She ran into his arms. “I love you.”
His heart soared. He swung her in the air. “I love you too.”
“How fucking sweet.” Allistair held a handgun. “Get in the car, Julia.”
Chapter Fourteen
Darrell dropped her and for a second she seemed weightless. The interior light streaming from the open car door illuminated Allistair.
Julia’s heart stopped. She landed on her feet, knees bent to take the small impact. This couldn’t be happening. Before she could react, Darrell shoved her behind him as he dove for her fiancé. She stumbled and fell on her ass, teeth snapping together. Damn male was protecting her again. This wasn’t just his fight. She didn’t want to go with Allistair anymore than he wanted her to be taken. They were stronger together.
Darrell tackled Allistair before the other shifter could pull the trigger. The gun clattered to the ground.
She ducked when the gun went off. A tire behind and to the right of her head deflated. That was so close. Her limbs trembled so much she couldn’t stand.
The males didn’t hold back their shifter strength as they proceeded to punch the shit out of each other. Blood smeared Darrell’s lips and Allistair’s knuckles.
Julia hands fisted. All of this strife over Allistair’s greed. He fought because he needed her for an inheritance. He would have killed for it. That’s how her pack worked. That’s why she ran. In the center of the pool of light lay the gun. Darrell had jumped in front of that gun to protect her. No one had ever shown her love like he did. Yet, here she hovered like a ninny, waiting to be rescued. She glanced at Clare who never let anyone else fight her battles. Julia crawled on all fours and grasped the butt of the revolver. Standing on watery legs, she aimed in their general direction. “Stop or I’ll shoot.”
A brush of air on her skin was the only warning she had of Pallas’ arrival. “Easy, Julia.” He didn’t reach to take the gun from her though.
Neither shifter fighting had heard her order. They continued pounding on each other. Why was she shocked that Allistair could fight? He was heir to the alpha. He’d have had to earn that spot through challenges.
The sheriff pulled out her gun and pointed it at Julia. “Put down the weapon.”
Julia’s heart skipped a beat. Shoot or be shot? She took a deep breath and her shaky hand grew steady.
Pallas set his body between them. “Don’t get involved, Sheriff. This is a pack matter on pack lands. Pack law takes precedence.”
“That doesn’t include murder.” She still kept her aim.
“Who said anything about murder? Just shoot him in the leg Julia.” Pallas waved for her to act. “End this.”
Sheriff Lee lowered her weapon reluctantly. She glanced at the pack on the porch as if looking for back up, but both alphas stayed unmoving. They watched the fight. This was how their kind solved their problems. No one would intervene for her or Darrell.
“Focus on his leg just like we’ve been practicing.” Pallas crossed his arms, his stance relaxed. He didn’t seem phased by the aggressive fist fight taking place not a few feet from them. If anything, Julia would say he seemed amused. She wasn’t. Even though she was raised in a pack, her parents sheltered her from most challenges.
“This isn’t a rifle.” She snapped at him and took aim, but they moved too fast. What if she hit Darrell? It was hard to keep her eye on her target.
“A handgun is easier.” Pallas set his hands on his hips. “Stop them before one of them dies in front of Sheriff Nosy.”
She gritted her teeth. Stupid Allistair who wrecked everything. She’d almost lost Darrell because of him. She still might.
“Shoot!” The vampire shouted.
She squeezed the trigger.
A loud bang deafened her. Both shifters sprung apart. Darrell climbed to his feet and Allistair clutched his leg, blood oozing from between his fingers. His mouth moved as he shouted something but her ears still rang.
She wanted to rub her eyes. Had she really hit her target? It must have been a fluke.
Pallas gave her a small conspiratory smile. Shoot the side mirror of his car. His voice spoke in her head.
Her eyes widened.
He nodded.
She took aim, a smile tugged on a corner of her mouth. She hated this car and what it represented. The spiritless power and money hunger of her pack. The gun went off and the mirror exploded. Yes.
Shoot the windshield.
She did as her task master order and ducked as the glass shattered. She’d done it. Somehow she’d broken through her block and could hit a target. Her chest ached. She might actually pass the marksman test.
Darrell approached her, hands in the air. “Nice shooting Tex. Now let’s put the gun down before the nice sheriff changes her mind about shooting you.” He folded the weapon in his hand and made it disappear in the back of his waist band.
“Did you see me shoot?” She ran her hands over his swollen face. “Oh, baby. We need to get some ice on this.”
