RANGER (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 19)

by Samantha Leal

  He stepped into the living room and glared at his new in-law. “With all due respect, your daughter and I are not shacking up. She’s my mate and I’m hers. It’s as simple as that. Please don’t insult what we have.”

  “Mate?” Her mother asked, then stared him down. She was almost his height which was intimating enough. But Lana wasn’t shitting him when she warned him about her mother.

  Damn, the women were tall in the family.

  “Yes I’m her mate, and I’m not an ordinary man.” He held out his hand, remembering the manners his mother taught him. “I’m Conner Lawson.”

  She took his hand and shook it like any dominant man would have. This woman was the Alpha in Lana’s family. She was strong and fierce, protecting her cub. He couldn’t help but respect her for it. “Lawson? I know that name.”

  “You do?” Lana asked, surprised.

  “Honey you don’t get as far and deep into the community like I did unless you network. Your father is Graham?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Conner replied.

  “You come from a wonderful—” she paused as if trying to say something delicately, “and unique family line.”

  Yep, Lana’s mother knew what he was. “Yes we’re werebears.”

  She nodded, waving off mention of his other half, and turned back towards her daughter. “I guess now we need to talk.”

  They sat on the couch, and she looked at Conner. “Why haven't you contacted your father? He could have had this problem wrapped up even quicker than I could.”

  Conner shrugged. “I guess because I don’t want our kind to get under the spotlight. I changed in front of cameras, I assume. That cannot be connected with Graham Lawson. He’d be ruined, and it’d be my fault. I lost control, and it doesn’t need to fall on the rest of my clan. And if I called him, he’d drop what he was doing and fix it for me.”

  “I see,” she replied. “Well, to the news first. It’s both good and bad.”

  Lana sat on the couch. He sat next to her, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. “Let’s hear it,” she whispered.

  “Campbell Marks’s body was not found where you told me it would be.”

  “What?” she yelled with wide eyes. “He was bleeding out and not moving.”

  “Honey, I don’t know what to say. He was obviously unconscious or something because no one, and I mean no one, has reported him to the police in any way. Not even as a missing person. It’s like he wasn’t there. Another strange thing--there was no blood, no knife, nothing at the scene.”

  Conner leaned back, perplexed. He could have sworn Campbell’s heart had stopped beating, but he had snapped into a rage when he saw the man standing over his mate.

  “So that means we aren’t going to jail. We’re safe.” Lana smiled, but it faltered at the look on her mother’s face.

  “No, it doesn’t mean you’re safe, Lana, it means you need more protection now. There was a break-in at your house. Everything was destroyed, and there was a note on your wall, for heaven’s sake.” Her mother handed her a printed picture:

  “You will pay, bitch. I warned you.”

  Lana paled, and her body shook. His beast roared. “How is this possible?” he growled, unable to keep his beast in check.

  “It makes a little more sense, now that I know who’s involved. You might call your father now, because I think what we are dealing with is more than I can handle. And since my daughter is your mate, I expect you to do whatever you have to, to keep her safe.”

  Seemed her mother knew a lot about the supernatural world. He had an idea of what this could be, but he wanted to be sure before he scared the hell out of his mate. His father would be the one to verify it. “You’re right, I’ll call him now.” Conner stood and walked to the room he had been spending all his time in. Lana’s phone was on the bedside table. He picked it up and took a deep breath before dialing his home number.

  “Dad, I think we have a real problem. Can I get your help, please?” He told his dad what he had learned.

  His dad’s reply: “Get you and your mate to the den now.” End of conversation.

  Chapter 8

  Lana was pulled outside and into her mother’s SUV before she could so much as breathe. Everything happened so fast, and no one stopped to explain anything. Her mother knew more than she did about the situation, and Lana was getting quite irritated. “Can someone please tell me why you are carting me around like a rag doll?”

  “Not now, baby,” Conner replied tensely. He was usually so calm and relaxed that Lana bit her lip with worry. If he was this stressed, that meant it was bad. She sighed and left it alone, but she would get her answers. This was her life, and there was no way she was going to stand idly by and allow someone else take care of her problems. It was obviously bad, but that didn’t mean she was useless in the situation—whatever it was.

  Her mother opened the door and pulled her into a hug with tears in her eyes. Now Lana knew there really was something horribly wrong. “Do what they tell you to do, sweetheart, and text me when you get there. When this is all over, we’re going to Hawaii on vacation.”

  Lana leaned back. “Mom, what’s going on? You’re never scared, and you sure as hell never cry. You’re freakin’ me out.”

  “Honey, this is bad, and Conner and his family will explain it to you—they’ll keep you safe. I know them personally. She looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact.

  “How do you know so much about his family?”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Mom, tell me.”

