by V. Vaughn
I grab my backpack to find cash for a tip, but Sam says, “I’ve got it.” He presses money into the guy’s hand before he turns to us. “Welcome to LA.” He offers us his toothy smile before he leaves with the bellman.
When the doors shut, Aaron grabs an apple and plops down on the couch. “This place is sweet.”
Nessa says, “It is really nice.” She turns to me. “Mind if I work out with you?”
“Not at all.”
“Good, because now that we’re here, I’m getting nervous.”
Me too. My skin prickles as my bear hovers at the surface, letting me know I need to get physical, and soon. “I’m going to go change.”
I glance at Adrian, and he grabs our bags. I lead us to a room on the right while Nessa and Adrian follow to be beside us. It isn’t long before we make our way to the gym. Fortunately it’s empty, and my trepidation subsides because I know I’ll be able to spar with Adrian without strange looks.
Nessa hops on a treadmill for a jog while metal clangs as Andre adjusts the seat of a stationary bike. Adrian clears the area by the weights, and I bounce on my feet and loosen my muscles.
Our sparring session starts off easy as we both warm up, but I’ve been cooped up on a plane most of today, and I move quickly into fight mode. The more I do this, the easier it has become to let my warrior side out. The mild-mannered Ginny I used to be gets kicked to the curb as my bear takes over. The good thing about my polar bear mate is that he’s double my weight, and no matter how hard I hit or kick, he manages to take it. And usually he’s a bit faster than I am. But when I throw a roundhouse kick and follow it up with a quick jab, I take Adrian by surprise, and he staggers back.
I hop away from him. “Whoa. Sorry.”
He shakes it off. “Not a problem. That was good.” He waves his hand in a “come get me” motion. “Don’t stop.”
We fight a little more, but it’s apparent to me that I’m pushing his limits, and I get the better of my mate two more times before I stop. Sweat trickles down my face and drips off my chin. The whirl of the treadmill stops, and Nessa comes to stand by me. She says, “You really are supposed to be a warrior. I’m a little afraid of you right now.”
I am too. An unsettled feeling makes my stomach queasy, because I could have kept going, and a part of me wanted to make Adrian fall. I wanted to win. I paste a smile on my face. “Yeah.” I glance at Adrian. “I need a shower.” His eyes light up, and now my smile is real. I’m not sure what’s happening to me, and I’m going to do my best to avoid finding out for a little while longer.
10
The next morning, even Aaron is quiet as we ride the elevator down to the lobby. Last night, we got the official tour of the studio and tested out the equipment with a few songs. We joked around, and it should have taken the edge off things, but I think everyone’s stomach is rolling with more than the sudden drop in elevation right now.
The limo is waiting for us, and we turn a few heads as we climb in. People tend to notice four men that reach seven feet in height with pale-blond hair and broad shoulders. When the door slams shut, I try to lighten the mood as I say, “You think they stare now. Get used to it, guys. This is the first step toward fame and fortune.”
I get a few attempts at a smile, and I glance at Nessa. She winks at me and opens her mouth to sing. “I’m a little teapot short and stout.”
I grin back and join in, but the guys just stare at us as if we’re insane. When we finish the song, I ask, “That’s not a childhood song where you’re from? Because there are cute little motions to go with it.”
Adrian says, “No. But now I want to see the dance.”
“Tell you what,” says Nessa. “If we get this deal, Ginny and I promise to teach you.”
Aleck starts to sing a song they do know. “Row, row, row your boat.” By the time we get to the studio, we’re singing in a round, and when we stop to get out, there are smiles on everyone’s faces. It imagine that some day the Lindquist boys will be famous and on some talk show where they’ll tell the story of singing children’s songs on the way to the demo tape that gave them their big break.
Noel meets us at the door. She’s dressed in a tight skirt and fitted blouse that shows off her curves, and when she stares at Aleck, her face flushes. She glances away and says, “Follow me.”
