Dark Refuge (36 page)

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Authors: Kate Douglas

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Paranormal, #Chanku, #werewolves, #shapeshifters, #Montana, #Wolf Tales, #San Francisco, #sexy, #Erotica, #paranormal romance, #erotic romance

But it explained so many things. “Ig, that changes nothing. Spirit guide or not, you’ve watched out for her, haven’t you?”

Ig nodded. “I have. I could take no other course.”

No, Ig would never give up on his charge, even one as headstrong as Mikaela Star. Softly Mik added, “She’ll be at the cabin in Lassen in about two weeks. She plans to stay there for a while. Said she needs time alone before returning to the pack.”

Igmutaka raised his head and grinned. “It’s been a long time since I traveled near Mount Lassen. It’s quite beautiful in the fall.” He stood, his naked body glistening in the early morning light, his beauty almost blinding. Mik was reminded of a conversation with his other mate.

AJ, a man who, until Tala, had always preferred the company of men, had said he found it fascinating that Igmutaka, the most beautiful and sensual man among them, had never appealed sexually to either Mik or himself. Now Mik fully understood why.

He’d always figured it was because Igmutaka had been his grandfather’s spirit guide, and then his own. Now he realized it was probably because Igmutaka was meant to be their son-in-law.

AJ would certainly appreciate the irony.

Igmutaka stepped away, but before he shifted he glanced over his shoulder. “Please, do not tell Mikaela Star of my intentions. Somehow, I have to make her fall in love with me. I think my chances are better if she has no warning.”

Mik struggled not to smile. “Works for me, Ig. Good luck.”

The spirit guide disappeared and a huge cougar stood in his place. Rising slowly to his feet, Mik leaned against the deck railing and watched as Igmutaka bounded from the deck, trotted across the meadow and disappeared into the forest.

Tala joined Mik a few minutes later, hair still mussed from sleep, lips swollen from AJ’s kisses. “Come back to bed, sweetheart.” She stretched up on her toes to kiss him, and, tiny little thing that she was, he still had to bend to meet her lips.

“I heard the conversation. I hope he succeeds. Star has loved him since she was a child.”

“What?” Mik wrapped his arms around his mate. “If she loves him, why did she leave?”

“Because she wanted her independence more than she wanted a bossy lover. She has her pride. If you’ll recall, Igmutaka pushed her away. She had a horrible crush on him, and he kept her at arm’s length.”

“She was just a kid!”

“She was seventeen. A young woman who, in many cultures, would have already been wed. The power of a woman’s love isn’t any less because of her age, but it’s a moot point now. She’s no longer a child, and I think Ig has learned a little bit more about women from Sunny. The timing is much better now.”

“I guess.” Mik wrapped his arm around her waist. He guided Tala back inside and down the hall to their bedroom. “I think your timing is excellent, by the way.”

She merely grinned, grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the big bed where AJ waited. The day was early, and Mik figured he’d done his part to help his daughter’s love life along.

Now it was time to concentrate on his own.

Works by Kate Douglas

 

Paranormal Romances

 

DemonFire

HellFire

“Crystal Dreams” in
Nocturnal

StarFire

CrystalFire

 

 

Erotic Romances

 

Wolf Tales

“Chanku Rising” in
Sexy Beast

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 1.5—Chanku Rising

Wolf Tales II

“Camille’s Dawn” in
Wild Nights

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 2.5—Chanku Dawn

Wolf Tales III

“Chanku Fallen” in
Sexy Beast II

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 3.5—Chanku Fallen

Wolf Tales IV

“Chanku Journey” in
Sexy Beast III

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 4.5—Chanku Journey

Wolf Tales V

“Chanku Destiny” in
Sexy Beast IV

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 5.5—Chanku Destiny

Wolf Tales VI

“Chanku Wild” in
Sexy Beast V

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 6.5—Chanku Wild

Wolf Tales VII

“Chanku Honor” in
Sexy Beast VI

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 7.5—Chanku Honor

Wolf Tales VIII

“Chanku Challenge” in
Sexy Beast VII

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 8.5—Chanku Challenge

Wolf Tales 9

“Chanku Spirit” in
Sexy Beast VIII

and as the ebook

Wolf Tales 9.5—Chanku Spirit

Wolf Tales 10

Wolf Tales 11

Wolf Tales 12

 

 

The Dream Catchers Series

 

“Dream Catcher” in
Nightshift

Dream Bound

Dream Unchained

 

 

The StarQuest Series

 

Lionheart

Night of the Cat

Pride of Imar

Synergy

Bold Journey

Best Friends Forever

 

 

The Spirit Wild Series

 

Dark Wolf

Dark Spirit

Dark Moon

Dark Refuge

 

 

Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense

 

68 & Climbing

Cowboy in My Pocket

Lethal Deception

Lethal Obsession

Carved in Stone

 

 

For a full list of all of Kate’s books,

visit her website at
www.katedouglas.com

 

About the Author

 

Kate Douglas is the author of the popular erotic paranormal romance series Wolf Tales, the erotic SF series
Dream Catchers and StarQuest, as well as the DemonSlayers series. She is currently writing the next book in the Spirit Wild series. The first three books in the series are
Dark Wolf
,
Dark Spirit
, and
Dark Moon
.

 

Kate and her husband of over forty years have two adult children and six grandchildren. They live in the beautiful wine country of Sonoma County, California, in the little town of Healdsburg.

 

Write to Kate at
[email protected]
. She answers all her email. Connect with her on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/katedouglas.authorpage
or on Twitter @wolftales.

 

Contents

Cover

Dark Refuge

Title Page

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Excerpt from Dark Wolf

Excerpt from Dark Spirit

Excerpt from Dark Moon

Works by Kate Douglas

About the Author

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