by Ava Frost
“However you like yours.” After thought, I said, “I hope you made enough.”
She smiled cracking eggs into a bowl. “I think so. Anthony told me all of you eat like grizzly bears.”
The thought of Anthony seeing her look this delicious bothered me and I frowned. “What? Bad analogy? I was repeating what he said. I made about 50 pancakes, three packs of bacon and I’m scrambling 10 eggs. Should I cook more?” I shook my head no.
“It’s fine,” I said, resting my chin in my hand to watch her.
“Then what’s wrong.”
To be honest or to be realistic, I decided, to be honest. “I don’t like the idea of Anthony seeing you look like that.”
She looked down, observing herself. “I don’t think I look bad. Is it inappropriate? I’m wearing what you gave me to wear.”
I smiled at her worrying. “You look beautiful. It’s just I wanted to keep that view all to myself.” She blushed.
“Oh, well let’s go to my place to get my stuff today.”
I nodded in agreement.
*********
The crew loaded up. Me and Chloe in my Mercedes. John and Anthony in his truck and Hamilton in his hatchback. The ride was delightful. Chloe pulled me from my slumber. We talked, about everything. She asked me how I got into the security and investigation world and I asked her how she found a love for computers. She told me her favorite color and why spiders don’t scare her. I told her I was afraid to be alone but not afraid to die. It was disappointing when we pulled up to her apartment complex. It looked just like the footage she showed me. John and Anthony immediately walked around, securing the ground while I walked Chloe up to the door.
“You can come in,” she said throwing her keys on a battered table. I stayed in the living room, not wanting to invade her personal space. The place looked like what I imagined her home would be like. There were several laptops in the room. Three on a small desk in the corner and one on her couch. I was sure there were several more in her bedroom. She collected her mail and looked through for bills, then grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. My phone rang as she walked back to what I assumed what the bedroom.
“Talk to me,” I said.
“Ground is secure. We’re coming up. Ham is staying by the cars.” John said.
“See you soon.”
Just as I was about to call out a warning about time, Chloe screamed. I rounded the corner in a flash. There was her stalker, holding a knife to her throat. Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 4
*** Chloe ***
You ever had an out of body experience? It’s something that can happen in extreme shock. That’s what happened to me when Ian turned into a bear, a full grown, absolutely humungous bear. I came into my room thinking I had ten minutes to pack before he complained I was taking too long. I went into my drawer, putting a handful of panties and shirts on my bed before stepping into my closet for pants. My stalker flung himself at me as soon as I opened the door. My automatic response to the shock was to scream, but I didn’t move fast enough and he took advantage of that. Grabbing me roughly and putting a knife to my neck.
“Don’t move,” He growled.
When Ian came around the corner, I knew I was saved. I didn’t know my life was about to change. He lost his shit, turning into a bear and stunning not only me but my captor as well. The bear, formerly known as Ian, swiped me to the left and I landed on my bed bouncing a few times. Then he bit hard into the leg of my stalker. He howled in pain but it didn’t matter. Ian wouldn’t let go even as the stalker stabbed him several times in what I think was his shoulder.
I heard my front door forced open as Anthony and John came around the corner guns raised. One shot in the stomach and arm pushed my captor over the edge and he lost consciousness. Ian let the bleeding leg go but huffed and growled. There was barely room for him to move around but he looked in Anthony and John’s direction and continued to howl and snort.
“We’ll be outside,” Anthony said. Then he left, closing the door with me alone with a bear. My mouth had been hanging open for some time now. Ian, the bear, looked me in my eyes then whined. He seemed so sad. Then he laid down on the floor with his head resting on my bed, inches from my foot. I don’t have common sense because I reached out my hand to touch him. I moved slowly and time stood still, then my hand was on his fur and he was rubbing back against me.
Then he sat back on his haunches and turned back into the man I knew. His face shimmered briefly before fading to human features though his eyes never changed. They were still just as black only instead of fur there were those crinkles. He was completely naked.
“What the fuck was that?” I said, standing to find my biggest sweat pants. “Here,” I said throwing them to him. While he clothed, I found another huge shirt I still had from an ex, it was tight on Ian but at least, he was clothed.
“So?” I asked, incredulous. I wanted answers now, now was not the time for dark and moody.
“Are you ok?” He said, his primary concern was my safety. He analyzed me from head to toe, looking for blood. Moving my hair, checking my neck and back.
“I’m fine,” I huffed. “Answer me.”
“I am a shape shifter,” he said, sitting quietly on the bed.
“Since when?”
“Since I was born.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked, “When was that?”
“About 60 years ago.”
“I don’t understand. You look great for an old man.”
“I know.” He sighed, looking at my unconscious stalker. ”I will explain when we get home.” He took my hand and put my bag on his shoulder before opening the door.
Anthony and John were standing in the living room, posed like soldiers ready for battle.
“Pick up the trash,” he said to them, nodding his head backward. “Let’s go,” Ian said. Then we left my apartment, single-filed and John propped my door to stay closed despite them forcing it open.
“We’ll send someone to fix that today.” He murmured.