Darrell pulled her hand to his swollen lips and kissed her palm.
The sheriff joined them, arms crossed. She looked less than pleased. Kneeling next to Allistair, she checked his wound. “I’ll call an ambulance.”
“No.” They shouted together, including Allistair.
Sheriff Lee frowned. “He’s been shot.”
“I’m not going to any backwater human hospital where they haven’t a clue how to treat my kind. I’ll take my chances with this pack.” He scooted away.
“The one that just stood by and watched her shoot you?” She appeared confused.
Julia’s stomach rolled. She’d shot Allistair in front of the sheriff. Jail loomed in her near future. “I had to stop it. Allistair could have killed Darrell.” She leaned against her mate who circled her arm around her shoulders. She rubbed her cheek against his chest. Her mate…
Darrell cleared his throat. “Or the other way around.” He should have killed Allistair on the first tackle, but unlike Julia, he was very aware the human sheriff watched.
She elbowed him. “See what I mean about growing-up with a pack. She doesn’t understand.” He recalled their conversation on the practice range about her theory that growing up in a pack helped those adjust to shifter life easier. He agreed. Sheriff Lee saw only violence, not a mating challenge fought and won valiantly. How would they make her comprehend this was pack life? No one was taking Julia away from him, not Allistair, not the law. He aimed a growl at the sheriff. His wolf was still close to the surface and ready for another fight.
“Pack land, pack law.” Pallas’ tone brooked no denial and was clearly aimed at Darrell.
He took a deep, shuddering breath, inhaling Julia’s scent to calm his wolf.
Pallas turned his attention to their quiet audience on the porch. “Two of you, carry this mutt inside.” He pointed to Allistair. “Penny, tend his wounds. Allistair, you’ll stay with us until you’re healed.”
Allistair bared his teeth but kept quiet. Great, they’d be stuck with the asshole for a few more days. Darrell would make sure he was uncomfortable the whole time.
The vampire moved out of the shifters way as they moved Allistair inside the manor, then addressed those remaining outside. “You have thirty minutes to get your mangy asses to the shooting range. Marksman test tonight. Those who don’t pass get to ride on the bus of shame.” The porch emptied.
Darrell stayed rooted to his spot. He wasn’t going anywhere until he knew what was happening to Julia. They’d have to pry her out of his arms.
Pallas eyed the sheriff expectantly.
She rose to her feet, shaking her head. “Pack lands, pack law. I’m still obliged to report this to the D.A.’s office. I’m classifying it as self-defense. Anything else would warrant more of an investigation.” She addressed Julia. “Don’t leave town until the D.A. has made a ruling. Running would weaken your defense case.”
Darrell picked up her suitcase. “She’s not going anywhere.” They’d finish this boot camp tog
ether.
“This reminds me.” Pallas grinned at them, showing the full force of his very sharp fangs. “You both blatantly broke my no-fucking-around rules. We’ll first see if you pass the test, then we’ll discuss punishment. I’ve an obstacle course that needs tearing down.” He bowed to the sheriff. “Let me walk you to your car.” They left the shifters alone.
Julia leaned her head back to gaze into his eyes. “I thought you hated me. I couldn’t bear to stay here any longer if you did and Allistair gave me an easy way out.”
He stroked her velvety cheek and she leaned into his touch. God, how he love the way she reacted to his touch. “I meant what I said the other day.” She didn’t get it. He had to make things very clear. “No matter what, I will always be there for you.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him as if she’d never let go. “I know that now.”
He slid his finger under her chin, guiding her lips close to his. “Please tell me you had your eyes open when you shot Allistair.”
“I hit the target. That’s all that matters,” she whispered back.
“You better believe it.” He brushed his lips over hers, taking in her sweet taste. She had turned her back on a financially secure future and shot Allistair to be with him. “I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”
Her eyes went wide. “But I’m already happy.”
He couldn’t help glance at Allistair’s car. She’d be giving up a lot to be with him. Did she really understand that?
She caught his look and turned his back toward her. “Darrell, don’t do that. I am the happiest I’ve ever been and it’s because of you. Not things.”
He lifted her in his arms and claimed her mouth. The kiss was lingering and slow. He wanted to spend the rest of the night with her in his arms.
Someone cleared his throat from afar. “You’re running out of time to prepare for the test.”
Darrell caught a glimpse of an angry vampire and smiled against Julia’s mouth. “Pallas is not happy though.”
