Phoenix and the Wolf

by Bianca D'Arc

  Lick of Fire 2

  Phoenix and the Wolf

  by

  Bianca D’Arc

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Copyright © 2018 Bianca D’Arc

  Published by Hawk Publishing, LLC

  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.

  Lick of Fire #2

  Diana doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. She feels drawn to the sun and dreams of flying under her own power, but her commitments in the real world—and the grandmother who depends on her—keep her grounded. Then her car breaks down in front of a high-end repair yard and she meets a man who makes her want to forget all her responsibilities and take a walk on the wild side...with him.

  Stone’s enchanted by the redheaded damsel. He’s charmed by the way she talks to her grandma on the phone. And he’s totally ensnared by the idea that she might actually be his mate. But there’s something about her... Something intensely magical and a bit too familiar. Could she be another of the near-mythical phoenix shifters? Or is she something else entirely?

  Author’s Note & Dedication

  Note: The phoenix trilogy is an offshoot of my Tales of the Were series, which has many nooks and crannies. This set fits after the Redstone Clan and overlaps a bit with the latter part of Grizzly Cove and the Grizzly Cove Crossroads set. The phoenix books (there will be three of them) can be read as a standalone set or in conjunction with any of my other paranormals, since they all take place in the same basic world, just in different parts of it. Characters do crossover and make cameo appearances from time to time. For a complete rundown of all my books check the list at the end of this book or you can always check my website, which will always have the most up-to-date book list.

  I’d like to dedicate this book to Oma, who I lost more than three decades ago. I would’ve liked to have had more time with her to get to know her as an adult and learn from her wisdom. I’m not one for lots of photos, but I keep a photo of her on my desk, right next to my computer screen, along with a series of snapshots of my mother and I, when I was little. I have a few of my dad as well, but that’s it. Oma was a big influence on my life, even though I only knew her for a short time.

  I’d also like to send special thanks to my editor, Jess, who fit this edit in right before she went on vacation. Now that’s dedication! Thanks, Jess, for the quick turnaround, and I promise to do better on timing with the next one.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from All About the Bear

  About the Author

  Other Books by Bianca D’Arc

  Prologue

  Diana felt the stirring of flame beneath her skin. Again. Something was calling to her. Something out in the desert. Something she didn’t understand and was afraid to acknowledge.

  She had dabbled in Wicca as a teen, but the power that rose inside her now scared her. She was an adult and had put lucky charms and love potions behind her. So, why did she feel this strange calling to go out to the desert and…fly?

  It just didn’t make sense, but something had changed in recent days. Some power had awoken and was causing a reaction down deep in her psyche—in her soul. It was as if she was finally waking up after a long sleep, though why she felt that way, she had no idea.

  Diana needed answers, but she didn’t quite know how to go about getting them. She only knew that, somewhere out on the edge of town, she might find a clue. Now, the real question was, did she dare go after it?

  Chapter One

  Oma was having a good day, which meant Diana could go out and do some grocery shopping, leaving her grandmother on her own for a bit. She wasn’t completely alone, of course. Currently, Diana’s oma—the Dutch word meaning grandma—was having tea and cookies with her next-door neighbor. Oma had learned how to text recently and was sending images through of the petit fours and the pretty teapot her neighbor had chosen for the occasion.

  Mrs. Peabody had emigrated from the United Kingdom about sixty years ago as a young bride, but she’d never left her British roots behind. Tea and cakes were served promptly at four each afternoon, and more often than not, Oma went over to join her friend for the occasion. Diana thought Oma was probably doing it so that Diana could leave and not worry about her grandmother being alone in the condo, but they never spoke of it.

  Either way, if Diana had something that needed doing, she’d usually arrange it for the late afternoon. It was her “me” time. It was an hour or so, away from the needs of her sole remaining family member, the grandmother who meant the world to Diana, and who encouraged her to go out and meet people her own age whenever possible.

  They both knew Diana’s social life had been harshly curtailed by the need to be with her oma. Again, that was something they seldom spoke of, though Diana was well aware that her grandmother worried Diana would never meet her mate stuck in a condo all day with an old woman. Diana didn’t see a solution. Not without something drastic happening… And she certainly didn’t want that.

  Oma was all she had left in the world. The only link to her past. To her family And, since Diana’s mother and uncle—Oma’s only children—were both gone, Diana was the only family Oma had left, too.

  Diana dreaded the day that Oma would leave her. Diana didn’t know what she’d do when that happened, but she’d have to move for a start. The condo community they lived in was for those aged fifty-five and over. When Oma died, Diana would have to move out, and she had no idea where to go.

