The steady beat of her feet on the ground echoed off the trees. She listened to the sounds of the forest, able to hear the distant birds and insects as if they were right beside her. Small animals roamed the surrounding woods—rabbit thirty paces to the north, squirrel running up a tree fifty paces to the northeast. Narrowing her eyes, she looked ahead, focusing on the distance. She knew if any looked at her, her normally green gaze would be filled with liquid silver. The power of the shift was seductive and strong. It was only with years of control that she managed to keep those things within her at bay. But here, in the forest during her secret runs, she was free.
She detected a new smell in the forest and slowed her pace by a fraction. That’s when she noticed another set of footsteps. Whoever it was had been keeping a perfect rhythm with her to hide an approach. A few seconds later, the other person’s step slowed to match hers. It was too late. She’d heard it. She was being followed.
The home she’d inherited was ten miles away. She could tell by the smell of overgrown marijuana fields on the wind. Luckily for Rachel, she knew this land. Excitement pumped in her veins. Let the other runner chase her. He’d never be able to catch up to her speed. She quickened her pace, moving as fast as she possibly could on two legs. Her heart pounded. The rhythm behind her doubled. Whoever it was ran faster. Excitement turned to concern. The person gained on her position.
Her heart felt as if it might explode and her skin tingled. She could feel her body urging her to shift. Rachel tried to fight it, but the compulsion was too strong. She ripped out of her T-shirt, throwing it aside. Her bone snapped and she almost cried out in pain. Her body flew forward, palms hitting the ground. Unable to stop now if she wanted to, she raced on all fours. Her clothing fell behind her, forgotten on the path. Paws replaced hands and feet. Fur of the wolf replaced flesh. The last to change was her face, her nose and mouth elongating with awful snaps of her delicate bones. No matter how many times she’d lived through it, the pain was unimaginable yet thankfully brief.
Her motions became a stream of instinct. She turned from the path, running into the dense forest. Raw, natural urges filled her—the urge to run, the urge to feed, the urge for sex and sleep and shelter and survival. But more potent than any of those things was the need for freedom.
She leapt over a log. Whatever was behind her followed her deeper into the trees. The creature was fast, gaining on her with each second. She felt more than saw her pursuer jump out from behind a pine. Paws brushed over her back, barely missing her.
She didn’t have a choice. Rachel turned to fight, snarling to frighten off whoever charged her. A large, grey, male wolf faced her. Another wolf shifter? Here? In her forest? She edged away from him, her feet stamping on the ground. He didn’t advance, but instead studied her as if curious. She sniffed the air, not recognizing his scent.
Neither of them moved towards the other. Their sides rose and fell, matching in rhythm. She studied his blue eyes flecked with silver. They made her nervous. His body quivered and he began to shift. What was he doing? She glanced around the forest, about ready to run. Fur grew into flesh. Muscles stretched. Before she could react, a naked man crouched before her. Her breathing deepened.
The blue eyes looked the same, penetrating and a little dangerous. Shadows fell across his blond hair and strong face. Broad shoulders, thick arms, big chest, tapered waist… She shivered.
Rachel had never been so glad to be in shifted form in her life. Her brain could comprehend what she was seeing, but her body didn’t react. He kept his fingertips pressed into the leaf-covered floor. As if expecting her to transform for him, he nodded at her.
She couldn’t shift, not now. She’d be naked. He’d be naked. They’d be naked together. She didn’t know who he was, what he wanted, why he chased her. And, unless she shifted, she couldn’t ask him.
He leaned forward, pressing a knee into the ground so he could reach out to touch her. “Who are you?”
The sound of his deep voice prodded her into action. She took off running and didn’t stop until she reached her aunt’s house. Shifting on the back porch, she grabbed the hidden key and locked herself inside.
