At Risk
Rogues Shifter Series Book 9
Gayle Parness
Copyright At Risk © 2020 by Gayle Parness
Copyright A Stubborn Heart Excerpt @2018
by Gayle Parness
All rights reserved.
No part of At Risk or A Stubborn Heart may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
For my Rogues and Readers and Listeners who wait so patiently for the team’s adventures to unfold.
I’ll try to do better. ;)
Gayle
Contents
Foreword
At Risk
1. Jackie
2. Winter
3. Jackie
4. Charlie
5. Jackie
6. Winter
7. Charlie
8. Jackie
9. Charlie
10. Jackie
11. Charlie
12. Jackie
13. Charlie
14. Jackie
15. Garrett
16. Jackie
17. Winter
18. Charlie
19. Garrett
20. Jackie
21. Charlie
22. Jackie
23. Charlie
24. Winter
25. Jackie
26. Charlie
27. Jackie
Epilogue - Charlie
A Stubborn Heart Excerpt
Also by Gayle Parness
Connect with Gayle
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Dear Rogues, Readers, and Listeners,
At Risk picks up where Spinning Out, book 3 in the Triad Series, leaves off. If you haven’t read Spinning Out, you may be surprised by several situations in the first few chapters of At Risk. If you’d like to read the book with all the backstory, please contact me at:
[email protected]
and put Spinning Out Code in the subject line. I’ll send you a code or a link where you can download the book for free.
Book 10 in the series will release in ebook and audio format in 2021.
Thank you for following the Rogues Team and their continuing adventures.
Gayle
At Risk
Rogues Shifter Series Book 9
Gayle Parness
1
Jackie
An enormous shadow passed overhead, the wind from the huge leathery wings blowing my hair in all directions. My tee shirt lifted at the hem, showing more skin than I felt comfortable with, at least standing here in the heart of Cascade with four of the fae elders and several other High Seelie citizens nearby. Fortunately, they weren’t looking in my direction. Their gazes pointed skyward like mine, finding it impossible to look away.
Charlie and King Finvarra rode on the backs of dragons, swords drawn, magic pulsing as they sparred. Magnificent males were as common as demi-fey in Faerie, but those two might as well have had spectacular etched across each of their chests, bare at the moment.
Several fae females in the vicinity sighed longingly, whether for twenty-year-old Charlie or his ten thousand-year-old companion was uncertain. The king was no slouch in the looks department and he handled a dragon as if he’d ridden one often in the past.
“Your son is warrior born. He will defeat many of our enemies.” Lady Jorrenn patted my arm, maybe in consolation. What mother wants to be constantly reminded that her son would be putting himself in horrible danger in months or weeks or even days? But then Lady Jorrenn had raised Farrell, a warrior of the first class, and Kellaine, Liam’s mate, a capable fighter and also a brilliant magic user. But neither of her children had ever been tested in battle.
Maybe Lady Jorrenn had been comforting herself as much as me.
The world darkened again as the pair of dragons grew closer, their incredible wings shimmering on the underside as much as the top. These creatures were not a part of Darwin’s discovered plan of evolution. The blue beast Charlie rode had been fashioned by Naberia, then convinced to accompany him to the Mortal Realm and eventually to make a home in Faerie, along with several others of his kind. The dragons were happy here in Faerie, but they missed the rest of their clan, left behind in the Demon Realm.
Charlie steered his ride onto a grassy plain that hadn’t been there ten seconds ago. The king’s golden creation hovered a few feet above the ground, allowing him to slide over its back and drop easily into the grass. It flew off in the direction of the distant cliff where its mate waited patiently.
Charlie crawled down the scaly yet shiny shoulder and leg of the magnificent blue tinged creature who’d agreed to carry him, then spoke a few phrases of thanks in an ancient language Fin had taught him—a ritual when dealing with dragons. My skin prickled with fae magic as my son and his magnificent mount stared at each other for a full minute, probably carrying on some kind of mind to mind conversation.
The dragon nodded. I wasn’t sure the nod of a dragon meant the same thing as a nod from another creature, but Charlie seemed satisfied by the gesture. The dragon launched its massive body into the air, flying toward her new home in a mountain range Fin had created near a body of water Fin had also created, his armored body glowing under the Faerie sun.
After watching her fly off, my son turned to face the spectators, the pride and confidence in his stance and expression warming my soul. Months ago, I could barely get him to move out of his porch chair to eat a meal. Now, after his trip to the Demon Realm to rescue his uncle and the first meeting of his war council, Charlie was acting like a leader the fae and the other creatures he’d gathered to his side could follow. They respected his power—it was unique, and off the charts—but after many wars in their history with the citizens of the Demon Realm, the fae were wary about following a young male who hadn’t proved himself. The king was his staunchest supporter, but Fin wasn’t a despot. His people would follow his orders because they loved and respected their king, but he couldn’t force his people to trust an untested mixed breed supe without a few reservations.
