by Nikki Landis
Swallowing hard, I backed up a few paces.
The animal bared its teeth.
I wasn’t sure why my memory chose that moment to bring up the night the elder spoke of skin-walkers. It wasn’t helpful and I trembled in fear as the beast before me started to stalk slowly forward. The Navajo believed that skin-walkers were a bad spirit and evil shifter. It wasn’t hard to believe that concept as I stared into the black eyes of this monster. Something was off.
I could swear that I saw intelligence in the eyes that shouldn’t exist in an animal.
Was this some wanderer? A freakish experiment?
Or a real nightmare?
Pivoting on my left foot, I decided to run. It was foolish but there weren’t many options. I didn’t think it through, just ran as fast as I could out into the desert. The canyons were close, and I didn’t hesitate to try reaching higher ground.
The beast behind me nipped at my heels and I screamed as I ran faster, nearly tripping in my haste. I made it to the top of one of the smaller cliffs of the canyon and spun around, slowly backing away from the monster that was only a few feet away. It was toying with me. We both knew it.
I could have been ripped apart at any time.
The ledge was beneath my feet before I realized that I had backed up as far as I did. Glancing down, I knew I couldn’t survive the fall. It was much too high. Serious injury and death awaited if I fell.
Moving my feet to the side, I attempted to slowly leave the edge of the cliff.
The beast snarled and I paused, taking one step back when the animal lunged. Screaming, I slipped and tumbled over the edge, crying out when I smacked into the hard rock. I was holding on to a dip in the sandstone walls but barely. My body dangled above as my feet swung in the air.
The creature lowered his head over the side, and I swear I saw it smile.
When the elder told the story around the bonfire, he said a skin-walker must be called by its name. That it was a trickster that could take on other identities. I wished I knew this beast’s name.
Sweat dripped into my eyes as my fingers began to slip. I thought I heard a scuffle and looked up at the exact same moment that my fingers lost their grip. Another scream left my lips as a pair of strong arms reached out and caught my wrists.
Shocked, I gazed upward into Tarek’s eyes. “I said I wasn’t letting go and I meant it.”
“Tarek.” Emotion churned so hard within all I could was tremble with the knowledge that I nearly died.
He hauled my body upward without much effort and I was tugged into his embrace. His entire body shuddered. “I was almost too late.”
“But you weren’t.”
He gave me a quick kiss and then spun, facing the beast that seemed bigger than a few minutes ago. Confused, I could only watch as the two stared one another down. There was a strange sense of urgency and an electric charge that seemed to fill the air with expectancy.
In the distance, I thought I heard howling. This was the strangest experience I’d ever had.
It didn’t end there.
Tarek’s body began to change as he let loose an enormous growl. One second, he was the man I knew, and the next he was a beast as big and intimidating as the one that chased me to this ridge.
My eyes widened and I stumbled backward, falling flat on my ass.
Tarek just morphed into a wolf.
Tarek
MY TRUCK WAS ALREADY parked in front of the hogan when I arrived. I lifted my nose and caught a familiar scent that didn’t belong to Synna, wondering why I never picked up on it previously. Maybe it was so close to home, so normal that it never occurred to me that I would be betrayed. My suspicions that a brother had betrayed the club were confirmed. There was no time to dwell on it now.
None of that mattered since I was here. I had to find Synna.
Hyde was right behind me, his tone angry when he realized the attacker’s identity. “Go! She’s in danger!”
I heard Synna’s scream and never ran so fast in my entire life. The world tilted on its axis and my heart nearly burst right through my chest when I saw her hovering on the edge of the canyon ledge. The shifter was methodically hunting her, forcing her closer to the edge so she would fall.
I was never going to make it in time.
My coyote howled as I saw her tumble backward and I lunged for the edge, barely catching her in time. I was breathing so hard I thought I may pass out. My only thought was returning her to safety. Once I had her in my arms, I kissed her quickly and stepped away.
My coyote would no longer be contained. Our mate needed us.
Like most predators, hunger or rage were usually the catalyst for a shift. Strong emotions were hard to hold back and rein in. Shapeshifters were much stronger than average humans. It wasn’t hard to figure that out, but most people didn’t believe it, even when they saw it with their own eyes.
We were extremely fast, agile, impossible to catch and smarter than the average beast.
I knew Synna would be shocked when she saw my transformation but there was no holding the coyote back. I wondered briefly if she believed the legends that the elders spoke about. Would she consider me a threat? Evil? There was no way of knowing.
I didn’t bother looking in her direction as I focused on my enemy and the brother who betrayed his club. None of us could have known he was hacking into the phones and devices of the members and using it for Intel. He told secrets to the Forsythe brothers, Sheriff Porter, and who knew how many others. Once Ronin went digging, he found a lot of incriminating evidence. The last few hours had been enlightening.
The only thing that baffled me was his target.
Synna never did a thing to Whiskey Sue’s son J.D.
I charged into J.D.’s side and knocked him to the ground before he rose up with a roar. Sharp claws slashed at my flank and missed. I bared my teeth and caught his shoulder, ripping into the flesh. If I had to, I would take him out a piece at a time.
