Tall, Dark and Paranormal: 10 Thrilling Tales of Sexy Alpha Bad Boys

by Opal Carew

  Pulling him against her body, she kissed his lips.

  And he responded hungrily, but then tried to separate from her eager embrace. “Where are your guard dogs?”

  She led him toward the basement of the building where periodicals and genealogy reference materials were maintained. “I sneaked out of the house on my own. Uncle Tobias was having one of his council meetings concerning whether or not I could date you. It’s supposed to be my choice. I’m not letting him take it away from me.”

  Looking up at Adonis, she found his brow wrinkled with concern.

  The room was empty of patrons, and she took his hand and led him to a table. “Don’t worry. I’m not giving you up.”

  “You were supposed to get permission to come to the library. How are we to get your uncle to agree to my seeing you now?”

  “Listen,” she said, her tone exasperated, “what if they had said no to my coming to the library? Then what? I wasn’t going to be stopped.”

  “If I met you here by accident, maybe they’d be more agreeable. Now they’re going to think we met on purpose, that I’m still trying to see you without your uncle’s permission.”

  “I told Michael you were my soul mate that I couldn’t stay away from you.”

  “What did he say to that?”

  “He didn’t say anything, but he did tell my uncle that I wanted to see only you and that’s why they’re having the meeting this morning. He thought you’d gone too far with me.”

  Adonis’s lips curved up.

  “You know, there’s something dark and sinister and totally sexual about the way you smile. You hooked me.”

  He let out his breath and sat down next to her at the table. Taking her hand in his, he rested it against his crotch. “That’s what you do to me, Rachael. You’ve had me stirred up like this since the moment I met you.”

  He was hard and ready for her all over again, and she wanted him, too. If she could have returned to her apartment, or his home... but she couldn’t. She had to think sensibly. She wanted her family to find her at the library, talking sweetly to the man she wished to marry. Then they’d be more agreeable to welcoming him to the house, she hoped. “You mean, you wanted me even when you caught me in the shadows of the hotel the night of the ball?”

  “You stood out among all the women at the ball.”

  She laughed. “Yeah well, that’s because I was the only one dressed like a huntress and not as a ballroom debutante.”

  He shook his head. “No. I wanted you the moment I saw you.”

  “I wondered if you were going to rip out my throat, or kiss me, until my cousin interrupted us.”

  “You have no idea what I wanted to do with you that first night.”

  But she did know he wanted her because of the way he touched her. Every action he took with her, showed how he hungered for her. “I couldn’t believe how bold you were to stand in view of all the hunters on the balcony without flinching once.”

  “I’m afraid it’s a compulsion. A madcap desire to show the others that I wanted you for myself.”

  “My family will think of looking for me here eventually. But I wondered if we could go to your place for just a short while and—”

  “No.”

  “No?” She couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. Did he not want to make love to her again, until her uncle sanctified their relationship?

  Wrapping his arm around her, Adonis gave her an embrace. “Piaras can enter my home freely at will.”

  “During the day?”

  Adonis rubbed his smooth chin, then smiled. “You’re right. I have my SUV here. We can run to my place, then return here in a little while.”

  He stood, then pulled her chair out for her. Footsteps on the stairs announced someone was making their way to the periodicals room. They both paused as Rachael held her breath. When an elderly, gray-haired man appeared, Rachael took Adonis’s hand and squeezed. “Not one of my relatives,” she whispered to him.

  They headed for the stairs and ran up them. But as he took her to the front door, Gregory’s car pulled behind her cousin’s. Her heart thundered. Of all the people to find them together, Gregory would complicate issues worse.

  “It’s him, isn’t it? His name wouldn’t happen to be Gregory Devine, would it?” Adonis asked, evidently recalling what the car looked like when Gregory took her from her apartment.

  “Yes. How did you…why do you ask?”

  Adonis’s expression turned chillingly distant.

  She reached down and took his hand in hers for reassurance. “He’s bound to make a scene. I’d hoped it would be one of my cousins who found me here with you instead.”

  “What’s taking him so long?”

