by Lia Davis
An hour his ass. He was going to be there when the bastard arrived and tear the fucker apart.
A feral growl escaped Kara as she fought with the cuffs restraining her to a metal anchor in one corner of the barn stall. In the corner across from her, Nyna sat chained to another anchor, her head down. Kara didn’t know what was worse, being unable to shift and tied to a stake in the ground or not being able to comfort Nyna.
“Have you heard from Cayden?” Nyna asked without looking up, her tone soft and growl-like.
Drawing her brows together, Kara studied the female. Nyna had always been quiet and happy. The sharp, citrus notes in her scent were new. So was the slight zing of magic surrounding her. “Not since you heard him in the car.”
Kara had felt Cayden’s rage a moment before he’d cut off the psychic connection; obviously one of the new abilities they’d gained from the web they formed the night before. The connection between the three of them must have opened up something inside of Nyna.
“Kara, something is wrong. I feel…odd. And numb.”
Damn it. Kara jerked at her chains again. The rattling of metal echoed through the barn. The silver coating on the cuffs burned her wrists and kept her from shifting. The bastard had covered his bases.
A creak from the barn door being pushed open drew a growl from her. The stench of Henry’s aftershave fueled her rage. Her body warmed from the inside out, and the burning in her wrists turned into a cool sensation. Glancing down, she stared wide-eyed at the blue flames surrounding her hands and wrists.
Impossible.
Is that from the dragon’s web? Did the spell truly allow for them to share powers? Cayden had some explaining to do. That info would have been great to know before Henry’s minions grabbed her and Nyna.
Suddenly, her cuffs snapped apart. She looked down at them again and noted they were half melted. Holy shit. Thank you, dragon’s web.
A moment later, the stall door crashed open to reveal Henry with a smirk on his face. She so wanted to fry his ass. And she might be able to. Returning his smirk with one of her own, she hid the fact that she was no longer chained to the anchor. “You’re awfully confident for someone who’s about to die.”
“I should have killed you when I caught you nosing around the office the day I killed David and Crystal.”
In the corner across from Kara, Nyna laughed bitterly. “He’s coming for you.”
Kara gasped when Nyna lifted her gaze and pinned her uncle with a stare. Her eyes glowed gold with a hint of fire in the depths. She rose to her feet, and the chains around her wrists unlocked and fell to her feet. Moving forward, Nyna lifted her arms toward her uncle. A door slammed shut. Henry jumped and opened his mouth to speak, but Nyna spoke over him. “I know everything now. I know you stole from the company and had an affair with my mother. I also know that my great-great-grandfather was a wizard. That’s how you know what Kara and Cayden are.”
Henry shook his head. “That dragon has filled your head with lies.”
“No. The only one spreading lies is you.” She reached into her pocket, pulled out a gold locket and held it up. “I found this in a box of my mother’s things. I didn’t have the heart to go through their belongings before now. This morning, I felt a pull to the box, and especially the locket. It was like it called to me. You see, I formed a magical bond with Cayden and Kara last night. When we entered the web, something inside me woke up. Including the ability to read the history of objects, apparently. I felt the change upon waking, but wasn’t sure what it meant until I touched the locket and was instantly flooded with my mother’s memories as well as those of everyone else who touched it.”
Nyna sighed and glanced at Kara, tears in her eyes. She looked back at her uncle as she continued. “I always commented about how much I loved this necklace, but Mom was always a little weird about it. I didn’t know until a moment before you entered the stall that you had given it to her during your affair. All your intentions to take her away from Dad because you were jealous of their relationship are clear to me now.”
Henry shifted from foot to foot and fisted his hands at his side. “Then you leave me no choice.”
The moment he lifted his hand, Kara noticed the gun he’d drawn from the holster at his side. She screamed just as Nyna threw herself in front of Kara, hugging her tightly while an iridescent circle surrounded them. Almost immediately, the roof of the barn flew off, revealing a large, black dragon.
Cayden. Thank, God.
Cayden reached in, broke through the circle, and grabbed her and Nyna in a claw. Kara screamed out as she slipped between his talons, shifting into her cat at the same time. Nyna reached out, caught her by the scruff of her neck, and drew her into her arms, holding her tightly. What hell was the dragon thinking? Right, he wasn’t. “Cayden.”
