The Shifter's Mate

by Eden Cole

  “Oh, Ms. Powers, I apologize for interrupting. I’d no idea you had a party going on when I brought Lenny back,” the doctor explained. “I would have waited until the morning.”

  “Nonsense, you came for me,” Salacity told him in a throaty voice that grated on Serenity’s nerves. “It’s fate, destiny, you know. Although you being Serenity’s nasty dog’s vet spoils things, but you look good enough to eat, so I can overlook that.” She lowered long thick lashes and pressed her breasts against his arm. “Oh, and don’t call me Ms. Powers like you call my older stuffy sister. Call me Salacity, okay?”

  She said the last part like it was all settled, but Serenity’d had enough. She peeled her sister off the vet. “Go find the man you were missing with for over an hour, and let me complete my business with Dr. Blackwood.”

  Before Salacity could reattach herself, Salacity guided the doctor out to the hall and across to one of the sitting rooms. As usual, she felt a sense of loneliness leaving the ballroom turned library—forcefully changed back to ballroom for the night by an overbearing mother. She attributed the feelings to the fact that she and her father used to have long conversations over good books almost every night when she was eleven years old. He had his favorite pastimes with Salacity and Sky, she supposed, but her time with him had been precious. No other person could replace what she lost when her father left.

  When she and Dr. Blackwood entered the sitting room, he turned to her. “I’m not used to seeing a butler answer the door in this day and time. I was a little thrown off, and couldn’t stop his enthusiasm when he told me he would announce me.” The doctor widened his eyes in amusement and ran a hand through his tight coal black curls. Serenity’s fingers itched to do the same, to run along his handsome face, and have him look down at her like he’d done with Salacity. She wasn’t the shy type, but she couldn’t see herself pressing a breast to his arm either. The thought almost made her laugh.

  “Oh don’t worry. I’m not used to a butler either. It was all my mother’s doing, and you’re right, the butler is a little too happy with his duties. No harm done.” She clasped her hands together and raised her eyebrows. “So Lenny? Is he fine? Where is he?”

  “Oh, yes,” the doctor exclaimed. “With all the excitement, I forgot. He’s in my car, in a carrier. He’s just fine. Since I was out this way, I thought I’d bring him by. The infection I told you about which caused me to keep him another few days has cleared. No worries there. And…would you like to go to dinner with me?”

  Serenity blinked. “Me?”

  He grinned, flashing a charming smile that weakened her knees. “Is there any other lovely woman in the room?”

  She blushed. “Dr—”

  “Jon, please.”

  “Jon. That’s a kind offer, but I’m so busy with my work right now and well…” She trailed off having no idea what excuse she could give him. My witch of a mother would only get in the way of anything serious, and fighting my nympho of a sister for your attention isn’t my idea of fun.

  In two long strides, he closed the space between them and took her hands in his. In an instant, Serenity’s wish came true. The doctor stood over her staring down into her eyes, and the warm look she saw there made her tremble like Sky. She felt warmth creeping into her cheeks. No man, no matter how attracted she was to him had set her off balance like this one. She wanted to say yes to him if only to explore these odd feelings. She had to admit she kind of liked a man challenging her control, as odd as that seemed.

  “You’re different, he announced. When she raised her eyebrows, he explained. “Like you observed, I have more female clients than male. The women do chase me, and I don’t say that to be vein. I’d prefer a quieter life, just to enjoy my practice of working with animals.”

  Serenity’s heart sank although she hadn’t been thinking of him as husband material. No matter what she wished, her life was anything but quiet.

  “I sense a…what do you women call it…a kindred spirit in you. I can tell just by our brief exchange and dignified way you carry yourself, that you too like a calm, ordered life.”

  She grinned. “You can tell all that, huh? Well, I think that’s a fancy way of agreeing with Salacity that I’m stuffy.” He rushed to apologize, but she laughed. “I’m only teasing. You’re right. I do like order and peace. Unfortunately, my family as you’ve seen at least in one of my sisters does not allow that often.”

