Out of Shadows

by N. J. Walters

  Making love to her had been an exquisite torture. He’d been unable to move, which had heightened each and every sensation. Feeling her cunt tighten around his cock had almost blown his head off. The intensity of their mating was elemental, powerful and, to his way of thinking, pure magic.

  She continued to pour her light into him, not shrinking away from his darkness, which was deeper than even he had known. Dovina’s light filled every dark corner of his mind and spirit. The hair on his arms and legs stood on end as he felt something shift within him.

  Gradually, he felt her light receding. Not withdrawing, not totally. She was a part of him now as he was part of her. No other rogue Shadow Ryder or demon could steal her light now, not with him a part of her, protecting her.

  She slumped forward and he caught her, easing her down onto his chest. He cradled her carefully, and pushed a damp lock of hair out of her face. He loved the way the red curl tried to wrap around his fingers. It was as alive as she was. Her felt her sigh against his chest and knew she must be exhausted. He was energized and wiped out at the same time. Dovina rubbed her hand over his heart and a warmth stole into him. She was his now. For eternity. What that meant and how their joining would affect both of them remained to be seen. They’d deal with that later. 95

  N.J. Walters

  For now, Hadeon gave a prayer of thanks to the Shadow Lord for rescuing him all those years ago and giving him a second chance. Everything he’d been through over the past several thousand years had been worth it because all of it had brought him to this moment.

  He grabbed a corner of the covers and tugged part of it over them. He didn’t want Dovina to get cold. He’d get up in a minute and tuck her under the covers. Dovina snuggled closer, burrowing her face into the curve of his neck. Hadeon smiled and held her through the rest of the night.

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  Out of Shadows

  Chapter Eleven

  “You sure you want to do this?”

  Dovina smiled up at Hadeon as they stood at the top of the path that led to the bridge. “I’m sure.” Everything had started here, so it was fitting it ended here. Well, not really ended. She and Hadeon were making plans for their future together. His large hand pressed against the small of her back. “Stay close.”

  She fought a grin. Her man was as protective as ever. His sword was strapped to his back, hidden by his long leather duster. His eyes never stopped scanning the area, making certain she was safe.

  He was certainly energetic too. He’d kept her in bed all day, making love to her over and over. There wasn’t a spot in the hotel room where he hadn’t taken her. She was going to be sorry to leave the place, but was looking forward to showing him her tiny apartment in New York.

  That situation would have to change. As soon as her contract was done for the year, they were moving. Where, they weren’t quite sure yet, but somewhere less populated. For now, it was technically still Halloween night and she was walking around Sleepy Hollow with her own immortal warrior. It was weird to think of herself as immortal as well. That was definitely going to take some getting used to. She didn’t feel any different inside. Not really. Of course, Hadeon had kept her busy since they’d made the exchange and she’d become his anchor. In time, she was sure she’d start to notice many small changes. One thing she had observed was that she was more aware of the energy swirling around inside her, more able to tap into it and use it. It was a combination of her light and Hadeon’s darkness, more powerful now that it was joined in both of them.

  “Are you okay?” Hadeon didn’t like the idea of them being out here. But she’d had to come.

  She gave him a quick smile. “I’m fine.”

  The night was almost done, the dawn close. Dovina wanted to know if sunlight would affect her adversely now. She hoped it wouldn’t, but was prepared for the worst possible outcome. Hadeon, she knew, wanted to see if he could actually greet the dawn for the first time in thousands of years.

  “Over here.” She tugged his hand and he followed. It was so late, or early depending on how you looked at it, they hadn’t run into another person. Dovina was glad they had the trail to themselves. A sudden thought occurred to her. She bit her bottom lip, not certain she should ask.

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  Hadeon brushed back a lock of hair and smiled down at her. It made her heart turn over and she reached up and traced several of the new scars that marred his skin. She thought they made him look even more ruggedly handsome and had told him so earlier when they’d still been in bed.

  He grinned, a wholly satisfied male grin. “You can kiss them and make them better again, if you’d like.”

  Dovina felt her cheeks heating. Her earlier kisses had led her to the scars on his face, his chest and then lower, where there were no scars at all, but something infinitely more interesting. “Maybe I will,” she teased, her voice low and sultry. Hadeon growled and swooped down to kiss her. She lost all sense of time when he drew her into his arms. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. How could she want him yet again? She was going to be sore for a week as it was, they’d made love so many times.

  “What do you want? I can sense something is on your mind.”

  No point trying to hide anything from him. They were eerily in sync with one another, able to sense each other’s moods.

  “I want to go for a ride.”

  A wolfish grin split his face. “I can take you for a ride any time you want, baby.”

  She playfully smacked his chest. “Not that kind of ride. On your horse.”

