Shifters: Full Last Quarter Series

By Veronica Anderson-Stamps

Take a trip around the world from Africa, the Amazon to America is this shifting 3-book collection. Experience shifting men and women, fall in love as you watch the adventure unfold. In Curse of the Lion, Rudgar and Zhane fall in love quickly but both of them have a secret that threatens to destroy everything. In Purr of the Panther, Matheson and Ashley have a chance encounter in South American that develops into something more. Ashley wanders about the panther that protected her in the Amazon but only Matheson knows the truth. In Unleashing of the Leopard, Wendy falls for Con Gee Woo the moment she looks into his sad eyes. She wanders why anyone would volunteer to have unspeakable experiments performed on them. Can she bring him back to his senses and convince him that no matter what, life is worth living?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Veronica Anderson-Stamps
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310866203

Veronica Anderson-Stamps

Veronica Lolonda Anderson-Stamps was born on February 11, 1979 in Lexington Mississippi. Her parents are Loretta and Frank J. Robertson Jr. She has nine siblings. She married her husband, F. Lashon Stamps in 2015. Her childhood was spent in both Mississippi and Wisconsin. She graduated from Mississippi Valley State University in 2002 with a degree in History. While there, she received countless awards including President's Scholar and Honor Scholar. In 2005, she was awarded The Editor's Choice award from the National Library of Poetry and Poetry.com. She briefly attended graduate school during which she worked on a Masters in Criminal Justice. Before long, she was offered a job that would take her away from her studies. She currently resides in Mississippi where she incorporates technology during her work hours. In her leisure, she continues to write short stories, poems and songs. She also enjoys horror films, nature programs and science fiction movies. Verónica Lolonda Anderson-Stamps nació el 11 de febrero de 1979 en Lexington Mississippi. Sus padres son Loretta y Frank J. Robertson Jr. Ella tiene nueve hermanos. Se casó con su marido, Stamps F. Lashon en 2015. Su infancia transcurrió en tanto Mississippi y Wisconsin. Se graduó de Mississippi Valley State University en 2002 con una licenciatura en Historia. Una vez allí, ella recibió innumerables premios, entre ellos el presidente y Académico de Honor Académico. En 2005, fue galardonada con el premio al mejor hotel del editor de la Biblioteca Nacional de Poesía y Poetry.com. Ella asistió brevemente a la escuela de posgrado durante el cual trabajó en una Maestría en Justicia Criminal. En poco tiempo, se le ofreció un puesto de trabajo que la llevaría lejos de sus estudios. Actualmente vive en Mississippi, donde incorpora la tecnología durante sus horas de trabajo. En su tiempo libre, ella continúa escribiendo cuentos, poemas y canciones. Ella también disfruta de las películas de terror, los programas de la naturaleza y de las películas de ciencia ficción.

Book preview

Shifters

Full Last Quarter Series

By Veronica Anderson

Copyright © 2014 Veronica L. Anderson

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Curse of the Lion

Chapter One

Shift of the Beast

Rudger opened his eyes. The moon was high and that meant that his nap had turned into hours of sleep. He had to hurry. He had to leave the village. There had been too many slip ups. The villagers no longer believed that the vicious killings that were plaguing the area were simply a lions on the prowl. Someone had claimed to have seen a man take the form of a beast and now everyone was a suspect. The elders assigned the biggest and strongest men to patrol. If Rudger was caught, he'd be killed with everyone watching. How had he let things gone this far? Why had he been cursed and his twin brother hadn't? There was no time to complain. He had to lock himself away before another innocent person was killed.

Rudger lifted himself from his bed. He had to be as quiet as possible. He didn't want to wake his brother or his sister-in-law. Rudger had been living with them for a month now but it was time for him to move on. Here in Dawongue, he had barely been able to control himself. He'd been so in control in the past but now the beast was taking over. Was it because he had taken to the bottle to drown out his sorrows? Or was it because of the woman he'd allowed to comfort him too many nights? He'd never allowed himself to feel anything when he lay with a woman. But Zhane was different. She was like no other woman he had been with before. He loved her. She was a true beauty inside and out. Every time he thought of her warm body pressed against his, he would feel a stir in his nether region. Yes, he had to go. What if he lost control and hurt the woman that he loved? It was bad enough that he had hurt so many innocents but hurting his love would be his undoing.

Rudger packed the few things that he owned and left his bedroom. The house was quiet and he would make sure it stayed that way. He walked slowly down the hallway and ended up in the kitchen. He looked back one last time. He would probably never see his brother again. His brother, Ruben had a good life... a normal life... a wife and a child on the way. Rudger was destined to be alone. He would have to accept that. He just hoped that Zhane would fund it in her heart to forgive his someday. Right now the last quarter moon beckoned for the beast. As sure as the wind blew... the beast would come.

The warm air hit Rudger as he made his way down the pathway leading away from his brother's house. He remembered a shed that he'd seen at the end of the path. He could chain himself up there and hopefully keep the beast at bay. He quickened his pace when he felt his heart begin to vibrate. His skin turned hot and cold at the same time. He felt himself begin to ache all over. Rudger started running. He was almost there when a strong hand gripped his shoulder. Where do you think you're going? A man asked. Rudger didn't recognize the voice. He closed his eyes. He knew that it was too late. There was no resisting the beast. He was here now. All he could he remember was the sound of the man screaming. The beast was sure to rip him apart.

Sunlight shunned upon Rudger's face. He opened his eyes. He looked around his surrounding but didn't recognize anything. As usual, he was covered in dried blood. He almost cried when he thought about what must have taken place the night before. He couldn't go on like this. He rose to his feet and headed for the nearby woods. He had to find some clothing. Everything that he owned was somewhere near that old shed... near a dead body. His secret would no longer be safe. His brother would no longer be safe. What had he done? The villagers would suspect the worst. They wouldn't listen to reason. They'd lost too many of their own. Rudger would have to go back and face their wrath.

