Fairplay Shifters Boxset

by Serena Meadows

  The amulet still hung around his neck, a subtle reminder that there was more at stake here than just his feelings, that if Charlie wasn’t what she appeared to be there could be dire consequences. He knew that the smartest thing he could do was harden his heart to her, block his feelings for her at least until the amulet was safely back where it belonged, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

  He wanted Charlie, wanted to hold her and protect her, to make her smile and laugh. She’d found her way into his heart, and he wasn’t going to push her back out, even though it was the smartest he could do. Resigned to the path he’d chosen and the risk it entailed, he turned and headed back for the ranch, it was late and now that he’d made up his mind, sleep sounded like the best thing in the world.

  ***Charlie***

  Throwing back the covers, Charlie got out of bed and walked over to the window and parted the curtains. It was the third time that night she’d done so, but this time she saw a shadow in the trees that hadn’t been there before. Thinking that it was her imagination, she started to turn away, but then she saw it again.

  At first it was just a flash of movement, but it was enough for her to know that there was something out there moving around in the trees. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness outside the window, she saw flashes of something light colored pacing back and forth through the trees. Then to her shock, Steven stepped out of the woods and walked toward the house.

  It hit her like a punch in the chest that the golden shape she’d seen in the woods had been him, making her breath catching in her throat. When she could breath again, she stumbled over to the bed and sat down, Steven had said that their favored animal was the mountain lion, but seeing it was so much different that hearing it.

  Up until now, there’d still been a small part of her that didn’t believe all that she’d been told, but now that she’d seen it with her own eyes, it was impossible to deny the truth. The logical part of her mind reminded her that it could have been a trick, that Steven could have staged the entire thing, but deep down she knew that he hadn’t, that what she’d seen had been real.

  That was when it hit her, when she realized that according to Margot, she might be a shifter. Suddenly gripped with fear, she crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Wishing she’d listened more closely to what Margot had said earlier that night, she wondered if one night she’d go to bed only to wake up as an animal, or if she’d be walking down the street one day and suddenly become a wolf.

  It occurred to her then, that she was like a ticking bomb, ready to explode at any second. The fear that one day she’d be normal and then suddenly she’d be something else, something that would scare other people froze her in the bed. Her life would never be the same now that she knew the truth, and until it happened she was suspended between her old life and her new one.

  Unable to stop the sudden panic that gripped her, she let out a little scream of fear, then clamped her hand over her mouth. But only seconds later she heard the pounding of feet on the stairs and Steven burst into the room.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking around the room for the cause of her scream. Then he saw the look on Charlie’s face. “Are you okay? Is everything alright?”

  Charlie took several ragged breaths, then said, “No, everything is all wrong. I’m scared Steven. What’s going to happen to me?”

  The fear in her blue eyes was clear to him from all the way across the room, so he walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. “It’s going to be okay, we’re going to help you through this. We’ll just take it one day at a time,” he said, taking her hand.

  “That’s easy for you to say, you’re not the one who’s going to spend every minute wondering when you’re going to turn into…...” Charlie paused, then went on. “I don’t even know what I’m going to turn into. I don’t know anything about being a shifter and it scares me to not know what’s coming.”

  Steven gathered her up in his arms, unable to stop himself, then leaned back against the head board. “Would it help if I told you about being a shifter? I wasn’t sure you were ready.”

  Charlie nodded her head, then snuggled down into his arms with a big sigh which sent a huge wave of desire racing through him. Pushing it aside, he said, “It doesn’t hurt when we change, actually it feels kind of good, probably because before we change there’s a big build up of power deep inside us. It’s that power that you’ll feel first, it makes your body vibrate and tingle, then you’ll notice that your senses will get stronger. You’ll be able to see better, smell better, and hear things better, it can be a bit strange at first, but you’ll get used to that.”

  “And then what, I just become an animal,” Charlie said, her voice catching on the word animal.

  “Sort of, at least at first. Later you’ll be able to learn to control it, to shift only when you want to,” Steven said, then asked, “That doesn’t sound so bad does it?”

  “I guess not,” she said, smiling up at him. Then a frown crossed her face again, “Steven, what if I’m not a shifter? What does that mean? Do I have real parents out there somewhere looking for me, I don’t know if I can stand that thought.”

  “I suppose it’s possible, but if that’s the case, hopefully my dad and Justin will be able to help solve that mystery. They’re in Florida right now looking for any information they can find about your family,” Steven said.

  “Why? What difference does it make now?” Charlie asked.

  Steven hadn’t expected her to ask that question, and wasn’t quite ready to tell her about the amulet. “Oh, well we still have a few loose ends that need to be tied up. My dad wants to know for sure if he was Clarise and Gerome’s father or if that was just a story they made up.”

  Charlie seemed satisfied with that answer. “Have they found anything?”

  “Not really, but thanks to you, they have a few leads they’ve been following so maybe they will soon,” Steven said.

  Charlie was silent for a long time, and he was beginning to think that she’d fallen asleep but then she said, “I don’t have anywhere to go when I leave here and I’m afraid to be on my own.”

