Dark Dawning (Totem Book 1) Read online

  And before Saskia could point that out, Ametta put her hands on the man’s shoulders. “Let’s do this before the wound heals over any more. Is the knife clean?”

  “Clean enough.” Saskia held down his left arm by leaning on it and pressed the tip of the blade to the entry wound. “Okay. Here we go.”

  “Wait. Maybe we should get the Meyers to help hold him.” Kinley suggested.

  Saskia shook her head. “No. Best if he just smells bears.”

  Kinley held his right arm, and Ametta placed her hands on his shoulders. Her heart pounded. Before she could say a silent prayer, hoping he would stay unconscious through this, Saskia dug the knife into the gory hole.

  The shifter’s eyes snapped open, and his cry thundered within the barn. He fought, but her sisters and Ametta held him down. Ametta pressed hard on his shoulders and hoped that he wouldn’t try to take a bite out of her with her body so close to his face.

  “Hold him tight. I have to dig farther.” Saskia growled with the effort of keeping him in place.

  “It’s okay. We’re here to help.” Ametta grunted, pushing harder on his shoulders. He stilled, breathing heavily. Thank God he didn’t shift.

  “Where—” The shifter groaned and then shouted. “Ow, fuck!”

  “You’re at the Meyers’ farm not too far from Wasilla. Do you remember what happened?” Ametta relaxed her hold and leaned back so she wasn’t covering his face anymore.

  “Wasilla.” He frowned and gritted his teeth. “Hunters… I was shot.”

  “Damn right you were. So stay still until I get this fucking slug out of you.” Saskia cursed again under her breath and dropped the knife on his abdomen before digging her fingers into his wound. “There it is.”

  He tensed, but he didn’t budge an inch. Sweat beaded on his temples and ran into his messy brown hair. He focused his gaze on Ametta. “I know you.”

  “I was the one who calmed you when you came to the farm.” Ametta stared into his eyes. There were tiny golden flecks near his pupils. Eyes almost too pretty for such a manly man.

  “Mmm.” He grunted and smiled just a little. It turned into a grimace when Saskia pinched the slug and pulled it out.

  “Ha!” Saskia held up the bullet and furrowed her brows. “A three-seventy-five. They were definitely hunting for bear.”

  “Not any bear.” He pressed a hand to his wound and closed his eyes. “They were hunting me.”

  Ametta sat back on her heels. Why would hunters be after him specifically? Unless by hunters he meant bounty hunters. Were they harboring a criminal? Her hands curled into fists. “Saskia, could it be—”

  “No.” Saskia replied swiftly and gave Ametta a hold your tongue look. “They don’t use guns.”

  Ametta didn’t say any more. The Black Shamans, the ancient police of the shifters, weren’t something you talked about. If a shifter went bad, the Black Shamans would track him down and kill him. There was only a small, elite group left in the world, and Saskia knew them. She’d trained to be one, but left for several reasons. None of which she’d ever shared with Ametta.

  Kinley stood and fetched some clean bandages, paper towels, and a bottle of water from a nearby counter. “Let’s clean him up and bandage the wound.” Her voice was soft, lost in thought like she was most of the time. “What’s your name?”

  “Lucky.” He winked at Ametta before clenching his jaw as Kinley washed his wound with water and wiped away the dirt and blood. The guy just had a bullet pulled out of him and he was flirting with her.

  “What’s your real name?” Ametta narrowed her eyes.

  “Lucky’s my real name. Lucky Osberg.” He chuckled at her expression. How could a man this freaking gorgeous have a name like Lucky? It was what someone would call their dog. “And your name?”

  “Ametta Dorn.” Why was her mouth suddenly dry? She was a rotten mess. No man should be staring at her that way. “And these are my sisters, Saskia and Kinley.”

  “I’ve heard about you.” Lucky’s gaze remained on Ametta. “Got yourselves a reno business.”

  “Yup, that’s us.” Saskia rinsed off her hands with a nearby hose and helped wrap the bandage. “Well, you’re most certainly a lucky guy. Your hunter was a piss poor shot.”

  “He underestimated me. I’m faster than I look.” Lucky’s focus went fuzzy. The look of a man remembering something.

  “Sit up so we can finish this.” Saskia pulled on his arm before giving him a chance to do it on his own. “Do you know why you were being hunted?”

