Silent Storm

Chapter One

All around her, towering mountains descended sharply into the sparkling waters of the Pacific. Their ragged surfaces were torn as if a giant hand had grabbed desperate snatches from the earth, leaving behind nothing but thin air and harsh ridges of granite exposed to the brilliant August sun. Along the waterline, where the tide’s highest marks had ripped and torn the land, sun-bleached logs lay in tangled heaps, the exposed roots of massive cedars now tormented remains of once majestic trees.

The world kept changing. It was inevitable.

Laurin Marshall guided her kayak along the inlet, letting the crisp morning air fill her lungs, seeking a moment’s respite from her internal turmoil. Her mind was filled with images, emotions, and uncertain longings. Two years had passed since she’d deserted her mountain clan to find a place among the water shifters known as the People of the Sea. Only a couple months ago her life had been radically transformed again.

She dipped one side of the double paddle, then the other, moving her arms in a smooth, even rhythm. Trying to let the pace of her heart and the motion of the routine soothe her aching soul.

There were so many things she loved about this life. The water, the proximity to the coastal mountain ranges. The way the water reflected the emotion of the seasons in the colors filling the seemingly endless sky.

She couldn’t get enough of the beauty before her. So different, and in some ways raw and stark, compared to the Rockies where she’d grown up. Oh, the mountains of her home reached even higher to the sky, and when she flew, shifted into one of the forms of the People of the Air, it seemed there was nothing between her and the stars. But here, the ocean spoke to her. It had a voice and a song—poles apart from the wind in the pine trees or the flutter of a breeze against a mountain lake.

The sea was vibrant and alive, and she’d fallen totally in love with it.

Laurin paused in her paddling, letting the kayak drift as she rested out of the wind in a small bay. Around her a pod of dolphins surfaced, a couple of the younger ones sliding cheekily alongside her craft, their pectoral fins slapping the water beside the gunwales and splashing her. She laughed aloud and held up a hand to ward off the worst of the attack.

The matriarch of the group surfaced and sang out, and Laurin wished again she could understand what she was saying. The female, with her beautiful smile, dipped her head then submerged, the rest of the pod following. An immature male rose one final time into the air, twisting and landing beside the kayak. Laurin was instantly drenched.

She had to smile. The sea and her people were amazing, even though she’d never been so waterlogged in her life. Part of the downside of being partner to the shaman of the Pacific Inside Passage. Laurin picked up her paddle and headed for the thin strip of sand visible just ahead of her. There were dry clothes in the aft compartment, and if she’d read Matt’s note correctly, there should be a relaxing break waiting ahead.

He joined her on the beach. Six feet of brown skin, firm muscles and a grin that was all for her. The neat khaki shorts he wore did nothing but draw her attention to his bare chest and the ridge of his abdominal muscles carving down under the beltline.

“Did you have a good paddle?” Matt pulled the prow of the kayak far up on the sand so she could step out onto solid ground. His thoughtfulness warmed her, even though she scarcely needed to worry about staying dry. He guided her with a steady hand as he helped her from the cockpit. “Laurin, why are you soaked?”

Because your people gave me homage? “Enthusiastic teenager, I think.”

Matt Jentry wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, his even heartbeat under her ear now so familiar and so right, she could barely imagine not having him close by. Somewhere near, to touch, to talk to. She glanced up at his beautiful face, firm cheekbones, strong jawline. She couldn’t imagine never getting to taste him again.

“Well, that’s an intriguing look. You going to share what’s on your mind to go with that enticing expression?” His voice was husky and low, and her need for him blossomed into full desire.

She couldn’t imagine life without his lovemaking either. She reached up and brought their mouths together.

He kissed her softly, placing a series of light bites along her lower lip, dragging the surface into his mouth and letting it go. She explored with her tongue, teasing his lips, his teeth, his tongue. All the while his hands were busy at her buttons, her waistband. Stripping off her clothes, baring her to the elements. She willingly did the same for him, thrilling at the encounter of her fingers against his torso. The slight breeze brushed her skin, and she wondered again at the remote locations he always managed to find. There were no clans close to this inlet, no human eyes to see them naked and entwined.

