Untethered (Shifter Night Book 1)

by Charlene Hartnady

  Winston nodded. “I can think of nothing better, mate … soon-to-be mother of my child.” He grinned.

  “I love the sound of that, and I love you.” She sank onto him.

  Winston kissed his female, trying hard to concentrate on bringing her pleasure instead of the terrible possibilities that ran through his mind. Each one worse than the last.

  Ash’s story - Unbound - is out on pre-order now

  About the Author

  This is the first in a three book series, so I won’t leave you hanging for too long. Hope you enjoyed it.

  This book would not have been possible without the assistance of my editors and beta readers. Thank you KR, Bridgette Aisha and Enid.

  Also, a big thank you to my ARC readers for your invaluable input and support. Especially those of you that review my books every time without fail.

  Last but not least, I would like to say thank you to my readers. You make everything possible. Thank you to those of you that take the time to write to me or message me. I appreciate it more than you know.

  If you want to be kept updated on new releases please sign up to my Latest Release Newsletter to ensure that you don’t miss out http://mad.ly/signups/96708/join. I promise not to spam you or divulge your email address to a third party. I send my mailing list an exclusive sneak peek prior to release as well as info on sales and freebies. All new sign-ups will receive a free novella - One Night with a Shifter.

  I live on an acre in the country with my gorgeous husband and three sons and an array of pets. You can usually find me on the computer, completely lost in worlds of my making. I believe that it is the small things that truly matter like that feeling you get when you start a new book or a particularly beautiful sunset.

  Liked the book?

  Please take a moment or two to leave a review

  I would love to hear from you so please feel free to look me up:

  www.charlenehartnady.com

  charlene.hartnady@gmail.com

  Also by Charlene Hartnady

  The Chosen Series:

  1# Chosen by the Vampire Kings

  2# Stolen by the Alpha Wolf

  3# Unlikely Mates

  4# Awakened by the Vampire Prince

  5#Mated to the Vampire Kings (Short Novel)

  6#Wolf Whisperer (Novella)

  7#Wanted by the Elven King

  The Program Series (Vampire Novels):

  Book 1: A Mate for York

  Book 2: A Mate for Gideon

  Book 3: A Mate for Lazarus

  Book 4: A Mate for Griffin

  Book 5: A Mate for Lance

  Book 6: A Mate for Kai

  Book 7: A Mate for Titan

  The Bride Hunt Series (Dragon Shifter Novels):

  Book 1: Royal Dragon

  Book 2: Water Dragon

  Book 3: Dragon King

  Book 4: Lightning Dragon

  Book 5: Forbidden Dragon

  Book 6: Dragon Prince

  Demon Chaser Series: (No cliffhangers)

  Book 1 Omega

  Book 2 Alpha

  Book 3 Hybrid

  Book 4 Skin

  Demon Chaser Boxed Set Book 1-3

  Excerpt

  The Program Series: Book 1

  A Mate for York

  Chapter 1

  Cassidy’s hands were clammy and shaking. She had just retyped the same thing three times. At this rate, she would have to work even later than normal to get everything completed. She sighed heavily.

  Pull yourself together.

  With shaking hands, she grabbed her purse from the floor next to her and pulled out the folded up newspaper article.

  Have you ever wanted to date a vampire?

  Human women required. Must be enthusiastic about interactions with vampires. Must be willing to undergo a stringent medical exam. Must be prepared to sign a contractual agreement, which would include a non-disclosure clause. This will be a temporary position. Limited spaces available within the program. Successful candidates can earn up to $45,000 per day over a three day period.

  All she needed was three days leave.

  Cassidy wasn’t sure whether her hands were shaking because she had to ask for the leave and her boss was a total douchebag or because the thought of vampires drinking her blood wasn’t exactly a welcome one.

  More than likely, it was a combination of both.

  This was a major opportunity for her though. She had already been accepted into the trial phase of the program the vampires were running. What was three days in her life? So there was a little risk involved. Okay, a lot of risk, but it would all be worth it in the end. She was drowning in debt and stuck in a dead-end job in this godforsaken town. This was her chance, her golden opportunity, and she planned on seizing it with both hands.

  To remind herself what she was working toward, or at least running away from, she let her eyes roam around her cluttered desk. There were several piles of documents needing to be filed, and a stack of orders lay next to her cranky old laptop. Hopefully it wouldn’t freeze on her this time while she was uploading them into the system.

  There used to be two of them performing her job, but it had been months since Sarah had left, and she was never replaced, so it was just Cassidy. She found herself coming to work way earlier and staying later just to get the job done.

  To add insult to injury, there were many days when her a-hole boss still had the audacity to come down on her for not meeting a deadline. He refused to listen to reason and would not accept being understaffed as an excuse. She’d never been one to shy away from hard work, but the expectations were ridiculous. Her only saving grace was that she didn’t have much of a life.

  There had to be something more out there for her, and a hundred and thirty-five thousand big ones would not only pay off her debts but would also give her enough cash to go out and find one—a life that is, and a damned good life it would be.

