Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection

by Lacey Carter Andersen

  I stared at him longer than I would have liked, but it was hard to look away. Yulian had always had something about him, a kind of charisma that made my heart beat a little faster than was healthy. I’d seen the girls who’d stopped to stare at him when we were dating, and it helped that he sounded incredibly sexy when he spoke Russian.

  “So….” He rubbed his hands together and winked. “What shall we reminisce about?”

  I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair, excited and intrigued where this night could go. He was already breaking the walls I’d tried so hard to build. If he’d done the same thing back then, I might not have left at all.

  “How about the time you took your dad’s Alfa Romeo for a drive and crashed it?”

  Yulian cringed. Oh yes, this was going to be fun.

  * * *

  We spent the next two hours talking and laughing, and it felt like old times again, when I could have the worst day, but Yulian always made it better. That’s what was great about him. In the real world, he was a bratva mobster, and I could only imagine the kinds of things he did for his cousin, but in our little bubble, he was the man who made me feel special.

  He stood abruptly, startling me.

  “What are you…?”

  I didn’t get to finish because he’d swept off his suit jacket and loosened his tie, already working on the buttons of his shirt.

  Raising my eyebrows at him, I smiled. “If you think we’re having sex up here, you have another thing coming, and it won’t be you.”

  He laughed, the sound deep and joyful, and my skin buzzed with the excitement. “No, printsessa, I’m not getting naked for that reason.”

  “But you are getting naked?” He had my attention. I leaned forward, licking my lips as skin was exposed. First, it was his torso—more muscular than the last time I saw him and covered in bratva tattoos with Slavic words I didn’t understand—and then he was working on his belt. “Why are you getting undressed?”

  “I remember when you said you always wanted to take a ride on a dragon,” he said.

  “No!” My mouth dropped open, but he continued as though I hadn’t even spoken. I’d only seen him as a dragon once, and he’d visited me on my uncle’s farm in the New York countryside. I’d never gotten the chance to see him shift, though.

  “And I can’t shift with my clothes on, no matter what the rumors say. Clothes don’t magically appear and disappear.”

  “What a pity. That’d be so convenient.” I stood and made my way around to him just as he dropped his pants, and I was gifted with the view of the entire package, which was in itself extraordinary. I wondered if it was another Dragomirov trait or just Yulian. Either way, it didn’t matter because his was the only one I cared about.

  He winked at me, clearly aware of how much I was checking out his washboard abs and strong thighs, before he turned his back to me and walked farther across the roof. What a lovely sight he was, his muscular asscheeks bouncing with each step. If I chewed on my bottom lip and moaned a little, I wouldn’t admit it.

  He stopped and grunted, and it happened slower than I’d imagined it would. The sounds he made were horrible and painful to listen to, and it took everything in me not to go over to him to see if he was okay. Then, his body started to change, wings popping out of his back like they had earlier today, and he grew taller. His skin changed to a leathery brown and every one of his limbs warped until he was a living, breathing dragon.

  And he was gorgeous.

  I let out a breath. “Wow.”

  Dragon Yulian turned to me, opening his jaw as though stretching it, and let out a whine. He lowered his neck, and even though he didn’t have to tell me what he wanted, I froze, fear creeping in like icicles under my skin. I’d been told before about partners of dragon shifters flying on them, but I never expected to be one of them. After leaving Yulian, I thought I’d never meet another shifter. It turns out I didn’t have to.

  I inhaled deeply, hoping I’d breathe in some courage with the air, and forced myself to move. Walking up his neck was a little awkward at first because I was scared I’d heard him, but I remembered him telling me before that a dragon’s hide was strong, and my weight would do nothing. By the time I got settled, I was rethinking this whole thing, but it was too late.

  His wings battered down toward the ground, and we lifted off in the air so quickly, I gasped and wrapped my arms around his neck. At least I hadn’t screamed. He made a noise that sounded almost like a chortle, and I had to remind myself later to hit him over the head for it. We swept through the night sky, the air a lot colder so high up that I was glad I still had my trench coat on.

  The city was an array of lights and sounds from up here, and the farther up we got, the more the people below started to look like ants. Away from the smog, the air was cleaner, and I sighed.

  Everything up here was so perfect, as though the world below wasn’t filled with bad people. Like me. I was no better than Misha, Yulian’s cousin and boss. Well, I guess I didn’t kill people.

  For half an hour we flew until I started shivering, and Yulian must have realized. By the time he put his dragon feet on the ground again, and I slid off, my face felt like ice. His transformation back to human sounded as agonizing as turning into a dragon, and I winced through his pain with him until he was a naked man on his knees, panting.

  I rushed to grab his clothes and brought them over to him, kneeling at his side. “Are you okay?”

  He laughed, though it sounded wounded and not at all like he was amused. “It never gets easier.”

  “Well, you are changing into a dragon.” I cupped his cheek and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Come on, get dressed. You must be freezing.”

  I helped him put his clothes on, one piece at a time, until he was back in his suit and looking as good as before, if not a little more ragged. From the winces he gave me, he wasn’t entirely without pain. I led him back to the chair and helped him sit.

