by Aliya DalRae
Across the yard, Perry and Martin attempted to teach Phire and Talon the intricacies of horseshoes. It was an odd game with metal stakes driven into the ground so many feet apart and oversized, well, horseshoes one was supposed to throw at the stakes to see who could come closest. You gained points with leaners and ringers, and Nox considered the whole thing bizarrely interesting. Jessica said she found the set in her closet at the farm and swore they would all enjoy it. So far everyone had.
The two Soldiers were given a choice to attend whichever party they wanted. Since they were responsible for keeping the younger twins out of trouble while the older twins took a dip in the Atlantic, Jessica felt they had earned a spot at the grown-up table. While they seemed to be having fun, Nox noticed Martin looking around a lot, as though he had somewhere else to be. Perhaps they came to this party to curry favor with the Warriors and would be joining their fellow Soldiers before too much longer. Nox could see the appeal. He wouldn’t mind checking out the larger party, himself. Maybe when Perry and Martin left, he’d go with them for a bit.
Then again, maybe he wouldn’t.
Rachel appeared in front of him like a vision in tight jeans and a thin sweater that accentuated all her assets. She handed him a beer and sat on the edge of the chaise, her long, elegant fingers stroking his leg. They locked eyes for a moment before she leaned into him and planted a scorching hot kiss on his lips. When she pulled away, she brushed a lock of ginger hair from her eyes, then stretched out beside him. She laid her head on his chest, and his heart kicked up another notch. Definitely not going anywhere.
“Everyone seems to be having a good time,” she said.
Nox tore his gaze away from the beauty in his arms. Raven and Jessica manned the grill while Tas and Viper cheered the twins on with their horseshoe tossing and argued good-naturedly with the two Soldiers about who would play next. As the game concluded, Tas called, “We’re up!” and the Warriors nudged the children and the complaining Soldiers from the pit. It was the kind of bickering you expected at a family sort of deal, or so Nox had read.
“Your niece certainly knows how to throw a party.”
“That she does,” Rachel said. “Except.” Nox followed her gaze to where Rebecca sat alone at a picnic table, picking at a hamburger and a small pile of potato salad. While her efforts at establishing herself as part of the family fell short most times, Nox couldn’t deny that she did try. She agreed to back off the twins, to not push herself on them, and in return they stopped referring to her as “Her” with a capital H. There remained a lack of trust between the three, but the kids had Rachel, and him of course, to provide them with the love they needed when Rebecca failed to live up to ordinary motherly standards.
Harrier and his mate, Kythryn, carried loaded plates across the yard and sat with Rebecca to enjoy their barbecue. Rebecca’s eyes lit up the moment she saw her brother, substantiating Nox’s feeling that Harrier had much to do with Rebecca’s change in attitude. While her feelings for, well, almost everyone left a lot to be desired, her love for Harrier was without question. It didn’t hurt that Kythryn and Jessica included her in their girl time stuff, which, Nox had heard, was important in female bonding.
“We all came close to losing someone we loved,” Rachel said. “With Izzie on the way, it’s as good a time as any to celebrate life.”
Nox trained his gaze back on his female where it belonged. Her bright green eyes caught the reflection of a tiki torch and when she smiled it was with a hint of mystery. That look was enough to consider leaving the party again, but with an entirely different destination in mind.
“I celebrate life every day I’m with you,” he said.
“As do I,” she whispered into his shirt. “As do I.”
The lay together in silence, watching their loved ones doing the picnic thing. Long minutes passed before Rachel sat up and grabbed his hand. “How do you feel about celebrating life a bit in your suite?”
Nox grinned and had them both on their feet before he answered. “Did I accidentally send that to you mentally?”
Rachel grinned, but shook her head. “This time, you didn’t have to.”
~~~~~
M erlin stood in front of Mason’s office door, the heavy oak a solid barrier between him and the Warlord he’d utterly failed. Though weeks had passed, his inability to protect the Legion he loved still haunted him. It was beyond obvious that he was no longer capable of fulfilling his duties as a Warrior. Someone could have died, and it would have been his fault. Too many distractions.
And then there was the Shade.
Merlin lifted his fist to knock, but the door opened before he could hit knuckle to wood.
“Merlin, I thought that was you. Come on in.” Mason was as courteous as ever and looked perfect in his starched white shirt and sharply creased Dockers. Any sign that he had been in a plane crash had disappeared before the group returned to Fallen Cross.
No thanks to Merlin.
“Why aren’t you at the party?” Mason waved him through the door then led the way to the sitting area toward the back of the office.
Merlin shrugged and followed the Warlord, taking in the paintings that lined the walls, Moss and Redlin, mostly hunting scenes with dogs and birds. That one over the fireplace Merlin remembered as being an original. Mason had actually met the artist and requisitioned the piece. Merlin knew it held special meaning, but in all the years he and Mason had been together, he’d never asked. Such things were private, and if Merlin knew anything, he knew not to pry into another male’s secrets.
