Love in the Shadows

Book Two of the Shadow Walker Romance
Series

By

Published by Caryn M. Block

Copyright © 2014 Caryn M.
Block

Smashwords
Edition

Cover Design by Jirves GFX

Male Model Photo by Hot Damn
Design

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This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events,
or locales is entirely coincidental.

Book
Two of the Shadow-Walker Tribe Series
.

Derek “Red Hawk”
Darkwood is known as the playboy of Isanti, Inc., his cover for
spying for General Holland. So even though there is a new woman on
his arm every night, the one he wants is Katherine Sloane, his
brother’s administrative assistant. But five years ago she lost her
husband in Afghanistan, and Derek knows she needs time to heal.
Just as he is about to make his move and take the woman he wants,
Derek kills his ex-girlfriend right in front of Katherine. Can
Katherine love him, even though she knows he is a
murderer?

Katherine Sloane knows
that Derek saved his brother's life. She also knows that she is
destined to be with Derek when the Shadow Dimension marks her as
Derek's mate. So why did he disappear? And now that he's in trouble
can she rescue him?

Dedication

To Harriet Juanice Girven, my friend,
my sister. Thank you for walking this road with me.

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to my Beta readers, my
critique partners, and to my editors. It takes a village and you
are mine. I couldn’t do it without you.

Derek “Red Hawk” Darkwood retreated to
the shadows. The rain fell on his black hair and ran down his neck.
He shook in fury over his helplessness, as he watched the woman
standing next to a gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery, her
tears mixing with the rain. He needed to wrap her in the safety of
his embrace. Let her know she wasn’t alone. That she would never be
alone again because she had him.

She didn’t even know he was alive. He
was a Shadow Walker and member of the Nuni Nagi tribe. He had come
at General Holland’s request, to honor a soldier who died for his
country.

One look into her pain-filled blue
eyes, one touch of her hand in his, as he gave her his condolences,
had turned Derek’s world upside down. The tribal tattoo on his left
breast burned, and his breath caught so he could hardly speak the
trivial phrase: “I’m sorry for your loss.”

He stepped back until his body
encountered a tree, putting distance between himself and the rest
of the crowd. He didn’t want anyone to notice how he trembled. He
pulled his collar up around his throat, then pushed his clenched
fists into the pockets of his wool coat.

She was wounded, grieving her husband
who wouldn’t return from Afghanistan. Her body shook with sobs, the
American flag clutched in her hands, as rain blew across the rows
of gravestones. Her black dress contrasted vividly with her pale
skin and fiery red hair.

He couldn’t help his reactions. She was
born his destined soul mate, and he had finally found her. One day
he would make her his lover, his wife. There was no question in his
mind about it. But that day would have to wait. She wasn’t ready.
He knew she needed to heal, to come to a place of acceptance, and
then be willing to live again.

When she did, he would be waiting.
Until that time, he would keep her safe and strive to support her,
to help her remember the time before the pain and loneliness of her
husband’s death. To remind her she was a desirable woman, his
woman.

He began to formulate a plan. He would
talk to General Holland tomorrow. A job would be arranged for her
with Isanti, Inc. He would bring her to the desert of New Mexico.
It was a long way from Arlington, Virginia. It would be good for
her, a new start, a way for him to keep an eye on her without her
awareness. Knowing she was safe and healing would allow him to wait
for her.

While she healed, he would become aware
of her likes and dislikes, how to make her laugh, what she enjoyed
eating. He wanted to know every little detail and give her a chance
to get to know him.

He wanted her to find confidence again,
to realize her own strength and become whole and complete. He
wanted to find the person who lay trapped behind her
sorrow.

Time was the only thing
that would help him in his cause. To aid her recovery, he
had
to give her time.
And he would—all the time she needed.

He watched as General Holland took her
by the arm to lead her away. Derek gritted his teeth, even though
he was aware the general was old enough to be her father and was a
friend. Derek wanted to be the one to touch and comfort her. More,
he wanted her out of the rainy drizzle that fell and coated her
trembling form. He wanted her safe and warm, even if that meant he
watched others touch her.

If he timed it right, he might be able
to ride in the limo beside her. No one would know he was there, not
even the one who had become his heart’s desire. Because he was a
member of the Shadow Walker tribe, he could walk into the dimension
next to Earth. He would see and hear everything around him as if
looking through a shadow. He would be close to her without being
seen. He opened a portal and slipped into the Shadow Dimension,
drawing near her.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, Katherine,”
General Holland said as he handed her into the waiting
car.

Katherine Sloane. Kate. His Kate. Derek
slipped into the car as the general closed the door. He sat in the
chair facing her. She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Even in her
misery, she looked gorgeous. Her body was lean. Did she run or
swim? Her red hair in a severe bun accented her neck. One curl that
had escaped lay against her cheek. His fingers itched to brush it
back behind her ear.

