by Lynn Hagen
“I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Darcy felt his heart speed up at Raven’s voice behind him. How long had he been standing there? How much had he heard?
“Yes?” Taylor asked.
Darcy slowly turned, looking down at Raven’s feet, too embarrassed to look any higher.
“You’ve got a lot of people searching for you, Darcy.” Raven’s tone wasn’t angry, or even hurt. He wanted to ask why Raven was there, but Taylor was in the room, and Darcy didn’t want the counselor to know that it had been Raven he was talking about.
“Really?” Taylor asked.
The door opened, and in walked one of the Lakelands. Darcy just wasn’t sure which one. They all looked alike. The only reason he knew Riley from the rest was because the man interested the shit out of Sterling.
“I told everyone you were over here,” he boasted proudly,“’cause I’m smart like that.”
Taylor chuckled.“Hi, Chauncey.”
“Hey to you, too,” Chauncey replied.“Are you finished shrinking his head, because I was pulled away from the house before I got to eat my supper.”
“Liar,” Curtis said as he slipped in behind Chauncey. “You already ate two helpings before Bryce called to say no one could find Darcy.”
So that was the reason Raven was here. Was he asked to come or did he volunteer?“I’m sorry for troubling everyone.”
Chauncey waved him off.“Ain’t nothing. We’ve had to search for bodies before.”
Okay, Darcy had never heard it put that way before. Maybe he needed to steer clear of Chauncey.
Darcy chanced a glance at Raven, seeing the man standing there looking at Darcy with careful, unreadable eyes. He once again felt the room full of people staring at him.“I’m ready,” he said as he walked past Taylor, and then Chauncey and Curtis. Darcy came up short when Raven slid his hand over Darcy’s, stopping him from making a hasty exit.
The move had taken him by surprise. Darcy loved feeling Raven touch him and wasn’t sure what to do. Raven gave a slight tug and Darcy followed him from the resource center. He was still confused as hell, even after talking to Taylor, but he knew he would follow Raven’s quiet form anywhere.
And that was what scared him the most.
Chapter Seven
Raven climbed out of Chauncey ’s truck, Darcy following. When his mate started for the house, he took Darcy’s hand and stopped him. “Come for a walk with me.”
“ He’s afraid of the dark,” Sterling called out as he walked up the front steps.“Don’t ask. I’m still trying to figure that one out.”
Raven watched Sterling walk into the house and then looked down at his mate.“You are?”
“I’m not afraid of the dark,” Darcy answered defensively.“I’m just night shy.”
Raven chuckled, never hearing it put that way before.“Night shy, huh? What if I were to say that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you?”
“It’s still dark, though.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“There might be bears in the woods.”
A burst of laughter escaped Raven. If Darcy only knew he was living in a house full of bears. The bear shifters were the last thing Darcy needed to worry about. Raven was more concerned with rogue preternatural creatures, but he knew he could take care of his mate, even after all his doubts last night. He knew in his heart that he would defend Darcy with his life.“I don’t think any bears will be bothering you.”
“You an expert on them?” Darcy asked, skepticism in his copperybrown eyes.
“You could say that.” The shifter kind at least.“Come on.” Raven tugged, and Darcy gave in, following close behind Raven. He could feel the tension coming off of his mate and was amazed that Darcy was really scared of taking a walk out in the darkened woods. Maybe it was because Raven lived in the darkness of the night that it didn’t bother him, but it just seemed odd that someone would fear the dark.
He walked across the front yard, still holding Darcy’s hand as they neared the barn, and then walked around it. The woods lined the property behind the barn. It lined the property behind the corrals as well, but this distance was closer. Raven didn’t want to take Darcy far considering his mate had worked all day and was probably tired.
But after hearing his fear in the resource center, Raven wanted some time with his mate, alone, just the two of them. He hadn’t meant to listen in, but when he was told that Darcy was missing, Raven had panicked. He had opened the blood call, searching for his mate, finding him across the street from the diner. Walking into the resource center, Raven had heard, and smelled, Darcy’s sadness and fear.