  Her thinking was not as clear as she liked standing so close to him and with him holding her hands, she put space between them. She glanced back at his handsome face, broad shoulders, the entire package, and an impulse hit. Why should she deny herself time with him because of her family? After all, he was talking about dinner, not marriage, and it had been awhile since she dated. Beyond that, it had been too long since she’d had sex. Fingering herself was good, but couldn’t compare to a man. She resisted allowing her gaze to venture lower on his body.

  “Okay, why not? Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

  The happiness she saw in his expression made her tingle, but as she walked him out to his vehicle to retrieve Lenny, Serenity had a distinct premonition that things were not going to go smoothly between the two of them. She didn’t have to guess at what—or rather who—would be the cause.

  The Shifter's Mate

  The Shifter's Mate

  Chapter Three

  Serenity sat at her vanity inspecting her face. She’d completed her makeup, had slipped into her dress, and buckled on a nice low-heeled pair of pumps, but she couldn’t make herself leave the room. Not because she didn’t think she looked nice. The low cut of the dress showed off the swell of her breasts and had more tiny buttons on it that could be undone for a more daring woman, something she was not. Although she didn’t spend much time in the sun which left her skin pale, it was smooth and youthful. Jon had seen her bare arms the night of the ball and at his office, so if he wanted a bronzed woman, he could have chosen one.

  No, her problem was her house was in an uproar at the present moment with every family member present. Her mother having declared a hate for the house that was her father’s had bullied Salacity and Sky to move in together into a smaller house nearby. However, both of them spent more time at Serenity’s than at home. Her mother might hate the house, but her spirit haunted the place often enough.

  Now, minutes before Jon was due to arrive, Salacity had not two but three men fighting over her in one of the sitting rooms, and from the thumps, they must have moved from shouting to fist fighting. Sky had locked herself in the kitchen with a spell on the entry so she could create a masterpiece that would win her soul mate’s heart, or so she said, and Lenny hadn’t stopped barking at the cat their mother had decided to make her familiar, although she had no way of taking care of it herself.

  Serenity closed her eyes and massaged her temples. She needed to go out there and toss them all out of her house, but that would take time and energy she didn’t have. If she didn’t think of something, Jon would arrive and continue right on around the circular drive until he was headed home again.

  The distinct sound of a car turning into the property reached her. Serenity glanced toward the monitor she’d conjured just so she could hear over the din in her house. A sable sports car had just pulled up. She had no doubt that it was Jon. Rising, she waved a hand to dispel the monitor and headed over to her private bookcase where she kept books she didn’t want the others borrowing. A spell on the shelf kept her sisters and mother from seeing it when they entered her room. Only if they knew it was there could they break the spell, as she was not more powerful than her sisters and definitely not more than her mother. That last fact was a shame or she’d have broken the spell her mother cast on herself after her father had walked out. Then maybe her mother could have a life independent of Serenity. That hope remained unfulfilled.

  When she had selected the book she sought, she opened it and flipped through the five hundred year old tome. Soon she found the spell and repeated the words. At onc
e a vibration of energy pulsed through the house from foundation to roof. All went silent and still. Serenity smiled, closed the book, and put it away.

  As she descended the stairs, she spotted Lenny in the act of barking at the cat atop her grandfather clock. The cat’s back was hunched, and his mouth lay open in a silent hiss. Lenny was crouched down, angry that he could never reach that high with his short legs and plump body. Serenity tucked Lenny in the library and the cat in the sitting room with her frozen in place sisters. Her mother stared at her from the other side of the room with arms folded, eyes narrowed. Her mother wasn’t frozen, but she was trapped in the space she occupied until the rest of the room returned to normal. Serenity waved and shut the door.

  Just as she reached the foyer again, the doorbell sounded. She checked the hall mirror and touched a hand to her upswept hair and straightened her dress before opening the door. All calm fled, and her breath caught in her throat. Jon was everything a woman could dream. He was dressed in a dark suit, the jacket hugging his powerful build like it had been tailor made for him. His hair was slightly damp but fell about his head in a way that made her want to play with it. She kept her fingers to herself and stepped back.

