Bethany

––––––––

BETHANY WOKE UP, STILL locked in Lucas’s arms. When was the last time her lover held her all night? Oh right, that would be never. She wiggled a bit so she could watch him in his sleep. Without the penetrating eyes, he almost looked pretty, if you could ignore the black stubble dusting his cheeks. All he needed was an eye patch to be a pirate. She liked him, she decided. Even if he had threatened to kill her.

His eyes opened, wary and yellow as a bird of prey.

“What’s chasing you, Lucas? What made you stay in a bird form so long that you could barely speak?”

“Gods,” he said and rolled away from her. “Good morning to you too.”

“Why was Lisa captured as a dog? If she shifted before the farmer put the collar on her, she would have been safe.”

“Before or after he raped her?”

Bethany winced. “Not everyone is like that. Look, I saw how people looked at my brother every time he shifted. He was immediately treated like a thug, an animal. People were scared of him. Mostly. There were some good people who realized that we were just different. They needed me so they were nice to him. You asked me last night why I helped Lisa. Well, when I saw a chance to help a Shifter, I guess I was hoping that someone, somewhere had helped my brother in the same way.”

“The world doesn’t work that way, Bethany. No one does anything for free. Everyone has an ulterior motive.”

“I just told you my ulterior motive. Now, you tell me yours. Or am I supposed to believe that you were overcome by nobility for your sister’s honor and lust for me that you offered your services for three months.”

She had forgotten how fast he moved. Lucas pushed inside her and Bethany gasped. “Not that I’m complaining,” she moaned and tilted her head back when he began to move as slowly and as sweetly as his mouth playing against hers.

“Six months,” he reminded her when he was done kissing her.

“No. It was only three months after you came back.” Bethany’s eyes closed at the sweet sensation of his body rocking into hers. “I want to go to California with you.”

"You would have more leverage with your chief to come with us if we were mated.”

Bethany gulped at the word. It was a little soon to be talking about mating. “You want me to go to California now? Last night you said it was too dangerous.”

He picked up the pace, thrusting into her hard enough to make the cot bang against the wall.

“Oh,” she gasped. There was that sexy creaking noise again. She wondered what her neighbors thought. She hoped they were getting off.

He stopped, deep inside her, and held her still while he looked deep into her eyes. “We could use a Tech to get into the laboratories. They won’t be expecting that.”

He gave in too easily. Was he playing me all along so I’d think it’s my idea? Bethany frowned. It doesn’t matter...does it?

He kissed her until her frown eased and the tension in her body relaxed. It was one of his epic soul-drugging ones that lasted until she had to turn her face to gasp for breath. “Mated would mean we’re exclusive for the trip.”

“I know,” he said, resuming a soft pace.

“Why?” she gritted out. Her hips slammed up into his, needing him to go fast again. She didn’t want his pity. She wanted him to want her as much as she did him.

“I don’t want anyone else to have you.” He gave her the speed she needed.

“Yes,” Bethany crowed. “Just like that.” She wasn’t sure if she could believe him, but for the moment it didn’t matter, because he was so deep inside her. Each thrust shook her as hard as the bed. He could command as much for fucking as she did for Tech.

He pounded into her until she dug her nails into his arms.

“Yes,” he echoed back to her.

Shudders racked her body. Intense waves of pleasure burned through her. Plastered against him, she bit him on the shoulder when she came.

“You like to bite?” he growled as she tightened around him.

“Touch me.”

“Here?” He rubbed his palm over her breasts.

“Yes.” She arched into the contact.

“Here?” He reached between their bodies to touch her clit.

She gasped. “Oh, that’s not fair.” Bethany grabbed his ass in both hands.

“You make me crazy. I love how your pussy feels gripping my cock.”

Bethany ground down on him. “Kiss me,” she demanded.

He did, and when his mouth eventually lifted away, it was if a piece of her soul went with it.

“How long?”

He thrust a bit deeper. “What do you think?”

Bethany returned his thrust, with interest, and they went back and forth until they were both sweaty and gasping. His whole body stiffened, and he grunted in satisfaction when he came.