  Lucky pushed himself up with a grunt. The cot strained to hold his weight and sagged so that the springs nearly touched the floor. He raised his arms without being told. “No. But they knew I was a shifter. And they knew the land. Only a few folks know what I am, and they weren’t them.”

  “They?” Kinley paused in her unwinding of the bandage. “More than one hunter?”

  “Yeah. A man and a woman.” Lucky bared his teeth. “I know their scent. I will track them down.”

  A Bonnie and Clyde team hunting shifters. What for? Sometimes shifters got shot by ignorant hunters, and, in a few rare cases, they were killed. Those shifters were careless, though. Lucky didn’t strike her as someone like that. Careless got firefighters killed.

  Ametta rolled her shoulders attempting to throw off the chill that had seeped into her veins.

  “Were they human?” Saskia covered the wound like a sloppy medic in the middle of a battle.

  “Yeah. Definitely.” Lucky relaxed his arms as the wrapping was finished.

  “Then you don’t do a thing. It’s not your responsibility.” Saskia tied off the bandage and stood, wiping her hands on her jeans.

  “Like hell I won’t!” Lucky stood and stumbled. Kinley grabbed one arm and Ametta the other. The Meyers, who had been out of sight for a while, rushed to the doors of the barn at the fierce shout.

  “They’re humans. Not your fucking responsibility, lest you want even more trouble.” Saskia’s dark eyes gleamed. She was as tall as Lucky, so their glares were over Ametta’s head.

  A growl rumbled from his chest. “And what are you going to do about it?”

  “Go on and try me. Don’t think you’ll be so ‘lucky’ this time.” Saskia didn’t leap into a fighting position or shift, but her body tensed, ready for a fight.

  “Guys, I think maybe we should all calm down.” Kinley eased away from Lucky. More of his weight fell to Ametta, and she gripped his arm tighter. The bulls gathered at the front of the barn. An audience with shotguns at the ready.

  Lucky snarled and raked Saskia with his gaze. It stopped at a half-concealed bear paw tattoo on her neck. “You’re one of them. A Black Shaman.”

  “I’m not.” Saskia spat and tugged up the collar of her coat.

  For a split second, Ametta expected her sister to hit him, but instead, Saskia turned and marched out of the barn, pushing past the Meyers. “I’m going to see Dad.”

  Their father was the one who might know anything, if something was going on. But Ametta didn’t know if she could handle his look of hurt and disappointment about her wanting to leave her home state. Alaska was nice, but it wasn’t everything. Her dreams were so much bigger.

  Feeling Lucky breathing heavily against her, Ametta swore and yelled to her sister. “Hey! He needs to rest. Take him to your place.”

  “I’m not going home. I’m going to Dad’s, remember?” Saskia waved over her shoulder and kept walking.

  “Bitch.” Ametta groaned and shot a dark look at Lucky when he chuckled.

  “You got more fire than she does.” Lucky smirked and drew the tips of his fingers along her cheek.

  Heat scorched through her veins. She wanted to argue with him, to say something, anything, but her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. No man had ever left her at a loss for words. It had to be the fact… Oh my God. He was naked. Naked and pressing more against her. How could she forget he didn’t have any clothes on?

  “I think maybe we should
all go to Dad’s. Lucky can tell him what happened. Just let me, uh…” Kinley pointed to the door with both hands and almost tripped over her own feet as she walked backward. “I’ll get you something to wear, Lucky. Mett, you might want to change too. Sorry I only had some of my stuff to bring you.”

  Kinley turned to talk with the Meyers, which left Ametta alone with Lucky. She was even more aware that he was nude when no one was looking their way. “Best if you sit until Kin can bring you some clothes.”

  Lucky lowered down onto the cot and grabbed her hand when she released his arm. “Thank you. I was lost. The farmers would have shot me. You pulled me back, saved me.”

  “Yes, well, anyone…” No. Not everyone would have helped, nor would everyone be able to help. She didn’t see herself as some superhero, unless you were talking about the designing world. There was just no way she could stand by and watch another bear, or any animal for that matter, be shot. “You’re welcome.”

  “Let me take you to dinner—”

  Ametta pulled her hand free. “You’re in no condition to go out anywhere.”

  “On the weekend. We’ll go to the Orso.” Lucky slowly smiled. “I’m not going to let you say no.”