His only response was to tighten his claw around them, not to harm, but to secure them within his grasp. To protect them. Suddenly, heat rose up around them, and Kara jerked in Nyna’s hold, scratching her neck. Through the small space of his talons, she saw the fire shoot out from the dragon’s mouth, hitting everything in his path, including Henry. The male screamed and Nyna flinched at the sound. That’s when Kara noticed the smell of her lover’s blood. It tingled her nose. She let out an apologetic meow. Nyna stroked her fur and rocked back and forth.
A sense of calm settled over them a moment before Cayden flapped his wings, lifting them in the air. Kara buried her nose into Nyna’s neck, relieved it was over. They could finally have a life together, with their dragon.
***
Nyna waited for guilt and grief to overtake her, but it never did. Instead, a sense of peace eased the tension she’d felt since finding out her uncle was a cold-blooded killer.
Cayden moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “I always wondered why I couldn’t read you or your father. My gift of foresight didn’t work on either of you. It was because you are wizards, or part wizard anyway.”
“And, it was part of the curse,” Kara said after shifting back to human and cuddling up between the two of them.
A ripple of magic circled them, kissing her skin like static electricity. Nyna sighed. “There is a lot I have to learn about my new powers. I’m still not sure what to think about any of it.”
Dipping his head, Cayden kissed her. His tongue pressed inside her mouth, drawing a moan from her. Kara brushed her hair from her neck and pressed a kiss in the sensitive spot behind her ear. Desire stirred in Nyna’s belly, reawaking the fire she felt for both of her partners.
Nyna broke the kiss and locked gazes with Cayden. “You burned him alive.” Cayden averted his gaze. Nyna cupped his cheek, forcing his attention back to her. “I’m glad you did. My parents’ souls can now rest.”
“Yes, they can.” Kara hugged her tightly. “So can yours. I’m just sorry I wasn’t able to come back to you sooner, to tell you about Henry.”
Pulling back to study her, Nyna shook her head. “Things happen for a reason. Besides, I wouldn’t have believed you before.”
“I love you.” Kara kissed her quickly on the lips.
Nyna melted into her. “I love you. Both of you.”
“I love the two of you. If Henry had killed you, I would have lost my humanity,” Cayden growled.
Kara and Nyna glanced at each other then grinned. Nyna grabbed Cayden’s hand and tugged him to the sofa. Kara pushed him to a sit. “We aren’t going anywhere. You are forever stuck with us.”
She dropped to her knees between his thighs and reached for his waistband. Cayden gripped her wrist. “Don’t tease, female.”
Nyna tugged at his T-shirt until he leaned forward so she could pull it over his head. Tossing the cotton behind her, she licked one of his nipples then bit gently. He hissed out a groan, and she smiled. Their dragon loved being teased, no matter what he said. “I want to watch her suck you.”
“Damn, females.” It came out as a growl, but Nyna heard the hint of a smile in his tone. “Just remember payb
acks are a bitch.”
“Now who’s teasing?”
A wicked smile lifted the corners of his lips. “I have been blessed with two amazing life partners. I promise to be overprotective and demanding.”
Kara laughed as she freed him from his jeans took his cock in her hand. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Nope. Besides, we promise to tease and be bad. Often.”
He laughed then moaned when Kara took his cock in her mouth. Nyna grew wet at the sight, growing sensitive to the touch. She stood and removed her clothes. When she moved to sit, Cayden ran a hand up her thigh, then slipped two fingers through her folds. She jerked as a wave of pleasure raced through her. Her knees grew weak, and she had to grab his arm to steady herself. He entered her with his fingers and pumped in and out while rubbing her clit with his thumb.
Raw passion built within her, starting at her core and spreading along every nerve ending in her body. An orgasm hit her hard, and she cried out.
Nyna collapsed next to him as he lifted Kara from her knees, ripped her jeans and panties from her, and then guided her to straddle him. He thrust his hips, entering her. Kara cried out in pleasure and began to ride him. Nyna nibbled her bottom lip, the ache returning.
Rising to her knees on the sofa, Nyna tugged Kara’s shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. For as long as Nyna had known Kara, the female had never worn a bra. She didn’t need to really. Either she wore baggy shirts or tank tops that showed off her small form. Nyna had always found it a turn-on.
