Taber

by Aliyah Burke

  Shape shifters were something for novels or movies. Not for normal, grounded people to experience. And she’d like to believe she fit that. Normal. Grounded. Not prone to psychotic breakdowns. Lord above, she wanted to run and curl up under her blankets. Start the day over when up was up, down was down, and her world definitely did not include the man she’d begun to fall for possessing the ability to become a cave lion.

  Cave lions were extinct—or supposed to be—and honestly, the only reason she’d been able to identify the creature was because of her friend, Candace. She was the one who dealt with palaeontology. She catalogued and labelled data on extinct animals.

  Her heart clenched. Could Candace have been in danger all this time as well? A sobering thought hit her. Or had she known? And why did that send hurt into her heart?

  “Lainey?”

  Taber’s deep voice flowed over her. Instantly she felt her body begin to react to the raw sexuality of his voice.

  Did she mention how freaked she was?

  “Start talking.” She kept her tone sharp. Answers were going to be discovered.

  “Let’s go sit down and I’ll explain.”

  She bristled. His tone was soft, soothing and almost patronising—as if he were talking to a hysterical child. “No. We’ll stand, right here, and you’ll tell me.”

  His eyes blazed briefly before they calmed. He sighed, nodded and reached out to touch her. She sidestepped it, knowing she would cave to his touch and ignored the flash of pain in his expression, crossing her arms.

  “I’m waiting.”

  He licked his lips. “I’m a god.”

  Lainey waited. Honestly, she did. She waited—hoped and prayed—for the punch line. Only it never came. Taber stared at her as if willing her to accept what he’d just stated, no matter how insane he sounded.

  She blinked. “A god?” Nothing. “Seriously? You’re actually claiming you’re not just a shape shifter, but you’re a god.”

  “Not claiming I’m a shape shifter. I’m saying I’m a god. An Egyptian god.” He shifted his weight, a mere ripple of muscle and coiled power, reminding her how strong he truly was. “Khonsu, to be exact.”

  She despised how calm he was. Lainey was ready to jump out of her skin and there he stood, discussing this unnatural thing as if they chatted merely about the weather.

  “Khonsu,” she parroted.

  His gaze shuttered and she turned to see what had got his attention. Talios and Candace stood there. Talios had his arm around her friend—both of them were staring as if they realised they’d interrupted something serious.

  “We can come back,” Talios said.

  “No need,” she announced. “I’m done anyway.”

  “Lainey,” Taber said.

  Turning her head to look at him, she bared her teeth. “Don’t push me.” She spun to her desk, grabbed her purse, then headed for the door. Her gaze drifted to Talios again. He and his brother were so similar. If Taber claimed he was a god, what were the chances Talios wasn’t as well? More anger mounted and she forced herself to show none of it through her expression.

  Candace reached out for her and Lainey paused, arched a brow, and asked, “Did you know?”

  Candace blinked and sorrow filled her eyes. Lainey had her answer. Withdrawing from her touch, she walked past them.

  “Lainey, wait,” Candace called.

  She didn’t. In fact, she increased her pace and hurried out to her car. Forcing a fake smile on her face, she waved at a few employees as she got into her vehicle. Every instinct was screaming for her to run—she wanted to go home. But her temporary housing would most likely be the first place he would look.

  So she headed out of the reserve and into town, tears streaming down her cheeks making it hard to see. Her breaths came short and sharp and pain flooded her the farther she drove. With angry swipes of her hand she smeared away the evidence best she could—it wouldn’t do for the receptionist to ask her if she were okay.

  It wasn’t long before she walked into the hotel room she’d rented, then took a long, hot shower. Afterwards she sank with a sigh on the bed. There were no more tears to fall—they’d done that while she had driven. Once dressed again, she sat back down and thought about what to do next.

  The taste of betrayal was still fresh and tangy in her mouth. It made her sick. What the fuck was going on here? Why did they think to keep this from her? Would he ever have told her?

