by Jade White
“It’s too late for that, Olivia. You’re going to die, you’re all going to die.”
He turned to address Sable. “You’re nothing but a human-lover, a filthy human sympathizer. And that thing growing inside her is an abomination. The elders are fools, allowing humans to carry shifter children. I don’t care if she marries you or not, that demon-seed offspring of yours will never live to see the light of day.”
He raised the gun at Olivia’s stomach, moving his finger to the trigger. With a deafening roar, an orange blur sprang from the trees and landed on Laskin. Laskin lost his footing, his arm flailing wildly in the air as he went down with the tiger. The gun went off, tearing the bark out of a tree not far from Olivia’s head. She squeaked in surprise and then ran to her friend, pulling her toward the cabin and safety. Grace was weak and unable to help, each desperate tug from Olivia was sheer misery as her friend tried without success to pull her all the way to the cabin and inside.
Laskin screamed as the tiger attacked, trying in vain to shift so that he could fight on equal terms. Sable rushed to pick up Grace. Limp and breathing shallowly, he took her into the cabin and laid her by the fire. Olivia rushed to her side, her hands running over her friend’s broken body, her face wet with tears as she cried in agony.
“Stay here with her. Don’t open the door.”
Sable ran out the door as the fight continued. The other tiger’s coat was faded to nearly-brown, not the vibrant orange of Egan’s young coat. Sable knew this wasn’t his brother, but he would deal with that once Laskin was defeated.
Laskin got off another shot, this one ripping through the tiger’s shoulder. The beast rolled off Laskin, whose screams turned into a roar as he shifted quickly. Sable was shocked by the color of his coat, the black and silver clearly evident even in the daylight. Only one type of shifter had that coat color, and Sable was instantly enraged.
“You’re a half-breed!” Sable’s declaration echoed off the trees. He was incredulous. The biggest detractor of human-shifter breeding was, himself, a product of that very thing.
The Laskin tiger stopped moving for a moment, roaring angrily at Sable before he advanced on the other tiger. Sable channeled his fury, shifting painfully fast and running to aid the mystery shifter, who was trying desperately to hold his shape as he bled profusely from the wound. Sable was nearly upon Laskin when the wounded tiger shifted, leaving a wounded Aldrich in its place. Laskin leapt towards Aldrich, but Sable swiped at him, knocking him out of the air and slamming him into a tree near the edge of a steep embankment. Sable jumped onto him and bit his neck, pulling on him in an effort to end Laskin right then and there. Laskin fought back, but his efforts were futile. He went limp, rolling off the side of the embankment and down the hill, coming to a stop in a thicket at the bottom.
Sable heard movement in the trees as the remaining elders emerged from the trees. He rushed to Aldrich, ready to fight the elders if they went after Olivia.
Aldrich was hurt, but the wound was superficial, nothing that wouldn’t heal on its own once his shock wore off. For now, Aldrich was in excruciating pain.
Sable kneeled beside him, hesitant to shift to human form while the other two were so close and ready to strike.
The door to the cabin opened and Olivia ran out.
“Please. Please just stop. I’ll marry him. I want to marry him. Just don’t hurt him.”
The two elders in the trees approached slowly, their large bodies shrinking as they got closer. Sable shifted too, though he was ready to fight at the slightest provocation. Olivia’s frantic words echoed in his head.
“Aldrich, are you okay?” The elder was concerned, reaching out to his friend to make sure he was okay.
“I’m fine.”
Sable offered his hand, helping the injured man sit up. “Did you hear what she said? She’s willing to marry me. Can you call off the search now, and let us live our lives?”
“I’m afraid that the events of today require some deeper thought into this. Laskin’s parents were married and vetted, yet he turned out to be a traitor. We might have to rethink the entire group of laws, and I’m beginning to question if hybrids are something we want running around this earth.”
Sable nodded. “Then at least give me a head start so I can get her to Canada. I won’t let you kill her.”
