by Olivia Gayle
The Brahm’s eyes were fixed on Sonya however, piercing even from this distance. The need to protect her sister welled up. “You keep him away from her,” she said in a low voice.
Beside her, Aidan stilled. “Ever…”
“No.” She shook her head, giving her mate—still weird to even think that word—a glare. “I do not want him,” she pointed toward the pacing man, “anywhere near my sister until he can control himself better.”
“Quite right,” Nadine agreed, nodding her head, and at that moment Marshall turned toward them. A chill went through Ever’s body, and she couldn’t help it: she immediately dropped her gaze and looked back to Nadine, wondering how much he’d heard. Aidan continued to watch his father, and the arm holding Ever against him tightened its grip.
“Sheriff, I have a request, although you may not like it.” The Brahma’s gaze turned back to Aidan. “I’d like for you to take over care of Arcadia, at least for the time being.”
Aidan tensed, turning his attention back to the other woman. “What are you cooking up, Nadine?”
The blonde shook her head. “We both know that Marshall is too volatile right now to properly care for your people. I need you to step into that role for at least the next few months.”
He frowned. “My father…”
“Is very unstable right now.” She blew out a breath. “I trust him to let me do my job, but I’m not sure I can trust him to do his.”
“All right,” he said after a moment, although the frown never left his face, “I’ll watch over Arcadia. But you have to tell me everything you know about Hendrix. We’ve only been able to track him back a few years.”
For the first time, Nadine looked uncomfortable. “Everything we know about Hendrix will be sent to you,” she said, “but we’d been operating on the assumption that he was dead for over a century now.”
“Who is he?”
She sighed, rubbing her temples with one hand. “A charismatic megalomaniac who just so happens to be my mate.”
That news had Ever standing straighter, her eyes narrowing at the other woman. Nadine held up her hands, forestalling any comments. “I’m telling you this so there are no secrets between us. He has a love/hate relationship with Chimeras, although he’d never before taken that fascination to the cult-like, religious status it is now. That man is why I formed Haven in the first place, and believe me, I have a much bigger beef with him than most folks here.”
Her eyes were on Ever’s as she continued. “I know what he is, and what he can do, so please believe me when I tell you I promise that your sister is safe with me. When she’s ready, I’ll return her to your care.”
“How did my father not know,” Aidan demanded. “He’s been around longer than anyone in Arcadia; he must have known about this man.”
“He may have known, and chose not to say anything, or he might have forgotten. I gave up trying to read Marshall and his decisions years ago. I’m certain that, either way, he would’ve made the connection eventually.” The blonde woman kept her eyes on Ever. “Please, let me take care of Sonya. I promise that you can come and see her soon.”
Ever grit her teeth, indecision warring inside her. Finally, she nodded. “You make sure she knows I love her,” she said fiercely, “and that I’ll do anything I can to help her.”
“I’ll tell her that every day.” Nadine turned around and circled one finger through the air, a silent signal to those at the copter. A dark-haired woman who’d been hovering near Sonya moved toward the other girl, saying something to which Sonya nodded. Ever raised her hand in farewell, but Sonya never looked in her direction, didn’t so much as acknowledge her own sister’s presence.
That hurt worst of all.
“Anna.”
Ever hadn’t noticed Julian coming up beside them. His voice was soft, lacking any of the normal condescension. The name clicked in Ever’s head. “That’s your mate,” she said, “isn’t it?”
He didn’t answer, just stared as the two women entered the helicopter. His face had that same yearning look that permeated the Brahm’s, but was tinged with sadness versus the manic quality Ever remembered seeing in Marshall’s gaze.
She peeked nearby, at the line of black tarps lying across the walkway, then away again. The bodies had still been strewn about when they’d exited the building; that was a sight she’d never get out of her head. Marshall had already moved off into the distance by then, giving them space, but she’d felt his presence like a manic fluttering in the back of her mind.
Oh yeah. Ever didn’t want that man anywhere near her sister.
“I’ll be sure to tell her your part in today’s affairs,” Nadine said to Julian in a similarly soft voice, laying her hand briefly on his shoulder before she turned toward the rumbling vehicle.
“Come on,” Aidan said in a soft voice as the blades to the helicopter began whirring faster, “let me take you home.”
Ever didn’t answer, just stared after the helicopter as its doors closed then slowly ascended into the air. Her heart ached; there had to be something else she could do for her sister. She’d failed in keeping her sibling safe; maybe if she’d kept in touch better, or hadn’t waited so long to go find Sonya…
Aidan’s arms wrapped around her, pulling Ever back against his body. She let her eyes drift close and, for that moment, just took the strength he willingly gave her.
“I love you,” he whispered into her ear, his breath warm against her cheek.
A reluctant smile played across her lips as she turned in his grasp, winding her arms around him and burying her face in his chest as the sounds of the helicopter faded into the distance.
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
The poor alarm clock lay in pieces against the far wall, guilty of nothing but doing its job and being owned by a new Shifter who didn't know her own strength yet.
Good thing Ever’s other, more handsome (and durable) alarm clock knew a better way to wake her up.
