Her Sky Mates
Shifters Of The Elements
Lark Sterling
Meg Ripley
Copyright © 2020 by Lark Sterling & Meg Ripley
www.redlilypublishing.com
All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, with the exception of brief quoted passages left in an online review. This book is a fictional story. All characters, names, and situations are of the author’s creation. Any resemblances to actual situations or to persons who are alive or dead are purely coincidental.
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only; this copy is not available for resale or to give to another reader.
DISCLAIMER
This series is intended for readers age 18 and over. It contains mature situations and language that may be objectionable to some readers.
Contents
Her Sky Mates
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Brighid
Preview Of Her Earth Mates
Chapter 1
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Her Sky Mates
Shifters Of The Elements
Chapter One
“You’ve done this about 15,000 times,” Milly said as she pulled the ropes from the bag. “I’m almost looking forward to you going on your mission, or whatever you want to call it.”
Iris chuckled, the fading purple tips of her dirty blonde hair swirling around her face as she stood on the ledge of the bridge. "Don't lie. You're gonna miss me. Besides, I've got a little bit of time before I have to go anywhere. I'm honestly not sure where I'm supposed to go in the first place. I've been just kind of sitting around waiting for some sort of sign."
Milly wrapped the bungee cord around Iris' waist and through the loop on her belt, letting it dangle as she reached for the clasp. "Oh sure, I'll be thrilled to take care of everything all on my own. You know, this is the information age, why don't you try to find these soulmates online just like everybody else does."
Iris cleared her throat, rubbing her hand across her chest, a feeling of warmth bubbling up inside of her. Milly was bent over, not paying her any attention. She swallowed hard, rolling her shoulders and wrinkling her nose. Something was going on. She felt almost weightless, that foggy feeling that crept over your body as you fell asleep, dangling between consciousness and dreams.
As she felt herself pulling even further away, she reached for Milly, but it was too late. Iris' eyes changed from their standard shimmering blue to white as a vision overtook her. Everything in Iris' mind went dark for just a moment, flashing small glimpses of a shifting landscape beneath her. The images came faster and faster until she was no longer trapped in the darkness of her mind but now flying freely above an open green field. The colors were so vivid; they were almost blinding. She was reminded of a moment not so long ago, when she stood in the grasslands, watching her mother cross over into the Fields of Moribund.
Looking to her right, she could see her outstretched arm and realized that she wasn't flying as her Griffin, but as her human self. Her hair whipped wildly around her, and the air bristled across her cheeks. It was cold but refreshing. Growing up, she had often wondered what it would be like to fly like her Griffin but in her human form. Iris didn't know where she was or how she got there, but Iris' sense of adventure that had defined her since she was a child, engulfed her.
She tilted right and left directly above the canopy of the forest, twisting herself through the narrow crevices of the caverns. She shot through a naturally made archway, over the edge of a cliff, skimming her fingers through the dry, dusty soil below. A strong wind slammed into her, flipping her legs downward as if she had hit an invisible barrier.
A voice sang out from next to her, the tone and pitch familiar. “You never did take things very seriously.”
Iris’ head snapped to the left, her eyes wide with excitement. “Mother!”
She lunged at the image of Omera standing next to her, but as her arms came down to grasp her in a hug, they flowed right through her mother's body. Omera chuckled. "It's just a vision. Because I've spent time outside of the Fields helping your sister, I'm coming to you in a projected form to keep my soul intact."
Iris pouted, floating back just slightly, shocked at how solid and real her mother's form looked. "I've missed you. I've been waiting for you."
Her mother smiled, reaching up as if she were going to push a piece of Iris' wild hair out of her face but pulled her hand back, remembering she wasn't there. "I wish that we had time to catch up fully, but I've come to show you something of great importance."
Iris stared at her, confused for a moment before following her gaze out toward the flatlands of the cliffs. However, as her eyes strained toward the horizon, the scene began to change. The wind whipped wildly around the towering peaks of Blackstone. Snow drifted from the deep embankments swirling through the air like tornadoes. Dark gray clouds billowed just above the surface of the higher mountains, and there was no sign of sunlight anywhere.
Omera began to talk, speaking in an almost rhythmic song. "Across the lands, through the forests, and beyond the depths of the deep caverns are the Right Staff Mountains. They are known to be the most treacherous of grounds, rarely ever traveled, and laying waste to thousands of lives belonging to those that could not make it through the pass. A long winding trail swerves through the narrow passages that lead to the top of the mountain. Only the strongest of those can climb it, a path only a handful have managed to take in the last thousand years. For those with wings, the journey is possible but arduous. The winds pick up speed as you crest the midpoint of the towering peaks, blowing some of the strongest from their path. The fall to the bottom is laden with jagged stone and ice melted and reformed over and over to create tall, sharp spikes."