  “Hello, Jon. Come in. I’ll just get my purse so we can go.” She had no idea how long the spell would last. It should be at least fifteen minutes, but her sisters were clever. They might know something to weaken it without researching. She imagined their minds were working away at the problem even though they couldn’t move physically.

  He stepped inside and glanced around. “Wow, big difference from the last time I was here. It’s so quiet. You must have gotten plenty of work done today.”

  She smiled and shrugged, hurrying to get her purse. “No more than usual. Let’s go, please. I’m famished. I’m not one of those women who eats like a bird to impress a man, so I hope you’re not expecting that.”

  He chuckled. “Why would I? However, I don’t believe you. You’re tiny and beautiful. There’s no way you eat more than a bird.”

  She winked. “Flattery will get you everywhere, sir.”

  Jon stepped up behind her and rested a hand on her lower back as he opened the car door for her. “Is that a promise?” he whispered in her ear. She shivered but didn’t respond. She wasn’t planning on jumping right into bed with the man, but she wasn’t going to delay to seem more like a lady either. She didn’t have to win his heart after all. That made her a lot freer to just have fun.

  They arrived at the restaurant Jon had chosen, and Serenity was pleased with his choice. They were seated right away since he’d also made reservations. While they perused the menus, Jon said, “I’m pleased you decided to go out with me. Otherwise I would have had to resort to Salacity.”

  She stiffened. Often men preferred her younger sister for her lower morals. Serenity never cared since the empty-headed men Salacity liked to control didn’t appeal to Serenity. “So it was a toss up between the two of us. Either sister would do?” she asked, annoyed that her feelings were hurt a little. Jon didn’t seem like the type to go for her vain sister.

  “Not at all. I am with the sister I want,” he assured her. “However, if you stubbornly refused to see me for the catch I am, I would have resorted to making you jealous to win you over.”

  She burst out laughing. “You’re terrible.”

  “I’m persistent.” He winked. “I get what I want.”

  “Hm, maybe a little too often, doctor. I must be less accommodating of your swollen head.” She blushed at how her words sounded, and he laughed, seeing where her mind had led her.

  “With references like that, I think you’re more ready to accommodate my swollen head than you’re letting on.”

  Serenity narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. She’d enjoyed the company of her fair share of men, but never had she been this free to flirt with sexual innuendoes. Okay, she wasn’t exactly free with it given her words were an accident, but she didn’t regret saying them.

  “I think, Mr. Blackwood, that we’d better steer the conversation to safer topics for this date. Else, you’ll be mewling for a treat later.”

  “Mewling huh? I do a mean ‘mewl’ actually. Care to hear?”

  She grinned. “No, thank you. Behave yourself.”

  He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, I will behave. Now, what shall we have tonight? The lake trout is delicious. So is the salmon.”

  She studied the menu. “How about the steak? Any good?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve only ever had seafood. You can try it, and if you’re not happy, I will get you something else.”

  “How sweet. No, I’ll trust your judgment and get the salmon.” She added to that her order of sides including a small salad and requested her favorite wine to complement it. Jon liked her choices and chose the same for himself. When she had sipped from a glass of Robert Modavi Chardonnay, she asked him, “So tell me about yourself, Jon. I hear an accent. Are you new to our fair city?”

  “Mm, somewhat new. I’ve been here three years. I moved my practice from London to the States for a change of scenery and some other private reasons.”

  The ‘private reasons’ comment intrigued her, but she let it go. “Ah, London? I was so sure you were Scottish.”

  He grinned. “Yes, born and raised in Glasgow. However, I’d lived in London for ten years before I moved to the States. My mum and brother still live in Scotland, and as far as I know they have no plans to follow me.”

