by Honor James
Paranormal Protection Unit 4
Their Mating Rituals
While Aiden Fairbanks was willing to try anything once, being kidnapped, drugged, beaten, and held against his will wasn't one of his choices. Captors unknown, location unknown, and probability slim to none, his options are severely limited. Until she comes to him, to soothe and confuse him all the more.
As a doctor Talina Marshall thought she'd seen it all, or at least most of it, but when she becomes an unwilling accomplice to Aiden's torment she realizes just how naïve she'd been. Determined to keep him as safe as she can, Talina puts herself between him and harm's way time and again, anything to keep the gentle giant safe.
But just when she thought life couldn't get any more dangerous or bizarre, Aiden pulls her into his world and opens her eyes to all that is really out there. Now all he has to do is convince her to stay and love him and let him show her his in return.
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 61,647 words
THEIR MATING RITUALS
Paranormal Protection Unit 4
Honor James
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
THEIR MATING RITUALS
Copyright © 2013 by Honor James
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-429-0
First E-book Publication: March 2013
Cover design by Viola Estrella
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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DEDICATION
To my editor, thank you for keeping me on track and smacking my fingers when it was needed—again! Without you this would have been a very different book.
To my readers, without you I’d have no reason to keep doing this, so thank you and I hope you enjoy this book as much as the others.
And last, to my muse, wherever you are—get back home. You’re way past your curfew, missy!
THEIR MATING RITUALS
Paranormal Protection Unit 4
HONOR JAMES
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
The music was what was getting to him. He knew it was opera, knew it wasn’t English but beyond that…not a clue. It was so far away and yet so bloody loud. He had no idea what was wrong with him, well, besides a terrible thirst, a pounding headache, only about half his normal vision, and he was pretty sure, a few broken bones.
His body felt heavy, sluggish, nothing responding when he wanted it to. Blinking with even just one eye was an enormous task for him. Breathing was a serious chore. His arms…well, his arms appeared to be completely numb except for an intense burn in his shoulders. But since he couldn’t see worth a damn and lifting his head was out of the question, he didn’t know what the situation was.
Trying to remember his last coherent thought, he rubbed his grainy tongue to his cracked and peeling lips. Yeah that helped—not. He remembered talking to Allister, his twin, about a few things, mindless things. Razzing him a bit about his woman, general smack talk, and discussion about their mother’s impending visit. Shuddering at that reminder he could have done without, he heard a low keening sound of pain and, after too long, realized it came from him. But how had he gotten from his brother’s office to…wherever he was?
* * * *
Several days ago
“Seriously, bro, you are whipped,” Aiden teased with a big grin, dodging the piece of popcorn thrown at his head. Chuckling softly, he picked it up and tossed it onto the ottoman before them. “Not that it’s a bad thing. I like Jackie. She’s good for you, bro.”
“You just like the fact she will run around like an idiot with you doing paintball,” Allister muttered.
“Uh, yeah.” Aiden grinned at him. “Dude, she shoots better than most of us can. That girl has serious fucking mad skills packed in that petite little package. Damn broke my heart when she told me she was a one of a kind.”
“And mine.” His brother was seriously possessive of his bond-mate, not that he blamed the guy in the least.
“She’s my paintball buddy, nothing more. Well, beyond the video games I mean.” He grinned and took some more of the popcorn. “Speaking of which, we were supposed to go and destroy some bad guys tonight. She still on for it?”
“As far as I know. You playing at my place or yours?” Not that it made a huge difference. They lived across the street from one another.
“She wanted to do it at your place. Apparently I’m too much of a bachelor. She bitched me out the last time she was over because my selection of appetizers was seriously lacking.” Aiden had a confused look on his face. “What is wrong with hot wings, pretzels, and chips and dip?”
“Nothing if it’s the Super Bowl party of the year,” Allister said with a grin. “But she doesn’t consider them appropriate for when she’s visiting family.”
“Unless it’s the Super Bowl, right,” he grumbled. “Do you know she had the audacity to try and clean my kitchen? Seriously, you need to have words with your
female about taking such liberties.”
“She’s your in-law technically. She gets to take whatever liberties she wants,” Allister said.
