by Leela Ash
“Human. Wow, it’s, uh, strange to have to tell someone that.” She smiled, hoping to lighten the tension.
And at once, the big man’s face lit up. Despite her Mate’s discomfort, Maya found herself liking him. “I’m sure it is. My Mate was one of the Lost. Shifters who don’t know what they are. The first time she Shifted into a Hare she panicked and damn near got herself hit by a car.”
She laughed, relieved to break the first crack in the ice. Quickly, though, Donnelly grew somber again. “Since you’re human, you may not know this, but your Mate is in very bad shape.”
“I saw his Dragon when we broke the spell that bound him. And I know what Falling means.”
“Good.” He turned a tired, heavy gaze on the closed doors. “I’ve never seen a Dragon recover from an injury that bad. Honestly, I’m amazed he can still fly.”
“For a time, in that dream, I was the only thing keeping him and his Dragon together.” Jamie probably wouldn’t thank her for confessing that. Yet, Maya believed, with all her heart, that truth was the best path.
Donnelly didn’t look surprised. And he offered a confession of his own. “That’s why our Alpha sent me. We got some disturbing reports on him and Lorde was afraid he might need to be, well…”
His voice trailed off, but Maya knew what he meant. “Put down.”
He nodded. That silent agreement sent a shiver down her spine. “Are you the Flight’s assassin?”
She worried that she’d offend him, but he simply snorted. “Hell no. I’m a bulldozer. Assassins are a lot more subtle than me. But I am the guy who does what needs doing. That’s kind of my role in this Flight.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll need to do anything here.” The firmness in her voice felt silly. Who was she, after all, to try to run off a Dragon?
Finn just smiled. “Neither do I, now that he has a Mate. No pressure, but I think you’re his one hope of salvation.”
“I can do this. I will do this,” she assured him. “I love Jamie Wolfe.”
“Good. Even if we don’t get along, he’s still a member of my Flight. That makes him my brother. So, here.”
He grabbed a pen out of another pocket and scribbled a number down on a scrap of paper. “If you need any advice, call that number.”
Frowning, Maya took it. “Maybe I gave you the wrong impression. I’m not going to be the Flight’s spy. I’m not going to call you with updates on ‘how he’s doing.’”
Donnelly blinked – then burst into loud guffaws. “Oh, hell no, I don’t expect you to call me! I mean, what the hell kind of advice could I give you? ‘Slap him around a bit and tell him to man up!’” Still chuckling, he retrieved the slip of paper and added the name ‘Bree’ above the number.
“This is my Mate’s number. She’s smart. She knows how freaky the Shifter world is when you first encounter it. And, most importantly, she’s got experience healing messed up Dragons.”
Okay, that was different. Maya accepted it again, more cheerfully.
“Wolfe might be the most screwed up member of our Flight, but I gave him some competition. Bree can tell you all about it.”
No shame darkened his face. No wounded pride or anger. Just a big, happy grin.
At the sight of it, Maya’s spirits soared. Compassion was born from shared suffering. If other Dragons could slip yet be forgiven, nothing blocked Jamie’s path of redemption.
“Thank you.” This time, she meant it.
“You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
“Things to do?”
“Yup.” One last pat on the shoulder and then he strode outside, bellowing for the Wolves.
Maya settled down on the coach and waited.
Ten minutes later, Jamie emerged. She scanned his face anxiously, searching for any anger or pain. Confusion, not rebellion, was all she found.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes.” Baffled, he shook his head. “Shockingly okay. I don’t really have anything to announce, but… there are things we need to discuss.”
“Oh yeah…” Maya rolled her eyes, winning a soft snort from him.
“So, let’s start with the basics.” Jamie swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “Maya, I… I really do, rather… you know…”
She arched an eyebrow.
“Fine. Make me say it,” he grumbled. “I love you.”
Joy simmered in her heart, set afire by those three little words. Yet, she reined it back. “Do you want to love me? Because if you don’t… if you resent this… we’ll never be happy.”
“I do.”
“Even if love takes time?” Why, oh why, did she keep pushing him away?
Because facts matter. Because this relationship won’t work unless it’s based on truth.
“Yes.” Unable to face her, he turned to gaze out the window. Yet, his voice continued, soft and steady. “I’d forgotten what it felt like to be whole. To know your purpose. To love, and defend what you love. That’s worth time. Hell, that’s worth a life-time of time!”
With that, she finally set her heart free. Joy swept over her, washing away all cares.
He loved her. Nothing else mattered. He loved her, and she’d heal him.
“But here’s the real question.” Uneasy, he met her gaze. “Do you love me?”
“Oh, yes! Of course! I’ve loved you since you saved me.”
“You mean when I caught you as you fell? You loved me since you fainted?” he teased.
Maya poked him in the ribs. “Yes, silly. Though I didn’t know it then. See, it showed me your heart. No matter how bad things got, no matter how dark your heart grew, you never stopped loving. Your first thought was always other people and how you could protect them. That’s when I knew you were a good man, no matter what you were going through.”
