THE AWAKENING

“She needs meat,” a sharp voice sounded from a distance. “She will not survive the mating if she does not eat.”

“She is in no shape to mate, Koris,” another voice snapped. “She knows nothing of her heritage and has had no one to teach her our ways.”

“That is unfortunate, but the fact remains…her body knows what it needs. Her temperature is elevated, her skin is beaded with sweat, and her tits are enlarged. The time is now.”

Cassidy struggled to regain consciousness and opened her eyes blearily to find two men — no, check that, two very large men — standing over her.

They wore all black and seemed almost indistinguishable from one another. Their muscles bulged from beneath tight T-shirts and narrowed to lean hips.

Hanks of black hair, almost too long to be fashionable, dusted strong shoulders and impossibly dark eyes stared into her soul.

Oh, and she was lying on her bed, naked.

“Oh my God,” she managed to squeak as she attempted to cover her breasts but she felt weak as a kitten. “Help me, please! I need to go to the hospital,” she implored the handsome strangers, hoping for some shred of decency in either of them. “Please, I’m very sick…I think I might be dying…”

They ignored her plea but the one named Koris shot the other a knowing look, saying, “Prop her up. She will need sustenance,” before leaving the room.

“Hush, Cassandra,” the other said, coming to sit beside her. “My name is Jandin. We are here to help you.”

Her body had begun to shake. “H-how? What’s wrong with me?”

He smoothed her damp hair from her brow with a surprisingly gentle hand. “What do you remember of your childhood?” he asked.

“What? Why are you asking me about my childhood? Didn’t you hear me? I’m very sick. I think I have food poisoning or something. I could die if I don’t get to a hospital!”

“You’re right. You could die. But there is nothing that humans can do for you.”

Humans?

tightening her

tore your clothes off,”

foggy part of her memory recalled doing exactly that. She’d been burning up. The clothes had felt as if they were

Breeding Time,” he said as if it were the perfect explanation when in fact, it was total lunacy. “The females of our species…if not bred properly, become inflamed with an internal fever that can consume them if not cared for. Normally, a

who has been watching me,” she

and myself. We had to ensure that no one from the rival clan claimed you first. Breeding females are rare. Especially ones from your bloodline. Claiming you

normal parents. I was high school valedictorian and editor of the school newspaper. I dated the quarterback and

adopted,” Jandin

did he know that? She swallowed a lump of

the most revered in our

such private details about her, but even more terrified because somewhere deep inside, his words rang

wanted to wait until marriage,” she

until the Breeding Time and simply convinced your

something bloody on a plate. A wave of nausea followed as she fought with the urge to swallow it

to come forward with the plate. “Your body needs the

“Survive what?” she asked.

“The breeding.”

“I don’t want-“

her head. She tried to scream but her voice was

struggled, the smell from the meat began to do weird things

from the plate and brought it to her mouth. “Eat,” he commanded sternly. Her eyes filled with tears but

her throat. Strength returned to her limbs and the pounding in her head

her mouth, which she eagerly accepted. He continued until the plate was empty. Cassidy eyed the pooled blood remaining