The Turtle and the Hare (Furry United Coalition)

by Amanda Kimberley

  Carol waited a few minutes for them to leave and then used her little ferret paws to unscrew the vent plate before sliding out of the chute. She quietly opened the drawer containing the anti-shifter potion and packed all five of them into her mouth, being careful that they didn’t leak and end up turning her human before she was back on the outside.

  She scurried all the way back to the roof with the vials in her mouth, and only once she was out of the vent did she spit them out and change back into human form.

  “Peter is a mole!” Carol burst out the moment she could.

  “Peter? Down the hall from you Peter? Isn’t he a silver fox?” Harriet asked.

  Carol knitted her brows. “What?”

  “You know—a fox shifter. Isn’t Peter one?” Harriet asked.

  “Oh! Yeah, but I meant mole as in he’s the leak at Furry United Coalition,” Carol said in a huff. “You know, I always thought he was a snake.”

  “You mean a fox. They can be shifty too.”

  “Yeah, you’re right, at least in Sam’s case. Just don’t let Renee hear you say that.” The last thing Carol wanted was to be on the bad side of Viktor’s paramour. “So, here are the vials. Since you said you heard them saying they didn’t have many, I’m hoping this is it. When I saw how small the vials were, I figured I’d bring them up here instead of destroying them. We might be able to use these to our advantage.”

  “We’ll bag them—they’re evidence. Did you find any sign of more than the four we’d seen?”

  “I only saw Peter and one other man, Sam, a snake shifter.”

  Harriet nodded. “It sounds like we can do this.”

  “We better hurry. Peter and Sam said they’re going to move the king and Stan into lockup, so it will be harder for us to get them out.”

  “Let me signal for Lear.”

  After signaling Lear, Harriet shifted and followed Carol, who was back in ferret form, down the chute. Luckily for Harriet, her hybrid form allowed her to be larger or smaller as she needed, and while she was larger when she had to haul Lear, she needed to be smaller now as she went after Carol.

  It seemed to take forever to get through the corridors in the chute. And all the while, Harriet worried about Lear, the king, and Stan. She had little idea of the king’s or Stan’s condition. And what was worse was she wasn’t sure if Lear had already gone inside to confront these guys without backup. Just the mere thought of him hurt shattered her, and having it happen on her watch might destroy her.

  They finally came upon a vent in the wall, where Carol gestured. Harriet assumed it led to the room where Carol had gotten the vials. Carol removed the plate and slid through. Harriet shook her head to wipe away all the previous thoughts and fears she had of Lear and crept into the room. Harriet’s paws had barely touched the ground before Carol was already climbing onto a counter and jumping on the door handle to open it.

  The two critters scurried down the hallway, peeking into each room before continuing forward to the main room where they knew King Gregor and Stan remained prisoner.

  They had just entered into the room when Lear threw open the doors on the opposite side. He’d transformed into a semi-shifted state—the main form of a man but with tough turtle skin—and headed straight for Peter’s jugular.

  Harriet sprang into action, beefing up into her larger hybrid size so she could box Sam the snake. He tried to dodge Harriet’s front paws and was successful with the first couple, but he failed as soon as Harriet thwarted his right hook with her hind legs. She threw Sam against a wall, whipping his head against thick concrete and knocking him out cold.

  Harriet turned back to find Lear had Peter pinned against a wall on the opposite side of the room. She looked for signs of the others but only saw wolf tails fleeing the same way Lear had come in.

  Cowards. And they say wolves are so tough.

  While Lear zip-tied both Sam’s and Peter’s hands, Carol hurried off to let in Harriet’s parents, and Harriet flew to King Gregor and Stan. She made quick work of chewing through the ropes that held them still, but neither was quick to get up. Whatever was in the potion, it hadn’t completely worn off yet.

  Carol returned, and tossed bags at them. Harriet and Lear shifted and dressed, and in their human forms they were better able to try and rouse the king and Stan.

  “Father! Are you all right?”

  With Lear at King Gregor’s side, Harriet bounded outside to find her clothes and shift, as Carol had just finished doing.

  “You did it!” Harriet’s mother grabbed her into a big hug.

  “Never doubted you for a second,” her father added.

  Harriet wasn’t going to debate the truth in that. She had more pressing issues to worry about, like getting everyone out of there and making sure none of their blood samples remained behind. At least her parents followed her inside this time.

  “Do you know where they put your blood samples?” Harriet asked, stepping up to Stan. She gave him some light slaps on the cheek to regain more consciousness.

  He groaned in reply.

  King Gregor was more help. “I’m not sure where they are. But that anti-shift potion was awful. My head is splitting.”

  Just then, the backup Harriet’s parents had called arrived. With Stan still out of commission, Carol took the lead, briefing the FUC team on what went down and informing them of the missing blood samples.

  “They’ll tear this place from top to bottom to find those samples, King Gregor,” Harriet promised.

  “I know they will,” he said, taking Lear’s arm and slowly standing up.

  Harriet turned her attention to Stan, who seemed to be coming around. “Did you slap me?” he asked.

