by Leslie Chase
A smile quirked at his lips, just for a second, and then he laughed too. “Okay, that’s fair. All the more reason for me to want to have a peaceful environment to talk to you about it, though.”
Lisa nodded.
“But here we are, and we can’t shove the genie back in the bottle. I’m a bear shifter, and you need to know what that means. Before I joined the Army, I didn’t know what it meant either, but fortunately there are a few of us shifters who look out for our own. They found me when I joined up, and taught me what I needed to know. That’s one of the reasons I vanished so completely – I wasn’t just going through basic, I was meeting my own kind for the first time and learning about myself.”
“There are more of you?” Lisa broke in, and then blushed. “Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t interrupt.”
Marcus waved off her apology, shaking his head. “It’s a lot for you to take in, I know. If you’ve got questions, I’ll try and answer them. That one’s easy: yeah, there are a few of us around. Not many, but enough to make a small supernatural community. We mostly keep to ourselves, but our talents are enough to make us useful in some places where everyone needs our help,” he said.
“That’s why there’s a unit in the Army for us. We can do things that need to be done, that no one else can do.”
Lisa shivered at the stone cold look on his face as he said that. It told her all she needed to know about what he’d done for his country, and the price he’d paid for it.
I really don’t need to know the details, she thought. Some things are best left in the shadows.
“So, what are you doing now,” she asked, trying to move off that subject. Other questions were more important anyway. “How did you end up running with a gang? Or pretending to, anyway?”
“Ha.” Marcus’s laugh was a sharp bark, with no joy in it. “That’s a different story. See, shifters aren’t the only supernatural things out there, and not everything is as friendly. There are a lot of problems that non-shifters aren’t equipped to handle for themselves. When I got out of the Army, a couple of my friends and I set up a company. Sort of a troubleshooting company, looking for the kinds of problems we can solve with what we learned in the bear squad. We all like helping people, and we wanted to put our talents to good use.
“We heard about the Serpents, and people disappearing into the woods with them. No one was going to hire us to deal with it, but I couldn’t let my hometown suffer. Not when I can put a stop to it. That’s why I came back.”
Lisa nodded, confused by all these revelations. Marcus’s body was tense, and he looked away from her, breaking eye contact.
“I didn’t realize you’d still be here, Lisa. I figured you’d have moved on, gone to college, gotten out of this hole. Gotten away from these people.”
“Marcus, this is my home,” she said, gently. Her voice was tight, controlled, angry though not with him. “I have family here, responsibilities.”
And I still probably would have gone, she thought to herself, if mom didn’t need me.
“And anyway, I was waiting for you.”
His head snapped back around at that, and she found herself impaled on his gaze, his piercing eyes looking deep into her. For a moment, there was nothing between them - she could feel his passion for her burning bright as the sun, and feel her soul respond. Then he looked away again, and she sat back with a gasp.
“I didn’t think you would,” he said quietly. “I had to make sure I was worthy of you before I found you again.”
“Marcus!” She reached out to him, shrugging off the blanket, her fingers brushing his rough, stubbled cheek. “Marcus, how could you think that you were ever not worthy? Just - just look at you.”
He grinned at that, reaching up to take her hand. “Maybe if looks were everything,” he said, without a trace of false modesty. “But they aren’t, and you deserve better than just a handsome man. You’re brave, smart, and strong - you’ve stayed here when you could have left, because you have people you care about. And you’re beautiful.”
Lisa felt her cheeks flush at that, her body heating, her hand tingling at his touch. She shook her head and was about to object when he put a finger to her lips, shushing her.
“No arguments,” he told her firmly. “And anyway, I haven’t answered your question yet. The gang thing - it’s a cover. Karl is good at making those, and it should stand up to the Serpents for a few more days while I work out exactly what’s going on and put a stop to it. It had to be me who came, since I know the area, and I had an in with Lewis.”