  “Your mum,” she mimicked. His accent gave her chills. She’d like to hear him speak a lover’s gentle words with that lilt of his, but that was for another time. “I envy you to have your family so far away. Don’t get me wrong. I love my family, but they can be a handful and more.”

  “I can imagine from what I saw. The women in your family are beautiful. Your mother—”

  “Don’t say it.” She laughed, knowing he was going to comment on her mother’s dress. Beauty was not the word she would have used. “My mother is the biggest of my challenges in life. Let me tell you.”

  “Is that so?”

  Serenity froze. Her mother had just spoken behind her. Since tonight was not a full moon, she had to guess her mother wasn’t visible to anyone in the room—that is anyone who could not see spirits, and certainly not ordinary humans. Reaching up to touch her ear, Serenity turned her head to the right in a casual attempt to check. Her mother floated a foot off the floor, arms crossed in annoyance. Serenity didn’t know why she hadn’t sensed her sooner.

  She looked back at Jon, and she could have sworn he aimed his gaze directly toward her mother, but then he focused on her face with a pleasant if ignorant smile. “Something wrong, Serenity?”

  “No, not at all.” She put her napkin to her mouth pretending to wipe her lips and spoke under her breath. “Get out of here, Mom.”

  “Not on your life! I want to see who this man is who makes you disrespect your mother in this way.”

  She groaned. Jon watched her with curiosity sparking his dark eyes. She thought fast to discourage her mother from staying. “Would you like to dance, Jon?” she blurted out.

  His eyebrows went up. “We haven’t eaten yet.”

  “It might be a while.” She stood up.

  “Of course.” He came around the table and took her hand in his. Serenity almost jogged to the small dance floor and allowed Jon to pull her close to him and wrap his arms around her. The moment his palm rested on her lower back, all thought of her mother fled from her head. Desire ignited inside of her like someone had added lighter fluid to it. Serenity let out a small o while Jon pulled her tighter.

  “I knew I’d enjoy holding you in my arms.” His lips brushed her ear, and she shivered. “I’m glad you suggested it. Now, I will not let you go.”

  “Promises, promises.” She simpered and coiled herself closer, rubbing her breasts into his chest. Jon took in a sharp breath while Serenity ran a hand down his over his hip and on around to his ass. It wasn’t until her fingers
were inching toward a more shocking area that she realized her mother was influencing her. She stiffened and fought for control. “Get the hell out of my body, Mom!”

  “Aw, you’re no fun,” her mother whined and then stepped out of her.

  How had she not felt her enter? Two spirits could not easily occupy the same body. One would be forced to take the lesser role, and she’d be damned if she let her mother seduce Jon. What he must think of her. It was one thing to tease with words, but to start acting like a slut was a whole other ballgame.

  Embarrassed, she pulled her hand off his ass, but he caught it and put it back. “We were having such fun. I was about to follow suit.” He looked disappointed at being denied the chance to grab her ass as well.

  “Maybe we should get back to our table,” she suggested. If her mother didn’t leave, she might at least be less tempted to touch Jon from the other side of the table.

  Jon agreed, and they returned to their seats just in time for their dinner to arrive. Serenity tucked in with relish. The salmon had been an excellent choice, and she let Jon know.

  “I hardly ever get to taste food, Serenity. Can’t you let me enjoy it with you for a few minutes? I’ll behave.” Her mother leaned over her shoulder looking starved although Serenity knew she wasn’t. She sighed.

  “Fine,” she muttered, too low for Jon to hear.

  Her mother stepped into her body, and this time she did feel the slight push inside of her like a barrier had been breached. Her belly tickled somewhere deep, her mother wiggling as if to get comfortable. When Serenity’s hand rose without her thought to grasp her fork, she yanked it back.

  “I am in control, Mom. Just taste. That’s all. And then get out.”

  “Fine!”

  She ate in silence. After a few moments, she felt Jon’s eyes on her and looked up at him. “What?”

  He shrugged. “Something about you is so different. I don’t think I’ve met a woman quite like you, but I’m enjoying it immensely.”