  He mother bristled. “Fine.” She stepped out of Lana’s embrace and threw her hands up in defeat. “You and your brother’s father was half werebear. He never shifted, but Graham’s family raised him, until he passed, after you were born.”

  Lana sputtered. “You—you always refused to talk about our father, yet when one of the boys talked about a deadbeat dad, you ripped them a new one. I never understood why.”

  “It’s because he was no deadbeat. He was an honorable man who died and was also part beast, because even though he never shifted, he still had the bear’s spirit inside, much like Conner does. The only difference between him and Conner is that his bear gets to come out whenever it wants. Your father’s couldn’t. He felt like he was half of a man who didn’t fit in anywhere. He was too human to be a bear, and too bear to be a human.”

  “Oh, mom, why didn’t you ever tell us?”

  “Because he wouldn’t have wanted you to know. But since you have found yourself a part of the same family, I figured it was time to tell you.”

  “Does Conner know?”

  “No, but Graham will as soon as he meets you. You look the most like him.”

  Conner jumped in the car and started it, signaling he was ready to leave but not rushing her.

  “Oh, well I guess we better get going. But when I get back, you and I will be talking.”

  “Okay, I love you,” her mother said, wiping away tears. Lana was flabbergasted. Her mother never cried. She never got emotional, and she never let on that she knew people like Conner existed.

  ***

  Conner shook Lana gently. It had been a long ride, but it was time to get her inside the safety of the den. The den was protected by magical wards, which meant Campbell wouldn’t be able to find her, and eventually he would die leaving them safe. Until then Lana would have to stay with him and his family. He had overheard her mother talking and couldn’t believe how small the world was. Lana’s father was like an uncle to him. His death had left a gap in his heart, and now to find out that Lana was his child was amazing. It made sense now why she fell into the heat and submitted to him so easily, without question. Although she did not have the spirit of one, she was still part bear and her instincts were strong.

  “Baby, it’s time to wake up,” he said before kissing her brow.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him until she realized why she was waking up in the car. She was running. The only good
thing that came out of the whole situation was the fact that she wouldn’t be in trouble. Without Campbell’s body there was no crime, which mean his mate was free of any guilt.

  “Hi,” she replied. “We’re here?”

  “Yes, baby, it’s time to meet your new family.”

  She glanced away as tears filled her eyes.

  “Hey, sweetheart, this is good. Because here, your father was well loved and respected. No one thought any less of him because of his mixed heritage.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course. He was one of us.”

  She nodded. He got out of the SUV and jogged to her side, opening the door before she was out of the car. She thanked him with a kiss on his cheek. He grabbed her hand and led her into the den. Finally, he was home.

  His father greeted them as soon as they stepped into the main house.

  “Conner,” he said and pulled his son into a hug. Then he looked at Lana and gasped. “No, it couldn’t be?”

  “Yeah. She’s James’ daughter, dad.”

  “Oh, my dear, come here.” He didn’t wait for an invitation before pulling Lana into a tight hug and squeezing her until she couldn’t breathe. But she didn’t complain. Her arms wrapped around him and hugged him back. Finally Conner was able to pull her from his father’s grasp. “You look so much like him, dear girl.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “I do?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Dad, have you heard anything underground?”

  He smiled. “It seems your rush to bring her here for protection was unnecessary. But I’m glad you’re here. It seems Mr. Mark’s body was found, in pieces and nearly unrecognizable early this morning.”

  Lana gasped. “How is that possible?”

  His dad glared at him. “Did you tell her anything?”

  “No, she was sleeping, and I didn’t want to scare her.”

  He sighed. “Come sit.” He patted the seat next to him on the couch, and she sat down, waiting for him to explain. “You see, Mr. Marks was possessed by a demon. When Conner killed him—and he did in fact kill him— a more powerful demon, one we will not name, couldn’t have them exposed so he cleaned up the mess. But since Mr. Marks was wanted by the police, he couldn’t just disappear. So he was ripped apart and only recognizable by his DNA. The demons win by shedding his blood and by knowing the humans aren’t any closer to finding out the truth. You’re lucky, though. Some demons wouldn’t have let you go, but since Conner was caught on the tape killing him, they knew there would be no reason to worry about you telling the world about its darker side.”

  Lana paled. Conner moved to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. She calmed a little beneath his touch but was still worried. “So I’m safe. No one is after me?”

  “No, you are good to go, luckily. Sometimes it doesn’t end this well, for anyone. I’m glad you’re here and I was able to give you good news. Now we must celebrate your mating!” He clapped his hands and stood. “The clan will be thrilled. There hasn’t been a new mating in far too long.” Then he strode out of the room, leaving behind a happy peace.

  Conner loved his father, but he had just driven for two days straight. He was tired and hungry. And most of all, he wanted his mate so badly it hurt. They hadn’t stopped long enough to do anything other than get cheap food and have a bathroom break. Now he wanted more. He pulled Lana to her feet and kissed her lightly. “See, baby, I told you everything would work out. But my dad was right, we got very lucky in this situation.”

