20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  Ignoring the pain, Agnes forced herself to sit up and drew him into her arms. He lay his head on her shoulder and held her close. His heart beat pounded next to hers. She stroked his hair.

  “Mother didn’t send for me even after he died. Now, she’s dead, too.”

  His voice was barely a whisper.

  Anger cruised through Agnes at his mother for being so selfish. She wasn’t sorry that the Kamtrinians had killed her. His mother might not have loved Anonghos’s father, but Anonghos was her son. She kissed his wet cheek. “I’m here. And I won’t leave you.”

  He took a deep breath and slowly released her. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No. It seems every time I touch you or kiss you, the pain lessens.”

  “Mates have the power to heal each other. Not necessarily cure, but heal faster.”

  “Well, you’re doing a great job.”

  He smiled.

  “So, you pushed women away after this, didn’t you?”

  “Yup. I just liked them to warm my bed. I never wanted to be mated.”

  “Why did you agree to mate with me?”

  “Didn’t have a choice. The Fates, our goddesses, had other plans. I said no, but King Greum ordered me, too. You don’t say no to the king unless you want to die a horrible death.”

  “Smart king.”

  The door opened and Tryker came inside pushing Frank in a wheelchair. Dark circles were underneath his eyes, but his color was better and his eyes brighter.

  “Frank!” Anges smiled.

  “Hello, sis. You’re looking a hundred percent better.”

  “So, are you. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got hit by a Mack Truck, but Tryker says I’m healing.” A glint showed in his eyes. He gripped the arms of the wheelchair and stood. He tilted his head. “Thanks to him, I’ll be walking soon.”

  “He’s been trying to walk everyday until he’s bone tired,” Tryker said. “He’s a man of steel.”

  “Of course, he is. He’s a Malloy, and my hero.”

  Tryker wheeled Frank over to the other side of her bed. Frank leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  “You scared ten years off me, sis. I’m glad you’re on the up and up.”

  “He’s been visiting you everyday,” Anonghos said. “Tryker had to force him to leave.”

  Anges swelled with love. Her brother cared. He’d proven it to her. “I never thanked you for saving my life.”

  “And I hear you went to hell and back to save me. I guess we’re even.” He sighed and looked around the room. “I wanted to apologize to you for giving you a hard time about your ability. Without it, we would have been in a world of hurt down there. Do you forgive me?”

  She’d waited a lifetime to hear those words, gone over what she’d say, how she’d ball him out, but all she could do through the tears brimming in her eyes was utter yes.

  She wiped her eyes. “Okay, I think I’m done crying for one day.” She took a deep breath, looking at the two men who meant more to her than anything. She asked in her best cop voice, “I know this is a dumb question, but are we on Earth or in space?”

  “Earth,” Tryker answered. “Our ships are still invisible, and the captain ordered us not to move you or Frank until you were completely healed.”

  “I think he’s worried that if the space medicine didn’t work”––Frank smirked––“that they would need to rush us to a hospital.”

  Her stomach let a rumbling roar. The three men looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  “Would you like something to eat, mate?” Anonghos asked.

  “Obviously. Can I get a cheeseburger and fries?”

  “Definitely, my sister,” Frank quipped.

  “Of course, you can.” Anonghos kissed her forehead. “I’ll get you anything you want. You’re my mate.”

  Two months later

  Agnes snuggled next to Anonghos, listening to his heartbeat. Her body still tingled from their love-making. He snored softly next to her. She never wanted to leave his side. It had been difficult to say good-bye to Frank, who had returned to the FBI. He was a different man, more open minded, and aware that humans weren’t the only ones in the universe. He’d be an excellent ally for the Zalarians.

  The one who drew the death stick had been Kathy. She was devastated over her sister’s death and blamed herself. No matter what she or Anonghos or Frank had told her, she said the death was her fault. If she’d believed… If she hadn’t gone out for Starbucks… Lisa would have been alive. Kathy was wrong. If she’d been with her sister, she’d be dead, too.

  Agnes sighed, knowing she was helpless in changing Kathy’s mind. She wished she could be there for Kathy, but her place was with Anonghos. He’d promised that she could visit Frank and Kathy whenever she wanted. She’d hold him to that. But as far as she could tell, her mate would deny her nothing.

  She drew on his chest with her finger.

  “You keep doing that, and I’m liable to take you again, mate,” he mumbled.

  She looked up into his hooded eyes. “Promises, promises…”

  “You’re such a tease.”

  “I know. But we’re a team.”

  “I don’t know what the captain was thinking putting you on my team.” He shook his head. “You could get killed.”

  “He knows a good cop when he sees one. He was impressed with what I did on Earth.”

  “Such a stubborn wench.”

  He rolled on top of her and kissed her hard. He moved his hands all over her body, caressing her breasts. His thumbs brushed over her nipples, igniting a fire. She caressed his back, his muscles rippling underneath her fingers.

