by Bianca D'Arc
Janice nodded, frowning as she turned her head slightly toward the ocean. “Yeah, you can see them. The little ones mostly, not the big guy. The leviathan itself seems to stick to the ocean proper, unless there’s some kind of attack going on.” Janice turned back to face Moira. “You’re the selkie from Clan Kinkaid, aren’t you?”
Moira smiled. “Word travels fast, I see.”
“Small town.” Janice shrugged, then seemed to relax. “Actually, three of my friends are mated to bears now. Two of them were savaged by the leviathan. Grace washed up on shore, and the game warden bear found her and nursed her back to health. They live over there.” Janice pointed toward a house just visible up the beach. “Then Jetty went to investigate what happened to Grace and met her bear, Drew. He’s the one who brought us all here. That’s one brave bear Jetty’s got. But Sirena, our hunting party leader, was gravely injured, and she ended up mated to the town’s doctor, a giant polar bear shifter named Sven.”
“Sounds like you’re all settling in here even more than I even imagined,” Moira observed.
“Yeah, I like it. And I’m really happy for my friends, even if their matings did break up our hunting party. Still, it’s good to see them so content.” Janice smiled again. “We were told a selkie had arrived and to be on the lookout to make sure you were safe. It wouldn’t do to bring the anger of Kinkaid down on us, or the bears. You’ve been given safe passage and any help you need.”
“That’s…” Moira groped for an adequate word through her surprise. “That’s really nice of you. Thanks.”
“Oh, and Nansee—she’s our pod leader—wants to meet with you,” Janice added.
“I’d be honored,” Moira assured her.
Meeting with a pod leader was a big deal. Selkies probably knew more about mer than most other shifters, but the identities of pod leaders were kept secret among their own people. That this Nansee had brought her entire pod here and was willing to meet with Moira was something unique. Historic, even.
“I think the meeting is scheduled for tomorrow morning over breakfast,” Janice went on as both women tread water.
“I’m supposed to be meeting with the strega witch sisters for breakfast tomorrow,” Moira said apologetically.
But Janice nodded. “Yes, that’s right. Nansee was invited too. She wants to check out the Kinkaid selkies we’ve heard so much about—even under the waves.” Janice winked as she laughed, and Moira joined in.
Well, all right then. These people were far more astute than Moira would have credited. It seemed she hadn’t really been flying under their radar at all. They’d already had their suspicions about her position in the Clan even before she’d gotten there.
Good. That meant they were as cautious as she was, and quick thinkers were always better to work with than dullards. This might be the beginning of a good relationship between Kinkaid and not one, but two up-and-coming shifter groups…who just happened to live in the same town.
Unprecedented and historic. Two truths that were going to keep coming around, Moira suspected, as long as she was dealing with the shifters of Grizzly Cove.
CHAPTER SIX
That Seamus was waiting for Moira in the boathouse when she came out of the water was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one. He’d showered, changed again, and shaved.
Ooh la la, he cleaned up well. Seamus was even more handsome than she’d thought, and her knees went a little weak when she came out of the changing area and found him waiting in the gift shop area at the front of the building.
As she approached, he brought out a flower wrapped in cellophane from behind his back. A long-stemmed pink rose. A symbol of friendship and affection, if she remembered correctly. How sweet. Her heart melted a little when he held it out to her and gave her that crooked smile of his.
“For you, Moira. For not dumping me in the ocean, when you had the chance.”
That was it. She was a goner.
Moira took the rose from his hands and smiled up at him. He was taller than her, though he wasn’t as massive as the grizzly men in this town. Still, he was just the right size for her not to feel completely overwhelmed and bring on feelings of panic from her other half. He was perfect for her.
And where had that thought come from? Probably from the same wretched place that had her thinking of long-term commitments from a man she’d only just met. The same place that whispered what a good mate Seamus would make.
