her feet, making her toes curl. A fire crackled in the hearth but it obviously hadn’t been going long enough to take the icy feel off the room.

A window off to the right beckoned and she stumbled toward it. If she could get her bearings she’d be okay. The heavy wooden shutter was latched so she pushed up the bar. The wind blew the shutter inward, slamming it against the wall.

Wind and rain immediately pounded Audrey, but she ignored it and peered out over the countryside. And that’s what it was—countryside. The area was completely rural. She could see several more stone buildings and a scattering of smaller homes with thatched roofs in the near distance. Rain soaked her skin and dampened her hair but Audrey couldn’t make herself move.

She had no idea where she was or how she’d gotten here.

She turned away from the window and examined the room more thoroughly. The huge four-poster bed she’d been sleeping in dominated the space. A large trunk sat at the end of it, while two smaller chests flanked the top of the bed like bedside tables. A mantle made of a solid piece of thick, heavy wood sat over the hearth and a table and two welcoming chairs sat in front of it. There was no clothing lying about, no knick knacks, no little items to say who lived here.

Audrey whirled toward the corner of the room and found the door she knew would be there. She hurried to it and pushed her way inside. There was the tub from her dream last night, the one Abrah had put her in. She bit on her bottom lip to hold back a moan.

There was no sign of her clothing but there was a basin with water, along with a primitive indoor toilet. She made use of both. As she sluiced water over her face she silently repeated a mantra in her head. This can’t be happening. It’s only a dream.

She was very afraid no matter how many times she said the words they wouldn’t be true. She peeled back the blanket to stare at her body. There were several bruises on her legs and arms and one on her hip. But other than some sore muscles she seemed surprisingly fit from her ordeal.

Wind howled from the other room. “Crap.” She’d left the window wide open. That wasn’t going to help take the chill off the place and she was already freezing.

She rewrapped her blanket around her and hurried back to the bedroom. It was much easier to open the window than to close it. The wooden shutters were heavy and the wind was strong. She threw her whole weight behind one of them and managed to get it closed. The trick was keeping it there while she got the other one shut.

She huffed and puffed and broke a sweat, but didn’t give up. A particularly heavy gust pushed the shutter and she stumbled back with a shriek, knowing she was going to land on her ass on the floor.

Heavy arms caught her and set her aside. Two seconds later the window was closed and barred, shutting out the storm. “Are you all right?”

Audrey blinked and shook her head. Okay, so she’d been expecting to see one or both of the men from last night, but the reality of the situation was more overwhelming than the memory.

Abrah Dannon was huge. He had to be at least a foot taller than she and probably outweighed her by almost a hundred pounds, all of it solid muscle. He was wearing soft, brown leather pants that clung to his thick thighs like a second skin. His shoulders were encased in a long-sleeved tunic, which fell to the top of his thighs. Heavier leather boots covered his feet.

His long hair fell down his back and those two skinny braids framed the sides of his rough-hewn face. His mouth was drawn into a frown of disapproval and his thick, dark brows were furrowed. He didn’t look happy.

“Why are you out of bed? Why did you open the window?”

Audrey stumbled back, wishing she was wearing more than a blanket. It was hard to feel confident and assertive in little more than her skin and a piece of cloth. Still, she’d faced down multimillionaire businessmen and prima donna actors on more than one occasion. She drew herself up to her full height and stared up at him. “What am I doing here and where exactly am I?”

He took a step toward her and she took a step back before she could stop herself. Really the man could give lessons in intimidation tactics and the sad thing was she didn’t think he was even trying. This seemed to be his normal demeanor.

She was so screwed.

She braced her legs to keep them from moving backward. She had to face this the same way she had everything else in her life—head-on. She shivered and his frown deepened.

He stalked toward her and it took every speck of courage she possessed to keep from fleeing. But where would she go? She had no idea where she was.

Abrah swooped down and lifted her off her feet. “You are cold.” It was an accusation and it made her grin in spite of herself.

“I don’t seem to have any clothing to wear,” she pointed out. Her heart was pounding but she wasn’t afraid of him, not really. She knew deep in her heart he wouldn’t hurt her. No, she was more afraid of her reaction to him.

Audrey wanted to cling to him, to wrap her arms around him and let him take care of her. And how stupid was that. She’d learned long ago that men were not to be depended on. Her father had left her mother and her years ago, all her boyfriends had left her at the first sign of trouble in their relationship or when they’d no longer needed her money or contacts, and her bosses used her talent and took the credit for it.

No, the only person she could depend on was herself. She held her body as rigid as possible, not wanting to lean against Abrah as he sat in the chair by the fireplace with her in his lap. But, oh, it was hard. The man radiated body heat and she was shivering from the cold.

Abrah angled her body so she was facing the fire, her back to his chest. The heat from the flames felt good against her skin. She shuddered and he swore. Before she realized his intent, he had the blanket open, exposing her front to the heat and to his view.

“What are you doing?” She batted at his hands and grabbed the ends of the blankets, trying to pull them back around her.

He yanked the blanket from the grasp with no effort at all. “I am getting you warm.” He ran his hands over her arms and in a brisk motion before moving down her torso and over her thighs. She had to admit she was certainly heating up fast.

And she wasn’t the only one. Abrah’s body was like a blast furnace. And he was also aroused. Incredibly aroused.

She swallowed hard as the memories from last night came pouring back. She’d touched his impressive erection last night and he’d had his hands all over her. She shuddered and her breasts grew heavy and her nipples puckered.

Abrah gave a low rumble of approval and covered her breasts with his hands. She’d never been this horny in her life. She wanted to give in to the moment, to let go and have sex with him but she needed answers.

“Where am I?”

He sighed, his breath ruffling her curls and warming her neck. “You are in Javara.” He plucked at her nipples making it difficult to think. Her skin was ultra-sensitive and alive beneath his touch.

“Where exactly is that?” She sucked in a breath, practically panting now. That wouldn’t do. She grabbed his hands and drew them away from her breasts. Immediately, she wished they were back there. Her pussy was damp and swollen, her body was totally out of control and that so wasn’t like her. “Did you drug me?” Outrage washed through her. Was this some kind of kidnapping rouse? “I don’t have much money but you’re welcome to what I have if you’ll let me go.”

He grew still behind her. She wished she could see his face but was also grateful she couldn’t. He was fierce when angry, and she had the distinct impression he was extremely pissed at the moment.

“I do not need your money.” Great, now he sounded offended.

“Look, big guy. I don’t really know who you are or where I am.” She grabbed the ends of the blanket and flung them around her. Even the slight weight of the blankets made her skin ache.

Abrah tuned her so she was lying across his lap looking up at him. “I am Abrah Dannon and you are at Dannon Keep. This you already know.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek and down her jawline. “You are in Javara. The tapestry brought you.”

It was her turn to frown now. “What are you talking about?”

“You mentioned a tapestry in the dream we shared and again last night.”

This wasn’t making any sense. “Sure, I found an old tapestry in a box of stuff in my closet, but what does that have to do with anything? I was holding the tapestry in my hands when I collapsed in my bedroom, but I still have no idea what that has to do with me ending up here.”

His arms tightened around her. “You are ill? You need a healer?” The concern in his voice was too real to be an act, unless he was one hell of an actor, her more cynical side pointed out.

“I’m fine.” She figured if she said it enough it would become reality. Besides, other than vitamins, good food and rest there wasn’t much else to be done.

“Why did you collapse?” Abrah obviously wasn’t satisfied with her two-word explanation and demanded answers.

She tried to move but his arms were like steel bands around her. He wasn’t hurting her but she wasn’t going anywhere either, not until he got answers.

“I got run-down because I was working too hard. But I’m okay.” She wasn’t about to tell him she might have had a panic attack. She still wasn’t sure she believed that, but she could easily believe she’d been working too hard and not taking care of herself because it was the truth.

A sudden thought occurred to her and her stomach dropped. “I’m dead, aren’t I? Or maybe in a coma?” Maybe she’d hit her head when she’d fallen in her bedroom. Stranger things had happened to folks. A head injury could be fatal.

He ran his hand over her leg and hip and settled it over the curve of her waist. “No, you are not dead. You are very much alive.”

Frustration ate at her, partly due to lack of information and understanding and partly due to growing desire. Being near Abrah, being held in his lap with his heat surrounding her was having a profound effect on her senses. She could smell the wind and rain on his skin mixed with the deeper, musky scent of male. Hear the way his breathing was getting deeper. Feel the hot brand of his cock through all the layers of cloth separating them. See the way his pupils dilated and his lips parted.

She wanted him. Badly.

“I don’t understand.” And she wanted to, had to. What had happened to her well-ordered life?

Abrah cradled her in his lap, watching her closely as he spoke. “As I said before, you are in Javara. The tapestry was created by a great sorceress and imbued with her magic and it has brought you here. Such has happened for many generations.”

“Magic?” Now she was concerned about his state of mind.

“Yes. Here women are scarce and are treasured by all. Brothers compete to win the right to marry a woman. Only one brother can marry her and claim her children as his own, but the other brothers get one night a week in her bed and vow to take care of her if her husband dies. There are no more than three brothers to a woman.”

“That’s all fine and good but what does this have to do with me?” Audrey didn’t buy the entire sharing-a-woman deal. But it was one heck of an original line. “What do you mean by compete?”

“Sexually.” That one word was like a stroke down her spine, settling in her pussy and making it pulsate slow and deep. “Both Heroc and I will pleasure you separately and together. That way you will know which one of us you prefer.”

Audrey was off his lap in a flash. The blanket slipped, exposing one nipple. She yanked it back into place but not before Abrah got an eyeful. He licked his lips and she almost moaned at the thought of having his mouth all over her body.

Focus, she ordered. “Thanks but I’ll pass. How do I get home?”

A great sadness seemed to settle over Abrah even though he didn’t move and his expression didn’t change. She had the stupid urge to go to him and comfort him, which was insane. The man was a virtual stranger who wanted her to have sex with him, oh, and with his brother too. How crazy was that?

Not as crazy as it should have seemed to her. She stiffened her spine, determined to get to the bottom of this. “Tell me more about the tapestry.”

He shrugged one massive shoulder. “As I said, it is magic, created by a sorceress. It usually comes once in a generation, bringing a woman from another time and place, one who has the ability to thrive in our world. Some of the women stay but others return to their own world. It has already brought an unprecedented four such women in my lifetime.”

She had the feeling she’d disappointed him somehow. Well, tough for him. She wasn’t exactly happy at the moment herself. “You mean this magic tapestry simply kidnaps women?” The idea was totally preposterous and delusional. Obviously, Abrah needed psychiatric help. Just her luck, she meets a hunky guy and he’s a sandwich short of a picnic.

“Not kidnap. No.” He stood and began to pace, his agitation obvious in the way he raked his fingers through his hair. “Three days.” He spun around to face her. “We have three days to convince you to stay then the tapestry will come and take you home if that is your choice. If you stay you will remain here forever.”

Fear leached all the color from her face. She couldn’t imagine being lost in another world forever. Not that she believed this tall tale Abrah was spinning, but if it was true it was downright scary.

“So I can go home in three days?” Best to focus on the most important detail.

He lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked so dejected she wanted to go to him and wrap her arms around him. She’d already taken several steps before she stopped herself. The chair was in front of her so she clung to the top of it, digging her fingers into the wood.

“Yes. In three days the tapestry will return and you can make your choice.” His head came up and he stared intently at her as if he was trying to see into her very soul. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling.

He began to move toward her then, his large body fluid and silent. She took a step away but he kept coming. Like an animal on the prowl he tracked her every moment. His nostrils flared and his lips parted.

“But I will use that time to convince you to stay.” His words were so soft she almost didn’t hear them. She wasn’t certain if he was talking to her or to himself. Not that it mattered. His intentions were more than clear. He intended to have sex with her.

The oddest part was she wasn’t certain she’d mind it at all. He’d touched her skin, stroked her breasts and had his fingers inside her last night. What would it feel like to make love with him? No, it wasn’t love—it was sex. She couldn’t confuse the two. He didn’t know her any better than she knew him.

She licked her lips and stood her ground as he got closer and closer until he was standing right in front of her. She was shivering now but not from the cold. Her body was alive, every nerve ending in her body singing, yearning for Abrah.

What would it hurt? They were both adults. This was a time out of time. She was already on vacation from work. No one would miss her for three days. She could have great sex with him and then go home.

“You promise you’ll let me go in three days?” He flinched at her question and she wished she could call it back. He’d brought her to this strange place after all, why should she believe him about anything? Yet, oddly enough, she did.

“Yes. If that is what you want.” He cupped her face and lowered his head. The time for talking was over. She went up on to her toes, drawn to the overwhelming need she felt coming from deep within him.

Their lips met. She’d expected a more forceful kiss but his mouth was gentle against hers, coaxing her to part and accept him. She could do nothing less. Driven by a primitive urge she truly didn’t understand, Audrey let his tongue slide between her lips and welcomed him into her embrace.

Chapter Seven

Abrah knew he should walk away from Audrey. She’d made it clear she planned to leave when the tapestry returned. He’d explained everything to her but didn’t think she truly believed him. His word was his bond, his honor, and yet she doubted him. Never in his life would he have expected this turn of events.

And to have her offer him money to let her go had been like a sword thrust to his heart and his pride. He might not be rich but he would never be poor enough to take money from his woman. He could hunt and had a strong back. She would never be cold, never go hungry as long as he lived.

Which was a moot point since she had no plans to stay.

He knew she was having a difficult time coming to grips with the reality of the situation. From what he’d heard over the years, most tapestry brides did. Some accepted the situation more easily than others. Others never did and fled back to their homes as soon as the tapestry returned. Abrah honestly didn’t know what to do to convince Audrey his world was as real as hers. She’d seen the countryside. Gods, she’d been lost in the storm. What else was there to convince her that this was not a dream?

Then he’d understood there was no need to even try. She’d already made up her mind. But the tapestry had brought her to him and Heroc and they owed it to themselves to try to convince her to stay. Abrah had the feeling this was their one and only chance to have a woman of their own. If Audrey left them they would be alone forever.

He poured all his pent-up loneliness into the kiss he gave Audrey. He would not beg, would not plead with her to stay, but she would remember him long after she’d gone. She would go to her deathbed as an old woman with the taste of his kiss on her lips. It was only fair as he knew he would never forget it or her.

Her fingers dug into his scalp, holding him to her. The blanket slipped from her body and fell to the floor, tangling around her bare feet. Abrah scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

He wanted her and she was willing. There was no need for him to hold back any longer.

Her eyes were closed, the dark sweep of her lashes resting on her cheekbones. Gods, she was beautiful with her rosy skin and full, moist lips. She looked at him then, her blue eyes as brilliant as a summer sky.

Abrah stripped off his tunic and tossed it to the floor. Her gaze ran the length of his torso and stopped at his waist. He loosened the laces of his pants and slid them down his legs. His cock was standing erect, hard and firm, leaving her no doubt he was ready and willing to take her.

She licked her lips and his cock jerked toward her. He closed his eyes, knowing he’d lose control if he didn’t. He wanted her too much.

He bent down and yanked off his boots and pants. There was a rustling of bedclothes. His eyes snapped open as her hand stroked his hard length. He hissed out a breath but didn’t stop her. He wanted her hands on his cock, his heavy sac. He wanted her questing fingers everywhere on his body, wherever she wanted to touch him.

Her skin was soft and warm against his. His cock was close to exploding.

And then she scooted off the bed and knelt on the pile of his clothing, bringing her mouth incredibly close to his cock. Her breath was warm against his engorged flesh. He tangled his fingers in her curly hair. The stuff was soft, almost alive in the way it wrapped around his fingers.

She laughed and licked the head of his cock, twining her tongue around the wide crown. Abrah groaned and barely managed to keep from coming. Liquid seeped from the slit and she lapped at it with her clever pink tongue.

He anchored her to him, using his grip on her hair to tether her to him. He didn’t know how much he could take but he wanted everything she was willing to give him. She didn’t disappoint.

Audrey parted her lips and took his cock head into her mouth. Warm, wet heat surrounded him. He gritted his teeth and barely held on to his control. One of her hands cupped his sac, gently rolling it between her fingers. The other hand closed around his shaft.

It was too much. He wanted to be inside her. Had to feel the hot grasp of her pussy milking his cock as he came. Nothing else would do.

Without any warning, he plucked her from the floor and tossed her onto the bed. Her mouth gave a wet, popping sound as it released his cock. Abrah growled as he flung himself onto the bed bedside her.

He didn’t hesitate. There was no time. She had to be ready to take him. He positioned himself between her thighs, spreading them wide with his broad shoulders. Her pussy was pink and wet and welcoming. He inhaled her sultry scent and his cock jerked against the blankets. His balls were so tight they threatened to climb into his body.

He parted her slick folds with his thumbs and licked her pussy, lapping at the sensitive skin. She made tiny, whimpering sounds of pleasure that threatened to unman him. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she shifted her legs wider, welcoming him.

The hard nub of her clit was exposed, pushed back from its protective hood. He tongued the bud of nerves and Audrey cried out his name.

Audrey had never experienced anything like this in her life. Everything was too authentic to be a dream—this room, the crackling fire, the stone walls, but especially the man settled between her spread thighs.

She wasn’t asleep, wasn’t disoriented or hurt or cold. Was this real?

She was almost certain it had to be.

Then she couldn’t think at all when Abrah tongued her clit, pushing the nerve endings into overdrive. She called his name and gripped his shoulders, anchoring herself in the sensual storm.

He licked and sucked her folds, returning again and again to her clit to tease and arouse her. “Abrah.” She didn’t know what else to say, didn’t know how to ask for what she wanted.

“Are you ready for me?” He pushed one thick finger into her narrow channel, past constricting muscles.

“Yesss.” She was so ready. More than ready. She’d never been so ready.

“I am not certain you are.” He pushed a second finger into her pussy, stretching her to the limits.

“Aaahhh.” Words were beyond her. Rational thought, impossible. She was a sensual creature, lost in the wondrous sensations rocketing through her. She licked her lips and undulated her hips, trying to get him to stroke the exact right spot.

