by Anna Lowe
“She mentioned something about a cousin of hers…” he said. Cynthia hadn’t revealed to anyone she was that cousin, and he sure as hell wouldn’t be the one to blurt it out.
Cynthia paled. She pulled her hands into her lap and fiddled with them while her eyes flashed.
“What cousin?” Connor barked.
Cynthia’s eyes locked on Dell’s, and he waited, letting her decide whether to reveal the truth or not.
“I’m not sure how significant that is,” Dell said, buying time when Cynthia didn’t respond.
Finally, Cynthia waved one shaky hand. “I’m sure it’s not.”
Dell nodded. Okay, he got the message. Her secret was safe with him. But the rest of what Moira had said applied to everyone, and he had to share that part.
“The thing is, Moira knows we’re here at Koakea, just like she knows about the guys next door.”
Cynthia frowned deeply, looking in the direction Joey had gone.
Anjali glanced around nervously, as did Hailey. Connor, Tim, and Chase all bristled as if Moira might be hiding just down the road, ready to pounce.
No one seemed quite ready to speak their mind, so Dell cleared his throat and took it from there. Connor and Cynthia might be the ruling alphas of this powerful shifter pride, but he sure as hell could lead too.
“Yes, Moira knows we’re here. And yes, every indication is that she’s doing her best to spy on us. But will she strike here?” He looked over the peaceful plantation grounds. They’d brought the place so far along in the past few months, and it made him sick to picture a vengeful she-dragon coming along and ruining it all. Then he thumped a fist on the table hard enough to make the silverware jump. “No. She wouldn’t dare. At best, she’s sent a few of her henchmen our way.” He stuck his hands up at Tim’s sharp look. “I know. That’s been bad enough, but we’ve beaten them every time. I doubt Moira will ever dare make a personal appearance here, though. She’d have to have a hell of a vendetta on someone.”
“True,” Connor agreed. “I doubt she would.”
Dell watched Cynthia carefully, but her face was inscrutable.
“You never know,” she murmured.
Dell doubted the others heard. Anjali was cooing something soothing to Quinn, and the others were sending their own muttered curses at Moira.
For the briefest moment, Cynthia’s eyes locked on Dell’s. Eyes full of…respect?
He shot her a cocky little grin, and she grimaced.
Don’t ruin the moment, Mr. O’Roarke, she practically sniffed.
Dell hid a grin. No, he wouldn’t. He would just add it to his collection of all the wonders in life.
“Anyway,” he said before the others caught on. “It’s easier for us to monitor Moira than for her to monitor us. So as long as we keep her spies off Maui and keep an eye on Moira—”
“Silas is on it,” Connor filled in. “Believe me, he’s on it.”
Dell nodded, satisfied. Silas could be counted on, every time.
“As for us, we need to stay alert and do what we came here to do,” Dell said. “We continue to run the tightest security anyone has ever seen. We fix up the plantation and make it our home. We take care of each other like every good pride does.”
“Clan,” Connor corrected.
“Pack,” Chase murmured.
“Whatever.” Dell grinned. It felt good to hit a lighter note again. “The point is, we live our lives, and live them well. And if Moira does dare come along…”
Everyone tensed, and the air grew very still.
“…we end her,” Dell said grimly. And he meant it. The next chance he had to kill Moira, he would. But he didn’t want to end a beautiful evening on a note like that, so he circled around to nicer thoughts and looked into his mate’s eyes. “Like I said, we do what we came here to do. We live our lives, and live them well.”
Anjali’s eyes sparkled, and his heart warmed.
Hailey reached for her glass. “Now that is worth a toast.”
The others all broke into smiles. “I’ll drink to that,” Tim agreed, and they clinked glasses.
Connor raised an eyebrow — a sure sign that some teasing was coming, whether Dell liked it or not. “So, are you really staying in that house along the creek? With the baby and all?”
Dell looked at Anjali, who nodded firmly. They’d had a long talk about that too. “We figure it will take some work, but we can babyproof the place.”
“Seriously?” Connor challenged.
