The Beginning: A Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance (Fated Dragons Book 1) Read online

  I gasped at his suddenness and let out a small yelp. He surprised me with a hard kiss that took my breath away. Finally, he eased the kiss.

  My eyes fluttered open to find him looking at me in such a different way. “I love you, Tyri Shaylee Tobin.”

  His kiss left me intoxicated and the sound of the words actually coming out of his mouth rang in my ears. He loves me. And I love him. “Me too, Owen.” I went in for another one of his magical kisses.

  But he pulled his head back. “Please don’t do that. I might not be able to control myself.”

  “What would be so wrong with that?” I had to ask, feeling a bit jerked around by him.

  “Nothing. If I wasn’t afraid your parents would send you off to a nunnery or something.” He smiled to lessen the blow.

  It didn’t lessen it though. I looked down, embarrassed, then dropped my arms from around him and stood back a little. “I’m so sorry they’re like that. It’s so embarrassing.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed.” He caught me by the chin to make me look at him. “They just want what’s best for you.” His lips lightly pressed against mine, making me hot in places I’d never gotten hot in before.

  I wrapped my arms back around his neck, kissing him back. he moved his hands from my waist, slowly sliding them down to the top of my butt. My inexperience makes my body tense.

  And he felt it too. “Sorry, babe. Too much? It’s just so hard to control myself.”

  “Once I’m eighteen I can make my own decisions. I’m sure I’ll be much more comfortable in a place of our own.” I knew I couldn’t do anything more than kiss until I left my parents’ home. “I can’t say for sure if I’ll be ready the first night, but I will definitely get ready.”

  He smiled, happy with my response then kissed me again, this time keeping his hands at my waist. Easing into the physical aspect of our very long relationship, we kissed and ran our hands over each other’s bodies for only a bit longer before deciding we should start heading back before my father got suspicious.

  In the distance, the sound of thunder had us hurrying to get back home before a storm hit. “Crap,” Owen hissed as he held my hand, tugging me along behind him. “What a way to end our little outing.”

  I didn’t care at all. High on his kisses, I couldn’t seem to care about a thing except being with him. But then the thunder suddenly got so much closer and the speed in which it did frightened me. “Geeze! That was fast.” My heart beat hard against my chest as Owen continued to pull me through the forest of tall pine trees.

  A large, dark shadow followed us from above the trees, a thing Owen pointed out, “Do you see that shit? Something’s up there and it ain’t no storm cloud either.”

  I kept glancing up to see if I could see what was there. The sound of thunder kept erupting right over our heads. I saw no lightning at all and there was no rain. Only wind came from directly above us.

  Finally, I saw something through a tiny opening in the treetops.

  What the hell is that?

  As I kept my eyes skyward, I saw four sets of enormous wings moving. One set was grey, the other set was red. Both were leathery in texture. It made no sense at all to me. “Maybe they’re bats.” I tugged at Kyle’s hand, trying to get him to stop. I wanted to look at them, not run from them.

  Owen’s eyes were wide and full of fear as he looked back at me, still running. “What are you doing, Tyri? Run. Stop trying to slow us down.”

  “Let’s stop. I want to look at them.” I knew it sounded crazy to him but the look he gave me told me he thought me to be truly insane at that point.

  A horrifying shriek sent vibrations down my spine. Owen gasped. “For the love of all that’s holy!”

  With the screeching sounds that now accompanied the thunderous one, Kyle’s speed doubled. I literally flew behind him as he held my hand tightly.

  The backyard loomed only a few yards ahead of us. Soon we’d be out in the open and I could finally really see what had come upon us. I couldn’t wait. Excitement and fear mingled together inside me as I readied myself to see something amazing.

  But as soon as Owen stepped on foot onto the green grass in the yard, all the sounds and the wind stopped. We both looked up as we froze in place.

  They’re gone!

