20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Demelza Carlton

  Tempest darted as best she could to the back of the cargo bay, found one of the motorcycle covers and huddled down in the tiny space between the motorcycles and wall of the bay before throwing the cover over herself.

  When Jonas was satisfied that she was hidden, he and Cristin shifted into bats, then flew to the top corner before perching on top of the bikes. They folded their wings and tried to appear as small as possible, blending in with the darkness and the color of the motorcycles.

  Echolocation kicked in and Jonas heard movement outside. The opening doors creaked loudly.

  A beat went by before someone set foot in the cargo bay, their boots echoing loud against the hard metal floor. “I thought we had prisoners.”

  “Check the back, Warren. They have to be in there.”

  “Roger that, Prez.”

  Another MC? Those didn’t sound like the Sluagh of earlier. Their speech was too polished. Not moving a single muscle or hair, Jonas kept a steady eye on the Fae that entered the truck. Beefy, the size of him alone was enough to make most human men afraid.

  He scanned the area, pistol in one hand while he dragged a chain along the ground.

  He drew closer, one step at a time, searching, moving the bikes aside and peering into the space between them and the wall.

  “The fucking vampires can’t fit between the motorcycles and the goddamn wall, Warren. Check the back.”

  If he had a breath to hold, Jonas would have been doing it right now. Instead, he concentrated on keeping still as a crypt.

  Warren glanced over his shoulder. “Indu, fuck off.”

  Then Jonas watched the train wreck happen, cursing himself for not thinking that a brash woman like Tempest wouldn’t do something stupid.

  She bolted from her shelter and rushed the Fae, knocking him to the ground before landing two punches across the asshole’s jaw.

  He struggled beneath her but managed to catch her with his knee and hoist her off him, sending her flying toward the exit.

  She hit the metal and rolled off onto the ground before righting herself, staring back at Warren with fierce determination in her eyes.

  Warren charged her and knocked her down.

  Fuck. Jonas screeched and took flight, heading straight for the exit with Cristin following behind him. Both found freedom in flight until Jonas circled overhead and spotted Tempest getting back to her feet with the chain she’d stolen from Warren in hand. Swinging it in a circle over her head, she egged one of the other Fae into coming for her.

  Flying toward the closest one to Tempest, Jonas shifted, landed in vampire form and raged with the urge to tear out the Fae’s throat. He caught the Fae by his raised fist and yanked back, sending him spiraling to the ground before Jonas nailed him in the ribs with a boot.

  Cristin landed behind Tempest and crouched low, rushing another one of the biker Fae, slamming him into the bed of the truck.

  Jonas spun around and caught another fist in his hand. He forced the Fae’s hand into an unnatural position before shoving his foot in the Fae’s chest and kicking him back several feet.

  The Fae fell flat on his ass.

  Jonas leapt into the air, fangs bared and landed on the Fae. Shoving him down on the ground, Jonas sank his fangs into his opponent’s neck, tasting coppery, magically infused blood that sent a shot straight to his system.

  Magic spilled through him, spiraling his strength to a new high. It had been too long since he’d actually fed on something more powerful than a fucking brownie.

  Catching a fist in his side dislodged his fangs and tore flesh from his opponent while sending Jonas rolling to the side before he righted himself. His claws lengthened and he cracked his knuckles.

  Then he caught the horrified look on Tempest’s face when she saw him.

  His natural undead form wasn’t going to win any beauty contests, but he never imagined such a response from someone he half respected.

  That fear cost her when she took a shot to the back of the knee, sending her to the ground.

  Tempest rolled and flung the chain up, catching the Fae by the wrist and yanking back.

  He started to go down but extended his foot so he caught himself, then jerked back, flinging Tempest off balance and dragging her through the dirt.

  Jonas eyed his new attacker, waved a hand at him. “Come at me, bro. I’ll make your death quick.” The influx of Fae magic gave him more speed, healing his leg injury from earlier.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Cristin fend off two more biker Fae before returning his attention back to Tempest.

