Preview: The Blackstone She-Bear

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THE BLACKSTONE SHE-BEAR PREVIEW

 

 

Four years ago…

Mason Grimes wrestled with his inner animal, attempting to calm the beast down as he entered through the doors of The Den. For fuck’s sake, it’s only a bar.

Fucked up animal that it was, his polar bear was more calm right before a dangerous op than in social situations. And, since he was part of one of the most elite squads of Navy SEALs, dangerous didn’t even begin to describe all the shit he went through in the last nine years.

But then again, this wasn’t an ordinary bar. This was a bar that catered to other shifters, and all the different energies and vibes in the enclosed space made his animal agitated.

He swallowed a snarl when another patron—wolf, based on the stench of wet dog—got too close to him. When he spotted Tim from across the room, he breathed a sigh. His uncle was a good man; rough and gruff on the outside, but the only family who gave a damn about Mason while he was growing up and when things got rough, he was the only one who stepped up.

Tim must have felt his stare, because his head whipped toward Mason. Much like Mason, Tim was a large man, over six-foot-five and sported a beard, but his hair was completely white. He looked looked like an older version of Mason, which made sense, of course, because Tim was his dad’s older brother.

Light blue eyes—also like his own—stared back at him. Surprise flickered across Tim’s face, just for a moment, but by the time Mason reached the bar, the other man had his usual stoic expression on his face.

“Well, boy, nice of you to drop by after all this time.” Tim crossed his arms across his chest, and the red flannel shirt he wore strained against his biceps.

Mason laughed. “Thought you might need your diaper changed, ya old fart.”

Tim’s snowy brows furrowed together. “You volunteerin’?”

“Hell no! I was going to laugh in your face, then get the hell out when you stunk up the room.”

His uncle’s face remained stone-still for a second before he did something rare. Tim threw his head back and let out a loud, belly laugh. It startled the people around them, including the young man working the bar, whose eyes darted nervously from Tim to Mason, and back again.

“Come here, you runt.” Tim grabbed his arm, his meaty hand wrapping around Mason’s elbow.

“I haven’t been a runt since before my growth spurt at seventeen.” Mason returned the gesture and pulled his uncle closer, so they could touch their foreheads in the traditional greeting for polar bears. No one dared make a comment nor did Mason feel weird doing that in front of a whole room of people. After all, he and Tim were the last of their family, and possibly, their kind.

“So,” Tim began when he pulled away, “What brings you to Blackstone?”

“I wanted to see you,” Mason replied.

“Me?” Tim huffed. “It’s been nearly a decade since you left and joined the SEALs. I know what kind of shit they put you through though, so I’m not complainin’. I still get your letters, though. Damn proud of you, boy.”

“I got more news. Good news.”

“Oh yeah?”

Mason nodded. “Got promoted and I’m leading my own unit. It’s a brand new one. Shifter Team Six. An all-shifter team.” The Navy had seen the potential for the use of shifters in their operations. After all, shifters were stronger and faster than normal humans, not to mention, being able to turn into different animals had a distinct advantage. It was a wonder it took them so long to figure that shifters could be an advantage, but then again, the human world wasn’t exactly welcoming of their kind.

“You gonna be leading your own team now?” For the second time that night, Tim did another rare thing—he actually smiled. “I didn’t think I could be any prouder of you. You know your old man would be shitting his pants with happiness if he were here, right?”

Mason managed to smile back, despite the tightening in his throat. “Yeah.”

Tim clapped him on the shoulder. “We should celebrate. The usual?”

Mason nodded and Tim wasted no time getting behind the bar. As owner of The Den, no one stopped him, of course. He reached behind on the shelf for three beer glasses, filled each one from the tap, and brought them over to where Mason was standing. He slid one glass over to Mason, kept the second in front of him, and the third next to the empty spot beside him. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” He clinked his glass to Tim’s and they both took a healthy swig before slamming the glasses down on the bar. Mason’s eyes darted to the untouched glass before looking at his uncle. “So, what’s new, Tim?”

“Not much since you left. Same old, same old.” Tim’s face went back its usual scowl when a loud crash interrupted him. “Speaking of which …. ”

“Go ahead,” Mason said, taking another sip of the beer. “I’ll be here. We can catch up later.”

