Losing It: A Collection of VCards

by Nikki Jefford

  Losing It: A Collection of VCards © 2015 Elephantine Publishing, LLC.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to a person, either living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book is an original publication of Elephantine Publishing, LLC

  Please respect the hard work of the authors and purchase an authorized copy. You may not redistribute, share, sell, or store a copy of this digital book, either whole or in part, outside of the terms of the retailer and publisher you’ve purchased from.

  www.elephantinepublishing.com

  For inquiries contact elephantinepublishing@gmail.com

  Cover by KILA Designs

  Join Elephantine’s email list to get all the updates on new releases of Unforgettable Stories in your inbox. Join the Herd.

  In Losing It, 22 Bestselling YA authors reveal what went on behind the curtain in your favorite YA novels! From paranormal to contemporary, this collection features over 200 pages of ALL NEW CONTENT based on the young adult series’ you love.

  Not a fan of quickies?

  We got you covered. Each story in Losing It is based on a full series—many of them free. Check out the following freebies from these authors. And find even more freebies in the back!

  Cornerstone by Misty Provencher

  Nalena Maxwell is The Waste. At least, that’s what she’s been tagged as at school, due to her mother’s obsession with hoarding truckloads of paper, each one scrawled with lines of what appears to be single-sentence stories. The insane volume of paper has forced them out of their house and now threatens to push them out of their apartment, but Nalena’s mother, Evangeline, refuses to part with a single sheet. Evangeline’s papers are so much more than just a hoarder’s obsession.

  They are the reason behind the Maxwell’s tumultuous family past.

  Runes by Ednah Walters

  The Amazon bestseller that launched the RUNES series introduced readers to RAINE and TORIN.

  Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

  Double Threat by Julie Prestsater

  Meggie wants nothing more than to experience all high school has to offer—growing freedom, hot boys, parties, make-out sessions, and did I mention hot boys?

  Enter Alex Aguilar. At seventeen, he is Carver High’s sports superstar and dreamy superstud. Yet, despite the hype, Alex is undeniably sweet, and Meggie is beyond smitten. But, of course, he is a SENIOR. So, ought to be completely off limits for a ninth grader, right?

  Ta Ta For Now! by Bethany Lopez

  Melissa begins her freshman year with one goal in mind, getting Brian Jackson to be her boyfriend. She will soon learn that things don’t necessarily turn out the way you plan them, the value of true friendship, and the importance of family.

  Table of Contents:

  Discovery by S.M. Boyce

  Unrequited Death by Tamara Rose Blodgett

  His First Everything by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

  One Hour by Heather Hildenbrand

  Eternally Free by Helen Boswell

  Jess & Giovanni by Bethany Lopez

  Wedding Night by Julia Crane

  Suffering by K.A. Last

  A Reunion Most Desired by Kristina Circelli

  Love Spell by Nikki Jefford

  To Love a Werewolf by Melissa Haag

  Of Fire by Alexia Purdy

  Our Someday by Julie Prestsater

  The Ultimate Prize by S.T. Bende

  The Release of Rae by Tish Thawer

  A Valkyrie’s Song by Ednah Walters

  Fire Stone by Misty Provencher

  Selfish by Ginger Scott

  Sealing the Bond by A.O. Peart

  Roseline’s Redemption by Amy Miles

  Adventures in Dating by Milda Harris

  Wolf Passion by M.R. Polish

  Discovery

  by S. M. Boyce

  An extended scene from Heritage (Grimoire Saga #3)

  In this scene, Braeden Drakonin and Kara Magari are escaping a bickering assortment of magical royalty that won’t let them have a moment’s peace. With a pending war against Braeden’s father, Braeden isn’t sure how much time he has left to live. He wants to spend as much of it as possible with the woman he loves.

  ***

  Dapples of sunlight glittered across the cave floor, its beams flickering as water crashed over the stone entrance. A breeze crept through a gap along the edge, funneling the first crisp bite of autumn air into the small cavern behind the falls. Braeden sat against the wall, one olive-toned arm around the girl of his dreams. Kara took a deep breath, her blond hair spilling over her shoulders. He’d brought her here to escape the constant knocks on his door—what with the coming war—and to ask the question burning at the back of his mind for the last several months.

  His world—Ourea—had slipped the notice of human eyes for eons, but every now and then, someone in the human world would discover one of the portals tying the two realms together. He ran a hand through Kara’s hair, grateful she’d been among those select few. He’d taken on a similar form to hers—one she would be comfortable seeing—but she knew he didn’t naturally look anything close to human. And for whatever reason, she didn’t seem to care. Regardless, he didn’t want to push his luck. He’d hated himself for most of his life because of what he was: evil, dark, and murderous. But she saw something worth loving, something he’d long ago abandoned: kindness.

  She closed her eyes and hummed with pleasure. The tiny vibration in her chest made its way through his, shaking him from his thoughts.

  “What a beautiful day,” she murmured.

