by V. Vaughn
When I’m about ready to drop from sheer physical exhaustion, Sven orders me to stop. My eyes sting from the sweat that has rolled down my face, and even my knees are dripping with moisture. I collapse onto the floor, and Sven hands me my water bottle. My arm shakes as I lift it to my mouth, and I gulp down the cool contents. When I can speak, I say, “I can see how that might contain my shift. I’m not sure I have the strength left.”
Sven grins at me. “The bear of a warrior knows no boundaries. Want me to prove it?”
I shake my head as I swallow a mouthful of water. “I believe you.” I groan as I stand. “What’s next?”
“We stretch, and tomorrow I get to kick your ass in the ring.”
“Can’t wait.” I tip my water bottle at him before I suck down the remaining drops.
* * *
I spend the next four days learning the moves and training regimen for a typical De Rozier warrior. Every single muscle in my body aches, and I discovered a few I swear don’t exist on a human body. But the biggest thing I’ve accomplished over the last few days is I’m now comfortable with my new state. I might even like being a werebear, and while I can live in the human world, I’m never going to be a human again. That means I need to rethink my life plan.
When I got back to Tori’s from training last night, Adrian contacted me to tell me we got a recording deal, so I called Sven and convinced him to give me two days off to heal and to see Adrian. My stomach is in knots over the decisions I need to make. I gaze out at the pine trees that line the highway in Northern Maine. I left before sunrise, and the solitude of being the only car on the road is perfect for me to get lost in my thoughts. It occurs to me that as a werebear I can’t work in a human hospital. There are too many situations that could pose a problem. It’s not that I have to give up that dream, but if I want to be a physician, it’s most likely I’ll have to be a jack-of-all-trades and join the Northeast Kingdom’s band of doctors. So now I have to decide if that’s what I really want.
I know I can keep my bear happy by remaining physically active, but with warrior blood in my veins, I’ll never be content living in a city. I need to shift and run more than most werebear, and unless I want to start a Werebear of Boston phenomenon, I need to live in a country setting. In other words, two major things I planned for my life can no longer happen.
This kind of thinking should have my bear prickling to escape, but she’s content. It makes me realize I haven’t faced reality because I’ve been too busy dealing with my altered state. Now that I give my bear what she needs, I can focus on what comes next. White lines on the asphalt tick by, and when I grip the wheel a bit higher, I gaze at my hands and imagine how they look as huge meaty paws. I watch the muscles in my forearm ripple as I flex and recall how powerful they are. My body is a fierce fighting machine that has only begun to realize its potential, and I wonder if I’m trying to make something work instead of letting my destiny be. Perhaps instead of struggling to contain my warrior tendencies, I should grab them and hold tight.
A blue billboard announces the rest stop ahead, and the blinker ticks as I prepare to exit. As my car slows down, I make my decision. I’m going to become a De Rozier warrior and accept my fate. When I step out of the car, a cool breeze blows around me and through my hair. My feet tap with purpose on the asphalt as I make my way to the building, and my heart feels light. It’s as if the chains of self-doubt and the regret of becoming a werebear have been removed. I know what I’m supposed to do.
I yank on the heavy door to get inside, and a guy with earbuds walks by me. The rock music is loud enough for me to hear it. Sven likes silence when we work out, and the sound of the pop tune is like a distant memory. Suddenly my longing for Adrian paralyzes me, and I crumble to the ground with my anguish.
A man asks, “Are you okay?” and I glance up to a stranger’s face framed by blond hair. I nod before I let him help me up.
I get in line for coffee, and the strong odor wafts toward me as I realize I’m forgetting a very important piece of my life -- Adrian. How am I going to be a warrior in the De Rozier clan if he’s off touring with the band? A tear drips from my chin, and my hand is cold on my face when I wipe it off. I decide I don’t want coffee and step out of the line. Cool air wraps around me as I walk out of the building. How long could I really last? I shake my head. We have to find a way to make this work. But how?
