Kelos: Spring (Shifter Seasons Book 4)

by Harmony Raines

  “So, you can see the future.” She nuzzled his neck and his pants grew tighter across his groin.

  “No. But I had a desire to build a home, a place where I dreamed of raising children of my own.” His thumb brushed her lips as she parted them, ready for his kiss.

  “What if I don’t want children?” Her voice lost its dreamy effect and she inched her head back.

  His chest deflated as the air left his lungs. Winded, he sucked in a breath that cleared the fog in his head. Yet his desire for Amber didn’t diminish. It never would. “Why don’t you want children?”

  She sighed and dropped her hands to her side. “I just never thought I was the mothering kind.”

  He touched her cheek and leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips. A brief, chaste kiss. “I think you would make an amazing mother.”

  “You don’t know me,” she protested.

  “I know that you dropped everything to go and help your brother when his family was threatened. I know that you are willing to put their safety above your own.” He stroked her cheek. “Family is important to you. You are like a she-bear protecting her cubs.”

  “What happened with my brother has reminded me that having a family, having children is hard. The constant worry about their safety. I like my freedom, Kelos. I’m a drifter. You bought this house to build a home.” She shook her head. “I’m not there yet. I’m not ready to give up my freedom and set down roots.”

  “Then we will wait.” He smiled gently. She was scared. He could see it in her eyes. But now wasn’t the time to push for an explanation. When she was ready, she would open up to him.

  “You might have to wait a long time.” Amber pulled away from him and went back to washing the dishes.

  “I’ve waited this long. I can wait a while longer.” He retrieved his dishtowel and dried the rest of the dishes. When they had finished, he dried his hands and nodded toward the living room. “Let’s go to bed. Or let’s go to the sofa.”

  She smiled wearily. “I think I could sleep anywhere right now. I’m so tired.”

  Amber followed him out of the kitchen and into the living room where he picked up a bundle of bedding and handed it to her. “Pillow and blankets.”

  “Thanks.” She walked around the sofas and stood facing them. “Are you going to fit on one of these?”

  He shook his head and pointed to the floor in front of the hearth. “I’ll sleep on the rug.”

  “You should have taken the bed.” Amber looked uncomfortable as she placed her pillow at one end of the sofa. “I feel bad that you gave your bed to complete strangers.”

  “I’ve slept in worse places, believe me.” He grabbed a pillow and a couple of blankets and lay down on the floor. “And it was my choice to invite you here.” He put the pillow behind his head and pulled the blanket over him. “I’d rather sleep on the floor and know you are all safe than lie on the most comfortable bed and not sleep because I’m worried about you all.”

  “I know what you mean.” Amber sat down on the sofa and rested her chin in her hands. “Thank you.” She gave him a lopsided smile.

  “You are welcome, Amber.” He rolled over onto his side and watched as she slipped her feet under the blanket and settled down on the sofa. “Sleep well.”

  “Oh, I will,” she slurred as sleep crept over her and her eyes closed.

  Kelos rested his head on his arm and listened to her breathing. He didn’t want to close his eyes and fall asleep. He was too scared he would wake and find her gone. That she’d never really entered his life but was just a vision conjured from the air to stave off his bone-deep loneliness.

  Until he’d met his mate, he had no idea how deep that loneliness was. It was like a pit that descended to the darkest depths, but Amber had shone a light on it and banished the shadows that lurked at the corners of his mind.

  Amber entering his life had shown him exactly what he was missing. It was as if he’d learned a secret that only those who had found their mates could ever share.

  Sleep, his dragon told him. She is real, she is here.

  Kelos blinked, trying to keep his eyes open before he finally succumbed to sleep. Yet even as he slipped into the nothingness of sleep, he was haunted by the fear that he would lose his mate. Not because she was never real.

  No, that fear had been replaced by another. Could he keep her safe?

  If the people who were chasing Margie and her children came here, would he be able to defend his home against intruders?

  In days gone by that would have simply meant flying over the head of whoever meant them harm and breathing fire on them. A simple but permanent solution. Sometimes he missed those days. This was one of those times.

  Chapter Six – Amber

  “Morning.” Kelos stood over her with a cup of hot coffee in his hand as she blinked rapidly, trying to figure out exactly where she was. “I brought you coffee.”

  “Morning.” Amber rubbed her eyes as she sat up, reached for the cup in Kelos’s hand, and took a sip. “That’s exactly what I needed.”

  As her eyes came into focus, she took her first proper look at the living room where she’d slept on the sofa of the man who said she was his mate.

  She closed her eyes briefly and gathered her sleep-scattered thoughts. It wasn’t just that Kelos had said she was his mate. As she recalled last night, she remembered the way he made her feel. Amber knew she was his mate, just as he knew she was his forever love.

  Life sure was complicated right now.

  “Shall we go outside?” Kelos asked and offered her his hand. “It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is just rising and makes everything look fresh and new.”

  Amber slipped her hand into his, feeling the same shock of recognition she’d experienced last night. There was no point denying her attraction to him. Which meant she was going to need to deal with it.

  Along with everything else that seemed to be piling up at her door.

