by P. Jameson
Except… it seemed so small. Insignificant. A tiny pebble that only really resembled a heart if you looked at it at the right angle and used a lot of imagination.
No, he needed something better for his first gift to her. Flowers maybe, or a book. She seemed like a reader.
Theron appeared beside Thames, sinking down next to him on the stack of wood.
“Well?” he asked, not bothering to work up to what was on his mind. “How’s shit going?” That was just like Theo. Bold.
“You mean how’s it going.”
“It. Shit. Whatever. It rhymes, and it’s all pretty much the same at this point, ain’t it.”
Thames pulled his gaze away from Nastia to stare at his brother. Theron’s bear was riding him hard, he could tell. Any normal day and the man would be all jokes and jibes. It was how he dealt with life. How he dealt with conflict. Emotion. How he’d managed to come out of their bear clan in one piece.
But even though his face held that typical Theron-style smirk, he was serious right now. He wanted a progress report or he wasn’t going to drop it.
“So far so good, brother,” Thames murmured.
“Is she behaving the way a female should during a mate?”
Thames considered it.
During the mating ritual, which often took many months, the female’s instincts were on high alert. Bears were dangerous, with claws that could rip through flesh with a single quick slice. They could maul a body in minutes. Teeth the size of railroad spikes. The most powerful of all land mammals.
And bear shifters were even more volatile because of their emotional human sides. Especially when they’d locked onto their mate and every instinct within them screamed to claim and mark.
Whether it was a scent they put off or just a general vibe, the intended female could sense the danger and wanted to run. It was the male’s job to prove she was safe. Because she was.
Bear shifters were also the most protective of their females.
Usually once they topped that first trust hurdle, things snowballed fast into let’s-get-physical territory.
But Nastia didn’t seem afraid of him. Only curious. Perhaps because she’d single handedly killed a big-cat shifter with nothing more than a flick of her wrist. Maybe she couldn’t see his brute strength because she was so strong already herself.
Thames shrugged. “It’s only been a day. She was sleeping for much of it.”
“And what were you doing?”
“You know what I was doing.” He eyed Theron. “Same thing you’d be doing if she was yours.”
His brother sighed, propping his elbows back on the wood just like Thames. “Watching. Worrying. Fuck…” He shook his head. “Hoping.”
“Bingo.”
“Shit. Well, look at it this way, the Mother Bear’s been dead for ten years now. That’s a long time for her wicked words to float around in the atmosphere and get all twisted up. Who knows, brother, maybe fate will give us the opposite just to spite the old bitch.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
Theron always believed the Mother Bear could be wrong. That she was a hoax that happened to get a few things right here and there. Or at the very least that killing her would nullify her readings. Luckily someone else had done the job for him.
But Thames had seen the truth of her words time after time. Her magic was different than the Sorceras’ but no less real.
Theron stared over at the three sisters and Mason, his gaze going as soft as Thames had seen it in years.
“I don’t know what I believe anymore. Best I can tell, we’re on an adventure. Who knows where it will lead. You win your woman and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Thames smirked. “Yeah. Yeah, we’ll see.”
“The cave’s looking nice,” Theron said, changing the subject. “And fast too. These cats know how to move quick, yeah?”
Thames nodded, relaxing a bit. The place was coming together. And Nastia seemed to like the changes he was making. Even gave her input on the light fixtures for the bathroom. She preferred the rustic looking ones over the modern ones. Lots of light, she’d said. The more the better.
“Furniture will be here around four,” Theron added. “Truck won’t make it up this road, but they’ll unload at the lodge and we’ll use our smaller trucks to get it up here.”
“Good. That’s good. I hated her sleeping on the ground last night. Made my bear all itchy.”
Theron grunted, not liking the idea either. And Nastia wasn’t even his. Theo was a good male. He’d be a good mate-in-law to her.
“I noticed you only ordered one bed.” Theron’s raised eyebrow made him seem more himself. “You planning on taking the floor? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure you can’t nail this down in one day. You’d need some major swagger for that. Some Mason level swagger, you know what I mean? And brother, you ain’t got it.”
Thames shook his head, looking away. Mason level swagger. As if that cat was the standard by which swagger was measured.
“If my sleeping arrangements were any of your business, I might tell you.”
Theron chuckled in response. “But if they were, then it wouldn’t be so damn funny.” He laughed some more shucking Thames on the shoulder. “Aw damn, brother. I love you, you know that? Whatever happens with your female, we’ll be okay. We’re always okay, me and you. We make it. We survive. Always have, always will. Even without females, if that’s the way fate wants to fuck us.”
“I know,” Thames said. “Just… have a little faith in me. I can be what she needs. I know I can.”
Thames turned his head away, clearing the emotion from his throat. He’d just made a bold statement. And although he knew Theo meant what he said and would never blame him for his loneliness, he also knew how badly his brother wanted a family.
“Faith is all I have, brother. And I believe you. Believe in you. Now let’s stop with all this mushy shit before people start thinking we’re teddy bears instead of grizzlies.”
Thames snorted. Teddy bears. They probably looked like that. No one had seen them get mean yet. Only a little taste when they were fighting the cats.
