Her Stepbrothers Are Cowboys Read online

  Landon stood up and placed her down in front of him. “That will have to wait till later. Right now, we are due back on the stage,” he growled and glanced at his brother, before returning his attention to his mate. “You’re going to dance again, aren’t you?”

  She smiled and reached up, patting his cheek. “You bet your sweet, cute ass. I love to dance and it’s been two years since I’ve even allowed myself to go out” Sadness filled her eyes. “They took my job, the one I loved so much, but at least I can dance.”

  Landon placed his arm around her as Cody took her hand. “What did you used to do?” Cody asked.

  She grinned up at Cody. “I was a special ed teacher. I had seven children ages, six to 16 and all of them were doing so well, but now bringing in a new teacher…I know it set them all back. They were my children in some ways. Even their parents would come to me asking for help when things popped up at home. I don’t know if it is because of what I am, or what, but I loved working with the children.”

  They stopped at the stage staring down at this priceless female and knew Haven would be an amazing mother to their children, and Landon wanted many, as did his brother.

  “Go get something to drink. Dance all you want, Little Filly, but when we’re done here tonight you dance with us when the next band comes on.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Death will not come for you, because we are part of death,” he told her, smiling at her stunned expression.

  “You just had to do that, didn’t you,” Cody laughed as he too placed a kiss on their woman, before jumping up on the stage.

  “Of course, it will keep her mind working, while we finish our set, but if one idiot touches her…” he growled and found their mate moving towards the bar, with a smile on her face. She glanced over her shoulder at him and blew him a kiss.

  “Shit, we forget to tell her no bull,” Cody said as he grabbed his bass guitar.

  “She heard you,” Landon said as he smiled. “You guys ,let’s try our new song out.”

  Thor threw his head back and laughed. “You are playing with fire, but hey it’s your mate.”

  Turtle shook his head and nodded as he started playing the song Landon and his brother had written last month.

  Night is our home, the stars are companions,

  The moon lets us borrow her light so we may search for you, our heart...

  By the time they were done with their song, Landon looked up to see Haven standing there in front of the stage, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “You did that on purpose,” she said with her hands on her hips. “How can I dance when you have me in tears.”

  “You heard her, boys. Our mate wants to dance, Filly Prance.” Landon said wanting to see a smile on his woman’s face, not tears. He had a feeling she had shed enough to last her a few years.

  Cody moaned, but started the song. “You know she’s going to have every male watching her, right?”

  Landon threw his head back and laughed, before starting the song and watching their woman dance, but this time he knew she was dancing for them. But Cody was right, every man in that bar was watching and wanting their female.

  After four more songs, Landon and their band wrapped it up, as the headliner came through the back door, nodding to him. Haven slid into their personal booth, as the bartender brought her a new drink.

  “So, how are we going to handle this?” Cody asked, packing up his equipment as the others did.

  “The truth that is the only thing she will except and I won’t play the cat and mouse game with her. If I have…tie her cute little body up till she listens to us, I will. No, that filly is not getting away from us or taken from us. Soon we’ll be taking a ride.” Landon let out an eerie growl that had Turtle and Thor turning to him, their eyes a glow of orange.

  “When?” Thor asked.

  “Just alert the staff Soon we’ll take care of the threat of our woman,” Landon said, standing up and pulling his guitar with him, but Thor reached over and grabbed his instrument.

  “Go, be with your woman, seems like the strangers didn’t hear your claim,” Thor nodded towards his woman and sure enough three men leaned over their booth flirting with what was his.

  “Cody…” he growled, jumping off the stage, his brother right next to him. All round him the noise died down and all eyes turned to watch them as they approached the men that were encroaching on their property.

  As if sensing something, Haven looked over the booth and cringed, waving the men away. “Go, get,” she told them and the fools just smiled and shook their heads, puffing up their chests.

  It would seem they were going to get to pound on some assholes after all. Landon tapped on the one man’s shoulder, surprising him as he come around swinging at him. His brother took on another.

  What had appeared to be humans weren’t as Landon found out as one of them hissed at him, baring his fangs. “Take them out. I’ll keep this one for questions,” he telepathed to his brother, careful of the humans that visited their establishment.

  “Do you her?” his father asked, hearing their conversation.

  Landon was about to say yes when his gaze flew to the booth and he saw that Haven gone, which only brought forth the Deathly Stang inside him. Grabbing the man, Landon brought him close as to not affect anyone else as he ordered, “Sleep.”

  The blood-sucker had no choice, falling instantly asleep as Cody commanded the others. “Thor, Turtle you know where to take them. We need to coral our Little Filly before she gets too far from us.” Landon said, knowing his fellow Death Riders were behind him. “Let’s go, little brother, and track our run-away Filly.”

  Landon and Cody followed her scent. Many wouldn’t believe that a horse had a great sense of smell, but Deathly Stangs did and before tonight was out, he’d have his mate tied to his side till she agreed to their claim. Barbaric maybe, but right now her life was being threatened and he was about to make sure nothing touched her.

