by Vella Day
“How can you say this doesn’t affect me? I saw the middle of your amulet turn black. You said that meant a demon was near. Unless I’m mistaken, we don’t have any of those in my realm.” She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t say those evil beings were everywhere.
“You’re right. I thought Raymolt might be here, but when I walked around, I didn’t sense him.”
“He might have seen you walk toward him and disappeared.” She’d seen Naliana float a few inches from the ground. Perhaps Raymolt possessed a similar talent. “Can this Raymolt disappear?”
Zane shook his head. “No.”
That was good. “What does he look like?”
“Like any other human. He’s maybe six foot five with arms the size of canons. But that’s how we see him. When a demon dies—which isn’t very often—his real self appears.”
She shivered. “Don’t tell me he has a red face and horns?”
A small smile lifted his lips. “No, but his skin is more like scales, his head is small, and his legs are stubbier.”
“No one has ever mentioned that they’ve seen a creature like that around here.”
He clasped her shoulder. “How about we go to your friends’ house and enjoy ourselves? Let’s not let the possibility that he’s here ruin a good time. We’re safe from him for now.”
“Okay.” Missy started the engine. “Just so you know, I am worried. What do you think about telling a few people who you really are? That way if the demon approaches, they’ll know not to try and be a hero.”
He shook his head. “If I do tell anyone, it’ll be Rye. From what I can tell about the shifters here, they are brave men. If they interfered, they would end up dead. I could never live with that.”
She could understand his concern. “As for telling Rye, I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knows about you. Jackson Murdoch keeps in touch with him. Knowing that chatterbox, he’s already told his Alpha. Rye is probably waiting for you to mention it to him.”
“I’ll speak to Rye when I think the time is right.”
Assuming you’re still alive. Missy’s stomach tumbled at that thought. Refocusing on getting them out of there, she sat behind a long line of cars waiting to exit. Eventually, the line began to move. “How do you intend to deal with this Raymolt guy? You said demons were hard to kill.” Zane was a large man, but she’d bet there were many others in his realm that were equally as big and strong.
“They are, but remember, I was able to kill his brother because I had my sword along with the element of surprise. Unfortunately, I’d look a little funny riding my bike to work having a blade at my side. People would be bound to ask why I was carrying one.”
She had to smile at that image. “If you want to be called crazy, that would surely do it. What about a gun? Would that kill a demon?”
“I’m afraid not. Bullets pass through them.”
“What are they? Made of air?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not sure if anyone has ever looked closely at a dead one. The demons found the one I killed and took him away.”
“Well, when you kill this one, we can take him to our shifter doctor. He’d be discreet.”
“Don’t count on having access to a dead one. One reason why the demons are so successful at killing shifters is because the demons are sneaky, preferring subtle ways to draw out their victims. The shifters are often caught off guard.”
“Like your brother.” Zane winced, and she immediately regretted mentioning that delicate subject.
“Yes, like Rork.”
“Can’t you shift and take him down? I would think a bear could overpower this creature?”
“You would think. Demons are really fast. A bear doesn’t stand a chance against one. Different demons have different talents though. Some can shoot fire from their palms, while others can electrocute you with a touch. The rare few can do both.”
“They sound like some of our Wendayans. I bet Jillian’s brother could beat one. No one is faster than Dalton.” Asking him to help might endanger him though, and she wouldn’t want that on her conscience either.
“I don’t want to take that chance.”
She understood. Five minutes later, she pulled into the grocery store parking lot, wondering if she could enjoy herself tonight, believing this Raymolt fellow wanted Zane.
“Why are we stopping?” Zane asked.
“It’s common courtesy to take a gift when you’ve been invited to a person’s house. Since this is like a house warming, I thought I’d pick up a bottle of wine.”
“I can see there are a lot of traditions Cargonia could learn from your world.”
“I hope you don’t plan on going back just to share all the cool things we do,” she said. Zane had said he couldn’t go back, and she wanted to hold him to it.
“Not on your life.”
*
Vinea waited until the crowd thinned before she went in search of the demon. If he had left the event, he wouldn’t have gone far. When she entered the wooded area near the bend in the river, she smelled him, but the scent was faint, implying he’d already left. Damn. The best way to reach this demon would be to hang out around Zane. The demon would show up eventually.
While she was able to disappear and move about at will, she wanted to blend in. Vinea had rented a car and had even booked a room in a hotel the next town over. She had tried to get a room in Silver Lake, but apparently people came from far and wide to watch these lame races.
She sneered. Some people needed to get a life.
As she neared her car, her body began to vibrate, and not in the same way it had when she’d smelled the demon. No, this sensation was unfortunately familiar. The same thing had happened when she’d run into Devon the first time—and each time thereafter.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the back of someone who looked a lot like him. He was well over six-feet, had military short hair, and broad shoulders that she found all too attractive. Not wanting to take a chance that he’d catch her in town, she rushed to her car. Just as she had her hand on the door, he turned around. His gaze caught hers and she froze. Had he sensed her presence?
