Palm Haven Shifters: Complete Five-Part Series

by Sennah Tate

  She knew it shouldn’t, but the thought excited her. Shifters were off-limits. No ifs, ands, or bears.

  Reed planted his other hand on the table, caging her in place. His nearness made her head swim with desire. If she only turned her head to the side, their lips would meet. If she only said the word… she knew he would take her.

  Somehow, she forgot that they were in a public place. That she was there with her friend. She forgot everything in the whole world except for how close Reed was and how hungry his eyes were.

  She swallowed, tilting her head just the tiniest bit, inviting him in.

  Her hand fell from the cue, and Reed’s fingers took her chin, pulling her closer to him. Time stood still. Seconds dragged into minutes and Monica wanted to scream for him to kiss her.

  An explosive crash made every head in the bar swivel toward the front door. Glass shattered and someone screamed.

  Monica’s blood turned to ice, her whole body still lost, frozen in that moment that was now gone forever. It took far too long for her to remember the bar and the other shifters.

  It was the sound of ravenous animals filling the air that brought her back to reality. Snarling and yelping amongst the chaos, shifters turned, one by one to greet the new threat and soon the unmistakable stench of blood snaked through the cloud of liquor and smoke.

  Monica couldn’t see what was happening, but she knew something was wrong. Her eyes darted to the door, then to Reed and finally to Ashley, an ‘I told you so’ look that her friend never saw. Ashley was nearly grey with fright and Monica could visibly see her trembling as Callan leaned in to mouth one word: wolves.

  “Stay here,” Reed commanded, dropping his hand from her face. She felt the loss of him immediately as he slipped off into the madness. Then she rolled her eyes, gritting her teeth at being ordered around like that.

  Yeah, right, Monica thought as she hurried after him. She wanted — no, needed — to know what was going on. Maybe she could… help? The thought seemed odd, considering these were all shifters — her sworn enemies.

  Still, it seemed like an ambush and that just wasn’t okay. She wasn’t exceptionally capable with healing magic, but maybe she could cast a shield or… something. She had to try.

  All around her, human features morphed and changed into animals — mostly bears though she spotted the flash of a wolf darting by before he lunged at the unsuspecting bartender. She gave a sharp cry of surprise that gave way to a sickening wet gurgle as the wolf ripped into her throat.

  Monica swallowed. Maybe she should turn back. Find somewhere safe. Somewhere far away from all the crazy deadly animals.

  But Reed waded into all of this and if something happened to him…

  What? What attachment did she really have to him?

  She couldn’t think about that. She had to guard herself from the bloodthirsty creatures. She kept a low-energy cloak of protection around her, basically making her not invisible but merely easily looked-over. The closer she got to the front door, the clearer the situation became.

  Splintered wood and broken glass littered the floor. There were pieces and parts of furniture ripped to shreds, with some people trying to take shelter where they could behind upturned tables. Monica’s foot slipped and she looked down to see a dark ruby puddle growing under her heels.

  Her stomach turned and every instinct inside told her to turn around and run. But instead of listening to reason — or really any kind of notion of self-preservation — she followed the trail of blood to the wide gaping hole where the door to Buster’s had been only a few minutes ago.

  She found one body, grey and lifeless on the ground, its head all but torn off. She had to push back the wave of nausea, the pressure of vomit in the back of her throat threatening to overtake her.

  Focus. Someone might need your help.

  There was sweat on her forehead and in her palms and her heart slammed against her ribcage like a jackhammer.

  Just let us all get out of this alive, please, she prayed to no deity in particular.

  The trail of blood grew thicker and Monica stumbled over another limp body on the ground. She leaned down, pressing her fingers to the woman’s throat, seeking a pulse, desperately.

  “Damn it,” she muttered, finding the woman cold, still, and one-hundred percent dead. Sticky blood covered her hands and there was a moan behind her.

  She jumped, whirling around to find the older man, clutching his neck, dark blood pouring over his hand as the color faded from his face and the light left his eyes.

