Shifters Hallows Eve

by Lori King

  “It happens sometimes,” said Buck.

  14

  Free listened as Buck and Bloom spoke outside on the bench. He had screwed up again. It had been his watch, and he had to go and check the property. He was late relieving one of the guards as it was and felt bad about it, but he should have woken her up and told her. Now she wanted nothing to do with him. That wasn’t acceptable. He would go to her tonight and explain…beg if he had to.

  He knew who Buck was going to call—Alford Stiggy, known to everyone as the Beast. Stiggy was a bear shifter, and he had a garage where he restored old vehicles. He was known throughout the country for restoring old cars back to their original state. His size alone would deter anyone from trying to screw him over on a price or steal from him, but he was a good friend.

  Picking up his cell phone, Free called Stiggy. He owed him a big favor and he didn’t want Bloom to have to pay a lot of money for the truck. He would take Bloom and hopefully on the way to his garage he could explain about leaving her last night. It had almost killed him to leave her, but he was the Alpha and his pack’s security mattered. He had questioned himself over and over, asking himself why she meant so much to him. Even before she’d arrived, he’d fallen in love with her, staring at her picture. On many occasions, Rose would catch him in the living room, fixated on the pictures she had. Something about her drew him in, and now he knew without a doubt that Bloom Scott was his mate. He would have to tell her about shifters and pray that she didn’t run away screaming.

  He sent Buck a text and told him to come up with an excuse not to go, and to ask him in front of her to take her to see Stiggy. Yes, it was an underhanded trick, but this was his mate and he needed to make it right.

  He waited impatiently. Eager to be near her, he stood up to go in search of them when Buck texted back. “I don’t like this, Alpha. Don’t play games with her. We are on our way back.” He didn’t like his beta telling him what to do, but he knew Buck, and when he cared about someone, he was fiercely loyal to them. He could tell that Bloom had formed a place in his heart and he felt the need to protect her. He still carried around the guilt from Marcy’s death.

  Buck had lost his mate Marcy while she was running in the woods. Hunters had ventured onto their land by mistake, and saw her running and shot her. The hunters were arrested for trespassing and shooting wildlife on an animal preserve. Buck had never gotten over it. That was fifteen years ago. He held on for the sake of his daughter, having made an oath with his mate that if anything ever happened to the other, they wouldn’t succumb to grief. They would continue on for the sake of their child. Sunny, his daughter, was the spitting image of her father. She was strong-willed and fiercely loyal to her family, friends, and pack.

  In their many talks, Marcy made Buck promise that after a period of time, he would go on and find another mate. She loved him and only wanted him happy. They each made a promise to each other. Marcy Michaels was the most selfless person he had ever known. But he knew Buck hadn’t even looked at another woman.

  The door opened to the office, jerking him out of his thoughts. His eyes sought his mate’s, but she looked away. He had to make her understand. As soon as they each sat down, Buck answered his phone, as if he had it on vibrate. “Buck Michaels. Yes, sure, Missy, I understand. See you in a few.”

  He watched as his beta hung up the phone. “Everything all right?” Free asked.

  “That was Missy. She needs for me to come and look at the tractor we ordered. She said they added something we didn’t ask for and wanted to know if we wanted to keep it or send it back to the company.” Buck looked over at Bloom, regret in his eyes. “Bloom, I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to go today, and I hate it because Stiggy said that he already had someone sniffing around the truck.”

  “I’ll take her. I have nothing else to do.” Free volunteered.

  “Would you? I don’t want her missing this truck. It’s perfect for her. Stiggy said he would hold it for us today only.” Buck said. They both waited for Bloom to answer, and he could see the uncertainty flash across her face. “Bloom, I’m telling you, this is a steal of a truck. Go with Free and buy yourself that truck.”

  Buck was pushing her and she didn’t like it, but she liked Buck so hesitantly agreed. “Okay.”

  “Great.” Free grinned, knowing that he wouldn’t have had this second chance if it hadn’t been for his beta. “Bloom, if we want to get there before dark we need to leave now.”

