Two Kodiak grizzly’s surrounded the human. They stood between him and the cliffs edge, pawing hungrily at the ground.
Wyatt could see them now. Even from a distance, with the icy snow that half obscured the landscape, Wyatt would recognize those bears anywhere. His brothers had arrived.
The man backed away from the edge. He clung onto the woman’s body, looking around him wildly. The polar bear was fast approaching from behind him, and there was nowhere left to run.
He placed the woman on the snow, lifting his arms up in surrender. One of the bears launched themselves at him, knocking the man down and pinning him to the ground. He was wearing a balaclava and black mountain gear, unrecognizable to the bear that surveyed his face.
Wyatt arrived and shifted back into human form in agony. His shoulder blade had practically been torn from his body, and his chest was mutilated and seeping with blood. Unconcerned with his own injuries, he flung himself down to Haley, picking her up with the less damaged of his arms. He cradled her to his chest.
“Haley? Haley? Wake up, baby – wake up.”
His voice was low and urgent. His fingers gently caressed her sleeping face, willing her eyes to open. He held her tighter, thinking about how cold she’d be.
Colton had shifted back into human form, and was tying the man – knocked out cold, to the back of his snowmobile. Tucker remained as his grizzly, pacing the ground as he waited for a sign of life from his brother’s mate.
“Baby, please wake up…I need you Haley, don’t leave me.”
Wyatt knew that the amount of chloroform needed to knock her out for this long, could also do permanent damage, or kill her… and the baby. He could hear a faint pulse at her neck, but it seemed to be fading, not strengthening.
“I love you Haley, I don’t want to do this without you.”
Her eyes fluttered open. Wyatt’s heart constricted, waiting.
“Wyatt?” she murmured, “I’m so cold.”
He almost laughed in relief. He held her closer, trying to project as much of his body heat into her as he could.
“I know baby; we’re going to take you home now. You’re safe. It’s going to be okay.”
She nodded gently, her eyes not really focusing, and eventually they fell shut again.
“We need to get her back, now,” commanded Wyatt, “I don’t think I can shift again. Tucker, take her on your back – run like hell to the house. Colton – call Hannah, get her to my place.”
“What do you want to do with this?” Colton gestured to the man. He’d removed his balaclava, exposing the face that none of the group recognized. “I think he’s a gun for hire,” said Colton.
“We’ll tie him up in the basement for now, then get him to Joe. I recognized the men back there – this is Simeon’s Pack.
“We’re going to war.”
Wyatt lifted Haley’s body onto the back of his brother, ensuring she was lying flat to benefit from Tucker’s body heat.
“Take her home,” he said, “you’re carrying the most precious thing in the world to me. Remember that.”
Tucker growled loudly in understanding and set off swiftly down the mountain.
Chapter nineteen
Little blob was officially named Leila Dubois. She was born on the first day of March, a happy, healthy baby that weighed six and a half pounds. The moment she’d opened her stormy grey eyes and waved her impossibly small fist in the air, Haley had loved her with every fiber of her being.
Wyatt couldn’t hide his pride and joy at being a father; he would gaze for hours at Leila, carry her around the ward whispering sweet nothings into her ear, telling her how he would take her and her mother on the seaplane and they’d travel for miles across the ocean, watching the sun set.
From the moment that Haley had found out she was pregnant, she’d expected to give birth in an anonymous Manhattan hospital room, the only visitor perhaps being May-May. The idea had saddened her; she had no family left in the world, and given her job, she had travelled too much to form many tight friendships.
Leila’s birthday couldn’t have been more different from what she’d pictured. Wyatt was with her the entire time, driving her to Hannah’s clinic when her water broke, never leaving her side for the twelve hours they had to wait until Leila was ready to emerge into the world.
Then the visitors came; her new family. Tucker was the most awkward, tentative about holding Leila until Wyatt sat him down and forced the infant into his arms. He’d quite obviously melted at the sight of her, and held her like a precious jewel. Haley would never forget what Tucker did for her when he carried her home for miles on his back that day – not once jolting her, keeping the cold at bay. She would be forever grateful to him.
Hannah and Colton were avid fans of Leila; every spare moment Hannah had was spent in Haley’s room, holding the baby, cooing at it softly. She would also cluck around Haley like a mother hen, and the two women had become inseparable.
Drake also came by to visit, holding on to a wild eyed boy who didn’t speak much, but who clearly loved Hannah – gazing at the Doctor intently whenever she was near. He was also a gem with Leila – a born baby soother, holding on to her tightly whenever she cried, almost instantly stemming her tears. It was remarkable.
The only person she missed was May-May. She had called her a few hours after giving birth, but not been able to get through.
At last, Haley had been sent home. Wyatt insisted on carrying both her and Leila out to the truck, which already had a baby seat strapped in the back, and a catchall filled to the brim with baby paraphernalia.
“Have I ever told you what an amazing man you are, Wyatt Sterling?” Haley announced; surveying the car and recognizing all the effort he’d gone to. He was going to make such an amazing father.
“Spurred on by my incredible mate,” he replied wryly, “I was very average before you came along.”
Haley snorted with derision. Yeah, right.
