by Milly Taiden
Sun in the Oven
Paranormal Dating Agency Galaxa Warriors
Milly Taiden
Latin Goddess Press, Inc.
Contents
Sun In The Oven
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Untitled
About the Author
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
Sun In The Oven
PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY
GALAXA WARRIORS
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
MILLY TAIDEN
Untitled
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Henley Rourke is a woman who loves a challenge. A while back, Gerri Wilder convinced her and two friends to make an interstellar jump to another galaxy. A thrill too hard to resist, Henley found herself on a planet filled with gorgeous shifters. But she's restless and looking for a little adventure. And then she meets Damen Iceri. Badass. Shifter. Oh, yeah, and so hot, he makes her undies disappear. She gets more than she expects when she realizes Damen isn't the only hot shifter who wants her.
Gunner Lukas, alpha of the Summit Bear Clan is a pair with Damen. Gunner is also the alpha to Damen’s omega. Bound by tradition and ritual, these two bears are looking for their mate, the one woman to complete their triad. And that's Henley. But he's not sure how she will handle finding out. When this triad gets together, things go from hot to explosive.
They're ready to make their mating dreams come true along with all the dirty thoughts she's had since meeting them. A forever threesome? All about her? Yes, please! But there’s no time to think about forever—not when they are charged with finding the source behind a series of deaths by poison and doing their best to keep Henley from becoming the next victim.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published By
Latin Goddess Press, Inc.
Winter Springs, FL 32708
http://millytaiden.com
Sun in the Oven
Copyright © 2018 by Milly Taiden
Cover by: Willsin Rowe
Edited by: Tina Winograd
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Property of Milly Taiden
June 2018
Created with Vellum
—For the adventure-seeker in all of us. May you find your own happily ever Alpha.
1
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“Is the old bastard awake yet?” Vander Kasaval didn’t turn around. He kept his gaze from his rooftop oasis on the bustling market and the sand ocean beyond. “Last report said he was stirring, opening his eyes.” He turned to his Chief of Security. “How am I expected to serve my people as their king if I can’t get to the bottom of this conspiracy? It’s been almost a year, Damen.”
Damen Iceri moved to the king’s side. The pressure they were dealing with would cripple most men. “You’re serving the Palladian capital and the people of Galaxa just fine, Vander. This situation isn’t a ‘one and done.’ It’s got tentacles and roots that spread like I’ve never before seen. We’ve made progress.
“If anything, the people have seen you act decisively. You, Jag, and me included. Maddox was one of your own. No one thought the Lord Chamberlain of the Palladia would turn traitor and kill the ones swore to protect and govern in your name. As hard as it was to do, you handled it by showing no one is above the law. As for the tentacles, we’re finding them and dealing with them one by one. Maddox is a major key.”
“A major key.” The king exhaled. “If we can get him to talk.”
Damen squeezed Vander’s shoulder. “Not if, but when. He’s in and out of consciousness, so I haven’t been able to question him too much, but he was lucid enough the last time to realize his fate.”
Vander snorted. “What? That I plan to rip his balls off and feed them to him once we wring every last piece of information from him?” The king exhaled, raking a hand through his long hair.
“I know it’s hard, V. Maddox served the royal house of Kasaval for generations.” Frustration bit into his gut at the strain on the king’s face. Vander was counting on him, and he wouldn’t let him down. “Maddox served your father as Lord Chamberlain before you. His treason is hard to understand. Especially for you and Jag. Your brother is ready to do more than rip the man’s balls off. He’s ready to go medieval on his ass.”
Jag walked in from the inside garden. “You got that right. As long as I get my hands around his skinny neck, you can wring whatever else you want from him,” he replied with a frown.
“Yeah, but I’m king, so I get first dibs.” Vander glanced over his shoulder at his brother, a smirk on his face.
Damen gave the king’s shoulder another squeeze. “Let us handle Maddox. You’ve got enough going on right here at the castle. Ivy is ready to give birth any day now. You’ve got enough to worry about with her wanting to have your heir back on Earth. Thank the suns Jag got together with Riley. She and Gerri Wilder are the only ones who can talk your mate down these days.”
“Tell me about it.” Jag nodded with a wink. “Riley has a heart as big as Galaxa. She’s a godsend in more ways than one, and as for Mrs. Wilder, our resident matchmaker has put her other clients on hold until the baby comes.”
Vander’s eyes met his brother’s gaze. “To think I didn’t want to use her Paranormal Dating Agency services. We’d all be fucked right now, and not in a good way. Gerri has matched so many warriors both here and on Nova Aurora that King Alyx Transvaal and I discussed giving her a permanent place on both our respective councils.”