  Chapter Three

  They had made her move, just like she had known they would. Her mother was safe on a plane with her new husband and her mates wouldn’t know anything, just that the men seemed to be hitting on her. It was better this way. She could hide herself far away from this town that had started to grow on her as soon as the asshole was dead.

  Her belongings were in the trunk, whatever she could take and there was cash in her purse, enough to start over. Haven had run the block from the club, knowing that Cody and Landon would take care of the three hunters that Reynolds had sent out, his weakest.

  Haven smiled. “I’m not that stupid, asshole. Watch your back because I’m coming for you idiot,” she mumbled, getting into her new vette and taking off heading towards her old home. She’d stop about an hour away, before changing in to look number three.

  It had taken her over two months to plan this and Haven would see it through, even if it meant giving up her chance at happiness. She glanced in the rear-view mirror and sighed. The brothers had already made their mark on her heart in the song they had sung for her. Landon’s voice was enough to give any women an orgasmic rush by itself, but when those haunting eyes had settled on her, she had been lost.

  “Haven Marie, what the hell are you doing?” Her mother asked in her head. “You will not! I’m not kidding. Reynolds is not a man you take, baby.”

  “I’ve had this all worked out, Mom. I’m not doing this on my own,” Haven said as she turned onto the highway.

  “Who? Sasha? I didn’t want to hurt you baby, but Sasha is his queen. She’s been dating that man for the last six years. We didn’t say anything to you, because she really seemed to care for you, we thought…”

  Haven pulled off at the next rest stop, tears rolled down her cheeks. “I caused Daddy’s death?” she whispered as she threw the car into park, getting off and running. She didn’t know where and didn’t care. Haven had killed her father.

  “NO! They had been planning this for a while, baby. Stop, come back before they
find you,” Her mother pleaded with her. “I can’t lose you too, please,” she cried, but Haven couldn’t hear her as she remembered that scene in her father’s office.

  She fell to her knees, shaking her head back and forth. “Daddy,” she cried, falling to the ground, but Haven never hit the ground as she was swept up into strong arms holding her tight against his chest—Landon.

  “I’ve got you, Little Filly. I’ve got you,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

  “I killed him,” she gulped out burying her face against his warm chest.

  “You did not, Reynolds did, and you know it. You were set up, Haven. You believed she was your friend. You had no idea what she was capable of.” He set her down on the hood of her car and that is when Haven noticed he was only wearing a pair of jeans.

  “There’s no one around, yet, but we should get going. If they know she’s headed their way, they have plans,” Cody said, coming up in jeans only too scanning around them.

  “I want that bitch,” Haven growled, looking up at him. “Please, I need to finish this.”

  “We’ll finish it, but we have to regroup,” Landon said, cupping her cheek. “They know you’re coming. They’ll have the advantage. We take that away from them. They’re not going to know what hits them when we go after them, and we will, I promise, Little Filly.”

  He looked at Cody. “Take the others back. We’ll meet at the ranch. I’ll drive her car back. It’s time we paid a visit to this Reynolds and end this. Oh, and Cody, have the boys use whatever mean necessary to find out what they can from the ones we caught. I want a report in one hour.” Landon lifted her back up and carried her around to the passenger side car. “Open the door, Haven.”

  She dug out her keys and pushed the button. “What are you going to do?” Haven asked, as he placed her in the passenger seat.

  “I’m going to take my lovely, stubborn woman to her new home and they we’re all going to make plans to end this threat once and for all.” He leaned down, his nose touching hers, his eye turned a fiery red and his voice seemed to drop so low the hairs on her arms stood up. “Then were going to claim our Little Filly and there will be no more taking off. You’ve already earned one spanking.” He growled, taking the keys from her hands, while covering her mouth with his, giving her a quick hard kiss before hooking her seatbelt on.

  By the time he lifted up, Haven swore her lips were burning where he had touched her. She watched as he moved around the car and got into the driver’s side. “Damn, you’re one fine cowboy,” she muttered, and watched as a slow smile appeared on his face.

  “Thank you, and you, my dear, make a fine looking Little Filly, and you are all ours,” he said, reaching over and taking her hand,. He spun the car around and headed back towards town.

  “Do you really believe you can finish this with Reynolds?” Haven asked, resting her head back against the seat as the warm wind rushed over her.

  “Let me explain to you what we are, what you are going to be mated to,” Landon said, squeezing her hand.

  * * *

  Landon kept hold of her hand as he told their story. “A thousand years ago, on a planet far from here, called Mar-Nut, were a race of wild mustang shifters, but some of these wild mustangs were other. They were called the Death Riders, more or less, searching for the souls who decided that they didn’t want to leave their world just yet. We are decedents of these Death Riders, taking lost or runaway souls to their next journey, if they have one.”

  Haven turned a little in her seat to face him. “That’s why the glowing eyes and such.” She smiled when he peaked at her.

  “Don’t say it. No, we are not like the movie you are thinking about,” he grumbled.

  “Okay that explains how you found me so fast, but Landon, Reynolds is no spring chicken and either are the men who work for him. I mean, sure you could most likely scare the crap out of them, but unless there is something more…” She shook her head and took a deep breath. “I just don’t see how?”