  His attacker swung.

  Jonas ducked and stepped forward, grabbing the bald Fae by the head and butting his skull against his hard enough that he heard a crack before he cut an elbow across the Fae’s jaw, sending him to the ground. Spotting the pistol out of the Fae’s cut, Jonas snatched it up and shot him in the thigh.

  The Fae yelled and gripped his thigh, writhing on the ground.

  “You big baby. You’ll heal in no time. Fucker.” Jonas shot him again in the other leg, getting the same results before focusing elsewhere.

  Approaching Tempest and her new dance partner slowly, Jonas took aim at her opponent.

  “Brother, behind her!”

  In the blink of an eye, Jonas spotted another Fae with a shotgun aimed at Tempest.

  Jonas corrected his aim and popped off a shot, catching the rifleman in the shoulder and sending him screaming to the ground before he heard the sound of a chain and more bones cracking.

  Looking up, he saw six Fae on the ground, moaning or bleeding.

  Tempest jerked the chain back from her attacker and spun it around until it coiled around her wrist. “Fuckers.” She looked up.

  Jonas checked the clip in the pistol, found a few remaining bullets and decided to hold on to the gun. He returned to his human form, noting the slight sense of ease settling over Tempest’s face.

  Cristin jogged up beside him. “Who were those guys?”

  “Not Sluagh.”

  “No. Not Sluagh. These Fae have markings.”

  “Cristin, roll one over, look at his cut.”

  Cristin knelt down, crudely rolled the closest Fae onto his stomach, gave him a kick in the ribs, and sighed. “Fucking Firebrand Fae Outlaw MC”

  “Great.”

  Looking at Jonas, Tempest gripped the edge of the chain dangling from her arm and stretched it taut. “What’s that mean?”

  “It means our rivals are finally making an appearance again, and we need to get this truck back on the road and clear the fuck out.”

  She shook her head vehemently. “Nuh uh. No way. If anything, I’m taking this truck and getting it back on track to deliver. The Queen is going to be pissed if it’s late. And it’s my ass on the line. I’d rather not die before…”

  “Yeah? How is she going to feel if the bikes never make it to her because you’re dead?”

  She backed up, held her hands up. “Whoa. This sounds like an MC struggle. Trucker business is my joint, not MC warfare.”

  “Don’t matter, darlin’. You’re in it now. These fools wake up, they’ve seen our faces and our cuts. Cristin,” he turned toward his brother, “Do you think you can fly back to the clubhouse from here? Warn the rest of the crew?”

  Cristin shrugged. “Depends. Where is here?”

  Both vampires looked around at the gravel and bushes before staring at each other, then at Tempest. “Well? You’re from here. Where are we, darlin’?”

  “First off,” she marched up to Jonas, poking him in the chest with her finger, “Quit calling me darlin’. I have a name. And next,” she looked around, then back at Jonas. “I haven’t the foggiest. The main road must be somewhere that way.” She pointed behind them. “But I need to get back on it and find my way back toward the other side of this land. You two can go—”

  Jonas caught her raised hand and yanked her to him, looking down at her. Her vanilla scent hit him in all the right places.

  Jerking
against him, she met his gaze with a fierce stare. Her mouth fell open.

  He couldn’t stop himself from moving, Cristin be damned.

  Tasting her mouth again, Jonas held her in his arms, feeling the difference in size between them. As feminine as she appeared, her body wasn’t soft in the right spots, but the places where she was showed him a heat he couldn’t imagine.

  After a second, she molded to his body, throwing her arms around his neck, and whimpering against his mouth.

  Nipping her lower lip, he tugged at her mouth before sliding his tongue inside her and caressing the small of her back.

  She whimpered again, moving against him, pressing her hips into his groin.

  He dragged a free hand up her shoulders and caught a fistful of hair before yanking her free of the kiss and biting her neck.

  She jerked against him, then froze.