  “Why don’t you ask me those questions, Lainey Mercer?”

  She screamed and tumbled off the bed as she tried to get away from the sudden voice in her room. Finally gaining her feet, she smoothed her hands down the front of her jeans. Taber stood there.

  “How the hell did you find me? Did you put a tracker on the vehicle you gave me to use?” Her balled up fists rested on her hips.

  His hair was unbound and again that pendant hung on the outside of his shirt. The gold was a bright beacon against the black cotton. Her gaze travelled down over his well-fitting jeans to his boots and back to his eyes.

  “I told you, Lainey. I’m a god. I don’t need a tracker to find you.”

  Arrogance seeped from every single pore of his body and she ground her teeth, combating the urge to smack him across that very handsome face.

  “Right. That Khonsu person, right?” She heard the snide cut in her tone but didn’t care.

  “Right.”

  “And you can just change your shape whenever you want?”

  “Among other things.”

  “Yes, I’m sure. When were you planning on telling me this? Or weren’t you even going to? I’m sure this was all a great big joke for you, your brother and Candace.” Now she could hear the pain in her voice.

  “No, Lainey. You’re wrong. This isn’t a joke. You couldn’t be more wrong.”

  “Right.” Suddenly she was so tired. “Get out.”

  His eyes narrowed and she felt a well of desolation rise up within her.

  “I’m not kidding, Taber. Get the fuck out of my hotel room.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Fine. Then I’ll leave.” She whipped around and located her purse.

  “No.” His word resonated through the room.

  She froze and slowly turned back towards him. “Excuse me?”

  “I said no.”

  “So let me get this straight,” she said, her exhaustion segueing into anger—a raw, blazing anger. “You are going to try and force me to stay here?”

  He lifted a black eyebrow.

  “Let me make this perfectly clear, Taber Ellis. I may work for you and I may have made the mistake of letting you into my bed, but don’t assume anything, for I’ll be damned before I let any man—or god—keep me somewhere I don’t want to be.”

  He prowled forward and she was hard-pressed not to back up. His face had hardened into a mask of fury. Instead of retreating, she held her ground and lifted her chin.

  “Mistake?” he growled. “Mistake?”

  “That’s what I said. Being a god aren’t you supposed to have good hearing? You know, superpowers and all that?”

  “You’re right,” he said on a thread of danger. “I do have them. And I could take you to a place you’d never escape from. Don’t push me, Lainey. You are mine, and I will do what I must to keep you.”

  Despite the words—which would usually piss her off—she shivered from the blatant possessiveness in his tone. Shoving any emotion away, she crossed her arms and glared at him. “You think I’m yours? Wow, you really do have an overblown sense of worth.”

  He opened his mouth but she waved a hand at him.

  “I’m not finished. You need to back off and give me some space.”

  “Don’t be mad, Lainey.”

  “Do not tell me how to feel, Mr Ellis.”

  A low growl filled the room and it sent goose bumps all over her. She blinked and it seemed like he was right back in her face. His large hands cupped her upper arms, holding her immobile. The fluttering in h
er belly she always got when she was around him returned.

  “Damn you,” he rumbled. “Call me Taber.”

  She opened her mouth to refute him, only to find she couldn’t talk anyway. Not with his mouth on hers. Dear sweet heavens, she had no restraint against him. His seductive taste flowed through her and she responded. Like normal. She melted into him, hands gripping his arms as she struggled to fight the call his body had on her. That he had on her soul.

  His thick fingers skimmed across her stomach—her tense stomach—and dipped below the waistline of her pants into her underwear. She bit his invading tongue and he thrust two fingers deep inside her without hesitation. Pull away, retreat, those words ran roughshod through her. She knew she should, yet she didn’t have the willpower or discipline to do so.