Stroking an idle hand down his sweat-slicked back, Bethany sighed. She could get used to this. He rolled off her but carried her with him so she lay on top of him. They enjoyed the quiet bliss for a while, until the Tech cabins started humming with power.

“How long have you been looking for your friends?” Bethany said tracing her name with her fingertips into his chest, by his heart.

At first she thought he wasn’t going to answer. His voice was low and sad when he did speak. “Two years. When Lisa and I got separated, I thought I lost her too. But I was able to track her, and when I found her, she had been captured by that farmer for this conclave.”

“How did you get separated?”

“Have you ever been off the main roads or traveled alone?” he asked.

Bethany shook her head. “I was always in a tribe. When I left the Orange Grove to come up here, I traveled with merchants on the main highways.”

“It must have taken a long time. Flying is much quicker,” he said with a faraway look. “And less dangerous. There are creatures out there.” He shook his head.

“What type of creatures?”

“You won’t believe me.”

“You won’t lie to me.”

He pinned her with a look. “How do you know?”

“Because Shifters don’t lie. It’s not in their nature.”

He gave a surprised laugh. It transformed his face. “Your brother told you that?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact he did. He said because of his tie to the animal kingdom, he could no more lie to me than a chicken would.”

“Daniel was your older brother?”

“Yes, how do you know?”

“Because I tease my younger sister too.”

“He wasn’t teasing.” Bethany punched him the chest without any real force behind it.

“I am the president of the United States.”

“What?”

“I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht.”

“Are you totally deranged?”

“No, I’m lying to you.”

Bethany blinked at him.

“Unless you, of course, believe me to be telling the truth? Or perhaps you don’t think I’m a Shifter?” He sprang out of bed and shifted, as if she questioned the fact.

His dog form was a bit rangy. He looked more like a wolfhound, with the emphasis on wolf.

“You know,” Bethany said. “I always wondered why you guys never chose poodles. They were hunting dogs too.”

The wolfhound snorted.

“A Chihuahua is very vicious. I got bit as a child. I still have the scar.” She showed him two tiny teeth marks between her thumb and first finger. “My brother turned into a German shepherd and snapped its neck.”

He shifted back so suddenly Bethany didn’t have a chance to turn away. That was what she told herself anyway. She locked her gaze on his magnificent body. He slipped into her bed and pulled up the covers.

“Hey!” she said. “We need to get up.”

“It’s cold without my fur. I’m not wearing that dress.” He pointed to the party dress she had laid out.

“It’s not your color,” Bethany agreed.

“Not that it would fit me anyway,” he continued. “And I feel like Julius Caesar with the sheet. You’re welcome to join me. Or I can leave, but I didn’t think we’re finished with our conversation.” He patted the mattress next to her.

“Not on your life, buster. I’m sore.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Really?”

Lucas shook his head. “No, not really.”

Bethany sighed. “I think I have a better solution for us.”

“There’s an us?”

“Yeah, but not the way you mean. Are all those muscles for show?”

“You want to wrestle me?”

Hell yeah. “That’s beside the point,” Bethany said. “If I sign up for this looters’ paradise in California, I’m guessing that we’re not going to get there easily.”

Lucas nodded. “You guess correctly. I have a feeling they will overbook the assignment, knowing they will lose some people along the way.”

“We’ll be taking those back roads and shortcuts you mentioned.” Bethany caught her breath when his eyes locked on to hers. They were a soft amber now, and she was mesmerized.

“Go on,” he said.

Bethany tried to remember her train of thought. “I’m going to need a bodyguard.”

He looked at her skeptically.

“Look, you protect me there and back. If you still don’t think your debt is paid for your sister, then you can keep doing it until we find my brother. You keep me alive. I’ll do the Tech to break into the lab. We come back rich, and you can help me find my brother if he’s not at the lab, and then we’re even. You don’t have to sleep with me again.”

“What if I want to?”

