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  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  512 Forest Lake Drive

  Warner Robins, Georgia 31093

  A View to a Kill

  Copyright © 2007 by Mandy M. Roth

  Cover by Anne Cain

  ISBN: 1-59998-528-4

  www.samhainpublishing.com

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: July 2007

  A View to a Kill

  King of Prey II

  Mandy M. Roth

  Dedication

  To Robin S.

  Prologue

  Earth - Three Years Ago…

  Sachin soared high in the air, satisfied after a night of hard sex with three human women. They practically threw themselves at him, as most women in this realm did. They were an itch he liked very much to scratch, even against the orders of his king and best friend, Kabril.

  Kabril warned of the dangers of entering the human realm too much. There was a time in human history that his kind, the Buteos Regalis, and others like them were thought of as mythical creatures who would steal away with livestock and small children. The stories were absurd. A cow was too heavy to fly with and why should he bother himself with something like that when he had only to return to the castle to a feast, already prepared. And what purpose would Sachin have with a child? They were noisy, at least from what he remembered. Accipitridae, the realm he called home, had not had a child born to it for hundreds of cycles. No one was sure as to why but whispers of a prophecy involving the king spread like wildfire. He had to laugh at the idea of the king settling down to be with only one woman.

  Sachin couldn’t fathom giving up his wicked ways to tether himself to one female for all his life. Eternity was a long time to sleep with the same woman. He shuddered at the thought.

  Sachin dipped lower in his flight over the semi-wooded lands on his way to the nearest portal to Accipitridae.

  “No!” The cry pierced the night. It was off in the distance but Sachin’s supernatural hearing offered him the ability to pick up on it. He scanned the area, trying to locate the source. A blast from a gun, a weapon the humans seemed to favor, went off. Another scream followed. Sachin zeroed in on the location and launched into a dive. He would worry later about humans seeing him in partially shifted form. He was part hawk, part man and they would never understand.

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” a voice came from the distance.

  Sachin neared the spot of the disturbance and spotted a middle-aged man with a rifle in his hands, stalking something or someone. The man pushed greasy strands of hair from his face as he stared around, his eyes crazed. His nose was bulbous and nearly as red as his bloodshot eyes.

  “Where are you, you little bitch?” the man spat.

  The tiniest of whimpers caught Sachin’s attention. He landed silently, several feet behind the man—the stench of alcohol and evil evident. It curled Sachin’s stomach. He drew his wings back into himself, shifting into his full human form. He stepped softly, making no sound as he advanced on the drunkard.

  A gasp caught Sachin’s attention, pulling it to the right. He spotted a figure, huddled in the fetal position. Upon closer inspection, Sachin realized the figure was female and covered in blood. The fierce need to protect her at all costs consumed him. He channeled the rage he felt at the thought of the female having been harmed towards the armed man. Killing him would be a sweet victory.

  The man was walking in the other direction, unable to see the female’s hiding spot. Sachin motioned to her and then put a finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence. She nodded, shaking so much her teeth chattered.

  Sachin bent his head, narrowing his silver gaze. He stepped closer and touched the man’s shoulder. He spun, firing the weapon as he did. Using his forearm, Sachin knocked the barrel of the gun away and the shot went wide. The man stared up at him, his eyes wide with fear.

  “Who— Where did you come from?”

  A tingle of satisfaction at instilling fear in him ran through Sachin. “You dared to touch the woman?”

  “Woman?” The man’s lips curled into a sinister smile. “Paige ain’t no woman.”

  “She’s my woman,” Sachin said.

  Stunned by his own claim, Sachin blinked, giving the man time to point the rifle at him. He fired and the shot struck Sachin in the shoulder, creating a large, gaping hole. White-hot pain radiated through him. He knocked the man away, sending him hurtling into the air. The man hit a tree and slid to the ground where he lay motionless.

  Sachin twisted, his gaze snapping to the female still huddled near a tree. He cupped the wound on his shoulder with one hand. His immortality afforded him the ability to heal rapidly. Even so, the spray from the shells had done considerable damage. The healers in his realm would need to cleanse the wound before it could be allowed to fully heal over.

  The woman near the tree needed his help now. Her brown eyes held shock and her shaking was worse. Sachin approached and she cried out, trying to make herself smaller.

  He stilled and looked down at himself. Blood dripped freely from his right arm and he cursed himself for not thinking to shield her mind from seeing the events unfolding. Wiping his hand on his pants, he thought back to his landing when his wings had been full. Had she seen him?

  “D-don’t…don’t…hurt me,” she stammered.

  The idea sickened him. “I mean you no harm.”

  Moonlight streaked through the treetops, casting its soft rays over her hair. If his judgment was correct, she had auburn hair. Her skin was pale, creamy and currently marred with the start of bruises. He wanted to revive the man and kill him again for daring to harm her.

  Calming himself, Sachin took a step forward and bent, going to one knee. There was so much blood on her. Sachin wasn’t sure how she was alive. “Where are you hurt?”

