Star Kissed:

A Zodiac Shifters Book: Paranormal Romance: Virgo/Aquarius

A Wardens of Terra Short

*As Seen In The Crimson Kisses Anthology

by C.D. Gorri

Edited by Tammy Payne

To anyone who believes in Fate and love.

del mare alla stella, C.D. Gorri

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Table of Contents

Title

Tagline

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Epilogue

About

Connect

More Books

Welcome to the Wardens of Terra, an elite group of Zodiac Shifters destined to save humankind!

The Hounds of God have been disbanded by the Catholic Church, leaving a terrible void in the fight to save humankind. As a result, a much older organization returns to power and takes up the reins to fight to save the Earth from the evil that stalks it.

They are the Wardens of Terra, an elite force of Zodiac Shifters each carrying the power of their sign to aid them in the never-ending battle against the forces of darkness.

Alone they are fierce warriors. Once they’ve found their true mates, they become an unstoppable force. These are their stories.

Book Description

Sexy Fox Shifter, Isabella Fuente has spent years learning to harness the powers of her sign and trying to forget him, the man who broker her heart.

A chance reunion at the Wardens of Terra Centennial Convention has brought Luis Fernandez, Jaguar Shifter and retainer of Aquarius, in her path once again. This time, he is not about to let her get away!

A Tarot reading from an unusual fortune teller leaves them both shaken. Will Fate finally have its way with the two wayward lovers?

PROLOGUE

“Luis?” Isabella hurried through the forest behind the weathered finca. She smelled rain on the air, but that was hardly unusual for this part of the world.

Ecuador’s coastal towns often endured the heat of the tropical sun followed closely by light to thunderous showers on any given day. The farmhouse or finca was as old and stately as the Station Master who ran it.

Armando Fuente had been Station Master for near on three decades. He was an Andean Fox Shifter and also uncle to Isabella and her older brother Marco. He’d been named their guardian when their parents died in a tragic car accident years ago.

She hardly remembered them anymore. Isabella relied on Marco to tell her about the way her mother smelled of roses and her father told lousy jokes to bolster her few memories. Life on the finca was hard and rigorous, but she loved it.

She loved her Tio Armando too. Well, as much as he allowed. He wasn’t exactly the warm and fuzzy type. He’d raised his niece and nephew in the same way he did the other young Zodiac Shifters in his care. With education, instruction, and rigorous training.

She looked down at her wrist where the symbol of her sign sat etched into her skin since birth. Almost like a tattoo. Except every now and then it pulsed and hummed with the magic of her sign.

The glyph symbolized the maiden and her bundle of wheat, an earth sign, representing purity and innocence. She scrunched up her nose at that. It was her hardworking nature and analytical mind that drew her to the sign, rather than her purity.

She’d often wished for another sign, Taurus perhaps? Like Marco. But that kind of thinking was beneath her. She was a Virgo and proud of her sign.

Still, it was an honor to be marked. Chosen by the Parcae, the three sisters who wove the fates of those who inhabited the planet Earth.

Isabella understood from a very young age that she was special. Zodiac Shifters were almost never female, and retainers of Virgo were exceedingly rare.

Marco on the other hand was everything a first-born son was supposed to be. Born with the mark of Taurus on his arm, he was a brave, rough and tumble sort. Four years older than his little sister.

Isabella was younger and smaller than most Shifters at the finca, but she worked twice as hard. Both Fuente children lived at the Station year-round with their uncle.

The other young Shifters who were trained there came and went regularly. As they had for hundreds of years, since the last time the Wardens of Terra had been called upon to defend the earth from darkness.

Serious minded as ever, Isabella understood her role and reveled in the fact that she was one of the chosen few. Despite Marco treating her like porcelain, she always managed to prove her worth in the practice rings and in the classroom.

Along with him. Images of a certain young man with dark hair, and impossibly darker eyes, filled her mind. Heat flushed her rounded cheeks and made her belly tighten. She moved faster, panting with the effort. Tonight was the night.

The familiar smells of wet earth, heavy air, wild grasses, and the occasional farm animal reached her nostrils. Good. She wasn’t too late. He hadn’t made it that far yet.

Isabella moved silently, a part of the night that swept over the land like a blanket. Underneath the smells of the farm and forest, Isabella found his scent. It tickled her nose and warmed her stomach. Like always.

On two legs, he smelled fresh and clean. His scent drew her to him then, but as his Jaguar it was that much more potent. She caught stronger whiffs of that musk that was all male, all him, with a hint of wild cacao and the Tocte nuts that grew in the forests around them.

It drove her Fox crazy. Her beast panted after him. The beast pushed harder, demanding she find him. One word repeated over and over in her mind. Mine. She took shortcuts through the brush, paths his fur had recently tread over.

Luis was part of the land as no other. He carried its flavors on his skin. Flavors Isabella found herself more and more desperate to savor. Confused at first by her growing attraction, she understood it now. More than that, she needed to tell him how she felt.

Growing up in the unspoiled isolation of the finca, surrounded by mostly male Shifters, Isabella had very few friends and confidants. Marco was a great brother, but he wanted her to be a baby forever. What she needed was a friend.

Something all teenage girls longed for. She had no idea how average girls of the time acted in this situation, and she didn’t care. He would understand. He just had to!

She’d been drawn to Luis when he first came to them five years ago. A tall, quiet boy, with eyes so dark they looked black. It was his twelfth birthday the morning he’d arrived, and it had been raining.

He looked so sad, as many of the children who’d been selected by the universe to serve as Wardens did when they had to leave their families. Isabella naturally flocked to his side. Her nature demanding she comfort the older boy. 

He’d been angry and sullen, but she’d held his hand and didn’t let go no matter how hard he tried to pull away. From that day on, she became his shadow. Marco, following his little sister to keep her from harm, found an ally in Luis as well.

