Remote in the Shadows: A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance

by Noelle Rahn-Johnson

  He walks over to the fridge and pulls things out for breakfast. Eggs, milk, and a loaf of bread. He pulls out a pan and begins to crack eggs into a bowl.

  ***

  Addison sits at the kitchen table and watches him move around the kitchen. As he whisks the eggs, then dips the bread slices one by one into the mixture then sets them to the hot pan, she watches his face and she can tell he's still thinking about what she told him. There's a lot to mull over and she knows he's pissed at what Derek has done to her and London. Who wouldn't be?

  Parker sets down a steaming plate of food in front of her. "Thank you, it looks wonderful," she tells him in a quiet voice.

  London crawls over to Addison, pulling herself up using the chair leg and her jeans. She feeds London small squishy bites from her fork and she watches her gobble them down.

  After they finish their food and clean up, Parker asks Addison, "Can you help me put the crib together?"

  "Sure. It shouldn't take too long," she responds.

  With assistance from London, and her banging parts together, they have the crib together in under an hour.

  It's stunning and beautiful. The warm brown from the oak color makes it look inviting to sleep in. Addison puts sheets and a blanket over the mattress, and then throws in a few plush toys. They push it into the corner of the master bedroom and when that's all done, it's almost time for London's nap.

  No more sleeping in bed with Addison or in her car seat. Now, she has her own bed. Her own blankets. And Addison doesn't have to worry about her rolling out of bed or lying too close to her.

  ***

  Parker goes out later that night after the girls are asleep. His leopard is feeling cooped up and needs a good stretch. It's been a few days since he's allowed his inner cat to take over and the animal has been pacing back and forth inside his head, clawing to get out and run.

  He heads to where Addison ditched the car, and coming up over the ridge of the embankment he realizes it's gone. That asshat's scent is everywhere around this place, though. He must have found it and pulled it out.

  Thank God for the rain that'd come and washed most of his horrid scent away, but now Parker can't tell how long it's been since the evil man has been here. It could have been last week or last night. The spring rains have washed almost all his scent away.

  Dammit!

  Chapter Six

  A few weeks have gone by since Parker first rescued Addison and London. I haven't seen or scented Derek in or around town since I went to go check on Addison's car, so maybe he's moved on.

  Don't count on it. Maybe he's searching another town. But I have a feeling he'll be back, his leopard whispers in his head.

  Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of.

  Parker's inner cat is constantly in a state of agitation lately, pacing within Parker's head. Contemplating over what he wants to do when Derek finally comes slithering back to try to grab Addison. Images flash in his brain, and they are not particularly nice images to have every day.

  Parker can't get that demon out of his head. His face. He's evil. He wants her. He wants her back. He won't get her. He won't touch her. He won't look at her. She's mine. She's always been mine.

  Parker can feel the rip of the leopard taking over. He tears through his clothes. and transforms from human to leopard right there on the front porch just from the agitation. Snarling and growling, he takes off running into the woods.

  He can feel the pull of his cat's claws into the damp earth as he runs through the woods, splashing through the river and over boulders that are in his path, feeling the water trickle through his fur, the sharp rocks beneath his pads, the softness of the forest floor compressing under his weight and strength.

  The muscle and sinew pulling and stretching as his body pushes them further and deeper into the forest. A rabbit changes its course as Parker runs by it. His cat is not even interested the chase at this point and time. He just wants to run out his anger. Frustration. Planning his revenge for Addison against Derek.

  He wonders if Derek has come back to town a few times looking around the stores and restaurants. Derek knows she's here. It will only be a matter of time before they're all in the same spot at the same time. There have been times where Parker can smell a hint of the man's scent here and there. Almost like he's been walking in a certain place in town but it's faded away.

  He wants to kill the man for what he's done to Addison and for what a bastard he's been as a father to London. He'd better not stop and talk to Addison on the street somewhere when Parker's around, because when he's done with him, the asshole will be praying for Parker to send him back to the hell he came from.

