The Choosing Read online

  Serim raises her hands to the sky and her voice gets louder and louder. “We beg thee, oh honored Goddess. Take this offered union and bless this male with your most precious gift.”

  Jerath feels the shift in the air around them. The wind picks up and brushes against his skin. It’s like a thousand tiny fingertips all over his body, making his blood boil, and he just wants to take Serim and claim her.

  His hands curl into fists at his sides, but the need inside him is growing and growing, and he can’t help but grab Serim’s hips and pull her roughly against him.

  “Serim!” Jerath looks up at her, begging her to help him.

  His mind is sluggish and he knows what he wants, what he has to do, but there’s something stopping him and he doesn’t know what it is. Serim’s voice cuts off once again and when she lowers her gaze to meet his, her eyes are the glowing blue of her panther. She growls at him, her teeth elongated and sharp, and he can feel her nails dig into his skin as her hands come to rest on his stomach.

  “Take me, Jerath… claim your gift.”

  Her words ignite a fire inside him. Magic crackles through his veins and burns away the unseen force holding him back. He flips them over, Serim landing on her back and Jerath settling between her legs. He slips his hands under her shoulders and holds her tight. Her eyes are wild as she watches him and he wants to claim her, wants to take what is rightfully his. The wind swirls around them now, licking at their skins and urging them on.

  He pauses to glance at her, and when she hisses his name and tells him to hurry, he pushes inside her with one long, hard thrust.

  And oh, Jerath has never felt anything like this before. He’s consumed by Serim’s heat and his whole body trembles with the pleasure of being inside her. She’s firm under his hands, her body more boyish than soft and feminine. When Jerath closes his eyes it’s easy to imagine a flat, muscled chest instead of rounded breasts and that the body underneath him is that of another man. He loses himself to the moment. Serim rolls her hips, her nails dig into his back, and Jerath feels something building inside him.

  His mind may be hazy, but Jerath knows it’s more than just his orgasm. He can feel it work its way up from his toes. It snakes up the backs of his legs, pushing him to go harder and faster. Serim starts to whisper the final words and the feeling intensifies. Jerath clings on as heat flares up his back and out along his arms to the tips of his fingers.

  Serim’s legs wrap around his waist and pull him toward her and Jerath knows that this is it. She screams out the last words of the ritual and roughly shoves Jerath’s head to the side of her neck. His fangs lengthen and he sinks his teeth deep into her flesh.

  Jerath’s body shudders as he releases inside her, and he greedily drinks down her blood as she climaxes underneath him. Pain flares hot and sudden across Jerath’s back. It’s like a lick of fire tearing across his skin and he throws his head back, Serim’s blood dripping down his chin as he cries out. He feels the tattoo as it forms, the image of his animal searing onto his skin as the magic flows through his body. It’s all he can focus on, the pain so intense that Jerath’s vision whites out and he collapses on top of Serim, still buried deep inside her.

  JERATH has no idea how much time passes before cool, gentle fingers brush over his cheek.

  “Jerath?”

  He slowly opens his eyes to find Serim peering down at him. Jerath blinks in confusion. The last thing he remembers is being on top of Serim. “How did I…?”

  She blushes a little. “You were heavy, Jerath. I had to… um… move you.”

  He very rarely sees Serim embarrassed or lost for words, and for a second he can’t understand why she would be now. Jerath’s mind is beginning to clear, though, the effects of the berries finally starting to wear off, and it all comes rushing back to him in a flurry of very vivid images. Him and Serim… together… the ritual… sex.

  Jerath remembers the overwhelming need to take Serim and claim her as if she was his, and his cheeks flush hot. He has an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was too rough with her, and his hands immediately go to touch her, to find out for himself if she’s okay, but he hesitates. Jerath doesn’t know the etiquette for after the ritual. Can he touch Serim? Will she want him to?

  He wouldn’t have thought twice about it before, but now he’s not sure how to act.

  “Are you okay, Serim? I didn’t….” Jerath swallows down his rising apprehension. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No, Jerath.” Her voice is soft, soothing. “You didn’t hurt me.”

