Flying Hard: Santa Cruz Shifters, #1

By Marie Booth

Ty wants to fly, but that choice was taken away.

Ty: I'm a hybrid shifter, a freak who doesn't fit. My wing is damaged, so the ravens don't accept me. Pumas don't want me 'cause I shift to raven. I spend my nights drinking my memories away or screwing them into oblivion.

But the most glorious male wolf I've ever seen needs my help.

Dex is half-starved and rough around the edges, but I'm going to make sure Half Moon Territory gives this wolf a home. He's been protecting us for weeks, from what I'm not sure.

He says doesn't want me but I know it's a lie. Yeah, I'm a flirt, the kind of shifter no one in their right mind would want for a mate, but I'll make this alpha wolf beg for me. I'm already begging for him.

Dex wants a home, a peaceful life and maybe a dozen donuts.

Dex: My pack kicked me out, my mate died in the Shifter Wars, and I've survived three years living rough. But I've discovered a new territory in the Santa Cruz Mountains and it may turn out to be the kind of home I've searched for.

Only this crazy raven shifter keeps throwing himself at me. Yeah, he's hot as hades and he makes me smile, even laugh, but I may never be ready to settle down again. Especially not with a shifter who takes anyone with a beating heart to his bed.  No. If Ty wants to be with me, he's going to have to follow my very specific rules. Alpha rules.

On top of everything, members of my old wolf pack have been sniffing around my new territory. Looks like I'm going to have to organize the defense of Half Moon and protect its citizens, especially Ty, who's teasing his way into my heart with every smile.

***

Flying Hard is a M/M Paranormal Romance in the Breath of Air Collection and Book 1 in the LGBTQ+ Santa Cruz Shifter Series. Marie Booth is a bestselling author of hot contemporary romance and spicy paranormal/urban fantasy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marie Booth
• Release date: Mar 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9780999708965

Book preview

1

Ty

M y wolf is back. He hadn’t been at his regular spot on the hill yesterday. Thought he might have moved on, which would have sucked ass.

Mandi snatched the binoculars away. He’s my wolf too. After adjusting the focus, she grinned. Yeah, that’s our guy. You sure he’s a shifter?

I flattened my hand palm up and she slapped the glasses down hard. You see the size of his head? His paws? I huffed, wiping the binoculars with my shirt. Were you eating cinnamon buns again? She nodded sheepishly. Try to keep your talons off my equipment.

I only had one. She folded her arms. Anyway, aren’t the binoculars borrowed like all the other shit you keep in the backyard shed that you haven’t returned?

"I barter. I do not borrow. I’ve paid for every bit of that shit as you call it."

Bartering involves an exchange of goods or services. What did you exchange for the new rifle?

I winked, sliding a hand over my chest and abs, then looping my fingers through my belt. "Didn’t I just mention my equipment? Mandi shoved me, but I had no trouble keeping my balance on the branch. Genes held true. They can ask for whatever service they want. Especially Rrrramon."

When Ramon heard me roll the R, he’d growled at me. Fucking hot.

He’s built like a military jeep, Ty. He’d squish you.

Mmm. What a way to go. Can you see him in leathers and high boots, carrying one of those—

Your sexual fantasies are crazier by the day. Ramon goes to Santa Cruz to hook up and you only go for supplies. He’s a regular at the club scene. You don’t have a chance unless you dress up and get seen there.

I shrugged. Everyone was hooking up in more permanent ways. In a few years I’d be the rare single in Half Moon. Didn’t need to stand out more than I already did. If anyone wants their shit back they can always barter it back. As you pointed out, I’m usually around.

I patted my shoulder, indicating my wings. They were the main reason I avoided clubs and crowds. Not that they could see my disfigurement unless I shifted to half form or full raven form. It was just that club goers from Half Moon might see me there and blab about me to others. I didn’t need that shit.

Mandi squeezed my arm in a friendly way. Don’t you fucking give up hope. We’re going to find a doctor.

The wolf turned in our direction, head tilting, ears forward.

He knows we’re here, she whispered.

