by M. L. Briers
“It’s not me, Maisie…”
“Mrs Cartwright! And who else interprets the shifter laws, hmmm?” She gave him the evil eye, and she did it quite well. If she’d been a witch then he’d have be worried enough to update his will.
“Well, I might have that honour…” He started and she snorted her contempt for him.
“Honour … is it? An honour to sentence that man…”
“That’s not…”
“Oh, don’t you give me the old sidestep, Ronald MacShifty! I’ve got your number…” She said, glaring at him.
“And you can use it any time…”
“Ha! You and yours are banned from this establishment … do you hear me, old man?” She ground out.
“I think they can hear you on the other side of the mountain, now let me…”
“Not on your Nellie are you going to try to sidestep and sweep around the issue. None of you are welcome in here until you do the right thing!” Maisie was adamant and Ronald’s eyebrows came down in a scowl until all she could see were two little slits filled with chocolate brown…
“Is that your final word?” Ronald demanded.
“The rest are curse words, sure you want to stick around to hear them?” She shot back and heard him give a heavy grunt of annoyance.
Then the man turned on his heels and stalked towards the front door – the mutterings that she offered were all of those curse words and they chased hard on his heels as he yanked open the door and let it slam shut behind him.
“Good for you, Maisie!” Mick, the bartender chuckled, but he snapped off that sound and the wide grin when she snapped her eyes towards him, and he was sure that she was breathing smokeless fire down her nose…
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
~
Lucy stood in the shower with her hands on the tiled wall in front of her. She tilted her head forwards and let the spray pound against her scalp – it felt good. It felt like a wakeup call to her brain. She needed that … between going to see the elders and being berated by both Declan and Malachi all the way back to the cabin she felt a little washed out.
So, she’d miffed off three old – powerful – shifter men that could probably end her with a sneeze in her direction, so what?
She didn’t care then and she still didn’t give a damn.
They should be ashamed of what they were doing to a man like Declan … to her … to their future together.
Babies … she wanted to have babies with Declan. She had to wonder what little human shifter babies were like. She knew they didn’t come out with fur and fangs, because somebody would have noticed that over the years before shifters came out to the world, but she didn’t know if the little guys would be rough and tough, and bounce well…
Not that she planned to find out, because that would just be wrong … Lucy sighed, dropping her head lower and running her hand over her waterlogged face … truth be told she was never going to find out either if the elders got their…
Oh – my – God!
Lucy’s head shot up and she got a burst of the water right in her face before she pulled her body back, and turned, head-butting the shower cubicle in her haste…
Ouch! Crap!
That’s not …
That’s a …
Impossi … bloody hell!
She turned towards the door and wrenched it open, catching her knee on the folded back flap as she tried to exit the shower at the same time as opening the door…
Bloody stupid design!
The door pinged right back towards closing again and she grumbled like Declan as she fought to get out of the suddenly claustrophobic space…
“Let – me – out!” She grumbled, yanking the door fully open and almost tripping over the small step at the bottom…
Crap!
Can the damn shower just stop attacking me long enough so that I can count on my damn fingers and toes if necessary!
She yanked the towel from the hook and wrapped it around her body … her head came back up and she caught sight of her reflection in the steamy mirror…
Oh you didn’t!
She took two steps and reached up with her hand to wipe away the steam as she looked back at her own reflection…
Oh, I bet you did, you stupid, stupid, stupid … damn idiot!
Now what?
Count the days!
Wait! Boobs … purple veins! No, wait, that would be later, right?
No, who cares, count the damn days …!
She held up one hand and stared back into her own eyes…
What are you waiting for?
Count the damn days … wait … what’s the date?
What day is it?
What bloody year is it would be a better question…
Phone!
She spun around to the sink and found the mobile exactly where she’s left it. It was her lifeline to sanity because right then she felt a little loopy.
She stalked over and snatched it up, a button press, a swipe of her finger, one poke of the screen and there it was … the calendar…
Ok, take a breath and count the days … forget the breath … just count the damn days …
Lucy counter twice, once forwards and once backwards … then she let out that breath in one long puff, gasped in another and did it again…
Oh …
Now you’ve gone and done it!
No, wait … lets count again … maybe I missed a day or two…
~
~
~
“Declan…?” Lucy had been standing at the bedroom door just watching him there at the window staring out into the darkness of the night.
He seemed so lost in thought that she’d left him with his problems for as long as she could. Her problems didn’t mount to a lot compared to what he was going through … but she felt the need to be with him, a part of his life, because she wasn’t sure how much longer they might have together if he didn’t change his mind about leaving…
He snapped back to her the moment that her voice drifted towards him. He dropped the blind and turned back towards her. His eyes noted the look of worry on her face … he didn’t like it.