  His smile faded and he glanced around the woods.

  “No one is here. Faran and the demon are destroyed. What’s the harm?” Dovina wanted to gallop through the woods and over the bridge, riding a gigantic black stallion, the cool autumn wind brushing her skin. It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of Halloween night.

  Hadeon sighed and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “Only for a short time. Dawn is close.”

  She could feel it, the fading of the darkness, in a way she’d never been able to before. Was it because of her connection to Hadeon? She didn’t know. It was just one of many new skills. Like her ability to see in the dark. Which was very cool! It might not be as good as his night vision, but it was a heck of a lot better than she’d had. She knew Hadeon was afraid that sunlight would now harm her and was ready to whisk her away on the shadows if that happened.

  He stepped back and began to change. One minute he was there, the next the shadows swallowed him whole. Even with her enhanced night vision, he disappeared from view. She heard a clop of hooves on the ground and the black stallion stepped out of the darkness.

  “Awesome.” She hadn’t been able to fully appreciate this aspect of him before now. Too many other things, like being chased by a headless horseman who wanted to kill her, had taken her attention from Hadeon.

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  She reached out and touched his massive head. He ducked it toward her, rubbing his sleek face against hers. She laughed and looked around until she found what she was looking for. Practically dancing to a large rock, she clambered up on top. The horse followed her, standing patiently while she mounted. Her fingers gripped his long, silky mane. “Giddy up.”

  Hadeon turned his head and glared at her. She laughed again. Even as a horse, he didn’t like taking orders. What was it he’d said? They were part of one another. Two forms with one soul. He and the horse were one.

  “How about ‘ready when you are’?”

  He gave a whinny and started down the trail at an even trot. Dovina let the excitement of the moment wash over her. The moon was bright, the stars twinkling in the sky. A cool breeze tugged at her hair, pulling it free from the pins anchoring it. On impulse, she reached up and pulled them free, letting her curly, red hair fly in the wind. Hadeon picked up the pace, forcing her to cling tighter. She could feel the muscles of the horse bunching and stretching beneath her as he moved. It was magic. He hea
ded for the bridge, thundering over it. She closed her eyes, imagining what someone walking the path would hear or see. They could easily become part of the legend if someone caught a glimpse.

  They rode through the woods for another ten minutes. It was amazing to feel unafraid after living through so much terror. It was almost a way to reclaim the beauty of the night.

  They ended up back on the far side of the bridge. Dovina reluctantly slid from Hadeon’s back and he disappeared into the shadows. When he reappeared, he was her ancient warrior once again.

  “That was incredible.”

  Hadeon leaned down and stole a quick kiss. “We’ll do it again some night when there is more time and more room to run.”

  Dovina was only half listening to him. She thought she heard something on the trail. Last thing she wanted was for someone to be out there, maybe taking pictures of them that would end up on the Internet.

  Hadeon tensed beside her. “It’s a horse.” He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to his left side, keeping his sword arm free.

  “I thought you said Faran was destroyed?”

  “He is.” Hadeon’s voice was grim as he shoved her behind him. “We should leave. Now.”

  “No.” Something was telling her to stay. To see this through to the end. The sound of a horse galloping through the woods got closer and closer.

  “Ohmygod.” She could see it now, horse and rider flying through the night, fleeing the coming dawn.

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  Black cape flying, the horseman rode like he was born in the saddle. He was dressed all in black, the only color a flaming pumpkin he held on his lap and the red glow of the horse’s eyes. He was also headless.

  “Not again,” she muttered. Enthralled, she could simply watch as the horse and rider drew closer. Hadeon reached behind his back and drew his sword, ready to protect her if she was bound to stay.

  It might be crazy, but she wasn’t afraid of this horseman. She sensed a difference about him. He wasn’t a demon or some other dark creature from the Otherworld. He was more of a ghost, a myth, a memory.

  Bone-chilling laughter rang out through the night. The horse thundered toward the bridge, the rider pulling him up at the last possible second. Dirt flew from the horse’s hooves. The rider stared at Hadeon, ignoring her totally.

  “You will not find a head this night, Hessian.” Hadeon’s deep voice sent a shiver over her. This was the warrior, not the lover.

  The horseman gave a short bow and urged his horse forward. The beast jumped, light flared and the two of them disappeared into the darkness. There was no sound of hooves, no laughter. Just complete silence. He was here one minute and gone the next.

  “I think I’m hallucinating,” she muttered. Had she really seen that?

  “No. He was here.” Hadeon used the tip of his sword to point the way to the end of the bridge. The remains of a shattered pumpkin lay scattered there, the orange shell smashed beyond repair. It hadn’t been there when they’d crossed it earlier.

