by Sierra Brave
“But you feel red, hot passion with Abram?”
She sighed. “More than I can say.”
Haley kissed her on the side of her forehead. “What are you going to do?”
Maddie leaned over and cuddled with her sister. “I don’t know, but I can tell you that these damn cookies are the first food I’ve felt like I could hold down since I walked away from him. I sleep for two hours at a time. I can’t get him off my brain. I close my eyes and I see his face and can smell his scent. That son-of-a-bitch has ruined my life.”
“You want me to shift into my calico and scratch his eyes out?” Harley squeezed Maddie’s hand.
She shook her head. “No, but I wouldn’t mind if you turned his shoe into a litterbox.”
Harley scrunched up her nose as she picked up a throw pillow and then bonked Maddie with it. “Gross.”
The two girls caught each other’s gaze and cracked up laughing. Maddie smiled for the first time in days. “Oh, my God. I can picture his face when he stepped in it—priceless.”
“Ew! That’s too foul even for your dark sense of humor.” Harley jumped down off the bed and then grabbed each of Maddie’s ankles. She yanked her until her butt was nearly hanging off the edge. “No more sulking. Get up and take a shower now. And for God’s sake, brush your teeth.”
Chapter Seven
Abram removed his shirt and threw it down on a hay bale in the barn behind the main family house. The structure wasn’t nearly as big as any of the barns at the ranch, but it was big enough for four shifters to embarrass the hell out each other by getting naked and transforming where they could all see. “I can’t believe I let you guys talk me into this. It’s fucking awkward.”
“Awkward? What planet are you from?” Craig, Abram’s nineteen-year-old cousin, rolled his eyes as he shook his head. “You’re the one who still has your pants on.”
Jason, a married cousin in his mid-thirties who was already naked, smirked. “You scared your pony is going to suffer by comparison?”
Craig glanced at Jason’s flaccid cock. “Yours lacks gallop.”
Davis motioned for them to cut it out by moving his hand back and forth in front of his neck. “Could you guys shut it? That’s not what this is about. Abram’s been doing well re-acclimating. Don’t spoil it. He’s already shifted and gone for a run with just me a couple of times. It’s time for him to get accustomed to a more communal experience and your childish teasing isn’t helping.”
Jason’s cheeks brightened and he smiled. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything. This is completely normal to me; I don’t think about it.”
“Getting naked in a barn with a bunch of guys is an ordinary occurrence for you?” Abram asked, cocking his head.
Craig shrugged. “Actually, it’s more of a holiday thing when it’s all the cousins, but ever since I could shift my mom and dad and I would all let out our horses in the barn and go out for runs. It didn’t seem weird. After my sister was born, she was part of it too.”
“Nudity isn’t a big deal for most shifters. But we won’t be bringing any chicks into Abram’s immersion therapy until he masters male bonding,” Davis explained.
Abram rubbed the side of his face and grimaced. “Do we have to talk about it? It makes it sound like we’re circle-jerking.”
Craig stripped off his boxer shorts. “Come on, cousin. Be a proud equine shifter. Let’s do this.” He bowed up his arms, flexing to show off his toned, teen form.
“Ugh! Dude, stop.” Abram held his hand up between his line of vision and Craig’s flopping dick.”
“You’re making things more difficult, Craig.” Davis threw the younger guy a harsh look, and Craig immediately straightened up.
Gram wasn’t kidding when she said Davis kept everyone in line.
“Could be worse—imagine if Davis invited Brady’s immature ass out here,” Jason said. He stretched his arms above his head before getting right to it. The clicking sounds already heralding his imminent transformation. Davis rolled his shoulders as did Craig.
Abram removed the rest of his clothes as he breathed in the pungent scent accompanying the metamorphosis of several men shifting in close proximity. Davis finished changing the fastest while Craig and Jason completed the process at the same time. Three horses, one black, one pinto and one stark white, stared at him expectantly. He turned his back to them as he concentrated. Until he’d started these exercises with Davis, he only shifted when he felt like he’d go crazy if he didn’t.
