Outfox Your Mate Read online

  Outfox your Mate

  Chimeric Mates Series 1

  By Sara Spark

  Outfox Your Mate Copyright © 2020 by Sara Spark

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electrical, digital or mechanical including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning or by any type of data storage and retrieval system without express, written permission from the author.

  You may contact the author at:

  FB: Sara Spark

  Instagram: author.sara.spark

  First edition

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: February 2020

  Cover art: Pro_designxx

  Published by Sara Spark

  Publisher’s note:

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  About the Author

  Dreamer. Teacher. Scientist. Analyst.

  I am all of these. My Bachelor’s and Master’s degree focus on science and Psychology. Mainly Biology and Chemistry which absolutely fascinate me. However, I am too much of a people person to be locked up in a lab counting agar plates. Through the years, I would write here and there between working, learning, teaching and having babies, but never had the time to take it to publication. Life kept getting in the way. Well, I am putting life on hold to make this happen.

  Want to see where this crazy ride takes me?

  Want to help decide what I will write next?

  See some book covers before it’s released?

  Visit me:

  FB: Sara Spark

  See my other titles: Fierce Alpha, Vexing Your Mate

  Soon to be released: Trixing Your Mate, Spoil Your Mate, Hidden Alpha

  Dedication

  I believe deeply in happy endings because I am living one. There is no way I would be typing this today without the support of my husband. He has supported me, cheered me on and picked me up when I have fallen down. He is my soulmate and I am so thankful that he is in my life. I could not have done this without you, honey! I love you!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  E linor Pelton fidgeted with the hem of her crimson dress as they waited in line at the nightclub. She looked up at the sign “Country Side”, with “Wild” glowing in bold red and squished in between the two words. Country-Wild-Side was the party, hook-up joint for Chimera, shapeshifters, in the city. This was Texas, so country music poured out of the doors and also explained why she was wearing boots with her crimson dress. The flirty, high slit, dark red dress that Ravyn had forced on her.

  Eli was not a dress person. Well, she liked dresses but when you were daily up a tree with your scope watching some bad guy-possibly getting ready to shoot him and run-dresses weren’t practical. Ravyn, however, wouldn’t take no for an answer. Tonight they were letting loose!

  Several clans came to this bar since it was the only Chimera hook up place nearby and it was spectacularly unimpressive on the outside. Dancin, drinkin, and hookin up happened at Country Wild Side. Not that alcohol did much for a Chimera. Took a few bottles of the hard stuff for Chimera to get a slight buzz, but it didn’t stop them from trying.

  “You look great, Eli! Quit messing with it.” Ravyn Nython, a raven shapeshifter and one of the few women in their clan Stone Anvil, whispered to her. Since Chimera women, were so scarce, Ravyn was one of the few female friends that she had.

  “Are we getting close?”

  Ravyn was tall, well, taller than Eli (who wasn’t?) so had the height advantage, and the long legs advantage, and the midnight black hair advantage. Eli was forgiving though. She loved Ravyn despite her beauty. Ravyn leaned on tip toes and promptly lost her balance and crashed into a few people to eventually land on the ground.

  Bain Bloque, with a long suffering sigh picked up Ravyn with a slight yank. Ravyn came flying up from the ground, because Bain’s slight yanks were enough to move a truck.

  “Bain, take it easy!” Eli admonished making sure Ravyn hadn’t broken anything, which unfortunately was a real possibility with Ravyn. To put it nicely, Ravyn was not the most coordinated.

  The massive Cape Buffalo, shapeshifter, Bain just grunted in response.

  “You ok, sweetie?” Eli asked her quietly, well aware from the red flooding Ravyn’s cheeks that her friend hated the public attention, especially from one of her all too common klutzy incidents.

  “Fine, fine.” Ravyn was briskly wiping off her midnight blue dress, head down.

