Southern Shifters: Bear Sentry (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Enforcers Book 2) (3 page)

Every shifter in the coffee shop had probably smelled her arousal, and there was no way to hide the fact that she had more curves than anyone in town. Fat and ugly were terms she was familiar with, and if he chastised her for daring to look at his perfect body, then she could have put him out of her mind. Instead, his look of defeat plagued her.

Monica’s right! I need to find a man!

The fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about the bear proved she needed to take her friend’s advice. He’d growled at her, frightened her and followed her down the street, and yet she still couldn’t get him out of her head. She obviously craved attention from a man more than she realized.

She knew she would never find a mate, but maybe it was time to find a mate for a night. What the hell was she saving herself for anyway? A life alone? She was sick of holding the table, watching the drinks, and accepting pity dances from random acquaintances.

It was time to have some fun.

An hour later, she emerged from the bathroom squeaky clean and silky smooth. After rubbing lotion over her entire body, she dug into the back, hidden corner of her closet and retrieved the items she’d purchased last year on a whim, but never wore.

The black lace bra and panty set highlighted her light, creamy skin, and when she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she was pleased to find she wasn’t repulsive. The dark, denim mini skirt and black patent leather go-go boots both fit her like a glove, and she finished the outfit with a black, form-fitting tank top. The top accentuated her large breasts and clung to her curves, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Any man that asked her to dance, and hopefully more, would know exactly what he was getting when her clothes came off.

A glance in the mirror reminded her she should have enlisted Monica to do her hair, but she pulled out the curling iron anyway. She was determined to have some sort of style, even if it was one long curl on the side of her head. While the iron heated, she pulled a small container of body glitter out of the medicine cabinet.

The sparkly gel had been another impulse buy that she’d never had the guts to use. She rubbed the gel into her forehead and cheeks, and then smoothed the excess around the corners of her eyes and into her hair. She also added sparkles to her shoulders, biceps, chest and neck.

Make-up wasn’t something she ever bothered with, but she completed the look with a layer of clear, shiny lip-gloss. When the iron was ready, she wrapped random locks of hair around the hot tube, and the fun result surprised her.

Her phone chimed, signaling a text message, and she smiled when she saw Monica’s name.

Everyone is here. Where are you?

For the first time in their long friendship, she’d kept everyone waiting.

Running late. I’ll meet you at the bar.

She held onto the phone and looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

What are you wearing? Is it sexy and low-cut?

Even though the woman was predictable, Violet still laughed out loud when she read her friend’s message. She’d never worn anything Monica hadn’t tried to
fix
before they went out.

Sexy and sexy! I’ll see you soon.

She shoved her phone, keys, credit card and ID into the small, black bag she’d bought to match the boots, but on her way out the door she stopped and looked in the mirror again. Doubt started to chip away at her confidence, and for the first time that night, she contemplated changing.

No! I look fantastic, and I’m going to have some fun!

Determined, she ran out the door, jumped into her car, and carefully maneuvered the vehicle along the tight, winding curves of the Dragon. The long, curvy road was the only way to get to the nearly hidden Dark Moon Roadhouse nestled on the other side.

Chapter Three

Jase woke a few hours later and glanced at his phone. He’d slept for nearly three hours and the diner he’d visited earlier was now closed. Food sounded good, but a hard, stiff drink sounded better. After a quick shower, he put on a clean, unwrinkled t-shirt, followed by the rest of his clothes, and made his way to the lobby of the hotel.

One of the cats who had checked him in still manned the desk.

“Good evening, Mr. Wagner,” she said, smiling up at him. “How can I help you?”

“Please tell me you guys have a bar, or someplace I can get some hard liquor,” he said.

The woman smiled knowingly and purred, but he ignored the obvious hint. He wasn’t interested in anyone but his mate.

But she’s not your mate.

“The Dark Moon Roadhouse is the only bar in town,” she said, clearly annoyed with his lack of interest. “You have to ride the Dragon to get there.”

“The Dragon?” he asked.

“You really aren’t from around here are you?” she laughed. “It’s eleven miles of twisted, curvy fun, so don’t drink too much. If you do, you might end up wrapped around a tree, or worse, on your way back.”

“Okay, thanks.”

The woman’s words stuck with him as he walked out to the parking lot, and he wondered about his infatuation with her response. He didn’t want to die, and he probably wouldn’t if he hit a tree, but her ominous
or worse
rattled around in his brain.

Was there anything worse than not being able to trust his senses?

He swung his leg over his bike and flipped on the switch. The beast roared to life and he took off in the direction of the Dragon.

At first he maneuvered the sharp turns with care, but as he got further down the road, he took more risks. If his senses couldn’t be trusted, could his reflexes? What if he didn’t turn soon enough? What would it feel like to miss the curve completely?

