Mate Claimed
Page 89

Iona wasn’t the least bit content with that, but Eric traced her lips, and Iona kissed his fingers. She liked the way heat flared in his eyes when she ever so gently bit his fingertip.
Dr. Murdock was retired, living in a small house in Boulder City, the only town in Nevada that didn’t allow gambling. Eric arrived at his house, accompanied by Xavier and Neal, and scared the man half to death.
Eric interrogated him for a couple of hours, until he knew everything he needed to know. Then he went to an airstrip out in the desert, well hidden from the humans, and asked the pilot called Marlo, who owned the place, to fly him to Idaho.
In a Shiftertown near Sandpoint, Neal led Eric to the house where one Ross McRae lived. The Shifter was unmated with no family, but he shared a crowded little house with another pride of Felines.
Eric talked to him for a time, then he helped the Shifter pack up his meager belongings. Eric met with the leader of the Shiftertown—a Lupine from Alaska—explained the situation, and got the leader’s blessing to take McRae with him back for a visit to Las Vegas.
Marlo, the thin man as cheerful as ever, flew them back the long way south, getting them home in plenty of time for the full moon to rise.
The full moon ceremony, Iona saw, was even more of a celebration than the full sun one had been. The entire Shiftertown was there, Iona once more wearing a flower garland and standing with Eric in the backyard.
Graham now stood in the front circle, which was reserved for family and friends of the pride. He’d brought a date, a human woman with dark brown hair. He had his arm draped over her shoulders and glared defiantly at anyone who dared give him a surprised look. Graham, who’d claimed he wasn’t interested in any females but Lupines—interesting. The woman gave him wide smiles, obviously seeing something in Graham past the blustering anger.
Iona had seen more to him too, as he’d helped Eric out in Area 51. Graham was aggressive and didn’t hold back his opinions, but he was smart, decisive, and knew how to take care of people. His Lupines trusted him, the little ones running readily to him without fear. He and Eric still needed to work things out, but Iona had stopped doubting they’d be able to.
Tiger Man was there too, he who still didn’t have a name. Liam would take him home with him tomorrow before the construction crews came. In Austin, maybe Tiger could start a new life.
Tiger Man looked uncertain, standing among so many Shifters, but the constant feral rage had gone from his eyes, to be replaced by a hope that maybe he could find more in life than mere survival.
The circles closed around Eric and Iona in the cool, white moonlight. Liam and Kim performed the ceremony, blessing Eric and Iona under the sight of the Mother Goddess. Her presence was here, Liam said, and the mating was now complete.
The party that followed was manic. Shifters danced, shouted, and howled in human form, between-beast, and Shifter. A full moon mating, even more than a full sun ceremony, tended to raise the mating frenzy in others. There’d be much sex in Shiftertown tonight.
“Warden.” Graham stopped next to Eric and Iona, interrupting their slow kiss. He was still with the young woman, who peered at them interestedly. “I’ve decided not to challenge you for leadership. At least not right away.”
Eric regarded Graham with his usual dispassion. “Nice to know you’ll honor my full moon blessing by not trying to kill me.”
“You’re not as incompetent as I first thought you were. I’ll let you keep your Shiftertown, as long as you don’t undermine my authority over my wolves. I rule them, you rule your Shifters. Got it?”
“You’re talking about joint leadership,” Eric said. “It’s never been done.”
“Not so much joint as you don’t step on my toes, I don’t step on yours. I’m leader over my Lupine clans, and you don’t mess with that. And I won’t tell your Shifters what to do. I don’t want to have to deal with a bunch of f**king Felines and crazy-ass bears anyway.”
He trailed off into growls, and Eric stuck out his hand. “Done.”
“Done.”
Graham shook his hand in the human way, but their hands remained clasped, sinews working as each tried to out-crush the other.
Iona stopped herself rolling her eyes and smiled at the young woman. “I’m Iona. Shifter males are rude. I’ll never know your name if you don’t tell me.”
“Misty. Misty Granger. It’s Melissa, but everyone calls me Misty. Do you like the garland? Graham said I should do it for you—I own a flower shop on Flamingo.”
“Yes.” Iona touched it. “It’s beautiful.” The garland had been delivered to the front door that afternoon, but Iona and Cassidy had been so busy getting ready for the ceremony that Iona hadn’t noticed where it had come from.
“I thought white roses and baby’s breath, since it was a moon ceremony.” Misty studied it critically. “Came out well, I think.”
Eric and Graham finally let go of each other’s hands, the testosterone contest ending in a draw. Eric slid his arm around Iona’s waist.
“It is beautiful,” Eric said, giving Misty one of his warm smiles. “Thank you. Now, I have another surprise for my mate.”
Eric led Iona away from Graham, who showed all his teeth in a grin as he watched them go.
Eric walked with her toward the largest bonfire built in the center of the yards, but before they reached it, Iona saw her mother break away from Diego, Cassidy, and Amanda, and walk, her body taut, to a Shifter male who stood a little outside the circle of firelight.
The Shifter was as tall as Eric but not so bulked. He had jet-black hair that was just going gray at the temples and a hard face that softened as he watched Penny approach him.
Her mother kept moving to him, bewildered. When Penny stopped in front of him, the Shifter looked down at her for a long moment, then his face crumpled, and he pressed his hands over it. Penny gently took the man’s hands, lowered them from his face, and raised them to her lips.
Iona’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “Eric, who is…”
Eric took her hand and started to walk her toward him. “I found your dad, Iona. Well, Xav and my Guardian did.”
Iona stumbled. Eric’s strong grip kept her upright, encouraging her along until they reached the Shifter and Penny.
The Shifter turned and looked at Iona, stunned. His eyes, Iona saw, were the same blue as hers, and in them she read pain, fear, loneliness, and shame. “I’m sorry, lass,” the man said, his Highland Scots accent thick. “Iona, my daughter, I am so sorry.”