“You could get stuck as a bear?” Delaney asked, her voice sounding slightly horrified.
“Well, yes, but it would take about a month of constantly being a bear for that to happen.”
“Wow. So, does it give you any other special powers, besides being a bear?”
Eric laughed. “Not really. It’s not magic. It’s just a genetic mutation. Although I keep my heightened bear senses, like ultrasonic hearing or my sharp sense of smell, even when I’m in human form.”
“Ah. All of a sudden all of your comments about smelling things make so much more sense.”
“Yeah. I guess it does sound weird to a non-shifter when I say I smell certain things. I forget, sometimes, that not everyone can smell as well as me. I also can recover from wounds super quickly if I sleep.”
“Doesn’t sound like this bear gig is too bad.”
“Well, it has its drawbacks. For one thing, a lot of humans aren’t as understanding as you seem to be of shifting. Most shifters try to keep a low profile and avoid anything that might reveal to humans who we really are. In the past, there have been huge bear hunts when people discovered shifters among them. Entire clans have been wiped out.”
“Clans?”
“Yup. There are several polar bear shifter clans in the Arctic Circle. Or, there used to be at least. We’re being slowly wiped out by the Blizzards. The Blizzards are a clan that basically wants to get rid of all the other clans and be the only shifters in the Arctic. They killed most of my clan, the Northern Lights Clan, with silver poisoning. That other bear on the ice today was a Blizzard. He was trying to kill me, but the bears in the Blizzard clan are relatively weak, physically. And the bears in the Northern Lights Clan are physically very strong. So he can’t just attack me. He’ll lose for sure. He has to be cunning about how to kill me.”
Delaney shivered in fear. “Do you think he’s still around?”
“Nah, he’ll have gone to find shelter. These whiteout conditions are dangerous even for a polar bear.
Delaney nodded. “So, wait. Is Tyler one of your clan members? Is he a bear shifter, too?”
“Yes. There are five of us left. Me, Tyler, Alan, Ryker, and Neal. Neal is our alpha. Which basically means he’s the clan leader. We also have a human member of the clan, Kenzie. She’s Ryker’s life mate, and she’s expecting his cub. We’re all pretty excited about that.”
“Will the baby be a bear shifter, or fully human?”
“Almost certainly a shifter. The genetic mutation is a dominant gene. Kenzie’s going to have her hands full with that little cub,” Eric said, and chuckled.
“Can I meet the rest of your clan?” Delaney asked.
Eric hesitated. “Neal is pretty anti-human. He doesn’t like to unnecessarily expose our identity as shifters to humans, so I’m not sure how he’d feel about your meeting everyone.”
“Oh,” Delaney said flatly. She felt deflated, and she hated herself for feeling that way. She watched Eric as he poured the now-boiling water from the teakettle over some tea leaves to steep. She felt cheated. She had found a man who turned her on with something as simple as the way his hands looked. He was gorgeous, and fun. She loved everything about him that she had learned so far. He had an adventurer’s spirit, and a love of the wild like she did. Of course, the fact that he could turn himself into a bear would take a little getting used to, but even that was more fascinating than frightening, now that she had processed the initial shock of the news.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Eric said, obviously noticing her disappointment. “I would love to introduce you. But Neal has some pretty strict rules. I can ask, but I can’t promise he’ll say yes. He usually only allows humans who are planning to become a bear’s life mate.”
“That’s like, marrying?”
“Essentially, yes.”
Delaney fell silent, and Eric handed her a cup of the tea he had just made. The soothing, hot liquid warmed her body, chasing away any last vestiges of the cold chill the snowstorm had given her. Eric sat on the bunk next to her, sipping his tea. After several minutes of silence, Eric looked over at her and let out a huge sigh.
“I guess I fucked up pretty royally, huh?” he said.