12
I get to Brunswick before seven and let myself into our apartment as quietly as I can. I had hoped to climb in bed with Adrian, but he’s sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and is practically naked. I gaze at the expanse of skin I want to feel. “Hey.”
His mug thumps as he stands, and the only article of clothing he’s wearing doesn’t hide his desire. He lets out a low growl and picks me up to throw me over his shoulder. I yelp and let him, because I’m happy to ignore my warrior for the greater good.
Adrian deposits me on the bed, and the scent of my mate rises from the sheets as I scramble to strip off my clothes. He growls at what I reveal and hovers over me as he says, “I need to taste you.” His voice gets deep as he commands, “Now.”
I tremble beneath him as I spread my legs, and he groans as he lowers his mouth to my sex. I mewl as he worships me with his tongue and brings me to the crest of an orgasm. Before I can come, he stops and takes over with his hand. My juices glisten on his chin as he moves up to kiss me. I taste my tangy flavor mixed with the essence of Adrian as he works me with his fingers.
I gyrate beneath his touch, aching for release, but he stops again. “You’re torturing me, Adrian.”
“I want to be inside you when you come.” He sighs as he gazes down at me. “I don’t like being apart.”
My heart aches, but now is not the time to talk, so instead I decide to torture him a little too. I reach up and tug him down to flip him over onto his back. Adrian grunts with the force and chuckles when I hold him down by his shoulders. I waggle my eyebrows at him and say, “My turn.”
I take my time kissing down his chest. His skin is hot under my lips, and the flavor tempts my taste buds. When I finally reach my target, I grip his cock to stroke him as I inhale his musky scent. He says, “Ginny, please. I’m dying here.”
I drag my tongue up his slick shaft and hover over his thick length as I gaze up at my mate. He says, “I’ll beg.”
“Do it. Tell me what you want.”
“Suck me, babe. Suck my dick until I’m ready to come. Please.” I take him in my mouth, and Adrian lets out a little cry when I cup his balls and roll them in my palm. He pumps his hips up to meet me and drive deep enough to hit the back of my throat. Adrian suddenly tenses and pushes me away. “I need to be inside you.”
I crawl over him, and the skin of his cock is smooth in my fingers as I guide it toward my wet folds. I say, “I need it too.” As I sink down, he thrusts up to stretch me wide, and I lean forward to let my breasts bounce as I ride him hard. My orgasm is going to be fast and furious now, but I believe his will be too, because Adrian’s chest vibrates with a low rumble.
“So close.” He pants. “Tell me when.”
I dig my fingers into his chest and shatter over him before I can answer. He joins me with an eardrum-popping roar as hot seed explodes against my channel, and I milk him as I come down slowly. I finally collapse on him and say, “I missed you.”
“Me too, babe.” He slides his hands down my back to squeeze my bottom. “How was training?”
“Fantastic.” But the subject brings me down from a post-orgasm high. I lean up so that I can gaze into his face. I think about how this man makes my heart sing with music that is beyond anything anyone could ever write. Every cell of my being wants to be with my mate, and a lump forms in my throat as I recall what being apart feels like. I swallow hard and say, “I’ve made some decisions. I’m a warrior, Adrian, and my human goals won’t work.”
He combs his fingers through my hair to move it out of my face, and he holds it at the back of
my head like a ponytail as he smiles. “You’re a musician too.”
“Yes. I--” I take a deep breath and say, “But not in the way I should be.” I find my resolve, and my words tumble out. “I think you need to either get Aleck up to speed or find my replacement. I’m going to move to Orono and train with the De Rozier clan.”
Adrian squints at me, and his chest begins to heave with the kind of breathing that means he’s controlling a shift. “What is your plan for me?”
I roll off of him to sit up cross-legged, and the bed squeaks as he sits up too. I say, “I think you should tour with the band, and we’ll see each other when we can.” Adrian’s chest is rumbling in a way that isn’t sexual, and I add, “I’ll come to you when I can, and when you’re not touring, you come to Orono.”
