Chapter Three
The massive Komodo dragon plowed through the heavy snow moving at a fast pace. The barrel chest sent snowbanks crashing up and over his slick head. Neron’s now three-hundred-and-thirty-pound-plus body, low to the ground skidded on a patch of black ice, his claws screeching to grab hold. A long tail steadied his body, turning into a rudder. Neron kept up the speed. He’d rip Manni apart for making him slide around in a frozen hell and taking a deadly shot at his mate. Icy flakes flew up his nose and he snorted.
As he moved, he was thinking. His Handler must have suspected they would be in need of Neron’s deadly ability. Normally, he was sent to the warmer climates. There was a reason Manni was here, but Neron didn’t think it was to kill him. Manni would have no clue Neron was called in, until now. Manni would know Neron was one of the Death Stalkers that said Manni would be better off dead. There was a rage in Manni as he shifted before the council from pre-teen to demon shifter. Neron remembered the look in the creature’s eyes at the time. Soulless. That didn’t explain why Manni was here; though, Neron grimly wondered what occurred with Manni’s parents. They would never willingly set him free.
No, the messed-up perversion wanted something—someone. Manni might have guessed Haven was meant for a shifter, but that wasn’t it. Not when those deadly spines were aimed at Haven, and they were deadly. Neron saw the tree die before his eyes. The green coniferous pine needles turned brown and fell to litter the ground before Neron had his clothes off and was running deep into the bush.
Neron’s mind raced faster than his legs. Haven mentioned her parents were killed. The boyfriend was gone, more than likely dead, and now Haven was being stalked. Was Manni after Orion? If Orion were Manni’s mate, there would be hell to pay. Manni couldn’t be allowed to breed, he needed to be dead and Orion... Damn what do I do with the girl?
Manni’s head wasn’t on right. Both of Manni’s parents were shifters. Dad was a dragon, his mother a lion. Something went wrong with the birth of their first and only child, though the information wasn’t known at the time. A hybrid was expected, but not one as grossly malformed as Manni. All shifters were registered at birth, their capabilities and specialties, if any, were listed. It was mandatory and for everyone’s protection, shifter and human alike.
Manni’s parents kept their son hidden, and under the radar until the disappearances of both human and shifter began. It was apparent immediately the murderer was a shifter. A shifter of deadly talents and zero empathy. The killer began with humans and escalated, testing his power, perfecting it. When Manni was discovered, though a pre-teen, instant death was ordered, but his parents swore they could keep him under control now that they knew he was a killing machine. Neron itched at the time to point out that his parents always knew their son was a killer. Now his behavior was in the open, they had no choice but to acknowledge the fact.
The deadly demon shifter inherited both parents’ aggressive instinct with a killer temperament. Neron was a Death Stalker by choice. He liked to kill—a killer. Manni liked to kill, anyone; he devoured his victim. He could shoot venomous spines from his mouth to paralyze then toy with his quarry. But he was no Manticore, and he wasn’t folklore, Manni was a shifter demon. A spawn of Satan would be more welcome.
The snow invaded his thoughts and Neron shivered. He had to find his mate, in an ice world no less. Fucking snow. Why not Hawaii? A tropical island would be preferable. But no. He was in a winter wonderland of nasty evil snowflakes, and ice was making love to his balls. Neron knew his mate would be a human female. Only a human female would give him a Komodo shifter offspring, not a hybrid. Neron’s line was rare among other shifter families. Only one child of a Komodo dragon had the ability to shift. It wasn’t always the first born, or a male. Both Neron’s older brother and younger sister were human, like their mother. They were also immune to a Komodo bite, as were all Komodo dragons and their offspring.
Neron was certain he was going to freeze to death. Manni’s trail disappeared. Growling, Neron stayed stretched out to his ten foot length. He tasted the air with his tongue. His claws tapped the ice beneath him. Neron climbed a tree, the branches protesting under his heavy frame, snow plunking to the ground. Nothing but forest as far as the eye could see when he peered through the snowy boughs. White, boring wetness. Higher were snow-covered mountains. It was said Manni could fly, but there was nothing overhead, not a shifter, a cloud, nothing. Swearing, Neron climbed down and backtracked to his pile of clothing. He shifted back to human form and hopped as his frozen bare feet screamed in protest. He dressed quickly and stood shaking. Everything was frozen and wet, him, his clothes, his cock.
