Making it to Mady's in one piece, leaving the ATV by the garage, I didn't slow down as I ran towards the car. The intensity of a roar of a lion and the bark of a wolf almost had me rush back to the clearing, thinking the worst had happened. Dmitri and Nickoli decided to fight after all. One foot in front of the other, I made it to the car refusing to think what had happened. I fought every instinct to run back, as I pushed myself forward. This was their choice and no matter what I said it didn't matter. That was what they were, it was their nature. Wolves and Lions were not a pack and fighting for a mate was what they did.

On the road heading back home I struggled to clear my mind. It took a moment to see the parked car on the side of the road with its hood up and a petite woman stranded beside it. Stopping was the last thing I wanted to do at that moment, but my conscience got the best of me. At the last second I pulled over in front of the stranded car.

I never pulled over to help people, not that I didn't want to help but more out of safety reasons. Staying in the car I watched the relieved young woman jog up through the side mirror, Window rolled down just a couple of inches. She was half my size and few short weeks ago I might have got out of the car but now knowing shifters existed and how strong they were I opted to stay put.

Looking genuine pleased and relieved the young lady said, "Oh thank you so much for stopping. I pulled over to enjoy more of the view and when I went to leave my car wouldn't start," she explained.

"I don't know anything about cars, but I can call someone for you," I said, going into my purse to grab my cell phone. "Shit. I can't get a signal." Moving the phone around to see if that would help.

"I couldn't get one either. I have had this problem before and I can fix it, but I need someone to pump the gas for me while I play with the choke. If I didn't love this damn car so much I would get something a lot newer," the girl said looking embarrassed.
Looking at my phone again then the surrounding area I decided to get out against my better judgement. Putting the uncomfortable feeling behind me, thinking it was just the day I was having adding to my mood.

"Thank you so much. I'm Stacey by the way," she held out her hand.

I took her hand and felt nothing. Not a twinge, no skin crawling, no temperature change or chills. It was just a normal hand shake. This young girl was just a human. That relaxed my mind and body. "I'm Sam."

Stacey seemed like a nice young girl; around 25 years old, short blonde hair and wearing jeans with a loose fit t-shirt. Definitely didn't look threatening at all. Hanging out with the shifters has made me paranoid.

"If you would get in and start the car when I tell you that would be great," Stacey said, as she walked to the driver's door.

I looked in to check and make sure the car was empty first, "Ok," I agreed with some reluctance. Even knowing Stacey was not a shifter the situation still felt wrong. Opening the driver's side door the roar of ATV's caught my attention right before they broke through the tree line and headed my way. The sight of Dmitri and Nickoli driving down the road side-by-side made my heart fill with love and sorrow. It didn't matter if I was pissed, angry or just down, the sight of them or the sound of their voice always made me smile. Even now I felt a tug of a smile before I caught myself. "Are the keys in the car?" I asked Stacey, no longer feeling edgy due to the men moving closer to where I was.

"Umm...yeah," Stacey answered sounding unsure.

Looking back to Stacey I noticed her shoulders stiffened, eyes widened in the slightest watching the very large and yummy men coming our way. "I know them, it's Ok," I reassured Stacey. "Let me know when you want me to start the car," I added, sliding in the driver's seat. When I got in the car I heard the ATV's engines roar even louder: being pushed to the limit.

The first hit of the key the car came to life just as Dmitri and Nickoli shut off theirs. Foot not hitting the ground as I started to climb out of the now running car, Dmitri had scooped me out and had me behind his enormous wide back. Dmitri staring down poor Stacey, looking as if he was about to tear her from limb to limb, while Nickoli scoped out the area.

Stepping away from Dmitri and merely avoiding his hand when he went to stop me. "What the hell are you doing?" I asked, confused with the way they were acting. Poor Stacey looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Something's not right. It doesn't feel right," Nickoli whispered, barely moving his lips as he moved to block me from going around Dmitri.

Catching a glimpse between Nickoli's and Dmitri's bodies and seeing the fear in Stacey's face I had no doubt that she was not a threat at all. Back to my earlier conclusion, the day's events had me wound up pretty tight. Feeling guilty, seeing this innocent wide-eyed girl ready to faint or run off screaming from the way the guys were behaving, I explained, "Her car wouldn't start and needed help, and we couldn't get a signal on our phones..."

"And it started just like that," Dmitri said with clear doubt.

"Umm, it's my chock. Sometimes it sticks," Stacey's voice was small and shaky.

They both just stood there glaring at the girl as if she was this huge threat. Things had gone far enough, I tugged on the back of their shirts. "Come on guys leave the poor girl alone. Can we go now?" I asked, starting to feel uneasy myself.

Taking a step back making me do the same, they let Stacey get in her car and watched her leave without a word. Avoiding another goodbye scene, I stepped around the men and headed for my car.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Dmitri asked, grabbing my arm not forcefully but firm. The man sure as hell had a way with words.

Keeping my eye on the goal, the car, I pleaded, "Please, don't do this." How many times did I have to say goodbye? I tried to pull my arm out of his grasps, but he only tightened his hold.

Nickoli moved to block the path. Lifting my chin with his finger, "We are not letting you go Samantha. We decide to keep things the way they are if you will have us," he said, bending down to lay a kiss on my lips before I could answer.

Kissing him always felt right, natural, I fell into the kiss without a thought; just feeling. Nickoli pulled away first, leaving the feeling of absence of his lips, then guilt. Body stiffening, ready for Dmitri to attack Nickoli or pull me away, I was beyond surprised when he turned me around and kissed me as well. Like always, all else forgotten when I kissed either of these men. Grabbing a handful of his shirt not wanting this kiss to end as quickly as it did with Nickoli, I molded my body into his, accepting the kiss and asking for more with my lips and body. Dmitri too pulled away first and all too soon.

Looking back and forth at Dmitri and Nickoli, confused, embarrassed, and not sure what to do or on what just happened. "What...I don't understand." I said.

"We are going to follow you home and then we will talk," Dmitri said, opening the car door. I slid in and Nickoli closed the door then they jogged over to their ATV's and followed me home.