Yikes. She’d better be careful before she broke her own heart on a man who would no doubt be planning, even now, on returning to his own country and his own people. How would she—a seal shifter—fit in with a bunch of koalas?
And would he even ask her to try? She had no idea if he was feeling the same amazing things she was experiencing. Maybe this was all just a mild flirtation to him. Maybe he was just being nice because he was grateful she’d helped him and was understanding about the trauma he’d just been through. Maybe her inner seal was barking up the completely wrong tree.
“Thank you, Seamus.” She took the flower and held it to her nose, enjoying the soft scent of rose. One of her favorites.
“I was wondering if you’d be my guest for dinner. Zak is very close to opening his restaurant, and he invited a few of us over tonight to try out some of the selections he’s thinking of putting on the menu. It’ll be a bit of a working dinner, since he’ll be asking you for your opinion of each dish, but I can guarantee you’ll enjoy it. He’s one of the best chefs around. Do you like Cajun food?”
“Actually, I love it. And I’d love to accompany you. Thanks for asking.”
A date? She was going out to dinner with sexy Seamus? Yes, please.
“Do you need to go back to the guest cottage to freshen up or anything?” he asked, emphasizing the two words with a twinkle in his eye. They both now knew her accommodations had been a garage until the day before yesterday.
“No, I used the showers here. They have all the amenities. Soaps, lotions, towels, even changes of clothing, if you need them. It’s a water shifter’s dream come true.”
“We just built the place. The mer stocked it with what they wanted.” Seamus shrugged as if it was no big deal, but to Moira, it really was remarkable what they’d done in such a short amount of time.
“Did you have a hand in building it?” Moira asked, picking up on his casual use of the word we.
Seamus shrugged again. “I have nothing else to do with my time and no consistent access to funds in this country. I have to do something to earn my keep, and I know carpentry. Put a hammer in my hands, and I’m handy enough. I also did the tile work in that shower area. Did you like the little swish patterns?”
“You mean that gorgeous mosaic of tiny tiles making a wave over the wall?” Now, she was truly impressed. “Seamus, that’s a work of art. You did that?”
He looked a little embarrassed by her praise. “I like working with tile. I remodeled the kitchen and all the bathrooms in my mother’s house a few years back. The patterns I designed for her were a bit more complex and took more time. Turned out well, I think. At least Mum seems to like them.” They began walking toward the door to the street. “It’s actually good that you don’t have to go back to the cottage. Zak’s invitation was for six, and it’s almost that now. If we mosey over there, I reckon we’ll get there right on time.”
She allowed him the change in subject, since he seemed uncomfortable talking about his artistic accomplishments. Someday, though, she’d love to see what he could do with his mosaic designs given more time. The work he’d done on short notice in the boathouse was truly beautiful.
“Well, then. Shall we?”
Seamus felt like a king, walking with Moira at his side down the quiet Main Street in Grizzly Cove. He felt even better when they entered the newly constructed building that would be Zak’s restaurant, as soon as they opened officially. Tonight, there were just a few people there, invited specially by Zak, to help him settle on the menu.
Big John and his mate, Ur
se, greeted them by the door, having apparently just arrived themselves. From there, they said hello to Sheriff Brody and his mate, Nell, her sister Tina, who was Zak’s mate, and their other sister, Ashley and her mate Tom. Luckily, Moira had met them all before, so there was no need for Seamus to make the introductions. He was still relearning how to be human after spending so long in his fur, and sometimes, polite conversation was still a bit beyond him.
Another couple was already seated, but Tina introduced them. It was the town doctor, Sven, and his new mate, the mermaid, Sirena. Sven still insisted on checking Seamus out every week or so to see that he was gaining weight and recovering from his ordeal. He’d also talked to Seamus about his drinking, but the polar bear shifter had also been a soldier, and he understood post-traumatic stress and how shifters dealt with it.
