by Meg Ripley
She smiled at him and shrugged her shoulder, turning her head to look at Mrs. Vinson, sitting on the couch with Lucas in her lap. “We’re mothers. I should’ve thought about that, since I’ve experienced it so many times at the clinic. You put two moms together in a room and they always have something to talk about. Of course, there’s also the fact that your mom is so sweet and loving, and caring and open. You’re very lucky.”
“I am,” he agreed, but not just because of his mother. There was so much more going on in his life. “And speaking of, there’s something I want to talk to you about later.”
She raised an eyebrow, and Gabe had the feeling she was going to demand that he tell her right away, but the party saved him. “I’m going in the kitchen to get the cake, if you’d organize everyone to start singing please.”
“Of course.” He swung Lucas into the highchair they’d set up in the living room on top of a large sheet of plastic. Amar turned down the lights as Emersyn entered the room with the cake, the candlelight glowing on her face and enhancing her enchanting features.
He realized as he was watching his friends and family sing to his son just how lucky he really was. He didn’t know he even had a son until a few short weeks ago, and there he was celebrating his first birthday. Gabe was absolutely determined, no matter what, that he would be there for all the other birthdays, too. He had a lot of fathering to make up for, not just for Lucas, but for himself. He would do all the right things, even the things that were hard. At this early stage, he didn’t even know exactly what all those things were, but he knew he was committed to doing them.
“Happy birthday to you!” The song finished. Gabe and Emersyn bent down, one on each side of Lucas, and blew out his candle for him. Emersyn quickly whisked the hot candle away and they stood back, watching as Lucas studied the cake in front of him. He reached out a pudgy, tentative finger and poked at the icing, bringing it back to his mouth and tasting it with uncertainty. His eyes lit up as he realized what he was actually eating. Lucas didn’t hesitate then to grab a handful of the sweet treat with his fist and shove it in his mouth to the applause of everyone else in the room.
Gabe laughed, thrilled at seeing such delight on his son’s face. Lucas noticed and offered his daddy a fistful of cake. He nibbled it out of his hand, never wanting this moment to end. The boy giggled in delight and began offering gobs of cake to everyone in attendance.
When everyone had cake—either from a plate of their own or from Lucas’s offerings—and the mess had been cleaned up, it was time for presents. The baby sat on Emersyn’s lap as she helped him peel back the brightly colored paper. Gabe put the bows on Lucas’s head, eliciting more giggles. He watched as his son’s excitement and energy wound further and further up. He hadn’t understood exactly what was happening when Emersyn had carried him into the decorated room, but the further they got into the party, the more animated he became. Lucas clapped his hands, laughed, and wiggled delightedly, his eyes shining as he registered that all these people were gathered there for him.
The presents finished and Emersyn handed the baby over to Mrs. Vinson, who eagerly took him while Emersyn and Gabe’s sisters went about picking up all the wrapping paper and pouring some punch. As his grandmother pressed a kiss to his forehead and Lucas’s sugar-fueled enthusiasm reached its final peak, something changed in his eyes. Gabe had been about to help Hannah with the punch when he saw it, and he froze. He hadn’t known Lucas long, but that look was something unmistakable. He grabbed Emersyn’s arm as she passed by him with a bag full of wrapping paper and tipped his head toward Lucas.
She turned just in time to see it. Lucas was still just a tiny thing, but he had an alertness in his eyes as he sought out his parents. He gripped Mrs. Vinson’s thumb, squeezing tightly and alerting her that something was amiss. Gabe and Emersyn slowly moved forward, wanting to comfort him, but not alarm him. The rest of the room fell silent as they realized something was happening.
“It’s all right,” Emersyn whispered, tears in her eyes. “You’re okay. Just let it come.” She made no move to take him away from Mrs. Vinson, knowing as Gabe did that it might stop the process.
