Ursa Major

by Mary Winter

  To the moon? Liam had spoken about a ritual. Cultures all over the world revered the sun and the moon. She supposed Liam’s wouldn’t be any different. And yet, it seemed that while he reached for the moon the invocation he spoke went beyond it, encompassed something far larger than a chunk of rock hanging in outer space. Sarah knew about moon rituals. As a pagan, she’d done a few of them herself.

  She wished she knew what he was saying. The urge to move, maybe kneel at Liam’s feet next to the altar rock overcame her. Before she realized what she was doing, she dropped to her knees in front of the log. She bent her head. Liam kept his attention focused on the sky. She doubted he’d seen her move.

  Oh great earth goddess, mother to us all, bless us on this full moon night. Bathe me with your light. Fill me with your strength. And guide us to do what is right. The words of her ritual incantation filled her mind. Warmth and love radiated down to her from the moon, a presence filling her so powerful it stole the breath from her lungs. In one of the rare times during ritual, she felt connected. To the Earth, to Liam, to the sky, to everything.

  Liam had dropped to his knees. He stared across the fire circle at her, taking in her position on the ground. He held out his hand.

  Sarah stared at it. Did he really want her to join him? His ritual seemed so personal, so private. She hated to intrude even if he did invite her out here. She rose hesitantly to her feet. Circling the rocks marking the fire pit, she stopped beside him.

  Liam patted the ground beside him.

  She knelt.

  Reaching out, he grabbed her hand, holding onto it, as he bent his head once more and started his chant.

  The musical notes rolled over her, wrapping her up in a world different from any she’d ever known. When he stood, he took her with him, tucking her in by his side. One arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close by his side. In spite of the cool temperatures and his nudity, warmth seeped from his body into hers. This close to him, she smelled the tang of the rabbit’s blood in the air.

  He bent and lifted the carcass from the ground. He said something in his strange language. “This is blood. This is life. I offer this to the Great Mother who gives us life. She gives us blood. What she gives, she can also take. Through joy and through strife, she gives us our life, and it is up to us what we make,” he said, presumably repeating what he’d just spoken.

  The words chilled her with their simplicity.

  “I am man. I am bear. I am Homo interans ursa and it is my kind who guard the great mother and rule them all. I offer this creature so that you may know I do not take my position in vain. I am one of the exalted ones. I watch over my people and I watch over the humans.” Liam released her.

  He moved in front of her, the rabbit dangling from one hand. Dipping his fingers in its blood, he drew a line down the center of her forehead. His fingers slid over the bridge of her nose, caressing her lips that he’d kissed.

  A shiver wound down her spine.

  “I anoint you, human. You walk the Earth unknowing what secrets she holds. People different move among you, and yet, you do not know. You came into my domain and you made it your own. Now, I protect you from your people’s actions and I make you whole.”

  Sarah gasped. Surely he couldn’t be talking about her report and her job. On a grander scale, she supposed humans needed saving from themselves. It made sense. It wasn’t like they made the best of decisions sometime.

  He had said he made her whole.

  Her stomach fell. No! When she went back to Washington D.C., she’d go alone. She’d arrive back in that town as she’d left it: a woman on her own mission.

  Lost in her thoughts, she realized that she’d missed what Liam had said. Streaks of red now covered the tops of his thighs and slashed across both biceps. The rabbit carcass lay on the rock like an offering on an altar and she wondered what he’d do with it once the ritual ended.

  Liam reached for her hand. He stood, bringing her with him, and took a step away from the altar. He released her hand.

  She stood there, feeling adrift as he dropped to his knees, then to all fours. His head hanging down, he looked almost like someone performing the yoga cat pose. Except, he was a bear.

  She saw it in watching him, the strong lines of his thighs and buttocks. He swiveled his head back and forth, almost like the grizzly did as it sniffed the air. Liam opened his mouth. Drawing a deep breath of air, he let loose a roar from the depths of his chest.

  Sarah squeaked and jumped back.

  His primal cry erupted from his throat, rumbling through the air and hitting her like a ton of bricks. She listened to it, chills snaking up and down her arms, and she knew she was in the presence of a wild beast.

  Her nipples hardened. Her sex tingled, the wild cry coming from him a reminder of the passion they’d shared.

  She sensed a second presence in the clearing.

  Sarah turned to see Cameron standing a short distance away. Unlike his brother, he wore a pair of jeans and hiking boots, though blood still stained his chest.

  She stumbled, looking from one brother to another. She sank onto the log with the realization that both brothers were shifters. Homo interans ursa, Liam had called them. The humans who transitioned into bear form.

  Her mouth went dry.

  Cameron strode across the clearing, a scowl marring his features. His hands hung in fists by his side, his angry strides making the heels of his boots pull grass from the lawn. He stopped beside the log. “What are you doing here?” he growled.

  Liam’s cry ended abruptly. He rose to his feet and snarled at his brother. The wordless noise sounded like two males fighting over their mate. Sarah wanted to stand between the two men, her arms outstretched, and tell them to stop acting like Neanderthals. Except, Liam’s revelation meant that he didn’t operate by human rules. In fact, she didn’t know if their sleeping together meant anything beyond two adults acting on mutual attraction.

