Race to Destiny by Jana Leigh
Race to Destiny
Chosen War
Book Four
by Jana Leigh
© Copyright November 2013 JK Publishing, Inc.
ISBN# 9781311596871
All cover art and logo © Copyright November 2013 by JK Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Edited by ML Hill and Caroline Kirby
Artwork by JK Publishing, Inc.
Published by JK Publishing, Inc.
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com, and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales are entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publishing company.
Piracy
Please always be aware of where you are purchasing your electronic books and from whom. Only purchase from reputable, licensed individuals such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc. If ever in doubt, let the author know of a suspected site illegally selling their works—remember to include a link to the site where you have found a book you suspect of being pirated. It only takes a moment of your time, but you will forever have the gratitude of an author.
About the eBook Purchased
Your purchase of this eBook allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resale or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this eBook. This eBook cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer-to-peer program, free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this eBook, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this eBook anymore, you must delete it from your computer.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
If you find any eBooks being sold or shared illegally, please contact the author or the publishing company.
Website: www.jkpublishingauthors.com
JK Publishing bookstore: www.shop.jkpublishingbooks.com
Email:
[email protected] Dedication
I have thanked everyone so much that I feel like it may be a lost cause now. Does anyone even read these? If someone actually reads this I will give them a gift card to the JK Bookstore for books of your choice. Email me at
[email protected]. LOL
Table of Contents
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Books by Jana Leigh
Excerpt from Alpha’s Mate
Excerpt from Cat’s Choice
Excerpt from the Mating Call
Prologue
He dropped his cigarette at his feet and stepped on it. Sitting in the corner of the bar, he could see the entire establishment in one glance. He checked his watch and noted his contact was running late. He hoped this one would have the information he needed in order to find the woman. She was a wily one. He had found her once, he had sent men and they had attacked but the stupid bitch had gotten away.
Now he was back at square one except, this time he had an inside contact who may have known where they had taken her. He knew she had escaped with the one they called Striker. When they had been battling, he had seen this Striker in action and saw he was a strong fighter. Then Striker had slipped out of sight while he had been fighting and searching for the girl.
Finally, he saw his contact come in and walk to the back toward him. He took a long swallow of his Jack as his contact sat down across from him. "Took you long enough to get here,” he grumbled.
"Sorry. Things have been dicey since the attack. Everyone is hyper alert."
"What do you know? Where is she?” he asked.
His contact shook his head. "No one knows. We don't even know if Striker and the girl are alive."
"No one has any idea where they would have gone?” he demanded.
"The only thing anyone knows for sure is that they will head straight for the Senate compound."
He stood and threw some money on the table. "Call me if you learn anymore.” He headed out, staying there was pointless. He needed to begin to think like Striker. Where would he go and how would he get to the Senate? He headed back to his hotel room to look over the maps again.
Chapter One
Eric Sillen arrived just a few days after Mia and Striker had. He had been sent by the Senate to assist in helping with Mia and assigned as one of her guards until she was delivered to them. When the two men first met, Striker had recognized Eric as his mate as well. Eric even acknowledged to Striker that he knew they were mates. Striker told him about Mia, filling him in on everything he had been told by the Alphas, and Eric told him what he knew from the Senate, which wasn't much. They agreed they were not attracted to each other as some mates were—they only wanted to share their female mate, Mia.
Striker cautioned Eric that Mia was vulnerable and very withdrawn. However, Striker shouldn't have worried, Mia had taken to him immediately, and it had irked Striker. After he had spent a couple of weeks trying to ease into Mia's life, Eric was immediately allowed in. He didn't know why, although he wondered if it had to do with Eric being Fae. They had magical capabilities that Striker didn't know about, which Eric may have used to calm and lull Mia.
Two days ago, things had been changing. Mia had seemed to be more at ease, allowing both Eric and Striker to hold her hands. They had not told her they were all mates; both Eric and Striker agreed they would wait to tell her. She had enough to deal with and they wanted her to want to be with them. She had even agreed to dine with them, which was a first.
They sat down in Striker's suite to have dinner. Both men had set up the room by bringing in a table, candles, and some finger food so they could feed Mia. Striker left the lights on, they agreed they didn't want to scare her, they did light the candles and she had commented on how nice the setting was. They had begun to each feed her some of the finger food appetizers when the compound's alarm had sounded. Then all hell had broken loose.