Isabella should have been annoyed at first by her brother’s insertion into their group, but she wasn’t. Instead, she was delighted with their sudden threesome.

The boys, being closer in age, tended to leave her out of the more dangerous things they did, but she was quick to catch on. And she followed them mercilessly.

Luis was sweet and caring with her. Just like Marco. Only, she didn’t see him as brother. Oh no, not a brother. He was something more to her.

She loved teasing a rare smile from his lips. She brought him sweets and good things to eat from the kitchens. She showed him where he could Shift without being caught.

Her uncle had strict rules when the young Wardens were training. Shifting alone was not allowed, but Luis could not resist the pull of his other half any more than she could.

Marco was not like the two of them in that way. He could ignore his Fox. But not her and Luis. They indulged in their animal sides more often than not. Changing under the cover of the forest at night.

He’d told her often enough that he found true joy in his fur, unlike the awkwardness of his skin. It was a teenage boy thing, she guessed. But she didn’t care. Fur or skin, he was special to her.

She wanted to wrap him up tight and keep him with her. Always. Luis was her best friend, but lately her feelings had evolved.

She was no longer wearing pigtails and running after him barefoot. The change had been subtle. Isabella had started caring about her appearance. She’d tamed the wild red locks of her hair. Took care with her clothes.

At first, it seemed normal. Something all teenagers did. But lately, she knew, she did it for him. So he would notice her.

Isabella stopped and scented the air. He’d passed by not fifteen minutes ago! She had to hurry.

It took her a while to admit her feelings to herself. She hadn’t told anyone yet. Sure, Isabella thought of going to Marco first, but decided against it.

Her brother would not be happy with her if she told him of her new feelings for their friend. Her stomach clenched at the thought of confessing her love to Luis, but to a Shifter, honesty was as natural as breathing.

Sure, he was two years older than her, and probably the most handsome boy she’d ever seen, but none of that mattered.

They were destined for one another. She was sure of it. Isabella had picked tonight to tell him how she really felt.

She crept through the overgrown jungle and followed her nose to the tangy scent of Luis’ Jaguar. It was sharp and strong, with all the nutty flavors of his Latin American heritage. Like home.

He loved to free his animal at night despite the rules that stated all shifts would be monitored and for brief periods only until the young Wardens had mastered their ability to Change skins. Something she had in common with him.

Isabella had only started shifting this year, a process that was naturally occurring after puberty. Her Andean Fox was small and sleek, with reddish fur. As opposed to her brother who was a beefy sort of Fox, dark brown in color and hugely muscular.

Much larger than normal foxes, she stood almost four feet tall on four legs and weighed over ninety pounds of pure muscle when in her fur. She had wicked long teeth and nails and was as fast as she was stealthy.

Still, she didn’t see the Jaguar hovering over her in the branches of the walnut tree. His beast was easily the size of a tiger, more than twice that of a wild jaguar.

His weight knocked her down as Luis dropped onto her back. He playfully tackled her from behind, careful to avoid slicing her with his razor-sharp claws. He chuffed and growled, and she barked in mock anger.

They tumbled and wrestled until they grew tired. Panting and carefree as only children could be for those precious few moments in the jungle. Her Fox gave his sleek Jaguar a run for his money!

They returned to the cave just behind the finca before Changing back. Dressing quietly in the clothes they had left there, with their backs to each other for a modicum of modesty that teenager Shifters found necessary. Isabella sucked in a deep breath steadying her nerves.

“What is it Bella? I can feel you are tense. Where is Marco tonight? Studying as usual?” Luis asked in a quiet voice.

She turned to meet his quizzical stare. This was the moment she’d been waiting for all day. It would change everything.

“Luis, I, I don’t want to talk about Marco.”

“Okay. What’s wrong, Bella?”

“Well, I visited the carnival today in town,” she began.

“You went without me? Por que? Why?”

“I went to see the fortune teller. I know you said not to waste money, but it was important.”

“And what did this seer tell you?”

“Well, she told me that I was special, lucky-”

“Si. You are. So, what else?”

“She told me I was one of the few Shifters to be lucky enough to meet their fated mates-”

“You told her you were a Shifter? Isabella! Does Marco know?”

“No! I didn’t! And this has nothing to do with my brother. She just knew. Anyway, Luis, she said I met him already and she’s right. I have. My Fox has been telling me this since the first day I Changed skins!”

“Bella, wait-”

“No, don’t you see? It’s you! Luis?”

“No. We are just friends, Bella, you and me, and your brother.”

“Luis, I am right. Marco is my brother and your friend, but he has nothing to do with this.”

“No. I am sorry, Bella, you are wrong!”

His eyes turned almost black as he looked down at her from his height. Isabella felt tears prick her eyes but before she could move closer, he turned away from her, shaking his head, and took off into the forest.

Isabella stared after him with her heart in her throat. She felt as if the entire world was closing in on her. No! Luis!

When she returned to the finca, Isabella headed straight for her room. She knew without a doubt, they could work it out the next day.

Only, he was gone. Luis Fernandez left without saying goodbye and Isabella Fuente cursed the day she met him.

CHAPTER 1

Present Day

“It’s hot as fuck here,” Luis Fernandez groaned aloud as he stepped outside of the hotel into the blazing sunshine of Orlando, Florida.

The entire town was a strip mall slash theme park designed to suck in tourists with the thrill of a special getaway that cost more for one week than most people could afford!

It was crowded and gawdy as hell. The noise and smells were a noticeable distraction, but he appreciated the sunshine after the gray rain and gloom that was springtime in Virginia.   

He had to hand it to the folks at Stein Luxury Hotels & Resorts, they knew their shit. Set back from the regular hustle and bustle of the town, this hotel was different.