  He watched as Bloom nodded and stood up. “I need to get my pocketbook. I’ll meet you at the truck.” He watched as she walked out with her shoulders slumped.

  “Free, I hope you know what you’re doing.” Buck scowled.

  “I do, too.”

  “She’s your mate.” It wasn’t a question but a fact.

  “When did you know?”

  “Rose told me. Said you stared at her picture, and she just knew. She said it was supposed to be this way and there would never be a doubt about whose property this was. It would be the Butler Pack’s, which would always have a Scott in it.” Free didn’t know what to say. He swallowed the lump of emotion that formed in his throat.

  “Rose did that for me.” Free couldn’t believe it. She found a way to make sure the land would always be with the pack, and that a Scott would be forever entwined with the Butlers. Now he needed to make things right with Bloom…and that wasn’t going to be easy.

  “Thanks, Buck.” His beta nodded at him before he walked out the door. He cranked his truck and turned on the heat. The weather had turned, and it was starting to get cooler. He got out and waited for Bloom.

  She didn’t make him wait long before she was standing beside him. She was staring at him, wondering why he was waiting beside the truck. “Are we going?” she asked, her voice clipped.

  “Yes. Here let me get the door for you.” Free opened the door for her and held out his hand so she could step up into the truck. Instead of taking his hand, she grabbed the door handle and pulled herself up. He couldn’t help smiling. His mate was strong-willed.

  Free pulled out of the property and allowed the silence to calm her before he spoke. “Bloom, I need to apologize to you. Last night, it was my turn to check the perimeter on the property. I thought I would be back in time before you got up, but it took longer than I expected. I should have left you a note, but I thought that I would make it back in time.”

  “You don’t have to make excuses. I know you just wanted me for a quickie. No problem. I got what I wanted and you got what you wanted. I don’t need anyone to hold me through the night.” Bloom turned her head and added, “I’m not the type of female who will expect anything in return. So don’t worry about it.” With that being said, Bloom turned back around and stared out the window.

  Now she was pissing him off. “I want you all the time. Not just for a quickie, but forever…and I will get it. You are mine, Bloom Scott, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you will be.”

  * * *

  Fire was shooting down her body. “Who do you think you are? You think that just because you say I’m yours, that I’m supposed to just drop to my knees and kiss the ground you walk on, and accept what you say, just because you say it? You’ve got a lot of nerve, Freeman Butler.” Before she could utter another word, Free pulled over onto a clearing and threw the truck into park. He scooted over and jerked her over onto his lap, holding her hands down beside her body. “Let me go, NOW!” Bloom struggled, but Free had a grip on her hands. He wasn’t hurting her, but he wasn’t letting her go, either. There was no mistaking what his mate was thinking. A flash of her temper lit her eyes, making him want her even more.

  “Stop it, Bloom, please.” She glared at him as they both struggled to take in deep breaths. “God, you make me crazy. I want you every time I see you. It takes everything I have not to grab you and fuck you; to make love to you, because no matter what happens, you will be the only one for me.”

  “What?” Bloom asked, her body relaxing whil
e her face showed her shock.

  He released her. His hands shaped her face, and he held her gaze. “It will only be you for me. I love you.”

  She could feel the warmth of his breath as he waited for any sign that she understood. Was he telling the truth? Did he really love her? And did she love him? Can you fall in love that quick? She lifted her head, searching for an answer in his eyes.

  “The day you drove that piece of junk into town and I laid eyes on you, I knew you would be mine. I knew the moment your beautiful green eyes stared up at me that I would spend the rest of my life with you. I know it’s fast, but when it’s a true mati…” Free cleared his throat. “True love, it does happen that fast. I can only think of you and will never stray from you. Please tell me you feel something?”

  She snorted. “Yeah, I feel something all right, but most of the time, you piss me off. You should have woken me up, Free. Leaving me like that put too many thoughts in my head. Why do you have to check your property? Is something going on?”

