Summer Shifter Nights

by Harmony Raines

  “You want a coffee or something to drink?” he asked as they passed the café.

  “No thanks.”

  She was wired enough without the caffeine. They continued, yet once they hit the wood line, she felt Leo relax a little. He took her hand, slowly leading her through the woods. They had just approached the stream when Leo’s head snapped up, his eyes giving into his lions. Aislinn stiffened, trying to hear, but there was nothing.

  He turned and shoved Aislinn behind him. Aislinn hoped it was the mamma bear again, thinking maybe it would be a good sign. What she got was completely different. Out from behind a thick patch of brush emerged a lion just as large as Leo. He snarled his teeth, obviously looking for a fight.

  “Aislinn, run!” Leo demanded.

  Aislinn wasn’t about to run anywhere and leave Leo there. She reached for her quiver and realized she had broken the first rule her father had ever taught her; never go into the woods unarmed.

  “What are you doing, Brian?” Leo spoke to the lion as if the lion could answer. “Damnit, Brian!” Leo roared.

  The lion named Brian roared in return and rushed forward. Leo shoved Aislinn backwards, yelling at her to once again run, and then quickly shifted, meeting the lion head on, teeth bared. Aislinn stumbled back further, not sure if she should run or stay. She was closer to Leo’s home than to her truck, but she doubted Leo had any weapons.

  The two giant lions were going at it, claws ripping through skin, teeth puncturing flesh. Aislinn was horrified, but she didn’t move a muscle, afraid she would distract Leo. He was holding his own against the other lion, but at what cost? She wanted to scream and beg the other lion to stop, but she knew that was futile. The fight raged on while Aislinn stood helpless by.

  The other lion managed to get on top of Leo, which did finally draw a scream from Aislinn. He didn’t let up on Leo either. he kept clawing and biting, relentlessly. Just when she was sure he was going to issue a death blow, he stopped and made his way to her. Aislinn picked up a large branch next to her. It was all she had, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.

  She couldn’t be sure, but she thought the lion smirked at her just before he swiped out a giant paw. She nailed his paw with the branch, but she knew he was just toying with her. If he wanted her to take the hit, she would have been down by now. Something else was going on. There was no way she was going to take her eyes off of the predator in front of her, but she desperately wanted to know what Leo’s condition was.

  The lion roared and then slapped at her again. She jumped back, avoiding his claws once again. This went on until finally Leo let a roar rip through the air. He lunged onto the lions back, his teeth sinking into its mane. Aislinn took advantage of the distraction and nailed the lion in the face with her branch. She kept hitting him until he laid down on the ground and bowed his head. Leo jumped off his back and moved to stand in front of Aislinn.

  15

  Leo

  Leo couldn’t believe Brian had shown up in his woods ready for a fight. Their conversation the night before had been genuine and pleasant. After the first hit, Leo knew that wasn’t the case for their fight. Brian was out for blood, but Leo had no idea why. Just as Leo was getting the better of him, he kneeled in submission.

  Before Leo could gather his thoughts, Brian shifted.

  “Do you feel it yet, friend?” Brian asked.

  Leo didn’t trust him enough to shift yet, but other than the wounds, he couldn’t feel anything, so he wasn’t sure what Brian was talking about.

  “Turn to her. If you do not feel the mate, then I will claim her for mine.”

  Leo roared and stepped forward. There was no way he was going to let Brian touch Aislinn. He was about to tear the man apart when he felt Aislinn’s touch on her back. A warmth spread through him, and when he turned he saw her, as the sun sprinkled down from above, emitting a glow around her; the mate bond rushed forward and claimed her as his.

  He nudged her with his head, wanting to feel her touch on his mane. Aislinn must have understood and she threaded her fingers through his blood splattered fur. Her eyes were heavy with tears. He had heard her scream when she thought he was about to die. For a few seconds, he thought Brian was going to kill him too.