“Right. You gotta place to stay?”

“I’m fine. Just checked into the Blackstone Motel off 79.”

Tim grunted, then turned, walking out from behind the bar and toward the source of the crash.

Mason shook his head. Though nine years had passed since those couple of months he spent in Blackstone, Tim hadn’t changed one bit. He glanced up at the mirror behind the bar, inspecting his own reflection. With his thick ruddy beard, broad shoulders, and the hardened light in his eyes, he was certainly far from the skinny, tall seventeen-year-old who had arrived in Blackstone all those years ago. Things had turned bad at home and Tim had offered him a place to stay. He’d only stayed in town for a couple weeks until was old enough to enlist.  Even when he was younger, he knew he wanted to be a SEAL, just like his dad. If only his old man was around now.

He took another swig of beer, pushing the memories away as he swallowed the bitterness down, along with the cool liquid. Placing the mug on the bar, he turned around slowly, trying to settle his bear before facing the entire room of shifters.

Mason prepared for the inner battle, but to his surprise, his animal went silent. In fact, the entire room went still; the people, the bar, and everything blurred away in his vision. Except for her.

He couldn’t look away and for a moment, he forgot to breathe. She had just entered the bar and was standing in the doorway, her head turning side to side, as if looking for someone. Even from a distance, he knew she was quite possibly the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. Tall, with long, dark blonde hair going down her back. She was wearing a black leather off the shoulder top and skintight jeans that showed off her generous curves. He’d had his share of women in the past, but for the life of him, couldn’t recall a single time he’d wanted someone this bad.

Mason put his beer down on and dropped a tip on the bar before he began to make his way across the room. It seemed she found her companions, as she began to walk toward one of the tables in the far corner. His bear growled, as if urging him to go faster before she got away. Hold your horses. She’s not getting away from me.

As he walked after her, his eyes zeroed in on her ass. Full and shapely, and he could already imagine grabbing them as he—

He stifled a groan, and focused on his task. Can’t let her get away. His hand stretched out to catch her arm, and as their skin touched, strange warm feeling crept over him.

She turned, her hair whipping back. Blue eyes, the color of the sky after a rainstorm, crashed against his. Pink, plump lips parted and sucked in a breath as he heard a loud roar from within him.

Mine!

Now that was strange. As far as he knew, his polar bear never talked. In fact, no shifter’s animal did. But then again, he didn’t grow up around shifters in a small, backwater town in Tennessee; in fact, he’d never met one until Tim.

Mine, his bear insisted, roaring loudly in his ears.

And, much to his surprise, he could feel her animal shout it back.

Mason staggered back. Holy hell. He could smell the fur and something else—sweet, like honeysuckle. A female bear. Grizzly. And not just an ordinary one. There was something different about her. Something fierce and loud and magnificent.

Her eyes remained fixed on him, and she was still as a rock. Up close, she was even more beautiful, and in her high heels, she was only two or three inches shorter than him.  Shit. Long legs, curvy ass, full tits. He was a goner.

Finally, she spoke. “Oh. It’s you?”

He frowned. No way they met before. He would have remembered. “Do I know you?”

She blinked. “I mean. They always told me ….” She cocked her head to the side and her eyes narrowed. “Maybe it’s not you.”

“I’ll be whoever you want me to be, darlin’,” he drawled. “What’s your name?”

“Amelia. Walker.”

“Beautiful name.”

Her face went all pink and her eyes lowered, her full lashes casting shadows over her high cheekbones. Based on what she was wearing, he would have thought she was some rocker man-eating chick. But, she seemed almost sweet. Maybe a little shy.

“I’m Mason. You here alone?”

“No.” She nodded her head toward two girls who were standing around a table. “It’s my friend Kate’s birthday. She just turned twenty-one.”

“Nice,” he said. “I’m not from around here and I don’t know anyone. Maybe I can join you guys for a bit, Amelia?”

“I—” Her eyes dropped to his hand, still wrapped around her arm. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know you and my friends might—”

“I’m Tim’s nephew,” he said. “You know him, right?”

“Oh.” She glanced over at Tim, who was back by the bar. “Then in that case—”

“Let’s go meet your friends then.”

