Claimed: Paranormal Romance (Immortals, Vampires and Shifters) (Many Lives Book 4) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Part I

  Part II

  Part III

  CLAIMED

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  About the Author

  CLAIMED

  A Many Lives Story

  Laxmi Hariharan

  Contents

  CLAIMED

  Part I

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Part II

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Part III

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  About the Author

  The Many Lives Universe

  CLAIMED

  The story so far

  In 2014, Ruby Iyer harnessed the power of an ancient sword. She triggered killer storms that wiped out Bombay, among other cities.

  By 2060, Bombay has rebuilt itself to become the shining hope of the East.

  Leana, the first wolf-shifter in Ruby's bloodline and her mate Mikhail are poised to play a bigger role in the future of Bombay.

  Mikhail is the first of the Ascendants: a group of immortal warriors whose mission is to defeat evil.

  Kris is Mikhail’s fellow Ascendant, who opted to stay on in Bombay after helping Mikhail rescue Leana from Daniel the vampire leader.

  Claimed is Kris and Tara’s story.

  Part I

  1

  Tara

  I slam my heels down on the counter of Alex's Bar and grind my hips. Thrust my pelvis forward, only to stutter and stop mid-motion. Right there is the reason for my exhibition.

  Just three rows separate me from the devil.

  Dark. Lethal. Almost human.

  Turquoise-blue eyes snap to mine and slide down my face, my throat. Lower still. They pause before arrowing straight to my core.

  Liquid heat spurts in my belly.

  My thighs clench.

  He must see the slight movement, for his fingers curl into fists at his side. His back straightens, every muscle in his body vibrating with tension.

  When his gaze leaps back to my face, my throat goes dry. Stormy clouds spark in those eyes. He isn't as unaffected by me as he pretends.

  That alone is a turn on. For it's the first time I see a glimmer of emotion directed toward me. So what if it's only anger?

  It’s a cleansing emotion, one that drove me to find a way out of the slums of Bombay.

  The one I know best.

  The devil takes a step forward, and another. His chest rises-falls-rises, nostrils flaring as he scents me. Can he smell my arousal?

  Dense heat from his body slams into me. My muscles lock. Paralyzed. Even as my insides twist with anticipation, I force myself to move.

  Move!

  Without breaking eye contact, I rotate my hips, moving to the noise that passes for live rock music. Forward. To the right. Back.

  Thrust breasts forward.

  Bend.

  I take my time.

  I'm not a tease. Never have been. Not until I met this male.

  He's more dangerous than the gangs I ran from as a child growing up in the shanty town not far from here. Hidden by a curtain, I only saw silhouettes as strangers thrust into my mother. She sold herself to raise me.

  Ma came here to make a life in this "Shining City of the East." A city so perfect that there was supposed to be no crime. They lied. This city has a cruel side, one where my mother found death.

  But before she died, she made me promise I'd never hide in the shadows. I would be…strong. Proud. Always go after what I want.

  Like now.

  When the devil reaches the front of the crowd, a flare of panic leaps inside. Tension fills the air. Sensing it, the crowd falls quiet. The band stops playing.

  Silence.

  The beating of my heart is so loud I can't hear myself think. All I see is him. He’s so damn big that his presence is a wall that shuts out the rest of the room. Even with my standing on the counter, he's eye level with my thighs. Goosebumps erupt on the skin exposed between my skirt and my boots.

  He circles my ankles and tugs. The next moment I’m draped over his shoulder, rear end sticking up and head hanging against his back. No. Fucking. Way. He did not just do that! I struggle to break free.

  His grip tightens, and he gives a sharp rap to my behind. My cheeks flame, and it only makes me push against him harder.

  How dare he! The arrogant male!

  I dig my nails into his back. No reaction. None! So I bite him through his shirt, tasting the cotton of the fabric and him. The salty, sweaty taste of him fills my sense.

  A shudder races across his shoulders, mimicking the molten desire that spurts through me.

  He swings me around so I’m draped around his neck instead, one arm like steel around my knees. The other holding down my arms.

  The heat from him pours over me. A sharp tug of desire pulls my inner muscles and makes me freeze.

  Damn!

  The devil strides through the crowd. As we pass the band, the guitarist's gaze follow us. His amber eyes glitter as he whacks the guitar strings, the sound vibrating through the enclosed space.