He gets out of the bed, and his footsteps pound on the floor as he paces the room in what I think is an attempt to keep from shifting or yelling at me. I watch and wait for him to process my words. Finally Adrian stops at the end of the bed to stare at me. “Why can’t you come on tour?”
“Sven told me it takes a full year until a warrior can control their shift. I know I’ll be faster than that, but I almost exposed us in LA. The last thing I want to do is expose us to the real world.”
“But fighting every day helps. Surely you--”
“Don’t.” My stomach clenches as I scramble to my knees to grab one of Adrian’s hands. “It would be a struggle, and you know it. You guys should be having the time of your lives with this, not babysitting me. Can you imagine how quickly your brothers would start to resent me?”
He shakes his head. “You’re my true mate, Ginny. They don’t get the option.”
I place my hand on his cheek, and the day-old stubble is rough under my palm as I say, “I need to train. My bear won’t let me be at peace otherwise.”
“Fine. I’ll come with you.”
“No, Adrian. This is your dream, and you need to chase it. Not just for you, but for your brothers. The band will be fine without me, but without the lead singer?” I shake my head. “No way. I won’t let it happen.”
Adrian pulls away from me, and his bear flashes in his eyes. Now I’m afraid he really is going to shift. “That’s not your decision to make.” He turns from me, and when he leaves, he slams the door so hard the walls shake.
I slump down on the bed as tears burn in my eyes. Sharp pain throbs behind my temple. Adrian is not the only person that needs to hear my plan, and I dress quickly to search out Aleck. I follow the music and find him at my keyboards. He glances up, and I notice he got his hair cut in a sexier style than usual. I wonder if it has anything to do with a certain brunette, and I say, “Hey.”
“How was training?” He slides over on the bench for me to sit next to him.
“Good.” I press the keys to play a quick scale, and the music tugs at my heart. “Aleck, I need more time to control my bear, and I want you to take my place in the band.”
Aleck doesn’t speak and begins to play the very first song he wrote for us instead. I join him, and tears form in my eyes. A part of me wants to go on tour, and the melody is reminding me how much I love to play.
When we stop, Aleck says, “I’ll be your replacement until you can come back.”
Now my tears let go, and I hug him tight as I whisper through them. “Thank you.”
When Adrian still hasn’t come home by the afternoon, I’m beyond worried. But I have already gained enough control of my emotions that I can let him take the time he needs to process what I said. Since I have nothing to do, I decide to distract myself with visiting the ladies next door. Maggie answers the door and takes my hand to pull me inside. “I’m glad you came over.” She calls out. “Colleen! She’s here!”
I frown. “How did you know I’d come over?” I sit in a wooden chair that creaks and makes me think it might be as old as my host.
“I didn’t, but we’d have come over to see you soon if you hadn’t. Now tell me what’s happened to make your mate so unhappy.”
“My mate?”
The coffee pot gurgles as she turns to me. “We know what you are, dear.”
“But...” I don’t want to say more, because the number-one rule I’m supposed to follow is keeping our kind safe by never admitting a thing.
Colleen shuffles into the room and says, “Don’t you worry about a thing. Even if those hunters tried to torture it out of us, who’d believe two crazy old ladies?” She crosses her eyes and sticks out her tongue. A laugh bursts out of me.
The woman sits across from me. “Talk to us, dear.”
I sigh as a mug of coffee thumps before me, and a plate of cookies clatters when Maggie sets it down and joins us at the table. I ask, “You heard the band got a recording deal, right?”
“Oh yes, how very exciting,” says Colleen.
Maggie says, “We’re going to miss all the music, though.” She touches my arm, and her fingers are cold on my skin as she says, “Goodness, you’ll have to share a bathroom with those boys on some bus.” She shudders a little.
“I’m not going. That’s why Adrian is so upset.”
“Not going?” asks Colleen. “Why in heavens not?”
“I’m having trouble controlling-- Wait. How do you know what we are?”
