Hunting Party (Bear Lodge Shifters Book 1) Read online

  Jake just stared at him, his heart hammering in his ears.

  He can't possibly mean that. He has to be kidding. Our family will die out without true matings with humans, and he can't expect me to be happy with sending Anna away now that I have found her.

  “You're kidding, right?”

  “No, I'm quite serious. Break up with her now, lose her telephone number and squash any urge to chase after her. Your future happiness depends on it. Not to mention that I can find you an infinitely more suitable mate.”

  His father didn't blink enough as he said this. He kept tenting and untenting his fingers together, and his expression had an unsteadiness that made the hair on the back of Jake's neck prickle.

  “I can't possibly do that. Nor could anyone else be expected to do it. Could you have done it yourself? Left Mother behind to... protect yourself?”

  His father stared at him silently for a long moment. Then he said very quietly, “I wasn't given the chance.”

  “I can't change that. But it doesn't mean that suddenly we should all abandon any chance at happiness. Father, she's a great girl. If you only knew her—”

  “She's human.” His tone went flat. “They are a flawed species, fated to never truly understand us, which is why we must live in secret among them. They are violent, they are destructive, they are ruining this planet, and the less contact we have with them, the better off we are.”

  Jake gaped. It was dawning on him now, something he had suspected but had always denied. Now he couldn't deny it, and it horrified him. His father hadn't just gone bitter and withdrawn and workaholic over the years since Mother's death.

  He had gone insane.

  “I... can't... set her aside like that. And you shouldn't assume the right to ask.”

  His tone was very careful.

  “I see.” His father stood up, and Jake stood with him. “You may stay for the weekend, and after that I don't wish to see her on the premises again. You have my condolences in being unable to escape her grip. I do understand how hard that can be, even if you do not believe it. I hope you are able to come to your senses soon.”

  Jake scowled at him and lifted his and Anna's bags.

  “Where Anna's concerned, I don't want to come to my senses,” he growled, and glared back at his father.

  Then he turned and walked out.

  Chapter 3 -

  Stolen Moments

  Jake took her part-way down the southeast side of the mountain, to a hidden waterfall which sprouted from the rock and gave steam from its heated water as it fell hundreds of feet into a shadowy basin. “It's the same water that heats the building,” he explained. “This is where it comes out once it goes through the filters. The water's mineralized. You can bathe in the hot springs at the bottom of the falls.”

  “We should definitely go.” She puffed along beside him, wishing she wasn't so out of practice on genuinely steep slopes. The autumn evening chill clung damply to her cheeks, and to the gaps between her sleeves and her gloves. “If you really think we are okay to stay this weekend after all—”

  “Yeah. My Father's being an ass, but he'll be busy with whatever this hunting event is. I'll show you around. It's okay. Besides, I have some friends who are part of the Lodge and one or two of them might show up. I'd love to introduce you to Helga or Darrin.”

  “I get it. If they do come around, I'll say hello, promise. Do you come up here a lot?”

  “No, not since I was a kid. Once you become an adult they expect you to make your mark somehow before they'll offer you a membership. They figured graduating UC with honors was good enough, so now I can visit.” He heard a crashing in the brush and his head jerked to the side. She looked where he was looking, but saw nothing in the lengthening shadows.

  “But bringing guests is unusual?” She paused at the top of a ridge to look out over the misty valley, which was stained pink by the setting sun. “...Look at that.”

  “Yeah, it's awesome.” He came back and slipped an arm around her, looking out at the scene. “The Lodge only allows certain kinds of guests. I couldn't bring my poker buddies up. But you? You're special.”

  “How special?”

  He chuckled, and it sounded a little nervous. “I... well, I'm pretty crazy about you already. I hope you feel the same way because, um... even with my Father being so weird, it's still the truth. I don't take just anyone here. You... I... there's a lot we don't know about each other yet. I brought you up to help change that. It's private, and beautiful.” He was being huge and awkward and adorable again, and she felt a flush come to her cheeks.

