by Bianca D'Arc
The local tribe had been very willing to work with Big John, and the shaman had welcomed the bear spirits, as he called them, to their land. Native Americans were one of the few groups of humans who actively knew about shifters and, in most cases, welcomed them. Bear shifters, in particular, were considered good omens, as well as good neighbors to have.
Big John had spent a lot of time negotiating with the tribal elders, and Tom had drawn up many agreements between the two parties. Theirs was a symbiotic relationship. The shifters would help bring prosperity to the tribe, as best they could, while also protecting the land and preserving it for the next generation.
Tom had explained a lot about the origins of this crazy little town to pass the time during the afternoon spent huddling together at the bakery. Tina hadn’t wanted to talk about her experience on the beach just yet, and thankfully, her sisters understood. Beyond a few hugs of reassurance, they had left her alone for the most part, allowing her to speak or not, as she wished.
Tom had been good company. She’d enjoyed getting to know him better this afternoon. Before he’d taken up with Ashley, he’d never been to the bakery before, so of all the people in town, he was probably the one she’d known least before a few weeks ago. Since then, of course, he’d become part of the family.
Tina liked him more each time they got to spend a little time together. Today was no exception. He’d done a wonderful job of keeping her mind off what had happened earlier in the day.
But there was no escaping those scary thoughts once she caught sight of Exhibit A sitting on ice up near the platform. They’d strung together a series of rectangular foam coolers with U-shaped holes cut out of the sides. Ice filled the containers, and the tentacle was stretched out within them, all twelve-plus feet of it.
“Holy shit,” Ashley whispered as she caught sight of it. “That’s what attacked you?”
Tina grimaced. “Part of it, anyway. I didn’t really realize how long it was. Damn.” She couldn’t stop looking at it.
And then Zak was there, right in front of her, blocking her view of the tentacle that had tried to drag her under. He smiled at her, bending to kiss her cheek and whisper close to her ear. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m good. How about you?” she answered, so incredibly glad to see him again.
“Been running nonstop since I left you. It took a bit of legwork to find all those foam boxes, but I finally got enough for the display. Brody figured everyone ought to see this thing for themselves, so they know what it looks like and get a whiff of its scent.”
“Good idea,” Tom said from over Tina’s shoulder. He’d come up behind them, sticking close to his mate.
“Thanks for what you did,” Ashley said to Zak, blinking back tears as she reached out to give Zak a hug he clearly wasn’t expecting.
His expression was somewhat confused as he patted her back and looked from Tom’s indulgent face to Tina. She laughed and winked at him as Ashley finally let him go. Then it was Nell’s turn to hug him, thanking him for saving Tina’s life.
Her sisters were nothing if not demonstrative in their affection, and profuse in their thanks. Zak looked a little uncomfortable with the whole thing, but he soldiered on, accepting Nell’s hug with a little less confusion.
“I saved space for you up near the front,” he told Tom and the girls, “but Tina should probably sit up on the platform with me.”
Tina gulped. She didn’t like being the center of attention, but then again, with a twelve-foot tentacle sitting on ice right in front of her, she doubted anybody would really be looking at her. Plus, she’d be next to Zak, and if she had a choice, that’s probably what she’d pick any day of the week. He was quickly becoming necessary to her existence, which was more than a little scary.
But the tentacle—and the sea monster it belonged to—was way scarier.
CHAPTER TEN
The meeting didn’t turn out to be so bad. Zak sat next to her, and everyone in town took seats all around in small groupings on the grass. It looked like a giant picnic, or maybe how the concerts that would be held in the future on this spot might look, except for the mile-long tentacle sitting up on the stage.
Everybody wore serious expressions and listened attentively when John opened the meeting. He laid out what was going on in a succinct, military-style briefing before turning over the floor to Zak. He stood and told the story from his point of view, again using that military-style format that was brief, while leaving nothing out.
He went on to describe what he had observed of the beast’s strength and what it had felt like to both claw it and chew through it. He described the taste and the smell on levels Tina guessed you’d have to be a shifter to appreciate. To her, it just smelled fishy, but Zak’s report made her realize that shifters experienced things about the physical world that were way beyond human senses.
The talk turned to magic, and that’s when Tina realized she really wasn’t in Kansas anymore. They spoke of magic as if it was a real thing. A thing with substance and origins and rules. She’d never thought of it that way, and she was getting a heck of an education just from listening to Zak’s brief descriptions of what he saw when he looked at the severed arm of the beast.
Then it was her turn to be asked questions. She tried to be as concise as the men, but she found herself floundering a couple of times. No, she didn’t know how to describe the pulling force of the tentacle other than it was really strong. And no, she wasn’t really aware if it applied torque while it tried to drag her into the ocean.
Tina didn’t even know what torque was. But Zak helped answer the questions she had no clue about, and between the two of them, she got through the Q&A session with most of her pride intact. She was glad her sisters were in the audience and Zak was at her side. With her sisters, their new mates, and especially Zak nearby, she felt safe.
