by Vella Day
Ride him, her tiger urged.
Jillian was tempted.
Brian reached the apex of her thighs and pressed his mouth over her mound. His tongue went to work, ratcheting her desire off the charts while his hands roamed up to her breasts and captured them. Twisting her nipples slowly while he licked her up and down was driving her crazy. It was too much. Her bones cracked and white hair sprouted.
“Brian!” In one quick move, she rolled out from under him, her body pulsing. Jillian pushed on his shoulder. “Get on your back, please.”
He winked at her. “Feel like taking a ride, do ya?”
A second later, she was straddling him, her hand holding his thick, hard shaft. For good measure, she leaned over and drew him deep into her mouth, and dragged her tongue around the rough edge of the head of his cock. Brian groaned and mumbled something she couldn’t make out.
When he reached up and pinched her nipple, her body convulsed with need, and her tiger screamed for release. Jillian lifted up then guided his shaft straight into her. As she plunged down, overwhelming desire consumed her. His cock stretched her wide and stars burst on the back of her lids as bolts of pleasure tripped up her spine.
Jillian gulped in oxygen as she waited for the slight pain to subside. It had been too long since she’d let herself be with a man.
You were waiting for your mate, her tiger reminded her.
I never thought I’d find him.
You have now.
Brian clasped her waist and lifted her up. “Stay there.”
It would be impossible not to move, but she’d try. Brian eased out, waited a long second, and then plunged back in, sending her closer to her climax. Wanting it all, Jillian leaned forward and kissed him. His beard had turned rougher and his nails had extended, but he probably had no idea that his bear was clamoring for freedom.
She cupped his face and kissed him hard, needing him, wanting him, desiring him. Sparks flew as he pounded up into her. When his hard cock banged against her back wall, she lowered her mouth to his neck.
Bite him, her tiger urged.
No, it’s too soon. I don’t want to pressure him.
Just break the surface, enough to coax out his bear.
“Jillian,” Brian shouted. “I’m so close.”
So was she. As if the floodgates were about to open, she met each of his thrusts with equal power. He clamped his mouth on her shoulder and her breath hitched. He dug his fingers into her butt and squeezed tight. She pressed her teeth to his neck, hoping to coax out his bear.
On the next thrust, she lost all control. Her orgasm swept down so hard she had to gulp in air to keep from passing out. As Brian let loose his seed, she slid her hands under his body and hugged him tight.
His cock pulsed, and she soared. Exhausted, she collapsed on top of him. A minute later, he lifted his hands and gently rubbed her back. “Did I feel you bite me?”
“No, I was merely tasting you. I was hoping your bear would rear up and roar.”
“Well, something just reared up.” They both laughed. “How’s this? Ro-ar.”
She laughed again. “Close, but no cigar.”
“I guess you’ll have to keep coaxing him then.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
*
Brian was sure he’d succeed at shifting tonight. Making love with Jillian last night had altered something inside him, and he wasn’t just talking about the self confidence and joy she’d brought. She’d woken up his bear; he could feel it. While it might not have been noticeable to Jillian, his incisors had definitely been sharper, his hearing more acute, and his body stronger. Jillian had made a difference—or else her little taste of him had been more than she’d let on.
He returned to the same field where she’d brought him yesterday. The moon looked about the same, only this time, dark clouds were scudding across the sky, and the air had more of a bite to it. He reminded himself that bears liked it cold. So what if his human did not?
Stop being a wuss, that voice said.
Without Jillian to watch his attempt to shift, he was more relaxed. If he didn’t shift, at least he’d get some much-needed aerobic exercise.
In case he succeeded, he’d brought a change of clothing and stashed them at the edge of the field. He then did what Jillian suggested and performed a series of warm-up exercises including an attempt to touch his toes. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, but he still tried. If nothing else, he needed to add stretching to his daily routine.
Stop procrastinating.
He slipped off his jacket and mentally blocked out the cold. Brian started out with a jog then slowly increased his speed, focusing on his inner bear. The image of Jillian popped into his head, and his cock stirred at the thought of her naked, tempting, delicious form. His foot slipped on a patch of snow and broke his train of thought. Damn. When he was making love with her, his bear had urged him to be more aggressive. So where was his randy bear now?
Pay attention!
As his body warmed and his muscles loosened, he was sure he’d suddenly find himself on all fours lumbering across the field. But so far, it hadn’t happened. He changed his stride length thinking that perhaps one speed was better than another.
As much as he tried to bring his bear out, it was Jillian who sat at the forefront of his mind. He thought it might have been the calm he experienced around her that was blocking his excited bear from escaping. If he had to choose between being with Jillian and shifting, his bear would have to stay hidden.
The clouds passed over the moon, hindering his sight and forcing Brian to slow down. He’d encountered the uneven terrain last night, along with some rocks in the field, and he didn’t need to show up with bruises if he fell.
Learning to shift was more than just about him connecting with his bear. He wanted to shift so that Jillian and he could run free together. She claimed she wasn’t in her tiger form often, but hopefully he could change that.