Matt lifted her in his arms without taking his lips from hers. She closed her eyes and simply soaked in the experience. The warmth of his touch versus the cool of the blanket he lowered her to. The heat of his kisses, now descending to worship her breasts and tease her nipples to tight peaks. The breeze stroked a cold finger over the wet tip and it tightened even more.

He hummed in admiration. “I did have a picnic lunch arranged, but I’m not sure if I have the strength to wait. Are you hungry?”

Laurin stared up at her lover of two months, the man with whom she had a mystical connection they were still trying to figure out. A mental and emotional connection beyond the ordinary—that only grew stronger the longer they were together. “I’m always hungry for you.”

They moved together with an easy rhythm, the first fumbling moments of becoming lovers seemingly far in the past. It was straightforward, but not boring, the passion between them rising fast and staying strong. Whether it was because their magic clicked, or because somehow they truly fit together well, Laurin didn’t know. And at this time, didn’t care to analyze.

She needed him. As always.

Matt pulled her close, stroking his hands down her naked torso. He cupped her butt and slid her over him so they were centered on the blanket. It took him a second to sit upright before pressing her backward slightly to expose her breasts to his attention. His lips fastened around one tip, drawing a string of desire through her entire being, an echoing pulse beginning in her core. Each suckle triggered a responding internal throb, and she moaned, dragging her fingers through his dark hair to hold him close.

Receiving his full attention was a humbling experience. Laurin had never felt this way about previous lovers, had never had a connection that went deeper than the physical pleasure they shared. With Matt, his steamy touch was wrapped up in the layers of emotion she felt from him. It mixed with traces of thoughts that tangled her mind, and there were moments she didn’t know if it was her ideas or his driving her crazy with desire.

Warm skin, wet lips, the hard surface of his shaft between them. Laurin adjusted her legs to kneel on either side of his thighs, her sex covering his rigid erection. She rose and lowered slowly, letting him slip along her core as the moisture from her body coated his cock.

Images of him slipping into her—of the pleasure he felt—rolled back through the strange and powerful link they shared. Combined with the scent of the sea, between the remembrances of the past times they’d made love and this current time, the sensory overload grew almost devastating. It wasn’t simply the touch of his hands massaging her breasts, there was the lingering sensation of his mouth, and an echo of a time in the past when he’d pinched and teased her nipples until she could barely think.

It was lovemaking with layers of memories, and each time it grew more powerful. When Matt grasped her hips and adjusted her so his erection slid into her depths, she wasn’t sure how much of the pleasure was from this occasion and how much from the past.

“Matt…oh. Oh, yes.”

He wrapped one arm around her back and brought their torsos together, pulsing his hips lightly, more a rocking together than a powerful thrusting into her body.

It was still impossible to stop the reaction of her body to him. They fit—and yet…

An undeniable sensation of sadness burst through her. Laurin slammed it behind a mental wall and tried to deny it existed. She stared into his bright blue orbs. He returned her gaze without blinking, the emotion on his face making it impossible to look away.

“Do you see it?” he whispered. He moved their bodies together, with another rock, another slide. “Do you feel it?”

Racing headlong into her climax, tumbling into passion, Laurin trembled. It was more than the delights of joining together, under the heat of the sun and with the wind kissing their skin. Matt opened to her, flooding her mind with images from his viewpoint—the instant spark of interest he always experienced as she flirted with him. The expression on her face as she lay sated beside him.

He poured his reactions into her and Laurin’s breath caught in her throat. Powerful, yes, even overwhelming to comprehend how much he cared for her. How much he thought of her and wanted the best for her.

She wrapped her arms around his back and twisted, pulling him on top. The blanket was cool beneath her back, protecting them from the ravages of the sandy beach. His cock nestled deeper into her body, filling her, teasing all the sensitive places inside. Equally filled, her heart pounded with the realization he kept nothing secret—shared all he thought of her, all she meant to him.

He loved her.

Matt drew his hips back, then pressed into her again. Her body welcomed his advance, slick with need. His lips found hers, and as they kissed, that small part she kept separated from him trembled to be released.

