“Ready?”
“Yes!”
Adam lowered his hands.
As if on cue, the crowd milling around the room all yelled, “Surprise!”
Tabby’s mouth dropped. She whirled around, taking it in. The two desks with handset telephones perched in the corner, a placard with each other names engraved on the front. The cabinet taking up one wall that would hold their weapons and supplies. And an oversized, old-fashioned red gumball machine with more gumballs than he could count.
He kept the decor simple. Mahogany desks with matching chairs. Wooden floors. Beige walls. He figured he could let Tabby put her own touch on the rest, but the gumball machine? That was his special addition just for her.
When Tabby spun back around, throwing herself into Adam’s arms, wrapping hers around his middle so tightly his breath caught, he knew that he did good.
She tilted her head back, her dark eyes gleaming in delight. “Is this what I think it is?”
He smiled down at her. The dimple seemed to pop all on its own. “Hey, if we’re going to make a go of being a kind of paranormal private investigation agency, I figured we could use a space of our own. And, before you ask, I even ponied up the big bucks. All of these windows are warded and treated. If we’re in here, the sun can’t get me. Since it’s on the other side of Grayson, it’s another place we can go if it’s too close to dawn.”
“You really hated breaking into that house, didn’t you?”
On a laugh, she loosened her hold, reaching up on her tip-toes so that she could plant a kiss on his lips. “Thank you, babe. I absolutely love it.” She waited a beat. “Love you, too.”
His heart warmed. It wasn’t long ago that Adam thought that the chill on his skin sunk all the way to his soul. But then Tabitha Winslow had walked into his life…
Who needed the damn sun when a blonde huntress was all the light he needed?
He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. “You can show me how much later. Now let’s go say hi to our guests. They’re all here to give our new agency the send-off it deserves.”
Tabby blinked, almost as if she had forgotten that there was a room full of other people.
“Oh. Right.” Pulling back, she snagged his hand, expertly avoiding his claws. “Come on.”
There were a few of Tabby’s former fellow slayers there, each one invited courtesy of Boone who arrived in all his spooky, doom-and-gloom glory. He smiled indulgently down at Tabby when she took her uncle on a tour through the place, learning it at the same time as she showed it off.
Adam hung back, letting them have a few moments together; he purposely avoided the other slayers, though he was secretly glad that Eddie hadn’t made the invite list. When he couldn’t stand being separated from Tabby any longer, he whisked her away from her uncle so that he could introduce her to Luis and Connie Diaz.
Not everyone had made it to the office before Adam and Tabby had. The door kept opening, new guests joining the get-together. The food Adam ordered for his guests showed up about half an hour after their arrival. Not much after that, a familiar couple came strolling into the room.
Tapping Tabby on the elbow, he got her attention. She was chatting companionably with Debbie, while keeping the boisterous Dayborn away from Boone. To Adam’s surprise, Debbie’s fangs seemed to lengthen when she spied the older slayer and he almost had to laugh.
Maybe there really was someone for everyone.
On that note, he walked with Tabby over to Maddox and Evangeline Wolfe.
“Eva. Wolfe. I didn’t think you guys would make it.”
The big brute shrugged, slinging his arm around his mate’s waist. For a human, Evangeline was tall—as tall as Adam, actually—but, dwarfed by Wolfe, she seemed so much smaller. Then again, that was probably because she’d lost the huge bump she’d sported the last time he’d seen her.
Tabby noticed, too. “Congratulations on the baby, you two. How is she?”
Eva’s face seemed to glow. “Wonderful. She’s simply wonderful.”
Adam couldn’t help himself. He glanced behind the mated pair, as if he expected to find a newborn hidden behind them somewhere. “Where is she?”
“Mad’s parents are having a little Grammy and Pop-Pop time,” she said, a teasing look on her face. From the way Wolfe rolled his eyes, Adam guessed the former Alpha couple of the Eastern Pack weren’t big fans of the names. On a husky laugh, she added, “Anyway, when we got the invitation, Sarah insisted that we get out of the house for a while without”—she turned into her mate, total adoration replacing the tease—“our new pup. We won’t be able to stay long, but we wanted to show our support. Adam… this is amazing.”
Wolfe grunted in agreement. He jerked his head at the desk closest to him. “That my brother’s?”
Adam followed his gesture. “Yeah, actually. Colt made them for us when I mentioned my idea. Said it was a mating gift, then told me he expected me to still take deliveries whenever we’re not out on a call. But that’s Pretty Boy for you. I’d expect no less from him.” Adam looked around. “Hey. You know, I don’t see him yet. I thought he was coming with Shea.”
A shadow fell over Wolfe’s weathered face. His golden eyes dimmed to a soft amber that seemed almost somber.
“Shea will be here,” Eva said, reaching a slender hand out to rub one of Maddox’s oversized biceps. “She said she wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m surprised she isn’t yet. Then again, we can’t all be as punctual as you.”
Adam could tell that Eva’s return to teasing had less to do with his hatred of being late, and everything to do with trying to settle her mate’s sour mood.
