I stood her back up, made sure she had her balance, pulled a tiny ring case from my pocket, and I went down on one knee.
The lead singer handed me his microphone, and I held it to my mouth as I offered her the ring case. “And now, for the symbol most important to you. Tess McKnight, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She took the ring case from me, held it to her chest, squeezed her lips together so tight they went completely white, and nodded. Her scent told me she was about to break out into tears, so I stood, turned her so her back was to the room, and let her bury her head in my neck. With her five-inch tall heels, she could easily reach.
“I have to put the ring on you now,” I told her.
“I haven’t even seen it yet, but I know it’ll be perfect. Fuck, you surprised me with this. I had no idea.”
“You good? Can you face the room again?”
She took two deep breaths and blew them out before taking a third to answer. “Yeah. Thanks.”
I turned us, took the box from her and opened it. She held her ring finger out, I slid the ring on, and the room cheered again.
Tess grabbed the mic from the singer and looked out into the room. “Where’s Matty?” When she saw him, she shook her finger at him. “You knew! This is why you had me trying on rings when we went shopping! You got my ring size and gave it to him!”
Matty laughed. “Guilty as charged, but I won’t apologize. Ya’ll are beautiful together. Please tell me I get to help plan your wedding?”
Razor groaned, the room laughed, the band started playing Eye of the Tiger, and the celebrating began.
And while I watched my love show off her ring, I could see the back of the vest she wore. PROPERTY OF BOBCAT.
Always and forever, Tess was mine.
Tess
Bobcat is the only man I’ve ever let call me Tessa. I should’ve known how far into the deep end I’d gone when I didn’t stop him, that first time.
And now I was wearing a damned prop vest, declaring he owned me, but he’d known me well enough to understand I needed the wedding ring, too. I’d have gladly worn the vest, but something would’ve been missing. Now, life was balanced and perfect.
And no, it can’t always be balanced, but Bobcat and I are both happiest when it is.
For political reasons, I needed to have a huge-assed wedding. The kind where the mayor and police chief and DA and every other person of power attends. Bobcat knew before I told him, and he never complained. I hired a wedding planner so we wouldn’t have to deal with the details. Without me asking him to, Matty started managing the wedding planner, so I didn’t have to hear the stupid ideas, but only the good ones. The more I got to meet Bobcat’s Chattanooga family, the worse I felt about taking him away from them. But he got to see them regularly, especially since I arranged for us to charter a plane to get us back and forth when we only had a day to spare.
Six months to the day after he asked me to marry him, we were married in an old Southern mansion with an addition built on the side so it could handle extremely large audiences, and a ballroom so beautiful it gave me goosebumps the first time I saw it properly lit.
Rolling Thunder bikers from Birmingham, Chattanooga, Atlanta, and other cities attended alongside Birmingham’s power elite, and everyone behaved. Bobcat said no one had the balls to risk messing my big day up, and perhaps he was right.
Before the battle, if you’d told me I’d one day marry one of the bikers who kept me on retainer, I’d have laughed in your face. Before the battle, I can’t honestly say whether I’d have given Bobcat an actual chance. Perhaps I would’ve because of his intelligence, but it’s possible I’d have turned my back on my own feelings, and that would’ve been a shame.
Somehow, participating in a battle between good and evil, and losing so many people, had taught me what’s really important in life. My position will always mean I have to show a certain persona in public, but it didn’t mean I had to be that person in private. Life is about those you let get close to you. It’s about family. Scout had been my family, and I thought it’d been enough until a stubborn-assed bobcat came into my life.
Now, I had a larger family than I’d ever expected, and they were strewn all over The South.
Bobcat is my one true love, and I’m so glad I let him into my heart and into my life.
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Aaron and Sophia's story can be found in The Dragon King.
The epic saga leading up to the battle between good and evil starts with Only Human.
Ranger and Mac’s story can be found in Acceptable Risk.
McGyver’s story can be found in McGyver.
Keep reading for an excerpt from, McGyver.
Bibliography
If you enjoyed Dementor, you may also like the other books set in the same universe, though in different series.
Chattanooga Supernaturals series, paranormal romance:
The Dragon King (Aaron Drake’s story, and the first time we meet Duke and Brain)
Riding the Storm (Kendra and Eric’s story)
Acceptable Risk (Bethany, Ranger, Mac, and Jonathan’s story)
Careful What You Ask For
Hallowed Destiny – Forged by Darkness
Uncaged (Ghost’s mother’s story)
Cocky Queen
Unhallowed Murder
Unexpected Gifts
Only Human series, urban fantasy
Only Human
An Unhuman Journey
Of Humans and Monsters
Defining Human
Edge of Humanity
Infinitely Human
Unhuman Acts
Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Series
Duke
Brain
Bash Volume I
Bash Volume II
Bash Volume III
Horse
Gonzo (where we first meet Britches/Briana)
Nix
Ghost
Bud
Razor
Bubbles
McGyver
The Birmingham RTMC
Dementor
Bobcat
Frost (Summer 2020)
Squatch (2020)
The Dark Underbelly of The Chattanooga Supernaturals
Pride (A short story featuring The Lion King)
Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire (Gavin)
Leashed (Abbott)
An Elegant Weapon (Bran)
A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale
Slave
Lady
Consort
Queen
The Safeword series, intense BDSM contemporary romance
Safeword Rainbow
Safeword: Davenport
Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon
Safeword: Quinacridone
Safeword: Matte (Sam and Ethan Levi’s story, we first meet Frisco and Cassie)
Safeword: Matte – In Training
No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon
No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After
Safeword: Arabesque (Frisco, Cassie, Abbot, and Cam’s story)
Safeword: Mayday (TBA)
Check out other books by Candace Blevins at candaceblevins.com.