“I’m not sure I agree with your assessment of me.”
“Don’t care. It’s my assessment, and I stand by it.”
He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them, sending a thrill of pleasure shivering through her. “Now, the important question. Am I worth your time? You know how screwed up I am. It will be months… maybe even years… before my Dragon regains its full strength.”
“I don’t care about that. You’re my Mate. I Claimed you and I’ll stand beside you. In sickness and in health,” she added.
Hoping he’d take the hint that there was another important question he hadn’t asked.
And… he missed the clue. “You don’t worry about me being around our child?”
“No! Don’t be ridiculous!”
“I’ve made mistakes. Terrible ones…” Haunted eyes searched her face for any signs of condemnation or doubt.
“Who hasn’t? Okay, maybe not ‘terrible’ ones. But it seems to me that your worst mistakes have only hurt you. That’s easy to forgive.”
“Jamie…” She snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around his hard, muscled chest. Beneath her fingers, she could feel his heart beat. “When I said I needed you, as a father and a Mate, I meant it. I love you. I want to build a family, a life, with you.”
“I want that too,” he whispered, his breath warm on her hair. “So, I guess there’s only one critical question left.”
Heart singing, Maya held her breath.
“What do you think about warm weather?”
“What?” she squawked.
Maya jerked out of his embrace, staring at her Mate in outrage. “Seriously? That’s your last question?!?”
“For now.” A devilish gleam lit his eyes. “A little later, once I have a ring and reservations at a good restaurant, I’ll ask another. But I’m not rushing that one.”
“Okay,” she relented, “but that question’s getting asked, right?”
“Promise.” He held up his hand as if taking an oath. Then muttered, “Now that I know the answer.”
“Coward,” she giggled. “So, what’s this about hot weather?”
“Brandon Lorde, my Alpha, thinks there’s another Wellspring d
own in the Yucatan. He wants us… you, really, to find it.”
“Wellsprings are those gateways to the Spirit Realm, right?”
“We call it the ‘Other Side’, but yes. That’s what the Fangs had you searching for.”
“Sweet! So I get my old job back – minus the murderous boss and hostile work conditions?”
“Minus that. Plus one doting husband.”
“That last part’s gonna require another question. Remember that.”
Jamie laughed and gave her the Boy Scout salute again. “I promise.”
Gazing at the Dragon she adored, her last doubts faded away. Piece by piece, everything was falling in place. “Sounds good to me.”
“There’s one last thing. If we do find that Wellspring,” he paused, straightening, “Lorde wants us to stay and care for it.”
“Okay.” From the way he watched her, this fact must be important. But she didn’t know enough about the Shifter world to understand why. “We get to leave occasionally, right? I mean, I like the Yucatan and all, but…”
“Oh, of course! It’s not a prison.” Seeing her confusion, he smiled. “My love, Wellsprings are sacred to Dragons. There is nothing more precious in the world. To be offered one, to be trusted to guard and protect it…”
Now she understood. Tears burned her eyes as she realized what a sign of trust this was. The sort of assurance that would be a balm to her wounded Dragon’s soul. Silently, she sent thanks to this mysterious Mr. Lorde, and his kindness.
“I will have everything a Dragon could want. A Mate. A family. A Wellspring to guard. I…” Joy choked him, and she thought she spotted the glint of a tear in his eye too. “I can’t imagine anything more I could want.”
“I can.” Curled against him, she rested her head upon his shoulder.
“Oh?”
“My question. My ring.”
Strong arms wrapped around her, promising a life of joy and passion. “You’ll get those. I swear.”
The End
Lost Creek Shifters Preview
ARLO
Samantha Leal
Copyright ©2016 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
1.
Poppy felt like high-fiving her boss as she walked out of work on that miserable Thursday afternoon, but it wouldn’t have been on his hand… It would have been right in his face. She tried not to scowl at him as she brushed past and made for the exit, but her feelings were too strong to hide. He was everything she hated about men, and yet, she was stuck with him day in and day out with no way of escape. He was arrogant and rude, and completely inappropriate when it came to flirting with her outrageously, and yet, she felt as if she had to grin and bear it just to stop herself from becoming the target of even more cringe-worthy advances.
She had worked at the store for six months, and although it had originally been as a stop gap, she was starting to fear that maybe working the cash register at a convenience store was going to become her destiny. Nothing else had presented itself to her in the time that she had worked there, and she still found herself in the same position at home. She was working the same shift every day and living with her crazy family. She couldn’t help but wonder when life was going to pick up and she could really start to live, instead of just existing.
As she made her way to the car, she felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders and as she sank down into the driver’s seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had survived another week, and now, she was officially on vacation.
She started the engine, put the car in drive and reversed out of her parking spot. She rolled down the windows and cranked up the music, and even though she knew that he could possibly still see her and that it would no doubt get her fired, she lifted her hand up out of the window and flipped her boss the bird as she sped out of the parking lot.
