by Sky Winters
There were three dead and bloodied on the ground, and two still standing. James stared them in the eye, giving another no-nonsense growl. It chilled Sadie – she had never seen anything like this before. Now she knew it had to be a dream; there was nothing left of reality in this situation. Nobody was joking with her. All of this was either real, or at least real inside her own head. The angry guard was still there, glaring at her from behind James. James crouched in front of her protectively, his hackles raised.
The resentful guard lifted his sword and charged. Sadie was sure James would dodge it, but he let out a growl as the little blade pierced his flesh. He smacked the guard hard, and he went flying over the treetops. James glared into the eyes of the one man left standing. Sadie could tell the guard was frightened, and his hands shook as he held up the sword. He significantly lacked power without the others to back him up.
“You should go before he kills you,” Sadie whispered as loudly as she could. It was difficult to get any words out; the slaughter she had just witnessed had been seriously gruesome, and she sincerely didn't want to see anybody else get killed. The man's face was white as a sheet, and he glanced at her, a quick flick of the eyes, before dropping his sword and running into the darkness of the forest. James gave a final powerful, victorious roar before his huge body began to shrink back into his human form.
He looked at her with a cheerful glint in his eye, and she realized, with some embarrassment, that he was completely naked. His kilt had fallen off during the transformation, and she averted her eyes, but she had already seen him in full, his body a ridiculously flawless sculpture of what bodies were meant to look like in their perfection.
“That was close,” he said, pursing his lips. “It's time we get a move on. They'll be back, no doubt. Lachlan's furious with you, lass; there will be a search party.”
James slipped his kilt back on with a taunting casualness and led the way through the darkened forest.
Chapter 8
“Unfortunately, we're a long way from home,” James said.
“You're telling me,” Sadie said with a sigh.
James laughed. “So, you just put that necklace on and appeared here out of nowhere?” he asked, gathering dried wood to build a campfire with. He had lifted her again and galloped as quickly as he could to the west, to an area where he felt safe enough to make camp and allow Sadie to rest.
“That's right,” she said with a sigh. “There is nothing I can think of to explain why this is happening.”
“Maybe you were just meant to help me get out of there,” he said with a wink.
“I doubt that,” she said with a laugh, though she was secretly wondering the same thing herself. She watched him dab the small wound left on his arm by the man's sword and was sucked into the unpleasant memories of the battle between man and bear.
“So... what happened back there?” she asked reluctantly. The images would surely haunt her forever.
He had treated his transformation like it was an obvious fact of life, one that she should shake off as if he had simply changed clothes. But Sadie had never seen anybody shapeshift before, and it brought to mind the painting she had seen in the castle, where the bears were surrounded by a group of men, dressed exactly like the guards they had just escaped from.
“What do you mean?” he asked, dumping his armful of firewood into a pile. He set to work starting a fire, something she had seen her ex-husband struggle with and fail at many times before. She had learned to do it herself, because she was tired of his impromptu camping trips and waiting a curse-filled three hours for crispy hot dogs.
“I mean I've never seen anybody turn into an animal before, is what I mean!” she said, a little too loudly. She was disturbed by everything that had happened that night and felt the need to protect herself from all the overwhelming experiences. There was no way she could explain these things to herself.
“Oh, that... Well, why do you think Lord Lachlan hates us so much?” James asked, plopping down onto the ground.
“I don't know; he feels threatened by your way of life? Thinks it's bad for business?”
James laughed heartily. “Something like that. He's a scared little man, full of anger and fear. He doesn't understand us, and he doesn't like it. Knows we could kill him in a heartbeat. But he gets off on picking us off one by one, with unfair numbers, so he can feel powerful.”
“Right, but how do you change into bears? Do you all do that?”
“All Highlanders?”
“I guess so.”
“Just my clan, as far as I know. But he doesn't know that.”
“So he tries to kill you all because he thinks all Highlanders can shift into bears?”
“He doesn't like our song, or our dance, or our ways. Especially not the bear ways. It wouldn't matter if the others weren't bears. He is a small man who wants to feel big and will plow big people down to do so. We rebel against the rules he sets to try to feel in control of his little world, and many of us pay the price.”
“I see...”
This little history lesson was taxing on Sadie. After everything else she had gone through that day, it made her head swim. She suddenly felt exhausted, as if she could curl up on a rock and sleep as soundly as if it were a feather bed.
“I promised I would try to help you figure things out,” James said after a long silence. The fire crackled between them and she looked up at him.
“How do you plan to do that?” she asked.
