by Hazel Gower
Chapter 4
Nara
Sex had been better than any feeling she could have imagined.
Being alone with a bunch of women for years she’d heard many things…well, seen them from the women’s minds was more like it. They’d tried to keep her out of those types of discussions, but it was hard to keep her shield up so she didn’t hear people’s thoughts or see something she shouldn’t, and when she was younger, she didn’t have the control like she did now. Her mother had spent hours sitting with her and explaining everything she’d seen to the best of her ability to a young girl, she got more in-depth as Nara got older. Nara’s father helped her build her walls. Her mother never needed a shield like her father and her had, but her mother had tried her best to further her wall strengths when her father died.
“What has you thinking so hard?” Grayson gently stroked her shoulder and down her arm.
Blinking to focus her scattered thoughts, she smiled at him. “My parents. Them helping me learn to control my ability and build a wall so I could function and not be flooded with everyone’s thoughts.”
He moved to the side to face her and leaned on his elbow. “How does it work, your mind reading? Do you know Kirby? She’s Rane’s mate. Rane is Kane and Arden’s brother. So that makes Kirby your sister’s sister-in-law. She can talk to animals and control them if she wants or needs to.”
“I don’t know how it works. I’m still learning. I can so far read any human’s mind if I try, but you shifters and the demons are harder.” She could easily read Grayson now, but she wondered if it was because he was her mate.
“You said you could read the demons, but how much?” He sat up and wiggled back and stared at her, eager for her answers.
Nara hated getting glimpses into demon’s minds. They were always so violent and chaotic. “Their thoughts were mostly scattered to me. I got images here and there and words, but I tried hard to stay out of their thoughts. It was mostly destruction and reliving of killings they’d done.”
Closing her eyes, she groaned as some of the things she’d seen and heard from demons flashed before her and rebounded around her brain. She inwardly groaned as she saw the demon king, Lucifer, rejoice in killing thousands of beings. She knew they weren’t human, and she’d seen images of shifters thanks to other demons, but these beings were an off-green, brown color and had no nose but three little holes. She watched as Lucifer used a device to enter their world before he started his slaughter. It was the first day she really realized that the demons were aliens. Nara had thought that the demons came from Earth and lived underground. Nara knew she should tell everything she knew to Grayson, but she didn’t want to relive, see, or hear any of the demons’ thoughts again.
Still, she had to help, because she could never go back. Now she knew freedom, she never wanted to be captured again. “I’ve seen the device Lucifer uses.”
Grayson’s mind exploded with so many different thoughts she had to concentrate to get them all and find what he wanted her to say. He went from wanting to beg her to tell him every miniature detail, to being terrified of what her knowledge could do in the wrong hands, to realizing that what she’d seen meant that she knew about aliens, and he was also worried that if he told his friends they might frighten her when they demanded access to her and hounded her for every detail. He settled on just wanting her to be happy and to wait until she was ready to tell the shifters everything she knew. Nara knew that the last one was the hardest, but she loved him for putting her first.
Loved. Holy moly. She loved Grayson. How did that happen and so quickly? As she thought of everything since meeting him, like giving her space when she needed it, being patient with Nara when he taught her how to swim, and doing activities just for her, like the cooking classes with her sister and the swimming every day. He always made sure she was happy. It made sense now why she fell so quickly.
Sitting up, she smiled at Grayson. “Today is your day. Let’s do whatever you want to do.”
His smirk sent a nice shiver through her. He was sexy. “Anything?”
She nodded and let out a squeal of a giggle as he covered her and rolled so he was on top. His lips crashed down on hers as his hands explored.
“Let’s start the day how I want then.” His hands glided down her body as he slid down the sheet, and she basked in his touch. She had a feeling she was going to enjoy her day.
* * * *
Grayson
“You do know this is not what I thought you would want to do.”
Grayson barely had to move as Nara tried a roundhouse kick with no oomph to it at all. “It’s important you learn to defend yourself. Do you really not want to learn?”
