Shifter: Stefan's Mark

by Jaden Sinclair

  "Sid...” Stefan tried to soothe her with his voice. He spoke gently but couldn't think of the right words.

  "No! I don't even know your name,” she whined, looking around the room and covering her breasts with her arms.

  Stefan grinned slightly at the way she fidgeted. He saw how nervous he made her, and he felt bad for that. Nothing would have given Stefan greater pleasure than to be able to comfort her and reassure her. He also grinned at the fact that she was grasping at straws. Asking for his name now after all they had shared was another method of wasting time.

  "Stefan.” He smiled. “Stefan Draeger.” His voice thickened when he said his name, and the humor was once again in his voice.

  Sidney took a deep breath and regarded him with calm eyes. “Well, Mr. Draeger,” she said in a stern voice, “you can get your hands and body off me."

  Stefan slowly ran his tongue over his lips. “But you, Miss Martin, taste so very good."

  * * * *

  Before she thought, Sidney brought her hand up to slap him. He caught her wrist easily before it impacted. “I will not get back in bed with you. And I will not fuck you,” she yelled as she worked to yank her wrist from his hold. “So you can keep your damned hands to yourself and give me my fucking clothes back!"

  "A lady should not use such language.” Stefan leaned into her and lifted one of her legs. He let his cock rub her pussy. “I never said anything about fucking. Making love is more my style, but if you prefer fucking, I can accommodate.” He fought to pick her up, laughing at her attempts to fight him while he worked at wrapping both legs around his hips and let the head of his cock nudge her entrance.

  "This isn't a damn game!” she cried out, hitting at his arms and shoulders.

  "As much as I would like to fuck you here and now,” he said with a chuckle, “I must admit, for your first time, the bed would be more comfortable."

  "Animal!” Sidney screamed while she hit him and kicked her legs out. “You goddamn son of a bitch!

  "Yes. I can be,” Stefan said seriously.

  Without releasing her, he moved toward the bed with Sidney still kicking and hitting him with each step he took, but each movement caused his cock to slip inside of her. Her actions didn't faze him. He beelined to the bed without a word. Panic set in for Sidney. She was scared of what would happen when they were back in that bed, scared of what he was going to do and how he was going to do it. Sex was always the one thing she never wanted to talk about. It frightened her. Why? She didn't know.

  Sidney was sure he'd toss her down on the mattress, but he didn't. He used more gentleness than she'd expected from such a brute. He never let go of her, however, as he climbed to the center of the bed and laid her down. Sidney fought him only to end up flat on her back, his body trapping hers as he settled between her legs. He grasped her wrists and pulled them over her head. Holding them there, he made his move, ignoring the expression of defeat in her eyes.

  "You will take me by force then?” she asked as she kicked him again. “You would rape me?” Sidney spat.

  * * * *

  Stefan was shocked. Every instinct told him to take her hard and fast. Give her no time to think. His cock rested at her entrance. Stefan knew he was quickly losing the battle. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Rape, Sidney? Such a vile word. True mates do not have to rape.” He shot out his tongue and flicked the lobe of her ear.

  Sidney struggled against him, apparently not knowing how much she was exciting him. She glared up at him. “Then tell me ... what is it?"

  "True love?” Stefan's voice dropped in tone, thickened, becoming almost hurt filled as well as sexy. “Never rape, Sidney. I could never hurt you.” Stefan dipped his head and kissed her neck as his hand cupped her breast.

  "If you are insisting on doing this whether I want it or not, hurry up. I want to get the hell away from you and on with my life,” she informed him in a tight voice. “Find a real man, not some animal."

  Her words sent rage surging through him. She could not leave him, not to be with another. No other would affect her. He wouldn't allow that. Sidney was his! His mate. His soul mate.

