Illusion (Shifters Forever More Book 4)

by Elle Thorne

  Next to him, she grimaced. God, he was making this about her. She hated the attention, being treated like she was some sort of high-maintenance princess. She tugged on his sleeve. “It’s okay,” she whispered.

  He pressed the mute button. “Mae heard you. Now she’s talking about how you need to eat, shouldn’t go long between meals, something about ketones not being good for the baby or some shit. For the love of everything, please let her bring you some food so I don’t have to get a lecture.” His grimace probably matched her own.

  “Fine, fine. Sorry.”

  He released the mute. “Sure, Mae. I’m here. Yeah, a sandwich and some water is fine, I’m sure.” He fell quiet. “No, I’m not going to ask her. It’s fine. Look, she’s nodding. So yeah, it’s fine.”

  Meri couldn’t help the giggle at his expression as he hung up. “That blew up a little.”

  “Yeah, she’s… Doc says she takes her role pretty seriously.”

  “How do you know them? All these shifters, witches, and such in Bear Canyon Valley. I mean, are there a lot of shifters around the world? Are you all friends? Are you all related? How do you become shifters?”

  “Whoa.” He laughed. “You’re on a roll.”

  “Sorry. I’m a scientist. I’m inquisitive. My brain is always working.”

  “I get it. Let’s see. The short answer, since we’ll be getting off the plane soon. I just met the ones at Bear Canyon. I knew Griz from before. From work—”

  She took in a breath to ask him about working with Griz when he moved so fast, she was caught off-guard.

  One second, she was asking, he was answering.

  The next—

  Breath stolen.

  Lips locked.

  His fingers twisting in her hair. Pulling gently, tugging. A fierce reminder of passion and pain, how the two melded and wove together.

  A moan. Hers. His unshaven face scrubbing on hers, reminding her he was all man.

  God. Was. He. Ever.

  She surrendered to the kiss with a moan, her hands rising up his chest to encircle his neck, their bodies still restrained by the safety belts, twisted in the seats. He took her bottom lip between his teeth, sucking gently. Then his tongue took charge. Breeching her lips, tangling with hers. He gave. He took. His mouth made promises that made her skin flush with heat.

  A sudden jerk as the plane came to a stop separated them.

  He pulled back but left his one hand tangled in her hair, the other on her jaw. “To be continued.”

  Please. Yes. Please. Her hormones, her heart, her body…they all screamed yes.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Well, fuck. Dunn couldn’t have said what pushed him to that. But fuck if he wasn’t glad he’d done it. It reaffirmed everything he felt about her. And he saw the reciprocation. His pants had grown way too tight. He thought of all kinds of things to make that tightness go away. All sorts of stuff guaranteed to drop an erection.

  A moment—maybe two—later, he felt confident enough to stand without being caught with a hard-on. He released his seatbelt, then hers, rose, and held his hand out.

  “Ready?” And he meant that in so many ways than one.

  “Ready.” Her expression was steeled, her back straight.

  This was the Meredith he fell in love with. He could admit it. He was in love. Sure, he didn’t act as wack as his bear, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel it by damn. God, he wanted to roar at the fuckin’ bear of his for acting so self-righteous about their feelings for Meri.

  They stepped into the main cabin, joining Doc and Griz, ready to descend the stairs onto the tarmac. They took the stairs carefully, for this of all nights, was a night a freak blizzard had chosen to settle into Bear Canyon Valley, completely encompassing the area closed in by the mountain range.

  “Fuck.” He wrapped an arm around Meri. “I had no clue there’d be this weather.”

  Mae came running toward them, carrying coats. She wrapped one around Meri before she even hit the bottom step. Meri shoved her hands in the sleeves while Mae handed one to each of the guys.

  “Thanks.”

  Next, she shoved them into the back seat of an SUV, heater running, a brown paper bag in the middle of the bench seat. “That should tide you over, Meri, until we get to the inn. Kelsey and Teague are preparing a proper breakfast. Dawn’s right around the corner, so I’d say some bacon and eggs should hit the spot.” She glanced back at them then gave Doc—who was in the driver’s seat—a hug.