Ahead of them, even though their feet stood still, Iris could see the path to the top of the mountain. It put a chill through her bones, though she couldn't feel the cold. "But why would anybody go up there then?"
Omera turned to her. “Not just anyone, the Griffin.”
Iris lifted an eyebrow. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
They both turned back to the scene, playing out like a movie in front of them. Omera’s hands were outstretched, ribbons of purple magic feeding the playback of the time she was showing Iris. "Long before even I stepped foot on this mortal plane, the great Griffin Ancestors held in their possession a stone more powerful than any other on earth. The Griffins were granted permission to keep that stone because their morals had always been of the highest caliber. However, as the Great Wars raged across the land, one Griffin Shifter Alpha, Helios, feared that the wars were not turning in their favor. He knew that the stone was all-powerful and in the wrong hands could be catastrophic to the Shifters."
Iris watched Helios Battle against the wind and snow, an enemy he would not be able to slay. The ice clung to his feathers, and he squawked in painful songs feeling the ice and hail rain down on his flesh. Iris's heart went out to him, feeling the pain of a fellow Griffin as he faced death to save millions that he had never known.
Her mother continued, narrating as the brave Griffin collapsed onto his
knees. “So, only shown to the eyes of the Ancestral Counsel across the Fields of Moribund, Helios buried the stone at the top peak of the mountain. Over time it became encased in ice, buried deep below the shelf of time. Before he was able to reach safety, the mountain overtook Helios, and the only ones to know the burial grounds of that sacred stone are those within the Council. Until now, no Shifter of the Griffin ancestry has held the seat of High Alpha.”
Iris took a deep breath, watching Helios kneeling as the weather pounded upon him. “Does that mean I’m supposed to have it?”
"The stone belongs to not one Griffin, but all of them. However, only those of Royal ancestry and blood can control the stone." Omera's eyes lingered on Iris as she watched the Griffin disappearing into the snow. "You are the first generation of High Alpha Shifters in the Griffin clan. The stone has sensed you. It calls for its release, but it also sends word of danger."
Iris shifted her attention back to her mother as the scene in front of her faded into darkness. “What kind of danger?”
Omera turned, and Iris followed, walking forward as the ground turned to long green grasses. "Someone is after the stone, and if they succeed in finding it, they'll have the power to destroy the Griffin and rule over the Shifters. The stone has attached itself to you, as the same blood that runs through your veins also ran through Helios. He is your great, great grandfather on your father's side, of course. When you find the stone, you will find the powers that connect you as well. It will help you control the gifts that will begin to grow when you and your mates are together. Without the stone, you will struggle to fully ever control them."
Iris stopped when her mother did, but her eyes never shifted away. Her mother smiled at her sweetly, raising her translucent hand to Iris’s cheek. “You cannot wait forever as the Shifters need you. You are strong and brave, and your mates await you on your journey.”
Iris let out a long sigh. "But how will I know them? I've never been very good with men."
Her mother giggled. "Trust me, you'll know. And remember, I'm here whenever you need me, but you must do this with courage and strength."
Iris nodded in understanding. “I wish that you could come back.”
Her mother’s image began to swirl, blowing fast against her face. She was startled by the explosion as the world around her grew dark again. Like an echo in the wind, she could hear her mother’s voice. “Wake up now. Wake up.”
Iris’s eyes changed back from gray to her sparkling blue. As her vision returned, she paused for only a moment before focusing in on the river below, growing ever faster in her direction. Her hand scrambled for the bungee cord at her waist, but it wasn't there. Iris rolled her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me."
Within seconds, she shifted into her Griffin, the last bit of her transforming just as she hit the water. Iris Griffin groaned as it shook its head, enormous enough to rest herself on the rocky bottom of the river. Water beaded up and dripped down her Griffin feathers, and she grumbled with irritation.
“Iris,” a voice yelled from above.
Thinking it was her mother, Iris immediately looked up, but instead, it was just Milly, holding the bungee cord, a fearful look on her face. Slowly Iris looked back down, everything that she had seen flooding back into her mind. Bewildered by it all, Iris took off out of the water like a jet soaring straight up in the air. As she reached the bridge, Milly stumbled back, and Iris spread her wings, hovering for just a moment before turning and taking off in the other direction.
Milly shook her head. "No, no, don't worry, I've got this. You just go run off with your secrets and cannonballs off of ten-story buildings."
She grumbled as she got her things together, only glancing back once as Iris disappeared out of sight. The truth was, Iris knew that danger of that magnitude would not only affect the Shifters but the human she cared about as well. She didn't know where to start, but she knew she couldn't stay there. What began as a quest for her mates, the three men that would connect with her body, mind, and soul, which would ultimately strengthen the inner powers of the High Alpha, had turned into a race for survival.