  Jonas felt the movement but his primal nature kicked in and he didn’t want to stop. He placed his mouth over her flesh, swirling his tongue over her skin, tasting salt and something magical, almost as if her skin was the source of the vanilla he’d smelled earlier.

  She didn’t respond.

  Not a single movement.

  He blinked, the fog of arousal clearing with her nonresponse to his actions. Jonas let go of her and stepped back, catching her wide-eyed stare. “Something the matter? It’s just a kiss. It’s lust between us.”

  He looked harder into her eyes, saw intense fear and wished he could erase it.

  “What, babe?”

  Her mouth hung open, then she closed it, shook her head and broke from his hold. Spinning away, she marched toward the front of the semi.

  He stalked after her, leaving Cristin behind. “Get in the back. We’re not letting this go.”

  “I think you should rethink that, brother.”

  “Fuck off, Cristin.”

  She reached the door and yanked it open before setting one foot on the metal ledge and hoisting herself up.

  He caught her wrist and held tight.

  She glared at him, those sharp tri-color eyes a myriad of anger swirling among the other emotions present.

  “What?”

  “Blood sucker.”

  She jerked from him and climbed in the truck. Slamming the door, she adjusted herself and looked forward before starting the truck.

  The cargo doors banged shut. Jonas ran around to the passenger side. Yanking open the door, he climbed in and slammed the door closed before plopping his ass in the seat. “Shoot me and you’ll have not only a harder time getting out of here but one more body to clean up. That will add precious time to your trip.”

  She put the gun down, slammed a hand on the steering wheel. “Stay right the fuck where you are, then.” Her posture remained stiff as steel, eyes focused on the windshield and mirrors as she maneuvered the truck around the motorcycles and unconscious Fae before pulling it back onto the dirt road.

  “What’s the matter? I smelled your lust.”

  She didn’t respond, but jammed a hand on the gear shifter between them and put the truck in the proper gear before punching the accelerator. Looking up, she appeared to check her logs, then glanced at the GPS before returning her focus to the road.

  The truck jolted forward, rocking Jonas against his seat. He buckled his seatbelt. Again, with the undead and bit about cheating death, but he could still die if they wrecked and glass pierced his heart.

  Not that such a thing could happen with her hurried driving.

  Jonas studied her, watching her eyes move from gauge to gauge, back to the road, the mirrors, anywhere but at him.

  “You wanted me. I saved your ass. Reward for a job well done, I think.”

  Chapter 4

  She wanted to punch that cocky smile off his fanged face. He’d saved her ass and he did indeed smell her lust. It had been far too long since she’d bothered acknowledging her sexual Fae side, or even wanting to accept that she was a vampire that required blood to live.

  Not as much as he did, but she did drink from her fellow Fae on occasion.

  “Talk to me, Tempest.”

  His tone had softened. Great. “Feelings are for pussies.”

  “Hey now.” He shifted and angled his body toward her, keeping his back against the door. “Obviously I did something wrong. I apologize.”

  No, he didn’t do anything wrong except kiss her.

  She liked the kiss. It sparked something inside her, made her body tingle and it pulled at the energy animating the undead part of her.

  She didn’t understand how she could be part vampire and part Fae; that had never been explained to her.

  Her parents had been killed by vampires when she was too young. No, she wouldn’t age as fast as the regular Fae and her body was pretty indestructible compared to the average Fae. But the vampire side? She didn’t have a clue.

  She’d found out those lessons the hard way.

  When he’d kissed her, it felt possessive, making her feel vulnerable.

  She jerked the truck onto a better paved road and floored it, feeling the wheels grip the pavement while the truck sped down the road and the engine hummed louder, hoping that the sound would still her racing mind and take it from the kiss that threatened to rock her world.

  Keeping her eyes on the road, she felt his burning stare, heard the words he’d said. Even enjoyed the sound of his voice. And his lips?

  Oh Lord and Lady, the way he kissed her the first time was impressive, but this time would have been better, she knew it. It would have gone further toward easing some of her pent-up need.

  Until he’d freaked her when he put his mouth over her neck and brought about old fears that kept her from finding other vampires to even question about that side of her.

