A View to a Kill: (A Bird Shifter Novella) (King of Prey Book 2) (8 page)

Sachin’s nervous chuckle seemed to set her at ease but she wasn’t sure why. It did remind her of the man she’d come to love, helping to tone down the very real fact that he was more than met the eye.

She reached out to touch one of his wings but stopped just shy of making contact. “Will I hurt you?”

His silver gaze lit with amusement. “No, but you will run the risk of making me want to be buried deep within you.” He licked his lower lip. “When a
Buteos Regalis
male has his wings caressed by his female…his mate…they tell me it is extremely erotic. I would not know—yet.”

Paige jerked her hand back and Sachin laughed long and loud. “What? I’ve seen how insatiable you are when not getting your wings stroked.” She blushed. “That sounded dirty, didn’t it?”

He stiffened and stared up at the night sky. “Paige,” his voice was low, “go into the house and do not come out, regardless what you hear.”

Fear slammed through her. “What’s wrong?” She looked up too, trying to see whatever threat he obviously did, but found none.

“Go!” Sachin shoved her towards the door. “I did not think I would be followed. If they find you, they will use you against me and—”

He didn’t need to finish his sentence. Paige understood that whatever Sachin was afraid of would not be something she’d want to tangle with. Nodding, she turned and rushed into the house. She glanced back to find Sachin gone.

*

Sachin took flight, the smell of his enemies surrounding him. He knew there was a risk of drawing attention to the farm by frequenting it, but he’d been doing it for so many years he’d grown careless. He’d been foolish to believe he could actually leave the war behind and take leave.

The battle cry of the Falcos filled the night air and Sachin cursed himself for being unarmed. A flash of silver reflected in the moonlight as one of his enemies dove at him, blade extended. He dodged the strike, only just.

Another Falco attacked, this one from his right. Sachin struck out, slamming his fist into the man’s face. Yet another came at him and soon Sachin found himself grossly outnumbered and unarmed.

He locked gazes with a man he’d met in battle before. He was a general for the Falcos and notorious for his cruelty to the women of Sachin’s race. The idea of the bastard getting to Paige in any way gave Sachin the boost he needed to fight on.

Something sharp pierced his side and he glanced down to find the end of a sword stuck straight through him. Time seemed to slow as the sounds of gunfire surrounded him. The enemy lurched back, one by one, and Sachin cupped his side, cutting his hands on the blade as he tumbled towards the ground. He struck the ground hard, driving the sword through his body more, impaling himself fully.

Paige screamed and appeared above him with a rifle in her hand. Sarah was there as well, equally as armed. Sarah touched Paige’s shoulder. “Calm yourself or you’re of no use to him. We can handle this.”

Sachin reached for Sarah. “Not…safe. If they find…either of you…they’ll…”

Sarah gave him a stern, mothering look. “If I shot you in the head, could you get up and attack me?”

Puzzled, he shook his head. A wound such as that to the head would be fatal even for a shifter such as himself. “No.”

She grinned. “Then rest assured, boy, they won’t be bothering us again. When my girl and I aim, we aim to kill, not to maim. What’s the sense of that? Now, let’s get you onto your side. Paige, get my medical bag.”

Paige ran off towards the house and Sarah touched Sachin’s cheek tenderly. “We’ll get you fixed up and then you’ll take her far from here. You’ll take her home with you and start a family.”

He did a long blink for his acknowledgement, liking her plan for their future.

Sarah tipped her head. “And you’ll be sure to bring her and any grandbabies I get from the two of you to visit me often. Understood?”

He laughed and instantly regretted it as pain shot through him. “Yes, ma’am.” As he stared up at Sarah, he knew everything would indeed be all right.

Epilogue

Sachin wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close to him. It was hard to believe even after close to a year together that she was well and truly his. Her stomach was swollen with a life their love had created. She was due soon, at least according to the healers. He hoped to have a son or sons as was the case with Kabril. The king’s triplets were pushing one year old and kept him on his toes. Each time Paige and Sachin saw the boys, they found themselves both excited and nervous about the coming birth of their child.