I nodded understanding but lost in my thoughts. Just what in the hell did all this mean? I was too young to be having a midlife crisis.
When we got to the fortress, we all crowded into the elevator though John pressed 4, Anthony pressed 3, and Hamilton pressed 5. Ian and I exited together, him still holding my hand.
“What’s on floor 6 through 8?”
“War room, then files, jewelry, art and other things that need securing, guest floor.” I nodded again.
He set my bag down then laid back on the bed, his feet still on the floor. He looked exhausted. I sat beside him.
“Do you feel anything for me?” It was random and not at all what I expected him to say. “Like even a small connection?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“You are mine then,” He said sitting up, looking me in my eyes. Fear coursed through my body, I don’t know why, but I felt that my life was about to change drastically. What I was unsure of was if the change was good or bad.
“What does that mean?” I asked. He took both of my hands and begun tracing random patterns into my palms.
“Do you believe in true love?”
I thought for a moment and decided, “Yes, I do.”
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
I nodded again.
“Shapeshifters have rules of life. A lot like humans. You know how you grow through puberty and things. The same sort of things happens to us, except on a time scale. I have 30 hibernations to find my mate, if I do not, I will lose my human form and turn forever into my bear form. A hibernation is every 2 eclipses. Hibernation represents the sleeping of one’s self.”
He paused, waiting to see if I’d jump in.
“How many hibernations do you have before you turn bear for good?
“I had one.”
“Had?”
“I’m a fighter and not all my fights have been honorable as a human or bear,” he said looking down, “every
time I become a bear it becomes harder and harder to remember what I am, the better parts of myself at my core. I can’t access the best part of me without my mate. She grounds me to come back. I have never shifted so quickly to my human self before because I had never met my mate.” He tightened his hold on my hands, “and now I have.”
The pieces fell into place. Ian was talking about me.
“Ian, I feel something for you but it’s just attraction. You’re hot. I’m sure other women think so too.”
“They do, but none of them have ever brought out my bear side. I was born to find you, protect you and love you. You are the one. You are mine. I feel it, I can smell it, and I know it as sure as I know my name.”
“So you’ve been with other women?” I asked. Out of everything he said, I was hung up on the possibility of him making love to other women.
“Yes. But that was just an easy fuck. I can only make love to one woman and I’ve yet to make good on that promise.” The way he said that caused me to feel a fire from my breasts down. It was more than the heat of blush, it was the heat of arousal and something more. “Will you let me make good on that promise?” he leaned forward, whispering in my ear.
Against all odds, I nodded and he wasted no time. He nibbled my ear and inhaled my scent. He licked the sensitive place between my ear and my neck and I heard someone moan, not realizing it was me. His fingers were sliding slowly up my sides, pushing my shirt up along the way and I complied, raising my hands above my head. In just my bra, he kissed lower, placing kisses on both my shoulders, my neck, my collarbone, the tops of my breasts and then sucking a nipple from my bra into his mouth. His tongue was soft but the suction was hard, pulling me to him. The other nipple tightened under his pinching and pulling. I was whimpering, writhing under his grasp.
“Don’t stop.” I cried.
I needed to hold something and reached out for him, disappointed to touch cotton. I started yanking it, even if that meant pulling away from his skilled tongue. “I want it off.” I moaned as his hands went lower, playing around the top of my jeans.
“It’s not my turn yet,” he said, pushing me to lay down on the bed and kissing down my stomach. My back arched from the bed as his tongue explored my belly button. I was gasping for air and breathing in Ian. He unbuttoned my pants and kissed the top of my lace panties. He forced his hands into the tight space and cupped me. Then he fingered the lace, pushing inside me to test my readiness. I had been wet for him since the first day I saw him. Then in one quick motion, he pulled them both down so they were at my feet. I kicked them off so he could focus on himself. His shirt was off in one fluid motion and the sweats were down in another swift push. His dick popped free and my mouth watered. I grabbed him, sitting up to trace my tongue along the prominent vein.
He groaned and before he could stop me, I sucked him into my mouth, swallowing him as far as he could go. His hands were in my hair, fisting it and massaging my scalp. He pulled me back with dilated eyes.
“I need to be in you.” In his nightstand were condoms and I took one.
“Allow me,” I said holding the tip in place while rolling the condom down his shaft.
“Lay back” he sounded like he was talking through his teeth and I obeyed, ready to be with him.
He shouldered both my legs and leaned into my opening, the anticipation was killing me. Patience has never been a virtue of mine.
“Ian please,” I screamed and he drilled into me in one hard push. We were made for each other. He filled me up entirely and I had been hot and ready for him, fantasizing what this could be like. The small seed of connection I felt in his office built, blooming into possessiveness.
“Mine,” I screamed as he pulled back to thrust into me again. I arched up, waiting to meet him. Each time harder and rhythmic, his balls smacking against my cunt making me drip even more. “Yes,” I moaned, wishing I could do more. As if he heard my wish, he pulled out and flipped me over. I missed him even though it was seconds before he filled me again. His hands grabbed my hips so tight, I delighted in the bruises I knew I’d have tomorrow.
