by A. Star
“My mother became pregnant with me soon after they married. She said my father was thrilled and of course he already knew my mother was a shifter and that I would be one too. He could build almost anything, my mother said, and he got right to work on my crib and other furniture for my baby room.”
I took a deep breath. Here came the hard part.
“One night, during my mother’s second trimester, my parents were walking back to their car after coming from dinner, when a gang of male jags cornered them. They accused my father of taking what was theirs. They said my mother belonged to them and that he wasn’t worthy of one of their females. Then they attacked. My father did what he could to protect his wife and unborn child, but he didn’t stand a chance...” I looked away. “My mother found out later that they’d been sent by her jilted shifter fiancée, who was still angry at being passed over for a human.”
“I’m so sorry, Selene,” Luke said, softly. “I had no idea that was how your father died.”
I nodded. “I know, that’s why I’m telling you now. It was time for you to know exactly why I’ve been holding back. My father was murdered in front of my mother simply because she dared to love him. So you see, if I marry you, I will be announcing to the world that I choose you. A human over any shifter, and that scares the shit out of me. If something were to happen to you because of me, because I love you–”
“Do you love me?” Luke asked.
I didn’t answer right away.
“Selene?”
A tear leaked from my eye. “More than anything in this world or the next.”
He cupped my face in his hands and wiped away the tear with his thumb. “Then that’s all that matters.” He kissed me softly. “I won’t live my life in fear and you shouldn’t either. Your parents had the right idea. In the end, love conquers all.” He kissed me again. “Marry me, Selene.”
I looked up into his eyes and smiled. “I love you.”
“And I, you. Now marry me, princess.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
I had never seen Luke smile so big as he retrieved the case from his jacket pocket, got down on one knee and slipped the magnificent ring onto my finger. Then he was back on his feet, dragging me up with him, kissing me senseless and whispering promises of forever into my ear.
“This way,” he said, taking my hand. He led me through a door on the opposite side of his office and I was only semi-surprised to find a fully furnished apartment on the other side. He locked the door behind us and immediately began to shed his clothes.
“Bed, kitty cat.”
I shook my head. “I agreed to marry you, not to fuck you.”
He frowned. “Don’t play games with me, Selene.”
“Who’s playing games? I have a bone to pick. You fucked your secretary.”
“Who? Kayla?” He shook his head as he tossed his shirt over the back of the couch. “In her dreams maybe.”
“I still want her ass gone.”
Luke grinned and advanced on me. “Whatever you say, Mrs. King.”
I smiled, despite myself, and backed toward the bedroom sitting just off the living area. “I’m not Mrs. King yet.”
“Not legally, but I don’t need a piece of paper to give me permission to tell the world that you’re my wife and I love you–fur, fangs and all.”
I shed my coat just outside the bedroom door. “I love you too. Suspenders, goofy glasses, bow tie, and all that.”
He just laughed.
Once inside, Luke talked while he undressed me. “I know of some really great private schools our children could go to.”
I rolled my eyes as I kicked off my heels and lifted my hair out of the way so he could unzip my dress. How could he think of that at a time like this? “Can we get married first before you start talking about cubs, uh, children?”
“I just want to be prepared. Oh! There’s an exclusive boarding school in New Jersey that I have a security contract for. Our daughter could go there.”
I turned to him as I wiggled out of my dress. “Our daughter? What if we have boys?”
He shrugged. “I’m not really worried about boys. Only girls. Trust me, I’m worse than any male shifter. Our daughter won’t be able to leave the house or date until she’s at least Jazelle’s age.”
“Oh no!” I laughed. “You’re horrible!”
“No, I was just a teenaged boy once. I was a dirty little bastard and refuse to allow anyone like that near my daughter.” One arm snaked around my back and popped the little hooks of my bra.
I laughed some more and tossed the bra away. “Well, we have plenty of time to worry about that. But our daughter, if we have one, is not going to boarding school.”
It was his turn to laugh. “Okay. But promise me something else then?”
“Anything,” I said.
He pulled me into him. “Promise that you’ll love me forever?”
“I promise,” I said, then kissed him. “But there’s something we have to do first. You know, before forever can begin.”
“What’s that?”
I didn’t respond. I just held up my hand and unsheathed my claws.
“Nice,” Luke said with a grin.
And we didn’t speak again for several hours.
~*~ The End ~*~
About the Author: A. Star is a pseudonym of Diantha Jones, who was born the day thousands of turkeys sacrificed their lives to fill millions of American bellies on November 22 which also happened to be Thanksgiving Day (Her mother says she owes her a turkey). She is a Journalism graduate who wants to be a career novelist (of books, not Facebook posts). When not writing or working, she is reading on her Nook, being hypnotized by Netflix or on a mission to procure french fries. She is the author of The Oracle of Delphi series and Mythos: Stories from Olympus. Under A. Star, she has released Invasion, and future releases include the Love & Steampunk series, the Purr, Inc. stories, and more.