“So, I’ve got a special surprise for you when we get home.”
“What?” Haley cried, “Wyatt – you’ve been completely spoiling me, you’ll just bring out the high maintenance monster within me; we discussed this – remember?”
“I do remember,” he retorted, “and I told you I could more than handle it. So hush. If I want to spoil you, I damn well will.”
Haley rolled her eyes and laughed.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“That I am. How’s Leila?”
Haley smiled softly at the little girl in her car carrier.
“She’s fast asleep. I think she likes car rides.”
“Good to know,” replied Wyatt, smiling, “but we’re home already.”
He pulled into the driveway.
“Are you warm enough?” He asked Haley as she stepped out of the truck.
“Why – are we going on a trek? I’ll be warm inside.”
“I want you to follow me, come.”
He took Leila in his arms and took Haley by the hand. They walked down to the water’s edge, and further along to the other side of the house.
Where there had been nothing but grass and an old outhouse used to store coal and firewood, there was now an absolutely enormous glass and wood building that resembled a large atrium.
Haley looked over at Wyatt in disbelief; she couldn’t understand what it was.
“Go in!” He laughed at her, gesturing toward the door.
She opened the glass door and stepped inside.
The heat hit her in unrelenting waves, and Haley was transported to an exotic, tropical jungle.
Palm trees of various types and sizes surrounded a large, shallow pool covered with bright pink lotus flowers. Every available surface was covered in tropical plants; gaudy Anthurums, Birds of Paradise, bright red Ecuadorian roses, perfectly white and waxy Gardenias, Musas, Calatheas, Orchids of various colors, the list went on. Haley could do nothing but stare open-mouthed as she gazed on with wonder.
“It’s home fit for a F
lamingo, isn’t it?” Wyatt asked quietly.
“You did all this for me?” Haley’s voice cracked. She could barely get the words out.
“You and Leila, my two favorite Flamingos, yes. I know you were worried about living here all year round – and for Leila’s sake too. This will be your warm spot, I will always promise you summer, Haley, even in the dead of winter.”
Haley turned to him, tears building up in the corners of her eyes. She was speechless with gratitude. She could only fling her arms around him, thanking her lucky stars for Wyatt coming into her life.
“I love you Wyatt,” she whispered against him.
“I love you too, baby.”
“This is perfect,” she broke away, encompassing the magnificence of the room with her gesture.
“Do you think May-May will approve?”
“What?” Haley asked.
“May-May. She’s on the first flight out tomorrow, I thought you might want some help with Leila – you know, like a grandma-type thing.”
“You did that, too?”
“Shit, yes – is that okay? I thought you would like her being here…” Wyatt stumbled into silence. He couldn’t read Haley’s expression.
“I don’t know what to say. You’ve made me so happy, Wyatt. Everything about you…everything you do for me…”
Wyatt exhaled with relief. “Haley – let’s not forget I almost got you killed. I love doing things for you, and I have a lot to make up for.”
“That’s complete bologna – you saved me. Not just from Simeon’s men, but from being unhappy, alone and without a family. I have all that now – and it’s because of you.”
Wyatt cupped her jaw with his hand, holding Leila gently between them. He bent down and kissed her lips, the softest, sweetest kiss that held so much promise of the life that lay before them.
THE END
TAKEN BY THE DRAGON
STORY DESCRIPTION
Over a decade ago, Alisa was a rebellious teenage runaway with fond memories of the day she spent with Matt, another runaway, especially the part when he quietly confessed that it had been the best day of his life.
Now, years later, Alisa is alone in the Nevada desert on a clear, starlit night when she witnesses an eerie scene. The moon becomes eclipsed by a fierce battle between horrifying flying creatures that appear to be... dragons?
The next thing she knows, as per dragon law, having seen too much Alisa is sentenced to death.
Fortunately, a strikingly sexy male dragon shifter whisks her away in the hopes of saving her from the dragon clans demanding her extermination.
Imagine Alisa’s surprise when she discovers her handsome rescuer is Matt.
With the two of them on the run together like old times, will a spark of attraction be fanned into flames of desire?
More importantly, can Alisa’s handsome dragon save her from a deadly fate?
Chapter One
The blares and bings—along with a grown man’s cheers—snapped Alisa’s attention to the side right as someone won the jackpot on his slot machine. People gathered around him as the man in the tropical floral print shirt and flip flops danced and jabbed his fingers in the direction of his machine.
If only casinos would be that kind to her…
Well, despite losing most of her money in this place, at least she currently stood next to a cute guy who seemed to enjoy flirting with her. She certainly enjoyed flirting with him. In her best red dress—with a sweet alcoholic beverage in her hand—she smirked with appreciation; things weren’t perfect, but they could be much worse.
She returned her focus to Mr. Cutie beside her.
That was when she noticed him dropping something in her drink.
Alisa stumbled back, her arm immediately swiping up to push the guy away from her. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What?”
Rage, twisted by betrayal, seared through her. “You put something in my drink, you bastard!”
“What? No I didn’t.”
“I just saw you.”
“You’re being paranoid, sweetheart. I’m not perfect, but I don’t think I deserve that.”