Striker had grabbed Mia, dragged her down the hall into the panic room, thrown her in, and yelled at her to stay put.
*****
Mia curled in on herself and prayed silently that no one would find her there. She could hear fighting going on throughout the house she had been staying in. She was terrified. If the ones attacking found her, she would be taken back to Roarke and she knew she would die. All she had wanted to do was get a job on her own, show her father she didn't need him or his money. Roarke had hired her as his secretary and her world had turned upside down. All because she found out shit shouldn't have. If they hadn't wanted anyone to know their secrets they should have been more diligent in where they placed the information.
Mia still didn't want to face the fact there were really werewolves in the world at first. However, when she stumbled upon the information at work, she had dealt with it; the concept still scared the shit out of her. She wanted to keep the job and so she opened her mind. Some things she could stomach, like the growling, and the superior attitude. Until she discovered the hatred they held for humans. Sure, the time in his employment she had to face a lot of stuff but she looked at it more as an experience, a stepping stone to get a better job. She only needed a reference, so she had stuck it out, but when she had seen the facts in front of her, she couldn't keep quiet, Mia had confronted the bastard, and she had paid the price.
Mia refused to be used anymore, after that terrible experience she was ready to help whoever she had to in order to get him back. When she made her stand she had been so strong, but after their shit, she was going to need a little help. So she had sought it by asking around until she had an address for the people who would help her. She also didn't want to face the fact they were all around her right now, killing each other trying to get to her. She could hear the growling and tearing of skin just down the hall from where she was hiding. The noises were so loud she covered her ears with her hands and prayed it would be over soon. Maybe they would kill each other and she would be able to just get the fuck away. Of course, her luck was nowhere to being that good. She would need four leaf clovers, and rabbit's feet up the ying-yang to cover her.
She hoped Striker was okay and would come back soon. After she had finally took a stand and left, now they had found her again. He was her lifeline in the sea of hell that had become her life. When she had arrived at the gates of the Pack in Milliken, Colorado, which she now knew was the New Council, she had met Cami, the female Alpha, who was her saving grace. Mia had learned there was an intricate society of werewolves and they had lived all around her. She had been almost broken though, and badly abused by Roarke until she had escaped. She had learned of the Chosen Ones from Roarke and knew the safest place was with them. After hearing his hatred for them, she realized that was where she had to go.
Cami had immediately taken her in, brought in a doctor and stayed with her through the night. After the doctor had checked her over, Cami settled her into a hot bath and then Mia had slept for hours. When she woke, she had been fed a wonderful dinner and then Cami had come back with a bottle of wine. They had chatted and drank wine for hours. It was then that all that had happened to Mia had come pouring out. Instead of showing horror and running from the room, Cami had listened and been sympathetic.
The next day, Cami had immediately made arrangements for Mia to leave the country. She had explained the Chosen was setting up a group in Europe. This new group was to be called the Senate and would be set up much like the New Council compound, where the members would all have homes on the property so they could meet. The Senate would have twelve members like the New Council, and from there, they would be able to help the American Council in Europe.
Mia had been terrified to travel, but Cami had assured her it was the best thing to do to keep her safe. The Alphas had been so kind to her and she trusted them to do what was best for her. Deep down, she knew she was way out of her league and lucky to have found the Chosen who had been willing to help. She had boarded the plane bound for London and never looked back, still numb from all that had happened and hoping her salvation lay on the other side of the ocean. As she heard another series of growls coming closer to her hiding spot, she tried to curl further into herself. What would her father say now? she wondered. Being the Director General of the Science and Technology Department, he would have been astounded at the world she had discovered.
A crash against the door she was hiding behind made her jump. Sadly, she thought, she wouldn't be able to give her father the satisfaction of telling him he was right about her life going nowhere and even worse to tell him that monsters were real. No, she thought as a tear slid down her cheek and she shook with fear, her life was going to end—now.
Chapter Two
Eric and Striker were pissed. The Clan was under attack, and although their sweet little mate was locked in a room, she was still vulnerable. Striker counted thirty strong men flowing into his Clan's compound. How the fuck had they slipped by? His vampires were warriors; they had been trained to protect the Clan. He was a warrior also, Striker had trained with the best, and when the call had come out for the Senate to have warriors, several of his men had joined. Striker had been there for the attack on the Senate weeks before. It had been entertaining, more excitement than with his Clan.