  He left her hungry mouth and trailed kisses along her throat. He slowly edged down her body, kissing and suckling as he went until he captured a nipple. She gasped and threaded her fingers in his hair. He stroked the curls between her legs, teasing her with his strong fingers.

  Another wave of passion built inside her. She wiggled beneath him as he brought her pleasure. She spread her legs, wanting to feel him pumping inside her.

  He released her nipple, lifted himself up, and in one swift thrust, filled her with his cock. She gripped his shoulders as he rode her hard, stealing her breath and rushing her toward another orgasm. Her heart thundered, sending blood roaring through her, pooling between her legs. She met his rocking thrust each time, skin against skin, heat stirring heat.

  She dug her nails into his shoulders, as the furious orgasm built inside her. She inhaled his fiery breath. Her dragon demanded to be satisfied, and she locked her legs around his hips, imprisoning him. Her orgasm burst through, sending her on a mountain high. She screamed out his name.

  He pounded harder then followed, spilling his seed inside her. He collapsed, panting. “I’ll never get tired of hearing you scream out my name.”

  She kissed his hot lips and broke away. “I’ll never get tired of saying it. I love you.”

  He stared at her with possessive eyes. “And I you. You’ve unhinged the nightmares inside me and killed the madness. With you by my side, we can rebuild my world.”

  She put her palms on his sleek cheeks. “And protect mine.” She caressed his buttocks with the back of her leg. “Claim me one more time.”

  He ran his hand down her side. “Never satisfied.”

  Shivers of desire pumped through her. “Not with you I’m not.”

  Anonghos claimed her again and again, leaving her little doubt that she’d captured the heart of a dragon.

  BITE ME

  Dragons Love Curves Book Three

  Aidy Award

  Coffee Break Publishing or Hello Emma

  DENVER, COLORADO

  Copyright © 2018 by Aidy Award.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of bri
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  Aidy Award/Coffee Break Publishing

  www.coffeebreakpublishing.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Layout ©2017 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Bite Me/ Aidy Award. -- 1st ed.

  Created with Vellum

  She’s stolen a soul, and his heart.

  Ky Puru is the best chance anyone has to get the soul of the Golden Dragon Wyvern back. Nothing will stand in his way - not demons, not witches, not even the king of hell himself. There’s only one problem. Jada, the thief, is a succubus...and his true mate.

  For Diana, my very best Kiwi

  E tama, te uaua ana

  E tama, te mārō

  Roa ina hoki ra

  Te tohe o te uaua na

  E tāu nei.

  Āna! Āna! Āna! Aue... Hī!

  So son, although it may be difficult for you

  and son, although it seems to be unyielding

  no matter how long you reflect on it

  the answer to the problem

  is here inside you.

  Indeed! Indeed! Indeed! Yes, indeed!

  ―The Maori Tika Tonu Haka

  Too Many Demons, Not Enough Donuts

  Too many demons in the kitchen spoils the soup. Or in this case donuts.

  A batch of carbtastic sugary bombs of deliciousness were sizzling away in the fryer, while Jada dreamed of all the decadent toppings she would put on them.

  Chocolate frosting, check.

  Maple cream, check.

  Rainbow sprinkles. Ew, gross.

  Toffee chunks. Yep.

  Caramel drizzle, double check.

  Some B positive, AB neg, or how about some good ole O universal? Hells to the no.

  That’s what Leon wanted. It was what he always wanted. But, not only for himself. For her too.

  Why was her father here in the kitchen of the summer rental harassing her anyway? He didn’t even like sugar, or cooking, or kitchens. He didn’t like anything but sex and blood.

  The scent of vanilla and cinnamon wafted through the air and smelled almost as good as the humans Jada knew were waiting in the great room.

  The rest of her coven were already playing with their prey. Seducing and taunting, testing and tasting, picking out the right one to satisfy their darkest urges.

  The men and women Leon had lured to the ocean-side mansion were wanting and willing. A night of sexual carousing with the most sensual summer residents of the Cape was enough to tempt any unsuspecting human to their doom. That and Leon’s hypnotic Incubus allure.

  Jada could smell their growing arousal already. It’s dark, rich, deliciousness sang to her core. Her heart jumped, racing to catch up with the others, a pulsing beat pushed between her legs, her mouth watered.

  She wanted to sink her teeth into… a donut. Pure chocolate glaze running down her throat, hot and sweet. She’d take the sugar high over blood lust all day, every day, twice on Sundays.

  It was the little lies she told herself that got her through the days and long, long nights.

  “Jada, why do you waste your time on these human treats when there are so many delicious humans to be our treats?”

  God damn it. A few more minutes and the most perfect batch of her yumtastic feast would be ready. “Go away, Leon.”

  He propped himself against the kitchen island and crossed his arms. “Now, now, is that any way to talk to your maker?”

  As if he cared how she talked to him. He only cared that her absence from the nightly orgies were sowing discontent among the coven.

  He could take his fatherly disapproval and shove it up his donut hole.

