A Shifter's Healing Love

by T. Cobbin

  “Oh God, I bit you. I’m so sorry. I—” The scent of panic drifted from Danielle. Her hands pushed against his chest.

  “Stop,” he ordered low. “I’m okay. It happens.” He shrugged.

  “But…”

  He shook his head. “No buts, babe. I kinda like knowing you marked me.” He smirked.

  Danielle’s eyebrows raised.

  “You know, if you do let me bite you one day, you will gain these too.” He pointed toward one of his fangs. “Maybe then you might bite me again. Make me fully yours for all to see.” He ran his tongue over his top teeth and watched her gaze dart there before settling once again back to his eyes.

  “You don’t mind?” she asked in a small voice.

  “Nope. Do it again if you want.” He offered her the other side of his neck and rolled his hips so his erection moved inside of her. She gasped, and he could tell by her scent that her panic had fully subsided.

  “You kinda made me a little icky.” Danielle raised her hips.

  “Let’s shower then.” Leo rose to his knees, withdrawing reluctantly from his mate’s body, and stood. Placing one arm under her back and one under the crook of her knees, he lifted her up against his body. Her arms quickly banded around his neck, her face only a breath away from his.

  “Good God, Leo, put me down before you bust your balls.”

  “Have you seen my balls? Too big to bust, and if you’re trying to tell me you’re heavy, you aren’t. I know you’ve checked me out and seen my muscles.” He flexed his muscles then bent to place a heated, passionate kiss on her lips, stopping any more protests, all the while walking up the stairs. By the time he’d reached the top they were both panting, but not from exertion.

  “How come I want you again? I’ve never been so…” Danielle looked away from his face and down between them. He wanted her eyes back on him.

  “Horny?” he asked.

  A red bloom covered her cheeks, but her eyes met his again, which pleased him.

  “It’s okay to want sex, you know. Our souls know each other. We were meant to be. I’m a horntoad, so you have to be one to match.”

  “Horntoad?” she repeated.

  “Yeah, that’s me.” He chuckled, knowing full well his dick was still rock hard for her. “Sex on the brain twenty-four seven. Especially now that I have you.”

  Leo used his elbow to push down the handle on his bedroom door, then he pushed it open with his foot. He entered the room and closed the door with a quick kick. Without stopping, he carried Danielle into his bathroom. Settling her on one of the benches inside the shower, he ran the water until it was warm. Then he picked his mate back up, and they stood underneath the water together. He adjusted Danielle so she had her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms once again around his neck.

  “I like having you in my arms,” he admitted.

  “And I like being in them.”

  With one quick adjustment, Leo had Danielle embedded on his cock once more. He watched in fascination as the water ran in a small river between her breasts.

  “I suddenly feel very thirsty,” he said, lowering his head and running his tongue over her luscious, smooth orbs. He licked and nibbled until he settled with a nipple in his mouth, sucking on the puckered skin.

  Her back bowed, her shoulders leaning on the tiled wall just behind her. He held on tight to her, thrusting in and out, until once again he jutted his seed deep within her body.

  * * * *

  Light footsteps on the floor above Leo woke him up. He took a few seconds to admire his sleeping mate, thinking he was a damn lucky man. Rising carefully so not to wake her, Leo stretched his limbs then slipped on a pair of shorts. He felt good in all the right places. Grabbing a t-shirt, he peeked once more at Danielle before opening his bedroom door.

  He smiled, thinking she’d need another shower since he’d definitely made her icky a few more times after their shower. After her panic had subsided, she’d been as insatiable as he had been.

  “Hey there, matie,” Leo said to the small boy standing at the top of the attic stairs.

  Ollie looked shocked to see Leo suddenly standing before him. “I can’t find Mummy again,” he said, his bottom lip quivering.

  Leo suddenly had an idea—if Danielle was going to be sleeping with him in his bed, then the boy would need his own room on their floor.

  Although Leo wanted to tell Ollie where his mother was, it wasn’t his place to say anything. Yet. “Mummy probably used one of the other bathrooms for a shower. Yours is broken, right?”

  Ollie nodded. “Mummy says the fire dragon won’t heat our water so far up anymore.”

