The Changer Complete Box Set

by A C Wilds

  Chapter 4

  Red’s Secret

  We don’t get dressed again for hours. Every time we stopped, it was only minutes before we fell into each other’s arms again. I can’t believe how much my life has changed since I was brought into this world. I have two mates; men I can trust and share with. I feel guilty about keeping Shax in the dark, it’s finally time to let him in on our secrets. He should meet Red and get to know him better. As my alpha, I’m sure he will want to know my soul-bonded.

  “Can you take me to the stables? I need to check on Red. I’d like for you to meet him as well,” I say.

  “Is that his name? He looks a lot like my Ash, except Ash is well, the color of ash,” he tells me, with a little chuckle. His face reveals the love he has for his horse. It has me curious if they will look alike. Red assured me he was the only one of his kind left.

  I can’t help but smile at him. He has a post-sex glow and his hair is tousled from my hands running through it. His eyes are bright with lust, and I want nothing more than to pull him back in for another round.

  Leaving the room, we walk out of the palace and head toward the stables. The grounds are magnificent. Large trees line the property, and there are beautiful flowers everywhere. Some I recognize, but others are too strange to not be from Faerie. Twisty vines hang from the stone castle, and the wall surrounding the garden. These trees are perfect to lay under and get lost in a book. Not too far from the grounds, there’s a thick forest and a part of me wonders what’s hiding or living there.

  “This is beautiful,” I say, looking up at Shax in amazement. He chuckles at me and places his hand in mine.

  “What did you expect, fire and charred land?” he says, guiding us over to a path that I assume will take us to the stables.

  “Honestly? Yes, I imagined the bowels of hell for the Unseelie Court,” I say, with almost a straight face. A smile does pop out though, and that earns me another charming smile from Shax.

  My body begins to buzz with excitement as we near the stables. I’m excited to see Red -- I miss him. Thinking back on how they treated the horses at the Light my stomach cramps with unease. I hope all the horses have been treated fairly, I’ll go ballistic if something happened to them. Maybe I should have come sooner, now I feel a bit guilty. His secret is so important though, so rushing to his side might have been suspicious.

  Approaching the large building, I see a magnificent structure. It’s just as stunning as it is in the Light, but there are Fae working here. I can tell by their energies that they are more than human. There are a few human stable hands, but no one looks distraught or downtrodden like in the Light. They look happy and enthusiastic in their work.

  “Do you keep your horses in a separate section from the rest?” I ask him, remembering how Red was classified as a companion horse.

  “No, they’re all mixed together. Wherever they are the most comfortable is where they fit. I imagine all your horses are together though. This keeps them from getting upset when they’re separated from their friends,” he explains. This is something I already know, so I just smile up at him.

  Red will have the ability to keep them calm, even if there was a problem. “Tell me about Ash. I want to know everything,” I say. He looks at me with a bit of mischief in his eyes.

  “Ash was a present for my mother. Someone gifted her two horses that were identical except for color. One was black and the other red. The red horse was lost in a battle many years ago. The black horse survived, and my mother gave her to me. She said that without the red one, she was useless. I didn’t see it that way. She’s always been my Ash. She’s my soul-bonded horse who has been with me for over four decades. I’m forever grateful to her, as she’s saved my ass a time or two,” he tells me.

  “She sounds wonderful. Red is also my soul-bonded. At first, I thought it was too good to be true to have a horse that could be connected to me like that, but after the ceremony, well, let’s just say I would never consider being apart from him.”

  “Do you want to go for a quick ride? There’s a waterfall that’s not too far from here. We can take the horses, and then go get Logan right after,” he asks me in an excited tone. I don’t have the heart to tell him no.

  “Alright, but we will have to be quick about it. I don’t want to leave Logan for that long,” I respond.