I nudge Adrian with my elbow and dart my eyes to Aleck. He’s staring at Noel as if she’s his next meal. Adrian raises his eyebrows at me as we follow her. She takes us to the recording studio, where Link meets us. He pours on the charm and assures us we’ll be great before he goes over everything we heard last night. Three of our songs will be recorded, and Aleck will sit in on the production. If all goes well, we’ll be on our way home tomorrow, and Link will approach the record label on our behalf. We should hear from him within a week.
I hoist my backpack over my shoulder. These days I don’t leave home, or a hotel room, without a change of clothes, and I was even clever enough to bring something that looks almost like what I’m wearing. Yesterday I scoped out a bathroom across the hall from where we’ll play, and everyone is on alert for the scent of my adrenaline so they can get me out before any of the humans see what’s really happening.
Our morning session goes well, but when we get to the last song, I’m struggling with a tricky section. I can’t seem to keep from going too fast, and after the fifth take, my bear is rumbling. When we attempt the song again, I know I’m hanging on by a thread, and Adrian stops us before I even get to the hard part. He’s giving me my break, and all would be fine except for the sound guy. He yells, “What the hell is it this time?”
Whoa. My reaction is almost instant, and I scramble to leave the room. Aleck has the door open when I get to it, and he yanks on the bathroom door for me too as Adrian shoves me in. I slam my shins on the toilet at the same time I realize I’m already a bear. With Adrian at my back, there’s no room for me to drop, and frustration makes me growl.
“Ginny?” I turn and face Adrian as fear takes ahold of me. What if anyone saw me?
I shift back to human and gaze at him. “Adrian.” I shake my head as tears fill my eyes. “Please tell me I haven’t ruined everything.”
He says, “No. We got you in here in time. We’ll say you’ve got some kind of stomach bug and had to get sick.”
I nod as I glance at the strips of shredded fabric at my feet. I really should look into buying stock in yoga pants. I take a few deep breaths to ensure I’m going to stay human. Adrian tugs me against his body by my hips as he glances around. “Tiny bathroom, but I think it could work.”
A smile on my face surprises me, and I lay my head against his chest to let the tears in my eyes leak out and dampen his shirt. “What would I do without you?”
Adrian tips my chin up and stares at me with so much love it hurts. “We’d be miserable, and I hope we never have to find out.”
When he kisses me, I welcome the connection of my true mate. But I’m afraid we might discover what it’s like to be apart, because I can’t do this to the band. I’m a loose cannon in so many ways, and they don’t need the stress of watching over me on top of trying to do their best.
Once I return to the session, I’m more relaxed. The lack of physical aggression allows me to play well, and we end on a high note. I think Link bought the sick story, because his eyes keep glancing at my stomach, and I guess he thinks I might be pregnant. I may go with it when it comes time to convince him a replacement for me would be a good thing.
I lean against the leather seat in the limo, and it’s firm on my back as Aaron fills crystal glasses with amber liquid. Link arranged expensive champagne to be waiting for us, and the goblet is cool in my hand when I take it.
I lift my drink and say, “To the most amazing group of musicians. No matter what comes of today, we recorded music in LA!”
We all take a sip, and bubbles dance on my tongue before I swallow. Adrian gazes at me and says, “This is going to be a great story for our children.�
�
I nod. As long as we leave out the part where mommy shifted in the bathroom. Aleck says, “Link was impressed. I think we really have a shot at this.”
Nessa says, “Me too. You guys really took it to the next level in there.” She turns to me. “Ginny, I know you think what happened was a big deal, but you played so well I’m sure they’ve already overlooked it.”
I smile at my sister and say, “Thanks.” I know I did play better than usual, and part of it is due to my new reflexes, but it’s never going to be enough if I’m a liability that could endanger werebear. The truth is, there’s a group of human hunters that would love to eradicate our kind, and being in the public eye is not a good idea for a rogue bear like me.
I take another sip of my champagne and ask, “What should we do to celebrate?”
Aaron says, “I’m going out to spread some love.”
I glance at Adrian, and he says, “Ginny and I are going to stay in with room service.”
