Chapter One
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An Unexpected Diversion (book 1 of Hidden Hills Shifters)
Bare Instincts (book 2 of Hidden Hills Shifters)
Montana Desire (book 1 of Rock Hard, Montana)
*
“I’m not leaving town.” EmmaLee Donovan planted a hand on her hip as she spun around to face her bodyguard, Connor McKinnon—a bodyguard her best friend, Vinea Summers, had insisted she use.
As much as EmmaLee appreciated his help in keeping her safe, now that her injuries had fully healed, it was time to take back control of her life. It didn’t matter that her ex-boyfriend had beaten her up in this very apartment; she had to remain in town in order to continue her important research. She hadn’t worked all these years for a master’s degree only to leave right before she finished her thesis.
Connor ground his teeth together. “Slater Coghill is still out there. Do you want him to come after you again? The next time he might kill you.”
“You’re exaggerating.” Slater was too scared to attack her again—or so she wanted to believe. “With the cops looking for him, he won’t come near me. The idea of being penned up in a jail cell frightens him.”
Connor quirked an eyebrow and continued. “I’m glad to know he has one redeeming quality, but if you’re dead, you won’t be around to testify.”
Now he was being ridiculous. “Slater’s not a killer. He just has a bad temper.”
“Bad temper, huh? He ruptured your spleen.” He inhaled deeply then glanced to the side as if trying to come up with a good argument as to why she should move to another state. “Are you still in love with him? Is that it? Do you secretly want him to come back?” His voice escalated as his Adam’s apple bobbed.
She had to blink, to make sure she had seen hair sprout on his face and not just imagined it. EmmaLee should be angry over his ridiculous comment, but he had some basis for his opinion. She had let Slater back into her life, time and time again, since her ex was an expert at apologizing. The last beating, however, had taught her a lesson: at all costs, avoid slick talking men who seem to have a good heart, but who are tortured by unseen demons.
Connor stepped even closer, and her pulse sped up just like it always did whenever he was near. It was similar to the visceral reaction she had with Slater, except that with Connor, the sensation was more intense and far more enjoyable. Perhaps she reacted so strongly to him because his eyes were more startling than Slater’s. Right now, Connor’s were hazel streaked with amber, but she doubted it meant this werewolf was interested in her—merely furious.
All he’d done in the last few weeks was grunt and growl when she came too close or if she suggested leaving her tiny apartment. “No, I’m over Slater. He can burn in hell for all I care.”
The muscles in Connor’s face softened. “Then what’s the attraction of living in Billard?”
EmmaLee lifted her chin. “I’ve already told you. Not only do I make my living here, I need to finish my thesis.”
“You can finish it in Silver Lake. We do have Internet there.”
“You don’t understand. There is a world-renowned professor coming for one semester to shed some light on dinosaurs and their possible link to dragons. I’ve already paid the tuition. I believe that what he’s recently uncovered while doing an archaeological dig in Africa will be the final piece to my thesis.” She held her breath, waiting for the ridicule that was sure to come.
“Are you saying you want to learn if dragons exist? Or rather existed? Is that where your stubbornness stems from?” Connor huffed then turned his back, but she refused to address the ache in her heart.
The only person aside from her thesis advisor she’d confided in about her research had been Slater. The strange part was that her former boyfriend never mocked her belief in werewolves or werebears, but he did when she spoke of dragons—just like Connor was doing now.
“I’m not saying dragons per se exist, but that dragon shifters do. A real dragon couldn’t hide for long.”
When he finally faced her again, one side of his mouth lifted upward. He was obviously fighting a smile. Heaven forbid if that look was one of disgust. “What makes you think a dragon shifter exists?”
EmmaLee didn’t know why she bothered explaining anything to this pigheaded man, but he claimed he was a shifter—the first one she’d met—and her curiosity about him and others of his kind was still off the charts.
“I’ve seen a picture of one. While I couldn’t pinpoint the location, the background has the same type of hills and tall pines found around here. It’s possible one might be lurking nearby.” She’d only told the cops what she’d seen that fateful day when she was twelve, and their response convinced her to never mention it again.
“And you’re willing to put your life in jeopardy because of a photograph you saw on the Internet?” He stabbed a hand through his hair.
Sarcasm didn’t suit him. “As I said, it’s for my thesis.”
“What are you getting your degree in?”
“History, with a specialty in Lore and Legends.”
He chuckled. “Do you hear yourself, Lore and Legends? The words imply that it’s all make-believe.”
