20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  Effie pulled a pink leather calendar from her pink and white striped purse. “I’ll make note of it right now. And the time?”

  “One o’clock.” He grabbed Star’s hand and their suitcase and they headed for the elevator. “I thought a bit of a snuggle would do us both good.” He waggled his eyebrows and she laughed. He made her so happy. A sexy geek with a sense of humor. Who’d have thought?

  Their hotel door opened to a charming room. He rolled her suitcase next to the small desk before backing her into the corner, his hands slipping under her sweater and sliding up her sides until they covered her breasts. Her nipples peaked to kiss his palms. He bit her lower lip and soothed it with his tongue before he covered her mouth with his.

  He tugged off her sweater and unclasped her bra before sucking her nipple.

  “Mine.”

  “Forever.”

  Clothes flew every which way. Boots thunked on the floor. And Hunter’s hands cupped the backs of her thighs, lifting them around his hips. “Condom or nae?” His teeth grazed her neck sending tremors of need through her body.

  “Nae.”

  “Aye, I’ll have ye talking like a Scot yet. He slowly entered her on a deliberate curse of pure delight. His girth filled her and her body welcomed him. Stroke by stroke, he pumped harder until her nails scratched his back and she screamed his name as she climaxed. He buried his face in the crook of her neck. “Me Star. Me midnight Star.” And he shuddered as he came.

  They staggered to the bed, pulled back the covers, and snuggled in each other’s arms. When she woke, she slipped out of bed and showered, putting on warm clothes. She owed Moonie a long email of truth. It wouldn’t be an easy one to write. She started at the beginning when she found the lump during her monthly exam. Going to the doctor and having the mammogram. She typed it all, her vision clouded with tears knowing how all this would stress her pregnant twin. When she didn’t know how to say what needed said, she fingered her long hair to help dry it and scrunch the curls.

  “Hey, what are you doing up?” A deep voice floated to her like a velvet hug.

  “Writing an email to Moonie. I’m telling her about the lump. I’ve kept it from her too long.” She swiped some tears that moistened her cheeks. She’ll be hurt and angry I kept such an important thing from her. I don’t think I’ve ever written a more difficult email.

  He padded behind her and leaned his chin on her shoulder. “Tell her ye’ll be okay, nae matter what the tests show. I’ll be with ye every step of the journey. Bear wants ta come out. He wants ta give ye a hug fer good luck and ta show ye how happy he is ye’ve agreed ta be ours.”

  “Okay.” She wrote a few more words and pressed the Send button. When she closed her laptop, Bear was there, his jaw popping.

  Star stood and went to him. “Will you be with me tomorrow?”

  He opened his arms and hugged her.

  “I don’t want the man I love saddled with a sick woman. That’s why I pushed him away. He’s such a good man and you’re such a wonderful bear, I don’t want either of you taking care of me if cancer takes over my body.”

  He rocked her back and forth, moaning. To her shock, he whispered, “Ours.” She’d never heard him speak before. She imagined it had taken him great effort which made the one word all the more precious.

  She burrowed into his fur and tried to ignore the smell. “Mine. You are my bear. I need you and Gunner.”

  His tongue clicked the roof of his mouth a few times as he held her closer. He released her and stepped back; his paw patted her cheek before the shifting process began. She observed in awe, wondering if she’d ever get accustomed to watching one species change into another.

  Gunner pulled her to him. “Did yer visit go well, me luv? Bear’s been after me all day fer a chance to be alone with ye. Ta wish ye luck.”

  “He spoke to me. One word, but he spoke just the same.”

  He kissed her slowly. “Both halves of me persona love ye and will cherish ye forever and a day. I better shower if we’re meeting me family fer supper.”

  “I…I’m meeting your family this evening? I thought I’d have another day or two to prepare. What if they don’t like me? Should I have my hair done and a manicure?”

  “Me family are hard working, honest folks. They’d want to meet the real woman, not a dolled up, painted version. Be yer sweet self and they’ll see why ye swept me off me feet.”

  Star and Gunner were waiting in the restaurant when her cell rang. “It’s Moonie. She will raise hell.”