  “No, no, no,” she muttered, dropping to her knees next to him, holding pressure against his gaping wound. “Hold on,” she said, her voice trembling and weak as she tried — and failed — to tap into her magic to do something.

  It was too late. He was already gone. His blood covered her hands and her dress and Monica just stared at his greying skin in hopeless despair. All around her chaos continued.

  Bears and wolves fought, teeth bared, claws flying. The sound of breaking bones and shrieks of pain made her pulse thunder with the need to escape, but still, she stared at her hands.

  A bear rearing up on its hind legs swiped at a light fixture and the swinging light caught on a glint of gold. Monica spotted the heavy signet ring around the man’s middle finger and felt a whole new wave of anxiety wash over her.

  The Ursa Elder.

  Dead.

  And his blood was on her hands — literally.

  Frantically, she looked around for an escape route. It was bad enough to be a witch in their territory. But this attack, the ambush — there’s no way the bears would believe this was a coincidence.

  “If ever there was a case for teleportation magic,” she muttered, inching her way away from the melee, the need to get out overwhelming her terror and shock.

  It was only a moment too late that Monica realized she’d let her cloak fall.

  When a dark shadow stretched over her and a prickle of pure screaming fear shot up her spine like a rocket.

  With a throbbing lump heavy in her chest, Monica turned slowly, trying to remember to breathe.

  A large grizzly stood on its hind legs, towering at least four feet over her head. The bear’s lips curled back, bearing blood-stained teeth to her as it let out a murderous growl. The bear knew she didn’t belong there. It saw the blood of its own kind on her hands. And it wanted vengeance.

  Monica tried to shield herself from the blow as the bear pulled its paw back to swipe at her. Long curved claws glinted in the dim lights, each came to a deadly sharp point and she tried to cast a shield, failing to keep it solid in her panic. One swipe from that paw and her guts would be on the floor.

  So this was how it ended. Her organs sprayed across a dirty bar by a bear, because Ashley thought they could all get along. It served her right. She never should have agreed to this. Never should have let her guard down for even minute. She never should have…

  Then Monica realized that a long second of anticipation had passed and she was not disemboweled. She peeked through her hand, surprised that all of her intestines were still on the inside. The scene that greeted her took her breath away.

  A great tawny bear came flying out of her periphery and tackled the grizzly to the ground. The tawny bear roared and ripped into the grizzly, fur flying as the creature howled in pain.

  Monica stood frozen in panic, wanting to help. Wanting to know what the hell was happening. Wanting to know why a bear attacked another to save her, when a strong hand closed around her wrist and tugged her through the brawling crowd.

  “Wait,” Monica’s hand reached out, wanting to thank the bear, and she caught his eyes for the briefest moment, a familiar glint of green-gold shimmering back at her as she was yanked away.

  The grizzly took the opportunity given by his distraction and reared up, swiping it’s massive six-inch claws.

  And then it was all gone, behind a swinging door as the fight and the melee and everything was left behind them.

  �
��Fuck,” Callan panted as he pulled both Monica and Ashley into the kitchen and through the back door.

  Monica looked at her best friend, pale, shivering, her eyes glazed with shock. But she was okay. She wasn’t hurt.

  Callan wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back, soothing her as she trembled. Monica went to hug herself, but then remember the drying blood caking her arms and let them hang at her side awkwardly instead.

  Finally, Ashley took a deep shuddering breath and widened her eyes. “Where’s Reed?” Her voice was laced with an edge of hysteria and she stared at the door, eyes brimming with tears.

  Monica didn’t need an answer. She knew where he was. He was the bear that saved her. He was the bear that probably took the full brunt of those lethal claws.

  He could be dead for all she knew. And he’d done it for her.

  But why?

  “Don’t worry about Reed, he can take care of himself. We have to get you girls out of here. You’re enough of a common enemy that they may stop fighting each other long enough to get rid of you,” Callan said, taking another quick look out into the main bar area.

