Waking Sarah

WAK
ING SARAH

Vegas Mates, Book 3

By

Krystal Shannan

Waking Sarah, Vegas Mates Book 3

Copyright © 2013 Krystal Shannan

All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons –living or dead –or places, events, or locales is purely accidental. The characters are reproductions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. This book contains content that is not suitable for readers 17 and under.

Cover design by Erin Hill, www.edhgraphics.blogspot.com

All rights reserved.

Please be aware that this book cannot be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission from the author, Krystal Shannan, at [email protected], or within the sharing guidelines at a legitimate library or bookseller. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction, sharing, or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/) and is punishable by up to five years in a federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Dedication

Thank you to my fabulous fans for falling in love with Vegas Mates.

HUGE thanks to my husband for allowing me to spend an ungodly amount of time each evening in front of a computer screen. I love you, Russell.

PROLOGUE

Sarah’s mind drifted as her friend Margaret Taylor recited her vows and became Mrs. Scott O’Hearn. She stood silently holding the bridal bouquet. Calla lilies. She would have been carrying calla lilies two weeks from today. They were her favorite, and Brad always got some for her on her birthday.

Her thoughts moved to the unworn wedding dress hanging in the back of her mother’s closet. Cream colored with Spanish lace. A sweetheart neckline and long flowing sleeves. She never wanted to see the dress again, but her mother refused to part with it. A quick glance at Scott made her gasp. The look of adoration he was giving Margaret nearly broke her heart all over again.

Brad used to look at her like that. 

Margaret had begged her to stand as the maid of honor. And, Sarah wanted to be here for her friend’s wedding. She really did. But her heart wasn’t here. Neither Margaret nor Sam knew she’d been engaged to Brad. None of them knew she and Brad had picked out a wedding date. Or that it was two weeks from today. September twenty-second. They hadn’t had the time to tell anyone…

She shook her head and sniffed quietly, clearing the image from her mind.

Now he was dead. That future they’d been so excited to share with their friends –stolen.

Nearly six months had passed since she’d gotten that life-altering knock on the door from two Houston police detectives.
Sorry to inform you, but life as you know it has just ended.
That’s not what they’d said, but it might as well have been.

She’d dropped out of college and come home to Vegas to find Sam already married and Margaret in a rapidly-becoming-serious relationship and now married as of today.
Margaret had told her earlier that day she’d wanted to get married in May, but somehow her big bear of a fiancé convinced her September would be better.

She’d listened to Margaret ramble on, but most of it had fallen on deaf ears.

The happiness in the room was suffocating. She should be happy for her friends, but she wasn’t. Then she felt guilty. Their lives weren’t perfect. Both Sam and Margaret had both recently lost their fathers. She couldn’t imagine losing her dad, but right now, her mind kept circling back to only one thing: they both had their soul mates.

Hers was gone.

The forests outside the inn called to her soul. Dark thoughts of disappearing into the forest crossed through her mind. It was a big mountain. Her dreams over the last few days here had tortured her sleep, and she’d doubled up on her prescription just to make it through the night. The pills helped silence the voice, but no treatment or therapy had ever successfully gotten rid of it.

She was so tired of the pain.

CHAPTER ONE

“Thanks, Mom,” Sarah murmured, offering her mother a quick smile for the giant mug of coffee.

“Why don’t you come sit in the kitchen area, sweetie? It’s so much cozier than this big dining room. I’m sure the other girls will be down soon. I can make you some food. You should eat.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not really hungry, and I like it here by the window. When is our flight back home?”

Her mother paused. “Margaret wanted you to stay here for a few days to catch up. I thought the peace and quiet away from the city would be good for you.”

“You didn’t ask Margaret if I could stay, did you? Mom! I don’t want my friends thinking I’m a wreck. I’m fine. You and dad need help with the diner.” It was a lie. She wasn’t fine, but she didn’t want her friend’s pity either.

“I didn’t ask. Margaret offered, and I accepted for you. I’m headed back tonight, and I called your dad already and he said he wanted you to stay and relax too. Take some time, sweetie.”

