Tempted By Her Protector: Wyvern Protection Unit, #2

By C.D. Gorri

Can a nerdy, curvy, good girl be tempted to sin by her smoking hot protector?

 

Larimar Wessex is bored. Dead bored. Like seriously.

 

With his brother newly mated, and his father on the mend, there is nothing for him to do but wait for his next assignment. Ready for battle, this Wyvern should've been careful with what he wished for.

 

Recently returned from an archeological dig , Kimberley Scott is being blamed for the theft of certain priceless artifacts. But that isn't all. There is a deeper, more sinister plot afoot, and Kim finds herself at the mercy of a man who is prepared to do the unimaginable to get what he wants.

 

When she is attacked during routine questioning by a government agent, the decision is made to call in some secret supernatural backup.

Larimar Wessex knows the second he sees her photograph the curvy human is his fated mate. But can he convince her without scaring her to death? His Wyvern is desperate to see her safe, but helping her is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Will Larimar save his tempting mate before time runs out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.D. Gorri
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215681138

Book preview

Prologue

Kimberley Scott could not believe her eyes or ears! After six straight hours of questioning, she’d finally managed to convince the scary, but good-looking, DPCA agent that she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing artifacts.

She supposed he was being professional with his curt questions and cold demeanor—never mind the fact her life’s work had been stolen and her professional standing was on the line. Emotions rolled through her like a freight train on greased rails. She felt numb. Her bones were aching, and her brain was still in denial.

Were there stages of grief for losing your reputation?

She supposed there were. After all, her whole life just went to shit. Breathing in through her nose, Kimberley tried to keep a bit of her self-control, but it was not easy.

It was all she could do to not completely break down. Tears filled her eyes, and anger over the entire thing had tremors racking her body. Sniffing loudly, she counted to three and focused on the agent in front of her. The fucker looked bored.

Everything she had ever worked for was on the line, and he looked like he could not wait to get the hell out of there.

Do you understand, Miss Scott? he asked in a bored voice.

No. I don’t understand any of this, she returned.

She had to fight this thing with everything she had. Kimberley might be a lot of things—a dedicated professor of archeology with a penchant for junk food and coffee, a hopeless romantic who’d failed at her first attempt at marriage, a dreamer, and a total bibliophile who loved to disappear between the pages when reality got too gritty—but she was no thief.

It is best you come clean now, Miss Scott, the agent said for the tenth time.

I. Did. Not. Do. This. Kim repeated for the umpteenth time.

Why was this happening to her? She was a hard worker. Damn good at her job, too. Why someone would pin a robbery on her was beyond her ability to understand. She was a firm believer in the scientific method, a dreamer, sure, but logical all the same.

Her parents had been devoted to academia, and logic ruled her childhood. They had only ever responded to well thought out plans or explanations whenever their daughter wanted something.

Kim developed a knack for research early on. Oh yeah, she knew how to google with the best of them, though her methodology had gotten more advanced as she got older.

The point was, Kim never got anywhere by pouting or throwing tantrums. Even though she felt like it, she could not give into the desire to start now. She’d have to use her substantial training, and a big chunk of that epic patience she was known for, to find a solution.

Kimberley had to find the culprit behind this huge mess. Learning how to uncover secrets, determine motivation, and eek out hidden agendas had been a huge part of her education and job experience. Kim was good at it, and furthermore, she loved it.

What other kind of person spent their life digging into the past, literally, and figuratively? She’d devoted her whole life to studying the past. Had spent many a month traveling the world to downright hostile environments just so she could dig up the hidden secrets of ancient civilizations.

Kimberley could figure this out. Not like she had another choice. Agent Sanchez, with his black eyes and laser-like stare, was not going to intimidate her into confessing to a crime she did not commit.

It will go easier on you if you just confess—

I’ve done nothing wrong, Agent Sanchez.

Exhaustion crept up on Kimberley, seeping into her very marrow. But there was no time for rest. Proving her innocence was more important than getting some much needed sleep.

Thank goodness she was a certified packrat. She’d saved every piece of paper, every receipt and photo she’d had accumulated during this expedition. Two months of her life documented in an accordion-style folder.

This is everything I have done during the past two months, agent, she said and pointed to the folder with its slots of neatly stacked paper. My entire trip, sixty days in Giza, including copies of my signature with dates and times when I checked into the dig site, and in the university library. I printed out GPS locations from my service provider for my smart phone when I was passed out in my tent room from exhaustion.

That’s very interesting, Miss Scott, but hardly definitive proof. Anything can be faked, he grumbled.

