Skin Walkers: Leto (22 page)

York stopped and smiled over his shoulder.  “It’s one woman.  I don’t suspect I’ll need assistance.  You and the boys get back to Apex.  You’re in charge of Mason’s mission.  I’ll be back in two weeks.”

Marko smiled
from under the dark wisp of black bangs that hung into his eyes and turned to punch Lok in the shoulder, “You heard the man.  Let’s roll.”

***

Shy paced in front of the large bay window that looked out at the heavily forested grounds of StoneCrow estates.  She wrung her hands and chewed on her bottom lip before asking for the hundredth time, “Do you think she’s okay?”

Leto, clad in only
a pair of dark sweat pants, set little Lyon’s tightly wrapped sleeping form into his crib before smiling sensually and padding in bare feet to his angel.  He wrapped his powerful arms around her and pulled her into his chest all while being amazed at the sheer rightness of having her near.  “She’ll be fine my Shy.  They’ll find her.”

“They?
”  Shy protested.  “Aries said only York went.  What if he’s not enough?  What if he can’t find her?  What if he gets hurt?” 

Leto had to bite back the jealous retort at her concern over York’s welfare.  After he’d claimed Shy, York had backed off and Leto had to respect him for that
; not to mention that the man had volunteered to retrieve Shy’s sister from some place in the Philippines.  Yet it didn’t mean he would ever permit the Walker near his angel after he’d expressed his desire to have her.  If anything, York’s actions now pronounced the Celtic Walker’s belief or hope that he still had a chance with Shy.  The thought was enraging! 

“York will find her,” it was difficult for Leto to force the words out.  “He’s…
good
at what he does.”

Shy spun in his arms to face him, tears flooding her eyes.  “But what if something’s happened.  What if he can’t find her?”

Leto pulled her close and rested his chin on atop her head as he spoke, “If he fails my Shy, then I will go and I swear to you I will not return without your sister.” 

She sighed and melted into his embrace.  It felt like home and offered some solace against the storm of worry and fear that the Megalya had somehow gotten their hands on her sister.

Leto squeezed her tighter then pulled back and focused over her head on the wall.  She recognized the action.  He was getting a telepathic communication from another Walker through the mist. 

Once bound and claimed, Shy too had learned to communicate through the mist but unlike Walkers who were able to communicate with
all
other Walkers, Shy could only communicate with her mate.

Leto blinked then smiled down at Shy.  “Your parents have just arrived.”

For the first time since the birth of their son, Lyon, Shy felt hope blossom.  Monroe, finally satisfied that Shy’s family was no longer under surveillance by the Megalya, had granted permission for them to be escorted to the estate.  It would be the first time Shy would see them since she’d left for her internship nearly nine months earlier.

Jenny had been right, Shy’s pregnancy was rapid and surprisingly Shy was grateful for it.  It was the perfect excuse to tell her parents.  She’d convinced them that she’d fallen madly in love and that she and Leto, who she said was a fellow student, had eloped.  The timing was perfect for her to lie and say that she’d gotten pregnant right away.

Leto beamed down at his wife and grabbed a hand leading her to their son. 

Wrapped in a royal blue, fuzzy, baby blanket, L
yon was lifted from his crib and Shy’s heart squeezed—as it always did—at the sight of her Walker husband holding their child.  She didn’t think it was possible for one heart to hold so much happiness.

Smiling at his angel, Leto pulled Shy into his embrace and lowered Lyon so that Shy could pull down the blanket under the baby’s chin and peck a kiss to impossibly small lips.  He could scent her happiness
and it only served to encourage his own. 

In the Megalya labs he’d vowed to spend his life hunting and killing
Walker enemies but Shy had pulled him from his plans of a tortured existence and with the remarkable gift of their son she’d well and truly saved him. 

Shy looked up in time to catch the familiar scowl that marred her mate’s handsome features.  She couldn’t help the smile that crooked her lips.  “What is it?”  She already knew.  Leto always got serious and frowned every time he was about to profess
his undying love and loyalty.

“I love you my Shy. 
Do you know I’d do anything in the world for you and the son you’ve given me?  I would die for you both.”

“Yes my love,” her lips spread in a grin.  She tiptoed and Leto bent to meet her lips as she kissed him then kept her lips pressed to his and whispered, “
and I love you for it….
we
love you for it.”  She pulled back and smiled wickedly, “Now let’s put your vow to the test and go and introduce you to my father.”

Leto growled low in his chest
, “I do not fear your father.”

Shy laughe
d and turned toward the door, “You shouldn’t.  Mom’s the one that you gotta watch out for.”  When Leto’s face blanked she laughed harder, “Come on
my
Leto and stop worrying.  If I love you, they’ll love you and I love you more than I can stand.” 

Exclusive Excerpt

Hunted

by

Susan A. Bliler

Trudging through the thick brush, Sia barely noticed when her rifle slipped from her left hand and landed with a heavy thud in the tall wet grass.  Annoyance bunched her brows together over her thin nose as she glared down at her weapon. 
What the fuck?