Lips trailed down her neck, tugging at the sheets still covering Ever's breasts. She grumbled, trying to keep them under her chin, but the struggles were a token gesture. A rough tongue flicked one nipple and she gasped, arching her back into that touch.
"A lifetime of seeing you like this still wouldn't be enough."
Aidan's low voice, still gravelly from sleep, brought a wicked grin to Ever's mouth. She kept her eyes closed, determined to hold onto sleep as long as possible and keep out the sun's rays, but that didn't mean she couldn't participate. Her fingers dug into thick dark hair as Aidan moved above her, lazily trailing his tongue and teeth across her torso and down beneath the covers.
He wasn't in any rush either. Ever was clenched and throbbing with anticipation, her pussy practically begging to be touched, but he bypassed it, kissing the insides of her thighs and laying his face on her pubic bone. "You aren't much for mornings, I take it," he murmured, voice amused.
Ever laid a small smack against the back of his head but didn't let him go, just enjoying the silky strands of hair between her fingers. She loved waking up like this, even if she wouldn't admit it aloud, but her mate knew.
Her mate. The words, which had been so foreign and weird before, rolled off her tongue now without a single hitch.
Aidan's fingers parted her folds, his thumb making lazy circles around the bud of her clit. Ever sighed, heels digging into the mattress as he set his mouth to her and continued his oral worship that had become her favorite morning wake up.
It didn't take long for the orgasm to rise to the surface, but Aidan just teased, prolonging the delicious agony. Soon she was crying out, alternately begging and cursing him to just finish, dammit. Finally she took matters into her own hands—literally—and dragged him up the bed by his hair.
Aidan didn't seem to mind at all, meeting her lips in a scorching kiss that wasn't lazy in the slightest. He slid inside her in one sure stroke, and Ever arched her hips to meet his thrusts. Small needy sounds came from her throat, echo
ed by his growl and an increased pace.
She couldn't get enough of him. In the two weeks since they'd left that horrible compound, it felt like they hadn't left the bed once. Oh, there had been the occasional errand; Aidan was still getting used to the mantle of leader as his father had disappeared after Sonya left. Derek and Eleanor visited a few times, introducing Aidan's brother Davis once, but there was still so much for her to see.
Yet, all she seemed to care about was getting her mate naked, any and everywhere she could. He seemed similarly inclined, and everyone else seemed to understand and kept their distance.
At some point, Ever knew she'd have to venture out of the little house they called home, but if she had her way it wouldn't be anytime soon.
The orgasm built again, growing stronger with each thrust. She dug her nails into his shoulders, cries echoing off the ceiling, as his pounding grew more erratic. He lifted one of her legs, setting the knee over his shoulder, and angled himself differently. Suddenly his thrusts were striking deeper, rubbing against the back of her body, and the orgasm that had been teetering was pushed over the brink.
She opened her eyes to see Aidan above her, his beautiful eyes a bright amber as he stared down at her. Emotion welled up from deep inside, the same way it did every time she looked at him. He was so damned beautiful; he took her breath away every time she saw him, just like he'd done the first time they'd met.
He seemed to sense her mood because he slowed, leaning down and laying his lips softly against hers. "Sometimes," he murmured, still moving slowly inside her, "I have to pinch myself to be sure that you're real." He ran his hands over her shoulders, tracing the curve of her neck with the backs of his fingers. "I've waited so long, but I never expected someone so perfect could be mine."
Her heart almost burst at his words, and she couldn't keep it in any more. "I..."
Aidan stilled, laying a finger over her lips. "I love you."
Ever's grin made her cheeks hurt, but she didn't care. She threw her arms around his neck and hauled him into a great big hug. Aidan let out a whoosh of air and, surprised by the act, collapsed onto her.
Another example of Ever not knowing the limits of her newfound strength yet, she realized, but couldn't care less.
"I love you too," she whispered in his ear, giving him a quick kiss to the temple.
His answering grin was just as wide as hers. "You ready for this?"
Ever stretched and nodded, then frowned a bit as Aidan pulled away. "What, now?"
"I figured, since we told everyone we'd meet them an hour ago..."
Shit. She hadn't realized the time. Still, she hated leaving things unfinished. Planting a hand on Aidan's chest, she gave him a "little" push that sent him sprawling backwards.
Yeah, she really needed to work on the whole know-your-own-strength thing.
Aidan's laughter quickly became a groan as Ever rain kisses down his torso, nipping the skin below his belly button, then moving lower. It was his turn to fist his hands through her hair as she pulled him deep into her mouth, wringing from him the orgasm he'd dare try and take from her.
* * *
"So, what exactly do I do?"
One thing she'd learned about Shifters was that they didn't seem overly conscious about nudity. With Aidan, it was a trait she relished, but amongst friends and family it was still a wee bit awkward.
Fortunately, three piles of clothing lay to one side as they entered the clearing, signaling the whole naked-human segment was already done. Sure enough, three animals blended through the brush, greeting Ever with a chorus of whuffles and yips. She immediately recognized Derek's bear form, as well as Eleanor's grey fox, the shape she liked to take. The mountain lion was new, and she glanced at Aidan who made introductions. "This is Davis, my half brother."
