Big Bear Mountain - The Complete Series

by Bianca James

  “Not so fucking tough now, are ya,” she spat at him as he screamed in agony alongside his two incapacitated buddies.

  Looking panicked but not enough to run, the last gang-banger standing pulled a menacing .45 semi-automatic from the waistband of his pants and held it gangster style, pointed at her head.

  “Not so tough, now, are ya … biatch!”

  Gun! Shit! That’ll stop ‘em farting in church.

  She quickly realized that her ‘defense against guns’ training didn’t really apply when the gun wielder was too far away to disarm. But she wasn’t going to get shot and be left bleeding to death in a dingy back alley. Feinting left, she switched to the right and moved toward the gun toting prick who was trying to rob her of what little she had left.

  Typical damn male, was the last thought she had when the gun fired with a deafening roar and burning sensation flared on the side of her head.

  As she fell, she thought she heard someone say “fuck me”, but it wasn’t one of her attackers. The voice was coming from inside her head. And the voice wasn’t her own — it was a man’s voice.

  Then the darkness swept over her as she hit the cold, hard pavement.

  Chapter 6

  Declan

  Taking in the scene, Declan wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at. Three squealing, bleeding humans on the ground, one crazy eyed gunman who looked like he was high and a tall woman collapsing on the ground with a fine mist of blood still lingering in the air.

  No … not just any woman. The magnificent, statuesque woman from the diner. His woman.

  With a blood curdling, thunderous roar, Declan shifted into his dragon, his bulk immediately filling the narrow alley as he leapt toward the cowering mugger, his long razor sharp teeth gnashing and his maniacal eyes blazing ferociously.

  Petrified with fear and disbelief, the mugger didn’t even get a shot off before the dragon reared up on its hind legs and prepared to snap its horrific jaws together on the puny human. But somehow, his flight response kicked in and in an adrenaline fueled burst of energy, the would-be dragon snack scurried toward the safety of an adjoining alley, leaving his fellow gangsters to their fate.

  Declan’s dragon instinct urged him to chase down the human prey, which he could have done with ease. But his human was so overcome with anxiety for the woman, that he abandoned the chase and ignored the three other men, who, by now, had become unnaturally silent with fear, despite their hideous injuries.

  Quickly shifting back to his human, Declan knelt alongside Olivia and cradled her in his arms. He could see her name embroidered on her uniform.

  Such a beautiful name.

  “Olivia! Olivia! It’s alright. I’m here, now,” he said urgently, but in a soothing tone, not wanting her to come around only to see a crazy ‘dope peddling biker’ yelling at her.

  Taking the hem of her dress, he extended his index finger and allowed it to shift into a reptilian claw with a razor sharp tip. He used it to cut a strip of her dress before it once more returned to a normal human finger.

  As best he could, he tried to clean up the blood on her face which was still flowing from her bullet grazed ear. It was only a flesh wound, but it was bleeding profusely and was sure to hurt like hell when she woke up.

  That’s going to leave a nasty scar.

  Seeing one of the shiny flick knives glinting on the pavement, Declan reached for it, causing the nearest wide eyed and wounded gang-banger to shuffle out of range, leaving a wet patch and the rank smell of urine in his wake. Using the blade to pierce the tender flesh on the underside of his wrist until the blood flowed freely from the cut.

  He directed the blood flow to Olivia’s ear and allowed his blood to completely cover the rather large gash where a part of her ear had once been. Almost instantly, the flesh on either side of the gash began to grow, healing the ugly void within seconds. It was as if the scorching hot projectile had never passed through her ear at all.

  “Now you won’t feel a thing. You’re as good as new. Better than new,” he whispered despite knowing she couldn’t hear him.

  Chapter 7

  Olivia

  She was dreaming. A forbidden dream that could never become a reality. At least not for her. Cradled in the powerful, protective arms of her man. Not an ounce of fat on him as her head nestles against his granite like abs while he soothes her with gentle fingers on her scalp and a soothing voice.

  “You’re going to be OK, Liv,” she heard him coo in tone that belied his muscular frame.

  She hated that name with a passion. For as long as she could remember she hated being called ‘Liv’, but hearing him say it, she wanted that name, her name, coming from his lips forever. She would never tire of it.

  The dream quickly faded. She opened her eyes. Then squeezed them shut again before opening them one more time in the hope that the dream would be banished once and for all. But he was still there. The itinerant biker was cradling her and soothing her head with his magic fingers.

  “What the hell are you doing?” She tried to sit up but her head threatened to explode, so she lay back down in his lap.

  “You mean apart from saving your life, running these bangers off the block and patching up your ear?” He gave her a cocky grin.

  “I had it all under control until —”

  “Until he pulled a .45,” Declan interrupted sharply. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I didn’t think —”

  “No you didn’t! You could have been killed!” He hadn’t meant to sound so hostile, but his human emotions were getting the better of him.

  Anger boiled within her and Olivia pushed past the pain to sit upright. “And just who do you think you are to talk to me like that. Like it’s any of your business.”