Dell pointed at his friend. “Hey, you’re the one who lives on a cliff.”
“I don’t have kids.”
Dell laughed. “Yet.”
Connor opened his mouth to protest but closed it again when he caught sight of Jenna shooting him a sultry wink from a distance.
“Maybe not yet, but someday,” she called.
Dell laughed and leaned back in his chair, keeping his arm around Anjali. He leaned in her direction, savoring her scent.
“Yeah, man,” he said to Connor. “You’ll be coming to me for dad lessons. Just you wait and see.”
“Connor diapering a baby. This, I have to see,” Tim joked.
Everyone laughed, and conversation drifted to other lighthearted topics. Dell sat close to Anjali, running his chin over her shoulder, caressing her arm…and wishing he could caress more. It didn’t take long for the wish to become a yearning and then progress to a burning need. Finally, he stood, taking Anjali’s hand.
“Well, it’s been great, but I think Quinn needs a bottle.”
“Not for another hour or so,” Anjali said, missing his point. God, he really had to teach her to read his thoughts.
“Well, she needs a diaper change,” he insisted, pulling Anjali to her feet.
“Really?” She looked perplexed. “I didn’t think so.”
Dell rolled his eyes. Then he sent a series of steamy images into her mind — images of all the fun things they could get up to in the privacy of their own home. Finally, Anjali caught on, as her flushed face gave away.
“Oh, wait,” Anjali said. “She definitely needs a new diaper.”
“Perfect. And since Cynth volunteered to clean up—”
“I did no such thing,” she protested.
Dell made his best sad puppy face. “Aw, come on, Cynth.”
The dragon shifter pursed her lips. “Perhaps just this once. Since you have so many responsibilities to fulfill.”
“Oh, we do,” he agreed, grabbing Quinn’s things. “See you later, everyone.”
Joey and Jenna were just coming back, and Joey looked disappointed that Dell was leaving — until Dell gave him a high five and announced in a stage whisper, “Meeting of the Super-Secret club at six, okay? Don’t tell anyone.”
“Okay,” Joey whispered back, loudly enough for everyone to hear. “At the clubhouse.”
“Don’t forget the plutonium,” Dell added just to see what Cynthia would say.
Sure enough, she shrieked, “The what?”
Dell hid a laugh while Anjali whispered in his ear. “Do you ever show any mercy?”
He ran a hand over her rear. “We shall see. We shall see.”
Behind them, Jenna chuckled, and when Connor protested, she swatted his arm. “I remember a certain someone being a lot like that when we first got together.”
Dell turned to make Quinn wave — just in time to see Connor dipping his hand low over Jenna’s back. “I remember no such thing. But I do think we ought to go, uh…check that cliff. For safety reasons, I mean.”
Dell grinned as he walked down the stairs with Anjali. From the sound of it, the other couples were about to make quick exits as well. And finally, he understood what he’d always shaken his head at before. The burning, insatiable need for his beautiful mate had hit him out of nowhere, and his inner lion wouldn’t stop until he’d made her feel good — really good — again and again.
“Oh,” Anjali said in a sultry whisper. “I like the sound of that.”
He did
a double take. Maybe she could read his mind.
She winked. “Could come in handy, you know.”
And with that, she sent him her own suggestions for everything they could try. He could see it already — Quinn babbling happily at the mobile they’d set up over her crib in the next room. The creek quietly bubbling past. Fresh air wafting through the open doors, stirring the curtains lazily. Him and Anjali, naked and wrapped around each other in bed…
She sent him one more image, this one of her on top, naked but for the pearl.
He tugged her closer as they walked. Yes, my mate. I like the sound of that too.
Epilogue
One month later…
Anjali turned away from the plantation house with a pang of regret, not quite ready to leave Quinn. She even turned back, but Cynthia shooed her away. “Off you go. Don’t worry. Joey, Quinn, and I are all set.”
“We’re making puzzles,” Joey announced, tickling Quinn’s foot. He loved being the big kid and had long since put Dell’s fears about jealousy to rest.
Cynthia nodded. “We love puzzles. Don’t we, sweetheart?” she cooed to the baby.
