Free Shifter's Dance by Vanessa North

enough,” the other man agreed. “We’re pretty
sure that the vamp and wolf have not had an opportunity to get any
information off the island. Your cover is probably not blown. But
just in case, you should be a little extra careful for a few
months, okay? Maybe stick close to home.”
    “Okay. And what about the two that attacked me?
What’s going on with them?”
    “They’re the Syndicate’s problem now. They won’t
bother you again.”
    “Thank you.”
    “No, thank you , Stephen. I know how you feel
about your brothers. I know you put your family at risk to guard
mine, and I don’t blame you for any resentment you might feel.
Believe me, you will never lack for friends at the Wiccan Haus.”
Cyrus turned to leave, then: “Do you want to see her?”
    “Yes.” Of course. Being away from her made him ache
in the worst of ways.
    “Come on.”
    Stephen followed Cyrus to the elevator. “Where are
we going?”
    “You missed your yoga class.”
    When they arrived in the lobby, he said goodbye to
Cyrus and made his way to the yoga studio. The class he and Romy
had missed was long over, and the studio would normally be deserted
this time of night. He wasn’t surprised to see Romy there, her foot
balanced on the stereo cabinet, stretching.
    “Hi,” he said. Her head snapped up.
    “Stephen?”
    “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before.” He came
to stand behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her head
lolled back against his chest as she set her foot on the floor and
turned to face him.
    “I understand why you didn’t.” She laid her head
over his heart. “But, Stephen, my whole world has turned upside
down in the last two hours.”
    “I know. I thought maybe I could tell you now, a
little bit. And then tomorrow, we can talk again.”
    “Okay.” She nodded.
    “I was born like this. My people, we’re a species
that’s part human, and also part bear. I can shift whenever I want,
but most of the time, I stay in my human form.”
    “That’s why you live so far out in the middle of
nowhere?”
    “Yes, that’s part of it. The proximity to the Wiccan
Haus is part of it too. My brothers and I, we’re kind of like
informants for the Syndicate. We watch and listen, and pass
information on to Rekkus and Cyrus.”
    “Why does someone want to kill him?”
    “It’s not personal. There’s a pretty huge bounty on
his head, so lots of people want to kill him. Or use him. Because
of his gift.”
    “Oh.” She sucked her lower lip into her mouth as she
mulled it over. He wanted to scoop her into his arms and do the
same.
    “There’s more, Romy, about me.”
    “Okay.” She nodded again. “Might as well tell me
now.”
    “My people…”
    “Canadians?” she teased, a little smile curling her
lips up.
    “Shifters,” he corrected, smiling back even though
he knew she couldn’t see it. “When we mate with someone, it’s for
life. A joining of the souls.”
    “You mean, when we had sex? You did something to my
soul?” He could see the panic in her face, rushed to reassure
her.
    “No! God, no, I would never…” He shook his head,
realized she couldn’t see it, pressed her hands to his lips before
he spoke again. “I would never, ever force that on you. I love you,
Romy. You’re my destined mate. But I want you to choose me.”
    “Love me? No. You can’t love me.”
    “You said once that dancers who perform together
form intense relationships. Sometimes for an evening, sometimes for
life? Is it really hard to believe that bears might do the
same?”
    She appeared to mull over his words, her eyebrows
drawing together.
    “What does that mean, destined mate?”
    “If you agree to mate with me, we’ll be married in
the eyes of my people. And I’m selfish enough that I’d want to be
married in the eyes of your people too. So I guess we’d do the
whole white dress and tuxedo thing, if that’s what you want.”
    “You’re asking me to marry you?” She pushed at his
chest, and he