He drove toward the edge of the road and glanced down into the darkness. The unknown called to him, but he hated that he couldn’t see past the asphalt. He wanted to know the risks before he jumped.

Shit! I am seriously fucked up!

He’d been in a state of confusion since the accident, but his recent behavior scared him. The only men he knew who scared and chased down random women were the ones he used to protect his clan from. Now he was one of them.

Even though he didn’t want to let her go, he knew he should leave town as soon as possible. The scar on the back of his head started to throb, but he ignored the pain and merged his bike back into the proper lane. Tonight he would drink, and then tomorrow he would leave as quietly as he came. With a plan in place, he carefully followed the winding road toward the Dark Moon Roadhouse.

The cat had given expert directions. There wasn’t much at the end of the Dragon, and without the woman’s help, he probably would have never found the driveway hidden between the forest of trees. He rode to the end of the long, single lane, dirt driveway, and was shocked to find the parking lot packed. Rows of bikes lined the front and sides of the building, and many dotted the haphazard placement of cars and trucks in the dirt lot.

He parked his bike on the edge of the forest and crossed the lot in long, easy strides.

Classic rock filled the air as he got closer to the old, two-story building, and when he stepped inside, the music grew louder, nearly drowning out his thoughts. The smells coming from the kitchen made his stomach growl, and he welcomed the distraction as he surveyed his surroundings.

The bar was divided into two rooms, and dark wood covered every surface from the floor to the ceiling. One room served as the main bar with tables, chairs, and a tiny dance floor, and the other, smaller open room housed several pool tables.

The theme of the day continued as many patrons turned to assess him before going back to their own business, but he hadn’t missed the fact that not everyone turned. It only took one deep breath to realize why. The clientele was an equal mix of humans and shifters.

Perfect.

It would be easier to blend in if humans were involved.

He made his way to the bar and sat in the corner closest to the door. The location granted him the most privacy to watch the crowd, and a quick escape if he needed it. He might not be an Enforcer anymore, but old habits die hard.

“What can I get you?”

Jase looked up to see one of the men from
Sweet Retreat
behind the bar.

Fuck!

“A shot of whiskey and a beer,” he said. “Whatever’s on tap is fine.”

“Do you want anything to eat?” the man asked, placing a small, quarter sheet of paper in front of him.

Jase glanced down and quickly read the paper menu.

“Bacon cheeseburger and fries.”

“You got it,” the man said, pouring his drink. “My name’s Gage, by the way, and that curvy woman cleaning up at the pool tables is my mate, Sienna.”

“Jase.”

Jase nodded once, looked at the woman, and noted she was surrounded by several men and very few women. He marveled at how calm Gage was with his mate across the room, gaining attention from nearly every male in the place.

“Oh, and you can mark my words,” Gage said, as if reading his mind. “She’ll pay for all the flirting later.”

Jase smiled and downed his whiskey in one gulp.

“Do you want another?”

“No, just the beer.”

“You got it,” Gage said. “I’m sorry we were so hard on you earlier. We take any threats to our women very serious, but Violet told us she overreacted. How long are you staying in town?”

Violet!

Her name, like her, was beautiful and he wanted to practice saying it over and over again. Unfortunately, his new brand of crazy would have to wait until he was alone.

“I don’t know,” he said, honestly. “I had planned to stay a few days, but it might be best if I move on. I guess I’ll decide in the morning.”

“There’s a pool tournament tomorrow night, if you play,” the man offered. “It might be worth sticking around for.”

“Thanks, I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Your food will be out soon.”

Gage left him alone with his beer and tended to the rest of the bar.

A few minutes later, the olive skinned man from earlier set a plate down in front of him. The huge burger was loaded with bacon, cheese, and a secret sauce that smelled delicious. A mound of fries surrounded the burger and covered the dish.

“Hey Jase, I’m Dean,” said the man.

Unlike earlier, his long hair was pulled back into a rubber band, and he wore the same shirt as Gage with the words Dark Moon stretched across the front.

“Hey,” Jase nodded.

“Do you want another?” Dean asked, motioning toward his empty glass.

“Yeah, tap.”

He picked up his burger and took a huge bite at the same time Dean set a new, full glass in front of him. The flavors of the food swirled around his tongue, and his bear growled beneath the surface. He’d had good food before, but he’d never been aroused from a burger.

What the hell? I’m losing my fucking mind.

He put the burger down and inhaled deep.

The scent of warm sweet apples and honey swamped him, and he looked toward the door in time to see Violet, his mate, walking across the room toward her friends.

Holy fuck!

She’d switched her jeans and t-shirt for a pair of black go-go boots, a short mini skirt and a form-fitting tank top. She held a little black purse by the strap in her hand, and random curls bounced around her head. Every few steps, her skin seemed to sparkle in the dim lights.