  “Fire dragon, huh?”

  “Yeah, he lives in the fire downstairs.” Ollie looked at Leo like he was stupid, his little eyebrows rising.

  “Did Mummy tell you about the dragon?”

  “Of course she did.” Ollie giggled. “Mummy says I am to stay away from the fire ’cause the dragon don’t like children, and can burn me. I told Gracie what Mummy say. She said I was funny, but she won’t go near the fire now, she don’t wanna get burn.”

  Leo listened to the young lad, surprised this was the first time he’d heard anything about the dragon living in the downstairs fire. It was a good way to deter the boy from going near the fireplace. “Yeah, Mummy is right, you can’t go near the fire, it’s hot.”

  “Mummy says we has to put the fire on every day for him, otherwise he get angry.” Ollie shook his head. “We forgot once and now we don’t get hot water upstairs.”

  “Oh dear. Well, I’ll have to have a word with Mr. Dragon and ask him nicely to breathe more hot water upstairs for you. Okay?”

  Ollie nodded vigorously.

  Mental list: fix upstairs shower.

  “You fink that will work?” Ollie asked.

  It was Leo’s turn to nod. “Come on, let’s go get breakfast. I have an idea you might like.”

  “Idea?” Ollie asked, walking down a few steps toward Leo. Ollie had no hesitation in jumping off the last few stairs and straight into Leo’s arms. He loved that Ollie trusted him.

  “Yeah, how would you like to have your bedroom on the same floor as Gracie?” Leo asked.

  He watched the cogs turning in Ollie’s brain as he carried him down the main hallway. Standing before his ward’s bedroom door, he placed his finger on his lips, indicating for the boy to stay quiet. Ollie nodded. Leo then opened Gracie’s door and peeked in.

  “Morning, Pops,” she said quietly, lifting her head from her pillow. “I heard you and Ollie already. If you were trying to stay quiet, you suck at it!”

  Leo shook his head and chuckled. He loved this girl. Grace rose from her bed and danced across the floor to him and Ollie.

  “Don’t ever change, kid.” He ruffled Gracie’s hair affectionately. “Come on, squirts, let’s get you both breakfast,” he whispered, placing Ollie on his feet and shutting Gracie’s door after her.

  Ollie placed his little hand in Gracie’s, and Leo listened to their conversation while they walked to the kitchen.

  “I told Leo about the dragon. He says he gonna talk to him and ask he put hot water upstairs.”

  Gracie turned back to Leo. “You’ve seen the dragon?”

  Leo nodded. He hated lying, but this was fantasy, right?

  “So why can’t I see him?”

  Ollie laughed. “I can’t see him either. Only adults can. Dragons don’t like children, that why they can creep up on us and eat us when we are naughty.”

  “You never told me they can eat us.” Gracie withdrew her hand from Ollie’s, crossed her arms over her chest, and pouted.

  Uh-oh! Leo knew that face.

  “The fire dragon won’t eat us. He just burn us if we go too close to his home. Mummy says there aren’t no children-eating dragons here. Mummy says if they come, she tells them I’m a good boy,” Ollie stated matter-of-factly.

  Gracie turned around to Leo, her arms still firmly crossed in front of her tiny chest. The sc
ent of her fear and her scared face worried Leo. Had the dragon story gone too far?

  “I’m not a bad girl, am I?” she asked with tears brimming in her eyes.

  “Oh, darling.” He moved down a few stairs until he was head height with his foster child and pulled her into his arms.

  “The dragons won’t eat me, will they?”

  “No, sweetheart. You’re a good girl. And if any child-eating dragons come to the island, Danielle and I will scare them away.”

  “Promise?” Tiny arms wrapped around Leo’s neck, Gracie’s brimming eyes looking straight at his. Again, Leo’s heart melted seeing his child so distraught over an imaginary creature.

  “I promise.”

  “We can ask Mummy too when she comes to brekkie,” Ollie added, his own small arms wrapped around Gracie’s waist.

  Leo nearly chuckled. If Danielle were to come upon them now, she’d wonder what the hell was wrong. A dragon! What a way to start my morning.

