Natural Born Enemies (Cedar River Series)

by Murray, Gemma K.

  ***

  The heavy door opened to reveal Luna at her best. The room was dark, but I could make out the forest painted on her walls and the grass colored carpet beneath my feet. The king-size bed log bed took up the entire room, but it fit perfectly.

  “Get on the bed, honey,” I was able to rasp out as I kicked off my boots.

  She scrambled onto the bed and watched me, her breathing heavy with anticipation.

  “Just breathe, sweetheart, I intend on taking my time with you tonight,” I said as I kissed each scar that marked her stomach. I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down her legs. On her thighs, the scars continued, marring her perfect body. Tears fell from my eyes as I kissed each scar. “My beautiful Luna, what did they do to you?” With each kiss, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  She was crying, but not out of pain. If it was healing me, then I was sure it was healing her as well. I could feel all the broken pieces inside of me beginning to come together.

  I slid her panties from her legs and she was bared to my gaze. She had gained a few more curves since I’d last seen her naked for me, but it only increased her stunning beauty.

  “Adam, please,” she said, covering her full breasts with her arms.

  “Luna, stop. I’m just wondering how it is you got more amazing since I’ve been gone.”

  That made her smile. “You are absolutely silly, Adam.”

  “Maybe, but I’m also very lucky.” I kissed her stomach where our child had existed for such a short period of time. I pulled her legs over my shoulders and buried my head between them, lapping at the cream there. I felt her hands pull at my hair and her persistent growl grew louder. I could only smile as I kissed each of her inner thighs. Luna had only gotten more responsive over the years. I returned to suck on the gem hidden between her legs. She was panting heavily and I could feel her body begging for release. My Luna never begged which is something I loved about her. From bottom to top, I licked her repeatedly with a nip to her clit with each pass. I drew an “Oh gods, Adam” from her lips on the final pass. Her back bowed as the intensity of her orgasm hit her. I relished the image, knowing that I had done that to her, for her. I pulled my jeans off and climbed onto the bed with her.

  Her eyes glistened with tears as she pulled me into her arms. “Oh, Adam, I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered before our lips met.

  I was scared of hurting her, but her hand slipped between us and showed me exactly what she wanted. Her touch was gentle, yet determined. With concentrated effort, I gave her what she wanted. I eased into her body, filling her. My gods, she felt like home. I thought about everything except this very moment. I didn’t want it to end before it really began.

  Her yellow-orange eyes grew large. “Adam,” she whispered repeatedly. Her hands were on my back, her fingernails scraping my back.

  Our eyes locked and I began to move slowly at first, but my concentration broke. The tiny tremors were quaking through her and I couldn’t keep a hold of myself. I thrust faster and faster into her tight channel.

  Luna cried out my name as she gripped my ass with her hands. Her legs were locked around my waist as I finally let go of my control. With a final thrust, I buried myself so deep inside of her I wasn’t sure where I ended and she began.

  I rested my forehead against hers and let my breathing return to normal. I opened my eyes and saw Luna was crying. Immediately, I rolled to her side and drew her into my arms. “I’m so sorry,” I said. “Where did I hurt you?” She began to shake and I realized she was laughing.

  “That was incredible,” she said. “I really think we need to do that more often.”

  I smiled at her. “A lot more often.” I kissed her swollen lips. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be swept away into the land of dreams. For the first time since returning home, I slept through the night.

  Chapter Thirteen- Luna

  The sun wasn’t up when I climbed out of my bed. I hated to leave Adam’s side, but I had to open the store. I put on a pot of coffee and took a shower. I was sore, but pleasantly so. We had woken each other a couple of times throughout the night and loved each other thoroughly.

  I smiled as I soaped my whisker-burned breasts. My inner thighs were in the same condition as my breasts, but I wasn’t complaining at all. It felt good. I rinsed off and grabbed my robe. Adam was still snoring softly as I dressed in my usual outfit of jeans and a t-shirt.