  “I’m not going to your Bacchanalia. Not tonight, not ever again. I’m done with human blood.”

  “Yes, yes. You say that every few years.” He cracked his knuckles one by one. “And are you done with the pleasures their flesh brings you too?”

  Sex.

  She’d had enough of it to last most succubus a lifetime, or two, and she was only half demon. But, she wanted more, all the time. That was going to be a hell of a lot harder to give up than the blood.

  The kitchen timer dinged, and Jada ignored Leon’s question in favor of flipping over each of the half dozen beautifully browning cake donuts. One by one, she revealed their perfectly fried underbellies, that as soon as they cooled, she would smother in rich chocolate ganache and sprinkle with chocolate chip cookie crumbles.

  Three of those and a glass of milk to dunk them in were better than sex.

  Almost.

  “You can ignore me, fruit of my loins, but you cannot deny your true nature.”

  “Ehhhh.” She made a sound like the buzzer in an Q&A game. “I can, and I will. Thanks for playing. Bu-bye now.”

  She flipped him the bird and turned to open the refrigerator. He was getting to her and he knew it.

  So what if she’d tried to give up human blood before? This time she had a better plan.

  Replace sex with food. Replace blood with… well she hadn’t figured that part out yet.

  No way she was waiting long enough to glaze the donuts. The chocolate milk would have to cool them off. She’d risk burning her tongue, the roof of her mouth, and her esophagus.

  “If you won’t come to my little party, I’ll simply have to bring it to you.”

  The bastard wouldn’t.

  She ripped open the fridge door and accidentally crushed the carton of milk in her fist.

  “Come in, young man. I want you to meet my daughter.”

  Oh, god. Leon’s allure had every spark of arousal firing out of this victim. It all wrapped around her and slipped into her mouth and nose. The prey was horny and hard already.

  That pulsing between her legs picked up a new faster, deeper rhythm. A shiver snaked across her chest and shoulders.

  She was not beneath licking chocolate milk off her arm. Anything to quash the mouthwatering scent of the human man standing behind her.

  “Let me help you with that, luscious vampire mistress.” The guy’s deep voice seeped into her ears. He took her wrist in his hand and pulled it back, raising it to his mouth. The second his lips touched her, a zing of pure need rushed through Jada, hitting her right behind the heart. Her fangs extended, ready to taste his pleasure.

  Pleasure and pain. What this guy offered her was both.

  She wanted him, she needed him. Even more than sugar, sweets, or even breathing. He would take her body, not understanding that she was taking his. The sex would be phenomenal, and then he would die.

  Because, Jada couldn’t control herself. She would make him come, sucking up his sexual energy and then she’d drink his blood until there was only a husk of the man left.

  He would taste better than Dunkin, Krispy, Horton’s, and Voodoo combined. The essence of his life would re-energize her, renew her, make her whole again.

  Jada was so, so empty.

  She’d tried for weeks to fill the gaping black hole inside of her with every comfort food the restaurants on the Cape could deliver to her. She’d tried for years to ignore the wounds her very existence continually slashed on her soul.

  The only thing that came even close to the high sex and blood gave her was mounds of sugar.

  She understood how thousands of Americans were literally addicted to the stuff. It lit up all the right parts in the mortal half of her brain.

  Not like the aroused naked man licking his way up her arm.

  Maybe just one taste.

  She’d be able to stop this time.

>   Only a little blood. If she kept the emotions, the human part of her that came with sex, buried, she’d be able to control herself, only take what she needed, a little less.

  Jada let the guy kiss her shoulder, then her neck. His cock was pressed into her side, hard and ready for so much more.

  No, blood only. No sex. No emotion.

  It was the only way to control herself. Leon had been trying to teach her that for years.

  She turned in his arms and he pushed her up against the refrigerator. She didn’t even mind the handle in her back. It didn’t matter. Only the sexual energy pouring out of him and into her.

  It wasn’t enough. Not tonight. She wouldn’t allow it.

  “You vampires like it a little rough, don’t you?” He shoved her hands up over her head and bit at her neck, pretending to be something he wasn’t.

  Another foolish human, falling prey to the legend of the vampire, not understanding that the truth behind it.

  Thousands of years of demons. Exactly like her.

  The sting of his teeth and the way he sucked at her flesh was far from the violence she’d do to him. But, not before he got his rocks off. That made the blood, the energy, the kill so much sweeter.

  He would come long and hard when she bit him and took his blood.

  Jada shifted her hips and wrapped one leg around his waist. He was so ready to go that she didn’t even need her own hypnotic allure. He took her bait and began thrusting against her, dry humping her like he was made for it.

  How she wanted to strip her yoga pants off and shove his hands, his mouth, and his cock between her legs.

  She turned her head to the side and closed her eyes, pushing away any thought of her own pleasure. This had to be enough. This was the only way she could keep it together, keep him safe.

  A couple of deep breaths and she was able to open her eyes again. That was a mistake. It put Leon right into her line of sight. Disgusting.