20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  “Maybe you should call your parents and explain why you are delayed.”

  “What should I tell them?” His face lit with mischief.

  “I’m taking advantage of your height,” she replied. “I was planning on hiring a handyman to replace all the smoke detector batteries, you can do that for me.”

  Barry rewarded her with a wide smile. “It’s the least I can do. I have never been the man of the house before.”

  Samantha’s throat closed. She could barely swallow. Barry could pretend this relationship was more than it was, but she was a realist. “I’ll get the batteries while you talk to your folks.”

  His cell phone and wallet sat on the dryer. He hadn’t taken them out of his jeans when he removed them earlier. Barry grabbed both items and called his parents. She headed for the pantry where she stored her batteries. They were newly purchased, so she hadn’t bothered to put them in the refrigerator.

  “All done,” Barry announced as he entered the kitchen. “Let’s take care of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.”

  She only had the carbon monoxide alarm near her bedroom. Barry slid the apparatus off its jack and replaced the battery with the new one she handed him. They both tried not to stare at the bed that dominated the room. She let out a sigh of relief when they were done in the bedroom and headed for the guest quarters. It took very little time to replace the batteries in the seven smoke alarms throughout the house.

  “Why don’t we sit in the living room and talk,” Samantha suggested. “There is no need to keep anything from each other now that we know who we are.”

  Barry sat in the love seat. He looked perfect in the chair, as if he belonged there. “What do you want to know?”

  God, he looked sexy in that robe. Her mind went temporarily blank as her eyes feasted on him. Although the robe had belonged to Ian, she didn’t think of him at all. Whatever attraction she once felt for the cougar beta was over.

  “Was what you told me about specializing in stroke victims true?” she asked. Talking about his schooling seemed a safe topic.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?” It dawned on her, she was interested. Everything about him fascinated her.

  His head shot backwards a bit at her question. “Not even my parents asked me that. Mom merely commented that it was nice and my father grunted. My grandfather had a stroke and recovered, but was never able to shift again. The shapeshifter community has never studied that phenomena. Even though his human form became healthy again, my grandfather was never the same. I think he missed his wolf too much. If you ask me, that’s what ultimately killed him.”

  She was taken aback by not only the information he shared, but the passion behind his words. He was obviously devastated by his grandfather’s illness and tailored his life around making sure others would not suffer the same way. Nancy never mentioned how her son had been impacted by her father’s stroke.

  “Did you explain to your parents what you just shared with me?”

  Barry snickered. “They are only interested in me settling down and working at the hardware store. From their point of view, they are passing along their legacy. I think they feel they are short changing me, since Marc and Nate will be inheriting the store when they are gone.”

  It was tragic her friend didn’t understand her son. He was highly intelligent and could possibly cure an affliction that adversely impacted older shifters. Their population was so tied to their animal. Samantha couldn’t imagine not being able to shift into her cougar and running free. Losing her cat would be like losing a leg.

  Her feelings for him only deepened. She was not only attracted to his exterior, but who he was. There was a connection between them from the start. But there was no future for them. Shifters occasionally reproduced with humans, the shifter possessing the dominate genes. Different species of shapeshifters didn’t mate.

  She could barely hold back the tears that threatened to expose how miserable she was. “I need to place your clothes in the dryer. Your mom is expecting you home within an hour.”

  Samantha escaped Barry’s company, trying not to sob as she hurried to the laundry room. She never wanted anything in her life as much as she wanted him. If she spent one more night with him, perhaps she would work him out of her system. But the more time she spent with him, the attraction only grew. What was she going to do?

  The washer stopped spinning as soon as she entered the laundry room. She pulled his clothing out of the washer and placed them in the dryer. After adjusting the setting and pressing the start button, Samantha caught her breath. The last thing she wanted was to fall apart in front of him. If he believed she considered them a short-term fling, she would be able to let him go. She couldn’t afford for him to know how deep their attraction went.

  Chapter 8

  Barry noted when Samantha returned to the living room, she seemed withdrawn. Her initial reaction to his chosen field had excited him. No one had responded to why he was specializing in neurology like she had. Whenever he tried to explained it to a girl he dated, he was met with a bored expression. How could he be with someone who didn’t share his passion?

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out why she was behaving in this fashion. She was scared of their age difference and him being a wolf shifter. At least, she didn’t cancel their date on Wednesday. The more time they spent together, the closer they would become. He was going to make it impossible for her to walk away.

  A shifter’s longevity made the years between them insignificant, in his opinion. For once he agreed with his parents, she was thinking like a human. In the old days, betas would be lined up to reproduce with Samantha until she was well into her sixties. Age wouldn’t have been a criterion.

  They fell into an array of insignificant topics until his clothes were dry and he was ready to head home. She nearly threw him out of her house. It was clear, she needed some time alone. Whatever she convinced herself of in his absence, he would remedy when they were together two nights from now.