  “Yeah, yeah it is.” She took a deep breath, bracing herself. Time to be a little sensible. She tried to do it gently. “Jake, this is all going pretty fast. We just met four days ago.”

  He stiffened slightly again, and gave her a look so worried and vulnerable that she wanted to hug him to make it go away. But she didn't mean any harm; she was just careful. In her experience, whirlwind romances led nowhere good.

  “Look, I don't want to freak you out or anything,” he admitted finally, gently. “It's a thing with my family, though. We fall fast and hard. If you don't feel the same, or if you're still figuring things out...” his voice got a little fast and stammered with worry. It was more vulnerable than she had ever seen him. He was normally the last guy to lose control. But for some reason he just couldn't handle the idea that she might, possibly, not want him in return.

  “You don't freak me out,” she replied softly as she watched a flock of geese fly southward across the setting sun. “I am still kind of figuring things out. But so far I really like being with you.” Her voice was toned to soothe him, and he relaxed slightly. “It's the pace. You seem so... rushed. Like you're afraid I'll disappear on you or something.”

  Jake went a little pale and his gaze turned inward, as if he was remembering something unpleasant from long ago. “It's happened before,” he said simply, his tone desolate for a moment.

  She gazed up at him, then sighed softly and came over to hug him tightly. She tucked her head under his chin and squeezed as hard as she could. “It's not happening right now. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.”

  He hugged her firmly in response, rocking her and burying his nose in her hair. “Baby, I'm so glad to hear that. One day I'll tell you why. There are bad stories in my family. Let's not bring them up now, it'll kill the mood for the whole damn weekend.”

  “Okay,” she replied gently, suddenly able to put Jake's clinginess and his father's coldness into perspective. The first thing she had noticed, after all, was that there was no mother to go with Jake's father on the helipad, and that Jake had never mentioned her. “Okay.”

  She perked up suddenly, looking down the far side of the ridge, at a clearing maybe a quarter mile away. A huge grizzly lumbered into view, a haunch of deer in its jaws. “Oh wow. Look at that.”

  “Oh, yeah. That one's huge. We get some pretty big bears around here.” He seemed more excited than unnerved, and he made her feel safe enough that she stood her ground watching.

  “Your Father... doesn't hunt bears, does he?” She couldn't keep the worry out of her voice.

  He blinked down at her. “Um, no. No. You don't mess with the apex predator in an area, they maintain the health of the prey herds.”

  “I'm... just checking. I like bears, and your Father seems pretty cold-hearted.”

  “Not when it comes to environmental stuff. So... you like bears, huh?” He sounded weirdly happy to hear that.

  “Yeah, yeah I do.” She watched the bear stop and lean back against a tree, idly chowing down.

  Jake kissed the top of her head, and she tilted her head back and offered her mouth. He captured it with a soft, contented growl.

  The kiss lingered as they stood, arms around each other in the fading light. The bear gave a little groaning roar from its spot in the clearing, and then the rustles in the bushes slowly got further and further away.

  They broke the kiss finally, an
d exchanged a look that was full of heat and promise. Without a word, they both hurried back up the trail toward the lodge. Her lungs were burning by the time she made it to the lobby door, but she didn't mind at all.

  The suite Jake's father had lent them was on the small side, with a picture window overlooking the gorge and the falls. She had stood getting used to the view earlier, when waiting for her lover to finish talking to his father, but hadn't had a chance to explore the bedroom before Jake had come to meet her. She caught a glimpse coming through the door of a broad platform bed muffled with denim-covered down comforters. That was about all that Anna got to see of it before Jake started kissing and nuzzling her, and nudging her toward the bed in question.

  She pulled off her sweater as she went, and he stripped off his jacket and shirt and then went after the fasteners on her bra. He pulled her against him, both bare now from the waist up, her breasts sliding softly against the hard ridges of muscle covering his chest. He shivered and cupped their sides as he slid his tongue into her mouth, one thigh tucking between hers and rubbing against her. His thumbs slid between them to circle over her nipples, and she gasped and whimpered into his mouth, her knees quickly going too weak to keep her standing.