Her pulse soared—a ridiculous reaction since no one had ever affected her like that before—not even Androf—a god who held her future in his hands.
Get in the car, quick!
It wasn’t like Devon would come running over to see her. Hell, he was probably wondering who she was. While Vinea had been able to change her hair color, as well as alter the style, she hadn’t been able to make herself shorter. Not many women were five feet ten inches and thin. Hopefully, her baggy clothes would hide her figure.
She ducked into the car and started the engine. Thankfully, she managed to peel out of there before Devon had the chance to follow. While it was highly improbable he had recognized her, she believed somehow he had.
It might not be the end of the world if he did, but now she would have to be a lot more careful. Well, damn.
Chapter Nineteen
‡
Zane fingered Brian’s lathe. “This is fantastic.”
“Surely you’ve seen one like this before.” Brian said. “It’s a nice one, but there are more expensive ones on the market.”
Zane looked over at Missy. If he had any hope of making something of himself here, he’d need a shop to do his ironwork and woodworking. From what he saw of Brian’s work, the two of them could create spectacular things together. Missy said she trusted these two people not to say anything, and he could hope that was true.
“Sure, but not something this nice, and there’s a reason why. I think we need to talk.”
Jillian grabbed Brian’s arm. “It’s okay. We know you had amnesia and can’t remember some things.”
“It’s more than that,” Zane said. He glanced over at Missy, and she nodded. He’d tell them everything other than how he thought he had sensed Raymolt at the event today.
“Let’s go back to the living room,” Jillian sai
d. “It’s more comfortable there.”
For the next twenty minutes, Zane detailed the existence of the two realms and how he was from Cargonia. Both Brian and Jillian peppered him with questions, but they seemed to believe him. Of course, it helped that Missy told them what she knew.
“That’s an incredible story,” Brian said. “I don’t think I would have rebounded as well. Listen, any time you get bored and want to see what new equipment looks like, you’re welcome to come up and watch me work. Hell, if you bring your own wood, you can try out my equipment.”
“I’d like that.” That was more than generous. He told them that he used to be a blacksmith as well as an artist who worked in iron.
“I wish Brian and Zane could work together on a project someday,” Missy said. “I bet that would sell.”
“Hey, tell me what you need, and maybe we can come up with something,” Brian chimed in.
For the first time since he’d sensed the demon, Zane relaxed. Having people accept him for his limitations went a long way to helping him feel more comfortable here. For the rest of the evening they talked about what options Zane had for learning about computers and other technology.
“There is a community college in Silver Lake,” Jillian said. “You might want to take a class. One of the secretaries in the office where I work is going to night school there.”
He looked at Missy, and she nodded. “Besides paying for it, wouldn’t I need some kind of identification?” he asked.
“Most likely. I’d bet that on Cargonia, you wouldn’t have had a driver’s license or a social security card, did you?” Jillian asked.
“No.”
“That does make it more difficult. Let me check to see what’s required. There might be some obscure law that deals with people without any papers.”
“I’d appreciate you helping in any way.”
By the time he finished answering questions, he was ready to get back to Missy’s house. Sitting next to her while she shot him sly glances had his animal going wild with need. All three of them probably noticed his amulet pulsing red through his shirt, but thankfully, no one said a word.
“Let me be the first to say the addition is fabulous,” Missy said. “With so many extra bedrooms, you’ll have room for lots of kids.”
“We’re working on it,” Brian said with a huge grin.
They chatted a bit more about Zane’s transition, but he finally said he needed to take Missy home. He had a lot he needed to talk to her about.
Outside, Missy turned to him. “Did you have a good time?”
Zane appreciated how she was always concerned about him. “I had a great time. I especially like Brian. His wood working abilities are outstanding.”
She ran a hand down his arm. “I want you to have friends. I can only imagine how hard this is for you. Everything is new, and all the things you’re used to are gone.”
He opened the driver’s side door for her and motioned she scoot in. He then rushed over to his side and took his seat. “I’m fine, really. Cargonia had its good points, but it wasn’t perfect by any means. Demons like to target the shifters for no reason, and that made staying alive an everyday challenge.”
“What a horrible thought.”
“Let’s hope our demons never learn what some of your witches are capable of. They might try to take you, though I have no idea how they’d be able to force you to turn against us.”
“That’s an even worse thought.”
Zane should have never brought it up, but it did seem to keep Missy occupied since she didn’t ask him again about Raymolt.
Once she pulled into her driveway, he couldn’t wait to get her inside. All during their drive home, he debated whether to tell her that he might not survive if Raymolt found him, and he wanted his last few days to be spent with her—his mate.
When they stepped into the house, he decided that telling the truth would be for the best. “We need to talk.”
She stilled. “Is it about Raymolt? He is here, isn’t he?”
