Healing Their Mate (The Love of a Shifter) (18 page)

The next morning, River walked into the office with a smile on her face.  Ash looked up from drinking her coffee and smiled as River walked in. 
“You look like you had a great night.”

“
Wonderful night.” 

Ash giggled as she watched how River smiled. 
“Well, well do tell.”  Ash eagerly got up and sat beside River.  “Don’t leave any of the dirty details out either.” 

River resisted telling her everything, but she explained how Reece and Jonas have been wooing her.  River left out a lot of the details but described her night meeting the clan and about the Wheatons.

“Well I’ve met the Wheatons and when they found out that I was his niece they acted like I was the scum of the earth.  You see, River, these people didn’t care that my mother was Reece’s sister and I was part vampire.  Oh no, these people thought that since I was also part Tiger then I wasn’t worthy of them.  Some people are just made like that.  They won’t change, but to be honest with you, I don’t care.  They are not worth my time or friendship.  When my mom died, all her money came to me and let’s just say that I don’t have to work anymore for the rest of my life.  I have more money than them, but it doesn’t matter because my mother tainted the water by mating with a tiger.  Like she could change who she was destined to be with.  They want Marty to mate with Reece so it can bring their family to a whole different level.  They have groomed that dumb bitch all her life to mate a Prime.  That is why they left their other clan.  The Prime got married to someone else.  Like he would mate with a pretentious bitch like her.  So they asked Reece if they could move here and start over in his clan.  Reece told me that he spoke to the other Prime and how he was tickled pink they were leaving, he hated those people.  They treated his mate like shit.  She was a vampire, but she came from a poor family.  Apparently, the Wheatons had heard their old Prime was going to make them leave so instead of being kicked out, they asked to move to another clan so they could get Marty mated to another Prime. I look at this way, there will always be people like the Wheatons everywhere you go.  Plus, nobody likes the Wheatons, if that makes you feel better.”  Ash patted River’s hand when she was finished. 

“
Wow…”  River looked down then back up again at Ash.  “Wow.  That is all I can say.  I didn’t know all of that, but it makes me feel better that they snubbed their nose at you too.”  Ash cracked up laughing.

“
Why, because I’m trash just like you?”  Ash continued to laugh until she started crying.  She couldn’t help it.

“
No…no, Ash.  I didn’t mean it like that.  No of course you’re not white trash.” 

Ash fell over in the seat laughing so hard. 
“I know you didn’t mean it, but it sure was funny…look, River, you are going to run into people like the Wheatons all your life.  It doesn’t change the person you are.  You are simply the best, my white trash friend.” 

River couldn
’t help it as they both burst out laughing.  Ash made her feel good about herself.  She finally felt like she had a friend who got her. 

Ash and River looked up as Jonas opened the door and walked in with the biggest man they had ever seen.  Jansen was huge but this man was a monster.  River couldn
’t believe how big the man was.  His hands looked like Jonas’s hands but add an extra hand to it. 

Jonas immediately walked over to River and kissed her lightly on the lips, embarrassing her in front of everyone. 
“New guy, everyone.  This is Banks Cohen.  He will be part of the unit.”  Jansen Vega walked into the room as Jonas introduced Banks.  “Hey, Jansen, this is Banks Cohen.  He is our newest member to the unit.”

Looking up at Banks, River could see his bear staring back at her.  She smiled at the grizzly bear. 

Jansen watched the new shifter as he spoke with River and Jonas.  Jansen looked away then turned back and Banks was staring at him.  Jonas explained to Banks that Jansen was a wizard and expert in guns and knives. 

River watched as the men shook hands.  She could see the heat that passed over Jansen
’s eyes then he covered it with the solemn expression she was used to seeing.  She could tell they were attracted to each other.  Apparently, nobody else saw this.  She would try to talk to Jansen about it later when they were alone practicing her healing exercises. 

“
Okay, everybody, let’s have a seat so we can go over our first assignment.”  Jonas walked to the front of the room to write on the erase board.  River sat next to Jansen as they listened to Jonas.  “We have some more members who will eventually join the unit but right now we have an assignment.  We will be going after a vampire who has been going around the country draining people of their blood.  He can be taken dead or alive.  Preferably dead.” 

River looked down at her fingers.  She didn
’t know they were going to kill him. 

“
His name is Paddock Reed and the last known location is in Prattville, New Mexico,” Jonas continued.

“
Have you found out a reason he is killing people?” asked Banks. 

Jonas looked over at River hoping she would tell the unit the reason.

“He is after me.”  The whisper was barley heard as everyone looked over at River.  “He wants me for my blood.”  Jansen put his hand over River’s as she rolled them over and over each other. 

“
Because you are a healer?” Jansen asked concerned. 

“
No, he wants my blood for some other reason.  He thinks it will do something to help him be stronger.  I’ve been running from him, hiding in small towns and then move on, but when I leave, he kills them, the women I work with.”  Jonas walked over and put his arms around her, rocking her as the tears fall from her eyes.  She felt so guilty for the women being murdered.  She didn’t know them well, but she did know them.  They were nice to her when they worked together.

“
We don’t actually know why he wants her blood.  Reece, who is her other mate, is a vampire and he says that her blood calls to him.  That is smells great.  He has never felt like this before so we haven’t fully mated yet so we plan to take some of River’s blood and test it to see why he wants it so much.”

“
That’s not the only reason we are going after Paddock.”  Nobody heard Reece when he walked in the room.  He was listening to Jonas and River talk. 

“
Reece, this is Banks Cohen.  He is the newest member on the unit.”  Reece walked over and shook Bank’s hand.  Reece looked up at Banks who was at least six foot seven.  “Nice to meet you, Banks.”  Banks nodded his head at Reece.   