  Parker's leopard slows and then stops next to a large pine tree, panting. He stretches his large front legs and paws, then extends his thick claws against the tree, slowly scraping down the bark. He drops down on all fours and then stretches out each hind leg. He let out a yawn and shakes out his fur.

  He trots down to the river's edge, drinking in some of the cool running water. The water's cold on his tongue as it slides down his throat. When he's had his fill, he lifts his head to sniff the air around him, checking out his surroundings. Feeling better after his leopard has made his rounds and lashed out his aggression, resulting in at least some stress lifted off his shoulders, he starts heading back home at a trot.

  Parker can smell a rabbit nearby. He sniffs it out as he gets closer to it, and the rabbit startles and takes off running. The leopard takes off after it in a quick chase, resulting in a fast catch and meal. That was too easy. Almost boring. His hunger satiated, he trots back home at a comfortable pace.

  Still in leopard form, he breaks through the opening of the woods and sees the house, noticing a figure on the front porch rocking in the chair. It's Addison. Shit. He fades backward into the blackness of the night, thankful for the cover of the bushes and trees surrounding him. Addison doesn't know Parker's a shifter yet and it's not like he can just walk around. Oregon doesn't have leopards just roaming around the woods.

  It's still very late and Parker's wondering why Addison is up at this hour. She doesn't have London with her and the door is open with the screen shut.

  She's sipping from a mug, so he's guessing coffee, but why now? At this early hour? What's made her so upset she would seek out the darkness for comfort?

  He waits her out, sitting back on his haunches under the cover of the trees, watching her. A few minutes later, Addison gets up and goes into the house again, shutting the door behind her.

  Parker lies down in the tall grasses and rolls over on his back rubbing it into the ground. The leopard jumps up and shakes out the grass, leaves and whatever else he's picked up rolling around. He slowly creeps up to the house, watching and listening for any noises inside. Nothing. Everything is quiet. He's assuming she went back to bed.

  He quickly shifts back to his human form as he walks around to the back door. It's closest to the laundry room and he can slip on a pair of shorts.

  Parker opens the back door and shuts it behind him with a quiet snick when he enters the small room, naked. Quickly finding a pair of jeans from the other day, he slides both legs in, and zips up the zipper but doesn't do the button.

  He walks out into the kitchen, then through the living room. Addison must be in her room. Whew. He wouldn't begin to know how to explain walking in the house practically naked to her. It will be a while before he knows if she'll be able to handle that kind of news.

  Oh by the way, yeah, I can change my form into a very large, black leopard, but it's okay. I won't hurt you. That may just send her screaming. Parker chuckles at the thought, shaking his head.

  He makes his way up to his room and pulls off his jeans, tossing them on the floor. He takes a quick shower to wash off the woods, and then climbs into bed, hoping sleep claims him quickly.

  Parker knows Addison's a quiet person. A very private, quiet, and innocent in a way. But what she's been through, she's beaten down and he wants to protect her, shelter her fr
om everyone. But doing that won't make her independent. He wants to build her back up.

  She needs to find her voice. Parker knows it's there. He's heard it when she talks about London. She's a momma bear with claws out protecting her cub. She's stronger than she thinks. She's shown him already in the past few weeks, and she's becoming stronger by the day.

  He's only heard what happened to her, but he wants to know her pain, what she suffered. He wants to pull that pain from her so she doesn't have to weigh the burden of it anymore.

  Parker doesn't only shift into an animal, he heals very quickly. All shifters have fast healing and slow aging. He's also able to share his thoughts and conversations with his mate, parents and siblings. He can increase or decrease the level of emotion someone feels. This is only for some shifters, not all. And not all leopards have these powers.

  When a shifter mates with a human, the shifter powers of fast healing and slow aging goes to their mate. Any children (or cubs) conceived will manifest those powers of shifting, healing, slow aging and any other powers mother nature decides to give them.