It was painful to watch as Lucas as his tiny body began to writhe and shake. He wrinkled up his eyes, looking like he was going to cry, but the expression alternated with a smile. Gabe knew that feeling. It was such a wonderful thing sometimes to shed the human form and let out the animal out, releasing all the energy and tension of the world in a simple shift that allowed one to get in touch with their true selves. But it was also scary in certain ways. Gabe had been shifting for a long time, so it’d become second nature, but that didn’t mean he’d forgotten the pain that could come along with bones cracking and distorting, organs that moved swiftly to accommodate the new body, the slight alteration in blood flow.
Lucas kicked out with one leg, and when it came to rest on Mrs. Vinson’s lap, it was covered in dark fur. Gabe’s heart leaped in his chest, but he waited, knowing that even though his son was finally showing signs of his shifter nature, a bit of fur wasn’t enough to let them know exactly what he was inside.
The baby stared at his own leg in wonder for a moment before the change took over the rest of his body. He turned and buried his face in his grandmother’s shoulder, and she cradled him gently as the boy’s limbs thickened. His chubby baby body grew more barrel-like, showing a strength and musculature that his human side didn’t quite possess, and his tiny little fingernails turned to little black blunt claws. His face changed rapidly, the adorable baby cheeks racing forward to create a long muzzle with a little dark nose on the end of it.
“He’s a bear,” Gabe breathed. It was the most glorious thing he’d ever seen in his entire life. His son was a bear.
“Just like you,” Emersyn agreed, a catlike smile on her face.
“Haha! What a delightful little cub you are!” Mrs. Vinson enthused, snuggling Lucas close.
“I’m so relieved,” Emersyn admitted. “All this time, I’ve been watching him for signs of a shift. I thought for sure we’d see an ear or a paw or maybe even a bit of fur, but not a full change all at once!”
Melody wrapped her friend in a hug. “I guess he was just saving it all up for the big day! Congratulations!” She let go of Emersyn to hug Gabe as well. In fact, everyone in the room was hugging and patting backs, charged with the good news.
Gabe scooped Lucas up in his arms, wondering at the thick coat of dark brown fur and the adorable little face. “You’re one good-looking little man, either way.”
Lucas’s sudden shifting made the party last even longer than they’d originally planned, even though the baby’s bear form didn’t last for more than a few minutes. He’d hardly even noticed that the sun had set for all the joy that filled the room with light. “I’ve got to get you guys over to your hotel. It’s getting late.”
“I’ll do it,” Melody offered. “You two spend time with the birthday boy.” She gave Emersyn a wink before heading out to help Mrs. Vinson into the car.
“What was that about?” Gabe walked up to Emersyn, who stood at the kitchen sink, washing out the last of the dishes. When they’d spent the evening out at the bonfire in the woods, they’d tossed around the idea of taking things slow. It’d been much harder than he’d ever imagined, and even now, he couldn’t help putting his hands on her hips and sliding his arms around to embrace her from behind.
She leaned her head on his shoulder in a backward version of a hug before resuming her chore. “Oh, nothing.”
“Is that so?” He rested his chin on her shoulder and inhaled her scent. The flowery fragrance of her perfume mingled perfectly with the natural essence of her skin, and it never failed to make his bear wake up and take notice.
“There’s just something I wanted to talk to you about, but I wanted to wait until the moment was right.” She rinsed a plate and set it in the drying rack.
“And is the moment right?” He’d teased her in almost the same way just an hour or two
ago, and yet he found himself without any patience to know what it was. He kissed the side of her neck. “Lucas is upstairs asleep, so it seems to me we have plenty of moments.”
Emersyn dried her hands and turned around in his arms, draping her hands on his neck. “Maybe so. But that doesn’t mean any of them are the right moments. It’s something kind of big, and we’ve already had quite a big event today.”
“That’s true, and I don’t think you just mean our son turning one.” Gabe smiled and rested his forehead against hers, still blown away by Lucas’s remarkable transformation. “Can you believe it?”