“That would be different,” Bethany said. “It would make all the difference in the world. I don’t want this”—she motioned to the messed-up sheets—“to be about paying a debt.”

“So let me get this straight. In order to balance my debt for Lisa, you’re going to provide Tech when we investigate those labs. On the way to California, I’m to act as your bodyguard and then help you find your brother. Hmmm, I think you now owe me. Maybe, you should offer me your body?” He waggled his eyebrows.

She didn’t rise to the bait. “If you want my help in the labs, it’s in your best interest to keep me alive. For my silence for not telling anyone about the labs, you’re helping me find my brother.”

“For your silence about the labs, I don’t kill you,” he pointed out.

“Not a good way to handle negotiations. Besides, if we’re going to be mates, we’ll have to sleep with each other. Keep me alive and find Daniel and Lisa’s debt is paid and I’ll help you break into the lab. Do we have a deal?”

“And sex?” he said. “You’ll be my mate to get your chief to agree?”

It was crazy. She barely knew him. But she was trusting him to get her to California and find Daniel. She’d be his mate just to get fucked like this every night. Bethany nodded. “You’ll have to explain to me more about the mate stuff.”

“Later,” he said. “Buy me a set of clothes and some breakfast, and we have a deal.”

“Deal.” Bethany got up. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Pleasure was all mine.”

“No, it wasn’t,” she said, blowing him a kiss as she headed for the showers.

She wasn’t surprised when he joined her a few moments later.

“The hot water is decadent,” he said.

“Sybarite,” Bethany teased.

He murmured in agreement, turning her around so he could massage shampoo into her hair without getting it into her eyes. His fingers were strong but gentle. Bethany just wanted to float away in bliss, but they were running out of their allotted shower time. After rinsing off her hair, she stepped out of the shower and toweled off. He did the same and followed her back to her room. A few people were waiting for the showers and traded knowing looks as Bethany blushed and gripped the towel tighter around her body. Lucas hung up his towel and walked without a hint of embarrassment.

Bethany tested the dryness of the clothes she’d hung out the night before. They were a little chilly but dry enough to wear. She pulled them on while Lucas got back into bed.

“I’ll run out and get you some clothes.”

“No hurry.” He smiled at her lazily.

“Anything else you need me to do?”

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, and Bethany tracked the play of muscles on his arms. “I need you to find and approach the financiers with us as part of your team. Lisa and I will keep our animal forms. Lewis and Clark won’t care who you bring with you, as long as you go. They need Techs. They don’t think enough of Shifters to want to see us in person.”

“Lewis and Clark?” Bethany asked. “I don’t think that’s their real names.”

“They can call themselves Adam and Eve, for all I care. I just need to hitch a ride with them to California and find my pack.”

“Good morning, Lisa,” Bethany said as Lisa trotted back into the room. “I don’t know, Lucas. Two dogs and a Tech? Sounds like a bad radio play.”

There was a shimmer in the air, and where a dog was a moment ago, a tiger now stood. While it was small as tigers went, the teeth and claws looked pretty impressive.

“The lady and the tiger,” Lucas said, laughing at his sister.

Lisa’s ears flattened.

Lucas smiled, and Bethany was momentarily distracted by him. “So, uh, can you change into a tiger too?”

“A much bigger one,” he said.

“I bet. So twin tigers and a Tech? That’s not a bad team. Who else do we need? Hell, what don’t we need? I don’t know or trust a lot of people. And the ones I do won’t leave their tribes. Especially for a long, long trip to California. Even on horseback, we’ll be lucky if we get there before the end of the year. Maybe by the time we get there everything will be gone. Maybe by the time we get back everything here will be all gone.”

“Do you care?”

“No,” Bethany said and realized that she meant it. “But the people I would ask would care.”

“We’re at the mercy of who they send with us, if we can’t find allies.”

This was all a little much. But she felt a fire in her that hadn’t been in there in a long time. A new adventure and a chance to find her brother. That was certainly better than being a battery for a tribe.

“I’ll get you some clothes, and maybe we can do some searching around camp and see who else we can bring aboard.”

Lisa roared.