Happy Howlidays: Shifters in Love Romance Collection (Shifter in Love Book 1)

by V. Vaughn

  Max wasn't holding back anymore. The light in his eyes betrayed his shifter nature. The animal inside had taken over, and he owned her body. She gave everything to him. He held her tiny body, slamming his thick, muscled hips against her soft core. Her body erupted in orgasm after glorious orgasm. Her mind snapped until all she could think of and all she could remember was this moment, this perfect moment of being completely bound, absorbed, and connected to her mate. Her inner lioness purred with delight. Her fangs descended in her mouth, and she smiled as she leaned into him and slid her sharp teeth over his jugular vein. Her tongue licked his salty flesh.

  "You're mine now," she purred, her teeth pricking his skin.

  He cupped the back of her neck and growled into her ear. "We can't.”

  "I'm claiming you as my own, Max Johnson. And I'm not letting you go." She felt his cock throbbing and hardening as he pumped deep into her pussy. She gripped his flesh with her teeth, biting hard and fast and injecting him with her mating venom. Max groaned as he erupted inside her. With his release, his teeth punctured her flesh, and he injected her with his mating venom as well.

  In that perfect glorious moment of animal embrace, they were mated, bound, and connected forever. Everything disappeared—the turquoise ocean, the crystal-blue sky, the white, sandy beach, the pirates, and the mission. It was all gone, and all that was left was them—two souls, two beings, two bodies bound together for an eternity of passion, love, and connection. Together, their pieces made a whole. Together, they were one, and whatever darkness lay at the fringes of their souls, they would heal it.

  Stephanie felt herself intertwining with him, felt the needle pricks of his past and the pain he held deep inside wash over her soul. She knew the depth of his sorrow, and she knew that she could heal it with her love.

  He could give her everything she had ever wanted—a lover, a friend, a protector, a guardian, and a man to hold hands with by the fire as they grew old. No matter how long or how hard he struggled and no matter what dangers he faced, her dependable partner and the father of her children would always come home. He would always return to her. Nothing would ever stand in his way of being her man.

  10

  After they had come down from the bliss of mating, the two of them lay on the beach in the shade, staring up at the sky and holding each other close. The feeling of Stephanie’s body in his arms was like a dream. He was still breathless and confused from claiming his mate. And now that it was done, he didn't know why he had resisted. It was perfect, pure bliss, ecstasy. He could feel her so close to him, words were unnecessary. And he knew she felt it too. She still wore the necklace he'd made for her the night before. And he drifted off to sleep with her in his arms. He woke later in the day, remembering that he had one more thing to give her for Christmas. They rose from the sand and ate a few bites of the leftover breakfast, and he hefted the repaired satellite on his shoulder.

  "Are you up for a hike to the top of the mountain?" he asked her.

  "I sure am," she said.

  They walked up the hill, taking the path he'd forged before. It took less time without the rain slapping his face. The lightness in his heart was unrelenting, something he had never experienced before. He didn't know how he had lived so long without it. Every time he glanced at her and saw the color of her eyes with the flash of her smile, it felt as if he had just been born into the world for the first time.

  They made it to the top of the mountain, and he carefully set up the satellite. He then punched in the code to send a message to his crew. News of the attack had surely made it back to them by that point, and they would be waiting for his signal.

  "How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Stephanie asked.

  "It could be as long as a couple of days, depending on where they are.” He sent the signal and looked up into the sky. Winds blew in from the ocean as the day faded into afternoon. “Best-case scenario, they find us quickly. Worst-case scenario, we’re here another week.”

  "This must have really interfered with your mission.”

  "Truth is, we never expected the pirates to attack the cruise. I was just using it as a cover to get close.”

  Max heard the familiar whack of helicopter blades slicing through the sky. His head shot up in surprise as the black helicopter dove toward him. He took Stephanie's hand, and they stood, edging back toward the forest and giving the helicopter plenty of space to land. He waved up at them, relief bubbling in his chest. The helicopter landed, and three men in SWAT gear jumped out. Stephanie blanched, tugging backward in fear.

