“Julian,” I whispered in his ear.
“Yes, love?”
“Tomorrow, I’d like to take a bath… with you.”
8
The next morning, I woke to the beautiful man making me breakfast wearing only the satin pajama pants from the night before. If he would let me, I hoped I’d have this view every morning.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I said and leaned against the door frame. “Do you own any t-shirts? I could sure use a couple since you don’t ever seem to wear any yourself… not that I’m complaining.”
He turned toward me and stared for a second, “I knew that silk robe would look amazing on you. And you can have any t-shirt of mine you’d like. I wouldn’t mind that sight either… you wearing one of my old college t-shirts, nothing else...”
“You know how to make a girl feel good, ya know?”
“Only you, Vale,” he corrected me.
“My real name is Valerie Webber, I just feel like I should be open and honest with you after the honesty session we had last night. My friends have always called me Vale, and when I met Finn the other night at the bus station, I told him my name was Vale Phoenix.”
“Love, I’ll call you anything you want… Aphrodite? Helen of Troy? Valerie Webber? Perhaps one day Vale Knight?”
I’m not sure what possessed me to do it, maybe I just wanted to test his strength, but I ran at him full force and jumped into his arms. He held onto me like I was a feather and kissed me so deep and with so much love, I was left wanting nothing more.
In the few days I had known this monster, we’d done it on every surface on the first floor, with plans to move upstairs.
I ate the eggs that had gotten cold because of our extensive love fest. We talked about Julian’s breakfast and he told me he’d show me the upstairs where he had another fridge, easily concealed in a closet.
“I am a steward to the community, you know,” he smiled big, “I put on blood drives several times a year and donate lots of money to the community so I don’t feel bad when I keep half of the bags from the drives and donate the rest. I’m also always aware of what our hospital is low on and make sure those types are kept at the blood bank.”
“You really are amazing,” I told him very sincerely.
“I never want my circumstance to become a burden on anyone else, including you… I mean it that you are free to run to the hills if you want to get away from me… though I hope you don’t,” he squeezed me tight and I felt so safe in his arms.
“While you were sleeping this morning, I did a little something…” He said and grabbed my hand taking me into the foyer of the house.
Upon walking into Julian’s home, the stairs are the first thing you see and they were covered in a trail of Easter eggs.
Julian handed me a basket and said, “This will prove my commitment to you… go hunt.”
So each egg I picked up, I opened and pulled out a message.
I’ve only just met you, but I don’t want to be without you.
I will protect you all of my days.
My home is your home.
Egg after egg I opened messages of sweet nothings.
I don’t need a shadow if I can be yours.
If I had a heartbeat, my heart would beat for you.
I traveled all the way up the stairs to what could be only described as Julian's lair. Dark dressings covered the windows. The furniture was cherry and everything was black and deep reds. The rooms were beautiful. He had obviously done some remodeling since his parents passed away.
A single egg sat in the middle of the huge bed covered in more black satin that matched his pajama pants.
“Dark works for me, but it doesn’t have to stay this way,” he said, “I want you to be comfortable here too.”
“You told me your housemate wasn’t allowed upstairs,” I said, teasing him.
“I’m interested in seeing what you think of the message that’s inside that egg,” Julian pointed to the egg in the middle of the bed.
I picked it up and it rattled. Inside was a large diamond ring and that note read, Be my Mrs. Knight?
He didn’t give me a chance to answer before he started explaining.
“I can protect you, Vale,” he said on one knee. “I’m usually the one doing the charming, but you've bewitched me. I don’t need the piece of paper to prove that, but the rest of the world needs it. I’m not afraid of Vinny. I can protect your parents and you can be free with me.”
“This is so fast,” I whispered. “I don’t even know what to say! We’ve got something I never imagined I’d ever have after the mess with Vinny.”
“So will you?” He asked.
“Yes, my knight in shining armor, yes!”
* * *
Sneak Peak...
We're reporting live from the St. Augustine mansion of Vincent Marks, a prominent businessman, who has been pronounced dead at his home. News just surfaced that Vinny DeMarco, as he is also known, is a local drug lord and has been running a trafficking operation from this Florida's home. His alleged girlfriend, Valerie Webber, recently has been reported missing and is being sought out for questioning in regards to DeMarco's death. We'll bring you updates as we have them.
* * *
“Julian…” I snapped and got his attention as we watched the Florida news on his tablet.
“Hmm?”
“Did you make Vinny a snack?”
