Shifter By Christmas

by Brea Viragh

  “What? Impossible.” Her shoulders dropped. “You’re kidding. Tell me you’re kidding.”

  He leaned against his Jeep. “There were dangerous weather conditions and I think some rocks loosened on the upper trails. I know they close most of the higher elevations for winter, although I thought they’d at least keep some of the lower ones open. But there it is.”

  “That doesn’t mean they closed the whole park!”

  “Even the lower trails could have a problem if the snow shifted. They didn’t put a sign up but the trails are closed off.” He pointed to the right and a large gate that separated the park from the parking area. “Did you call ahead to ask them?”

  From the look on her face, she hadn’t. Obviously. To her, the suggestion was a slap in the face. “But…I had the day all planned. It was supposed to be easy. I can’t take photos of a parking lot.” She spun around in a circle like she didn’t know where to expend the rest of her limited attention and energy. “I can’t!”

  He pushed away from the vehicle and strode toward her, catching her by the arms and stilling the frantic movement. “Hold on. If you don’t mind, I know a better spot. Somewhere you’ll have ample opportunity to photograph to your heart’s delight.”

  “Let me guess. It’s in your basement and there’s going to be lotion involved?”

  “Okay, I know you don’t trust me yet, but I can assure you, there have been plenty of moments I could have hurt you and I did not. Remember those first three days you spent with me in lynx form? Wild animal plus human in the middle of the woods… I could have ripped your face off if I’d wanted to.” The way her face blanched, Lakota knew he should have handled this conversation with more tact. “I’m sorry! I’m trying to tell you I had time and opportunity to do it but I didn’t. So can we get past the whole you not trusting me thing? I want to help you out.”

  “I’ve never had a random stranger want to help without demanding a price. What’s your price, Lakota? I need to know.”

  He shook his head and shrugged. “More time with you.”

  Farris bent down to scratch her ankle and the wound she knew was healing beneath her socks. Then she pointed a finger at his face. “I’m going to figure out your motives. Still, I can’t shoot here if the trails are closed. Lead the way to your secondary and amazing location before I change my mind.”

  It wasn’t a long way away. In fact, it was only thirty minutes, closer yet to his house and backing up to the piece of property owned by his parents. Right in his backyard, if he wanted to get technical. His property backed up to another large nature preserve and he used the area like it was a playground. It was lynx territory and boasted some of the best views in the state. In his honest opinion.

  Driving off, he kept a close watch on the headlights behind him. Farris followed close so as not to lose him as he wound his way through back roads. Lakota nearly missed the turnoff, the old dead oak nestled in a mound of snow. He flicked his blinker on quickly and tried not to jam on his breaks and spin. She was right on his tail the whole time.

  Fifteen minutes later he parked in a small clearing. Then wanted to beat his head against the steering wheel. He should have made her park on the road. What if her rental didn’t have four-wheel drive? It must have had something, he thought, because she hadn’t stopped or gotten stuck.

  “This is the part where you kill me, isn’t it?” she said, getting out of her rental a second time and shivering with the drop in temperature. “The perfect secluded spot to get away with it and no one will know.”

  A light bulb went off in his head. “I’m not going to kill you, but I do have something I think you’ll like. The trails here aren’t as hard to manage, and cross-country skis can be a blessing.”

  “I suppose you have a pair for me? Why am I not surprised?” Her skepticism was evident.

  “I have two pairs because I went out with my younger brother the other day. The foot straps are adjustable and you’re about his height.”

  “Are you making fun of my height?”

  “Not at all, honey. I’m just thinking it’s pretty lucky I got lazy and didn’t put them away when I should have.” Another twist of fate, he thought, rushing back to remove the two sets of skis from the top of his Jeep before Farris changed her mind.

  He was gentle when he helped her into them, explaining how they worked in relation to the snow and the trail. She listened to him without interrupting, and it wasn’t until later when he had time to think that he knew what a blessing it was. He came from a large family where most days he had to yell to be heard. He’d grown up knowing voices would always overlap and no matter how hard he tried he needed to make his voice the loudest to make a difference. Her quiet intensity, the way her eyes traveled over his face while he spoke to her…it was like nothing he’d ever experienced before.

  He suddenly felt as though he had a world of possibilities in front of him for the first time. Yes, his family cared about him, were loyal to him, and had helped him find a job he didn’t hate. Now, though, he had something to look forward to. Emotions choked him and warmed him.

  “All right.” Farris adjusted her camera bag on her shoulder, testing the skis. “I think I’m ready. You sure you know the best spot for a photo?”

  “Sweetheart, I know these woods inside and out,” he bragged. He swept his long dark hair into a queue behind his head, securing it loosely with a leather strip. “You aren’t going to find a better guide than me.”

  “Somehow I knew you were going to say something along those lines.”

  He led her down the trail and along a ridge where, when they looked down, the trees below looked a million miles away and glistened like a winter wonderland.

  “Tell me something about yourself,” she demanded in the quiet, keeping several paces behind him. “So then I won’t feel like I’m following a psychopath out to my death.”