  Cassidy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. If she asked really nicely, hopefully Mark would give her a couple of days off. She couldn’t remember the last time she had taken leave. Then it dawned on her; she’d taken three days after Sean had died a year ago. Her boss couldn’t say no though. If he did, she wasn’t beyond begging.

  Rising to her feet, she made for the closed door at the other end of her office. After knocking twice, she entered.

  The lazy-ass was spread out on the corner sofa with his hands crossed behind his head. He didn’t look in the least bit embarrassed about her finding him like that either.

  “Cassidy.” He put on a big, cheesy smile as he rose to a sitting position. The button on his jacket pulled tight around his paunchy midsection. He didn’t move much and ate big greasy lunches, so it wasn’t surprising. “Come on in. Take a seat.” He gestured to a spot next to him on the sofa.

  That would be the day. Her boss could get a bit touchy-feely. Thankfully, it had never gone beyond a pat on the butt, a hand on her shoulder, or just a general invasion of her personal space. It put her on edge, though, because it was becoming worse as of late. The sexual innuendos were also becoming highly irritating. She pretended they went over her head, but he was becoming more forward as time went by.

  By the way his eyes moved down her body, she could tell he was most definitely mentally undressing her. Oh God. That meant he was in one of his grabby moods. Damn. She preferred it when he was acting like a total jerk; that was easier to deal with.

  “No, that’s fine. Thank you.” She worked hard to plaster a smile on her face. “I don’t want to take up much of your time, and I have to get back to work myself.”

  His eyes narrowed for a second before dropping to her breasts. “You could do with a little break every now and then… So could I, for that matter.” Even though she knew he couldn’t see anything of her curves because of her baggy jacket, his eyes stayed glued to her boobs anyway. Why did she get the distinct impression he was no longer talking about work? Argh!

  “How long has your husband been gon
e now?” he asked, his gaze still locked on her chest. The impulse to fold her arms across her chest gripped her, but she resisted the temptation.

  None of your damned business.

  “It’s been a year now since Sean passed.” She tried hard to look sad and in mourning. When the truth was, if the bastard wasn’t already dead, she would’ve killed him herself. Turned out there were things about Sean she hadn’t known. In fact, it was safe to say she’d been living with and married to a total stranger. Funny how those things tended to come out when a person died.

  Her boss didn’t need to know this information though. So far, playing the mourning wife was the only thing that kept him from pursuing her further.

  “What can I do for you?” His eyes slid down to the juncture at her thighs, and again she had to fight the urge to squeeze them tightly together. Even though it was damn near scorching temperatures outside, she still wore stockings, a calf-length skirt, a button-up blouse, and a jacket. Nothing was revealing, and yet he still looked at her like she was standing there naked. It made her skin crawl. “I would be happy to oblige you. Just say the word, baby.”

  She hated when he called her that. He started doing it a couple of weeks ago. Cassidy had asked him on several occasions to stop, but she may as well have been speaking to a plank of wood.

  She grit her teeth for a second, holding back a retort. “Great. Glad to hear it.” Her voice sounded way more confident than what she felt. “I need a couple of days off. It’s been a really long time—”

  “Forget it,” he interrupted while standing up. “I need you... here.” Another innuendo. Although she waited, he didn’t give any further explanations.

  “Look, I know there is a lot to do around here, especially since Sarah left.” His eyes clouded over immediately at the mention of her ex-colleague’s name. “I would be happy to put in extra time.”

  As in, she wouldn’t sleep and would have to work weekends to get the job done.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes. I just really need a couple of days… It’s important.”

  His eyes lit up, and she realized what she had just said and how it would’ve sounded to a complete pig like Mark.

  “Anything?” He rolled the word off his tongue.

  “Well…” It came out sounding breathless, but only because she was nervous. “Not anything. What I meant to say was—”

  “No, no. I like that you would do anything; in fact, there is something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.” His gaze dropped to her breasts again.

  Please no. Anything but that.

  Cassidy swallowed hard, actually feeling sick to her stomach. She shook her head.

  “You can have a few days, baby. In fact, I’ll hire you an assistant.” Ironically, he played with the wedding band on his ring finger. His voice had turned sickly sweet. “I’d be willing to go a long way for you if you only met me halfway. It’s time you got over the loss of your husband, and I plan on helping you to do that.”

  “Um… I don’t think…” Her voice was soft and shaky. Her hands shook, so she folded her arms.

  This was not happening.

  “Look, Cass… baby, you’re an okay-looking woman. Not normally the type I’d go for. I prefer them a bit younger, bigger tits, tighter ass…” He looked her up and down as if he were sizing her up and finding her lacking. “I’d be willing to give you a go… help you out. Now… baby…” He paused.

  The air seized in her lungs, and her heart stopped beating for that matter. Her mouth gaped open, but she couldn’t close it. She made a croaking noise but couldn’t seem to actually talk.

  She watched in horror as her boss yanked down his zipper and pulled out a wrinkled, flaccid cock. “Suck on this, or you could bend over and I’ll fuck you… The choice is yours. I would recommend the fuck because, quite frankly, I think you could use it.” He was dead serious. He even gave a small nod like he was doing her a favor or something.