  “He’s probably calling my family to let them know that he’s found my car, or rather my cousin Ferris’s car.” She dragged Adonis to one of the bookshelves and quickly pulled out three mystery books. “Maybe you can grab a book on antiques.”

  Before she reached the card catalogue to locate antique books, Gregory exited his vehicle with a cell phone to his ear, catching her eye. Panicked, she hastily walked away from the long windows, towing Adonis with her. She couldn’t settle the panic filling her. She walked through the library, then stopped.

  Adonis pulled her close. “They can’t keep us apart, Rachael. I’d take you home with me and bring you back later, but it’s better if we confront this issue now.”

  “He’ll make a terrible scene. I’m afraid he’ll blow his top. He’s been on the verge the last few times I’ve rejected him.”

  Adonis smiled. “Yeah, well, I’d know just how he feels, had I been in his shoes. I’m one lucky hunter, believe you me.”

  The door opened and she turned back to look. Gregory walked into the library, his blond hair neatly pulled back, and he wore a blue t-shirt and denims that accentuated his blue eyes. But he paled in comparison to Adonis and his dark brown hair and eyes.

  As soon as Gregory turned and saw her with Adonis, the look of utter disbelief crossed his face, then a dark shadow fell across it. He focused his wrath on Adonis and stormed toward him.

  Although Adonis was fully prepared to meet him head on, Rachael quickly walked in front of him. Her cousins would undoubtedly arrive sometime soon, depending on where they were at the time Gregory had called them. One of them would have to drive Ferris’s car home, as she assumed Gregory planned on taking her home to her uncle’s place once he found her.

  “Step aside, Rachael.” He spoke to her, but glowered at Adonis the whole time.

  “This is a library, Gregory. Get a grip on your temper.”

  His stormy blue eyes pinned her, then he handed her his car keys. “Wait for me in the car.”

  “My cousins are coming for me. Isn’t that so?”

  “I’m taking you home,” he growled. “And Casanova can take a hike. Your uncle won’t permit you to see him any further.”

  Adonis touched her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze, sending a spark of electricity down her spine. Gregory’s cheeks reddened as his eyes narrowed. Adonis leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You know where to meet me.”

  She took a deep breath, met his gaze, and then turned to Gregory. “I’ll wait for you in the car. But behave yourself or I’ll take you off my list of suitors so fast you’ll... well, just watch yourself.”

  With a heavy heart, she walked past the two men, hoping they wouldn’t kill each other in the interim. She hurried out to Ferris’s car, jiggling Gregory’s car keys between her fingers. After she climbed into Ferris’s car and drove off, she thought she saw Michael’s vehicle when she turned the corner. Thank God. Maybe Adonis could convince Michael he wanted to see her as a marital prospect and stop the impending fight.

  She turned down another street, then headed for Kismet’s Antiques and hoped she wouldn’t have to wait too long before Adonis returned to his home. Then again, she wasn’t sure what would happen next. The situation was just getting worse and worse.

&n
bsp; She parked around the corner from Kismet’s like she’d done before, then dashed for the store. More than likely her relatives would look for her at her apartment next. They wouldn’t have any idea she’d come back here. Unless Zachary was suspicious about her being at a Vietnamese grocery story around the corner from the antique store and tied that in with her story about the antique book Adonis was supposed to be reading at the library.

  Then she wondered if Danai had told Michael where she lived. If she gave this place as her home, they might end up looking for Rachael here. She took a calming breath and opened the glass door. A bell tinkled overhead. She hadn’t remembered hearing it before.

  The dusty air tickled her nose, and she fought the urge to sneeze. She glanced at the counter and saw no sign of Danai. Who was managing the shop?

  She walked deeper into the poorly illuminated store, the lighting as antiquated as the merchandise they carried. Shelves cluttered with old junk filled every wall and extended into the room like arthritic fingers. “Danai?”

  A shuffling in a room off the main one caught Rachael’s ear. Even though it might have been Danai moving some boxes around, she figured Adonis’s sister would have answered her when she called out. Fearing some kind of trouble, Rachael pulled the dagger from her sheath and dashed toward the room.

