Mating Dance (10 page)

They’d all retired from the military now,
though none of them were old by human standards. They were, to a
man, bear shifters of one kind or another. The majority, including
the Alpha, were grizzlies, but there was at least one polar bear, a
couple of Kodiaks, a big-assed Russian bear and a few black bears.
Zak Flambeau was one of the latter. Smaller than his grizzly
friends, Zak was no less deadly. And though he’d taken his share of
guff from his buddies over the years, he knew they respected his
skills as a marksman and as a shifter. He was smaller, but that
also meant he was a lot quicker and more agile than some of his
larger buddies. He’d used that to his advantage many times in the
field. But now all that was over. He was retired from that life. It
was a bit of an adjustment.

Big John had come up with the insane idea to
build their own town from scratch. He’d been quietly buying up land
over the years and when the time came, he’d laid out his idea for
the rest of his men. They’d balked a bit at first. After all, Big
John wanted them masquerade as an artists’ colony, for cripes sake.
They weren’t artists. Although, most of the guys had given it the
old college try and come up with some passable
objet d’art
,
Zak had to admit.

He couldn’t draw his way out of a paper bag.
He couldn’t even do self-portraits of his bear half, using a
chainsaw and a stump of wood. He left that to Brody. Zak didn’t
have a talent like that. Nothing in the visual arts, anyway. If he
had any talent at all, he’d have said it was for cooking, but he
couldn’t see a way to turn his Cajun heritage of spicy, down home
dishes into an art form that could contribute to the town’s
artists’ colony status.

So he contented himself with being the
deputy. Good ol’ Barney Pfife to Brody’s Andy Taylor. That he could
handle. Blindfolded. And with one hand tied behind his back.

Running security was second nature to him.
Zak had left home at eighteen, leaving the bayou and his bastard
father behind, striking out to join the Army. He’d never looked
back. Not even once.

When his mate had died of illness, Zak’s
father had turned mean. Or maybe he’d always been mean, and losing
his mate just made him worse. Zak didn’t know for sure. His mother
had died when he was still a boy. He missed her to this very day,
but he felt like maybe sometimes she was watching over him from
above—or wherever spirits went when they left this realm.

“You know, deputy, I’m going to have to
start charging you rent if you keep coming in here every night.”
Tina brought over the carafe of coffee, pouring him a fresh cup
without even asking. She knew by now that he would never say no to
good coffee.

“Just following orders, ma’am. Though to be
honest, I’m enjoying these orders way more than any other I’ve been
given to date in this town. It’s nice to have an excuse to sit
here, drink coffee and eat your marvelous pastries.” He popped a
slice of the danish he’d been eating into his mouth to emphasize
his point.

“But you ran the reporter off. Nobody’s seen
him since. I don’t think he’s coming back, and even if he did, I
could handle him. I’d tell him to go straight to hell, like I did
the first time he came sniffing around.”

Tina was a little more outspoken than her
older sisters, and Zak liked that about her. She had spirit. But
that sort of spirit could sometimes get a person into trouble.

“I won’t argue the point, but Brody asked me
to keep an eye on the place and I’m just as happy to do so. Come
on,
ma chere
, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy my company, at
least a little.”

The little bell above the door tinkled out
its merry tune as the door opened, and every hackle on Zak’s body
rose in alarm. He spun to face the newcomer, taking in the dark,
wet clothing, the blood-red eyes and the hesitant gait.

“Holy shit.” Zak grabbed for his radio as
the newcomer eyed him.

“Call your Alpha little cub. I am hanging on
here by a thread.”

Zak’s sensitive nose smelled the blood—new
and old—on the creature in the doorway. That he was probably
outgunned and outclassed entered his mind briefly, but he dismissed
the idea. All that mattered was protecting Tina. And hopefully
getting them both out of this confrontation alive.

“I beg your pardon, miss, but do you happen
to have any wine on the menu? I am greatly in need,” the newcomer
asked politely, though Zak could see that every word cost him.

Then he remembered what he’d heard about
vampires and wine. The creature was seeking something that would
help him, not attacking. That was a good sign. Zak keyed the mic,
calling for Brody in low, urgent tones. Then he palmed his cell
phone, hitting the speed dial that would bring the Alpha on the
run.

“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t serve alcohol. Our
liquor license hasn’t come through yet,” Tina answered politely,
though Zak could hear the confusion in her tone. Bless her little
human heart, she didn’t recognize the danger standing in her
doorway.

Zak didn’t take his eyes off the vampire.
“Tina, don’t you have some wine upstairs? Go get it, honey. Bring
as many bottles as you can down here on the double. Leave them at
the bottom of the stairs and then go back and get more. Everything
you have. And then stay the hell upstairs for me, will you?”

She opened her mouth to argue. He could just
feel it. But the vampire stepped forward and left a trail of blood
across her doorstep. She gasped as the man’s fangs showed.

“Get the fuck upstairs now, honey. And
whatever you do, do
not
invite this guy up there. Vampires
are big on invitations. Do
not
issue one, okay?”

