Aiyana: Book 2 (The Protectors)

  Aiyana

  The Protectors

  Book 2

  By

  L. Ann Marie

  Aiyana our real life Indian princess is smart, funny and makes those all too human mistakes in her new life and love. Her passion and a growing self-confidence shows her princess attitude. Shedding ancient beliefs and a life of service is hard. Especially when it puts a price on her head. It takes more than a village to teach her about life away from the tribe. Being banished doesn't stop our heroine. With determination, she makes it to number two within the Protectors. Now she needs their help and acceptance more than ever.

  Whether it's protecting her people, healing, visions, special abilities, or her new erotic experiences, Jared loves it all. His adaptability and engineering skills dazzle his princess. When his laid-back personality hides family secrets that Aiyana unwittingly stumbles into, he needs help from his family and Club.

  Our ongoing cast of characters has her back. Aiyana learns to rely on her Princes, Protectors, an honorable tribe and Jared beside her.

  With skeletons falling out of her closet, will it be enough? Because some memories should be left in the past and some thoughts can be deadly.

  Copyright

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

  All rights reserved.

  The Protectors: Aiyana Book 2

  Copyright 2017 © L. Ann Marie

  Published by: L. Ann Marie

  Editor Steph Nordstrom

  CP’s: Kat Beecham and Joanne Dearman

  Cover by Lori Birkett

  Bigstock®

  This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from L. Ann Marie, the author / publisher. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Reading Order

  Because there is nothing easy about me - I jump from one series to another. The cast follows me, they’re like that, because they do follow me from book to book it is better to read them in order so you don’t miss anything. I answer questions from previous books as I go along (the not easy thing). So here is the order in which they were written.

  She Found Us - Baxters

  Our Wife - Baxters

  Our Angel - Baxters

  Knight - MC

  LaPonte - MC

  LaPonte-Karr - MC

  Pres - MC

  Blackhawk - MC

  Tailley - MC

  Callahan - MC

  Jake - Baxters

  Brighton - MC

  Rayne - Baxters

  Moniz - MC

  Behind the Scenes - MC

  Prophet - Princes of Prophecy

  Reader - Princes of Prophecy

  Leader - Princes of Prophecy

  Enforcer - Princes of Prophecy

  Coder - Princes of Prophecy

  Sniper - Princes of Prophecy

  Christian - The Protectors

  Ricky - MC

  Aiyana - The Protectors

  Spying Eyes – Standalone – you can read it after all of them, but it was finished after Moniz

  The Cast of Characters can be found on my website on the About Page.

  Click the series banner for the cast.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Next Up?

  About the Author

  Other Books by L. Ann

  Chapter One

  Aiyana

  “Aiyana, Now!”

  “Roger, Christian.”

  I shield with him and we hear Jess yell. “Hold the shield, Aiyana. She cut her hand, she’s fine.”

  “Roger.” I am always amazed at how he sees everything so fast. When his gun goes off I jump holding my breath. This is not what I expected of training. As a matter of fact, this is what I was afraid of. Helping from the reservation is much safer than bullets flying anywhere close to me. I am not yet trained for all of this.

  “Clear, Ops.” His voice sounds like he is growling. I look at his face, but he does not look mad as he is holstering his gun.

  Two motorcycles come flying into the parking lot and stop very close to me causing me to step back. I am not accustomed to how fast they ride and stop, and right now I am angry that they forced me to step back. I do not back down. Ever. I give the riders a look that they ignore. One goes right into the building. Since I want to make sure Dakota’s woman, Jess, is okay I follow.

  The Lab is set up with four workstations, there are tables and counters all along the back wall, hologram boards, like Christian showed me at the Security building, are everywhere. Robotic body parts are all over the tables and counters, a laser or something shows the outline of a man, in a 3D graph form, slowly spinning in the center of the room. The Prince guy talks softly to Jess then pulls his helmet off and looks at her hand. I think I should look at her hand, but he is gorgeous with dark hair and the lightest blue eyes I have ever seen.

  He looks at me and I am stunned for a second. “Can you get the first aid kit by the door?” He is watching me, thinking I look like a picture he has seen.

  I nod and pull my eyes from him looking toward the door. Taking a breath, I try to clear my head and move for the box with the red cross on it. This is not a kit, it is a whole damn box and by its weight I’d say it is a full box. “I heard you yell, but Christian said you were fine. Are you okay, Jess?” I hand Jared the case. I like his name. Jared Baxter that works in his own building like this one, but it has all kinds of moving parts and motorcycles in it. I wonder what he does, but do not have time to look right now. I focus on Jess, seeing her mind is at ease.

  She is always smiling. “I’m fine or as Dakota says, I will be fine. I didn’t know what was going on and grabbed a piece of metal on my way to the safe room. Christian told me to get in there and hide, so I was running and the metal hit the door jamb cutting my hand. It’s no biggie.”