  The Fae hated the Undead.

  The Undead were scarce in these lands but she’d experienced their more carnal side when she drained an unwilling victim through sex and taking blood.

  The memory horrified her.

  She heard the snapping of fingers in the distance, knew Jonas was trying to signal her but she ignored him.

  She swore never to have anything to do with her vampire side.

  “If I grab that steering wheel—”

  “We’ll either jackknife or flip. That’ll not only ruin my precious cargo, but possibly kill us both.”

  “And Cristin.”

  “And Cristin.” She nodded. Eyes widened. “Wait, what? Is he still?” She looked back, saw the bunk empty. Had she blacked out so hard after waking from her fear that she missed the other vampire climbing in the cab?

  “He’s in the back with the motorcycles while we’re up here.”

  “I thought you fucking sent him back to your fucking clubhouse.”

  “Can’t go home when you don’t know which way that is. Besides, he had a better idea. Let’s see where this takes us.”

  “You’re going to betray your club and help me deliver these to their proper destination? I hardly believe that.”

  “Indeed, you would be correct.”

  “Then what are you planning?”

  He shrugged. “Don’t know. Going to keep it loose for now. Seize an opportunity. Besides, you’re spooked. It’s my fault. I want to know why.”

  Staring at her speedometer, then back at the road, she blinked and noted the sun cresting the horizon. “Fuck.”

  To her boring delight, he didn’t throw out an innuendo.

  Sleep’s need weighed on her and she couldn’t stop the yawn from coming. This was pathetic. She’d been paid for running long hauls throughout Faery for the last decade and had a damn fine handle on her abilities to stay awake, even when half of her blood cried out for slumber. Why wasn’t she able to mitigate that now?

  “You’re a distraction. You and your asshole pal need to be off this truck so I can do my job.”

  “Hey,” he lifted up his hands and tilted his head. “It’s not my fault you’re tired.”

  “No. It’s your fucking compulsion. Vampire c
ompulsion isn’t a natural state of sleep, is it? It’s like you drugged me.”

  He put a hand to his chest and feigned shame. “I would never drug anyone. For your information, darlin’, I don’t need to drug anyone.”

  “Then how come you sent me back to the truck stop and I passed out? Oh wait, because you fucking wanted to steal from me. Just like every other damn bloodsucking vampire, you’re a liar and a thief.”

  Jonas sighed, crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips together.

  He wouldn’t try anything, would he?

  “I was a thief as a human in the 1800s. I have never been a liar.”

  His dry, honest tone struck her by surprise. “You’re not as old as the ones I’ve dealt with.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I’m not. I’m not even the oldest in my club.”

  And they were also about the same age? Her curiosity peaked, she pressed further. “Who is…?”

  “Ah, I cannot tell you that. Club life is club life.”

  “Then why did you tell me why you were stealing the motorcycles?”

  “Because my reasons and club life are not mutual in this instance.”

  He sounded so sincere. Clearly, he wasn’t giving her all she wanted to know. Unable to escape the oncoming yawn, Tempest covered her mouth.

  “Look. You should let me drive.”

  “Fat chance. What’s to stop you from hijacking this truck and driving it all the way back to, where the fuck are you guys, anyway?”

  “Down south. And I won’t do that. Besides, you’re headed that way anyway. Once you get on the main road, you’ll be driving toward the clubhouse. Might as well take the free ride since none of us recognize this area. Besides, I’m sensing you either need to feed, or sleep.”

  “I won’t feed.” She covered her mouth again, trying to hide another yawn. Her eyes felt heavy.

  “I’m offering, Tempest.”

  The heat dripping in his voice tempted her but she shook her head. “No. Not on your life. But I cannot stop this truck. Not for you, not for any other reason unless I’m dead. In which case, I’d better be because the Queen will fucking kill me. Do you understand?”

  He nodded. “I do. But that’s the third time you’ve yawned in five minutes. Emotions carry energy too, even for the undead.”