"So what happens now?" I ask, hugging myself. My anger has lessened and a deep sadness has taken hold. I think I'm saying goodbye to my old life. I know it's over.
"What did you learn from reading the book?" Bertrand asks.
I frown. Surely he's read it himself?
"When Torben slept with me, he started the bonding process. The bond changes both partners and makes them more compatible with each other. In my case, it's the extra strength and better senses." I look at my fingers. "And the claws, I guess. Not sure what's changed for Torben. But the bond is hungry and needs energy to do its work. If it isn't completed, the female dies."
"And so does the male," Ràn says quietly. I look at him in surprise. He's been quiet all this time. And the male... no wonder Torben is looking that ill.
"But it didn't say that in the book," I stammer, feeling like someone punched me in the gut. Torben is dying. I can't let that happen. "But I feel better now... shouldn't he be better as well?"
"The bond is now getting all the energy from me," Torben mutters. His skin has taken on a sickly pallor and there's a slight tremor in his limbs. My heart goes out to him but my mind stops it. It's his own fault.
He needs your help. Alis sounds sad. Now that I know she isn't a figment of my imagination, I notice how she has her own distinct voice. And she's definitely got a personality that's different from my own. I kind of want to get to know her better - and tell her to get out of my body afterwards. It's mine. My ovaries, my boobs, my body.
"How can we stop it?" I ask before Alis can prod me further.
Torben looks at me in surprise. "The only way is to complete the bond. But I don't want to force you to do it. I got us into this mess, so I should be the one to deal with the consequences."
I laugh hysterically. "I wouldn't call dying 'deal with the consequences'. The book didn't say anything about how to complete the bond. In fact, it said that if it wasn't completed during... sex," I swallow before I say that word, I'm still not quite used to that kind of language, "that I'd die. End of."
"What kind of book did you give her?" Finn asks angrily and our hosts look a little uncomfortable.
"It does say it in the next chapter," Bertrand mumbles. "What she read is written to scare teenagers into never having sex unless they're sure about it. Then in the chapter after, it tells them how to rectify it."
I stare at him. "So nobody needs to die?"
Arnold snickers until he sees how serious I am. "Unless you try to kill yourself again or refuse to complete the bond, nobody is going to die."
"So how do we complete that stupid bond?"
You know that already, Alis whispers and she's right. I just don't want to believe it.
"You... ehm... have to sleep together," Bertrand explains, blushing slightly. "You passed out last time so the bond didn't get a chance to form. And I assume that this time, Torben will have to drink some of your blood."
"Not going to do it," I say automatically. I have no idea what I was thinking when they I bit Torben, but at least I can blame it on his pheromones. I was in a frenzy and only half-conscious. There, I've got a good excuse.
Torben gets up on his feet, swaying slightly. Húnn moves to help him, but the alpha shakes his head. He's too proud.
It kills me to see him like that.
You love him.
For once, Alis may be right. Now that he's standing in front of me, the suffering clear in his face, I know that he's doing this for me. That he really is sorry. That it was an accident. That it could have - no, should have been a beautiful moment between us two, not a mating gone wrong. All I wanted was to be with him. Give myself to him. Except that it went a bit too far.
Yes, becoming a bear shifter is maybe a bit more than you bargained for.
"What happens if we complete the bond?" I whisper and a flicker of hope lights up in Torben's eyes. "Will I become human again? Or a full bear shifter?"
"I don't know," Torben says just as quietly. "It's not always the same when humans are involved. If your bear is strong, she'll come to the surface and you'll be a shifter just like us. If not, you'll stay as you are now, human on the outside and a little bit of bear on the inside."
I can't resist a smile when he mentions my bear's strength. Oh yes, she's certainly that. I wouldn't be surprised if she was stronger than any of them.
You bet. More dominant, too. We're going to show them.
Did you just say 'we'?
She's quiet for a moment. Maybe she just misspoke? I don't know enough about shifters and their relationships with their bears. Somehow I always assumed they'd just take on the form of a bear, maybe a bit of the mental state as well, but not have an actual bear live inside them. Like Alis. How did that even work?
