Knight of Lions

  Kinkaid Shifters

  Bianca D'Arc

  Hawk Publishing, LLC

  Copyright © 2026 by Bianca D'Arc

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

  The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

  Fated mates, shifter secrets, and a mission that could tear the world apart.

  Liam Kinkaid is a Navy SEAL lion shifter, born into the legendary Kinkaid family and sworn to protect the innocent. When a dangerous magical threat emerges on Long Island, Liam is ready to rely on instinct, strength, and his military training to stop it.

  His partner in this mission is Lina Goodwell, a brilliant FBI agent and lynx shifter who knows everything he doesn’t about investigative procedure. Working together, they soon discover a powerful attraction neither can deny.

  As their investigation uncovers a potentially deadly ritual centered on Tesla’s old Wardenclyffe Tower site, the danger escalates. With time running out, they must decide which comes first—their mission or their passion.

  Knight of Lions delivers high-stakes action, sizzling chemistry, and fated-mate romance in a paranormal world where love can be as dangerous as magic.

  Dedication & Author's Note

  This book is dedicated to my late father, who was inspired by all things Tesla. My dad was a scientist, but also a dreamer. He loved solving problems and imagining “What if?” and he used that to invent a number of things that had a great impact on space exploration and our everyday lives. Not that he ever saw the money from those things. He was working for a defense contractor at the time and they reaped the benefits of his inventions. It’s enough for the family to know what he did and how the things he invented impact us all.

  I’d also like to thank my readers for being willing to travel with me in these ongoing adventures. I’m so glad you continue to come along for the ride!

  And, please note: I’ve taken a few liberties with one of the locations used in this book. The Tesla Science Center, at the time I am writing this, does not really exist as it will in the future. They only just broke ground for the visitor’s center this summer, and the old laboratory has yet to be restored. I made the decision to imagine the place as it will be in the future. Not as it stands at this exact moment. I hope I imagined it correctly, and thanks for your indulgence.

  And yes, I know having a hero named Liam and a heroine named Lina is confusing. Believe me, I didn't really anticipate that was going to happen until all the characters began clicking into place a few years ago. It never really occurred to me until I started writing this book and stumbled a bit, thinking "Oh, man. This is going to be tricky." Hopefully, it's not too bad and you'll forgive me at some point. LOL. I will try not to do anything like this again, but with so many books and so many character names (which I never really remember until I'm writing the book), I'm bound to make the occasional boo-boo. My sincere apologies for any confusion.

  And finally… Many thanks to Peggy and Jess for helping me whip this book into shape. You guys are awesome.

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Bianca D'Arc Backlist Titles

  Chapter 1

  “I’ve got a mission with your name on it, Liam. What do you say?”

  Liam almost gulped. The Alpha of all Lions had called Liam in the middle of his workday to ask a favor. He swallowed hard. When the Alpha of all Lions called with a mission, there was really only one answer.

  “What do you need from me, Alpha?” He’d have to learn more before he could figure out how to keep his commitment to the Navy while accomplishing whatever the Alpha had in mind for him.

  “We have solid intel that Mrs. Entwistle is back in your area. I’ve contacted a few people and gained clearance for you to liaise with a lynx shifter I think you may already know. She’s got the investigative skills and law enforcement connections while you know the quarry and have the skills and brawn that the lynx may lack. She’s agreed, and I’ve cleared it with both of your command structures so this mission is sanctioned on all levels,” Sam said, surprising the heck out of Liam. He’d known the billionaire Alpha had connections, but he hadn’t known he had those kind of connections.

  “You’re talking about Lina Goodwell, right? The FBI agent.” Liam asked, the facts clicking into place.

  “That’s the one,” Sam confirmed. “I spoke with her briefly, and she’s amenable to helping locate Mrs. E. She’s working out of the New York office right now and will meet with you tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred at the following coordinates.” Sam rattled off a sequence of numbers that Liam quickly jotted down.

  He tried to settle his mind, even though it was reeling from the idea of seeing the sexy lynx shifter again. They’d met only briefly, but she’d made a lasting impression. Beautiful and a bit aloof, something about her had made his inner lion sit up and take notice.

  “You should know that your cousin, Gavin, found his mate and took down the Rollins dynasty in the process. She’s a Lightbringer, Liam. We’re having the mating celebration tonight.”

  Liam nearly dropped the phone. A Lightbringer? He’d heard legends, but never thought they were real. “Holy shit.”

  “My thoughts exactly. Point being, we’ve got a little breathing room now. Time to clean up the remaining threats before they regroup.”

  “What’s she like? All that power…”

  “Actually, she’s very sweet and a good match for Gavin,” Sam replied.

  “Do Rich, Billy and Colt know?” Liam asked, referring to the three brothers who had been estranged from the Kinkaid Clan until recently. The two oldest were living on Long Island now with their new mates. Their late mother had been a runaway Rollins, so Gavin’s new mate must be related to them in some way.