  Raising her hand to her ear, it came away bloody but she couldn’t locate the source of the blood that coated her uniform. Strangely, she felt no pain, either. Other than the ringing in her ears from the gunshot and a thumping headache from her head hitting the pavement, she was unharmed by her ordeal.

  Looking around, she realized that they were alone.

  He chased off the guy with the gun? And the others, too? How?

  “There’s nothing wrong with me, so get your filthy paws off me and let me get up, you creep.”

  “Let me help you up, at least.” He held out his hand to help pull her up from the ground.

  “I can manage,” she snapped at him. There was no way she wanted him to know just how heavy she was.

  As she stood, she started shivered from the cold. Or the shock. Without hesitation, he removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders in an effort to keep her warm. His tightly fitted T-shirt hugged every sculptured muscle on his impossibly wide shoulders and his thick, robust chest. Olivia couldn’t take her eyes off him, drinking in every sinew and fiber of his heavily muscled, lean frame, all the way down to his sexy-as-hell narrow waist.

  “Do you want me to take the shirt off, too?” he asked with a shit-eating grin across his divine, ruggedly handsome face.

  “Tickets on yourself much, mister?” She rolled her eyes.

  “Declan.”

  “Hey?” she quizzed.

  “My name. It’s Declan and it’s been my pleasure to save your life this evening.” He bowed mockingly, smiled and said, “I’ll be here all week and don’t forget to tip your friendly waitress.”

  As she gaped at him, unsure how to respond, he did something totally unexpected. Something she never saw coming. Something she wouldn’t have dreamed of, not even in her wildest dreams.

  Chapter 8

  Declan

  Dragons aren’t emotional creatures. Sometimes they’re not particularly rational, either. They’re driven purely by their needs. The need to hunt, mate and protect. So, it was his dragon, or so Declan told himself, that took control in that moment. It was his dragon that stepped forward in a moment of pure madness, wrapped his massive arms around his beautiful mate and crushed his lips to hers in a
possessive kiss that laid claim to her.

  As strong as she was, Olivia was no match for the hard bodied, lean Declan whose muscles flexed against her squirming protestations, stilling her with little effort as his mouth opened and his tongue sought hers. With a sigh, Olivia capitulated and he soon found his tongue dancing rhythmically with hers as he plundered her mouth, tasting every part of it like a beast marking its territory.

  His hands roamed her voluptuous body freely, exploring her. Enjoying her. Claiming her. Finally, he took her butt with both hands and pulled her against him, grinding the length of his cock against her adorable belly.

  “Hey!” she cried, breaking their kiss. “What’s that about?” She looked down at the unmistakable outline in his jeans that seemed to run the length of his thigh.

  Declan laughed. “If I have to tell you that, then this could be a very interesting evening.”

  “Oh, you’re a comedian, too? Very funny. So you think you can play the hero and get a bit of action for your trouble, do you? Is that a thing with you, is it? Maybe you go for the big girls because you think they’re more desperate or something?” She tried to shove him away, but her hands struck his unyielding chest, coming to rest on his granite like pecs.

  Declan took a half a step back to give her some space. He had no desire to intimidate her.

  “Is that what you think? I couldn’t be attracted to you? I couldn’t have nearly killed that filthy little scrote for what he did to you?”

  “Guys like you aren’t interested in girls like me. Not unless they’re really hard up for some tail or they want your money,” she countered.

  “I’m not ‘hard up’ as you put it and I’m doing just fine financially, thanks for asking.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.” She looked him up and down.

  “Oh, and how much are you bringing home in tips from the diner, then, Miss High and Mighty?”

  As soon as he said it, he wished he could take it back. She was so frustrating and he just argued back instinctively. He hadn’t meant to fight with her. Quite the opposite, in fact.

  “I’ll walk you home. Come on.” Without waiting for her to accept his offer, he turned and started walking decisively in the direction she appeared to be heading when he first saw her.

  Picking up her purse from the pavement, Olivia straightened her dress as best she could and started to follow.

  “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. Or judgmental. I’m sorry,” she called to him as she quickened her pace to catch up. “I don’t get a lot of male fitness models wanting to stick their tongue down my throat, you know?”

  “I wish.” He paused and turned around.

  “Wish what?” Olivia asked as she drew alongside him.

  “I wish my life was that simple? Male fitness model, hey? Really? That’s the best you can come up with?”

  “So, why don’t you tell me your story, then?”

  “How far are we walking?”

  “Two blocks,” she replied

  “That’s nowhere near long enough. Tell you what, you tell me your story, first. I’ll tell you mine another time,” he offered.

  “Oh, so you think there’ll actually be another time. Bit sure of yourself?”

  As they walked, Declan listened attentively to every word that came from her stunning, kissable lips. He could have listened to her talk all night. By the time they reached her apartment, his human heart ached with pain for her and what she’d been though. His dragon wanted to tear to pieces the prick who fucked with his mate, slowly, while the bastard was still alive and screaming.

