Living a Lion: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Sleeping Lions - Shifters Prime Book 1) (12 page)

“Elephants,” Kane said, his voice rising in excitement. To their left, there was a herd of elephants. Hundreds of them.
Hundreds of them
. “I didn’t know there were that many elephants left alive.”

“They aren’t
your
elephants, Kane. They are
our
elephants,” Amara said. “You know what I think sometimes?”

“No, tell me,” he said softly.

“That this is nature’s way of ensuring we don’t lose all the animals on earth. That humans can’t wipe them out with hunting or farming. Because now they are part of us,” she said. And for once Frasier didn’t laugh.

Kane turned and looked out of the window at the large herd, a dust cloud following them as their enormous feet walked across the dry grasslands. “Where are they going?” To Kane they looked like an army going to war.

“To work, we all have jobs,” Frasier said. “They go up to the forests and haul the wood down.”

“Fascinating,” Kane said watching them.

“You say it like you’re watching the Animal Channel. This is real life now, Kane.” Frasier drove on, his foot easing down on the gas pedal. “We need to make better time. I wanted to be at Amara’s village before dark. We’ll stop and eat in an hour…”

“We’re going straight to my village?” Amara asked, cutting Frasier off.

Kane felt the tension in her body, and placed his hand on hers. “It’ll be good to meet your family.”

“But I thought we would deal with your problems first, before we dealt with mine,” she said weakly.

“Hey, I will be much happier once you and your folks have sorted out what happened.”

“And he’s not facing Serrif until he can beat every last one of your brothers,” Frasier said. “I told your uncle I would keep you alive, and this is the plan. Sorry, Amara.”

“It’s OK,” she said. “I’m just nervous, that’s all. I don’t want them to think I’m bringing trouble their way.”

“How could they?” Kane asked, and then he realised what she meant. “You mean me?”

She looked up at him, her eyes telling him all he needed to know, although she tried to smooth it over. “Not just you. The contract, my father’s debt. But yeah, if word gets round they are sheltering you, well, Serrif is powerful enough to destroy our pride.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Kane said.

“I know, but once my dad and my brothers know you are part of our family, our pride will defend you until the death.”

Kane leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The only family he had ever known was his uncle. Now he was about to be thrust into a pride, and then one day soon he would meet his mother, the woman who might, or might not, have betrayed his father.

“Maybe we should just run off and live alone,” Kane said half jokingly.

“You know it would be easier,” Amara said. “But we could never be happy. We both need this resolved. For the sake of our children, if nothing else.”

He sighed. His life was all too complicated now, but as he held her warm hand in his, he knew he would never go back to the man he had been on the other side of the border. That man was dead.

They drew into Amara’s small village, in the Satoma Pride Lands, at dusk. Amara was sure she was going to throw up. She had no idea who, if anyone would greet her, or whether they would ask her to take the trouble she brought with her to someone else’s door.

“It’s OK,” Kane said quietly. “They’re your family, you must love each other very much.

“I’m not so sure,” she said worriedly.

“The contract only existed because your father was duped into thinking he owed money. The debt wasn’t yours to pay; surely they will know that and be grateful to you.” He was looking out of the window at the deserted streets. “Is it usually this quiet?”

“No,” she said. “The market is often still open at this time of day. And people mill around, usually swapping news, and talking and drinking. We’re a social bunch.”

Yet the streets were empty. Only when they drew closer to the middle of the village did there begin to be signs of life. A shadow flitting here and there, but no one approached.

“There’s my house,” Amara said and Frasier turned off down a side street and pulled up in front of a large wood-framed building that looked well maintained and well loved. The sound of wind chimes filled the air, and on the porch outside a rocking chair and a swing seat sat empty around a table with glasses on. There had been people here, but they had hastily gone inside.

“Are they hiding?” Kane asked.

“They don’t usually hide. Normally any strange vehicle would be approached. We aren’t suspicious, not unless given good cause.” She glanced sideways at Frasier. “It’s not your truck, is it?”

“What do you mean?” Frasier asked, stopping but leaving the engine running.