  He rumbled contentedly and lifted her onto the bed, taking off her boots and then sliding her jeans and leggings down over her legs. She lifted her hips to help him, feeling her stomach go fluttery with anticipation. He pulled her clothes off over her feet and tossed them away, then kissed one of her insteps and ran his hands up her legs slowly and sensually. Then he reached up further, kneading the insides of her thighs and the soft mound between them. She shivered, head falling back as gentle waves of sensation went through her from his slow, meditative caresses. Last night she had learned that with a guy as big as Jake, you really wanted to be relaxed first, so she gave in to the feelings, letting out soft moans as her body readied itself for him.

  He climbed into bed with her, keeping his jeans on for now but kicking off his boots. He flopped down next to her and pulled her over onto his chest, smiling up at her and starting to kiss her lazily again. His mouth was warm and a little raspy from stubble, and he remembered the way she liked him to linger, not moving on or breaking the kiss too soon or abruptly. A little, musical sound of contentment vibrated her throat as she returned the kiss, hands sliding over his back and sides and then teasing down under his belt to caress the tops of his buns with her fingertips.

  He grunted softly and she ran her nails against his skin, making him jerk his hips slightly as he kept kissing her. His hands roamed over her, teasing at her nipples and the hollows of her hips, cupping her back, sliding over her ass. She kneaded his shoulders and chest as she squirmed against him, legs tangling up with his, covering his neck and mouth with kisses. Finally, the heat between them grew too intense, and he groaned and rubbed against her sensually through his jeans, his body trembling and his face lined with frustration.

  She shivered and reached down to undo his belt, sitting back on his thighs to give herself room. The belt leather was stiff with newness, and she struggled with it a moment before sliding the tongue loose and unfastening it.

  He gasped and then sighed softly as she unzipped his fly and slid the jeans off his hips.

  “Oh yeah, baby, that's a relief.”

  “Too big for your britches?” she teased, and he opened an eye and gently bonked her with a pillow. She giggled and kept helping him out of his pants, unstraddling him and kneeling beside him on the bed to pull them off completely.

  “Right now?” He let out a grunt as his erection sprang free and brushed against her leg. “I'd actually say so. And it's all your fault, too.”

  “Oh, my fault? This huge thing?” She leaned down and slid a hand over it, making him shiver. “Wow, don't know my own strength sometimes. Think I should do something about it?” She straddled him again and leaned forward, kissing him softly as her fingers slid up and down his length.

  “Oh yeah, it's... pretty necessary at this... nnnngh... point.” His hips lifted as he thrust reflexively, and she felt the tremor deep in his body.

  “Guess it would be cruel to leave you like this,” she purred, running her palms over his sensitive skin until he panted and his hips rolled slowly.

  “Baby...” he whispered, his voice low and raspy with lust. “You keep teasing and you're going to get it.”

  She grinned down at him. “Promise?”

  His eyes narrowed.

  He seized her suddenly, the power in his arms shocking her as he lifted her off him and flipped her over, setting her on the pillows in one smooth motion. He threw himself over her, pinning her down as she gasped in surprise and delight. Low growls vibrated his throat as he kissed her neck and then worked his lips downward until he was running his mouth over her breast. She tried to caress him in return, but then his mouth closed on her nipple and she moaned, hands burying in his hair instead.

  He had a good memory, handling her just roughly enough, never crossing a line into causing pain or fear. He ran his hands over her back and lifted her against his mouth when he wished to kiss or lick or suckle some part of her, leaving the rest of her squirming as she clutched at him. The whole time his erection brushed against her, his hips moving slowly and reflexively in his impatience to enter her.

  He held on for a long time, teasing her into a trembling, panting frenzy before finally parting her thighs and pushing into her with a long, firm stroke. She groaned through her teeth; it almost hurt a little, stretching her at first, but in a way she loved. He grunted with delight as he sank into her, and then settled into a rhythm, pushing her into the soft nest of the coverlets by the hips, again and again.