“I can, given that he’s your son and just as stubborn and determined as you are.”
He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. There was so much love in his heart for her. Gabe knew that some of it was because his life had been completely changed by the ancient dragon ceremony that had not only enhanced their telepathic link, but given him a vivid look inside her mind and her life. It was hard to imagine having that happen with no change to someone’s life. Even so, he knew he’d loved her even before that. “You’re right. I can be stubborn and determined. Is it always a bad thing?”
“No,” she said slowly, drawing out the word so that he knew she suspected there was more coming.
The moment might not be right for what she wanted to say, but he knew it was right for him. He couldn’t wait any longer. “And if I said I didn’t want to take things slowly between the two of us any longer because I simply can’t stand the idea of having a wall between us when we don’t have to, then would that be a bad thing?”
Emersyn tipped her head back. “I don’t think so, but I’m certainly eager to hear more details.”
“I love you, Em. I’m crazy about you. I thought it would be enough for a while that we would live in the same house and work together, but it’s just wrong that we still go our own ways at the end of the night. I wanted to ask you if you’d consider moving in with me.”
“No.” Her answer was quick, but she was still smiling.
“Too fast?”
“No.” Her smile broadened, showing her perfect teeth. “It doesn’t make any sense to move into your suite since there’s not a nursery like there is in mine. And I’m not sure I’d want to uproot Lucas again. I know it would be just down the hall a bit, but I think he likes his little room.”
“Oh.” Disappointment rushed through his body. The two of them had been doing so well together, and he’d genuinely thought she was going to say yes. He dropped his hands from her waist, not wanting to make her feel like he was rushing things. “I understand.”
“But,” she said with a grin, taking his hands and putting them back on her waist, “now seems like the right time to tell you what I wanted to say.”
“Which is?” He was intrigued. Emersyn was always good at keeping things new between them.
“Believe it or not, I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to move in with me. The nursery is right there, and I’ve got a gorgeous view out the window.”
He pulled her close, laughing at himself for thinking she could feel any other way than this. They’d been operating in perfect sync for the last couple of weeks. He pressed his lips to hers, enjoying her taste all over again as his hands skated across her back. “I happen to think it’s the view inside your room that’s the best.”
She laughed and kissed him back. “So I can take that as a yes?”
“Without a doubt.” He felt his body coming to life as her fingertips tickled the back of his neck and his tongue twirled with hers. Both the bear inside and the human he wore on the outside were utterly obsessed with this woman, and he would spend the rest of his life making sure she knew that. “Are you sure you can handle living with two bears instead of just one?”
Emersyn tipped her head and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling as though she were thinking. “Well, you’re both pretty cute, so I think I can handle it. And what about you? This cat is pretty cranky in the morning before she gets her coffee.”
“Then I’ll make sure you have as much as you need stocked at all times.” He locked his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground, carrying her over his shoulder, out of the kitchen, and up the stairs. “For now, I think there’s something we both need.”
She laughed as she dangled over his back, pretending to pound him with your fists. “Put me down you big beast!”
Reaching her door, he flipped her back onto her feet but held onto her waist. “Nope. I’m never letting go of you again.”
Emersyn reached behind her back for the doorknob, and he followed her into the room. The only thing that was really changing was the room he slept in. To some, that might look like they were still taking things slow, but Gabe knew it was so much more. It meant going to sleep with her in his arms. It meant waking up to see the morning sun shining on her curves. It meant being right there for Lucas if he woke up in the middle of the night and needed his parents.
It meant everything, and he had it all.
THE END
Amar
Amar landed heavily on the back deck, exhilarated from his flight and wishing it could’ve lasted longer. Even a short trip was risky considering what a densely populated area Los Angeles was, but the wild hills behind the house made it a little easier. He allowed his body to melt back down into his human form. The shimmering black scales rippled as they flipped over to reveal his skin once again, and his spine compressed as he lost his tail and the length of his dragon body. As a man, he was still stronger than most. His time as a Special Forces Officer had assured that. Still, there was a powerful element to his inner beast that was hard to resist. He left his wings for last, spreading them out and giving them one last shake in the moonlight before he tucked them away into his back.
