Another fist was thrown her way and another arm was immediately broken by Maximus and another man was down.
“I said I can take care of myself.”
“Ma’am, you keep slapping them and they keep trying to hit you.”
The last man of the trio was up and grabbed Maximus around the waist, and with a yell he lifted him off his feet, ran, and then slammed him into a garbage bin.
“I didn’t slap him,” Posy called out smugly, waving a finger in their direction.
“No, ma’am, you messed up his junk some,” Maximus said, groaning, and he smashed his fist into the other man’s face sending him to his knees.
The man struggled to his feet, and all three backed away, each limping or cradling an injury to return to the bar door. As it opened Posy heard one of the men yell.
“Get off the fucking phone, I need an ambulance.”
The door swung shut and drowned out the music.
Posy marched over and rose to her toes, still not reaching his six foot six, to yell in Maximus’s face. “I was handling it.”
“Yes, ma’am, you’re welcome.”
Posy growled, spun, and began marching away. To her annoyance Maximus was hot on her heels.
“What do you want?”
“I’m lost.”
Posy stopped. He was a huge ass bastard. Dark eyes and short dark hair. Broad as sin. He was cute in a cutthroat assassin kind of way. The sad puppy eyes were a bit over the top when he gazed at her.
“You’re not some stray I can take home,” Posy said.
“What’s your name?”
“Posy.”
“Well, look at me, found by a posse.”
“P-o-s-y.”
“Ring around the rosy a pocket full of Posy,” he chanted.
“Asshole, asshole, I hope you fall down,” she chanted back. Posy began to walk away. For a second her feet entangled in her dropped handbag. She bent to retrieve it and heard a low whistle, obviously aimed at her ass.
“Be seeing you, ma’am.”
Maximus sounded a bit sinister, and Posy paused. Her handbag dangling half on the ground she counted to ten and turned around about to begin a confrontation. Maximus was gone. The street was deserted, eerily quiet. She scanned left, then right. He’d disappeared.
Okay, that’s weird.
Ignoring her protesting feet she moved off hastily feeling unnerved, not scared, but wary. Posy found her car and said a quick prayer before starting it. The engine caught as it sometimes did after needing a rest. She thought about tugging her slippers on but felt the need for a hasty retreat. She had the strangest sensation she was being watched. As she pulled away from the curb she breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she didn’t need any help. Posy didn’t like depending on anyone. She was self-sufficient to a fault.
Posy loved being big and beautiful. She didn’t like it for a second when Maximus made her feel dainty. She didn’t need to feel dainty or weak for a man to make her feel like a woman. She needed respect.
This had to be the worst day of her life. As she shifted her car onto the Interstate she thought for a brief second there was something odd about Maximus. She shrugged the feeling off. It wasn’t like she’d be seeing him again. She settled her purse further onto the seat beside her. Fortunately home wasn’t too far, and she was grateful when the row of condos came into view. What she needed was a long hot shower and her bed.
Chapter Two
Posy dropped her keys in a basket by the door as she entered her condo and tossed her handbag onto the table. It had been a long day. She kicked off her shoes with relief, dropped her slippers on the floor in her room, and stripped as she headed for the shower. The thong found its way into the garbage. Her ass was grateful to be back together. The lingering odor of cigarettes drifted from her clothing. Naked, she stepped into the shower and turned it on full blast. For the first few seconds the water was icy cold, and she shivered, loving the invigorating gush. The semi see-through glass door steamed after a few minutes as the stream grew hotter.
Silky shampoo frothed through her fingers as she washed her thick, chestnut brown hair. She massaged her breasts with the sponge wanting the feel of the beefy man off of her. Her ass was next. Soap glided down her thighs and calves, over her feet and perfectly pedicured toes. The nail salon owner was a genius with designs, and Posy adored the tigers on her big toes—she always did have a fondness for big poofy cats of any kind.
