Chapter 1

M iami

“I’m sorry, you’re fucking doing what? Going where? When is this?”

With an inaudible groan, Jo Carlile pushed her chair back with one sparkly stars and moon ankle sock, relying on her expertise to stay balanced and not crack open her skull on the cement floor of her home office. The air around her, cool, courtesy of the air conditioning flowing through the vents. Even so, she wanted to strip down to nothing and let the breeze hit her nakedness.

“Calm down, Selena. I wanted something different this year. Dianna is undercover right now and won’t be done before the holiday. You’re in Brazil. Emily is off in Africa with her man. I don’t want to spend a holiday alone here in Miami. That’s just pathetic.” She did her best to make it sound like a joke, how pathetic it would be but the grunt that met her ears told her it had fallen flat.

“Come to Brazil. You’re family.” The warmth and love flowed over the phone, allowing her, for a singular moment, to imagine they were in the same room. She and her best friend. It wasn’t to be.

But I’m not, not anymore. She blinked away some tears and sighed as she allowed herself to thump forward to the floor. Forcing cheer into her voice, she tried again.

“No, sweetie. I’m going to go off on a grand adventure. I’m heading to Belize and am going to play tourist and let some other schmuck other than myself do a tour. I’m going to go ziplining and find some hot man to shag.”

A grumble of serious irritation. “You can fucking zipline here. You know this.”

Yeah, she did. Rolling her shoulders, she slipped her feet into her four inch heels and stood. “I need to do this, Selena. Things are changing. We have to face that fact.”

“I don’t if I don’t want to.”

Walking across her floor, she flicked the light off, shrouding the office in darkness. Jo didn’t doubt that if they were face to face, Selena would have stomped her foot in pure stubbornness.

This time the smile didn’t have to be forced. “Sweetie, you do. Em is happy and I can’t see her coming back here. She and Dianna still haven’t completely mended their fences. Plus there’s something else going on with Dianna right now that she’s not telling me about.” She went to her kitchen and pulled out a pre prepared meal setting it on the forest green counter top. “No, before you ask, no clue yet but when I figure it out, I’ll let you know. Dianna is just being secretive and for her, that’s like the fucking Fort Knox being tighter on their security.”

“I worry.”

Putting the phone on speaker, she turned for a glass as she gazed at her forest green and soft white kitchen with hints of wine red. It always made her feel like she was in nature. She pulled out her shellacked pink and gold mug with ‘Boss Bitch’ done with onyx black writing. “For what? I’m good. I’m happy in almost every aspect of my life, I’m just needing a break from Miami.”

Slight shuffling. “And your family.”

She shrugged despite Selena being about seven hundred miles from her as the crow flew, not even bothering belabor that point because it was true. Jo took the lid off and slid it in the microwave, setting the timer and moving back to the large island that sometimes had all her friends around it, eating and laughing with her.

Jo had a huge family and while she loved them all, it also meant having a ton of people up in her business and in her life. They’d not been a fan of her heading to Brazil with her friends the first—and subsequent times she’d gone—they definitely weren’t going to be pleased when she called them from the airport that she was heading to Belize.

I’m not dumb enough to tell them before my ass is past security and at my gate. In fact I’ll probably simply wait until I’ve boarded and call them a few minutes before I have to put my phone in plane mode.

Yep, that was a far better plan. The microwave beeped.

Although, there was always a chance her mother would find a way to get past there to her. Five more days and she was gone for a month. A full thirty days of a brand new adventure. Was she saddened her besties couldn’t come? Of course. Would it stop her from going? Hell no.

“How long until you’re back?”

The low tone of her friend broke into her thoughts of how her mother wouldn’t hesitate to storm the airport. Hell, that woman would probably call in a bomb threat or say she was a danger simply to get her ass off the plane.

New plan. Call when she landed in Belize. She had a direct flight and wouldn’t need to call before she landed. Yes, much better.

Once she filled her water from the fridge, she grabbed a fork and set it down before heading to the microwave. “I’m gone a month.”

