She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into the bed with her. “Give it a week. I am sure that there is a lot for me to learn around here.”
Nika ran her hand down his chest to his belt, and she worked the leather free.
“I have always been a supporter of education.” He dropped to the bed next to her, and they rolled around, wrestling free of their clothing before she rode him to a satisfying conclusion.
It was a solid start to their new balance.
Nika held the mare’s head and murmured to Sparkle as she sweated and shivered in labour. The hard blowing was to be expected, but Nika still wanted to sooth her.
Mark was on the business end and easing the tiny hooves into position. The little one was coming out slowly. When the head emerged, he looked up and nodded.
The rest was timing pulling to labour, and slowly, the little one slid into the world. The moment it was free of its mother’s body, it fought to rise with flailing legs. Mark pulled the amniotic sac away, and Sparkle struggled to her feet.
Nika and Mark would have caused more harm than good if they had been humans, but Sparkle accepted them as protective members of the herd. It was a nice feeling.
Covered in blood and liquid, Mark kissed her quickly. “I am heading for a shower.”
She laughed. “It is all par for the course.”
The vet students who had alerted them to the labouring mare were standing in the doorway and staring.
The little filly toddled over to her mother, and they met muzzle to muzzle for the first time.
Nika teared up and left the stall.
The vets were going to take care of the afterbirth when it emerged, and in the meantime, Nika could get back to bed.
Four days at the ranch had gotten her introduced to all the hands and the students doing their practicums at the busiest horse facility in the region.
A new house was being constructed on the edge of the small town. Annabella and Frennin had jumped at the chance to move once they had understood the scope of the rescue project. Both of them were uniquely qualified to capture horses that had been left alone too long to respond to humans, and they were offering themselves are retrievers.
Argus Stables was being given to Annabella’s youngest brother. Nika had never met him, but she heard he was as passionate about horse health as her mother was, so she was all for it.
Back at the house, Nika peeled off her tank top and shorts, climbing into the shower with Mark. She wrapped her arms around his back and stroked slowly downward.
“Aren’t you tired?”
She sighed. “Well, I can’t play around in other forms for a while, so I will have to make do with this one.”
He turned in her embrace, the soap and water made the move easy. “What? I had hoped to go for a run tomorrow.”
“Sorry. I can ride you, but I can’t embrace my beast tomorrow. She got what she wanted.”
His brow furrowed. “What?”
“I am carrying.”
“You weren’t in heat.” His brain was grappling with what she was telling him.
“My beast wasn’t. My human half had her own agenda.”
She paused with the mist fogging the air around them. “If you aren’t happy about it, I can sleep in a separate room for the next nine and a half months.”
He slid his hand into her hair and pulled her head back. The kiss left nothing unsaid. He was extremely happy.
It was good that he was happy, because she wanted to expand her herd, and it was going to happen one little foal at time... or a baby. She wasn’t fussy. She was a social animal no matter what shape she wore.
Author’s Note
Teebie’s story is coming up! Hooray. Thank you for having patience with my time off. My father’s passing was unexpected, and it threw me for a loop.
Thanks one and all for the kind words.
Zenina Masters
www.zeninamasters.com
About the Author
Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specialises in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.
An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.
Stripes of Fury Page 6