What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve blown any chance I ever had to be with you. When I brought you out here to help you get your sunrise photos, I was hoping to have a chance to get to know you better. I was hoping we might hit it off, and that I might eventually be able to convince you to go on a few dates. Maybe then I could have explained the whole bear thing to you. I don’t think I was even willing to admit to myself that dating you is what I wanted. But it was. Then the whole fiasco on the ice happened. I swear to you, I never would have taken you out there if I knew there was a Blizzard shifter around. I’m sorry I put your life in so much danger. Then I tell you I can’t even introduce you to my friends because they’re afraid of humans finding out that they’re half bear. I should probably just stop talking. You probably think I’m some kind of freak.”
Delaney glanced over sideways at Eric. “I don’t think you royally fucked up,” she said. Delaney took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. Her heart had started beating faster as Eric confessed that he had been interested in her. Eric had wanted to date her! He had delivered his monologue as an apology, but Delaney could see through to what it really was. He wasn’t just trying to apologize. He was trying to test the waters and ask if there was any teeny tiny chance left that he might have a shot at being with her.
Delaney took a long, final sip from her tea and stood up. She grabbed Eric’s mug from him and took both of their mugs to the small sink. She stared out the small window above the sink for a few moments. The blizzard still raged outside, and the view out the window was just a solid white expanse. Delaney took a deep breath and turned around. She could hardly believe she was about to come on to a bear man, but, really, she could hardly believe anything that had happened today. Why stop now? Besides, if there’s one thing that life in the wilds and on the road had taught Delaney, it was that nothing was going to be handed to you on a platter. You had to be vigilant about going after what you wanted.
And Delaney wanted Eric Caldwell.
Chapter Seven
Delaney locked eyes with Eric. The violet edges of his eyes had started glowing yellow, and Delaney couldn’t tear her gaze away from the beautiful sight. She started walking toward him slowly, deliberately. Her own eyes were hungry, needing, and wanting. She kept going until she stood right in front of him, giving him a sultry, purposeful look.
“It looks like we might be stuck in here for a while,” Delaney said, her voice low and suggestive. His eyes glowed brighter, and he let out a long, low growl. That was all the encouragement Delaney needed. She leaned down into him and put her lips on his lips. She moaned as he wrapped his arms around her and fell backwards onto the bed, pulling her with him. As she lay on top of him, he pushed his tongue deep into her mouth and moved it slowly over her own tongue. She could feel his dick stiffening beneath her groin, and the knowledge that she was turning him on made her heart beat faster than it already was. She could feel the moisture growing between her legs as her body readied itself, pleading and longing for him to find his home inside of her.
Delaney pulled back from Eric’s kiss and dipped her head slightly to the side to nibble on his ear. She chewed the lobe gently, and tickled it with her tongue. Eric moaned and his arms around her tightened with pleasure. Delaney dipped her head further so her tongue was on Eric’s neck. She could feel his rough stubble prickling her smooth skin, and each little prickle sent a tingling shock wave of desire through her. She gently nibbled Eric’s neck and ran her tongue across it. He tasted salty, like the ocean, and she wondered if this was the remnants of his swim through the Arctic waters. The swim that saved her life.
The thought of him swimming through frigid waters to save her sent more delicious tingles through her body. She started pulling at his sweatshirt.
�
�I want you naked, now,” she demanded.
He looked up at her with amusement. “Well, aren’t you a demanding one? And what if I want you naked, too?”
Delaney smirked. “I guess fair’s fair,” she said, then sat up with her legs straddling his groin. She lifted her thermal long-sleeved shirt over her head, revealing a black bra and a perfectly sculpted stomach. Eric groaned in appreciation as he took in the spectacle. Delaney gave him a seductive smile, and reached behind her back to unclasp the bra. She slowly, provocatively pulled one down one shoulder strap, and then the other. With a devious smile, she pulled the bra completely off and tossed it across the trailer with a flourish. Her full, round breasts came into view, with her nipples alert, standing at attention. Eric groaned and pushed his erection against her pelvis. He reached up and cupped each breast with his hands, feeling their perfect fullness with awe and adoration. Delaney could feel herself dripping wet.
“Now,” she said, in a husky voice. “It’s your turn. Shirt off, Mister.”