*
William grinned as he watched the female wolf shifter run away. The predator in him wanted to chase her down, but he’d already done that and she’d refused to reveal herself. Okay, so in truth, he wanted to do much more than chase her down. Jogging through the dense forest, he found his cellular phone clipped to his cotton shorts. He flipped it open and dialed. “Hey, Douglas, it’s me. I’ve got a strong prospect. How soon can you get to the forest sanctuary? We have some hunting to do.”
*
Rachel huddled naked in Elvie’s cabin for nearly twenty minutes, listening to the forest outside, before finally trusting it was safe to move about. The home was decorated like any self-respecting hunting lodge, minus the animal carcasses hanging above the mantel. Dark browns, reds and forest greens offset the medium brown of the log walls. The cabin had everything a person might need—a generator and well, guns and knives, food stuffs and furnishings, more liquor than twenty shifters could drink in a lifetime. Rachel suspected there had been a moonshine still on the land at one time.
Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the surrounding landscape from the doorway before hurrying to the generator to turn it on. Shifters would avoid an occupied house in the forest for fear of hunters, and in their unshifted forms she’d just be another hard-ass homemaker with a rifle. So long as she didn’t let them get too close, other shifters wouldn’t detect her recent transformation.
Once the generator was running, she went back inside, locked the doors and took down a rifle from over the mantel place to make sure it was loaded. Since she was already naked and incredibly dirty from her run through the woods, she hopped into the shower. The generator hadn’t been on for long, and the well water was still freezing cold. She didn’t linger.
Is that you, baby? Rachel smiled at the memory of her aunt’s voice. She could still hear the exact tone of it. When did you get home?
“Long before you flew your way into bed, Elv,” Rachel whispered to her reflection in the mirror. Then, breathing deeply, she imagined she could still smell her aunt’s perfume.
That is a shame, baby. You should be in the forest having fun. Let the wild out. It is in your blood.
Rachel brushed her hair and made her way to her old room to find something to wear. Then, falling onto the bed that had cradled so much of her teenage angst, she sighed heavily. Her thoughts turned to the shifter in the woods. A wolf. She’d never met another wolf shifter. In fact, she’d been sure she was one of the very few living in the Unites States. Most of the “power animals”, as they were called, migrated to the homeland for they were valued for their strong shifter genetics and were treated like kings in the old country. For all her aunt’s guidance in taking multiple lovers, letting the wild out, and the benefits of sleeping with the local law enforcement in exchange for favors, Elvie had given Rachel one piece of very valuable advice—hide the wolf from the others. If they knew, they’d take her to the European court where she would be encouraged none-too-gently to mate with another powerful shifter.
But more than a wolf, the male shifter was a handsome man. Her breathing deepened. Perhaps her suppressed wild had finally grown tired of being chained up. The recent shift didn’t help. First, there was the chief who followed her to the coffee shop the week before. Okay, so she’d barely looked him in the face, but she remembered those strong hands, tapering fingers. In her fantasies, she could be with him in a way her reality would never permit. She hadn’t been back to that part of town since. In fact, it’s why she found herself in the forest. She was hiding out until she was sure he’d moved on. Now there was the wolf man—naked and primal, everything a royal chief was not. Had she shifted into human before the wolf man, she had no doubt he would have lunged for her.
Her stomach tightened. Thoughts of being taken on her hands and knees pranced through her bra
in. The forest had been both open and isolated at the same time. Wolf man’s naked state left nothing to the imagination, from his strong limbs to his thick chest to his unmistakable arousal. There was no doubt what kind of lover he’d be. In fact, she’d bet he’d take her so hard she’d end up howling in pleasure. The shifter in her grinned wickedly at the thought. The human in her wasn’t so sure. The few lovers she had in her life were never other shifters.
And what about the Duncanis chief? She heard tales of his prowess, mostly from Elvie who talked about their leader like he was some rock star. Elvie said he shifted into the form of a black panther. Apparently, he was graceful in bed, enjoying the chase and first conquest before moving on. Whereas the wolf man would take a woman on the forest floor like a beast, the chief would be the kind of guy who would prefer a lush penthouse and silken sheets. Both fantasies held great appeal.