  “I was helping.” Harriet’s heart was conflicted. On the one hand, she’d taken a little pleasure slapping him. He’d not trusted her, and maybe if he’d been less concerned about her and more concerned with doing his job right, none of this would have happened.

  On the other hand, even though Stan seemed overly protective of her, she knew it came from a place of caring. He was like a second father to her, and she didn’t like seeing him in a situation like this.

  Stan curled a finger at her, motioning her closer to him. She braced herself for a chewing out. Instead, Stan surprised her with a compliment. “You were great. I watched the whole thing. I’m sorry I ever doubted you. You definitely have a great set of hinds on you.”

  “It’s all right, boss. I know you were only trying to protect me. Same with my parents,” Harriet said with a smile. “Let’s just get you back to the academy so Dr. Manners can check you out, and we’ll sort all the rest out in the morning.”

  “Yeah, definitely. But take the day off tomorrow. You’ve earned it. Maybe spend it with a certain prince?” Stan said with a wink.

  “Sir?” Harriet’s eyes widened at the remark.

  “Harriet, we know love when we see it,” King Gregor chimed in. “You and Lear are in love. You’re fated mates. Now go and have some fun. You both have my blessing!”

  10

  With Carol leading the FUC backup team’s search for blood samples and serums and her parents handling transport for King Gregor and Stan, Harriet and Lear were free to return to her condo.

  “I just want to rest up a little, and then we can go for a late breakfast or something,” she said when she entered her home and instantly felt exhaustion overwhelming her.

  “That sounds wonderful, so long as we aren’t sleeping the majority of the time we’re in bed,” Lear said with a wink.

  “I wasn’t planning on going to bed right away. I wanted a shower first,” Harriet retorted with her own wink. “Last one to the shower is a rotten egg!”

  “Oh no, you don’t!” Lear laughed as he tried to dart past her toward her master bath, but Harriet had already stripped her clothing before he made it through the door.

  He tore his clothes off just as quickly and followed her into the larger than normal stall. The shower was the first thing she had remode
led in her condo because the previous stall was too confining and outdated for her tastes. Not that she fell victim to claustrophobia, but even the previous stall, though large, made her feel as if the walls were closing in around her. She now had a glorous, extra-large stall with multiple shower jets that massaged her aching muscles after a long day at the office and were a definite perk to the expensive remodel. Another was the versatile use of the handheld for her own personal enjoyment.

  But now, with Lear’s wet body standing next to her, she wondered if her lady parts would work for anything other than him again. The pulse setting of her handheld had nothing on Lear’s tongue.

  But she wanted more.

  She couldn’t help but notice his erection was long with a thick girth. Her eyes widened at the massive member. How could he zip his pants and still manage to breathe? A bigger question, how was that whole thing going to fit inside her?

  “You are absolutely beautiful,” Lear said as he claimed her lips and pulled her to his waist. His erection pressed against her, and she moaned in response to his fingers prodding her inner lips. “I want you, Harriet.” His other hand gripped her backside before his finger slipped into her slick folds. His lips brushed her chin briefly before ducking down to suck on each of her nipples.

  “Oh, Lear,” she murmured almost in an inaudible tone as her hand found the tip of his rod. Instinctively she found herself matching his rhythm in her strokes. “Baby, I need you inside me.”

  His palms found her cheeks once more before he stepped back from her slightly.

  “And you will have me, but there’s no rush. First, let’s wash the day off,” he said as he reached for her lacy loofa and grabbed the bottle of shower gel off of the ledge. He added the gel and scrubbed the lace together until it formed a rich lather and spilled onto both of his arms.

  “Turn around,” he whispered into her ear before giving it a lick.

  She turned to face the wall as the loofa started to massage her neck and shoulders.

  “You seem to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, darling, and I don’t want you having that kind of burden before bed. We must wash that stress from your body with my words, this soap, and the serenity of the water. I expect your undivided attention when we make love. And the only way to accomplish that is for you to relax.”

  They were words she had never heard from anyone she had ever known or dated. And they were welcoming ones. Never, not ever, had she dated someone that wanted to relax so completely. None had cared enough to start an intimate bond before a sexual encounter. Their caring only seemed to start when their appendage was at the brink of arousal. Lear’s patience with her proved different. He wanted her, all of her.

  She turned toward him and embraced him. She rubbed his back and claimed his lips before she buried her head in his chest. “How do you know me this well?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it’s because we were meant for each other. It’s like I already know you,” he said with a slight chuckle.

  “This is true.”

  Harriet stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry off. Lear pulled her close, drying her off before swooping her into his arms. He carried her to the bed and tucked her in before he joined her on the other side. He pulled her body close to his and kissed her lips.

  “I want you, Harriet,” he said as traced a finger from the tip of her nose to her lips and down the length of her body.

  “I want you too.”

  His fingers traced back up her thigh until they settled on her inner lips. “I can tell,” he said as he claimed her lips and straddled her hips.

  He slowly entered her, and she let out a soft moan.

  “You feel so good, baby.”

  Together, they moved their bodies, him thrusting deep within her while she gyrated to meet him. The throes of their passion built, higher and higher, until they both found their release.