Earlier, when they crossed paths in the coffee shop, he’d been attracted to her simple style. The t-shirt had embraced her large breasts, pulling slightly between the two soft mounds without being too snug, and when she ran from him, her jeans had hugged her smooth, round ass, tempting him with every stride.

He watched every unmated man, both human and shifter, zero in on her as she crossed the floor. The urge to fight anyone who looked at her swamped him, and once again he wanted to claim her in the middle of the room so everyone would know who she belonged to.

“God damnit,” he whispered, forcing himself to look away.

“Want to talk about it?” Dean asked.

“Not even a little bit,” Jase responded, shoving another bite of burger into his mouth.

“Well, if you change your mind, a few of us live upstairs, so someone is always here.”

“Thanks man,” he nodded.

Dean left, allowing him to finish his food in peace, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of his mate. She hadn’t looked in his direction once, and the alpha in him wanted to assert his dominance, and punish her for the insult. Of course, his form of punishment involved tying her to the bed and licking her cunt until she screamed his name and vowed to be his forever.

A tall, dark-haired wolf approached her group, and when she allowed the stranger to lead her to the dance floor, he knew it was time to leave. He fished several bills out of his wallet, pinned them to the counter with his empty plate, and rushed out the door.

His bear growled, his hands shook and he started to hyperventilate. The thought of driving the Dragon back to his hotel scared him to death, so he ran. He entered the forest near his bike, and after a quick check for humans, he allowed the bear to take over.

The animal growled and grunted as his paws quickly ate up the forest floor. He ran until his body collapsed in a bed of wildflowers hidden beneath the trees, and then he closed his eyes and inhaled the smell of night.

A cool breeze rustled the leaves on the trees moments before it skated over his fur. He could hear a few birds tweeting somewhere under the blanket of darkness, and the full moon lit up the sky. He’d always loved the country more than the city, and for the first time in nearly a month, he felt free.

About an hour later, he stood with the intention of lumbering back to the parking lot when he felt the ground shake beneath his paws. He remained still and surveyed the area. He needed to be ready for the threat no matter how it hit, but fear rode him hard. He’d been a mess since the attack, and his skills were rusty. He wasn’t sure how he’d fare in a fight, and a part of him wanted to run and hide, but he stood on all fours and waited for the threat to come.

Suddenly, the scent of sweet warm apples and honey assaulted him. A second later, a small, dark brown wolf burst into the bed of flowers. She was being followed closely by a large black wolf, and Jase roared into the night.

Both wolves stopped for a split-second before Violet raced behind him, using him as a shield. All the fear and doubt he’d harbored over the last month disappeared, and he charged the black wolf. 

Protecting his mate was the only thing that mattered.

***

Violet took a deep breath and pulled open the door to the Dark Moon. By the time she’d arrived in the packed parking lot, most of her confidence had waned. She’d sat in the darkness a full ten minutes before she’d worked up enough courage to walk inside the biker bar.

Greer, another pack leader, was working the door, and he flashed her a huge smile. She didn’t know the reason, but it didn’t matter. When Monica waved her over, she used Greer’s smile as incentive to cross the center of the room.

At least one person thought she looked good.

“Oh my god, Vi,” Monica screamed, “you look fantastic.”

“Sexy lady,” another friend said.

“Smokin’ hot,” another chimed in.

The other two women in their group added additional praise, and then Monica bought her a drink to
calm her nerves
.

“What is it?” Violet asked. “You know I have to drive home later.”

“Trust me,” Monica said. “By the end of the night, you’ll have danced so much this drink will definitely be out of your system.”

She reluctantly picked up the short glass and took a sip of the bright green drink. The fruity flavor swirled around her mouth, and she was surprised to find it didn’t taste like alcohol at all. She downed the liquid and enjoyed the warmth that surrounded her as she bounced to the music of the hidden sound system.

Monica had been right, she felt calm, confident and sexy.

A short time later, a tall, dark-haired handsome man she’d never seen before approached their table. It wasn’t unusual for men to approach their group, but it wasn’t normal for them to ask her to dance before any of her friends.

“Hi, do you want to dance?” he asked.

“Sure.”

He held out his hand, and she took it, following him to the tiny dance floor.

“What’s your name?” he asked, turning to face her when they reached the center of the room.

“Violet,” she smiled. “What’s yours?”

“I’m Drake, and you’re exactly what I’m looking for, Violet.”

The words seemed to have another meaning, but she decided not to worry about it. Dancing and having fun wasn’t a crime, and she’d made a pact with herself. She deserved to have some fun with a man, and Drake definitely fit the man category. The fact that he was also sexy and charming was an added bonus.