Run by folks like him, that is supernaturals. It catered to certain needs. One of them being peace and quiet, the other being a huge, secluded manmade forest built for the exclusive use of the guests.

Indeed. He couldn’t wait to let his Jaguar out. The supernatural community needed more safe havens like this to escape the daily grind! When was the last time he went on vacation anyway?

Fuck. The last time he’d been out of the country had been back when he was a kid. In Ecuador. With Marco and her. Rrrr. His Jaguar hissed and roared inside if his mind’s eye. Luis almost slammed his head into a brick wall just to get the blasted animal to shut up.

His Beast was still pissed off with him for walking out on Isabella Fuente all those years ago. But she’d been a child. Almost his kid sister for fuck’s sake! And he’d been a teenager.

What were the choices anyway? He would never get between his best friend and the guy’s little sister! That would be a complete dick move.

So Isabella had had a stupid crush. That’s all it was. Then why did you run when she called you fated mates? He ran a hand through his thick black hair and straightened his clingy t-shirt.

Because. He answered his own question. Albeit, rather immaturely. Because it wasn’t real. He was smart to leave before things went too far. She was so beautiful. Especially that night.

Her hair was a wild tangle of red that always reminded him of fire. She was pale with plump lips and blue eyes, her skin like ivory with a smattering of freckles and yet she tanned in the sun like every other South American kid.

Damn. It broke his heart now to picture her petite frame and round face. She was a kid, but at the cusp of becoming a woman that night at just fifteen years old. He was in serious danger of falling under her spell.

She’d been warm and sweet and fresh. Loving and generous. Everything he’d ever wanted having come from a cold and distant family. He’d had no choice. Running was his only option.

He’d never have been able to explain to Marco that he and his sister had made out, or worse. And, let’s face it, teenagers were not known for their restraint.

Only a crush, yes, but one he could not allow himself to indulge in. We were children, not mates, he told himself firmly. The hollow part in his chest begged to differ. As did his Beast.

Mates. Mine. Though he expected his Jaguar’s reply, it didn’t make hearing the guttural word any easier. Just lately his animal had gotten more and more demanding. Insistent even. The bastard was a real cockblocking son of a bitch.

Sure, Luis had looks and charm, but the truth was he’d not enjoyed a single one of the dozens of women who threw themselves at him regularly in the last year! Stupid cat could think of one woman only. Isabella Fuente.

The shame he felt at his behavior made his ears grow warm. He had not even seen her since then. That hurt the most. She seemed to avoid her brother whenever Luis was around. And yet he remained friends with Marco.

Luis was a loyal man. A good friend. Yes, they still kept in touch, Even worked together a time or two. He listened to tales of Isabella told by her brother with a practiced nonchalance over the years.

But lately, he couldn’t handle it. He’d been avoiding Marco and anything having to do with his past. With her. His focus had turned to his Station and to building up his rep as a Warden and more.

The Latin Lover. He’d gotten that moniker after a night on the town with his Station mates where he’d gotten twenty, that’s right, twenty cell numbers in less than an hour. He hadn’t used a single one despite the teasing.

Stupid nickname! And now here he was, at the centennial convention for the Wardens of Terra, in the sunshine state, and still his Beast longed for the one woman he hadn’t seen in over a decade. Not one of the texts or emails he’d sent had been answered. Not one.

His human half wanted to rejoice in the fact that she’d been wrong. They weren’t mates. If they were, how could she ignore him? Nah. He’d been right.

No. She is our mate. Mine. His Jaguar forced the words into his head. The animal was furious at his human half for believing his own bull shit. He’d been getting harder and harder to control over the past few months, but that wasn’t unexpected.

Approaching thirty was a rough time for unmated male shifters. His Station Master, Rex, a big ass Bear Shifter, had sent him down to the convention after he’d gone a little too far apprehending a lone Warlock who’d been looking to stir up trouble near their base in Virginia.

Take a guy swimming and everyone gets a little antsy around you. Well, in their defense he’d taken the Warlock to the pier in the middle of the night where he’d proceeded to dunk him head first into the water.

Luis avoided the liquid stuff, you know, being a cat and all. He’d tied the guy’s feet with some industrial strength fishing line and hoisted him up over the water by tossing the line over a pole right on the far edge of the dock.

Damn line was strong as fuck. Designed for shark fishing, Luis wasn’t surprised it held the Warlock’s weight though everyone else seemed to be. Fucking sharks were big.

The Warlock, who’d screamed he couldn’t swim repeatedly, also hadn’t known about that. By the time the night ended, Luis had the location to the altar the Warlock had set up with the intention of calling to the Demons who waited on the other side of the veil for an invitation to cross over and run amuck. Dark artifacts bagged and stored, no harm no foul. But did Rex feel that way?

Hell to the no. And here he was, banished to a weekend of conferences with a bunch of stuffed shirts. Well, at least there would be a party tonight. Food, booze, maybe a pretty face or two to pass the time.

Who are you kidding? They mean nothing. He huffed out a breath and walked back through the doors into the hotel lobby. He stilled instantly. The air sizzled around him. What the?

The smell of mangoes and fresh air hit him right in the gut. He stopped dead in his tracks. One foot still in the air. His eyes grew wide. He hadn’t smelled that perfect combination of sunshine and sweetness in years. But how?

Holy. Shit. She’s here! Luis’ dark gaze devoured her from the top of her wild red curls to the soles of her tiny little feet.

Isabella Fuente was still petite, a good foot shorter than he was. The surprise came in the womanly body he did not recognize.

Sleek and lean, she was fit as most Shifters were. Her toned athleticism easy to define, but what had him gasping for air was the ripe roundness of her breasts and hips. Isabella was a woman. And he was fucked.

