Unicorn Mates (Valentine Pride Book 1) Read online

  "Argh, pull yourself together," I muttered to myself as I pulled several shirts from my wardrobe, trying to decide which looked the comfiest.

  A sudden urge to shift into my other form overcame me. Where the hell had that come from? I never shifted. Not since the first time...

  *cue flashback music*

  I dropped my towel to the floor, grateful once again for finally living alone and being able to walk around naked if I wanted to. There was something so liberating about it. I didn't have long to enjoy the feeling though. I needed to be dressed and to the restaurant where my new work friends were waiting for me within half an hour to celebrate my move to the city.

  Tonight wasn't exactly my idea of how to best celebrate. I was more of a bubble bath and a book kind of girl, but I hadn’t really been given any choice. It was almost like new blood at their office was something to celebrate. At least they weren't hazing me.

  I stepped forward and almost missed my footing on the smooth wooden floor. What was wrong with me? I wasn't normally so clumsy. Trying to take another step, the same thing happened and I had to steady myself against the wall.

  My hand flew to my stomach, a strange cramping sensation overcoming me. This wasn't right. Had I eaten something bad without realizing it? Breathing deeply, I tried to steady the sick feeling. I needed to if I was going to leave the house and go to the stupid dinner.

  I scratched at a sudden itch on my thigh, desperately trying to get rid of it and only managing to make the itchy area bigger. In fact, it extended down my entire left leg and seemed to be moving up my side too.

  Closing my eyes, I tried to tell myself I imagined it, but nothing seemed to stop the itch.

  A scream ripped from my lips as my skin felt like it tore in two, only to be knit back together and ripped apart again. I fell to my hands and knees. The overwhelming feelings and pain dimmed slightly, but something felt wrong. My legs felt skinnier than they had before. My arms too. I tried to open my eyes, but pain had me scrunching them closed again.

  Breathing in and out, I counted to ten, calming myself in the only way I could think of. I couldn't let whatever was happening to get the better of me.

  After a few moments more, the pain ebbed, and I was able to open my eyes and blink rapidly at what I was seeing. My arms weren't skin coloured anymore. Far from it. They seemed to have taken on a tawny color and appeared to be covered in some kind of fur.

  This had to be a dream...didn't it?

  *back to reality*

  I still didn't have as many answers as I wanted, but a couple of quick internet searches gained me at least one of the answers I'd been after. Shifters were real, and I was one of them.

  Oh, sure, the internet didn’t realize they were real. But after shifting and then losing my absolute shit and shifting back, I had no other choice but to accept that it had happened.

  I’d only shifted one other time in my life, and it was also involuntary. I found myself walking home from a friend’s birthday party a little too late at night. At the time, I thought I was being followed. Looking back, I was pretty sure I’d psyched myself out. Either way, I’d been terrified and ran into a dark alley to hide. As I’d cowered in the dark behind a garbage can, the unstoppable shift began. As soon as it was over, I’d looked at my clothes hanging off of my four-legged body before screwing my eyes shut again and hoping fervently to change back, and quickly.

  Luckily, I did, and I’d managed to avoid the shift ever since, though a few times it had been a close thing.

  Now, I wanted to shift more than anything. And I knew just the perfect place to do it.

  Should I? What if something bad happened? There could be real predators or other shifters, or I could get lost. There were a million reasons not to.

  The longer I sat and stared at the blank document in front of me, the more I was convinced nothing bad would happen. I’d go up into the mountains again, shift, walk around a little, and then shift back and go home. It wouldn’t even take me long.

  The only two times I’d shifted had been in a panic and very fast. It would be good for me to know what it felt like.

  Eventually, I rationalized myself into going. I showered, shaved, lotioned, put on makeup, and did my hair. Halfway through applying mascara, I stopped and stared at myself. What was I doing? They wouldn’t be there. That would be too lucky. Stuff like that didn’t happen to me. It was a miracle the first time had happened at all.