Vale and Julian's story will be expanded and continued in a full-length work in the author's Company of Griffins series. Find out more about your favorite characters in Spring City! She’s a Tiger Lily debuts the series telling the story of Wil, Raleigh Griffin’s son. In Timeless Ever After, find out more about Mal and Aunt Wanda in Upon a Dream. Kiss My Luck features Julian’s neighbor, Trixie, and her very unlucky day in a story called Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky. In May, Streetlamps to Starlight will debut Mal’s story. Much more is planned for later this year, so be sure to connect with the author via social media.
About the Author
Author Tiffany Carby is a Kentucky native skilled in the art of storytelling. A journalist, columnist and blogger who now works in communications at a major public university, she has a knack for narrative that keeps her story flowing.
Not all of her storytelling skills came from the classroom. Being born in Louisville and spending time in central and southeastern areas of the commonwealth, Carby developed a sharp ear for dialogue and an appreciation for the tales spun by friends and family from the South and Appalachia. As a Southerner, yes, she says “y’all,” drinks sweet tea and shares a love of college basketball with most of her fellow residents of the Bluegrass state.
Writing wasn’t just a goal, it was a destiny for Carby. She wrote her first book while in the fifth grade — a story about an alien with a one-of-a-kind name, Orangepeachrumple. Though it didn’t circulate farther than her parents, she was hooked. Though publishing many non-fiction works over the years, "She's a Tiger Lily" was the debut of her fiction work and beginning of a series.
Carby resides near Lexington with her husband, curly-headed daughter, and two cats.
* * *
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Honey and the Easter Bear
Ka
thia Iblis
Tiff…. We made it! And we still have several more coming our way!
D… You rock! Let´s dream big and reach for the stars!
Honey and the Easter bear
* * *
When Honey Evans accepted her friend Amy’s invitation to spend Easter with her family, she had no idea her life was about to change forever because in the Alaskan wilderness humans are not always welcome — and bears do not always stay in their animal form.
Kody Cavanaugh, alpha of the Kodiak shifter clan, wanted nothing to do with humans or shifters who associate with them. But the Alaskan wilderness is an unpredictable territory that might just bring him what he had always longed for: a delicate human female.
Misgivings, broken eggs and Easter traditions brought them together, but will that be enough or are they destined to lose each other?
1
“You what?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Kody Cavanaugh shouted, smashing one of his arms against a tree trunk next to him.
“Calm down, bro. It´s just for a few days. You know how the Lapins love to celebrate this day,” murmured his beta, Micah.
“Yeah! Those bunnies sure know how to celebrate Easter,” commented Xander, his enforcer, while lying against another tree. “Remember last time? I seemed to recall that even you enjoyed the company of certain bunny triplets.”
Kody fumed while all the rest of his crew seemed to be having a blast about the news of the upcoming celebration, and not seeming the least worried about the fact they were going to have a human right on the outskirts of their territory. Granted, a human female, but human nonetheless.
Human’s weren´t worthy of their trust. Time and time again, they have proven how fickle they could be, swaying their loyalty if they could gain something more valuable by doing it. And now, Micah somehow decided that allowing one of them to be part of the Lapins´ Easter celebration was all right.
He wanted to tear him a new one, but then, he would be one bear shorter, and he couldn´t afford it. Still grumbling, he seriously considered for a moment to called Fred Lapin and inform him about his refusal to let a human so near their home, but that would probably cost him dearly as the fluffle´s leader was known for being an opportunistic bastard. Better tolerate the human intruder than give that son of a bitch the chance of having the bears at his beck and call.
Kody still clearly remembered the time his father ended up being in debt with him, and how it almost ended in his premature engagement to one of Fred´s older daughters. Shivering under that particular memory, he decided to simply get some time away from his crew, let the bear roam free and chill his bad temper by maybe destroying some trees or catching salmon. Swimming in the near lake would also help him cool down.
“Remember not to scare the does, Kody! They have been hinting the entire week about dropping over for a midnight visit!” Killian, his younger brother, shouted to his back.
“Horny, bastards! Stay the fuck away from their damn drinks, and you, Kody, better not mess up this year!” Micah, the voice of reason, clearly remembered how the Lapin bucks had a huge hissy fit because their females weren´t interested in them and spent the entire evening running after the bears.
Leaving them behind, he didn´t answer any of his comments. What he hadn´t told them was he wasn´t planning on being near the celebration this year. Not just because of a puny human, but because he wasn´t in the mood.
His bear had been getting angrier with every passing year and had no interest in chasing after bunny tails. He was tired of the easy lays, and wanted something more solid, more real. Something like what his parents had. Unfortunately, that has proven to be impossible in the middle of the woods. No decent woman wanted to be trapped in the end of the world, far away from civilization and anything remotely entertaining.
