Shifters in the Shadows: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Sexy Shifters, Dangerous Vamps, & Things That Go Bump in the Night

by J. K Harper

  The reason she shivered was far more mundane. He was probably the sexiest man she’d ever seen, with his tanned skin and deep black hair, coupled with a hard body and perfect features. He made her mouth water and sent a shiver of desire through her. That was why she trembled, and not from fear.

  “Hello, Naiya.”

  His voice was rich and deep too, eliciting more of those shivers. She licked her lips, feeling unreasonably nervous. “How do you know my name?”

  “You wear your nametag at the hospital.”

  She nodded, looking more closely at him. “Do I know you from the hospital?” Even as she asked, she was convinced she didn’t. If she’d ever met him before, she wouldn’t have forgotten him. He was the kind of person one didn’t forget, whether or not they found him insanely attractive—and she figured you’d have to be dead not to find him attractive, regardless of gender.

  “No, but my work takes me there upon occasion.”

  “What do you do?” She expected an answer like doctor, pharmaceutical rep, or something medically related.

  “I’m a vengeance demon.”

  She blinked, looking around automatically to make sure no one was in their vicinity and could overhear his claim. The humans would have thought he was insane. “That’s awfully blunt of you to admit.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see the need to lie about it with one of my own kind.”

  She frowned. “I’m not exactly your kind. I’m a water elemental, and you’re a demon. Probably a high level.”

  He nodded. “How can you tell?”

  “It’s your aura of power,” she said softly, keeping her voice low while hoping if they were overheard, they’d be dismissed as a couple of drunken lunatics. She anticipated that would be the case if anyone overheard the conversation anyway.

  He laughed softly, sending a wave of warm breath over the top of her hair and forehead. “What do you think about my aura of power?” he asked in a flirtatious tone.

  “It’s magnetic.” It definitely was, and she could feel her resolve to avoid further emotional entanglements, at least until graduation, start to weaken. She swayed closer to him without planning to, until their lips were just a few inches apart. She wasn’t entirely joking when she asked, “Have you put a spell on me?”

  He grinned. “Spells aren’t my department, little witch. Demons don’t bother with incantations, symbols, and athamés. We’re more visceral with our use of magic, drawing forth and releasing it instinctively.”

  She shook her head. “If you do that, you risk losing control. Witches use all the trappings you talked about in order to focus our magic and control the outcome. If we ran around just using magic as the urge came to us without the proper tools to learn how to control it, it could be a disaster. The humans might find out, and even worse, people might be injured or killed.”

  He took her hand, enfolding his fingers around hers. His hand thrummed with power that surged up her arm, making her gasp softly. It also caused her nipples to bead against her bra.

  “Just think how much fun it is to unleash all that magic without worrying about rules and control.”

  She shook her head, though her heart wasn’t completely in resisting. “It’s still a bad idea. Awful things can happen when people lose control.” Without thought, the memory of her ex-boyfriend popped into her head. She hadn’t witnessed him being turned inside out, having heard about it secondhand from a friend at the hospital who’d been on duty and discovered his body, but she could vividly imagine what a mess it had been. Turning a human body completely inside out had to be done magically, and it certainly couldn’t have been quick, clean, or painless.

  His eyes seemed to darken further for a moment, and his hand tightened on hers slightly. “Where did your thoughts go?”

  She almost told him, but discarded the idea. How Jeb had died wasn’t common knowledge, having been kept quiet by the police. It was such a baffling death that no one had an explanation, and from her sources at the hospital, she’d gleaned the detectives in charge had wanted to wrap up the whole mess as quickly as possible and bury the files as deeply in their archives as they could.

  Instead, she just shook her head again. “Nothing important.” Wasn’t that the truth? Jeb had been important to her, especially in the beginning, but she’d never been important to him. She’d just been too dumb to realize that until the end.

  “You seem like a nice girl, Naiya.”

  It should have been a compliment, but the way he said it implied it was actually something negative, a personality trait that had to be excised. She shrugged. “And you seem like anything but a nice boy.”

  He laughed, flashing brilliant white teeth against his tanned skin. “You’ve got me pegged. The question is, would a nice girl like you invite a bad boy like me back to your apartment?”

  There was a faint voice in the back of her head telling her it was a terrible idea and trying to remind her of her resolve to steer clear of heartache, but most of her was fully on board with the idea when she said, “She might, if her roommate isn’t home yet.”

  He grinned. “Let’s hope your roommate is out all night, because you’re going to be loud.”

  Naiya laughed. “No, not really. I’m pretty quiet when I’m doing that.” She blushed as she said the words, feeling ridiculous at doing so. She was on the shy side, and she’d certainly never had a one-night stand before. This had all the markings of one, and she abruptly realized she hadn’t even caught his name. “Who are you? I think we should probably be on a first-name basis.”

  “I’m Bach.” He took her hand in his again, sliding his thumb across the back of her hand. “And I have a feeling I’m going to make you turn into a screamer.”

  She swallowed, feeling a little nervous. “You can try.”

