Novels by Amanda Kay Penn

When we arrived back home, I was forced to stay outside while Sophia, my mother, and Gavriel went in. I knew they were discussing what had happened and what to do. Mirella had left to fetch Andre, so I paced back and forth, wondering why they would bring Andre here if he would not be allowed in, either. Tears burned my eyes. This was our lives, not theirs. “Are you okay?” Andre asked, making me jump.I turned, my anger fading in an instant. Instead, my mouth dropped open in shock. He walked toward me, a dark expression on his face. His white shirt was unbuttoned, showing his muscled chest and rippling abdomen. He wore jeans that hung low on his hips, and dark work boots covered his feet.I blinked, closing my mouth. He somehow seemed more dangerous. My heart sped up as he came closer. Heat swam in my face and I had to force air in and out of my lungs.He stopped in front of me, his beautiful eyes darkening as he studied my face. “Aurora, are you okay?”“Yes,” I whispered. My throat s

I couldn’t think of torture worse than shopping for my wedding dress. Sophia and my mother constantly bickered over which dress looked the best on me. So far, there was only one they seemed to agree on. The only thing that gave me any amusement was Andre’s sister, Mirella. We had become fast friends, though I really didn’t think I had much of a choice. She was one of those people who didn’t take no for an answer, and she did it all while remaining cheerful. She was not someone I would want around right after I woke up in the morning. Still, I had to admit, it was nice to have a friend. I never really had one before because I was usually in and out of people’s lives before they even realized I was there. So, Mirella’s friendship was a new and pleasing experience. She chatted non-stop as I continued to try on every dress Sophia or my mother suggested. As it turned out, that was almost every dress in the store.As I stood before them, modeling yet another dress, I stiffened in alarm wh

My eyes fluttered open. The light was so bright, it blinded me. I closed them and covered them with my hands, groaning, watching the red dots dance behind my lids. So many thoughts drifted through my head. The first one made me smile. Even after the wolf’s howl, sleep had come, peaceful and calm, and I found myself waking up in my room. I sat up, stretching, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the light. The most insistent thought I had was of food. My stomach growled, as if in agreement. When the smell of bacon wafted to me, my stomach rumbled in approval.My mind drifted to Andre. I wondered if he was still outside. Guilt twisted through me. Because of him, I could sleep. He made me feel safe. I took a deep breath. Maybe I should take him some breakfast. It was the least I could do.I rose and went into the attached bathroom, thoughts of Andre running through my head. Although I tried to push them away, the image of his crooked grin and beautiful eyes kept reappearing and demanding m

His voice called to me in my dreams. It beckoned me as I moved, sensing the cool grass on my feet, the dew washing away reality as I walked closer. Somewhere in my mind, I realized I was sleepwalking. If I wasn’t stopped, I would go to that voice but the danger was muted. My mind was muddled as I moved closer to him, unable to fight it and not knowing if I wanted to. When a hand firmly gripped my arm above the elbow, I tensed, the fear that it was too late finally moving through me and making me tremble.“Aurora.”Andre’s voice blended with that of my father, echoing in my mind. I tilted my head as I frowned. Was it a trick, or had I really heard the man who had sworn he would protect me? For some reason, I had believed him. I believed he would at least try. Hope sprang up in that part of my mind as I listened to him say my name again.Slowly, my mind centered on Andre’s voice as he became more persistent, drowning out my father’s completely. “Aurora, open your eyes.”I pulled my lid

Andre walked beside my mother and me as we made our way home. My father’s visit made everyone tense, and I noticed Andre continued to glance over his shoulder every few seconds, as if expecting to find him there. He kept his hand wrapped around mine, ready to pull me behind him at any moment. I stared at our interlocked hand as I wondered what caused his need to protect me. It was probably a sacred duty included with the marriage. For some reason, the thought depressed me. I hated that he viewed me as a duty…A burden.I sighed, shaking my head and pushing the thoughts down to the bottom of my mind where I wouldn't face them for a while. The reason did not matter, as long as he was willing to help. Still, a certain sadness flowed through me for our lost dreams. We were at the mercy of everyone around us.I was still deep in thought when we reached our motorhome. My mother gave me a look and nodded slightly at Andre, then walked inside, closing the door behind her. It was obvious that

Even with Andre’s promise of protection, I could not stop trembling. He glanced at me with a wrinkled brow as his father continued to toast us. It was as if the wolf’s howl had never happened. They just continued with their lives. Andre squeezed my hand, trying to comfort me, but I was still frightened.I took a deep breath and stared up at him, pursing my lips? What had caused his change in attitude toward me? Although I was thankful for his recent kindness, it was strange for him to go from angry to protective in a few short hours. I shook my head, realizing that it could only help our predicament. I had a feeling Andre also knew that, so I was finally able to push the thought from my mind. Andre gave me a small smile as Gavriel’s speech came to a close, a loud cheer erupting. As soon as it died down, Andre pulled me to a seat by the fire and motioned for me to sit down beside him.I sighed as I settled on the bench of one of the many picnic tables surrounding the bonfire. Andre