Hissing out a breath as she took it out, she carried it quickly to the island and set it down before the stool she was using. Loaded mashed potatoes and shredded chicken with a mushroom gravy, smoked cheddar, bacon and a side of parmesan broccoli.

Quiet filled the space. Jo closed her eyes and envisioned Selena’s expression as she tried, probably unsuccessfully, to control her emotions. Waiting for the inevitable explosion, she took a bite and had to force back her moan of pleasure as the food hit her tastebuds.

“Let me make sure I have this right. One month in Belize and you’re leaving in less than a week.” Warning laced her tone.

She nodded even as she scrunched up her face, realizing her mistake. “Right.”

“And you’re just now telling me about this?” Fury exploded across the line.

Still, Jo winced and cracked her eyes open, not positive her friend hadn’t found a way to teleport herself across their distance.

“God, you’re going to be a killer mom. Yes, this is me telling you like a bad child about my decision to go somewhere a mere five days before I head out.” She sat forward and moved the phone more to her right so she could eat without smacking in her friend’s ear. “I want to find something for myself like you have, Selena. I can’t just expect a man to show up at my door and know he’s the one I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with. That doesn’t happen to normal people.”

“Happened to me,” she protested.

“Again,” Jo said. “I said normal people. Fuck, Selena, you’re a fucking shifter yourself. One of the rare ones who is more than just a mate. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact there are shifters, much less my best friend is one. And a consort.”

“All a bit new to me as well.” This time a waver of uncertainty reached her.

God, she wished she could hug her friend.

She chewed slowly and thought how to say it. “I know and I am not trying to make you feel bad, it’s just… What do I have?”

“Us,” Selena snapped. “You have us.”

Tears burned. “But I don’t. Not anymore. At least, not like before.”

Selena whimpered in the back of her throat.

“And that’s okay,” Jo rushed to assure her. “I’m over the moon for both you and Em. Honest, I am. Even Dianna who is off living adventure after adventure in her world of lawlessness. I’m the one who needs a change. Nothing exciting happens in mine. Yes, I walk the Everglades most of the time but it’s safe for lack of a better word. Compared to where I’m going anyway.”

“I don’t want to lose what we had, Jo. We’re best friends.”

The need in Selena’s voice so thick, she could taste it with her dinner.

“Change was bound to happen. Hell, we are on three different continents now. There’s no way around that being different.” She ate a broccoli spear.

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

She smiled at the childish frustration in her tone. “It doesn’t, that’s true. Look, I’ll check in when I’m there. I just…need something.” And if she could figure it out, she would be all the better. All Jo did know for certain, was whatever she needed, she wasn’t finding it here in Miami, doing what she did and living how she was.

Selena was quiet for a while. “Be safe, yeah?”

Love spread through her and she smiled, putting her fork down in the container. “Always. If I wanted to do something dumb and stupid, I can do that here in Miami. I just want to go travel a bit.”

Humph. “Okay, but, and I am just throwing this out there. Brazil is a place to travel too also. You don’t have to settle for Belize. We’re a larger country and this one has things that Belize won’t ever have.”

I know where this is going. “Love you too, Selena. Bye.” She hung up before there could be any more digs about how she should skip Belize and just head to Brazil where she knew people.

Problem was, she didn’t want to go somewhere that a bunch of shifters with their super hearing and super noses would be all over and up in her business. It would be nice to have a man lay some pipe and not have sixteen people looking at her because she still carried the hint of sex on her skin. Of course, if the other shifters were anything like she’d heard Lando was, it may well be worth it to get some pipe from one of them.

Or a few. She was aware that the shifters had an extremely high sex drive. As did she, but it was not easy to find a man who could please her to the point where she couldn’t find the energy to leave the bed. Normally it was passable and got her itch resolved. But definitely not anything to write home about. Nor try to compare with what Selena was getting from her man on a daily, perhaps hourly basis.

And she didn’t want to stay in Miami where her family would be all over her, requesting time. She loved her family but somedays, a woman just wanted to be by herself and not responsible for anything else.

What’s it called, self-care? Because that’s what I need a bunch of. Self-care and a big dick that can make me happy.