Nastia laughed again at something Mason said, but this time the cougar shifter looked pleased and it rubbed Thames all wrong. Mason reached forward and touched her forearm. Just briefly, but it was too much. Any touch from any male but him was too much.
“Aw, hell no,” he muttered under his breath. Mine, mine, mine. Mine.
Theo arched an eyebrow. “Told you. Cat’s got swagger.”
Thames stood, pulling his shoulders back. “Yeah? Well, so do I.”
Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he retrieved his little rock, rubbing it between his fingers as he stalked forward. Sliding up behind Nastia, he relished her tiny gasp as he braced one hand on the makeshift table in front of her, setting the stone heart carefully on the plank of wood.
“For you,” he whispered in her ear, and she went stock still.
He didn’t look at the others. He didn’t over think what he was doing. He just acted, inhaling to trap her sweet cherrywood scent deep in his lungs. His nose grazed the skin below her ear, bringing goosebumps to the surface that he wanted to lick. Instead, he just breathed her in, every minute change, as he hovered near. Her scent went from surprised to something warmer, sweeter.
“One,” she said, her voice perfectly breathy, as she reached for the rock.
“I hope you can count to infinity, little witch, because that’s how many of these I’m going to get you.”
So many that her collection would consist of all his gifts. That way every time she looked at them, counted them, thought of them… she’d have to think of him. Give her so many reminders she couldn’t forget no matter what the darkness did.
Straightening, he shot Mason a warning look. Mine. He didn’t need to say it out loud for the cat to understand. Without a word, the other shifter threw both hands up.
That’s right, hands off.
; As Thames stalked off to return to work, he caught his brother’s gaze and shot him a raised eyebrow. How’s that for swagger?
Theron chuckled and gave him a casual salute.
Thames smirked. Now he just had to find more stone hearts.
Chapter Five
Mason found the opening of the massive cave that was quickly becoming a bear home and slipped out while no one was looking. He did his best to ignore the giddy squealing of the guest inside his head. Destiny, a meddlesome but proven helpful bobcat shifter from the Dirt Track Dogs wolf pack.
She loved love. And loved turning him into a matchmaker. He’d seen enough happily-ever-afters lately, he almost believed he could have one too.
The joyful eee-eee-eeeee stopped as suddenly as someone pulling the needle from a record.
Oh, Mason, you can have that! I see the way you look at—
“Boundaries,” he growled under his breath. “Remember we talked about boundaries. Getting too close to that line, Des.”
Alright. Okay. It’s just… no person is exempt from happiness. Just throwing that out there, m’kay? You know, for you to think about when you’re alone and giving yourself grief for things you couldn’t help.
Mason stopped, clenching his fists and grappling for patience. Goddamn it, her toe was on the fucking line. Like, she was teasing it with the pointy end of her boot. Did she want him to come unglued? He’d patched himself up nicely over the years and now she was picking at threads that would unravel him.
Theron stepped past him, ducking into the thick foliage surrounding the cave. “Well, I think that experiment went well.”
Mason followed him until they were far enough away no one would hear them talking.
“Okay, so the elder was right,” Mason said when they’d stopped.
Referring to me in third person, really? Destiny huffed. Like I’m not even here or something.
“You’re not here,” Mason reminded.
I kinda am though. Her voice had gone all pouty, and he rolled his eyes.
Theron frowned. “Does it totally suck to have her in your head or what?”
“Totally.”
That… that was not very nice. You tell that bear if he ever wants his female, he better be nice. Same goes for you, Mason. Your head is no picnic for me. I’d rather eat rocks and hurl like I did for three months when I was pregnant. But look, here I am, sucking it up all beast-mode-like, to deal with your demons and set your clan up for a future.
Shit. She was right. Destiny had helped them more times than she should have. He knew she felt a responsibility to them because of the way they’d taken her in during a bad time. And because their families were linked when one of the cats mated one of the wolves. But she’d gone above and beyond her duties. And he didn’t say thank you enough for the shit she waded through in his head.
So she was mouthy. He could deal with that. She was his friend and she didn’t deserve his cranky ass comments everyday.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, and Theron cocked his head to stare at him. “She’s says be nice, and I think we should.”
Theron shrugged. “Sure, fine. Whatever. I kind of like watching you talk to yourself anyway. Better than TV.”
Call me Yankee Doodle Dandy.
“She says she’s happy to entertain you.”
Damn, he was becoming an all-out handy-joe. Matchmaker, translator. By the time this was over, he’d be able to take you to zen with his yogi skills, massage you to bliss with his therapy skills, find your perfect mate, and relay a message from someone miles away, all in a day’s work. Fuck, give him a hammer and maybe he could even join Renner and Ryan’s crew.
“So, what now? Destiny was right about Nastia and Thames. I could hear her heart pounding all the way across the room. She’s affected by my brother. But how will this help us prevent her from turning dark? And what about the other two?”
Mason listened for Destiny’s voice, but she was disturbingly quiet. Not gone, he could feel her presence. But silent. And he sure as hell didn’t know the answers to Theron’s questions. He’d only done what Destiny told him to. Flirt with the Sorcera to test the bond she had with Thames. And it worked. Zero heart palpitations with Mason. Crazy like a double bass drum with Thames.
