Kodiak Moment: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance

Kodiak Moment

By Zoe Chant

Copyright Zoe Chant 2015

All Rights Reserved

The snow drifted down from the steel-grey sky, coating the ground and speckling the trunks of the tall, strong trees. His thick fur covered with the melting remains of the large flakes, the Kodiak bear stepped from the tree line and made his slow and stately way towards the edge of the lake.

He was large, his fur a deep, rich brown. He moved with confidence, with power, and with the sure certainty that he was the master of his territory. Between one step and another, the bear shape blurred, hazed in a white shroud that had nothing to do with the snow.

James Masters stepped from the blur, absently dusting some of the powered snow from his broad shoulders. He took a deep breath, the last fading remnants of the bear’s senses enjoying the crisp, cool air. The ache that always accompanied his shifts was fading as quickly as it had come.

He had needed that peace and tranquility. There was something soothing about becoming the bear, of losing his self in the uncomplicated thoughts of his other half. When his humanity got too much for him, the bear was always waiting.

And he had needed it. He had moved deliberately out to the wilderness to be on his own, to be away from everyone else. His cabin on the edge of the lake was peaceful and quiet, just as he liked it. When he had moved in, he had barely paid attention to the other cottage, fifty yards further down the shingle shore. It was empty, and that was all that he cared to know about it.

But the courtesy call from the sheriff in the town had irritated him. Dan Winters was a good guy, and he knew how much James valued his privacy.

The cabin next door to him that he had thought abandoned had been rented. He would have company in his pleasant isolation.

He was nearly to his cabin, when he heard the crunch of tires moving slowly over the layers of snow. Driven by curiosity, and a desire to see who was invading his territory, he took the final few steps to his cabin, and turned to lean on the porch railing to watch.

A black car was making its slow way down the rutted track, suspension bouncing and headlights gleaming. The driver was a cautious one, taking their time in the bad conditions.

Finally though, the car pulled up outside the cabin, and the lights turned off as the engine noise died. The driver’s side door opened, and despite himself, James leaned forward.

For a moment, the car hid his new companion, but then she stepped around the side of the car. James drew in a deep breath, and held it.

Her hair was the color of the autumnal leaves, a deep, rich, warm red. It flowed, long and loose down her back, already starting to dampen with the falling snow. She was tall, and well curved, filling out her jeans and blouse in a way that made his mouth go dry. He knew that her eyes were the color of pale periwinkles, and would be surrounded by laugh lines.

She stretched, reaching her arms out above her head, arching her spine, unconscious of her audience. James tightened his grip on the porch railing, and felt the wood start to splinter.

He wanted her, his body and soul yearned for her, and his inner bear demanded that he step over there, and claim her as his mate.

Splinters from the rail dug into his palms, pin pricks of pain nipping at his mind through the fog of his desire. He gritted his teeth, and mentally slammed the door on the demanding inner bear, turning away physically from the arousing sight.

His mate. The one and only person in this world that he could love, mind, body and soul. Sure, he could have one-night stands, relationships, even marriage, but they wouldn’t be as deep, as intense, as rich as they would be with his mate. After he had long given up on ever finding her, there she was. After he had told himself that he didn’t mind being alone, there she was. His true love. The one for him.

***

Nessa Morrison flinched as something slammed near her, disturbing the solitude. She was sore and tired from the long drive and wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep.

She fished the cabin key out of her jeans, taking a look around. The cabin was a well-weathered wooden building, set a stones throw away from the edge of a lake. It hugged the ground, looking almost natural. There was another cabin not far away, which looked rather better tended than her own.

The snow flurried around her as the wind gusted, and that decided her. The porch creaked under her steps, and the key was tight in the lock, but with the application of a bit of strength and a shoulder, she was soon inside.

Inside it was cold, dusty, but in good order. Someone had obviously been in to take off the worst of the dust, and to leave some supplies. She was grateful for their thoughtfulness, since it would save her the trip into town.

She stepped back outside to the car, popped the trunk, and lifted out her two suitcases. She set them on the ground and took a moment to simply just be. When she had first heard of the assignment, she hadn’t been so keen on the idea. She was a city girl, and what could the wilds of the countryside hold for her?

But the more that she had thought about it, the more appealing the idea had seemed. Lying in bed, listening to the sound of sirens in the night, and the bustle of traffic, she had wondered what it would be like to hear none of that. To be perfectly quiet, and perfectly alone. Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of city life, her mind had always been focused on her work. Even when out on assignment, work was all that she had. Perhaps, while she was here, she might give relaxing a try.

Although, it looked like she wouldn’t be alone. As she lifted the suitcases again and took them inside, she would almost swear that someone was watching her. Far from being the disconcerting sensation it usually was, this was almost comforting, caring. She felt warm inside, compared to the freezing air on her face.

As she turned back to head into the cabin, she caught a flicker of movement in the window of the other cabin. All she saw was a shape moving away, no details.

“Must go and introduce myself,” she said aloud, hoping that it would stick in her memory.

It almost seemed like the shape hesitated, as if they had heard her, but that was impossible, wasn’t it? Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, Nessa began the arduous process known as moving in.

She was halfway through unpacking when the insistent beeping of a horn got her attention. She took a glance through the net curtains of the den and saw a police cruiser just pulling up outside the other cabin. The officer stepped out, waving cheerily as the door to the other cabin opened. Hidden by the net and obscured by the distance, Nessa got her first look at the man who would be her neighbor.