  I lectured myself as I finished my makeup anyway. Would the makeup and hair even survive the shift? I sighed and put down the mascara wand. I should’ve just been grateful to have had the experience at all. How many women would have that sort of material for their imaginations to use the rest of their lives?

  Not many. Not many at all. And I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to try again. Fuck it.

  On my way out the door, I grabbed a small backpack and threw in a bottle of water and a box of condoms. It really didn’t hurt to be prepared.

  I stood at the base of the trail and looked up the mountain. I had friends who lived near the Rocky Mountains who always laughed and said the Appalachians were just babies. They stopped laughing when I explained that as mountains age, they shrank. It made sense there would be packs of shifters here. I hadn’t known before that week that there were more than just me, but if they’d be anywhere, it would be hidden in the oldest mountains in the world.

  With a shiver of excitement, I locked my car and began my trek. The trail was well worn, as if hundreds of feet had walked it over the years. I wondered if my parents made the same journey. Had they lived in these hills? It certainly seemed as though they’d been killed here.

  I’d packed my map on the off chance I ran into Cas, Levon, and Kerry again. Their names ran like a staccato beat through my mind, as they had all week. I was even chanting them in my head to the beat of my steps.

  Geez. The sex was good, but why was I so obsessed with these guys?

  I didn’t dawdle like I had last time, and in about two hours, just as Cas had predicted, I arrived at the rock where Cas had given me the best orgasm of my life.

  Sitting on the rock, looking around, I felt at peace. I felt at home. All week in my apartment I’d felt restless, but the forest felt like somewhere I was meant to be. Could I do it? Could I strip naked, exposed, and shift?

  Thrills ran up my spine. I was doing it. I threw my backpack down and shed my clothes, folding them as I went. I was being wild and free, but there was no sense in getting wrinkles.

  It hadn’t hurt nearly as much the second time, so I hoped this time would be even better. I stood in on the leaves, steadying my breathing, and tried to find that part of me that was wild and other.

  It took a while, but eventually, I felt the sensation coming. This time, it was more tingling and itching and less pain. Maybe the more it happened, the better it felt.

  I walked around tentatively, figuring out my balance on all fours. It occurred to me that my brain hadn’t changed, not really. Colors were duller, and scents were far stronger. I could smell the decaying leaves under my feet, and the perfumes on my clothes stuck in my nose even when I got several yards away.

  The urge to run and frolic hit me, but I squashed it down. I didn’t want to get lost and have to go back down the mountain to my car naked.

  I had anticipated it happening though, and put a change of clothes in the car, and hid the key to the car inside it. It was a risk, but I was in a very safe area.

  Walking soon became easy, so I tried running a bit. I’d run several yards through the trees, then run back the other way going several yards the other way. If I’d had the right vocal cords, I would’ve laughed.

  As I turned in circles, trying to see my entire body with eyes that were nowhere near as good as my human ones, my attention was drawn to a spot up the trail, about eight or so yards away.

  A huge wolf, far too big to be a wild one, stood on the trail, panting at me. Every nerve in my body shot off, and I ran.

  I w
as clumsy, and far too slow. There was no way I’d outrun him. My hooves kept stumbling over stupid limbs and rocks. I never fell, by some miracle of instincts, but the wolf was hot on my trail.

  Dodging between trees, I finally got a rhythm going and picked up a little bit of speed, but the wolf stayed right behind me, no matter what direction I went, or how hard I tried to add speed to my flight.

  Any second, he’d be nipping at my ankles. I screamed in frustration, but it came out like a trumpet, not at all what I would’ve expected my shifted form to sound like. Either way, the sound radiated across the forest. I even noticed birds taking flight.

  Instead of biting at my legs, the wolf pulled up beside me. My fear skyrocketed. He was going for my neck. I bleated out my fears again and tried to change direction. I ran close to trees, hoping to slow him down by making him go around obstacles.

  It didn’t work, and I was getting really damn tired. If I’d been on two legs, I wouldn’t have lasted a minute, but I was quite a ways from where my clothes lay on top of the rock. I’d gone further than I expected.