“In my clan, there are wise people, a council we could talk to about your situation. Maybe they would be able to shed some light on how you got here. If nothing else, we would protect you from Lord Lachlan. No harm would fall on you with us, I would see to it personally.”
He said the last part seriously, the charming humor in his eyes completely gone. “If you don't mind living in a rebel camp, we would do our best to help you.”
“That depends,” Sadie said. “Will they turn to bears and eat me if they don't like me?”
James laughed, the sparkle back in his clear eyes. “Perhaps, but it's doubtful. I'd keep you safe.”
Her mind drifted to the way his strong body had cradled hers, and how she had never felt safer in her life than she did pressed against James' broad chest. She gave a small nod, and he returned it. Both of them smiled privately, and suddenly, she wanted him as close to her as possible.
“Come here,” she said softly.
“Why?” he asked with a grin, not budging.
“I want to check the wound on your arm.”
He obliged and walked over to her, his muscular body moving languidly. Her eyes were fixed on his perfect abs despite herself, and she gripped his arm tenderly to examine the cut.
“It's not too deep, that's good.”
“We Highlanders fight hard and heal fast,” he said with a laugh. “You'll soon find that out for yourself.”
“I think I already have.”
He grinned down at her, and Sadie did something she so rarely had the confidence to do throughout her life; she made the first move.
Her soft lips were suddenly tasting the fullness of James', and she squealed in delight as he kissed her back, gripping her by the waist and lifting her until she was sitting on top of him. She ran her tongue against his and was startled by the unexpected desire that hijacked her, bringing a flush to her cheeks.
“Maybe we shouldn't—” he said, suddenly pulling away.
But no, it was too late for both of them. She could feel the powerful rod testifying to his desire, and she held him firmly, letting their lips linger together. He bit her lip gently with a playful little growl and buried his head in her neck. The contrast of his gentle, warm kisses and the rough stubble on his cheek brought a moan to her lips. That was all the encouragement he needed, and before she could stop him—not that she wanted to—he had stripped her and thrust his hard cock inside of her, as powerfully as thunder. They cried out simultaneously, and she closed her eyes as he had his way with her, usi
ng all of his strength to his advantage, moving her easily however he wanted her, holding her up and allowing her to feel completely helpless in his arms. His strong hands grabbed on to her breasts, squeezing them and flicking her nipples. She surrendered to her own pleasure in a way she never had before.
She closed her eyes as her bliss overpowered her, and she let out a low moan as her body began to quake under his. She gripped his hair tightly, and he hissed in pleasure as her climax contracted around his rod and made it impossible to avoid a climax of his own. She cried out loudly as he unleashed a hot explosion inside of her, enhancing her orgasm and leaving them both panting in disbelief of how unbelievably good the sex had just been.
Sadie yawned loudly, and James gathered her up into his muscular arms.
“Rest, sweet lass. I'll see you in the light of the morn.”
With that, Sadie fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Chapter 9
Sadie was wakened bright and early by a gentle nudge on her shoulder.
“Wake up, lass,” James whispered. His voice sounded worried, and he was no longer holding her. He seemed to be keeping his distance, and suddenly, the night before came in a powerful memory that left her embarrassed.
When her eyes fluttered open, she swallowed hard. James was peering down at her, his handsome face creased with concern. He gave her a gentle smile and moved away, leaving her body cold and her heart aching with an inexplicable loneliness.
“We have to get a move on; the guards will surely be after us. If any of them were smart, they would have been tracking us through the night. We must find a way to get them off our trail. If I shift into a bear, do you think you would be able to hold on while I run? We can outdistance their horses that way.”
“You want me to ride you?” she asked, the sudden sexual implication of her words hitting her with an embarrassing clarity.
“If you can handle it,” he said with a grin. She couldn't tell if the past made him naively oblivious of the innuendo, or if he was just that confident. Either way, it did nothing to take her mind from the raw attraction she felt toward him.
“I guess if there's no other choice,” she said with a small laugh.
“Afraid not. Not to offend you, but you're not very fast, even by human standards. Not that it's a problem, you know, if we were settled in a camp somewhere safe, but since we're kind of on the run now, lass, you don't want to be lagging behind. You never know who might pop out of the bushes. So don't wander off, all right?”
“All right,” she agreed.
She didn't think it was a point he needed to stress very much. She was terrified of this unfamiliar world, and the men who had locked her up and were now pursuing her. There had to be a way back, and if this man could help her find it, she would stick with him.
“Are you ready?” he asked. “When we get far enough away, I can catch you some breakfast.”