  Luckily, soon they were headed inside after the bouncers had a good sniff of them. This was a Chimera bar. Chimera were shapeshifters that only a few select military circles knew about. Some humans, usually females, were allowed in the bar but only if they were escorted by a Chimera. Shapeshifters were a rowdy bunch and since they weren’t common knowledge, no one wanted to accidentally maim or kill a human. A “whoopsie” of that proportion was not easy to cover up or so Alpha Brandt Pryde, the unofficial head of all the clans in the US, claimed.

  “Band sounds good.” Eli bounced on her toes trying to see around the massive bulk that was Bain. Being a sniper, Eli should have been a patient sort. Unfortunately, that was all used up on her job for the clan. No patience was left for everyday life. “Hurry Bain, I can’t see anything.”

  Bain just grunted and continued at his slow, methodical pace, looking around and sniffing.

  Finding a small table jammed into a pack of loud, drinking Chimera, Bain commandeered a couple of chairs for it. Casually grabbing a few chairs, beating another group to them. Though once anyone got a good look or whiff of Bain, no one was interested in stopping him. Cape Buffalo were notoriously aggressive and strong. But Bain didn’t need his animal form to intimidate. His massively muscular, bulky human frame did that all by itself.

  After ordering some drinks, Eli noticed her friend searching through the crowd.

  “Looking for someone?” Eli stared quizzically at Ravyn.

  “No, no, no.” Ravyn tried too hard to be nonchalant.

  Eli’s eyes narrowed, but her friend was saved by the arrival of the drinks.

  Not even taking a sip of her drink, Eli bounced up. “Let’s dance!” Bain sat out for the line dancing but gave in to Eli’s nagging for the couples dancing. Eli suspected Bain danced just so that he could do his job more effectively. Bain was her friend, and partner for her sniper assignments, but was right now acting more as bodyguard. Magnus, their clan Alpha, was a little overprotective. Chimeric women were few and far between. Magnus stated, a direct quote, “no way am I letting our precious females out alone around a bunch of horny, punchy, determined-to-get-drunk Chimera.”

  Not that Bain would cock block them or anything, he was just there for the little things like when someone wanted to clear the floor very violently to show off some dance moves, or like when someone decided to pick up a chair and smash it on the head of a nearby dancer. Bain just physically swooped up both females and dumped them on the edge of the dance floor, and then went to “calm down” the guy with the chair. Calming down or in Bain speak, a few punches to the face.

  At the moment, Eli was twirling around the floor in the arms of a wolf shifter who was a little handsy, when she smelled something delicious.
br />   Wow! That is like yummy masculine, deliciousness. Eli thought as she swept her eyes around to determine the source. Eli tried casually pulling back to catch the scent. Wolf guy, what was his name?, just tightened his arms and literally lifted her off her feet for the next spin. Annoyed, Eli hated it when super strong Chimera took advantage of her slight stature and petite frame. She was a fox, after all. She was designed to be small. Hell, even humans had no problem moving her around and everyone knew how weak a human was! Eli, resigned to her petite status, sighed and waited.

  When the dance ended—finally! Eli went searching for that scent and found it. Boy, did she find it!

  At the bar turned away from her was shaggy brown hair with some streaks of blonde and an ass that could make women trip as they walked. Which she promptly did, catching herself before she fell and before many people noticed. Thank Mater Natura! Straightening her dress a little, she stood for a moment and realized that there was a statuesque blonde, leaning all over the Chimera in question. And this tall, hunk of muscle was a Chimera. Eli sniffed a little. A big cat of some sort.

  “What’s up?” Ravyn appeared beside her.

  “I want some of that!” Eli growled, then she blinked. Eli never growled.

  Ravyn looked a little taken aback. “Uhhh, you ok, Eli?”

  Eli grunted an affirmative. Now she was sounding like Bain. “Want that!” She nudged her chin in the direction of the big cat. Bain had silently come up behind them.

  “Who?” Ravyn seemed mystified.

  “Blue shirt.” Eli’s claws retracted in and out on her hands.

  “Ahh, good view from the back, but you can’t even see his face.” Ravyn pointed out reasonably. “And it looks like he’s occupied.”

