“I’ve heard of those,” Brighid replied. “They seem to be at the center of every silly campfire scary story that’s told when you’re a kid.”
Finn smirked. "Yeah, I feel bad for them. The other kind of Wolf Shifters are the Gray Wolves. I am a Gray Wolf Shifter, and I originally come from Ice Canyon in the North. We have always been very large, strong, and nimble on her feet. Even though we're so large, we're still able to hide and do so without anybody really even knowing."
Brighid narrowed her eyes, slowly looking over at him with a smirk on her lips. "Is that what you did when dad chased after you?"
Finn chuckled. "Yep. In fact, he passed me almost immediately and kept running. I didn't even have to try hard either."
Brighid smiled. "In my defense, I was in my human form, and I had just been put into a trance. I could've passed my mother standing on the side of the cliffs and not even noticed. So, if you're originally from Ice Canyon, how did you end up here?"
Finn cleared his throat. "Unlike what the other guys and I have done for the last few years, or the last few decades, most Shifters don't spend the majority of their time as their animal. Most Shifters have human lives where they make money, have human friends, have a home, a car, and all those things. My father was a scientist who happened to work with the Shifter government, doing various experiments, things I really don't know a lot about."
“What did your mom do?” Brighid asked.
Finn rolled his shoulders, and Brighid got a feeling that whatever he was about to say was going to be sad in some way. His eyes stayed forward on the road ahead as he talked. "My mom stayed home with me. I was in that awkward stage where changing was weird, and I still wasn't really sure how to control it. She homeschooled me, and I spent a lot of time with the pack that my family belongs to. She and I were really close. My father got offered to move to where your father found me when I was maybe five or six. He sent my mother and me ahead to get the house ready and get settled while he finished up a few things that he was working on there."
Finn went quiet, and Brighid reached out, putting her hand on his arm. There was a comfort that flowed through both of them, and he glanced over at her with a kind look in his eye. "We don't have to talk about it. We have plenty of time."
Finn shook his head. "No, it's fine. I just don't have a lot of people ask me about it, so I haven't said it out loud in a really long time. So, we got to the town, and we set up everything in a really nice house that was provided by the government, and we waited for my dad. He was supposed to be there in two weeks. He and my mom were really close, they talked all the time multiple times a day. It was a Sunday when my mother started to get nervous because she hadn't heard from my father since noon the day before. That was really weird of him. By Tuesday, she was contacting the company, but no one would give her a straight answer. Tuesday night is when they showed up…"
There was a surge of anger that was strong enough for Brighid to slowly pull her hand away from his arm. He shook his head. "I don't know who these people were. I still don't fully understand what my father did or who exactly he worked for. I remember standing in the hallway listening to them talk to my mother in the living room. They told her there was an accident, one that my father was involved in. She tried to find out what kind of accident, but they wouldn't tell her. The sounds of her crying echoed through my little body, and I just couldn't control my Wolf. It wanted to protect me, and it was just as sad as I was. I shifted right there in the hallway."
Brighid put her hand over her mouth, knowing exactly where it was going. "Oh, no!"
Finn took in a long deep, brave breath. "The two guys, they jumped up from their chairs and pulled their guns. They said,' you're just like your father. We should have known the whole family was in on it.' My mother shifted at that moment, trying to protect me. She leaped in front of me, just as they fired their guns. She tried not to change back, but it was too late. The last thing I can remember was her screaming to me in my head to run. So, I did. I ran right out of the house, and I didn't stop. For weeks I hide out in back alleys, eating scraps, stealing from people, and going down in the sewers at night so that I could change into my Wolf and sleep warmly. I hid in the woods outside the cemetery were my grandparents buried my mother's body. I was too afraid to come out in the open. The papers said she was murdered by a robber but didn't mention anything about me. I'm assuming whoever they were, they covered it up. That's when I met your father. He came down into the sewers, brought me food and blankets, and I knew immediately, and so did my Wolf that we could trust him."
Brighid smiled, still in awe of how wonderful her father was. He truly cared about Finn and the others, and it hurt her heart a little bit, knowing that she would never get to know that man. She reached down and put her hand in his, smiling at him. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it was hard, but it doesn't surprise me a bit that you were a brave little boy because you're a courageous man, and I'm lucky to have you protecting me."
He gave a half of a smile and squeezed Brighid's hand as they walked along. As the hours passed, everyone began to lighten up a little bit, making jokes and conversation along the way. When the sun started to set, they decided it was time to find a place to sleep for the night. Brighid looked over at the edge of the wood line. "Honestly, I think it would be best
if we went right into the forest."
Everyone agreed, and they went to work clearing out a spot right inside the wood line, starting a small fire, and putting up their bedding for the night. They cooked the food they had in their packs, knowing that when they were out taking turns on watch, they would be able to hunt as their animals.
When everyone was done eating, Finn nodded at the guys. "I'll take the first watch. Will split it up in three and wake you up when it's your turn."
Brighid brushed the crumbs from the front of her. "I'm not tired, and I know I'll just toss and turn, so I'll take the first watch with Finn."
