Highland Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set

by Unknown

  "I don't need help." She looked from one brother to the next. "All I need is the truth. I am being honest with you. Now it's time for you to be honest with me." She stared hard at Cam. "And for that I require witnesses."

  "Talked me into it," Colin said, standing.

  Ross and Cam exchanged a look. Then Ross stood also. "It is a reasonable request," he decreed.

  Cam scowled, but Ariane sensed that he had no idea of the trap she intended to spring on him. Either that, or he just didn't care.

  "Will you come, too, Kate?" Ariane asked. "And will you bring that book you showed me the other day. The one in the language you couldn't make out?"

  Kate's eyes met her levelly. She might not be a shape shifter or a Traveler or any sort of magical creature, but Kate had insight and she was clever. There was a gleam in her eyes as she said, "I'll dash upstairs and get it. Well. Perhaps I won't dash exactly," she added, patting her full belly, "but I'll be quick about it."

  "Let me get it, whatever it is," said her husband.

  "No, I need the exercise. I'll be right back."

  "Don't you dare run on the stairs," he called after her.

  "Don't be silly; of course I won't," Kate's merry voice called back.

  A couple of minutes later, they all trooped to the room that Cam was using as his interrogation chamber. Instead of sitting in the straight back chair where he usually made her sit, Ariane placed herself behind it. "You, sir," she looked at Cam. "Please sit here."

  "Why?"

  "I have a question to ask you before we proceed."

  "You're not the interrogator here."

  She glanced at Colin and Ross. "Gentlemen. Please make your brother sit."

  Ross looked amused. Colin looked a tiny bit vicious. They both took one of Cam's shoulders and slammed him down into the seat.

  "Very good," said Ariane. She grabbed the iron and silver collar that was sitting on the top of his table. It was for this reason that she had insisted they come to this room. Before anyone could make a comment, she snapped the heavy thing on Cameron's neck. She grinned at her success. Travelers were trained to be rapid in their movements.

  "What the fuck are you doing?"

  "This will prevent you from shape shifting, am I correct?"

  "So? We all know I can shape shift. I'm a Malloch. We put it on you because we did not know whether you could."

  "And you wanted to restrain me in case I did, correct? A wise idea, I'm sure, especially if you don't know what creature you are dealing with. How powerful he might be. Or how evil."

  Cam was looking decidedly uncomfortable now. As was Ross, she noted. Colin still looked vicious...she liked that look on him; it was hot. And Kate was clearly puzzled, but amused. Ariane got the feeling that she wouldn't mind seeing her husband's twin get his comeuppance.

  "I am told that you shift into a wolf, like everyone else in your family. True?"

  "True. So what?"

  "I don't think everyone knows what else you shift to?"

  "A crow," Cam said coolly. "I fly high and my eyesight is remarkable."

  Colin said, "I didn't know that. Did you know that, Ross?"

  "I didn't," said Kate. "Does that account for all the cawing I hear around the castle whenever you're in residence?"

  Ross no longer looked amused. "What is the point of this inquiry, Ariane?"

  "You're a rather large crow, aren't you? Quite a wingspan. And you have an unquenchable taste for blood?"

  Cam bounded out of the chair. Or at least he tried to. Both his brothers seized him and held him there. When he ripped at the magical collar, Colin jammed his hand around his brother's throat to prevent him from removing it.

  "I saw him last night. He didn't know I saw. I have exceptional eyesight too. He was leaving the keep in the dead of night. Going to hunt, I surmise." She met Colin's eyes. "Your brother shifts to a darkling. What you call a vampire. He may even have been the same one who attacked me and Rin and drove us through the Rift."

  "Fuck," muttered Ross.

  "Is this true?" Colin asked in an icy tone, tightening his grip on Cam's throat.

  "Is that even possible?" Kate asked in a small voice. "I thought vampires and shifters were mortal enemies?"

  "It is true. What's more, I think maybe it has always been true. That book, Kate, the one I asked for. You couldn't read the language it's written in because that language is not of your world. You said it looks like something in...what...Turkish?"

