Bitten (Black Mountain Bears Book 2) by Ophelia Bell, Amelie Hunt Page A

the harvesters of our bounty when it grows too great for us and our unborn child to contain.”
    “So . . . I’m like a silo? That’s nice and phallic,” he said, grinning. His smile cracked the solemnity of Gunnar’s suggestion wide open and Autumn collapsed onto the bed, laughing uncontrollably.
    Gunnar fell down beside her, a rough laugh spilling from him. “That’s a pretty apt comparison,” he said.
    Autumn caught her breath and looked back and forth between them.
    “Except you would be more than that, if I marked you. You would be able to not only store all that power, but use it, too. And without practice, that could be pretty dangerous.”
    “So, we practice,” Jasper said softly, raising up on one elbow and looking down at her. “If this enemy is so terrifying that the Sanctuary is being locked down a full two decades before the conflict, we should have plenty of time, right? Besides, I am a little in love with the idea of leaving my own mark on you. Do I get to use my claws?” He raked his fingernails lightly down her torso, the tickling sensation making her giggle and push him away.
    “No . . . for the male’s mark to work, it’s different. Less complicated, though. All you have to do is bite me. Your saliva mixed with my blood provides the bond. But I haven’t decided yet. Please, let me think about it first. It isn’t something that should be done lightly.” She pressed her arm over her face, the decision warring inside her. Gaia, did she want exactly what Gunnar suggested, but it would complicate their relationship so much if they did it. Things were already complicated enough.
    The bed shifted beside her and she uncovered her eyes to see Jasper sitting up, frowning. He climbed off the bed and glanced around as though looking for something.
    “What is it?” Autumn asked. She sat up, resting a hand on Gunnar’s chest, a flutter of anxiety in her gut. Had she hurt his feelings?
    Jasper chuckled. “I guess I showed up naked, didn’t I?” he said, smiling at her and flushing adorably. “I was just thinking it’s silly to hang out here until you decide, so I was looking for my jeans, but I left them shredded back at the lodge when I first shifted.”
    He flushed a little brighter, though he didn’t seem the least bit shy about being naked. A cute crease furrowed his brow as he glanced toward the door, then the windows. It was the same look she’d seen in her fathers’ eyes when they were gauging the daylight, deciding whether they had time for another run to the next human town where their brethren lived, to pass on news from the Sanctuary. Jasper was made to be a guardian or a runner, no doubt.
    He turned back decisively. “There’s no firewood left and no food. My house is a couple-hour hike down the mountain. We need to wind up there anyway, so why not go now? We have light for a few hours, and if we shift, the cold won’t bother us . . . ” He ended with a questioning look as though asking, Will it?
    “That sounds perfect,” Autumn said. “Lead the way!”
    Jasper walked to the door, but hesitated before opening it. “It’s fucking cold out there. My testicles are already cringing. But here goes nothing.”
    He threw the latch and immediately shifted, as though afraid of the cold. Autumn laughed and sidled up beside him. She reached between his furry legs and cupped his testicles, then bent to whisper in his ear.
    “They’re protected, honey,” she said, giving him a squeeze and enjoying the soft growl he emitted. His cool snout nuzzled at her naked chest, a long tongue sweeping out to slide over her breast.
    She shoved his head away, laughing. “No bear tongue! There’s a time and place for that, I promise. We don’t mix shapes, though. It’s bad magic to do that. Get moving, smartass. We’ll follow.”
    Jasper growled in an oddly inflected way that seemed to be part complaint and part acquiescence. He loped toward the trees and paused to turn back.
    “Let’s