  “We had poachers on our land killing the wildlife. We have No Trespassing signs and it’s fenced, but still hunters get in. It was my turn to walk the property, and I really did think I would finish before you woke up. I’m sorry, I should have called or at least left you a note.”

  She searched his face for any sign of Free being dishonest, but she only found love shining through, then his words hit her. “Poachers?” Her body stiffened at his words. “But…but, you could have been shot by mistake.”

  “We have some pretty impressive security set up, but I still have to check it. Look, don’t worry about that. Just know that I didn’t want to leave you last night, and I hated that you thought that. It wasn’t my intention.”

  “Let’s just get through today and see how it goes. I can’t think and—” Her words were cut off in her throat as Free pulled her closer, slamming his mouth down on hers. He licked into her mouth until she couldn’t stand it anymore. Giving in, Bloom nibbled on his lower lip, licking it, and then sucking it into her mouth. His taste was soon becoming something she didn’t want to live without.

  She couldn’t control herself. Bloom slid her hands up inside his shirt, feeling every inch of his chest. She couldn’t stop herself, it seemed. The groan she let out made him even more uncontrollable.

  Bloom felt her pants unbutton and then unzip, all of this occurring as she sat on his lap. The man had some special skills, but could this be just lust for him? She wanted him too, and nobody else had even appealed to her since she met the man. That idea made her want to slap him right in the face, because she needed him, now. Picking her up, Free laid her down and quickly jerked her pants and underwear off, pulled his pants down far enough, and picked her back up and let her slide down slowly.

  Inch by glorious inch, Bloom lowered herself down. The burn she felt only ignited the fire inside of her. Her fingernails dug into his arms as she seated herself. Free wasn’t a small man. In fact, he was bigger than anyone she had been with. Of course, she had only been with two other men, one of them a teenager. He was her first boyfriend and she was only sixteen years old. Neither of them knew what to do, but they got through it. She cried for two weeks straight when she found out the stupid boy told all his friends that she was easy. His hurtful comments had stuck with her. Even now she was worried that Free was lying to her, and that he would soon laugh at her, saying that he made a mistake.

  “Breathe, Bloom.” Letting it out, she lifted up onto her knees then lowered back down again. “God, woman, you are killing me. Everything about you drives me crazy.” His lips brushed behind her ear, finding that sweet spot, making her groan more. His teeth nipped slowly down until he found the spot he made his. She had never had a hickey before, thought it looked tacky and slutty, but couldn’t seem to care right now. He bit down, not breaking her skin, and trusted up into her making her pant. “I love to hear you make those sounds.”

  The only thing Bloom could hear were vehicles passing by as they sat in the clearing. The thought of someone stopping and catching them drove the lust she was feeling higher. When she rocked her hips upward again, a low rumble, primitive in nature, vibrated through him. His breath hissed out as she clenched, pulling him deeper inside. His movement was like a wild animal now as he pushed up, pounding inside of her until the orgasm lunged forward, throwing her over the edge. She could feel him getting harder as she fell apart, yelling out his name. The sound of her pleasure quickly forced his release. They both shook, holding onto each other. She feared if she let go she would simply fall away. She was allowing herself to fall deeper and deeper in love and it scared her.

  She lifted off of him and realized that they hadn’t used a condom. She was on the pill, but she didn’t know anything about Free. Now she felt stupid and guilty for allowing herself to be this dumb. “We didn’t use a condom.” The statement hung in the air before Free reached around behind the seat and pulled out some napkins. He used them to clean her up before speaking.

  While she pulled on her pants, Free finally replied, “I’m clean, Bloom, and if you get pregnant, then I will still be here. I love you. Please believe that.” He’d said those three words again. She knew how she felt, but life held no guarantees, and she could either let him go, or believe in him and love him. She wanted to choose the second one. Instead of moving back over to her side of the truck, Bloom sat beside him as he settled behind the steering wheel. She placed her hand on his leg and gave it a quick squeeze.