She pulled up at the hem of his sweater and he didn’t protest. He raised his arms above his head so she could slide the sweater off, and he groaned again as she let her bare nipples graze his bare chest.
Delaney took in the glorious, chiseled abs of her bear man. He was, in a word, magnificent. His skin was a deep olive color, and each abdominal muscle was perfectly defined. He had just the right amount of hair on his chest. A long, dark scar stretched from one of his nipples all the way down to his belly button.
“What’s this?” she asked, tracing the scar with her finger.
“Blizzard attack,” he said. “I got a nasty scar from it, but the other bear got a claw through the heart. So I’d say I came out ahead.”
Delaney shivered at his words.
“Sorry,” he whispered, reaching up to push a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to upset you. I know it sounds like a violent lifestyle, but I promise you—as long as there is breath in my body, I will do everything I can to protect you.”
Delaney melted into his arms, her heart surging with affection and, dare she say it, love. She kissed his scar, then kissed his lips, then kissed his neck again. She wanted to kiss every part of him. She slid off of him for a moment, pulling off her pants and underwear, then doing the same to him. As she tugged his clothes over and off his hips, his massive dick shot straight up into the air, happy to be free from its constraints. Delaney had never seen such a large penis, and she moaned just at the sight of it. She climbed back onto the bed, but as she straddled him, preparing to slide her slick, moist entrance over his tall, stiff dick, Eric put his hand on her chest.
“Wait,” he said. “Are you sure you want to do this? I… I know I’ve heard that humans can be very casual about sex. I just want to make sure you’re clear about one thing. When bears mate, there is nothing casual about it. It means something. It can form a deep bond. An unbreakable bond, that quite literally will last for the rest of our lives. If you’re not okay with that possibility, then we should stop right here, as much as it pains me to say it.”
Delaney looked deep into Eric’s violet eyes, which were now glowing bright yellow like the sun all around the edges. “Eric, I’ll admit I’ve had my share of casual sex. But this is different. You’re different. I’ve known from the moment I saw you that there was something special about you. I’ve spent most of my adult life wandering around, seeing some amazing places but always, always, searching for a home. I knew when I woke up earlier today, and saw your hand wrapped around me, and knew that you had saved my life—I knew I’d found my home. Home is wherever you are, Eric. I know it sounds crazy. So much of this doesn’t make sense, rationally. But love isn’t based on rationality. Love is based on fate. On destiny. And you are my destiny. I think I’ve known it from the moment I laid eyes on you.
“Oh, Delaney,” Eric said. “You are what my broken heart has been searching for all this time. I’m a tough guy on the outside. But inside I’m broken and bruised. I thought I would never heal. I thought I was destined to live out my days lonely and alone. But you—you have changed that. You saw everything imperfect and flawed about me today, and you still believe in me. You still, somehow, believe in us. Oh, Delaney. Beautiful, beautiful Delaney. Take me. I’m yours. Every atom of my being. Every breath of my body. It’s yours, all yours.”
Delaney felt tears springing to her eyes as Eric declared his affection for her. She slowly, purposefully slid her dripping wet vagina down over his rock solid dick. She drew in her breath sharply as she felt him filling her, pushing against her inner walls. He pressed against her with the most delightful kind of pressure. She slowly rocked her pelvis up and down, up and down. Her juices ran over him, and he moaned and tossed his head from side to side. The pressure inside of her built more and more with each up and down movement of her pelvis. She was lost in the beautiful ecstasy of this moment. Heat filled her body, radiating from between her legs all the way out to her extremities.
Eric reached up and held her breasts, one in each hand. She moaned as he massaged them, sending burning rays of heat all through her body. Then, in one glorious, blazing moment, she gave in to the forces of sexual pleasure that filled her. The orgasm came in huge, violent waves. It crashed over her again, and again, and again, with no mercy. She gave in to it and screamed out, pushing herself against Eric’s groin, delighting in the feeling of his manhood filling her. Moments later, Eric found his release, and Delaney could feel him filling her with warmth as he pulsed inside of her.