“To you maybe, but I want to prove that werewolves, werebears, and weredragons exist. Don’t worry—I won’t reveal that I know a real life goddess or that my bodyguard is a shifter.”
“Anyone can claim to be one. Can you really be sure I am a werewolf?” Connor asked with a challenging tone.
“Yes. I’ve seen your eyes change color and your facial hair grow. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
He held up a hand. “Thank you. We really don’t need the world to know we exist. The panic alone could have dire consequences.”
So she’d been told. “I will be discreet. As for whether dragon shifters exist, I’ll show you why I believe they are here with us.”
EmmaLee was taking a big chance in revealing what she’d found, but given he was a werewolf, Connor couldn’t deny that paranormal beings existed. In her heart, she hoped he might provide her with some insight. Even if he could show her why the picture was a fake, she’d be closer to the truth. She wasn’t ready to show him her real proof just yet.
EmmaLee ducked into her bedroom, knelt by her bed, and pulled out the box from underneath. Her fingers hovered over the tangible evidence for a moment then lifted the photo she had printed off the Internet and returned to the living room. “Here it is.”
Connor studied it. “I only see part of a dragon, or rather what someone might say looks like one.”
“I’m guessing the photographer had to hide and as a result didn’t have a good angle for the shot.”
“I can buy that. The head might have the right shape, and the scales are quite realistic, but the part of the wing we can see looks a tad oversized.”
How would he know? Unless…. Her pulse sped up. “So you believe me? You told me you’ve never seen one before, or were you holding back?”
He handed her the photo. “No. In all seriousness, it’s too blurry to tell much. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s someone in a costume.”
EmmaLee tried not to let her shoulders slump. After all, she had expected him to claim it was a fake. “I take it no one in your Clan has ever mentioned anything about dragon shifters?”
“No.”
“What if I said I believed in giraffe shifters or even otter shifters? Would you still be so skeptical?”
She thought he’d say no right away, but he did seem to think about it. “I suppose if the animal exists in the real world, it’s possible a shifter could exist too.”
“If you met a dragon shifter in human form, would you be able to tell he was one?”
“I would know he was a shifter, but I can’t tell what kind he is—whether it be a werebear or a werewolf,” Connor said, his confidence deflating. “You’ve not met her, but the mate of one of the men who works in my office can tell the difference.”
But not him. “So when you run into a person who is a shifter, you assume it is one of the more common varieties, right?” She rushed on. “Which means you might have met a dragon shifter and not even known it?”
He held up his palms in surrender. “Okay, fine. A dragon shifter could exist.”
From the flash of black shooting through those amber-brown eyes, he clearly thought she was just some kooky waitress and part time student who lived in the world of make believe. Oh, well. She had to ask to know for sure.
No matter what she said or did, he’d never change his mind. And if he didn’t believe in her passion, she saw no reason to ask him to stay any longer. After all, he wasn’t here to date her, merely to protect her. While it was wonderful to have him around, it wasn’t fair to ask him to put his life on hold forever. He did have a company to run in another state.
It was also possible Slater would never show his face again since he had a bounty on his head. As Connor pointed out, Slater might want to make sure she couldn’t testify against him—assuming he was caught. The uncertainty was driving her crazy.
One reason why he should leave was that after that last attack, the goddess Vinea claimed she’d given EmmaLee the ability to ward off Slater, but unfortunately she had no way of testing that theory. EmmaLee debated letting Connor in on that little secret, but to be honest she liked having him around. He intrigued her. His eyes were pools of mystery, and while his nose was strong and straight, his full lips were slightly uneven, making him look like he had a permanent scowl—something she found sexy as hell.
She’d fallen for Slater because he was charming and way too good-looking for his own good, and it was the same with Connor. Her friends were right to claim she was a sucker for a pretty face.
Okay that settled it. Because she understood her own weakness, Connor needed to leave, and she needed to get back to finishing her research and then polishing her thesis.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she said. “I need to make a call.”
“Who are you calling?” Connor’s body tensed.
“Not Slater, if that’s what you’re thinking.” She didn’t want to keep secrets. “I need to discuss something with Vinea.”
His shoulders relaxed. “About?”
The man would never stop. “Girl stuff.”
“Oh. Well, tell her and Devon I said hello.”
“Can do.”
Once in her bedroom, she closed the door. Because shifters had good hearing, she walked to the far end of the room and pulled up a chair before dialing her friend.
The cell rang only once before she picked up. “EmmaLee? How are you?” Vinea sounded genuinely excited to hear from her.
“Good. Hey, I need your advice.”
“Sure. Is Connor driving you crazy or something?”