  He tells me where to go and takes off in a jog to go tack up Ash. I make my way down the lane without him. I see Red in the distance, he’s in the last stall to the right. Storm and Hurri lean their heads out at my approach. I walk up to each of them and pat their cheeks. “Hey guys, how’s it going down here?” I ask them.

  Red leans his head all the way out and looks both ways before responding, “We have been treated fairly. They gave us food, water, and a groomsman came and bathed each of us. All is quiet on this side of the barn. From what I can gather most horses are happy here.”

  “Thank gods, it’s one less thing for me to worry about,” I tell him reaching for his stall door. I swing it wide so that he’s able to walk out. “Do you want to ride? Shax is getting his horse tacked. He wants to show me a waterfall.”

  “You have mated again. He is your Alpha,” he says, with no question in his voice.

  “Yes, and I think you’ll be happy to meet him. He’s everything we need.”

  He seems to consider this; if a horse could look like he is considering something. His nostrils flare and he swings his head around toward the way I just came. He moves so fast, that I can barely get out of the way when he swings his large body in a circle. I notice what has gotten him so riled up. Shax is coming down the hall with who I’m assuming is Ash, a horse just as big as Red with a coat the color of smoke. She stops just as Red takes a few steps. They seem to be staring at each other. I try to get a read on his emotions, but he has shut me out.

  Before I know what’s happening, they are running toward each other. I cry out to Shax to get out of the way. Just before they collide, a shimmer of light overtakes them and in their place is two humans, one male, and one female, both stark naked. They grasp onto each other and seem to try to consume one another with a passionate kiss.

  “Holy fucking shit!” I yell from my place behind them. My Arion just turned into a man. A real man!

  Red pulls away from Ash and turns to face me. I blush and hold out my hand to cover my eyes, “Red you need to put some fucking clothes on,” I say.

  “Sorry Azra,” he replies just before there’s another pull of energy that I feel in my gut. I slowly peel my hand away and look at the sight before me. Both Red and Ash are now fully clothed.

  “You want to explain to me what’s going on?” I ask him. He looks at me a little sheepishly as he grabs Ash’s hand. They stand together in solidarity. He looks to her and she nods to him in reassurance.

  “Ashlyn is my mate. We’re the last Arion in existence, or so I think. We were separated when I was given to the Light as a spy. We haven’t seen each other since,” he says, pulling her into him some more, and kissing her head. She has tears in her eyes. I don’t think I could imagine being separated from Cass or now Shax for so long. My heart pangs for them.

  “You’ve got to be shitting me,” Shax says, speaking for the first time since all this has happened. “You’re an Arion? Why didn’t you tell me? We’re soul-bonded Ash. We have been for over 40 years!” He looks distraught. This is a big secret to keep from him.

  “Shax, it wasn’t like that. It’s just I didn’t think I would ever see Redael again. I thought he was lost to me. I didn’t want to bring that kind of attention to you or me. If your mother knew what we were, I would be ripped away from you,” she exclaims, in a beautiful voice. It sounds like a sweet melody.

  Shax is having none of it. He walks over to me and stands beside me in a show of solidarity. He is showing her that she is not his most important any longer. A look of hurt crosses her face and she turns her sad eyes to Red. Giving me a sympathetic look, he then turns toward his mate and kisses her h
ead.

  “Red, we need to talk. You need to explain what’s going on. This has just been one cluster-fuck after another. I don’t think my heart can take much more of this,” I say, almost angry. I’m starting to get the same feeling I had in New York -- things are too complicated and it would be easier to run away and start over. Being the Changer is starting to become too much.

  “Azra,” he says, moving over to me and leaving Ash standing alone, for a moment. He’s not dismissing her but coming and giving me what he feels I need; grabbing me and pulling me in for a giant hug. He feels like safety and coming home. His smell is different; he isn’t musk and beast any longer. He smells of blood and earth; like magic remade.