  He looks into her eyes and he can’t handle the whole awkwardness between them. Serim is his best friend and he needs her. He won’t be able to cope with all this without her. Things have to be okay between them.

  “Serim… I don’t how to do this… how to go back.”

  She puts her fingers over his mouth. “We can’t go back to how things were before, Jerath.” He feels his heart sink and opens his mouth to protest, but she shushes him again. “What we just shared was sacred and magical. I can still feel it humming under my skin.” She closes her eyes and breathes deeply. “I can smell your animal now, Jerath.” Her eyes flash blue. “I can sense it inside you.”

  Jerath shivers. He can feel it too: something new and exciting, lurking under his skin and just waiting to be released.

  “It won’t be the same between us, Jerath, it will be so much better,” Serim continues. “You are still my best friend, and I love you as I did before.” She cups Jerath’s cheek in her palm and grins at him. And there is the Serim he knows. “But now you can run and hunt with me, and I can show you what it means to be a shifter.”

  He grins back and feels a weight lift from his shoulders as some of the awkwardness flows away. He’s a true shifter now. He has fangs and a—

  “My tattoo!” Jerath yells and scrambles to his feet. He tries to see over his shoulder, desperate to know what’s on his back. “Serim! Have you seen? Do you know what it is?”

  Serim laughs, and it’s a beautiful sound in the now-still night. “Come with me.” She takes his hand and leads him to the edge of the pool. They’re both still naked, but Jerath discovers he’s not bothered by this anymore.

  The surface is unnaturally calm and the moon is brighter that he has ever seen it. Jerath can see himself clearly in the water and he turns to Serim and raises an eyebrow.

  “Can’t you feel it, Jerath?” She waves her hand around them, encompassing the pool and the clearing behind them. “The magic lingers in the air—it’s all around us.”

  When Jerath closes his eyes and lets his new senses take over, he almost staggers backward at the flood of information that flows into his brain. He can hear and smell things he never could before, and his skin is alive with the prickle of magic. He snaps his eyes open and turns to Serim.

  “Jerath… your eyes.” She’s staring up at his face, and her smile is blinding. “Look.”

  He glances down to the water and sees his reflection.

  Oh.

  Jerath blinks. His eyes are normally green, with the barest hint of golden flecks, but the eyes staring back at him are a vibrant green, glowing brightly in the darkness, and Jerath can’t quite believe they’re his.

  Serim puts her hand on his arm and gently turns him until his back is to the pool. This time when Jerath looks over his shoulder, he can see the clear reflection of his back, and his breath catches in his throat.

  “It’s beautiful,” Serim whispers.

  Jerath can’t speak. Serim’s right—it’s the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. His tattoo is a jaguar—sleek and powerful—and covers the lower half of his back. The jaguar is standing, looking out from his skin with its teeth bared. Its tail is up and curls at the end over Jerath’s shoulder blade. The colors are breathtaking—the golden markings, edged in black, stand in proud relief against the soft caramel and white of its fur. But the eyes are Jerath’s favorite. They’re the same bright green as his own were earlier, and they m
ake the tattoo look alive.

  Jerath wants to shift. He feels restless in his skin, as though his animal form is prowling impatiently and wanting to get out. “Can I shift now? Or do I have to wait?”

  “It’s best if you shift straightaway.” Serim rolls her shoulders and stretches out her arms as she prepares to shift. “Your body needs to adjust to all the magical energy.”

  “So I just….” Jerath realizes he has no clue how to actually change into his jaguar.

  “Just close your eyes and let it come, Jerath. Picture your tattoo in your mind, and your body will do the rest.”

  Jerath watches as Serim closes her eyes and takes a long, deep breath. The air around her shimmers slightly, and her body morphs into the majestic form of her black panther. Serim growls and swishes her tail.

  “Okay, okay.” Jerath makes a face at her. “Don’t be so impatient. I’ve never done this before, remember?”

  Serim bares her teeth, but lies down to wait for him.