  Kyle looked back at me as we walked into the yard, both of us stunned beyond reason. “What the actual fuck was that?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never seen nor heard anything like that in all my years of living here.” But something inside of me pulsed as my heart raced.

  I’ve got to know what they were.

  Chapter Three

  Tyri

  “Enjoy your time with Owen today, sweetie?” My mother started the conversation only seconds after Owen had left that night.

  I sat down on my bed. “I did.” He and I decided not to say a word about what we’d seen since no one else had heard a thing. We didn’t want them to think we were in the woods taking something that might’ve made us hallucinate.

  She reached down to my hand and touched the ring he’d given me. “This looks expensive. Do you suppose it’s made out of real silver?”

  “I think so.” Not that I really cared at all. “But I don’t care if it is or not.” All that mattered was that Owen had given the ring to me. I would keep it forever, even if it ended up turning my finger green – which I highly doubted it would.

  “Real, true love is something that’s hard to find. Some people never find it. Do you think that you have?” She asked me out of the blue.

  My eyes stared down at the floor as I prayed she would stop this line of questioning. “Mom, are you thinking about giving me the old sex talk? Is this what you’re doing?”

  “Far from it, sweetie.” She shook her head. “There should be no need for that right now. Should there? Have you and Owen been discussing having sex? Is that why you’ve brought this up?”

  As if I’ve brought anything up.

  I blanched at the thought. “Um, no we have not discussed anything like that.” More lies. When will they stop?

  “I want to talk to you about love and how there are many different types of love.” She got up, walking to the window to lean against the frame as she looked outside into the darkness that had fallen. “The love you feel for Owen is not the same kind of mature love that you will feel one day for the man you will marry.”

  The lies had filled me and the heat inside of my body was beginning to bother me as it only intensified each time I lied. So, I was done lying. It was time my parents knew how I felt about Owen. “I think that I do love Owen like that, and I think he loves me that way too.”

  “Do you?” My mother didn’t look the least bit surprised by what I’d finally admitted to her. “I am sorry, sweetie, but at your age it’s mostly hormones that you feel - not real love. Real, true love is not something that grows on you. It just happens spontaneously. You have known Owen for many years. Since you were children. Don’t you think that it could be familiarity and the fact that you are comfortable with each other that makes you think that it’s a special and real love?”

  I hesitated. My mother had always been so sensible that I now found myself questioning my own judgment. “I need to tell you something, Mom. I didn’t plan on telling you until the time came but I’m going to tell you now.” I twisted the ring back and forth nervously on my finger, then swallow hard to admit our real plans for the future. “I am going to go with Owen to Austin, Texas after I turn eighteen this summer. We’re going to live together there.”

  I closed my eyes, feeling tears brimming up in them. My mother’s hand rubbed my shoulder lightly. “My poor baby. My poor, poor baby. I thought that your relationship with Owen was just a friendship. I hadn’t noticed that it turned into a romance. When did this happen?”

  “We’ve been getting close for the last few years,” I admitted to her. “But only last night did I find out that he wants me to go with him. I was surprised by him asking me, but I think it’s
a great idea if you want to know the truth. You and Dad have sheltered me so much that I have no idea what real life is like.”

  “I know we have seemed overly protective, but we just wanted you to have a normal childhood. You know - a normal life.” She turned away from me, going back to the window. “We didn’t want you to get caught up in any dangerous activity that teenagers can sometimes get into. You’re just too special, Tyri.”

  Too Special? “Mom, I am no more special than the next kid. I’m not sorry about how you have raised me, but I’m about done being raised. Almost eighteen you know, and I’m ready to start living my life. You’ve given me a strong foundation. I have good morals, Mom. Now please let me use some of my own judgment so I can begin a new part of life. One with love and romance and being on my own.”

  She just stood there, looking out the window, saying nothing. Finally, she looking at me with a sweet expression. “You know something Tyri? I am glad to hear that. The time has come for some changes and seeing that you feel ready is, quite frankly, a big relief to me and it will be to your father as well. Just make me one promise, please darling.”