  A trickle of air tickled his neck. The setting sun lit the waterfall ablaze with a wash of orange and red, the colors tumbling together like a fire in the cascading river. He couldn’t have picked a better moment to ask his question if he’d tried.

  “Kara, you once said you would stay with me forever, right?”

  She grinned, eyes still closed. “Yep.”

  “’Did you mean it?”

  “Of course. Why?”

  “I… uh… this book…”

  The words died in his mouth. His stomach twisted, and his lungs deflated. Panic flared in his gut. What if she said no?

  He cleared his throat, but a few seconds of silence followed. He should have rehearsed this. Now he would just have to wing it, and he would probably screw up everything.

  He plowed ahead, coughing to mask his sudden nerves. “I read a book about Ourean history. Apparently both our species share a common ancestor.”

  He wasn’t human. He could never give her a normal life—maybe not even a happy one. Another pang of uncertainty swelled in his gut. Dread clawed up into his throat, and doubts scratched at him like daggers. Little voices in the back of his mind whispered that he would never be enough for her.

  She smiled. “Cool. I’ll have to read that book. It sounds interesting.”

  He took a deep breath in an attempt to silence the voices. “You should. But it got me thinking about how compatible our kinds can be.”

  “Compatible? What do you mean?”

  He g
rumbled. That wasn’t the best way to phrase it. “I’m not doing a good job of this, am I?”

  “Of what, exactly?”

  She shifted her weight and opened her eyes, tilting her head until her beautiful face focused on him. He tensed. He’d completely destroyed the moment.

  “You keep twitching. Are you nervous?” she asked.

  He laughed. Twitching? How attractive. Forget it. He’d already ruined the proposal, but there was no way out now. He’d have to go for it. “Kara Magari, will you try bonding with me?”

  She sat up straight, a half-smile on her lips. She understood. Bonding to Braeden’s kind was similar to marriage for humans. Not quite the same, as bonding involved spikes and a bit of blood loss. But similar.

  Her eyes never left his face, and she didn’t speak. Several seconds passed. Uncertainty crept into his chest. Was this a no? Should he assume the smile meant yes? Or did all girls do this to mess with their men?

  He forced a laugh. “I should’ve brought a ring or something. I didn’t think this through. That’s what humans use nowadays, and even though bonding isn’t quite the same thing… I can buy you something. Try this proposal thing again, maybe, do it right. Or—”

  She reached for his face and pulled him into a kiss. He sighed and cradled her head. Their noses brushed, and her fingers ran through his hair. The fear in his chest melted into a puddle, washing through him like a cold drink of water. Technically, though, he shouldn’t celebrate just yet. She still hadn’t said anything.

  He held her an inch from his face, restraining her as she went in for another kiss. He held her lips a hair away from his, teasing her. “An answer would be nice, woman.”

  She laughed. “You’re the only one I want, Braeden Drakonin.”

  He grinned and leaned into her kiss. A shiver of relief raced through his stomach, and his shoulders finally relaxed. His attempt at a romantic moment must have been the worst proposal in history, but at least it worked. Barely, perhaps, but it worked.

  His fingers glided down her back and inched along her waist, his hands burning against her cool skin. She smiled under his mouth, her fingernails inching down his sides.

  Water rushed overhead, splashing into the river below as he held her. They would spend the night in the cave, listening to the forest preen and croak around them—among other things. It would be their last moment of peace before he brought the war to his father’s gate, and he would savor every moment he was given. In just a few weeks, Ourea would forever change. He frowned, unsure the change would be for the better.

  “Stop thinking,” she whispered in his ear.

  He grinned and kissed her cheek. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Deep down, he knew exactly what he wanted as a distraction from the war—her on her back. But to date, they’d never had an opportunity. As much as he wished he could rip off her pants and take her right then, he would never cross the line without a clear signal it was okay. Braeden might have been the son of an evil king, but he was still a gentleman.

  Kara laughed. “A kiss on the cheek? You can do better than that.”

  He smirked. Challenge accepted.

  He cradled her face in his hand and bent to kiss her neck. His fingers trailed her spine and teased the ends of her hair.

  She hummed and closed her eyes. “What else do you have for me?”

  He shrugged and rubbed her shoulders. “Are you hungry? I packed us some cheese and—”

  Her smile faded. “Are you serious? You want cheese right now?”

  He leaned backward, eyebrows shooting up almost to his hair. “But you like cheese.”

  Her eyes lowered to his pants. She dipped her fingertips below the hem of his waistline. Heat sailed up his neck and burned his cheeks as she distracted him from their conversation with every flick of her fingers.

  “We haven’t had much time alone, Braeden. I think you know what I figured we’d be doing out here.”

  “Enjoying that cheese?” His mouth moved on its own, answering her question without first consulting him. His brain, however, was still painfully aware of her hands sinking lower into his pants.

  She chuckled and smacked his shoulder. Cold air rushed against his skin where her fingers had teased him moments before. “Braeden Drakonin, you are so frustrating.”