  Beyond him she could see the sunset's light dying down to a deep pink as bats flitted above the gorge.

  The scene blurred past her as she hung on for dear life; he pushed into her roughly and sensually, and went faster, igniting a growing spark of pleasure deep in her body.

  Every movement of his flesh against hers stoked it higher, and higher, until she started gasping for air under him and dug her fingernails into his hips.

  She finally arched her back and shoved her body against him, feeling her flesh tighten and tremble around him and then let go in long spasms. She cried out with pleasure, and heard him groaning in her ear as he pounded into her roughly for a few moments. Then he went rigid, bucking his hips a few convulsive times as he moaned hoarsely.

  He caught himself on his arms, just barely, and panted over her.

  “Told you,” he managed to gasp out, and she giggled and wrapped her arms around him while he settled down onto her and laid his head on the pillow next to her cheek.

  “You did... and I'm really glad it wasn't just talk.” She squirmed luxuriantly under him, and then kissed the end of his nose.

  He grinned. “Never is with me, baby.”

  Chapter 4 - Fresh Meat

  Anna and Jake had a late dinner down in the lodge's full-service restaurant around eight. Nobody was around yet; apparently most of the hunting club was arriving on the night helicopter in a few hours. Jake seemed disappointed, but distracted himself showing her affection, which she ate up.

  You know, going way fast or not, this feels really good. This is probably the best start to a relationship I've ever had. I mean, not counting that weirdness with his father, that was awkward as hell.

  They had breakfast for dinner, waffles, venison sausage patties and fruit, with real maple syrup and, just to be contrary, a few beers apiece. They fed each other bites of this and that, and flirted, and were a little shameless around the knowingly-smiling server. And Anna felt... content.

  It should be too soon to say I love this guy. It really should. But I definitely really, really like him. A lot.

  She smiled her way through dinner, and then his flirting got more serious and they hurried back to their room to satisfy themselves again. They made love and napped, and made love and watched the helicopter fly in over the pass, and talked abou
t morning plans of hiking down to the hot springs. Anna called her Mom before it got too late over in California, and told her about the lodge, and the more PG-rated details on how well things were going. Jake teased her a little about it afterward, and she just smiled, knowing he envied her close family relationships. Now and again Jake seemed on the verge of telling her or asking her something, but then would hesitate and talk on about the current subject, or just kiss her. She fell asleep wondering what it was he hesitated to bring up.

  In the morning she woke starving. It was before dawn, and she sat up realizing that this wasn't going to wait until an eight o'clock breakfast call. She wasn't diabetic, but she was sensitive to blood sugar dips, and all the exercise must have burned right through those waffles. Anna sat up, looking back at Jake lying sweetly asleep beside her, and then sighed and headed for the shower.

  She scrubbed off thoroughly, humming despite her grumbling stomach, her body feeling delightfully loose and relaxed. She had half a mind to wear something sexy and cute for the morning, but she wanted to get out hiking fairly early, so instead she pulled on her gear. Good base layer of some high-tech fabric that felt slick against her skin, heavyweight pants, thick wool sweater. She pulled her boots on, leaving her jacket, hat and gloves upstairs for now. No point bringing them down to hunt for a snack; she was headed for the kitchen, not foraging outside in the predawn chill. She kissed Jake gently on her way out, but he was completely asleep still.

  She made her way down to the lobby, which was cavernously deserted at this hour, and looked out, for a delighted minute, through its wall of windows at the mountain view. Then her stomach snarled again, and she turned and headed for the restaurant and the kitchen beyond it.

  She felt a little like an intruder as she poked around through the restaurant, then stuck her head through an archway into the gleaming white and stainless steel kitchen beyond. “Hello?” she called out softly, wondering if nobody in this place ever snacked early, and she was some kind of freak compared to the locals. Finally, she gave up and went for one of the big industrial refrigerators, digging into it and retrieving some sliced strawberries, turkey lunchmeat, and a tomato. She found bread in the pantry, and ate strawberry bits as she made herself a sandwich.