“It’s nothing, I was just thinking…”
“Yeah, you’ve been doing that for the last half an hour, I’m guessing it takes that long for the thought to ping around your brain and find the other brain cell that’s been nervously hiding out in fear that you might want to call on it,” she gave an innocent little shrug off her shoulders and watched as he went from serious to disbelief, and then on to warmly amused within the matter of seconds … it was all expressed on his face.
In a rush of movement; he came at her, swooping in towards her with his big muscled arms out at his sides ready to cage her in, and with those low slung sweatpants down on his hips, and no damn shirt on, he looked sexier than hell … her excitement button was well and truly turned on…
“Now, see, that’s just mean…” he growled gently beside her ear as he wrapped her inside his embrace and held her against him…
“The truth hurts, honey, but if I can’t tell you, who can?” She teased back feeling anything but like trading insults with him.
His arms felt good, strong around her body, but it was his inner strength that she liked the most … it was also the reason that she hadn’t asked him to up and leave with her. Hadn’t demanded it.
Men like Declan were strong because they held strong beliefs. His was pride and honour, and if she took that away from him…
But she didn’t want to lose him either. Especially not now…
Declan buried his face in the hair that guarded her neck from him, it was still damp from the shower that she’d taken. He took in her scent as it mixed with the smell of his shampoo and soap … she smelled good covered in him…
“I have the damn urge to take you to bed and love you good…” he growled, and she could feel the evidence of his desire pressed against her stomach.
“I have the urge to run away and never c
ome back…” she said without even thinking…
Declan pulled his head back on his neck and looked down at her. His eyes were questioning as his lips parted without a word … then he seemed to snap back into the moment…
“What?” Was all that his brain could manage to kick out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
~
Lucy snapped out of it. Her body practically jumped in place in his arms as he stared down at her almost dumbfounded.
“What? Nothing…” She frowned on a small shake of her head.
Idiot! She berated herself.
That’s exactly what you weren’t going to say…
You aren’t going to put him in that position … his honour and pride or you … it doesn’t work like that …
It could crush him…
It could rip him apart…
Stop it now … don’t be damn selfish!
“It’s not nothing, sweetheart…” he said with a curious look back at her. “You said it, so it’s in your head.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe the things in my head…” she tried to play it light, and yet she was sure that her whole body was giving her away…
“Talk to me, Lucy,” he growled a little, “you want to leave me?” He growled a lot more than a little.
“What? No!”
“But you said…”
“Declan, seriously, can we drop it?”
“I … don’t know…” He wasn’t sure if he could. Her words were spinning around in his mind like a twister on the rampage.
She placed her palm against the naked skin of his chest and he growled again, this time it was gentler. She moved back from him just a little, and he hated to have her out of his arms, but he let her go…
“I just … I was thinking we could leave, together…” there … I said it … it came out of my mouth … oh, God … I said it … he looks mortified…
“You’ve been talking to Malachi…” he growled again, this time angrier…
“Not by choice,” she shot back, and there was a quick flash of amusement within his eyes, but it was quickly gone.
“He wants me to take you and leave…” Declan admitted.
“And what do you want?” She held her breath waiting for the answer.
“I want …” he took a step back from her…
“I guess that explains that,” she said, her eyes flicked to the small space on the floor between them, but the distance had never felt greater since she’d met him.
I feel cold all of a sudden … like he just turned off the heat…
I shouldn’t have said what I said…
Damn, I’m an idiot…
“You have to know that I’m …”
The sound of a truck caught his attention. It was coming up the track and coming fast…
Declan’s head snapped around on his neck. His eyes narrowed on that sound, and then he moved fast, snatching her upper arms in his hands and squeezing her … maybe just a little too hard…
“Do not leave the cabin,” Declan growled out, and all thoughts of how damn stupid she’d been seemed lost in the moment that she realised what he was telling her…
“No,” She shook her head. “No, Declan…”
He let her go and started to back away from her. His eyes were black, his heart hurt in his chest at the sight of her, and he cursed his choices that had led him right to that moment in time…
“Stay here,” He growled out, before he turned on his heels and made for the door.
“Declan…” she called after him, but he was already out of the door and slamming it shut behind him.
~
~
~
Declan didn’t need to be a genius to figure out just who was paying him a visit. By the time that he got outside there was another truck following on up the track after the first.