That made Lisa blink. Too much information to take in, too many new things to learn. And this added so much confusion, she didn’t know how to feel. Her hopes rose as she thought about it, but so did her fears. If he wasn’t one of them, then they could be together. But it meant that he’d been lying to her, so how could she trust that he was being honest now?
“So you’re not working with them?” she managed to ask, after what felt like an eternity of searching for the words.
“No!” Marcus sounded sharp, almost angry at the idea, which made Lisa flinch. It’s not fair, he’s the one who said he was!
“I’m sorry,” he continued, more calmly, leaning back to give her some space. “It was just so difficult, keeping you in the dark. I’m angry at them, not you.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “I hate them, Lisa. I hate what they’ve done to this town, and to you. I’m here to finish the Serpents, or this chapter of them at least. But I haven’t been able to find out what exactly they are involved with, what the source of the darkness is. I need to stay close to them until I do. It wasn’t easy, keeping you in the dark, but I was trying to keep you out of this mess as much as I could.”
She could see the tension in him, the self-loathing at having to pretend, and sighed herself, making an effort to let go of her fear. She could feel the truth in what he was saying, even if it didn’t make much sense to her.
“Why you?” she asked. “I mean, why a, what did you call yourself, a bear shifter? The Serpents are really a job for the police, or the FBI, or something. aren’t they?”
“Normally, yes, they would be,” he answered. “Two things make it my job, though. First, they aren’t doing anything about the Serpents. Second, more important, the Serpents aren’t just any gang. They’re messing with something supernatural themselves, something old and evil in the woods. That’s probably what’s gotten them protection from the cops. We started Guardian Bears Security to protect people from that kind of thing, and I mean to keep Coldwood safe.”
Lisa shivered. As if the Serpents needed anything to make them worse.
“What we heard about was people going missing,” Marcus continued. “And I figured it would be easy enough to find what’s happening to them, but the Serpents are more careful than I expected. I thought it would be out at their compound, but it isn’t there.”
“I’ve heard rumors,” Lisa said slowly, carefully. “Girls that come through town with the Serpents, no one ever sees them again. Things like that. What are they doing to them, Marcus?”
He met her eyes and shook his head. “There’s no point in thinking about that, sweetheart. I don’t know the details, and I don’t want to. I just want to stop them before someone else gets hurt, and for that I need to have some contact with them, as much as I hate it. So I have to keep up the charade a little longer, until I can find out where they’re taking their victims.” He sighed.
“Once I can point to some real evidence, the FBI should be able to handle the rest, and then the Serpents won’t be a problem for Coldwood anymore.”
He brushed the backs of his fingers against the side of her face, softly, “But to do all that, I had to lie to you. To everyone here, but it’s you I regret lying to most. Can you forgive me?”
Lisa stared at him, the magnitude of what he said leaving her lost at sea. Her head was buzzing from all these revelations.
It’s all just a scheme? A lie?
It made some sense,
but it was so ridiculous at the same time. She couldn’t think how to respond, what to say. Even what to think.
The silence stretched again, and this time it weighed on her. Unable to stand it any longer, she blurted out the first question that came to her mind.
“Why were you naked?” She blushed as soon as the words were past her lips, her hand flying to her mouth, and she saw a smile quirk at Marcus’s lips.
“My clothes don’t change with me,” he said, almost sheepishly. “And I didn’t want to ruin them, that might raise questions. I hope you don’t mind?”
Mind? She almost giggled at the thought. Why would I mind the chance to stare at that gorgeous body?
It might not be the most important thing right now, or even in the top ten, but it was something that she could focus on without any doubts. Looking at Marcus’s firm, sculpted muscles was nice.
He must have seen her reaction in her eyes, because his smile broadened and he sat up, flexing his muscles as he did so. She couldn’t keep her eyes from roaming over his bare torso, down his broad chest and over his sculpted abs to the top of his jeans. Lisa found herself regretting that he’d put them on, and felt her cheeks warm as she blushed brighter.
