Tempting Ecstasy (The Guardians of the Realms Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

on the orchards leading back to the mountain behind them. The large home was comfortable, private, the actual town farther in the opposite direction. The best feature was the miles upon miles of undeveloped land that spanned the orchards and over the mountain. Perfect for changing form and letting their beasts free. It also had an unobstructed path to her new home. She’d taken the route for the first time weeks ago, and it confirmed that she’d picked the perfect location. Far enough to feel like she was on her own, yet still only a half-hour hard run if her sisters needed her. It was also much closer to the large private airport where they housed the corporate jet, so her investigations could be started very efficiently.
    She wouldn’t have the nice upstairs loft, which provided a comfortable open office space with a view, or a basement that was big enough to house a nice-sized gym. No, her new home was an old Victorian that the owner was currently refurbishing for her. It sat on a tree-lined street with a big fenced backyard. She’d seen humans walking their dogs the last night she’d been there to trace her route. They’d nodded and smiled as they set off on their relaxed evening stroll toward the town, where the shops and restaurants lay. The sight left her feeling curious, interested in what it felt like to walk hand and hand with a male. The town was still small, but decidedly urban compared to the homes they normally chose. Everything about her new home and life interested her, not that any human male had ever enticed her. She’d never found them appealing, and her sisters felt the same. She preferred to take care of her own needs. Their cologne burned her nose, and she’d never found one her beast hadn’t rebelled against, but the interactions humans had with each other had always appealed to her curiosity.
    She shrugged off thoughts of her new neighbors’ simple touches and shared lives, the love that was such a foreign concept. It was an odd eccentricity of hers to watch them, to try to understand. Her new house was smaller, but it would suit her needs. She got a tiny thrill at the thought of a place of her own. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten excited about anything. It was another change in her that she wanted to explore. Thrill and excitement were rare for her. It just wasn’t in her makeup like it was with her sisters, but she felt it constantly in the last weeks and itched to get to her new home.
    She heard another small thud and the childlike snickers that followed as her sisters continued playing. She looked over as they both abruptly got up and headed for the kitchen. They must have gotten bored or distracted. That was good news for her. No cleanup at the moment. She frowned; maybe Mia was right, a part of her was disappointed that she had nothing to do at the moment. She shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of the thought. She took a deep breath and contemplated going for a run.
    She looked toward the kitchen, listening to her sibling’s playful chatter about absolutely nothing of import. They liked living in one home, sharing hugs and affection; it comforted their beasts. Often they lounged all snuggled up together. She knew they wanted her to be like them, and she felt a small pang in her chest that she wasn’t. That she was so different… She did still enjoy the occasional cuddle; she just wasn’t comfortable doing it for more than a few moments. Not all of her siblings had been known for their soft cuddly sides, but those two had always snuggled her as a child. She’d grumbled even then, but secretly it always made her feel loved and maybe a little lost all at once. She’d never admit to liking it even a little, because they’d take advantage. Given any encouragement they’d pile on top of her.
    She wondered if her sisters had always been that way or were they more like her when they were young. Somehow she didn’t believe they’d changed that