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did this to ye without explaining what it meant. He knew
the question was written all over his face, especially since
Grady had said something similar in the truck. Look, this
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may be a little hard to accept, but Ailean biting ye is not to
be taken lightly.
At the hospital, you told me how different the DNA was
than anything else you d ever seen, right? Grady said,
drawing his attention. He stared in shock as the big man
began to slowly remove his shirt, his face so serious that
Drake didn t know how to respond except to nod dumbly.
Those men who hired you found out about something
we ve successfully kept secret since the early third century.
He grimaced, his shoulders lifting in a shrug. Well, at least
until now.
What secret? he asked. He wasn t certain if he should
feel dread or expectation. Gripping Dagus s hand tightly, he
leaned forward. What s going on?
There were human and reptilian components together
because it was DNA from a shape-shifter, Drake, Grady
said solemnly. Ailean is a shifter. So am I, and so is
Declan.
His eyes widened and his body tensed for several long
seconds, before he shook his head, his blood chilling. I
know Ailean is your friend, but you don t need to
compound the humiliation of him dumping me by making
fun of my work, too. He rose, pulling Dagus up after him.
We ll pack our things and go, thanks.
He started to turn away, when he heard Declan say,
We re not playing with ye, Drake. We figured ye d need
proof, being a scientist and all. Allow us to prove it.
That peaked his curiosity, and he paused. Okay. Prove
it, he challenged. Did these men really believe they could shape
shift?
He watched with interest as Grady stripped the rest of his
clothes and dropped to the ground. At any other time, he
probably would have taken time to admire the impressive
lines of muscle on the big man, but as soon as the detective s
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Charlie Richards
knees hit the floor, fur grew from his back. Orange and
white stripes appeared, a tail sprouted, limbs shifted and
popped, and his head contorted to accommodate a mouthful
of incredibly sharp teeth. The change only took maybe ten
seconds, but when all was said and done, a massive tiger
sprawled across the hardwood floor.
Oh my goodness, he whispered, right before his eyes
rolled into the back of his head and the world tilted.
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Accepting His Animal
Chapter Eight
rake? Are you awake?
D His brother s voice cut through the fog as he
struggled to focus. Yeah, he grunted. His throat felt like
sandpaper and his head pounded. What happened?
You fainted. That was Lark s voice.
Drake forced one eye open and stared at the slender
blond s concerned face.
Here. Drink this.
Dagus s hands slid under his shoulders, helping him to a
half-sitting position as Lark pressed a pill to his hand and
then helped him take a swig of orange juice to wash it down.
After he d swallowed the pill, he sighed. What was that,
Doc?
Lark smiled. Just a little something to help you relax.
They really should have prepared you a little better.
Watching someone shift for the first time is really quite
shocking.
I can t believe I fainted, Drake groaned. Could he be
any more wussy?
Hey, Lark whispered, regaining his attention. The
understanding look on the man s face didn t really reassure
him. My first time, I was at a BBQ. Most of the people there
were wolf shifters, although I didn t know that at the time. I
saw several kids shift a couple times while playing. He
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grinned ruefully, admitting, I had a full blown panic attack.
It took my friends, Rainy and Cliff, several days to calm me
down. Imagine my shock to realize the guys I played poker
with every month were really wolves!
So not all of them are tigers? Drake asked, still having a
hard time wrapping his mind around this turn of events.
And Grady really turned into one?
Dagus nodded, patting his shoulder awkwardly. After
you passed out, I started to freak a bit. They ended up letting
me pet him, so I could understand what had happened.
Sorry about that, Drake muttered, renewed
embarrassment creeping over him. Where are they now?
We figured you d need a couple minutes with just the
humans when you woke, Lark smiled. They really are no
different than us, other than the animal thing. They are fully
aware while in their animal form, and they re not controlled
by the cycle of the moon. They re just another species that
have been living right alongside humans, keeping their
abilities secret.
Why? People are smart. They could handle it, Dagus
said almost belligerently.
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