Rudger had walked near the edge of the woods for what seemed like hours. He could see an old hut in the distance. He knelt down behind the thick brush. The afternoon sun shunned down hard. He had to make sure no one was there. Hopefully, he would find some clothes and something to drink. He watched and waited but there was no activity near the hut. He ran quickly and peeked through a makeshift window. There was no one there. Rudger went inside.

The hut was much cooler than the midday heat outside. Rudger found a pile of clothing in a pile near a corner in the hut. The little light that peered in allowed him to search for something suitable. He found fresh water in a container. There was a pot of stew sitting over warm coals. Rudger washed the blood from his face and ate. He knew that he couldn't stay. This hut obviously wasn't abandoned. He ate and drank water. He stood to leave and turned to see the barrel of a gun pointing in his face.

Rudger stood stock still. What are you doing here? A tiny voice asked. Was that the voice of a woman? Rudger looked past the barrel. Sure enough, a little old woman looked at him with blue-grey eyes. I'm sorry. I was hungry and thirsty. Rudger explained. The woman didn't seem to believe him but put her gun down. I know what you are. She said before she laid her gun on the table from which Rudger had been sitting. Rudger had no idea what she meant but decided to stay quiet. There are others you know… others that shift between man and beast. She continued before taking a drink of water. Rudger stood in shock. What do you mean? He asked. The old woman laughed, Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean... my husband was a shifter. You have the smell of a shifter. Did she mean that she was married to a shifter? What did she mean by the smell of a shifter? Sit down and I will answer all of your questions. Rudger pulled up a chair and sat. Could this woman help him? Was there a way to hold back the beast?

I met Wanrick when I was a young woman. Back then, the world was still wild but we met and became good friends. Our parents were friendly and wanted us to marry. We liked each other so we did not disobey. He was a bit older but it was nice to be with him. She smiled as if reliving the memory. Rudger noticed the faraway look her eyes had taken on. We married and moved here. He was a private man and didn't want neighbors. I thought it was strange but I did not resist. I was allowed to visit my family when I liked but he would especially want me to leave home on the last quarter of the moon. Of this, I did resist. I just couldn't understand. One night, I came back and found that he was not home. I searched for him. I found him chained to a tree. I called out to him but he could not hear my voice. I went closer to help him and he was different. The woman grew uncomfortable but continued her story. My love was changing. He had the eyes of a beast. He growled and roared at me but I couldn't leave him there. I watched him shift. His hands and feet turned into those of a lion. His body grew hair all over. His head grew bigger and his face completely changed. Within moments, he was the king of the beast. I didn't run. I waited. In that moment, I just knew that I was going to die. The old woman went over to the pot of stew and fixed herself a bowl of the chunky concoction. Rudger waited. He had to know what happened next. How had she seen the beast and live to tell about it?

Rudger didn't want to pressure the old woman but he was anxious to know what happened. She sat and ate quietly. She looked over at Rudger. Then back at her stew. When she had pushed her bowl away, she stared off into the distance. I really thought that I was going to die but I lived. When he completely shifted into beast form, he didn't do anything to me. He simply ran past me and deeper into the bush. I followed him as best I could. When I found him, he had devoured a zebra and was asleep. I waited all night there by his side. Why didn't he attack you? Rudger asked desperately. That night, I didn’t understand. You see, he awoke that morning. He couldn't look at me. His eyes were full of shame and recrimination. He thought I had witnessed him attacking a person but I showed him that it had only been an animal. He thought that I wouldn't love him but I couldn't turn away from him. She explained.What happened after that? Did you find out why you weren't hurt? She took a sip of water and smiled. Yes, I did. I followed him many times after that. As it turns out, the beast has no taste for human flesh. Wanrick never once attacked a human. All those years... never once did he turn on me. Later, we found that the male beast sought animals but the female was another thing all together. She was wild and out of control. She preyed on the soft flesh of humanity. Only a mate could tame her. She explained.

Rudger stood for a moment and turned to leave. Ease you conscious my child, I assure you that you have never hurt a human. Go home. Search out the she-beast that walks among us for she is deadly because she can shift at will. Shift at will? Rudger didn’t like the sound of that. If everything that the old woman had said was true, he had to go home and figure out who was viciously murdering the villagers. His brother, sister-in-law and his precious Zhane were in danger. He had to leave now. Thank you, old woman. You have helped me a great deal today. I hope that someday I may be able to repay you. I have a feeling that we will meet again. I am Ashunto. I will be here when the time comes.

Chapter Two

Protecting Our Loved Ones

Rudger walked for hours before he was at his brother's door. Before he could turn the knob, the door was snatched open. Where in the hell have you been Rudger? Ruben stood there with glazed eyes. I was going to leave but... But what? We have been worried about you. They found your things out by the abandon shed where one of the hunters came face to face with the beast. Rudger, I thought you were dead. Ruben explained while giving off a shaky breath. Rudger dropped his head. He was ashamed for leaving without a word but it had been for a good reason. It was time that he came clean. He had to come clean... about everything. All of their twenty-five years on this earth and Rudger had never told his brother about his affliction of the shift. Their father hadn't been afflicted but their grandfather had. Apparently it skipped generations. Rudger had first shifted when he'd turned eighteen. He'd been so afraid the morning after. He'd been covered with blood. Two children had been reported missing. What else could have happened? He must have killed him. From that moment on, death had followed him. But now, he knew that he had not been the culprit. Today he would come clean to his brother and protect what mattered to him most, his family, his brother, sister-in-law and Zhane. His parents were gone and these three people were all he had left in the world now. He