Charlie’s birth father had been a powerful fae lord, the king’s youngest son. Add that to my cheetah shifter and high octane demon bloodline, Charlie’s magic was operating on a thousand cylinders. Like chocolate and peanut butter, the combo created something amazing.
Charlie grinned at the crowd, but to my surprise, he walked straight toward me, bestowing a sweet kiss on my forehead along with a gentle hug. “Hi, Ma. Wasn’t Indigo awesome?”
He’d named the blue dragon Indigo. Not exactly original but his newest friend hadn’t protested.
He scanned the skies. “Is Jay back yet?”
“Jay?”
“Yeah. He convinced Matomato to give him a chance to prove his courage and stamina. If Mato thinks he’s cool, they’ll be a fighting pair.”
“How did you come up with the name Matomato?”
“Jay liked it. It means green in Maori. Also, there’s this character in the video game Jay’s obsessed with named Matomato.”
“Does the dragon know he’s named after a character in a game?”
“Not sure, but hey, that character is kick-ass.”
“I’m sure you two know best.”
“His other suggestion was Kale. Don’t ask.” Charlie’s expression flipped to worried. “I’m sorry we don’t have one for you.”
I laughed. “A Maori or vegetable name?”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “A dragon.”
“A kelpie princess has agreed to be my mount. I’m more the earthbound type anyway. Are you sure King Ryland is okay with being dumped for a dragon?”
“He’
s fine with it. Plenty of other High Seelie Fae are lined up for the privilege of riding the Kelpie King. It’s good to have a mix of aerial forces along with cavalry.”
“What about Aedus?”
“He’s practiced on several dragons. Trying to find one that suits him.”
“I’m not surprised. I can’t imagine Aedus being satisfied with a kelpie while you and the king fight on dragons.”
“Not to mention Brina and Jay.” A slow smile spread across his face at the mention of Brina’s name. “Have you seen how she handles Scarlet? They’re a perfect team.”
“I’m happy for you, baby.”
“Will you ever stop calling me baby?” Charlie grumbled.
“When Sasha stops calling me Mistress.”
“Then never.”
“I could call you smartass or…”
“I’m almost twenty-one.”
I heard this on a daily basis. “Petition me again when you’re forty.”
He gave me a scrutinizing glance. “How are you feeling these days? Any murderous twinges?”
“Not toward you.” I couldn’t help but glance in Aedus’s direction. He was speaking to his grandfather, the king, probably about Isaiah’s scheduled visit in a few weeks’ time.
I’d suggested bringing my demonic mentor to Faerie to meet with all the elders and some of the other High Seelie, but a certain fae faction was against the idea. Vehemently against.
However, Finvarra always had the last word when it came to Faerie and Isaiah was Fin’s oldest son, a fact only recently discovered. Even Isaiah hadn’t known the truth.
“I’m glad to hear I’m officially off your hit list,” Charlie joked. “Now you can go home.”
“Liam thinks I should work for a little longer on my control before moving back to where demon magic is more accessible.”
Several months ago, I’d been kidnapped by a group of blood witches running experiments in mind control. Naberia herself had orchestrated the kidnapping, then spelled me with blood magic to kill my son. With Isaiah’s training and my own stubborn motherly will, I’d kept myself from following her insidious orders. Since then, Fin, Charlie, and Liam have put together their own spell, delivering it to me in a daily potion. It doesn’t taste great, and I definitely don’t want to know what’s in it, but it’s kept my mind from straying to thoughts of stabbing Charlie.
Almost as devastating, Naberia’s spell took away my access to my cheetah, and try as they might, no one had so far found a way to help me reconnect with the animal I shifted into. So these days I concentrated on my demon powers and tried to let my cheetah rest. She wasn’t gone. Just sleeping. When Naberia was dead, the spell would be crushed and my cheetah would return to me.
My heart continued to believe that was true, despite the empty hole where she’d rested that could only be filled with a four-legged sprint and a feline purr.
My demon magic was stronger than ever, even here in Faerie for some odd reason. I’d learned to fuel my natural healing abilities with magic from the demon ley lines and had grown in strength as a warrior as well. In Faerie, my magic should have been at its weakest, but not in my case. Even Isaiah couldn’t figure it out.
“Don’t look a gift house in the mouth.” Isaiah had teased a few days ago.
“It’s don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“I must have been thinking about the Carmel Villa. Sorry.”
“We have not gifted you the Carmel Villa. You can live there rent free. For now.”
“For now?”
“You must have a few diamond tiaras you can pawn to buy your own home in the Mortal Realm.”
“But they make my eyes sparkle.”
I’d thrown my bagel at him. He’d caught it and taken a bite.
Garrett, my lifemate and my heart, came up behind me. “You’re looking good enough to eat.”