  No matter how this might turn out, she’d return to Washington D.C. and he’d be staying here.

  Liam took a deep breath and stood. He stared at his brother for a long moment. “I didn’t expect you back so soon,” he said.

  “I can tell,” Cameron replied in a dry voice. None of the teasing banter was evident. “It’s a chilly night to be out without any clothes on.” He gave a pointed stare to the folded clothing on the ground.

  Liam grabbed his socks, boots, and jeans. Pulling them on, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Why are you back?”

  “Apparently it’s to keep you from doing something completely stupid. And, from the look on your face, I’m too late, aren’t I?”

  Sarah didn’t know whether to jump to Liam’s defense or remain silent.

  “I know what I’m doing,” Liam replied.

  Cameron strode forward until he stood toe-to-toe with Liam. “Do you? Do you know what the penalties are for bringing a human into our world? You, Liam, big brother to us all, stand here covered in blood after performing the same ritual I was just doing alone. We should have been out there together, and this human shouldn’t be anywhere near us.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  Sarah couldn’t stand there and listen to it for a moment longer. “This human thinks you’re acting like a jerk. Who is going to find out? And if they do, what are they going to do to me, kill me?” The instant the words left her mouth she realized they were a mistake.

  Cameron’s glare turned on her and made her feel very, very small. His eyes were as black as the night sky above them. “This isn’t your world,” he said.

  “I know,” Sarah replied. “You don’t know how much I know that.”

  “Cameron, let’s take this inside.” Liam reached down and scooped up his shirt. Without waiting for a reply, he headed toward the house.

  Not knowing what else to do, Sarah followed him. She’d known all along that coming to Alaska would bring her into a new world. She just had no idea how new.

  ~* * *~

  Of all the times
for his brother to show up, now was not the best. Liam took deep, even breaths, the serenity of the ritual spilling over into the moments afterwards. It was that serenity and the fact that he knew he’d shared something meaningful with Sarah that kept him from decking Cameron’s arrogant ass. He clenched his jaw and kept striding toward the house. He sensed Sarah behind him and hoped Cameron followed.

  Once inside the house, Cameron stopped. He turned and stared over Sarah’s shoulder at his brother. “Look, we both need showers and then we can talk. Meet me in the living room in half an hour.” Only then did he realize what he’d done to Sarah’s clothing. Blood stains marred the fabric and he hoped he’d be able to remove them. At least as a man living alone, he’d become adept in removing blood from clothing. Sometimes his own, sometimes prey, either way, it washed out just the same. “I’ll get you a basin to soak your clothing in, Sarah. You probably want to clean up too.” And he refused to imagine her standing naked under the shower spray.

  A half an hour wasn’t enough time for him to clean up and put his thoughts in order, but Liam did it anyway. He descended the stairs, the silence in the living room deafening. He paused just beyond the opening and listened. Neither Cameron nor Sarah said anything. It wasn’t a good sign.

  Well, he was the big brother and because of that he made the decisions. He stepped into the living room. Liam stood near the front, staring at the fireplace at the far end. Cameron sat in the chair Liam usually occupied, while Sarah sat at the end of the couch. That left the other end for Liam. He preferred to stand.

  “She wasn’t to know our secrets,” Cameron growled. “She’s not one of us.”

  “I’m quite aware of that. But I also believe in telling the truth. She discovered it first. I didn’t reveal anything she didn’t already hint at or know.”

  “Then you were careless. You let your little head rule when the one between your ears should have done the job. Damn it, Liam, you were trapped in a Russian prison because some bitch found out about our abilities. I would think you, of all people, wouldn’t be so stupid as to make the same mistake again.”

  Liam vaulted across the space separating him from his younger brother. Rage turned his vision red. An inhuman snarl rolled from his lips. This was completely different from what had happened back in Russia. “Don’t you ever talk about Sarah like that.” Grabbing Cameron’s shoulder, he slammed him back into the chair so hard it rocked onto its hind legs. “This isn’t Russia.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Cameron spoke slowly. “But what you did was no less foolhardy. Showing her our rituals. Letting her in on the secret. The Quintursa isn’t going to like this.”

  “The Quintursa?” Sarah asked.

  Liam remembered he had an audience. Not that he could ever forget about Sarah, but he and Cameron had their moments. Usually it ended with someone fixing furniture. “Our ruling body. Five elders representing the five bear shifters.”

  “Shit, man. Just tell her everything, why don’t you? Does she know about our brothers?”

  Liam fixed Cameron with a glare that had pinned him in place on more than one occasion. “She knows about me. And because of your foolish actions, she knows about you. I haven’t told her anything about our brothers. I trust her not to take this information back to Washington and put it on her report. She needed to know that more than the environment would be affected if the politicians had their way.”

  Cameron stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. And maybe, he had. They both had done time in a Russian prison because foolishness had revealed their secrets. But he wasn’t that same man. He was older, wise, and deep in his gut he knew telling Sarah the truth was the right thing to do. Especially if he wanted a future with her.