  I poured a cup of coffee and carried it to the bedroom. I put the coffee on the nightstand and rubbed my hand over Adam’s chest. “Hey, babe, time to get up.” His hand grabbed my wrist roughly and twisted my arm. He had an awful sneer on his face. “Adam, wake up! You’re hurting me,” I cried.

  He slowly opened his eyes and came fully awake. Realizing what was happening, he let me go. I stepped back from the bed and rubbed my arm.

  “Luna, are you okay?” he asked as he threw the covers off.

  I nodded.

  He reached for me, but for a moment I hesitated. That was all it took to break Adam.

  “I’m so sorry, honey. I didn’t realize what was happening. One moment I was sleeping well. The next moment, I was back in the middle of a war I didn’t want to be in. By all I hold holy, Luna, please believe I would never hurt you.”

  I allowed him to look at my wrist and arm. It hurt, but not as bad as Adam thought it did. His lips brushed against the red marks. I would have bruises where he gripped my wrist, but I could deal with it.

  “I know you wouldn’t hurt me, at least not intentionally. Geesh, Adam, I’m not stupid, you know,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

  Adam pulled me against his chest, his big hands smoothed over my hair. “I am very sorry,” he said.

  I looked up into his eyes. “I’m a big girl, Adam. I can take it. It takes a lot to break me, remember that, okay?”

  He kissed each of my eyelids, followed by my nose, and my lips.

  “Let me take your coffee to the kitchen and get you a fresh cup. You take a shower and I’ll warm up a chocolate croissant for breakfast.”

  He kissed me again before letting me go.

  I poured out his coffee mug and poured us each a fresh mug. My hands were shaking and my insides were all in knots, but I refused to allow Adam to see any fear. It would push him away from me and I would be damned if that would happen.

  He saw a therapist about his issues, I knew that. Now, I knew a little bit more of what these issues were. Adam was as tight-lipped as anyone, but little by little I was piecing together what he didn’t say.

  I was leaning against the counter with my head bowed when Adam came into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. “I really am sorry,” he whispered.

  “You’re starting to piss me off, darlin’,” I warned him. “Would you like that croissant to eat or would you like to wear it?”

  I could feel him smile as he kissed my head, “I’d prefer to eat it unless you have a few more hours to kill.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m already late getting started and you have to go home before you start your shift. I think Bowie might notice you’re wearing the same clothes as you were yesterday.”

  Adam smiled, “Yeah, he might. Besides, we got some investigating to do today and people may be more likely to let us search if I show up in a uniform with a badge and gun.”

  I knew exactly what he was thinking, “You’d prefer to just show up with a gun, wouldn’t you?”

  “That’s why I’ve always loved you, babe. You know exactly what I’m thinking.”

  I shook my head as I finished my coffee. I was pulling my hair up when I asked, “Will you be back tonight?”

  Adam almost choked on his coffee. “Uhm, I don’t know. Do you want me to come back tonight?”

  “Well, good grief, Adam, of course I want you here tonight. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you here.” Sometimes the man could be extremely dense.

  “Then, I’ll be back tonight. Any chance there would be any mor
e of these croissants?”

  I laughed, “They’re in the refrigerator. It only takes about 30 seconds to heat up so be careful. I’m going to work.” I kissed his chocolate flavored lips. “I’ll see you tonight. Be careful out there. Someone wants you dead and I’d prefer that you come back tonight with all the pieces you leave with.”

  Adam kissed me again, “I promise.”

  “That’s good because I wouldn’t want to have to go hunting. Oh, and bring a few things to keep here. You know, for the nights you stay.”

  He got that arrogant, smug, ‘I’m so proud of my manliness’ look on his face and I couldn’t bear to watch his ego grow any bigger.

  ***

  My chocolate was begging to be made into delicious treats and I was ready to please it. I made up some whipped cherry filling with a hint of amaretto in it. I had the dark chocolate molds chilled and waiting when Adam came down the back stairs.

  “You’ve been busy,” he said as he kissed me.

  “Well, one of us doesn’t get to sit behind a desk all day long,” I teased.

  He grinned. “No, instead the other of us gets to sample delicious chocolate all day long.”