Amelia nodded and gently tugged her arm away. His bear didn’t like that, and growled, but he tamped it down before it screwed things up with Amelia. She frowned, but, much to his surprise, her bear protested as well. He could feel it roar, but backed down as she reigned it in with practiced ease. Fuck, a woman in control like that was hot and he wondered what else she was good at.

He followed behind, not caring if he looked like a damn puppy chasing after her. She stopped at one of the tables, where the two women were waiting.

“Finally!” One of them said. “You’re here and you wore the outfit!” The two other women were wearing the same leather top and jeans.  “We’ve been—” Green eyes turned to Mason. “Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle! Where the hell did you come from?”

The young woman’s glance was appreciative, her eyes devouring him from top to bottom. He wasn’t stupid; he knew women had found him attractive and this one was cute. But, right now, his focus was on one particular woman. When Amelia stepped in front of her friend, and he swore he could feel her bear’s hackles raise. The possessive move was hot and only made him want her more.

“He’s Tim’s nephew,” Amelia explained.

“Whoah, cowgirl!” The woman threw her hands up. “I’ll try not to get too close, yeah?”

Amelia glanced around, and gave Mason an apologetic look. “Sorry, I don’t know … I mean.” She shook her head. “Mason Grimes, this is my friend, Kate Caldwell. She’s the birthday girl.”

“Happy birthday, Kate,” he greeted with a nod.

Kate looked at Amelia warily before extending her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mason.”

He shook it, surprised at her strength despite her slight frame. Shifter, of course; wolf  or maybe coyote, he guessed, from the scent of fur.

“And this is Sybil.” Amelia nodded to the other woman who had walked over to him.

“Mason Grimes,” he said as he waited for Sybil to offer her hand.

“Sybil Lennox.” She was petite and curvy, with sparkling gray eyes. A pretty little thing, really. But when he shook her hand, his bear reeled back in a defensive position at what he felt was a large, tightly-coiled creature inside her. He couldn’t smell fur or feathers, and he’d never encountered anything like it. Thought he wanted to ask her, shifter etiquette made him bite his tongue.

“Are you visiting Tim?” Sybil asked.

“Yeah, just here on leave,” Mason answered. “They’re shipping me off again in two weeks.”

“Army?” Kate interjected.

Mason shook his head. “Navy. SEALs.”

“Ooohhh!” Kate clapped her hands together. “Sounds dangerous!”

He shrugged. “I suppose. But I’m still here.” He really hoped they wouldn’t ask about his missions. Not only were they classified, but the things he’d seen … it was a good thing his bear was already messed up before he even enlisted.

“Mason?” Amelia had placed a hand on his arm and she looked up at him with concern in her eyes, her soft palm warm on his bare skin. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her, her touch oddly soothing. “So,” he said, turning to Kate. “You just turned twenty-one?”

Kate’s face lit up like a firework. “Oh yeah! I’m legal, baby! Legal to drink, anyway!”

Sybil snorted. “You’ve been sneaking gin from your dad’s liquor cabinet since you were seventeen.”

“Yeah, well it just means I can get a drink anytime I want now!” Kate raised a fist in victory.

“Speaking of which,” Mason began. “Since it is your birthday and I invited myself over, maybe I should buy you a drink?” He glanced at Amelia. “I mean, all of you?”

“Free drinks? Woohoo! You bet!” Kate slapped him on the shoulder. “A shot of tequila!”

“And you ladies?”

“Just a glass of red,” Sybil said.

“A beer,” Amelia added. “Please.”

He nodded. “Coming right up.” He turned toward the bar, feeling eyes on his back. He was used to the stares, of course, but he hoped one particular person was staring at him, and maybe even checking out his ass.

Mason came back a few minutes later, drinks in hand. He frowned when the three women jumped away from each other, as if they’d been caught doing something wrong. Amelia’s eyes dropped down to her feet, while Kate and Sybil continued to stare at him, their eyes bulging.

“What, did I grow a second head or something?” he joked as he put the drinks down.

Kate’s jaw dropped. “You’re her—”

Sybil elbowed her friend in the side. “Thanks for the drinks, Mason,” she said in a sweet voice as she reached for her wine. She leaned closer. “So, why don’t you tell us all about you?”