Another kiss landed, this time on her cheek. His voice was raw and deep with his passion. “Do you hear it, Laurin? Do you hear what my body is telling you? What my mind and soul want you to know?”

Oh God. He plunged in again and again, the pace slow and even, her heart pounding faster than his intimate thrusts. She still couldn’t answer, couldn’t…

“Do you understand? I offer you everything, willingly. I’m yours, Laurin.”

Mine—she mouthed the word against his skin. It was easy to see the ways he gave her love, with all the caring and sharing. Every touch of his hand and the quiet of their evenings together—so different but so clear in making her feel the truth of his emotion.

Why was it so hard to let go of her final fear?

Above her, he stilled. They remained connected, his shaft buried deep in her body. Their minds touched, memories swirled, and yet…

“Laurin?”

Tears lashed her eyes and she pushed aside her apprehension. It wasn’t the time to deal with it. It wasn’t the place, and he deserved none of her bitter struggle to mar this moment. She opened the part of her mind she’d been hiding from him, only keeping that one secret place buried deep.

“I see, I feel. I know. Oh, Matt…you are too good to me.”

“Not possible, it’s only what you deserve.”

Moving slowly, now faster. Rocking together, hips connecting and withdrawing. Skin on skin, minds brushing, breasts aching. Heart breaking. Laurin accepted his gift and returned it with everything she could. She shared her fascination with his magic, the way his role as a shaman was not a part of him, but him. The gratitude she felt for his place in her life, his protection, his openness, and most of all his love.

She did love him. Almost frighteningly so. She clutched his shoulders and arched under him, taking him into her body, accepting him into her mind. Flashing into the pleasure of release at the same moment he did, their bodies in tune and one.

They both cried out, Laurin reveling in the delight he always brought her, the physical rightness of being with him. Even as he pulsed within her, his seed filling her, the connection between their bodies remaining, Matt brought their lips together for another earth-shattering kiss. When they finally lay, breathing hard on the blanket, Laurin’s vision was blurred.

“Wow.” The sky spun overhead, continuing aftershocks of pleasure rioting through her system.

He laughed softly, rising up on one elbow to smile down at her. Laurin sighed in contentment, lifting her fingers to trace his jawline. Matt’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “You okay? You seemed to disappear for a minute or two—that’s not good for a guy’s ego.”

Laurin soothed him, kissing his lips tenderly. Opened herself to allow how much she cared for him to wash over them both. “I’m sorry. You know I’m guilty of thinking too hard at times.”

Matt nodded. “If you can analyze a situation from a new direction, you will. Or make some charts.”

“Charts are awesome.”

They grinned at each other. Laurin let a slow sigh of relief escape as Matt rolled away and helped her to her feet without pushing for any further explanation. She needed to deal with her concerns, but postcoital? Her emotions were still too raw. Besides, it really was her issue, not anything that was his fault.

They gathered their scattered clothing with an easy companionship. Matt shook the sand from each item before dressing. Laurin chose to retreat to the kayak to find her dry clothing. Matt pulled out a picnic basket, then proceeded to impress her stomach with his cooking as much as he’d dazzled her body with his lovemaking.

In spite of her attentive companion, and the gorgeous setting, her mind kept wandering back to her dilemma, and as they packed up the remains of the picnic lunch, she realized she couldn’t carry on this way. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

“Matt, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What do you think of me taking a bit of a holiday?”

He took his time to seal the container in his hands before tucking it into a kayak bag. “That depends,” he said slowly. “Are you talking about a holiday from teaching or a holiday from…me?”

Oh damn. One of the troubles with being so intimately connected with a shaman—it was difficult to keep secrets. “My tour of summer schools will be over in a couple weeks. The students who are studying via satellite are on a year-round schedule—they’ll have a semester break then as well, so I’ll have no teaching commitments.”

He nodded, his observant gaze flashing over her. “And me?”

Laurin took a deep breath. She reached out and laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Matt, I think I love you.”

There was a spark in his eyes, but his smile seemed forced. “How come that came out sounding as if it makes you sad?”

She moistened her lips, searching for the right words. Ones that would make this better. Unfortunately, she had no idea what words those would be.

