LA Shifters: Shifter Romance

by Sky Winters

  “So, your friends aren’t here with you today.”

  Joy stepped back in surprise, friends? What did she mean? “Sorry, I think you have me confused with someone else.”

  “No I don’t.” She leaned down on her elbows, not even looking at Joy’s loaf of bread or slowly melting ice cream. “I know exactly who I’m talking to. You’re dating that asshat Zak, the guy who thinks it’s fun to come in here, tear up my store, and leave without paying a dime.”

  “I’m here to pay for all of this. I’ve never stolen from you.”

  “No. You just watch while your man does it.”

  The two women stared at each other, not moving. Joy struggled to find the words to turn the situation around. Yes, Zak was a hell-raiser and yes, they were together, but she was a paying customer. What was she supposed to do?

  “Look,” she said, leaning in and lowering her voice, “I am dating Zak. Maybe I could talk to him about taking it easy on this place. You know, pay for the stuff and not block the door. He’ll listen to me.”

  Her checkout foe looked doubtful, but she picked up the bread and scanned it anyway. “Yeah? You’d do that?”

  “Sure.” Joy prayed she wouldn’t hear the doubt in her voice. She actually had no idea if Zak would hear her out on taking it easy at the stores.

  The woman finished and then just shook her head at Joy. “What I don’t understand,” she said, “is what on earth a nice girl like you is doing with that awful man. Don’t you want someone a little more… you know, a little less…”

  “Dangerous?” Joy bagged her own groceries while her counterpart scrutinized her, trying to figure her out. “You know,” she said, throwing the bread on top of her purchases, “I don’t think I do. As crazy as he is…” She picked up the bag and turned to go. “I think Zak is the only one for me.”

  Chapter 6

  The next three days were a bit slow and lonely for Joy. She still hadn’t received the divorce papers from Aris, though her attorney was calling him every day and demanding he sign. He’d also pleaded with Joy to press charges, but she explained that no cop in his town would pick him up. They were all too buddy buddy; he had the advantage.

  On top of that, her father had fallen into a horrible depression. She had called several specialists, but none were less than an hour drive out of town and she couldn’t persuade him to get in the car.

  He met her suggestions for a psychoanalysis with boiling rage. “I’m not going to some head-shrinker!”

  “Dad, it’s to help you feel better. I’ve never seen you so down.”

  At that he would stomp off into his room. “You try gettin’ old and let me know how you like it.” Then he’d slam the door and not speak to her for hours.

  The only upside of the argument was that it somehow helped him remember that she was his daughter. She wasn’t sure how to take that, but she decided it was all she could ask for right now.

  To make it all worse, she hadn’t seen or heard from Zak in a while. She wasn’t worried; he’d let her know the group was going on a run outside of town. “We want to go up to the lake,” he’d told her, stroking her hair. “We just want to get away from modern society for a while.” He kissed her forehead and then whispered in her ear, “You can come too. If you want.”

  “I have to stay with my dad.” She smiled and gave him a kiss back. “Behave yourself. Don’t go falling in love with anyone up at the lake.”

  “No promises.” She gave him a smack for that and then a big, deep kiss goodbye.

  “I’ll miss you.”

  “Not as much as I’ll miss you.” He climbed on his bike after that and signaled for everyone to get on and roll out. She stood and watched them go, waving goodbye to the whole group, most of whom were too excited to do more than a quick, behind the back wave to her as they roared off.

  So, here she was: no boyfriend, a depressed father, and a town that would barely speak to her because everyone knew she was involved with Zak. Not her best weekend. To top it all off, she had nausea and felt a bit dizzy. What was wrong with her?

  “You alright Brenda?” She looked up to see her father was out of his room and curious as to what was going on with her. She nodded.

  “I’m fine, Steve. Thanks for checking on me.”

  “You’re looking a little piqued. Go lie down if you need to.”

  “I will. Don’t worry.” She eased herself into a kitchen chair and put her head in her hands. Did she have a bug? She checked the time and was mortified to see that it was only six. She was anxious to go to bed.