  To the delight of her oxygen-starved lungs, she managed to suck in a deep breath but still couldn’t get any words out. Not a single, solitary syllable.

  “I understand you’ve had to play the part of the devastated wife and all that, but I know you really want a bit of this.” He waved his cock at her, although wave was not the right description. The problem was that a limp dick couldn’t really wave. It flopped about pathetically in his hand.

  Cassidy looked from his tiny dick up to his ruddy, pasty face and back down again before bursting out laughing. It was the kind of laugh that had her bending at the knees, hunching over. Sucking in another lungful of air, she gave it all she had, unable to stop even if she wanted to. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she was gasping for breath.

  “Hey now…” Mark started to look distinctly uncomfortable. “That’s not really the sort of response I expected from you.” He didn’t look so sure anymore, even started to put his dick away before his eyes hardened up.

  Cassidy was wiping the tears from her face. She still couldn’t believe what the hell she was seeing, and even worse, what she was hearing. What a complete asshole.

  Her boss took a step toward her. “The time for games is over. Get down on your knees if you want to keep your job. I’m your boss and your behavior is just plain rude.”

  Any hint of humor evaporated in an instant. “I’ll tell you what’s rude. You taking out your thing is rude. You’re right, you’re my boss, which means what is happening right here”—she gestured between the two of them, looking pointedly at his member— “is called sexual harassment.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “Damn fucking straight, little missy. I want you to sexually harass this right now.” He clutched his penis, flopping it around some more.

  “Alrighty then. Let me just go and fetch my purse.” She grinned at him, putting every little bit of sarcasm she had into the smile.

  “Why would you need your purse?” He frowned.

  “To get my magnifying glass. You have just about the smallest dick I’ve ever seen.” Not that she had seen many, but she didn’t think she needed to. His penis was a joke.

  It was his turn to gape. To turn a darker shade of bright red. “You didn’t just say that. I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. This is your last fucking chance.” Spittle flew from his mouth. “Show me your tits and get onto your fucking knees. Make me fucking come and do it now, or you are out of a job.”

  “You can pretend all you want. As far as I’m concerned, you can pretend I’m sucking on your limp dick as well, because it will never happen. You can take your job and your tiny penis and shove ‘em where the sun don’t shine.” Cassidy almost wanted to slap a hand over her mouth; she couldn’t believe she had just said all of that. One thing was for sure, she was done taking shit from men. Done!

  She gave him a disgusted look, turned on her heel, and walked out. After grabbing her purse, she left without looking back, praying her old faithful would start. Her car hadn’t been serviced since before her husband had died, and it wasn’t sounding right lately. The gearbox grated sometimes when she changed gears. There was a rattling noise. She just didn’t have the funds to get it checked out. That was all about to change though. She hadn’t exactly planned on leaving her job just yet. What if things didn’t work out? She’d planned on keeping her job as a safety net instead of counting chickens she didn’t have. It was too late to go back now.

  Despite her lack of a backup plan, Cassidy grinned as her car started with a rattle and a splutter. She grinned even wider as she pulled away, hearing the gravel crunch beneath her tires. Now all she had to do was get through the next few days and she was home free.

  Chapter 2

  York watched from the sidelines as Lazarus punched the other male repeatedly in the face until he fell to the ground unconscious. His friend raised his bloody fists into the air and roared triumphantly.

  “Aren’t you glad you don’t need to get involved in all of this?” Brant sounded bored as he waved a hand in the direction of the fighting mal
es. Most of the elite guard were assembled together to fight for an opportunity to be included in the breeding program.

  The whole place reeked of testosterone, adrenaline, and blood. Didn’t get much better.

  York couldn’t understand how some of the males had decided not to be included. Who wouldn’t want a mate and a chance at offspring? It was highly unfortunate that most of the vampire females were unable to birth young. It was, therefore, necessary that such a program existed.

  A human female.

  His heart rate increased and everything in him tightened. What a prize. He’d always dreamed of an opportunity such as this, and he could not wait until it became a reality.

  Something was bothering him though. York turned to face Brant. “There is something I have been meaning to discuss with you, my lord.”

  His king turned dark eyes on him. “Yes? Have you changed your mind about a place in the dating program?”

  He shook his head. “Never,” he growled. “I thought it was called the breeding program.” He felt himself frown.

  “I’m glad to hear it. My public relations team has recommended we change the name to ‘dating program.’” He pulled a face. “Humans are such timid creatures. We are all driven to mate and procreate. Breeding program is a truthful and apt description.” He sighed loudly. “Due to the bad press and fear the word ‘breeding’ evokes in humans, we have relabeled it the dating program, or the program for short.” His eyes darkened. “If you still want to be a part of the program, then what is it that you want to talk to me about?” Brant looked mildly interested.

  The sound of meaty thuds and grunts drew York’s attention back to the fighting males. It seemed that one of the younger of the elite, Griffin, was a real contender and might just garner himself a place in the program. He had always enjoyed the lighthearted nature of the younger male and hoped he did, in fact, make the top ten. It was certainly entertaining watching how he exchanged blows and gracefully avoided being hit.