The Sheriff and His Air Goddess [The Shifters of Freedom Springs 3] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Maia Dylan

  “Ms. Rika, you have yourself a deal.”

  * * * *

  “Come on, baby.” Ariana felt rather than heard the words Ryan spoke, as his mouth was currently pressed against her tummy. “Wake up. For the first time in my life, I actually want to be awake before my alarm goes off, and I want you to entertain me.”

  Ariana grinned and cracked one eye open. The room was still dark, but it was clear that dawn was not too far away. It was the funny inky light that would normally have her sighing, rolling over, and going straight back to sleep. However, on this morning, she had woken in the bed of an insanely hot wolf shifter who just happened to be her mate.

  She had lost count of the times they had made love during the night. Despite the importance of the day ahead, and their need for sleep and rest, they had turned to each other time and time again. Their need for each other on this night was almost visceral.

  “What sort of game did you have in mind?” Ariana asked sleepily as she stretched.

  Ryan watched her breasts as they thrust upward, and groaned. “Damn, baby, you keep doing that, and I am going to forget all about my plans for this morning. And they are really great plans. Stellar. But for the fucking life of me, I can’t remember what the hell they were with you all naked, and warm, and perky, and smelling so fucking delicious.”

  Ryan growled as he made his way down her body, and Ariana felt her heart rate kick up a notch knowing what was to come—her, heh! She spread her legs to make room for his massive shoulders and was just settling in to enjoy her mate’s attentions, when there was a rapid knock on the door.

  “None of that!” Ariana squeaked in shock at Casey’s voice through the door, and kneed Ryan in the head as she scrambled to close her legs and pull the blankets up at the same time. Over Ryan’s cursing and both of them scrambling for control of the blankets, Casey’s voice came a second time. “Come on, you two! Breakfast is on the table, and we are all getting hungry!”

  “Jesus Christ!” Ryan grumbled as he managed to extract himself from the blankets and scramble to stand beside the bed. Ariana noticed for the first time that he had jeans on and figured he must have been up already.

  “Payback’s a bitch, Ryan.” This time it was Micah’s voice coming through the door, and there was definite humor in his tone. And a lot of it. “You cock blocked me on more than one occasion. So I figure, I still owe you a time or two.”

  “Fuck off, Micah! I know where you live!” Ryan yelled, running frustrated hands through his hair.

  Casey and Micah laughed as they walked back to the front of the house. Ariana’s lips quirked as she fought to keep her own laughter back. From the look on Ryan’s face, he found absolutely no humor in this situation.

  “If you so much as utter one giggle,” Ryan said as his beautiful gray eyes flashed with frustrated amusement, “I will turn you over my knee and paddle your ass a rosy red before we step out of this room and have breakfast with the family. So help me God, I swear I will.”

  Ariana pulled her lips into her mouth, and Ryan burst out laughing. After a shower where Ariana took matters into her own hands and mouth and pleasured Ryan until he came, they both quickly dressed and walked out into the kitchen thirty minutes after Casey interrupted their morning.

  “About damn time!” Cole grumped. “Maggie wouldn’t let us start eating until you two had come out.”

  Ariana laughed as she moved past the table and into the kitchen to help her mum and dad. The open-plan kitchen and dining room was large, but even so, with that many people around the table, the fit was a little tight! Cole, Travis, and Fiona took up one side of the table, Micah sat at the head of the table with Casey in his lap, she sat down on Ryan’s lap to make room for her parents, and Neve sat at the end of the table.

  Ariana glanced around as her father offered a kai karakia, or a blessing for their food, before they ate. Her family was not overly religious, but her dad always offered a prayer at special occasions. She figured that the day the third portion of the prophecy that had consumed the lives of her entire family since the day she turned five definitely counted as a special occasion.

  Just as they had filled their plates with the delicious offerings Maggie and Kingi had prepared, there was a knock at the door. A quick glance around the room, and Ariana had a very good idea who it might be. Kingi stood up and went to the door, and every single person turned to watch as he pulled the door open.