  A dead calm moved through Stefan as he looked down at her. The fear that entered her eyes told him she regretted her statement but he wasn't willing to let it go. Sidney was entirely still as he inched out of her and off the bed. Stefan felt her eyes on him as he picked up his clothes and put his jeans on. He didn't even acknowledge her as he partially dressed and headed for the door. Stefan feared that if he didn't then he would in fact take her in the manner of rape. It was the first time he had felt this kind of anger go through his system. He was always the calm one, the one with all the humor, the one who could turn his mother's tears into laughter. His mother! Stefan knew that was who he needed to see. At one time, she had been in the same shoes as Sidney.

  Drake Draeger had kidnapped Natasha from her home and mated with her only twenty-four hours before the full moon. From the stories his mother used to tell them, she hadn't made it very easy for Drake at all. She had put up one hell of a fight, pushing Drake to the point that he was ready to pull his hair out. The same thing Stefan was feeling now. He wanted to scream at Sidney, kiss her, fuck her, and pull his own hair out at the same time. If time weren't against him, Stefan would back off. But for her safety, he needed to mate with her before the full moon. Once the heat hit, nothing would control him.

  Before he opened the door, he turned and glared at her over his shoulder. He spat out, “You have three days to come to terms with our situation. On the night of the full moon, you will be mine.” Stefan took a deep breath. His eyes telling her how serious he was by how cold, how dark they were When he spoke again, there was an edge of cruelty in his tone. “Don't run, Sidney. Running only fuels the animal in me. The chase is something we love more than anything. I will hunt you, I will find you, and I will have you. The gates are locked at night, so you'll find there is nowhere to go. Trying will only alert the dogs that you are there.” He could almost feel the coldness in his eyes. “No man will ever touch you or I will kill him."

  * * * *

  The door slammed shut, and Sidney exhaled the breath she had been holding. Relief flooded through her and she began to relax. Absently, she grabbed the sheet and covered her body. Sliding off the bed, she paced in a circle around the room, taking in her surroundings, hoping there was something to help her escape. The room was nothing special. It was masculine and bold. Just like him she thought.

  The bed she had been in was king sized and sat in the middle of the room with an oak, natural finished hope chest at its foot. Two matching oak dressers rested on the left and right side of the bed along with a small loveseat facing the door with the chest at its back.

  Off to the left of the bed, she found the door to the bathroom. She stepped inside, closed the door, and walked up to the shower. Sidney slowly turned the water on and let the sheet fall. She stepped into the shower and sighed her pleasure as the water beat down over her. She cleaned every part of her that Stefan had touched. Cleaned, yet she wished that she didn't have to because she enjoyed his touch and the feelings he inspired. Why in the hell couldn't this be a normal relationship and not something from America's Most Wanted? The sudden need to be held hit. Sidney felt tears form then fall from her eyes. She had been kidnapped. Feelings for him were completely out of the question. Yet, if that were so, then why did she want him to come back and hold her.

  Sidney shut off the water and stepped out onto a plush rug. She dried herself with a double-sized white fluffy towel. Then her eyes searched the small bathroom for something she could wear. A cotton T-shirt of his, by the scent lingering on it, was the only article of clothing she could find. She sighed while she slipped it. Sidney felt a little better as she made her way to the bedroom, but the feeling disappeared when she saw a petite, young woman waiting for her on the loveseat.

  "I've waited a long time to meet my brother's mate?"

  Sidney frowned. “Excuse
me?"

  The girl smiled brightly. “I couldn't wait to come up here and meet you.” She bounced up and down in her seat. “Are you all right?"

  The woman, who seemed more like she was still a girl by her youthful actions, had the same blue eyes as the brute who had captured her. Her dark brown hair hung to her shoulders, and Sidney couldn't help but notice her delicate beauty. The woman had a friendly smile on her face when she rose and headed toward Sidney with her hand extended in welcome.

  Sidney glanced down at the hand but did not take it. “I'm sorry to disappoint you,” she stated, looking at the young blue eyes and not understanding what this girl was doing here. “But I am not staying."

  "Oh?” The girl opened her mouth to speak but stopped the moment the door opened.

  Another woman equal in beauty and confidence strolled in. She carried herself like the lady of the house might. Her back was straight while she moved and the kindness in her face gave Sidney a small amount of hope.