Later. I think you should say something, Torben is looking close to keeling over.
She's right. He's swaying more than ever. I take a step forward and put my arms around his waist, steadying him in the disguise of a hug. I don't want him to look weak in front of his friends.
"She is strong," I confirm. "So all we need to do is have sex and drink blood?"
Finn chuckles behind me, breaking the tension a little.
"Yes, pretty much." Torben's expression has lightened a bit, but the tension around his eyes is still there. His pain must be getting worse. I feel guilty that I'm now strong and healthy again.
"How did you even do it?" I blurt out and he looks at me in confusion.
"Do what?"
"Make the bond stop taking my energy? Making it just take yours?"
He grimaces. "My bear told me how to do it. He's feeling just as guilty about it all as I am."
I frown. "You've never talked about your bear like that before."
"We don't usually do that. When we're shifted, our bears talk to each other and us humans go into the background. Right now, it's the opposite. We respect that and don't talk much about our other selves."
"So you see him as part of yourself? Just split apart?"
"I guess. There are many theories of how it works, but of course, nobody really knows.Science doesn't really explain shifting."
He trembles and I grip him tighter, enjoying the closeness. Inside, I'm still a little torn over it all. I was so angry, why am I so quick to forgive? Shouldn't I be harder on him? On the others?
Maybe I'm just tired of the conflict. And I can't stand here and watch him suffer. I'm a healer, for goodness sake.
"Out, everybody," I command loudly and strangely enough, they leave without a word. I'm glad, it could have been a lot more embarrassing.
"Sit down," I tell Torben and help him lower himself to the floor. He's shaking all over and I don't know what to do. I've only been with a man - this man - once, so me taking the initiative is not really making sense. Oh well. Bonnie and Clyde will guide me.
Alis, if I do this, I want you to stay out of my mind, okay? It's hard enough to deal with it all without having a snarky bear doing a running commentary.
Okay, but I want a full report later. And some time with Torben's bear. He smells delicious.
I give her a mental nod and put a pillow under Torben's head. He offers me a weak smile in response.
"What do we do now?" I ask, trying to hide my unease.
"Kiss me."
It's a command, and despite the weakness in his voice, I can see his inner strength coming through. I lie on the ground beside him and gently nudge him to turn his head until we're looking at each other. His face looks a little healthier now, even though we haven't even started. Good. I could do with him being a bit more energetic. More in control.
I kiss him, placing my lips on his, hoping that he'll respond. They're chapped and colder than before, but he smells like himself. I take a deep breath. Now I know what Alis was talking about. His scent fills my nose and I open my mouth in response, covering his, sucking on his bottom lip. He groans and finally returns the kiss in the same rough, claiming way as before.
He puts an arm around me and pulls me cl
oser until our bodies are pressed together, my warmth meeting his coldness. I hope he's getting warmer soon, this can't be a healthy temperature. The fire is still burning strongly and I'm almost sweaty, so he really shouldn't be this cold. Maybe some more kissing will do the trick.
I playfully nudge him with my tongue and he responds in kind until we're dancing together. Never leaving my lips, he slides up my jumper until my bra is out in the open. Only then does he end the kiss and moves back a little to look at me.
"Are you sure about this?" he asks, just as out of breath as I am.
"Yes. Regardless of what happened, I want you. And not just because my bear is horny as hell."
I'm so glad Alis seems to be keeping her promise and isn't listening in.
He chuckles, moves my arms up and pulls my jumper over my head. I sigh as I feel some air on my skin. So good. I was starting to boil. Not that I'm feeling any cooler, on the contrary. There's some heat pooling between my legs that aches for attention. Torben's attention, preferably.
"I'd love to do some foreplay but the bond is impatient," he groans as he lifts himself up. He looks slightly better than before and isn't swaying as much while he takes off his shoes and jeans.
