A Friend in Need Read online

  “Nobody will ever hear it from me,” she told him. “Though, I happen to agree with you. Wolves are just weird. All that howling is enough to drive a lynx to drink.” She shook her head, and he chuckled, as she’d hoped he would.

  And thus, she thought, was the start of what might be a very good working relationship. This man was one of the good ones, and she had long ago pledged her energy toward protecting the innocent, catching bad guys, enforcing the will of the Goddess, and serving Her Light.

  “Let me tell you a bit about your friend, Carter, and his unit. This, of course, is strictly need-to-know, so it can’t go beyond these walls. However, if you’re going to be one of their points of contact, you need to know there’s more to them than just being highly-decorated Green Berets. They started out human enough, but they had a magical encounter that’s changed them, and what’s most important for you to know is that they all—whether they call it that or not—serve the Light.”

  That was music to her ears. Anything that would help her do her job and fulfill her self-appointed mission was all to the good, as far as she was concerned. She leaned forward in her seat, her gaze narrowing as she listened intently.

  “Tell me more…”

  *

  Thanks for reading Gift of the Ancients #3 A Friend in Need. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. Read on for an excerpt from the next book in the series, Lightning Strikes. A complete list of all of my books, separated by series, follows. You can also check out my website at WWW.BIANCADARC.COM. Or you can sign up for my newsletter to be alerted when new books are released.

  EXCERPT FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES

  ©2021 Bianca D’Arc

  All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  “Are you sure you don’t need backup?” Liam Kinkaid asked again.

  “I’m sure, Lieutenant. My dad’s place is at the top of a mountain. We’ll see anyone coming a mile away. Plus, I installed sensors the last time I was home. Once we’re within the perimeter, I’ll get alerts should anyone cross the boundaries I set up,” Wil replied. He was feeling edgy as the borrowed SUV bounded up the wood-lined road that led to his father’s ranger station in the wilds of Montana.

  His dad was on the disabled list—officially—but he still lived at the station, even though his advanced illness made it impossible for him to fulfill the duties of a park ranger. His replacement was living in a trailer the park service had brought in and placed on the property to allow one of their most senior people to die in peace in the home he had lived in for so many years.

  Wil’s dad had gone home from the hospital to die. That was the earth-shattering truth of the matter. And Wil had known nothing about it until yesterday, when the new park ranger went against his dad’s wishes and tracked Wil down to give him the news.

  It had taken her a while to break through the military smoke screen surrounding Wil and his elite group of operatives and actually get through to him. He would have to thank her when he finally met the woman. Without her persistence, he wouldn’t have had the chance to see his father before the end.

  As it was, Wil had brought the unit’s doctor, Rick Lovelace, with him, in hopes that Rick might find a way to prolong his dad’s life. His commanding officer, Captain Haliwell, had been both supportive and understanding. He’d been willing to detail more of the unit to fly to Montana with Wil, but the base commander on Plum Island where they were currently stationed, Navy Commander Lester Kinkaid, had nixed that idea. Instead, Kinkaid had sent his son, Lieutenant Liam Kinkaid, along with Wil and Rick, hinting that the Naval Lieutenant could smooth the way with any locals they might encounter.

  Reading between the lines, Wil realized that Liam, as a lion shapeshifter, could liaise with any other shapeshifters that were in the area. Apparently, the hinterlands of Montana were prime real estate for shifters.

  The existence of shifters was something that Wil and his unit had only just learned about. Their experiences in the ancient city of Babylon and the gifts given to them by a mysterious man in the fabled Tower of Babel had changed their lives forever. As soon as it had become apparent that each man in his unit had gained some sort of extrasensory ability—and that foreign operatives were now hunting them—the Army had stashed them at a Top-Secret base on Plum Island, in the waters off Long Island, in New York.

