by Hazel Gower
“Oh, my God. Britney, this is awesome.”
Britney beamed at her and dragged her around, showing her everything.
Sasha met her mum, Melody, and Steven in the VIP area with Britney’s parents. She hugged them all, thanking them for the party.
“It’s going to be quite the hit. I should be thanking you,” said Britney’s father. “I have people who weren’t invited paying big money to be the one of the hundred or so extra we let in. The bands you have playing have been a big draw.”
Sasha just bet they would be. She had no idea how Britney had got the bands to play. She eyed her friend, who winked at her.
“Dad, I think it’s time to get the party started. Tell them at the door to let the invited guests in first.”
Britney’s father nodded and talked into a mobile, and Britney dragged her away and down the stairs to meet her guests.
A couple of hours later she’d meet all the people Britney had invited. Sasha was now talking with some of her drama friends, Jess, Zeck, and Travis, when the main band started. Everyone screamed and rushed to the stage.
Britney seemed to come out of nowhere and pull her to the stage. They fought to get to the front until suddenly Savron was at her side pushing people out of the way.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” Sasha heard Britney mumble.
Savron shrugged his broad shoulders. “I couldn’t stay away.”
They made it to the front, and Savron stood at her back, a solid unmoving force against the crazy crowd behind him. After a couple of songs his arms came around her, and she eased back into his hold enjoying the safety and comfort of his touch. When the band finished she turned around and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him in thanks, but as soon as her mouth touched his, her body came to life, and she ran her fingers through his hair gripping him to her as he devoured her. His hands came to rest on her arse, and he ground his erection against her. Groaning, she pulled away as the second band started up and cheers went up around them.
The rest of the night he became her protector, and she’d didn’t have to wait for drinks as he got them for her. At 11:00 they brought out a massive blue and white three tier cake with an eighteen candle on the top.
Savron disappeared as her friends sang happy birthday, and she blew out the candle. Sasha’s friends all hugged her, and she danced the rest of the night away. Before she left for home she asked Britney where Savron had gone.
“He went to work.” Britney smiled, and they left in the limo.
****
The rest of her week was busy as she caught up on dance practice she missed. Tuesday and Wednesday Savron had driven her to dance class. He hadn’t said much, and he only gave her pecks on the cheek or brushed his lips over hers, nothing like the kiss on Saturday or her party night. Sasha felt like she was getting mixed signals.
Britney invited her over Thursday night, which was games night in her family. Savron came in late with takeout and was her partner in crime on the games. By the end of the night, Sasha thought she’d needed a rest from the Pride family. Something didn’t feel right, and Savron ran hot one minute and seemed cold the next. She needed to sort things out.
****
Savron had had the week from hell. He was happy the colder weather was bringing out the vampires early so he could hunt longer, because he was having a hell of a time not throwing Sasha over his shoulder and taking her back to his house and claiming her. The more time he spent with her the more he liked her. She was easy to get on with and happy to stay at home with his family and talk or play games.
Last night had been game night. They did it every Thursday before they went out to rid the world of the nightmare creatures and run their clubs. Sasha had fit right in with his family laughing, teasing, and fighting. They’d been paired together for Pictionary. They’d almost won, but his mom and dad took them out, keeping their undefeated status.
Being that close to her and not being able to do what he wanted had driven him crazy. This morning his mom had come into work saying she was late because she had given the girls a ride to school, as Sasha’s mother needed the car. He’d offered to pick them up, but she told him not to bother as Mac drove them home when Sasha didn’t have the car.
Savron’s lion had been edgy all day and refused to come out when he’d needed help with a troll interrogation. So now he waited leaning on his car for Sasha by the school car-park. Brandon stood waiting next to him.
“I can’t believe you’re picking up your human girlfriend and our sister up from school. Have you seen her in her uniform?”
“Yes.” Savron had. It had been the first time he’d met her. He didn’t really remember what she was wearing as he was stressing about the way his lion acted around her.