  At least the man knew fine dining. And while one meal wouldn’t be a big deal with any other man, Lucky was not any other man. He triggered something in her, and she blamed it on her bear nature. She didn’t have time for relationships. Nor did she want one when she wasn’t even going to be staying in Alaska. Nothing would stand in her way of following her dreams.

  “I’ll have to check my schedule.” That would appease him for now and allow her not to arrange a date later.

  “You don’t work at night.” Lucky leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs. Muscles and more muscles, and right between his legs clearly displayed was…

  Ametta spun and snatched the duffle bag. “I’m going to change. Over there.”

  She hurried to the farthest stall in the corner. Breathing in deeply, she got a nose full of straw and manure. Better than blood or Lucky’s musky scent. Why did he have to be so damn hot? He’d be easier to deal with if he were just some grumpy old bear.

  Stripping off her crusty blouse and filthy skirt, she gnashed her teeth to see blood had soaked through to stain her bra. Her favorite one. She chucked it onto the ground with her clothes.

  “Need a hand in there?” Lucky didn’t laugh out loud, but it was there in his voice.

  “No, I’m perfectly fine.” After this day was over, she’d go home and soak in her tub with a bottle of wine. Bath oils and candles and a big hunk of a firefighter washing her from head to toe.

  Whoa! No way. Not letting that fantasy in her head.

  Opening the bag, she sighed at Kinley’s choices. A Batman sweatshirt and black tights. Really? What full grown woman wore this kind of thing? Sometimes she felt Kinley was really the youngest sister. All those toys and comics and stuff. Ametta just didn’t get it. Never had.

  Ametta dressed and stuffed her bloody clothes into the bag. She came out of the stall as Kinley returned with a shirt and pants for Lucky.

  “Saskia’s waiting. I’m assuming you don’t want to go in your car. So I’ll drive it, and you two can ride with her.” Kinley handed Lucky the clothes without looking down and smiled at Ametta in her sweatshirt. “With a red wig, you’d make a good Batgirl.”

  Ametta couldn’t say thank you to that. Red hair would make her look like a clown. Besides, she’d paid a hundred dollars for the stylist to create a pixie cut unique to the shape of her face. She fought the urge to touch her hair and make sure it was not messed up. It didn’t matter right now. Not standing there in nerd clothes.

  “I need to get my kit and purse from in the house.” Ametta didn’t argue about the arrangements with the vehicles. Her lapis blue pearl Subaru Outback was in pristine condition. While she could fit Lucky in with no problem, blood would not come out of her seats.

  Lucky pulled on the white tee—not the best choice in colors—and shakily stood to pull on the sweatpants. Ametta yanked her gaze away.

  “You go. Saskia’s waiting. I can get everything from the house.” Kinley turned to look outside and adjusted her glasses.

  “I need my purse at least. And to speak with Leanne about—” Ametta heard Lucky grunt and topple back onto the cot.

  “I’ll get your purse and take care of Leanne. You get him to the truck.” Kinley ran off toward the house as if she might catch cooties from being around a boy for too long.

  Ametta turned back to Lucky and sighed. A little more time in close quarters she could handle, right? Just as long as she didn’t think too much about him and how marvelously he filled out those pants.

  She helped him to his feet and slipped her arm around his waist so he could lean on her. Smile for the Meyers and focus on getting this big bear to the truck. Step by step.

  Lucky gave her a little squeeze. “Come on, hot stuff. Let’s get out of here before I start really craving steak.”

  Her eyes went wide more so at her own suppressed giggle than what he said. Did the Meyers hear that? The man had no shame.

  Not that she would admit to it, but she liked it.

  Three shifters squished into the cab of a truck were potent ingredients for a brawl. Images of two polar bears and a Kodiak fighting in confined quarters flashed in Ametta’s mind quite a few times on the drive to her father’s cabin.

  As soon as they arrived, Ametta scrambled out of the pickup. Now it was out of the frying pan and into the massive bonfire.

  Lucky leaned against the front of the truck as Saskia bounded up to the porch and let herself into the cabin. No knock or shout to give Dad a warning.

  Ametta breathed in the cool evening air, but it wasn’t helping the tension closing in around her. The sun glowed golden in the west. A hazy kind of ochroid which accented the deep green of the trees surrounding them. Home should have made her feel comfortable, relaxed, but she drew her hands into the too long sleeves of the sweatshirt to hide her trembling.