During those times, the change happened quickly, without him putting forth any effort. As soon as he was sure he was alone and safe, he’d just relax and let it happen. Now he had to exert control. The process was slower but also more euphoric. He had time to enjoy the pain-relieving endorphins released during transformation. The hardest part was his head. He sucked in as much air as he could before his tongue grew, filling his mouth quicker than he would have liked. His throat struggled to keep up but soon enough, he was stomping his hooves against the ground and whinnying.
Davis nickered at him before bolting out of the open barn door and into the paddock. Craig and Jason followed and Abram brought up the rear. They ran in circles trampling over the grass in the fenced-in area. As he galloped, the wind whipped around him, blowing through his mane. The experience was invigorating and he had to admit, shifting with family made him feel as if he were part of something special and sacred.
***
Abram opened the passenger-side door of the truck and stepped down as his cousin disembarked from the driver’s side. “Hey, we’ve both put in a full day’s work. Maybe we should skip the shifter-training this afternoon. I’m in no mood for a run.” As Davis approached, Abram noticed the smirk on his cousin’s face, and his heart plummeted into his stomach. Oh, man. What does he have in store for me now?
“We’re progressing to the next level of your training today.”
“I don’t like the look in your eyes. What are you going to have me do now—strip down and shift for the entertainment of all the female kin?”
Davis grinned, showing most of his teeth. “I figure we’ll save that for tomorrow.”
“Fuck my life,” Abram growled as he wandered in the direction of the porch with Davis right behind him. As soon as he opened the front door, he was greeted by an evil, fuzzy minion with whiskers and a bright pink collar with a bell. She sat on the bench in the foyer, licking her paws and then rubbing her ears with them. “Davis, what is that cat doing here?”
His cousin slapped him on the back affectionately. “Welcome to level two, buddy.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Be merciful—don’t make me endure cat therapy.”
“If you want to win over Mittens, you have to change your attitude in regards to felines.” Davis paused to throw a meaningful look his way. “Now as you know, my sweet fiancé moved into the cabin next store because she refuses to live in sin with me before the wedding.” He pointed at the animal on the bench. “Nacho is her cat but Scarlett has graciously agreed to allow you to take care of her for a few days.”
Abram’s chin scrunched up as his bottom lip curled. “I’m responsible for it?”
“Her and yes; you have to brush her, pet her, feed her and if you do a good job, she will curl up next to you while you sleep tonight.”
Abram grimaced. “I don’t want to bunk with that nasty animal.”
“Do you want Mittens in your bed?” Davis smirked.
“Smugness does not become you, cuz.”
Davis picked up Nacho and showed Abram the proper way to hold her. “You try.”
Abram took the cat but stretched out his arms, holding her as far away from his body as he could. Nacho mewed in a shrill manner. “How long do I have to hold it?”
Davis scowled. “Nacho is one of the most laid-back cats on earth and you’ve managed to make her squeal. Hold that cat next to your body and pet her. If you do it right, you should be able to hear and feel her purring.” Abram sighed and opened his mouth to complain, but his
cousin cut him off with one word. “Mittens.”
“Dag—damn it.” He carried Nacho into the living room and sat down on the sofa. As he cuddled her, he was surprised by how readily she accepted him, even curling up on his lap. He stroked her fur gently, and sure enough, he felt the vibrations as she began to purr. He smiled. “I did it. She’s happy.”
Davis walked over carrying a small basket and then set it down on the rustic oak coffee table in front of the couch. He pulled out a brush and handed it to Abram. “So these are Nacho’s toys and accessories. She likes chasing the light from the laser pointer a lot. Also, she loves being groomed, especially around the sides of her face.
Hesitantly, Abram brushed the cat’s black and white fur. “Alright, Nacho. Let’s be friends.”
Chapter Eight
Abram squatted down and held the steel duct clamp in place while Davis used the electric drill to fasten it around the flashlights they were bolting on a cart. “Are you sure redneck-rigging some headlights to a cart is the thing to do? How do you even know this will work?”