After one more lap, Brian admitted to himself that it wasn’t going to happen tonight. He lacked the concentration mostly because his thoughts kept jumping to the two of them in bed the night before. Everything about that woman was perfection, which made him want to keep trying—night after cold night.
*
As Jillian trimmed some greenery for Anna, her thoughts jumped to Brian’s green T-shirt he’d worn the night they’d made love. She could tell he had a nice body under all his clothes, but she hadn’t expected such thick shoulder muscles. And he certainly hadn’t been shy or fumbling in any way when it came to using that body. In fact, no man had ever excited her the way Brian had.
Anna came into the back room with some wild flowers and smiled. “Thanks for cutting the greens for me.”
Jillian liked watching Anna create bouquets. She said she wasn’t as good as Elana, but Anna could have fooled her. “No problem. You want me to flip the door sign to Open?”
“Sure.”
Just as Jillian stepped into the main room, Brian’s voice sounded from the back and her pulse sped up, causing her body to throb. Really? It was as if their lovemaking hadn’t satisfied her.
You want more, her tiger snickered. Or rather you need more.
It was true. One little taste of Brian seemed to make her cravings worse.
Brian entered the main part of the store. “Hey, I was on my way to work and wanted to say good morning.”
Brian looked not only professional wearing jeans with his orange work shirt, but he was sexy too. “Good morning to you. How was your field work last night?”
Most likely he hadn’t shifted. If he had, he would have called her. She just wished there was something she could do to help his bear emerge.
“Nothing’s changed.”
She tried to hide her disappointment. “Did you get any sleep afterward?”
He looked over his shoulder and moved closer to her. “Not really. It was lonely in my bed.”
Heat raced up her face. Brian wanted her to st
ay with him, but she thought it was too soon. He’d asked her what too soon meant, but she wasn’t able to articulate her thoughts. All she knew was, for this mate stuff to have any chance of working, they needed to take it slow. Brian seemed to understand, but she feared if he became frustrated over one of her quirky habits, it might cause more tension. It was hard enough keeping him upbeat since he hadn’t been able to shift.
Besides, with that crazy killer-cop on the loose, she was safer with Dalton. Probably because she didn’t know how Brian would react, she hadn’t divulged why she was even in Silver Lake—other than to visit her brother.
A customer appeared outside the store’s front door and then entered. Brian moved closer. “I have the late shift tonight, but do you want to have dinner tomorrow night?”
Her muscles relaxed. “I’d love to.”
“Great. I’ll call you later.”
When Brian leaned forward, she smiled and pressed her finger to his lips, not wanting to kiss him in front of the customer. In part, she feared one kiss would lead to something else. When she was around Brian, her control wavered.
Brian left just as Anna emerged from the back with the vase of wild flowers. She placed them in the cooler first then helped the woman pick out a nice bouquet for her boss who was retiring. All throughout the interaction, Anna kept shooting Jillian sly glances.
Once the women chose the bouquet, Anna wrapped a pink ribbon around the vase while Jillian rang her up. The woman thanked them both and left.
“Jillian Garner, is there something you want to share?” Anna placed a hand on her arm, but quickly removed it. Her mouth opened and then shut as the sparkle that had been in her eyes turned painful.
“Anna, are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m fine.” She looked off to the side and then smiled. “So you and Brian are a couple?”
Her comment was a cover up, but Jillian had learned when to pry and when to go with the flow. “Yes, we are, but you looked like you remembered something. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I just remembered that the winter carnival is this weekend.”
“Really? I wonder why Dalton never mentioned anything. Have you been?” Elana told her that Anna hadn’t been in town that long.
“Yes. Once. I met a guy last year when I’d first arrived in town. We hit it off really well, and he asked me to go with him.”
Because Anna didn’t seem to be dating anyone now, the relationship must not have worked out. “You didn’t have a good time?”
“Yes, it was awesome, but about a month later a freak storm descended on the town. Chris was a first responder and was called out in the middle of the night to help a stranded motorist. We’re not sure what happened, but his car was found at the bottom of a ravine the next day.”
Jillian grabbed Anna’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. It’s particularly bad when the carnival returns to town.”
Jillian understood. She had issues on June 15th, the day her dad was murdered. While she believed Anna’s story, something else was going on with her. To demand answers right now though wouldn’t be wise. “What’s the carnival like?”
“It’s wonderful. They have rides, fun houses, and a ton of vendors selling everything from fudge to elephant ears to delicious stuffed meat pies. No one goes home hungry. Last year, they had a skating rink and a concert.”
She bet that she and Brian would have a good time. “I might check it out.”
“Do. You’ll like it.”
For the rest of the day, Anna didn’t act like herself. Whether she was thinking about the man she lost or something else, Jillian didn’t know.
They’d just closed up, when an idea struck Jillian. Brian would be working late, and Dalton said he was on a big case and didn’t know when he’d make it home. “Do you want to go get a drink?”
Anna hesitated but then studied Jillian. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“What do you think of McKinnon’s Pub and Pool?” The place would be filled with shifters, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
“I’ve never been, but I’m game to try a new spot.”