  She forced herself up to fix a few sandwiches for her dad. His Alzheimer’s disease was now completely messing up his eating habits and made him forget he was full. She was making ten sandwiches a day because any withholding of food sent him into a rage that couldn’t be quelled. She’d quit fighting with him immediately. How could she deny her own parent food?

  Once the sandwiches were prepared and wrapped up in the fridge, she checked on her dad. He was snoozing peacefully in his armchair, the remote wrapped up in his fingers. She gave him a little kiss on his forehead and then felt a horrible swoon as she stood again. Whoa. She did need to lie down.

  Finally, she decided to throw the day out and headed into her room. As soon as her head hit the pillow she started to fall asleep. Her whole body seemed to be begging for rest and a soft, smooth mattress and the weight of her old, nubby blankets.

  As soon as she was asleep, she dreamed. In her dream, she walked between ominous, black trees that towered above her. Pine cones fell from their branches, but not in a threatening way. They were like big, gentle raindrops plummeting to the ground. Under her feet was a soft layer of long, luxurious pine needles that almost felt like a springy mattress. The smell of wet bark and moss was everywhere and she felt a little drunk as she breathed it in.

  Ahead of here were some dark, vague figures. Who were they? She squinted through the trees, but she couldn’t seem to get any closer to them. She ran a little bit, pushing the trees aside and knocking pine cones to the ground. She opened her mouth to call out a big, “Hey!” but found she had no voice at all. She ran faster, opened her mouth wider and wider, but nothing seemed to work. Her own body fought her and grew heavier with every step, her throat seemed to close as she tried again and again to scream out to the familiar figures ahead of her.

  Finally, she made a big, heavy lunge forward and the motion sent her straight down into the earth. She fell past tree trunks, through webs of worms and beetles and down into darkness. When she hit the ground her eyes opened and she found herself gasping and sweating in her bed.

  She sat up. Behind her, on the mattress was a pool of sweat and her pajamas were soaked through. She peeled the blankets back and got up. Her digital clock on the nightstand informed her that it was five in the morning, far too early to go out and make breakfast. Her dad would be furious if she woke him up now.

  She pulled her sweaty clothes off and stood naked in the center of her room. The gray light of dawn hit her body and illuminated her for a moment with an eerie softness. She looked down and was startled at the sight of her breasts. They had grown overnight. She smoothed her hands down her now very tender chest and continued down to her stomach and hips; both were substantially bigger. Joy had always had a slim frame and an active metabolism so she usually maintained a rather skinny silhouette. This new, extra curvy figure she had felt completely alien. Whose body was this?

  Joy pulled her sheets off the mattress and balled them. Even the mattress pad under her fitted sheet was ruined. She sighed and wondered how early she’d be able to do any laundry. Her stomach growled and she nearly slapped it. No eggs and bacon for you, pudgy, she thought. You’re going on a diet starting today.

  After the mattress was stripped and her skin and hair grew chilly from her sweaty nightmare, she pulled on fresh pajamas, now much tighter over her big hips and ample chest, and laid on the bare mattress to close her eyes for another hour or so. If she dreamed again, she didn�
�t remember the details. All she knew was that when she woke up there was bacon frying and coffee brewing in the kitchen. Her dad was cooking? The smell made her mouth water so much she had to wipe the drool away.

  She looked at herself in the mirror. Her new body didn’t look bad, it just looked different. Maybe Zak would be into it. Besides, she told herself as she ran into the kitchen, she could always start her diet tomorrow.

  She’d been right about Zak’s enthusiasm for her new shape. He and his crew returned the next day and she greeted him in a tight pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and her leather jacket. Now it was his mouth that was watering. He walked up to her with wide eyes, taking in every new, curvy inch of her.

  “What happened to you?”

  She feigned innocence. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean.... your… and then your… You’ve got a whole new body.” He took her hand and stepped closer to her and she breathed in that familiar scent of his that she loved so much. He smelled extra wild today, now that he’d spent some time out at the lake.

