Chapter 17 #2
He halted and turned to face her. “There is a private area over to the right there, just past those trees. Why don’t we disrobe and attempt our shifts where no one else can see?”
“Yes.”
Secs later, she found herself in a clearing surrounded by trees. A fountain splashed into a shallow pond, the musical sound competing with the still invisible chortling bird.
“Do you remember how you did it?”
Gweneth frowned. “Sort of. Changing back seemed easier. I pictured my human self and concentrated on how my limbs felt.”
“Perfect. You’d better take off your tunic. It’s too pretty to rip during the shift.”
Gweneth had worn her favorite set of underwear for the meeting too, because she’d wanted to feel good about herself. Confident. He’d noticed. Job done. “Good idea. Turn around.”
“I’ve seen you before. You’re beautiful.”
His pretty green eyes glowed with truth and memories.
“Turn around.” She gestured with her hand—a circle of sorts—and caught the flash of disappointment that dampened his expression. “You distract me.”
“Oh.” He sounded much happier. Male smugness, and she couldn’t find it in her to puncture his ego.
She loved this shifter, even if he took his time to get with her program.
While she didn’t doubt his depth of feelings for her, he needed to learn to love himself.
“Take off your tunic. I want to see your arm.”
“You’ll have to turn around for that.” There went that smugness again. She found herself grinning.
“I’m still wearing my bra.” She turned to face him and met his male appreciation.
“Still a pretty view.”
“Thank you. Can I touch?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
She stroked her hand over the cap of his shoulder and down the stump.
Warm flesh beneath her fingertips. His normal flesh merged with the ghostly arm.
Almost transparent yet perfect, with no visible joint.
The skin of his Incorporeal arm felt much cooler and more solid than she’d expected, given its ghostly appearance.
“Amazing. I can’t see where it links. Scratch the back of your head. Touch the tip of your nose.”
He followed her directions, mirth shining in his eyes. “Anything else?”
“Yes, I’m going to try to shift. Will my bones hurt in the same way?”
“Yes. You get used to it.”
“You could have lied.”
“You don’t like lies. You’ve told me so.”
Gweneth sighed. “True. At least I know you’re listening to me.”
“I’ve listened to everything you’ve told me. I’m trying to be the man you need.”
“Ellard, you are the man I need. You just need to believe it yourself.”
He stared at her for an extended sec then nodded. “Picture your feline in your mind and focus on running with me in feline form.”
Without taking her gaze from him, Gweneth unclipped her bra and let it fall to the ground.
She caught his open admiration as she shut her eyes, and it took a while to gather her thoughts.
Slowly, she painted the picture of a sleek black feline in her mind.
She willed herself to shift but nothing happened.
“Take it easy. It’s hardest the first few times.”
Ellard’s soft words and encouragement flowed over her and the tension in her shoulders faded.
Her skin started to tingle, her bones throbbed.
Her mind wanted her to stop but the feline part of her rejoiced in this opportunity.
Her skin prickled with greater intensity and her breath caught at the jagged pain that leapt over her body.
She cried out, panic pushing her pulse rate to a gallop.
“Good job, kitten. Just a little more,” came Ellard’s calming voice.
The last part of the shift happened with a rush.
Fur rippled over her torso, her bones lengthened, reshaped.
Sharp teeth sprang into prominence, and she fell forward onto all fours.
The pain ceased, the rush of senses taking her by surprise.
Color popped and everything appeared sharper. Her sight. Her hearing.
Beside her, Ellard shifted with what appeared little effort, his ghostly arm morphing smoothly as Niran had promised.
He stalked over to her and rubbed his head against hers.
His shifted form dwarfed hers, yet she felt not a scrap of fear, especially when he purred.
Then, he threw back his head and roared, a sound of victory and celebration.
The thud-thud-thud of running feet had them both turning, Ellard slightly in front of her in a protective stance.
Ry came to a skidding halt with Nanu and Kaya behind him. Lynx and Shiloh appeared secs later, and everyone stared at them.
“Who is that?” Kaya demanded. “I can see through—Ellard, is that you? Who is with you? If you’ve been playing around on Gweneth, I’m gonna flatten you.” She took two steps forward, halting when Ry seized her.
Shiloh folded his arms across his chest and broke into a grin. “Gweneth, have you been holding out on us?”
“That’s Gweneth?” Ry demanded.
