Star unzipped an outside pocket of her suitcase and crammed in as much of the parachute as she could fit. The rope she wrapped around the case to secure the rest of the billowed material. For all she knew, she might need the rope for something later.
Every few minutes her world spun. She had to close her eyes and take deep breaths to settle the merry-go-round of a rippling creek, trees swaying in the wind, and a rough terrain in an eerie silence. Not too far away was a large boulder. If she could crawl on top of it, she’d have a better view and maybe see Gunner’s red parachute.
A few minutes later, her world had righted itself and stilled. She stood to hobble to the huge grey rock formation. Her ankle hurt from putting weight on it and she stumbled. Determined to do something, anything but lay on this cold ground any longer, she crawled toward a big stick. She could use it as a cane.
See? She wasn’t helpless. Not only had she survived being tossed out of an airplane, but she’d damn well make it to the top of this big boulder, too. The lump in her breast she’d discovered last month would turn out to be harmless. And she’d make the deadline for Goode’s influx of needed funds.
ESP from Moonie made her smile. Star, you’re okay. I can feel it, but you need to fight. What, I don’t know.
Star hadn’t told her sister about the lump she’d found doing her monthly breast check. This close to the end of Moonie’s pregnancy, she didn’t need additional stress. Especially since Star’s first mammogram was inconclusive. More tests had been scheduled. During this whirlwind business trip she’d been too busy to dwell on it, except at night in the quiet darkness of whatever hotel room she was in. Then fear silently crept in and squeezed her heart with icy claws while terror ran rampant in her mind.
She crawled to the large stick. Yes, Moonie. I’ll keep fighting. Take care of yourself and little Emma Rose. The earth spun again and her gloved fingers dug into the earth to keep her grounded. Her spirits plummeted. How was she going to reach Wick and talk to the Mathesons from here—wherever here was? Her boss needed this investor’s money and she wanted the promotion.
Moonie was due to deliver her first child on January fifth. Star’s first niece and she’d miss her arrival. She’d be roaming around this mountain side, eating bark and pine cones trying to stay alive because she wasn’t going to die. Not when her sister needed her and a much worked for promotion dangled. To say nothing of the lump she’d obsessed over every night before sleep claimed her. A repeat mammogram and sonogram was scheduled for January third. She couldn’t miss it. She couldn’t.
I sense your spirits spiraling. Don’t you start that pity party for one. Whatever’s wrong, don’t give up. Fight, Star.
I hear you, Moonie.
Once she reached the stick, she used it to stand. It took a few tries to figure out how to use it and still keep her weight off her ankle. She opened a padded, zippered compartment in her computer bag and pulled out her cell. It seemed to be intact, thank goodness. Now, if she could only get reception. Damn, there were no bars.
Maybe once she climbed to the top. Using her stick, she crawled over the rough-shaped stony surface eventually reaching the pinnacle. She pulled the cell from her pocket and positioned it here and there, hoping against hope…wait! There was one gorgeous bar showing. She extended her hand and dialed an emergency number.
“What’s yer emergency?”
“I’ve been in a plane crash. I’m worried about the pilot Angus. I don’t know his last name, but his small plane smashed into a granite mountain on a flight to Wick. Please send a search party for him.”
“This connection is bad and fading. Where are ye now?”
“I don’t know. We were flying from Edinburgh to Wick.” She yelled, “Can you hear me? Small plane crash on way to Wick Airport.” Her bar shrank to nothing. “No, dammit.” She shook her phone in frustration before slipping it back in her pocket. At least she’d been able to give the most important information. Angus needed help. She exhaled a long sigh. Hell, they all did.
She kept searching for Gunner and when she couldn’t hear any movement or rustling, she cupped her hands around her mouth. “Gunner! Gunner, are you okay? Make some noise so I know where you’re at.” She sat on the huge boulder, absently unbraiding her hair and listening for the slightest sound. Nothing, except for a few birds chirping. She massaged her scalp now that the braid was no longer pulling on it. Their was a marginal ease to her horrible headache.