He wanted to know if his mate really did fear him. He had stood there frozen to the spot when Darcy had said Raven was wonderful and scary, charming and intimidating. He wanted to know why Darcy was afraid to trust him with his heart.
Raven was ready to hand his over to Darcy.
And if he was honest, Darcy already owned it.
Raven wasn’t sure confessing that he was falling in love with Darcy was the smart thing to do right now. His mate was confused, and Raven feared his profession of love would scare the guy off.
That was the last thing he wanted to do.
Raven was trying to figure this whole mating thing out. It seemed just when he thought he knew what was going on, wham, he stumbled back into the dark. This shit wasn’t easy.
“What did you want to talk about?” Darcy asked as he hesitated at the woods’ edge. He glanced into the dark forest, back at Raven, and began to chew on his bottom lip.
“Who said I wanted to talk about anything?”
Darcy twisted his lips, looking at Raven like he was being silly. “Not only do you have that look, but no one drags someone out in the middle of nowhere just to walk.”
Raven turned, grabbing both of Darcy’s hands in his as he began to walk backward. He smiled.“Maybe I just like spending time with you.”
Darcy didn’t look convinced.
Raven tugged on his mate’s hands until Darcy’s chest bumped into his. He cupped Darcy’s face, staring into his beautiful brown eyes.“I really do like spending time with you.”
Darcy blushed and Raven damn near melted on the spot. The man was too sexy for his own good. Raven let his hands wander down Darcy’s back, cupping his ass.“And I especially love this tight little ass of yours.”
“I knew you had a motive.”
Raven wiggled his brows.“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” He leaned forward, inhaling his mate’s scent and feeling the rush inside of his body. Darcy had a way of making his cock perk right up. His hands slid under Darcy’s shirt, and his fingernails lightly scraped along his mate’s back. Raven knew Darcy loved it when he did that.
His mate shivered.
Raven turned Darcy around, pressing his chest into his mate’s warm back. His hands skimmed up Darcy’s chest until he felt the taut peaks of Darcy’s hard nipples. Raven pinched them at the same time.
“Oh, hell,” Darcy moaned as he leaned further into Raven, his head resting on Raven’s chest.“Do that again.”
Raven nipped at Darcy’s neck, feeling the excitement building inside of him of having his mate and drinking from his vein at the same time. There was nothing more heady or erotic in his book. He traced his tongue along his mate’s neck and then stilled.
He smelled shifters, but it wasn’t bears that he scented. Living with them, Raven had learned each individual scent of the bears. This scent didn’t belong to any of them.
Raven pulled Darcy down to the ground, and then pressed his index finger to his lips, indicating that he wanted his mate to be quiet. Darcy nodded his understanding. Raven pointed toward the woods, and then on hands and knees, both hurried toward the cover of trees.
“What’s wrong?” Darcy whispered.
Raven scanned the area, looking for what his senses were picking up. He spotted wolves heading toward the house, and he wasn’t too happy with the numbers that were creeping their way toward the front and b
ack porches.
“We have to warn them,” Darcy said in a panic.“Sterling is in there.”
Raven knew it was too late to warn the Lakelands about the impending attack. They were on their own. What he had to do now was find reinforcements and come back to save the bears and everyone else in the house.
Darcy scrambled to his feet, but Raven caught his mate in time when howls erupted and the battle began. Raven just wasn’t sure who the wolves were.
“Get off of me!” Darcy shouted as he clawed at Raven’s arms. “Sterling is in there.”
“And so are my brothers,” Raven reminded his mate heatedly. “Do you think I have forgotten about them?”
“Then why aren’t you doing anything?” Darcy asked as he snapped his head around, his eyes wide as a bear rushed out of the front door, fighting one of the wolves.“What’s going on, Raven?”
“I’m not sure, but if there is any hope of the ones we care about surviving, we have to get help.” Raven wrapped his arms around Darcy and disappeared from the woods, reappearing right outside of the Den.
Maverick ’s eyes flew open. He wasn’t sure what woke him, but the dream he just had wasn’t pleasant. He saw cubs crying and bloodshed. He just hadn’t seen who was in the dream. Tossing the covers aside, he got out of bed and quickly dressed. Maverick wasn’t sure why he needed to dress, but the feeling was overwhelming.