  “Morning, Liam!” Her father’s voice echoed through the kitchen that was now so quiet Ariana was certain she could hear Neve’s heart thumping.

  “Morning, Kingi.” Liam’s answering hello was warm but hesitant. Liam had not been around since the day he spoke to Neve so damn callously two weeks ago. Ryan had told her about what the boys spoke about after they had gone inside. Ariana didn’t regret the things she had said to Liam. She felt that they needed to be said. But she would be lying if she said she didn’t wish he hadn’t come.

  “Come on in. The rest of the gang is no doubt eating their way through the mountains of food Maggie and I made for them.” Kingi’s words sparked action in the kitchen, and they all moved to shovel food in their gobs in an attempt to make it look like they hadn’t been blatantly eavesdropping. “I’m sure we can rustle something up for you. We’re all going to need strength today.”

  Both men returned to the kitchen, and where Ariana would have hoped someone could talk to cover the silence that now fell over the table, the food they had all shoveled into their mouths prevented them from doing it. There were dark shadows beneath Liam’s eyes, and lines of tension bracketed his mouth. As soon as he entered the room, his gaze swept across the table, then settled on Neve.

  “Hey, Liam,” Neve spoke from the end of the table, and her voice held nothing but warm welcome. “Pull up a pew, and fill up a plate. Kingi and Maggie have made enough food to feed the French Foreign Legion, and we’re going to need all the help we can get to consume it all!”

  The tension eased from Liam’s face, and he smiled softly. “I’ll do my best.” He pulled a chair over to sit beside Neve, and even though she tensed visibly for a second, she smiled at him as she handed him a glass. “Thank you.” Ariana didn’t think she imagined how heartfelt that was.

  Cole, bless him, started regaling them with stories of his latest fitness test for the fire department he worked for. Soon they were all laughing, and the Winters brothers began to talk smack about each other, and everything felt normal. Ariana took a moment to simply sit back and soak in this feeling of normalcy. She was more than confident that they would have this again, but it did more to calm her nerves than anything had to date.

  Casey caught her eye as she looked around the table at her extended family. “So, how fast do you think you get this thing done tonight?”

  “What? What kind of question is that?” Ariana asked incredulously.

  “Well, I figured that Micah and I put Aeron in his place back in summer in fairly short order, and then Fiona managed to fuck Aeron up in the seven-minute window we had during that solar eclipse.”

  Ariana nodded but frowned, confused as to where this was going.

  “Micah and I have plans tonight after we get back from the Pagan Stone. I want to have time to, you know, take a shower and make myself pur-dee.”

  Ariana stared at her sister, asking herself, not for the first time, if her parents had in fact adopted her. “Seriously?”

  “Now that you guys have brought it up,” Fiona chimed in along the link, “Cole mentioned there was this constellation of something or other that was going to be visible tonight. I don’t want to be the only one subjected to a damn astronomy lesson, so we’ve packed his telescope into the back of the truck. That way we can all take a look at it and say “ooh, ah” for a few moments before we head back for the usual celebrations.”

  Ariana was speechless. Not only was she getting told to make sure she kept things speedy tonight at the damn Pagan Stone, but at the end of it all, she was going to be kept from he
r well-deserved margarita because Cole wanted her to look at the goddamn sky!

  “Well, both of you can just kiss my ass!” Ariana’s eyes narrowed as she yelled down the link. “Firstly, my understanding of the day you completed the summer portion of the prophecy, you had to have sex and be claimed by your mate. If it didn’t last very long, sister dear, then that is not something you want to actually advertise! Secondly, Fiona, if Cole drags his goddamn telescope out of that truck and delays me from getting to my frozen tequila-laden drink of goodness tonight, I may unman him! And you!” Ariana turned a blazing look at the last member of their Elemental family, who had remained steadfastly silent, but her mirth could be felt down the link. “Well, you haven’t actually done anything but laugh. But know that someday soon it will be your turn, and I will be driving you bat-shit crazy with my own crazy shit! I swear to God, life was a lot simpler when I just thought I was going to die at the hands of a demon rather than have to deal with three younger sisters who all think they are comedians!”