Well, that is a skill set I simply do not have. I am telling you the truth. I never met with any of the people from the list you showed me.

But of course you would deny any knowledge of your contacts—

Are you serious? This is libelous!

Actually, it’s not. This is just an interview that you agreed to.

Well, maybe I shouldn’t have, she snapped.

Miss Scott, why don’t you just take me through it one more time?

Kimberley heaved out a large breath. For fuck’s sake, she’d gone over her entire travel itinerary three dang times already. She’d shown the agent her passports, tickets, all of her notebooks, the photographs she took, spreadsheets, documenting every step of the Giza dig, not to mention personal emails and texts with the DPCA Agent—short for Department of Paranormal Creatures and Activity.

Kim was already in the know about the paranormal world. She was aware of the existence of Shifters, Witches, and more. How did she know about all sorts of supernatural beings and goings-ons? Well, that was a loaded question.

Suffice it to say Kim was okay with it. Really. Well, as okay with it as anyone could be. Having been put up for adoption as a baby, Kim had to work to track down her biological family tree.

She’d done all the research without help and had never done more than call. When she did finally find where she came from, she’d discovered a possible connection to a supernatural secret in her lineage. She had no real evidence of it yet, but maybe someday.

Born human, it was still part of Kim’s genetic makeup. After years of keeping that secret, her very best friend, Carolina Moore, had recently confessed another doozy to Kimberley. Recently divorced, Kim had invited Caro to Giza, where she met and had been subsequently hunted by a Demon.

It all turned out alright though, and Carolina was now mated to her very own Wyvern Shifter. Yep. Her mate was an honest to goodness Dragon—sorta.

Anyway, Kim had a complicated past, and a wide understanding of the world. But none of that explained why this was happening to her.

Why me? Ugh. How pathetic am I?

Look, Miss Scott, I have something you need to see, Agent Sanchez said, pulling her attention back to him.

She exhaled a deep breath, not entirely sure if she was ready for whatever the man wanted to show her, but what choice did she have?

Buck up, Kim. It’s only your life on the line.

Chapter One

Kimberley watched Agent Sanchez take a small black tablet out of the leather bag he had brought with him. He turned it towards her, having clicked opened an mp4 file.

Kimberley sat down and ran a hand through her tangled hair while she focused on the grainy images on the video recording.

What she needed was a hot shower and some food in her stomach, but she would watch the video, paying as attention as she could. She did not think Sanchez was looking to falsely accuse her. Not really. He seemed to genuinely wanted to solve the crime.

But what did she know? Trusting strangers had never been an issue for her. She was always willing to believe the best about everyone.

You’re always wearing rose-tinted glasses, Kim.

Sounded like a compliment, but coming from her ex, it wasn’t. Oh god, had she really just ended a long-term relationship only to come home facing the risk of losing her career? Kimberley shook her head.

You are very astute, Miss Scott, and I only want to find the truth. Tell me, what do you think of this?

Well, that’s Harold, she said, trying to make sense of the scene as it unfolded.

I’ll play it again, Agent Sanchez told her when she still had not grasped what she was seeing.

Her heart was thudding painfully in her chest. Anger overcame the shock she initially felt. Kimberley gasped and covered her mouth with a trembling hand. The proof was irrefutable.

Harold Jenkins. The dean of the Anthropology Department at Washington University, where Kimberley was a tenured professor.

Harold Jenkins. Maybe not her friend, but definitely someone she was friendly with was behind everything.

That turd!

Since the second her plane had touched ground, Kimberley had been scooped up by the DPCA and subjected to countless hours of agonizingly repetitive questions. She’d had her professional ethics questioned, her entire career threatened, all because of him! That sniveling, pasty-faced butthead was the real thief.

Kim watched in horror as Harold, the creep, swapped a wooden crate full of artifacts—identified by the catalog number on the outside of the crate, as well as her own personal signature—a LS with the lunar moon of Thoth, Egyptian god of wisdom, marking the crate.

This crate is one of those marked missing. We knew it was stolen, but had to make sure you had nothing to do with it.

But you already knew that! Kimberley sputtered.

We knew Jenkins took part in the money exchange, but we needed to be sure you were not involved, Miss Scott. I hope you understand, Agent Sanchez said, his black eyes watching me relentlessly.

Kimberley ground her teeth, anger filling her as she watched Harold trade the crate full of priceless artifacts for a briefcase full of money.

Who is he selling them to?

That is what we need to find out, Agent Sanchez replied.

