Shifting Changes (The First Shift) Read online

  Shifting Changes

  (The First Shift)

  Sage Marlowe

  Fulfilling a duty could be so much fun…

  Shayonn has been special his entire life. He is the future king of Atraya, a small kingdom populated with tiger shifters like him, but there is more to him. He is one of the few white tigers left and destined to save his rare breed from extinction. Finding the one female in a million that will allow him to fulfil his duty would be great—too bad that Shayonn prefers to share his bed with men.

  Faolan is a lone wolf in many ways. Alienated from his own kind because of his low pedigree, he leads a life at the border of his species, roaming the country and taking jobs where he can get them. Working as a guard for the tiger shifter community, he knows exactly what he has to do when he meets a stray one.

  Tarina has never been special. She’s just an ordinary woman, who enjoys her pleasures when she can get them. She also happens to be a shifter, but she’s just another plain brown tigress among many others—until one day, a gorgeous white male singles her out as the future mother of his babies.

  When those three get together in different pairings, their mutual attraction is immense, but there is that issue of finding the right mate for every one of them.

  Reader advisory: This book contains sexually explicit scenes (MF and MM, including spanking and bondage) and is only suitable for adult readers.

  SHIFTING CHANGES (The First Shift)

  ©Copyright Sage Marlowe 2013 all content, including cover art

  First published in February 2013 by Sage Marlowe

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The unauthorised reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Dear Reader,

  If you purchased this copy of Shifting Changes (The First Shift), thank you very much. I hope you will enjoy my work. If you have received this ebook for free, in any other way than as a gift or a prize from myself, or as a special offer from a renowned distributor, then please be aware that it is an illegal copy. I, the author, have put a lot of time and effort into creating this book for your enjoyment. I do not receive any reimbursement for illegally distributed (pirated) books. Writing is my livelihood. If I don’t get paid for my work, I cannot do it, it’s as simple as that.

  Please respect this and do not support illegal file sharing and copyright infringement. Thank you.

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit scenes (including, but not limited to, gay sex, anal sex, bondage and spanking) and is only suitable for adult readers.

  Dedication

  To my Facebook friends who kept asking for shifters and a lady—you know who you are, and luckily, so do I.

  SHIFTING CHANGES

  (The First Shift)

  SAGE MARLOWE

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter 1

  “What do you mean, half a room?” Faolan forced himself to keep his voice above the threatening growl that frequently wanted out when he was angry but still, the young blonde receptionist in front of him took an instinctive step back. “I’m sorry, sir. That’s what your booking says. You booked half a room.”

  “Why on earth would I book half a room? Where’s the sense in that? Besides, what is half a room? Doesn’t it have a wall?”

  The pretty blonde, Tara, according to the name tag on her chest, blinked. Another instinctive response from her, this time to the intense stare of his deep brown eyes.

  “Of course it has a wall. Four of them, to be precise. Half just means you’ll have to share it with—”

  “Share? Share a room? Who with?”

  “Another guest.”

  “No, really? Another guest? Now who would’ve thought that?”

  She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders defiantly, trying to mask her discomfort, but Faolan could smell her fear. The bittersweet, tangy scent of her sweat filled his nostrils and appealed to that part of him that was longing to get out.

  He felt the familiar tingle at the top of his spine as his body tried to raise hackles that weren’t there. He lowered his head and tilted it to the side in a wordless offer of peace, but again, she didn’t seem to understand. Humans and their retarded senses.

  Faolan lifted a hand and raked back his hair. The thick strands were soft from the salty air. “Look, miss, all I want is a peaceful, quiet holiday. Some time to relax, okay? Having a roommate doesn’t really fit in with that plan, don’t you think?”

  “I’m sorry, sir,” the blonde said and exhaled a barely suppressed sigh. “But this is what you booked. Of course we would be happy to switch your booking, but we’re full. There isn’t room for so much as a mouse in this hotel. At least not if it wants to sleep in a bed,” she added with a quirk of her eyebrows.