He’s here to fight the Serpents, she told herself. He’s here to save people, and he did save me. The rest of it, that’s all just details for later.
She sat forward on her chair, reaching down to touch his chest, and shrugged off the blanket he had wrapped her in. Her breathing sped up, she realized, and her heart was pounding from the nearness of him.
He took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it firmly, meeting her eyes.
“Of course I forgive you,” she whispered, slipping off the chair and into his arms.
12
His arms folded around Lisa, pulling her down to him, and she felt the heat of his body like a furnace against her. His heart pounded as they kissed, and she shivered in his embrace. She traced her fingers across his bare skin, down his flank until they met the waistband of his stolen jeans.
With a casual, breathtaking strength, he lifted her, pulling himself up to his knees and her onto his lap. His mouth was hungry on hers, his face rough and unshaven, his lips forceful. She opened her mouth and their tongues met, a spark of desire shooting through her body as they kissed.
With one hand he held her to him, with the other he pulled the cushions from her battered chair and spread them on the ground. Lisa’s body ached for him, the fears and tension of the horrible day giving way to a need for her savior’s touch. She moaned into the kiss, her heart fluttering.
The cushions were soft under her as he pressed her down, his body pinning her to the floor. Fingers trembling, she tried to pull off her top, but Marcus didn’t give her the chance. He knelt up, breaking the kiss, and grinned down at her before grabbing the top and tearing.
It parted like paper in his powerful hands, and Lisa gasped, arching her back under him, suddenly bare to his eyes. She felt a flush spread down from her face and across her chest as he looked down at her and growled, a deep and hungry sound which made her long even more for his touch.
“I’ve wanted you so much,” he said, his voice husky.
This time, she had no doubts to silence. He loomed above her, and she smiled, enjoying his gaze, the knowledge that he wanted her, that they were there for each other. His eyes were hungry for her, his hands traced across her skin tenderly, and she felt home for the first time in forever.
She squirmed free of her bra, wanting to show herself off to her hero. Marcus took a deep breath at the sight of her naked breasts, eyes lighting up with delight, and she wondered how she could have such an effect on a man. But it was undeniable. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his eyes were locked on her, and looking down she could see how his bulge strained at the too-tight jeans he wore. He was as eager for her as she was for him.
He looked at her full, curvy body as though she was some model. As though there was no one he’d rather be with than her. And somehow, she knew that was true. Just like she knew that there couldn’t be anyone else for her.
“Oh Marcus,” she moaned softly, embarrassed by what she wanted to say. “I need you. I need you inside me.”
He growled louder at that, leaning in and kissing her hard. Her fingers fumbled at his jeans, the tightness making them tricky to undo. His kisses moved to her ear, and he sucked on her earlobe, making her gasp and shudder with delight. Teeth gently nibbled on her ear, and Lisa’s breath caught.
“My perfect mate,” he whispered in her ear.
I like the sound of that, she thought, the words nearly drowned out by her body’s animal response to his closeness. She felt herself melting for him, her body achingly empty, and tugged at his jeans again in frustration.
“Please,” she asked, almost begged. “Marcus, don’t make me wait.”
He moved his lips down her neck, kissing firmly, sucking at her, making her gasp. Guiding her hands aside, he pulled the jeans open, and she felt his erection spring free, hard against her through her panties.
Biting her lip and arching her back, she fumbled with the fastening of her skirt, pulling it off and throwing it aside. His fingers hooked into her panties and tugged, the fabric giving under his strength.
I’m going to spend a lot on clothes, she couldn’t help thinking as he threw the remains of her panties aside.
Naked, they clung to each other, Lisa’s legs wrapping around Marcus’s hips, pulling him close. His mouth played across her breasts, kissing and licking and sucking her nipples, making her tremble with need and desire, her pussy wet and eager against his cock.