  Jared is looking at her hand. “You need stitches.” He looks closer moving to wipe up the blood that is oozing out of it.

  ‘I am three out, Aiyana. I will take Jessica to the clinic,’ Dakota says in my head. Why does he not want me to heal her?

  I wait until Jared stops talking. “Dakota will take you to the clinic, he will be here in two minutes.”

  Jared lifts his head giving me a funny look. “Who are you?”

  Jess wraps some tape on the gauze he is holding. “I’m good, Jared. This is Aiyana from the reservation. I’m surprised you haven’t met, she likes cliff diving as much as I do, she’s always with us when she can make it.”

  I laugh at her ‘cliff diving’, it is really just a bluff.

  He smiles, making me think the ancestors are smiling down on me today. “I definitely would remember meeting a beautiful, real life, Indian princess. Nice to meet you, Aiyana.”

  I nod my head at him. “It is nice to meet you, Jared, and thank you.” Am I supposed to tell him he is beautiful too? I want to, but feel it will be too much.

  Dakota comes in laughing. “He does not require such things, Aiyana.” He kisses Jess and looks at her bandaged hand. “I am glad Aiyana was here, Jessica. The kids are with Jessie and safe. Lori and the kids, your mom and dads and Kaleb are all fine.”

  “This was a Baxters threat?” Jared looks shocked and I memorize his expression. He is angry, but I see his questions.

  “It was, Jared, but everyone is safe and the MC is back on your mother’s Security detail. When Ricky talked to your mother he saw the need to cover everyone and did.” He takes Jess’s hand. “I will take you to the clinic, Jessica, then we can see the boys, they were worried about you today.”

  “Damn readers. They see I’m fine right?” She does not sound pleased with the kids’ reading. I thought them reading and giving the visions was accepted for the amazing ability, strength and responsibility that they show.

  Dakota turns my way. “They are very special and appreciated for all they offer in their abilities. There are times when Jessica wishes they did not see everything that they do so they will not worry over her.”

  I bow my head to him. “I understand, my great Warrior Prophet.”

  Jared laughs causing us all to look at him. “Great Warrior Prophet? What do you call
Aiyana?”

  I look at Dakota keeping my smile subdued. I want to laugh. Dakota starts walking Jess out. “My Warrior Princess, of course.”

  I keep my face blank. Princess is my name for Ops, but I do not tell him.

  Christian comes in before I can see Jared’s reaction. “Warrior Princess, you need a bike that works for you. Jared, can you meet with her and set her up on something that would fit her better? She needs a Protectors bike with RS boards. The Security bike she’s on is too big for her.”

  Jared’s head swings my way. “You ride?”

  I look for why that surprises him. Since he does not think we are just savages ravaging our ancestral lands, I answer, “Yes, but the motorcycle I drove here is much bigger than what I learned on.”

  He nods looking back at Christian. “I can do it now. I need her at my Lab.”

  Christian smiles, like he did at his wedding party, I do not see that often. “Aaron is her HS, he’ll get her back to the reservation when you’re done.”

  “I’ll bring her home.” He waits for my reaction. I bow my head for him, then look at Christian. “I can fly her if it gets late,” he adds.

  He is a pilot? I see he is. He wants to spend time with me. I keep my eyes away from him and watch Christian. ‘That good with you?’ he asks in my head.

  ‘Do you trust Jared, Christian?’

  ‘With my life and yours.’

  ‘Thank you, my Warrior Protector, I will go with him now.’

  Christian turns to Jared. “Aiyana is the strongest reader with visions that we have, she has HS or RS at all times. She goes nowhere alone, Brother. Make sure you keep her safe.” When he turns back he is smiling again. “Call to me if you need me. I appreciate your help today, Aiyana. Your ability and help kept Jess safe today. Thank you, my Warrior Princess. Tomorrow I’ll send HS, you’re with Sheila at the range and in pop ups, so bring your guns.”

  I would really like to skip tomorrow, but know it is no longer possible for me to continue untrained. “Roger, Christian.”

  He smiles and kisses my head. “You did good today, Aiyana.”

  I bow my head and watch him walk out the door. “Is there something I can help with to close the Lab for Jess?” I turn just in time to see his smile grow bigger.

  He is a handsome man with his blue eyes smiling at me. “You don’t call her Jessica?”

  I shake my head. “Jessie introduced her to me as Jess. I did not know her full name until Dakota spoke it a while after our first meeting.”

  He is blocking me? “Her computer will run while we’re out, everything else is off, we’re clear to leave. You talk like Dakota and Nunànuk.” He takes my elbow and I shield as he walks me out pulling keys from his pocket. “My Lab is just down the road.”

  Since I know he is going to take my arm again, I shield for it. “Why do you work separate from Jess when you do the same things?”

  He puts his hand on my back sending a jolt through me and guides me to the motorcycle that Christian has me riding today. “I do new technology for the Club and Jess works for Baxter Corp. She’s an engineer for my mom, that means her work isn’t seen or known to regular techs like I have working for me.” I get on the motorcycle and he watches. He seems to watch every move I make. “This is too high for you. We can do better.”