  “I never said this was a hard job,” I said, piping the filling into the chocolate molds.

  Adam grabbed a plastic spoon from my counter and snatched a bite of cherry whip. “Can you have a few of these waiting tonight when I get here? I think I want to smear this on you and spend all night licking it off.”

  I felt my cheeks heat with blush. “Go home, get changed, and go to work. You are a bad influence on me.”

  Adam kissed me again. “Oh, and those croissants are gone,” he said as he walked out the back door.

  I shook my head and smiled as I finished making the candy for the day.

  Chapter Fourteen- Adam

  I left Luna’s and went to visit with my doctor. I needed to deal with my issues before I did more damage than I had done already.

  I felt battered and bruised when I got finished with the psychologist. I called Bowie to tell him I wouldn’t be in today. I needed to sleep the rest of the day away.

  Luna would not be happy, but I needed to stay away from her for a couple of days. When I figured I could deal with this shit, I’d tell her more. For now, this was all mine to carry.

  I spent the next two weeks driving back and forth to my V.A. doctor’s office and Cedar River. Bowie understood the necessity, and I think, Luna got it, she just didn’t like it very much.

  “Are you really okay?” she would ask when I called her every night.

  “I’m fine, honey,” I reassured her.

  “I miss you,” she said.

  “I miss you, too, baby. We’ll go out this weekend okay?”

  “I have to make candy for a big wedding next weekend. I’ll see what I can do though. I need to be with you, Adam.”

  “Let’s see what we can do.”

  When I showed up to work Friday morning, Bowie was waiting for me when I arrived. “I’ve got an idea,” he said.

  Let me just say, when Bowie starts off my day with the phrase, “I’ve got an idea,” I can be sure nothing good is about to happen. Bowie has gotten me into more than my share of trouble with that particular phrase. Of course, the fact that I would follow him into the fires of hell is most of the problem.

  “I’ll bite. What’s the brilliant idea you have?” I asked.

  Bowie laughed, “I never said it was brilliant. I just said it was an idea.”

  It was my turn to laugh.

  “I’m thinking we need to get on certain properties with a minimum of resistance. I can’t shift and walk onto anyone’s land because, well, let’s face it, a dragon is not inconspicuous. A black puma on the other hand can blend into the shadows.”

  The investigation into who took a shot at Luna and me wasn’t going anywhere. Bowie was upping the ante.

  This was sounding like a big plan, but not a good outcome. “Gee whiz, Bo, wherever will we find a black puma?” I asked sarcastically. “What are you thinking? A black puma in broad daylight? There are no other black pumas around here. Are you trying to get me killed?”

  Bowie smiled, “I’m thinking more of a nighttime investigation.” He used that annoying air quotes gesture around “investigation”.

  “So, I’m just supposed to shift and stroll onto pack lands?”

  Bowie grimaced, “That’s the snag I’ve hit. I don’t suppose Luna would want to help?”

  Immediately, my alert went up. “You will not ask Luna to help! I won’t have her in danger for an investigation.”

  Bowie ran his hands through his hair, “I was afraid you’d say that. Ana is going onto puma land with you. I don’t want you out there alone. I think I’m going to hit pack lands today. Maybe Rock will be cooperative.”

  I snorted as I grabbed my hat.

  “You’re not going, Adam. I can’t take the chance. Rock and the McIntyre pack despise you. I won’t put you or myself in danger that way. I want you to stay here and keep an eye on the town for me. I’ve got Colin and Callum going out to the McIntyres with me. It will just be safer that way.”

  I hated to let Bowie go without my back-up, but he did have a really good point. My presence would only make matters worse. I nodded, “Stay in touch with me then. I want to know what you know as soon as you know it.”

  Bowie slapped me on the back, “You will. I’ll be sending any pictures to Ana and you. This way there won’t be an ‘accident’.”

  Knowing how things disappeared easily when you were on pack or pride lands, I said, “I’ll be waiting for them.”