  “Shoulders back, luv, and take it like a man.” Gunner’s lips twitched.

  “Hello.”

  “A lump? A freaking lump and you kept it from me?”

  Star held the phone from her ear as Moonie screached. “I’m sorry. You were pregnant and—”

  “Pregnant, not fragile!” Oh Lord, Moonie was on a tear. “I should be there with you.”

  “And I should be there with you when you’re in labor, but life doesn’t work that way. We love each other and that transcends miles.” Gunner gave her a thumbs up.

  “Well—”

  “Let me tell you how I met Gunner. We were on a small plane, flying over the Highlands from Edinburgh to Wick. The engine caught fire and the pilot ordered us to jump out.”

  “Jump? But you’re afraid of heights…and jumping.”

  “Don’t I know it. Gunner put a parachute on me and tied my luggage and briefcase to me with a rope. Then he socked a special pair of magnifying goggles on me…upside down…so instead of increasing the size of where I was jumping, it magnified whatever I looked up at.

  “Oh no!”

  “He pushed me out of the burning plane. I glanced up to see where he was and his kilt was up around his chest. Guess what he had on under it? NOTHING. Not a blessed thing and his junk was magnified to look like a baby elephant’s trunk with a potato jammed in the end.”

  Moonie bust into laughter.

  Gunner cleared his throat and jerked his head.

  Star looked over her shoulder and saw two older people, a younger man and woman, each holding a child, and a young lady. “Ah…I’ve got to go, Moonie. Gunner’s family just arrived. I love you. Gunner will call you tomorrow after everything is over. Okay?”

  She stood while he introduced her to his stern-faced mother, his father, who kept his palm over his mouth. His brother and wife who were laughing as was his sister. But if his mother’s face cracked into a smile, it would tinkle to the floor like broken glass. Phoebe McDunn was not amused.

  Everyone sat and the children were put in highchairs. No one spoke except for the jabbering of the little ones. Then the damn burst. “A baby elephant’s trunk, the lass said.” Gunner’s father leaned over and slapped a thigh in laughter. “Christ son, yer hung just like me.”

  Gunner’s mother glared at her husband. “Eudard, ye always were a heavy-hung braggart.”

  Both his dad and Gunner continued in hysterics. So did Calen and his wife Niama. His sister, Alana. And the couple at the table next to them.

  Phoebe, however, glared at her for several long minutes before she sputtered. “I put clean nappies on me son fer two years and never once saw anything to be made a joke of…and over the phone, no less.”

  Oh boy, she’d screwed things up. She felt like crap. She’d embarrassed Gunner in front of his family. “I’m sorry. That was my sister I was talking to. She’s pregnant and miserable. I was trying to make her laugh by telling her a joke about how we met.”

  Phoebe’s eyebrows rose. “You made a joke of me son’s privates?”

  “Nae, mum, she told the truth. I put the goggles on her beautiful face upside down and shoved her out of the plane. She couldna help what she saw. Let’s order some tea to take off the chill. Get some biscuits fer the little ones ta keep them happy.” He held up Star’s hand. “We’ve got wedding news ta talk about and how we’ll be moving closer.”

  His mother scowled at her. “After being single all these years, dinna tell me th
is is the best kind of woman ye could find?” She shook her head. “Nae son. Nae her. Ye can do better.” She glowered at her as if she were dog shit on the bottom of her shoe.

  With all Star was facing tomorrow, her nerves were definitely on edge. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. McDunn. Please excuse me while I go powder my nose.” She glanced at Gunner. “Forgive me.” She stood and hurried to a place where she could be alone for a few minutes to pull herself together.”

  Gunner glared at his mother. Fur and claws grew from his hands. “If ye want to set eyes on me again, ye will never speak to me love like that, in that hateful tone of voice ever. Am I clear on this?”

  His mum’s face turned red. “I only spoke the truth.”