“ Where’s ya doin’?” Cecil mumbled as he turned over and fell right back to sleep. Maverick pulled the covers over his mate’s shoulders, kissed his temple, and then headed for his bedroom door.
Cold spikes of dread raced down his spine when he heard his daughter, Melonee, screaming. Maverick took off, racing down the hallway until he came around the corner by the den. What he saw baffled him.
“Hold her still!” Tryck shouted. Carter, the resident fey, was holding on to Melonee for dear life, and Tryck, Carter’s mate, was trying to place a fey bracelet on Maverick’s daughter. The fey bracelet would stop Melonee from shimmering.
“ What in the fuck are you doing?” Maverick roared. He could feel his claws shoot from his hands, his canines extend, and his eyes shift. Family or not, he was about to hand these two men their asses for touching his little girl.
“ She’s trying to shimmer to the ranch,” Carter said and then cried out a protest when Melonee swung her arm back, elbowing Carter in the neck.
“ Release her!”
“There are wolves attacking the Lakeland ranch,” Tryck said as he grabbed for Melonee’s arm but was unsuccessful in grabbing it.“Hold the hell still!”
“Get the hell off of me, Tryck, or I swear Carter is going to be a very unhappy man until the swelling in your balls go down,” Melonee threatened.
Ouch. Yeah, she was ticked off because Melonee never cursed. And she used the word balls. That was a new one for her.
“She’s trying to shimmer and join the fight,” Tryck said as he glared at Melonee.“Ask the little vamp what’s going on.” Tryck chucked a thumb over his shoulder.
Maverick walked over to the fighting and snapped his fingers, pointing a finger at Melonee.“Stay.”
“Arf, arf.” Melonee pouted.
Maverick sighed.“Please.”
Melonee crossed her arms over her stomach, looking vexed, but nodded. Carter slowly let her go, but kept his hands close enough to stop her if she attempted to shimmer out of the Den.
“What is going on over at the Lakelands’?” Maverick turned toward Raven, who was holding a human tightly in his arms. He had seen that gesture a million times. The human was Raven’s mate.
Ha! The little shit got what he deserved. Maverick knew Raven wasn’t too fond of humans. But after the little shit had gone after Sloane, Maverick wasn’t too happy with the vampire.
Even if he was Maverick’s in-law.
“I was with my mate in the woods when I saw wolves approaching the front and back of the ranch. It was too late to warn the bears, Maverick. I wouldn’t have left if I thought going to the house and fighting was a better option.”
“So you came for reinforcements,” Maverick concluded.“How many wolves?”
“About a dozen.”
“Kota, go wake Hawk. Tell him to gather his sentries and head over to the Lakelands’.” Maverick turned toward Carter and Melonee. “I want you two to gather the mates and take them to Zeus’s. Tell the alpha—” Maverick watched as Abe, the fey living at the Lakelands’, shimmered in with Oscar and Cole in his arms. The guy was a bloody mess. One eye had claw marks slashed deeply into his skin, and he had blood trickling from a wound somewhere on his scalp.
“I grabbed the cubs,” Abe said as he set Oscar down and then collapsed to his knees. Maverick quickly grabbed Cole, handing him off to Raven’s mate.“I heard one of them say that since we took one of theirs, they were going to kill all of the bears.”
“What about Sterling?” Raven’s mate asked, his eyes filled with terror.
Abe shook his head as he wiped away the blood that was trickling into his eyes.“The last I saw of him, Riley was in his bear form and standing over Sterling as he fought off two wolves.”
“Bears? Wolves?” Darcy looked confused.
Great, Raven hadn’t explained to his mate about shifters. This wasn’t going to be pretty.
Abe nodded.
“Riley will die protecting Sterling, Darcy,” Raven said as his mate handed Cole off to Carter.
Darcy spun around, slamming his fists into Raven’s chest.“What have you done? There were bears and wolves at the ranch. What the fuck is going on, Raven!”