Brandon had a huge smirk on his face. “Have you seen her in uniform knowing she’s your mate?”
He growled, not wanting to talk about this stupid stuff with Brandon.
Brandon laughed. “Oh this is going to be classic.” Then he went quiet, and Savron could feel Brandon’s eyes on him. “Holy shit! Sasha doesn’t know you’re here to pick her up.”
Savron ignored his brother hoping he’d drop the subject.
“Who’s supposed to pick them up?”
Savron looked anywhere but his brother. He didn’t want to admit to his jealousy, and he would have to if he told them who was going to drop them home if he hadn’t been here.
Brandon went through names of friends, and then he added, “If you won’t tell me I’ll just ask the girls.”
“Fucking hell, you’re not going to leave this alone, are you?”
Brandon shook his head.
“Fine, Mac.”
“Mac Fierce, the werewolf alpha’s son?” Brandon chuckled. “How did you find out?”
Savron crossed his arms over his chest not willing to confirm anything. “Mom told me when she came in to help with some paperwork,” he mumbled, caving and telling Brandon what he wanted.
The bell blared, saving him from answering more questions. People poured out of the school.
He saw Sasha and almost came in his pants. Crap. Her hair was down, and she wore only shiny pink lip-gloss, and she had a bright laughing smile on her face. The uniform was a white shirt with buttons undone to show just enough cleavage. The jacket that matched the tiny skirt emphasized her breasts. To top the outfit off she wore black leather knee-high boots. Sasha was a walking fantasy come to life.
Savron stood up straight and walked towards her. He watched Sasha giggle at something Mac and his buddies said. Mac’s arm came around her shoulder, and Savron snarled. People stared at him, and Mac, Britney, Sasha and others in the group they walked with stopped.
Mac smiled at him, and the fuckwit didn’t move his arm from around Sasha. “Hey, Pride. You here to pick your sister up? You didn’t have to. I’m happy to drive her home.”
He saw Sasha try to move away from Mac, but his arm didn’t move. Savron watched her eyes dart from him to Mac.
“No. I came to pick my mate up. Sasha.”
Mac’s arm dropped from her shoulder, and he pulled Sasha to him and took a deep breath in of her scent. “She doesn’t smell like you.” Sasha struggled to move away from Mac as he checked both her shoulders for the mate mark. “And there’s no mate mark.”
A shifter circle surrounded them now to keep the humans’ eyes and ears out.
Savron groaned, because thanks to Mac and his own jealousy he would have to explain to Sasha everything.
Sasha looked at Mac now like he’d lost his marbles. She pushed again at Mac. “I don’t know what the hell you’re going on about, Mac, but when I want to be let go of next time, do it.”
She punched his chest and strolled away to Brandon who stood behind him. Britney followed with a wicked smile on her face. Savron turned to see Brandon with a huge cheeky grin on his face as Sasha placed her hand in his and dragged him to the car.
Mac and the other shifter guys chuckled behind him. “I’m sorry, Savr
on. I thought if she was your mate you would have claimed her. If she was mine I would have. I forget she’s human. I wonder how she’s going to react to learn most of her new friends are shifters.” Mac patted his back. “I’d like to be a fly on the wall when everything settles and she learns she’s your mate.”
Savron watched as Brandon opened his passenger door and Sasha hopped in. Britney got in the back, and Brandon very slowly started to walk around the driver’s side.
Savron turned back to Mac and raked his fingers through his hair. “I’ve only known she was my mate for about a week. On her birthday she came around, and the mate bond showed itself. I’ve been trying to take it easy because she’s human and only just come of age.”
“You’re a bigger man than me to have not claimed her. Your lion must be going insane,” Mac said with sympathy in his voice.
“Yes, he is. But after seeing her in her uniform I know tomorrow no one will mistake whose she is.” He glared at Mac. “So keep your hands to yourself.” With that he turned and walked to his car, ignoring the laughter behind him.