  "That's enough, Skyler,” the woman said. Her voice was kind and gentle as she spoke and her eyes held a small amount of understanding. “Go find Dedrick and tell him to give us a few moments. I would like to speak to her alone."

  Sidney watched the young woman almost skipping out of the room with a smile on her young face. She stopped at the door and kissed the lady on the cheek.

  "Please, have a seat.” She motioned for Sidney to sit on the edge of the bed.

  "I think I would rather stand,” Sidney responded, raising her head defiantly.

  The woman smiled. “I can understand that.” She walked to bed, sitting down alone. “I'm Natasha Draeger. Stefan's mother.” She looked at Sidney with crystal blue eyes, the same eyes that Stefan had.

  Sidney gazed at the calm woman on the bed. Natasha Draeger stood about Sidney's height. Her hair was the color of a wheat field with a slight wave to it, and it brushed her shoulders. One small speck of gray showed on the side, telling Sidney she was not as young as she appeared. She dressed in a gray pair of slacks with a lighter gray, long-sleeved silk blouse. Sidney even noticed how delicate her hands seemed.

  "What do you want?” Sidney felt nervous around her suddenly. She felt underdressed in nothing more than a T-shirt and was very uncomfortable with the way this woman followed her with her eyes.

  Natasha smiled gently. Even her eyes held kindness. “I wanted to come to help you as much as I can. This can be somewhat hard to come to grips with, and believe me when I say that I have been in your shoes at one time."

  Sidney wrapped her arms around herself. “Yeah, that's comforting to know.” She cocked her head to one side, giving Natasha a cold stare. “Your son brought me here, against my will, and now you sit there wanting to help me!” Sidney made a snorting sound when she laughed sharply. “This family has some damn nerve."

  Natasha kept her smile in place. “Well, Stefan is his father's son, in a way.” She stood and moved gracefully to the window. She glanced out, keeping her back to Sidney. Taking a deep breath, Natasha turned and leaned against the window, staring at Sidney. “My mate did the same thing to me, as Stefan is doing to you, and I don't approve of it. I was taken from my home and family to be brought to his. My late husband and mate, Drake Brockton Draeger, didn't have family to help me with my transition. It was just the two of us and I was just as scared as you are now. So I understand why you are so defiant, since I was as well at the time."

  "Defiant?” Sidney glared at Natasha like she had lost her mind. She frowned. “This is not being defiant, lady. This is acting like a woman who has been taken and told that I have no choice but to sleep with him, which you just said you know all about. I have been taken from one prison only to be placed in another, and your precious boy is an ass.” Sidney turned her back on Natasha. She covered her mouth to suppress any further words but she was powerless to stop her tears from falling.

  "I know all about your father,” Natasha stated, “as well as what Stefan is doing.” Sidney could feel the woman's eyes boring into her back. The silent tears shook her. “Your family and ours seem to go back a long way."

  When Sidney said nothing, Natasha went on. “Do you know when Stefan came home that night from what your father did, I knew something had changed him. It wasn't the fact that your father had chained him up or tried to torture him. It wasn't even the fact that he was caught either. What changed him was you.” Natasha strolled up to Sidney, placing her hands on her shoulders. “The calmness that was always a part of Stefan was no longer there, as well as the deadness in his eyes since his father's death. I saw life once again in my son, as much as I hated the thought of where it might have come from, I'm still grateful that he discovered you. As much as you might hate this, and fight what is going on, you have brought my son back from a place that was starting to darken his soul.” She patted Sidney on the shoulders. “Come and sit down. Getting yourself ready for a fight doesn't solve anything, trust me."

  Sidney allowed herself to be led over to the bed. She sat down, not looking at Natasha.

  "I'm not very good at this sort of thing, and not sure what I can say to help you with this situation,” Natasha went on. “Stefan is wrong in my eyes on how he went about it, and I will say that I don't approve with the way he is handling this. He has his father in him so when it comes to him, soft and easy might not apply, but I will make a promise that I will do everything I can to make him calm down and make him think before he acts."

  Sidney sniffed back tears and looked at Natasha with a frown. “I don't understand any of this.” The tears fell freely. “Why me? Why is he doing this to me?"

