by Mary Abshire
“Can I ask you a personal question?” she asked.
“Sure, ask away.”
“When was the last time you were with a woman?”
His brows rose. For several long seconds, he didn’t say a word.
He ran a hand through his short, thick hair. “It’s been over thirty years, but I don’t think you’re special because I haven’t been with a woman in a long time. I hope you don’t think that.”
Thirty years? She stared with wide eyes. Although he’d answered her question, she was still at a loss to understand why she was special to him. They hadn’t know each other a full day yet.
“Do you…do you think I’m special because I have morals? I’m not making any judgments about the other women you’ve known. I just meant that I have strong beliefs about things like honesty and respect, so I act accordingly.”
“No.” He shook his head. “It’s way more than that.”
She stared at him, trying to figure out why he thought so fondly of her. She hadn’t done anything to be worthy of such praise. Come to think of it, she admired him and thought he was special, too, but it was because of his actions, his compassion, and the type of person he was. He’d gone above and beyond to help her.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
She looked away, biting her lip while she debated how to respond.
“I know you’ve been through a lot and learned a huge secret,” he said. “We haven’t known each other long…”
“Those are all logical reasons.”
“Do you trust me at least fifty percent?”
“More.” She didn’t delay her response that time. “I’d say closer to eighty-five percent.”
“Eighty-five percent? That’s pretty good,” he said, nodding.
The more she thought about her judgment of him, the more she realized she was basing her opinion on the fact she had known him for less than a day. Why should that matter? He’d show no signs he’d hurt her. In fact, he’d helped, or offered to help her, repeatedly. He wasn’t like any of the other men she’d dated, so she needed to stop comparing him. Marcel had more than earned her trust.
“On second thought, make it higher. I don’t have any valid reason not to trust you other than we just met, and that’s not really a good reason. I shouldn’t be skeptical since you saved my life, and took time to stitch my wound. It’s wrong of me to think you’re like every other man I’ve met.”
“It’s okay. It’s sensible to be cautious. If you weren’t, then I’d know something was wrong.”
His understanding offered her a sense of relief. She’d been lucky to meet a man like him, and the fact he was a dragon didn’t frighten her. She wanted to learn more about him and his species.
Marcel slowed the car as they approached a gravel driveway. From the road, it was difficult to see. Had there not been a mailbox near the gravel, she probably would’ve missed the driveway if she’d been passing by. After he turned onto the rocks, she started rolling the handle for the window.
“Do you mind if I use your phone to call my friend?” she asked. “She’s expecting to hear from me.”
“Not at all. It should be on my desk in the library. Feel free to use it whenever you need to.”
Gravel crunched under the tires as he navigated the Jeep along the long path. Once the trees cleared, she was able to gaze at his large brick house. It had a long front porch with a swing on one side, stairs in the front and at each end. It was the perfect size for a family with several kids.
“After you call your friend, I’ll call Demetri and leave a message for him,” Marcel said as he drove toward the barn on the right side of the house. “I’m sure he’ll be able to stop by and help me get your car back here.”
The barn doors were wide open. He drove inside and parked. An older Ford truck sat parked on the right. Half the barn served as a garage while the other half looked like a maintenance area with several tool cabinets. Gardening and other tools hung on the walls, too.
“I’m willing to go with you tonight if you don’t want to involve your friend. I can steer my car if you’re pulling it on the road.” She’d tried to talk him into letting her go with him, but he seemed dead set against it.
He cut the engine of the Jeep. “It’s safer if you stay here. Besides, I’ll have to change the tires. That will take some time before we can hook up your car to the Jeep and tow it back.”
“Your vamp friend might not want to go, especially if it’s raining.”
“Demetri won’t mind. He won’t melt in the rain. He likes to hunt in different areas of the woods anyway. This will give him time to hunt while I get your car ready to go.” He pushed his door open.
With a sigh, she left the Jeep. No matter how many reasons she gave for trying to help, he refused her. Perhaps it was better for her to stay at the house. If the werewolves returned, she would be a liability to him. She didn’t want to get in his way or cause any trouble.
After she gathered her bag from the back seat, Marcel came to stand in front of her.
“If you want to go ahead inside, the door is unlocked,” he said. “I’m going to gather a few things and put them in the car for later.”
“Sounds good.”
Carrying her luggage in one hand, she strode around him and headed toward the house. Mixed with the breeze, the misty rain gave her a slight chill.
Several feet from the steps on the side of the porch, a loud clang from the barn halted her. She twisted and found Marcel picking up a crowbar. The back of the Jeep was open. He placed the tool in the back of his car.
She continued toward the small set of stairs leading to the porch. Again, she reminded herself how lucky she was to have met him. He had a great personality, manners, and many skills—more than the average person outside the reserve. He’d make a great husband and father. As an added bonus, his handsome features were a joy to admire, and she did. He’d dropped hints about being interested in her. She couldn’t deny that she was attracted to him. Maybe it was time to appreciate him more, and see what might happen.