Bending to pick up the rifle, she was too slow.  Andre, who’d been pulling up the rear, reached down and snatched it out from under her cold wet fingers.  He stood and held the weapon out to her while shaking his head, derision curling his lip. 

Annoyed more that Andre had witnessed her folly than at herself for actually committing it, Sia reached up and grabbed her rifle, all the while glowering up at the much taller Andre. 

With her hand on her rifle, Sia made to pull the rifle to her, but Andre held strong. 

“Hey!” Sia yelled trying to draw Andre’s eyes up from where they were focused, but his eyes didn’t move.  Sia looked down to see what was so damn important that Andre refused to release her rifle.  Shock washed over her as she realized that Andre was staring at her left hand as it gripped her rifle.  Her small knuckles were coated in blood and dripping crimson droplets down the length of her barrel.  Sia’s eyes traced up her arm and she reached over with her right hand to finger the fabric of her sleeve at her left shoulder where a hole gaped open.  She pulled the hole open revealing a wound.  She’d been shot.  She looked up at Andre, her expression confused.

“COLBY!”  Andre shouted for the medic.  Andre yanked the rifle from Sia’s grip and leaned it against the nearest tree before he dropped his pack and set his rifle on top.  Standing he reached up and pulled both arm loops of Sia’s pack off her shoulders.

“I got it!”  Sia barked at Andre annoyed.  Andre dropped her pack next to his and reached up to quickly unbutton the front of her camo shirt as Colby stepped through the brush.

“What’s up?  Who’s hurt?” Colby questioned as he tried to catch his breath.

“She’s been shot.”  Andre answered in a thick Russian accent, without taking his eyes off his task. 

Colby’s eyes flashed to Sia, “What…When?”

As Andre unfastened the last button, he opened Sia’s shirt and pushed it off her shoulders.  Blood stained the form fitting green tank top she wore underneath. 

“Last firefight.
”  Andre answered.

Sia pulled away from Andre, trying to pull her shirt back on, “Jesus Christ, it’s just a flesh wound.  I didn’t even feel it.”

Colby grabbed her elbow and spun her to him, “Whoa, let me look at that.”  Colby leaned in and inspected her wound, “Shit!  That’s more than just a flesh wound.”  Colby looked up at the much taller Andre, “This is gonna take a minute.” 

Nodding Andre grabbed his rifle and disappeared through the foliage.  Sia heard a faint, “Set up a perimeter, Sia needs medical attention.”

“Jesus, Colby!  Can’t you just bandage it up?  We can’t get caught out here.” Sia plopped down on the fallen log that Colby led her to.  Colby straddled the log as he pulled off his pack and unzipped it.  He pulled out a bottle of antiseptic and poured it on Sia’s wound causing her to inhale in a long hiss of pain. 

“Bullet went clean through, but we’ll need to stop the bleeding.”  Colby doused her arm again with a second slosh of antiseptic.

Andre returned, rifle at the ready when Colby looked up at him.  Colby’s serious look halted Andre and Sia watched as Colby looked at Andre then glanced her way and inclined his head at the same time. 

Whoa, what’s going on?

Whatever it was Andre understood.  Andre used his boot to clear a spot on the forest floor before he left and returned with an armload of kindling.

“No way!”  Sia jumped up and was pulling her shirt on when Colby grabbed her arm.

“Sia, we’ve gotta get it closed.”  Colby pleaded.  “You’re losing too much blood and there’s no other way.”

Andre never stopped his work, he was now on his hands and knees with his flint, sending showers of sparks raining down on the kindling. 

Angrily, Sia reached down and grabbed Colby’s pack, shoving it into his chest, “Put some fucking gauze in it and let’s get rolling, it’ll be night soon.” 

Colby grabbed the pack and looked at Sia apologetically through his thin wire framed glasses, “I’m sorry… this is gonna hurt.” 

Sia was grabbed from behind by Andre who easily wrestled her to the ground.  “Are you fucking kidding me?  Get the fuck off me!” 

Andre wrapped an arm around her throat in a half rear-naked choke while his other pinned her right arm in place.  His legs were wrapped around her hips and crossed at the ankle over her knees.  Andre held Sia in place as he rolled slightly to his right, exposing his hunting knife to Colby. 

I’m a Paralegal by profession and
when I’m not working or volunteering I’m writing.

I am one of six children and I am blessed to have a twin sister
.  She and I work for the same agency, in the same office, and are inseparable…my poor husband!  I’m married and have a step-son who adores my sister.  We also have two dogs, one black lab and one yellow, (Zena and Jimmy)  I did NOT name the dogs.

I’m a huge fan of MMA, boxing, hock
ey, 30 Seconds to Mars, the Killers, and DMX.  I also love to read because it encourages me to write.  ( I always hate it when authors add that they love coffee and chocolate.  Really?  Who doesn’t love coffee and chocolate.)  Anyway, I love beer…kidding.  I don’t love beer but we are engaged in a very serious relationship.  (Mom, please don’t call me when you read this.)

Please visit me at SusanBliler.com for exclusive excerpts of soon to be released works.  Also, please leave feedback.  Believe it or not I actually read your opinions/suggestions and try to adapt my work accordingly.

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