Shifters Forever The Boxed Set Books 1 - 6 (35 page)

S
ara put
on the dress Joe handed her. Now, more than ever, she was happy that he’d bought them some clothing. She could never pay him back, though, and she felt bad about that. Maybe one day she’d be able to, when she didn’t have to stay hidden. When she wasn’t worried about Ivan.

Joe was already dressed and sitting in the chair, waiting for her to finish dressing. His stomach’s protests and her own stomach cramps were enough to convince her that she needed to get some sustenance.

She was ready to see Ivan. To watch him in his human form.

Joe opened the door and escorted her down a hallway. They followed the scent of the food. Delicious-smelling food.

Sara could hear the laughter coming from the kitchen. One of those voices was her own baby’s, in his human form. He giggled, a high-pitched sound of merriment. First she saw Ivan, playing with three shifters.

She recognized one. He was the one who’d been with the woman in the cave a few weeks ago. The woman who’d held Ivan against her body and given Sara a challenging look, as if she would protect Ivan from a strange bear.

She was a brave human, taking on a bear, especially when she didn’t know I was a shifter. A good—or bad—shifter.

Next to him was the brave woman herself.

Yes, that was her, the one who’d held Ivan in the tunnel. And that was definitely the man who’d been with her.

The shifter that Sara had wounded. Sara paused for a moment, studying the couple, noting the bond they clearly had. Of course they had a bond; the male had jumped to her defense that day in the forest.

What they didn’t know was that Sara had seen them making love. She fought to keep a blush from rising to her cheeks and pushed her thoughts away from the vision that was still fresh in her mind, a vision that made her think about what she and Joe had just done. She felt the heat intensify in her cheeks as embarrassment flourished in her mind. She needed to stop that thought process right now. She shook it off and looked at her son.

Ivan was drinking in the attention, his cheeks flushed a happy pink color, his smile wide. Then he saw her.

“Mama.” He ran toward her and wrapped his arms around her legs. “I have new friends. And I know how to shift back and forth from my bear to this.” He beamed up at her, indicating his body with a gesture.

“I see that. I’m proud of you.” She ruffled his hair, leaned down and gave him a hug, kissing his cheek. She was overwhelmed by Ivan’s appearance in his human skin. It would take some getting used to.

She glanced at the shifter she’d attacked that day in the forest. “I know you.”

“Teague.” He pointed to his chest. “Teague Navarro.”

“I’m sorry.” She made a sad grimace. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t know… wasn’t sure…”

“You did what was natural. Completely understood.” Teague smiled, then pointed to the woman who’d held Ivan that day. “This is Kelsey.”

The curvy, beautiful woman next to him smiled. “Ivan’s a charmer.” She held out her hand.

Sara rose and took the hand for a shake. “Don’t I know it.”

Kelsey held her hand, not letting go. “That day. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I had no clue, and my mind went toward helping the baby bear.”

Sara nodded, sensing there was more but not sure what. “I’d have probably done the same thing if I were in your shoes.”

A wave of sadness passed over Kelsey’s face. Sara didn’t want to pry. She diverted quickly.

“I’m Kane. This is Astra,” the other shifter in the room said, and indicated a woman with eyes so green, so clear it was as if they were lit from behind.

“Doc’s my father, well… stepfather,” the green-eyed woman said, turning to the third shifter in the room, putting her arm around him. Clearly they were a close-knit group.

“Thank you.” Sara turned to the doctor shifter. “You saved my life.”

“Glad I was around.”

She addressed the group of them. “Thank you for looking after Ivan while I was recuperating.”

“Oh, he’s a pleasure. We enjoy having a little shifter around. Now we have two.”

“Two?” Sara asked.

“My brother’s mate has a son. His name is Dominic. I think he and Ivan would get along great.”

That will never happen. I need to get out of here as quickly as possible. Especially now that I know there’s a little shifter who would be in danger from Crossroads as well.

“I’m sure they would,” Sara said, hating herself for lying to these people, especially after their kindness.

Sara was saved by her stomach. It rumbled so loud that even the humans heard it. Astra and Kelsey burst into laughter.

“Let’s eat.” Kelsey indicated a table full of food. “Mae brought some over, but she couldn’t stay. After closing the shop, she was taking some soup to Tanner and Marti.”

“What would we ever do without Mae?” Kane laughed.

“Indeed.” Doc’s voice was low.

Sara studied the handsome doctor shifter, then turned her glance to the other two shifters. She hadn’t been around this many shifters… any shifters, really, since… She pushed the memories away and took the plate that Kelsey handed her.

Joe sat next to her. She had a heightened sense of his body next to hers. It was as if they were connected by an invisible field of energy. Her own body pulsed with awareness of his, of what they’d done, of the feelings he brought out in her.