Derek fought to stay in Shadow. He
wanted to kiss the tears from her face. He needed to touch her.
Clenching his fists, he stayed quiet. Shaking, he forced himself to
watch her. Just watch.

Katherine looked around, appearing to
sense she wasn’t alone. She peered into the shadows of the car as
if she could pierce the dimensional veil and pull him out of it.
Derek slowed his breathing.

Did she feel him? There were legends
about mates of Shadow Walker tribe members—that they were connected
to their Indian warriors and knew when they were close. Could she
feel his emotions or read his thoughts? Was she one of the
gifted?

He wanted to reach for her with his
mind. But he reminded himself again: She needed time. So using his
telepathic gift, he tried to send warmth and comfort to her, a
sense of safety. She sighed and sat back in her chair, accepting
his support. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her body
relaxed, and he thought she might be sleeping.

“What will I do now?” she
asked.

Five years later

Derek had shot her. Amanda Patterson
was dead. It didn’t matter that the woman was deranged and had
tried to kill his brother. It still hurt. Never in all of his
secret assignments for the general had he killed a woman. He could
still see her, lying on the ground, her blood spreading beneath
her. He wished there had been a way to save her, to deflect her
from her murderous course. She had thought she loved Derek and that
his brother kept them apart. She would kill to have what she
loved.

Derek looked around at the guests
celebrating his brother, Raven, and Cara’s wedding. Everyone was
smiling and talking as if nothing had happened to upset this joyous
occasion. He should be celebrating as well. With Raven finding his
mate, the prophecy was completed, and Derek could now claim his
Kate. He glanced at Katherine Sloane as she sat next to the
bride.

Last week the Shadow Dimension marked
her as a Shadow Walker’s mate, his mate. The small heart-shaped
mark on her breast had burned into her skin when he escorted her
through the Shadow Dimension. Of course, he didn’t need the mark to
confirm his feelings. His own tribal mark had burned five years ago
when he first touched Katherine’s hand. He had known
then.

He ran his hand through his hair. Right
now, the police were upstairs speaking with Joe Running Bear, head
of security. General Holland had gone up to Joe’s office a few
minutes after Joe escorted the officers upstairs. The general had a
lot of connections, and it was his gun Derek had used to shoot
Amanda. Derek should go up and make a statement before they sent
someone looking for him. He turned to leave the reception when a
small tug on his arm stopped him.

“Will you dance with me, Derek?”
Katherine stood next to him, her gaze pleading.

His heart melted, and he took her into
his arms. “I’ve got to go upstairs and speak with the police,” he
said even as he maneuvered her through the crowd to the dance
floor.

“Just one dance before you
go?”

“You know I can’t say no to you, Kate.”
Reaching the dance floor, Derek pulled her into his arms, her
porcelain skin soft under his hands. Her red hair was put up with
one curl lying on her shoulder. His hand reached for the silky
softness, twirling the curl around his finger.

He let the music take them. For this
one moment, all that mattered was the woman in his arms. He reveled
in the feel of her body pressed to his. He gazed into her eyes. Her
pupils were dilated, and heat simmered in her gaze. This was the
one woman meant to be his.

He loved her. He had loved her for five
years, waiting for the day when she would be ready to have another
relationship. He remembered the first time he saw her laugh, her
eyes sparkling with mirth, the first time she flirted with him. He
remembered the delight on her face each time she found one of his
anonymous gifts. The fact that she had come to him surprised him.
In the past, she had always been hesitant.

“They need you upstairs, Derek.” Hugh
Thunder Hoof stood at his elbow, an apologetic look on his
face.

Derek’s arms tightened around Katherine
before he reluctantly released her. “I’m sorry.” He felt sorry for
so much, for having to let her go, for shooting Amanda, for being
Katherine’s mate. She deserved so much more. At that moment, he
knew what he must do. He needed to let her go, this one woman who
held his heart. It was the right thing to do.

“It’s all right. Will I see you
later?”

“I don’t know. Better not wait for me.”
He wrenched himself away before he could do something stupid, like
kiss her. He heard her sigh and call his name before the crowd
separated them completely.

Finally, he made it to the bank of
elevators. He hit the button repeatedly, needing to hurry his
flight. If he waited, he might never be able to go. The elevator
door opened, and General Holland stepped out.

“Derek, I’m glad I caught you. I have a
job I would like you to take.”

“I’ll take it,” Derek blurted out
before the general could finish. No one would question his leaving
if he took a job at the general’s request. Shadow Walkers had
performed anonymous jobs for the general for years.

“Good. Be in my office in the
morning.”

“I will, sir.” Derek let the elevator
doors close and pressed the button for Joe’s floor. Sudden weakness
overcame him, and he rested his head back against the wall. The
least he could do was serve his country and give Katherine a chance
to get over him, to find someone whose life wasn’t full of death
and danger. The door opened, and he straightened his spine. Now, to
talk to the police.