Page 17 of Delivered to My Shadow Unicorn Alphas

The pictures on the internet were, first of all, really blurry, and they looked like they were a solid black, but in real life, in the moonlight, that darkness held so many colors. I could have sat and petted their soft muzzles and stroked their sides all night. I couldn’t read their minds, exactly, but they were sending waves of emotion washing over me that spoke without words. I’d never felt so wanted, so cared for. Never met anyone who was so sure I was their everything. My parents were great, but this was different.

It wasn’t that they were inviting me into their world. As far as two very special unicorns were concerned, I was already there and just had to recognize the fact. And then they let me ride them. Something I’d thought only virgins could do—darn fairy-tale legends. It wasn’t anything I could describe well because you absolutely had to be there to experience it. And there was no way I’d share this part of these males with any other female. They weren’t just animals, horses to be ridden by anyone. Sitting on either of them was a spiritual experience. Or maybe ecstatic? Or both. And they’d never let anyone ride them before. The unicorns communicated that to me.

It was almost more than a human girl could take in without being overwhelmed.

When we got back to their house and they were in their two-legged forms again, it was almost time for me to go home. I was very tired, but we had not yet had dessert and since Shaman had gone to the trouble to make the cake completely from scratch, how rude would it be to leave it untasted?

After the first slice, I had a second. We chatted some more and they asked if I had any questions about what I’d seen. I didn’t, right then, but promised to make sure to text if anything came up. The cake was dark chocolate with ganache filling and dark-chocolate frosting as well. Incredible. And when I said so, he was so humble and sweet, just happy I’d liked it. I even carried a piece home with me and had it for breakfast in the morning.

Leaving the mountain paradise was hard, but I had things to do, a job and responsibilities. I’d always enjoyed my job, but that day, it didn’t take up too much of my mind. Most of it was in the mountains with two unicorns galloping through the forest with their dark manes and tails blowing in the breeze, carrying me off like a fairy princess in a story.

I really did spend too much time reading. But since I’d met my unicorns, I hadn’t so much as picked up a novel. Whenever I had spare moments, I was spending them daydreaming. What was it like up there in their mountain area all day? They were not the types to lie around and eat bonbons, and they had mentioned more than once how the people up there helped one another. How the food we ate had come from those farmers and others. It was a system a person could dream of. They didn’t need money, of course, but many in their position wouldn’t care about that. They’d just goof off or maybe travel the world.

I had a big project to work on, that day, for a doctoral student who had realized at the last moment that they had left out a key research angle and needed some citations they hadskipped. It was anything but stimulating, though, and by the time I got home, I was dragging from the boredom.

Until I got the text from Shaman.It was so nice having you here for dinner. Is there any chance you’d come over for a day and a night and experience what it’s like here in this community? If you’re considering being our mate, you might want to know if you enjoy it here.

I was starting to reply when he went on.Not trying to imply anything more than a visit.

They were such gentlemen.What a great idea! When would you like me to come?

Chapter Seventeen

Juven

“She loves it here,” Shaman said with a huge grin on his face. “Did you see how happy she looked?”

Amber was upstairs, in our guest room, getting dressed for the summer solstice party our community had every year. She had taken to our community like she had been here for decades. She spoke to everyone so kindly and with such sincerity that everyone was putty in her hands. Especially Shaman and me. I knew one thing, if she decided she didn’t want to live up here, we, would move. I didn’t want to live one more day without her.

I packed up all our offerings for the shared supper. Strawberry lemonade bars. Homemade honey cake with a clementine drizzle. A caprese salad with tomatoes from my garden. Everyone would bring something if they could and, if they didn’t for one reason or another, we would all share. Because that was what life was for. Sharing with the people you cared about.

Personally, I looked forward to Tucker’s lamb kabobs and Gillian’s elderflower lemonade. Some dishes stayed the same and some were surprises. Our celebrations were the best times of the year. Summer solstice was my second favorite. Fall equinox would always be at the top of my list.

“Is this okay?” Amber appeared at the top of the stairs, a pair of shoes in each hand while she bit her bottom lip. I couldn’t wait to touch those lips with my own. She had on an apricot-colored halter jumpsuit that had embroidered marigolds on it. It flattered her curvy figure, accentuating her waist as it cinched in. Her black and silver hair was piled up on the top of her head and she wore the cutest earrings that looked like dried pieces of citrus.

The embodiment of summer solstice.

“You look fantastic,” I said and bounded up the stairs. I bent slightly to kiss her rosy cheek.

“Thank you, Juven. What about shoes? I couldn’t decide.”

Shaman waited at the bottom, though I was sure he would rather be up here as well. He was giving me some time with her, even a small moment. “No shoes, sweetheart. Not tonight. Tonight, we ground and get reconnected with the earth.”

“Oh. I have a lot to learn.” She sprinted back to her room and came back with no shoes.

“I can carry you to the truck if you like. We wouldn’t want you to step on anything.”

She touched my chest. “Such a flirt. I hope there’s dancing tonight. I’d very much like to dance with the both of you.”

“As if we’re letting you dance with anyone else. Come on. If we hurry, we can get a good spot under the oak tree.”

Amber didn’t let us carry her. Instead, she held some of the food and helped everyone set up the table with the offerings.

We set up a large picnic blanket and, though we wanted privacy with our mate, that would have to wait. Everyone in the community wanted to spend time with Amber as well. She asked questions and listened with bright, wide eyes as everyone explained different facets of our home.

While talking to people, she leaned on Shaman or me or held our hands. Either she liked to touch us, or she knew that we shifters needed the connection of our mates, almost as much as our next breath.

Once the bonfires were lit and the toasts were made, some people gathered and began to play songs. Everyone in our community had their talents and we happened to have the best band in town, or the mountain.

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