If she really didn’t want to learn, he would be okay with it. He knew all the other mates learned and they taught the children from the age of two—well, the shifter children that young, the humans started a little later. His own pack had started the children young. His mind wandered to those children. There were never many in his pack as they didn’t seem to have the luck this pack had with finding mates. What happened to those kids? There were five left before his pack split and scattered to different packs, prides, and shifter groups.
He stumbled back a step as Nara’s foot hit him this time. “Find out where they are. I think it’ll be good for you. You know more about your pack being targeted, maybe it might give them the same closure it gave you. I know you were angry when you learned you were being targeted by the demons and they almost wiped you out, but now you have hope, I see it, or hear it.” She rose and tapped his forehead with her index finger.
Grayson wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her up, and smashed his lips against hers. She opened her mouth and their tongues tangled as she locked her legs around his hips. “I love how you see and get me.”
Her lips tore from his, and she beamed up at him. “Now this was how I thought we’d spend the day.” She rubbed her chest against him, then a sigh echoed in his head. “You’re right. I should learn to defend myself. I never want to be that timid, scared girl again.” She unhooked her legs and slid down his body. “Let’s continue. I promise I will put more effort into it.”
This time when he showed her how to kick out she put oomph into it. He was proud of her. When Nara put her mind to something she excelled. He intended to add a half-hour lesson to their daily routine until she was caught up enough to train with the other women if she chose to.
“My sister is kicking arse.” Remy came up next to Nara. “How long have you been teaching her?” Remy signed as she spoke.
“Today is her first day. You came just at the right time though.” Grayson winked dramatically, and he was proud of himself that he didn’t stop signing while winking, as he was so used to talking to Nara through projecting his thoughts into her mind. “That was the first time she’s really gotten the kick.”
Remy hugged Nara and then took a step back. “I’m proud of you. I couldn’t do that after my first day.” She stopped signing and hugged Nara again, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
Grayson watched his mate and her sister and noticed the change in Nara; her skin had a healthy flush to it as she took Remy’s praise, but what was even more noticeable was how much they now looked alike with the extra weight Nara had gained. She wasn’t so malnourished. Grayson was happy that he’d waited so long to mate her, as he knew if she went into heat in the state she’d been when he first saw her, she wouldn’t have handled it well, and he would have been terrified if she got pregnant. She needed to be healthier, not just for her peace of mind, but he now realized his.
* * * *
Grayson watched the new recruits; his heart sank, and he mentally groaned at how they worked. This lot didn’t seem to know how to work together as a team. They didn’t know that with a team they needed to learn that they were only as strong as their weakest link.
Griffen, who he was usually partnered with, glared at the men too. Grayson didn’t need Nara around to read minds to tell him that Griffen
agreed with his assessment of the new men.
Ava, before becoming heavily pregnant with triplets, had put any new cocky recruits in their place. She showed the recruits that working together was the best way to survive. He missed her. “I wish Ava wasn’t so pregnant, so she could show these arseholes what they were missing.” Grayson groaned, as Dillan smirked at them as he stretched and ran on the spot to keep his body heat up.
Griffen didn’t respond, but he seemed deep in thought, and Grayson wished Nara was with him. He had a feeling though that Griffen was trying to figure out how they could better educate these new men.
“What up, bitches?” Logan’s smirk spread wider when both Grayson and Griffen growled. Logan knew how much he and Griffen hated being called a female dog.
Logan was a smartarse, but he was a damn good fighter. Grayson thoroughly enjoyed when Ava put Logan in his place. Logan liked to joke—he and Jamie were a lot alike in that way. Logan was a good man, but eighty percent of the time he drove Grayson nuts, but he secretly kind of enjoyed their banter, it broke up all the seriousness. He’d never let Logan know though, because he had a feeling he would get more annoying if Grayson did.
“Shut the fuck up, Logan,” Grayson snarled. His leopard stretched, ready to have some fun with Logan. “I’m feline, not a fucking female wolf or dog, and I can kick your sorry arse. Leopards are the best shifters.” His leopard purred his agreement with their comeback.