Seamus knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that Sven wouldn’t have let Seamus go on with his drunken behavior indefinitely. Sooner or later, the polar bear would have intervened. Oddly enough, since that morning when Moira had walked into his life, Seamus hadn’t even thought about drinking, and when the idea arose in his mind now, he felt no real interest.
He’d been drinking to get in touch with his inner animal and forget his guilt over losing Eamon that way, but the guilt had dissipated now that he knew Eamon had jumped rather than fallen by accident. And everything had turned out okay. Moira had put Seamus back in touch with his wild side. Eamon was safe. And Seamus’s unnecessary guilt had lifted. With it, his need to drink to excess had dissipated. Funny how that worked. Grizzly Cove was going to soon realize that their town drunk had gone dry. He wondered what they’d make of that and knew they’d be happy he was finally getting his shit together.
The gathering in the unopened restaurant was cozy and loud, with multiple conversations going on at any given time as Zak and his mate brought out plate after plate of delicious-smelling food from the kitchen. Everybody got to try a little of everything and give their opinions before Zak took orders for whatever anybody wanted more of. Every dish was great as far as Seamus was concerned, so it was hard to make up his mind when asked what he wanted Zak to cook him for dinner.
“Well, which ones were your favorites?” Tina asked Seamus, trying to coax him into a decision.
“I’m not sure. Maybe the crab? Or the steak?” He really wasn’t sure.
Tina patted his arm. “I’ll bring you both,” she assured him and went off to join her mate in the kitchen. Seamus wasn’t sure he could eat that much, but she was gone before he could object.
“Smart man,” Sven said, winking. “That’s one way to get a double portion.”
“I wasn’t trying to do that. In fact, it’ll probably be too much if she really brings both.”
Sven frowned, and his voice dropped to a quieter level. “You lost a lot of weight, Seamus. You should eat it all, if you can.”
“Honestly, I’m still recovering from all that eucalyptus they fed me in that menagerie. My human taste buds haven’t come back all the way yet.” Seamus hadn’t ever admitted to that before, and he could see he’d surprised Sven.
Moira put her hand over his on the table for all to see. She was offering comfort. He hadn’t realized she was listening to his conversation with the doctor just then, but he was glad of her support. She made him feel so much stronger, just by touching his hand.
“Didn’t they give you anything else?” she asked softly.
A sort of hush fell over the group, and he realized they were all aware of the intensity of the conversation going on at his end of the big table. He didn’t like the attention, but these were friends. He hadn’t been totally honest with them, preferring to hide his troubles in a bottle, but the time for that was over. Moira—and the answers she’d provided—had changed everything. It was time to be more honest with these good people who had taken him in.
“You know, at first, eucalyptus is like ambrosia to my other form, but when I change back to human, it always leaves a funny taste in my mouth for a little while,” he admitted, knowing everyone was listening, but not minding it so much. “Being stuck in my fur for so long made everything a bit harder this time. It’s like I’ve had to learn to be human all over again.”
The men around the table nodded or frowned, but all were supportive in their quiet acceptance of his words. Seamus could feel their silent encouragement, and it meant more than he could say. A clatter of dishes preceded Zak into the room.
“Man, you still smell like cough drops to me, and you’ve been here a long time,” Zak said, slapping Seamus on the back on his way past, delivering more plates to the table.
Obviously, he’d been listening from the kitchen. Sharp shifter hearing had brought the words to him, even as he worked.
Laughter greeted Zak’s teasing words, and the tense moment passed. The Cajun bear was good at defusing tension. It seemed to be his role in the Clan, more often than not, and Seamus was glad of his presence. He was turning into a really good friend, which was something Seamus hadn’t expected. And it went almost without saying that he was one hell of a chef.
The rest of the dinner passed in discussion of the various dishes Zak prepared for everyone. The bears were honest in their appraisal of their friend’s cooking talents, and Moira enjoyed their cheery banter. She also got a chance to speak with the women and realized that one and all were in the middle of an extended honeymoon period when love just shone in their eyes as they looked at their mates.