She settled down into her couch, tossing her legs over the arm rest as she stared up at the ceiling. Time to do something for herself. Making a mental note to leave a message for Dianna, she took a nap, something she didn’t often do. But right now, this was about her and dammit, she wanted one.

Her steps were light and smile easy when she boarded her flight the next day. Excitement hummed in her veins. She was beyond ready for this.

Let the adventure begin.

αβ

The warm wind currents blew over his feathers caressing him like a lover would.

If I had one.

He didn’t and he wasn’t on the look for one. Right now, this was all about him and just taking some time.

Kenan Matos tipped his wings and rose with the grace and ease of a bird who knew nothing but flying. As a shifter, he knew more than just flying but he loved nothing more than being free and soaring the skies.

He wasn’t large like his fellow Protetor, Femi who was an eagle shifter. He was a falcon and could more than hold his own. Size wise he was far closer to the peregrine falcon. Or would have been if he wasn’t a shifter, he was larger than the normal Aplomado falcon, which lingered closer to the smaller peregrine. He was closer in size to a hawk, as shifters were larger than their species counterpart.

Also, unlike the non-shifter falcon, he loved the jungle as opposed to the open grassland, savannah habitat with it’s shrubbery and scattered trees. Flying with Femi, he’d learned more about weaving his way in and out of the closer trees and thick foliage. He felt far more comfortable in the thick humid jungle than anywhere else.

Their SAR group was taking time off and had pretty much split to different parts of the world. He’d come home to Belize, Femi had returned to Africa and last he knew, Jeremy was on his way to France. Femi had his woman with him and his family was there, so he understood that need. Jeremy however, his friend was riding an edge that he wasn’t able to understand why or what had caused the haunting in his friend’s eyes. He didn’t understand France for a destination, it's not where he was from, however, when he’d inquired as to why, Jeremy had shot him and his questioning down.

Pushing the many thoughts of his friends to the back of his mind, he let his thoughts settle and just enjoyed the warm air around him.

This was the world he loved. Seeing it all from the sky, picking out that tiny prey from dizzying heights and swooping down for the kill before it ever knew it was in danger. Rising and falling with the currents, he flew over where some humans were squealing with fun as they ziplined.

About to leave them to their enjoyment, he dropped a bit in the air when her voice reached it. No matter where he was on earth or what he was doing, that voice, he would always know.

Jo Carlile.

What the fuck is she doing in Belize? Who is she here with? Is something wrong?

No, that didn’t make sense, her voice was full of laughter and joy. Not fear or panic.

Which is good because I would fucking lay waste to whomever had brought that out in her.

He winged up and circled although, it was no longer with lazy beats of his wings. There existed definite purpose behind them now. Blessed with eyesight far greater than any human could ever hope to have, he locked onto her as he flew, keeping her in his sights.

Her joy, infectious. He wanted to be there with her, either ahead or behind her on the line. Be part of this adventure she was on.

The others with her weren’t the other three of their little group. In fact, he didn’t see any of them with her. Which once again, begged the question, who had she come here with?

Last he knew, Selene remained in Brazil with her new husband, Emily was still over in Africa with Femi, she was accompanying him when he came back to Brazil for work. Dianna, he wasn’t sure where she was, but that was the one of the group he had the most difficult time with.

So closed off.

Not that it meant he liked her any less, he admired her as much as the others. Jo, just revved his engine in a completely different way than the others.

Probably a good thing as those guys would kick my ass.

Even Cee Cee who was partnered to Ziggs had fit in with the group of women, despite her not having grown up with them like they’d done. She was an adorable photographer who was learning about how to be a shifter. Her uncle had made her part of an experiment in splicing her genes.

Both he and his bird gave a warning chirp when some strange man grabbed her and helped her out of the harness that had carried her safely over the line. He settled on a branch of a nearby tree and watched her. The fact a man touched her ignited the protectiveness within him. She was his woman and he despised another male touching her. In any capacity.