She knew most of the other people in town from their visits to the bakery, but this was the first time she’d seen most of them in what she thought of privately as battle mode. They were like bloodhounds on a scent, looking for any clue to pick up the trail of the monster that had attacked out of the water.
However, it soon became apparent that the answer wasn’t going to be found right there in the half-finished town square. It might not be found at all, for that matter. John took over the meeting again, filling everyone in on his plans for the evidence, and the calls he had made earlier that day.
“We’re shipping this thing to the Lords for examination by the High Priestess. She’s the best equipped to get to the bottom of the magical nature of this beast. I am going to keep a hunk of it to show to the Native shaman on my next visit. I’m also going to pass on the warning post-haste, in case this thing isn’t limited to the cove. It’s a big ocean out there, and our Native friends fish in it, same as us.” John waited for the nods of agreement to run their course before continuing. “I’m also talking to Master Hiram later tonight, after he rises.” This time, some of the shifters jerked their heads up in surprise. “He’s been around a long time, and his yacht was munched on—possibly by this thing, or one of its larger cousins. I want to compare his experience battling the beast to what we have here. Lou, Granger, I want you both on the intel side of this.” John pointed to two men sitting toward the back. They both nodded.
Tina knew them. Lou was an accountant who did taxes for most of the folks in town, and Granger was a bit of a recluse who was a wiz with all kinds of electronics. He’d fixed the bakery’s wi-fi several times already and had volunteered his services anytime the sisters needed tech help.
“Drew, Sig, I want you on the lookout from your boats, but I don’t want you out there on the water if you sense the least bit of trouble. In fact, I’d say the town can do without fresh fish for a bit, until this mystery is solved. I don’t want to lose either of you, even if you are both pains in my ass,” John groused good naturedly, drawing chuckles from the crowd and casual little salutes from the men in question.
Both
men were commercial fishermen. Drew went out almost every day, catching all sorts of fish that he sold on to Sig, who owned the local fish market, bait and tackle shop. Sig fished closer to shore in the mornings, then opened the shop later in the day, while Drew preferred fishing out farther in the ocean and not dealing with people at all, besides Sig.
The meeting broke up with a few more tasks handed out and a general admonition to stay away from the water unless absolutely necessary. Everyone seemed to accept John’s advice with a sense of determination rather than fear. It was clear to her that these people were used to facing adversity and overcoming it. It felt to Tina like they planned to do so again with this obstacle.
Nobody looked afraid, which gave her a bit of added strength. If this community of hella strong bear shifters couldn’t deal with this little sea monster problem, she had the feeling nobody could.
* * *
The sisters went back to the bakery to wait for Brody and Zak. Both of the town’s lawmen had to deal with the evidence before they could knock off for the evening, and they all planned to meet up at the bakery.
A few of the locals decided to follow the sisters, and they spent an hour or two selling bread, sandwiches and sweet treats to their fellow cove residents. Talk was general, and only a few dared ask Tina more about her run in with the creature.
A single stranger drove up, just after dark, in a vehicle that had a Seattle courier firm’s logo on the side. Much to Tina’s surprise, it was a special delivery from Master Hiram. He’d sent three cases of the finest vintages the famous Maxwell Winery had to offer, and a note of thanks for helping him when he was in need.
Deciding she deserved a little treat after the day she’d had, Tina cracked open a bottle of merlot and shared it with her sisters. Before she knew it, Zak was back, Brody coming in right behind him.
Brody claimed Nell and took her off to their home in the woods. Tom and Ashley left next, only after asking several times if Tina was sure she’d be okay. She assured them she would be fine and sent a few pointed looks at her sister, making Ash finally realize Tina wouldn’t be alone if she had her way. She just needed her well-meaning sister to leave.
Ash gave her an exaggerated wink and a double thumbs up on the sly. So at least one of her sisters approved her of hooking up with Zak. That was good. If Ash thought Zak was okay, chances were Nell would too.
Finally, Ash and Tom left, and Tina locked up behind them. She didn’t ask Zak to leave, and—heaven be praised—he didn’t look like he was going anywhere fast.
Finally. They were alone.
Tina hit the lights as she walked slowly toward Zak, putting a little extra sway in her hips. She picked up the half-finished bottle of wine they’d been working on and let it dangle from one hand as she sauntered right up to Zak and put her free arm around his neck, drawing him down for a kiss.
No words were exchanged, but she told him as eloquently as she could how she wanted this night to end. His kiss was his agreement, and they spent long moments drinking each other in before he finally ended the kiss and turned toward the stairs.
He hit the final light switch before they entered the private staircase, heading up to the apartment together.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Zak was careful to lock the door behind them. He took security very seriously, and she appreciated his attention to detail. In fact, she hoped he’d give that same attention to something a lot more private in the very near future.
She led him toward her bedroom, the wine bottle still dangling from her hand. She had taken over the master bath when her sisters had moved out. It was right next to her room and boasted an extra large jetted tub. Perfect for what she had in mind.
