“I have to. It’s not a choice. My time here is almost up.”
“I’ll miss you.”
His eyebrows drew together. “I won’t leave without you. I cannot protect you if I’m not here. I was only letting you know when we would leave.”
She pushed away from him. “I beg your pardon. I’ve told you I’m not leaving. You can’t make me.” She crossed her arms and raised her chin.
He pulled her back into his arms, nuzzling her neck with his lips. “You think not?”
Her body turned to mush as he started an aching need inside her, but just as quickly, she caught on to his game. “Oh, no, seducing me won’t work. When you get on that spacecraft, or whatever brought you here, you’ll be the only one on it.” She put distance between them.
He planted his hands on his hips and glared at her. “You will leave with me, even if I have to throw you over my shoulder and force you.”
“You don’t scare me!”
“I have your parents’ approval.”
She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed. They had said it would be safer if she left with Kristor. It didn’t matter. “They’re confused.”
“No, they’re not. They were reasonable. Unlike some people I know.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“You better start learning to face your fears. In a week, you won’t have a choice.”
The bell over the door tinkled. “I won’t change my mind,” she said as she hurried past him.
“I don’t care if you do or not. Just be prepared to leave. One week.”
When she parted the curtains and stepped out, her next customer was waiting. When she took Sir Otis to the back, Kristor was gone. Good. She was furious that he thought he could force her to leave. What was he—a freakin’ caveman? He’d better think again if he thought she wouldn’t raise hell at being forced to do anything. If he wanted a fight, she’d give it to him!
Her gaze fell on the back door. It was slightly ajar. She marched over and locked it. Not that it would keep him out if he really wanted to come in. It made her feel better, though. She began working on the black lab, and tried not to think about zooming through space. The mere thought made her queasy.
No, Kristor could think all he wanted about her leaving, but it was not going to happen. She had a business to run and she wasn’t about to give it up. Her parents were here. Her friends. What would the Women’s League do without her? Okay, maybe they would continue on, and probably not even notice she wasn’t there. Hell, they’d probably volunteer her for a bunch of stuff, and then wonder why the hell she didn’t show up.
It didn’t matter. She didn’t want to go anywhere. Kristor would just have to leave without her.
Ria paused when it hit her that Kristor was leaving. What the hell would she do when he left?
Tears filled her eyes. How could she have started to like him so much in such a short time? It was the sex. Good Lord, she’d never had orgasms like the ones she’d had with him. It was like riding a roller coaster at breakneck speed to that last big downhill dip that took her breath away.
“I can’t leave with him just because the sex is good, Sir Otis.”
Sir Otis licked her face as she clipped a nail. Bleh! It was a big, sloppy, wet-tongue lick.
“Thanks, but I can do without your kisses.” She grabbed a towel and wiped his slobber off her face.
Really, what did she know about Kristor? He liked anything with an orange taste, and couldn’t stand coffee. He was good with Sukie, and he’d helped get Fluffy out of the tree. He played a hell of a game of flag football. Her parents liked him. He could move objects with his mind….
And he made her feel like she was the only woman in the room, even when bombshell Mary Ann came on to him. And he had a nice laugh.
“What the hell am I doing? I can’t leave with him.”
And why not? Shintara asked. Everything you’ve mentioned is a good enough reason to go. What is really keeping you here?
“Have you forgotten I have a business, a home, friends, parents who love me? Or did you only hear the things you wanted to hear?”
You’ll never be satisfied with anyone else. Kristor is your soul mate.
“Pffft, you don’t know what you’re talking about. We barely know each other. How the hell can we be soul mates?”
You only have to listen to your heart.
She finished clipping the last nail. Was it that simple? Just listen to her heart. It sounded easy, but…Wait a minute. “I read that in Cosmo last month. They did an article on soul mates. You’re plagiarizing them.”
Does it matter? You thought everything in the article made sense. Now you’ve found your soul mate and you’ll let him slip away. Never see him again.
“That’s not what you’re worried about. You only want me to shift into a hawk.”
It’s true, but do you blame me? Shintara coughed. I grow weaker every day. Soon, I won’t be around. It will be as if…as if I never existed.
Was she getting weaker? What would it be like to never hear her animal guide’s voice? To have a dead hawk soul living inside her?
Eww.
She mentally shook her head. Could she live with the guilt? Could she…Suspicion filled her. “You’re lying. You are not getting weaker.”
How would you know? You never seem to miss me when I don’t voice my thoughts. You don’t care about me.
“That’s not true. I do care about you,” she admitted.
Then shift.
“I can’t.”
It won’t be as bad as you think. Sort of like riding a bicycle.
“I always fell off my bike.”
But at least you never gave up. You always got back on. And remember what it felt like to have the wind on your face? It’s like when you run now.
She brushed Sir Otis, running the bristles through the dog’s thick coat. He would need a trim soon.
You’re not concentrating.
“I’m trying not to,” she mumbled. Ria felt bad that she didn’t have the courage to shift. “I’ll try,” she finally said, then wondered why she’d said she would.
When?
“I don’t know.”
The bell jingled.
A reprieve, although Ria had a feeling it would only be temporary. Shintara had once kept her up all night because she’d wanted to talk about something that bothered her. She only hoped she didn’t decide to do that again.
Ria laid the brush down and escorted Sir Otis out. She didn’t bother with a kerchief. Sir Otis ate everything. He was only a couple of years old and still playful, mischievous, and into everything. She did give him a dog cookie, which he practically swallowed whole. The dog and his owner left a few minutes later.
She was alone again, and with enough time until her next appointment to wonder what in the world she was going to do. It was one thing to be part alien, and another thing to go live on an alien planet.
Chapter 19
Ria was glad she had made Carly go shopping. They both needed today. Carly needed it so she would know that they were still best friends, and Ria so that she could get her head screwed on straight.
Sure, Ria could probably start her own business on New Symtaria. What better place to have an animal grooming shop than on a planet where everyone shifted into animals? She could make a fortune.
Her only problem would be getting a loan. Their small town bank was progressive, but she was pretty sure her loan officer would consider it high risk. What would happen if she defaulted? They certainly couldn’t foreclose.
And even though Kristor had told Ria she was a princess, she was almost certain it would turn out to be an empty title. It wasn’t likely that she had a castle and a trunkful of gold. No, she was much better off right where she was.