  “Not yet, but you can fill them in. Colt will probably get to them first, though. The party is tonight,” Sam added with a chuckle.

  “I’m sorry to miss it,” Liam said, meaning it. He might not always have seen eye to eye with Gavin over the years. Especially when Gavin chose the life of a soldier of fortune rather than serving Uncle Sam. But he was a good guy, and they were family. Liam made a mental note to text Gavin after he got off the phone with the Alpha, to offer his congratulations.

  “With the Rollins dynasty quelled for now, we’ve only got a few more immediate problems to deal with. I want you to work on finding Mrs. Entwistle. I’ll handle Abdul Kettering,” Sam announced, surprising Liam.

  “By yourself?” Liam asked, unable to hide the concern in his tone. The Alpha was vital to the health of the Clan. Liam didn’t like him risking himself, though he supposed Sam being the warrior he was, he couldn’t let everyone else fight his battles for him.

  “Don’t sound so worried or I’ll have to fly up there and kick your ass, just to remind you I can.” The threat was said with clear humor, but Liam understood he’d hit a nerve. Still, he didn’t like the idea of the Alpha sticking his neck out without backup.

  “Just please tell me you won’t go after him alone. You’re too important to the Clan to risk on a solo mission, Alpha,” Liam reminded his friend and leader.

  “I’m not going to go after him by myself. Don’t worry,” Sam reassured him.

  “It’ll take a team. I’ve studied Abdul a bit, and you’ll need a skilled group to take him out. He’s well protected and surrounded by Venifucus mages,” Liam reminded Sam.

  “Granny Tucker sent over an expert, and she’s been very helpful with the Rollins situation, among other things. She’s going to help with the mage problem if I can get close to Kettering,” Sam told Liam.

  “And how do you propose to do that? The man’s a recluse and hides out in his castle in Germany for the most part,” Liam said.

  “You let me worry about that, Liam,” Sam replied. “I belong to the same club he does, and if I want, I can move easily in those same circles.”

  “What circles are those?” Liam asked, perplexed for a moment.

  “The circles where money matters more than substance. You guys always forget that I’m the face of Kinkaid Industries. To the outside world, I’m an eccentric billionaire.” That last was said with a bit of disdain.

  “You’re right. I do keep forgetting that,” Liam admitted with a laugh. “Just promise me that you won’t go alone into those elite circles of yours. Peppard and his friend, Balam, would be welcome in those same places, and we know where they stand on the issue of
good and evil.”

  “They’re both mated now,” Sam reminded him. “But I hear what you’re saying. I have friends and allies to call on. I’ll remember.”

  Liam would have to be satisfied with that. It wasn’t for him to tell the Alpha what to do, though he felt comfortable with reminding him of his place in the Clan and the fact that he shouldn’t try to do everything all by himself.

  “That’s good to hear, Alpha, and thanks for trusting me to handle Mrs. E. I’ve wanted another shot at her since she escaped the battle on Long Island,” Liam admitted.

  “I’m sure Rich and Billy feel the same. Get them to help with surveillance, if you feel the need. I know their first priorities are their mates now, but I think they could help with logistical support. After all, Mrs. E did try to kill them and their mates the last time she was in the area. I’m sure they’ll jump at the chance to help,” Sam reminded Liam.

  Liam shook his head, a smile on his lips. “Yes, sir. I think I’ve just been hoisted by my own petard.”

  Sam chuckled. “I always liked that saying.”

  “Heard and understood, Alpha,” Liam replied, chuckling back.

  They hung up not long after, and Liam’s mind raced. He fired off a congratulatory text to Gavin. He knew the other man would be busy getting ready for his mating celebration, so he didn’t expect a quick reply, but Gavin texted back, thanking Liam for his good wishes and promising to call and catch up as soon as things settled down.

  With a smile on his face, Liam went back to work, already planning how to finish shutting down the island base while pursuing the investigation into Mrs. Entwistle’s current whereabouts. The traitor witch who had been trying to poison and kill her sister witches in one of the most powerful covens in the world and had been on the run ever since, summoning demons and raising hell.

  Liam shook his head. It sure looked like things were about to get interesting again.

  The more he thought over his talk with Sam, the more he marveled at all recent developments. The Rollins family dynasty of evil had fallen. Liam Kinkaid still couldn’t quite believe Gavin had managed the impossible by falling in love with a daughter of that cursed family and freeing her power. She was a Lightbringer, of all things. Liam had heard fables about such beings, but hadn’t thought they really existed. Then again, he’d seen a lot of weird shit in his life, especially in his adventures as a Navy SEAL.

  In fact, there’d been a recent run on weird occurrences since a unit of Army Green Berets had been sent to the secret island base Liam’s father had commanded off the coast of Long Island. Those Green Berets had been just regular guys before they’d met one of the ancient and powerful djinn in the Tower of Babel and been forever changed. Because his dad, Lester Kinkaid, was in charge of all troopers magical and different in the US Armed Forces these days, he’d been given orders to watch over those men as they figured out their new magical circumstances.

