He believed with everything in him that violence was too much for the heart to bear. That’s why he had turned away from everyone. If he kept his distance, no one had to die. His thinking didn’t completely make sense, but he had never needed it to. All he required was peace and up until that day—Lachelle.
“You’re saying you want Kelly to take over leadership?” Gerard didn’t pay the day-to-day ruling of the shifters any mind since he and Lachelle lived in the city and not on the land that Declan took away from Patrick Sevelle. But he thought his brother liked being a leader, that he was good at it.
“No, I don’t want her to rule.”
Declan clenched his jaw. He and Gerard stood at the top of the City Hall steps, while his guy in the sunglasses stood at the bottom. Declan whispered the guy’s name, a sharp, annoyed tone to his voice. Sunglasses extricated himself from the small crowd of humans and jogged up the steps toward them.
“I want us all to present a united front,” Declan said. “It’s important for the humans to accept us. Under no circumstances are we going to war with them. Not now, not ever. So if I have to work with Kelly I will—and I need your help to do it.”
Gerard almost ripped the door off the hinges as they entered the building. He heard the metal creak, and the door stuck when the last of them walked into the cool dark interior. Sunglasses laughed, and Gerard tensed.
Before they could go much farther they were met with a squad of police, along with a metal detector.
“Freeze, shifters,” one of the officers commanded.
Declan offered an easy smile. “Careful, guys, we don’t want any trouble. Just wanted to have a chat with the mayor. I wanted to clear up a few facts to be sure none of your people are injured.”
The officer swore and walked toward Declan, aiming a gun at him. Several other officers followed suit. “Oh, you think you’re important enough to just walk in here and demand a meeting with the mayor? Is that some kind of threat?”
“No, of course not.”
Gerard picked up on his brother’s frustration and scented his anger. The emotions stirred something in Gerard that raised his hackles. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and his nerve-endings danced with agitation. Experiencing the same thing, the shifters around him fidgeted. They were all wound tight.
Declan didn’t look away from the officers, but he spoke to his men and to Gerard. “Easy, guys. We’re here peacefully. I’ll try to calm down.”
The human assumed Declan spoke to him. “Is this you being riled up? Wow, they’re wimpier than we thought, boys.”
The other humans laughed. Declan reddened a little, but Gerard noticed his brother was keeping his word. Because Declan as leader wrestled his emotions under control, he didn’t inadvertently stir up the others.
A phone rang on the desk, and the man who answered called to the others. “Let them through, Joe. The mayor wants to talk to them.”
With obvious regret, they were shown up to the second floor of the building and ushered into the mayor’s office. More armed humans waited, along with a few others.
“You!” both Gerard and Declan declared at the same time.
“What are you doing here, Skip?” Declan demanded.
Skip Hunter, a man known to be a part of the hunters, humans whose mission was to kill all shifters, stood near the wall of books in the mayor’s office. With him was another man Gerard assumed was also one of the hunters.
Skip grinned and shut the book he held to place it back on the shelf. Gerard had the feeling he had struck a casual pose to impress. Had Gerard not been so preoccupied with what happened downstairs and about the coming meeting, he would have noticed Skip’s presence long before he saw him. So would his brother.
“Didn’t you know?” Skip said. “My organization is one of the advisors to the mayor about this situation. The hunters are the most qualified to give the humans insight about you.”
“You are murderers,” Declan bit out.
Sunglasses started toward Skip. Dark intent washed over Gerard, coming off the man in waves until Gerard choked on it. He had to restrain himself to think clearly.
“Get back here,” Declan ordered.
The man kept moving. Gerard thought he himself was more instinct than brains, but this guy was worse. Skip was directly responsible for killing several of their people, and Sunglasses wanted him removed from the earth.
When Declan’s man didn’t obey right away, Declan added emphasis. “I said get back here. Now!”
The windows rattled, and several of the humans howled, covering their ears. One human vomited into the trashcan at the side of the mayor’s desk. Gerard’s knees wobbled a bit, but he was able to resist Declan’s shout. All of his men crashed to one knee, but they kept their eyes on the humans.
Sunglasses tripped as if someone had grabbed his ankle and fell on his nose on the floor. Blushing to the roots of his hair, he scrambled to his hands and knees and shuffled backward, taking up a position at Declan’s side.
All the humans, when they could get themselves together, gaped at Declan. The mayor struggled to his feet, flushed, and sweaty. “This is the kind of thing you do? I want all of you out of my city today—now.”
“What makes you think it’s your city?” For one second, Declan forgot his resolve.
Gerard touched his arm.
“Fine, we will leave—for now,” Declan said. “But don’t be stupid. You and I know some of your people have gray eyes, and they certainly don’t look like us. Don’t harass your own kind.”
“You’re daring to lecture me?”
Declan turned to leave, and Gerard followed. He glanced over his shoulder at Skip, and the human boldly stared back, that ugly smirk still in place.
“I say they shouldn’t be allowed to leave alive,” Skip said. “But I’m just here as an advisor.”
Gerard didn’t believe it for a second.