  “Give me a little more room here, Little Filly. We’re just not mustangs with glowing bodies, we have certain abilities we are allowed to use when it calls for it and I believe this is one of those circumstances. You see our race is slowly dying out, so when our kind meet their mate it is celebrated and hoped that many children will come from the union. To harm one of our mates, it’s not just us that could come after this group. We are all protected from the vast planets out there. We are called many times to travel to other worlds in search of these souls, since we can go anywhere.”

  “The fact that you travel to other planets is amazing, but how long are those trips?” Haven asked.

  Landon laughed. “Goofy, you’ll go with us. We do not leave our mates anywhere unprotected. When I say we are very protective, jealous I hate to say it, but we go overboard,” Landon grinned, hearing Haven suck in her breath as he turned down the road toward his branch.

  “We’ll talk about that and where are we going. All my belongings are at your father’s,” she said, watching outside as he drove down his driveway which was a mile long. “Is that Cody and the others?” she asked, pointing to his brother and their group.

  “Yes, my brother is the brown stallion in the front. As for your belongings, most of your things were all ready in boxes so I had a few of dad’s men bring them over. Your clothes and personal things have also been brought over. This is your home now, Haven.”

  He pulled her car up to the garage and turned to her. “I see the wheels working. Go on what do you have to say?” he asked as his brother opened her door and knelt down next to her.

  “Whoever went and gathered my belongings, I’m going to personally chop off their hands. I haven’t agreed to any of this you know that. We’re not even going to broach the mate thing until this death threat over my head is taken care of. But I agree on being here instead of at your father’s. We don’t need them going and destroying their house.” She frowned. “Maybe I should just…”

  Cody leaned over and covered her mouth with his in a hard punishing, quick kiss, before he nipped her lower lip. “You will not be staying anywhere but here. Come, let us show you around.” Cody unhooked her seatbelt and helped her out of her car. “By the way, I love the car. It suites you.”

  “I had money saved from my father and working, figured why not go out in a bang,” she said, shrugging. “My favorite color is red and I love this baby, fell in love with it the first time I saw her.” Haven ran her hand over the hood as they moved to their home.

  “Wow, you guys really went all out. It reminds me of the old house you would see in the south with the pillars, but I love the solar panels on it. I take it you can see out those too?” she asked, impressed with the wrap-around porch as they stepped up onto it. “Look at that view.”

  “Little Filly, I promise we’ll show you everything, but our band of riders will be here soon and we need to know everything you were going to do. Anything you can tell us about where Reynolds is staying would also help.” Landon placed his hand on her back and escorted her inside where Thor and Turtle were already there putting out food and drinks.

  “We eat a lot and burn a lot of calories too when we shift. Please sit. What would you like?” he asked, making himself a plate as she watched Thor and Turtle.

  “Um, shouldn’t you formally introduce me to the two making food with you?” she questioned. “I’ll have a couple slices of the pizza and a pop.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cody said, placing her pizza in front of her. “Thor is the one with the blond hair and Turtle is the other. We’ve been with the both of them for about hundred years?” Cody asked and both men nodded.

  “At least. What kind of pop would you like Haven? And it’s a pleasure to meet you. I have to say I had a blast watching these two squirm,” Turtle said.

  Landon slapped him upside the head. “Watch it bud. Just remember you haven’t found your mate yet either and I’ll get my mate a drink,” he grumbled and glanced to see Haven laughing. �
��It’s not funny. Now what would you like?”

  “Black Cherry please, and it is funny. Shit, your dad is like you, right?” she asked and he nodded, placing her pop in front of her.

  “They aren’t here on Earth are they?” she asked and he smiled.

  “I do believe we have a very smart mate,” Cody said as the door opened behind him.

  “If she was so smart, she wouldn’t have gone after the assholes by herself,” Sandra said, coming up to Landon, running her hand down his arm. “Are you sure she’s your mate?”

  The chair scraped back and Haven got up. “I’m their mate and if you touch them again I’ll shove your hand so far up your ass you won’t be able to get it out. I don’t know who you are, but don’t push me, jackass,” Haven smiled, waiting.

  But Warden, Sandra’s mate, came in the door. “Sandra apologize to the alpha’s mate before they take you out now!”

  “Well it’s the…” Before Sandra could finish her sentence, Haven had Sandra face first on the kitchen floor with a knife at her throat and Sandra’s hands behind her back. “Never judge a person by how they appear, you’ll lose every time. And as I said, touch what is mine and you’ll lose the hand. I don’t care who you are or who you are mated to.”

  Chapter Four

  To say she was furious was an understatement. Yes, Haven had made a fatal mistake trusting her friend, but then her parents should have informed them what was going on long ago, but they hadn’t.

  Haven stared out at the scenery stuffing a piece of pizza in her mouth. She hated having to prove herself to anyone and that was what that had been about. But what had her really angry about was the fact that Sandra had made sure Haven had claimed the Stang brother’s, her stepbrothers as her mates, when she had wanted to wait.

  She hadn’t even waited for the apology, just grabbed her food and stormed outside, needing some air. “Mom, can you hear me?” Haven waited, not sure of anything since her mom wasn’t even on the planet.