  “Where’s Griz?” Dunn glanced around.

  “Allegra’s bringing him.”

  Dunn leaned close to Meri, who was taking a bite of a sandwich. “She’s a dragon shifter.” Eyes now wide, she dropped the sandwich. He caught it before it could hit her lap. “Yeah, sorry. Forgot to tell you that part.” He handed it to her.

  Mae smiled. “I guess Dunnigan brought you up to speed on our little valley.”

  “He did.” Meri managed to take a bite.

  “I won’t overwhelm you by introducing you to everyone. But sooner or later, I’d like them to meet you. And you to feel at home here. You’ll be staying for a while, I hope?”

  Meri looked at him, then back at Mae. “I don’t know what I’m doing. My life’s been flipped upside down then thrown into a blender for good measure. I can’t tell up from down.”

  Mae reached back, put a hand on Meri’s knee. “One step at a time. First, breakfast. Then a good night’s sleep at the inn. Then we regroup and create a strategy. A life strategy.”

  Fuck. I could use one of those. Meri wasn’t the only one whose life had been scrambled.

  * * *

  Dawn was rising, sneaking its rays past the curtains in the bedroom at Mae’s B&B inn. A few feet away, Meri lay in the bed in the room Mae had designated as hers. Mae had shown her a wardrobe full of clothing and shoes and all sorts of girly—in Dunn’s estimation—accessories. Meri had thanked her profusely, with tears in her eyes while Mae hugged her thanks away, telling her it was no big deal. “That’s what we’re here for,” Mae had said.

  Meri tossed again. And again. Finally, she sat up. “I can’t sleep with you sitting there, staring at me,” she huffed.

  “I’m not staring.” Well, yeah, he was. So what? Who could blame him? “You said you were nervous about them finding you. This way, you can sleep in peace. I’ll watch over you.”

  She glared at him. “Dunn, I can’t sleep with someone sitting across the room from me. I’d be a horrible candidate at one of those sleep studies. They watch people on a camera, you know.”

  “I didn’t know. Would you rather I stayed outside?” He rose and picked up the chair. “I’ll sit out here.”

  She flew out of the bed and put her hand on his, guiding the chair back down. “You don’t have to sit out there. Just sit here.” She patted the bed. “Or better yet, lay down. Maybe I can sleep better like that.”

  “I suppose you could sleep fine if I changed into my bear. You seemed to feel pretty safe next to him. Snoring away.” He didn’t intend to sound envious, but hell, she had no problem sleeping while his bear watched over her.

  She slapped his shoulder, half-playfully, half-not. “I don’t snore! And he wasn’t watching over me. And—” She noticed the expression on his face. “You’re messing with me.”

  “Yeah. A little.” He helped her into the bed and under the covers then sat on the other side, his back against the wall, arm around her until she fell asleep. Once she was out, he tucked the blankets around her and headed downstairs. Passing Teague and Tanner along the way, he gave them a nod. “Thanks for watching over her.”

  He had business to discuss with Griz, Mae, and Doc. Planning to do. Lives to determine.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Meri walked down the staircase. She’d had a hell of a long nap. She’d slept through the day and the night. Now it was morning again. Twenty-four hours, plus. And she was starving. Again. She could hear voices. Knew more than one of them. Dunn. Griz. Doc. Mae. And�
��

  Dad?

  Dad!

  “Meredith.” Her father, George Morales, in one of those impeccably tailored, incredibly expensive suits, stepped forward. “I’ve been visiting with your friends.” The last few years had been kind to him. He was still a strikingly handsome man, now with gray at his temples and several complimentary crow’s feet lines flaring out from his eyes.

  “How did—” She looked from Dunn to Griz to Mae to Doc, then back to George.

  “The phone,” dear old Dad said. “The one Colin gave you. I had its last known location pinged after it kept going straight to voicemail. I was worried after hearing about Colin.”