“Laurin.” He held out his hand and she went into his arms eagerly, willing to hide her face against his chest, seeking comfort, wishing she’d never given him any pain. She did love him. She did, that had become crystal clear over the past month.

But was it enough?

“I see you. I don’t think you even know you’re doing it.” Matt lifted her chin until their eyes met. “The way you stare into the sky with such longing. I don’t understand why you avoid flying.”

Her heart ached. “I’m afraid.”

He frowned. “Afraid of the sky? Of shifting? Laurin, there will be no further challenges from anyone who sought you before. You are free from the fears that sent you into hiding two years ago. I swear.”

“It’s not that. I’m afraid that if I fly too often I’ll—” Her words choked to a stop. Could she ever commit to being with him forever? Forsake the mountains of her childhood and all of her family?

Her people?

It had never been an issue until now, not until Matt. She cradled his face tenderly in her palms. “I do love you,” she whispered. “So much it frightens me at times. Not because you frighten me,” she was quick to respond to his intake of breath. “Oh, not because of that. You have become the center of my world, and I love being with you. Seeing you work with the people, seeing you act as a physician and bring healing to people’s lives. But it makes me wonder…”

Matt’s lips were sun-kissed soft against hers. “Makes you wonder if you should be with your own people? The People of the Air?”

Laurin nodded. “My grandfather said I would bring balance—his prophecy so many years ago. It didn’t mean what the men of the tribes thought it would, not with you and I being a couple. We are a couple, Matt. I don’t deny that for an instant. But where does my responsibly to my people end? If I make a complete commitment to you, your place is here, on the Pacific coast. You can’t give up your position, and I would never expect you to.”

“And I don’t want you to feel you have to choose between your nature and our relationship.” He stroked his fingers through her hair. “I had no idea this was bothering you so much. I guess I’m guilty of thinking the mystical connection between us will make our relationship easier.”

Laurin laughed softly. “It does make things more interesting at times, that’s for sure.”

Matt tweaked her nose. “I don’t want to cut off our discussion, but we need to return to the Stormchild. Can we pick this up back at the ship?”

Laurin kissed him as sweetly as she could. “I’m sorry I’ve kept this from you. You’re right, the only way we can figure it out is together.”

She reached for the lifejacket and he held out his hand. “I’ll take care of the kayak. Why don’t you fly home?”

A streak of pleasure hit her. An opportunity to glide on the currents overhead was exactly what she needed right now.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I can tie her on behind my mine.” He laughed, the bright sound dancing around them as she rushed to strip off her clothes. “Besides, any excuse to get you naked is a good one.”

He stroked a finger down her breast and grinned as her nipple responded instantly to his touch.

“Stop that.” She giggled, giddy from excitement. From his touch and anticipation of the flight.

“Why? Can’t you fly when you’re turned on?”

“Oh, I can fly, but if you get me going too much I’m not leaving until you deal with me.” Laurin wiggled her brows and Matt licked his lips in response.

“Not sounding like a threat to me, woman.” He kissed her breathless then set her back on the ground, slapping her bare butt cheek and pushing her forward. “Go. I’ll take care of your needs back in our bed. One session of sandy sex a day is enough.”

Laurin blew him a kiss, bent her knees, then launched herself into the air as she shifted.

She changed into her favorite form, the golden eagle she’d first taken as a child so many years ago. Her magic let her shift to any of the People of the Air, but this was the one that felt the most comfortable. It brought great pleasure to extend her wings to reach another inch, tilting a wing tip to catch the proper angle to rise rapidly into the air. She wheeled to peer down at Matt, already far below. He bowed deeply in respect, and her heart constricted afresh. If she’d been in human form, tears would have filled her eyes.

Matt had given and given, and even now showed how pure his love truly was. She called out his name, her eagle’s tongue tangling the word until all that echoed out was a cry of passion.

He was her mate, but he was not of her people. At ten years old her destiny had been proclaimed, but not explained, and now as she turned to travel the paths of the sky back to the single-masted ship they currently lived on, Laurin wondered just what the final answer would be to her dilemma.

There didn’t seem to be an easy resolution, with her heart torn between fulfilling her responsibilities to the People of the Air, and her unwavering love for the shaman of the People of the Sea.