  She nodded and kissed him back forcefully. It seemed she was in the mood, and he had no intention of turning her down. They both wanted to forget the stress of the past week. He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the house. Cheers surrounded him, and he could feel Lana’s body heat with embarrassment.

  He chuckled. “You can meet her later,” he told the crowd of gathered bears. All of them wanted to meet her and welcome her to the family. It was a bear’s way.

  THE END

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  Highlander Time Travel Romance

  Through the Highland Gateway

  Leela Ash

  Copyright ©2015 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter 1

  When she took the time to think back over the previous few weeks (or had it been hundreds of years?), Lily Rey would not know what to think. Any number of things could have happened any other way, and she would not have found herself living with the man she had always felt that she deserved, in the land that she had always dreamed of living in. In her scheme of thinking, things had changed so drastically in such a short period of time; she had gone from stressed to easeful, ignored to revered, and downtrodden to wealthy.

  It had all started at the desk outside of Reginald P. Wooley, Esquire’s office. Reginald was a senior partner at the offices of Davis, Franklin, and Wooley, Attorneys at Law, a prestigious criminal defense office in Daytona Beach, Florida, when she received a telephone call from Tyler Yancey, her great aunt’s estate attorney. She had been expecting the call for about a week, and was beginning to worry that it would not come in time for her trip to Scotland.

  “Reginald Wooley’s office, Lily speaking,” she had answered.

  “Yes, Miss Rey,” the man’s voice had said through the crackle of cell-phone static, “I am calling in regards to Mrs. Henry’s estate. The reading of her will is this afternoon, and she had specifically asked that you be present, as it concerns you very much.”

  “Okay, what time?”

  “We will be starting at 4:00 p.m., exactly.”

  “I’ll be there,” she said, replacing the telephone in the receiver. She remembered glancing at the clock and thinking to herself how they could have called her earlier. Her flight was scheduled to leave the runway at 8:15 that evening, and with the post-9/11 security, she would need to be at the airport by no later than 5:00 that evening.

  She was cutting it mighty fine, indeed.

  She had been looking forward to the trip—her chance to visit the land of her ancestors—for several months. She had always felt drawn to Scotland, most likely because family tradition had always said that they were descended from Scottish nobility, and it made her dream of castles, of handsome men full of chivalry and honor—basically what every young girl dreams of. The problem was, those young girls eventually learn that there are no more castles, princes to sweep them off their feet, or dragons to slay.

  No, in modern life, there were only asshole law partners who prevent qualified women from promoting their lowly secretary’s job to a full paralegal, all while making her do the work of one. The bad part was, Reginald P. Wooley, Esq. was a perverted old man who only wanted to keep her at his front desk because of her round ass and large, perky tits. It was almost as if she was nothing but a long pair of legs and a vagina to the assholes at Davis, Franklin, and Wooley. They didn’t care that she was a certified paralegal, or that she was much better qualified than the ugly guy they had just hired to hold the title. They would rather have Lily in the position of “eye-candy-in-chief,” all while working her to death.

  When she was honest with herself though, it wasn�
�t hard to understand why they wanted her to act as the company eye candy. In addition to her obvious physical assets of a large bust and round derriere, she also possessed with long, dark auburn hair that perfectly complemented her stunningly bright and large blue eyes. Her slightly hollowed cheeks and strong, thin chin perfectly balanced her face, and her legs were toned much more than the average, a testament to the multiple marathons, half-marathons, 10 and 5ks that she competed in every year. All in all, she was easily one of the prettiest women in Daytona Beach.

  That day at lunchtime, she told the partners that she had finished her work, and told Reginald that she was leaving for her vacation. “Don’t you get lost in time over there! Make sure you come back!” he had answered, his eyes raking the plunging neckline of her blouse.

  “I won’t!” Lily answered, all while thinking to herself that if she could help it, she definitely wouldn’t…come back. “Asshole,” she said to herself, as she walked out the front door of the office she so despised.

  As she rode down A1A listening to P!NK’s most recent album, “The Truth About Love,” she cranked up the music and lost herself in her own world for a few moments. After she got home, showered, threw her suitcases in the back of her car, ate some lunch, and watched a last little bit of American television before leaving, she headed off to Tyler Yancey’s office for her appointment.

  She had been very close to her Great Aunt Yvonne, who raised her from the time she turned eleven. When her mother had been killed in a car accident, her father wanted nothing to do with Lily, so the deadbeat asshole gladly signed his rights as a parent over to Yvonne, who was Lily’s mother’s aunt. Yvonne had not had any children of her own, but Great Uncle Harold, Aunt “Vonny’s” husband, had a daughter from a previous marriage. His granddaughter, Rose, was the same age as Lily.