  The three of them all started laughing out loud, and the others at the table turned to her quizzically. “What? What are you all looking at me for? They’re the ones who have started to laugh like hyenas for no apparent reason. Look at them.” Ariana crossed her arms defensively.

  “Well, baby,” Ryan drawled from behind her and gave her a slight squeeze, “it may actually have something to do with the fact that you are the only one not laughing. I have been calling your name now for the last few moments, and you haven’t heard a word, the four of you had that look in your eye you get when you are doing your Vulcan mind-meld bit, and if I’m not mistaken, you’ve got that adorable high color in your cheeks that I love. It tells me that you’re either angry about something or very pleased with something I am doing to you. Something that has your heartbeat racing, your body heating and softening, and you’re about to—”

  “Ryan,” Maggie interrupted, “perhaps, dear boy, you might just sum that all up with the words heightened emotions.”

  “Yeah, Ryan.” Kingi’s deep voice was almost a growl and had Ryan’s eyes widening. “Why don’t you use those words, boy, because anything else may inspire me to start those taiaha lessons you’ve been asking me for.”

  Ariana grinned as Ryan’s face drained of color. Her father was lethal with the taiaha, a long wooden staff made from wood and used for short, sharp strikes. Her father could swing and yield the close-quarters combat weapon with precision and skill.

  “Yes, sir. Heightened emotions is exactly what I meant to say,” Ryan said quickly.

  Ariana leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ryan’s mouth, pulling back with a grin. “Aw, poor baby. I was distracted by Casey talking about how quickly the sex is over between her and Micah.” She remained staring into Ryan’s now-laughing face and ignored the gasp of horror from Casey and growl of indignation from Micah. “Then Fiona started to complain about how Cole is intent on boring the shit out of her tonight when some constellation comes into sight.”

  This was met with a squeak from Fiona, a bark of laughter from Travis, and a cry of “Hey!” from Cole.

  Ariana reached for her toast and took a huge bite as the table erupted into conversations and explanations. Oh, she knew what Casey and Fiona had been doing: adding levity to the morning but also making her see that they believed, at the end of this day, they would be victorious, and they would all be walking away from the Pagan Stone. And for the first time, Ariana believed the same damn thing.

  Chapter 9

  “Neve, I would really like to apologize to you,” Liam finally found the opportunity, and the courage, to say. They had all been walking in toward the Pagan Stone for the past hour, and the conversations and laughs had long since died down. Now, everyone was concentrating on the battle ahead. Liam had managed to slowly separate himself and Neve from the pack in order to make this apology.

  “There’s absolutely no need, Liam.” Neve’s soft voice was filled with indifference, and Liam felt an ache settle in his chest. “As I said, you are entitled to your opinion. I’m not going to hold it against you for voicing it.”

  Liam reached out and gripped her arm gently to pull her to a stop. She could have pulled free easily, but she didn’t. She simply stopped on the path and waited.

  “But that’s just it, Neve. That’s not my real opinion of you. When I ran up onto that ridge that day and caught the scent of your blood on the air, I have never been so damn scared! To see you wielding your power with such strength and precision was awe inspiring and so fucking beautiful it blew my mind. But then you dropped to your knees, and I was so scared that you were hurt worse. Then when you flamed out, I nearly went ballistic!”

  Neve finally turned to look at him, her face a mixture of hurt and confusion, and Liam wanted to shoot himself in the foot for causing both. “Look, Liam, I know it freaked you out a little. Hell, it freaked me out, too! But I’m fine. I’m all healed up and in perfect working order. When we get to this battle, and I get the chance to prove to you that I am an asset to this team, then—”

  “Dammit, Neve,” Liam snapped with a scowl and lifted a frustrated hand to run it through his hair. “You have nothing to prove! Not to me or anyone else. You have lived with this power and prophecy hanging over you all your life, and when it could have warped you or changed you, it only made you stronger. I don’t want you to prove a damn thing. I just want you to be safe!”