Then two snowflakes kissed her nose. More moistened her face. A few seconds later, the clouds opened and snow fell like down from a pillow fight.
Farther up the hill, something red was stuck in a group of large pine trees. She struggled to stand so she could get a better view. Was it a reflection of something or Gunner’s parachute? And where was poor Angus? He needed found, too.
The world began to spin again and she leaned on her stick for balance. Instead, she toppled with a thud to a lower portion of the rough boulder. “I need to get on solid ground if it’s going to keep spinning like this.” She scrambled down using her makeshift cane to keep her from falling flat on her face. The large snowflakes flew almost sideways, covering leaves on the ground with a pristine dusting of snow.
Chapter 2
Being a shifter had its good and bad sides. There was a special mental companionship in never being alone. A shifter also possessed more strength and cunning than mere mortals. Living with the nerd label, Gunner liked that he was different than the blokes who sneered and called him a weak geck. The fookers had nae clue.
What he didna care fer was his animal side’s duty to choose the mate fer the human half. While on the plane, his bear had announced he liked Star and he’d claimed her fer him. He told Gunner it was time fer him to mate and produce bairns.
There was nothing wrong with Star, but then he’d only ken the pretty blonde fer an hour, maybe more. She had a bit of backbone, so she did, even if she was feart of flying. But fer all he ken, she could be a blue-eyed bitch who’d drive a man feckin’ nuts. He didna have time fer the drama.
Fer months, his mind had been focused on the discovery of two new and expanding black holes. This region of space had such a strong gravitational pull, the black holes were considered the hell holes of the universe, gaping hungry mouths that forever devoured what fell into them—like smaller stars or comets.
They fascinated him both in wakeful and slumber states. He’d gone without sleep, working his tension off with an hour or two sweating in the gym. If he was lucky, hard physical exertion helped him nod off fer a couple of hours until the questions niggling at his mind woke him again.
He needed time away. Time fer his bear to come out and run. He’d suppressed his animal half fer too long. Gunner also needed time in his beloved Highlands to clear his mind so he could concentrate when he went back to the labs and the conservatory. He needed to refuel his Celt nature.
The last thing he needed was a mate. Nae doubt he’d ignore her fer his love of the skies and how fair would that be? Although a good fook now and then would be nice. But, really, some females got clingy after he gave them a taste of the willie. They wanted companionship. He was used to being alone.
He’d be better off concentrating on the condition he was presently in. He’d parachuted into a group of pines, gotten stuck, and had to release the clip on the harness to free himself. The fall wasna pleasant, nor pain free. With a deep puncture wound to his thigh from a pine branch, he needed to shift to help heal the injury. Damn the pain.
Ye ken ye shocked the piss out of our mat, his bear ranted.
What did I do that was so feckin’ bad? I had to push her out of the plane. She was too feart ta move.
The goggles, ye brainy numpty. Ye put them on her eyes upside down. So instead of magnifying the area she was falling into, it magnified whatever she looked up at. Like yer tadger. Clyst, yer kilt was up around yer chest and yer tadger blown up by those upside down goggles. I saw her jaw drop. Nae doubt she thinks ye were fathered by a raging Ara
bian stallion.
Ye exaggerate. I dinna believe a word of yer bear nonsense. What I need is to shift to heal as soon as I get rid of this bloody stick in me thigh.
Och, man ye need to take care of the mate I chose fer ye.
Gunner had his hands around the branch. Bear! Are ye daft? She said she’s eager ta return to her homeland.
Aye, but she made it a point of saying she wasna seeing a man right now. That means the lass isna promised yet. Ye still have a chance. Go fer her.
Quit ordering me around, ye bossy bear. I need to get this feckin’ stick out.
Amid much cursing, Gunner jerked the bastard out and was ready to make the change to aid in the healing. After removing his backpack and clothing, he inhaled a deep breath.
A shimmer of transposing cosmic waves, a whirlwind of mind and soul continuum, and he transmuted from human shape to a bear. Bones cracked, his ears and eyes shifted, fur grew from his smooth skin, a snout protruded from his face, and his arms and legs changed. Gunner gasped, forcing his bear lungs to accept oxygen and winced as different systems within him began functioning. Although the mutation took less than a minute, a brief time of discomfort existed with the acute awareness of his newly acquired being.