Well, if he was lucky, anyway. She was more enticing than he’d imagined. And he’d done a lot of imagining. Isabelle Fuente was a Fox. Literally and metaphorically. And she was his. Mine. Roar.

“Hello, Bella,” he said into her ear. He noted the shiver that pulsed through her body before he found himself holding the side of his face.

It was all he could do not to fall right on his ass after her fist smashed right into his cheek. Fuck me!

“What the heck?!” She yipped and turned to face him.

“Mierda! Lo siento. Sorry, Bella, I just wanted to say hello,” Luis rubbed his stinging cheek and eyed her warily.

Her chest rose and fell with the force of her breath, but she gave nothing else away.

No other emotion. He didn’t mean to startle her. Then again, he wasn’t entirely sure she hadn’t been aware of him before she went all Oscar De La Hoya on his ass.

He could have sworn he saw her nose twitch in recognition, but that was a split second before she swung that deadly left hook of hers. She’d always been a boxing fan. Damn. What a woman!

Being the smallest Shifter at the finca, Isabella had endured a lot of teasing. Teasing that Luis had helped put an end to when he’d started teaching her to box.

“I should have remembered the left hook,” he smiled, hoping to smooth things over with the easy charm most women found irresistible.

Not Isabella. One look into her cold blue eyes told him charm was not going to work. Fuck.

“How are you, Isabella?”

“Go to hell, Luis.”

She turned her back and walked away from him as if he was nothing to her. He cringed as her red high heels clicked across the tiled floor of the hotel as she made her way clear across the lobby to the elevators. He watched as many male heads turned to watch the sexy Fox Shifter. Roarrr.

He felt himself tense. Was that jealousy? Fuck yeah. Head held high, luscious backside swaying, she pulled her suitcase along, pressed the elevator button, and didn’t look back. Not once.

He didn’t need his Jaguar’s roar in his head to know he was in deep shit this time. Isabella Fuente was here for the convention, he had no doubt. It was as if the universe had given him a gift. One chance to work things out. And hopefully not fuck up. Again.

One thing was certain, Luis was determined to settle things with her before the weekend was through.

Mine!

CHAPTER 2

Of all the men in the world! Por favor! No! Isabella knew in the back of her mind that there was a possibility of running into the last Shifter in the world she’d ever wanted to see, but having to face him the second she arrived? That was one thing she hadn’t counted on.

Luis Fernandez. Just thinking his name was enough to send shivers down her spine. The way he stood there, all lazy elegance and sex refined, made her mouth water. It wasn’t fair! After all these years, to have him turn her insides to mush with barely a whispered hello?

No. NO. She was not doing this. Despite her months-long communication with Phoebe Bright, a Witch and Junior Station Master assigned to their Virginia branch, the woman who’d convinced her to attend this conference to meet with her about a transfer, Isabella had no intention of tangling with Luis again. Not after last time.

Sure, she had been a child. An innocent teenager in love for the first, and only, time in her life, but that hadn’t made his complete and total rejection of her any easier.

On the contrary, she’d been devastated. Turning to her training, she graduated the finca at the top of her class and had been traveling through Stations across Latin America since then.

She’d inquired about obtaining a more permanent spot at a Station, but the ridiculously chauvinistic world of Zodiac Shifters had left her high and dry.

Until a certain Ms. Bright got in touch. She’d wrangled it so that Isabella would attend the Wardens of Terra Centennial Convention.

Here, they would meet and discuss her permanent transfer to Ms. Bright’s current assignment. The Virginia Station or Station Northeast as it was called, seemed perfect. She just had to make it through the next few days.

Meaning, she had to avoid Luis! Easier said than done. She growled as she walked into her hotel room, slamming the door shut.

Later that night…

The ballroom was dimly lit, but what really astounded her was the thousands of twinkle lights that were set up all around the grounds outside. After spending the afternoon listening to one boring lecture after another, she’d looked forward to tonight’s festivities with eager anticipation.

She’d expected to run into Luis again, but was lucky to have missed him. Lucky or disappointed? Her Fox growled the answer. An answer she didn’t want to hear. Find him. Mate.

No! She shushed her Vixen. She didn’t want to go there. Not ever again. Luis had done enough damage. She was focused on her career now. Isabella would never risk her heart again.

She turned away from the pounding rhythmic music the DJ was playing and escaped through the double doors to the colorful carnival that was spread out across the grass.

“What is this?” She asked no one in particular, taking in the lights and noise with a childlike thrill she hadn’t felt in years.

“The Heralds decided a real celebration was warranted given we have been called back into action,” the deep voice was familiar and yet foreign.

As a teenager, Luis Fernandez had been heartbreakingly handsome, as an adult, he was devastating. The timbre of his voice was rich and deep, his accent all but gone since his departure from Ecuador.

She’d been a Shifter long enough to know they picked up and dropped accents easily with their acute hearing. Also, as part of their training, Wardens had all but mastered the art of assimilation.

Still. She hadn’t been talking to anyone in particular when she voiced her question. He must have been watching her. The thought left her stomach tightening in response.

She inclined her head, a thanks of sorts, and moved to turn away. The rustle of her skirt loud in the sudden silence between them.

“Isabella, please,” he murmured placing a hand on her bare shoulder. She couldn’t stop the shudder that racked her body. And hated herself for it.

“Luis, we have nothing to say to each other.”

“Isabella, I was just a boy then, let me explain-”

“That is not necessary. I intend to enjoy the carnival before tomorrow’s rounds of conferences, Good evening.”

CHAPTER 3

Luis watched her walk away from him. He grimaced as unexpected pain lanced through his heart. Fuck.

This was the only woman in the world who could wreck him so easily. She always could. He must have sensed that as a boy. Maybe it was why he ran? He watched her with covetous eyes.