Zevi nodded as he began to undress. “If you need me, I’ll be curled up in that patch of leaves over there. Either yell or contact me telepathically if you’re your Wolf.”
Ash stood up as well. "I'm gonna fly overhead for a while, just to keep an eye out of above us for anyone that might be traveling in this direction and to see how far we might be from the next town. Then I'll be perched in the tree right above Zevi. You know how to find me."
Brighid wandered several steps away, looking out into the forest as Zevi and Ash prepared. Finn walked up next to Brighid and smiled. "You ready to take some rounds?"
She glanced at them for a second confused. “Aren’t you going to change into your Wolf?”
He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'll hold off for now. My Wolf's okay. He knows that I'll get him out and running before the nights over."
Brighid tossed Finn one of her flashlights and clicked the other one on with a grin. “All right, let’s wander aimlessly through the woods.”
They headed out, making a large circle around the campsite, checking for anything that seemed suspicious. The woods were quiet though, calming, but definitely different than the enchanted Islands. As they started out on the second loop, a song played out in the wind, a whistle of a bird. Brighid furrowed her brow looking up and around. "What is that?"
Finn looked up as well, but they didn't see anything. "It's Ash. I've heard him do that once before. He's calling out to see if there are other Phoenix in the area. He's always on the lookout for a family. I think it makes them feel better to know that he's not the only one around. Though I've never seen another one like him."
Brighid nodded, finding the sadness in it. A sadness in the silence that returned. If there were Phoenix out there, they weren’t answering him. She stepped over a large pile of leaves and narrowed her eyes looking down at it. Finn lifted both eyebrows and chuckled. “You have something against leaves?”
Brighid shook her head, kicking at the pile. "No. I'm just used to being on the islands where when you step o
ver a pile of these leaves, you mysteriously lose something off of your pack or utility belt because of those damn Wood Nymphs. I forgot for a second there probably not out here."
Finn laughed, shaking his head. "No, they're probably not out here. I can only think of two places that the Wood Nymphs live, and they're not really about adventure traveling. There are the enchanted Islands and the woods that surround the bear sanctuary. From what I've heard, they're out there, but they barely ever mess with the bears because they know a bear will swallow them whole."
Brighid smirked. "Going to have to get my sister on the Wood Nymph problem in the Enchanted Islands then."
They both chuckled as they continued, taking a different path out and around, diving deeper into the woods. The trees were growing nearly the same distance apart. The trunks were gnarled and twisted, bold, and full of history. They came across a small brook, and Brighid squatted down, lifting some of the clean, cold water to her lips. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in the sounds and of the forest. Her Dragon was almost more in love with the woods than it was the sky.
"I love that sound," Finn said, standing next to her with his eyes closed. "The sound of a babbling brook. Nature living and breathing. Doing what it wants to do despite what all the other creatures are doing. I feel like sometimes we fight so hard against what's natural; we should just give in because it's what was supposed to be."
Brighid stood up, turning toward Finn. His eyes opened, and a glimmer of gold raced across them. He gazed into Brighid's eyes as his hand slipped around her waist. Her breathing became labored as she stepped closer, pressing her body against his. In his hands, next to him, she felt so small but so protected. Her whole life she had been the one to take control and command of a situation, but with Finn, all she wanted him to do was lead her to exactly where she was supposed to be.
As their eyes stayed fixed together, he shifted his arms tighter around her waist and picked her up, bringing her face close to his. He stared at her for just a moment before pressing his lips firmly against hers. There was a roughness to him, but for Brighid, it was a Roddick and tantalizing. At that moment, she couldn't imagine herself being safer in anyone else's arms. She wanted to melt into him. As they kissed, a plethora of emotions soared through her mind, and she began to see those pictures again, just as she had with the others, like a movie playing Finn's life in her head. She could see his mother laughing and smiling in the sunlight. She could see his father, bold and strong, just like him. She could see the moment he shifted in the living room, and she could hear his mother screaming for him to run.
The sensation that came with these pictures was intense and overwhelming. Brighid pulled back from him, tilting her head backward and gasping for air. He flipped her body upward, cradling her in his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't remember that one of the things that could happen would be that you'd be able to see my memories. It's incredibly overwhelming and emotional."
Brighid swallowed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “It’s okay. It will only make us stronger.”
As the words faded from her tongue, the attraction laid waste to every emotion she was feeling. It was like a heatwave rolling right over her, and her entire body ached for him. She could see it in his eyes that he felt the same. Finn reached up with his large hands and put one on the side of her face, kissing her again. This time, he was gentle and smooth but still taking control. She leaned into him, letting the tension from her body release as they entangled their mouths in ecstasy.
They drank each other in, the sound of the babbling brook serenading them. Brighid knew they should be on watch, but she couldn't pull herself away. It was too intense, too seductive. Finn set her down gently and moved quickly to stay close. Brighid could almost feel pain running through her when their lips separated, and she pushed hers against him as quickly as possible. The energy that flowed from one to the other was immense, and the separation was shocking to the system.
As soon as they connected back together, their hands moved all over each other. Finn gripped the bottom of her T-shirt and pulled up, only releasing her mouth for a second to slip her T-shirt off and drop it to the ground. Her fingers pulled at his shirt, and he used his massive strength to rip it right from his body.