As the waves slowly subsided, Delaney lay down and gently rolled off of Eric, snuggling herself into the crook of his arm. She had never felt so safe or loved in her life. A warmth filled her from the inside out, and her whole being felt at peace. She had found something she hadn’t even known she’d been looking for. She cuddled further into Eric’s arm and let herself drift to sleep, relishing the feeling of his chest rising and falling next to hers. Life couldn’t get much better than this.
Chapter Eight
Eric looked over at Delaney sleeping in the crook of his arm, her naked skin pressed against his own naked skin. He pulled a blanket up over them, and smiled as he watched her eyes fluttering beneath her eyelids. She looked peaceful and contented for the first time since the whole getting stranded on the ice fiasco. The wind continued to howl outside, but Eric didn’t worry about it. They were safe in here. And if he was stranded for a few days in here with the most beautiful woman he’d ever met, well, he wasn’t going to complain about that.
Eric closed his eyes and tried to think of the best way to tell Neal about everything that had happened. Neal would be pretty furious that Eric had revealed so many of the clan’s secrets. It’s very possible Neal would use his impossibly large bear paws to launch a few blows at Eric. But it wasn’t the potential punches that Eric worried about. Eric worried about whether Neal would ultimately accept Delaney into the clan.
As alpha, Neal had the final say whether anyone, human or bear, could join the clan. Once you were in, you were in for life, and could only be kicked out for high treason. But getting in could be tough. Because of the finality of accepting new members, humans were only admitted if they had agreed to be the life mate of an existing clan member. And even then, the alphas were picky. No one was ever an automatic yes. Eric hoped that Neal would be open to Delaney, if for no other reason than their clan desperately needed to grow. They had been almost completely wiped out by the Blizzard’s poisoning attack.
But Eric’s first job was to convince Delaney to be his life mate. He had known there was something special about her from the very beginning, and after sleeping with her, he was sure. She was his destiny. He knew he was bonded to her now, and there could never be anyone else for him. This didn’t surprise him. He wouldn’t have slept with her if he didn’t think there was a good chance she was the one. He had hoped she was the one, and now he knew. She was his life mate. He just had to convince her.
He lay with her for another hou
r, running over in his head different possibilities of what he could say to her, or to his alpha, to convince them both that Delaney Parker needed to join the Northern Lights Clan. When he felt Delaney stirring in his arms, he decided to just go for it. Sure, if she laughed in his face, it could be awkward being stuck in this tiny shelter with her for the next several days. But his heart felt so full with adoration for her, that he thought it might explode if he didn’t say something.
Delaney opened her eyes, looking disoriented for a moment. Then she peeked up at Eric and smiled. “Hey,” she said.
“Hey you,” he replied reaching over to gently tousle her long, dark tresses.
She sat up slowly and looked around, straining to see out one of the small windows that dotted the shelter walls.
“Still storming?” she asked.
“Yeah. It’s still a total whiteout. You can’t see a thing.”
She grinned, and flopped backwards onto the bed. “I guess you’re stuck with me for a little while longer.”
Eric took a deep breath. “I hope I’m stuck with you for a great while longer,” he said.
Delaney giggled and poked him in the ribs. “Is that so?”
Eric looked over at her and smiled briefly, but then his face turned serious. “Delaney, remember how I told you that mating was a serious thing for a bear?”
She nodded.
“Well, I have to confess that when we made love today, I felt bonded to you. I know this sounds crazy, but you’ve already stolen my heart. You are beautiful, spunky, and sweet. And I want you to be mine, for all time. I already know that I can’t live without you. I know sometimes it takes longer for humans to feel the same way, so if you need time to get there, I understand. But I want you to know how I feel. I want you to know the depth of my love for you. I love you, Delaney. Please, give me a chance to show you how much.” Eric held his breath and forced himself to stop talking and be still. Just give her a chance to process the information, he said to himself.
Bearing the Whiteout (Ice Bear Shifters Book 2) Page 5