Stripped Away: Shadow Destroyers Book 2

by Sydney Somers

© 2007 Sydney Somers

  Jordan McAdam leads an unusual double life. Police officer by day, vigilante by night. But Jordan isn’t interested in the average criminal. She stalks Shadow Demons, creatures who prey on the innocent, creatures whom she suspects are responsible for a string of bizarre sacrificial murders. Creatures who killed her partner and lover.

  Gage Campbell has spent the last few years on an elite team of Shadow Destroyers, hunting down the demons who changed his life—and his DNA. Then an assignment leads him straight back to the woman he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about for five long years. The woman he had no choice but to leave behind.

  Is the man before her a mimic demon bent on tormenting her, or is it Gage returned from the dead? All Jordan knows is that the raging desire between them is real.

  Standing between them are years of secrets and hurt, and a love that just might have the power to bring them together. If the murder case they’re working on doesn’t separate them…permanently.

  The Shadow Destroyer Series, Book 1

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Unbreakable:

  “You’re awake.”

  Jordan didn’t have to try very hard to ignore the fact that he looked good leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, his feet bare. She was too busy burning him to a cinder with her gaze. “Spare me the small talk.” She jerked on the restraints. “What’s with these? And if you try to be a smart ass and say something kinky, I will hurt you. Very badly,” she promised.

  “When you get up you mean?” The corner of his mouth twitched. He strolled into the room. “But that kinky talk does give me a few ideas now that you brought it up.”

  “Do not screw with me, Gage. I’m not the submissive type. Take. These. Off. Now.”

  “No.”

  Frustration chewed away at her insides. “Why not?” She was about three seconds away from screaming the place down, even if the only thing it got her was duct tape across the mouth. She felt far too helpless like this, the same way she had felt when the war demon had cornered her in her apartment the week after Gage died.

  “I think that lust demon infected you.”

  Jordan snorted. “Not possible.”

  “You have a scratch on your side.”

  “So. I got a scratch from fighting it. Doesn’t mean he did it to me.” She continued to squirm, seeking any leverage that might help her get free.

  “I’m not taking the chance.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m fine.” She felt fine. She’d know if something was wrong. She’d been injured in dozens of fights with lust demons before and hadn’t been “infected” like he seemed to think she was.

  “We’ll see.”

  “Oh, no. You are not leaving me like this.”

  Gage cocked his head. “I don’t think you’re in a position to do much about it.”

  “You son of a bitch,” Jordan growled.

  “Tsk. Tsk. I see you still have no problem shooting your mouth off.”

  “Come a little closer and I’ll show you what else I have no problem doing.”

  Instead of moving closer, Gage took a step back. The small measure of satisfaction his retreat gave her was short-lived. Mostly because she was still latched to her bed.

  She dragged in what she hoped was a calming breath, relaxing the muscles that had locked up the moment she discovered she couldn’t move. “There is no reason to keep me like this. I’d know if I felt differently.”

  “There’s no way to tell for another few hours.”

  “Are you crazy? In case you’ve forgotten, people keep dying because some power-tripping demon wants to cross over. For all we know a gateway could be opening right now.”

  Gage shook his head. “Braxton is monitoring all temporal activity in this area. He’ll let us know the second something looks unusual.”

  “Let me put it this way. When I say I couldn’t have been infected, I mean I really couldn’t have been. My talisman protects me from all things demon magik related.”

  “We’re not talking magik, we’re talking about it getting into your blood.”

  “In one sense or another all demon powers originate in magik. Trust me, I’m immune.”

  He didn’t look convinced.

  “Call Brady. He’ll tell you. He was the one who gave it to me.”

  His brows drew together. “And you’re wearing it now? The same one you showed me the night we ran into each other.”

  “Old friends run into each other, Gage. Like people who went to high school together and haven’t seen each other since graduation. Not two people fighting the same abnormally strong creatures, one of whom has played dead for the last five years.”