Quinn babbled, pulling at Anjali’s heart despite her happy tone. Was she really doing the right thing by leaving her daughter with someone else? Earlier, she’d been thrilled with her plan to surprise Dell while he was out on patrol. But now that she actually had to say goodbye…
Cynthia laughed. “I know the feeling. But I guarantee you, Quinn will be fine.”
Anjali took a deep breath, taking in the view. The sun was setting over the ocean, lighting up the sky with brilliant streaks of color. Still, her focus was on the sight of someone else holding her daughter. In part, the idea made her feel guilty, but otherwise, she smiled. When she’d first met Cynthia, the dragon shifter had started out on the frosty side. Which was good in a way, because Dell had needed that push to meet the challenges he’d faced. But more recently, Cynthia had revealed her softer side.
Are you kidding? She doesn’t have one, Dell had grumbled once.
He was kidding, and they both knew it. Cynthia was amazing, both as a leader and as a loving mom. The latter extended to Quinn in a way that made Anjali guess Cynthia wished she would have been able to have more kids. But Dell had told her as much of Cynthia’s sad story as he knew. The dragon shifter had lost her mate, which meant she would be alone for the rest of her days.
Forever? Anjali had blurted.
Even Dell had sobered at that. Forever. Shifters only get one shot at their destined mates.
Anjali hadn’t said anything, but she’d noticed the way Cynthia looked at the sunset and sighed, not to mention the way her cheeks flushed when the other couples flirted or kissed. That, and the fact that whenever a motorcycle roared by on the distant road, her head turned in hope. Anjali couldn’t help thinking it through. What if Cynthia had been mated, but not to her true love? The woman was a stickler for duty, and she came from a noble, pure-bred family line. Wasn’t it possible that Cynthia’s mate was still out there somewhere?
Dell had laughed outright at the suggestion of Cynthia hooking up with a biker type, but Anjali wasn’t sure. Of course, she had no idea if she could do anything about it — except maybe maintain hope. And if a tall, dark stranger ever showed up asking for Cynthia…
She shook herself a little. That was probably not in the cards tonight, and she’d better get moving if she wanted to surprise Dell. But someday…
She called back to Cynthia. “Thanks so much. It will just be about an hour.”
Or two, her inner lion hummed in a sultry tone.
Ever since Dell had given her the mating bite, that inner voice had grown louder and more insistent. When she’d shifted for the first time, the beast had roared thunderously. It was a good thing there were no human neighbors close enough to overhear the sound. But, man. It was hard to keep the beast reined in.
An hour, maximum, she ordered. Even her mellow mate had insisted she keep strict control of her animal side.
You have to show her who’s boss, Dell had said the first time she shifted. Keep those animal instincts in check. Then he’d winked and rubbed up and down her side. Of course, some instincts are good…
Her body heated just at the memory. Dell in human form was temptation on a stick. But Dell in lion form… She fanned her face as she walked away from the plantation house. He was pure muscle, and all of it rippled when he moved. His whiskers were long and stiff, and every time he nuzzled her, he gave her lioness all kinds of wicked ideas. His mane was an absolute dream to rub against, and she loved ducking back and forth under his chin, letting it scrub her neck and back. He was huge too — a full head taller than her on four feet. And while a hint of his laid-back nature came through when he was in animal form, there was something downright regal about his lion too.
Interesting, Tim had murmured once. He didn’t use to be that way before.
Before what? Anjali had asked, confused.
Tim had grinned and given her a friendly tap on the shoulder. Before you.
She’d blushed at that. It was nice, knowing she was a good influence on Dell. And Dell was a good influence on her. She’d stopped waking up in the wee hours of the morning, dreaming she was late to work. The number of entries in her planner had shrunk to a mere handful — per week, not per day. She’d learned to spend hours at the beach or by the creek with Quinn without fretting that she ought to be doing other things.
Like what? Dell had demanded, looking adorably blank at the suggestion.