  “I’m a normal guy,” he insisted with a chuckle.

  “There’s nothing normal about you. You change into an animal during the full moon.”

  “Myth,” he corrected. “True, naturally born shifters can change whenever they feel the need. There are some I know who choose to spend the rest of their days as their animal self.”

  He heard her mutter “I watch too many horror movies,” and then she came out with “Do you consider your animal self to be separate from your person self?”

  Ah, good question. He took time to consider before answering. “More like two halves to a whole. When I’m a lynx, I still retain possession of my wits and all my memories, but I have access to other senses. Deeper senses. I can see the threads of energy binding nature and man. I can scent things on the wind you wouldn’t be able to discern, hear crickets chirping from miles away.”

  “My voice must have been like nails on a chalkboard to you. Aack!”

  She tripped and launched forward into him, grabbing onto his coat. Lakota stiffened at the contact. His lips pursed and his heart went into his throat. Even through their clothing, he felt the energy crackling between them. There was heat, strength, fire, and ice. Too many emotions to name and some he wasn’t sure he could.

  “Sorry about that.” She straightened and tried to act like nothing was wrong. “I have two left feet.”

  “It’s fine. No problem.” He wanted to reach back and capture her hand to lead her. Apparently, he wanted a lot of things. “The spot I’m thinking about is right up here.”

  “We’re off the trail, aren’t we? Lost in the wilderness.”

  “And at last my nefarious plan for you is complete. No, no, I’m sorry! I joked about it too soon.” He scrambled to cover his mistake when her eyes went wide and her breath quickened. “I have no plans.” Other than to gently woo her and make her his mate for the rest of eternity. No biggie.

  She stood back and closed her eyes, long lashes thick against the rosy roundness of her cheeks. “It’s fine. I can always stab you with my ski pole.”

  “There you go.” He smiled in encourageme
nt. “Now you know about me.”

  “I do?”

  “Sure. My deepest and darkest secret. I’m a man who can change shape into an animal. Tell me something about you.”

  “You’re not ready for my deepest and darkest secret,” she grumbled.

  “Want to bet?”

  “I wouldn’t have the money to carry through. No, there’s nothing special or interesting about me.”

  There was sadness there. Pain too deep to wash away. “I beg to differ.”

  “You don’t know me, but thank you. I wish I could take your word for it.” She drew in a long inhalation. “I grew up in the Midwest. Iowa. Went to college for journalism with a minor in photography. Started a magazine.”

  It was interesting, sure, but it was surface information. Something he could find on a resume. “That isn’t going to work.”

  He heard her clear her throat. “What do you mean?”

  “I need something a little more personal. I want to know something no one else knows. It doesn’t have to be the deepest and darkest secret but I need something good. After all, you have my life in your hands.”

  “I’d say you have mine as well, judging from how far out we’ve come.” She sighed. “All right. Something no one else knows…” She trailed off and took a moment to think. “I always wanted to be a vampire.”

  “Horror movies, now vampires?” Lakota laughed. How funny she would choose the opposition! “You know they’re not real. Right?”

  She stopped to eye him, far from convinced, the cold lending a pretty pink to her cheeks. “You expect me to believe in lynx shifters but not vampires? Get out of here. Vampires are powerful. They can do whatever they want. They can make people do or say anything.”

  “You want to control people?”

  “I think sometimes it would be a nice change.” She reached out and touched his arm gently. “I need a little break. Can we stop for a second?”

  He rested his hand on top of hers. “It will only be a few hundred more yards. We’re almost there.”

  They pushed on the rest of the way and were rewarded when the trees opened up. Yes, he thought, staring at the vista where the towering oaks and pines gave way to boulders and valleys. It was worth the hike, the pain in his legs, the hunger stirring in his stomach. Lakota glanced over at Farris. The hunger in his groin, too, if he were honest. Her face was open, her eyes wide and filled with luminous joy.

  “Oh my God! This is gorgeous.”

  “Most people don’t come up here. It’s too far off the path. But I used to come when I was younger to sit and think. You can see everything.”

  Farris immediately dropped her equipment bag and set to work getting the tripod in the perfect position. It was a transformation, watching her expressions shift and change. Something inside of her lit and came alive. This was her element, he could plainly see. Behind the lens of a camera, she was her authentic self, and it was beautiful to watch.

  She began to chat as she worked and her voice took on an animated quality. “I went to school with a lot of photographers who preferred a sharp, high-performance prime lens. I don’t like to be limited to a single focal length. I packed a zoom lens and a polarizing lens to give me a range of options without compromising my gear because it’s different trying to work with such extreme temperatures.”

  “I don’t understand any of what you say, but please continue.” Lakota leaned against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. She had a soothing tone. He could listen to her speak all day long without being bored, even when he had no clue what she was talking about. He could watch her, too, for that matter. She moved fluidly while protecting her gear from the elements.

  “I also have to adjust the aperture and make sure to rely on the camera’s histogram function to give me an exact reading of the exposure parameters. Finding the correct white balance is key.” She bent behind the camera and adjusted something on the back display. Then, growling when her skis didn’t move the way she wanted, she clicked the straps to toss them aside.