He shook my jaw free and we circled one another, prepared to go in for the kill.
“Synna!”
Ronin’s voice was off, but I didn’t notice that he had shifted until I saw the wide wingspan of his eagle. Synna gasped as he swooped in and struck J.D. in the eye. He let out an odd noise that was somewhere between a screech and a yelp of pain. The eagle soared high and returned for another strike when J.D. suddenly turned his focus on my mate. He ran toward Synna and I leaped into the air, landing on his back. My jaws opened wide and I gripped his neck, careful not to snap it. Not yet.
He needed to answer to the club.
His death wasn’t my kill alone.
Chapter 15 – Tarek
All Animal (Through Fire)
“Are you sure you’re alright?” I asked for the tenth time, holding Synna on my lap as I perched on the tailgate of my truck.
“I’m fine,” she insisted as her brow furrowed. “What are you again?”
“A shapeshifter.”
“And Ronin?”
“The same.”
“But not evil, right? I don’t sense any evil with either of you.”
“Well, the whole club is shifters, honey. None of us are evil.” Unless you counted J.D.
“Why did he look so odd compared to the two of you?”
“I don’t know. It’s obvious he was dabbling in things we didn’t know about.”
“I see.” She sort of had a glazed look in her eyes and I knew she was overwhelmed.
“It’s gonna be okay, I promise,” I assured her.
“I know.”
“You know the great thing about us? Shifters have incredible senses. That’s why we’re such great bounty hunters and trackers. We have a reputation for not losing our bond.”
She smiled.
“We can track anyone, anywhere and that’s even more important when it comes to our mate.”
“Mate?”
“Yeah, the one we love and bond with. The female that is our one true love. There’s no place that you cou
ld go that I couldn’t find you. No matter what the future holds, know that I will always come after you. You’re mine, Synna Daniels.” Our lips met as I leaned in and captured a kiss. “But I’m yours too.”
“I guess the two of you are together now, huh?” Ronin stood awkwardly, shuffling from foot to foot. He cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology, Tarek.”
“For?” I asked, wrapping my around Synna.
“Separating you from my sister. I won’t intervene again.”
“Good.”
“Unless you hurt her, cheat, or piss her off. Then I can’t guarantee a thing.”
Chuckling, I nodded. “I suppose I’ll deserve it then.”
Synna stood up and walked into Ronin’s arms as he opened them. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, Syn.”
“Since you’re a shifter too, what does that mean for me?” She gazed upward and into his startled eyes.
“I’ve never seen any indication that you have the ability. I wasn’t sure for a long time, but you’ve never shifted or struggled with the same emotions and urges. I think it must have skipped over you somehow.”
“How is it possible that you can change into an eagle?”
“Out father was a shapeshifter. He told me when I was young, about six when I first showed signs. Asked me to keep an eye on you and I always have.”
“You’re pretty awesome,” she admitted, lifting up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “But stay out of my business from now on.” I could tell she was only half joking. “And no more secrets. Okay?”
Ronin laughed as he squeezed her tighter. “I promise to try.”
He released her and she sat on my right as her fingers slipped into mine. “I owe you an apology too. I should have said something about that first note. It might have made a difference.”
“I’m not angry. I don’t know that it would have mattered. J.D. was looking to start trouble and it was only a matter of time before he stirred up enough shit to cause problems.”
“True enough.”
“At least I know that you’ve always been faithful. You didn’t lie and you didn’t cheat. I was pissed when Ronin admitted he separated us on purpose but now that we’re together, I just want to move forward and forget that part of our past.”
“Me too,” I whispered, tugging her closer as I placed a kiss on top of her head.
Hyde approached as he ticked his chin in my direction. “It’s time. I’ll be back soon.”
“I know. Be safe.” Synna pressed her lips to mine and I nearly forgot what I needed to do. “I’ll be waiting for you inside the hogan.”
J.D. WAS STRAPPED DOWN to a chair when I entered the shed on my property. He’d been beaten in my absence and I wasn’t the least bit sorry that he was paying for his betrayal already.
“You’re just in time,” Hyde announced as he held up a blowtorch. “Things are about to get interesting.”
J.D. struggled, spouting off threats and profanity. None of it fazed any of us.
“I’d like to know why you targeted Synna. Still doesn’t make sense to me.” I walked up close and folded my arms across my chest. “We know you hacked into personal cell phones. There was a ton of computer equipment and devices in your room. You sent notes just to start shit with me. Why?”
J.D. had been silent until this point but then he laughed. “None of you figured it out, did you?”
“Figured out what?” Buzz asked, clearly agitated.
I was sure it stung badly that the son of his one true love was a backstabbing piece of shit.
“Billy Forsythe is my cousin.”
Shocked, I turned to Buzz who appeared even more surprised than I was. “Impossible.”
“Is it? My mother left your ass because she couldn’t bear the truth. She didn’t want you to think less of her when I threatened to expose her past.”