Often Kabril was left exhausted and Sachin wondered if he had the energy to deal with
any
little ones, let alone three. Still, the idea that his love for Paige had resulted in something so precious and sacred to his people made any doubts he had ease away.

Paige put her hands over his and leaned against him. “I still can’t get over how beautiful it is here.”

She’d lived among his people, in his realm, for almost a year, and hearing she still found beauty in it pleased him deeply. It had been difficult for her to get used to the loss of certain things she’d enjoyed greatly on Earth, but she’d found other things to occupy her time. Paige was prized among his people for her healing skills with not only their animals, but their shifted forms as well. She spent afternoons aiding the castle healers.

She twisted in his arms, her stomach forcing him back slightly. Wisely, he didn’t comment on it but rather cupped her face and planted a kiss upon her lips. “I have to leave with Lazar soon. Promise to stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

She smiled. “Have I thanked you yet for offering to bring Sarah here for the birth of our baby?”

“Yes, but,” he waggled his brows, “I can think of other things you can do to show how grateful you are.”

Paige gave him a light shove and laughed. “I can’t see my toes. We aren’t doing anything.”

“Nothing?” He stuck out his bottom lip.

She cast a scolding look in his direction. “You’re insatiable.”

“I know,” he said proudly. “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

“You’re right but…” Paige bent quickly, grabbing her stomach and crying out in pain.

Sachin caught hold of her arms. “Paige?”

“Baby. Now.”

“What? No. Not now. We’re not ready yet. I haven’t finished assembling the nursery and Sarah is not here yet. And…”

Seizing hold of his hand, Paige clawed it as she glared up at him. “Sachin!”

He took a deep breath but it did nothing to calm him. “Yes?”

“It’s time. Get Rayna.”

“But…”

She looked down as water gushed down her inner thighs. Sachin blinked, staring at his wife and knowing she was in pain. He took a tiny step back and the room began to spin.

*

“Sachin.”

Sachin lifted his head and stared around, unsure how it was he came to be in the hallway. Kabril stood over him with a mug of ale in his hand. “What happened?”

Kabril grinned. “Your wife went into labor and you, my trusted advisor and head of my guards, passed out cold.”

Sachin pushed to his feet and rushed his chamber-room door. His heart felt as if it were lodged in his throat as he entered the room. Rayna backed away from the edge of the bed and Paige came into view. Her cheeks were rosy and her auburn hair was tousled. In her arms lay two tiny bundles. They were motionless and silent. Panic welled in him and his gaze snapped to Rayna. “They’re well?”

She winked. “They’re fine. Mommy is a bit tired though.”

He went to Paige’s side and bent, kissing the top of her head. He stared down at the babies. “My sons are so tiny.”

Paige snorted. “Uh, you try squeezing them out, and for your information, we have daughters.”

Daughters? He leaned forward and uncovered the child on the right. Sure enough, it lacked the equipment necessary to be his son. The temperature of the room seemed to spike and he locked gazes with his wife. “We have baby girls?”

She bit her lower lip and nodded. It was clear to see she was trying not to laugh at him. “I can’t wait until they’re old enough to date. I want to see the look on their faces when you—”

“Date?” Sachin swayed, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. “No. It will not happen. Absolutely, positively not.”

Rayna laughed at Paige. “You win.”

A sly smile spread over Paige’s face. “Do I know my man or what?” She glanced at Sachin. “Honey, if you feel faint you should—”

The room seemed to spin and the next thing Sachin knew, Kabril was by his side, laughing from the gut.

THE END

About the Author, Mandy M. Roth

Mandy M. Roth 
grew up fascinated by creatures that go bump in the night. From the very beginning, she showed signs of creativity—writing, painting, telling scary stories that left her little brother afraid to come out from under his bed. Combining her creativity with her passion for the paranormal has left her banging on the keyboard into the wee hours of the night.
 