  "Ottoman Turkish, yes. That's what I thought. Or maybe Persian."

  "It is Saric. Ancient Saric, which is why it took me a while to translate it. I speak modern Saric pretty well, though. I did my apprenticeship at the Traveler's Tower in Binariye, the capital city of Sariye."

  Cam's face had turned red and he was having some trouble breathing. "That's enough, Colin," said Ross. "This might be a shock to the rest of you, but not to me. Let him go."

  "You might have thought to tell me that your twin brother is a vampire," said Kate.

  Colin had jerked his hand away, although he looked none too pleased about it. Cam coughed a few times, and then managed to say, "I'm not dangerous. At least, not to any of you." He looked up at Ariane. "And it wasn't me who attacked you in the other world. I doubt it was a shifter. It was probably a true darkling. A vampire."

  "So you're admitting it!" Colin looked as if he might grab him again.

  "Yeah, I'm fucking admitting it. I'm surprised you never noticed. Ross has known for years."

  "What does the book say about this?" Kate asked. Ariane had noticed before that she often interjected a few words when things got hot among the brothers. It must be quite something, living among so many alpha males.

  Kate handed her the book and she opened to the relevant section. "It's about the two gods of an ancient religion. They were twins, one the god of light, the other the god of darkness. That's not unusual—I'm sure you can find parallels in many religious traditions both in your world and in mine. But when I read this part, I thought it was interesting because it reminded me of what Colin had just told me about the Zrakon's curse. I'll translate, shall I?

  She didn't wait for their response, but began translating at once:

  "And lo, it came to pass that there was a great conflict, a war among the tribes of man. And the magnificent god of light let loose his dragons on the world and they did burn and slaughter all the wicked. And yea, they burned the good and innocent as well, even to the babes at their mother's breasts. For all creatures had fallen so deep into hatred and envy that it was no longer possible to tell the wicked from the good.

  "And then the god of darkness was jealous of his brother's ferocious power. He swept over the fields and the orchards, the rivers and the streams, the oceans and the skies and rained ice and snow down upon the fires, extinguishing them. And he sucked the blood from any who were yet alive. So all died, good and wicked, either by fire or by blood.

  "But the Mother Creator was not pleased, for she had given life to all that they might prosper and multiply. With all her creatures dead, she had to labor and toil to recreate the spark of life and spread it across the worlds. Her anger was such that she condemned the twin gods to suffer for their harshness and their arrogance. The creatures of the god of light who rules the skies she plunged into the sea to extinguish their fires for all eternity. And the creatures of the god of darkness she doomed to crave the blood of the living even when there was no life to be found. Forever must they hunt and never quench their thirst. And thus was her curse perpetuated throughout the generations of man and beast."

  She looked up from the book. "Sound familiar?"

  They were all staring at her, with varying expressions.

  "You say the Mallochs birth twins every few generations, right? And one is a sea dragon shifter. Is the other a darkling? Er, vampire?"

  It was Cam who answered her. "There is some evidence of that, yeah."

  "So is this the Zrakon's curse?" asked Kate. "Dragons doomed to the se
a and vampires doomed to crave blood?"

  "All for causing a mass extinction event," Ross said. "I guess that's as good a reason for a curse as any."

  "It's just a story," Cam said. "A metaphor."

  "I don't have a twin, and I'm a sea dragon," Colin offered.

  "You probably strangled your twin in the womb," snarled Cam. "Maybe you should seek your inner vamp the way you sought your inner sea dragon and leave me the fuck alone." He ripped off the collar. "Are we through?"

  * * *

  "I don't think I'm ever going to forget the look on Cam's face when you exposed him," Colin said that night when she and he tucked themselves into bed together.

  "I doubt he'll ever forgive me."

  "Well, it is rather awkward for the head of the Council of Protectors—that's a shifter organization—to turn out to be a shifter vampire. I didn't even know there were shifter vampires."

  "Ross wasn't surprised."