  He looked at her and smiled, nodding reassuringly. "It's my team." Their insignia was on their body armor, JS for Justice Squad.

  His team leader lifted his sunglasses off his face and smiled at Max. "I see we have a passenger."

  "Hawk," Max said, “this is Stephanie Plume, my mate."

  "Well, I'll be damned." Hawk slapped Max on the back then grabbed Stephanie and pulled her into a bear hug. "Our newbie went and proved himself wrong. See, Max, if you can find a mate, then all of us can."

  Max took Stephanie's hand and jogged with her to the helicopter. They jumped inside, and a moment later, they were flying away from the island.

  She looked down at the little dot of green in the vast ocean and shook her head as she spoke through the helicopter headset. "The hands of fate certainly know what they’re doing, don't they?"

  Max gripped her hand affectionately. "They certainly do."

  They set down in the Bahamas, changed into tourist clothing, and checked into a five-star resort decked out for Christmas and packed with holiday travelers. The squad had pulled some strings and snagged them a honeymoon suite. Everyone else returned to their base camp in the forest.

  "Why don't they join us?" Stephanie asked as they sat down in their luxury suite.

  "We need to keep our cover. You and I are a couple on our honeymoon. The others wouldn't have a very good cover story. Why would a bunch of buff military-looking guys come to a resort together?"

  "You have a point."

  Stephanie kissed Max and went looking for the shower. She found a gorgeous tiled bathroom with a massive shower and jetted tub. She started both. After washing her body and hair in the shower, she got out and stepped into the jasmine-scented bubble bath.

  Max followed suit and washed the grit, sand, and sweat off his body before joining her in the tub. A bottle of chilled champagne sat on the rim, and he poured her a glass. It was a heady experience for them to suddenly be in the lap of luxury after having been in such a rough situation for so long. Max was not exactly used to first-class treatment, but it was what his mate needed. And for her, he could adjust to anything. He was so glad she hadn't given up on him.

  They sipped their champagne and ate chocolate-covered strawberries before climbing out of the bath, wrapping themselves in robes, and ordering every delicacy on the room-service menu. They feasted on all sorts of foods that he'd never tried before. They spent the evening just hanging out together in the room, watching TV, listening to music, dancing, and making love over and over. They fell asleep to the sound of soft Caribbean music as they lay naked under the blankets.

  When Max woke in the morning, he could barely believe that he was there in the hotel room with his beautiful woman by his side. It was as though he were living a dream that he hoped he would never wake from.

  He ordered room service, and they shared breakfast. As they were sipping coffee and nibbling on bacon, he got a message on his burner phone from his team. "I'm going to have to go. You will be safe here. The resort has excellent security.”

  Fear filled her eyes. "Where?"

  "I have to complete my mission. It’s more serious than we’d originally anticipated, so the whole team is here to take down the sea witch. I need you to stay in the resort. If you get bored in the room, you can use this credit card to go shopping. I want you to enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me.”

  She bit her trembling lip. "I know this is what I signed
up for. I'll be okay. I won't do anything stupid. But I will take that credit card," she said, taking it from his hand.

  "Buy yourself anything you want.” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “If anyone asks, your hubby went on a scuba dive, and you wanted to go shopping instead. I shouldn't be more than twenty-four hours. And then we can go home."

  "Home?"

  "We can talk about that when I get back. But what I want you to know is that you are my first priority. You are everything. And if you don't want to go to Fate Rock, Colorado, with me, I understand. I'll give up the squad, and I'll move wherever you need me to go."

  "We can talk about it when you return," she said with a nod.

  He kissed her cheek, cupping her chin in his hand. "I love you, Stephanie Plume.”

  "I love you too, Max. I can't believe we haven't said it until now.”

