by Vella Day
She couldn’t be happier. “That’s fantastic.”
“I think so too. Wait until I show you where we’re going. It’s beautiful.”
He drove in about a mile, and then turned down an unpaved, bumpy road. “The owner doesn’t mind you trespassing?” she asked.
“Nope.” When he reached the end of the road, he stopped and jumped out. Dalton came over to her side and opened her door. “Before we undress, I want to show you something.”
“It’s dark.”
“But you can see, right?”
She hadn’t even thought about it before, but yes, her vision was sharp and clear. “I can. The white moon helps.”
Dalton grabbed her hand and led her across the small field that smelled sweet. The cicadas were trilling in the trees and a hawk was flying overhead. The wind whispered throughout the surrounding trees. He led her past a few boulders and down a small slope.
“Can you smell it?” he asked.
“Smell what?”
Dalton wrapped an arm around her. “The water.”
They traversed down a long, sloping hillside, careful not to trip over any downed branches. At the bottom, they came to another small clearing where a four-foot wide, fast moving stream ran through it. “It’s beautiful.”
Dalton faced her and took hold of her hands. “This is my surprise. I just bought the land. I want to build a house on it for us.”
Anna was speechless. “You bought this land?”
“Yes, do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it.” Her heart beat fast. Saying the word love just now reminded her that she’d never told Dalton how much she loved him. Saying it in the heat of passion had never seemed right. “But not as much as I love you.”
Before he had the chance to respond, she drew his face to hers and pressed her lips to his. He groaned and returned the kiss, gently at first and then with more intensity. Both of their orbs glowed, and suddenly, she was overwhelmed with such desire that she felt as if she might shift. Her scalp itched and her body began to burn up, but she didn’t care. All she could think about was having him. Grabbing his butt, she squeezed each hard cheek then dragged her hands up his back, loving all the bumps and ridges.
Running her tongue over her teeth, she jerked when one of her teeth cut her. Blood tinged her mouth. Unsure of how that had happened, Anna stepped back.
“I feel your pain. What happened?” he asked.
“My teeth just sharpened, like yours.”
He gathered her in his arms and pressed his lips to her ear. “Shh. It’s all right. It’s just your tiger fighting for release. Relax, and go with the flow.”
What did go with the flow really mean? Aw, hell. It didn’t matter. Her hands itched with a need to feel his skin. Anna leaned back. “Touch me everywhere. Please.”
“I think you should get naked first to enhance the pleasure.”
He was right. When they eventually shifted, she’d have to be naked anyway. Because it was warm, she hadn’t worn much, which made undressing easier. After toeing off her sandals, she kicked them to the side. Her T-shirt took little effort to remove as did her shorts. She’d not worn a bra, so all that was left were her panties.
When she’d finished stepping out of them, Dalton hadn’t moved. “Why are you still dressed?”
“I was too caught up watching you.”
He was being silly. She moved closer and slid her hands under his T-shirt and palmed his pecs. While she loved every part of his body, his chest had to be one of her favorite areas. He flexed and she grinned. “Do it again.”
Dalton moved his right pec and then his left. He then clamped his palms over her breasts. “See if you can do it.”
It took a few tries, but finally she was able to move one and then the other. He pinched his fingers together and slowly slid them off her breasts until he was only holding onto her nipples. All it took was for him to press on them lightly and twist her sensitive nubs for her glow to fully bloom.
That seemed to be the key to unlock her hormones, because suddenly her body was flooded with lust, joy, and glorious passion. “Take off your pants,” she said trying to sound as forceful as possible, though the command sounded closer to a plea.
He cocked a brow as if his mate shouldn’t make demands.
“Please?” she added.
“You bet.” In a flash, he was naked and pressed up against her.
The divine sensation of his skin on hers set her off again. Her nails grew, and her bones cracked, followed by an ache rippling through her. When he leaned over and drew a nipple into his mouth and slid two fingers into her wet hole, her world turned black. She staggered back and suddenly found herself on the ground without remembering having fallen.
How was it possible that her knees weren’t touching the dry leaves, yet she was staring at Dalton’s shins?
“What happened?” she telepathed, not trusting her ability to speak.
“You shifted, that’s what happened.” The joy in his voice was unmistaken.
I did? As much as she wanted to run around, she wanted to make love with him more. “How do I shift back?”
“Don’t be scared. Do you want me to join you?”
“Not yet. I need you too much.”
Dalton chuckled. “I hear you. Picture yourself as a human again,” he said out loud.
Anna concentrated, imagining staring into a mirror, seeing herself dressed in blue jeans shorts and purple tank top. Once more her vision blurred than faded to black for a moment as she spun around and lost her balance once more. She landed on her rear with a hard thump. “Oh.”
The sound of her own voice took her by surprise, but when she managed to open her eyes, her legs and arms were all human.
Dalton dropped down next to her. “I realize the shift only lasted a few seconds, but how did it feel?”
“I’m not sure. It was different.”