Bear lay on the nest of pine needles and pile of limbs his human had knocked off during his fall. He stared at Gunner’s computer case waving gently in the breeze of the tall tree. His human had forgotten to unclip it from the parachute. Bear growled. More than likely his other half ken he’d climb the tree ta get it fer him. He had his human spoiled, so he did.
Poor Gunner had had a feckin’ rough day. His coffee bean grinder had quit working and he dumped the beans into a bag. Using a hammer, he’d beat them into powder, pounding his thumb twice. He’d met his mate and hadna liked it when Bear told him. In fact, he’d gotten so befuddled he’d socked the special kind of goggles the pilot kept on the plane upside down on Star’s head. Typical Gunner. He thought he ken it all.
Now both halves of the shifter’s body suffered in pain. Damn this flying shite. He’d sooner run through the mountains sniffing for other animals or wading in the creeks fer fish. He curled up on his other side and drifted off.
Bear’s pain had lessened by the time he woke. Healing was a swift process fer shifters. He climbed the tree to get the case Gunner normally guarded with his life. Bear glanced around from his high vantage point. Star was in the distance, near the creek, leaning on a big stick. She seemed okay. Strong. Aye, he’d chosen well fer his human.
Not wanting the case to fall, Bear tugged on the nylon, tearing it free from the large branches. He hugged the remnants containing Gunner’s case to him as he worked his way to the ground with three paws.
It was snowing now and he piled his human’s things in a little niche beneath draping pine limbs. If they had to, Gunner and Star could spend the night there and mate. Fer now, Bear had to go find her, which would give his human time to finishing healing and shift to the forefront.
He ran until he located their mate. She leaned against a tree and rubbed her arms, probably trying ta keep warm. The weather was perfect for him, but nae fer someone unused to the northern Highlands severe weather. He loped around the area in need of exercise, to smell the earth, and detect all the animals inhabiting it.
What was this? He caught a whiff of blood…human blood. Peering around a large tree, he studied Star. There was dried blood on the side of her face and in some of her hair. She’d been hurt when she landed. He had to think how to approach her to see how bad her injuries were.
The creek was fast moving and hadna iced over. Bear waded in and ate a few fresh fish before catching and throwing more onto the shore. Maybe he could impress her with his fishing skills. The humans would need to eat. He ambled out and looked at Star who stared at him with huge bright blue eyes.
He shook off the cold water and slowly approached.
Star’s gaze darted around as if hunting for a place to run. She couldna outrun him and he’d never give chase to harm her.
“Please don’t let me be supper for a bear. Gunner told me to ask if you like opera. Do you?”
Bear rose on his hind legs, put his front paws over his ears, and roared.
“Oh. My. God! It worked.” She pivoted to the other side of the tree and peered around it. “Gunner? You’re Gunner?” She inched backwards on a thick stick and shook her head. “No, now, this can’t be. Humans don’t shift into animals in real life. In movies, yes. In books, sure. But not in real life. I really have lost my mind.”
The odor of her fear was pungent.
Bear had to calm her. The fish. He’d bring them to her as a present. He dropped to all fours and ran to where he’d tossed the trout. Standing on his hind legs, he waddled back with one in each paw. He dropped them at her feet and she made a strange high-pitched noise. Maybe this wasna enough to please her. He padded back for the rest of the fish he’d caught, scratching his arse as he approached the creek, and carried them to her, dropping the speckled trout on top of the others.
His human’s mate made the same noise Gunner expelled when his math equations didna work out right. The smell of her fear had changed to one of disgust. Feckin’ hell, she must want more than this. Fer such a little thing, she had a big appetite. He dropped on all fours and ran back into the creek and caught more, slowly carrying his trophies to her feet.