“I won’t. But Zak…” She sounded worried
now.

Zak couldn’t tell if she was concerned about
him, or the bleeding bloodletter. Either way, she was a sweetheart
for her concern, but right about now, with a vamp on the edge like
this one clearly was, such weakness could easily get her
killed.

“Take your bear’s advice, little one. I am
not to be trusted at the moment. I have lost too much blood. The
wine might help,” the bloodletter said as he all but collapsed into
one of the chairs at the front of the bakery. He leaned back, blood
and seawater pooling beneath him as he sat.

Zak didn’t take his eyes off the man,
but—thank the Goddess—he heard Tina leave. Her scent went upstairs
and she closed the door behind herself. Zak almost sighed in
relief, but he was too keyed up to relax even that much. Everything
in him recognized the threat that now sat in front of him.

“I’m Zak Flambeau, the town deputy,” Zak
introduced himself to the bloodletter, hoping the man could keep
his wits a little longer.

Zak knew that bloodletters could go mad when
starved of blood, either by being unable to feed, or bleeding from
serious wounds, like this one. The red eyes gave it away. They were
just on the good side of sanity right now, but that could change in
an instant.

“I am Hiram Abernathy, master of this
region. I am headquartered in Seattle, but was enjoying a few
nights on the ocean when my yacht was attacked and destroyed
by…something.” The red eyes looked confused and sort of haunted. “I
seek your aid and will apply to your Alpha for safe harbor, though
as you seem to understand, I am
in extremis
. I need blood,
or I will run mad. I am trying my best to stay sane at the
moment.”

“If I give you my blood, will you leave the
girl alone?” Zak asked. He’d do anything to keep Tina safe.

To read more, get your copy of
Night Shift
by Bianca D’Arc.

Release date: December 22, 2015.

About the Author

Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the
corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of lower Manhattan,
studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a
whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed
writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still
lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive
garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing
her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.

Bianca loves to hear from readers and can be reached
through Twitter (@BiancaDArc), Facebook (BiancaDArcAuthor) or
through the various links on her website.

Welcome to The D’Arc Side…

WWW.BIANCADARC.COM

Other Books by Bianca
D’Arc

Paranormal Romance

Brotherhood of Blood

One & Only

Rare Vintage

Phantom Desires

Sweeter Than Wine

Forever Valentine

Wolf Hills*

Wolf Quest

Tales of the Were

Lords of the Were

Inferno

Tales of the Were ~ The Others

Rocky

Slade

Tales of the Were ~ Redstone Clan

The Purrfect Stranger

Grif

Red

Magnus

Bobcat

Matt

Tales of the Were ~ String of Fate

Cat’s Cradle

King’s Throne

Jacob’s Ladder

Her Warriors

Tales of the Were ~ Grizzly Cove

All About the Bear

Mating Dance

Night Shift

Guardians of the Dark

Half Past Dead

Once Bitten, Twice Dead

A Darker Shade of Dead

The Beast Within

Dead Alert

Gifts of the Ancients:
Warrior’s Heart

Epic Fantasy Erotic Romance

Dragon Knights

Maiden Flight*

The Dragon Healer

Border Lair

Master at Arms

The Ice Dragon**

Prince of Spies***

Wings of Change

FireDrake

Dragon Storm

Keeper of the Flame

Hidden Dragons

Science Fiction Romance

StarLords

Hidden Talent

Talent For Trouble

Shy Talent

Jit’Suku Chronicles
~
Arcana

King of Swords

King of Cups

King of Clubs

King of Stars

End of the Line

Jit’Suku Chronicles
~
Sons of Amber

Angel in the Badlands

Futuristic Erotic Romance

Resonance Mates

Hara’s Legacy**

Davin’s Quest

Jaci’s Experiment

Grady’s Awakening

Harry’s Sacrifice

Print Anthologies

Ladies of the Lair

I Dream of Dragons Vol. 1

Brotherhood of Blood

Caught by Cupid

The Beast Within

* RT Book Reviews Awards Nominee

** EPPIE Award Winner

*** CAPA Award Winner

Coming Soon

Night Shift

Grizzly Cove #3

Sheriff’s Deputy Zak is one of the few black
bear shifters in a colony of grizzlies. He’s used to taking guff
from his comrades, but it’s all in good fun. He’s fought beside
these guys for many years and it’s time they all stopped roaming
and picked a place to settle. Grizzly Cove seemed as good a place
as any when the idea was proposed, and Zak likes the slow-moving
police work in the sleepy coastal town.

When his job takes him into closer proximity
to the lovely Tina, though, he finds he can’t resist her. Could it
be he’s finally found his mate? And when a bloody vampire washes
ashore, will she turn to Zak, or run, screaming, into the night?
Zak will do all he can to make sure she chooses him.

Releasing December 2015.

Come over to The D’Arc Side…
WWW.BIANCADARC.COM