“No nibbling in public.”
He lifted the back of my tee shirt a few inches. “I noticed a spot during the dragon induced breeze that looked like it could use some attention.” Soft lips brushed across my lower back.
“Garrett…” I wiggled, but he caught me around the waist to keep me still. Hoping no one was watching, I pulled down my shirt with a hard tug. Garrett laughed against my skin, ducking out from under the hem, using his fingers to brush back his messy hair as he smiled.
Garrett’s sapphire-shaded eyes sparkled in the fae sunshine. I loved having him here in Faerie with me, only he had work to do back in Crescent City. The team was wrapping up a kidnapping case. This time, the birth father, a sorcerer, had taken his leopard shifter child out of state without informing his ex-mate. The mother and her new husband were frantic and came to the Rogues Inc team for help. The human police couldn’t be brought into a case that involved magic or supernatural citizens.
I stroked his cheek with the flat of my hand. “Are you going back soon?”
“Tired of having me around?”
“Never.”
“Ha.”
“Well, practically never. When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow, I think. Kyle found the birth father’s hideout through some credit card purchases and Ethan has been watching the residence. That cougar is born to be sneaky.”
“Tell me about it.” Ethan and I trained together when I first found out I was a shifter and not human. He wasn’t as fast but he was an amazing tracker and had the ability to hide and the patience to sit for hours observing a scene.
“Then you’ll have to go back and lead the team.”
“I do. But Liam’s coming back to Cascade, so you won’t be on your own.”
“I don’t need a nanny.”
“He won’t interfere. And he won’t spy. I’ve done you many an injustice by not trusting your abilities. In case you haven’t noticed in the twenty years we’ve been together, males of my type need to feel we’re in control.”
“I believe it’s crossed my mind. But just so you know, the master vampire/alpha shifter mix really gets me going.” I winked.
Garrett laughed and a few heads turned. “Je t’aime, mon ange.” He kissed me, long and lazy, and I didn’t care that others might be watching. But when he pulled away, his gaze was anxious.
“What else do you have to tell me? Is it Charlie?” I asked. At the moment our son was back and speaking to Lord Argon, another of the Cascade Elders and Brina and Kaera’s father. Lord Argon nodded, pulling at his short beard in thought. Aedus scowled in their direction. The Isaiah question would be coming before the Cascade Council this evening.
“Charlie has a plan,” Garrett whispered conspiratorially.
“Hmm. What is it this time?”
“He thinks he and Isaiah should wrangle a few more dragons from the DR.”
“Fin can create more.”
“With war coming Fin has too much on his plate. Even the King of Faerie has to rest once in a while. Naberia’s dragons are ready-made.”
“So Charlie intends to step into the fire and come back without getting crispy.” I hated the idea of my son going anywhere near Naberia’s realm.
“He’ll be with Isaiah. And Charlie knows his way around the DR.”
“This is Scarlet’s doing, isn’t it?”
Scarlet, the leader of the dragons who’d come back with Charlie and Isaiah from the DR, was Brina’s favorite. She’d gone with Charlie on that rescue mission, and she and Scarlet had hit it off.
“Scarlet wants to reunite her draconic family.”
“I get it, but to expect Charlie to risk his life when we’re about to be attacked doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“I agree.”
I linked my arms around Garrett’s neck, stepping closer. “Have I told you recently that I think you are the most intelligent of all vampires?”
“I don’t believe you have. Would you like to do so now?”
“Your head is swelling.” I placed a flat hand on either side.
“Not only my head.”
“Tease.�
��
“Vixen.” Garrett’s sexy grin warmed more than my heart.
Charlie and Brina appeared by Garrett’s side. “You two have to cut it out. You’re not teenagers anymore,” Charlie said, sounding like a middle aged male.
I barked out a laugh. “When I was a teenager, your dad was over two hundred years old.”
“Your mother was an adorable, yet irritating child.” Garrett tugged on my ponytail.
“I’m taking back what I said about your intelligence.”
“Sorry, but the memory of you admitting to my superior intellect will always remain locked away.” Garrett tapped his temple. “My brain is like the internet. Nothing disappears.”
I placed a fist on my hip. “I think your brain may have crashed.”
“Mom.”
I turned toward my irritated son. “Hm?”
“Did Dad tell you about Scarlet and Brina’s idea?”
“He touched the surface. I’d like to hear more.”
“Great.” He and Brina locked gazes for a moment before he turned back to me. “Brina and I will meet you after the council meeting, okay?”
“That’ll be fine.”
Charlie kissed my cheek, guy-hugged his dad and disappeared in a poof. I glanced around. Brina had also disappeared.
“With Charlie grown, maybe we should think about adopting a child.” Garrett said out of the freakin’ blue.
I froze in place. “What?”
“You’ve lost some of your color, my love.”
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