The man Harold met in the video appeared too grainy and blurry for her to discern his identity. He’d angled his face in such a way that it was impossible to make out his features. But not Harold. His face was clear as day.

You have got to be shitting me, Kimberley growled as Sanchez closed the tablet and handed her enhanced photos of the scene she’d just watched.

You can get a better view of Jenkins and the mystery man in these. Miss Scott, do you recognize him?

Kim seethed. How many crates filled with ancient Egyptian jars and tablets, recovered papyrus, and statues, even pieces of jewelry, had that slimy little fuckwad sold?

Every single article she’d ever brought back to the university, with permission from the Egyptian government, of course, was priceless. The artifacts in that crate, and the others Jenkins had stolen, were recovered from her most recent dig.

I spent sixty days digging through sand and rock in the middle of the desert and that toad betrayed me! Hell, he betrayed everyone at the university, and for what? Money? she spat the accusation.

I understand the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities wants answers, Miss Scott. They’ve already gotten wind of what’s been happening, and as of right now, the Egyptian authorities want someone held responsible.

And what, my government wants that person to be me? I had nothing to do with this, she refuted.

Guilt and anger ate at Kimberley. She was responsible if for no other reason than the fact Washington University had been granted permission to borrow those artifacts because of her. She’d begged the head of antiquities to loan her items for further study, thinking only of how it would benefit her students—not her greedy boss.

How could Jenkins do this? She did not like him as a person, but she had always thought he’d felt the same as she did about the past. She’d assumed her own love and awe for history was something they’d shared.

Do you realize I’ve spent countless hours of my life filling out paperwork and negotiating with Egyptian officials to gain these priceless items, agent? Shit. No wonder you think I’m responsible!

For what it’s worth, Miss Scott, I believe you are innocent. I have a nose for lies, he stated, and his eyes flashed gold, reminding her of his preternatural tendencies.

Look, Agent Sanchez, I appreciate you being forward with me, knowing what I know about the DPCA. But I swear, I had nothing to do with this. Why would I risk my reputation with the museum and my professional career to get those pieces out of the country for some cheap pay day? I practically swore to give them my firstborn if anything happened to those artifacts.

I know, and again, I believe you, he replied and huffed out a breath before continuing. But Jenkins thievery isn’t the worst of it, Miss Scott.

Kim waited as the entirely too handsome Agent Orlando Sanchez leaned back in his chair. His glowing eyes trained on her, and she could only imagine that whatever other lived inside him, it was solely focused on her.

Gulp.

Really, what could be worse than me losing my job and my credibility? I’ll be ruined, and that’s if you don’t throw me in jail first, she replied with a snort.

It was not funny, but what could she do? Kimberley stood up and paced the short room. Her career was all she had. Dumped by her ex. Never had any kids. What could she do after the dust settled?

No university would ever touch her now that she was associated with this mess. Her tenure would not save her job from this kind of scandal. Her life was over. Thanks to that asshole boss of hers.

Agent Sanchez looked at her with pity, and that was it. The last straw that broke her camel’s back. Kim threw her head back and screamed.

Okay. She was officially having a breakdown.

Miss Scott? Are you okay? he asked, one eyebrow quirked.

No, Agent Sanchez, I am not okay.

Kim huffed a breath and wiped her face. Yup. Now she was crying. Kim always was an angry crier. She looked at the agent, whose eyebrows were about to disappear into his hairline, and she nodded for him to continue. Her breakdown could wait.

Oookay, uh, he mumbled, shaking his head. Before you went all crazy banshee on me, I was about to tell you that Jenkins is gone without a trace. This is the last footage we have of him, and it is dated twelve hours ago. Tell me, when was the last time you were in contact?

Look, I am still jetlagged from the trip. The first thing I did when the plane hit the tarmac was see to the delivery of those artifacts to the university.

I understand that, but you were the only person documented to have handled the missing pieces.

Regardless of what it looks like, I am not in cahoots with that jerk, she growled, ignoring the tremor of fear that spiked through her blood at the man’s suddenly darkening eyes.

Cahoots? he whispered and cocked his head to the side. Good one. Anyway, I only meant the paper trail leads straight to your door. A little too convenient for my tastes. I think Jenkins framed you.

Of course he did. Jerk stole my job, and now he is putting the blame for his thievery on me. She sighed.

Exactly. It looks bad for you, Miss Scott, I’m not gonna lie. The DPCA is involved for one reason. Jenkins skipped town with something very dangerous.

Kim’s face