With another congratulations—even though he’d sent flowers to Wolf’s Creek when Colt gave him the news that she’d given birth—and a promise to catch up again soon, Adam whisked Tabby away, leaving the bonded pair alone together.
Tabby poked him in the side. “You know, now that I don’t have to worry about you having eyes for another chick, she’s not so bad.”
Adam froze, halfway toward greeting another guest. “What?”
“Evangeline Wolfe. I used to wonder if you were just settling for me because you couldn’t have her. Then I remembered I’m awesome and you’re lucky to have found me. And now,” Tabby said, lifting her hand to stroke the scars left from his claiming bite, “you’re stuck with me.”
He had to work hard to resist his sudden urge to lift her up, sneak her away from the party, and christen one of the other rooms of their new office.
Instead, he allowed his fangs to lengthen.
One of the best things about not having to worry about any accidental blood exchanges any longer was that he’d finally learned how to make his bite pleasurable for her. A little nip and sip was foreplay to them now. As he scented the heat pooling between her legs, watching the lust flare in her eyes, Adam nearly said fuck it after all.
“A blood-bonding is for life,” he told her. “Now that I’ve claimed you, your life is tied to mine. For as long as I keep my head on my shoulders and my ass out of the sun, you’re stuck with me, too.”
She patted his chest. “Then it’s a good thing you’ve got me around to keep an eye on the sun for you, eh, champ?”
It would be rude to run out of the party this soon. That didn’t stop him from lowering his head and, forever mindful of his fangs, kissing his slayer with all the promise of what he was going to do with her once he got her back in their basement.
She threw her hands around his neck, nearly knocking his sunglasses off of his nose as she eagerly kissed him back.
Because that was Tabby. Whatever he offered, she gave him back tenfold.
Adam didn’t know what he did to deserve a betrothed like her—a mate like her—but he was fucking grateful for it all the same.
And that’s when he heard the soft clearing of a throat behind him, followed by a sigh and a familiar voice saying, “We can wait a second, Hud. They’re obviously busy.”
Almost reluctantl
y, Adam ended the kiss before turning to look at the Moonshadow siblings. With the same olive-colored skin, thick, black curls, and pretty faces, apart from their gender, the biggest difference between Hudson and Shea were their eyes. Shea proudly wore her purple witch’s eyes while Hudson, a witch with no powers, had eyes almost as dark a brown as Tabby.
Hudson grinned “Officer… I mean, private investigator.”
Adam stuck out his hand. “I told you before. Adam is fine.”
Hudson took his hand and the two men shook. Then, because Colt was still strangely missing, Adam dared to give Shea a friendly squeeze. He looped his arm over her shoulder, an almost-half hug that wouldn’t leave too much of his scent on her, and squeezed lightly.
Shea turned into it, returning the embrace with more force than he’d expect from the happily mated witch. It was even more of a shock that, when she pulled back again, her purple eyes were glossy with unshed tears.
Hudson noticed, too. Her brother patted her on the shoulder, then murmured, “Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”
Adam’s eyebrows rose. If it was anyone else, he would’ve thought that Hudson didn’t mean for his reassurance to his sister to be overheard. But, since it was Hudson, a recovering Donor who knew firsthand just how impressive a Para’s hearing was, Adam knew that the male witch meant for him to hear everything he said.
“Hey. What’s going on? Something up with Colt?”
“Don’t worry about it.” With a shake of her head, she tried to draw attention back to the office. “This is great, guys. And you’re not too far from my shop. We’re almost neighbors.”
While that was true, it was obvious that something was still bothering Shea.
Tabby picked up on it, too. “You can tell us, Shea.”
“I… it’s nothing. Honest.”
Adam didn’t need his talent to know when someone was lying to realize that when Shea said honest, she was being anything but.
“Shea.”
“What?”
He gave her a look.
Tabby leaned in conspiratorially. “I know that look. Trust me. You won’t win this. My stubborn mate gets that look and… Let’s just say that it’d probably be easier to just tell him what he wants to know.”
Her teasing tone at least got a small smile out of Shea.
The witch took a deep breath, probably realizing that Tabby was actually right, before she admitted, “It’s Dodge. He’s gone.”
Adam wasn’t expecting that.
“Oh.” Maybe he should’ve been. Colt had mentioned that to him once before. As a ghost, Dodge only had a set amount of time that he could exist in the living world before he experienced his second death and simply disappeared. Even though Dodge was fading quickly, Adam was under the impression that there was more time left until that happened. “Wow. Already? I’m sorry, Shea. Pass my condolences along to Colt, too, okay?”
She shook her head, her thick curls bouncing. “That’s the thing. He hasn’t died again. He’s just… gone.”
Tabby blinked. “Is that possible? I didn’t think it was.”
“It’s not.”
Oh.
“Then where’s Colt?”
A warning flashed in Hudson’s eyes.
Too late.
Shea let out a soft sob before falling against her brother’s side, using Hudson as support. “I… I don’t know that, either. He was at the house when I left this morning. But… once I got here with Hudson, it’s like my edge of the bond has been closed off and now he’s not answering his phone.”
What?
Tabby scurried forward, going to Shea’s other side. She placed her hand on Shea’s shoulder. “Then it’s a good thing you’re with us. Don’t worry. We’re on the case.”