A different woman might have been jealous, but Moira was touched by the genuine emotion she saw between all the couples. She was happy for them and, okay, a bit envious. She wanted what they’d found. She wanted a mate of her own and the chance at lifelong happiness.
Which made her think about Seamus and the way it felt so natural to spend time with him. It was as if they were two halves of a longstanding partnership, even if they’d only known each other for a day. It was like finding a friend you hadn’t known you’d lost and picking up right where you left off. He was easy to be with and easy to laugh with, even while working through the residual pain of his recent past.
She was glad she’d been able to give him closure on Eamon’s fate. If fate allowed, she’d take him to meet Eamon at some future date, so he could see for himself that the boy was thriving. She could arrange that through her connections in the Clan. She thought it would be good for Seamus and his continued recovery.
When it came time to leave, Moira truly felt as if she’d made some new friends that night. The bears were a lot less scary than she thought they’d be, and their mates were amazing women. Even the Alpha female, the strega witch, Urse, had proven to be a down-to-earth modern woman who Moira could relate to. The fact that Urse had amazing magical powers didn’t seem to faze her or her friends at all.
They were all, for lack of a better word, more human to her now after spending time dining and laughing with them as a group. Maybe that had been engineered, but at no time during the evening did she feel she was being manipulated. Perhaps, after all, it had been just a spur-of-the-moment invitation from Seamus to a party he’d already been invited to join. If so, the company couldn’t have been more welcoming. They’d included her—a stranger to town—as if she were one of their own.
“I hope you’ll allow me to walk you home,” Seamus said with the gallant offer of his arm as they stood outside, saying goodbye to everyone. The night had gone on from dinner to dessert, to drinks, and the hour was late. Time had simply flown while in such amiable company.
“Why, yes, kind sir, I believe I’ll take you up on that offer.” She took his arm with a comical widening of her eyes as she leaned in, stage whispering so everyone could hear. “I understand there are bears in these woods.”
“That there are, milady,” Seamus confirmed, nodding wisely. “But I’ll protect you.”
“Yeah,” Brody put in. “He’ll scare them all away with his cough drop scent.”
Everybody laughed, including Seamus, and they all moved off in mo
stly different directions. John and Urse walked with them toward their home, since Moira was staying in the small cottage on their grounds. They didn’t seem to mind that Seamus was accompanying her. In fact, Urse gave her a wink as they parted at the base of the walkway that lead up to their house.
“Try not to keep her up too late, Seamus,” Urse said, teasing them both. “She’s got a breakfast meeting in the morning.”
“I hear and obey, mighty Alpha,” Seamus said, saluting her with that sexy crooked grin of his. Urse laughed and waved them off as the Alpha couple turned toward their home.
Seamus fell into step beside Moira as they headed around back on the secluded forest path that led to the former garage that was now a guest cottage. The place had all the amenities. A single room with a closet and bathroom along one wall, it was perfect for a weary traveler to lay her head. At least, Moira had been enjoying the little cabin in the woods since she’d arrived. It had been just perfect for her. Stoutly built with a good lock on the door, the cabin felt safe and Moira hadn’t feared for her safety, even if she was in the middle of the woods where, she knew for a fact, many bears roamed.
There was a small fridge stocked with snacks and drinks, as well as a TV with satellite service and all the comforts of home. The bed was on one side, closer to the bathroom, and a sitting area dominated the other side of the small building. There was sofa and coffee table that currently held Moira’s laptop and the files she’d been working on. There wasn’t any truly sensitive data on the laptop, but she could access the Kinkaid databases from anywhere as long as she had secure wifi.
When they reached her door, Seamus paused. Moira took a leap of faith and decided to invite him in.
“Do you want to come in for a nightcap? I have sodas and juice in the fridge. Nothing alcoholic, I’m afraid,” she said, before she thought about how he might take her words. Luckily, he didn’t seem to take offense.
