Not to mention that she had the hots for Zander, her supposed mate’s brother. This situation was a class A clusterfuck.
The one question she would likely never get a truthful answer to was in regard to Vito. Had he only used Rena as a replacement for his dead daughter, or did he really, truly care for her? She tried to convince herself that the not knowing was worse than anything else, but it was futile to agonize over it. Vito was lost in the topsy-turvy world of dementia and would never be able to give Rena the answers she wanted.
Maybe it was better that way.
Rena was in such turmoil, she had opted to retreat to bed. By the time Zander had gotten back with the food, she was already showered and under the covers. She had pretended to be asleep and kept the blanket over her head. He had been true to his word and slept on the floor, and she wasn’t sure if she was relieved he didn’t try anything or insulted.
Or disappointed.
When she woke up from a fitful snooze, the sun was streaming in the room, and she was alone. Zander’s pillow was on the chair, with the blanket folded neatly on top. Who knew the guy who looked like a bad-boy biker was a folder of blankets? There was a cup of coffee on the nightstand and a chocolate doughnut sitting on top of it. Next to it was a note scrawled on a piece of scrap paper that simply said:
I’m outside. Ready when you are.
At least the guy had left her breakfast.
That was more than she could say for men she had actually slept with, let alone one who had voluntarily spent the night on a questionable-looking rug with a lame blanket and even lamer pillow.
She showered and dressed quickly. When she got outside, Zander was standing by his motorcycle. Clad in an outfit almost identical to the one the day before, he had his back to her and was looking toward the mountain in the distance. Rena adjusted the strap of the bag over her shoulder while she tried to figure out what to say.
“Give me your bag.” He stuck out his hand but didn’t turn around. “I’ll strap it on the bike.”
Well, so much for making conversation.
“I’m not an invalid, thank you.” Rena’s cheeks flamed, and she let out a sigh of frustration. “I can do it myself.”
She made quick work of unhooking the bungee cords already strapped over his bag. She could feel his eyes on her and sensed he was right behind her. Watching her every move. In about three minutes, and with a bit more struggle than she would have liked, Rena had her bag securely tied down with his.
“There.” She pushed the hair off her face and smiled with satisfaction. “We’re ready. Let’s go.”
Without so much as an okay, Zander shoved the shiny black-and-silver motorcycle helmet in front of her. Rena grabbed it with both hands and put it on her head with more force than necessary.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” she asked, not sure if she really wanted the answer. “Ride until my butt is numb all the way to the shapeshifter ranch?”
“We still have at least nine or ten hours to go.”
Zander straddled the bike with the ease of experience. There was something about the way he carried himself—pure confidence and total command of his body that sent a shiver of desire up Rena’s neck. She brushed at it absently and forced herself to focus on his words instead of his long sexy bod.
Why did he have to be damned good-looking?
“Okay.” She clapped her hands together. “Are we doing it all in one shot?”
Please say no. That’s a long damn time on a motorcycle.
“No. We have to make one more stop, anyway. There’s something we’ll need to bring with us. It should help you free Zed.”
“Right.”
Rena didn’t want to think about that at the moment, but it seemed it was the only thing on Zander’s mind. She had to do something to make him realize that she didn’t belong with some guy she’d never even met.
“Besides, a storm is coming in from the west. Heavy winds and rain.” He grabbed his helmet, avoiding her gaze. His rough, gravelly voice was barely above a whisper, but she had no trouble hearing him, even with the unseasonably warm winds rushing in her ears. “We’ll stop about halfway. I own a place in Yellowstone, Montana. That’s a little over four hours from the Amoveo ranch, and we can ride out the storm there. We should get there before it hits.”
“I didn’t find any properties listed for you when I did a background check.”
“That’s because it’s not under Zander Lorens.”
“How many names do you have?”
“A few.”
“Is Zander Lorens your real name?”
“Yes,” he replied gruffly. He stilled for a moment before putting on his helmet. “I haven’t lied to you, Rena.”
“Not exactly, but you haven’t been entirely honest either.” She arched her eyebrows and took a step nearer. “Like when you kissed me, for example.”
Zander stilled, and heat flashed in his eyes. “That was a mistake,” he growled, “a momentary lapse of judgment.”
“So you don’t want me?”
“No.” His husky voice was barely audible, and he tore his gaze from hers. “Get on the bike.”
“You’re lying.”
“What I want doesn’t matter.” He peered at her over his shoulder. “It never did, and it never will. Now get on the damn bike.”
In spite of the insane situation, Rena’s body reacted to the sight of his. Zander sat astride the Harley with absolute confidence. His long, strong legs steadied the massive piece of machinery with ease, and those large hands of his, the ones that had cradled hers so gently, gripped the handlebars securely. The leather jacket, jeans, and beat-up boots only added to his tough-guy image.
What red-blooded heterosexual woman wouldn’t want to climb on the back of that bike and hold on to him for several hours?
There was no denying that the man cut an imposing and enticing figure, whether he was on or off the bike. He exuded strength and control, but it was the storm beneath the calm that got Rena’s motor running. And anytime his beautiful, pale-green eyes shifted into those of his dragon, it was evident that the beast still lived inside him.
