Free A Love For Lera (Haikon) by Aliyah Burke Page A

from the shadows. “You really should care, Valera.”
    She jumped and spun toward him, eyes wide with
surprise. His gaze fixated on the hand she held even as he recognized the fact
in her other was her weapon, no blades drawn, but ready. That made him proud to
know she was alert. Also makes me wonder where she had it hidden on that
damn dress.
    “Kori,” she whispered.
    “Let go of him,” he ordered.
    Lera lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes at
him. “Go to hell, Kori. This has nothing to do with you.”
    He could feel the fear she did her best to keep
locked away. The fear wasn’t for what he may do to her, but it had to do with
him, and for the moment, the majority of the anger was as well.
    “You’ve never been more wrong, mo anam .
Stop touching him.”
    “Kim is my friend, Kori.”
    It hit him. She was protecting Kim, unsure what
Kori would do to him if she did let go and got out of the way. Who was this man
to her to warrant such a staunch defense? It wasn’t easy but Kori reined in his
anger.
    ‘I won’t hurt your friend, Lera. But I need
you to let go of his hand.’
    He grumbled when she squeezed Kim’s hand but
stopped when she released it. Kori walked toward them. Lera stepped back by her
friend, and Kori finally got to see the one she referred to as Kim. A
good-looking Asian male who sat in a wheelchair. Kori slanted his gaze back to
Lera. She still watched him with suspicion.
    “Who are you?” Kim asked.
    Tearing his eyes from Lera, Kori stared at him.
“Cormac MacLochlainne.”
    Kim stuck out his hand. “Kim Chang.”
    Kori didn’t normally shake hands but he did this
time. “Nice to meet you.” He looked at Lera. “We need to talk, mo ghrá .”
    In the muted light, he saw a defiant glint burn
brighter in her brown eyes. He held her gaze, challenging her, well aware Kim
watched their interaction. Lera didn’t back down. If anything, her defiance
grew. In that moment, Kori realized how loyal she was to those she called
friend.
    ‘Don’t make me force your compliance, Valera.
Say goodnight to your friend.’ Kori would have sworn she bared her teeth at
him. It made him hard.
    Putting her back to him, Lera crouched before
Kim, her hands on the seat beside his legs. “I’ll see you home.” Lera got to
her feet and waited for Kim to turn around.
    “What about your friend?” Kim asked.
    “He’ll follow.”
    Damn straight I will. Kori remained
silent, just walked behind Lera, almost mesmerized by the sultry sway of her
hips. He stood near at the bus stop and grumbled as they were loaded on. He
paid for them all and sat one seat behind where she sat with Kim. Most of the
men ogled her in the dress she wore, and he felt his wolf near the surface.
Lera paid no attention; she and Kim had their heads together. It rankled to see
her interact with a person she didn’t seem to mind touching her, especially
since it was a male and not him.
    The bus stopped, and a group of men got on. Even
more alert, Kori kept an eye on them. Gang bangers.
    “Whooee, lookie at what’s we gots here,” the
first one back said, swaggering toward Lera.
    Kori watched as Lera shifted slightly but she
never looked away from Kim. He knew she was aware of them and would fight if
the need arose. Which for her, it wouldn’t. A group of four humans was not
anything Kori would consider a threat to his ability.
    “Why don’t you leave the cripple and hook up with
a real man?”
    “Why don’t you sit down and learn some fucking
manners?” Lera bit off, lifting her head finally.
    Kori could hear her accent with her sharp words.
The leader sneered at her and grabbed his crotch before reaching for the pole
near her and sliding around it.
    “See, you should be a bit nicer. I mean, I’m the
one who decides what condition you get off the bus in. Or if.”
    Kori had had enough. He pushed to his feet and
stepped up behind her. The yellow bandana wearing male looked at him.
    “Back off,” Kori said in a near