  Grim thoughts.

  Diana shook them away and tried to concentrate on the here and now. She had errands to run, and they weren’t going to take care of themselves while she let anxiety run rampant through her brain.

  Just as she had that thought, the engine of her old SUV sputtered. Sputtered…then died. Shit.

  She reached into her purse for her cell phone, only to find the battery was dead. The old thing was holding a charge for shorter and shorter periods, but she hadn’t had time to get anything fixed. Her schedule was too full just trying to keep her grandmother going from day to day. Diana never had any time for herself lately. Not even enough time to go to the store and figure out if she needed a new battery or an entirely new phone. Darn it.

  She looked around and realized she was on the outskirts of town, in an industrial area. She scanned the signs over the nearest businesses on the same side of the stree
t. No help there unless she wanted a vacuum repaired or a new air conditioning unit. She turned to look at the other side of the street, and a chill went down her spine, despite the non-functional air system in her car. She was directly across the street from an auto repair shop.

  At least, that’s what the sign that hung over the top of a metal gate said. She could see lots of cars inside the lot, and a few people in the distance. Though she’d never noticed this repair shop before, it looked like it was a big place that did a lot of business. She grabbed her purse and got out of her SUV, crossing the street and ducking into the yard.

  She stopped short. First, the caliber of automobile in here was much higher than the domestic SUV she’d bought used a few years ago. Could she even afford to have this shop look at her car? She looked around again, recognizing the luxury names of sports cars she’d never even seen in person before.

  Yeah. She probably couldn’t afford this place. But maybe she could use their phone, at least.

  The other reason she’d stopped in the entrance to the yard was the weird vibe coming from the place. She couldn’t quite place what was different, but something definitely had her spidey senses tingling. Or, maybe, it was just the six-figure cars intimidating her as they sat silent, awaiting attention, all over the place. Judging her and her old beater of an SUV.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” she counseled herself as she made her foot cross the threshold. “Cars don’t judge people.”

  “You might be surprised.” The low, almost growly, amused voice came from her left, and Diana whipped around, one hand raised in fright.

  She wasn’t sure what she planned to do with that raised hand. It was clear from one glance at the behemoth walking toward her from the left of the entrance that she would be no match for this guy. None at all. Not even after the five karate lessons her friend had given her as a twentieth birthday gift, hoping she might like it and stay in the class.

  She’d felt clumsy and totally uncoordinated, so she hadn’t gone back after the gift sessions were up. Her friend had been a black belt, of course, and sort of glided in his uber-coordinated way. Not like a normal human being at all. Almost like this guy who was walking toward her. Or, rather, prowling toward her. There was no other word to describe the almost predatory slink of this man’s slim hips.

  Hubba hubba.

  “You okay, miss?” Yes, he was definitely laughing at her, now. She must look like a landed fish, her mouth gaping open while her brain seemed to wander onto all sorts of tangents.

  “My car…” she managed, making a vague gesture toward the road. Good one, Diana. Let the guy think you’re a complete moron.

  He looked out the wide entrance of the yard toward her old SUV parked across the street. His expression wasn’t judgmental, for which she was thankful. No, if anything, she’d say he looked intrigued.

  “Want me to take a look?” His stunning brown eyes came back to rest on her, and she tried not to fidget. Had she ever talked to a more handsome specimen of manhood? Diana thought not.

  “I’m not sure I can afford this place,” she said hesitantly, gesturing toward the expensive car he’d apparently just parked to the left of the entrance. It was shiny and new and looked like it probably cost more than she made in a year…or maybe a decade. “I thought maybe I could just use your phone…” She let her sentence trail off when he started shaking his head.

  “Never let it be said I turned away a damsel in distress.” With that, he started walking across the street.

  The man had a power about him. A vibe. Like coiled energy. He was intimidating, in a way, but it didn’t really bother her. Diana wasn’t a mouse. Not by a long shot. In fact, most people found her a bit too forceful. Make that, most men found her too forceful. The guys she’d dated had complained that she was too independent and she didn’t let them take care of her enough.

  What a load of crap. Maybe she just needed to find a man who was more secure in his own masculinity than the saps she’d been dating, darn it. That’s what she preferred to believe, because there was no way she would become a simpering helpless female to suit anyone.

  And, once again, she was woolgathering while the hunky guy in the ripped jeans jogged across the road and lifted the hood on her ancient clunker. He took a moment to check a few things then raised his head and let out a sharp, short whistle, his head turned in the direction of the open gate of the car lot. She hadn’t even made it across the road, yet. Too busy oogling the sexy mechanic.