Of course he does. Probably scents your sticky buns.

Stop talking smut.

I wasn’t talking about your ass. The degree of stickiness on those cheeks is not anything I want to discuss. No thank you.

I had one bakery bun. That’s it.

Yeah, well, too much sugar is gonna keep you grounded. Mandi was also a bird. A bird with two normal wings.

I boxed up my hurt and pointed the glasses toward the most magnificent lupine form I’d ever seen. I’d only seen the one, but shit, this male was choice. Wolves run in packs, even shifters, but this guy’s a loner. And the way he watches our settlement isn’t like he’s thinking about his next meal. He’s studying us. I wonder what he thinks of Half Moon?

Sometimes he brings a kill to snack on. It was trout last week. Mandi stuck out her tongue and gagged.

You’re the only bird I know who won’t eat fish.

I’m the only kestrel in Half Moon. We’re more particular. Not at all like ravens or owls.

Hey, I’m particular. I don’t eat mice or bugs unless I’m in bird form, which I never am anymore so that makes me particular.

Your logic is wacko.

Ya know, shifters are still straggling in from different territories. A flock of your kind may show up any day now.

I doubt it. This section of the Pacific Coast isn’t a normal habitat for kestrels.

Oh, and I suppose it’s a natural habitat for tigers, right?

No, and I’ve learned absolutely nothing juicy about where they came from. Rav’s clan of tigers is standoffish. So annoying.

I peered through the glasses again. The wolf was staring right at us. Where the fuck was he getting freshwater fish? Unless… Make a note to tell maintenance to check the lake above the north quarter. Could be he’s fishing there.

I’m not your secretary. Take your own notes.

I taught you how to use that long bow, didn’t I? You can help me out once in a while.

I’ve helped you out more than most of your low-life relatives have.

True. She’d been there for me when no one else had even wanted to talk to me. Of course Mandi was a chatterbox who talked to just about everyone whether they wanted to talk or not. Still, I appreciated her friendship.

And you only taught me the longbow basics. I turned myself into a kick ass archer.

True again. I watched the wolf and let the silence drag on. Mandi hated that.

"Fine. I’ll remind you about the wolf fishing in our lake."

Thanks. The bushes behind the wolf rustled. He growled and the rustling stopped.

Have you seen the natural wolf pack that follows him around? I asked.

Yeah. But I haven’t seen another shifter. Mandi brushed a leaf off her jeans. She was also particular about her clothes.

Me either. The wolf had the markings of an alpha, even though he was on the lean side. He looks lonely. There was something pathetic about the way he spent so much time near our territory. Bet he’s hungry for real food.

A rogue wolf won’t be allowed through the gates. Mandi shook her head. They’re nasty, arrogant bullies and they eat birds!

You’re a raptor. So do you.

Only eggs. Mostly.

I’m sure he doesn’t eat bird shifters. How many rogue wolves have you met?

None.

I rest my case.

But he’s a dangerous giant. She snatched the glasses away and held them behind her back. He won’t fit in. Give it up.

Who knows, you and he might hit it off. The only wolf hooks up with the only kestrel. I can hear the juicy gossip now.

Yeah. Right. Just think what my fledglings would look like.

They’d be born wolf or kestrel—one or the other. Like with me. I rubbed at the sudden burn in my chest. My mom had been puma, my dad the herald of his raven flock. I was supposed to inherit his position, but that didn’t work out as planned. I just hope your babies don’t blab all the time. I don’t think I could stand more like you. Ow! I rubbed my shin.

Asshole.

You gotta stop flirting, Mandi. My asshole is only for the lucky few. Her giggle turned into a full-out belly laugh. Okay, maybe the lucky dozen.

The wolf stretched out on the ground, his forepaws in front so he could rest his head. The beautiful beast had to be something amazing in human form.

My mind slipped into prowl mode like a race car into fifth. How to convince a wolf to transition to human form was the first question. How to get the hot guy to want me was the next. If he didn’t swing my way, I’d have to back off, but if he did, I’d have him between the sheets in no time at all.

