Holden's Mate (Daddy Dragon Guardians)

by Meg Ripley

  “I’m going to be here in the morning,” Seth promised.

  Sera buried her face against his chest, nuzzling in as close as she could. “I feel...good. For the first time in a long time.”

  “Me, too.”

  The regular beat of his heart lulled her to sleep, despite the persistent flashes of lightning. The storm faded from her awareness until she was lost in the darkness, warm and tired, past the point of dreaming.

  It felt like she’d only visited this twilight land for a few seconds before a crashing boom shattered her peace and pulled her into a seated position. A second and third crash followed in rapid succession, and Sera knew it wasn’t thunder.

  “Get down,” Seth whispered, pushing her back to the mattress. He shielded her body with his, his breath hot and rapid against her cheek.

  “Are those gunshots?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is somebody shooting at the house?”

  “It sounds that way,” Seth said grimly.

  Panic pierced her like a dagger of ice. Would they just keeping firing at the house? Or would they break in and try to finish the job?

  “Where’s my phone? I’m calling the cops.”

  “The cops aren’t going to help,” Seth whispered in the silence between shots. “They’ll make sure they won’t get here in time.”

  “Nobody will stop those maniacs from murdering us?”

  “We’re going to get out of here.”

  “How?” Sera asked.

  “I’ll be the distraction. You just focus on getting to the car.”

  “And leaving you here to be shot?” Sera shook her head. “No. No way. Nope.”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “I’m not going to leave you to get shot.”

  “Okay, get under the bed. Don’t move until I come and get you.”

  “What the hell are you going to do?” Sera demanded.

  But he was already gone. She slid off the bed and under the mattress, praying that he didn’t get his fool head shot off. “Not now, Lord. Not when I’ve just barely found him.”

  She didn’t know him well enough to say she was in love with him, but the thought of never seeing his bright gray eyes again made her stomach roll and heave.

  An eternity passed while she waited. The gunshots grew sporadic and then stopped altogether. “Please be a good sign. Oh please.”

  The bedroom door slammed open and from her perspective, she could see Seth’s bare feet. She sighed with relief and began to shimmy from beneath the bed. Her relief was quickly replaced by terror as the lightning revealed his statuesque body covered in dark splashes of blood.

  “S—Seth?”

  “Run.”

  “What?”

  “Run!” he roared as his body morphed into a long, lean wolf. The shout turned into a howl, his eyes twin discs of silver, his long, wicked teeth descending from his massive snout. Sera forced her numb legs to work, running past the wolf and into the night’s angry maelstrom.

  5

  Seth ran hot on Sera’s heels. She heard him growling and barking through the downpour, but she didn’t look down, didn’t let anything distract her from the goal of reaching the car. She’d grabbed her purse as she fled the house, and she had her keys in her hand before she reached the lock. As soon as she flung the door open, Seth jumped inside, soaking the seat with his giant muddy paws. Sera barely noticed. He was still growling at unseen assailants, and Sera couldn’t tell if they were still firing shots or if the constant, teeth-rattling explosions were just booms of thunder. She had no intention of sticking around long enough to find out.

  The engine roared to life and she threw the gearshift into drive and stomped on the accelerator. The tires spun for a moment, unable to get any traction against the slick pavement, and then they lurched forward. It wasn’t easy to stabilize the wheel as she careened into the street, but she got it under control by the end of the block.

  “Do you want me to drive?” Seth asked from the passenger’s seat. She was never going to get used to how quickly he could shift from man to wolf and back again.

  “No, I’ve got it. Are you hurt?”

  “I’m alright. This isn’t my blood.”

  “How many of them were there?”

  “It was hard to tell. I took out two and I could hear at least two more. Maybe three.”

  “Do you think they’re following us?”

  Seth turned his head and peered through the darkness behind them. “I don’t see anything, but we’re getting the hell out of Portland.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Yakima.”

  Sera frowned, rolling to stop at a red light. “Washington? What’s there?”

  “My pack. The Wolf Brotherhood is territorial. They’re unlikely to follow us once we’re out of their area.” He checked over his shoulder once more, but their tail was still clear.

  “I can’t go with you to Yakima. I have stuff to do here. You know, like selling Aiza’s house, solving her murder; important things.”

  “They are important things,” Seth agreed, “but you’re not going to be able to do anything if you’re dead. The attack tonight...it was just a warning. Next time, they’ll shoot to kill.”

  Sera swallowed hard. He did have a point. She wasn’t going to be any help to Aiza if she was shot and buried in a shallow grave. But running all the way to Yakima? That might put her out of the reach of the Brotherhood, but it also put her investigation at a distinct disadvantage.

  “Pull over at this gas station,” Seth instructed.

  “No. You’re naked and covered in blood. If anybody sees you, they’ll call the cops. Do you feel like trying to evade the police tonight?” Sera asked.

  “Not particularly, no. But you don’t know where we’re going.”

  “Well, tell me.”

  “Get on I-5 North. We’ll stop after we clear the city.”