  “Do you think you could stop reminding me about that every thirty seconds?”

  “Maybe I wouldn’t have to if you had dropped a postcard in the mail. Christmas time would have been good.”

  “Damn it, Jordan. I couldn’t.”

  “Is this about that whole keep me safe thing again? I think we’ve talked that to death, don’t you?” They hadn’t really, but she didn’t want to go there right now. She wanted to get up. Maybe find a demon to slay. Preferably a whole legion of them.

  Anything so she wouldn’t have to feel vulnerable lying here, especially when he was looking at her like he actually cared what she thought. She didn’t want him to care. Not if he wasn’t sticking around. It would be much easier to let him go when the time came.

  Gage leaned over her. His gaze dipped to the plunging vee neckline.

  “What are you doing?” The question didn’t snap like she intended it to.

  He followed the leather strap down to the top of her breasts and withdrew the talisman.

  His fingers brushed her skin, and her stomach tightened. “So you think this thing somehow protects you?”

  From this angle she couldn’t tell if he was looking at the talisman or her cleavage. “According to Brady, yeah. I haven’t had any problems before.”

  Gage replaced it, his fingers once more sliding over her skin, whisper soft. Definitely on purpose this time.

  Jordan searched his face, but he turned away. He made it as far as the door before she opened her mouth to demand he release her. Gage shut off the light and came back to the bed. He stretched out on the mattress next to her, dragging a blanket up to cover both of them.

  “You expect me to sleep like this?”

  “It’s after three in the morning, Jordan. Just…go to sleep.”

  “Call Brady.”

  Gage rolled over, his face hovering above hers. He’d forgotten to fully close the blinds and slivers of light from the streetlamp outside allowed her to clearly see his face.

  “I’m not calling anyone, so go to sleep.”

  “Exactly what are you worried about? That you’re wrong, or that you wouldn’t be able to resist me if I was infected?”

  “One, I hope I am wrong. I’d rather you not have to go through that. And two, who says I’d want to resist you?” His voice deepened on the last sentence.

  “Gage…”

  He sighed. “You really need to stop talking, Jordan.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re making it hard for me to roll over and go to sleep.”

  “So you are trying to resist me,” she teased, her earlier frustration fading to the back of her mind as her body warmed from head to toe under his simmering blue eyes.

  “Not very well.” He covered her mouth with his, proving just how much he couldn’t fight the pull that crackled in the air between them. Arguing had always led to the most incredible sex between them and it seemed that the time apart hadn’t changed that.

  His lips skimmed back and forth across hers. Each hot pass made her tug at her restraints, wanting to wrap her arms around him and pull him closer. The first damp sweep of his tongue filled her senses.

  She moaned, already knowing the kiss would never be enough to satisfy the craving heating her limbs until she could have dissolved into the mattress. No matter how much she w
anted to strangle the man at any given moment, in bed he never failed to make her forget about everything but how good he made her feel.

  How good she wanted to feel right now.

  Gage drew back. His ragged breath teased her neck.

  “If you’re about to tell me to go to sleep—”

  “If you threaten me one more time today, Jordan, I’m going to leave you like this for at least a week.” He captured her mouth again.

  This time the kiss wasn’t slow or teasing.

  He consumed her.

  Welcome to Talisman Bay, where all hell breaks loose on a daily basis, especially when you fall in love.

  Lover’s Talisman

  © 2008 Ashleigh Raine

  Book one in the Talisman Bay series.

  For twelve years Stephan Rashleigh has lived in the shadows, patrolling the city streets as leader of the Talisman Bay Shadow Walkers. The danger of his world leaves no room for a woman in his life. Until now. It should have been easy—rescue Mariah, then let her go. Except once she’s in his arms, he can’t walk away. Vibrant, breathing life into him, she makes him feel again.

