by Cynthia Eden
Until they started to eat said humans. When the vampires and werewolves went bad and humans wound up as their prey of choice, well, that was when Duncan came in.
Someone had to keep the humans safe.
Duncan’s words seemed to enrage the werewolf before him. The guy’s lips peeled back—yeah, those teeth and claws were the weapons that had ended the lives of those four co-eds—and the fellow’s body stretched as the power of the shift flooded through him.
Duncan kept his own body loose and ready. His gun was in his hand, but he wasn’t firing unless the werewolf attacked him. His orders were to take the werewolf in, not to kill him.
The werewolf’s elongated teeth snapped together.
Like I haven’t seen all this shit before.
Unlike most humans, Duncan knew the score about the supernaturals. He’d known the truth since he’d been a kid.
“Humans aren’t going to stop me!” The killer’s cry was guttural. “You can’t!” Fur burst along his skin. He fell to the ground, his knees and palms hitting the cement. His eyes glowed. “You don’t have the power!” That last was more growl than human speech as the guy completed his shift…
And became a full on wolf.
The wolf launched at Duncan. Not coming in alive. Duncan’s fingers tightened around the trigger. He fired. Once. Twice.
The bullets stopped the werewolf cold.
“Silver, dumb ass,” Duncan said with a sad shake of his head as smoke drifted from the wolf’s body. “It’ll stop your kind every time.” The fur slowly melted from the beast’s body. The bones reshaped. In death, the monster became a man again. Well, not completely a man. A werewolf still kept his fangs and claws at death.
“Nice shots,” Elias said, still from behind him.
Duncan grunted. He kept his weapon up as he eased closer to the body. Lowering the gun at this point would be a rookie mistake. Paras weren’t like humans. Even if they looked dead, half the time, they weren’t. They’d keep coming and coming and coming, just like the monsters in scary movies. Only this wasn’t a movie.
Reality was scarier than the late-night horror shows.
“You hit him in the head,” Elias said as he slid closer. “Don’t worry, man, he’s gone. He’s—”
A growl sounded from the mouth of the alley. Duncan spun around.
Too late.
It wasn’t just a lone werewolf they were hunting. He’d thought they were dealing with an isolated killer, a werewolf gone mad with bloodlust. That profile had been what the intel had showed him.
The intel was wrong.
Logan was gazing at a pack. Four other fully shifted werewolves were at the front of that alley.
They were leaping for Elias. And Elias had put up his weapon already. Rookie mistake.
Duncan rushed forward and shoved his partner to the side, barely dodging the claws of a werewolf. Duncan aimed his gun and started firing. Again and again.
One wolf down. Another—
He felt teeth tear into his shoulder.
Into his neck.
He could smell the wild, woodsy scent of the beasts. His own blood. He could feel his blood, trailing down his neck, soaking his shirt.
His gun wasn’t firing. He’d used all the bullets.
More wolves were closing in…
Just as they’d closed in when he’d been four. When they’d killed his family.
When he’d lost everything but his life.
He hadn’t been able to see the wolves then, but he’d heard their snarls and his mother’s desperate cries. He could still hear those cries in his nightmares.
She hadn’t survived the attack.
He had.
Only this time, Duncan knew he wouldn’t be so lucky.
Elias was screaming. The beasts were howling.
And Duncan—Duncan was pretty sure that he was dying.
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A Note From the Author
Thank you so much for taking the time to read TEMPTED BY FATE! I’ve had way too much fun writing about the Bad Things. Luke and Leo were such opposites when I started the series, and getting the chance to switch up the brothers—well, I hope readers liked that twist! And as far as the Bad Things are concerned…this isn’t the end. I’m going to let readers help me decide which characters should get a future book or novella. Maybe there’s a hellhound who should have a story…or a witch…or an angel-turned-vamp. Head over to my FB page and let me know your thoughts.
And don’t forget, if you’d like to stay updated
If you’d like to stay updated on my releases and sales, please join my newsletter list www.cynthiaeden.com/newsletter/. You can also check out my Facebook page www.facebook.com/cynthiaedenfanpage. I love to post giveaways over at Facebook!
Again, thank you for reading TEMPTED BY FATE.
Best,
Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
About The Author
Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a three-time finalist for the RITA® award. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over fifty novels and novellas.
Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. More information about Cynthia and her books may be found at: http://www.cynthiaeden.com or on her Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/cynthiaedenfanpage. Cynthia is also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden.