  “I didn’t realize it was so painful or I would have asked you not to do it.”

  He shook his head and smiled at me. “I have to do it at least once a month, or I’ll go insane. Part of the shifter life. It’s harder for dragons because our animal is bigger, scalier.”

  I chuckled and ran a hand over his head and down his cheek. “Oh, Yulian.”

  “Stay.”

  I swallowed. I’d been scared that he’d ask that of me again, and now he had. I’d never win this fight when the rope holding me together was merely a thread ready to break already. “I’m scared of losing you.”

  “I’m scared of losing you, too, and that’s what’ll happen if you leave. I promised myself if I ever saw you again, I wouldn’t let you walk away like last time. You’re mine, Chels. You’ve always been mine.”

  I hated how right he was. No man could ever compare to him.

  “You won’t ever have to know what I do. I promise. I’ll keep you as far away from the bratva as possible.”

  I didn’t want that. Not really. I loved his family, I just hated what they did.

  “Stay.”

  No. It was such a simple thing to say, but no matter how many times the word ran through my head, and no matter how I tried to force myself to say it, another word came out instead. “Yes.”

  His smile was worth it.

  It only took him one day to convince me. That had to be a new world record.

  He kissed me, and for now, the world felt right again.

  The End

  About the Author

  Meghyn King was born in a small Australian town where sugar cane burned hot and the working mills smelled sweet. Growing up in Ayr, Queensland, didn't give her many options in friends, but she preferred to create her own anyway. Through the multiple stories she began to write as a child, her characters ranged in age, ethnicity, and gender, with one common attribute with each story: it involved a romance.

  * * *

  She writes with a cat for company and music for inspiration. You'll often find
her lost in her imagination, surfacing only for food and a good conversation.

  * * *

  You can sign up to Meghyn’s newsletter here.

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  All Things Wild

  J.P. Uvalle

  About All Things Wild

  West knows her body.

  Luther has her heart.

  But Thane…Thane owns her mind.

  * * *

  Rayah Xavier has something in her very blood that makes her unique—so extraordinary that in a world ruled by the Shifter Elite, she still stands out as a prize the commander must have for his collection.

  With his enhanced army of soldiers hell-bent on destruction and death, he takes control of shifter minds across the globe with the synthetic serum that he also knows can make Rayah's powers limitless.

  Now wounded and on the run from the commander and his army, Rayah seeks shelter at the only place she considers her sanctuary.

  The zoo.

  There she must regroup with her sexy new mates and find a way to save the shifters from the commander’s mind control, or the whole world will become his new playground...

  Quote

  “Turn your wounds into wisdom.”

  ― Oprah Winfrey

  Chapter One

  Rayah

  Wolfe's Bluff, Colorado

  * * *

  Smoky fumes choked the air, mingling with the earthy odor that wafted up from a nearby river. My grandfather hoisted his satchel farther up his shoulder and continued walking toward what looked like an abandoned house—our shelter for the remainder of the day and night. We never stayed any place past dawn. We had to keep moving during the day and rest at night.

  Getting closer, two enormous elm trees flanked the old house. Their bowing branches arched elegantly over it, bobbing in the gentle breeze.

  "Stay here. I'll make sure it's safe." He pointed two fingers at his eyes and stealthily moved up to the front door as I stood watch from the side of the house, my shotgun cocked and ready to shoot.

  They could be anywhere.

  The front door swung open, a meow and hiss followed. On instinct, I aimed my gun in that direction.

  "Damn cat," my grandfather grumbled.

  I lowered my gun, laughing. The first time I had all week. "Are you slippin' up on me, old man, letting an innocent cat scare you?" I cocked my head at him.

  "Cats are the devil. I don't understand how people like these damn creatures."

  I shook my head, walking toward the house. My grandfather was a war vet, always putting up this tough front, especially around animals when deep down, he loved them as much as I did, if not more. He was never quite the same after our family dog, Hadley, passed away from cancer. He would never admit to missing her, though. My smile quickly fell into a frown. Rest in peace, sweet girl.

  "Are you coming inside or what?"

  My grandfather's deep voice rang inside my head. "Sorry, yes." I strolled into the house with another sweep of our surroundings, noticing the black cat hadn't strayed far and was hiding behind a rose bush.

  "He will come around."

  "Don't you lie to that cat."

  I rolled my eyes, stepping over the threshold as he held the door open, soon after closing it shut behind him.

  Hardwood floors graced an open space. Vintage furnishings lined the living room area, the walls covered in tan paint. The open ceiling had rafters exposed.

  My stomach rumbled loudly, tangling with the nervousness swirling within.

  My grandfather took that as a cue and went rummaging through the cabinets and refrigerator with a flashlight looking for food. Looking around told me this house hadn't been vacant for long. There was barely any dust. Their pictures still lined the walls, and their belongings were scattered randomly around the house, signifying they were in a hurry to escape the Shifter Elite's wrath. Hopefully, they were successful, considering the house was still standing. The world fell apart after the truth about shifters came out. The president checked out, leaving America to fend for themselves. I didn't believe all shifters were evil or dangerous, but the commander of the Shifter Elite played on fear, turning them into our worst nightmare.