“I think you were so turned on that you shifted.” He ran a knuckle down her face. “I do love you, Anna Fairchild. You are too adorable for words.”
“While I do love hearing you tell me that, I would appreciate a little bit more showing.” With that, she dragged him down to the ground with her.
A second later, she was on top of him, and Dalton grinned. “Then ride me for all I’m worth.”
“My pleasure.”
*
“What do you think?” Anna asked as she held up the tattoo artist’s drawing of the sword next to a partial image of her father’s face.
“It looks amazing, but why a sword?” Dalton asked.
“To me, one side of the double-edged sword represents strength, something I needed growing up—like when I was given up by Merry, when my first set of foster parents didn’t treat me well, and then all the times I thought I was a freak and would never fit in.”
He liked her take. “And the other side?”
“That represents where I am now. It’s the good side.” She smiled, and his body heated. “The goodness happened when I met you and fell in love.”
Her words made his heart soar. “It may not seem like it, but you and I are very much alike. After my dad died, I tumbled into darkness too. Nothing made much sense to me either.” While one of the tattoo artists was a shifter, the other was not, so he had to be careful with what he said.
Anna clasped his hand. “I keep forgetting. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too. The one and only benefit of his dying so early, was that it made me the man I am today.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “And that’s the man I love.” She nodded to the pattern he was holding. “Which rose did you pick?”
“The one like yours. I asked him to do it in the same turquoise color.”
“That’s sweet. Let’s do this.” She returned to her chair.
His artist was Renfro, a shifter, but the woman, Sabrina, working on Anna was not. While Dalton was interested in what Renfro was doing on his arm, he couldn’t take his eyes off Anna. Having the tatt
oo even of a partial face of her father meant a lot to her. She’d never met him, but he’d given her his Wendayan gifts. At least now, she wouldn’t have to think she was different.
Now that her powers had combined with his, she’d become a force to be reckoned with. In the last few weeks, he too had discovered that he could touch someone and see into their past. While his skills weren’t as developed as Anna’s, that talent had proved very useful just last week when speaking with a suspect—who, by the way, had been guilty as sin.
The two artists worked quickly and precisely, but in the time he and Anna had been in the shop, no one else had come in. He worried how they could remain in business. “Did you know Silver Lake doesn’t have a tattoo parlor?”
Renfro’s brows rose. “That so?” He glanced over at his partner. “Sabrina and I don’t have a lot of business right now. Maybe we should consider opening a new shop down there. I appreciate the tip.”
“No problem.” Another shifter would always be welcome, but he kept that comment to himself.
Once their tattoos were complete, they thanked their artists and left.
“So what do you want to do now?” Anna asked eying his new addition. “I really like it by the way.”
“I do too. How about we go for a run over at our property, and then go out to dinner?” Even though Anna had moved in with him, they didn’t have a set routine for cooking. Too often, he’d work late and the meal she’d cooked would grow cold.
“Sounds like a plan, but what do you say we eat first and then go for a run? I’m in the mood for a little hide and seek, and it’s better when it’s dark.”
Too often when they played that game, he lost. Anna was amazingly good at slowing her breath and remaining still. If the clouds covered the sky, finding her was extra difficult despite her light coloring. “I’m game, but I’m winning this time.”
She laughed. “You wish.” Halfway back to Silver Lake, her cell rang. “It’s Merry,” she said. “Hey. What’s up? I’ll ask.” She turned to him. “Merry invited us to dinner. You up for it?”
“Always.”
She returned to her conversation and requested the time. “See you soon.”
Dalton loved how Anna’s eyes lit up when she was around her mother. The requested blood tests had come back, showing they were indeed mother and daughter. If he didn’t know the story behind their meeting, he’d think they’d known each other their whole lives. Thankfully, Merry’s husband seemed to be on the mend. His doctor had changed his medication, and it was working.
“Did you tell Merry you were getting the tattoo?” he asked.
“Yes, but not that it was of Tommy.”
“I hope George isn’t upset when he sees it, assuming he can tell who it is.”
She shook her head. “He’s cool with it. He understands that it happened long before Merry met him.”
When they arrived at Anna’s mom’s house, they piled out. As soon as they stepped inside, her mom hugged them both then escorted them into the living room. “I’m so glad you two could come.” She turned toward him. “I know how busy you are, Dalton.”
“Now that Crystal’s case is closed, I have more time on my hands.” Silver Lake didn’t have that many murders.
“Come and sit down both of you. Dinner’s in the oven. What can I get you two to drink?” Merry asked.
“A beer if you have one,” Dalton said.
“Water for me,” Anna replied.
He glanced over at his mate. In the few months they’d been together, she’d rarely ordered water. “You feeling okay?” he telepathed, not wanting to worry Merry.
She smiled, looking like herself. “Water is good for the body, especially after getting a tattoo.”
Dalton didn’t want to drink alone. “Merry, can you make mine a water too?”
“Sure.” Anna’s mom brought in a tray filled with four glasses of water.