When finished Posy turned off the shower and slid the door open. A quick swipe with a towel at the mirror and her reflection gazed back at her through dark chocolate eyes. Her mother had been a large woman, and her father had adored the ground she walked on. Her daddy had been huge enough to make her mother look dainty, but more importantly he treated her mother with the respect she deserved. Posy hugged her arms around her breasts. She loved that she looked like her beautiful mother. She missed her parents in the worst way, but they had prepared her for life. Posy was the sweetest, toughest woman in her own opinion. She loved herself and cared for others, most of the time.
Today was not my starring moment.
She admitted she was rude today, but being forced into a situation she loathed wasn’t right either. It had been Bella’s day. She should have put her foot down, her job be damned. Everyone was at fault. Posy groaned, hating the fact she overthought everything. She planned on filing the experience under lessons learned. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a small sound behind the washroom door. Posy held still, feeling her heart rate increase. It sounded as though someone was in her apartment.
I locked the door I’m certain.
Sinking to her knees she peeked through the keyhole. She was naked after all, and slamming through the door into the unknown with boobs loose wasn’t the answer. She saw nothing.
“Hello?” Her tone was firm.
No answer. Frowning, Posy rose and dried herself with a bath towel, wrapped her hair, opened the door, and made her way down the hall. She froze for a second. She was certain she saw the image of a huge cat in the shadows. What is with cats all of a sudden? All of her windows were locked, so there was no way it could have entered without her seeing.
Must be the new lights the custodian installed outside casting shadows.
“Here, kitty,” she called anyway, just in case.
Nothing, her home was empty. She checked all the locks, including the door, and every one of them was snug. Shrugging, Posy went to her bedroom, dropped both towels on the floor and felt since the next day was a day off she could tackle her somewhat unruly hair come morning. She slipped between satin sheets and closed her eyes. If by chance there was a cat sneaking around her condo she would deal with it in the morning. Cats were harmless, and it might even cuddle up to her.
Posy began nodding off to the sound of her fan blowing. She had to have some type of noise while she slept. She could hear the deep rumbling of a storm blowing in. The rain picked up with a vengeance and Posy was falling asleep with a smile on her face. She wished she wasn’t so tired. She loved a good thunderstorm. The sight of lightning zipping across a black sky was thrilling. Snuggling deeper under the covers Posy searched for a fantasy in her mind. She loved to imagine herself on safari, and less than half of her daydream played out with the sexy man sitting behind her on an elephant, his hand nestling next to her breast, his warm breath ruffled her hair as he breathed against her neck…
Posy was asleep.
****
Bright sunlight played behind Posy’s eyes searching for entry. The hum of the fan sounded across the room. Her head was nestled into her pillow. She blinked until her vision cleared. She then went cross-eyed as her sight centered on a dark grey and black mouse, its nose almost pressed to hers.
“Aaaaahhhhh,” she screamed.
Posy flipped off the bed backwards in her haste to flee, and she landed on the floor on her ass with a hard bang. The mouse, apparently just as scared, flew a foot in the air and landed spread-eagle, face down on
the pillow.
Posy grabbed her slippers from the side of her bed and swung them wildly at the mouse that appeared to dispatch commando moves in its hurry to escape her wrath. When it vacated the bed, ninja style, Posy jumped onto the bed and tap-danced her way all the way around it searching for the enemy with a sheet pressed to her chest. Her boobs bounced until she slung an arm over them to hold them in place.
The mouse scampered across her bedroom floor. Once more Posy was screaming and pointing at it. She reached for the nearest pillow and whipped it at the rodent as it fled the room.
“Run, you little bastard, run,” she howled. “I’m headed straight to the store for death traps and poison and guns and knives and an assassin. I’ll get you. You can’t hide from me.”
Still tap dancing on the edge of her soft bed for a good foothold Posy looked from the floor to the dresser to the floor.
“Okay, okay,” she gasped. “I can do this. On three. One, two … three.” Posy jumped from the bed and ran for her dresser. “Ew, ew.” Her legs were wildly high bent at the knee, and she landed only on the balls of her feet.