Keep reading for an excerpt from, McGyver.
McGyver Excerpt
Iris Wendel, daughter of an uber-billionaire control freak, is on a rebellious path. With her college days coming to an end and her trust fund on the line, it’s time to make some changes. But when she drives her roommate to a party at the RTMC compound, the gathering of rugged, sexy, dangerous biker werewolves changes everything for Iris.
Face-to-face once again with the only woman he’s ever loved, Danny “McGyver” Franklin refuses to let Iris slip through his fingers this time. He’s no longer the poor, backwoods redneck from her past. McGyver’s a man now — strong, confident, relentless, and a valued member of the RTMC.
Iris knows Danny is her soul mate, but she
’s terrified her father will destroy him all over again. Danny’s playing for keeps, and he’s not about to let anything — or anyone — come between them, especially not Iris’s overbearing father. In a showdown for power and control, can McGyver and his wolf show them who’s boss and hold on to the woman they’ve always loved?
Chapter One
Iris couldn’t believe her roommate asked to be dropped off at a motorcycle gang’s compound. Her dad refused to allow for an apartment, and this was the problem with living in a university dorm — your roomie was a crapshoot. However, Kelsey had spent two hours helping Iris with her stupid mathematical models assignment the night before, so the least she could do was give her a ride.
“Pull into the compound and roll your window down,” Kelsey told her. “I’ll let them know you’re just dropping me off and then you’ll leave. I’ll get someone to bring me home, but if you ever need to pick me up, you’ll need to pull into the restaurant across the street and tell one of the bouncers you’re here to get me. They’ll either radio so you can get me at the compound, or tell me to walk across the street to you.”
“You’re sure you’ll be safe? These guys are rough.”
“They’d never hurt me, and they won’t let anything happen to me on their watch. It’s a different world, but they aren’t evil. They just play by their own code.”
Iris rolled her window down halfway as she turned into the compound, and a gruff looking man peered in her car. Kelsey leaned across the seats. “She’s just dropping me off. Can she get me closer to the door since it’s raining? Or do I need to get out here?”
He scowled. “Here. Got too much going on right now to let strangers close to the buildings.”
“Okay. Not a problem. She’ll just hang a U and leave.” Iris looked at Kelsey. “Thanks bunches. I should be back by noon tomorrow, but don’t worry if I’m not. Some of us might decide to do something together.”
McGyver went wolf still. A scent hit him he hadn’t smelled in… too long. Not long enough.
His heart slowed. His predator drive kicked in. He was in the guard shack, out of the rain, watching the prospect. Two people had to man the gate, but no sense in both getting wet.
However, he didn’t even notice the rain when he stepped out of the shelter and stalked to the car. Freckles got out and he slid in. Iris jumped and gave a little yelp, and then shook her head as if she were seeing things. “Danny?! What the fuck!”
The sound of her voice was like a punch to the gut, and he could fully breathe in her scent, sitting so close. “Drive to the restaurant, Blueberry.”
The nickname just slipped out. She had crystal clear blue eyes, ringed by a deeper blue that made his heart hurt. He hadn’t looked her in the face yet. He’d have to work up to that. Merely smelling her had him wrecked.
He leaned across her to talk through her window. “Prospect. Tell control I’m at the restaurant and you need backup.” He sat up straight again but still didn’t look at her. Dozer came out of the clubhouse door and started walking towards them, so he was free to leave. “Iris, roll your window up and drive.”
She rolled her window up but didn’t take her foot off the brake. “I ruined your life. You must hate me.”
Her fear smelled rancid, like rotting fruit. Rage spiked through his veins, and his wolf wanted to growl and snarl. The man was equally pissed, but he had to handle her with kid gloves. Being angry with her for being scared wasn’t going to help the situation. He made sure his voice was soft and low.
“Your daddy fucked with my life. Not you. I won’t hurt you.”
“You’re still bossy.”
Her fear dissipated. Not gone, but no longer rank. He chuckled. “Drive, Blue.”
His wolf settled a little when she pressed the gas and turned the wheel, but then rose again when she told him, “I’m not going into the motorcycle gang’s restaurant with you. You want to talk, we’ll do it on my turf.”
He suppressed a grin. She still had her spunk. “Not a problem, but I’ll pay. I’m not a kid without resources anymore.” She made a right turn onto the street, and he finally looked at her profile, with the lights of the city flashing through the window as she drove. She was still beautiful enough to make him have to remember to breathe. “It’s a motorcycle club, Blue, not a gang.”
“Kelsey said you aren’t evil, you just have your own rules.”
He started to ask who Kelsey was and realized she must’ve been talking about Freckles. He’d fucked her a few nights earlier, and a few nights before that. He hoped to hell that wasn’t going to cause a problem.
“How close are you and Kelsey?”
Click to continue reading McGyver.
About the Author
Candace Blevins has published more than fifty books. She lives with her husband of twenty-two years and their two daughters. When not working or driving teens all over the place, she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming. The family’s beloved, goofy, retired racing greyhounds are usually at her side as she writes, quietly keeping her company. Or, sometimes not so quietly.
Candace writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary BDSM romance, and two kick-ass motorcycle club series.
Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, and a variety of other mythological beings exist.
Candace's two paranormal romance series, The Chattanooga Supernaturals and The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, are both sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.
Her Dark(ish) Faerie Tale series gives us a close-up and personal look at Queen Mab, and her Dark Underbelly series is, as you’d expect, dark and (if you’re a little twisted) oh-so-yummy.
Her contemporary Safeword series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle.
You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com and feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy excerpt.
Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list!
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