True Shifter

by Rains, Christine

  Ametta stepped out in five inch heels, a summer dress, and a tablet in hand. “Oh good, you’re both here.”

  Lucky followed with an awkward armful of wood samples. He juggled them in his arms and flipped a stray lock of hair when it fell into his eyes. He smiled to Sedge and Saskia. “Still working?”

  “Just moving a few more stones over and then we’re done. Jarak already clocked out.” Saskia folded her arms. “So what do you want, Mett?”

  “Mr. Ellsworth will be here at any moment. I need your support to help convince him that Brazilian Ebony would look stunning in the main hall.” Ametta tapped on the tablet’s screen and briefly flipped it over to show an image of the wood she mentioned. “It will fit more with the décor we’ve looked at and—”

  “We’re sticking with local wood. You know that.” Saskia rolled her eyes. “With the amount of area we have to cover—”

  “It’s not like money is an issue here. He can afford the Ebony. Its elegance—”

  “There’s nothing wrong with the Birch we originally chose.”

  “We use it so often.”

  Wouldn’t her sister just give it up? “Because it’s cost effective and the hardest wood in Alaska.”

  Saskia turned to look at Sedge as Ametta held out a hand to Lucky with a gesture to support her side.

  Lucky raised the fingers of one hand. “We’re neither the designers nor the carpenters. We’re just here to…” He pursed his lips and glanced at Sedge. “Why are we here again?”

  “Protection,” Sedge stated in a monotone.

  Saskia put her hands on her hips. “What?”

  “We don’t need protection. It’s not like the giant is going to come back.” Ametta huffed.

  “And if it did, I could handle it,” Saskia added. “Care to withdraw your statement?”

  Sedge shook his head. “Protection from each other.”

  Lucky couldn’t contain his laughter, and Ametta gave a harrumph. Saskia rolled her eyes, even though she was impressed with Sedge’s ability to deliver the joke with a straight face. She gave him a playful poke and didn’t deny that her verbal debates with Ametta could get out of hand sometimes.

  Tires crunched along the dirt road as a car approached. Ametta smoothed out her skirt and waved before tapping the screen of her tablet. Perhaps Saskia should join the tour with Ellsworth so her sister didn’t manage to convince him to go with some ridiculously expensive wood.

  The black sedan parked, and the engine quieted. Ransom popped out of the driver’s side, but before he could get around to the rear passenger’s side, Ellsworth opened the door and stood, holding a pale hand out to Kinley.

  Kinley softly thanked him, slipped out, and turned to pick up her tablet.

  “It’s my job to be opening doors, boss.” Ransom grinned as if he wasn’t serious about it and waved in the others’ direction. “Hey!”

  “When there is a lady present, I am pleased to help out. Especially one in such a delicate condition.” Berton Ellsworth smiled dotingly at Kinley before shutting the door once she was clear.

  “I’m just barely pregnant, Mr. Ellsworth. Not delicate at all.” Kinley flashed a look in Saskia’s direction that called for help in stopping the men from fussing over her. She was just a few months pregnant, not even showing yet, but the men treated her as some fragile icicle going to melt or break at any second. Her sister was made of stronger stuff.

  Funny to think they’d have a new member of the family early next year. After losing so much, the news had raised all their spirits. An extra surprise to Saskia that she was looking forward to being an aunt so much. It didn’t matter if the polar bear or cat gene won out. She was going to teach the kid to fish and tell them all their grandfather’s stories.

  Saskia didn’t have to do a thing as Ametta stepped in. “Mr. Ellsworth, so good to see you. Work is moving along swiftly. Wait until you see how much is done.”

  “Ms. Dorn.” Berton kissed Ametta on both cheeks. “You look lovely as always. I received your emails. I do love your ideas for the second guest bedroom. Such stunning colors.” As Ametta beamed, Berton gave a nod to Lucky. “Good evening, Mr. Osberg. Thank you for helping my favorite designer.”

  “My pleasure, sir.” Lucky dipped his head in return.

  Berton turned to Saskia. “So nice to see you here too, Ms. Dorn. The stonework looks wonderful.” He shook hands with her. “Jarak tells me you have a talent for masonry.”

  “I like it, but all I’ve been doing so far is helping him shape rocks and moving and holding them. It’s more like I have a talent for grunt work.” Saskia earned a smile from their client.

  “Don’t undersell your artistry.” Berton chided and held out a hand to Sedge. “Mr. Kvasnikov.”

  “Mr. Ellsworth.” Sedge’s huge hand engulfed the smaller man’s, and they briefly shook.

  Saskia had never sensed an enmity between the two of them, but there was some strange tension. She’d considered asking Sedge, but he never had anything to say about Ellsworth. And as much as the vampire had helped them, she wasn’t going to pursue it.

  “All right, on to the grand tour!” Ransom cheered and stood by the entrance, bowing and rolling his hand. “After you, ladies and gentlemen.”

  Ametta took a spot beside Kinley and Ellsworth. “Do you have the layout on page one, Kin? We can start right in the foyer.”

  “Actually,” Ellsworth started and tapped Ametta’s screen a few times. “I’d like to go to the great sun room and discuss making the pool in there larger as well as seeing if we could tap into the natural spring under the mountain. I have a serpent friend who will be coming to stay awhile, and she has an affinity for mineral water.”