Adam lifted his shades, braving the brightness of the lights in their new office so that Shea could see the deadly gleam in their silver depths as he promised, “We’ll get to the bottom of this. I swear it.”
Whatever happened to Colt, wherever Dodge disappeared off to, with his mate at his side, Adam was sure that they would do whatever it took to help Shea.
For dulling the thirst, for tending to Tabby, he owed her that much.
But he would’ve done it anyway. One look at the determination written on Tabby’s gorgeous face and he knew: this was fate.
This was meant to be.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Sunglasses at Night!
I had a lot of fun with this one. When I was first started this world, years ago when I came up with the idea of a shifter locked in the Cage, I never would’ve guessed that the nasty, anti-Para officer would turn into one of my favorite characters. Probably because, as we get to see Adam go from human to reluctant Para to devoted Nightwalker mate, you can’t help but think he got the short end of the stick. But he has Tabby now and a HEA so I’m sure he’d agree it was worth it.
I did, however, always plan for the first four books to focus on Maddox, Colton, Adam, and, finally, Dodge, though the series will definitely continue after that point. In fact, the hero for the fifth planned full-length novel will be introduced in book four which, I’m happy to announce, will be released in January 2021. Ghost of Jealousy is all about Dodge McCoy and his heroine, while I’m also hoping to sneak in another novella before then (or directly after, depending on my schedule).
However, I’m also going to break tradition with the next novella. Instead of it building a history between Dodge and his heroine—who meet in their book—I want to show what happened after the jaguar shifter, Travis, ran off after the psychic witch, Virginia.
As a reminder, if you didn’t already read Rogue (the story of Adam & Tabby’s initial run-in), that’s also available. Plus, if you missed the story where Evangeline and Maddox discovered they were expecting, that’s Of Mistletoe & Mating.
Until then, I hoped you enjoyed this book! Again, thanks for reading it :)
xoxo,
Jessica
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Season of the Witch
I exist—
Dodge McCoy is dead.
Died more than a century ago, one of countless who never made it out of his New York City slum. And while a bullet might've ended his life, his afterlife was only just beginning.
He's a ghost. A phantom. A spirit.
And he’s just about gone.
Without his fated mate—without his “key”—Dodge will experience his second (and final) death. For years, he put off searching, mainly because he still harbors scars over the betrayal that led to his first death. In his eyes, it would be better to fade away than let another woman tear his heart to shreds.
Too bad it isn’t as easy as that. Turns out there’s a catch that no one’s ever mentioned to him before: when he dies again, so does his key.
Which would be fine—if Dodge didn’t know who his key was. Since he does, and he’s been avoiding her for more than a decade, it doesn’t seem right to take the talented beauty with him when he goes.
So, using the last of his energy, he leaves the Bumptown behind in search of the one woman who could save him…
I escape—
Laurel Kane is a star.
America’s sweetheart since she was a teen, she stepped away from the limelight a few years ago. Rumors swirled, gossip bloggers coming up with the most outrageous reasons why she walked away from her high-profile career. Laurel heard it all and said nothing.
What could she say?
That she saw dead people?
She always knew that Paras were out there. In Hollywood, nearly everyone had some kind of power—there just wasn’t anyone like her.
Afraid she was losing her mind, she sought help and treatment, whatever it would take to stop the visions. But, just when she thought she had, right on the cusp of her comeback, he shows up.
Brash. Cocky. Arrogant. A relic from the past, the century-old ghost bumps into her and, to her surprise, she actuall
y feels it.
And that’s when she realizes her new sitcom might just have to be put on hold…
With time running out and Death literally at their back, these two will have to get along long enough to break the curse tying them together—or else Dodge won’t be the only ghost.
* Ghost of Jealousy is the fourth full-length novel in the Claws Clause series. It’s the story of a ghostly hero from another time and the secretive starlet who holds his life—and his heart—in her hands.
Available February 16, 2021
* * *
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Angel Wings (Curse of the Othersiders #1)
Halo or horns?
Ants—the humans who roam the planet, afraid of Paranormals—look at Camiel and think that he’s an angel… until his black wings unfurl and it’s all, “Oh, no! Demon!”
Yeah. Not quite.
Cam is an Othersider. Which, okay, just means that he’ll eventually be one of the two… just not yet. Formally known as the Fallen, Othersiders walk—and, yes, sometimes fly—among the humans, knowing that their every step, their every move, their every thought adds to their tally. If he’s good, he’ll finally earn his halo.
If he’s bad…
He’s working damn hard to resist his urges to be bad.
It’s a good thing he has his guardian at his side. Dina might look like a neighborhood stray, but it’s the cat’s job to guide Cam in the right direction. And it’s working… until Cam meets Avery.
Avery is human, she’s in trouble, and Cam decides that she needs her very own guardian angel. If he can help her save her sister from the feral shifter that ran off with her, then maybe he’ll finally prove that he’s a good guy.
If only it was that easy. Because Othersiders? There’s a reason why they’re stuck on Earth, working hard to prove where they belong: they’re cursed.
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