Sea of Change Read online

  SEA OF CHANGE

  Shelley Munro

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Note to Readers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Excerpt—Captured & Seduced

  About Shelley Munro

  Other Works

  Copyright

  Blurb

  A sexy face in the crowd...

  Shifter Asia Bolino can’t believe the gorgeous cutie is Roman Anderson. They belong to enemy tribes, but she’d love to run her fingers over his…assets. Roman doesn’t recognize her, and in a moment of weakness, Asia agrees to a late night date, a little forbidden pleasure.

  Someone attacks Roman while he waits for Asia. Aware of his shifter status, Asia does the only thing she can—she takes him back to her apartment. The problem is when he regains consciousness, he thinks they’re married. He parades around her apartment wearing nothing but a smile, and Asia is weak. She succumbs to his charm and skilful loving. Hip-deep in lies, she’s aware the sensual bubble might burst at any moment. That might mean bloodshed, and she can’t allow that to happen. Worse, Roman doesn’t seem to recall he’s a shifter.

  Asia struggles with guilt while melting at Roman’s touch. Nothing can come of their relationship, and now it seems someone knows the truth and they’re both in danger.

  Note to Readers

  I have a fascination for shapeshifters. This love started during my teenage years when I grabbed any romance I could find that contained shifter characters. I enjoyed the alpha male characters, the way they valued family and when they spotted their mate…wow! The intensity of the relationships, the thrills, the danger and adventure. I was hooked, so it made sense that when I began writing my own books, I’d gravitate to paranormal romance and shapeshifters. I’ve written werewolves, feline shapeshifters and this one, which you’ll see is a little different…

  Enjoy!

  Shelley xx

  PS - Don’t forget to join my newsletter to receive book news, contest details, and to learn when new releases are on the way.

  Chapter One

  Well hello, gorgeous. Asia Bolino tried not to stare as she slid into the Norah Jones number, following the cue from the accompanying musician. Her heart shifted into an erratic gallop while a wave of heat engulfed her body. Turn around, she pleaded silently. Oh looking good. Go on. Turn right around. Let me get a good look at you…

  Aw, rats! Disappointment throbbed through her voice before she pulled herself together and continued singing the song in her husky voice. She knew that face, and the man was off limits. Way off limits.

  Roman Anderson. What was he doing slumming in the Blue Venetian nightclub?

  Her mother would have a conniption if she became involved with an Anderson. Ah well. No harm appreciating the view. Because there was no getting away from it—the man was a fine specimen. To hear her family talk, he was the devil incarnate, but jeepers, the man oozed sex appeal. She sucked in a breath as she viewed his rear end. Yep, looking good from all angles.

  Asia held the final note before letting it trail away. The music ended, and she smiled at the audience, graciously accepting the applause with a regal incline of her head.

  Roman Anderson was not the man for her. She sighed, accepting but not liking the truth. Feuds were the pits, especially when they limited the gene pool for shapeshifters like her. The warring between the Transient Orcas and the Resident Orcas was stupid and meaningless in these modern times, but Asia knew there were those who actively encouraged the rift between the tribes.

  The introductory bars of another Norah Jones favorite pulled Asia back to professionalism. She started to sing in her trademark smoky voice, pleading the audience to come away with her. The low buzz of chatter in the nightclub faded, letting Asia know she was doing a good job. She let her eyes drift closed, threw back her head and poured her heart out in the music. For the three minutes of the song, she held the audience enthralled. The music faded and for a heartbeat there was total silence before the applause broke out. Asia’s eyes popped open. She grinned and bowed from the waist, giving the group of businessmen at the front table, Roman Anderson included, an excellent view of her creamy cleavage. She straightened, snagging Roman’s gaze for a long, drawn-out moment. He closed one brown eye in a wink and smiled at her—a drop-your-panties kind of smile—robbing her of breath.