  Kinley’s and Ametta’s jaws dropped slightly. Serpent friend?

  Ransom saved them from the stunned silence. “You didn’t tell me you knew the Lady of Loch Ness.”

  “Oh no.” Ellsworth shook his head and motioned for the women to step inside first. “My friend is a water dragon.”

  Ametta and Kinley exchanged a wide-eyed look and immediately started a new design for the sun room as they walked inside. Ransom helped Lucky with some of the wood in his arms and followed Saskia’s sisters.

  “We’ll be right behind you. Let us clean up a bit first.” Saskia motioned to her dusty clothes with equally as dirty hands.

  “As you wish.” Ellsworth nodded and turned his unblinking gaze to Sedge. “But please do not delay my carpenter. It is not often I get all the sisters together on site, and I would like to enjoy their company.”

  Sedge acknowledged the vampire’s request with a single nod of his own.

  Saskia narrowed her eyes and walked to her truck where she had some water and a clean shirt to change into. As she opened the back, she lowered her voice and asked, “What was that about?”

  Sedge plucked up a towel and rubbed his face with it. “I do believe the vampire wants you and your sisters as a sacrifice to sanctify his site.”

  Choking on her next breath, Saskia coughed and gripped the side of her truck. No fucking way. She wouldn’t… Wait. How that man managed to keep a smirk from his lips infuriated her! She whacked Sedge on the arm. “You’ve been hanging out with Ransom too much. After everything…” She sighed. The weight of the totem quest still clung to her.

  He wrapped his arms around her and drew her against him. “After everything, a little lighthearted joking is in order. I’m not quite as smooth at it as Ransom is. I think the only real worry we have is Ellsworth inviting a serpent to Alaska. I prefer to keep those at sea.”

  “I’m sure she’s very nice.” Or as nice as a dragon could be. The serpents of Inuit lore were not pleasant creatures. Not many mythical beings were, and she had met too many monsters in the past months. Top among them her mentor Azarius. She carried not only the physical scars of his betrayal, but the ones on her soul.

  Sedge kissed the top of her head. “It will get easier as time goes on.”

  She didn’t need him to tel
l her that. There were days she didn’t think it, but others when it hit her hard, and he did his best to distract her from her thoughts. Telling jokes wasn’t his thing, but distraction most definitely was. She squeezed him in return and tilted her head back to kiss him.

  “We should get going.” He murmured against her mouth.

  “Are you afraid of one little vampire?” She teased.

  “Bear might not have been, but I wisely defer to the little vampire, as you say.” Sedge kissed her again and parted to continue wiping himself clean with the towel.

  He might struggle no longer knowing everything Bear did, but she did not miss Bear at all. All she wanted was Sedge, and now that she had him, she wasn’t going to let him go.

  TOTEM SERIES

  Three sisters.

  Seven totem tokens.

  One chance to save their world.

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  OTHER WORKS BY CHRISTINE RAINS

  Paranormal Romance

  Of Blood and Sorrow

  Fearless

  The Marquis (The 13th Floor #1)

  The Alpha (The 13th Floor #2)

  The Dragonslayer (The 13th Floor #3)

  The Harbinger (The 13th Floor #4)

  The Oracle and the Vampire (The 13th Floor #5)

  The Ghost (The 13th Floor #6)

  The 13th Floor Complete Collection

  Paranormal Erotica

  Ghost Dancer (The Paramours #1)

  Poltergeist’s Pleasure (The Paramours #2)

  Lovelorn Spirits (The Paramours #3)

  Big Yearning (Sasquatch Susies #1)

  Big Longing (Sasquatch Susies #2)

  Big Burning (Sasquatch Susies #3)

  Horror

  L’il Gal Al and the Zombies of Amarillo

  Geeky Erotica

  Loose Corset (Dice & Debauchery #1)

  Layers of Lace (Dice & Debauchery #2)

  A Masked Kiss (Dice & Debauchery #3)

  UNTETHERED REALMS

  Tap into worlds, wings, and spec fic things!

  Untethered Realms is a group of speculative fiction authors. We reside in the weird and fantastical. For more information about the Untethered Realms’ authors, please visit our website and sign up for our newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  A big thanks to my beta readers, Patricia Lynne and Tara Tyler. Your support carries me through.

  For Untethered Realms, I’m so grateful to be part of this wonderful group of writers. I’d have our pet T-rex applaud you, but you know…

  Huge thanks to Tania F. Walsh. Your critiques keep my characters honest.

  A big thank you to my newest critique partner, Renee Cheung. My series is all the better for having you a part of my team.

  To Cherie Reich. My dear friend and critique partner/editor/formatter. We made it through to the end. I promise no more huge series. No, I’m not crossing my fingers behind my back as I say that!

  Thank you to my husband and son who must put up with a wife and mommy who is lost in the supernatural Great North. You are my compass, my way back home.

  Finally, my readers. This has been the biggest project I’ve ever attempted, and it is your support and enthusiasm that keep me fueled. Thank you.

  ABOUT CHRISTINE RAINS

  Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She’s married to her best friend and fellow geek living in Indiana. They have one son who is too smart for his parents’ own good and loves to pretend he’s a Pokémon. Christine has four degrees, which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy. She’s a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. (South Central Indiana Fiction Interface). She has one novel and several short stories and novellas published. Totem is her biggest project to date, and it comes along with her own dream of one day seeing Alaska.