Gweneth had worn her favorite set of underwear for the meeting too, because she’d wanted to feel good about herself.Confident.He’d noticed.Job done.“Good idea.Turn around.”
“I’ve seen you before.You’re beautiful.”
His pretty green eyes glowed with truth and memories.
“Turn around.”She gestured with her hand—a circle of sorts—and caught the flash of disappointment that dampened his expression.“You distract me.”
“Oh.”He sounded much happier.Male smugness, and she couldn’t find it in her to puncture his ego.She loved this shifter, even if he took his time to get with her program.While she didn’t doubt his depth of feelings for her, he needed to learn to love himself.“Take off your tunic.I want to see your arm.”
“You’ll have to turn around for that.”There went that smugness again.She found herself grinning.
“I’m still wearing my bra.”She turned to face him and met his male appreciation.
“Still a pretty view.”
“Thank you.Can I touch?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
She stroked her hand over the cap of his shoulder and down the stump.Warm flesh beneath her fingertips.His normal flesh merged with the ghostly arm.Almost transparent yet perfect, with no visible joint.The skin of his Incorporeal arm felt much cooler and more solid than she’d expected, given its ghostly appearance.“Amazing.I can’t see where it links.Scratch the back of your head.Touch the tip of your nose.”
He followed her directions, mirth shining in his eyes.“Anything else?”
“Yes, I’m going to try to shift.Will my bones hurt in the same way?”
“Yes.You get used to it.”
“You could have lied.”
“You don’t like lies.You’ve told me so.”
Gweneth sighed.“True.At least I know you’re listening to me.”
“I’ve listened to everything you’ve told me.I’m trying to be the man you need.”
“Ellard, you are the man I need.You just need to believe it yourself.”
He stared at her for an extended sec then nodded.“Picture your feline in your mind and focus on running with me in feline form.”
Without taking her gaze from him, Gweneth unclipped her bra and let it fall to the ground.She caught his open admiration as she shut her eyes, and it took a while to gather her thoughts.Slowly, she painted the picture of a sleek black feline in her mind.She willed herself to shift but nothing happened.
“Take it easy.It’s hardest the first few times.”
Ellard’s soft words and encouragement flowed over her and the tension in her shoulders faded.Her skin started to tingle, her bones throbbed.Her mind wanted her to stop but the feline part of her rejoiced in this opportunity.Her skin prickled with greater intensity and her breath caught at the jagged pain that leapt over her body.She cried out, panic pushing her pulse rate to a gallop.
“Good job, kitten.Just a little more,” came Ellard’s calming voice.
The last part of the shift happened with a rush.Fur rippled over her torso, her bones lengthened, reshaped.Sharp teeth sprang into prominence, and she fell forward onto all fours.The pain ceased, the rush of senses taking her by surprise.Color popped and everything appeared sharper.Her sight.Her hearing.
Beside her, Ellard shifted with what appeared little effort, his ghostly arm morphing smoothly as Niran had promised.He stalked over to her and rubbed his head against hers.His shifted form dwarfed hers, yet she felt not a scrap of fear, especially when he purred.Then, he threw back his head and roared, a sound of victory and celebration.
Thethud-thud-thudof running feet had them both turning, Ellard slightly in front of her in a protective stance.
Ry came to a skidding halt with Nanu and Kaya behind him.Lynx and Shiloh appeared secs later, and everyone stared at them.
“Who is that?”Kaya demanded.“I can see through—Ellard, is that you?Who is with you?If you’ve been playing around on Gweneth, I’m gonna flatten you.”She took two steps forward, halting when Ry seized her.
Shiloh folded his arms across his chest and broke into a grin.“Gweneth, have you been holding out on us?”
