The Fairy Tales Collection by Elizabeth Kelly

mate.”
    “Says who?  Your father?  Just because he
was old-school about keeping separate from humans doesn’t mean everyone is. 
Hell, my cousin in Trenton is married to a human.  She’s been mated to him for
nearly five years now and no one cares that he’s not a shifter.”
    “Are you serious?”  Bennett said.
    Duncan nodded.  “I am.  His parents don’t know
she’s a lion shifter but she’s pregnant with her first kid so that’ll change
soon.  It’ll be difficult to explain why in a couple of years their grandbaby
is just randomly turning into a lion from time to time.”
    Bennett couldn’t help but grin.  Shifters
started to change to their animal form when they were toddlers and it took at
least a good two months before they learned to control it.  Shifters had
learned long ago to keep their toddlers away from humans during the time it
took to teach them to control the shift.
    “You know what I think?”  Duncan said
thoughtfully.  “I think way more humans know about the existence of shifters than
most shifters realize.  The High Council are fooling themselves if they think
our existence is as secretive as they want it to be.
    Bennett stiffened as a car door slammed and
the faint scent of cinnamon wafted over him.  He stood up and yanked Duncan to
his feet.  “You need to go.”
    “What?  Why?”
    “Mirabelle is here.”
    Duncan grinned at him.  “She’s visiting you
at your house?  You sure you don’t want to bet – “
    “Knock it off!”  Bennett hissed.  “Hey –
how do I, uh, look?”
    Duncan snickered loudly.  “Seriously,
dude?”
    Bennett flushed and Duncan laughed again. 
“Truthfully, you’re pretty sweaty, you’ve got leaves in your hair and,” he
sniffed in his direction, “you’re not smelling all that great.  You want me to
distract her while you have a quick shower?”
    “Hi there.”
    Bennett groaned inwardly at the sound of
Belle’s soft voice before raking his hand through his hair.  A few leaves fell
to the ground as Duncan swung around and grinned at Belle.
    “Hello, Miss Belle.  How are you today?”
    “Good.  I heard voices so I just came
around back.  I hope that’s okay.”
    “It’s fine,” Bennett grunted.
    They stood in awkward silence before Belle
smiled faintly.  “I’m sorry.  You have company and I’m interrupting.  I’ll come
by later.”
    “Don’t leave!”  Bennett said quickly. 
“Duncan was just leaving.”
    “That’s right I was,” Duncan said.  “It was
lovely to see you again, Belle.”
    “You as well, Duncan.”  A devilish little
gleam appeared in her eyes.  “I was just visiting Ella.  She’s at home if you
were thinking you’d like to continue your discussion with her about how she
belongs to you.”
    Duncan’s tanned skin turned bright red and
he cleared his throat. “Uh, I was very drunk last night, Belle.  Very, very drunk.”
    “Oh, right, of course,” Belle said with an
innocent smile.
    Duncan grinned uneasily before waving at Bennett
and walking out of the backyard.
    “Do you have a few minutes to talk, Bennett?” 
Belle asked.
    He nodded.  “Yes, why don’t you come into
the house.”
    As she followed him up the deck to the
patio doors, he was acutely aware of how sweaty and smelly he was.  In
contrast, she was looking cool and crisp in a jean skirt and soft pink shirt. 
Unlike her clothing from yesterday, the shirt dipped low at the neckline
revealing a deliciously pale hint of cleavage.  He clenched his fists and tried
not to notice the way her long hair fell down her back like a dark waterfall. 
God, she was gorgeous.
    “The back yard is starting to look really
good,” she said politely as she followed him into the kitchen.
    “Thanks.  I like to garden,” he said.
    She smiled but didn’t reply and he poured
them both a glass of water.  He handed one to her and couldn’t stop a shiver
going down his back when their fingers brushed briefly.  She gave him a