Damen stifled a wince. Mrs. Wilder on the king’s Privy Council would not go over well with the career politicians. Vander looked his way, curious. “Something on your mind, Damen?”
“Other than you making my life exponentially harder by putting your matchmaker on your council so I have to deal with the butt hurt egos? Nope,” he replied with a wink. “Piece o’ cake.”
Vander grinned. “What…I thought you liked the silver foxy lady.”
“I like Gerri fine.” Damen shrugged. “She’s one of my favorite people, but I can feel the headache coming from the castle complaint crew. The scheming assholes love their bullshit gripes and their plots to get ahead.”
Jag smirked at his brother’s head of security. “Tha
t’s why V pays you the big bucks. Besides, I think Gerri’s one of your favs for a totally different reason. From the way you and Henley Rourke have been eye fucking each other lately, it looks like our matchmaker hooked another shifter for one of her girls.”
“Fact, dude.” Vander nodded.
Damen stiffened. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Not now, and probably not ever.” His tone was definite.
“That was quick and dismissive.” Vander turned to face him. “Don’t tell me you think Earth girls aren’t worthy, because that would be bad, very bad, considering my queen is from Earth.”
“Of, course not!” Damen balked.
Vander eyed him, skeptically. “Good. Otherwise, I’d have to have someone else question my former Lord Chamberlain. Maddox’s treason stemmed from his fucked up ideology about keeping Galaxan blood pure. He’d rather we die as a race than mix with humans.”
“You mean die at his hand,” Jag added with a frown.
Damen’s scowl deepened. “I get so angry thinking how many of our women died because of his poison that I physically have to calm down before questioning the man. We’ve gotten deep into his chain of deceit, but we haven’t gotten to the bottom of it. The source.”
The king turned for the jug of ale on the iron and glass serving table. He poured a glass, gesturing with the cup. “I should let Henley question him with you, Damen. She’s got serious skills when it comes to getting people to talk, at least that’s what Ivy says. That one is a fighter looking for a reason to brawl.” He paused. “Kind of like you.”
Damen ignored the bait. His two best friends didn’t understand. Then again, how could they when he never explained. He never had a reason. Until now.
“Henley’s a killer combo.” The king continued with a smirk. “Or maybe you already found out what that tall, curvy drink of water has to offer, hmmm?”
Damen shook his head, trying not to let on how much he wished that were true. “I don’t know if I should punch you or laugh,” he said, trying to deflect the question. “I think Ivy’s crazy has gotten you nuts as well.”
Vander gave his friend a small smile. “Dude, you have no idea. If Ivy doesn’t calm down, I’m going to have to knock her out until the baby comes, and she knows it too.”
“She’s just scared, Vander,” Jag added. “Riley let slip a little of what they talk about when I’m not around. Ivy has no frame of reference about childbirth Galaxan style. She wasn’t there when her cousin Cassie gave birth on Nova. Apparently, on Earth they paralyze mothers before they give birth. Something called a spinal.”
Damen’s brows pulled together. “You mean on purpose?”
“I know, right?” Vander chuckled, draining his glass. “And some consider us barbaric because shifters exact pleasure and pain when we claim our mates.”
“I think you’re worrying for nothing. Ivy’s tough and sassy like all of Gerri’s girls. She’ll be fine,” Damen replied, glad they were off him and onto the queen and her imminent labor. “Plus, she has you. You’d walk through fire for her the same way Jag would walk through flames for Riley.”
“Damn straight.” Jag nodded.
Vander moved to pour himself another cup of ale, offering one to Damen, but his security chief shook his head, distracted. “Nah…thanks anyway. I need my wits about me, but you go ahead. You’re gonna need it.”
“More for me then.” Vander lifted his glass to his lips. “So, you gonna tell me what your comment meant?”
Damen tilted his head, knowing he was being purposely evasive. “What comment?”
“Not now, and probably not ever,” the king repeated, eyeing him. “It’s not like you to be so cagey. At least not with me. What gives?”
Damn. And they were back to him.
“Gunnar,” Damen replied before moving to the window with Vander’s heavy stare weighing on his back.
“The Summit Clan alpha?” Jag questioned. “I thought you squared things with him a long time ago, Damen? What are you telling us?”
He shrugged, but didn’t turn. “I never went back.”
