Visions Of Paradise (3 page)

“Do you shower them with kisses whenever you can, as well?” She raised her brow.

Jonas flashed those white teeth at her again. “Only the irresistible ones. So far, baby, you’re the only one on
that
particular list.”

“So,” Mel interrupted as he stepped between them. Why don’t you stay a few more days? Hang around. Get to know me.” He stared at her with those sky-blue eyes and Milla’s legs grew weak again. Heat settled low in her middle and cream slid from her innermost core and soaked her panties.

There was no mistaking the competition between the two men. They each wanted her to stay for their own reasons. If it wasn’t so sad, it would be comical. Why couldn’t they have been her age?

“I-I can’t.” The familiar itching crawled over her skin. Milla bent, picked up a box and headed for the door. “I wish I could stay. You don’t know how much I wish I could stay, but I can’t.”

“We can protect you.”

She paused in the doorway. “What makes you think I need protecting?”

Jonas stepped forward, rested his hand on her arm and stared deep into her eyes. The sincerity rolled off him in waves and she read nothing but his desire to protect her and keep her here with him. “Whatever it is you’re running from, we can protect you. I swear it, Milla.”

“As much as I hate to agree with him, Milla, he’s right. We
can
protect you in ways that you can’t possibly imagine.”

“No one can protect me.” How could they? She shook her head. The carnival folk had secrets. They had powers that others didn’t understand. Powers that these two men most likely wouldn’t even believe existed. “No one can protect me. Not from this.”

“Don’t underestimate us. Our town embraces those who are different. And when it comes to secrets, yours can’t possibly be any more fantastic than ours.”

Mel didn’t want her to go. He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but something drew him to her. He wanted to protect her. No. It was more than that. Something deep inside him—that part of him that he still wasn’t quite used to,
needed
to protect her. He had no idea why.

She stirred something deep inside him, some strange, inner desire to protect and an equally surprising sexual hunger he had never felt before. Maybe it was the animal side of him. He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t found a woman as attractive as Milla since he’d had his first shift.

He also didn’t like the fact that Jonas was here drooling all over her like the fucking animal he was.
Gods, please don’t pair me with this ass.
He repeated the prayer twice. Though something told him his prayer was too little, too late. He’d been in Paradise long enough to know the fates paired those it deemed worthy to mate together. No matter what he thought of Jonas, there must be something about the man that he could learn to like, possibly even love, though he had no idea what that could be.

“No one can protect me from these people.” Milla swiped her arm over her face wiping away the tears streaking down her cheeks. “They always find me.” She wrung her trembling hands together. “It doesn’t matter where I go. It doesn’t matter how many times I run or how far. They always find me.” Reaching up, she pushed her hair back from her face.

“I never should have left. I should have known that they wouldn’t let me go. No one ever leaves the carnival if they’ve received their gift.” She shook her head. “I should have known…” Milla whispered the words to herself, no doubt believing they couldn’t hear her.

She gave a little hiccupping sob that brought out every one of his protective instincts and he had a damn lot of them for this woman he’d just met.

Army Rangers didn’t quit. They retired and they still kept their protective nature—at least those in his group did. Every one of them would still put their lives on the line for those weaker than themselves. Now that most of them were full-fledged shifters, there weren’t many people who were stronger than they were. There were even less who were as well-trained.

“Honey, it won’t matter if they find you if you’re with people who can protect you.” Mel glanced at Jonas. For the first time since his change, he asked the other man for help.
Are you just going to let her run when you know we can help her?

What was wrong with him? Granted, the man had never been a Ranger, but he’d been trained
Tudra.
If what he’d learned about Paradise’s paramilitary force was true, the two were almost synonymous in present day Paradise.

Though there was a time when
Tudra
meant abuse and rape at the hands of those sworn to protect. That time was over. Those men were long dead—at least most of them were and Mel had gladly helped send them to Hell.

If it will keep your sorry, ungrateful ass from mating her, I might.
Jonas practically growled the words through their mental link. All shifters had a link, but those who exchanged blood with each other held stronger communication connections with each other. Unfortunately, Jonas and he fell into the latter category.

Mate her?
Mel inhaled sharply.
Is that what that delicious smell is?
He shifted his gaze back to Milla. He couldn’t help but admire her courage to keep running, even when they offered to help her. She thought to protect them from something she thought they couldn’t understand. The realization stirred him. His cock throbbed, growing long and hard behind the zipper of his jeans.

For the first time, he noticed more than her lovely scent. He noticed her curvy body and wide hips. He loved the way her long hair brushed her shoulders and her dark-caramel complexion glowed in the afternoon light that shone through the open door.

She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He loved her rounded breasts and full lips. He could almost feel the warmth of her mouth as he imagined her wrapping those sensuous lips around his cock.

I’m not sure, but I think she could be mate to both of us. And if that’s the case, we’re going to have a lot more in common than a blood bond.

Mel clamped his mouth shut. He tried not to resent the other man’s statement. Jonas was right…again. If they were mates, they would have to find a way to get along. Perhaps the fates had already insured that they could eventually become friends.

Deep down, Mel knew he was being unreasonable. Jonas had saved his life three years ago. If the other man hadn’t taken the initiative and given him his blood, Mel would have died and he knew it.

It was just that he’d always assumed the choice to become shifter, or not, would be his. He had wanted to choose the time and the place. He’d also wanted to choose who would give him blood. He’d wanted to ask an all-shifter to bring him over.

He’d envied all shifters since he’d seen one shift into a bad-assed, fire-breathing dragon. Who wouldn’t want that?

I don’t give a damn how you feel about me, you ungrateful prick. If we’re meant to be her mates, we’ll find a way to get along. We’ll have to—for her sake.

Jonas was right, damn it. Why did the arrogant ass always have to be right?