  “Come on.” Leo ruffled the lad’s hair. “Let’s go get some brekkie.” He emphasized brekkie, copying Ollie.

  Both of the children’s faces broke into wide smiles.

  “I want Hoops,” Ollie shouted, jumping down the stairs.

  “Nah, I want Frosties. They taste better.”

  “No, they don’t.”

  Leo listened to the children argue all the way to the kitchen, and the argument continued right up until the time their mouths were full of cereal. He made coffee, the soothing scent of finely roasted beans filling his senses as he poured and drank his first morning cup.

  He was thinking about releasing his gorilla today and showing Danielle the other side of him when a flashing red light caught his eye. He glanced toward where it was coming from and saw the satellite phone laying on the counter. A small light on the top indicated someone had rung it recently. Stepping toward it, he placed his mug to the side and looked at the number of the last call.

  Leo recognized the number straight away; it was the last one he’d called. He glanced at the kitchen clock before pressing redial. It was just after nine AM, so it was office hours.

  “Good morning. Mr. La Bouff’s office. You’re speaking to Francies. How may I help you today?” an over-sweet, soft voice answered the phone.

  “Is Vance in? It’s Leo Silverback.”

  “Oh, hello, sir. He’s been waiting for your call. Hold on one second, and I’ll put you through.”

  Within a few seconds his lawyer’s voice greeted him. “Good morning, Leo.”

  Vance was a long-time friend, and having known each other since college, there was no need for formalities. Vance was also a fellow shifter that had hung around with Leo’s band for a while.

  “Morning, Vance. What’s with the call, man?”

  “You recently asked me to change The Vanish Isle’s ownership to your mate.”

  “I signed those papers a few months ago. You didn’t mention anything wrong then.”

  “I didn’t see a problem at the time either. But I’m your friend, man, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t being ripped off. The island’s been in your family for generations. Are you sure she’s your soul mate?”

  “Yes. Why would you ask something like that? You know our beasts.” Leo heard his friend blow a breath out before replying.

  “Does she bare your mark yet? Is she turned?”

  “No, why?”

  “Good. I had someone look into her. She’s not what she seems.”

  “You did what?” Leo was getting pissed now. Vance—no matter how long Leo had known the man—had stepped over a line. “She’s my mate, Vance. This has nothing to do with you.”

  “Okay, okay. But I was worried. Can I tell you what I found?”

  “I don’t give two shades of shit what you found. She’s my mate, and that’s what counts. Is the paperwork legal for the island? Is it still hers no matter what?” Leo waited, his temper rising. He knew his friend was just looking out for him, but Danielle was his mate. He knew it deep within his soul. No matter what his friend and lawyer had found out, the island would be hers, if he were alive or dead.

  “Yes, it’s hers. But, Leo, her name and security number only go back five years. She doesn’t exist before then.”

  “Vance, answer me straight. Even with what you’ve found, whatever it is, the island is hers, right?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “There are no buts. I don’t care. This isle is hers no matter what.”

  “I was only looking out for you,” Vance replied, his voice contrite.

  Leo wondered then if he should mention something about Danielle’s past, just to put his friend’s mind at rest. But he quickly shrugged that thought away. He couldn’t betray his mate. She’d told him about her past in confidence.

  “I know, man. Sorry.” Leo calmed a little. “Look, my mate has been through some shit. I know about her, Vance, you don’t have to worry. She is my soul mate.” Leo hoped he didn’t have to add anything else. Vance knew that a soul mate to a gorilla shifter was like gold to a pirate.

  “I getcha. Please accept my apologies again. The first, the last, the eternal, my friend. I wish you a life full of happy memories.” With that his lawyer and friend ended the call.

  Vance had wished Leo happiness the first time Leo had called and asked for the exchange of hands for the island. But he hadn’t added the gorilla shifters’ words of soul sharing until just now. Leo felt better that his friend had accepted what he’d said about Danielle. She was his first soul mate, his last, and his forever. He’d be by her side protecting her from whatever evils might come.

  “Pops, we’re finished. Can we go play in the snow?”