  Maybe he was adopted. She could corrupt him, she thought, taking half a step toward him before commonsense kicked her in the gut.

  “That’s the end of Scarlet’s segment for now,” an announcer said over the loudspeaker. “She’ll be back for another at midnight.”

  Asia stepped down from the stage and headed to the bar for her customary glass of sparkling water. She leaned against the shiny, wooden bar and inhaled, wanting to fan the heat from her cheeks. She resisted, a little pique pulling at her normal poise. A man hadn’t affected her this way since her ill-fated romance with her ex-manager. She should know better than to lust after a pretty face.

  Asia waited while Frank, the barman, served a group of young women out for a bachelorette’s party judging by the screeching and laughter. She noticed several of the women eyeing Roman, offering flirtatious smiles and flicking luxurious locks. Nope, none of her business. But she couldn’t prevent the satisfaction that stole through her when Roman ignored their overtures.

  “Hey, Frank. It’s busy tonight,” she said when he finished serving the rush of customers. The sharp tang of whiskey contrasted with the sweetness of the floral scent wafting from the young women standing beside her.

  “Sure is, Scarlet.” Frank placed a glass in front of her. “Looks like someone is trying to grab your attention.” He gestured behind her with a jerk of his blond head.

  Asia smelled the green, fresh scent of outdoors, seconds before the warm muskiness of a male body hit her with a whoosh. Trapped between the heat of the man and the bar, she turned, ready to voice a protest.

  “Sorry, Scarlet.” Roman’s voice was husky and strummed pleasantly across her nerves. It matched the sexy body perfectly. “I didn’t mean to crowd you. Someone pushed me.” His brown eyes twinkled down at her, a novel experience for Asia since she hit six foot in her bare feet and towered over most men.

  “Not that I’m sorry. You feel as good as you look.”

  An uncustomary blush climbed her neck and seeped into her cheeks, and she barely suppressed her sigh. Why did the enemy have to look so sexy? So tempting?

  “No problem,” she drawled, pausing to take a sip of icy water. The cool liquid soothed her fluster until she glanced at Roman again. Shoot. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. He obviously had no idea of her identity. So what did she do now?

  Play safe and tell him she wasn’t interested, or take a walk on the wild side?

  “My name is Roman Anderson.” He held out his hand to cement the formal introductions.

  “Scarlet,” Asia said with a note of caution.

  “Pleased to meet you, Scarlet. Could I interest you in a late supper after you’re finished here?” His eyes narrowed as his attention zoomed in on her other hand. He picked it up and caressed the knuckles, his thumb strumming across the ruby and diamond band her grandmother had given her and she always wore on her left hand. The ring helped to scare away non-desirables, and if they were too thick to notice, she pointed it out to them. “Or am I too late and someone has snapped you up already?”

  “No, I’m not married.”

  “No man in your life?” His alert expression told her he was weighing her reply, judging if
she told the truth.

  She shook her head, letting open honesty shine through. “I don’t get much time to date.” In this, at least, she could state the facts.

  “Do you have time tonight?”

  A negative reply formed in her mind. “Yes,” she whispered.

  Oh boy. Ma would lock her up and throw away the key. Except… Asia thought rapidly and decided one night with Roman Anderson was worth the risk. The family was away and she didn’t expect them back until the following month. And if they did arrive back unexpectedly, they rang first. Nine out of ten times anyway, because they knew she had a hectic schedule. Her mother had muttered something about having a yearning for the fish off the coast of South America. No doubt, they’d sample the local delicacy of seal meat while they basked in the foreign waters.

  One date.

  Asia glanced at Roman’s dark, handsome face. Hard to believe he was the killer whale monster depicted by her family. Where was the harm in one date? And maybe a little action between the sheets if they were of the same accord?

  “Yes,” she repeated in a firm voice.

  “Great.” Roman didn’t act as if her acceptance were a given and she liked that. “Where should I meet you?”

