Read Online Human Shifter (Book Three: A Werewolf BBW Shifter Romance) by Aubrey Rose - Free Book Online
Book: Human Shifter (Book Three: A Werewolf BBW Shifter Romance) by Aubrey Rose
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Aubrey Rose
Ads: Link
Mara."
Damien cast about in his mind for the right thing to say. He knew Julia was expecting him to argue against it, and his first instinct was definitely to forbid her to go. The territory was dangerous. And Julia was unprotected. If wolves attacked her—hell, if any predator out there attacked her, she would be unable to defend herself.
But Mara, as part of Trax's former pack, knew the lay of the land better than anyone else. If he sent Dee along ... It had been years since Dee had taken Julia out of that pack and escaped the territory; she wouldn't know the current territory lines. Dee could watch over them, though—as a purebred, she'd be able to sense the presence of wolves from far out, and would be a good fighter if need be.
"You would have to take Dee with you, for protection. How long would you be gone?" he asked. He felt a brief hint of shock from her, that he'd acquiesced so quickly.
"Just a few days at the most," Julia said. "Mara says that it's a day's run from here, dusk to dawn."
"For a wolf."
"So two days for a human. Two and a half, maybe."
"Then it would be five days before you returned."
"Less," Julia said. Damien was struck by the fierce desire in her tone.
"Less?"
"I'll be coming back as a wolf."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Julia
Damien took less convincing than Julia had expected. She sat beside him and held his hand, looking down at his leg in the splint. Now that he had agreed to let her go, she felt guilty to leave him.
"I don't want to go without you," she said. "I really don't. But I can't wait for you to heal. This ... thing between us ... "
"I understand," Damien said. His voice was firm, commanding, and she could tell that he'd switched roles—he was acting as alpha now, not just as her mate. "Dee will be able to tell whether there's danger. You, on the other hand, will be completely defenseless if any wolves do show up."
"Do you think we'll need to fight again?" Julia asked. In the last fight, she'd been a captive, helpless to do much but stand on the side and watch.
"If you do, I want you to have a weapon," Damien said.
"A weapon?" Julia's eyes widened. "Like a gun?" She'd never fired a gun before. Had never even held one.
"Guns aren't as useful as you might think," Damien said. "Wolves are fast. They fight at close quarters and the forest is dense. In a pack fight, they're all but useless."
"What, then?"
"You remember the box I asked you to store away in your closet?"
"You have a weapon in that and you didn't tell me?" Julia was aghast, but Damien just laughed as she hurried over to her closet. She stood on her toes and brought the box out, holding it gingerly between her fingers. It looked like a jewelry box, the dark wood gleaming. She opened the box lid. A leather sheath was at the bottom, the handle of a knife jutting out from one end.
She reached in.
"Careful," Damien said. "It's quite sharp."
Julia drew it out of its sheath as she lifted it out of the box. The blade whispered against the leather as it slid out, and Julia's lips parted as she held the knife up.
The blade was not terribly long—perhaps as long as one of Damien's fingers. The edge of the knife was curved, and both blade and handle were the purest white. She held it up to the light and turned it. The blade near the edge was so thin that it was translucent. It looked—she could not get the image out of her mind now that she had thought of it—like an oversized claw.
"Wolf bone," Damien said. "Shifters don't die easily. But this—" He shuddered. "This knife will kill."
"Show me how to use it," Julia said.
Damien reached behind her, his chest to Julia's back. His arm came around her and his hand slid down her wrist, his fingers moving carefully over hers.
"Just like this, it's a natural forward grip," Damien said.
"Like I'm holding it right now?"
"Yes, and you strike forward like this ... " Damien held her hand tightly and slashed the knife through the the air. A thrill shot through Julia's body,
Damien cast about in his mind for the right thing to say. He knew Julia was expecting him to argue against it, and his first instinct was definitely to forbid her to go. The territory was dangerous. And Julia was unprotected. If wolves attacked her—hell, if any predator out there attacked her, she would be unable to defend herself.
But Mara, as part of Trax's former pack, knew the lay of the land better than anyone else. If he sent Dee along ... It had been years since Dee had taken Julia out of that pack and escaped the territory; she wouldn't know the current territory lines. Dee could watch over them, though—as a purebred, she'd be able to sense the presence of wolves from far out, and would be a good fighter if need be.
"You would have to take Dee with you, for protection. How long would you be gone?" he asked. He felt a brief hint of shock from her, that he'd acquiesced so quickly.
"Just a few days at the most," Julia said. "Mara says that it's a day's run from here, dusk to dawn."
"For a wolf."
"So two days for a human. Two and a half, maybe."
"Then it would be five days before you returned."
"Less," Julia said. Damien was struck by the fierce desire in her tone.
"Less?"
"I'll be coming back as a wolf."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Julia
Damien took less convincing than Julia had expected. She sat beside him and held his hand, looking down at his leg in the splint. Now that he had agreed to let her go, she felt guilty to leave him.
"I don't want to go without you," she said. "I really don't. But I can't wait for you to heal. This ... thing between us ... "
"I understand," Damien said. His voice was firm, commanding, and she could tell that he'd switched roles—he was acting as alpha now, not just as her mate. "Dee will be able to tell whether there's danger. You, on the other hand, will be completely defenseless if any wolves do show up."
"Do you think we'll need to fight again?" Julia asked. In the last fight, she'd been a captive, helpless to do much but stand on the side and watch.
"If you do, I want you to have a weapon," Damien said.
"A weapon?" Julia's eyes widened. "Like a gun?" She'd never fired a gun before. Had never even held one.
"Guns aren't as useful as you might think," Damien said. "Wolves are fast. They fight at close quarters and the forest is dense. In a pack fight, they're all but useless."
"What, then?"
"You remember the box I asked you to store away in your closet?"
"You have a weapon in that and you didn't tell me?" Julia was aghast, but Damien just laughed as she hurried over to her closet. She stood on her toes and brought the box out, holding it gingerly between her fingers. It looked like a jewelry box, the dark wood gleaming. She opened the box lid. A leather sheath was at the bottom, the handle of a knife jutting out from one end.
She reached in.
"Careful," Damien said. "It's quite sharp."
Julia drew it out of its sheath as she lifted it out of the box. The blade whispered against the leather as it slid out, and Julia's lips parted as she held the knife up.
The blade was not terribly long—perhaps as long as one of Damien's fingers. The edge of the knife was curved, and both blade and handle were the purest white. She held it up to the light and turned it. The blade near the edge was so thin that it was translucent. It looked—she could not get the image out of her mind now that she had thought of it—like an oversized claw.
"Wolf bone," Damien said. "Shifters don't die easily. But this—" He shuddered. "This knife will kill."
"Show me how to use it," Julia said.
Damien reached behind her, his chest to Julia's back. His arm came around her and his hand slid down her wrist, his fingers moving carefully over hers.
"Just like this, it's a natural forward grip," Damien said.
"Like I'm holding it right now?"
"Yes, and you strike forward like this ... " Damien held her hand tightly and slashed the knife through the the air. A thrill shot through Julia's body,
Similar Books