  Her legs went weak. She reached for the back of the chair. Now the two completely separate parts of her lives had met in the middle. She was in the Venn diagram of incredulity. And she prayed no one here had told her father about shifters, witches, deathbending and—god, all that stuff.

  Dunn stepped closer, put his arm around her. “Your father was just asking how we met.”

  She nodded, dumbfounded. This was where the shit was going to hit the fan. Her brain had completely shut off. She couldn’t manage words, much less come up with a good story.

  Dunn continued, “I was telling him how you’d come up here to hike and had stayed at Mae’s inn.” He kissed her cheek—

  Color me shocked! It took an amount of self-control to not jump back and ask him what this charade was about.

  “And then I told him the rest was history.”

  And the rest became history as Meri’s stomach heaved and what little she hadn’t completely digested projectiled straight from her lips to her father’s approaching suit.

  “Oh, god.”

  Mae to the rescue. Handing two wet towels to Dunn for Meri and using several on her father’s suit. Dunn wiped Meri’s face then sat her down, placing the cool cloth against her temples and cheeks. He leaned in, his forehead touching hers. “Trust me.”

  It wasn’t a question, but still, she nodded. What else could she do? She sure as hell couldn’t trust her vocal cords to articulate sentences or even words, for that matter. She couldn’t trust her mind to come up with coherent thoughts.

  George put his hand on Mae’s, stilling her efforts to clean his suit. “I have another. In the helicopter. I’ll have it brought in and rectify this situation in a few moments. Then we can get back to this.” His piercing gaze took Meri in. He fished out a cell phone. “Bring the traveling bag in, please.” And hung up.

  “I have a room you can use to change in,” Mae said.

  He nodded. “When I return, I’d like to find out who wants my daughter dead and why she’s been declared abducted.” With that, he left the room and headed up the stairs, led by Mae and Doc.

  And with that, Meri began to hyperventilate. She panted uncontrollably.

  “Hey,” Dunn took hold of her hand. “Let me handle this.”

  Griz stepped forward, dropped his hands to his knees, and looked her in the eye. Meri shifted uncomfortably in her chair under the scrutiny of his gaze. “You have to let us do some damage control. We have to protect our citizens here. You understand?” He waited for her response.

  She knew what he meant. He had to protect the supernatural beings in this valley. She sucked in a breath, forcing her panic away. “How?”

  “I can spin something. Your father understands secrecy. He understands diplomacy. He understands words like classified and top secret.”

  Meri shook her head. “No, you don’t unders—”

  “Meredith.” Griz’s tone was firm. “Trust us.”

  Sitting in that chair, surrounded by two men who’d saved her. Who’d risked everything by sharing devastating secrets with her, what else could she do but trust them? And that didn’t take into account her feelings for Dunn. Of course she trusted him. Implicitly. Completely.

  She took one of Dunn and Griz’s hands in her each of her own. “I trust you. And you can trust me. I would never—ever, ever, ever—divulge the things I know.”

  Griz nodded, the scar on his face lighter than his ruddy complexion, his lips set in a firm line. “I’ll fix this with your father.” He rose and left the room.

  Now completely alone with Dunn, she allowed herself to slump forward, all bravado and posturing of confidence swept away under the confusion of what her life had become.

  “What is it?” He clearly could read her body language.

  Then again, she doubted she was hiding it at all. She wasn’t interested in hiding it. She needed to give in to the avalanche of emotions. “My life is so fucked. I’m—”

  The kitchen door opened. A stunning woman, dark-haired with flashing eyes, stepped in.

  “Allegra.” Dunn indicated for her to come forward. “I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Meredith Morales. Meri, this is Griz’s…woman.”

  Meri inhaled sharply. This was the dragon. The one Dunn had told her about. She rose to her feet. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Allegra’s hand was warm—almost hot—to the touch as they shook hands. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

  Meri snickered, despite the situation. “If I had, then it would be all over, well, it would be all over everything.”

  “Yes, pregnancy is rough.” She touched her own stomach.