He sat stiffly on the sofa, feeling at odds without some sort of electrical device in his hands. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d entered this room without a laptop or a tablet. But then, this wasn’t that kind of meeting.
Mason chose the chair nearest to where Merlin sat. “I’m glad you stopped by. I wanted to thank you again,” he said, “for getting that rescue in the air so quickly. Putting Miss Sweet on the chopper was a stroke of genius. I do believe she saved us a second day in that cave holding our breath against Nox and Rachel’s pheromones.”
The Warlord was practically giddy, another thing Merlin couldn’t recall every witnessing. Then again, coming that close to meeting the sun could have a strange effect on a Vampire.
Merlin shook his head. “Don’t thank me. Because of me, you nearly died. All of you.”
Mason leaned forward and clasped his hands on his knees. “That’s the second time you’ve said that, and I’d like to know why. You got the mayday, sent a rescue team, and got us the hell out of there. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Merlin straightened his back, as close to attention as he could get in a seated position. “Sir, I regret to inform you that, at the time your plane went down, I was away from my post for nearly an hour, and therefore was not there to receive the distress call.”
Mason sat back, crossed his ankle on his knee and tented his fingers under his chin, his thinking position. “Where were you?”
Merlin cleared his throat, shame burning his face at the admission he felt compelled to give. “I went to the Club to work out.”
Mason raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a thing.
“If Jessica hadn’t been there, hadn’t felt her family’s distress, it might have been hours before I knew. Apologies are weak, and so I won’t insult you with one, but know that I deeply regret shirking my duties as I’ve done.”
Mason didn’t respond right away. When he did, it was from the seat next to Merlin on the couch—when had he moved? “First of all, you’re allowed to take breaks. I’ll admit to being surprised that you took one, but I’m not chuffed about it. In fact, I’m thrilled. I don’t know what prompted it, but whatever it was, I’m grateful for it. Was the timing unfortunate? Okay, yeah, but it could have happened to any of us.”
“But it happened on my watch, sir. I was the one responsible for keeping an eye on you and the rest of the team. I’m the one who let you down.”
> “Tas was in charge. Should I hold him responsible for not chaining you to your terminals?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? No more ridiculous than what you’re claiming. Shit happens, Merlin, and yeah, it sucks when it does. The good news is, it all worked out, so give yourself a break. In fact, consider that an order.”
Merlin nodded, knew he wasn’t going to win this one, and chose to let it go. It wasn’t what he’d come to say anyway. Problem was, it was so much easier to admit to slacking off than to speak the words that he knew must follow.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s more on your mind.”
And damn the Warlord for being so astute. Merlin hung his head, his black hair forming a curtain between him and Mason, creating the barrier that he needed to continue.
“I have to leave.”
“You’re not on duty now, Merlin. You can talk to me.”
Merlin looked up, met the eyes of the male who had rescued him from the hands of certain death, protected him, given him not only life, but purpose. He’d betrayed it all.
“I need to leave the Compound, Mason. For good.”
“I’m not following.”
“Nor should you. It’s the Shade.”
“You’ve had the Shade under control for practically a millennium.”
“Yes,” Merlin couldn’t look into those intense grey eyes a moment longer. “And now I haven’t. You know what that means.”
“The Kurai Senshi.”
“Exactly.”
“Have you sensed them? Are the Dark Warriors near?”
“No, but it’s only a matter of time.”
Mason stood, paced to the door and back again. “How?”
Merlin shook his head, tried to erase Martin’s face from his memory, to Etch-a-Sketch that kiss into oblivion. Mason knew he’d escaped from the Kurai Senshi, but he had never asked why. He, too, knew when to leave a male and his secrets alone.
“I’ve been having nightmares, memories of before. I know the Shade has taken me at least once in the dreams, perhaps more.”
“The extent?”
“No farther than my rooms, at least it didn’t feel like it. And no one has reported any power outages or lighting issues. However…”
“Yes?”
“There was one incident when I was not asleep, and it was a bit more…intense.”
“How intense?”
“Again, I don’t know how far reaching it was, but I know it was stronger than the dream incidents.”
“Strong enough for them to detect you?”
Merlin threw his hands in the air. “I don’t know, but I’m not willing to find out. They demanded my death, and the Kurai Senshi will never stop looking for me. Not until it is done.”
Mason stood in front of him, the blocky coffee table between them. “We’ll protect you. There are hundreds of Soldiers here and five Warriors all willing to give their lives for you. We won’t let them take you.”