She’s a self-proclaimed Goonie, loves 80s music and movies and wishes leg warmers would come back into fashion. She also thinks the movie
The Breakfast Club
should be mandatory viewing for...okay, everyone. When she's not dancing around her office to the sounds of the 80s or writing books, she can be found designing book covers for NY publishers, small presses, and indie authors.
 

Mandy writes for The Raven Books, Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Harlequin Spice, Pocket Books and Random House/Virgin/Black Lace. Mandy also writes under the pen names Reagan Hawk, Mandy Balde, Rory Michaels and Kennedy Kovit.

To learn more about Mandy, please visit www.mandyroth.com or send an email to [email protected].
 

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Sacred Places (Druid Series) by Mandy M. Roth

Sometimes fated love requires some good old-fashioned magikal meddling.

Coyle O'Caha, a seven-hundred-year-old immortal, druid sorcerer, is a famed warrior among his kind and a legendary ladies’ man—but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t spent his life looking for his soulmate. That one woman who will make him feel whole. When Deri walks into his seaside pub, clearly running from something or someone, it’s all he can do to not sweep her off her feet and claim her right then and there. It’s as if the goddess is mocking him. Not only is his mate immune to his charms
and
his magik, she’s human.

Deri Sullivan’s new boss has a Scottish lilt that makes her knees weak. The problem is he’s a certified ladies’ man. And she’s sworn off those types—for good. If only she could stop dreaming about him in ways that would make any girl blush. See, she has a secret, and even if she wanted to let Coyle into her bed, she couldn’t actually let him into her life. Witches and humans simply don’t mix.

Expert from Sacred Places by Mandy M. Roth

Coyle O’Caha bent over his woodworking bench and continued to carve into a piece of oak he’d been toying with for several weeks now. He disliked when he came across oak trees being cut down, and often bought them in bulk to avoid them going to waste.

Oak was special to his people—the druids. Humans held little regard for oak in the way they should. Truth be told, humans did not care for much, other than themselves. He was not a fan of them but understood they were a necessary evil. An evil he was charged with protecting.

Stupid rules.

He sighed. There were days he often wondered if the goddess selected right when sending him to be birthed to a family of druid sorcerers and then tasking them with overseeing humans’ safety as well as the training of other magiks.

He didn’t mind magiks so much.

Though, more and more the new batches of witches coming through his doors for guidance held less and less respect for the craft and for its roots. They merely sought power for the sake of power. Those types almost always ended up going bad—souring and becoming something Coyle, his brothers and cousins hunted.

It had been a month or more since the last dark sorcerer had surfaced. The O’Caha boys dispatched him quickly, ending his life and harnessing his dark magik to keep it from reentering the ether and causing issues later. The dark sorcerer had more bluster than actual power. Guess he should have waited to go to the dark side before he started issuing threats and trying to be a badass, because he’d not had the juice to back his threats. Most threats were easy to deal with considering the ages of the O’Caha boys. Though, every once in a while one would crop up who took some real effort.

Korey, his first cousin and best friend, had just returned from a hunt for a dark sorcerer like that—one who took a toll on the person or people hunting him. Korey had gotten a little banged up but was fine. The same couldn’t be said for their cousin Gordon. He’d already suffered at the hands of demons and was paying the price. All the O’Caha men held guilt over Gordon. They each felt as though they’d failed him in some fashion.

And they had.

He’d been brutally attacked and held captive for months by a dark sorcerer who had turned to the ways of the vampires—the blood drinkers. Gordon had not come out the other side of the ordeal the same as he’d gone in.

Who would?

Gordon now was also considered a vampire, though none of the O’Caha boys would ever dream of hunting him. The damn
eejit
thought himself a danger to mankind and was doing a damn fine job of trying to end himself. The fool had no idea that the good-hearted man he’d once been still remained. That the blood drinker side of him did not rule him.

Couldn’t get it through Gordon’s thick skull, though.

Another O’Caha faulty trait.

Stubbornness.

For more information about these titles and other bestselling Mandy M. Roth titles please visit www.MandyRoth.com

The Impatient Lord by Michelle M. Pillow

Bestselling Dragon Shifter Romance

An unlucky bride…