Seduction came naturally to me, unlike all the shit that should have bloomed with the alpha DNA I inherited from my dad. Leadership skills might have come in handy. Or from my mom’s side, maybe more muscle. Most pumas were large and ripped. But no, I was built like a raven with the predilections of a feline. Lucky me.

I wasn’t completely without skills. The council made me a scout because I could shoot more accurately than anyone else in Half Moon territory. Unfortunately, guns were illegal unless your life was on the line. Shifters were supposed to hunt in animal form. Yeah, great. My shredded wings wouldn’t lift me ten inches let alone ten feet.

And did I really want to eat mice?

My puma genes made me an awesome climber, so everyone in town joked about how I made the perfect sniper. Yeah, to the world, I was a flat out failure in almost every fucking way.

Except for what I had in mind between me and the hot alpha wolf.

The wolf I lusted over continued to survey the activity in the settlement. I glanced behind me. An assortment of bear cubs played in the makeshift playground, one of the moms keeping an eye on them. Two of the bobcat sisters were working on a car engine and the nurse on duty today, Georgia, a brown bear with a large family, was heading out of the office to check on a patient. Someone was always complaining about one ailment or another, especially the owls.

The Doc, a puma, had died years ago from a concussion caused by a fall. Unfortunately, he’d never taken the time to train an assistant. Our three nurses were using an old computer program to learn as much as they could to help the crazy mix of shifters who lived in Half Moon, but it wasn’t easy. Even in human form, we had our differences.

The council won’t like it if you and the wolf get friendly, especially Joan.

I chewed on my lip in thought. I could get them to accept him. Despite my disability, I could charm the feathers or fur off most shifters. "They haven’t kicked me out yet. Maybe they’ll accept him too.

Ty…

Leave it.

It could have happened to anyone. Mandi grasped my hand like she always did when we talked about my injury. Just ‘cause your dad was an asshole and didn’t search for you right away, doesn’t mean you’re turning into one.

The town might not agree. I’d never told anyone the truth about what happened, instead making up a stupid story about me getting drunk before falling off the cliff.

No one needed to know the truth.

She shifted on the branch, a little unsteady. She could soar for miles, but for some reason hated sitting up high in human form. Don’t talk that way about yourself. I don’t like it.

I shrugged, scanning the activity around the dining hall. Are there any sandwiches left from lunch?

Don’t even.

C’mon. He’s gotta be tired of eating fish, I said.

Look at him. He could take down an elk on his own. I hear the grays are the strongest.

Especially the alpha-marked like him.

The what?

Alpha wolves have perfectly aligned facial markings, but that isn’t all that makes them alphas. They’re natural leaders. Fast and quiet as shit. The perfect killers.

Mandi rolled her eyes. I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy about the guy now. Thanks for that.

He hasn’t made a move to hurt anyone.

Mandi frowned, glanced through the glasses, and handed them back. He does look kinda thin.

That settled it. I jumped from the tree branch, landing almost silently despite the twenty-five-foot height. I might have been born raven, but sometimes the feline in me was more prominent. This wolf and I have been watching each other for four weeks. I’m gonna bring him food and introduce myself.

Wait! It took thirty seconds for her to sprout wings and flutter down, but I was already moving away.

As expected, she flew along beside me. Mandi was never one to stay behind when an adventure beckoned. Her shirts were designed to accommodate the brown, gray and black of her wings without ripping her clothing to shreds. She used a design she’d created herself and sold to other winged shifters.

Mandi was cleverer than she ever let on.

You’ve gotta be the most stubborn puven ever born, she complained, brushing thin leaves and dried tree bark off her shoulders. The drought was still in full force even though it was almost winter.

I stopped walking and turned to face her. I’m tying you to a large tree and leaving you for the bears to find if you call me that again.

Pfft. The bears wouldn’t even look for me.

My point. Puven was one of the disparaging names the purebred ravens and pumas used when referring to me. Mixed breed shifters didn’t gain acceptance, especially ones who couldn’t live up to the standards of either species.