  Sera nodded her head in agreement. Her heart was only now returning to its normal rate, and her breathing had almost normalized as well. She’d never been shot at before, and now that she had time to really think about how close she’d been to death, her hands shook. She ignored the trembling for as long as she could, focusing on navigating her way through the rain and traffic, but the shaking didn’t stop. If anything, it grew more intense, sending mini-earthquakes through her limbs until her teeth were chattering.

  Seth leaned over and a placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. The heat and strength she felt in his grip did provide a modicum of comfort, but she’d never been so close to her own death. It was difficult enough to wrap her mind around her sister’s mortality—coming face to face with her own in such a sudden, violent way was almost too much to deal with.

  “We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” Seth promised in a low, urgent voice.

  “I know.”

  “And I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  They drove in silence until Sera exited the freeway for a mostly empty truck stop. The gas station had some T-shirts and golf shorts, and she grabbed a change of clothes for each of them, as well as plenty of salty and sweet comfort food, water, and a case of beer she intended to crack into at the first opportunity. When Seth emerged from the bathroom in his tourist clothes, he should have looked silly, but instead he made Sera forget everything as her mouth watered for him.

  The T-shirt was at least a size too small and it hugged every chiseled line of his rock-hard abs. The shorts showed off most of his legs, and even though he went into that bathroom naked, it was as if she’d never seen him before.

  Is this how it’ll always be? Will I always be surprised by the sight of him? It seemed more than likely, as now she knew he felt and tasted as good as he looked.

  “I’ll drive.”

  Sera handed him the keys and crawled into the back seat. She didn’t think she’d be able to sleep, but she appreciated the chance to lie down.

  “How f
ar?”

  “A little over two hundred miles. It’ll go by quickly, especially if you can take a nap,” Seth promised.

  He turned on the classic rock station, and Sera stretched out in the backseat, the songs carrying her mind to Aiza and the long summers they spent in the backseat of their father’s Chevy, sometimes reading or coloring in compatible silence. Sometimes that silence would erupt in outbursts of shouting or even violence—they’d both resorted to hair pulling if necessary—and then their father would threaten to pull over and give them both a spanking they’d never forget. Such a warning would be enough to calm Sera, but Aiza never knew fear.

  The road lulled her to sleep, but the memories didn’t stop. They just rolled into dreams. Dreams of a dark-haired girl who stared at the moon with a look of unbelievable longing. Wouldn’t it be great if we could run? If we could run with the moon?

  “Sera, sweetheart, wake up. We’re here.”

  Here was a squat cabin surrounded by trees near a river. She could hear the running water, but she couldn’t see it through the darkness. He took her by the arm, guiding her over the stone path and to the front door. They stepped into a cool room, the interior as modern as the exterior was rustic.

  “Lights. Low.” The room was flooded with a warm light as soon as he spoke, revealing a plush leather couch and recliner, rich hardwood floors, a fireplace with a marble mantel and dark mahogany tables. The television was large, but not excessively so, and his movie collection lined one wall while his books dominated the other. It was cozy. Sera could see herself getting quite comfortable there.

  “Have a seat,” Seth said, gesturing at the couch. “I’ll make some coffee and then I’ll get you caught up.”

  Sera nodded, still groggy, and stiff from lying in the same position for too long. She curled up in the corner of the sofa, resting her head on the back and dozing off until a gentle hand nudged her awake.

  “Maybe we should talk tomorrow,” Seth said, passing her a steaming mug of perfectly prepared coffee, just the way she took it. “You still look as tired as I feel.”

  “What about your pack mates. Are they okay?”

  “Chen will be fine. Tony…”

  “What about Tony?”

  “We don’t know where he is,” Seth stated grimly.

  “Did Chen escape without him?”

  “Escape?” Seth shook his head. “He doesn’t remember being caught. He said he woke up in the woods and figured he must have been mugged. He claims he has no memory of what happened to Tony or who attacked them. The police have no physical evidence that there was an attack.”

  “So...what happened?”

  “Nobody knows. I went to where they found Chen to try to pick up Tony’s trail, but he’d been wandering around for a couple of hours at least. Maybe even a couple of days. There wasn’t any trail to follow.”

  “Well, we have to go back to Portland.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no? If Chen was there, Tony is probably still there. He could be hurt. We have to find him.”

  “Of course. I will go find him. You will stay here.”

  Sera blinked at him. “What does that mean? Are you kidnapping me?”

  “I’m protecting you. The Brotherhood won’t follow us this far into Washington. I’ll search for Tony and box up the rest of your sister’s house.”

  “I can’t just not go back to Portland.”

  Seth stared at her with a look of disbelief. “They shot at you. Repeatedly. Isn’t that enough of a hint for you?”

  “What am I supposed to do?” Sera demanded. “Let my sister’s murder go unsolved?”

  “Sera, I know this isn’t easy for you. I know you want there to be an answer, something that makes this tragedy make sense. But maybe it was just an accident.”

  “Now you sound like them,” Sera said coldly. “What about everything we know? Hell, would the Brotherhood be trying to kill me if it truly was just an accident and they have nothing to hide?”