  Chapter 9

  Olivia

  For the first time since she moved into the cramped apartment, Olivia wished it was further away from the diner. She hadn’t told anyone the full story before. Shame and humiliation have that effect. If you don’t tell, nobody will ever know what a fool you’ve made of yourself. It had worked well, up until now.

  But, somehow, she actually wanted to tell Declan how she’d fallen for a hot ‘bad boy’ who made her feel sexy, desirable and much loved. He didn’t give her that look her friends gave her when they found out she was seeing him. That look that said ‘watch out because guys like him don’t fall in love with girls like you’.

  As much as she wanted to spend time with him and get to know him, she wouldn’t allow herself to entertain such thoughts. There were some risks that just weren’t worth taking and trusting another guy with her heart was one of those risks. Even if it meant not waking up next to his handsome face and to-die-for emerald green eyes just one time. Her heart nearly missed a beat at that thought, but she quickly quashed it.

  No way was she going to let him get her guard, or anything else, down. She had decided long ago how she was going to live the rest of her life and sharing any part of it or anything else with a man did not feature in her plans. Especially someone as dangerously good looking as Declan.

  “So where did all that blood come from,” she asked to distract herself from her irksome thoughts. She reached up and touched her ear. “I can’t feel anything, just lots of crusty blood.”

  “Maybe I did a good job patching you up. I wouldn’t worry about it, I’m sure some of that blood was from the guy who’s face you smashed as flat as pizza. Nice elbow strike, by the way.”

  “Thanks. That’s still a hell of a lot of blood though.” She shook her head, unable to come up with a reasonable explanation.

  “I looked you over pretty good and the only thing you need is a good clean up,” Declan suggested.

  “We’ll see what some warm water and disinfectant reveals, then. Anyway, this is my building.” She said as she stopped outside the run-down apartment building. “Maybe I’ll see you at the diner again sometime?”

  “Oh, there’s no ‘maybe’ about that.”

  “Thanks again for coming to my rescue tonight.” She leaned into him and kissed him on his stubble dusted cheek, pausing for a moment to savor his musky, masculine scent.

  Chapter 10

  Declan

  While he remained poised and respectful as she kissed his cheek, careful to keep his arousal from brushing against her, his dragon, inflamed by her proximity wanted to shred her clothes from her body and pleasure her in ways she’d never imagined before mounting her and giving her and taking her like the dragon mate he knew she could be.

  Declan won out and kept his dragon in abeyance. For the moment at least, but he wasn’t sure how long either of them could resist. Their need for her was insatiable and frenzied. A connection existed between them like nothing he’d experienced before and his dragon felt it, too. Maybe more so, which was dangerous, he knew.

  “I have to go,” he said hurriedly, looking at his watch, like he’d forgotten some important appointment at one o’clock in the morning.

  As he turned to walk back to his bike, he asked, “When are you at the diner again?”

  “In five hours,” she replied, also looking at her watch and frowning at the thought of only sleeping for a few hours before another shift.

  Declan was about to suggest she not take the shift, but he thought better of it and somehow knew the advice would be both unwelcome and unheeded. “See you for breakfast, then.”

  He walked back the way they had come, not daring to look back. He knew his dragon was fighting to emerge and he feared he wouldn’t be able to control it such, was his total captivation by this perfect woman, even though she was a human.

  He’d seen her in battle. She was fearless and strong. There were female dragon shifters who would think twice before going head to head with an armed gang of thugs in a dark alley. Her body was a work of art. A true masterpiece. Glorious curves to hold and caress. Robust enough to enjoy the roughest dragon mating rituals. Large enough to handle the size of his dragon shifter manhood. She was perfect. She was his perfect mate and he found her in a cheap diner. He never expected that when he walked in there, in search of food after a night of hunting.

  The bond he felt with her, even from
that first moment was electric and beyond reason. He’d never believed in destiny, fate or any of that type of nonsense. Dragons didn’t know such concepts. These notions were steeped with emotion, something dragons weren’t equipped to understand or deal with. Their rigid social structure and customs made emotions irrelevant and it had been this way throughout the ages.

  But, she was a free spirit. That much was clear. She showed no interest in him and he had to practically force her to return his kiss. Even as an emotional human, she showed no sign of feeling the special bond between them, as he did. No, she was a single girl and a damaged one at that. Her life plan was to stay alone and not couple with a mate. Ever.

  Dragons mate for life. Once they form a bond with the mate chosen by the Elders, they are bonded forever. The mating rituals which form the sacred bond have worked for centuries and are well documented in dragon lore. However, Declan clung to the notion that there might, indeed, be some truth in the ancient legends which told of dragon shifters taking a human mate.

  It suddenly occurred to Declan that her being damaged and not wanting to take a mate was the least of his problems. He’d been so focused on her and her issues that he’d forgotten one critical factor that could be the showstopper to end all showstoppers.

  What’s she going to say when I tell her that I can turn into an enormous fucking dragon?

  Chapter 11

  Olivia