Melody Snow Monroe
High-Country Shifters 1
Animal Passions
While hiking in the Colorado mountains, actress Lara Pennington stumbles through an alignment point into the alternate reality of Anterra where she is met by two huge, hunky men, Taryn and Kellum.
Within minutes, wolves attack them, and she is shocked and alarmed when her men shift into lions and save her from the snarling pack. Worse yet, she’s unable to go back right away. Her sympathy for their life-threatening injuries forces her to overcome her fears and help them. In doing so, she gets to know the loving nature of these noble men and forms a bond she suspects she can never break.
The shifters fall in love with her unselfishness and adventurous nature. How will they make her their mate? How can she accept the dangerous nature of their lives while giving up a lucrative career at home?
Genre:
Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length:
54,873 words
High-Country Shifters 1
Melody Snow Monroe
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
ANIMAL PASSIONS
E-book ISBN:
978-1-62241-253-2
First E-book Publication: October 2012
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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Animal Passions
by Melody Snow Monroe from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
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To my wonderful readers who’ve given me guidance into the world of shifters. Thank you!
ANIMAL PASSIONS
High-Country Shifters 1
MELODY SNOW MONROE
Copyright © 2012
“Amy really told you there were ghosts, psychics, and shape-shifters in Spirit?” Lara Pennington leaned her head back in her newly purchased convertible and closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the air blasting across her face. When her best friend, Krista Newman, offered to be the chauffeur, she jumped at the chance to let someone else experience the grind of driving.
“Other than the psychics, she never said she actually saw any ghosts or shape-shifters. That’s just the local lore.”
She, Amy, and Kristen had gone to school together in Denver. Four years ago, Amy moved to Spirit and Lara went to Europe to get her start in movies. Now she was back for a few months before returning. “I never knew Amy was into New Age topics. Maybe that’s what happens when a person moves to southern Colorado.” She laughed.
Krista glanced over at her. “You my dear, shouldn’t talk about people changing.”
“I admit that at one time I dreamed of getting my PhD in archaeology, but then life changed.” Now, she was on her way to Monaco to star in a movie with Brad Wilkens. How lucky could a girl get?
“Digging in the earth and discovering ancient civilizations was all you thought or talked about during high school.”
“That was true until I realized that I’d not make any money doing it. Life would have been too hard if I’d taken that route.”
Krista laughed. “Tell me this. If National Geographic were to pay you half a million dollars to go on a dig in Africa just as you were about to sign your movie deal, which would you take?” Krista put on the turn signal for the turnoff to Spirit, Colorado.
Lara dropped her head back. “I don’t know. I keep telling myself that I love theater, but when you put it that way, I’d be really torn.” Analyzing her true motives was always hard for her. “Getting back to the more important and immediate topic of psychics, do you believe in that shit?”
Krista shrugged. “Maybe. I had my fortune told once, and it was rather accurate.”
Lara was born with a linear mind, even though now she embraced her creative side. “What about shape-shifters? You think they’re real?” If Krista claimed to believe in them, Lara might have to get out now and hitch a ride back to Denver. To hell with her new car purchase.
“Probably not. Ghosts, however, are a different matter. I swear a ghost lives in my grandma’s house.”
This trip was sure going to be interesting. Her big draw to vacation in Spirit was not only to visit Amy and relax before shooting began but to go hot-air ballooning. She’d done a lot in her twenty-eight years, but ballooning or skydiving hadn’t been in the cards. “What day are we going to view Spirit by air?” Amy and Krista had made all the trip plans.
“On Friday. You won’t be so excited when we have to be at the launch site at 6:00 a.m.”
“I’m not sure my body will let me sleep much later than that.” Ever since the director of the movie kept calling her at all hours, pretending to forget about the differences in time zones, her internal clock had gotten screwed up.
As they drove down the main drag, many folks were out and about, and the traffic became rather clogged. “I know you can’t look now, but the ski lifts are moving.” That excited her as much as the hot-air balloon ride. She loved the outdoors. Once she got overseas, she wasn’t sure how much free time she’d have. “Maybe we can go up and get some good shots from there.”
Krista looked over and smiled. “You know how to get me to do something. Just tell me it’ll be a good photo op, and I’ll be the first to volunteer.” Krista nodded ahead. “There’s the High-Country Inn.” A sign for inn parking pointed to the back.
Once Krista parked, they pulled their gear out of the trunk. Krista inhaled. “I swear the air is sweeter here.”
Lara’s family’s farm in Kansas had the best and purest air, but she never wanted to live there ever again. That place was all work and no play.
As soon as they entered the hotel lobby, they traipsed up the check-in counter. “Is Amy Thornton around? She’s expecting us.”
The girl behind the desk smiled. “Just a moment.” She made a phone call and thirty seconds later Amy came racing out of the office with her arms high in the air.
“You’re here! Welcome to High-Country.” The hug was closer to a bear hug than the sweet girlie hug she expected. “Be right back.” Amy rushed to the girl behind the counter. “They’ll be in suite 323.”
Krista’s eyes widened. She leaned closer to Lara. “I can’t afford a suite.”
“Don’t worry. This one is on me.” She was thrilled to be able to share her good fortune with one of her true friends. Krista opened her mouth, most likely to object. “Please let me do this. I value your friendship more than I can say.” As soon as she entered the big league of acting, she bet there would be a lot of people trying to get something from her.
“If you put it that way, okay.” With slightly red cheeks, Krista looked around. “Wow. This place is really nice. Look at the large fireplace in the middle of the lobby. We’ve got to come down here later on and hang out.”
It did look tranquil. As if her friend had conjured them up, two amazing-looking men in cowboy boots, ass-hugging jeans, and tight-fitting shirts strolled past them. “I’ll say.”
Krista nudged her. “I get first dibs. You get to spend three months with the hottest star in the universe. Let me have some fun.”
“That’s true.” She was looking forward to working with Brad Wilkens, sex symbol extraordinaire.
Amy threaded her arms through both girls’ arms. “Let me take you up to your room.” She nodded to a bellhop, who loaded their bags onto a cart. “We are going to have so much fun. I’ve planned some great events.”
As soon as they got into their room, Krista dropped onto one bed and Lara sat on the other. “This place is really nice, Amy. You’ve done well for yourself.”
“I’m happy.” Amy shifted her weight from side to side. “I know you’re probably tired from the drive down. Why don’t you rest tonight? Tomorrow I thought we could get some readings done. There are a ton of good psychics here.”
Lara’s body had finally stopped vibrating from the drive, but she relished the idea of not rushing out and partying. “Rest is good. Personally, I’d like to take a shower then get something to eat.”
Amy smiled. “I get off work at six. How about I come back up then and we can go out to dinner and catch up?”
She looked over at Krista who nodded. “Perfect.”
Six rolled around too quickly, and soon Amy was bouncing into their room. “I want to stop by The Bookstore before we go to dinner.”