by Tigris Eden
Enslaved In Shadows
Tigris Eden
Copyright © 2014 Tigris Eden
Cover: Jennifer Howard Gunpowder Designs
Edited by: Danielle Romero
Re-Edited by Chelle Olson
Published by Kats Kreative Ideas
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 0615741606
ISBN-13: 978-0615741604
DEDICATION
To my family and friends that were there to support me when I knew there was just a little bit more I wanted to say. To my mother Ramona, thanks for taking the time to read when you didn’t have to. Your strength encourages me every day.
To my husband Joseph, who always seems to know when I need that extra break to laugh. My love for you has no ending only a beginning.
To my Boys who always thought I was cool no matter what and for taking the time to drop into my office unannounced just to check on me.
This Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the work of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Note from the Author
About the Author
Glossary
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are so many people I would like to acknowledge, but there isn’t enough room. So I will just say…Thank you.
Praise for The Shadow Unit Series
“The Shadow Unit Series is an edge of your seat thrill ride full of steamy romance, conspiracy and best of all, hot shifters. A great series for any lover of the genre.” – Author S. Cu’Anam Policar.
“This was one of the best 2nd in a series books I think I have ever read. I have been waiting to see what happened with Jes and Draven, the hotness that is Royce and Ronin. Great Follow up. Great writing, can’t wait till the others come out!” – Tka3nme.
“Just when you think happily ever after there is another twist in the story that keeps you turning the page.” – 1safelady.
“The Shadow Unit Series is intense, gritty and HOT HOT HOT!!!” – Viki Sloboda.
“Intrigue, love and action make an irresistible read.” – Vondetta Carter “Once you start reading them you can’t put them down until you’re finished. Then you are anxiously waiting for the next.” – Barb A.
“Shadow Unit Series is an emotional, raw, sexy, action packed paranormal fabulousness that sucks you in from page one. You will cry, laugh, and blush throughout the series and burn for more.” – Indy Book Fairy
“Hunky men, steamy scenes, romance and a touch of the paranormal. What more can you ask for? It’s all here in the Shadow Unit.” – Jennifer Ballam.
“The Shadow Unit series is an edge of your seat mix of adventure and romance that will leave the readers wanting more!” – Ty Langston, Author of Decadent Dreams
1
Animal-like eyes stared at Jes from across the bar. A penetrating forest green clouded with lust and appreciation. His gaze lingered for long moments that stretched into minutes. No one had ever stared at her so brazenly and with that much intensity. It made her feel uncomfortable and awkward. It had to be the ridiculous scrap of a bikini Bells had insisted she wear. Jes broke eye contact, took another sip of her seaweed shake laced with rum and sighed softly. The flavor of the rum and vanilla reminded her of a time when her grandmother would make her swit biskits and she needed the distraction. Her staring was bordering on the creepy side. If she glanced in his direction again, she’d melt on the spot, and not from the penetrating heat of the sun.
The stranger at the bar was past gorgeous and forever out of her league. Raven black waves fell in curls around his face, giving him a sleepy, sexy look. It made her want to run her fingers through his hair. Bronze skin stretched over finely honed muscles flexed as he adjusted his arms and leaned forward on the bar. She wasn’t supposed to keep watching him, but couldn’t help herself as she eyed him from underneath her lashes. It was like his body spoke to hers and demanded she look up to address him. He put all other men to shame. All other men, meet Adonis. Adonis, try not to make all other men jealous. Jes did the introductions in her head because honestly, who else would listen? The guy belonged on the cover of one of those women’s magazines that praised the hottest of men. This stranger would be on top of the list, hands down.
Everyone around him was dull and lacking any flair. Men and women stopped and stared as they paid for their drinks or passed by. Danger and passion clung to him like a second skin. Jes couldn’t see much of him from where she sat, but what she could see, she liked, a lot.
He looked right at her and smiled. His attention focused, sending warmth into her skin. Grinning, his eyes roamed from the top of her head to her breasts. He nodded his head in obvious approval and raised his glass, taking a sip of his drink. Her body came to a hard stop under his attention. Seconds felt like minutes, and once his eyes drifted back to the bartender, her body kicked back into gear. All systems that managed her vital organs returned to their daily activities. Damn, he was fine. Curious anticipation danced along her spine in a seductive shuffle. She imagined his voice. A dark, erotic whisper that would coerce her into submission. He hadn’t even spoken to her, and her brain had already conjured up a darkly sensuous voice that would caress her ears the way his eyes had caressed her body.