Abrah raised his head and gave her a wicked smile. The man was sex personified with his rugged good looks and knowing touch. He pressed his tongue against her clit and pulled his fingers almost all the way out of her hot cunt, curling them inward as he did so. He hit her sweet spot and she cried out.

Spasms of pleasure shot through her. Wet heat flowed from her core. “Mmm,” she murmured, feeling so good it should be illegal.

Abrah crawled up her body, anchored his thick arms beneath her thighs, lifted her hips and drove his cock into her in one smooth stroke.

She cried out as her body struggled to accommodate his impressive girth and length. Her inner muscles fluttered over and around his cock, making space for it inside her. She was stretched to the limits, the sensation bordering on painful but not quite reaching it. The way he was holding her made it impossible for her to limit how deep he went. Abrah was in control.

His long hair hung around his shoulders and down his back. His chest was slick with sweat, his muscles taut and delineated in the light from the hearth. He looked primitive and pagan and she wanted him.

His green-eyed gaze never left her face as he withdrew almost all the way and then pressed back in again. Her pussy fluttered and stretched. This time there was no pain. It felt incredibly good.

She arched her back, wanting all of him.

He smiled and it changed his features completely. Gone was the austere man and in his place was a younger-looking lover. Her sheath rippled around his cock and his smile disappeared, replaced by a look of steely determination.

His fingers dug into her hips, holding her in place as he started to fuck her. His strokes got faster and faster with each one he took. She couldn’t get a good hold on his shoulders so she gripped the bedclothes, fisting her fingers in it.

Her breasts ached for his touch, her nipples hard buds of desire. But there was no time. This was a primitive claiming. Abrah buried his cock in her pussy again and again. She felt the familiar building of heat. Her inner muscles quivered. She was close.

Abrah shifted, put one hand on her bottom and tilted her pelvis upward for maximum penetration. He slid the other one between their joined bodies and touched her clit with his finger.

Audrey came undone. “Abrah.” She thought she yelled his name but it was probably only a whisper. She couldn’t get enough breath in her body to scream. Her body shattered into a million pieces.

She felt his cock hammering into her, the slap of his balls against her ass. Then he was yelling, his head thrown back, his torso rigid. The hot flood of his release filled her and sent her into another flurry of spasms. Then he collapsed on top of her.

She gripped his slick shoulders and tried to catch her breath. She felt incredibly good, not ill at all. Maybe Abrah was just what the doctor ordered. A no-strings affair with a hot guy was just what she needed to relax her and get her mind off work.

He pushed up onto his hands, the motion driving his still-hard cock deeper into her core. She groaned and gripped his massive biceps, loving the hard feel of them beneath her palms.

“That was…” She licked her lips and tried again. “That was incredible.”

“It was.” He dropped a kiss onto the tip of her nose and rolled off her. She felt strangely bereft without him there and turned onto her side, pulling her legs up toward her chest. She could feel him withdrawing from her. Not physically. He was lying right next to her after all, but mentally, emotionally. She didn’t like it even though it was exactly what she wanted—hot sex with no messy ties.

She didn’t know what to say. The awkward moment was broken by a knock on the door. Before she could yank the blankets over her the door opened and Heroc walked in carrying a large tray with food and drink.

Audrey scrambled for the blankets, pulling one of them up to her chin. How embarrassing was this? She’d been caught red-handed in bed with his brother.

Heroc smiled and set the tray on the table. “Come and have something to eat.”

She was totally at a loss for words at his nonchalance. She was in bed with his brother. Didn’t he care? He’d had his hands all over her last night too.

Abrah rolled from the bed, not bothering to cover his nakedness. She couldn’t help but admire the taut muscles of his first-class butt or the thick furrow of muscles in his back as he raised his arms and stretched.

“Did you bring enough for all of us?”

Heroc nodded at his brother. “Of course.”

Abrah padded into the bathing chamber, disappearing from sight and leaving her to deal with Heroc on her own.

“Well this is embarrassing.” She could feel her cheeks getting warm. She might be a modern, independent woman but this situation was far outside her experience.

“Why?” Heroc walked to the bed, his gait fluid and silent for such a large man. Both men moved like that, reminding her of a big cat on the hunt. “You are a beautiful woman. How could Abrah not want you?”

He shocked her totally by dropping a warm kiss on her lips. Her mouth fell open and he swooped in to deepen the embrace, teasing her with his tongue. Her skin began to tingle and her pussy muscles clenched. What was she? Some kind of slut? She’d just had sex with his brother.

Audrey pulled back, totally shaken by her reaction.

Heroc frowned. “What is wrong? Are you sore? Was Abrah too rough?” He looked as though he would hit his brother if he thought that was true.

“No! No. He wasn’t rough at all. It’s not that.” She didn’t want to be the cause of a misunderstanding and possible violence between the two men.

He sat on the side of the bed next to her and picked up her hand. “Then what is it? Surely Abrah explained to you about our world.” Heroc brought her fingers to his lips and pressed a kiss against her knuckles.

What had he told her? Both brothers would compete sexually for her favors. She hadn’t really believed him. She opened her mouth to speak and shut it again. What could she say? She didn’t understand these men or their world.

“It does not matter what I told her.” Abrah stepped out from the bathing chamber. He sauntered over to the side of the bed and picked up his pants, pulling them on. “She is going home as soon as the tapestry arrives.”

It felt like an accusation of the worst kind and a sliver of guilt pierced her. But why should it? She hadn’t asked to be brought here. “I have a life,” she began.

Abrah ignored her as he yanked on his boots and tunic. The warmth from their time together dissipated quickly, leaving her feeling cheap and easy.

“Tell me about it.” Heroc put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her against his side.

“What is the point of talking?” Abrah lifted a four-foot sword from the wall. And how had she missed seeing that? He swung the blade easily in his hand, cutting it through the air several times. “She is leaving. Fuck her while you have the chance.” With that, he turned and strode from the room, leaving her alone with Heroc.

Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked hard to push them back, but one slid down her cheek. She tilted her head against her shoulder, brushing it away.

“Here now.” Heroc lifted her onto his lap, being careful to keep her blanket tucked around her. “No need for tears.” He used the corner of the blanket to wipe away a second tear.

He shook his head and sighed. “Forgive Abrah. He feels things too deeply and hides it behind anger.”

Audrey wasn’t sure she agreed with Heroc’s assessment of his brother’s behavior, but he did know him better than she did.

He tilted his head to one side. “You do not believe me.”

She shook her head. She couldn’t lie to him. “He made his position very clear.”

Heroc stood and strode to the table with her in his arms. “You must eat to keep your strength up.” He sat and pulled over the tray. “How about some bread?”

He was being so sweet to her she had to eat something even though her stomach was in knots and her headache was threatening to return. She picked up one of the thick slices of bread and nibbled on a corner. Flavor exploded on her tongue and she gave a moan of pleasure. How long had it been since she’d eaten anything?

Her stomach growled when the food hit it and she took another bite. Heroc pulled a wooden cup with a steamy liquid in it toward her. “I thought you might enjoy some tea.”

Audrey really wanted a cup of coffee. She’d hadn’t gotten used to her new status as a tea drinker yet and missed the punch coffee gave her. She knew that tea had to be her new beverage of choice if she hoped to get strong and healthy again. She just had to embrace the situation and make the best of things. Heroc had gone to a great deal of trouble to fix the tray of food for her and she truly appreciated his efforts. “That’s wonderful. Thank you.”

He lifted the cup toward her lips and she took a sip. “Careful,” he warned. “It’s hot.”

The warm liquid hit her stomach, releasing some of the knots in it. She took another nibble of bread.

“You eat and let me tell you about my home.”

Suddenly she wanted to know all about this place and the men who lived here. “Dannon Keep, right?”

Heroc nodded and grinned. “Very good.”

She felt like a prized pupil and a strange sense of pride filled her. To cover the unexpected emotion she took another bite of the delicious bread. There were slices of what looked to be a white cheese so she put a piece of it on top of the bread and tried it. Her eyes almost rolled back into her head it was so delicious. She had some more.

“It is only my brother and me now, and our people. Our father is dead these past three years and our mother and brother died of a fever this past year.”

She stopped eating and stared up at Heroc. Pain was etched on his handsome face. Pain she readily understood. “I’m so sorry. I lost my mother to cancer. It was only the two of us.”

“You are alone?” He seemed truly distressed by that news.

“Yes. But it’s okay,” she hastened to reassure him. “I’ve always depended on myself. Always knew I couldn’t depend on a ma—” She broke off before she finished not wanting to insult him, but he finished her statement for her.

“You knew you could not depend on a man.” He shook his head. “What is wrong with the men of your world?”

“Nothing. I just take care of myself.” And why that suddenly felt very hollow and lonely, she didn’t know. She’d always lived that way.

Heroc rubbed his large hand up and down her spine. “Even the strongest needs someone to lean on occasionally.”

“Even you?” He was strong and, she had no doubt, very capable of taking care of himself.

“Of course.” His eyes widened and he seemed truly shocked by her question. “I have Abrah and, before that, my family.”

“But no woman,” she pointed out. Most men had trouble making commitment.

He pulled her closer to his chest and rubbed the bottom of his chin against her scalp. “No, no woman. As I’m sure Abrah told you, women are scarce here and brothers must share one if they are blessed enough to find one who will join with their family.”

“He was serious about that?” She admitted to herself she’d thought that had been nothing more than a line designed to get her into bed.

Heroc tipped her back until she was resting against one broad arm and staring up into his face. His long, black hair was tied back, framing his incredible face, which was perfect except for the slight crook in his nose. Abrah’s face was a slightly rougher version of his younger brother’s. His usually smiling mouth was now a firm line of displeasure. She certainly had a knack of pissing off the Dannon brothers.

“Yes. It has been this way in Javara for hundreds of years.”

“How did it happen?” She freely admitted she was curious about this place. She’d probably be freaking out if she didn’t know she’d be leaving in three days, closer to two now. But both men had been adamant on that point and she believed them.

That in itself was shocking. But she tucked that thought away as Heroc began to explain.

“No one knows why it happened but more boys began to be born and far fewer girls. Within a few generations there were not many females left in our world. Men were killing one another, brother against brother and friend against friend. It was a bloody time in our history and threatened our entire existence.”

He rubbed his fingers over the curve of her cheek. “Men would have killed for the right to claim you.”

She shivered and he pulled the blankets more closely around her. “But not now?” Audrey couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea of someone killing in order to bed her.

“Not usually. Men share a woman now. Brothers can claim a woman between them. One for every three brothers. If there are four brothers they can claim two women if they can find them. Sometimes they even share among four if the woman is willing. Other families also have the right to challenge another if the woman is not claimed.”

“That sounds…” She didn’t quite know how to explain her thoughts. It was so different from the monogamous culture in which she lived. But even in her world people cheated and slept with others.

“I know there are many other cultures that do not live the way we do. That much has become obvious over the centuries, as tapestry brides have been brought here from many other worlds. It may seem strange to you but it is normal in Javara, a matter of survival.” He picked up her cup and brought it to her lips. “Drink before it grows cold.”

She automatically opened her mouth and took a sip of the tea. She couldn’t quite place the flavor but it was surprisingly good. Audrey pondered what he’d told her. She supposed any culture would do what it had to in order to survive. After all, humans had adapted over the centuries as well, the cultural norms changing as the state of the world did.

Heroc placed the cup back on the table. “Women are treated well here. Abuse, if it becomes known, is not tolerated. Women are too precious to us.” He ran a single finger down her neck and over her collarbone. The blanket slipped and was resting just above her breasts, a slight curve showing over the edge.

“Only one brother can claim the woman as wife. It is always her choice. The children are all his even though they may be sired by his brothers. Each brother gets one night a week in her bed.” His fingers dipped lower, pushing the blanket in their wake and exposing her nipples. He touched one with the tip of his finger. “Although some families are more fluid than that, sharing as they choose.”

She swallowed hard as her nipple puckered beneath his touch. “I’m not staying,” she reminded him.

His smile was gentle. “But I have more than two days to change your mind. And I have hope.” Before his words had sunk in, his hand closed gently around her breast and he kissed her, stealing the breath from her lungs.

Chapter Eight

Heroc savored the feel of Audrey beneath his lips and his hand. She was everything he’d ever wanted—intelligent, sensual, kind and giving. Her reaction to the loss of his family had been genuine. She knew what it was like to lose a loved one.

He still couldn’t believe she was alone in her world. What was wrong with the men there? They didn’t deserve such a treasure. Didn’t know what to do with it. But he did.

He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue over her lips and through the slight opening. She tasted of tea and bread and cheese. Of desire, hot and potent.

He had wanted to kick Abrah’s ass when he’d stalked out of the room after making his cutting comments. He’d made Audrey cry and the memory angered him. But he understood his brother better than Abrah understood himself, knew Abrah wanted her to stay so badly he was afraid to reach out and take what was in their grasp. The tapestry had not yet returned and, until it did, Heroc planned to do everything in his power to convince Audrey to stay.

To that end, he fed her, comforted her and talked to her about his life here in Javara. He wanted to hear all about her world and what her life was like there, but that would have to wait. The quickest way to build a relationship with her was through touch and sexual desire. Heroc wasn’t about to miss the opportunity that had presented itself.

She needed a gentle touch after the shock she’d had. It was only last evening she’d almost lost her life to the storm. He shuddered at the thought of finding her near lifeless body lying in the dirt. Thank the gods for Carn and his canine senses.

Audrey made a slight whimpering sound and he tightened his grip around her, continuing to kiss her, to explore her sensual mouth. The fire crackled in the hearth warming the air around them. The wind continued to whip up outside, but in this room only the murmurs of lovers and the occasional gasp could be heard.

They were cocooned in a time out of time. Heroc gave thanks for the inclement weather. It would keep news of Audrey’s arrival from spreading to other families until it was too late. She’d either be returned to her home or claimed by one of them before any other castle knew of her arrival. That might be selfish of him, but he didn’t care. Audrey had come to them and it was with them she belonged.

He released her breast and tugged the blanket from her grasp. She clung to the fabric, her knuckles tightening until they turned white, and then she slowly released it. He broke the kiss, wanting to examine every inch of her.

Bruises still smudged her delicate skin, ranging up and down her arms. There were a few on her stomach, but what concerned him more was how slender she was. “Have you been ill?”

She shrugged and glanced away, peering into the fire.

He caught her chin between his fingers and tugged her gaze back to him. “Tell me.” It was a demand, one he couldn’t stop himself from making. The thought of her being ill was more than he could bear.

She absently rubbed her chest as if it hurt. “I had some minor health problems and ended up home in bed. Nothing serious.”

Heroc felt certain she was downplaying what was wrong. “How long ago?” She must have been sick a long time to be so skinny.

“A few days.”

His jaw dropped and he quickly shut it. “Should you be out of bed? Does anything hurt?” He wasn’t sure what to do and wondered if he should send Abrah for their healer.

She touched his jaw, her fingers sliding along the thick cords of his neck. “I’m fine. Just a little tired and undernourished. The doctor told me to rest and take better care of myself. I was actually taking a few days away from work when I landed here.”

He frowned, wondering if there was more she wasn’t telling him. “That does not explain why you are so slender.” He rubbed his hands up and down her ribcage.

She looked uncomfortable beneath his regard but she answered him. “I’d been working hard for a long time at my job. I hadn’t been taking good care of myself.” She offered him a smile that fell flat. “I got too caught up in getting ahead and making money.”

“This money is your means of barter?”

“Yes.”

“Having a lot of it is important in your world?” Heroc couldn’t imagine anything being more important that a female’s health. Where would the next generation come from if all the women were ill?

“Too much so.” She sighed and he could sense her struggling to find the right words. “I live in a world where I have to work to get money so I can buy shelter and food and whatever else I need. Our society is a fast-paced one, always pushing harder and faster. If you slack off work there is someone waiting to take your job from you. If that happens you can end up hungry or homeless.”

She laughed, but Heroc could hear the bitterness beneath it and it hurt him. He hugged her to him, cradling her head on his shoulder. “Our worlds are very different. Money does not matter so much here.”

She raised her head. “Then how do you live?”

He smiled at her, more than happy to tell her about his home. “Dannon Keep and the lands surrounding it give us everything we need to survive. The castle itself is small compared to some but it is well built. We are more isolated than most but that means there is not much threat from others. The lakes and rivers are filled with fish, the forest and mountain teeming with game. We raise some animals ourselves and till the field for the rest. We have orchards filled with fruit and keep bees for honey.”

“You and your brother do all that?”

He laughed at the amazement in her voice and reached out to tuck a lock of her curly hair behind her ear. “No. We are the lords of the keep. We have many families that live here and we all work to bring prosperity to the land.”

“Wow.” She frowned and he rubbed the lines between her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered downward when she blinked and he admired her long lashes. “Your world seems much like mine about six hundred years ago, except for the lack of women, that is.”

He did not wish to talk about this barbaric world she hailed from any longer. Heroc could not imagine any man letting his woman work herself into ill health or allowing her to end up homeless or hungry. Unthinkable.

The time had come for action, not talking. Heroc shifted Audrey, turning her so she was facing him, her legs straddling his lap. She clutched his shoulders for balance as he untangled the blanket from her lower body and tossed it to the floor.

“Let me love you. Let me show you what it could be like if you stayed.”

Audrey didn’t know what was real anymore. Abrah was a thorough lover who seemed to know her body better than she knew it herself. He was a driven lover, but self-contained, intense. Heroc was more open, easier to talk to. She’d found it easy to answer his questions and found they’d prompted some of her own.

It had become more apparent with every passing second that this world was indeed real. There was no way she was in a dream this long and vivid. Perhaps she was in a coma but she honestly didn’t think so. However it had happened, she had to accept the fact that she truly was in this strange world of Javara with these two incredible men.

Heroc trailed his hands over her back, bringing her attention back to the here and now. The new position in which she sat exposed her totally to his gaze and his roving hands. She was naked. Again. That seemed to be the norm since she’d arrived here. She should feel awkward at best, outraged at least, but strangely enough, it was starting to feel normal.