  “Ye dinna ken the truth. Star has been under great stress for a few weeks. Stress she’s kept to herself. She has a lump in her breast and will have more tests tomorrow at Catherine’s. She refused to marry me because she dinna want me tied to a woman who might have cancer. I’ve had to fight her every inch of the way on this even though it’s clear she loves me. ′Tis how she loves. By putting others first. Yer poisonous words just now probably made her feel she deserves whatever bad might happen. ′Tis ashamed of ye, I am. I ken ye ta be a woman of love, but ye had none ta spare fer her.”

  “′Twas just the way she spoke about ye as if she had nae respect. It rubbed me the wrong way, so it did.”

  He shifted in his chair and smiled at Calen. “Our wedding is set fer the first Saturday in May. I canna think of anyone I’d want by me side than me own brother, who I respect and love even if he is an arse at times. Would ye do the honors as Best Man?”

  Calen wiped his eyes. “Aye. Nothing would make me prouder.”

  “Good.” Gunner nodded. “Good. Star’s twin sister will be well enough from childbirth ta make the trip from the States. She’ll be her Matron-of-Honor. Things are as they should be. We’ll be using the Church O’Creag with the ceremony at one.”

  “That old thing?” His mum’s face wrinkled. “It willna hold all our neighbors.”

  “Good. Because they’re nae invited. I’ve recently been named the head of a sleuth on Dunn Mountain. They will take up most of the space. If I can get the astronomer’s society ta erect some powerful telescopes on top of the mountain, I’ll be working from there. Star and I will be living about two or three hours away from ye. The sleuth built a lovely log cabin fer the man who destroyed a sick predatory shifter who terrorized their lives and made them miserable. He came after Star and I shifted, killing him after a long battle. Our cabin has room fer visitors if ye care ta come stay a day or two. And treat me wife well.” He glared at his ma.

  “Just as I predicted when ye were small.” His father beamed.

  Alana had her chin propped in her upturned hand, her elbow on the table. “Gee, my brother, the badass.”

  Star strode into the restaurant. Gunner ken her well enough to see she’d been crying, but had her fighting face on now. He stood to hold her chair out fer her.

  She noticed his changed hands and took them in hers, rubbing Bear’s fur against her cheek one hand at a time. “What’s been going on while I’ve been gone?” The claws and fur retracted at the calming tone of her voice.

  He kissed her forehead. “Me brother has agreed to be me Best Man.”

  She sat and flashed Calen a warm smile. “Oh, I’m so pleased.”

  “I told them about our sleuth and our log cabin.”

  She sipped her tea, holding the china cup with both hands since they still trembled. “Did you? Did you tell them how you were given that position?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  His mother touched Star’s hand. “I’m sorry I spoke to ye in such a horrid way?”

  Star set her cup down and sighed. “Believe me, Mrs. McDunn, if I’m ever lucky enough to have a son half as good as yours, I’d react the same way. I’d be one very protective momma. My twin and I are very close and probably share too much personal information. We’ve always been that way.”

  She tapped her future mother-in-law’s hand with a finger. “I’m sorry we got off on the wrong footing. I can promise you no one could love your son as much as I do. And I won’t tolerate being spoken to in that tone of voice again…ever. I’ll show you the same amount of respect you show me. Now, what’s everyone having to eat?”

  His Star had shown understanding, apologized, and laid the ground rules for their future relationship in just a few words. She was phenomenal.

  A mate ta be proud of.

  Aye, Bear. Ye chose well.

  The meal went well with everyone catching up with each other’s lives. Bella, Calen’s youngest put on quite a show with her plum pudding. She’s need a good hosing down. When Gunner’s family decided to leave, his father gave Star a bear-like hug. “Yer just what me son needs. Welcome to the McDunn family.”

  She kissed his cheek. “I can see where he gets him charm. Thank you.”

  His ma’s hug was more reserved. She drew her shoulders back the way she did when she intended ta make a point. “All I ask is that ye make me son happy and keep a clean house. Cook him decent meals and iron his shirts.” What century was his ma living in?

  Chapter 17

  Gunner held her close on the elevator as they rode to their room. “I’m not sure I’d call that a successful first meeting,” Star said. “It’s going to take some work to win your mother over. Does she suck a lemon every morning?”