  “Not my blood,” she said, her voice low. Their gazes collided and his chest tightened. She was breathtaking, even in her current state of disarray. “My mother.”

  “What about her?” Sachin reached out tentatively, worried she’d scream or pull away. She didn’t, and he began to check her over for signs of injury. Aside from the bruises, he found none.

  She scrambled to him, tossing her arms around his waist, nearly causing him to lose his balance. “It’s her blood. He… Hank killed her.”

  Her pain sliced through Sachin. He stroked her hair and held her close, sensing how very young she was. His guess was that she was in her late teens. She clung to him, sobbing openly. Never one who was known for comforting women, Sachin was at a loss as to what to do. He did what felt natural. He kissed the top of her head, ignoring the biting pain and the limited use of his right arm. She weighed practically nothing.

  He held her until her crying stopped and she fell silent. The steady, rhythmic sound of her breathing indicated she was asleep. It was for the best. He allowed his wings to form and lifted her high into the air, already knowing where he would take her—the ranch near the portal. The one run by an older woman who took in troubled teens.

  He flew, covering the distance in record time. Upon landing, he quickly shifted into human form and carried the
young female to the front door. He tapped it with his foot and waited. A woman he’d seen often enough when flying overhead opened the door. Sachin expected her to question why a man she did not know was holding an unconscious woman on her doorstep. She didn’t.

  She offered a soft smile and stepped back, opening the door wide. “You can lay her on the sofa.”

  Sachin did.

  “How bad is she hurt?”

  Confused, Sachin stared at the older woman, wondering why she was so composed. “The blood is not hers. It is her mother’s.”

  “Is Tandy dead?” the woman asked.

  Unsure, he shrugged. “I know not who Tandy is.”

  “Tandy is Paige’s mother.” The woman bent near the sofa. “This here is Paige. She helps me tend the horses on her summer breaks.” She stood. “Where are my manners? I’m Sarah in case you forgot.”

  Forgot?

  Sarah smiled. “I met you when I was a little girl. You swooped out of the sky and plucked me out of the ravine I’d fallen into. You told me I was dreaming and that you weren’t real. Either I’m dreaming again, or you’re real.”

  Sachin glanced around nervously. He wanted only to have the young female cared for and to be gone from the human realm. Already too much had happened. He would have a lot of explaining to do when he returned to his realm.

  Sarah waved a hand in the air. “Your secret is safe with me. I didn’t tell anyone about the bird-man when I was little. I’m sure the hell not going to start now.”

  “You will watch over her?” He stared at Paige, not wanting to leave her, but he’d already exposed himself too much to the humans.

  “I’ll call the police and the doctor. What about Hank?”

  “Hank?”

  Sarah nodded. “Her mother’s boyfriend. The man I’m sure is responsible for this.”

  “He is dead.” Sachin wasn’t a hundred percent sure because he’d not taken the time to verify the man was dead but it would be difficult to survive being thrown into a tree by a supernatural.

  “By your hand?” Sarah held no accusation in her voice.

  “Yes.”

  A faint nod came from her. “Good.”

  Chapter One

  Earth…

  “Paige?”

  Paige glanced at Sarah and waved, letting the woman know she was fine. The look on Sarah’s face was one of concern. She didn’t want to worry Sarah. “He’ll come.”

  “I’m sure he would if he could, Paige, but maybe he’s tied up with something.”

  Sarah was right. Sachin led a busy life, always stopping by for a few days and then disappearing for weeks, sometimes months. It was hard to believe it had been three years since she’d first met him. Her memories of that night were fuzzy and that was most likely for the best. She knew Sachin was the one who’d gotten her help after her mother’s death. Her dreams were becoming more vivid, revealing more and more of the events of that dark night. Fantasy seemed to blend with reality, making her dream of Sachin with huge brown wings.

  “Want to come in for some supper?” Sarah asked. “Sachin knows where the front door is. If he shows, he’ll join us.”

  Paige clutched the amber pendant he’d given her on his last visit. It warmed in her palm as it always did when she thought of him. “He’ll come.”

  Sarah’s eyes crinkled with mirth. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you? Come in if it gets too chilly.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  Sarah was so good to her, taking her in when Paige had no place else to go. She’d become a surrogate grandmother of sorts, giving Paige a guiding hand, something she’d never had in her life before. When her mother had been alive, she’d spent her time drinking and doing drugs with her endless line of boyfriends, not mothering Paige. The last few years had opened Paige’s eyes to what a family could be like and she was eternally grateful for Sarah’s unconditional love and trust.

  The front door closed, taking with it the light from the living room. Paige sat in the dark, sneaking peeks towards the sky, certain the man she’d come to love would indeed sweep down and whisk her away.

  Stop living in a fairy tale.

  The pendant heated more, making it hard to hold comfortably.

  “There you are,” Sachin said, walking around the corner of the house.