  "Yeah, I know. That was kind of a relief to me. If he knew about it and didn't worry about having Cam in the same house with his wife and about-to-be born baby, I guess we can trust that Cam isn't going to sneak up on any of us in the middle of the night and drain our blood."

  "Kate was looking a little worried, though."

  "Poor Kate. Good thing she's sensible. She's an ordinary girl who has married into one helluva freaky family. Good thing you're a bit of a freak yourself, huh?"

  "Why? Are you asking me to marry you?"

  "Shit, lassie, we've only been shagging for a few days! Now you wanna get married?"

  She laughed. "I'm not the one who declared us to be eternal mates."

  "Yeah, well," He took her palm and held it to his. The sparks fizzled between them, creating a small brilliance in the dark room. "We'll have to have a hand fasting first. That's Scots for betrothal. Some folks consider it a rightful marriage, especially among us shifters."

  "I don't care about marriage, but I do love you, Colin Malloch Sea Dragon."

  "And I love you, Ariane Traveler."

  Chapter 21

  "Colin?" Ariane whispered a few days later.

  "Mmm?"

  "Now that Rin is getting better, I would like to take him back to his own world."

  His eyes came open with alarm. He knew he didn't need to be jealous of Rin as any sort of sexual partner, but maybe he still was jealous of the mental bond that the two of them had had for so long.

  "He can't stay here," she went on. "There are no sea dragons here. He needs to be with others of his own kind. Especially now."

  "Why now?"

  "He is young, but he is reaching his sexual maturity. He will desire a mate. And, as you know, the lust of a sea dragon for his mate is a powerful thing."

  "Oh aye," he said, kissing her neck and pinching her nipple until she squeaked and threw one leg over his thigh.

  "Don't try to distract me," she laughed.

  "Well, how is Rin going to feel about being separated from you? And from his new friend Prince the cat?"

  "It's hard for both of us, but it's part of a Traveler's life. I originally trained with a mammoth eagle. He and I were together for over a year. But we can't keep these animals for too long or they cease to be able to survive among their own kind. "

  "Ah. I didn't know that."

  "In fact, when this whole thing began, I was on my way to visit Liril, my teacher. She lives in a community of sea dragons, with the male whom she has been attached to for years."

  Colin hooted. "Attached to? Are you saying she is a sea dragon's mate? I thought you didn't go in for that sort of thing in your world."

  "Good thing I'm in this world, then, since I'm mated to someone who's half sea dragon!"

  "Yeah, but we don't, you know, do interspecies sex." He loved to tease her about this. "But of course, we could. I suspect my tentacles have great potential to give pleasure."

  She giggled, but kept trying to be serious. "I don't know exactly what Liril's relationship to her companion involves. She sees herself as a scholar who studies the sea dragons. She gets as close to them as possible to understand how they live. She draws them and writes about them in the detailed journals she's been keeping for years."

  "Maybe her special companion is a shifter like me."

  "Maybe. Anyway, Rin is a relative of Liril's sea dragon companion. She requested long ago that he go to live with her colony when he retired from Traveler duty. I was taking him there when we were attacked by the darkling."

  "I didn't realize that. So you and he were about to be separated?"

  "Yes. We were both sad about it. I was fond of Rin and he of me, so we didn't want our partnership to end."

  "And now?"

  "Now it's different. First I thought I had lost him, but then I found you. So it has all worked out. Funny how that happens, isn't it? When we least expect it, we find joy."

  "If you take Rin to your old teacher, I'm coming too. At least you won't have to train a new sea dragon."

  "Are you saying you want to go with me to my world?"

  He laughed. "Aye, I guess so. Some folks have to decide whether to maintain their residence in London, Edinburgh or the Highlands. How many have to choose between two fucking separate worlds?"

  "Good thing you love to wander."

  "Good thing you love to Travel."

  They kissed. The kiss quickly escalated. It was a long time before Colin, deeply happy and fulfilled, remembered to ask, "So why was your mentor dismissed from the Travelers?"

