Shifters Forever The Boxed Set Books 1 - 6 (32 page)

A
nother try
. After dinner the other night, Joe had come back every day. And every day he’d brought something different for them to eat.

He’d also brought something else, something he’d brought back from the city. Christ, he hated driving into the city. Hated the concrete, the glass, the smell. He’d had enough of cities. Cities brought back images of bomb-destroyed buildings. These days he found his pleasure in the forest, typically alone. Why did he drive into the city? For clothing for the woman. He’d estimated her size as best as he could and had been getting ready to pay when he thought of the little tyke.

Going back to the children’s section, he’d picked out various clothing sizes of jeans and t-shirts and a jacket. He picked up several sizes of shoes for both the little bear and the woman.

It had been four days since he’d brought the clothing, four days of bringing food and waiting. Joe no longer climbed the tree anymore. He waited by a large boulder, sometimes sitting on it, for hours, waiting. She’d come, he knew, but it must have been after he left.

She’s not coming until after dark, after I’m long gone.

This wasn’t going to work. Her arriving after he was long gone wasn’t going to provide a resolution for the Bear Canyon Valley shifters. At least not one that would end well for her.

He’d bet she could hear him, though. He’d wager she wasn’t too far out of hearing range—bear hearing range. Much better than his.

“I know you’re around. You need to learn how to trust someone, sooner or later. And by damn, I haven’t given you cause not to trust me yet.”

“Have you given me cause to trust you?” Her voice came from close by. Very close by.

Joe didn’t turn abruptly, though he wanted to. He was lying on the boulder, eyes closed. He rose to a sitting position slowly.

She was in front of him.

He smiled. “You’re a whole different being, aren’t you?”

She was wearing one of the dresses he’d gotten for her. It was a bit snug, but in all the good ways and in all the right places. She was in her human form, but the little one was a bear, waiting by a tree, eyes curious and unafraid.

“Ivan. You can eat,” she told the cub.

“Nice name.” Joe tried to be casual about his exuberance over learning the cub’s name.

“Ivan the Terrible. It fits him.” She smiled.

He made a conscious effort to close his mouth, which had dropped open. When she smiled, her visage turned from one of closed intensity to openness. Her full lips curved into a cupid’s bow that showed perfect white teeth.

“He’s not that terrible,” Joe countered, to keep it light, though he couldn’t stop staring at her. “I’ve seen a bit of him. I’d say he’s typical for his age.”

“I’d say he’s a rascal who keeps me on my toes and from getting any rest. He wanders off, he’s loud when he should be quiet, and he’s awake when he should be asleep.”

“Sounds like an average little boy to me. But I guess it must be rough, being a single mom and all.”

Her face turned somber. “I never said I was a single mom.”

“You have been while you’ve been in this forest, so…” He paused. “I guess I assumed.”

She nodded. “Sara.”

He froze. What the hell. What had changed her mind? “Nice to meet you, Sara.”

He held his hand out. She put her hand in his. Her touch was hot, creating a rush that traveled throughout his body. He found every pore and nerve ending in his being responding to that touch. He tried to fight the sensation, to get it to go away, but yet, it persisted.

How could such a small hand turn into that bear? He wanted to shake it then release it, but he found himself holding it for a second too long. Maybe many seconds too long.

A confused expression passed over her face, and her dark eyes glowed with a yellow flame for a moment.

Her bear was surfacing. Would she shift right now?

S
ara recoiled from the touch
. She wanted to pull away from the intensity of the jolt that had passed through her when her hand had touched his. She’d never felt anything like that before.

The other half of her wanted to recoil and pull away from him because she had nothing but hatred for humans.

Her bear rumbled in her mind, wanting the man called Joe Dark.

Dark Eagle Rises After Winter Storm, he’d said his name was. She found that easy enough to believe. He was a dark eagle, with that long black hair of his that cascaded in a shiny sheet and touched his shoulders.

She fought the urge to touch her own tangled, unruly mess from living without a brush for so long. Finger-combing just didn’t cut it.

She looked at his face, the profile, that nose that was an eagle’s beak yet aquiline and strong. High cheekbones, full lower lip that broke the severe austerity of his less generous upper lip. His own eyes were dark, though not as dark as hers, she knew.