He was tall, broad shouldered, a true bear of a man. His hair was brown and cut long and shaggy. He didn’t seem to have a beard, a fact that surprised her. As best she could tell over the distance, his face was stern, unyielding. Although her first job was to photograph the local wildlife, her fingers itched to pose him against the setting sun, perhaps shirtless so the light would gild all those lovely muscles that she was sure he was hiding.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice that her neighbor had turned, almost as if he knew she was there.

***

James closed the door firmly, with more than necessary force. His inner bear howled in frustration. The glimpses that he had been able to get were not enough to satiate his other half. But they would have to do. He would not allow his bear to rule him. She might be the only one for him, but it didn’t work the same way with her. He had been happy without her, he could continue.

Sheriff Dan Winters was a pleasant-looking man, with an honest and open face. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown and his hair a sandy blond. He sprawled loosely in an armchair, and studied James.

“Coffee?” James asked.

“Please,” Dan replied.

As James gathered the obligatory fixings and started the kettle boiling, Dan stood up and came to lean on the kitchen doorframe.

“Have you seen much of your new neighbor yet?” he asked with no preamble.

“No, and I don’t intend to,” James said firmly. “She’ll stay over there, I’ll stay over here, and we’ll get along just fine.”

The sound of the kettle coming to the boil almost covered Dan’s disbelieving snort. “You should give her a chance,”

“Why?” James asked, halting while adding the coffee to the cups.

“Aren’t you lonely out here on your own?”

James shook his head, grabbing the milk from the fridge. “Dan, just because you’re happily mated, with cubs dancing around your feet, doesn’t mean that you have to set me up. Go and matchmake one of your deputies, and leave me out of it.”

Dan shook his head, taking the coffee and retreating back to the armchair. He slouched down, making himself comfortable.

James settled on the couch, straight backed and formal.

“I’m not trying to set you up,” Dan continued. “I just
hink you need more friends. She’d probably welcome the company.”

Much to James’s chagrin, Dan was hitting a nerve. Though he loved the solitude, sometimes it did get overpowering, and a little lonely. And if he was being honest with himself, the human part of him was curious to get to know a woman who would seek out the same sort of solitude. Not to mention the hot desire of his bear self.

“I’ll think about it,” he said, and Dan smiled.

“Who knows, you might like her,” Dan said lightly.

James was fairly certain he would. That was the problem.

Dan stayed around for a while, to catch James up with the news and gossip from the town, and to share his latest baby photos. Dan was a coyote shifter, mated and married for seven years now, and his wife had just had their third child. Dan, while short on sleep, was still utterly besotted and prone to showing pictures to everyone.

Although he grumbled, James found himself a little wistful of the cozy, homely scenes. A mate and cubs had never been in his cards. He had never needed those things to content him. He would never admit to wanting them. But it was nice to live vicariously through Dan.

Finally though, duty called, and Dan headed back out to the cruiser, and away. James, about to move inside, stopped to look at the other cabin. It really would be the neighborly thing to do. And he could keep himself under control.

Before he could think about it any longer, he crossed the gap between the cabins and rapped sharply on the door. He heard footsteps clattering down the stairs, the sound of the lock undoing, before the door was pulled open.

His inner bear roared to attention at the sweet, intoxicating perfume that drifted from her hair. The autumnal strands were disheveled, falling free from their loose ponytail. Her eyes were blue, but the deep blue of long-forgotten deep forest pools, dark eyes to drown a man. Her skin was alabaster pale, with a scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

“Hi,” she said politely, and James blinked.

“Hi,” he parroted back at her, searching for coherence, trying to gather his will back together. “Thought I should come over and introduce myself. Since we’re going to be neighbors and all.”

She was smiling at him, her eyes laughing at his stumbling words. But he found that he didn’t mind, that he liked that look in her eyes. He felt warm.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Nessa.”

He accepted the hand and gave it a firm shake. “James.”

“You want to come in for a minute?” she invited. “I’m sure I saw coffee in here somewhere.”

“No need to put yourself out for me,” he said. “I know you’re only just arrived. And since you probably haven’t had much of a chance to get supplies, would you like to join me for dinner tonight?”

Her face lit up, and while she had been beautiful before, now she was incandescent, utterly radiant.

“That’s wonderful of you, and I gladly accept. I was planning on cold soup and a cold night, so I’m not going to turn you down.”

“I’ll make sure the fire is blazing for you,” he promised.

“What time should I come over?”

“Round about seven?” he suggested.

“I’ll be there,” she said.

“Great,” he said, and shifted stance to walk away. “See you then.”

***

The lights of the other cabin were shining bright in the darkness, a warm and welcoming lambent light. Nessa wrapped the woolen shawl tighter around her shoulders, and crunched her way over the freezing ground. The word “date” was darting around her head, but she was sure that wasn’t what was happening. This was just a man being kind to his new neighbor. It was the sort of neighborly invite that anyone would give, right?

She mounted the steps to the cabin and hesitated before raising her hand to knock at the door. Before her hand could touch the wood, the door was pulled open and James stood before her. Unable to stop the motion, her hand came down to rest on James’s chest. Even through the thick shirt he was wearing, she could feel the heat of his skin.

James, for his part, was almost undone by the casual touch. His inner bear was reveling in the feel of her hand and wanted to come out, there and then, so she could run her fingers through his fur. He cleared his throat, and she snatched her hand back with a blush suffusing her cheeks. The faint hint of pink on her alabaster skin was intoxicating, and it was with a great deal of effort that he made himself take a step back to allow her to enter.