Hell, she wished it was as simple as the words “brought out.” Joe didn’t just bring feelings out. He completely and totally overwhelmed her senses. Everything was amplified with him next to her.

A shiver ran through her. She should run away as fast as she could. This was too much, too real, too… She couldn’t even come up with the words.
Yes, I’ve got to get out of here. Like, quickly.
She glanced out the cabin’s window. It was still light outside. She’d leave as soon as it was dark, when everyone was gone. She’d sneak away like a thief in the night.

I suck. I really suck. Can’t believe I’d do that to him.

Her bear growled in agreement.

I don’t want to hear your thoughts on it. You know they’re all better off with me gone.

Especially Joe.

S
ara breathed easily
for the first time in a long time. And it wasn’t lost on her that she’d not had this kind of peace since she was a child.

The easy camaraderie of the shifters and their mates was comforting. Ivan was in his element with the group, enjoying the attention, showing his mother how he’d learned to shift back and forth, quickly, easily, and seamlessly. Sara bit back the tears as she watched her little one showing off his newly learned skill.

“Look, Mama.” He growled and shifted again into a little bear, stood on his hind legs and let out a roar.

“That’s wonderful.”

I hate that I have to take you away from all this and back to a miserable life on the road with just your mother for company.

Joe’s dark gaze bored into her. She wondered if he could read her mind.

Of course not, don’t be silly,
she chastised herself.

But yet, there was something about the way he watched her, as if he knew something. As if he were privy to her darkest secrets.

“So, where are you from?” Kelsey asked.

Sara froze.
Here we go.
The questions she didn’t want to answer.

“She’s from Canada,” Joe answered.

“What shifter family?” Kane put his fork in his mouth, but the tone that he’d used raised a question within Sara.

“I don’t have a family.” Sara hoped her tone would dissuade more conversation on the topic.

But it didn’t. They all stared at her, waiting.

Fine, but I’m not going into detail and I’m not telling them about Crossroads.
“They were killed.”

“That’s something many of us have experience with,” Astra said, her eyes glowing. “You’ll be safe here.” She said it with such assurance that Sara had to wonder why she was so sure.

“She’s right,” Doc agreed. “There are several of us, and among us we have a network of friends that extends across several continents.”

She wasn’t going to risk their lives to find out if they really could keep her safe. She wasn’t going to do that to them. And she wasn’t doing that to Joe. They simply didn’t understand. And she couldn’t explain Crossroads to them.

“This is great.” She pointed to the pot roast with her fork. “Tell Mae thank you.” She wondered who Mae was.

“You’ll get a chance to tell her yourself.” Doc glanced at his phone. “She said she’d stop by after she closed up shop and delivered the soup.”

“You’re staying for a while, right?” Astra got straight to the point.

“I’m not sure.”

“Yes, Mama, let’s stay.” Ivan shoved a piece of garlic toast in his mouth. “I like it here and I want to meet Dominic. He has a cold right now, but he’ll be better tomorrow, maybe.”

Great. Just damned great.

Sara looked down so she wouldn’t be giving anyone a dirty look. This was not working out at all. Now Ivan was on their side.

Their side?
She immediately felt horrible for thinking this way. They’d done nothing but help her and Ivan. Her bear grumbled agreement with that thought.

Yeah, when you’ve been on your own as long as I have, you get this way.

Her bear snarled.

I know you were there. You don’t know what I mean. I was helpless. Powerless. Completely under someone else’s control.

Her bear released a roar that made Sara want to hold her hands over her ears.

I know. I’m sorry. I should have thought about it from your perspective. You were just as powerless. And you couldn’t help me. I’m sorry.

She was sorry. She realized it couldn’t have been easy for her bear to sit back and watch her being manipulated, tortured, pried, prodded, and even raped.

“Sara?” It was Joe.

Everyone was staring at her, concern on their faces. She realized they’d been talking to her. Had they asked her a question?

“Sorry. Lost in thought.” She glanced at Joe.

The way he was looking at her made her nervous. She couldn’t get over the feeling that he knew what was in her mind. In her heart.

“I was saying you could stay with us,” Kelsey repeated. “I run the Bed & Breakfast for Mae. We always have rooms reserved for special visitors.” She smiled at Ivan. “You two are very special visitors.”

“How far along are you?” Sara asked. She’d scented Kelsey’s baby, and she could hear the baby’s heart beating strong inside its mother.

Kelsey gasped.

Teague burst into laughter.

Astra squealed.

Kane and Doc exchanged knowing looks and smiles.

“It was a secret.” Kelsey’s voice was a high-pitched, excited one.

“Like I didn’t know.” Teague took her hand.

“I don’t think I like this. I can’t even surprise you with the good news,” she huffed.

“Maybe you should have told me.” Kelsey gave Teague a mock frown.