“If we fasten them down tight enough, I think it will hold for the short amount of time it will take for you to pull the cart up to the old cabin. Just don’t run too fast.”
Abram rolled his eyes. “Not the stupid flashlights. I mean Maddie. Are you sure this incredibly humiliating plan you, Scarlett, and Gram cooked up will win her over? She’s still not even returning my calls.”
“Trust me.” Davis pushed down on the button and the drill squealed as it drove a screw into the wood. “Just don’t get lost.”
“I’ve got a good sense of direction.” Abram stood and followed Davis to the opposite side of the cart so they could install the second light. “Trusting you is what got me into this mess to start with. You withheld info that would have been helpful for me to know.”
“I don’t out shifters even to other shifters. It’s against the code.”
“You didn’t tell Scarlett your relatives were shifters?”
“That’s different.” Davis knelt down. “Hold the clamp in place.”
“I’m guessing you told Maddie I was a shifter.”
Davis looked up from what he was doing. “Well, no…no, she knows about me and we’re cousins. She pieced that mystery together all by herself.”
As he and his cousin continued working, Abram stewed. “If I make a damn fool of myself in front of Maddie and all of her family, I swear to God, I’m heading back to Montana but not before I kick your ass.”
Davis rolled his eyes. “Look, I know Mittens. She loves romance novels and romantic comedies. A grand gesture will go a long way with her. Now strip down and shift.”
Abram grimaced. “Dag—damn it.” He removed his boots and socks first. Afterward, he pulled off his clothes and then put them in a backpack before placing it in the wagon with the picnic basket. Abram flexed his muscles slightly as he stretched his arms up over his head. He rolled his neck in a circle, loosening up his body as he closed his eyes. He could feel the process starting, pumping him full of endorphins and adrenaline. His nose itched for a second and the rest of his skin tingled. He inhaled deeply just before the transformation. The rush of euphoria, something akin to an orgasm but less intense, dulled any pain. His body contorted, releasing his other nature before he trotted around Davis and whinnied.
“Get over here so I can connect you to the cart. Once you’re close enough, go ahead and shift so you can get out of the harness. Then start groveling.”
* * *
Maddie had spent most of the afternoon sprawled out in the grass, soaking up some sunlight, but as soon as dusk arrived, pushing the sun away and coaxing out the moonlight and stars, she’d jumped on her feet, running, stalking and hunting. Mountain lions were lone hunters and so was Maddie. She’d left her mother and father canoodling by the cabin with the rest of the domesticated felines. Her mom had lost her taste for the sport a few years ago. The woman might as well be an oversized house cat. Maybe it’s better to never find your one true mate. I don’t want to be declawed.
She stalked through the brush, padding softly until she saw her quarry, a whitetail deer. She crouched down and then watched quietly, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Come on, turn. Turn your back on me. She froze, not daring to move a muscle until she was ready to strike.
Oh, yeah, here we go. She held her breath as her prey finally showed her its backside. She leaped but before she could land, the shrill air horn signal for everyone to meet back at the cabin sent her target bolting in the other direction.
Maddie landed on her feet and snarled as disappointment and resentment gnawed at her gut. She turned in a circle observing the twinkling stars and the sniffing the air around her. It can’t be past midnight. This better be good!
As she raced toward the camp, her annoyance disappeared, turning to worry. No one would shift back and sound the alarm unless there was an emergency. Had something happened to her dad or her sister? Most of the house cats stayed in the cabin or on the porch most of the time, but since those two were always around mama, they tended to get bold. A sickening sensation twirled in her stomach and the bitterness of bile assaulted her tongue.
She ran as fast as she could, leaping over rocks and trampling any flora in her way. As the cabin came into view, Maddie noticed several of her male relatives had shifted back to human form. She didn’t give more than a passing thought to their nudity accept to consider how uncommon it was for them to waste a single second of their once-a-year opportunity to spend a full weekend not only shifted but surrounded by family.