Chapter Four
“What just happened, Britney? What the hell is Mac talking about, and why on earth did your brother look ready to kill Mac?”
She shrugged. “You have been hanging out with Savron quite a bit. He thinks you’re his girlfriend, and he saw you cuddling Mac and wasn’t happy.”
Sasha told herself not to feel guilty. She’d done nothing wrong. Mac had put his arm around her; she hadn’t participated.
Sasha had spent last Saturday before her party with Savron and had had a scorching kiss at her party with him, but other than that she’d only been with him when he dropped her at dance practice and last night. His whole family had been there, so she hadn’t spent any one on one time. She’d had a ball with his family though. She’d decided last night she needed a break from the Pride family, mainly Savron and his mixed signals. Now he was acting the jealous suitor. Argh. She didn’t get him.
“What did he mean by mate? And Mac mentioned a mate mark. What’s he talking about?”
Britney looked anywhere but at her. “I really think Savron should tell you.”
Sasha turned to stare out the front of the car and sat with her arms crossed over her chest. She was sick of the weird behavior and never getting answers. Brandon got in the backseat as the driver’s side opened and Savron got in. He started the car not saying anything as he drove out of the school.
Hating the silence, and pissed at everyone for not telling her what was going on, Sasha turned the radio on flicking through channels until she found what she wanted. She ignored the people in car and sang out of tune to the songs. She knew she couldn’t sing. Sasha thought it was fitting torture for the occupants of the car.
The guys in the car didn’t say a thing. It was Britney who broke the silence on a long drawn-out suffering groan. “Shut it, Sasha. I can’t take the torture anymore. I know you know you can’t sing, but what you’re doing now is worse than nails on a chalkboard.”
Sasha winked at Britney, sighed, and stopped the torture. She looked around her to see how far they were from her house. “You went past my turn off.” She glared at Savron.
“You want answers? Then you need to come back to my parents’ house. I can’t hold back or stay away any longer.”
Sasha nodded and hoped she wasn’t going to learn she’d become friends with the mob, or they were a part of some weird cult and wanted her to join. Her mind conjured up all sort of scenarios. They were a family of spies. They were undercover agents for the school watching for drugs and other unsavory things.
Savron pulled into the driveway of the house, and they all got out. He undid the front door, and Sasha followed him to the lounge room. He sat on the three seat sofa, and she sat next to him eager to hear what they had to tell. Britney and Brandon sat on the two seat sofa across from them
“What’s that saying? Do it like a Band-Aid, quick and to the point,” Savron grumbled.
Sasha watched as he straightened his shoulders and reached out to her hands and held them in his.
“I’m a lion shifter, and you’re my mate.”
Sasha studied the crazy man in front of her. His eyes focused on her. He didn’t look to be on drugs. His face was straight, no sign he was joking.
Sasha glanced around the room to see if Brandon and Britney were laughing. No. They had serious faces as they watched her.
She tried to pull her hands from Savron, but he wouldn’t let them go. “You’re joking right? You’re really secret agents or the mob and don’t want me to find it out.”
Savron groaned. Britney giggled, and Brandon chuckled.
“I think we’re going to have to show her. Brandon, change into your lion,” Savron ordered his brother.
Brandon stood and took his shirt off. Sasha felt the heat creep up her face. He went to yank his pants down, and she bit her lip telling herself she shouldn’t stare or buy into this craziness, but Brandon stopped when her hands became free and Savron stood in front of her.
“I’ll do it, Brandon. The only man I want her seeing naked is me. Britney, go sit with her so she doesn’t run.”
Savron took his clothes off, and Sasha was so enraptured with Savron’s naked body she hardly noticed Britney coming to sit beside her. Once he was naked, she shut her eyes for a moment.
Don’t look down. Don’t look down.