A movement to his right caught his eye. He hid his relief as he recognized his brother, arriving just in time to miss the fight. If Aldrich tried to hurt Olivia, Egan was poised and ready to step in.
Surprisingly, Aldrich agreed. “You have until sundown to get your family across the border. Our laws can’t touch you there, so it’s in your best interests to stay there. If we catch you in the US again, we’ll carry out her sentence without hesitation, as well as the child. The future of our species is bigger than one woman and one child. I’m sure you understand.”
The elders turned in unison and walked away, heading back out of the forest and leaving Egan and Sable to care for Grace and dispose of Laskin’s body.
Egan walked out of the trees and towards the cabin. “I’ll get our things packed and get ready to head out, you deal with Laskin.”
Sable nodded, walking over to the tree near the steep embankment. He reached the edge and looked down, wondering how hard it would be to just break a big chunk of the ground off so it could roll and cover the weasel up.
He peered over the edge and sucked in his breath. Below him, the thicket had been crushed with the tiger’s weight. But there was no sign of Laskin.
Olivia’s hand settled on Sable’s shoulder, startling him as he stared at the empty spot where Laskin should have been.
“He’s mortally wounded, Sable. Let it go. He’s not going to bother us again.”
“You’re right. I crushed his wind-pipe. If he’s alive, he won’t be for long.”
They walked hand in hand back to the cabin, mentally preparing for the trip north to safety. Sable looked around at the place that held all of his fondest memories. He was leaving his home behind, both here and in Florida. His accounts remained, and they’d buy a home in Canada that Olivia would adore. Home was wherever Olivia was, but he was sure going to miss this place.
“How is Grace?”
“She’s stunned and Laskin beat her pretty badly to get information out of her. It’s all my fault, I never should have called her.”
“I doesn’t matter now, and you aren’t responsible for him. He’s a self-hating hybrid.”
“He’s a shifter-human hybrid? But he—”
“I know. The bottom-line is, what’s going on with him goes deeper than any misstep you made. Grace will heal, and we’ll get through this.”
He wrapped his arm around her and walked into the cabin, ready to get as far away from the council, and this day as possible.
**
Sable moved around the nursery, putting the finishing touches on the brightly-colored room while Olivia directed the movers downstairs. The walls were a cheery yellow, which went great with the mahogany furniture. On the plush recliner, Sable had neatly folded an afghan that his mother had made for him when he was a baby. It still looked new, the yarn a vibrant and deep purple with black woven through like tiger stripes. Sable ran his fingers over the blanket, closing his eyes and remembering the softness of his mother’s voice as she sang lullabies. He wished more than anything that she were here to see his life; a pregnant wife on the verge of giving birth, Egan having grown up to be the fine young man they always envisioned, the two of them risking their lives to do what’s right. Rick and Edda James had given their lives in the name of justice, and Sable meant to honor their memories by standing up as they had against the archaic rules of the council and their human supporters.
Olivia had married him finally, and willingly. She had been radiant in a soft blue dress, her prominent belly drawing smiles from the city employees at the Kelowna Court House where they were wed. Sable had tried to talk her out of it, explaining that the laws had changed and their mar
riage wouldn’t save any one of them if they stepped foot on American soil again. As with everything, she’d remained steadfast, giving him no choice but to yield to her will.
He chuckled even now, thinking that the very thing that had sent them running for their lives was suddenly something Olivia wasn’t willing to budge on. Sable wasn’t going to complain, he got the girl, and on her terms. His life was complete. Well, almost.
He unloaded the heavy bag, stocking the changing table with tiny diapers, wipes and the various ointments that babies seemed to require. He folded the bag and tucked it under one arm, scanning the room to make sure everything was perfect before he went downstairs to help the movers with their furniture. His eyes stopped on the empty crib, the blue fitted sheet with white sheep bounding around tugging a smile from his lips. Any day now, their child would be in that very crib, a sign of hope for their future, and a testament to their love. He couldn’t wait to hold his sweet babe in his arms.
Footsteps bounded up the stairs, heavy and fast. Egan burst through the doorway, panting like he was out of breath.
