Rykhan (Book 1 of Mate Search Series) (43 page)

She opened up her mind and was appalled at what
Wyst told her.

They were leaving?

Whipping to Bronsyn, Pam held up both palms as
she stepped slowly backward. “No, no and no. I’m not going
anywhere. Especially not with him!”

Bronsyn calm gaze never wavered from her
face.

“Oh hell, no. There is absolutely no freaking
way I’m gonna be stuck in a vehicle for hours, god, days, just to
follow Leah and Rykhan on their trek north. At least not with
Wyst!” She was practically screaming and stomping her feet in her
effort to make Bronsyn understand.

She needed an ally! Surely one of the dudes in
the room could see her point of view!

Running to the largest warrior of the group,
she grabbed Gyard’s hands before the plea even came out of her
mouth. God, she’d beg on hands and knees if she had to! “Gere?
Honey, you know Wyst and I don’t get along. Just because I
sometimes hear his voice in my head doesn’t mean a damn
thing.”

He glanced at his commander before looking down
at her although the burly man didn’t speak a word.

Looking over her shoulder, she spied
Ty and dropped Gere’s hands so she could get to the deliciously
dark man. “Wyst and I aren’t mated, Ty. You know that’s true
because my body hasn’t grown a
wahrom
or anything so this
thought-thingy is just a fluke, right?”

Tyshar’s gaze held a sweet gentleness but he
also remained silent.

“Sean? Help me out here, wouldja?” Her voice
trembled with the effort not to cry. “I don’t mind going to South
Dakota but why do I have to go with the one person, the only
goddamn alien warrior who pisses me off like no other?”

The pained look on Laxon’s face before he
pulled her into a hug told her she couldn’t expect help from him
either. Burying her nose in his shirt, she let her tears come.
Laxon rubbed her back in comfort but the utter hopelessness of her
situation only made her sob harder.

Be at peace, little beautiful
pixie
, she heard in her head.
We need to protect those we hold most
dear
.

Jay-sus, seriously?

Shamelessly wiping her face on Laxon’s shirt,
Pam twisted to Arbrynt. “You aren’t getting my cell,
though.”

“No need, Wyst’s Pam,” he replied with a tight
smile. “I will adapt it so the Committee cannot track
you.”

She sniffed and rubbed her cheeks with Laxon’s
now ruined shirt. There was no way he’d be able to get the streaks
of makeup out of the fabric, but it only served him right for not
helping her in the first place!

Why are you not planning what
clothes you will bring instead of upsetting my brothers with your
theatrics?

And why don’t you try and guess
which finger I’m holding up, asshole? I’m not going anywhere with a
douche-bag like you!

He laughed along their link and Pam was
startled to realize she hadn’t seen him laugh since the first night
she’d met him. Which was a shame because Wyst had a spectacular
laugh.

Leah will need your assistance,
pixie. We cannot allow her to give birth alone with only Rykhan to
help.

Aw crap, she hadn’t considered that! Leah
couldn’t go to a hospital when the baby came because of the whole
half-alien, two hearts situation.

Pam pressed her head harder into Laxon’s chest
and he patted her back more firmly while she weighed Wyst’s words.
No way would she leave the sister of her heart to go through labor
and delivery by herself. “Aunt Pammy, to the rescue,” she mumbled
against the stained cloth Laxon wore.

At the sound of soft chuckles, Pam finally
remembered the enhanced Picari hearing.

“I want every one of your freaking numbers in
my phone before I freaking leave!” she demanded on a renewed
wail.

The men’s chuckles swiftly turned to outright
laughter.

It was only later she realized her demand
actually signaled her acceptance of their plan.

Luckily, she’d given it in her own, unique
way.

#.#.#.#.#

Dedication

As always, I have to thank my kids and my guy,
the three people who always have my back and cheer me on even
though I talk about my characters as if they are real. Thanks for
putting up with me.

To Brandi McCann Doane who worked so hard to
take my mental picture of the cover and make it a reality. You’re
the bomb, pretty mama!

I don’t know whether to hug or slap the crap
out of M.K. Eidem and Michelle Howard for talking me into writing
my first sci-fi romance. The novella was a challenge…but didn’t
come anywhere near the headaches I encountered in stretching the
story into a full length novel. From 35,000 to 95,000 was the goal.
It took three months and a lot of hard work. Truthfully? I’m not
sure I’ll take another one of your challenges!

To Reese and Dani, my beta readers. Thanks
ladies. You loved me hard and the story really needed your input.
Although I will admit to cussing both of your asses out during the
editing process!

And finally, to the many readers and fans that
take the time to leave a review or send me an email. Your
encouragement means so much. But then, you know you’re the reason
why I keep writing don’t you?

Smiling and waving,

J.A. (Judy) Hornbuckle

Phoenix, AZ

6/13/15

Author Bio – J.A.
Hornbuckle

Aren’t we all curious about the person who
wrote the story we read? I know I am.

Here’s what I know about myself:

--I love red wine (although I’ve been known to
enjoy a Fireball shot or two)

--Live music gives me tingles no matter what
style (…well, opera isn’t really my thing!)

--Muscled, tatted, long-haired men are my own
personal kryptonite.

--I can’t deal with the cold which is why I
live in Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Of course that’s just the tip of the ice-berg
when it comes to this lady!

At first meeting me people often think I’m
somber and a little stand-offish. I’m really not. It’s a case of my
outsides not matching my insides. Because there’s a freaking party
in my head almost twenty-four/seven.

I’m old enough to know better but still young
enough to do it anyway (…the BEST part of aging is that you know
the CONSEQUENCES of your actions and weigh the outcome of resulting
punishment accordingly!)

I love reading and writing,
especially romances but only where the ‘man’ portion is a part of
the ro-man-ce word.

And…I believe, have complete faith, that there
are happily-ever-afters. I hope you do too.

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.jahornbuckle.com *be sure
to sign up for my newsletter*

Twitter: @JAHornbuckle

GoodReads: J A Hornbuckle

Other Books by J.A.
Hornbuckle

The Grantham Series

**Pole Dance (Jake and Caitlin)

**Human Hieroglyphix 1 (Dex and
Leila)

**Tap Dance (Marianne and Ram)

**Human Hieroglyphix II (Crys and
Gabe)

**Bewitchments 1 (Trevor and Zoe)

**A Grantham Christmas (compilation)

**Last Dance (Paul Adler) (coming in
2015)

**Human Hieroglyphix III (Benny and Vicky)
(coming in 2015)

**Bewitchments 2 (Niko and Samantha) (coming in
2015)

Stand Alones

**Everybody Falls

**Hiding in Plain Sight (prequel to the
Hellions Motorcycle Club)

Hellions Motorcycle Club
Series

**The Possibility of Trey

**Reinventing Mel

**Taking a Dare

**A Civilian for Silo

**Checkmate with Bishop

Mate Search Series (Sci-Fi
Romance)

**Rykhan (full length novel based on Love
Without Boundaries Novella, Mate Search—First Contact)