Page 24 of Shifter's Homecoming

Even from her distance, she could see the baby had a shock of hair that looked like flames, which made the baby, Kendra. The man holding her was Graeme, and Graeme was not a wolf, he was a dragon. She imagined she could see the air around them shimmer with the heat Troy said they gave off. The baby was unable to control her temperature.

Reed could still barely believe dragons existed. She hadn’t fully accepted Troy could turn into a wolf yet, and he’d done it in front of her at least a dozen times in the last forty-eight hours. She’d seen his teeth, she’d touched his fur. She could almost believe it. But … adragon?

She’d grilled Troy about it. It had been the night before. They’d been in the bathtub and he’d been alternately sucking on her toes just because he said he wanted to try it, and telling her about VF, otherwise known as Village Fucktastic, where most everybody lived.

Reed had snickered at Village Fucktastic every time she heard it, and she snickered again. The nickname was stupid, but it was evocative. Village Fucktastic was where she lived now and from her perspective, it was living up to its name.

She relived the conversation in her mind.

“Dragons don’t exist,” she sighed as Troy massage her right foot.

“Dragons do exist, but they have always been men who could turn into dragons, and they are calleddragen. Graeme might be the last one. He killed the rest of them because they were blood-thirsty, but he’s not blood-thirsty. He’s cool. He turns into a real dragon, he can grow to any size he wants, including tiny, and he breathes fire and all. His young hasn’t shifted yet, and no one knows if she will or not, but she’s so hot they can’t even put her on the ground or she’ll melt it, and she can talk, too. She’s not quite two months old, but she speaksruhiperfectly. “

Reed shook her head slowly. It had been a lot to take in, to wrap her head around. She believed it, and yet, she didn’t believe it at the same time. She almost felt like she could be burned by the baby, and still not quite believe it.

And here in front of her, was the guy himself, Graeme, looking like an ordinary man, if a little imposing, definitely solidly built. Comparing him to the wolves though, Reed definitely found him to be a bit more… aristocratic-looking, maybe a bit more… closed off.

She walked slowly toward them, coming up slightly behind the man and to his left, trying to think of what she was going to say.

When she got there, all she could manage was, “Hey, ah, the tree over there—” she pointed, feeling like a moron, “— it ah, it told me I should talk to you.” She spoke quietly hoping not to disturb the baby.

The man swung around to look at her and his warm smile told her that he hadn’t found anything she’d said idiotic. Inside the window he was standing near, Reed heard a deep and mellow male voice speaking fluidly and melodiously, like he was telling a story.

“Aye,” Graeme said to her, capturing her attention. “Yer leaving to find Trent soon?” His brogue was not too thick, and definitely pleasant to listen to.

She nodded, taking a peek into Kendra’s face. The baby looked perfectly normal, except for thathair. She was dressed in some sort of a onesie, although Reed wasn’t sure how it didn’t catch on fire.Dragenmagic of some sort. Reed could feel the heat from her, like a blast from the hottest oven.

“Yes, in a few days,” Reed told him. “Trevor said someone named Canyon is preparing our itinerary.”

Graeme nodded heavily. “Expect to be driving up in a red Ferrari, then, stocked full of booty shorts for Troy.”

That surprised a laugh out of Reed. “Because of the Tom Selleck mustache?” It was already growing back. Troy inspected it every time he passed a mirror… or a window or a toaster.

“Aye.” Graeme grinned at her.

“Really? They would do that? The police officers?”

“You’ll see soon enough.” He searched her face. “Your briefing is tomorrow. I’ll be there, and I’ll tell you and everyone everything the trees think you should know.”

Her briefing.Her briefing?

She nodded and backed up a step. “Ok, see you then,” she said. She gave a tiny wave, and she turned and headed for the house. She wanted to find Troy; she had several questions in her mind. She had a briefing tomorrow? What did that mean? With who? Why did Graeme know and she didn’t?

Behind her, and above her, the sun painted a brighter orange through the sky. A sliding glass door to the main house opened and shut, and there was Troy, coming to findher.Sweet, simple, hot-as-sin Troy with the innocent smile and the wicked-hard abs. He wolf-whistled at her and she blushed, hating the blush but loving the whistle. He loped her way with a purpose, looking like a wolf even as a man. She thought he was going to kiss her, but he actually moved in close, bent and picked her up in a fireman’s carry, then sprinted with her towards their cabin. She shrieked and called his name, then beat on his back with her closed fists, laughing.

Troy made it to the cabin and carried her inside, through the living room, all the way to the back bedroom, then set her down gently on the bed. He covered her body with his, his breathing deep and a little ragged already, the idea in his head perfectly clear. She was ready for him.

Her questions about the briefing dropped out of her head, as she let her man give her pleasure after pleasure after pleasure.

15 - Thrown from the Meadow

Trent’s mate came out from the room walking fast and not looking at him. She was beautiful. She was gorgeous. She was his, intended for him and him alone and her scent told him that again and again. He could not ignore it. He could not shut it down. He could not resist it.

Troy’s eyes were on him. Troy paced in front of him, throwing shut-the-fuck-up glances at him.

Trent ignored him and watched his mate closely. She skirted the room, staying far away from him and Troy, and still did not look at them. She was tall and slender. Not as tall as Troy, but taller than say, Ella. She had blonde, soft-looking hair in a messy bun at the nape of her neck. Her pants were tan, her shoes sensible, and the whole outfit was covered by a tapered, white lab coat.

He frowned, realizing his mate was… human? Did he know that for sure? He scented hard, knowing he couldn’t scent shit without his wolf, but still trying to catch something.

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