  She wondered how he thought anybody could hear his short whistle from all the way across the road. She’d barely heard it, and she’d been looking right at him. Curious, she turned her head to find at least a half-dozen men raise their heads from under car hoods or out of car doors all around the giant yard. They’d heard him?

  Eyes wide with surprise, she turned back in time to see the guy by her car raise one hand with four fingers then make the universal come here gesture. He turned back to the engine, as if certain his hand signals would be not only seen, but obeyed.

  Sure enough, a moment later, four of the guys who’d been secreted about the yard doing other work jogged past her. The last one in line paused by her side for a moment, holding out one hand.

  “Keys?” he asked with a winning smile.

  Diana found herself depositing her lucky keychain in the young man’s hand and shaking her head in wonder. These guys must have super hearing and eagle vision to have seen their boss’s gestures and heard that whistle from within the large lot. Either that or they were used to this kind of thing.

  Diana stood aside as the four burly men muscled her old SUV through the wide gates of the car lot. They couldn’t get it started, so they just put it in gear and pushed it across the road, their boss following behind as the other men steered it to an empty spot between two Italian sports cars. Boy, did it look out of place.

  No sooner had they put it in park than one of the guys popped the hood and seemed to get the vehicle ready for work while the other three went back to whatever they’d been doing. The youngest guy—the one who’d taken her keys—stayed a few moments longer, rolling over a tool tray and some other gear, then he, too, melted away, back to his own work. That left her with the original man, who had to be the leader of this efficient crew.

  She turned to him and offered her hand. “I’m Diana Pettigrew,” she said, being bold, as was her usual habit.

  The boss mechanic looked at her and took her smaller hand in one big paw. “Name’s Stone.”

  Was that a first name or a last name? She couldn’t be sure. Either way, it suited him. His sharp features looked to be carved from granite, and he was crisp and tidy in a way she hadn’t expected of a working mechanic in the middle of his workday.

  “You own this place?” She followed him as he walked up to the open hood of her SUV.

  He spared her a glance as he started removing parts from her engine. “Nah. I just run the mechanics. Owner’s name is Lance. He just got married, so he doesn’t come in as much as he used to.” A wide smile spread across Stone’s face that could be taken a number of ways.

  Diana chose to interpret it as happiness for his boss, who sounded like a friend, as well. And maybe a bit of envy for the…uh…honeymoon activities the owner was no doubt enjoying. She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she let the topic drop while Stone began an in-depth examination of the inner workings of her vehicle.

  Stone didn’t know what to make of the ball of dynamite standing next to him. The woman had grabbed his attention from the moment she’d entered the lot. Even before. He’d watched her walk across the street with purely masculine appreciation, but when she’d stepped over the new ward at the gate of the yard, his entire being had rung with her power.

  Wow. Pretty lady packed a punch.

  Thing was, he suspected she didn’t know her own power. She had that same slightly lost look that Lance had sported most of the time Stone had known him. It was only when Lance had met his new mate that he’d realiz
ed his power and finally understood what he was—a phoenix shifter.

  A being so rare, they were thought to be merely myth. A being of such immense power and goodness that other shifters gathered to them, though they didn’t know why. Stone was Alpha of a decent-sized werewolf Pack. He’d come to work for Lance years ago and had ended up getting jobs here for most of his Pack mates. The majority of the mechanics on his crew were werewolves. Likewise, the painting operation was manned by bear shifters. The front desk had a cute receptionist named Lexi who was their only lynx shifter to date, though there were a few other big cats doing various jobs around the lot, as well as a fox and some other kinds of shifter here and there. The biggest group, though, were wolves. Like Stone.

  And his wolf senses were telling him things about the pretty lady whose car had conveniently broken down right in front of their gates. Had it been a coincidence? Had it been planned for some devious reason? Or had it been the hand of the Mother of All, putting Diana where she needed to be?

  All that remained to be seen.

  Chapter Two

  “I need to make a call, but my phone battery is dead,” Diana said to Stone as he worked under the hood of her old car. He straightened and ushered her toward the office.

  “Let’s get you out of the sun,” he said, hoping to put her at ease. She smelled anxious to his wolf senses, and he didn’t like it. “You can use the phone inside. We also have a charging station if you want to plug in your cell for a quick recharge. And there’s coffee or iced tea.”

  “All the comforts of home,” she joked as he opened the door for her.