Connect with the Author:
http://www.diantha-jones.com
http://www.facebook.com/dianthajones
http://www.twitter.com/DianthaJones
Mira
The theatre was dark as the dancers pranced to the string music as though on strings themselves. He held my hand in his and stroked my palm. He spread my fingers so he could gently caress between them. I could smell him next to me in the dark movie theatre. If I was a cat I would have purred when he stroked me. It was in that moment that I realised how very much I liked being stroked. I didn’t think I was like that. But in that moment I was.
But then the music stopped and the lights came on. He smiled at me like he owned me. I was exposed in the middle of a crowd. I don’t like crowds. I hate feeling owned. I hate feeling exposed. He tried to own and expose me like some freaking circus animal. In the dark I submitted to and relished his touch. When those lights came on and he looked at me like that, my stomach turned and I wanted to rip his throat out. I got the hell out of there. That was years ago. I haven’t dated much since.
I’ve never been a ‘pack’ animal. I need my space. I chose my home carefully, at least twenty minutes from the nearest small town. An area of Wisconsin that has miraculously avoided becoming a victim of sprawling Walmarts and Applebees.
I’m baffled by cultures that don’t understand personal space. In some cultures, the very idea of ‘wanting’ or ‘needing’ to be alone is completely foreign. Family, spouses, friends, spouses' families and friends are just a part of the air for some people and they don’t know any different. I could NOT live like that. I WILL not live like that.
* * *
Almost every day I run. Not in the more used trails near me, but farther out. Always at dawn or dusk. I tend to sprint hard and then stop, always making sure I am alone. I’ve been told there are predators out there. Especially dangerous for a female on her own. That’s what everyone says.
The branches and twigs snapped underneath my feet. I leaped over fallen logs, pushing myself until my heart begged me to stop. There was a po
unding in my ears when I was forced to catch my breath. All I could smell was the woods, the temperature and nearness of the covering branches.
I got hazy. It was my favourite bit. Complicated human thoughts and concerns left me. Humans are animals too, aren’t they? At times, I was all instinct and raw feelings. Lately, though…I was getting better. I was getting faster and that hazy high was even sweeter. When everything came into focus again, I felt that I could cope better with the world around me. We all need to get out sometimes. That was just my way of ‘getting out.’
But that time. That time it was different. I couldn't recall blacking out that bad before. I was on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I was all sweaty, still needing a shower. I was so freaking angry. I kept gripping my sheets and wiping my mouth. My teeth felt sore. Like I bit too hard on a steak. Which reminded me that I was hungry and should go and get something from the kitchen, but my body wouldn't let me move just yet. Clear memories were coming to me that I was not ready to deal with. I winced. The unchecked rage was more of a problem. I kneaded the sheets, pressing into the mattress with my palms, trying to calm myself.
As I tried to sit up, my ears rang with a high pitched frequency. I winced and lay back down, blood still pulsing harder inside me than it should have. Finally it stopped. Then a pleading human scream sounded from outside. A male scream.
* * *
A rather big man was sprawled on the edge of my lawn. He was on his stomach, spitting blood in between shouts. One shoulder was bleeding. One arm was bent in a way it shouldn’t be. One leg was definitely bent in a way it shouldn’t be and the knee of the other leg was showing bone. Shards of soaked black material surrounded him.
“Help! Help! Some goddamn lion just attacked me!”
The ringing had gone. I was calmer than I should have been as I lifted the phone to my ear. I stayed behind the curtain, but kept my eyes locked on the man splayed out underneath one of my security lights.
“911 emergency.”
I babbled the appearance of the man out on my lawn. Instinct demanded that I stay hidden. I was human. I was in my home protecting myself from this unknown man. I understood that people would frown on me for not helping him, but I didn’t care. I really didn’t.
The ambulance came quickly, along with police. When the sirens approached, he grunted and pushed up with his usable arm. Paramedics followed by armed officers surrounded him as he cried out in agony and frustration. One of the paramedics covered his mouth in shock as he looked at the guy’s injuries. Obviously not the type he was used to encountering. The shrieking maniac managed to point at me.
He wouldn’t shut up about a lion mauling him. “Ask that bitch! I bet she keeps one for a pet!” My core and chest tightened and I ground my teeth together as I watched them put him on a stretcher. “You all wanna check out her place! She must keep that animal in there! That’s illegal! Those things will kill…” Then he lost the ability to speak. Good. I really wanted him to shut the hell up.
I stood watching the display in front of my door. I focused on the ambulance, and the armed officers that accompanied the paramedics. They were focused on the guy who was now passed out.
Two officers approached me. Satisfied that the guy was taken care of, I turned my attention to them. One male and one female were in front of me and obviously wanted to come into my place and talk. I pressed my lips together and sighed through my nose.
“Please come in.” I opened the door and gestured them inside. “Would you like a drink? Some coffee?” I forced a small voice out of my throat. Hospitality wasn’t my thing.
“No, thank you, Ms. Sanderson. We have assurance that you remained on the line with the operator and that you have had no physical contact with the injured suspect.”
I stiffened and placed my hand on the counter.
“Mira Sanderson? I don’t know how to tell you how lucky you are.”
“What?”
“Why didn’t you go outside when you saw him?”
“I just… I’m sorry, but I didn’t know what might be out there. I’m not used to anyone being out here.”