The longing she felt caused her to hit her stomach in an effort to stop it. She pushed her thighs closely together, trying to will the sensations away. It didn’t work. If anything, the sensations became worse until every subtle movement felt like a caress. How could she resist two prime fantasies?
Rachel squirmed on the bed. Her breathing deepened. Images of a silken penthouse flipped back and forth with the image of the forest. Before she realized what she was doing, her hands were on her breasts, massaging them. Her hand dipped down, inching lower across her stomach.
*
William felt as if his insides were set on fire. He was already aroused from the chase, and the strange sexual energy surrounding the isolated, lodge-style cabin in the woods didn’t help him control the animal instincts. He stepped from the forest, completely dressed in his previously discarded clothes—knee-length shorts, a T-shirt, and running shoes.
Though some of the outside plants were overgrown, the home had a wild beauty to it. Looking at the surrounding view, he could see the appeal, especially for his kind. Well traveled paths encircled the place, leading off to the generator shed and other outbuildings. It was the soft sound of the running generator that drew his attention to the home’s location.
Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply. His flesh tingled. This was a place of power, probably made so by generations of shifters living on the land, working the old natural magic—protection spells and the harnessing of primal sexual energy. The protection spells kept him from determining exactly where the other wolf had run off to.
On the doorframe, old carvings marked the place as a sanctuary. It wasn’t surprising, considering his old maps marked the entire mountain as shifter safe. Without hesitation, he knocked loudly and focused his hearing.
A faint gasp was followed by the sound of something falling. He turned his attention up to the second level. Somewhere above, a woman whispered, “Ah shit, what the—? Ow, damn it.” Another thud sounded.
William chuckled. Seconds later, footsteps were running down stairs. By the time the door opened, he was grinning, truly curious as to what would be on the other side.
Flush-cheeked and out of breath stood the woman whose picture Douglas had sent to him. Her hair looked as if it had been wet, only to curl around her temples as it dried. Wide, green eyes studied him, more stunned than welcoming. She didn’t move to let him in.
“Sanctuary,” he said, though it was clear he wasn’t running from anyone. He shifted his weight to the side.
“What?” She furrowed her brows. She had the cutest American accent. So very puritanical.
“Sanctuary.” This time he pointed at the doorframe.
The woman blinked slowly and then leaned out of the door to look at where he indicated. “Is that what that means? My aunt said it meant…” She made a weak noise, her cheeks coloring. “Never mind. How can I help you?”
“You can start by inviting me in for the night.”
“Excuse me?” She began to reach for the door, clearly intent on slamming it shut. He slid his foot forward, blocking it. She lifted her hand to her side, revealing a rifle as she pulled the barrel in front of her.
“I take it your aunt hasn’t told you about shifter law.”
“Shifter?” The woman arched a brow, pretending not to understand him.
He chuckled. “I smell a recent shift on you.” When the body morphed, there was a subtle universal scent that lingered to help shifters recognize each other. When she didn’t point the gun directly at him, he leaned closer. “That’s not all I smell on you.”
Her breathing visibly deepened.
“I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?” William inhaled deeply, letting his eyes shift with silver. His tone lowered, as the beast inside of him grew interested. Her flesh was clean, scented with a floral soap, but he detected the subtle fragrance of sexual awareness. At his nearness, the scent grew, as if inviting him in. His cock, already aching, nearly pulsed with need.
“N-no,” she stammered.
William lifted his hand to the carved doorframe, caressing it slowly. “This means this home is sanctuary to all shifters who would ask for it. You cannot deny me,” his eyes moved down over her body, “entrance.”
Her fingers loosened on the gun and he reached to take it from her. His eyes stayed fixed on her. He set the gun aside and stepped into the home. It had been a long time since he’d taken a woman, since before his ascension. Now, too many eyes were on him, wanting something from him, watching him. This woman didn’t know who he was. He found her lack of knowledge aroused him more. The pheromones were powerful between them. How could she resist them? How could he?