  Paige looked for signs of a car but like always, she found none. He certainly had odd ways of arriving. None of that mattered. He was here and that was what was important. She stood, suddenly embarrassed by how dressed up she was. Normally, when Sachin came for a visit, he helped her tend to the horses and they laughed, talking about everything and nothing at all. She had something different in mind tonight. It was her twenty-first birthday and she wanted to celebrate. Sarah had prepared a birthday feast and Paige wanted to head into town shortly after, hopefully with Sachin by her side.

  She was on break from school and lonely. It wasn’t as if she was terribly social so it was hard for her to make and keep friends. Sachin was the exception to the rule. He was outgoing enough for the both of them. He did tend to shy away from places that were too crowded but she couldn’t blame him there. Crowds bothered her as well.

  He smiled and dimples formed on his cheeks. A cleft chin and eyes so silver they were like liquid mercury made for a striking man. It didn’t hurt he had a body that could rival a bodybuilder’s. The dark gray, V-neck shirt he wore gave her a glimpse of his tawny chest. It was hairless and smooth. She knew from seeing him work around the ranch without a shirt on. She also knew he had the start of black hair just below his navel and that she would give anything for the chance to lick her way down his body. On the verge of drooling, she averted her gaze.

  Sachin came to a stop just before her and put his hand over hers, prying it loose from the pendant. “You rang, my lady?”

  His playful, knight-of-the-Round-Table banter always lightened her mood. It was easy to picture him with a sword in his hand, fighting some epic battle. A soft sigh slipped past her lips and she blushed.

  Sachin bent, putting his face close to hers. “Is Sarah awaiting us?”

  She stared up at him, fawning over him. When she realized, she stopped and tossed her shoulders back, hoping to salvage some piece of her dignity along the way. “She is. I think she gave up hope you’d make it in tonight.”

  He lifted his hand and touched her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his palm. “I promised I would come. Did I not?”

  Skimming her hand over his forearm, Paige nodded and stopped when her fingers brushed over shallow cuts. She grabbed his arm and turned it to get a better view. It looked as if he’d been clawed. “Sachin, what happened?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Uh-huh, try another one, buddy. It looks like someone tried to take your arm off.”

  He stiffened. “Nonsense. It was,” he seemed to fumble for the right words, “a result of a night of passion. The woman I just left was rather rambunctious.”

  Woman?

  Paige tossed his hand away from her face and backed away. “We should go in. Sarah has dinner waiting.”

  “Paige?” He took her hand in his. “You’re angry. Why?”

  “No reason. I’m fine.”

  As Paige brushed past him, Sachin cringed. Why had he said he’d been with a woman when he hadn’t? He’d been caught detaining a traitor, one who’d tried to infiltrate the castle and kill the king. The man had nearly succeeded in removing Sachin’s arm. Thankfully, Sachin was the more skilled of the two and killed the man before he could finish what he’d started.

  He’d had to wait a few hours to ensure the wound was mostly healed over before flying to be with Paige. Telling her the truth wasn’t an option but the lie he’d chosen caused her pain. She cared for him a great deal. More than a woman should for a man she called a friend. He didn’t mind. He cared for her as well. Much more than a warrior from another realm should for a human female.

  Paige disappeared into the house and Sarah appeared on the front porch, he
r look pensive. “I told you not to build her up if your heart wasn’t in it.”

  “Sarah, nothing can come of my feelings for Paige.”

  “Who says?” She posed a question he asked himself often as of late.

  Prophecies telling of Kabril needing to take a mate seemed to be everywhere. The pressure for Kabril and other healthy young males of their race to figure out a solution to the lack-of-children issue was great. Sachin would never help bring a child to his people by bedding a human. No one had ever heard of a successful mating between a human and a member of his race. He ought to know. He’d asked around enough. His guards were beginning to whisper behind his back about his obsession with this realm.

  Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. “You planning on standing out there all night or are you going to come in, be a man and face the girl I know owns that rugged heart of yours?”

  Letting out a long breath, Sachin chuckled. “You are a wise woman. My people would cherish one such as yourself.”

  Sarah winked. “Well, I’m lovable like that. Come on in, boy.”

  “Boy?” he echoed. “I’m older than you think.”

  She grinned. “I know. Now, get on in there and eat. And while you’re at it, tell that young lady in there that you were just being a horse’s ass. Beg her to forgive you.”

  He’d never begged for a thing in his long life but knew in that moment he would if it meant he’d be back in Paige’s good graces. “Lead the way.”

  Sarah headed in and Sachin followed. The chill in the room had little to do with temperature and everything to do with Paige’s mood. She cast him a look that froze his soul. He bowed his head and took a seat at the table. “This looks delicious, Sarah.”

  Paige stood quickly, causing her chair to make a scraping sound. “I, umm, forgot something.”

  “Paige?” Sarah called after her.

  Sachin began spooning mashed potatoes, a food he’d found he very much enjoyed while in the human realm, onto his plate. Paige returned from the kitchen, carrying a plate. The devil was in her eyes and Sachin knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she had planned. He also knew he deserved whatever it was.