by Meg Ripley
It’s chillier than I thought it would be, so I hurry up to the front door of the little house, pulling my denim jacket tight around me. I knock on the door and wait, fidgeting as I look around. Maine is one of those places that’s stunning when you’re looking at it in pictures or video, but if you’re standing outside in late September, it’s chilly and damp, making it hard to appreciate the beauty of the yellow, orange, and red leaves on the trees.
“You must be Hannah!” Mary looks like someone’s mom: gray-streaked chestnut hair, wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, wearing a matching pink sweatsuit with 80s-era floral appliques stitched on the chest and pant legs. “Quick, come inside, dear; it’s getting cold out there.”
I follow her through the door and make small talk about my drive up as she gives me a tour of the house. The kitchen has plenty of cast iron and a gas-powered stove--according to Mary, it’s more reliable than electric in the winters. Mary leads me upstairs to my room, explaining about the bathroom and how she got a tankless, gas-powered water heater installed so that she’d never have to wait for hot water.
She shows me to the guest room, giving me the chance to unpack and get settled, but instead, I pull out my laptop and search for the Acadia National Park website. I chose it as the place for my work-cation because Acadia was one of the first national parks established by the NPS; I’d hoped it would be a good place to start.
I look over the material I’ve already assembled about the park, thinking about how I’ll kick off my investigation. Well, the first thing to do would be to get there and check the place out, I decide as I examine the maps of the area. Mary’s place is about two miles away--close enough that, in theory, I could walk there, but if I did, I may not have enough energy left to explore the place. It’s taken me all day to get up to Maine and it’s already late afternoon; I should probably wait until the morning, but if I want to get a real feel for the place, I’m going to need to check it out when there aren’t as many visitors there. I change into some warmer clothes--a thicker pair of jeans, a turtleneck sweater and a beanie--and I tell Mary that I’m off to run some errands.
I get back into my car and pull up the directions to the park. I’ve got about another hour or so before it’s too dark to really see, but I’ve got a heavy flashlight with me, so I’m not too worried.
As I pull into the park a few minutes later, I fumble through the glove compartment in search of the one-week pass I’d ordered online before my trip and hand it to the ranger at the gate. I take a second look and have to admit he’s pretty hot; he fills out that uniform really well with those broad shoulders of his. His deep brown hair and beard are cut short, and he’s got strikingly bright green eyes.
“Just to let you know, the visitor center is closed for the day, but the park is open twenty-four hours,” he tells me. “If you need any help, there are signs posted just about everywhere telling you how to get in touch with the rangers.”
“Thanks,” I tell him, taking back my visitor pass. Maybe I can interview him about Acadia, or at least get an official quote.
“I’m on duty for the rest of night, so I’ll be checking to make sure that everyone gets out. If you plan on staying late, give me a call up here at the gate and I’ll keep folks from coming after you to make sure you’re not dead or lost,” he says with a little smile.
I grin back at him. “That seems normal,” I say, not quite sarcastic. “Give me the number, and I’ll be sure to let you know that I’m okay.” I program the number into my phone and the ranger passes me through the gate, heading back to the warmth of the guard house while I pull forward.
I don’t see many cars in the lot, but that makes sense; it’s starting to get dark, and it’s chilly, too--enough so that I’m glad I thought to change into warmer clothes. I grab my flashlight and make sure I’ve got my phone and a few other things in my purse, and climb out of the car.
As I’m walking towards one of the hiking trails, I have to admit, the park is genuinely beautiful. It’s almost the end of the foliage season, and I could see why outdoorsy people would come to the park at the peak of it. I step onto the path and breathe in the scent of dried leaves, loamy soil, and the shoreline, trying to get a feel for everything around me.
I start wandering, falling into a kind of rhythm that helps me to think. It’ll be easier to get more intel when it’s daylight, but as night begins to fall around me, there’s something about the quiet of the place that makes it a little easier to understand why people might conjure up all these bizarre theories.
Right then, something shifts in the air, and I get the sense that I’m being watched, but I can’t see anyone when I look around to prove it to myself. Even though I’ve been a journalist for a few years, I’ve never really been in any kind of dangerous situation before; there’s no reason anyone would be after me, anyway. Right?
