Free Novel Read

How Not To Date a Bear Page 8


  “It was an accident!” a blushing Gillian insisted, crossing her arms and glaring at the man. “I didn’t know there was silver in the razor!”

  Davis shook his head before turning back to Declan. “And to think I thought you were violent and bloodthirsty. The fact that she still breathes proves otherwise.”

  Gillian’s startled “Hey!” was cut off as Declan shifted back to his human form.

  “Brought low by a mere woman.” Davis shook his head and Declan scowled.

  “She is not a mere woman. She is the mate to a warrior of the Great Polar Bear Clan.”

  “Mate or no,” the Brown Bear leader decided, “she would have been dead. She would not have survived the night.”

  “And that’s probably why you are alone,” Gillian snipped, stepping around Declan’s naked body to cross her arms and snarl. “That and your decidedly bad taste in haircuts.”

  Holding both his arms up in surrender, Davis backed up. “Oh, yeah, Grizzly blood will out.”

  Before Gillian could question him, Declan reached out and covered her mouth with his hand. “The treaty?” he asked.

  “It stands,” Davis stated, moving past them toward one of the trucks. “Declan, you have acted honorably. And if your light show is an example of the power you hold, then this treaty will benefit both our Clans. The Grizzlies will not incite trouble.”

  “Done,” Declan snickered. “Though I will not be fighting any of your battles for you.”

  “Then can I borrow your mate?” Davis laughed. “If her words do not scare them, then the threat of her shaving them will do just as well.”

  “And don’t you forget it,” Gillian snarled, pulling Declan’s hands aside. “Be very glad you didn’t harm a hair on his head,” she snapped. “This man belongs to me, and what belongs to me I protect!”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Davis nodded and his people retreated. Within moments the sound of leaving trucks filled the air and Declan turned to look at his mate.

  “I belong to you?”

  “Of course,” she sniffed, taking his hand and tugging him toward her — their house. “Someone has to look out for you.”

  She paused before Theo and looked his naked body up and down. “And some manscaping would do you good. That much pubic bush would choke a woman.”

  “Man,” he corrected, grinning at her. “I like men.”

  “Anybody who’s not into hairballs,” she shot back without missing a beat and tugged at Declan once more.

  “I’ll see to the troops,” Theo called after them, laughter still in his voice as Declan followed his mate inside.

  What the hell had he gotten himself into?

  Something good, he decided as he watched her lead him into the kitchen and pull out a first aid kit.

  “Now, show me where it hurts?” she asked.

  Of course he had to spread his legs and point to his dick, which was rapidly filling to full erection.

  She gasped and blushed, and Declan smiled.

  It might not be so bad having Gillian as a mate, he decided, especially when she dropped to her knees to pet his cock before taking the head between those two beautiful lips.

  Not bad at all. Life was damn good.

  Stephanie Burke

  Have You Been Flashed?

  It’s the question Stephanie Burke is asking.

  Stephanie is a multi-published multi award-winning wife and mother of two whose unparalleled imagination causes her no end of trouble. From sex shifting, shape-shifting dragons to undersea worlds, sexually confused elemental fey and homoerotic mysteries, all the way to pastel challenged urban sprites, Stephanie has done it all, and hopes to do more.

  Stephanie is co-founder of the charitable organization Write 4 Hope, an orator on her favorite subject of writing and worldbuilding, a sometimes teacher when you feed her enough coffee and donuts, an anime nut, an award winning costumer, and a frequent guest of various sci-fi and literary cons where she can be found leading panel discussions or researching more legends and theories to improve her writing skills.

  Stephanie is known for her love of the outrageous, strong female characters, believable worlds, male characters filled with depth, and interracial stories that make the reader sit up and take notice.

  You can reach Stephanie at Theflashcat.net, Flamekeeper@yahoogroups.com, www.myspace.com/the_flash_cat, www.facebook.com/TheFlashCat or email her at Flashycat2004@aol.com.

  Stephanie would love to hear from you.