  After Bowie and his brothers left, I had nothing to do except roam around the town. I stopped into see Pete at The Lighthouse before moving onto Samson’s diner where he was waiting with a cup of coffee, a fresh doughnut, and a little town gossip.

  I was determined to avoid Full Moon Sweets this morning. I stopped to chat with Doc Goodman at Smith’s Apothecary. Doc was a wolf-shifter from the MacIntosh pack. They stayed neutral on things between the McIntyre pack and the Pierce pride.

  “Rumor has it Luna McIntyre took her daddy down a peg while back,” Doc said.

  “Well, they had words, Doc. I won’t say anything more about it,” I replied.

  “I’m hearing rumors, Adam. Just watch your back,” he said before walking away.

  Doc confirmed my suspicions. Rock and his pack were looking for revenge. Of course, if I knew my uncle, the pride would be on the prowl as well. It changed my mind about stopping into Full Moon Sweets.

  Ana Golden was walking out of the candy shop as I reached the door. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Deputy Thomas. Whatever would you be here for?”

  I smiled. I loved this little puma. She was like a little sister to me. “Good morning, Ana,” I said, tipping my hat to her. “Your husband didn’t think it would be a good idea for me to go with him on his investigation this morning so I thought I’d take a walk through town to see how the citizens of Cedar River are doing today.”

  Ana raised an eyebrow, “Bowie out on pack lands today?”

  Uh-oh, I thought. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”

  Ana smiled, “No, but I’m assuming he took along some back-up.”

  “Yeah, the twins went with him. If you want to stop by the station later, we can set up a plan for tonight.”

  “Bring the chocolate, Adam. Luna’s got some fantastic dark chocolate cherry whips today.”

  I smiled, “Really? Maybe I can beg some from her.”

  Ana cocked her eyebrow at me and smiled.

  I laid my hand on Ana’s slightly rounded stomach. “How is Junior today?”

  “She’s craving chocolate like crazy.”

  “I don’t know, Annie. Bowie swears it’s a boy.”

  “Yeah, well, Bowie isn’t carrying this little demon around. I say it’s a girl.”

  I kissed her cheek. “You’d better go put your feet up or Bowie isn’t going to let you go hunting with me tonight.�
��

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Ana said as she walked away with a wave.

  ***

  The delicious chocolate smell washed over me as I entered. The decadent scent of Luna was underlying, and it was that scent that made my mouth water.

  Luna was behind the counter, helping Mr. Fisher with a box of chocolate. “I’ll be with you in moment,” she said without looking to the door.

  I wandered around the shop, taking in the new window display that she had put up. All sorts of delicious goodies were showcased.

  “I need a bag of those roasted mixed nuts, too, sweetie,” Mr. Fisher said.

  Did he really just say “sweetie”? Mr. Fisher lives in the woods between the pack and pride lands. He can be decent when he’s in the mood, but for the most part he’s one of the grumpiest men a person will ever come across.

  “Sure thing, Mr. Fisher. I roasted them fresh this morning. Would you like the salted or unsalted variety?” Luna asked.

  “I think I’d prefer the unsalted. Doc Goodman will have a fit if my blood pressure goes up another point.”

  I smiled as I thought about quiet Doc Goodman ripping into ornery Murray Fisher. A laugh escaped me and Mr. Fisher heard it.

  “What are you laughing about, Puma? You think being elderly and in poor health is funny?”

  “No, sir. I’ve known you since I came to Cedar River. I can’t imagine you being elderly or in poor health. I was laughing at the thought of Doc Goodman daring to get after you about anything.”

  “Yeah, well, that young pup can get away with a little more than most.”

  I smiled. Only Murray Fisher would think of the wolf-shifter doctor as a young pup. When I looked at Luna, her yellow eyes were alight with laughter.

  She set the packages up on the counter. “Can I get you anything else, honey?”

  Mr. Fisher turned a slight pink color. “No, Miss Luna, I think that is about it.” He fumbled with his wallet and pulled out the bills to pay Luna. “My mother used to make honey candy when I was a boy. I don’t suppose you might be persuaded to attempt that, would you?”