As Brighid's hands fell onto his warm, stiff muscles, her breath stuck in her throat, and her eyes rolled back. He groaned deeply, feeling the same connection she was. She pulled her lips from his and looked up at him with seductive eyes, reaching back as she unclasped her bra and let it fall to the ground. She loved the way he looked at her, and she could almost hear the growl of his Wolf deep down inside of him. She wanted that animalistic tendency to come out; she wanted him to ravage her.
As he stared deeply into her eyes, he unbuttoned his pants and dropped them to the ground, his large cock standing erect, brushing against her thighs. She licked her lips and undid her own pants, letting him grip them and yank them down and off. She reached for his rock hard manhood, but he gripped her wrist and shook his head as he slowly lowered down to his knees. Brighid put her hands back and tilted her head as she felt Finn's tongue run up through her dripping pussy, the heat from his breath tantalizing every nerve.
She gasped, letting a long slow moan come from her chest as he circled up and around her clit. He laughed, drinking her in, tasting every bit of her. It took everything in her power not to release the orgasm bubbling right beneath the surface. As her thighs began to shake from the strain of holding back, she reached down and put her hands on his face pulling him up. He leaned forward, and she kissed him, moving across his cheek to his ear.
Perched just an inch away, she whispered to him. "I want to feel you inside of me."
The growl that erupted from his chest vibrated her very being. He reached down and gripped her ass, lifting her off the stump and wrapping her legs around his waist. She reached down between her thighs and gripped his cock, positioning herself as she slowly slid down his shaft, the air leaving her lungs. He pulled her in, filling her completely, and held her there as he kissed her. Her hips began to move against him, the wild natured tendencies of her Dragon fighting to break through. His fingers dug into her skin, and the pleasure and pain was a mixture she could barely comprehend.
Putting her hands on his shoulders, Brighid leaned back, grinding against him, feeling herself growing closer to release. Slowly he lowered himself down to his knees and folded back. She pulled her legs underneath her and put her hands down on his massive muscular chest. Her body rose and fell, sliding up and down on his shaft as she dripped with anticipation.
Animal magnetism flowed through both of them, and Finn’s eyes glowed a golden tone as he thrust his hips upward, pushing deeper into her. She screamed out in ecstasy, her voice colliding with the chorus of the forest around them. Finn grabbed her by the ass and held her still as he pumped faster and faster, slamming into her wildly. Brighid gripped her breasts tightly and let her head fall back as she released her ability to hold fast. Her entire body trembled as she came, a rush of energy blowing through her. She couldn’t make a sound, feeling his muscles tighten as he pushed her down and held her against him. His hips moved just enough to echo the pulsing of his cock as he exploded with pure ecstasy. As their pleasure collided, Finn let out a combined sound of both human and Wolf.
Brighid fell forward, her breath caught in her throat, her muscles relaxing one by one. She laid her cheek against Finn's warm skin, and steam rose from their bodies. She had never felt anything so passionate or bonding before. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I guess I'm going back shirtless."
Brighid giggled. “What’s new about that?”
“Touché,” Finn laughed.
She knew they should get up, but for just a moment longer, she allowed her mind and body to escape into the arms of her mate. It was as if they were meant to be.
Chapter Twelve
For the first time in days, Brighid had a good night's sleep. Even out there in the wo
ods with the Keepers trailing them, she felt safe and protected. After getting dressed, Finn had walked Brighid back to the campsite and then taken off as his Wolf to go hunt. She curled up on one of the paddings that Zevi had made her and fell quickly to sleep.
The next morning, she woke up feeling not only refreshed but stronger and more resilient than she had in a very long time. In fact, with the energy moving through her, she wasn't sure she had ever felt this strong. They packed up the campsite, taking in the beautiful crisp air and headed back down the road.
Ash walked with them this time, his pack heavier than before. Brighid tapped him on the shoulder. "What do you have in there? I swear there were only a few items in it yesterday."
Ash smirked. "When I was out flying, I saw this town, and they had some really cool Phoenix memorabilia in one of the bookstores. I couldn't resist, so I kind of bought everything."
Brighid pressed her lips together, and smirked. “What are you going to do with them?”
He shrugged, looking forward. “I figured maybe your cottage needed a little bit of Phoenix power.”
She giggled. “You got it. You can put them wherever you like.”
She looked over at Finn, who winked at her and shook his head. As they rounded the corner, they faced an enormous, long field swaying with golden wheat, the sky a crystal blue above them, cliffs far in the distance. Brighid put her hand to her chest and closed her eyes for a moment as she walked. "This is where we're supposed to be. I remember it like it was yesterday."
Zevi left her brow. “Where is everyone? I didn’t think Dragons would be able to hide that well.”
Brighid chuckled and picked up the pace, jogging ahead of them as she dipped down the embankment and ran out to the field. The guys followed her, trying to catch up. About halfway across, she slowed down and stared out in the distance. The guys caught up, huffing and puffing. Zevi shook his head and put his hands on his knees, glancing up in the same direction. "Where are they?"
Her Fire Mates: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Shifters Of The Elements) Page 7