C’mon. I headed down the hill toward the dining hall, Mandi soaring ahead and landing near the door. She waited.

She glanced up the hill and smiled. You just want him to shift to human so you can see him naked. Is an alpha larger all over? Her hand motions were very explicit, the crow.

I’m doing my civic duty is all. I allowed a slow smile to creep across my face, drawing out my next words. But, maaaybe I won’t turn away when he shifts. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to ogle a male.

What, like a whole week?

I have needs. I pressed my hands flat against my chest. The chances of this amazing creature being into what I’m offering are pretty slim. Wolf packs don’t tolerate differences. Queer members have it rough.

How do you know that?

My trips to Santa Cruz are partly to gather supplies and partly to gather information.

Maybe his pack was different. Mandi suggested.

Yet here he is without one.

We turned in unison and looked up the hill at the wolf, alone for at least the weeks we’d been watching him. For all we knew he could have been in the woods alone for years. I’d have gone loopy without contact with other shifters. Hugs, pats on the back, animated conversations, meal sharing, body sharing—all of that was what made life after the wars bearable.

The magnificent gray was staring back at us as if he knew we were discussing him. He hadn’t moved more than a few inches for over an hour. That took discipline. Definitely not your average rogue. He’d sat in that exact spot every day, sometimes yipping at one of the natural wolves, sending them off. Some of them walked our territory border, never crossing.

It was almost like he was guarding us.

I glanced at Mandi. We haven’t seen a sign of that rogue grizzly for over two weeks.

She crossed her fingers. Let’s hope. You know how some of the young ones like to sneak outside the fence to play. Especially the bear cubs. She slid a quick glance toward the playground. I’ve been worried.

I wonder. My wolf was certainly large enough to do some serious damage.

You think it’s possible he had something to do with it? Mandi asked.

I’d bet my next three meals on it. I squared my shoulders. I’m going in. After passing through the gate, I hit up the cafeteria for some meaty sandwiches with all the fixin’s. I snatched a spare pair of coveralls off a hook and grabbed a blanket from the supply closet. Carrying the food, I stalked up the hill, placing the supplies on the ground around twenty yards in front of the sitting wolf.

Holy crap. He’s a giant. Mandi had followed me on foot, keeping ten yards behind me.

Stay there and don’t run. He might think you’re his next meal.

The giant lupine stuck out his tongue and shook his head.

Huh. I know what you mean. She probably wouldn’t taste good.

Hey!

The wolf huffed in what sounded like a laugh, but as he took in a breath my gaze slid to his chest. His ribs were too prominent. He hadn’t been getting enough to eat.

This food’s for you, so help yourself.

He’s beautiful. Mandi sighed. I wonder if his fur is soft.

He can understand you, ya know. He doesn’t lose intellect in wolf form. You can talk to him directly.

Oh, right, sorry. She took a step closer and talked at turbo speed. You’re like the fucking king of the wolves, right? Awesome. I’m honored. She started to bow, then attempted a courtesy.

She could be such a ditz.

I was surprised when my wolf bowed his enormous head in acknowledgement, then stalked slowly toward the sandwiches, nosing the bag.

I laughed. Shit. Guess I should take them out of the bag, right? I opened the sack, meaning to lay the sandwiches on top, but I stopped myself. You could shift. We wouldn’t try to hurt you or anything while you were vulnerable. I lifted up the coveralls. I even brought clothes.

The wolf slowly shook his head.

Okay. Up to you. Unwrapping the three sandwiches, I laid them out on top of the bag. I scooted backwards, but not too far. Mandi was right. I was dying to see this guy in human form. The naked part didn’t hurt either.

He sniffed at the food, pawing it slightly. It’s not poisoned or drugged. He tilted his head, pointing his enormous paw at me. Fine. I walked forward.

Don’t go too close, Ty! Mandi and I might fight like siblings, but we loved each other the same way.

He’s not gonna hurt me. I grabbed a sandwich and took a large bite, replaced the

Reviews for Flying Hard

[anniene · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ani, this is not an author for us. Too simplistic.