The warmth of the fire penetrated her back and buttocks and the heat radiating from Heroc warmed her front. He ran his fingers through her hair, watching it twine around his thumb.

“Your hair is beautiful. Alive.”

It had always been the bane of her existence, especially when she was a teenager, but there was no doubt that Heroc thought it was special.

“Thank you.”

She felt suddenly shy with him and lowered her gaze. She wasn’t used to getting compliments and certainly not while she sat naked on a man’s lap. He was still totally dressed, garbed in what she was coming to think of as his usual garb of leather tunic, pants and boots. That seemed to be what men wore here, much like they’d wear jeans and a T-shirt back home.

“What is wrong?”

He was attuned to her change of mood and rubbed his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to comfort her. He really was quite an amazing man.

“I’m naked,” she blurted out and could feel her cheeks heating. She’d thought she could be mature and blasé about the situation, but obviously not.

“You are self-conscious?”

She nodded.

He smiled. “Then we will fix that.”

She assumed he would put her aside and find her something to wear, or at the very least snag the blanket from the floor and wrap it around her. Instead, he leaned back and grabbed the hem of his tunic and yanked it over his head.

His chest gleamed in the firelight. Like his brother, his stomach was flat and hard with ridged muscle running down each side. His biceps were enormous.

“Better?” He caught her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing one finger after the other until he’d covered them all.

Flutters began low in her belly and her skin tingled. “Much better,” she assured him. How could it not be better for her to see all that prime male flesh?

Audrey had made love to Abrah not long ago. Last night both men had touched her intimately. She knew she was going to make love with Heroc too and that didn’t seem as strange as it would have only a short while ago. This world was different from her own, the expectations totally skewed.

Why shouldn’t she enjoy it while she was here?

Because you are getting too attached to the Dannon brothers and allowing them to become attached to you. Audrey ignored the voice of reason when it piped up. She’d been reasonable her entire life, not making waves at work, doing what was expected. And where had it gotten her—a panic attack and a midlife crisis.

She was going to go with the flow and do what she wanted to do for a change, consequences be damned. She’d almost died in that storm last night. Now she wanted to live, to taste life at its fullest.

Heroc cupped her nape and kissed her, holding her steady as he ate at her lips and tangled his tongue with hers. The man could certainly kiss, and he explored her mouth thoroughly, leaving no crevice untouched. She tightened her thighs around his, losing herself in his taste, his growing passion. She ran her hands over his shoulders, arms and chest, feeling the taut muscles, the tension.

Her hands slipped lower and she traced a finger along the waistband of his pants. He groaned into her mouth and pulled away, his chest expanding and contracting quickly as he sucked air into his lungs. His eyes weren’t truly green like Abrah’s, but more a bluish green that reminded her of the ocean off a tropical island. There was such heat in those eyes that she felt scorched by his gaze.

“Touch me lower.”

She knew what he wanted and obliged. There was no mistaking the hard, heavy bulge pressing against the placket of his pants. Even through the material she could feel the heavy pulse, the heat, the sheer power of him.

He plucked at the laces and quickly freed himself. His cock fell into her waiting hand and she marveled at the length and girth of him. He and Abrah were certainly impressive. Her experience might be limited but she knew superior male flesh when she saw it. Or, in this case, held it.

She wrapped her fingers around his erection and pumped.

Heroc groaned and quickly tugged her hand away. “Too much.” He shifted his legs, widening them. The action threatened her balance and she fell back. He caught her easily and gave a low, rumbling growl as he leaned down and captured one of her nipples between his lips.

Oh, the heat from his mouth was marvelous. His tongue lapped at the straining bud and teased the area around it. She gripped his hair in her hands and tugged him to her other breast, wanting to feel the wonderful sensations there as well.

He laughed, a low sensual sound that made her pussy clench. What was it about these brothers that turned her on so quickly? She’d been without a man for years and honestly hadn’t missed it. But Abrah and Heroc seemed to know exactly what to do to turn her on. Or maybe she was simply different here. More relaxed. Focused on herself and not on work.

Heroc licked the underside of her breast and nuzzled her cleavage. She was breathless with growing need. “The bed,” she gasped.

“Too far.” He tunneled one hand between her thighs, touching her intimately. She was wet, her folds slick and plumped. He gave a hum of approval and worked two thick fingers into her core.

She cried out and grabbed his shoulders for support, digging her nails into his muscled flesh. He tightened his arm around her back while he explored her sex with the other. His thumb pressed against her clit and she cried out. Her pussy tightened around his fingers, trying to draw them deeper even as he withdrew them.

“Heroc,” she wailed. She wanted him. Didn’t want to wait any longer.

He lifted her easily in a display of amazing strength and positioned her over his waiting cock. “Guide me into your body.”

She gripped his shaft and positioned it against her opening. He lowered her and his cock head pushed inside, stretching her. But there was no time for her to become accustomed to him. Heroc didn’t stop lowering her until he was all the way inside her.

“So tight,” he groaned, burying his face in the curve of her neck. She agreed with him but couldn’t manage to talk.

She panted and waited for her body to accept him. He nibbled at her neck and she arched her back when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. The action drove her pelvis against his and her clit rubbed over his taut flesh. Audrey moaned and did it again.

Heroc sat back, gripped her hips and began to lift her. He raised her several inches before pulling her back down onto his swollen cock. It felt incredible. This position kept her open and vulnerable and left him totally in control. Audrey didn’t care. She closed her eyes and focused on the hard thrust of his cock surging into her pussy, the flutter of her inner muscles as he withdrew and the tightening as he pushed inward again.

She balanced herself as best she could, using his shoulders for support. He angled her body and her clit rubbed against his pelvis every now and again, the uneven rhythm maddening.

Heroc’s thrusts got faster, his breathing harsh. She could feel him swelling inside her. She leaned inward, rubbing her breasts against his hard chest, the slight smattering of chest hair tickling her nipples.

Her lower body clenched hard and she cried out. Her orgasm swept over her and she rode it out, savoring every stroke of his cock. Her pussy spasmed, clutching at his shaft. He yelled her name and came, the hot pulse of his release flooding her core.

Audrey collapsed against his chest and he banded his arms around her, holding her upright. Both of them were breathing heavily and her heart was pounding. She concentrated on taking one deep breath after another.

Her release had taken everything out of her and she was content to loll against Heroc, nestling closer to his warmth. Her skin gradually cooled and she shivered.

Heroc stood and his cock slid from her body, leaving her with an empty feeling she didn’t particularly like. He lifted her easily into his strong arms and carried her to the bed. She didn’t protest when he set her on the mattress and disappeared into the bathing chamber only to return moments later with a warm, damp cloth. He cleaned between her thighs, but she was beyond being embarrassed and allowed him to have his way.

The weight of the journey, her ill health, her mental exhaustion and her physical encounters with both men had left her feeling like a wrung-out dishrag. She tried to open her eyes but found it difficult. He was frowning down at her. “Sleep.”

There was nothing else she could do. She still had so many questions she wanted to ask him. And she wanted to see beyond the walls of this room. And she would. After she’d rested for a few minutes.

Chapter Nine

Audrey lay in bed and listened hard, trying to figure out what was different. Silence. That was it. The wind was no longer a low moan, beating at the shutters trying to get in.

She sat up and groaned as her body protested. She felt stiff and sore all over, from both her struggle in the storm and her unaccustomed sexual activity. She frowned when she noted she was alone and wondered how long she’d been asleep? She had a vague memory of two hard bodies snuggled up on either side of her, of waking once to use the bathroom and stumble back to bed and into a pair of waiting arms. But she’d lost all concept of time.

She threw back the cover and slid her legs over the side of the bed. The floor was cool against her toes as she stood and padded to the window. It took little effort to open the shutters. The sun was high in the sky but clouds obscured it, giving the day a gray appearance.

What shocked her most were the people. She’d gotten so used to it being just her and the Dannon brothers that she’d almost convinced herself there wasn’t an entire world out there. She heard the bleat of a sheep and the moo of a cow. A dog barked and a man called out to another one.

Audrey yanked the shutter closed, slammed the bolt home and leaned her forehead against the smooth wood. Everything was real, this world and the people in it. There was no denying it any longer. And that meant she was on a time limit. She had no idea how long she’d slept but was filled with a sudden sense of urgency. She had to find Abrah and Heroc.

But first she needed to use the facilities. She went to the bathing chamber and almost groaned in pleasure when she discovered a tub of steaming water waiting for her. She had no idea who had filled it, but she was grateful all the same. A thick washcloth and a bar of sweet-smelling soap sat on a ledge above the tub.

She climbed in and sat back, taking a moment to let the warmth of the water sink into her skin. Bruises still dotted her body, some worse than others, but overall she felt good and rested.

As much as she wanted to, she didn’t linger in the bath, but washed quickly. The scent of the soap reminded her of lavender and she breathed in the wonderful scent. By the time she was done she felt refreshed, her muscles not quite as sore.

There wasn’t much she could do with her hair but she picked out the tangles with a wooden comb she found on a shelf. The curls were wild, as always, but she found she really wasn’t worried. She didn’t have to present a business-like appearance here.

She tossed the comb back on the shelf and made her way back to the bedroom where a bundle of clothing sat on the table next to a jug of water.

There was no underwear among the clothing and she had no idea where hers were. “You’re going commando today.” She laughed at the sheer idea of it. Life here was certainly different.

She shook out the first piece of clothing, curious to see what it was. The pants were similar to the ones the brothers wore and she slipped them on, pulling the laces tight in the waist to keep them from falling over her hips. A long-sleeved tunic, which fell almost to her knees, followed.

There was a pair of boots with soft soles that laced up to her knees. They reminded her of moccasins and were incredibly comfortable. When she was fully dressed, she went to the door and hesitated only a moment before opening it.

The walls of the corridor were about eight feet high and made completely of stone. She marveled at the idea that she really was in a castle. She ran her fingers over the smooth stone as she made her way down the winding, narrow staircase. The place was like something out of a fairy tale book. As she made the last turn, the sound of male voices reached her.

She paused at the entryway to what could only be the great hall. Heroc and Abrah were there but they were not the men she’d come to know. Gone were the two lovers and in their place were two warriors.

Both men were stripped to the waist. Thick bands covered their forearms from their wrists to just below their elbows. Another wide band wrapped around their biceps. With their long hair flowing down their backs, they were wild and untamed. Sweat made their skin glisten as they circled one another in the center of the room.

But it was the heavy swords in their hands that held her spellbound. She’d seen Abrah take one from the wall when he’d stomped out of his room yesterday, but she’d never really imagined him actually using it. The darn things had to be at least four feet in length. And they were deadly sharp. Abrah brought his blade down toward Heroc. Audrey wanted to scream but was afraid to distract them. At the last second, Heroc raised his blade and Abrah’s skated over it. Sparks flew and metal clashed.

She sank down on the bottom step and wrapped her arms around her legs at the shocking reminder of just how different this world was from her own. The skill and athleticism both men displayed as they fought were breathtaking, their movements fluid and quick, their swords an extension of their arms.

This was a wild and vastly untamed land. Heroc had mentioned something about being isolated so they didn’t get many threats from others, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have to be prepared for attack.

She couldn’t imagine the brutality of having to fight another man with a sword, what it would feel like to drive a blade into another man’s body and watch him bleed to death. The cold from the stone leeched into her body and she shivered. This was a primitive world.

But how was that truly any different from the wars of her world? Men killed one another with guns and knives all the time, and sometimes over the stupidest of things. If anything, killing someone in her world was much more impersonal. You had to get up close and personal to hurt someone with a sword. No, when it came down to it, this world wasn’t much different from hers. Violence existed everywhere. It was simply that she’d never been this up close and personal with it before.

This was obviously a practice session but it didn’t look like one. Both men were deadly serious as they swung at their opponent. Several times she buried her face in her lap, unable to watch. But she’d always have to peek again to make certain neither of them were hurt.

A loud woof came from the far end of the room drawing her attention. Audrey couldn’t believe the size of the shaggy, gray beast galloping toward her. She’d seen him before on the night they’d found her. Carn. That was his name. Personally she thought Goliath would be more fitting. The closer he got the bigger he seemed. He was the size of a small horse and showed no intention of stopping.

Audrey jumped to her feet and held her hands out in front of her. Not that she could hope to hold off a beast that size, but she had to try. She prayed he was friendly. She was so focused on the dog’s approach she didn’t realize both men had spotted her and stopped fighting until she heard a shrill whistle.

The dog skidded to a stop, landing on his butt in front of her. His huge head came to the middle of her chest and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth in what she hoped was a doggy smile. He thrust his head beneath one of her hands so she petted him, the dark gray fur rough against her palm. “Nice dog.”

“Carn won’t hurt you.” Heroc, blade resting against his shoulder, strode toward her. Abrah shoved his sword into a scabbard and set it aside before joining them.

A woman raced in from the back of the room. Audrey could see another set of stairs there and wondered where they led.

“Sorry, my lords. That devil beast got away from me. He sneaked in through the kitchen door when Dorn was bringing in supplies.” The woman was breathing heavy and slapped a hand against her chest. She frowned when she noticed Audrey standing just inside the room. “I didn’t know we had a guest.”

It was Heroc who made the introductions. “Tara, this is Audrey Brennan. Audrey, this is our housekeeper, Tara.”

“Hello,” she greeted the housekeeper. The older woman was wearing a long skirt that fell to her ankles, soft boots like the ones Audrey was wearing and a blouse with embroidery around the neck. The clothing was softer, not as rough as what she was wearing. Her dark hair was streaked with gray but her skin was unlined. Audrey could see the questions in her blue eyes.

The woman gave a brief curtsy before looking to Abrah.

“Behold a woman brought at the height of the storm by the tapestry.” There was a mocking undertone in Abrah’s voice that made Audrey uncomfortable. She shifted her weight and Carn moved with her so she wouldn’t stop petting him. She took comfort from the huge beast.

“A tapestry bride.” There was wonder in Tara’s voice. But more than that, there was a thread of hope that Audrey didn’t understand.

“Don’t get excited, Tara. She’s not staying,” Abrah told the housekeeper.

The other woman frowned at her. “Why not?”

Audrey felt as though she was under attack and went on the offensive. “I have a life and a job.” Well at least half of that was true. She wasn’t certain she would have a job waiting for her by the time she got home.

Her chest got tight and her head began to throb. She breathed deep and slow, trying to calm herself. The last thing she wanted was to do was bring on another episode. That sounded much better than saying she might be having a panic attack.

“Enough.” Heroc handed his sword to his brother and hurried toward her. “Are you dizzy? Hurting anywhere?”

Her eyes filled at his concern. He remembered what she’d told him. “I’m not sure. My chest is tight and my head hurts.” She was scared. She hated that her body was so out of control, hated showing weakness in front of anyone. But since she wasn’t staying here she felt freer to be honest about her condition.

Abrah was by her side in a flash. “What is wrong?”

“Audrey was very ill just before she was brought here.” She was glad Heroc made the explanation because she was on the verge of tears. It wasn’t like her to be so weepy. She was disgusted with herself.

“Sit her by the fire and elevate her feet. I’m going to brew her some tea.” After giving them their orders, Tara bustled off back down the stairs at the far end of the room.

Heroc swept her into his arms and carried her to a massive chair in front of a hearth that was large enough for several men to stand upright in it. The crackle and snap of the wood was quickly becoming familiar to her. It was much more inviting than simply turning up a thermostat to heat a room.

Carn trotted alongside them, concern in his dark, doggie eyes. Abrah followed them more slowly, his lips pressed together and his eyebrows furrowed. “Why did you not tell me this?”

Audrey shrugged. “We didn’t talk much.” She felt her cheeks warm but refused to look away. They’d had sex, but they hadn’t really connected on the same level she had with Heroc. And that was a shame.

She settled into the chair and sighed. “I’m sorry to be such a bother.” She hated being dependent on anyone, being weak.

Heroc’s eyes widened. “You are no bother.”

“He doesn’t think so.” She couldn’t resist the dig at Abrah. “Have no fear, I’ll be gone soon and I won’t be your problem.”

His scowl deepened and he looked so fierce she was momentarily afraid of him. The large sword Heroc had handed him still hung from his hand. He could kill her if he chose and no one would stop him. She’d noted the way Tara had deferred to him. They might be brothers, but Abrah was the man in charge here.

Even as she thought it, she dismissed the mere idea that he’d hurt her. Audrey knew in her heart neither man would do her harm. He didn’t deserve that from her. “I’m sorry,” she blurted before she thought better of apologizing. “Ever since I…got ill,” she stumbled slightly over her explanation, “my emotions have been all over the place.”

She didn’t want to tell them she’d had a panic attack, that the stress of her work combined with poor health had simply overwhelmed her. It happened all the time. She was smart enough to know that. But it didn’t happen to her, was something that happened to other people. Except it had happened to her, throwing her entire life out of kilter.

Tara was hurrying toward them and heard her last words. “Of course your emotions are all over the place. Perfectly understandable seeing as though you’ve been ill. You need rest, good food and fresh air.”

She placed a tray on the hearth and handed her a wooden mug filled with what appeared to be tea of some kind. “My husband’s mother had a weak constitution but I got her hale and hearty again. Drink this,” Tara ordered her. “It’s a mixture of herbs that will help strengthen you.”

Audrey sniffed at the brew unable to place the scent. She had no idea if she was doing the right thing or not. It would either help her or kill her. And she truly didn’t think Tara meant her any harm. She sipped the tea and sighed as the warmth hit her belly.

“How long was I asleep?” She still had no idea what day it was or how long she’d been here.

“You slept the rest of your first full day and all night. This is your second day here. Tonight will mark the end of day two. Tomorrow night the tapestry will arrive.” She couldn’t tell if Abrah was happy about that or not. The man was like the Sphinx, giving away nothing.

“You were tired and still injured from your unexpected arrival here. Not to mention you were ill before you arrived.” Heroc brushed his hand over her hair before putting a finger beneath her cup and tipping it toward her mouth.

