Mate For Hire: For Hire Series - Book 3

by Tressie Lockwood

  Lachelle couldn’t easily gauge whether there were enough shifters to stand against the humans. And she had no clue if their scales could protect them from heavy artillery. The last thing she wanted was for ordinary people to get hurt, and that might happen in this conflict.

  “Slide over. I’m going with you,” Lachelle told Kelly.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. I’m going.”

  “Wait, miss,” the guard called when Lachelle forced her way into the car.

  She leaned out and grabbed the door handle. “Tell my sister and parents that I’ve gone to help with the search and to try to bring peace to this mess. Tell them not to worry. Thanks.”

  He protested, but she slammed the door in his face and ordered the driver to get moving. As they left her parents’ house, she sat back against the seat, questioning her sanity. Hadn’t she just left Gerard to Kelly and come back to the city? So what did she think she was doing joining her rival for his affections in a crazy effort to find him?

  She looked over at Kelly, who sat seething with one leg folded gracefully over the other. Today, she wore a form-fitting white leather dress and high-heeled white open-toed shoes. She looked amazing while Lachelle felt frumpy in a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt and sandals.

  To distract herself, she decided to question the woman again and hope to get info out of her. “Why can’t you fly or smell or anything?”

  Kelly frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

  “You can’t, can you?”

  “For your information, I was injured during the war.”

  “That sounds so weird coming from your lips. So why didn’t you heal? All dragon shifters have fast healing abilities.”

  Of course Lachelle knew from Declan and Gerard’s experience, emotional damage could slow and even halt the healing process. She wanted to know what Kelly would say about it.

  “I have lived among humans as a human for many years. I’m used to doing things their way. Plus, I respect and love humans. Two of them were my family, the only ones who cared for me. But you want me to show off wings to soothe your conscience.”

  “Dramatic much? It sounds to me like your loyalty is more toward the humans. Let me guess. You told the humans when we would arrive. You told them about Bannon and that he was half human. You suggested they take him as a way to bring Declan in line.”

  Kelly didn’t say a word.

  “But you miscalculated.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You did all that because you want the shifters to make you leader. You thought it would happen without incident. All it would take is getting back with Gerard, but Gerard doesn’t want anything to do with leadership.”

  Kelly clenched her jaw and glared out the window.

  “What you didn’t know is Declan would have handed over everything to you if he thought it was what the others wanted. He wants everyone to be happy and live freely.”

  Kelly sat forward. “Is that true? I didn’t talk to him much at the homestead. He…”

  “He what?”

  “Nothing.”

  “He can see through you?”

  Before Kelly could answer, something slammed the side of the car. Lachelle fell over onto Kelly, and the two of them hit the floor. Lachelle bit off a scream, but Kelly squealed. Lachelle struggled to get untangled from the silly woman.

  “Everyone okay?” the driver called back to them. As he spoke, he was busy bending twisted metal to free himself from the wreckage. The dragons’ strength boggled Lachelle’s mind.

  “No,” she grumbled. “What hit us?”

  “Dragon.”

  “Dr—”

  The car spun around. Blood rushed through Lachelle’s ears. She grabbed the back of the front seat and hauled herself up. The window and door where she was sitting a moment ago was mangled. It was a miracle she wasn’t hurt. In fact, her hip should have broken. Instead, the only outcome was a dull ache.

  Outside the car, two dragons went at each in full force, biting and growling. They used their tails to try to hammer each other. Both beasts were massive with hard scales protecting them from injury. Lachelle couldn’t see how either could win the match.

  “Oh God,” Kelly whined. Her eyes rounded as she watched the fight beside Lachelle. “W-what’s going on?”

  “Who is that?” Lachelle asked her. Kelly didn’t answer.

  The driver provided the information. “That’s my king—and Patrick Sevelle.”

  Chapter 10

  Lachelle kicked the door, but it didn’t budge. She looked over her shoulder at Kelly. “Can we get out your side? We need to put as much space between us and that fight as possible.”