  “Come back to Skyros with me. I owe you that beach picnic on my favorite rock that overlooks the horizon.”

  Harriet’s mouth went dry. She wasn’t surprised by the question, but the quickness of everything was dizzying. It had been only a few days since their first night together. King Gregor had wrapped up his business and was eager to get back to Skyros. He and Lear both wanted to leave the Zagan/Peter mess in the past, as soon as possible.

  And Lear had finished his business in BC as well. He hadn’t had to look far to find his mate, or so he told her. And if she refused? Would he look for a different mate? Or would he finally accept one of the sisters of Skyros that he talked about so often?

  Harriet wanted to say yes. She wanted to see where the adventure took her… but what about her career? She’d just shown what an asset she could be to FUC. Could she just walk away from it now? And what about her parents and friends? When would she get to see them again?

  There were too many questions swimming around in her head, and she felt like she was doing a breaststroke against the current.

  Can I leave everything I know behind?

  “Harriet? What’s wrong?” Lear asked as he palmed her shoulders.

  “It’s nothing,” she said as she tried to shake the doubts from her mind.

  “Are you sure?”

  Harriet let out a sigh. “Yes, no. I don’t know. I mean going to Skyros is a big deal. Becoming your mate is one, too. I’m one hundred percent positive that’s what I want in my heart, but I guess I didn’t really think too much about any of the ramifications of my decision. My head was either focused on the case or on wanting to keep you safe. All I’ve focused on was how much I want you in my life. I didn’t even take the time to figure out what either of us would have to give up in order for us to be together.”

  “Harriet, things have a way of working themselves out. My mother was in a similar position as you many, many years ago. Her life changed drastically when she moved to Skyros, but she was still able to put all she’d learned to good use as the queen of Skyros.”

  Queen. Harriet hadn’t even thought about that. Could she be a queen?

  Lear must have read the increasing panic on her face. “What if we take it a step at a time? Come for a week. Decide then if you want to stay longer.”

  They were on the private plane and headed for Skyros. It was the trip of a lifetime, with a man she was certain she loved.

  She’d wanted to take in the rich Greek culture ever since she’d heard the stories about Zeus and Athena from her mythology classes. And now, she was going to get to see the Aegean Sea up close. The water, at least from what she had seen from Google images, was crystal clear, like something out of a fairy tale.

  Not to mention, she was looking forward to the warmer climate. Though she enjoyed having the four seasons, winter wasn’t exactly her most favorite. The pure white backdrop that blanketed the mountains and trees was always tainted with the reminder of painful backbreaking snow shoveling.

  It would be strange not to have a white Christmas though…if she stayed in Skyros. Though now, thinking about Christmas, she couldn’t imagine celebrating without Lear.

  It really didn’t matter to her if they’d be spending it in front of a fireplace or not. Nothing but being with him mattered. A warmth came over her as she realized she needed this man in her life on a permanent basis.

  Lear nudged her, breaking her from her thoughts. “We’re almost there. Are you getting excited about seeing the sights?”

  Harriet smiled. “Yes, I am, and more than you can imagine.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain, but it’s almost like I’m coming home instead of visiting Skyros.”

  Lear smiled. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.” He reached for her hand and brought the back of it to his lips. “I am so happy that you are here with me. I hope you enjoy Skyros as much as I do.”

  11

  It had been three months since Harriet left British Columbia for Skyros, three months since she’d last seen her parents and Carol, but that was
about to change.

  They would all be together that day to celebrate Harriet’s union with Lear and Skyros.

  Harriet slid on her dress, which clung to all of her curves perfectly. It was a combination of pearl sequins, lace, and silk. Harriet’s mother entered the bedroom just as Harriet was placing the tiara on her head.

  “Oh, Harriet, you look absolutely gorgeous,” Mrs. Hopper said as she palmed Harriet’s cheeks. “My baby is all grown up!”

  “Your baby has been grown up, Mom.”

  “True. How has the transition been? How has your Skyros political training been?”

  “It’s been wonderful. I must admit that it’s kind of nice to live on a peaceful island that doesn’t have a lot of need for investigating hidden science laboratories or tracking down botched experiments. Even so, working for the citizens here is fulfilling. More than I could dream of.”

  “I’m so happy to hear that,” Mrs. Hopper said as she fanned her face to dry the wetness dotting the corners of her eyes.

  “Mom, stop that! You are going to make me cry, and I don’t have time to re-do my face!” Harriet said with a sniffle and a chuckle.

  Mr. Hopper entered the room with a knock on the doorframe. “Are you ready to walk down that aisle, sweetie? Because your escort is here.”

  “I’m ready, Dad,” Harriet said with a smile as she got up from her dressing table. She wrapped her arms around the elbow that her father extended to her.

  “Well, I’d better take my seat!” Mrs. Hopper said.

  Both Harriet and her father waited just outside the entrance of the grand ballroom of the castle for their entrance. Carol, Harriet’s maid of honor, descended the staircase with Treasure, Lear’s best woman, first. Carol looked so graceful as she glided down the stairs, and Harriet hoped she would follow with the same amount of grace. Music started to play, and Harriet held on to her father a little tighter.