Chapter Twenty-Six
‡
Connor really didn’t have time for a protection detail, but a woman was in trouble, and he’d be damned if something happened to her on his watch. Dev had assured him he would catch the next flight from Costa Rica to Atlanta, and then rent a car to drive to Billard. Once he arrived, he and Vinea would take over watching her friend.
The drive from Silver Lake to Billard took less than three hours, which was why Devon had asked him to go. Given the fact that EmmaLee had only recently been brought back from surgery, he doubted the hospital staff would let anyone visit her. That worked for him. His job was to make sure this Slater Coghill—assuming he was the one who did this to her—didn’t cause any more problems.
Not knowing how long he’d have to stay, Connor packed a bag, checked into a hotel close by, and then headed to the hospital. As he approached the desk to ask about EmmaLee, Vinea rushed up to him.
“Thank you for coming,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
“How did you get here so—” He waved a hand. “Never mind. And Dev?”
“He’ll be here late tomorrow night. It was the first available flight he could get.”
“How is your friend doing?” he asked.
“I haven’t seen her yet. I was waiting for you.”
“Let’s check on her status to see if she’s even allowed visitors.”
Together, they walked up to the nurse’s station. Because Vinea was on EmmaLee’s contact list, he suggested she ask.
“Can you tell me what room EmmaLee Donovan is in?” she asked.
The nurse checked. “She’s in room 307. They just brought her in from the ICU.”
If it was that easy for them to find EmmaLee’s location, Connor worried that Slater might be able to sneak in. As they approached her room, something strange began to vibrate in his chest. It wasn’t another shifter signature, but rather something else—a feeling of urgency and need. Dismissing it, he followed Vinea to her friend’s room.
Vinea knocked softly then pushed open the door. EmmaLee’s eyes were closed, and her blonde hair was matted. The bruise on her cheek, along with her cut lip had his wolf growling. The tube attached to the bag of saline further incensed him.
Connor leaned close to Vinea. “Is Slater a shifter by any chance?”
“Yes, but don’t tell that to EmmaLee. It will only make him more attractive.”
“Perfect. I’d like nothing better than to rip out his throat.”
EmmaLee moaned, and once more his wolf shot into protective mode. What the hell was wrong with him? Connor had protected many people. Why should this woman be different?
Mate, mate, his wolf said.
Well, hell. That was the last thing he needed.
*
Vinea was sick to her stomach just thinking about the pain her friend had endured. Carefully, she walked up to the bed. “EmmaLee?” she said softly.
Her friend’s eyes fluttered open then quickly closed. Connor placed a hand on Vinea’s arm. “We should let her rest.”
He was right. “I’ll just sit here in case she needs me.”
“I’ll stand guard in the hallway then.”
Vinea was seeing a new side to Connor, and she liked it. She reached up and grasped his hand. “Thank you for helping.”
He nodded and slipped out. For the next few hours, EmmaLee fought to wake up. Throughout, a sea of nurses came and went, checking in on her. Each time, Vinea would disappear until the nurse left. No doubt they’d tell her that EmmaLee would be better off without any visitors and Vinea didn’t want to leave. She was certain if her friend could sense her presence, it would help her heal.
Finally, EmmaLee opened her eyes and kept them open. It seemed to take her a full minute before she recognized that Vinea was there. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
Vinea clasped her hand. “The hospital called and told me what happened. How are you feeling?”
EmmaLee lifted her hand and touched her cut lip. “Like someone beat me to a pulp.”
Someone did. “Was it Slater?” Her friend looked away. “EmmaLee you have to realize he’ll never stop.”
She turned her head back to Vinea. “I know.”
When she tried to push herself up on her elbows, Vinea placed a hand on her shoulder. “What are you doing?” Vinea asked.
“I need to get out of here. Slater will sweet talk the nurses and come after me. I know he’ll kill me this time.”
“No, he won’t. Connor is outside standing guard.”
“Connor? I thought you were with Devon.”
Even with the anesthesia still in her body, she remembered. “Connor is Devon’s brother. Devon and I were in Costa Rica when the hospital called.”
“Costa Rica? You shouldn’t have come back from holiday for me.”
Poor EmmaLee. Vinea’s heart hurt for her. Slater hadn’t just beaten her physically but he’d drained her emotionally as well. “It’s all good. We can always go back.”
EmmaLee shook her head. “You should have let the hospital deal with me.”
“Nonsense. Someone has to protect you.”
EmmaLee’s smile came out weak. “You always did have this need to help me.”
“You helped me when I needed someone.”
Her friend nodded and then closed her eyes. “Tell me about Costa Rica,” she said, her voice fading away.
As Vinea filled her in on what little she’d seen during their brief stay, her friend dozed off. About an hour later, voices sounded outside the door, and Vinea went to investigate, hoping it wasn’t Slater. When she opened the door, Connor was speaking with Sam.
“Hey, what’s going on?” she asked.
“Sam agreed to spot me. I’ll need to sleep sometime,” Connor said.
She faced the newcomer. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It was Lexi who suggested I help out, though I would have come anyway. We’re a team at McKinnon and Associates. We do what we can to help.”
That made her feel good. “Thank you again.”
“Why don’t you get some rest?” Connor asked. “Sam and I will make sure nothing happens to your friend.”
“I could use some shuteye.” She wanted to talk to Devon anyway. “I’ll be back early tomorrow morning. Don’t be surprised if I just pop in.”
They both shook their heads and smiled.
*
Devon finally arrived two days later, unhappy with all the plane delays. Vinea met him outside the airport, and she was really excited to see him. As soon as he exited the security area, she ran up to him. The kiss that followed only served to add fuel to her desires.