“Combined with all the other activity it’s no wonder you slept heavily.” Abrah’s gaze skimmed over her body leaving no misunderstanding about what he’d meant. She’d slept with both of them. Heck, she’d had more sex since she’d arrived here than she’d had in the past four years.

She finished the tea and thanked Tara. “May I?” The housekeeper was older than Audrey and there was wisdom and knowledge in her eyes.

“Sure.” Audrey had no idea what the other woman wanted to do but didn’t see any harm in letting Tara touch her.

Tara placed her hands on Audrey’s neck and felt around. She checked her eyes and her mouth. She placed her hand over her heart. Ran her hands down her arms and legs. Audrey winced when she hit several large bruises but managed to keep from crying aloud. The woman frowned and glared at the brothers.

“Not our doing.” Heroc held up his hands in mock surrender. “She had some of them when she arrived here and acquired the rest while stumbling around in the storm the other night. If not for Carn we wouldn’t have found her.”

Tara paled but continued working. She was thorough and when she was done she nodded. “Not serious. Minor bruises. As I said before, rest, good food and fresh air are what she needs to get well.” She stared down at Audrey. “And I think it wouldn’t hurt you to let out some of your emotions. You strike me as a woman who keeps too much inside. The weakness from your illness is allowing them to the surface.”

Audrey was floored by the older woman’s accurate assessment and didn’t quite know how to respond. Thankfully, Tara didn’t seem to require one and turned her attention to the two brothers.

“Go easy today. No exertion.” With that, Tara picked up her tray and bustled back to work.

Such simple advice, yet so hard to follow. Audrey had never been good about resting, or letting out her emotions for that matter. She’d always been strong because she’d had to be, always depended on herself. And who would she let her guard down around? Her coworkers? They’d eat her for lunch and spit her out. She could kiss her job goodbye. Her assistant would see any sign of weakness as an opportunity and pounce on it.

Her head began to throb the more she thought about it. Her life sucked. That was no way for anyone to live. Yet how many people lived just that way? No wonder so many got sick because of prolonged stress. It took a terrible toll over time.

Heroc rubbed her shoulder. “Don’t look so sad. Everything will be fine.”

Audrey glanced at Abrah. He stood with his back to the fireplace, feet shoulder-width apart, arms crossed over his massive chest. Somewhere along the way he’d gotten rid of the sword Heroc had given him. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t holding a weapon. The man was seriously imposing even when doing nothing more than just standing there.

“Why do you want me to stay? You don’t even know me,” she blurted out.

That was one of the things she couldn’t understand. Yes, she realized there weren’t that many women here, but surely there was someone they could claim, some woman who would wed one of them. She was a complete stranger. And, if she were being honest with herself, she’d always felt lacking in the female department. She was hell-on-wheels as an advertising executive, but she’d never been able to hold down a long-term relationship.

Abrah strode forward and crouched in front of her. His wide shoulders and chest blocked her view of the fire. His skin gleamed and his long hair brushed his back and torso. “The tapestry wouldn’t have brought you if you weren’t right for us. That is its gift, its magic.”

He picked up her hand in his and brought her fingers to his lips, placing a tender kiss on each knuckle. For a brief second, she glimpsed his vulnerability, the volcanic need that bubbled just below the calm surface. Then it was gone, hidden once again behind a stoic façade. “Believe it or not. But you wouldn’t be here if you were not suitable.”

“But what would I even do here?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. What was she saying? What was she thinking? She couldn’t stay here. This wasn’t her world. She didn’t belong here.

“What do you do back in your world?” Heroc seemed curious.

“I’m an ad executive with Claymore and Butler. Basically my team and I come up with slick ways of getting people to buy things. We use print media, television, online and magazine to run our campaigns.” And from the looks on their faces neither man had any idea what she was talking about.

“That is a strange and unfamiliar job,” Heroc admitted, “and from the sound of your voice and the look on your face you do not enjoy it.”

She leaned her head back against the back of the chair and sighed. “Not so much. I fell into it really. I started out as a graphic designer. An artist, of sorts.” She wanted them to understand her life and who she was. There was no logical explanation for it to matter if they did or not, but she wanted them to.

“You are an artist.” Abrah sounded impressed.

“I used to be.” She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know what I am anymore.” And that was the honest truth. Audrey had no idea what she was going to do with the remainder of her life, but she was very afraid her days at Claymore and Butler were over. She’d changed. Her illness had started the process but coming here had solidified it. There was no way she could go back to the way things were.

She’d have to find a new job. That would mean living off her savings, maybe even leaving the city altogether.

Scary proposition.

Heroc interrupted her internal battle. “The rain and wind have stopped, and while the air is cool, it is not too cold to go outside. I’d like to show you our home.”

She wanted to see it, wanted to experience the world they lived in. “I’d like that.”

Abrah still had a hold of her hand and pulled her to her feet. “We’ll find you a warm cloak to wear. If you get tired, tell us and we’ll rest.”

There was no impatience in his voice, no sense of derision because she was weak. Only concern. When was the last time someone had been concerned only with her and her feelings? Never. Even her mother had expected her to be strong and to do her share. She’d never been mollycoddled or protected from the realities of life.

“Audrey?” Abrah squeezed her hand.

“I’ll tell you,” she promised.

Carn bumped her right leg, almost knocking her over. Abrah caught her and chuckled. “It seems he likes you. You have a powerful and loyal protector in Carn.”

The same could be said of Heroc and Abrah. She’d never met men like them before. There were no games, no subterfuge. You knew where you stood with them. She appreciated their honesty.

Abrah dropped her hand and turned away. She half raised her hand, wanting to reach out to him, but dropped it back by her side. Since she wasn’t staying, she couldn’t let herself get attached to these men. It wasn’t fair to them, or to her.

But, oh, how she was going to miss them when she was finally home again.

Home. The word didn’t hold nearly the same amount of comfort as it did when she’d first arrived. Did she really have a home or was it merely a place for her to sleep? The longer she was here the more confused she became.

Heroc came up behind her and dropped a heavy, fur-lined coat over her shoulders. “This will keep out the chill.” He tucked her arms inside the sleeves and tied the leather lacings that closed the coat. Immediately the warmth of the garment surrounded her like a hug. Or maybe it was Heroc’s tender care as he helped her put it on.

Anticipation flooded her. She was excited about her tour of the keep, wanting to know more about their home and world, to see outside the confines of these stone walls.

“Ready?” Abrah held out his hand.

“I’m ready.” She took his hand and he tugged her toward him. Heroc took up his post on her other side, taking her free hand in his. Together all three of them left the warmth and safety of the castle and headed outside with Carn trotting ahead to clear their way.

Chapter Ten

Audrey was pleasantly tired as she ate the most delicious beef stew she’d ever tasted in her life. The cook—a pleasant man named Dorn she’d met earlier today—was brilliant in the kitchen. She’s already had two slices of some thick, dark-grained bread and was almost finished with her bowl of stew. Her stomach was satisfyingly full. She felt tired, yet strangely content.

Walking around the grounds today, feeling the brisk wind on her face and the sunshine on her cheeks was invigorating. Everyone they’d met was curious about her and wanted to meet her. They’d all been friendly, if slightly guarded. She couldn’t blame them. They all knew the tapestry had brought her. Like any small town, word of her arrival had traveled fast. And Dannon Keep was in reality a small town. Abrah and Heroc were the local government and their word in this land was law.

She was still amazed at everything she’d seen today. The grounds were fallow now, but they’d shown her where they would plant as soon as the weather warmed. She’d seen a blacksmith working at his forge and women working at a loom. Her fingers had itched to try to turn the homespun yarn into fabric.

They had their own mill where they ground their grains, a stable filled with powerful horses, craftsmen who made furniture and other household goods. It was like taking a step back through time and seeing what a real ancient town would have been like.

She’d also noted what was absent. There were no power lines, no traffic, no horns blasting in the distance, no cell phones or computers, no televisions and no pollution. She couldn’t say that was all bad. She’d enjoyed the quiet and the fresh air.

But there were also no grocery stores, which meant no chocolate. There was nowhere to buy clothing. No hospital either. That was a scary proposition.

She looked around the room and smiled at the men who’d joined them for the evening meal. They were all members of the small troop of men who guarded Dannon Keep. But she’d learned that no one did just one job. One of the men carved wooden bowls and cups, another worked with the horses, and yet another made weapons. Tara and a young lad around twelve years of age bustled in and out carrying more platters to the table. The fare was simple, but plentiful. No one went hungry here.

“Have you had enough?” Heroc leaned closer to be heard above the genial chatter.

“Yes, thank you.” She put her spoon down and pushed the bowl aside. “It’s delicious.”

“What do you think of our home?” There was no mistaking the pride in his voice.

“It’s beautiful.” They stayed on the grounds close to the castle but from high atop the walls she’d seen a pristine lake farther inland and a thick forest filled with towering trees. A majestic mountain stood behind them, sheltering them from the rest of the world.

A man hailed him and Heroc turned from her to answer his question. She enjoyed watching both men as they interacted with their people. Both were well liked and that said a lot about them. But she noted the deference in people’s tone when they spoke to Abrah. There was no doubt that he was the master of all she’d surveyed today.

All the pressure was on him as well. Over and over again today, people had come forward, men and women alike, asking for advice, seeking answers to questions or help with some problem. Abrah dealt with them all. He showed no sign of impatience or anger at the myriad interruptions. Heroc was quick to step in and shoulder any responsibility he could.

Audrey was impressed with their home and with them. How could she not be? The keep ran like a well-oiled machine. Everyone knew their job and did it to the best of their ability because it wasn’t just their paycheck at risk but their very lives. Survival wasn’t easy in such a harsh land and if the crops failed or the animals got sick everyone paid the price.

She’d never met two men she admired more and she hated to have to leave them. But she did. Didn’t she? Of course she did. What would she do in such a world? Her skills were useless here. Tara ran their home and they had no need for an advertising executive. She couldn’t cook, but Dorn ran the kitchen and certainly didn’t need her help. She knew nothing about gardening or raising animals. Her skills might demand a high price in her world but in Javara they were worthless. That was a humbling thought and something to really think about.

“Is anything wrong?” Abrah frowned at her but she wasn’t concerned. She was beginning to realize that was his natural expression. The man certainly didn’t smile much. He shouldered so much responsibility she wondered who he turned to when it all became too much?

In the past, probably his father or mother. But they were both gone now, leaving him and Heroc to deal with the burden of all these people.

“I’m fine. Just a little tired.” Truly, the fresh air and walking had taken a toll on her. She wasn’t exhausted, just pleasantly tired. She tried to hold back a yawn but it escaped. She covered her mouth with her hand. “Excuse me.”

Abrah shoved his chair back from the table. Every eye in the place turned to them. Audrey tried not to feel self-conscious as she took the hand he offered and stood. He nodded to his men who were still dining. “The day has exhausted Audrey.”

She felt like melting into the floor at the knowing grins some of the men gave her. There was nothing nasty or lascivious about them. They were more playful, but still, they all knew she’d had sex with the brothers.

“Are you coming?” It took her a moment to realize he was speaking to Heroc and not her.

“Yes.” He stood and accompanied them down the hall to the stairs. Carn jumped up from his spot in front of the fireplace and trotted up the stairs ahead of them.

The closer they got to the bedroom the more the bread and soup she’d eaten roiled around in her stomach. Would they expect to have sex with her again? Did she want to have sex with them again?

Her body heated the more she thought about it and she was practically squirming by the time Heroc opened the door and waved for her and Abrah to precede him.

Carn loped toward the fireplace, where a fire cheerfully crackled, and wasted no time turning twice in a circle and flopping down onto the floor. He tucked his face into his paws and let out a gigantic sigh.

She laughed at the huge beast. He was much like his owners—large and ferocious-looking, but really he was a big softie. Not that she’d ever say that to either man. Or the dog either for that matter. They were all proud males.

“Seems like Carn is exhausted by today’s endeavors too.” She walked toward the window, not glancing at the massive bed. They’d already proven it was large enough for the three of them.

Abrah stripped off his shirt and hung it on a peg that had been hammered into the wall. There was a series of them near the bed for hanging clothing. She tried not to stare at his broad chest and thick arms. Really she did. But his body drew her like a lodestone.

“Audrey?”

Heroc had come up beside her while she’d been watching his brother. “Yes.”

He cupped her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone. “Beautiful Audrey. Will you give yourself to us tonight?”

She sensed there was more to his request than her simply sleeping with the two of them. She swallowed her growing nervousness. “What do you mean?”

He feathered his fingers over her lips, sending shivers of desire down her spine. Her toes curled in her boots and her pussy clenched. She didn’t recognize herself around these men. Her body jumped to life at their slightest touch.

“We want to take you at the same time.”

She swayed as her legs went weak. He couldn’t mean what she thought he did. “That’s impossible.”

He shook his head and shot her a grin that was slightly wicked and filled with sensual promise. “Not impossible at all. There is a herbal concoction that will make it easy for you to take both of us.”

Okay, this was pushing the boundaries for her. Sleeping with the two of them one at a time was crazy enough but having both of them at once—which meant one of them would be having anal sex with her—was something she’d never even considered.

She glanced at Abrah who stood beside the bed, his arms crossed and his face set in his usual stoic expression. He expected her to refuse. Heroc, on the other hand, had hoped she might say yes.

That was the integral difference between the two men.

“Yes.” She blurted out the word that would change her life and forever bind her to these men in ways they couldn’t even imagine. Already she was too attracted to them physically. She was afraid the emotional ties would follow her back to her world.

She’d never trusted a man, let alone two, the way she trusted them. She was smaller than they were, trapped in a world not her own, a world where their word was law. If she refused them they could take her anyway and no one would stop them, would see it as their right.

But she knew one word from her would put an end to things.

“Are you sure?” Heroc was still beside her, tension emanating from every square inch of his large body.

She nodded, half afraid to speak.

He smiled and the corners of his bluish green eyes crinkled, making him look younger. “How old are you?” She can’t believe she’d never asked him.

“I have seen thirty-three summers.”

“We’re the same age.” That surprised her. Both men seemed older, yet there was no denying they were in the prime of their lives.

“Come.” Heroc took her hand and pulled her toward the bed. Obviously, the time for talking was done.

Abrah wanted to pull Audrey from his brother’s grasp, toss her onto the bed and fuck her until she screamed his name with pleasure. Watching her all day long had been torture, but never had torture been so sweet.

Seeing her experience his home, observing her interact with his people had filled him with pride. He’d loved the look of surprise and wonder in her eyes. But he’d also seen the lost expression that had taken her from time to time, could practically hear her inner thoughts telling her she didn’t belong here.

And maybe she didn’t. She’d been ill. Because Heroc seemed to know more about her health he’d questioned him about it. His brother had assured him that Audrey’s illness wasn’t serious and could be handled with rest, good food and regular doses of Tara’s herbal tea.

Abrah wasn’t convinced. Tara said she needed to release her pent-up emotions.

He couldn’t ask Audrey to do that, not when he carried so much inside himself. He understood her better than she thought. He knew what it was like to be responsible for so many, to have lives hanging on his actions and words. He felt the weight of them every day in spite of how much Heroc tried to shoulder.

Abrah loved his brother and was grateful for his support and counsel. He didn’t know if he could do it on his own and hoped he’d never have to find out.

The only time he felt the weight leave him was when he spent time with Audrey. Something about her presence lightened the burdens pressing on his heart. When she smiled the sun came out even though the day was dull. Her laughter curled around his balls and squeezed them tight. A glance and his cock was as hard as a staff.

She and Heroc stopped beside the bed. Audrey had her shoulders thrown back and her chin tilted upward. So brave when he knew she feared what was to come. “We will not hurt you. Ever.” He made the vow with a fury in his blood. He’d kill anyone who ever hurt her. As quickly as it rose, his fury died away. Within a single day she would be gone and he would be unable to protect her.

The agony wasn’t to be borne.

He cupped the back of her hand in his palm, tilted her head up and kissed her. Her lips parted and he groaned as he surged into her welcoming warmth. She tasted like the stew and hot bread she’d eaten for the evening meal, tinged with the apple cider she seemed to favor. She gave a small moan and his cock jerked at the sexy little sound. She went up on her toes, trying to get closer to him. His balls swelled and threatened to explode.

Abrah slid his hands under her tunic and pushed it upward, breaking the kiss so he could free her from the garment. He needed her naked.

Heroc’s arms came around her, cupping her breasts. The firm mounds were delicate against his brother’s rough, tanned hands. Her nipples tightened under his gaze and when Heroc touched one tender pink nipple it hardened beneath his touch.

“So beautiful.” Abrah wasn’t a man for fancy speech but he wanted her to know he thought she was magnificent.

Red tinged her face and his heart skipped a beat as she blushed. Had no man in her world ever told her such things?

Heroc nibbled the sweet tendons in her neck and she threw back her head and gasped.

Abrah’s fingers flew over the laces of her pants. As soon as the material loosened, he dragged it down. “Lift her,” he ordered.

Heroc swept an arm around her waist and plucked her off her feet. Abrah knelt and removed her boots and pants, leaving her naked in his brother’s arms. The position was perfect for seeing her sweet pussy. He shoved both her legs over his shoulders, parted her with his fingers and buried his face between her spread thighs.

Heroc adjusted his hold on her so his hands were on her breasts once again, teasing the perfect mounds and playing with her taut nipples.

Audrey gave a sharp cry and drove her heels into his back. He teased her slit before letting his tongue slide inward. Her taste was incredible, a mixture of honey and spice and woman. He could eat her all night long. The wetter she was and the more she wanted them, the easier the double penetration would be for her.

But he would not allow her any pain. If she could not handle them both at once he would withdraw immediately. All Abrah wanted was her pleasure.

His tongue left her slit and moved upward. He sucked on her slick folds, licking the tenderest spots. Her clit was swollen, the nub red and hard and he pressed it with his tongue.

Audrey gasped and bucked toward him. Heroc laughed and Abrah raised his head long enough to see his brother nibbling on her tender shoulder while he tugged on her nipples with his thumbs and forefingers.