Nyna cupped Kara’s breast, rolling a nipple between her thumb and index finger. With her free hand, she fingered herself, riding the wave with her lovers.
They all climaxed at the same time, each of them crying out as wave after wave crashed over them. Once the last shudder left them, Cayden drew them both against him. He kissed each of their foreheads. “I love you.”
“Love you, too,” Nyna and Kara said together.
Everything was going to be okay. Nyna knew that deep down to her soul. She’d finally gotten her closure, and she felt as if her parents were finally free to move on to their next journey.
One day we’ll meet again.
A heavy knock on the door gave Nyna pause as she read Cayden’s latest release. Beside her, Kara—who lay on top of her feet in cat form—lifted her head and stared at the door. Times like these were when she wished she had Cayden’s gifts. She could just see who was at the door by touching the wood. But her intuition told her she needed to answer it.
She picked Kara up and carried her to the door. Opening it, Nyna frowned at the sight of Detective Marcs. “Detective?”
He nodded and narrowed his eyes at her. Most likely sensing her magical signature just as she was able to pick up on his. Before her wizard half was unlocked, she hadn’t known that Marcs, too, was like her. “Cayden has some explaining to do.”
Marcs smiled, weakly, then schooled his features. “Your uncle’s body was found at an abandoned orchard farm about fifteen miles southwest of here.”
Blinking, she simply said, “I didn’t know he was missing.”
Marcs gave a single nod. “Well, we didn’t know it was him until the dental records confirmed it. The barn caught fire and burned down to the ground. Henry’s charred remains were found a few yards away.”
Nyna frowned for affect, surprised that she still didn’t feel any guilt or remorse over her uncle’s death. “That’s horrible.”
“Yes, well,” he glanced to Kara in her arms and continued, “we also found your parents’ murder weapon and the knife that killed Ms. Hackett. They were where Kara suggested we look.”
Just then, Cayden stepped up behind her. Nyna leaned back into him. He placed his hands on her shoulders in support. “Do you know what caused the fire?”
“Looks like faulty wiring.” Marcs met Cayden’s gaze. “I just thought I’d come by and deliver the news myself. Ms. Carter, will you be taking care of the funeral arrangements?”
The urge to tell him to do whatever he wished with the body was strong. Nyna pushed it away and nodded. She’d have to play it out. Especially for the employees and board members of Carter Enterprises. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Thank you.” Marcs turned and walked down the driveway to his car at the curb.
“Marcs pieced everything together. He doesn’t know everything, but he knows enough to tell the humans what they need to know to close the case.” Cayden closed the door and turned her around. “You okay?”
“Yes. I am.”
Another weight had been lifted. At least she didn’t have to worry about the humans finding out that Cayden and Kara were shifters and she was a wizard. And no one was going to jail. Plus, there was one less crazy man on the street.
“I’ve actually never felt better.”
Cayden kissed her forehead and took Kara from her arms. The black kitty swatted at him playfully as if protesting him taking her from Nyna. With a smile, Nyna kissed Kara on the head, then Cayden on the lips. “You two are my family now. I’m so grateful to have you. Now, let’s go to the cavern for a picnic.”
The End
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my novella from Woodland Creek!
All reviews are appreciated.
If you would like to read more from the Woodland Creek series, please click on the link below:
Woodland Creek Website
About the Author
In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
Find out more about Lia Davis Here:
Website: http://www.authorliadavis.com
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Twitter: @novelbylia
Other Books by Lia Davis
Paranormals
Ashwood Falls Series
Winter Eve
A Tiger’s Claim
A Mating Dance
Surrendering to the Alpha
A Rebel’s Heart
Divided Loyalties
Touch of Desire
A Leopard’s Path
Jaguar’s Judgment
Birchwood Pack
An Alpha’s Fate
Bears of Blackrock
Bear Essentials
Bear Magick
Sons of War Series
War’s Passion
Ashes of War
Artemis’s Hunt
Shifting Magick Trilogy
Moon Curse
Moon Kissed
Moon Mated
Shifting Magick Trilogy box set
Vampire Lords
It’s A Vampire Christmas
Contemporaries
Pleasures of the Heart Series
Business Pleasures
Single Titles
His Guarded Heart
ading books on Archive.