  Snow? Leo shook off the phone call and peered outside. The earth was covered in a sheet of white snow. He turned to the expectant children, who were brimming with excitement, and placed a frown, and a worried look, on his face.

  “Oh, I don’t know. It looks mighty chilly out there. You might freeze your tiny toes off, and then I would have to go out there myself and find them.” He tutted and rolled his eyes as if exasperated.

  Gracie didn’t fall for his tone of voice or face at all. She looked at Ollie and simply said, “Pops says yes, we can play in the snow.” She turned her sweet face toward Leo and added, “And he also says he will make snow angels and snowmen with us.”

  Leo snorted, his mouth dropping open. “Oh, did I now? I didn’t hear any such words.”

  Gracie giggled. “Your face said it all.” His eight-year-old cheeky madam then took hold of Ollie’s hand and led him toward the main stairway. “Come on, Ollie, we need to get dressed.”

  “I didn’t hear Leo says yes,” Ollie’s small, worried voice told Gracie.

  “Didn’t you see his face?”

  “Yeah, he looked sad.”

  “That’s his pretend face. He was going to say yes.”

  “Oh.”

  Leo could do nothing but quietly chuckle as he watched the children walk upstairs to get dressed. He briefly wondered if he should punish Gracie for her sass or not, but before he could consider it fully the children were no longer in sight.

  “That girl is going to have you running in circles when she’s older,” he murmured to himself. Knowing he needed to get dressed himself, he followed the children upstairs.

  Chapter 10

  Danielle’s mind slowly slipped into consciousness. Day, let me be. I’m too cozy to wake up. She was wrapped up in the scent and warmth of a quilt belonging to Leo. Her mate.

  She stretched and moaned. She felt delicious in all the right spots. Was it wrong to think of that after a night of sex? No. She’d not only asked for a good loving, but had enticed most of it too. She smiled then opened her eyes. She was in Leo’s room again. Oops. Ollie!

  If her little boy woke, he wouldn’t know where she was. Quickly throwing the quilt aside, she shivered. Shit, the room was cold. She looked around for her clothes, only to remember she’d left them downstairs. So, grabbing one of Leo’s
shirts, which was laying on the floor, she dressed as fast as she could while stumbling toward the bedroom door. Just as she reached the door, she heard children’s laughter coming from outside the house. It was a loud roar that had her swiftly turning and running toward the bedroom window.

  Opening the curtains, she was greeted with a sheet of blinding whiteness. Snow. Lots of it. Amongst that were two winter-dressed children in hats, scarves, and gloves, along with Leo who was currently bounding out of a hill of snow, roaring his head off. He was only wearing jeans and a t-shirt...which were wet. God damn, man, you will catch your death was her immediate thought, but then seeing how the material of his clothes clung to his very firm and delicious body, that soon drifted off to yum!

  Leo had snow in his hair, and it was attached to his clothing, yet he was enjoying himself as much as the children. Gracie suddenly stopped, turned, and looked up at Danielle. She smiled then continued with their game. Danielle snapped the curtains shut. Gracie had seen her. Did she know this was Leo’s room? Maybe she could just tell the child she was cleaning the room? But then she’d be lying. Plus, she had Leo’s shirt on. Did Leo want Grace to know about them? Was this long term? Leo thought so. Shit, shit, shit.

  In a daze of wondering thoughts, Danielle went up the back stairs toward her little attic apartment to shower and get dressed. Glancing at the shower, she remembered it was broken. She shivered at the thought of bathing in freezing cold water. She’d have to shower later.

  Ten minutes later, dressed in jeans and a jumper, Danielle went to the hallway cupboard and pulled her wellies and overcoat on, readying herself for the biting cold on the other side of the front door. She opened the front door, and her breath froze immediately. Damn, it was cold.

  Leo must have noticed her in a flash, because he skidded to a halt from chasing the children and ran straight to her. She didn’t get a chance to say anything before his freezing cold hands wrapped around her cheeks as he pulled her face close to his and kissed her. His heated mouth opened and covered hers, his tongue sweeping inside and stroking along her own. She couldn’t help but meet him in the kiss before slowly her brain kicked in and reminded her of the kids.