  He got into the van and drove to his parent’s house. His mother was probably pacing near the front door, waiting for his arrival. Dropping off the van and picking up his rental car would only take time and further aggravate his mom. God forbid, if his date was already there, he was toast.

  Barry held his breath as he placed his hand on the doorknob and entered the house. His mother was not standing guard, which was a good sign. He followed the sound of loud conversations into the family room. The pups were on the floor playing, while the adults enjoyed pre-dinner drinks.

  When his mother spotted him, she waved him over. A platinum blonde was sitting beside her. Her pale coloring and hair color indicated she was a member of the small white wolf community. White wolves were rare and highly sought after as mates. He was surprised the young woman was still available.

  Her faint blue eyes caught him off guard. She was exquisite looking in a china doll kind of way. It looked like she’d break if he touched her. Samantha’s strength and agility came to mind as a contrast to the woman before him.

  “Barry, this is Miranda,” his mother said.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Barry replied. “I don’t remember seeing you around town. Did you recently move here?” Being as exotic as she was, he would have noticed her.

  A tear ran down Miranda’s cheek. “My father was killed by a poacher earlier this year. Mom and I moved in with her brother here in Eclipse. The town has been very welcoming.”

  The striking beauty wouldn’t be free for much longer. His mother was going to be disappointed he was not going to take Miranda off the short list of available females in town. She didn’t hold a candle to his Samantha.

  He noted his date’s glass was empty. “Can I refresh your drink?”

  Miranda nodded and handed him the empty goblet. “I’m drinking Merlot.”

  Barry walked to the kitchen with his mother on his heels. He heard her mutter something about getting more chips for the dip. There was no question she wanted
to get him alone and have him sing the praises regarding her find.

  His mother wasted no time. “What do you think about her? Miranda is homesick for Colorado. She can take care of your house while you are at the hospital. When I mentioned you were doing your residency just outside of Denver her face lit up. We looked up your school online together. I didn’t know your hospital is ranked in the top thirty in your specialty.”

  He bit his tongue and didn’t respond to her last question. Neither of his parents had asked any questions about his desire to be a neurologist. Since the location excited Miranda, his mother was now showing interest. It still came a distant second to the enthusiasm and interest Samantha showed.

  “Mom, I’m heading back in less than two weeks,” he responded. “Having her accompany me is a bit premature. We haven’t even gone on a first date, let alone agreed to move in together.”

  “That beautiful creature is not involved with anyone. If you play your cards right, she’s all yours. Can you imagine your kids being white wolves? Our standing in the community would skyrocket.”

  Barry truly didn’t understand his mother. He was a certified doctor and was about to start a three-year post graduate residency. That in any community would be valued, except his own. It frustrated the hell out of him.

  Arguing with his mother would not serve any productive purpose. She believed and valued what she did. Unfortunately, he didn’t share her values. He believed people should be measured on what they achieved in life, not where in the pack they stood. There was no question he was out of step with the rest of the community. They thought as his parents did.

  He refilled Miranda’s glass. “I should head back to my date.”

  “Don’t screw this up!” Barry heard his mother shout as he exited the kitchen. He pushed her statement to the back of his mind. Along with all the criticisms he received over the years trying to live his own life.

  A fake smile graced his face as he entered the family room and handed Miranda her glass. Her lovely eyes left the lively interchanges between his nieces and nephews on the floor. He had to admit, the pups were damn cute.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I haven’t been in a home with little ones for quite a while. My parents left their pack and lived among the humans in Aspen. They loved the Rocky Mountains.”

  “There are numerous packs in Colorado, couldn’t they find one?” Barry asked.

  “They didn’t want to be part of a pack and all the politics. Together they shared a love of art and opened a small gallery in Aspen. Besides, they didn’t want to have a community put pressure on me to mate when I came of age.”

  Barry’s regard for her increased with that statement. She was an outsider, like him. He had a feeling Miranda would mate when she was good and ready, and not a moment before.

  “Did you inherit your parents’ love of art?” he asked.

  She leaned toward him. “I paint,” she whispered. “If I couldn’t paint, I don’t think I would have survived my dad’s death. It allowed me to focus on something beautiful.”

  He was looking at something stunning. If his heart hadn’t already been claimed, he could have seen a future with this delicate woman.

  “I’d love to see your work,” Barry said.

  His mother called them into the dining room. Marc and his wife would watch the kids while the rest of them ate. This was not truly a family dinner. It was a means to have him find someone to mate. If he showed interest in Miranda, perhaps the parade of women would stop. He needed to navigate carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Miranda while he continued to make love to Samantha.

  Barry drove Miranda home. She was enthusiastic to show him her paintings. The girl definitely had talent. Her work was better than most pieces he’d seen hanging in Denver’s galleries.

  In a way, she reminded him of Samantha. They both had an artistic eye. Each wanted to live life on their own terms.

  He stood before one abstract landscape he found particularly haunting. “Regardless of what happens, you should continue painting. You have a gift.”