  “Sometimes it just takes getting in touch with your lion to release your instincts. I could tell by the way you spoke of her, old friend, that she was your mate.”

  Leo finally shifted and turned to his friend.

  “Thank you, Brian.”

  “The offer still stands, to come back and join our pack.”

  Leo nodded as Brian turned and shifted back to is lion form, fading into the woods. Leo shifted as well so his wounds would heal faster. He started back towards his home, and Aislinn quickly fell in step next to him. They weren’t far from his home, but he was so anxious to have her there and rejoice in being her mate that he nudged her into getting on his back. Once she had a firm grip on his mane, he took off at a neck breaking pace. By the time they arrived, his wounds had healed. Aislinn slipped off his back.

  As quick as he could, he darted inside and slipped into a pair of jeans. When he returned, Aislinn was shaking and crying. The stress of what she had just seen was obviously too much.

  “I’m so sorry you had to see that. I’m not sorry it happened, though. Aislinn, you are my true mate.”

  She didn’t pay attention to what he was saying though as the tears kept falling down her cheeks.

  “Huntress, didn’t you hear me. You’re my true mate,” he repeated.

  Leo tried to gather her up in his arms, but she shrugged him away. She wiped the tears from her face and then shoved him.

  “Damnit, Leo!” she screamed.

  “I’m fine,” he said again, thinking she was still just shaken from the fight.

  “I know you’re fine. I’m not fine. You’ve been so cold to me all day. You were going to tell me you couldn’t be with me today, at the stream, weren’t you? Just like that, after one night. You got what you wanted, and you were going to throw me away!”

  He shook his head, even though what she was saying was right. Not that he had got what he wanted, but mostly because he hadn’t got what he wanted. Thinking she wasn’t his true mate made him crazy.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “I think it is what I think, and you’re just getting lucky by the mate bond suddenly claiming me, that you’re going to use it as an out. I’m not having it. You leaving me would have crushed me! Don’t you get that? Did that even matter to you?”

  “Yes! Absolutely, I thought of that. I didn’t want to leave, Aislinn, but I couldn’t continue to touch you and taste you thinking the Goddess would then snatch you away from me. She’s not though, she’s giving you to me, forever.”

  “She’s giving me to you? Fuck that! I’m not something to be handed about so nonchalantly. I’m leaving.”

  “No!” he roared, terrified of what it would do to him if she walked away.

  “Don’t touch me, Leo, and definitely don’t follow me.”

  “Please, huntress, I’m sorry. You can’t just walk away from me, though.”

  “Oh really, you mean like you were going to do to me? Watch me!”

  16

  Aislinn

  It had been fifteen days since Aislinn had walked out on Leo. Fifteen of the most miserable days of her life. She had been physically sick the first three, which after she read more about the mate bond she realized that was from being away from Leo. The physical sickness had lessoned and was now mostly nausea and fatigue, so she tried as best she could to move on with her life.

  Two days ago, she had received a call from National Geographic to hire her for a job. How she did on that job would determine if she would be a freelance photographer for them, or if they would hire her on full-time. They were sending her on location to Africa to photograph none other than lions. It as a dream come true, but with terrible timing.

  She finished packing her bags and double checking a
ll of her equipment before she headed for the airplane. A knock on her door caused her heart to leap. For the past fifteen days, she kept thinking Leo would show up. It was foolish since she had told him not to follow her, but deep down she had hoped he would. He was the only person she really wanted to share the news of National Geographic with, and she wanted to ask him a million questions about wild lions. Neither of which would happen because she refused to cave.

  Maybe she was being silly, but knowing he was going to walk away from her just made her feel like second best. The knock sounded again as she approached the door. Aislinn opened it only to be disappointed with the delivery man.

  “Aislinn Burke?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sign here, and here.”