She was unapologetically beautiful. Had been as a child, but as a woman her beauty surpassed every one of his expectations. The curve of her back as she swayed in and out of the crowds. She stopped and chatted with a few people.

Wardens he knew or would get the names of as soon as he was done following her! Her smile was still dazzling. He remembered how easily and readily she had smiled as a kid. Her inquisitive nature startled him back then. She’d been so open and honest. Now she was a stranger. Or was she?

His gaze never left her retreating form. The thick mane of her glorious red hair fell down her back in a careless tumble of waves that managed to look artistic, though he knew she’d have done nothing more than wash it before dressing.

Her shiny locks were enticing, begging for his nose to delve in between them and breathe in her scent. Luis practically drooled at the thought of smelling her, everywhere.

He bit his lip, silencing the growl that threatened to slip out. Not wise near so many Shifters. He watched as others looked their fill as she cut a path between vendors and revelers. Back off fuckers!

He closed his eyes and counted to five. Chill out. You’re acting like a caveman. He opened them again and flicked his eyes over the people milling about. Where was she?

He breathed again when he spotted her, walking towards a row of games and miniature tents. This convention was truly a spectacle. The idea of hosting a carnival to celebrate the Wardens’ return was unique if not a little daunting.

Still, through all the lights and noise of the party, Luis could only picture Isabella and her deep blue eyes that always seemed to sparkle. She used to love rides, he wondered if she still did.

He sided up to her and took her hand, ignoring the way she tensed. Without words he pulled her alongside him to a line for some whimsical ride that was bound to spin them until he got sick. He hated spinning.

She raised an auburn eyebrow, but he just smiled. Giving her hand another squeeze and marveling at the zip of recognition that raced through him.

The strapless gown she wore was the color of midnight. The sheer material clung to her sleek curves, revealing the smooth length of her legs through strategically placed slits in the skirt. When they boarded the ride, her legs close to his as they squeezed in beside two other Shifters, Luis draped an arm around her.

Beautiful, tempting, and utterly fascinating to watch, Isabella bit her lip and closed her eyes as they began to spin.

“Ahh!” She screamed in delight. Unable to hold it in as they went faster and faster.

“You always loved rides, Bella,” he whispered into her ear, taking in more of her sweet fragrance.

When the ride ended, she tucked her wild curls back behind her ears and walked away. A nod of thanks was all he got. Not that he deserved more, he told himself.

His Jaguar growled as more heads turned, following her gorgeous figure as she went. Shit. He was helpless to resist. He should leave her alone. Really, he should.

But all he could do was follow in her wake. A slave to her whims. No. I go to watch over her. Marco would expect at least that from me.

He tried telling himself that his actions were selfless, but Shifters didn’t lie. Even to themselves. The taste of it was abhorrent. The truth was simple. He was connected to Isabella and he needed to face the truth. 

Luis Fernandez was no stranger to sex or women. He knew the games they played and enjoyed mastering a few of them himself. But he was done with all of that.

His Jaguar and the human side of him were finally in agreement. Something had to change. He’d been seventeen when this glorious creature confessed to him that she believed he was her mate.

Seventeen years old, when his whole world tilted on its axis. He’d been ashamed of his feelings. The desire in his heart for his friend’s little sister. And so, he’d refused her claim.

Seventeen and scared. Dumb as shit too. He’d scolded himself thousands of times since then. And what now of Marco? His best friend. A brother, really.

How could he betray his trust by drooling all over Marco’s little sister like she was catnip?

Fuck if he knew. But one thing was for sure. Luis could no longer ignore the rage of emotions building up inside of him just from being near her.

CHAPTER 4

Isabella felt eyes on her as she walked among the carnival booths. She supposed the Wardens and Heralds had much to celebrate. This was sort of a coming out of retirement party for them, she thought with a silly little grin on her face.

A ride. He took me on a ride. Too bad she couldn’t let herself go and simply enjoy it. Not with him at any rate, and the jerk was stalking her!

As if the constant reminder that he’d found her lacking wasn’t enough. Ugh. She stopped at a booth depicting a large eye and some interesting runes. Ah! A seer!

Isabella pretended not to notice the huge man who stood right behind her. Ignore the fragrance of him, the subtle rasping of his breath, the way heat seemed to radiate off his lithe frame.

“Still looking to have your fortune read, little Bella?”

“Luis, haven’t you noticed there’s a party going on? Why don’t you find some friend to chat with?”

“I have a better idea,” he said and closed his long-fingers over her elbow.

She stilled herself against the shock that came whenever he’d touched her. Years since the frequent occurrence and yet, bam, there it was. The electrifying zap that sent pulsing heat through her veins and moisture to her core.

“Let’s go inside,” his breath tickled her neck as he pulled back the curtain and gestured for her to go in.

“Really, Luis?” but before she could object, he was leading her through the purple velvet curtain by the small of her back.

That tiny part of her that still believed in magic stood awestruck at the decadently decorated tent. She’d expected to see a small, older woman dressed in skirts with gnarled hands and two teeth, much like the one she’d met years ago in Ecuador. The person who greeted them was anything but.

A young woman, in her twenties or so sat behind a table. She had stark white hair that seemed dyed but the fact that there were no dark roots gave Isabella pause.

She wore cut-off jeans that were raggedy around the edges and a Ramones t-shirt. Bright pink ear buds were stuck in her ears and her eyes were closed as she tapped out a drum solo on the wooden table.

Isabella watched as Luis grinned at her. He leaned forward removing one of the earbuds. The woman looked at him from head to toe in a way that made Isabella stand straighter.

“Excuse me,” he said.

“Ahh! Hey! Well, at least you’re cute for an old dude, and she’s a hottie. So, what’s up?”