  “It’s stuck.” Kelly wriggled on the door handle to no avail.

  “Hold on,” the driver said. “As soon as I’m free, I’ll open your door.”

  Lachelle’s throat dried as she spotted Patrick’s tail coming right at the car. If that massive and heavy appendage hit them, they were done.

  “Oh God, oh God, oh God,” Kelly shrieked.

  “What are you whining about? Call out to them or something,” Lachelle shouted.

  Too late, the tail was inches from impact, and then Gerard touched down and took the hit. He slammed backward against the car, but Lachelle was sure he absorbed most of the impact.

  Gerard turned around and wrenched the door off its hinges. He tossed it aside and held a hand out to Lachelle. She gratefully took it and climbed out of the car, Kelly fast on her heels.

  “Run,” Lachelle ordered. They scrambled away from Patrick and Declan’s fight. All around the area, people gathered to watch the fight. Cars were flattened, buildings damaged. Fires broke out, and fire hydrants were torn apart. Water shot up into the air. The entire surroundings became a disaster area in seconds.

  “Why are they fighting?” Lachelle knew there was no love lost between Declan and Patrick, but Patrick tended to keep himself and his people low key. Had Declan found out that Patrick had something to do with the baby’s disappearance?

  No one answered Lachelle’s question, even though there were countless shifters present in human form. They watched with satisfaction as the two powerful dragons battled it out.

  Declan and Patrick flew up into the air as dragons and came down in their human forms hard enough to crack concrete. “Where is he?” Declan demanded and shook Patrick, holding him by the throat.

  Patrick’s eyes gleamed. He knocked Declan’s hand away. “You’ll never know.”

  Declan roared, and the ground shook. His brother flew over to help him fight, but several shifters, who were obviously on Patrick’s side, intercepted.

  “Move,” Gerard told them.

  “You aren’t my king,” Gerard’s opponent said.

  Gerard sent the guy tumbling head over heels and several others behind him. Patrick seemed to notice Gerard entering the fight and the fact that he outclassed every shifter around him. He flew backward away from Declan, still in his human form.

  “It’s too bad you can’t find your boy,” Patrick teased.

  Declan lunged at Patrick, but the jerk dodged. He continued to run his mouth.

  “Oh no you don’t. If you try to kill me or any of my men, you know what will happen to your son.”

  Declan became a dragon and roared loud enough to shatter glass all around them. He seemed to have trouble shifting back to his human form. Perhaps it was because he was so angry. At last he achieved it and spoke through clenched teeth. “Why are you working with the humans? You’ve stayed out of my way, and I’ve stayed out of yours. I’ve let you have your way to maintain peace. This—this will not be forgiven.”

  “Are you threatening to kill me? Did you forget so quickly what I just said? I’ve bided my time over the years, putting some things in place to ensure my victory.”

  “Because you’re weak,” someone called out.

  Patrick colored but ignored the comment. “Do you know what I wi
ll do, Declan? I will raise your son as my own. I will make sure he understands that dragons are superior to humans and that humans are only good for one thing—domination.”

  Beside Lachelle, Kelly gasped.

  Lachelle cut her eyes at the woman. “Did he tell you something different when he recruited you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Anyone could see Kelly was frightened, but she wasn’t ready to admit whatever part she played in Patrick’s plan.

  Lachelle shook all over. This violence went far beyond anything she had to deal with during her police training or the brief experience being out on the streets as a full-fledged cop.

  “I will take you somewhere safer,” Gerard said, and she knew he’d felt her fear.

  “No, I’m not going anywhere.”

  He would have argued, but the fighting started up again. Lachelle thought Patrick held all the cards. He was the only one who knew where the baby was. He could manipulate Declan all he wanted. However, that fact drove Declan out of his mind. Logic and reasoning went out the window. The next thing Lachelle knew, Patrick lay in a heap on the ground.

  All time stopped.

  “Is he dead?” someone whispered.