Logan dramatically rolled his eyes. “You could try.” He winked at Griffen. “Tell him how Ava would kick his kitty away.”
His leopard huffed, but was enjoying their banter. Grayson let his leopard out to play, snapping his shifting face at Logan. Griffen whacked them both, stopping anything else. “Stop fucking around. We don’t have time for this shit. There is no way I’m taking these new recruits out any time soon, and we fucking need everyone and can’t afford to spend six months training them like we did with your lazy arse, Logan.”
Grayson remembered how fucking hard it had been to train Logan and his brother; they were cocky shits, and since getting shifter mates they had only gotten worse. They were good, almost up to par with shifters.
He listened as Logan figured out the seriousness of what they were discussing and what was going on. Grayson was surprised to find out he’d been training with Bengie, and suggested he help give the new recruits a shock of their new reality. Grayson became even more surprised when Griffen offered up his mate Hope’s help. He knew Griffen must really be desperate for help if he was willing to expose his mate.
On a sigh, he did something he really didn’t want to but knew would be the best for the future. “Fuck.” Grayson scrubbed his face. His shoulders drooped, and he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. His leopard snarled at him, not wanting to share Nara with so many so soon or expose her to possible danger. “I didn’t want to say anything because she’s already been through so much and is really struggling right now, but Nara has heard things she shouldn’t have. She got inside some demons’ heads, but said it was hard to read them as their structure is different from ours, and they’re very twisted and always plotting or dreaming of bad things. She heard things though, plans. I know I should have said something sooner, but it’s taken me so long to build the trust I have with her, and I didn’t want to chance anything that could jeopardize it.”
Griffen patted his back. “I’m sure it will work out. We’ll even make sure Remy is there for support when we talk to her.”
Grayson chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. He knew Remy would protect her sister, but he hoped that Nara wouldn’t see him telling people a betrayal of her trust. “Yeah, Nara adores her sister, and Remy won’t let the elders intimidate Nara. It’s time though.” He didn’t like to admit it, but it was true—it was time to step out of their bubble.
* * * *
Nara
Grayson had been working hard with her, not just on swimming and cooking, but now fighting. He sat and binge-watched shows with her and walked with her along the beach. It seemed like he barely slept, because when he wasn’t doing those things with her he was dealing with the military men and going on patrol.
Remy was spending the day with her today while Grayson got some much-needed work done for his pub. Remy was starting to show her pregnancy and had a little tiny bump. Arden was becoming more and more protective the bigger her stomach got. Remy didn’t take his overprotective ways very seriously; she just brushed them off and did what she wanted.
Her sister had been with her all morning, spending most of it doing Nara’s makeup and choosing clothes and shoes for her. Remy was already dressed and done up with light makeup. Now done, Nara stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was straight and looked shiny and healthy. Nara didn’t have a lot of makeup on, just a light foundation, a sprinkle of pink eye shadow, and a matching lip color. Her dress was black with pink flowers and screamed summer. Her shoes were wedges and easier to walk on than the heels she’d tried before. The person staring back at her was not the girl she looked at in the morning when brushing her teeth; now stood a woman. A beautiful one, even if she said so herself. She not only looked it, but also felt it.
Nara and Remy were spending the day together, and Nara knew they were going somewhere, but Remy hadn’t told her where yet. “We’re going shopping.” Remy stopped signing and grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the door. She stopped to open it and turned to face Nara. “I think we’ll go to the pub later too. You haven’t seen it yet, have you?”
Remy didn’t give her a chance to sign back, so she projected her response to Remy. “I’d love to see Grayson’s pub. I’m not sure about the shops though, Remy. Who would come as our guards?”
As they went through the door Remy sent an image to Nara of her waving her hands and making a sound of blah. Remy latched onto her arm again after she shut the door. She stopped at the black SUV and opened the passenger door, let her go, and turned to her. “Get in. We can totally protect ourselves.” She leaned over and tapped Nara’s forehead before stepping back. “Use your mind reading to help us detect any trouble. We’ll be safe.”