  “I can’t remember the last time I watched the sunrise,” she admitted as she pulled the still warm wool blanket around her shoulders and followed him out of the room. The cold chill of the early spring morning air circled her ankles as she took one last longing look at the sofa and followed Kelos outside.

  The weak sun cast a rosy glow over the fields and houses below as Kelos led her past the rickety front porch and sat down on a large fallen tree trunk to the side of the driveway. The view of the valley below was amazing, as if they were a couple of birds sitting on the branch watching the world go by.

  “Worth getting out of bed for?” Kelos asked as he raised his cup to his lips and took a long drink.

  “Worth getting out of bed for.” She nodded. “I used to rise with the dawn a few years ago. It’s a habit I’ve let slip.”

  “I try to get up at first light and make the most of every day.” He cast a look over his shoulder, his eyes resting on the cabin. “I usually get a couple of hours work in on the cabin before I go to the sawmill.”

  “Is there anything you need a hand with?” Amber asked as she followed his gaze. With some love and attention and plenty of work, the cabin would make a wonderful home.

  Their late-night conversation slipped into her head and she recalled telling him she didn’t want children. As she switched her focus from the cabin to the man seated next to her, she questioned her choice. Sitting here with Kelos, she could imagine their children running around in the safety of the front yard. She could see herself seated on the front porch with Kelos by her side, watching as their children scampered around in the sunshine that poured in through the gap in the trees that lined the driveway leading to the cabin.

  This was a good house. It gave her a sense of security, a sense that with the mountain at their backs and the forests on either side, they could be safe here.

  Of course, a fire-breathing dragon sitting next to her on the porch would be the best kind of deterrent for anyone who might mean them harm.

  “So, if we have children, they would be dragon
shifters, too?” she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

  Amber’s question caught Kelos by surprise. “Yes. They would.” His brows knitted together as he looked at her. “Although they wouldn’t shift until they were older.”

  “Shawn told me.” She pulled her knees up under her chin and rested her wrists on them while she sipped her coffee. “I asked him about Jane. Whether she would shift as a baby.” She grinned. “That would be so cute.”

  “A little bear would be cute. But a baby dragon might cause some real damage,” Kelos mused as the sun rose higher in the sky. Warmth flooded over them as it finally crested the trees and shone down on the cabin and the surrounding area. “The path of the sun means the front of the cabin stays warm most of the day while the back stays cool.”

  “It’s a beautiful spot.” Amber breathed in the scents of the damp forest floor coupled with the sweet smell of the overgrown lilac bush that grew in the front yard. “What plans do you have for the house?”

  “Mostly taking out the old rotted timber and replacing it with new. I like the place just the way it is. Although, I might need to extend out back. I’d like to add a couple more bedrooms and a dining room. But I want to live in the house first and get a feel for it before I make big changes.”

  “I’ve never really lived anywhere for long enough to get a feel for the place,” Amber admitted. She’d never really opened up to anyone before. On her travels, she’d been more of a listener than a talker. Most people were happier talking about themselves but not Amber.

  “I hope you will make an exception.” He rocked back and forth as he closed his eyes and absorbed the heat from the sun.

  “I’ve never wanted to be tied down.” She closed her eyes, too, allowing the sun’s rays to warm her until she cast off the blanket. “I like to be free.”

  “I like my freedom, too,” Kelos admitted. “But now I like the idea of having a place to call home.” He gave a small smile and his eyes crackled with fire. “What I have learned…and it’s taken me a long time to understand this…”

  “Words of wisdom from a dragon. I’m all ears.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and watched him. She could stare at him all day. There was so much wisdom etched in each line and wrinkle of his face.

  “Traveling the world and exploring new places means so much more when you have a home to return to. When you have a place that holds the stuff of memories. A place where you can sit and contemplate what you have seen and done.” He gave her a brief self-deprecating smile. “Ignore me, I sound pretentious.”

  “No.” She placed her hand on his arm and he shivered, his smile faltering. He was uncertain of her. Kelos knew she was his mate and yet he was unsure of himself around her. “I understand what you mean. You need space. Space where you can process your experiences.”

  “Yes. If you are in a constant state of doing, if you are always looking to the place you are going next, you never have time to look behind and relive the places and people you meet.” He waved his hand at the house. “This is why after so long traveling, I bought the cabin to make into a home.”

  “I thought you said you bought it because you knew I was coming into your life.” She arched an eyebrow and then laughed as his confusion grew. “I’m joking.”

  “Oh.” He let out a breath in a puff. “I’m not good at understanding humor. You would have thought I’d have learned by now, but humor is one of the great mysteries.”

  “I’ll give you plenty of practice,” Amber told him then jumped as he suddenly straightened up and looked toward the house. “What’s wrong?”

  “Margie is in the kitchen.” He stood up and threw the last of his coffee onto the ground. “And I should go to work.”

  “Have a good day, sweetie.” She chuckled. “That’s so not me.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been called sweetie in my life.” He looked horrified.

  “You have been very sweet to us,” Amber insisted.

  His eyes glowed almost amber and she swore he blew smoke out of his nostrils before he looked down at her and winked. “I need to be more alpha. I can’t have people thinking I’m sweet.”