Silver eyes turned to her and Isabella gasped. She’d never seen anything like this woman.

“Um, hi.”

“You know, you scared the shit out of me pulling out my earbuds like that!” A New York accent met her ears and Isabella grinned. She immediately liked this young woman.

“Forgive us, miss, is your mother or grandmother here?” Luis asked in that gentle tone of his he reserved for children.

Isabella grated her teeth against it. She’d always hated it when he’d used it with her. I’m a woman dammit. Not a child.

“No? Why would they be?”

“Well, we were interested in a reading, but we can come back-”

“Ah, you’re one of those,” the young woman eyed him with a bored expression.

“One of what?”

“You figured, fortuneteller must be some old woman with a kerchief on her head and a long skirt, big crystal ball, yada yada, you know that’s like sexist or something!”

“Uh, no, I apologize, I didn’t mean,” Luis stuttered, and Isabella held back a grin.

“Sit down Luis, have your fortune read,” Isabella gestured towards the chair and he looked at her eyebrows raised.

“I thought you would enjoy this more,” he said.

“And I will enjoy watching you, that is, Miss if you don’t mind?”

“Nah, I don’t hold grudges. Well, slick? What do you say?”

“Okay, I am game.”

“Good, that’ll be fifty. You pay upfront.”

Luis lifted one perfectly arched eyebrow but reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill.

“Do you have change?”

“Nope.”

“I didn’t think so,”

“Great, jefe! Let’s get started!”

After the regular deck cutting and shuffling, the young woman with the crazy silver hair and eyes focused on her task. Isabella gasped as the room grew dark except for the table.

It was as if a silvery glow was pouring out of the young fortune teller and touching each one of them. She reached out with her Shifter senses but felt only purity and goodness. The Virgo in her approved and she relaxed.

Isabella arranged herself in the seat next to, but slightly behind Luis, but she was not excluded from the magic that wove itself around the room. In fact, she felt it gliding over hers in soft, feathery touches.

“Well, you’re a retainer of Aquarius? The second one at your Station?”

“Yes, how did you know that?”

“I see things sometimes about my clients. And she is a retainer of Virgo. Interesting!”

“How so?”

“Cut the deck. Perfect! Okay, let’s see. The Queen of Swords? Good card.”

“Does it describe me?”

“You? No way. That there is your fated mate. I see you struggling with this, but now that the Wardens are called back so are the legends. Your mates are out there and yours, well, she’s a leader, Aquarian. Tough as nails, she’s worked to prove herself. But a warning, you need to do something big to claim her. My advice is go for broke, you’re either all in or you are O-U-T.”

Luis nodded, his gaze flicking over to Isabella who’d been listening with intense focus though she tried to play it off. She’d heard the rumors surfacing. That a mated Aquarian was at the Virginia Station where she’d hoped to be transferred to, but she hadn’t really thought about what it entailed.

“You both know the legends, yeah?”

“Legends?”

“Of the Wardens and their fated mates?”

“Of course.”

“Okay, next card. See this here, the Six of Cups and the Seven of Swords reversed, you know this woman. Have a history together. One that involves a third party. Not kinky or anything, but this person is stopping you from fulfilling your destiny. You deny your feelings to please this person, but it hurts you both.”

Isabella sat up, this was eerily close to the reading she’d had when she was a teenager in Ecuador. Could it be? She had spent a long time pushing away thoughts of being mated, but here was Luis and he seemed almost open to the idea? Her heart raced in her chest and her Fox sat up in her mind’s eye.

“The Six of Swords here, that is the key. The thing that solves your problems. You need to turn your back on your fear and take action. Your Queen needs this, the Knight of Wands, fierce and brave.”

“Fierce and brave,” he shook his head, but the seer continued.

“Aquarian, take heed. The tarot advises with these two cards, the Fool and the Sun. Be young again, like the children you once were. Woo her not with your words, but with that imaginative, passionate side that you hide from the world. The Two of Cups promises a good union. Together you will be the Warden you were destined to be, and she will find hers as well.”

“That’s it then?”

‘well, yeah, but really dude, you need to just go for it.”

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Remember. Sometimes being brave isn’t all claws and battles, sometimes its admitting what’s in your heart. If that don’t work hope you know how to use your tongue! For something other than talking that is!” She winked and when Isabella looked again, she and the tarot deck were gone.

“Well!” He exclaimed, looking under the table for a trap door or something.

Isabella’s head was whirling in a thousand different directions. She backed away from Luis and his exclamations over the seer’s sudden disappearance.

Holy shit. What just happened? Did Luis really agree to have his fortune told? And had the seer spoken of Isabella? No way. But yes. It had to be her.

Fuck. She needed to get out of there. Without a word she shot past him. She fled out of the tent and moved towards the edge of the private woods that belonged to the hotel.

“Isabella!”

She ignored his call and whipped off her dress and shoes, and the scrap of lace she wore underneath. A second later, she felt her skin stretch and her fur sprout. She needed to run.

CHAPTER 5

Luis chased Isabella through the dense patch of trees and shrubs. He found her shoes and dress strewn across a bush about ten feet in. He didn’t hesitate before shedding his own clothes and joining her.

Like when we were kids. His Jaguar salivated at the thought of a chase. His chest rumbled as he caught her sweet scent immediately. Like mangoes and the fresh air of the jungle back where they’d grown up.

He hadn’t missed the sweaty, earthy scents of his former South American home. But he missed her. He could admit that now.

Somehow that little silver woman had dared him to face his own truths, and as Luis hunted her through the small patch of earth, he admitted it, if only to himself.

Isabella was everything. She always was, always would be. Mine. He cursed himself ten times the fool as he lost her scent only to pick it up again farther along the stream that cut across the woods.