  “You?” Meri’s jaw dropped. The scientist in her took over. Was the baby a dragon? Was it a bear? Would it be a mix of both? God, the questions she had.

  “Me, too. Come with me? I’ve got breakfast at my place.”

  “Your place? You mean the one you have with Griz?”

  Allegra threw her head back in a laugh. “No. I live with Griz, but I also have a place of my own. It appeals to the—another side of me.”

  “Ohhh.” She couldn’t lie. The idea of learning more about a dragon shifter called to her. So did the idea of running away from her father and that whole mess of trouble. She looked at Dunn. Not that she needed his permission to go. Nah, not at all. What she needed was his affirmation she’d be leaving her father—and that was no small matter—in his hands.

  “We got this.” He leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.

  She couldn’t say what took over her next action, but she tipped her head back and let his lips land on hers. She left her lips there, letting him know—shit!—she didn’t know what she was letting him know exactly. She felt it. So she did it. There.

  His eyes dilated, the amber she knew was his bear flared. He pressed his lips harder against hers, letting her know without a single word that he was in.

  And for the first time since she was five years old, a peace spread throughout Meri’s being. A calm. An assuredness she’d have never thought she’d attain. She pulled away with a tiny smile, maybe even a smile a little on the shy side, because this was so new to her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”

  He held out a hand, helping her to her feet.

  “Be careful,” he told Allegra.

  “Griz would flip if I wasn’t.” Allegra let loose a mischievous smile.

  Dunn grinned. “I have a feeling you keep him on his toes.”

  Meredith had precisely the same feeling. She was also pretty sure she’d like this dragon shifter a lot.

  “Let’s go,” she told Allegra. “I’m ready.” And she was. She was ready for something that would take her mind off of everything else.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “So, where exactly are we going?” Meri hadn’t wanted to say how much longer, like some kid would ask on a road trip peppered with are-we-there-yet questions which bugged the shit out of parents. But to say she was excited about what would follow this morning while she was visiting with Allegra was an understatement.

  The freak blizzard from—had it really been almost two days ago?—had disappeared, as had all signs of it. The snow had melted, and the day was a comfortable, windbreaker kind of day as she followed Allegra through the woods to a clearing. She munched on an energy bar, some kind of granola, chocolate, and
peanut butter mix Allegra had given her, telling her it would help with the nausea and that she shouldn’t have an empty stomach.

  “Here we go.” Allegra stopped walking.

  Here we go, what? Meri looked around, turning a slow three-sixty. It was a clearing. Just a plain old regular, stupid clearing. They’d walked through woods and woods, probably for 20 minutes. Uphill, no less. Scratch that, up-mountain, really. And what for?

  “We’re having breakfast here?” She kept disappointment from showing in her tone while she made another slow circle.

  “Hold my bag.” Allegra handed her a backpack. “When I’m done, hop on.”

  “Done with what? What are you g—”

  Creaking, stretching, crunching—sounds she knew. Sounds heralding a shift filled the air as she whirled around and caught Allegra changing from a woman to a glorious, stunning copper dragon with a touch of emerald on her scales and bright deep-green eyes that glittered like jewels. The dragon flapped wings that were covered in scales, then folded them along her side.

  If Meri had thought seeing Dunn shift into a bear had rendered her speechless and stunned, it had nothing on the effect of seeing Allegra turn into a dragon. She faltered, dropping back a step. Not from fear, but rather from the awe of the vision before her.

  Unmoving, the dragon studied her, as though patiently waiting for her to make the first move. She shrugged into Allegra’s backpack then raised her hand. “May I?”

  The dragon stepped closer. It did take a measure of discipline not to step back. For fuck’s sake. This was a dragon! The marvelous being took another short stride forward then lowered her head, presenting a long elegant neck.

  Meri placed her fingertips on the scales—they were warm! She’d expected them to be like a snake’s, but no!—and let her hand glide down the length of the dragon’s neck, from behind her eye, clear to where her back started. “My god. You are magnificent.”