Lance bent down and slid his arms underneath Tinsel's chilled form. As he stood up and lifted her off the ground, she couldn't help but cry out. Her knight in shining moonlight was being as gentle as possible, but movement of any type was guaranteed to cause her pain. The throbbing in her leg as he walked away from the wreck was sheer torture.
Lance kept her cradled tight against his chest as he ran. The movement made the pain worse but Tinsel knew survival depended on getting her help as soon as possible. After what seemed like forever, she finally stopped shivering.
Tinsel wound her arms around the strong shoulders of her rugged rescuer and buried her face against his chest to stifle the sound of her uncontrollable crying. He lowered his head to her hair, comforting her as much as possible with his arms full.
"Shh, it's okay. You're safe now. Thomas will take care of the fire and I'm going to take care of you."
She nodded and tried to speak. "Tnk u."
"I can't understand you, you're mumbling."
She looked up, her face colder than before because of the wetness, even as her body warmed up for what seemed like the first time in ages. "Thank you."
He nodded, pulling her in tighter to block the cool breeze and Tinsel found herself cradled gently in his arms. "My name is Lance. The other man was my brother Thomas. What's your name?"
She smiled shyly. "Tinsel, but my friends call me Red."
Lance smirked a bit, like there was some joke Tinsel was missing. "Nice to meet you, Tinsel, and you're welcome."
By the time they got to the house in the woods, Tinsel was feeling a bit better. Her leg still hurt like hell, but she'd adjusted to the pain, glorying in the heat of Lance's big body. He was like a walking heater. Even through his shirt, Tinsel could feel his warmth and where his skin was exposed. He felt almost too hot, like he was running a fever, but she was pretty sure it was just because she'd been out in the cold for so long.
Lance reached out with his foot to open the cabin door, but before he could touch it a woman appeared in the doorway. She looked young, no more than twenty-two or three, with long brown hair and a petite figure despite the large protruding bump of an advanced pregnancy. She turned to address the little girl that was peeking from out behind her skirt. "Trisha, go get ready for bed. Your brother and sister are already in their cribs for the night."
"But, Mom, I want to stay up late like Jacob and Twila."
The woman shook her head. "Twila is eighteen and an adult with a mate. She can stay up as late as she wants. Jacob has earned the right to stay awake late tonight for helping your Uncle Lance. You are only six. Now go to bed, young lady, right this instant."
The little girl looked over at Tinsel once more and tromped off dejectedly. The sound of babies screaming stopped almost immediately after her departure. Tinsel didn't have time to ponder the change as the woman stretched out her arms in Lance's direction. Lance started to hand Tinsel over, but she wouldn't let go, openly refusing to be jostled around more than she had to be and secretly wanting to hold onto her savior a bit longer.
The woman raised her eyebrows questioningly and looked at Lance. He shrugged and she put her arms down, moving to the side to let him in. He didn't ask for directions, carrying Tinsel straight towards the back of the house and into a small bedroom.
Tinsel cringed as she caught site of the folding table someone had erected by the bedside. It was covered in gauze and tape and even threaded surgical needles. She wondered what type of people she'd been rescued by that needed to keep so many medical supplies on hand in their home.
)
When Tinsel Redleigh Sawyers, affectionately nicknamed Red, finds out her grandmother is seriously ill she immediately drops everything and rushes to the hospital. En route her best friend calls from college in the midst of a major social crisis. Katie is having boy trouble again and she's frantic over being left dateless so close to her sorority's yearly charity event. Tinsel promises to come to her aid once she makes sure her grandmother is going to be okay. She never makes it to either destination though because an unexpected car accident leaves her badly injured. With no hope of rescue in sight Tinsel is convinced she's going to die until a handsome stranger comes along to save her. Lance Waverly is out on a hunting expedition with his young nephew when he detects the smell of smoke and blood in the air. What he finds is totally unexpected. A young woman has been thrown from her vehicle and is seriously hurt. She's human but Lance's body doesn't care about that. Her scent is intoxicating and one sniff stirs Lance's most animalistic senses to life. She's elated over his rescue but Lance knows immediately that they are headed for dangerous territory. He's not only a werewolf, but a young, unmated one in his prime and on the lookout for a woman to call his own. He's afraid he may have just found his missing mate in Tinsel. Sparks fly between Lance and Tinsel but the romance is short lived when a crazy hunter tracks Lance and his brother down and tries to kill the entire family. Lance must protect them all but there is only one way to save Tinsel. He must change her into a werewolf. By Den law he has to get her permission before biting her. Will Tinsel accept his offer or run to the hunter for protection?