He didn’t get to make a smart-ass comeback since the woman in question, or rather under discussion, came in looking annoyed. Thankfully she pinned Allister with the look, so Aiden, being the best brother in the world, abandoned him to her wrath. Waving to his brother, he bailed out and shut the door to protect all those on base. Even if she was actually annoyed they’d end up burning out retinas and the brain bleach market would skyrocket again as all needed to burn that image clear. No one needed to see Allister’s pasty white ass.
From there he’d done some paperwork, headed out for dinner with a couple of guys off another of the Teams. They grabbed pizza, watched a game, and had a few beers. Then they’d all left as a group to head over to a rocking new club.
The place was going crazy, the music was top of the line, the DJ had his finger on the pulse of the clubbers, and the drinks were on the house thanks to connections they had. What more could one ask for?
After that…
* * * *
Aiden frowned, or tried to. He couldn’t remember much after getting to the club. He’d had a couple drinks, chatted with one of the bartenders, flirted with a couple of the waitresses, and even danced with a couple of hot babes. But he couldn’t remember leaving or anything after until…
He’d woken at some point, his mind buzzing and his muscles heavy and aching. A drug of some sort, something that kept him languid and loose. Or it had until the beat down had started. Then he’d tensed up as much as he could.
He remembered a punch to his face, actually several. There were shallow cuts to his arms, torso, and legs. Electrocution to his balls which had him cringing in memory. Whips, a caning, more fists, and he was sure he recalled a chair at one point. How long the torture had gone on he didn’t know, but he did know not a single question had been asked. Just hours after hours of beatings.
He didn’t know a location, a day, or even the bloody time. All he knew was he was in deep shit, and someone the kidnappers kept referring to as the “true King” was behind it. He didn’t know who this “true King” was, not his name or even his race. Hell, Aiden couldn’t recall pissing any Kings off besides Talon, who was the King of the Dragons and his King. The kidnappers had to be softening him up, preparing him for something yet to be revealed. It would have been nice to know more, especially about why he’d been targeted. He tried reaching out to his brother but couldn’t when a blinding pain shot through his head. Biting his lip to keep the sound trapped, he tasted blood. Either he’d split it again or bitten through the flesh. All he could hope was that Allister was looking for him.
* * * *
“I swear to the Gods, Skittles, if this is another false lead…” Allister cut off his words. He wouldn’t hurt the Warlock, but he definitely wanted to.
Rubbing his hand over his neck, Skittles looked at the frazzled Dragon, who looked about as tired as he felt. “I can only give you what I find. I know it’s been less than stellar and I’m truly sorry, but if they don’t move him or put their faces out there I can’t find them.”
“You’re doing your best, Skittles. We’re all feeling the pressure,” Bulldog said, putting a hand on Allister’s shoulder. “He’s our brother, too, Al. Try to remember we’re all doing our best.”
“I know you are,” he said, slumping into a chair to scrub his hands over his face. “But it’s been over a month.” Forty-two days, eight hours, and sixteen minutes, and counting. “I know he’s alive. I can still feel that connection, but not hearing him, or talking to him.” He shook his head and looked to Mac and Sully, the only others that would understand. Having the connection cut off but not severed was its own form of total agony.
“What have you got, Skittles?” Sully asked, feeling for the other man. He’d never survive if he ever lost his brother and knew the feeling was mutual. Catching Mac’s look, he nodded. It was very mutual.
“A debit card was used, one of Allister’s aliases,” Skittles said quietly. “It didn’t get used for much, but what it bought had me thinking it wasn’t from any theft.” Shifting, he keyed up the main monitor. “It was used twice. The first didn’t register right away since the area has been having some rolling blackouts in the last few days, so information has been scarce.”
Typing, he pulled up the two receipts, electronic versions anyway. “On the left is the first one and was used to purchase some antibiotic cream, top grade stuff, swabs, and peroxide. Odd, but when you put it with exhibit number two…” He pulled the other forward. Everyone could read that it was for sutures, butterfly bandages, and several bags of saline solution, plus an IV stand.
“So who bought the stuff?” Mac asked, leaning forward slightly.