  Then, Liam had gotten tangled up with a coven of witches that had been hiding in plain sight for decades, if not centuries, on the coast of Long Island. The Marsh Witches of Sagaponack had been targeted, and when the trio of retired Spec Ops warriors who happened to be estranged Kinkaid lions had called for backup. Liam had gone in with a unit of shifter troops to help with the fight against evil. That’s when he’d met Rich, Billy and Colt for the first time.

  Venifucus agents had wanted to kill the witches and steal their considerable power. That ancient evil order had reared its ugly head time and time again as it became clear that the base he’d lived at for the past few years was no longer safe. The Army guys had bugged out to Wyoming, and the rest of the personnel had been dispersed awaiting new orders. The island base was being shut down and sanitized. Liam was commanding the skeleton crew that was seeing to the last of the cleanup while his father was out setting up a new base of operations for all the shifter troops that had been displaced. Liam would rejoin his father as soon as he settled things on the island.

  He almost had that finished, but the call from the Alpha meant he’d be staying in the area a bit longer. Sam was his cousin and the total badass King of all Lions. The fact that he’d called Liam direct wasn’t entirely unheard of, but it was definitely out of the norm.

  The mission, though, was right up Liam’s alley. He wanted to stop Mrs. E from causing any more trouble. He just hoped he was up to the challenge.

  Liam leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a long moment after finishing his last task of the day. His lion prowled just under his skin, restless at the thought of Mrs. Entwistle still on the loose.

  He hadn’t forgotten the way she’d slipped through their fingers. She had caused a lot of chaos, and spilled quite a bit of blood in the battle before she’d escaped. That memory still burned like acid in his gut. The witch was clever, ruthless, and dangerous. She’d poisoned her own sisters, raised demons, and cut a path of destruction straight through what had been one of the strongest covens in the world. If she managed to return unnoticed, she could try again, and even though those little old ladies were powerful witches, they weren’t really up for pitched battle.

  Liam had unfinished business with Mrs. E. He’d been trained to leave no mission half-accomplished, no enemy left to strike from the shadows. That she’d survived their last clash felt like a mark against his record, a loose thread he had to nip. He couldn’t allow her to try for the coven again.

  He blew out a slow breath, forcing the tension from his shoulders. Dwelling on it wouldn’t finish the job. Action would.

  Liam leaned back in his chair, forcing his shoulders to relax. This new mission would give him another shot at Mrs. E. Tonight, his mind kept circling back to a different kind of anticipation entirely. He’d be seeing the FBI lynx, Lina Goodwell, again tomorrow. Sweet anticipation filled him.

  The pretty lynx shifter had been cool and self-possessed when they’d met the first time. It had only been a brief introduction in the aftermath of an operation. She hadn’t lingered, hadn’t given him more than a polite nod and a crisp handshake, but that had been enough to set something alight inside him.

  She had gorgeous green eyes that missed nothing and she moved with a fluid grace, like every muscle was coiled to spring. She was definitely a cat, but different from the many lionesses in his own family. And beneath her professional detachment, she had a hint of wildness his lion had recognized instantly.

  He’d tried to forget her, but his inner lion had been unable to let her go. The memory of her had circled back at odd moments, unbidden. The idea of a lynx shifter with federal credentials, tangled up in his world of secrets and shadows had haunted him in quiet hours. Now fate was putting her in his path again and he didn’t know what to make of his own response.

  Liam allowed himself a small, wry smile. Maybe the Alpha knew more than he let on. Or maybe the universe had its own way of reminding Liam that unfinished business came in more than one form.

  He’d see her again tomorrow. Work with her. Hunt beside her. And his inner lion was more than ready.

  Chapter 2

  The email from her boss should have been routine. Another case file, another reminder of deadlines, another demand for reports written in bureaucratic doublespeak. Instead, along with the case file that had been flagged priority one, there was a single line of instruction: Follow up with Sam Kinkaid.

  That name alone was enough to make her pause.

  Lina closed the laptop and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She’d known, when she accepted the Bureau’s offer, that straddling two worlds would never be easy. To most of her colleagues, she was just another agent with a knack for catching what others missed. Few suspected she was anything more. Only a select few higher-ups understood that the lynx who sometimes walked in her skin gave her sharper instincts than any human training ever could.

  Now the Alpha of the Kinkaid Clan had cut through multiple layers of bureaucracy and asked for her by name. He wanted her on this case. Wanted her working with…

  She exhaled, lips pressing together. Liam Kinkaid. Holy wow.

  Their paths had crossed once, briefly, in the controlled chaos after a joint operation. A handshake, a curt exchange of credentials, the awareness of a man who carried himself with the kind of quiet authority you couldn’t fake. Most women would’ve called him handsome. He was tall, broad-shouldered, blond, with hard eyes that gave nothing away. But it hadn’t been his looks that stuck with her.