  Mariah DeSilva isn’t interested in falling in love, even with the gorgeous hero who rescued her from a brutal attack. When her best friend is kidnapped, she turns to the only man she can trust to help. The more time she spends with Stephan, the less she can hide her growing feelings for him. There’s so much more between them than an explosive romp between the sheets, against the wall and everywhere in between.

  As they search for Mariah’s missing friend, a sinister evil is revealed, someone who’s been watching, waiting for Stephan to reveal his greatest vulnerability—falling in love. This enemy will stop at nothing to wipe out the Shadow Walkers and claim Mariah for his own.

  This book has been previously published but was revised and re-edited for Samhain Publishing.

  Warning, this title contains the following: Bondage and knife play (don’t worry, no one gets hurt). A fantasy ménage scene—two brothers loving one woman, yay! Magical orgasms. Pleasure sparks. Lots of demon killing, lots of cursing while killing demons, and even more sex (without the demons).

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Lover’s Talisman:

  “We gotta go back to the import store. It’s safer there.”

  Mariah pulled from his grasp. “I need to go inside and check the machine, to make sure no one has heard from her or that she hasn’t been trying to get a hold of me.”

  Stephan studied the dark house. No lights on—anybody or anything could be hiding inside. “No. First, I gotta clear the perimeter. After it’s clear, then and only then will I determine if it’s safe for us to enter. Stay close to me.” Stephan extended a hand to her. Mariah looked at it for a moment before placing her hand in his. The heat from her touch infused his entire body with warmth, shifting all thought to sex. This was not a good time to get distracted.

  “You sound like a commando. Clear the perimeter. Safe to enter. Do you really think we need to do this?” Mariah’s voice lowered to a whisper as they approached the back of the house.

  “I’m not taking any chances. Anything could be waiting in the shadows.” He wished he could say more, make her understand the extent of danger she might be in. But he couldn’t. Not without compromising his job and the secrecy of the whole Shadow Organization. He’d already started down that path by having Fiero heal her yesterday and by bringing her to the compound in the first place. What was it about this woman that made him break his own rules?

  “Twyla’s missing. This doesn’t have anything to do with me, does it?” Mariah paused and Stephan tried to think up an answer that wouldn’t scare her. “Oh God. Is this because of my attack last night? Was Twyla taken because of me?”

  Stephan gazed into her big, bright eyes, glistening with unshed tears. He didn’t know what to tell her. It probably did have something to do with last night, but she already felt guilty and he didn’t want to add to that. The last thing he needed was a hysterical, terrified woman on his hands.

  Convinced he was doing the right thing and that it had nothing to do with how damn bad he wanted to feel her soft body pressed against him, he wrapped his arms around her. She sighed, settling into his embrace, fitting against him, her head tucked beneath his chin, like they’d come together this way a hundred times before. His hands had a mind of their own, stroking the silky length of her hair, kneading circles into her back. The subtle scent of shampoo and clean, beautiful woman filled every breath and he inhaled deeply, taking that small part of her inside.

  Each moment spent with her convinced him that maybe she really could be his. He remembered her ice-cold stare from the night before. It had to be a man. Someone must have fucked her up and scared her off men. He’d seen that kind of abuse happen all too often while growing up. Stephan vowed to kill whoever had done that to her.

  “I’m not sure what’s goin’ on, but I won’t take any chances with you. We’ll find Twyla, I promise.” He didn’t mention that by the time they found her, it might be too late.

  Mariah had never felt this secure. In the middle of her darkened yard, while searching for her best friend, she was completely safe. She wrapped her arms around his waist beneath his leather jacket, luxuriating in his strength. Stephan’s breath wafted against the top of her head, and his heart beat steadily beneath her cheek. The soft cotton of his tight black T-shirt felt comforting against her face. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy how he made everything feel so right.

  She started to pull away, but not before lightly brushing her lips against his chest. His back muscles tightened beneath her hands and she knew he’d felt her kiss. Her gaze returned to his eyes, her breath catching at the desire simmering there. He pulled her back toward him, quickly, fiercely, and ground his mouth to hers.