  He was still laughing when the elevator doors whispered open. “Ye are so perfect fer me.” His hand rested on her ass as they walked to their room.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you Effie will be at our room at ten in the morning to say some chants, or some such shit, over me before we go to the hospital. Both she and Ora will be with me for the tests as my protectors. I still don’t get all this magic stuff. Odd, isn’t it? I accept you and Bear, but not a couple of weird women.”

  He called down to the desk for an eight o’clock wake-up call and watched Star as she shimmied out of her clothes. His kilt had tented. “Me luv, tonight I’m going to make slow, sweet love to ye. I want ye relaxed so ye get a good night’s sleep to prepare for tomorrow.”

  She ran her fingers through his soft hair. “I do love the way you think. Now, get your clothes off.”

  When the wake-up call came, she was still spread across his chest, her long hair fanned out like a blond blanket. She mumbled against his chest. He accused her of drooling. She growled him for waking her up after making love to her three times last night. He rolled her over and kissed her. “Me Star, they’re going to take a sonogram of yer breast, nae yer pussy.”

  She bit his nipple and got up for her shower. He took his while she got ordered room service and got dressed. She put her damp hair in a long braid. Too bad she couldn’t do the same thing with her nerves.

  Gunner had just gotten dressed and tucked into a stack of pancakes, when someone knoeked at the door. It was Effie, dressed in a simple pink sweater set and gray slacks and heels

  “Lie on the bed and I’ll move around as I recite the two chants I want your body to hear. The first one will be in Romanian and the second in Olde English.” Effie waved her hands over Star as she spoke words Star didn’t understand. Even so, they relaxed her and took away the feeling of despair that had been weighing her down.

  They arrived at Catherine’s General where she was sent to the mammogram unit after admissions. Gunner held her close and promised he wouldn’t leave the door while she was in the room. By then, Ora had arrived in her navy dress with her tartan draped over one side of it.

  The room was small and the technician was a little pissy about working in such a crowded environment. In her typical “don’t-give-a-shit” fashion, Effie said, “I’ve always looked on having a mammogram as the only place where you can walk in a forty-four medium and walk out a fifty-eight long.”

  The technician started giggling as she pressed Star’s breast between the two glass shelves. In a few uncomfortable minutes, the process
was over. The technician opened the door and squeaked. Gunner stood gripping both sides of the door frame, leaning in, and his gaze zeroed on Star’s. “Are ye okay, me luv?”

  “Yes. Next I go for the sonogram.”

  “That’ll be three doors down on yer left,” the technician said.

  The three women marched in the direction stated and Gunner held Star’s open gown closed in the back. “I’ll not have other men looking at yer perfect ass. ′Tis fer me eyes only.”

  This was a male technician and Gunner tensed up, quite vocal that he was the fiancé and intended to stay fer the procedure. Effie and Ora were, too. The technician went off to bring more chairs into the room. Gunner sat on the opposite side of the technician’s computer and screen and held Star’s hand.

  One of his fingers grew a claw and fur. Bear’s way of showing her he was there, too. She found great comfort in that and rubbed all of his fingers—smooth skin and fur covered. Once the test was done, she was allowed to dress and go meet Dr. Brebner.

  “Star, I’m comparing your mammogram taken two weeks ago with the one you had this morning. There is a slight increase in size. It could just be an increase in fluid, but I’d like to do a biopsy to make sure. A biopsy is one of the most reliable tests to determine if a lump in a breast is cancerous or not.”

  “When can you do it? I’m a worrier, I’d like to know as soon as possible.” Her stomach was cramping and her heart racing. She was squeezing Gunner’s hand so hard, it had to hurt.

  “We can do it now as soon as I can get all the equipment ready. My assistant will help you undress. I’ll be doing an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy. You’ll be positioned lying on your stomach on a special table that has an opening for the breast, which will be compressed similar to a mammogram. We’ll use localized anesthesia to numb the area. Oh, before we proceed. Is there any chance you could be pregnant?”

  Star and Gunner looked at each other. “Perhaps,” Gunner replied. “She’s on the pill, but I don’t always use a condom.”