  Long Island was Captain Haliwell’s home, so perhaps that had something to do with the decision to put them there, but Wil had to admit the presence of the secret base manned by military shifters was a great place to put a bunch of guys who suddenly had superhero powers. Rick, for example, had gone from being a regular doctor to a man who could heal mortal wounds with nothing but his hands. That had been the first indication that they’d all changed on some inexplicable level.

  Wil’s own special freak ability hadn’t revealed itself until a week or two after they’d all encountered that strange man in the mirage of the Tower of Babel. Wil’s particular quirk was that he could now control the weather. He could call lightning and move storms to wherever he wanted them to go. It had taken a while for him to figure out the parameters of his new abilities, but with patience and time—and encouragement from his teammates—he’d explored a lot of what he could do.

  They’d all been sidelined by the Army until the foreign threat could be fully assessed and hopefully dealt with once and for all. They’d been transferred to the command chain that topped out with Admiral Morrow, a fellow who apparently knew all about shifters and other freaks of nature, and deployed them with discretion and care for the U.S. military. It had been his decision to stash them among the shifters on Plum Island, and he’d backed them up the few times they’d been attacked on U.S. soil, covering their tracks and smoothing things over with the locals.

  They hadn’t been assigned any missions. No, they’d been just living and moving around, doing the normal things you do in life, and they’d been targeted by foreign agents. The attacks had come here in the States, which was a legal problem for them, but Admiral Morrow had fixed things. The most recent bit of action had forced the revelation that their unit was now living on a little island manned almost exclusively by shapeshifters.

  The shifters had proven to be good allies with freakish abilities that complemented the superhero powers of Wil’s brethren. They’d worked well together, and they’d come to a sort of understanding and camaraderie that he hadn’t expected, considering most of them were in the Navy and Wil’s unit was Army Special Forces.

  What mattered now was that, according to Liam, there were various groups of shifters in Glacier National Park where Wil’s dad lived and had worked until recently. Liam was going to check in with the local leadership and notify them of his presence in the area, which was some kind of courtesy thing. He was also going to alert the local shifters to be on the lookout, just in case the foreign operatives that had been hassling Wil and his unit for the past few months had somehow followed them.

  Wil didn’t think it would be easy to follow their trail. He had only discovered his father’s condition twelve hours before, and the flight out to Montana had been arranged at the last minute. He couldn’t really focus on that nebulous threat, right now. The fact that his dad had intended to die alone, without even giving Wil the chance to see him one last time, preyed on his mind.

  They rounded the final bend, and the chimney of his dad’s cabin showed briefly through the trees. He hadn’t been home for a couple of years, but the sight of the old place brought a suspicious moisture to his eyes as it was fully revealed before them.

  Liam parked the SUV in front of the cabin and cut the motor. “I’m going to prowl around a bit in the woods before I head back down the mountain,” he told Wil while Rick was gathering his gear in the back seat.

  Wil nodded, seeing the door of the cabin open, and his father—frail and wasted to skin and bones—shuffled out. He couldn’t believe the change in his formerly robust dad. This time, the moisture gathered more quickly, and a tear he couldn’
t control rolled down his cheek as he met his father’s eyes through the window of the SUV.

  He couldn’t hide in the vehicle all day. It was time to face reality. His dad had been his friend and his self-appointed ass-kicker. He wasn’t always an easy man to get along with, but then again, neither was Wil. He’d gotten that personality trait from his old man, which had caused them to clash on some very memorable occasions, but the old coot was still his father, and Wil loved the old guy.

  To see him like this broke Wil’s heart.

  Wil opened the door and got out of the vehicle. He was still dressed in dusty fatigues, as was Rick, who rummaged around in the back of the SUV behind him. Rick was probably being polite, giving Wil a chance to greet his dad in private before intruding on their reunion. Rick was sensitive like that sometimes.

  Wil walked up to the cabin’s steps and stood there, facing his dad. His dad, who was physically a shadow of the man Wil remembered, though the spark of life remained in his eyes. That spark of fire reassured Wil.