She’d laughed outright. Yes, he’d been a good influence, all right. Like Quinn. Being a mother had helped her slow down and smell the roses — and lord knew there were plenty of those on Maui, along with gorgeous orange-and-purple bird-of-paradise, silky-sweet plumeria, and stands of magenta-hued bougainvillea she loved.
Stop and smell the lion, her inner beast grumbled. Come on. We’ve got a mate to track.
She walked extra slowly in the growing darkness despite the urge to shift, just so her animal side remembered who was boss. Once home, she stripped. Yep — she stripped down to nothing, right out there on the terrace beside the creek. That act had felt terribly naughty the first few times she’d done it. But the cool evening air felt so good on bare skin, and there was no use shredding perfectly good clothes, right?
Once she was naked, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She’d shifted a good dozen times already, but never without Dell around.
We can fix that, her lion said. Shift and we’ll go find him.
She wiggled her toes over the flagstones, picturing claws digging into the ground. Rolling her shoulders, she imagined herself striding along on four feet. Then she sniffed deeply, inhaling the salty night air.
Yes, her lion rumbled. Let me out.
She pictured leaping and bounding in a way she could never manage in human form. That was sheer freedom, and it was accompanied by a surge of power that came with being in lion form. Then she pictured nuzzling Dell’s mane and—
Unconsciously, she dropped to all fours and arched her back, starting to sway the way Dell had taught her to.
It’s like yoga. Stay loose and relaxed. Just let your lion come.
The first time she’d shifted, she’d been terrified that it would be agony, but Dell was right. The more relaxed she remained, the more naturally the change came.
Her skin prickled, and her calves stretched the way they might if she were doing a lunge. Her shoulders grew tight, and her ears felt a pull, as if Quinn were tugging on them from the upper corners. Then she opened her mouth in a huge, soundless yawn, letting her teeth extend. And finally—
Anjali blinked a few times, staring at her paws. Once again, her shift was over before she expected, and there she was, a lion. She shook out her fur and sniffed the air a little timidly. What if she couldn’t find Dell? He was out patrolling, and the estate was huge.
Her lion rocked back, sticking her rump in the air while lowering her head to stretch. As if I
would miss my own mate. She swiped her tail, startling Anjali, and took off through the underbrush. Her thick fur made her immune to the scratch of branches, and her bare paws were tough enough to handle the roughest terrain.
He’s right over…there, the beast announced, homing in on him.
Anjali nodded. Not only could her lion scent Dell over to the north, she could sense him there too, the way she’d been able to since…well, from the very start. Maybe even from the day they’d met. In some ways, everything before mating was a blur to her now, because her life had become that much richer.
Not far now, her lion hummed, slowing down.
Her eyes narrowed, and every nerve tingled with the thrill of the hunt. When Dell had first tried to explain that feeling, she couldn’t understand. But now that she could shift and experience hunting for herself — wow. What a rush. Her heart pounded. Her breath hushed. Her steps grew silent and careful. Darkness was falling rapidly, but her whiskers quivered, telling her Dell wasn’t far.
Wait. Her lion hissed, crouching.
It was only a game, but the buzz she got from sneaking through the dark was unreal. That hint of danger activated all her instincts, making her feel incredibly alive.
A twig snapped to her left, and she turned, glad for her heightened vision. Her human eyes might only have seen a lighter patch in the cloak of night, but her keen lion vision detected the outline of something low, long, and graceful.
Dell, she nearly called. A good thing she’d been learning how to mask her thoughts from him, or he would have turned and laughed at her outright.
But Dell’s focus was trained on the outer perimeter of the property, not the inside, and rightly so. The outside world was full of danger and intrigue that could visit their peaceful corner of paradise any time. There were rogue shifters, like Brody. Old enemies, like Moira. New foes she didn’t even want to imagine yet. Anything was possible.
Still, it was hard to feel anything but cocky on a night like this. Dell was out patrolling, as were Tim and Hailey, both in grizzly form. Later on, Connor and Jenna would take over, and the shifters of Koa Point — bears, wolves, tigers, and more dragons — would as well. That, and the warm glow in her soul that told her tonight wasn’t a night to fear so much as to enjoy.