She almost chuckled. “No, but I can’t ask him to stay here any longer when I know he has a business to run. Physically, I’m good as new, and Slater hasn’t been seen anywhere.”
“I’m glad to hear it. How are you holding up emotionally though? Sitting on pins and needles waiting for him to return?”
How well her friend knew her. “Kind of, but I know Connor can take care of him if he does show up.”
“I’m getting the sense that while you feel guilty keeping Connor there, you want him to stay.”
EmmaLee did love Vinea. She always cut to the chase. “Yes. I know that once he leaves I’ll miss his protective presence, but that isn’t a good enough reason to ask him to put his life on hold.”
She wouldn’t mention that Connor starred in her nightly dreams. The man was this sleek animal, full of hot muscles, tightly wound, and ready for action. He moved with such grace it constantly made her fantasize about what he’d be like in bed. That unleashed power of emotion, if tapped, could be amazing, and she had no doubt he could wake up every cell in her body if he ever touched her intimately.
“What does Connor want to do?” Vinea asked.
“Go back to Silver Lake and take me with him.”
“Ooh, that sounds promising.”
EmmaLee stood and then paced. “Remember, I’m almost finished with my thesis, so I don’t want to leave.”
“Let me ask you this. Do you like Connor?”
This wasn’t about her feelings for him. It was about what she’d worked so hard for. “Of course I do, but just because he is hotter than sin doesn’t mean he’s someone I should drop everything for. It’s not like he’s Mr. Perfect; he’s far from it.” She leaned her head back and glanced to the ceiling, hoping it would provide her with answers. “Fact of the matter is that he and Slater have a lot of traits in common besides their handsome faces and sophisticated ways.”
“You’re comparing them now? Trust me. Connor is absolutely nothing like Slater.”
“For the most part that might be true, but both men are skeptics when it comes to dragon shifters, and they both keep too many secrets. I need to tell him to go.”
EmmaLee admitted that she would fall for him if he stayed much longer. She also recognized that even though Connor wasn’t the violent type toward women, he’d move on and she’d be hurt once more. No, it was time to break that cycle.
“Think of the bright side,” Vinea said. “Silver Lake is full of shifters. You could get firsthand knowledge about how they live and what their secret talents are. It could be a huge boon to your research.”
She dropped down onto the bed. The temptation to take Connor up on his offer tantalized her. “I’ve thought about that.”
“Connor might be a skeptic, but one of the men who works for him, Jackson Murdoch, is not. You could learn a lot from him.”
Vinea was only making this harder. “I’ll think about it. Thanks. How are you feeling?”
“I’m still having morning sickness.” She chuckled. “You’d think that since I’m a goddess, I’d be immune to those usual human issues.”
That made EmmaLee laugh. “You’d think. Otherwise, you’re happy?”
“Happier than I thought I could ever be.”
They talked a little bit longer and then Vinea had to go. Once they hung up, EmmaLee stayed in her bedroom, trying to decide what she should do. After much thought, she stepped back into the living room.
“Everything go okay?” Connor asked. “Is Vinea doing well?”
“Yes, she still has a bit of morning sickness, but she’s good otherwise. Listen, we need to talk.” Connor moved closer, disrupting her thoughts. Focus. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but since I’m healed, there’s no reason for you to hang around,” she said with as much compassion as she could muster. Unfortunately, her stupid lips wouldn’t stop trembling. “I know you have a company to run back in Silver Lake.”
He crossed his arms and widened his feet. All he needed were dark sunglasses and an earpiece and he could pass for an FBI agent. “I’m not leaving you.”
The force with which he delivered that statement surprised and delighted her, but EmmaLee didn’t dare hope it was because he liked her.
He doesn’t—not really. In the few weeks he’d been babysitting her, he hadn’t as much as tried to steal a kiss or rub up against her accidentally on purpose. The opposite in fact had happened. He seemed to avoid her whenever possible, though he rarely succeeded. Her postage stamp size apartment was just too damn small. She didn’t want him to like her, as that would complicate things. If he told her he cared, she’d be a goner faster than he could shift.
“EmmaLee? Are you okay?” His sympathetic tone snapped her out of her daydreaming.
What had he just said? Oh, yes—he wasn’t leaving. “Why won’t you go?”
“The reason doesn’t matter.” Connor looked conflicted as he stabbed a hand over his short dark hair.
He had a hidden agenda, and she wanted to know what it was. “This is my life, and I think I have a right to know why you won’t let me live it!”
Connor got right in her face and growled. “I won’t be responsible for another death!”