  “I didn’t expect to see you again, Junior,” William Rufus Owens, Senior, said in a thin voice that was weaker than Wil had expected.

  “So I gather,” Wil said, playing for time. What could he say to his father? His vital, nature-loving dad who had taught him so much about the forest and its creatures.

  “I can guess how you found out,” Senior went on, nodding toward the trailer that was parked along one side of the cabin. “That Mandy should’ve minded her own business,” Senior said with surprisingly little heat in his tone. “She’s got a soft heart.”

  “She’s persistent, thank heaven,” Wil muttered. “I would’ve come earlier had she been able to track me down,” he explained as Rick chose that moment to walk up beside him. “This is my friend, Rick. He’s part of my unit, and he has a way with pain management.”

  Wil stuck to the story they’d concocted on the way here. He suspected his father would reject any sort of medical treatment. After all, that’s exactly what he’d done by checking himself out of the hospital and returning home to die on his own terms.

  Senior cringed but nodded. “I won’t say no to the good drugs, now. I confess to having overestimated my stamina when I left the hospital. Thanks for coming all the way up here, young man,” Senior said to Rick, holding out his hand to greet him properly.

  Rick stepped closer and took Senior’s hand in his. “Rick Lovelace, sir. I’ve served with your son for several years, now. You can be very proud of his accomplishments. Though, of course, we can’t talk about them in detail. Just know that he’s done some very important things to keep the world safe from some very bad people.”

  “I bet you have too, Mr. Lovelace,” Senior said, giving Rick a jaunty wink.

  Wil noted how Rick held on to Senior’s hand. Touch, Wil knew, was the way Rick was able to diagnose people these days since his super healing ability had kicked in. Rick kept hold of Senior’s hand as he mounted the porch steps and then led Senior to one of the chairs. Senior sat, and Rick took the chair next to him, leaving the rarely-used third chair for Wil.

  Wil sat after retrieving the duffel bags Rick had left on the ground and stacking them by the door. They had enough gear between them for a few days. The plan was for Rick to make an assessment of Senior’s physical state and whether or not he could do anything to help. After that, they’d make further plans.

  If there was nothing Rick could do, Wil had been cleared to stay until his father’s passing, however long that took. But, on the off chance that Rick could help Senior either recover or, at least, prolong his life, they’d reassess and come up with a workable timeline to present to their captain.

  Since the unit wasn’t really on call at the moment, they had a little leeway. Admiral Morrow had made it clear that he wanted the unit to figure out what they could do, first, before he’d assign them to any real-world missions. They were in training and under study on Plum Island. Of course, the foreign threat had to be dealt with, as well. Which, for the moment, meant that the men of Wil’s unit were well and truly sidelined for the foreseeable future.

  Normally, that would have annoyed Wil to no end. He was a man of action, and he hated being shelved when there was work to do. However, right now, this prolonged period of inactivity was a blessing. It meant he could be here with his dad, whatever the outcome of Rick’s examination.

  Wil took the seat across from his dad and watched him talk with Rick. The old man didn’t seem to notice that Rick was still touching him, with one hand on Senior’s forearm. Wil watched Rick closely but couldn’t discern anything useful. He would have to wait to hear what Rick thought about Senior’s condition until they could find a private moment. Wil found himself praying that Rick’s news would offer some hope for the old man.

  “What happened to your driver?” Senior asked Wil suddenly, drawing Wil’s attention back to the current moment.

  “Liam,” Wil said. “He’s a Navy guy and a new friend and ally,” he went on. “I got the impression he’s never spent much time in the mountains, and it was a long flight. He wanted to stretch his legs and see a bit of the scenery before he heads back down. He has some business down the mountain, but he’s staying in the area for a while to be available if we need a ride out.”

  Was it his imagination or was his father’s eyes sparking with even more life than they had before? Wil looked at Rick and caught his teammate’s wink and slight grin. Rick was doing something subtle, but Wil had little doubt the new energy and easing of his father’s pained expression was Rick’s doing.

