Nicole nodded matter-of-factly.
A terrifying yowl tore from his throat. He grabbed Nicole by the arm and hauled her out the door. A moment later the sound of a car roaring to life rumbled outside, and then it was gone.
She was alone. In a cabin. In the middle of nowhere Utah. Pregnant after having sex for the first time in six months. Crying feels like the right emotion for this moment.
“Save the crying. Get out of this cabin, and let’s find our way home.”
Sarah struggled to her feet and walked to the door. A cold wind whipped through her hair, but with her magickal barrier back in place she barely felt it. The sky was darkened by storm clouds and it was too early for any sunlight to be warming the sky.
“Shift. I can see better than you in the dark.”
Okay.
Sarah peeled her filthy blood-soaked clothes off and walked down the three steps to the ground. It was good to get rid of the last reminder of that horrid man. She could only pray he wouldn’t hurt Nicole. But, Nicole hadn’t seemed worried in the least. In fact, the Demakis werewolf had seemed quite at ease by the whole situation.
I wonder what she has planned?
Her wolf chuckled. “He’s going to wish he’d taken another assignment.”
She couldn’t help but smile. Her wolf was right. Nicole Demakis was not someone to be trifled with. Like her older sister, Sam, Nicole was large and in charge. She didn’t take shit from anyone and never let anything phase her. She been a sea of calm when she’d arrived and even when he’d grabbed her and pulled her away.
Sarah wiggled her toes in the damp earth and thought of her wolf. The magick around her shimmered and she was instantly on all fours. She could see perfectly and began walking slowly down the drive away from the cabin. The magick was healing her quickly, but she’d lost a lot of blood and was sure the fatigue would last a while.
I’m glad you are here with me.
“Always.”
***
“Chris! She’s gone!” Tess wailed, running down the hallway. They’d spent most of the night scouring Logan but with no luck. Her magick was being blocked by something very powerful. Until he wanted to be found, this guy was a pine needle in a forest.
He jerked upright on the couch and groaned. The injuries on the outside were healed, but the internal ones were still quite painful.
“We’ve only been home three hours,” he said, yawning after glancing at the clock on the wall.
“She had to have slipped out once everyone fell asleep,” Hallie added, sliding onto the couch next to Chris. She handed him a handwritten note.
Sarah will be safe. He’s willing to trade her for me. Take good care of my sisters. I love you all. - Nicole.
“Find her computer!”
Tess shook her head. “She took it with her.”
“It had to be Grandmother behind it, right? It couldn’t be Mom. Mom wouldn’t trade.” Hallie sobbed into the arm of the couch.
“Why does your grandmother want Nicole so badly?”
“She’s of age. If she mates her to another royal, she’d be linked to the Council forever. She wouldn’t be part of the pack anymore,” Kate answered, crossing her arms over her chest. “Nicole carries Antipas blood. The bloodline is very powerful. Sam is already mated to the pack, but the other three girls are still unattached. It’s a power play. They have three granddaughters nearing age. They will fight tooth and nail to get them back.”
“Why would Nicole just give herself up?” Tess sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes.
She did it to save my mate. And my child. Chris’s heart hurt for the sacrifice Nicole had so graciously given of herself. A life divided from her family. A life without a true mate. Loneliness in its truest form.
“She gave him a reason to let Sarah live, Tess,” he answered. “For that, I will always be in debt to her.” Magick surged through him. The mate bond flared to life. “I can feel her again.” Chris stood and shouted. “Scott!”
The burly man appeared through the doorway. "Kate, stay with the girls. Just in case. I’ll go with Chris to get Sarah,” Scott ordered.
Chris ran to his truck, and the engine roared to life. Scott slid into the passenger seat, and Chris threw it into gear, guiding the huge pickup down the narrow drive toward the mountain road.
He turned on it toward Logan but then turned north on to an old logging road.
“She wasn’t in Logan,” Scott murmured.
“No, he had her up in one of the old Cedar Mill cabins.”
“Is she well?”
“She feels stronger. Just lost and bewildered.”
The drive took forever. Almost an hour passed before they saw the sign indicating Cedar Mill was up ahead. The road was narrow and twisted through the forest and around the mountainside. He drove slowly, not wanting to risk hitting her if she was walking along the berm. Rain was starting to come down hard, and the road was rapidly becoming even more deadly.
“She’s close. I can feel her.” Chris peered out the window. The rain was starting to come down hard and line-of-sight was about ten feet.
“There!” Scott shouted, pointing to the left through the windshield.
