Free Under the Bayou Moon by Gynger Fyer Page A

tense seconds, Charles waddled out. Jackie, who'd partially shifted, went back to human form with a growl.
    “Jacques…” Jackie started.
    “Leave,” Jacques gritted out between his teeth.
    “Yes, follow me hatchlings. There’s dessert in the kitchen.”
    The three teen shifters followed without question, eyes wide.
    Angel had never seen Jacques so furious. The anger and frustration she was feeling rolled off of him in waves. She wondered if anyone else could feel it.
    “Okay, Philip, we all know why you’re here. Let’s get this over with so you can be on your way.”
    Philip ran his hands through his long, silver hair and smoothed down his goatee.
    “I don’t mean any of you disrespect, but although she looks like Sofia, I’d prefer to see her markings with my own eyes.”
    Jacques moved to face Angel. Her breath immediately caught. His mother had told her what to expect. She’d have to bare her back to the room. Jacques would run his palm over the mark, and it would respond by darkening and pulsating. She might partially shift with the act; each shifter responded differently to her mate’s “caress”.
    Even knowing what to expect, when Jacques moved in front of her, staring into her eyes, the breath still became trapped in her lungs. She looked around, getting a reassuring nod from her parents. The priestess stood to the side, a tiny woman with tan skin and her natural hair flowing down her back in a puffy cloud. She appeared to be concentrating.
    Jacques rubbed her arms, focusing her eyes on his. Angel started to relax. She placed both palms flat against his chest as his strong fingers went to the zipper of her dress. As he slowly lowered the zipper, she could feel the coolness of the air in the room. Her nipples tightened in response to the draft. She leaned farther against Jacques, who was looking at her with heated green eyes. Inch by inch her skin was revealed to the room. Angel didn’t feel as exposed as she thought she would. Instead, the room’s occupants faded away. All she could see was Jacques. Feel his big, warm hands smoothing down her sides and then pulling the dress from her shoulders down to the crook of her arms. Her breathing was shallow as she trembled.
    Mate. The worded ebbed and flowed in and around her, caressing her like a warm blanket. When the zipper could go no farther, she felt her dress tugged down slightly and then opened to bare her lower back where she knew the round, rough skin of her marking lay. She hadn’t worn a bra with the dress, so her back was bare.
    “Are you ready?” he whispered.
    His husky voice caused her to shiver. Angel swallowed and nodded jerkily.
    Feeling his fingers trail toward the base of her spine, Angel leaned into Jacques until there was no space between them. When his fingers brushed her marking, indescribable pleasure ripped through her. She’d never felt anything like it before. Jacques moaned and gritted his jaw. Angel’s head fell forward against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and sure. His fingers strummed her marking and the entire area throbbed. She could feel the skin on her back stiffen and itch. Panic started clearing her mind. She was going to shift. She could feel it. The tightening began to spread. She knew her skin was changing. Murmurs could be heard behind them, but she was still focused on the fact that she was going to shift.
    “You can control it, Angel. Look at me.”
    Angel’s eyes searched and found her mate’s. Instead of the green eyes of her mate, she met the yellow ones of his gator. He too was affected by the touch. Her fingers clutched his shirt, wrinkling the soft fabric.
    “Breathe, focus on my heartbeat.”
    “I’m trying,” she said mentally.
    “Take your time, there’s no rush.”
    Angel had never been so wild and aroused. She fought the urge to let go. Her beast tugged to be let go, but she did as Jacques requested, she focused on the cadence of his heartbeat. After a brief moment, the