My poor frozen Popsicle dick.
“There is a reason Komodo dragons don’t do cold.” He grouched and clenched his jaw when his teeth clattered together. Vulnerability wasn’t an option to a Death Stalker, but if one person said to suck it up, buttercup, he’d lose his shit.
Neron reached into his back pocket happy to find his wallet. Shopping, though not his forte, was on the agenda. He needed warm winter clothes, lots of them, and Haven was going to help him. It was his little mate’s idea he put proper clothes on. Neron set out to find her. His mate was easier to track than Manni. It was apparent Haven could barrel through piles of snow faster than a chipmunk on the trail of one of earth’s last Cheetos. Haven also had the listening skills of a gnat; she wasn’t headed back to Gunner. Neron was pissed she hadn’t done as he commanded. Somebody else needed a good spanking.
He made his way to a small cabin. Neron’s anger built at the distance Haven traveled unprotected. Every inch of him shuddered with the thought she might be hurt. When they connected both in the office, then in the forest, his overwhelming need to have her pounded through his system. She should be in his arms. Neron’s insides were twisted with worry. He swore when he saw her, she was going to go over his knee, and her ass would be as red as her hair when he was through. He deserved at least that much in a release of tension. That and to have her beneath him, where it was safer—sort of, depending on his mood.
The fast pace and his concern heated his body, except his frozen balls. His cock better not have permanent frostbite. With relief he saw smoke. Her trail led right to the door of the small cabin. His mate was safe, at least from Manni. Striding noisily up the three steps, his feet hammering onto the cleared wood, Neron didn’t bother to knock. He slammed opened the door and went inside none too gently. He wanted his hands on that perfect sweet behind of hers after he took her into his arms. Once making certain she was in fact safe, he would...
Neron’s head rang when a fry pan connected with it, a decided thunk rattled his brains. Thankfully the weapon of choice wasn’t cast iron. Neron held his head in his hands trying not to let his legs buckle and saw the surprised expression on Haven’s face through the stars spinning before his eyes.
“Nice to see you’re okay,” Neron said as he stumbled then righted himself.
“You didn’t knock.”
“You didn’t lock the door. Why not just send Manni a written invitation.”
“Who is Manni?” Orion asked. “More importantly who are you?”
“Neron. I’d hold out my hand for you to shake, but it’s full of my damned aching head.”
“What is going on? Are you the one following my sister?” Orion demanded.
“I pointed out the woods are dangerous,” Neron said.
He eyed Haven who was standing feet apart and looking comfortable with her weapon. She held no fear of him when she was recently scared shitless. Oh no, she’s one of those. Haven was a protector. Mindless of her own fear when another person was in danger. Yet zero clue how to take care of herself if facing an adversary alone. It would be best if she wasn’t armed.
“You better put that down.” He used his sternest voice, nodding toward Haven.
Haven lunged at him and, surprised at her audacity, Neron ducked then heard a smash and a groan. Gunner was on his knees, hands to his head moaning out his surprised agony. Neron almost felt sorry for him. Both shifters maintained control on their inner shifter and remained in human form, much to Neron’s relief.
“Gunner,” Haven exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, but doesn’t anyone around here know how to knock?”
“We need our hands to hold our pounding heads,” Neron drawled. He blinked a few times grateful the stars were gone.
“Stop sneaking up on us,” Orion bellowed. “We’ve been through enough.”
Neron eyed the distraught young woman. Early twenties, thick dark hair and dark brown eyes. Seeing Haven beside her, he saw no real family resemblance. Except both were well rounded in the right places, and both were exceptionally beautiful. Orion was a few inches taller than Haven when she stood. She was helping Gunner to his feet, fussing over an obvious family friend. Haven grabbed the ranger’s other arm, mumbling her own sincere apologies while Neron was ignored. Without her boots on, Haven was a tad shorter than Neron’s shoulders. He was remembering the way her warm body pressed to his in the forest. He then recalled why, and he supressed a guttural growl at Manni’s audacity. Neither he nor his inner shifter liked his mate’s hands on another, and he was happy when Gunner was settled.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” Gunner asked Neron. The ranger pulled his hand from his head to check for blood, there was none. He blinked a few times and accepted the drink Orion handed him. Neron stood drink-less. Haven placed a warm blanket around Gunner’s shoulders. Neron stood frozen. His annoyance was growing.