  I return the hug and sigh into him. He’s my soul-bonded Arion. There’s nothing quite like this bond. Speaking into my mind for the first time since our ceremony he exclaims, I’m sorry that I did not tell you. It was such a painful memory. Being split up was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. She is my heart as you are my soul. There is never a second mate for an Arion.

  Why didn’t she tell Shax she was an Arion?

  Because she was afraid. Afraid for his life and hers. The Queen is a true ruler in that she does for her kingdom first. We have great power alone, but together we are nearly unstoppable. We hid before our capture. I have been in my horse form even since then.

  Ash and Shax don’t have the same type of soul-bond Red and I have. I’d have been able to tell through the mating bond if someone else was connected to us by the bond. Stepping out of Red’s embrace, I turn to face Shax. He stands there with a look of confusion in his eyes. He doesn’t know that he never actually completed the bond.

  “You need to complete your bond,” I tell him. He raises his eyebrow in a sexy way that makes me want to forget this whole thing happened and crawl back into his bed.

  “We did, decades ago,” he responds, looking confused.

  “Well actually we did not, I left out a few steps. I couldn’t let them see what I was. You must understand that I was just trying to protect you. You are the second most important person in my life and if you left or something happened to you, I would have died inside,” Ash explains to him. Her sadness is coming through her energy, rolling off of her in grey waves. My heart breaks for her. I know what it’s like to feel all alone, and not to be able to tell someone the whole truth. Noli pops into my mind, and my stomach clenches.

  Shax’s facade is cracking a little. He’s so attached to her that her pain is his. I turn and look up at him. He sees the approval in my eyes and steps in front of me. He goes to her and they embrace. She begins to cry, and my heart breaks for her. I can’t imagine what she has gone through. She’s such a strong Arion to be able to hold in the amount of pain she must have.

  “They’ll repair their bond,” Red says to me. I can see the longing in his eyes, as he seeks out Ash. He wants to be alone with his mate. I don’t blame him since it’s been such a long time.

  “Shax, why don’t we pick up Logan and then go back to the room. We should let everyone else know what’s going on,” I say.

  He nods his head in agreeance before speaking. “When can we finish the ceremony? I don’t like that we are not complete,” he states, looking toward Ash.

  “The full moon is tomorrow night. We can do it by the waterfall. It should be fairly quick because we already have our connection,” she replies to him. He gives her a curt nod and reaches for my hand. He’s still hurt from the secrets, but he can’t help wanting to be whole with his soul-bonded.

  “Are you ok?” I ask while we walk in the direction of the castle. I’m worried that he might fall apart. I know we’re mates, but we’ve only known one another for a short time.

  “Yes and no. I didn’t see that coming, that’s for sure. I didn’t think Arions still existed. They were said to be wiped out of existence ages ago. I also hate that she felt she had to lie to me. She was the only being in this realm that I fully trusted, and she’d been lying to me the whole time. She did an excellent job of hiding what she was. If I couldn’t tell she wasn’t a normal Fae horse; then no one could.”

  “She seems pretty special,” I say. I want to take his worry away, but I just don’t know how. This is all so new, and I’m not sure how he will react to my advice. He looks distraught, like his world has been flipped on his head.

  “Do you think it’s really the right thing to do? Telling the others,” he asks. There is some trepidation in his voice.

  “You’re right. I haven’t had someone I can rely on in a long while. My sister was the only one I confided in, and she was taken from me. It’s hard to let new people in. Our connection was so instant, so fast. It was like my body took over, and my mind has to play catch up. I hope you understand.”

  “I do, trust me. I haven’t been exactly comfortable with all this either. I lived a simple life in a small town in Virginia before I was taken. Grey brought me into this world, and now I find myself with two mates, new identity, and a realm to save. It’s a lot.”

  “I don’t trust Greyson. He could be working with the Light as a spy. He’s so angry and doesn’t listen to anything anyone says.”

  “Leave Grey to me. He will come around. He’s been kidnapped, tortured, and made to work for the Light. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know that there can be nice or good Fae. He’s too caught up in his pain.”