She was close to coming. Abrah could sense it in the erratic movement of her body, in the sharpness of her breathing.

He pushed two thick fingers into her pussy and almost came when they tightened around him. His cock was about to burst the lacings on his pants. His shoulders were slick and one of her legs slipped. He grabbed it with his free hand, pushing it up higher on his shoulder.

“Hold me,” Abrah ordered. Her heels dug into his back and he grunted his approval. He tongued her clit again and then pulled it between his lips, sucking gently. Audrey arched back against Heroc’s chest, the movement shoving her pussy more firmly against his face. Abrah sucked harder, while his fingers worked in and out of her constricting sheath.

Her cry was music to his ears. The way her hot channel closed around his fingers made him blind with lust. The taste of her sexual release washed over his tongue and he swallowed, wanting to share in the moment with her.

Abrah kept his face buried between her thighs until he knew she could take no more. He carefully removed his fingers and sat back, swiping the back of his hand over his damp mouth and chin.

He nodded to Heroc and his brother pulled her away and scooped her into his arms at the same time. Heroc placed her on the bed where she lay with her eyes closed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she gasped for breath. Her skin glistened with a light sheen of perspiration and her curly hair was spread over his pillows. Her long, slender limbs were lax and her legs were slightly open, allowing him a clear view of her pink and wet pussy. Her nipples, too, had turned more red than pink.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him and Abrah knew he was lost. In spite of his best intentions, in spite of the barriers he’d built around his heart, she’d destroyed them without even trying. All it had taken was her tender, open smile.

Chapter Eleven

Heroc’s heart pounded, the pulse in his temple keeping time. Every muscle, every cell in his body was screaming for him to claim Audrey. But it wasn’t that easy. Sexually, they were well matched. He loved her intelligence, her wit, the way she viewed the world around her. She’d asked questions on their tour today, taking it all in. She’d seemed lost at times and at others she’d smiled and laughed.

He knew she still wanted to go home.

As much as they’d done today to make her feel comfortable in their home, it wasn’t enough. He glanced at Abrah but his brother was entranced with watching Audrey. He couldn’t blame him. She made the most spectacular picture spread across the bed. His cock jerked in agreement.

He quickly shed his clothing and climbed onto the bed beside Audrey. She’d agreed to let them both take her but he knew both of them would stop if it proved to be too much, too fast for her. They didn’t want to do anything that might cause her to want to leave any more than she already did. They were running out of time to convince her to remain in Javara with them.

Heroc wished he could see into her nimble brain and understand everything at work there. He comprehended her reservations about staying. How disorienting it must be to be pulled from your world and thrust into an unknown one. Not many men would hold up under the strain. Perhaps the knowledge that she could leave in three days allowed her to accept things and deal with what came her way.

Her eyes half opened and she gave him a sleepy, sated smile that went straight to his balls, making them swell and ache. A sound from the other side of the bed caused him to glance up. Abrah was naked now and he’d placed a small, wooden container on the chest beside the bed. Good—they’d need that before the night was done.

His brother climbed into bed and joined them. He and Abrah shared a look of determination. They still had one whole day left. Not much time, yet a lifetime, to convince Audrey that her place was here with them.

Heroc leaned down and kissed her. He wanted to claim her, devour her, but kept the caress gentle. Her body was tender from her orgasm and they needed to go slow to stoke the fires of desire once again.

Her hand slid down his chest and over his taut abs. He held his breath when she found his straining cock and took it in her hand. He groaned into her mouth when she stroked up and down. He couldn’t wait to take her.

Audrey’s body was still tingling from her orgasm when both men climbed into bed with her. This was it. Fear and anticipation thrummed through her. She’d never done anything like this before. It was daring and forbidden, a true ménage a trois with all of them joined together at once.

She swallowed hard, still not knowing how it was going to work but trusting both men not to hurt her. It was a huge step for her.

Heroc kissed her, a sweet, gentle caress that helped settle her nerves. It didn’t take long for her to put aside her worries and simply enjoy the moment. She slid her hand over his chest, marveling at the thick muscles. The head of his cock nudged her palm and she closed her hand over his straining erection. His groan was music to her ears and she savored the sound like the sweetest music.

A rustle of covers on her other side and then something hard pressed up against her hip. Abrah. She reached down with her free hand and found his hard shaft, closing her fingers around it.

Hot and heavy they pulsed against her palms, so alive, so vividly male. She wanted them both. Abrah shifted, tugging his cock out of her hand. She made a small sound of disappointment.

Heroc released her lips and peppered her face with tender kisses. Abrah closed his mouth over one of her breasts, sucking hard. They were still extremely sensitive from the attention earlier. She dragged in a breath and tried to pull away but he simply followed her. With the mattress beneath her and both men looming over her there was nowhere for her to retreat.

“Let go, Audrey.” Heroc’s low whisper startled her. His lips were caressing the rim of her ear, his tongue tracing the delicate whorls. She shivered and goose bumps rippled over her skin.

He had no idea what he was asking of her. As much as she wanted this to happen it was difficult to let go of the beliefs of a lifetime and to trust her body and well-being to a man, or rather two men.

He stared down at her and she saw something in his eyes that made her think that maybe he did understand. She nodded. “I’ll try.”

Heroc tenderly tucked a curl behind her ear and smiled. “That is all we can ask.” He shifted quickly until he was kneeling between her thighs. “It is my turn to taste you.” He wrapped his hands around her hips and raised them toward his mouth, his gaze intent on her pussy.

Then her view was blocked and Abrah swooped down and kissed her. Unlike Heroc’s gentle kiss, there was nothing tentative or soft about this one. Abrah thrust his tongue into her mouth. She could taste her own arousal on his lips and it excited her.

Abrah captured her cry in his mouth as Heroc tongued her sex, lapping at her already slick folds and teasing her opening with his tongue. Passion flared like a wildfire, burning out of control.

Her need for these two men was branded into her very essence, her bones, her soul. It frightened her even as she was helpless to stop it. She wanted this as much as they did.

She clutched Abrah’s hair, needing something to hold on to, to ground her in this storm of passion. Heroc held her hips, anchoring her to the bed and to him.

The kiss was never-ending. Abrah kept her on edge, playful one moment and the next he ravaged her like a conquering hero. Both types of kisses overwhelmed her senses, taking her deeper into the world of sensual desires until nothing else existed.

Heroc’s mouth continued to taste, to tease her sensitive flesh, pushing her right to the edge of orgasm but not over. She tilted her hips and squirmed, trying to get his tongue where she wanted it, but he resisted.

She gave a groan of pure frustration. Really, he was being maddening.

Abrah surged back and stared down at her. His lips were moist and red, his hair falling around his shoulders, the skinny braids framing his rugged features. His green eyes gleamed in the dim light, like a great cat stalking its prey.

Heroc pressed his tongue against her clit and gave a little flick. She cried out, grasping for an orgasm that was just out of her reach. “It’s time.” He rolled onto his back and tugged her on top of him. It happened so fast it left her lightheaded and uncertain as to what was expected of her.

Abrah’s hands supported her, his touch soothing all her doubts. “Rise up and take him inside you.”

She knew then that Heroc was going to be inside her pussy while Abrah was going to claim her ass. The thought of anal sex and what was to come made her dizzy.

Heroc’s hands wrapped around her waist to steady her while Abrah raised her up onto her knees. The head of his cock nudged her opening.

“Take him inside you.” Abrah’s low voice sent a shiver down her spine. His breath was warm on the back of her neck as he supported her.

She licked her lips and allowed her lower body to sink. Heroc’s cock worked its way past the natural resistance of her opening. He remained still and steady, allowing her to maintain control.

She took a deep breath and relaxed. His shaft pushed inward, forcing her to accommodate his girth. She felt deliciously stretched and filled.

Heroc ran his hands up her torso and captured her breasts. His thumbs traced circles around her nipples. “Good?”

Such a bland word for what she was experiencing. Her skin tingled and her nipples peaked even though he wasn’t touching them. His eyes devoured her and she loved it.

Her entire body jerked when she felt something cool rub over the puckered rim of her behind. The action drove Heroc even deeper, making them both moan with pleasure.

Audrey froze when a thick finger touched the opening to her ass. “Trust me.” Abrah kissed her nape and licked down her spine. “This will make things easier for you.”

“What is it?” Abrah removed his hand from her behind and brought it around so she could see the jelly-like substance coating it.

“This will ease my passage into you. The herbs will relax you and allow you to enjoy it.” His hand disappeared and he playfully squeezed her butt before bringing his finger back to her ass.

Heroc tugged at her shoulders. “Lean forward. Let the herbal mixture work. It will help make penetration easier.”

This was it. Decision time. But she’d already made her choice and leaned forward.

The lubricant he was using was cool and slick. He pushed one thick digit past the tight opening of her ass, gently stretching her as he pressed inward. The invasion was foreign and slightly uncomfortable. She squirmed but Heroc banded his arm over her back, holding her still.

“Steady.” Heroc rubbed small circles at the base of her spine. The motion relaxed her and she sighed and let go.

The small action was enough for Abrah to be able to work a second finger into her behind. Her butt muscles clenched his fingers even as they stretched her, pushing her to her limits.

Now she felt really uncomfortable, the sensation bordering on painful. “Breathe through it,” Abrah ordered. She had no idea how much time passed as she took one breath at a time. In and out, slowly letting her body become accustomed to the foreign sensation.

Both men stayed perfectly still and steady. The only sound in the room above the crackle of the fire was their heavy breathing.

Audrey did as Abrah instructed and eventually the pressure eased and became manageable. After another minute she started to enjoy it. She’d never felt so full, so…claimed in her life. That was the word she was searching for. It was as though both men were imprinting themselves on her body in a way she’d feel for the rest of her life.

A slight warming began in her butt and she wiggled to try to escape it. Both men groaned but she ignored them as she explored this new sensation. Her behind tingled and she wanted to move. Had to move. The herbs in the lubricant obviously did more than ease the way for his fingers. It not only soothed the sensitive nerve endings, it was also making her horny.

She started to laugh but it quickly turned into a moan as Abrah withdrew his fingers almost to the entrance of her ass and then eased them back in. Inside her pussy, Heroc’s cock pulsed hard and deep, seemingly growing even larger with each passing second.

She couldn’t take this. Something had to give. “Help me,” she pleaded. “Do something.” This time it was an order.

Abrah chuckled and slid his fingers all the way out. Where minutes before she’d wanted him out of her, now she wanted as much of him as he’d give her.

She heard Abrah rustling around behind her. Before worry could set in, Heroc cupped the back of her head and kissed her. As a distraction, it worked perfectly. His tongued teased and twined with her, diverting her attention from Abrah.

The heavy press on the opening of her ass brought the world back into sharp focus. Abrah’s hands eased the mounds of her buttocks wide and he pushed his cock head against her opening. She could tell he’d covered his shaft with the same jelly-like substance he’d used before to make it easier to slide the slick tip inside her.

It was much thicker than his fingers and she began to pant and count in her head, promising herself that when she got to ten, and then twenty, the discomfort would ease. The herbs in the lubricant made her inner muscles tingle and helped her relax. The sensation of fullness remained.

The tension in the room mounted as both men strained to remain as still as statues. Beneath her, Heroc’s muscles were as hard as stone, but his cock involuntarily twitched inside her, as if to remind her it was still there. She almost laughed, but Abrah chose that exact moment to push inward another inch.

Her ass muscles burned but the lubricant quickly soothed it until the pain receded and only pleasure remained. He pushed another inch and waited. Then another. It became a slow pleasure, a grinding torture until she couldn’t stand it any longer. “Finish it,” she pleaded. She reached around, placed her hand on Abrah’s side and pulled him toward her.

He fought her for a brief moment and then forged carefully ahead until he was all the way inside. Now she could feel both cocks pulsing deep within her. She felt claimed, overwhelmed. But she didn’t care. She wanted this, not only for herself but for them as well.

Abrah’s chest surrounded her back and his lips nibbled her shoulder. “Does it hurt?”

She shook her head. “It did, but not any longer.” The herbs were warming her butt and that heat was seeping through her inner tissues into her pussy, making her desperate to move.

Heroc maneuvered a hand between them, finding where they were joined. Her breath caught in her throat when he touched her clit. A low moan broke from her.

As if that was the sign both men had been waiting for, they started to move. It was more a rocking motion than actual thrusting. Heroc eased back as Abrah pushed inward. Then they reversed so Heroc’s cock filled her pussy while Abrah’s eased slightly from her ass.

Audrey bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming. Pleasure surrounded her, filled her to overflowing. Something this good couldn’t last very long. They were all on edge. So near to finding bliss.

Heroc pressed this thumb against her clit, making her see stars. A second later she felt the hot flood of semen as he came, the hard pulse of his cock in her pussy. His jaw tightened and his nostrils flared.

Abrah’s hands tightened around her hips and he surged inward one final time. She felt his cock swell, the ripple of his shaft as he found release.

It was too much for her and she willingly fell over the edge and let her orgasm sweep her away on a cloud of bliss. Her body spasmed and she cried out her pleasure. Her inner muscles squeezed both cocks tight, milking them for everything they had.

She slumped forward, resting her head on Heroc’s shoulder, totally exhausted. “I can’t feel my toes.” She didn’t know why she made the odd comment but it made her laugh. She tried to stop but couldn’t stop giggling. The motion jiggled her around and both men groaned.

Abrah was the first to withdraw from her, his motions slow and measured. Then it was Heroc’s turn. She allowed them to do all the work, too tired to help. Her body felt as though it was made of jelly.

She tried to open her eyes but they remained stubbornly shut. As tired as she was, she had a smile on her face.

“Audrey?” There was concern in Abrah’s voice.

“Hmm,” was the best response she could make.

A warm, wet cloth bathed her pussy and then her behind. Not even that intimate act could rouse her from her sexual stupor. The bed depressed and she knew both men had settled in around her.

She made a sound of contentment and snuggled between both of them.

“I think we wore her out.” Heroc’s masculine pleasure made her want to laugh out loud, but she was too tired and contented herself with a smile.

“Sleep. Tomorrow is your last day.” Abrah sounded so sad it pushed aside her happiness and brought tears to her eyes. She didn’t want him to hurt. Didn’t want any of them hurt.

She had to go home. She had a job and responsibilities, and Javara was no place for a modern woman, was it? There was no answer as she drifted off to sleep, secure with both men surrounding her.

Abrah lay awake a long time with his eyes closed, staring into the darkness of his mind. He knew Audrey was going to leave and he couldn’t blame her. Unlike his brother he didn’t have any hope that she would stay. He was a realist. Faced with the daunting task of leaving behind everything she knew for the unknown, she would be foolish to stay. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do if he were in her situation.

There simply wasn’t enough time to ease the fears of a woman like Audrey. She wasn’t clingy, wasn’t looking for a man to take care of her. She was used to taking care of herself.

She didn’t seem to understand that needing someone did not make you weak. Allowing someone to shoulder some of your burdens was not a bad thing.

His parents had had a strong marriage. His mother had been able to bring light and laugher to his father, wise counsel when needed and a steady presence in her family’s life. He missed her. She would have known what to say or do to ease Audrey’s fears, to convince her to stay.

Or maybe not. Maybe it was simply wishful thinking on his part.

He rolled over onto his side and draped his arm around her. Audrey gave a slight snuffling sound and wiggled closer to him. She looked to him in sleep but he knew she would not do the same in the light of day.

He cursed the gods, wishing for more time but knowing none would be forthcoming. The tapestry would come tomorrow evening and then Audrey would be gone.

Chapter Twelve

Audrey woke with one brilliant flash of insight. They hadn’t used a condom. Not any time they’d had sex. She placed her hand on her stomach and tried to remember when her last period was, but her mind was so muddled she couldn’t. She could be pregnant even now. What would she do?

Whatever she had to. Just the way she always had. She didn’t relish the idea of being a single mother but the more she thought about it the more excited she got about the idea of having a baby.

Her joy fled as quickly as it came. What about Heroc and Abrah? Was it fair to them? They’d never know if she was with child or not, but she knew she’d always feel guilty about depriving them of a chance to know their son or daughter.

“Chances are you’re not pregnant,” she muttered. “Don’t borrow trouble.” After all, she wasn’t at the peak of her cycle and her body had been through such turmoil. The chances of her actually being pregnant weren’t great.

She flung back the covers, sat up and noted the sheets beside her were cool, a sure sign both men had been up for a while. She was becoming a real slug-a-bed. This was the second day in a row they’d managed to get up and leave the room without her waking.

It was also the last time she’d wake in this beautiful four-poster bed. The tapestry would come today. Tomorrow she’d wake in her own bed, in her own room in her apartment.

The thought was cold comfort. Audrey wasn’t nearly as excited at the prospect as she would have been yesterday. The longer she was here, the less she wanted to leave.

“Get up and get dressed,” she ordered. “One thing at a time.” The tapestry wouldn’t arrive for hours yet. She had an entire day to spend with Abrah and Heroc.

Her muscles gave a twinge when she climbed out of bed and stretched. Her pussy was sore and her butt ached, not surprising considering last night’s activities. She couldn’t stop smiling as she padded to the bathing chamber and peeked into the room. As usual, the hot water fairies had the tub filled and she climbed in, soaking away the worst of her aches.

It didn’t take her long to finish her bath and comb her hair. Then it was back to the bedroom, where she dressed in the clothing that was sitting on the chest at the end of the bed. When she was presentable, she left the room, anxious to find the men.

Heroc sat in front of the fire staring at the piece of wood in his hand. It had started life as a small block but now looked like a perfect replica of Carn. He rubbed his thumb over the wood and held the piece up to the light and turned it from side to side. Perfect.

He set aside the sharp knife he’d been using to finish the final details. He’d started carving when he was a boy as a way to pass time during the long, cold months and had kept up the practice as he’d grown. He enjoyed it. The act of carving calmed his mind and allowed him to think.