“
Paddock Reed is the vampire who helped my father kill his own daughter and her mate simply because she was in love with a shifter.  They had a daughter together.  They hid her before Paddock led my father to their location.  They had planned to come back and get my niece when they thought it was safe but they were killed before that could happen.  Paddock tracked them and called my father.  He wanted to be my father’s second in command.  He led the son of a bitch to the location my sister and her mate was hiding.  He killed them both then came back here and bragged about it.  I killed him before he could hurt someone else.  My niece was located two years ago.”  Reece looked over at Ash who was smiling at her uncle. 

“
I guess your niece is Ash?” Banks asked.

“
Yes, she is.  She is mated to Larken and Larsen Wilder.  Just by chance she came here to Colorado for a police conference and well, let’s just say, it is a long story from there.  So dead would be the best way to handle this.  One way or another, Paddock Reed has worn out his welcome on this Earth.  He can’t be rehabilitated and let’s be honest.  I do plan on killing the son of a bitch.”  Nobody questioned whether or not they brought Paddock back alive.  The unit seemed to understand that Paddock wasn’t someone who would ever be able to go back into society.  He was a loose cannon none of the paranormal could chance staying alive.  He was a liability to all of them.

Pelton Miller walked into the room with Larken and Larsen Wilder.  He had been with the twins to buy a motor home for the unit.  They would need it in case they were in some locations where they needed to rest and couldn
’t go to a hotel.  Pelton was smiling until he finally saw Banks.  “Damn!”  Pelton stopped and looked up at the man. 

“
Why are you staring at me?” Banks asked.

“
Um…I’m…I’m sorry but you are very, very tall.”  Everybody in the room burst out laughing.  Banks laughed too.  “What kind of shifter are you?” Pelton asked but before Banks could tell them they heard River whisper, “Grizzly Bear.” 

Banks turned around and stared at River.  He was amazed at how she knew. 
“How did you know that?  I never told anyone I was a bear much less a grizzly bear.” 

Reece walked over and put his arm around River as she gazed at Banks Cohen.  He didn
’t like the way Banks was looking at her.  Hell, if he was honest with himself he didn’t like any man looking at her.  Reece couldn’t figure the bear out.  He showed hardly any emotion.  He thought it was weird but he was kinda like Jansen Vega. 

“
One of River’s gifts is that she can see your animal inside you.  She can see your bear inside you.  We know you are a shifter but not what kind of shifter, but River knows because she can see it.  She is a healer too.”

“
Fascinating,” Banks muttered, as he sat back down. 

“
Okay, everyone, let’s get back to the meeting.”  Jonas left River with Reece as he walked back up to the board to write more information down. 

*****

After the meeting was over, Ash told River that as soon as the room cleared they would start River’s training on some self-defense moves.  River had asked Ash to help her learn how to defend herself.  She didn’t want her mates to show her.  She thought they wouldn’t take it serious enough.  They would tell her they would protect her.  She wanted to do this on her own.  This would be something that could aid her in case she came across Paddock or his goons. 

Jonas watched as River excitedly helped Ash put some equipment away.  He was proud of River for wanting to learn how to defend herself.  He hated to leave her, but he needed to go and meet Reece.

“Hey, baby, Reece and I are going to get some supplies.  I will pick you up and bring you to the house.  It’s movie night.”  Jonas winked as he kissed her hand.

“
Don’t forget the popcorn,” River added before Jonas and Reece left.  With a wave goodbye, River’s mates were out the door. 

“
You ready?  We can go and work out in the room everybody uses for training.  I think you will be a natural at this,” Ash advised.

River glanced over at Ash. 
“You think so?” 

“
Yep, I sure do.”  Ash led River up the stairs to the workout room.  “We will start with the basics right now then move to the harder stuff as we progress.  How do you feel about that?”

“
That would be great.  I’m excited to learn.”  River cast a smile at Ash as they began to stretch.  After they stretched, Ash showed River some basic moves. 
River was a natural
, Ash thought.  She showed her some moves she learned from her Captain while she was a cop.  River picked them up fast.  She thought quickly on her feet.  It was most likely from living in the orphanage and running from Paddock.  She had a feeling trouble would search her out one day and this training would save her life. 

Before hitting the boxing bag, Banks Cohen and Jansen Vega watched as Ash and River spar
red with each other.  A little while later, taking a break, River walked over to where Banks and Jansen were hitting the boxing bag.  “Hey, guys.”  River smiled as Jansen stopped punching the bag.

“
You are doing great,” Jansen advised.

“
Thank you, Jansen.  I’m just starting and I have so much to learn but I love it already.” 

Banks stopped holding the bag Jansen was punching and sat down on the bench beside River. 
“You need to hold your left hand up higher just in case someone gets a lucky shot.  You need the left hand to protect your face at all times.  Then jab with your left hand and hold your right hand up to protect yourself.”  River smiled.

“
Thanks, Banks.  Maybe one day you can train me on something new.” 

“
Sure.  I have some ideas that might help you,” Banks offered as Jonas walked into the gym.  He glanced over and saw how Jansen was leaned up against the bench River was sitting on and Banks was sitting beside her.  He couldn’t help the flare of jealousy he experienced.  He could tell they had been working out but he didn’t like how close they were to her.  He took deep breaths before he walked over to his mate.  He didn’t want to piss her off with his jealousy.  Maybe he could get Ash to talk to her about how mates react when other males get that close to their mate.

“
Hey,” River said excitedly as Jonas walked up frowning at Banks and Jansen.  He moved his body so he was standing in front of River. 

“
Hey, baby.  What are you doing?” Jonas asked as he looked over at Jansen who finally took the hint to back off his mate.