Jes wanted to stretch the emotion out and make it last longer. Instead, she jolted out of her haze and dropped her head back to her drink. His dark looks would be a constant fixture in her mind for the rest of her trip. Hard-cut features outlined his face, with a slightly crooked nose. His lower lip was a bit fuller than the top. Lips a woman wanted to be dragged across her body at least three times a day. His blue and white cotton button up shirt was fully open to expose hard-sculpted pectorals lightly dusted with hair. She watched as he leaned over to reach for a napkin then she simply stared. What she wouldn’t give to be the sweat that rolled down his chest. Snap out of it girl. She was too hormonal, and she never got that way. Ever.
Abruptly, he stood and handed the bartender some money for his drink. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall. He dominated the area, owned it with his massive presence. He took one last look at her, and Jes shou
ld have looked away but couldn’t. There was an invisible tether that connected her to him. And as he turned and walked the other way, she felt the connection break, releasing her into the real world.
The experience had been surreal. She would have missed the entire experience if she hadn’t been paying attention. Jes tried to acknowledge the positives out of their encounter. He was hot and seemed interested. He did let you eye fuck him, after all. But guys like him were a distraction, a disruption to her orderly—and boring—life. He would shake things up. Throw things out of sync, ride on the opposite side of the lines. He’d be spontaneous. It would drive her nuts! Why bother thinking of that at all though? For all the staring he’d done, he could have at least walked over and said hi, something. Instead, he’d broken their private bubble, releasing her to the sounds of the ocean hitting the shore, and people coming and going at the bar. She could even hear sounds of people playing volleyball on the sandy beach of Belmopan, Belize. He’d taken her out of her surroundings. She hated to admit it, but his exit had stung.
As the sounds from the real world penetrated her brain, Jes turned to her best friend Belinda, who just like her, was in another world. Belinda was watching a family play in the sun. She wore a look of longing, and Jes never understood why. Her friend could settle down with any man she wanted. For some reason, Bells didn’t like to discuss family. Women generally loved to share stories about the number of kids they wanted to have, or the man they would marry. Not Belinda. The subject had always been closed for discussion.
Jes downed the rest of her drink and signaled to the bartender, placing her money on the table. She wasn’t going to let the meeting affect her holiday. She was here to visit family and relax.
“Time for a bit of fun in the sun, Jesminda,” Bells said as she grabbed her straw hat off the counter and hopped off her stool. That’s exactly what Jes needed to get her mind off the stranger. She was here for two weeks. She needed to take advantage. She also wanted to do something that genuinely went against everything she stood for. Being predictable and cute had its drawbacks. Being adventurous paid off. At least that’s what the wild ones said. No regrets and never look back. Admittedly, there was appeal.
Bells was purely along for support and to make sure Jes didn’t overdo her adventure. Going to Carnival wasn’t that bad of an idea. It was a good way to break any woman of her monotonous routine and have some fun. Temporary hysteria squeaked through in the form of a laugh as she adjusted the sunglasses atop her head. The silky sand between her toes comforted her as she walked on the beach. Belmopan had been her home for the first sixteen years of her life. She’d gone to school here, her playground had been the beach bordering the southern lagoon; her backyard, the beautiful jungle. She missed the smell of the ocean and the warm breeze kissing her skin. She was as much a part of the island as the trees were. Her family owned a vast estate nestled in the jungle. Her favorite spot had been the banana tree growing out back, where she would lie against the bark and read in the shade. Her parents still lived there with her grandmother. They’d sent her to the States to live with her Uncle Hammond so she could finish out her schooling and attend a university. But every summer she would come home for a visit.
“Lounging sounds good to me tifi,” Jes answered.
“Stop with the tifi,” Bells said over her shoulder. Tifi was the Kriol word for girl. Every year Jes would come home for a visit, her grandmother would refuse to speak English, forcing Jes to revert to her native tongue.
Jes walked ahead of Belinda so she could grab a great spot on the beach. The tourists wouldn’t show up until tomorrow for Belmopan’s famous Erotic Carnival. People came from all corners of the world to experience it.
# # #
The woman at the bar smelled fucking incredible. Tropical, like the island. Coconut and pineapples, with a touch of vanilla and nutmeg, had infiltrated his senses. No artificial perfume or oil like most of the woman on the island wore. She just naturally smelled like warm woman and lazy days, bringing images to mind of how un-lazy he would be should he have her in his bed. He wanted to taste her full, pouty lips, to see for himself if she tasted as good as she smelled. Not one female had ever caught the attention of his nose the way she had.
Images of her lips wrapped around his cock clouded his brain. Draven groaned as he adjusted the errant erection in his shorts. He was restless and fucking horny. She’d have been perfect for what he had in mind, but a job was a job. He needed to finish his assignment, and then maybe later he could play. Two and a half years of service to the Shadow Unit, and he was still considered a grunt. He was not a fan of taking the jobs no one else wanted. He wanted something stable, more localized. Gallivanting around the world trying to fix peoples’ problems wasn’t his thing. He’d already put in a request to Dravaggio’s team, hoping to be assigned the area. He wanted to be closer to home, and since Dravaggio was in charge of Texas and Louisiana, getting the job would have accomplished that goal; placing him closer to his family.