He listened to the house. They were alone. He let a smile creep over his features. “Was that you in the woods?”
“Woods?” she asked before shaking her head in denial.
Pity, he thought. He would have liked to meet the wolf woman. Oh well, you will do, pretty one.
“There are people…” She made a move to gesture behind her.
“No. There is no one.” He lowered his jaw. The sweet smell of her body let him know she was wet. The predator in him liked the game she played.
“There will be,” she insisted. He let her have the lie. “So, you see, there are no extra rooms. However, there’s a town about fifteen miles west of here. You look well enough to jog the distance.”
He reached for her, touching her hair. “I’ll stay in your room.”
“Oh?” she breathed.
He wasn’t sure if the look she gave him was interest or embarrassment. William could only assume it was interest. He’d never met a shifter embarrassed about sex. “I smell you.”
“I showered.” Her chest rose and fell.
“I smell your wet sex.”
“I…ah, shower—um.” She blinked, glancing back and forth as if she might run. “I mean, I…you…no.”
“I, you, no?” He licked his lips. The sound of her breath punctuated each second. “I, you, yes.”
“Yes?” Her lids fell lazily over her eyes and she leaned into him, as if finally giving in to her desires. She breathed in his scent, her shoulders lifting.
“Oh yes.” He nodded in agreement.
William slipped his hand behind her head to hold her in place as he leaned over to kiss her. She didn’t instantly attack him, but instead let her lips part as if she was unsure what to do. He took the hesitant invitation by letting his tongue glide between her lips, forcing them to open wider. Light moans escaped her, but William knew how to kiss a woman into complete submission, and soon she was moving against him. He drew his tongue into her mouth, rubbing it gently. Their bodies were drawn towards each other, as if by an unstoppable force.
Soft breasts pressed into his chest. He ran his hands down her back to cup her ass. Massaging hard, he pulled her flush to his cock. The second he rubbed his erection against her, she let loose a small gasp of surprise. The woman pulled at his clothes, forcing him to be rid of his shirt. She drew her mouth to his neck, biting and kissing him as she explored his chest with her hands. She seemed fascinated by the muscles, eagerly tracing each on
e.
William growled. He ripped at her clothing, letting his nails sharpen into claws so he could tear through the material. A lacy, pink bra cupped her breasts. He groaned, seeing it beneath the wisps of torn fabric.
Letting go of her, he pushed the shorts from his hips. The woman stepped back, blinking hard. She stared at his cock and slowly lifted her hand as if to keep him away. “I can’t…we shouldn’t.”
“You were doing just fine,” he assured her. William wasn’t sure how he’d stop himself, but he would if she commanded it. He kept his movements slow as he inched closer. If she ran away, the animal in him would want to chase. “Let us find pleasure.”
“I…but…” She again glanced down at his erection.
He refused to take himself in hand as she stared. Instead, he pushed his hips forward so his arousal jutted towards her. “Feel me. Then decide if you want me inside you.”
She turned her hand, reaching for him. He smiled. Her finger pushed to the tip of his cock, and his whole body shivered in response.
“Ah, you are a magnificent tease,” he groaned, closing his eyes. “If you tell me to stop, I will stop.” He again opened them as her hand slid more fully onto his shaft. “Don’t tell me to stop.”
To his disappointment, she didn’t speak. He wanted to hear her say she wanted him. What man wouldn’t like to hear such a thing from a beautiful woman? Instead, she was silent but for the gentle rise and fall of her soft breathing.
The silver light in her eyes caught his attention, saying more than words ever could. He jerked her near. There was no more hesitation. The primal beasts inside them took over. She dug her nails into his shoulders and neck. He grabbed hold of her hips, lifting her off the floor. Standing in the middle of the room, he held her against him. Her legs wrapped his waist. He could have taken her there, like that, but he wanted leverage.
Let the Wild Out Page 2