  Shoving the partially closed door aside, she peered into the even darker room. Attempting to fight her fear of the dark, she ran her hand over the wall and tried to find a light switch. She hated being disadvantaged in lightless places.

  “Rachael, no!” Danai’s desperate cry filled Rachael with heart-wrenching foreboding.

  Footsteps ran toward her. Before she could discern if the sound belonged to friend or foe, or escape from the impending trouble, a blunt object struck her in the temple, erasing all doubt. Instantly, her mind blackened.

  ***

  Adonis crossed his arms after Rachael left and faced a scowling Gregory Devine, the bastard who’d gotten Adonis and the rest of his family into this fix with Piaras. Trying to keep his fangs under control was the main problem now though. Whenever he was provoked, they extended just like the hair on his neck would stand when highly agitated. He’d only more recently been able to get his canines under better management. But as possessive as he was toward Rachael and the contempt he felt for the hunter who had lured an innocent huntress away from her family, which led to her premature death, was enough to make Adonis lose control.

  “Where were you when Piaras murdered Meghan Tanner?” Adonis knew he shouldn’t bring it up, but he had to, to find out what had happened, and why his family ended up in such an unholy mess.

  Gregory’s eyes rounded. But then they narrowed, and instead of addressing the issue, he poked a finger into Adonis’s chest. “You stay away from Rachael.”

  Not the thing to do.

  Adonis clenched his teeth, fighting to keep them from extending, his jaw tightening in anticipation. “I have every intention of seeing Rachael, Gregory. As a huntress she must make her choice for her mate, freely. If you feel you can’t measure up, it’s your loss. But you will explain to me how you neglected to protect Meghan.”

  Gregory touched the dagger at his waist.

  Adonis narrowed his eyes. “That’s not the way to win Rachael’s heart, believe me.”

  Thinking better of it, Gregory fisted his hands on his hips. “Tobias won’t allow you to see her. I don’t know what you’ve done to her, but... “

  Adonis smiled.

  Gregory pulled his dagger out.

  “Gregory! Sheathe your weapon! Now!” Michael ordered, rushing into the library, while Zachary and an older man Adonis didn’t recognize, followed slightly behind him.

  “Gregory!” the older man said, as Gregory wouldn’t back down.

  Michael grabbed Gregory’s arm and pulled him away. He turned him over to Zachary who escorted him outside the building. Would they notice Rachael was gone now?

  Once Gregory was out of the way, Michael turned to Adonis. “I’d have reacted the same way if I’d been pursuing Rachael and some out-of-stater disregarded hunter protocol like you’ve done and was seeing her on the sly.”

  “I met her here at the library. I didn’t mean to breech your family’s rules. But I do wish to seek Rachael’s hand in marriage.”

  “You might think up another story. Zachary confirmed that Rachael’s tale wasn’t in the least bit truthful. She hasn’t checked out a book in over a week. My uncle is of the opinion you shouldn’t see her again.”

  “She was doing research. She doesn’t always check out the books.” Adonis lifted a brow. “And how do you feel about her seeing me?”

  Michael turned to the older man who nodded.

  “This is Curt Bremerton, one of Tobias’s cousins. He and I believe you might be able to help us to kill the vampire who threatens Rachael’s life.”

  “I have every intention of protecting Rachael.”

  Michael shook his head. “You’ve seduced her. I doubt your mind’s totally concerned with protecting her. But she’s told me she wants you. Just the fact you two were here together... “ He paused. “Where is she?”

  “Gregory gave her the keys to his car.”

  Michael took a ragged breath. “I believe she may listen to you while she’s not paying the rest of us any mind.”

  “I’ll do everything in my power to protect her. But more than that, I want her to be my mate.”

  Michael let out his breath. “You may be the one to finally make her settle down.”

  Gregory and Zachary stormed back into the library.

  “She’s gone!” Zachary shouted, his face red with fury. “I was trying to talk sense into Gregory when he noticed her car is gone... well, rather, Ferris’s car is gone. And she’s got Gregory’s car keys, too.”