The big cat yawned at her, showing its teeth, then rolled over onto its back as if begging for scratches. Beside her, Aidan growled, and Ever grinned at his protective streak. That was one aspect that she'd really thought she would have a problem with, and yet she found it sexy as hell.
Mostly, she felt she should be tolerant at least because she was worse around mixed company, all but challenging any woman who so much as looked at him to a fight. Jealousy had never been something she'd felt about a man, but boy-howdy, did she feel it now!
Davis just started purring, staring straight at Ever, not caring that his older and much larger brother was watching. The boy—man, Ever amended mentally, since he was older than she was—had a flirtatious streak that regularly got him into trouble. A cuff to the back of the head by Derek's bear however had him on his feet in no time, although he didn't seem at all apologetic.
Now that she was here, nervous jitters filled Ever. Worrying her lip, she glanced at Aidan. "What do I do?"
"Just relax." He shed his shirt and pants—the man went commando, probably by necessity, but Ever loved it—and set them to one side. "I want you to close your eyes, and feel for your inner animal."
That was easy enough. Aidan had already explained this part to her, but even without the explanation she could feel the presence lurking in the back of her mind. What should have been frightening, that skittery restlessness always present inside her head, was instead fascinating, and now she was about to finally meet it.
Once again, her thoughts flashed to her sister. How had she reacted to her first shift? Had it been someplace safe like this, or was there fear involved? She still hadn't heard a peep from Sonya; nothing in the two weeks except what Nadine had given her with three phone calls. Apparently, Sonya was settling well into her new life, but had chosen not to speak with her sister yet.
That hurt worse than Ever could have imagined. They hadn't been all that chatty beforehand, but it felt now as though her sibling blamed what happened on her. Both Nadine and Aidan insisted that wasn't the case, but until she heard that from her sister, she wasn't sure she could believe otherwise. Maybe it was selfish to feel that way—her sister had gone through terrible things, perhaps she needed time away—but that hurt wouldn’t go away.
"Hey."
Ever snapped back to the present, gazing into Aidan's worried face. "Sorry," she murmured, shaking her head, "I was just thinking about my sister."
His gaze softened, and she knew he understood. Another thing she loved about him was that he didn’t pity her; he offered support, setting up calls with the Brahm and keeping Ever otherwise occupied. That his techniques invariably turned to sex didn’t bother her in the slightest.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath and wiped her mind clean, forcing her muscles to relax. Closing her eyes, she let her heightened senses take in everything around her. Ever could hear each individual leaf rustle in the breeze, the crunch of grass when one of the others moved a paw. Smells she’d never in her human life experienced drifted past her nose, waiting to be identified eventually.
“Now, focus on that part of yourself that feels Other, that bit of your consciousness we’ve talked about, and invite it forward. Trust it with your body’s control.”
Her skin began to tingle, pinpricks moving down her arms and over her entire body. She took a deep breath, all the smells rushing to her senses, and let herself collapse to the ground to her hands and knees.
Only, her knees never touched the ground.
She opened her eyes to see Aidan still in front of her, a grin on his face. Ever opened her mouth to say something, only to find her tongue and teeth in the way.
Hang on. She slid her tongue—suddenly way too long—over her teeth and was surprised to find them sharp, and quite a bit longer than before. Blinking, still unable to really believe it was happening, she picked up one hand and held it in front of her face.
A giant beige paw greeted her, with sharp nails poking at the tips. She craned her neck around to look at her sides, but couldn’t stop staring at the dark-tipped tail that was coming off her backside. She experimented with it, whipping it back and forth. The feeling was foreign and yet obeyed her movements like it’
d always been like this.
“Want to see yourself?”
Yes! She tried to speak, but all that came out was a chuffing groan. Aidan understood, picking up an oval mirror leaning against a nearby tree and placing it in front of Ever.
A lioness stared back at her. Well, hello beautiful.
Fierce pride shot through Ever, as if some other part of her approved of the compliment. She turned from side to side, checking out the entire transformation.
Wow.
There was so much power coiled within this body; she needed to expend that energy somehow. To her right was an old oak tree, the first thick branch a few feet above Aidan’s head. Deciding to test her new body, Ever curled her back legs underneath her body and sprang. She almost overshot the limb; thankfully, her claws dug into the bark, allowing her to land, if not gracefully, then at least safely on the old branch.
Aidan’s laughter wafted up after her, then she turned to see him changing. Only then did Ever realize that her clothes were in tatters on the ground near him.
Well. Maybe she should get over this whole nudity thing she had soonish.
She jumped down off the tree, landing easily on the ground near her bear. A purr rumbled in her throat as she nuzzled under the large bear’s chin, leaning hard against him. The bulky animal withstood it easily, putting a thick arm across her shoulders and pulling her against him.
The sudden need for mischief raced through her head. Reaching out, and careful to keep her claws retracted, Ever bopped the bear’s head with one heavy paw.
Tag!
Aidan growled, but she slid easily out of his grip, giving a little yowl of feline laughter. And with that, she took off into the brush, heading out toward the woods surrounding Arcadia, her mate in hot pursuit.
