Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9 by Various Authors Read Free Book Online

transmogrifying shape-shifters, it was just as well.
    Rhys and Sin had been on Auhin for three weeks. When Sin had crashed his ship and lost communication all those months ago, his family had presumed him dead. So Sin's family welcomed him back with open arms, ecstatic to see him alive.
    Then Sin introduced Rhys as the man who saved him, the man who was his mate.
    And just like that, Rhys was welcomed into their home, into their lives.
    There were a thousand questions, as Sin relayed the story of the monstrous trafficker Von, of the brave undercover TradeCap agents, and how he owed his life to Rhys.
    Rhys had smiled and shook his head, telling their audience it was Sin who had saved him.
    Then Sin told his family what he went through, how he survived, how he escaped. His voice was quiet when he told them how he killed Von.
    Rhys squeezed Sin's hand and told them, "He did it to save me. He saved both of us, and all the others held there. Sin saved us all by taking Von down."
    The Dychiiop were a gentle race, and Rhys understood Sin's confession of murder must have been foreign, and very, very difficult.
    Sin's family listened sympathetically, quickly agreeing the act of taking another life to protect the life of your mate was justified. But Rhys could see Sin wasn't too convinced, and when they spoke privately later that night, Rhys could see Sin was struggling to deal with what he'd been through.
    All those months of torture had taken its toll. Sin seemed to cope in the beginning, but it got harder as the days went by. He remembered more, visions, flashbacks, nightmares.
    Sin would want Rhys near him at all times as the two of them spent every moment together, always touching, talking, learning, loving. And Rhys gave Sin everything he needed.
    But Sin had woken with a new agenda this day and had insisted he and Rhys take a short trip to somewhere special.
    "You want to show me what?" Rhys questioned again.
    Sin shook his head. "We'll be there shortly."
    Rhys really had no idea where they were going. All he knew was what he could see through the window. They were leaving the city, he knew that much.
    The hovership slowed to a stop, and Sin looked at Rhys and smiled. "We're here!" And the doors opened to reveal an open field.
    Sin stepped out into the knee-length grass, walking out some yards from Rhys, taking in the crisp air. Rhys smiled at him. "Why here?"
    Sin turned and looked at him. And then he was gone.
    Standing in his place was by far the most beautiful of all the forms Rhys had seen Sin change into.
    A panther.
    A sleek, black panther with a white blaze on his chest.
    Sin.
    He pawed the grass with his front foot and let out half a growl before he spun on his hind quarters and took off in the opposite direction.
    Rhys reacted without conscious thought, leaping into the air and hitting the ground on all fours. He took off after Sin, chasing him through the long grass, into the wooded area at the end of the field. This is what Rhys longed for—running, stretching, his huge claws churning the ground as he ran.
    Being free.
    Sin hardly ran fast, Rhys caught up to him easily, but the way he ran, sauntering, teasing… Sin was playing.
    He swayed his hips, lifting his tail, letting Rhys almost catch him, but not quite. Oh, Sin had every intention of letting Rhys catch him, but he knew Rhys had missed being in shifted form, how he longed for a good run in lion form. Sin looked forward to being in the same shifted form as his mate, he wanted to surprise Rhys, he wanted to share this with him. He wanted to give him this gift.
    And so the two giant cats ran, padding through the woods, side by side, leaping in front of each other, playing. That was until Sin stepped in front of Rhys and ran a little faster, and the game became one of chase.
    And as Rhys gained ground on Sin, the playful fun became serious.
    It became hunter and prey.
    Sin's gait became longer, his turns became sharper, there were no playful looks, no playful