  Steven thought his heart was going to burst, her voice was so quiet, so sad. “Charlie you can stay here as long as you want, there’s plenty of work to be done with most of the family gone, and then we can help you through this. This ranch was built to keep shifters safe from the world and that includes you.”

  “What if I’m not a shifter?” Charlie asked.

  “Then we’ll find your parents, figure out exactly who you are,” Steven said, as if it would be a simple thing to do.

  Charlie looked up at him, “Thank you Steven,” she said, then snuggled back down in his arms and closed her eyes. “I’ll just take it one day at a time, as long as I know you’re here I’ll be okay.”

  It wasn’t long before Charlie was snoring softly in his arms, knowing that he had to get some distance between them before he did something stupid, he slid out of bed and pulled the covers up over her. He silently crept out of her room, and headed down stairs, but just as he went by Daniel’s door, it opened.

  “What are you doing up here?” Daniel asked, suspiciously.

  “Didn’t you hear Charlie scream?” Steven asked, keeping his voice a whisper. “She got freaked out and started screaming so I came up to check on her.”

  “That better have been all you were doing?” Daniel said, glaring at Steven.

  Steven glared back at him, “What I do with Charlie is none of your business. I’ve asked her to stay for a while, at least until we figure out who she really is,” he said, then turned and went down stairs, annoyed that his brother would think that he’d take advantage of Charlie, even though that was exactly what he’d been thinking about.

  Chapter 11

  ***Charlie***

  When Charlie woke the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky and she knew that Steven and Daniel had left the house hours before. She showered and dressed, the
n headed for the kitchen, thinking about coffee and breakfast. Some of her fear and terror from the night before was still with her, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been in the night.

  She found a note from Daniel on the kitchen table, then began rummaging around in the cabinets for coffee only to find that the jar was empty. Hoping for breakfast, she opened the refrigerator only to find that it was as empty as the cabinets. Frustrated, she considered going into town for breakfast but then thought of Margot, even if breakfast was over, she’d have some coffee.

  When she got to the bunkhouse kitchen, she followed the smell of coffee through the dining room and into the kitchen. Margot turned when she walked into the kitchen, “Well, good morning. You look much better than when I saw you last night,” she said, smiling at Charlie.

  Charlie managed a smile, “But that’s not going to last unless I get some coffee and soon. There’s nothing at the ranch house, not even milk,” Charlie said.

  Margot shook her head, “Typical men. I made a fresh pot just a few minutes ago, help yourself.”

  After a few sips, Charlie began to feel better. “Steven said that I could stay as long as I want,” she said, watching for Margot’s reaction.

  “I think that’s an excellent idea. It might be good for you to stay here for a while, at least until we figure out what’s going on with you.”

  Charlie nodded, “You mean until we figure out if I’m a shifter or not.”

  Margot nodded, “You’ve had quite a shock, it might be good for you to be some place safe.”

  “Do you think I’ll just suddenly start shifting? Steven seems to think it’ll happen slowly, that I’ll know long before it happens that it’s going to.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know how it will happen. I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I’ve been around for a long time,” Margot said, putting a plate of bacon and eggs in front of Charlie and sitting down with her at the table.

  Charlie looked at her gratefully, mumbled, “Thanks,” then began to eat.

  Margot let her eat for a few minutes, “There’s something I wanted to ask you Charlie,” she said, then waited. Charlie nodded her head since her mouth was full. “What happens when you hurt yourself, you know get a bruise or a cut?”

  Charlie stared at her for a second, “What do you mean?”

  “Well, shifters have amazing healing capabilities. When we get hurt we heal much faster than regular humans. Have you ever been sick, a cold or the flu?”

  Charlie had to think about that, then realized that she never got sick, had never even had a cold. “Well, now that I think about it, I never get sick. I can remember everyone in the dorms getting a cold, but I never did.”

  “What about when you hurt yourself?”

  “Hmm, I don’t know, I’ve never really paid any attention to how long it takes me to heal, but I don’t hurt myself very often,” Charlie said. “Do you think that means I’m a shifter?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but it sounds like it,” Margot said.

  “I just wish I knew one way or the other, this not knowing is driving me crazy. I feel like I’m going to explode with wondering,” Charlie said, pushing her plate away, suddenly no longer hungry.

  “I think you just need to give it some time. Now that you know the truth about your family, those memories you’ve been blocking may start to come to the surface, once they do I think everything will become clear,” Margot said, taking her plate to the sink.

  “I’m scared,” Charlie admitted for the second time in less that twelve hours.

  Margot crossed the room and sat down next to Charlie, “I know you are and I don’t blame you, but you’re not alone. We’re here to help in any way we can. Maybe the best thing for you right now would be to get your mind off it, I’m sure that Daniel and Steven could use some help in the barn.”

  Charlie knew that she was right, she’d become so obsessed with the possibility she was a shifter that it had completely taken over her brain. “I suppose you’re right, but I think what I should be doing is getting some food for the ranch house, there’s nothing there.”