  “Now let’s go get you that truck.”

  Bloom smiled at his comment. His arm was draped around her the whole trip and they did something she hadn’t done with a man ever, and that was to talk about everything. She loved every moment of it.

  Sitting in the old truck at Stiggy’s, Bloom looked around at the interior and smiled. She loved the older truck’s character, and it was in mint condition. Why Stiggy gave it to her for only one thousand dollars was beyond her. She couldn’t write the check fast enough.

  Free wanted Stiggy to drive her truck home so she could ride with him, but she talked him out of it. Can a person fall for someone that quick? What if she found out this was only a way to get her half of the business? No, no, Free wouldn’t do that to her. He wouldn’t act this possessive and make love to her, only to be a liar. Stop thinking about that. Bloom turned up the music so the thoughts would go away. She trusted him and that was that. Tomorrow she had to make more cookies and go see Mr. Wright, and she had to come up with something on how to make the strawberries bud.

  15

  Free made sure all the doors and windows were locked. “I hate leaving you, but it’s my turn again tonight to check the property. If I finish quickly, I will be back here in bed with you. If I can’t, then I will see you at the office in the morning.”

  “I understand, so stop worrying about me. I’m fine. I didn’t hear anything last night, so maybe the ghosts are okay with me now,” said Bloom.

  “If you hear anything, you call me or Buck. You have our cell phone numbers.” Free pulled her up against him again and kissed her. She couldn’t get enough of the man, but she wasn’t going to be the type of girlfriend who would make him feel guilty. All she felt was pride. She admired him for making sure his family was taken care of along with all the animals on his land.

  “I will. Go before you’re late. I will see you in the morning.” Bloom reluctantly pulled away and opened the door. Smacking a kiss on her lips one last time, Free walked out and turned around.

  “Lock the door.” Free stood on the porch until she locked the door. She listened until he walked off the porch and got into his truck and left. Turning off the lights, Bloom walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She was too happy to be scared. Closing the door to her bedroom, Bloom took off her clothes and got into the shower. Slipping in her bed and pulling the blanket over her, she realized how tired she was and drifted off to sleep.

  Jerking awake, Bloom’s eyes darted back and forth looking for the danger. She lay as still as she
could, listening for any sign from the ghosts.

  BAM!

  Hurtling over the bed, Bloom ran into the bathroom and locked the door. She backed up as far as she could away from the door and kneeled down. She was actually shaking. Whatever it was, it was loud and sounded like glass shattering across the floor. “Leave,” the voice echoed in through the locked bathroom door.

  “Shit, shit, shit!” Bloom cried out, covering her ears. The ghosts didn’t want her here, even though Rose wanted it so. “What do I have to do?” Bloom waited for an answer.

  And boy did she get one. “Leave.”

  “No,” Bloom whispered.

  This time, something crashed against the door and the voice screamed again, “Leave!” The sound was so horrific that she scattered into the shower stall, crashing into the side of the bathroom wall. She felt pain radiate up her arm. She had hit the curved portion of the soap dish. Crying out, Bloom grabbed her arm. Holding her arm and trying to cover her ears wasn’t going to work. This was too much; she had to find a way to get the ghosts to stop.

  “Please stop. Please.” Bloom lay her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She was so emotionally exhausted that she fell asleep.

  “Bloom, Bloom, are you in there? Bloom, open the door.” Opening her eyes, Bloom glanced around and found that she was in the bathroom. “Bloom!” She could hear the door pop open and Free looked around until his eyes focused on her. He rushed to her side, pulling her up against him. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m okay now.”

  “I came in to cook breakfast and didn’t hear you, so I came up the stairs to check on you and found glass all over the floor. What happened?” Free asked.

  “The ghosts came back. Scared the shit out of me. I heard glass shattering outside my bedroom door. I ran into the bathroom, and then something hit that door. They keep telling me to leave, leave.” She knew she sounded crazy. When Free didn’t say anything, she glanced up at him. “You don’t believe me?”