  He didn’t seem as worried about Reed as Monica felt. Why was she so worried for him though? Like Callan said, he could take care of himself.

  “So much for friendship and alliances,” Monica muttered.

  “Well, we weren’t exactly planning an ambush, if you hadn’t noticed,” he snapped back at her, surprising them both.

  She was silent for a moment, cowed by the fierceness in his eyes, but then Monica flung her hands up in the air in defeat. “I know, okay. I’m sorry.” She wondered how many of those dead bears were Callan’s friends, and felt instantly guilty for her sarcasm.

  “Are you okay?” Ashley asked, only just noticing the blood covering Monica’s hands, arms and clothes.

  “Yeah, it’s not mine…” She answered, her eyes cast down. This all felt so surreal. She thought all this shifter stuff was just dumb alpha posturing but this was real. People were dead. The wolves were attempting a coup and here she and Ashley were keeping bears from the fight – that certainly wasn’t going to help their case when the Clan turned on the Coven.

  The kitchen door swung open with a bang, crashing into the wall as the sounds of outright war flooded in. A tawny bear lumbered through, limping and whining as it dripped blood on the floor. Ashley let out startled cry.

  Monica didn’t scream. She saw the blood caked in his coat and the way his fur matted into fresh wounds and felt her heart clench in sympathy. Though everything inside her told her she shouldn’t, she rushed to his side to examine the extent of his damage, not an ounce of fear in her.

  His eyes met hers for a brief moment and she saw all of his pain reflected in them. She stroked his head gently as his eyes drifted closed.

  Ashley let out a startled gasp, but Callan gave her a reassuring squeeze as Reed transformed back into a human, his claws and fur retracting into his skin, his body morphing, his face shifting back into his regular handsome self. Monica brushed her fingertips over his forehead lightly, her hand shaking.

  “He’ll be okay, remember?” Callan asked.

  “The transformation helps healing?” Ashley answered, her voice trembling.

  “Exactly, so let’s get the hell out of here before the wolves follow him.”

  Reed was in no shape to support his own weight; long slash marks crisscrossed his chest and there was a nasty bite on his forearm, distorting one of the tattoos Monica had been admiring earlier. Monica was careful not to touch any of his wounds directly.

  “Here, let me help you,” she said, draping his arm over her shoulder. The huge difference in their height would normally make it difficult, but Reed was already nearly doubled over in pain, so she was able to meet him at his level.

  “’M fine,” he growled, his bear still so close to the surface. She knew she should be afraid, but he was just a lion with a thorn in its paw. Angry because he was in pain. She could deal with that.

  “I’m sure you are, but it will make me feel better if you let me help you,” Monica said, knowing better than to argue with an angry bear. She wanted to know why he protected her, why he’d saved her from another bear. Bears were only loyal to other bears… but he’d fought one for her.

  She shook her head. Maybe she misunderstood the situation. It couldn’t be what it seemed. Could it?

  What it seemed like, was Reed turning on his kind for her.

  Stepping between a witch and a fellow shifter, putting his life on the line to save hers.

  But that would be crazy.

  Wouldn’t it?

  Chapter 6

  REED

  Reed groaned and moaned as his wounds knitted themselves shut. His entire body felt like it was on fire and it wasn’t just because of the curvy temptress at his side. He didn’t know what had come over him at Buster’s. He saw her in danger and before he could even think, his bear had taken over and saved her. The bear was content now to have her nearby, but his human side was still confused.

  Why had the bear decided to save her? Was his attraction to her strong enough to break his loyalty to other bears? Or was it something else? He didn’t even want to think about the possibility. He’d already told Callan how crazy he was for falling for a witch, now here he was, succumbing to their magical wiles, too.

  He wished he had a better explanation for it. At least for himself. He didn’t know what to tell the other bears… Or Monica who kept looking at him like he’d grown an extra head.