  Jerath closes his eyes. He breathes in and out, focusing on the image of his tattoo, and he can feel a sharp pull deep in his belly. He concentrates harder and follows the lines of the jaguar in his mind. Heat surges up Jerath’s spine and spirals out to his fingers and toes. His vision blurs for a second, and then he can see… Serim. But he’s not looking down at her; they’re on the same level now.

  Jerath is on all fours and it feels like the most natural thing in the world. He can hear all the sounds of the forest and everything is so much clearer than before. He licks over his teeth and he can taste the magic in the air. Jerath laughs and it comes out like a low rumble in his chest, and he can’t help the roar of delight that escapes. Serim pads over and nuzzles at him, and Jerath licks her ears as she rubs against his jaw.

  She growls and knocks into him with her shoulder before bounding off toward the trees. She stops and looks back at him, and Jerath sees the anxious twitch of her tail as she waits for him. He growls back and races past her into the forest. Jerath’s powerful muscles bunch and release as he runs. The wind rushes past his ears and he’s never felt more alive and aware of his surroundings, as he finally, finally knows what it is to be a shifter.

  Chapter 6

  “SO….” SERIM stretches out on her back and soaks up the late afternoon sun. “Was it everything you thought it would be?”

  Jerath is lying on the grass next to her and he opens one eye to look at her. “The ritual? Or shifting?”

  Serim blushes a little. They’ve somehow managed to avoid speaking about the ritual. After they both shifted last night, they spent hours running and hunting through the forest. Jerath wanted to explore everything and Serim happily indulged him. They didn’t change back until the sun was already rising and the pair of them collapsed, exhausted, by the side of the pool.

  “Well, I meant shifting.” She pauses and bites her lip. “But… um… maybe we should talk about that too.”

  “Okay.” Jerath closes his eyes again. They probably should talk about it, but Jerath isn’t sure he can look Serim in the eyes as they do. It was different last night, with the magic still surrounding them, but in the cold light of day Jerath feels the awkwardness creeping back between them. They need to clear the air before it has a chance to settle. “Was it okay? For you… I mean.” Jerath swallows his embarrassment. “Was I okay?”

  He squints at Serim out of the corner of his eye, while still trying to pretend he has them closed. She props herself up on one elbow and stares at him for a while before answering.

  “Jerath….” Serim’s voice is soft, but Jerath can detect a hint of amusement in her tone so he opens his eyes wide and watches her. “The berries that we ate were particularly potent. Which is just as well, considering that you don’t find girls attractive at all. And I—”

  “That’s not true!” Jerath interrupts. He thinks Serim and Mahli are beautiful. “I can appreciate how attractive a girl is. They just….”

  “Don’t do anything for you?” Serim finishes for him, and he nods.

  “As I was saying.” She looks pointedly at Jerath and he refrains from adding anything else. “I know how you feel about girls, but with the berries I sort of forgot all about that and got swept along with the magic of the moment. Do you know what I mean?”

  Jerath nods. “Yes! That’s exactly how they made me feel.” He sits up and starts to use his hands as he talks. “I mean, my head was all fuzzy and it was like I was there, but not really? If that makes any sense?” Serim nods this time. “And when we were… you know… I didn’t think of it as being you. Just a warm, firm body, and I actually imagined that you were a boy at one point—”

  Jerath’s eyes go wide and he slaps a hand over his mouth. He’s so used to telling Serim everything that it just all came out. He’ll be surprised if she ever speaks to him again. “Serim… I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean that I… well… I mean I….”

  She lets him flounder a little longer and then bursts out laughing. She holds her sides and has tears rolling down her cheeks. “Oh, Jerath… your face!” She sucks in a couple of deep breaths and manages to compose herself. “I know the berries are good, but they aren’t that good. You like boys, Jerath. I’m not the least bit offended that you pictured me as a man during the ritual.”

  Jerath breathes a huge sigh of relief, but he’s a little confused still. “You’re not?”

  “Don’t get me wrong, the ritual itself is a very intimate and sacred act and I’m not trying to belittle it in any way. It was amazing, Jerath, and I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to help you through the Choosing.”

