Falling for the Shifter Box Set, page 15
part #1 of Falling for the Shifter Series
The movement causes them both to tumble to the floor. Oleg roars loudly and bares his sharp teeth before sinking them into Tarben’s arm. Tarben howls then responds by snapping at Oleg’s head, his mouth grabbing hold of Oleg’s ear and ripping it away from him.
It’s bloody and brutal.
Oleg howls a soul shivering cry. I expect at any moment that the room is going to be overrun by his men to help him win this fight, but no-one comes. It occurs to me that this part of the house must be sound proofed. It would make sense given the experiments that he needs to conduct up here. Who knows what the women below would think if they heard a fellow friend screaming for mercy as they tried to deliver something that should never be born?
The two bears continue to claw and bite each other until there is a thick pool of blood on the floorboards. Whose blood, I can no longer tell, although it is probably a combination of both.
This whole time I’ve been waiting in the corner for the right moment to help Tarben win. I’m beginning to think that moment won’t come.
Oleg slams Tarben against the wall near me. His back hits a bulletin board that is next to a desk and it falls to the floor. Photos, papers and notes flutter everywhere. I look away from the pictures, grateful that many of them land face down.
Tarben growls in pain. That last hit must have hurt, even with the super juiced up concoction he injected into himself. I need to do something soon.
They both fall onto a desk chair. Wood splinters fly in all directions, a small projectile hits me in the leg. Searing pain splinters through me and I wince, but keep my composure. I need to be ready when the time is right. My pain is nothing compared to what Tarben must be feeling right now.
I pull the piece of wood from my shin. It’s not bad. I’ll live. That’s more than I can say for Tarben. He’s losing. But not for long, if I can help it.
Oleg leaps on top of Tarben. He roars with excitement as he brings his mouth down onto Tarben’s throat and begins to crush his jaw. Even with his super strength, Tarben will not be able to hold off this attack.
I take my chance. I’ll either fail and we’ll both die, or this will save us. God, I hope it’s the latter.
I take a running jump and land on Oleg’s back. His teeth are still wrapped around Tarben’s throat when I bring the knife down at the top of his neck. I hope I’ve positioned the knife in the right spot. I twist it to make sure.
It won’t kill him, of course, even if I have managed to hit his spinal cord. But it should slow him down enough that Tarben can gain the upper hand. That’s what I’m counting on.
Oleg roars out and releases his teeth from Tarben’s neck. I fall off his back and onto the ground with a hard thud. I’ll have some large bruises after this, but that’s nothing.
As soon as I’m off them, Tarben kicks up and Oleg is lifted into the air. For a moment it seems like he’s floating in slow motion.
As he comes down, Tarben extends all four of his paws, razor claws out. Each of his claws pierces a different spot on Oleg’s body. Heart, chest, abdomen, head.
A gush of red pours from Oleg’s body, but he’s not dead. I slip in the blood as I try and get to my feet, scrambling to get away from them. I search the ground for the gun and see that it’s been kicked under a cupboard. I dive for it, hoping it has bullets left. Maybe now that Oleg is weak, the gun will finally work in taking him down for good.
Oleg turns his attention to me. The distraction is all Tarben needs and he hits the knife blade sticking out of Oleg’s neck in deeper with his paw until I see the blade tip appear at the front side of his throat.
He slumps onto the ground in a furred heap.
“Is he dead?” I ask. I’m breathing heavily like I was the one fighting. It’s that intense.
Tarben shifts back to human form and bends down to feel for Oleg’s pulse. He is saturated in blood, deep gashes made from claws and bite marks cover his body.
“I can’t tell,” says Tarben. He falters and falls back. I fear he has been hurt badly.
Just then, Oleg’s eyes flicker open and he lunges for me. I kick the gun to Tarben who grabs it and fires it straight into Oleg’s forehead.
Oleg’s body writhes in agony as he shifts back into human form. When he stops moving I can tell that this time, he is very much dead.
Tarben limps over to me and holds me close. I can feel his heart pounding against his ribs. “It’s over,” he says as he strokes my hair. “He can’t hurt anyone again. It’s all over.”