  If two of the same kind of shifters mate, that will make that blood line thicker. If two different shifters mate, the baby produced will be all one or the other. No half bear and half leopard, or any other mix of two different kinds of shifters can exist.

  Chapter Seven

  Addison just couldn't sleep last night. She kept feeling afraid, like something is on its way. Something big. And she's uneasy. She went to go sit on one of the rocking chairs on the front porch with a hot chocolate. She wanted to listen to the crickets and night sounds and let them calm her, but moments into her nighttime reprieve, she felt like she was being watched so she went back inside, put her mug in the sink and went back to bed.

  She woke up, tired, her insides all in knots. The sun is up and she turns to check on London. She's not in her crib or in bed with her.

  Addison sits straight up in bed, panicking. "London? Honey, where are you?"

  Suddenly, Addison hears a squeal from the other side of the bedroom door and she races over to it, opening it frantically. She sees London and Parker sitting on the floor together building block towers and knocking them down. She runs over to her and picks her up, cradling her to her chest.

  She lets her baby's smell soothe her, calming her before she pulls the child's face from her shoulder, her breathing finally calming. She hears Parker get up from the floor and leans into him as he wraps both of them in his arms.

  "Addison, I didn't mean to frighten you. I heard her and didn't want you to wake up. You needed your sleep."

  Addison nods her head and takes another deep breath.

  A few minutes go by and she finally releases her hold on London and sets her back down on the floor. She sits on the couch and holds her hands over her face, hiding her tears.

  Parker sits down with her and slowly rubs his palm over her back.

  She huffs out a breath and sits up, dropping her hands to her lap, her face damp from the tears she wiped away. "I'm sorry, Parker. I woke up and she wasn't there and I panicked. I didn't know where she was."

  "It's okay. I'm sorry. I changed her diaper and fed her some small pieces of toast and her milk. Hope that was okay?" He looks like he lost his puppy.

  "Yes, thank you for doing that. I was tired and didn't sleep well last night. I came out onto the porch with a cup of cocoa, and listened to the night animals. It was soothing and then I went back to bed. Hope I didn't wake you."

  "No, you didn't wake me. I was up already. I went for a walk in the woods when you and London were asleep. That calms me." He chuckles a bit.

  "Oh, okay. I tried to be quiet anyway." Addison huffs out another breath and stands up, heading in the direction of her room, calling over her shoulder. "I'm going to take a shower, is that okay? You okay with watching her for a bit longer?"

  It's not like she hasn't taken a shower with London in the bathroom with her before. And if he doesn't want to watch her, Addison will take her in with her.

  "Addison, I've got her. What's wrong?" He asks, walking over to her, concern etching his face.

  "I just had a small panic attack when I didn't see her in bed with me or the crib. I'm afraid. I'm terrified Derek will find us." Addison can feel a tear slip over her cheek.

  Parker wipes the moisture away with his thumb and pulls her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

  She breathes in his scent, slowly. He always smells so good. Clean. Musky and all male.

  Addison feels him kiss her forehead and then he rests his chin on the top of her head. He breathes in deep, then snuggles his face into her shoulder.

  "Addison. He won't do anything to you or London as long as I'm still breathing. You're safe with me."

  Addison nods her head and pulls from him, already missing the safety she feels in his arms. But she's not here to be with Parker. She's not looking for another man. She's on the run, and she should call her sister to let her know where she is. Let her know she's safe.

  "I'm going to take a shower now. Can I use your phone to call my sister when I get out? I want to let her know I'm safe."

  "Yes, you can use my cell."

  Addison nods again and makes her way to the bedroom. She turns around once she's in the room and looks back to meet Parker's gaze as she shuts the door.

  She lets out her breath in a huff, not realizing that she was holding it. She finger comes her hair away from her face and then pulls out some clean clothes from her suitcase.