“I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”
“You have an interesting dialect, lass,” he said. “Mind grabbing my kilt when the transformation is over? It's a favorite. Besides, you don't want to be stuck with me running around as nude as a babe, do you?”
She wasn't so sure she wouldn't, but she just laughed and shook her head because that answer was easier. She promised to pick up his kilt, and he straightened himself up, looking toward the sun. A strong wind rustled the leaves around them, and suddenly, instead of James, the large black bear from the night before stood before her.
She bent down and swiped the kilt. It was still warm from his body and she swallowed hard, shaking her head sheepishly. Did this mean she would get to see him naked again? But surely since she knew it was coming, she should cover her eyes, right? But if he didn't seem embarrassed about it, why should she? She sighed shakily and mounted the bear's back, gripping its fur as she had the night before, and held on tightly as he began to bound forward through the forest.
It was an exhilarating feeling. She had never felt so free. She had ridden a horse once as a child, or at least, been trotted around on one until she begged to be let off, but nothing she had experienced in her life could compare to the experience of swiftly rushing through the forest, dodging limbs and branches, the wind blowing through her fiery red curls and bringing her to life.
When James finally slowed down, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. He slowed to a stop near a running stream and lay down, signaling that it was time for her to get off. One of her legs was asleep, so she stumbled when she hit the ground. She had to rub her leg and try to walk off the pins and needles surging through her muscles. She heard James laugh and turned around in surprise. She had forgotten his powerful masculine form, just as impressive as his bear form. He had slipped his kilt back on while she wasn't looking, and she felt embarrassed again for even considering whether she would be able to peep at him again.
“I don't know about you, lass, but I'm getting hungry. Why don't you get some water in you while I go catch us lunch?”
“All right,” she said, realizing with some embarrassment that her heavy footfalls and slow body would scare off any of his potential prey.
“I'll be fast, don't worry,” he promised. He gave her one of his grins, which were becoming somewhat signature to her now, and disappeared into the heavily wooded forest.
When he was alone, James let out a deep sigh. What had he done? The clansmen would surely lynch him. What would Sadie do if she knew the truth? He had better lay low and keep his hands to himself from now on. It wouldn't be good for either of them if he allowed himself to give in to temptation again. His face was hot as he remembered the night before. Although it had felt incredible, it couldn't happen again. He would have to hide his secret well and cover his tracks.
***
Sadie sat beside the stream, dipping her hand into the cool water and scooping a palm full of it into her mouth. She would never have been able to do that with the water back home. It would be murky and gray-green; not particularly safe for consumption without filters and boiling involved. She wondered how long it would be before James returned and took the opportunity to take in the scenery. The greenery was shocking and vibrant, and the sky a crisp blue. She doubted that she would be able to see anything quite so beautiful back home, at least not in her own timeline.
Her curiosity was piqued by a family of deer, wandering peacefully through the forest. They ambled slowly, lapping up some water from the stream and not seeming to notice her at all. She was shocked by their nearness, how they didn't perceive her as a threat to their well-being and simply continued to move forward. If it was her own timeline, the trauma of gunshots would have made all of them wary of her, and she wouldn't have been able to blame them.
They sauntered quietly into the forest, and she was unable to resist the urge to follow them. They tolerated her company, going about their business as they grazed, their heads raising lazily, an ear twitching here and there as they checked for signs of danger. She felt honored to be accepted into the group, even if it was just temporarily, and she stayed quiet and respectful, amazed by their fearlessness and beauty.
Suddenly, a twig snapped, and the little family of deer froze in fear before taking off through the trees as quickly as their long legs would carry them. James must be back from his hunt. It had gone faster than she thought it would, but then, that didn't surprise her. He was turning out to be more competent than any man she had ever met before.
“James, you wouldn't believe what just happened! There were so many deer! I've never seen that many at once. And they were so beautiful. You should have seen them,” she exclaimed, turning around.
Suddenly she was face to face with the scorned guard – the one she had led on and humiliated.
“James isn't here, and there's no way he will be able to help you now,” he said with a cold grin. She tried to scream for help, but the guard clamped his hand over her mouth, his eyes wild with anger and delight. “You thought you could get away from me so easily, you bloody bear lover? Not li
kely.”
And with that, he cackled and gripped her arm tightly, twisting it around her back and shoving her forward. To keep her from screaming, he stuffed a cloth in her mouth.
“I'm going to make you pay for humiliating me, wench. And it's not going to feel very good. Not for you anyway.”
Sadie’s eyes widened in panic as she squealed uselessly for James to rescue her. But James was gone.