Poppy tapped her hands on the wheel as she made her way through town and thought about the week ahead. It had been a long time since she had been on vacation, and she couldn’t wait to get away for a few days and just unwind. Even if she was going with her family, she was sure that there would be moments when she could take herself away from all of their drama and spend some time by herself. She deserved it, after all.
She turned a corner and she could see her family home up ahead. Most days, when she approached, she was just glad to be out of work, but today was different… She had left there under a cloud that morning and she was dreading facing her mother. She thought back to the argument that had taken place in the kitchen, back when Poppy was still weary with sleep and her mother had thought it was the opportune moment to drag to the surface all of Poppy’s insecurities and fears. She knew, more than anyone, that she was nearly twenty-five and didn’t have a solid career, a place of her own, or a man… But she didn’t want to be reminded of it, and especially by her mom.
“You need to shape up, Poppy,” she had said. “And fast, because you’re not getting any younger… It’s about time you were finding yourself a man, settling down and really thinking about what you want to do with your life…”
It had made Poppy want to cry. The words were like venom and they had hurt. But she was a strong girl, and even though it had cut her deeply, she was determined that she wouldn’t dwell on the opinions of others.
As she pulled up into the driveway and looked up at the house, she could see her family inside, they were all buzzing around and preparing themselves for the week ahead. Her younger brother was jumping around the kitchen and even though he was sixteen, Poppy still saw him as a little kid. She smiled. Even though he could be a nightmare at times, he was still more fun to be around than her tricky parents.
She slammed the car door behind her and walked up to the house. The sound of their voices all drifted out to meet her and she had to suck in a lungful of air as she prepared herself to enter. Her mother’s words still echoed in her mind, and even though she had decided that she would try to forget, it was proving more difficult than she had thought.
“Poppy,” her father said with a wry drawl as she opened the door and stepped inside. “How was your day?”
She had been expecting a scowl or a look of disapproval, but he seemed happy for once, and so did her mom. They all flitted around the island in the center of the kitchen whilst her mother prepared dinner, and her younger brother James kicked his soccer ball up from the floor and onto his knees.
Poppy smiled back and set down her purse as she closed the back door behind her. Her mother looked up and smiled sharply from between tightly closed lips.
“Good, thanks,” Poppy replied as she walked over to the refrigerator and opened up the doors.
James kicked the ball again and the slap, slap of it hitting the floor and then his knee was the only sound in the room. There was a tension in the air, but Poppy wasn’t going to give in to it. She was free from work and her pervy boss for ten whole days, and she was going to damn well enjoy it.
“Smells good,” she beamed as she turned and smiled at her mother. “What are you cooking?”
“Pot roast,” her mom said as she raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I thought I may as well use up what was left over before we head off.”
“Great,” Poppy smiled as she slapped her hands together. “I’m starving.”
The tension began to evaporate and James stopped kicking his soccer ball and sat down at one of the high stools next to the island.
“What time are we leaving?” he asked as he reached over and grabbed a handful of chips from a bowl on the counter. “I want to get there as soon as we can so I can head out to the lake and go fishing.”
“Bright and early! Don’t you worry!” their father grinned.
Poppy felt like rolling her eyes but knew that she had to remain
chipper. She smiled from ear to ear and nodded enthusiastically. Even though she was looking forward to the break, the idea of the car journey with her highly strung family was kind of terrifying.
“Are you packed?” her mom looked up at her and Poppy instantly felt herself tense.
“Not yet,” she said sheepishly. “But I will be…” She turned and grabbed a glass from one of the cupboards and ran it under the faucet. She sipped the cool water and tried to ignore the daggers shooting from her mom’s eyes. Poppy was sure that they used to be friends, but since she had returned from college and fallen into the small town trap of working for peanuts and living back at home with her parents, it was like all of her mother’s admiration for her had vanished. It killed Poppy inside, even though she would never admit it.
“We won’t wait for you if you’re late,” her mom said waspishly. “We want to enjoy our vacation, not spend it waiting on you.”
Poppy tensed and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She turned and headed for the door.
“Don’t worry, I won’t get in the way,” she said, instantly regretting agreeing to go away with them at all in the first place.
“Where are you going?” her mom asked. “Dinner is almost ready.”
Poppy shrugged and shook her head. “It’s okay, I’m not hungry anymore,” she said as she walked out of the room and slammed the door lightly behind her.
As she walked up the stairs, her heart was pounding and her fists were clenched tightly together. She had never been so humiliated and she couldn’t believe that it was her own mother that was making her feel so small and useless. She pushed open the door to her bedroom and closed it behind her and let out a heavy sigh. She knew it had almost been too good to be true to expect her family to be in a good mood when she had come home… But at least they wouldn’t be confined to the house for the upcoming week.
Poppy threw open her closet doors and looked inside. She had a huge selection of denim shorts, skimpy tees, and dresses, which she could pair with sneakers or sandals, but her motivation for her vacation had pretty much all disappeared.