  Walking into the bathroom, she sets the clothes on the corner of the sink and turns on the water in the shower, adjusting the temperature.

  Stripping out of her clothes, and letting them fall to the tiled floor, she steps into the warm flowing water, letting it wash away the fear and unease of earlier.

  After a thirty minute shower, she dries herself and gets dressed in a pair of soft washed jeans, a pink v-neck tee shirt, and white socks, and then starts to blow dry her hair.

  Addison doesn't want it to be comfortable with Parker watching London. She's Addison's child, her responsibility. She puts her things away quickly and rushes out of her room, intent on taking care of her child.

  Halfway down the hall, Addison can hear London squealing again. She jogs to the living room and she sees Parker standing and holding London above his head. He clasps her around the ribs, his hands under her arms, and then brings her back down to his face, where he blows raspberry kisses on her belly. The child squeals again in excitement and laughter.

  Addison relaxes instantly. The sight of Parker taking such good care of her daughter, almost a loving, tender, parental care, is reassuring even if it's entirely new to her.

  Parker is taking such good care of her daughter. Addison can relax and breathe easier knowing her child is safe, cared for, loved.

  "I'm sorry it took me so long. I can take her now and you can do whatever we were keeping you from."

  "Addison, she isn't a bother to me. You're not a bother to me, either. It's nice to have voices and laughter in this house again. It's okay that you need to take time for yourself. It's fine. I am happy that I can watch her for an hour or more for you. She's easy to take care of." He tickles the child's belly once more, bringing another round of squealing laughter from London.

  "I just don't want you to feel like you have to take care of her when she's my responsibility."

  "Addison, come here." He sets London down on the floor by her toys and he holds out his hand for Addison to take. "I can watch her anytime you need. I understand the need for a shower or to prepare food without someone hanging on you."

  Addison walks over to him and he inches his hand into hers. She's still nervous but not shaking in terror anymore. He's gentle, caring and meticulously cautious when he's around her. Knowing what happened to her and her past, he's very cautious; and she admires him for it.

  "Addison. You know I won't hurt you. Can I hold you for a bit and ease your concern? I want you to trust me but I
know it will take time." He whispers, "Let me in, Addison. Just let me in and I'll show you that I'm not even close to that demon."

  Letting Parker pull her to him, she rests her cheek on his chest and listens to his steady beat of his heart. He holds her tightly to him but it's not smothering, not frightening at all. This is a big moment for her. This is Addison trusting Parker, completely. She hasn't let Parker hold her or snuggled into him since that one night when she fell asleep against his chest.

  Parker wraps one of his muscular arms and hand around her shoulders and the other one brushes down her hair, holding her close to him.

  She snuggles into his chest. Safe. Protected. She knows, now, one hundred percent that he will never hurt her or London. Ever. Parker is her protector. Let that demon come for her. She feels confident and secure that he won't harm her because she has Parker here protecting them.

  She can feel tears building up behind her eyelids and she squishes her eyes tightly together, not wanting him to see her vulnerability.

  Addison presses her face into his chest and breathes deeply. God, he smells so good. He smells like the pine trees, earthy, and like home. She pulls his scent deeper into her senses, imprinting it within her heart, her mind, her entire essence so she never forgets what he smells like. She feels him rest his chin on top of her head.

  He feels like a safe home. Wait. He's not my home. Hell, he's not even mine. Wait. What the hell am I thinking? I'm on the run. I'm hiding out from a demon who will come try to kill me and my daughter, and I'm thinking I have a new man in my life.

  She pushes away from Parker and she can see the hurt and confusion in his face, just for a second. "I'm sorry, Parker. I can't be close to you. I feel protected and safe here, with you. And I know you would never hurt London, or me, but I can't get close to you. I don't need a man to make me complete anymore. I had that and he tore me down. Ripped me apart in every way imaginable and I won't allow it to happen again. We can be friends. Only friends. Okay?"