Striker was an old vampire, and with age he had gained strength and more powers. He didn’t care about the power, he had no use for it, but the strength, it gave him a reputation in the Vampire world. These fools would never have attacked his Clan unless they were trying to get to Mia, and he would die to protect her.
Striker ran into the mix. Swiftly taking out one vampire as he ran, using just the stake he held. Eric was right beside him, the Fae prince was one hell of a warrior as well, considering his father was the leader of the Fae, showed he was not a just a pampered rich boy.
The men turned so their backs were together and began to battle more of the Rogues who seemed to be flowing from somewhere. He let out a raging roar that made the Rogues pause, looking shocked. His power radiated from him and he grinned at the opponent who dared to challenge him. He felt and heard Eric chuckle as he quickly dispelled a shifter who he had been waiting for.
Mia, Striker thought, she had to be terrified. His poor mate had already been terrorized by these people enough. When she arrived, she had been frightened and wary, Eric and he hadn't had enough time to make her comfortable with them completely. They had agreed to take it slow because of her past, but now they were going to have to go at a snail’s pace. Not that he minded, Mia was his mate, and she was meant to be shared between him and Eric. He would not fail her.
*****
Mia felt each bump as the man or men tried to break down the reinforced door Striker had shown her when she arrived. The lock was industrial grade, made to keep shifters out, but this guy was really determined. She was afraid but felt the first stirrings of her old self as she gritted her teeth.
Sure, she knew the world she stepped into unknowingly was dangerous. Mia had come to terms with it. But damn it, why the hell were they so hell bent on capturing her, it didn’t make sense. Other than her father being a dignitary, she was a blip on the map.
Slowly she pulled away from the door, the door held even without her small frame pushed against it. She frowned and stared at the door feeling anger. She finally was feeling anger and not self-loathing and fear. Oh hell yeah, she was gonna get herself back whether it killed her, or them. Mia turned and looked around the room, a weapon—she needed a weapon.
Ha, a heavy lamp, the base of it would crush the skull of anyone who dared to come through. Feeling more like herself than she had in months, Mia brandished the lamp and yelled.
“What the fuck do you want?” she screamed.
Eric and Striker heard her yell with their sensitive hearing, as did the rest of the men fighting both Rogue and warrior. Shit, he could hear the thumps as well against the door and knew for now she was safe, she had to be screaming in fear, the anger pulsed through hi
m and flowed to Eric as well, they doubled their efforts to slay these assholes and rescue their mate.
Mia glowered at the door. “Answer me you fucking pricks, why the hell are you after me?”
She only heard more grunting as whoever it was doubled his effort.
“Listen you, I don’t know who and what you are and don’t care. If Roarke thinks I will go quietly this time, he has another thing comin'!” she screeched and it felt good to release the anger she had stored up. It was like a flood of emotion flowing through her.
Eric and Striker sighed, their poor little mate was losing it. The fear had taken over.
“Come on,” they heard her scream. “I am not afraid of you!” Shit yep, she has lost it, they shared with each other. This had broken her completely and the fear had taken over. Eric and Striker fought harder with the Rouges to get back to her and sedate her in case she was freaking out too bad.
“Pussies, you know when I was kidnapped and tortured?” Mia screamed and braced the heavy lamp on the floor, leaning it against her leg, ready to grab it again if needed but she was pissed off right now and needed to throw shit.
“Sitting in that cell day after day, waiting for the next beating, and the laughter from the men who wanted to degrade me. It was fucked up!” she yelled and threw a book at the door. “Then making me strip and beating me while they told me how ugly I was as the next step!” she screamed and threw a pillow, which didn’t do much. Mia needed to feel the anger leaving her. She leaned the lamp again the wall and took a few steps to the chair sitting in the corner. Lifting it over her head, she screamed, “I am not the ugly one you bastards, you are with your hairy asses. I mean shave for fucks sake,” she said and let the chair go. “Your leader,” she yelled and reached for a box that sat upon the dresser, “he is the biggest fucking pussy of them all. Never talking, only fucking grinning at the pain he was causing. Thank God I never had to see his pencil dick, I would have puked.”