The policewoman shook her head at her partner. Her face was straight, lips set.
“That man has been on the run across two states. He’s a serial rapist. Very violent. We just got his picture through today. We were warned that he might be in our area.”
My hand slapped across my mouth. “Oh my goodness. He...he said something about a lion. There aren’t any lions here… Could a bear or something have gotten him?” I spewed out my response.
The male police officer stood up and ran his hand through his hair.
“Well, that’s another mystery we are going to look into. I don’t know what did that to him, but it wasn’t human. I’d say his injuries were inflicted by…something else. Do you have any pets, Miss Sanderson?” He watched me closely, leaning towards me. I wanted to swat him away. His cheap coffee and cigarette smell was too close.
“No.”
His female partner spoke up then.
“Ms. Sanderson, I’m sure you won’t mind if we have a good look around your home and property. Have you ever seen anything unusual around? Any dead animals or anything?”
“No. Never anything and I do go running on the trails. But please, look.”
“We will, Ms. Sanderson, thank you.”
I sat quietly as they did a full sweep. I counted my breaths and focused on the trees outside. When they came back down, the male’s tone had changed. He was friendlier, more caring.
“Miss Sanderson. We will be in touch. I am going to advise you for now to be inside the house apart from daylight hours when you are in and out of your vehicle. We are already in touch with some wildlife experts. They will probably want to come and have a look around the area.”
“Thank you, officers. Is there anything else you need from me?”
“No, ma’am, but someone will be in touch.”
The news was all over it. People started whispering about some transient male mountain lion that wandered over to Wisconsin. One reporter even put a spin on the cougar being like a ‘knight in shining armour,’ given that a potential rapist had been mauled.
I hated that my face was on the news. That really pissed me off. I know that fame is all the rage but the thought of people recognizing me horrified me. Who would want to be constantly assaulted by total strangers who have their own concocted ideas about who and what you are?
Life went on after that. I worked, which thankfully involved my own running shoe business. I source and ship running shoes at a discount. I can do almost all correspondence by the internet. I don’t have my picture on the website, and all business happens by the company name. I keep my legal name well hidden.
I sometimes frequent a coffee shop in town. Caffeine is a necessity for me so I do need to top my bean supply from time to time. I also go to remind myself that I am partially human.
Expecting the usual waft of dark espresso to hit my nose when I walked through the dinging glass door, a very different aroma hit me: clean, just warmed skin. The sight of a large, tan male arm greeted me. I followed the skin up to a pair of green eyes. We blocked the door for a moment, staring at each other.
My interest in coffee waned as heat pulled at my insides. Large, equally tan hands gripped a to-go coffee cup. This was a man who obviously spent a lot of time outside. Not preened and prim from gyms and tanning beds, loaded with gel and cologne. He was naturally beautiful. His clean smell made me need to swallow more often. I willed my legs or lips, something to move.
He opened his peachy mouth and I caught a glimpse of his pink, perfectly shaped tongue. That didn’t help my ability to behave normally.
“Excuse me, I’m blocking your way,” I managed to say. I had to move closer to him in order to get inside. Our bodies turned sideways, his white t-shirt sliding past me and the hot clean skin smell nearly swallowed me.
“Sorry, I’ll let you in,” a deep voice rumbled at me. I heard him exhale thr
ough his nose, and as I looked up I saw his tongue licking his lips above me. A nervous gesture. I blew out my own sigh and forced myself to the end of the line behind the counter. I looked back and saw his green eyes again. He was wearing a faded red cap that covered wavy golden brown hair. He got into his truck and kept his eyes on mine. I swallowed again. I needed to. The clean skin smell haunted my nose and I tried to shake the heat out of my legs.
I looked back again and he was gone. A different voice brought me back to reality. It was a tall young man behind the counter. I could smell his hair gel.
“Hey! You’re that lady that saw the guy attacked by a cougar?”
“What? Well, no, I didn’t see him. He was on my lawn. I didn’t see him get attacked.” This kid annoyed me. His smooth face split into a shiny smile. I couldn’t help but stare. It looked like he was wearing lip gloss.
“You know we don’t usually get them in Wisconsin. But it happens. There was a cougar shot in the Chicago city limits a few years ago. And there have been a couple caught on trail cameras up in the northern part of the state and in Michigan. My buddies and I, we go camping sometimes up there in the summer. We always wonder if we are going to see something.”
“Oh, right. Um, could I have a latte, please?” A gentle voice came out despite my irritation. I laid my palms on the counter top and smiled at him. “I didn’t know all that. I’m really not sure what it was that attacked that guy. but I’m glad it did…”
“Oh yeah, he was a real low life. Man, I saw that on the news…” He paused to commence making my coffee, but continued talking as he worked. “You must live way out in the country? Why do you wanna live way out there?” His eager eyes met mine and I smiled again, doing my best to be patient. I crinkled my eyes at him in a way that I know highlights my crow’s feet.
He pursed his shiny pink lips and furrowed his brows, mock concentrating on the espresso machine. It was silent until he started steaming the milk. When that finished, he said, “Well, you should be careful, you know. Apparently four people in the US and Canada are killed by cougar attacks every year.”