  Eli’s subvocal growling increased, as she watched the blonde laugh and grab his arm. She moved to the bar on the other side of the stranger when an opening appeared. Ravyn and Bain drifted with her. For something to do they ordered another round of drinks. Unashamedly, Eli listened in on their conversation.

  “Honestly, it’s dead around here. Think I will take a trip to the beach. We’ve got nothing going on in Verdant Valley.” Eli filed that away. Verdant Valley clan was south of here. Alpha was Roman Horne, supposedly a hard-ass, but then she could relate. Magnus was a hard-ass. Perfect example, getting a chaperone on her girls’ night out. Sheez. Or, as Eli put it, her ‘I wanna get laid’ night.

  “Oh, it might be a bit windy cause it’s October, but the Gulf will be warm.” She did not! She did not just shake her tits at Eli’s guy in a fake shiver! Eli wanted to rip out every one of the woman’s shoulder length blonde hair. Eli ran her hands through her own on the short side, dark reddish-brown hair. The blonde still unaware that she was about to be bald continued. “I’ve got a little nude bikini that you would just loooove!” She gave another little wiggle. Oh no, she didn’t!

  Eli took another deep breath to stop from bashing in the woman’s head immediately and sucked in a dizzying amount of the guy’s scent. Being this close to him, she got a double dose of pheromones and her eyes about crossed. The guy murmured something to the blonde, but Eli couldn’t hear it cause she was deep in a mating reaction. Yep, that’s right mating, as in mate, as in partner for life. He was just leaning against the bar, casual as you please, and he was her mate! She breathed in another dose and couldn’t help the corresponding shiver and knew that she musta been pumping out some doozy pheromones herself. He was that tasty. Her claws scratched through multiple layers of varnish on the bar unintentionally as she listened to the blonde laugh again.

  Time to ditch the blonde! Eli tried to rein in her impatience as she waited for him to catch her own fox’s scent and go a little crazy. Chimera went a little lust-crazed when they found their mate. The mating reaction was a powerful force. Look at Magnus and Trac and their mate Rimie!

  Any minute now. Eli’s hand drummed on the counter. Ravyn tried to ask her something, but she couldn’t focus on anything but him and the blonde…Eli sniffed… the blonde was some sort of Avian Chimera. She hadn’t noticed before, well, cause of him. His scent was like the dark chocolate squares that she couldn’t resist unwrapping from their tantalizing little foil packets. Any minute, Eli…

  Nothing. She frowned at his big shoulders in a blue chambray shirt that looked like he actually used the shirt for work, not as a fashion statement. She scooched a little closer to him. Whaaa? Why was nothing happening? Her fox was going crazy in her head. Running around and yipping. She had never felt it this excited. Yeah, and horny.

  She took another deep breath in. Yep, definitely my mate. She could feel herself getting moist and she hadn’t even seen the front of him, nor even knew his name.

  “See ya tomorrow, guys.” Eli murmured to Ravyn and Bain.

  She ignored Ravyn’s startled, “Wha--?”

  Bain pulled Ravyn gently away whispering and tapping his nose.

  Blondie leaned into Eli’s mate, putting her hand on his shoulder and pressing her tits, really big tits into his arm. Done! D-O-N-E! I am done with this! She couldn’t wait to see the expression on Blondie’s face when her man ran over her to get to Eli!

  Tapping him on the shoulder, she pulled her shoulders back as she waited till he turned around.

  “Hi.” She waited for his expression to change for his eyes to darken with lust, even for him to grab her possibly. “Here I am.” This was it. The mate of her lifetime. Her sherry brown eyes sparkled with excitement at him and there was a broad smile on her face. She bounced a little on her toes. She couldn’t help it.

  “Um, hi.” Hazel eyes stared back at her. Golden brown with an inner ring of green. Inner sigh. Gorgeous. He was just gorgeous. Shaggy, brown-streaky blonde hair draped messily over his brow. A little brown stubble was a slight casual shadow on his face. Chiseled jaw.

