Waking Her Bear: A Hot Paranormal Fantasy with Witches, Werebears, and Werewolves (Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Book 8)

by Vella Day

  “I’m healing faster by the second,” Zane said.

  “Good. By the time I’m done, you should be back to normal.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Missy lifted her T-shirt over her head and tossed him her shirt. When he moved the material to his face and inhaled, he closed his eyes and groaned. “My bear just woke up.”

  She loved how he always made her feel so special. “I’m hoping to wake up more than just your bear.”

  Zane laughed, and the sound brought intense joy. Encouraged by his sudden new health, she unzipped her shorts then turned around. Bending over, she wiggled her rear and slowly eased the shorts over her hips.

  “I can’t take it any longer. Come here.”

  “No. Be patient.”

  “I almost died. Or rather I might have died before you brought me back to life. I have to touch you.”

  Missy wanted to touch him too, but the experience would be heightened if he could last a little bit longer. She turned around and waggled a finger at him. “Stay right there. You’ll get all you want in a moment.”

  Zane tossed her what he probably thought was his most wickedly angry face. All she could do was laugh.

  “It’s not funny. I’m in agony,” he said as he grabbed his hard shaft and pumped his fist up and down.

  “Don’t you dare come. That’s my job.”

  He let go. “Then hurry up.”

  What an infuriating man. Missy stepped out of her shorts and then crawled onto the bed. “Since you’re so anxious, how about helping me out of the rest of my clothes?”

  “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.”

  As if he’d never had a run in with the demon, he dragged her to the mattress and climbed on top of her. His scent had already invaded her soul, and she couldn’t wait to be with him again. This time, it would be the start of a new life.

  “The first thing that needs to come off is this bra,” he said with a smile. Zane reached behind her, looking for the clasp. “What the—”

  “This one is different from the others. It’s an easy-off bra. Just slip it over my head.”

  “You’re trying to drive me crazy.”

  “I am.”

  Zane climbed off her and helped lift the tight material over her breasts, his amulet pulsing bright.

  “How about I ride you for a change?” She licked her lips, wanting to entice him more.

  “I’d like that.”

  Because it would be easier if she took off her panties instead of having Zane contort his body to get them off, she removed them then tossed her undies on the floor. Thankfully, he was already naked. Straddling him, she pounced on his lips, savoring his sweetness. This was the man she loved, the man who was everything to her. Zane, or rather Zanedar Barons, was all goodness and power. Missy had no doubt that if he set his mind to it, he could conquer anything.

  He delved his tongue into her mouth and she dueled for position. Each thrust and parry sent her reeling, her blue sparks shooting off in every direction. Needing to feel the tug of his lips on her breasts, she lifted up and put her left nipple against his mouth. Zane sucked on it and groaned.

  “You are so beautiful,” he telepathed, as he swirled his tongue around one peak while he massaged the other. She wiggled her hips, sliding her slick sex across his cock. When he turned to the other breast, he clasped her hips and pressed her downward. The added friction had her aura pulsing an intense blue. Whether it was that she’d almost lost him or that her need to be with her mate was just so strong, Missy wasn’t certain. What she had no doubt about was that she had to have him now.

  “I need you inside me,” she panted. Zane released her, allowing her to rise to her knees. Reaching between her legs, she grabbed his big cock and aimed it at her entrance. Because she was so turned on, when she dropped down, she encompassed almost all of him.

  “Holy fuck!” he muttered.

  His eyes had lightened so much they were practically gold. Zane once more clamped down on her hips and rose up, impaling her fully. Stretched to the max, she leaned over and kissed him. The man was such a beast.

  With their lips locked, they made love to the fullest. The first few thrusts were slow and easy, but once they began their exploration, they both went wild. She grabbed his head and kissed him harder. Missy wanted him so deep inside her until they became one. Time lost all meaning as her glow grew.

  Needing air, she broke the kiss. Before she could return to the wonders of his lips, Zane slid his mouth down to her neck. The thought of him biting her sharpened her teeth and caused her own scalp to itch. It took her a second to realize her bear was trying to escape, and she couldn’t let that happen.

  On the next thrust, Zane dug his teeth into her neck, and Missy did the same to him. The divine sensation caused her blue aura to encompass both of them and pushed her over her climactic cliff. Bolts of pleasure pierced her body, and she soared higher than she ever had in her life.

  As Zane’s hot seed exploded inside her, his body shot off blue sparks too, confirming they truly had joined, and Missy couldn’t be any happier.

  She closed her eyes and imagined she was speeding back through a portal to his world to see what life had been like in his time. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight, making her feel cherished and protected.

  Both of them must have fallen asleep because when Zane jerked, she awoke. When Missy opened her eyes, he smiled.

  “Hi there, beautiful,” Zane said.

  Missy chuckled. “Hi yourself, handsome. I think we need to clean up.” Actually, it was a little too late for that.

  She slipped off him and rushed to the bathroom. After grabbing a washcloth, she cleaned herself then returned to Zane. Once he was clean, she tossed the cloth into the bathroom sink then crawled back into bed. Truly content, she fell asleep in his arms.