Nessa says, “Noel told me there’s a great club near our hotel she likes to go to”--she stares at Aleck--“if anyone’s interested.”
He shrugs. “I could be persuaded.”
Aaron hits him as he sing-songs the next words. “Aleck has a girlfriend,” and then says, “Now who’s ten?”
Andre, Adrian and Aleck all answer him. “You.”
Nessa and I laugh as we pull into the hotel. When I get out of the car, I take a moment to gaze out at the lights of the city. It’s a far cry from our home back in Maine, and I think about how big disappointment happens in this town. But big dreams are realized here too, and I make a wish for my mate and his brothers before I turn to follow everyone inside.
11
Before the plane even landed, I knew what I had to do. Tomorrow I’m going to Tori’s and throwing myself into an intense warrior-training program. If I ever hope to gain control of my shifting, I think I need to learn to embrace my fighter tendencies. Toothpaste foams in my mouth as I brush, and I gaze at myself in the mirror. My face has become more angular since I changed, and when I look at my bare shoulders in my loose tank top I wear to bed, I notice they’re more defined. I imagine they’ll be even more so once I start to train every day.
I sigh and brace myself for the talk I’m about to have with Adrian. One of the hardest things for true mates is to be apart, and while I’ve never experienced it, I can imagine the pain I’m about to feel over the next few days. Adrian has missed a lot of work and will have to pull doubles to make up for it. Otherwise I’d beg him to come with me. Hopefully he’ll be too busy to have much time to miss me.
When I push my way into our room, Adrian is sitting with his back against the headboard, and I close the door to lean against the solid wood as I gaze at the gorgeous specimen of man before me as my insides heat up with desire. I need to put my sex drive on hold, because I have to tell Adrian my plan before my judgment gets clouded by lust. The mattress sinks as I climb on the end of the bed and crawl up to my mate. I straddle his lap, and his hair is smooth in my fingers as I thread them through it to lean in and kiss him. He grips my hips and tugs me in tight as I drink in the flavor of the man I’ll never stop wanting.
I pull away and say, “I have to talk to you.” I comb his hair back as I stall for time. I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “Being a warrior is in my genes, and as much as I’ve tried to fight it, I know I have to face facts. I think I need to go stay with Tori and learn to fight.”
“I think you’re right.”
“You do?”
Adrian nods. “The only way you’re going to get your bear under control is to understand her. As corny as it sounds, you need to become one with your bear.”
“And you think warrior training can help me with that?”
He grins at me as if it’s a stupid question.
“But this means we’re going to be apart,” I say.
“Only for a few days.” Adrian slides his hands under my shirt and up to cup my breasts, and my nipples harden at his touch. “I’ll come see you on my next day off.”
I arch my back as he fondles me and sends electric currents to my core. “I plan to go tomorrow.”
Now Adrian is nibbling at my neck, and he whispers, “Then you probably need me to give you a sendoff to remember.”
I slide my hands down his firm chest, and when I get to his groin, I grip his thick length. It’s hot and pulses against my palm as I reply, “Yes. You do.”
He flips me onto my back, and I squeal before he crawls over me to say, “Takedown rule number one, distract your opponent.”
I giggle as he kisses his way down my chest, and say, “Takedown rule number two, let your mate win--oh!” Adrian licks my folds and takes my clit between his teeth as I pant out, “Especially if you’re the prize.”
* * *
The next day, I arrive at Tori’s just before noon. It’s a good thing my resolve is strong, because each mile I put between Adrian and me tugs at my heart a little bit more. I placate myself with the thought that he’ll be here in a few days to recharge our batteries. Tori greets me, but unlike last time when she was in sweats, she’s in an emerald-green business-style skirt and jacket. Her dark hair is up, and it makes her look serious.
The scent of something baked and sweet wafts toward me as I step inside. “Wow, you look fabulous,” I say.
