Chapter 9

As she sat at the Lightfoots’ kitchen table with Riley, Delia’s heart went out to the younger woman. Riley’s face was pale and drawn, her eyes filled with bewilderment. She played with her mug of coffee, running a fingertip around the rim, her brow puckered.

“Riley, I understand what you’re feeling,” Delia said.

Riley jumped a little, startled out of her thoughts. “I don’t really know what I’m feeling.”

Delia chuckled. “I didn’t, either. When Trent told and showed me what he is, I was stunned. I wondered how I could’ve fallen in love with someone who was half man, half animal.”

“But you married him, had a child with him,” Riley said. “Why? How?”

“Why? Because despite that odd side of Trent, he was still the man I’d fallen in love with. Kind, funny, loving.” Delia took a sip of her coffee. “Trent captured my heart and that didn’t change just because he’s a shifter.”

Riley ran a hand through her hair. “But how could you ... sleep with him?”

A sparkle shown in Delia’s blue eyes. “Shifters never mate in animal form and let me tell you; Trent is all man. And in bed?” A shiver ran through her at the thought of making love with her husband, whom she’d been sorely missing. “Sheer heaven.”

Delia’s declaration piqued Riley’s curiosity. “So, it’s all ... normal?” Her face reddened.

“Trent has a beautiful body and it’s way better than normal.” Delia waggled her eyebrows. “In fact, I’ll never get enough of that man.”

Riley laughed, both at Delia’s statements and at the absurdity of the situation.

“It’s like that with all shift-mates.”

“Shift-mates?”

Delia sipped her coffee while she thought how to best answer Riley. “Shifters have been around for hundreds of years, maybe thousands. Records are spread far and wide and not really part of mainstream research. Trent started digging shortly after we were married, and we’ve continued to gather information.

“Tyra took that over and has added a lot more to Trent’s library. Anyway, there are many references to shift-mates. Fate, God, the universe—some force seems to have picked certain people to be paired with each shifter. Sometimes they’re both shifters and sometimes a human and a shifter fall in love.”

Riley snorted. “That’s crazy. People choose their destinies, not the universe.”

“I respectfully disagree,” Delia said. “It’s true that we have free will, but I believe that there are things in life that are predestined.” She rested a hand on her chest. “I know in my heart that Trent and I were meant to be together. We’re shift-mates, but we’re also soulmates.”

Frustration and puzzlement created a dull ache in Riley’s brain. “I’m glad you’re happy, but I still don’t understand how you can overlook that side of Trent.”

Delia smiled understandingly. “It’s not about overlooking, it’s about accepting. Think of it this way; Trent didn’t ask to be a shifter. It’s genetics. He was born a shifter, the same way someone is born with a certain eye or hair color or of a certain race. It’s not something he can help, it’s just something that he is.”

Riley asked, “There’s no cure for it?”

“It’s not a disease.”

The two women turned toward the doorway that led to the living room.

Tyra leaned against the doorjamb. “It’s not like they can give us a pill to get rid of it and there’s no vaccine for it, either. It’s a gene mutation, but from everything I’ve read, no one knows what kind. There are a few studies from decades ago that I found, but in every case, the shifter died from all the testing they did. No one has ever been able to isolate the gene sequence responsible for our abilities.”

“Our?” Riley looked at Tyra and Delia in turn. “Are you all shifters?”

Delia said, “I’m not, but all of the kids are. We found each of them one way or another and wanted to give kids like them a loving home where they’d be protected and taken care of.”

Tyra smiled and walked over to sit on Riley’s other side. “We owe Mom and Dad our lives and I won’t let any harm come to them.”

A thrill of alarm ran through Riley at the implied threat and the hard gleam in Tyra’s eyes. If all the Lightfoot children were shifters, were they all horses and wolves? Were those the two main animal forms? Meeting Tyra’s gaze, she decided that Calvin’s sister was much more likely to be a wolf, judging by her predatory stare.

“I don’t want to hurt any of you,” Riley said.

“Are you sure about that?” Tyra leaned toward her. “Seems funny that someone attacked my brothers right after you moved here.”

“Tyra!” Delia protested. “You knock that off. We don’t make accusations like that. Apologize.”

Tyra said, “Sorry, Riley,” but she didn’t look contrite in the least. “I’m going back out to keep watch.”

Delia nodded. “Okay, but you don’t shift in here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tyra gave Riley a scathing glance and walked out the door.

In a few moments, a screeching cry cut through the air. Goosebumps broke out over Riley’s shoulders as a huge owl flew past one of the kitchen windows in a blur of wings and feathers.

She pointed uncertainly at the window. “Was that Tyra?”

Delia laughed. “Yep. That’s my girl.”

“She’s an owl?”

Rising, Delia crossed to the coffeemaker and started making a fresh pot. “Among other birds and fowl. See, shifters can become a lot of different things, but they’re each better at certain ones. Tyra can take almost any bird or owl shape. Calvin prefers that black stallion, but he can take any horse form; ponies, draft horse, you name it. He can also become a deer or even a goat.”