There he found her, in nothing but her human skin. She was sitting on the bank of the stream. Her hair a wild tangle down her back. Like a swath of fire against her paleness.

Fuck. She looked like a goddess. Maybe more like the devil himself, sitting there, drinking up the starlight. All temptation and sin. Promising heaven.

Luis’ Jaguar remained still behind her, his tongue sneaking out to taste her on the air. Sweetness and heat filled his senses. Mine. But even his stubborn cat realized he needed his human skin to do this right.

“Isabella?” his deep voice cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter.

“You followed me?”

“You knew I would.”

“No. That’s not true,” she laughed deprecatingly, and he frowned.

He didn’t like that sound on her lips. She should be full of happiness, like when she was a child. Not melancholy.

I did this. I made her sad. He wanted to punch himself for having caused her one iota of pain. For all the years they were apart.

“I mean, I hoped you would, hell, I fantasized about it for so long, but after a while, a girl just accepts it and moves on,” she shrugged her shoulder, her blue eyes intent on the running water.

Comfortable in their nudity the way only Shifters could be, Luis sat down next to her. Close enough to touch her, but he resisted. Words. She deserved to hear the words first.

“Have you then?”

“Have I what?”

“Moved on?” He was scared of her answer, but he needed to know before he went through with this.

“If you are asking if there have been men, Luis, I guess you should know I am not a virgin. There have been men. Not many, but a couple-”

He growled and she narrowed her eyes at him. Dammit. He was fucking this up.

“Sorry, please, go on,” he said.

“You don’t have a right to get all growly with me. I am a woman, have been for a while. I doubt you’re a virgin either, so please, don’t even try that.”

“I said I am sorry. Look, I don’t know if I can handle thinking about you with men, but what I am asking is if you have a man in your life now.”

“No. Not right now,” she said it casually, but his sensitive hearing picked up the increased rate of her heart. Good. She wasn’t as cool and collected about all this as she appeared.

Not that he wanted her anxious. No. he just wanted her. Fuck. That was the first time he’d ever admitted that to himself. And it felt damn good.

Like a burst of heat after a long, cold winter. A drink of water after a drought. I want her. His Jaguar roared within him and he looked her over from head to toe quite blatantly. Not averting his eyes the way Shifters did out of mutual respect.

“You are so beautiful,” his voice was deep, more growl than man. He could hardly help himself and raised a hand, but he stopped shy of touching her, instead running it just over the perfection of her skin.

She shimmered in the forest. Her petite frame was made of strong, supple limbs, pale skin and a smattering of freckles as if she’d been kissed by the stars. She sat there still as could be, all pale and glowy. Her blue eyes and red hair poetry against the darkness.

“Isabella, I have something to say to you.”

“Luis?”

“You were right, sweet Bella. All those years ago, you, my brave love, knew. At just fifteen you knew, and I’ve spent all the years since denying it.”

“What are you saying?’ her eyes narrowed, sparkling with emotion.

“I am saying, I feel you, in here,” he pointed to his naked chest, a movement she followed and waited with baited-breath.

“I need you, Bella, you are like air to me. I need you to live, to breathe. I thought I was protecting Marco. I thought I was honoring our friendship somehow by running away. I am sorry. So sorry. Lo siento, mi amor. Can you forgive me?”

“Oh, yes, Luis. I forgive you, but I still don’t understand-”

“I am saying, I am asking you to acknowledge my claim,” he sat up straighter, the power of Aquarius pulsed through him, recognizing this moment.

“My Jaguar recognizes you, my sweet Fox, you are part of my soul. We are fated and destined for each other. Will you walk this path with me? Together?”

“Do you mean this, Luis?”

“Yes. I know I messed up, but I’ve always meant it. If you accept my claim, we can begin here, the two of us, as equals. Destined by the Parcae, those sisters who wove our fate eons ago, I believe we truly are fated mates. And I want that future. With you, Isabella, only you.”

“Are you sure, Luis?”

“I’ve never been more certain about anything, sweet Bella, my mate,” he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers.

“Yes, mate,” she sighed and opened for him.

Luis lost himself in the soft sweet slide of their lips and tongues in a dance as old as time. And yet he remained fully aware, in the moment.

Their kiss went on, his lips melded to hers. He swallowed her flavors down, reveling in the sweet complexity that was his Isabella.

“Luis,” she moaned as her naked flesh met his. She pressed against him underneath the light of the stars above them, determined as he was to seal their claim on each other.

“I accept your claim. Mine. Mate. And I claim you as well, under these stars and this moon. Here, now,” she spoke with increased urgency.

Her hands guiding down his taught flesh and wrapping around his shaft in an all-encompassing grip that had him going cross-eyed.

“Bella,” he growled pushing her down onto the grassy bank of the stream and levelling himself up over her.

She was so beautiful. All silvery in the magical light from the stars, her heart in her luminous blue eyes as she gazed at him. She lifted up, her legs wrapped round his waist, encompassing him.

“I love you,” he said and sucked in a breath as he sunk into her wet heat.

It was like coming home, the feel of her pulsing around him. Fuck. He’d never felt anything like it.

“Yes!” she moaned. Isabella writhed underneath him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

Their bodies wrapped around each other, melting into one another, moving in perfect synchronicity. As if he could read her mind, he touched and sucked and loved her on that shore like he never had before. Losing his soul to her with each thrust and press of their lips.

“Now!” She cried out and struck him just above his collar bone. Her bite sent him spiraling into an orgasm unlike anything he’d ever felt. A fucking volcanic eruption of emotion. Love. Possession. Tenderness. Protectiveness. Hope. Passion. A million things he couldn’t name.