  Faolan’s lip twitched, but he fought back the sneer. Had she just compared him to a mouse? The growl vibrated deep in his chest but fortunately the surrounding clatter of a small group of people passing by and dragging suitcases on wheels after them drowned out the noise he made. It showed how much in need of a holiday he was. Normally he was far better at controlling his instincts when in human form.

  Glancing past Faolan at the next person in line, Tara said, “So, Mr Stone, I will check you in now, unless you’d like to make a pass on your stay here altogether?”

  She made it sound like a question but the order was clear in her voice and he had to admire her self-confident, proud stance. Given that she was a five foot five, slender female and he a six foot one, broad-shouldered man with wrists as thick as her calves, she was quite astonishingly pert.

  Maybe he had misjudged her. Maybe she was indeed some kind of a shifter. He couldn’t figure her out, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a serious possibility. She could have well been a big cat, a leopard perhaps. He took a closer look. Yes, that would fit her. Her long blonde hair had a yellowish tinge in it, and the skin on her neck where he could see the inviting stretch of soft skin might have been spotted, although that could’ve just been a trick of the light. Faolan winced.

  She was hot, there was no denying that, and she had the confidence and looks he appreciated in a partner, short, slight and feline, but she was also very much a female.

  Not that that had ever stopped him on those occasions when he’d been desperate for a play partner, and just like then, he was ready to give it a go with her. At least he was apparently not the only shifter in the place.

  He smiled at her. “Check me in.”

  * * * *

  Muttering colourful curses, Shayonn slammed his way into the cabin. The door was tiny, which in itself would have been a problem for his six foot four frame, but it made it almost impossible to drag the suitcase inside. Or maybe dragging the suitcase was bound to be difficult anyway because of its sheer weight and size.

  “My goodness, did you bring your entire wardrobe along?”

  The deep and not unpleasant voice made Shayonn jump in surprise. He dropped his suitcase. “Ouch!” Hopping up and down, he tried to rub his foot while looking around the minuscule chamber to find the speaker. When he did, he forgot all about the pain in his squashed toes. He licked his lips. Licked them again and promptly wished he was in shifted form.

  The man who sat on one of the two narrow beds was gorgeous. Gorgeous with a G. Lickable. The kind of man Shayonn longed to rub his head on—and not just to mark him as his own. Leaping into his lap, curling up and purring wasn’t the worst option either. Or maybe throwing him onto the floor
, biting his neck, and showing him exactly what he was made of. “My, my, I can’t believe room service has fulfilled my order so quickly,” Shayonn said, watching a pair of thick black eyebrows draw together.

  “What?”

  “Tall, dark and handsome. Just the way I like it.” Shayonn was close to purring indeed now. The guy was adorable and just thinking of what those strong, broad hands could do to him, stroke his back…caress his fur…play with his ears… Shayonn shuddered. He loved to have his ears played with, at least when he was in his shifted form, which he wasn’t very often anymore. In human form, he’d give anyone who was stupid enough to try it a punch. “Do you have a name, too?”

  “Faolan.”

  “Mmm, nice. Please say you’re my other half.”

  “Oh, I guess I’d know if I were,” Faolan replied. It sounded like a growl.

  Shayonn grinned and sat on the bed to test the mattress. Not too soft but not too hard either. Pliable. Bouncy. Perfect for hard, fast rides. He clenched his fingers in a handful of smooth, cool cotton sheets. They’d be perfect on bare skin. Like a lover’s kiss. And they smelled so nice. A faint meowling sound escaped his lips. He thought the sexy stranger must have heard it, but when he looked up, the man glared at him.

  “Would you?” he asked gravely. Anger sparked in those dark brown eyes and Shayonn was lost. The deep, rich sound of Faolan’s voice made him tingle all over and the underlying tension had him itching to shift and tackle the man for a romp. Not that he was frightened of the big hunk—no. He was smitten. And that in itself could be dangerous. “Would I what?” Shayonn asked, lightheaded with excitement.