  Then we’re out in the fading twilight, the rising
noise shut out as the heavy door to Alex's Bar closes behind us.

  It's popular with all species—humans, shifters, and vampires. But I’ve never seen the devil here before.

  I thought I was safe here. Safe from the thoughts of him that penetrate my every fucking pore. I hoped to even find another man and take him home tonight.

  I needed to find a way to forget the devil. I haven’t been able to get him out of my head since the first moment I saw him. Except, the devil always avoided me.

  Until today.

  Now, as he walks toward an SUV parked just a few meters away, he doesn't falter in his stride.

  When he reaches his vehicle, he holds me down with one massive arm and wrenches open the door with the other. Then he dumps me into the passenger seat so hard that I bounce.

  Anger pulses through me. Pushing aside the hair that's fallen over my face, I bunch my fists and swing at him.

  "Don't fight me…please."

  That stops me. For buried in his voice is a harsh edge of pain. I hesitate, just for a second.

  After slamming the door shut, he jogs around to the driver's side. He's fast. But I’m faster.

  By the time he reaches the door and opens it, I'm strapped into the driver's seat. I hold out my palm for the keys.

  His eyes drop to my hand before returning to my face. Silver sparks flash in those turquoise-blue eyes.

  "No one drives my truck but me," he growls, folding his arms over his chest. Muscles stretch the fabric in a way that makes me want to reach out and touch him, to slide my fingers over the defined ridges of his pecs.

  I curl my fingers into my palm.

  "Too bad!" I snap. "You killed my fun. It's payback time."

  "Fun? You mean propositioning yourself like you wanted to sleep with half the males in that bar?"

  "All of them. I'll sleep with anyone I want."

  "Don't you fucking say that," his voice lashes out. Those piercing eyes flare a stormy blue, like clouds boiling before a perfect storm. If he was angry before, he's livid now. His rage is a living force in the space between us that pushes against me, making it difficult to breathe.

  "Why do you care?" I force the words out through a throat gone dry, knowing I'm pushing him and not caring that he's so close to the edge. He's always so controlled. Now I know it's just a mask.

  The devil is good at disguising his thoughts. Just not from me. Not when I feel the heat from him slam against my chest, pouring into my skin.

  I know I get under his skin. Too bad I can't get him to admit it.

  "You don't want me; you made that clear. From the moment we met, you avoided me. Made sure there was no chance for us to meet alone."

  He doesn't deny it, but he doesn't say anything either. Frustrating male! Just once can I crack through his defense?

  "You sense the pull between us," I insist. "You must."

  His jaw hardens, but he stays quiet.

  Just as I think I've read the signs wrong, that I was mistaken about the chemistry between us, he moves.

  "You mean this?" Reaching out, he slides his fingers into my hair.

  Sizzle.

  Desire jolts through me. I had no idea my scalp was such an erogenous zone. Not. Until. Now. He yanks my legs around until I'm half out of the car and straining against the seat belt. His lips fix on mine.

  The impact knocks my teeth against his, but I don't care. For already his tongue thrusts inside my mouth, dancing over mine.

  He's fire. And ice. I'm burning up. Damn!

  His powerful muscles shift as he slides his free hand over my thigh.

  My hands snake out around his shoulders. I grab at him, greedy for more. The skin at the nape of his neck is soft, velvet over steel. I haul him closer, until his weight pushes me back against the seat. Until that peppery woodsmoke and pine scent of his pulls at my taut nerve endings. The stubble on his jaw scrapes against my cheek, sending sparks of need shooting to my core. Out of my head with desire, I bite down on his lower lip.

  A groan rumbles up his chest, shimmering over my already tight nipples. It turns me on even more.

  When I part my legs, he steps in between them. His desire is hard, throbbing through his jeans. Molten need tugs my belly, and I moan. The sound is muffled against his lips, but it seems to cut through his desire. For suddenly I’m free.

  He steps back from the truck, eyes still in silent dialogue with mine. My lips throb from the mouth sex.

  Clapping and whistles from a bunch of spectators reach me, but neither of us reacts.

  He breathes heavily, his chest rising-falling-rising.

  I’m not the only one aroused.