She didn’t allow her gaze the luxury of traveling down his body again. She’d already noticed his chest, shoulders, and arms that were thicker than tree branches.

She pushed back the blush that threatened to kiss her cheeks with color when she thought of the way he’d looked at her body when she’d shifted that first time.

Her bear had scented his arousal and responded, as had Sara’s body. Her core had become moist and flexed for him. Her breasts had ached for his touch, and her nipples had puckered. How could a man she’d never met—well, not really met—have this effect on her?

How can I want him when I don’t even know him?

Her bear rose to the occasion, an answer at the ready. She pushed her bear back. She’d heard this argument before, when Joe had been here. She’d heard it several times before from her bear. Over and over.

You can’t know he’s supposed to be ours
, Sara countered.
That’s not how it works.

Her bear roared in her mind.

Of course I don’t know how it works. How could I? I can’t believe this would be how it works. How can you know so soon?

Her bear was quick to remind her who had saved them. Her bear had taken her from that place; it had brought her here. It had protected and fed her and Ivan.

Sara fought the temptation of him while her bear embraced it. As much as Sara fought it, she only half did so, for another part of her was impossibly and irreversibly drawn to this man who’d brought them food and clothing, and then had waited patiently.

“Nice to meet you, too.” She managed to get the words out though her mind felt like it was mush.

“Tell me about yourself.” His voice rolled over her, soothing like the warmest breeze in the spring right after the cold winter nights.

I can’t.
“Not much to tell.”

He gave her a look. He didn’t buy it. At all.

Ivan noticed her talking to him. He’d never seen her talking to another person before. He’d never seen her shift into her human form as much as he had recently.

“How does he like his clothes?” Joe asked.

He’s never worn human clothes.
“I haven’t put them on him yet.” Trying to keep secrets from Joe was becoming difficult. If she wasn’t lying, she was evading, at the very least.

It’s not like I owe him the truth. Or anything at all.
Yet, she felt like she did owe him. She wanted to tell him everything. She wished she could tell him the whole story, but that was something she’d never done. Ever.

“Will you ever trust me?” He still held her hand in his, not tightly, but gently, giving her the option to remove hers. Something she didn’t want to do.

I doubt I’ll be here long enough.
“I do trust you. Some.” She would need to leave as soon as possible. This short conversation, the way he’d looked at her the other day, the way he was looking at her now, the impact of his touch on her…

She absolutely had to get far away from him before she did something she would regret.

“You know if you need anything—” he started to say.

“I know where you live. That cabin, not far from the big house.”

His brow rose, but a smile appeared on his face. “You followed me?” His smile grew. “It’s not easy to get the jump on me, but you seem to have done it a couple of times.”

Her cheeks grew warm. She’d been caught. Yes, she’d followed him and she wouldn’t lie to herself by pretending that it had just been to make sure he wasn’t a threat. She couldn’t lie to herself, anyway; her bear wouldn’t let her get away with it.

She turned her glance toward the west and looked over the trees to the mountains beyond. That was the direction she’d take Ivan next. Perhaps California. It was a large state, so they could merge into the population there and go unnoticed. And there was a lot of land, plenty of state parks.

She grew sad at the idea of leaving this beautiful valley. Sad at the idea of leaving Joe behind.

Across from her, by the food, Ivan snuffled and lifted his head. He was full. He’d be wanting his nap next. If she held Ivan while he slept, then she’d be stuck talking to Joe.

The idea wasn’t bad. She’d enjoy getting to know him better, but she feared he’d spend his time trying to find out more about her than talking about himself.

“I should go. It’s time for his nap.”

Joe tightened his grip on her hand. “Can I meet him?”

“No.” She hadn’t meant to say it with such vehemence.

He rose, pulled her up. “If you need anything…” Joe let go of her hand once she was on her feet. “I’d like to visit with you again. Say, tomorrow? Do you have any favorites?”

She fought the urge to laugh and ask him if he thought that these were dates. She knew the answer already. She could see emotions in his eyes. Her bear could smell his emotions. Sara understood her bear’s feelings for Joe too well; she felt many of those same feelings.

