Legion Skin Walkers book 20 - Susan Bliler

She's his hostage.and his mate!

Brooklyn Ami is shocked to learn that she's sick. Not just sick, she's terminal. Dominant Skin Walker, Monroe StoneCrow, has devised a plan to save her. Monroe claims to have found her Skin Walker mate, and he intends to pair them in the hopes that the Walker DNA that spares Skin Walkers from illness and disease will provide Brooklyn the same protections. In disbelief, Brooklyn refuses, but no one says 'no' to Monroe.

Legion Knight, a Skin Walker Sentry and pilot, has been assigned an unheard-of mission. Take StoneCrow's Events Coordinator, Brooklyn Ami, and make her his, no matter the cost. Without her consent, he collars Brooklyn and removes her from the Estate. Holding his Angel hostage isn't the way he'd imagined he'd claim his mate, but for her sake, it can't be helped.

*This is book 20 in the Skin Walkers series; however, since each book in this series focuses on a different couple, they can be read as STAND-ALONES.

***
Direct as usual, Monroe got right to the point. "Brooklyn you need to mate with him to see if he can heal you."

Brooklyn looked from Monroe to Legion, her discomfort mounting. "We can't do that! There's no way for you to know I'm his one. There's no way to know this would work!" Shooting up out of her seat, she was shaking when she raged, "Angie said there's no way for Walkers to know who their Angels are. It's not pre-determined, it just happens! She said there's no way to know beforehand!" Brooklyn didn't admit that Angie was her most trusted friend or mention that she'd pressed her Skin Walker assistant on information in hopes that there was some loophole that would still give Brooklyn a chance with Monroe.

Monroe kept his tone soft, almost placating as he explained, "That's what we let everyone believe."
Eyes rounding in shock, Brooklyn breathed accusatorily, "You know? There's a way to determine compatible mates and you haven't told anyone?"

"That is correct."

Now she was indignant not only on her own behalf but on behalf of all the Skin Walkers too.

"Why would you keep it a secret?" she demanded. "Surely, it does more harm not to tell them."

"It's a secret I'm trusting you with."

Brooklyn was shaking her head before Monroe even got the full sentence out.

"This is bigger than me," she argued. "I can't keep this for you."

Monroe slowly stood. "Unfortunately for you, you've got bigger problems than keeping secrets from my people. Besides, I've already decided to come clean. We've kept this hidden long enough."

Brooklyn jabbed a thumb in Legion's direction, "So, you just expect him to claim me on the off chance that we might actually work as a couple so he can cure me; thereby, binding us together for the rest of our lives when we haven't even been formally introduced?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Monroe scoffed. "I introduced you a few minutes ago."

Brooklyn shoved up out of her chair and approached to scowl up at Monroe. "And if it fails? What then? I sleep with all the other candidates you had plow through my office?"

Behind her Legion growled low and deep but she continued undeterred. "All due respect Mr. StoneCrow, but I think I'll get a second opinion on your diagnosis . As for your arranged marriage, you can shove it up your."

She didn't get the chance to finish. Something cold and hard slid around her throat. She reached up and gripped it, knowing instantly the moment her fingers locked around it what it was. A blinding light accompanied by a high-pitched whine emitted from the halo around her neck. Shock registered on her face, and she opened her mouth to protest but no words escaped before she dropped.