  I nod, happy that they will adjust a motorcycle for me. My 5’3” height was never a problem until now. Christian put me on the smallest motorcycle they have. “Can you make the soft light for at night on it too? I saw them when Dakota brought Jess to the reservation a few nights ago,” I ask putting my helmet on.

  It is my turn to see him swing his leg over the seat, for a big man he is very graceful, he puts his helmet on looking at me. “We’ll build it together, that way you’ll get everything you want on it. I’ll even let you pick the color of the lights as long as you don’t say pink.”

  This makes me smile. He does not look like a man that would like pink lights. “I am not partial to pink, but would like to say it just to see that look in your eyes again.”

  He laughs and starts his motorcycle up. I follow him down the road to another unmarked building. They do not put Baxters on the outside of the buildings and I find it interesting. I cannot read him to see why that is. How is he blocking me so effectively?

  Aaron pulls up on the side of me and gives me his hand to dismount, I shield and take it. “Thank you, Aaron. I do not know how long I will be and Jared said he will fly me home if it gets late.” I do not want him to think he must wait for me.

  He smiles and I see he will wait. His head is actually thinking he will wait however long I need him to and I wonder if it is for the job or me. It has to be a security thing.

  I am getting very prideful and arrogant in my thinking lately. I will ask the ancestors for their guidance when I get home or my parents will try to stop me from mixing with the Anglos again.

  Once I saw the work Dakota was doing I wanted to be a part of this, but my parents and some of the elders do not believe it is good to give or share the ancestors’ gifts with anyone that is not native. Luckily, I am twenty-seven and have some say over what I do with my life. Co, Little Ben and Nunànuk have also helped ease the controversial debates about ancestral gifts. It was Christian that changed most of the elder’s opinions when he used his ability to save our people from another tribe while the vision of protestors dying was still so fresh in their minds. He has always been intelligent, but now that he is using his abilities for the good of all people — the elders listen. According to Co, no one has ever seen or heard of the abilities that Christian has been granted. They feel, that in itself, is the ancestors guiding us in a new direction. Dakota’s father and my father are elders that do not agree, but theirs are voices that have been silenced by a majority.

  “Are you okay, Aiyana?” Aaron asks in a gentle voice.

  Shaking my head, I give him a rueful smile. “Yes, thank you. Just wool gathering.”

  Jared holds his hand out to me. “Let’s go, Princess Aiyana, I’ll fill your head with technology and there’ll be no room for wool.”

  I look at his hand. I handle touch pretty well if I know what is coming or can shield within a couple of seconds, but I think he should know so he does not surprise me with his hands on me.

  “She’s not touched.” Aaron’s voice is low, but sounds angry. His mind jumps to Dean and I see her unconscious.

  Jared drops his hand quickly giving me a questioning look. I take his hand and step closer to him. This would have been better if I had just explained. “Touch does affect me, but if I am prepared or can shield within seconds, it is not an issue. Thank you, Aaron, for pointing a potential problem out. Simple touch does not paralyze me as with Dean.” I look from one to the other. Aaron nods and I see his mind is relieved.

  Jared squeezes my hand. “Let’s go build you a bike, Wuyituwôk.”

  I stop. “You speak Mohegan?” Did he NOT just call me beautiful goddess? “Sorry, of course you do. I am always surprised by how many people know our language. I am excited to build a motorcycle that fits me better. Thank you, Jared.” I need to stop talking or more accurately babbling.

  “You’d be surprised by all the shit I know. My niece and nephews are Mohegan, learning and speaking to them in Mohegan is just as important to me as it is to Dakota, Jessie and Jess.”

  He is very passionate about his beliefs. I watch the thoughts run through his mind while he walks to the building with my hand still in his. He did not block that from me. He only lets me go to open the door with his thumb on a pad while he looks at the camera. The door buzzes softly and he takes my hand again. “Retina and fingerprint access.”

  I nod, understanding it checks eyes and prints. I am sure it is more complicated, but I do not wish to ask. I am too busy trying to understand why I like him holding my hand. I am not inexperienced with men, but have not had what anyone would call a normal relationship with any of them. I am a bit too much ‘work’ as more than one man has told me. They would like a woman that raises babies and cooks for them while never leaving the reservation. I have always been strong willed and have never meekly agreed to such restricting and closed minded beliefs, so hearing this after being with the men, I was surprised and immediately ended our time together. Changing someone to fit your plans can never be called love, I believe it is just the need to be dominating and will never submit. So why do I like holding his hand? I do not feel he is trying to dominate me, maybe that is all there is. As all of this is on my mind, Jared is still walking. The lab is very impressive with computers along the walls, motorcycles in pieces or fully built set at stations, men are laughing and talking as they work, and it is loud with machinery sounds. He stops at the back wall that has three stations and one computer.