  “I think that’s a great idea and I could use a few things from town myself. I’ll tell you what, I’ll go and change my clothes and we’ll go together. My assistant can handle lunch for me today and we’ll make a day out of it,” Margot said.

  Half an hour later, they bumped onto the dirt road in an old truck that Margot insisted that they take. “This old truck and I have been through a lot,” she said, then launched into a story about driving over the pass in the dead of winter in the snow.

  Charlie let herself get sucked into the story, happy to forget her problems for a few minutes. Only time was going to tell her what she needed to know, and now that Clarise and Gerome were gone, she had nothing but time. Someday she’d have to figure out how to finish her degree, but for now she was in limbo until everything became clear.

  ***Steven***

  Steven was just coming out of the barn when Margot and Charlie drove away from the ranch in Margot’s beat up pickup truck. He felt a stab of fear when he realized that Margot might be taking her to town so that she could leave since he still had the keys to Charlie’s rental car. But then he dismissed the fear, Margot would never just take Charlie to town, she would have told him first.

  He was tempted to get into his truck and follow them, but he trusted Margot, what ever she was up to, there had to be a good reason. But as the day wore on and lunch time approached he began to worry again, so it was a relief when they stopped for lunch and headed for the bunkhouse kitchen.

  As soon as he got inside, he headed straight for the kitchen and found Margot’s assistant. “Where’s Margot, I need to talk to her,” he lied.

  “Oh, she went into town with Charlie to do some shopping,” the woman said.

  Steven was so relieved all he could do was stand there for a second, taking deep breaths as his heart beat returned to normal. “Did you want me to give her a message when she gets back?” the assistant asked, when he didn’t say anything.

  “What? Oh, no that’s fine. I’ll find her later,” he said, then left the kitchen.

  Walking across the dining room with a huge smile on his face, he was very aware that his feelings for Charlie had gotten out of control, that he’d never cared about another woman this way. If it hadn’t been for the fact that she could be lying to them about everything he would have been the happiest man on Earth, but the amulet hanging around his neck reminded him that life wasn’t that simple.

  Filling his plate, he found his brother and sat down next to him. “What are you so happy about?” Daniel asked, when he saw Steven’s face.

  “Charlie went shopping with Margot,” Steven said, then took a huge bite of his food.

  “So?”

  “Well, she’s not leaving,” he said, taking another bite.

  “I thought that’s what you wanted?” Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Oh, really? And what brought on this change of heart? Is it because you finally believe Charlie or because you like her?” Daniel asked, trying to keep a straight face.

  Steven shot him a dirty look, “Mostly because I believe her, her reaction last night was genuine.”

  “Uh huh, why don’t you just admit that you like her?” Daniel asked, truly wanting to know.

  “Because you’d never let me hear the end of it and don’t forget I’ve still got this stupid amulet, if we’re wrong about her and she’s after it… I just have to be careful,” Steven said, shaking his head.

  “Are you still wearing that thing around your neck?” Daniel asked, then when Steven nodded he said, “Don’t you think it would be safe back in the desk? I still don’t think it’s a good idea to wear it around your neck.”

  “It’s fine, Annabelle put a spell on it, it won’t be doing any harm for a long time,” Steven said, dismissing his brother’s worry.

  ***Charlie***

>   Charlie set the last dish down on the table, stepped back and decided that the table looked perfect and that the food smelled wonderful. Pleased with what she’d accomplished that afternoon, she went back into the kitchen to check on the food once more, nervous that if she left it for too long it would burn.

  She’d never been much of a cook, but she needed a distraction, a challenge to take her mind off what was happening to her. It had been Margot’s idea after she discovered that Charlie couldn’t do much more than boil water or operate a microwave, but it hadn’t taken much to convince her that it was a good idea.

  Now she had a kitchen full of food, a book of recipes and a lot of time to work on them. She was just dishing up the last bowl of food when she heard the boys come in, and smiled, glad that they were right on time. Feeling kind of strange, she went out to greet them, suddenly nervous about how they were going to feel about her taking over their kitchen.

  Steven was the first to walk into the dining room, he looked at the table first and then up at Charlie who was setting a bowl on the table. “Wow, what’s this?” he asked, grinning at her with pleasure.

  Charlie felt a warm spot growing in her chest when Steven smiled at her like that, and her knees felt a little wobbly, but she managed to say, “I wanted to say thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

  “Well, it looks wonderful,” Steven said, his eyes meeting hers, starting up a swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

  “Margot helped me, but I did most of it on my own. I figured since I was going to be staying a while it might be a good time to learn to cook,” Charlie said, feeling as if she’d said too much.

  “Sounds like a good idea to me,” Daniel said, “especially if you’re going to cook like this every night.”

  Charlie was relieved to hear Daniel’s words, but she was waiting for Steven’s response, afraid that he’d changed his mind about her staying. “I think that sounds like a great idea, but you don’t have to cook for us, we can eat at the bunkhouse kitchen with everyone else.”