  Amber rolled her eyes. “I do not go for alpha men at all. So, if you think you need to change to impress me, don’t.”

  “Are you saying I am already impressive enough?” He cocked his head on one side and grinned at her.

  “If it makes you feel better.” She walked by his side as he went to his truck.

  “Here, take this in for me, please. I’ll give you and your sister-in-law some time to talk.” Kelos glanced past her toward the house, his expression unreadable.

  “What’s wrong?” Amber asked, her hand covering his as he opened the door of his truck.

  “I know Margie doesn’t like the house.” He gave her a wry smile. “I tried not to hear but shifter senses don’t come with an off button.”

  “That’s okay.” She sighed and glanced toward the house. “It needs work. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law likes things to be just so. She can’t always see what a thing can be. Only what it is.”

  “She has no flare of imagination.” Kelos nodded. “The house will be amazing one day but that’s not today, or tomorrow, or for the next few weeks. So, I know she might push you to move out. Find a hotel somewhere.”

  Amber shook her head. “We’re not going anywhere. The cabin is perfect for us to hide out in. Margie’s just going to have to suck it up.”

  “Don’t be too hard on her,” Kelos said as he started the engine. “This must be tough for her. It’s been an ordeal for you all but for Margie, she’s left behind everything she’s known. Including her husband.”

  “Yeah, I know. It’s just sometimes hard. I came from nothing. We managed; we were happy.” Amber took her hand off his and placed it on her arm as if hugging herself. “When you’ve had nothing it’s hard to sympathize with someone like Margie. She expects everything done for her. Fabian works hard to give her everything she wants.”

  Her brow creased and heat covered her face. She shouldn’t say things about her sister-in-law behind her back. That’s how things wound up awkward in families and Amber in no way wanted to lose her brother.

  “What wrong?” Kelos asked gently.

  “I was just thinking that I never saw what my brother does in Margie. He loves her, really loves her, but he grew up the same way as me. We didn’t have a lot, but we were happy. So, to marry a woman who expects everything… I don’t get it.” Amber raked her hand through her hair. “I hope you know the art of discretion. I don’t want anyone to know I said that.”

  Kelos placed his hand on his heart. “I promise whatever you tell me stays between us. As your mate, I will never break my promise.”

  “I like this mate bond thing more and more.” Amber stepped back and he put the truck in drive.

  “Do you ever think your brother might have attracted a woman like Margie to him because he grew up in a home that lacked money?” Kelos nodded toward the house. “He works to give Margie and his kids whatever they need because he felt powerless to change his own life as a child.”

  Her eyes opened wide. “I never thought of it like that.”

  “We search out what we lack. It’s his way of changing his childhood and making sure his children grow up never needing anything.” Kelos shrugged. “Or I could just be talking out of my ass.”

  “And a nice ass it is, too.” Amber lifted her hand and waved at him as he backed the truck up and turned around. She didn’t move as he drove off down the driveway toward the road. There was a sense of loss surrounding her. She hated the thought of Kelos not being there by her side and it was all she could do not to run after him and shout for him to stop.

  Conquering her desire to make a complete fool of herself, she turned on her heel and headed around the back of the house. Kelos was right about one thing—she needed to talk to Margie and make a plan.

  Her hand went to her pocket and traced the outline of her phone through the
fabric of her jeans before she gave in and plunged her hand inside, dragging it out.

  “Fabian hasn’t called or texted me either,” Margie said when Amber entered the kitchen, her eyes on the phone screen.

  “I was just checking.” Amber tapped the screen and put the phone back in her pocket as she confirmed Margie’s words.

  “I’ve been checking every five minutes since we got up.” Margie’s eyes lingered on her phone on the countertop. “Nothing. I don’t think I can go another day without hearing his voice. I need to know he’s okay.”

  “I’m sure he is,” Amber reassured Margie as she placed the two cups in the sink and then went through the motions of making a fresh pot of coffee.

  “Then why hasn’t he called?” Margie hissed as the sound of the two children moving around upstairs filtered down to the kitchen.

  “He probably doesn’t want to call with the police officers around,” Amber kept her voice quiet as she spoke to Margie. “He is under police protection. And he’s trying to protect you all, too.”

  “If he doesn’t trust the police, why did he stay?” Margie asked.

  “You know Fabian. He always tried to do the right thing. And testifying is the right thing to do.” Amber believed in her brother and the decision he’d made. He was a good man. A man who liked to see the best in people. He also believed in fair play. There was no way he could have turned a blind eye to criminal activity.

  Even though it would have been much easier on his family if he had. But turning a blind eye to a crime was a slippery slope. One Fabian would never have started down.

  However, Amber was well aware of Fabian’s feelings of guilt toward his wife and children. He would do anything to keep them safe, which was why he’d agreed to police protection. Never would he have imagined the police would betray him. This knowledge had rocked his belief system and left him feeling vulnerable and exposed.

  When he’d called to ask her for help, he’d sounded desperate. A man caught up in events that were spiraling out of control around him. Ever since the last safe house was leaked, he’d sworn not to trust anyone.