  *

  Light streamed through the window, waking her up. When she opened her eyes, Zane as looking at her with a smile on his face. “Did you sleep?” she asked.

  “Better than ever.”

  “I think we should stay in bed all day. You can call in sick,” she suggested.

  “As much as I would like nothing more than to make love with you all day long, I have a lot of catching up to do and a lot of money to make. You don’t want a slacker on your hands, do you?”

  Zane was anything but a slacker. “No.”

  He tapped her butt. “Then let me up. It’s past eight.”

  “You can’t go back to work. You almost died.”

  “I’m good.”

  “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  Zane laughed. “Sweetheart, I was born ready.”

  Her cell rang, and while Missy really didn’t want to get up, she did. Zane seemed eager to get back on his feet anyway.

  Naked, she rushed to the living room and picked up her phone off the dining room table. “Hello?”

  “Missy, this is Anna’s mom, Merry.”

  The anguish in the woman’s heart caused her to grab the top of the chair. “What’s wrong?”

  “Anna is in labor, and Dalton is freaking out. He took her to the hospital, and the doctor said she’s due any minute.”

  That was earlier than planned. “We’ll be right over. Thank you for calling.”

  As soon as she hung up, she realized she should have asked Anna’s mom who else she’d notified. Not knowing if she’d contacted Izzy or Teagan, she called both and told them the good news. They said they’d meet her there.

  “Who was that?” Zane asked. For a large man, he sure could sneak up on her.

  “Anna’s in labor. I need to go to the hospital.”

  “Let me get dressed,” he said. “I’ll come with you.”

  She loved that he was willing to be with her and her friend. “I thought you had to go to work.”

  “It can wait. I want to support you.”

  “You are the best.”

  Missy dressed quickly and in less than fifteen minutes they’d arr
ived at the hospital. In the waiting room, Missy spotted Anna’s mom and rushed up to her. “How is she?”

  “I don’t know. Dalton is in there with her. He said as soon as the baby is born, he’ll let us know.”

  Elana and Kalan were there also. A few minutes later, Teagan, Kip, Rye, and Izzy charged in. A minute after that Mom and Dad arrived. Needless to say, the waiting room was rather crowded.

  Mom came up to them and held out her hand. “Hello, you must be Zane.”

  Missy should have introduced them.

  “Yes, I am. Nice to finally meet you.”

  “I’m glad to see you’ve recovered.”

  “I have, thanks to Missy.”

  Her mom hugged her and then Zane. “I’m so happy for you two. How’s Anna?”

  Before she could even answer, a beaming Dalton rushed in. “Baby Tanya has arrived. She’s six pounds three ounces and is twenty inches long. Anna is just glowing.”

  They all surrounded him and gave him their congratulations. “When can we see her?” Elana asked.

  “In a few minutes.”

  The room exploded with cheer, and soon the conversation turned to Izzy, who was the next to deliver. Not that Missy was jealous, but she’d always dreamed of having a large family. For years, she’d been resigned to the fact that at her age it just wasn’t going to happen. Now that she’d found Zane, the possibility of a family was more real.

  One by one they visited with Anna. Because it was clear she needed her rest, Missy told her friend that they’d be over in a few days to see how she was doing. Not wanting to upset her, Missy didn’t bring up the trouble Zane had with Vinea and the demon. Later, when her friend was feeling better, she’d tell her the whole story.

  “You up for a run?” Zane asked as soon as they slipped into the car.

  “You nearly died two days ago, not to mention you have been unconscious most of the time since. You don’t need to be running.”

  “I beg to differ. I should be in my bear form to finish the healing process.”

  “You said you don’t need your bear to heal.”

  “I don’t, but he does a better job.”

  “Okay, but no running full out.”

  “Ah, so this is how it’s going to be? You’re going to boss me around?” He winked.

  Missy laughed. “Hardly. I imagine if you play your cards right, you can get me to do anything you want.”

  “If there is one thing I’m good at, it’s playing cards. In my day, we didn’t have much to do at night, so we often played poker.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She wasn’t sure if he really understood what she meant, but that was part of Zane’s charm.

  The best place to run free was close to Silver Lake. The land was flat, which meant it wouldn’t tax Zane. Missy wasn’t positive he was one hundred percent, though after the amazing lovemaking session, she didn’t know why she doubted him.

  Once they reached the lake, they quickly undressed and stashed their clothes on top of the boulders nearby. Missy then lifted off his amulet and tucked it under his clothes. “We can’t lose this again.”

  Zane smiled. “No.”

  Just seeing his naked body again had her wanting to slam him against the rock and do him right there.

  “Why don’t you?” he asked with way too much cheer in his voice.

  “Why don’t I what?”

  “Did you forget I can hear your thoughts when they are about me?”

  Heat raced up her face. “I guess I need to be more careful.”

  Zane approached her and pressed her lightly against the cool rock slab. “I’m always willing.”

  “I know.” She glanced to the sky. “The moon isn’t quite full. Do you think this will work?” She didn’t know why she was so unsure of herself. After all, she had shifted once.

  “I don’t see why not, but just in case, close your eyes.” Missy did as he suggested. “I want you to picture your head on my chest.”