“As I mentioned in the car, I can’t be sure, but I think so. The center of my amulet did turn black.” He set the picnic basket and blanket on the dining room table then led her over to the couch.
Missy’s eyes darkened. “Zane, we need to leave town. I can’t lose you.”
He grabbed her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “I have everything to live for. I won’t let him kill me.”
She leaned back. “What if he doesn’t want to kill you, but rather wants to take you back to Cargonia?”
He shook his head. “It’s not how demons work. He’s here for one and only one reason—to kill me. Now that the witch’s spell is broken, he’ll need to take things into his own hands. The best thing is never to be alone. He won’t attack if I’m in a crowd.”
She glanced at the door. “What’s to stop him from breaking down the door in the middle of the night and coming after you?”
“Shh. We can’t think like that. Right now, I need to be with you every minute I can—just in case the unthinkable happens.”
“I’d like that too, but there has to be something we can do.”
He shook his head. “Demons have powers us shifters don’t.”
“My sister can shoot fire from her hand, and do a lot of other things. Maybe she can—”
“Missy, don’t.”
She huffed out a sigh. “Fine, but you’re not painting a very rosy picture. How are you going to stop him then?”
“Try my best?” He didn’t want to mislead her, but he wasn’t ready to tell her the truth—that his chances of survival were slim at best if the demon managed to get him alone.
Clasping his hand, she lifted his knuckles to her lips. “I love you, Zane, and I agree that if our time is limited, we need to be together in the truest sense. I want to be your mate.”
His heart nearly burst. “Oh, Missy, you love me? You aren’t just saying that to make me happy, are you?”
“No!”
He hugged her tight then leaned back. “I love you also. Trust me, I’ve wanted to say that for so long, but since we just met, I didn’t want you to think I was only stating it so that you’d help me or anything.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “No. I’d never think that. You’re an honorable man, Zane Barons.”
He kissed her hard. When his bear threatened to reveal himself, he broke the kiss. “You’ve made me a very happy man. Are you sure about this? You aren’t doing this because you think I might die, are you?”
“Never.” Her chin trembled. “I’ll admit that I might have waited, but only a few more days. I want you Zane. And that’s the truth.”
Happy and fearful at the same time, he untied the strap holding up her top. When he exposed her breasts, his bear could no longer contain himself. Zane shot up from the sofa and moved away as quickly as possible, fearing that if he shifted while holding her he’d hurt her.
No sooner had he lifted off his amulet and placed it on the floor than his bear burst forth and took up what little space was left in the living room.
Missy’s eyes opened wide, and she clasped a hand over her mouth. “Zane?”
He swore he heard a giggle in her tone. When he stood to his full height, his head hit the ceiling, forcing him to drop back to all fours. He debated shifting to his human form right away because he needed her so much, but when she stood and held out her hand, he wanted her curiosity to be satisfied. From what he’d been told, when a shifter mated with a human, his bite would allow her to shift. Whether it worked for shifters from his realm, he didn’t know, though for her sake, he hoped so. Missy moved closer, and he lowered his head to show he wasn’t going to hurt her.
She petted his crown. “You’re so soft.”
He growled lightly. There were so many things he wanted to tell her and ask her, but this was her time. When Missy walked around him, he plopped his rear down on the floor, allowing her to better study him. She placed her head on his back and frustration bubbl
ed inside him. As much as he wanted to touch her, he feared his claws would harm her. Never before had anyone shown any interest in his bear form.
Missy moved in front of him. “How long do you intend to stay like that?”
Less than five seconds. His bones cracked, and his body spun. His vision dimmed for only a second, and when he returned to his human form, Missy hadn’t moved.
“Is this better?” he asked. Zane picked up his amulet from the floor and threaded it over his head.
She glanced down at his erection. “I’ll say, though I did enjoy seeing who your other half is.”
“My randy bear couldn’t handle hearing about us mating and not have a say so in the matter.”
She stepped closer, and when she placed a palm on his chest, his bear went wild. Thankfully, he didn’t make another appearance. “Does he approve?” she asked.
“Totally.” She had no idea how ready he was to mate with her.
*
Missy was overwhelmed, excited, and scared at the same time. She’d seen many shifters in her lifetime, but never one so close. Part of her had wanted him to hold her while he was in his animal form, but she’d never even asked if he would like that. She’d heard a few did not.
While there were so many things she didn’t know about Zane, her mom always said that one of the best parts of marriage was learning all of the other person’s little quirks. Even now, Dad surprised Mom in the things he said and did.
Reality swept over her. What if she never was able to learn all of Zane’s oddities? Or see how he performed under pressure? She wanted children, but would he be around long enough to give them to her?
“Missy?” Zane asked. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“No.” She pressed her body to his and inhaled his warm, musky scent. “I want to be with you more than anything, but I’m worried.”
He leaned back and lifted her chin. “I want nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity with you, but no one can predict the future. What do you say we start living life now? I’d hate to have to remain in my bear form for the rest of time.”