“Again the first took longer with the blackouts, but here are the two shoppers side by side,” Skittles said and pulled up the images from various security cameras.
“Dude, that could be Talon or Katherine my beloved little mate or literally any of a hundred people in those pictures,” Scythe bitched, narrowing his eyes on the blurry black and whites. “How the hell do you know who they are?”
“It’s the same person out shopping, doubter of my skills,” Skittles said. “Watch and be amazed,” he told them before running his scrub program that, thanks to having done it earlier, only took mere seconds to reveal a female, early to midtwenties, dressed in a hoodie, and looking extremely scared and nervous. At both locations.
“Shopping trip number one was three days ago. Number two was about two hours ago,” Skittles told them before he pulled up the camera system of the city. “She left store number two, walked up the street to a cafe, and went in for a half-caf nonfat caramel latte, paid with cash. She then sat at a table in the corner by the windows and watched for a time before leaving and going about two miles on foot to a bookstore. She went in, browsed, paused by the window to apparently check out a new book being offered before leaving without purchasing anything.”
“She’s looking for a tail without being obvious about it,” Talon commented, watching as they followed her path through the city.
“Exactly. She departs the bookstore and heads uptown to a vendor to get a hotdog and soda, proceeding to a park bench across the street to sit and eat it as she people watches. Once done she then casually strolls through the park and down this alley,” Skittles indicated. “We lose her for about two blocks before she pops out here.” Another image came up where she was looking up and down the street. “She scoots around the corner, across the street, and down into the basement of this complex. She doesn’t come back out again.”
“Who owns it?” Trey asked, already thinking logistics.
“Currently it’s held by the bank since the owners failed to pay their mortgage. It’s also supposed to be completely vacant as they are trying to sell the building off,” Skittles told them, turning around. “I pulled footage of the area going back all the way to the abduction and, three weeks in…” He pointed to an image he had pop up. Clear as day was Aiden being dragged between two muscle-bound freaks with the girl behind them. A tall, thin male was next to her and had the scruff of her neck in a vicious grip. Her hands were cuffed in front.
“So is she a victim or one of the abductors?” Sully asked, feeling confused.
“No clue, but I’m running her face as well as the others through facial recognition. I should have something for you by the time you hit the tarmac,” Skittles told them. “Flight is fifteen by helicopter and, if you time it right, you’ll get there just as the neighborhood shuts down for the night. I honestly don’t know if those four are the only ones in there with him. I’m still scanning all the footage and will let you know of any changes.”
“Wheels up in twenty, gentlemen. All hands on deck for this. Go get our man,” Talon ordered as he stood up. “I’d prefer you take them alive, but if not, bring yourselves and Aiden home in one piece. That’s an order.”
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* * * *
A soft sound had him prying his blood-caked eye open a tiny slit. There was someone there, small, feminine from what he could tell of the movements. Feeling “her” get closer, he tried to see but couldn’t. “Who are you?” His words came out slurred and rough, not at all like his normal speech. His throat ached, too. They must have cracked him there, too.
A shuddering breath sounded and then soft, light footsteps fairly ran from the room. “Come back,” he wheezed out on a whisper of air. Don’t leave me alone.
Chapter Two
2007
Death was never easy. It was never something that came in the night and swept away the soul like personified in movies and books. No, death was hard. It was brutal. Death was vicious and held no prisoners. It took not only the body and life of the person who was dying, but a part of the soul of the loved one who was caring for them during the time of death.
This death was no different. She sat on her mother’s side and looked down at the impossibly thin woman on the bed and held her hand. “I love you, Mom,” she told her mother, and instead of getting the “I love you” back that any other mother would give her child, she once more got a grunt.
Talina wanted to cry. She wanted to rail at the world, but it wouldn’t do anyone any good, let alone her. She knew that her mother loved her. She had to or else she wouldn’t have remained for as long as she had in her life. She raised Lina even when her father had walked out on them both and left them to their own devices. No, Lina knew that she was blessed because she hadn’t been left in an orphanage, she hadn’t been left on a church doorstep, but instead her mother, Charlotte, raised her alone.