“What are you talking about?” Vander frowned slightly. “I distinctly remember Father giving you leave for a transport so you could talk to Gunnar and the Summit elders about why you left the clan and came to the palace. This isn’t like you, Damen. You don’t shy away from anything. I’ve never met a more fearless warrior. Why would you choose not to negotiate with your clan? You had the backing of the king, not to mention you’re my oldest friend. You saved my life. There isn’t anything house Kasaval wouldn’t do for you.”
Damen steeled himself before glancing over his shoulder at his friend. “You never met my clan, Vander. The day I pulled you out of that avalanche, I was more concerned with you not freezing to death than anything else. I didn’t care what clan elders would think. I was already in trouble for leaving our territory to hunt alone. It was my fault you got caught in that slide, so I carried you down the mountain. You were unconscious, and though it nearly killed me carrying your big ass to the lower steppes, I knew I had to help.”
“V is huge on a regular basis, but when he’s dead weight? Fuck, that effort alone should have earned you knighthood,” Jag joked.
Damen paused with a short laugh. “I didn’t even know who you were then, but you were such a comedian when you came to, I couldn’t help myself. Everyone I knew was either colorless or too scared to try anything new. You were so full of life, you made me hate the thought of my boring existence. I took my time getting you up and moving again.” He shrugged. “You offered me friendship in a way I never had. The Summit Clan is secretive and isolated. I had never met anyone so free and easy. Of course, I know now it’s because you’re a royal brat and used to being the center of attention.”
“Oh man, he’s so got your number, bro,” Jag laughed.
“Fuck you, both.” Vander smirked, but then got back to the point. “But you went back after you got me to the Palladian palace. What happened when you got there? After all this time, you never said.”
Damen’s grin faded, and he lifted one shoulder against the unpleasant memory. “Everything was different. I had seen what life was like outside our small, isolated world. I wanted to share what I learned. Open our borders and our minds, but our elders wouldn’t hear it. I was the clan’s omega, and I had no choice but to adhere to traditions that have existed for centuries. While I was gone, the elders had picked a mate for Gunnar and me. In that moment, everything they expected was suddenly too heavy to bear. I refused her. I wanted us to choose for ourselves. To complete our triad with someone we wanted.”
“And?” Jag asked.
Damen looked at his friends, not expecting them to understand. “And nothing. I was dismissed outright. The elders wouldn’t listen to reason and Gunnar refused to challenge them.”
“I can’t imagine Gunnar wouldn’t have backed you on this, I mean what man wouldn’t want to choose his own mate, let alone an alpha?” Jag replied.
“We were young.” Damen reached for a glass of ale. “I was barely sixteen when I found Vander on that mountain. I can’t blame Gunnar for not going against everything he knew and trusted. He didn’t know what I knew. Hadn’t seen the way the outside world lived. I asked him to come with me. To meet you both and your family, but he refused. After that, the elders gave me an ultimatum.”
Vander exhaled. “So, you left.”
“I showed up on your doorstep two weeks later and never looked back.” Damen’s eyes met the king’s gaze, and the look on his friend’s face told him Vander saw he wasn’t telling them everything. It was time to make them understand.
“Look, I never regretted my decision to leave my clan, but as to Henley,” Damen continued, shaking his head. “As much as I want what you both have, I can’t get involved. No matter how tempted. Like it or not, for better or worse, I am still the omega of the Summit Bear Clan. At least until I kick the bucket. I can’t mate, and neither can Gunnar.”
Saying the words o
ut loud rocked him a little, and Damen lifted his cup to his lips. “It’s been so long, I’m sure Gunnar hates me. That’s why I didn’t go back when your father offered. The only way peace could happen is if I returned and took up my role as omega and allowed the elders to decide my life. I’d rather be alone.” He clicked the inside of his cheek, shoring up his bravado. “Besides, nameless sex is not a bad trade off. I get all the pussy I want without any of the headaches.”
“Ha! Just wait until you find your true mate, bro. You think sex is hot now?” Jag whistled. “Not even close, dude. Your true mate will rock your world like no one else. Besides, I know you, Damen. I’ve seen how you are with me and Riley’s kids. You keep telling yourself you’re better off, but I know better.”
Damen drained his glass. “Yeah, well, even if that’s true, I’m not going back to that frozen, insulated world. It’s too late. I’ve changed too much.” He winked. “And so has my taste in women.”
“Anyone with eyes knows what you like.” Vander grinned. “Tall and fully fleshed, with sumptuous curves that make a woman statuesque and regal. From the top of her high, dark ponytail to the toes of her signature black knee-length boots. Hmmm, sound like anyone we know? Maybe someone whose hazel eyes track your every move and vice versa?”