  Lachelle had no idea who had spoken. She wondered the same thing. In the back of her mind, she’d thought the dragons were invincible, even among each other. For several moments, Patrick didn’t move. His men confirmed that he must be dead because they started flying to escape.

  Declan’s men chased after every last traitor and brought them to the ground. Lachelle didn’t see a single man get away. And then panic gripped her heart.

  “Gerard,” she called out, trembling.

  He landed quickly before her and Kelly.

  She looked tearfully up at him, feeling sick to her stomach. “I-if Patrick is dead, what about Bannon? How will we find him? He needs us.”

  Gerard clenched his jaw and looked over his shoulder at his brother. Declan arrowed straight up into the air and let loose his most powerful roar yet. Anything that could be shaken shook to its foundations. Everyone fell on the ground. Kelly curled into a ball on the ground with her hands over her head.

  Similarly sprawled on the ground, Lachelle peeked through her arms and watched in fear and awe as the mighty dragon spun left and right. His anger and rage seemed to change into something else. She wasn’t sure what until several shifters in human form cheered.

  “What is it?” she called to Gerard.

  Gerard’s eyes widened in shock. “He’s calling.”

  “Who’s calling?”

  “Bannon.”

  “C-calling.” She stared at him. “You mean like a dragon call?”

  “Yes. Bannon has awakened.”

  Chapter 11

  “Bannon, you get down here right now!” Janessa demanded, and Lachelle cracked up.

  “Girl, how are you going to keep up with a kid who can fly?” Lachelle watched as her nephew flapped his little wings and flew up toward the ceiling. He kept giggling and tagging the ceiling just plain overjoyed with his new ability. “When he’s done listening, he’ll pull out his wings and take off.”

  Janessa rolled her eyes at Lachelle. “It’s not funny. I’m happy to have my baby back, but this? I’m scared to open the door for fear he’ll take to the sky. Can you imagine me climbing a tree trying to get him down?”

  “Yes.”

  “Lachelle.”

  “What? You asked. Be glad he hasn’t changed completely. I hear he might be able to breathe fire. You could be facing him burning down the house right now.”

  “Shut your mouth.”

  Lachelle laughed again. She walked over to look out the window. Janessa and Declan’s house lay in view of the main hall. The meeting going on there was serious. The shifters voted what was to happen to Declan now that he had killed Patrick. Lachelle hadn’t intended to come back to the homestead, but she had no choice. Janessa needed her. Plus, her parents were coming. Her mom refused to be away from little Bannon until her nerves settled and she knew he was safe for good.

  “About Declan,” Lachelle began.

  “I’ve tried not to think about it.” Janessa had been wiping the same spot on her table for a while, that and fussing at Bannon to stop flying in the house. “They don’t feel like they need to follow human laws, but the humans—I feel weird saying it that way.”

  “Me too.”

  “The humans are calling for his arrest and for him to stand trial regarding the death. He can claim self-defense, but they still want it to go to court. The problem is that Declan doesn’t trust them not to get stupid once he’s locked up until the trial.”

  “Not to mention the fact that ‘speedy trial’ is a joke, and a jury of his peers would mean bringing in shifters.”

  “Nightmare.”

  “And biased. Which one of them would say Declan was wrong? They call him ‘my king.’” Lachelle rolled her eyes.

  “Exactly.” Janessa moaned. “Talk about a lot of stress for newlyweds. I feel like we haven’t had a chance to breathe. But what about you, Lachelle? Any progress with Gerard?”

  Lachelle tensed. “No.”

  She thought about how Gerard rescued her from the car. It would have warmed her heart except Kelly was right beside her, and he helped her as well. Now that her parents were coming to the homestead for a while, there was no reason she had to stay close. Once Declan’s situation was settled, should she consider doing something similar to what her brother did?

  “Nessa, what would you say if I told you after they figure everything out with Declan, I go away. For good.”

  Janessa’s mouth fell open. “Are you sure about that?”