Sara felt bad. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it wasn’t public already.”

“It’s okay.” Kelsey reached across and put her hand on Sara’s arm. “We really don’t have many secrets from each other. It’s better that way.” She drew a deep breath in. “I guess a part of me was keeping it quiet because of the last time.” She looked at Teague. “I lost our baby more than two years ago. It was a rough time. When I saw Ivan that day, I was just coming to grip with certain emotions.”

Now Sara understood the sadness that had crossed over her face. “I’m sorry.”

Teague put his arm around Kelsey. “We’ve come to terms with it. We know there was probably a reason that it happened and we don’t question it anymore.” He kissed Kelsey on the forehead and put his hand on her tummy. “Everything’s better now.”

Kelsey nodded.

Tears welled up in Sara’s eyes. She pushed them back. She was happy for what they had, and sad she didn’t have that, and never would. She wondered if she and Joe could ever have had that.

Feeling eyes on her, Sara looked up.

Joe.

His eyes were almost black, his gaze intense. He was looking toward the window. “I’ll be back in a bit. Something I need to take care of.”

Kane and Teague gave him a look as he pushed his chair back from the table. Sara wondered what that look was about.

He was just leaving? Just like that? Leaving her alone? It wasn’t that she didn’t trust all of them, for they gave the vibes off that she could trust them with her life… but still… it was Joe’s home and she was his guest.

He ruffled Ivan’s hair and said, “See you soon, little man.” He grabbed a set of keys from the table next to the door and headed out.

“Bye, Joe,” Ivan called out. “See you soon.”

Odd. What the hell? Just like that, he was gone? “He’s coming back soon, like he said, right?” she asked the others.

“Probably. Not sure what he’s going to do.” Doc frowned, giving a sidelong glance to Kane and Teague.

Something about this worried her. But what could she do? She could be ungracious and leave with Ivan right now, and not get to say goodbye to Joe, or she could have a few moments with him this evening and leave in the middle of the night.

Like a criminal
, her bear reminded her.

Sara ignored it. She wasn’t up to arguing with her bear. Not now. She couldn’t deal with her bear, her emotions about leaving, and her emotions for Joe all at the same time. She had to pick her battles.

She rose from her seat and went to the window to see if she could get a glimpse of Joe. “I wonder what’s so important he had to go.” She had a feeling the shifters knew something.

She saw movement and turned her head in that direction. The first thing she noticed was Joe’s truck. Then she saw a form.

It was Joe, reaching into his truck. She bit back a gasp when she saw he’d pulled out a box with a handle. She knew what kind of box that was. That it housed a rifle. What would he be doing with a rifle?

She kept watching. He leaned in again and pulled out…

A pair of tomahawks? Really? Did those things even exist except in tourist areas and kids’ toys?
Shows how much I know. I guess I’ve never really been around any Native American people. Not the kind who would carry or have any of those.

She turned back to the shifters at the table. She knew better than to think that Joe was hunting. Not now. Not while everyone was here. “Why would Joe have a rifle?”

“Joe used to be a sniper.” Doc’s words were matter-of-fact.

“I thought he was in the rodeo,” Kelsey said. “That’s what Marti told me.”

“He was that too, but he was a sniper before that. One of the best, according to Grant. Not that Joe will talk about it.”

So why is he taking a rifle out?
Sara didn’t like where this was making her mind go.

“I think I’ll take a walk.” She had to find out what Joe was up to. For some reason it plagued her greatly. She looked at Kelsey. “Can I leave Ivan with you?”

“Of course. Always.” Kelsey got up from the table and picked up a book. “Let’s read, Ivan.”

“Kelsey.” Sara choked on the lump that had decided to set up residence in her throat.

“Yes?” Ivan in her lap, Kelsey looked up from the book they were reading.

“Nothing.” Sara turned away, then abruptly turned back. “I don’t have family.” She swallowed hard, willing the lump away, but it only grew bigger and bigger. “I don’t have anyone. If anything ever happened…”

“Hey, now,” Kane said.

Astra put her arm around her. “Nothing’s going to happen. I promise you.”

That’s a promise you can’t keep. You have no idea what I’m up against.

She had to get the thought out. “Seriously. If anything should. Ivan… I’d like…”

Fuck. Fuck!

She couldn’t get the words out. She tried to clear her throat but it was too dry and there was nothing to clear it with.

“I will,” Kelsey said.

That was all Kelsey said, but it was all that Sara needed. “Thank you.” She knelt and kissed Ivan on his head. His hair was soft against her lips. She fought back the urge to squeeze him with all her might, to shift and take him away from the world.

God damn the Crossroads people.

She had to go see what Joe was up to. And make sure he wasn’t wandering a forest alone, where he could be hurt.