At last, he looked up at her, meeting her eyes, and she could see that his need was as great as her own. His iron self-discipline kept him from storming ahead without making sure that she was ready for him, but she saw the toll that was taking on him in his hungry gaze. She saw the hunger he kept at bay. A fierce hunger for her and no one else.
Something else was like iron, too. She felt his cock against her, and it felt so big. Bigger even than she remembered it from earlier. It was almost frightening to think of him inside her, but the fear was nothing compared to the wave of desire that swept through her at the thought.
He looked down into her eyes and slowly thrust into her. She felt herself open at the pressure of his dick, her body welcoming him. But he was so big. Lisa bit her lip as he slid into her, pushing against her and opening her inch by agonizing inch. A little whimper of pain from her and he stopped, looking into her eyes with a question in his. If she asked, she knew he’d stop at once and pull out. But that was the last thing she wanted, now that they were so close.
She could feel something wonderful waiting, just a little further on, and her body ached with an emptiness only he could fill. Meeting his gaze, she nodded a silent yes and he pushed on, overcoming her tightness. She gasped, arms gripping him, and pulling him to her as he slid home, her body writhing against him.
He filled her so perfectly, her body tight around his shaft, his hardness deep in her tight embrace.
Now that he was all the way in, the pressure inside her was almost painful - almost, but not quite. And as he lowered his face to hers again, kissing her deeply, the discomfort faded. His hands stroked and caressed her, his tongue danced against hers, and she relaxed, pleasure filling her as he slowly moved inside her.
“Oh, Marcus,” she moaned as their lips separated. “Oh god, this feels so perfect.”
“It is perfect,” his deep voice growled back. “We were made for each other, Lisa.”
His cock twitched inside her as she writhed under him, but he held his rhythm steady, letting her body adjust to his presence inside her. His chest rubbed against her breasts deliciously, and Lisa found herself pressing up against him, loving the feel of his movements, the touch of his skin against hers. Everything felt so natural, so wonderful.
Kissing his neck, she felt the hard muscles under his skin and couldn’t resist the urge to bite down. Marcus his
sed at that, his own lips tugging at her earlobe as he started to move faster. Lisa gasped, a lightning bolt of pleasure shooting through her as he thrust home again, and she bit down harder, urging him on.
The next stroke came quicker, harder, and Marcus’s hands gripped her firmly as he moved. Lisa’s body shook with joy and pleasure as he pounded into her forcefully, her eyes going wide at the sensations flooding through her. Moving against him in turn, she matched his rhythm, pulling back from him as he withdrew, pushing towards him with each thrust, her arms and legs tightening around him as they moved.
Panting, Lisa felt the barriers between them fall as he pounded into her. They were joined together, one life, one person.
It was such a powerful feeling, almost spiritual rather than physical. His body and hers merged, joined, and that was as powerful a feeling as anything physical. It was so much more intense than she’d expected, so much more powerful.
She could see that in his eyes too. He looked almost frightened by the intensity of what they were feeling as their bodies joined, the spiritual and the physical meeting and merging and crossing over. His breaths came sharp and hard, grunts as he thrust into her, and she could feel her body pulsing around him.
Something immensely powerful was building inside them both, she could feel it. Something stronger than she had ever felt, and she knew he could feel it too. Looking up into his dark eyes she could see her feelings reflected in them, his face set with concentration as he struggled for control of himself.
Her body ached for it, tensing all over, fingers and toes curling as her body readied itself.
“Lisa, I can’t hold on,” he growled. “I’m close…”
She groaned at that, her body arching, pressing to his thrusts. “Me too!”
Her fingers dug into his back, and Marcus took that as encouragement. Or maybe he simply lost control of himself, she didn’t know. But with a mighty roar he thrust harder into her, and she cried out as he slammed home, driving her down into the cushions. She screamed, her orgasm blossoming in an instant of fiery intensity, shaking her and making her clench him tight inside her as she came.