  Chapter 2

  He’d seemed to have made a point not to touch her from the time they left the party until they arrived at her apartment a few minutes later. Conversely, it made her body feel as though he’d done nothing but caress her, her nerve endings in a heightened state, and her anxiety level was through the roof, as she eagerly awaited even the lightest brush of his skin against hers. He hadn’t even really touched her yet, and she was already close to the point of jumping on him without a bit of foreplay. How was it going to be when they actually started touching?

  During the quick walk between the sorority house and her apartment building, she’d already decided she didn’t care if her roommate was home. Linda was quiet and uptight, and she’d surely complain for weeks afterward if she was there when Naiya had an overnight guest, but it was worth it. She was oddly certain that a night with Bach would be worth just about any price she had to pay.

  Fortunately, when they entered the apartment, it was silent. Linda must have actually had plans for a change, which was nice for Naiya and for her roommate. She’d told Linda she needed to get out more, but Linda had ignored the advice. Since Naiya wasn’t all that great at managing her own personal life, she hadn’t pushed her view onto her roommate other than as a mere suggestion.

  Linda actually reminded Naiya of herself. She was two years younger and studiously focused on her studies, much as Naiya had been her first couple of years of college. She hadn’t come out of her shell until Jeb had started flirting with her, quickly making her fall for him. After he’d broken her heart by cheating on her the first time, she’d retreated into her shell, but her friends hadn’t allowed her to go quite so deeply.

  When she’d gotten back with Jeb again, things had seemed perfect once more, and she genuinely believed that his cheating on her had been a drunken mistake. That was until he’d made the mistake again. That time, she hadn’t retreated back to the safety of her dorm, immersing herself in studies. She’d made a concentrated effort to have a real life, including social activities, and being with her friends.

  She wondered if that was what had drawn Jeb back for the third time, or if he’d simply fallen back on her as his ol’ reliable. She’d been a li
ttle more cautious the third time, but in the end, she crumbled to his sweet talk like the idiot she was. The night he’d offered to share her with his friends when they were at a frat party had been the end for her, and she’d walked out. That was really the last time she’d seen Jeb, and she hoped she would have had better sense than to let him have a fourth chance.

  Realizing her thoughts were on her ex-boyfriend instead of the delicious demon in her apartment, she shook her head and turned her attention to him after hanging up her jacket and purse.

  They reached for each other at the same time, arms entangling and bodies pressing together in urgent need. She stretched on her tiptoe, and he bent his head so their lips collided. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. There was nothing sweet or tender about it. His mouth explored, demanding her capitulation, and she yielded it willingly.

  When his tongue pressed inside the seam of her lips to stroke the contours of her mouth, she pressed back just as eagerly, stroking his tongue with hers. She clutched his shoulders to steady herself as her mind splintered in the pleasure, and her head grew fuzzy. It was like drinking ten shots in a row, and the giddiness exploded over her.

  Bach picked her up and carried her to her room, seeming to know which was hers instinctively. It was a minor talent, and just about any magical creature would have been capable of discerning that based on her scent and unique magical signature.

  Her door had been open, but he kicked it closed behind him with a foot as he stalked toward her bed, spreading her out on it like a tempting buffet.

  She barely had time to process the change in altitude before he was on the bed with her, his muscular body pressing into her softer contours as they molded together. Her sexy nymph costume became a casualty to desire as he burned a line through the fabric with one of his fingers, trailing it down her torso until the dress ended at mid-thigh.

  The fabric singed cleanly in two, and he pulled it apart to reveal her naked body underneath, aside from a set of sexy underwear and stockings. She was thankful she’d gone with the matching hot pink set, almost having chosen comfort over attractiveness, figuring no one would be seeing what was under her costume. She hadn’t gone to the sorority party with the intention of hooking up with anyone, but she’d still put on a nice set of lingerie to feel good, so now she didn’t have to feel embarrassed about granny panties or chain store bras.

  He slipped a finger under the strap on her left shoulder, and she put a hand on his. “I’d rather you not burn this off. I love this set, and it’s really expensive.”

  He chuckled. “I love it too, but I think I’ll love you better without it.” He kept his touch light, to her appreciation, as he slid the straps farther down her shoulders before moving a hand between her breasts to expertly unhook the bra and remove the cups. He made it look easy, and for him, it probably was. She doubted he lacked experience in disrobing bed partners. She tried not to think about that, since she was the only one in his bed at the moment, and that was all that mattered—even if it was her bed and not his.

  His hand was firm when he cupped one of her breasts, tugging lightly at her nipple. He lowered his head a moment later, sucking with firm pressure. Like the kiss they’d shared, this wasn’t gentle or sweet. It was almost demanding, requiring a response she was happy to give. Naiya curled her fingers into his thick hair and moaned as he suckled for a long moment before moving his mouth to her other breast to provide equal attention. She writhed underneath him, annoyed that he was still wearing so many clothes when she was already down to her underwear and thigh-high stockings.

  Impatiently, she pushed his head away for a moment so she could wriggle down to reach the hem of his black T-shirt. She pushed it up, pulling it to his armpits and tugging in a nonverbal command for him to lift his arms. He did so, and she had the shirt off and slung across the room in just a few seconds.