  Society had fallen, and we were doing our best to survive.

  I pulled out some candles, lit them, and placed them all around the house.

  "Yes," my grandfather cheered. He was holding up a box of grits and a packet of bacon.

  "The Shifter Elite can suck it. We are still having our Sunday breakfast." Looking out the window, the sun was now setting over the horizon. “Well, breakfast for dinner.”

  "That's the spirit." My grandfather's wholehearted laugh soothed me like a lullaby. As long as we were together, I knew we would get through this.

  "I'll cook the bacon. You heat the grits."

  "You got it, Pop." I found a large saucepan in one of the cabinets and placed it on the stove. I was fortunate enough to find some chicken broth and whipping cream and added them together in the pan, bringing it to a boil after adding in the grits. Once the grits were creamy, I mixed in some salt, pepper, and shredded cheese. Sunday breakfast was a family tradition of ours. In the world we lived in presently, the little things meant everything, a keepsake from the lives we once had. Those little things were what kept us going. They made us not want to give up, even when we had felt there was no hope left.

  The savory smell of bacon lingered around us as he piled the crispy strips onto a porcelain plate and set it in the middle of the table. I scooped the grits into two large square bowls garnishing them with a sprinkle of more cheese and chopped green onions. I placed a bowl and spoon in front of him, and he nodded in approval, serving himself a generous spoonful after crumpling some bacon on top.

  I did the same.

  "Mmm...just like your nan used to make. Delicious, Rayah."

  The mention of Nan stung my heart. Memories I didn't want to remember crept up on me like a stalker in the night. I wanted all of this to be just a nightmare, but it was our reality. She was gone. My parents too.

  It was just us.

  Scraping on the front door told me that was a lie. "Meow!"

  "Oh, kitty is hungry too." I got up from my chair and strolled toward the door.

  "Don't let satan's spawn back in here," he called over his shoulder.

  Bullets pierced through the mahogany wood, sending my grandfather and me to the ground. How on Earth did they find us so fast!

  “Move,” my grandfather said as he nodded toward the back door. Kneeling, he adjusted his rifle strap over his shoulder as he swung his satchel over the other.

  Another spray of bullets entered the house, and we army crawled toward the back door. My heart was galloping a mile a minute, the fear of being caught or killed crippling my lungs. We had been hiding from the Shifter Elite for over a week now. Since they began wreaking havoc on our military town in Wolfe's Bluff, Colorado—first killing our family, our neighbors, and friends. Then when they were gone, they killed anyone who stood against them. For whatever reason, they had taken a particular interest in me, and we weren’t sticking around long enough to find out why.

  We were planning to get the hell out of Dodge. Only they had caught up to us sooner than we had hoped.

  Slowly, my grandfather opened the back door and pulled his trusty ol' mirror from his pouch. He angled it outside the door to get a better visual.

  "When I tell you to run. You run and don't look back," he whispered, worry marring his face.

  "But we—"

  "Don't argue with me, Rayah. Your old man gots this." He offered one of those forced smiles meant to conceal disdain.

  "Okay." I blinked to force back the tears and swallowed my words of protest down.

  "That's my girl." He winked and signaled me to go.

  I couldn't leave, though, without throwing my arms around his neck with a tight squeeze. "I love you, Pop."

&nbs
p; "I love you, Rayah. Now. Go." He opened the door wider.

  Without a backward glance, and my shotgun in hand, I stepped out behind my grandfather as he twirled his gun around, smashing a Shifter Elite soldier in the face with the butt of his rifle while pulling the trigger and shooting another in the face that was sneaking up behind us.

  I ran faster than I ever had in my life into the shield of the forest, the burn spreading up my legs. More gunshots rang out, but I didn't stop because he told me not to. So, I continued to run deeper into the forest, the branches snapping underneath my boots. My chest muscles tightened, squeezing my lungs as I breathed in air tainted with smoke.

  A black blur invaded my peripheral, and I jarred left with a gasp. Feeling my shoulders sagging under the weight of the shotgun, I staggered around a smaller tree but was tugged backward when my sleeve got stuck on a branch. A bullet sailed past my eyes. Shit! I struggled with my sleeve for half a second before telling myself my grandfather would forgive me for leaving behind his favorite flannel sweater. "Sorry, Pop." I wiggled free.

  Perfect timing. Another bullet zipped past me, piercing the center of the tree in front of me. My heart stammered against my sternum as I continued down a different path, sensing the Shifter Elite closing in on me. The Limestone outerwalls of Mountain Bluff’s zoo came into view up ahead. And although my legs felt they were going to go limp on me any second, I had to keep pushing, my grandfather's voice shouting in my head. "You got this, Rayah."

  There was no way I was going to let him down. Not now. Not ever.

  So with a deep breath, I pushed myself to the limit.