“Are you about through with the room?”
“Yes I am; do you need help with the movers?”
“No, we need the hospital bag. Olivia says it’s time.”
Sable stood in the middle of the room, the words taking a moment to sink in. He blinked once and then realized what his brother had said.
“Now?”
From the bottom of the stairs, Olivia’s voice came up the stairs, calm but loud.
“Yes, now!”
With that he headed out the door, grabbing the overstuffed bag on his way. He took one last look at the room, satisfied that it was ready for their new bundle of joy. Olivia moaned from the base of the stairs.
“Sable the room is perfect, let’s go!”
She was right, the room was perfect. And today was the perfect day to have a baby.
He jogged down the stairs and flashed her a winning smile.
“Let’s do this!”
CHAPTER NINE
Five years later
Olivia sat on the back porch swing, watching her boys as they moved around the yard. Her bare feet were tucked beneath her, her bright yellow sundress spread around her knees. Egan and Sable worked tirelessly with young Morgan, teaching him how to shift, and how to fight. The young boy was insatiable, mastering every skill with ease and moving on to the next lesson.
The fence in the back yard was six feet tall, and wrapped around the entire acre, with a locked gate opening up into the Okanogan Forest. Once a week, the three would train in the forest, running for hours, careful to stay away from the border and safely on the Canadian side.
Olivia sipped tea and laughed as the three frolicked in the lush grass. Their child was growing so fast, already the size of a normal ten year old. He was strong and quick, swift both physically and mentally. But, like his father, Morgan was sweet and kind.
Their voices were loud and boisterous, carrying in the air merrily as they played. Unlike back home, the neighbors here in Kelowna weren’t afraid of shifters. They were careful to teach Morgan to shift only when necessary, and never in anger. But the parents in the neighborhood had never shunned Morgan, and welcomed the entire family in with open arms.
It was a welcome departure from their old home, where being a shifter was hidden from the world, and where the elders detested their love. Here, her child was safe and free: free to be himself, free to have human friends and free to love whoever he grew up to love. Smiling to herself, she acknowledged they were one of the lucky ones, and she was beyond grateful.
Olivia watched Sable as he moved, his bare chest glistening with sweat. His body was well-muscled and strong. He was as sexy to her now as he had been the day she’d met him, maybe even more so. He’d been gorgeous over ten years ago, but there was something about being older and a father that really enhanced his beauty.
Need roiled within her as she watched him, the bunching and stretching of his muscles bringing to mind their passionate love-making that morning.
Morgan’s lessons ended and he ran across the yard, bounding up the steps and yanking her from her thoughts. “Mommy, Mommy. Did you see me? Did you see me jump higher than Uncle Egan?” He flew into Olivia’s arms, snuggling against her and falling into her rocking motion.
“I did. You're so strong. Where did you learn all those cool moves?”
“From Daddy, of course.” He leaned back and looked into her eyes, “And you too, Mommy. I learn lots of stuff from you.”
He nuzzled her neck as she wrapped her arms around him. Always the diplomat, little Morgan didn’t want Olivia to feel left out. She tried to explain she didn’t mind being the only full-blooded human in the bunch but Morgan wasn’t convinced. Never one to sit still, Morgan jumped up and bounded into the house in search of food. The child ate almost as much as Sable and Egan combined.
Sable and Egan playfully shoved each other as they walked towards the house. They were sweaty and tired. Both men had to work hard to keep up with the young tiger. Sable leaned down and kissed Olivia tenderly, drawing her into his arms and holding her tight. Egan made a mock gagging noise and ran into the house behind Morgan.
Alone, on the porch, Sable picked Olivia up and sat down on the porch swing. He leaned back, pulling her with him to rest as the swing moved back and forth gently. Olivia rested her head on Sable’s shoulder, closing her eyes and inhaling the manly scent of him.