  “No. I just thought about it. Nothing’s changed. Before the kidnapping, Gerard told me he wants to be with his mate. He chose her, so that doesn’t leave me anywhere but in heartache. I don’t want to stay so close that I see them together. And what if they go through a second bonding ceremony? There’s no way I’m sitting there and crying because I’m overwhelmed with the love they release. It makes me sick thinking about it.”

  “I feel you.” Her sister hugged her. “If that’s what will help you get through this, do it. But please stay in touch with Mom and me. I don’t want to see her in the state she was in before. Also, if at any time you get over him, come home. Please.”

  “Will do. But I haven’t made a final decision yet. I’m…”

  “Still hoping it will work out and he’ll choose you?”

  “Isn’t that pathetic?”

  “No, it’s human.” Her sister frowned. “Wait, why does that sound weird?”

  “Because we live in an alternate universe now where nothing makes sense.”

  “You’re right again. Bannon, I told you to get your butt down here!”

  Janessa reached up to snag her son’s ankle. Bannon squealed in protest and threw a fit. Lachelle gasped as his facial skin rippled with silvery scales. Her poor sis was in big trouble.

  Leaving the two alone, Lachelle decided to take a walk to clear her head. She left the house and strolled down the path toward the lake. Energy pulsed through her body. She paused to wiggle around a bit and noticed, after all that drama a couple days ago, she wasn’t sore. How could that be?

  “I’m not complaining about it.” Her voice echoed across the water as she arrived at the lake.

  A family of shifters splashing around in the water looked in her direction. She smiled and waved. They nodded respectfully, even smiled back a little. She decided to keep her thoughts inside her head.

  The shifters respected her perhaps because she was Janessa’s sister, but did they automatically prefer Kelly? Over the last couple of days, Kelly hadn’t been around. As far as Lachelle knew she wasn’t at the homestead. Her face and name hadn’t been in the news either. What was she doing?

  Lachelle’s cell phone rang. “Hey, what’s up, sis?”

  “Come back, Lachelle.” Janessa’s tone was tight. “Declan’s here. He’s saying
…he…”

  “What, sweetie?”

  “Just come back. I need you.”

  Lachelle hurried to the house, and when she walked in her breath caught in her throat. She forced herself to swallow and advert her eyes. Gerard had arrived with his brother, along with a few others. Among them was Kelly. It was too much to hope the woman had been snatched and that no one would fight for her return.

  Everyone settled in Janessa and Declan’s living room. Declan sat beside his wife, an arm about her shoulders. Gerard stood near a window, stiff as a board and wearing a grim expression. He looked ready to bolt, and she wondered why. As soon as she walked into the room, his gaze settled on her and remained. Even as she found a seat on the opposite side of the room, she felt him watching her.

  “What’s happening?” Lachelle asked although she could guess.

  “I’m allowing myself to be arrested,” Declan stated.

  Janessa sobbed.

  Lachelle jumped up from her seat to kneel in front of her sister and take her hands. Janessa squeezed her fingers like a lifeline. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her eyes begged for understanding of the situation, but Lachelle couldn’t give it. Lachelle figured the same thoughts ran through her sister’s mind that ran through hers. Declan could lose his life while awaiting trial.

  “You don’t have to do this,” Lachelle told him. “You have a family who needs you. Bannon has just—uh, awakened or whatever. Doesn’t he need his daddy to teach him the ways of the dragon?”

  For an instant, Declan appeared amused and then grew serious. “I will be here for him. I won’t be gone long.”

  “That’s what you think. You’ve lived among them—us—long enough. You know how the system can work.”

  “I’m giving them the opportunity to do the right thing.”

  “You’re being stubborn is what you’re doing!”

  One of the shifters stepped forward. “Show respect.”

  “You shut up,” she snapped back.

  Gerard made a small noise, and the man paled, then settled on the wall he held up.

  Lachelle glared at all of them, including Gerard. “None of you have anything to say about this? You’re going to let your ‘king’ take the fall for what all of you were involved in? Some of you are single. You could say you were the one who killed Patrick. I mean Declan was mostly in dragon form. How would anyone know for sure? Well?”