  It wasn’t gentle, his stroking. It was fast and furious and like a wildfire her body exploded with sensations that made her knees weak. In and out he pumped his digits. She felt him deep within her, his heel of his hand rubbing against her clit, shooting even more pleasure through her. It wasn’t long before she exploded around him, drenching his fingers with her orgasm. Sagging into him, she tried to slow the rapid beating of her heart.

  He tore his mouth from hers and gazed down at her. It was the smugness, really, that snapped her back to reality. She was a pissed off woman and he…well, god or not, was still a man. The events she’d seen and the feelings, which had bombarded her after the facts, had overtaken her good sense—her calm sense—and she’d reacted. She jerked her leg up, fast and hard. His eyes widened and she stood there, still radiating fury as Mr ‘Call me Taber’ Ellis sank to his knees, cupping himself.

  She grabbed her purse, readjusted her clothing and stormed from the room. The door slammed, reverberating with the force of her exit.

  * * * *

  Taber scowled as Talios continued to laugh. Not a little chuckle either, of course not. This was a full belly laugh that had him surprised his brother wasn’t on his back rolling around on the floor like a fool. Candace sat on the couch beside him and while she wasn’t laughing there lingered some humour over his dealing with Lainey. Only some. Mostly she seemed worried.

  “That’s pathetic, man,” Talios said, still with a shitty grin on his face.

  He shrugged. “I didn’t expect her to do it.” And he hadn’t. Yes, Lainey was full of fire, but he’d never pegged her for doing that to him. He ignored the whisper in the back of his mind, which said he was lucky she didn’t do a lot more.

  “Where is she?” Candace asked. Her voice flowed gently around Talios’ laughter.

  “I don’t know. When I could finally see again, through the tears, she was gone.”

  Candace stood and crossed her arms, a frown settling over her face. “Where is she?” Her words had an edge to them.

  Talios fell silent and watched the interaction. Taber shifted beneath her penetrating stare. “I just told you, I don’t know.”

  “Didn’t know where she was when she left work either but you found her at the hotel. So I’ll ask one final time. Where. Is. She?” Anger coated the words.

  He flicked his gaze to his brother. “A little help?”

  “No way man. This is between the two of you. You know Candace loves Lainey. I’d tell her if I were you.”

  “Okay, give me a minute.” He closed his eyes and sought her out. What he saw was like a spear to his chest cavity. Lainey was curled up in a ball on her bed, shudders racking her. At least she went back to the house on the reserve. “She’s at her place. I’ll go—”

  “No. I’m going. I don’t think she needs you there.”

  With a stare that dared him to refute her, she glared at them both then spun around before stomping away. Moments later they heard the sound of her car as she started it. He groaned and leant back in the chair he occupied.

  “How do I fix this?”

  “You’re asking me?” Talios raised his eyebrows.

  “Yes. You are my brother.”

  “You saw what I did with Candace. Or heard about how it played out.”

  “I know and I didn’t think she would want to do what Candace did, but, ah hell, I have no idea what I thought. I didn’t expect it to feel like my heart has been ripped from my chest when she called sleeping with me a mistake.” He shoved to his feet, hair flying around his face with his increased agitation. “A mistake,” he thundered. “Can you believe it?”

  His brother remained silent, merely watching him. However this time concern was etched into his expression. Taber scowled and scratched at his chest, the cartouche there burning his skin.

  “Well? Have you nothing to say, Talios?”

  “I can’t fix this for you, brother.” Talios’ voice was sober and all seriousness.

  He glared again only to grip his chest and swear. The thing was damn near burning him up. He peered down, actually expecting to see a hole burnt into his shirt. There was nothing.

  “What do you want me to do, Taber? Go to her and wipe her mind, give you another chance?”

  Taber paused, forgetting about the hot metal against his chest. Lifting his head, he met his brother’s highly unamused stare.

  “I can’t believe you’re thinking about this. You will not erase her mind.” Talios commanded.

  Taber blinked. “Of course not.” He wouldn’t admit aloud he’d actually contemplated it for a few seconds.

  “I know you, brother. Do not.”