Curse or no curse, Zander was a dragon.
When she didn’t get on the bike, he revved the motor before flipping up the mask of his helmet. His pale, mossy-colored eyes glittered at her beneath a furrowed brow, and he jutted his thumb over his shoulder impatiently.
“Come on,” he shouted over the engine. “Time to go. Unless you want to stay here and get wet.”
Rena’s eyebrows lifted at the sexually charged remark.
“Well, I was up for getting all kinds of wet earlier.” She smirked, and Zander revved the engine again when she took one step closer.
“Get. On. The. Bike.”
Oh yeah, he was as turned on by her as she was by him. The heat of the black-and-chrome machine washed over her jean-clad thighs as the image of a fire-breathing dragon flickered through her mind. The thought of seeing Zander shift into the beast got her heart racing, and that’s when she got an idea.
A totally crazy—make that a bat-shit crazy idea.
“You and Zed are identical twins, right?”
“That’s part of the problem. Yes.” Zander eyed her warily. “Now let’s go.”
“Good to know.”
If Zander’s curse were lifted, then Zed’s would be too, wouldn’t it?
If Rena could get Zander to shift into his dragon, wouldn’t the curse be broken and then his brother would be freed as well? Two birds with one stone, so to speak. A smile curved her lips as her eyes searched his, and a plan began to come together. Zander was attracted to her, that much was obvious, and if he and his brother were identical twins, why couldn’t she be Zander’s mate and not Zed’s?
Hell, Rena wasn’t looking to be anybody’s mate, but if she were going to hook up with
anyone, it would be by her choice and nobody else’s. Shifter or human or fox or what-flipping-ever, Rena would retain control over her body and her life.
And her body wanted Zander’s, not some guy she had never met.
The line between Zander’s brows deepened as she inched nearer, but before she could respond, he turned his gaze to the highway and snapped his helmet shut.
Oh yeah. And he wanted hers just as bad.
The corners of her mouth lifted higher, and she slapped her own visor closed before climbing on behind him. Rena scooted her butt closer to his and pressed her thighs along the firm planes of his legs. She linked her arms around his narrow waist and held on tightly to him. She noted that he felt even warmer than normal.
“Are you feeling all right?” she shouted.
“Why?”
“You’re hot. I mean, it feels like you have a fever or something.”
“I’m fine.” He revved the engine and shouted, “I don’t get sick.”
When his muscles tensed against hers and his back straightened, Rena closed her eyes and tuned in to his energy signature with surprising ease. His usually calm spirit was tumbling around her like a tornado, whisking and swirling in throbbing swells of power. Zander Lorens was a man in conflict. His body was telling a far different story than he likely wanted it to.
There was no mistaking what he was feeling. Lust and desire were woven throughout his energy signature, and her body warmed in response.
She couldn’t do much about it right this minute, but once they got to his place, all bets were off. Rena was going to make sure that she and Zander finished what they had started back in her office.
Rena hooked her heels onto the steel pegs as she hugged him and pressed her hands against his rock-hard abs. Testing him. Pushing again, wanting to see what kind of response her touch would evoke. Her answer came when his energy pattern erupted in a surge of heat just as he hit the accelerator and tore out of the parking lot. Gravel spit up behind them, and the roar of the engine was deafening, but Rena barely paid it any mind.
As she held on to Zander and the dusty scenery whisked past them, one thought kept running through Rena’s mind.
Fate could kiss her hybrid Amoveo ass.
* * *
It had been about three months since Zander had been back to his property in West Yellowstone, and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it until he pulled up to the cabin. Of course, given the land it had been built on and the lengthy history tied to his clan, it was no wonder.
The connection he felt wasn’t to the building but the earth beneath it.
Raindrops splattered onto his visor just as he shut off the engine and put the kickstand down. Rena climbed off first, the warmth and weight of her body mourned instantaneously. She arched her back in a fluid motion and stretched her arms over her head while looking around the expansive property.
“Wow!” Her breathless exclamation escaped in a sigh as she removed her helmet.
Zander dismounted the bike and tried to suppress his smile of satisfaction while he unhooked the bags. Was it weird to be pleased with how much she liked his home?
No. He shook his head, scolding himself for reading more into it than necessary. She was going to be his family, part of his clan. There was nothing wrong with feeling a sense of pride when his brother’s mate expressed a fondness for his home, which was on their family land.
Rena cradled the helmet against her curvy hip with one hand and tousled her hair with the other as she turned around slowly, taking in the panoramic view. The cabin was nestled in the remote mountains and surrounded by towering trees. It was refreshing to see the breathtaking beauty of this land through her eyes. The smile on her face blinded him and made her even more luminous than ever. Her brown eyes glittered, and even as the rain fell and the dark clouds blotted out the sun, Rena shone brightly at the center of it all.
There was more to her radiance than her physical appearance. She was feisty and smart. The woman was tough too. She didn’t complain once on the entire journey. Zander had met more than his share of girls in his long existence, and in his experience, most of them complained. Not Rena. She took everything in stride and rolled with the punches better than most men he had known.
