The Journal Keeper (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free PDF Page A

polar form was massive, as most were. Standing over ten feet when on his hind legs, nearly five feet when on all fours, he was incredibly careful as he lumbered toward the two watching him.
    Rianne recoiled, her wide eyes terrified as Nikolas approached. Only Dorin’s insistent arm around her shoulders kept her from running away.
    “Oh, my God,” Rianne breathed as the polar came to a stop in front of them.
    Nikolas gave a soft sort of rumble, bowing his head low enough so that he could press his nose into Rianne’s hand.
    “It is all right, danalya . Nikolas will not hurt you,” Dorin assured her, his arms moving around her waist so he could rest his head on her shoulder.
    “He’s so big,” Rianne said, eyes wide.
    “Well, yes. He’s a polar and they tend to be the largest of the bear clans,” Dorin agreed.
    “Don’t tease me. The only place I’ve ever seen a polar bear is at a zoo. And he was behind bars,” Rianne scolded, though she allowed Dorin to smooth her hand over Nikolas’s snout.
    “Will you be all right if I shift as well? Nikolas will have you ride on his back. We’ll cover more ground that way and his body heat will continue to keep you warm.” Dorin was unable to refrain from nuzzling the soft skin of her neck.
    “Is it safe?” Rianne asked, eyeing the bear warily.
    “He won’t let you fall, if that’s what you’re asking.” Dorin chuckled, pressing his lips to her fluttering pulse.
    “Oh, all right,” Rianne gasped, her body thrumming under Dorin’s affections.
    Grinning at his success, Dorin assisted her in climbing up Nikolas’s body to settle between his massive shoulder blades. She eyed the ground warily, as if expecting to fall at any moment. Dorin watched Nikolas grimace as her fingers fisted in his fur, attempting to find some sort of stability.
    “Easy, danalya . Don’t pull his fur so roughly,” Dorin instructed, reaching up to ease her tense grip.
    “I’ll fall,” Rianne squeaked, fingers tight around the polar’s scruff.
    “No, you won’t. Relax and trust him,” Dorin insisted, perhaps a little harsher than necessary.
    “Well, excuse me. It’s not every day I get thrown on top of a polar bear and am expected to ride him.” Rianne glared, though her body did relax slightly.
    “Get used to him, Rianne. You’ll be around our animal selves often as our mate,” Dorin informed her before backing away to shift himself.
     
    * * * *
     
    Rianne looked down at the gray wolf trotting alongside the polar bear she was riding. It amazed her to think there was a man inside there, that a man’s mind controlled the animal. It was even more amazing to think about the fact that she was riding a polar bear and that polar bear was one of her mates.
    Rianne had grown up in a fairly conservative, upper-middle-class household where the family went to church on Sundays and everyone voted for the Republican candidate, whether he was the best choice or not. From an early age, though, Rianne had been left to her own devices. Her mother had her functions with the church ladies, and her father was always busy working. Neither seemed to mind that Rianne spent most of her time in her room, reading books brought home from the school and local library.
    The books had transported her to a world where people actually gave a damn about other people. They were magical places where families actually loved each other, where men and women fell in love and managed to stay in love. Anything had been possible within those bindings.
    She knew the likelihood of finding someone who would accept her quirks and obsessive work schedule was highly unlikely, but hope still lingered. After all, the love that was so present in her books had to have come from somewhere.
    As she looked back down at the gray wolf that was Dorin, she wondered if maybe that could change. Already she felt a connection to these two men that went beyond anything she had experienced before. Waking up to find Nikolas standing over