If you enjoyed this preview of Ranger Knox, the entire Werebears Of Acadia series is now available to read in one collection!
Fall In Love With The Action-Packed Werebears Of Acadia Series, Brimming With Enough Sizzling Chemistry and Passion To Start A Forest Fire
Book 1: Ranger Knox
Hannah, a journalist who’s been snooping around doing research for an exposé on Acadia National Park, is most definitely an outsider, no matter how much the ursine part of Knox’s brain keeps insisting that she should be his. But is it possible that a human…could be his mate? And how will he keep her from unraveling the mystery that has kept his clan safe from the public eye for generations?
Book 2: Ranger Trent
Three brutal murders were committed in Acadia, and Trent is on the case. Or is he? When Blanca, a fiesty, curvy FBI agent, tries to take over the investigation, she challenges the desires of Trent’s inner bear–in more ways than one.
Book 3: Ranger Ramon
From the moment they met, there was no denying the fire that blazed between Acadia’s biologist, Ramon, and Min, a visiting entomologist. But what is she doing in Acadia in the first place? Could this brainy beauty be responsible for sabotaging their clan, or will she prove to be their greatest ally?
Book 4: Ranger Drew
Fighting fires is Drew’s duty at Acadia, but the day he met Kathleen, nothing could have prepared him for the fiery passion that would ignite between them. But would her betrayal of his trust extinguish the flames between them once and for all?
Grab Your Copy HERE
Available With Kindle Unlimited
Also Available From Meg Ripley
Dragons Of The Darkblood Secret Society: The Complete Series Box Set
Forever sworn to secrecy and bound by their sacred vows, four powerful dragons find their mates amidst the skyscrapers of Manhattan…
Read all four stories of Meg Ripley’s Dragons Of The Darkblood Secret Society series in one captivating collection, jam-packed with sizzling shifter passion, suspenseful twists, mystery and adventure.
This thrilling anthology includes:
Book 1 – Playing With Fire
Book 2 – Marked By Fire
Book 3 – Enchanted By Fire
Book 4 – Tempted By Fire
Grab Your Copy HERE
Available With Kindle Unlimited
Also Available From Meg Ripley
Dragons Of Sin City: The Complete Series Box Set
Amidst the dazzling lights and excitement of Las Vegas, three powerful dragons find their mates…
Meg Ripley’s spellbinding Dragons Of Sin City series is now available as a complete box set, brimming with fiery romance, intrigue and surprising twists.
This captivating trilogy includes:
Book 1 – Stryker’s Desire
Book 2 – Hunter’s Desire
Book 3 – Xavier’s Desire
Grab Your Copy HERE
Available With Kindle Unlimited
Also Available From Meg Ripley
Holden’s Mate
Daddy Dragon Guardians
They were drawn to one another by an
attraction that neither could comprehend. Nor resist.
Holden has come to Earth as one of the last of his kind. Dedicated to raising one of the dragon babies left behind by his slain queen, he must acclimate to this strange new planet in order to succeed. Humans prove to be odd creatures, but one blue-eyed beauty compels him in ways he’s never experienced. Their paths cross often, and he can barely keep his inner dragon in check when she’s nearby. The fierce need to protect her completely takes over, and he knows he must have her.
After a year of separation, Leah’s divorce from her cheating ex is final. She’s relieved, but finds the stress of everything has compromised her psychic abilities, which she relies on to keep a roof over her head. She knows she just needs time, and pushing forward with her new life as a single woman sounds like the perfect solution. But when she keeps running into the same mysterious, gorgeous stranger, Leah’s plan to write off men proves to be harder than she thought.
Will Leah’s fear of being hurt again and Holden’s unfathomable secret keep them apart? Or will fate find a way to bring these two together as they’re destined to be?
Grab Your Copy HERE
Available With Kindle Unlimited
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About The Author
Meg Ripley is an author of steamy paranormal and science fiction romance. As a child, she had recurring dreams about being abducted by aliens and has been obsessed with extraterrestrial life ever since. A Seattle native, Meg can often be found curled up in a local coffee house with her laptop.
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