  The thought rocked Liam back on his heels. He turned to look at Sarah and saw her sitting on the end of the couch, her knees tucked beneath him, looking very much like a chastised child. That wasn’t how he wanted her to remember them. “Hey, it’s okay. Cameron and I argue like this all the time.” He smiled, trying to add some levity to the situation. “Though usually it’s about who ate the last piece of salmon or who won a race through the woods.”

  She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I don’t want to cause any problems.”

  “You haven’t.” He sat down on the couch beside her. Taking one of her hands in his, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. “I believe you’re not going to tell a soul what you’ve seen up here about me and my brother being different. You wouldn’t let me down, would you?” He felt like an ass putting her on the spot like this, but Cameron needed to see his trust wasn’t misplaced.

  “No, of course not.”

  “Good. And I want you to promise something. No matter what happens back in Washington, once you turn in the report, if it doesn’t go the way we want it to go, don’t blame yourself. I know how politicians work. Politics crosses species lines.”

  “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

  Liam stared at her for a long moment, half afraid she was telling him what he wanted to hear. He knew if he were in her position, he’d probably blame himself to some extent. After all, she’d been hired to write a report, no matter how impartial her company wanted her to be. If that report didn’t produce the expected results… “Okay.” He reached out and fingered a lock of her hair.

  “You and your brother need to talk about this. I’m going to go upstairs and go to bed.”

  Alone. The unspoken word hung between them, making him acutely aware of their numbered days together. “Have a good night, Sarah.” He leaned forward to kiss her, but she ducked away as she stood.

  “Good night, both of you.” She said, then hurried from the living room.

  Liam listened to her footfalls as she ascended the stairs. “Thanks, little brother. You really messed it up this time,” he said drolly.

  “No, I’m not. You did by telling her our secrets. She wasn’t supposed to know.”

  Liam took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to fight with his brother. “But she found out anyway. She’ll be gone in a week and then it won’t matter anymore.”

  “You care for her,” Cameron announced. “It’ll still matter. She’ll be in D.C. and you’ll pine after her like a lovesick puppy.” He snorted. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

  Liam shook his head, wanting to deny his brother’s words. He shoved himself to his feet. “Believe what you want, Cameron. I know I did the right thing.” With those words, he followed Sarah’s path up the stairs.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sarah glanced at the clock and mentally calculated the time difference between Alaska and Washington D.C.. Deciding it was too late for Ken to be in the office, she punched in the number for their travel agent. Someone always worked the phones twenty-four seven, and Sarah had no doubt by this time tomorrow night she’d be back home. She should be happy. No more rough camping, no more getting caught in a snow storm with just a tent. No more Liam.

  She sank to the bed. The travel agent answered on the fifth ring. Within moments she’d explained she needed the tickets moved up and less than ten minutes later, her itinerary had been changed. As she hung up the phone, she knew that in less than twenty-four hours she’d be gone from this place and she’d never see it again.

  A lone tear slid from her eyes. She dashed it away. What she was doing was for the best. Seeing Liam’s transformation and the ritual humbled her, told her that there were things in this world she didn’t understand. And she’d come between him and his brother. No, Ken was right. It was time she came home, wrote her report, and moved onto her next assignment.

  A light knock on the door interrupted her maudlin thoughts. “Come in.” She pulled her suitcase out of the closet and opened it on the bed.

  The door opened.

  She turned and watched Liam enter. He eyed the suitcase on the bed, then sat down beside it. “Leaving?”

  Sarah nodded. “Yeah, I’ll need a ride into the airport tomorrow morning. I’m going back to Washington.”<
br />
  “I see.” Liam stared at her. A frown marred his face, and in his eyes she saw disappointment. Because he thought she was a quitter, or for some other reason. Sarah wasn’t sure and hesitated to ask.

  “My work is done. I need to go back and write my report. I think it’s time.”

  “Is this because of my brother? Cameron can be stubborn sometimes, but he means well. He’s concerned that’s all. We’re not supposed to tell outsiders what we are.” He glanced down at his hands, and for the first time since meeting him, Liam seemed uncertain. “I don’t want you to go.”

  There, those six little words every woman wanted to hear. They just happened to come at a bad time. “I have to.” She closed the lid of the suitcase and shoved it out of the way so she could sit down beside him. The need to touch him had her reaching for his hand and tangling their fingers. Bringing it to her lips, she pressed a kiss against it. “I don’t want to come between you and your brother. And really, I had all the information I needed after I watched you relocate that grizzly. Tonight was…” She blinked away the tears threatening to fall. Damn it, she hated good-byes, and that’s exactly what this was. Better to get it over with now than tomorrow. “Tonight was very special and it means a lot to me. I’ll never forget it and your secret is safe with me.”

  “Sarah.” Liam turned to face her. Cupping her cheek, he stroked the length of her jaw bone down to her chin. He caressed her lips, then pulled her hand away. “I know my secret is safe with you. That’s why I brought you into my world. If you feel you have to go back to Washington I won’t stop you. I know the work you’re doing is very important. I’ll use what pull I have with the Quintursa to see if they have any connections to make your report fall on sympathetic ears. I know you’re trying to do good work, Sarah.”