  Every bump in the road made Reed wince as Callan zoomed through the backroads to his house.

  “Hey, fuckface, wanna slow down?” Reed hissed.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, did you want the wolves to catch up with us?” Callan growled, making a sharp right. “Or maybe the rest of our clan since you decided to be an idiot?”

  “Thanks for that,” Monica said softly as Callan took another sharp turn.

  She fell into Reed’s lap and tried to pick herself up quickly, but he took her wrist in his hand, stilling her.

  With a gentle touch he turned her arm over, looking for any injuries hidden in the caked blood that covered her. If something happened to her… If someone hurt her…

  The bear growled low and deep down, but Reed kept it in. She was okay. There wasn’t a scratch on her.

  Her eyes fell to the floor.

  “I wanted to help… they were already dead,” she muttered.

  “Who’s dead?” Callan asked, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror, panic written clearly on his face.

  “Lawrence, Alyssa, Marcel, maybe more,” Reed answered.

  A low growl filled the cabin of Callan’s SUV, startling the witches within.

  “They fucking planned it,” he said.

  Reed nodded his head in agreement.

  “No doubt. We need to kick some Lupin ass.”

  Ashley shook her head, still pale with shock and a little green around the edges. “José’s wolves wouldn’t do that. Sonya said there are imposters, working with Esther.”

  Reed clutched his wounded side and moaned. “You never did tell me what the hell is going on with all of that.”

  Callan set his jaw in a firm line and Reed felt the car accelerate.

  “One of the Coven has… gone dark,” Ashley said carefully.

  Reed frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “She has contracted the help of a demon. For what I don’t know. But that gives her some abilities that witches should not normally possess. It throws off the balance.”

  “Because there’s so much balance in being able to break the rules of physics with the snap of your fingers,” he said with a hiss as Callan ran over a pothole.

  Monica glared and finally ripped her arm away from him. “There is balance. The rule of three stops us from causing harm. The Ley Lines control the flow of magic so no one person can hoard it all. We have our systems just like you.”

  “So the demon helps her get around that?” He ask
ed, cut down by Monica’s admonishment. She was just as hot angry with the fire in her eyes matching her hair. Here they were, with all of this going on around them, and he was still focused on how to get her into bed.

  A witch.

  He was losing his damned mind.

  “Yes and that makes her extremely dangerous,” Ashley said.

  “And if she’s got a wolf pack in her pocket, that’s worse for us,” Callan added.

  “Then let’s go kick her ass,” Reed said. He didn’t know how else to respond to something like this. His go-to response for a threat was to hurt it. How did you hurt a demon-witch?

  Could you?

  “You’re not kicking anyone’s ass until you’re healed. Besides, I don’t think Cherry is going to appreciate you taking her down like that. You might want to lay low for a while. The last thing we need is for you to turn our clan against itself with all this other shit going on.”

  As much as he hated to admit it, Callan had a point. Until the dust cleared from this ambush, he wasn’t safe. He turned on another bear to save a witch, they could easily label him a traitor. It was best to just keep out of it until everyone knew everything.

  “I’m taking you all home and then Ashley and I are going to try to figure out what’s going on. I have a feeling we weren’t the only ones targeted.”

  Callan’s voice was calm and steady, but Reed saw the white-knuckle grip he had on the steering wheel and the way he stiffened when Ashley slipped her hand onto his thigh.

  He sent her a tender look and covered her hand with his. Reed grit his teeth together. Part of him wanted to lash out about their forbidden relationship, but you couldn’t talk a bear out of being with his mate. Regardless of the repercussions. If Callan’s bear claimed Ashley, then there was no fighting their union.

  The other part of him was jealous. If that was the right word for it. Not that Reed was ever the mating type, but moments like this, when the whole world was topsy-turvy and he was trying to figure out which way was up — that’s when it would be nice to have someone at his side to ground him and keep him steady. The way Ashley did for Callan.