~
Tarben hands over the last envelope filled with money to Maggie. He insisted we do this with all of the people here before he sought medical treatment for himself. Luckily there was a lot he could do here first with so many supplies in the makeshift surgery.
I’m surprised that no one seems to question their instructions to forget what happened here and get on with their lives.
Not the men, not the women. I assume it has something to do with the three hundred thousand dollars that has been given to each of them.
“What’s going to happen to the ones that are already pregnant?”
Tarben looks at me with sad eyes. “They’ve been told what they are carrying and what will happen. It’s their choice now.”
I narrow my eyes and watch as they walk out of the mansion, thinking about their fates. I’m glad I’ll never have to make a decision as painful and difficult as the one they have to face.
One the men, Jackson, reaches over to shake Tarben’s hand. “It’s really over.”
Tarben nods. “It really is.”
“Still can’t believe it. Freedom.”
I walk outside and let Jackson and Tarben talk. I imagine that the men who were here will go and try and live normal lives now. As normal as they can be given their altered DNA.
Tarben comes up behind me. He places his arm on my shoulder.
“What’s going to happen to this place?” I ask.
“Jackson is going to organize a crew to knock it down.”
“Destroy it?”
He nods solemnly.
“Good,” I say. “This place is evil.”
Tarben takes a moment to look over the yard. I don’t ask him what he’s thinking. I don’t have to. “Ready to leave?” he asks.
“Are you strong enough?”
“I’ll make the trip.” He limps back into the house and I follow him back inside.
“Yes, I’m ready to leave,” I say. “I hate this place.”
He looks around and shakes his head as he exhales. “Yeah, so do I.”
Chapter 8
I smile as the two women approach, laughing as they walk past me. They wave to me and keep walking toward the stream ahead. They know we live here, they’ve been told about the strange couple who live in a cave near the stream, but they have no interest in stopping to talk. Just as well, I’ve never been good with people, although lately I’ve become much friendlier. It probably has something to do with living out here amongst the trees. Peace and fresh air will do that to you.
As they disappear I continue to work in the small garden that I’ve started. I’m attempting to grow sage. Tarben is going to try sage and lemon chicken from scratch as soon as it’s grown, instead of heating up a packet of it from his growing freezer collection of food. I swear, I have no idea how he stays so lean.
I hear padded paws behind me and a large brown bear rises on its feet and stands above me.
Six months ago this would have terrified me.
“How is Pete? We really should have him over for dinner once the weather gets warmer.”
After a loud pop and crackle Tarben appears before me. Naked, of course. “He’s met a girl, looks like it might be serious.”
I grin. “Oh good, we can double date and go to lunch together at The Cheesecake Factory.”
Tarben plays along with the joke. “Let’s go now, I’m starving.” He walks toward the path. I watch his firm naked buttocks move with each step.
“Or we could stay in.” I walk over to him and glide my hand over his strong shoulder which is slippery with the sweat that has soaked his skin after his run. I move in front of him and continue to trace my fingers along his muscled flesh. The small scars that run across his chest are starting to turn into silvery lines. The bullet wound barely visible now. All of the angry red wounds are fading as fast as my memories of that day.
He lifts my chin and I meet his gaze. “You have something in mind?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” I say. “It involves both of us getting very wet.”
He lifts his eyebrow and a slow smile creeps onto his lips. “I thought you wanted to go to lunch?”
“Could we do both at the same time?”
“Sure, I could fuck you on the table while everyone is watching. Show the world who you belong to.”
I know he’s only teasing me and wouldn’t actually do that in public, but nevertheless the image is alluring and makes me want him even more. I turn to walk toward our cave.
Faster than I expect he’s in front of me. His eyes are glazed with lust. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist feeling his erection grow stronger.
“You’re going to have me out here?”
The smell of fresh pine needles fills the air. I can tell he’s contemplating it. “Tonight, when there are less people around, I will.”
I kiss him deeply and he carries me toward our home. The door is open but he shuts it behind us, closing out the world. Now it’s only us.
Our bedroom is at the back of the cave. A newly dug out private room with a skylight to let in the morning sun. With no bed in the living room now, it’s made the main room large and inviting and big enough for my desk and computer. Not that I care about them in this moment, as Tarben gently nibbles my neck and carries me across the room.