  Natasha took Sidney's hand in hers. She smiled kindly. “All shifter males have a dominating side to them, and that side comes out when their mates are around. They tend to become very overbearing, some worse than others.” She chuckled and shook her head. “And I assure you I have never seen Stefan like this before. I think all of this, the way he has been acting and carrying on is mostly because he is excited to have you and the full moon is near.” She chuckled. “Dedrick is so much worse than Stefan, so whoever his mate turns out to be, I will pity and tell her to run for it. It's a wonder at times that they are even brothers they are so different."

  "Dedrick?” Sidney was confused. “Who's that?"

  "My oldest son."

  Sidney chuckled but not in a humorous way and stood back up. “How many of your guys are there?"

  "I have three children,” Natasha informed her.

  "Great!” Sidney moaned. She walked to the window and saw a dark-haired man heading toward a pool house.

  A knock sounded at the door causing them both to turn. Skyler came in smiling and as cheerful as ever with many boxes in her arms and a few bags dangling from her fingers.

  "Stefan told me to bring these to you.” She smiled brightly, dropping the load on the bed. “And he has a bunch more downstairs."

  Sidney watched in disbelief as the young girl started opening the boxes. Dresses, skirts, slacks, and tops all came tumbling out. Bras, panties, stockings, and a few pair of shoes were also in the bags. From the looks of all this clothing, Sidney knew Stefan had been planning this for a long time.

  "Stefan says he has even more that will be delivered later in the week,” she went on.

  Sidney couldn't take it anymore. “Who are you people? And what the hell is all this?"

  Skyler glanced at her mother then to Sidney. “Well, um, these, ah ... these are your new clothes,” she stated, appearing nervous.

  "New clothes?” Sidney glared at Skyler in disbelief. “Just how long has he been planning this shit?” she hissed in anger.

  Skyler laughed nervously. “I think he ordered them months ago.

  "You mean to tell me that he has been ordering clothes?” Sidney spoke through gritted teeth. “Where the hell did he get them from?"

  "Excuse me for a moment,” Natasha said with a tight smile on her lips.

  * * * *

  Natasha rushed out of the bedroom, down th
e stairs and into the family room where Stefan was standing amongst even more bags and boxes. She went right up to him and started slapping him as hard as she could.

  "Ma!” Stefan cried out, trying to cover his head as best as he could while she pounded on him.

  "You bought clothes!” Natasha charged, stopping and tried to catch her breath. “How long have you been planning on taking this girl if you have already bought her clothes?” She pushed at him, her eyes glaring up at him. “What else have you not told me?"

  "Nothing!” He moved behind the sofa, trying to put something between them.

  All the children knew that when Natasha was pissed, there wasn't much that was going to stop her from getting at them, even her short stance didn't stop her. All three, including Dedrick, were a little scared of their mother and with good reason.

  "I am trying to help her and you send your sister up with clothes you have been buying for months.” She went after him, but Stefan managed to back away quickly. “What the hell is wrong with you?"

  "And what would Dad have done?” he shot back.

  "Don't you dare bring your father into this.” She rushed up on him again, getting one good hit in before he moved out of her reach again. “I raised you better than that. That girl feels like she just went from one hell to another, and I swear, if you hurt her in any way, I will take the strap to you until you can't change for three damn moons!"

  Stefan walked around to the other sofa and leaned forward from the backside. “Do you think if I would have tried the courting shit she would have come to me? This was the only way I could think of. I tried, Mom! I tried to get her to come to me."

  "No, what you did was scare the shit out of her, drug her, and Lord only knows what else.” Natasha tossed her arms up in the air. “I won't have it, Stefan. I won't have you break her just for your own needs."

  "What are you going to do, Mom?” He smirked. “Take her side every time we have a fight?"

  "You smart mouth...” She lunged for him, but Stefan ran from the room.

  Natasha didn't get to finish her talk because Stefan ran out the front door. She shook her head, not knowing what she was going to do about him. She prayed Dedrick wouldn't do the same crap when his time came.