Draven watched as the woman finished her drink and then started walking toward the beach with her friend—the opposite direction of where he needed to be. The wind still carried her scent, and it was driving him crazy. He’d purposely left the bar not wanting to be distracted, instead, just watched her in the passing crowd. Saw the hurt look in her eyes when he’d left her sitting there without so much as a hello. He was supposed to go south and meet up with his contact and she was walking north towards the sand. Shit, don’t follow her. He repeated the command in his head, even as his feet were pointed in her direction. He had to smell her one more time. Her scent alone would get him through a forced hand job. It was the only solution he could offer his other head at the moment.
He should be following up on his lead, not following tail. Draven wasn’t the only male that watched as she and her friend walked towards a spot on the beach. Both women were scantily dressed in bikini tops and thong bottoms. Her friend sported a massive tattoo on her back. Normally, that would have attracted Draven, but today he only had eyes for the island flower. He continued to watch as she picked out a spot on the sand. Gods, she looked good in that bikini. The fragrant beauty looked around to see if anyone was watching and placed her bag on the sand. A warm breeze drifted past, and Draven inhaled. Her sultry scent came to him stronger now. Carefully, she placed her blanket down and slowly sat, arranging her body in a way that invited all kinds of attention. Draven could see she wasn’t comfortable in her swimwear, but she seemed determined to tolerate her state of dress. She looked anxious, and he absently wondered what she wore during the workweek. Was she cold and stuffy, or relaxed and friendly?
Draven attempted to remove all thoughts of her from his mind. She wasn’t his, and he had a job to do. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go-rounds with her. He could hurt her with his strength if he didn’t check his need. He watched her closely. Inside, his stomach was churning with a force that could bring any male to his knees as the need to take her consumed his thoughts more fervently. These feelings were bad for business on so many levels. His bed had been empty of women for months, which said a lot about his social life. Yet he didn’t want to tie himself to one woman either, especially since he could be called to leave on assignment at a moment’s notice.
He usually only felt this hypersexual towards the end of the moon’s cycle. But with her, his animal side was salivating at the prospect of fucking her. Draven closed his eyes and took a series of deep breaths. It didn’t help his situation, especially since he could still smell her. Instinct was taking over, and before he even realized what he was doing, he was standing over her, his chest rapidly rising and falling as he internally thought of all the different ways he could bed her. She was driving his beast crazy.
Her arousal was powerful, potent. He could smell the scent as it thickened the surrounding air. Molecules of lust drifted between them. Kinetic energy frantically moved from his body to hers. Osmosis at its finest. They were soaking up one another. Their gazes locke
d as he mentally sized her up and she did the same.
The beauty tilted her head back and flipped her sunglasses up, arching her brow in question. He watched as she pushed to her elbows to sit up further, pulling her wrap over her leg. It was a shame; she had gorgeous legs. She was brown sugar laced with a glimmering bronze and her skin shimmered under the sun. Her eyes were a soft honey, a closer look showing they were glazed over to a deeper gold. Mahogany locks mixed with red highlights rested on her face and spilled over her shoulders onto her bikini-covered breasts. Draven’s eyes made their way back to her lips, and he hoped she didn’t notice that his shorts were getting a bit too tight.
Nervous energy fused with arousal flustered his senses. She was the embodiment of beautiful, and his fantasy come to life. All lush woman and soft eyes. Everything a man desired. His senses worked overtime to separate her delicate smell from everyone else’s. And when he did, Draven’s sense of duty fell by the wayside. He was spelled by her body’s curves. Enchanted and trapped with nowhere to go but towards the sweet smelling bliss of her heat.
At the last moment, he noticed her friend. The other woman didn’t appear to be happy with his intentions. He tried for a friendly grin, but it must have come off wrong because her friend quickly interrupted his connection with the bronze beauty.
“We’d better go,” her friend said.
Idiot, you scared them off!
“But we just got settled, Bells,” his island flower whispered back. Why did he always have this effect on people? He was just like everybody else. Prickly sometimes, but he did an admirable job of acclimating. Keep telling yourself that. He was going for nice, not scary. Then you should have kept your wolf grin to yourself.
Draven mentally assessed his outfit. He was dressed for tropical fun. He blended in. Open shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals. Who else would wear these ridiculous flip-flops? He counted himself lucky that he could even pull this look off. Draven turned to stare out at the ocean and then turned back to the beautiful woman on the blanket.