Cursing under his breath, he fought against his bear, who was demanding to take control and roam free. That was the only thing they could do out in the wilderness. Kody would never lie and say he didn´t love to live there, because he did, but lately it has proven to be difficult for the human in him. He longed for a family, kids, so they could grow and secure the land for the future generations. But, with technology becoming more and more important every day, he knew that would never happen. They were destined to die. The last generations of the Kodiak Skin walkers would simply become a distant memory, something cubs heard about in old bedtime stories. And all because their bears could never survive in a city, surrounded by concrete, small places and … humans.
He continued forward until he could finally see the lake. It was going to be a beautiful day, and he was tempted to spend it in his bear form, but he knew that wouldn´t last long. He couldn´t leave the rest of the males on their own, or he might ended up coming back to find half the Lapin does living under their roof. Kody could understand their need for a mate, but he refused to settle for any other who wasn´t his destined one. His bear immediately agreed with him. They wanted that special female destined to love both of them, who had the strength to defy and question them without being scared of their reaction if they got angry — a female strong enough to leave everything behind and choose them … forever.
“God! Now I´m being the idiotic one,” he grumbled to himself. He needed to get over the “mate” thing and accept it was never going to happen to them. Getting his hopes up would only create more problems within their sleuth.
Giving himself over to his bear, the animal broke free, and soon a 12-foot, 2,500-lb. Kodiak stood on the riverbank. Roaring, he let out some of his pent up anger and dived into the water, ready to catch as much fish as he could. He needed to hurry up while walking towards the river, he could smell the storm in the air and it was going to be strong one.
2
Honey used to go camping with her parents all the time, until her father´s health made it difficult for him to do it. Sometimes they would even go with some of his friends and their families, so she was used to spending days on end in contact with nature.
However, when Amy mentioned a cabin in the woods, she envisioned something a little bit more … confortable; something which didn´t include having to sleep on a bunk without a mattress. She would rather use her old sleeping bag than spend another night on that awful thing! Not to mention the lack of hot water, unless you wanted to die carrying giant buckets of water from the river, a kilometer away from the property, to a strange looking bathtub.
Grimacing, Honey tried to ignore the kink in her neck and lower back while she tried to hang some eggs from the upper branches of a tree.
“Honey! We have to go back!” Claudine, one of Amy´s many cousins, shouted from somewhere on her left.
“Wha—why?!” they still had to hang about 50 mores eggs each before midday. “Wait!”
Suddenly, a thunder roared in the distance, and next thing she knew rain poured on her, soaking her to the bone. Hurrying up, she tied the last three colorful strings, grabbed the basket and dashed after the young woman as she guided her back towards the cabin. Luckily, they hadn´t ventured far into the woods, or that was what Honey believed until she found herself losing her footing and rolling down a slope to come face to face with what she least expected.
An hour later, satisfied with his catch, Kody was more than ready to return home. And just as he predicted, a few minutes later, thunder exploded in the sky above his head and a heavy curtain of rain assured him no human would we wondering around the place. Not that any dare to intrude into Kodiak territory, but you could always run into a dumb one who thought it would be cool to mess with them.
Shaking his big head, and happy to be able to roam in his animal form for a little bit longer, he enjoyed the water on his fur and lazily walked back to where his people hid spare sets of clothes. There were several hiding places throughout the area, just in case an emergency arose and they needed it. They also had emergency kits and a satellite phone. All of this was requested by the rangers from the nearby national parks. They might not be bears, but the code amon
g shifters was to help each other.
He soon found himself near the hidden cave at the bottom of a steep slope. It was close to Lapin territory, but the bunnies were used to seeing them roam all over the land. In fact, even their property was legally owned by the bears, so there wasn´t much they could complain about. Not that the humans knew about any of it.
After expending so much energy swimming and fishing, his bear was more than happy to take a short nap before having to return to the human form and go back to whatever chaos his younger brother might have caused during his absence. Luckily, it would only be some jealous bunnies and nothing else.
Yawning, an ear-splitting scream startled him. Turning his giant head around, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with a tiny human female who was covered in mud, leaves and other forest debris, but conscious enough to be scared shitless of him.
Kodiak wasn´t sure what to do. Micah was the one who usually dealt with humans, not him. And especially not with females. He grumbled, which only caused her beautiful honey-colored eyes to open even wider. He stood perfectly still — maybe if he didn´t move, she would simply turned around and run away like if the devil himself was after her … or not. Although she opened her mouth and mumbled some unintelligible words, her eyes rolled back and her petite body crumpled to the forest floor as she lost consciousness.
A Paranormal Easter: 14 Paranormal & Fantasy Romance Novellas Page 6