This morning all his thoughts were about last night. He took a deep breath and released it slowly even as his body stirred to life. Audrey had given them a great gift, one he would always cherish. Heroc hadn’t said anything to his brother but even he was beginning to lose hope. Today was the final day and Audrey was still nowhere near to agreeing to stay.

He heard footsteps on the stairs and stood as Audrey came into view. She stopped at the base of the stairs and looked around the room. The hall was empty but for him. Tara was busy in the kitchens and Abrah was in the stables waiting.

“Good morning.” Heroc went toward her, his right hand extended.

Audrey smiled and came to him. He pulled her to him for a quick hug, inhaling her sweet scent tinged with the perfume of flowers from the soap she’d used in her morning bath. “I wasn’t certain it was still morning. I slept longer and harder than I thought I would.”

Her cheeks turned a delectable shade of red and he knew she was remembering last night. He couldn’t resist leaning down and kissing her. It was slow and long and incredibly arousing. He tasted desire, but he also detected the bitter tang of regret. He ended the kiss and brushed the curls away from her face.

“How are you feeling?”

She glanced down at the floor and then back up at him, meeting his gaze straight on. “I feel good.”

“This is for you.” He thrust the carving toward her and she took it automatically.

She stared at the wood and her eyes widened. “It’s Carn.” She looked to him for confirmation, so he nodded.

“Did you do this?”

Once again, he nodded.

“This is amazing.” She ran her fingers over the wood and his muscles clenched. He wished it were his body she was touching so reverently. His cock swelled, making his pants uncomfortable. “You are so talented. Thank you.”

He nodded and took a step back. “I don’t know if it will travel with you when you go.” He held his breath, waiting for her denial that she was leaving. She said nothing, but there was great sadness in her eyes.

Heroc rubbed the back of his neck as frustration pounded through him. Why would she not stay? Even as he thought it he knew he wasn’t being fair to her. But he didn’t care. He wanted her with him, wanted years to discover everything about her. She was such a contradiction, seemingly shy at times and incredibly bold at others.

“If you are up to it after you eat we can go for a ride.”

“A ride?” She perked up at the suggestion.

“Abrah is at the stables getting the horses ready.” They both wanted her to see the world beyond the walls of their home and the weather had cleared enough to make it possible. Maybe something there would turn the tide to their favor.

“I’ve never been on a horse before.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. Heroc groaned, unable to resist the innocent provocation. He bent down and kissed her hard and fast.

“You will ride with one of us.” He ran his hand over her hair. “We will take care of you. Trust us.” There was so much meaning in those simple two words and he knew she’d heard his underlying plea.

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I do.”

Disappointment beat at him. Yes, she trusted them to some extent, just not enough to stay.

“Come and eat.” With his hand on the small of her back, he urged her toward the table where Tara had set out some oatmeal and honey. Steam no longer rose from the bowl but it was still warm.

Audrey set the carving on the table beside her and then picked up her spoon to eat. Heroc watched her, memorizing every move and gesture. His gut twisted into a knot and he feared he would soon have nothing left of her but a memory.

* * *

Abrah paced back and forth, his boots stirring hay in his wake. Carn paced beside him, his large paws barely making a sound. The animal sensed his agitation and was sticking close. One of the horses whinnied and he came to an abrupt halt. The animals were picking up on his growing unease. Would Audrey agree to go for a ride with them or would she start to pull away from them now that her last day had arrived?

He heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel in the yard and a light, female voice that made his groin tighten. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and his eyes devoured Audrey as she entered the stables alongside his brother.

He wanted to grab her, throw her over the back of his horse and ride until no one could find them. But that would not work. The tapestry would find her no matter where he took her. There was no way to keep her here if she did not wish to stay.

Anger pulsed through her veins. Why had the tapestry brought her? Audrey didn’t want to be here. Had the tapestry made a mistake? It no longer mattered. She was perfect for him and for Heroc. Either of them would be proud to call her wife and the other would count his blessings to be able to share her bed from time to time.

“Are the horses ready?” He ignored Heroc’s question and Audrey’s smile and turned his back on them both. He went to the two horses he had saddled and led the animals to where they were waiting.

Heroc swung easily onto the back of his horse, a high-spirited creature they’d traded with the Craddock brothers for. The older brothers had all been bastards but the younger ones were not only better men but also brilliant when it came to breeding fine horseflesh.

Abrah mounted his huge warhorse, the large beast shifted to the left but quickly came to a halt when Abrah gave the reins a short tug. “Come.” He held out his hand to Audrey, who was staring up at both of them, her blue eyes round and huge against her pale face.

She glanced at Heroc and then back at him. Abrah waited for her to make her choice. He would not beg. Finally, she took his hand and he leaned down and easily lifted her, settling her in front of him. The pants and tunic she wore allowed her to ride astride rather than across his legs. He settled the thick folds of her coat around her. The air was still a little chilly but would warm up as the day went on.

It seemed her arrival had heralded the end of the cold season. From here on the warmer days would come and the fields and woods would soon bloom again. It would be perfect if only she would agree to stay.

Abrah wrapped both arms around her, as much to hold her close as to steady her. Holding the reins easily in his left hand, he squeezed the horse’s sides with his thighs and the beast trotted out the door of the stable, sensing freedom beyond. The iron-shod hooves clattered over hard-packed earth and rocks as he guided them toward the main gates and the world beyond.

Audrey gasped and grabbed his arm, which was banded around her, and held on tight. Her knuckles turned white and her body was rigid.

“Are you well?” Abrah wasn’t certain what was wrong. Did she regret her choice? Would she rather ride with Heroc? It was too late. He had her and he was not giving her up. His arm tightened around her.

“I think so.” He could hear the uncertainty in her voice, the way her breath caught in her throat. “It’s a long way up, isn’t it?”

His brave little warrior was afraid. It struck him like a knife to the gut and weakened the barrier he’d tried to erect around his heart. “Have you never been on a horse before?”

She shook her head, making her curls dance in the wind. “Never. But it’s incredible.”

“I will keep you safe,” he promised. “Relax and enjoy the ride.”

Pleasure poured through him when he felt her rigid muscles gradually ease, her body going fluid and conforming to the hard planes of his torso. He kicked his mount in the sides and the beast took off at a gallop across the barren fields. She gave a small scream, which quickly turned into a laugh of pleasure. “It’s like flying,” she declared. Her enjoyment fed his soul even as it broke his heart.

What would tomorrow bring? Would there be any pleasure in riding without her in his arms? But that was for another day. Today was all about Audrey. How he wished she would be here when the crops were ready for harvest. He wanted her to see the bounty of their land and know its wealth was not in gold but in what it could provide for all of them.

Heroc’s horse thundered alongside them as they raced across the open meadow. They slowed and went single-file when they entered the woods. Birds chattered and small animals scurried out of the path of the large horses and their passengers. Carn loped alongside them, a large gray shadow. Abrah knew the dog would not leave their side and would warn them of any wild boar or predators in more than enough time to enable them to defend themselves.

The world was theirs. With the end of the cold season, people would be venturing outside their castles and keeps, but with Dannon Keep so far off the beaten path there was no danger of running into any other travelers. They were alone.

“It’s beautiful here.” Her voice was a mere whisper as though she were afraid to speak aloud. He understood her reticence. This forest was old and there was something special about it.

“There is game aplenty in these woods. And we will soon clear all the downed and diseased trees for firewood and building materials. Then we will thin where necessary.” There was always a balance to be struck between using resources and respecting them so they continued to provide for generations to come. If he and Heroc were the last of their line it would not matter. The land would belong to someone else.

His heart ached at the thought of his home belonging to another not of his blood. If Audrey did not stay they were unlikely to take a wife. Abrah knew he did not have the heart for it. If she left he would have no other.

A raven flew across their pass, giving a raucous cry. Audrey laughed and clung to his arm as he urged the horse down the well-traveled path. The woods were special but it was what was beyond that he truly wanted to share with her.

Her gaze darted everywhere and she reminded him of a child trying to see everything at once. She turned her head back and smiled at him, her face filled with sheer delight. He longed to kiss her but resisted. Now was not the time. It would be so easy to slide his hand into the opening of her cloak and slip it beneath her tunic. Her skin would be warm and her nipples would pucker beneath his touch.

His cock stirred and he shifted his weight to ease the ache. He knew the moment she felt his erection press against her back. She stiffened slightly and held herself erect, trying not to touch him, but he pulled her back against him and she gradually relaxed again. Abrah kissed the top of her head and urged his horse onward. He was impatient to get to their destination.

Heroc was silent but Abrah could sense his brother watching them both. He glanced toward his brother and suddenly wished he had resisted the urge. Despair was etched on Heroc’s face. It was the first time he had seen his brother lose hope.

In that moment he almost hated Audrey and the gods who had brought her to them. Better to have never known her than to have her and lose her. Even as he thought the words he wanted to call them back lest the gods take her back before the allotted time was over.

He was going to lose her when the tapestry arrived but he wanted every second he could have with her. It was not her fault that she was leaving. He could not blame her for not wanting to abandon all that was familiar for a new and strange world. But he could not help wishing she would.

The path ended and they broke from the woods, leaving the dark world behind. A shaft of sunlight shone down on them as Abrah brought his horse to a stop, allowing Audrey to see the pounding ocean beyond.

“This is incredible. I love the beach, but haven’t been to one in years.”

He soaked in her pleasure and leaned down so his mouth was touching the sensitive skin just below her ear, his warm breath teasing the delicate whorls when he whispered. “The waters are teeming with fish of all kinds. This is a rich land.”

He was proud of their home and wanted her to understand what they were offering her. “All the woods and the ocean before us, the mountains behind the keep and the land beyond. That all belongs to Dannon Keep.”

“It’s spectacular. Can we go down there?” She pointed to the beach below.

Since he’d already planned to take her there, it was easy to grant her request. “Of course.”

Heroc gave a whooping sound and urged his horse down the narrow path. The idiot was showing off, pushing himself and his horse to practically race. But man and horse had done it many times before, so he wasn’t worried his brother would break his fool neck.

He went down at a more sedate pace, not wanting to frighten Audrey or jeopardize her safety. When the horse reached the sandy beach, he dismounted and let the reins drop. The horse would not wander far and would come when Abrah whistled.

Audrey slid into his waiting arms. He held her to him, savoring her closeness before letting her feet touch the ground. She wobbled a bit at first and grabbed at his arm for support. “My thighs feel like jelly.” But she laughed as she said it, so he knew she was not in any true pain.

“I’ll rub them later.” Even as he said the words he knew it would not happen. She was leaving them. There was no later, only now.

Heroc walked toward them and took her hand. “Come and walk with me.”

Carn came to sit beside him as Abrah watched his brother and Audrey ramble down the beach. Every few steps she’d stop and pluck something from the rocky sand and study it before carrying on. Heroc kept pace beside her, watching over her, wanting her.

He could sense his brother’s growing sense of impending doom. The day was waning with each roll of the waves and time was running out for all of them.

Audrey watched the water roll in over the sand, rock and kelp before rolling out again, the swooshing sound music that made her heart swell and all her worries disappear. She inhaled the cool, salty air, wondering if she’d ever really breathed fresh air before. There was nothing to taint it, no car exhaust or factory waste. Only clean, life-giving air filled her lungs.

Beside her, Heroc kept pace, allowing her to wander as she chose. What would it be like to race up and down the beach on a warm day, to maybe strip off her clothing and slip into the water for a swim? The bottom looked safe enough. There were some rocks out a ways but close to shore there seemed to be a lot of sand.

She had no idea if the tide was coming in or if had reached its peak and was on the way out again. The sound of the surf soothed her soul. As a child she’d loved the beach, but it had been years since she’d been to one.

Why had she stayed away for so long?

Work. That was the easy answer. Like most people, she’d gotten caught up in responsibilities and a job that left little time for play. Her life had become so small. She went to work and she went home. Other than the few shops she patronized, her life was pretty empty.

What would happen if she stayed? She couldn’t believe she was even considering such a thing. What would she do here? There is no way she’d want to be dependent on a man for everything. She was used to being independent, having her own money. She wasn’t cut out to be a fifties housewife.

Even as she had the thought, she knew she wasn’t being fair to either man. They hadn’t asked that of her. All they’d asked was that she consider staying. She was honestly tempted. But if she made a mistake, if somewhere down the road she regretted her choice, there was no going back.

This was all or nothing. An act of faith when she no longer had any.

She didn’t trust her own judgment. After all, look where it had gotten her. She was thirty-three years old and had never even come close to getting married before. She honestly hadn’t even thought much about having a family of her own. Every waking hour was consumed by her job.

What would she do when she went home?

Obviously, she’d have to start searching for a new job. The fact that she’d had an anxiety attack and had ended up in hospital would make her bosses look at her differently. As much as they paid lip service to her taking care of her health, they’d see it as a weakness. The writing was on the wall.

That left her with the question: What did she want out of life?

Before she could answer, Carn ran up to her, dragging a long, thin stick in his mouth. He danced in front of her and dropped it at her feet. It seemed the huge, ferocious dog had a playful side.

She bent down and grabbed the stick. “You want this?” She waved it in front of him. Carn bent forward on his front paws, leaving his butt sticking up in the air. His ears were alert and he gave a playful growl. She could hardly believe she’d been afraid of him at first. He was so familiar to her now. Just like his masters.

Audrey tossed the stick as hard as she could and Carn pounded after it. He picked it up and raced beyond her, this time to Abrah, who stood staring out over the horizon. He looked so alone and she wanted to go to him but didn’t dare. It wouldn’t be fair of her, not when she was leaving.

“Are you cold?” Heroc touched her cheek and stared down at her with concern. Had anyone other than her mother ever asked her that question? Both Dannon brothers seemed genuinely concerned about her health and happiness. She didn’t understand them at all.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. The walking is keeping me warm.” That and the rising sun. Her stomach growled and there was no doubt Heroc had heard it by the grin on his face.

“Come. It is time to eat. I had Tara pack us some lunch.”

They trudged back up the beach toward the horses. On impulse, when they passed by Abrah, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along with them. He resisted at first and she half expected him to pull away, but he heaved a deep sigh and allowed her to lead him toward their waiting lunch.

Chapter Thirteen

As the afternoon waned, they all grew quiet.

The picnic lunch had been consumed hours ago. Heroc was a font of information about the ocean and tides. She was surprised to learn they had several boats, which they used for fishing near the shore. He pointed out the various birds that glided overhead and recounted several legends of sea monsters that plied the deep waters.

Abrah was quiet. Watching them, with them, yet separate.

She’d played on the beach like a child, building a sandcastle as best as she could with Carn’s dubious help while the men practiced with their swords. They were always armed, the huge swords such a part of the men she barely took note of the weapons anymore. The brothers had stripped off their tunics and fought naked from the waist up, except for the wrist and armbands, which were for more than just decoration. They were for protection, used to deflect the opponent’s blade.

Their motions were fluid as they dipped and swirled, their chests glistening with sweat. The deadly weapons flashed in the sunlight as they circled one another.

She’d shucked her coat as the day warmed and sat back on the beach with her arms wrapped around her knees, watching them. A sense of contentment enveloped her and she never wanted the moment to end.

But, like all good things, it had come to an end. The men eventually put away their weapons and pulled their tunics on for the ride back. A wild wave rolled in, hit her sandcastle and dissolved it in a flood, washing it back out to the ocean. Her eyes had welled with tears, which was stupid. A sandcastle wasn’t meant to be permanent, much like her stay here. Soon Javara would be nothing but a cherished memory.

Now she was sitting in front of Heroc and they were riding back toward the keep. She’d wanted to ride with Abrah again since she’d spent much of her time on the beach with Heroc, but he’d turned away from her, mounting his horse and starting out ahead of them, leaving her no choice but to ride with his brother.

His obvious rejection had hurt more than she’d thought it would, constricting her chest and making it difficult to get a breath. But she couldn’t fault him for it. He was protecting himself and she understood that.

He was the oldest brother, the one who carried the bulk of the responsibility, even though Heroc took on as much of the load as Abrah would give him. She and Abrah were alike in that way. She’d shouldered responsibility for herself and her mother when she was still a young woman, burying her own dreams in order to do what needed to be done in order to survive.

What did Abrah want from life? What did Heroc want?

Being born to be the future lords of Dannon Keep came with tons of responsibility. There were so many people who depended on them for food and shelter. The workload was tremendous, but she’d never once heard them complain about it. To them it was simply what they’d been born to do and she knew they’d never want any other life.

What must it be like to have such a secure place in the world? To know your place in the vast scheme of things.

The rolling movement of the horse and the warmth from Heroc at her back combined to make her drowsy. She yawned and leaned against him.

“Tired?”

“Yes, but it’s a good tired. I had fun today.” It was important they realize she would always treasure this day. “Thank you so much. Both of you.” Her health had improved quite a bit in the short time she’d been here. Her headache was but a memory, her queasy stomach had settled and she no longer had any dizziness. Overall, she felt wonderful. Better than she had in a very long time.

Heroc gave her a gentle squeeze but Abrah remained silent as they left the woods behind them. The keep came into view and she studied it with a critical eye. It wasn’t a huge castle, but it was certainly an imposing sight. Dark gray stones rose to meet the sky as if to proclaim its right to be here. A grouping of smaller buildings was strategically placed inside the high wall that surrounded the keep. The mountain protected its back, making it very defensible.

Single-story stone houses with thatched rooftops dotted the landscape and she could see the fields and orchards beyond. It truly was a beautiful place, like something out of a fairytale. She was realistic enough to know life here wasn’t perfect. It was very different from what she knew but its very simplicity appealed to her.

Abrah veered off course, taking them away from the entrance of the keep to a rockier side near the mountains. She didn’t like this place and a shiver of dread raced down her spine. “Where are we going?” Wherever it was, she wanted no part of it. She wanted to go back to the castle.

She gripped the horse’s mane to anchor herself. Not that she needed to, not with Heroc holding her so close. She could feel his tension mount and his muscles clench even through the layers of their clothing. He didn’t like this place any more than she did.

Sweat beaded her brow and her stomach roiled leaving Audrey wondering if she was going to have another anxiety attack.