Zak quirked an eyebrow at her when she led him into the bathroom instead of her bedroom, but smiled, letting her lead. At least for now. He was very easygoing that way, and she liked that about him. His slow, almost lazy, smile did things to her insides that probably ought to be illegal.
Man, the guy was lethal.
She shivered, knowing they had the whole apartment to themselves. Blessed privacy. The perfect setting for debauchery of the finest caliber. At least, as much as she could make up in her somewhat limited imagination. The inner bad girl hadn’t had all that much experience at letting loose, but she was trying to cultivate the vixen a bit more. Zak had a way of bringing it out in her.
She left the wine bottle on the countertop and turned to Zak. Her fingers got busy on his buttons, so she could shove his shirt out of her way and freeing his lovely tanned skin. She kissed and nibbled as she went along, baring his torso rather quickly with his help.
She spent a little more time on his lower half, drawing out the scene as much as she could. She wanted him to enjoy this as much as she was. She wanted to make him pant, to make him sweat, to make him want her as much as she wanted him.
Judging by the bulge in his trousers, her plan was working. She smiled as she unzipped him, pushing the pants down over his hips.
He kissed her, moving close, his hands grasping her upper arms as he moved her back toward the wall. She was still dressed, and that couldn’t be allowed to continue much longer. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. The fabric between them was annoying. She didn’t want anything to keep them apart.
She tugged at her clothes, as he did, the tempestuous kiss making them both a little clumsy. Eventually though, she felt the shirt go, and the bra. And then, he was crushing her chest against his, even as he continued to kiss her like there was no tomorrow.
Her nipples hardened and practically begged for his touch. He drew away, moving downward, his hands making short work of the rest of her clothing. Soon, they were both bare, and he was kneeling at her feet, her back against the wall.
He smiled up at her, and she caught her breath. What was he…?
Oh. My. God.
Zak had leaned in and applied his mouth to the apex of her thighs, zeroing right in on the little nub that made her entire body clench in pleasure. Her head went back, rolling against the wall as he brought her to a quick, breathless peak. Sweet heaven above, he was good. He seemed to know exactly what she needed to drive her straight out of her ever lovin’ mind.
“Zak!” she cried out when things got a little too intense. She didn’t want to move this fast. She’d had big plans for him—what she wanted to do with him and, especially, to him.
Zak chuckled, and she felt the rumble of it against her clit. He drew away with a last lingering lick, only to stand and take her into his arms.
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said, smiling even as he lifted her over the edge of the big tub. “My name never sounded better, honey. You say it that way every time, and you can have anything you want. Guaranteed.”
“What if all I want is you?” she challenged, letting her inner vixen out to play.
“You got me, baby. Any way, any time, any place. I’m yours.” He held his hands out to his sides almost comically, but his eyes were serious. Something big was happening here. She could feel it.
And she wanted it. She wanted it all. She wanted him…forever.
“Same goes for me,” she dared to whisper.
But she chickened out before he could respond, grabbing the bottle of wine off the counter and taking a hearty sip. Dutch courage? Maybe. But she had a few other ideas about what to do with this fine vintage.
He took the bottle gently from her hands and took a long sip of his own. Then he put his thumb over the top, pouring out a little bit on her shoulder, letting it drip down her chest, onto her breasts.
Apparently, their minds had been thinking along the same lines. She giggled, realizing he’d reversed her fantasy. She’d thought she would be doing this to him, not the other way around, but she was willing to go with the flow. It felt too decadent not to see where he was leading with this imaginative foreplay.
“This is one of the finest vintages from one of the finest wineries in the world, you know,” Zak said, almost conversationally, as
he allowed more of the wine to dribble down her body. “It is spectacular on its own, but on you, my dear, I think it’s going to be even better.” He licked his lips and grinned at her before leaning down to capture her nipple—and the droplets of wine that had caught there—in his warm, wet, welcoming mouth.
Tina’s knees went weak as he licked his way over her chest and eventually down to her belly button. Her knees gave out when his fingers swept into her body, pulsing and rubbing against that secret spot inside that only he had ever found.
Zak caught her, bringing her down beside him in the large tub. He placed the wine bottle on the floor, then reached behind himself to turn on the taps, mixing hot and cold until he found the perfect temperature.
The big tub filled quickly with them both in it, and he flipped the switch to make the bubbles come on. They’d both had a long day, and a quick soak was probably a good thing. Especially considering the bruises she could now see forming along her leg. Zak noticed the direction of her gaze and lifted her abused leg out of the water, placing it over his shoulder as she reclined against the back of the tub.
“My poor baby,” he whispered, kissing the booboos that were a harsh reminder of everything they’d been through today. As far as eventful days went, this was one for the books. “Does it hurt a lot?”
“Not really,” she answered as he examined each bruise in minute detail. “Just when you press on it. Or when I move the wrong way. Otherwise, I think it’s just going to be colorful for a while.”
