Page 15 of Delivered to My Shadow Unicorn Alphas

Amber

Juven and Shaman lived only about a half hour away in the mountains. It was so odd that I’d never been to their area, but when I was growing up, my family trips were in the opposite direction. Listening to the unicorns describe their home made me want to see it. So, when Juven texted to invite me to dinner, I gladly accepted. I was still concerned about the need for speed, but I was also very interested in getting to know them better.

They also offered to come and pick me up, but while I was more comfortable with them and wouldn’t worry about getting in a car with them, it seemed unfair for them to leave their home and drive to mine then back again. Especially since they were being kind enough to cook dinner for me.

Leaving the city and heading toward the mountains, I was glad I’d bought more than just one dress in my shopping spree. Turned out, I didn’t need my jeans to have an elastic waistband quite yet, and the pair I chose to wear tonight looked much better on me. I’d caught a glimpse of admiration from both of the guys on our last date, and I hoped to see it again. My indigo tank top was just low enough for me to wear a rose quartz pendant I had received as a gift from my mom at college graduation.

It truly was just a half hour from my home to theirs. They’d lived there for years, in a world that sounded incredible. Most of the trip was highway, but after leaving the community at the foot of the mountain, I took a two lane that wound up to their scattered community. Not many homes were visible from the road, and those all had their own style, for lack of a better word. I’d gone from the city to an enchanted village.

My unicorns lived in one of the larger homes, all its windows glowing with golden light. If they worried I’d have a hardtime finding them, they had nothing to be concerned about. As instructed, I pulled into the driveway and parked.

Before I could open my door, Juven had already done it for me. He offered me his hand to help me out, as well, and I accepted his assistance. Considering I’d gotten out of my car on my own every time until now, it felt remarkably natural. “Welcome to our home.” He closed the door and guided me up a path to a set of steps. “Shaman is cooking. We hope you like pot roast with homemade noodles.”

“You can make noodles at home?” I was about to embarrass myself, but I just kept talking. “I thought they had to be extruded or something, from a machine.”

“Maybe some shapes do, but we’re not having anything that complicated. He’s very good at making them, though.”

“It sounds wonderful. I don’t do a lot of cooking just for me.” Also, I wasn’t very good at it, and the frozen dinners and ramen tasted better than what I could do.

“That’s why he needs me.” He waved me ahead of him into the foyer. “I provide a service by giving him a reason to cook.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Shaman met us in the living room and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “So nice to see you, Amber.” He had a white apron tucked into his waistband and the look worked for him. “If I didn’t cook, we’d eventually starve. But as it stands, the neighbors we like to help out often gift us with farm produce like meat, cheese, veggies, fruit. So if you like dinner, you have our neighbors to thank.”

“If dinner tastes half as good as it smells, you’re going to have a hard time getting me to leave.”

Juven slipped an arm around my waist and turned me to face him. “So, our evil plan has worked. Shaman, we may have trapped ourselves a mate.”

“Something about kidnapping and the mountains and…hmm. Should I be scared?”

“You haven’t tasted the food yet.” Shaman started back to where he came from, presumably the kitchen. “You might not even like it.”

Oh, I liked it. Juven set the table, making me sit down while they did all the work. Was this how mates really treated their female? I would be spoiled in a day! The pot roast was tender, the mashed potatoes smooth and buttery, and peas tiny and sweet. There were rolls, clearly home baked, and Shaman set a cake on a stand on the counter for after.

Not that I had room. I had to beg off dessert for a while. Juven brewed a pot of coffee and put it in a carafe for whenever we got to the cake. “It’s not that I don’t think I’ll love it,” I assured him. “It’s that I’m going to bust the button off my jeans if I try right away. Shaman, you’re a great chef.”

“Thank you.” He stacked dishes by the sink. “What would you like to do now, then? Watch a movie, maybe?”

“Could I…are you too full to…” They were watching me with concern. Probably thought I was going to suggest something crazy. “Shift into your other forms?”

Chapter Fifteen

Shaman

My unicorn whinnied inside me. Of course he wanted to show our mate his form, but humans were scared of things that went bump in the night and while I thought our unicorns were beautiful, they weren’t exactly the ones out of princess fairy tales. Our hair was black as night, and we had three horns, which was why we shifted in the shadows or under the cover of night only.

“Are you sure?” I asked, taking her hand in mine. “Our forms, well, they can be jarring to some.”

She bit down on her bottom lip, and I wanted to do that for her. Feel her plump lips between my teeth. Learning what made her writhe in passion. “If this is getting serious, and I think it is, then I should know all the parts of you, right? I won’t take pictures or tell anyone, I swear.”

“We trust you, Amber.” Juven placed his hand over her other one. “We don’t think you’re going to expose us or anything. Shifters and humans, well, they can sometimes be scared of us. It’s one thing to imagine a unicorn in your mind, but we don’t have rainbow hair or glitter under the sun. Some see us as evil or dark entities. We just have a different hair color.”

“I want to see you. I have since the night I was talking to Juven and he said you were out galloping around.”

“Okay. Let’s go outside. It’s dark already.” I was surprised how easily I gave into her. She was my mate. I would have to get used to giving into her wishes. It came with the territory. If she wanted to see our other forms, then she would. If she became scared, I would shift back immediately and console her.

Once outside, Juven made a suggestion. “What if we shift one at a time in case you get frightened? Maybe it would be better that way.”

“Whatever you two are comfortable with. I know you are worried about my reaction, but I think I will be fine.”

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