“Mom.”

“You need this, Sarah. Enjoy this place. Catch up with your friends. Do you have enough pills with you? I have some extras in my bag.”

“I have enough.”

Her mom leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you at home in a few days.”

She shook her head as her mother hurried off back to the kitchen. Surely her mom had asked for her to stay. Why would Margaret offer? Weren’t they leaving on their honeymoon? Woodhaven Inn was beautiful, but it would be empty once all the wedding guests packed up and left.

Though…maybe it would be nice to stay and just enjoy the quiet.

She stared out across the beautiful meadow stretching to the forests behind the inn. So different from the dry arid landscape around Las Vegas and the flat prairies of Texas. It was so beautiful here. A good place to just…

A gray wolf walked across the lawn behind the inn, distracting her from previous thoughts of disappearing into the forest. She glanced around the dining room for someone to tell, but nobody was around. She turned back and watched the magnificent animal stroll across the property. It disappeared around the side of the building, and she gasped.

Wouldn’t most wildlife steer clear of an inhabited area?

***

Chris Michaels trotted across the meadow behind Woodhaven, the name Margaret christened the old inn with. It was a good name. The inn was impressive after all the work they had put into it. It had a huge main living area downstairs, a smaller commons area on the second floor, a dining room that could seat about sixty-five, a kitchen that could feed an army, and thirty-six guest rooms spread between the second and third floor. It also had a hidden entrance to a huge basement area through the pantry in the kitchen.

He darted down the narrow walk between the inn and the work shed to avoid any prying eyes that might be peering out their windows. The dew-covered grass between his paws was invigorating and even nicer on bare feet, he noted, shifting quickly. Much more inviting than Vegas sand, though the nightlife in Vegas was fabulous. This place was like living under a rock —literally.

A pair of sweatpants lay exactly where he’d left them by the door. He slipped them on and ducked inside.

He’d taken the Demakis girls out to see a movie last week at the one and only theater in Logan. They didn’t serve alcohol, and he’d suffered through an emotional chick flick without a single drink in his system. Then Nicole had told him he wasn’t her mate. He already knew, but it was sweet that she’d tried to let him down easily. When he’d arrived at Woodhaven a month ago, he’d already been told she’d turned twenty-five. A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone, but he wanted the same thing she did —a true mate.

He strolled barefoot down the main hall and walked into the empty dining room, his mind totally focused on raiding the fridge for leftovers from last night’s wedding feast.

“Hi,” a feminine voice squeaked from the corner, surprising him and eliciting an under-the-breath curse. No one ever surprised him. Where the hell had she come from?

“Morning,” he forced out. He hadn’t thought anyone would be up yet.

“Sorry, if I startled you.” Her voice was soft and silky. “I saw a wolf walk across the lawn. Did you see it? I didn’t think wildlife would come so close to the building. It was so beautiful.”

Chris grinned at the unknowingly bestowed compliment to his wolf. Maybe Sarah McLain wouldn’t be too against finding out she was a wolf as well.

Her burgundy red hair was twisted up on her head in a messy bun, and her green eyes sparkled. It was the most excitement he’d seen from her the entire weekend. She’d been severely depressed when she first arrived and very reserved, but now… He couldn’t stop staring at her creamy white skin. The little tank top and athletic shorts didn’t leave much to the imagination, but he wouldn’t mind peeling them off to see the rest of her delicious body.
How did I not notice those curves before now? Gods, and her scent.
She smelled like the morning glories outside near the deck.

“Because you were still thinking about Nicole.”

I’ve moved on.

“I noticed.”
His wolf chuckled.

His gaze trailed back to her angelic face, and his grin widened. He wasn’t the only one window-shopping. Her stare was fixated on his bare torso. His cock twitched with interest.
Shit.
He better move it along, or he’d be standing in front of her with a hard-on.

“Oh, there are several wolves living around here,” he answered with a wink.

She blushed a beautiful bright pink and met his gaze, no doubt realizing he’d caught her appreciating the scenery.

“I’ll have to keep my eye out for them.” She smiled and took a sip of her coffee.

