by P. Jameson
Of course she’d be fine. The cave was safe and she was only using the restroom. But letting her out of his sight was no easy thing with his bear ranting and raving over the short distance already between them.
Steady, bear. Steady. She’ll be ours soon. So very soon.
Chapter Three
Nastia used a stack of bricks for a chair, not caring that the rough clay was probably snagging the soft fabric of her skirt. She was just thankful she wasn’t compelled to count them all. As she and her sisters had come closer to the lodge, her counting compulsion had grown to include anything that remotely resembled a rock. Bricks fit that description even if Adira and Mirena didn’t think so. But now… she didn’t need to count, and for that she was thankful.
Her gaze shifted from Thames where he finished off his breakfast to the ceiling high above her. The cave was tall. At least two stories high, and with offshoots. Little hidden crevices that led to other jewels. Like the spring where Thames was building a bathroom.
But the most amazing part of the cave was the light that filtered down from above. She hadn’t expected it. When the sun began to rise and the cavern filled with the rays, she’d marveled at the surprise.
“How is there light?” she asked.
“You like it?” Thames voice was quiet and drew her attention back to him.
“I do.”
His expression was serious. Intense. Like he was studying her.
“Natural phenomenon,” he said. “There’s an opening at the top, but as you can see, no rain gets through.”
She nodded, staring back up to see what he explained.
“That’s because there’s a shelf of rock hanging over it, about four feet up. Part of the cliff. It’s enough to let light in, but keep the weather out. Mostly anyway. Ryan said they can seal it off with plexiglass and make it even more weatherproof.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Agreed.”
He stood and collected the candles, blowing them out now that they weren’t needed. Nastia watched him carefully. The longer she was awake, the more convinced she was this wasn’t a dream.
Thames and the cave, all of it was real and not a spell put around her mind by her sisters.
Stretching, he reached up to a high ledge that made a natural shelf in the wall and pulled down a folded shirt. With his back to her, he shook it out and eased it over his head. The muscles of his back and shoulders—the ones she’d healed—flexed in beautiful ways that had her breath stalling. He was a big man. Maybe the biggest she’d ever seen. Head and shoulders taller than her, and wider than a normal doorway. And the muscles of his body bulged to support his tall frame.
But it wasn’t just his size that had her gawking. It was the way he moved. With purpose and deliberation. Every step or shift was decisive. No hesitation. He was sure of who he was and how his body worked. For that, she was envious.
Even though she’d been of age for near a decade, she was more in tune with her own mind than her body.
Like when he’d pressed his lips to her thumb during the healing spell. Things had happened within her she couldn’t explain. Decadent things that both thrilled and scared her. A fluttering in her belly, her legs feeling like noodles.
More of that, the dark song whispered.
And she couldn’t deny that she would like to feel those things again. Perhaps just to explore them, study them. She was a learner. It was in her nature to explore.
“We should expect guests soon,” Thames announced as he bent to lace up his work boots.
“Oh?”
“Your sisters will be checking in on you, but also, some of the clan is coming to help fix up our place here.” His lips turned slightly downward into a frown. “I would do it myself—should do it myself, it’s the right way—but we don’t have the time for a one man job. Gotta get this place settled for you so we can focus on… learning your Anchor.”
His hesitation caught her attention, and she narrowed her gaze on his face to read between the lines. But he wasn’t looking at her and his jaw was set tight, not giving anything away. Had he been about to say something else?
A dark streak of color between the stacks of lumber jerked her gaze away from Thames. There was something there. Something small and moving.
“Look!” She grinned, pointing. “We have a visitor already.”
Easing forward as not to scare the creature, Nastia crouched low to the dirt-packed floor and inched her hand forward.
“Wait,” Thames bellowed and she yanked her hand back. He winced, but continued. “Could be a snake. Lemme check.”
“It has legs,” she countered. “Ever heard of a snake with legs?”