Buzz let out a growl that shook the walls so hard a few tools hit the ground. “You’ll pay for your betrayal, J.D. Your punishment is twofold. Your patch will be burned from your arm and then you’ll be released for the hunt. Pack justice will be served along with the Lords of Wrath. Better make your peace with God, boy. You won’t survive the day.”
J.D. began yelling again but no one else said a word as Hyde turned on the blowtorch and slowly began to burn off the tattoo that once made him a brother in our MC. Somewhere during the process he passed out. I picked up a bucket and filled it from the well, dumping it over his head.
Dazed, he fought against his restraints as we were called every name he could think of, every insult he could conjure. Didn’t change a thing.
Untying the rope that held him in place, Buzz let J.D. stumble from his chair as he collapsed on the floor. He slowly stood to his feet and flipped us all off before he ran out and into the desert. We’d find him. After all, we had help.
“Time for the hunt, boys,” Hyde announced.
One by one, we all began to shift. Coyotes, wolves, eagles, mountain lions, and even a jaguar were let loose as the club darted forward to begin tracking J.D. down. Azrael and Wraith had let out their Reapers although they weren’t capturing our prey’s soul. No, justice would be served the right way.
This was one hell of a day to remember.
J.D. would never harm another soul.
SYNNA WAS WAITING FOR me just as she promised. Already naked on the bed, she was so enticing that I nearly growled as I stripped and quickly joined her. I climbed on the bed and over her body, my thick cock swollen with the need to possess her again.
Her eyes dipped downward and she licked her lips. “I need you.”
I didn’t waste any time. It wasn’t going to be fast and hard, but I wanted to skip all the foreplay. There was plenty of time for exploration later. My coyote was prodding me to make her mine. I slid a finger through her slick folds and then shuddered as I found her wet and ready.
Fisting my rigid length, I pumped a few times and then positioned the crown at the entrance of her eager sex. “I have to be inside you,” I whispered.
“Take me, possess me, Tarek,” she breathed out huskily. “That’s all I want.”
I began to slide into her as she moaned, and her legs fell open wider. Her tight pussy seemed to suck me in, and I groaned, thrusting the rest of the way as I buried myself completely.
Chest to chest, we were as close as we could get.
“Shijéí Naa Nish'aah,” I whispered softly in her ear, gliding slowly in and out as my hands rose and grasped her own above her head. My hips pumped with just enough motion that I could feel every part of her slick walls gripping my dick and pulling me deeper. Holding back a hiss of pleasure, I translated for her in English. “I give you my heart. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.”
“Forever,” she agreed as my mouth met hers, tangling our tongues in a delicious dance.
Staring into her eyes, I knew the vision I had seen was true.
Synna was mine and I was hers. Always.
Epilogue – Hyde
This had been the longest and most exhausting week in memory. All of the mess with J.D. had caused a shitstorm. It was obvious that our enemies were closing in and I didn’t doubt the Forsythe clan was gonna cause more problems in the future. The fact that J.D. fed Intel to numerous other individuals was a big cause for concern. I knew he involved Heather Downs and Sheriff Porter. Time would reveal who else was coming after the club.
I was on my way out of the office late Friday afternoon when I heard the bell ding above the front door. It wasn’t a usual time for customers, but I picked up my satchel and slipped my cell phone into the inside pocket of my cut. I usually skipped wearing it during the day when I was behind the desk pushing paperwork, but it was closing time and I had shit to do.
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw the gorgeous girl standing just inside the entrance. I’d never seen her around town before. If I had, I’d remember those luscious curves and that long hair that brushed her waistline.
“How can I help you?”
>
“I’m looking for someone.” She seemed a bit nervous. “Tarek Jones. Is he working?”
I wasn’t about to give out personal info on a brother to a stranger, no matter how smokin’ hot she was. “Why are you looking for Tarek?”
My reaction must have been obvious. “Hey, I’m not looking for trouble. This is important.”
Folding my arms across my chest, I wasn’t giving her any information about the MC unless she had a good reason. “Tell me.”
“I’m Tribal’s daughter.”
My jaw dropped and I realized for the first time that I could see the resemblance. Long black hair, high cheekbones, almond shaped eyes with a golden sparkle. Hell, this girl only looked a couple of years younger than Tarek. His dad skipped town before his mother even knew she was pregnant. It was possible.
My arms dropped. “Well, you got a name, Tarek’s sister?”
“Kaylani Jones.”
I couldn’t resist my gaze as it lingered over her curves, settling for just a moment on the inward dip of her waist and then following the flair of her hips all the way down those toned and sexy thighs. The kind of thick and muscular girl that was slender but athletic. Visions of those same thighs wrapped around my waist pounded in my head in time with my pulse. The bear within snarled and rushed to the surface and I held back a growl that would have confirmed why I reacted so strongly.
My bear wanted Kaylani Jones.
Fuck me.
This girl was gonna be trouble.
No doubt about it.
Thank you for reading!
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The series will continue with Hyde, Lords of Wrath MC #2.
Anticipated Release: Late 2020.