  They held each other's hands and gazed into each other's eyes. He kissed her one last time then slipped out the door without another word. His heart ached, his sense of duty burning in his chest. But it couldn't compare to the need he had to see her smile again. He wouldn’t let her down.

  11

  Stephanie watched Max disappear out the door, and her heart sank. She was afraid for him. She knew she shouldn't be. He was competent and capable, and this was his job. But she couldn't help it.

  With a sigh, Stephanie resolved to do what he had asked—stay safe and try to enjoy herself. She looked at the gold card sitting on the table and tapped her lower lip with her fingertips. Her mouth curved into a smile. “Might as well use it.”

  She slipped into a linen pantsuit that had been provided for her, pulled on strappy sandals, shoved the credit card into her purse, and headed out the door. The resort was huge. Not only did it contain several restaurants, it also had a marvelous selection of shopping experiences.

  First, she dipped into a clothing boutique that had an array of styles, everything from casual to high-end designer clothes. Every time she looked at a price tag, she thought about Max telling her to get anything she wanted.

  She ended up with a sparkling black-and-gold-sequined tea-length strapless dress, a silk slip dress, three pairs of Louis Vuitton pumps, a week’s worth of resort wear, and a sun hat. And that was just from the first shop.

  Then she ducked into a jewelry store, stroking the necklace Max had made for her. She motioned to the jeweler and caught his attention. "My husband made this for me, but I was hoping to put the pearls in a more permanent fixture.”

  "We can definitely do that. Are you thinking gold or silver?”

  "Gold. Definitely twenty-four karat. But I was hoping you could place the four smaller pearls in one necklace and put this larger one in a different setting on a chain. I want to give it to him."

  "Very nice. I’d love to do that for you.” He showed her some different styles, and she picked the one she liked. The jeweler told her to come back by the end of the day, and the pieces would be ready.

  She took her shopping bags and had a bite to eat for lunch. The moment she settled down, she felt worried about Max. She sought the connection between them, trying to feel that he was okay. She felt the trembling pulse of their bond deep inside her and knew he was all right.

  She let out a deep breath, took a bite of her sandwich, and tried to relax. When she was done with lunch, she decided to continue her shopping expedition after dropping her bags off in the room. There was a gallery of local arts and crafts she still wanted to peruse.

  When she stepped inside, she was overwhelmed by how amazing everything was. There was so much to choose from—the masks, the clothes, the jewelry, the paintings, the beadwork, the rugs, and the baskets. She didn't even know where to start. Then she thought about what Max had said. If she didn't want to go back to Fate Rock, Colorado, with him, he would give up his squad and go to Fate Valley with her. She couldn't imagine asking him to give up his life like that.

  Stephanie was a paralegal, and she could get a job anywhere. She would have to leave her friends, who were so very dear to her. But there was no reason they couldn't still visit each other and stay in touch. Everyone had become so busy with their mates and children. The friendship was still strong, but they didn't really need each other as much as they once had when they were all single.

  With her mind made up about her living situation, she decided on what piece to buy. It was a beautiful oil painting of a tropical island in the Caribbean. Palm trees swayed on the beach under an expanse of blue sky. The turquoise lagoon glistened as the coral reef buzzed with life below the waterline.

  It was the perfect gift. She would hang it above the mantel in their new home. The painting would serve as a reminder of how fate had brought them together. She would go to Colorado with him, and she would be his rock when he needed her.

  12

  Max donned his SWAT gear. The familiar weight of the body armor honed his mind to the matter at hand.

  "I still can't believe you were the first one to find a mate after all that talk about not being fit for one," Hawk squawked through the helicopter headset.

  "That's fate for you," Jameson said.

  "Of course this guy is the first to get his mate. He’s the scariest-looking one of us all," the burly Titus said.

  The rest of the crew laughed at the absurdity of Max being the first to find his mate.

  "Let's try to keep our minds clear and focused on our mission," Max said.