“How’s EmmaLee doing?” he asked.
“They’re releasing her tomorrow. Fortunately, she’s a fast healer.”
Devon lowered his gaze. “Did you help?”
Vinea shrugged. “I might have placed a hand on her and drew out some of her pain. It wasn’t enough to make anyone suspicious though.”
Devon gave her another hug. “I can’t wait to go the hotel.”
She grinned. “Now you’re talking.”
“So what happens now with EmmaLee? You do know that Connor and Sam can’t stay indefinitely,” he said.
That had worried her. “I spoke to her about maybe moving to Silver Lake.”
“But we’ll be in Pittsburgh.”
“I know, but Connor will be there.”
He glanced over at her. “Connor?”
“From the way he kept avoiding eye contact, and how his eyes would turn that wonderful amber color when he looked at her, I’m thinking EmmaLee is his mate.”
Devon laughed. “Really? If you’re right, he won’t be happy about that.”
Vinea gave him a lustful look. “He’ll have to deal. Are you ready to get out of here?”
“Damn straight, woman, let’s go.”
The End
*
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I hoped you enjoyed Vinea and Devon’s story. Up next is EmmaLee and Connor’s story—HER WOLF’S GUARDED HEART. Here’s the first chapter.
“I’m not leaving town.” EmmaLee Donovan planted a hand on her hip as she spun to face her bodyguard, Connor McKinnon.
As much as she appreciated his help in keeping her safe, 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? This time he might kill you, you know.”
“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. He has this thing about being in jail.”
Connor’s brows quirked. “I’m glad to know he has one redeeming quality, but if he kills you, 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 he was trying to come up with a good argument 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 really had seen the hair sprout on his face. 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 a master at apologizing. The last beating however had taught her a lesson; at all cost, avoid slick talking men who had a good heart but who were 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, deeper, and far more enjoyable. Perhaps she reacted the way she did 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 his face softened. “Then what’s the attraction of 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 what he’s recently learned while doing an archeological 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 beside 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 scoff when she spoke of dragons—just like Connor was doing now.
“I’m not saying dragons exist, but I believe dragon shifters do. A real dragon couldn’t hide.”
When he finally faced her again, one side of his mouth quirked upward. He was obviously fighting a smile—or heaven forbid 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 was a shifter—the first one she’d spent any time with—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 fatal day, 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. He acted as if she had no other proof. “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 it’s make believe.”
“To you maybe, but I want to prove werewolves, wearbears, and weredragons exist. Don’t worry, I won’t reveal that I know a real life goddess or that my bodyguard is a shifter.”
“Can you really be sure I am one?” Connor asked with a challenging tone.
“Yes. I’ve seen your eyes turn a color and your facial hair grow in seconds. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that fact.”
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 exit, 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 tangible proof.
EmmaLee ducked into her bedroom, knelt by her bed, and pulled out the cardboard box from underneath. Her fingers hovered over the real 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 can 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.”
“Hmm. 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, it wasn’t like she hadn’t 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 yes 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 can sense another shifter, but I can’t detect if he’s a wolf, a bear, or dragon—assuming one exists,” Connor said, his confidence deflating.
Her mind raced. “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. EmmaLee needed to remember that.
While her body had healed from Slater’s attack—in no small part to her goddess friend Vinea and her ability to speed up the process, EmmaLee wasn’t stupid. She understood the dangers of Slater finding her, as he was still out there. After that last attack, Vinea had claimed she’d given EmmaLee the ability to ward off Slater, so she didn’t really need Connor. She would have told him about this new power of hers a week ago, but Connor 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.
Stop it. She’d fallen for Slater because he was charming and way too good-looking for his own good. Her friends were right when they said she was a sucker for a pretty face.
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.
Once he understood she could defend herself, he’d be out the door faster than she could say his name. Is that what I really want?
EmmaLee was so conflicted. Even if she did mention her new talent, he probably wouldn’t believe her mostly because she had no way of proving it to him—and Connor liked proof. This internal shield Vinea said she had given her would form around her if anyone attacked. So what if she’d never seen or felt it? She had to trust Vinea that it was there. Her goddess friend had no reason to lie.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she said. “I need to make a call.”
“To whom?” Connor’s body tensed.
“Not to 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 I said hello to Devon.”
“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.”
“That’s good. How are you holding up emotionally though? Sitting on pins and needles waiting for him to show?”
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?”
“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. I don’t want to leave.”
“Let me ask you this. Do you like Connor?”
This wasn’t about Connor. 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. Far from it.” She 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.”
“You know what I mean. 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 if he 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 first hand knowledge about how they live and what their secret talents are. It could be a huge boon to your research.”
She dropped down on 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 being a goddess, I’d have escaped those usual human issues.”
That made EmmaLee laugh. “You’d think. Otherwise, are 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 fine. 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 two 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 apartment was just too damn small. She didn’t want him to like her, as that would complicate things, because 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 just 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!”
PACK WARS (Paranormal)
(book 1)
(book 2)
(book 3)
(books 1-3)
(book 4)
(book 5)
(book 6)
MONTANA PROMISES (Full length contemporary)
(book 1)
(book 2)
(book 3)
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ROCK HARD, MONTANA (contemporary novellas)
(book 1)
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HIDDEN HILLS SHIFTERS (Paranormal)
(book 1) – FREE
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(book 3)
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SOUTHERN SHIFTERS KINDLE WORLDS
WERES & WITCHES OF SILVER LAKE
(book 1)
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(book 3)
(book 4)
(book 5)
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(book 7)
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