I threw it back as hard as I could, letting him explore me further than any man had ever done before. My eyes were seeing stars and I knew I was very close to falling over the cliff. He smacked my ass one time and I moaned in response. He slapped the other cheek and I came apart, face down into the sheet screaming his name. He pushed three times into me, causing both my ass and breasts to shake and came inside me. I could feel him bent over panting, his breath tickling my back. I moved back and fell to my side so he had room to fall next to me. Instead, he walked to the bathroom, I heard water running.
He returned quickly with a cloth wiping me off and kissing me in random places. They felt like butterflies, soft and flighty. I rolled over to watch him.
“Would you like to take a bath with me?”
“I would love to,” I said with a smile.
The gigantic tub I envied before was half full of water and bubbles. I understood the logic once both our bodies climbed in. The water rose to just under spilling over. Ian hummed softly and washed my back with reverence. He held up my hair up to wash my neck and plant kisses.
“You sing beautifully.”
“Thank you, love.”
“Do the guys know you can sing?”
I felt him shake his head no.
“I never had a reason to.”
I gave Ian a reason to sing. I couldn’t help smiling.
“What did you mean when you said you can smell that I’m your mate?” I asked as his long arms reached forward to wash my front.
He chuckled, “don’t laugh.”
“I make no promises.”
“You smell like honey.”
I laughed. “Wow.”
“I know right. Classic.” He asked me to stand. Naked before him, my blond landing patch inches from his mouth he asked me to raise my foot. I held his shoulder for balance while he washed both my feet and my thighs.
“What does honey smell like?”
“I can’t really say. Every bear I’ve talked to describes it differently. I suppose it’s up to the individual. Other bears’ mates smell like normal human beings to me.”
“Well, can you tell me what I smelled like to you?”
He glanced up, piercing me with his intense eyes. They were so hot, I felt the need for a cool glass of water. “When you stepped into the office, you smelled like something I wanted to eat.” His hands were on my hips, finishing his cleaning job. With a small tug forward, his mouth was on me and he tasted my honey.
He hummed into me while sucking on my clit. “God, you taste better than I imagined.”
With expert hands, he spread my legs farther apart and sat up to capture more of me. His tongue lapped me from my ass to my cunt in rapid succession. His hunger was apparent and he seemed deranged, moaning against me as if he was the one getting head. Our moans were echoing harmonies in the tiled room. One finger slid into me and motioned forward, he was telling me to ‘come here’ and I got the message loud and clear. My legs were trembling and for a second I hesitated knowing my knees would go weak but I was given no choice. His pinky slid into my asshole and I was undone, a puddle of liquid honey in his hands. He held me up and brought me down to sit facing him in the tub with only a slight overflow of the water.
“So good,” he licked his lips, sucked his finger clean, he smacked his lips. I sat with my mouth open. Ian was not joking. His eyes were glazed like he just had the best meal of his life.
I laughed. “I wish you could see your face.”
“Is there more on my face?” he smirked. “I don’t want to miss a drop.”
I dissolved into giggles again. “No sweetheart. You look as fine as you did before.”
His face changed to being serious and he sighed.
“What is it?” I asked. He helped me get out and in rapid succession washed himself to follow me.
“It’s time to take out the trash.”
Lounging in only a towel, I watched him dress. “I’ll be back. No more than an hour. Promise, and then I’ll be back to do some taste tests. I want to see if you taste better in my bed or in the tub.”
I dropped my towel and rushed over to grab clothes from my bag.
“You’re not leaving. That dirt bag owes me answers as much as you so I’m going with you. “
He grabbed my arm to stop me, “please stay here. This will get ugly, I don’t want you to see me like that and I don’t want you involved. You’re safer here.”
“But I am involved, Ian. In fact, I was involved first.” I said with my head and arms popping through the shirt holes. He looked worried so I paused to put both my hands on his chest. We stood like that a few minutes, him looking me in my eyes and me trying hard to communicate we were in this together. “I know I am the safest when I’m with you. Please let me do this.”
I knew I won when he bent down and handed me my socks.
“It can be cold where we’re going.”
Chapter 5
*** Ian ***
We boarded the elevator, and despite previous feelings of joy I steeled myself. I calmed my mind and remembered who I was. I was a fighter, a warrior with a purpose. People come to me when they want something protected or found. In this case, it was both. I found Chloe’s stalker and possibly her sister, Amy’s killer and now I needed to protect her. We rode the elevator to level 6. As I told Chloe, it was filled with files. There were rows and rows of nothing but file cabinets. You’d be surprised what clients pay to have secured, their wills, forged birth certificates or citizenships. Sometimes it was just notes from a loved one they never wanted to lose. Or pictures they wanted to keep for themselves and away from their spouses. Humans were funny that way. There was only one door and so we walked to it. I punched in the key code, bent for the scanner to see my eye and on recognition it opened. Hamilton, who had previously been in front of Chloe’s stalker, moved out of the way. He sat with a black eye, bloodied shirt, and pants and was tied to a chair. While Anthony and John leaned against the wall. If this was like a typical mission for answers, they had taken turns in making him that way. The pants were probably because of me, back at Chloe’s apartment.