Abrah stopped and swung down from his mount, his movements fluid and incredibly graceful for such a large man. He stood over an indentation in the ground. Carn sniffed the area and trotted over to her side.

It was then she knew.

“This is where you found me, isn’t it?” She started to get down but Heroc tightened his grip on her. “I have to see it.”

Audrey didn’t think he was going to release her at first, but gradually he lowered her to the ground. She walked on unsteady feet to the small patch of ground and stared down at it.

She remembered bits and pieces of that night—the cold and driving rain, the blustering winds that had bitten into her flesh. She’d probably never remember all of it and that was fine with her. She could have easily died here and likely would have if they hadn’t found her.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

“Save your thanks for Carn. He’s the one that found you.” Abrah turned, strode back to his horse and swung up onto its back. “Come. It is time to go home.”

Audrey closed her eyes as pain engulfed her body and soul. Home. Had she ever had one? Maybe when she was a young child and her parents had still been together. But she’d been too young when her father had left to have more than one or two memories of that time.

She blinked back tears and headed toward Heroc. If she believed what they’d told her then it was almost time for the tapestry to appear, time for her to go home. Soon this place and these men would be nothing more than a memory, like the sandcastle, like this day.

She stumbled and would have fallen but for the strong arms that rescued her, keeping her from taking a header into the rocks and hard ground. She didn’t have to see behind her to know it was Abrah who caught her. Anger radiated from the man, searing everyone and everything around him. She could have handled it if he’d yelled, stomped around and berated her. It was his quiet acceptance that made her ache. She didn’t want him to hurt, didn’t want him to be angry, but didn’t know how to change the inevitable.

Her chest hurt but she knew it wasn’t due to any illness—mental or physical—but was because her heart was breaking for Abrah and Heroc and for herself. The ride back to the castle was short. Abrah kept her close but said nothing. She wished he’d say something. Anything.

“I have to go back.” She had to make him understand.

“Why?” His deep growl vibrated through her body, giving her goose bumps.

“Why?” she repeated.

“Why do you have to go home? What is there waiting for you?” He swung down off the back of his mount and stared up at her.

“My life.” She’d believed that only days before but the words no longer rang as true.

“Then you will do what you must do.” Abrah lifted her off the horse and set her on the hard-packed ground of the stable floor before leading the animal way. She watched him go, totally confused and bewildered.

“Come inside.” Heroc wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the door. “You’ll want to get cleaned up before we eat the evening meal.”

She went with him, but looked back. In the shadows, Abrah was standing by his horse, watching them.

Abrah lifted his mug of ale and drank deep, watching his men-at-arms and the others who had joined them for this final evening meal with Audrey—his people, his responsibility, the only life he knew. One he’d hoped to share with Audrey.

He took another drink, tasting the bitter ale on his tongue before swallowing. He wanted to get drunk even though he’d never been in such a state in his life. Maybe strong spirits could drown his sorrow and make him forget the woman sitting next to him.

Today had been a waste of time. Better they’d locked her in a tower room when she’d arrived and left her there until the tapestry arrived to take her home.

She laughed at something Heroc said and he wanted to fling his mug against the wall and watch it shatter into a million pieces.

No one watching him would guess at the scope of his inner turmoil. He sat at the head of the table with his legs stretched out before him, the picture of relaxed masculinity.

He’d even dressed for her last night here, wearing an embroidered shirt that his mother had made him. A heavy silver torque rested over his heart—a symbol of his authority as lord here. It had belonged to his father and his father before him, and so on, going back into the mists of time.

“Why do you wear two skinny braids in your hair while Heroc doesn’t?”

He turned his head slowly and studied Audrey. She was smiling, but there was a ring of falseness in her good spirits. Her eyes were sad and her cheeks flushed. “I am the eldest.”

“Oh.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “So it denotes your status and isn’t a fashion statement.”

He wasn’t certain what she meant, so he said nothing. Her hand trembled when she picked up her cup and his gut clenched. He disliked seeing her upset. It didn’t matter that he was angry with her for choosing to leave.

Abrah debated with himself for a short while and then shoved back his chair, coming to his feet. “We will retire.” There was no point in putting off the inevitable and he wanted to be alone with her when the tapestry appeared, not in front of an avid audience.

He took Audrey’s hand and pulled her to stand beside him. There were no cheers from the others in the room. They all knew she planned to return home.

She hesitated and then raised her chin, facing the group that had joined them for the evening meal. “Thank you all for everything.”

No one replied, but several of the men inclined their heads in respect. Tara was swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Audrey’s chin wobbled before firming again. There was no doubting she had a backbone of steel.

Abrah nodded at Heroc, who fell in beside them, and they made their way up the stairs to his room with Carn at their heels. He led Audrey to the chair beside the fireplace and indicated she should sit there. Heroc closed and locked the door.

“Why are you leaving? What is your objection to staying here?” He should have asked this question the first time she’d told him she was going home.

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“It does!” Audrey jumped when he roared. Even he was shocked by his outburst. “It does,” he said more quietly. Their very future was on the line.

She shrugged. “I don’t know what to do here. I mean, I can’t cook and you don’t need me to manage your household. Not that I’d know what to do there. Everything is so different than in my world.”

“Is that all?” Abrah wanted to grip her shoulders and shake her but clenched his hands into fists by his sides instead, knowing he’d never do anything that might harm her.

She surged from the seat, anger bringing color to her cheeks and a flash of fire to her blue eyes. “No, that is not all. I don’t want to be dependent on a man for anything. To have to go to him for money, to wonder if he’s going to up and leave me someday.”

She slapped her hand over her mouth as though she’d said too much.

“Who left you?” Abrah softly asked. Whoever it was, Abrah wanted to find him and beat him to within an inch of his life. He had helped shape Audrey and her beliefs toward men and life in general. So much in her past had made her afraid to trust and time was too short to change her mind.

Audrey wanted to scream or cry. Maybe even both. She couldn’t believe she’d just blurted that out, had never quite articulated in that way before. That was her mother’s life, not hers. She’d worked hard to make certain her fate was different. It had been a long, hard road for her mother when Audrey’s father left. She’d never had a job and didn’t have much schooling. She’d depended on her husband for everything and when he’d left her she’d been lost.

“Who?” Abrah prompted again.

“My father.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away before Abrah could. His hand dropped back by his side. “He took off one day, leaving my mother with nothing. She didn’t know what to do without him.”

“I am sorry for that, Audrey. But not all men are like that.”

“I know. But how do you know for sure? How can you tell?” What she was really asking was how could she trust them and from the pained expression on his face, Abrah understood that all too well.

“You have to trust your heart.” This was the first Heroc had spoken and his words shook her to her core because she didn’t know how to trust her heart.

Abrah cursed and strode to the chest at the foot of the bed. He threw back the lid and lifted out a small, wooden cask. He carried it back to her and held it toward her. “If you stay this is yours. You can trade what is inside it for food and goods. You will never be dependent on us, but know that we will always provide for you.”

She didn’t want to take whatever was in the wooden cask, didn’t want him to think he had to buy her love. Her mouth went dry and her head spun. Oh, dear God, she loved him. And she loved Heroc too. What had she done?

Abrah grew impatient and flipped back the lid to reveal a small pile of silver and jewels. She had no idea what it was worth in this world, but in hers it would be a small fortune.

“People value silver because it is rare and the jewels for their beauty.” Abrah removed the silver torque from around his neck and place it in the chest along with the rest.

She tucked her hands under her arms and shook her head. “No. I won’t take it. I can’t.” She backed away, her limbs weak and trembling. Everything had been so clear only days before. She knew who she was and where her life was going. Now every cell in her body ached with indecision.

Who was she and what did she want?

Abrah slammed the small cask shut, tossed it back into the chest and slammed the lid. “Nothing will make you stay?”

She shook her head again, not because she was disagreeing with him but because she was so confused.

“So be it.” He came toward her and for the first time since she arrived she was truly afraid. She threw up her hands to ward him off and backed away until her spine hit the wall.

He was so much bigger than she, his sheer sense of will almost overpowering. It would take a strong woman to stand up to these men, not to lose herself to the overwhelming strength of their personalities.

What was wrong with her? She wasn’t a coward. Never had been. She pushed away from the wall and took a step forward, drilling her finger against his chest. “Stop trying to bully me. Just because you’re bigger than me doesn’t mean you can intimidate me.”

He growled and grabbed her hand, tugging her toward him. She was off balance and fell forward. Abrah took advantage of the situation, scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed. “What are you doing?” she asked even though there was no real question in her mind.

“Taking you to bed. If you are bent on leaving I want one more time with you.” He stood her beside the bed and had her tunic over her head before she could blink. His eyes darkened and his pupils dilated as his gaze wandered over her breasts, stopping on her taut nipples.

He groaned and bent forward, capturing a tight nub between his lips. His tongue teased the hard bud and she gripped his head, holding him to her.

How would she live without him?

Strong hands eased her pants down her thighs and over her feet. Heroc was busy stripping the rest of her clothing from her. She tugged at Abrah’s shirt, wanting it off him, needing to see him naked. Wanting both their hands and mouths on her. The mood was frantic. There was no time left to play or explore.

Abrah backed her up until her knees hit the side of the bed. She sat down hard on the mattress, her face level with his groin. The front of his pants was tented, his engorged cock pressing hard against it. She licked her lips in anticipation as he stepped back and kicked off his boots.

Heroc hadn’t wasted any time and was already naked. He pushed her back onto the mattress and stretched out beside her. He caught her chin in his hand, leaned down and kissed her. It was sweet and bold, just like the man himself. There was so much to talk about, so much she wanted to say to them but the clock was ticking.

Three days wasn’t nearly enough time to make such a monumental decision. Audrey didn’t know what to do, not anymore and the indecision was tearing her apart. An errant tear rolled down her cheek. Heroc broke the kiss and captured the tear with his tongue. “Don’t cry, sweetness,” he murmured.

Abrah’s head jerked up and their gazes met. There was such pain in his eyes and she knew they mirrored hers. They were all hurting.

He finished stripping off his clothes and climbed into bed beside her. Naked, he was even more imposing than he was fully clothed. He’d already removed the ornate, silver torque from around his neck, and now he took off the heavy wrist and armbands leaving only gleaming flesh over thick bones and taut muscle.

His cock was hard and full, jutting out in front of him. Audrey knew she’d compare every man she ever met for the rest of her life to the two men in this room. They were the standard by which all others would be judged.

Abrah sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. He lifted her with ease, settling her on his lap with his erection between them. It pressed against her stomach and the dampness from the head brushed against her skin.

Reaching down, she closed her fingers around his cock. It pulsed hard and hot against her palm, filled with life and promise.

Heroc moved in behind her, his chest pressed against her back, his mouth hot against her nape. He nipped at the flesh, his teeth nibbling the sensitive skin, drawing a moan of pleasure from her. His tongue teased the length of her neck just below her ear and she gasped.

Abrah growled and captured her mouth, kissing the very breath from her body. Desperation filled her and she clung to his shoulders, digging her nails into him. She was surrounded by the two brothers, their strength and their overwhelming presence. But she didn’t feel threatened. She felt safe and secure. Protected. Cherished.

Tears pricked her eyes and she inwardly cursed herself for being so emotional. Three days. She’d only known them for three days but they’d changed her in ways she hadn’t thought possible.

And she had changed them too. In her heart, she knew their lives would never be the same. The echo of loss would follow them all to their dying days.

Chapter Fourteen

Abrah tasted desperation on her lips, felt it in the way her fingers dug into his shoulders. He didn’t understand Audrey. Obviously, she felt something for him and Heroc, so why wouldn’t she stay?

Because this world was foreign to her. Because she would be alone and at the mercy of men here.

He was still reeling over the confession of her past. How could a man leave his wife and child? Abrah couldn’t even imagine such a thing. It was unknown to his culture. If a man died, his brothers and family would care for his woman and child. She would not want for anything.

Her past had tainted her thinking and Abrah knew he was asking the impossible of her. Yet he’d had to ask. He’d offered her his entire wealth, such as it was, but she’d rejected the silver and jewels the same way she’d rejected his home and his heart.

That wasn’t quite true. He’d offered her the wealth but not his heart. That, he’d kept locked up tight in his chest. He could not afford to have it offered and rejected. It would kill him.

He cupped her breasts and thumbed her nipples and she rewarded him with a moan of pleasure. Here in bed, Audrey never held back. She gave of herself freely, offering untold treasures. But it was borrowed treasure.

He couldn’t wait any longer, knowing that the tapestry could appear at any time and steal her away from him. Abrah released her lips and lifted her. “You will remember me,” he promised her. Her nails dug into his flesh as he lifted her and positioned his cock against her opening.

“I will,” she promised, but it was cold comfort.

Abrah met his brother’s gaze and saw the sorrow there. Heroc no longer believed. It was a deep blow to see the hope bleed from his brother’s eyes.

He pulled Audrey downward and gritted his teeth as his cock forged inward. She was tight, but wet and warm. Welcoming.

It was a lie. She might welcome his body but nothing else. She would not risk more and stay.

Abrah tilted back his head and roared his pain to the heavens.

Heroc did not want to think about the coming night. He wanted this moment to last forever. He pressed his cock against Audrey’s warm, supple spine, clasped her hips in his hands. She’d brought life to his home and to his heart.

And she was leaving.

There was nothing left to be done. Abrah had shocked him by offering Audrey their small treasury. That was held in keeping, to be used for only the direst of emergencies. They produced all they needed to survive, but the silver and jewels would see them through any dark times. To offer it to Audrey was as deep a declaration of love as Heroc could imagine his brother giving.

He wondered if Audrey even realized that.

To Abrah the well-being of the people came first. Always. To offer the wealth of their entire holdings to her was unprecedented. It also told him how deeply Abrah cared for her.

His brother’s cry of pain echoed off the walls. Desperation seized Heroc and he wrapped his arm around Audrey’s waist, trying to anchor her to him, to his home and to his life.

He buried his face in the curve of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. She smelled of the soap she’d used in her bath and he knew he’d never be able to use that blend again. It would forever remind him of Audrey.

Audrey’s heart beat faster than a runaway train and her lungs were struggling to get enough air. Abrah’s cry was filled more with pain than pleasure. She was hurting him and Heroc. She hadn’t meant to. She bit her bottom lip to keep from echoing his cry.

His cock filled her, stretching her pussy, but there was more pain than pleasure. Not physical pain, but the ache of loss, of separation even though they were joined in the most intimate way.

She ran her hands over his wide shoulders, down his muscular biceps and across his thick chest. She wanted to touch him everywhere, to memorize every inch of his body.

There was so much about Abrah she didn’t know. There hadn’t been much time to talk and he hadn’t exactly been offering. Heroc was the more open of the two and even he was quiet now.

Their harsh breathing and the occasional moan were the only sounds in the room. There were no words of love, no offer of comfort, only the physical act of coming together.

Heroc’s hand slipped low and he found her clit, pressing it with his forefinger. She began to move, undulating her lower body to find the most pleasure. Abrah was still inside her, letting her motions rock them to oblivion.

She cried out, her entire body clenching. Warmth flooded her core.

Abrah gave a roar and before she realized what was happening, he had her flat on her back and was pounding into her. Sweat beaded his forehead as he thrust heavily. She clung to his forearms, helpless against the storm of his passion.

He yelled again and she felt the hard jerk of his cock as he came. When he was done, he pulled out and flopped onto his back. He’d barely left her when Heroc was over her, supporting his weight on his forearms.

“Audrey.” He said her name and nothing more as he slid into her. The sensitive tissues were swollen and tender, but he forged inward and her pussy rippled around him, accepting him easily.

Heroc’s possession wasn’t quite as frantic as his brother’s had been, but was no less powerful. He flexed his hips over and over, thrusting in and out, claiming her as his own, making a place for himself in her body and heart. Muscles rippled along his shoulders and arms as he continued his relentless pace.

Audrey felt buffeted by the winds of passion, unable to stop her reactions. Her pussy clenched around his cock, clasping it tight. He drove home one final time and she was thrust into another orgasm that rocked her to her soul.

Heroc threw back his head, teeth gritted, thick cords of his neck tense. His cock jerked as he found release. When it was over, he did what his brother had done and rolled off her to lie on her other side.

This time had been different. She understood that now. The other times they’d come together they’d been making love. This was about sex, pure and simple. It was a physical joining tinged with desperation—an act of goodbye.

Audrey missed the closeness of the other times even though she understood the need for separation. She shivered, cold to her bones, even though the room was warm.

Heroc reached down, grabbed a thick covering and threw it over her, tucking the edges around her.

The ache in her heart grew so great she was surprised the organ didn’t explode. There were no words. Not this time. No comfort. No promises.

There was nothing left to say.

Abrah and Heroc were lying beside her but she might as well be back in her cold, lonely bed. She was alone even with them.

It hurt after the closeness of the past few days.

She must have dozed because she came awake suddenly, her heart racing, her body covered in a light sheen of sweat. The fire had burned down, leaving the room dark, but a dim golden glow emanated from near the doorway.

Audrey slipped as soundlessly as she could from the bed and glanced at the men to make sure they hadn’t awakened. Both of them slept soundly, which surprised her. She peered down at them, once again taken by their handsome good looks. But there was so much more to them than physical appearance. Looks alone wouldn’t have held her attention. She’d worked with handsome men for years and been immune to their charms.

No, it was the strength of character of these Dannon brothers, which had touched a heart she’d believed long ago turned to stone.

The floor was cold against the soles of her feet. The clothing she’d worn here was sitting on the chest at the end of the bed. Audrey frowned. She couldn’t remember seeing it there earlier when Abrah had pulled the cask of silver and jewels out of it.

Since it was the only thing around to wear, she pulled on her panties and yoga pants. They felt strange, almost foreign, after wearing the soft leather pants and tunics for several days now. Her cashmere sweater was a little worse for wear but it was warm and soft against her skin. She didn’t bother with the bra, leaving it on top of the chest.

Her socks were there, so she pulled them on hoping they give her some protection from the icy floor. She was searching for the boots she’d worn the past few days when the glowing light by the door caught her eye again.