Her long black hair was braided and hung forward over her left shoulder. He was mesmerized by the thick ebony strands. He’d touched them once when they were dancing at Selene and Lando’s wedding. It had moved over his skin like dark silk, laden with promises he wanted nothing more than to have her fulfill.

Her khaki cargo pants hugged her lower body in a way that didn’t quell the need inside him. Not even a little bit. The dark blue shirt wasn’t much more help. He stared as she moved out of the way and cheered on the ones coming in after her.

It dawned on him. She was part of a tour group. A little boy bounced around and talked her ear off. She didn’t seem all that put out by his monopolizing her time. She listened and spoke to him, not at him.

He called out, the mating cry of his kind and she froze. Her hand still resting on the boy’s shoulder, she looked up in the sky, searching for the one who made that sound.

That’s right baby, learn that call is for you and only you.

A few birds responded to his call but none reacted to the challenge he’d leveled. And they wouldn’t. He was a predatory shifter. End of story.

The rest of the tour, he trailed them and when he found out the hotel she had booked a room in, he went out of sight, shifted, dressed and entered the same hotel, determined to book a room for himself.

As he made it up to the counter, he smiled as it hit him, who he stood behind. Her white halter top encircled her neck and showcased off her smooth bronzed skin. Need rocketed through him, faster than he could dive, and he struggled to rein in his animal. She no longer wore the same clothing from before and his thoughts took an ugly turn before he realized he didn’t smell another’s touch on her.

“Hello Jo.”

The little firecracker before him, stiffened before she glanced back over one exposed shoulder. The suspicion faded and she grinned at him, making him feel like a million bucks.

“Kenan.”

His cock punched hard in the confines of his cargo pants as she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing hard. Like she was thrilled to see him. Like she couldn’t read his mind and didn’t have a clue to how much he wanted to drop to his knees before her and feast on her pussy until she screamed his name. Seconds before she let him go, he returned the gesture and anchored her tight to him.

With a mind of its own, his right hand closed over the nape of her neck keeping her flush to him. The cool chain of her necklace heated against his palm. This was correct. This was where she belongs. Against me.

The struggle to refuse her backing away from him was strong but he allowed it as he held her searching gaze.

“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

The slight panic in her tone kicked through the remaining proprietary need to possess her. He smiled. “Everyone is fine. I came home for a visit.”

She stepped away from him and inched closer to the counter, waiting her turn. “And home for you is here, in Belize.” Her eyes narrowed as a small frown wrinkled her forehead. “Interesting.”

The three rings of her necklace hung down to the top of where her belly button was in his mind. Something I need to see for myself personally to make sure I’m right.

“Why?” He sidled up to her once more, eliminating the distance she’d just created.

“Not sure.” An offhand shrug. “Just thought you would have remained in Brazil.”

“We’re all taking time to use up our vacations. As far as I know, everyone has gone somewhere. There are a few other teams on standby if needed.”

“Is Femi coming back?” She put her back to him and walked to the counter.

He waited while she checked in and got her room key. Then she slid to the left and waited for him to check in. While pleased he got a room here, he wasn’t happy it wasn’t on the same floor as her.

Or the same room.

“I’ve not heard otherwise, have you?” He was consistently aware of everything around them. Specifically around Jo. Bone deep was his need to protect this woman and make sure no harm came to her.

Together they walked over the white tile floor, luggage between them.

“Nope but I’ve not spoken to Emily for a while.”

He heard the pain in her words. Everything within him cried to pull her to him and offer comfort. He knew how close the women were and how difficult this rift between them. If he knew how to make better for her, he would in a second. All of the members of his SAR group had discussed this and it was killing them to stay out of it but they all knew the women had to find their own way back to one another.

Didn’t make it easier for him. Again, he longed to slay all her dragons and solve all the problems for her. If only she would let him.

They were the only two in the elevator and he waited for her to push the button for her floor, he ignored his and as soon as they began moving, he blocked her in, arms on either side of her head.

“Jo.”

It was a rasp. Guttural. Needy.

Her pupils dilated and her full lips parted. Lips he longed to nip at and suck on.