If she were smart, she’d be gone tomorrow. “You choose,” she told him, and felt horrible for being a liar.

J
oe shouldered
the backpack he’d filled with a few toiletries. He wasn’t sure they’d be what she’d want, but he’d noticed the way she’d touched her hair self-consciously. He didn’t want to tell her he liked her hair, liked the whole just-got-fucked look of her hair.

Yeah, that probably wouldn’t go over too well.

God knew, he wanted to take that woman and do things with her and to her that hadn’t crossed his mind in a long time. What the hell. He’d gone from being a man immune to sex to a man who walked around with a raging hard-on all the time.

He’d picked up a chocolate cake, too. For Ivan. He’d yet to see the little boy in his human skin, and he looked forward to seeing him that way. He intended to ask Sara to let him shift. Why hadn’t the little one shifted yet?

Joe put the food by the usual tree and took his spot at the boulder that had been a silent sentinel, witnessing his meetings with Sara. Setting the backpack down, he relaxed. He hadn’t been able to sleep since he’d met Sara. Every night he wondered if she and the little cub were okay.

He closed his eyes, confident his senses would let him know when she’d arrived.

A
shiver coursed through Joe
, waking him up. He bolted upright. It was getting dark and a chill was settling into the air. Where the hell was Sara? He ran to the food.

Untouched. He looked for foot and paw prints around the food, but found no fresh tracks at all. Where the hell was she?

“Sara,” he called out softly, knowing she didn’t like Ivan upset and Ivan seemed sensitive to human voices.

No response.

He called her name again.

Again, nothing.

He deliberated calling Ivan’s name. That seemed like a lowdown thing to do, using the kid to pull the mother out. But maybe it wasn’t lowdown. Maybe she’d forgotten. Or was busy.

“Ivan.” He didn’t yell it out. There was no reason to do that; the little bear shifter would hear him.

He heard a sound. A whimper. Would that be Ivan? Surely not, because that meant Sara would be nearby, and she wouldn’t ignore him. Would she?

Maybe she would. She seemed reluctant to engage with him at times. She definitely was extremely secretive.

Still. Joe couldn’t leave the forest without checking on that whimper.

He stepped away from the boulder, walking toward the area he’d heard the whimper come from.

“Ivan.” He whispered the little one’s name. “You’re not playing hide and seek, are you?”

That would be very unlike the little bear. He’d had no interaction with Joe. If anything, he’d seemed wary, as if unsure of him—men—maybe humans in general, judging from the way he’d looked at his mother when she’d shifted the first couple times.

Why would he not be familiar with humans?

Joe walked softly, but not too softly. He didn’t want to sneak up on Sara, especially not if she was in bear form. For sure she could inflict a world of hurt on him, and he wouldn’t want to hurt her in return, not even while he was defending himself.

He heard the whimpering noise again. He was definitely headed in the right direction. He looked back at the horizon to the west. It would be dark soon.

He almost tripped over something. A yelp told him what it was.

“Hell. I’m sorry, Ivan.” He knelt next to the shifter cub and put his hand out.

Ivan pulled back a little, his eyes round and scared.

“What’s wrong, little fella? Where’s your mom?” He kept his hand out.

Ivan sniffed toward him.

“It’s me, Joe. Your mom’s friend. Remember?”

Ivan came closer. Joe put his hand on Ivan’s shoulder and ran it over his back.

The cub was wet. Had he just been swimming? Was that where Sara was? Joe looked at his hand. His palm was dark.

Blood? Blood!

“Are you hurt?” He ran his fingers over Ivan gently, looking for injury. “Where’s your mother?”

If Sara wasn’t with Ivan… Oh, fuck. Joe didn’t care for where his mind was going, but it seemed like the only logical explanation.

“Ivan.”

The cub looked at him, pain and a question in his eyes.

“I need you to take me to your mom. Take me to Sara, right now.”

Ivan glanced toward the forest, then back at Joe.

“Now, before it gets dark.”
Before she dies, if she’s hurt.

A devastating pain rendered Joe’s heart in two. He couldn’t breathe. His lungs burned with the air he couldn’t release at the thought of Sara being dead. Mother Nature, Great Spirit, Christ—he’d pray to all of them though he wasn’t sure what he believed in at this stage of his life. He’d pray to everything and anything that she wasn’t dead. He’d make a deal with the devil himself to keep her alive.