  "We're fifteen kilometers from the pirates’ hideout," said Rider, their pilot.

  "Infrared satellite surveillance is picking up the presence of twenty-seven bodies moving about the compound," said Sampson, their technical genius. “The rest are clustered together below ground.”

  "You all know the plan," Hawk said. “We parachute in, take out the leader, rescue the captives, and blow up the compound.”

  "That's a lot of casualties," Jameson said.

  “Those casualties have been cleared by the highest levels of authority,” Hawk said. “We have orders to take out Ursula. She’s the mastermind of this operation. The others are not our concern.”

  "Intel suggests that her room is in the tower to the south side of the compound,” Sampson said. “We know it’s her habit to be sleeping at this time of night.”

  "We take out whatever enemies stand in our way of hunting down Ursula and rescuing the captives. Any questions?"

  No one spoke.

  "Two kilometers from the compound," Rider said, lowering the helicopter within jumping range.

  The helicopter flew in silently, and the passenger door slid open. "Go," Hawk said. "Go, go, go."

  Max gripped the gun strapped to his back and stood from his seat. The others jumped one after the other until it was his turn.

  Max jumped, followed by Hawk. They tumbled down into the darkness. When he came within range of the ground, he pulled the cord on his parachute and glided silently to the sandy beach. He heard Hawk's voice in his ear, asking for confirmation that everyone had landed safely. He replied, and so did the others.

  They found the stairs that led up to the compound and climbed silently. Hawk spotted movement near the entrance to the stone compound. He raised his gun and shot three times. The bullets sliced silently through the air. The guard groaned and fell. The Justice Squad hurried up in formation and stood on either side of the doorway.

  Jameson slipped through the entrance, covering the others as they overtook the courtyard. More shots were fired, and several more guards fell to the ground. A campfire flickered in the courtyard, and a guard walked out of the building, carrying a bottle of whiskey. Hawk shot the newcomer, and he groaned as he fell.

  They found a stairway leading up and down. Jameson, Titus, and the quiet, diplomatic Zander headed downstairs to free the captives. Max, Hawk, and Sampson started up the stairs to take out Ursula, the sea witch.

  His mind slid to Stephanie, his connection to her vibrating like a humming cord. He sent her a quick feeling of love and commitment before steeling his m
ind and focusing on what was in front of him.

  Hawk went first and kicked down the door to the sea witch’s bedroom. Sampson slipped through, and Max was the last to enter. Their guns illuminated the dark room. The woman sat up in bed and screamed. She had a huge red nose, making her appear as though she were a lifetime drinker, and a body that looked like a roly-poly.

  "Who are you?" she demanded.

  "We're the Justice Squad, and you're under arrest for the kidnapping of three hundred US citizens.”

  "You can't do this," she said as Hawk cuffed her hands behind her back.

  “We already have,” Max said.

  They hurried down the stairs, taking the groaning and griping sea witch with them as the passengers were swiftly escorted down to the beach and into the safety boats that waited to take them to the military vessel anchored in deep water.

  Jameson and Hawk took Ursula in a safety boat while the others went back to the compound to set off the charges.

  "Explosives in place," Sampson said as they climbed into the last boat, looking up at the compound.

  “All captives accounted for,” Hawk said. “Go ahead.”

  “Detonating in five… four… three… two… one…"

  There was a great explosion that shook the foundation of the entire island. Debris flew up into the sky as they drifted off into the dark water toward the military vessel.

  When they boarded the ship, the scared cruise passengers whimpered as the navy personnel wrapped them in blankets and gave them warm coffee to drink. A medical doctor examined them, checking to make sure that no one was sick or injured. Their cuts and scrapes were bandaged.

  Everyone was taken back to the closest military base, where arrangements were made for their safe return home. The Justice Squad was congratulated for another successful mission that was kept quiet in the media. Nobody could know the squad existed. And they could never have their faces in the paper. It was the only way to continue operating the way they did on such important missions.