Fully Fledged [Spirit of Sage 9] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

  Spirit of Sage 9

  Fully Fledged

  Freddy returns home to Sage, after three years of traveling, trying to find out about the wider world. The town has expanded rapidly. A few surprises are in store, and his world is rocked from the start by the discovery of his mate Evan, a sexy African lion shifter who's run away from the circus – literally.

  Freddy's homecoming triggers a new discovery, a rarity in the paranormal world. He is a dual shifter, with two animal forms inside him...and both are fighting for supremacy inside him, struggling to get out. The spirit of Sage has worked its magic, and his primary form takes the lead. A golden eagle, it gives him the power of flight, a useful weapon in the fight against a powerful, brutal militia group calling themselves Flashpoint.

  Fully fledged, finally, will Freddy be able to overcome the terrors of his past, walk out of his nightmares, and into Evan's loving arms?

  Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Contemporary, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Western/Cowboys

  Length: 40,598 words

  FULLY FLEDGED

  Spirit of Sage 9

  Jools Louise

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  FULLY FLEDGED

  Copyright © 2017 by Jools Louise

  ISBN: 978-1-64010-542-3

  First Publication: August 2017

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2017 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  If you’re a fan of Sage, there’s a whole lot more to come from this little town. As the epicenter of my shifter revolution, it continues to attract the unwanted attentions of bigots and fools. I hope you like this one, as I’m expanding the list of characters, and have a whole list of mate pairings lined up…enjoy. JL xxx

  P.S I have a new spin-off series coming soon, Warriors of Sage, so look out for that. Sage is going global!
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  I’m a forty-something single female whose love of creative writing goes back to childhood. When getting a “proper” job took priority, writing took a back seat. I took the plunge a little while ago to get serious, wrote a manuscript, then sent it off, and the rest is history…several books published now, and I’m writing plenty more. I love writing LGBTQ erotic fiction because it crosses boundaries and explores prejudice, which is what I try to convey.

  I live in the northwest of England, close to the English Lake District, just a few miles from the sea and with beautiful scenery all around.

  I hope you enjoy the stories I’ve written so far. Feel free to look me up on Facebook, Twitter (@joolslouise1), or my website, www.joolslouise.com, and leave feedback, ask a question, or just say hi.

  For all titles by Jools Louise, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/jools-louise

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Landmarks

  Cover

  FULLY FLEDGED

  Spirit of Sage 9

  JOOLS LOUISE

  Copyright © 2017

  Prologue

  The large crowd screeched their approval as the nine big cats, five tigers and four lions, sat on their haunches, batting the air with their soup plate–sized paws. Evan Sikorsky roared loudly, on cue, eyeing the overweight trainer wielding a long bullwhip, wincing as the crowd’s deafening noise assaulted his eardrums. He winced again when, after a brief hesitation in the routine, the whip lashed out, connecting with Evan’s rear end, stinging him into action. He snarled furiously, refusing to move, even when the whip bit into his furry hide again.

  Evan’s eight companions followed his lead, ignoring the trainer’s commands as they each studied the baying audience with disdain. Evan grinned, meeting the fear in the ringmaster’s eyes with amusement. Evan had been a young shifter, barely out of the cradle when he had started his training in the circus. Both his parents had been incarcerated here, as well, and died young, completely broken by the lifestyle that had sucked every bit of their spirit from them. Years of beatings had taught him to despise his “owner.” Now, Evan and his eight allies were about to turn the tables. They had been kept in ignorance of what had happened in a small town in Wyoming, close to the Grand Teton National Park. They had not realized that the world knew about shifters, nor that, for the most part, the world had accepted the phenomenon with surprising calm.

  The circus that Evan had been a part of for so long had been supplied by a group of people known as the Will and the Word. Even in the depths of Siberia, the group had plied their vicious trade. Posing as some kind of religious cult, they were bigots and thugs, kidnapping children, particularly shifters, and turning them into profitable attractions. They were the ones who had supplied this circus with their “animal” performers. Evan was done being exploited. He wanted a home and a place where he never had to be on a show ever again.

  Sage, Wyoming, was the epicenter of the shifter movement, and Evan had made up his mind to go there. His fellow circus performers, all shifters, as well, had discussed things once they knew that there was hope. Now was the time to act.

  Standing, Evan and his friends leaped off their podiums, surrounding the trainer. Evan grabbed the whip from its owner, roaring into the guy’s terrified face as he reared up on his hind legs, towering over the guy as he placed his big paws on the man’s shoulders. Snarling, Evan grinned to himself as he smelled fresh urine, and dropped lightly down again, taking a few steps back.