  “Know if I were your other half?” Handsome flashed a humourless smile. “Surely if I indeed was your other half, you’d recognise me? Or is this perhaps your honeymoon and you didn’t see your bride before the wedding so you don’t know what she looks like?”

  Shayonn’s good mood evaporated like a patch of fog in a storm, as always when the conversation turned to weddings. He answered the smile with a scowl. “You’re full of shit, aren’t you?”

  “Easy, puppy, don't get cheeky. I might be taller than you are.”

  Shayonn froze. “What?”

  “You heard.”

  “Yes, and apparently you need help handling that big head of yours. You’re at least two inches shorter—”

  “I’m not talking of this shape.”

  Shayonn gaped at him. He took a breath and his mouth shaped words, but no sound came out. Faolan must have realised that he was right. He sniffed the air, probably trying to figure out what he was dealing with. Would he be able to place the characteristic scent? Or would he just identify Shayonn as some kind of feline, without being able to define what breed exactly?

  “Now that we have that out of the way, how about you tell me your name?” Faolan suggested.

  “Shayonn.” Shayonn had surprised himself by replying promptly. He bit his lip and clenched his fists. Bloody idiot, why did you give him your real name?

  “Nice. Exotic. I like it. Reminds me of home. Not a plain human name either. Is that just the name or is there more to that?”

  Shayonn shifted his weight as he watched the other man. This was becoming far more dangerous than what he’d bargained for. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Of course you have,” Faolan replied. “No need to hide it. I’m in the same boat. So come on, spit it out—what are you?”

  “I’m just the guy who shares this room with you,” Shayonn grumbled. “And I intend to make this a relaxing and quiet stay, so how about you keep your curiosity to your side of the room?”

  “Whoa, kid—”

  “I mean it!” Shayonn snapped and Faolan shut up.

  Chapter 2

  Three days later, Faolan looked up from the book he was trying to read. Shayonn, the little nuisance had just tossed another sweets wrapper at the bin and missed. Leaning back, Faolan rubbed his forehead, then pressed the balls of his hands onto his eyes. All he had wanted was to be somewhere quiet and peaceful, in a place where people were busy enjoying their holidays and only interested in themselves and their recreational delights. Instead he’d ended up with one of the nosiest and least vacationally-inclined guys he’d ever met. Unfortunately the guy was also one of the hottest he’d ever met.

  Trying not to reveal that he was looking, he watched the other man from the corners of his eyes. Shayonn. It was a nice name. Faolan couldn’t quite place it, but it reminded him of the home he had once known. The bad thing about Shayonn was that he was constantly in motion. And he smelled so delicious. His scent had filled the room ever since he’d entered it, teasing Faolan with the heavy aroma of male body and the underlying, alluring fragrance of the animal he was.

  Despite his earlier announcement of making this a quiet holiday, Shayonn constantly fidgeted in some way. Even when he stared at the darned TV, he did something else simultaneously. He chuckled quietly and to himself. Unwrapped a chocolate bar. Opened a bottle. Got up and walked around. Twitched. Scratched his belly. Rubbed his chin. Played with his hair.

  “Stop it, for fuck’s sake!” Faolan yelled.

  Shayonn turned his head, eyebrows raised. “What?”

  “That!” Faolan waved his hands to indicate the room. Damn, he needed to move. Why had he decided to stay in a bloody hotel? He should’ve known it would make him feel trapped and itching to run. Run. That was it. He needed to run.

  Watching the bewildered and annoyingly amused expression on Shayonn’s face, Faolan slammed his laptop shut, got up and crossed the room. He yanked open the door to the tiny bathroom and snatched a towel off the rack. Spinning around, he nearly smacked his head on the doorframe, but his instincts kicked in and he dodged it. Instead, he slammed his flat hand on it, feeling a perverted sense of satisfaction when Shayonn jumped at the sudden sharp noise, then he grabbed his water bottle and left. The door fell shut with a loud bang.