George came downstairs. “Is that Anna and Dalton I hear.”
Dalton stood. “Yes, sir.” He shook his hand.
When Merry passed out the drinks, Anna clasped her glass with both hands. “I have an announcement to make.”
His tiger sat up. He would have noticed if she’d been ill. “What is it?” he asked.
Anna grinned. “I’m pregnant.”
Thankfully, he hadn’t been holding his glass or he might have dropped it. “For real?” They hadn’t decided whether to mention shifters in front of Merry and George, so he telepathed his next thought. “I knew something was different.”
She nodded. “Different? How so?” she telepathed.
“Your scent had changed, but I thought you might have been working with different flowers than usual.” She grinned then set her glass on the coffee table as Dalton jumped up. He drew his mate into his arms and held her close. “When did you find out?” he asked out loud.
“Yesterday, but I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did.”
A whimper sounded from Merry. She swiped a finger under her eye. “I never thought I’d be a grandmother.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
“It’s wonderful. I can see many hours babysitting,” Merry said with a load of cheer in her voice.
Anna smiled. “I’m counting on it.”
During dinner, they talked about the house plans and when their home would be completed.
Merry cut off another slice of meatloaf. “I almost forgot to tell you that Tom came back to work today. He says he’s one hundred percent, but he looked a little peaked to me.”
Dalton was glad he’d survived the gunshot wound, though Tom wasn’t one of his favorite people. No cheater ever could be. “That’s great news.”
Once they finished eating, Anna and he insisted they clean up. When they finished, they hugged Merry and George goodbye. Dalton normally would have stayed longer, but he really needed this run. No telling how long Anna would want to go on runs while pregnant. He wasn’t even sure who to ask about whether it was safe to shift in her condition, though Elana might be able to shed some light.
Once Anna was settled in the car, he reached over and clasped her hand. “Other than the day we mated, I think this will go down as the best day of my life.”
She unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted closer. “That so? You want to make it even more memorable?”
“If you don’t mind waiting a bit to run off the meal we just ate, I’d be happy to.”
“Then what are you waiting for, cowboy?”
Dalton laughed. Being with Anna was the best present he could ask for.
The End
*
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I hope you enjoyed Anna and Dalton’s story. Up next is PROTECTING HIS WOLF. It’s Sam and Lexi’s story (she’s a newcomer). Here is a sneak peak of the first chapter.
Chapter One
‡
Lexi Laramie ground her teeth together. “Are you crazy? You have no right to sell me. It’s barbaric!”
Her dad lifted his hand and slapped her so hard across the face that she stumbled backward, slamming against the sharp edge of the trailer’s kitchen counter. Pain shot up her spine, but she refused to show how much his actions had hurt her, both physically and mentally.
Lexi was so damned tempted to kill the bastard right here, right now, but she wanted him to suffer with the poor decisions he’d made in his life. Let the gambler he owned money to come after him and dole out his own brand of justice.
“Release me,” her wolf begged. “I can take him.”
He’s not worth it.
Her dad was a wolf too, and while he had been strong in his youth, in his current drunk condition, he was a mere shell of a man. His once thick brown hair, now in need of a haircut, was peppered with gray. The once broad shoulders were beginning to round from lack of exercise. She t
oo had been devastated by her mom’s death, but did she go out and get drunk and gamble every night? Hell no. She mourned her mom while keeping a job.
He raised his hand once more, but she wouldn’t let him strike her again. She swiped the blood trickling down her cheek, ready to defend herself. Could she kill him? Probably. Her Wendayan mother had imbued her with great strength and agility. Deciding to use that talent instead of her ability to shift, Lexi executed a roundhouse kick to his midsection. As expected, the old man tumbled on his ass and landed with a grunt. Lexi stood over him. “Don’t. Ever. Hit. Me. Again. You understand?” She refrained from saying what she might do if he did.
His eyes darkened with fury as he half rolled over. “You will pay.”
“Me?” Lexi stepped back, planted one foot in front of the other, and lifted her fists. “How much money do you owe this time?”
Her father lifted up onto his elbows. “Ten thousand dollars. Because he knows I don’t have that kind of cash, Justin Kapok said we’d be even as soon as I hand you over to him.”
Her stomach churned with a strong ache. Kapok was a known gangster in their wolf Clan. One time at a bar, he’d tried to convince her to hook up with him, and she’d said no. Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say to such an influential man. That night he made it clear that his goal was to find a powerful mate to help him climb the Clan ladder. Asshat. He bragged that his woman would be popping out pups one right after the other to increase the Clan’s population. She wasn’t against having a lot of kids—just not with him. For Justin, the concept of love seemed totally foreign to him.
“What possessed you to play poker with someone of that man’s caliber?” she asked, aching in so many places, especially in her heart.
“He asked me to play.” Fear for his life suddenly replaced the angry lines around his eyes and mouth.
She loomed over him again. “I’m twenty-four years old. Last time I looked, human trafficking was illegal.”