  With her giving in, I had to promise her one more thing. “Anything.”

  She nodded and smiled at me. “Don’t give away your innocence yet. Wait a little longer. Let this love thing mull around for a while before you give in to temptation. That way you can make the right decision. As always, Tyri I fully expect you to keep your promise to me. I will give you this time with Owen but keep it PG 13 - for now anyway.” She headed to the door to leave me to think about things, the way she’d always done my entire life after one of our talks.

  I could do what she’d asked without any problems. “I promise. Mom.”

  At least the lying is over.

  Chapter Four

  Tyri

  “She said to keep it PG 13 huh?” Owen smiled as he helped me back into his truck, sitting me right next to him.

  With my confession, my parents had let us go out on our very first date. Dating was now on the table and I was over the moon. I’d told Owen all about it only minutes after my mother had left the room. “Yep.” I couldn’t pull the smile off my face. I’d never been so happy.

  “Do you think we kept it at that rating while we were in the movie theater?” He asked, smiling devilishly at me.

  In the theater, he’d take full advantage of the dark, and moved our experiences with each other much further down the path. My body still smoldered from his touch and my mouth ached from all the deep kissing we’d done. “Owen, you are evil aren’t you?”

  Flashing me a wicked little grin, he raised my hand and kissed the ring he’d put on my finger. “Did any of that feel evil to you, babe?”

  Shaking my head, I didn’t really think him evil in the least. “No, not evil at all. You didn’t do anything to me that I didn’t want to be done. But now I don’t know how I can keep my hands off of you - nor my lips.”

  He pulled the truck over to the side of the road and put it in park. “Then don’t.” Popping off his seatbelt, he turned to me, pressing his lips to mine.

  Elated that I could bring such passion out in him with just a few words, I melted with his touch. His kisses and how he touched me set me on fire. The way his hands moved all over me left me breathless.

  It was all good until his hand moved in between my legs, rubbing my jean covered crotch that was already throbbing and soaked by the desire he’d filled me with. Moving my mouth away from his, I had to remind him of something, “I promised.”

  In true Owen nature, he pulled himself away from me and composed himself. “I know you did. I’ll get control of myself, baby.” He and I panted, filling the truck with our hot breath and fogging the windows up. “As hard as it is. I’ll do it for you. I would wait forever for you.”

  He put the truck in drive as he took several deep breaths. I buckled my seatbelt back up that I hadn’t even noticed he’d taken off me. “You sure got those swift hands there, mister.”

  He chuckled as he pulled up the steep driveway to my house. “Do I?”

  The porchlight was on as usual. He got out of the truck, holding his hand up to me to help me out. When I grabbed his hand, a jolt of electricity shot through me, giving me a brief moment of wondering how long I could keep myself from giving in to this need. I had promised my mother I would after all.

  I had never gone back on any promise that I’d given to my parents. I wasn’t about to start now.

  He held my hand ad he walked me to the door. Stopping just in front of the door, he kissed my ring. “I love you Tyri Shaylee Tobin.”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that.” I grinned. “I love you too.”

  “Back to school tomorrow, babe. Until then, I will dream of you.” He opened my front door, ushering me inside as I drank in one last look at him.

  As always my parents sat in the living room. “Hello, you two,” my mother greeted us.

  “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Tobin. Thank you so much for letting me take Tyri out tonight. We had a great night and really appreciate this.” Owen kissed my cheek. “I had a great time, Tyri. Goodnight. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

  “I had a great time too. Night, Owen. I’ll see you then.” I closed the door behind him, wishing like crazy that the night didn’t have to end.

  My demeanor wasn’t lost on my parents. I must’ve looked a little out of sorts with all the pawing we’d done at each other. “Goodnight, dear,” my mother said as she waved her hand, meaning I could and should leave the room.

  I practically floated up the stairs, finding myself in my room. I fell onto my bed, reliving the evening.