Her Works
Free Reads
Purgatory Series
The Wolf Within (Purgatory, Book 1)
Mine Series
Mine To Take (Mine, Book 1)
Bound Series
Bound By Blood (Bound Book 1)
Other Paranormal
A Bit of Bite
Boxed Sets
Blood and Moonlight Series
Blood and Moonlight (The Complete Series)
Dark Obsession Series
Only For Me (Dark Obsession, Books 1 to 4)
Purgatory Series
The Beasts Inside (Purgatory, Books 1 to 4)
Mine Series
Mine Series Box Set Volume 1 (Mine, Books 1-3)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 2 (Mine, Books 4-6)
Bound Series
Forever Bound (Bound, Books 1 to 4)
Romantic Suspense
Killer Instinct
The Gathering Dusk (Killer Instinct, Prequel)
After The Dark (Killer Instinct, Book 1)
Before The Dawn (Killer Instinct, Book 2) - Available 07/25/2017
LOST Series
Broken (LOST, Book 1)
Twisted (LOST, Book 2)
Shattered (LOST, Book 3)
Torn (LOST, Book 4)
Taken (LOST, Book 5)
Wrecked (LOST, Book 6) - Available 05/30/2017
Dark Obsession Series
Watch Me (Dark Obsession, Book 1)
Want Me (Dark Obsession, Book 2)
Need Me (Dark Obsession, Book 3)
Beware Of Me (Dark Obsession, Book 4)
Only For Me (Dark Obsession, Books 1 to 4)
Mine Series
Mine To Take (Mine, Book 1)
Mine To Keep (Mine, Book 2)
Mine To Hold (Mine, Book 3)
Mine To Crave (Mine, Book 4)
Mine To Have (Mine, Book 5)
Mine To Protect (Mine, Book 6)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 1 (Mine, Books 1-3)
Mine Series Box Set Volume 2 (Mine, Books 4-6)
Montlake - For Me Series
Die For Me (For Me, Book 1)
Fear For Me (For Me, Book 2)
Scream For Me (For Me, Book 3)
Harlequin Intrigue - The Battling McGuire Boys
Confessions (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 1)
Secrets (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 2)
S
uspicions (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 3)
Reckonings (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 4)
Deceptions (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 5)
Allegiances (Battling McGuire Boys…Book 6)
Harlequin Intrigue - Shadow Agents Series
Alpha One (Shadow Agents, Book 1)
Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents, Book 2)
Sharpshooter (Shadow Agents, Book 3)
Glitter And Gunfire (Shadow Agents, Book 4)
Undercover Captor (Shadow Agents, Book 5)
The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents, Book 6)
Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents, Book 7)
Way of the Shadows (Shadow Agents, Book 8)
Deadly Series
Deadly Fear (Book One of the Deadly Series)
Deadly Heat (Book Two of the Deadly Series)
Deadly Lies (Book Three of the Deadly Series)
Contemporary Anthologies
First Taste of Darkness
Sinful Secrets
Other Romantic Suspense
Until Death
Femme Fatale
Christmas With A Spy
Other Romantic Suspense
Abduction
Hunted - Available 06/20/2017
Paranormal Romance
Bad Things
The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things, Book 1)
On The Prowl (Bad Things, Book 2)
Undead Or Alive (Bad Things, Book 3)
Broken Angel (Bad Things, Book 4)
Heart Of Stone (Bad Things, Book 5)
Tempted By Fate (Bad Things, Book 6) - Available 04/25/2017
Blood and Moonlight Series
Bite The Dust (Blood and Moonlight, Book 1)
Better Off Undead (Blood and Moonlight, Book 2)
Bitter Blood (Blood and Moonlight, Book 3)
Blood and Moonlight (The Complete Series)
Purgatory Series
The Wolf Within (Purgatory, Book 1)
Marked By The Vampire (Purgatory, Book 2)
Charming The Beast (Purgatory, Book 3)
Deal with the Devil (Purgatory, Book 4)
The Beasts Inside (Purgatory, Books 1 to 4)
Bound Series
Bound By Blood (Bound Book 1)
Bound In Darkness (Bound Book 2)
Bound In Sin (Bound Book 3)
Bound By The Night (Bound Book 4)
Forever Bound (Bound, Books 1 to 4)
Bound in Death (Bound Book 5)
Night Watch Series
Eternal Hunter (Night Watch Book 1)
I’ll Be Slaying You (Night Watch Book 2)
Eternal Flame (Night Watch Book 3)
Phoenix Fire Series
Burn For Me (Phoenix Fire, Book 1)
Once Bitten, Twice Burned (Phoenix Fire, Book 2)
Playing With Fire (Phoenix Fire, Book 3)
The Fallen Series
Angel of Darkness (The Fallen Book 1)
Angel Betrayed (The Fallen Book 2)
Angel In Chains (The Fallen Book 3)
Avenging Angel (The Fallen Book 4)
Midnight Trilogy
Hotter After Midnight (Book One in the Midnight Trilogy)
Midnight Sins (Book Two in the Midnight Trilogy)
Midnight’s Master (Book Three in the Midnight Trilogy)
Paranormal Anthologies
A Vampire’s Christmas Carol
Loved By Gods Series
Bleed For Me
ImaJinn
The Vampire’s Kiss
The Wizard’s Spell
Other Paranormal
Immortal Danger
Never Cry Wolf
A Bit of Bite
Young Adult Paranormal
Other Young Adult Paranormal
The Better To Bite (A Young Adult Paranormal Romance)
Anthologies
Contemporary Anthologies
“All I Want for Christmas” in The Naughty List
Paranormal Anthologies
“New Year’s Bites” in A Red Hot New Year
“Wicked Ways” in When He Was Bad
“Spellbound” in Everlasting Bad Boys
“In the Dark” in Belong to the Night
Howl For It
Holidays
Contemporary Anthologies
“All I Want for Christmas” in The Naughty List
Paranormal Anthologies
A Vampire’s Christmas Carol
Other Romantic Suspense
Christmas With A Spy