Maggie’s face falls, and she drops her gaze. “I had a--”
Colleen interrupts her. “She had a torrid affair with a werebear.” She sighs. “Edward was such a handsome man. But back then, one couldn’t carry on like that. Prejudice, you know. They had to break it off.”
I reach for Maggie’s hand and squeeze gently when I see moisture shine in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. You must have been heartbroken.”
“I was, but I married well.” She blinks and says, “It was for the best.”
“So you were saying,” says Colleen.
“I have warrior blood, and it makes it difficult for me to control my shift.”
Colleen looks at Maggie before she says to me, “We thought you might be having trouble.”
“I’ve decided I need to train to be a warrior, but music is the Lindquist brothers’ life, and Adrian needs to go with them to realize their dream.”
“And that means you and Adrian must be apart,” says Colleen.
Maggie shakes her head. “Why would you want to do that?” She squints her eyes at me. “That man needs you to make his music. If you don’t go, he’ll fall apart, and then where will they be?”
“But I’m a liability. I can’t control--” I flinch when Maggie grabs my arm and digs her fingers in hard.
“Yes. You can. You have true mate love, and that is stronger than anything else running through your veins.”
“It is? But how do you--”
Colleen says, “You really need to stop questioning us. One doesn’t get to their nineties without learning a thing or two. Now go wherever it is you need to train and get it done.”
Is it really that simple? I’m about to object, but Maggie shoves a cookie in my mouth, and I scowl at her as I take a bite. Sugary sweetness coats my tongue as I chew. I think about how hard it would be to be away from Adrian for weeks at a time. Maggie’s right. We’d both fall apart.
“Adrian, where are you?”
“On my way home now. We need to talk.”
Yes. We do.
13
When I get back to the apartment, Adrian arrives within minutes. His hair is damp with sweat when he comes to me, and his clothes are torn. I think he shifted and went for a run in the woods. He doesn’t speak as he grabs my face and kisses me hard. It makes me think about how fierce our love is, and as he bruises my lips, I wonder how I could have possibly thought we could be apart.
I pull away from him. “Adrian, I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t live without you.”
“You aren’t going to. I’m going to Orono with you.”
I shake my head as I place my hand over his mouth. “No. I’m going with you. I’ll go train with Sven twenty-four, seven unt
il I can control my bear.”
“We’ll postpone the tour until you can.”
I smile. “And then we’ll rock the world.”
Adrian lifts me up into his arms like a hero saving the damsel in distress, and I lean my cheek against his chest right over his heart as he says, “Right now we need to rock something else.”
He places me gently on the bed, but when I see the fire in his eyes, I react to the strength of our connection. I rush to strip off my clothes as Adrian does the same. Our gaze never breaks, and when we’re finally naked, I open my arms to pull the love of my life back where he belongs.
My hips lift as he guides himself into me slowly and seats himself deep. I sigh as he holds still. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”
Adrian withdraws his shaft from my tight channel slowly. “Sometimes we need to be apart to know why we have to be together.”
I shake my head as tears form in my eyes. “I’m never going to need that lesson again.”
My mate continues to slide in and out of me slowly as he says, “I have a feeling we have a lot left to learn, but we’ll get through it together.”
Desire is building in me, and I squirm beneath my mate as I say, “Always. But Adrian?” I grab onto his butt and dig in with my fingers. “It’s time for you to fuck me.”
He growls at my dirty talk and gets down to business. Each thrust drives home how much I need my mate, and I want to reconnect with him on every level. When he bit me to make me a werebear, I shifted and didn’t get the true bonding experience, so when I’m close to my orgasm, I say, “Bite me.”
Adrian stops and gazes at me to make sure. I say, “Please. I can handle it.”
He nods, and I watch as hair grows from his skin and his canines poke out. He opens his mouth and lowers toward my neck. Sharp teeth plunge into my shoulder, and I scream in response as the pain is replaced with pleasure like no other.