Desire bursts through my body as Tarben reaches the bedroom door and pushes it open with his foot. My breathing speeds up, matching my already quickening pulse. He knows the power he has over me.
I wrap my hand around the back of his neck to support myself as his lips meet mine with a consuming passion. If he wasn’t so strong the force would have knocked me back, but his arms hold me tight as I let him take control.
I glide my hands over his hard muscles. They are slick and slippery from his sweat, but the rawness only makes me want him more. He does the same with my own body, reaching desperately to pull me as close as I can get to him.
As we fall backward onto the soft bed, his hands feverishly grab the edges of my clothes, quickly pulling them away from my hot flesh until I’m as naked as he is.
I reach for him, wanting him to be inside me now. The trip from outside to inside has already been too long to wait.
He groans as he buries his mouth into the curve of my hip and starts his journey down.
I arch my back in response, lifting my hips up so he can reach my sex easily. I moan softly as I anticipate his tongue on me.
“Tarben,” I say breathlessly. “Oh god, yes.”
His hands wrap around my ass and his demanding tongue begins to devour me like it’s the sweetest thing he has ever tasted. I’m beside myself with desire. He could do anything to me now and I’d agree.
I’m at the brink of orgasm when he takes his mouth away from me.
I whimper in response, wanting desperately for release.
He moves up my body and kisses me gently.
“Bear’s mate for life,” he says.
I stare at him, still not sure why he’s stopped pleasuring me. “You’re not a bear,” I respond.
“Jade.” He pauses, locking eyes with me. “I love you and want to be with you forever. That’s what I meant. I want to be with you and only you.”
“Forever.” I let the idea of being with Tarben for the rest of my life roll around in my head. It’s clear that there is no one else in the world for me, and I know he feels the same way. Even so, forever seems so real, so permanent.
Six months ago, I would have run from the suggestion that I spend forever with someone, now I don’t have any hesitation at all. “I love that plan,” I say truthfully. “But if you call me your mate, I’m going to have to stab you in the stomach again.”
He grins and bites my bottom lip. “Deal.”
His swollen manhood is resting on my thigh and I move to the left so it hovers near my entrance. I still want him. Even after this proclamation of love I need to come, my body is aching for release.
“Fuck me, Tarben.”
He doesn’t need to be asked twice. He grips my hips and thrusts into me. I wrap my legs around his waist as I feel his large girth fill me.
I reach around his back and claw his skin trying to pull him closer and deeper. He growls slowly as he dives into me, again and again.
Yes. Oh holy fuck, yes.
Tarben kisses across my cheek and nibbles my earlobe. His hot breath glides across my neck and it’s making me crazy. I suck back a low guttural moan as it escapes my lips.
I’m so close.
Tarben’s breath is ragged and heavy and he reaches up and grabs my hair, tangling his fist in it as he pulls my head back. My neck is exposed to his mouth which he covers with long slow sucks, tasting the saltiness of my skin.
He increases his pace inside me until I’m lost to everything except him. Our bodies are grinding together in a feverish dance, unable to get enough of each other.
I’m ... going ... to ...
Tarben cries out in a loud roar as his body shakes. He presses his hips as close to me as he can.
Fire pulses through me at the same time. “Oh yes. Tarben! Tarben!” I shake with the intensity of the ecstasy that rushes through my body. I cry out again.
I’m exhausted, my body still quivers, when Tarben rolls off me. He’s panting heavily. We both look up at the ceiling and the sun that lights the room though the small skylight.
“That was amazing,” he says.
“You’re amazing,” I reply.
He rolls onto his side propping his head up with his hand. “I was serious before, it wasn’t just an in-the-moment thing.” He reaches over and curls a messy stray strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear.
“I know.” I smile. “I can tell when you’re messing with me now, and I know when you’re serious.”
He lifts a brow and curls his lips up in a smile. “So you’ll be with me forever?”
“Yes.” I lean over and kiss his lips. “Yes, Tarben I’m yours. Forever.”
~ THE END ~
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Tully Belle
Tully Belle, Falling for the Shifter Box Set