Given everything he had told her, she had still come with him. When he got back to the hotel room last night, he had half expected to find the place empty and her on the way back to Vegas. But she hadn’t run. She stayed. And that impressed him more than anything else.
“Zander?” Rena waved one hand in front of him and snapped her fingers. “Hey, are you listening to me? Do you have a key, or do you want us to stay out here and get all…wet?”
She smirked and flicked her tongue over her plump lower lip. Zander’s gaze lingered there for a moment as he recalled the sweet taste of her.
A huge clap of thunder boomed through the air and broke the spell.
“Sorry.” He blinked and tossed her a set of keys. “Let yourself in. I want to put the bike in the barn.”
“Barn?” The keys jingled as she caught them with one hand. “Do you have horses or cows or something? Where is it?”
“No. The terrain here is too rugged, and I’m not here often enough. Just a barn, and it’s small.” He nodded to the left and handed her the two bags. “More like a big shed, really. It’s over there.”
“Oh yeah.” She slung both bags over her shoulders. “I was so impressed by the mountains and stuff, I didn’t even see it. This place is really cool. Nestled in between all this natural grandeur, it’s like we’re the only two people on earth.”
It was raining harder now. Her reddish-brown hair was clinging to her cheeks in damp tendrils, perfectly framing her face. He imagined brushing the wet strands from her skin and licking away the water that beaded nearby, down the graceful line of her neck and nuzzle the hollow of her throat…
No. Damn it. You idiot. Cut the shit.
“Go inside,” he barked. “You’re getting soaked. I’ll take the couch. You can have the bedroom. It’s a loft. Can’t miss it.”
Before she could even respond to him, Zander climbed back on his bike, started it up, and rode over to the small, one-story, weathered, gray barn. When he glanced back at the house through the driving rain, he saw soft light glowing from the first floor and knew Rena was safely tucked away inside.
In his home.
Shit.
What the hell was he doing?
Zander sighed and tilted his face to the sky, letting the cool rain wash over him. Rena wasn’t wrong when she noted that his body temperature had risen. It had, and it was one more aspect of his dragon that had begun to emerge. With each layer of his clan qualities reemerging, Zander’s hope for Zed’s future increased.
The buzzing of his cell phone pulled him from his thoughts. He yanked it out of his pocket as he took shelter under one of the massive pine trees near the barn. It was raining harder now, and based on the swirling mass of black clouds in the darkening sky, they were in for a major storm.
The number on the screen wasn’t one he recognized. His gut clenched because he suspected it was the call he had been simultaneously dreading and hoping for.
“Zander speaking.” Zander kept his voice calm and even, even though apprehension settled in his chest. He hoped like hell he hadn’t made a mistake reaching out to the Amoveo ahead of time.
“Hey, this is Dante Coltari.” The man’s voice was strong but held a hint of wariness. “I received a message from a mutual friend. Isadora. She said you have a young lady with you who’s…unique.”
“I do.”
The old witch had come through. He knew she would be able to get him in touch with the Amoveo and that she would do it discreetly.
In other words, she kept his secret for him.
The Amoveo believed the dragons were all extinct, and Zander wanted it t
o stay that way for the moment. They would learn the truth eventually, but it had to be at exactly the right time, or it could threaten Zed’s survival.
“Thank you for calling. Isadora told me that you and your mate, who is also a hybrid, have been bringing others like her to the prince’s ranch.” Zander’s voice was clipped and curt. He wanted to get this all done and over with as quickly as possible. “The woman with me, her name is Rena McHale. She’s a hybrid from the Fox Clan. No family to speak of.”
“I see.” Hesitance lingered in his voice. “How do you know Isadora?”
“She’s an old friend of the family.”
“Right,” Dante said with a snort. “Do you mind if I ask how you discovered the girl and how you know about us?”
“Yes, I do mind,” he said abruptly. “I can’t get into it on the phone. This is a discussion we need to have in person, with Richard and Salinda. I would ask to see the Council, but I heard it’s gone the way of the dr—dinosaurs.”
“Right.” Dante scoffed. “Listen, man, you seem to know a lot about our people, so you must also be aware of our trouble with the Purists. How do I know you can be trusted?”
“You don’t,” Zander said flatly. “But you trust Isadora, and she trusts me. That should be enough. Rena needs the other Amoveo and her mate.”
“Did she connect with him in the dreamrealm yet?”
“Yes.” Zander left it at that and prayed Coltari wouldn’t push for more. “She’s walked in the dreamrealm, and she’s exhibited some telepathy. Her powers are evolving quickly.”
“I see,” he said absently. Zander had a hunch he was writing down everything they were saying. “Any other abilities? Maybe some that would be considered unusual?”
“Like what?”
“Most hybrid Amoveo women we’ve come across possess powers beyond the normal clan gifts. William’s wife gets psychic impressions through the photographs she takes. My mate, Kerry, can touch you and see your deepest secrets. You know, stuff like that.”
Undiscovered Page 15