“Thanks. I’m off to a lunch meeting with the other prima in a few minutes.” The prima are the mates and, like Tori, sometimes the alpha of the clans that make up the Northeast Kingdom. Her heels click as she walks down the hall, and my bag thumps at the bottom of the staircase when I drop it to follow her. She takes me to the kitchen and introduces me to an older woman named Carol. I grin at the motherly version of my sister when Tori tells her to make me a protein-packed lunch because I’m going to begin warrior training this afternoon.
Tori leans in and kisses me on the cheek. “Carol will take good care of you. Keith and I usually eat dinner at six, but we’ll wait until you get home.” She waves before she steps through a side door located at this end of the house. “Good luck today!”
I turn to Carol, who says, “Go get settled in your room, and I’ll have something ready for you in ten minutes.”
“Thanks.”
An hour later, I’m in a state-of-the-art gym located on De Rozier land. It’s just one building of many that make up Tristan and Annie’s complex. Across the parking lot from it is a large dormitory-style structure that was built to house the De Roziers who came here from the Arctic with next to nothing.
When I push my way through the heavy glass door, I notice Sven, my trainer. He’s broader than Adrian with a body of solid muscle, but his pale-blond hair and blue eyes make it clear they’re from the same clan. Tori told me he’s mated to her old college roommate, Lucy, and I smile when I see him. He’s not much more of a talker than Andre and Aleck are, but I’m used to their ways, and I think that’s why Sven and I hit it off when I worked with him the last time.
Metal clangs and grunts sound as I walk toward him. I ask, “Are you ready to whip me into shape?”
He nods toward the mats, and I follow him as I remove my hoodie that contains my phone, keys, and wallet. I plan to shower later at Tori’s with all the niceties I prefer over a gym locker room. Sven doesn’t waste time, and he tosses me a jump rope before my sweatshirt thumps on the ground. The beginning of our session is about quick feet. And while I trip over my rope at first, once I master the combinations, I amaze myself with the speed at which I can move. But when a couple guys come over to watch, I get uncomfortable.
I stop with the pretense that I need to breathe, and Sven must get why, because he turns to the werebear that have gathered and growls. Their eyes get big, and they scurry away like gym rats. I smile at Sven, and he nods as I resume jumping. When I’m sure my legs will fall off, Sven takes me over to the mirrors.
He says, “Now we talk about finesse. There are five parts to a successful warrior. Speed, agility, power, co
urage, and”--he taps his head--“intelligence. I can only help you with the first three.” He grins at me, and it makes me smile back. He works on Tai Chi-like moves with me, although nothing about the De Roziers is conventional, and I suspect the motions I learn are unique to the clan.
Now that my sweat has dried, Sven takes me to the part my bear craves -- fighting. I glance at the row of cylinder-shaped bags hanging from industrial-strength chain. The last time I was here, Sven explained the material on the bags is Kevlar, because our punches are much stronger than the fiercest human’s, and they were spending too much money replacing the equipment. It means I don’t need to hold back.
Sven asks, “Is your bear always at the surface?”
I nod. “Adrian and I have gotten into a habit of sparring each day, but I can’t seem to satisfy her.”
“She needs more. When our warriors first get identified, we train them every day after school and do double sessions on the weekend for at least a year to teach control.”
My heart sinks. “A whole year?” I can’t take a whole year off from school for this. And what about Adrian and the band? I know we can only spend a few days apart before the longing for each other will get unbearable.
“I don’t think it will take you that long.” Sven’s eyes scan my body, but it’s not sexual and doesn’t make me uncomfortable as he says, “You don’t have the hormones of a teenager raging through you. And a lot of what I’ll teach you over the next few days will be things you can do without me.”
Relief doesn’t exactly wash over me, but I feel a little better. Although, I’m going to have to find a place to train in Brunswick that won’t draw attention to me. I don’t have time to sort it out, though, because Sven puts me to work on the bags. I immerse myself in the sounds of my skin slapping against firm Kevlar and the impact of my punches and kicks that send painful shocks through my limbs. I seriously can’t believe it, but the more I abuse my body, the happier I become.