  Aislinn signed where he told her too and then accepted her package. There was no address on the small box, and she hadn’t ordered anything. She checked her watch to make sure she had time to open it before she left, and then quickly tore the paper off it. Inside the all-white box was a necklace with a beautiful blue gem looking type vase on it. It even had a tiny cork on top of it. Aislinn shook the small fixture and was surprised when she heard something inside of it. There was a note in the bottom of the box.

  My Huntress,

  I know you fear leaving your father behind, so now you don’t have to. I hope you don’t mind, but I had some of his ashes reserved in this tiny urn for you to wear around your neck. Now he will see all that you will do, and travel everywhere you will go.

  Love,

  Leo

  The box fell from Aislinn’s hand while she starred at the beautiful necklace in her hand. Leo’s gesture was so beautiful and thoughtful. She wasn’t sure she was ready to forgive him, but she was ready to talk to him. If there had been time, she would have gone to him immediately, but being reminded of all that her father wanted for her, she needed to fulfil her dream first.

  Her phone chimed, alerting her that she needed to be leaving her house in order to get to the airport. She raced out the door as she dialed Leo’s number. He didn’t answer, and she didn’t want to leave him a voicemail. Her drive to the airport was short, and she quickly made it to her gate. Her second call to Leo went unanswered as well.

  If her father had been alive, he would have told her that if there was nothing she could do about it, just let it rest. Aislinn tried to practice that since she was determined to go to Africa and earn her spot at National Geographic. Leo was her true mate. She would find her way back to him so that they could finish what they started.

  17

  Aislinn

  It was the last day of her trip and Aislinn had yet to find a damn lion. She knew a lot of it was that her head wasn’t in the game. All she could think about was the lion back home that she needed to find. Trudging through the hot safari, waiting for hours on end at locations locals gave her as hot spots for lions, just gave her too much time to think. It was all down to the wire, now though. She had to photograph something majestic, or her dream of National Geographic would be over.

  “Today is da day,” her guide told her.

  “I hope so.”

  He pulled their Jeep to a stop. Aislinn quickly snapped off a few shots of the area so that she could adjust her camera settings accordingly. Her guide started hitting her in the shoulder, the hunter in her told her to move slowly. Anytime she had ever hunted with someone, the anxious slap in the shoulder always meant there was prey. Taking pictures of wildlife was no different than hunting wildlife. Aislinn turned slowly and there on a rock not far was a beautiful, male lion. His mane was lush and full, and it whipped in the meager breeze.

  She raised her camera up and zoomed in. The lion’s eyes darted to her and she sucked in a shocked breath.

  “It can’t be,” she whispered.

  “He’s a beauty. You better start snappin’.”

  Aislinn took a few photos, inspecting each on. Then she swapped out her lens for one that could zoom in better, just to make sure.

  “That bastard,” she said with a smile.

  Aislinn set her camera down in the Jeep and started walking.

  “Wait! Wait! Miss, you can’t just walk up to it. Oh lord.” Her guide started freaking out, but Aislinn just ignored him and kept walking.

  When she got close enough, she stopped and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I know that’s you, Leo. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize my own mate?”

  His tail whipped behind him as his eyes danced with mischief. He walked over to her and rubbed against her hand. When she ran her fingers through his mane, she felt the bond snap tight between them. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn’t shed them.

  “You’ve been here the whole time, haven’t you? You know I need a shot of a lion today or I lose my dream.”

  She knew he wouldn’t answer, and she also knew he wouldn’t shift. Shifters weren’t welcome in all parts of the world. Africa was one of them. The people there were very superstitious, and they had a lot of ancient beliefs wrapped around shifters; none of them very good.

  “I’m not using your photo. That’s cheating. Can you like sniff out other lions, though?” she asked with a laugh.

  He rolled his eyes, which made her really start to giggle, but then he nudged his head.

  “Let me go get my camera and my guide. I think he’s about to have a heart attack.”

  Aislinn raced back to the Jeep and told the guide to follow Leo. The guide thought she was a completely lunatic, but the fact that she had touched what he thought was a wild lion made the guide not want to get on her bad side. He followed Leo.