And yes, he's aroused. Lots. Yummy. Drool. Did I mention that he's not wearing anything under the jeans? He's naked. Very naked. And I want to jump up and jump him.
Without him having to say anything, I take off my own trousers and throw them aside. I'm ready for him, despite the lack of anything more than a bit of kissing.
I spread my legs to invite him in, but he lies on his back next to me instead and nudges me to climb on top of him. A bit unsure, I do as he asks. It can't be that difficult, right? I just have to guide him to my entrance and then lower myself down and... ahhhh. He feels bigger than I remember, but last time my mind was clouded with overactive pheromones. This time, I am fully myself, taking in every sensation as I rock up and down on him. He lets me set the pace and I take full advantage of that, starting slow. I'm still getting used to his girth, but the slight pain only adds to the pleasure building deep within me.
When I'm fully adjusted, he puts his hands on my hips and begins to take control, directing me at the pace he wants to. The rougher he gets, the healthier he looks. His eyes are turning bright blue again and his gaze locks mine in place. He’s back, my strong Torben is back.
He’s leading me closer towards my climax and judging from his groans, he’s not far away from his either.
Then he stops and I look at him in confusion. Is there something wrong?
“Isla, I need to bite you,” he whispers. I’m torn between lust and principles. Surely any self-respecting woman wouldn’t let someone drink her blood? Then I remember that I did the same to him and ignore the nagging voice inside my head. Not Alis, this time, just my own subconscious.
“Do it,” I moan, lying down on top of him so my neck is within reach. He’s not a vampire, but I bit him there, so maybe he wants to do the same?
He gently kisses the nape of my neck and I shiver in anticipation.
“Ready?” he whispers hoarsely. All I can do is nod.
He thrusts into me at the same time as his teeth break my skin and my thoughts are taken over by nothing but bliss and pleasure. I can feel him gently sucking on my neck but the main sensation is him moving in me, bringing me to the edge. We fall over it together, our sweaty bodies united in one movement.
This time, I stay conscious and get to experience it all. The elation, the force of my core contracting, the feeling of him spilling his seed within me. We stay in the same position, holding each other tight, his mouth still on my neck, licking up the trickle of blood pouring from my skin.
We are one, we are mates.
Chapter 12
Time to wake up.
Looks like Alis is back. I yawn, noticing I’ve got an arm around something warm.
That’s your mate. Did you have fun last night?
I blush. We did indeed. At some point, we left the living room and its hard floor and moved to the guest bedroom. Luckily the other guys weren’t there so we had our privacy. I smile in bemusement as I remember that I was almost disappointed that it was only us two. I must have been extremely horny.
I should be sore, but all I can sense is warmth. Torben’s temperature has returned to normal, and mine has stayed at the high level I gained when I became… what exactly? A half-shifter?
I sit up with a start and Torben yawns beside me.
“Can I shift now?” I ask eagerly and he chuckles.
“Perhaps? Where does this sudden enthusiasm come from?”
I won’t tell him that I dreamed of running through the snow with him last night. Of our paws leaving large prints on the ground as we were flying through the air, chasing each other. Even now I can still sense an echo of the elation I felt. Maybe being a bear shifter isn’t all that bad.
Instead of an answer, I roll over and kiss him on the lips. He laughs against my kiss and responds, pulling me all the way on top of him. I think I may be ready to have sex with him again. And again.
A growl comes from the other side of the door. With a sigh, Torben gives me a final kiss on my forehead.
“They want to meet you.”
“Who?”
“Their bears want to meet their alpha’s new mate.”
I frown. “They’ve known me for a while now. Surely they haven’t forgotten that?”
He smiles. “No, but before you were a friend. Now you are someone different. As my mate, you’re automatically above them in the hierarchy. They want to show you their respect.” He chuckles. “And smell you.”
“Please don’t tell me I’m going to be sniffed again?”
He laughs and ignores my protests as he gets up, leaving me alone on the bed. I pull the duvet around my naked body. They can sniff that, but I’m not getting naked in front of them. Again.