  She pulled him in a little closer so she could whisper in his ear. “I gained a little weight. Do you mind?”

  He stepped back and looked her up and down one more time, then shook his head appreciatively. “You’ve never looked hotter. In fact…” He glanced over at his crew, all of whom were winding down and settling into the grass around their bikes. “Can we go somewhere? I need you right now.”

  She pulled his hand and led him, giggling the whole way, off to a little spot she’d found while he’d been away. He ran after her, already pulling off his jacket. They quickly shed their clothes and threw them into the grass as soon as they reached the little patch of soft grass next to a grand old tree standing tall in the forest. The two of them stood together in the shade, Zak regarding Joy once again, but this time taking in every beautiful curve as she stood there, nude and lovely in the forest air. His heart raced as he took in the rise of her hips, her rounder and softer ass, and her heavy breasts.

  He moved to her, his cock already standing straight up in the air as hard as ever, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck, gathered her long hair in his hand and twisted it into his fingers. She tilted her head back as he worked his way down to her big, round breast and took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped as he sucked on the little pink circle; it seemed to be attached somehow to her clitoris. She was instantly excited, pumping her hips back and forth as he took her hard nipple between his teeth for a quick love bite.

  “You want it?” He moved to the next breast, giving it the same treatment and sending volts of electricity through her whole body.

  “Oh my god. Yes, yes I need you. I need you right now.” He lifted up and she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his chest. He reached down to grab her big, curvy ass with one hand and the feel of it seemed to spark a fire in him. He felt more wild than he had ever been with her before. He gave it a loud smack and the sound rang out in the woods along with Joy’s loud, enthusiastic moan. She’d grown to enjoy his spanking over time.

  “You just need it, don’t you?” He turned so that tree trunk was behind her and he could prop her up against its rough skin. “Tell me. Tell me to fuck you.”

  Joy put one foot down and kept the other wrapped around him. She bucked against his hips and the biting tree bark. Her eyes were wide and desperate. He had never seen her pupils so big and the sight of them made his blood pump even harder.

  “I want you to fuck me. I want you fuck me harder than you’ve ever fucked me. Do it right now. Take me right here. I can’t wait. I need it. I need you inside me. Do it. Fuck me, Zak. Fuck me!”

  Zak shoved his hard, straight cock up and into her slick, wet pussy and the both of them cried out in relief. Then he worked his body up and down, driving himself deep into her as she balanced against the tree and on the gnarled ground at its roots. She grabbed onto his shoulders and let herself ride him like the animal he was, loving the friction and the heat and the sweat they created together.

  Their bodies moved in a steady rhythm, building up to a faster speed. Zak’s eyes blazed a deep yellow and low, rumbling growl came up from his toes and out his open mouth. For a moment, Joy thought she saw a great, gaping jaw full of curved and dangerous teeth in front of her, but it was gone as soon as she saw it. She kissed him and bit his lip and their speed increased, the two of them melded together with the heat they created. Joy felt little sparks flying off her skin and briefly worried about the forest around them; surely no tree could stand against the force of their fire.

  They hit their climax and the sky was suddenly filled with birds, flower buds opened and queen bees devoured their faithful bee servants deep inside their sticky palaces. Ripples of their lovemaking shook the earth so strongly that the rocks rattled and the rivers swelled. They rode the dark, undulating orgasm between them with their eyes closed. Joy had a brief vision of Ursa Major blazing in the sky and laughed at the memory. That had been back when they were so hesitant and gentle with one another. Look at us now, she thought. We’re so happy to tear each other to shreds.

  A moment later, they laid in the grass and stared up at the sky. Both were still naked and still reeling from their lovemaking. She had ever been so hungry, so desperate for someone’s touch and the effect had left her both a little shaky. Zak propped himself up on one elbow and looked at Joy, sweaty and spent on the soft earth, and smiled.

  “You look like a goddess. You know that?”

