Lia Davis: Winter Eve

Nevan clenched his teeth together. “No. There is another animal out here, bigger than the deer.”

The cat snorted. “We’re all animals, Doc. I thought you were smart enough to know that.”

Arrogant ass. He was about to send back his own taunt when Jared gritted out a curse out.

“Fuckin’ rogue!”

That phrase was all Nevan needed to push his legs as fast as they could go. “Location,” he barked.

No answer. “Jared!”

He skidded to a halt when a man stepped in front of him. It took a few seconds to recognize him.

“Dane, right?”

“Yeah. Jared’s not responding to mind-link either.” Dane shook his head. Cam had warned the male not to use it earlier, but he’d thought nothing of it.

“Jared’s Cam’s brother, which connects him directly to Keegan.”

Nevan nodded. Now it made sense. The Enforcers had to form a blood bond with the Alpha or, in this case, both Alphas—Keegan and Luna—in order to protect the packs. The bond formed a tight inner circle that gave them the strength they needed. Apparently, mind linking was one of those strengths.

He took a step forward, only to have Dane grab his arm. “I have orders to bring you to the cabin.”

Nev narrowed his eyes. “I’m going to find Jared.”

Dane shook his head and growled. “You are one stubborn SOB, you know that?”

“Yep.”

A howl of pain cut through the night air, sending a cold shiver up Nevan’s spine. He jogged ahead, following the sound. With his senses, he searched for any sign of Jared. After a few seconds, he found a faint connection to the cat and started to run.

“Are you sure you’re not a shifter?” Dane ran beside him.

“Yes, I’m sure. I was raised with them, and I’m empathic.”

“Ah. That explains it.”

Both of them stopped dead. Nevan’s heart sped at the sight of Jared lying in the snow, barely breathing, with his throat ripped open. His blood darkened the snow around him. Nevan dropped to his knees and covered the wound.

Dane barked orders over the line. “Get Sasha, and have her at the cabin when we get there.

Coming on foot. Better yet… Blaine, we need pick up.”

Nevan peered at the wolf, confused. Dane shrugged. “He can teleport.”

Oh, he remembered that now. Danica had mentioned it the day he’d found out the town’s little secret. Ashwood Falls was full of surprises. It was exactly what he needed to get away from his grief-filled life and start over.

Blaine flashed in. “Sasha’s at the house. She came in right after we left.” He looked at Jared, and a tic formed in his temples. “The rogues will pay for this.” He lifted Jared up off the ground, grabbed Nevan’s arm, and flashed them back to the cabin.

After Jared fell silent and the radio cut off, Danica had paced her cabin. Worry ate at her. Her palms felt clammy, and her heart hurt. She didn’t love Jared as a mate would, but she’d never wanted anything to happen to him. Knowledge of a rogue running around didn’t ease her panic.

“I hate not knowing. Shay, can you pick up anything?”

Shay shook her head. “They blocked me.”

The door flew open, making Danica whirl around to see Blaine carrying an unconscious Jared straight to the guest room. Cam and Sasha jumped up to rush after the men while Danica went to gather her medical supplies in case Sasha needed anything. It’d been a long time since her home was used as a medical facility.

When she entered the room, her chest tightened. Cam sat on the edge of the bed, holding her brother’s hand in one of hers and stroking his cheek with the other, providing him with the touch a shifter needs from his family. Danica moved to the other side of the bed where Sasha worked to close up the hole in his throat.

Hovering her hand over his chest, Danica felt the steady beat of his heart. Relief pushed away some of the tension in her body. He was going to be okay.

A few hours later, Danica entered the living room. Everyone, but Sasha, was still there. She’d been called back into town to tend to a couple of juveniles who’d gotten into a fight.

Cam sat up in her chair. “How is he?”

“Resting. He lost a lot of blood and needs to rest.”

The jaguar nodded. “Can I see him?”

Danica nodded and Cameron stood to go see her brother.

Blaine pushed off the wall he’d been supporting to take charge of the group. “We need to get back.” The other Enforcers stood, said their farewells, and left. Blaine turned to Nevan and extended his hand. “Welcome to the pack.”

Confused, Nevan took his hand in a firm handshake. “I didn’t win.”

“No, but you reacted like a Pack member protecting his own. That shows loyalty. Plus, we need a good shrink to help the youth deal with the combining of the Packs.”

Nevan smiled, making Danica’s heart skip a beat. “Are you offering me a job?”

Blaine shrugged. “If you stay, you work.” He nodded to Danica and dematerialized.

Danica wrung her hands in front of her. Fear of losing him hung between them. He stepped forward, cupped her face, and kissed her softly. “I guess I’m the town shrink.”

All her tense feelings and insecurity melted away, and she flung her arms around him in a tight hug. “I love you, Nev.”

“I love you, too. Now let’s go complete this mating.”

She pulled back to study him. “Are you sure? I mean it really is until death. That could be hundreds of years considering you would take my lifespan.”

His smile and the wicked gleam in his gaze sent heat to her sex. “I think I can handle it.”

The End Coming soon in the Ashwood Falls series, A Tiger’s Claim

Lia Davis is a mother to two young adults and two very special kitties, a wife to her soul mate, a paranormal romance author, graphic designer, and co-owner to Fated Desires Publishing, LLC. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers. But it’s her home and she loves it!

An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very activity imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing and designing are stress relievers that allow her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.

Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. http://www.authorliadavis.com/

Khloe exited the last clothing store for the day, relieved to be heading home. She, her twin sister, and her new BFF, had been browsing the shops at a large outdoor mall called the Towncenter since ten that morning. It was now a few minutes past five. She was pooped and longed for a lengthy, relaxing soak, but she didn’t dare complain. If the eight-months-pregnant lady could last this long without asking to slow down, then Khloe was definitely not saying a word.

Khloe glanced at Lydia and frowned. The other Divinity had tied her long red hair up in a ponytail about halfway through the shopping trip, complaining about the heat. Khloe dismissed it as one of Lydia’s prego-hot flashes that she had often. However, the fatigue settling over Lydia’s porcelain features was starting to concern Khloe. Maybe she had thought too soon about her friend’s energy level.