“Pretty sure,” Lynx said. “Gweneth and Ellard came out here to talk, and that’s Ellard.”
Gweneth padded up to Ry and sat on her haunches before him. Ry hauled off his black tunic and tossed it aside. “Anyone else want a run?”
Lynx let out a whoop and flung off his tunic. Secs later, both he and Shiloh were in feline form, running through the trees.
“Not fair,” Kaya huffed, her nose lifting.
“We’ll go for a drink instead,” Nanu said.
Gweneth went to them and rubbed against their legs. A purr emerged as they petted her while Ellard waited for her. A purr! Then she bounded off, tearing after Ellard and the others for a game of chase. Exhilaration roared through her with each leap and jump. Best game ever.
“Did you enjoy that?” Ellard asked.
Gweneth placed her palm on the keypad at the entrance to her suite. “I loved it. Everything seems so much more. I could hear small animals scurrying through the forest, and I could see more and the colors. So vibrant.”
“Some felines see in color,” Ellard said as they entered. “Others in black and white. That seems to run in families.”
“I’m going to sanitize.” Gweneth hesitated then nodded as she came to a decision. “Would you like to join me?”
“Yes.”
The immediate agreement suffused her with pleasure, and she took his hand and led him straight to the sanitizer room. “We haven’t finished our talk.”
“Sounds ominous.”
“It’s not, but I want you to understand what I need from you. Love isn’t enough.”
“It’s not?”
Gweneth turned on the sanitizer and started to strip.
“I need to be able to count on you. If, for example, something happens to your arm, you can’t decide you’re not good enough for me again.
This is the last time I’m going to tell you.
I like what is in here.” She tapped on his head.
“And here.” She placed her hand over his heart.
“Physical appearance doesn’t matter to me. ”
Ellard hesitated. “I promise to try. I can’t guarantee I won’t make mistakes, but I will try hard to remain positive.” He stared at his arm. “Missing an arm—it makes me vulnerable. I can’t protect you.”
“I don’t need protection. I need a man who will stand and fight at my side.”
“We’ve already done that.”
“And we were good at it.” The twinkle in his eyes abraded some of her determination, and she castigated herself, bolstering her reserves.
It was important that he understood and accepted her conditions.
She stepped inside the sanitizer and held out her hand again.
He whisked his tunic over his head and stripped off his remaining clothes and footwear with quick efficiency. “I love you, Ellard.”
“I don’t know why I fought so hard,” Ellard whispered and tugged her against his chest. “I found it hard to believe my luck.”
“Not luck. Design,” Gweneth said.
“I love you too. I do.”
“I know it,” Gweneth said. “That part was never an issue.”
“I want a proper mating.”
Gweneth pulled away. “If we do that, there is no going back.”
“I know. Do you love me enough to take a leap of faith?”
Gweneth stared at his plain face, his pretty green eyes, his ghostly arm, and the glint of the green jewels from his new ring. She thought of how she’d feel if something happened to Ellard, if he turned to another woman.
A feline growl escaped her and his eyes widened. “What?”
“Yes, but I’m warning you if I find you slipping and behaving as if—”
He blocked the rest of her words with a kiss.
A soft kiss. A tender kiss. A kiss that said so much more than mere words.
She wound her arms around his neck and leaned into his strength.
Gradually, the kiss went from sweet to demanding, and his hands—both his hands skimmed down her back, pulling her even closer.
“Gweneth,” he whispered.
She pulled away and briskly washed. “Ready to dry.”
He followed suit and nodded. She hit the dry control. The dry cycle clicked off.
“I’m tired. I need a rest,” she said.
“I find myself in need of a break too. My second-in-charge is capable of conducting the training this cycle.” His gaze caressed her face and body and slid back to focus on her hair.
A rash of goose bumps broke out on her skin—the good type that spelled excitement and eagerness for the coming cycle portions. “Could you take your hair down for me?”
“Of course.” Naked, she padded to her sleep chamber, her fingers busily working through her braid and loosening the strands.
She hadn’t thought about her hair while she shifted.
A fascinating process since her braid had remained intact.
She’d bet makeup would stay in place too.
A happy thing since she wanted to look her best, not only for Ellard but for herself.
A snort emerged. Well, maybe she did put some stock in appearances after all.
She tested the thought and nodded. It was more a fastidious cat thing to do with cleanliness and grooming.