But it didn’t work. She couldn’t miss this even if the naked man was a loon. She opened her eyes and gasped. Wow, she hadn’t seen many penises, well, beside the porn she’d watched just to see what it was all about, and her last boyfriend whom she’d attempted to give a blow job to, but he hadn’t been anything extraordinary. Savron though… She bit her lip and reminded herself he was crazy. She sighed. What a waste.
A colorful light swirled around him, and his image blurred and stretched. Too scared to even blink, Sasha watched as Savron’s image changed and morphed until in his place stood a majestic male lion.
Sasha opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. She sat still on the sofa unbelieving what she was seeing. She blinked several times telling herself her mind was playing tricks.
The golden lion with his bright yellow eyes stared at her. She gulped as he stalked her, coming closer and rubbing himself against her legs, nuzzling himself almost onto her lap. Sasha knew she needed to move, scream, do something, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. She glanced to Britney for help, but she sat there smiling at her.
“I knew you’d do well. I told him not to stress over you not accepting us. I’m glad you didn’t run either because I really didn’t want to have to wrestle my brother as a lion to have to stop him. Now if I was in my lioness form then I’d kick his butt, but he wanted to show you.”
All Sasha could do was nod as her mind felt ready to explode. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing and seeing.
“You can pat him, you know. He’d like that.”
Without thought Sasha slowly reached out and touched the lion’s head. His golden fur was soft and rough all at the same time. She stroked his mane, and a purring rumble came from him. Sasha slowly started to relax.
“You know, I don’t really like cats. I’m more of a dog person, but you’re nice.” She took a sharp intake of air as she realized what an idiotic thing she’d just said in her nervousness.
Britney and Brandon laughed so hard they wiped their eyes.
Sasha looked down into the eyes of the lion. “Oh God, I’ve gone crazy.”
Britney patted her on the back. “You’re not insane, just overwhelmed. What can I say to help put your mind at ease?”
“How about this is only some weird dream, or you drugged me and I’m tripping?”
“You want me to tell you I drugged you?”
“Well no, but what I’m seeing is unreal. Are there many of you? Does the government know about you? What else is there? Do you get any enhancements? Can you turn me into a shifter? How do you hide what you are? ”
“It’s called Sin City not for the reasons most think, but because it’s the biggest doorway in the world. There are a lot of smaller ones scattered throughout the world.”
What the hell did she mean about doorways? “Doorways?”
“Just listen. I’ll explain,” said Britney. “Shifters are protectors; we always have been. We protect the human race. There are creatures out there that are not so nice. We shifters hunt them down and kill them. Yes, the government knows about us as everyone in power is a shifter mostly. There are quite a lot of us, and we are all different, werewolves, bears, eagles, all the predators of the animal kingdom. Yes, we have enhancements. We’re stronger than humans. We heal faster, and we grow old slower, and we never get sick or have diseases. We don’t really hide what we are as humans never ask, and if they see something they think they have gone crazy like you, or pretend they didn’t see it. And lastly, no, you cannot be turned into a shifter. You have to be born a shifter.” Britney sagged back into the sofa. “I hope I don’t have to do that again for a long time.” She winked at Sasha. “I didn’t leave anything out?”
Sasha shook her head, too stunned to answer with the information overload. She sat quiet for a while thinking over everything she’d been told as she stroked her lion. Her hand stilled as what she said rebounded around in her head. She eased away from the lion and stopped patting him. Then she slowly stood.
“Thanks for answering my questions. Can someone take me home, please, now?”
Savron changed back into a naked man. “I’ll take you home.”
Moving away from him she pasted what she hoped looked like a smile on her face as she said, “No. I think it’d be best if Brandon takes me home right now, thanks.” She turned and walked to door not waiting for an answer or to see if anyone followed.
Sasha walked out the house and waited by the car door, her emotions and mind in turmoil. Brandon came out of the house, and she sighed in relief. Right now she felt like he was the only one who hadn’t betrayed her.