  “Okay, say you’re right and they’ve implicated themselves by targeting you. Are you willing to go to the cops with that information right now?” Seth asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Why do you want to paint a target on your back?”

  “Because they can’t just get away with this!” Sera exploded, finally fed up with the whole conversation. She’d buried her sister twice now. She wasn’t about to bury her a third time by dishonoring her memory. “They can’t murder a woman and just get away with it. How is that...how can you live in a world like that?”

  “I can live in a world where crimes go unsolved. It’s terrible. It’s brutal. But it’s the world we’ve always lived in.” Seth took her hand, his thumb moving over her knuckles. “What I can’t do is live in a world where you are dead. If keeping you alive means you hate me, I can live with that, too.”

  Sera sat, stunned into silence. She didn’t doubt his sincerity. She also didn’t want to argue with him anymore. But she felt broken, sick in her heart. He took the seat beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her against him. She melted into the embrace, thankful for his warmth and the solid reality of his body.

  “Besides, I’m not going to give up.” Seth promised. “I’ll keep looking for clues while I pack up the house. And I’ll follow up with that woman who agreed to speak with us. I’d just prefer if you stayed out of harm’s way.”

  “So you’re asking me to stay here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why not just send me on home?”

  “I’d like to get to know you better. If you don’t mind staying…”

  Sera couldn’t imagine herself leaving. In that moment, she tried to picture returning to her call-center job, her single-serving life, her bleak apartment, and she just couldn’t do it. She didn’t even feel a twinge of desire to—how could she when his arms felt like home?

  “Where will I be sleeping?”

  “Allow me to show you.” Seth stood without warning, sweeping Sera up into his arms. She laughed with surprised delight, her arms wrapped around his neck as he carried her through the living room and up a short flight of stairs.

  The cabin’s bedroom was a loft over the living space. A massive four-post oak bed dominated the center of the room and it looked so soft and inviting, all she wanted to do was sink into it for the rest of her life. He lowered her to the plush mattress and smiled as she stretched and rolled over the soft faux-fur blanket, suddenly feeling too constricted by the gas-station wardrobe.

  “Help me get this off,” she said, tugging at her T-shirt. He gently slapped her hands away and yanked the material over her head, pulling it hard enough to rip. He tossed it aside without a second glance and pulled her shorts off. He moved like he couldn’t wait to get her naked again, and the heat from his gaze made her flush pink from head to toe.

  He made short work of his clothes and then he was there, between her legs once again, his heavy-lidded eyes turning her insides to goo. She opened up to him, hooking her feet over his hips and pulling him in close. He positioned himself at her opening and slid into her without another word, filling her with a slow thrust. She caught her breath, almost unable to process the sudden difference in her world. Her flesh burned and stretched around the intrusion, her nerve-endings already singing for more.

  Sera twitched and trembled, cupping the back of his head and dragging his mouth down to hers. Once their tongues touched, he started to move, rolling his hips against her. Her hands moved down his back, nails dragging against his skin as she clutched at him, pulling him closer, holding him tighter. She kissed him until she had to break away for air, and the musty scent of their coupling filled her head, making her dizzy.

  His body was still so new to hers, and she was so sensitive to his touch, that it didn’t take long until she was shuddering with pleasure. That didn’t stop him, though. He shifted his angle, thrust into her with his determined strength, and a scream tore from her throat. Another followed,
and another. He smashed his mouth to hers, muffling the sound as they flew over the final edge together.

  6

  Seth’s cabin was beautiful, and he told her to make herself at home, indicating that nothing was off-limits while he was away. She was welcome to explore the rooms, his book and DVD collection, cook anything she wanted in his well-stocked and fully modern kitchen, or even go for a walk as long as she remained on his property. It was all very generous, and of course she was happy to be with him and glad to be protected from the Brotherhood, but she still felt like a bird in a cage. Perhaps a gilded cage, but a cage all the same. She knew that she wasn’t his prisoner, and yet, she was his captive, willing though she may be.

  Sera had nothing to distract her from her thoughts of Aiza. At least when she had the task of packing and cleaning the house, she had something to focus on. Also, her time was running low. She had a life, a job, and a house to get back to. A friend of hers was watering the plants and feeding the fish, but she couldn’t remain on vacation indefinitely. Despite her restlessness and sadness, she found she wasn’t actually looking forward to going home. She placed her calls and delayed her return home for another week, giving herself two more weeks with Seth.

  Her days might have been boring, but her nights were full of passion. It was like Seth couldn’t get enough of her, and she certainly hadn’t had her fill of him. Every touch ignited her senses, every kiss made her hungry for a thousand more. When she lost herself in his arms, it was hard to remember that the rest of the world existed. Hard to remember there was anything but the sense of satisfaction and safety and pleasure that he gave her.

  Stephanie arrived on the seventh day of her stay at the cabin, bringing a much needed break to the monotony of her time there. She also brought two big sandwiches, beer, and an update on their hunt for Aiza’s killer.

  “You must be going crazy here all by yourself,” Stephanie said, cracking open a can. She held it out but snatched it back as Sera reached for it.

  “What?”

  Stephanie studied her with a frown. “Your scent is...off.”