  “Like when you were injured and we were lying side by side?”

  “Yes.” She could see where he was going with this. “I don’t feel anxious anymore. Thank you.”

  He grabbed her hand. “Open your eyes.”

  “Now what?”

  “Run with me, clearing your head of all bad thoughts. Embrace the wonders of being a bear.”

  Missy didn’t have time to think before he took off, practically dragging her along next to him. He let go seconds before he shifted, and a trickle of fear seeped in that she wouldn’t be able shift at will.

  Then a strong ache nearly crushed her as her bones cracked, and her vision turned black.

  “Relax,” said Zane’s voice in her head. “I’m here.”

  Knowing she wasn’t alone helped ease the transition from human to bear. A few seconds later, she was on all fours.

  Zane stopped, stood on two feet, and roared. Had she been in her human form, she would have laughed.

  “Come on,” he telepathed.

  As she lumbered after him, all of her anxieties disappeared. When she’d shifted the last time, she’d only moved a few feet. Now she had the chance to run.

  The sun had just set, and the air was cooling off. Once more, Zane stopped in the middle of a large field and rolled on his back. Wanting to play, she jumped on top of him. Being considerably smaller than Zane, it was easy to rub against him without doing any harm. In turn, Zane was even gentler. Missy’s bear scooted up his body and rubbed her nose against his. Even in their bear forms, her loved poured out of her.

  Some squirrels ran past them, and Missy decided Zane had enough excitement for one day.

  “Want to go for a swim?” she telepathed.

  “Human or bear? Either way works for me.”

  While the shifters thought nothing of nudity, it would take her a while to get used to it. However, what better way to begin than by swimming with Zane?

  Human. Race you to the lake in my bear form, she telepathed.

  Once she rolled off him, Zane headed straight for the water. When he was less than ten feet away, he shifted into his human form. Without breaking stride, he dove into the lake.

  There was no turning back now. Concentrating on her human form, she changed with little effort this time. While her bones cracked and her vision blurred somewhat, the pain was far less. She looked around to make sure no one was there and then joined Zane. Life with him was going to be such an adventure.

  The End

  *

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  I hoped you enjoyed Missy and Zane’s story. Up next is Vinea and Devon’s story—MELTING HER WOLF’S HEART. Here’s the first chapter.

  Chapter One

  ‡

  Vinea Summer’s best friend, EmmaLee Donovan, leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. Her dark blonde hair hung down over her face, but it failed to block the circles under her eyes. “You’ve got to go back to Silver Lake, Vinea, or the guilt will eat you alive.”

  Vinea jumped off the bed in her efficiency apartment and paced. “And leave you?”

  Not only was EmmaLee her best friend, she might be her only one. Vinea wouldn’t feel as guilty about leaving if EmmaLee’s boyfriend didn’t use her as a punching bag. That kind of violence cut Vinea to the core.

  To think six months ago she’d never experienced compassion on any level. Now guilt and the desire to make amends were her constant companions. Ever since Devon McKinnon held her down under water against the pink quartz, she’d changed, erasing the goddess of the dark realm forever. In its place was a down-and-out waitress, taking orders from demanding people then smiling about it. No wonder her boss, Androf, god of the dark, told her killing her wasn’t enough of a punishment for her failures. To him, developing a conscience was worse than death. Well, the laugh was on him. She might be staying in a dump, but at
least she’d stopped hurting people.

  EmmaLee stood and hugged her. “You have to go back and make things right. It hurts me to see you like this.”

  “You’re right. I do need to set some things straight, but so do you.”

  Her friend waved a dismissive hand. “Slater doesn’t mean it when he hits me. He just drinks too much sometimes, that’s all. He’s real sorry afterward.”

  In the past, Vinea wouldn’t have thought a thing about such violence, but not anymore. “He’s no good for you. Trust me, I know bad when I see it.”

  EmmaLee returned to her chair and crossed her arms. They’d had this discussion many times. “Slater’s a good man at heart.” She looked up at her. “At least he’s nothing like those evil beings you were with.”

  Her sweet friend was so naïve to the ways of the world, and in some ways that was a good thing. “That’s not saying much. They are gods after all. But just because Slater is a mere moral doesn’t mean he can’t hurt others as much as gods can.”

  EmmaLee and she were an unlikely pair, but it was her friend’s love and belief in the supernatural that had bonded them in the first place. Vinea could still remember the look of awe on her face when EmmaLee had caught her changing her clothes with a wave of her hand. Instead of freaking out, EmmaLee wanted to know more. Desperate to talk to someone about all the changes Vinea had been experiencing, she told her everything.

  Vinea stabbed a hand through her hair. “You’re right. I hurt Devon badly, and I need to explain to him why.”

  “From what you said, you hurt a lot more people than him.”

  Vinea laughed. “You’re not going to let me forget are you?”

  EmmaLee jumped up again and rushed over. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up the bad memories.”

  “It’s okay. I was a bad person back then; a real bad person. When I was a goddess in the dark realm, I thought nothing of doing unspeakable acts. It’s hard for me to even believe I was that person.”

  Her friend hugged her again. “What can I do to help?”