  “What a cute little doggie!” Eli couldn’t pull her gaze from her mate and in fact had trouble even hearing Blondie. Eli stroked her eyes down his body. Broad, muscular shoulders narrowed down to flat abs. Beaten up chambray shirt was messily tucked in some very faded, beaten up, blue jeans. Oh, and he was packing some serious equipment if the bulge in his jeans was to be believed. Wait a mo—what did that soon-to-be-bald chick just say?!?

  Eli’s eyes hardened as she turned to the blonde who had moved around chambray guy and was leaning against him slightly. “Go away, Tweetie bird!”

  “Oh, look, the doggie speaks and everything! Do you roll over, too?” The blonde from her superior height looked down her nose at Eli.

  Eli growled.

  “I’m sorry. Have we met before?” His hazel eyes were friendly, but no mating frenzy was taking him over. Surprisingly, he didn’t look possessed with lust. A slight frisson of foreboding shivered through her, but she firmly squashed it down.

  “No, we haven’t met before.” She gave him another smile. Fondly. She would treasure this moment. They would tell their kids about this one day. If the Mater blessed them, with kids, that is. “I’m Eli. Eli Pelton.” She took another step closer to him.

  “Eli. Where have I heard that before?” He mused to himself.

  Blonde birdie, moved to block her a little by angling in to his side. Snuggling those boobs against her mate. “We were just leaving. Let’s go, Josiah. I know a clan apartment kinda nearby. We might be able to use it for a while.”

  And it was very clear, which room she wanted to use the most.

  Eli was a little taken aback. Did I make a mistake? She took a deep breath in and her fox alternated between salivating and yipping and running around in circles in her head. No, he is my mate. She could feel it. The certainty was as indefinable as her soul running through the core of her and yet just as powerful.

  “Eli, wait a minute. You’re not Eli, Stone Anvil, sniper Eli…are you?” He frowned for a minute then seemed almost entertained at the thought.

  Eli, inwardly sighed. Et tu, Brute? Seriously, even her own mate didn’t believe that she could possibly be that Eli?

&nbs
p; He had a half smile on his face as he looked her up and down, shaking his head ‘no’ as he did.

  Suddenly, something clicked. “You’re Josiah? Josiah at the Stone Anvil Preserve?”

  He nodded. A little frown appeared on his forehead. She wanted to rub it away. Although admittedly, she might need some help reaching up that far. “What clan are you from?”

  She looked at him quizzically. “You just said it--Stone Anvil. I’m that Eli.”

  “You’re a sniper?!?” His face looked like he was being pranked for an online video as his eyes swept over her. With an inward smile, she did notice that his eyes lingered on her body during the sweep.

  “Yep.”

  “Josiah,” Blonde bird was getting impatient now that she wasn’t the center of attention. “Let’s go. My car is just around the corner.” Her hand wrapped around him and stroked his chest.

  Eli saw it and growled. She couldn’t help it. Pure natural mating reaction. Get your greedy claws off my mate!

  “Are you threatening me, little doggie?” Birdie started to turn and face off against her.

  “You need to back off, birdie. You don’t want any part of this!”

  Blonde birdie laughed. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem forced or fake. It was truly a laugh from an amusing thought. Really amusing. Grrrrrrrr!

  Even Josiah was trying to smother a grin in reaction.

  They will see. Show ‘em now! Smash birdie in the face! Her fox might be a little impatient, too. Good thing she wore boots tonight and not high heels.

  “Do you even know what I am, little doggie? You may be a big bad sniper, but I don’t see a gun tonight.” Her eyes flicked dismissively over Eli’s red dress. “You want to keep your job. You don’t wanna have to spend a few days in the Med, now do you? Leave. Now.” The Med was the Chimera medical clinic that every clan had. Chimera couldn’t go to human hospitals if they needed patching up. Eli just cracked her neck a little and loosened her shoulders. Like getting ready for a wrestling match. “I am a vulture. I can pluck your eyes out before you can say ‘bow wow.’ Now go away like the good little doggie that you are.”