  “Had you shot in the snow before this trip?” he asked.

  She shook her head and long strands of hair fell across her face; she pushed them behind her ears. “No, not really. I’m trying to do a lot of it on the fly. These pictures matter.”

  “Of course they do. You need them for the Christmas calendar.” He inclined his head when she turned to him with you’re-a-stalker eyes. “The ears, remember? You tend to talk to yourself a lot when you’re focused.”

  “How easy it is to forget.” She bent down, uncaring when snow covered her legs, and got to work. “Tell me, hotshot. What other things did you hear me say? I feel like you know everything about me and I’m working on nothing with you.”

  “I wouldn’t say nothing. You know the big things.” He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. “I know you’re worried about your bills. Which, honestly, who isn’t this time of year? You’re afraid your boss is going to run the magazine into the ground and not only will you be out of a job, but your hard work will be for nothing because your ex sold your shares. Did I mention I also have a great memory?”

  “It seems you do,” she murmured.

  “I know how it feels to have a boss who doesn’t respect you. I work for my father and I can honestly tell you he respects the man who takes out the trash more than he does me.”

  “What do you do, Lakota? This is probably something I should have asked you earlier. But in the spirit of getting to know you it’s good we’re talking about it now.”

  “My father owns one of the largest sawmills in the region. He supplies lumber to local businesses and all along the Great Lakes. He’s trying to expand and get his products into stores like Home Depot but I’d say his dream is still a few years away from coming to fruition.”

  She spared him a glance over her shoulder and it pleased him to see her nose had turned a bright shade of pink. To match her cheeks. What an adorable picture she made. “There’s something about the way you talk. You don’t like what you do. Am I right?”

  He paused before answering, choosing his next statement carefully. “I don’t hate it. It’s a job like anything else. In this region, I’m happy to have something. What I’d really like to do—” He cut himself off before finishing.

  “What?”

  “It’s stupid.”

  “You can share with me. It’s not like I’m going to tell anyone.”

  “I…want to surf.”

  She didn’t laugh, and that meant a lot to him. “So why don’t you go surf? It shouldn’t take long for you to learn. I’m not sure how you could make a business out of it, but you can at least indulge in your hobby.”

  “And leave all this behind?” He held his arms out to encompass the wilderness around them. “Leave my father without help? He forbids it. No shifter travels that far outside their pack. There’s safety in numbers and we rely on one another. It would be impossible.”

  “You know, it doesn’t do you any good to go through your life with regrets.”

  “Like the regrets you have about not branching out and doing something with your college degree?”

  She started, leaning away from the camera. “How did you… No. I know how you know. You hear things.” Her fingers went up in air quotes. “I guess there’s no point in denying it. I have a lot of regrets and sometimes they do keep me up at night. There are so many things I should have done, places I should have gone. There were so many opportunities I missed. What if I don’t end up where I am supposed to go?”

  “The question you’re asking yourself isn’t about where to go. It’s whether or not you’re the person you’re supposed to be.”

  Farris sat back on her heels. “Yes.’

  “I feel the same way.” He inhaled the winter breeze as he stared at her. Hunger rose sharply within him when the wind brought her scent to him. It was a thick perfume of absolute femininity. A heady aroma wrapping around his senses, tugging him closer. Lakota pushed away from the tree until he st
ood a foot away from her.

  He held out a hand and, keeping eye contact, Farris placed her own gloved hand on his and allowed him to draw her up. He had an almost overwhelming urge to kiss the confusion right off her face.

  She remained passive standing in front of him. Lakota forced his lynx in place when the animalistic side of his nature wanted to move aggressively against her. There was a terrible tension riding him, keeping his shoulders taut.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked him, her eyes flashing.

  “I’m wondering how many men have had the pleasure of your company,” he said.

  There was more confusion and a moment of awkward hesitation where he could sense her desire to speak up in defense of herself. “There have been a few.” She tried to sound defiant. Which was difficult, he knew, for someone like her. It wasn’t in her nature to move straight into confrontation. Or confidence. Then her eyes landed on his lips and it was all he could do to keep his hands to himself.

  “You know what? Add one more,” he whispered, swallowing the rest of what he wanted to say. One more, and it would be her last.

  Desire curled painfully through him and he lowered his head until his mouth was on hers.

  He could taste the words she wanted to say and did not. Taste her breath. Her mouth was enticing and warm. Alive. His body stirred when he brought her close and pressed against her, his need making him hard. His thumb came up to swipe across her cheek and the wind around them blew the silken strands of his hair across their arms.

  Her scent called to him again. Wild. Sensual. Like an animal calling for its mate. He wanted her right there, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the morning.

  He took the kiss deeper until Farris clutched at his waist to keep from falling. The tiny sound of encouragement she made drove him, and when her lips moved over his, his heart stopped. It was pure pleasure shivering down his spine. Lakota wondered what he’d done in his life to deserve a mouth like hers. He broke off from the kiss and indulged in a moment to stare at her, the tempting lines of her face and luscious, bruised lips. His heart slammed painfully against his chest.