His answering bite had her channel squeezing his shaft, milking every last drop of cum from his throbbing cock. Yes! He roared into the night air. Reveling in her orgasm. Thrilled at the combination of their scents that seemed to permeate the air.

Isabella was his. Finally. And he was hers. There was no mistaking that.

Mine.

Epilogue

“Are you sure about this?” Luis asked as he unloaded the rental car and led her into the neat, two-story home that was his as long as he was part of the Virginia Station.

“Yes! I never did tell you that I was invited to join your Station here, did I?”

“No, you didn’t, mate,” he growled playfully and kissed her quickly before tugging her inside.

“It’s why I was at the convention; your Junior Station Master is an acquaintance. She extended the invitation,” Isabella said as she took off her spring jacket and turned to face her gorgeous mate.

“Ah, you mean Ms. Bright of the blonde curls?”

“What is this about blondes?”

“No worries, love, I prefer redheads, come let me show you,” he growled and did just that.

The end…

About the Author

Hello,

I’m C.D. Gorri, Paranormal Fiction Author and Creator of the Grazi Kelly Universe. I’m proud to have made the Smashwords US Today HEA Hotlist twice! ??

I’ve always been an avid reader, and I have a profound love for books and literature. When I’m not writing or taking care of my family I can usually be found with a book or tablet in my hand. I live in my home state of New Jersey with my husband, our children, and our dogs, Dash and Chewie. 

I’m a busy mom of three and finding time for leisurely reading was never easy, so I write stories that are fast-paced, yet detailed with satisfying conclusions. If I thought making time to read was difficult, I was in for a huge surprise when I started writing, but now that I started, I can’t picture myself doing anything else! I love writing powerful women and strong heroes who face relatable problems in supernatural settings! I plan on increasing the GK Universe with each and every story I publish. You can follow me on social media to keep up to date on all my new releases and events!

Want to know how it all began? Enter the Grazi Kelly Universe with Wolf Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel #1 or how about a little PNR with the Macconwood Pack? Pick up Charley's Christmas Wolf today! I have series for young adult and young at heart audiences who enjoy paranormal fiction, and I also have paranormal romance books available now! If you like sassy heroines and sexy heroes, then you might want to try my PNR books!

Thanks for reading! 

Del mare alla stella,

C.D. Gorri

P.S.

DON’T LEAVE YET!

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Thank you for reading this Zodiac Shifters romance.

A shifter’s mate is in the stars… Welcome to Zodiac Shifters, a collection of

books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-

new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Zodiac Shifters

features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each

month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs. Happily

Ever After… it’s our promise to you.

Learn more at http://zodiacshifters.com/

Other Titles by C.D. Gorri

Young Adult Books:

Wolf Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel Book 1

Hunter Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel Book 2

Rebel Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel Book 3

Winter Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel Book 4

Chasing The Moon: A Grazi Kelly Short 5

Blood Moon: A Grazi Kelly Novel #6

*NOW AVAILABLE IN A BOXED SET

The Complete Grazi Kelly Novel Series

Casting Magic: The Angela Tanner Files #1

Keeping Magic: The Angela Tanner Files #2

Paranormal Romance Books:

Macconwood Pack Novel Series:

Charley’s Christmas Wolf: A Macconwood Pack Novel #1

Cat’s Howl: A Macconwood Pack Novel #2

Code Wolf: A Macconwood Pack Novel #3

The Witch and The Werewolf: A Macconwood Pack Novel #4

To Claim a Wolf: A Macconwood Pack Novel #5

Macconwood Pack Tales Series:

Wolf Bride: The Story of Ailis and Eoghan A Macconwood Pack Tale #1

Summer Bite: A Macconwood Pack Tale #2

His Winter Mate: A Macconwood Pack Tale #3

Snow Angel: A Macconwood Pack Tale #4

Charley’s Baby Surprise: A Macconwood Pack Tale #5

Home for the Howlidays: A Macconwood Pack Tale #6

A Silver Wedding: A Macconwood Pack Tale #7

Macconwood Pack Tales BOXED SETS:

The Macconwood Pack Tales Volume 1

Shifters Furever: A Purely Paranormal Pleasures Series Anthology: The Macconwood Pack Tales Volume 2

The Falk Clan Tales

The Dragon’s Valentine: A Falk Clan Novel #1

The Dragon’s Christmas Gift: A Falk Clan Novel #2

The Dragon’s Heart: A Falk Clan Novel #3

The Dragon’s Secret: A Falk Clan Novel #4

Dragon Mates: The Falk Clan Complete Series Boxed Set

The Bear Claw Tales:

Bearly Breathing: A Bear Claw Tale #1

Bearly There: A Bear Claw Tale #2

Bearly Tamed: A Bear Claw Tale #3

Purely Paranormal Pleasures: 

Marked by the Devil: Purely Paranormal Pleasures

Zodiac Shifters:

Bound by Air: The Wardens of Terra Book 1: A Zodiac Shifters Book

Star Kissed: A Wardens of Terra Short (short story as part of the Crimson Kisses Anthology and FREE Single Wide)

Waterlocked: The Wardens of Terra Book 2: A Zodiac Shifters Book

Available Boxed Sets:

Dragon Mates: The Complete Falk Clan Tales

The Macconwood Pack Tales Volume 1

Shifters Furever: The Macconwood Pack Tales Volume 2

The Complete Grazi Kelly Novel Series

Coming Soon:

Bearly Mated: A Bear Claw Tale #4

Conall’s Mate: A Macconwood Pack Novel #6

Taming Magic: The Angela Tanner Files #3

Claimed by the Demon: Purely Paranormal Pleasures

Mated to the Dragon King: Purely Paranormal Pleasures

*This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, places, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either part of the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights are reserved. No part of this book is to be reproduced, scanned, downloaded, printed, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of any materials in violation of the author’s rights.