She giggled.
“Oh, I have something to show you.” He pulled out the target paper he had folded in his pocket. “From yesterday. Well, earlier today. Whatever.”
She poked her finger in the holes in the bullseye. “I guess I’ll pass the test after all.”
“Better believe it.”
Next Release by Annie Nicholas Feb. 15th
Boarded
Assigned as an interpreter to a mysterious alien race, Liaison Sadie Beckit crosses multiple star systems to the remote Cyngi home world on an old space freighter. Knowledge is essential when dealing with aliens. A misspoken word or a careless gesture could lead to wars so liaisons are necessary to keep the peace, but Sadie is kept in the dark about her new employer. This mysterious species has chosen to withhold most of their culture and language information.
All she’s told is to accompany Ambassdor Nual back to Central Station. Sounds easy enough, but the lawless void of space holds many dangers.
His skin was a brighter shade of blue than she'd expected, similar to Earth's sky on a clear summer day. A small hat of feathers of the same color sat on his bald head. Each overlapped the other in a tight configuration, so it looked as if a cap surrounded the top of his head like a bathing cap.
Nual exchanged names with the ship family. He loomed over them, easily six feet tall.
Maol gestured to the beige canvas bag slung across Nual's bare chest. “Do you have any other luggage to store?
“Only the case that came through the bay doors earlier today. Is it secured?”
“The box has its own storage bin as requested.”
From this angle, Sadie could see Nual had small, dark blue freckles, which flowed both down the back of his neck from the feathered cap and around his well-defined abdomen. They trailed lower to disappear under the short, white linen cloth wrapped tight around his hips.
He glanced at her. Some races approved blatant admiration, others didn't. She didn’t know how to deal with her instant attraction and broke eye contact. They needed to have a long talk. The sooner the better.
Glitch floated over her head and approached Nual’s face.
She stepped closer, ready to intervene. It never went to strangers. The self-preservation programs loaded into these precious machines erred on the side of caution since they were too valuable to be stolen or damaged. Symbols flashed across its reflective surface in slow succession. Her POD spelled its name using computer glyphs.
“Nice to meet you, Glitch.” The ambassador gave a slight bow as if to an equal.
With an audible click, her mouth snapped shut. No one ever treated her POD like a person. Most didn’t even acknowledge its presence in the room. Glitch was a high-tech computer to non-POD users but she suspected a deeper sentience within Glitch. When she’d discussed her suspicions with a systems developer, he’d told her that she only saw a reflection of herself in the gadget.
Not many could read glyphs either. Something low in her abdomen tightened. She could find a pretty face at any station stop if she wanted, but a sharp mind was difficult to find and sexy as hell.
She reined in her libido. As a representative of the Liaison office professionalism was promoted, not being awe struck. “If you will follow me, Ambassador, I'll show you to our quarters.” The calm serene voice that flowed from her did not reflect the riptide of conflict rising. It took years of practice to learn professional detachment while freaking out inside.
A Cyngi stood not more than five par secs from her. They’d share a room and hopefully more. She cleared her throat, like information, language files, and cultural faux pas.
The captain escorted them to the lift and left Nual in her care after the door slid shut. They stood side-by-side while they waited for their level. She glanced his way and found him staring at her.
He gave a small smile. “You're much more exotic in person,” he whispered.
AMAZON
Published 2016
Copyright by Annie Nicholas
Cover design by J. Hemmington
Edited by LB Briggs
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews--without the prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Manufactured in the United States of America
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About the Author
Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.
Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.
www.annienicholas.com
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Books by Annie Nicholas
Vanguard Elite
Bootcamp of Misfit Wolves
A Taste of Shifter Geekdom
Blind Wolf Bluff (Releasing May 2016)
The Angler series
Bait (Free)
Catch
Hunting Colby
Release
Chronicles of Eorthe
Scent of Salvation
Scent of Valor
Scent of a Scandal
The Vanguards series
The Omegas
The Alpha
The Beta
Omegas in Love
Sigma
Prima
Lake City Series
Ravenous (Free)
Starved for Love
Sinful Cravings
Stand Alone Books
Irresistible
Koishi
No Refuge
Boarded (Releasing Feb 2016)
For more information on coming releases go to http://www.annienicholas.com
A Taste of Shifter Geekdom: Shifter Romance (Vanguard Elite Book 2) Page 10