“In the Bible,” he said seriously.
Nastia rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the creature. “Come here, little guy. No one with big giant muscles will harm you. You have my word.”
She clucked her tongue a time or two to get his attention, and to her delight, a tiny reptile nose poked free of the cut boards. A lizard. How wonderful.
“Hi there,” she murmured. “So very nice to meet you.”
In response, the animal which was black as night and lined with bright yellow stripes zigzagged up the lumber, back and forth, like it was a maze to the top. Nastia giggled at his antics and held her hand out to him.
“It’s a skink,” Thames said as the reptile hesitantly stepped into her waiting palm. “As close to a snake with legs as you can get. But harmless.”
“I knew it.” She smiled, standing and bringing the lizard closer. “A friend,” she announced. “He probably has a name already, but there’s no way to get it from him.”
The skink curled into her palm, coiling his thin body tight for warmth and instinctually, she cradled it to her chest like a baby.
“He probably wandered in here looking for warmth. It’s barely spring and still cold at night,” Thames said from over her shoulder. His voice so close made the small hairs on her neck tingle.
“Can we keep him?” she asked, hopeful.
“He’s wild. You wouldn’t want to cage him.”
Nastia frowned up at Thames. “No, of course not. Just… can he stay as long as he wants to?”
Thames stared at her so long before answering she thought he’d say no. “You like him?”
Nastia nodded, glancing down at the reptile curled in her hand. “He seems sweet doesn’t he? He wouldn’t be much of a bother. He can fend for himself mostly. What do you say, bear?”
More silence and then finally, “If it makes you happy, the skink can stay.”
Her smile grew and grew until she was sure she was blinding Thames with her teeth. But she was alright with that. Smiles meant light. Light was what she needed.
***
The morning was a bustle of pounding hammers and whirring saws and Nastia getting to know some of the Ouachita clan on a deeper level. Renner, the panther shifter, and Ryan, the human mated to Layna, operated a small construction crew aside from their work at the lodge. Owyn, also a panther, and the human Clara, were part of that crew. The four of them and Thames had been steadily working away at the cave construction all morning. From what Nastia could tell, the priorities were finishing the bathroom, the floor, and adding heating.
Things were coming along nicely.
Mostly Nastia had tried to stay out of the way. She didn’t know a thing about building. Had never found need to study it. But now, she’d been watching the crew work and had learned a lot.
Like measure twice, cut once. And which saw performed which cuts. And that you laid the drain pipes before you laid the floor. And that drilling through rock was very, very loud.
Nastia eased around a pile of discarded wood and pipe pieces and headed for the warmest spot in the great room. She’d left her lizard in a pool of sunlight on a waist-high rock. She had the feeling he was a nightowl since he’d been snoozing the entire morning. Time to check on the little guy.
But the skink wasn’t in the place she lef
t him.
Looking around, she didn’t see the black streak anywhere against the red-gray wall of the cavern.
“Where have you gone, you slippery lizard?” she murmured, bending low to search the ground.
“Looking for something?” Clara’s curious voice called from across the room where she was laying out a line of boards.
“Just… well…” An arrow shaped head poked out from the smallest crack in the rock. “Aha! There you are.”
Nastia held out her palm for the skink to crawl into and straightened to show off her new friend. Walking back over to Clara, she clucked her tongue and he scurried up her arm to sit on her shoulder.
“Skink!” Clara’s voice squeaked in excitement as she tossed her tools aside and rushed over. “Where have you been, little rascal? Look, Owyn,” she called over her shoulder. “I told you he was still around. He wouldn’t leave this place. He’s one of us.”
“Awww, shit,” the burly tattooed shifter drawled as he lumbered over. “I was sure there’d be no losing on that bet. The damn beast has been away for months. You sure it’s actually him?”
“One hundred percent,” Clara insisted. “This is Skink. See how that middle line right there is lighter than the rest? And this notch right here on his tail? It’s him, now pay up.”
