Free Phantom Desires by Bianca D'Arc Page B

sounded like more were arriving as the sun set in the western sky.
    Dmitri’s arms came around her, instantly warming her. She hadn’t jumped this time. She was getting used to him sneaking up on her as soon as the sun left the horizon. She melted back into him with a sigh.
    “What else is there besides wolves?”
    “Oh, there are shifters of many kinds. Wolves, big cats, even bears. Most of the larger predators have their shifter equivalents. Even some birds of prey. Hawks, eagles and the larger owls.”

    “It must be amazing to fly.”
    “It is.”
    She turned in his arms, startled by the knowing in his voice. “Can you shift shape?”
    A sexy smile played about his lips as he nodded. “I can. It is something we learn with time, but it is not the same magic the shifters use. From what I’ve heard, they can only take on the form of the animal spirit that shares their soul. We use an altogether different sort of magic. It is hard to master, so only the oldest of us have the skill.”
    “What do you turn into?” She was fascinated by the idea.
    “Just about anything I want. I can replicate the same animal forms as the weres —wolf, panther, the larger birds—but because my change is entirely magical, I can also become creatures of legend.”
    “Like a dragon?”
    “That’s one of my favorites.” His eyes sparkled. “I can also do partial shifts. My hands into claws, for example.”
    He held out one hand in front of her and let it change. Gleaming, dark claws slid out from the tips of his fingers making her jump. Then the claw turned back into his hand, and she breathed easier once more.
    “That’s…startling.”
    “Isn’t it?” he murmured, rocking her back against him. The cool night air washed around them, cocooning them in its inky darkness.
    “What do you use that sort of skill for?” She almost dreaded his answer.
    “Combat,” came the terse reply. “Every once in a while, a man is called upon to fight. Masters are challenged and the only answer to such a challenge is a show of strength. Such fights are to the death, and there are no rules as to how the battle is conducted once engaged.”
    “That’s barbaric.”
    “It’s the way things have been done among my kind for thousands of years. It has never changed, and I doubt it ever will. We are ancient creatures that live by an ancient standard. It probably does seem barbaric by modern standards, but it is simpler by far than your bureaucracy of laws. Not to say there are no laws. That’s why we have Masters in each region. My word is law and my lieutenants and I uphold the ancient laws of our kind. We police ourselves—which is another instance when partial shifts can come in handy. There are no jails that can hold us. Many infractions call for a death sentence and a quick death by combat is seen as more humane than staking someone out in the sun to die slowly. That is reserved for only the basest monsters. Usually we catch up with rogues before they earn that kind of punishment.”
    “I had no idea.”
    “Nor did I want to make you aware of the brutality of our existence, but I will have honesty between us. There is no other way for true mates.
    You will come to know all this soon enough.”
    He kissed the side of her neck, making her shiver.
    “But come, we should make an appearance at the shifter party after they’re done with their hunt. I want them to know who you are and that you are under my protection.”
    “Do you think they would try to hurt me?” She felt the undercurrent of caution in his words and the slight connection between their minds.
    “Not if they want to live.” For a moment, his gaze went flat with death. “But no. I don’t think you have anything to fear from the were . In fact, I want them to know who you are so that they can keep an eye out during the day. Many of them prowl near your land. If they know you’re here alone and unprotected during the day, they may help if they see something