He opens the door and three bears pour in. Ràn and Húnn have trouble squeezing through the door frame; this house isn’t made for bears to live in. Finn is lucky that he’s a bit smaller. Still big, but not compared to the two giant brown bears.
Finn jumps on the bed and I shriek, scrambling back so I won’t be squashed to death. In the process the duvet slips down and my boobs are out in the open. Oh well, let’s pretend it didn’t happen.
The honey-coloured bear looks at me curiously, then puts his snout between my breasts and sniffs. Seriously? Does he even know that it isn’t appropriate in the least?
“Get off!” I tell him sternly and to my surprise, he backs off with a whimper, retreating to end of the bed. “It’s bad to sniff a woman’s… body. Even a bear should know that.”
Torben is laughing so hard he’s gripping the door frame to steady himself.
I growl at him. “Don’t you teach them discipline?”
He shrugs and continues to laugh. “Bears don’t much care where they touch and sniff a female. All he wants is for you to recognise him and know that he exists.”
He grows a little more serious. “Did you know that in the wild, female bears take several mates? There’s a lot of competition for males, so they may show you much attention in the next few days. It’s instinct, they’ll have a hard time fighting it. They’ve not been around a female bear shifter for a long time.”
He grins and comes back to me and sits on the bed. “And neither have I. If I could, I’d lock you into this room and wouldn’t let you out for days until my bear is convinced you’re his.”
I stare at him and fight against the urge to take him here and now. Maybe I’ve turned into a bunny shifter rather than a bear? My sex drive certainly supports that conclusion.
Finn lies down and puts his large head on my lap. I gently stroke his soft fur. He growls which I interpret as a beary purr. The two brown bears have held back until now, but when they see me petting Finn, they approach me from both sides. Húnn gets up on his hind legs as if to present himself, then puts his front paws on the bed which creaks dang
erously. Pretty sure it wasn’t made to hold the weight of two humans and three bears.
I stretch out a hand to Húnn and he licks it without warning.
“You were supposed to sniff it, not lick it,” I complain and wipe my hand on the duvet. Yucky.
Torben starts laughing again and I elbow him in the ribs.
“Not helping. Can we take this outside? I don’t think Bertrand and Arnold will be very happy if we break their bed.”
He sighs, then nods. And smiles wolfishly. “You should probably get dressed for that, but I think your clothes are still in the living room.”
Bastard. He wants me to walk naked around the house? No way. If it was just us two, maybe. Even then my sense of modesty would fight me with every step. But with the other bears, and our hosts… no chance.
Then I remember the wardrobe. When they brought me here yesterday, they gave me some of the clothes we had found in that other house down in the village. Torben is messing with me.
I smile at him sweetly. “Torben, darling, would you mind getting some clothes from the wardrobe over there? I’d be ever so grateful.” I lick my lips in a way that I hope looks vaguely seductive. I need to learn how to use my womanly charms, if I possess them at all.
I’ll teach you.
Thanks Alis, but I was thinking of my human assets. You can handle the bear side of things. If I can actually shift.
You can. I won’t give you a choice.
I can sense her determination and worry creeps up on me.
“Torben, does shifting hurt?”
He hands me some clothes and nods. “Yeah, the first time it does. It’s more of a mental pain though, while your human mind gets used to the idea of suddenly being in the wrong body. It helps if you let your bear take over. She knows what to do.”
“Maybe I’m not so keen on it now,” I mumble and he takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“I’ll be there with you. We all will be.”
It takes ages for me to shoo the bears out of the room so I can get changed. It takes even longer for me to persuade myself to go outside and stop kissing Torben. Not sure if I can blame it on the bond or just my desire for him. If I could, I’d take him up on the offer of staying locked in this room for the next few days. But somehow, I can feel the other bears’ excitement and don’t want to disappoint them. If Torben says it’s important for them to get to know the new me, then so be it.
Shifters Gone Wild: A Shifter Romance Collection Page 11