As she climbed the steps, movement from the porch caught her attention. Staring up, a fluffy gray and white dog with shaggy hair and big ears approached her. She stopped on a step.
The dog paused and within seconds, it changed into a young man—a very naked young man, with short light-brown hair. She quickly turned to face the barn.
“Marcel!” she yelled.
Her heart raced as she glanced over her shoulder. The young man stood a few feet away, staring at her. Naked. What the hell?
“Who are you?” he asked.
Marcel jogged toward her. “Shepherd, what are you doing here?”
“I came by to see you,” the young man said behind her.
“It’s okay.” Marcel strode up the steps, his gaze fixed on her. “He’s a friend. A shifter.” He took the luggage from her hand and continued up. “Come inside, Shepherd. I’ll grab a pair of shorts and a shirt for you to wear.”
“Who is she?” Shepherd asked.
“A friend. Come inside,” Marcel said.
Lynn waited on the steps with her back to them. Her heart slowly began to calm. She couldn’t be sure how old Shepherd was, but he appeared to be in his teens, at least. Although he didn’t seem threatening, seeing the dog change into a man had taken her by surprise. Could she ever get used to seeing animals morph into a human and vice versa? She thought she could. She wanted to accept supernatural creatures. Truth be told, she still held some fear since she knew so little about them.
She had a choice to make. She needed to swallow her fear and acknowledge supernatural creatures existed, or she needed to have her memories erased about them. Marcel had been right to consider it. She refused to put people like Marcel in danger, and she couldn’t hide her fear. It would eat away at her and drive her insane. Taking a deep breath, she realized she had some serious soul searching to do and a decision to make.
Chapter Ten
Marcel sat on one end of
the porch swing while Lynn sat on the other end. Shepherd sat on the ledge facing them, dressed in one of Marcel’s blue t-shirts and a pair of boxer shorts. Both hung loosely on the skinny kid. He was twenty in human years, but still a kid in Marcel’s eyes since he’d known Shepherd since he was a baby. Marcel had even babysat for him and his siblings many times. He’d always enjoyed playing with children.
“That’s so amazing,” Lynn said. “I can’t believe you’re going to be a doctor at such a young age.”
“I’m older than I look. Our human bodies age differently,” Shep said.
“Still, that’s quite a feat,” she said.
“My parents really pushed education on us, even though it doesn’t matter much here. The knowledge does, but the diploma doesn’t. I’m not looking forward to moving off the reserve, but I have to intern at a hospital for a few years,” Shep said. “My parents say I need real experience so I can apply it when I return.”
“They’re right.” Lynn nodded. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t let people take advantage of you, and don’t let them see you change into your other form. People can be pretty mean.”
For the last twenty or so minutes, Marcel sat on the swing with Lynn, listening to her and Shepherd. She’d had asked him many questions. Shep answered all of them, feeding her full of knowledge about shape shifters, how they lived, and his family history. She absorbed his words as if she were a sponge.
Marcel didn’t mind letting them talk. When she first saw Shep, she’d been shaken up. The fear on her face and fast beat of her heart had indicated her distress. During their conversation, she’d relaxed. Her unease appeared to be gone. Although she seemed accepting of supernatural creatures, maybe she still had some doubts and needed to work through them.
“She knows what she’s talking about,” Marcel said. “She lives in a big city.”
“I think it’s stupid I have to train with other doctors to learn,” Shep said. “Why can’t I just help out the doctor here?”
“Because medicine has changed over the years. You should learn the modern ways in the medical field. The knowledge you learn off the reserve will help you be a good doctor here,” Marcel said. “Some medical applications may be the same that you know now, but maybe there are better remedies. You won’t know until you get out there.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Shep said in a downcast tone.
“You’ll do well,” Lynn said. “You’re smart. Stay focused, do what you have to do, and then come back to your family. I bet you’ll be so busy with learning that the time will fly by.”
Shep nodded and straightened. “You’re probably right.”
“Listen to her. She’s smart, too,” Marcel said.
“What brings you here?” Shep asked Lynn.
“I came to visit a property my grandparents owned a while back,” she said.
“Have you heard of the last name Winslow?” Marcel asked.
“Winslow?” Shep asked.
“It’s my last name and it belonged to my grandparents who lived here,” she said.
“It doesn’t sound familiar. I can ask around if you’d like. Maybe my parents or someone else in town will remember,” Shep said.
“The land was northeast, so they might not,” Marcel said. “But ask around and let me know. Lynn may not be here for much longer, a few days at the most.” He added the last part, hoping Shep might hasten his efforts.
Shep nodded as he stood. “Sure, I’ll ask around. I can come back tomorrow if that’s okay?”
Marcel rose from the swing. “Stop by if you have information. Otherwise, you don’t need to waste your time.”
Lynn stood and extended her hand. “It was really nice to meet you. I wish you luck in your studies and living off the reserve.”
Shep looked at her hand before he accepted it. “I hope I see you again before you leave.”