  My lungs began burning. If I’d been human, I’d probably have tears streaming down my face. I was out of steam and out of options. I didn’t know what else to do. I trumpeted again.

  I jumped over a rock, and as my hooves hit the ground, the joints in my legs buckled. I rolled several feet before stopping on my side, panting. Foam lathered at my mouth. I couldn’t see it, but I felt it.

  The wolf stopped several feet away, barely panting. In my mind I cried out and sobbed, begging for my life. I was probably throwing off a fear scent that could be smelled for a mile around.

  As the wolf stepped closer, I heard a snarl behind me. I struggled to get my feet underneath me so I could turn my head and see who was there.

  Three lions stood behind me, massive, snarling, angry.

  I’d never been so glad to see anyone in my life. I struggled to my feet and darted around them, turning to watch the wolf. One of the lions turned away from the other two and nuzzled my neck. I didn’t even consider pulling away from him. The thought never even crossed my mind. His contact and attention was a balm to my frazzled nerves.

  The other two continued to snarl, one lion stepping forward a few feet. The wolf laid on his belly and bowed his head, showing deference. The alpha lion stepped back, as if allowing the wolf’s subservience.

  My breath caught in my throat as the wolf shifted into human form. I’d never watched myself shift, much less another person do it. His fur rippled, actually splitting apart. The fur sort of evaporated and smooth human skin was left in its place. It should’ve been slimy and disgusting, but it wasn’t. It was beautiful. When it was done, a chubby teenager stood in front of us, covering his crotch with his hands.

  I looked away to give him some modesty and totally missed Cas shifting. My head whipped back around when I heard his voice.

  “Why were you chasing this woman?” he asked in a booming voice.

  The poor kid blanched, shivering. “I wasn’t chasing her, sir,” he whispered. I barely heard him, he spoke so softly.

  “Then what were you doing?” Cas’s bare butt clenched as he spoke and I laughed. It came out as a chuff, and I pawed the ground in humor. Now that I was safe, I was absolutely giddy.

  “I thought we were going for a run, sir.” The poor kid hunched over further. He probably wished he could make himself disappear.

  “Everyone on my mountain is safe from shifters, both humans and other shifters.” Cas’s butt kept clenching, and I chuffed louder. In my head, my giggles made tears roll down my non-existent cheeks.

  He turned and gave me a severe look. It didn’t faze me in the slightest. The poor kid thought we had been playing, and I’d lost my shit. It wasn’t his fault. I walked around Cas, totally ignoring his clenched fists.

  The kid stepped back as I approached, but I bumped into him and nodded my head. He stepped back but didn’t leave. I wanted him to go and be free and not have any repercussions from his mistaken romp through the forest. I licked his hand, then used my front shoulder to knock into him again.

  Cas understood this time. “She says you can go,” he said wryly. I walked over to him with the intention of nuzzling his hand—and to get a good look at his cock—and heard the kid take off behind me.

  When I reached him and lowered my head, he yelped. “What are you doing?” he asked, jumping back. I cocked my head at him. What did he mean?

  “Are you trying to stab me? Did you not want us to help you?” he asked, bringing his hand to my head.

  I shook my head and chuffed out. I had wanted his help. I’d really thought I was going to die. I tried to nuzzle him again, this time at his side. I wanted to show him I appreciated him. When my heart stopped racing enough to shift back, I’d show him in a much raunchier way.

  “Stop stabbing at me!” he exclaimed.

  I backed up a few steps and realized backing up wasn’t easy. Weird. I focused on my human self, and felt the shift take me. It was even smoother this time, almost no pain and lots of tingles and tickles.

  A hand touched my back, making me jump out of my skin. Apparently, my animal instincts had transferred over with me. At least, that's how it seemed if my sudden skittishness was anything to go by.

  "It's just me," Kerry said softly.

  "I know." I brushed myself down, trying not to feel too self-conscious about just how naked I was. They'd seen it before, but that had been different. It had been the heat of the moment. We'd all wanted it and now...