The expansive house looked like any typical southern California mansion to anyone else, but it served as the headquarters for the new L.A. unit of the Special Ops Shifter Force. It was not only their central office but their home, as the sizable bedroom suites were so much like apartments. It was quiet now, with most of the members having already gone to bed, and he stepped into the kitchen to find a little something to eat before he did the same.
The lights were already on, and he found Garrison sitting at the kitchen table. The plate in front of him held several different kinds of deli meat, a sizzling pile of bacon, and two chicken legs. Amar didn’t judge. The meal was fit for a dragon, which was exactly what Garrison was when he wasn’t human. “Leave any for the rest of us?” he joked.
Garrison smiled. “With all the carnivores in this house, it would be crazy not to have plenty on hand.”
Amar opened the fridge, finding a smoked ham and carrying the entire platter to the table. “But there will be fewer carnivores in here soon enough. I understand you’re leaving tomorrow.”
The other dragon swallowed, his face serious. “That was the plan.”
“But?” Garrison had helped start the original SOS Force in D.C. and had come to the West Coast to get the new L.A. recruits settled. The other two members that’d come out with him were already gone, and Garrison was set to follow suit, but Amar detected a hint of trouble in his voice.
“I happened to be monitoring the communications system tonight and got some information that makes me feel I should stay.”
As the Alpha of the L.A. unit, Amar didn’t know if he should be insulted or not. “I wouldn’t worry about us. We had a bit of trouble with those biker gangs, but that’s only because the five of us were still new to each other.” They’d had a bit of a rough start for a number of reasons, but Amar was still confident of their skills and experience.
Wiping bacon grease from his fingers, Garrison sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not that. It’s just something I don’t think any of us has dealt with before, and it concerns me. We know shifters. We know how they act. We know what motivates them. We are them. But this is something wholly different.”
“I promise you I’m on
the edge of my seat,” Amar said coolly. If Garrison wanted to drag this out, then so be it. He’d find out eventually.
Garrison ran a hand through his deep black hair. “I got a report about vampires. And the fact that this report is coming from shifters has me infinitely concerned.”
“The fact that we’re talking about blood-sucking creatures of the night doesn’t?” Amar challenged. “I like a good horror movie myself every now and then, but it seems to me that maybe whoever reported this is letting their imagination get away with them.” He dug into the smoked ham, enjoying the saltiness of it.
“That was my first instinct, too, but think about it. If you walked up to a human man on the street and told him you could shift into a dragon at will, he’d laugh in your face. Yet here you are, as am I. There are other supernatural beings in this world. Maybe a vampire isn’t so far-fetched.” He lifted his hand in the air, floating the idea for consideration.
Amar pursed his lips as he nodded. “That’s a good point. I suppose a dragon shouldn’t be so closed-minded. You don’t have to stay, though. We’ll get all the information downloaded and decide what to do about it.” Amar liked Garrison and respected him, but he was also eager to be set free to run this group on his own.
“Are you sure? I’m only asking because this is such an odd situation. You might be dealing with all sorts of elements you wouldn’t expect.” He reached forward and snatched another strip of bacon, unable to resist the temptation.
Amar understood. The carnivore side of him was impossible to repress, and anyone else in the house would be lucky if they got a chance at this ham. He also understood the uncertainty of the mission ahead, but that was something he craved. “You know, the missions I ran as an SFO were like that. Sure, we gathered what intelligence we could about a given region and its people, and we always had maps from the latest satellite imagery, but we never knew exactly what we were getting into. War zones change on an hourly basis, and so do people’s loyalties when they’re being pressed. As far as I know, I didn’t encounter any vampires while I was there, but I learned to think on my feet well enough to handle it regardless.”