  His bare chest was as perfect as she’d imagined it would be from pressing against it earlier. She allowed her fingers to roam where they willed, lightly raking his nipple as she moved down. His breath hissed between his teeth, sending a wave of warmth washing over her when he exhaled.

  She slid her hands lower, across his six-pack, and into the waistband of his sinfully body-hugging jeans. She was able to slip two fingers in there, but that was the only space available, since he wore them skintight. Denied further access, she looked up at him with a pouting expression. “Show me what you have for me.”

  He grinned at her as he pulled away to sit on his knees long enough to unsnap his jeans and slide them down his thighs. With a graceful wiggle that was somehow sexy when it should have proved more amusing than anything, he slipped out of his pants, revealing his naked form.

  He was as perfect below the waist as he was above the waist, and her mouth watered as she got her first look at his thick erection. She wrapped a hand around it, and the pulse beat through his shaft and into her palm. She cupped him and stroked lightly, smiling when he jumped in her hand, trying to follow the motions of her palm. “I think he likes me.”

  “I know he does. So do I.”

  Bach returned to her, lying on her again as he braced his weight on his palms on either side of her head, lowering his mouth to kiss her in another hungry kiss. She kept her hand wrapped around his erection, but wasn’t able to pump him since he was so close to her body.

  As his lips ravaged hers, one of his hands went between her legs to push aside her panties, stroking her slit and increasing her moisture. She was already so wet she was surprised her body could produce more when his fingers gently explored her opening, a marked contrast to the rough way he was kissing her. His tender touches soon pushed her over the edge, and her pussy contracted around his fingers, clinging to him as she moaned her release.

  With a sound of satisfaction, he pulled his fingers from her and parted her thighs, guiding the head of his cock into her opening as she murmured an incantation against his lips. It was a simple contraceptive spell, and she soon abandoned all attempts at speaking after she’d spoken the last word.

  He surged inside her, filling her beyond anything she’d known before. Admittedly, her experience was limited to Jeb Franco, and while he hadn’t been underendowed, he certainly hadn’t been this blessed either. It was almost uncomfortable for a moment, but then he began to stroke her clit as he thrust in and out of her, and any discomfort quickly gave way to pure pleasure.

  She thrust against him, rotating her hips and finding the perfect rhythm to drive her closer to orgasm. As he moved in and out of her, his fingers ceaselessly working the taut nub that sent pleasure shooting through her, she dug her fingers into his back, clinging to him as passion overtook her. She thought she dug her nails in too deeply, alerted by the sound of him hissing, but unable to pull them back as her orgasm crested, and she convulsed around him. He followed a scant second later, and their bodies remained joined in pleasure as they came.

  It was only after the initial blast of bliss faded that she was able to loosen her hold slightly, wincing on his behalf when she realized she’d been digging her nails into his skin. Her fingers felt hot where she’d pressed against him, and she realized as aftermath encompassed her that all of her skin was faintly warm wherever it touched his. It wasn’t hot enough to be uncomfortable, and certainly not to burn. She found it more reassuring than anything. It was nice to be held in his warm embrace, though she fully expected him to slip away and be gone by morning.

  Chapter 3

  After reaching for her twice more during the night—including one memorable occasion where his mouth had driven her to multiple climaxes before she’d begged for mercy he hadn’t granted—he fully met her expectations, and she woke alone the next morning. She was sore in a pleasant way, and sated in a fashion she’d never known. She experienced a dart of regret at knowing he’d simply been the one-night stand she had assumed. She tried to shrug off her melancholy, deciding she’d been lucky to have a night with a guy like him, and perhaps it was better to keep it to just the one anyway.
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  He was intense, with a dangerous edge that suggested she might be in over her head if she tried to pursue anything. She’d ignored her good sense and logic and allowed herself to fall for Jeb, and she wasn’t going to do that mistake again. No matter how perfect last night had been, she wasn’t going to allow herself to get all swoony and emotional over the guy who’d heated her bed. It would be better if she didn’t see him again, and though she wasn’t completely certain she really meant that, she clung to the decision as she prepared for her early class.

  * * *

  Naiya was surprised to exit the hospital later that evening and find Bach leaning against the rail of the wheelchair ramp. She walked over toward him, trying to deny the fizz of excitement in her stomach. If she were sensible, she’d keep on walking and not look back.

  Instead, she stopped a few feet from him. “Hi. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I wanted to see you again, and this seemed like a good place to find you.”

  “Lucky guess, unless you scryed for me?”

  Bach grinned at her. “I don’t have any of your blood, but that doesn’t matter. Demons don’t need to scry to find what we’re looking for. I could find you anywhere, so don’t bother trying to hide.” He spoke in a light tone, but his dark eyes seemed strangely serious.

  The part of her that was trying to be assertive and avoid relationships viewed it as a hint of a threat, but the romantic sap inside her giggled like a thirteen-year-old meeting her favorite boy band member. She did her best to hide that reaction and tried to lean toward rational. “Did you have something particular in mind while looking?” It was a loaded question, full of suggestiveness, and though it hadn’t been her intent, the way she phrased it, coupled with her husky tone, made it sound like an invitation to share her bed. She hesitated for a moment, but didn’t bother to rescind the implied invitation.