  “I didn’t know. I’m sorry he had to go through that. No one should have to live like that. I’m so glad we found each other. It really gives me hope for us all.”

  We walk in comfortable silence up to the suite. I’m feeling very overwhelmed, thinking about the guys and the Queen. Shax seems equally caught up in his head. When the time comes, I wonder what side my mate will choose. The Queen wants my fealty, and I know I won’t give it to her.

  Chapter 5

  Remaking Greyson

  We get back into the room and find it empty except for Grey. There’s food laid out on the table and he’s eating a plate while looking out the window. He doesn’t notice us right away, which tells me he’s in his own world, deep in thought. I walk up to him and sit down across from him.

  “What’s for lunch?” I ask, looking at the offerings on the table.

  He shrugs. “I don’t know half of what this stuff is, but the rolls are pretty good. There’s some kind of meat that tastes like chicken and there is a pink juice,” he tells me plainly. Glancing over at him, I can see there’s still so much pain, in his eyes. I want to comfort him, but I know he’ll reject it.

  Making a plate I look over at Shax. He’s standing by the door, watching our interactions. “Aren’t you going to sit down?” I ask, with curiosity in my voice.

  “I think I’ll go check on Logan. See how he’s getting on,” he says. His gaze tells me everything. He wants us to be alone to work it out. Grey tenses beside me.

  “I’ll go with you. I feel like shit for not being there in the first place,” he says. It was unlike him to trust me with Logan, and the fact that he was ok with Shax being there, really spoke to how much he was trying to control himself. He’s feeling guilty for all that now.

  “It’s all good, he’s a great kid. Stay and finish your lunch,” Shax replies, leaving with a quick glance at me.

  ‘Thank you’ I mouthed to him. The door shuts softly and Grey turns to me. Our eyes meet and there is so much to be said, but I’ve no idea where to start.

  “Grey, I, um...we need to talk,” I tell him. All of a sudden, I’m so nervous. He looks at me at that moment and I swear he’s trying to come up with a hundred different ways to either fuck me or kill me.

  “What is it you want to talk about Changer?” he asks. He says Changer like it’s a dirty word.

  “We need to talk about your role here. About what it means to all of us if you stay with us. I know you hate me, hate the Fae, but for the sake of your brother and for the sake of the world, you need to consider your options carefully.”

  “What options are those Azra becau
se from where I’m sitting, I have none. I can’t go back to the Light and I can’t leave here either. There’s no way Logan and I would last in Faerie by ourselves. As soon as we left, we would be killed or enslaved in an instant. I don’t even want to know what lurks behind the castle walls,” he tells me with trepidation in his voice. He is scared.

  “I want you here with me,” I say, truthfully. I’m attached to his grouchy ass, and I’d be crushed if he left.

  “Why? So, I can be your pet?” His anger is rising to the surface again. I need to get this under control before we walk off again.

  “No, so you can be my friend. I want to forgive you for what you did to me. I know that this isn’t your fault and I understand why you took me, but it’s hard for me to fully trust you. We’ve been both hurt by the Fae, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to get past it, and maybe make a life. Logan is so vulnerable. I think he needs a safe place to stay, and this is the best we have to offer. I’ve come to care deeply for him. There’s no going back for me. That boy has me wrapped around his finger.”

  I think I shocked him into stupidity because it takes at least ten seconds for him to respond. He doesn’t say anything but moves around the table. “Tell me what you want me to do?” he says. His voice is lower, and his eyes are holding something I have never seen from him before. Tenderness? Civility? Lust? I can’t put my finger on it.

  “I want for us to get out of here alive. I want to make sure that everyone back home is safe, and I want to separate Michael from his head. I want all of this, but I don’t want to do it without you,” I say. I’m not really sure where that all came from, but I know it’s the truth. I want to make him see it’s the truth, that I’ll try to change things. That I’m just not another Fae making empty promises.