  “My parents always encouraged how I expressed myself,” Miranda said. “It’s only since moving here that things have changed. Uncle Bob has pushed me in the direction of various men. You are the only one who seems to understand.”

  The last thing he wanted to do was manipulate Miranda, but she seemed disinterested in starting any type of relationship. “Hold out for love and don’t compromise your talent. If someone is right for you, he will support your endeavors.”

  “Like you intend to become a neurologist? I get the feeling there already is someone you are interested in.” Her observations startled him.

  His stomach did a backflip. “What do you mean?”

  “I could tell you were physically attracted to me,” Miranda admitted. “But you pushed conversations away from you being the focus and centered them on me. You didn’t want me to become interested in you. Who is she?”

  Barry was exposed. He felt he was under a psychic magnifying glass and Miranda was pulling out all his darkest secrets.

  He took a leap of faith. “She’s older than I am and isn’t a wolf shifter.”

  “Wow! When you rebel, you don’t mess around.”

  For the second time, someone caused him to laugh. It felt great. He had been under so much pressure, it felt wonderful to let loose. The secret about his relationship with Samantha only added to his stress.

  “I’ve got a wonderful idea,” Miranda declared. “Your mom and my uncle can be led to believe we are dating. I can find some solitude in painting and you can be with your lady love. We just have to figure out how we both can gain from fooling our loved ones.”

  He already had some thoughts in that direction. Having Miranda being part of the conspiracy just added to the likelihood they would be successful. It would be nice having his mother off his back until he returned to Colorado.

  “You’ve got yourself a deal,” Barry said. “I’ll pick you up for lunch tomorrow and we can discuss how we are going to pull this off.”

  Barry kissed Miranda on the forehead and headed for the van. He decided to switch his rental with the van, no longer requiring him having to make a trip tomorrow to the hardware store. His mother would be overjoyed with the fact he had a lunch date with Miranda.

  He was restless when he finally got home. It had been so long since he shifted and ran through the woods. Tonight, there was a quarter moon and it was cloudy. The conditions were perfect to get some exercise.

  Before he headed out, he left his folks a note. The mudroom allowed for family members to undress and redress after shifting. He unhooked the swinging door that would allow his wolf to exit the house. It was located away from any exterior lights and protected by a small crop of trees. The strategic location was also protected from any car lights heading up the dirt road.

  He visualized his wolf and instantly changed. Hollywood’s bone cracking, painful conversions were ridiculous. No shifter in his right mind would change into his animal form if it required horrific pain.

  His wolf ran through the swinging wood into the great outdoors. He had forgotten how free he felt in his wolf form. Wolves had superior night vision and he navigated his way deeper into the forest that bordered his parents’ property.

  Whether his wolf was purposely searching for his mate or coincidently ended up at Samantha’s house, Barry wasn’t quite sure. Her house was equipped with a back screened-in porch. He searched for an entryway. Since it appeared she shifted on a regular basis, he was certain there had to be a way into her porch and then ultimately her house.

  Barry ran behind some California sagebrush that bordered the southeast section of her patio. He found the door and fortunately it wasn’t locked. Since male cougars were larger than male wolves, he had no issues running through the door. Samantha would have made the opening large enough for male members of her pride to use. Although he had not seen Samantha in her puma form, he figured they would be around the same si
ze.

  After pretending to romance a woman all night, Barry ached for his mate. He would make love to her and leave long before the sun rose the next morning. The last thing he wanted was for Samantha to have to explain why a timber wolf was seen leaving her house.

  Chapter 9

  Someone was in the house. Samantha opened the nightstand’s top drawer and pulled out her gun safe. The action didn’t cause any noise that would alert the intruder. She punched in the four-digit combination and pulled out her Glock-43. The six-round magazine was already in the pistol.

  Without a sound, she got out of bed and headed downstairs. Although she was not in her cat form, her cougar’s superior night vision allowed her to maneuver without bumping into any furniture. Her heartbeat was pounding in her head. She had purchased the gun for home protection, but never expected to use it.

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow move. “I’ve got a gun. You better get the hell out of here before I shoot.”

  “Samantha, it’s me, Barry.”

  She let out a sigh of relief. “Are you out of your mind? How did you get in here?”

  “My wolf came through the cat door and for some reason, I remembered where you kept the key. Sometime when I was a kid, I must have been in your house.”

  When Barry walked out of the dark room, he was naked as the day he was born. His cock wasn’t erect. She imagined having a gun pointed at him killed the romance. It could have also been because she was wearing an Oakland Raiders jersey and shorts. She hadn’t expected company tonight. Although, it was technically morning.

  Samantha collapsed onto the nearest chair. She had been scared out of her wits. When she broke up with Ian, she had been afraid he’d come back for retribution, so she purchased the gun for protection. It was a toss up—she wasn’t sure what scared her more, the thought of an intruder or using the gun.