Curiosity started replacing some of Riley’s fear. “And Adam is a wolf? Can he become a dog?”

Delia finished with the coffeemaker and leaned against the counter. “Yeah. And a coyote, fox, and some other canines.”

Riley blew out a breath. “How do they learn to do it?”

Delia sat back down. “They’re born knowing how and when they’re about four or five, they start to do a simple animal.” She smiled fondly. “Adam’s first animal form was a beagle puppy. God, he was so cute. Then he graduated to bigger dogs and when he was twelve, he perfected a wolf.”

The pride in Delia’s expression and voice was unmistakable and Riley was astounded by her acceptance of such a strange, unbelievable situation. By her acceptance of Trent, a man who became a beast on a regular basis.

A horn blared outside, and Delia jumped to her feet. “Trent’s home!”

She hurried from the house, not even bothering to put on a coat. She ran through the mudroom and out onto the porch. Riley followed Delia and stood just outside the mudroom door on the porch. Delia flew down the steps and raced to the big man who’d just alighted from a pickup truck. He spread his arms wide, caught Delia, and swung her around.

Riley watched them kiss and laugh. Their love shone even through the heavy snow that still fell. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes at how beautiful it was to see two people so happy. Watching Trent as he enveloped Delia in another bear hug, Riley thought that if she didn’t know what he was, she’d think that he was just a man.

She let out a startled cry and jumped away from the doorway as several people came barreling through the mudroom door. Suddenly, men and women flocked to Trent and Delia, mobbing Trent, all vying for his attention. His tan cowboy hat got knocked off and then he was pulled off his feet by Adam.

Before Riley’s eyes, Adam shifted, his clothes ripping off as his wolf came forth. Maybe it was because he’d still been dressed or because her mind had started processing the information that Delia had imparted, but Riley wasn’t as grossed out this time. The others started shifting, too, Trent included.

One minute, a tall cowboy was rolling around on the ground with Adam, and the next he morphed into a huge lion with a golden mane. It had happened so fast that Riley hadn’t really caught it. Trent let out a huge roar and swiped a paw at Adam, who jumped right at Trent and bit his mane.

Father and son wrestled in the snow before Trent sprang up and raced off across the yard. A string of animals gave chase. Riley tried to keep track; a palomino stallion, a couple of dogs, a lynx, a grizzly, and several others trailed after Trent. Riley noticed that Calvin was absent and wondered where he was. He’d dropped her off at the house and then trotted off to the barn. She hadn’t seen him since.

Delia came up on the porch, her face flushed and her eyes shining with happiness. “It’s like this every time one of us comes home after being away. They have to go for a run and get it out of their system.”

“I’m sure you all missed Trent,” Riley said. “So, he’s a lion.”

“He sure is, and I’m going to wrestle with that big cat later on.”

Riley laughed at Delia’s naughty grin. “It’s nice to see two people still in love after so long. That’s a rare thing anymore.”

Delia nodded. “Trent and I are lucky. We’ve had our ups and downs, but our love and respect has always pulled us through.” She gave Riley a speculative look. “That’s the way it is with shifters. They usually mate for life and most of them are very dependable. That’s how we raise our kids to be, too.”

Riley understood that Delia was telling her that Calvin was the kind of man who could be counted on. He was also delicious and handsome and fun. Could she get past the animal side of him? Could she learn to accept it? Did she want to try? And then there was the fact that he and his family were in danger. She wasn’t sure she wanted to get caught up in that kind of situation—well, any more than she already was.

Delia said, “They’ll be back in just a minute, so unless you don’t mind seeing a bunch of naked people, you might want to go into the living room.”

Riley asked, “Do they parade around naked whenever they come in?”

Delia motioned to a corner lined with hooks. “That’s what those are for.”

The hooks were loaded down with a wide variety of robes. “I see. Well, I think I’ll take your advice and just go enjoy the fireplace.”

“Good idea,” Delia said.

As she walked to the living room, Riley wondered how long she’d have to stay at the Lightfoots’. She’d called to tell Nate she wasn’t feeling well and asked him to close the shop that evening, but what about the next day? Was she really in danger? Did whoever attacked the Lightfoot family know she was involved with them? Sitting down on the couch, Riley stared into the crackling flames in the fireplace and wondered what the hell she was going to do.

With a tired sigh, Trent put his suitcase and laptop case on the bed in his and Delia’s room and sat down on it. Attending cattle conventions was essential to their business since it kept Trent abreast of market changes and gave him a chance to network with other ranchers. It also gave him an opportunity to scout around for more troubled shifter kids who needed help. Although their home and finances were stretched almost to the limit, they’d never turn away a child in need. However, being away from his family weighed on him, and he always worried that something like the most recent attack would occur while he wasn’t home to help protect his loved ones.