  Out on the long, narrow aisle, Faolan took a moment to breathe deeply. He was angry. His rage was legendary amongst his friends. The few of them he had anyway. He couldn’t help it. The bursts of blind fury just welled up and took over and he considered himself lucky if he managed to get out of whatever situation had brought them about without hurting anyone.

  Making a chance decision, he turned left and strolled down the hallway at a fast pace until he reached the end with its colourful direction board. He glanced at the letters, searching for the word that would bring him relief. Good. There it was. And not far away either. Just a few doors and another aisle separated him from what little freedom he could allow himself. By the time he burst into the small gym, he was so excited his leg muscles twitched in anticipation.

  He barely noticed that someone was in the room already. Whoever it was occupied the workout bench and Faolan didn’t care much for that. The only thing he cared for was the treadmill. He hopped on, punched the on-button and set the speed at a ridiculously high level to start with. He didn’t care about pulled or sore muscles either. In fact, he welcomed the ache as it distracted him from his burning anger.

  The ground underneath him shifted as the machine whirred into life and Faolan’s body jolted into action. He observed his motions almost passively. His legs moved, eating up the endless distance of the spinning belt. His heart rate shot up, going from a moderate seventy to about a hundred and twenty in seconds. It didn’t get much higher than that, not from just running.

  Faolan’s body was made to run, in either form. He opened his mouth, as usual suppressing the urge to let his tongue loll out. Oh, how he wished he was at home, on the sibling machine in his own basement where he could run in the shape he felt most comfortable in. Or better yet, he wanted to be in the forest, on a hot summer’s day, shielded from a bright blue sky and blistering sunlight by the towering trees on either side of an endless path.

  Closing his eyes, Faolan tried to concentrate on the image. He wanted the ground uneven but soft, cushioned by the leaves that the trees aro
und him had shed.

  The air was hot and rich with oxygen and the scents of nature. The mouldy smell of a patch of damp moss on a dead tree trunk. The earthy aroma that drifted from the ground where wild boars had dug for food earlier. Better not bump into one of them, he mused, or things might get nasty.

  He opened his eyes, only just enough to see where the control panel was. He increased the level, forcing his body along at breakneck speed until he felt the muscles in his legs scream from the strain. His feet pounded out a steady rhythm, loud in the peaceful silence of the daydream he’d created. Sweat poured from every pore, forming rivulets and running along his neck, his back and chest, seeping between his thighs on the way down his legs.

  The moisture dampened his shorts and the thin fabric clung to his body like a second skin. It felt strangely good. It hugged his groin, his balls, and his own movements created a friction that made his dick twitch in hope. Of course it did. Amazing it had taken so long for it to begin to fill. Faolan knew why his temper boiled over so easily these days.

  He needed a mate, someone who could keep up with him in the bedroom and out of it. But someone like that was hard to find. Someone who shared his sexual appetite and wasn’t afraid to face the animal he was on the inside—and sometimes on the outside. Oh, how he wished for someone he wouldn’t have to be careful with in either shape. His last lover had been a human, no shifter, so not much chance for unrestrained sex there.

  Another wolf would have been nice, but that just wasn’t an option.

  “Do you intend to go on much longer?” The voice was soft and sweet, and yet it yanked Faolan out of his thoughts with an intensity that made him lose his rhythm. Tripping up, he made a couple of frantic leaps to stay on the treadmill and find his pace again. His heart raced as he realised that he’d been close to shift. Instinct kicking in. The same instinct that made him flare his nostrils as he caught the whiff of female sweat that tickled his nose. He glanced at the girl. It was the cute receptionist who had checked him in. No name tag this time, and she was in a tank top and cotton hot pants, so off duty. Faolan licked his lips.