Nastia looked between the two workers.
“Damn.” Owyn sighed. “How much do I owe you?”
Clara smiled up at him triumphant. “A cool twenty.”
“Twenty dollars,” Owyn murmured eyeing the lizard. “How’d you manage not to get eaten by an owl or something, huh?”
“He doesn’t talk,” Nastia informed him.
Owyn’s brow furrowed as he looked up from the reptile.
She cleared her throat. “I tried, but he doesn’t… um… talk.”
Nastia hesitated because maybe what she was saying was stupid. The shifters didn’t talk in their animal forms either. But magic was in everything, so she never underestimated anything. Maybe a lizard could communicate. Maybe he couldn’t.
“So I went ahead and named him Newt because I have no idea what his actual name is, or even if he’s ever had one. I think he likes it.” She nodded, to assure herself more than Owyn.
The panther shifter’s expression curved into a grin and he shook his head seeming lost for words.
Clara shrugged. “Sure. Why not. I always just called him Skink.”
“Why Newt?” Owyn asked.
“Well…” Nastia stared over at the snoozing skink. “He’s a lizard and I’m a witch. So, Newt, for Eye of Newt. Even though he’s not technically a Newt and I’ve never used eye of anything for a spell.”
“Ahhh,” Owyn said, nodding. “I see what you did there.”
Nastia shrugged a shoulder. “Thought it was funny.”
“I love it.” Clara smiled. “And it looks like you’re taking good care of him too. He never had such a warm place to sleep when he was rubbing elbows with me. You’re good at this, taking care of people… er, reptiles.”
“Bears too.” Thames’s voice rumbled from beyond Owyn’s shoulder and brought their attention around. He stood casually, arms crossed with one shoulder propped against the cave wall. But his gaze was nothing close to casual. It was intense as always, blistering past any barrier she might try to erect.
He’d see straight through to her darkness before anyone else did. She was sure of it.
“Healed me right up,” he murmured. “Her spell worked like a charm in only minutes.”
“That right?” Owyn mused. “Handy skill to have, witch.”
Thames looked at him oddly and started to say something, but then shook his head.
A beep sounded from Clara’s pocket and her eyebrows shot up as she retrieved her phone. “A message? I thought there was no service in here.”
“Gash is up at the top with Ryan. He put up a signal booster after they weatherproofed the hole,” Thames explained.
Owyn raised an eyebrow. “Sounds dirty.”
Nastia frowned. “What does?”
“Weatherproofing the hole.”
“It’s no more dirty than the work you’re doing in here. Maybe even less, since they’re in the open air.”
Owyn’s mouth was open on a silent argument, but then he looked to Thames, and closed it. Clearly she was missing something.
“I don’t understand.” Her tone was frustrated as she stared between the two shifters while Clara pressed her lips together, eyes to the ceiling.
Owyn held his hands up, backing away.
“Look,” he said, “It ain’t my fault you’re all innocent as a newborn calf, ‘kay? It’s someone else’s job to dirty you all up.” He shot a look at Thames and went back to work on the floor.
“Wh…” Nastia looked at Clara for an explanation. “What does that mean?”
“Listen, don’t worry, babes.” Her hand dropped onto Nastia’s shoulder. “They’re being boys. You know, always got sex on the brain and brain on the sex. Just ignore ‘em.”
Nastia felt her cheeks go red hot. But… how did fixing the hole in the ceiling have anything to do with sex?
“Well, lookie there.” Clara held her phone in front of her face like she was having trouble seeing. “It’s a message from Eagan. It says he’s on his way up with lunch. And I don’t know about y’all, but this gal is huuuuungry.” She whistled low and walked back to her job. “Gotta finish this line before lunch break.”
Thames cleared his throat and Nastia snuck a peek at him. His brow furrowed making deep ridges of his forehead but his lips quirked ever so slightly upward. Part of her wanted an explanation. The rest of her wanted to ignore whatever social faux pas she’d just committed.