Chapter 5
Lachelle strolled into the cabin and studied the place. Walls made of wood, simple furniture, no embellishments with design, just functionality. In all honesty, it was bigger than her apartment back in the city, but that wasn’t the point. The very fact that she had to leave was what bothered her.
Now she was at Declan’s homestead, surrounded by dragon shifters. While she didn’t feel all that worried about her safety, she resented being uprooted and booted out because she was a “dragon lover.” Leave it to people to find some phrase to instill all of their prejudice and hate seconds after a conflict rose.
“You sure you want to stay here, Lachelle?” Janessa asked as she followed Lachelle into the cabin. “You know you’re welcome to stay at my house with me and Declan. We’ve got loads of space and three more empty bedrooms. You could have your pick.”
“Why do you have so many?”
“Crazy thinks I’m going to have a whole squadron of kids. If that’s what he thinks, I’m going to disabuse him of that mess quick.”
Lachelle would have laughed if she didn’t feel so down. “I’m good. I just want to be alone to think about where to go from here.”
“And what about Gerard? He’s going to move in with you, right?”
Lachelle hesitated. They hadn’t discussed it. She didn’t know if they should continue as a couple, or to pretend there was nothing between them. God, it was complicated.
“I don’t know what Gerard is doing. He can stay here if he wants or not. I’m not planning on asking him.”
Her sister hugged her. “Everything will work out. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Hey, I’m not going to fight you on it. All I’m saying is hang in there. If we don’t stay positive, we have nothing to look forward to. Get settled, and I’ll show you around later. We can eat dinner together. How’s that?”
Lachelle didn’t commit. She put her sister off and got her out of the cabin. When the hour grew late, and Gerard didn’t show up, she waited until the sun went down. Then she went for a walk
. At least she had nothing to fear from mobs bent on punishing her for feeling the way she did about the dragons. Or for people curious about what it was like to sleep with one of them.
As she walked, she shook her head in amusement. People were nuts. They spanned the spectrum—from terror that they would all be killed, to wondering about the anatomy of a dragon shifter. She knew what that question meant when a woman walked up to her on the street to ask her about it point blank.
Now, she was among them. The moon glowed brightly overhead. A breeze stirred in the trees, and peace seemed to permeate the air. It seemed like nothing could touch this sanctuary.
“Where are you going?”
She jumped at the voice in the darkness. It was a woman, but Lachelle couldn’t see her.
“If you’re talking to me, I’m going for a walk and minding my own business.”
“You guys can’t see in the dark.”
“Did you want something, or is looking down on me your only purpose?” Lachelle squinted. She thought something moved straight ahead in the trees, but she couldn’t be sure. If they were faced in the other direction, she might have been able to make out the figure because in the main area of the homestead, lights lined the avenues. Declan’s property was like a fairytale small town.
The woman walked out of the trees. Lachelle recalled meeting Roxie when she arrived. Apparently, there was little love lost between her and Janessa.
Slender and beautiful, tall, and self-assured, this woman embodied all the great physical qualities of the dragon shifters. She tossed a thick mane of hair. “I wouldn’t get caught up on Gerard if I was you. They’re mad about their mates, and no one stands a chance against that.”
Lachelle ignored the twinge in her chest. “‘They?’ Aren’t you one of them?”
“No. I mean, not royalty. Gerard and Declan are a part of the royal family. They’re princes. Rather, as the leader of our people, Declan is the king. What he says goes.”
“I heard has a council.”
“A formality.”
Roxie fell into step beside her. Lachelle didn’t know why she allowed it, but she kept walking. Perhaps it was because she didn’t feel like getting sympathy, emotion that would choke her on her own feelings. Roxie didn’t appear to care one way or another. Lachelle could handle that.
“He put the council in place so everyone could feel like they had a say or a vote.” Roxie scoffed. “If he wants, he can crush us all. He’s that powerful. The leaders are elite, a cut above. There have been good ones and bad ones over the years, but the rest of us fall in line.”
“You sound bitter.”
“I’m not.” Roxie tried to laugh off her words. “I’m just telling the truth.”
“Truth as you see it, and based on how you’ve been hurt in the past.”
Roxie grumbled under her breath.
“Sorry. I don’t want to give you a hard time. I don’t know you.”
Roxie made a noise of agreement. “But you know your sister doesn’t like me.”
Lachelle didn’t deny it.
“I wanted Declan. I would have done anything to have him. He was never like his brother. Even back before the civil war, Gerard was quiet and boring. Declan was full of life. He loved to laugh and have fun. Of course, Gerard found his mate early, so he was out of the picture. I wasn’t close to the family, but I secretly hoped, just like all the other young girls.”
Lachelle found herself opening up. “I was similar. I loved to party and have a good time. Nessa kept her face in a book, and she was always talking about having her own business. It’s weird seeing her all about her family now. In a way, I admired her back then. She was focused and had dreams.”
“You never had a dream?”
Lachelle thought about police work. “Not until I met the man I thought was the love of my life. Both him and the dream were taken away. I don’t have a dream now.”
“That’s sad.”
“Not really.” Lachelle searched her heart. “I’m okay with not having a dream for now. Things might change. What bothers me is—”
She stopped. There was only so much she would share with this stranger. For all she knew, Roxie might be gathering info on her to take back to whoever might be interested.