  “Don’t get along well with your family, hm?” Lucky rubbed his injured side. The tee stretched across his chest, adding further definition to his pecs.

  “I get along with them wonderfully. Except—” No. She didn’t owe him any explanation. They weren’t here to talk about her plans to leave Alaska. “It’s none of your business.”

  “It is if any of them want to tear into you.”

  She gaped at him. Where did he get off appointing himself as her bodyguard? “I can take care of myself.”

  “I can see that, and I like it, but you shouldn’t have to.” Lucky gazed at her with those sexy half-hooded eyes.

  Saskia saved Ametta from making any response when she opened the door. “Come on in. Dad’s got the barbecue going. He’s throwing on some more moose.”

  Saskia didn’t wait to see if they’d even heard her. She disappeared back into the cabin, leaving the door open.

  “Moose. I like the man already.” Lucky sniffed the air and smiled.

  Ametta didn’t say anything. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. She hadn’t eaten since lunch. And her dad’s moose steaks were amazing.

  “Give me a hand?” Lucky flashed her a smile, slow and tantalizing. Heat rose up her neck.

  Nope. Not even going to go there.

  She sighed, walked to him, and looped an arm around his waist as he leaned on her. He wasn’t putting so much of his weight on her now, but the steps up the porch were a bit tricky. He sucked back a few grunts and made it to the door.

  The cabin had a cozy open concept with wood everywhere and too much kitschy fishing junk. Her father had friends over often, but never large groups. It only got crowded if she and her sisters each brought a friend with them to Sunday dinner. There were two bedrooms, one small loft that was converted to a bedroom, and one bathroom. Entirely unacceptable in a house where three girls were raised.

  “Nice.” Lucky nodded and went to the nearest chair. He paused, nose
twitching over the recliner, and turned to sit himself on the couch instead.

  Smart man. No one sat in her dad’s chair.

  The back door opened in the kitchen, and Dad filled the space. He was as tall as Saskia and twice as wide. His muscles weren’t so defined anymore and his gut grew an inch or two every year, but he still cut an impressive figure. He wore faded jeans and an old bass fishing tee. His white hair was mussed and his short beard needed a trim.

  “Hi there. Kunik Dorn.” Barefooted, he walked over and held out a hand to Lucky. When Lucky attempted to stand and greet him, Kunik motioned he needn’t get up. “Don’t worry about it. It’s lucky that you’re still alive at all.”

  “Thanks. Lucky Osberg.” Lucky clasped the other man’s hand, and they shook.

  No hello or even a nod. Ametta squashed the little girl inside her that wanted her daddy’s smiles and hugs. He was still pissed, and he held grudges longer than Saskia. She would be the adult here. She walked around the coffee table and sat on the other side of the couch.

  “A Kodiak and an Osberg. One of the fire bears, are ya?” Kunik flopped down in his worn chair and turned it to face Lucky.

  “Yeah, you’ve heard of us.” Lucky grinned, leaning back and laying his right arm along the back of the couch, his hand right near Ametta’s shoulder.

  “’Course I have. Been fishing a couple of times with Marcus. How’s he doing?” Kunik’s gaze drifted from Lucky to Ametta and back again. The furrow between his brows deepened.

  So her dad knew the Kodiaks. He knew just about every shifter in the state. Which always surprised her since he spent the majority of his time in the woods taking tourists on fishing trips. He made decent money doing it too.

  Lucky raised his brows. “Marcus, yeah, he’s doing fine. Retired now. Three grandkids.”

  “Good to hear.” Kunik linked his fingers and rested his hands on his not so flat belly. “So, tell me about what happened. Saskia only gave me a few details.”

  “I was visiting some friends in Butte yesterday evening. And clearly, whoever these bastards are knew where I was. How, I don’t know. I’ve never told a human what I am, and no shifter I know has either.” Lucky’s jaw clenched. “They followed me out there, waited until I left, and ran my truck off the road. They shot at me, didn’t hit me, but they didn’t want to. Not until I shifted. I couldn’t lose them no matter what I did. How they kept up with me on foot, I don’t know. They were just humans. The man winged me this afternoon.” He lightly patted his left side. “They were right behind me when I came to the farm.”