Shifting Currents Read Online Free Page A

you’ve got one, but unless you’re going to tell me what it is…” She paused and looked at the dog, who just lolled her tongue and panted. “Then we’ll call you Fluffy.”
    Fluffy growled low in her throat.
    “What? If you don’t like it we can change it.” Then she heard the snapping of twigs and the lowered voices of men talking. The wind brought only bits of their conversation.
    “A gold mine.”
    “Earth spit it back up.”
    “Lost men.”
    Bethany shivered and got up and started to walk toward the voices, but Fluffy clamped her mouth on the harness and pulled Bethany back. The velvet sound of wings filled the air, and unless she was deluded, the eagle had been perched nearby and was now going toward the men. Fluffy pulled back again.
    “Okay, okay, but that sounded like a good story.”

Chapter Two
    Bethany
    Bethany was asleep in her cot in the Tech cabin when a tap, tap tapping at her window woke her up. Instead of a raven, though, it was the eagle. Tripping over Fluffy in her haste to get to the window, she sprawled against the pane. When the bird did nothing but flap its wings at her, Bethany knew it was a Shifter.
    “Daniel,” she said, muscling the window of the cabin open.
    The eagle flew in and perched on the dresser.
    “Daniel? Is that you? It’s not safe for you here. The Orange Grove tribe is here. They’ll probably recognize you. If you can stay a bird until we go back to the Bluffs, my new tribe will take you in.”
    The bird’s image fluttered, and standing before her was a man straight out of the fantasy books. His eyes remained amber, but the rest of him was rock-solid muscle and sinew. Jet black hair hung to his wide, powerful shoulders. A hard jaw was set in a grim line, but he didn’t say anything. Without meaning to, Bethany checked out his muscled chest and washboard abs. After a quick peek lower, she felt her face redden. Locking her eyes back to his, she saw that his expression was shuttered. Without a word, she handed him the sheet off the bed.
    He took it, wrapping it around himself toga-style.
    “You’re not Daniel,” she said lamely.
    The man cocked his head like a bird would and attempted to speak, but only a coughing screech came out.
    “Oh shit,” she said. “And you’re feral.” Bethany tripped over Fluffy again as she backed away. She landed on the bed, which was better than the floor, but now she had to crane her neck to stare up at the big man. “But if you’re feral, you shouldn’t have been able to shift back into human.” She inched her hand toward her pack where the pistol was.
    “I’m…not…feral,” he wheezed out. “Too…long…as a bird.” He was starting to get his voice back. “No such thing.” He cleared his throat. “Feral Shifters are what mamas use to scare kids into being good.”
    Bethany blinked up at him for a few moments, but when the man didn’t do anything else but look at her, she went to the icebox and pulled out a precious canned soda—they didn’t come in cans anymore—and a jug of water. She offered both to him. He looked puzzled but after a moment took the water. She sat down on the bed and cracked open the can, guzzling half. It was stale, but it reminded her of her childhood, and was a comfort—even more than booze—in strange situations. He tilted up the jug and took several long swallows. She watched his neck muscles move in fascination. When he finished the jug, he set it on the dresser he had been perched on and strode toward the bed.
    Bethany slammed her eyes shut. Maybe she was dreaming. But the bed slanted with his weight, and she opened one eye to peer up at him.
    “We’re no more feral than any other human. Thank you for helping my sister.”
    “Your sister?”
    Fluffy barked happily.
    “Lisa,” he said inclining his hand to Fluffy, who bit at his hand playfully. “And I’m Lucas.”
    “Bethany,” she said feeling like she was having an out-of-body experience with this big, handsome man