Nara had explained to Remy before how her mind reading worked, but she swore sometimes Remy had selective hearing. “It doesn’t work like that. For that to work I would have to keep my mind open, and I would have way too many thoughts flooding me.” She climbed into the car, shut the door, and put her seatbelt on as Remy went around to the driver’s side and got in and did the same as Nara.
“I have faith that you can do it, even if you scan every half hour or so. And I’ve seen you practicing with Grayson, and you’re getting damn good at protecting yourself now.” Remy turned as she started the engine and winked at her. “I’m not bad if I do say so myself too.” She stopped signing and her hands went onto the wheel.
The drive to the mall took half an hour. Remy projected her thoughts and talked that way while she drove. They spoke about Nara’s swimming lessons and how well she was doing, and Remy told her about Grayson’s pub. Grayson talked about his pub, but hadn’t seemed like he wanted her there. He worried about all the men and didn’t want her around so many others, which she appreciated, but Nara was good at keeping up walls. It helped that shifters weren’t as easy as humans to read and Grayson’s bar was mostly filled with shifters, or so she’d been told.
Remy parked the car on the top level of the car park and got out first, meeting Nara when she opened her door. “Do a scan before we go in and see what is around us. I’m telling you, we’ll be safe.”
Nara let down her shield and shrank back into the seat. Hundreds of thoughts from a lot of different people assaulted her, but none of them were violent, or directed at her or Remy. Slowly, she carefully brought up her shield again. She eased out of the car, and Remy shut the door and pressed the button to lock it. She hooked her arm through Nara’s and together they walked to the entry.
The mall was busy, and Nara checked her shields, happy that they were strong and holding. Remy
didn’t seem at all bothered by the people. Remy dragged her to a shoe shop. Nara knew it would just be the first of many shoe shops they visited. Remy was shoe and clothing crazy. She had a insane number of shoes. Nara had no idea how she still wore those heels being pregnant. Nara couldn’t walk in pointed heels. She could do the wedges, but only since Remy had nagged her to practice. She preferred flats.
Remy let go of her when she reached what she wanted. “Look at these. Aren’t they just to die for?” Remy signed, but Nara read her lips too.
They were pretty shoes, with a heel of about four inches, but the strappy, silver shoes, held diamante type studs over the toes and ankles and blue, sparkle straps that crisscrossed over the foot between the toes strap and ankle.
“They’re pretty. I would never die for clothing or shoes.”
Remy rolled her eyes. “It’s an expression. It just means they are awesome. Oh, look, they have a similar pair in wedges.” She grabbed them and some others and then went to the sales lady who was making her way to them.
Nara opened up her mind to her sister and listened to what was going on. Remy was getting all the shoes she held and more in her size to try on. She also requested some of the wedges in Nara’s size for her to try on.
Remy came back to her with a beaming smile and guided her to the seats. She grabbed Nara’s hands and squeezed. “This is going to be so fun.”
Twelve pairs of shoes later for Remy, and eight pairs of shoes later for herself, Nara knew today was going to be a long one. They went to the register and Remy bought seven pairs of shoes for herself and then turned and raised her brow at Nara, waiting for her to respond to what she wanted. Nara stumbled back though when the price came up for Remy’s shoes. Nara shook her head.
Remy, you can’t buy two thousand, one hundred and twenty-eight dollars’ worth of shoes. That’s ridiculous. I’m not adding to that bill. Nara signed quickly.
Remy waved her hand. “Pish posh.” Remy was getting good at signing now and could do it almost as fast as Nara. Remy usually spoke and signed, so if Nara missed reading her lips she saw it when Remy signed. “That isn’t even what it costs me for two pairs of Louis Vuitton…er, well, not me anymore—Arden buys them for me.” She waved a black card back and forth before she gave it to the sales lady. Remy winked at Nara. “Oh, and you won’t be adding to my bill. Look what I got from Grayson.” Remy thrust another black card in Nara’s face. Nara’s mouth gaped open at what she saw—her name with Grayson’s last name, Leopard.