  He frowned and took a step back, eyes on hers. She smiled and laughed, but he couldn’t understand why. She must have been upset to say something like that.

  “I’m frustrating?” he asked.

  “Incredibly so. Since we’ve been together, you’ve probably missed two dozen hints that I want you to have your way with me. Do you simply not see them, or are you purposefully ignoring them? Do you want to wait until we’re married? Wait, bonded. Sorry. Do you want to wait?”

  His mouth dropped open. He crossed his arms and stared at her, unable to speak as he fought to process her words. What hints? When? What did a hint look like? How could he miss two dozen cases of her wanting to take him to bed?

  “You mean we could’ve been having sex all this time?” he asked.

  She burst out laughing. Her face blushed, but the creases around her eyes pinched with joy. “So many times, Braeden. I’ve wanted you for ages. You seriously missed all those hints?”

  They must have sailed over his head. He hadn’t noticed any.

  “I’m sorry, Kara. I… I guess…”

  She smiled. “Don’t apologize. We can wait.”

  “No!” He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure. “No, we don’t have to.”

  “You sure? I mean, it’s fine,” she said, but her smile widened as she eyed him. She was toying with him now, and probably enjoying it a bit too much.

  “I’ve just never done it before. I didn’t know what to look for.”

  Her smile faded. “You’ve never—?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve always hidden what I am. I’ve lived in this body, hiding my true form from the world. The people who adopted me would’ve killed me if they found out what I really am. For the longest time, I’d start to lose control any time I even thought about sex, much less acted on it. My form would begin to shift. I’ve never been able to let my guard down. It was never worth the risk.”

  Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows twisted with a hint of worry—or maybe sadness. He couldn’t quite tell. She set her hands on his chest and leaned her head beneath his chin.

  He ran a hand through her hair and set his cheek on her head. “It’s in the past.”

  “Damn right. You and I can have all the sex you want.”

  His cheeks burned, and he set a hand on the back of her neck to keep her from sensing his embarrassment.

  It didn’t help. She giggled. “You’re cute when you’re uncomfortable.”

  “Twit.”

  “You love it.”

  “I do.”

  Kara peeked up at him and grinned. He shook his head, chuckling. But her eyes narrowed, and her grin became a devious little smirk. She traced her finger from his chin and down his neck, teasing him with the nail. Her leg slipped between his, pressing ever so gently on his groin. His breath caught in his throat, but he watched her, not quite believing what was happening. She brushed her nose against his jawline and kissed his throat, her lips hovering above his skin for a moment as she tormented him. He wrapped his arms around her, immobile as she had her way with him. She perched on her toes and reached her mouth to his ear, where she nibbled on his earlobe.

  “Was that one of your famous hints?” he asked.

  “That was a bit more,” she whispered.

  Inwardly, something shifted in Braeden. It was as if a switch had been turned off, or an invisible barrier removed. She wanted him to take her, right then and there.

  He would oblige her.

  He lifted her chin and kissed her neck, mouth lingering as he tasted her skin. Her floral perfume masked the hint of the minty soap left over from her bath this morning. He’d sat on the bed while she bathed, waiting and wishing he c
ould join her. He’d striven to be the gentleman, to let her decide when she was ready to take it further.

  It was safe to say she’d decided a while ago.

  He grabbed the back of her neck with one hand and her waist with the other. His mouth found hers, and he leaned in with the pent up passion he’d been denying for months. She moaned and set her hands on either side of his head, pulling him closer.

  Despite his joy, dread shot through his core like a knife to the heart. A rush of adrenaline pumped through him. His arms and legs shook, and blotches of his natural charcoal gray skin peeked through on his familiar olive arms.

  He sucked in a breath and paused. He gripped Kara’s waist with both hands, fingers curling beneath her shirt hem, and set his forehead on hers to brace himself. He took two more deep breaths.

  His control had almost slipped. He’d almost shifted forms.

  “Braeden, are you—”

  He silenced her with a kiss.

  He ached to dive in, to take her with everything he had, but he couldn’t let his form slip. He didn’t want to scare her or lose control. He’d need to take this slower if he wanted to keep a level head. Only, he didn’t want to keep a level head. He wanted to rip her clothes off.

  She leaned into him, but he broke away and kissed her ear. She hummed with pleasure and dug her fingernails into his shoulder. So she liked that—he’d have to take note for the future. With slow kisses, he worked his way across her cheek to her lips, slow and steady. Her eyelids fluttered, half-shut. The line of her cleavage tempted him to yank the shirt over her head, but he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

  Control yourself. Take it slow.

  With each of his nibbles on her neck, a little moan escaped her lips.

  Nibble.

  Mmm.

  Nibble.

  Ah.

  His hands sank to her ass. A tug against the cloth of his trousers silenced his last thread of worry. Her two flawless curves fit into his palms, perfect despite the layers of cotton separating her from him. He pulled her closer, until no gap existed between them. His body craved hers. Blood rushed through him, chipping at his resolve with every heartbeat.

  Her lips hovered by his. “Is there something in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?”