  She snorted a little laugh. “Come on. I’m no goddess.” She picked a nearby flower and drew across his face with it, but he moved it away.

  “I’m serious.” He touched his nose to hers and she could feel his eyelashes on her cheeks. “You represent life, love, sex. Everything. That’s what a goddess is; she’s an inspiration and a symbol. I’m using the right word.”

  She turned to him and gave him a big, long kiss. His lips tasted like cold well water, something deep in the earth that was waiting to be released. The taste of it stirred her again and she pulled him on top of her. The two lay in the grass and just held one another, kissing in the warm sun. The scents of soft grass and black earth reached her nose and she could feel the variations in the earth beneath her. The rises and dips and the blades of long, soft grass made the perfect bed for them and she never wanted to get up from that little spot.

  Zak sat up and cocked his head. “You hear that?”

  She propped herself up on her elbows and listened as well. It sounded like an argument. “I think two of your guys are just having a disagreement.”

  “One of those voices isn’t ours.” He jumped up and listened again. He walked over to find his clothes and quickly pulled them on without looking at Joy. She popped up to join him and found her pants on top of a thorny bush. She had to pull it off carefully so it wouldn’t rip and he got a bit of a head start. Dressed already, he walked off to see what could be happening and left Joy behind him.

  “Hey,” she called out, “don’t leave! I’m right behind you.”

  “I have to, babe. Stay here, I’ll come back for you.”

  He left Joy naked to stand and wait at the trees. Gingerly, she peeled her jeans off of the thorns and then found her shirt just below it. She held them while she scoured the ground for her bra and panties and then something made her stop.

  The voice that reached her was familiar. The calm tone that implied threats rather than issuing them; it made her hug her sides with her trembling arms. It couldn’t be. There was no way.

  Please, she prayed, please don’t let it be who I think it is. Please don’t let it be Aris.

  Chapter 7

  After Zak left Joy in the clearing, he walked out of the woods to the road and immediately saw the strange, tall figure he had heard while he’d been with her. He stopped and watched the scene for a moment. His group was holding their own, as he expected them to do. Two of his men were standing with girls flanking them on either side while the rest of the group lounged
on the ground, feigning disinterest while keeping a sharp eye on the situation.

  The stranger, Zak realized, was Aris, his old enemy and Joy’s ex-husband. He wasn’t losing the love of his life to this loser again and he walked casually across the street to make sure Aris knew it.

  Aris and Zak’s fellow biker Gary were having a stand-off. Aris had his hands balled up but down by his sides and was trying to stare Gary down. The biker, meanwhile, was standing in an almost floppy style. His knees were a little bent to keep his legs loose and his gaze was just barely on his challenger; he was making sure he had room to attack if necessary and that he had two points of backup close by. He and his gang got into the occasional fight, sure; but they were smart about it. They never fought in an enclosed space, always made sure to have at least two other people behind their target, and got it over with as quickly as possible. They weren’t scared of the police, they just saw no reason for them to be involved. To have the cops show up to break up a fight was considered highly embarrassing for this group.

  “I know she’s here.” Aris ran his fingers roughly through his hair as he took in the lounging bikers in front of him. “You can all drop the act. Trust me, she’s trouble. Just give her up now and I won’t cause any problems.”

  “I think you should,” Zak said, stepping forward. “Cause a problem, I mean.”

  Aris did a surprised double-take at Zak, where had this guy come from? “What? What the hell are you saying?”

  Zak stepped closer to his adversary. Aris was a half-head taller than Zak, but the short leader stood confidently and flipped his hair out of his face with a cocky head snap. “I’m saying we like problems. You think I got this crew to join my gang because they like things safe? No, you’ve got it all wrong.” All around him, gang members were standing slowly and positioning themselves at different points of attack about a foot away from Aris. “You see Petunia over there?”

  Aris looked at the skinny blonde with faded purple in her hair. She was staring at him as if she wanted to know his face intimately, to know exactly how each of his cells lined up.