Page 39

Chapter 39

Some Kind of Wonderful

VANESSA

6 MONTHS LATER

“S o then, I did what my manager, Laz, told me to do,” I explain to my rapt audience. “I asked for more money and equal pay for all supporting cast, man or woman, shifter or human. It’s only fair.”

The seagull dips its head in acknowledgment.

“Well, of course I landed the role,” I assure my new friend. “I’m an excellent actor, and I have all those awards now. I was a bit worried the Oscar curse would get me, but Laz says the offers are pouring in. I start filming next week, after Keenan and I finish our honeymoon.”

Keenan sits beside me on my lounge chair, holding up a bottle of sunscreen. “What’s an Oscar curse?”

I roll onto my stomach and he squirts sunscreen on my back. “It’s where an actor gets the award and struggles to find work after.”

“Superstition,” he says dismissively, rubbing the lotion in.

Looking over my shoulder, I narrow my eyes at him. “The curse is real. Just because it wasn’t cast by a witch doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

The seagull let’s out a caw.

“See, my friend agrees with me.”

Keenan eyes the bird. “You know it’s not a shifter, right?”

Sitting up, I stare at it. “We talked for over an hour.”

“Just a bird,” Keenan insists.

Huffing, I lay back. “I knew that.” How on earth do shifters tell each other apart from animals?

He tickles me. “Did not.” He cages me with hands on either side of the lounger. “You’ve spent a lot of time these past several months conversing with non-shifter animals.”

I wrap my arms around his neck. “I don’t want to be rude in case they turn out to be shifters.”

He kisses me. “You’re never rude.”

I kiss him back, deepening it, reaching into his shorts for my favourite part of him.

We’ve been on our honeymoon for three weeks. We rented a yacht with a crew to sail us around the Mediterranean. I’ve never had so much fun in my life… or so much sex. It’s been pretty much untapped since we got here. Since we left our worldly concerns behind, of which, there are still plenty. Several more bombings have occurred. And everyone wants a piece of us: his family. My friends. My fans. His fans. My manager. This is the first time we’ve taken time out for us.

“Feel like a swim?” he asks, his gaze heated as I stroke his penis.

Yes please to sex in the sea! “Let’s do it!”

He stands and lifts me off the lounger, our sudden movement sending the startled seagull into flight. I sigh as my new friend takes off, soon becoming a dot on the horizon. Our friendship wasn’t meant to be. Not a shifter.

Keenan drops his shorts and I reach back to unhook my bikini top. It drops to the deck and I shove my bottoms down, stepping out of them.

Keenan reaches for me, linking his fingers in mine as we step to the back of the boat. He looks at me, a grin stretching his bearded face, giving him a youthful look. “Together?”

“How else would we do this?” I ask teasingly.

We’re never apart.

We lift our hands and dive, going into the water at the same time, our linked hands stretched out in front of us. I push away from Keenan and swim ahead, diving under the water like a fish before surfacing.

I’m a really fast swimmer, and good too. I can swim circles around Keenan in any form. Before my transformation, I was a mediocre swimmer at best. Now, thanks to Sadie, I swim like a champ.

Each reincarnation brought forth new abilities. I now have Delilah’s sewing skill, Gem’s green thumb, Brenna’s argumentative streak, which gives me the advantage when I’m negotiating for parts. I’ve also gained Delilah’s critical thinking skills, which helps me look at the world with more understanding.

I’m still Vanessa, but I’m also them. The day I died, I thought I lost everything, but I haven’t. I’ve gained so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

“Slow down!” Keenan shouts, swimming toward me.

Grinning, I splash his face with water. “Catch me if you can!” I dive beneath the surface, calling forth my reincarnations. When they join me, we shift into our phoenix and shoot out of the water in a fiery display, soaring overhead.

“You’re a brat!” Keenan bellows from below, but he’s grinning from ear-to-ear. He loves it when I bring my phoenix out to play.

A burst of sound comes from the yacht as our crew points and claps.

Let’s give them a show! I swoop low over their heads, allowing them to feel the wind stir from my wings, the heat from the fire that licks my body.

They continue to show their approval at my antics as I dip and dive, soaring through the air before diving beneath the surface of the water, sending ripples out before bursting into the sky again.

Enough mate , Keenan says through our telepathic connection. Time to give some of that attention to the man who craves it most.

Who would that be? I tease, but tilt my wings in his direction, stopping to flutter above him.

Get down here so I can show you.

I float down to him, snuggling against his chest as he wraps his arms around my feathered body. As I shift to human, he takes my lips in a long, leisurely kiss while we float.

I wrap my legs around his waist, nestling into his rock-hard penis. “I love you, Keenan Wolven-North.”

He thrusts into me, holding me to his chest, the water around us heating. “And I love you.” He grips my head. “All of you.” He kisses me and we sink beneath the water.

Laughing, we resurface into the warm Mediterranean day, showing each other our love in the best way we know how.

THE END