  Once Leo stopped, Aislinn knew they were close, but if Leo got too close to the other male lion there would be a fight. She used her hunting instincts to get her and her guide the rest of the way, and when they got there, she wasn’t disappointed. There was an entire pride of lions.

  Aislinn snapped pictures for an hour before the guide pulled her away. The entire experience had been surreal. As the guide drove her back to the resort, she clutched her necklace in her hand.

  “I miss you, Dad. Wait stop,” Aislinn said as she had an idea.

  “Everything okay, we’re almost dere?”

  “I know, I just need a minute.”

  Aislinn jumped off the Jeep and walked far enough away that the guide wouldn’t see what she was doing. She managed to get the cork off her father’s ashes and she sprinkled what was inside all around here.

  “I’ll take you with me wherever I go and leave a little piece of you there. You always loved to wander and be a part of the wilderness and the wild. I love you, Dad.”

  18

  Leo

  There had been no way Leo was going to be able to stay away from Aislinn. Once he had been able to function, he sold all his pelts and remaining meat and shut down his butcher shop. Then he had moved into the apartment beside of her. It hadn’t been too hard to avoid her, since she barely left her apartment in the days following her decision to leave.

  He didn’t blame her. What he had thought about doing to her had been cowardly and a betrayal. If she would give him one more chance, he would make it up to her. Listening into her apartment probably wasn’t the way to gain himself any brownie points, but he couldn’t help it. He had to hear her voice. It was the only thing that had kept his lion sane. At night he would shift into his lion form and lie on the wall that connected to her apartment so he could feel her presence.

  When he heard her conversation with National Geographic, he had no intentions of letting her go alone. Then when he heard she was in danger of not getting the shot she needed, he set out to find her a lion. It had been hard to go undetected by the other lions and animals on the safari, but he had managed. Once he found the pride, he knew he had to take Aislinn to them.

  At first, he hadn’t been sure she would recognize him, and part of him was terrified she wouldn’t. Putting himself on top of the rock had been a dangerous gamble. He was not only showing himself to her, but to the oth
er animals and her guide. Africans didn’t treat shifters kindly to say the least. He knew she had recognized him once she checked her camera several times in between pictures. The mate bond spread through him and reached out to her.

  Feeling her small hands on him had soothed the brokenness inside of him. He didn’t need anything else in the world except for her. He paced her small apartment as she tapped her phone against the counter. They were waiting to hear back from National Geographic. Every few minutes he would stop to touch her. He couldn’t stop touching her. Aislinn was the same way, so they were never more than a few inches from each other since they had been reunited.

  Her phone finally rang and they both jumped. Leo pulled out a chair and sat next to her, and then immediately jumped back up and began to pace.

  “Hello,” she said, her voice cool and collected.

  “Ms. Burke, it’s Ed from National Geographic.”

  “Hi, Ed.”

  “I’m looking at your shots from Africa, and they’re astounding. We expected nothing less. I hope you’re ready to work?”

  “I am, sir.”

  “Good. I’ll send over your contract. Once you have it signed and sent back to me, we’ll give you your next location.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Harris. I appreciate the second chance.”

  “Between you and me, Ms. Burke; a photographer of your caliber has unlimited chances. I look forward to seeing more of your work.”

  “Thanks.”

  She disconnected the call and launched herself into Leo’s awaiting arms.

  “You’re magnificent, mate.”

  “Are you sure you want to come with me?”

  “Huntress, I would follow you to the depths of hell with a smile on my face.”

  “You know what I want to do to celebrate?”

  “Mate, you are insatiable,” he purred, leaning down so that he could nibble on her neck.

  “No, not that. Well, not that, yet. You never have shown me your stream. Let’s go fishing. Besides, I want to leave a piece of dad in the woods that led me to you. I’d like to think he had something to do with it.”