  "Where are your clothes?" Cas demanded.

  "Back that way." I gestured back the way I'd come before folding my arms to try and comfort myself against the coldness in his words. I wasn't sure what had happened from the time I had sex with them and now, but something had changed in how he treated me. I guessed that served me right for putting out too quickly.

  "I'll get it. Levon, Kerry, take her back to the cave," he ordered, sounding every bit like the alpha he was.

  "The cave?" I stuttered.

  "Go," he instructed. "Do what they say," he told me.

  Damn. Why did he still sound so sexy even when he was telling me what to do? It was infuriating. I was only going because I was insanely curious about them—and other shifters—and not because some raging hot mind-fuck of an alpha told me to.

  "Come on." Kerry rested his hand on my arm and drew me down the path heading closer to the mountain.

  It sounded like I was about to see their home. Though if it was an actual cave, I might not be quite so glad when I got there.

  Chapter Three

  It really was a cave. I blinked a few times, hoping I was imagining the gash in the side of the mountain. Nope. Still there. The lions I'd been thinking about all week lived in a cave. I wasn't sure why I'd expected anything different. A cute little cottage in the woods didn't really suit them.

  "Are you sure we need to go in there?" My voice shook as I asked, revealing just how unsure of myself I was. What if this was all some part of a plan to catch and murder me? I shook my head. I knew in my heart that wasn't something I needed to worry about. I could trust them. It was something I felt deep in my bones.

  "You'll love it in there," Levon promised.

  "Trust us?" The way Kerry looked at me made my heart swell several sizes. How could I say no to that?

  "Alright." I nodded just to reinforce my permission.

  "Welcome to our home," Levon said, pressing a button in the side of the cave.

  Wait...a button? What was that doing there? Caves didn't normally come equipped with buttons. Something clanked and what appeared to be a door swung open, revealing a soft glow from where I thought the cave should be.

  "What...?"

  "You didn't think we actually lived in a cave, did you?" Levon chuckled and drew me towards the entrance.

  I held my breath, not knowing what to expect as I stepped inside. My mouth fell open as I took in the open plan living space. The soft glow was coming from a cou
ple of wall lights which illuminated a state of the art kitchen and rustic den. It was almost like a showroom and a log cabin had a baby.

  "If you think this is impressive, you should see the bed," Levon added.

  My mouth ran dry. "The bed? Do you all share?"

  "Don't be so mean, Levon," Kerry admonished. "We have our own beds. But they're on the large side."

  "Large enough for four," Levon put in, getting a scolding look from Kerry for his trouble.

  I giggled. Four people in the bed. A part of me wanted to ask if they ever used it for the three of them. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, it had the green monster within me clawing to the surface and demanding my attention. I wrapped the shirt Kerry had taken off and given me for our walk to the cave tighter around myself, trying to fend off the insecurities.

  "What do you think you were doing?" Cas demanded, slamming the door behind him.

  I stepped back, making sure Levon and Kerry stood between me and the angry alpha. I still wasn't scared of him, but his anger put me a little on edge.

  "I went for a run," I responded honestly. Other than the whole being-chased-by-a-wolf-shifter thing, I'd done exactly what I'd set out to do. I'd even run into the three lions, and while that hadn't been part of the plan I'd admitted to myself, I knew it was one of the things I'd wanted to happen.

  "And you just thought you'd provoke someone to run after you?"

  "What? No, of course not. I had no idea he was a shifter." That was a lie. I'd suspected he was, but they had no way of knowing that.

  Cas stepped forward, head held high and all of his alpha-ness on display. I suspected I was supposed to react like the kid in the woods had. Well, there was no chance of that. I was a grown woman, and no man was going to think he had the better of me.

  I left Levon and Kerry's protection behind and squared off with Cas.

  "What are you playing at?" he demanded, but I wasn't a fool. I noticed the crack in his voice. As little as he wanted to admit it, he wasn't really as angry at me as he was pretending to be.