What she’d been about to say was, what bothered her most was not knowing where Gerard’s head was—and his heart.
Roxie looked up and stilled. Lachelle stopped walking as well. The top of the trees waved. Gerard dropped down in front of them. His beautiful wings spanned and danced for a second in the moonlight and then tucked away.
Lachelle’s heartbeat raced out of control at seeing him. Roxie bowed her head respectfully and murmured, “My prince.”
“Go away.” Gerard never minced words.
Roxie raised her eyebrows at Lachelle and disappeared into the trees. Lachelle and Gerard were left alone.
“It’s pretty late.” Lachelle silently ordered her hands to keep to themselves, but the foolish things disobeyed. She found herself flattening her palms on his chest and feeling his heart beat. Longing overcame her and muted whatever words she had been about to speak.
She stretched to her toes and kissed his lips. He held so still, he could be a statue. Her heart broke, feeling like he rejected her. With a sharp growl, he tore her off her feet and encompassed her in a hug that took her breath away.
She clung to him, loving him with everything inside. Her questions went unanswered, but she refused to ask them at the moment. All that mattered was being held in his arms.
His lips brushed her cheek and settled against her neck. The pulse there felt like it would jump out of her throat. He licked the spot, setting her on fire. With each change in her temperature and her emotions, he responded with a growl of frustration.
She pulled back to look into his eyes, but with so little light she couldn’t read him. “You don’t have to be frustrated,” she said. “We can be together if you choose to be with me.”
He said nothing.
“Gerard, why won’t you talk to me?”
He ran a thumb over her lips. She assumed it was to silence her or to keep her from asking questions. Turning her head, she smacked his hand away. He set her on her feet, and she backed up. He started to turn but stopped and grabbed her hand to drag her closer.
“You can’t have me and push me away at the same time,” she told him. “No one can have it both ways. And if you think you’ll have me and her—”
“No.”
“No what? I can’t read your dang mind, Gerard!”
He released her. A chill ran deep into her bones. He disappeared as Roxie had done, leaving her alone. Anger, hurt, frustration, and every emotion in the book ran through her being. She stomped back to her cabin and slammed the door. Only afterward did she worry someone might be disturbed. So be it. Being a positive person, she decided tomorrow would be brighter, one way or another.
Chapter 6
“Clean up time,” Janessa called.
Bannon looked up from the pile of toys in front of him and frowned. “No cleanup.”
Janessa raised her eyebrows at her son. “Excuse me? I think you better check that attitude, little man. I said clean up. Time for your nap.”
Tears filled his eyes, and his lip wobbled. He was so cute, Lachelle wanted to give him any- and everything he asked for. “Oh, come on, Mommy. Let him stay up. If he’s not sleepy, it shouldn’t be a big deal. Plus we were having fun flying our planes around.”
Her older sister rolled her eyes. “You’re not the one who has to clean all this mess up once the game is over. And every time Bannon gets grumpy, you decide it’s time to go.”
Lachelle laughed. “So?”
“So, take responsibility, miss. This boy is a handful. You’ll learn how it is when you have your own.”
“Doesn’t look like I ever will.”
“I hope you will!”
“You’re trying to curse me, aren’t you? You want my baby to be so grumpy he drives
me crazy.” Lachelle teased her sister, knowing her attitude annoyed her. Janessa was right that Lachelle got moving when Bannon cried, but she didn’t see how cute he was. And tears—shoot, Lachelle was so close to them all the time, she couldn’t risk her and Bannon both sitting in the middle of the floor having a pity party.
“Don’t be silly.” Janessa started tossing abandoned toys into the toy chest. Bannon kept getting them back out and throwing them on the floor. He was a stubborn one. “No one’s trying to curse you. Why would I wish something bad on my future niece or nephew?”
“Speaking of that, has Bannon showed any signs yet?”
“‘That?’ You mean signs of the shifter? It’s not a bad thing, Lachelle.”
“With the way the world is right now, it is. Here we are hiding from it all, but our family is back there in the thick of it.”
“Mom and Dad are fine. Declan has guys watching them to be sure. For some reason no one has thought to drag them into the middle of this mess yet. Let’s hope it stays that way.”
“And sweet Harrison is fine.”
Janessa rolled her eyes. “Your brother skipped town the minute this thing went sideways.”
“Why is he mine when he acts stupid?” Lachelle wanted to know.
“He’s yours when I refuse to claim him over the bonehead stunts he pulls. How could he leave town and leave Mom and Dad to fend for themselves?”
“Isn’t that what we did?”
“No, we begged them to come out here. They refused to leave their house. Harrison didn’t even give them that much. But whatever. I don’t want to talk about him. To answer your question, no, Bannon hasn’t shown any signs of being a shifter.”
“Maybe it takes longer to come out.”
“Dragon shifters are born with the ability.” Janessa looked worriedly at her son. “It’s kind of why we put off bonding all this time.”
Lachelle’s eyes widened. “I thought you guys had secretly done it and just didn’t say anything.”
Mate For Hire: For Hire Series - Book 3 Page 3