Her sudden interest made him suspicious, and usually he walked away when people asked him about his past. But he couldn’t leave, not when Amelia was standing there. Oh no, he wasn’t leaving without her number. At least. “Not much to tell,” he began. “I enlisted when I was eighteen, a year later after surviving the training, they started sending me out on missions.” All three women were hanging on his every word, but all he really cared about was impressing Amelia. “I’m actually leading my own team soon. A special squad of just shifters. First ever in the history of the SEALs.”

“You’re a polar bear, right?” Kate asked.

“Kate,” Amelia warned. “It’s not polite to ask.”

“What?” Kate shrugged. “Polar bears are the largest bears in the world, you know. Well, except … never mind. But, it’s obvious. Look at the size of him! And he’s related to Tim.”

“I’m sorry for my friend’s rudeness,” Amelia said.

“It’s all right. I am what I am. So,” he nodded at Kate’s shot glass. “Why don’t you knock that back and I’ll get you a refill?”

“Really?” Kate drank the entire thing, slammed the shot glass down, and clapped her hands together with glee. “How about another one? Or three?”

Mason laughed. “Coming right up.”

When he returned with the said shots, Kate drank all three in succession, slamming the shot glasses down on the table as she finished each one. It wasn’t that he wanted to get the wolf shifter smashed, but he right now, he was desperate for a reason to stay with Amelia. He offered to buy Kate three more shots, and then eventually the whole bottle, then another. Kate was a shifter, so it also took a helluva lot of liquor to get her wasted. But, about an hour later, she was finally rip roaring drunk.

“Aaannnnd finally I kicked the guy out of my dorm room!” Kate slurred, her eyes glassed over. “He was a total douche bag!” She swung her head toward Mason. “You’re not going to be a douche toward my friend, are you? You’re going to treat her right? Since you are—”

“Kate!” Amelia’s face went red.

“What? You’re his mmm—!” Whatever she was about to say was muffled as Sybil clamped her hand over her mouth.

“Sorry about Kate,” Sybil said. “I think I should take her home now.”

Mason silently agreed as he took a sip of his beer. “Drive safe then.” Sybil hadn’t  had any more than the one glass of wine he got her, and being a shifter, she probably had burned off any alcohol in her system.

“Noooo! This was supposed to be my super special birthday night,” Kate moaned. “I even got us the matching outfits!”

Amelia wagged a finger at her. “You need to learn to hold your alcohol!”

“I’ll burn it off in an hour of two,” Kate said.

“And who knows what trouble you’ll get into in that time?” Sybil admonished. “I’ll see you later, Amelia. Stay safe.” Sybil’s tone was teasing, with a hint of seriousness. “Let’s go, you lush,” she said to Kate.

“But it’s only nine,” Kate whined.

“Shut it. Party’s over!” Sybil dragged her friend away, ignoring the she-wolf’s protests.

Mason glanced at Amelia, who stared after her friends until they disappeared through the exit. Finally, he was alone with her. He wasn’t going to be an asshole and try to coax Amelia away when she was celebrating with her friends, but he had x he would get some alone time with her at some point. Maybe she wouldn’t want to leave too soon. “Interesting friends you got there.”

She laughed, the sound making him feel warm inside. “That’s one way of putting it.” Her baby blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

“How’d you all get together? A bear, a wolf and a … uh ….” He still didn’t know what the heck Sybil was.

“A dragon.”

“A dra—what?” He waited to see if she was kidding. When her expression didn’t change, he realized she wasn’t kidding. Fucking A. That tiny little thing was a dragon? “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.” She flashed him a smile. “But don’t you worry, she hasn’t eaten any of my boyfriends. Yet.” Amelia must have realized what that implied and went red.

Mason thought that was adorable. “Do you have one? A boyfriend, I mean.” She shook her head, and the tightness in his chest loosened. “Good.”

She blushed again. “Well, I should probably go—”

“Stay.”

Mine.

Oh yes, she was going to be his all right.

The entire night, he felt drunk; not on alcohol, but on Amelia. Her honeysuckle and fur scent was intoxicating, and he could hardly keep his eyes off her. Once or twice, he touched her “accidentally”—his knuckles brushing against her hand when he handed her her beer or his fingers grazing across the strip of bare skin on her back exposed by her top when he nudged her aside so he could get by. It had sent the blood straight to his cock, and he knew there was no way he was going to leave tonight with just her number.