  Asia hesitated, trying to work out what to do to maintain secrecy yet not tip Roman off that things weren’t quite legitimate. “How about outside the side entrance at one?”

  “I’ll be there,” he promised, his dark eyes glowing. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you. Very much.”

  A frisson of pure lust swept Asia. Her gaze drifted across his face, his mouth, and she wondered what it would feel like to touch him, to lean her weight into his chest and feel the dense muscles crush her breasts.

  The soft clearing of a throat jerked her back to the present. Amusement coated his smile, bringing a renewed flush of heat to her face.

  “Hold that thought.” He blew her a kiss before returning to his table.

  Asia groaned, her heart thumping so hard it felt as if she’d just finished a hundred-meter sprint. The last segment of her act couldn’t finish soon enough.

  Roman let his gaze wander over Scarlet. Statuesque. Curvy. Striking red hair that matched her name. He wondered if the color was real before deciding it didn’t matter. The woman oozed confidence along with sexual allure, enthralling the audience with her husky voice. It thrummed through him, jerking his cock tight in pleasurable anticipation. He hadn’t come into the nightclub with the intention of finding a woman, but one look at Scarlet had changed his mind.

  “Nice-looking lady,” the man to his right murmured after noting the direction of Roman’s gaze.

  Damn, he didn’t like being so transparent. Not when there was business involved. “Yeah,” he said, aware he couldn’t push away the man without some sort of comment. The need to dispose of the treasure was too important. Thankfully, the two weeks of delicate negotiations were almost over and he could return home soon. “I spoke to her when I went up to the bar. Intelligent woman.”

  “Pity,” the man said with a laugh. “Sometimes uncomplicated sex is best.”

  “I’ll admit I was tempted,” Roman said with a shrug. Instinct made him skirt the truth, the fact that he was meeting her later and hoped to round off the evening with a hot and heavy session in the sack. “But once I wrap up our business discussions, I’m heading back to the island. Duty calls. I’ll have to forego pleasure this time around.”

  “Yeah, I heard you live on Auckland Island. Secluded place. What’s it like?”

  “Some people call it the end of the Earth. My family has lived there for generations. We like it. It’s home.” And perfect for their shapeshifting species—the Resident Orcas. Most of them owned land in New Zealand, some in Australia and farther afield, but they all returned to the secluded Auckland Islands, deep in the Southern Ocean where they could change at will, frolic and hunt in the ocean without fear of detection.

  “Modern technology must have brought you closer,” the man observed.

  “Sure. With helicopters and small planes, it means we’re not so cut off from the mainland.” But the island still ran on a feudal system, and as head of the tribe, he was fighting off a small, vocal group who didn’t like the old ways. Roman fought a scowl at the thought. Unfortunately, he was the only one who could negotiate the sale of the treasure and his trip to the mainland was one he couldn’t avoid. According to his brother, things were still under control on the island, albeit a bit tense between shifters with opposing viewpoints. Increasing numbers of shark mercenaries were also visiting the island, something Roman didn’t like. He was going to have to take action against the outspoken leaders before they ripped the tribe apart. The split that had occurred thousands of years ago in their species had done enough harm. He wouldn’t put the tribe through the same turmoil again.

  “Hell, I envy the man who goes to bed with her each night,” the man said in a change of subject.

  Roman nodded, his gaze remaining on Scarlet while she performed an old Marilyn Monroe number. His breath caught halfway up his throat while his body reacted again in a purely sexual manner. Damn. A woman hadn’t affected him in this way since his early teens. Roman couldn’t wait to see where their date would lead.

  * * * * *

  Asia stepped out of her dressing room and headed through the bar. Empty now save for the cleaners and, with the lights on full, the room seemed sad and tacky like a woman dressed way too young for her age. A vacuum cleaner hummed and the clink of glasses sounded as Frank stacked them into the glass washing machine.

  “Night,” she called to Frank.