“Yes and no. It’s Manni all right. He’s after someone.”
“Neron thinks he’s after me,” Haven said.
“Why?” Orion asked. Her face paled.
“I’m not positive, but I think the man we’re after is interested in Orion. He’s making sure she comes with no baggage,” Neron said.
Orion began to cry. “A killer is after me? Do you think he murdered Jeff? It’s my fault. I can’t lose my sister. Haven, what will we do? You’re my best friend; I’d do anything to keep you safe.”
Haven scowled at Neron. “What’s the matter with you?” Haven had been sitting near Gunner and was now on her feet.
“I’m trying to catch a killer.” He snarled and stepped closer.
She was shaking with rage when he gripped her shoulders. Haven stepped back to look up at him. Her fingers went white with the death grip she maintained on the fry pan. Her look was undecided as to what she should feel. Her sister wasn’t in danger while Gunner, a family friend, was there. Neron saw the flicker of fear return, and he loosened his grip. Haven had no idea what she meant to Neron, and Neron was still in his own discovery stage. He was every inch the badass Gunner claimed him to be, but not with his mate.
“Are you going to pick me up and shake me, too?” she said, teeth gritted.
“I should,” he muttered. He preferred to feel her rounded ass under his hands at the moment. Her full red lips were a temptation as well, begging to be tasted. Her hair, strands now tamed from the static, was thick and lush cascading down her shoulders, and held a high sheen that longed to be gripped by his fist. He could expose her throat to him in an instant.
“Men like you are all the same. Big tough attitude and you use your power to intimidate. Well I’m not intimidated.”
No, she wasn’t. Haven was shaking, but it was from anger. Normally when Neron spoke, people listened. In order to save her life, she would need to be a little forcefully persuaded into compliance. After he caught up with Manni and killed him there was time to try being somewhat reasonable. Orion was the bigger problem. If she drew psycho demon shifters to her, Haven would always be in danger. He took a fast glance at the sobbing woman who possibly couldn’t fight her way out of a wet paper hole-riddled bag. Innocence stared back until Orion returned to look at Haven then again at him.
Killing his mate’s sister wasn’t how he wanted to start a relationship. He only hoped once Manni was dead Orion’s second chosen would make himself known. It was rare, shifters mated for life, but on occasion if a shifter’s mate died, they might scent another.
“Why are you watching Orion?” Haven asked. Her voice was clipped, tight with concern.
Gunner stood up. The ranger swallowed hard, and Neron realized they were all staring at him. Neron tore his gaze away from Orion.
“Maybe we should take a walk,” Gunner said.
Neron released Haven. “We’re all going to take a walk, but first a drive. To the mall. It’s Haven’s idea. I need a new jacket. Isn’t that right, Haven?”
Neron was none too happy with the idea of an outing, it would be dangerous, but he needed warmer clothes. He lifted his hand to cup the back of her throat, daring Haven to disagree. His little mate stood mouth agape. Her confusion was apparent. Neron knew it was his touch; flesh on flesh would make her tingle. He knew the second she became aware of him physically. The moment her body recognized him. The fry pan hit the floor bouncing off his frozen wet foot. Neron supressed a growl and a tap dance of pain. He wondered if she planned that. Little bugger.
“Clothes, Haven? Remember?”
The gaze Neron leveled on her made her nod once in agreement. Haven’s nipples hardened and were straining against the material of her tight sweater. The battle in her mind was evident on her face. Neron could see the wheels turning as she wondered what happened. His little mate seemed so lost. His fingers twitched to pull her close and kiss her full lips until she begged him to bed her. The sensations inside him sent a shockwave up his spine. His frozen cock came to life in a rapid de-thaw. That, at least, was a relief. But it was neither the time nor the place. Neron needed to hunt and soon.
I hate the fucking cold.