What if she were already dead? Who would take care of Ivan? The valley would. One of the shifter families would take him in. No, he wasn’t going to think that way. He wasn’t going to let that happen.

Ivan began to walk toward the forest, picking up his pace with every step he took, shortly turning it into a run, as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Joe followed, trying to stay far enough behind that Ivan wouldn’t get spooked by being chased.

Thirty yards into their run, Ivan came to an abrupt stop.

There she was. In human form. Prone, huddled in a near-fetal position, her legs splayed somewhat. She was wearing the dress he’d bought for her.

“Sara?” Joe called her name softly. He was still a few yards away. He walked at a brisk pace, approaching her and Ivan who was huddle next to her, his dark eyes focused on Joe’s approach.

She didn’t answer. She didn’t stir.

Fear grabbed Joe’s heart and twisted it, then shoved it upward until it felt like it was trapped in his throat.

Ivan let out a low roar, an odd sound coming from such a young shifter cub. He used his paws on his mother’s legs, pushing and pulling on them.

Joe froze when he saw something sticking out of her back. No, two somethings.

Fuck. Arrows. Hunters? Here? Were they a threat to Ivan or Sara? She’d gone into her human form, not by choice. She was unconscious.

Joe reached for her neck, put a finger over her pulse point. It beat, but weakly. The air around them was heavy with the scent of her blood.

He pushed the hair away from her face. Definitely not conscious.

He looked over her body to see if there were more arrows.

None.

“We need to get her to a doctor.” How the hell was he going to carry her and Ivan? Would Ivan follow? Would Ivan shift for him?

He put his hand on the little bear’s shoulder. “Can you shift?”

The bear cub grunted, then snorted. And nothing.

Shit.

Joe took out his phone and pressed the third button on speed dial. The phone had barely been answered before Joe began to talk.

“Doc, I have an emergency.” How the hell could he get Doc here? He couldn’t give him directions. Damn. “Get your kit and meet me at my place. Bring Astra too.”

He hung up and shoved his phone back in his pocket. He should have told them to bring more help, in case Ivan needed something, in case Sara shifted and became belligerent.

How the hell was he going to get Sara to his place, a good twenty-minute walk at least? And would Ivan follow? Or would he try to stop Joe, thinking he was protecting his mother?

Joe cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure he could talk. He was overwhelmed with emotions. He had to talk, he needed to get Ivan to follow him home. He couldn’t leave Ivan here. If he did and something happened to Ivan…

He shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that.

“Ivan.” He put his hand on Ivan’s shoulder. This would be much easier if he were in human form, if only to make Joe feel like he was talking to someone who would understand him. “I need to help your mom. You know we’re friends. I have to take her to my place. A doctor will meet us there and make her beater. You have to trust me.”

Ivan growled. He stepped back, then stepped between Joe and Sara.

“Son, look. I know she’s your mom. I know you want to protect her. Right now the only chance she has is to let Doc see to her. You have got to understand that. Now let me help her.”

Ivan showed Joe his teeth, stood on two legs, roared his helplessness.

Joe fought back the emotions. His heart ached, going out to the little one. The young cub must be confused by all that was happening.

“Let me help her. I swear I will.” Joe knelt in front of the cub, looked him in the eye. “You know I would never hurt her. Ever.”

Ivan grunted.

The first thing I’m going to do when Sara gets better is ask her why the hell he doesn’t shift.

Communication would have been a whole lot easier if Ivan could shift into human form.

Joe put one arm under her legs and one under her torso, careful not to come near the protruding arrows, and lifted her up. Her dress was red, soaked with her blood. He clenched his jaw in anger. He’d find out who did this. He’d find out, and there’d be hell to pay. He’d call the park rangers to find out if any poachers or illegal hunters had been spotted in the area.

“Let’s go, Ivan.”

The little cub followed him without incident. Either he understood what was going on or he trusted Joe, because he stayed on Joe’s heels, making soft sounds that broke Joe’s heart. If he hadn’t had to carry Sara, he’d have picked up little Ivan to comfort him.