It was a mesmerizing light and she was propelled toward it, compelled and curious at the same time. Audrey turned the door handle slowly so she wouldn’t make any noise. Not that it seemed to matter. Even Carn was snoozing by the cold hearth, not twitching so much as an ear. It was then she knew what the light was. It was the tapestry calling her home.

Audrey gently opened the door and took one final look at the men sleeping in the large four-poster bed. The empty space between them beckoned to her but the call of the light was greater.

The glow didn’t lead her down the stairs, but up. She hadn’t had time to explore in this direction in the short time she’d been here, but she followed the light, moving unerringly to a room at the very top of the turret. The heavy wooden door was thrown open in welcome. The light was positively blinding so she held up her arm to shield her eyes. But she didn’t turn back. The light was warm and inviting.

Audrey paused on the entrance. “Am I dead?” It was the only explanation she had. She’d heard stories of people seeing a bright light when they died.

A light female laugh seemed to surround her. “No, child. You’re not dead. Come here.”

There was something about the summons she couldn’t ignore. She moved cautiously, unable to see well with the light blinding her.

“I’m sorry.” The light faded slightly. “Is that better?”

Audrey lowered her eyes and blinked at the beautiful woman who came into view. She was ageless. Her hair was pure white but her skin was smooth and unlined. “Who are you?”

“That is of no import. What does matter is your decision.” The woman motioned to her right. The tapestry floated off to the side, suspended in midair.

Audrey jerked away from the magic tapestry. Now that the time was here she was filled with trepidation. She wanted to go home. Didn’t she?

“Where is home?” the woman asked, her voice sweet and non-threatening. “What is home?”

“I don’t know what to do,” she wailed. Three days wasn’t enough time to overcome the hurts of a lifetime, to trust two men she’d just met with the rest of her life. There was no going back from this decision.

“You do know. You’re just afraid to admit it.” The older woman’s smile was filled with compassion. “You can go back to your life and enjoy your career, maybe even make a change in your life. Eventually you might find a man to trust.”

Audrey already knew that. She was nothing if not resilient. Why then wasn’t she grabbing for the tapestry?

“Or,” the lady continued. “You can take a chance knowing you’ll never find two men who will love you more. Yes, you risk more but the possible rewards are enormous.”

Audrey closed her eyes. Her body felt heavy, her mind in turmoil.

“Make your choice or the tapestry will make it for you.” The lady’s voice was fading away, as was the light.

That threat galvanized Audrey. This was her life and she wasn’t about to let anyone else make her decisions for her. She was in control. Now and always.

She took a step toward the rest of her life.

* * *

Abrah came awake with a sudden jerk. He knew before his eyes even opened that Audrey was no longer in bed with them. The sheet beside him was cold. But more than that, the room and his heart felt empty.

Beside him, he felt Heroc sit upright. “She’s gone.” The flat tone of his brother’s voice burned his gut like acid.

“Yes.” He climbed out of bed and padded naked to the hearth. The fire had burned down long ago and he crouched and poked at the remnants at it with a log. Sparks jumped and the flames reignited. Abrah tossed the log onto the fire and stared into it as it grew.

Carn rose from his place near the hearth and padded around the room as if searching for Audrey.

The covers rustled and Heroc walked toward him. “You were right. You knew from the beginning she wouldn’t stay.”

Abrah stood and raked his fingers through his hair. He felt weary to his very soul. “I did not want to be right.” His eyes burned with unshed tears and he blinked them away. They’d had three days with Audrey. Not near enough time, yet a lifetime.

Something on the trunk at the end of the bed caught his eye. He walked toward it, knowing it belonged to Audrey. It was the odd contraption she’d worn around her breasts. The material was soft, much like her skin. He fingered the unusual cloth before lifting it to his nose.

It didn’t smell like her, her scent faded by the washing Tara must have given it. He strode to the fire and tossed it in.

“No.” Heroc pounced forward, dragging the burning garment from the flames and slapping at the fire with his hands. The thing was scorched but still intact.

“Why?” Abrah asked. “Why do you want a reminder of her? She didn’t want us enough to stay.” And that was what was eating at his soul.

“There was not enough time.” Heroc went to his knees, naked and broken. He held the piece of Audrey’s clothing to his lips, his eyes filled with tears.

Pure fury shot through Abrah. By the gods, it wasn’t fair! He threw back his head and roared. He wanted to pick up his sword and cleave the bed they’d shared into kindling. How could he sleep there, knowing Audrey would never share it with them again?

He couldn’t.

Yet he had to. There was no choice.

A slight scuffing noise sounded behind him. Abrah turned, expecting to find Carn watching him. But it wasn’t the dog. No, a woman stood just inside the open bedroom door, an expression of uncertainty on her face.

He scowled at her and Audrey took a step back. Fear flashed over her face, making him even angrier.

“The tapestry has not come yet then?” he snapped. He’d thought she’d already gone and now he had to live through it again. It wasn’t to be borne.

“It has.” Her low words were barely a whisper. She turned and raced back out the door of the bedroom.

“Audrey.” Heroc was on his feet running for the door, tossing aside the remains of the garment as he took off after her.

Abrah was hot on his brother’s heels. What had she meant? Had the tapestry not taken her home? Was she stuck here?

Audrey went up the stairs, not down. Abrah frowned as Carn shot by him, his nails scrabbling against the stone stairs. Her path led to an empty tower room that their mother had used when she wanted to be alone. There was nothing there now but a light layer of dust and a few discarded pieces of furniture. Why would she go there?

When he stumbled into the room, he found Audrey curled in a ball on the floor next to the window. Heroc was crouched next to her, his hand hovering over her shoulder as if he was afraid to touch her, while Carn paced before them and whined.

“I’m sorry, Audrey,” Heroc said. “Maybe the tapestry will come back for you.” Abrah did not think his brother’s words would console her, not if the tapestry had come and gone she was stuck here.

Her head came up and the anguish stamped on her face almost brought him to his knees. In that moment, Abrah would have conjured the tapestry if it were within his power to do so. He would do anything to make her happy, even if that meant her leaving him.

“Don’t you want me?”

Her tearful question did finally bring Abrah to his knees in front of her. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down so their lips were almost touching. “I want you more than anything else in this world. But I want you to be happy. I know you want to go home.”

She shook her head. “I thought I did. But then I couldn’t leave you.”

“What are you saying?” Heroc demanded.

“The tapestry was here and there was a lady too. She asked me what I wanted to do.” Audrey swiped at her eyes and sniffed. “I didn’t know. It’s such a huge choice to have to make in such a short time.”

Both men nodded. An emotion grew within him and Abrah almost didn’t recognize it for what it was—hope.

“She said I had to make up my mind or the tapestry would do it for me. I’m the master of my own destiny. It’s my decision to make.”

Her fierceness made Abrah’s heart clench with pride. Here was the spirit he’d gotten used to in the past few days. This was the real Audrey.

“And what did you decide?” Heroc asked.

“That I’m in control of my life. No one else.” She thumped her chest. “Me.” She sat back on her heels and stared at them both. “I chose to stay.”

Heroc let out a whoop of joy and swept her up into his arms. He stood and swung her around and around until they were both giddy. Carn let out a loud woof and followed them in a circle. Abrah watched them, still not able to truly believe she was here and she was real.

His brother finally released Audrey and joined him, standing to his left. They didn’t even look at one another but, as if the moment was choreographed, they both went down on bended knee. Abrah was the first to speak. It was his right as the elder brother.

The pledge was one every young man learned from his father from the time he was old enough to understand he might never have the opportunity to use it. It was a sacred oath, the foundation of their very civilization. Abrah took a deep breath and repeated the words that would change his life forever.

“You are the heart that beats in this chest and in this home and if you would take me for husband I will give you my love, loyalty and devotion for as long as I live. With me, you gain the love, loyalty and devotion of my brother as well, who will be lover to you, and would also be your husband should I die before you. In return, I ask for your love, loyalty and devotion and any children that the gods see fit to gift us with.”

Audrey shook with emotion, her limbs trembling and weak. She’d feared she’d made a horrible mistake when she’d gone downstairs to the bedroom to tell the brothers she’d decided to stay. Abrah had been so angry that she’d almost regretted her choice. She understood now, or at least she thought she did. He hadn’t believed she’d made the choice to stay, had thought the tapestry hadn’t arrived or had somehow left her here by mistake.

She’d hurt him and knew she had some fences to mend before he would completely trust her again. That was ironic really, considering it was she who had never been able to trust. Still, she couldn’t regret her choice. It felt right. No matter what happened in the days and years ahead, her life was here.

Heroc had been overjoyed but even he’d pulled away from her to return to Abrah’s side. The two men had suddenly gone down on one knee and placed their hands over their hearts. There was an aura of earnestness to their actions that made her straighten her spine and pay attention. Whatever was about to happen was important.

Abrah began to recite a pledge that made her heart almost stop as the words soaked into her befuddled brain. She put out a hand and leaned on the wall for support. He was offering her everything he was and would ever be, holding nothing back.

She wanted to blurt out her acceptance, but what about Heroc? She knew he wanted her too and she didn’t want to do anything to hurt him.

Her gaze flew to the younger Dannon brother and he smiled at her. He opened his mouth and repeated the same pledge, leaving her slack-jawed and staring at them both.

“I don’t know what to do.” Her mind was whirling. She couldn’t marry both of them. “I don’t want to hurt either one of you.”

Heroc laughed as he bound to his feet. “You are here with us. How can we be anything but happy?”

“Yes, but if I marry one of you, what about the other one?” She loved them both equally, but in different ways. She hadn’t thought such a thing possible until a few days ago.

Abrah put his hands on her shoulders. “It is formality. Only one of us can be the legal guardian of the children. But you can be with either of us as often or as little as you wish. It is up to you.”

Audrey glanced at Heroc. He gave her an understanding smile and gave an almost imperceptive nod toward his brother. The enormity of his sacrifice rocked her and she gave a prayer of silent thanks for his capacity to love. Heroc had faith in his heart and hope in his soul. He also deeply loved his brother and understood that Abrah needed the commitment more than he did. He was trusting her not to leave him out of the new relationship they would all forge together.

She took a deep breath and plunged headfirst into her new life. “I accept.” She went up onto her toes and kissed Abrah. His lips were firm and unyielding and she began to wonder if she’d made a mistake. Maybe he didn’t want her as much as Heroc did.

Feeling self-conscious, she started to pull away. Abrah uttered an oath and took her mouth in a torrid kiss. He stole the very breath from her body, kissing her until she grew lightheaded. She swayed when he released her but he caught her easily, lifting her into his arms.

“Come. You are cold and need to be in bed.”

Heroc laughed at his brother’s pronouncement. “She is probably warmer than we are.”

Audrey’s eyes widened when she stared at Heroc. She’d been so caught up in the emotion and the enormity of the moment she hadn’t really looked at either of them. “You’re naked.” She glanced down over Abrah’s body. “And so are you.”

He laughed and she stared at his beloved face as his joy washed over her. She’d never heard Abrah laugh, not like this, unrestrained and totally happy. She’d done this for him.

The rightness of her decision settled over her. Yes, she was still scared to death. She didn’t know quite how she’d fit in here but she’d find a way. And they would help her. She trusted them to be by her side all the way.

She toyed with Abrah’s hair as he carried her down the stairs and into the bedroom. Heroc closed the door, locking the three of them and Carn inside. The dog went to his usual spot in front of the fire and settled back down ready for sleep.

But his master had other ideas and sleep wasn’t one of them. Audrey laughed when Abrah tossed her onto the bed. She felt as though a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. For a brief moment she wondered what would happen to her apartment and belongings and how long would it be before anyone reported her missing. She’d probably end up as the subject of one of those crime news shows somewhere down the road when no sign of her was ever found.

Those morbid thoughts disappeared when Abrah followed her down onto the bed. He pulled her into his arms and rolled her onto her back, all the while kissing her and running his hands all over her body. He made quick work of her sweater, pants and panties.

Something dug into her back and she yanked it from beneath her. It was the remains of her bra. It looked as though it had been burnt. “What happened to my bra?”

Heroc snorted with laughter and his eyes twinkled. “It is all Abrah’s fault.” He joined them on the bed and dropped a quick kiss on her lips.

There was a story there for sure, but it would have to wait. “I love you.” She blurted the words out. “Both of you.” They had to know, had to understand why she stayed, why she’d overcome a lifetime of fear.

Both men stopped and stared down at her. Abrah spoke first. “You are everything to us.” His voice shook with the emotion behind his words. His hands were gentle on her face as he stroked his fingers over her cheeks. “No one will love you more than we do. No man could ever cherish you the way we do.”

“You have given us a great gift.” Heroc brushed a lock of her hair away from her forehead. “Thank you.”

Audrey smiled and laid a hand on each of their faces. “Thank you for the gift you’ve given me. Thank you for giving me something to believe in.”

Abrah groaned and kissed her and it was a long time later when they all finally slept.

* * *

Carn rose from his spot in front of the hearth and padded toward the bedroom door. It wasn’t closed all the way and he used his nose to push it open. He climbed up the stairs to the abandoned tower and went unerringly toward the center of the room.

The older woman stepped out of the shadows and laughed as the dog let out a loud woof. “Thank you my friend for playing your part.” She petted his broad, furry head and smiled with satisfaction. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Using the tapestry so much in such a short span of years was messing with the magic she’d spun into it all those years ago, making it a little unpredictable. Audrey was supposed to have ended up inside the keep when she arrived three days ago, not lost outside in a raging storm. Thankfully, Carn had been more than willing to lend aid and lead the Dannon brothers to their perspective bride.

The sorceress shrugged. She’d have to see if anything could be done about that. But now it was time for her to go. The tapestry shimmered next to her, the design on the front constantly changing, and then both of them disappeared, traveling once again through time and space.

Carn stood and stared for the longest time at the place where the lady had stood. Then he padded to the door and headed back down the stairs toward the warm fire, the room and the woman already forgotten.

Epilogue

“Why is it taking so long?” Abrah paced up and down the hallway, wearing a rut in the stone floor. Everyone in the keep was tense. It had been two long days.

“Tara says these things take time,” Heroc assured his brother even as he cast a glance at the closed door. “Especially with the first one.”

“Enough of this.” Abrah slammed the bedroom door open and stalked inside just as a cry of pain shattered the silence. He hurried forward and fell to his knees beside the bed.

Audrey’s hair was plastered against her skull with sweat. Her face was pale and her lips were red from where she had bitten them.

“My love.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

“You should not be in here, my lord,” Tara scolded him. She didn’t take her eyes off Audrey and he could see her growing concern in the deep grooves around her eyes and mouth.

“This is the only place I can be. I will not leave you again,” Abrah promised.

“Nor will I.” Heroc went to her other side, picked up a damp cloth and patted it over Audrey’s forehead.

She closed her eyes and gave another cry.

“You are almost there, my lady. Do not push. Not yet.”

Audrey nodded and gritted her teeth. As he watched, Abrah watched her enlarged stomach ripple. His child was in there waiting to be born. It had been almost two days now. Two days of pain and waiting. Abrah had never felt so helpless in his life.

His gaze met Heroc’s and he knew his brother felt the same. Ever since the day he had married Audrey, their lives had changed for the better. All of their people adored her. She’d spent countless hours learning to weave and then she had proceeded to create new dyes for the wool and design patterns for the cloth they wove that was garnering attention from surrounding lords and especially their ladies. Their new cloth had enabled them to trade for a wider variety of goods, bringing prosperity to all who lived at Dannon Keep.

The day she had told them she was expecting a child had been the best of his life, second only to the day they’d wed. Nine months almost to the day of her arrival she had gone into labor.

“Now, my lady. Push!”

Audrey gripped his hand and squeezed it so tight she cut off the blood flow. He grimaced but held on. She gritted her teeth and grunted as she bore down.

“That’s it,” Tara praised when Audrey finally stopped. “Again. The baby is almost here.”

Audrey panted for breath, her strength waning. Abrah wished he could do this for her. All he could do was watch helplessly.

Tara had one hand low on Audrey’s belly. “Push.”

Audrey grunted and pushed again, every muscle in her body tensing as she gave it everything she had. She gave a tired cry and then another wail echoed in the room. “It’s a boy.” Tara laughed as a tear rolled down her cheek. She carefully eased the babe onto his mother’s stomach. “You have a son, my lord.”

Abrah leaned down and kissed his wife’s forehead. “Thank you, my love.”

She smiled at him. “Is he perfect? I want to see him.”

Heroc kissed her forehead, a huge smile splitting his face. “Ten fingers and ten toes. And everything else he needs.” He waggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.

Abrah watched as Tara cut the cord and did what was necessary for both mother and babe. Within minutes he was holding the bundled babe to his chest. His son’s hair was dark and would grow even darker as he grew older. For now it was a soft tuft on the top of his head.

His son. Their son. The boy belonged to all three of them.

He handed the babe to Heroc and his brother’s eyes filled with tears as he stared down at the infant. This was the beginning of a new life for all of them. There would be more children and plenty of hope for them all.

Their lives had been joined together by fate, by the fabric of the tapestry. And together they were weaving a new life.

“Let me have him,” Audrey demanded. Heroc put the babe into her arms and she smiled down at him before looking at the men standing on either side of her. “I love you. Both of you.” She stared down at her son again. “All of you.”

Abrah’s heart swelled with love for Audrey and the new addition to their family and knew his brother felt exactly the same way.

About the Author

N.J. Walters worked at a bookstore for several years and one day had the idea that she would like to quit her job, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the same bookstore and settled in for another seven years.

Although she was still fairly young, that was when the midlife crisis set in. Happily married to the love of her life, with his encouragement (more like, “For God’s sake, quit the job and just write!”), she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel, Annabelle Lee, and life would never be the same.

N.J. has always been a voracious reader of romance novels, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks all vie for her attention. And she doesn’t mind a bit. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

N.J. welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Content

Fabric of Fate
Tapestries - 6
by
N.J. Walters

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

About the Author