She smiled. “Maybe. Good luck, Shepherd.”
The young man lifted his shirt up.
“I’ll just go inside,” Lynn said, walking between them. She headed for the door.
Shepherd handed the shirt to him. “She’s pretty.”
After taking the shirt, he glanced behind him to see if she’d heard Shep. Lynn stood inside and was shutting the door.
He turned to face Shepherd. “She’s amazing.”
“Do you like her?” Shep pushed the shorts down his legs.
He ignored the question. The answer was easy, but it would lead to more questions Marcel didn’t have time to answer. “Let me know if you find out anything about the Winslows. I need to know if they could’ve had ties to anyone here.”
Shep kicked up the shorts and caught them. “Do you think she’s—“
“I don’t know. I’m trying to find out. I’m doing some research, but I don’t know if anyone kept records on property owners. And if they did, do the records say what the owners were? I need help.”
Shep handed the shorts to him. “I’ll ask the older ones, they might know about records.”
“If they ask why you’re interested, just say it’s to help me with some research.”
He nodded. “Sure thing.”
He passed Marcel and started shifting into his shaggy dog form. By the time he reached the steps on the other side of the porch, he’d changed completely. He trotted down the stairs and then dashed away, ears flopping.
Carrying the shirt and shorts, Marcel headed inside his house to find Lynn. While they’d been sitting on the bench, he noticed she kept a hand near the area of her stitches. He wondered if the injury had been bothering her.
As he walked down the hall he could hear the soft beat of her heart up ahead. Drawing closer to the main room, he spotted her standing in front of the wall of windows, gazing outside. Before he strode toward her, he dropped the shirt and boxers on her luggage near the stairs.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
She looked at him through the reflection on the glass. “A little tired, but I’ll be fine.”
He stopped beside her.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she said.
The back of his home overlooked a clearing that led to a lake not quite a mile away. On clear days, the sunset would reflect off the water. He’d captured many picturesque photographs to sell online. Winter ones were popular, too.
“Maybe the beauty and peacefulness is what helps us survive,” he said.
“I have a confession.” She took a deep breath. “I thought I could handle the truth about the existence of supernatural creatures. You’re a great guy, so I’d thought if others were like you, then they can’t be bad. I could keep your secret easily. Then I saw Shepherd change from a dog to a young man. I freaked out.” She turned to face him. “I started to think maybe you were right and my memories should be erased.”
His heart gained extra beats as worry took root. Had she changed her mind and decided to have her memories taken away of him?
“If you want your memories altered, I can make it happen. You should do what’s best for you.” He swallowed hard. As much as he wanted to have a chance of love and happiness with her, he wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do or couldn’t handle.
“Talking to Shepherd really helped open my eyes. It was like the knowledge of your existence was a photograph I’d accepted. Getting to know him was real. It was like I woke up to the big picture. He’s a smart young man and his family…it amazed me to hear about them and the others. I knew enough about you and probably would’ve been okay seeing you change, but him…”
“I should’ve warned you others could stop by at any time. I’ve known his family for a long time. I’ve babysat them and watched them grow up. They come to visit every now and then.”
“I had accepted you, but I guess I hadn’t fully recognized there are others. They’re different. Now that I’ve seen and learned about shape shifters…I think I’ll be okay.” She inhaled deeply.
Relief flowed through him as he stared into her carame
l eyes. He took a step closer and claimed one of her hands. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he said, “You’re a strong woman. The secret you will carry can impact thousands of lives here on the reserve. If you have any doubts—“
“I don’t, not anymore.” She gripped his hand. “I’ll be fine. Talking to Shepherd made me realize how special supernatural creatures are. You’re trying to keep up with modern times and prevent your bloodlines from becoming extinct in a world that only wants to believe humans live here. The world is much bigger, and there’s so much I don’t know. That scared me a little at first, but I’m coming to terms with it.”
How many stories had he heard from friends about their lovers not willing to accept them because they were from supernatural breed? They’d known their lovers for over a year sometimes. Still, the truth changed everything.
“The majority of us are good people. Most have lived here for hundreds of years. You don’t have anything to be scared about,” he said.
“Except those wild werewolves.”
“I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you,” he said in a firm tone.
“I know. I trust you. It was like the knowledge about the others hadn’t sunk into my thick head. It’s like they say…seeing is believing. And when I saw, I freaked out. But now, after talking to Shepherd, I see things for what they are, and not some fantastical image. Am I making any sense?”
“Actually, you are, and I’m glad you’re talking to me about it.” The fact she was discussing the matter with him spoke volumes. From what he’d heard and seen over time, humans didn’t want to discuss the existence of supernatural creatures unless it was to destroy them. Once again, she’d proved how special she was. Smiling, he said, “Your happiness matters to me.”
“Thank you for being understanding.”
“Know that if you change your mind—“
“I won’t. In fact, I want to know more about the different kinds of creatures. Do you have books in the library about other kinds?”