  “But?” he asks, because there’s definitely a but coming.

  “But… I’m only human, and I may or may not have pictured you as Ghaneth at some point.”

  “Serim!” Jerath glares at her. “I can’t believe you let me think I’d upset you!”

  She grins at him and he lunges for her. He digs his fingers in between her ribs and tickles her until she’s begging him to stop.

  “No more… Jerath… please….” She’s breathless and writhing around under his hands, and he eventually takes pity on her. “So, in answer to your original question. It was wonderful. You were wonderful. But can we please not talk about it anymore?”

  Jerath blushes at her words, but grins too and readily agrees to let the subject drop now. The awkwardness has gone and Jerath knows it won’t be back.

  They sit in silence and enjoy the sun for a few minutes before Serim sighs.

  “I miss them, Jerath.” She shuffles closer to him and rests her head in his lap. “I’ve never gone a whole day without seeing my mother or Mahli, and we’ve been gone for three nights now.” She takes a deep, shaky breath, and Jerath slowly runs his fingers through her hair to try to soothe her.

  “I know.” He doesn’t know what else to say. He can’t tell her it’ll all be okay, as much as he might want to, so he just carries on stroking her hair.

  “I worry about Ghaneth and Kyr too. We have to get them back, Jerath. If they don’t complete the Choosing by the next full moon, then they won’t ever be able to shift. We can’t let that happen.”

  Jerath pulls Serim up by her shoulders so that he can see her face. “We’ll find them, Serim. Even if we have to beg the hunters to help, we’ll get them back.”

  “And our village?”

  “Once we have Kyr and the others back, we’ll free our village too.” Jerath speaks with a conviction he doesn’t really feel, but Serim looks at him with such hope and trust and he knows he’s going to make it happen, or die trying.

  “Yes.” She sits up straighter, and Jerath watches with pride and relief as she reins in all her fear and worry. He needs her to be strong. “You’re right.” She smiles and her eyes flash blue for just a second. “We’re going to make them all safe.”

  They collect more water from the waterfall, and with one last look around the clearing, continue their journey south in search of the hunters.

  THEY make camp later that ni
ght at the very edge of the forest. The flats of the plains stretch out before them, and Jerath’s uneasy at the thought of so much space. He’s always felt safe surrounded by the thick forest, and any land devoid of trees seems so exposed.

  He looks back at the fire and catches Serim watching him.

  “Nervous?” She passes him some roast rabbit on a stick, and he idly wonders how long it’ll be until he’s sick of that too.

  “A little.” Jerath nods and pulls a bit of meat off. He hisses when it burns and sucks his fingers into his mouth. “Ow!”

  Serim laughs and shakes her head at him. “What did you expect? It’s just come off the fire.”

  Jerath pulls a face and blows on the meat before trying again.

  “There’s so much space, isn’t there?” Serim looks out at the grasslands as she speaks. “We’ll need to take extra care, Jerath. Those raiders might be out there somewhere.”

  He follows her gaze. “We could travel at night,” he offers. “If we shift, we can search for the hunters under the cover of darkness. Won’t that be safer?”

  Jerath is aware that big cats are hunted outside the forest of Arradil. If they should meet any hunters while still in their animal forms, he and Serim would be fair game. But it seems less dangerous than to risk being caught by the raiders.

  “It might be.” She finishes the rest of her rabbit and throws her stick into the fire. “Shifting takes a lot of energy, Jerath. We’ll still need to rest. And I don’t know how safe it’ll be to sleep during the day.”

  He’d not thought of that. They’ll be far more exposed in the light and they won’t get much farther if they don’t stop to rest.

  “We can travel at dawn,” Serim says. “If we take turns shifting, we should be able to spot any danger before it gets too close.”

  So that’s what they decide to do. They rise the next morning before the sun and tread carefully through the last part of the forest in the dim light. Jerath gives the safety of the trees one last look before walking out onto the grassy plains with Serim’s black panther by his side.