  I should feel victorious, but I don't. Not really. Not when he's looking at me with such intensity. He runs an unsteady hand through his hair, making the thick, dark brown strands stand on end.

  Straightening, he shuts his eyes. "Fuck!" His features tighten until the tension leaps off his finely wound muscles. Is he already regretting the kiss?

  Hurt blasts through me, and tears prick the back of my eyes. No. I’m not going to cry, not going to give in to my emotions and show how hurt I am. After unsnapping the seatbelt, I move over to the passenger seat and don't look up as he slides in and slams his door shut.

  He starts the vehicle and drives through the sea breeze that sweeps over us. I look straight ahead through the windshield.

  "Why?" I ask, voice hoarse. "Why do you ignore me when you feel this connection?"

  2

  Kris

  "We Ascendants mate but once, and I already found the female my mate." I don't look at her as I say this. Don't want to cause her grief. Yet, I cannot, will not deny her the truth. She deserves that much from me.

  "You found your mate?" Her voice is blank, but the keening edge of pain in it cuts me as if with a hot serrated knife.

  I curse myself, pushing back the instincts that want to gather her close.

  "When? Where is…she now?" she finally asks, her voice dazed.

  The grief in her reaches out to me and curls around my heart, squeezing it. I hate myself for causing her so much anguish.

  "She's dead." I snap my jaw shut.

  I’ve lived with this grief all this time, yet nothing prepares me for the sense of guilt that overwhelms me as I say the words aloud.

  Then a slim hand reaches out and grips my thigh. Her touch bleeds warmth into me. It reaches up through my blood, to my heart, seeping through the walls I’ve built around myself.

  "I'm reconciled to walking alone." Am I reminding her or myself?

  She goes to pull her hand away, but I'm too quick. I grip her hand, holding it in place against my thigh. My greedy skin drinks up her warmth, reveling in the feel of her flesh against mine.

  When she tries to yank her hand out of my hold, I can't bring myself to let go. "Please..." I let the word hang in the air, not sure what I am asking of her. All I know is I want her. Need her in my life, to fill the emptiness I carried inside for so long.

  Tell her. Tell her that.

  Yet I can't.

  Something inside stops me from saying the words aloud. Can I give her the intimacy she deserves? A mate who'd cherish her, protect her? Be there for her when she needs me. But what if my dominance overwhelms her?

  No! I can't bear to hurt her emotionally.

  Better to keep my distance. Give her the chance to find herself first. Time to discover the world and find out more about the kind of male she wants to be with. The thought of Tara with anyone else sends a pulse of red hot rage through me.

  Fuck! I grit my teeth and push aside the feelings that twist my heart.

  "I killed her...the one who was to be my mate," I say aloud. I owe her the truth so she knows what kind of a male I really am. One who was so forceful he pushed the woman who was his mate to kill herself.

  The silence stretches.

  Then she chuckles. "You're obstinate, and your damn pig-headedness is just so annoying; but you're not a killer."

  "Fia's dead bec
ause of me," I snap.

  "How?" This time when she tugs her hand, I let it go, only to have her turn her palm up and curl her fingers around mine.

  Whatever I expected, it wasn't this.

  I didn’t expect her to understand my guilt, my grief. I wanted her to be horrified enough to leave, not for her to try to understand the conflict that tears me apart.

  "Fia was barely out of her teens when she found her way to me. She wasn't ready for the mating bond, wasn't ready for her destiny to be laid out. I let her go the first time, but then I got impatient. A few years later, I tracked her down and pushed her to accept the bond. She resisted. Chose to throw herself into the sea and drown instead of accepting me."

  "So, you swore to punish yourself?"

  "I swore to never force my dominance on another female. To never put a female in a situation where she has to handle what I am." I correct her.

  "How? By never allowing yourself to feel again?"

  I swear aloud.

  Infuriating female!

  "Don't you understand what I'm trying to say? Let me close and I'll hurt you. I cannot let that happen. I couldn’t live with myself if I did that."

  "Perhaps you're just afraid of hurting yourself?"

  Her words arrow straight to my heart. My fingers tighten on the wheel.

  "You're right," I finally say. "I'm afraid...Afraid that I can't give you the happiness you deserve. The tenderness of a mate. The feeling of being one with another soul, to feel their breath as you breathe, to wear their skin over yours. To be theirs."