  Did that mean he’d be able to do a whole lot more? Could Rick actually heal Senior’s advanced cancer? Wil certainly hoped so. Hell, he more than hoped—he’d been praying for that outcome ever since he’d gotten the news.

  Liam chose that moment to appear on the porch. He was so silent he made Wil jump a bit, much to his shame and annoyance. Liam’s teasing grin said he knew exactly what he’d done and found it hilarious. Silly cat.

  “Beautiful place you have here,” Liam commented, looking crisp in his clean fatigues while Wil felt like a rumpled mess. They’d been on the same flight and had taken the same journey, yet the shifter somehow looked like a recruitment poster while Wil showed every mile they’d traveled as if he’d done it all on foot. Liam strode closer and held out his hand to Senior. “You must be Ranger Owens. I’m Liam Kinkaid. Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  They shook hands while Wil watched. His father seemed unimpressed by Liam’s starch and polish. In fact, Senior looked as if he was sizing Liam up with a suspicious sort of knowledge.

  “Nice to meet you, as well, Kinkaid. You going to check in with the local Alpha? He’ll be cross if you don’t and might let his Pack have a little hunt.”

  *

  Mandy’s day wasn’t going quite right. The eagle pair had spotted her and were preparing to attack when she hightailed it out of sight. She hadn’t been able to check on the eaglets as she’d hoped, and the long walk had been for naught. She should have just stayed at the cabin with William. Lord knew, the old ranger didn’t have that long left to him. She wanted to be there for him if he needed anything.

  In fact, her boss had given her a lot of leeway in her duties. The entire ranger staff cared for William and wanted to look out for him. They’d given Mandy the job of seeing to his final days since she’d received some medical training as a first responder before moving into this job. Not that William Owens knew about that part of her background. He’d find out if, and when, he needed her services as a nurse. Until then, she was just the new ranger he was teaching the ropes in his retirement.

  She walked out of the forest, hoping to see William on the porch of the old cabin. Instead, she stopped short at the sight of a much younger, much fitter man walking down the porch steps. Her breath caught, and then, her brain started working again. She knew this man’s face from the photos she’d seen inside the cabin. This had to be William’s son, Wil or Junior, depending on William’s mood.

&nbs
p; He was wearing rumpled army fatigues and had dark smudges under his eyes, though they didn’t detract from his rugged good looks. Golly! He was even better looking in person than in those photos. Something else she realized as she began walking again—those photographs had been taken when he was much younger than he was, now. He’d filled out a lot since then…in all the right ways.

  He had the same deep blue eyes his dad had, though the son’s had fewer lines around them and were clear and healthy. Wil stood straight and tall, his six-plus feet and heavily muscled frame imposing, though she didn’t feel threatened. William, Senior, must have once looked a lot like this much younger version of himself, but age and illness had stooped the once-proud shoulders and withered his strength away.

  Wil, Junior, though, was still in the prime of life, and his chiseled cheekbones fascinated her, as did the slight cleft in his chin and strong jaw. His hair was brown, kissed by the sun to have golden highlights, and his complexion attested to his love of the outdoors with a healthy tan. Even with the smudges of sleep deprivation under his blue eyes, he was still one of the most handsome men she’d ever encountered.

  If Mandy didn’t have so many hang-ups, she could go for William’s son in a big way. A big way. As it was, a guy this well put together wasn’t going to be interested in her. Not with all the baggage she carried around. Better to just act professional. After all, this was a really tough time for William and his son. This wasn’t the time to think about flirtation. Nope. Not at all.

  Mandy walked up to the man, stopping a few yards from him. “I expect you’re William, Junior,” she said, figuring a strong offense was the best defense.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He looked down, and her eyes were drawn to the streaks of sunlit gold in his brown hair. Damn. He really was just too handsome. Of course, he’d just ma’amed her. That counted against him, for sure. “I have to thank you for contacting me. I know the Army didn’t make that easy, but I’ll be forever grateful for your persistence.”