Mated in Flames: An Australian Ranch Shifter Paranormal Romance (Burnt Skies Book 1)

by Jade Alters

  Slowly, Luciana sits up. And then she smiles.

  “When you died,” she says slowly. “I didn’t take it very well. I don’t want to lose you again, never.” She meets my gaze. “I love you, too.”

  My heart soars and I kiss her again. This was more than I could have ever hoped for. Luciana is definitely the only one I will ever want, but I also knew that it didn’t mean I would get to have her forever. The fact that she wants me, too, that she loves me in return, makes happiness burst in my chest. I can’t help but grin at her.

  “Come on,” she says, sliding out of bed. “Let’s have breakfast. Then you can go and play with the pigs again.”

  “I don’t play with them!” I protest as she makes her way to her wardrobe. “Your pigs just like knocking me over!”

  “They didn’t do that to Dane,” she says with a shrug and an impish grin. “Obviously they thought you needed to be knocked down a few pegs.”

  “Dane is just naturally good with animals,” I grumble.

  “Yes,” she agrees readily as she pulls some pants on. “He was far more efficient, too.”

  I mock-scowl at her.

  “Then why don’t you ask him to come and help,” I complain.

  “That’s a thought…” she says, putting a finger on her chin.

  I roll my eyes at her teasing and get out of bed. All my clothes are still strewn in the living room, so there’s nothing to stop me from making my way over to her and wrapping my arms around her. She leans in for a moment before poking me in the side.

  “Go get some clothes on,” she says, wrinkling her nose. “And, after we finish in the field, you need a shower. You stink.”

  I laugh aloud and pull away. Life with Luciana is definitely not going to be boring.

  We meet back up in the kitchen. Right away, I see that Luciana is in a more melancholy mood as she stirs two cups of coffee, frowning down at them.

  “Everything okay?” I ask as I finish buttoning my shirt.

  “Just thinking,” she admits. “I wonder… are you sure it’s okay for us to stay here? For you to stay here?”

  “What else would you have us do?” I ask her, raising an eyebrow.

  “Move,” she says instantly. “We can take all the animals, sell the houses, and find somewhere else to live.”

  I open my mouth to argue that I don’t want to leave her here before what she says hits me. Affection swells in me. It seems that it doesn’t matter if Dane and I need to flee; Luciana has every intention of coming with us.

  “We’ll keep that in mind,” I say, smiling. “If we need to do it, if things start to get dangerous, we’ll all leave and take all the animals with us, I promise. For now, though, let’s just watch what happens.”

  “I’ll feel better if we have a plan, just in case,” she says.

  I roll my eyes.

  “I swear, you and Dane are way too similar,” I complain. “The two of you are going to gang up on me forever, aren’t you? If you’re that worried, talk to him; I’m sure the same thing has already occurred to him. I’m sure between the two of you, you can find somewhere that the three of us can go if we need to.”

  Luciana grins at me.

  “Thanks,” she says. “Sorry, I just don’t want us to be looking over our shoulders forever. It’s always good to have a backup plan.”

  She brings our coffee to the table, and then she pulls something out of her pocket. At first, I just see the long silver chain. And then I see the small vial of blue liquid swinging from it.

  “Here,” she says. “For you. I have one for Dane, too. You guys need to make sure you have these on you at all times, okay?”

  “I promise,” I say, taking the necklace. “I’ll wear it always.”

  I slip the chain over my head. It’s the symbol of her dedication to help Dane and I, and a symbol of what has kept me here when I should have died. I’ll never lose it.

  “Dane will be happy,” I add. “He gets far more paranoid than me. Having this should relax him.”

  “Not too much, I hope,” she says, eyeing me. “We still need to be wary.”

  I can’t help but laugh. Yes, Dane and Luciana together are probably going to drive me up the wall before long. They’re both far too serious and plan orientated, while I prefer to live in the moment.

  But that’s okay. The two of them are my family, now, and I certainly wouldn’t have them any other way.

  “We’ll be careful,” I promise again. “And we’ll make all the plans the two of you are comfortable with, I swear. We won’t get caught off guard again.”

  And, I add to myself silently, I’ll keep an eye on Luciana. Now that I know she’s a psychic, she’s vulnerable to the Supernaturals and Hunters, too, and she doesn’t have a ready way to return to life if she’s killed. I’ll do everything in my power to prevent that, even if it means living with Dane and Luciana’s strict rules forever.

  It’ll be worth it to make sure the two of them are always safe.

  I smile.

  “Ready to have breakfast and start the day?” I ask.

  “Yes,” she says with a return smile, curling her hands around her coffee. “You better eat quickly, or I’ll leave you behind.”

  I laugh. Today is the start of the rest of our lives, and I won’t take this for granted ever again. It’s the two of us, along with Dane, against the world.

  It’s everything I ever could have wanted.