“They are beautiful creatures,” he added, staring at her again, wondering what her wolf would look like.

He turned abruptly and hurried from the room before his dick could embarrass him. A sigh escaped his mouth before he realized the kitchen wasn’t empty either. Bonnie McLain was cooking up a storm. It was like Joe’s Diner had come to the inn for a visit.

Bonnie looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. Suddenly he felt very underdressed.

“Go put a shirt on, young man, and I’ll fix you a plate.”

It wasn’t a request. The little woman was ordering him around as if she were his mother.

“You heard her, Chris,” a much more familiar voice snapped from the other side of the kitchen.

“Shi— Mom!”
What’s wrong with me today? I’m off my game.
“I’m going.” He held up his hands in surrender and whirled, ducking back through the doorway and into the dining room.

Sarah was still at her table, staring out the window. She didn’t seem to notice him at first, but then she turned her head, and her gaze followed him across the room.

“No shirt, no service?”

He stopped, a laugh rolled up from his chest. “Yes.”

A grin spread across her face, and he was sure his heart stopped at least for a few seconds. He wanted to join her at the table, but fear of the mothers in the kitchen kept his feet planted firmly where they were.

“I’ll be back in a minute. Will you still be here? I’d like to eat with you.”

She held up her coffee cup. “Not going anywhere.”

“Good.”

He hurried from the room and up the main set of stairs at the front of the inn.

“You shouldn’t be pursuing her,”
his wolf growled
. “She’s human.”

Not for long.

“You can’t tell if she’s a mate match until after she turns.”

Sometimes even humans have instincts. Plus, a little flirting never hurt anyone.

“She’s masking her pain. You need to be mindful,”
his wolf warned.

I will.

His wolf snorted but didn’t respond.

He swung a left at the top of the stairs and slipped through the door into his room. The girls had deemed the east wing of the second floor for boys, claiming the west wing for themselves. The middle rooms served as a buffer and were for couples. At least that’s what Nicole had told him when he arrived. Like it mattered to him what side of the inn he stayed on. He did appreciate the new bed and upgraded en suite bathroom. O’Hearn hadn’t skimped on the remodel.

The third floor remained untouched and was being used for storage since the space wasn’t needed yet. He’d gone up and poked around a little. They’d had to go up to get to the roof and install the satellite. Nobody could live without cell service and Internet.

He grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it on, also swapping his sweatpants for a pair of loose jeans. Then he made his way back down to the dining room. Sarah waved him on to the kitchen to grab a plate. He walked in quietly. His mom wasn’t there anymore, but Bonnie gave him an approving once-over.

“Where are your shoes?”

“Bonnie, I don’t like shoes. Can I have some breakfast, or should I just go rummage in the fridge?”

“I don’t understand you and your friends. Never met people who hated being dressed so much. I think you would all just walk around naked if you could.” She snorted out a laugh and handed him a plate heaped with scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon.

He bit his lip, trying hard not to reply to her comment. It was true. They walked around semi-dressed a lot. Especially if they were going out for a run. He never thought about what it looked like to the humans around them. I guess they did look a little like slobs that never got out of bed.

“Don’t laugh!” She waved a spatula at him in the air. “You know I’m right.”

“Yes, ma’am, you are. Our secret desire is to join a nudist colony.”

The spatula dropped to the floor, and a look of horror passed over Bonnie’s face. He instantly felt sorry for teasing her, but the nude comment wasn’t that outlandish. Shifters learned at an early age not to be ashamed of being nude. It was just a part of life. They couldn’t shift with clothing on.

“I’m kidding, Bonnie. I promise.” He put his plate down on the counter and gave the older woman a quick hug.

“You just said it so easily. Like it really was...”

He chuckled, and she pushed him away.

“I just can’t help teasing. I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted. Are you going out there to keep my daughter company?”

A chill ran through his blood, and he paused at the door. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good, but no talking about nudist colonies,” she added, giggling at the last bit.

He sighed and nodded in agreement. He’d been worried she would tell him to leave her daughter alone. That would have been awkward.

***