Declan moved away from the front of the cabin and started down the track towards them. The sound of the trucks brakes being applied sounded like a scream within his mind, and he immediately thought of his mate and that scream coming from her lips…
Four doors opened on the first truck and the same four shifters from earlier that day climbed out into the night. Behind them the second truck came to a stop, and one door opened as Ronald climbed out.
Four men to do the deed and one elder to witness it.
Right then and there Declan had to wonder if he’d done the right thing in staying. He didn’t fear death …
He feared never holding his mate in his arms again.
He feared her life after he was gone…
He feared for her…
“Elder,” Declan’s beast was already right there in his voice.
“She’ll be unharmed, you have my word.” Ronald assured him of the thing he needed to know.
“She won’t go to the human authorities… you have my word.” Declan offered back.
He could scent the fur in the air. Those four shifters were already armed and dangerous with their beasts just under the surface of their skins … Declan too …
He had the urge to kill every last one of them, but that would get him nowhere, they’d keep coming until the job was done, and by then his mate might find herself under a death sentence too.
She seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble.
He had Ronald’s word that they wouldn’t end Lucy. That was good enough for him. But, Malachi would get her off the mountain no matter what.
He nodded, just once, showing his respect to the elder before he turned his attention towards the four shifters that had a mind to end him.
“I can’t say that my bear won’t make a fight of it. It has a lot to live for.” Declan growled.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Frost said, with a nod of respect for Declan.
“I can’t say that I’ll go down that easily either…” Malachi said as he dropped down from the darkness of the trees onto the frozen ground just off to the right of the men.
“This is no place for you, Malachi,” Ronald offered as the four shifters turned towards him. Unrest settled easily within them…
“I thought this was a great place for me – like fight club, and let’s face it why should the shifters have all the fun?” Malachi offered back. There was an amusement in the tone to his voice, but his eyes were hard as he stared back at them…
“Declan…” Ronald bit out.
“Malachi, leave…” Declan growled towards his friend.
“Nah …” the vampire just shrugged his shoulders.
“You need to take Lucy with you when you go,” Declan reminded him and Malachi bit down on his annoyance.
“Oh, I intend to do that too,” Malachi assured him. The vampire had no intention of dying there that night, but if he did…
“Malachi…” Declan growled a warning at the man.
His bear was itching for a fight, and he’d rather it not be with the vampire, but right then and there the damn bear was so twitchy that it could have burst out from within him at any moment…
Malachi looked to Ronald. The elder stared back at him, unimpressed that he was stepping into shifter territory. It wasn’t his business and they both knew it, but he just couldn’t see himself sitting this one out and doing nothing…
“Stop this…” Malachi tried one more time.
“I wish that was in my control,” Ronald offered back, and Frost tossed a quick look back at the elder over his shoulder.
Nobody took that very first step that would kick off the journey to hell and back, muscles might have been twitching as they all waited for the damn shoe to drop, but nobody seemed to want to start the ball rolling…
Then the sound of the cabin door being yanked open sent Declan’s head around to see his mate come rushing out into the night … and a heartbeat later all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
~
Everything seemed to happen at once. As Lucy rushed out into the night and snatched Declan’s attention away from the
four men, Clay rushed towards him, sensing the opportunity to act while the bear shifter was distracted…
Frost roared out at the sight of the man attacking without honour, and Declan’s head snapped back around just in time to see the razor sharp claws coming through the air towards him…
Malachi noted the movement of two of the other shifter’s and he was torn between protecting Lucy and taking them down…
“No honour…” Frost bit out towards the elder as the alpha wolf shook his head with disdain at his companions. They weren’t a part of his pack, if they were then he would have killed them himself…
Ronald took one step forward, the rush to stop this in its tracks swept through him … the look on Lucy’s face … the way the men had started the attack … the vampire rushing forward to intervene … it wasn’t right, but it had already begun …
In that one moment; Declan’s bear burst from within him, and the roar that came from the beast’s lips told him that the bear was hungry for the taste of blood upon his tongue…
Malachi moved fast, stepping into the path of one of the shifters and flinging him across the open terrain without much effort at all … Declan’s bear was facing the other two men; their claws were down and their fangs were out, and both knew that the bear wasn’t about to go gently…
Lucy stopped in her tracks at the sight of Declan shifting into his beast as the bear burst from within him, it was a sight to behold and she’d never seen anyone shift before, let alone her mate.
The bear was magnificent. Gloriously so, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. She didn’t see his fangs and claws, all she saw was a beautiful creature that was hers, all hers…
“No…” her eyes took in the two shifters that were circling around on either side of the bear … she had to fight to snap her eyes towards the elder. He was staring right back at her… “No … please … no…” Lucy mouthed the words as barely a whisper, but the old man just looked away…