Free Her Mighty Shifter by C.L. Scholey

never known his planet to be so crowded. Then again they were in the fish pond. The fish hadn’t come onto dry land.
    “Maximus, we’re surrounded.”
    “I noticed.”
    “That better be your finger tickling my ass cheek.”
    It wasn’t.
    Keeping her impaled, Maximus moved them towards the shore with the fish following. He walked them to dry land where they collapsed in a heap on the sand. A summer storm opened the skies to drench them while Maximus shielded her. Posy turned her head to watch the jungle suffer the assault, and she smiled up at him.
    “Your eyes flickered yellow,” she said.
    “It’s all right. I won’t—and also can’t—shift during sex. But I do love a good storm. The foliage roars.”
    “Can you roar?”
    “You better believe it.”
    Maximus threw back his head and roared, making the ground shudder. Posy chuckled, but he felt her goosebumps. Her insides were warm and wet, and he pulled from her. For a moment he simply stared down at her. The rain was running in rivulets over his body to drip to the ground. He could lose himself in her dark eyes. His inner shifter was in tune to every sound within a mile.
    She whispered his name, and he plunged into her heat. Her body shuddered as her back arched. Melon tits slapped against his chest, and he grinned knowing he’d never look at that particular fruit the same way again. He thrust one last time roaring again with his release. They lay together for a moment until the rain was impossible to ignore. Posy sneezed, and he knew it was time to take her home. Posy held up her now sodden garments. He liked her better naked. Maximus shifted and scooped her over his back. With a giant leap he was off racing through the jungle while the rain saturated his fur.
    “Woman, you have some grip.” He might be bald in spots soon.
    “It comes in handy when I’m kinda sorta scared to death. You may not fly through the air but you do on land.”
    Her shrill voice made him slow, a little. He bounded up the wooden path high into the trees. It took mere moments to reach home. When tucked inside he dropped Posy onto the bed, shifted, and fell on top of her.
    “Man or beast, you’re heavy,” she said and groaned.
    “You’re beautiful.”
    She traced a finger down his wet cheek. “So are you. In both forms.”
    He took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Do you want to join the others outside and dance naked in the rain?”
    “What?”
    With a grin he yanked her to her feet. From their high view they could see down where humans and shifters spun wildly in the rain, naked. Posy giggled, and Maximus laughed. The gorillas were hilarious.
    “I think I’ll sit this one out.”
    Maximus was okay with that. He guided her back to the bed, then went to close all the drapes. The rain brought a certain chill to the air, and they cuddled together under a warm blanket. Within moments he caught the scent of another shifter. Maximus lunged to his feet and faced off with the giant polar bear who entered his home. The bear jumped back but sniffed the air.
    “You’re a long way from home,” Maximus said.
    “I caught my mate’s scent in the air,” the bear replied. “Now I’m confused. This female is and isn’t my mate.”
    “This female is definitely not your mate. She’s mine.”
    “Will this never end?” Posy tossed the blanket over her head.
    “Your mate is a vessel for any shifter. This hasn’t occurred in a long time.”
    “Tac is getting the word out to our shifters. You need to get the word out to yours. My mate can’t be continuously hunted on our planet.”
    “Agreed. A shame though. I’m in need of a mate. Yours is a beauty.”
    “Thank you.” Posy’s words were muffled, and she stayed buried.
    The bear ambled out, and Maximus remained in shifter form. Half the planet at least wanted a coveted female human mate. He curled up beside Posy and wrapped his paws around her. It was time for a cat nap. As he drifted off he heard Posy’s small