  After a dreamless night’s sleep, I got up and got ready for school. Heading to school with my brother in the passenger seat, I pulled into the student parking lot. Sad to see Owen’s truck wasn’t there yet.

  If my parents hadn’t been so overprotective, I would’ve had my cell phone at that time and could’ve called him. But they wouldn’t let me take it to school or even have it at night.

  Just one more thing that I could look forward to once I went away with Owen was getting to keep my cell with me at all times.

  The day went by and Owen never showed up for school. I asked his friends if they knew if he was sick or anything and they had no idea. I became really worried and decided I’d stop by his house after school.

  I began to feel stupid as I headed toward his house, Sure he was just sick – maybe from food poisoning from the popcorn, we’d ate a little of at the movies.

  I pulled up at his house, but there were no cars there. Not his nor his parents.

  It must be a family emergency.

  Hurrying back to the school to pick up Scotty from football practice, I drove home, eager to get to my cell to call Owen. Worry had taken me over.

  Scotty kept looking at me weird. “Why so fast, Sis?”

  “No reason.” I didn’t want to get into it. I just wanted to find out where Owen was and if he was safe.

  Pulling up at the house, I rushed inside. Mom sat on the sofa reading a book. “Hi honey, how was school?”

  “Umm. It was fine. Can I have my phone please?” I couldn’t think about anything but calling Owen.

  “Sure sweetie, it’s in the kitchen on the charger.” She went back to reading her romance novel.

  I rushed to get it, hoping he’d sent me a text to let me know what was up with him missing school and not being home.

  Disappointment enveloped me as I saw no messages from him. So, I texted him -Missed you at school, is anything wrong?-

  I took my phone up to my room and tried not to get all crazy with worry. After thirty minutes - still nothing. It was making me truly insane to just sit and wait. I had to get my mind off of Owen and what he was doing.

  If it was anything serious, he would’ve left a message.

  I decided to go for a run, so changed into shorts and running shoes, putting my cell phone in my shorts pocket in case he texted me back.

  Run
ning down the driveway, the steep driveway set my pace a little higher than I normally ran. My mind was a mess of thoughts. Where is he? What happened? When will he get in touch with me?

  The thought came into my mind that his truck wasn’t there, nor his parent’s car. What if he was in a wreck after he dropped me off?

  My mind flew to how much I hated the overprotectiveness of my parents. If I’d had my phone, he would’ve been able to call me. We would’ve always been able to talk to each other during the nights and mornings.

  How I hated the rules that had been laid out for me. I couldn’t wait to leave my parents’ strict home. Then I prayed out loud for a minute as I ran down the road that Owen was alright, “Dear Lord, please let him be okay. Not just so I can get out of here, but also because I can’t think of a life without him in it.”

  Before I realized it, I’d run all the way into town. A truck passed in front of me, letting out a loud honk. It brought me back into my head as I brought my body to a halt abruptly.

  I stopped and looked around at my surroundings. My head began to spinning and I felt disoriented.

  Falling! Oh, Lord, I’m falling!

  Chapter Five

  Tyri

  “How is she?” my mother’s voice came to me.

  “She’ll be fine,” a man’s voice answered.

  “I think it’s better that you don’t go in right now,” a woman’s voice added.

  “Well, I am,” a smooth, velvety voice said.

  Whose voice is that?

  A warm touch to the top of my hand stirred me so deeply that I felt it in every fiber of my being. My eyes opened as I had to see whose touch had affected me in such a way. A blurry shadowy figure was all I see. I blinked but couldn’t see clearly so I closed them again in frustration.

  “Tyri. Oh my Tyri, how sweet to see those eyes,” the velvet smooth voice came close to my ear, sending chills through me.

  I felt soft lips on my hand. “Come, Tyri. Come wake up for me,” the velvet voice called to me.

  Even though I was awake, I felt afraid to open my eyes again. That voice and the touch of that hand had set something up in my head that just couldn’t be of this world.