  "She runs a sea dragon breeding program. That is, the sea dragons mate of their own accord, but she encourages certain matings. She's a bit of a matchmaker."

  He laughed. "Don't tell Kate. I'll wager that's something she would love to do for shifters. She's always trying to fix up my younger sister and brother. She could start a website or something."

  "The breeding program has been going on for generations. It's not a Traveler thing, officially, but there are several retired Travelers associated with it. Anyway, Liril got into trouble when one of her experiments produced an odd result. A sea dragon was born who wasn't a sea dragon."

  "Meaning what?"

  "He was a regular dragon. With wings and the ability to fly. And a growing tendency to emit flames."

  Colin snapped to attention. "Are you serious? A sea dragon who defied the Zrakon's curse?"

  "Perhaps. But he sickened and died at a young age, so it was never proven."

  "Maybe he was some sort of genetic freak?"

  "I don't know. But Liril was criticized for doing unsanctioned experiments, which wasn't even true. The breeding that produced the dragon was a natural one, and a surprise to everyone in her group. Now she operates outside the auspices of the Travelers, which gives her more freedom, but also puts her at risk. There are people in the world who would love to get their hands on a Traveler, especially an ex-Traveler who no longer enjoys the protection of the Guild."

  "Did you share any of this with Cam?"

  "No. It's Traveler business. I shouldn't even be sharing it with you."

  "My lips are sealed."

  She pressed her face against his. "Sealed with a kiss?"

  He laughed. "Sealed with a shag, if I can get any energy back, you insatiable, unearthly woman!"

  * * *

  "So," Colin announced to the family the next day at breakfast. "Ari and I have made a decision."

  "I haven't finished interrogating her," Cam objected.

  Shooting a cold look at Cam, Colin added, "One that doesn't involve any more harassment of the woman I love."

  "Oh please. You've only spent a few days with her."

  "Cam—" Ross said warningly. "Enough."

  "I doubt you will ever experience the bond or the sevmelle yourself, brother," Colin said, "But you'll just have to take our word for it that it is instant, unbreakable, and permanent."

  Cam rolled his eyes.

  "We're leaving. Nothing against any of you, but it's our nature to wander. Hers, and mine. I could take
her away from here on one of my treks. There are plenty of places in this world that I haven't yet visited. Most of Africa. A good portion of Latin America. I've always wanted to walk the Silk Road, but given how many countries it crosses where there is war flaring, I haven't made that journey yet. And there's Antarctica waiting, too."

  "Forget that," snarled Cam. "I need you here. We need you. You're too powerful a shifter. You promised me you would settle down and do some work for me instead of wandering all over the fucking globe."

  "Fine. I will work for you. But I'm not giving up my explorations, and Ariane is a Traveler. Like me, exploring is what she does."

  "If you think I'm going to greenlight a fucking alien wandering around in this world—"

  "Actually, Ari and I will wander, but not here. She wants to go home. She wants to take Rin home. I want to explore. We will go together back to her world. I will learn everything I can about that place. And, occasionally, if you're a good lad and leave me the fuck alone, I will send you a report."

  It would be tempting, Colin knew. Colin had never officially worked for Cam in the other world, and he had kept many of his observations to himself. Of course, it was just as forbidden for him to wander around in her world as it was for her to explore his, but Colin was counting on Cam's need to have information and some semblance of control. He had seen the way his brother's eyes had lit up at the idea of "reports" from another world. He certainly didn't want the people in Dunya to find out too much about Earth, especially all her high technology. But the reverse? Cam wouldn't be able to resist having his own personal spy in that world.

  "Are you sure about this?" Ross asked.

  "Yes. Ari has family who will be missing her." He paused. "She has a life there. And I am willing to make my life wherever hers is."

  "You have family here," Ross pointed out.

  "I will return periodically. I'll probably see you guys just as often as I would if I did my wandering here in our world."

  "We don't know for certain that the gateway will remain open. You might leave here and never be able to return."