Mouse poop, mouse poop, mouse fucking poop.
She threw open a drawer, grabbing panties and socks and a bra. She took a flying leap and jumped back onto the bed and dressed in the articles, falling over once while sliding on her socks, legs flailing. Again tap dancing on the mattress edge she next plotted her best course of descent and raced to the closet, where she threw open the double doors and snatched her jeans and the first t-shirt her fingers made contact with. Back onto the bed she went.
Bouncing on one leg she shoved her foot into the pants, tripped, fell, jumped up again. Her t-shirt was too tight. There was no going back. She shoved her tits into the shirt and manually manipulated them to stay put.
“Get in there, you damn bitch. Don’t be a drama queen, you can come out for air later,” she bellowed when one boob failed to cooperate.
Once dressed, Posy calculated distance again. One, two, three and she was off. She raced from the bedroom to the couch. She leapt to the overstuffed chair almost upsetting it to balance surfer style. Her chest was heaving. Checking distance she fled to the kitchen table, and diving, she landed belly down on an oomph. The fruit bowl went flying—a casualty of war and collateral damage. She spun on the table in a fast circle, carefully checking over each edge for her attacker, her hair in disarray falling forward. She made a mad grab for her handbag, which was on the ground.
I put that bag on a table last night.
Posy groaned and shuddered wondering if the same mouse from last night hitched a ride in her handbag. If that little demon pissed in my purse so help me…
Who was she kidding? A new purse would be on today’s agenda. On her hands and knees she positioned each chair. She settled onto the first and dragged the next over, pushing each in front of the next until she was at the front door.
Car keys were snatched from the basket, her purse settled snugly in her death grip. Posy slipped out the front door to freedom, slamming it behind her. For a second she gasped with her hand to her heaving chest and her back pressed against the door.
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Posy dropped her keys into her handbag and shakily slid her fingers through her wild locks knowing she looked a fright. The wayward boob had tried to escape, and she settled it back into her bra. It was then she noted she was shoeless. She groaned.
Turning to lay her head against the door she thought she saw the shadow of a huge cat—or was it the man she had met last night?
“Maximus?”
A low growl sounded behind her. Posy was pissed. How dare he follow her home? When she glanced to where she thought he stood there was no one. Another sound assaulted her ears, a strange noise like a bird. She shook her head. She had to be mistaken. There were no birds in the building. A small huff of a lion sounded. A battering of fists on a chest made goosebumps dot her arms.
What the fuck?
A sharp prick on her arm spun her to the left, but she was already falling. She landed over a man’s broad shoulders incased in downy softness or fur. It was the last thing she remembered before blacking out.
Chapter Three
“Damn. How do I get myself into these messes?” Maximus grumbled.
He had shifted in time to see another shifter take off with Posy. It was shifter hell out there. There were five prospective mates in the same building. All five females had linked periods—human females were so annoying. Maximus had no way of knowing if Posy was his mate or not. It would be another two days before the stale odor of blood cleared and a female’s natural scent could be detected. The other shifters were just as pissed as he was, and now it appeared the random kidnapping had begun.
Maximus had a more pressing issue to deal with. When his commander, Tac, from Ricafa told him there might be a small issue with side effects when traveling to Earth he didn’t realize his would be huge. He knew there would be anarchy when it came time to mate, but his situation should have been explained in greater detail. All shifters were out of their protected element, each wary, some scared. Maximus wasn’t scared in his human form. He was a huge badass, but in his shifter form he needed his best friend, Andro. They took care of each other, as while in his human form, Andro was in danger. The shock in their physiques had been a surprise.