She raised her glass eye-level. Two different sets of bubbles jittered up to the liquid’s surface; one set was a natural part of the drink, the other clearly not.
Clenching her teeth, she threw the drink right in his too-cute-to-be-true face.
He reeled back, flailing his arms out like a baby bird adjusting to its new wings. “The hell is your problem, bitch?”
“People like you. You’re lucky I was the one who noticed what you did and not my friends, because if they witnessed what you were about to do to me—” She turned to search for the group of close friends she came with. They all partnered together on this impromptu trip to Vegas like the fun-loving sisters-from-different-misters they were. Once she gave them the okay, they would swarm like hornets and give this criminal a piece of their mind.
Except… she didn’t see her friends anywhere. Maybe they were near the slot machines, or drinking themselves stupid. They probably didn’t even know she was still here, let alone that she had been on the verge of getting drugged.
Alisa’s heart shattered, her perception of her close friends quickly warping. The criminal was still watching her, pink fruity drink dripping from his expensively highlighted hair, so she honed in on her anger and sneered at him. “Get away from me before I call the cops.”
The guy raised his hands in mock-surrender and backed away. “Fine. I don’t need this.” Then he lowered his hands and walked away, his expression contorted with irritation.
Tears stung at the back of Alisa’s eyes. The empty glass in her hand felt heavier than it actually was, and she let herself sag forward. Looking around for her friends one last time confirmed that they were nowhere to be seen and either didn’t know or didn’t care that she wasn’t with them.
But…to be fair…she hadn’t exactly been paying attention to them either.
In the center of a crowded casino, people still gathering to congratulate the jackpot winner, Alisa felt completely alone.
She walked away, setting her glass on the first flat surface she came across. On the way out, she grabbed a security guard and stopped him to tell him about the guy who nearly drugged her, before she headed for the exit.
Taking one of the rental cars, Alisa drove around the city awhile. The neon lights, sounds, sights—she had thought they would distract her from her sense of loss, but instead, they served to aggravate her senses. It was too much—too noisy—and she still felt alone.
She drove outside of the city—through the desert and headed toward the mountains. In her rearview mirror, the city was a flashing beacon of multicolored lights. Sin City. It seemed lovelier from a distance. Ahead was the clear night sky, sprinkled full of stars and a waning moon. The soft white light reflected off the dirt and sand, making it appear to glow.
Alisa rolled down the windows to let the chilly night air of the Nevada desert fill the car. The chill slowly numbed her flesh, and calmed her heartrate. She inhaled deeply. Now this was soothing. Funny…she had never taken comfort in nature before- or the cold.
After fifteen or twenty minutes, she parked on the side of the road and opened up the car’s sunroof. She leaned her seat back so that she could gaze at the stars, the cool air fluttering around her as the occasional gust of wind blew by.
Why was she here? In the middle of nowhere with friends who weren’t really good friends? Alisa’s heart twisted. She had thought her life was fine before tonight. Sure, she’d been through some troubled times when she was younger. She’d partied hard, experimented with a lot of things and with a lot of people, and gotten into trouble with her parents and with the police more than a few times. In fact, she’d had to transfer from high school to high school until she finally graduated with a relatively clean record.
Her father got her a job cleaning offices through his company so she could earn some college money, but she end
ed up dropping out of college and working full time as a janitor. When her parents weren’t too happy about her choices, she rented herself a cheap apartment with a few of her friends. Working as a janitor was a stress-free job, and afforded Alisa enough downtime and decent enough pay to allow her to go out often, and have fun. Like tonight.
The thought deepened her frown. Tonight hadn’t been so fun.
Roaring winds caused her to startle and turn to her left squinting into the darkness. Dark clouds swirled in the distance, and they moved at a rapid pace. Must be a storm. A huge, nasty, fast-moving storm, from the looks of things.
Suddenly, the clouds sharpened and swooped toward the ground.
Alisa’s brow furrowed. A strange tornado?
The clouds shot up, twirled, separated, and then collided into one another. Alisa had no idea what to make of it, and she wracked her brain trying to think of a logical explanation for this strange weather phenomenon.
Fire bursts shot between the clouds. The brief bursts of light illuminated the clouds revealing their true identity. And they were not clouds.
Alisa’s breath caught in her throat, her body going limp. Fire continued to shoot in bursts between the two figures, and each time, she caught more details. Nope, they were not clouds. Definitely not clouds. They were monsters of some sort. Scaly skin, snake-eyes, massive mouths with long, razor-sharp teeth, leathery wings…no…it couldn’t be.
Stunned, Alisa got out of her car to get a closer look at the monsters dancing in the sky. The longer she gawked, the more she came to terms with the sight before her.
Dragons.
Not possible. This isn’t real. This can’t be real. She repeated the phrases over and over again to herself, unable to comprehend the sight before her.
And then the dragons twirled and crashed against the ground, their massive bodies tumbling rapidly toward her.
There was no denying it anymore.
BOX SET: Shifter 4-Pack Vol 2 (Wolf Shifter, Dragon Shifter, Mafia, Billionaire, BBW, Alpha) (Werewolf Weredragon Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection) Page 42