Nastia pushed her shoulders back, not willing to be the odd one here. If they knew of some connection between sex and construction, she’d learn what it was.
“I suppose I have much to learn about being friends with shifters.” She kept her voice casual.
Thames pressed his lips together, nodding slowly. “Much to learn indeed.” He caught her gaze, that intensity grounding her to her spot on the floor. “But you’ll learn. And something tells me you’ll be a quick study.” His voice was soft with that same authoritative rumble she’d awoken to this morning. And once again, it warmed her from the inside, his words sliding across her skin like warm oil.
“I will be,” she agreed. “I learn easily. Which is why they call me the wisest. It’s sort of… my thing. Learning. We each have our strengths. This is mine.”
His lips tweaked and he glanced away. “I can’t wait to teach you.”
Nastia tilted her head, sensing there were two totally different conversations taking place. Weren’t they still talking about her learning the social details of befriending shifters?
“Come on, little witch. I want to show you what we’ve done so far. I think you’ll like it.”
He was always concerned about her likes and dislikes. She wasn’t that hard to please. The cabin in the woods she’d shared with her sisters was quaint and simple. They didn’t have many possessions or attachments. Besides her books and manuals, there was nothing there that she missed.
Simplicity was the friend of light. When things got complicated is when darkness could come tempting. Just like it had on the battlefield with the Alley Cats. Things had gotten complicated, and she’d chosen wrong. Or right. She still wasn’t sure. Saving her friends and sisters seemed right. Killing to do it seemed wrong.
Complicated.
As she followed Thames through the great room, Nastia had a feeling things would never be simple again. No, they’d get much more complicated before this was all said and done.
Chapter Four
Leaning back on his elbows, Thames stared across the room at his mate as she daintily ate her lunch.
She was a collection of discrepancies. Wise, yet naïve. Fierce yet gentle. Prim and reserved, even though a fire sizzled hot below the surface. He could tell by the way she set her shoulders and j
utted her chin, she was a glowing ember waiting for a burst of oxygen to feed the flame. She spoke her mind, yet was careful with her words. Soft, but stern. The list could go on forever, but the problem was he couldn’t read her. She was too much of everything and too little of nothing.
If love was a game as he’d suspected for so long that it was, he had no idea how to play it. Laugh and joke? Be serious and honest? What would endear his Nastia to him? Which parts of him would she like most?
She grinned at Adira and Mirena, eyes sparkling, as they chattered. For now, the remnants of battle were forgotten and his mate was happy.
Mason, who ate with the Sorcera, made a remark and Nastia let out a bubbling laugh. The cougar shifter and last of the unmated werecats frowned at her response. Clearly she found something funny that he hadn’t intended to be funny. Something Mason considered a negative, yet it endeared him to her anyway. And her sisters, she loved them even with their flaws. And the clan, she accepted them even with their differences.
That exchange gave Thames his answer. If love was a game, it could be won. But it wasn’t a game, it was a journey. One he intended on taking with her for a lifetime. And playing his good qualities in the beginning might work if it was a game, but along the way she’d see all of him, the good and the bad.
So the answer was simple. He just had to be himself. His true self. Honest and real would win his female, if she was to be won at all.
She will be. She’s mine.
Seeing her smile when he’d said yes to keeping the skink made him almost giddy with the prospects. He wanted to give her more things. Big, small. He’d give her gifts every day. Anything that resulted in that heart-stopping smile.
But what? He knew so little about her. For example, he never could have guessed she liked reptiles. He only knew about the rocks. That she counted them for one, but when he’d brought her to the cave and laid her on the ground, the pockets of her dress rattled strangely. When he checked, he found that she collected them as well.
Not just any old rocks though. She collected heart shaped ones.
He had one jammed in his pocket right now. He’d found it while he and Renner were working in the bathroom that morning, and he was considering giving it to her.