  “I am not a child.”

  “Really? Then what are you? Standing here, damn near pouting because a woman kicked you out of her room.”

  “I’m a man and a god, you bastard. You know that. And I’m not pouting. I don’t understand why she didn’t fight. She started to—then just stopped. It was like she’d given up.” He sat back down on the sofa and conjured up a drink out of thin air.

  “You forget she’s human. Not like us. Emotions make them do a lot of things we may not think about.”

  “I’ve lived among them for a while now, Talios.”

  “There’s a difference between living among them and loving one of them.”

  Taber jerked at his brother’s words. Talios stared at him, his unblinking onyx eyes saw past what he wanted them to. He tried to outwait him but to no avail. Talios had always been like that, able to stare anyone down—it was like he turned to stone until the other looked away.

  “What did you say?”

  “You aren’t deaf, brother. You heard me very clearly.”

  “I never said I loved Lainey.”

  “Right, my mistake. What was I thinking? You’ve only come barging into my house freaked out because your woman kicked you in the balls and you think you’re losing her. Must be apathy you feel for her.”

  “You really are such a fucking smartass, brother.”

  “Oh, just noticed that did you?”

  He flipped his brother off and grumbled when all Talios did was offer him a knowing smile.

  “Are you going to let her know how you feel?”

  Taber closed his eyes and sighed deeply. In his head, all he could hear was her saying how it had been a mistake allowing him into her bed. How would he feel if she told him she didn’t love him? Or that she never wanted to see him again? Would she leave the reserve? Leave Kali? Leave him?

  “I have to. I knew from the moment I saw her she was my mate. I’ve lived…we’ve both lived long enough to know when it comes we need to take it.”

  “Yes. That is true.”

  “Would you have let Candace go?”

  “Not a chance in hell.” His brother’s response came so quickly he found himself smiling.

  Taber took a long drink of his honeyed nectar and reclined his head. I craved Lainey. Touching her. Loving her.

  “Told you.” Talios’ voice was smug in his head.

  “Quit reading my thoughts, you nosy bastard.”

  “Stop projecting them so hard, then.”

  “When is your woman getting back?”

  “Your guess i
s as good as mine.”

  A mere thought and the remainder of the drink vanished. He pushed to his feet and shared a glance with Talios, who immediately got up and accompanied him to the door. They pushed through into the night and simultaneously shifted.

  Together they ran. Side by side, large leaping bounds carried them swiftly across the openness of New Mexico. Animals ran from them but as the two of them were all about running and not hunting, they paid them no mind.

  They ran until they hit the outskirts of a lake. Taber padded in, the cool water refreshing his hot body. Soon the lion swam and went down beneath the surface only to reappear as a man. He ran his hands over his hair and slicked it back as he made his way to where Talios sat cross-legged on the shore.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Meditating.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. While you were swimming I decided to meditate.”

  “I wasn’t swimming. I merely went in and cooled off.”

  One eye opened and stared at him. “You were swimming.”

  “Do you always have to have the last word?”

  “Only when I’m right.”

  Taber just shook his head.

  * * * *

  Later they returned together, until Taber branched off and continued on to his home. In his human form, he flashed himself to Lainey’s and stood at the foot of her bed while she slept.

  He wanted to wake her but he refrained. She looked so exhausted lying there, he had no wish to ruin her sleep. He stayed until the sun began to rise and battle back the night.

  At his house, he showered and got ready for work. Talios’ words about loving her never gave him a moment’s rest. He did love her. He just had to talk to her. They could get through this, work it out.

  He stopped off to get some flowers for Lainey and was a little later than usual arriving for work. Nodding at the employees he passed, he made his way to his office. Setting his things down, he went to Lainey’s.

  He paused after knocking on the door.

  “Come on in.”

  He couldn’t explain the relief he had knowing she was there. He entered and waited for her to look up. She never did—her attention was totally on the papers that she was putting into folders.