The headlights caught a dark blotch of fur huddled at the base of a huge pine tree. He pulled the truck over, and both men leapt from the vehicle and hurried through the mud toward the shivering animal.
Please be Sarah. Please be Sarah.
The mate bond flared around him, and the form turned, shifting instantly to human form.
“Sarah!” he called.
“C-Chris?” Her voice wavered, but she met his gaze immediately. He knelt and pulled her into his arms. She was soaked and shivering, but she was alive.
“Baby, are you okay? Are you bleeding?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Bring her back to the truck. We need to get back to the inn before the storm gets worse.” Scott’s deep voice rumbled like the rolling thunder above.
Chris nodded. He carried her back to the truck and climbed into the backseat with her.
Scott carefully maneuvered the truck back onto the road.
“N-nicole is gone. He t-took her. She traded her freedom for my life. I b-barely know her. Why would she d-do that?” Sarah sobbed, burying her face in his shirt.
He kissed the top of her head and smoothed her wet red curls. “We will get her back. The pack will do everything in its power to get her back. Right now I just thank the gods she did because I get to hold you again."
“He spared my life. He took the iron thing off my ankle and let the magick heal me before Nicole showed up.”
“He’s a Council agent and nearly killed us both. Don’t defend him. Nicole’s grandmother set up the whole thing. He’s probably been stalking all of you for weeks. You girls going out alone was too tempting to pass up.”
“I’m sorry,” Sarah cried, more tears pouring down her face.
He’d been mad yesterday that the girls had taken advantage of being left alone. But he wasn’t anymore. He just wanted to hold his mate and thank the gods she was alive and well. “Shhhh, it’s not your fault. If it hadn’t happened yesterday, it would have happened some other time.”
His lips came down over her mouth and took a kiss. She swept her tongue along the seam of his lips, and he parted them to grant her entrance. Their tongues danced together, and her citrus scent filled his lungs.
She was safe.
***
Sarah opened her eyes and stretched, comforted by the presence of her mate holding her tightly. The bed was soft, and his piney scent enveloped her, calming her frayed nerves. Warmth, safety, and love flowed through the mate bond. There wasn’t a trace of anger or disappointment. He’d moved past the mistakes of yesterday and wanted her to do the same. All she sensed was an overwhelming, all-encompassing love, a feeling she returned with every ounce of her beings, both of them.
His arms were wrapped around her from both sides. One hand cupped a breast, gently fondling
her hardened nipple. His other hand was splayed across her stomach. Curls of desire awakened the rest of her body, and she flexed her legs, twisting in his hold until she was facing him.
“My little firecracker is awake,” he whispered, moving one of his hands to squeeze her ass.
She licked her lips and grinned up into his eyes, darkened with desire. Swirls of gold danced in his irises. She slid a hand down his chest and wrapped her fingers around the thickening shaft of his cock. “Awake and lit,” she teased.
“This is how we ended up pregnant in record time. You’re insatiable.”
She squeezed his cock, and he moaned, nibbling along the sensitive skin behind her ear. “Me? This highway goes both ways, my love,” she growled playfully.
“It isn’t my fault that my mate is a sex-crazed, fiery-haired, green-eyed goddess. I’m merely worshiping at the altar of your body. A willing slave to your whims and desires.”
She couldn’t stifle the laughter his flattery elicited. “You’re terrible.”
“Terribly in love,” he answered, flashing a white smile. “It’s good to hear you laugh.”
“You will still change diapers, my adorable silver-tongued mate. Laughter or not.”
His laughter rumbled through the room. She snuggled closer to his warm chest and reveled in the sound of his joy. The love flowing through their mate bond was powerful. Together, they could face whatever might come next. And plenty was coming…
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paranormal Romance author, Krystal Shannan, lives in Texas and is married to the love-of-her-life. They have a spunky young daughter who believes in fairies. Krystal professes to loving shoes, but avoids wearing them at all costs. She teaches in the public schools and writes as much as she can in her free time. If any more spare time can be squeezed from her day, she enjoys reading romance in all genres, but especially paranormal.
If it has a 'Happily Ever After', she's on board!
She is an active member in her local RWA chapter DARA.
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If you enjoyed the book you just read, you might like some of her other titles as well.
Vegas Mates Series, in order…
Chasing Sam
Saving Margaret
Waking Sarah
Pool of Souls Series, in order…
Open House
Finding Hope
Stand-alone titles…
A Very Russian Christmas
Just Right, 1 Night Stand Series
Waking Sarah Page 12