In his shadow form he saw the shifter he was, but what he actually shifted into was a different matter. And annoying as hell. Though, his new shifter form had come in handy the night before. During the night he had examined each female as they slept, and so had Andro. They’d met briefly in the hall, each throwing his hands to the air, stumped. Without a word they’d parted and searched again. There were too many blood scents in the air to make an educated guess. Posy was the female drawing him closer, but the female directly beside her was close, too. It didn’t help the one female wore a pad and Posy, well, she wore something else. Maximus shuddered. Damned bloody periods.
I don’t have time for this.
All five of the shifters searching for mates, like himself, were from a planet parallel to Earth’s Africa. Three shifters were from a place similar to Nyungwe Forest National Park while Maximus, Andro, and the other shifter were from a comparable Kibira National Park. Maximus hated being out of his element. He was too confined. He needed space and lots of it for his inner shifter. He had to find his mate before he could return. In order to return they needed to get to Earth’s Africa and send word to Tac, who could transport them home. Easier said than done, as only Tac was certain of the eclipse and moonbeams.
Following the beams and riding them was easy. Landing not too bad. His first experience shifting and Andro had to save his life. From a baby hyena. How embarrassing. Prospective mates weren’t anywhere to be found. They learned mating wasn’t an exact science. They had to go to their mate. Now Africa was a continent away.
Without a passport stowing away on a plane was easy enough for Maximus. The other shifters weren’t as lucky. Some had to find more unconventional ways to travel. Some stole passports, but others weren’t as lucky. Poor Andro. His shifter wasn’t fond of cages. A necessary evil. Curling up together for transport was rough. Andro had a fat ass in shifter form. Maximus had been certain he’d be crushed.
You survived. Get over it.
Maximus sighed. He had no other choice. If Posy was his he had to go after her. The kidnapping shifter was also from Ricafa, and it might explain why both Maximus and the other male were confused. They and the others entered the moonbeam together. Worse was the fact Maximus hadn’t lied the night before. He really was lost. He and Andro had been separated from their guide, who’d smuggled them on a plane. They had to break out together, with Maximus picking the lock. The chaos of having Andro in his shifter form was terrifying. Humans had guns. They were finally able to flee into the baggage area where Andro could shift. Worse was yet to happen, as he now seemed to have lost Andro during the night. It was dangerous for both him and his partner to be without the
other. Each was vital for the other’s survival in both human and shifter worlds, but the second he entered the apartment he scented Posy—as she was leaving. Sneaking into her handbag was brutal, the ceremony Posy attended was awful, and the car ride after the wedding made him nauseous enough to escape her handbag and follow after her.
Maximus had no choice. He would have to find his partner later. Noting Posy’s car keys peeking out of her purse on the ground Maximus picked them up. He rummaged through the purse, seeing a passport, and breathed a sigh of relief and was soon in pursuit of the other shifter’s vehicle. There was only one vehicle creeping from the parking lot. It was a black van, no plates, and darkened windows. The vehicle bounced forward, stopped, bounced. Maximus hoped the shifter remembered to drive in human form.
Separating the females wasn’t really a bad idea, but if this female didn’t belong to the other shifter he may not care what happened to her. Posy might be hurt. If she was killed Maximus—or whoever was her mate—would want retribution, and a shifter war was never good.
He wondered if the other shifter sensed something else about Posy. A nagging feeling in his guts told him there was a difference between her and the other females. The blood was too high to put a finger to it.
Maximus tried three keys before opening the car door. He growled as he tried to fit each different key in the ignition. Before leaving his planet Maximus had been given two lessons on how to drive an Earth vehicle. Even then it was verbal instruction using a hollowed out tree trunk and a sugarcane wheel. He noted the pedals on the floor. The key turned as he watched the van turning a corner. He gently eased his foot down, but nothing happened.
“Please fasten your seatbelt.”
“Huh?”
Maximus froze. A female’s voice was giving commands. He jumped up to look in the backseat, but it was empty. He had to think for a moment. The strap to his side seemed familiar. He grabbed it over and across his hips and clicked it on.
“Thank you. Please drive carefully.”
Her Mighty Shifter Page 2