Maddie pushed through the brush and turned her head, getting a look at what had caused all the commotion. A brown horse harnessed to a cart stood just a few feet away. Her Uncle Danny had sounded the alarm while a couple of her male cousins stared at the uninvited guest.
She inhaled, taking in the strong odor—the area was permeated with feline pheromones but the horse had brought a slightly different flare. Her relatives must have smelled it too or they would have scattered instead of shifted and sounded the alarm.
The brown horse neighed, moving his head side-to-side. Maddie padded a bit closer to get a better look. Davis’s stallion was dark black so this wasn’t him, and Melly’s second nature was a lot smaller. Of course, there was a heap of other Banks it could be, but what the hell was an equine shifter doing showing up during their scheduled event? And what was with the wagon?
Clicking and popping sounds drew her attention and she gawked. She had to know who had crashed their party, but she already knew who it wasn’t. No way would a self-hating shifter like Abram put himself in the middle of a family gathering like this one.
As she held her breath, her heart pounded. There was nothing more amazing than the transformation. She’d seen every member of her family shift, but it was rare to see another type transform. She was always surprised to see how fast it happened among her family except for those slowed down by advanced age. When caught in the moment, it seemed a bit longer. She noticed the man’s legs first, jacked with muscular calves and thighs. Then she caught a glimpse of his hip. His sexy torso, especially his ripped lower abdomen, set her mouth to watering but as soon as his mane disappeared and she saw his face, she nearly lost her breath.
During the transformation, his harness had all but fallen off. He quickly untangled himself and stepped out. She froze in place, unable to stop staring. How is this even possible? He was truly disgusted when he saw me shift. I saw it in his face and felt it in my bones. He thought of our most precious gift as a condition to be ashamed of and here he is showing his horse to everyone and then proclaiming his identity.
She watched as he looked around. He stared at her mother’s cat for quite a bit, but perhaps he sensed she wasn’t the one because he turned around in a circle. Maddie transformed as quickly as she could, hoping he wouldn’t notice her crouched down on her hands and knees in the bushes. She noticed he was holding his hands in front of his cock and smirked, placing her hand
over her mouth to keep from making a sound. Yeah, that was definitely Abram, still bashful.
“Maddie Mittens.” Abram’s voice sent a shiver down her spine and awakened a deep, primal longing between her legs. “I’m here to declare for you.”
She gasped. Her eyes widened with shock and her heart nearly leaping out of her chest. Her legs wobbled as she stood, her knees knocking. She tried to speak but no sound would come out, and he wasn’t looking her way.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me, Maddie. I know I was wrong. I’m sorry.” He paused and took a breath as if he was waiting for her to answer, and then he dropped to his knees. He placed his hands down on the ground, his biceps bulging, and his strong, ample shoulders rolling forward as he hung his head. “Please, Maddie. Give me another chance.”
After swallowing the lump in her throat, Maddie found her voice. “Abram?” From his submissive position, he turned his head toward her but didn’t seem to notice her. He can’t see in the dark as well as I can. She stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the full moon.
His eyes widened and his brows lifted as a huge grin spread across his face. “Maddie!” Excitement fueled his voice. “I’m so happy to see you!”
She was unsure of what to say. Her heart raced. Her pulse soared yet part of her still wanted to be mad. He’d thoroughly rejected her and everything she was. How sincere was this change of heart? Did she want to risk trusting him again?
A shrill meow drew her attention, and she turned toward the sound. Her gaze fell on her parents. Her mother’s cougar sat proudly on the grass, relaxed but alert. Her father’s domestic short-haired cat stood on her mother’s back, kneading her muscles. They were as different as night and day, but they’d respected each other and had always been so in sync. Could she ever have something so special with Abram?
Her sister’s cat was the noisy one. She kept crying out and motioning toward Abram with her head. Her mom lifted her head slightly and made the bird-like chirping noise they’d communicated with when Maddie was small. Abram has their vote. I guess I should at least talk to him.