“I guess I could have one more drink,” she said. “But why don’t you let me buy you one? You’ve been buying all our drinks, in case you don’t think I noticed.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said. He didn’t care about the money though; he hardly had time to spend all his pay, since he was always on missions. But somehow, showing her he could spend money without a care was important, like he was telling he could provide for her. “All right. It’s a modern world, right? Women can pay too.”

She smirked at him. “All right, you male feminist, let’s go get that drink.”

They walked over to the bar, and when Mason put a hand on the small of her back, she didn’t protest, which he took as a good sign. Amelia signaled the bartender for two more beers, which the young man delivered quickly. She passed one glass to Mason.

“Thanks, beautiful,” he said.

“You don’t mean—”

“I do.” He put the mug down without even taking a drink, then leaned close to her. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman in here. And the sexiest.” Her breath hitched when he placed his palm on her lower back, feeling the warm skin there. “This outfit you’re wearing,” he slipped his hand under the leather top, “I thought you were a bad girl when you walked in here.”

“What makes you think I’m not?” There was a challenge in her eyes.

“I think you’re sweet. And I bet you taste sweet too.”

“Only one way to find out.”

He stifled the growl, slipped his around her waist and pulled her close, molding her soft curves to his before leaning down to press his lips to hers. Jesus, she tasted as good as she looked. Warm, soft, and so willing. Her arms snaked up over his chest and around his neck, and she moved her head back so he could deepen the kiss. His slipped his tongue into her mouth, wanting more and more of her. When she pushed against him, and pulled away, the loss of her lips made him groan.

Shit. He didn’t normally lose his head this fast, but damnit, she was intoxicating. “I’m sorry.”

“For kissing me?” she asked.

“I don’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t—”

“No!” She placed her hand on his chest. “I mean. I just thought,” she looked around, a wary look on her face, “I want to be alone. With you. Do you have your own place? I don’t live by myself.”

Holy fucking moly. Mason thought he heard wrong, but the glitter of desire in her eyes told him he wasn’t dreaming. Amelia wanted to go home with him. Wanted him. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt that instant attraction and need. “I have a room at the Blackstone Motel.”

“Will you … take me there?” she asked in a breathy voice.

He didn’t answer her, but instead dragged her across the room and out the door. His ride was parked right by the door, thank fuck, as he wasn’t sure he would make it another second without slamming her against something and having his way with her.

“This is you?” she asked, her eyes going wide.

Mason nodded and glanced back at his shiny new Harley. It was his prized possession now, the one luxury he owned. He’d never owned anything so expensive, but he figured it was a good reward for his promotion. He’d ridden it all the way here to show Tim. The old man was going to freak when he saw it. Tim loved Harleys and owned two custom models that he fixed up himself. During those months he stayed in Blackstone, his uncle taught him everything he knew about motorcycles.

“Jesus,” she muttered, then looked him up and down. “You really are the whole bad boy package.”

“Bad boy package?” he asked, glancing down at his outfit. He was just wearing his usual outfit out of uniform—leather jacket, white shirt, holey jeans, and riding boots.

“Yeah, that’s what Kate called it,” she huffed.

With a wicked smile, he grabbed her and pulled her to him, leaning down until he was just inches from her face. “If you want me to be a bad boy, I’ll be a bad boy.”

“I just want you.”

He needed to kiss her again, and so he did. Slanting his lips against hers, he kissed her, full and deep, showing her how much he wanted her too. Hot damn, he couldn’t get enough. It took all his strength to pull back, especially when all he wanted to do was been her over his bike. “Still want to come home with me?”

She nodded. “Let’s go.”

Mason handed her an extra helmet, got on his bike, and waited for her to climb in behind him. He wasn’t sure how they got to his his motel room without crashing, especially with her arms around his waist and her luscious body pressed up against him. They barely made up to his room, and as soon as the door crashed shut behind him, Mason slipped his arms around her and lifted her up. Amelia wrapped her long, lean legs around his waist. He could smell her arousal and feel the heat of her core despite the layers of clothes between them.

They landed on the bed and started ripping off each other’s clothing. Off went her leather top and his shirt. As he unbuttoned his jeans, she shucked off hers and tossed them to the side.

The Blackstone She-Bear
Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited on July 31, 2018