  Liam watched as her eyes softened and she smiled hesitantly at him. His bear preened at the look, but he knew it was a softening and an emotion he could never let develop into anything. “Neve, you’re a lovely girl, and I really want to be your friend.” Liam had to stifle the flinch at the light of hope that dimmed in her eyes. “You are the only woman in this group who is not mated.” Neve couldn’t do anything to hide her own flinch and drove the ache in Liam’s chest up a couple of notches. “It’s my job to make sure you stay safe.”

  Neve took a deep breath and then, Jesus Christ, she leaned in, wrapped her arms around his waist, and hugged him. “Thank you, Liam. It’s nice to know I have someone watching my back.” When she stepped back and gave him a smile tinged with sadness and turned to continue up the path, Liam felt a wave of sadness roll over him. He only hoped, if he survived this day, he survived watching her walk away for good as well.

  Taking a deep breath, Liam turned in the direction she had taken. Just as Neve slipped beyond his view, he felt the air around him begin to thicken. All the fine hairs on his body began to stand up as if electrified, and he suddenly felt a little light-headed.

  “Remember, Liam. Your mother told you the story.” Liam jolted at the soft female voice whispering through his mind. The voice had a slight accent, nothing he could place, but more like the vowels were rounded. “Remember.” The voice was drifting farther away. “The venom…the venom.” The voice faded into nothing, and Liam stood silently for a moment as the air returned to normal.

  He turned in a quick circle. He was alone. What the fuck was that? Frowning, and more than just a little freaked out by what had just happened, Liam hurried to catch up to the group, his mind whirling, desperately searching for what Olwen, for he was damn sure that was who it had been, might have meant. He had a feeling that whatever it was, it was important to what was about to happen. And that meant it could save the world.

  No pressure.

  * * * *

  “What’s your plan if this plays out the way your mate thinks it will?” Liam’s question brought Ryan out of his thoughts.

  “What do you mean?” Ryan kept his voice low, knowing that his brothers would hear him, but not the Elementals. They had enough on their minds at the moment.

  “I mean, if Ariana has to bleed out in order for Aeron to lose this round, what’s your plan to stop her?”

  Ryan’s wolf began to pace within him. Ryan could feel the anxiety and rage rolling off his wolf.

  “It is my role, as Ariana’s mate, to give her whatever she needs,” Ryan spoke, and t
he gravelly tone told all that could hear him that his wolf hovered just beneath the surface. “She and I will do everything in our power to put an end to Aeron’s plan, whatever the fuck it is, without it costing her life. However, if we get to the point where there is no choice, then there is only one thing she can do.”

  He had spoken to his brothers at length about this over the past two months. They had shared in his fears, his rage, and finally in his acceptance that there may not be any other choice. And if that happened, then they were prepared to do what needed to be done. That was to hold him back physically so he couldn’t stop her from doing exactly that.

  Liam heaved a heavy sigh. “Fuck.”

  Ryan barked a short laugh. “Yeah, brother, that just about covers it.”

  “And then what will you do?” Liam’s voice was strained, and Ryan had a feeling he already knew the answer before he asked the question.

  “Do what any other mated shifter would do, claimed or not.” Ryan’s gaze fell on his mate, and almost as if she felt the weight of his stare, she turned to look at him over her shoulder. Goddamn, she is so fucking beautiful. “Wait until I can join her in the next life, knowing that there will be no one else for me in this one.”

  Walking quickly to catch up to the woman who owned his heart, he took the hand she reached out to him as soon as she realized he was heading for her. He clasped her hand tight in his and shortened his stride so that she could walk comfortably. He meant every word he had said to Liam. There would never be another woman for him, in this life or the next. But what he neglected to tell him was that if Ariana moved on from this life today? Then he would follow. Just as soon as he possibly could.

  Ryan figured that at that point, there would still be a load of Aeron’s minions or whatever the hell you called them still walking around up at the Pagan Stone. His plan was to head for the nearest one and put up no resistance. Either way, in this life, in the afterlife, or in the next one, he would end this day as he started it. Holding his mate, the one woman fate had deemed him worthy of, the one that completed him, in his arms.