  Which probably infuriated the hunter more.

  “Where did you send her?” Gregory charged at Adonis with blood in his eyes and readied fists. “He whispered something to her before she left!”

  Michael grabbed his shoulders and held him still.

  “Where’d she go? If you want us to trust you have her best interests in mind, tell us where you sent her,” Curt asked.

  Adonis was torn. If he told them what they wanted to know, they’d realize he’d meant to rendezvous secretly with her further. If he didn’t enlighten them, they’d never trust him.

  “I own an antique shop on Main Street.”

  Zachary’s mouth dropped open. “You’re the man who saved her when the armed robbers held up the grocery store.”

  Curt shook his head. “She’s seen him more than the one time.” He started toward the door, then turned to Adonis. “Are you coming?”

  “I’ll meet you there. My vehicle’s out back.”

  Michael followed Adonis. “I’ll ride with you.”

  They didn’t trust him. Could he blame them?

  When they reached the back parking lot, Michael abruptly stopped and stared at the SUV. “Danai drove this vehicle.”

  “Yeah, she did, and don’t you get any ideas about her.”

  “The two of you are related?” The awe in Michael’s voice amused Adonis. One big happy family.

  “She’s my sister and extremely shy around men. Anyone who messes with her has to answer to me.”

  “She told you about me?”

  “Yeah.”

  As they climbed into the SUV, Michael took a deep breath. “What did she say?”

  The lion of a rogue hunter seemed like he’d shrunken into a kitten when it came to a huntress relationship. Despite the tragic irony of the situation, Adonis was amused to see a hunter of his caliber taken down a notch. “She said you seemed interested in her. But we have a problem.” Greater than any Adonis could discuss though.

  “What’s that?”

  “While hunting, I learned Piaras has a contract out on you. Seems you have a contract on some vampire named Dominique.”

  “Damn.”

  “Yeah. So if you want to b
e around long enough to see my sister further, you’re going to have to lay low.”

  “That’s not possible.”

  “You’re going to make all our lives harder, believe me.”

  “You mean, Danai likes me? She said so?” Michael stared out the windshield. “She barely spoke to me, but when she kissed my cheek so faintly, I thought maybe there was hope.”

  “She kissed you?” Hell, what had gotten into his sister? And she gave Adonis a hard time about Rachael!

  “Ahem, yeah, well, I know I should have gotten permission to... “ He faced Adonis. “I guess we’re kind of in the same boat.”

  “You kissed my sister?”

  Michael folded his arms. “I suspect you went farther than that with my cousin.”

  Adonis raised a brow. “If you wish to see my sister, I give you permission.” And hoped to hell things didn’t get out of hand, more so than they had already.

  When they arrived at the shop, Adonis prayed Rachael wasn’t waiting for him, naked in his bed. That would take one hell of a lot of explaining.

  Instantly, Adonis smelled blood when he walked into his shop. With his acute vampire sense of smell when it came to the iron scent, he recognized it at once. He stormed through the store and headed straight for the storage room. His head pounded with worry while he pulled his blade from its sheath at his waist.

  Chapter 14

  Unsheathing his sword, Michael ran after Adonis into the antique shop. “What’s wrong?”

  “Danai should be managing the counter. She’s not here.” He couldn’t let Michael know he could smell blood from half a mile away.

  Car doors slammed outside and Zachary, Gregory, and Curt entered the store.

  Adonis hit the light switch in the storage room for Michael’s benefit. Several boxes had been knocked down from shelves. Either one or both of the women had put up quite a struggle.

  Michael leaned over. “It’s Rachael’s dagger.” He lifted it off the floor.

  Adonis busily examined the blood on two of the boxes, guardedly relieved to find it wasn’t Danai’s or Rachael’s. He knew his sister’s blood... had smelled it for the first time when Piaras had bitten her after he’d turned Adonis. And now the scent of Rachael’s blood when Julia had bitten her would forever be imprinted on his mind. “Any blood on the dagger?”