“Well, you are a finder aren’t you? So maybe you have a reputation,” she said, trying not to hurt his feelings.

“Not the kind of reputation you are insinuating,” he said bluntly.

“Sorry, had to ask,” she said, and then turned to Kane. “Listen, this isn’t right, so why don’t we get out while Frasier stays here. At least if there is any trouble, we can make a run for it and make a quick getaway.”

“Sure. Is that OK with you, Frasier?” Kane’s tone also had the underlying question
you won’t run out on us, will you
laced in it.

“Engine running, foot on the accelerator. You go see if anyone is home, Amara.” He sat back in his seat, his eyes flicking to the side mirrors, and then out the front window, and Amara knew this wasn’t the first time he had done surveillance duty.

“Thank you, Frasier,” she said, kissing his cheek quickly, much to Kane’s horror, but she had the pleasure of seeing Frasier blush and he mumbled something incoherent.

“What was that for?” Kane asked stiffly when they were walking up the path leading to her house.

“It was to make sure he is still there. I know your uncle paid him, but we don’t know if he would run to save his own skin. But if he likes us, he’s more likely to stay around.”

“So you kissed him?”

“Thought he would appreciate it more than if you kissed him instead,” she said and laughed quietly. “Come on, let’s get this over with. I think if I get any more nervous, I’ll throw up.”

“Hey, it’s OK. I’m here. I know I don’t know how things work over in the Prime, but I am here for you all the same. We’re mates. Right?” He took her arm and turned her towards him. “I will always have your back.”

“Thank you, Kane,” she said and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Should I knock?”

“It’s your house. Would you normally knock?” he asked.

“No. But they will not be expecting me, will they,” she said, and couldn’t help feeling out of place here in the village she called home. Despite only being away for a short time, it felt like an eternity, probably because she had changed more in those few weeks than she had in her whole life.

Raising her hand, she knocked. Then took a step back, trying to think of what she would say when her mom opened the door, or would it be her dad? She wasn’t sure which one of them would be easiest to deal with. None of them. She should go, it was a mistake to come back here. They should sort Kane’s problems out first.

And then the door opened.

“Amara, honey is that you?” Her mom’s voice was quiet, uncertain, old.

“Mom, are you OK?” Amara asked.

“Oh my, oh my, it is you. Thank the heavens.” Her mom threw open the door, the fly screen banging out of the way as she dashed forward, her arms outstretched.

Amara crumpled. Only Kane’s arm supporting her kept her on her feet. Her emotions were too jagged for her to think straight. So many questions wanted to spill from her mouth that in the end nothing came out, but when her mom enveloped her in her arms, she knew no words were needed and her fears about coming home were unfounded.

“I thought we would have to wait two years; I can’t tell you how we’ve worried about you. Your dad hasn’t been able to forgive himself for what happened.”

“Where is he?” Amara asked, looking past her mom and into the house beyond.

“He’s not here. The boys have some extra work over on The Rise and he goes and helps them most days. He’s too old, but he can’t bear to be around here without you. So they work ’til late, he comes home exhausted, eats, and then goes to bed. Then he begins again. They are trying to raise the money to pay off your contract. Many of the others in the village are helping too, an extra shift here, an extra hour there.” Her mom swallowed a sob. “I’ve been so worried about him,” she whispered.

“There is no contract,” Amara said. “He won’t have to work any longer.”

“Oh, Amara. I can’t believe you are here,” her mom sobbed.

“Do you mind if we go and meet them? Do they come home the usual way?” Amara asked.

“Uh-huh, I’ll go put some extra steaks on.” Her mom pulled her close again, hugging her as if she never wanted to let her go. “I can’t believe it; your dad will be so happy about you being home. I mean, truly, I thought he had lost the will to go on.”

“Well, I’m here now, Mom, and I can’t wait to see him.” Amara pulled back, wanting to see her dad and tell him none of this was his fault.

“You will forgive him won’t you, honey. He still can’t work out what happened,” her mom said, tears in her eyes.

“There’s nothing to forgive, Mom. I’ll tell him that,” Amara said. “Coming, Kane?”