  “See you next week,” he answered before continuing with his cleaning behind the bar. Asia waved and headed for the side door that opened into a small alley.

  Anticipation thrummed through her. Nervous, she licked her lips and wiped moist palms across the seat of her black trousers. She’d left on the red wig, conscious that Roman might recognize the long black hair or at least consider her and shapeshifters for a fleeting moment. She didn’t want the date to end before it began. Like many female Orcas, Asia had a lock of white hair at her temple. It looked both distinctive and striking against her black hair. Since she worked on the mainland, Asia dyed it black to avoid speculation. She thanked the impulse that had led her to touch up her roots this morning because Roman would recognize the significance of the lock of white hair.

  Asia slipped out the side door and paused to allow her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light. At the far end of the small alley, illumination from a streetlamp spilled in from the main street. Asia heard the rumble of a car before it turned into the adjacent street and faded, leaving a throbbing silence.

  Fumes from rotten food rose from the large rubbish bin between her and the exit of the alley. A shadow shifted, separating from the brick wall of the nightclub. Roman was waiting for her. A combination of relief and excitement fizzled through her veins. Asia paused to take a deep breath, knowing she was running a risk yet unable to withstand the temptation. A woman would need to be stark raving mad to turn down a date with the sexy Roman.

  A metallic clang broke the night. A shout. The smack of fist against flesh. Asia rounded the bin at a sprint and saw three dark-clad men attacking Roman.

  “Hey!” she hollered. “Stop that!”

  Two of the men paused while the third slammed a fist into Roman’s belly and kicked him viciously. Roman fell, his head colliding with the footpath with a sickening thump.

  Asia rushed forward, screeching at the top of her voice. “Fire! Fire! Someone help. There’s a fire!”

  One of the men spoke in a low, guttural voice—too low for Asia to catch the words. She kept running and almost turned her ankle in a pothole. Damn high heels.

  “Fire!” she shouted, righting herself and ignoring the pain in her panic to stop them hurting Roman.

  The three men melted into the darkness but not before one of them kicked Roman several times in the ribs. Asia leapt at him, ready to do some damag
e of her own, but he was too strong and thrust her away like an unwanted piece of litter. Her butt hit the footpath with enough force to jar her entire body. Jagged pain snaked up her spine, making her eyes water.

  “Oh,” she muttered, moving gingerly to discover the extent of the damage. Bruised, she decided, but there was nothing broken.

  The side door she’d exited through burst open, pummeling the brick wall with a bang. Excited voices neared from behind, and she heard the rapid retreat of footsteps. Bother and damn. They’d escape before anyone could do anything. She had no idea what they looked like either since they’d worn stocking ski masks to conceal their identities.

  Asia clambered to her feet and dragged her aching body over to Roman. A nasty gash on his forehead and another on his left cheekbone marred the previous perfection of his features. Blood dripped down his face from a cut above his eyes, giving him a grotesque appearance. Asia checked his pulse. Still breathing, but he didn’t seem conscious.

  “Roman, can you hear me?”

  Asia was aware he shouldn’t go to a hospital. The last thing any of them needed was a curious doctor or lab technician. The Resident Orcas would have their own healer, the same as her tribe. Asia eased out a frustrated breath, wondering what to do. Damn, she couldn’t take Roman to their healer, either. That would be more dangerous than the hospital.

  A groan dragged her mind away from the dilemma. His eyes flickered.

  “Roman,” she whispered.

  “What happened?” Frank crouched down beside them.

  “Are you all right?” a cleaner asked, her wrinkled face pale with concern.

  Roman struggled to sit, groaning even though Asia helped him.

  “Someone attacked him,” Asia said. “Roman, you okay? Do you want to go to the hospital?” She scooped up her handbag and pulled out an old serviette, which she pressed to the cut on his forehead.

  “No. I’m fine.” But he didn’t sound like the Roman of earlier.

  “I’ll call the cops. And an ambulance,” Frank added.