Changeling

by Victoria Vallo

  She wasn’t home when I arrived at her house, so I ended up in the living room looking at baby pictures. I believed I could tell where the pictures of Colin ended and the pictures of me began. I’d been told we were swapped at about a year old, and I thought I saw a difference in the shape of our faces.

  Of course, I couldn’t ask about it. I’d been told I could tell my mother the truth, if I ever wanted to, but I was still debating it in my head. I felt selfish, in a way, for not wanting to share her time and love with Colin, who had asked so many questions about her. I genuinely liked the guy, and he didn’t seem to begrudge me spending time with Moira at all. He welcomed me any time I came around, in fact.

  I heard the back door open and set the album aside to turn and greet my mom. “Hey. Sorry I didn’t call first.”

  “Oh, that’s all right. I just ran down to the market for some cat food.”

  “Cat food? You got a cat?”

  “Well, I think it’s the cat that has me, but yes. He’s shy. Probably hiding. I found him in the alley. Missing a tail, poor thing. His name is Henry.”

  “It’s okay? You took it to the vet.”

  “Yes. They said it might’ve been an accident. I certainly hope it wasn’t someone being cruel.” She frowned, but then she smiled suddenly and pointed. “Oh! There he is. Under the chair in the corner.”

  I bent my head and saw an orange cat with big green eyes staring at me. It stuck its head out, perhaps feeling safer with my mom there. “Hey, Henry. Thanks for keeping mom company.”

  “How are things going with your beau?”

  I had to laugh as she set her bags down and then came to sit across from me. She referred to all of my boyfriends as “beaus”, even the ones she didn’t care for.

  “Things are going very well, actually. Very well.”

  She nodded, her gaze falling on the album. “Looking at baby pictures?” She came and sat on the other side of the album, which I’d set on the middle cushion. “Does this man have children?”

  “No, I was just killing some time.”

  She took the album and looked over the pictures. “You were so tiny at first. You didn’t really start to put on weight until after you had that horrible cough.”

  “Cough? When was that?”

  “Just after your first birthday. Took years off my life, I think. Thank heavens you didn’t get sick for a good long time after that.” She smiled. “Your angel was watching over you.”

  I hadn’t heard her say that in years, but it struck me then. She’d said it often when I was younger, that I had a guardian angel. She even put angels all over my room until my dad insisted I’d outgrown the motif. She might think I had started losing it, but I decided to ask, “Have you ever seen an angel?”

  “Oh yes. When you had that cough. It had been three days, and the medicine from your pediatrician wasn’t working at all. Your father was away on business, and I was scared. Your cough sounded so awful I worried you’d begin spitting up blood. Then you quieted a little. I got dressed quickly, hoping you were asleep and would stay that way on the ride to the emergency room. I walked into your room, and I saw a woman holding a baby. She sort of glowed. I thought it was you, that you were dying. Or I was going nuts. But then I saw you in the crib. The woman rubbed your tummy and vanished. She was some sort of angel or saint that protects children. Or something. You know, like that painting in your grandmother’s house. The one everyone had back in the 1930s and 40s. The children playing close to something dangerous, but an angel standing behind them.”

  I blinked as I stared down at the pictures. “You’ve never told me that before.”

  “I told your father, and he made me see a psychiatrist for a month. I promised not to tell you.” She shrugged. “I figured he wouldn’t mind now.” She reached out and touched my hand. “Adam, are you all right? You look pale.” She patted my hand and closed the album. “Darling, don’t look like that. I might’ve imagined it. It was hard to sleep because I was worried about you. I’m not crazy.”

  “I don’t think you’re crazy. I’m sure you really saw her.”

  “Then what’s wrong? Are you scared? You look stunned.”

  I reached over and took her hand.

  “Adam? What’s going on? Are you sick?”

  “No. Nothing like that.” I took a deep breath. “Lachlann asked me to marry him, and I’m going to say yes.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Oh, that’s wonderful! You have to bring him over. I’m sure he’s wonderful if you love him, but I want to meet him. And his family. Are his parents living?”

  “Yes, they are.” My nerves made my stomach clench, but I knew what I had to do now. “You’re going to like his family. And there are some other people I want you to meet as well.”

  “Well, yes, whatever you want. Just tell me when.”

  “As soon as possible, I say,” I said, moving closer. “You see, mom, that wasn’t an angel you saw.”

  I proceeded to tell her the truth. Ten minutes later, after lots of wide-eyed staring and many, many question, she crossed the room and poured herself a whiskey from the liquor cabinet I hadn’t realized she’d continued to keep stocked after dad’s death. She came back to sit beside me and sipped at it, beckoning the cat over. Henry hopped into her lap and purred, watching me curiously.

  She eventually took a big gulp of her drink and said, “Well, if you’re marrying a prince, I hope they’re paying for the wedding.”

  I laughed. “Yes, they’ll take care of everything.”

  She set her glass down and stroked Henry. “I think I’ll be needing some new clothes for this meeting.” She scratched behind the cat’s ears. “Never met royalty before. Or the family of any of your beaus.”