  A quick glance at his friends, and he shifted, the others immediately following suit. Gasps erupted around the large tent, and the crowd reacted in horrified amazement at the sight of nine naked humans standing in the place of the big cats. The atmosphere changed again, and there were rumblings against the trainer for abusing the young men standing there, who all bore the scars of repeated lashes and a poor diet. Evan gave a mental eye roll, thinking they had been perfectly happy to see nine exotic felines being abused—the audience had paid money to see that happen, after all.

  “We are off now,” Evan said, in perfect Russian, ignoring his nakedness as he spoke to the trainer. “We will be taking some of our friends, as well, since your little circus here is all done. We do not like how you treat animals here. I would strongly advi
se you not to set up anywhere else…otherwise we may decide to return.” Evan snarled menacingly, dropping his fangs to show what would happen if they did have to come back.

  Nodding to his friends, he shifted back to feline form and let out a chuffing roar. Within seconds, the large arena was filled by four Indian elephants, two giraffes, three spectacled bears, and a variety of horses, llamas, monkeys, and other creatures who had been part of the circus. Running after their charges, the other circus performers—the human ones—paused when confronted by nine angry felines, who led the procession from the big tent and out into the night. They were headed for a small town in America, the heart of the shifter movement. From the depths of Siberia, it would take months to get there, and with winter only a few short months away, they needed to head south as fast as they could.

  * * * *

  David blinked, then blinked again and rubbed his eyes in awe. He was fairly sure he’d just seen a giraffe’s tall neck peeping above the trees of the park. Staring, he tilted his head, mouth agape, as a second giraffe made an appearance. Glancing down at the thermos cup of coffee in his hand, he sniffed it cautiously, wondering whether John had mistakenly poured a shot of alcohol in there. Nope. Just coffee.

  A rumble reverberated under his feet, a low sound well beneath the usual range that a human could hear. Since he was part cougar, he heard it, and felt it. He was pretty sure it belonged to an elephant, possibly two. He sniffed his cup again, and then paused, mid-sniff, as a parade of large animals plodded out of the forest. Two giraffes, five Asian elephants, which included a youngster who looked relatively new to the world, three bears, ten dappled gray horses, llamas, and some smaller animals, as well, many of whom were riding the larger animals. Surrounding the unusual herd were nine big cats, who padded alongside as though protecting their charges.

  It was early yet, just past seven in the morning, a gentle mist hanging in the air with a definite bite of winter, and the surreal scene wasn’t something he was used to, even in a town which had enjoyed its share of interesting events in the past. Shifters, yes. Elephants? No. He eyed one of the lions warily as it approached, prepared to shift if the thing attacked. He wasn’t sure if it was a shifter or not, and he wasn’t going to take any chances. His question was answered when the lion suddenly shifted before him, into a man who left David openmouthed in awed admiration. The guy was built, his thick dick swinging between thighs the size of tree trunks, his chest lightly covered by dark blond hair, and his shoulders broad. His hair was a long mane of medium-brown with lighter blond highlights, and he was ripped to hell. David found that his ability to speak had deserted him.

  “Do you know where Two Spirit Ranch is?” the guy asked, flushing a little as David continued to stare.

  David shook himself and shut his mouth, blushing at his faux pas. He was a mated man for goodness’s sake. And had three gorgeous lovers to keep his mind and body occupied. He dragged his gaze upward and kept his eyes on the man’s face as he answered, meeting stunning blue eyes set in a face that was as beautifully masculine as could be. The guy could have been a model, his cheekbones cut in a way that must have people drooling enviously, his brownish-blond hair framing his enviable face, striking to say the least.

  “The ranch is a few miles away,” David replied. He cleared his throat, shaking his head. His brain was still thawing out, and he was struggling to form a coherent sentence. “Er, do all these animals belong to you?” He gestured to one elephant that had come over to investigate David’s hair, flicking the tip of its trunk delicately over David’s blond tresses. He kept his hair tied back in a ponytail these days, since it fell just past his shoulders. The elephant seemed particularly interested in it and tickled David’s neck as it investigated.

  “That is Mazy,” the man said, with a distinct accent that certainly wasn’t American. He tilted his head to the side, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “She is the matriarch. If she likes you, the others will accept you, as well.”

  “And if she doesn’t?” David squeaked, when the elephant found his crotch and gave it a good sniff.

  The man grinned. “You will be in no doubt about that,” he said, and chuckled. “Fortunately, she seems to have taken a liking to you—otherwise you would have to shift and run like hell.”

  David sighed with relief and then squealed when he was lifted up, a trunk around his midriff, the breath leaving his lungs in a hurry. “Er, I don’t mean to be rude, but I had open-heart surgery just a couple of months ago,” he said, gulping. “Please, would you ask Mazy to put me down?”