“Kane, oh, I never … this is your mate?” her mom asked, as if seeing Kane for the first time. “He
is
your mate, not the owner of the contract come to ask for money?”

“He is my mate,” Amara said. “Although it was his uncle that owned my contract. But like I said, the contract is paid. Let’s put it behind us.”

“You mean he isn’t one of
us
?” her mom asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Yes, he is one of us. Look, it’s a long story, why don’t I go meet Dad and the boys and then I’ll tell you all about it,” Amara said, eager to go to her father. It meant so much to her to be able to tell him none of this was his fault, that he didn’t cause the problem, but was in some way a victim too.

Amara hugged her mom again, barely able to let her go. This was her home, and standing here with her mom made her feel safe.

“Go. I can wait,” her mom said, and stood by the door while Amara and Kane walked back down the path, away from the house.

“Oh, we brought a friend with us,” Amara said, suddenly remembering Frasier, who was sitting in the truck with the engine running still. “Can he come in?”

“Send him in. If he helped bring my daughter home, then he is welcome,” her mom said.

“OK. He’s a bear, by the way,” Amara called, as she went round to the truck and opened the door to talk to Frasier.

“If he brought you home, he is welcome,” her mom repeated, followed by, “even if he is a bear.”

Amara smiled. It was good to be home.

“My mom will feed you, Frasier. We’re going to meet my dad and my brothers,” Amara said to Frasier, who switched off his engine.

“You mean I get to spend the evening stuck in the lion’s den,” he said, but looked relieved everything was OK.

“Don’t worry, my mom won’t eat you. Her name is Mara, be polite, please,” Amara said wickedly and then shut the door and took Kane’s hand. “Come on, this way.”

And then she changed mid-air, her lioness taking over, running through the village streets. Kane stood and watched for a moment, and she realised how surreal this must seem to him. If lions ran loose around the towns and cities on the other side of the border, men with guns would be on the scene in seconds to destroy them before they killed or maimed anyone. Here it was a normal part of life.

Amara ran fast, surefooted, over her home territory. She took the path that ran up to The Rise, where her father and four brothers were working. Swift and silent, she wanted to surprise them and when she rounded the corner, to be met by five men, who all looked up in unison, and stared at her, she knew that was exactly what she had done. Sliding to a stop, she stood still, her sides heaving from running, and simply looked at the five faces she had thought she might never see again.

“Amara, is that you?” her dad said, stepping forward, his face filled with disbelief, his expression saying he thought he must be dreaming.

She shifted into her human form, and simply said, “Yes, Dad, I’m home.”

Amara had never seen her dad cry. But when he held her in his arms, her shoulder was soon soaked through with his tears of joy.

“I can’t believe it. This is real, this is for good?” he asked.

“Yes, Dad, the contract was false. You were pushed into it because someone wanted to find a mate for a lion. There’s so much more to explain, but for now, let’s go home. I have missed you and everything here in Satoma Pride Lands so much.”

He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. “Come on, boys, I think we are going to have a celebration tonight.”

Her brothers gathered around her. “Thank goodness you’re back, Amara. Dad has been incredibly miserable since you left,” Tallis said. “Whereas we were more than happy to eat your share of dinner.”

“Not anymore, boys. Let’s all have a beer and we can listen to what Amara has to say. Then I can decide whose hide needs skinning for making me lose my beautiful daughter,” her dad said, looking ten years younger as he hugged her tightly.

“No one needs their hide skinned. I guess I had to go so I could come back,” she said philosophically.

“What, did they teach you to talk in riddles over there, Amara?” her eldest brother, Sean, asked.

“No. But I met my mate, and he is the rightful heir to the Talamo Pride Lands,” she said proudly as Kane rounded the corner and stopped, watching them with his amber eyes.

“Well. I always said you were a good catch,” her dad said, “And it looks as if I was right.”

Amara felt light and happy, as if she could float on air. For tonight she was going to forget about what was ahead and allow herself to be happy with what she had right here and right now. Because one thing she had learned was you should never take your future for granted.