Chapter Fourteen
‡
Jillian suspected Anna had agreed to have a drink with her because she wanted to get the inside scoop on her relationship with Brian. While Jillian didn’t have a problem sharing a few tidbits, it wasn’t as if she could tell her coworker they were mates, or that Brian was trying to learn to shift. Wouldn’t that blow her mind?
They were on their second glass of wine when Jillian decided it was time to ask Anna again why she’d had such a haunted look on her face back at the store. It was the second time since Jillian started working there that Anna had a strange reaction after she’d touched her arm.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” Jillian asked.
Anna smiled. “You can always ask.”
That translated to mean she might not answer. “Why did you move to Silver Lake?”
Tackling the real question from a different starting point often worked. She needed Anna to let down her guard, and the wine was definitely helping.
Her brows rose, clearly not expecting such a benign question. “I love the mountains here, even if they are just rolling hills.”
Jillian could relate. “Where are you from?”
“Montana.”
“Ah.” Jillian had driven through the area just last year. “It’s lovely there. The ragged mountain peaks are breathtaking.”
“They are, but my town held bad memories.”
“Were you thinking of them when you touched my arm?”
Anna gulped most of what was left in her glass. “No.” She let out a breath then watched as she twirled her glass on the tabletop. Finally, Anna looked up. “Since you seem determined to find out, I’ll tell you, but please don’t judge me.”
How sad that she believed Jillian would. “At the risk of sounding egotistical, not judging a person is one of my better traits. Over the years, I’ve learned it’s better to understand a person first before drawing any conclusions.”
Anna’s chin trembled. “Okay, here goes. When I touched your arm, I saw one of your memories—a bad one.” Anna leaned forward slightly, and her hand tightened around the stem of the glass.
That comment took Jillian by surprise. “I don’t understand.”
She finished her wine. “Let me begin by saying I’m a very observant person. I knew Elana before she met Kalan, and I watched how she changed after they were together for a while.”
Jillian tensed, wondering if after Elana and Kalan mated, her friend exhibited any shifter traits. “How? What exactly was different?” Had her teeth sharpened? Had her hair suddenly sprouted on her arms and face? Or worse, had her bones cracked?
“Her hearing was better, her smell more acute, and her eyesight was sharper.”
All were shifter qualities, but nothing that would give away her new status. “Fascinating. What do you think caused it?”
Anna leaned back in her seat. “You should know. You have the same traits.”
Oh, shit. Did she know about shifters? Anna wasn’t one. “I’m glad you think so. So tell me about this memory of mine that you saw.”
Anna looked around the room then back at Jillian, as if debating how far to push this line of questioning. “I get it. You don’t want to divulge your secret, but how about I tell you mine and you tell me yours?”
Jillian wasn’t a lawyer for nothing. She didn’t like being evasive, but she wasn’t about to be the one to leak the concept of shifters to a human. “I’m listening.”
Anna twirled her glass. “Let me start by saying I’m cursed.” Jillian raised her brows and downed the rest of her wine. “Ever since I can remember, if I touched someone, I often would see a bad memory they’d had.”
Now she was intrigued. “Which one of mine did you see?”
She had two horrific ones, but she didn’t believe Anna really had that talent. Jillian hadn’t told Anna anything abou
t her circumstances for being in Silver Lake, and she doubted Elana had spilled the beans either.
“I saw you standing in a bedroom with beige and white striped wallpaper looking at a blonde woman lying on a bed. She’d been shot in the head.”
Jillian’s blood nearly drained from her face. “How did you know? Did Elana tell you?” She waved a hand. Jillian hadn’t mentioned the wallpaper. “Never mind.”
“You see? It’s a curse,” she whispered.
That kind of talent would be. Then it dawned on her. “You’re a Wendayan!”
Anna’s brows scrunched. “A what?”
What was it about people in this town not knowing who or what they were? “A Wendayan is a kind of witch—a good one, mind you. In fact, I have a touch of Wendayan in me.” She didn’t mind sharing that aspect of her life.
Seeing their empty glasses, the waitress came over. “Another round ladies?”
They both nodded. Given their waitress was a shifter, Jillian didn’t care if she overheard.
“Does that mean you can touch someone and see into their past too?” Anna asked, her voice laced with excitement.
“No. Each Wendayan is different.” She tried to remember what Elana told her about some of the Wendayans in town. “Some have premonitions, others can put thoughts into people’s minds without them knowing, and still others can control fire, wind, and earth. As for me, I move fast. Really fast.”
“Shut up! Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Anna’s smile lit up her face. “I thought I was the only one who was weird like that, though controlling fire and wind is way beyond what I can do.”
The poor girl. Here she had thought she was alone all her life. “There is a fairly large group in Silver Lake who possess talents similar to yours and mine, but I’m surprised your parents didn’t tell you about them. Your mom or dad, or both, must have been Wendayans.”
Anna glanced away. “I was adopted.”
Her heart squeezed. That explained a lot about her. Anna was similar to Brian in a way, except she was able to discover her true self without help. While it was probably wrong to ask Anna to break confidence, Jillian had to ask. “Did you ever get a vision off Brian?”