Yeah, it wasn’t pretty.
Raven grabbed his mate, holding his arms down as he pulled Darcy close.“I’m sorry.”
“He’s right,” Maverick said as he watched the sentries entering the foyer.“Riley will protect Sterling with his life.”
“Why would Riley protect Sterling? He barely knows my brother.”
“Because,” Maverick said as he watched Carter and Melonee shimmer out with the cubs, also carrying Heaven’s three children, and Gabby’s son.“Sterling is Riley’s mate.”
“We’re heading out,” Tryck said as his brothers, Dagon and Law, followed.
“Get the sentries to the Lakelands’,” Maverick said when he saw Hawk striding toward him. The man had quiet death in his eyes as he moved his mate, Johnny, toward the gathered mates.
“Kick their asses, Hawk!” Johnny shouted before standing next to Gabby.
“Loco, I want you and Ludo to stay behind and make sure all the mates make it out. Go wake Cecil after I leave.” Knowing his mate, Cecil would try and join in the fight. There was no way in hell Maverick was going to allow that to happen.
The two sentries nodded as Maverick headed toward the door. He shook his head when he saw Montana, Gabby’s mate, walking toward the door with a bazooka over his shoulder.
What a fucking night. He just hoped the Santiago brothers didn’t burn the ranch down to kill the invading shifters.
Maverick wouldn’t put it past them.
Darcy watched as the very tall man with the long black hair walked out of the front door. He got the impression that Maverick was someone he would rather have on his side than as an enemy. That thought only made him think of Sterling. His brother must be scared out of his mind.
“ I’m going,” Darcy argued as he pushed at Raven’s chest.“Get away from me. You lied to me, and that put my brother in danger.”
“I didn’t lie,” Raven said as he grabbed Darcy’s arm, pulling him back to his chest.“And you can’t go, not now. It’s too dangerous for you.”
“I knew there was something wrong with this town,” Darcy argued as he tried to pull his arms free. He wasn’t sure what the hell was going on, but his mind was slowly putting the pieces together. The men at the Lakeland ranch could change into bears. Fuck. That was news he wasn’t sure even Taylor could help him sort out.
“We can talk about everything when this is all over. But I’m going back to th
e ranch to save my brothers and yours.” Raven released Darcy, disappearing right before Darcy’s eyes.
A tic started in Darcy’s left eye. Abe had appeared out of thin air, the guy and the girl had disappeared with children in their arms, and Raven had made the world spin sideways when he brought Darcy here.
Oh, hell, he was losing his damn mind.
What was this town full of, David Copperfields?
“You want your brother back?”
Darcy turned to see a man with amethyst-colored eyes staring at him, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Don’t do it,” a small redheaded man whispered beside him. When Darcy glanced at the guy, he slowly shook his head back and forth.
“Got something to say, Gabby?” the man with amethyst eyes asked the redhead standing next to Darcy.
“Nope,” Gabby answered.
“I want my brother,” Darcy admitted.
“Don’t do it.” This time Gabby was talking low and from the side of his mouth. What in the hell was wrong with the man?
“Name’s Cecil.” The guy stuck his hand out, and Darcy numbly shook it.
“Darcy. Do you change into a bear of a wolf?” Darcy asked as he glanced at the men gathering around Cecil.
“Nah, I’m a boring human. But we do have a few vampires, two feys, and a demon in our arsenal.”
Darcy was going to be sick. He pushed aside the feeling that his world had changed within the span of a few days and nodded. He had finally found out this town’s little secret, but he couldn’t take that time to overanalyze the problem or beat it over the head. Not now. Sterling needed him, and Darcy wasn’t just going to sit on the sidelines and hope his brother survived. He would deal with Mr. Vampire and the eight bears later.“What do you have in mind?”
“Oh, geez,” Gabby sighed.
“Funny you should ask,” Cecil said as he stared over Darcy’s shoulder. This only made Darcy turn to see what Cecil was staring at. There were two large men standing off to the side, talking with the guy and the girl who had vanished into thin air with the children. Darcy was amazed at the head of silver hair on the one man.