Merlin stood, stepped around the coffee table and faced his Warlord. “And that is exactly what I will not let happen. You could have a thousand Warriors and as many Soldiers, and they wouldn’t stand a chance against a single Dark Warrior. I appreciate the offer and the sentiment, but I can’t put you in that position. I won’t.”
He took another step toward the door, toward the unknown, and turned back to Mason. “I’m leaving tomorrow at sundown. Please don’t tell the others. I don’t want anyone to try and stop me.”
“They won’t like that. You not even saying goodbye.”
“They would like dying even less, I presume. Tell them, Mason, after I’m gone. Tell them that this has been the only home I have ever known, and they are my family. Tell them that is why I have to leave.”
“I can’t change your mind?”
Merlin stepped back to the Warlord and held out his hand. Mason pulled him into a man-hug, with a tight grip on his palm. When he stepped away, Merlin walked out the door without another word and returned to his suite. There he threw a change of clothes into a backpack, and a few essentials into the Ducati’s saddle bags.
With that task completed, he sat on the floor in his foyer, leaned against the wall across from the door, and waited for the sun to rise and set again.
about the author
Born and raised in a farming community in rural Southwest Ohio, Aliya DalRae grew up a middle child, with an older and younger brother. Surrounded by corn and cows, it was not unusual for Aliya to immerse herself in books, her way of escaping the humdrum small-town life to visit fantastic lands full of mystery, myth and legend. And of course, romance.
Aliya’s first love was musical theater, and as a teenager she dreamed of one day performing on Broadway. Those dreams were put on hold when life intervened (as life often does), and she moved on with other pursuits.
After graduation, and a brief time living in England, Aliya returned to her home town, where she worked mainly in administrative positions, but her love for books never waned.
In 1992, Aliya met her immortal beloved, and they have been inseparable ever since. When not weaving romantic tales, she can be found working side by side with her husband in their furniture restoration business, where she weaves caned chairs instead.
Aliya is a paranormal/urban fantasy writer and is the author of the Jessica Sweet Trilogy. Her debut novel, “Sweet Vengeance,” was published in February 2016, and was honored as a Golden Quill Awards Reader’s Choice Finalist in 2017. Her second novel, “Sweet Discovery,” is a Top Three Winner in the 2017 Virtual Fantasy Con Awards, as well as a 2017 SIBA Awards Nominee. Her short story, “Bittersweet,” also received a 2017 SIBA nomination. Recently, Aliya released the Fallen Cross Pack Series, a four-part series of short stories
Visit Aliya at:
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Note: Thank you for reading Fallen Prey! I urge you to read and review books by Indie Authors every chance you get. Your words of encouragement or even constructive criticism help us all become better writers and drive us to put forth our best work for you, our readers.
Also by Aliya DalRae
THE JESSICA SWEET TRILOGY
Jessica Sweet is a small-town girl with big time troubles. Her birth parents abandoned her, her adoptive parents are recently dead, and her visions are about to take on a life of their own. Enter Raven, the Vampire race’s version of the boogeyman, and star of Jessica’s oldest and most frequent vision. And he’s drop dead gorgeous. This three-part series details Jessica and Raven’s rollercoaster relationship as they battle evil Sorcerers, feral Vampires, and their own doubts and flaws.
SWEET VENGEANCE
SWEET DISCOVERY
SWEET DESTINY
THE FALLEN CROSS PACK SERIES
Patrick O’Connell was a family man with a wife he loved and a child they adored. A fateful trip to the corner store robs him of everything he holds dear, including his humanity. This four-part series chronicles Patrick’s change from regular Joe to Werewolf Alpha, following the fated couple’s struggles to regain the life and love so cruelly torn from them.
BITTER BEGINNINGS
BITTER CHALLENGE
BITTER LOSS
BI
TTER END
THE FALLEN CROSS PACK BOX SET 1-4
BITTER BEAUTY
SHORT STORIES
BEFORE JESSICA THERE WAS ANNA…
Malcolm Gatta was a normal Feline Shifter with a normal Shifter life. However, the arrival of a new Clowder member has set him on a journey of love and loss that will lead him down a path of darkness…a path from which he would rather not return.
Bittersweet is a prequel to the Jessica Sweet Trilogy, covering the four years prior to Malcolm’s arrival at Jessica’s home. Take a peek into the life of everyone’s favorite Shifter. You’ll never look at King Kat the same.
BITTERSWEET
Kythryn’s heart is broken...
The man she loves just married her sister, and in response she’s decided a night of heavy drinking is in order. When a tall, dark and mysterious man, a Cat Shifter like herself, no less, walks into the bar wearing high boots and a duster and makes a strange request, she cannot help her curiosity. (Because, you know, cat.) Following him out of the bar may have been a mistake, but it’s one that will change her life forever.
SWEET DISTRACTION