  “Okay. That’s freaky. Even after all we’ve been through.”

  Hadeon tipped back his head and laughed. Deep and rich, it rumbled from deep within him. It was so unrestrained, so real, that she couldn’t help smiling. He shook his head and rubbed his hand over his face, trying to control himself. “After everything you’ve seen, you think seeing the real headless horseman is freaky?”

  Put like that, it did seem a little odd. She shrugged. “What can I say?”

  Hadeon pulled her into his arms and turned her to face the east. “It’s time.”

  They stood in silence as the sun broke over the horizon. Dull rays spread lazily across the land, creeping through the woods until it found them. Dovina tensed and Hadeon tightened his grip, ready to pull her into the shadows. She was more concerned about him than about herself. She knew he was desperate to stare at the sun, to be able to feel it against his skin. Thin rays started at the toe of her sneaker and slowly crept up the front of her jeans. Gaining speed, it flowed over her torso and kissed her face. Dovina breathed a sigh of relief when it hit her full force and she felt nothing but its warmth.

  Hadeon stilled behind her. She tilted her head back and waited. The sun’s rays caressed his chin, his cheeks, his lips and nose and forehead. He closed his eyes and released a slow breath.

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  “How do you feel?” She almost didn’t ask, loathed to break the almost reverent silence.

  “Warm. It tingles, but it doesn’t quite burn. I’m not sure I could stand strong rays. But this…” His words trailed off as he closed his eyes and raised his face to the sun.

  “Twenty-five hundred years,” he murmured.

  Dovina turned in his arms, rested her face against his chest and held him. Long minutes past before he finally stirred. “We need to leave. The glare is hard on my eyes.”

  She nodded. “We’ll get you some sunglasses. Some nifty designer ones that will make you look like a badass.”

  Hadeon quirked an eyebrow as he sheathed his sword.

  Dovina giggled. Her man already looked like a badass with his leather and long hair. They had tons of things to do and a future to plan. “Take us back.”

  He tightened his hold on her and leaned down, capturing her mouth with his. She returned his ardor and felt her body stirring to life again. He lifted her and stepped back into the shadows. The disorienting sensation didn’t bother her at all. She was too busy kissing Hadeon.

  The world dipped and she found herself flat on her back in her hotel room with Hadeon looming above her. He slid his hands beneath her sweater and cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples into taut peaks.

  Dovina smiled up at him as she reached down to cup his growing erection. Checkout wasn’t until noon. They had plenty of time.

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  Epilogue

  The Shadow Lord breathed a sigh of relief when a candle on the table flared to life, adding its warmth and light to the otherwise dark and chilly chamber. That was three permanent lights now, three women joined with three of his immortal warriors. But one was lost. Faran. The man had made his choice, but the Shadow Lord felt he had failed him. His own apathy had led to this situation. There were more of them out there. Ryders on the edge of slipping into the darkness forever. Some were already lost. For that, he would be eternally sorry.

  He felt the restlessness in his men. That was good. Curiosity alone would drag them forward, loosen the grip of the darkness tugging at them.

  There was still much work to be done. They had let their mission, their reason for existing slide for too many centuries. Perhaps the encroaching darkness was their punishment for such dereliction of duty. They’d all been warriors. They all had forgotten their oaths to serve the greater good.

  But that time was now behind them. The future was before them. And for the first time in centuries, there was hope, a promise of something better. The Shadow Lord scanned the shadows, searching. He let his mind go blank and simply studied each man. He found the one he was looking for. He was farthest away, almost consumed by the darkness. Even the Shadow Lord could barely see him. But he knew he was there.

  Would he answer the summons?

  The Shadow Lord crooked his finger and waited.

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  About the Author

  N.J. Walters worked at a bookstore for several years and one day had the idea that she would like to quit her job, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the same bookstore and settled in for another seven years. Although she was still fairly young, that was when the mid-life crisis set in. Happily married to the love of her life, with his encouragement (more like, “For God’s sake, quit the job and just write!”) she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel, Annabelle Lee,
and life would never be the same.

  N.J. has always been a voracious reader of romance novels, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks all vie for her attention. And she doesn’t mind a bit. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

  N.J. welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Awakening Desires: Erin’s Fancy

  Awakening Desires: Jackson’s Jewel

  Awakening Desires: Katie’s Art of Seduction

  Beyond Shadows

  Dalakis Passion 1: Harker’s Journey

  Dalakis Passion 2: Lucian’s Delight

  Dalakis Passion 3: Stefan’s Salvation

  Dalakis Passion 4: Eternal Brothers

  Dalakis Passion 5: Endless Chase

  Drakon’s Treasure

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis IV anthology

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails IV anthology

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction III anthology