I…
Destiny hesitated, and he was pretty sure it was a first. He would’ve remembered her being speechless. He would’ve marked it in his calendar to commemorate the occasion.
I need to think, okay?
Mason stiffened. Something was wrong.
“Destiny, what is it? Tell me.”
Just… give me some time.
“No. Tell me what’s wrong. I need to know. How will I keep people safe if you’re hiding shit?”
Theron’s frown deepened as his hands found his hips.
Trust me, she murmured and then like someone had waved a magic wand, she was gone.
“Fuck.” Mason spat on the forest floor, a bad feeling riding him hard. “Elder’s gone,” he told Theron.
“What do you mean she’s gone?”
“Gone. Poof. Not surfing my brain waves anymore.”
“Well… what did she say?”
Mason shook his head. “Nothing. She said nothing. Goddamn it, never seen that female speechless.”
The bear let out a low growl. “I don’t like this. Destiny promised to help those females.”
“She will.” Mason knew her. She wouldn’t leave them out to dry.
Theron glanced back toward the cave, his jaw working furiously at his frustration. “They can’t be lost,” he choked. “You hear me?”
He turned to nail Mason with his gaze, and there it was. Something familiar. Immediately recognizable, because it was a feeling Mason knew too. And no matter how tight a hold he had on his emotions, the bear could probably see the same thing rimming his eyes.
One of those females was his. And saving one wasn’t enough if they couldn’t save them all.
“I hear you.”
Theron gave him a slow knowing nod, and Mason returned it. A promise. They wouldn’t rest until the Sorcera were safe from the darkness they feared.
***
Nastia cleared her throat, staring pointedly at Adira.
Lunch was long over, but her sisters had stayed to keep her company. Everything had been going great. She knew they were nervous about their future and hers, but they chatted like it was any other day, and even had a laugh or two for her. Adira had rhymed a few times, simply out of habit, and Nastia made fun of her, like she always did. Mirena had made a couple dares with the construction crew. Crazy things like, dare you to balance that board on your nose or dare you to finish that project in sixty seconds without using your hands. Her antics had made the work seem like fun.
But now they were both staring at Nastia like she’d grown a second head right before their eyes.
“What?” she asked for the third time.
Newt the skink curled into a cozy coil in her palm as she gently stroked the top of his head with the pad of her pinky finger. He’d skittered up the ruffle of her skirt and over her belt looking for a warm place to sleep. It appeared her palm was becoming his favorite.
Adira glanced at Mirena, worried. “Nas, what is that you have in your hand?”
“Oh!” Nastia grinned. “This is Newt. I forgot you haven’t been properly introduced.”
“Newt?” Mirena murmured, giving Nastia that same concerned look. “You have a familiar?”
A familiar? An animal companion belonging to the darkness. Each Magei had one—or more—to do their bidding. Usually small and of the rodent variety. Lizards and snakes weren’t uncommon. Insects too. They took on the characteristics and behaviors of their witch and were faithful above all to them.
But… that wasn’t what Newt was.
“No, no,” Nastia laughed. “You’ve got this all wrong. Newt isn’t a familiar. He’s just a pet. We took him in this morning when he was looking for a warm place to sleep.”
Adira fro
wned, shaking her head. “You say pet, I say familiar. Sorcera don’t have pets, Nastia. For this very reason. You know this.”
Mirena added, “This animal is clearly attached to you. It’s dangerous, sister.”
They misunderstood. Because they were looking for signs of the darkness, they were seeing them in an innocent pet.
“There’s no law against it. We can have pets if we want them, and I want Newt.”
Adira and Mirena shared an uncomfortable glance.
“I’m handling things,” Nastia snapped. “I barely even feel the darkness. In fact, maybe I feel it less than I did before the battle.”
They stayed silent, but she recognized the concern in their eyes. They didn’t trust her anymore. And truthfully, they shouldn’t. But right now, she was okay. She was safe in Thames’s cave, and the darkness didn’t even scare her anymore. She could handle it. Maybe not forever, but for now, she could manage.
“Look, the lizard used to belong to Clara. Ask her if you won’t take my word for it. He’s not a familiar. Just a regular old reptile who likes to stay warm.”
“But he could become one.” Adira’s tone was careful. “If you give him power.” She wanted to be sensitive to Nastia’s feelings, while speaking the truth she already knew. Of course Nastia knew how familiars worked. Killing the werecat didn’t make her forgetful.
“Well, then I won’t okay? Now mind your own business. I’m sure your Dr. Seuss vice is still eating at you even if you pretend it’s not. And you…” She pinned Mirena with her gaze. “Aren’t you due for a challenge soon? Go dare someone something and quit worrying about what’s mine.”
Nastia stood abruptly, knocking over the upside down five gallon bucket she’d been using as a stool. The skink startled and scurried down her skirt toward a spot of sun. Shoot. She’d scared him.
She closed her eyes, breathing deep and grappling for patience. She was angry at her sisters, but some piece of logic floating around in the back of her mind told her she had no right to be. They were looking out for her, just as they were meant to.