  The guy’s eyes widened, and he tapped Mazy’s trunk gently. She let out a loud bellow and then carefully place David back on his feet again.

  “Thanks,” he said and stroked her trunk. She seemed to like the attention, then gave another snort and went ambling off through the park, toward John’s café, the other animals in tow. David grinned and began to follow as the entire troupe set off after Mazy.

  “I am sorry,” the man said. “She does not usually misbehave.”

  “Does she have a sweet tooth?” David asked, and the man nodded. “Then she must have good taste, because she appears to be heading for Café Anglais, where my good friend John Hastings makes the best pastries and cookies in town.”

  “Does he make coffee, too?” one of the other men said as he shifted to human form, sounding wistful.

  Grinning, David nodded. “Oh, yes,” he said, tipping his coffee cup toward the man.

  “Is there a particular reason for the large group of animals currently pooping along my street?” Sheriff Pace asked with his usual loquacious charm as he strolled up.

  “We just ran away from the circus,” the first guy said with a hint of amusement.

  “Mazy the elephant is on her way to say hi to John,” David said helpfully, and chuckled at the unholy glee in Pace’s eyes.

  “Oh, this should be good,” Pace said, clapping his hands before falling into step with David. “John has been unusually quiet this week. He’s almost polite. He needs to have a little excitement put back into his life.”

  David grinned back. He was looking forward to John’s reaction to the new circus in town.

  * * * *

  John glanced up as the bell rang above the door, freezing in place, his tray of freshly baked cookies tilting dangerously. He closed his eyes tightly, then reopened them, wondering if he had inhaled a little too much sugar dust that morning. A large African elephant had just wandered in through the double wide open front doors, with a younger one half her size in tow. They eyed each other curiously, the elephant reaching over to take a cookie off the tray, using her trunk as he would a hand, and delicately handing the treat to her younger companion. Glancing behind her, he saw David and Pace standing, laughing their asses off, and figured they were probably part of the reason he had a large pachyderm in his café.

  The elephant grabbed a second cookie, this time keeping it and munching with obvious delight as she watched him for a reaction. He had the feeling she was playing with him.

  Curling his lip, he placed the tray on the counter behind him and headed for the espresso machine.

  “Tea or coffee?” he asked the elephant, as though it was a perfectly normal day.

  David and Pace lost it completely, howling with laughter. John curled his lip, shook his head, and then went to call Joe at the ranch to find alternative accommodations for his new friend.

  Chapter One

  Freddy cut the throttle to his motorcycle, a Ducati Diavel, eyeing the new speed limit sign with some surprise as he sped by. It had been over three years since he’d been home to Sage, Wyoming, and the town had grown a lot since in the ensuing time. They’d had one traffic light, and no signs that he could recall. He saw the town limits indicator and blinked as he saw the population. Three thousand and fifty-two. At last count, there had been less than a thousand residents.

  The road into town, for the next two kilometers, was now lined with new residences, several apartment blocks,
houses, a gas station, and a fire station, complete with a gleaming red engine standing proudly out front. He grinned to himself. He wondered how often the crew got to drive around on it—the town wasn’t that big. Geez.

  The clinic came into view, a place he was more than familiar with, since he’d worked reception at one time. That was before his itchy feet had gotten the better of him, and he’d left Sage to go and explore the world. Three years later, he was more than ready to come home. He had missed the place. More importantly, he’d missed his family. Murphy and Aiden, who were his two dads, and his brothers and sisters, Blue, Honey, Charlotte, Mabel, and Kylie. He found a convenient parking slot and idled into it, cutting the engine and removing his helmet, glad to feel the wind in his hair after so many miles of riding through the snow-clad landscape. That last blizzard had been a bitch.

  Unstraddling his bike, he stretched luxuriously, ironing out the kinks, and looked around curiously. The town certainly had grown. He recognized the quaint charm of it, John’s Café Anglais, the clinic, and a few of the businesses, but a lot of the stores and eating places were new to him.

  “Freddy?” He heard the familiar voice and turned, smiling, studying the big man who strode toward him. He felt a sense of homecoming finally, a recognition that all was going to be okay in the world. Murphy, a psychotherapist, was a welcome sight.

  “Dad,” he said simply, grinning when his father opened his arms wide, and he stepped into them, soon breathless from the tight squeeze as Murphy hugged him fiercely. The man had always given the best hugs. Freddy felt a lump in his throat and returned the embrace, inhaling his father’s familiar scent, enjoying the closeness after all this time. He felt a twinge of guilt, something that had become more frequent of late as he’d considered coming back to Sage. The easy acceptance, right on the street, did a lot to assuage his discomfort for not calling often enough.