Chapter Two
The claws of Iris' Griffin scraped along the runway, sending up small chips of asphalt as she came to a running stop outside of the third hangar bay at her private airport. Her dark Griffin eyes shifted around, making sure there was no one watching. As she walked toward the hanger doors and flung it open, her body transformed back into her human form. She grabbed a robe from the hook on the wall and slipped it on, tying it around her waist. Hanger three wasn't used for planes, but instead a place for her to gather herself after shifting or hide if someone came around while she was in flight.
She stepped over a pile of fish bones left from the last time she ate. She had forgotten to clean up, and she knew that Milly would have a fit if she came back and saw that. But there was no time; she didn't want to put Milly in any type of danger by explaining to her what she had seen in her vision, so she needed to get in and out before her friend returned.
Hurrying over to a sizeable tarp-covered pile on the floor, she gripped the nylon edges and threw the tarp to the side. Beneath it was a harness that Iris had constructed with her own hands. She didn't like to be out flying as her Griffin without provisions and protection, so she had created the harness to carry her things during her Griffin's flight. It was large enough to fit her animal, light enough not to crush her when she shifted back and held enough room to carry weapons, food, and clothing.
Iris double-checked the straps to make sure that it was still secure and then began pulling stashed emergency bags from the adjacent closet. She had a bag full of clothes, a gun, an entire duffel bag full of beef jerky, canned goods, and anything else she could think of that would last. After packing her harness to capacity, she tightened the straps on each pouch and slipped out of her robe.
Stepping between the straps that would eventually tighten around her Griffin body, she hit a large round button on the wall opening the hangar bay doors. She lifted her eyebrows and rolled her shoulders, preparing for the shift. Iris knew what kind of debacle it would be if she got herself tangled up in it again, so she made sure that she was centered. If something were to go wrong, she wouldn't be able to ask Milly for help.
Closing her eyes hard, she stuck her arms outward and let the change happen. As her body grew, the straps wrapped around her, tightening correctly until her body finished. Without pause, she took off through the hanger doors sprinting down the runway, separate from the ones where she landed her planes. Her wings began to flap, and Iris took off into the air, soaring straight for the caverns. They were her go to, the place she could fly without being worried of onlookers and a tranquil silence that allowed her to think. They weren't far from the airport, so Iris would be able to get back quickly if needed. She knew that living out in Lordone, or on the outskirts could be dangerous for a Shifter. The Griffin were few and far at that point, at least a lot smaller than the other clans, and most of the darker Shifters waited their whole lives to be able to take down a Griffin.
She turned and twisted, skimming through the tight openings between the jagged rocks and circling until she landed gently on a ledge. Her Griffin sat tall and strong as it looked around, keeping watch as Iris' brain replayed her vision in her mind, remembering her mother's words. A large shadow moved over her, and her Griffin's head snapped upward to catch a glimpse. Whatever it had been, it was so fast that she'd only caught a glimpse of the tail end of it. Her Griffin turned its head from side to side, wondering what kind of animal was lurking within the caverns, especially one that could take flight. She waited for it to come back around, but it never did.
Giving up the watch, far too many other things on her mind, Iris figured it was just an optical illusion. It was probably just a small bird casting large shadows down into the cavern. She found no solace on her usual ledge, so she leaned forward and dove straight down toward the bottom of the gorge. The wind whipped through and across her feathe
rs, and her wings spread wide right before reaching the bottom. The Griffin glided along, catching several dried branches from the scarcely surviving brush below.
Iris tilted her body upward and began to soar back up toward the opening to the skies above. About halfway, she heard an echoing screech followed by a searing pain ripping through her wing. She looked over, but in the blink of an eye, as her flight was fast, she only caught a glimpse of another large animal passing through, its claws dragging across her wings.
Before she could look back, another flew past nearly smashing into her.
“Son of a…” Iris growled, the large black bird sending her spiraling down toward the rocky cliffs below.
Her wings tilted from side to side, the edge of her wing folding back in injury. She tried to steady herself, but just as it was when she flew planes, her bird was out of control. Approaching a narrow passage through the rocks toward the cliffs, Iris turned her body and flattened her wings, putting her head straight down. She shot through the crevice, bouncing slightly from side to side against the smooth stone walls. As she emerged, her eyes focused in on a plateau to her right.
If she were going to make a crash landing, she figured it was better to do it there than to plummet down to the barren cavern beneath her. “Oh man, this is going to hurt.”
Iris quickly tucked her legs up under her Griffin body and rolled her head down. Right before hitting the surface of the plateau, she folded them back and pushed her momentum forward. As her back slammed into the rocky surface, she rolled head over tail, finally coming to a sliding stop against the mountainside. Her large Griffin body tilted right and then left, her wings finally relaxing on to the ground. With a sniffle, she turned her head, her eyes scanning the sky in search of the blackbird.
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