Free Where There is Hope [Taos Wolven Mates 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Tianna Xander

believe it and that way lay madness. She really would be mad to start believing that she had really traveled back in time.
    “I’m sorry.” She smiled at Amelie. “My name is Hope.”
    “Hope?” Amelie tilted her head as she looked at her. “Such a beautiful name. If I ever have a little girl I should like to call her Hope. Would you mind?”
    “Just so long as you don’t call her Hopeful.”
    “Psssht. Hopeful is a ridiculous name. Who would call their daughter Hopeful as though she should be full of hope all of her life?” She shook her head. “No. I would call her Hope so she could bring hope into others’ lives.” She smiled a bit wistfully. “A child of my own would surely bring hope into my life.”
    At least the woman wouldn’t saddle her daughter with a ridiculous name. That was a good sign that she wasn’t as crazy as Hope thought. Perhaps this was just another job to those who did it on a regular basis.
    “I thought Fleur was your daughter?”
    “Fleur? Oh, my. No she is my stepdaughter. I married her father several years before he expired and we have been together since.” She looked toward the back of the store. “She has no one else to teach her the ways of the world, and I fear that if I left her alone, a man would take advantage of her.” She shook her head. “I must stay with her until she is safely married to a man or men of good character.”
    “Men?” Hope frowned. “You would marry her off to more than one man?”
    “Of course!” Amelie fanned her hands in front of her face. “Not only are these wolf-men so very handsome, but they are true gentlemen and protectors of all.”
    “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” Hope didn’t know if she wanted to know what Amelie meant. She didn’t want to stay here. At best, she wanted to stay long enough to have one hell of a fling with the two gorgeous men who kidnapped her, and then she wanted to go back to her boring life.
    Liar!
    Hope wanted to tell that little voice inside her to shut up and mind its own business. The only problem with that was, it was a part of her and as such, this was its own business.
    “What do you think of this dress?” Amelie held up a hunter green dress made of silk and lace. It wasn’t practical for what she wanted it for, namely escape, but what could she tell the woman?
    “It’s not practical, is it?”
    Amelie gave a one-shouldered shrug. “It is beautiful and that is all that matters to the men here. They do not want you to be practical. The most strenuous thing they will have you do is cook for them. If you cannot cook, they will hire a cook for you.” She winked. “They do not want you for physical labor that they themselves can do. They want you for their hearts, for their children.” She leaned close and lowered her voice. “For their bed.”
    “They have children?” Why hadn’t she seen any? “If they think there’s danger, why didn’t they head straight for their children instead of coming here?”
    “Ha-ha! You silly girl. They have no children. They will want you to bear them.”
    “I–I can’t have children.” Why did the thought suddenly make her want to cry? She didn’t really believe they brought her here to become their wife. For one thing, it was illegal, no matter what time they found themselves in.
    “Do not worry, Hope. Have faith that when they mate you and make you one of their kind, the change will heal you and you will bear their babies.” Amelie moved to pat her on the back, her mood suddenly somber.
    “Now,” she said, with a clap of her hands. “Let us find you a wardrobe any wolf-man would be proud of.” Amelie turned back to the rack that held the ready-made items and pulled five dresses in assorted colors and styles from the bunch. “These should do nicely, don’t you think?”
    Not waiting around for an answer, she took them to the counter, laid them down and headed for a small room off the main shopping area. “This is where I keep the