Had she been any other woman, he’d have growled and swiped the air to frighten her. But she belonged to Gunner and to him too. Bear had seen the good in her, sensed how she could help his human cope with the normal world. He tended to isolate himself too much. She’d bring happiness to his life once they got used to each other. Nae, Bear wouldna scare her, he’d spoil her just like he had Gunner. He would protect Star with his life.
His appetite was kicking in. There was a spot in his stomach he hadna filled. He ken how much his human ate. There was nae way Star could consume the rest. Maybe he could eat just one.
I’m ready to shift back, now. Ye did good, Bear. Thanks for getting us supper.
Bear, grabbed a fish and began chewing it. Yer mate will scream when she sees us change shape.
I explained it all to her. She’ll be fine.
Ye are foolish if ye think she willna run from ye. Although I think she’s hurt her head and leg. She seems in pain. Time fer ye ta take care of yer mate. Show her she belongs to ye.
Bear inhaled a deep breath and cosmic waves shimmered around him. Step by step, he shifted into human form so Gunner could took care of things.
“Star, are ye alright? Bear said ye might have injuries.”
Her mouth was agape and her pretty blue eyes wide. Even so, she nodded. She couldna seem to take her gaze off him. Finally, she pointed to the stream. “You … and then you—” She indicated the pile of fish at her feet. “And now you’re … I … I … watched you change from a bear who … who had eyes that glowed neon gold to … to a naked man.”
She stared at his tadger as if she wanted to touch it, which wasna a bad idea. His tadger grew, standing tall and proud like an ancient Celt.
“I’m having visions. Hallucinations.” Star’s beautiful eyes narrowed even as they shot daggers at him. “Thanks for pushing me out of an airplane, by the way. I hit my head on a stone when I landed. I passed out for a while. My vision gets blurry and I feel kinda confused. Because what I just saw makes no sense.” She rubbed her fingers over the side of her face where there was dried blood.
“′Tis sorry I am that ye were hurt.” A surge of protectiveness gushed through his cold body, warming his heart. He wanted to hold her against him and soothe her. Stepping toward her, his fingers lightly touched her face. “Ye need this washed. I’ll carry ye to the creek.” He scooped her into his arms.
“Put me down!” She shook a gloved fist under his nose. “I mean it, Gunner! Knowing how you operate, you’ll toss me in the water and then give me hand signals I have no clue what they mean.” She imitated some bizarre hand movements and he almost
burst out laughing.
Och, the woman amused him. “I’ll nae hurt ye, Star.” He held her against the heat of his body as he walked toward the edge of the stream. The pinkish hue to her face brought on by the cold was gone. She was pale as moonlight. Even her pretty bow-shaped mouth had lost its color.
He hoped she hadna gone into shock. “Calm yerself, lass. ′Tis only yer pal, Gunner. Now ye’ve just met both portions of me. The human half and the bear half, both dedicated ta protect ye. Yer safe, ye hear?” He hunkered down and dipped his hand into the cold water to gather some to wash the side of her face. ”Have nae fear. I’ll take care of ye. As fer what ye just witnessed and why, I injured me thigh so I had ta shift to speed the healing process. The animal half heals faster.”
After he’d scrubbed off the dried blood, he felt the lump that had risen on the side of her head. Awl, feckin’ hell, she canna be hurt like this. “Have ye been dizzy or nauseas?” He stared into her pretty eyes. The pupil on the side of her head with the injury was dilated.
Color slowly returned to her face. “Yes. My left ankle hurts, too. Not much, but I’m unstable.”
“A sprain can be painful.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been carried by a man before, much less a naked one.” Her gloved hands swept over his chest and his body responded.
“Ye mean yer former boyfriend never carried ye to bed in a surge of passion?” What kind of milksop had she dated?
She needs a real man like ye. One who can make her scream his name.
Go ta sleep, Bear. I have a woman ta take care of. I canna be bothered with yer ideas. She’s confused with a concussion.
Bear sat at attention. Our mate is hurt? Do something, man. We canna lose her.
“Star, can I lean ye against this small tree while I wrap yer parachute around me. I feel a chill and I see part of yer chute hanging from the outside of yer suitcase. “
20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 184