Still warm from activity, Sable’s body warmed Olivia to her very core. Longing stirred within her. She moved slightly to straddle him, rubbing her hips against him and kissing him deeply. Sable’s large hands cupped her rear and pulled her closer. They kissed deeply, their pace lazy and free. In the five years they’d lived in Kelowna, Olivia had learned the value of taking things slow. Their life was calm, and unhurried. They’d stopped looking over their shoulders years ago and just got on with life.
Olivia moved her dress to the side, her thin, lacy panties the only thing between her and the fabric of his pants. Her body purred as his hands kneaded her flesh, his growing erection pushing against his pants and straining to break free. She moved her hands down his body, over his taut belly, fingers leaving heat on his bare skin and they traced their way south.
The door slammed open, breaking the mood and pulling them both back to reality.
“You guys need to see this.”
Without explanation, Egan walked back into the house and into the kitchen.
Morgan was in the dining room eating his third peanut butter and jelly sandwich, oblivious to the violent pictures flashing across the television screen. Volume down and close caption scrolling on the screen, the three adults watched in horror as the reporter spoke.
“For the third straight day, humans and shifters clashed in the streets, putting an end to decades of peace. The three council elders from this region have each passed away under mysterious circumstances in the last year, tearing down the fragile stability of the area.”
A silenced video of politicians signing documents and shaking hands popped up as the reporter continued.
“Less than five years after radical changes to the laws governing human-shifter relationships and breeding, tension are running high as the two groups clash. Panicked families on both sides are fleeing the area, in hopes of making it to safety. Caught in the middle are shifter-human families built under the protection of the old laws. Mixed shifter children are easily spotted with their unique silver coats and their advanced development while in human form. The-”
Olivia turned the television off.
“I can’t take any more of that. We’re safe here but I can’t watch all that suffering. And for what? Because people don’t want humans and shifters to fall in love, to build a family? It’s ridiculous.” She pulled out her phone, punching in the familiar numbers and waiting as the phone rang.
“Hi, this is Grace. You know what to do, so leave your message at the beep.”
Olivia left G
race a message to call her back ASAP, hanging up and following up with a text.
Strong arms wrapped around her from behind. She leaned into Sable’s still bare chest, fighting the fear welling within her. “She’ll be fine. We can fly her up here and she can live with us, where she’ll be safe and we will always know she’s okay.” He turned her, holding his shoulders firmly and staring into her eyes.
“Call her back and leave her another message that we want to fly her out here, at least until things calm down. Tell her to pack her bags and call us back as soon as she gets the message and we’ll get her out.” He moved her hair out of her face and cupped her cheek. “I’ll make this right, Olivia. Nothing is going to happen to Grace.”
He leaned in and touched his lips to her forehead before wrapping her in his arms once more. Olivia trembled, trying to force her mind to quit imagining the worst. Grace was nearly killed by Laskin five years ago, and yet she’d survived, moved on and built a comfortable life for herself. She was strong, and it would take much more than a little rioting to scare Grace.
Still sheltered in Sable’s embrace, Olivia pulled out her cell phone and called Grace one more time. “Grace. When you get this message, call me. We want to fly you out here, at least for a little while until things calm down. Talk to you soon, Grace.” Not wanting to break the connection, she paused. “Grace, I love you. We all love you. Please be safe.”
She hung up and phone and leaned in to Sable. Morgan watched from the table, trying to figure out what the adults were talking about on the other side of the room. Looking up, Egan noticed the little eavesdropper and swooped into action.
“Who’s ready for a run in the woods?”
Morgan nearly burst out of his skin with excitement. “Can I run as a tiger, Uncle Egan?”
“How else would we run?”
“Hurrah!
Morgan jumped up and ran to his parents, giving each a hug and kiss before running after Egan. Even though the neighbors were very accepting of Morgan, both Olivia and Sable taught him to shift in private, in hopes of teaching him both discretion and patience. Unlike Sable and Egan, who were both high-strung and rebellious from a young age, Morgan was a sweet boy. He was eager to learn and even more eager to please. Sending him to kindergarten had worried Olivia, but Morgan had proven to have unwavering convictions to go along with that tender heart.