You’re right. But just because you’re right, it doesn’t mean that I have to like it.
Mel severed their communication and bent to pick up a box. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you choose to do, we still have to get your vehicle loaded so you can get the hell out of here before your friends show up.”

“They aren’t my friends.” Milla shook her head. “Not anymore. I can’t call anyone friend who would attempt to force me into a life I no longer want.”

“Either way, you need to get moving because I have the feeling that your carnival folk are the reason Jonas was sent here.” Mel shoved the box he held into the back of the SUV, turned, and then rested his hands on his hips. “We’re having our summer festival in Paradise. I’m not sure, but I think your people are the ones he’s been waiting for.”

“Jesus! I hadn’t thought of that.” Jonas shook his head.

“Then you can’t protect me like you thought.” Milla gave him a sad smile. “I really didn’t think you could.”

“We can protect you, baby,” Mel said as he moved closer to her. “The only problem will be that they will know where you are.” He grinned. “And that’s really no problem. I can promise you that.”

Milla wanted to believe they could protect her, but how could they? The carnival where she grew up—where she had spent her life—was more than a group of drifters selling rides and tickets to the fun house. They were different. Most of them had strange powers. Natalie, the sword swallower could change the shape of her throat. Milla had no doubt the other woman would make some lucky man
very
happy one day. Marcus, the man most women hated had the ability to know a person’s age, just by looking at them. He even knew their birthdays. Milla read minds and saw the future of those who asked her to peer into their lives.

There were others, of course. There were always others. They banded together to give themselves a sense of community, of family. Never once had she suspected that Perry, or anyone for that matter, would try to force someone to stay. At least, not until she left and they followed her. Until then, she’d always thought everyone stayed because they wanted to stay, not because someone forced them to stay.

“Just come with us for today. Listen to what we have to say and if you don’t think we can protect you, we’ll help you run.” Mel ran his fingers through his hair. “Hell, if you like, we’ll even take you somewhere if that’s what you want.”

“I-I don’t know.” Milla bit her lip. She wanted to trust them. Heck, she wanted to spend more time with them, even if it was to just look at them. They
were
easy on the eyes. “You don’t understand.” She paced away from the two men and then turned to face them. “They all have—
we
all have secrets that they will do almost anything to keep. Look, you’re nice guys.” She held up her hand when they would have interrupted her. “I
know
you’re nice guys. I can read that in you. I’m psychic.”

“Well then,” Jonas said as he flashed another grin. “If you’re psychic,
you
know our secret. It surprises me that you’re taking it so well. Most people either think we’re crazy, or they are.”

“Or they pass out,” Mel added.

“Taking what well?” Milla frowned at the two men. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t dig deep when I touched you. I try not to pry. Even when I’m paid for a reading, I try not to see too much. I don’t want to know your secrets. Those are
your
secrets to keep, not mine.”

Still, a part of her knew they kept something hidden deep, Now that they’d brought it up, her mind flashed on something buried deep in her subconscious. It was a dark wall deep inside each of them. Behind it, lurked a secret so important, so dark, it was something she had never come in contact with before.

“I don’t care what your secret is as long as you don’t work for Perry Godfrey and you’re not axe murderers.” She smiled. “I specifically searched for those things in your mind. The rest, I discarded. I barely even remember anything about you, other than you’re not serial killers and you aren’t here to drag me back to the carnival.”

“Touch me again, Milla.” Jonas held out his hand. “Read me. Read everything about me and then decide whether or not you’ll come to Paradise with us.”

He gave her a look that was so intense that Milla took a step back, holding her hand to her throat. “I’m not sure…”

“Why not, Milla? What are you afraid of?” Mel stepped forward, his hand out. “If you won’t take his hand, then take mine. It’s the only way that you can
know
we can protect you.”

Why did they want her to know their secrets? “Why?” She shifted her gaze between them. “Why do you want this so badly? Is it some sort of trick?” She shook her head. “I don’t want to know your secrets, especially if it’s going to tie me to you. I left the carnival because I wanted to choose where I live and what kind of life I lead. I won’t let you take that away from me.”

“No one wants to take your freedom to choose from you, darlin’,” Jonas said as he crowded closer. “If anything, we want to give that back to you. We
can’t
force you to do something you don’t want to do. Once you read me, you’ll know that to be true.”

Milla’s back hit the wall when she moved away from them again. “What if I don’t believe you?”

Jonas shook his head with a sigh. “She’s not going to trust us no matter how hard we try, Mel. We should just load her truck and let her be on her way. You know we can’t force her.”

It was the look on Mel’s face that changed her mind. One moment Milla was certain she wanted to leave this town and these men behind her. The next minute, she was staring at Mel who looked as though he would be sick if she didn’t stay with them. That expression of total dejection changed her mind. She didn’t know why these men wanted her to read them, but deep down, she knew that if she didn’t she would wonder for the rest of her life what they held hidden so deep inside them and what put that look on Mel’s too-handsome face.

It also didn’t hurt that they had been ready to let her go. Both of them had obviously resigned themselves to the fact that she wouldn’t trust them and they were going to help her anyway.

When they both turned away, intending to do as they promised and help load her SUV, Milla reached out and grasped Mel’s arm.

Her focus turned inward. She saw his life as a soldier. Memories of the kills he made in the name of his country flashed through her mind. She moved past that. It had been apparent that he had been in some sort of law enforcement. The military fell well within those lines.

She read his memories of the town they called Paradise. It certainly looked like a paradise with its small town values and friendships. Milla watched as he remembered rescuing women from the clutches of animals and humans alike. The animals seemed too intelligent, too…something she couldn’t put her finger on.

Milla paused when she reached the thick barrier in his mind that held his deepest secrets. Then, taking a deep breath, she pushed past the barrier and gasped at what she saw there.