  Mariah’s body lit up, an explosion of sensory awareness that set her ablaze. She wanted to draw him closer, she wanted to jerk away. She wanted to strip naked and fuck him right there against the back wall of the house.

  Instead, she returned his kiss, opening her mouth and inviting him inside. It had been so long since she’d been kissed, but she didn’t ever remember feeling one down to her toes. He surrounded her, consumed her and she wanted to give him more to take. Lifting her hands to his hair, she ran her fingers through the short strands in the back. She heard a moan, but wasn’t sure if it was his or her own.

  Strong hands anchored on her ass, fingers hot and demanding, searing through her jeans. She ground against him encouragingly and he responded with a deep growl, picking her up, trapping her between the house and his rock-hard body. Her legs circled his waist, their sexes crushed together, his erect cock demanding entrance. If their damn clothes would only disappear, she’d insist he come inside and stay for awhile.

  One of his hands remained on her ass, keeping their clothed bodies locked in tortured limbo, while the other wandered over her hair, her cheek, caressing the length of her neck. Abandoning her mouth, he kissed and nipped along her jaw. She took in deep gulps of air between the moans and whimpers. When his teeth scraped roughly down her neck—which was one giant erogenous zone—she forgot to breathe, swallowing her shout and bucking against him, on the verge of climax.

  Her body had never reacted like this before, never crested so high so fast. Now Mariah wanted penetration. Wanted Stephan to slam into her, fill her, mate with her until the only thing between their bodies was sweat and come.

  But instead of getting closer, Stephan minutely pulled back, allowing room for a hand to travel under her shirt, fingertips brushing the underside of one breast. He explored her with tender caresses so at odds with the frantic tension exploding between them, palming her breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple until it blossomed, begging to be sucked deep into the warm recesses of his mouth. Thrumming liquid heat swelled low in her belly, threatening to boil over.

  She, too, could play the slow seduction game. Letting her fingers do the studying, she trailed down his chest and abdomen
. He was rugged perfection beneath her hands, muscles rippling wherever she touched. When she landed on the bulge of his cock, that rippled too, the rigid steel pulsing against her palm. Curling her fingers, she grasped him through his jeans. Her neck muffled his guttural groan as his hips jerked.

  His jeans were button fly. The top button came undone with little effort and she impatiently reached inside, desperate to feel his cock against her bare flesh. He was molded fire—large, powerful, hot. She wrapped her hand around him, loving the wicked thrill that came from being in control of pleasuring such a strong man. He moaned again, this time louder. She continued her ministrations, tactilely exploring what she wanted to see and taste.

  Stephan’s hand slid from her breast to her jeans and made quick work of her button and zipper. Mariah spoke a prayer of thanks that she had worn sexy pink lace panties and not her comfortable, man-hater, white cotton granny underwear. Long, lean fingers grazed the damp lace stretched over her cunt and she almost cried. It had been so long since anyone’s hands but her own had traveled there.

  One finger slipped under the silky barrier and rubbed back and forth, spreading her juices from her pussy to her clit. She whimpered and rocked against him, moments from orgasm. God, she wanted him inside her now, needed the slick feel of flesh invading flesh, turning her desperate ache into exquisite release. If she could just get the last few buttons of his jeans undone…

  A shaft of moonlight broke through the clouds overhead, illuminating someone rapidly approaching them. She pushed against Stephan, scrambling to get away, her desire fast becoming fear. A figure covered in dark hair, long fangs dripping, with red glowing eyes, was almost upon them. “Stephan, run! We have to run!”

  A haunted-to-the-rafters inn. A haunted heart. A sexy Irish ghostbuster must face both before he can love one woman.

  Key West Magic

  © 2007 Ciar Cullen

  Key West. An island of green on turquoise waters, populated with poets, artists, drifters, Jimmy Buffet fans—and the most stubborn ghosts imaginable.