  I smiled. “It never mattered until now.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I said, “I guess I need to tell him yes so we can get started with plans.”

  She must’ve noticed my ring then. “Oh, is that from him?”

  “Yes.” I held out my hand for her inspection.

  “It’s lovely.” She gave me a little shove. “Don’t keep him waiting any longer. When did he ask you?”

  “Three days ago.”

  “Then go tell him yes. Time for everything else later.” She stared down at the carpet, shaking her head. “I always knew that woman was there. That she came back to check on you.” She smiled, her expression wistful. “Now I know why. She loved you the way I do.”

  I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re my mom. You always will be. Please remember that.”

  She blinked at me. “Oh! I wasn’t even thinking about that, Adam. I saw it more as suddenly have two sons, not losing one.”

  I sighed, relieved. “Good, because that’s exactly how it’s going to be.” I kissed her again. “I’ll call you tomorrow. We’ll make plans.”

  I hurried out of the house, anxious to get home and prepare a surprise for Lachlann.

  ****

  I had been very slowly learning to use my powers. I wished they would come a bit faster because I’d had to go to four different stores to get everything I wanted. I stripped the comforter off the bed and spread rose petals all over the sheet-covered mattress. I had champagne chilled in a little bucket, and I had lilies on the dresser and nightstand. Lachlann adored lilies and had once said he thought spreading rose petals around was sexy.

  I even bought sexy underwear, something I had never even thought of doing ever before. There was nothing that special about what I’d bought—just a basic pair of black silk boxers—but I felt a little nervous about it. Lachlann definitely loved silk. More than anything, I hoped he would be touched by the effort. It always made me happier when I could tell he was really trying to please me. It was one of the ways I knew he truly loved me.

  I lounged on the bed, staring at my phone. I knew he was coming back tonight, but he hadn’t said when. The rose petals were sticking to me, and I was just about to get up when I heard a noise in my living room.

  I looked up and saw
Lachlann standing in the doorway, his mouth falling open as he met my gaze.

  “Hi,” he said softly.

  I’d been halfway off the bed, and I tried to rearrange myself in a sexy pose. “Hey.” I glanced down at the odd pattern of rose petals all over half my body. “Wasn’t sure when you were coming.”

  He grinned. “In just a few minutes, I’d guess.” He walked into the room and took everything in. “What’s the occasion?”

  I reached for his hand once he was close enough and yanked him onto the bed with me. “You need to ask?”

  “Just don’t want to jump to any wrong conclusions.”

  I cupped his face in my hand. “I’m saying yes.” I tilted my head and whispered against his mouth, “I’ll marry you.”

  He kissed me eagerly, rolling me beneath him and pressing close. I felt his clothes disappear, and as I nibbled his earlobe, I said, “I have to learn that trick someday.”

  Lachlann rolled us again, putting me on top this time. “Take me. I want you inside me.”

  I loved being with Lachlann so much I’d stopped caring about positions, but his request lit a fire inside of me. I kissed him deeply and then worked my mouth over every inch of him. He actually whimpered a bit when I began rimming him. I could tell he was on the edge so I stopped and got some lube, shedding my boxers. He’d told me a couple of months back that he’d never taken a man inside him before, and my hands began to shake as I looked down at him.

  “Excited?” he teased, obviously guessing what I was thinking.

  “Nervous. Want it perfect.”

  “It already is,” he whispered.

  I finished preparing him, my body flushed and so ready to feel him wrapped around me. The entire world fell away as I slid into him. His arms and legs went around me, and our lips came together. We moved together as perfectly as we always did. I cried out as he came, cum spilling over his stomach as his channel milked me. I almost couldn’t breathe, it felt so good. Once I could move more freely again as he relaxed, it only took two more strokes for me to come. I’d never released inside a man without a condom, and it felt as special as our very first night together.

  I kissed him long and slow as I came down from my orgasm, and then I licked his stomach clean. His cum always tasted sweet, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Plus, he was a bit ticklish, and I loved holding him down and running my tongue all over his muscular body as he squirmed and laughed.

  I lay with my head on his chest for about ten minutes before I moved off him and reclined on my side. “I told my mom about you. Your proposal.” I paused. “And about everything else, too.”

  “And? It must’ve gone well.”

  “Very well. She was almost giddy, which is her form of shock. She told me some things that made me think she’d believe it all, and I’m very happy about it.”

  “Colin will be pleased, too, and I would like her to be able to get to know everyone, not just me.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What comes next?”

  “A wedding. Lots more time together. And happily ever after, I’m thinking.”

  I drew him close, noting that we were both semi-hard again. “Sounds like a plan.” I pressed my forehead to his. “You gonna teach me how to make clothes disappear?”

  He pushed me to my back. “Later, my love. Later.”

  I opened to him as his mouth captured mine, and I ran my fingers into his hair and held him as close as I could as we made love yet again.

  The End

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  Tangling with His Tiger (Shifters of Arizia 1)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Victoria Vallo has written under many names and ventured into almost every genre. When darker and more erotic tales beckoned, she decided to follow.

  Poison Girl Press